Search This Blog

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Monsanto's Roundup Linked to Deadly Disease and Birth Defects

(NaturalNews) A recent report put together by various professors, scholars and researchers affiliated withEarth Open Source, a collaboration group devoted to food issues, cites in great deal the multitude of peer-reviewed scientific studies which show that Monsanto's Roundup herbicide (glyphosate), which is applied to many genetically-modified (GM) crops, is responsible for causing birth defects, endocrine disruption, DNA damage, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and cancer -- and yet government agencies around the world continue to ignore this crucial information, and withhold it from the public, as they push for its approval or expanded use.

One of the main studies highlighted in the report was published in the August 2010 edition ofChemical Research in Toxicology, and it showed that Roundup causes malformations in frog and chicken embryos at levels much lower than those used on agricultural crops. And since Roundup-ready GM crops are designed to tolerate the herbicide, not resist it, they literally absorb Roundup, which is then passed on in much higher levels to humans that eat the tainted crops.

Another study conducted as part of the Argentine government's research group CONICET found high rates of the same or similar birth defect in humans living near GM soy crops that were routinely sprayed with Roundup, indicating a clear connection between the chemical and human birth defects. More than half of the growing land in Argentina is now dominated by GM soy, which is sprayed with about 53 millions gallons of Roundup every single year.

The authors of the report say that this and the bulk of other independent, indicting evidence against Roundup has been largely ignored by governments, including in the EU where new data requirements will demand that proper investigation into the safety of GMOs is conducted. Rather than rely on industry-funded pseudoscience that claims GMOs are safe, authors say those working for the people must rise to the occasion and take charge in having proper safety evaluations conducted on the safety of Roundup.

"The public ... has been kept in the dark by industry and regulators about the ability of glyphosate and Roundup to cause malformations," write the authors in their summary. "[T]he work of independent scientists who have drawn attention to the herbicide's teratogenic effects has been ignored, denigrated, or dismissed ... They have also contributed to the growing division between independent and industry science, which in turn erodes public trust in the regulatory process."

Sources for this story include:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/57277946/...

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/032920_Roundup_birth_defects.html#ixzz1RU3O4ytZ

Friday, July 8, 2011

Is your medication causing you to suffer from malnutrition?

(NaturalNews) Most people trust that the medicines that they take will help them overcome illness, enhance their health and promote well-being. Unfortunately medications often deplete important nutrients from the body, and people don't find the relief that they seek.

People who have become malnourished as a result of their medications are vulnerable to a host of nutrition related diseases. To make matters worse, they may find themselves having to treat malnourishment with a new batch of medications and this may become a dangerous cycle.

For instance, statins which are used to control cholesterol levels reduce CoEnzyme 10 and other important nutrients. Statins may also result in lower levels of A, D, K, folic acid and iron in the body. Cholesterol gets a bad rap, but it helps the body digest fats and nutrients and is important for regulating hormones.

Even common medications such as laxatives and antacids can deplete or block the uptake of essential nutrients. PPI antacids, for example interfere with Vitamin B-12. Furthermore blocking acid production for long periods of time using antacids may reduce the body's ability to absorb minerals. Loss of B12 over time may result in anemia, as well as other conditions including fatigue. Blocked acid production by antacids can leave the body vulnerable to infections and bone fractures as well.

The use of antibiotics has become a hot topic because the overuse of these medications has led to antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the loss of healthy bacteria. Antibiotics may also be harmful because they deplete the body of essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, Vitamins B, and iron.

Another group that decrease nutrients are pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin and salicylates available over the counter for example, rob the body of folic acid and potassium. Other medicines commonly used for pain and swelling such as Cortisone, and Prednisone reduce levels of the nutrients calcium, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins D and C to name a few.

Diuretics such as Lasis and Endecrin deplete sodium, potassium, magnesium and Vitamins B1 and B6. Other medications that serve as a diuretic like Enduron deplete levels of Co-Q 10, and sodium and other important nutrients. Women who take hormone replacement drugs and birth control drugs are also at risk for malnutrition as they deplete levels magnesium,zinc and B2, B6, B12 and folic acid.

SSRI(selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)drugs that are widely used are also associated with nutritional deficiencies. While a SSRI is commonly used to treat depression, they are also prescribed for some sorts of injuries, pain and are used on occasion to treat allergies. SSRI interferes with the absorption of B-12 as well as other nutrients like biotin and folic acid. SSRIs may also deplete Co-Q 10.

Before beginning a new medication consult with your doctor, or pharmacist to find out what your nutritional risks are. Here are just a few important nutrients commonly depleted by medications and some of the ways that can lead to new disease.

* Lack of proper levels of sodium may result in; nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, and muscle cramps

* Magnesium depletion may result in soft bones, fatigue, heart palpitations, convulsions and acne

* Zinc loss may disturb digestion and retard growth

* Iron is important in growth, vitality and a deficiency leads to anemia

* Vitamin A is essential in bone and tooth development and health. It is also important for the immune system.

* B1 is crucial for heart health, fights depression, constipation and fatigue. Provides protection for the heart

* B5 lack of this important vitamin may result in insomnia, abdominal pain, depression, rapid pulse, lowered blood pressure and disturbed electrolytes.

* B12 crucial for development and health of nervous system, lack of B12 may result in anemia.

* Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10)is crucial in all cellular functions, and is highly concentrated in heart tissue. A deficiency may lead to heart disease.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/032923_drugs_malnutrition.html#ixzz1RU0Wv74d

Thursday, July 7, 2011

TAKE ACTION NOW

Help us oppose the FDA's proposed new rules by signing this online petition.Click here for the petition.

Once again, your representatives in Washington need to hear from you --pronto!-- if you hope to maintain your right to purchase vitamins and supplements in the USA.

Lest you think this is an exaggerated warning, keep in mind thathundreds of dietary supplements have just been banned across the EU (http://www.naturalnews.com/032302_h...). Regulators in the USA are gunning for the same kind of wipeout of the supplements industry as a way to lock in decades of disease profits for Big Pharma and the greed-driven cancer industry (which cares far more abouttreatingcancer thanpreventingit).

If these new FDA regulations go into effect, your access to dietary supplements could simply disappear before the end of this year, turning vitamin sellers into "criminal dealers" and "smugglers" (much like raw milk retailers today). Armed FDA raids would be conducted on vitamin and supplement companies, and the founders of those companies would be rounded up and sent to prison for their "crimes" of selling unapproved ingredients.

This is the FDA's end game. Even if the FDA only partially enforces this new rule, it would still place a heavy compliance burden on small nutritional supplement companies. As the ANH says, "The bottom line is that when new and unreasonable burdens are placed on supplement manufacturers, it immediately becomes a financial increase for consumers. And if the pressure becomes too great, the nutritional supplements on which you rely may simply become unavailable."

That's exactly what the FDA wants, of course: To put dietary supplement companies out of business, leaving the field open only to those pharma-chemical vitamin companies largely owned by the drug companies themselves. They use synthetic chemicals which are NOT subjected to these new FDA rules. Many of those synthetic vitamins are, in essence, poisons. Isn't it interesting that the FDA says companies need no approval to usepoisonsin their formulations, but they need FDA permission to use natural substances that actually prevent disease?

Learn more at the ANH:http://www.anh-usa.org/fda-new-snea...

And please consider supporting this outstanding group with a donation so that it can continue its mission of staying on top of legislative and regulatory issues that impact our health freedoms. NaturalNews is a long-time ANH supporter, and we honor the work this group is doing.

Stay tuned to NaturalNews.com for more reporting on this latest FDA assault on health freedom.



Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/032912_FDA_dietary_supplements.html#ixzz1RTzCoJzy