Day: 08/16/2015

15 Facts Most People Don’t Know About Fluoride

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Advocates of fluoride say its use in municipal water systems poses no adverse health concerns, however results from investigations clearly state the opposite. There has been considerable research done on fluoride regarding cancer, birth defects, and risks to the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary systems, however, very little has been done on its neurological effects.

There are now serious facts about the health risks regarding fluoridation which can no longer be ignored, and as a result, the practice itself is being questioned by most of the world.

1. Fluoride Is A Carcinogen

15 Facts Most People Don't Know About Fluoride

Fluoride was found to be an equivocal carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute Toxicological Program.[1]

Further studies by the New Jersey Department of Health have now confirmed a 6.9 fold increase in bone cancer in young males.[2]

Earlier studies had found a 5% increase in all types of cancers in fluoridated communities.[3]

“In point of fact, fluoride causes more human cancer death, and causes it faster than any other chemical,” stated Dr. Dean Burk PhD who spent over three decades with the national cancer institute.

Researchers suspect a connection to cancer because half of ingested fluoride is deposited in bones, and fluoride stimulates growth in the end of bones, where osteosarcoma occurs.

2. Most Developed Countries Do Not Fluoridate Their Water

Most developed nations do not fluoridate their water. In western Europe, for example, only 3%of the population consumes fluoridated water. Only 11 countries in the world have more than 50% of their population drinking fluoridated water: Australia (80%), Brunei (95%); Chile (70%), Guyana (62%), Hong Kong (100%), the Irish Republic (73%), Israel (70%), Malaysia (75%), New Zealand (62%), Singapore (100%), and the United States (64%). In total, 377,655,000 million people worldwide drink artificially fluoridated water. This represents 5% of the world’s population.

3. Fluoride Increases Hip Fractures

Drinking fluoridated water will double the number of hip fractures for both older men and women.[4, 5]

Extremely low levels of water fluoridation 0.1 ppm still produced statistically significant increased hip fractures. (Bordeaux Study JAMA 1994)

4. Fluoridated Countries Do Not Have Less Tooth Decay Than Non-Fluoridated Countries

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no discernible difference in tooth decay between developed countries that fluoridate their water and those that do not. The decline in tooth decay the US has experienced over the last 60 years, which is often attributed to fluoridated water, has likewise occurred in all developed countries (most of which do notfluoridate their water). What the CDC always fails to mention is that tooth decay rates have “precipitously declined” in all western countries, irrespective of whether the country ever fluoridated its water. Indeed, most western countries do not fluoridate their water and yet their tooth decay rates have declined at the same rate as the U.S. and other fluoridated countries.

No correlation was found between the level of fluoride in water and dental caries.[7, 8, 9, 10, 11] There also appears to be a genetically related increase in tooth decay for Hispanics, Indians, Native Americans and Asians. Decay is largely related to the educational and economic level of the parents. [12]

“Fluoridation is no longer effective,” contends Hardy Limeback, head of the preventive dentistry program at the University of Toronto, who says adding the chemical to water is “more harmful than beneficial.”

5. Fluoridated Water Affects IQ and Neurobehavioral Development in Children

Although fluoride has been proven to cause neurotoxicity in animal models, very little published research has elaborated on acute fluoride poisoning and neurotoxicity in adults and children. A report in a peer-reviewed open access journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to investigate the effects of increased fluoride exposure and delayed neurobehavioral development.

A study published in Neurologia showed “the prolonged ingestion of fluoride may cause significant damage to health and particularly to the nervous system.” That was the conclusion by a review of studies by researchers Valdez-Jimenez, et al.

Researchers Anna L. Choi, Guifan Sun, Ying Zhang and Philippe Grandjean researched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Water Resources Abstracts, and TOXNET databases through 2011 for eligible studies.

The standardized weighted mean difference in IQ score between exposed and reference populations showed that populations in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low fluoride areas.

6. Fluoride Increases Infertility

Infertility in women was found to increase with water fluoridation. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientists reported a close correlation between decreasing total fertility rates in women between ages of 10 and 49, and increasing fluoride levels.

They also reported that a review of all of the animal studies done to date shows that fluoride adversely affects fertility in most animal species.[6]

7. Fluoridation is Not a “Natural” Process and Fluoride is NOT A NUTRIENT

Fluoride is naturally occurring in some areas, leading to high levels in certain water supplies “naturally.” Fluoridation advocates often use this to support its safety, however naturally occurring substances are not automatically safe (think of arsenic, for instance).

Further, the fluoride added to most water supplies is not the naturally occurring variety but rather fluorosilicic acid, which is captured in air pollution control devices of the phosphate fertilizer industry. As FAN reported:

This captured fluoride acid is the most contaminated chemical added to public water supplies, and may impose additional risks to those presented by natural fluorides. These risks include a possible cancer hazard from the acid’s elevated arsenic content, and a possible neurotoxic hazard from the acid’s ability–under some conditions–to increase the erosion of lead from old pipes.

The term “fluoride supplement” is a misnomer as it implies that the product is a dietary supplement, like calcium and other nutrients. Fluoride, however, is not a nutrient. A nutrient is something the body has a physiological demand for–they’re not optional; we need them.

The term “fluoride supplement” is also a misnomer because most dietary supplements can be purchased over the counter (i.e., without a prescription). Fluoride supplements, however, cannot be purchased over the counter; they are only available by prescription from either a licensed dentist or doctor.

8. Fluoride Increases Fluorosis

Fluorosis is a defect of tooth enamel caused by too much fluoride intake during the first 8 years of life. Opaque white spots and brown ugly teeth are caused by fluoride. Fluorosis currently affects one out of five or more children in this nation although it is rarely seen in California.

California is the least fluoridated state with less than 16% of the population drinking artificially fluoridated water.

Common causes of fluorosis include: fluoridated drinking water (particularly during infancy), ingestion of fluoride toothpaste, use of fluoride tablets, and consumption of processed foods made with fluoridated water.

9. Fluoride Calcifies The Pineal Gland

A British researcher found that the cells in the pineal gland (a gland that contains calcified deposits that accumulate fluoride) were just as susceptible to fluoride-induced toxicity as the tooth-forming cells. Unlike the teeth, however, the pineal gland cannot be seen by the naked eye. As noted by the researcher, “The safety of the use of fluorides ultimately rests on the assumption that the developing enamel organ is most sensitive to the toxic effects of fluoride. The results from this study suggest that-the pinealocytes may be as susceptible to fluoride as the developing enamel organ.” The pineal controls your inner clock, provides good sleep, works with your adrenal glands to handle stress, keeps the thymus gland fed and cared for, and communicates 24/7 with the rest of the endocrine system about how things are going.

10. Fluoride Is NOT APPROVED By The FDA

As the FDA has long recognized, fluoride is not necessary to human health or development. When used to prevent disease, therefore, the FDA considers fluoride to be a drug.

  1. FDA has never approved a fluoride supplement as safe and effective.
  2. FDA has rejected two fluoride supplements (Enziflur & prenatal fluoride)
  3. FDA gave false information to Congress in 2000 by stating FDA “never rejected” a fluoride supplement.

11. Fluoride Is Highly Toxic, Yet It is The Drug Added To Public Water

Fluoride is added to drinking water to prevent a disease (tooth decay), and as such becomes a medicine by FDA definition. While proponents claim this is no different than adding vitamin D to milk, fluoride is not an essential nutrient. Many European nations have rejected fluoride for the very reason that delivering medication via the water supply would be inappropriate. Water fluoridation is a form of mass medication that denies you the right to informed consent.

The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has classified Fluoride as an unapproved dental medicament due to its high toxicity.

12. Most people are overexposed to fluoride due to the pesticide cryolite found in consumption of grape products, particularly white grapes, grown in the U.S

Many juice drinks that are not labeled as “grape juice” use grape juice as a filler ingredient. The use of cryolite thus contaminates many juices with fluoride.

Cryolite is also allowed to be added to the following products (although it is unclear how many producers actually do so, and what the resulting fluoride levels are):

Apricot, Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Citrus fruit, Collards, Eggplant, Kale, Kiwifruit, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Melon, Nectarine, Peach, Pepper, Plum, Pumpkin, Squash (summer & winter), Tomato, and a number of Berries (Blackberry, Blueberry (huckleberry) Boysenberry, Cranberry, Dewberry, Loganberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Youngberry).

The key way to avoid exposure to fluoride from cryolite is to avoid buying non-organic grape products, particularly beverages made out of white grapes.

13. USDA Organic Has Allowed Fluoride To Contaminate The Organic Label

Fluoride is a persistent and non-degradable poison that accumulates in soil, plants, wildlife, and humans. Many organic farmers may be unaware that this highly toxic substance has been allowed for use in the National Organic Standards (NOS) program, because its presence is hidden. However, it is allowed as Sodium Fluoride tucked away in the US EPA List 4 Inerts (“Inerts which have sufficient data to substantiate they can be used safely in pesticide products, according to EPA.”), which are allowed for use in the NOS. It is also allowed in Bone Meal (which can contain 1000 ppm – or more- fluoride), also included in US EPA List 4 Inerts (“Inerts generally regarded as safe, i.e., corn cobs and cookie crumbs,” according to EPA).

14. Fluoride Is Linked To The Leading Cause of Death

Depending on the country, cardiovascular disease is typically either the number one or two cause of death. A study published in Nuclear Medicine Communications Journal has concluded that increased uptake of fluoride in arteries may be associated with an increased cardiovascular risk.

15. Most Teas At Grocery Retailers Contain Toxic Levels of Fluoride

Drinking cheaper tea blends found at major grocery retailers can increase the level of people’s fluoride intake to toxic levels and put them at increased risk of skeletal and dental illnesses, a University of Derby found.

 

Wath the video. URL: https://youtu.be/GX0s-4AyWfI

Scientists discover new liver regenerating cells

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Among the organs of the human body, the liver has the highest capacity to regenerate. How the liver manages to repair itself, however, has largely been subject to debate. Now, a new study has revealed a previously unidentified group of cells that can regenerate liver tissue without forming tumors.
Image of the liver.
The liver’s capacity to regenerate is far greater than the other organs in the human body. The mechanisms behind this ability, however, have yet to be fully explored.

These newly discovered cells are better at regenerating tissue than ordinary liver cells, also known as hepatocytes.

Previously, researchers believed that a group of adult stem cells known as oval cells were responsible for the liver’s renowned regenerative properties, but it has since been proven that these stem cells develop into bile duct cells.

Instead, the researchers at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine have revealed that “hybrid hepatocytes” are behind the liver’s regeneration. Their findings are published in Cell.

“Hybrid hepatocytes represent not only the most effective way to repair a diseased liver, but also the safest way to prevent fatal liver failure by cell transplantation,” says lead author Michael Karin, distinguished professor of pharmacology and pathology.

Such are the regenerative powers of the liver that diseases affecting the organ – such as cirrhosis and hepatitis – are often treated by transplanting a piece of healthy liver from a donor.

Cirrhosis – scarring of the liver – can lead to a number of health problems, including enlarged veins in the throat and stomach, jaundice and kidney failure. In the US, the most common causes of cirrhosis are alcoholism and hepatitis – inflammation of the liver.

For the study, the researchers examined the liver cells involved in the regeneration of tissue following injury caused by exposure to an environmental toxin called carbon tetrachloride. They discovered the hybrid hepatocytes in an area of the liver known as the portal triad.

After chronic liver injury, these unique cells proliferate extensively and replenish liver tissue. While they are similar in many ways to regular hepatocytes, they express far lower levels of bile duct cell-specific genes.

“Although hybrid hepatocytes are not stem cells, thus far they seem to be the most effective in rescuing a diseased liver from complete failure,” explains first author Joan Font-Burgada.

Hybrid hepatocytes regenerate the liver without giving rise to cancer

At present, many researchers are testing the capabilities of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to repair damaged livers and stop liver failure from occurring. Using iPSCs can be difficult, however, as it can be hard to stop these cells from proliferating once they have completed their therapeutic task.

As iPSCs continue to proliferate, the risk of them forming cancerous tumors also increases.

The researchers then tested to see whether the newly discovered hybrid hepatocytes had similar tumor-forming properties by examining tumors in three different mouse models of liver cancer. After failing to find evidence of hybrid hepatocytes in any of the tumors, the researchers concluded that the cells did not contribute to certain forms of liver cancer.

While the majority of the research was conducted using mouse models, the researchers were also able to identify cells similar to the mouse hybrid hepatocytes in human livers.

Experts hope that one day, cell-based therapies will replace the use of liver transplants. Previously, Medical News Today reported on a groundbreaking study in which scientists managed to restore organ function in a live animal’s severely damaged liver by transplanting stem cells grown in a laboratory.

A group of liver stem cells known as hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) were transplanted into mice and, over the following months, the cells spurred major areas of the liver to regenerate, improving both the structure and the function of the liver.

A new computer simulation suggest our early Solar System was inhabited by a fifth giant planet .

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A new research, published on August 10, 2015, suggests a cluster of icy bodies located in the same areas as Pluto, might prove our early Solar System was inhabited by a fifth giant planet. During Neptune’s migration, 4 billion years ago, the ice giant might have jumped into it’s current orbit and scattered a cluster of it’s satellites into the outer solar system, the Kuiper belt.

A cluster of about thousand icy rocks, the so-called “kernel” of the Kuiper belt, is an old mystery for astronomers. The rocks hover close to one another and never change it’s moving direction from the same orbital plane as the planets, unlike other icy bodies that constitute the belt.

Previous research suggested the objects bound this way could have formed during a violent collision of bigger parent bodies. However, it turned out the collisional families would have to be stretched along the Kuiper belt, which proved the proposition invalid.

David Nesvorný, an astronomer at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, used the computer simulation to investigate the “kernel” movement about 4 billion years ago, and he discovered the objects had been swept into Neptune’s gravitational field, as the moved away from the Sun. According to the simulation results Neptune pulled bits of the primordial solar system along with it, as they rotated in tandem.

At a distance of about 4.2 billion kilometers from the Sun, the orbit of Neptune made an abrupt movement outward for about 7.5 million kilometers. The objects trapped within the orbit, were unable to keep up with this abrupt change of pace, and were, consequently, thrown out of their orbit 6.9 billion kilometers away from the Sun, where they remain today, and travel as “the kernel”.

This type of abrupt orbit shift can take place if Neptune became caught in a gravitational hold of another giant object. Uranus, Saturn or Jupiter aren’t considered as good candidates as their orbits are not known to have previously interacted with Neptune’s in this way.

Destiny of this unknown giant is a mystery too, however, the 2011 model showed the best way to end up with the present orbital configuration of the Solar System bodies is to include it into the computational model. The fifth giant was likely ejected from the Solar System after causing an obstruction to the original orbital configuration of the Solar System bodies.

“The Kuiper belt is the clue. You see the structures there, and you try to figure out what kind of evolution would fit those structures,” Nesvorný explained.

A new computer simulation suggest our early Solar System was inhabited by a fifth giant planet

“What Nesvorný’s models are doing is being very self-consistent and getting multiple structures right at once, which is really quite amazing,” said JJ Kavelaars of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, Canada, who was not involved in the research in question.

Nesvorný explained another important step is to identify more objects in the Kuiper belt, especially in it’s “kernel”, which could help in conducting more precise comparisons that would improve the current model. The scientist hopes that observations to be conducted during the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) later this summer could help in filling out a few gaps.

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing what kind of observations they will have and how it fits the modeling,” Nesvorný added.

5 Countries That Prove the World Doesn’t Need Fossil Fuels .

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A decade ago, the renewable energy movement faced an uphill battle. Today, environmentally-minded nations of the world increasingly embrace alternative energy sources. These countries now lead the way toward a future free of petroleum and dirty energy. In the process, they save significant amounts of money on national energy costs while preserving and protecting the world’s natural resources.

Despite powerful corporate disinformation campaigns meant to convince populations that renewable energy is not a viable way to satisfy the needs of global industry, the following five nations aren’t just subsisting on renewable energy—they are thriving on it.

Costa Rica

Since the start of 2015, Costa Rica has gone 100% green. This move away from fossil fuels will help ensure that lush jungles and pristine beaches remain intact. The comprehensive shift will help Costa Ricans not only save their natural resources, but ensure that the country continues to benefit from its very profitable eco-tourism industry, though they would be wise to be vigilant of the effects of tourism on local ecosystems.

One of Costa Rica’s renewable efforts involves utilizing its own plentiful rainfall to power their growing hydroelectric infrastructure. Incredibly, the small country has the second best electric infrastructure in Latin America. Yet, it has not put all its eggs in one basket—Costa Rica is also generating power from geothermal sources, wind, biomass and solar energy products.

Denmark

Denmark knows a thing or two about windmills, which have peppered their countryside for decades. In fact, the nation installed its first wind turbines as far back as the 1970s and has not let up in recent years. Denmark is now the leading country in the world for wind power. In the year 2014, Denmark set a world record for windmill production. The country now enjoys around 40% of its total electricity from this one clean energy source, alone.

New studies show that Denmark is well on its way to meeting its self-set goal of being 50% powered by renewable resources by 2020. Not happy with half, Denmark hopes to be 100% renewable by 2050. This would make it one of the first advanced countries in the word to be 100% renewable. It’s an ambitious goal, but Denmark’s recent success proves they are up to the task. Just this month, the nation celebrated a day in which it drew 140% of its electrical power from wind turbines.

Scotland

2014 was a very good year for Scotland and renewables. In one month of December 2014, Scotland set a personal record in renewable energy. Using wind power alone, Scotland provided almost 1300 MWh (megawatt-hours) to its growing national grid. That’s enough energy to supply almost 4 million homes with electricity.

Scotland is now using wind power to produce and supply almost 100% of the country’s household needs, but it has not stopped there. During the summer months, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness harvested enough solar energy to power 100% or more of the electric demands for the average home.

Scotland has also invested large amounts of money into creating one of the most advanced computer-driven energy infrastructures in the world.

Sweden

Sweden is joining its Nordic neighbor, Denmark, and doubling down on green with a limited-coal approach that has been so successful the IEA, or International Energy Agency, commended the country for its new energy policies. But Sweden is not content relying on limited coal alone—the country is also developing advanced biomass energy systems. The strategy has been so successful that by 2010, Sweden was already producing more energy from biomass than from fossil fuels. Steps like these are putting Sweden high on the list of green countries.

Finland

It seems like Finland is not happy playing second fiddle to its northern neighbors. Wind powered energy is quickly transforming the country’s energy needs. These recent steps have dramatically reduced the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, caused from the burning of fossil fuels.

Finland is not as far along as Sweden and Denmark when it comes to renewable energy, but it is quickly moving in the right direction. By the year 2012,  was already producing enough energy to cover almost 34.3% of the energy needs and by 2020, it hopes to be closer to 40%. With its neighbors leading the way, the future looks bright for Finland.

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

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Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a disease that usually affects infants and children. The most common form of HUS is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with strains of Escherichia colibacteria called enterohemorrhagicE coli. The first symptoms of infection include diarrhea, which may be bloody. Toxins released by the bacteria are thought to damage the intestines and then spread through the blood to the kidneys. Hemolytic uremic syndrome may develop within 1 week of the appearance of diarrhea and is considered the most common cause of sudden kidney failure in children. Atypical HUSis a less common form and is associated with improper function of the complement system, blood proteins involved in the natural immune response. This form of HUS is sometimes hereditary and recurrent. The March 14, 2012, issue of JAMA includes an article on enterohemorrhagic E coli .

Graphic Jump LocationImage not available.

DIAGNOSIS

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is diagnosed when patients present with

  • thrombocytopenia (low numbers of platelets).

  • microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (anemia caused by damage to red blood cells). Patients may appear pale because of anemia.

  • decreased kidney function, sometimes with decreased urine output (oliguria) or no urine production at all (anuria). Patients may develop hypertension and edema (swelling).

TREATMENT

  • Although patients with HUS may be dehydrated, fluids are given very carefully so that the kidneys, which may not be functioning at normal capacity, are not overwhelmed.

  • Urine output, a marker for kidney function, is monitored very closely.

  • Patients with HUS may require dialysis (blood filtering) to temporarily perform the functions of the kidney.

  • Patients may receive blood transfusions if their blood counts are very low.

  • Antibiotics are generally not used to treat HUS because of concerns that killing the bacteria would release more toxins and worsen symptoms.

  • Patients with atypical HUS may be treated with plasma (fluid portion of blood) to replace complement proteins or antibodies (blood proteins that are part of the immune system) that block complement activation.

PROGNOSIS

The course of HUS varies from patient to patient. Some may require hospitalization for a short time while others may require monitoring and care in the intensive care unit and even dialysis or plasma exchange (removal, treatment, and replacement of the blood plasma). In severe cases, other organ systems can be affected. Most patients with HUS require close follow-up after they are discharged from the hospital to ensure that their kidney function improves or remains normal. Patients with atypical HUS tend to have a recurrent course of disease that may lead to renal failure.

NASA discovers new planet covered with marijuana

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NASA has announced this morning that they have discovered a planet completely covered with marijuana, a discovery that has completely taken scientists by surprise.

Planet X637Z-43, discovered using NASA’s Kepler satellite, would also allegedly be one of the very few planets potentially habitable according to NASA experts, who have detected sufficient levels of oxygen and nitrogen to support human life.

NASA'S Kepler satellite has discovered a new planet covered with marijuana confirm experts
NASA’S Kepler satellite has discovered a new planet covered with marijuana confirm experts

The presence of marijuana on other planets could strongly encourage future generations to take interest in space exploration, some experts believe.

“We always think young people aren’t interested by anything but it’s false. Young people love smoking pot,” explains David Charbonneau, astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

“Chlorophyll concentration analyses generated by Kepler lead us to believe that the level of THC in these marijuana plants is 3000% higher than the plants found on Earth. If that doesn’t motivate young people to explore space, I don’t know what will,” admits the expert, clearly enthusiastic.

“Regardless, marijuana will without a doubt be a valuable and indispensable resource for interstellar trips. Imagine if it takes 140 years to travel from one planet to another, let’s just say it’s going to be a very long trip. You better have rolled yourself a couple of joints for the road,” he admits with humor.

Since the discovery, NASA has launched a campaign on social medias to name the new planet and so far, the name Bob Marley has taken the lead with over 2 094 367 votes at the time of this report.

5 Alarming Facts About Prescription Drugs

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Prescription drugs are prevalent in today’s society. While some drugs may be necessary in some situations, the fact that there are some drugs that carry health risks that exceed their perceived benefit is very real. Of course, this post is not to turn anyone off from taking their meds; in fact, it is simply here to educate you so you can be more informed when you and your doctor are making decisions regarding your health.

generic-pills-money-medicine

While it’s never a good idea to stop taking your prescriptions without your doctor’s approval, there are things you should know if you want to practice a natural lifestyle. I don’t want to share this to scare you, but merely to increase your awareness. With that said, let’s move on to 5 alarming facts you might not know about prescription drugs.

1. You Might Be Getting a Huge Dose of Someone Else’s Drugs

There are a lot of people and businesses—yes, even some hospitals—that still flush unused and expired medicine down sinks and toilets. [1] Flushing those means they enter into our water supply. Although no one’s really sure what that means for human and animal health, it’s probably not good. One researcher looked at the effects of birth control pills in our waters and noticed higher levels of estrogen ultimately making male fish infertile. [2] Another found alarmingly high levels of metformin, a diabetes drug, in Lake Michigan. [3] You could be getting a medicine you don’t need, and it seems it’s all in the water.

2. Counterfeit Drugs Are Common and Deadly

The latest scandal from China saw the seizure of over 440,000 chromium-laced capsules.[4] Normally made from edible gelatin, medical capsules are safe to eat, but these used industrial gelatin, something that left the toxic metal behind. Chromium can build up in the body causing organ damage, so the biggest problem now? Tracking down the other 90 million capsules sold by the illegal workshop. But this problem is nothing new; counterfeit drugs are disturbingly common in this day and age.

3. Approved Doesn’t Mean Safe

Antibiotics can have serious—sometimes, unintended—side effects. Many times, antibiotics are over prescribed; this overuse leads to antibiotic resistance, and ultimately to new bacterial strains that can’t be treated. These “superbugs” are even responsible for deaths, with the CDC reporting in 2013 that the U.S sees “at least 2 million infections and more than 23,000 deaths each year” from “highly-resistant bacteria.” [5] There’s even evidence that broad-spectrumantibiotics — those prescribed for major infections—could even be a factor in early childhood obesity. [6]

4. Antidepressants May Harm Newborns

Recent studies suggest that pregnant women taking antidepressants can pass the medications along to their unborn children via the placenta. [7] The biggest worry here is medicine that blocks a mother’s serotonin levels may affect the child’s development. [8]While you should never just stop taking these medications without a doctor’s consent, prenatal exposure to these pills can double a child’s chances for ADHD and lead to a number of developmental delays—even raise a child’s risk for autism. [9] [10]

5. Even Legitimate Drugs Aren’t Immune from Safety and Sanitary Issues

But it’s not just the counterfeit drugs I mentioned earlier that are unsafe. Compounding pharmacies — companies that mix unique or hard-to-find drugs — have been the subject of an FDA crackdown ever since an outbreak of fungal meningitis in 2012. [11] With 1-3% of medication coming from these pharmacies, the prescriptions can often be meant for cancer patients, so it’s nice to know the FDA is regulating these groups.

How to Get Rid of Unused Prescriptions

If you have prescription drugs that you no longer need, do not flush them down the toilet or throw them into the garbage. This can deposit them right into the water supply. Recently, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced a plan to allow you to return unused pills to pharmacies in an effort to cut down on unintended water pollution!

Why are there dangerous ingredients in our vaccines? – ScienceAlert

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They might be saving 9 million lives around the world every year, but vaccines can’t seem to escape the criticism by a vocal minority that they contain many different kinds of harmful ingredients. But as Henry explains in the latest episode of MinuteEarth above, that’s exactly the point – vaccines wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for these dangerous ingredients, and the only reason you should be scared of them is if you don’t understand how vaccines actually function.

On their own, our bodies are actually really great at warding off disease-carrying pathogens. Once the pathogens get inside, our immune cells will kick into gear, engulf a few, and send out a chemical alarm based on the molecular structure of the captured pathogens. This alarm triggers antibodies and specialised immune cells to seek out the rest of the pathogens and take them down.

Once the bloody battle has been won, a few of these specialised immune cells –Henry calls them assassin cells – will stick around, in case the same type of pathogen makes its way into our system again. This time around, the body’s immune response will be even faster, because it’s mounted this type of attack once before.

But what about those incredibly advanced diseases that have evolved to disable our initial immune response before it can raise the chemical alarm? That’s where vaccines come into play. Containing a weak dose of dangerous pathogens, vaccines allow our immune system to perform a ‘practice run’, says Henry. Or they might contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, because in very small amounts, this chemical can alter the structure of pathogens responsible for diseases such as tetanus and influenza, and render them safe.

Still worried about the formaldehyde in your vaccines? The only thing to really be concerned about is if the chemical is in such small amounts, it renders the pathogens so useless, they don’t even trigger an immune response. That’s where a tricky little ingredient called an adjuvant comes into play. Whats an adjuvant, I hear you ask? I’ll let Henry explain in the episode of MinuteEarth above, but let’s just say that those fears you might have about vaccine ingredients – no need to worry, scientists have got you covered.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/ztkNLWFgYH8

Plastic Is Killing The Earth, One Species At A Time

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Plastic is probably the most dangerous thing man has invented. It ranks right next to nuclear weapons. Plastic accumulates in the environment and adversely affects wildlife, natural habitat and is quite dangerous for humans.

The fact that it isn’t biodegradable is what makes it worse.

http://m.indiatimes.com/videocafe/plastic-is-killing-the-earth-one-species-at-a-time-244221.html

Eosinophilia in a Patient From South America

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Asymptomatic eosinophilia is a common finding in returning travelers and immigrants from parasite-endemic areas. We present a 49-year-old man from Guyana who immigrated to the United States 4 years prior to examination. He had persistent asymptomatic eosinophilia, and multiple stool examinations were negative for ova and parasites. Although the list of parasitic diseases associated with eosinophilia is extensive, the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic eosinophilia with negative stool evaluations is rather limited. We discuss herein elements of the clinical history and examination essential for evaluating eosinophilia in patients at risk of parasitic diseases and present a simple algorithm to guide diagnostic testing. Despite the importance of repeated stool examinations for the presence of ova and parasites, in practice this test is not sensitive. Serologic testing for chronic parasitic infections is often necessary. Most cases without a definitive diagnosis can be conservatively managed with serial monitoring or empirically treated with antihelminthic therapy, but patients with an absolute eosinophil count of more than 3000/μL or more than 1500/μL for more than 6 months are at risk of end organ damage and should be referred for specialized parasitic and/or hematology consultation.