Swiss to recognize homeopathy as legitimate medicine

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/complementary-therapies_swiss-to-recognise-homeopathy-as-legitimate-medicine/42053830

Mar 29, 2016

The interior ministry has announced its intention to elevate five complementary therapies including homeopathy to the same level as conventional medicine. 

Homeopathy, holistic medicine, herbal medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine will acquire the same status as conventional medicine by May 2017.

After being rejected in 2005 by the authorities for lack of scientific proof of their efficacy, complementary and alternative medicines made a comeback in 2009 when two-thirds of Swiss backed their inclusion on the constitutional list of paid health services.

As a result of the vote, these treatments are covered by basic compulsory insurance as part of six-year trial period from 2012-2017, during which their efficacy would be examined.

The ministry has come to the conclusion that it is impossible to verify the efficacy of these therapies in their entirety. It has therefore opted to accept them on par with other medical disciplines. It plans to continue allowing reimbursements of treatment costs by compulsory health insurance, provided they are administered by certified medical professionals. 

However, as is the practice for conventional medicine, certain controversial practices under these complementary therapies will be subjected to further scrutiny. The ministry has initiated a consultation process - open until June 30, 2016 - on the proposed modification of the regulations.

 

Iodine Deficiency - An Old Epidemic Is Back

Iodine Deficiency - An Old Epidemic Is Back
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/complementary-medicine/201108/iodine-deficiency-old-epidemic-is-back

One of the main roles for the mineral iodine is to help manufacture thyroid hormones. And once upon a time in America - especially in the Great Lakes region - there were many cases of goiter, an enlarged thyroid gland caused by iodine deficiency. The iodine/goiter story had a happy ending, however, when manufacturers began adding iodine to salt ("iodized salt"). After that, goiters in the U.S. mostly disappeared.

But the iodine story turns out to have an epilogue. A new epidemic of iodine deficiency has occurred. And it's bringing a lot more than goiters with it.

Fatigue? Pain? Weight gain? Breast cysts or tenderness? In this article I'll tell you why you might be at risk for an iodine deficiency, what it might be doing to your health - and an easy way to protect yourself.

Bromide and Bad Medical Advice

There are two main reasons why iodine deficiency may be making a comeback.

Until recently, about 25% of the iodine in the diet was from wheat, because iodine was used in the processing of flour. Now, however, a lot of flour in the U.S. is processed with a chemical cousin of iodine, bromide (potassium bromate), which helps makes flour doughier, rise higher, and gives the loaf a better appearance. But bromide is a double-edged sword: not only has it replaced iodine, it may block the activity of iodine. That's also true for two more of iodine's chemical cousins - chlorine and fluoride, both of which are common in drinking water.

There's another problem with bromide. The International Agency for Research on cancer classified potassium bromate as a Class 2B carcinogen, and it was banned in the U.K. in 1990 and in Canada in 1994. It's still legal in the U.S., although in 1999 The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) petitioned the FDA to ban it, saying the agency "has known for years that bromate causes cancer in laboratory animals."

Iodine deficiency isn't only about our daily bread - it's also about our daily salt. Most of the salt used in food processing isn't iodized. And people are using less and less iodized table salt at home, because of the misguided medical advice (except in those with heart failure) to avoid salt. (People who eat more salt live longer: see Eat Less Salt - and Die? (link is external))

The end result is Americans who dine on less iodine. From 1971 to 2001 iodine intakes in the U.S. dropped by 50% (estimated by urine output). Though it fortunately is not continuing to drop, we still have lost half our iodine.

So Why Is This a Big Problem?

Iodine is one of the most important minerals - your body requires it for healthy cellular and metabolic functioning. The book by Dr. David Brownstein, Iodine: Why You Need It and Why You Can't Live Without It, sums up its importance:

"Iodine is the most misunderstood nutrient. After 12 years of practicing medicine, I can say that it is impossible to achieve your optimal health if you do not have adequate iodine levels. I have yet to see any item that is more important for promoting health than iodine."

If Dr. Brownstein is right, and I agree that iodine deficiency is a major problem - our drop in iodine intakes might be contributing to many major health problems.

Examples?  Iodine deficiency might be contributing to the large increase in thyroid problems being seen clinically. Low iodine can contribute to an increased risk of both underactive and overactive thyroid. And iodine-blocking bromides are implicated in many thyroid disorders - one study showed bromides were 50 times higher in the thyroid tissue of people with thyroid cancer.

Breast cysts and breast cancer. Iodine plays a key role in breast tissue, and women with breast cancer have lower iodine levels in their breast tissue than women without the disease. Women in Japan get much more iodine in their diets - and have a 65% lower risk of breast cancer than U.S. women. The effect of iodine on breast tissue is so marked, that hypothyroid women (who can't process the mineral well in the thyroid, thereby freeing up more iodine for use in breast tissue) actually have lower levels of breast cancer. Six-12 mg a day in women with breast tenderness, cysts, or cancer can produce striking benefits.

Lower levels of iodine may increase the risk of heart disease. For a review of this issue, see Hypothesis: Dietary Iodine Intake in the Etiology of Cardiovascular Disease (link is external) in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 

Connection to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Low iodine might also contribute to fatigue and CFS. A study showed that people with low body temperature and fatigue felt better and had more energy when they took a daily supplement of 1,500 micrograms (mcg) of iodine (the RDA is 150), though their temperature didn't rise. It's reasonable for those with unexplained fatigue, CFS or fibromyalgia (link is external) to add an iodine supplement (6-12 mg) daily for three months to see if it helps. You'll often see a marked increase in energy within the first month.

Low iodine has also been associated with weight gain (see Less Iodine, More Likely To Gain Weight (link is external)).

How Do You Know Your Iodine Levels Are Low?

Iodine testing isn't always the best way.

The accuracy of iodine testing hasn't been confirmed to my satisfaction. Much as we like to have a piece of paper that gives definitive test results, sadly these results are often not reliable. I find it  works best to treat a person's symptoms, and see if that helps. I would treat for an iodine deficiency in people who have:

1. Breast cysts or tenderness, or breast cancer. I consider these markers for iodine deficiency.
2. CFS, fibromyalgia or unexplained fatigue.
3. Thyroid disease or thyroid cancer.
4. Low body temperature of under 98 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although testing is a reasonable option, I'm not anxious to order a test that doesn't affect how I treat a person - and I think a good case can be made for treating everyone for three months who falls into one or more of the above four categories.

Supplementing with Iodine

Doctors used to use Lugol's solution, a mix of iodine and iodide. But it's messy, irritates the stomach, and can mildly stain teeth. Some doctors recommend relatively high doses of iodine supplements each day - greater than 12 mg. But it's best if you take these higher doses only under the supervision of a holistic physician, because doses over 13,000 mcg a day may suppress thyroid function. There are two other cautions:

1. A small percent of those with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis will occasionally flare when taking an iodine supplement (even in a multivitamin). This usually goes away over time, and the iodine is actually helpful for the condition. And many doctors who use high-dose iodine report they see less sensitivity in folks with Hashimoto's who start with a high, rather than a low, dose.
2. If you have a known iodine allergy (usually an allergic reaction to the iodine used in x-ray dyes), you shouldn't take iodine. Having said that, I've never seen anyone who had this type of allergic reaction also react to an iodine supplement - but better safe than sorry.
3. If it causes acne (this is rare), lower the dose. Also, if it flares severe indigestion (pain in the solar plexus), lower the dose or stop it (also uncommon).

Diet and Lifestyle

There are a higher percentage of centenarians on the island of Okinawa than there are anywhere else in the world - and it's reported that they ingest between 80 and 200 mcg of iodine daily. I think it's a good idea for everyone to get at least 150-200 mcg. And there are several ways to make sure you do just that:

1. Seafood tends to be high in iodine. An especially rich source is seaweed, such as kelp. This is why the average Japanese women who eats a lot of seaweed gets 12,500 mcg of iodine in her daily diet - and maybe why she's a lot healthier than the average American woman, who is lucky if she gets 150 mcg daily. It also may be why breast cancer is much less common in Japan than in the U.S., where the breast cancer rate is three times higher than Japan's!
2. If you eat a lot of soy products, cut back - especially unfermented soy (e.g., soy milk, soy cheese, and soy protein added to food). Large amounts of soy can block thyroid function, though this is less of a problem with fermented soy products, like tempeh and tofu.
3. If your local water contains fluoride, consider a filter that eliminates it. Avoid bromide, too, when you can. (One unusual source: chemicals added to hot tubs to stop the growth of unwanted bacteria. There are other options available.)

Bottom Line?

For those with CFS/FMS, unexplained fatigue, a low body temperature, difficulty losing weight or breast disease, it's reasonable to take an iodine supplement. Take one tablet a day for 90 days (6-12 mg a day is fine). After three months, if you feel much better you can stay on the supplement. Or you can stop it and see if your problems worsen, a sign that you still need it. (You may find that one bottle is enough to "fill your tank" and correct your deficiency.)

For those with breast cancer, I would suggest adding a somewhat higher dose supplement (12-13 mg) a day to your long-term daily regimen. You might also want to work with a holistic physician, taking even higher doses - but these higher doses require monitoring of thyroid function.

_,___

10 Nutrient Deficiencies Every Thyroid Patient Should Have Checked

10 Nutrient Deficiencies Every Thyroid Patient Should Have Checked

June 12, 2015

http://hypothyroidmom.com/10-nutrient-deficiencies-every-thyroid-patient-should-have-checked/

Nutrient deficiency is a part of the thyroid puzzle that has been particularly fascinating to me. There are certain nutrients essential for thyroid health yet often times doctors are not checking to see if they are a root cause of a person’s thyroid issues. Of the ten nutrients Dr. Osborne mentions in this guest article, I have personally had deficiencies in 7 of them. How about you, could nutrient deficiencies be a part of your thyroid problem?

Written by Dr. Peter Osborne, Author of No Grain, No Pain

Hypothyroidism is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions in the United States today but very few doctors actually pay attention to the nutritional relationships between your thyroid and vitamins and minerals. I want to talk today about what you can do to ensure that the reason your thyroid isn’t working properly isn’t just something to do with nutritional deficiency.

The first thing that we want to understand is that there is a hormone your doctor typically measures TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) that comes from your brain and it travels to your thyroid gland and tells your thyroid gland to produce T4. That T4 is what we call inactive thyroid hormone. The T4 travels through the blood stream and when it gets to the peripheral tissues it is converted into T3, what we would call the active form of thyroid hormone. T3 then has to get inside of your cells. DNA is in the center of the cell inside the nucleus. On the surface of the cell nucleus we have this little tiny key hole called the nuclear receptor and, in the case of thyroid hormone, that little nuclear receptor is where thyroid hormone binds. We get the binding of T3 onto that nuclear receptor and that my friends is what increases your metabolism.

 

What are the symptoms of low thyroid? With low thyroid most people will experience energy loss, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, elevated cholesterol, constipation. These are all common symptoms of low levels of T3 or low levels of thyroid hormone overall.

Now I hope you have a general understanding of the way these hormones work. Now let’s insert the nutritional parameters so that you have a better understanding nutritionally of what needs to happen.

The very first thing is that this TSH doesn’t just magically appear. In order to properly make TSH you have to maintain adequate protein in your diet. Magnesium, vitamin B-12, and zinc are also required to make this particular hormone. These three micronutrients (magnesium, B-12, zinc) and this major macronutrient (protein) are all responsible for helping us to properly produce TSH.

There are certain nutrients required to make T4. One of them is iodine. That 4 in T4 refers to 4 molecules of iodine, so to make T4 you have to have 4 molecules of iodine. If you ever see iodized salt, salt in the United States is iodized as a result of widespread goiter epidemic. Goiter is when the thyroid enlarges because of in this case iodine deficiency. This is why table salt is iodized however I don’t recommend trying to get your iodine from that particular source because there are other negative consequences to over-consumption of standard table salt. You can get iodine from eating fresh vegetables, seafood, kelp, and seaweed.

Iodine is not the only nutrient required to make T4. There’s a mechanism inside your thyroid gland that helps to draw iodine into the thyroid gland. That mechanism is a little kind of doorway called a symporter and it requires Vitamin B2 and Vitamin C. That symporter won’t work to bring iodine into the thyroid gland unless you have these two nutrients in place to run that symporter pump.

So far we have talked about 7 different nutrients associated with getting from TSH down to T4. Now we have to get from T4 to T3. This process right here also requires nutrition. There is an enzyme that does this conversion for us and that enzyme is driven by the nutrient or mineral selenium. Without selenium we won’t convert T4 to T3. What we’ll actually do without selenium is make another compound called Reverse T3 (RT3). Reverse T3 is also inactive. The problem is if your doctor doesn’t run a Reverse T3 lab test. Many doctors don’t run Reverse T3. Most doctors from my experience look at TSH only and they skip all these other components. If your doctor isn’t looking at Reverse T3, and maybe they did measure T3, you can’t differentiate Reverse T3 and T3 from each other without actually teasing them out. The way you do that is have your doctor measure Reverse T3 as well as T3.

Now when we come over from T3 and it has to activate the nuclear receptor on the surface of the nucleus of the cell. That requires Vitamin D and Vitamin A. So Vitamin D deficiency and Vitamin A deficiency can also stop T3 from activating your cell to increase your metabolic rate and increase your energy.

So there are ten nutrients required for your thyroid to get from your brain creating TSH and stimulating your thyroid gland to produce T4 to T3 and then to activate your cellular metabolic rate. The ten nutrients are:

Protein

Magnesium

B-12

Zinc

Iodine

B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin C

Selenium

Vitamin D

Vitamin A

If you have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, your doctor says, “Hey, you’ve got hypothyroidism. We’re going to put you on Synthroid or one of these thyroid medications.” You need to have a conversation with your doctor about this component because if your doctor is not measuring these ten nutrients what’s going to end up happening is they are going to medicate you and the medication may help initially but over time as you maintain micronutrient deficiencies your thyroid is not truly going to improve. You’re not going to be treating the origin of why the thyroid is low in the first place. You’re just going to be masking it by putting artificial hormones in.

Some people will say but I’m taking bioidentical thyroid hormone like Armour and that’s okay too. Armour is more like your natural thyroid hormone than something like Synthroid, however I don’t recommend using any kind of thyroid medication, bioidentical or not, UNTIL you’ve had a conversation with your doctor to evaluate these nutritional parameters. It’s very common that I see patients once they come to see me they are already on a medication and once we start correcting these deficiencies, what ends up happening is their medication becomes too strong and they actually become hyperthyroid (symptoms like excessive sweating, anxiety, night sweats, inability to sleep, hot flashes). So when you start getting your nutrition corrected if you are on a thyroid hormone medication remember you may develop these symptoms of too much thyroid and may need adjustment in your dosage.

The bottom line is if you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism have your doctor check these nutrient levels so that you can ascertain the nutritional potentials for why your thyroid is low in the first place.

About Dr. Peter Osborne

Dr. Peter Osborne is the clinical director of Town Center Wellness in Sugar Land, Texas. He is a doctor of chiropractic and a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist. His clinical focus is the holistic natural treatment of chronic degenerative musculoskeletal diseases. He is an expert in the relationship that gluten sensitivity and food allergies play in chronic inflammation. He has helped thousands of patients recover from chronic painful conditions. Dr. Osborne is the author of the book No Grain, No Pain: A 30-Day Diet for Eliminating the Root Cause of Chronic Pain.

 

NVIC Legislative Update

 

NVIC Legislative Update   NVIC Advocacy Portal staff report below on states with active vaccine related legislation. You can read more about these states on NVIC's Advocacy Portal. Act today! Indiana has a bill to remove the philosophical/conscientious exemption.  NVIC supporters in Indiana oppose this bill and an alert has been issued. Colorado has a hearing on HB 1164 today (Feb. 25). This bill is the first in the U.S. to propose that parents must submit school and daycare exemptions directly to the state health department for health officials' own use, which circumvents federal privacy protections of information in school records! See NVIC's alert to oppose. Hawaii will hold a decision making hearing on SB 2394, a bill to force flu vaccination of health care workers, in the Senate Ways and Means Committee today (Feb. 25) at 9:30 am in conference room 211. Call committee members to oppose! Maryland has two hearings coming up on mandatory HPV vaccines for kids: HB 1178 on Mar. 10 at 1 pm in the House Ways and Means Committee and SB 860 on Mar. 9 at 1 pm in Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs.  Read our alert to oppose! Washington has executive sessions tomorrow (Feb. 26)  on SB 5143 - mandatory vaccine education for pregnant families in the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness at 10 am.  See bill information on NVIC's Advocacy Portal.  Government information on vaccines is rarely balanced with risks.  Express your concerns on forced education to your legislators. The South Dakota legislature has passed SB 28, which requires mandatory meningococcal vaccinations for children attending school, and has sent the bill to the governor.  Contact Governor Daugaard and ask him to VETO SB 28. Contact links are on NVIC's Advocacy Portal. The Virginia bill, HB 313, to expand who can give vaccines passed the House and Senate. Now  it is time to contact Governor Terry McAuliffe to veto! Read NVIC's alert on the Advocacy Portal. Congratulations to the state of Oklahoma and the members of Oklahoman's for Vaccine Choice and NVIC Advocacy for successfully fighting SB 1478 to remove the philosophical vaccine exemption.  This bill died in committee on a vote of 6 to 7 on Feb. 22.  Bills are filed or have recently been filed in the following states that NVIC is actively following: CA, MA, MI, MS, NH, NJ, OH, OK, RI!  Bill information is posted has been posted on NVIC's Advocacy Portal.  Your voice is needed! Register today on  NVIC's Advocacy Portal and state up-to-date with vaccine legislative efforts in your state.

 

 

Animal study suggests vitamin D may help prevent and treat autistic symptoms

Animal study suggests vitamin D may help prevent and treat autistic symptoms

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/blog/animal-study-finds-that-suggests-vitamin-d-may-help-prevent-and-treat-autistic-symptoms/?mc_cid=d0d7e02d21&mc_eid=ec1651b17f

Recently, scientists from Saudi Arabia conducted a randomized controlled trial using vitamin D to both protect and treat an induced autistic brain in rats.

Alfawaz HA, Bhat RS, Al-Ayadhi L, El-Ansary AK. Protective and restorative potency of Vitamin D on persistent biochemical autistic features induced in propionic acid-intoxicated rat pups. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Oct 25;14:416.

The researchers studied 28 rats induced with autistic markers, and divided them into 4 groups of seven rats each. They used propionic acid to injure the brain and induce the autistic markers. They had two control groups and two experimental groups. The experimental groups received vitamin D before (protective) and after injury (treatment). They used high doses of vitamin D: 1,000 IU/kg/day, which is the weight equivalent of me taking 100,000 IU/day. However, they only used this dose for 2 weeks. None of the rats developed vitamin D toxicity.

They measured various pathological markers known to be abnormal in autism, such as serotonin (a neurotransmitter known to be low in autism), IFN (a marker of inflammation), GST (glutathione, the master antioxidant) and 3 markers of genetic damage.

Results were statistically significant (p = 0.001) in all categories in both the prevention and treatment groups of rats compared to the placebos.

The authors concluded:

“Based on the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and DNA repair actions of vitamin D reported in the present study, vitamin D could be used as a supplement in patients with autism to ameliorate the symptoms related to these pathways. As maternal vitamin D deficiency may predispose children to autism, a high consumption of vitamin D-rich seafood, and an avoidance of the use of sunblock during pregnancy could be suggested as an autism prevention strategy.”

We will shortly announce that 2016 will be the year that vitamin D’s treatment and preventative effects on autism will be emphasized. Stay tuned.

Until then, if you want your children to be free of autism, we recommend both mom and dad supplement with 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D for at least 3 months before conception (this dose will also improve both male and female fertility). Then, the pregnant woman should remain on 5,000 IU/day, and perhaps 10,000 IU/day, which is the No Observed Adverse Effects Level (NOAEL) level for vitamin D intake throughout her pregnancy.

After the child is born, he or she should supplement with at least 1,000 IU/25 pounds of body weight per day. When the child reaches 125 pounds, he or she should take 5,000 IU/day. If the child shows any signs or symptoms of autism, the dose should be increased to 2,000 IU/per day/per 25 pounds of body weight.

 

A very important survey of usage of homeopathic medicines in the USA was just published.....

This article is not available in full online. Its abstract is available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26890179

From Dana Ullman at www.homeopathic.com:

A very important survey of usage of homeopathic medicines in the USA was just published, and here are some of the salient facts about this survey:

-- It was published in the most respected public health journal in the USA, “The American Journal of Public Health.”

-- The authors of this survey were from Harvard’s School of Public Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliated hospital.

-- This survey noted that homeopathic studies “suggest potential public health benefits such as reductions in unnecessary antibiotic usage, reductions in costs to treat certain respiratory diseases, improvements in peri-menopausal depression, improved health outcomes in chronically ill individuals. And control of a Leptospirosis epidemic in Cuba.”

-- This survey analyzed data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey for the prevalence and patterns of usage of homeopathic medicines among U.S. adults in relation to other complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) use.

-- Two-thirds of homeopathy users ranked homeopathy as one of their top three CIM therapies.

-- Homeopathy users who saw a professional homeopath were significantly more likely to feel that homeopathy was “very important in maintaining health and well-being” and that it helped their health condition “a great deal” than were homeopathy users who did not see a professional homeopath.

-- Previous governmental surveys in 2002 and 2007 found that homeopathy was used by 1.7% and 1.8% of American adults respectively. This new survey found that in 2012 the usage of homeopathy had grew approximately 15% to 2.1% of U.S. adults.

-- The usage of homeopathic medicines in the U.S. are considerably lower than in other Western countries, such as Italy (8.2%) and Germany (14.8%)

-- This survey, like dozens before it, have found that people who were more educated were more likely to use homeopathic medicines than people who were less educated.

-- The most common conditions for which people sought homeopathic treatment were respiratory and ear-nose-and-throat complaints as well as musculoskeletal pain syndromes.

-- The researchers concluded, “Because of potential public health benefits associated with the use of homeopathy, further research on this modality and targeted studies of users are warranted.”

Vitamin D Lowers Cholesterol in Type 2 Diabetics

Vitamin D Lowers Cholesterol in Type 2 Diabetics

February 23, 2016

https://www.protherainc.com/BN/2016-BreakingNews-Feb23.asp?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProThera,%20Inc.%28newsletters@prothera.com%29&utm_content=Breaking+News+Practitioner+2-23

In a new study published in December 2015, researchers reported that vitamin D supplementation reduces total cholesterol in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is associated with elevated cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. According to the American Diabetes Association, 65% of adults with diabetes have elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

The researchers evaluated 28 subjects with type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency, defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of less than 20 ng/mL. The subjects received 16,000 IU of calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) orally once a week for a minimum of eight weeks and a mean treatment period of 84.1 days. The investigators measured serum vitamin D as well as total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased in all subjects to greater than 20 ng/mL and total cholesterol was significantly reduced. Reductions in LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides did not reach statistical significance and HDL cholesterol remained unchanged.

The study authors stated, “Correction of vitamin D deficiency in type 2 diabetic patients decreases total cholesterol. Our results do not rule out reductions in LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.”

Reference:
Ramiro-Lozano JM, et al. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2015;6:245-8.

 

New study finds clear differences between organic and non-organic milk and meat

New study finds clear differences between organic and non-organic milk and meat

http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2016-02-differences-non-organic-meat.html

February 15, 2016

In the largest study of its kind, an international team of experts led by Newcastle University, UK, has shown that both organic milk and meat contain around 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally produced products.

Analyzing data from around the world, the team reviewed 196 papers on milk and 67 papers on meat and found clear differences between organic and conventional milk and meat, especially in terms of fatty acid composition, and the concentrations of certain essential minerals and antioxidants.

Publishing their findings today in the British Journal of Nutrition, the team say the data show a switch to organic meat and milk would go some way towards increasing our intake of nutritionally important fatty acids.

Chris Seal, Professor of Food and Human Nutrition at Newcastle University explains:

"Omega-3s are linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, improved neurological development and function, and better immune function.

"Western European diets are recognized as being too low in these fatty acids and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends we should double our intake.

"But getting enough in our diet is difficult. Our study suggests that switching to organic would go some way towards improving intakes of these important nutrients."

Western European diets are too low in omega-3 fatty acids

The systematic literature reviews analyzed data from around the world and found that organic milk and meat have more desirable fat profiles than conventional milk and meat.

Most importantly, a switch from conventional to organic would raise omega-3 fat intake without increasing calories and undesirable saturated fat. For example, half a litre of organic full fat milk (or equivalent fat intakes from other dairy products like butter and cheese) provides an estimated 16% (39 mg) of the recommended, daily intake of very long-chain omega-3, while conventional milk provides 11% (25 mg).

Other positive changes in fat profiles included lower levels of myristic and palmitic acid in organic meat and a lower omega-3/omega-6 ratio in organic milk. Higher levels of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin E and carotenoids and 40% more CLA in organic milk were also observed.

The study showed that the more desirable fat profiles in organic milk were closely linked to outdoor grazing and low concentrate feeding in dairy diets, as prescribed by organic farming standards.

The two new systematic literature reviews also describe recently published results from several mother and child cohort studies linking organic milk and dairy product consumption to a reduced risk of certain diseases. This included reduced risks of eczema in babies.

Newcastle University's Professor Carlo Leifert, who led the studies, said:

"People choose organic milk and meat for three main reasons: improved animal welfare, the positive impacts of organic farming on the environment, and the perceived health benefits. But much less is known about impacts on nutritional quality, hence the need for this study.

"Several of these differences stem from organic livestock production and are brought about by differences in production intensity, with outdoor-reared, grass-fed animals producing milk and meat that is consistently higher in desirable fatty acids such as the omega-3s, and lower in fatty acids that can promote heart disease and other chronic diseases."

Avoiding iodine over- and under-supply from milk is a challenge

The study also found 74% more iodine in conventional milk which is important information, especially for UK consumers, where iodized table salt is not widely available.

Iodine is low in most foods, except seafood, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends Iodine fortification of table salt to address this. Iodine fortification of cattle feeds is also widely used to increase iodine concentrations in both organic and conventional milk.

Gillian Butler, co-author and senior lecturer in animal nutrition at Newcastle University, explains:

"There is a relatively narrow margin between dietary Iodine deficiency (<140 µg/day) and excessive intakes (> 500 µg/day) from our diet which can lead to thyrotoxicoxis.

"Optimising iodine intake is therefore challenging, since globally there seems to be as much concern about excessive rather than inadequate intake."

In the USA, China, Brazil and many European countries, where Iodine fortified salt is widely used, elevated levels of iodine in milk may increase the risk of excessive intake for individuals with high dairy consumption. For this reason the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has proposed a reduction in the permitted level of iodine in cattle feed from 5 to 2 mg iodine per kg of feed.

However, in the UK, where iodized salt is not widely available, the population relies more on milk and dairy products for adequate iodine supply. National Diet and Nutrition Survey data (NDNS) suggest that milk and dairy products supply between 31-52% of iodine in the UK diet.

The daily recommended intake of iodine in the UK is 140 µg/day and just over half comes from dietary sources other than milk/dairy products. Based on results from the study, half a litre of milk would provide 53% of and 88% of the daily recommended intake from organic and conventional milk respectively. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women have a higher iodine requirement (250 µg/day) and are therefore more at risk of iodine deficiency, which could affect neurological development in babies.

Further evidence of the health benefits of organic food

The work builds on a previous study by the team - involving experts from the UK, US, France, Italy, Switzerland, Norway and Poland - investigating the composition of organic and conventionally-grown crops.

This previous study - also published in the British Journal of Nutrition - showed that organic crops and crop-based foods are up to 60% higher in a number of key antioxidants than conventionally-grown crops and contained less of the toxic metal cadmium.

"We have shown without doubt there are composition differences between organic and conventional food. Taken together, the three studies on crops, meat and milk suggest that a switch to organic fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products would provide significantly higher amounts of dietary antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids," concludes Professor Leifert.

"We need substantially more, well designed studies and surveys before we can accurately estimate composition differences in meat from different farm animals and for many nutritionally important compounds (vitamins, minerals, toxic metal and pesticide residues), as there is currently too little data to make comparisons.

"However, the fact that there are now several mother and child cohort studies linking organic food consumption to positive health impacts shows why it is important to further investigate the impact of the way we produce our food on human health.

The authors highlight that only a small number of studies have been carried out comparing organic and non-organic meat, and that even significant results may still carry a high level of uncertainty.

More information: "Higher PUFA and omega-3 PUFA, CLA, a-tocopherol and iron, but lower iodine and selenium concentrations in organic bovine milk: A systematic literature review and meta- and redundancy analysis". Carlo Leifert et al. British Journal of Nutrition

"Composition differences between organic and conventional meat; a systematic literature review and meta-analysis". Carlo Leifert et al. British Journal of Nutrition

Provided by: Newcastle University

 

High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Brain

High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Brain

http://www.drperlmutter.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup-brain/?utm_source=DrPerlmutter.com+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3d3f706010-Hi_Fructose_and_Brain2_15_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e059546f6-3d3f706010-98936029&mc_cid=3d3f706010&mc_eid=c4db3531a5  

Excessive alcohol use can cause fat accumulation in the liver. Ultimately, This accumulation of fat may lead to liver failure that may actually prove fatal.

But it turns out, that there is another form of fat accumulation in the liver that has nothing to do with consumption of alcohol, hence the name non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFDL). NAFDL is considered the most common liver disorder in developed countries, estimated to be present in an incredible 30% of American adults.

NAFDL is often not a benign condition. It is strongly related to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. That means that people who have NAFDL are far more likely to develop things like type II diabetes and ultimately may even develop cirrhosis of the liver.

But the main concerns for our discussion center on the relationship between NAFDL and issues with sugar metabolism, insulin activity, and, perhaps most importantly, inflammation, the cornerstone of our most dreaded and unfortunately all too common conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, coronary artery disease, and even cancer.

So, as common as this condition is, and its profound relationship to so many other conditions, you definitely want to know what may increase your risk of developing NAFDL, and one of the biggest culprits is the dietary consumption of fructose.

Researchers at the University of Florida have demonstrated that a diet high in fructose dramatically increases the production of fat in the liver. In fact, in a recent report they demonstrated that in individuals who had NAFDL, their consumption of fructose was 2-3x higher than controls (people who did not have this liver disorder).

To be clear, this is the type of sugar typically found in soft drinks and other products made with high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that is widely used in food production here in America

From my perspective as a brain specialist, I was particularly taken by a recent report appearing in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, in which researchers demonstrated a powerful effect of NAFDL, in laboratory animals, in terms of increasing the changes in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The changes in the brain included a dramatic increase in inflammation in laboratory animals suffering from NAFDL.

This research again confirms the notion that inflammation, as a process, as in this case starting in liver, can be detrimental throughout the body. Further, we know that NAFDL is a powerful cause of inflammation and that there is a strong relationship between the development of NAFDL and the consumption of fructose.

So again, this is a very powerful argument in favor of dramatically reducing your consumption of products containing high fructose corn syrup, despite what advertisers may tell you.

 

 

Forced Vaccination Bill in VA Moving Fast

Forced Vaccination Bill in VA Moving Fast

Breaking News: A public hearing on this bill (HB1342) has been just scheduled by the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee (Subcommittee #2) for tomorrow, Jan. 28, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. to about noon in the State Capitol General Assembly Building, Room D, (1000 Bank St, entrance at North 9th St. & East Broad St.  - 1st floor) Richmond, VA. Public testimony (3 minutes) is allowed.                                                                                                                                                                          

The most oppressive forced vaccination bill introduced in any state is being sponsored by an attorney and co-sponsored by an obstetrician for the purpose of eliminating the religious belief vaccine exemption for all children attending daycare and schools in the state, including homeschooled children. The bill (HB1342) would additionally prohibit state licensed doctors and nurse practitioners from exercising professional judgment and delaying administration of or granting a child a medical exemption that does not conform with narrow federal vaccine contraindication guidelines.

31 Doses of 12 Federally Recommended Vaccines, No Exemptions

Current Virginia law requires minor children attending public or private day care centers or schools, as well as homeschooled children, to receive up to 31 doses of 12 federally recommended vaccines administered according to the CDC childhood vaccine schedule unless parents submit (1) a statement from a state licensed physician or nurse practitioner that one or more required vaccines would be detrimental to the health of the child or (2) a signed affidavit from the parent that one or more of the required vaccines conflicts with religious tenets or practices.

In order to grant a child a medical vaccine exemption, HB1342 would force doctors and nurse practitioners to adhere to narrow federal vaccine contraindications that exclude 99.99 percent of children from vaccine exemptions, and it would force parents to violate their conscience by denying a religious belief vaccine exemption, including in cases where a child has already suffered a vaccine reaction, has been disabled or has a sibling who has been injured or died after being vaccinated.

Only 1 percent of VA Children Have Vaccine Exemptions Now

The Bill of Rights of the Virginia Constitution, as well the Virginia 1786 Act for Religious Freedom, the Virginia 2007 Religious Freedom Act and the Virginia 2013 Parental Rights Act contain strong language protecting the exercise of freedom of conscience, religious beliefs and parental rights. According to the CDC, Virginia ranks in the top third of states with high kindergarten vaccination rates for DTaP, MMR and varicella zoster shots and only 1.1% of children have medical or religious vaccine exemptions.

Bill Could Become Law Within Six Weeks

The bill was introduced on Jan. 21 and was immediately referred to the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. It could become law within six weeks. If you are a Virginia resident and want to protect vaccine exemptions, immediately go to the NVIC Advocacy Portal and become a registered Portal user and read the full Virginia Action Alert on HB1342, and find out how to take action today. You will also be able to stay up to date on the bill's status and what you can do each step of the way. The Portal will put you in immediate electronic contact with your own Virginia state legislators and the Governor so you can make your voice heard.

Read and download a referenced NVIC Briefing Paper on Virginia HB 1342 and make comment here.

FREE GARDASIL RECOVERY HOMEOPATHIC THERAPY TRIAL - Starting in February 2016 for 12 weeks!

Gardasil Vaccine Damage - Free Homeopathic Treatment Trial For Recovery

http://homeopathyforwomen.org/free_gardasil_treatment.htm

by Kari J. Kindem, CFHom, CHP. Classical Homeopath, CEASE Practitioner, Vaccine Injury Specialist
San Jose, CA, USA
Published January 21, 2016

I am seeking 4 teenage to college age girls ages 10 - 26 to be part of a FREE GARDASIL RECOVERY HOMEOPATHIC THERAPY TRIAL for 12 weeks.

This Gardasil Vaccine Detox Program starts in February 2016 for 12 consecutive weeks.

• Free treatment is for homeopathic services with me as part of this therapy trial for Gardasil Vaccine Injury only.
• Gardasil damage should be confirmed or strongly suspected, with clear regression points observed and/or documented after shots were given.
• The Homeopathic Detox Therapy (HDT) treatment method is a safe, gentle and efficient way to remove Gardasil damage.
• The success rate of treating vaccine injury with homeopathy has been proven to be clinically effective, worldwide.
• Participants must live in the USA and be able to communicate with me via a caregiver using skype/email on a monthly basis.
• There is only about $100 cost for remedies and a few nutritional supplements required per participant during the 12 week trial.
• Please contact Kari J. Kindem, CFHom, via my website for more details!

Please Complete the Inquiry Form To Contact Me About This Special Program!

Read more about the Dangers of Gardasil

Read more about Gardasil Vaccine Injury and Recovery With Homeopathy

Read more about the CEASE Therapy and Homeopathic Detox Therapy

Read more about Tautopathy

 

Tip on Hypothyroidism and Thyroid Medications

Tip on Hypothyroidism and Thyroid Medications (From the Hashimoto’s Institute)

Coffee lowers the intestinal absorption of both inorganic and organic compounds and seems to physically interact with thyroid medications.

One person who was drinking espresso within 10 minutes of thyroid medications had a consistently elevated TSH between 13 and 18. The same person, on the same dose of medication, was made to wait one hour to have her coffee, and took her medication with a full glass of water instead. Her TSH was testing between to 0.03-0.1 for 15 months!

A group of Italian researchers found a way for their espresso loving thyroid patients to have their coffee with their thyroid medications. They found one specially formulated thyroid medication that may withstand the effects of coffee - Tirosint, which is a gel cap formulation of levothyroxine, showed adequate absorption, even when taken with coffee,

Other foods that may interfere with thyroid medication absorption include soy, grapefruit juice, cottonseed meal, walnuts, and dietary fiber.

 

THYROID HEALTH IN CALIFORNIA: This is of special concern for Californians!

THYROID HEALTH IN CALIFORNIA: This is of special concern for Californians!

A recent study showed that several counties in California had rates of aggressive thyroid cancer that were much higher than typical.

The rates of those with advanced thyroid cancer were:

1. Alpine, Amador and Calaveras (combined): Disease was advanced in 51 percent of those with thyroid cancer

2. Imperial: 48 percent

3. Sutter: 45 percent

4. San Francisco: 41 percent

5. Santa Barbara: 40 percent

Researchers lack a clear explanation but expect pesticide exposure from farmland to be the most likely variable with radon being the other consideration.

Original study can be found here: https://jz197.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/3901/7b446f227276c58a/1978143/6bce9d424bc977d5

 

__,_._,___