Eight Signs You May Have a Leaky Gut

Eight Signs You May Have A Leaky Gut 

https://www.liverdoctor.com/8-signs-may-leaky-gut/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Liverdoctor%20Health%20News&utm_content=LD+20.08.15

Homeopathy successfully treats Leaky Gut Syndrome. 
Read more here www.homeopathyforwomen.org/leaky_gut_syndrome.htm  

Your intestines are the gateway to your health. If your gut is healthy, chances are your overall state of health is good. Whereas if your digestive health is poor, you probably experience several varied health problems. One of the most common is fatigue.
You may have heard of leaky gut syndrome. It is increasingly being recognized as an underlying factor in most inflammatory and immune mediated health problems.

What is a leaky gut?

Your intestine is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb vital nutrients. At the same time, it is designed in a way to prevent large or harmful molecules from gaining entry to the bloodstream. In some circumstances, the healthy intestinal barrier can become inflamed or irritated, leaving it excessively permeable to harmful substances.
In some people, gluten can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, which is a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Other factors can also break down the gut lining and make it excessively leaky; most commonly gut infections, parasites, alcohol, stress, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
When these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut. When your gut is leaky, harmful things like bacteria, toxins, heavy metals and undigested food particles can leak through your intestines into your bloodstream. Once they get into your bloodstream, the first place they head is your liver. This puts a great strain on your liver function and it’s not surprising that most people who have had a leaky gut for some time eventually go on to develop poor liver health. Sometimes they even develop elevated liver enzymes.

What causes leaky gut?

The number one cause of leaky gut syndrome is gluten. A large percentage of the population just cannot digest gluten properly, and it triggers inflammation in the intestinal lining. You do not need to have celiac disease in order for gluten to make you very sick. Other common culprit foods are dairy products (casein), sugar and any food you are allergic to (eg. Nuts, eggs, soy, corn). Alcohol promotes increased intestinal permeability as well as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Gut infections promote a leaky gut. The most common infectious causes are Candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). You can develop these types of infections from consuming too much sugar, poor hygiene or food poisoning.
The most common medications to promote leaky gut are antibiotics, particularly if taken long term such as for acne or bladder infections. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Motrin and Advil are common culprits. Steroids and stomach acid suppressing drugs also promote leaky gut.

8 Signs You May Have a Leaky Gut

If you suffer from any of the following conditions, it’s likely that you have a leaky gut.

1. Digestive problems like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
2. Hay fever, allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. Seasonal allergies, or year round allergies usually indicate compromised digestive health. I’ve found that quercetin and bromelain are fantastic for providing symptom relief quickly, and they are found in Allergy Relief tablets. To reduce the risk of developing these kinds of allergies in the first place, it is vital to restore your gut health.
3. Food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity. These are clues that indicate you are not digesting your food thoroughly, and the resulting immune reaction in your intestines is inflaming the delicate gut lining.
4. Skin problems like itchy skin, acne vulgaris or acne rosacea, cystic acne, psoriasis, dermatitis or eczema. If the skin on the outside of your body is inflamed, you can be certain that the skin on the inside is inflamed too. The lining of your insides, from your mouth right down to your anus is really like an internal skin. Healing the skin on your inside is the key to glowing, radiant, healthy skin on the outside.
5. Mood disorders such as anxiety or depression, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Harmful bugs in your intestines produce toxins that can travel right through your bloodstream and they can even cross through your blood brain barrier. These toxins can disrupt the production of neurotransmitters in your brain and negatively affect your mood.
6. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. There is a great deal of solid research to confirm the link between autoimmune disease and leaky gut syndrome. An excessively permeable gut lining is thought to be a trigger for the development of an autoimmune disease, as well as a driving force in flare ups. There are 81 recognized autoimmune diseases; the most common ones are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
7. Autism. Autism is a very complex disorder and there are several factors that can trigger autism in a genetically susceptible child. According to Professor Alessio Fasano, a leaky gut is necessary but not sufficient to promote the development of autism.
8. Joint pain. This is a classic symptom of an inflamed gut. Toxins that enter the bloodstream through the gut lining typically lodge in the joints and create pain and inflammation. If this is allowed to continue for years, it can wear away the protective cartilage and create structural problems. Serrapeptase is a powerful anti-inflammatory enzyme that can reduce inflammation in the joints, helping to relieve pain.

How can you heal a leaky gut?

• Remove all known and suspected problematic foods. Gluten, dairy products and sugar should be eliminated. Since they very commonly cause food intolerance or allergy, it may be necessary to temporarily eliminate other foods such as soy, corn, nuts and eggs. It is best to be guided by a naturopath or nutritionist in this matter.
• Kill harmful gut microbes. Berberine is an herbal extract with the ability to kill a range of different pathogens and is strongly recommended for anyone dealing with a parasitic gut infection or SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). It has shown efficacy against various bacterial strains, including cholera, giardia, shigella, and salmonella, along with staphylococcus, streptococcus, and clostridium. Berberine also has anti-protozoal effects against Giardia lamblia, Trichomonas vaginalis and Leishmania donovani. Berberine has remarkable abilities to heal a leaky gut. It helps to strengthen tight junctions between cells of the small intestine, thereby reducing intestinal permeability. Berberine also protects gut cells from the damaging effects of bacterial endotoxins (such as lipopolysaccharide), and reduces the amount of lipopolysaccharide absorbed into the bloodstream and entering the liver.
• Heal the lining of your intestines with a glutamine supplement. Glutamine literally helps to heal and seal the gut because it provides fuel for the intestinal cells; helping to repair and regenerate them.
• Re-inoculate your intestines with beneficial microbes. A good quality probiotic is helpful, as is including fermented foods in your diet, such as sauerkraut, kefir and kimchi.

There is more information about leaky gut syndrome in our book The Ultimate Detox.

"Hook, Line and Stinker, The Truth About Fermented Cod Liver Oil" by Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD

 If you are taking FCLO (fermented cod liver oil) please review the attached long (110 page) document on its quality and efficacy, written by Dr. Kaayla T. Daniel.

See this website page for the full report: http://drkaayladaniel.com/are-you-hooked-on-fermented-cod-liver-oil/

These Are Her Conclusions, At The End Of The Document:

“Lab tests indicate the Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil is rancid; putrid; low in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K; apparently diluted with a trans-fat containing vegetable oil — and not even from cod. We have reliable reports that the X-Factor Gold Butter Oil comes from Argentina, not the Great Plains, and it tests rancid as well. And contrary to Green Pasture’s advertising, Dr. Weston A. Price’s own words make it clear that these are not products he would ever have endorsed.

Do you feel betrayed? Let down by the very health experts you trusted? Worried that you may have harmed your loved ones? Upset that you allowed “expert” opinion to override your own good common sense? Angry that you overpaid for a

product that evidence indicates was not as labeled?

Then it’s time to take back your power.

First, talk to friends and family who are taking Green Pasture products. Send them to www.drkaayladaniel.com  to get their own free copy of this report.

Then take care not to be duped again.

Know where your food is coming from. Boat to bottle. Farm to fork.

Know how your food is grown and made. No secrets. No evasions.

Be skeptical of health claims. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And being “all natural” doesn’t change that. Finally, if you think you have health challenges related to FCLO consumption, share your story with friends, colleagues . . . and me. If you think you’ve been harmed, I would like to offer you a FREE mini appointment by phone or face-to face on Skype. To share your story or to make your appointment, contact me at wholenutritionist@earthlink.net”

 

Newly Found Lymphatic System Connects Brain & Immunity

http://todayspractitioner.com/alzheimers/newly-found-lymphatic-system-connects-brain-immunity/?utm_source=RESENDAug172015V2&utm_campaign=ResendAug202015&utm_medium=email

August 17, 2015

 

You can forget everything you learned in medical school about the lymphatic system (well, not everything). But researchers at the University of Virginia found undiscovered vessels that directly connect the brain and lymphatic system, as published in Nature. Despite decades of contrary opinions they did not exist, this changes everything we understand diseases like autism, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. “The first time these guys showed me the basic result, I just said one sentence: ‘They’ll have to change the textbooks,” said Kevin Lee, PhD, chairman of the UVA Department of Neuroscience, described his reaction to the discovery. “There has never been a lymphatic system for the central nervous system, and it was very clear from that first singular observation – and they’ve done many studies since then to bolster the finding – that it will fundamentally change the way people look at the central nervous system’s relationship with the immune system.”

 

It’s a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, said researchers at the School of Medicine. They are surprised as any that such vessels could have escaped detection when the lymphatic system has been so thoroughly mapped throughout the body is surprising on its own, but the true significance of the discovery lies in the effects it could have on the study and treatment of neurological diseases ranging from autism to Alzheimer’s disease to multiple sclerosis.”Instead of asking, ‘How do we study the immune response of the brain?’ ‘Why do multiple sclerosis patients have the immune attacks?’ now we can approach this mechanistically. Because the brain is like every other tissue connected to the peripheral immune system through meningeal lymphatic vessels,” said Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, professor in the UVA Department of Neuroscience and director of UVA’s Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG). “It changes entirely the way we perceive the neuro-immune interaction. We always perceived it before as something esoteric that can’t be studied. But now we can ask mechanistic questions.””We believe that for every neurological disease that has an immune component to it, these vessels may play a major role,” Kipnis said. “Hard to imagine that these vessels would not be involved in a [neurological] disease with an immune component.”

“Very well hidden”

Even Kipnis was skeptical initially. “I really did not believe there are structures in the body that we are not aware of. I thought the body was mapped,” he said. “I thought that these discoveries ended somewhere around the middle of the last century. But apparently they have not.”

 

The discovery was made possible by the work of Antoine Louveau, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Kipnis’ lab. The vessels were detected after Louveau developed a method to mount a mouse’s meninges – the membranes covering the brain – on a single slide so that they could be examined as a whole. “It was fairly easy, actually,” he said. “There was one trick: We fixed the meninges within the skullcap, so that the tissue is secured in its physiological condition, and then we dissected it. If we had done it the other way around, it wouldn’t have worked.”

After noticing vessel-like patterns in the distribution of immune cells on his slides, he tested for lymphatic vessels and there they were. The impossible existed. The soft-spoken Louveau recalled the moment: “I called Jony [Kipnis] to the microscope and I said, ‘I think we have something.'”

As to how the brain’s lymphatic vessels managed to escape notice all this time, Kipnis described them as “very well hidden” and noted that they follow a major blood vessel down into the sinuses, an area difficult to image. “It’s so close to the blood vessel, you just miss it,” he said. “If you don’t know what you’re after, you just miss it.”

“Live imaging of these vessels was crucial to demonstrate their function, and it would not be possible without collaboration with Tajie Harris,” Kipnis noted. Harris, a PhD, is an assistant professor of neuroscience and a member of the BIG center. Kipnis also saluted the “phenomenal” surgical skills of Igor Smirnov, a research associate in the Kipnis lab whose work was critical to the imaging success of the study.

Alzheimer’s, autism, MS and beyond

The unexpected presence of the lymphatic vessels raises a tremendous number of questions that now need answers, both about the workings of the brain and the diseases that plague it. For example, take Alzheimer’s disease. “In Alzheimer’s, there are accumulations of big protein chunks in the brain,” Kipnis said. “We think they may be accumulating in the brain because they’re not being efficiently removed by these vessels.” He noted that the vessels look different with age, so the role they play in aging is another avenue to explore. And there’s an enormous array of other neurological diseases, from autism to multiple sclerosis, that must be reconsidered in light of the presence of something science insisted did not exist.

 

Anti-viral Foods for Infections

Anti-viral Foods for Infections

https://www.liverdoctor.com/anti-viral-foods/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Liverdoctor%20Health%20News&utm_content=LD+14.07.15

This information has been carefully researched and will be invaluable to those with chronic viral hepatitis who wish to optimize their chances of good health. Nutritional medicine can help to reduce the ability of these hepatitis viruses from damaging your liver and can reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Let us begin!

All plants contain antiviral compounds but few foods have been thoroughly tested to confirm how many of these compounds exist in each plant and which viruses they kill. At this time we do not know how the viruses get blocked or killed but in general, we have laboratory study evidence, as well as immune enhancing effects in humans. These foods are also rich in essential nutrients needed for a strong immune system and a healthy liver.

Historical usage also counts; for instance, lemon has long been a cold and flu remedy, and citrus fruits contain 15 different antiviral compounds; lemon leaf having the highest known concentration of antiviral compounds of any plant.

More than 350 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis B virus, which kills more than a million people each year due to acute and chronic hepatitis, and liver cancer. The hepatitis B virus, which attacks the liver, is spread through infected blood transfusions, needle sharing by intravenous drug abusers and sexual contact. Hepatitis B is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world.

Examples of food that contain known antiviral compounds

Food	Concentration of antiviral activity in parts per million
Walnut	1,375,300 (4 compounds)
Pomegranate	752,000 (2 compounds)
Coconut	739,884 (4 compounds)
Common tea leaves	714,946 (18 compounds)

Source: Dr Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/activity.pl

Given the very different nature of the foods in the table this suggests that a diet rich in varied types of plant foods is basically an antiviral diet.
All these foods have been identified as containing antiviral activity and many have been shown to improve immune and liver function.

Some of my recommended foods, notably medicinal mushrooms and sea vegetables, are an acquired taste and I hope you will gradually get to enjoy them!
I am convinced that eating a wide range of plant foods and herbs, in as natural a state as possible, will help to reduce the severity of chronic infections with the hepatitis B and C viruses.
I am not recommending that eating only one antiviral food each day will help treat viral hepatitis, so don’t eat enormous quantities of any one food.

Anti-viral Foods List

• Medicinal Mushrooms
• Sea vegetables (sea weeds)
• Citrus fruits but especially lemons
• Cabbage family
• Carrot family
• Onion family – onions, garlic, leeks, shallots
• Coconut flesh, milk and virgin cold pressed coconut oil
• Tomatoes
• Whey
• Blackcurrants and their juice
• Tea
• Walnuts
• Pomegranate
• Flavonoid rich foods such as citrus fruits, buckwheat
• Lignan rich foods such as whole ground flaxseeds
• Highly coloured fruits and vegetables which are high-antioxidant foods – they are much more powerful if they are fresh and in season and have been ripened naturally

Anti-viral Mushroom Soup Recipe

• 8 whole dried shitake or reishi mushrooms
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup rice
• 2 carrots, sliced into pieces
• 3 teaspoons miso
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

* Instruction:

• Soak the mushrooms in one cup water.
• Bring the rice to the boil in 5 cups water, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Cut each mushroom into three or more slices, and add to the rice, together with the soaking water; simmer for further 20 minutes.
• Add the carrots, and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and stir in the miso, parsley and coriander

If you like ginger, add in about 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh grated.
Serve with finely cut fresh parsley and/or chives.
Serves 3

Nori strips with salmon and rice

• 1 fillet Atlantic salmon (other fish could be used)
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce*
• 4 sheets nori cut into segments about 5cm (2 inches) x 20cm (8 inches)
• 1 cup hot or cold cooked rice
• 1 large handful fresh herbs – chopped

* Instruction:

• Place the salmon in a small baking dish, sprinkle with the lemon juice and soy sauce.
• Cover the salmon with fresh herbs; then cover with foil or a lid.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 180oC.
• Carefully remove all the bones, flake the fish with a fork into a small serving bowl.
• Each person makes their own sushi by placing about 2-3 teaspoons of the mix at one end of a nori strip and rolling it up with the fingers.
  Serves two as an entrée

Lemon

Lemon and other citrus fruits contain at least 15 different antiviral compounds and should be consumed daily by those serious about avoiding liver damage from hepatitis viruses. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best source of anti-viral substances and vitamin C. I drink lemon juice everyday to control sinusitis and strengthen my immune system.

Other ways of getting antiviral properties from citrus:

• Add some grated lemon peel to salads, soups, casseroles, and to baked goods such as cakes and muffins.
• Eat or juice four different citrus fruits (lemon, orange, lime, mandarin or grapefruit) daily as a preventive.
• Have one glass citrus juice, three times daily if you have the flu – use a combination of oranges, limes and lemons. If you pass the fruit through a juice extracting machine you can leave a lot of the white pith attached so that this is juiced along with the flesh; this makes its healing properties stronger.
  Changing your diet and lifestyle can be stressful but if at the very least you can –
• Add in one healthy food or recipe a week
• Make or buy a raw juice several times a week
• Drink the juice of 2 limes or 2 lemons every day – you will not only strengthen your immune system, you will also slow down the aging process !

Selenium is the most important mineral for the immune system to function at its optimal level; indeed without adequate selenium in your body, your immune system will remain vulnerable to attack. It’s amazing to think that despite the profound importance of selenium to a strong immune system, many people remain deficient in this life enhancing mineral.

Research has proven that selenium is vital for healthy immune system function. A selenium deficiency suppresses your immune system and makes you more prone to infections, especially viral infections. Viruses replicate more easily in selenium deficient people. For this reason selenium is sometimes called the “viral birth control pill”. Selenium enhances the function of your white blood cells. Selenium is found in Brazil nuts and some seafood. If you don’t get adequate selenium in your diet, Selenomune Designer Energy capsules can help.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

 

 

Low Vitamin D Associated with Colon Cancer

Low Vitamin D Associated with Colon Cancer

http://www.cpmedical.net/breaking_news_page/low-vitamin-d-associated-with-colon-cancer?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProThera,%20Inc.%28newsletters@prothera.com%29&utm_content=Breaking+News+Practitioner+7-14+New

A study epublished in March 2015 indicates that low plasma vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. In the U.S., colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer, excluding skin cancers, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death when data from men and women are combined.

Researchers evaluated 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels [25(OH)D] in 274 women with colorectal cancer and 274 control subjects. The subjects were matched for age, ethnicity, fasting status at the time of blood collection, time of day when blood was drawn, and month of blood draw.

Mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were lower in the women with colorectal cancer compared to the control subjects. More specifically, women with the highest 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels had a 55% decreased risk of colorectal cancer compared to the women with the lowest vitamin D levels. Additionally, women with higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D had a 60% decreased risk of mortality from colorectal cancer compared to the subjects with the lowest levels.

The researchers stated, "In this cohort of healthy women, we found a significant inverse association between prediagnostic 25(OH)D levels and risk of incident colorectal cancer, and a borderline significant inverse association between prediagnostic 25(OH)D levels and colorectal cancer mortality. These results support a possible association between plasma 25(OH)D and risk of colorectal cancer in women."

Reference:

Chandler PD, et al. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2015 Mar 26. [Epub ahead of print.]

__,_._,___

Why You Need To Identify and Treat Heavy Metal Toxicities

Why You Need To Identify and Treat Heavy Metal Toxicities

http://blog.drbrownstein.com/?utm_source=eblast&utm_medium=email&utm_content=blog_link&utm_campaign=blast_new_blog

by Dr Brownstein

Heavy metal toxicity is, unfortunately, alive and well in our modern world. An article in the Tribune News Service (July 6, 2015) reported that any exposure to lead, even as a toddler or in the womb, could lead to a host of permanent neurological problems. These problems include headaches, a lowered IQ and a propensity for violence. The article detailed how ubiquitous lead exposure is and how it continues to cause harm today. Lead exposure can occur from old leaded paint and deposits from old vehicle emissions (e.g., leaded gasoline).

For nearly 20 years, I have been checking my patients for heavy metal levels. Unfortunately, lead and mercury toxicities occur in the vast majority of my patients—over 80%. Once a heavy metal toxicity is identified, a detoxification program can be initiated.

It is important to have your heavy metal levels analyzed. Unfortunately, in our toxic world, high levels of heavy metals is the norm. What are the consequences of having high levels of mercury, lead or another heavy metal? As I mentioned before, heavy metal toxicity can lead to a host of neurological problems including dementia, brain fog, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

The human body does not like heavy metals ‘floating’ around in the serum. Therefore, it tightly binds them up primarily in fat tissue. However, if a person with high heavy metal levels loses a significant amount of weight, especially in the fatty areas of the body, they can release a toxic load of heavy metals into the serum. Unfortunately, neurological tissue can also bind heavy metals. If the fat tissues or there is not enough fat to bind heavy metals, neurologic tissue will store the metals. Studies have shown that small amounts of mercury can destroy nerve fibers.

What can you do? The first step is to work with a health care practitioner who is knowledgeable about heavy metals. The practitioner should know how to test for and how to treat heavy metal toxicity. I can guarantee you that nearly all physicians neither have the knowledge nor the training to do this. I suggest finding a holistic health care practitioner who does have the appropriate education to identify and treat heavy metal toxicity.

I routinely test my patients for heavy metal toxicities using hair, urine and serum testing. Furthermore, I find chelation challenge tests invaluable to identifying a heavy metal excess. A simple blood test will not suffice as I mentioned previously that the body does not like heavy metals ‘floating’ around in the blood stream. A chelation challenge test is performed by injecting or ingesting a chelating substance such as EDTA, DMPS, or DMSA, and then collecting urine for a few hours afterwards. The chelating substances will bind metals in the body and deposit them in the urine.

If you are not feeling well, find a health care practitioner who can test and treat you for heavy metal toxicity. Once you identify which heavy metal is present, you can institute a targeted detoxification plan. Ensuring that the liver detoxification pathways are optimally functioning can aid any detoxification plan. My partners and I have designed a product, Total Liver Care (TLC) by PureZen Health to help supply the body with the correct raw materials to enhance the detoxification pathways. Also, taking supplemental vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid helps any detoxification plan.   It is important to drink enough water in order to help the body flush out toxins.   Finally, eat healthy food free of toxic pesticides, insecticides and synthetic hormones.

Remember, you don’t have to suffer with feeling poorly. Identifying and treating heavy metal toxicities can help you take charge of your health care and allow your body to properly detoxify.

 

Health Risks of Fluoridation

Paul Connett on the Health Risks of Fluoridation Video:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/14/fluoride-health-effects.aspx?x_cid=youtube’

By Stuart Cooper
Campaign Manager, Fluoride Action Network (FAN)

Just when you thought the evidence against fluoridation couldn’t get any more damning, several new studies and reviews have been published so far in just the past five months that ought to condemn fluoridation to the history books once and for all.   

The video above features a brief overview by Dr. Paul Connett, director of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN),  about the health risks of water fluoridation you may have not been aware of.

Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher Prevalence of ADHD

A new study links water fluoridation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States. The study,¹ entitled: “Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association,” was published in the journal Environmental Health in February.

According to the authors:

“State prevalence of artificial water fluoridation in 1992 significantly positively predicted state prevalence of ADHD in 2003, 2007 and 2011, even after controlling for socioeconomic status.

A multivariate regression analysis showed that after socioeconomic status was controlled each 1 percent increase in artificial fluoridation prevalence in 1992 was associated with approximately 67,000 to 131,000 additional ADHD diagnoses from 2003 to 2011.

Overall state water fluoridation prevalence (not distinguishing between fluoridation types) was also significantly positively correlated with state prevalence of ADHD for all but one year examined.

Conclusions: Parents reported higher rates of medically-diagnosed ADHD in their children in states in which a greater proportion of people receive fluoridated water from public water supplies."

Elevated Hypothyroidism Rates Linked to Fluoride Consumption in the UK

Also in February, a major fluoridation study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health--a British Medical Journal (BMJ) publication—and it’s already getting major media attention.²

The study^3,4,5 is a large observational evaluation of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water. It’s the first study to ever look at fluoridation and hypothyroidism in a large population, in this case, England.

It found a relatively strong and statistically significant effect, with General Practice (GP) areas being 62 percent more likely to have high rates of diagnosed hypothyroidism if their drinking water fluoride levels were above 0.7ppm compared to areas with fluoride levels below 0.3ppm.

This was after researchers had accounted for key confounders, which are other factors that influence hypothyroid rates.

An additional comparison was performed of two large metropolitan regions, one that is artificially fluoridated at a level of about 1.0 ppm (greater Birmingham area), and the other which is nearby and similar demographics but is not artificially fluoridated (greater Manchester),

The study found a 94 percent greater probability that GPs in fluoridated Birmingham would have high hypothyroidism rates compared to Manchester. For all of England, the prevalence rate of hypothyroidism was almost 10 percent greater in those GPs with higher fluoride levels compared to those with lowest levels.

The findings led to the researchers calling for a “rethink of public health policy to fluoridate the water supply,” adding “consideration needs to be given to reducing fluoride exposure, and public dental health interventions should stop [those] reliant on ingested fluoride and switch to topical fluoride-based and non-fluoride-based interventions.”

Fluoride Is an Endocrine Disruptor

According to FAN’s Science Director, Chris Neurath:

“Scientific and medical research stretching back to the 1920s has shown that fluoride can affect the thyroid. The levels of fluoride exposure known to lower thyroid function overlap with the levels of exposure known to occur in some people drinking artificially fluoridated water.

Hypothyroidism is a very common disorder in the US. It can have serious adverse health effects. Reduced thyroid function in pregnant women is linked to reduced IQ in their children.

There is accumulating evidence that fluoride, at levels within the range fluoridated populations are exposed to, is associated with lowered IQ. Fluoride's effect on thyroid function might be the mechanism by which it lowers IQ.”

The article notes that "thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine disorder..." The first time fluoride was labeled an endocrine disrupter was in the 2006 report⁶ of the National Resource Council of the National Academies.

According to the National Institutes of Health,⁷ “Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.”

As far as we know, promoters pushing fluoridation have never referred to this ominous label. FAN’s study tracker⁸ also contains a number of previous studies showing fluoride has a detrimental effect on thyroid health.

New IQ Study Links Fluorosis to Neurotoxicity

There are over 100 animal experiments linking fluoride consumption to a decrease in IQ. Thirty-one animal experiments out of 33 that investigated animal behavior also showed learning and memory problems associated with fluoride consumption, and 43 out of 50 human studies have shown that modest levels of fluoride negatively affect IQ. The video below features Michael Connett of the Fluoride Action Network giving a presentation on the mounting evidence that fluoride reduces IQ in children.

Twenty-seven of these studies were recently reviewed by a team from Harvard School of Public Health. Twenty-six of these studies showed a decrease in IQ (an average drop of 7 points), and the average fluoride level in the water for 20 of these studies was only 3.52 ppm, which is lower than the current safe drinking standard in the US for fluoride of 4.0ppm. 

Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that a new study on fluoride’s impact on IQ further proves the neurotoxicity of the drinking water additive. This new pilot study⁹ in China looked at lifetime exposure to fluoride and cognitive functions in Chinese children. It was carried out at fluoride levels that overlap levels used in US fluoridation programs. They didn’t measure IQ specifically in this study, but reported the results of a very simple test: the child’s ability to repeat a sequence of numbers both forwards and backwards.

Even children with very mild dental fluorosis performed less well on this specific mental development test, compared to children without fluorosis. One of the experts involved in this study was Dr. David Bellenger who is world famous for his studies on lead’s neurotoxicity. Another co-author was Dr. Philippe Grandjean, and in an editorial on his website Chemical Brain Drain¹⁰ he used this study to counteract the claim from proponents that the IQ findings were not relevant to the fluoride levels used in water fluoridation. Grandjean writes:

“Their lifetime exposures to fluoride from drinking water covered the full range allowed in the US. Among the findings, children with fluoride-induced mottling of their teeth – even the mildest forms that appears as whitish specks on the enamel – showed lower performance on some neuropsychological tests. This observation runs contrary to popular wisdom that the enamel effects represent a cosmetic problem only and not a sign of toxicity. At least one of five American children has some degree of mottling of their teeth… Prevention of chemical brain drain should be considered at least as important as protection against caries.”

HHS Admits Overexposing Americans to Fluoride

In April, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) admitted that the fluoride levels, which they promoted and encouraged as safe, has damaged children’s teeth.^11,12,13 Because of the major increase in dental fluorosis (white spotted, yellow, brown and/or pitted teeth) on the teeth of 41 percent of teenagers,¹⁴ HHS says that water fluoride levels should be lowered to 0.7 mg/L (formerly most communities used 1 mg/L while the guideline was 0.7 – 1.2 mg/L) and in 10 years they’ll check children’s teeth to see if they were right about this new level.

In January 2011 when the HSS first announced this recommendation, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water released documents to substantiate the safety of continuing water fluoridation. However, the EPA has not yet responded to the many substantive comments they received (eg, FAN’s submissions: Dose-Response Analysis for Non-Cancer Effects and Exposure and Relative Source Contribution Analysis).

So while HSS has finalized the guideline for the level of fluoride in fluoridation schemes, the safety of the issue has not yet been addressed. The HSS response to these concerns was to whitewash them. HHS ignored hundreds of animal studies that reported adverse health effects from fluoride and the 43 studies linking fluoride to children’s lowered IQ. When fluoridation began, officials had no idea that fluoride could affect cognitive functions. 

Nor did HHS comment on two well-publicized studies released this year linking fluoridation with ADHD¹⁵ (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and underactive thyroid. HSS did not address the fact that infants who receive formula made with fluoridated water at the new guideline level will receive 175 times more fluoride than breast-fed infants. David Kennedy DDS, a member of FAN’s Board of Directors, noted: “The HHS continues its long term support for a policy that grossly overdoses bottle-fed infants and others in our communities with fluoride.”

HSS also stated in its press release that a report¹⁶ on the toxicology of fluoride by the National Research Council of the National Academies “found no evidence substantial enough to support effects other than severe dental fluorosis at these levels.” What HSS failed to state is that the NRC report of 2006 stated for the first time that fluoride is an “endocrine disruptor,”¹⁷ which means it has the potential to wreak havoc with the biology and fate of humans. This is far more significant than severe dental fluorosis. Yet severe dental fluorosis is the only endpoint of concern that HSS considers as an adverse effect of fluoride exposure.

According to the HSS, the good news is that “the new recommendation will lead to a reduction of approximately 25 percent (range: 12 percent–42 percent) in fluoride intake from drinking water alone and a reduction of approximately 14 percent (range: 5 percent–29 percent) in total fluoride intake.” HSS says at least 96 percent of the 19,300 comments they received were opposed to adding fluoride to drinking water.

They mentioned Fluoride Action Network indirectly when they said that 18,500 comments came from “an organization opposing community water fluoridation.” None of the concerns that Fluoride Action Network submitted¹⁸ to HSS in 2011 were adequately responded to in HSS documents released on . These concerns included:

1. Using the water supply to mass medicate the population is unethical.
2. The benefit and safety of ingested fluoride has never been proved by accepted medical standards.
3. Any benefits of fluoride are primarily topical, not systemic.
4. Americans will still be over-exposed to fluoride at 0.7 ppm.
5. Infants will not be protected.
6. African-American children and low-income children will not be protected.
7. HHS has failed to consider fluoride as an endocrine disruptor.
8. HHS has failed to consider or investigate current rates of skeletal fluorosis in the US.

Fluoridegate: New Evidence of Government Cover-up

Using the Freedom of Information Act, Daniel Stockin of the Lilie Center in Georgia  obtained all the un-redacted correspondence¹⁹ among  individuals at the CDC, ADA, and Pew involved in the attempt in May-June of 2011 to “put the lid on” concerns from Civil Rights leaders in Atlanta (former UN Ambassador Andrew Young; the Rev Durley and the niece and daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr.) about the disproportionate harm fluoridation is causing Black and Hispanic communities in the US, and the failure of the CDC to warn these communities of their extra vulnerabilities to fluoride (“FluorideGate”).^{20,21, 22,23,24}

These statements from Civil Rights leaders were of huge concern to fluoridation promoters. According to Dr. Leon Stanislav (who was sent by the ADA to the meeting discussed below): “This is becoming a very large picture with a movement through the black ministries and, possibly, even as high as the administration.” (p.260)

Having read through the 320 pages of documentation²⁵ provided by FOIA, it is clear that much of the information has been redacted—80 pages were blanked out, and another 45 pages were partially blanked out. It is puzzling that so much of the discussion on this public health practice is deemed so confidential it has to be kept hidden from the public. Usually, there are very serious reasons (e.g. national security) why FOIA pages are redacted. However, in this case national security would not apply. So when it comes to the defense of a public health practice the redaction of so much material would seem to fly in the face of the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Morehouse College Meeting

The key event at the heart of the “fluoridation fortress (CDC, ADA, Pew)” response to the Civil Rights’ leaders was a meeting held at Morehouse College in Atlanta on June 1, 2011. The meeting was organized behind the scenes by the PEW Charitable Trusts, but they had no representative at the meeting (p.259).

Involved in the discussions before the meeting was Dr. William Maas, former Oral Health Director of the CDC who in 2011 was working for Pew as a consultant.  In one of his emails (dated May 6 to Dr. William Bailey the current Oral Health Director at the CDC) he is clearly worried about the ramifications of the number of studies indicating fluoride damages the brains of both animal and humans.

He writes:

"Bill, you may recall that I suggested some time ago, perhaps even before you were CDO, that we ought to find someone who is 'the Gary Whitford of brain change or IQ studies.' If my recollection is correct, some of the very first studies associating fluoride with IQ were refuted by a review of David Locker. Of course his death has ended that source of ongoing rebuttal. I thought it best that we find out the types of people that other divisions of the CDC would use to answer questions about whether substances cause brain alteration.

Of course our biases may be entirely different that [sic] other divisions. They may be looking for the slightest evidence that something in the environment is bad for brains, whereas we are only interested in compelling evidence that our favorite substance causes brain changes, and want to minimize the credibility of poorly conducted studies or well-conducted studies that are not relevant.

While I don't want to completely dismiss the possibility that fluoride in water at levels provided to the public in the US (that would be 4mg/L or less) causes brain changes, IQ changes, etc, I suspect that all of these 130 studies that were mentioned share some common flaws that someone who studies IQ and brain changes for a living would be able to identify and summarize for us, (much as we've used Gary Whitford to help us understand the flaws in studies purporting changes to kidney functions, etc.)..."

One notices with this comment a common feature in the activities of the CDC, ADA, and Pew. The emphasis is on finding ways to deny harm rather than a genuine effort to find out if harm is being caused by this practice. It is 20 years since the first animal studies on fluoride’s neurotoxicity (Mullenix et al, 1995) and subsequent IQ studies were published. Why has so little effort been put into research on this issue in the US and other fluoridated countries? As Dan Stockin concludes in his media release,²⁶ “Fluoridegate is about officials being more concerned to protect water fluoridation at all costs than protecting the health of the people they serve.”

Help End the Practice of Fluoridation

There's no doubt about it: fluoride should not be ingested. Even scientists from the EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory have classified fluoride as a "chemical having substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity.” Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41 percent of American adolescents now have dental fluorosis—unattractive discoloration and mottling of the teeth that indicate overexposure to fluoride. Clearly, children are being overexposed, and their health and development put in jeopardy. Why?

The only real solution is to stop the archaic practice of water fluoridation in the first place. Fortunately, the Fluoride Action Network has a game plan to END water fluoridation worldwide. Clean pure water is a prerequisite to optimal health. Industrial chemicals, drugs, and other toxic additives really have no place in our water supplies. So, please, protect your drinking water and support the fluoride-free movement by making a tax-deductible donation to the Fluoride Action Network today.

Internet Resources Where You Can Learn More

I encourage you to visit the website of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) and visit the links below:

• Like FAN on Facebook, follow on Twitter, and sign up for campaign alerts.
• 10 Facts About Fluoride: Attorney Michael Connett summarizes 10 basic facts about fluoride that should be considered in any discussion about whether to fluoridate water. Also see 10 Facts Handout (PDF).
• 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation: Learn why fluoridation is a bad medical practice that is unnecessary and ineffective. Download PDF.
• Health Effects Database: FAN's database sets forth the scientific basis for concerns regarding the safety and effectiveness of ingesting fluorides. They also have a Study Tracker with the most up-to-date and comprehensive source for studies on fluoride's effects on human health.

Together, Let's Help FAN Get the Funding They Deserve

In my opinion, there are very few NGOs that are as effective and efficient as FAN. Its small team has led the charge to end fluoridation and will continue to do so with our help!

Please make a donation today to help FAN end the absurdity of fluoridation.

 

 

California Governor Jerry Brown Signs SB277 Vaccine Mandate into Law on 6/30/15

California Governor Jerry Brown Signs SB277 Vaccine Mandate into Law

http://vaxtruth.org/2015/06/california-governor-jerry-brown-signs-sb277-vaccine-mandate-into-law/

Today (June 30, 2015) California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB277 into law.
He signed it less than 24 hours after it hit his desk, even though he had 12 days to review before making a decision.
What does that mean?
It means his mind was already made up.
This is no surprise.

This morning, on Facebook, I posted the inspirational and hopeful comments of my friend Vasanth, because I wanted everyone to stay positive. I do believe in the power of prayer. I also believe in the power of truth. Given that we have truth on our side, and so many of us praying and visualizing a positive outcome, many are no doubt asking, “Why didn’t it work?”
The answer to that question is because it’s not time yet.

Let’s think about this…
What has happened in California as a result of Richard Pan’s push for SB277?
What has happened is that with every hearing, every testimony, every step closer to what happened today, more people woke up. More people became enlightened about what is happening to our children. More people became concerned about the government over-reach and the abusive tactics being employed to take away parental rights. People got involved. They stopped looking at each other as “the enemy” and they started working together to stand against a common abuser.
California is awake.

Californians who have been fighting SB277 are not just going to start lining up at pediatricians’ offices to have their children vaccinated according to The CDC’s schedule, just because Richard Pan and Governor Brown say so.

Those parents and activists in California are not going to back down.
There are already multiple discussions going on about the next steps, which include taking the state of California to Court.

Do you know what happens in Court?
There’s this very important thing called “Discovery.”
Discovery means witnesses are called and they get to tell their stories. In public. On the record. For everyone to see and hear.
Discovery is what has been denied in Vaccine Court. Parents of vaccine-injured children have been silenced. Until now.
The doors have just swung wide open.
It would have been far better for the pharmaceutical industry if Governor Brown had vetoed SB277.

And, guess what? That’s not the only good news…
As a result of what has just happened in California, more and more parents and activists around the globe are becoming informed about vaccine injuries. People who never even questioned are pausing and paying attention. If it weren’t for the fight in California, many people who are now questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines would not have ever even given a glance. They are now wondering, “What is this all about? Maybe we should investigate a little further.”
As we all know, once a parent starts investigating, he or she is not going to stop. That can only work in favor of truth.

The third positive thing that comes as a result of Governor Brown’s signature on SB277 is this…

The Legislature, after considerable debate, specifically amended SB277, to exempt a child from immunization WHENEVER the child’s physician concludes that there are circumstances, including BUT NOT LIMITED TO, family medical history, for which the physician does not recommend immunization…
Thus, SB277, while requiring that school children be vaccinated, explicitly provides an exception when a physician believes that circumstances – in the judgement [sic] and sound discretion of the physician – so warrant.

Governor Brown’s emphasis on this aspect – expanded medical exemption – paves the way for legal challenges to SB277 if school systems and health departments refuse to accept a physician’s written medical exemption – FOR ANY REASON. This has been a huge problem for families seeking medical exemptions for their children, and not just in California.
I am not naive enough to believe this will work the way it is written.
I don’t think Governor Brown is, either.

One final word about what happened today…
I know many, and especially many of those in California, are grieving today. Some may be panicking. Many are no doubt being triggered by the recurring trauma they have endured as a result of vaccine-injury and repeated denial and threats (this is a big threat) by their government. I am genuinely sorry for what my California friends are feeling. You deserve to grieve. Your pain is real. Your fear is justified. Allow yourself to feel it. Honor those feelings and emotions so they do not cloud your judgement as you pick yourself up and prepare for the next leg of this journey. This is a MISSION and YOU have been chosen. Your work is going to end up saving not only your children, but all of our children, and ultimately, the future of humanity itself.

Without these challenges, and without your strength, your extraordinary care and concern, and your willingness to stand up for what is right and not back down, many who are now awake would still be ignorant of the danger that is heading for their own families.

If SB277 had been vetoed, things would have died down, not only in California, but in the rest of the country. That’s why this is happening. It is not time for things to die down.
This is just the beginning.
I hope you are all organizing in your own states. If not, get busy.
This is coming to you.