Bill Gates funds covert vaccine nanotechnology

(NaturalNews) The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is gaining a reputation for funding technologies designed to roll out mass sterilization and vaccination programs around the world. One of the programs recently funded by the foundation is a sterilization program that would use sharp blasts of ultrasound directed against a man's scrotum to render him infertile for six months. It might accurately be called a "temporary castration" technology. Read more about it here: http://www.naturalnews.com/028853_u...

Now, the foundation has funded a new "sweat-triggered vaccine delivery" program based on nanoparticles penetrating human skin. The technology is describes as a way to "...develop nanoparticles that penetrate the skin through hair follicles and burst upon contact with human sweat to release vaccines."

The research grant money is going to Carlos Alberto Guzman of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Germany and Claus-Michael Lehr and Steffi Hansen of the Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research.

These are both part of the Gates Foundation's involvement in the "Grand Challenges Explorations" program which claims to be working to "achieve major breakthroughs in global health."

...breakthroughs like mass sterilization and nanoparticle vaccines that could be covertly administered even without your knowledge, it turns out. These nanoparticles could be used in a spray mist that's sprayed on to every person who walks through an airport security checkpoint, for example. Or it could be unleashed through the ventilation systems of corporate office buildings or public schools to vaccinate the masses. You wouldn't even know you were being vaccinated.

This technology is potentially very dangerous to your health freedom. Using it, governments or drug companies (which are all the same thing these days) could create a vaccine skin cream that's handed out and described as "sunscreen." But when you put it on, you're actually vaccinating yourself as the nanoparticles burrow underneath your skin and burst, releasing foreign DNA inside your body.

A history of covert mass medication

But why would the government medicate people without their knowledge or consent, you ask? They already do it with water fluoridation. Fluoride is a drug, and regional and national governments all over the world are using the water supply as a way to deliver the fluoride drug to people whether they need it or not -- and without any proper medical diagnosis or prescription.

So if governments are already covertly medicating people with fluoride in the water supply, they've set the stage mass-vaccinating people through similar channels, such as the air supply in buildings. And thanks to Bill Gates, this nanotechnology needed to pull this off is now being funded.

Is this really a "major breakthrough in global health?"

I suppose it is if you believe in covert medicine where you dose people with drugs or vaccines without their knowledge. Western medicine is so offensive to rational people that it can't even operate out in the open. That's why it resorts to covert contamination of the water supply in order to force the public to swallow its drugs.

Fluoride and covert medicine

Oh, by the way, to anyone who argues that fluoride is not a drug, remember this: According to the FDA, any chemical substance that has a biological effect on the human body is, by definition, a drug. Therefore fluoride is a drug, too.

Even more, fluoride is promoted with outlandish claims about "preventing cavities" by swallowing it, making it an "unapproved drug" according to the FDA. So how is it that this unapproved drug can be dripped into the water supply and forced upon hundreds of millions of people without a single diagnosis of fluoride deficiency or even a single prescription from a doctor?

The answer is that western medicine is so arrogant that it does not believe it needs to follow any rules, regulations or laws. It is a system of "bully" medicine where drugs are shoved down your throat by being covertly dripped into the water supply without your consent. So why should we believe vaccines will be any different? If mainstream medicine can find a way to force every person to unknowingly be injected with vaccines, make no mistake they will pursue it!

And such efforts will no doubt have the continued financial support of Bill Gates.

Sources for this story include:
The Daily Tell: http://www.thedailytell.com/2010/05...

Puget Sound Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/...

Low levels of vitamin D make asthma worse

(NaturalNews) Asthmatics with low levels of vitamin D may suffer more severely from the disease than patients with sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a study conducted by researchers from National Jewish Health in Denver and published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

"Our findings suggest that low vitamin D levels are associated with worse asthma," lead researcher E. Rand Sutherland said.

The researchers measured the vitamin D blood levels of 54 asthma patients, along with their lung function, airway hyper-responsiveness and response to steroid drug treatment.

Airway hyper-responsiveness measures the air passages' tendency to constrict, leading to breathing difficulty.

The researchers found that hyper-responsiveness was twice as high in patients with vitamin D levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter, lung function was worse, and the body responded more poorly to steroid therapy.

In addition, the bodies of people with low vitamin D levels produced more or the immune system signaling chemical TNF-alpha, which increases inflammation.

"It may be that vitamin D is acting as a modifier of the immune system or a modifier of steroid response in ways that are relevant to people with asthma," Sutherland said.

"There is a potential that restoring normal vitamin D levels in people with asthma may help improve their asthma."

The study also showed, consistent with prior studies, that overweight or obese participants were significantly more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Scientists believe that because fat sequesters vitamin D in the body, people with more body fat need higher levels of the vitamin.

Previous studies have shown that being overweight increases the risk of asthma. The new study suggests that vitamin D might at least in part explain that connection.

Asthma treatment also, in turn, increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency.

"It is ... known that glucocorticoids [steroids used in asthma treatment] increase the destruction of vitamin D, thus making patients with asthma at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, which in turn decreases lung function and makes their disease worse," said Michael F. Holick, of Boston University.

Sources for this story include: www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/cont....

Simple Squares, a delicious raw food bar with a unique herb flare

(NaturalNews) Sometimes it is the simple things in life that truly impress, and this is precisely the case with Simple Squares, a unique new raw food bar. Created by Kimberly Crupi Dobbins, a certified Holistic Health Counselor, Simple Squares have been designed as a healthy, raw nut and honey confection that is an alternative to junk food sweets.

Dobbins originally came up with the idea for Simple Squares during her time at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University's Teachers College. She was advised not to eat wheat, dairy or refined sugar, and decided to come up with a simple recipe for food bars that was raw, sweetened naturally and nutritious. Thus became Simple Squares.

Simple Squares are free of wheat, dairy, soy and gluten, they contain no refined sugars, and they are completely uncooked and raw. One of the most unique aspects about Simple Squares is the flavors in which they come. Rosemary and sage are the two herbal flavors, and the company also makes a coconut variety.

The squares are composed of a nut blend that includes cashews and almonds, and they are gently sweetened with honey. They also contain flax, vanilla and sea salt, which together form a delicious sweet and salty treat.

The sage and rosemary are really the focal point of flavor in those two varieties, but are not so strong as to overwhelm the bars. In fact, each flavor in the bars is accentuated in its own way, delighting the palate with a savory bouquet of natural, wholesome ingredients. But in my opinion, the rosemary and sage are truly unique and have a delicious flavor unlike any other bar I have tried.

The simple aspect of the bars is embodied in their seven simple ingredients which are never cooked, preserving every nutrient and enzyme that is naturally present in the raw ingredients. And all this in a small but dense bar that makes a great snack or dessert. It is just the right size to satisfy a sweet tooth without tipping the scales or causing a sugar rush.

There are all kinds of bars out there, some simple and some complex. Simple Squares have a simple blend of ingredients that are complex in their respective flavors. I was so impressed by how delicious these bars were when I first tried them that I almost decided to eat only one half and save the other for later... Almost.

Though the bars are currently not certified organic, the Simple Squares company is currently in the process of having its bars organic and kosher certified. And though marketed as a confectionary snack, Simple Squares are rich in protein and nutrients, making them comparable to many of the other food and protein superfood bars available on the market.

In my opinion, Simple Squares are far from simple when it comes to taste, quality and nutrition; they really are a superfood in disguise.

To learn more about Simple Squares and to try some for yourself, please visit www.simplesquares.com

Surgeons report surge in "man boob" operations

(NaturalNews) Breast reduction operations are becoming rapidly more popular among men, according to data released by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

The figures show that the operations increased 80 percent, from 323 to 581, between 2008 and 2009. In 2004, just 22 male breast reductions were performed.

The actual numbers are almost certainly higher -- most likely closer to 1,000 in 2009 -- as only one in three British aesthetic plastic surgeons are members of the association.

The overall rate of plastic surgeries increased by 6.7 percent between 2008 and 2009, with only a 5 percent increase among women. The rate of cosmetic surgeries in men, in contrast, increased by 21 percent.

"There's a lot of pressure on men now to shape up," said researcher Rajiv Grover. "Men's grooming is on the rise, and big fashion houses are using half-naked men, such a David Beckham, to advertise."

In the United States, male breast reduction operations have not increased so drastically, and there was actually a slight drop in 2008, perhaps due to economic hardship. But according to Robert Cattani of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, the overall trend is still upward.

"We've seen an increase," Cattani said. "In the last five years, I personally have done 200 to 300 male breast reductions per year."

Breast reduction is the fourth most common form of male cosmetic surgery in the United States, following nose jobs, eyelid surgery and liposuction.

Excess mammary tissue in men, known as gynecomastia, can be caused by a variety of underlying conditions including obesity, breast cancer and the use of illegal or prescription drugs.

"Most of the time, it's just normal variance but you have to rule out underlying causes," said breast surgeon Sharon Rosenbaum-Smith, of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. "Guys' boobs do go up and down in size as they gain or lose weight, just as women's do. But if you're a pot smoker and you are overweight, just changing your lifestyle may mean you wouldn't need to have a breast reduction."

Sources for this story include: www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/201... www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/healt....

Normal human problems are turned into medical conditions, spiking healthcare costs

(NaturalNews) Mainstream medicine has a huge new growth industry underway -- the "medicalization" of the human condition. That's the conclusion of a study headed by Brandeis University sociologist Peter Conrad that was just published in the journal Social Science and Medicine. The report, the first study of its kind, documents that over the last several decades, numerous common problems -- many of which are simply due to being human -- have been newly defined as medical disorders that supposedly need prescription drugs and other costly treatments.

For example, menopause is a perfectly natural part of womanhood but it is now considered a "condition" complete with symptoms that physicians often believe need treatment with hormones and anti-depressants. Likewise, normal pregnancies, taking longer-than-average time to get pregnant and impotence (now known by the medical term "erectile dysfunction") are all now seen as medical conditions that may need intense medical monitoring and treatment. And if a child fidgets in class -- bingo! He or she is frequently classified as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and quickly placed on stimulant drugs like Ritalin
.
Conrad and his colleagues used national data to estimate the costs of these and other common conditions -- including anxiety and behavioral disorders; worries over body image; male pattern baldness; normal sadness; being overweight; difficulty in sleeping through the night and substance-related disorders. In order to document what role medicalizing these problems could be playing in escalating U.S. healthcare spending, the Brandeis research team evaluated current data showing just how much medical spending results from the diagnosing and treatment of these "conditions".

Their findings? The researchers concluded there is a strong and undeniable trend toward a medicalization of human conditions, with a constantly increasing number of medical diagnoses and treatments for behavioral problems and what the researchers called "normal life events".

When they analyzed payments to hospitals, pharmacies, doctors and other health care providers for medical treatments of these medicalized conditions, the researchers discovered that the costs accounted for $77.1 billion in medical spending in 2005. That amounts to almost 4 percent of the total U.S. healthcare expenditures.

"We spend more on these medicalized conditions than on cancer, heart disease, or public health," Conrad said in a statement to the press.

Conrad added that medicalization of human problems may have several causes, including increased consumer demands for medical solutions and Big Pharma's expanding markets for drugs. "By estimating the amount spent on medicalized human problems, we've raised the obvious question as to whether this spending is 'appropriate'. The next question is whether we can more directly evaluate the appropriateness of these medical interventions and consider policies that curb the growth or even shrink the amount of spending on some medicalized conditions," Conrad said in the press statement.

For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...

Longevity guru Peter Ragnar joins NaturalNews Talk Hour

(NaturalNews) This week's NaturalNews Talk Hour features Peter Ragnar and "Serious Strength for EVERY Body". Are YOU ready to generate some serious strength? Peter will reveal (scientifically) how to stimulate great inner and outer strength without spending hours living in the gym. Our show begins this Thursday evening at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern, and registration is FREE. Simply enter your email address in the registration form on the right column of this page and you'll receive call-in details for the broadcast.

I really love all the goodies in the Talk Hour – thank you for all the hard work that goes into producing these shows! - Pam A.

What is Serious Strength?

Serious strength is not only about lifting weights, but about lifting the spirit and reinforcing your resolve to conquer life's obstacles. Peter likes to call this "character". His philosophy and teachings are designed to keep us from becoming a casualty of mediocrity.

Prepare to re-discover that dogged determination, that inner drive, that white-hot fire of intensity to be more than you are – more than you thought you ever could be – at any age! This is NOT about having a bronzed, buffed, beach-boy body with six-pack abs. Serious strength is all about an unquenchable burning desire that's revealed by rugged, steel-cable tendons and ligaments and animal-like strength and muscles.

Discover the Real YOU

Ultimately, we are a self-surviving, self-generating, self-healing organism – unless we override our biological makeup mentally. Periodic testing allows us the opportunity to "discharge our strength". Nietzsche said "life itself is will to power; self-preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent results." During the show, Peter will expose the awesome power of our minds, energy healing and developing immortality.

Jonathan Landsman, Host of the Talk Hour says, "Peter is one of the most amazing human beings on the planet. His intelligence, experience and honesty make him one of the greatest leaders in natural health today. Within minutes of listening to Peter – you realize the unlimited power and potential within us."

This week's guest: Peter Ragnar

Peter Ragnar - "Serious Strength for EVERY Body" Thu. May 27th

Peter is a best-selling author attracting an international audience. He's written over twenty-five books and published courses on every aspect of personal development. He feeds the thirst for those special individuals who are on the quest for human excellence.

He presents unsurpassed physical skills and amazing feats of strength. His latest course, Serious Strength for Seniors and Kids Under 65, demonstrates that fitness, strength, and youthfulness can be achieved and maintained at any age. He continues to shatter his own lifetime records. Having read more that 10,000 books on every conceivable subject has made Peter an engaging and entertaining guest for the national media and with audiences everywhere.

Are YOU Ready? This program will enlighten, inspire and motivate you to reach your greatest human potential. Experience the energy and vitality of Peter Ragnar. Share this program with everyone you love. Register now using the email form in the right column, and you will be emailed show details. Space is limited - Register Now!

Support the Free Speech About Science Act and restore freedom of health speech

(NaturalNews) The Alliance for Natural Health, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting access to natural and integrative medicine, has recently come up with a Congressional bill designed to stop government censorship of truthful, scientific health claims about natural foods and herbs, and restore free speech to natural health. The Free Speech About Science Act (FSAS), also known as HR 4913, will allow manufacturers and producers to reference peer-reviewed, scientific studies that highlight the health benefits of a particular food or herb that they grow or sell.

For too long, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have blatantly censored the truth about food, herbs and dietary supplements. These government agencies are supposed to be protecting public health and well-being, but they accomplish precisely the opposite by actively censoring the truth about natural products and working to keep the public ignorant about the health benefits of nutritional products. It's all part of the plan to prop up the profits of Big Pharma by eliminating the competition.

Current law restricts health claims to drugs only

The FDA says, ridiculously, that only pharmaceutical drugs are capable of preventing or treating disease. Even though this is scientifically false, the agency has structured the rules to categorize anything that treats or prevents disease as a drug. So if you eat walnuts, and those walnuts lower high cholesterol (which they do), the FDA declares your walnuts to be "drugs."

Existing law dictates that if anything is advertised as providing health benefits without the FDA's approval, it's automatically considered to be an "unapproved drug", even if it's a common, everyday food like walnuts, cherries, grapes or oranges.

Amazingly, references to peer-reviewed scientific studies are not allowed to be made by companies without permission from the FDA because the agency considers this to be an illegal health claim. So if you sell walnuts, and your website merely links to published scientific studies that describe the cholesterol-lowering benefits of walnuts, then you can be threatened, arrested, imprisoned and fined millions of dollars by the FDA for selling "unapproved drugs."

If you flee the country, you can be then be listed on INTERPOL as an international fugitive wanted for "drug offenses." This is exactly what happened to Greg Caton, who was recently kidnapped from Ecuador by U.S. agents working on behalf of the FDA (http://www.naturalnews.com/027750_G...), brought back to the USA against his will, and sentenced to federal prison where he remains to this day.

The FDA thinks walnuts are drugs

If you're skeptical that what I'm saying here is true, take a look at the warning letter the FDA sent to Diamond Food, Inc. back in February concerning the health claims the company had been making about its walnuts.

Diamond Food, Inc., a large producer of nuts and nut products, had put some information on its website about the health benefits of walnuts (which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids). Some of this information included the following statements (all of which are verifiably true):

1) "Studies indicate that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help lower cholesterol; protect against heart disease, stroke and some cancers; ease arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; and even fight depression and other mental illnesses."

2) "[O]mega-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor growth that is promoted by the acids found in other fats..."

3) "[I]n treating major depression, for example, omega-3s seem to work by making it easier for brain cell receptors to process mood-related signals from neighboring neurons."

4) "The omega-3s found in fish oil are thought to be responsible for the significantly lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women as compared to women in the United States."

All of these statements are true and have been demonstrated in various scientific studies about omega-3s. In fact, the University of Maryland has a complete reference page about the benefits of omega-3s that verifies the statements made by Diamond Food. Sixty-five different scientific studies are cited on that reference page alone!

But apparently the FDA has little concern with truth and science, because the agency wrote in its warning letter to Diamond that, "[b]ecause of these intended uses, your walnut products are drugs... they are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced conditions." It goes on to say that, "they may not be legally marketed with the above claims in the United States without an approved new drug application."

When all was said and done, Diamond was essentially coerced into removing virtually all the truthful information about the health benefits of walnuts from its website in order to stay in compliance with the FDA's ridiculous demands.

So when science discovers the amazing health-promoting and healing abilities of natural, whole foods, you are not allowed to actually tell people about it. If you do, those foods automatically become unapproved drugs, according to the FDA, and they are subject to seizure. This is how the FDA enforces nutritional ignorance across America. The agency is actually an ANTI-EDUCATION group of knowledge destroyers who want the American people to remain ignorant of the health benefits of natural foods and supplements.

FDA flip-flop on the walnut issue

What's interesting about this recent Diamond walnut case is that, back in 2004, the FDA (sort of) approved a request made on behalf of the California Walnut Commission to include information about the benefits of walnuts for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

The petition to the FDA included references to scientific information that backs these claims (which were largely rejected by the agency), but it did allow a modified version of the claim to be made that included the phrase "Supportive but not conclusive research shows...". Some other details included a reference to eating a diet low in saturated fat.

But in the Diamond case, the FDA decided to launch an all-out attack on true health claims about walnuts, despite comprehensive evidence that they are extremely beneficial to your health in many scientifically-proven ways.

The FDA does not believe in nutrition, period!

It's important to note here that the FDA believes there is no such thing as any food, vitamin, herb or supplement that has ANY beneficial effect on the human body. Sadly, this outrageously ridiculous and indefensible position has become the law of the land in the USA.

All foods are inert, the FDA claims. And the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in those foods have no effect on your body. This impossible belief is what the FDA continues to maintain as "scientific" fact.

But it's obvious to anyone with a couple of brain neurons still firing that the FDA's position is pure madness. Of course foods have beneficial health effects on the human body! Foods contain more than mere calories... they are storehouses of phytochemicals and nutrients that have medicinal effects on the body.

The FDA is good at giving lip service

It's important to note that a new drug application is not the only way certain health claims can be made. Similar to how the California Walnut Commission issued its request, producers and manufacturers can request permission from the FDA to make certain health claims about products, and the agency makes it sound as if it is more than willing to approve such claims as long as proper evidence is given. But in reality, no matter how much evidence is provided to back a set of claims, it's almost never enough for the FDA to actually approve them.

Omega-3s are one of the most studied nutrients in recent years, but the FDA apparently considers all this research useless. It hides behind all kinds of legal mumbo jumbo in defending its position to reject credible science about the health benefits of omega-3s. To anyone paying attention, it's becoming abundantly clear that the agency is completely irrational in the way it approaches the regulation of health claims and the definition of a "drug."

Based on its track record of how it handles truthful health claims, it's also clear that the FDA doesn't actually care about the truth. The agency has decided that only drugs prevent and treat disease, and that's the end of it. So only those companies that complete its expensive drug application process will be granted permission to make health claims -- and the only organizations with the funding to do this are drug companies!

It's sort of like the old floating witch test: Throw the suspected witch in a pond. If she floats, she's a witch and gets burned at the stake. If she sinks, she wasn't a witch... may she rest in peace after drowning. The test is rigged for failure by the "authorities." And yes, the FDA's assault on dietary supplements is a metaphorical witch hunt.

FDA threatened cherry growers in 2006

Of course this isn't the first time the FDA has gone on a witch hunt to stop health claims from being made about healing foods. Back in 2006, the FDA demanded that 29 companies cease making claims about the health benefits of cherries.

Of course all the claims were true and backed by scientific studies, but this didn't matter to the FDA or the FTC, which acts as the enforcement arm of the FDA. The agencies threatened to take action against these companies if they didn't comply with removing the health claims, indicating that they would even go so far as to seek a court order to seize the products that were in violation.

An interesting fact about this case is that many of the scientific studies that supported the health claims being made were funded by none other than the USDA, another arm of the U.S. federal government. Talk about a bureaucratic failure!

All of this seems almost too crazy to actually be true, but it's all quite real, I assure you. It happens all the time. Millions of taxpayer dollars are spent trying to reclassify food as drugs, censor truthful health claims and rid the market of safe, healthy items like raw dairy products. Meanwhile, drug companies are fraudulently marketing dangerous chemical medications that injure and kill milliosn of people every year around the world. But these chemicals are, of course, "generally recognized as safe and effective" by the FDA.

Cherries and walnuts, in other words, are dangerous. But statin drugs, antidepressants and rat poison blood thinners are all backed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Frito-Lay snacks are 'heart healthy'

Like almost everything else the FDA does, there's a double standard in the enforcement of health claims. Over at the Frito-Lay website, there are a whole lot of ridiculous health claims being made about Frito-Lay snack foods that the FDA doesn't seem too concerned about.

Statements include the following, which are in reference to "how much good stuff goes into your favorite snack":

"Good stuff like potatoes, which naturally contain vitamin C and essential minerals. Or corn, one of the world's most popular grains, packed with Thiamin, vitamin B6, and phosphorus - all necessary for healthy bones, teeth, nerves and muscles."

Too bad all these ingredients are fried at really high temperatures and can't be considered "healthy" by any stretch of the imagination. The page goes on to claim that its frying oils are filled with "good fats" that help to lower cholesterol (seriously, I'm not making this up).

Somehow Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, gets away with marketing its junk food snack products as healthy, making all kinds of ludicrous claims about them, but walnut and cherry growers are the target of FDA investigations about labeling fraud.

The message? Raw natural foods and non-processed fruits and nuts are bad for you, but fried snack foods, dead foods and processed foods are incredibly healthy. In opposition to all common sense, this is the position the FDA now maintains.

Things are seriously out of control.

The Life Extension Foundation has also written about the madness of this situation. Read "FDA Says Walnuts are Illegal Drugs" at: http://www.lef.org/featured-article...

The Free Speech About Science Act

There is some good news, though. My friends over at the Alliance for Natural Health have come up with a solution to take back our freedom to tell the truth about the health benefits of natural products. It's called the Free Speech About Science Act, or HR 4913.

You can read the entire legislative text of the bill at the following link:
(http://www.anh-usa.org/wp-content/u...)

The bill is only seven pages long, and you can read it fairly quickly if you want to. Here's a quick summary of its primary objectives with some added commentary:

1) Food producers and manufacturers, dietary supplement makers, and any others who sell or market natural health products will no longer be restricted from referencing and citing independent and respected scientific research that highlights the health benefits of natural products. (Current FDA guidelines are in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits government restrictions on free speech, even those that relate to natural health.)

2) Referencing valid research will no longer convert food and dietary supplements into "unapproved drugs" in the eyes of the FDA.

3) Only legitimate research may be referenced, and guidelines for what is considered legitimate include studies that are conducted in accordance with sound scientific principles (because natural health is not in opposition to science; science actually supports the healing properties of foods and supplements).

4) The FDA and FTC will still be permitted to go after fraudulent claims, but they will no longer be able to censor the truth about healing foods and supplements.

Help end FDA tyranny against food and supplement companies

As it currently stands, most Americans are unable to make responsible, informed lifestyle decisions about foods and supplements because truthful information is restricted by agencies like the FDA and FTC. Mainstream society is flooded with drug advertising making all sorts of false claims, but true claims about natural products are routinely censored.

It's time to put a stop to this FDA madness, and one way to go about that is to support the Free Speech About Science Act. Every American deserves access to the truth so that he or she can make informed lifestyle choices, and you can help make that happen by supporting this bill.

The Alliance for Natural Health has created a convenient legislative portal by which you can contact your Congressman and urge support for the bill.

Access the portal here:
(https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=529)

To learn more about the bill itself, visit the following link:
(http://www.anh-usa.org/main-menu/ca...)

In the mean time, keep on buying (and consuming) natural foods, medicinal herbs and truly natural supplements, because that's where the real medicine in our world is found. The FDA can try to censor the claims about healing foods, but they cannot stop your body's own innate healing process from being activated by those foods.

Eating healing foods, in other words, helps your body heal whether the FDA approves or not.

Warning: Common acid-suppressing PPI drugs are over-used and have serious health risks

(NaturalNews) Have heartburn occasionally? Suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms? Mention your indigestion to a pharmacist and the odds are you'll be directed to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs that are now sold over the counter. Or, if you tell your doctor about your heartburn problems, you'll most likely be given a prescription for an even stronger dose of a PPI. These Big Pharma profit making drugs (which include Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, Aciphex and Protonix) are pushed for indigestion because they are supposedly stronger and faster acting than other older acid suppressing and acid neutralizing meds.

But there are problems with these widely hyped drugs. According to a series of reports just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, not only are PPIs being over-prescribed and over-used but they are fraught with health dangers.

"A staggering 113.4 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors are filled each year, making this class of drugs, at $13.9 billion in sales, the third highest seller in the United States," Mitchell H. Katz, M.D., of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, wrote in an editorial accompanying the reports.

Dr. Katz pointed out that these drugs can be effective treatments for inflammation of the esophagus, ulcers and GERD -- but there is evidence that between 53 percent and 69 percent of PPIs are being prescribed inappropriately. What's more, doctors are too often pushing these drugs without considering potential adverse side effects.

Bottom line: PPIs are often used to treat plain old common indigestion (dyspepsia) in the absence of ulcers, inflammation or severe GERD. "That proton pump inhibitors relieve dyspepsia is without question, but at what cost (and I do not mean financial)?" Dr. Katz asked.

So what specifically is the downside to acid-suppressing PPIs? The new reports in the current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine offer some disturbing answers to that question:

• Shelly L. Gray, Pharm.D., of the University of Washington and colleagues reported that PPIs increase the risk of fractured bones in women after menopause. They followed 161,806 women between ages 50 and 79 in the Women's Health Initiative Study for eight years and found those taking PPIS had an increased risk of spine and forearm or wrist fractures in addition to more total fractures.

• Michael D. Howell, M.D., M.P.H., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School and fellow researchers studied the records of more than 100,000 patients discharged from hospitals over a five year period. Daily PPI use, they discovered, was linked to an estimated 74 percent increase in infections due to Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), a bacterium that can cause life-threatening diarrhea and inflammation of the colon.

• Another group of researchers headed by Amy Linsky, M.D., of Boston Medical Center, also found a worrisome link between C. difficile and PPIs. They investigated approximately 1,200 patients being treated for C. difficile and documented a 42 percent increased risk of recurrence with the infection if PPIs were used.

"Harm will result if these commonly used medications are prescribed for conditions for which there is no benefit, such as non-ulcer dyspepsia," Deborah Grady, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Rita F. Redberg, M.D., also of the University of California, San Francisco, and editor of the Archives of Internal Medicine, wrote in another editorial.

There's actually some good news related to the series of reports discussing the dangers of PPIs and their overuse. The articles are part of the prestigious medical journal's new series called "Less Is More" which is similar in some ways to the kind of articles NaturalNews has been publishing for years -- the journal is launching investigations into how health can be worse when patients receive more medical services.

"Evidence suggests that providing excessive health care service is most likely to occur in situations in which there is not strong evidence to document the benefit and harms of the service," Dr. Grady and Dr. Redberg stated in their editorial. "The Archives aims to address this deficit by publishing articles that provide evidence that performing 'more' of certain health care activities results in 'less' health."

For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
hhttp://www.naturalnews.com/026361_d...
http://www.naturalnews.com/026836_h...

Green tea blocks lung cancer

(NaturalNews) Drinking at least a cup of green tea a day may significantly decrease a person's risk of lung cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Shan Medical University in Taiwan.

Cancer rates are significantly lower in Asia than in other parts of the world, and high consumption of green tea has been suggested as one of the potential explanations. Laboratory studies have suggested that the polyphenols in green tea can halt the growth of cancer cells, but the results of human studies have been mixed.

In the current study, researchers analyzed green tea consumption, smoking, genetic factors and lung cancer risk in more than 500 people. They found that among non-smokers, those who did not drink tea had five times the lung cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day. Among smokers, not drinking green tea was linked to 12 times the cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day.

A genetic analysis of all the study participants revealed that a specific variant of the gene known as IGF1 was associated with the correlation between higher tea consumption and lower cancer risk. Among those without this variant, green tea consumption had little effect on cancer risk. This could explain the inconsistent results of prior studies.

Health experts warned that whatever the benefits of green tea might be, they do not outweigh the danger posed by smoking.

"Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals," said Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research U.K. "Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that. Unfortunately, it's not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet. The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit."

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8453628.stm.

Common herbicide used on U.S. crops castrates male frogs

(NaturalNews) The dangers associated with pesticide and herbicide use have been receiving increased attention in the media these days. Everything from their contamination of local water supplies to their residue on food has been making headlines. But a new study has found that one popular weed killer is actually causing a certain species of frog to turn from male to female.

Atrazine, a popular weed killer used in crop fields, has recently been implicated in a similar study to cause human birth defects. Scientists have found that atrazine and other agricultural chemicals are likely responsible for the significant rise of birth defects throughout the last several decades. But a recent report from the University of California-Berkeley (UC-B), indicts atrazine even further.

Biologists from UC-B found that long-term exposure to low levels of atrazine essentially castrated about 75 percent of the male frogs on which it was tested. Frogs were exposed to the toxic herbicide at levels of 2.5 parts per billion (ppb) in water, a level that is 16 percent lower than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe for drinking water. One out of every ten frogs also ended up turning into a female frog.

Like other pesticides and environmental toxins, atrazine interferes with hormones. It is an endocrine disruptor that seems to replace testosterone, the primary male hormone, with estrogen, the primary female hormone. The result is a severe alteration of normal male function that can actually turn a male into a female.

"The effects of atrazine in the long term have been shown to demasculinize or chemically castrate, combined with complete feminization of some animals," explained Tyrone Hayes, a biologist and herpetologist from UC-B that led the study.

The amazing thing about the frogs who experienced the sex change was that they actually began producing viable eggs. The male frogs who turned female were able to copulate with naturally male frogs and produce eggs. The other 90 percent of male frogs exposed to atrazine experienced decreased sperm count, lowered libidos and diminished fertility.

In typical fashion, some atrazine producers were quick to decry the findings.

"We haven't seen these kinds of responses that Dr. Hayes reports. Some of these studies are poorly conducted and are entirely inconsistent," explained Keith Solomon, an environmental toxicologist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Solomon also served as a consultant to Syngenta.

Syngenta's principal scientist, Tim Pastoor, explained in a CNN interview that atrazine levels within the EPA's guidelines are safe, and that political pressure is responsible for efforts to get atrazine re-evaluated. Syngenta's website also purports that atrazine residue on crops and in water are not a health risk.

Yet of all the available studies on atrazine, only its manufacturers' studies found that the pesticide is safe. All other independent studies and reviews have found significant dangers associated with it. It has been continually shown to lead to cancer, birth defects, and severe endocrine disruption.

In 2004, the European Union (EU) banned atrazine because it was finding levels of the chemical in its water supplies that consistently exceeded the 0.1 ppb established threshold. Yet in the U.S., atrazine continues to be used, and is considered to be acceptable at much higher levels.

Atrazine is most commonly used on corn crops, but is also used on sorghum and sugar cane. Many farmers love it because it eliminates the need to have to till the soil. In 2008, it was estimated that over 60 million pounds of atrazine were used on crops.

A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey found atrazine in nearly three-quarters of stream water and in roughly 40 percent of all groundwater supplies. This was based on data collected between 1992 and 2001. It is difficult to say what kinds of levels would be found on samples taken today.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an advocacy group that works to protect the health of the environment, issued a report in 2009 indicating that water supplies near agriculture fields that use atrazine are the most contaminated. Particularly in some midwestern and southern states that have high agricultural land usage, atrazine levels can be particularly high.

Individuals can remove atrazine from their home water with carbon filters, and some municipal water systems use the technology as well. It is important to investigate and take proper measures to ensure that atrazine does not enter your home through your water.

Ideally, dangerous pesticides like atrazine will eventually be banned and eliminated from agricultural use. As people become more aware of the severe negative effects of such poisons on their health and well-being, not to mention on the environment, it can only be hoped that increased pressure to stop their use will ensue. And though it cannot be said for sure, atrazine likely has a similar effect on humans as it does on frogs, and should not be considered safe at any level.

Sources for this story include:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/sc...

http://www.water-research.net/atraz...

Pediatrician molested more than 100 children while state medical board did nothing

(NaturalNews) A Delaware pediatrician recently arrested and charged with molesting more than 100 children was the subject of complaints and investigations almost 10 years ago, but the state medical board never took action against him.

"The system failed. What I don't know, and what we must find out, is where and how," said Gov. Jack Markell.

Earl Bradley was recently arrested after a two-year-old girl told her mother that the doctor had taken her into a basement room after her medical exam and hurt her. Police have since charged him with more than 30 felonies. Prosecutors say that for almost a decade, he raped and otherwise assaulted children in the basement and exam rooms, some of them decorated with Disney themes. In some cases, they say, he videotaped the attacks.

According to pediatrician Lowell Scott, area doctors jokingly referred to Bradley as a "pedophile" due to the way he filled his office with toys and even a merry-go-round. Many of them had also received complaints from clients whose children had previously been patients of Bradley's.

Yet Scott said that no one complained because they had heard accusations but no proof.

"We all felt that he practiced differently than we did. ... None of us had any actual knowledge of him doing any potential harm," Scott said.

As early as 2005, Bradley was already the subject of a police investigation, which led him to close his office and move from Milford to Lewes. Police say they tried to file a complaint with the Board of Medical Practice at the time, but were told that only victims or parents could do so.

State law requires any law enforcement or state agency or medical professional to notify the board in writing within 30 days of coming to believe that a doctor "may be" guilty of unprofessional behavior.

Bradley's own sister and receptionist, Linda Barnes, says she complained twice to the medical board after receiving complaints from parents. The board denies ever receiving any complaints.

Sources for this story include: www.washingtonpost.com.

Doctor beats swine flu with vitamin D and elderberries

(NaturalNews) A former family practitioner in Canada says she cured herself of the H1N1 swine flu by taking supplements of vitamin D and elderberries.

Dr. Gillian Arsenault, now a public health employee, said that she had a prescription for antiviral drugs on hand when she became infected with swine flu, but never ended up having to fill it. Writing in the Medical Post, Arsenault recounts how the flu "hit like a truck," but was reduced to only a lingering cough within four days.

Arsenault has researched complementary health care extensively and began taking 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily in 2007. This is the amount recommended by the Canadian Cancer Society to help produce strong bones and reduce the risk of infection, cancer and other chronic diseases. Over the course of 2009, she experimented with doses between 3,000 and 5,000 IU.

"Medicine is my job and my hobby. I spend a lot of time after work looking things up," she said.

Researchers remain divided on the maximum safe daily dose of vitamin D, with estimates ranging between 2,000 and 10,000 IU. High doses can interfere with the effects of some drugs, and may produce mild or severe toxicity, with symptoms as severe as kidney failure, seizures or psychosis.

Because research has suggested that vitamin D can help prevent infection, Arsenault set out to see if it could help her recover faster. She adjusted her daily dose and paid to have her blood levels tested to make sure she remained within a safe and healthy range. She added an elderberry extract as well, based on research showing that the plant can reduce the severity of flu and speed recovery.

Many cases of swine flu are mild or moderate even without vitamin D supplementation, and Arsenault admits that her case study is not proof that the treatment works. But it is suggestive enough to merit further research into whether vitamin D can "abort the development of severe illness or enhance the benefit of antiviral treatment for those already seriously ill," she said.

Sources for this story include: www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/....

Facebook's green data center powered by dirty coal

(NaturalNews) The popular social networking site Facebook recently announced that its new data center in Prineville, Oregon, is "among the greenest in the industry", despite the fact that the energy company which is providing power to the facility is fueled primarily by coal. Upon hearing the news, several groups, including Change.org and Greenpeace, have begun hurling a firestorm of criticism against the company for allegedly deceiving the public.

Coal is one of the dirtiest, most destructive fossil fuels in the world. The burning of it to produce energy is responsible for polluting the air and causing acid rain, releasing toxic heavy metals into the environment, and tainting soil and water supplies. Coal mining operations are also destructive to the land and environment around them, especially if not properly remediated.

Trends have been moving away from dirty fuel sources towards clean, renewable energies like solar and wind power. Facebook, however, has decided not only to contract with a company that derives most of its energy from coal, but also to market the operation as "green". The decision is both irresponsible and dishonest.

Yet millions of people from all walks of life utilize Facebook to network, buy and sell products, promote their businesses, and keep in touch with friends and colleagues. While some people are upset about what Facebook is doing, few will actually do anything about it. After all, why bite the hand that feeds you?

As far as social networking sites go, Facebook is arguably the most popular and most widely used. If someone has a problem with Facebook's corporate policy, there are few alternatives. So, most people will simply bite the bullet and carry on with their lives no matter how many bad decisions the company makes.

Regardless of how one feels about the source of energy for Facebook's data center, corporations are increasingly taking hold of people's lives as they monopolize and control key pieces of the economy and life. Everyone relies on their mobile phones, televisions, internet connections, credit cards, gas stations and fast food joints, which are all generally dominated by only a few big corporations. If those corporations make despicable decisions, it is becoming increasingly difficult to simply boycott them.

If people feel strongly enough to make any sort of positive change, they will have to be willing to make significant sacrifices which may disrupt the type of lifestyles to which they have become accustomed. And to those who are deeply upset about Facebook's latest announcement: you may just have to deacivate your account.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/20...

Drug companies intentionally leave out required side effects information on drug ads

(NaturalNews) The FDA has sent warning letters to four pharmaceutical companies citing them for omitting and minimizing information about risks and exaggerating potential benefits in material promoting their drugs.

The letters order the companies to cease banned marketing behaviors and instruct their employees on rules for promotions, but do not impose any fines or other sanctions.

Among the companies reprimanded are Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly & Co. for their diabetes drug Byetta. The FDA letter notes that at a meeting of the Endocrine Society in June, an Amylin representative told an FDA employee that the drug caused 80 percent of patients to lose seven to eight pounds in 30 weeks of treatment. When the FDA representative asked about the source of that claim, he was provided with copies of two published studies that did not support it.

The letter states that Amylin representatives made other misleading or false statements about the drug's benefits, and suggested that it could be used as a standalone treatment. At the time of the conference, Byetta was not yet approved as a standalone drug, making it illegal for the company to promote it for that use.

Eli Lilly was also taken to task for "entirely [omitting] risk information" in a print ad for the antidepressant Cymbalta, and for minimizing risks and exaggerating benefits in another ad.

Cephalon was reprimanded for promotional cards for the lymphoma drug Treanda, which contain "an extremely limited risk presentation" and omit "important material information related to the dosing claims."

Finally, the FDA sent a letter to Bayer over its marketing campaign for the intra-uterine device Mirena. In addition to playing down risks and making false and misleading statements, the FDA notes that Bayer's ad campaign makes unsubstantiated statements claiming that "the use of Mirena instead of other means of contraception will result in increased levels of intimacy, romance, and by implication, emotional satisfaction." The ads also promise that women who use the device will "look and feel great."

The FDA is unaware of "any evidence suggesting that women who are using Mirena for birth control look great or feel great," the letter reads.

Sources for this story include: www.boston.com/business/articles/20... ; www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/ja... ; www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-....

Study reveals huge overdiagnosis of cancer causing unnecessary treatment and suffering

(NaturalNews) Imagine being told your imaging tests are back and there's bad news. You have cancer. To save your life, your doctor says, you must submit to surgery, chemo, radiation and a host of additional tests and prescription drugs. Of course, there's no guarantee the malignancy will be totally stopped or that the cancer treatment won't cause both immediate and long-term health consequences.

Now imagine the same scenario -- only it turns out the tests were misinterpreted and you really didn't have any sort of life-threatening cancer in the first place. This goof-up must be extremely rare, right? After all, in the high tech world of modern day mainstream medicine, dangerous malignant tumors are accurately spotted, correct?

Wrong.

In fact, research just published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests the overdiagnosis of cancer is nothing less than a large and growing problem in the US. Study authors H. Gilbert Welch, M.D., and William Black, M.D., of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont, and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, conclude it's time for this phenomenon to be faced head-on with the development of clinical and research strategies to quantify, recognize, and deal with cancer overdiagnosis.

So just how big a problem are we talking about? Dr. Welch and Dr. Black used data from large randomized screening trials to estimate the extent of overdiagnosis and their findings are nothing less that shocking. They found that about 25% of breast cancers detected on mammograms and about 60% of prostate cancers detected with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests could represent overdiagnosis..

And when it comes to lung cancer screening with chest x-rays and sputum tests, they estimate about half of the "cancers" detected are really cases of overdiagnosis. What's more, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) often detects abnormalities outside the colon that can lead to more tests and a possible overdiagnosis of colon cancer, too.

The researchers pointed out several ways to address the problem of overdiagnosis. For starters, they suggested educating patients about the risks and benefits involved with early detection. Another strategy: raising the threshold at which screening test results are labeled 'abnormal' and treatment is needed.

This is already happening in some cases. For example, so many small lung nodules are detected on CT scans that it is now becoming more common for physicians to ignore many of these small abnormalities as just that -- small abnormalities -- instead of rushing into this-looks-like-cancer-let's-treat-it-aggressively mode.

In an editorial accompanying the report by Dr. Black and Dr. Welch, Laura Esserman, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, and Ian Thompson of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, agreed that addressing the problem of cancer overdiagnosis is critically important.

"What we need now in the field of cancer is the coming together of physicians and scientists of all disciplines to reduce the burden of cancer death AND cancer diagnosis," they wrote. "We must advocate for and demand innovation in diagnosis and management, fueled by science, harnessing modeling, molecular, and immunology tools to address this problem."

NaturalNews has previously reported on research into cancer overdiagnosis, which is particularly rampant with prostate cancer. In fact, PSA testing has resulted in over a million additional men being overdiagnosed with prostate cancer and subjected to treatment they didn't need (http://www.naturalnews.com/027193_c...).

For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...

X-Balance superfood makes a delicious, nutritious chocolate milk drink for adults and kids

(NaturalNews) Remember the taste of chocolate milk? That wonderfully sugary, chocolaty fatty taste is one you'll probably never forget. And I bet you wouldn't think you could recreate that taste with something that's actually good for you... but now you can!

One of my favorite all-time superfood powders is called X-Balance. It's positioned as "the ultimate kids superfood," but I must still be a kid at heart because I find myself drinking this all the time. I've been recommending this superfood product for years, in fact, and now we've started carrying it in the NaturalNews Store at a generous discount for NaturalNews readers! (See below...)

X-Balance is simply the most delicious chocolate superfood powder you'll probably ever find. Just as advertised, kids absolutely love it, but even the adults around your house will be amazed at the taste -- especially after they read the ingredients and see how nutritious this is!

Delicious and nutritious at the same time

You see, it's easy to make something that tastes great if you're not concerned with nutrition. What's tricky is making something that tastes great while delivering high-potency superfood nutrition at the same time. And that's where X-Balance really shines.

This chocolate superfood powder contains chlorella, organic barley grass, spirulina, moringa leaf powder, blackberry juice powder, blueberry juicer powder, freeze-dried aloe vera, ginger, curcumin, dulse seaweed, cinnamon, parsley juice powder and a long list of other remarkable superfoods (see below). But the really amazing thing is that X-Balance doesn't taste like a nutrient-rich superfood. It tastes like chocolate milk!

Of course, it really tastes amazing when you blend it with actual milk. And by "milk" I mean either coconut milk, almond milk or some other nut milk. (Or raw cow's milk if you do raw dairy.)

But even in water it's pretty good. I actually take it traveling so that I can chase my travel meals with some superfoods. For example, I'm traveling today in Ecuador, and the place I'm staying gave me the dinner choice of beef with rice, pork with rice, chicken with rice, or fish with rice. (Or just plain rice, but that just doesn't cut it for me.) So I chose the fish with rice, then I chased it with two spoonfuls of X-Balance superfood mixed with water, giving me a nutrition boost following the meal.

My top superfood recommendations

I've tasted a lot of superfood powders in the industry, and it is rare to find a product that's so nutritious while tasting so good at the same time. In fact, I would say that my top two choices for best-tasting superfood powders are X-Balance and Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com) Delicious Greens is also really, really good, and we'll be covering that product in a future announcement.

Another important product to mention here is Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com), which actually goes really, really well with X-Balance. In fact, I often mix the two: One tablespoon of X-Balance plus one tablespoon of Boku Superfood in a glass of raw almond milk, with a bit of stevia or Organic Palm Sugar to sweeten in a little more. I swear this combination tastes almost like the chocolate milk we all remember drinking as kids.

And yet, there's absolutely no sugar in X-Balance. No artificial chemical sweeteners, either. There's no soy protein, no dairy and no artificial anything. The formula, by the way, was created by Jan Lovejoy, the creator of Emerald Balance and the founder of SGN Nutrition. I've known Jan for several years and have come to really respect not just her nutritional wisdom but also her remarkable product formulation abilities. Here's an interview I published with Jan last year: http://www.naturalnews.com/027100_s...

Get X-Balance at up to a 36% discount

You'll be extremely happy with X-Balance. My friends just go crazy over it. I have to keep bringing more of it to Ecuador because I give it away so fast. Everybody loves X-Balance!

Now you can get X-Balance at a generous discount! We've just started carrying it in the NaturalNews Store, and we've got it at a great price:

A 30-day supply of X-Balance (270 grams) normally sells at a retail price of $38.95. Right now at the NaturalNews Store, you can purchase it for just $29.95 (a 23% discount).

When you purchase 3 canisters of X-Balance (a 90-day supply for one person, or a 30-day supply for three), the price per canister drops to just $24.98 per canister. That's an amazing 36% discount off the normal retail price.

Click here to take advantage of these NaturalNews Store discounts.

This is a superfood you'll really enjoy drinking. It's like chocolate milk -- but without the sugar and WITH amazing superfood nutrition!

Here's what's in it:

X-Balance ingredients

Nutrient Dense Superfood 1464 mg - Moringa Leaf Powder, Carrot Juice Powder, Organic Barley Grass Juice Powder, Organic Beet Juice Powder, Spirulina Powder, Chlorella - Cracked Cell

Antioxidant Blend: (ORAC value = 5566) 5210 mg - Decaffeinated Cocoa Powder, Chocolate Powder, Vitamin C - Natural Rose Hips, Strawberry Juice Powder, Acerola Berry Juice Powder, Blackberry Juice Power, Fig Powder, Pineapple Juice Powder, Orange Juice Powder, Bioflavonoids (Citrus), Papaya Powder, Blueberry Powder, Red Raspberry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Ginger Powder (Freeze Dried), Aloe Vera -Freeze Dried, Green Tea Catechins - 40%, Rosemary

Pow R Fiber 639 mg - Apple Fiber, Apple Pectin, Rice Bran Powder, Organic Flax Seed Meal

Balancing Support 919 mg - Soy Lecithin Powder - 99% oil free, Parsley Juice Powder, Agar-Agar, Cinnamon, Burdock, Stevia, Dandelion, Silymarin (Milk Thistle 80% extract), Nova Scotia Dulse

Non-Dairy Probiotic Culture - 2.23 Billion 223 mg

Proprietary blend 399 mg - Nettle Leaves, , Chicory, Astragalus Membranaceous, Quercitin, Plant Enzymes: Lipase, Protease, Amylase & Cellulase

Natural French Vanilla - 150mg

X-Balance recipes

Here are some of my own favorite recipes using X-Balance:

X-Balance with water - Just mix with water, blend and drink. It's simple and easy when traveling.

X-Balance chocolate milk - Blend X-Balance with raw almond milk and Agave Nectar or Organic Palm Sugar (or honey!). It's amazing!

X-Balance with Boku - Combine X-Balance with Boku Superfood for a super healthy, high-density chocolate superfood combination. Mix with either water or your favorite milk.

X-Balance Avocado Smoothie - Blend an avocado with X-Balance, your favorite milk and your favorite sweetener. It makes a rich, chocolaty superfood blend with the added healthy fats of an avocado! (Really, it's quite delicious.)

Click here to get some X-Balance for yourself today.

You'll really be glad you did. And don't forget: Kids love this, too! This is the "chocolate milk" they can drink with your approval... and you know it's giving them outstanding nutrition at the same time. Very good stuff. The whole family will enjoy this superfood.

BP Gulf catastrophe typifies corporate behavior in America

(NaturalNews) The Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe, now in its 35th day, has struck land, coating tourist beaches, marshes and shorelines with a greasy black filth that metaphorically represents the corporate greed that now dominates the U.S. economy. We are all awash in the dark slime of corporations gone bad, and now we're paying the price for allowing these companies to dominate our media, our government and our entire economy.

You might think government regulators could have prevented all this, but that's hardly the case. This disaster isn't merely about a government regulation failure; it's about what happens when you let corporations rule Washington.

Reporters threatened with arrest by U.S. Coast Guard under orders from BP

British Petroleum has been steamrolling both the federal government and the press over this oil catastrophe in the Gulf. For starters, the U.S. Coast Guard is now threatening to arrest journalists who try to cover the story by invoking "BP rules" that forbid journalists from conducting investigative journalism. (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010...)

As reported by CBS News: "When CBS News tried to reach the beach, covered in oil, a boat of BP contractors with two Coast Guard officers on board told us to turn around under threat of arrest."

In other words, the U.S. Coast Guard is now protecting the financial interests of corporations by trying to censor a story the public needs to see.

At the same time, BP thumbed its nose at the EPA and flatly refused to use less-toxic chemical dispersants in its cleanup efforts. So yesterday, the White House ordered BP to cut its use of chemical dispersants by half. The chemical in question is called Corexit, and so far BP has dumped 650,000 gallons of the toxic chemical in the Gulf of Mexico.

And yet, as the Guardian reports, "Scientists told congressional hearings last week that Corexit was more toxic and less effective than other dispersants on the market. Conservationists fear the chemical could further jeopardize already depleted stocks of fish such as Atlantic bluefin tuna or poison endangered species of turtle." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environme...)

Powerful corporations write their own rules

BP, of course, can simply ignore the order to ease off its use of chemical dispersants, just like it ignored rules and regulations about drilling for oil in the ocean in the first place. And that's the problem here: When corporations are allowed to run the show, they will inevitably take shortcuts that compromise the health of their customers or the environment.

The same thing is true with Big Pharma, which basically runs the FDA, FTC and CDC. What BP is doing to the Gulf of Mexico, Big Pharma is doing to the health of the world population. And yet because it is so incredibly profitable to poison people with dangerous prescription medications, the pharmaceutical industry has the financial influence to dominate the actions of government regulators.

Similarly, the meat and dairy industries basically run the USDA. That's why healthy raw milk is being outlawed while pasteurized, processed dead milk is heavily pushed by the USDA (and the FDA). (http://www.naturalnews.com/028757_r...)

Time and time again, powerful corporations corrupt the system and turn it to their own advantage: Military contractors dictate foreign policy. Monsanto dictates agriculture policy. Wall Street dictates banking regulations. And British Petroleum writes its own rules when it comes to offshore drilling.

It's not even a question of government regulators having too little power, either... regulators have plenty of power. It's just that they are using it against the People rather than to protect the people. They are purposely avoiding holding corporations responsible for their actions that are destroying our health, our economy and our environment.

A crime against our planet

For example, if you or I dumped 650,000 gallons of a toxic chemical in the ocean, we'd be arrested and brought up on criminal charges that would probably include "terrorism" charges under the Patriot Act. But when BP executives do exactly the same thing, nothing happens to them. No arrests. No criminal charges. No consequences.

Heck, you know as well as I do that BP will get off with a slap on the wrist when this is all over. Every major corporation that commits fraud (Big Pharma), steals from the People (Goldman Sachs) or causes an environmental catastrophe (BP) gets off virtually scot-free.

Well why is that? Why can corporations commit the most heinous crimes imaginable and yet never be held accountable? Big Pharma has engaged in so much price fixing fraud, clinical trial fraud and fraudulent marketing that it would make your head spin. Yet the U.S. government continues to do business with Big Pharma, buying up their dangerous drugs at monopoly prices, even though these companies are essentially corporate felons. Read my stories on Merck (www.NaturalNews.com/Merck.html) or Pfizer (www.NaturalNews.com/Pfizer.html) if you don't believe me.

Business as usual in the corporate world

The sad truth is that this disaster in the Gulf of Mexico isn't an aberration. It's just business as usual in the corporatocracy known as the United States of America, Inc. The corporations run this country, and they do whatever they want, regardless of how many people are killed, how many laws are broken or how many miles of coastline are utterly destroyed by chemical contamination. They operate with utter disregard for anything resembling ethics or honesty.

Corporate greed knows no limits. If corporate executives could profit another billion dollars by destroying the entire Gulf of Mexico, do you have any doubt they would pursue that course of action? Your life has no value to them. Marine life has no value to them. The health of the world's oceans have no value to them. They only value one thing: The bottom line profit they can produce at any cost.

British Petroleum = Big Pharma = Big Food = Big Agriculture = the Military Industrial Complex.

It's all the same, folks. Do not be surprised that these criminal corporate operators are destroying our planet. They've been doing it for generations, and they absolutely will not stop unless We the People make them stop through force (by having these people arrested and imprisoned, for example).

If you really want to clean up the planet, we should stop tossing chemical dispersants into the Gulf and just start tossing greed-minded corporate executives into the ocean and see how far they can swim when they're coated with oil.

That would be planetary justice, my friends, and it would send a powerful message that corporate executives who cause harm to the world around them may end up swimming in the very same cesspools of greed they themselves created.

See the CounterThink cartoon

Be sure to check out the CounterThink cartoon about British Petroleum. It's one of the more hilarious cartoons we've ever published. You can see it at http://www.naturalnews.com/028855_B... or the new CounterThink cartoon website: www.CounterThink.com

We've already published over 100 CounterThink cartoons here at NaturalNews, by the way! See the full collection here: http://www.naturalnews.com/Index-Ca...

Vitamin E is effective treatment for "silent" liver disease

(NaturalNews) Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common, "silent" liver disease. Although it occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol, it causes damage that resembles alcoholic liver disease, including inflammation. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the condition is marked by fat in the liver and is associated with the growing number of overweight Americans. In all, about 2 to 5 percent of people in the US have NASH. And while many feel fine and aren't aware they have a liver problem, they actually have a disease that can eventually cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death.

There's been no effective treatment for NASH -- until now. Results from a new multi-center study organized by the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network of NIDDK show vitamin E is a successful treatment for the disease. The findings of this largest ever placebo-controlled randomized trial of NASH therapies were just published in the April 28 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"There is an increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in this country, something that is directly related to the obesity epidemic," Dr. Joel Lavine, faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, said in a statement to the press. "The good news is that this study showed that cheap and readily available vitamin E can help many of those with the condition."

Dr. Lavine, who was a leader of the research team, pointed out that the drug pioglitazone was also studied alongside daily doses of 800 IU of vitamin E. Although the medication showed some benefits, they were minimal compared to the dramatic effectiveness of vitamin E.

For the Pioglitazone or Vitamin E for NASH Study (PIVENS), the researchers randomly assigned 247 non-diabetic adults with biopsy-confirmed NASH to three groups receiving either vitamin E, pioglitazone (a drug that improves the sensitivity of cells to insulin) or a placebo. After 96 weeks of treatment, liver enzyme tests, which are commonly used to measure liver injury, improved in those who received either pioglitazone or vitamin E.

Unlike vitamin E, however, pioglitazone treatment had an unwelcome side effect -- it caused an average weight gain of 10 pounds over the duration of this study. What's more, although pioglitazone improved many features of NASH, it fell short of statistical significance. However, except for the amount of scar tissue in the liver, vitamin E improved all features of NASH and clearly emerged as effective, natural therapy for this potentially fatal liver disease.

For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...

einz blasted over outrageous claims in infant formula ads

(NaturalNews) The H.J. Heinz company, most famous for producing Heinz brand ketchup, has been reprimanded by the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over an ad for its Nurture-brand infant formula.

According to the ASA, Heinz made "unsubstantiated" and "unacceptable" claims that its product could support the growth of infant brains, bodies and immune systems.

The ad, produced by the Abbot Mead Vickers BBDO agency, stated that each child needs a "special combination of nutrients to sustain the incredible growth in its brain, body and immune system." It then went on to state that Heinz had produced Nurture specifically in order to "provide for those three essential aspects of growth."

The commercial concluded by saying that Nurture would help "nourish, protect and develop your baby."

Three complaints were submitted to the ASA claiming that there was insufficient scientific evidence to support Heinz's claims regarding immunity and child development. When questioned by the ASA, Heinz claimed that the inclusion of iron, prebiotics and nucleotides would "protect" the immune system, omega-3s and omega-6s would help children's brains and eyes "develop," and milk protein and calcium would provide nourishment.

The ASA rejected these claims, ruling that the commercial falsely implied specific health benefits rather than general nutritional content.

"We concluded, therefore, that the claim was unsubstantiated and the ad was unacceptable," the ASA said.

The decision follows a similar case in October, in which French company Danone claimed in ads that its probiotic-fortified yogurt drink Actimel was "scientifically proven to help support your kids' defenses." The ASA also rejected this ad.

Christine Haigh of the Children's Food Campaign expressed concern over the prevalence of unsubstantiated health claims in ads for children's food products.

"We believe the Food Standards Agency needs to investigate how widespread this practice is," she said.

For example, Gerber has recently begun marketing baby food in the United States in packaging claiming that the product "helps support brain and eye development."

Sources for this story include: www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wor... ; www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/1....

Verterra Dinnerware, the completely sustainable alternative to disposable dishes

(NaturalNews) Picnics, camping trips, hikes and nights when you really do not feel like doing any dishes; these are some of the many reasons why we buy disposable dishes. At best, we might use paper plates, and at worst, a plastic or styrofoam variety. The options vary in negative environmental impact, but there is one company that has not only raised the bar in disposable dinnerware, but revolutionized it.

Michael Dwork, founder of Verterra, first came up with his dinnerware idea during a visit to India where he saw a native woman soaking leaves in water and pressing them in a makeshift waffle iron. When they came out, she served a meal on them, which inspired Dwork to utilize the same concept for disposable dish ware.

Verterra's line of dinnerware is composed entirely of fallen leaves from India that have been steamed, heated and pressurized. The dinnerware is durable, safe and completely natural, containing absolutely no plastics, glues, lacquers or any other kind of adhesive that would potentially leech into food. The ware is lightweight but sturdy, and has a classic, natural look that adds style to any dinner engagement.

Though the company is not legally allowed to recommend it, Verterra Dinnerware can actually be reused upwards of ten times depending on the foods for which it is used. But even if you use it only once, it is a great product that Dwork believes actually provides a net benefit for the environment.

When compared to all the other eco-friendly disposable options available, Verterra's line tops them all. According to company tests, all Verterra products will completely biodegrade in two months when placed in a landfill or compost bin. Which brings up another unique aspect of the products; they can be composted and will actually provide benefit to soil.

In India, there is a plethora of fallen palm leaves that typically get burned in large piles by the side of the road. Dwork actually saves these leaves and uses them to produce Verterra products, which when all is said and done, likely has a negative carbon impact on the environment.

Because he could not find a suitable leaf variety to use in the U.S., Dwork produces the plates in India where the type of palm leaves he uses are plentiful. Verterra owns and operates its own factory in India where its workers are treated and paid fairly. The conditions are safe and the company provides its workers with access to medical care.

While all this sounds great, some people may be wondering if Verterra products actually work. Truthfully, the ware is durable and long-lasting. It has held up just fine after several washes and does not seem to absorb the food that touches it. Certain sauces and liquids may stain it, however it can still be used multiple times if you want to get the most use out of it.

Because it can warp in the dishwasher, hand-washing is the best method to employ if you wish to reuse Verterra products. Amazingly, Verterra can be heated in the oven and will hold up well in the refrigerator. It is also microwave safe (however I would not recommend using microwaves in general).

Though somewhat pricy, Verterra is versatile and will work in many different applications. If you plan to reuse it, it may actually end up being cheaper than the paper or plastic ware available at the grocery store.

For more information about Verterra Dinnerware, please visit www.verterra.com.

Calorie counts frequently inaccurate on food labeling

(NaturalNews) Inaccurate calorie labeling is widespread among both packaged and restaurant meals, suggests a study conducted by researchers from Tufts University and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Lead researcher Susan B. Roberts had originally intended to test out the benefits of two different diets she had designed, one that depended on home-cooked food and the other allowing pre-made meals. Although the calorie counts of the diets were identical and she lost weight following the home-cooked diet, she did not find the same effect with the second diet.

"I came into the lab one day and thought, something's not adding up," Roberts said. "I think there's more calories in these foods than there should be."

Roberts and colleagues tested 10 frozen supermarket meals and found that their actual calorie content was, on average, 8 percent higher than advertised. Twenty-nine different restaurant meals delivered an average of 18 percent more calories than advertised.

The amount is not insignificant: Just 5 percent more calories per day on top of a 2,000-calorie diet would cause someone to gain 10 pounds in a year.

"These findings suggest that stated energy contents of reduced energy meals obtained from restaurants and supermarkets are not consistently accurate and, in this study, average more than measured values," Roberts said, "especially when free side dishes were taken into account."

Five of the restaurants included a free side dish with the purchase of a meal. On average, these dishes contained more calories than the main course.

Although some foods actually contained fewer calories than advertised, overall producers appeared to be erring on the low end.

"The FDA regulations are much more punitive, much more stringent on underproviding than overproviding," she said. "It's an old-style mentality: 'People need to be given what they pay for.'"

Roberts advised consumers to be more conscious of their food choices.

"If you want to lose 10 pounds, you can do it with food," she said. "Food is the best way. But by eating at home, you'll have a much easier time."

Sources for this story include: www.businessweek.com; articles.latimes.com.

Small businesses threatened with 1099 tax form tyranny provision in health care bill

(NaturalNews) According to a recent report from CNNMoney.com, the massive U.S. health care system overhaul includes more than just a transition to government-run medicine. A small section hidden away in the 2,409-page bill requires all businesses to send 1099 tax forms to every company or individual from which they purchased more than $600 in services and goods throughout the tax year, beginning on January 1, 2012.

As you'll see below, this new law threatens to cause a wave of paperwork chaos across the entire U.S. economy, stifling the operations of small businesses and driving more jobs overseas.

Here's why...

1099s required for virtually any expenditure

For those of you who aren't familiar with a 1099, this tax document is typically issued to independent contract workers who receive payments for work they've done. "Employees" of businesses are issued W-2 forms at the end of the tax year while independent contractors and other freelancers making money outside of the wage structure receive 1099 forms.

But the new change (conveniently slipped into the health care bill that nobody actually read prior to voting on it) drastically expands the scope of 1099s. Not only will contract workers be receiving them, but so will millions of individuals and companies that receive more than $600 in payments for services and products they provide throughout the tax year.

And if you're a small business owner, you will be required to issue a 1099 to every business from which you purchased more than $600 worth of goods or services.

If you buy a laptop at Best Buy, for example, you will be required by law to issue a 1099 form to Best Buy. If you purchase over $600 in internet services, you need to issue a 1099 to your broadband provider. If you get a car repair over $600, you have to issue a 1099 form for that, too.

This law might as well be called the "Accountant employment act of 2010" because it will drastically expand the mountain of tax paperwork needed to be filed by all U.S. small businesses and corporations.

How the changes will really impact small business

Remember: The new law will require 1099s to be issued to both individuals and corporations. This means that a musician who buys an expensive new guitar will have to send the retailer a 1099 at the end of the year for that purchase. A florist will have to send 1099s to each of her suppliers as well, including the flower growers, the ribbon company and even the place where she buys tape and scissors if those purchases exceeded $600 throughout the year.

In fact, the more sources businesses buy from, the more 1099s they will have to issue, which will likely cause many of them to consolidate their vendors.

Do you see where I'm going with this? These "small" changes are going to have a monumental impact on how business is run in America, particularly small businesses who are already strapped with heavy regulatory burdens. 1099s will be used for a lot more than just taxing compensation. They will be used to tax virtually all business expenses, driving up prices for everyone.

The changes are also going to create an "avalanche of [new] paperwork", according to Bill Rys, tax counsel for the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Business owners are going to have to spend a lot more time tracking purchases and saving receipts, which for many is going to be a logistical nightmare that could drive them right out of business.

Small businesses will go out of business, thanks to the IRS

Those of you that own or operate a small business already know how difficult it can be to stay afloat and compete in today's economy, especially during tough times. Besides the regular day-to-day operations, there are all kinds of fees, taxes and other regulatory burdens that make doing business a challenge.

Can you imagine having to track and tally every single business purchase you make throughout the year and send 1099 forms to all of them? How about having to collect names and taxpayer identification numbers from every vendor or payee that you dealt with? Can you imagine how long it would take on the phone with Wal-Mart customer service to try to obtain the company's tax ID? Multiply this by the other five hundred companies you do business with, and you start to get an idea of the new burden this is going to place on small businesses across America.

It's going to take a whole lot more time to comply with these rules, and many small businesses will probably have to hire someone full-time just to take care of it all. The additional expense will either further strain companies who can take the hit (which will just drive up prices for consumers) or force them out of business. But no matter how you look at it, it's a lose-lose situation for American businesses.

And what about all the companies on the receiving end? Imagine the flood of 1099 forms companies like Apple will receive at the end of the year from all the freelancers who bought new computers from them? Or Office Max for millions of dollars of office supplies? The burden will be tremendous not only on those who have to track and send all the 1099s, but also on everyone who receives them.

And it's not just the big guys that will bear the burden. There are plenty of small, family-owned suppliers who are going to have a tough time complying. Many of them will most likely be forced out of business because they won't be able to absorb the cost. Or businesses will choose instead to make purchases only from large "one-stop" shops because the paper trail will be a lot easier to manage.

Government greed and corruption is ruining America

The U.S. economy is already in shambles and many Americans are unemployed, but leave it to the American government (and the puppet masters who control them) to increase the burden on American business even more. Are these people out of their minds?

This small tax change is going to have huge ramifications once it kicks in starting in 2012. Small businesses will take the biggest hit, resulting in even more lost jobs and higher prices for goods and services. Many companies might decide to just pack up shop now and move to another country before it all kicks in, and that means more American jobs being exported to other countries.

The whole thing speaks volumes about how things are run in Washington where it's all about money and control. Bureaucrats are always looking for new ways to pass new laws that will bankroll their out-of-control spending programs. You know... the ones that get them reelected.

Fortunately, not all politicians are in on the game. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) recently introduced a bill called "The Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act, which would rescind the 1099 provisions from the health care bill.

It's a good start, but what about the rest of the politicians? Where is the outcry from the alleged "public servants" over tax changes that threaten to destroy American small businesses?

Small businesses are the primary drivers of our economy. They are the ones responsible for real job creation in America. Provisions like the 1099 mandate only work to destroy the very fabric that has held America's economy together. Any government that tries to destroy this crucial sector is only accelerating the country's financial demise.

It's time for people to wake up and take a stand against this paperwork tyranny. A nation drowning in tax forms can't get much of anything else done, and Washington, it seems, just can't help but heap another tax compliance paperwork nightmare upon the People.

That is has all been hidden inside the health care reform bill is yet another insult to the intelligence of us all. Who do these politicians think they are? How quickly they forget that Government derives its power from the People and not the other way around.