Although I'm not opposed to all uses of antibiotics, I believe patients have been harmed far more often by them than they've been helped. In fact, it's been my experience antibiotics are used inappropriately well over 95 percent of the time. So why would you ever take one to treat your asthma?

That's the gist of my objections about vaccine-maker Sanofi-Aventis' latest antibiotic drug -- telithromycin (brand name Ketek) -- for treating asthma. If you read some reports, however, you may be led to believe telithromycin is helpful, according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients taking telithromycin enjoyed twice the improvement in asthma symptoms compared to those taking a placebo, and recovered much sooner too. On the flip side, this study, funded by the very same drugmaker, found the breathing capacity of asthmatic patients didn't improve over the long haul. And, patients suffered more frequent bouts of nausea too.

Makes you wonder if Sanofi-Aventis was trying to squeeze one more "effective" use out of the drug, considering it's come under more scrutiny lately after reports of liver poisoning.

Before you even consider an antibiotics for asthma, you'll want to read a study I posted two weeks ago about tripling a baby's future asthma risks because of them. In fact, taking a drug is nothing more than a potentially toxic Band-Aid that never gets to the real heart of the problem.

New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 354, No. 15, April 13, 2006: 1589-1600

The Age April 16, 2006

Canada.com April 15, 2006

For the sole patient still hospitalized a month after a UK drug trial gone horribly awry, the news is now far worse than anyone ever expected. Londoner Ryan Wilson will spend the next six months in the hospital and stands to lose, at the very least, the tips of his toes.

Wilson was one of half-dozen patients enrolled in a drug trial for TeGenero's anti-inflammatory TGN1412 drug designed to treat leukemia, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. What Wilson was paid by TeGenero to test their harmful drug -- about $3,500 in U.S. dollars -- won't come close to compensating him for multiple organ failure, pneumonia and the loss of his toes and even his fingers.

As of now, Wilson and his doctors are in an uncomfortable holding pattern, waiting for his body to begin healing on its own. If doctors are correct, and his body heals optimally, his fingers may fall off on their own, not unlike frostbite.

Wish I could tell you Wilson's experience was an uncommon one, but it isn't. The 10,000 Vioxx lawsuits clogging up American courts certainly speak volumes on that score...

BBC News April 16, 2006

No doubt, you recall some of the reports I posted last year about the work of Dr. Morando Soffritti, the Italian scientist whose recent studies on aspartame reaffirmed its toxicity once and for all. Dr. Soffritti offered some interesting details of his past work in a recent interview.

For one, aspartame isn't the only dangerous chemical Dr. Soffritti's European Ramazzini Foundation has discovered. His foundation first appeared on the radar when it discovered the cancer-causing properties of the gasoline additive MTBE, leading to a ban in 21 American states.

Secondly, for those of who believe consuming diet soft drinks tainted with aspartame or any other artificial sweetener will help you lose weight, forget it. In Dr. Soffritti's experiments, rats given aspartame ate less but their body weight remained the same, one reason I often remind you diet soft drinks, fueled with toxic substances like aspartame or sucralose, multiply your risk of obesity.

Lastly, the carcinogenic effect of aspartame could be far greater, Dr. Soffritti warns, in children due to their lower body weight and even worse on an embryo which is why pregnant women should stay away from artificial sweeteners at all costs.

If you still skeptical about aspartame's deadly effects, I urge you to review an index of the top articles I've published on my Web site.

IPS News Agency April 15, 2006

From time to time, I warn you about the latest "designer health trends," like the ever-growing array of sports drinks and energy drinks that can harm you. The most recent "trend" that does nothing more than separate you from your hard-earned cash and offers no help to your health: Canned oxygen that comes in fruity flavors.

Not surprising at all to me, considering the wasteful business of bottled water alone generates $9 billion in the United States...

The mass production of canned oxygen probably began after the "success" of oxygen bars at trendy nightclubs, where oxygen is sold in five-minute increments to provide patrons an energy boost.

We all know that oxygen is essential to life and if you don't get it for five minutes or so you will not be living very long. Most Americans feel, however, if something is good for you, more of it is probably better. That just doesn't work well for many things, and canned oxygen is one of them.

Oxidation can accelerate aging and DNA damage and that is one of the reasons why taking antioxidants can be helpful. It's also why you should place your vegetables and foods in near vacuum packed containers: The oxygen in the air will actually accelerate deterioration.

So skip the expense and increase your oxygen by participating in aerobic exercise as that is the only logical way to improve your oxygen intake that I am aware of. And, even then, it is still beneficial for you to take antioxidants to protect against possibly excessive oxygen exposure.

Failed Success.com April 17, 2006

Considering many of you who read my daily blog enjoy science as much as I do, I thought you'd enjoy this great interview/documentary with the late Dr. Richard Feynman available through this free video link.

One of the more influential physicists of the last century and a Nobel Prize winner, Feynman expanded our knowledge of quantum mechanics and electrodynamics and quark theory.

Feynman was also known for his insatiable curiosity, brilliant mind and popularizing physics in books and lectures much as Dr. David Willey has done, yet wrote only 37 research papers throughout his long career in science.

Google Video April 8, 2006 Free Video Link

You may recall research I posted two years ago about the benefits of exercise for children beyond reducing their TV time and obesity risks. Mechanical loading -- the child-like art of running and jumping -- may be the best way to strengthen their young bones.

Nothing helps young girls build strong bones better than the running and jumping associated with playing soccer, certainly in comparison to weight-lifting and swimming. LSU scientists put their hypothesis to the test by measuring and comparing the bone mineral density (BMD) in 16 adolescent soccer players, 29 swimmers and 19 weight-lifters.

Soccer and weight-lifting were improvements over swimming in terms of BMD, but the former was definitely the better choice. Why? Adolescent girls who played soccer, a weight-bearing sport that places repetitive impact on a player's skeleton, had higher than normal BMD values compared to the average adult woman. On the other hand, swimmers had lower than adult norms and weight-lifting brought young women only up to adult norms, but didn't exceed them.

Besides the proper daily exercise, kids can boost their bone health by getting the vitamin D their young bodies need by ensuring they get the right amount of sunshine daily and right-sizing their diets to include more omega-3 fats.

Pediatric Physical Therapy, Vol. 18. No. 1, Spring 2006: 19-22

Yahoo News April 12, 2006

Mont Blanc pens are the world's finest writing pens but, because they make specialized German-made refills, you must buy their $200+ pens to use their amazing ink. Now, you can transform a $3 pen into a $200 one in seconds, according to this interesting "how-to" I discovered.

You'll enjoy this funny step-by-step guide to modifying an ink refill to get all the benefits you'd receive from a $200 pen for a fraction of the cost.

Instructables.com April 10, 2006

Here's another great reason why you never want to take a statin drug to treat Alzheimer's disease or dementia, much less to lower your cholesterol: Any "benefit" you might receive from taking them evaporates about the time you turn 80 anyway, according to a new study.

Researchers tracked the non-effect of statins on geriatric patients by reviewing Medicare data on more than 65,000 patients who had been diagnosed with a heart attack. Although statin therapy was connected to a reduction in "all-cause" mortality, statins had little effect on patients over age 80.

The "trick" may be a patient's cholesterol levels. Seniors who had high LDL cholesterol (above 130) benefited but those with low levels (below 100) didn't. So much for any benefit...

Remember, statins are merely expensive, worthless and sometimes toxic cures that do nothing to treat the underlying causes of the problem. Two basic strategies that virtually eliminate the need for you to be tethered to statin drugs for the rest of your life:

• Start a daily exercise program, emphasizing work on your cardiovascular system.
• Reduce, with the plan of cutting, grains and sugars from your diet.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 54, No. 3, March 2006: 421-430

MSNBC April 12, 2006

The price for taking mega-drugmaker Merck on in court -- sifting through millions of documents and getting testimony from Merck officials -- can run as much as $1 million and only a handful of law firms can afford to do that.

Fortunately, a steering committee of Virginia plaintiffs' attorneys has put together a pre-made trial package that is free but those using it must pay a contingency fee of 3 percent or 6 percent of any rewards or settlements to the lawyers who assembled the package.

Using the package can bring the cost of filing suit against Merck down to $50,000, a 20-fold decrease and make it affordable to sue Merck. I wonder if this package will affect the number of Vioxx lawsuits, nearly 10,000 and rising by the day.

The variable that will likely determine how successful Vioxx plaintiffs are in the courts: How long patients took the banned drug. John McDarby, who received a $13.5 million award last week, had taken Vioxx for four years.

Wall Street Journal April 17, 2006 Registration Required

Squeezing in the most work and fun and pleasure you can out of the average day is one of many important topics I discuss on my Web site. Because the time we have is so limited, I'm always on the lookout for new ways to beat procrastination, the one thing that stands in the way of getting all those things done.

Steve Pavlina, the same man who successfully adjusted his lifestyle to polyphasic sleep to get more done (but recently stopped), has devised a great procrastination checklist. Although I won't spoil your pleasure by listing all of these interesting techniques, here are three fairly self-explanatory tools Steve discusses to help you break the procrastination bug:

• Replace perfectionism with the permission to be human.
• Substitute "finish it" with "begin it."
• Change "have to" to "want to."

Dexterity Software

Dartmouth College researchers have figured out how to get rid of the ice that often forms on your car's windshield during the winter in less than a second with the help of a process called pulse electrothermal de-icing (PETD). When surfaces are coated with a special film, PETD shoots a quick burst of electricity can remove the ice that forms on windows and walls.

If this sounds a bit too far-fetched for you, Swedish civil engineers are so convinced about the value of PETD, they're using the process to cover the 1-mile Uddevalla Bridge. Other intriguing uses for PETD:

• Controlling energy consumption in frost-free refrigerators and air conditioners.
• Protecting airplane windshields from icing.
• Preventing power lines from buckling during ice storms.

The lone monkeywrench: Generating enough power for the process to work effectively and quickly on surfaces larger than a car or refrigerator. A running car can generate enough power to remove ice and refrigerators and ice machines can rely on carbon fiber composites or titanium (both non-transparent materials) to get the job done.

CNET News.com April 14, 2006

If all this news about benzene levels being detected in soft drinks distributed in Western Europe and America doesn't concern manufacturers yet, it should, considering lawsuits have been filed in Florida Circuit Court and Massachusetts Superior Court by parents earlier this week.

The lawsuits target In Zone, the Georgia-based producers of the BellyWashers line of sugary sweet juice drinks that come in reusable bottles featuring cartoon characters marketed for kids, and Polar Beverages, a small bottler of sodas, mixers, seltzers and bottled water in the Northeastern United States.

Both suits target the results of independent testing on product samples from the two companies that detected benzene levels above the "safe" level of benzene in drinking water.

An interesting fact, shared in a news story by Mike Redman an executive with the American Beverage Association, that may explain why benzene is such a problem: The FDA left it up to the soft drink industry to determine the best way to lower benzene levels in soft drinks. But that was about 15 years ago...

And, right now, the FDA is sitting on benzene data they believe may be "confusing" for companies and consumers. What's not confusing: Soft drinks are the leading source for calories in America and they increase your obesity risks by 60 percent.

One of the easiest things you can do to optimize your health is to replace soft and sugary sweet fruit drinks with clean fresh water.

News and Observer.com April 13, 2006

ABC News April 11, 2006

An interesting comparison of fast-food restaurant food around the world revealed some interesting details that shouldn't surprise Americans living in the epicenter of the obesity epidemic plaguing our world. The worst of the lot: Chances are good you'll find fried fast foods with higher amounts of trans fats in America than in other nations. And, the trans fat content in food varies completely based on geography.

So, the French fries you buy at a New York McDonald's, for example, may contain up to 30 percent more trans fats than the same product sold in Atlanta. The same fries and hot wings meal sold in Poland KFC locations, however, may contain almost four times as much trans fats (19 grams) than in New York, whereas restaurants in Germany and Denmark selling the same thing have less than a gram.

Danish researchers arrived at their conclusions by comparing the trans fats contained in chicken nuggets and Buffalo wings sold at McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, respectively, as well as fried potatoes from locations in dozens of countries.

Another thing about this metabolic poison in terms of dollars and cents comes from the Center for Science in the Public Interest: One expert estimates it would cost consumers a penny per order to pay for food cooked without partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Fact is, the problem has never been an inability to distinguish healthy foods from the unhealthy. Failing to make the right choices determines how healthy you'll be. And, based on Colleen Huber's awesome piece, organic foods are no more expensive than processed foods and, in some cases, they can even be cheaper.

New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 354, No. 15, April 13, 2006: 1650-1652

MSNBC April 12, 2006

Inventor Thomas Edison originally envisioned the recording of sound merely as a tool for office dictation, not popular amusement. We know which one ultimately prevailed, however. Still, from the beginning of recorded sound, spoken word was also recorded on cylinders (originally made of tin and about as big as a soft drink can) and sold for educational purposes such as language instruction, exposure to historical speeches, as well as for entertainment (comic monologues and vaudeville sketches).

Thanks in part to the generosity of collectors, you can listen to and download more than 6,000 little-heard songs, readings and speeches performed a century ago for free via the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project's Web site, sponsored by the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).

The range of material include readings by past luminaries like actress Sarah Bernhardt, speeches from Theodore Roosevelt and turn-of-the-century "pop" songs by Anna Chandler and Will Denny.

An interesting factoid: Cylinders could contain only a few minutes of audio which may be the reason why songs of the past and present rarely last longer than four minutes.

USA Today April 12, 2006

A new study concerning high levels of platinum salts found in the bodies of 16 women with silicon gel breast implants could put the breaks on the conditional and undisclosed approvals granted last year to Mentor and Inamed by the FDA.

Although the presence of platinum (it transforms silicon into a harder, gel-like substance) had been debated a long time ago, it hadn't been the focus of controversy, until this new study (free text link below) discovered high amounts platinum in the hair, urine and breast milk of women with silicon implants.

Also, the platinum scientists found was in a more harmful oxidized state, not surprisingly, a bone of contention among chemists who work for breast implant manufacturers.

The trick about implants: They become health-harming time bombs that rupture more often than not, as in the case of the former co-founder of the National Organization of Women.

Analytical Chemistry April 1, 2006 Free Full Text Article

Washington Post April 7, 2006

Yahoo News April 7, 2006

Before jurors awarded John McDarby $4.5 million in his federal lawsuit against Merck last week, the stock price of the former Vioxx manufacturer had climbed 14 percent. Immediately after the verdict, however, Merck's value dipped 3 percent. But, that was long before yesterday's punitive award.

With some 10,000 lawsuits, and counting, in the pipeline, business analysts estimate the damage Merck did to its Vioxx customers may cost them anywhere from $20-50 billion before it's all over...

But those estimates didn't take into account a new lawsuit Merck's faces, citing negligence in promoting its second-leading drug, Fosamax, a drug I first warned you about eight years ago. The lawsuit, filed in Ft. Myers, Fla., argues Fosamax is a dangerous product because it can cause osteonecrosis, a condition that causes your jaw bone to rot and decay.

Fosamax's existing labeling, the plaintiff says, provides no adequate warning of the drug's side effects. Why? It's a member of the nitrogenous biophosphonate family of drugs used for chemotherapy that have been associated with osteonecronosis. (By the way, the newer drug, Boniva, is in the same class of drugs as Fosamax, and isn't all that different...)

With Vioxx, Merck can get away with a lot of hogwash and say many things can cause heart attacks, not just Vioxx. But, with Fosamax, osteonecrosis of the jawbone is not caused by smoking or eating French fries.

Oral surgeons and many dentists started noticing this link five years ago. Last month, the American Association of Endodontists issued a position statement recommending that dental surgeons should check whether patients are on Fosamax and if so to look for this condition. This has become so common that dentists are now referring this condition as fossy jaw.

Merck grosses $3 billion -- that's with a B -- dollars a year from this deceptive scam. And, just think, some analysts believe Fosamax could be a bigger problem for Merck than Vioxx.

Yahoo News April 12, 2006

CNN Money April 6, 2006

With the once-upon-a-time "Baby" Bells all grown up into a dominant force that, in large part, controls your access to the Internet, don't be surprised if a number of online content firms -- eBay, Amazon and Google -- file a joint bid to launch wireless broadband services.

The motive: The American telecom industry has threatened to charge some online retailers ridiculous fees for the bandwidth customers use to browse their sites, rather than treat the activity just as they do all the others.

What's getting firms interested and motivated is a federal auction this June (another is slated for 2008) for bandwidth that a company like Google could afford all by its lonesome or certainly with the help of like-minded executives.

Here's hoping that national high-speed wireless network I talked to you about last fall comes to fruition, and maybe for free.

The Inquirer April 13, 2006

Networking Pipeline.com April 12, 2006

Investors.com April 10, 2006

You may recall an article I posted last year about Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s wonderful piece in Rolling Stone that exposed some of the horrible history behind the mercury-autism link to vaccines. Another activist organizations, including the Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury, have uncovered more documents and e-mails that blame the CDC for asking the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to craft their findings so they ignore any connection between the presence of mercury-laden thimerosal in vaccines and the devastating effects of autism.

Based on closed-door meetings five years ago, a Harvard researcher and IOM committee chair told IOM study director Dr. Kathleen Stratton, "[CDC] wants us to declare, well, these things are pretty safe on a population basis," as well as "...we are not ever going to come down that [autism] is a true side effect."

Of course, all parties on the government's side disavow any bias or influence to get the results they wanted, specifically that the IOM study committee reached set conclusions that debunked any autism-mercury connection before they reviewed the facts. Activists also questioned the CDC's decision to limit the IOM's report to a handful of studies already planned or paid for by the federal agency that showed little evidence linking mercury to autism.

Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it?

If you have any doubt about the harm thimerosal can have on a child's health, I urge you to take a look at a pair of pictures I posted recently of a young boy before and after his vaccination for hepatitis B.

No question, pictures speak louder than words.

Medscape April 10, 2006 Registration Required

Fox News.com April 10, 2006

The idea of using a free-electron laser as a faster means for treating cellulite, heart disease and acne to blast down fat certainly sounds interesting, if only from a science-based perspective.

American scientists tested a free-electron laser at specific wavelengths to heat pig fat and 2-inch skin samples. The concept: Heating fat or specific glands just enough below the surface of a patient's skin so the body can get rid of the extra fat naturally.

Granted, it may be far less dangerous than conventional surgical techniques already in the pipeline, like a balloon or a gastric bypass procedure. The fact remains, none of them treat the cause of this illness in any way, shape or form.

Typically, elevated insulin levels are responsible for this problem, and normalizing your daily diet by retooling it based on your body's unique metabolic type and reducing, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars will do more for your health in the long run.

If you merely opt for addressing the superficial symptoms, however, you still won't be treating the true problem and will likely develop heart disease and cancer anyway. But at least you will have one great-looking corpse!

Medical News Today April 10, 2006

Physorg.com April 9, 2006

Because I enjoy the science behind the everyday things many take for granted, like getting wet in the rain, thought you'd be just as interested about all the different ways you can tie your shoes, including quite a few you've probably never considered.

Most of us learned one or two different ways to tie our shoelaces as a child. Ian Fieggen's site, on the other hand, demonstrates 16 different methods, along with detailed instructions and color-coded diagrams.

In fact, Fieggen claims to have developed the fastest shoelace knot, called the "Ian Knot." Despite the six-step process, the accompanying video makes a strong case for Fieggen's claim his own knot can cut two-thirds of the time you'd spend tying a conventional knot, of course, with practice.

Ian's Shoelace Site April 1, 2006

Lasers have become such an important part of the our lives -- think CD and DVD players on the safe side and corrective eye surgeries on the dangerous end -- you probably won't be surprised to learn the U.S. Military's next generation of weapons may shoot laser beams and heat rays, rather than bombs and bullets.

The Air Force will test its first Airborne Laser, a device housed inside a 747 jumbo jet that's equipped to destroy missiles at the speed of light from across the globe, by year's end. And, for good measure, a smaller weapon -- the Advanced Tactical Laser -- that could be mounted to a C-130 and even a helicopter is in the works.

As for ground troops and other governmental personnel, don't worry. They won't be totally defenseless. Mounted on top of a military vehicle, the Active Denial System (ADS) emits millimeter waves (somewhat related to microwaves) that cause intense burning sensations intended, not to harm people, but to force them into retreat.

In fact, the ADS works much like a virtual force field and less like the hand-held "phaser" you see on Star Trek reruns, says Doug Beason, associate director for threat reduction at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

CNET News.com April 11, 2006

Popular Science April 2006

Conventional medicine is realizing sleep -- related to the lack of it -- is an important key to your overall health. Not only can less sleep harm your health in terms of elevating your risk of liver disease and obesity, missing it over the long haul may also raise your risk of high blood pressure.

Researchers analyzed data on more than 4,800 patients (ages 32-86) who participated in the initial National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Out of that group, some 650 patients were diagnosed with hypertension.

Sleeping no more than six hours a night more than doubled the hypertension risks of patients in the 32-59 age range. What's more, taking conditions such as diabetes and obesity into consideration, a patient's blood pressure risks remained almost as high.

Yet, a recent study found getting too much sleep can be just as risky for elevating your chances of diabetes as getting too little.

The key here is to get the optimal amount of sleep every night, without taking a health-harming drug. If you're one of the nearly 60 percent of Americans who can't get the right amount, I urge you to review my secrets for good sleep today.

Hypertension April 3, 2006

Yahoo News April 3, 2006

I came across this fascinating piece about the near-death experience, and thought you'd be interested as well because many more people are trying to explain it. A new study points to one's own biochemistry as the source for such phenomena.

After comparing the health of 55 patients who experienced a near-death episode versus an equal number who didn't, one factor stood out: Rapid eye movement (REM) intrusion.

Those who had near-death experiences were more likely to have REM intrusion, a state in which the boundaries between sleep and wakefulness were blurry and dream sleep interferes with normal consciousness. Among the common traits of REM intrusion: Sudden muscle weakness in the legs and hearing sounds before falling asleep or after waking up that no one else does. Interestingly, 60 percent of near-death patients experienced REM intrusion compared to less than half of the controls.

Although American scientists may have identified a biological trigger for near-death experiences, they wouldn't deny the absence of a spiritual component either.

If you're interested in learning more about the near-death experience, you'll want to read about the work of Dr. Raymond Moody, one of the world's leading experts.

News.telegraph.co.uk April 11, 2006

Apparently, balloons are becoming the newest trend in treating for medical conditions. Not so long ago, I told you about silicon balloons inflated with saline in patients' stomachs to help them fight obesity. Now, some 100 doctors across America are using them to treat chronic sinus problems.

The procedure involves snaking the balloon device to the blocked area and inflating it, in hopes of stretching out the sinus cavity to let air back in and allow prescribed antibiotics to do their work. And, unlike conventional sinus surgeries that remove inflamed tissue and bone at the risk of scar tissue, this approach is far less painful.

Some experts sees this procedure as the middle-ground between endless rounds of antibiotics -- a bad solution at best -- and more invasive surgery. However, the FDA approved the new sinus balloon device last summer based only on a tiny study of 10 patients that found no safety concerns.

Although more studies are on the way, I don't imagine many of you really want a doctor to stick a balloon up your nose. Besides, the presence of fungus may be the underlying cause for many of your sinus problems anyway. Some natural solutions, none of which have anything to do with a drug or surgery:

• Use water-, mold- and spore-proof covers to protect your face from fungus that collects on your pillow.
• Avoid the top 10 mycotoxic foods.
• Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars from your diet.
• Take a high quality krill oil daily.

Yahoo News April 11, 2006

Obviously, the jury who deliberated over punitive damages in the latest Vioxx trials in New Jersey sent a message loud and clear to mega-drugmaker Merck yesterday, when it awarded $9 million to John McDarby, on top of the $4.5 million his family received last week.

The hefty punitive damages awarded to McDarby, one juror says, had to do with Merck not warning patients in a timely fashion about the heart-stopping effects of Vioxx, perhaps because the company was in too big a hurry to beat Pfizer's still available Celebrex to market.

Even worse for Merck, the punitive damage award may lead to a criminal probe, according to New Jersey laws that refer such outcomes to the state's Attorney General's office and county prosecutors for a review.

Some legal experts believe yesterday's outcome -- influenced in part by how long patients took Vioxx -- could play itself out over and over in the courts, a bad omen for Merck as well as other drugmakers that risk your future with health-harming drugs effectively marketed and sold to separate you from your hard-earned cash, yet do nothing for your health.

MSNBC April 12, 2006

Apparently, my worst fears about Xenical, the fat-blocking drug I warned you about late last year, have come true: GlaxoSmithKline received conditional approval yesterday from the FDA for an over-the-counter (OTC) version of the useless obesity drug.

The 60-milligram version, to be called Alli, comes in tablet form and is meant to be taken with meals. It blocks fat from being stored in the body, yet it also causes excess gas, oily discharge and other gastrointestinal problems. But, that's not all of them, and the very reason why Public Citizen has petitioned the FDA to pull Xenical from the American market altogether.

In one study, Xenical was found to cause abnormal cell growth in the lining of the colon, an early cancer indicator. And, since Xenical has been approved as a prescription drug in America, 28 incidents of breast cancer have been reported, or 14 times the number who used the appetite depressant Meridia.

As I've said often, no one needs a health-harming drug or a needless medical procedure to lose weight effectively and safely when eating the right foods based on your body's unique metabolic type, starting an exercise routine and treating the emotional issues that brought you to this low place will do the trick.

CNN Money April 10, 2006

MSNBC April 10, 2006

Cancer Letters December 27, 2005

Not only are Congressmen taking handouts from the mega-drug companies, so are your state legislators to the tune of more than $44 million in 2003 and 2004, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity. That doesn't include another $8 million earmarked for various election campaigns...

Why drug companies invest so much on state legislators makes great sense, if you follow the money. Drug company revenues could drop as much as $4 billion by 2008 if states take advantage of their clout to push for price reductions.

The top five drug-related companies or organizations that spent the most lobbying your state in 2003-04:

• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America -- $4.5 million
• Eli Lilly -- $4.3 million
• GlaxoSmithKline -- $4.1 million
• Pfizer -- $4 million
• Johnson and Johnson -- $3.1 million

Here's the really disturbing part, folks: More than 40 percent of those dollars were directed at lobbying efforts in three states -- California, New York and Texas -- because their combined spending alone amounted to nearly 30 percent of the total spent nationwide on Medicaid drug purchases.

No wonder the drugs you may be paying for already cost too much. Reports like this one merely refuel my passion for replacing the existing, broken conventional health care paradigm, addicted to drug-based "cures," with one that emphasizes prevention and treats the real causes of disease.

Center for Public Integrity April 6, 2006 Free Full Text Report

Washington Post April 6, 2006

Late last week, the FDA finally got around to approving the newest attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug for children I warned you about: The Daytrana patch, chock full of methylphenidate, the very same stimulant used in Ritalin.

This latest version of the Daytrana patch, developed by Noven Pharmaceuticals and Shire Phamaceuticals Group, was approved by an advisory board for the FDA as an alternative ADHD treatment for children (ages 6-12), only if taking a pill is too difficult.

A little history: The U.S. based Noven tried to submit a 12-hour patch for approval three years ago, but the FDA rejected it. This "new and approved version" lasts just nine hours, and is available in four different dosages.

For the time being, Daytrana will include warnings for skin sensitivity, heart problems, insomnia, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss and, hopefully, hallucinations. But isn't a patch handier than taking a drug and much easier to sell? Makes you wonder if this patch is just another way to expand "a market" that may include as many as 10 percent of all the 12-year-old boys in America...

Some effective ways to treat ADHD without the need for a harmful drug:

• Avoiding processed foods.
• Reducing, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars from your diet.
• Balancing your intake of omega-3 fats in your diet by taking krill oil.

ABC News April 8, 2006

MSNBC April 6, 2006

Medical News Today April 8, 2006

Seems there's a movement among schools, restaurants and food service companies to reduce or eliminate the use of eggs produced by caged hens, according to this interesting piece in USA Today, one of my favorite newspapers in the world. It's the result of a campaign by the Humane Society of America and various colleges to eliminate the use of conventional eggs, grown in battery cages (a stack of cages that can be as high as two stories).

Ideally, it would be best to obtain your eggs directly from the farmer. In my experience, even $6 per dozen organic, cage-free eggs purchased in many stores don't compare to those obtained directly from the farmer.

How can you tell?

This one is easy: Just look at the yolks. You are getting really healthy eggs, if the yolks are bright orange yellow. If they are pale yellow, better keep looking.

Another thing most people don't understand about eggs is that you don't need to refrigerate them. They are not routinely refrigerated in Europe or South America. Refrigeration does allow them to last longer but they can easily last several weeks to a month or more unrefrigerated. If they are already refrigerated when you purchase them it really doesn't matter.

Still, it's best to purchase directly from the farmer unrefrigerated and store them on top of your refrigerator, not in it. Along those same line, you'll also want to review my latest recommendations for eating raw eggs.

USA Today April 11, 2006

One of my major pet peeves with the business of medicine: The creation of "diseases" or the exploitation of minor conditions merely to justify the production of new drugs no one needs.

With that in mind, you'll enjoy reviewing a slate of articles from the open-access Public Library of Science (free text link below) devoted to disease mongering, all to serve the interests of the mega-pharmaceuticals.

The practice of this low art, described in these pieces, has served drug companies well, keeping their coffers flush with cash while healthy people waste their hard-earned dollars on becoming patients who are prescribed useless and often toxic drugs that can harm them.

And, like the effective marketing techniques that drive the mega-pharmaceutical machine, a global response will be necessary, the editors say, to stop it. Sounds a great deal like my vision for more rational and natural approaches to health care that treat the true cause of health problems, rather than attempt to cure phony conditions.

Public Library of Science Medicine, Vol. 3, No. 4, April 11, 2006 Free Full Text Articles

Times Online April 11, 2006

Last week, I told you about the phased-in use of radio frequency identification technology (RFID) to track farm animals in U.S. Department of Agriculture databases, a major concern that could limit our ability to buy healthy food.

An interesting BBC News piece I read argues the real benefits of RFID -- tracking the movement of stock from a manufacturer to your corner grocery store -- could be undermined by the public's perception. Of course, if RFID is used for used for health-harming things like "chipping" farm animals, I can't imagine many people would be pleased if they knew more about it.

Even some experts, including Internet guru Vint Cerf, remain wary about what manufacturers are really after: Collecting stock data or personal information.

One possible and sensible solution -- at least for non-food items -- that may eliminate privacy concerns, according to a European commissioner: Deactivate the codes on chips after customers purchase items from a store.

BBC News April 8, 2006

Another reason expectant mothers shouldn't take an antidepressant to treat their emotional pain: Doing so increases a woman's risk of bearing a stillborn child.

The numbers compiled in a Canadian study comparing the health of 972 babies born from women taking antidepressants to those who didn't take a useless, toxic drug may surprise you:

• Women taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) were about twice as likely to suffer a stillbirth or bear a low birth-weight child.
• SSRI patients were almost 20 percent more prone to deliver their babies prematurely.
• Reports of babies experiencing seizures were more common among mothers taking SSRIs.

Considering all the problems taking a toxic drug can have on your health as well as your newborn along with providing no meaningful benefits, consider these safer, healthier options:

• Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique, the energy psychology tool I use daily in my practice.
• Stay active before your pregnancy with an exercise program.
• Get your Omega-3s by taking the Pure Krill Oil I sell in my Web store.

BBC News April 7, 2006

You may recall a study I posted last year about the toxic risks of fluoride tied to a higher risk of bone cancer. The tricky part at the time: Finding a copy of the study, considering the only proof came from a dissertation by a former Harvard University dental student.

Dr. Elise Bassin's findings finally became public last week (text link below) and it could be big trouble to fluoride proponents, and, in particular, Bassin's former college advisor and current boss, Chester Douglass, who chairs the Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology department at Harvard University. Douglass says her study was a subset of his own $1.3 million, 15-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health that debunked any connection between fluoride and cancer.

But you may not know, Douglass is also paid as an editor of the Colgate Oral Care Report, a newsletter supported by one of the leading makers of fluoride toothpaste in the world...

Back on point, Dr. Bassin's study showed young boys who drink fluoridated water, considered safe based on federal regulations, have a five times greater risk of developing osteosarcoma, the most common kind of bone cancer and the sixth most common among children.

Considering kids are being harmed by the toxicity of fluoride in their bones and teeth, you have more than ample reason to eliminate it from your home. However, should you remain skeptical, I urge you to check out my fluoride links page.

The Harvard Crimson April 10, 2006

Boston Herald April 6, 2006

Three years ago, I told you about the lack of vitamin D contributing to congestive heart failure (CHF). New evidence shows getting a daily dose of vitamin D -- and there's no healthier or easier way to get it than from the sun -- boosts the body's natural anti-inflammatory response to prevent it.

German scientists monitored the effects of a 2,000 IU dose of vitamin D supplement versus a placebo per day on 123 CHF patients. Nine months later, vitamin D patients enjoyed a 43 percent increase in their interleukin-10 levels (a natural anti-inflammatory produced by the body) and no jump in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels, pro-inflammatory chemicals that have been linked to CHF.

On the other hand, TNF-alpha levels in patients not given vitamin D rose 12 percent. What's more, their interleukin-10 levels were unchanged and the amount of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (the non-active storage form of vitamin D in one's body) dropped.

No surprise, conventional medicine is finally getting on board the vitamin D bandwagon, using the natural power of sunshine to treat type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis during a woman's pregnancy and even tuberculosis.

The trick about taking a high-dose vitamin D supplement: As long as you take it as an oral supplement, you must have your blood levels checked regularly. If you receive your vitamin D through sun exposure, however, you'll get the optimum amount your body needs, eliminating the necessity for testing.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 4, April 2006: 754-759

Nutra Ingredients.com April 10, 2006

Without a doubt, USB flash (thumb) drives have replaced "floppy disks." I remember paying about $75 for my first drive four or five years ago, and it was only 16 MB. Now, Audi will send you a new vehicle brochure on a 32 MB flash drive (free link below).

Times have changed, however. Just last week, Buslink just announced a 64-gigabyte flash drive (pictured at right). But this little puppy isn't free: You'll need to plunk down $5,000 to own it.

But, over the weekend, Kanguru announced a 64-gigabyte flash drive of their own for $2,800, close to half the price of the aforementioned drive. At this rate, it certainly doesn't make sense to run out and get one. If you wait a few weeks, another company will likely offer one for $1,000.

You are much better off with the free Audi drive. True, it won't store many audio files, but that is an amazing amount of free storage for most all your text files.

Audi

If you don't take better responsibility for your health by avoiding expensive, dangerous and often worthless prescription drugs, you'll certainly feel it in the pocketbook, according to the latest AARP report comparing the wholesale pricing of 193 brand-name and 75 generic drugs.

Although the 6 percent increase in name-brand drugs represents the smallest rise in five years, that number still way outpaces the nation's inflation rate. Conversely, the report found generic drug prices fell for the second straight year by about 1 percent.

Although some entities, namely the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, dispute the use of wholesale drug costs, fact is, only five of the brand-name drugs AARP tracked didn't jump in price last year. And, 84 percent of the drugs that did exceeded the rate of inflation.

The drugs with the steepest wholesale price increases:

• Combivent -- 22.1 percent
• Ambien: 19.5 percent
• Flovent: 19.3 percent
• Atrovent: 18.6 percent
• Lantus: 14.9 percent

Unfortunately, the report doesn't take into account new drugs that are merely minor variations of older drugs, meaning an even higher annuity you could be paying to drug companies if you're not willing to make simple lifestyle changes.

USA Today April 10, 2006

Not only is ginger a natural pain-reliever and a safe, effective means to treat morning sickness, it can also cause ovarian cancer cells to die.

This natural discovery is a great boon to the treatment of ovarian cancer, considering many patients develop recurrent disease that, over time, becomes resistant to apoptosis, one form of cellular death that ginger triggers. The other kind of cellular death ginger induced -- autophagy -- forces cancer cells to digest themselves naturally.

University of Michigan researchers made the discovery when they treated ovarian cancer cell cultures with a common variety of ginger powder sold in grocery stores. In fact, ginger caused cellular death in all ovarian cancer lines tested, and at a similar or better rate than chemotherapy drugs.

I'll keep you posted on the results of future University of Michigan studies on other natural treatments for ovarian cancer, including resveratrol and curcumin.

University of Michigan Health System April 4, 2006

Yahoo News April 5, 2006

After extremely high levels of benzene were found in soft drinks distributed in France and the UK, I wasn't surprised at all to learn, according to a FDA report, Americans face those same risks.

Although the FDA claimed there's no reason to be concerned, federal officials admitted their analysis of diet soft drinks found benzene levels to be four times higher than tap water in some 80 percent of the samples they tested. Perhaps, that's why the FDA backtracked on earlier statements that the benzene levels they found were "insignificant."

This cancer-triggering chemical forms and collects in soft drinks made with vitamin C and either sodium or potassium benzoate. Other factors that affect the formation of benzene in soft drinks: Heat, light and how long those products sit on grocery store shelves.

Folks, one of the simplest changes you can make to optimize your health is to stop drinking soft drinks immediately. They are the leading source of calories in America and diet drinks alone can double your risks of obesity as you get older.

Yahoo News April 8, 2006

Earlier this year, I told you about the strong correlation between a larger body mass index and the presence of beta-amyloid, the chemical associated with Alzheimer's disease. Makes sense, in light of new research that connects a patient's obesity in their 40s to a greater risk of Alzheimer's as they get older.

Researchers monitored the health of some 9,000 patients for up to three decades, measuring the thickness of their skin below their shoulder and behind their upper arms. By the numbers:

• Patients with the thickest upper arms were 2.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's.
• Thicker shoulders almost tripled a patient's risk of Alzheimer's.

If you're fighting obesity and need more direction, as well as side-stepping Alzheimer's, you'll want to review this must-read piece that covers a spectrum of safe, natural treatments that will help you win the battle over both.

Yahoo News April 6, 2006

As you know, more than a third of American teens are at rock bottom on the fitness scale and that will, no doubt, have a devastating effect on their health later on in life. Apparently, the opposite -- getting any kind of physical activity at all -- is just as true and beneficial to their mental and physical health, according to a new study.

Based on a survey of some 12,000 teens attending middle schools and high schools, those who stay away from the TV and are physically active in any way tend to stay away from health-harming habits (smoking, drinking, having risky sex and taking illegal drugs) and have better grades and self-esteem.

Beyond the hot and steamy content of some programs, TV watching tends to make teen viewers much more passive, causing them to miss the vital social contact they need to develop new skills, better teamwork habits and more life experiences, the lead researcher points out.

That said, teens need not play organized sports like football or basketball to benefit. Fun activities such as skating and skateboarding were also associated with better self-esteem and behaviors and less trouble.

Here's a related dual benefit: Teens who played sports with their parents were less trouble at home and school and, I suspect, a lot more physically fit too. That's one more sign, parents can have a significant effect on their teen's health habits, if they choose to.

Pediatrics, Vol. 117, No. 4, April 2006: 1281-1290

Yahoo News April 5, 2006

Emotions are very complicated and fragile things. When channeled positively, they can do wonderful things for your health. Unfortunately, when you're feeling down and out, those negative emotions can be quite harmful to your mind and body.

Few pursuits in life offer more potential for risk and reward than your job. Although it's a fact unemployment hurts your health -- just like a death or divorce can -- the risk of losing your job can be much more damaging, according to a University of Michigan study.

Based on reports from patients about their mental and physical conditions, scientists concluded a chronic feeling of job insecurity had more influence on one's health than facing a life-threatening illness or true job loss.

Continuing, uncontrolled insecurity fuels chronic and toxic stress that can eventually damage your immune system and open the floodgates to serious illness, experts said. And, if you do nothing to deal with the real problem -- handling the stress of uncertainty better -- your brain may be affected too.

Your best bet is to learn how handle the stress in a healthy way. Before you waste money on an antidepressant that may not only toxic but useless, however, consider learning the Emotional Freedom Technique, one of the most effective energy psychology tools available to treat stress and depression.

Washington Post April 4, 2006

An alarming sign the epidemic of childhood obesity in America is shifting in a frightening direction: Manufacturers are building bigger car seats for children between ages 1-6 because standard-sized models don't fit them anymore, according to a Johns Hopkins study. The reason researchers tackled the subject in the first place: They observed kids who were very obese and had a hard time finding seats to fit them.

The problem stems from children who weighs more than 40 pounds. According to 2000 Census records, almost 300,000 American children are too big for standard car seats, including some 190,000 3-year-olds.

No surprise, some companies like Britax offer booster seats that can handle a child who weighs as much as 100 pounds that looks like a Lazy Boy recliner, according to an Oregon mother. Even the National Highway Traffic Safety is getting into the act with their proposal for new requirements to make car seats for heavier or older children.

This terrible problem has much to do with a continuing failure among parents to recognize their own children are getting heavier and sicker and to understand how much adults influence the good and bad habits of their kids.

Take a moment to review the seven risk factors for childhood obesity I posted last year, then take these necessary steps to protect their health:

• Cut out sweet drinks and soft drinks, replacing both with clean water.
• Move the TV out of their bedroom.
• Get their young bones moving outdoors and to the nearest playground.

Pediatrics, Vol. 117, No. 4, April 2006: 1197-1202

Yahoo News April 3, 2006

How long a patient used Vioxx may become the legal litmus test among state and federal juries making decisions on the health-harming effect of the still-banned COX-2 inhibitor in some 9,600 lawsuits (and counting) in the U.S. court system.

A New Jersey state court awarded John McDarby and his wife $4.5 million, but Thomas Cona only $45. Why the huge difference? McDarby took Vioxx for four years before suffering a heart attack that resulted also in a broken hip, leaving him wheelchair-bound.

On the other hand, Cona claimed he used Vioxx for nearly two years, but his medical records showed the duration to be only seven months. Here's the rub: Cona says he used free samples to fill out the remainder of his two years on Vioxx.

One of the very few benefits of these court proceedings: More people are getting a first-hand look at the greed on display by the mega-pharmaceuticals that hastily rush toxic drugs like Vioxx to market solely to fatten their pocketbooks at the expense of your health.

MSNBC April 6, 2006

Washington Post April 6, 2006

I suspect the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) failure to enforce its own junk food rules probably had something to do with Congress getting involved on the front lines of the childhood obesity epidemic in America's public schools.

A bipartisan group of Congressman will introduce legislation today that would amend the National School Lunch Act, requiring all foods sold in public schools, including vending machines, snack bars and school fund-raisers.

What's encouraging about this bill: It would be applicable to all foods served in schools besides lunches, taking into account how a product promotes obesity (think doughnuts, soft drinks and potato chips).

However, some dietary experts, me included, remain concerned the true impact of the bill will be neutered by powerful lobbying groups like the American Beverage Association who believe merely removing soft drinks from elementary schools will do the trick.

Truth is, parents must get involved in preventing obesity in their homes, so their children won't live shorter lives than they do.

New York Times April 6, 2006 Registration Required

The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger April 6, 2006

With the temperatures rising in the Northern Hemisphere and more sunshine to light our late afternoons, you may be tempted on a whim to pull out your grill and cook some meat or veggies, preferably of the organic kind. Cooking safely on a grill is the essence of the problem in this latest study that found consuming barbecued meat can elevate a man's risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers found a new compound, PhIP, that forms on meat when it's cooked at high temperatures jump-started and promoted the growth of prostate cancer in rats. Additionally, genetic mutations were found in various organs, including prostates, spleens and intestines.

Because cooking conditions vary from place to place, it's nearly impossible to detect how much PhIP a patient may have consumed.

That's why it's so very important to prepare foods properly. In fact, PhIP might be the newest addition to the list of heterocyclic amines, potent cancer-causing substances that form on foods when cooked at high temperatures while grilling or barbecuing. Two ways you can safely cook foods on a grill:

• Add cherries, blueberries or vitamin E to your ground meat.
• Cook you foods at around 200 degrees, meaning very low heat.

Yahoo News April 3, 2006

Another worrisome sign the health of American children is on the decline: The doubling of prescriptions for type 2 diabetes, based on a study by Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America.

Type 2 diabetes prescriptions among children exploded between 2002-2005 from a disease that typically affects middle-age and older adults, not a huge surprise considering the CDC recently estimated 2 million American teens already suffer from pre-diabetes. Even worse, teens make up the much of that rise in prescriptions too.

Additionally, the number of type 1 diabetics prescriptions for kids rose some 26 percent and total diabetes meds climbed about 39 percent. Like obesity, diabetes is a very treatable condition without drugs, if they follow this three-step plan:

• Start an exercise program today.
• Retool their diet based on their body's unique metabolic type.
• Get more sleep.

San Diego Union-Tribune April 4, 2006

Yahoo Finance April 4, 2006

If Celebrex, the lone COX-2 inhibitor left on the market, more than doubles a patient's risks of a heart attack, why would anyone take it to prevent colon cancer? Perhaps, it's partly because drugmaker Pfizer told them so...

Pfizer partially funded one study along with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and completely paid for a second one to investigate the value of Celebrex in preventing colon cancer.

In the former study involving more than 2,000 patients, less than half of those taking Celebrex developed polyps in their colons versus 60 percent of people taking a placebo. In the latter study, about a third of the patients taking 400 mg of Celebrex daily developed new colon polyps. Interestingly, nearly 8 percent of the patients taking Celebrex in the Pfizer-funded study suffered from heart-related side effects.

Due to those existing risks, researchers couldn't completely recommend Celebrex for patients with cardiovascular problems. That's why it pays to read between the lines and not take everything you read or hear on the news for face value. And, please understand, you don't need Celebrex or any other drug to lower your risk of cancer if you follow the major recommendations I outlined last year.

Medical News Today April 4, 2006

Yahoo News April 3, 2006

New numbers from the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show a devastating rise in obesity among Americans and, in particular, this nation's children.

A third of American children and young adults (ages 2-19) were either overweight or at risk going that way as of 2004, a jump of some 5 percent over just four years ago, to some 25 million. Adults are no slouches either, when it comes to gaining weight:

• A near 4 percent rise among obese American men -- those who tip the scales at 30 or more pounds above their ideal weight -- to nearly a third.
• The number of obese women staying the same at 33 percent.
• Forty-five percent of black adults were considered obese, versus about 37 percent of Hispanics and some 31 percent of Caucasians.
• Some 136 million American adults -- about two-thirds -- are obese.

The cold, hard facts were so alarming to the CDC, they've begun to realize just how serious this epidemic truly is, and how it may affect American children in so many devastating ways we never expected. The good news to be gleaned from this report: More people than ever are aware of these frightening numbers, which, I hope, will serve as a wakeup call before it's too late.

In the meantime, you have plenty of resources available on my Web site to begin reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in your home. A few to get you started:

• Replace those sugary sweet juices and soft drinks with clean, fresh water.
• As the hours grow longer and temperatures climb, get your kids off the couch and to the nearest playground regularly for some exercise.
• Limit a child's TV time.

Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 295, No. 13, April 5, 2006: 1549-1555

USA Today April 5, 2006

If you subscribe to my eHealthy News You Can Use newsletter, you already know how omega-3 fatty acids prevent the spread of prostate cancer. Getting your omega-3s may also stop or hamper the growth of liver cancer, based on findings from a pair of University of Pittsburgh studies.

The first study compared the effect of omega-3 and omega-6 fats on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, the most common cause of all liver cancers (up to 90 percent) and usually fatal within six months, for up to two days. No surprise, omega-6 fats had no effect on cancer cells, but the omega-3s -- in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) -- induced apoptosis (programmed cellular death).

In the latter study, omega-3 fats were just as effective in treating cholangiocarcinoma tumor cells, an aggressive and fatal type of liver cancer that forms in bile ducts.

One of the best things you can do for your health and to reduce your risk of cancer is to take a high quality omega-3 oil, and I've found nothing better than the krill oil I sell in my Web store. Unfortunately, the demand for this oil has been so amazing, the supplier is not able to fulfill orders for 2-4 weeks.

RxPG News April 3, 2006

Nutra Ingredients.com April 4, 2006

Radio frequency identification technology (RFID) eases inventory tracking by companies selling products all over the world. You need to know how this technology can also be used for nefarious purposes as in the case of tracking farm animals in a government database.

The plan for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) almost a year ago, calls for the identification and tracking of every farm animal using RFID and GPS technology for the stated purpose of containing diseases like mad cow.

It also requires any farm or home that houses a single animal to be registered with governmental agencies. There are some MAJOR concerns here that will likely seriously impact your ability to obtain healthy food in the future.

This measure could literally wipe out most all the small organic farmers that simply don't have the means and resources to secure these high-tech gadgets and implement the required expensive reporting systems.

Folks, this is serious business that will no doubt affect your ability to get clean reasonably priced healthy food in the future. I urge you to review the links below along with the USDA's plan, for right now just a voluntary one, and get your Congressman involved today before it's too late.

Stop Animal ID.org

Reliable Answers.com February 12, 2006

Although I'm not opposed to all uses of antibiotics, I believe patients have been harmed far more often by them than they've been helped. In fact, it's been my experience antibiotics are used inappropriately well over 95 percent of the time. So why would you ever take one to treat your asthma?

That's the gist of my objections about vaccine-maker Sanofi-Aventis' latest antibiotic drug -- telithromycin (brand name Ketek) -- for treating asthma. If you read some reports, however, you may be led to believe telithromycin is helpful, according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients taking telithromycin enjoyed twice the improvement in asthma symptoms compared to those taking a placebo, and recovered much sooner too. On the flip side, this study, funded by the very same drugmaker, found the breathing capacity of asthmatic patients didn't improve over the long haul. And, patients suffered more frequent bouts of nausea too.

Makes you wonder if Sanofi-Aventis was trying to squeeze one more "effective" use out of the drug, considering it's come under more scrutiny lately after reports of liver poisoning.

Before you even consider an antibiotics for asthma, you'll want to read a study I posted two weeks ago about tripling a baby's future asthma risks because of them. In fact, taking a drug is nothing more than a potentially toxic Band-Aid that never gets to the real heart of the problem.

New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 354, No. 15, April 13, 2006: 1589-1600

The Age April 16, 2006

Canada.com April 15, 2006

For the sole patient still hospitalized a month after a UK drug trial gone horribly awry, the news is now far worse than anyone ever expected. Londoner Ryan Wilson will spend the next six months in the hospital and stands to lose, at the very least, the tips of his toes.

Wilson was one of half-dozen patients enrolled in a drug trial for TeGenero's anti-inflammatory TGN1412 drug designed to treat leukemia, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. What Wilson was paid by TeGenero to test their harmful drug -- about $3,500 in U.S. dollars -- won't come close to compensating him for multiple organ failure, pneumonia and the loss of his toes and even his fingers.

As of now, Wilson and his doctors are in an uncomfortable holding pattern, waiting for his body to begin healing on its own. If doctors are correct, and his body heals optimally, his fingers may fall off on their own, not unlike frostbite.

Wish I could tell you Wilson's experience was an uncommon one, but it isn't. The 10,000 Vioxx lawsuits clogging up American courts certainly speak volumes on that score...

BBC News April 16, 2006

No doubt, you recall some of the reports I posted last year about the work of Dr. Morando Soffritti, the Italian scientist whose recent studies on aspartame reaffirmed its toxicity once and for all. Dr. Soffritti offered some interesting details of his past work in a recent interview.

For one, aspartame isn't the only dangerous chemical Dr. Soffritti's European Ramazzini Foundation has discovered. His foundation first appeared on the radar when it discovered the cancer-causing properties of the gasoline additive MTBE, leading to a ban in 21 American states.

Secondly, for those of who believe consuming diet soft drinks tainted with aspartame or any other artificial sweetener will help you lose weight, forget it. In Dr. Soffritti's experiments, rats given aspartame ate less but their body weight remained the same, one reason I often remind you diet soft drinks, fueled with toxic substances like aspartame or sucralose, multiply your risk of obesity.

Lastly, the carcinogenic effect of aspartame could be far greater, Dr. Soffritti warns, in children due to their lower body weight and even worse on an embryo which is why pregnant women should stay away from artificial sweeteners at all costs.

If you still skeptical about aspartame's deadly effects, I urge you to review an index of the top articles I've published on my Web site.

IPS News Agency April 15, 2006

From time to time, I warn you about the latest "designer health trends," like the ever-growing array of sports drinks and energy drinks that can harm you. The most recent "trend" that does nothing more than separate you from your hard-earned cash and offers no help to your health: Canned oxygen that comes in fruity flavors.

Not surprising at all to me, considering the wasteful business of bottled water alone generates $9 billion in the United States...

The mass production of canned oxygen probably began after the "success" of oxygen bars at trendy nightclubs, where oxygen is sold in five-minute increments to provide patrons an energy boost.

We all know that oxygen is essential to life and if you don't get it for five minutes or so you will not be living very long. Most Americans feel, however, if something is good for you, more of it is probably better. That just doesn't work well for many things, and canned oxygen is one of them.

Oxidation can accelerate aging and DNA damage and that is one of the reasons why taking antioxidants can be helpful. It's also why you should place your vegetables and foods in near vacuum packed containers: The oxygen in the air will actually accelerate deterioration.

So skip the expense and increase your oxygen by participating in aerobic exercise as that is the only logical way to improve your oxygen intake that I am aware of. And, even then, it is still beneficial for you to take antioxidants to protect against possibly excessive oxygen exposure.

Failed Success.com April 17, 2006

Considering many of you who read my daily blog enjoy science as much as I do, I thought you'd enjoy this great interview/documentary with the late Dr. Richard Feynman available through this free video link.

One of the more influential physicists of the last century and a Nobel Prize winner, Feynman expanded our knowledge of quantum mechanics and electrodynamics and quark theory.

Feynman was also known for his insatiable curiosity, brilliant mind and popularizing physics in books and lectures much as Dr. David Willey has done, yet wrote only 37 research papers throughout his long career in science.

Google Video April 8, 2006 Free Video Link