Brain cancer and cell phone use

The Finding the Link Between Ted Kennedy's Cancer and Cell Phone Use
Senator Ted Kennedy’s diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor is, once again, stirring debate over the safety of cell phones. Kennedy’s brain tumor, called a glioma, is the type critics have associated for years with the use of cell phones.

Prominent neurosurgeons have stated they do not use cell phones held next to their ears. “I use it on the speaker-phone mode,” said Dr. Vini Khurana, a prominent researcher and an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Australian National University. “I do not hold it to my ear.” Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent and a neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital admitted that, he too, used an earpiece.

CTIA – the Wireless Association and the FDA both say that studies show cell phones are not a health risk. Other experts disagree. They point to research that indicates a link between cell phones and three types of tumors: glioma (the type Senator Kennedy has); cancer of a salivary gland near the ear called the parotid; and acoustic neuroma, which is a tumor found near the ear. An Israeli study published last year found a 58 percent increase in risk for parotid tumors among people who relied heavily on their cell phones. And a Swedish study found the risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma doubled after ten years of heavy use.

Since cell phones are relatively new, there hasn’t been a chance for long-term studies that will settle the question of whether there is truly a link between cell phone use and brain tumors. Some critics express particular concern for children who begin using cell phones as kids and continue throughout their lives. “More and more kids are using cell phones,” said Dr. Paul Rosch, clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College. “They may be much more affected. Their brains are growing rapidly and their skulls are thinner.”

Dr. Khurana admits that cell phones are convenient and can save lives in an emergency, but he says that “there is a significant and increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumors,” adding that malignant brain tumors are “a life-ending diagnosis.

“It is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking,” he said.

Broccoli juice for disease prevention

Broccoli is a member of the cauliflower family or a Brassica. It is a diverse super food that is delicious when steamed or can be finely chopped and sprinkled on food for added nutrition. Juicing is a great way to get the most out of this amazing food. By drinking broccoli juice daily, we can prevent disease and transform our health.

Broccoli juice contains high levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin B, fiber, zinc, folic acid, magnesium, iron and beta-carotene (an important antioxidant). It is a potent immune system booster which can help to counteract diseases such as cancer, stomach ulcers and infection.

Broccoli juice offers a whole array of amazing benefits that help us to enjoy optimum health. It contains glucoraphanin that converts into sulphoraphane, a powerful anticancer agent. It contains isothyocyanate, the chemical that activates our natural cancer inhibiting genes. The sprouted seeds and the broccoli juice help to fight prostate cancer. It contains compounds that help to detox the liver from cancer causing toxins.

With high levels of selenium and fiber, the juice of Broccoli offers protection from stomach and bowel cancer.

Broccoli juice contains compounds that protect cells from ultraviolet light. It helps to increase the production of protective enzymes that protect cells against different aspects of UV damage by working inside the cells. It helps in prevention of skin cancer.

Glucoraphanin present in the broccoli juice promotes antioxidant defenses in the body that help lower blood pressure and harmful inflammation in the heart and arteries.

The phytochemical sulforaphane helps the body defend against H. pylori, a bacteria that causes gastrointestinal problems. Thus, it helps to prevent stomach ulcers and painful bloating.

Broccoli juice contains fibers which help to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal GI tract. It reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. Calcium present in the Broccoli juice promotes healthy bones and helps to burn fat. It decreases the production of cortisol, which is a stress hormone, relating to food cravings and stomach fat.

Other Benefits of Broccoli:

*Contains folic acid that is needed for the normal growth of the tissue. This is good for pregnant woman.
*Helps to get relief from cold symptoms, since it contains Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
*Assists the body in absorbing iron.
*It helps to prevent osteoporosis, since it contains large amount of calcium.

By combining Broccoli juice and its various nutritional benefits with other super food juices, we can even create greater radiance and disease free health. Celery, cucumbers, ginger and kale are some of the healthiest foods for juicing. A little carrot and apple can naturally sweeten the juice, making it more palatable and enjoyable.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40120

Drinking Cola Causes Muscle Weakness, Bone Loss

Drinking Cola Causes Muscle Weakness, Bone Loss
People who drink more than two quarts of cola per day may induce severe and possibly fatal potassium deficiency, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Ioannina, Greece, and published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

"We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes," researcher Moses Elisaf said. "Evidence is increasing to suggest that excessive cola consumption can also lead to hypokalemia, in which the blood potassium levels fall, causing an adverse effect on vital muscle functions."

Researchers reviewed the cases of several patients who had consumed between two and 10 quarts of cola per day, including two pregnant women. One of these, a 21-year-old who drank as much as three quarts per day, was admitted to the hospital for persistent vomiting, fatigue and appetite loss. The other was admitted after drinking seven quarts per day for 10 months and suffering from progressive weakening of her muscles.

Both women recovered after they stopped drinking cola and were treated with intravenous or oral potassium.

Potassium plays a critical role in the functioning of the body's nerves, muscles and heart. Critical deficiency like that experienced by the patients in the University of Ioannina study can lead to cramping, paralysis, irregular heartbeat and even death. In one of the cases studied, a man suffered lung paralysis after drinking 10 quarts per day.

The researchers believe that both caffeine and sugar contributed to the observed potassium deficiency.

In an accompanying editorial, Clifford D. Packer at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Cleveland warned, "There is very little doubt that tens of millions of people in industrialized countries drink at least 2-3 [quarts] of cola per day. The soft drink industry needs to promote safe and moderate use of its products for all age groups, reduce serving sizes, and pay heed to the rising call for healthier drinks."

Sources for this story include: www.upi.com; www.reuters.com; www.newsinferno.com.

Cell phone dangers

Researcher: Cell Phones 'More Dangerous Than Smoking'
Millions of deaths could result over the long term






By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com


Cell Phones and Cancer

There have been a number of health warnings over the years about possible radiation risks associated with the use of mobile phones. In case anyone is not taking these warnings seriously, British health researcher Dr. Vini Khurana puts it in language designed to get your attention:

"Mobile phones could have health consequences far greater than asbestos and smoking," he said.

Khurana – a neurosurgeon who has published more than 30 scientific papers – reviewed more than 100 studies on the effects of mobile phones. He has written a paper based on the research, which is currently being peer-reviewed for publication in a scientific journal.

Is he exaggerating? Khurana says the numbers bear him out. He points out that three billion people around the world now use a cell phone. That's three times the number of people who smoke, and smoking amounts for some five million worldwide deaths each year.

But are cell phones really a serious risk? Khurana expresses little doubt, saying "there is a significant and increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumors."

The risks, he says, will become even more apparent in the years ahead.
Action needed

Khurana believes governments should act immediately, but stops short of saying exactly what they should do. Separating people from their cell phones, at this point, might be beyond the reach of any earthly power.

Meanwhile, the cell phone industry remains unconvinced. Britain's Mobile Operators Association dismissed his study as "a selective discussion of scientific literature by one individual."

In the U.S., exploration of a possible link between mobile phones and health is moving at a slower pace. In January the National Academy of Sciences reported on its review of scientific evidence, requested by the Food and Drug Administration, by identifying areas where more research is needed.

Among the research requested by the Academy are human population studies of children and pregnant women, including childhood cancers and brain cancer; and a study of adults in the general population, comparing them with a group with medium to high exposure to mobile phones.
Salivary gland

Last month, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that cell phone use contributes to at least some cancers.

The study found focused on cancer of the salivary gland, looking at 500 Israeli citizens who had developed the disease and 1,300 healthy subjects.

Researchers concluded that those who had held a mobile handset against one side of their head for several hours a day were 50 percent more likely to have a tumor in the salivary gland.

Since cell phones were introduced in the 1980s, there has been speculation of a heightened risk of cancer, caused by holding an electronic device against the head. There have been a number of studies, but no conclusive evidence one way or the other.

This latest study is different because it has focused on long-term users. Also, researchers say, previous studies have looked for tumor formation exclusively in the brain, not other parts of the body.
Salivary gland

Cancer of the salivary gland, they point out, is very rare, and its location so close to where a handset is held makes the tumor-cell phone connection all the more intriguing.

The mobile communications industry has repeatedly questioned studies suggesting a cancer link. It argues cell phones have been shown to be safe, and should be considered so until they are conclusively shown to be unsafe.

Skeptics worry that radio-frequency radiation emitted from the devices might be harmful to human tissue, and might contribute to the formation of tumors. Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, who headed up the research team, notes that cancer risks appeared to be higher among rural cell phone users, because their mobile phones put off increased radiation to compensate for weaker signals.

But Sadetzki concedes her study is inconclusive and should be followed up with ongoing research. Even so, she says "precautions should be taken" in order to reduce risk, especially for children and young adults who use mobile phones.
WiFi too
Add to that worries about wireless computer networks. Last year, the British scientist who raised one of the early warnings about potential health hazards from cell phones has a new worry -- wireless Internet, or WiFi.

Sir William Stewart, chairman of Britain's Health Protection Agency, is lobbying British authorities for an investigation into WiFi's possible health risks, according to Britain's The Independent.

Stewart is concerned because wireless Internet may become more prevalent than mobile telephones.

A few individuals are known to suffer from a heightened sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation, but in recent years more and more physicians have expressed concern that repeated and prolonged exposure might be harmful to the wider population.

A study conducted in Finland found that people who have used cell phones for ten years or more are 40 per cent more likely to get a brain tumor on the same side of the head as they hold their handset. Research done in Sweden puts the risk at almost four times greater.

Stewart is reportedly concerned because of the similarity of the radiation emitted by cell phones and WiFi systems. But whereas cell phone radiation exposes only the person using the handset, WiFi radiation could affect everyone in the general vicinity.

Much of the concern is directed at children, who are seen as more vulnerable than adults to the effects of radiation, and because they will likely be exposed to increasing levels of radiation throughout their lives.

The Austrian Medical Association is pressing the government to ban the deployment of WiFi in schools.

Concerns about WiFi health effects have also been raised in the U.S.

In 2003, parents sued an Illinois school that installed a WiFi system, claiming the radiation was causing headaches and memory problems. Last year, Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario refused to install a campus WiFi system, citing possible health concerns.

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/03/cells_danger.html#ixzz0J3jAahL0&C

What Chain-Food Favorites Cost in Exercise

What Chain-Food Favorites Cost in Exercise
My "two scoops won't hurt and neither will these french fries" approach to eating doesn't lend itself well to swimsuit season. Although the beach treks may have begun, there is time to make change. So, let me have it. What's that ice cream going to cost me in workout minutes? To tell us is Charles Stuart Platkin, also known as the Diet Detective. He is the author of five books and and host of WE TV's I Want To Save Your Life. Here is his report on what some of our chain-food favorites should cost us in time spent doing common exercises...

Note: Calorie content of foods are based on official website information at the time of publication. Minutes of exercise are averages based on a 155-pound person. The greater the weight of the person the more calories burned per minute.



DONUT
Dunkin Donuts Chocolate Frosted Donut (230 calories)
59 minutes of walking (3 mph).


BREAKFAST SANDWICH
McDonald's Egg McMuffin (300 calories)
32 minutes of running (5 mph).





CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
Panera Chocolate Chipper (440 calories)
62 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).




PIZZA
Pizza Hut Large Hand-Tossed Style Cheese Pizza (1 slice; 320 calories)
39 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).





CINNAMON ROLL
Starbucks Cinnamon Roll (500 calories, varies by location)
85 minutes of dancing.


HAMBURGER
Burger King Original Whopper With Cheese (770 calories)
94 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).



BROWNIE
Au Bon Pain Chocolate Chip Brownie (380 calories).
129 minutes of yoga (Hatha style).



FRIES
Wendy's Large French Fries (540 calories)
77 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).




ICE CREAM
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream (0.5 cup; 270 calories)
29 minutes of running (5 mph).

BURRITO
Taco Bell Burrito Supreme, Beef (410 calories)
70 minutes of dancing.

Too Much Cola Can Cause Muscle Problems

>Too Much Cola Can Cause Muscle Problems

WEDNESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking too much cola can increase the risk of a muscle problem called hypokalemia, experts warn.

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In people with hypokalemia, a drop in blood potassium levels results in problems with vital muscle functions. Symptoms can range from mild weakness to serious paralysis, say Greek researchers who conducted a review of people who drank between two to nine liters of cola a day.

Two of the patients were pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with low potassium levels. One was a 21-year-old woman who drank up to three liters of cola a day and complained of fatigue, appetite loss and persistent vomiting. An electrocardiogram revealed she had a heart blockage, and blood tests showed she had low potassium levels, the researchers explained in a news release.

The second pregnant patient, who'd consumed up to seven liters of cola a day for 10 months, had low potassium levels and was suffering from increasing muscular weakness, the researchers noted.

Both patients made a rapid and full recovery after they stopped drinking cola and took oral or intravenous potassium. The case studies are described in the June issue of the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

"We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes," and there's increasing evidence that excessive cola consumption leads to hypokalemia, Dr. Moses Elisaf, of the University of Ioannina, said in the news release.

Elisaf said the three most common ingredients in cola -- glucose, fructose and caffeine -- can contribute to hypokalemia.

"The individual role of each of these ingredients in the pathophysiology of cola-induced hypokalemia has not been determined and may vary in different patients," Elisaf said. "However, in most of the cases we looked at for our review, caffeine intoxication was thought to play the most important role. This has been borne out by case studies that focus on other products that contain high levels of caffeine but no glucose or fructose."

However, "caffeine-free cola products can also cause hypokalemia because the fructose they contain can cause diarrhea," Elisaf said.

The Truth About Diet Soda

The Truth About Diet Soda

We talk a lot about “watching what we eat,” but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life—that’s nearly a pound of fat trimmed away each week! That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, “Why not just drink diet soda?” Well, for a few reasons. Eat This, Not That! did some research and found out some hard truths behind the low-calorie (and nutrition-free) beverage. The story isn't as clear-cut as you suspect, and it might make you think twice the next time you're looking for a thirst-quencher.

Hard truth No. 1

Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.

More Healthy Eating Advice

* America's Healthiest Supermarket Foods
* Best and Worst Burgers
* Search: Find More on Nutrition

It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages—even if they're artificially sweetened—may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert—everything. Considering there are 15 calories in every teaspoon of sugar, that's not good news if you're watching your weight.

Hard truth No. 2

Guzzling these drinks all day long forces out the healthy beverages you need.

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free—and it's important to remember that all that useless liquid is taking up space that could have gone to more healthy alternatives. On the positive side, it means you won’t be taking in equally non-nutritious, calorie- and sugar-packed options. But it's just as important to actively drink the good stuff as it is to avoid that bad stuff. So one diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, that means you're limiting your intake of healthful beverages, particularly water and tea, which is high in antioxidants.

Plus, a recent study from Johns Hopkins found that restricting liquid caloric intake is a more effective way to lose weight than restricting calories from food. There’s no better place than by eliminating anything on our list of the 20 unhealthiest drinks in America.

Hard truth No. 3

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give diet sodas their flavor.

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal research has linked consumption of high amounts of the sweetener to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The FDA maintains that the sweetener is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss, and mood changes. Check out our guide to the 11 most controversial food additives to see how aspartame stacks up.

The bottom line is this: Diet soda does you no good, and it might just be doing you harm. The best way to hydrate is by drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient fluids—and choosing healthy alternatives, like the ones you'll find in our list of the 16 best drink swaps.

Now that you have a hold on your liquid assets, upgrade the rest of your grocery list by avoiding the 13 Worst "Healthy" Foods in the Supermarket.

Arsenic in Contaminated Water Increases Susceptibility to H1N1 Influenza

Arsenic in Contaminated Water Increases Susceptibility to H1N1 Influenza

Not everyone who is exposed to an infectious disease, even the widely-feared new "swine" flu (H1N1), gets sick. And many people who do come down with the flu or another illness get over it without much trouble. While a lot of factors can be at work, from good nutrition to physical fitness, a new study suggests an all-too-common toxin in the water you drink could play a role in whether an H1N1 infection makes you seriously ill.

According to scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and Dartmouth Medical School, the ability to mount an immune response to H1NI infection, a form of influenza A, can be significantly compromised by even low levels of arsenic exposure that commonly occur through drinking contaminated well water.

Respiratory infections with influenza A virus are a worldwide health problem and kill about 36,000 people each year according to the CDC. The recent outbreak of a type of influenza A known as H1N1, or "swine flu", has killed over 70 Mexicans so far and at least six Americans. The fact that Mexico has large areas of very high arsenic in well water -- and these include the locations where H1N1 first appeared -- intrigued the MBL and Dartmouth research team.

"One thing that did strike us, when we heard about the recent H1N1 outbreak, is [that] Mexico has large areas of very high arsenic in their well water, including the areas where the flu first cropped up. We don't know that the Mexicans who got the flu were drinking high levels of arsenic, but it's an intriguing notion that this may have contributed," Joshua Hamilton, the MBL's Chief Academic and Scientific Officer and a senior scientist in the MBL's Bay Paul Center, said in a statement to the media.

Immune response seriously hampered by arsenic exposure
In a study just published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Hamilton and his colleagues reported on their study of mice that ingested 100 ppb (parts per billion) of arsenic in their drinking water for five weeks and then were exposed to H1N1.

"When a normal person or mouse is infected with the flu, they immediately develop an immune response in which immune cells rush to the lungs and produce chemicals that help fight the infection," Hamilton stated in a press release. But in the lab animals exposed to arsenic in their water, something was clearly amiss. The researchers found that the animals' immune response to H1N1 infection was initially very weak. But, several days later, the rodents' immune systems produced a reaction that was too strong and too late.

"There was a massive infiltration of immune cells to the lungs and a massive inflammatory response, which led to bleeding and damage in the lung," Hamilton said in the media statement. He also noted that morbidity from the influenza infection was found to be significantly higher for the arsenic-exposed mice than the control animals who had not consumed arsenic-tainted water.

Hamilton and his research staff have been studying the effects of arsenic for years. They've found that arsenic exposure not only disrupts the immune system but also disrupts the endocrine system, causing unusually broad hormonal upheavals.

"Most chemicals that disrupt hormone pathways target just one, such as the estrogen pathway," Hamilton explained in the media statement. "But arsenic disrupts the pathways of all five steroid hormone receptors (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids), as well as several other hormone pathways. You can imagine that just this one effect could play a role in cancer, diabetes, heart disease, reproductive and developmental disorders -- all the diseases that have a strong hormonal component."

"We don't yet know how arsenic disrupts either system at the molecular level. But once we know how it affects one system, we will have a pretty good idea of how it affects the other systems as well," he added. Currently, Hamilton's lab is working on understanding the unusual dual effect arsenic has on the endocrine system. Very low amounts of arsenic stimulate or enhance hormone responses but at doses just slightly higher, like those found in drinking water, it appears to suppress those hormone responses. "Our principal focus is to figure out this switch. We think that will help us understand why arsenic does what it does in the body," Hamilton stated.

He explained that for arsenic to have health consequences, it requires exposure day after day, year after year, such as through drinking water -- and that's exactly the kind of exposure far too many Americans have to the toxin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims 10 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic in drinking water is "safe". However, according to Hamilton, concentrations of 100 ppb and higher are commonly found in well water in many regions of the country including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, and large parts of the upper Midwest, the Southwest, and the Rocky Mountains.

As reported in Natural News last fall (http://www.naturalnews.com/024909.html), research suggests the EPA's supposedly "safe" level of arsenic allowed in water supplies for public consumption isn't safe at all and could be causing a host of health problems, including high blood pressure and artery-clogging atherosclerosis. What's more, when the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) analyzed data compiled by the EPA, the group's most conservative estimates based on the data indicated that more than 34 million Americans were drinking tap water supplied by systems containing average levels of arsenic that posed unacceptable cancer risks. Now it appears another serious health problem -- a higher susceptibility to a serious case of "swine flu" -- can be added to that list of arsenic-in-drinking-water linked worries.

Reference:
Kozul, C.D., Ely, K.H., Enelow, R.I., and Hamilton, J.W. (2009) Low dose arsenic compromises the immune response to influenza infection in vivo. Environmental Health Perspectives, doi:10.1289/ehp.0900911

For more information:
http://www.mbl.edu/news/press_relea...
http://www.mbl.edu/news/press_relea...
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/...

Do Cell Phones Harm Unborn Babies?

Do Cell Phones Harm Unborn Babies?


Researcher Says Media Misinterpreted Study on Cell Phones, Behavior Problems
By DAN CHILDS
ABC News Medical Unit
May 20, 2008

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Medical experts say media reports of a study that suggests a pregnant woman's cell phone use could cause later behavioral problems in her baby raise unnecessary alarm.
A new study finds that heavy cell phone use may accelerate hearing loss.

In the study, slated for publication in the July issue of the journal Epidemiology, researchers at the Universities of California, Los Angeles, and Aarhus, Denmark, issued a survey to mothers of 13,159 children in Denmark. The survey asked the mothers questions about their use of cell phones during their pregnancy as well as their child's behavior and their current cell phone use.

The researchers found that the mothers who said they used cell phones during their pregnancy also reported a higher level of behavioral problems in their children.

But while the results suggested an increased risk of hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulty concentrating in children whose mothers used cell phones during pregnancy, epidemiological experts -- including one of the paper's authors -- said it would be a mistake to assume that the findings were conclusive.
Related
The Pain of Staying Connected

In fact, Dr. Jorn Olsen, professor and chair of epidemiology at UCLA and a co-author of the paper, said media coverage of the research thus far has been off target.

Olsen specifically referred to a report in the British press with the headline "Warning: Using a Mobile Phone While Pregnant Can Seriously Damage Your Baby."

"That's clearly not what we wanted to suggest, and we think that there is no reason that pregnant women should be very alarmed at the findings we have," Olsen said.

He added that he and his colleagues had not expected the paper to be released until next month.

"I think that a number of journalists broke the story on this and that they did not take all of the assumptions into consideration [when reporting it]," he said.

Confounding Factors

Charles Poole, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that a number of factors could have been at play in this preliminary study that would have thrown the results off one way or the other.

Continue reading...

Mythbusters: Busting Myths about Plastics

Mythbusters: Busting Myths about Plastics


Several myths about plastics have emerged over the last decade that may alarm the public without just cause and potentially harm consumer-friendly companies producing needed products. Urban myths spring from any number of sources, including:

* Environmental activists and non-government organizations promoting a specific agenda
* Journalists failing to do basic research
* Businesses with an alternative product or
* Retailers too quick to give in to the outcries of alarmist special interest groups.

Follow the links below to get the facts about the safe use of plastic products directly from the experts in government, academia and industry.

Urban Myths

1. Using plastic food containers or wraps in microwaves is dangerous.
2. Freezing water in plastic bottles releases dioxins into the water.
3. The number on the bottom of plastic cups, bottles and containers informs consumers about how to use a product or package.
4. Plastic food wraps and packages are made with phthalates.
5. Six-pack rings (beverage binders) are a hazard to wildlife.
Publish Post



Myth 1: Using plastic food containers or wraps in microwaves is dangerous.
Busted: Before entering the market for consumer use, the components of products that come in contact with food must be submitted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Plastics and additives, such as diethylhexyl adipate (DEHA—a plasticizer commonly used in cling film food wrap) are permitted only after the FDA reviews the scientific data and finds that they are safe for their intended use.

FDA's review includes an assessment of the potential for substances to migrate into the food. Contrary to one aspect of the myth, the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) do not classify DEHA as a human carcinogen.
According to the FDA, "While it is true that chemicals used to make plastics can leach into food from plastic containers and films, all of the regulated chemicals used to make plastics for food contact, including DEHA, have been reviewed by FDA and have been found safe for their intended use."

Dioxins are another class of potentially harmful compounds that has been incorrectly linked to the use of plastic food wraps and containers in microwaves. Most plastics used for food packaging do not contain the chemicals that can produce dioxins. According to the FDA, "With regard to dioxins, we have seen no evidence that plastic containers or films contain dioxins and know of no reason why they would."
Furthermore, dioxins are only produced during combustion at extremely high temperatures (generally 700 degrees Fahrenheit or more).

The key point to remember is that plastic wraps and containers are not dangerous to use in the microwave if they are used in accordance with the directions on their packaging or the container itself. The public should be sure to use any plastics for their intended purpose and in accordance with directions. Many plastic wraps, packages and containers are specially designed to withstand microwave temperatures. Be sure yours is one of them by checking the item or its label.
The FDA does acknowledge that substances in plastics can leach into food when the plastic containers are used incorrectly. However, the FDA does not consider this to be a significant risk to humans. The FDA maintains that: "The agency has assessed migration levels of substances added to regulated plastics and has found the levels to be well within the margin of safety based on information available to the agency."

Myth 2: Freezing water in plastic bottles releases dioxins into the water.
Busted: The belief that plastic water bottles, if frozen, will release dioxins into the water they are holding is simply not true. Most plastics used for beverage bottles do not contain the chemicals that can produce dioxins. According to the FDA, "With regard to dioxins, we have seen no evidence that plastic containers or films contain dioxins and know of no reason why they would."

Dr. Rolf Halden, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, speaks to the recent email warnings that claim dioxins can be released by freezing water in plastic bottles. " This is an urban legend," notes Dr. Halden. "There are no dioxins in plastics. In addition, freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release..."
Most plastics used in beverage bottles do not contain the chemical constituents that form dioxins. Furthermore, dioxins are only produced during combustion at extremely high temperatures (generally 700 degrees Fahrenheit or more) and do not form at room temperature or freezing temperature.


Myth 3: The number on the bottom of plastic cups, bottles and containers informs consumers about how to use a product or package.

Busted: This is false and potentially harmful misinformation. Many plastic items are marked with a resin identification code—usually a number or letter abbreviation—which indicates a specific kind of plastic material. The codes were originally developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) to provide consumers and recyclers with a consistent, national system identifying resin types that can enter specific recycling streams for recycling plastics through the normal channels of collecting recyclable materials from households. The code is generally on the bottom of containers and is usually displayed inside a three-arrow recycling symbol. The resin identification codes do not provide guidance on the safe or intended use of a product and should not be used for this purpose.


Myth 4: Plastic food wraps and packages are made with phthalates.

Busted: This claim is false. Plastic food packaging or containers made in the United States do not contain "phthalates," which are a class of additives used only in those plastic products made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) in order to make the material flexible. Vinyl shower curtains, cable and wire, and flooring are examples of flexible PVC products that can contain phthalates. Most plastic food packaging and storage items are made with other types of plastics and do not require agents to increase flexibility, such as phthalates. Although certain plastic food wraps are made with PVC, a different kind of agent to increase flexibility (adipates or citrates) is used instead of phthalates.


Myth 5: Six-pack rings (beverage binders) are a hazard to wildlife.

Busted: In 2006, the Warner Bros. animated movie Happy Feet featured a penguin character that becomes entangled by a six-pack ring, as his neck grows larger over the passage of time. The widely distributed movie caused a stir in the environmental and animal rights communities. However, the makers of the film did not do their homework. Under federal law, since 1989, six-pack rings have been required to be 100 percent photodegradable. Laws have also been passed in 26 states that also require that these devices be photodegradable. In other words, the inventor and sole global producer of this product manufactures it with a proprietary and proven resin that disintegrates in sunlight, beginning in just a few days. While the penguin in the film wore the ring over a long period of time, in reality, creatures overwhelmingly escape from brittle and crumbling rings. The Chicago-Sun Times reports that representatives from both the Sierra Club and Oceana state that six-pack rings are "not a major issue for them," and that the U.S. Department of Energy states on its Web site that "if an animal were to become entangled in [a] six-ring carrier, it could rip through the weakened pack to free itself."

Perhaps the most important point here is that concerns about beverage binders and wildlife could be eliminated if humans would dispose of the rings properly. The Ring Leader Recycling Program is an educational experience for students about the proper disposal of six-pack rings. It is designed for implementation in both formal and informal educational environments to allow students to learn about and participate in an effective school recycling program.

Source

Don't Give Children Cough and Cold Medicines, Warn Health Watchdogs

Don't Give Children Cough and Cold Medicines, Warn Health Watchdogs

The United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new guidelines advising parents not to prescribe over-the-counter cold and cough medicines to children under the age of six, and placing stricter restrictions on their sale.

"Coughs and colds can be distressing for both you and your child but they will get better by themselves within a few days. Using simple measures to ease symptoms is likely to be most effective," said MHRA Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines June Raine. "Over-the-counter medicines used to treat coughs and colds have been used for many years. However, they came into use when clinical trials were not required to demonstrate that they worked in children. This means they were not specially designed for children."

Although cold and cough medications have been tested in adults, there is no evidence that they work in young children. Potentially dangerous side effects, on the other hand, have been well documented. Therefore parents are advised not to give their young children any product containing antihistamines, antitussives (anti-cough), expectorants or nasal decongestants. Under no circumstances should the drugs be given to a child under the age of two.

"It is not right to assume safety and efficacy based on children being small adults," Raine said. "Children should have access to medicines that are acceptably safe and designed for their use."

In the United Kingdom, all cough and cold products marketed to children under the age of six will be phased out. Products for children between the ages of six and 12 will remain available, but must be purchased directly from a pharmacist.

The MHRA recommends that parents worried about colds and coughs in their younger children use natural remedies such as honey and lemon for a cough and saline drops for nasal congestion. If symptoms do not improve after five days, a doctor should be consulted.

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com.

Using a cell phone as your home phone comes with a risk

Using a cell phone as your home phone comes with a risk

The economic downturn is causing more households to pare down services to save money. You'd think one of those might be service to the family’s cell phones, but according to a new Center for Disease Control (CDC) study, it's often the landline that's getting the ax.

During the last half of 2008, 20 percent of U.S. households used only cell phones, compared with 17 percent of the households with landlines that had no cell phones.

It easy to see why people would prefer the mobility of a cell phone over a stodgy landline, especially since falling rates for unlimited minutes are actually making them the better bargain. And, as the Associated Press reports, cell phones users are less likely to be annoyed by pollsters because federal laws prohibit them from using computers to place calls to wireless phones.

But landline connections do have one important advantage over cells: They're safer. With emergency calls made over a landline, 911 operators know for certain the address and location of call. Not so with cell phones, which use much less-direct—and less-consistent—system for connecting with emergency responders.

Newer fiber phone service uses the same long-proven location system as a landline phone. But cable-phone and other VoIP 911 services depend on the provider supplying local emergency services with your address, a federal requirement. The agency also requires that new VoIP customers be informed that emergency service "may in some way be limited in comparison to traditional 911 service."

Our advice: Supplement your cell and/or VoIP service with basic landline service to use at least for 911 calls. Such service typically costs about $20 a month, including fees and the like.

In another safety-related cell-phone development, a train accident in Boston that occurred while the train operator was texting has renewed questions about the safety of texting while driving. —Mike Gikas
For complete Ratings and recommendations on appliances, cars & trucks, electronic gear, and much more, subscribe today and have access to all of ConsumerReports.org.

Business Opportunity: Demand for Purple Corn May Soon Explode

Business Opportunity: Demand for Purple Corn May Soon Explode

Purple corn is being classified as a functional food. It is loaded with phenolics and anthocyanin, and has just about the highest antioxidant rating of any food including blueberries. The health benefits of purple corn are pervasive, and it has a normalizing effect on many systems of the body. Purple corn has even been shown able to shrink cancerous tumors. As the healing value of purple corn becomes apparent, researchers have jumped in to document its many benefits, and supplement companies have rolled out purple corn extracts. The only thing missing from all this is someone to put purple corn in the produce sections of the local grocery stores.

Why you might want to grow purple corn

The world is in a time of rapid change, moving away from dependence on chemicals and toward green living. This includes the movement toward green health care. People have had enough of the disease establishment and have learned there is nothing in it for them. This coming age will be one of personal empowerment in which more of us are willing to accept responsibility for ourselves including our health status. Demand for foods and products that can enhance and preserve health as well as help bring people back from disease has never been more brisk. As we turn our backs on the status seeking of mindless accumulation, we are becoming more mindful of the need to spend resources in a way that will benefit us as individuals.

Many areas of this newly emerging trend are already being mined. Almost weekly, new products show up on store shelves. Opportunity remains at the front end of this chain, where people produce the commodities that will be needed to support the increasing demand for products. Yet this is also a time of economic retrenchment, so what will work best will be those enterprises with low barriers to entry.

We are breaking from corporate ties and realizing we have to strike out on our own, and at the same time we are looking again to nature to guide us. It is a perfect convergence. What better way to stake a claim on life than to plant seeds in the ground and produce something of such great benefit?

Purple corn has what it takes to ward off aging and disease

Purple corn, also known as Zea mays, is a variety of sweet corn. By some quirk of fate, purple corn has one of the most deep, vibrant purple colorations in the plant kingdom. In the edible plant world, bright vivid color is a tip off that nature has created this plant to be enticing to people. Like the bright orange of carrots and the vibrant red of tomatoes, purple corn is purple to capture our interest.

The intense color in purple corn is the result of anthocyanins, water-soluble blue plant pigment. Anthocyanins are responsible for the spectrum of color in the plant world that ranges from purple to red. They belong to the larger class of phytochemicals known as flavonoids that are found in many food plants. This purple color has been prized by the people of the Peruvian Andes who use it as food and beverage coloring, a practice now becoming popular in other parts of the world. The Peruvians also make a fermented drink from purple corn kernels, called chica morada, which is said to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.

Purple corn is rich in antioxidants, compounds that neutralize the free radicals so responsible for the aging process. Its high phenolic content means it is well equipped to provide safety against degenerative diseases. Purple corn is a natural double play.

Purple corn out does blueberries

The mean anthocyanin content of whole, fresh purple corn from Peru was 16.4 mg/g, compared to the 1.3 to 3.8 mg/g range found in blueberries according to research from the Horticulture Department of Texas A&M University in Texas. The antioxidant capacity and anti-radical action were more than twice that measured in blueberries. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, May, 2003)

This is an important finding for anyone contemplating growing purple corn. Blueberries sell at premium prices due to the high demand for their antioxidant benefits among the health conscious.

Cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G) is the most abundant anthocyanin found in purple corn. Several studies have documented its power, including one that compared C3G to 13 other anthocyanins using oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) as its measure. The ORAC rating of C3C was 3.5 times that of Trolox, a synthetic and potent antioxidant analogue of vitamin E.

Purple corn stops all growth and kills 20% of cancer cells in study

In a recent study, scientists from Ohio State University reported anthocyanins are potent antioxidants that may be protective against cancer. They compared the chemoprotective properties of anthocyanin extracts from purple corn, chokeberry, bilberry, purple carrot, grape, radish, and elderberry for their ability to inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation.

The researchers found that the amount of anthocyanin extract needed to reduce cancer cell growth by 50 percent varied among the plants tested. Extract derived from purple corn was the most potent, taking only 14 micrograms of C3G to reduce cancer cell growth by half. Extracts from chokeberry and bilberry were also fairly potent, though not as potent as the purple corn extract. Anthocyanins played a major role in the ability of the extracts to inhibit cancer, and they exerted an additive interaction with the other phenolics present.

In follow-up work, these researchers found that anthocyanin from red radish and black carrots slowed the growth of cancer cells anywhere from 50 to 80 percent. However, anthocyanins from purple corn and chokeberries not only completely stopped the growth of cancer cells, but also killed about 21 percent of cancer cells without having any effect on healthy cells. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, October 22, 2008)

Purple corn color suppresses breast cancer resulting from gene damage

In another recent study completed in Japan where most of the research on purple corn is being done, scientists examined the influence of dietary purple corn color (PCC) extracted from purple corn seeds on induced mammary cancer in genetically damaged rats. They found that PCC significantly inhibited the cancer growth, and also significantly inhibited the growth of human mammary cancer implanted in the rats. PCC and C3G inhibited cell viability and induced appropriate cell death in the mammary tumor cells. The researchers concluded that C3G could act as a chemopreventive and also as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancers involving mutations in ras genes. Mutations in ras stimulate cell division and proliferation, and facilitate development of various cancers. (Cancer Science, September, 2008.

Purple corn color may be effective in preventing liver cancer

Other scientists in Japan found that the serum of rats treated with PCC provided evidence of significant antioxidant power. Micro array analyses showed PCC to induce RNA expression. They concluded that PCC may be effective as a chemopreventative agent against liver pre-neoplastic lesion development.

Hypertension and cholesterol are lowered by blue corn

Japanese scientists also investigated the effects of continuous administration of color from purple corn, purple sweet potato, and red radish to spontaneously hypertensive rats. The animals were fed with diets containing 1% of purple corn, purple sweet potato or radish color. They found that the body weight and daily food intake of administered rats were not different from those in the control group, and the blood pressure and heart rate of the hypertensive rats that were administered each color decreased compared to the control group. These results suggest that anthocyanins have strong anti-hypertensive effects. (Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, February, 2007)

Other Japanese researchers performed an oral toxicity study of PCC with groups of rats fed the agent at dietary levels of 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, and 5% for 90 days. No mortalities occurred during the treatment period, and there were no treatment-related changes in body weight, ophthalmology, hematology, organ weight, or histopathology. An unexpected finding was that on clinical chemistry analysis, total cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides were significantly lowered in both female and male rats. The no-observed-adverse-effects-level (NOAEL) for PCC was judged to be 5% in the diet for both sexes. (Food Chemistry and Toxicology, February, 2008)

Anthocyanins from purple corn are stable when heated

Researchers in China evaluated the thermal stability of purple corn. Total anthocyanin content and total phenolic content were identified, and individual anthocyanins were determined. Seven main compounds were identified. The thermal stability of the corn was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Thermodynamic analysis was completed, and relationships between the degree of conversion and time or temperature were examined. The researchers concluded that the evaluated purple corn hybrids are a natural source of anthocyanins that remain stable over a wide range of temperatures and time. (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, November 26, 2008)

This finding means that blue corn can be used in many ways that people now use yellow corn. It can be cooked or baked without losing its potency. Popped blue corn might become a favorite.

The husks and cobs may be the best part

In a study from South Korea, the goal was to develop high-anthocyanin corn to enhance economic efficiency of anthocyanin production. The researchers determined and compared anthocyanin content from different parts of purple corn in various breeding lines. Results revealed that purple corn produced the anthocyanin pigment throughout the plant. It was found in especially high levels in the husk and cob regions. Anthocyanin levels of husks ranged from 17.3% to 18.9% of dry weight, roughly 10 times more than found in the kernel. (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, December 10, 2009)

This means that the parts of the traditional corn plant that were thrown away have value if they come from purple corn plants. The higher levels of anthocyanins in the husks and cobs make there parts ideal for supplement manufacturers.

For more information see:

http://purplecorn.wordpress.com/

http://www.futurepundit.com/archive...

http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/11/...

Cell phone radiation may cause brain tumour

Cell phone radiation may cause brain tumour

ISLAMABAD: Cell phone use in Pakistan has grown amid potential health risks, including cancer, through radiofrequency (RF) energy emissions from cell phones. Up till now most studies have focused on whether RF energy can cause malignant brain tumors. The experts are of the opinion that cell phone users are exposed to RF energy, a non-ionising form of radiation, emitted by the cell phones and there is concern about the health implications due to widespread cell phone use. “The experiments investigating the effects of RF exposure characteristics of cell phones on animals have suggested low levels of RF could accelerate the development of cancer. However, many of the studies showing increased tumor development were using animals that had been genetically engineered or treated with cancer-inducing chemicals so as to be pre-disposed to develop cancer in the presence of RF exposure,” said Dr Masood Ahmad, an expert. He said the studies investigated any possible association between the use of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, tumors of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers. “However, none of the studies can answer questions about long-term exposures, since the average period of phone use in these studies was around three years,” he added. app

Beware, exorbitant cell phone use may cause brain tumor

Beware, exorbitant cell phone use may cause brain tumor

Though the cell phone phobia is taking over the youth and over 91.4 million Pakistanis use cell phones today, experts are of the opinion that the cell phones emit Radiofrequency (RF) energy which may increase the risk of cancer for cell phone users.



To date, many of the studies have focused on whether RF energy can cause malignant or benign brain tumors. The experts opine that the cell phone users are exposed to the radiofrequency (RF) energy, a non-ionizing form of radiation, emitted by the cell phones and due to the widespread use of this technology, there is understandable concern about the health implications of cell phone use.

“The animal experiments investigating the effects of Radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures characteristic of wireless/cell phones have suggested that low levels of RF could accelerate the development of cancer in laboratory animals. However, many of the studies that showed increased tumor development used animals that had been genetically engineered or treated with cancer-causing chemicals so as to be pre-disposed to develop cancer in the presence of RF exposure,” said Dr. Masood Ahmad, an expert, while talking.

He said the studies investigated any possible association between the use of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, tumors of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers.

“Though some studies demonstrated the existence of harmful health effects from wireless phone RF exposures. However, none of the studies can answer questions about long-term exposures, since the average period of phone use in these studies was around three years,” he added.

A “Cell Phone Facts” document for consumers developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reviews the research on cell phones that has been completed to date.

The document recommend additional research and noted the challenges of completing the laboratory and epidemiological studies that might offer conclusive data on risks of cell phones.

The agencies note that animal studies investigating cell phone use would need to be very large to offer meaningful data, and epidemiological studies might require ten or more years of follow-up.

Finally, the agencies note difficulties in measuring actual RF exposure, including which model of phone is used and the angle of the cell phone during the use.

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition (NABTC) has for a number of years carefully monitored the research related to the potential adverse effects associated with cell phone use.

The NABTC urges these precautions in absence of definitive studies regarding the risks of cell phones. The coalition urges the most expeditious possible completion of research studies, including one sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), to provide consumers better information about the risks created by their use of cell phones.

In the absence of conclusive studies, it is recommended that individuals take simple precautions to limit their cell phone use and that they impose restrictions on the use of cell phones by children.

The WHO published a fact sheet on cell phones in the Year 2000, which stated, “Given the immense numbers of mobile phones, even small adverse effects on health could have major public health implications.”

A recently published meta-analysis by an Australian neurosurgeon has also intensified concerns about the risks of cell phone use and created great interest in the completion of ongoing studies.

Although public health authorities are not in agreement regarding the issuance of public health advisories about cell phones in light of the inconclusive data regarding their risks, most governments have issued precautionary warnings regarding cell phone use.

The United Kingdom in 2000 urged that cell phone use among children be limited and undertook a leafleting campaign to distribute information about limiting use by children.

In 2006, the Canadian government urged adults to moderate their cell phone use and the cell phone use of their children until the science regarding the risks of cell phones is clear.

“If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless phone every day, you could place more distance between your body and the source of the RF, since the exposure level drops off dramatically with distance. For example, you could use a headset and carry the wireless phone away from your body or use a wireless phone connected to a remote antenna,” advised Dr. Masood.

In a July 2008 memo to the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute faculty and staff, institute director Ronald Herberman, M.D. offered “Practical Advice to Limit Exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted from Cell Phones.”

Dr. Herberman said that release of the ten “prudent and simple precautions” to reduce exposure was based on the recommendations of an international panel of experts convened by the University of Pittsburgh.

Those experts stated that, “electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones should be considered a potential human health risk.”

Red Cross gives advice on flu

This is a very helpful video to help you understand what to do to prepare for flu pandemics.


Pandemic Flu, Are You Prepared?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 —

As the world continues to monitor the swine flu (H1N1 flu outbreak) situation, you may hear references to “pandemic flu”. Stories in the media are constant as health officials around the globe are watching whether the current flu outbreak evolves into a pandemic.

What is pandemic flu and what does it really mean?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges and humans have little or no immunity toward it. The virus begins to cause serious illness which spreads easily from person to person around the world.

While this video contains references to “bird flu,” the steps it urges the public to take also apply to swine flu (H1N1).

Reports of swine flu outbreaks are growing. Caused by an influenza virus of swine origin, the number of cases continues to develop in the United States and internationally. Whether the situation reaches pandemic status or not, it reminds us that pandemic flu is a reality and we must prepare for it.

The American Red Cross offers a short video to help individuals understand a pandemic flu and how to be prepared. It covers a range of topics from explaining how the flu spreads to offering prevention strategies and tips on developing a family preparedness plan by getting a preparedness kit, making a plan and being informed.

Help others to be prepared, pass the video along to family members and friends.

More information is available on the Red Cross Web site. Up-to-the-minute updates on the swine flu can be found at the CDC Web site. People seeking information on human swine flu should visit the CDC Web site or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Food Additive To Avoid

Food Additive To Avoid

Being concerned about my health I always promote eating fresh. While I recognize that organic food is the best because there is no pesticide, and the products contain more vitamins and minerals because of the way they have been grown any fresh food will limit your intake of food additives.
I would also advise you to drink water and use soft-drinks only for parties which will limit your food additive intake to a more reasonable level.


On this page I decided to focus on the food additives dangerous for our health and not banned by the FDA yet. Did you know that eating less than 20 chips containing olestra could be dangerous?

You will find here the 14 most dangerous additives and their potential effects on your health. Are you sure you want to eat them without knowing or do you wish to learn "who they are" and be able to preserve yourself from their dangers?


ACESULFAME-K

Used as a sugar substitute in packet or table form, in chewing gum, dry mixes for beverages, instant coffee and tea, gelatin desserts...
Tests indicate that this additive causes cancer in animals. It had been shown to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits and dogs.Acesulfamine-K was also associated with lung tumors, breast tumors, and several forms of leukemia and chronic respiratory disease in rats studies even when less than maximum doses were given Another effect would be the stimulation of insulin secretion in a dose dependent fashion aggravating reactive hypoglycemia (low blood sugar attacks)


Artificial Colorings: Blue 1

This chemical was inadequately tested and there is a suggestion of small cancer risk.


Artificial Coloring: Blue 2

The largest study suggested but did not prove that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice.
Artificial Coloring: Green 3

A 1981 industry-sponsored study gave the hints of bladder cancer.


Artificial Coloring: Red 3

There is evidence that this dye cause thyroid tumors in rats.


Artificial Coloring: Yellow 6

It may cause allergic reactions. Also industry-sponsored animal tests shows that this dye causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.


Aspartame

In some reports aspartame has been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including panic attacks, mood changes,visual hallucinations, manic episodes and isolated dizziness. A 1970 study suggested that aspartame caused brain tumors in rats. In 2005, researchers at the Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna, Italy, conducted a study which indicated that in rats who were first exposed to aspartame at 8 weeks of ages aspartame caused lymphomas and leukemias in females. In 2007, the same Italian researchers published a follow-up study that began exposing rats to aspartame in utero. This study found that aspartame caused leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer.


Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Some studies shows that it causes cancer in the forestomach of rats, mice and hamsters . Humans do not have a forestomach but a chemical that causes cancer in at least one organ in three different species indicates that it might be carcinogenic in humans.


Olestra (Olean)

Olestra has an avidity for certain fat-soluble substances and will remove fat-soluble nutrients from your body.It is linked directly to olestra being a non-absorbable lipid-like substance.
Olestra will cause a dramatic depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. Olestra depletion of carotenoids is a great concern because evidences indicate that they may confer important health benefit, like lowering risk of cancers (lungs, esophagus, pharynx, mouth, stomach, colon, rectum, and bladder). Olestra is highly effective at reducing serum level of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Supplementing olestra with those vitamins would not completely solve the problem which means that blood clotting, bone formation in fetal development and childhood and retention of bone in older women could be affected. A more immediat effects would be diarrhea, fecal urgency, and more frequent and looser bowel movements as well as anal leaking. Olestra gastrointestinal effects are comparable to those caused by eating larger amount of dietetary fibers except that you body will adapt to increased fibers but won't adjust to olera. The only way to stop the intestinal effect of olestra is to stop its intake. Risk of macular degeneration and possibly cancer and heart diseases are also associated with olestra.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Trans Fat)

Vegetable oil, usually a liquid can be made into semi-solid shortening by reacting it with hydrogen. Partial hydrogenation reduces the levels of polyunsatured oils also creating trans fats which promote heart diseases.The Institute of Medicine has advised consumers to eat less than 2 grams a day. Beware of the marking on the boxes: 0g trans fat are permitted to contain 0.5g per serving while no trans fat means none at all.


Potassium Bromate

Potassium bromate is used to strenghen bread dough. Bromate was first found to cause cancer in rats in 1982. Subsequents studies on rats and mice confirmed that it causes tumors of the kidney, thyroid and other organs. It had been banned virtually worldwide except in the US and Japan. In 1991, California declared bromate a carcerigen under the state's proposition 65. Baked good sold in California would have to bear a cancer warning if they contain more than a certain level of bromate. As a result most California bakers have switched to bromate-free processes.


Propyl Gallate

Propyl gallate or propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate is an ester formed by the condensation of garlic acid and propanol. It is an anti oxidant added to foods containing oils and fats to prevent oxidation. As a food addictive it is used under the number E310. Recent studies show that propyl gallate mimic oestrogen similar to other xenoestrogens. This may result in male developing female traits. Increased estrogen load is often associated with increase risk of developping cancer in estrogen-sensitive tiissues such as ovary, breat, prostate...


Saccharin

Saccharin is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is used in diet foods or as a tabletop sugar substitute. Many studies on animals have shown that saccharin can cause cancer of the urinary bladder as well as cancer of the uterus, ovaries, skin, blood vessels, and other organs. Other studies have shown that saccharin increases the potency of other cancer-causing chemicals. The best epidemiology study (done by the National Cancer Institute) found that the use of artificial sweeteners (saccharin and cyclamate) was associated with a higher incidence of bladder cancer. The industry acknowledges that saccharin causes bladder cancer in male rats, but argues that those tumors are caused by a mechanism that would not occur in humans. Many public health experts respond by stating that, even if that still-unproved mechanism were correct in male rats, saccharin could cause cancer by additional mechanisms.


Sodium Nitrite, Sodium Nitrate

Sodium nitrite stabilizes the red color in cured meat (without nitrite, hot dogs and bacon would look gray) and gives a characteristic flavor. Adding nitrite to food can lead to the formation of small amounts of potent cancer-causing chemicals (nitrosamines), particularly in fried bacon. Several studies have linked consumption of cured meat and nitrite by children, pregnant women, and adults with various types of cancer. Nitrite is used primarily in fatty, salty foods, consumers have important nutritional reasons for avoiding nitrite-preserved foods.


Preserve Yourself

The best way to preserve yourself from these additive is to eliminate them from your diet. The less you will eat of them the better it will be for you. If you can't stop just try to limit your intake to the minimum possible.

The Truth About Diet Soda

The Truth About Diet Soda

The authors of Eat This Not That reveal some hard truths about low-calorie sodas.
By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health
Soda in glass (c) Image Source / Super Stock

We talk a lot about “watching what we eat,” but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life—that’s nearly a pound of fat trimmed away each week! That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, “Why not just drink diet soda?” Well, for a few reasons. Eat This, Not That! did some research and found out some hard truths behind the low-calorie (and nutrition-free) beverage. The story isn't as clear-cut as you suspect, and it might make you think twice the next time you're looking for a thirst-quencher.

Hard truth #1

Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.

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It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages—even if they're artificially sweetened—may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert—everything. Considering there are 15 calories in every teaspoon of sugar, that's not good news if you're watching your weight.

Hard truth #2

Guzzling these drinks all day long forces out the healthy beverages you need.

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free—and it's important to remember that all that useless liquid is taking up space that could have gone to more healthy alternatives. On the positive side, it means you won’t be taking in equally non-nutritious, calorie- and sugar-packed options. But it's just as important to actively drink the good stuff as it is to avoid that bad stuff. So one diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, that means you're limiting your intake of healthful beverages, particularly water and tea, which is high in antioxidants.

Plus, a recent study from Johns Hopkins found that restricting liquid caloric intake is a more effective way to lose weight than restricting calories from food. There’s no better place than by eliminating anything on our list of the 20 unhealthiest drinks in America.

Hard truth #3

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give diet sodas their flavor.

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal research has linked consumption of high amounts of the sweetener to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The FDA maintains that the sweetener is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss, and mood changes. Check out our guide to the 11 most controversial food additives to see how aspartame stacks up.

The bottom line is this: Diet soda does you no good, and it might just be doing you harm. The best way to hydrate is by drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient fluids—and choosing healthy alternatives, like the ones you'll find in our list of the 16 best drink swaps.

Now that you have a hold on your liquid assets, upgrade the rest of your grocery list by avoiding the 13 Worst "Healthy" Foods in the Supermarket.

More cases of swine flu reported; WHO warns of 'health emergency'

More cases of swine flu reported; WHO warns of 'health emergency'

Twenty-two students and three teachers in New Zealand, who returned from a three-week-long language trip to Mexico, may have been infected with the swine flu virus, officials said Sunday.
Women wearing masks wait at a health clinic Saturday in Mexico City.

Women wearing masks wait at a health clinic Saturday in Mexico City.
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The suspected infections in New Zealand follow reports that a deadly new strain of the virus cropped up in more places in the United States and Mexico on Saturday.

The World Health Organization is calling the virus "a public health emergency of international concern."

The 25 students and teachers at Auckland's Rangitoto College returned to New Zealand via Los Angeles on Saturday.

Fourteen of them have shown flu-like symptoms, with four "more unwell than others," said Dr. Julia Peters, clinical director of Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

The New Zealand health ministry informed the students and their families of provisional results of tests it conducted on the group. However, the World Health Organization will make the final determination after testing the specimens, Peters said.

She would not say what the provisional results indicated. The WHO results are expected back by midweek. The group remains quarantined at home.

"We're basically treating them as possible, probable cases," Peters added.
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* Family quarantined after son contracts swine flu
* CDC: Swine flu viruses in U.S., Mexico match
* CDC confirms 7 cases of swine flu in humans

According to the most recent reports, the number of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States stands at 11.

They include nine confirmed cases at or near the Mexican border in Texas and California, and an apparent outbreak at a private school in New York City.

All the patients have recovered or are expected to.

In Mexico, health officials said 81 deaths there were "likely linked" to the swine flu. Video Watch efforts in Mexico to prevent spread of the virus »

U.S. health officials said Friday that some cases of the virus matched samples of the deadly Mexican virus.

Gregory Hartl, of the World Health Organization, said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico is worrisome because it has mutated from older strains. Video Watch how public health officials grade phases of pandemic alerts »

"Any time that there is a virus which changes ... it means perhaps the immunities the human body has built up to dealing with influenza might not be adjusted well enough to dealing with this new virus," Hartl said.

He said that, in Mexico, otherwise young, healthy people have been hit by the virus -- "one of the pieces of the puzzle that is worrying us," he said.

Mexico City has closed all of its schools and universities until further notice because of the virus.

More than 1,300 people with flu-like symptoms have been admitted to hospitals in Mexico, and officials are trying to determine how many of them have swine flu, said Jose Cordova Villalobos, the country's health minister.
Health Library

* MayoClinic.com: Influenza (flu)

The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually associated with pigs. When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it a tougher strain that is harder to treat or fight off.

The United States had not issued any travel warnings or quarantines.

But US Airways said Saturday night it would allow passengers to change plans if they wanted to because of the outbreak.

Airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said it was not asking people not to travel to Mexico, but wanted to "give them that flexibility" if "they don't feel comfortable."

The Canadian Public Health Agency had issued a travel health notice, saying, "The Public Health Agency of Canada is tracking clusters of severe respiratory illness with deaths in Mexico." Video Watch CBC report on Canadian microbiologists' concerns »

Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC said. Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it »
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U.S. President Barack Obama, who visited Mexico last week en route to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, is not sick.

"The president's trip to Mexico has not put his health in any danger," spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Worrying about money this weekend ?

Worrying about money this weekend ?

A Friday Profitable Moment….Just for the readers of this Blog.

All week we have reported horrible economic news - whether it’s Britain’s tax the rich budget, or Spain’s double digit unemployment. We have been battered by US company results and beaten up by the IMF telling us it’s the first global recession since the second World War. The losses will rack up to more than $4 trillion dollars. Phew. That’s a lot to take in over one week.

There is so much to worry about that it’s hard to switch off at the weekend. We can try and escape but there are always the nagging worried of bills unpaid, jobs at risk and financial dangers ahead.

But the weekend is now upon us, and I asked on the show, whether or not you would be worried by money this weekend. Here are some of your thoughts. Let me know whether you are worried, and what you can do about it.

I am in Paris this week, filming, but I hope that whatever you’re upto this weekend (a brisk walk, some gardening, a bit of shopping) It’s profitable !

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jade59@richardquest No we will not worry about money this W-E,we learn a while ago worrying won’t change a thing,W-E is a break,so we’ll have one

qM@richardquest I don’t worry about money. I worry about the lack of money!

Gotaclue@richardquest No. It’s not as though I’m going to buy a new Rolex this weekend.

swortman1@richardquest i worry about money all the time. prices keep going up and there not showing sign of going down.

healthysalone@richardquest No. Worrying is a pointless activity regardless of the situation. I know of no situation that has changed because I worried.

eastcoastjac@richardquest I do not worry about money - I have more than enough to meet my needs. Positive thought and Law of Attraction in action.

boezel@richardquest NO! From a terrace in the Netherlands

jbtorres@richardquest with all of the recent company financial reports, I should worry

ixVintageKissxi@richardquest I think that it’s hard for people not to be worried about money right now. Very few people have that luxury anymore about money everyday until the recession ends.

boxtersushi@richardquest nope! About to run to the bank for our weekly cash (since beginning of year cash only excl travel) now tons of money on hand!

Gatorfitz@richardquest Not Worry, I wiiJust watch what I spend and be smart.

woodythehawk@richardquest Affirmative!!! I am on a fixed US retirement income and living in Egypt, and the end of the month is drawing near.

Tacarigua@richardquest Money is no problem — the problem IS money.

PepsiZecoon@richardquest We might be tight on budget, but we do manage. So I myself, won’t.

javiaven@richardquest Worry? Why worry? I’m going skydiving! Like the economy! Gerooonimoooo!!!!

mananqureshi@richardquest We worry about money every weekeend richard1 where it goes! heaven knows! (giggle)

Rikki_ND@richardquest What’s the point in worrying? Economies are cyclical and we will recover from this too, we’ve been through worse and survived!

R_P_Perry@richardquest They can’t take money I dont have. No need to worry I have a shotgun and enough food for the weekend Should be fine come Mon

buklah@richardquest I find myself worrying,itsnot something I can help. Will I lose my job, Can I afford my standard of living? Can I pay my bills

foxybacon@richardquest I must admit that I am not majorly worried about it. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be :o )

Cancer Center in Pittsburgh Warns of Cell Phone Risks

Cancer Center in Pittsburgh Warns of Cell Phone Risks
The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don’t find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Herberman is basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now especially when it comes to children.

Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later, Herberman said.

No other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cell phone use. But Herberman’s advice is sure to raise concern among many cell phone users and especially parents.

In the memo he sent to about 3,000 faculty and staff Wednesday, he says children should use cell phones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.

Adults should keep the phone away from the head and use the speakerphone or a wireless headset, he says. He even warns against using cell phones in public places like a bus because it exposes others to the phone’s electromagnetic fields.

The issue that concerns some scientists though nowhere near a consensus is electromagnetic radiation, especially its possible effects on children. It is not a major topic in conferences of brain specialists.

A 2008 University of Utah analysis looked at nine studies including some Herberman cites with thousands of brain tumor patients and concludes we found no overall increased risk of brain tumors among cellular phone users. The potential elevated risk of brain tumors after long-term cellular phone use awaits confirmation by future studies.

Studies last year in France and Norway concluded the same thing.

If there is a risk from these products and at this point we do not know that there is it is probably very small, the Food and Drug Administration says on an agency Web site.

Still, Herberman cites a growing body of literature linking long-term cell phone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer.

Although the evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary advice on cell phone use, he wrote in his memo.

A driving force behind the memo was Devra Lee Davis, the director of the university’s center for environmental oncology.

The question is do you want to play Russian roulette with your brain, she said in an interview from her cell phone while using the hands-free speaker phone as recommended. I don’t know that cell phones are dangerous. But I don’t know that they are safe.

Of concern are the still unknown effects of more than a decade of cell phone use, with some studies raising alarms, said Davis, a former health adviser in the Clinton Administration.

She said 20 different groups have endorsed the advice the Pittsburgh cancer institute gave, and authorities in England, France and India have cautioned children’s use of cell phones.

Herberman and Davis point to a massive ongoing research project known as Interphone, involving scientists in 13 nations, mostly in Europe. Results already published in peer-reviewed journals from this project aren’t so alarming, but Herberman is citing work not yet published.

The published research focuses on more than 5,000 cases of brain tumors. The National Research Council in the U.S., which isn’t participating in the Interphone project, reported in January that the brain tumor research had selection bias. That means it relied on people with cancer to remember how often they used cell phones. It is not considered the most accurate research approach.

The largest published study, which appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2006, tracked 420,000 Danish cell phone users, including thousands that had used the phones for more than 10 years. It found no increased risk of cancer among those using cell phones.

A French study based on Interphone research and published in 2007 concluded that regular cell phone users had no significant increased risk for three major types of nervous system tumors. It did note, however, that there was the possibility of an increased risk among the heaviest users for one type of brain tumor, but that needs to be verified in future research.

Earlier research also has found no connection.

Joshua E. Muscat of Penn State University, who has studied cancer and cell phones in other research projects partly funded by the cell phone industry, said there are at least a dozen studies that have found no cancer-cell phone link. He said a Swedish study cited by Herberman as support for his warning was biased and flawed.

We certainly don’t know of any mechanism by which radiofrequency exposure would cause a cancerous effect in cells. We just don’t know this might possibly occur, Muscat said.

Cell phones emit radiofrequency energy, a type of radiation that is a form of electromagnetic radiation, according to the National Cancer Institute. Though studies are being done to see if there is a link between it and tumors of the brain and central nervous system, there is no definitive link between the two, the institute says on its Web site.

By all means, if a person feels compelled that they should take precautions in reducing the amount of electromagnetic radio waves through their bodies, by all means they should do so, said Dan Catena, a spokesman for the American Cancer Society. But at the same time, we have to remember there’s no conclusive evidence that links cell phones to cancer, whether it’s brain tumors or other forms of cancer.

Joe Farren, a spokesman for the CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group for the wireless industry, said the group believes there is a risk of misinforming the public if science isn’t used as the ultimate guide on the issue.

When you look at the overwhelming majority of studies that have been peer reviewed and published in scientific journals around the world, you’ll find no relationship between wireless usage and adverse health affects, Farren said.

Frank Barnes, who chaired the January report from the National Research Council, said Wednesday that the jury is out on how hazardous long-term cell phone use might be.

Speaking from his cell phone, the professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder said he takes no special precautions in his own phone use. And he offered no specific advice to people worried about the matter.

It’s up to each individual to decide what if anything to do. If people use a cell phone instead of having a land line, that may very well be reasonable for them, he said.

Susan Juffe, a 58-year-old Pittsburgh special education teacher, heard about Herberman’s cell phone advice on the radio earlier in the day.

Now, I’m worried. It’s scary, she said.

She says she’ll think twice about allowing her 10-year-old daughter Jayne to use the cell phone.

I don’t want to get it (brain cancer) and I certainly don’t want you to get it, she explained to her daughter.

Sara Loughran, a 24-year-old doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh, sat in a bus stop Wednesday chatting on her cell phone with her mother. She also had heard the news earlier in the day, but was not as concerned.

I think if they gave me specific numbers and specific information and it was scary enough, I would be concerned, Loughran said, planning to call her mother again in a matter of minutes. Without specific numbers, it’s too vague to get me worked up.

Educational Cell Phone Digital Book by Paul Fitzgerald, EMF expert, graduated from NJIT in Newark, NJ. He has been studying EMF’s for over 15 years.. He has done over 100 radio shows in 2006 and released his book nofollow?>CellPhone>http://www.CellphoneLies.com>CellPhone Lies To learn more go to EMF Radiation News.

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On cell phones, speaker static, and radiation

On cell phones, speaker static, and radiation
Reader JD writes: Can you tell me a little about cell phone radiation? When I receive texts on my cell phone, it makes a funny sound into my landline telephone receiver (when I am on that landline), and makes TV monitors do funny things if they are within range of the cell phone. I'm wondering if you might be able to shed some light on that for me. I've heard of SAR and my phone has a reasonable value for that. Since the TV and landline phone are apparently receiving such a strong signal, I am concerned that that is going through my body and anyone else's body that is near me, each time a text is sent or received.

Lots of issues in this query, but I'll try to get my arms around the whole thing for you.

First is the issue of those "funny sounds" you're talking about, and many readers will be familiar with your complaint. If not, try putting a GSM cell phone next to your computer speaker and chances are good you'll hear what JD is talking about at some point: A weird, distorted buzzing/bumping/drumming sort of noise that often comes and goes throughout the day. Pretty much any speaker is susceptible to this noise -- your TV, land line phone, stereo, even hearing aids -- but the cheaper the speaker, the worse the problem will be.

What causes it? To explain it very simply: Electromagnetic interference in the speaker wiring picks up the radio pulsing in the cell phone and causes audible distortion in the audio from the speaker. The solution? Get shielded speakers, move your cell phone to the other side of the room, or switch to a CDMA network, which doesn't cause these kinds of effects on speakers.

I'm not sure from your question whether you're seeing video distortion on your TV along with the audio noise when a text comes in, but I've never heard of such an effect. Still, I suppose it's theoretically possible under the same principle.

The other question is whether any of this is harmful to you physically, and that has a more complicated answer.

In brief, a cell phone sitting on your desk is going to have much less of a potential to cause any harm to you than one you're holding up to your ear, because cell phone radiation decreases exponentially with the distance it is away from you. This is why virtually all studies of cell phone radiation (and the heat it creates in human tissue) focus on brain tumors potentially caused by holding a phone up against the side of your face -- because that's where the radiation is strongest.

That said, even those studies have still not found a "smoking gun" definitively linking cell phones to cancer, but the jury is still out on whether or not they add to your risk and, if so, how much. (The exception seems to be with cell-phone-using children, whom more experts believe are at risk of damage because their brains are still growing rapidly.)

But a phone sitting on your desk? The electromagnetic interference it's causing on your speakers is not something that anyone has pointed to as a potential source of physical harm and really this is just a problem with speaker design, not with something that's likely to hurt you. Remember that you're always surrounded by all kinds of radio waves, all the time, and a single cell phone on your desk doesn't really change that level of bombardment in a meaningful way. Put it this way: Think about how many cell phones are nearby when you're standing on a crowded bus. If there was a real danger, people would be dropping like flies.

Rosemary Found to Offer Best Protection against Radiation Poisoning

Rosemary Found to Offer Best Protection against Radiation Poisoning

The U.S. is turning into radiation nation. In the twenty-three years since Chernobyl, Americans seem to have forgotten the impact of radiation on health. Swept up in the euphoria over an endless parade of wireless devices, we have turned our backs on the common sense that informed us that Chernobyl was a really big deal when we heard the news. Today Americans act as though they are addicted to radiation and completely oblivious of the jack-hammering effect it has on human cells. They appear willing to accept cancer and even death as small prices to pay for the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime. As the nation eagerly anticipates the rollout of WiMAX, promising bone-incinerating coverage of 3,000 square miles from a single tower, those who object find they have no voice and no choice. However, recent research has shown there are steps to take in self-preservation. Carnosic and rosmarinic acids naturally deter radiation poisoning.

RF/microwave exposure leads to cancer development

It has been know for a decade that RF/microwaves from cell phones and tower transmitters cause damage in human blood cells that results in nuclei splintering off into micronuclei fragments. The development of micronuclei heralds the development of pre-cancerous conditions. Many victims of Chernobyl developed blood cell micronuclei that rapidly turned into full blown cancers.

Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that mobile phone radiation quickly causes DNA single and double strand breaks at levels well below the current federal "safe" standards. A six-year industry study showed that human blood exposure to cell phone radiation had a 300 percent increase in genetic damage in the form of micronuclei, suggesting a health threat much greater than smoking or asbestos.

Compounds from rosemary fight against mutagenic effects of radiation

In two separate studies, scientists in Spain found that nothing fights radiation damage to micronuclei like a simple garden herb known as rosemary. They noted that ionizing radiation causes the massive generation of free radicals that induce cellular DNA damage. They studied the protective effects of several compounds against gamma ray induced chromosomal damage in micronuclei testing by adding various compounds to human blood before and after irradiation. When the compounds were added after gamma-irradiation treatment, the protective effects relied not on scavenging ability, but on activity against free radicals already present in the cells, such as lipoperoxy radicals which are mainly responsible for continuous chromosomal oxidative damage.

The fact that carnosic acid and carnosol found in rosemary are fat soluble allows them to provide highly asignificant protective anti-mutagenic activity. Even the most powerful water-soluble antioxidants lack the capacity to protect against gamma ray induced damage. This study can be found in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2 edition.

In their second study, the generation of radiation induced cellular DNA damage to skin from free radicals was the focus. The researchers sought to demonstrate that rosmarinic acid from rosemary would act as a photo-protector both by acting as a scavenger of free radicals and as an inducer of the body's own endogenous defense mechanisms by regulating tyrosinase activity and stimulating melanin production. They found that formulation of toxic malonyldialdehyde was delayed by the use of rosmarinic acid, and the protection factor was 3.34 times greater than for other compounds studied, as measured in micronucleus testing. In vivo testing showed the capacity of orally administered rosmarinic acid to inhibit skin alterations as a result of UV radiation exposure. This study was reported in the February edition of Food and Chemical Toxicology.

Common food compound protects lymphocytes against radiation

In a study from India, scientists investigated the radio-protective potential of caffeic acid against gamma radiation-induced cellular changes. A dose of 66 microM of caffeic acid showed the optimum protection of micronuclei and was used to investigate the radio-protective effects of the compound. Lymphocytes were pre-incubated with caffeic acid and controls were not. All the lymphocytes were exposed to different doses of radiation. Genetic damage and biochemical changes were measured. Gamma irradiated control lymphocytes showed a radiation dose-dependent increase in genetic damage and a significant decrease in antioxidant status. Caffeic acid pretreated lymphocytes positively modulated all radiation induced changes. This study is found in the 2008 Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology.

Food sources offering significant amounts of caffeic acid are apples, citrus fruits, and cruciferous vegetables.

RF/microwave radiation has the same effect on health as gamma rays

A pile of research has confirmed that non-ionizing communications radiation in the RF/microwave spectrum has the same effect on human health as ionizing gamma wave radiation from nuclear reactions. This means that Chernobyl has effectively come to America. Injuries resulting from radioactive radiation are identical with the effects of electromagnetic radiation. In the U.S., deadly high frequency radiation is now blasting from tens of thousands of cell towers and rooftop antennas all over the country. The tiny city of San Francisco, has over 2,500 licensed cell phone antennas positioned at 530 locations to nuke its citizens around the clock.

There is no safe dose of radiation

RF/microwave and gamma waves are identical in their abilities to produce gene damage and cancer at the cellular level, and there is no safe dose of either. Cell damage is not dependent on a certain level of exposure because at any time in that exposure, breaks in DNA can occur.

Communication antennas saturate the environment with multiple electromagnetic frequencies simultaneously. The response to this endless cellular jiggling is graphically described by Amy Worthington in her article on the radiation poisoning of America. "Human DNA hears this energetic cacophony loud and clear, reacting like the human ear would to high volume country music, R&B plus rock and roll screaming from the same speaker simultaneously. Irradiated cells struggle to protect themselves against the destructive dissonance by hardening their membranes. They cease to receive nourishment, stop releasing toxins, die prematurely and spill micronuclei fragments into a sort of tumor bank account." According to an expert quoted in her article, 2000 hours of cellular phone exposure, or a latency period of about 10 years, increases the risk of brain cancer by 240 percent.

Many studies have shown that workers exposed to RF/microwave radiation routinely have inflated cancer rates, and the latency period between exposure and disease development is short. Some suspect that communications carriers exceed FCC exposure limits. Once equipment is installed and inspections are completed, it can be cranked up to create wider coverage. The FCC has sole regulatory authority over the communications industry, but has neither the money nor the employees to conduct verification testing. Even if they could do the monitoring, their guidelines are obsolete based on current scientific findings that have shown damage to human cells occurs at levels thousands of times lower than current standards permit. In other countries the allowed exposure levels are much less. Russia's standards are 100 times more stringent than those in the U.S., because their scientists have found that human hearts, kidneys, livers and brains are damaged at much lower exposure levels.

When is comes to protecting against radiation, we are on our own

Since the beginning of the wireless revolution, there have been no federally funded studies to determine the impact of constantly escalating levels of radiation on public health. Most people remain blissfully unaware of their proximity to towers and transmitters. They are also unaware of their levels of exposure in their workplaces where wireless transmitters may be located just a few feet away from them.

Some of the symptoms of overexposure to radiation are heart palpitations, diminishing hearing ability, headaches, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, endocrine problems, short term memory difficulties, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, frequent infections, reproductive issues, and reduced cognitive ability and information processing difficulties. The development of tumors and cancer is one big indication that something is radically wrong, and that something may be radiation poisoning.

What is a person to do about these symptoms? Right now it looks like the best defense against radiation poisoning is the same as the best defense against all diseases. This defense begins with diet and supplements. Eating a diet high in apples, citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, drinking red wine, and using fresh rosemary have been scientifically shown to be effective. Supplements of rosemary extract containing carnosic and rosmarinic acids are widely available. Supplements of DIM offer higher doses of one of the most potent compounds in cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli sprouts are the best source of sulphoraphane, another highly potent compound in cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli sprouts are available as supplements too. Making a pitcher of fresh vegetable juice several times a week for all family members to drink is a great way to fortify everyone against an environment that has turned against them. The juice should contain high amounts of broccoli, cabbage or other cruciferous vegetables. Adding a small slice of fresh ginger will give the juice an appealing flavor. Use only organic or fresh locally grown vegetables if they are available.

Although it may not seem like it, living without the use of wireless devices is possible. Until giant steps are taken in that direction, demanding that wireless emissions from transmitters be drastically reduced is fairly pointless. Demanding the government conduct routine compliance testing at all transmission sites and update federal radiation exposure standards is something that can be done right now.

We can break our radiation addition by giving up wireless internet systems and cell phone calls. Once knowledge is instilled about the devastating health consequences of wireless, it may no longer be fun to play wireless games and chatter on the phone while driving or shopping. If people do not buy WiMAX devices and their related services, the increased brutal bombardment of radiation it promises will be derailed.

OSHA standards say that no environment should be deliberately made hazardous. Armed with the knowledge of what radiation does to human cells, people can refuse to work or shop in environments that endanger their health. They can demand that wireless devices be removed from their children's schools and from their work and entertainment places.

As a nation we bought into the advertisement that cell phones were necessary for an emergency. Yet the emergency happening now is the cell phone. What we thought would keep ourselves and our families safe now threatens to kill us. A look at our teenagers shows that convenience has been replaced by addition. These teens rarely talk directly to each other, preferring endless communication through text messaging that is already producing teens with carpal tunnel syndrome. It really doesn't have to be this way.

If we as a people are unable to break away from radiation addiction, Mother Nature will take control of the situation. Those lucky enough to adapt to radiation nation will survive and reproduce. Those who cannot keep up genetically will end up like the dinosaurs.

For more information see:

http://proliberty.com/observer/2007...

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Cancer...

http://www.ncrponline.org/

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