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Showing posts with label Safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Safety. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

6 Germiest Places You Touch Every Day

It’s a wonder your hand doesn’t melt off every time you top off your car’s gas tank! Roughly 71 percent of pump handles test positive for illness-spreading germs, according to tests conducted by scientists at Kimberly-Clarke (the company that makes Kleenex and a host of sanitary products).
The testers swabbed a range of frequently groped public objects in five cities, looking specifically for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which marks the presence of bacteria or germs. An ATP level of 300 or higher means an object has a high probability of spreading illness.

The scientists found that gas pump handles narrowly out-germ’d mailbox handles, which were contaminated 68 percent of the time. Escalator rails, ATM buttons, and parking meters were also pretty gross.

The advice here is obvious: If you can’t avoid touching one of these surfaces, make sure to wash your hands or rub on a hand sanitizer afterward.



Source- Men's Health
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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Halloween is coming - parents (and Kids) beware- Underage Alcohol Usage: Soaking Gummy Bears In Alcohol Is Newest Trend For Teens


One of the scariest things about raising teens is the possibility that they might be influenced to drink. You can warn them of the dangers and consequences until you’re blue in the face, but sometimes, peer pressure gets the best of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that more than four million adolescents drink alcohol in any month.
And what’s more frightening, is how clever they’ve become about hiding the act from parents. Once upon a time, teens stole alcohol from their parents, so keeping a close watch on your own liquor cabinet was a fine way to curb the problem. But today, their creativity puts the old trick of refilling bottles with Sprite to shame. And the latest trend in undercover drinking is especially savvy – especially around Halloween time.
Teens are using gummy candy (bears and worms to be exact) to get drunk. They soak the candy in alcohol, Keloland.com reports.
Darcy Jensen from Prairie View Prevention Services in South Dakota works with school districts to prevent teen drinking as part of the “Parents Matter” campaign. She sent out a warning to schools last week to warn them about the trend. It’s important for parents to be aware so that they can spot if their teen has tried it, she says.
"Maybe someone has offered the candy and they didn't even know. So telling the kids ahead of time this could be something to be aware of is important," Jensen said.
And though it’s hard to see the positive side of teens becoming sneakier when it comes to something as dangerous as underage drinking, a trend like this can be used to open communication on the topic.
"It's a good conversation starter to talk about the whole issue of alcohol and underage drinking and the hazards," Jensen said.

Source 


Police Warn Of Gummi Bears Soaked In Alcohol

 See You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Pe1yTVUlA

 

Also Jimmy Kimmel making fun of this craze.

 

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Hidden camera water fluoridation video released by InfoWars

(NaturalNews) The InfoWars team has released stunning secret video footage showing how the toxic chemical fluoride (actually fluorosilicic acid) is dumped into the public water supply in Austin, Texas. The secret footage reveals pipes so corroded by the highly-corrosive fluoride chemicals that they have obviously needed aggressive repairs just to keep the liquid chemical flowing. Watch this undercover video footage, which was taken without the permission of Austin water authorities, in this InfoWars video:

http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=A836C...

We have posted this video on NaturalNews.TV with permission, as a backup in case YouTube censors the video as it has been known to do. The original page with the YouTube link is: http://www.prisonplanet.com/infowar...

InfoWars Nightly News is fighting back against poison pushers and tyrants

 

This video first aired two nights ago on InfoWars Nightly News (www.InfoWarsNews.com), an unscripted, teleprompter-free evening news broadcast produced five nights a week by Alex Jones and the InfoWars team. InfoWars Nightly News can be viewed by joining as a member at www.PrisonPlanet.TV

This fluoride video not only shows undercover video footage of the fluoride poison being dripped into the Austin water supply; it also features highlights of interviews with Dr. Paul Connett of the Fluoride Action Network (www.FluorideAlert.org), the world's leading activist on ending the fluoride poisoning of municipal water supplies.

Dr. Connett's videos are also available on NaturalNews.TV, which features an entire series of PrisonPlanet.TV interviews with Dr. Paul Connett. Stunning information!

Part 1: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=3A17B...
Part 2: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=11D9B...
Part 3: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=5778F...
Part 4: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7B7C8...

The InfoWars.com video that was just released also features hard-hitting historical details about fluoride and how it was used by the Nazi regime to destroy the health of targeted citizens. Watch it at: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=A836C...

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Big Tobacco companies now go after our Children through food


Did you know that in 2001 the world’s largest tobacco company, Philip Morris, purchased some of the most popular children’s processed-food brands, including Oreo cookies, Riztz crackers & Life Savers candies.  This makes Philip Morris, which produces everything from Oscar Mayer bacon to Post cereals, the world’s second largest food company after Nestle, Inc.  Again, it IS all about the bottom line & right now making our children fat & unhealthy will make these companies “Fat & Happy”.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

12 Unfathomable Obesity Stats [Make you want to cry]

 

Interactive Map for 2010
 
Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have released their annual report on obesity, and there’s no sunshine here. The report is aptly titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011 [download PDF].

The report is released every year (since 2006) and tracks obesity rates in all 50 states. The stats below make us want to cry. Seriously, we’re headed down a path of pain and agony for tens of millions of families, and for this entire nation.

1. Adult obesity rates rose in 16 states over the past year. NOT EVEN ONE state decreased.

2. Twelve states, led by the southeast, now have obesity rates above 30 percent: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

3. Just 4 years ago, one state was above 30%.

4. Obesity rates exceed 25% in more than two-thirds of states (38 states).

5. Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity at 34.4%.

6. Colorado had the lowest rate at 19.8% . It is the only state with a rate below 20% (but next year will probably be above)

7.  Adult diabetes rates increased in 11 states and Washington, D.C. in the past year. In eight states, more than 10% of adults now have type 2 diabetes.

8. Education matters. High school dropouts have the highest rates of obesity (32.8%).

9. Money matters. Households that make less than $15,000 have a 33.8% obesity rate. Households that have an income above $50,000 have “only” a 24.6% obesity rate.

10. Over the past 15 years, seven states have doubled their rate of obesity. Another 10 states nearly doubled their obesity rate, with increases of at least 90%.

11. Over the past 15 years, diabetes rates have doubled in ten states. In 1995, only four states had diabetes rates above 6%. Now, 43 have diabetes rates over 7% and 32 have rates above 8%.

12. Ten years ago, no state had an obesity rate above 24%, and now 43 states have higher obesity rates than the state that was the highest in 2000.

Here’s what needs to be done:
A) The government must recognize we are in a state of emergency and act accordingly. Many more people are dying and suffering from the obesity epidemic than in any terror attack on this country.

B) While physical activity is important, part of healthy living, the main driver of obesity is excess food consumption. Let’s all agree on that, despite what soft drink company lobbies say.

C) Subsidies for corn and soy should be transferred immediately to fruits and vegetables. Junk food should be expensive, healthy food should be cheap.

D) Kids must not be exposed to junk food and fast food marketing.

E) Food companies must be beholden to a much higher standard when it comes to “health claims” and nutrition labeling.

Now, to all of you who are going to pull the “Nanny State” card, get a grip. This is not about people having free choice versus excess government intervention. This is about much needed public policy to protect consumers. No corporate self regulation will ever do that.

By Fooducate
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Monday, August 22, 2011

The Vitamin Water Deception - exposes truth behind this non-healthy beverage


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Friday, August 5, 2011

Cantaloupes Sold at Sam's Club Recalled

Eagle Produce, LLC of Scottsdale, Ariz., has announced a limited recall of certain cantaloupes shipped from Arizona to upstate New York in late May, due to their potential to be contaminated with salmonella. Although no illnesses have been reported, Eagle Produce has voluntarily decided to recall the potentially affected shipments, which were sold at Sam’s Club between June 2 and June 17. Sam’s Club has withdrawn all cantaloupes from the stores and sent a notification to members that bought these melons from clubs served by the Johnstown, N.Y. and Pottsville, Pa., distribution centers.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The recall is limited to approximately 1,760 cartons of cantaloupes, each containing nine melons, for sale in bulk, in brown cardboard cartons each with the Kandy logo in white with the word 'Cantaloupes' in white lettering on a red background. The cartons have the lot code 147 count 9 printed on the side of the carton. Each melon bears a Kandy sticker with the words 'Cantaloupe USA'.

The recall is being implemented as a result of a routine and random test directed by the USDA and carried out by the New York Department of Agriculture. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product in question.

Consumers who believe that they are in possession of uneaten cantaloupes affected by this recall may contact Eagle Produce at 480-323-6177 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Arizona time.
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Ground Turkey Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination- High Risk

Arkansas Firm Recalls Ground Turkey Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-060-2011 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Catherine Cochran

WASHINGTON, August 3, 2011 - Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, a Springdale, Ark. establishment, is recalling approximately 36 million pounds of ground turkey products that may be contaminated with a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall today bear the establishment number "P-963" inside the USDA mark of inspection, and include the following:
Recommendations for Preventing Salmonellosis

Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Also wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water. Clean up spills right away.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Cook raw meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures before eating. The safe internal temperature for ground meat such as beef and pork is 160° F, and 165° F for poultry, as determined with a food thermometer.

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase (one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F). Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

Ground Turkey Chubs - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
  • 10 lb. chubs of Honeysuckle White Fresh Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
  • 10 lb. chubs of Unbranded Ground Turkey w/ Natural Flavoring 2 Pack
  • 80 oz. (5 lbs.) chubs of Riverside Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
  • 10 lb. chubs of Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh Lean HEB Ground Turkey 93/7
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh HEB Ground Turkey 85/15
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
  • 4-1 Pound Packages of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring Value Pack
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey
  • 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey

85% Ground Turkey - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
  • 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
  • 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey Colored with Paprika
  • 19.2 oz. (1 lb. 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
  • 48.0 oz. (3 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
  • 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
  • 48.0 oz. (3 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey Family Pack
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
  • 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White Seasoned Italian Style Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
  • 20 oz. (1 lb. 4 oz.) trays of Safeway Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings * 15% Fat
    (NOTE: Sold in Texas only at Randall's and Tom Thumb, Use or Freeze by 03/12/11 through 05/05/11)

93% Ground Turkey - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
  • 19.2 oz. (1.20 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
  • 48 oz. (3.0 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey Family Pack
  • 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Fit & Active Lean Ground Turkey 93/07
  • 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Giant Eagle Ground Turkey Fresh & Premium Lean
  • 19.2 oz. (1 lb 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh Lean 93/7
  • 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey

Ground Patties
  • 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey Patties with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Seasoned Turkey Patties Fresh 85/15, with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
  • 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey Burgers with Natural Flavoring with the following "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates: 07/09/11, 07/10/11, 07/11/11, 07/15/11, 07/16/11, 07/21/11, 07/22/11, 07/24/11, 08/01/11, or 08/04/11

Frozen Ground Turkey - Production Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/2/11
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Spartan Ground Turkey
  • 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
  • 40 lb. Bulk Packed Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring for Food Service Use Only

These products were distributed at the retail level nationwide. Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation requests that consumers who may have purchased these products return them to the point-of-purchase. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp
.

To prevent salmonellosis and other foodborne illnesses, wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry, and cook poultry—including ground turkey—to 165° F, as determined with a food thermometer.

This recall follows a July 29, 2011 FSIS Public Health Alert that was initiated due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella Heidelberg that may be associated with use and consumption of ground turkey. A total of 79 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 26 states between March 1 and August 3, 2011. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg is resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics. Among the ill persons with available information, 22 (38%) have been hospitalized and 1 death has been reported. As a result of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations, as well as in-plant findings, FSIS determined that there is a link between the Cargill ground turkey products and this illness outbreak. FSIS is continuing to work with CDC, affected state public health partners, and the company on the investigation.

FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available, including information about any further related recall activity. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumers with questions about this recall should contact Cargill's consumer relations toll free telephone number at 1-888-812-1646. Media with questions regarding the recall should contact Cargill's media contact Mike Martin at michael_martin@cargill.com or (316) 291-2126.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within six to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

What's really in the food? The A to Z of the food industry's most evil ingredients

(NaturalNews) Ever wonder what's really in the food sold at grocery stores around the world? People keep asking me, "What ingredients should I avoid?" So I put together a short list that covers all the most toxic and disease-promoting ingredients in the food supply. These are the substances causing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and leading to tens of billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs across America (and around the world).

If you want to stay healthy and out of the hospital, read ingredients labels and make sure you avoid all these ingredients:

Acrylamides - Toxic, cancer-causing chemicals formed in foods when carbohydrates are exposed to high heat (baking, frying, grilling). They're present in everything from bread crusts to snack chips, and because they aren't intentional ingredients, acrylamides do NOT have to be listed on labels.

Aspartame - Chemical sweetener that causes neurological disorders, seizures, blurred vision and migraine headaches. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030918_a...)

Autolyzed Proteins - Highly processed form of protein containing free glutamate and used to mimic the taste-enhancer chemical MSG.

BPA (Bisphenol-A) - A hormone mimicking chemical found in nearly all food packaging plastics. Active in just parts per billion, BPA promotes cancer, infertility and hormone disorders. It also "feminizes" males, promoting male breast growth and hormone disruption (http://www.naturalnews.com/032860_B...).

Casein - Milk proteins. Hilariously, this is widely used in "soy cheese" products that claim to be alternatives to cow's milk. Nearly all of them are made with cow's milk proteins.

Corn Syrup - Just another name for High Fructose Corn Syrup (see below). Frequently used in infant formula products (http://www.naturalnews.com/029863_S...).

Food Colors - FD&C Red #40, for example, is linked to behavioral disorders in children. Nearly all artificial food colors are derived from petroleum, and many are contaminated with aluminum.

Genetically Modified Ingredients - Not currently listed on the label because the GMO industry (Monsanto and DuPont) absolutely does not want people to know which foods contain GMOs. Nearly all conventionally grown corn, soy and cotton are GMOs. They're linked to severe infertility problems and may even cause the bacteria in your body to produce and release a pesticide in your own gut. If you're not eating organic corn, you're definitely eating GMO corn. (http://www.naturalnews.com/026426_G...) Learn more at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org or watch my GMO music video (hilarious) at www.NaturalNews.com/NoGMO

High Fructose Corn Syrup - A highly processed liquid sugar extracted with the chemical solvent glutaraldehyde and frequently contaminated with mercury (http://www.naturalnews.com/032948_h...). It's also linked to diabetes, obesity and mood disorders. Used in thousands of grocery items, including things you wouldn't suspect like pizza sauce and salad dressings.

Homogenized Milk - The fats in the milk are artificially modified to change them into smaller molecules that stay in suspension in the milk liquid (so the milk fat doesn't separate) (http://www.naturalnews.com/022967_m...). While it makes milk look better on the shelf, it's also blamed for promoting heart disease and may contribute to milk allergies. Raw milk is healthier, which is why the government had outlawed it (http://www.naturalnews.com/029322_r...).

Hydrochloride - When you see anything hydrochloride, such as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride or Thiamin Hydrochloride, those are chemical forms of B vitamins that companies add to their products to be able to claim higher RDA values of vitamins. But these are synthetic, chemical forms of vitamins, not real vitamins from foods or plants. Nutritionally, they are near-useless and may actually be bad for you. Also watch out for niacinamide and cyanocobalamin (synthetic vitamin B-12). (http://www.naturalnews.com/032766_c...)

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - A highly processed form of (usually) soy protein that's processed to bring out the free glutamate (MSG). Use as a taste enhancer.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils - Oils that are modified using a chemical catalyst to make them stable at room temperature. This creates trans fatty acids and greatly increases the risk of blocked arteries (http://www.naturalnews.com/027445_f...). It also promotes what I call "sludge blood," which is thick, viscous blood that's hard to pump. This is usually diagnosed by doctors as "high blood pressure" and (stupidly) treated with blood-thinning medications that are technically the same chemicals as rat poison (warfarin) (http://www.naturalnews.com/023149_d...).

Phosphoric Acid - The acid used in sodas to dissolve the carbon dioxide and add to the overall fizzy-ness of the soda. Phosphoric acid will eat steel nails. It's also used by stone masons to etch rocks. The military uses it to clean the rust off battleships. In absolutely destroys tooth enamel (http://www.naturalnews.com/021774.html). Search Google Images for "Mountain Dew Mouth" to see photos of teeth rotted out by phosphoric acid: http://www.google.com/search?q=moun...

Propylene Glycol - A liquid used in the automotive industry to winterize RVs. It's also used to make the fake blueberries you see in blueberry muffins, bagels and breads. (Combined with artificial colors and corn syrup.) See shocking "Fake Blueberries" video at: http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7...

Sodium (Salt) - The processed white salt lacking in trace minerals. In the holistic nutrition industry, we call it "death salt" because it promotes disease and death. Real salt, on the other hand, such as "dirty" sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, is loaded with the trace minerals that prevent disease, such as selenium (cancer), chromium (diabetes) and zinc (infectious disease). Much like with bread and sugar, white salt is terrible for your health. And don't be fooled by claims of "sea salt" in grocery stores. All salt came from the sea if you go far back enough in geologic time, so they can slap the "sea salt" claim on ANY salt!

Sodium Nitrite - A cancer-causing red coloring chemical added to bacon, hot dogs, sausage, beef jerky, ham, lunch meats, pepperoni and nearly all processed meats. Strongly linked to brain tumors, pancreatic cancers and colon cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/007024.html). The USDA once tried to ban it from the food supply but was out-maneuvered by the meat industry, which now dominates USDA regulations. Sodium nitrite is a complete poison used to make meats look fresh. Countless children die of cancer each year from sodium nitrite-induced cancers.

Soy Protein - The No. 1 protein source used in "protein bars," including many bars widely consumed by bodybuilders. Soy protein is the "junk protein" of the food industry. It's made from genetically modified soybeans (often grown in China) and then subjected to hexane, a chemical solvent (http://www.naturalnews.com/026303_s...) that can literally explode.

Sucralose - An artificial chemical sweetener sold as Splenda. The sucralose molecule contains a chlorine atom (http://www.naturalnews.com/027491_a...). Researchers have repeatedly found that artificial sweeteners make people fat by actually promoting weight gain (http://www.naturalnews.com/024543_h...).

Sugar - The bleached, nutritionally-deficient byproduct of cane processing. During sugar cane processing, nearly all the minerals and vitamins end up in the blackstrap molasses that's usually fed to farm animals. (Blackstrap molasses is actually the "good" part of sugar cane juice.) Molasses is often fed to farm animals because every rancher knows that farm animals need good nutrition to stay alive. Amazingly, conventional doctors don't yet realize this about humans, and they continue to claim that eating sugar is perfectly fine for you. Sugar promotes diabetes, obesity, mood disorders and nutritional deficiencies.

Textured Vegetable Protein - Usually made of soy protein which is extracted from genetically modified soybeans and then processed using hexane, an explosive chemical solvent (see Soy Protein, above). Widely used in vegetarian foods such as "veggie burgers" (most of which also contain MSG or Yeast Extract, by the way).

Yeast Extract - Hidden form of MSG that contains free glutamate and is used in many "natural" food products to claim "No MSG!" Yeast extract contains up to 14% free glutamate. You'll find it in thousands of grocery store products, from soups to snack chips. I even once spotted it used on fresh meat!

Food label tricks

Here's a trick food companies frequently used to pack more sugar into their products without making sugar look like the first ingredient:

Ingredient labels, you see, must list the most prominent ingredients first, and some consumers might freak out of they saw a box of cereal that said, "Sugar, whole grain wheat, corn" and so on. Instead, the company uses 3 or 4 different forms of sugar to distribute them farther down the label, like this:

"Whole grain wheat, sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids..."

This way, the first ingredients looks like "whole grain wheat" when, in reality, the cereal might be over fifty percent sugars!

How to buy honest food

• Shop are your local farmer's market, food co-op or CSA.

• In the USA, look for the USDA Organic label on foods. This is a legitimate claim to being certified organic. It's one of the few programs run by the USDA that actually has integrity.

• Read the ingredients labels! If you see names of chemicals you can't pronounce, don't buy it.

• Buy more unprocessed food ingredients and make your own meals rather than buying ready-to-eat, processed foods, which are almost universally formulated with disease-promoting ingredients.

• GROW some of your own food! The best food you can ever eat is food from your own garden.
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Hints for Reducing Your Exposure to Chemical Toxins


Some beauty and personal care products contain chemical ingredients that may cause skin and/or hormonal reactions.  Look for products that do not contain ingredients like mercury, aluminum, lead, toluene, formaldehyde, parabens, pthlates, or triclosan.  Instead switch to extracts which are organically grown and personal care products whenever possible like Artistry cosmetics.

Household cleaners may contain toxic chemicals.  Drain, oven, and toilet bowl cleaners are some of the worst.  Try finding effective natural alternatives that use white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, castile soap, baking soda, lemon juice, or other environmentally friendly products like Legacy of Clean.

Many dry cleaning chemicals contain hormone disrupting nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates.  For garments that require dry cleaning, look for an environmentally friendly dry cleaning service and remove garments from the plastic bags for a few hours before wearing them to let them air out.

As we enter lawn care season consider this.  Mowing, watering, and fertilizing lawns contribute to approximately 2% of our nation’s fossil-fuel consumption and 10% of its air pollution.  Many chemical lawn treatments use a weed killer called atrazine that is a known endocrine (hormone) disruptor.  Why not look for environmentally friendly alternatives?
  
Unsafe and Untested Chemicals in Your Home
 
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Is Your Meat Habit Giving You Diabetes?




 By Tom Philpott


The United States has one of the highest diabetes rates in the developed world—and the malady is spreading faster here than it is in most other rich nations, a recent Lancet study (registration required) found.

I've always associated our diabetes problem with the steady rise in sweetener consumption since the early '80s, triggered by the gusher of cheap high-fructose corn syrup that opened up at that time. But another culprit may be contributing, too: exposure to certain pesticides and other toxic chemicals. A new peer-reviewed study published in the journal Diabetes Care found a strong link between diabetes onset and blood levels of a group of harsh industrial chemicals charmingly known as "persistent organic pollutants" (POPs), most of which have been banned in the United States for years but still end up in our food (hence the "persistent" bit—they degrade very slowly).

The ones with the largest effect were PCBs, a class of highly toxic chemicals widely used as industrial coolants before being banished in 1979. Interestingly, the main US maker of PCBs, Monsanto, apparently knew about and tried to cover up their health-ruining effects long before the ban went into place.

Organochlorine pesticides, another once-ubiquitous, now largely banned chemical group, also showed a significant influence on diabetes rates.

The researchers identified a group of 725 diabetes-free elderly Swedes and tracked them for five years, studying the level of POPs in their blood. Thirty-six of them ended up contracting Type 2 diabetes—and the ones who did had significantly higher POP levels than the ones who didn't. The researchers stress that the study's sample size is small, but their findings build on other recent data suggesting a POP/diabetes connection. Evidence for such a link is "piling up," David Carpenter, head of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, told Reuters.

Decades after the banning of most POPs, are Americans still routinely exposed to them? Evidently, yes. Levels are declining, but they remain significant.  In a 2010 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers found traces of a range of them in food procured in Dallas supermarkets. In a long article pivoting off of the study, Scientific American's Emily Elert wrote:
Recent studies sketch a complex profile of legacy contaminants in U.S. food—a profusion of chemicals in trace amounts, pervasive but uneven across the food supply, occurring sometimes by themselves, but more often in combination with others. Included are DDT and several lesser-known organochlorine pesticides as well as industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which were used until the late 1970s in electrical equipment.
How are these awful chemicals sticking around and still causing trouble decades after being banned? POPs accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals—and transfer to the animals that eat them, including humans who eat meat and fish. In industrial animal farming, livestock are often given feed that includes animal fat, which helps POPs hang around in the food chain. "We feed the cow fat to the pigs and the chickens, and we feed the pig and chicken fat to the cows," one expert told Elert. The widespread practice of feeding "poultry litter"—chicken feces mixed with feathers, dead chickens, and feed remnants, including beef products—to confined cows is another way these toxins keep cycling though the food chain. Why would the meat industry engage in such feeding practices? Simply put, because they're cheap. 

Farmed salmon, too, carry significant levels of these dodgy chemicals, especially PCBs. The Dallas supermarket study found farmed salmon to have the highest PCB levels of any food they tested. Earlier studies, too, have yielded similar findings. A 2004 Science paper found PCB levels in farmed salmon seven times higher than in wild, and advised consumers to limit their consumption of the farmed salmon.

Given these findings and the emerging link to diabetes, it seems smart to limit consumption of factory-farmed meat and fish. And '70s-era chemicals like PCBs are only part of the problem. A newer chemical class called polybrominated flame retardant (PBDEs) also appear to be entering our bodies through industrial meat, recent research published in Environmental Health Perspectives shows. These persistent toxins are only now being phased out, but they're ubiquitous in everything from furniture to textiles—and in the equipment used in factory-scale meat processing. PBDEs "accumulate in the liver, kidney and thyroid gland and are known endocrine disrupters," EHP reports, and they have also been linked to diabetes.

The USDA, which oversees the safety of the meat supply, seems incapable of addressing the problem. Twice since 2008, the USDA's inspector general has seen fit to rebuke the agency for failing to adequately test meat for traces of pesticides, antibiotics, heavy metals, and other toxins. Always under pressure from industry and now facing budget cuts, I doubt the USDA will ramp up testing anytime soon. Product tainted with toxic, possibility diabetes-causing residues may be just another hidden price we pay for the meat industry's cost-slashing business model. That's bad news in a nation where per capita average meat consumption approaches two-thirds of a pound a day.

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8 New Human Carcinogens Identified in Latest Report on Carcinogens

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that may put people at increased risk for cancer.

The industrial chemical formaldehyde and a botanical known as aristolochic acids are listed as known human carcinogens. Six other substances – captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine, and styrene – are added as substances that are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. With these additions, the 12th Report on Carcinogens now includes 240 listings. It is available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc12.

"Reducing exposure to cancer-causing agents is something we all want, and the Report on Carcinogens provides important information on substances that pose a cancer risk," said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of both the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP). "The NTP is pleased to be able to compile this report."

John Bucher, Ph.D., associate director of the NTP added, "This report underscores the critical connection between our nation's health and what's in our environment."

The Report on Carcinogens is a congressionally mandated document that is prepared for the HHS Secretary by the NTP. The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, or exposures in two categories: known to be a human carcinogen and reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. A listing in the Report on Carcinogens does not by itself mean that a substance will cause cancer. Many factors, including the amount and duration of exposure, and an individual's susceptibility to a substance, affect whether a person will develop cancer.

Once a substance is nominated by the public or private sector and selected for consideration, it undergoes an extensive evaluation with numerous opportunities for scientific and public input. There were at least six opportunities for public input on each substance. The NTP used established criteria to evaluate the scientific evidence on each candidate substance under review. The NTP drew upon the scientific expertise of several federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"The strength of this report lies in the rigorous scientific review process," said Ruth Lunn, Dr.P.H., director of the NTP Office of the Report on Carcinogens. "We could not have completed this report without the significant input we received from the public, industry, academia, and other government agencies."

A detailed description of each substance listed in the Report on Carcinogens is included in the new report.

Two known human carcinogens:

Aristolochic acids have been shown to cause high rates of bladder or upper urinary tract cancer among individuals with kidney or renal disease who consumed botanical products containing aristolochic acids. Aristolochic acids are a family of acids that occur naturally in some plant species. Despite a warning issued in 2001 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that advised consumers to discontinue use of any botanical products containing aristolochic acids, they can still be purchased on the Internet and abroad, and may be found as a contaminant in herbal products used to treat a variety of symptoms and diseases, such as arthritis, gout, and inflammation.

Formaldehyde was first listed in the 2nd Report on Carcinogens as a substance that was reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, after laboratory studies showed it caused nasal cancer in rats. There is now sufficient evidence from studies in humans to show that individuals with higher measures of exposure to formaldehyde are at increased risk for certain types of rare cancers, including nasopharyngeal (the nasopharnyx is the upper part of the throat behind the nose), sinonasal, as well as a specific cancer of the white blood cells known as myeloid leukemia. Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is widely used to make resins for household items, such as composite wood products, paper product coatings, plastics, synthetic fibers, and textile finishes. Formaldehyde is also commonly used as a preservative in medical laboratories, mortuaries, and some consumer products, including some hair straightening products.

Six substances reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens:

Captafol was found to induce cancer in experimental animal studies, which demonstrated that dietary exposure to captafol caused tumors at several different tissue sites in rats and mice. Captafol is a fungicide that had been used to control fungal diseases in fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and grasses, and as a seed treatment. It has been banned in the United States since 1999, but past exposures may still have an effect on health.

Cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder and hard metal form) showed limited evidence of lung cancer in workers involved in cobalt-tungsten carbide hard metal manufacturing. Cobalt-tungsten carbide is used to make cutting and grinding tools, dies, and wear-resistant products for a broad spectrum of industries, including oil and gas drilling, as well as mining. In the United States, cobalt-tungsten hard metals are commonly referred to as cemented or sintered carbides.

Certain inhalable glass wool fibers made the list based on experimental animal studies. Not all glass wool or man-made fibers were found to be carcinogenic. The specific glass wool fibers referred to in this report have been redefined from previous reports on carcinogens to include only those fibers that can enter the respiratory tract, are highly durable, and are biopersistent, meaning they remain in the lungs for long periods of time. Glass wool fibers generally fall into two categories for consumers: low-cost, general purpose fibers, and premium, special purpose fibers. The largest use of general purpose glass wool is for home and building insulation, which appears to be less durable and less biopersistent, and thus less likely to cause cancer in humans.

o-Nitrotoluene is listed because experimental animal studies showed tumor formation at many different tissue sites in rats and mice. o-Nitrotoluene is used as an intermediate in the preparation of azo dyes and other dyes, including magenta and various sulfur dyes for cotton, wool, silk, leather, and paper. It is also used in preparing agricultural chemicals, rubber chemicals, pesticides, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and explosives. Workers in the United States are likely exposed to o-nitrotoluene through the skin or from breathing it during production and use. o-Nitrotoluene has also been detected in air and water near facilities that produce munitions, and near military training facilities.

Riddelliine has been found to cause cancer of the blood vessels in rats and mice, leukemia and liver cancer in rats, and lung tumors in mice. This botanical should not be confused with the drug Ritalin, prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Riddelliine is found in certain plants of the genus Senecio, a member of the daisy family, grown in sandy areas in the western United States and other parts of the world. Some common names for Senecio plants are ragwort and groundsel. Riddelliine-containing plants are not used for food in the United States, and have no known commercial uses. However, at least 13 Senecio species have been identified that are used in herbal medicines or possibly as food in other parts of the world. Exposure in humans could result from eating or drinking herbal medicine or teas, honey, or foods contaminated by parts of Senecio plants or after consuming products from animals that have fed on the plants.

Styrene is on the list based on human cancer studies, laboratory animal studies, and mechanistic scientific information. The limited evidence of cancer from studies in humans shows lymphohematopoietic cancer and genetic damage in the white blood cells, or lymphocytes, of workers exposed to styrene. Styrene is a synthetic chemical used worldwide in the manufacture of products such as rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile parts, food containers, and carpet backing. People may be exposed to styrene by breathing indoor air that has styrene vapors from building materials, tobacco smoke, and other products. The greatest exposure to styrene in the general population is through cigarette smoking. Workers in certain occupations may potentially be exposed to much higher levels of styrene than the general population.

The Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition, is prepared by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency program headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.



Contacts and sources:

The NTP was established in 1978. The program was created as a cooperative effort to coordinate toxicology testing programs within the federal government, strengthen the science base in toxicology, develop and validate improved testing methods, and provide information about potentially toxic chemicals to health, regulatory, and research agencies, scientific and medical communities, and the public. The NTP is headquartered at the NIEHS. For more information about the NTP, visit http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov.

NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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Monday, May 9, 2011

Food Allergies Are Expensive

by Fooducate

A recent article from Reuters tallies up the annual cost of food allergies in the US at half a billion dollars.

Doctor visits, hospital care, and lost work days due to food allergies come with an annual $500 million price tag, according to a new U.S. study.

But what’s even more worrying is that.....

Food allergies among children have climbed 18 percent from 1997 to 2007, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. read more…

What you need to know:

Approximately 15% of Americans suffer from some sort of allergy or exaggerated immune response. There’s no single acceptable scientific explanation for the dramatic rise in allergies in the last decade:

1. People are much more aware of intolerances today than they were in the past. Whereas people could have gone for years with ailments and aches related to lactose or gluten intolerance, today they get diagnosed and embark on the appropriate dietary journey. And the food industry is happy to oblige, as evidenced by the dramatic rise in gluten free and dairy free options at the supermarket.

2. Toxic environment. Whether it’s pollution in the air, water, or ground, toxins are finding their way into our food supply.

3. Genetically Modified Foods.

Thankfully, today the top 8 allergies are acknowledged by law on food labels, and if you or a family member suffer from an allergy to milk, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, or eggs, the ingredient list of a product will clearly state if a product contains one of these. And there are plenty of allergen free options available at the grocery store.

One must be careful though. Allergen free does not necessarily mean junk food free. And there is usually a premium price for such products.

Do you or a loved one suffer from a food allergy? How did you find out? How are you coping?

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Monday, March 28, 2011

7 Things to Know about Aspartame, Phenylalanine, and Those Scary Warnings on Soft Drinks

 By Fooducate

“Phenylketonurics – contains phenylalanine”
What is this? And what does it have to do with chewing gum? Or diet soda?


What you need to know:
1. Phenylalanine is an amino acid. Amino acids sounds scary, but they are actually the building blocks of protein.

2. Phenylalanine is actually an essential amino acid. This means the body cannot create any on its own, and thus must receive it as part of a diet, usually when consuming proteins.

3. So where can one find phenylalanine? In breast milk (for babies), and in most animal products (meat, dairy, eggs).

4. Oh, and in aspartame too. Yes, that cursed artificial sweetener breaks down into several components in our body, one of them being phenylalanine.
So what’s with the warning?

5. Turns out that one in 15,000 people in the world has a genetic disorder called Phenylketonuria. Their body can’t metabolize phenylalanine. As it builds up in the body, it causes all sorts of bad things to happen, such as mental retardation, seizures, and other brain damage.

6. People suffering from Phenylketonuria (or PKU) are called phenylketonurics. They need to constantly monitor their protein intake. They are also warned about consumption of products containing aspartame – hence the warning on labels – “Phenylketonurics – contains phenylalanine”.

7. If you don’t have PKU, you probably don’t need to worry about harmful health effects of phenylalanine. But that doesn’t mean that aspartame is healthy for you, or that diet drinks are a healthy choice. As for gum – choose those sweetened with Xylitol.
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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Can vitamin D supplements prevent respiratory infections?

ConsumerReportsHealth.org

Vitamin D clearly helps build and maintain strong bones. And in recent years a number of articles have suggested, though not proved, that insufficient levels of the vitamin are also linked to everything from breast cancer and tuberculosis to depression and multiple sclerosis. Now a new study adds some more evidence for the vitamin’s role in preventing respiratory infections such as sinusitis and pneumonia to the list.

In the study, published this month in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Finnish researchers divided a group of 164 young male military recruits into two groups. Half received a placebo and half got 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D. After six months, there was no difference between the groups in the percentage of people who reported symptoms, such as a cough, runny nose, or sore throat. But those who received the vitamin D supplement were significantly less likely to have missed duty because of respiratory infections than those who got a placebo.

Although more convincing studies are needed, what I found particularly interesting was the improved outcome with a fairly low dose of 400 IU a day. Last year, the Institute of Medicine raised the recommended levels of vitamin D to 600 IU a day for most adults and 800 a day for those 70 and older. Some experts recommend even higher amounts, up to 3,000 IU a day for people living in areas such as the Northeast, where people might not be able to make enough of the vitamin from exposure to ultraviolet light.

I would hesitate to recommend those higher doses, since the risks are still unclear, especially in patients with heart disease. Instead, I would stick with the new IOM guidelines. Of course, the best way to get vitamin D is through dietary sources, such as fortified milk and fatty fish such as salmon or sardines. Limited exposure to sunlight can also provide vitamin D, but talk with your doctor first, to assess your risk of skin cancer. Testing can make sense if you have symptoms your doctors suspects might be related to low levels of vitamin.

—Joseph Mosquera, M.D., is a board-certified physician also trained in integrative medicine, and a ConsumerReportsHealth.org adviser



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