Over 10,000 American Toddlers Are Being Given ADHD Drugs

Once again, our country’s disadvantaged kids are being unnecessarily medicated nearly three times more often than other countries. According to CDC officials, more than 10,000 American toddlers—children who are just 2 or 3 years old—are being medicated for alleged attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There are few studies on the impact of psychostimulant ADHD drugs like methylphenidate (Ritalin) or amphetamines (like Adderall) in children this young. However, we do know that the side effects of ADHD drugs include stunted growth, insomnia, hallucinations, high blood pressure, involuntary movements, aggressive behavior, heart attack, brain hemorrhage, stroke, migraines, and seizures. Emerging evidence also suggests that Ritalin can cause long-term damage to developing prefrontal cortexes, resulting in “rigid behavior, difficulties with multitasking, or problems with short-term memory” later in life. What kind of society treats its children this way? Is nothing more important than drug company profits?

The Healing Power of Pets for the Elderly

A popular non-drug intervention to elderly care involves the use of pets. Pet therapy has been shown to improve mental health and Alzheimer's, boost sociability, reduce doctor’s visits, and improve cardiovascular health.

Senior Care: Music Beats Drugs in Fighting Dementia

Prescription drug abuse against the elderly is an epidemic problem in the U.S. today. Consider the following facts: According to the Office of the Inspector General, 304,983 elderly nursing home residents in the U.S. were given dangerous, and often deadly, antipsychotic drugs, of which 88% were prescribed off-label for dementia. Antipsychotic drugs can double the risk of death and triple the risk of stroke for seniors and there are now about 1 million nursing home patients on antipsychotic drugs. However, research now backs up the experience that personalized music has tremendous therapeutic benefits for seniors, allowing them to overcome dementia without drugs. Lemon Grove Care & Rehabilitation Center near San Diego has reported that since they introduced iPods and personalized playlists to their residents, antipsychotic medication has been reduced by over 50%!

The Link Between Antidepressants and Violent Crimes

Another act of mass violence is in the news here in the U.S. with the events in Santa Barbara, California, this holiday weekend. When is the mainstream media going to start covering the link between psychiatric drugs and violence, instead of always using these tragic events as an opportunity to push for more gun control?? Far too often we hear news of a deadly attack at a school, mall or military base -- violent crimes committed by those we least suspect. Many of those violent outbreaks have involved guns. Sometimes, however, there's another common thread: antidepressants. Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in America. Millions of doctors and their patients appear to like these drugs, but there is a darker side.

The U.S. has More People Drinking Fluoridated Water than the Rest of the World Combined

Abby Martin takes with a look at the 50 year long practice of water fluoridation in America, outlining adverse health effects and breaking the myth that it helps prevent tooth decay. Most of the industrialized world, including Japan and 97% of Europe, do not fluoridate their public water supplies. Many municipalities in the United States are also beginning to rethink their fluoridation policies. Last year the city of Portland became the largest city in the U.S. to stop water fluoridation, and recently the Dallas city council also announced its plans to stop fluoridation. These moves by Portland and Dallas resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue for the chemical companies, so opposition is fierce.

The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Military Suicides and Sudden Deaths

Hundreds of impassioned protesters, including veterans, marched against the American Psychiatric Association which held more than 65 sessions on psychiatric treatment of military personnel, veterans and their families. Retired Colonel John A. Henke, a clinical psychologist and highly decorated Air Force pilot who worked with the Pentagon stated: “Instead of helping veterans recover from war, their pain has been masked with potent drugs. These, including opioid painkillers and mind-altering psychiatric drugs, are feeding addictions and contributing to the fatal overdose rate among VA patients that is nearly double the national average.” Citizens Commission on Human Rights launched a petition requesting the U.S. House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Committee to investigate with public hearings the role of psychiatric drugs in veteran suicides, sudden deaths and recent shootings at Fort Hood and the Washington Navy Yard.

No Rest for Psycho-Pharma Until Every American is Drugged

With nearly 79 million Americans currently taking at least one mind-altering psychiatric drug, it boggles the mind that a May 13, 2014 USA Today article titled, “The cost of not caring: Nowhere to go,” would argue that the nation is somehow suffering from a lack of mental health treatment. According to the article, “More than half a million Americans with serious mental illness are falling through the cracks of a system in tatters.” Based on the fact that one in four Americans is taking at least one psychiatric drug, it seems the psycho-pharmaceutical industry will not be satisfied until every American is under the influence of pharmacological “treatment”. The real force behind the article is the push to increase mental health screening, which is part of Representative Tim Murphy’s (R-Pa) controversial legislation (H.R. 3717). The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013, not only creates a new mental health czar, but it also increases spending for mental health training, screening, awareness campaigns and court-ordered treatment—up to a whopping $270 million a year. And this taxpayer mental health financial benevolence is expected without any data to support that even one psychiatric disorder is based in science. Worse still, nowhere in the article is mention made of the known serious adverse reactions to the psychiatric drugs commonly used as treatment.

The Redemption of Cholesterol—How It Supports Your Health

Over the past 60 years, research has repeatedly demonstrated that there’s NO correlation between high cholesterol and plaque formation that leads to heart disease. Despite that, the saturated fat/cholesterol myth has persisted. Dr. Fred Kummerow, who is nearly 100 years old, was the first scientist to document the toxicity of trans fats. Over the past 60 years, his research has repeatedly demonstrated that there’s NO correlation between high cholesterol and plaque formation that leads to heart disease. Dr. Kummerow’s work shows that it’s not cholesterol that causes heart disease; rather it’s the trans fats and oxidized cholesterol that are to blame.

Swiss Medical Board Against Systematic Mammograms

The Swiss Medical Board has recommended that no new systematic mammography screening programs be introduced, and a time limit should be placed on existing programs. Their review of mammography screening found the recommendations are based on outdated studies and the benefits do not outweigh the risks to women. One of the largest and longest studies of mammography to date found that mammograms have absolutely no positive impact on breast cancer mortality while 22 percent of women screened will be exposed to false positives and unnecessary treatment.

Senate Bill Would Subject Children to Mental Health Screening Without Parental Consent

Nothing would prevent a social worker from taking a child from an innocent family and having a “mental health care provider” (which could even include an unlicensed intern) conduct a psychological witch hunt under the guise of a “mental health screening,” prior to the initial detention hearing. The results of the screening (that is, the subjective analysis of one hand-picked mental health provider) could then be used as evidence to give the state authority over the child when in fact no abuse or neglect exists.