Month: September 2018

As 1.5 Million Flee Hurricane Florence, Worries Grow Over Half Dozen Nuclear Power Plants in Storm’s Path

“Flooding-prone Brunswick Nuclear Plant among rickety old Fukushima-style reactors in likely path of Hurricane Florence.”

(C

ommon Dreams by Julia Conley) With 1.5 million residents now under orders to evacuate their homes in preparation for Hurricane Florence’s landfall in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the region faces the possibility of catastrophe should the storm damage one or more of the nuclear power plants which lie in its potential path.As the Associated Press reported on Monday, “The storm’s potential path also includes half a dozen nuclear power plants, pits holding coal-ash and other industrial waste, and numerous eastern hog farms that store animal waste in massive open-air lagoons.”

Related: Air Pollution Causes People to Lose A Year of Education

The plants thought to lie in the path of the hurricane, which is expected to make landfall on the Southeastern U.S. coast on Thursday, include North Carolina’s Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant in Southport, Duke Energy Sutton Steam Plant in Wilmington, and South Carolina’s V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville.

“Florence will approach the Carolina coast Thursday night into Friday with winds in excess of 100mph along with flooding rains. This system will approach the Brunswick Nuclear Plant as well as the Duke-Sutton Steam Plant,” Ed Vallee, a North Carolina-based meteorologist, told Zero Hedge. “Dangerous wind gusts and flooding will be the largest threats to these operations with inland plants being susceptible to inland flooding.”

In 2015, the Huffington Post and Weather.com identified Brunswick as one of the East Coast’s most at-risk nuclear power plants in the event of rising sea levels and the storm surges that come with them.

Related: Study Shows Cell Phone Towers Harmful To Animals, Plants – 5G Will Be Much Worse

As of Tuesday afternoon, Hurricane Florence was thought to have the potential to cause “massive damage to our country” according to Jeff Byard, associate administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The storm was labeled a Category 4 tropical storm with the potential to become a Category 5 as it nears the coast, with 130 mile-per-hour winds blowing about 900 miles off the coast of Cape Fear, North Carolina.

Meteorologists warned of hurricane-force winds in the region by mid-day Thursday, with storm surges reaching up to 12 feet or higher.

The 2011 Fukushima disaster remains the highest-profile nuclear catastrophe caused by a natural disaster. The tsunami that hit Japan in March of that year disabled three of the plant’s reactors, causing a radioactive release which forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

In 2014, Shane Shifflett and Kate Sheppard at the Huffington Post reported on the risk storms like Florence pose to nuclear plants:

Most nuclear power facilities were built well before scientists understood just how high sea levels might rise in the future. And for power plants, the most serious threat is likely to come from surges during storms. Higher sea levels mean that flooding will travel farther inland, creating potential hazards in areas that may have previously been considered safe.

During hurricanes, many nuclear facilities will power down—but this is not a sure-fire way to avoid disaster, wrote Sheppard and Shifflett.

“Even when a plant is not operating, the spent fuel stored on-site, typically uranium, will continue to emit heat and must be cooled using equipment that relies on the plant’s own power,” they wrote. “Flooding can cause a loss of power, and in serious conditions, it can damage backup generators. Without a cooling system, reactors can overheat and damage the facility to the point of releasing radioactive material.”

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Gluten?

(Dr. Mercola) The word “gluten” has become such a buzzword in recent years, most likely because of the sudden popularity of the gluten-free diet that’s been endorsed by famous personalities. Before you consider trying this diet, read this page first to learn about gluten, and how it can negatively impact your body and health in the long run.

What Is Gluten?

A type of protein, gluten is composed of glutenin and gliadin molecules that form an elastic bond when mixed with water. Gluten is highly noted for its adhesive abilities that can maintain a compact structure for holding bread and cakes together, and providing a spongier texture. This ability isn’t surprising, considering that the word “gluten” is derived from the Latin word for “glue.”

While it does wonders for these foods, the same cannot be said for your body. Research has shown that gluten can be quite harmful for you because of the vast range of complications it might cause (more on this to come in a while).

What Does Gluten Do to Your Body?

A major caveat linked to gluten is its tendency to impede proper nutrient breakdown and absorption from foods, regardless if they have gluten or not. This may prevent proper digestion because excess gluten leads to the formation of a glued-together constipating lump in the gut.

Afterward, the undigested gluten prompts the immune system to attack the villi, or the fingerlike projections lining your small intestine.1 This may lead to side effects such as  diarrhea or constipation, nausea and abdominal pain.

Excessive gluten consumption and further small intestine damage and inflammation may predispose a person to nutrient malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies, anemia, osteoporosis, other neurological or psychological diseases, and complications linked to the skin, liver, joints, nervous system and more.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

What Are the Types of Food That Contain Gluten?

Gluten is predominantly found in whole grains like rye, barley, triticale and oats; in wheat varieties like spelt, kamut, farro, durum; and in other products like bulgar and semolina.2 Wheat-based flours and byproducts that also contain high quantities of this protein include:3,4,5,6

Wheat-Based Flours Wheat Byproducts

• White flour

• Whole wheat flour

• Graham flour

• Triticale

• Wheat germ

• Wheat bran

• Pasta

• Couscous

• Bread, bread crumbs and croutons

• Flour tortillas

• Cookies, cakes, muffins and pastries

• Cereal

• Crackers

• Beer

• Gravy, dressings and sauces

• Conventional oats (these have a high chance of being contaminated during the growing, harvesting or processing stages

If there’s another compelling reason why you shouldn’t eat processed foods, it’s because these items often contain gluten. Here are examples of foods with gluten, even though they’re not made from grains:7,8

Processed broth and bouillon cubes9

Fried foods

Candies

Lunch meats and hot dogs

Cold cuts

Dumplings

Self-basting poultry

Crab cakes

Imitation fish

Seasoned rice10

Matzo

Modified food starch11

Salad dressings

Seasoned chips and other seasoned snack foods

Processed yogurt12

Ice cream cones

Even worse, manufacturers deceive customers by “hiding” gluten products like wheat under other names in food labels, such as:13,14

•Malts

•Starches and other derivatives

•Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)

•Hydrolyzed wheat protein15

•Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

Common Signs of a ‘Gluten Allergy’ You Should Watch Out For

Consuming too much gluten can prompt various complications, such as a gluten allergy, wherein the immune system produces “weapons” to combat gluten in your system. However, a gluten allergy is not to be confused with gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity16 or celiac disease.17

It is quite similar to other food allergies, since these are all responses to a particular allergen. Some of the most common gluten allergy symptoms are:

Coughing

Nasal congestion

Sneezing

Tightness of throat

Asthma

Tingling

Itching

Tongue and/or throat swelling

A metallic taste in your mouth

Abdominal pain

Muscle spasms

Vomiting

Diarrhea

As the book “Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies” further highlights, a gluten allergy may lead to adverse effects such as anaphylaxis or an anaphylactic shock that may affect different organs. People may experience agitation, hives, breathing problems, reduced blood pressure levels, fainting or even death, if the reaction is very severe.18

Warning Signs of Gluten Intolerance

Should the immune system have an unusual response to gluten in your system, then it might be a sign that you have gluten intolerance.19 Sometimes it can be mistaken for celiac disease (another gluten-related disorder) or a wheat allergy.20

The root cause of a gluten intolerance is not fully understood, although it has been linked to the digestive system, compared to celiac disease where a genetic link has been found.21

Typical gluten intolerance symptoms include bloating, belly pain, diarrhea, tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell. Someone with a gluten intolerance might also experience these indicators, although these are less frequent and already affect areas beyond the gut:

Joint or muscle pain

Anxiety

Headache

Nausea

Confusion

Numbness

If you or someone you know experiences any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. This will help you determine whether you have gluten intolerance or if the symptoms occur because of other health reasons.

This greatly applies if you or someone you know has severe belly pain. An extreme stomachache is not a sign of gluten intolerance, so it might be due to another potentially devastating disease that may require immediate treatment.

Related: How to Avoid GMOs in 2018 – And Everything Else You Should Know About Genetic Engineering

Having gut-related symptoms checked immediately may be helpful too, as numerous conditions that target the gut can overlap with other diseases. Fortunately, these can be examined during a checkup and your doctor may rule out other causes.

Take note that symptoms of gluten intolerance are generally similar to those of celiac disease, although the reactions that people with these conditions experience aren’t identical.

To diagnose a gluten intolerance, it’s important that you continue eating your usual meals, especially if it’s abundant in foods with gluten. This could help the doctor determine the main cause of the symptoms. An inaccurate diagnosis might occur if the patient decides to stop eating gluten-loaded foods prior to, or during, a consultation.22

Common Indicators of Gluten Sensitivity

In various studies, gluten sensitivity is also called non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) as celiac disease patients are sensitive to gluten too.

The difference between a gluten sensitivity and celiac disease is that the former may be triggered not just by wheat, but by other grains like rye and barley, too, as these grains are known to have the glutenin and gliadin proteins (or protein fragments) also found in wheat.23

Typical symptoms of gluten sensitivity include nausea, skin irritation, bloating and gas, brain fog, and fatigue. However, these indicators can widely vary and may also occur alongside gynecologic conditions, lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome.24

Because there is no specific laboratory test for gluten sensitivity, your physician will have to rule out other possible causes. In some cases, patients may need to be checked for wheat allergy or celiac disease. Should test results be negative, a gluten-free diet may be advised.25

However, if any of the aforementioned tests deliver positive results, then you may want to continue eating gluten-rich foods for a more accurate diagnosis.26

Why a Gluten-Free Diet Works

A gluten-free diet is an important course of action for combating gluten-related disorders, and picking gluten-free foods is the first step in doing so. Because there are foods that are incorrectly labeled “gluten-free,” it may be quite tricky at first to select the correct items.

A set of guidelines on proper gluten-free labeling standards released in 2013 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may help. The organization states that for a food product to bear the gluten-free label and be considered such, it must be:

•Naturally gluten-free — Rice, non-GMO corn, quinoa, sorghum, flax and amaranth seed are naturally gluten-free grains.

•Refined to remove gluten — Gluten must be removed from any gluten-containing grain. As such, the final product should not contain more than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

Extreme vigilance is only likely if you have celiac disease, since exposure to gluten can cause sickness and threaten your health in the long run. What’s great about a gluten-free diet is that nearly everyone can benefit from it, whether you have a gluten intolerance or not. Grains, even whole sprouted varieties, tend to cause many problems because of the following factors:

Wheat hybridization

Gluten

Other wheat proteins

Fructans

Milling or baking process

Glyphosate contamination

Grains have high net carbs, so removing them from your diet can help improve mitochondrial function. Taking care of your mitochondrial health is important if you want to reduce your risk for problems linked to insulin resistance, such as being overweight and having high blood pressure levels, as well as diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Related: Is Wheat Poison? What’s Behind the Rise of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance

Prior to beginning a gluten-free diet, consult a dietitian or health expert who can give advice on how to effectively avoid foods with gluten while eating a healthy and balanced diet.27

Best Foods to Eat if Following a Gluten-Free Diet

Once you’re given the go-signal to try a gluten-free diet, stock up on these natural and unprocessed foods:28,29

Beans (provided that you try to sprout and/or ferment your beans to reduce its lectin content, which may negatively impact your health in the long run) Seeds (chia, pumpkin or sunflower) Nuts (pecans, macadamias or walnuts)
Organic and pasture-raised eggs Organic and grass fed meats that aren’t breaded, batter-coated or marinated Fish (wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies and herring) that aren’t breaded, batter-coated or marinated
Organically grown, GMO-free fruits and vegetables Raw, grass fed milk or yogurt Healthy fat sources (raw grass fed butter, coconuts and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, and avocados)

If you think going on a gluten-free diet limits eating choices and preparations, you’d be surprised to know that it won’t. Type “gluten-free recipes” on a search engine and you’ll see a wide variety of gluten-free recipes, ranging from savory to sweet. A good and delicious example is this Coconut Flour Almond Meal Pancakes Recipe from MindBodyGreen:30

Related: Gluten Intolerance, Wheat Allergies, and Celiac Disease – It’s More Complicated Than You Think

Coconut Flour Almond Meal Pancakes Recipe

•1/2 cup Dr. Mercola’s coconut flour

•1/3 cup almond meal

•1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

•4 organic, pastured eggs

•1 tablespoon Dr. Mercola’s coconut oil, melted

•1/3 cup raw cow’s milk or coconut milk

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•A pinch of Dr. Mercola’s Himalayan salt

•1 to 2 tablespoons organic, raw grass fed butter, plus more for serving

•Pure maple syrup to drizzle (optional)

Cooking Directions

1.In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients: the coconut flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt.

2.Slowly whisk in the wet ingredients: the eggs, coconut oil, milk and vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth. (If it feels a little dry, add more milk until it reaches the consistency you’re after).

3.Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt, then add scoops of batter (about a 1/4 cup each) for silver dollar pancakes. Cook for about a minute on each side until golden brown. Slather with butter and drizzle maple syrup as desired.

This recipe makes about 16 small pancakes.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Additional Reminders When Following a Gluten-Free Diet

Gluten Free & More magazine highlights these important tips for people who are following a gluten-free diet:31

•Read labels carefully — Knowing how to read labels properly will greatly help if you’re following a gluten-free diet. Ideally, never assume something is gluten-free even if the word “gluten” isn’t anywhere in the list.32 As mentioned earlier, some manufacturers purposely use other names to hide gluten in their products.

•If you’re in doubt, don’t buy the product — If you cannot verify that the product is free of grains, don’t buy or eat it at all. The same principle applies if you cannot find an ingredients list on the product.

•Remember that being wheat-free doesn’t automatically make a food gluten-free — This is because spelt, rye or barley-based ingredients, all of which contain gluten, may be used in products with a wheat-free label on them.

•Introduce new foods slowly — Ensure that you incorporate only one new food at a time, and take note of symptoms before adding another item.

•Be a “food detective” — Call, email or write a letter to a food manufacturer to verify a product’s ingredients. Take note of the ingredient and the lot number of the food. Once you are in touch with a representative, clearly state your concerns and be persistent, polite and patient.

Lyme Disease Facts You Should Know

This is an excerpt from the extensive article Best Supplements To Kill Lyme and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Lyme Disease.

Current diagnostics miss up to 60% of acute cases. This is what’s so infuriating for those trying to figure out what’s going on with their bodies: Testing for Lyme is inaccurate, but especially so in the beginning. By the time the tests are likely to show positive for someone with Lyme, antibiotic treatments are typically no longer effective. In other words, people would go to their doctor and ask if they have Lyme, the doctors would say how rare it is (fortunately doctors are getting much better about this lately), but would reluctantly perform the tests, only to find no trace of Lyme. So the person would assume some other autoimmune disease while the Lyme slowly proliferates. Then the person would eventually seek another opinion, get another round of tests, and maybe (but often not) find out they do in fact have Lyme. Or, they often find out that one can have Lyme and still test negative indefinitely, but at this stage, the person is showing enough symptoms that the new more knowledgeable doctor can easily conclude that it’s Lyme.

But now the antibiotics will no longer be effective. It’s too late. Many people try anyways, wrecking their immune system in the process.

I suspect that often times a heavy round of antibiotics works to kill the bacteria, but the body is left so badly damaged that new infection (often Candida being the first) takes over, and all of the symptoms remain.

Borrelia does not seem to circulate in the blood. This is the main reason it is so difficult to detect. The bacteria also have a very slow replication rate, so the number of bacteria found in a host remains small, at least for a long time.

There are multiple tests for Lyme. The CDC recommends screening with the ELISA test and then confirming the results with the Western blot test. As mentioned, these tests are completely unreliable during the first 4-6 weeks of infection. The tests only measure the patient’s antibody response to the infection, not the presence of the bacteria itself.

Lyme disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose using conventional tests. And there’s great variation in the presentation of the disease as well, depending on where you contracted it, and whether or not you have any other coexisting infections. There is a group of seven or eight microbes that are the most common. The worst ones are Babesia microti and the different forms of Bartonella.

It is said that an initial course of antibiotics given in stage one cures the disease most of the time, but why not all the time? Is the course of antibiotics too short? Should more be given? Should they be given long term, especially for those who have stage 3 symptoms? What if blood tests no longer show spirochetes? If the antibiotics don’t work, the patient now has to combat Lyme with a very depleted immune system.” – Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD

Why Antibiotics May Not Work for Lyme Disease

These days, early treatment is typically successful, according to the latest science, but most patients go undiagnosed for years. At least 20% of those who are said to be successfully treated for Lyme will experience the same symptoms after treatment, which as mentioned, can easily be attributed to a depleted immune system leading to Candida overgrowth or other fungal pathogens, opening the door for many other infections as well.

Antibiotic resistance occurs at a high rate with spirochete bacteria. Borrelia (and also its co-infections), will respond slowly to antibiotics. They will develop resistance. The bacteria that survive antibiotics can become completely antibiotic resistant. This is why doctors are starting to use multiple antibiotics at once seems, and this does lead to better chance of defeating Lyme, and depleting the immune system. If the medication fails, the bacteria that have survived will not only become resistant, but it will also become much more entrenched in the host.

The Lyme Timeline

Phase One – 3 to 30 Days

Also called early localized infection

Some say less than 50%, others say up to 70-75% develop the bullseye rash, starting at the site of the tick bite. It is not itchy or painful but they are usually warm to the touch. Sometimes flu-like symptoms develop soon after, including fever, chills, swollen lymph glands, headaches, muscle pain, and joint pain.

Phase Two – Days to Weeks After Bite

Also called early disseminated infection

  • Rash spreads
  • Large joints may become swollen and painful
  • Stiff neck in some cases
  • Meningitis may develop
  • Dizziness
  • Heart palpitations

Phase Three – Later Months to Years

Also called late disseminated infection

Many infectious disease specialists believe that “chronic Lyme disease” does not exist, and that Lyme disease from a tick bite can be cured with a short course of antibiotics. It is possible that those who have undergone antibiotic treatments are suffering from the side effects of antibiotics, but more and more experts are coming around to the idea that Lyme disease can survive and cause long-term autoimmune symptoms when antibiotics don’t work. We all know (or at least, we all should know) that antibiotics do not always work and can cause more problems.

  • Arthritis symptoms – swollen, painful joints (fluid-filled joints)
  • Neurological symptoms – numbness, tingling, shooting pains
  • Cognitive symptoms – brain fog, short-term memory deficits, confusion
  • Mood disturbance – depression
  • Fatigue
  • Abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure

Facial paralysis sometimes occurs in this stage or stage two.

Scary Lyme Facts You Should Know

How does Lyme make us sick, and why is it so damn resilient?!?!

  • Spiders, mosquitoes, fleas, and mites may also be spreading the same or similar bacterial infections.
  • Tests are unreliable because they measure the patient’s antibody response to the infection, not the bacteria itself.
  • There’s great variation in the presentation of the disease, depending on where it’s contracted, and whether there are other coexisting infections. At least eight other microbes make up the most common co-infections., including Babesia microti and different forms of Bartonella.
  • Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, has a corkscrew shape that allows it to bore deep into tissues and cartilage (including the brain and nervous system), safely out of reach of most antibiotics.
  • Borrelia burgdorferi can give up its corkscrew shape and convert to a form that is able to live inside cells (“intracellular”) where again, antibiotics have less reach.
  • Borrelia burgdorferi, along with other similar microbes, can form dormant cysts that are completely resistant to antibiotics; the harder you hit it, the more resistant it becomes.
  • Most ticks carry multiple disease-causing pathogens called co-infections. Borrelia burgdorferi is usually accompanied and aided by co-infections of other stealth microbes.
  • Lyme disease has been reported in all 50 states.
  • Lyme disease has been found on every continent except Antarctica.
  • Ticks carrying Lyme can be smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.
  • Many, perhaps most, do not get the bull’s eye rash. Some develop flu-like symptoms a week or so after becoming infected, however, many people are asymptomatic but can develop Lyme symptoms months, years or decades later.
  • It is called the great imitator; looking like many other health problems (Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Bells Palsy, ADD, MS, and Lupus).
  • People with other chronic disease are much more susceptible to Lyme disease, making Lyme even more likely to go undetectedcted.
  • The medical community is divided over the diagnosis and treatment guidelines.
  • Health insurance still often won’t cover the treatment for Chronic Lyme disease.
  • Lyme Disease transmission may be possible through intercourse, and can likely be passed down through the womb.
  • There are 12 strains of Borrelia that are known to cause Lyme Disease, and standard testing only tests for one.
  • Lyme Disease is more epidemic than Aids, West Nile and Avian Flu combined.
  • Lyme Disease can cause more than 300 different symptoms.
  • The average Lyme patient takes 2-3 years to get diagnosed correctly.
  • 25% of the reported cases are children.

Lyme Disease Cofactors

Leaky Gut and Lyme

In response to pathogenic toxins leaking from the intestines, the immune system produces multiple inflammatory compounds: Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF Beta-1), Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). These inflammatory compounds affect multiple systems of the body. Because of the inflammatory compounds that become elevated in people with Lyme disease or co-infections, they are at greater risk of leaky gut. In a study on Lyme disease patients, Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and Interleukin-13 (IL-13) were found to be elevated in different phases of infection. TNFα has also been found to be elevated in Bartonella infections, mice infected with Babesia, mice receiving Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever antigens, Ehrlichia infections, and in Brucellosis patients. Both TNFα and IL-13 have a direct effect on increasing intestinal lining leakage. Unfortunately, western medicine lacks a way to accurately diagnose and to treat leaky gut syndrome.” – Plugging the Holes in Lyme Disease Leaky Gut

I am of the opinion that a leaky gut is the root of most chronic disease. True or not, a leaky gut always exacerbates every ailment, every disease, every single health issue. You cannot cure any chronic disease without a healthy gut.

Lyme Disease and Co-infections

Ticks can carry many bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoans within them, and transmit these pathogens with a single bite.

The most common tick-borne diseases in the United States include Lyme disease, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Diseases acquired together like this are called co-infections. Click below to learn more about specific Lyme disease co-infections. – About Lyme Disease Co-Infections

We also borrowed their chart:

image-21896

Lyme and Candida Overgrowth

Yeast overgrowth is a common concern for Lyme patients who undergo antibiotic therapy. Whether or not the Lyme or other bacterial pathogens are killed, the immune system is depleted, the body;’s beneficial bacteria is eradicated, and the body is almost guaranteed to be overrun with fungal pathogens. If one is cured of Lyme disease they will then have to rebuild their immune system (along with healthy gut flora). Most people don’t know how to do this. If they did, they most likely would not have been susceptible to Lyme in the first place. But for those who do the Lyme treatment without successful elimination of Lyme now have to deal with a body that soon inundated with fungi.

Lyme Disease and Amalgam Fillings, Vaccines, and Other Toxic Compounds

Mercury toxicity has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, panic attacks, insomnia, cognitive decline (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and more), chronic headaches including migraines, joint pain, Candida overgrowth, and much more. The body cannot fend off Lyme under such conditions. People with a history or poor diet, antibiotic use, mercury fillings, or immunizations, are extremely susceptible to Lyme disease and the many co-infections the come with it.

This is an excerpt from the extensive article Best Supplements To Kill Lyme and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Lyme Disease.

Asbestos and Benzene in Crayons and Markers

(Dr. Mercola) The term “asbestos” is used to describe six types of fibrous, heat-resistant asbestos minerals: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite — all of which are carcinogenic to humans.1 While asbestos kills 100,000 people each year and is banned in nearly 60 countries,2 the mineral continues to be legally used in the U.S.3

The World Health Organization calls exposure to benzene a major public health concern4 as it has been associated with a range of cancers and aplastic anemia. Sources include industrial processes, indoor air, food and water. The chemical is liquid at room temperature and evaporates quickly, often sinking to low-lying areas as the vapor is heavier than air.5

A recent report from a federation of U.S. and Canadian nonprofit organizations operating under the umbrella of the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups (US PIRG) reveals these same chemicals may be found in some of the back-to-school supplies you purchase for your children.6

Recommended: Your Wild Salmon May Actually Be Farmed…Or Trout

Leave These Off Your Back-to-School Supply Shopping List

Laboratory testing on popular school supplies, such as markers, crayons, glue and spiral notebooks, revealed toxic chemicals such as lead, asbestos, phthalates and BTEX compounds, including benzene and toluene. Supplies were purchased across the country from a variety of big box stores, online retailers and arts and crafts stores.7

The results revealed asbestos in Playskool crayons; a three-ring binder from Dollar Tree contained high levels of phthalates; dry erase markers contained benzene; and two water bottles were recalled due to high levels of lead.8

Although alarming, the results actually demonstrate a reduction in the amount and level of dangerous chemicals used in the manufacture of children’s art and school supplies. According to Kara Cook-Schultz, toxics director at US PRIG and lead author of the report:9 “The good news is that when we were testing three years ago, all sorts of brands came back with asbestos. Now it’s just this one.”

Tests run in 2015 on major brands including Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse crayons and Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle crayons demonstrated trace amounts of asbestos fibers.

At the time, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) acknowledged asbestos trapped in wax may have limited inhalation danger, but noted children sometimes eat crayons and recommended parents avoid those brands as a precaution.10

Since then, most manufacturers have changed their process to eliminate even trace elements. After the report was released, a spokesperson for Dollar Tree stated all their products are independently tested and met legal and safety standards. Leap Year, the licensee of the product, also released a statement, saying:11

“We are aware of a report of trace amounts of asbestos being detected in a small amount of product testing conducted by a private group and are reviewing our own certified lab testing, which to our knowledge, passes all regulatory requirements and had no detectable asbestos.”

Recommended: With 8,000 Lawsuits Pending, Bayer Claims No Buyer’s Remorse Following Monsanto Verdict

Phthalates and Benzene Detected in Frequently Used School Supplies

Learning asbestos may be found in school supplies raises red flags, but it’s important to note the study also found phthalates, BTEX and lead in children’s products. Researchers found three-ring binders, made by Jot and sold at Dollar Tree, tested positive for phthalates, a chemical linked with asthma, obesity and reduced IQ.12

Phthalates are pervasive chemicals found in cosmetics, foods, household cleaners and plastic products. For the most part, they are added to plastics to make them durable and flexible, but since they are not strongly bound, they easily leach or migrate out of the products that contain them and into your environment.

Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals and are “reasonably considered to be a human carcinogen.”13 What’s more, research suggests even minute amounts can cause significant harm, especially in children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is even asking parents to limit their children’s exposure to plastic chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenols, as these chemicals may damage your child’s health for years to come.14,15

The data also indicated BTEX chemicals such as benzene, xylene and toluene — all known carcinogenic chemicals — were found in dry erase markers made by Expos and The Board Dudes.16These chemicals may be responsible for the sweet smell emanating from the markers.

According to the US PRIG:17 “Benzene is a probable carcinogen linked to dangerous disruptions in sexual reproduction, liver and kidney function and immune system functioning.”

Recommended: Trump EPA Announces the Reversal of Obama Fuel Economy Mandate

Asbestos Is Still Legal, Dangerous and Use May Be Expanding

Asbestos is primarily linked to lung conditions, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.18 Although many believe exposure is a thing of the past, it remains a deadly public health concern and may become an even larger one in the near future.

After a 10-year study of the effects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered asbestos phased out in 1989.19 The asbestos industry then took the EPA to court and won a ruling that has essentially hamstrung the agency and its efforts to ban not only asbestos but other dangerous materials.

The chemical kills as many as 15,000 Americans each year from mesothelioma, asbestosis or other lung cancers.20 There is no safe level, as even brief exposure can cause mesothelioma. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) Action Fund analysis determined more than 8.2 million pounds of raw asbestos and waste products containing asbestos arrived in U.S. ports between 2006 and 2018.

Nearly 25 million American homes have asbestos in attic insulation and more can be found in pipes, flooring, wall shingles or ceiling finishes.21 In fact, it may show up in kitchen appliances, cement and some heat-resistant fabric and clothing. The bottom line is that while it is lethal, it continues to be legal and used in common consumer products.

What’s worse, the number of consumer products containing asbestos may soon grow, as the Trump administration has proposed a rule to open the door for asbestos to make a comeback. Prior to becoming president, Trump indicated his support of the chemical by suggesting asbestos could have prevented the collapse of the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks.22

New Proposed Rule May Increase Use of Asbestos in Home Products

The new proposed rule would require manufacturers to alert the EPA if they want to use asbestos in an array of building or electrical materials. However, Melanie Benesh, legislative attorney for EWG, and Thomas Burke, environmental epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, believe this may present a problem.23

A combination of previous omissions and the proposed rule may leave room for manufacturers to increase use of asbestos in new products. In December 2017, Brazil, the leading exporter of asbestos to the U.S., issued a nationwide ban on mining, use and commercialization of asbestos.24

Although lethal, the U.S. had imported 705 metric tons from overseas, 95 percent of which came from Brazil. This change places Russia in the unique position to become the largest exporter to the U.S., and Russian manufacturers see an opportunity to expand their market while Trump remains president.

Believing the continued support of the Trump administration will increase profits, one Russian company has gone so far as to stamp Trump’s face on their packaging, along with an “Approved by Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States” stamp.25

Burke believes the road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but the same applies to environmental protections, citing the gasoline additive MTBE used so fuel burns cleaner, saying:26

“This is now perhaps one of the most pervasive drinking water contaminants and groundwater contaminants in the U.S. That’s what happens when you use a narrow lens, when you have the blinders on. Asbestos is a bellwether issue for the protection of public health and chemical safety. It’s important to have a public health approach that looks at the full range of uses and potential risk to a population.”

Look for Safety Labeling in Your Art Supplies

To ensure your child’s safety, Cook-Schultz recommends parents check products for nontoxic labels or to check with manufacturers for the Children’s Product Certificate,27 which guarantees the product was made in a factory adhering to CPSC standards.28 The US PRIG recommends:29

“Given that it is often legal to sell products containing these toxic substances, parents can do several things. First, look for the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) ‘AP’ label, letting consumers know that the product is nontoxic.

If there is no AP label, look for the manufacturer’s ‘Children’s Product Certificate’ on the product, which assures parents that the product has been tested in a third-party laboratory under government specifications.

If neither of those labels is on the product, parents can reach out to the manufacturers and ask that they start using AP certification, or that they meet the requirements needed for a children’s product certificate.”

ACMI’s “AP” seal indicates the product is certified nontoxic and a medical expert has evaluated the product and the ingredients, while the “CL” (caution label) seal indicates the ingredients are toxic or hazardous but may be used safely with appropriate caution.

Products bearing the CL seal should only be used by those who are able to read, understand and follow suggested safety precautions for handling the materials.30

You can also look for the California Proposition 65 label. This label indicates the product contains chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Even if only a trace amount is found, a warning is required by California and caution is recommended when using these products.31