Natural Health Articles on Dr. Mercola’s Members Only Blog

Journalist Accuses WHO of Plan to Commit Mass Murder

2009-07-02T12:20:10Z

Austrian investigative journalist Jane Burgermeister has started a lawsuit against the World Health Organization, accusing them of complicity in the intentional release of deadly viruses by Baxter Labs. When a Czech scientist tested their vaccines, he found that they contained live H5N1 and live H3N2 viruses.

Burgermeister alleges that mandatory vaccines will be purposely contaminated with diseases.

Burgermeister’s charges include evidence that Baxter deliberately sent out 72 kilos of live bird flu virus, supplied by the WHO in the winter of 2009. She claims this is proof that drug companies and government agencies are actively engaged in distributing deadly biological agents in order to trigger a pandemic.

FDA Changes Tylenol Warnings

2009-07-02T12:18:41Z

FDA advisers have recommended lowering the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen -- the key ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin and many other pain-killing medications.

The advisers' vote followed the release of a report last month which found that severe liver damage and even death can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen can cause such injury.

Many people may take more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen-based pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will be more effective without posing health risks. And consumers may also not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose accidentally.

Holistic Auto Repair

2009-07-02T12:17:49Z

Here’s a unique way to diagnose a car’s problems.

Lack of Sleep Hits Women Harder

2009-07-02T12:17:24Z

Research suggests that lack of sleep raises a woman's risk of heart disease more than it does for a man.

Sleeping less than the recommended eight hours a night has been linked to a raised risk of heart problems. But researchers found that levels of inflammatory markers -- indicators of heart disease -- vary significantly with sleep duration in women, but not men.

The study found levels of a molecule called interleukin-6, which is known to trigger inflammation, were much lower in women who reported sleeping eight hours compared to those who slept for only seven hours.

Levels of the molecule known as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, which is linked to heart problems, were significantly higher in women who reported sleeping for five hours or less.

Mississippi Tops U.S. Obesity Rankings

2009-07-02T12:16:20Z

The percentage of adults classified as obese went up in 23 U.S. states, but Mississippi, with 32.5 percent, stayed atop the latest annual rankings. In addition, 44.4 percent of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 are classified as overweight or obese.

Doctors have linked obesity to increased risks of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart disease.

Rounding out the top five states most obese states among adults were West Virginia, with 31.2 percent of its population considered obese; Alabama at 31.1 percent; Tennessee at 30.2 percent; and South Carolina at 29.7 percent.

At the bottom of the rankings, Colorado had the lowest percentage of obese adults, with 18.9 percent. It was followed by Massachusetts at 21.2 percent; Connecticut at 21.3; Rhode Island at 21.7; and Hawaii at 21.8.

Some Dog Foods Deliver Toxic Doses of Fluoride

2009-07-02T12:15:33Z

With the memory of the melamine pet food scare still fresh in the minds of many, the Environmental Working Group is publicizing a new threat: potentially toxic doses of fluoride in dog food.

An EWG analysis found troubling levels of fluoride in 8 of 10 dog foods tested. The concentration of fluoride was up to 2.5 times higher than the safe level the EPA sets for drinking water. Some puppies may be exposed to five times this limit.

The fluoride in dog foods originates in bone meal and animal by-products. EWG recommends choosing dog food brands free of bone meal and meat by-product ingredients like chicken by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, chicken meal and beef meal.

Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes

2009-07-02T12:14:25Z

According to experts, about 70 percent of women experience hot flashes, weight gain, loss of libido and other symptoms as they enter menopause and their hormone levels fluctuate sharply.

Gynecologists estimate that a third of women seeking treatment for menopausal symptoms are on conventional prescription hormones. Another third are on prescription bio-identical therapy. The remaining third either tough it out or are searching for other remedies, including natural supplements. They may try, for example, a supplement of phytoestrogens derived from soy and red clover, or black cohosh capsules.

In 2002, a study suggested that women on conventional hormone therapy were at greater risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke and blood clotting. As a result, the market for alternative treatments has soared, and there are now more than 500 products that aim to relieve symptoms associated with menopause, including capsules, tablets, teas, gels and creams.

Walnuts Can Cut Your Cholesterol

2009-07-02T12:13:09Z

A meta-analysis of walnuts by Harvard scientists has found that diets rich in these nuts can significantly reduce cholesterol levels. This supports growing evidence suggesting that walnuts can improve healthy blood lipid ratios.

In their investigation of thirteen studies, the researchers demonstrated that walnut-rich consumption decreased total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol during short term trials.

Their analysis joins a growing body of science that has linked nut consumption, also including almonds and macadamias, to improvements in markers of cardiovascular health.

Small Weight Loss Ups Fertility

2009-07-02T12:12:06Z

Obese women who lose even a small amount of weight may boost their chances of getting pregnant.

Researchers carried out a three-month study of 40 obese women who were not ovulating. They found that a 5 percent loss in body weight was linked with a 19 percent increase in blood flow to the womb.

Improved circulation can help trigger the egg release from the ovaries, and may help an embryo implant in the womb.

Anti-Smoking Drugs To Carry Mental Health Warnings

2009-07-02T12:11:17Z

Two popular anti-smoking drugs will now carry warnings about the risk of severe mental health problems. The FDA said Chantix and Zyban will carry the warnings to alert consumers to the risks of depression and suicidal thoughts when using the drugs.

The drugs also have been reported to cause changes in behavior, hostility and agitation. In many cases, side effects started shortly after use began and ended when the medication was stopped.

The FDA does not know what is causing the changes, and said people taking these products should be monitored by their doctor.

Are Antibiotics in Chicken Eggs Making Canadians Resistant to Meds?

2009-07-01T11:47:24Z

Disturbing data from the Public Health Agency of Canada reveals that antibiotics used in chicken hatcheries are causing human resistance to the medicines.

Surveillance information from the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance (CIPARS) “strongly indicates that cephalosporin resistance in humans is moving in lockstep with use of the drug in poultry production.”

Cephalosporin is not approved for use in chickens or eggs, but it is often “robotically injected” into eggs at chicken hatcheries as a preventative measure to stave off infections.

Problem Pregnancies Lead to Autism Risk

2009-07-01T11:44:31Z

Complications during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a child with autism, according to a review of dozens of studies.

Researchers found the bulk of studies into maternal age and autism suggest the risk increases with age, and that fathers' age may play a role too. The mothers of autistic children were also more likely to have suffered diabetes or bleeding during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes, which affects 4 percent of pregnancies, was associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of autism, and bleeding in pregnancy was alleged to carry an 81 percent increased risk.

A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics

2009-07-01T11:43:23Z

Since 2004, 18 U.S. states have approved laws that make manufacturers responsible for recycling electronics, and similar statutes have been introduced in 13 other states this year. The laws are intended to prevent a torrent of toxic and outdated electronic equipment from ending up in landfills.

The EPA estimates that 2.6 million tons of electronic waste were dropped into landfills in 2007. Once buried, the waste leaches poisons like chlorinated solvents and heavy metals into soil and groundwater.

Consumer response to recycling has been enormous in states where the laws have taken effect. Collection points in Washington State, for example, have been swamped. Residents have dumped more than 15 million pounds of electronic waste, according to state collection data. If disposal continues at this rate, it will amount to more than five pounds for every man, woman and child per year.

E. Coli Confirmed in Nestle Samples

2009-06-30T11:55:56Z

The FDA has confirmed the presence of E. coli 0157, a deadly strain of bacteria, in samples of Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough.

Investigators did not find the bacterium inside Nestlé’s factory or on equipment, but in a tub of chocolate cookie dough made in February. The dough had a June 10 expiration date.

Nestlé voluntarily recalled 30,000 cases of its refrigerated cookie dough after officials at the FDA and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suspected that dozens of cases of E. coli-related illness were linked to the product. Nearly all the victims reported eating raw cookie dough in the days before the onset of symptoms.

Health officials still do not know how E. coli 0157, a bacterium that lives in cattle intestines, ended up in a product that seems so unlikely to contain it. None of the ingredients in the dough known to host the bacteria.

Drinking Tea Can Lower Your Levels of Iron

2009-06-30T11:53:54Z

Conventional wisdom says that drinking tea can block your body’s absorption of dietary iron. Studies have shown that there is some truth to the idea.

Compounds in tea called tannins can act as chelators, binding to minerals and inhibiting your body’s ability to absorb them. However, although that can reduce your level of iron, studies have also found that it is unlikely to have much of an impact.

Because most of you generally get more iron from your diet than you need, a daily cup or two of tea is unlikely to lead to low levels of iron.