(http://www.turtlebayandbeyond.org)Last Friday, U.S. Congressman William Lacy Clay, Jr., (D-MO) held a Congressional briefing examining Pfizer and health providers targeting women of color to be primary consumers of the injectable carcinogenic contraceptive drug Depo-Provera by concealing FDA Black Box Warnings and minimizing life-threatening and debilitating side effects.
At the briefing, members of Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus examined a report released by the Rebecca Project which details severe health problems from Depo-Provera use, including strokes and cancer, and the failure of health providers like Planned Parenthood to disclose side effects before injecting patients with the shot.
The Rebecca Project report claims that the promotion of Depo-Provera for use in women of color and low income is driven by an ideological agenda based on profit and population control fueled by Pfizer, the Gates, Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Population Council, Planned Parenthood, Columbia and Johns Hopkins Universities and "a cadre of extreme reproductive health advocates."
USAID has funded the distribution of the controversial drug in impoverished African women since before it was even approved by the FDA. In fact, an experimental trial between 1994 and 2006 had 9,000 poor women in Ghana injected with the drug without being informed that they were part of a reproductive health experiment.
Clinical trials with Depo-Provera led to the development of cancer in dogs and monkeys, which caused the FDA to reject the drug three times before approving it in 1992 after regulation changes required trials to use mice and rats instead.
The FDA issued a Black Box warning in 2004 stating: (1) women may lose significant bone mineral density that is not fully reversible and, therefore, (2) Depo Provera should not be used as a long-term birth control method for more than two years. Other serious side effects, with mandated Patient Counseling and Information are: (3) blood clots in arms, legs, lungs, and eyes, (4) stroke, (5) bleeding irregularities, (6) weight gain, (7) ectopic pregnancy, and (8) delayed return to fertility and lack of return to fertility. (9) In addition, scientific research in 2012 reported that women using Depo Provera have double the risk of developing breast cancer.
(http://www.wsmv.com)Residents of Columbia, Tennessee, and parts of surrounding Maury County will soon have access to clean, non-fluoridated water. This public health victory was achieved when Columbia's Board of Public Utilities voted on Wednesday to stop using fluoride in the water supply. This decision will affect about 27,000 customers.
Fluoride consumption has been linked to brain, tooth and bone damage, despite the status quo insisting that it improves dental health. In fact, fluoride is only beneficial on the surface of the teeth and can be harmful when ingested. Therefore, it should be up to an individual to decide whether to use fluoride or not, and the safest way to do so would be through the normal use of toothpaste. Fluoride tablets are also available in many areas for people who wish to swish a fluoride solution in their mouth.
The city utility is expected to save $45,000 annually by ceasing fluoridation. Before the vote, board members received more than 200 pages of information from both sides of the debate, so they were able to make an informed decision to benefit public health.
(http://www.politico.com)Earlier this month, Congress voted to pass a Continuing Resolution bill which included extending the Monsanto Protection Act for three months. That act protects companies like Monsanto and Dow Chemical from legal action resulting from GMOs, essentially placing them above the law. It also forces the USDA to allow them to continue planting GMO crops, even if they are found to be dangerous
Fortunately, the funding bill being drafted in the Senate will explicitly remove the controversial provision, setting it to expire after September 30.
"That provision will be gone," said Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), confirming the change to POLITICO.
(http://naturalnewsglobal.blog.com)American politics has devolved into a game focused on extracting more power and money for politicians and the corporations they really represent. Only a select minority of politicians still seek to represent their constituents, and the system rarely lets them have a proper debate.
Ron Paul was able to influence about 20% of the nation during the last election run, but mainstream media denied him coverage and essentially blocked him out in favor of the corrupt, broken bipartisan system. Paul was unable to sway people to part from the two-party system, but an upcoming political group of responsible citizens is expected to make a noticeable impact in the 2014 elections.
That group is the Canary Party, an organization of concerned parents, scientists and citizens who recognize the severe harm being caused to our world and or children by toxic heavy metals and synthetic chemicals found in vaccines, medicines, foods, personal care products and even products for the home.
Their published mission statement:
The Canary Party is a movement created to stand up for the victims of medical injury, environmental toxins and industrial foods by restoring balance to our free and civil society and empowering consumers to make health and nutrition decisions that promote wellness.
Natural News has officially endorsed the Canary Party, the first time any political party platform has been endorsed by Natural News. Like the canaries that once warned coal miners of environmental poisons, the Canary Party is focused on protecting America from its growing health crisis from toxins in our foods and environment.
Although the Canary Party is not likely to offer any candidates so soon, they are expected to influence the elections. Ultimately though, it is up to you, the voters, to vote corrupt, careless politicians out of office so they know that we won't sit idly by being poisoned any longer and that someone responsible, someone who actually represents YOUR interests instead of those of a multibillion dollar corporation, will soon replace them.
(http://www.contracostatimes.com)The city council of Berkeley, California, voted last Friday against a measure that would have required dentists to inform patients of the composition of dental fillings each time they are recommended.
The most popular dental filling is often called "silver amalgam," despite the fact that it is 50% mercury. Mercury, as most people, and especially medical professionals, know, is a toxic heavy metal that causes permanent damage to the body and the brain. Mercury fillings are especially dangerous, because once they are installed in a patient's mouth, they off-gas toxic vapors which are then inhaled, and the mercury travels through the bloodstream to cause permanent cellular damage to the heart, kidneys, liver and brain.
The medical industry denies that these amalgam fillings are dangerous, although they admit the toxicity of mercury and have no evidence to the contrary. One reason why dentists choose to use this hazardous material is simply because it is cheap, and it is what the insurance companies pay for. The cheaper materials they can use, the more they can increase their profit margins. If people begin to learn the truth about amalgam fillings, then the insurance companies and dental industry will lose a lot of money, or rather, not make quite as much. Either way, they seem to care more about the money than they do about the health or knowledge of their patients or even trying to justify this risky, outdated practice, as they continue trying to keep people in the dark.
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, wrote an in-depth article covering this issue, which can be read here. Also, click here to read an important article by the Health Ranger informing readers how to remove mercury fillings without exposing themselves to toxic mercury vapor.
(http://www.livescience.com)A new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that exposure to even low levels of arsenic in drinking water and food may increase the risk of developing and dying from heart disease.
Researchers performing the study analyzed the urine samples of 3,575 American Indians living in regions where arsenic levels in drinking water were above the EPA limit of 10 micrograms per liter but below 100 µg/L. The researchers collected urine samples between 1989 and 1991 and divided t
(http://www.upi.com)The federal court in New Orleans has given the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency six months to consider new pollution limits in the Mississippi River basin.
The Natural Resources Defense Council filed suit against the EPA more than a year ago on behalf of conservation groups concerned about nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Mississippi River basin. Increased nitrogen and phosphorus levels can cause rapid algae growth, depriving the water of oxygen and creating "dead zones." The suit challenges the EPA's decision to deny a petition to determine what, if any, action is necessary to address nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.
"They have acknowledged the problem for years, but could not muster the gumption to address it," Ann Alexander, a senior attorney for the NRDC, said about the EPA. "The court is telling the agency that it is time to stop hiding from the issue and make a decision already."
(http://www.biomedcentral.com)New research published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggests that samsoeum (SSE), a traditional herbal formula, could be used to treat cancer. The authors of the study are Aeyung Kim, Nam-Hui Yim and Jin Yeul Ma.
Recent studies have already demonstrated the antiallergenic and anti-inflammatory properties of SSE, but no research had been done on its anticancer activity. So, the researchers designed this latest study to determine the effect of SSE on cell death and elucidate its detailed mechanism.
Following SSE treatment, the researchers measured a variety of factors including cell growth and cell death. They also investigated the mechanisms of SSE's anticancer effect through western blot analysis.
The researchers concluded: "These findings suggest that SSE efficiently induces cancer cell death via apoptosis as well as autophagy through modification of the Akt/mTOR and JNK signaling pathways. SSE may be as a potent traditional herbal medicine for treating malignancies."
(http://www.scienceworldreport.com)On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published new rules that will allow it to track medical implants. According to federal health regulators, a new electronic system will be put in place to identify many medical implants via a code, manufacture date and lot number in order to monitor safety issues.
The new tracking system comes in response to years of highly publicized recalls involving defibraillators, artificial hips and drug pumps. Many defects seen in these devices could cause pain, inflammation and even death. The FDA will start the new system in the coming year, starting with high-risk devices like heart stents and defibrillators.
(http://benswann.com)In newly released episode of Reality Check, award-winning investigative journalist Ben Swann talks about Monsanto and three of the main controversies surrounding the biotech giant. He asks, "[I]s Monsanto one of the best examples of America's crony capitalist system?"
The first issue that Swann brings up is the safety of GMOs. He states that "a growing body of evidence does connect GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers' and consumers' rights."
Swann then quotes Professor John Fagan of the Maharishi University of Management, Iowa, who said, "The process of genetic engineering always involves the risk of altering the genetics and cellular functioning of a food organism in unanticipated ways. These unanticipated alterations can result in (GMO) foods being allergenic, toxic, or reduced in nutritional value."
Swann goes on to explain that 64 countries require GMO labeling, though the United States does not. It's not that Americans don't care, he says, citing polls that found three-quarters of Americans are concerned about the number of GMO foods and 93% support mandatory labeling of those foods. He also brings up the issue of Monsanto's seed patents, which prevents farmers from using the seeds they've grown for replanting without paying a fee.
Despite all that, Swann then asks, "[I]s the biggest problem with a company like Monsanto its relationship with government?"
Based on the evidence he gives, the answer appears to be "yes." Swann tells his viewers how, during the early 1990's, the FDA inspected GMOs. Tests showed rats developing stomach lesions after eating GM tomatoes and in memo after memo, experts "described toxins, new diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and hard-to-detect allergens."
That changed when Mike Taylor was hired as an administrator for the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). Taylor previously worked for the FDA in the 1970's. In the 1980's, he was a lawyer whose firm represented Monsanto. Taylor took over the FSIS in 1994 and remained there until GMO foods began showing up in American homes in 1996, after which, he went to work directly for Monsanto for the next 16 years. Then, in 2009, he began leading the food side of the FDA.
Taylor claims that he's not Monsanto's man, but he hasn't seemed to mind being paid by them. Whatever his current standing with the company may be, he is a prime example of revolving door politics, considering his many years going between the private sector and the government. That big corporations can gain advantages from such a system is undeniable.
Swann concludes his presentation:
"Monsanto's influence over food supply is troubling. Their ability to seemingly prevent GMO labeling, also troubling. Their connections with people like Mike Taylor who have the ability to control what does and does not show up on our families' tables, sure smells like crony capitalism -
(http://althealthworks.com)The CEO of a textbook publishing company has issued an official apology for a biased pro-GMO article that was printed in a writing exercise book for schoolchildren. After one attentive activist shared the offending page online, dismayed parents, educators and activists contacted the company to voice their concern and disappointment that children would be exposed to such propaganda in the education system.
William Evans, the CEO of Evan-Moor, the publishing company in question, issued an apology on the company's Facebook page. In his apology, Evans states that the inclusion of the article was an error in their authoring and editing process. He says that the article was meant to present both sides of the argument but agrees that it's biased as it appears in the textbook. Furthermore, he says that the article will be replaced in subsequent reprintings and the new article will be available online free of charge.
Finally, he states his support for GMO labeling and that he and his wife have contributed to organizations dedicated to that cause, including Organic Consumers Association, Food Democracy Now and Yes on 522 in Washington State. He also claims that he and his wife do not allow GMO foods in their home and would never do anything to promote them in their publications.
Some remain skeptical of aspects of his apology, saying that the "error" would have been too large to miss and that keeping a GMO-free home would be difficult to do, as most GMOs are unlabeled. However, his apology is a victory for food freedom activists as well as anyone who would prefer that at least both sides of the issue are represented. It is also an example of what can be accomplished by quick, concentrated efforts through social media.
(http://seattletimes.com)A nonprofit organization filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), saying that, while fighting Initiative 522 in Washington, the group has acted as a political committee to solicit and "launder" money from others whose identities are "illegally concealed."
I-522 would require labeling for foods that contain GMOs.
The organization that filed the lawsuit, Moms for Labeling, says that, by not disclosing which of its members contributed to the No on 522 campaign, GMA is harming voters and breaking the law. One member of the group says that out-of-state companies are hiding behind GMA to protect their public image while opposing GMO labeling laws and trying to keep consumers in the dark.
For the sake of transparency, Washington law requires an organization to register as a political committee if it raises money to support or oppose a particular ballot measure. However, organizations are not required to register if the contributions come from a general fund used for a variety of purposes, as long as the organization's primary purpose is not to influence elections. Organizations registered as a political committee must file regular reports showing who has contributed more than $25 and how the money is being spent.
(http://www.nytimes.com)The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday that at least two million Americans fall ill from antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year and that at least 23,000 die from those infections, putting a hard number on a growing public health threat.
The number of deaths they reported is significantly lower than other estimates, because they excluded cases where antibiotic resistant infection wasn't necessarily the cause of death. Doctors warn that increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria could make regular infections lethal.
Dr. Steven Solomon, director of the CDC's office of antimicrobial resistance, acknowledged that the numbers were deliberately underestimated. "This is a floor," he said. "We wanted the cleanest number, the least subjective number."
Much of the growing antibiotic resistance has been attributed to the factory farming practice of feeding antibiotics to animals packed in crowded, unsanitary conditions to prevent disease and force them to grow unnaturally fast. The report also says that about half the antibiotics used in humans are unnecessary, adding to the problem.
The report was based on data from five disease-tracking systems and number of deaths was based on mathematical models.
(http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com)Packaged Facts recently released a report stating that U.S. retail sales of non-GMO foods and beverages are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 12.9% in the next five years and could represent 30% of the market by 2017.
However, they also predict that if GMO labeling becomes mandatory, non-GMO sales could make up 40% of the market by 2017 due to the demand for organic and natural foods.
According to a survey that Packaged Facts released June 2013, consumers who are most concerned about GMOs in food are mothers in their mid-30s with young children that live in urban middle class households. Furthermore, the closer a consumer lives to an urban center, the more likely they are to buy groceries with non-GMO labels.
Additionally, they reported that a high percentage of shopper support GMO labeling, even though less than one third of the shoppers buy products specifically labeled as non-GMO. This could be because not all consumers have convenient or affordable access to non-GMO labeled products, though with growing awareness and efforts to label GMO products, this could soon change. It is clear that the majority of consumers are in favor of at least knowing what's in their food, and the numbers indicate that a growing amount of shoppers would rather eat healthy, natural foods than GMOs.
(http://www.newstips.org)Supporters and opponents of state legislation to require labeling of genetically-engineered food will testify at a State Senate subcommittee hearing today in Chicago, Illinois.
The subcommittee will consider SB 1666, which would create the state's Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Act, sponsored by subcommittee chair David Koehler (D-Springfield). The hearing will begin at 10:30 am on Tuesday, September 17.
Farmers in Central Illinois have complained of sharply increased herbicide usage to combat the "superweeds" that have developed as a result of GMO usage. Biotech companies have responded by increasing the toxicity level of their dangerous poisons, even promoting 2,4-D, a component of Agent Orange.
Opponents of the bill make the disproven claim that GMO labeling would raise food prices. They also argue that it would give the impression that GMOs are unsafe, despite no studies definitively verifying their supposed safety.
(http://www.topclassactions.com)If you purchased a Barbara's Bakery product between 2008 and 2013, you could be able to claim as much as $100 from a class action settlement.
The settlement resolves a class action lawsuit brought against the company for allegedly mislabeling its cereal and snack products as "all natural," despite containing genetically modified ingredients.
Barbara's Bakery denies the allegations but has agreed to resolve the litigation by offering up to $100 in reimbursements to consumers and removing the terms "all natural," "no artificial additives," "no artificial preservatives" and "no artificial flavors" from its packaging on foods that contain GMOs or artificial ingredients. A Final Fairness Hearing for the settlement will be held November 8, 2013.
Class Members must submit a valid Claim Form before January 2, 2014, to receive compensation of up to $100. The amount reimbursed will depend on the total amount of money the consumer spent on eligible products during the Class Period.
(http://www.reuters.com)Last week, the Washington State Department of Agriculture began investigating the case of a farmer whose alfalfa hay was rejected for export for containing a genetically modified trait that was not supposed to be in his crop.
Genetically modified alfalfa is approved for commercial production in the United States, but many sensible foreign and domestic buyers require non-GMO crops. Alfalfa, like many other crops, was genetically modified by Monsanto to be resistant to its herbicide, Roundup. It was approved in 2011 by the USDA to be planted without restrictions.
The department's testing ended Friday and has confirmed that the farmer's alfalfa was contaminated with the genetically modified trait.
Many farmers in neighboring Oregon lost export sales when GMO wheat was discovered in a field in April. Washington's alfalfa farmers can only hope that they will fare better in the near future, as GMO crops continue to proliferate unchecked.
(http://althealthworks.com)The biotech industry is now directly targeting America's schoolchildren with their propaganda. In the past, Monsanto and other GMO giants tried to indoctrinate elementary-aged youths with a biotechnology-themed coloring book; this time though, the industry's shameless promotions have come in an 8th grade textbook printed by the Evan-Moor Corporation.
On page 20, the textbook contains a writing exercise entitled "The Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods," which makes claims like GM plants being more pest resistant and reducing pesticide application while ironically failing to mention ANY possible cons.
This is obviously an attempt by the biotech industry, which has already invested millions of dollars in Oregon to try to keep people from even knowing that they are eating GMOs, to misinform children across the nation and make it easier to control and manipulate them as adults. The corporations are getting desperate and decided to take a lesson from the government: whoever controls education controls what is recognized as the truth. If nothing is done to stop this disturbing campaign to brainwash America's youth, they will surely succeed.
You can contact Evan-Moor here to let them know how you feel about their promotion of GMOs and request that they reconsider similar publications in the future. Also, here is their Facebook page, which may yield a more prompt response.
(http://www.oregonlive.com)Intel has been emitting fluoride from one of its facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon, without a permit for the past 35 years, but state officials and residents are only just now finding out about it.
At a permit meeting this week, state environmental engineer George Davis told residents, "Fluoride is unfortunately a bit of an oversight." He also said that Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Intel are both at fault and the company would receive a violation, but the problem would be corrected.
Some residents are concerned about the company's huge chemical output. This fear is reflected by residents around the site of another Intel factory near Albuquerque, New Mexico, which may contribute to respiratory disease, as well. According to Oregonlive.com, "Intel is applying for a new air quality permit in Washington County that will increase its volatile organic compounds limit and add greenhouse gases and fluoride to its permit."
The company plans to emit as much as 6.4 tons of fluoride per year. The second public hearing on the matter will be held in Hillsboro on Monday night. Residents can submit written comments to DEQ.
Davis acknowledged the previously unknown fluoride pollution as a valid community concern, but says that he doesn't think it's dangerous.
(http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)On Tuesday, the Chennai Corporation, the civic body that governs the city of Chennai, India, began to offer herbal medicines at its canteen in the Ripon Building, the municipal government's seat.
Dr. Veera Babu, who runs the canteen, says the new menu items will help prevent diseases, including those related to monsoons, "For instance, nilavembu kashayam, which is available in the canteen, is a good medicine for combating dengue fever." The canteen will also offer avaram for diabetes treatment, kollu rasam or horsegram rasam for weight loss and vepampoo rasam for stomach-related illnesses.
The herbal medicines will be offered alongside other traditional south Indian food items. They will also serve varieties of rice with fewer carbohydrates than ordinary rice items. The canteen also sells idli, avarampoo dosa, tail millet idli, mudakathan keerai dosa, thothuvalai dosa, kezhvaragu dosa, manathakkali dosa, herbal tea, soups and juices and ginger buttermilk.
The herbal medicine program at the canteen has been met with positive feedback. Some people have urged the government to introduce herbal medicines in Amma canteens as well. "If we get these herbal medicines and food through each canteen, then the number of monsoon-related diseases could also be prevented" said Lakshmi Raj, a Perambur resident.
