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Omega-3 Fats Hold The Key To Curing Depression In The Elderly

by: John Phillip

(NaturalNews) Omega-3 fats are part of our nutritional heritage and are shown to play a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of debilitating conditions such as clinical depression throughout all phases of life and especially in the elderly. Neural cellular walls are largely constructed of Omega-3 fats, specifically the DHA long-chain component that determines how nutrients transport across cell membranes, electrical conductivity and the activity of critical neurotransmitters in cellular communications. Results published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging demonstrate that daily supplementation with Omega-3 fats may significantly suppress the symptoms of depression among elderly women.

Omega 3-6-9

The study found that depressed women that supplemented with 2.5 grams of Omega-3 fats daily experienced significant reductions in their symptoms. In an important finding, the scientists conducting the study found that the long chain fat was responsible for dramatic improvements in future outlook, self-esteem and quality of life. Researchers commented "This [quality of life] observation has never been achieved before and it appears of great value from the clinical point of view, due to the importance of these aspects in the elderly population."

One of the most common medications prescribed to adults, and especially the elderly, is in the anti-depressant classification. Anti-depressants cause a long list of side effects including blurred vision, weight gain, headache, anxiety and sleep disruption. Many of these effects lead to a lowered quality of life and actually worsen the condition being treated. Multiple studies have determined that Omega-3 supplementation cuts depression ratings by 50%, without the devastating side effects of prescription drugs.

A body of research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience pinpoints the critical nature of Omega-3 fats during maternal nurturing and early childhood development. Due to the rapid decline of these essential fats from the diet over the course of the past century, clinical depression cases have exploded as the balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fats far exceeds the optimal 1:1 ratio. Researchers determined that insufficient Omega-3 fats in circulation led to disturbed neuronal communications that play a strategic role in neurotransmissions. The dietary fat imbalance influenced emotional behavior and increased anxiety, and it was the primary cause of depression.

The low fat diet so often prescribed by medical professionals and nutrition experts has caused a critical deficiency of healthy fats necessary for the development of the human brain from infancy to adulthood. In addition to the extensive library of research showing the effectiveness of Omega-3 fats in cardiovascular health and cognition, new evidence documents the need for this essential nutrient through all stages of life to improve self-esteem and to prevent depression. Health-minded people will want to supplement with 2.5 grams of combined EPA/DHA to naturally protect against behavior disorders and depression.

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New York May Bar Food Stamps From Being Used On Soda

by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) The state of New York is looking to ban the use of food stamps for the purchase of soda. We think it's about time. In the same vein as a new Florida law that requires those receiving state taxpayer benefits to get drug-tested beforehand, this report, New York has petitioned the federal government to allow state officials to ban food stamp recipients from using them to purchase soft drinks.

If first lady Michelle Obama's effort to reduce childhood obesity through better nutrition is worth its weight, she'll convince her husband to make sure Health and Human Services approves the request.

Currently there are 1.7 million New Yorkers on food stamps. If only half of them bought an average of three sodas at $1 each daily, that's $2.5 million a day it is costing taxpayers, or $76.5 million a month.

That figure is staggering in and of itself, but subsidizing an incredibly unhealthy practice is mind boggling, especially given the fact that drinking soda has so many bad health side effects it almost seems ludicrous to continue documenting it.

Moreover, the ingestion of soft drinks is known to be a catalyst for other health disorders and diseases, such as lowering calcium levels (which leads to osteoporosis) and causing anaphylactic (allergic) reactions.

In all, experts say Americans, on average, consume about 150 quarts of soft drinks per year, or about three quarts per week. The U.S. is the world's number one consumer of soda pop. Soda consumption is known to cause people to be overweight an obese, two related conditions that will affect three-fourths of Americans by 2020.

And, as obesity rates rise, so, too, does the incidence of diabetes. In fact, the current obesity epidemic will cause the number of people with the disease to double by 2034, and medical costs related to that dramatic rise to triple by then.

Which all ties back into cost: A large number of people on food stamps are also receiving government health care benefits. So by subsidizing soda purchases, the government is subsidizing obesity and higher incidences of diabetes and adding to its health care costs.

Does this sound like something Washington should be doing? Granting New York – and any other state – the right ban to food stamp recipients from purchasing foods and drinks that worsen their health and add to the nation's health care bill seems like a good idea.

Which goes to the heart of the issue – the gross injustice of making those of us who want to improve our health and live cleaner lives pay for the poor decisions of others. If someone wants to pollute their bodies with poisons, they should be allowed to do so, but only on their own dime.

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Toxic Chemicals Found In Baby Products

by: Mary West

(NaturalNews) Are efforts to protect babies from fire exposing them to chemicals that could harm their health? A study published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal, examined flame retardant chemicals found in dozens of baby products containing polyurethane foam: such as car seats, nursing pillows and changing pads. The findings showed that 80% of the products tested contained toxic chemicals: Bangor Daily News reports.

Researchers analyzed flame retardants from 102 samples, representing a broad spectrum of baby products from various locations around the country. The lead researcher, Dr. Heather Stapleton of Duke University, was surprised and concerned at the findings.

Four of the tested products contained a chemical PENTA, a neurotoxin banned in 12 U.S. states and 172 countries. Twenty-nine had chlorinated tris, a possible carcinogen which was banned from children's pajamas due to health concerns in the 1970s. Animal studies have linked this chemical with cancers of the liver, kidney and brain. Sixteen products contained flame retardants. The Environmental Protection Agency has expressed concerns regarding the toxicity of these substances.

Part of the problem is that flame retardant chemicals are emitted from the polyurethane foam into the air. This means that a baby lying on a foam pad will be exposed through the skin, as well as through the act of breathing.

Concern over the findings is being expressed not only from the study's authors, but from other quarters as well. Arlene Blum, Ph.D., a coauthor of the study, states that these chemicals are related to lower IQ, endocrine and thyroid disorders, and child development impairments. Dr. Linda Birnbaum, head of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, refers to the study as a wake up call. She explains that in addition to the cancer issue, the chemicals can also cause reproductive and neurological effects.

Some members of the business and industry community affected by the study have issued a response. One baby product manufacturer states that they use the chemicals to meet federal and state imposed flammability requirements. Chemical manufactures say the flame retardants are needed for fire safety benefits. This industry contends the study does not prove harm to babies because it fails to address exposure or risk.

Dr. Birnbaum concurs the investigation does not prove harm. She feels, however, that the focal issue should be to question why these chemicals are needed in baby products at all.

In the process of weighing fire safety against chemical exposure, Dr. Stapleton considers chemicals as the greater risk. According to Consumer Reports, Stapleton hopes that politicians and regulatory agencies will consider using alternative fillings or fabrics to provide fire resistant products without relying on these chemicals.

[Editor`s Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and wellbeing of all living creatures.]

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Is Lithium The Next Fluoride?

by: Neev M. Arnell

(NaturalNews) Lithium, the psychiatric drug prescribed for depression, mania and bipolar disorder, is now being viewed as the new fluoride by some experts. These experts are calling for the addition of lithium to the water supply as a cure-all for social problems, including suicide, violent crime and drug use.

Lithium is the new fluoride
Dr. Gerald Schrauzer, who published the first paper in 1989 connecting lithium in water supplies to a decrease in certain undesirable social behaviors, became interested in lithium after growing up next to a "miracle spring" in Franzensbad, Czechoslovakia. This lithium-containing spring was alleged to moderate the temperaments of women in particular.

For centuries, people worldwide have been attracted to springs like these for their calming benefits, and scientists have since found the benefits to be credited to unusually high natural lithium levels.

Of course this is how the addition of fluoride to the water supply came about. It was discovered that people with "Colorado Brown Stain" or "Texas Teeth", names that described a mottling and staining of the tooth enamel, lived in areas in Colorado and Texas that had higher naturally occurring levels of fluoride. It was believed that the naturally occurring fluoride in the water made the enamel of the teeth harder and more resistant to cavities, so it was suggested that fluoride be distributed through the water supply to benefit public health.

Unfortunately, we now know that "Colorado Brown Stain" and "Texas Teeth" were cases of dental fluorosis, which can cause pitting and decay of teeth in its severe form, and may actually cause them to be structurally weaker. 41 percent of American adolescents now suffer from this fluoride induced condition.

The argument for it
Proponents of lithium in the water supply claim that it has compelling benefits.

A 2009 study across 18 communities in Japan showed that those with higher levels of naturally occurring fluoride were significantly less vulnerable to suicide. A study from this year corroborated the findings, showing that 4 to 15 percent of the variation in suicides across 99 counties in Austria was due to lithium content in regional water supplies.

"As a matter of empirical science, this connection between water-based lithium and suicide is absolutely becoming widely accepted," said Jacob Appel, a psychiatrist and bioethicist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "The research, when one of a scientific persuasion reads it, is compelling — even if it might be jaw-dropping."

If the research continues to show good results, Appel sees America as a possible first candidate for implementation, citing as a precedent how easily genetically modified and fortified foods have been both approved by the U.S. government and accepted by American consumers.

The public is not buying it
It seems that experts who put forward the notion of adding lithium to the water supply often encounter harsh and sometimes violent feedback.

Dr. Allan Young, a psychiatry professor at Imperial College in London who published a 2009 commentary on the subject, received a handful of death threats and was likened to a Nazi. He also received 500 vitriolic emails after publishing an article on The Huffington Post, several of which were so provocative that they caused him to contact the authorities.

But even experts enthusiastic about adding lithium to the water supply caution about unintended consequences. First, it is still not clear how lithium affects the brain and, second, there is also the consideration of possible personality changes within the recipient.

"Lithium certainly dampens impulsivity, which would explain how it dampens suicide rates," Young said. "But at a population level, what if that impulsivity is being directed in a healthy way — the person jumping onto the subway tracks to save a life?"

Adding lithium to the water supply could also have the unintended consequence of widespread personality homogenization, according to Peter Kramer, a psychiatrist at Brown Medical School.

"When you change these resilience factors in the brain, you see other changes too, People are less timid and shy, for example," Kramer said. "But maybe people want the right not to have these subtle changes taking place, without making the choice for themselves."

Freedom of choice
To begin with, psychology does not always have the best track record with mental health solutions, particularly when it comes to prescription medications, as evidenced by the implication of antidepressants in suicides and school shootings. (http://www.naturalnews.com/025826_A…)

But there is a much more obvious problem. Dr. Paul Connett, director of Fluoride Action Network, has been fighting to get fluoride out of the water in the remaining 2 percent of countries worldwide that still fluoridate, and one of the major arguments against adding fluoride, or any drug — lithium included, to the water supply is that you cannot control the dose that any one person will get. Connett argues that, to mass medicate in this way, the government would need to ensure that the dose for every individual in the society was at such a level that it would be safe and completely non-toxic — this means accommodating an adequately safe dose for everyone including infants to large males or different races, ethnicities, ages and sexes (http://austintx.swagit.com/player.p…).

If it were even possible to arrive at such a dosage, Connett argues that such a policy would violate informed consent because those drinking the water are not being made aware of the risks associated with the drug and do not have the right to opt out if they do not wish to assume those risks.

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Evidence Emerges That European E.coli Superbug Was Bioengineered

by Mike Adams

(NaturalNews) Even as the veggie blame game is now under way across the EU, where a super resistant strain of e.coli is sickening patients and filling hospitals in Germany, virtually no one is talking about how e.coli could have magically become resistant to eight different classes of antibiotic drugs and then suddenly appeared in the food supply.

This particular e.coli variation is a member of the O104 strain, and O104 strains are almost never (normally) resistant to antibiotics. In order for them to acquire this resistance, they must be repeatedly exposed to antibiotics in order to provide the "mutation pressure" that nudges them toward complete drug immunity.

So if you're curious about the origins of such a strain, you can essentially reverse engineer the genetic code of the e.coli and determine fairly accurately which antibiotics it was exposed to during its development. This step has now been done (see below), and when you look at the genetic decoding of this O104 strain now threatening food consumers across the EU, a fascinating picture emerges of how it must have come into existence.

The genetic code reveals the history
When scientists at Germany's Robert Koch Institute decoded the genetic makeup of the O104 strain, they found it to be resistant to all the following classes and combinations of antibiotics:

• penicillins
• tetracycline
• nalidixic acid
• trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazol
• cephalosporins
• amoxicillin / clavulanic acid
• piperacillin-sulbactam
• piperacillin-tazobactam

In addition, this O104 strain posses an ability to produce special enzymes that give it what might be called "bacteria superpowers" known technically as ESBLs:

"Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) are enzymes that can be produced by bacteria making them resistant to cephalosporins e.g. cefuroxime, cefotaxime and ceftazidime – which are the most widely used antibiotics in many hospitals," explains the Health Protection Agency in the UK (http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Infect…).

On top of that, this O104 strain possesses two genes — TEM-1 and CTX-M-15 — that "have been making doctors shudder since the 1990s," reports The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentis…). And why do they make doctors shudder? Because they're so deadly that many people infected with such bacteria experience critical organ failure and simply die.

Bioengineering a deadly superbug
So how, exactly, does a bacterial strain come into existence that's resistant to over a dozen antibiotics in eight different drug classes and features two deadly gene mutations plus ESBL enzyme capabilities?

There's really only one way this happens (and only one way) — you have to expose this strain of e.coli to all eight classes of antibiotics drugs. Usually this isn't done at the same time, of course: You first expose it to penicillin and find the surviving colonies which are resistant to penicillin. You then take those surviving colonies and expose them to tetracycline. The surviving colonies are now resistant to both penicillin and tetracycline. You then expose them to a sulfa drug and collect the surviving colonies from that, and so on. It is a process of genetic selection done in a laboratory with a desired outcome. This is essentially how some bioweapons are engineered by the U.S. Army in its laboratory facility in Ft. Detrick, Maryland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation…).

Although the actual process is more complicated than this, the upshot is that creating a strain of e.coli that's resistant to eight classes of antibiotics requires repeated, sustained expose to those antibiotics. It is virtually impossible to imagine how this could happen all by itself in the natural world. For example, if this bacteria originated in the food (as we've been told), then where did it acquire all this antibiotic resistance given the fact that antibiotics are not used in vegetables?

When considering the genetic evidence that now confronts us, it is difficult to imagine how this could happen "in the wild." While resistance to a single antibiotic is common, the creation of a strain of e.coli that's resistant to eight different classes of antibiotics — in combination — simply defies the laws of genetic permutation and combination in the wild. Simply put, this superbug e.coli strain could not have been created in the wild. And that leaves only one explanation for where it really came from: the lab.

Engineered and then released into the wild
The evidence now points to this deadly strain of e.coli being engineered and then either being released into the food supply or somehow escaping from a lab and entering the food supply inadvertently. If you disagree with that conclusion — and you're certainly welcome to — then you are forced to conclude that this octobiotic superbug (immune to eight classes of antibiotics) developed randomly on its own… and that conclusion is far scarier than the "bioengineered" explanation because it means octobiotic superbugs can simply appear anywhere at any time without cause. That would be quite an exotic theory indeed.

My conclusion actually makes more sense: This strain of e.coli was almost certainly engineered and then released into the food supply for a specific purpose. What would that purpose be? It's obvious, I hope.

It's all problem, reaction, solution at work here. First cause a PROBLEM (a deadly strain of e.coli in the food supply). Then wait for the public REACTION (huge outcry as the population is terrorized by e.coli). In response to that, enact your desired SOLUTION (total control over the global food supply and the outlawing of raw sprouts, raw milk and raw vegetables).

That's what this is all about, of course. The FDA relied on the same phenomenon in the USA when pushing for its recent "Food Safety Modernization Act" which essentially outlaws small family organic farms unless they lick the boots of FDA regulators. The FDA was able to crush farm freedom in America by piggybacking on the widespread fear that followed e.coli outbreaks in the U.S. food supply. When people are afraid, remember, it's not difficult to get them to agree to almost any level of regulatory tyranny. And making people afraid of their food is a simple matter… a few government press releases emailed to the mainstream media news affiliates is all it takes.

First ban the natural medicine, then attack the food supply
Now, remember: All this is happening on the heels of the EU ban on medicinal herbs and nutritional supplements — a ban that blatantly outlaws nutritional therapies that help keep people healthy and free from disease. Now that all these herbs and supplements are outlawed, the next step is to make people afraid of fresh food, too. That's because fresh vegetables are medicinal, and as long as the public has the right to buy fresh vegetables, they can always prevent disease.

But if you can make people AFRAID of fresh vegetables — or even outlaw them altogether — then you can force the entire population onto a diet of dead foods and processed foods that promote degenerative disease and bolster the profits of the powerful drug companies.

It's all part of the same agenda, you see: Keep people sick, deny them access to healing herbs and supplements, then profit from their suffering at the hands of the global drug cartels.

GMOs play a similar role in all this, of course: They're designed to contaminate the food supply with genetic code that causes widespread infertility among human beings. And those who are somehow able to reproduce after exposure to GMOs still suffer from degenerative disease that enriches the drug companies from "treatment."

Do you recall which country was targeted in this recent e.coli scare? Spain. Why Spain? You may recall that leaked cables from Wikileaks revealed that Spain resisted the introduction of GMOs into its agricultural system, even as the U.S. government covertly threatened political retaliation for its resistance. This false blaming of Spain for the e.coli deaths is probably retaliation for Spain's unwillingness to jump on the GMO bandwagon. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030828_G…)

That's the real story behind the economic devastation of Spain's vegetable farmers. It's one of the subplots being pursued alongside this e.coli superbug scheme.

Food as weapons of war – created by Big Pharma?
By the way, the most likely explanation of where this strain of e.coli was bioengineered is that the drug giants came up with it in their own labs. Who else has access to all the antibiotics and equipment needed to manage the targeted mutations of potentially thousands of e.coli colonies? The drug companies are uniquely positioned to both carry out this plot and profit from it. In other words, they have the means and the motive to engage in precisely such actions.

Aside from the drug companies, perhaps only the infectious disease regulators themselves have this kind of laboratory capacity. The CDC, for example, could probably pull this off if they really wanted to.

The proof that somebody bioengineered this e.coli strain is written right in the DNA of the bacteria. That's forensic evidence, and what it reveals cannot be denied. This strain underwent repeated and prolonged exposure to eight different classes of antibiotics, and then it somehow managed to appear in the food supply. How do you get to that if not through a well-planned scheme carried out by rogue scientists? There is no such thing as "spontaneous mutation" into a strain that is resistant to the top eight classes of brand-name antibiotic drugs being sold by Big Pharma today. Such mutations have to be deliberate.

Once again, if you disagree with this assessment, then what you're saying is that NO, it wasn't done deliberately… it happened accidentally! And again, I'm saying that's even scarier! Because that means the antibiotic contamination of our world is now at such an extreme level of overkill that a strain of e.coli in the wild can be saturated with eight different classes of antibiotics to the point where it naturally develops into its own deadly superbug. If that's what people believe, then that's almost a scarier theory than the bioengineering explanation!

A new era has begun: Bioweapons in your food
But in either case — no matter what you believe — the simple truth is that the world is now facing a new era of global superbug strains of bacteria that can't be treated with any known pharmaceutical. They can all, of course, be readily killed with colloidal silver, which is exactly why the FDA and world health regulators have viciously attacked colloidal silver companies all these years: They can't have the public getting its hands on natural antibiotics that really work, you see. That would defeat the whole purpose of making everybody sick in the first place.

In fact, these strains of e.coli superbugs can be quite readily treated with a combination of natural full-spectrum antibiotics from plants such as garlic, ginger, onions and medicinal herbs. On top of that, probiotics can help balance the flora of the digestive tract and "crowd out" the deadly e.coli that might happen by. A healthy immune system and well-functioning digestive tract can fight off an e.coli superbug infection, but that's yet another fact the medical community doesn't want you to know. They much prefer you to remain a helpless victim lying in the hospital, waiting to die, with no options available to you. That's "modern medicine" for ya. They cause the problems that they claim to treat, and then they won't even treat you with anything that works in the first place.

Nearly all the deaths now attributable to this e.coli outbreak are easily and readily avoidable. These are deaths of ignorance. But even more, they may also be deaths from a new era of food-based bioweapons unleashed by either a group of mad scientists or an agenda-driven institution that has declared war on the human population.

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Egg Carton Claims Not All They’re Cracked Up To Be

by: Ethan A. Huff

(NaturalNews) Are the supposed "humanely-raised" eggs you buy from the grocery store really "natural" and "free-range"? What about the all-too-common claim made that eggs come from "cage-free" chickens? And what do all these terms actually mean in practical, legal terms? In a new study, Sheila Rodriguez from the Rutgers University School of Law asserts that many of these claims are both unsubstantiated and deceptive, and that consumers need to be aware of the dirty truth behind the eggs they buy.

"Most hens are packed eight or nine hens to a cage … [and the cages are] so small that [hens] are unable to stretch a wing," she says in the report, which has been published in the Temple Journal of Science, Technology & Environmental Law. "The overcrowding causes them to fight, so their beaks are cut off to prevent them from injuring other birds. The fewer than 5 percent of eggs in the US that are not produced under these conditions are from hens that were not even allowed outside."

Many of the eggs produced in these horrific conditions, of course, are later sold in cartons blanketed with nice-sounding animal welfare language, which gives consumers the false impression that such eggs are superior to conventional eggs. Even "cage-free" eggs can come from birds that have lived in factory-farm hatcheries, and that continue to be confined in indoor pens where they never see the natural light of day — and this all occurs because of the dubious laws that govern the issue, as well as lax enforcement of existing laws.

"[M]any of the production method claims made by egg producers cannot be accurately verified," adds Rodriguez. "Industry standards are factory farmed standards. Federally-verified claims made under the National Organic Program, though comprehensive, are problematic because of lax enforcement."

And yet many producers continue to make glowing claims on their cartons, which in turn allows them to charge consumers more for them. Even organic eggs, which typically bear the highest price tags, often come from hens that, while fed organic feed, still live in confinement or get little-to-no outdoor access.

True pasture-raised, free-range hens on the other hand produce eggs with solid shells, deep-yellow yolks, and superior overall taste. Many backyard and small-scale family farms produce and sell genuine pastured eggs from hens that are allowed to roam and peck freely, and anyone who has tried or that regularly eats eggs from such hens will be able to discern an obvious difference.

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WHO Panel Warns That Cell Phone Use May Cause Cancer

by: Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a group affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO), say that mobile phones are a "possible" carcinogen that may be a cause of cancer. The findings, which support previous research on the subject, add to the growing body of evidence which suggests that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile phones causes serious health problems.

"A positive association has been observed between exposure to the agent and cancer for which a causal interpretation is considered … to be credible," states the IARC. However, in the same train of thought, the agency claims that evidence is "limited" to suggest that mobile phone usage is linked to glioma or acoustic neuroma, two types of brain cancer.

In 2009, IARC published a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology that linked mobile phone usage to an 18 percent increase in brain tumor risk. And because it was observed that such tumors tended to form on the sides of brains where mobile phones were primarily used, the connection between the two is even more striking.

Another report issued in 2010 by the International Electromagnetic Field Cooperative (IEFC) also found a link between mobile phone usage and increased rates of brain tumors. Included in this report is a Swedish study that found a 420 percent increase in brain cancer rates among children who began using mobile and cordless phones as teenagers, as opposed to those that did not.

With all of this research now available and the latest announcement from IARC, one would think more people would be concerned about the risks involved with the excessive use of mobile phones and looking for less-risky alternatives or using hands-free devices at the very least. But because the period between when a cancer patient is exposed to this radiation and when he or she develops tumors typically spans several decades, some experts claim that the link between the two is inconclusive and are content to tell the public there is really little to worry about.

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Music and Art; Food and Fun in Kerrville, Texas

by Jessica Lavinghousez

Memorial Day evening at the Kerrville Folk Festival was an enjoyable and entertaining experience, to say the least. Remarkable artists, food, vendors, and an overall enjoyable atmosphere made for an exceptionally pleasant occasion. 

From barbeque to humus and vegetable wraps, the diversity and deliciousness of the food served to satisfy a wide range of appetites.   Equally as eclectic, was the array of vendors featured at the festival.  Vendors offered a variety of appealing products to serve a broad range of interests.  There were booths featuring assortments of artwork such as metal work, paintings, and a particularly interesting form of art created with strings.  The clothing, jewelry, and a selection of other naturally-made items such as scents, lotions, and soaps presented at the booths, all enhanced the folk spirit of the event.

A welcoming environment was created by pleasant music, interesting sights, great food, natural smells, happy people, and good company.  Another welcoming aspect of the festival included the expansion of the seating at the outdoor theatre, allowing more guests to settle in and enjoy the musical entertainment.  An overall family-friendly feel also enhanced the warmth of the event.

The atmosphere of the folk festival was highlighted by a lineup of incredible musicians that served to entertain and set a fun and relaxing mood.  While singer-song writers Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen undoubtedly drew a crowd and put on an outstanding performance, another not so well-known artist proved to be particularly unforgettable. Patrice Pike, an outstanding up and coming contemporary rock singer-song writer, seemed to capture and entertain the diverse audience with ease.  Her music was down-to-earth, passionate, relatable, and overall incredibly satisfying.  Memorial Day at the Kerrville Folk Festival proved to be one of many more successful and enjoyable days to come.

The Kerrville Folk Festival runs through June 12. For more detailed information on performers, tickets, RV and camping reservations, and other events, go to www.kerrville-music.com or call (830) 257-3600 or email [email protected].

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E.coli Outbreak In Germany Due To Antibiotic Abuse In Meat Production

by Mike Adams

(NaturalNews) The e.coli outbreak in Germany is raising alarm worldwide as scientists are now describing this particular strain of e.coli as "extremely aggressive and toxic." Even worse, the strain is resistant to antibiotics, making it one of the world's first widespread superbug food infections that's racking up a noticeable body count while sickening thousands.

Advanced Colloidal Silver 50% Off

Of course, virtually every report you'll read on this in the mainstream media has the facts wrong. This isn't about cucumbers being dangerous, because e.coli does not grow on cucumbers. E.coli is an intestinal strain of bacteria that only grows inside the guts of animals (and people). Thus, the source of all this e.coli is ANIMAL, not vegetable.

But the media won't admit that. Because the whole agenda here is to kill your vegetables but protect the atrocious practices of the factory animal meat industries. The FDA, in particular, loves all these outbreaks because it gives them more moral authority to clamp down on gardens and farms. They've been trying to irradiate and fumigate fresh veggies in the USA for years.

 
Meanwhile, scientists have been cracking the code of this particular lethal strain of e.coli. Microbiologists from the University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf now say "A preliminary analysis pointed to possible reasons for this strain of E. coli's extreme aggressiveness and resistance to antibiotics. In addition, it can now be researched how this new type of E. coli strain developed, why the strain can spread at great speed and why the illness it unleashes is so serious."
Complete blackout of the obvious source of this new strain

The mainstream media is predictably pretending it has no idea where this new strain came from. They're all scratching their heads and just focusing on the "killer cucumbers" which is of course a particularly lame bit of disinfo.

Want to know where this e.coli really came from? The abuse of antibiotics in factory animal farms.

Factory animal farm operations, you see, raise cattle, pigs and chickens in such atrociously bad and dirty conditions that they have to pump them full of antibiotics just to avoid the rapid spread of infection. This constant dosing with antibiotics creates the perfect breeding ground for superbugs in the guts of these animals.

Then, these animals defecate and drop billions of e.coli bacteria with their stools which are then collected and used as crop fertilizers. So the crops are actually grown in this stuff that's contaminated with animal fecal matter containing antibiotics-induced superbugs.

The veggies grown in the e.coli fertilizer then get shipped to supermarkets, where people buy the produce and fail to wash it properly. Once they consume it, the e.coli goes to work in their own guts which are largely devoid of friendly flora because many people are also on antibiotics which wipe out their own intestinal flora, creating a perfect environment for food borne infection.

That's when people start dying, you see. It's all basic cause and effect.

So, you see, antibiotics play a double role in this tragedy: They're widely abused throughout the animal ranching industry, and they're also widely abused by doctors treating human patients. And yet the media is just strangely reluctant to print this obvious fact. They almost outright refuse to tell readers the truth: E.coli superbugs are an antibiotics problem, not a vegetable problem!

What the press says about this outbreak – wow!
Some astonishing quotes from the press:

Chinese and German scientists analyzed the DNA of the E. coli bacteria and determined that the outbreak was caused by "an entirely new, super-toxic" strain that contains several antibiotic-resistant genes, according to a statement from the Shenzhen, China-based laboratory BGI. It said the strain appeared to be a combination of two types of E. coli.

"This is a unique strain that has never been isolated from patients before," Hilde Kruse, a food safety expert at the World Health Organization, told The Associated Press. The new strain has "various characteristics that make it more virulent and toxin-producing" than the many E. coli strains people naturally carry in their intestines. Preliminary genetic sequencing suggests the strain is a never before seen combination of two different E. coli bacteria, with aggressive genes that could explain why the outbreak appears to be so massive and dangerous, the agency said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110602…

How to protect yourself from e.coli
On the practical side, what can you do to protect yourself from e.coli contamination of vegetables? There are FOUR simple things you can do:

1) EAT LOCAL. Grow your own food and / or buy from local farmers' markets.

2) WASH YOUR VEGGIES. If you wash them well, even e.coli won't be a problem. The e.coli is only present in those veggies that aren't adequately washed.

3) TAKE PROBIOTICS. The more "friendly" bacteria you have in your gut, the less space there is for toxic e.coli to take hold. The secret truth about these infections — that you're not being told — is that virtually everyone infected with toxic e.coli is someone with compromised digestive flora. Taking probiotics gives you a buffer against invading nasties.

4) AVOID ANTIBIOTICS. Most antibiotics are prescribed to humans by clueless doctors who prescribe them for things like viral infections and asthma, none of which are treated in the least by antibiotics.

These four simple steps will protect nearly everyone from e.coli infections acquired through food. So why doesn't the mainstream media teach people these four simple steps? Because they're too busy blaming cucumbers, tomatoes and spinach, I guess. They're utterly ignorant of the simple dynamics of e.coli superbug mutation and propagation.

Food safety isn't rocket science, folks. It's simpler than you've been told. And it's based on the fundamental idea that you shouldn't raise cattle, hogs and chicken in dirty, inhumane conditions requiring a constant dose of chemical antibiotics just to keep them alive.

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Spending Time In The Sun Does Not Constitute Dangerous Behavior

by: Paula Rothstein

(NaturalNews) Marketing is a powerful tool used to shape and influence beliefs. Often these beliefs fail to hold up under scrutiny. The ritualistic use of sunscreen lotion for the purpose of preventing skin cancer is one such belief. The fact that the American Cancer Society recommends every man, woman, and child use sunscreen lotion every time he, or she, steps into the sun should hold little sway. The American Cancer Society is wrong on so many fronts. This is just one issue amongst many. Never mind that we know for a fact that Vitamin D deficiency can lead to cancer, diabetes, and numerous other life threatening diseases. We know that without sunlight our body cannot manufacture Vitamin D. The illogical recommendation of avoiding the sun is astounding, and should be challenged if you wish to make great progress in improving your health.

Vitamin D3

Avoiding the burn

Common sense is an ally in your effort to lead a healthy life. Obviously, if you absolutely must sit in the sun for endless hours, if additional clothing are not an option, if shade is particularly absent – you should put some sort of lotion over your skin. One which is chemical free. However, this is a highly unlikely scenario.

The issue becomes more complicated as a parent, thanks in no small part to an emphatic promotion of the idea that sunscreen is a necessary component of safety for your child. No doubt, you will have to endure the cold stares of other parents if you fail to pull out the proverbial bottle of lotion at the park. It will make them feel either foolish or far superior to you, as they slather their child's exposed skin with nasty chemicals. One option is that you could announce to your child, "Run along and get your daily dose of Vitamin D," loud enough for the astonished onlookers to hear. Hopefully, this will keep them from alerting the authorities and put them appropriately into the category of foolish.

It is all about building your tolerance in reasonable increments while making sure you do not burn in the process. At the beginning of the spring and summer season, it is best to limit time of exposure. When you reach your limit, don some clothes or get into the shade. Start with about 15 minutes, working your way to 30 minutes and upward until you find your safe level of exposure. The goal is to get as much sunlight as you can to replenish your body's supply of Vitamin D. You will want to check regularly for signs of redness.

Make use of antioxidants

It is now known that antioxidants act as the skin's natural barrier to overexposure from sunlight. One antioxidant supplement, known specifically for its ability to help protect the skin from free radical damage, is astaxanthin. If taken each day, as well as one hour before heading out into the sun, your skin will be less likely to burn. Make sure it is a form which comes from natural marine microalgae. Astaxanthin is a supplement frequently mentioned here at Natural News by Mike Adams. Recently, Dr. Oz listed it as his number one supplement.

In the past 20 years, we have learned a great deal about the usefulness of Vitamin D. Most people are deficient, and this state of deficiency is most likely due to a plotted avoidance of the sun. Vitamin D is free to all yet capable of reducing many causes of mortality. Why not take full advantage this summer: replenish your stores of a vital nutrient and allow your children to do the same.