Flawed Government Report Thwarts State Raw Milk Initiatives

Written by Kimberly Hartke

Wednesday, 03 April 2013 13:37

Weston A. Price Foundation  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   April 3, 2013--Washington, D.C.--( GlobeNewswire)--A recent CDC study claims that unpasteurized milk and products made with unpasteurized milk cause 150 times more outbreaks than pasteurized milk or products made from pasteurized milk. After careful analysis, The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) finds the CDC study to be substantially flawed and misleading.   In 2013, bills to expand raw milk access are being introduced in as many as sixteen states. The CDC report was issued during the 2012 legislative season. Raw milk proponents say the CDC report could have an impact on a number of state bills in 2013 that aim to broaden consumer access to raw milk. Raw milk bills in Indiana, Iowa and Wyoming died in committee. Another example would be Wisconsin where Assistant Majority Leader Glenn Grothman plans to introduce a raw milk bill. Last week, Wisconsin public health officials and medical ‘experts’ put out an anti-raw milk statement that relied heavily on the CDC study.   The study by Langer et al can be viewed here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/pdfs/11-1370.pdf   “The CDC data released in the Langer paper, March 2012, actually showed no statistical difference in the rate of illness attributed to raw milk or products produced from raw milk compared to those produced from pasteurized milk,” says Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, “so CDC used the number of ‘outbreaks’ to make raw milk look bad.  CDC defines an outbreak as two or more illnesses, and outbreaks involving raw milk or raw milk products involve far fewer individuals than outbreaks involving pasteurized milk. What really counts is the number of illnesses.” See WAPF press release, February 2012, CDC Cherry Picks Data to Make Case Against Raw Milk.   The Weston A. Price Foundation is a worldwide nutrition education nonprofit. Their  Campaign for Real Milk (realmilk.com)  works to restore this traditional food to its rightful place in the human diet.   The report has numerous scientific flaws that call in to question its credibility. For instance the report claims that there are more outbreaks in states that allow raw milk sales.  The premise that allowing raw milk sales in a state leads to more outbreaks is not valid because the researchers lumped all dairy products together for analysis rather than limiting it to fluid milk. “Since they fail to present analysis that compares laws concerning fluid milk and outbreaks attributed to fluid milk, we must conclude that they didn’t find any statistical difference,” says Fallon Morell. “Despite the obvious motive to demonstrate a link between changing the laws to permit raw milk and increased public risk, they in fact demonstrate that they are unable to find any such consequences.”     “The  CDC clearly documents the fact that it has no data to show a statistical increase in illnesses in those states that legalized sale. The real effect of changing these laws is to enhance the public health and increase the number of families that have access to wholesome, unprocessed milk with its vital nutrition and enzymes intact,” explains Fallon Morell.   A close examination of reports on illness associated with raw milk reveals that there are an average of 41 illnesses attributed to raw milk each year, of which  about 23 are confirmed illnesses.  According to a federal agency phone survey, 3.04 percent of the  population consumes raw milk. The most recent figures from the CDC published in  March 2013 report that there are an estimated 876,209 foodborne illnesses per year in the U.S.   “Using these figures, we might expect to see 26,637 foodborne illnesses per year among  those people drinking raw milk” says Dr. Ted Beals, a retired pathologist who has made a study of raw milk safety.  “Of those illnesses we see only about 41 illnesses per year attributed to the raw milk they drink.  Only 0.2% of their illnesses attributed to all the foods they eat are associated with the raw milk they drink almost daily. These government numbers show us that raw milk is a very safe food.”   The report confirms that there have been no deaths from fluid raw milk over the period of the report. By contrast, three people died from pasteurized milk in Massachusetts in 2007.  The government reports 15 deaths per year from raw oysters and 30 deaths per year from eggs.  “Clearly government agencies are applying a double standard to raw milk, singling it out as ‘inherently dangerous’ when other foods obviously pose a greater threat to health,” says Fallon Morell.   “We don’t want anyone to get sick from raw milk,” says Fallon Morell, “and with reasonable management practices by farmers and consumers, we could reduce the number of illness even more than the extremely low numbers now experienced.  Continued government opposition to freedom of choice is unproductive.  Health officials need to acknowledge consumer demand for this nutritious food.  Producer and consumer groups are capable of setting reasonable and effective standards. Health departments  need to cease their entrenched antagonism and support both public and private measures that benefit raw milk safety. And when illnesses do occur, we need to take an unbiased look at what went wrong so that we can improve milk safety.”     The Weston A. Price Foundation is a  Washington, DC-based nutrition education 501(c)(3) with the mission of  disseminating science-based information on diet and health. Named after Weston  A. Price, DDS, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, WAPF publishes a  quarterly journal for its 15,000+ members, supports 572 local chapters worldwide  and hosts a yearly international conference. Contact at (202) 363-4394, westonaprice.org, info@westonaprice.org.

Omega-3 Benefits Studied in Overweight Young Adults

(National Standard) A study found a lack of effect of short-term omega-3 supplementation on metabolic syndrome or markers of inflammation in relatively overweight but healthy young adults.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that occur together and may increase the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is often characterized by high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and excess body fat around the waist.

Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish oil and certain plant and nut oils. Fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), while some nuts (such as English walnuts) and vegetable oils (such as canola, soybean, flaxseed, linseed, and olive oils) contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). There is evidence from multiple studies that suggests that DHA and EPA intake in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides; reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease; slows the buildup of arterial hardening, and lowers and lowers blood pressure slightly.

In the current study, researchers set out to determine whether these potential benefits of omega-3 may apply to a population of overweight young adults. They recruited people between the ages of 18-30 with body mass indices (BMIs) of 23 or greater. (Generally, a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.) The participants randomly received either 1.7 grams of omega-3 or safflower oil placebo daily for four weeks. Researchers collected blood samples and looked at measures such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker.

The results showed that DHA and EPA concentrations increased in the omega-3 group over the course of the study. However, there was a lack of effect of omega-3 on measures of blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, cholesterol, and inflammation.

The researchers concluded that the lack of effect of omega-3 may be due to the short period of supplementation. Further study is needed before firm conclusions may be made on the possible benefits of fish oil in relatively overweight young adults.

Many integrative therapies have been evaluated for their potential benefits on weight loss and other related concerns in overweight and obese people. 5-HTP, chitosan, DHEA, Korean pine, mango seed fiber, and whey protein are all backed by good scientific evidence for their effects in reducing appetite and promoting weight loss.

For more information about omega-3, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements Database.

References

1. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
2. Root M, Collier SR, Zwetsloot KA, et al. A randomized trial of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on arterial health, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome in a young healthy population. Nutr J. 2013 Apr 8;12(1):40. [Epub ahead of print] View Abstract

U.K. Cell Phone Study Points to Acoustic Neuroma, Not Brain Cancer

Fourth Study To Show Tumor Link; Is This Really Prospective Epidemiology?

Microwave News, May 12, 2013

A new study from the U.K. is adding support to the still controversial proposition that long-term use of a cell phone increases the risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a tumor of the auditory nerve. No higher risk of glioma or meningioma, two types of brain cancer, was observed.

Women who used a mobile phone for more than ten years were two-and-half-times more likely to have an acoustic neuroma than those who never used a phone. The finding is based on a smaller number of cases than the brain tumor results but is statistically significant. The U.K. epidemiological study is the fourth to show an association between long-term use of a cell phone and acoustic neuroma.

"[W]e did find a trend of increasing risk of acoustic neuroma with increasing duration of mobile phone use," according to the team led by Victoria Benson, Jane Green and Valerie Beral of the University of Oxford. IARC's Joachim Schüz, an avowed tumor risk skeptic, is a coauthor. The trend of more tumors with more phone use is also statistically significant. The paper is being published by the International Journal of Epidemiology; a copy was posted on its Web site on May 8th.

WIthout explanation, the increase in acoustic neuroma is omitted in the study conclusion presented in the published abstract. Only the lack of an association with brain cancer is reported there.

But perhaps the most controversial aspect of the new study is that it is being touted as "prospective." Prospective studies are considered superior to retrospective studies — such asInterphone— because they do not rely on people's memories to estimate past exposures. The fear with retrospective studies is that subjects with tumors, eager to explain their condition, will overestimate their cell phone use and skew the results in favor an association. In a prospective study, subjects fill out regular questionnaires detailing phone use and other possible changes over the span of the study.

It is true that the women were recruited into the U.K. study population before they developed a tumor and would not have had any incentive to misreport their phone use. But, beyond that, nothing about monitoring their radiation exposure could be called prospective. The U.K. study offers scant improvement over past efforts.

Calling the new study prospective cuts two ways. On the one hand, it gives additional support to the finding of no brain cancer from cell phones, but, on the other hand, it lends greater credibility to the acoustic neuroma association. This might explain the absence of the observed acoustic neuroma risk in the conclusion.

Exposure Assessment: “Crude” and “Extremely Limited”

"The evidence presented is less than a slam dunk," said Joe Bowman, an industrial hygienist with the U.S. NIOSH, who worked on the Interphone study. "The exposure assessment in the new study was pretty crude and no attempt was made to estimate radiation exposure," he toldMicrowave News from his office in Cincinnati. "While it is better than in past retrospective studies in some ways, it is worse in others," he added. "For example, in Interphone, a user's entire phone history was obtained."

Cell phone use in the U.K. study was based on the answers to only one or two questions posed at the time the women were recruited for the study. They were asked, "About how often do you use a mobile phone?" and were given three options: "never," less than once a day" and "every day." Those who did use a cell phone were also asked "for how long?" At the end of the study in 2009, participants were asked two more questions about their cell phone use, but those answers were not used in the data analysis.

"The study has extremely limited exposure assessment," concurred Joel Moskowitz, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2009, Moskowitz published a meta-analysis pointing to a tumor risk from cell phones. In an interview, Moskowitz pointed out that the U.K. team had not collected any information on the use of cordless phones. "This could have been an important source of RF exposure," he said.

The Oxford paper also reports a higher than expected incidence of tumors of the pituitary gland, but this increase is not statistically reliable.

Both the Interphone project and Lennart Hardell's group in Sweden have previously linked long-term cell phone use with acoustic neuroma, as did a Japanese team in 2010. The new paper does not cite the Japanese study.

Last fall, the Italian Supreme Court ruled in favor of such an association.

Two years ago, an expert panel convened by IARC classified RF radiation as a possible human carcinogen. In April, IARC published the rationale for the decision.

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Top Five Tips to Live Long and Prosper

Top 5 Tips to “Live Long and Prosper”

This infamous catch phrase by Dr. Spock more than likely is the goal of everyone reading this blog today, unfortunately, however this is much easier said than done.  To assist in this, we here at Natural Healing Tools have complied the list that we believe would be closest to what the real Dr. Spock would prescribe if he was here, instead of carrying out what seems will be one of his greatest and best looking adventures yet. 

 

 

Tip #1: Eat a Colorful and Fresh Diet

The number one way to live a healthier life is to monitor exactly what we eat.  This is a problem nationally as nearly half of Americans are overweight or obese (estimated 154.7 million American adults- according to the American Heart Association) and obesity is the leading cause of preventable disease in America today, with moderate obesity cutting a person’s life expectancy by 3 years and severe obesity cutting it by 10 years.  The simplest and best way to stay at a healthy weight, is to focus on eating a diet as colorful and close to nature as possible.  By eating a veritable rainbow of natural food, a person is able to garner as many different vital nutrients as possible, which if in a natural state are easier for the body to absorb and are more satisfying then eating processed food full of extra sugar, salt, fat, and preservatives.  However, while it would be optimal to only eat unprocessed food, in this day and age it is nearly impossible to do this.  As a solution to this problem, we would advise to follow the 90/10 rule or eating as fresh and close to nature as possible for 90% of what you eat, so that the 10% will not ruin your health, but will allow someone to engage in normal social interaction and not feel guilty about eating something that they know they shouldn’t.
Overall Addition to Life: +3 years

Tip #2: Get plenty of Exercise

The second way to live a longer and healthier life is to include plenty of exercise.  This does not mean that you have to go to the gym, but it does mean that a large amount of movement should be employed every day, whether that is taking the dogs for a walk, going hiking, practicing yoga, or whatever your favorite form of exercise is.  The important thing is that you are doing something everyday other than sitting, especially watching T.V., for most of your leisure time, as sitting for more than three hours a day for leisure was correlated in reducing life expectancy by 2 years and by watching less than two hours of T.V. a day will bump the average life expectancy up 1.4 years.  
Overall Addition to Life: +3.4 years

Tip #3: Financial Vitality

There is a correlation between income inequality and difference in life expectancy, however there is more to this tip then that.  In a program at Creighton University, low income women were given the chance to learn how to take control of their financial life and put it in order.  Before and after this program, their blood pressure, BMI, and other markers of overall health were taken.  After successfully completing the program, the women had improved markers in overall health and well being, mostly without other changes in their overall lifestyle.  In order to help live a longer life, it is vital to keep finances in order so that money does not become the all consuming stresser that it is prone to become.  Furthermore, what good is it to extend your life if you will not be able to afford those extra years in any semblance of comfort or enjoyment?
Overall Addition: +2 years

Tip #4: Supplementation

While it is nearly impossible to live a healthy lifestyle without a healthy diet, it is just as impossible to get every single vital vitamin and nutrient from diet alone that our body’s need to survive.  While it is inadvisable to over supplement, it is general consensus that certain additions are beneficial to a person’s life.  The most prominent of these are the Essential Fatty Acids which cannot be produced alone by the body and which may help decrease inflammation, heart disease, and age related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and/or dementia.  Furthermore, it has been shown that calcium and Vitamin D when taken together may increase fat loss, while using Vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies and  cardiovascular disease.  While it is advisable to consume as many vitamins and minerals as possible from whole food, we do carry the products that can help fill any bases you may have missed whether that is in the form of an all natural superfood, your daily mineral requirements, or your essential fatty acids, we have you covered.  
Overall Addition: +1 year

Tip #5: Goal Setting-  The Bucket List

This tip may not necessarily increase qualitatively, but will increase quantitatively.  Similar to the advisement above to plan for that longer life you hope to live, we advise to set goals of what you want to do with that extra time you have, with these goals set around things that you enjoy or want to do.  In conjunction with good financial planning, almost any goal can be realized, whether that is to climb Mount Everest, live life seeing your children and grandchildren everyday, teaching the practices you hold near and dear to your hear, or traveling the world or even other worlds(an activity Spock would eagerly approve and recommend with approval from a physician).  The point is that it is your life and it should be lived to maximize enjoyment, whatever that form of enjoyment is to you!
Overall Addition: A happy and fulfilling life  

By following these five easy tips, a person could potentially add up to or more than 10 years to their life expectancy, while at the same time improving the way that it is lived in order to guarantee that it was a life that was fulfilling and as joyful as possible.  So with those tips in my mind, my your go forth and “Live Long and Prosper”.

Credit for Pictures, Star Trek, Spock and all related content: startrek.com, pintrest

Common Sense: Heart Attacks and Hot Water

The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.

Think about the kitchen sink in your home. You don't pour fat down the drain and run cold water! That's the same as drinking ice cold beverages while eating. 

The cold beverage acts to solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. This slows down the digestion process. Once this semi solid 'sludge' reacts with the stomach acid, it breaks down and is absorbed into the intestine faster than solid food. The 'sludge' lines the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats, clogs the intestine, and can lead to cancer. 

To alleviate this 'sludge' factor, it is simple to drink hot soup, hot tea or warm water during/after a meal. This aids the digestive process and helps keep the intestine clean. 

Healthy for your diet - and great for your wallet. Water is free when eating out - order hot water instead of cold. Add a lemon for flavor! 

Reminder of Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack...

A serious note about heart attacks - you should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting . Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line may also be an early warning sign.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. The more we know, the better chance we could survive..

A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this post shares it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read & Send to a friend. You could save a life... 

Research Shows Botox Lessens Ability to Recognize Emotions

By Josh Dixon

While Botox has long been sought after to smooth wrinkles and any faulty facial features, a new study suggests while it may cure these physical ailments, the treatment could have long lasting effects on your ability to understand the emotions of others.

David Neal, a psychology professor at the University of Southern Carolina acted as the lead author in this research, which was published in the journalSocial Psychology and Personality Science.

In his research, Neal suggests that it is the process of Botox itself, which makes it so debilitating in reading emotions as Botox paralyzes muscles and prevents certain facial movements.

Since people read emotion by mimicking facial expressions, Neal says “if muscular signals from the face to the brain are dampened, you’re less able to read emotions.”

Researchers conducted two experiments, one of 31 women, comparing Botox with Restylane, a dermal filler, and the other of 56 women and 39 men, using a gel that amplifies muscular signals. Participants in both experiments viewed computer images of faces and identified the emotions they saw.

“When the facial muscles are dampened, you get worse in emotion perception, and when the facial muscles are amplified, you get better at emotion perception,” Neal says.

Similarly, studies have recently been conducted out of Columbia University stating that Botox may make recipients less susceptible to emotions in general.

Ultimately Neal says that users of Botox need to “consider whether these procedures are having any indirect costs – reducing their ability to empathize and understand people’s emotions.

If nothing else, this research clearly demonstrates that facial expressions are a dominant factor in the ways in which we express our emotions and ourselves. By impeding these expressions, we are impeding our ability to communicate effectively.

Bad Reaction to Cosmetics? Tell the FDA!

You break out in a head-to-toe rash after applying a sunless tanning lotion. Your son’s skin is red and blotchy after he gets his face painted at the school carnival. Your daughter’s scalp is burned after using a hair relaxer.

If you've had a negative reaction to a beauty, personal hygiene, or makeup product, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to know.

From morning until night—styling our hair for work to showering before bed—Americans depend upon personal care products. Most are safe, but some cause problems, and that’s when FDA gets involved.

“Even though these products are widely used, most don’t require FDA approval before they’re sold in stores, salons, and at makeup counters,” says Linda Katz, M.D., director of the agency’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors. “So, consumers are one of FDA’s most important resources when it comes to identifying problems.”

The federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines “cosmetics” as products that are intended to be applied to the body “for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.” But the legal definition includes items that most Americans might not ordinarily think of as cosmetics, including:

• face and body cleansers
• deodorants
• moisturizers and other skin lotions and creams
• baby lotions and oils
• hair care products, dyes, conditioners, straighteners, perms
• makeup
• hair removal creams
• nail polishes
• shaving products
• perfumes and colognes
• face paints and temporary tattoos
• permanent tattoos and permanent makeup

What to Report

Katz says consumers should contact FDA if they experience a rash, hair loss, infection, or other problem—even if they didn't follow product directions. FDA also wants to know if a product has a bad smell or unusual color—which could signal contamination—or if the item’s label is incomplete or inaccurate.

If you have any concerns about a cosmetic, contact MedWatch, FDA’s problem-reporting program, on the Web or at 1-800-332-1088; or contact the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

When you contact FDA, include the following information in your report:

• the name and contact information for the person who had the reaction;
• the age, gender, and ethnicity of the product’s user;
• the name of the product and manufacturer;
• a description of the reaction—and treatment, if any;
• the healthcare provider’s name and contact information, if medical attention was provided; and
• when and where the product was purchased.
And be sure to give the age, gender, and ethnicity of the person who had the reaction, says FDA scientist Wendy Good, Ph.D. Good, who analyzes reports about problems with cosmetics, says that information is important because it can help scientists spot trends.
When a consumer report is received, FDA enters the information into a database of negative reactions. Experts then look for reports related to the same product or similar ones. FDA scientists will use the information to determine if the product has a history of problems and represents a public health concern that needs to be addressed.
If you file a consumer report, your identity will remain confidential.

"Cosmetics are usually safe, but when they aren't, consumer reporting is essential so FDA can take action when appropriate,” Katz says. Those actions could—depending upon the product and the problem—range from issuing a consumer safety advisory to taking legal action.
This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.