Aged Garlic and Other Natural Strategies Reduce Hypertension

Researchers from Australia’s University of Adelaide have confirmed that garlic is effective for reducing blood pressure. We can now add garlic to the list of several natural strategies to reduce hypertension. The researchers conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with 79 patients who had been diagnosed with uncontrolled systolic hypertension. Researchers said their trial suggests aged garlic extract to be an effective and tolerable treatment in uncontrolled hypertension, and may be considered as a safe adjunct treatment to conventional antihypertensive therapy.

Deadly Medicines and Organized Crime: How big pharma has corrupted healthcare

An important new book by a recognized medical research expert describes Big Pharma as akin to the Mafia. In an interview conducted by our colleagues at ANH-Europe, Dr. Peter C. Gøtzsche exposes the flaws of the drug approval system, our reliance on dangerous drugs, and the deadly co-dependence between regulators and industry. Dr. Gøtzsche is co-founder of the highly respected Cochrane Collaboration and Cochrane Reviews, a leading journal of evidence-based medicine. The interview is particularly timely now that the FDA has decided to remove restrictions on the dangerous drug Avandia.

Dr. Gøtzsche’s new book, Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime: How Big Pharma Has Corrupted Healthcare, points out that the pharmaceutical industry is allowed to test their own drugs, and thus effectively be their own judge. He calls this a threat to safe medicine and asks for open access to all research data, including raw data, because otherwise, data can be easily suppressed and conclusions manipulated by industry.

Illinois Legislators Back Off Raw Milk Ban After Consumer Outrage

Under current Illinois law, farmers can sell an unlimited amount of raw milk on the farm without a permit. Legislators and health officials were working hard to completely banish farm-to-consumer agreements in some sneaky ways. This was not lost on Illinois’ thriving raw milk market.

Now, a proposed bill in Illinois banning the sale and distribution of natural or “raw” milk, has come to a screeching halt this session after legislators heard from thousands of natural milk supporters.

Sheriffs Lead Militia to Stand Up for Rancher in Nevada Being Attacked by Federal Agents

As the standoff between Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and federal agents with the Bureau of Land Management gains national attention, due mainly to the alternative media, constitutional sheriffs from around the U.S., led by Sheriff Richard Mack, are leading a militia force to intervene in Nevada.

In what appears to be a full military assault by the federal government on Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy over property rights, the governor of Nevada has publicly condemned the assault on its citizens but has taken no action. Federal agents have reportedly already seized and possibly destroyed some of Bundy’s cattle herd. Watch the report below from NextNewsNetwork with interviews from local residents discussing what they believe the real issues are in this heavy-handed government seizure of family farm land:

Cuba’s Urban Farming Revolution: How to Create Self-Sufficient Cities

Havanas’s unique agricultural infrastructure emerged from punishing trade sanctions following the fall of the USSR but today provides an exemplary precedent that could be applied worldwide.

The Health Benefits of Maple Syrup: Why You Should Replace Processed Sugar with Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is one of the many wonders of the world and far more than a simple sweetener. Maple syrup is not only rich in essential nutrients such as manganese as well as zinc, but 34 new beneficial compounds discovered just a few years ago have been confirmed to play a key role in human health.

Antioxidants found in maple syrup have anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-diabetic properties.

The Spice That Prevents Fluoride From Destroying Your Brain

Fluoride is found everywhere today, from antibiotics to drinking water, non stick pans to toothpaste, making exposure inevitable. All the more reason why new research proving this common spice can prevent fluoride damage is so promising.

Fluoride’s neurotoxicity has been the subject of academic debate for decades, and now a matter of increasingly impassioned controversy among the general public as well. A new study published in the Pharmacognosy Magazine, adds experimental support to the suspicion that fluoride is indeed a brain-damaging substance, also revealing that a curcumin (found in turmeric) helps protect against the various health effects associated with fluoride exposure.

Medical Cannabis is a Threat to the Pharmaceutical Industry

Medical marijuana, or cannabis, is legal in 20 US states, where it is used for a variety of medical conditions such as mood disorders, pain disorders, multiple sclerosis, and even cancer. Parents of children with epilepsy met at a news conference to share their dismay that Governor Mark Dayton refuses to legalize medical marijuana. About 85 percent to 95 percent of Americans are in favor of medical cannabis, and nearly 60 percent are in favor of legalizing marijuana. Cannabis shows outstanding promise as a medicinal plant, largely due to its cannabidiol (CBD) content. Cannabinoids interact with your body by way of naturally occurring cannabinoid receptors embedded in cell membranes throughout your body.

Leaders of Teaching Hospitals Have Close Ties to Drug Companies, Study Shows

Pharmaceutical company payments to doctors extend far beyond rank-and-file clinicians — and deep into the leadership of America’s teaching hospitals, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

A team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center examined the boards of the 50 largest drug companies by global sales (excluding three companies that were not publicly traded). The researchers found that 40 percent — 19 companies — had at least one board member who also held a leadership role at an academic medical center. Sixteen of the 17 companies based in the United States had at least one. Several had more than one. All told, the research team found that 41 of the companies’ 2012 board members held leadership positions at academic medical centers. Six of the 41 were pharmaceutical company executives who served on hospital boards of directors or held other leadership posts.

The authors wrote that when academic medical leaders serve on pharmaceutical company boards, it can lead to conflicts not only for individuals, but for the critically important health care institutions they guide.

Toxic Combo of Roundup and Fertilizers Blamed for Tens of Thousands of Deaths

The public’s appreciation of the toxicity of glyphosate—the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup—is still limited, despite highly damning research being published.

The fact that Monsanto marketed Roundup as “environmentally friendly” and “biodegradable” probably has a lot to do with this general lack of insight.

Mounting evidence shows glyphosate is FAR more toxic than anyone previously suspected, both alone and in combination with other additives, agricultural chemicals, and/or heavy metals. A pandemic of chronic kidney disease that is striking down farmers in Sri Lanka, India, and Central America’s Pacific coastline, has been traced back to Roundup in combination with contaminated fertilizer.

As reported by Lanka Business Online: “Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) first appeared in Sri Lanka’s rice growing areas in the north central province in the 1990s and has been spreading into other areas including the South, with over 20,000 estimated deaths so far.”

World’s Number 1 Weed Killer Discovered in U.S. Mothers’ Breast Milk

In the first ever testing on glyphosate herbicide in the breast milk of American women, Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse have found ‘high’ levels in 3 out of the 10 samples tested. The shocking results point to glyphosate levels building up in women’s bodies over a period of time, which has until now been refuted by both global regulatory authorities and the biotech industry.

The levels found in the breast milk testing of 76 ug/l to 166 ug/l are 760 to 1600 times higher than the European Drinking Water Directive allows for individual pesticides. They are however less than the 700 ug/l maximum contaminant level (MCL) for glyphosate in the U.S., which was decided upon by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on the now seemingly false premise that glyphosate was not bio-accumulative.

Glyphosate-containing herbicides are the top-selling herbicides in the world and are sold under trademarks such as Monsanto’s ‘Roundup’. Monsanto’s sales of Roundup jumped 73 percent to $371 million in 2013 because of its increasing use on genetically engineered crops (GE Crops).

Soy-Based Formula Linked To Seizures In Children

Phytoestrogens in soy-based formulas are known to carry greater risks than benefits for infants. Babies fed soy-based formula had 13,000 to 22,000 times more isoflavones in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Data published in PLoS One shows that consumption of soy formula may also be associated with a higher rate of seizures in children. In addition, while true cancer of the prostate, carcinoma, is seldom seen in infants and children, other forms of malignant tumors may develop and more cases are appearing in developed nations where the link appears to center around soy infant formula.

Living Sick and Dying Young in Rich America

When I read an article in The Atlantic recently with the title: Living Sick and Dying Young in Rich America – Chronic illness is the new first-world problem – it caught my attention. This is the kind of topic we cover on a regular basis here at Health Impact News, but seldom do you read about it in the mainstream media.

There are 3 things that are rather astonishing about the sad state of health in America today:

1. We’re sicker than previous generations, and most of us know it.

2. We don’t seem to care about it too much. It is not headline news.

3. There doesn’t seem to be much motivation to change this fact: it seems to have been accepted as the new “norm.”

Last year, we reported about a study funded by the government and your tax dollars which clearly showed that the United States ranks #1 on healthcare spending, but last in life expectancy among wealthy nations (See:U.S. Ranks First in Healthcare Spending – Last in Life Expectancy). The mainstream media barely even covered this story, and even here at Health Impact News it was probably not even in the top 100 stories read from everything we published last year.

The sad fact seems to be that most Americans have adopted an attitude that the current health situation in the U.S. cannot be changed.

For those few of you who have not drunk the Kool Aid, and still believe you do have control over your health and have choices you can make to live a healthier life, then this article by John Thomas identifying the problems and solutions is for you. Please understand that if enough Americans understand that the healthcare system (which is not really a “healthcare” system at all but a MEDICAL system) is the primary problem and take measures to avoid it, that it would absolutely destroy our economy, since so much of it is dependent on sick people. But maybe our economy is heading for destruction anyway, so don’t let that threat stop you from making healthy choices today.

Arguments Evolutionists Should Not Use

We have a popular article titled, Arguments we think creationists should not use. Indeed, even many misotheistic evolutionists, including Richard Dawkins, have commended the existence of such a page. Well, as the saying goes, ‘What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.’

Here are 21 bad arguments that evolutionists should not use to help further their stance on evolution. Clearly, evolution is about keeping out God, not an open approach to the actual evidence.

Fort Hood Shooting: Investigating Psychiatric Drugs & Violence Connection is Long Overdue

Thirty-seven percent of recent war veterans are being diagnosed with PTSD and 80 percent are of those are prescribed a psychiatric drug. The Veterans Administration’s mental health budget has soared from less than $3 billion in 2007 to nearly $7 billion in 2014. From 2005 to 2011, the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration increased their prescriptions of psychiatric drugs by nearly seven times. That’s more than thirty times faster than the civilian rate.

Violence and psychiatric drugs is a deadly formula America is becoming too intimately familiar with. Rather than continually send heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, it is time for lawmakers to investigate the connection between prescription psychiatric drugs and violence.

Gardasil: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare

This story is about Tyler, my youngest daughter and an amazing young woman of God. During one of her regular medical check-ups, the doctor recommended that she be given the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. I trusted that the doctor was giving me complete and accurate information – this is what I was taught to do – trust the doctor. Because of this trust, Tyler’s life has become a nightmare.

The medical community says she will have to live with the pain for the rest of her life. They recommend that we seek alternative treatments to help ease the discomfort – which is very costly and not covered by insurance. We have even attended a pain clinic in Cleveland to teach her how to “live with the pain.” A lifetime of pain is not what any parent envisions for their child. This is not what our faith says her destiny should be!

If you are a parent, you understand how hard it is to see your child suffer. It has been 2 years since I last saw my baby be herself. I would do whatever it takes to help my child feel better, but at this point, we are out of options!

French Medical Professionals Ask: Are HPV Vaccines Necessary?

More than 600 medical professionals and 250 midwives in France have signed a petition demanding the establishment of an emergency parliamentary commission to investigate whether HPV vaccines are necessary in the battle against cervical cancer. The doctors, midwives and pharmacists who have signed the petition believe Gardasil and Cervarix are inefficient and too expensive, making the products unsuitable for mass vaccination programs.

Guillain Barré Syndrome is #1 Side Effect of Vaccine Injury Compensations due to Flu Shots

Statistics released in March, 2014 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that the flu vaccine remains the top vaccine causing injuries which are being compensated through vaccine court, and that Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a crippling disease, remains the top injury being awarded compensation due to the seasonal flu vaccine.

Most people do not realize that flu vaccine inserts clearly list Guillain-Barré Syndrome as a known side effect. Guillain-Barré Syndrome occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system — literally shorting out the nerves that signal our legs to move, our eyes to close, and our lungs to breathe.

New Cholesterol Guidelines May Put 13 Million More on Statin Drugs

Controversial revised cholesterol-treatment guidelines loosened the definition of who would qualify for statin drug treatment to prevent heart disease, greatly increasing the number of people who would be eligible for treatment. Compared with the older guidelines, the new recommendations would increase the number of US adults eligible for statin therapy from 43.2 million to 56 million, with most of the increase occurring among adults without heart disease.

Perhaps the biggest “sham” of all is that statin drugs, touted as “preventive medicine” to protect your heart health, can actually have detrimental effects on your heart.

NPR (and Other Major Media) Spreads Serious Falsehoods About HPV Vaccine

In February, NPR’s All Things Considered aired a segment lamenting the low vaccination rates for the human papillomavirus (HPV) in American children. Apparently doing no independent journalistic research on the subject, both the segment and its companion article simply parroted a recent CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) report. The introduction to the piece called the vaccine “safe and effective” and it went on to claim, “Studies to date have shown no significant safety problems” with the HPV vaccine.

This is dangerously misleading information. Many children could be harmed by it. A quick glance at the CDC’s website reveals significant side effects, with more side effects reported than for any other vaccine. Now is the time to tell NPR to report both sides of the HPV vaccine debate. Their latest story on the vaccine left out important information that families across the country need in order to make informed decisions.

Are California Almonds Destroying the U.S. Bee Supply?

Big Ag in California needs most of the U.S. bee supply transported to California to pollinate their almond crop, endangering the entire U.S. food system.

80% of the world’s almonds come from California’s Central Valley. Almonds are the #1 agricultural crop grown in California. It is a $4 billion industry. Big Ag in California needs almost 100% of the nation’s bee supply transported to California this year to pollinate their almond crop, endangering the bee supply and the entire U.S. food system. Last year, many bees from northern climates arrived dead, forcing them to try and find bees as far away as Florida. Also, about 30% of the bees that went to California ended up dying according to one supplier.

So the question we need to ask, and certainly one the USDA and FDA should be asking, is: Are we willing to risk our entire bee population on the California almond market?

World Bank Destroys Traditional Farming to Support GMO Corporate Land Theft

Smallholder farmers and herders are currently feeding 80 percent of the developing world. Casting them aside in favor of industrial farming corporations from the West betrays the World Bank’s reckless and short term approach to development. The World Bank is facilitating land grabs and sowing poverty by putting the interests of foreign investors (like Bill Gates) before those of locals.

The Oakland Institute and /The Rules, along with other NGOs, farmer and consumer organizations from around the world have launched a campaign, Our Land Our Business, to hold the World Bank accountable for its role in the rampant theft of land and resources from some of the world’s poorest people–farmers, pastoralists, and indigenous communities, many of whom are essential food producers for the entire planet.

Dark Chocolate's Health Secrets Revealed in New Studies

Cocoa powder is rich in antioxidants. However, it was thought that these molecules were poorly digested and absorbed due to their large size. New research reveals that your gut bacteria breaks down and ferments the components in dark chocolate, turning them into anti-inflammatory compounds that benefit your health. Beneficial gut microbes including Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria “feasted” on chocolate, creating anti-inflammatory compounds that may reduce inflammation of cardiovascular tissue. A wide range of accumulating scientific research has linked chocolate consumption to over 40 distinct health benefits.

U.S. Representative Massie Introduces Bipartisan Raw Milk Freedom Legislation

Fresh raw milk is currently the only food banned in interstate commerce. And while the constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce, the current ban in place was not put there by an act of Congress, but by the FDA, preventing states where the sale of raw milk is legal from being able to transport and sell that milk in other states (where it is also legal).

This action by the FDA is usually cloaked in the deception that it is for the sake of public health, however statistics clearly show that raw milk is no more dangerous than any other raw food, and in most cases is probably safer when sold by organic grass-fed small-scale operations.

The sale of raw milk in the United States is first and foremost an economical issue, and deals with the rights of dairy farmers to be able to sell their products directly to consumers, bypassing the milk pools of Big Dairy, who enjoy tremendous political favor via farm subsidies. The ban on interstate commerce of raw milk and raw milk products is simply an attempt by Big Dairy to prevent consumers from having a choice between their highly processed commodity dairy products and fresh wholesome products produced by small-scale farmers.

Congressman Massie (R–KY), Chellie Pingree (D–ME) and a bipartisan coalition of 18 other lawmakers have introduced legislation to improve consumer food choices and to protect local farmers from federal interference. The two bills – the “Milk Freedom of Act of 2014” and the “Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2014” – are the first in a series of “food freedom” bills that Rep. Massie plans to introduce this year. These bills would make it easier for families to buy wholesome milk directly from farmers by reversing the criminalization of dairy farmers who offer raw milk.

Encourage your representatives to support this bipartisan legislation!

Study: Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs More than Double Breast Cancer Risk

A study found that current users of statins for ten years or longer had an 83% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 97% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma, when compared to never-users of statins. Among women diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, current users of statins for ten years or longer had a 104% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 143% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma.

Even more appalling is the fact that statins have never been shown, in women and most men, to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Nor have statins been shown to significantly prolong a woman or a man’s life. Perhaps women just need to say “No” to a statin prescription.

Parents Blackmailed By Doctor: Consent To Vaccine Or We Take Your Newborn

Aliea Bidwell birthed her firstborn child naturally. Aaron was born on Friday morning, March 14, at 9:26 am, weighing 7 lbs, 11 oz. His Apgar scores were 9 and 9, at one and five minutes respectively – the picture of health. He was successfully breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. Grandparents Vesta and Ralph Bidwell were present with the happy new family and celebrated the arrival of their first grandchild.

Just a few hours later, their world imploded. Their “choice” was to submit to something that both generations were opposed to on religious and philosophical grounds, or have their newest member of the family be taken in a doctor-sanctioned kidnapping. They saw it as nothing less than vaccine blackmail.

Dr. Bierd claimed that “doctor’s discretion” gave her the right to override the parents’ decision and force the vaccine, or take the baby away and give it anyway. She based this on the fact that Aliea did not have existing bloodwork prior to admission demonstrating that she did not have hepatitis B. In other words, unlike the American system of justice, the assumption of this doctor is that mothers are “guilty until proven innocent by bloodwork.”

Three times Dr. Bierd came in threatening the family. By the second time, Ben and Aliea were in their hospital room with an additional 12 family members, including great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and nephews. With a united front of 14 members of the extended family present, Dr. Terry Bierd came into the room and repeated her threats to allow the vaccine or they would take the baby. The entire family saw it as blackmail.

Around 8 pm, the pediatrician moved up her timeline, telling the family that they needed to decide right then if it was going to be her way (consent to the vaccine) or the hard way. She would call security and they would take the baby away, and they would have to figure out how to get the baby back later. The baby was going to get the shot one way or another, that night.

It was blackmail. Aliea and Ben saw no choice. They consented to the vaccine so that their baby would not be taken away from them.

They were compelled to sign an “informed consent” form for the vaccine. The form stated that the doctor had explained the risks, and that the parents were making an informed decision. Ben said that they were the ones who explained the risks of the vaccine to the doctor. The form absolved the hospital of any and all risks and responsibilities, stating that the parents take all responsibility. Aliea and Ben told the nurse that they were signing under duress. There was no “consent” about it. The baby would get the vaccine no matter what they wanted; this was the only way their baby would not be kidnapped.

Pfizer Tracking Unvaccinated Children Through Health Insurance

If you are a parent who has made the decision not to vaccinate your child Big Pharma knows, according to a postcard sent in by a Next News viewer.

In the notice mailed by Pfizer Inc. they indicate that they possess “records that your child may not have received a recommended vaccine.” The postcard reminds the parents to contact their health provider to schedule an appointment.

Pfizer also indicates that they’ve paid for the mailing on behalf of “your child’s health plan, health clinic, or health department.”

We deduct that if your insurance company or health coverage provider doesn’t receive a bill from your child’s pediatrician for a vaccination your child’s health profile is flagged and the post card is mailed from their database.

With Obamacare slowly coming online and individual state departments of Child Services performing more lethal kidnappings nationwide it is not a stretch to believe that the same records could be used against parents for states to claim that a parents freedom of choice is child neglect.

Catholic Cardinal in Kenya Opposes Government-led Campaign to Vaccinate Only Child-bearing Aged Women with Tetanus

Don’t boys and men also need protection from tetanus? That is one of many questions being asked by Catholic officials in Kenya questioning a national tetanus vaccination program targeting only women aged 14-49 years.

Joylene Sing’oei writing for the English language Kenyan publication Standard Media reports:
The church claims the initiative covering 60 districts has had limited public awareness unlike other national health initiatives that are preceded by a public launch where the public can ask questions.

In a statement sent to newsrooms by Catholic Health Commission of Kenya Wednesday evening, the church further alleges that there has been no adequate stakeholder engagement for consultation both in the preparation and implementation of the campaign.

The questions the church has put across are;

1- Is there a tetanus crisis on women of child bearing age in Kenya? If this is so, why has it not been declared?

2- Why does the campaign target women of 14 – 49 years?

3- Why has the campaign left out young girls, boys and men even if they are all prone to tetanus?

4- In the midst of so many life threatening diseases in Kenya, why has tetanus been prioritized?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fraud: A Guide to Purchasing Olive Oil

Do you trust the label on your Extra Virgin Olive Oil? Numerous scandals have been uncovered over the last twenty years which have revealed that many extra virgin olive oils being sold in the United States do not meet the high standard for this product. Many have been adulterated with lower grade olive oils or with nut and seed oils. Others simply have serious flavor and aroma defects, which should prevent them from being called “extra virgin.” The controversy continues to this day.

In this article we explain what to watch out for to avoid adulterated olive oils, and how to shop wisely for pure authentic extra virgin olive oils.

Myth Buster: Olive Oil is One of the Safest Oils for Frying and Cooking

One of the most common myths perpetrated on the Internet is that while olive oil is healthy, it should not be used for cooking or frying. The belief is that somehow the high heat used in cooking or frying makes olive oil unhealthy. However, this belief is not consistent with historical uses of olive oil in Mediterranean cuisine, nor with a wide body of published research.

Olive oil is not only safe for cooking, but it is recommended by scientists and olive oil experts for high temperature frying! The notion that extra virgin olive oil should never be heated or used for cooking is not supported by research.

Homeschool Mom Wins Appeal for Protecting Daughter from Forced Medical Treatment From Police and CPS

In what appears to be a final victory for Maryanne Godboldo and her daughter Arianna, a Detroit Judge has removed all charges against Maryanne for trying to protect her daughter from the unlawful seizure by CPS and local police because she refused psychiatric medication for her homeschooled daughter.

“This court finds that the defendant in fact did use reasonable force in this case — did not use deadly force … to prevent an illegal attachment, to prevent the removal of her child by the Detroit police,” said Judge Richard Skutt. “This court feels (Detroit police) did not, one, have the authority to remove the child at that time.”

Parents who have taken their children off of psychiatric drugs after seeing the dangerous effects on their child have been charged with medical neglect and had their children forcibly removed from their custody.

The charge of “medical neglect” is an oxymoron when it comes to the issue of psychiatric labels and drugs because

A) there are no medical/scientific tests to prove any child diagnosed “mentally ill” has a medical condition of “mental illness”, as none exists and

B) Because the psychiatric drugs prescribed against the parents will have been documented by international drug regulatory agencies to cause mania, psychosis, suicidal ideation, heart problems, diabetes, stroke, and sudden death.

The “medical neglect” being perpetrated on these children is by those forcibly drugging them against their parents wishes. Detroit Michigan Attorney Allison Folmar has successfully won cases such as the case of Detroit mother Maryanne Godboldo, who faced down a SWAT team and tank and police who broke into her home, and Folmar was victorious in her battle when a judge ruled the order which prompted the seizure of Maryanne’s daughter was not only illegal, but unconstitutional. Folmar has fought and won other similar cases and now is focusing on enacting laws to protect parents from having their rights obliterated under the guise of “mental health”.

15-Year-Old Girl Awarded Permanent Custody to State of Massachusetts Amidst National Outcry

This week Judge Joseph Johnston of Massachusetts juvenile court awarded permanent custody of 15-year-old Justina Pelletier to the State of Massachusetts against her desires and the desires of her parents, and also amidst great public outcry. The plight of Justina’s case has garnered national attention after her father disobeyed a gag order originally imposed by the judge (which has been since removed due to great public outcry). Justina’s story has been covered in several major media outlets, such as Dr. Phil, The Blaze, FoxNews, and many others.

If you are not familiar with this story, or think that it does not affect you, think again. This is a case where one medical institution, more powerful than another one in another state, has abused the power of the state to impose their views of psychiatric care by force against a different medical diagnosis by a different team of doctors. This also violates the right of the parents to choose their own medical treatment for their 15-year-old daughter, who has been removed from her family and kept detained under psychiatric care, away from her family for over a year now, even as her health continues to deteriorate. If this kind of medical tyranny is allowed to continue, even under tremendous negative national media exposure, it will drastically change the direction of forced medical treatment inside the United States and affect everyone.

Could it be that Justina is part of some drug research going on at Boston Children’s Hospital, and that strong political forces aligned with Harvard are putting pressure on this judge? We may never know, but for now, the nation looks on in horror at what is happening in Massachusetts, and begins to learn just how widespread the practice of medical tyranny is in the United States today.

France Bans Monsanto GMO Corn

France’s agriculture ministry has just banned the sale, use and cultivation of Monsanto’s MON 810 genetically modified maize, the only variety currently authorised in the European Union.

The French government, which maintains that GM crops present environmental risks, has been trying to institute a new ban on GM maize (corn) after its highest court has twice previously struck down similar measures.

The decision is timed to avert any sowing of GM maize by farmers before a draft law is debated on April 10 aimed at banning planting of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Acetaminophen: More Dangerous Than You Ever Suspected

Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause for calls to Poison Control Centers across the US—more than 100,000 instances per year. Each year, acetaminophen overdose is responsible for more than 56,000 emergency room visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and an estimated 458 deaths due to acute liver failure. Acetaminophen poisoning is responsible for nearly HALF of ALL acute liver failure cases in the US. It can be toxic to your liver even at recommended doses when taken daily for just a couple of weeks. The FDA has issued a statement urging health professionals to discontinue prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products containing more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per dose.

Study: Mixed Vitamin E Forms Slow Cognition Decline and Alzheimer’s Disease

This research reported by Case Adams shows how there are multiple forms of vitamin E in nature, and that mixed forms of vitamin E as found in food have tremendous health benefits. Most vitamin E supplements in pill form are simply encapsulated soybean oil, containing mainly just one form of the tocopherol. Soybeans are also over 90% GMO.

In addition to the various forms of tocopherols that are classified as vitamin E, there are also tocotrienols which are generally not found in supplements, but in food. The following chart shows how red palm oil (not the processed version) is nature’s richest source of tocotrienols and vitamin E.

Much like coconut oil, palm oil has been vilified because of its high saturated fat content, although recent meta-studies have been published disproving that saturated fats have any impact on heart disease at all.

Unfortunately, palm oil also gets vilified for ecological reasons where it has been reported to destroy natural habitat on the island of Sumatra in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, palm oil is an introduced crop in Southeast Asia where large scale plantations exist, but in areas where it is native, most of the production is by small-scale sustainable operations, particularly in Africa. Hence, if you are purchasing virgin red palm oil from one of those areas, not only are you purchasing a healthy and sustainable product, but you are also helping to provide jobs for people in some of the poorest areas of the world in Africa.

As Case Adams reports here, these mixed forms of vitamin E with their super high levels of antioxidants have been shown to slow cognition decline and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Vascular Surgeon: Why I've Ditched Statins for Good

Recent advice proposed by the British NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – is advocating that 15 million more people in the UK, most with no history of heart disease, should be taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.

Unintentionally, this move may have done more to educate people on the dangers of statin drugs than anything previously published in the alternative media, which has been warning people against the dangers of statin drugs for many years now. Popular doctors in the UK who go against the mainstream medical system in the UK have found willing publishers in the mainstream media in recent days, to publish the other side of the “statin wonder drug” hype that now wants to put almost 25% of the UK population on medications with known and published side effects and little to no benefits.

Suddenly, statin drug whistle blowers in the U.K., such as Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, are getting op-ed pieces in mainstream media. Dr. Kendrick had an article published in the Guardian: Statins aren’t a wonder drug – The claims made for statins are overblown. They are not a cure for most of the major diseases afflicting western civilisation.

Even mainstream medical doctors are starting to speak out, such as Dr. Kailash Chand, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association. He recently spoke out against the NICE proposal, stating that he also had suffered “awful” muscle pains while taking statins, and that plans to prescribe them to millions more adults will “only benefit drug companies”. (See: Deputy Chairman of British Medical Association Condemns Statins).

Add to this chorus of voices now vascular surgeon Dr Haroun Gajraj, who wrote an op-ed piece in the Telegraph yesterday. The British population is certainly getting an education on the other side of the story regarding statin drugs, but don’t expect to read about this in the pro-Pharma U.S. mainstream media.

FDA Fails to Protect Against Antibiotic Resistance, Guarantees More Needless Death and Suffering

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria infect two million Americans every year, causing at least 23,000 deaths. Nearly 25 million pounds of antibiotics are administered to US livestock every year for purposes other than treating disease, such as making the animals grow bigger faster. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) ruled that antibiotic resistance is a major threat to public health worldwide, and the primary cause for this man-made epidemic is the widespread misuse of antibiotics.

Denmark stopped the widespread use of antibiotics in their pork industry 14 years ago. The European Union has also banned the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed over concerns of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

What’s standing in the way of curbing antibiotic use in the U.S.?

In a word, industry. For instance, the American Pork Industry doesn’t want to curb antibiotic use, as this would mean raising the cost of producing pork by an estimated $5 for every 100 pounds of pork brought to market. The pharmaceutical industry is obviously against it as well.

After Gardasil: I Simply Want my Healthy Daughter Back

Prior to Natasja being vaccinated with Gardasil, she led a very active and healthy lifestyle. Natasja had the three shots of Gardasil in May, August and December of 2011. After her second shot she started having severe headaches, tunnel vision and short term loss of her peripheral vision. Natasja developed a sore throat after her third vaccination. She could not eat and was in a lot of pain throughout her body. My daughter was very ill for 14 days.

Natasja’s pains did not diminish throughout 2012 and the level of her pain increased. This continued and there did not appear to be any respite. As we continued into the early part of 2013 her health deteriorated. The pain was constant and she had sensory disturbances on the right side of her face and down her right arm along with blurred vision and severe headaches. Natasja was hospitalized and after a lumbar puncture was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and Borrelia, otherwise known as Lyme disease.

How can someone who once was so healthy suddenly develop all these illnesses and symptoms? My greatest wish is that someone out there would help my daughter to recover, to be free of pain and to become the once healthy, happy and very active young woman she once was.

Japan: International Medical Researchers Issue Warning about HPV Vaccine Side Effects

We bring you this is international news regarding the continuing investigations going on in Japan regarding the vast amount of injuries and deaths related to the HPV vaccines. You will not read this in the pro-Pharma U.S. mainstream media. Lawsuits for damages due to the Gardasil vaccine in France likewise receive no U.S. mainstream media exposure. Instead, the U.S. media portrays the HPV vaccine as safe, and ridicules those who think otherwise. Efforts to give the vaccine to minors without their parent’s consent have succeeded in some states, like California.

And so while Japan has put a halt on recommending HPV vaccines while doctors and researchers investigate reports of serious adverse effects, even as lawsuits mount in other countries outside of the U.S. (you cannot sue drug companies in the U.S. by law for vaccine damages), the U.S. president and government is pushing for increased vaccination rates of the HPV vaccines here in the U.S. Most people do not realize that the U.S. government also holds patents on the Gardasil vaccine and receives royalties from their sales.

Gardasil is a very dangerous vaccine, and the mainstream media is not publishing the other side of the story. Those who do, like Katie Couric last year, are forced to apologize. Recent published studies have linked Gardasil to premature menopause in young girls. Learn more about the HPV vaccine Gardasil here at Health Impact News, including many stories from the victims.

Thanks for Norma Erickson of SaneVax for reporting on this event in Japan, and allowing us to republish it here for our readers.

The Myth of Science's Neutrality

There is no pursuit of knowledge that does not seek to affect the world. Science is made by people with interests, intentions and ambitions; and it’s funded by governments and companies with agendas. Scientific development is subject to funding rules, to expectations about outcomes, and to social forces and institutions that shape our research.

Immediate Ban on Dental Mercury Amalgam in Philippines Pushed

The mercury used by dentists to manufacture dental amalgam is shipped as a hazardous material to the dental office. Any amalgam leftover is also treated as hazardous waste and requires special precautions to dispose of, yet it’s supposed to be “safe” to keep it in your mouth for years to come.

Sadly, many live with toxic reactions for extended periods of time, never connecting the dots between their failing health and the mercury in their teeth and their environment.

Medical Cannabis: The REAL Reason the Government Wants to Keep it Banned

“Cannabis” refers to the plant that is commonly called “marijuana.” The two terms are often used interchangeably. However, “cannabis” is the historical name that has been used in the medical literature.

While public sentiments towards marijuana have recently changed to the point where two states have now voted to make it legal for recreational use, few people understand the actual history of cannabis as a medical plant in the United States, and how it came to be classified as an illegal drug. It is crucial to understand this history in order to fully understand what is happening at the state and national level with regards to both medical cannabis and recreational marijuana.

Did you know that medical cannabis at one time was a widely prescribed drug in the U.S., and that physicians were originally opposed to its regulation? Did you know that while the U.S. government continues to list cannabis as a Schedule 1 illegal drug preventing doctors from prescribing it because it supposedly has no therapeutic value, that the government is also patenting drugs based on cannabis?

What about recent laws passed to legalize the recreational use of marijuana: are these good or bad for medical cannabis use? Learn all this and more:

Big Pharma Wants to Monopolize the B Vitamin You Can’t Live Without

Last week we told you about FDA’s sneak attack to ban folate, the B9 vitamin essential to human life. This week, we tell you why the drug industry may want to ban folate and keep it all to itself: it could be a ploy to make billions on a new, patented SSRI/folate combo drug.

New Tactic in Stopping GMOs: Sue the GMO Farmer instead of Monsanto

Ever since the introduction of genetically modified crops into the food chain, the tussle has been largely between farmers and Monsanto , which says since 1997 it has filed 145 lawsuits against farmers who’ve improperly reused its patented seeds, or on average about one lawsuit every three weeks for 16 straight years.

In that time frame, the biotech hasn’t lost a single case, even when farmers like the organic growers who had their case against Monsanto tossed last year sued for cross-contamination of their crops. DuPont , the world’s second-largest seed producer behind Monsanto, is similarly seeking to police the use of its seeds by hiring retired police officers to ferret out farmers allegedly improperly using its patented seeds. Defeating the well-financed GMO behemoth has been a losing battle, but that may be about to change.

In 2010, a western Australia organic farmer, Steve Marsh, found that his harvest had been contaminated by his neighbor’s genetically modified canola/rapeseed crops planted with Monsanto Roundup Ready seed. Marsh subsequently had 70% of his farm’s organic status for produce stripped from him causing severe financial harm, some $85,000 in earnings. In a first of its kind lawsuit, Marsh is suing his neighbor for the loss resulting from the seeds blowing onto his oat and wheat crop, contaminating them.

Medical System and Child Protective Services Run Amok: FDA Denies Hope for Dying Kids

The FDA is condemning children to death by refusing to allow them access to experimental cancer treatments, even though it has the authority to grant such access to terminal patients who have not responded to conventional treatment.

Six years ago, 10-year-old Braiden was enrolled in a clinical trial for his incurable brain tumor. The “experimental” drug Antineoplaston (ANP) was the sole treating agent. He went into full remission, and suffered no toxic side effects.

An MRI recently revealed Braiden’s tumor has reoccurred. The FDA is now refusing to allow Braiden to go back on ANP even though the treatment has already proven its efficacy through his previous remission.

Many other terminal patients are also being prevented from accessing ANP.

Butter Consumption Reaches a 40-Year High

Butter consumption in the US has hit a 40-year high, largely resulting from a shift in consumer preferences away from processed foods. Between 1920 and 1960, Americans’ butter consumption declined by over 75 percent, yet heart disease went from a relatively unknown condition to the number one killer.

Butter, especially raw butter from grass-fed cows, is rich in beneficial nutrients including vitamins, trace minerals, CLA, and beneficial fats. Butter produced from CAFO milk is inferior nutritionally as it comes from cows fed almost entirely GE grain, some fattened up with additional sugar from GE sugar beets and cottonseed.

Buying dairy products from reputable local farmers will allow you to enjoy butter without supporting the inhumane conditions too common at factory farms.

Big Pharma Study: USDA Dietary Guidelines on Fats are Wrong

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine made waves through the mainstream media. In a stunning meta-analysis of the relationship between dietary fats and heart disease that included over 600,000 people, the researchers came to the following conclusion:

“Current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.”

This conclusion flies in direct contrast to the USDA dietary guidelines, which recommends polyunsaturated fats (think corn and soybean oils) as healthy, and saturated fats as unhealthy (think dairy, animal fat, and coconut oil) in terms of cardiovascular health.

Judge Continues to Refuse to Release 15-Year-Old Girl Held in Psychiatric Care Against Parent's Wish

While the Justina Pelletier story has gained coverage in the national mainstream media which has for the most part rallied to the side of the parents, the judge presiding over her case continues to refuse to release her to her parents’ custody. After the most recent court date on Monday, the family issued the following statement to Fox CT:

Boston, March 17, 2014–

“At the hearing today, Judge Johnston took under advisement the motions previously submitted by the Pelletiers, but refused to take action about Justina’s care or custody.”

“Despite Justina’s worsening condition, Judge Johnston still has not enforced his ruling to transfer Justina’s medical care to Tufts. Justina remains at the Framingham Foster Facility and has not been seen by a single doctor, apart from an emergency room visit on Saturday, due to her declining medical condition.”

Earlier in the day Justina’s parents were interviewed on the popular daytime television program Dr. Phil.

Woman Confined by Force to Psychiatric Ward for Praying and Fasting

The use of psychiatry to “diagnose” people with “mental” illnesses and restrain them against their will in psychiatric wards is not new. Unfortunately, such stories are becoming much more common in the present-day USA. Justina Pelletier’s story, for example, is gaining national attention even in the mainstream media right now. This 15-year-old girl has been confined to psychiatric care against her desire and the desires of her parents for over a year now.

Psychiatry is not a medical science based on biology. There are no laboratory tests that can detect “mental disease.” All mental illnesses are defined by psychiatrists according to behaviors and then voted on to be included in their “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM). The latest version, version 5 (DSM5) was published last year and is very controversial. New “disorders” are added with each revision, making it legal to prescribe dangerous and addictive drugs for these published mental diseases.

This week the Courthouse News Service has published a news release regarding a case filed in court where a 56-year-old woman was forcibly confined to a psychiatric ward against her will for praying and fasting.

Medical tyranny is alive and widely practiced in the U.S. today. And there are signs that the role of psychiatrists will increase under Obamacare.

LDL "Bad cholesterol" Indicates an Amino Acid Deficiency, 99 Year Old Researcher Says

Fred Kummerow is an emeritus professor of comparative biosciences at the University of Illinois, and at 99 years of age, he is still conducting and publishing research. For over 60 years Professor Kummerow has warned about the dangers of trans fats, even suing the FDA for not removing the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status on them years after most other countries had banned them.

Professor Kummerow has also battled against the standard thinking regarding cholesterol, stating that dietary cholesterol is good for your heart and that there are other factors that contribute to heart disease. In a paper published in 2013 in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease, he explained once again that oxidized lipids (and oxidized cholesterol), as is found in overheated polyunsaturated oils like corn and soy, are leading contributing factors to heart disease.

In 2014, Professor Kummerow was still going strong at age 99, and has just published a new paper showing that LDL cholesterol is simply a marker for an amino acid deficiency and not the cause of heart disease at all.

Woman Battles Brain Cancer Using Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet Without Chemo

Alix Hayden has brain cancer, but instead of undergoing surgery and grueling chemotherapy, she’s fighting it with the low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet and has been doing great so far.

Some of the most exciting research to come out in the past few years regarding the high-fat low-carb ketogenic diet has been in the area of cancer treatment. The results are so promising that new “ketone” drugs are in the pipeline.

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet that was first developed in the 1920s at John Hopkins hospital to treat epilepsy. Some children with seizures saw great success on the diet, often where drugs had failed.

Today, the ketogenic diet principles — particularly using coconut oil as the main fat — are being used to treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as successfully treating cancer.

Mexico Bans GM Soy in Campeche Region

Another court in Mexico has ruled against GMO crops. A ban against genetically modified soybeans in the Campeche region of Mexico was upheld last week by the Second District Court. This follows the decision by two other judges in Mexico last year (2013) to keep in place bans on GM corn.

Could “Made in Mexico” become the new quality standard in organic agriculture for the future? Less than 1% of the population in the United States is involved in agriculture today, where it is dominated by biotech firms heading more and more to GMO seeds, supported by the U.S. government. Mexico, by contrast, still has over 13% of its population in agriculture, and much of that is still small-scale traditional farming. This is a smaller amount post NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), which opened the door for cheap subsidized crops from the U.S. to be imported to Mexico, putting many farmers out of work who could not compete with these cheap subsidized commodity crops from the U.S.

If judges in Mexico continue ruling against biotech companies and their GMO products, Mexico could become a major exporter to the U.S. of high-quality non-GMO organic products. Almost all of the corn supply in the U.S., for example, has been contaminated by GM corn (even certified organic corn), while hundreds of heirloom varieties still exist in Mexico.

Dramatic Increase in Kidney Disease in the US and Abroad Linked To Roundup (Glyphosate) 'Weedkiller'

Evidence now exists showing the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) is responsible for an epidemic of kidney-related deaths in a rural farming region of Northern Sri Lanka, as well as other rural regions around the world, including Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

The Center for Public Integrity released a report titled, “Sri Lanka bans Monsanto herbicide citing potential link to deadly kidney disease,” citing Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s March 13th decision to impose an outright ban on glyphosate. This decision follows a decision by the legislature in El Salvador in 2013 to approve a ban on glyphosate.

A series of graphs based on data from the USDA, National Cancer Institutes, Centers for Disease Control, have recently surfaced, depicting a steep rise in the rates of kidney disease in the US from the time of the introduction of glyphosate and GM food, reveals that the US may also be suffering from an epidemic of glyphosate-linked kidney damage.

Study: Antioxidants Present in Virgin Coconut Oil Inhibit Inflammation Associated with Arthritis

In what may the first study of its kind, researchers in India extracted the antioxidants unique to virgin coconut oil from the oil and injected them into rats with induced arthritis. They found that the unique coconut oil antioxidants reduced inflammation associated with arthritis more effectively than current pharmaceutical drugs.

Vitamin C Elevates Moods, Reduces Distress and Anxiety

Recent research has confirmed that vitamin C is more than just an antioxidant: It also elevates moods, reduces stress and distress, and reduces anxiety.

14-Year-Old-Girl Coerced to Receive Vaccine at School Against Wishes of Parents

A Canadian couple are furious after public health nurses vaccinated their teenage daughter at school without parental consent.

Children represent a huge market, obviously, for the vaccine industry. The primary means of accessing this market is through school systems.

Like the family in this story, many parents would be surprised to learn that their children under the age of 18 can often be vaccinated at school without their permission. This story takes place in Canada, but the same situation exists in many states in the U.S. California recently passed a bill, for example, allowing school officials to vaccinate with dangerous HPV vaccine to girls as young as 12.

What is so tragic in this story is that the parents had already lost one child to vaccines, and wanted to opt out of them for their other children.

New Market Ahead for Flu Vaccines: Mandatory Flu Shots for Employment to Expand Outside of Healthcare

The 2013-2014 flu season has seen multiple lawsuits started for violating the rights of healthcare workers in refusing employment based on mandatory flu vaccinations. Now, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the stage may be setting for mandatory flu vaccines as a condition for employment in other job sectors outside of healthcare facilities, such as food service, education, community and social services, personal care, cleaning and maintenance, and even real estate.

FDA’s Sneak Attempt to Ban Another Vitamin

You can’t live without this vitamin. But the FDA wants to reserve the natural form for monopoly drug companies, leaving only the synthetic form for supplements. The FDA has just released a new 109-page guidance on the revision of nutrition and supplement labels. On page 69, the agency slipped in two little paragraphs that could risk the health of millions of people who desperately need folate. It’s a sneak attack so quiet and unobtrusive that few people will even realize it’s there.

Roundup Weedkiller Found In 75% of Air and Rain Samples, Gov. Study Finds

A study from the U.S. Geological Survey, in the journal Enviromental Toxicology and Chemistry, titled, “Pesticides in Mississippi air and rain: A comparison between 1995 and 2007,” reveals that Roundup herbicide (aka glyphosate) and its still-toxic degradation byproduct AMPA were found in over 75% of the air and rain samples tested from Mississippi in 2007.

Findings like these reveal just how illusory is the perception of choice and health freedom when it comes to the GM/non-GMO debate, and the consumer’s right to avoid harm from GMOs by refusing to buy or consume them.

The reality is that the environment is becoming so saturated with the ‘fall out’ from the ever-expanding GM agricultural/agrichemical farming grid that even if you somehow find a way to avoid eating contaminated food, you will be forced to have to deal with its adverse health effects, as long as you need air to breath and water to drink.

The War Against Butter is Over: Butter Won

It is no surprise that one of the world’s largest margarine producers has come out and admitted that they have been wrong about butter all along, and that it is indeed healthier than margarine. This is not a suddenly new found concern about the health of consumers, but a marketing reality as sales of margarine continue to plummet while sales of butter skyrocket. So don’t expect them to start offering healthy whole foods anytime soon. Their solution is simply to add some of the “real” stuff into the fake stuff. And that real butter will more than likely come from milk produced in large CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).