Month: March 2011

Associated Press distributed this statement, which has been carried by hundreds of mainstream news organizations:

"A Japanese nuclear safety official, Kazuma Yokota, acknowledged that the government only belatedly realized the need to give potassium iodide pills that help reduce chances of thyroid cancer to those living within 12 miles (20 kilometers) of the nuclear complex."

This explanation defies logic, of course. How can a person whose job is to assure the safety of the nuclear industry not realize that an exploding nuclear power plant might be dangerous to its people? This should have been the very first action item made public: Take your potassium iodide! A nuclear plant has just exploded, and radiation is leaking into the environment… what to do?

That the explosion at Fukushima did not trigger an immediate announcement for people to take potassium iodide is yet more evidence of Japanese government incompetence or perhaps even a cover-up. It's almost as if the government didn't want people to think the explosion was a big deal, so they downplayed the whole scenario and didn't bother to warn people to take action. Encouraging people to take potassium iodide might have "frightened" them, they probably figured.

If that sounds familiar, it's probably because President Obama has taken exactly the same non-action in the United States, too. Last week, he publicly urged people to do nothing to prepare against the very real possibility of radioactive fallout reaching California (http://www.naturalnews.com/031735_O…).

When it comes to taking intelligent action following this nuclear catastrophe — which already ranks as the second worst nuclear accident in the history of human civilization — our governments all earn an "F" grade. Because they failed to warn the citizens to take because precautionary steps, and in doing so, they are setting in motion a sequence of events that will get people killed.

Thousands of cases of future cancers may be attributable to the radiation already emitted from Fukushima. Had the Japanese government acted sooner, some of those cancers might have been avoided with potassium iodide.

That's what the substance exists for, after all. If you don't use it following a nuclear power plant explosion, then why have it at all?

We will be fortunate, indeed, if the Fukushima nuclear power plant situation is resolved without further radiation leaks. A close brush with nuclear catastrophe, no doubt. One lesson we can all learn from this is that those who wait for their governments to tell them what to do may pay for their lack of action with their lives.

by: Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) Trouble down under has led to a major controversy concerning the contamination of the food supply with genetically-modified organisms (GMO). Fonterra, a New Zealand-based cooperative that represents the world's largest exporter of dairy products, has been pinned by Greenpeace Australia for allegedly selling dairy products contaminated with GMOs, despite the fact that the company is not a GMO brand.

Unlike in the US, many other countries around the world require proper labeling of GMOs. With the exception of New Zealand itself, many of the places to which Fonterra distributes its dairy products have GMO labeling requirements, including nearby Australia. And Greenpeace is questioning whether or not Fonterra still belongs in its "True Food Guide," a guide that rates food brands according to GMO content to help consumers avoid them.

According to a recent report in the New Zealand Herald, Fonterra refused to answer certain questions asked by Greenpeace in its latest survey, upon which the nonprofit decided to re-categorize Fonterra with a "red flag," indicating the potential presence of GMO ingredients in its products. One question involved the source of Fonterra's animal feed, and whether or not the feed is routinely tested for GMOs.

Fonterra group director of technology Jeremy Hill told reporters that the company "strive[s] to minimize unintentional traces of GE (genetically engineered) content," but that they cannot be fully eliminated from the company's products.

Other companies on the Greenpeace red flag list this year include Unilever and Sara Lee, both of which use GMO ingredients in products made for US markets. Even Weight Watchers essentially admitted that it uses, or at least allows a small presence of, GMO ingredients in its products made for the Australian and New Zealand markets.

So the FDA's new policy goes like this; you can write about FDA's new drug/medical device approval, but you can't do any outside research or ask any experts to weigh in on our decision before the embargo is lifted. The FDA wants to forbid reporters from doing any independent research and gathering opposing views. Effectively, the FDA wants journalists to not ask questions, not to seek independent experts and simply tow the FDA line like good little stenographers.

This is a drastic change – journalists customarily share the information with other experts in the field to get a more impartial perspective. These experts are are always apprised of the embargo, must agree to its terms, and fall under the same confidentiality agreement as the media organization.

A few weeks ago, as the FDA was about to unveil a new approval process for medical devices, the agency stated that news organizations must not "call around and get comment ahead of [time]. Needless to say, that would break the embargo." This is completely contrary to established industry practice. As the blog Embargo Watch recently stated, "without that, journalists become stenographers. If that's what the FDA – a public agency – wants, they need to rethink. And if they insist that this is what they mean by a journalistic embargo, then I'd suggest reporters stop agreeing to them. There's really no benefit to reporters or the public, only to the FDA."

In response to the FDA's statement, the nonprofit Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) – the nation's largest group of health reporters – sent a strongly worded letter to the FDA, objecting to the administration's "highly unusual" new policy: "[This] restriction…rewrote a longstanding compact between reporters and various public and scientific organizations. It also hampered or delayed reporters' ability to fully inform the public about what the FDA is doing with taxpayers' money."

The group continued, "Reporters who want to be competitive on a story will essentially have to agree to write only what the FDA wants to tell the world, without analysis or outside commentary."

As an example of what the FDA is trying to accomplish with this outrageous new policy, take a look at this in-depth article (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011…) published the day the aforementioned medical device approval announcement was made: a major policy change with potentially huge safety ramifications was covered in seventy-seven little words. Dull, absurdly brief, and decidedly uncontroversial – exactly what the FDA wanted.

Table salt is mined from underground salt mines. It is then heavily processed, refined, stripped of all its minerals except for sodium and chloride (NaCl), and subjected to anti-caking agents like aluminum. Table salt is an acidic, inorganic substance; this means the body cannot break the chemical bonds to utilize the sodium and it is not easily excreted from the body. This leads to various health issues, is responsible for 100,000 deaths each year, and contributes to the "sodium is bad" mentality.

However, table salt (NaCl) and sodium (Na) are not synonymous. In fact, the majority of Americans are deficient in the good type of sodium the body needs. True organic sodium is essential, beneficial, and needed by our body in moderate amounts. This type of sodium is found in fruits, vegetables, natural sea salt and soil. Sodium is known as the "youth mineral" because it is associated with youthful, limber, and flexible joints. The alkalinity of organic sodium helps neutralize acids that result from stressful lifestyles and poor nutrition. Without adequate amounts of sodium, the body will take minerals from its reserves, including the bones, to neutralize acid. Organic sodium is essential for calcium absorption, digestion, bile production, fluid balance, and the function of the brain, kidneys, liver, lymph, blood, spleen, gastric secretions, cellular function, and metabolism. Unlike table salt, an excess of this type of sodium is easily excreted from the body.

There are many health problems caused by an organic sodium deficiency including: gallstones, kidney stones, hardened arteries, osteoporosis, arthritis, gout, brittle bones, heartburn, acid reflux, gastroparesis, nerve problems, indigestion, headaches, stiff or painful joints, abnormal pulmonary function, bacterial infections, poor memory, diabetes, bloating, fatigue, restless legs, weight gain, and headaches, and more.

To prevent a deficiency of this important mineral, ditch the table salt and add sodium rich foods to your diet. Foods highest in organic sodium include: celery, asparagus, barley, red cabbage, carrots, coconut, okra, lentils, kale, strawberries, sesame seeds, raisins, goat's milk, egg yolks, and pure (non-iodized) sea salt.

When using logic, it is clear. Organic sodium from food sources is not responsible for poor health, as celery or any of the other foods listed above have not been used as controls in the research and studies responsible for the negative sodium publicity. The vast amount of health issues attributed to "sodium" are directly related to the high amounts of table salt found in the processed foods most Americans consume. To prevent these health issues, ditch the table salt, not the sodium.

Because of our modern lifestyle, you're exposed to more toxins than your body is designed to handle. The air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat may contain toxic chemicals. And if waste builds up, we get sick. It stands to reason, then, that detoxification should be your first step to a healthier you. Try the following five tips and this delicate process will put you on the fast track to a better sleep, consistent energy, clear skin, healthy organs, more clarity and a revved-up sex drive:

Fix your gut. Did you know that 70 percent of your immune power resides in your digestive tract? Unfortunately, because of our daily exposure to toxins, our intestinal health is under massive attack. Needless to say, you don't want that to happen. Eat real food rich in antioxidants and fiber, take probiotics and stay away from pesticides, preservatives, refined sugar and antibiotics.

Hydrate. "Drink enough water!" You've heard it a million times – and with a good reason. Each one of us is made up of over 70 percent water and that's why we need to drink enough fluids in order to help acid wastes flow out. And not just any fluids – remember that if you don't filter your water, your body will experience the negative results.

Detox your mind and spirit. Detoxification is not just about what you drink or eat – it's about what you think, too! Put some time aside to relax deeply every day to inhibit sympathetic nervous activity. Try meditation and deep breathing and replace online surfing with real-world activities. You'll feel more focused and enjoy a steady supply of energy.

Get moving. Sooner or later, your tissue will suffocate in their own waste products if you don't exercise regularly. So move your body (at least 35 minutes a day) and let your blood and lymphatic circulation do their job.

Try sauna. If you're walking around with toxins in your tissues, you'll never get a skin that glows. Fortunately, you can always utilize sauna to induce sweating and stimulate a deep cleansing process. The sauna heat releases both chemical and heavy metal toxins under the skin so that they can be purged through respiration – along with various other waste materials. As a result, you'll experience a level of renewal that is hard to surpass.

Detoxification is as invaluable for our health as the beating of the heart. Maximizing your body's detoxification capacity will soon bring a healthy domino effect, allowing you to take charge of your own health and well-being.

The Bible condemns the use of poisons for medicine and labels it as sorcery, and very plainly tells us that true medicine is leaves. The common name used for medical leaves is herbs. Ps.104:14 says that He has given us "herbs for the service of man."

Almost prophetically, Thomas Jefferson gave us this warning: "If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." Remember, this statement was made about 100 years before there ever even was an FDA!

Do you believe for a minute that the government's healthcare plan (under any administration) is designed to help us live longer healthier lives? Do you know how easy it is for medical universities (funded by pharmaceutical companies) to convince new doctors that "drugs save lives"? Have you ever wondered what The Bible says about all this?

Strong's exhaustive concordance of the Bible, which lists every word in the Bible, lists the word "sorcery" as word #5332 and tells us that it is translated from the original Greek word "pharmakon." It gives the definition as: a drug i.e. a spell-giving potion, a druggist or pharmacist, a poisoner.

A pharmacist today has the same Greek title that he had at the time the New Testament was written 2000 years ago, and he is still doing the same thing: dealing in poisonous drugs!

The Bible says that "sorcery", or the use of poisonous drugs, has deceived all nations. "For by thy sorceries (pharmacea) were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth". (Rev. 18:23,24)

All nations practice sorcery through the use of drugs, but they are deceived into thinking that it's right. God condemns the merchandising and use of poisonous drugs along with murder and idolatry. Read it in your own Bible. Study it for yourself. If you don't own a concordance, borrow one from your library and see it with your own eyes.

Look in Webster's 2nd Collegiate Dictionary published in 1980 under the word "pharmaceutical." The definition reads: "pharmaceutical" the practice of witchcraft or the use of poison.

The very first place the word "medicine" is used in the Bible is in Proverbs 17:22 and it says, "A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine." If medicine and drugs are the same thing, this would, at first glance, seem to reveal a contradiction in the Bible. This question is answered in the very next text listed in the concordance under medicine: EZ. 47:12, "The fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine." The Bible is telling us that medicine is good and it tells us where to obtain it: from the leaves or what we commonly call "herbs".

Sources:
The Bible (King James Version)
Rev. 18:23 and 24
Proverbs 17:22
Ps.104:14
EZ. 47:12
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible
Webster's 2nd Collegiate Dictionary

"It's kind of a criticism of us tending to over-medicate hyperactive kids who might not need those medications," said Ausburn to KPHO, likely referring to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs like Ritalin that are widely overused and abused (http://www.naturalnews.com/ADHD_dru…).

Ausburn had only worked at the school for two months when she was notified that some of her stickers were upsetting some parents, and that they did not fit into the school's culture. School officials told Ausburn that she could either remove the stickers or park her car off campus. She refused both options and was consequently released.

"You have to remain true to your beliefs, you have to stand up for what you believe is right and I don't believe it's right to censor people just because your opinion doesn't agree with theirs," she said.

Ausburn told 12 News in Phoenix that when parents first began filing complaints about the stickers with administrators at Imagine, Principal John Buzzard supported her. When parents did not get their way at the school, they allegedly went above Buzzard's authority to the regional board which ultimately sided against her, she said.

"This doesn't affect the quality of my teaching," said Ausburn to 12 News, referencing her defense before the regional board. "I've never been verbally reprimanded for any of my teaching instruction, I've never been written up at Imagine or any other school … this doesn't impact my ability to teach."

Ausburn initially tried to regain her position at Imagine following the incident, but has yet to receive a response from the school. She is now pursuing legal action to "push the issue."

Other bumper stickers on Ausburn's car include, "I'm Already Against the Next War," "Military Solutions are Problems," "Don't Believe Everything You Think," and "Jesus Called, He Wants His Religion Back."