Sit Down and Eat Your GMOs

Consumers are targeted by the FDA’s newest GMO propaganda campaign.

From the FDA:

The U.S Food and Drug Administration is announcing public meetings to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Francisco, California, regarding its Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative. Congress appropriated $3 million to fund this initiative, which calls upon the FDA to work with USDA to provide education and outreach to the public on agricultural biotechnology and food and animal feed ingredients derived from biotechnology.

The purpose of the public meetings is to provide the public with an opportunity to share information, experiences, and suggestions to help inform the development of this education and outreach initiative.

Comment: From the same Congress that gave you the sham GMO “labeling” bill comes a taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign on behalf of the biotech industry to convince you that GMOs are perfectly safe. Now, the FDA wants your advice on how they can best “educate” US citizens on the many virtues of GMO food.

Check out our GMO Fact Check page for a much more accurate education about GMO foods.

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Sit Down and Eat Your GMOs

Consumers are targeted by the FDA’s newest GMO propaganda campaign.

From the FDA:

The U.S Food and Drug Administration is announcing public meetings to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Francisco, California, regarding its Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative. Congress appropriated $3 million to fund this initiative, which calls upon the FDA to work with USDA to provide education and outreach to the public on agricultural biotechnology and food and animal feed ingredients derived from biotechnology.

The purpose of the public meetings is to provide the public with an opportunity to share information, experiences, and suggestions to help inform the development of this education and outreach initiative.

Comment: From the same Congress that gave you the sham GMO “labeling” bill comes a taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign on behalf of the biotech industry to convince you that GMOs are perfectly safe. Now, the FDA wants your advice on how they can best “educate” US citizens on the many virtues of GMO food.

Check out our GMO Fact Check page for a much more accurate education about GMO foods.

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Action Alert: Protect Supplement Access in MA

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Action Alert: Protect Supplement Access in MA

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Will Dying People Get The Right to Try?

Legislation, approved in the Senate, must now pass the House of Representatives. Action Alert!

Earlier this year, the “Right to Try” legislation introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) passed by unanimous consent in the Senate. It had a hearing last week in the House, and awaits approval.

As things stand now, FDA bureaucrats continue to throw roadblocks into the path of patients who desire access to experimental and potentially life-saving drugs, as the agency has been doing for years. This is yet another example of why we feel the agency works for Big Pharma more than for the American people.

Here’s how it works—or rather, doesn’t work—currently. Individual patients may apply for access to experimental treatments outside of a drug trial if they meet all three of the following criteria:

• have a serious or life-threatening disease or condition;
• have no other treatment options left; and
• can persuade a qualified physician to deliver the treatment.

Under these circumstances, the FDA may, at its sole discretion, grant “compassionate use” of the new or unapproved medication. But the program is marred by a prohibitively cumbersome application and documentation process, which always makes it difficult and sometimes drags it out or otherwise makes it impossible. In addition, a physician cooperating with the patient may put his or her license at risk.  The agency can even revoke permission after it has been granted—and does.

The government has no business intervening in a patient’s life in this manner. Decisions that are made when a patient is terminally ill should be between the patient, his or her doctor, and his or her family—not FDA bureaucrats.

Action Alert! Write to your representative and urge him or her to support Right to Try legislation. Please send your message immediately.

 

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CDC Doubles Down on HPV Vaccine

The government agency is now telling adult women to get these multiple jabs. Action Alert!

Speaking to The Washington Post, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) epidemiologist is encouraging women aged 18-26 to get the HPV vaccine.

This advice, along with health authorities encouraging young girls (and boys) to get vaccinated for HPV, ignores mounting evidence that the HPV vaccine is among the most dangerous vaccines out there. A World Health Organization study demonstrated that the vaccination has a tendency to produce clusters of serious adverse events. Other evidence indicates that the HPV vaccine is responsible for more adverse events than any other vaccine.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Consider these facts. About 50% of sexually active men and women acquire the HPV virus at some point in their lives. If a woman who has been exposed to certain strains of the virus submits to HPV vaccination, the risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions may increase by as much as 44%.

There are, of course, alternatives to the HPV vaccine. Experts who study HPV explain that cervical cancer has been proven to be virtually 100% preventable through regular cervical screening with Pap smears and HPV testing. In the words of Dr. Sin Hang Lee, who specializes in HPV detection, “the proposal of adding general HPV vaccination to a well-screened women population is superfluous.” Except, of course, if you are the manufacturer of that vaccine.

Are parents or adult women considering HPV vaccination provided these facts by their doctors before receiving the vaccination, so they can make an informed choice? As with other vaccines, the risk/benefit is not typically communicated to patients, which is why it is up to the individual to get educated and to speak up when vaccine exemptions are threatened.

Action Alert! Write to the CDC and tell them that it is madness to recommend a dangerous  vaccine that can increase women’s risk of cancer. Please send your message immediately.

 

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Will Dying People Get The Right to Try?

Legislation, approved in the Senate, must now pass the House of Representatives. Action Alert!

Earlier this year, the “Right to Try” legislation introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) passed by unanimous consent in the Senate. It had a hearing last week in the House, and awaits approval.

As things stand now, FDA bureaucrats continue to throw roadblocks into the path of patients who desire access to experimental and potentially life-saving drugs, as the agency has been doing for years. This is yet another example of why we feel the agency works for Big Pharma more than for the American people.

Here’s how it works—or rather, doesn’t work—currently. Individual patients may apply for access to experimental treatments outside of a drug trial if they meet all three of the following criteria:

• have a serious or life-threatening disease or condition;
• have no other treatment options left; and
• can persuade a qualified physician to deliver the treatment.

Under these circumstances, the FDA may, at its sole discretion, grant “compassionate use” of the new or unapproved medication. But the program is marred by a prohibitively cumbersome application and documentation process, which always makes it difficult and sometimes drags it out or otherwise makes it impossible. In addition, a physician cooperating with the patient may put his or her license at risk.  The agency can even revoke permission after it has been granted—and does.

The government has no business intervening in a patient’s life in this manner. Decisions that are made when a patient is terminally ill should be between the patient, his or her doctor, and his or her family—not FDA bureaucrats.

Action Alert! Write to your representative and urge him or her to support Right to Try legislation. Please send your message immediately.

 

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CDC Doubles Down on HPV Vaccine

The government agency is now telling adult women to get these multiple jabs. Action Alert!

Speaking to The Washington Post, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) epidemiologist is encouraging women aged 18-26 to get the HPV vaccine.

This advice, along with health authorities encouraging young girls (and boys) to get vaccinated for HPV, ignores mounting evidence that the HPV vaccine is among the most dangerous vaccines out there. A World Health Organization study demonstrated that the vaccination has a tendency to produce clusters of serious adverse events. Other evidence indicates that the HPV vaccine is responsible for more adverse events than any other vaccine.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Consider these facts. About 50% of sexually active men and women acquire the HPV virus at some point in their lives. If a woman who has been exposed to certain strains of the virus submits to HPV vaccination, the risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions may increase by as much as 44%.

There are, of course, alternatives to the HPV vaccine. Experts who study HPV explain that cervical cancer has been proven to be virtually 100% preventable through regular cervical screening with Pap smears and HPV testing. In the words of Dr. Sin Hang Lee, who specializes in HPV detection, “the proposal of adding general HPV vaccination to a well-screened women population is superfluous.” Except, of course, if you are the manufacturer of that vaccine.

Are parents or adult women considering HPV vaccination provided these facts by their doctors before receiving the vaccination, so they can make an informed choice? As with other vaccines, the risk/benefit is not typically communicated to patients, which is why it is up to the individual to get educated and to speak up when vaccine exemptions are threatened.

Action Alert! Write to the CDC and tell them that it is madness to recommend a dangerous  vaccine that can increase women’s risk of cancer. Please send your message immediately.

 

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Fake Organics: Will Congress Step In?

A new bill has important provisions that will help stop fake organics from flooding US markets. Action Alert!

A  bill has been introduced by Rep. John Faso (R-NY) to address some of the program’s shortcomings in ensuring the integrity of imported organics. This follows an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit report that found significant flaws with the USDA’s organics program.

Shockingly, but not surprisingly, the OIG report found that imported “organics” are being fumigated at US ports of entry, and then sold as organic on store shelves. This problem is on top of the problem we have earlier cited of fake organic products flooding in after certification by fraudulent certifiers. The USDA says it is looking into the latter problem. We will have to see if they are serious about doing so.

To address this and other concerns, HR 3871:

• Includes more funding for the National Organics Program (NOP), increasing the budget almost threefold by 2018 to improve enforcement and compliance efforts.
• Requires the USDA to write rules so that currently uncertified entities, such as brokers, ports, and online auctions, become organic-certified or lose their organic labeling.
• Authorizes one-time funding of $5 million on top of NOP’s annual budget to modernize NOP’s international trade and transaction certificates, such as through an electronic system to ensure full traceability.
• Gives NOP oversight and approval authority over any certifying agent operating outside the US, and requires an annual authorization for each certifying agent that intends to operate in any foreign country.
• Allows NOP to require increased documentation or verification before granting certification, in the case of a known or suspected concern.

• Requires NOP to submit an annual report to Congress describing the agency’s domestic and overseas investigations and compliance actions.

HR 3871 won’t fix all the problems with the government’s organics program, which we’ve argued has been co-opted by Big Food. More funding will never substitute for a will to enforce the law, and more funding will make it much harder to get the bill passed.  But this is a step in the right direction in getting the NOP to do its job and ensure the integrity of our domestic organics program.

For this bill or an amended version to gain momentum, lawmakers will have to hear from their constituents that it’s a matter of concern.

Action Alert! Tell your representative to support HR 3871. Please send your message immediately.

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Fake Organics: Will Congress Step In?

A new bill has important provisions that will help stop fake organics from flooding US markets. Action Alert!

A  bill has been introduced by Rep. John Faso (R-NY) to address some of the program’s shortcomings in ensuring the integrity of imported organics. This follows an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit report that found significant flaws with the USDA’s organics program.

Shockingly, but not surprisingly, the OIG report found that imported “organics” are being fumigated at US ports of entry, and then sold as organic on store shelves. This problem is on top of the problem we have earlier cited of fake organic products flooding in after certification by fraudulent certifiers. The USDA says it is looking into the latter problem. We will have to see if they are serious about doing so.

To address this and other concerns, HR 3871:

• Includes more funding for the National Organics Program (NOP), increasing the budget almost threefold by 2018 to improve enforcement and compliance efforts.
• Requires the USDA to write rules so that currently uncertified entities, such as brokers, ports, and online auctions, become organic-certified or lose their organic labeling.
• Authorizes one-time funding of $5 million on top of NOP’s annual budget to modernize NOP’s international trade and transaction certificates, such as through an electronic system to ensure full traceability.
• Gives NOP oversight and approval authority over any certifying agent operating outside the US, and requires an annual authorization for each certifying agent that intends to operate in any foreign country.
• Allows NOP to require increased documentation or verification before granting certification, in the case of a known or suspected concern.

• Requires NOP to submit an annual report to Congress describing the agency’s domestic and overseas investigations and compliance actions.

HR 3871 won’t fix all the problems with the government’s organics program, which we’ve argued has been co-opted by Big Food. More funding will never substitute for a will to enforce the law, and more funding will make it much harder to get the bill passed.  But this is a step in the right direction in getting the NOP to do its job and ensure the integrity of our domestic organics program.

For this bill or an amended version to gain momentum, lawmakers will have to hear from their constituents that it’s a matter of concern.

Action Alert! Tell your representative to support HR 3871. Please send your message immediately.

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Action Alert: Tell the CDC to Rethink HPV Recommendations

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Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support Organic Integrity

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Action Alert: Tell the CDC to Rethink HPV Recommendations

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Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support Organic Integrity

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Do You Want a CRISPR Baby?

Read Article

Action Alert

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CDC Pushing HPV Vaccines On Older Women, Despite Risks

Read Article

Action Alert

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Do You Want a CRISPR Baby?

Read Article

Action Alert

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CDC Pushing HPV Vaccines On Older Women, Despite Risks

Read Article

Action Alert

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What Caused the Measles Outbreak?

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) claims to have the answers, but the analysis is deceptive.

From The Washington Post:

People who don’t get vaccinated are the most likely reason for the steady increase in the rate of measles and major outbreaks in the United States, according to an analysis released Tuesday.

The findings, published in JAMA, add to the body of evidence linking failure to vaccinate with the spread of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease. Once common in the United States, measles was eliminated nationally in 2000 but has made a return in recent years largely because of people who reject vaccinating their children, experts say.

Comment: This is the same propaganda we heard as the outbreak was happening. It was wrong then, and it’s wrong now. The study looked at 1,789 measles cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 2001 and 2015, reporting that 70% were unvaccinated—but the authors admit that there was “lack of verifiable immunization on nearly half of the adult cases.” Even if we accept the study’s numbers at face value, it means that 30% of measles cases occurred in those who were vaccinated. An earlier JAMA study estimated that the vaccination rate among individuals that were exposed to measles during the 2015 outbreak at Disneyland was as high as 86%. There have even been cases where measles was transmitted in a school with a documented immunization level of 100%. What this tells us is that vaccination is not as effective at preventing disease as the public is often led to believe.

The study, and the media eagerly reporting on it, also fail to point out the fact that multiple studies have shown that vaccinated kids, especially those recently vaccinated, can spread disease, because the vaccine contains live virus.

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What Caused the Measles Outbreak?

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) claims to have the answers, but the analysis is deceptive.

From The Washington Post:

People who don’t get vaccinated are the most likely reason for the steady increase in the rate of measles and major outbreaks in the United States, according to an analysis released Tuesday.

The findings, published in JAMA, add to the body of evidence linking failure to vaccinate with the spread of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease. Once common in the United States, measles was eliminated nationally in 2000 but has made a return in recent years largely because of people who reject vaccinating their children, experts say.

Comment: This is the same propaganda we heard as the outbreak was happening. It was wrong then, and it’s wrong now. The study looked at 1,789 measles cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 2001 and 2015, reporting that 70% were unvaccinated—but the authors admit that there was “lack of verifiable immunization on nearly half of the adult cases.” Even if we accept the study’s numbers at face value, it means that 30% of measles cases occurred in those who were vaccinated. An earlier JAMA study estimated that the vaccination rate among individuals that were exposed to measles during the 2015 outbreak at Disneyland was as high as 86%. There have even been cases where measles was transmitted in a school with a documented immunization level of 100%. What this tells us is that vaccination is not as effective at preventing disease as the public is often led to believe.

The study, and the media eagerly reporting on it, also fail to point out the fact that multiple studies have shown that vaccinated kids, especially those recently vaccinated, can spread disease, because the vaccine contains live virus.

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Obamacare Reinterpreted?

No, not by Congress—by a Trump executive order.

President Trump has signed an executive order expanding access to “association health plans”—policies that do not have to adhere to a number of Obamacare rules.

The idea, strongly supported by Sen. Rand Paul, is that individuals with a common profession or interest could band together and be counted as a “large-group” (equivalent to an employer) for health insurance purposes.

Individuals could thus opt out of the Obamacare plans they’re currently enrolled in, and presumably obtain lower rates when they buy into catastrophic or bare bones plans.  The consequence of the executive order could be a parallel, consumer-driven system, although one that could be reversed by the next president.

Association plans are regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).  “Large-group” plans are subject to fewer mandates than under Obamacare – such as having to offer Essential Health Benefits.  Large-group plans also have more leeway in setting premiums, which can be based on the health of the group (which is barred under the ACA for small-group plans).  Associations that gain large-group status could therefore offer less expensive coverage if they were made up mainly of younger, healthier members.

Most association health plans now in place are considered small-group plans.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has gone on record in opposition, arguing that it would “make insurance less available, make insurers less accountable, and prevent regulators from assisting consumers in their states.” This not surprising. State officials do not welcome competition from insurance approved in other states.

It is also unclear if the executive order will withstand legal scrutiny and challenge. Congress could also undermine the effort by refusing to fund changes to existing law made by the executive order.

This is just the start of the process. Several federal agencies have been directed to write rules implementing the executive order, so there will be future opportunities for the public to weigh in on the new regulations. We will keep you posted on these developments.

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Obamacare Reinterpreted?

No, not by Congress—by a Trump executive order.

President Trump has signed an executive order expanding access to “association health plans”—policies that do not have to adhere to a number of Obamacare rules.

The idea, strongly supported by Sen. Rand Paul, is that individuals with a common profession or interest could band together and be counted as a “large-group” (equivalent to an employer) for health insurance purposes.

Individuals could thus opt out of the Obamacare plans they’re currently enrolled in, and presumably obtain lower rates when they buy into catastrophic or bare bones plans.  The consequence of the executive order could be a parallel, consumer-driven system, although one that could be reversed by the next president.

Association plans are regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).  “Large-group” plans are subject to fewer mandates than under Obamacare – such as having to offer Essential Health Benefits.  Large-group plans also have more leeway in setting premiums, which can be based on the health of the group (which is barred under the ACA for small-group plans).  Associations that gain large-group status could therefore offer less expensive coverage if they were made up mainly of younger, healthier members.

Most association health plans now in place are considered small-group plans.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has gone on record in opposition, arguing that it would “make insurance less available, make insurers less accountable, and prevent regulators from assisting consumers in their states.” This not surprising. State officials do not welcome competition from insurance approved in other states.

It is also unclear if the executive order will withstand legal scrutiny and challenge. Congress could also undermine the effort by refusing to fund changes to existing law made by the executive order.

This is just the start of the process. Several federal agencies have been directed to write rules implementing the executive order, so there will be future opportunities for the public to weigh in on the new regulations. We will keep you posted on these developments.

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A Door Opens for Insurance Coverage of Non-Opioid Pain Treatments

Thirty-seven state attorneys general recently wrote to American’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), saying that the status quo is unacceptable. We agree. Action Alert!

The letter urges AHIP to encourage healthcare providers to prioritize non-opioid pain management options–such as physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage—over opioid prescriptions in the treatment of chronic pain.

Opioid addiction is killing people in startling numbers—more people each year than are killed in traffic accidents, and the single largest contributor to deaths among those younger than 50.

ANH agrees that insurers should rethink their policies and cover non-opioid pain treatments – but we would add a number of other treatments to the list, including CBD oil, fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids produce cannabinoids naturally in the body), boswellia, white willow bark and other anti-inflammatories, as well as electrical and magnetic treatments.

This would of course save insurers and patients a lot of money. Opioid treatments can cost patients thousands of dollars a year. An overall economic analysis suggests that prescription opioid use disorders and overdoses cost the US $78 billion in 2013 alone. Natural medicine is of course far cheaper—as long as Big Pharma isn’t allowed to corner the fish oil market, as Amarin is currently trying to do.

Action Alert! Send a message to AHIP, urging their member companies to heed the state attorney generals’ message and begin covering natural approaches to pain control. Please send your message immediately.

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Don’t Turn Vitamins into Drugs

We must keep the FDA from turning a vital nutrient over to Big Pharma. Action Alert!

An important study finds that carbidopa, a standard Parkinson’s drug, “irreversibly binds to and permanently deactivates” pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (P5P), a key form of vitamin B6 in the body. The authors describe the essential role P5P plays in the body: “[P5P] is required for the function of over 300 enzymes and proteins. Virtually every major system of the body is impacted directly or indirectly by [it].”

You’re not likely to hear from a conventional doctor how this drug destroys a vital nutrient in your body, just as you’re unlikely to hear how a host of other drugs interfere with the body’s absorption of key vitamins and minerals. (The FDA hasn’t approved alternative therapies for Parkinson’s, such as focused ultrasound, even though it is approved for similar conditions.)

Actually, the FDA would prefer you to take your B6 in the form of a drug. You may recall the case of pyridoxamine, one of three natural and bioavailable forms of vitamin B6. This vitamin has many health benefits; indeed, we could not live without B6. Notwitstanding, in 2009 the FDA banned the supplement form of pyridoxamine in response to a petition from a drug company, which wanted to use it in a drug formulation.

P5P faces a similar threat. The FDA is considering a petition from Medicure Pharma to ban P5P because the company wants to turn this crucial vitamin into a drug. This is especially scary—all forms of B6, natural or synthetic, must be converted to P5P for the body to use them. If the FDA approves the petition, anyone who is not able to convert synthetic B6 to P5P would have to rely solely on Medicure’s product to stay alive.

The FDA needs to know that we realize what’s going on, and that consumers won’t tolerate the loss of another vital nutrient, one that we would die without,  to the pharmaceutical industry.

Action Alert! Write to the FDA and urge them not to grant Medicure’s petition to turn P5P into a drug. Please send your message immediately.

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A Door Opens for Insurance Coverage of Non-Opioid Pain Treatments

Thirty-seven state attorneys general recently wrote to American’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), saying that the status quo is unacceptable. We agree. Action Alert!

The letter urges AHIP to encourage healthcare providers to prioritize non-opioid pain management options–such as physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage—over opioid prescriptions in the treatment of chronic pain.

Opioid addiction is killing people in startling numbers—more people each year than are killed in traffic accidents, and the single largest contributor to deaths among those younger than 50.

ANH agrees that insurers should rethink their policies and cover non-opioid pain treatments – but we would add a number of other treatments to the list, including CBD oil, fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids produce cannabinoids naturally in the body), boswellia, white willow bark and other anti-inflammatories, as well as electrical and magnetic treatments.

This would of course save insurers and patients a lot of money. Opioid treatments can cost patients thousands of dollars a year. An overall economic analysis suggests that prescription opioid use disorders and overdoses cost the US $78 billion in 2013 alone. Natural medicine is of course far cheaper—as long as Big Pharma isn’t allowed to corner the fish oil market, as Amarin is currently trying to do.

Action Alert! Send a message to AHIP, urging their member companies to heed the state attorney generals’ message and begin covering natural approaches to pain control. Please send your message immediately.

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Don’t Turn Vitamins into Drugs

We must keep the FDA from turning a vital nutrient over to Big Pharma. Action Alert!

An important study finds that carbidopa, a standard Parkinson’s drug, “irreversibly binds to and permanently deactivates” pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (P5P), a key form of vitamin B6 in the body. The authors describe the essential role P5P plays in the body: “[P5P] is required for the function of over 300 enzymes and proteins. Virtually every major system of the body is impacted directly or indirectly by [it].”

You’re not likely to hear from a conventional doctor how this drug destroys a vital nutrient in your body, just as you’re unlikely to hear how a host of other drugs interfere with the body’s absorption of key vitamins and minerals. (The FDA hasn’t approved alternative therapies for Parkinson’s, such as focused ultrasound, even though it is approved for similar conditions.)

Actually, the FDA would prefer you to take your B6 in the form of a drug. You may recall the case of pyridoxamine, one of three natural and bioavailable forms of vitamin B6. This vitamin has many health benefits; indeed, we could not live without B6. Notwitstanding, in 2009 the FDA banned the supplement form of pyridoxamine in response to a petition from a drug company, which wanted to use it in a drug formulation.

P5P faces a similar threat. The FDA is considering a petition from Medicure Pharma to ban P5P because the company wants to turn this crucial vitamin into a drug. This is especially scary—all forms of B6, natural or synthetic, must be converted to P5P for the body to use them. If the FDA approves the petition, anyone who is not able to convert synthetic B6 to P5P would have to rely solely on Medicure’s product to stay alive.

The FDA needs to know that we realize what’s going on, and that consumers won’t tolerate the loss of another vital nutrient, one that we would die without,  to the pharmaceutical industry.

Action Alert! Write to the FDA and urge them not to grant Medicure’s petition to turn P5P into a drug. Please send your message immediately.

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Action Alert: Tell Insurers to Cover Natural Pain Medicine!

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Action Alert: Don’t Turn Vitamins into Drugs

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Action Alert: Tell Insurers to Cover Natural Pain Medicine!

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Action Alert: Don’t Turn Vitamins into Drugs

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Leyla Weighs In: Getting to the root of acne

By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN

Acne is not just the scourge of teenagers swimming in raging hormones, but in adults too who may have hormonal imbalances (i.e., perimenopause) or other health conditions that present as inflammation leading to a breakout.

Rather than resorting to antibiotics which will eventually cause imbalances in the ecosystem of the gut, or dangerous drugs such as Accutane which can cause ulcerative colitis, or skin creams which trade one problem for another: acne for dry, stinging skin, it’s important to identify the cause of breakouts.

Sugars and other refined carbohydrates feed the propionibacterium responsible for acne. Proinflammatory vegetable oils used in chips, fried food and other heavily processed foods only worsen the problem.

Bad bacteria in the gut can manifest as acne on the face, chest and back (‘bacne’). Testing for dysbiosis will help identify it so we can get rid of the bacteria. Then, implementing an appropriate probiotic treatment to reinoculate the gut with beneficial bacteria will help reduce if not completely eliminate breakouts due to bacterial overgrowth.

A leaky gut can also cause inflammation resulting in a breakout. Food allergies are often a culprit in acne and are further exacerbated by a leaky gut. An intestinal permeability test can identify if leaky gut exists and create the roadmap for proper nutritional intervention.

Women with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) are often plagued with acne due to high levels of androgens (i.e., DHEA, testosterone). Those afflicted are often given oral contraceptives to regulate hormones but birth control pills can aggravate insulin resistance as well as deplete B vitamins and vitamin C.

Resolving the underlying insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia with the appropriate diet, supplements and lifestyle changes can help correct the hormone imbalances and diminish breakouts. Please note that many cases of PCOS will require prescription metformin in addition to diet and lifestyle changes.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2xtOVw0 via Aloe for Health

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Ronald Hoffman, MD

ImmPower – AHCC to increase natural killer (NK) cell activity and immune support. One capsule twice daily.

AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compounds) are beta glucan compounds derived from mushrooms. They specifically activate NK cells, which combat infections and cancer. In Japan, AHCC is used extensively as a medication to support immunity in cancer patients undergoing chemo and radiation.

In research performed at Drexel University in Philadelphia, AHCC was found to increase flu survival in experimental animals, to minimize symptoms and to hasten recovery.

Probiotics – Beneficial bacteria/flora to help achieve and support optimal immune function. One to six probiotic capsules daily depending on symptoms.

A little appreciated fact is that 70 percent of our immune system is located within the GI tract, predominantly in Peyer’s Patches that line the gut with immune tissue. These defense sentinels constantly sift the intestinal contents for immune messages. Probiotics prime the intestinal immune system for normal resistance.

Studies have shown that merely by taking probiotics, upper respiratory infections can be reduced in severity and frequency. One such study from Scandinavia demonstrated that office workers experienced less absenteeism when supplemented with probiotics.

Vitamin D -The “antibiotic vitamin,” critical to optimal immune function. 5,000 IU daily through cold and flu season.

If you’ve listened to Health Talk, you’ve heard my interviews with Dr. John Cannell of http://ift.tt/1PYjrzp discussing the immune-protective benefits of D.

He discovered this serendipitously, while undertaking vitamin D research on psychiatric inpatients under his care. When a flu epidemic ravaged his hospital, only his patients receiving generous doses of D were spared.

New research, out of Oregon State University, demonstrates that our primate ancestors evolved to utilize vitamin D for immune protection 60 million years ago. Vitamin D primes the immune system to fight pathogens but also puts the brakes on out-of-control immune responses. That’s why it’s helpful as an immune modulator in auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and MS.

Dr. Cannell believes, and I concur, that when the flu strikes, early administration of 50,000 IU daily for three consecutive days is safe and effective for blunting flu severity in adults.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2xusmal via Aloe for Health

from http://ift.tt/2gqjuwR

Leyla Weighs In: Getting to the root of acne

By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN

Acne is not just the scourge of teenagers swimming in raging hormones, but in adults too who may have hormonal imbalances (i.e., perimenopause) or other health conditions that present as inflammation leading to a breakout.

Rather than resorting to antibiotics which will eventually cause imbalances in the ecosystem of the gut, or dangerous drugs such as Accutane which can cause ulcerative colitis, or skin creams which trade one problem for another: acne for dry, stinging skin, it’s important to identify the cause of breakouts.

Sugars and other refined carbohydrates feed the propionibacterium responsible for acne. Proinflammatory vegetable oils used in chips, fried food and other heavily processed foods only worsen the problem.

Bad bacteria in the gut can manifest as acne on the face, chest and back (‘bacne’). Testing for dysbiosis will help identify it so we can get rid of the bacteria. Then, implementing an appropriate probiotic treatment to reinoculate the gut with beneficial bacteria will help reduce if not completely eliminate breakouts due to bacterial overgrowth.

A leaky gut can also cause inflammation resulting in a breakout. Food allergies are often a culprit in acne and are further exacerbated by a leaky gut. An intestinal permeability test can identify if leaky gut exists and create the roadmap for proper nutritional intervention.

Women with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) are often plagued with acne due to high levels of androgens (i.e., DHEA, testosterone). Those afflicted are often given oral contraceptives to regulate hormones but birth control pills can aggravate insulin resistance as well as deplete B vitamins and vitamin C.

Resolving the underlying insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia with the appropriate diet, supplements and lifestyle changes can help correct the hormone imbalances and diminish breakouts. Please note that many cases of PCOS will require prescription metformin in addition to diet and lifestyle changes.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2xtOVw0 via Aloe for Health
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2xrSzuV

Ronald Hoffman, MD

ImmPower – AHCC to increase natural killer (NK) cell activity and immune support. One capsule twice daily.

AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compounds) are beta glucan compounds derived from mushrooms. They specifically activate NK cells, which combat infections and cancer. In Japan, AHCC is used extensively as a medication to support immunity in cancer patients undergoing chemo and radiation.

In research performed at Drexel University in Philadelphia, AHCC was found to increase flu survival in experimental animals, to minimize symptoms and to hasten recovery.

Probiotics – Beneficial bacteria/flora to help achieve and support optimal immune function. One to six probiotic capsules daily depending on symptoms.

A little appreciated fact is that 70 percent of our immune system is located within the GI tract, predominantly in Peyer’s Patches that line the gut with immune tissue. These defense sentinels constantly sift the intestinal contents for immune messages. Probiotics prime the intestinal immune system for normal resistance.

Studies have shown that merely by taking probiotics, upper respiratory infections can be reduced in severity and frequency. One such study from Scandinavia demonstrated that office workers experienced less absenteeism when supplemented with probiotics.

Vitamin D -The “antibiotic vitamin,” critical to optimal immune function. 5,000 IU daily through cold and flu season.

If you’ve listened to Health Talk, you’ve heard my interviews with Dr. John Cannell of http://ift.tt/1PYjrzp discussing the immune-protective benefits of D.

He discovered this serendipitously, while undertaking vitamin D research on psychiatric inpatients under his care. When a flu epidemic ravaged his hospital, only his patients receiving generous doses of D were spared.

New research, out of Oregon State University, demonstrates that our primate ancestors evolved to utilize vitamin D for immune protection 60 million years ago. Vitamin D primes the immune system to fight pathogens but also puts the brakes on out-of-control immune responses. That’s why it’s helpful as an immune modulator in auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and MS.

Dr. Cannell believes, and I concur, that when the flu strikes, early administration of 50,000 IU daily for three consecutive days is safe and effective for blunting flu severity in adults.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2xusmal via Aloe for Health
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2fYoI2n

Dr. Richard Nahas- Lymph and the Brain

This recent discovery of a lymphatic system in the brain has been reported as a revolution in neuroscience. It was always assumed that there was no connection between the brain and the immune system of the body. But powerful new evidence, which includes beautiful images, shows that a rich network of lymphatic vessels travel along the veins that drain the brain.

We treat patients with post-concussion syndrome, chronic pain and other disorders. These are often triggered by relatively minor injuries, for which the severity of the symptoms just doesn’t make sense. But they can be explained by a few key ideas that are common principles of integrative medicine.

• there are long sheets of fascia that weave through all the tissues of the body, creating planes of movement that extend from the trunk to the extremities
• restrictions in fascia in a previously injured area can affect function and movement in that area – and along the entire plane
• pulling and tightness from restrictions in fascia can affect lymphatic drainage
• lymphatic vessels are innervated by the sympathetic nerves – the part of the nervous system that controls the stress response

READ FULL ARTICLE

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2z8Sj1l via Aloe for Health

from http://ift.tt/2ybgrSq

Dr. Richard Nahas- Lymph and the Brain

This recent discovery of a lymphatic system in the brain has been reported as a revolution in neuroscience. It was always assumed that there was no connection between the brain and the immune system of the body. But powerful new evidence, which includes beautiful images, shows that a rich network of lymphatic vessels travel along the veins that drain the brain.

We treat patients with post-concussion syndrome, chronic pain and other disorders. These are often triggered by relatively minor injuries, for which the severity of the symptoms just doesn’t make sense. But they can be explained by a few key ideas that are common principles of integrative medicine.

• there are long sheets of fascia that weave through all the tissues of the body, creating planes of movement that extend from the trunk to the extremities
• restrictions in fascia in a previously injured area can affect function and movement in that area – and along the entire plane
• pulling and tightness from restrictions in fascia can affect lymphatic drainage
• lymphatic vessels are innervated by the sympathetic nerves – the part of the nervous system that controls the stress response

READ FULL ARTICLE

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2z8Sj1l via Aloe for Health
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2y3FRCj

Are Government Nutrition Recommendations Killing Us?

A brand new study suggests the answer may be yes.

The study, published in The Lancet, is the first major study to look at all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease and nutrition. Here are just two of the major takeaways

• High carb diets are killing many of us around the world. The study tracked over 135,000 people aged between 35 and 70 from 18 countries; those on a low fat/high carb diet had an increased risk of early death compared to those on a lower carb/higher fat diet.
• Raw and cooked vegetables are not created equal. Broadly speaking, the study showed that consumption of raw vegetables was more protective against cardiovascular disease than cooked vegetables. As our colleagues at ANH-International point out, many phytochemicals, vitamins, and other nutrients are heat-sensitive and may be damaged by heat.

These findings, particularly on fat versus carbs, echo our criticisms of the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans that were released in 2016. Those guidelines encourage Americans to reduce consumption of saturated fat, based on the outdated notion that fat leads to heart disease.

Don’t wait until 2020 when the US government next updates its Dietary Guidelines. History tells us the revised guidelines won’t change much. Pressure from Big Food, Big Ag, Big Biotech and their revolving doors with the USDA, NIH and FDA will likely still override the state-of-the-art of nutritional science.

The bottom line is that government should not be in charge of doling out nutrition advice. As the latest research suggests, government advice is likely killing us.

We’re going to continue doing everything we can with our medical and scientific partners and collaborators to influence decision-making and expose the corruption of science.

But in the meantime, those wanting to use food to help live longer and healthier lives should check out ANH-International’s Food4Health guidelines for some excellent nutritional guidance.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2geFLNX via Aloe for Health

from http://ift.tt/2hQLg9k

Are Government Nutrition Recommendations Killing Us?

A brand new study suggests the answer may be yes.

The study, published in The Lancet, is the first major study to look at all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease and nutrition. Here are just two of the major takeaways

• High carb diets are killing many of us around the world. The study tracked over 135,000 people aged between 35 and 70 from 18 countries; those on a low fat/high carb diet had an increased risk of early death compared to those on a lower carb/higher fat diet.
• Raw and cooked vegetables are not created equal. Broadly speaking, the study showed that consumption of raw vegetables was more protective against cardiovascular disease than cooked vegetables. As our colleagues at ANH-International point out, many phytochemicals, vitamins, and other nutrients are heat-sensitive and may be damaged by heat.

These findings, particularly on fat versus carbs, echo our criticisms of the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans that were released in 2016. Those guidelines encourage Americans to reduce consumption of saturated fat, based on the outdated notion that fat leads to heart disease.

Don’t wait until 2020 when the US government next updates its Dietary Guidelines. History tells us the revised guidelines won’t change much. Pressure from Big Food, Big Ag, Big Biotech and their revolving doors with the USDA, NIH and FDA will likely still override the state-of-the-art of nutritional science.

The bottom line is that government should not be in charge of doling out nutrition advice. As the latest research suggests, government advice is likely killing us.

We’re going to continue doing everything we can with our medical and scientific partners and collaborators to influence decision-making and expose the corruption of science.

But in the meantime, those wanting to use food to help live longer and healthier lives should check out ANH-International’s Food4Health guidelines for some excellent nutritional guidance.

from The Alliance for Natural Health http://ift.tt/2geFLNX via Aloe for Health
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2y3lDrV

Big Pharma: Our Opioid Crisis Saviors?

Not likely, but that’s what crony government officials are promoting.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

TRENTON — Gov. Christie on Monday said the pharmaceutical industry will partner with the National Institutes of Health to more quickly  find solutions to stem the opioid epidemic.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting in Trenton, Christie said 14 pharmaceutical companies have agreed to share data and, working with the NIH, develop non-addictive pain medicine and new medication-assisted treatment for those who are addicted.

Comment: So Big Pharma gets us into this mess with drugs like fentanyl that are up to 100 times more potent than morphine—and now the government is going to help them work together ( read form a monopoly) to sell us the non-addictive cure. The common denominator? Massive profits for the drug companies, subsidized by taxpayers. The availability of affordable, non-addictive, natural alternatives—such as CBD oil—is not on the table until such time as the drug industry gains complete control of it.

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