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| Alternative Medicine in the News
November 2010 edition 99
published weekly |
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Think hand sanitizers protect you against germs? Think again
[Didi's Comment: Lately on Kenyan TV & radio, there's been a flood of advertising by soap companies about sanitizing hands with their products. Now, while I don't object to washing hands - it certainly does reduce infections, on the other hand, the idea that these expensive products are somehow superior or preferable to other soaps is just a washout.... My own experience: I advise try washing your hands with Bicarb of Soda! Its great, your hands will never smell fresher, and only costs Ksh 20 for a box]
Worried about catching a cold or the flu? Just slather on some hand sanitizer and you will be fine, say experts. But a new report has some different things to say. According to "germ experts", alcohol-based hand sanitizers only kill certain germs for up to two minutes before drying up and becoming useless. And a recent study out of the University of Virginia (UV) revealed that alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not reduce the overall number of cold and flu cases, either, suggesting they are ineffective.
NaturalNews covered the UV study back in September (http://www.naturalnews.com/029786_h...), but a new survey conducted by Healthpoint found that most Americans still believe hand sanitizers are effective anyway, and that they work for long periods of time than they actually do.
"Alcohol sanitizers last only a minute or two and must be reapplied when recontamination occurs," explained Dr. Philip Tierno Jr., Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at NYU Langone Medical Center. But more than 50 percent of Americans think hand sanitizers last about 30 times longer than this in a single application.
Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) admits that that hand sanitizers "will not kill all germs", but the agency still recommends that people use them. But in the UV study, there was little difference in the number of rhinovirus and influenza infections between people who use hand sanitizers and people that do not.
Many hand sanitizers are also loaded with toxic chemicals that get absorbed in the skin and cause other health problems. And they ultimately will not protect you from getting sick. So a more preferable way to stay healthy and avoid viral and bacterial infections is to take plenty of natural vitamin C and vitamin D, eat powerful superfoods like garlic and astragalus, and drink plenty of clean water.
Sources for this story include:
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyl...
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll...
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Monsanto Roundup Linked to Birth Defects in New Study
NaturalNews.com
(NaturalNews) Everybody's favorite genetically modified seed and biotech company, Monsanto, has yet again proven their lovability. The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit(1) was the focus of a new study looking at their top-selling product, Roundup herbicides.
The study was conducted by Professor Andres Carrasco and an international team of scientists and researchers at the Laboratorio de Embriolagia Molecular at the University of Buenos Aires and was published by the American Chemical Society in August.(2) It focused on glyphosate, the prime ingredient of Roundup and the most widely-used broad spectrum herbicide in use worldwide. Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) are also the focus of most of Monsanto's herbicide-tolerant (HT-ready) genetically modified seeds (GM or GMO).
The Argentinian study looked at how GBH affects vertebrate embryos in development. Treated during incubation with a dilute 1/5,000 GBH, the embryos showed several abnormalities in bone development, particularly in the skull and vertebrae. The animal embryos used were frogs and chickens.
For comparison, a 1/5,000 concentration (2.03mg/kg) is about 1/10th of the amount used on most agricultural plants. The maximum level for GBH allowed in soybeans in the European Union is 20mg/kg (established in 1997 when GMO soy was commercialized in Europe). Soybeans after harvest can typically contain up to 17mg/kg of GBH residue.
The research done by Carrasco and his team was prompted by the high rate of birth defects in rural areas of Argentina where Monsanto's GMO soybeans are often grown in large monocultures and sprayed with Roundup from aircraft.
At a press conference during the 6th European Conference of GMO-Free Regions in the European Parliament in Brussels, Professor Carrasco said, "The findings in the lab are compatible with malformations observed in humans exposed to glyphosate during pregnancy."(3)
Here in the U.S., we are undergoing a 3-pronged attack against our agricultural and food system. Over 90% of our soybeans, 70% of our corn, and many other common crops are now genetically modified. The plant-patenting and manipulation industry, led by Monsanto, has been taking over both the USDA and the FDA while systematically eliminating family and independent farmers who resist using GM seeds.(4)
Meanwhile, the evidence against the safety of GM foods continues to mount. This study from Professor Carrasco and his team is just the latest in a long line of research showing the extremely negative effects of the genetic manipulation of our food supply.
The best way to combat this problem individually? Buy from local, non-GMO farmers and growers, eat healthy, non-processed foods, and continue to spread the word about the evils of Big Agra. Things will only change when people begin voting en masse with their wallets and forks, walking away from the Big Agra-Industrial-Pharma-Government complex that is attempting to destroy our lives.
Resources:
1 - Monsanto: The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit by Jeffrey M. Smith, NaturalNews
2 - Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Produce Teratogenic Effects on Vertebrates by Impairing Retinoic Acid Signaling by Alejandra Paganelli, Andres Carrasco, et al, American Chemical Society, August 9, 2010
3 - Groundbreaking study shows Roundup link to birth defects, Press Release, GMO-Free Regions Conference 2010
4 - Three-Pronged System Enables GMO Takeover of American Agriculture by Aaron Turpen, NaturalNews
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Yoga & Meditation at Abha Light House
YOGA
Mondays - Wednesdays
5:30 - 6:30
Cost: Ksh 300
4 classes for Ksh 1000
MEDITATION
Tuesdays
6:30 - 7:30
Cost: free!
Welcome!
Call for information: 0710-620323 / 0733-895466
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Avoid Toxic Household Cleaners by Making Your Own for Pennies
(NaturalNews) One of the greatest exposures to toxic substances can be found in our homes. Many cleaners and solvents used on surfaces such as countertops, tubs and floors are filled with ingredients whose labels read CAUTION, POISON, WARNING, or DANGER. Thank goodness there are alternative cleaning possibilities - safe, simple products that can be used in most cleaning situations that will lessen our exposure to toxins and chemicals in our living spaces. For instance, castile soap, baking soda, and lemon juice can work wonders with even the toughest grime that may be lurking in bathrooms and kitchens. Plus, there is the added benefit of money to be saved by making your own quick and simple recipes, as well as knowing your creative efforts are toxic free for you, your family, and the environment.
Behind the shine of the bleaches, foams and sprays are often artificial fragrances and toxic chemicals that can contribute to indoor air pollution, can be harmful if inhaled or touched, or are poisonous if ingested.
About 90 percent of all accidental poisonings occur in the home. In fact, some cleaners are among the most toxic products we can buy. Sitting in a majority of our homes are cleaners that pollute the ground water or contain flammable ingredients and corrosives that can irritate eyes just by opening the containers. Many of them could send us to the hospital or even cause death if swallowed.
The potential dangers of toxic home cleaning products have many people on a "go-green" path. In 2009, sales of natural cleaning products in the United States totaled $150 Million. Some of these cleaners are labeled with big promises and a hefty price tag. However, just because the ingredients in green cleaners are plant-based or "natural" does not necessarily mean they are safe.
It may be surprising to learn that everyday products found in your home can be used to make non-toxic cleaners for many of your cleaning needs. Some of the ingredients we cook with can also be the ingredients we clean with. It is simple to mix them up: they are safe to keep around the house and children, and they are easier on your bank account.
Below you will find a few sample recipes to mix up in seconds when your home needs a little sparkle. Be creative: mix up different recipes adding essential oils and scents that fit your lifestyle.
- Basic Household Cleaner: Mix together one teaspoon liquid castile soap, a squeeze of lemon juice, and one quart of warm water. If a surface needs extra power, try saturating area with moist salt or baking soda, allow to sit for ten minutes, and scour.
- To Cut Grease: Dissolve one teaspoon castile soap in one quart of hot water and add 1/4 cup lemon juice. Let item/surface soak for ten minutes before scrubbing.
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Sprinkle 1/4 cup baking soda into bowl and add 1 cup lemon juice. Let sit for 1/2 hour, scrub, and flush.
- Basin, Tub and Tile Cleaner: Mix together 1/2 cup baking soda with three tablespoons liquid castile soap. Scrub as usual.
- Drain Cleaner/Deodorizer: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down drain followed by one cup hot lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes and then run water for 30 seconds.
- Glass/Window Cleaner: Mix four tablespoons of lemon juice with 1/2 gallon warm water.
- For Dishes and Tough Stains: Mix lemon juice and baking soda to make a scrubbing paste.
- Use baking soda as you would any abrasive cleanser.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/art...
http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/re...
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/01/h...
http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-e...
http://www.chop.edu/service/poison-...
http://www.authenticparenting.info/...
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1484
http://www.googobits.com/articles/p...
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Natural Solutions Help Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumor growths in or on the muscular wall of the womb. They typically affect about 20% of women over age of 30. Current research has shown that fibroid tumors are a symptom of estrogen dominance and can be prevented or even reversed through healthy lifestyle.
Fibroids are easiest to treat when they are small but they are also very hard to detect at this stage. Very small fibroids rarely produce any symptoms and most do not know they have them. As fibroids grow larger they cause menstrual bleeding to increase. This can become very painful especially during menstruation. Eventually, they can press on surrounding organs like the bladder and kidneys. This can become very serious and may require surgery.
Depending on the severity of the fibroids many doctors can remove only the fibroids and keep the uterus intact. This does not always solve the problem. About half of the women who keep their uterus find that their fibroids grow back. Fibroids are responsible for about one-third of all hysterectomies.
Women with fibroids are often estrogen dominant and have low progesterone levels. Stabilizing estrogen/progesterone levels can cause fibroids to shrink and dissolve all together. This is likely due to progesterone's ability to help speed up the clearance of estrogen from tissue.
The major cause of estrogen dominance in our current society comes from the overuse of chemicals & preservatives. Xenoestrogens are artificially made compounds produced by industry. These differ chemically from archiestrogens (naturally occurring) produced by living organisms.
Xenoestrogens mimic the effects of true estrogen and interact with cellular receptor sites. This process contributes to estrogen excess and blocks the effects of true estrogen. To make matters worse, these endocrine disruptors lodge in fat cells where they are resistant to breakdown. Many of these chemicals will act in a synergistic effect when combined with other endocrine disrupters. This synergistic process exponentially enhances their effects within the body causing major problems at the cellular level.
The most common sources of xenoestrogens include:
a. Commercially-Raised Animal Products:
b. Plastics & Canned Goods (many have plastic lining)
c. Personal Care Products (makeup, lotion, & perfumes)
d. Oral Contraceptives
e. Pharmaceutical medications
f. Food Additives & preservatives
g. Styrofoam products
h. Laundry & Dishwashing detergents
i. Household cleaners & air fresheners
j. Pesticides & Herbicides
To prevent or eliminate fibroid tumors it is essential that a woman minimize her exposure to xenoestrogens. Additionally, she must reduce her intake of sugar, caffeine, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, alcohol, & prescription/OTC medications which all have powerful estrogenic effects. Elevated stress must be dealt with since it wears out the adrenals and leads to impaired production of progesterone.
To effectively stabilize estrogen/progesterone levels one should consume a diet rich in vegetables of all kinds, sprouts, berries, grapefruits, free-range & grass-fed meats, coconut, avocado, lemon, & extra-virgin olive oil. This diet should be low carbohydrate, moderate protein and moderate fat. This will stabilize the blood sugar and help the body burn through fat stores and detoxify estrogen more effectively. Cruciferous vegetables are preferred due to their high content of Indole-3-Carbonyl which powerfully enhances estrogen metabolism and detoxification.
It is critical to take a high quality omega 3 supplement with over 1.5 grams per serving of EPA & DHA. Borage & Evening primrose oil are rich in GLA which is important for hormone function. Additionally, liver cleansing herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion, & turmeric should be used daily to support estrogen metabolism and detoxification. Drink a gallon of clean water with fresh squeezed lemon daily to boost anti-oxidants and remove wastes from the body.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Lifestyle...
http://www.fibroid101.com/
http://www.naturalnews.com/029720_h...
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Backlash grows against full-body airport scanners
Worldwide, a backlash is growing against the push to install full-body scanners at airports.
The machines, which take a three-dimensional picture beneath a person's clothing, were first introduced after the alleged "Christmas Day" attempt to bomb a plane headed for Detroit. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has already purchased 500 of the machines at a cost of $80 million. More than 100 have already been installed, and the government plans to put 1,000 in place by the end of 2011. They have also been adopted in the United Kingdom.
But concerns over the effectiveness of the machines, as well as their implications for passenger health and privacy, are on the rise. In October, the U.S. Government Accountability Office warned that the machines are being deployed without sufficient tests of their effectiveness. In March, it restated a concern that it "remains unclear" whether the scanners could have detected the explosives carried by the alleged Christmas Day bomber.
The International Air Transport Association, representing 250 airlines around the world, has also spoken out against the machines, warning that the TSA lacks "a strategy and a vision" for integrating the devices into an overall security plan.
"The TSA is putting the cart before the horse," association spokesperson Steve Lott said.
Then in June, the European Commission issued a report warning that the health risks of the devices are unknown, and that they should not be used on children, pregnant women or people with disabilities.
Because the machines can generate naked pictures of passengers, critics have also raised concerns over passenger privacy and abuse of the images by security workers.
Citing such health and privacy concerns, the government of Dubai recently announced that it will not use the machines.
The final straw for many passengers is that the devices take significantly longer to pass through than a metal detector.
"The system takes three to five times as long as walking through a metal detector," said Phil Bush of Atlanta. "This looks to be yet another disaster waiting to happen."
TSA regulations allow passengers to opt out of screening with the full-body scanners.
Sources for this story include: http://www.usatoday.com/printeditio....
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How I cured diabetes in five steps, and why one-third of U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
First it was Fast Food Nation. Now it's Diabetic Nation. That's because fast food leads to diabetes, and America is now drowning in both. A new report by the CDC says that by 2050, nearly one-third of American adults will be diabetic.
It's a windfall of profits for the drug companies, diabetic supply companies and the sick care industry in general. Perhaps that's why no one is taking any real action to halt the anticipated explosion in diabetes. The more people who get sick, after all, the more money will be spent on medical treatment. (It's good for the economy, they say!)
But solutions to diabetes exist right now. I've personally interviewed patients who were cured of type-2 diabetes in as little as four days at Dr Gabriel Cousens' Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center near Tucson, Arizona (www.TreeOfLife.nu). My own book entitled How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days has helped thousands of people prevent and even reverse diabetes in under a month. (http://www.truthpublishing.com/halt...)
As NaturalNews readers know, I used to be borderline diabetic myself, and I suffered from hypoglycemia and borderline obesity at the same time. But I was able to cure my own pre-diabetes condition by doing essentially two things: 1) Ignoring all doctors and conventional medicinal information, and 2) Teaching myself the principles of nutrition (through lots of reading).
Today, about a decade later, I remain fit, healthy and athletic. At age 41, I lift weights, swim, bicycle and exercise on a regular basis while carefully choosing foods that will prevent diabetes for a lifetime.
Here are my top five secrets for preventing (and even reversing) diabetes...
My top secrets for preventing and reversing diabetes
Secret #1) Stop eating all refined sugars. This means giving up all foods made with HFCS (especially soda) or other refined sugars. If you find this step difficult, wean yourself off these foods day by day. It took me six months to finally end my sugar addiction for good. Sodas and HFCS have caused 130,000 cases of diabetes, by the way (http://www.naturalnews.com/028340_d...).
Secret #2) Ingest large quantities of daily superfoods. I consume at least two daily superfood smoothies made with spirulina, stabilized rice bran and high-density superfood powders such as Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com) and Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com). I blend them with frozen organic fruit, coconut oil and almond milk. On top of that, I take daily chlorella, astaxanthin and various Chinese medicine herbs from www.DragonHerbs.com and other high quality nutritional suppliers.
Secret #3) Exercise a little bit every day. I exercise over 12 hours a week, but that's more than you really need to prevent diabetes. Even just walking 30 minutes a day can have a huge impact on preventing diabetes. The key is to make it a daily activity.
Secret #4) Get sunshine or vitamin D. More than 70% of white Americans are vitamin D deficient. That number rises to 97% among African Americans (http://www.naturalnews.com/026657_V...). Latinos and Asians are at around 80% deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency promotes diabetes (and cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, immune suppression, and so on).
So if you really want to prevent diabetes, boost your vitamin D levels with either daily sunshine or quality vitamin D3 supplements. Vitamin D deficiency explains why diabetes is so rampant among African Americans, by the way. Did you notice that doctors don't explain any of this to African American patients? It's the dirty little racist secret of both the diabetes and cancer industries...
Secret #5) Avoid all processed foods. Avoid eating refined anything. That includes white breads, processed meat (which strongly promotes diabetes) and dairy products. Switch from cow's milk to almond milk (Blue Diamond brand is good, but I suggest you avoid the Silk brand). Reduce or eliminate cheese from your diet. If you eat meat, eat only fresh unprocessed meat, never eat processed packaged meat because it contains sodium nitrite, a chemical that destroys pancreas function. This means no pepperoni pizza, no ham and potato soup, no deli meat sandwiches and so on.
To the extent that you can do these five things, you can reverse diabetes yourself! Diabetes is not a difficult disease to prevent or reverse because it's not really an affliction that "strikes" you randomly. It is merely the biological effect of following certain lifestyle (bad foods, no exercise) that can be reversed in virtually anyone, sometimes in just a few days.
I've even interviewed a type-1 diabetic who got completely off insulin by following a raw foods diet with daily vegetable juicing. Yes, type one! Read about my interview with Dr Cousens here: http://www.naturalnews.com/028341_d...
(This interview will rock your world if you don't yet know that diabetes is easily curable!)
Scientific research shows, by the way, that the insulin-producing "islet cells" in the pancreas can be jump-started back to life with hot peppers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021345.html).
Diabetes is nearly 100% preventable. You won't hear this from mainstream medicine -- which ridiculously claims there is no cure for diabetes -- because treating diabetics is just too darned profitable. Big Pharma is drooling over the profit potential of seeing one-third of Americans becoming diabetic by 2050. It will mean hundred of billions of dollars in annual profits.
But people are curing diabetes every day. It's simple and straightforward, and when you cure diabetes, you greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity and cancer at the same time. The thing is, no one will cure your diabetes for you. Sure, the drug companies want to "treat" you with diabetes drugs, but you have to keep taking those for a lifetime. They don't cure anything. The only real cure can come from YOU -- by changing what you eat and increasing your exercise.
Drew Carey did it. I did it. Countless others have done it. You can do it, too. Read more about diabetes here on NaturalNews at: http://www.naturalnews.com/diabetes...
And I urge you to get started today! Just 30 days from now, you could be off insulin, off diabetes drugs and back on track with a healthy life.
Editor's note: Please work with a qualified naturopathic physician before engaging in any medication, dietary or exercise changes. They can help guide you toward the best results in a safe, effective way.
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Elderly people refuse annual flu jab in favour of natural solutions
13 October 2010
http://www.wddty.com
Older people who are refusing the annual flu vaccine - this year with swine flu vaccine included - are instead turning to natural remedies to protect themselves.
They are using everything from herbal mixtures, ginger and lemon drinks to help ward off the seasonal flu.
Take-up rate of the latest flu jab is lower than usual, especially in the Far East, and so a team of researchers surveyed nine countries - including the UK, Canada, China, Brazil and Nigeria - to find out why.
Most who had refused the vaccine believed that they could avoid the flu by having a healthy immune system, and the way they improved that depended on their own traditions of natural medicines. Some consumed steamed pears, others rubbed a coin or had a soothing head massage, and some ate a concoction of cheese, yoghurt and honey.
One thing's for sure - they are all a better bet than the chemical mix of flu and untested swine flu vaccine being offered this year.
(Source: Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2010; 66: 2297). |
Bone shaking stops fractures in the elderly
27 October 2010
An old exercise method - dating back around 200 years - can stop us losing bone density as we age, researchers have discovered this week. Whole body vibration strengthens the bones, and prevents fractures, disability and death, say researchers at the Medical College of Georgia.
Twelve weeks of daily, 30-minute vibration can have a protective effect in people aged 55 to 65 years, they calculate. The vibration improves bone density around the hip joint. |
Cuba to release new drug against cancer
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-10/27/c_13577355.htm
HAVANA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuba is about to release to the international market a new homeopathic drug by using the scorpion venom, an official from the local Labiofam Labs said on Tuesday.
Isabel Gonzalez, research and development director of the scientific institution, said the new drug "Vidatox," processed from the blue scorpion venom, has been tested successfully in over 10,000 patients, whose quality of life was improved and their tumors stopped growing.
"Almost 1 million doses of the product will be available to the patients before the end of the year," she said.
The Vidatox was developed after the scientific work of the Cuban biologist Misael Bordier, who experimented with the venom of the small blue scorpion, which only lives in the Cuban province of Guantanamo.
Bordier has studied for 21 years the clinical effects of the scorpion venom as a therapy to fight tumors.
Seventy percent of the 50,000 patients treated by Bordier in those years had no recurrence of tumors, according to his own words.
Cuba has developed other natural drugs which have proven to be effective to fight tumors. The country's biotechnological products is the third income source for the country, after professional services abroad and tourism.
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Medical Disclaimer:
The information contained within does not take the place of medical diagnosis or
prescription. See your health care provider in case of sickness.
Editorial Disclaimer: Publication of these articles are to promote food for thought. The opinions expressed in these articles may not be the opinion of editors.
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