Vital Votes - Natural Health Articles by Dr. Joseph Mercola

Financial Bailout Balloons to the Trillions

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:38:17 GMT

The U.S. government's financial bailout will be the most expensive single expenditure in American history. It could potentially cost around $7.5 trillion, which is roughly half the value of all the goods and services produced in the United States last year.

The total U.S. cost of World War II adjusted for inflation was $3.6 trillion. The bailout will cost more than the total combined costs in today's dollars of the Marshall Plan, the Louisiana Purchase, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the entire historical budget of NASA, including the moon landing.

Congress last month allocated $700 billion for an emergency bailout of some of Wall Street's firms by purchasing their troubled assets, but the funds allocated through the Troubled Assets Relief Program are only a small part of the government's overall bailout spending. Bailout programs also include a Federal Reserve plan to buy as much as $2.4 trillion in short-term notes called commercial paper, and an FDIC plan to spend $1.4 trillion to guarantee bank-to-bank loans.

What Company Will Pay Nearly $100 Million for Deceiving You?

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:38:10 GMT

Medical conglomerate Bayer will pay $97.5 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it paid kickbacks to medical suppliers to boost sales of its diabetes products.

The settlement will resolve an investigation into whether Bayer bribed 11 diabetic suppliers into switching patients to its products. Bayer did not admit or deny any wrongdoing in the case, and a spokeswoman said the company is "satisfied that the issues in question have been resolved."

Justice Department officials said Bayer paid Liberty Medical Supply, one of the largest diabetic suppliers, about $2.5 million to convert patients to Bayer supplies between 1998 and 2002. The kickbacks, disguised as payments for advertising, were based on how many patients Liberty successfully converted to Bayer supplies. The Justice Department also alleged Bayer paid $375,000 in kickbacks to 10 other diabetes equipment companies.

Exercise Stops Stem Cell Drop in Middle Age

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:37:59 GMT

A new study confirms that exercise can reverse the age-related decline in the production of neural stem cells in the hippocampus of the mouse brain. This may happen because exercise restores a brain chemical which promotes the production and maturation of new stem cells.

Neural stem cells and progenitor cells differentiate into a variety of mature nerve cells which have different functions. There is evidence that when fewer new stem or progenitor cells are produced in the hippocampus, it can result in impairment of the learning and memory functions.

The researchers built on earlier studies that found that the production of stem cells in the area of the hippocampus known as the dentate gyrus drops off dramatically by the time mice are middle age, and that exercise can slow that trend.

They found that exercise significantly slows down the loss of new nerve cells in the middle-aged mice. In fact, they discovered that production of neural stem cells improved by approximately 200 percent in active mice. In addition, the survival of new nerve cells increased by 170 percent and growth by 190 percent, compared to sedentary middle-aged mice. Exercise also significantly enhanced stem cell production and maturation in the young mice.

Vitamin K Prevents Insulin Resistance in Older Men

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:37:51 GMT

Vitamin K slowed the development of insulin resistance in elderly men in a study of more than 350 men and women ages 60 to 80.

Among those in the study given vitamin K, both men and women took daily multivitamins containing 500 micrograms of vitamin K, five times the recommended Adequate Intake (AI). They also received a calcium and vitamin D supplement. Men and women in the control group received no vitamin K supplementation but did receive the multivitamin and the calcium and vitamin D supplement.

Men who received vitamin K supplementation had less progression in their insulin resistance. However, progression in insulin resistance was observed both in women who received vitamin K supplementation, and in the men or women who were not given vitamin K supplements.

In addition to improved insulin resistance, the supplemented men had lower blood insulin levels compared to the unsupplemented men at the conclusion of the study.

Scientists Find Clues to Aging in Red Wine

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:37:42 GMT

A new insight into the reason for aging has been uncovered by scientists trying to understand resveratrol, an ingredient of red wine which improves the health and lifespan of laboratory mice.

Researchers now believe that the integrity of chromosomes is compromised as people age, and that resveratrol works by activating a protein known as sirtuin that restores the chromosomes to health.

The finding is part of a growing effort by biologists to understand sirtuins and other powerful agents that control your cells’ metabolism, including their handling of fats and response to insulin. Researchers are just beginning to figure out how these agents work and how to manipulate them.

My One Hour Vitamin D Lecture to Clear Up All Your Confusion on this Vital Nutrient

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:37:33 GMT

Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem in the United States, but many Americans are not aware that they may be lacking this important nutrient. Although word is beginning to leak out even among the traditional medical community, testing for vitamin D will not skyrocket like cholesterol or other testing because there is no expensive drug to push.

The Route to Obesity Passes Through Your Tongue

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:26:07 GMT

According to neuroscientists, obesity gradually numbs the taste sensation of rats to sweet foods, and drives them to consume larger and sweeter meals. There is apparently a critical link between taste and body weight.

Previous studies have suggested that obese persons are less sensitive to sweet taste, but little is known about the specific differences in sense of taste between obese and lean individuals. Researchers investigated these differences by studying the taste responses of two strains of rats.

Compared to the lean and healthy LETO rats, the taste responses in OLETF rats mirror those in obese humans. These rats tend to chronically overeat due to a missing satiety signal, and they become obese and develop diabetes. The obese rats also show an increased preference for sweet foods.

The researchers implanted electrodes in the rodents' brains to record the firing of nerve cells when the rats' tongues were exposed to various tastes. The OLETF rats had about 50 percent fewer neurons firing when their tongues were exposed to sucrose, suggesting that obese rats are overall less sensitive to sucrose.

Bone Formation Controlled by Serotonin

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:25:59 GMT

Bone formation may be controlled by serotonin, a chemical known mainly for its entirely separate role in the brain. The discovery could have enormous implications, because there is an urgent need for osteoporosis treatments that actually build bone.

Most current treatments only slow further bone loss, rather than increase bone formation. And the exception, parathyroid hormone, is recommended only for short-term use and costs about $6,700 a year.

Now researchers have discovered an unexpected system that appears to control bone formation, involving serotonin made in the gut rather than the brain. The serotonin is released into the blood, and the more serotonin that reaches bone, the more bone is lost. Conversely, the less serotonin, the denser and stronger bones become.

6 Simple Steps to Make Progress Towards Achieving Your Goals

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:25:41 GMT

Every day that goes by, you either move closer towards achieving a goal or you move further away from that goal. If you do nothing you are moving away from the goal. Following these steps will guarantee that you will move towards your goal each day.

1. Gain a Clear Picture of What You Want to Achieve

You can’t move towards a goal unless you have a clear idea about what that goal is. This picture must be specific. You can’t simply state that you want “a better job”; rather you must clearly picture what that job will be and why it will be better.

2. Spend Time Visualizing Your Success

Get as detailed a picture as possible in your mind, even taking the time to write down your goals in significant detail. Whenever you find yourself getting discouraged, go somewhere quiet for a little while and use that time to visualize success in your endeavors.

3. Associate Immense Pleasure with Achieving Your Goal

Consider how you will feel when succeed. What will it be like? How much joy will you have? How will you celebrate? Make the level of pleasure as deep and realistic as possible.

4. Associate Intense Pain with the Idea of Failure

What are the pains associated with not achieving your goals? What will you NOT have? What will it look like to those around you? How will you feel about yourself?

5. Focus on Doing Something Important Each Day towards Your Reaching Your Goals

You need to do something every day from this list. That means even on days when you are busy with other things, tired, or when unexpected things fill your time, you need to find someway to do something that helps you move forward. Even if it is a simple act it will help you keep your personal momentum moving in the right direction.

6. Keep Your Goal at the Forefront of Your Mind

Not only do you need to have a clear picture in your mind about what you would like to achieve in your goal, you also need to keep that goal at the front of your mind.

The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:25:35 GMT

The fact that sunlight and natural light therapy can help to rid you of depression is yet another example of the fact that, when you take the proper approach to your health and provide your body with all that it needs, drugs are rarely, if ever, necessary.

10 Foods That Bring on Pain

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:24:49 GMT

An estimated 40 million Americans live with what they describe as chronic pain, and many more suffer from acute bouts of pain. But for some, pain-free living could be a dietary change away.

When people eliminate certain foods from their diets, their symptoms are often eliminated or reduced. Here are some of the worst pain-inducing offenders for headaches, acid reflux and arthritis.

However, results may vary -- reactions are different for every person.

Tomatoes

For the millions of Americans who suffer from heartburn and acid reflux, tomatoes are a chest pain waiting to happen. When you ingest tomatoes or spicy foods, your lower esophageal sphincter has an abnormal relaxation, and it allows the acid contents of the stomach to splash back up into the esophagus. This causes the discomfort known as heartburn.

And although everyone experiences small amounts of reflux every day, some people's acid reflux is so severe that the excessive amount of acid actually breaks down the lining of the esophagus, leading to extraordinary pain.

Citrus Fruits

The acid reflux-inducing nature of citrus fruits can vary from person to person, but the most common offenders are oranges, grapefruits and lemons. As with tomatoes, it is the high acid content of these fruits that causes the pain. The aggravation is the same as well; eating citrus-y foods affects the lower esophageal sphincter in much the same way as tomatoes.

Bacon

Bacon can be the cause of arthritic pain, especially when the meats are deep fried. Bacon may form the internal substances that are responsible for inflammation, and it's this inflammation that leads to increased arthritic pain. And if the prostaglandins and leukotrienes don't get to you, the extra weight you'll put on by eating too much bacon will -- the greatest effect of diet on arthritis is weight control.

Eggs

Eggs contain the same pro-inflammatory agents as bacon. Eggs contain arachidonic acid, and as this acid is broken down by the body, it can lead to the formation of inflammatory prostaglandins. These inflammatory prostaglandins can lead to increased swelling and joint pain.

Cheese

Excess cheese consumption can cause pain in several ways. One may be a reaction to the protein found in the cheese -- very similar to an allergic reaction. This can lead to inflammation.

Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are among of the most consumed beverages in the United States. This "liquid candy" is so ubiquitous that it contributes to about 10 percent of the calories consumed in the average American diet. And diets that are high in sugar have been associated with inflammation, since excess sugar consumption can lead to obesity, which is known to cause joint pain and swelling.

The average 12-ounce can of soda contains 136 empty calories and 33 grams of sugar -- the equivalent of 11 sugar packets or more in every can.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains the chemical phenylethylamine, and too much of it may affect concentration and can cause a nasty "chocolate hangover" for some. Different kinds of chocolate affect people differently, which could be due to the amount of cocoa or caffeine found various kinds of chocolate in chocolate.

Wine

Drinking too much wine can cause just about anyone to get a headache, but for some people drinking even a tiny amount of wine will bring on a vicious migraine, nausea and flushing. It was previously believed that red wine headaches were caused by sulfites in the wine, but it is now thought that the only people who have a reaction to the sulfites in red wine are people who already have sulfite allergies.

Instead, wine headaches may be caused by the amino acid tyramine, which have been shown to induce migraines in many people. Wine headaches could also be caused by the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

Processed Meat

Processed meats such as lunch meat, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, especially trans fats.

Potato Chips

Potatoes are part of the nightshade family. Members of this family of plants has been associated in the past with increased inflammation and arthritic pain. Certain proteins in potatoes may also trigger a bad reaction in some people, quite similar to an allergic reaction. This reaction could cause painful migraines or arthritic flare-ups.

Some Cancers May Just Go Away

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:24:32 GMT

A group of researchers who track breast cancer rates have proposed the controversial notion that some tumors found with mammograms might naturally disappear on their own if left undetected.

Dr. Per-Henrik Zahl and his colleagues examined invasive breast cancer rates among nearly 120,000 women age 50 to 64 who had a mammogram over a six-year period. They compared the number of breast cancers detected with another group of about 110,000 women of the same age who were screened just once at the end of the six-year period.

The researchers said they expected to find no differences in breast cancer rates -- but instead, they found 22 percent more invasive breast tumors in the group who had mammograms every two years. This raises the possibility that some cancers somehow disappear naturally.

Mammography and breast self-examination for tumors are standard methods used for early detection of breast cancer.

Nitric Oxide Alters Brain Function

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:24:10 GMT

Research shows that nitric oxide can change the computational ability of the brain. This finding has implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, and for the understanding of brain function more generally.

Nitric can rapidly diffuse across cell membranes to act at remote sites, as opposed to most other neurotransmitter,s which cannot pass across cell membranes.

Whole population of neurons are affected by nitric oxide, even those neurons which have no active synaptic inputs. This indicates that nitric oxide is a 'volume transmitter' passing information between cells without the need for a synapse. However, too much nitric oxide is extremely toxic and causes death of nerve cells, so this important signaling mechanism also contains the potential seeds for neurodegeneration.

Pain is Partly in Your Mind

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:29:44 GMT

Pain may be partially in your body and partially in your mind. A new study of people with chronically achy hands found that how subjects saw their hands changed their perception of pain.

Researchers had 10 subjects watch their own hands while performing a 10-step test that caused pain in every instance. Participants each did the test four ways -- looking with their own eyes, looking through binoculars with no magnification, looking through binoculars that doubled the apparent size their arms, and looking through inverted binoculars that reduced the apparent size of their arms.

The pain increased when participants viewed a magnified image of their arm during the movements. When they did the movements while watching through inverted binoculars, the pain was reported to be less, and actual measurable swelling was less, too.

Teething Syrup Suspected of Killing 24 Children

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:29:37 GMT

Two dozen Nigerian children have died, and nine more have fallen ill, after being given teething syrup.

Health Minister Dr. Hassan Lawal has ordered a government investigation into the deaths and urged parents to suspend using teething mixtures.

At least 33 cases of renal failure in children have been reported in Lagos, Zaria and Ibadan since November 3. Nigerian health officials specifically warned parents not to use a teething syrup called "My Pikin."

Drink Brewed Tea to Avoid Tooth Erosion

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:29:26 GMT

The citric acids found in fruit drinks can be more erosive than hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. These acids found, along with the refined sugar in soda, promote tooth erosion which wears away the hard part of the teeth, or the enamel. Once tooth enamel is lost, it's gone forever.

One beverage that does not produce such irreversible results -- brewed tea.

Researchers compared green and black tea to soda and orange juice in terms of their erosive effect on human teeth. The study found that the erosive effect of tea was similar to that of water, which has no erosive effect at all.

However, stay away from prepackaged iced teas, because they contain citric acid and high amounts of sugar.

How to Eliminate Gout Without Drugs

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:29:00 GMT

Between two and five million Americans suffer from gout, a type of arthritis that causes stiff, swollen and painful joints. It occurs when your uric acid levels build up in your blood. Although gout is commonly blamed on eating high-purine foods such as organ meats, there is clearly another dietary culprit: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

A Celebration of High-Speed Photography

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:29:00 GMT

A digital camera, a fast-moving subject, and a bit of knowledge can result in an amazing photograph. Here are some examples of high-speed photography, and some truly stunning slow-motion videos.

Feed a Cold, Feed a Fever

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:28:58 GMT

Those who consume fewer calories during flu season could have a harder time fighting off the flu virus.

A recent study showed that mice with a calorie-restricted diet were more likely to die during the first few days of infection than mice with a normal diet.

Both regularly fed mice and calorically restricted mice exposed to the virus exhibited decreased food intake as they tried to fight off the infection. However, the mice on calorically restricted diets took longer to recover and exhibited increased mortality, weight loss and other negative effects. The mice consuming normal amounts of food had their appetites back sooner and recovered faster.

U.S. Officials Find Melamine in Baby Formula

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:28:00 GMT

U.S. health officials have uncovered trace amounts of the chemical melamine in a sample of infant formula sold in the United States.

FDA spokeswoman Judy Leon said. "There's no basis for concern because we're talking about trace levels that are so low ... that there's absolutely no risk."

Melamine-tainted formula in China has caused thousands of children to fall ill; several have died. The concentrations in China were as much as 2,500 parts per million — about 10,000 times greater than what the FDA found in the U.S.

The FDA and other experts said the melamine contamination in U.S.-made formula had occurred during the manufacturing process, rather than intentionally as was done in Chinese production. The manufacturers insist their products are safe.

I’ve previously reported on the issue of melamine-tainted milk products from China, and the potential health hazards of consuming this industrial chemical. Unfortunately, there are usually more questions than answers on this issue. A couple of the main ones being:

“What food products might have been tainted?” and, “How do I avoid them?”

I received the information below in an email from a reader in the U.K. There’s no telling where it originated (if the creator notifies me, I will gladly credit him or her for it), but I think the information is valuable enough to share with everyone as it offers some guidance toward answering that question.

Question: What is Melamine?

Answer: It is an industrial chemical used in the production of melawares – a nearly indestructible, hard plastic. It’s also used in other household items like laminates and fertilizers.

Question: Why is Melamine added to milk powder?

Answer: The most important nutrient in milk is protein. Melamine mimics this protein, so adding inexpensive melamine into the milk reduces the actual milk content required while still making the product appear to have the correct level of nutrients.

In a nutshell: it saves manufacturers lots of money.

Below is a picture of melamine. Looks a lot like milk powder, doesn’t it?
It does not have any taste or smell, so cannot be detected without proper testing for the chemical.

Question: When was it discovered that it had been added to milk products?

Answer: In 2007, melamine contaminated material labeled as wheat gluten and rice protein was shipped from Chinese manufacturers to pet food companies in the U.S. and elsewhere. Thousands of pets died from renal failure as a result.

Early in 2008, Chinese hospitals reported an abnormal increase in infant cases of kidney stones.

In August 2008, China Sanlu Milk Powder was tested and found to contain melamine.

In September 2008, the New Zealand government asked China to investigate the problem, and by September 21, it was discovered that many food products in Taiwan also tested positive for melamine.

Question: What happens when melamine is ingested?

Answer: The melamine can form into insoluble melamine cyanurate crystals in your renal tubules, kidneys, ureter, urethra or urinary bladder.

The following symptoms have been observed in infants affected by infant formula laced with high amounts of melamine:

Unexplained fever arising from urinary tract infections
Unexplained crying in infants, especially when urinating, possible vomiting
Small amounts of blood in the urine
Acute obstructive renal failure
Pain on urinating, and passage of stones while urinating
High blood pressure
Edema
Pain over the kidneys

Although surgery can remove the stones, it can still cause irreversible kidney damage.
The melamine stones can lead to the loss of kidney function, which may require kidney dialysis. It can also lead to death due to kidney failure.

Question: Why is melamine much more dangerous for infants?

Answer: A child’s kidneys are much smaller than those of an adult, and they consume much larger quantities of milk powder (if fed infant formula).

Question: What foods should be avoided?

Answer: Foods originating from China that contain dairy products should be avoided.

Question: Which companies are affected?

Answer: The companies listed beneath may carry certain products affected.

Question: How can I differentiate food products made in the USA, Taiwan, China, or any other country?

Answer: Look closely at the bar code. The first three digits of the barcode identify the country of origin.

ALL barcodes that start with 690, 691, 692, etc., up to and including 695 are all MADE IN CHINA.

Other Country of Origin Bar Codes:

00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA
30 ~ 37 FRANCE
40 ~ 44 GERMANY
49 ~ JAPAN
50 ~ UK
57 ~ Denmark
64 ~ Finland
76 ~ Switzerland and Liechtenstein
471~Taiwan
480~ Phillipines
628 ~ Saudi-Arabia
629 ~ United Arab Emirates
740 ~ 745 - Central America

Soluble Fiber and Peppermint Oil Can Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:12:28 GMT

Fiber and peppermint oil are both effective therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and should become first-line treatments, according to a new study. National guidelines on the management of IBS should be updated in light of this evidence, according to the study’s authors.

IBS causes abdominal pain and an irregular bowel habit, and could affects as much as a fifth of the population. The exact cause of IBS is unknown, so it is difficult to treat.

Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing fiber, peppermint oil, and antispasmodics with a placebo or no treatment in more than 2500 adult patients with IBS. All of them were found to be effective. Peppermint oil seemed to be the most effective treatment of the three.

Tests Find Dangerous Chemical Can Leach From 'Microwave Safe' Products

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:12:09 GMT

Products billed as "microwave safe" can release toxic doses of the chemical bisphenol A when heated, according to a lab analysis. The amounts detected were at levels that scientists have found cause neurological and developmental damage in laboratory animals.

The test results raise new questions about the chemical and the safety of an entire inventory of plastic products labeled as "microwave safe." BPA is a key ingredient in common household plastics. It has been found in 93 percent of Americans tested.

Although BPA is commonly thought to be found only in hard, clear plastic and in the lining of metal food cans. In fact, it is present in such products as frozen food trays, microwaveable soup containers and plastic baby food packaging.

Food companies advise parents worried about BPA to avoid microwaving food in plastic containers, especially those with the recycling number 7 stamped on the bottom. But tests also found BPA leaching from containers with different recycling numbers, including numbers 1, 2 and 5.

"There is no such thing as safe microwaveable plastic," said Frederick vom Saal, a University of Missouri researcher who oversaw the newspaper's testing.

High-Protein Meals Can Help the Overweight Burn Fat

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:11:47 GMT

Higher-protein meals may help overweight and obese people burn more fat.

A new study found that overweight men and women burned more post-meal fat when they ate a high-protein breakfast and lunch than when they had lower-protein meals. The added protein seemed to modify the fat-burning deficit seen in heavy individuals.

A number of studies have suggested that high-protein diets may help people shed weight more easily.

How Blood Pressure Drugs Cause Diabetes

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:11:05 GMT

Researchers have discovered that a drop in blood potassium levels caused by diuretics commonly prescribed for high blood pressure could be the reason why people on those drugs are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

The drugs are intended to accelerate loss of fluids, but they also deplete important chemicals, including potassium.

Researchers examined data from nearly 4,000 nondiabetic subjects. Half of the subjects were treated with the diuretic chlorthalidone and half with a fake drug. For each 0.5 milliequivalent-per-liter decrease in serum potassium caused by the drug, there was a 45 percent increased risk of diabetes. None of the people in the group receiving the fake drug developed low potassium levels.

Fluorescence Detects Mercury in Fish and Dental Amalgams

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:10:39 GMT

Researchers have developed a simple and quick method for detecting mercury in fish and dental samples, two substances at the center of public concern about mercury contamination.

The technique involves a fluorescent substance that glows bright green when it comes into contact with oxidized mercury. The intensity of the glow indicates the amount of mercury present.

The new method can detect mercury in 30 to 60 minutes for dental fillings (or amalgams) or 10 to 30 minutes for fish. The fluorescence results from the reaction of mercury ions with hydrocarbons called alkynes.

Scenes of Wonder From Antarctica

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:10:32 GMT

In Antarctica, November marks the beginning of summer. The sun just rose for the first time in six months on September 22, and is now visible in the sky all the time.

Here are photographs of Antarctica taken over the past several years.

The Toxic Origins of Autism

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:10:23 GMT

Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt talks about some of the toxic causes that can lead to autism. Autistic children may have a constant and preventable production of toxic substances within their bodies.

Radio Psychiatrist Has Drug Company Ties

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:57 GMT

Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin, an influential psychiatrist who was the host of the popular public radio program “The Infinite Mind”, earned at least $1.3 million from 2000 to 2007 giving marketing lectures for drugmakers. He did not mention this income on the program.

Dr. Goodwin’s weekly radio programs have often touched on subjects important to the commercial interests of the companies he is connected to. In one broadcast, he warned that children with bipolar disorder who were left untreated could suffer brain damage, a controversial view. That same day, GlaxoSmithKline paid Dr. Goodwin $2,500 to give a promotional lecture for its mood stabilizer drug, Lamictal. GlaxoSmithKline paid him more than $329,000 to promote Lamictal that year.

Margaret Low Smith, vice president of National Public Radio, said that “The Infinite Mind” would be removed from its satellite radio service next week, the earliest date possible. Ms. Smith said that had NPR been aware of Dr. Goodwin’s financial interests, it would not have broadcast the program.

U.S. Pays Millions for Unapproved Drugs

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:53 GMT

U.S. taxpayers have paid at least $200 million since 2004 for medications that have never been reviewed by the government for safety and effectiveness, but are still covered under Medicaid.

The availability of unapproved prescription drugs may create a dangerous false sense of security; dozens of deaths have been linked to these drugs.

Medicaid paid nearly $198 million from 2004 to 2007 for more than 100 unapproved drugs, mostly for common conditions such as colds and pain. Medicaid officials acknowledge the problem, but say they need help from Congress to fix it.

How Your Keys Can Be Stolen With a Camera

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:36 GMT

A quick camera phone picture of your keys could be used to unlock your doors.

Scientists have developed a software algorithm that automatically creates a physical key based solely on a picture of one, regardless of angle or distance. The project, called Sneakey, was meant to warn people about the dangers of haphazardly placing keys in the open or posting images of them online.

For a more dramatic demonstration, the researchers set up a camera with a zoom lens 200 feet away. Using those photos, they created a working key 80 percent on their first try. Within three attempts they opened every lock.

The replication process is very easy. Once the researchers have the image it takes the software roughly 30 seconds to decode the ridges and grooves on the key. If the angle is off or the lighting is tricky it takes the computer take a little longer. The longest part of the process, about one whole minute, is cutting the key.

The Menacing Mathematics of Multiple Meds

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:24 GMT

Most people have the perception that drugs are evaluated by the government, and thus are safe if taken under the guidance of competent physicians. However, even if you accept this, you must ask yourself -- how might that safety change if you take multiple drugs?

For safety assurances, proper testing should be done for every drug combination you are advised to take. If you take Prozac and Tylenol, for example, you should be presented with all the possible benefits and consequences before allowing these two foreign substances to mix with the chemicals your body already creates. The same thing goes for combining Paxil with Viagra or Interferon with Lipitor.

The list of possible problems here is monstrously long, because there are a huge number of possible combinations. Nonetheless, there have been relatively few studies that test drugs in combination. So if you take two drugs, the odds of their combination having been adequately tested for safety are skimpy at best. But if you take three or more drugs the danger possibilities multiply even faster.

If you take 3 drugs then adequate safety testing of the various combinations require 7 separate tests. If you take 4 drugs the combinations require 25 separate tests. If you take 5 drugs it amounts to 121 tests. If you take 10 drugs the number of required safety tests total 362,881.

The conclusion here should be obvious. There is questionable safety testing if you take two drugs and nominal, if any, safety testing if you take three. Beyond that you are clearly into the land of, "I have no idea what these combinations of drugs will do."

Forgotten But Not Gone: How Your Brain Relearns

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:17 GMT

Scientists have recently been able to show that new cell contacts established during the learning process stay put even when they are no longer required. The reactivation of this temporarily inactivated "stock of contacts" enables a faster learning of things forgotten.

This enables your brain not only to learn very complex associations and sequences of movement, such as riding a bicycle, skiing, speaking different languages or playing an instrument, but to retain your ability to relearn these skills quickly long after you have put them aside.

The researchers were surprised to learn that the majority of the connections which developed in response to learning continued to exist after the learning experience stopped. The brain apparently opts to “save a few appendages for a rainy day,” as one scientist put it.

Antibiotics Can Change the Microbes in Your Gut

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:46:09 GMT

Using a novel technique, scientists have completed a precise survey of how microbial communities in the human gut respond to antibiotic treatment.

They identified pervasive changes in the gut microbial communities of three healthy humans after a five-day course of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. Antibiotic treatment influenced the abundance of more than 1,000 varieties of bacteria.

Most of the bacterial community recovered and closely resembled its pre-treatment state within four weeks after the antibiotic course ended, but several bacterial taxa failed to recover within six months.

Changes in the composition of the gut microbiota can have important health effects.

Scientists Find Way to Calculate Your Physical Age

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:45:47 GMT

Determining chronological is easy -- count forward from birth. But determining physiological age has remains subjective, based on how someone looks or functions.

Researchers studying genes believe they can now detect your exact "physical age" by looking at a number of clues in your DNA. They believe that the tests will be the first time doctors can accurately predict someone's physiological age objectively, without resorting to asking them how they feel or looking at their appearance.

This could solve the mystery of why some 70-year-olds function at the level of those in their 50’s, while others become frail sooner than would be expected.

The researchers made the breakthrough by isolating the "biomarkers" of aging in tiny worms which behave similarly to humans.

How Sleep Influences Children's Weight

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:36:28 GMT

Close to 90 percent of children have at least one sleep-related problem, such as night terrors, teeth-grinding or bed-wetting. At least 30 percent of children younger than six have difficulties sleeping six consecutive hours.

Researchers have found sleepless children can become overweight and hyperactive. 26 percent of children that sleep fewer than 10 hours a night between two and half years and six years are overweight. The figure drops to 15 percent of those that sleep 10 hours, and falls to 10 percent among those that sleep 11 hours.

The relationship between sleep and weight could be explained by a change in the secretion of hormones that's brought on by lack of sleep.

Burger King Limits Sodium in 'Kids Meals'

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:36:23 GMT

Burger King, the world's second largest hamburger chain, plans to limit sodium in its "Kids Meals" as it works to change its reputation.

The move comes as local and state lawmakers are imposing more rules on eateries, ranging from banning transfats to requiring calorie counts on restaurant menus.

Burger King said that it would limit sodium to 600 milligrams or less in all of its Kids Meals advertised to children younger than 12. Burger King was among the last major fast-food purveyors to eliminate transfat from its food, and has been criticized for not putting enough focus on health and nutrition.

Vaccine Adjuvant Linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:36:16 GMT

A team of scientists has investigated a case of vaccine-associated chronic fatigue syndrome in an individual demonstrating aluminum overload. This is the first report linking aluminum overload with either of the two conditions.

The team found a possible mechanism whereby vaccination involving aluminum-containing adjuvants could trigger the cascade of immunological events that are associated with autoimmune conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome and macrophagic myofasciitis.

The CFS occurred in a 43-year-old man with no history of previous illness. It followed a course of five vaccinations, each of which included an aluminum-based adjuvant. It is also possible that for a significant number of individuals, aluminum-based adjuvants may represent a significant health risk -- including the aluminum based adjuvants currently being used in the mass vaccination of young women against the human papillomavirus (HPV).

How to Improve Your Luck

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:36:02 GMT

For centuries, people have recognized the power of luck. To investigate scientifically why some people are consistently lucky and others aren't, Richard Wiseman advertised in national periodicals for volunteers of both varieties. Four hundred men and women from all walks of life responded.

Over a ten-year period, Wiseman interviewed them, asked them to complete diaries, questionnaires and IQ tests, and invited them to his laboratory for experiments. He found that lucky people get that way by applying some basic principles -- seizing chance opportunities, creating self-fulfilling prophecies through positive expectations, and adopting a resilient attitude that turns bad luck around.

For example, he gave lucky and unlucky people a newspaper, and asked them to determine how many photos were inside. On average, unlucky people spent about two minutes on this exercise -- but the lucky people only spent seconds. On the paper's second page, in large type, was the message "Stop counting: There are 43 photographs in this newspaper." Lucky people tended to spot the message. Unlucky ones didn't. Halfway through the paper, was a message that read: "Stop counting, tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $250." Again, the unlucky people missed it. The lucky people saw what was there, rather than just what they were looking for.

Lucky participants also put effort into adding variety to their lives, tended to be more optimistic, and were happier and more satisfied with their lives. One unlucky subject said that after adjusting her attitude, her bad luck vanished. Thoughts and behavior affect the good and bad fortune you encounter. The most elusive of goals -- an effective way of taking advantage of the power of luck -- is actually available to everyone.

Why Vaccine Injured Kids are Rarely Compensated

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:36:00 GMT

by Barbara Loe Fisher

On Nov. 14, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 into law, instituting first-time vaccine safety reforms in the U.S. vaccination system and creating the first no-fault federal vaccine injury compensation program alternative to a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers and pediatricians. Twenty-two years later, on Nov. 18, 2008, I made a statement to the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV) and questioned whether the compensation program is fatally flawed and so broken that it should be repealed. Many parents are wondering whether it would be better to return to civil court without restrictions to sue vaccine manufacturers and doctors for injuries and deaths their children suffered after receiving federally recommended vaccines.

During its two-decade history, two out of three individuals applying for federal vaccine injury compensation have been turned away empty-handed even though to date $1.8 billion has been awarded to more than 2,200 plaintiff's out of some 12,000 who have applied. Today, nearly 5,000 vaccine injury claims are sitting in limbo because they represent children, who suffered brain and immune system dysfunction after vaccination but have been diagnosed with regressive autism, which is not recognized by the program as a compensable event. There is $2.7 billion sitting in the Trust Fund which could have been awarded to vaccine victims.

At the time of the law's creation in 1986, Congress said they were committed to setting up a fair, expedited, non-adversarial, less traumatic, less expensive no-fault compensation mechanism alternative to civil litigation. But Congress also acknowledged that any legislation providing liability protection must also be equally committed to preventing vaccine harm. The Act contains strong safety provisions, including first-time mandates for doctors to record and report serious health problems, hospitalizations, injuries and deaths after vaccination and give parents written benefit and risk information before a child is vaccinated.

But few of the safety provisions have been enforced and, as I testified in Congress in 1999 and again at the Nov. 18 ACCV meeting, there has been a betrayal of the promise that was made to parents about how the compensation program would be implemented. Obtaining compensation has become a highly adversarial, time-consuming, traumatic and expensive process for families of vaccine injured children and far too many vaccine victims have been denied compensation while vaccine makers and doctors have enjoyed liability protection and dozens of doses of nine new vaccines have been added to the childhood vaccine schedule.

I pointed out that federal court judges are beginning to look back at the legislative history of the Act, which so clearly affirms the intent of Congress when creating it. In recent court decisions, judges have agreed with parents and their attorneys that the compensation program has become far too difficult for plaintiffs. A recent state Supreme Court ruling also reiterated that Congress never intended to shield vaccine manufacturers from ALL liability for vaccine injuries and deaths when it could be demonstrated that a safer product could have been marketed.

In a Supreme Court of Georgia ruling on October 6, 2008 in American Home Products v. Ferrari, the justices unanimously held that the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act does not give a vaccine manufacturer blanket immunity from vaccine injury lawsuits if it can be proven that the company could have made a safer vaccine. Georgia Supreme Court Justice George Carley wrote that the 1986 law and "the congressional intent behind it shows that the Vaccine Act does not pre-empt all design defect claims." He added that Congress did not "use language which indicates that use of the compensation system is mandatory" but only "an appealing alternative" to the courts.

Justice Carley wrote that there is no evidence that "FDA approval alone renders a vaccine unavoidably safe" and said "We hesitate to hold that a manufacturer is excused from making changes it knows will improve its product merely because an older, more dangerous version received FDA approval," adding that to do so would have "the perverse effect" of granting complete immunity from liability to an entire industry and he concluded that "in the absence of any clear and manifest congressional purpose to achieve that result, we must reject such a far-reaching interpretation."

During the ACCV meeting, longtime plaintiff's attorney Sherry Drew gave a moving description of the suffering that families with vaccine injured children endure and, during public comment at the end of the meeting, Jim Moody, of SafeMinds, and Vicky Debold, RN, PhD joined me in urging the Committee to recommend to the new Secretary of DHHS that more vaccine injured children be compensated. This was echoed by outgoing parent ACCV member Tawny Buck, of Alaska, who has a DPT vaccine injured daughter and new ACCV parent member Sarah Hoiberg, of Florida, who has a DTaP vaccine injured daughter.

In the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act, the Institute of Medicine was directed to review the medical literature for scientific evidence that vaccines can cause injury and death, which resulted in landmark reports to Congress in 1991 and 1994 providing that evidence. IOM announced at the ACCV meeting that it has recently been contracted by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to assemble a Committee of scientific experts to review of the medical literature for evidence regarding the biological mechanisms for injury and death in association with varicella zoster (chicken pox), hepatitis B, meningococcal and HPV vaccine. There will be several public workshops during the Committee's two-year study.

NVIC has been calling for basic science research into the biological mechanisms of vaccine injury and death for more than two decades. Without understanding how and why vaccines can cause brain and immune system dysfunction, there will be no way to develop pathological profiles to help scientifically confirm whether or not an individual has been injured or died from vaccination.

The truth about vaccine risks lies in the science, properly designed and conducted. The upcoming IOM review may be hampered by a lack of biological mechanism studies published in the medical literature but the review is also an opportunity to point the way to fill in those gaps in knowledge and the need for additional research that could become part of a national vaccine safety research agenda.

In the absence of scientific certainty, all children who regress into poor health after vaccination should be given a fair hearing in the federal vaccine injury compensation program and generously compensated when no other plausible cause can be found for what happened to them after vaccination. Congress intended the vaccine injury compensation program to be non-adversarial, fair, generous and humane. If it cannot function the way it was intended to function, then parents have every right to call for its repeal and a return to unrestricted lawsuits.

Prominent Physician Advises Against Flu Shots

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:35:53 GMT

Dr. Donald Miller, a cardiac surgeon and Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington, recommends avoiding the flu shot and taking vitamin D instead. According to Dr. Miller, “Seventy percent of doctors do not get a flu shot.”

Health officials say that every winter 36,000 people will die from it. But the National Vital Statistics Reports compiled by the CDC show that only 1,138 deaths a year occur due to influenza alone -- more than 34,000 of the “36,000″ flu deaths are actually pneumonic and cardiovascular deaths.

There is also a lack of evidence that young children benefit from flu shots. In fact, a systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo. But there is also a risk of harm from the flu vaccine itself, particularly from the mercury, aluminum, and formaldehyde it contains.

Garlic Chemical Treats Diabetes 1 and 2

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:35:46 GMT

A chemical found in garlic can treat diabetes types I and II, according to a study. When researchers gave a drug made from the chemical to type I diabetic mice, it reduced blood their glucose levels.

The drug is based on vanadium and allixin, a compound found in garlic. Previous work had already shown that the vanadium-allixin compound treated both diabetes types when injected, but this new study shows the drug has promise as an oral treatment for the disease as well.

Type I diabetes is currently treated with daily injections of insulin, while type II is often treated with drugs bearing undesirable side-effects.

Gulf War Syndrome is Real, Scientists Report

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:40:44 GMT

A committee of scientists set up by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has reported that 200,000 veterans of the Gulf war of 1990-1991 continue to suffer from Gulf war syndrome, caused by exposure to organophosphate nerve gas, nerve gas remedies and insecticides.

"Gulf War illness is real," the report concludes. "Few veterans have recovered."

However, the committee charges that government research into Gulf war syndrome has plummeted since 2001, while suffering veterans are denied benefits.

The military in various countries has consistently denied that there is a physical basis to Gulf War Syndrome.

Should Cancer Drugs Be Used to Treat Diabetics?

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:40:37 GMT

Two common cancer drugs have been shown to both prevent and reverse type 1 diabetes in a mouse model of the disease. The drugs are imatinib (marketed as Gleevec) and sunitinib (marketed as Sutent). Both were found to put type 1 diabetes into remission in 80 percent of the test mice and work permanently in 80 percent of those that go into remission.

So, should they be hailed as a new miracle treatment? I wouldn’t be so hasty. Gleevec, for example, kills heart muscle cells and can cause severe congestive heart failure. If the cure is worse than the disease, this doesn’t seem to be a great benefit.

A better way is to prevent type 1 diabetes in the first place, using natural means like vitamin D.

Simple Change Could Reduce Obesity in U.S. by 20 Percent

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:40:29 GMT

According to a new study, a ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent. In addition, the study reports that eliminating the tax deductibility of television advertising would also result in a reduction of childhood obesity.

The study’s authors found that a ban on fast food television advertisements during children's programming would reduce the number of overweight children ages 3-11 by 18 percent, and would lower the number of overweight adolescents ages 12-18 by 14 percent.

Should the U.S. pursue this path, they would be following Sweden, Norway and Finland, which are thus far the only countries to have banned commercial sponsorship of children's programs.

Research indicates that there is an 80 percent chance an overweight adolescent will be an obese adult. Over 300,000 deaths can be attributed to obesity and weight in the United States every year.

Broccoli Fights Lung Cancer

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:40:22 GMT

According to a new study, broccoli appears to lower the risk of lung cancer in smokers and ex-smokers.

A research team studied lung-cancer patients and people without the disease who had similar diets and smoking habits. Among smokers, the protective effect of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli ranged from a 20 percent reduction in risk to a 55 percent reduction, depending on the type of vegetable consumed and the duration and intensity of smoking.

Raw vegetables were the only kind found to offer protection to current smokers.

How Washington Hospitals Unleashed a MRSA Epidemic

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:39:59 GMT

Over the past decade, the number of Washington hospital patients infected with a frightening, antibiotic-resistant germ called MRSA has skyrocketed from about 140 a year to more than 4,700. But these numbers, revealed by a Seattle Times investigation, don't appear in public documents. Washington regulators don't track the germ or its victims, and Washington hospitals do not have to reveal infection rates.

MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is spread by touch or contact. Six out of seven people infected with MRSA contract it at a health-care facility. Many people first learned about the germ in 2007 when the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that invasive MRSA infections claim at least 18,000 lives a year, more than AIDS.

But MRSA has been quietly killing for decades, and the entire time, there has been a simple diagnostic test that could have saved countless lives. However, not a single community hospital in Washington screens every patient for the pathogen.

Google Adds Searching by Voice to iPhone Software

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:39:47 GMT

Google researchers have added sophisticated voice recognition technology to the search software for the Apple iPhone. Users of the free application will be able to place the phone to their ear and ask virtually any question. The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Google’s servers.

The new service is an example of the way Google tries to blend basic computer science research with product engineering. The company has hired many of the best speech recognition researchers in the world to work on the application.

Is the Federal Reserve Collapsing?

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:39:39 GMT

This video is an interview with Ron Paul conducted by Robert Kiyosaki adviser Mike Maloney. He explains how money is being created out of thin air, and why this is causing massive repercussions, especially for the middle class.

Scientists React to Political Controversy With Censorship

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:13:41 GMT

A sociologist at Rutgers University questioned more than 150 scientists whose work was relevant to a 2003 political clash between several members of Congress, a Christian lobbyist group called the Traditional Values Coalition, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Of the 112 scientists who responded, more than half said they have since self-censored their grant proposals to remove "red flag" words -- such as gay, lesbian, AIDS, needle-exchange or anal sex. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they either modified their studies to seem less controversial or abandoned controversial grant proposals.

At the time of the 2003 debate, members of Congress asked the NIH to explain the medical benefit of 10 government-funded studies some called inappropriate. However, a staffer accidentally sent the NIH a much longer list of 250 proposed "questionable" studies compiled by the Traditional Values Coalition. The NIH Director at that time, Elias Zerhouni, decided to review the full list of studies anyway. While no studies lost their funding because of their inclusion on the list, it is now apparent that scientists did indeed react to the controversy with self-censorship.