After reading a recent media report that linked the incidence of bullying among children with the amount of television they watch every day, I certainly wasn't surprised to learn a majority of parents aren't taking an active role in monitoring their kids' time, restricting what they watch or the video games they play, according to a nationwide study of some 1,800 parents.

To the good, a great majority of parents -- 72 percent -- are worried about their kids' exposure to the media and, generally, the more concerned parents were about what effect the various media may have on their kids, the more action they took to monitor, discuss and limit it. Unfortunately, too few parents did much about it. By the numbers:

• Only 23 percent of parents restricted media viewing and play.
• Seven percent had no rules about media usage whatsoever.
• Slightly more than 10 percent talked to their children about the shows they watched and the games they played.
• More than a third of the families polled allowed their children to have a TV in their bedroom, and didn't regard its presence as a negative.
• One-parent households were far more lax about allowing unlimited viewing than traditional two-parents families who could actively monitor the time their kids spend in front of the tube.

Just more reasons to remind you all that unsupervised time playing video games and watching TV is one of the major contributors to the childhood obesity crisis that's reached epidemic levels.

Kids are easy and impressionable targets, and many of us fail to appreciate the enormous influence we can have on them. It's up to you to place some serious limits on the amount of time they are allowed to watch TV.

All it takes is one simple step: Turn off the television or video games and encourage your kids to take part in a productive activity that will get them moving. There are far too many useful activities to do in life -- places to visit, books to read, sports to play -- to waste so many hours a week watching TV and playing video games. (Besides, running and jumping may be the best way to strengthen your kids' bones.)

If you need some suggestions, check out this popular article I posted last year.

EurekAlert May 15, 2005

It's virtually impossible for me to go a day on the blog without reminding you how important it is to limit, with the goal of eliminating, your intake of sugars and grains. Eliminating sugars and grains means just that, and not replacing them with low-calorie foods filled with additives like Splenda.

However, many consumers don't see it that way, according to a front page story in yesterday's New York Times, my favorite newspaper in the world. The numbers certainly speak for themselves: Almost half of all shoppers, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, said they were on the lookout for products with reduced sugar.

Moreover, consumer research done by ACNielsen found organic and low/no sugar as the two most popular descriptors that will get new products noticed by consumers and generate the strongest sales growth. And many of these new products aren't just the usual suspects (think diet soft drinks and sugarless gum). They're a virtual multitude of products that encompass many processed food categories, and all of them not good for you at all.

This awesome piece also cites concerns from a growing number of nutritional experts about the increased consumption of what are essentially chemical sweeteners, especially among children. That has everything to do with the masterful sales job Tate & Lyle has done to fuel the meteoric rise of Splenda to the top of the heap among unnatural sugar substitutes. One sad factoid: The food industry introduced some 2,200 sugarless or sugar-reduced products in America last year, or about 11 percent of all new products in 2004.

Here's one thing to remember when someone tells you about the newest low-sugar, low-fat processed food: If these products were so great in the first place, why haven't they had any effect at all on the obesity epidemic that's spiraling out of control in this country?

New York Times May 15, 2005 Registration Required

Gainesville Sun May 15, 2005

It's no surprise to me to see an increasing number of not-so-great studies cropping up about the safety of that latest of necessities, the cellular phone. According to a new study, too much cell phone use could make you more prone to health problems associated with old age.

Moreover, researchers found exposure to the shortwaves and microwaves transmitted to and from a mobile phone causes damage to human cells and, specifically, red blood cells and blood enzymes. The 15-year study also monitored one's exposure to electromagnetic and electric fields that are generated by power lines and power plants near homes and offices. (Scientists determined roughly 66 feet was the safe distance from a tower or more than a half-mile away from a radio broadcasting tower.)

That's why they recommend the safe limit for exposure to microwaves be retooled to account for exposure to microwaves and urged consumers to use land-line phones whenever possible. But those suggestions in this rush-rush world of ours can be very problematic. Many of you rely so much on your cell phone that choosing not to have one isn't very realistic.

Nevertheless, virtually every headset out there may actually increase the radiation exposure to your brain by serving as an antenna. Headsets have two currents. One intentionally travels inside the wire and another that unintentionally travels outside the wire. The current that travels outside the wire may still cause problems.

This was a concern for me until I discovered a simple and inexpensive solution that I suggest you check out: Clipping a tiny ferrite bead onto a hands-free mobile phone headset can reduce a cell phone user's exposure to radiation to virtually nothing.

Kuwait News Agency May 14, 2005

Before you consider taking that next script from your physician, I urge you to ask him or her about the side effects first, particularly if you're about to leave the hospital after treatment or any kind of surgery. The odds are pretty good you'll experience a dangerous side effect from taking a drug for a chronic ailment, according to a new study.

Researchers found almost half of some 100,000 patients who took medications for chronic illnesses for more than three years failed to receive one or more recommended laboratory tests aimed at spotting dangerous side effects. That probably has a lot to do with why medical experts urge patients taking daily medications to be tested annually, if not more frequently, to prevent any complications.

Still, dangerous interactions with toxic drugs should come as no surprise, considering previous research found 60 percent of preventable drug complications are related to laboratory monitoring errors.

Add these findings along with ones from a study I posted early in the new year on the spike of drug-related deaths at the beginning of each month due to pharmacy errors and you'll better understand why I'm so adamant the entire modern health care system is so fatally flawed.

One of the important principles in resolving your illness: Focus on finding the true cause of the problem and understanding you can resolve it by addressing its cause. What many people do not realize is that it is possible to maintain total health by avoiding unnecessary drugs and by gaining a comprehensive, clear and researched understanding of good nutrition and proper lifestyle choices.

Here are a number of ways you can achieve optimal health without the use of harmful drugs:

• Eat the proper diet based on your body's unique metabolic type.
• Start an exercise program today.
• Limit, with a plan to eliminate, grains and sugars from your diet.
• Take a high-quality fish or cod liver oil daily.
• Consume your foods as close to raw as you can.

Yahoo News May 13, 2005

You may recall a recent study I posted about the potentially dangerous effects of low-dose exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to make hard, clear plastics such as those found in baby bottles and the lining of soft drink cans. When your body is exposed to BPA, it mimics the sex hormone estradiol which acts like an oral contraceptive. Because your body is exquisitely sensitive to sex hormones, it needs only tiny amounts to trigger major changes, and none of them good ones.

The same author also studied the effect oral contraceptives have on embryos, and the news is no better...

The synthetic hormones found in oral contraceptives were found to create deformities in the prostate glands of mice, which have been linked to prostate cancer and bladder disease later on. Why this finding is important for women who want to be mothers some day: As many as 3 percent of them become pregnant while taking a contraceptive.

Also, a woman taking oral contraceptives typically misses an average of three pills per month. With 60 million women taking oral contraceptives in Europe and America, as many as 2 million women could become pregnant accidentally and keep taking pills.

Just one more reason I urge women not to take oral contraceptives. The benefits simply do not outweigh the tremendous risks, and I can find no medical justification at all for taking them. Although a bit less convenient, barrier methods and natural family planning (NFP) provide much safer options than hormonal contraceptives. And, there are no side effects and no toxic substances to put in your body.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 10, 2005, Vol. 102, No. 19: 7014-7019 Free Full-Text Article

New Scientist May 3, 2005

Lately, I've been posting quite a bit of news about mega fast-food chains like McDonald's , Panera Bread and Wendy's taking the big step to add healthier alternatives to their typical high-fat menus.

The lead feature in Friday morning's USA Today (one of my favorite newspapers in the world) showed just how much Americans seem to be appreciating all these new healthy choices: Not all that much. A quote by a VP with the NPD Group, a company that tracks consumer eating habits, really says it all: "Americans have always had the means to eat healthier. But they do not have the will."

Think about it. Some 47 percent of the money Americans spend on food this year -- an astonishing $476 billion according to the National Restaurant Association -- will be eaten away from home.

So it shouldn't be all that surprising to you, CKE Enterprises CEO Andy Puzder revived the fortunes of its Hardee's and Carls' Jr. restaurants with such artery-clogging confections as the Monster Thickburger (1,412 calories and pictured above) and Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shake (715 calories). Or that Burger King's breakfast sales have jumped 20 percent after the introduction of its Enormous Omelet Sandwich (730 calories and 47 grams of fat).

According to the NPD Group, the lists of the top 10 foods eaten in restaurants by men and women didn't vary much at all. The seven that made both lists:

• Hamburger
• French Fries
• Pizza
• Breakfast sandwich
• Side Salad
• Main salad
• Chinese food

So, if you're still spending the majority of your weekly food budget in restaurants -- and you wonder why you're still not losing weight -- maybe it's time to consider a different strategy. I certainly have plenty of tools to help you get started in the right direction on my Web site.

The best first step: Learn how to optimize your diet based on your body's unique metabolic type. After reviewing the information, I invite you to take my free metabolic typing test.

If you want to know how well this lifestyle change works, I strongly encourage you to read future naturopathic doctor Colleen Huber's recent feature on healthy alternatives to junk food.

USA Today May 13, 2005

I was thrilled to discover this news that the growing popularity of Firefox has really put a major dent in the use of Microsoft's Internet Explorer in this country. So much so, that Bill Gates Inc. plans an early release of an updated IE browser well in advance of Longhorn, the long-delayed Windows operating system upgrade.

Based on recent figures on the WebSide Story site, Firefox usage knocked out of IE down to an 89 percent share over 95 percent a year ago, a drop that closely matches Firefox's 6.8 share of the browser market in America. That 6 percent difference in IE usage from last year remains constant, even if you include all operating systems (think Linux and MacIntosh).

Although IE is still the browser of choice by far in other countries -- Japan (94 percent) and China (98 percent) -- Firefox has become the Web darling in Germany with an awesome 23 percent of the market.

Based on results posted recently on one of the daily tech blogs I read, Firefox usage there had increased to 38.2 percent and Internet Explorer dropped to 35.2 percent. In fact, after looking at my own logs, I found 15.3 percent were using Firefox -- more than double what it was last year.

Do you need any more incentive to try the fastest growing Web browser in the world?

CNN.com May 13, 2005

Seems the government PR machine is shifting into overdrive once again in the support of the flu vaccine. It's bad enough most of the so-called "experts" who fill government panels don't accept the destructive effect of thimerosal, the ethylmercury-based preservative that can still be found in some vaccines.

Late last week, a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) panel took that ignorance one dangerous step closer: A blanket recommendation for universal immunization for ALL Americans that could be phased in within the next five years again.

Unbelievable...

The CDC sees this recommendation as a means to boost vaccination rates and reduce flu-linked sickness and death. As you may be very well aware, however, the true number of deaths directly attributed to the flu tell a far different story.

A CDC spokesperson acknowledged talk of universal immunization was put on the back burner as of late when reports surfaced that all of the initial supply of flu vaccines manufactured by Chiron last year were tainted (as were those shipped to this country some four years ago), prompting many people to stay away from them.

And, the government panel estimates only 90 million vaccines will be available for the next flu season -- only half of what they claim is needed to cover the demand for "high-risk" patients. But it only takes one to hurt you and your family.

Fact is, nobody needs a flu shot and here's a few steps you can take to avoid it:

• Avoid sugar.
• Get more sleep.
• Eat garlic regularly.
• Start an exercise regimen today!
• Wash your hands regularly.

Yahoo News May 12, 2005

We all know that laughter is key to staying healthy. So in light of that appreciation please join the adventures of Cuke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Cannoli, Chewbroccoli and the rest of the Organic Rebels fighting against Darth Tader and the Dark Side of the Farm.

Warning: Only go to this site if you have seen Star Wars and want to laugh.

Store Wars

It's the beginning of the end now that Popular Photography has conceded that in tests Canon's new 16.7 megapixel EOS 1DS Mark II took better pictures than a regular SLR camera (Canon's EOS 3) shooting high quality ISO 100 film. They'd predicted a few years ago that digital cameras would have to get up to at least 24 or 30 megapixels before they'd start to rival film cameras in quality, but now they're saying that the better color and lower noise of the EOS 1Ds Mark II gives digital the edge.

I previously shared that over my winter vacation I made the decision to take up a new hobby: digital photography. I decided to upgrade my Nikon D70 to the top digital camera in the world, the Canon EOS 1DS Mark II in February. Unfortunately even though I have had my camera for two months I have not had any time to use it as I have so many projects on my plate. I just purchased the new Adobe Photoshop CS2 that even further enhances this camera as it has a new feature called Merge to High Dynamic Range that radically improves the dynamic range far beyond film capabilities. Normally film only has 5 to 7 stops of dynamic range, but with this feature and using multiple exposures, one can increase it to an unheard of 15 stops. Luminous Landscape has a great article on this.

Popular Photography April 2005

Just like drinking the wrong kind of water, poor near-range vision could hasten the onset of Alzheimer's as patients age, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

The seven-year study of some 2,100 Hispanics began with vision testing. While 7 percent of patients had problems with near- and distance-vision, almost twice that number had difficulties with the former. And, not so surprisingly, patients who had short-range vision problems generally showed a quicker rate of decline over the length of the study as compared to other participants.

Although it's uncertain whether treating those vision problems would've made a difference, researchers speculate those difficulties probably limited a patient's activities, including such good-for-your-brain activities as working on crossword puzzles, reading and learning new skills, and contributed to their decline. Less visual stimulation to the brain may also affect how nerve cells work, according to researchers.

One interesting factoid: Mental decline wasn't associated with distance vision or hearing problems, which prompted scientists to recommend routine eye exams, particularly for seniors, which makes perfect sense.

Folks, please understand that it's not at all "normal" to become forgetful or less mentally sharp as you age. While this is certainly common, it is related far more to the foolish health choices most people make than the natural aging process. Here's a short list of things you can do to protect your mind and health:

• Eat a nutritious diet, based on increasing your intake of fresh foliate-rich vegetables and limiting grains and sugars.
• Stay healthier by starting an exercise program today.
• Take a high-quality fish or cod liver oil daily.

Yahoo News May 12, 2005

Because at heart, I'm a "geek" when it comes to science, I was attracted to this news about improvements in betavoltaics, nuclear battery technology around for about a half-century that works by harnessing electrons given off in radioactive decay. Even if you haven't heard of betavoltaics, you've seen it at work lighting emergency exit signs that glow continuously for years.

The science of betavoltaics is similar to the way solar panels work by catching photons from the sun and turning them into current. In betavoltaics, silicon captures electrons emitted from a radioactive gas, such as tritium, to form a current. Up to now, however, so little current was generated, far less than a conventional solar cell.

The dilemma: Catching more of the decay, thus revving up the power. Through a microscopic process, a University of Rochester scientist devised a method to capture radioactive gas on a piece of silicon with deep pits like a solar collector.

The great news is that this technology is geared toward applications where power is needed in inaccessible places or under extreme conditions. In other words, places in which batteries should be able to run reliably for more than 10 years without recharging or replacing them, like, for example, deep space probes and whatnot. The not-so-great news: Scientists are eyeing this technology for pacemakers, implanted defibrillators and other implanted devices.

If you're eating a sensible diet based on your body's natural metabolic type, however, you'll probably never need a pacemaker.

PhysOrg.com May 12, 2005

Maybe it's a good thing summer is coming. At least if you're a mouse...

An interesting study by Ohio State University may provide clues about the extent to which our bodies respond and adapt to the shorter days of winter. Researchers discovered the brains of one specific species of mouse shrink during the winter, causing them to have more difficulty with some learning skills.

Scientists created an environment for two sets of white-footed mice that simulated the shorter (eight hours) and longer days (16 hours) of the year during winter and summer for 13 weeks. Unlike the mice exposed to summer-like periods of light, those bathed in shorter periods of light suffered from impaired spatial memory, the mental map that helps them remember important places in their environment. Researchers speculate these biological changes may help mice conserve their energy during the harsh winter months when food and warm sunlight are scarce.

After a second test, researchers found the group exposed to less sunlight had a smaller brain mass compared to the other with more sun exposure, along with a proportionally smaller hippocampus, the sector that houses spatial memory, and alterations in spinal density.

How this applies to humans: Melatonin levels, affected by seasonal changes in sunlight, also control the changes in brain size and function in mammals such as these white-footed mice which could very well play a huge factor in the incidence of seasonal affective disorder.

This shouldn't really come as a surprise, considering I have been telling you about the benefits of light therapy in treating depression for years, and the evidence becomes more compelling with each new study. That sunlight and natural light therapy can help rid you of depression is just another example of the fact, when you take the proper approach to your health and provide your body with the right nourishment and care it needs, drugs are rarely, if ever, necessary.

Journal of Neuroscience, May 4, 2005, Vol. 25: 4521-4526

Ohio State University May 12, 2005

If you read my Web site with any regularity, you know I strongly believe the sorry state of conventional medicine -- and not diseases like cancer, stroke and heart attacks -- are the leading cause of death in this country. As such, you may believe other nations (think Canada and Great Britain), with their systems of socialized medicine in place might be an improvement over America. And, you'd be wrong.

Dead wrong, especially if you're been hospitalized in a critical care unit in Great Britain, according to a report issued this week by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD). By the numbers:

• Forty-seven percent of critical care patients who died were judged as not receiving the best care.
• Ten percent of patients had no medical histories available and hadn't received a complete examination.
• The deficiencies in the care of 41 patients were so blatant that they may have directly contributed to their demise. (Don't assume American health care workers are any less capable of making deadly mistakes either.)

One of the authors of the study offered a few reasons for this unacceptably high mortality rate that will probably sound very familiar to you...

• Fewer doctors to choose from trained in various specialties.
• Doctors distracted from their real purpose -- treating and healing patients -- because they are too busy.

In all fairness, physicians, both here and across the pond, are trapped in a vicious cycle that pushes them to seek out quick cures to medical conditions, most of which that have accumulated over a lifetime. And the mega-billion pharmaceutical industry is all too ready and willing to fulfill that need, often at the expense of your health.

Just another reminder how focused I am on my vision to replace the existing broken health care paradigm throughout the world focused on cures -- that more often harm than help -- with natural and far less toxic and expensive remedies that treat the whole patient.

Telegraph.co.uk May 12, 2005

If you've become a Firefox fan from reading about it here and trying it out yourself, you're aware the non-profit Mozilla Foundation has used some unconventional means to spread the word about its free open-source Web browser to the public.

The U.S. division caught everyone by surprise by raising money through donations to buy ads in large daily newspapers late last year to promote Firefox, certainly a big reason why more than 50 million people have downloaded it since last November.

Mozilla's international affiliate in Europe came up with a far different promotional approach, and one you'll certainly get a laugh out of three times over, if you use your computer, mobile phone and other tech gadgets as much as I do. Besides, laughing is good for your mind and overall health too.

Good time as any to remind you to download the newest version of Firefox (1.0.4), the free open-source browser that's quickly becoming the tool of choice for the Web savvy.

Funnyfox.org

Because of my concerns with this fast-everything culture in which we live, I wasn't surprised to learn women place a much greater priority on the health of their family at the expense of their own, according to a new survey of some 1,000 women by the National Women's Health Resource Center.

There's a good reason for that: 71 percent make the primary decisions about health care decisions, namely who and when and where. In spite of that knowledge, however, few women were able to make large-scale or permanent lifestyle changes to improve their health.

• Although women acknowledge stress plays a significant role in their health, only half of them actually reduced stress in their lives over the past year.
• Women may be exercising more often and retooling their diets than ever, but few of them have reached their weight goals.
• Eating a better diet, dropping excess weight, being physically active and sidestepping chronic disease were beaten out by having a healthy family.

Perhaps, the worrisome statistics of them all: When asked to list their highest priorities, only 40 percent of women believed having enough free time to improve their quality of life was very important.

Stress -- partly as a result of having so little free time -- is a concept I understand all too well, with balancing my time between my medical practice and this Web site. That's why I place such a high priority on maintaining a positive attitude. Over the years, I've found stress to be a serious factor in the illnesses of nearly every patient I see. Stress can also pose major problems for your immune system, and it can have a negative impact on many variables that affect your overall health, including blood pressure, cholesterol and hormonal balance.

Since you cannot eliminate stress entirely, you can work to provide your body with some safe and proven tools to compensate for it. Remember, the key is not getting rid of the stress itself but adjusting your body's ability to tolerate it. Here's three options that will make a difference:

• Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique, the proven energy psychology tool I use daily in my practice.
• Improve your quality of sleep with my free guide.
• Retool your diet based on your body's unique metabolic type.

National Women's Health Resource Center May 4, 2005 Free Full-Text Article

Los Angeles Times May 9, 2005

Last year, I posted a study about how to deal with excessive sweating, a condition formally called hyperhidrosis. With warmer weather on the way, it's as good a time as any to remind you about more natural solutions for this embarrassing problem.

What specifically caught my attention was the FDA's recent approval of botulinum toxin type A -- better known as BOTOX -- as an effective treatment of excessive sweating, particularly for the underarms. I've been pretty interested in all these "designer uses" of BOTOX as of late, particularly since a knockoff brand was blamed for nearly killing four people in Florida from botulism, a condition that paralyzes muscles.

And the least intrusive remedy conventional "experts" recommend -- antiperspirants containing aluminum -- creates a toxic buildup in your body that has been linked to the incidence of Alzheimer's.

Mayo Clinic researchers are also interested in studying the long-term effects of another invasive "treatment" for hyperhidrosis: The disconnection of the sympathetic nerves that direct sweating in the arms and hands and how this affects the skin and blood vessels of the arm.

How one develops hyperhidrosis: One part of the brain controls the sweating response to body temperature, while another area controls the sympathetic, or emotional sweating response. For reasons unclear to researchers, the emotional component kicks into overdrive. That can put a damper on the social lives of typically healthy people who perspire excessively, even in mildly stressful situations, such as a handshake or job interview.

Typically, the best solution is the easiest one, and has nothing to do with an invasive procedure: Reduce, with the goal of eliminating, grains and sugars from your diet.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Vol. 80, No. 5. May 2005: 657-666

KTVT-TV (Dallas) May 3, 2005

Science Blog May 11, 2005

I've been keeping a close eye on the research front for studies on tocopherols and tocotrienols, the natural compounds that make up vitamin E. The big question: Which one is more important to your health? Tocotrienols, according to new findings, appear to get the nod.A supplement of tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF), a component of vitamin E isolated from rice bran oil, lowered LDL cholesterol levels in tests on animals by an amazing 62 percent and overall cholesterol numbers by 42 percent.

Although TRF also comes from barley, oats and palm, the best form comes from rice bran oil, which is contained in the outer grain hull of rice. Its properties appear to inhibit the activity of HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis.

Because taking vitamin E seems controversial to some -- if you choose to take it, look for a natural kind consisting of mixed tocopherols including gamma-tocopherol -- researchers sought the minimum effective dosage of TRF that would provide the maximum antioxidants and effectively lower cholesterol.

Based on studies of rats and extrapolating those figures for humans, the effective dose of TRF for a patient weighing 154 pounds is 560 IUs.

This good news certainly supports other studies that have shown the antioxidant effects of tocotrienols to be 40 to 60 times more effective than alpha tocopherol. Tocotrienols have also been shown to reduce the risk of stroke by reversing atherosclerosis.

The difference between tocotrienols and tocopherols: Although both have a similar chemical structure, tocotrienols are more unsaturated, meaning they are more mobile and more reactive, while tocopherols tend to cluster.

Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol. 43, Issue 5, May 2005: 747-753

EurekAlert May 12, 2005

All the concern for genetically modified foods certainly didn't stop a heavy hitter in the biotech crop business from crowing about planting hitting the billion mark, based on estimates pinpointing when farmers are expected to begin their next cycle of crops.

A spokesman for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, an Iowa-based division of DuPont, bragged that biotech crops are one of the "greatest technological advances in the history of agriculture." Hard to believe biotech crops could be any cause for celebration, when far more oversight over them is needed and their effect on the environment and your health remains largely unknown.

That "good news" also flies in the face of recent reports the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture have approved far fewer new biotech crops between 2000-04.

It's a good time to remind you once again, consuming genetically modified foods is a lot like participating in a huge, ongoing experiment. There's no telling what the consequences of using these genetically modified foods will be because these products have never existed before. Already, investigators have found rats fed genetically modified potatoes had an increased thickening in the lining of their stomach and intestine and a weakening of their immune system.

In fact, genetically modified (GM) foods are so prevalent in this country, if you randomly pick an item off your grocery store's shelves, you have a 75 percent chance of choosing a processed food product with those ingredients.

Some simple tips for avoiding GM foods:

• Avoid processed foods.
• Carefully read produce stickers and food labels.
• Buy organic produce.

Washington Post May 10, 2005

Although the primary result of this new study -- sugary, soft drinks can indeed damage your health and impair your ability to sleep -- sounds like a no-brainer, considering the current epidemic of obesity this country faces, it's still worth mentioning, if for no other reason, to remind you just how devastating making the wrong food choices can be.

Researchers reviewed data from the large, ongoing Sleep Heart Health Study, aimed at investigating the connections between disturbed sleep and cardiovascular health. Almost a quarter of the 15,000 patients surveyed reported heartburn problems while sleeping. Those who drank one or more carbonated soft drinks per day increased their risk of developing heartburn at night by almost a third, compared to patients who stayed away from them.

How do soft drinks have such a "hard" effect on heartburn sufferers?

• Many carbonated drinks are extremely acidic.
• Drinking carbonated beverages forces your body to consume carbon dioxide which can cause more distension of the stomach and more acid reflux.

Besides, a continuing problem with reflux can lead to many more complications that are far more life-threatening than merely interrupting a good night's sleep, especially when you consider all the harm you can do to your esophagus that can eventually lead to cancer.

And, don't waste your money on sports drinks (with up to 80 mg of caffeine in them) or fruit drinks (full of insulin-raising fructose) thinking they are any better either.

Chest, Vol. 127, Number 5, May, 2005: 1658-1666

Forbes.com May 10, 2005

I warn you often about food and medicinal products that have been relaunched with or hiding a substance you don't want in your body for any reason: Sucralose, better known as Splenda.

According to sales reports, 8 percent of the artificial sweetener is sold, no surprise, to pharmaceutical companies to formulate their over-the-counter cold remedies, lozenges and vitamins in America. And, one day soon, Tate & Lyle hopes to replicate their success in a huge way in this product area in Europe.

Still, the bulk of Splenda is sold to processed food manufacturers (53 percent) and soft drink bottlers (39 percent).

And, the story completely sidesteps the true nature of Splenda, with Tate & Lyle again claiming it's made from, and tastes like, sugar, although it's anything but natural, yet is 600 times sweeter than the natural stuff.

Just a reminder, my next book, Sweet Deception (to be published this fall), tackles this problem head-on.

Food Ingredients First.com May 12, 2006

The peer pressure a child feels at school -- brought on by bullying -- can exert a great deal of pressure, making them avoid exercise altogether, adding more fuel to the epidemic of obesity among children.

University of Florida researchers monitored the health of 100 overweight or at-risk children (ages 8-18) to determine if and how bullying made a difference in their health. It must have, considering some 25 kids reported problems with bullying just two weeks before the study began.

And, as bullies hounded their overweight victims more and more, the lead researcher said, so did all the signs of depression -- sadness, fatigue and lack of interest -- kick in, so you can add this to the many risk factors associated with childhood obesity.

This news certainly makes sense to me, particularly in light of research I posted here last week that estimated age 11 to be the year in a child's life the tendency toward obesity is set.

Yahoo News May 14, 2006

999 Today April 22, 2006

You know how easily e-mails can be misinterpreted, but you may not understand why. Chalk it up to egocentricity, according to this report.

One thing an e-mail can't do well at all: Convey emotions. You may have a good relationship with a co-worker, for example, but without the physical, verbal and emotional cues that come from a face-to-face conversation -- tone of voice or facial expressions -- the real intent of the message may get mangled and misinterpreted traveling down the Internet superhighway.

Two great ways to avoid conflicts that unintentionally occur while passing e-mails back and forth:

1. Pick up the phone and call the person if you believe the intent of your e-mail message may get lost in translation.
2. Give that e-mail a quick read first to ensure it conveys your intentions properly.

Christian Science Monitor May 15, 2006

Hopefully, one day in the near future, Americans won't be relying on greedy oil companies to power their cars, especially if a Florida inventor has anything to say about it in this fascinating video.

The scientist recently patented a device that can cut through metal at extreme temperatures like a conventional welding tool can, yet the heat remains cool to the touch. It's only when it hits metal or rock that it generates high heat. And it's powered by water broken down by electricity that's converted to a powerful hydrogen gas.

On his daily commute to his Clearwater office one morning, the inventor came up with a new idea: Converting a traditional gas-burning car engine to one partially running on water. He put his theory to the test on a 100-mile drive in which the hybrid engine burned just 4 ounces of water.

YouTube.com May 4, 2006 Free Video Link

One of the most popular pieces I posted last year dealt with the myth that children raised by stay-at-home mothers were better developed socially and more intelligent than those cared for by working moms. Apparently, all that juggling working mothers do to make deadlines at the office and pick up their children at day care by 5 may be beneficial to their own long-term health too.

British researchers tracked the health of some 1,400 mothers, including 40 percent who worked full-time and 11 percent who stayed at home, intermittently from ages 26-54. By age 54, women who were married with children and had worked enjoyed better health than patients who didn't achieve these goals.

Only 23 percent of working mothers were obese, compared to 38 percent of the stay-at-home variety. The trick, according to researchers, is achieving a better balance of work and family responsibilities. That combination of roles, while stressful at times, leads to better health for the long term.

Whether you're a working mother or one who chooses to stay at home, always remember to make time for breastfeeding your baby. There's no better food on this planet for a baby than human breast milk.

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Vol. 60, No. 6, June 2006: 484-489

Scientific American.com May 15, 2006

Scotsman.com May 15, 2006

Citing safety concerns, Bausch and Lomb finally pulled all of its ReNu with MoistureLoc products connected to the spread of Fusarium keratitis, an eye fungus that blinds, today.

The problem with the MoistureLoc product line, according to the FDA: Unique moisturizing and disinfecting chemicals that increase the risk of the eye fungus "in certain unusual circumstances" that have not been identified so far.

Some experts believe the "unusual circumstances" may be related to Alexidine, a disinfectant traditionally used in mouthwashes that was recently added to the MoistureLoc recipe.

The financial hit will be huge for Bausch and Lomb, considering MoistureLoc sales amounted to $100 million of the company's estimated $2 billion in worldwide sales. In the meantime, the number of lawsuits spawned from the debacle has risen to 122.

One more reminder, you can take correct your vision safely without the use of glasses, contact lenses or laser surgery if you master the Secrets of Regaining Your Vision Naturally Program I used to correct my own vision problems safely.

Yahoo News May 15, 2006

It may take a global effort to save the banana -- one of the most important food crops on our planet -- from extinction. The survival of the most common kind of banana -- the Cavendish -- has been threatened by the black sigatoka fungus.

There's much concern because the genetic roots of every banana begin and end with the Cavendish, traditional varieties of bananas are disappearing as are family farms and wild banana species are evaporating as Indian forests are being devastated.

Scientists believe the biggest hope for the Cavendish is in developing new fungus-resistant hybrids, a huge problem because the seedless fruit must be bred from cuttings. And, the cost of protecting the species -- resorting to genetically modified versions of the banana -- may be harmful in its own right to all of us.

New Scientist May 13, 2006

Almost a year after the FDA mandated stronger warning labels on 10 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) -- the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants -- GlaxoSmithKline recently begun sending cautionary letters to doctors about an increased risk of suicide attempts among young adults (ages 18-30) connected to the popular drug Paxil and Paxil CR (generic name paroxetine).

Interesting, the company sent letters voluntarily, based on an analysis of some 9,000 patients (ages 18-64) who took Paxil during clinical trials versus nearly 6,000 who took a placebo. Among those taking Paxil for depression, the 18-30 age group was more affected by far than any other in relation to attempted suicide (eight of the 11 incidents reported).

Despite the company warning, however, the FDA hasn't announced changes to existing SSRI guidelines. And, they're still urging patients not to stop taking their Paxil.

The two morals from this news:

• Existing drug safety monitoring remains nonexistent, so subscribe to my free eHealthy News You Can Use newsletter to stay on top of health news than affects you.
• There are far safer and healthier options available to you than taking a SSRI or any other drug for depression.

New York Times May 12, 2006 Registration Required

ABC News May 12, 2006

A fascinating piece describes a radical approach for treating Parkinson's disease that's similar to the ketogenic diet used to control intractable seizures.

One patient who was profiled missed eating "crunchable" stuff like carrots during the month she participated in the study, a diet of little more than fat -- eggs baked with cream cheese and fish smothered in butter and mayonnaise -- yet her Parkinson's symptoms improved and she lost 26 pounds.

The benefit of a ketogenic diet is likely related to normalizing a patient's insulin levels, a primary reason Alzheimer's occurs.

So, this is an interesting approach, as it certainly suggests diet may be the key to controlling many diseases. Other reports cited in the USA Today (free text link below) showed how ketogenic diets slow down Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Lou Gehrig's disease and even inoperable brain cancer.

USA Today May 15, 2006

A short but interesting column discusses some of the different facets of the dream state, as in creating, preventing and remembering them.

For instance, controlling your environment by leaving the lights on, having a fan blow across your face and even having a loved one open a bottle of perfume under your nose while sleeping can induce dreams.

This sounds much like an offshoot of the technique behind lucid dreaming I told you about earlier this year in which you can control your dreams by realizing you are in that state and being able to recall them.

Your ability to remember dreams may be also governed by how soon you wake up from the REM sleep stage. Nearly 80 percent of patients awakened during REM sleep remembered that they dreamed and much of the content of those dreams.

Before you start working on your dream life, however, ensure you're getting the right amount of sleep first. And if you want to improve the quality of the sleep you're already getting, be sure to review my Guide to a Good Night's Sleep.

The Register May 14, 2006

Besides being ignorant about the presence of the mercury-based chemical thimerosal in vaccines, conventional medicine doesn't screen small children for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) because few pediatricians are familiar with such tools, according to a new study.

In fact, just 8 percent out of the 255 physicians surveyed in Delaware and Maryland screened their patients for ASD, although roughly 10 times that number screen for general developmental delays. More than 60 percent of pediatricians didn't know about any autism screening tools in the first place.

Their ignorance is all the more tragic, considering slightly more than five out of every 1,000 school children are harmed by autism, according to the latest CDC report. And boys are four times more likely to be autistic than girls.

We can only hope these latest CDC numbers represent a reversal in autism rates now that thimerosal is being removed from childhood vaccines.

If you're not sure keeping your loved ones away from dangerous vaccines is the right thing, please do your homework with help from the free resources available on my Web site.

Yahoo News May 12, 2006

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Vol. 27, No. 2, April 2006: S88-S94

Yahoo News May 4, 2006

(CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 55, No. 17, May 5, 2006: 481-486 Free Full Text Report

Watching the Vioxx debacle play out in Congress and the U.S. Court system, you'd think the mega-drugmakers would've learned their lesson about bringing another toxic painkiller to market. Not so, according to this awesome MSNBC/Washington Post piece (free text link below) about Deramaxx, a toxic anti-inflammatory NSAID prescribed to nearly a million dogs over the past two years.

Even though reports of Deramaxx's toxicity hit the marketplace shortly after its debut four years ago, Novartis Animal Health didn't report those findings for a while and, eventually, the FDA got around to issuing a formal warning and a reprimand. But that hasn't stopped Norvartis from selling its toxic drug -- one that is closely related to Vioxx -- to veterinarians and potentially harming or killing your dog.

There was also conflict from within the FDA about Deramaxx that spurred the actions of another agency whistleblower, Victoria Hampshire, who testified in the Senate last fall about 350 deaths linked to the NSAID drug. Like Dr. David Graham, however, Hampshire was very much on her own: "Nobody wanted to believe I was just doing my job. They wanted to think I was off on my own agenda. I think a lot of people didn't want to hear what I was saying."

The sad part about this story: Many veterinarians refuse to share information about the drugs they prescribe with pet owners, and the American Veterinary Medical Association strongly supports their position.

MSNBC/Washington Post May 11, 2006

An interesting study about the lack of noticeable symptoms may explain, in part, why Dana Reeve died so tragically and far too early from lung cancer last year.

Scientists believe the relative absence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the permanent reduction of lung functioning, among women may be deceptive, based on a study of nearly 300 men and women newly diagnosed with lung cancer. Some 73 percent of the male patients had COPD, compared to just 52 percent of women. And, among those who were smokers, the difference in percentages between women and men were close to identical.

Another good reason for the reminder: Experts consider lung cancer to be the deadliest one out of all of them (in the same league as pancreatic cancer) with a 15 percent survival rate beyond five years.

That said, there are preventative measures you can take -- none of which have anything to do with taking a drug -- that virtually eliminate your risk of cancer. Three recommendations to get you started:

• Eat the foods your body was built to burn best based on its unique metabolic type.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels by getting some sunshine.
• Get the right amount of sleep.

Chest, Vol. 129, No. 5, May 2006: 1305-1312

Yahoo News May 8, 2006

While, at first glance, this sounds like a good, no actually great announcement, many experts like Marion Nestle and the head of the Organic Consumers Industry are concerned Wal-Mart will become a highly negative force for the organic food movement.

Because Wal-Mart has a major history of abusive practices, their entry into the organic food market may activate market forces that could devastate small organic farmers.

This will be especially true if they start outsourcing food from China where organic enforcement standards are close to non-existent. Now, it is not that I am opposed to selling Chinese goods (that's why we're able to have such low prices on many of the products we offer on our site).

But there is a major difference between light bulbs and organic food. With manufactured goods, it is very easy to check the quality. On organic foods, however, this is much more difficult to do.

This really concerns me. So much so, today I am making a commitment to have my private research organization, the Mercola Foundation, purchase a wide variety of organic produce from Wal-Mart, when they are available, to check the level of pesticides and the amount of nutrients in the organic foods they are selling.

So, congratulations Wal-Mart for responding to the pressure that we helped create. I applaud your move. But if you even think of using the evil tactics you have consistently demonstrated in the past that are so brilliantly documented in the movie expose Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, I will do everything in my power to publicize your fraud.

But I can tell you right now, I don't need any laboratory to tell me that organic Rice Krispies are not healthy for you.

Always remember, just because someone slaps an organic label on a food product, that label does not somehow magically transform a junk food into a health food. Organic sugar and processed foods are every bit as pernicious to your health as conventional sugar and processed foods.

New York Times May 12, 2006 Registration Required

The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger May 12, 2006

BusinessWeek Online March 29, 2006

Last month, I told you about the value of precious metals rising so quickly, it costs more than a penny to make one. Some experts believe copper may be seen as a precious metal one day, especially considering copper futures rose above $4 a pound yesterday and overall prices have exploded some 170 percent in the past 12 months.

In fact, some experts have seen folks in other countries (China, Congo and Mexico) scavenging through junk for copper and going as far as stealing electrical wiring to get it. And a few Americans aren't above stealing copper from railroad signals and power poles.

There are others, however, who believe copper may become a valuable metal, just not a precious one in the class of platinum ($1,250 an ounce) or rhodium ($5,000 an ounce).

Moreover, one expert calls the current uptick in copper a temporary deficit coupled with greater than normal demand, and that there's no guarantees copper prices will continue to rise.

CBS MarketWatch.com May 12, 2006

An estimated 14 million Americans are visually impaired, and 78 percent of that group have uncorrected vision problems, like farsightedness. The National Institutes of Health arrived at those numbers based on reports of more than 13,500 patients who participated in visual acuity tests from 1999-2002. And it was the first national survey measuring America's vision problems in at least three decades.

Just think, those numbers don't include all the people who have "corrected" their vision but may be worsening it by wearing glasses or contact lenses.

If you're tired of spending your hard-earned cash on eyewear or risking your vision on surgery that can harm it and even your mind, I urge you to consider learning more about the Secrets of Regaining Your Vision Naturally.

Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 295, No. 18, May 10, 2006: 2158-2163

Science Daily May 10, 2006

I suspect state health officials across America were stunned to learn the epidemic of obesity in their towns and counties may be far greater than they ever imagined, according to a featured study in this month's Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (free report link below).

Scientists discovered a huge disparity between the numbers states were reporting versus federal estimates was problematic at best. Why? Telephone surveys were used, allowing men to fudge on their height by an inch or two and women to underestimate their weight by a few pounds.

By comparing state numbers to the data collected by the CDC, scientists found every state had grossly underestimated their rate of obesity. States with the highest obesity numbers among men, women or both: Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Washington, D.C.

Folks, the sad fact about all this, whichever sets of obesity numbers you want to believe: The average American lifespan is falling and could drop even more by the middle of this century. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to stop the obesity in your own home:

• Get moving on an exercise plan today.
• Reformulate your diet based on your body's unique metabolic type.
• Rebalance your intake of omega-3 fats by taking a high quality krill oil.
• Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars from your daily diet.
• Remove the emotional roadblocks that have impaired your health by learning a safe energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique.

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Vol. 99, No. 5, May 2006: 250-257 Free Full Text Study

Yahoo News May 9, 2006

Despite all those "Chicken Little" warnings from so-called "health experts," that rumored avian flu epidemic that was predicted to kill some 2 million Americans turned out to be a whole lot of hot air, and not much else, as I expected.

The "announced reason" the bird flu was a non-factor: No sign of the virus as birds migrated back and forth between Europe and Africa. In fact, the virus failed to be detected at all among thousands of wild bird samples collected in Africa, and only sparsely in Europe.

Rightly, one United Nations official lumped the latest bird flu debacle with Y2K crisis that never was. However, some would argue -- mostly world governments -- the bird flu never happened because officials took the right steps to prevent it.

For the record, this isn't a matter of preparedness. It's all about creating fear and panic that directly benefits the mega-drug companies at the expense of your health by taking worthless, health-harming drugs and vaccines.

Just a reminder, a select few did profit from the hoax, including current U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

New York Times May 11, 2006 Registration Required

Boston Globe May 11, 2006

USA Today May 11, 2006

You know I am no major fan of the conventional medical paradigm that kills millions of people every year. Many of these mistakes should and are being punished through the legal system, with the logjam of Vioxx lawsuits in the American court system serving as a classic example of justice being served.

However, a major problem with our current medical system is the horrendous legal system we have, especially in America. If you weren't aware of it, the primary basis for lawsuits is the contingency system that allows virtually anyone to contact an attorney to sue a physician and the plaintiff doesn't have to pay a penny. All a plaintiff has to do is split their winnings with the attorney.

As this USA Today article points out, the current system permits major abuses of legal remedies that lead to doctors practicing medicine only to protect themselves, not the patient. This dramatically raises the cost of health care across the board and reduces access to critical medical services.

For example, many specialists working in Florida are paying ANNUAL malpractice fees in excess of $300,000. The situation is so bad in Illinois, there are no neurosurgeons in the southern half of the state. They have all left because their malpractice premiums are so high, many of them lose money just by staying in business.

This is just not fair to doctors or victims of motor vehicle accidents who may need the rapid attention of a neurosurgeon to save their lives. Believe me, all of us are paying the price of this ridiculous system.

USA Today May 10, 2006

Ever so slowly, Americans are losing more of their freedoms, all under the guise of terrorism protection. That's the essence of the lead story in this morning's USA Today, as the National Security Agency (NSA) has been collecting phone records of millions of Americans since 9/11, with the help of Verizon, BellSouth and AT&T, the overwhelming majority of whom are doing nothing wrong.

Isn't that just like the government to introduce a problem, generate a reaction --- fear -- and then come up with a solution that takes away our freedom in exchange for their protection from the perceived threat... Does the bird flu hoax ring a bell?

Believe me, I am no major fan of AT&T either and their reemergence after their breakup many years ago is not a reassuring sign. This reassembling of the "Baby Bells" is one of the reasons you'll want to seriously consider voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) service. Not only is VoIP less expensive, it should reduce the government's ability to do this type of tracking.

More than 2.5 million Americans have made the switch to VoIP and I became a convert almost four years ago.

No surprise, the USA Today report spread like wildfire through Capitol Hill, as legislators reacted angrily to more details coming out about the Bush administration's eavesdropping and data-mining programs. One Massachusetts Congressman summed it up best when he called the news, another telecom merger between the NSA and AT&T.

If you want to express your outrage at this major loss of personal privacy you can let your congressman know about it. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving your privacy. You can contact your congressman through a form they set up and let them know you don't want them to rubberstamp these wiretaps.

USA Today May 11, 2006

CNET News.com May 11, 2006

A year ago, I warned you about the seven key risk factors for childhood obesity. A new British Medical Journal study (free PDF link below) tacks on, for all intents, an eighth risk to that list.

Researchers tracked the health of some 6,000 British children over five years. Roughly 25 percent of the patients being tracked were already overweight as they made the transition to secondary school, and never slimmed down during the course of the study.

That's how researchers determined by age 11, the tendency toward obesity, or not, is set. Another interesting factoid: Almost a third of the children living in poorer conditions were fighting a losing battle with obesity.

Here's some easy and totally free lifestyle changes that will make a world of difference when it comes to fighting childhood obesity in your home, no matter how big or small your paycheck:

• Remove the TV from their bedrooms.
• Substitute those sugary, sweet fruit drinks and soft drinks for fresh water.
• Get their young bones moving toward the nearest playground.

British Medical Journal May 5, 2006 Free Full Text PDF

Yahoo News May 4, 2006

Forbes.com May 4, 2006

If you suspect a loved one may be at risk for diabetes -- particularly the type 2 variety -- I urge you to start taking better care of your health today, as it can raise your risk of death exponentially and speed it up too, according to a UK study of more than 260,000 patients.

Generally, the presence of type 2 patients doubled a patient's mortality risks, compared to those without it. The very scary news: Patients in their middle years (ages 35-54) who already have type 2 diabetes tripled their risk of death, again compared to healthier people in the very same age bracket.

Expect the trend to get worse, as more patients are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes much earlier. In fact, one expert believes diabetes-related deaths will soar 25 percent over the next decade, certainly not an unrealistic number, considering treatments for kids with type 2 diabetes in America have doubled.

The sad thing: Type 2 diabetes and obesity can be prevented easily and safely, and without drugs, if you follow a simple three-step plan:

• Get the right amount of sleep every night.
• Eat the proper foods for your body's unique metabolic type.
• Start an exercise plan today!

Diabetic Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 5, May 2006: 516-521

BBC News May 2, 2006

Probably the most important thing you need to know about over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is that they are NO SAFER than those prescribed by a doctor. Case in point: If aspirin had been launched today, according to one medical expert, it wouldn't be sold as an OTC drug.

So it should come as no surprise to you, based on a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, that more people have visited a hospital's emergency room for abusing completely legal OTC and prescription drugs than cocaine or marijuana. By the numbers, based on emergency room-related visits in 2004:

• Marijuana: 215,665
• Cocaine: 383,350
• OTC or prescription drugs: 495,732

Another interesting factoid: More than 2 million patients abused a painkiller -- think Oxycontin or Percocet -- for the first time in 2004. Consequently, the number of patients receiving treatment for abusing prescription drugs climbed 62 percent from 2001-04.

If you're having problems with pain, there are many safer, non-addictive, healthier, natural and very legal options available to you without a prescription.

USA Today May 10, 2006

The late Dr. Robert Atkins was a major pioneer in helping us apply some basic understandings about insulin physiology and how it could be used effectively to control weight and nearly all chronic, degenerative diseases.

However, there were some serious flaws in parts of his program. First, he believed in the use of Splenda. As you will see when my new book, Sweet Deception, comes out this fall, this strategy was never justified.

Additionally, Dr. Atkins really didn't understand the principles of metabolic typing either. Thus, his program worked well for patients who are protein types, yet an unmitigated failure for carb types.

I'm bringing up Dr. Atkins because this month's issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a great study that demonstrates the complete carb restrictions he promoted in the initial phases of his dietary program to lose weight just aren't necessary.

In this new study, researchers learned weight loss could be achieved just as effectively without severe carb restrictions, causing the formation of ketones which result when your body burns fat for fuel due to inadequate carb reserves. And, several patients following the stricter Atkins diet had marked increases in LDL cholesterol.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 5, May 2006: 1055-1061

The somewhat surprising answer to the rhetorical question posed above: Unlike rats or mice, when domestic hamsters are placed in stressful situations they become obese, as do their human counterparts and have a propensity for adding visceral fat too.

Scientists studied the physical effect of nontraumatic stress -- the kind you'd associate with getting stuck in a traffic jam or finishing a crunch project at the office -- on Syrian hamsters (typically solitary creatures) by introducing a young one into the cage of an older, more dominant resident for seven-minute intervals four times a day.

Only once during the 33-day experiment did hamsters not gain weight or eat more due to stressful conditions. Also, hamsters placed with others at irregular times during the day gained more weight and fat than those that intrude at set times.

Along with eating the proper foods and getting the right amount of exercise every day, how you respond to stress -- not to the mere presence of it -- is just as important to your future health.

One of the best ways to handle stress -- learning the Emotional Freedom Technique -- is also one of the most natural means, but without the invasiveness of needles.

American Journal of Physiology -- Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol. 290, No. 5, May 2006: 1284-1293

EurekAlert May 8, 2006

Last week, I told you about the horrifying use of off-label antipsychotic drugs prescribed for kids, and with disastrous results. Based on a new study in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine, the problem with off-label drugs is far more widespread and worse than I had imagined.

Using the 2001 IMS Health National Disease and Therapeutic Index to define patterns among the 160 most commonly prescribed drugs, 21 percent of the medications prescribed in 2001 -- some 150 million prescriptions -- were defined as off-label. Even worse, 73 percent of those off-label drugs were prescribed, absent any strong scientific evidence they would work.

The most commonly prescribed off-label drugs were cardiac medications and anticonvulsants (both 46 percent). Some of the most widely used off-label drugs:

• Neurontin