October 2017 – Page 5 – Green Lifestyle Market

Federal Officials Alerting Consumers About Dangerous Mattress Chemicals

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(Dr. Mercola) In 2015, Earthjustice and Consumer Federation of America, on behalf of a group of more than 20 firefighter, health, science and consumer groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Hispanic Medical Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters, asked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ban organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs), which have been linked to reduced IQ, cancer, hormone disruption and reproductive system damage.¹

The petition called for sales of four categories of consumer products — children’s products, furniture, mattresses and electronic casings — to be prohibited if they contain the chemicals, and in a major victory for environmental and public health, in September 2017 CPSC voted to grant the petition to remove the toxic chemicals from the product categories mentioned.

Organohalogen Flame Retardants May Leave a Toxic Legacy Similar to PCBs

At a public hearing held prior to the vote, Genna Reed, science and policy analyst at the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, testified that OFRs should be urgently banned, comparing their use to the “earliest form of flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),” which are also organohalogens, along with DDT.

PCBs, which have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems and impaired fetal brain development, accumulate in the environment, leaving a lasting toxic legacy that, unfortunately, may be very similar to that left by flame retardants, even after they’re banned. Reed testified:²

“Despite being banned in 1977, these chemicals [PCBs] are still found in dangerously high amounts all over industrial hotspots of the country, and continue to bioaccumulate in a range of species. The ban of PCBs happened decades ago and we are still managing the damaging impacts of the chemical’s prevalence across the country.

The next generation of these chemicals, organohalogen flame retardants, are inside of our own homes in a range of products, thanks largely in part to the disinformation campaign sowed by special interests. The fact remains that the science does not support their continued use.”

Related: What’s Ailing You? Could it be Your Mattress?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also evaluating OFRs, but it could be 10 years or more before they make a decision to ban or restrict their use.³ Part of what makes OFRs so toxic is their semivolatile nature, which allows them to migrate from consumer products into household dust, where every household member, from children to pets, is easily exposed.

In a U.S. study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), flame retardants were detected in every sample of household dust they tested, at concerning levels.

“The average level of brominated fire retardants measured in dust from nine homes was more than 4,600 parts per billion (ppb) … [while] a tenth sample contained more than 41,000 ppb of the chemicals — twice as high as the maximum level previously reported by any dust study worldwide,” EWG reported.⁴ As Reed noted, OFRs easily meet the definition of “toxic” under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) because ample evidence shows they have the “capacity to cause personal illness.”

“[E]xposure has been associated with a range of health impacts including reproductive impairment, neurological impacts, endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, cancer and immune disorders,” she said at the public hearing, adding that, “perhaps most egregiously, biomonitoring data have revealed that communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately exposed to and bear high levels of flame retardant chemicals, adding to the cumulative chemical burden that these communities are already experiencing.”⁵

American Chemistry Council Deceived the Public About Flame Retardants’ Toxicity, Effectiveness

In 2012, the Chicago Tribune published a revealing investigation, “Playing With Fire,” showing how the chemical industry used tobacco-industry tactics to deceive Americans into accepting flame-retardant chemicals into their homes. In fact, Big Tobacco was involved in their pervasive spread because when the chemicals were developed in the 1970s, nearly half of Americans smoked and cigarettes were a common cause of fires.

Related: Charges Brought upon Doctor and Advocate for Toxic Flame Retardant Chemicals

As revealed in Toxic Hot Seat, a documentary based on the Tribune’s investigation, rather than create self-extinguishing cigarettes to cut down on fire hazards, the tobacco industry created a front group called the National Association of State Fire Marshals, which pushed for federal standards for fire-retardant furniture.

It worked, and in 1975 California Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117) was passed, which required furniture sold in California to withstand a 12-second exposure to a small flame without igniting — and it basically became a national standard.

The chemical industry then engaged in a deceitful battle to ensure the chemicals stayed front-and-center in Americans’ homes, from establishing phony front groups to funding biased research to meet their agenda, despite evidence showing the chemicals limited effectiveness and health risks. Reed testified in September 2017:⁶

“The companies that manufacture OFRs have put significant time and money into distorting the scientific truth about these chemicals. As a 2012 Chicago Tribune investigative series noted, the chemical industry ‘has twisted research results, ignored findings that run counter to its aims and passed off biased, industry-funded reports as rigorous science.’

In one case, manufacturers of flame retardants repeatedly pointed to a decades-old government study, arguing the results showed a 15-fold increase in time to escape fires when flame retardants were present.

The lead author of the study, however, said industry officials ‘grossly distorted’ the results and that ‘industry has used this study in ways that are improper and untruthful,’ as the amount of flame retardant used in the tests was much greater than would be found in most consumer items.

The American Chemistry Council has further misrepresented the science behind flame retardants by creating an entire website to spread misleading ideas about flame retardants as safe and effective, even though research has consistently shown their limited effectiveness. In doing so, the American Chemistry Council and its member companies have promoted the prevalent use of OFRs at the expense of public health.”

Related: Naturally Relieve a Dust Mite Allergy Without Medication

The chemical industry also engaged in a tactic known as “regrettable substitution,” in which they removed certain flame retardants from products only to replace them with similar, less regulated chemicals that pose many of the same health risks.⁷

On a positive note, California revised TB117 so that an open flame test is no longer required. As of January 1, 2015, compliance with the updated TB117-2013 became mandatory, which requires upholstered furniture sold in the state to no longer smolder 45 minutes after a lit cigarette is placed on it. This requirement can be met without the use of flame-retardant chemicals (although the law does not ban their use).

Maine Passes Law to Phase Out Flame Retardants in Furniture

It seems the die may have been cast when it comes to the future of flame retardants in the U.S., with both the CPSC’s recent stance against them as well as an August 2017 vote in Maine, in which lawmakers passed a law to phase out all flame retardant chemicals in home furniture—overriding a veto from the governor to do so. While existing inventories of furniture will be allowed to be sold, this ends after January 1, 2019 — the date which furniture containing flame retardants may no longer be sold in the state of Maine.

As for the CPSC vote, it’s encouraging that the agency finally took a stand against toxic flame retardants. As EWG said, “The CPSC’s decision is the most sweeping action to date by the federal government to reduce Americans’ exposure to these chemicals,” although “[r]emoving these chemicals from products will not happen overnight, as the commission will appoint an expert panel of toxicologists to guide the agency on rulemaking.”⁸

In Washington, meanwhile, the Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act, which bans five flame retardants and gives the state Department of Health the ability to ban additional flame retardants in children’s products and residential furniture, took effect in July 2017. It includes the first ban on tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), which is a flame retardant often found in children’s car seats.⁹

Related: Insomnia – A Comprehensive Look with Natural Remedies

New TVs Loaded With Flame Retardants

While CPSC has begun the conversation to ultimately ban the use of OFRs in children’s products, mattresses, furniture and electronic casings, research released by Toxic-Free Future revealed that high levels of the chemicals are still being added to new products, namely televisions. Eleven of the 12 TVs tested contained flame retardant chemicals at levels up to 33 percent by weight in the plastic.¹⁰ Eight of them also contained flame retardants of “high concern.”

Toxic-Free Future reported, “Two of the TVs — one made by Element and one made by Samsung — contained the PBDE flame retardant deca-BDE, despite its being banned in five states. Those states are Washington, Maine, Oregon, Vermont, and Maryland. The TVs in the study were purchased in Washington. Only one TV, made by Insignia, did not contain any of the flame retardants tested for.”¹¹

It’s a concerning finding because it means the chemicals will continue to contaminate household dust and bioaccumulate in the environment and people’s bodies for many years to come. While CPSC has urged manufacturers to stop using the chemicals, they’re likely not going to give in without a fight.

Protect Yourself and Your Children From Flame Retardant Chemicals

If you have older furniture in your home but aren’t ready to replace it, consider replacing the foam cushions with flame-retardant-free foam. If you’re not sure whether your furniture’s foam contains these chemicals, Duke University scientists will test it for you. All you need to remove is a sample the size of a marble and it will be tested for the presence of seven common flame retardants.

Related: Sleep More, Sleep Better

The research lab only has the capacity to analyze 50 samples per month, and they close submissions once the quota is reached. Before sending in your sample, check with the Duke University Superfund Submit a Sample website to see if they’re still accepting submissions (for best results, check in on the first of the month). In addition, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure, including these tips from the Green Science Policy Institute:¹²

Avoid upholstered furniture with the TB117 label. If the label states, “This article meets the flammability requirements of California Bureau of Home Furnishings Technical Bulletin 117 … ” it most likely contains flame retardants. However, even upholstered furniture that’s unlabeled may contain flame retardants.
Furniture products filled with cotton, wool or polyester tend to be safer than chemical-treated foam; some products also state that they are “flame-retardant free.” Organic wool (100 percent) is naturally flame-resistant.
Avoid baby products with foam. Nursing pillows, high chairs, strollers and other products containing polyurethane foam most likely contain flame retardants.
Avoid foam carpet padding. If possible, minimize the use of foam carpet padding, which often contains flame retardants. If removing carpeting, take precautions to avoid exposures. You’ll want to isolate your work area from the rest of your house to avoid spreading it around and use a HEPA filter vacuum to clean up.
PBDEs are often found in household dust, so clean up with a HEPA-filter vacuum and/or a wet mop often. Washing your hands regularly can also help.

As far as mattresses go, if you want to avoid flame retardants and other chemicals in your mattress, you can have a licensed health care provider write you a prescription for a chemical-free mattress, which can then be ordered without flame retardants from certain retailers. You can also find certain natural mattresses on the market that don’t contain them. For instance, most wool mattresses do not have flame retardant chemicals added because wool is a natural flame retardant.

Related: Why Your Couch Is Killing You

Another option is to look for an organic mattress that meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which means at least 95 percent of the mattress materials must be certified organic and certain substances, including flame retardants and polyurethane (common in memory foam products), are prohibited.

Since you spend from six to nine-plus hours every night with your face in close proximity to your mattress, breathing in these chemicals, choosing a flame-retardant-free mattress is an excellent first step toward reducing your exposure.

High Noon In Arkansas As They Stand Up Against Monsanto

A dried up dead plant in the middle of winter

(Natural Blaze by Heather Callaghan) If we don’t get a handle on it, our natural environment will not be the same. – Beekeeper, Richard Coy

Farmers across the Midwest are being divided – neighbor against neighbor as the dicamba crisis continues to mushroom.

Dicamba is an old herbicide, but it’s only recently that it’s been used on crops like soy and cotton thanks to biotech companies developing new genetically engineered crops able to withstand it. This year is the first that it has been legal to use dicamba during the summer, and this is the problem…

The pesticide drift travels far and is shriveling up non-GMO crops like soy, cotton, cucumbers, melons and wild vegetation. Sadly, the drift is destroying weeds and vines and that subsequently cuts supplies for bees to make honey. One Arkansas farmer saw his honey production drop to only 30-50 percent with the introduction of dicamba approval this year.

While ten states are currently affected by crop damage from drift (and 17 states are investigating), Arkansas has over 1,000 cases of crop damage. Millions of American acres are suspected to be damage by the vaporization of dicamba.

NPR reports:

The Arkansas State Plant Board now has taken the lead in cracking down on the problem. [Last] Thursday, it voted unanimously to ban the use of dicamba on the state’s crops from mid-April until November. This amounts to a ban on the use of dicamba in combination with Monsanto’s genetically engineered crops. It’s not a final decision: The governor and a group of legislative leaders have to sign off on the Plant Board’s regulatory decisions, but they usually do so. That won’t happen, however, until after a public hearing set for Nov. 8.

The board also approved a steep increase in fines — up to $25,000 — for farmers who use dicamba and similar herbicides illegally.

Monsanto insists that its version of dicamba, which the company has mixed with an additive that’s supposed to make it less volatile, does not drift from the fields where it is sprayed if farmers use it correctly. The company sent a delegation of five people, including Ty Vaughn, a top executive, to this week’s meeting of the Plant Board. They passed out binders and thumb drives filled with data from the company’s own tests — tests that convinced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to approve the chemical on crops.

Monsanto has been fond of passing the buck of accountability to farmers and blaming them for misuse or not getting the “learning curve.” The problem is – how many times can a company do this before people realize that it’s the product? Despite Monsanto’s tired old lines, field tests conducted by University of Arkansas this summer showed that even new formulations of dicamba (also made by BASF) do indeed vaporize and travel to other land.

(To be fair, there were some farmers that used dicamba illegally last year, which even led to a murder case. But we aren’t talking about willful misuse.)

Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA

Monsanto has a lot riding on their product working – they already sold enough dicamba-tolerant soybeans to cover 20 million acres this year. They expect that number to rise and the monolithic company has raised eyebrows that this whole thing – scandal included – was a ruse to get farmers to flock to the new dicamba-resistant GM crops in order to be “saved.” It is still anyone’s guess if Monsanto expected this much backlash – enough for states to outright ban an entire pesticide…

Still, Monsanto is defiant about the board’s vote and there’s talk of the corporation suing the state, showing what lengths they will go to once they grapple their roots into paying farmers.

Most Milk Substitutes are Low in Iodine – Here’s Why it Matters

(The Conversation) Milk and dairy products are the main source of iodine in many diets, and an important iodine source in many countries. However, our latest research found that the iodine concentration of most alternatives to cows’ milk – such as soy and almond “milk” – is very low. This matters because deficiency of iodine, especially during pregnancy, affects brain development and is linked to lower intelligence.

As people increasingly switch from cows’ milk to alternative drinks, and their sales grow, we wanted to know if consumers of these products would be able to match the amount of iodine in cows’ milk. To do this we measured the iodine concentration of 47 milk substitutes available in the UK, including a range of different types: soya, almond, oat, rice, coconut, hazelnut and hemp (but excluding those marketed for infants and children).

Related: Homemade, Vegan Nut Milk Recipes and More

We found that most milk substitutes were naturally low in iodine; their concentration was around 2% of that of cows’ milk. And only three of the 47 drinks were fortified with iodine. While some manufacturers replace the calcium found in cows’ milk, the vast majority, including big brands, do not replace the iodine.

We are aware that consumers may choose these alternatives for a variety of reasons, including allergy or intolerance to cows’ milk, so it is important that they are aware of the low iodine content of milk substitutes and the potential health consequences.

Iodine matters

Most people don’t know that iodine is found in cows’ milk and are unaware that they need a certain amount in their diet. In the UK, iodine is not listed on the nutrition information labels on milk containers, and there is little knowledge that iodine intake matters – even among pregnant women.

Cows’ milk is an excellent source of iodine, with a glass (200g) providing around 70μg (micrograms), a considerable proportion of the 150μg iodine intake recommended for European adults every day. By contrast, our study found that a glass of milk substitute would provide only around two micrograms.

The drinks with added iodine (as stated on the ingredients label) provided a reasonable amount of iodine (between 45μg and 60μg per glass). But, as these drinks were not from a market leader, most consumers will probably not get enough iodine in their diet from this source.

Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy is well known to cause impaired brain development and lead to lower IQ in the infant. It is for that reason that many countries have added iodine to table salt (iodised salt) in order to improve iodine intake and reduce the impact of deficiency on population health. As a result, the number of countries with severe iodine deficiency has been reduced, but some countries are still classified as mildly-to-moderately iodine deficient.

But as our earlier research has shown, even mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in pregnant women is linked to lower IQ and reading scores in their children, up to nine years of age.

Other dietary sources

Of course, milk is not the only source of iodine. Other rich sources include seafood – particularly white fish, such as cod. Eggs are also a good source of iodine.

Cod is a good source of iodine. TunedIn by Westend61/Shutterstock

For people who cannot or will not eat these alternative sources – such as vegans or those who dislike fish – it can be hard to meet the recommended iodine intake. Some people may, therefore, need to consider a suitable iodine supplement to ensure that their intake is adequate.

Related: Four Easy Ways to Improve Your Thyroid Function

It is very important that kelp supplements – often sold as an iodine source in health food shops – are not used, as they can provide excessive amounts of iodine.

Unfortunately, there is no test for iodine deficiency. To know if you’re getting enough iodine, you need to consider whether iodine sources are part of your diet. We have written a fact sheet on iodine, available through the British Dietetic Association, that can help you understand how to meet the recommendations.

Gut Bacteria a Key to Health

Human feces consist of undigested food residues and a great variety of bacteria. SEM shows a very large proportion of the bacteria and, thus, a high health hazard that the bacteria may contaminate food sources if hygienic rules are not adhered to, particu

(Mercola) If you’ve been trying to lose weight and making serious diet cuts in all the right places for weight loss, not just maintenance, but still not making progress, there may be something at play that is effectively blocking your success. According to new research, the problem might not be what’s already there, but what’s missing — specifically the right gut microbiota. Research at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, found that the ratio between two types of gut microbes, Prevotella and Bacteroides, evidenced this premise.

For 26 weeks, 62 individuals with increased waist circumference were randomly assigned to either the typical diet enjoyed by the average Dane, or a low-fat, high-fiber diet that included fruits, vegetables and grains. At the end of the study,¹ feces samples revealed that the people on the high-fiber diet with a high Prevotella-to-Bacteroides ratio (P/B ratio) lost an average of 10.9 pounds of body fat, which was 3.5 more pounds than the others.

As The New York Times noted,² those on the regular diet with a high Prevotella ratio lost 4 pounds, compared with 5.5 pounds for those with a low Prevotella ratio, which was statistically insignificant. In short, the researchers concluded, “subjects with high P/B–ratio appeared more susceptible to lose body fat on diets high in fiber … than subjects with a low P/B-ratio.”³

The key in weight loss success, as well as the difference, according to lead author, Mads F. Hjorth, an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen, is that losing fat, rather than muscle mass, is what delivers a meaningful bottom line. Hjorth admitted that while studying the microbiome — the ecosystem of microorganisms in your gut — has, as yet, brought little in the way of practical results, their newest findings may end up being something they can use as a practical tool to aid in weight loss and overall health.

Must Read: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Beyond Weight Loss: Probiotics to Help Prevent and Treat Colon Cancer

Scientists in the U.K. took a hard look at how the introduction of probiotics might change gut microbiomes and found it not only may help prevent the formation of tumors but even treat existing ones.⁴ In fact, their research,⁵ published in The American Journal of Pathology, found that the gut bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri has the potential for treating colon cancer, the third most common cancer in the U.S. other than skin cancer.

Several studies, including one in Malaysia⁶ and at least one intensive review⁷ of many studies targeting the subject, had already determined there are several factors that increase incidence of colorectal cancer, such as having been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, certain genetic factors, lack of exercise, red meat intake, low vegetable and fruit consumption, whether or not you smoke, and being overweight or obese.

The upshot of The American Journal of Pathology study, led by Dr. James Versalovic, a professor of pathology and immunology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is that your gut microbiome is a huge player in your overall health, including playing a role in the development of colorectal cancer.

While many of the mechanisms involved weren’t immediately known, research indicates probiotics can play a starring role in its prevention, with Lactobacillus reuteri, a naturally occurring probiotic in mammals, observed as reducing intestinal inflammation.

For the study, researchers administered L. reuteri to HDC-deficient mice (as well as using other mice given a placebo for comparison) to regulate their immune responses for observation. DSS, a substance that stimulates inflammation, was used along with azoxymethane, a carcinogenic chemical, to induce tumor formation. The actual mice studies took place 15 weeks later.

Must Read: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Study Procedures and Proof Positive for Probiotics

Using positron emission tomography to scan for tumors, scientists observed that the probiotic-treated mice had fewer tumors, and the ones they had were smaller in comparison with the placebo mice, whose tumors were larger and greater in number.
Medical News Today explained:

“In adult mice, it has been noted that the lack of an enzyme called histidine decarboxylase (HDC) made the animals significantly more susceptible to developing colorectal cancer associated with inflammation of the bowels. HDC is produced by L. reuteri and helps to convert L-histidine, which is an amino acid with a role in protein synthesis, to histamine, which is an organic compound involved in the regulation of the immune response.”⁸

Two more items were deemed significant in the studies: inactive, HDC-deficient strains of L. reuteri exhibit zero protective effects, and the active strain of the probiotic even decreased inflammation caused by the DSS and azoxymethane chemicals given to the mice. Versalovic summed up the trials:

“Our results suggest a significant role for histamine in the suppression of chronic intestinal inflammation and colorectal tumorigenesis (tumor formation]). We have also shown that cells, both microbial and mammalian, can share metabolites or chemical compounds that together promote human health and prevent disease.”⁹

In this study, too, scientists are said to be unsure about the function of histamine in humans in relation to cancer, which is interesting since among 2,113 people with colorectal cancer, data “suggested” that those with higher levels of HDC have a better survival rate. The team asserted that probiotics help convert L-histidine into histamine, which could be used to both lower colorectal cancer rates and aid treatment, and Versalovic concluded:

“We are on the cusp of harnessing advances in microbiome science to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of human disease. By simply introducing microbes that provide missing life substances, we can reduce the risk of cancer and supplement diet-based cancer prevention strategies.”¹⁰

Must Read: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

‘Borrow’ Younger Gut Microbes to Increase Longevity

Studies on fish introduced the novel idea that gut microbes injected into older individuals might also inject more vim and vigor, while also helping them live longer. Some of the world’s shortest-lived vertebrates, turquoise killifish that swim in short-lived ponds formed by rainy seasons in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, were the lucky recipients of gut microbes from slightly younger fish — lucky because they lived longer.

A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, arranged for older killifish — middle-aged at 9.5 weeks — to ingest the gut microbes belonging to killifish only 6 weeks old. Nature reported:

“The transplanted microbes successfully recolonized the guts of the fish that ate them, and extended their lives. The median life span for these animals was 41% longer than that of fish exposed to microbes from middle-aged animals, and 37% longer than for fish that received no treatment.

At 16 weeks — old for killifish — the individuals that received gut microbes from young fish were more active than other elderly fish, with activity levels more like those of 6-week-old fish.”¹¹

Bulletproof 360 equated the concept with cutting-edge science that wages war on aging using an “experimental technique” called parabiosis,¹² an allegedly 150-year-old science that connects the vascular systems of old and young animals to see how the exchange of blood might impact their health, behavior and anything else that might change.

But rather than using blood, scientists used the contents of the guts — poop — in the killifish microbe exchange, aka fecal transplantation therapy, as they, just like humans, are full of a comparable set of good and not-so-good gut bacteria. It’s difficult to say how the fish were feeling, but they appeared to be livelier and more active upon receiving the younger microbes.

Must Read: Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid

The Importance of Good and Bad Gut Bacteria

When your gut microbiome is balanced, your general function, like the fish, is one that reflects a boost in energy because all-around, you’re healthier. When your microbiome is lacking in healthy bacteria, as researchers report, you feel physically depleted and your performance suffers.

Not surprisingly, your microbiome profile can change as you age. Your body consists of around 100 trillion microbes that, when properly balanced, protect your gut, your immune system function and, consequently, your overall health. Here’s how it works:

“Gut microorganisms help you digest your food, and byproduct from the microbes eating your food (yes, it’s bizarre but it works) can be helpful to your system. Around 75 percent of your vitamin K supply is produced in the intestines by gut bacteria. Gut bacteria also help your body make its own B vitamins and absorb the B vitamins that come from food.”¹³

Many factors can change your gut health, for better or worse, including those listed in the table below:¹⁴

Your diet	Exposure to germs
Stress	Drugs
Alcohol consumption	Your weight

You’ll notice there’s one more factor that can affect the balance of your gut bacteria, and that’s age. You may also notice that other than age, all the rest of the above can be controlled. If you’ve ever marveled at the way a 5-year-old can tear up a playground for hours, and college students can stay up studying night after night without seeming to be adversely affected, gut microbiomes, to a large degree, can be thanked.

The fact is, the gut health of older individuals tends to be vastly different from those of people much younger, and it changes energy levels, cognitive function, muscle strength and immunity, studies say.¹⁵ The good news is that healthy gut bacteria can make all the difference in the way you age.¹⁶ Taking good care of yourself by paying attention to the items on the above table is not just wise for protecting your health now, but for your future health and even your chances of living longer.

Must Read: Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Getting Your Own ‘New’ Gut

Your health is often a direct result of behaviors you engaged in last week, last year and even decades ago, depending on your age. Scientists have linked diseases like Parkinson’s and chronic fatigue to the microscopic organisms and bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.^17,¹⁸ Taking prescription medications is another way your body can be thrown out of whack, including combinations of drugs you might be taking that often cause serious and even deadly side effects and health issues.

In fact, it’s not your genes that determine your longevity, as some believe, as in “My grandfather and my father both died of heart disease, so I probably will, too.” Research strongly supports environmental factors as being responsible for the diseases that plague so many people.

It’s the expression of your genes that counts, and that is heavily influenced by your lifestyle choices. Even up to 90 percent of a person’s cancer risk is due to changeable factors such as the items listed above, while only 10 percent can be attributed to genetic defects, one study affirms.¹⁹

Nourishing your gut bacteria is one of the most crucial steps in maintaining health, and that can be done by eating traditionally fermented foods such as raw grass fed yogurt, kefir and fermented vegetables, which you can make at home, and foods containing fiber, such as nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, and other foods to promote better digestive health.

Must Read: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

Probiotic supplements can also be beneficial. Avoiding sugar, as well as processed, packaged foods, will go a long way toward balancing and optimizing your gut health. The more you take care to develop gut health. The more it will help increase your energy, improve your sleep, balance your stress levels, diminish your risk for cancer and other diseases and even help you lose weight. Making small changes now will pay big dividends in the way you think, feel and function.

The “FREE” Press Is NOT Free To Tell The Facts About Vaccines

(Natural Blaze by Catherine J. Frompovich) Ever since the U.S. Congress gave the U.S. pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers a “get out of jail free” card exonerating them of all legal and financial product liabilities, vaccines have proliferated to the point of extreme infringements and health harms upon humans, including their rights to self-determination for themselves and their children.

However, outside the USA there is no such “collusion” going on between government agencies and Big Pharma. Many legal lawsuits against vaccine makers have been filed, especially against those who manufacture the HPV vaccines, which are damaging both male and female youngsters. See the statistics posted from the CDC’s VAERS reporting system on the SaneVax homepage. Ever since the HPV vaccines were first introduced in 2006 until June 2017, 51,956 adverse events from HPV vaccines have been reported to VAERS along with 328 deaths.

Recommended: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Now, let me ask you this question: What would happen to a sausage maker, a car maker, or any other product manufacturer if there were that many consumer problems reported to proper government agencies? What happened with the Takata air bag problems/recalls?

The New York Times reported in February of 2015:

In an escalating standoff with Takata, federal regulators said on Friday that they would begin to fine the Japanese auto supplier $14,000 a day, saying it had not fully cooperated in an investigation into defective airbags.

What happened to Volkswagen for its fraudulent emission scheme? A $4.3 BILLION settlement!

Volkswagen has agreed to pay $4.3 billion to settle civil and criminal allegations over its diesel emissions cheating scheme involving some 590,000 vehicles in the U.S. [2]

What about product recalls? The website www.Recalls.gov states the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has jurisdiction over more than 15,000 kinds of consumer products, but vaccines are not listed! Aren’t they healthcare consumer products?

The very fact vaccines are treated totally differently when, in fact, they can contain nothing short of hazmat materials [mercury (Thimerosal), aluminum in four formulations, formaldehyde] plus other toxic chemicals, foreign DNA, human diploid cells from aborted fetal cell lines, MSG, antibiotics, etc. [3] which are injected via a syringe into newborns, 2-4-6 month old infants, toddlers, teens, adults and senior citizens.

Adverse effects and contraindications from every vaccine are reported on vaccine package inserts [4] by manufacturers, BUT federal, state and local health agencies, including school districts DO NOT advise parents and prospective vaccinees of those real and potential adverse health dangers and/or effects. Why? Collusion?

Recommended: Vaccines, Retroviruses, DNA, and the Discovery That Destroyed Judy Mikovits’ Career

Shouldn’t the media be the first line of communication about the dangers of vaccines? Why is the media so bamboozled into disseminating false and fraudulent vaccine information? Shouldn’t such collusion be prosecuted as a criminal act—not telling consumers about the toxins in vaccines and the possible health risks? Where’s informed consent? Or, is the administering physician’s mandate to get inoculated considered ‘informed consent’?

And yet, vaccine safety advocates who are vocal about the fraud at the CDC/FDA and the hazardous vaccine ingredients, plus the horror stories of what happened to vaccine-damaged vaccinees, are harassed and even prosecuted, as in Australia.

Is Australia the beta-market test venue for just how far totalitarian health mandates can be enforced?

Or are there too many vested interests at stake in Australia, e.g., pharmaceutical maker CSL (HPV vaccine interests) [5]; Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s daughters NOT to be vaccinated but everyone else must get vaccinated [6]; Lucy Turnbull, the current Prime Minister’s wife AND chairman of pharmaceutical company Prima Biomed, a company trying to get out a cancer vaccine [7]?

Here is a video, which shows the numerous anti-vaccination policy demonstrations that have taken place in various countries around the world and documented on film, but NEVER shown on the USA TV evening news or talked about in daily newspapers. Why? Collusion?

Watch in amazement and listen to the stories told about vaccine horrors in Australia, Poland, Italy, Germany, USA, and Kenya.

https://www.facebook.com/avn.org.au/videos/2001681173454938/

Innocent children and adults are being harmed deliberately by several entities responsible for promoting the falsehood that vaccines are safe.

Fraud at the CDC has been exposed by whistleblowers; see the documentary VAXXED: from catastrophe to cover-up; two Merck & Company former employees filed a qui tam lawsuit in Philadelphia, PA federal court regarding falsified Mumps vaccine efficacy reporting for almost ten years [8]; plus others I cannot recite here and which I’ve written about over the years.

The HHS’s HRSA has paid out almost $3.6 BILLION in vaccine damage claims and attorney’s fees [9]!

Related: Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

What does that tell you and prove?

When will the citizens of the USA wake up and demand the repeal of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) of 1986 (42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to 300aa-34, which literally is responsible for all the vaccine problems we have in the USA?

October is “Vaccine Injury Awareness Month.” Please tell everyone you know about the falsehoods and health damages from unproven, unsafe vaccines.

Sources:

Month: October 2017