Before you read, I recieved this with an interesting question from a friend; “Mercury Is Okay For Vaccines But Not For Dental Fillings?”

Read on… 

Mercury teeth fillings may harm some: FDA
Wed Jun 4, 2008 8:26pm EDT

http://www. reuters. com/article/healthNews/idUSN0439217520080605?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Silver-colored metal dental fillings contain mercury that may cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses, the Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday after settling a related lawsuit.

As part of the settlement with several consumer advocacy groups, the FDA agreed to alert consumers about the potential risks on its website and to issue a more specific rule next year for fillings that contain mercury, FDA spokeswoman Peper Long said.

Millions of Americans have the fillings, or amalgams, to patch cavities in their teeth.

“Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses,” the FDA said in a notice on its Web site.

“Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner,” the agency said.

The FDA said it did not recommend that people who currently have mercury fillings get them removed.

The FDA must issue the new rules in July 2009, Long said.

Such a rule could impact makers of metal fillings, which include Dentsply International Inc and Danaher Corp unit Kerr.

The new rule will give the agency “special controls (that) can provide reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the product,” Long said.

The lawsuit settlement was reached on Monday with several advocacy groups, including Moms Against Mercury, which had sought to have mercury fillings removed from the U.S. market.

While the FDA previously said various studies showed no harm from mercury fillings, some consumer groups contend the fillings can trigger a range of health problems such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. In 2006, an FDA advisory panel of outside experts said most people would not be harmed by them, but said the agency needed more information.

Mercury has been linked to brain and kidney damage at certain levels. Amalgams contain half mercury and half a combination of other metals.

Charles Brown, a lawyer for one of the groups called Consumers for Dental Choice, said the agency’s move represented an about-face. “Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA’s claims that no science exists that amalgam is unsafe,” he said in a statement.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. analyst Ipsita Smolinski said the FDA is not likely to outright ban the fillings next year but will probably call for restrictions.

“We do believe that the agency will ask for the label to indicate that mercury is an ingredient in the filling, and that special populations should be exempt from such fillings, such as: nursing women, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals,” Smolinski wrote in a research note on Wednesday.

Fewer patients have been opting for mercury fillings in recent years, instead choosing lighter options such as tooth-colored resin composites.

Only 30 percent of fillings given to patients were mercury-filled ones as of 2003, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Other options include glass cement and porcelain as well as other metals such as gold, but they cost more and are less durable, the group has said.

Sunday May 6, 2007

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and it is a great time to think about and actually get your child more physically active and interested in sports, both to help combat childhood obesity and to simply keep your child more fit and healthy.Although a lot of experts have been pushing free play lately, getting your younger child involved in youth sports, such as soccer, t-ball, flag football, or gymnastics, etc., can help build motor skills, encourage a healthy lifestyle and continued physical activity as they get older, and help your kids make new friends.

(more…)

Overnight Foot Masque

As spring brings about warmer weather, this recipe will help get our feet ready for those sandals as we walk among the flowers.

1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup dry oatmeal
3 tablespoons food grade cocoa butter
2 tablespoons honey

Process almonds in a blender until finely ground. Set aside. Process oatmeal until it reaches the same consistency as almonds. Combine ground oatmeal, cocoa butter, honey and ground almonds. Mixture may be rubbed into clean feet. Cotton socks may then be applied and left on overnight. The next morning, it is recommended to remove socks while feet are over the bathtub and rinse feet in cool water.

COLORADO 4 HEALTH FREEDOM

Thank you to everyone who helped us to defeat the Naturopathic Physician bill!  We appreciate how everyone helped to call, fax, email legislators and attend hearings! 

We still need help.  We were told the NP bill will be back again next session, and we will need to work on defeating it again.  There may also be other bills we might need to defeat.  We are also hoping there will be a health freedom bill to pass.

There is an estimated 16,000 alternative health care practitioners in Colorado.  There are thousands more consumers.  We need to educate the public on health freedom. 

There are so many people to contact, that it is impossible to contact everyone individually.  Because of this, it is very important that everyone joins the yahoogroup that we have set up.  This is the way we are informing and alerting people when issues arise.

To join this yahoo group, send a blank e-mail to: CO4HFG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
If you have any problems joining, please email Kim at kimberlysharples@msn.com and she can assist you with this.

For those who do not have Internet access, an updated message number has been setup for your convenience. We will leave messages to keep you informed of important information and legislation. This is available 24/7. Just dial 1-641-715-3900 and enter code 9357483#  You do have the ability to leave a message at this number and someone will return your call.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of the steering committee members listed below:

Joanie Sevcik – joaniesevcik@qwest.net – 303-798-1469

    CO4HF Steering Committee Member and CO CNH President

Sheryl Strom – nana4health@comcast.net – 303-904-4532

    CO4HF Steering Committee Member and CO CNH Vice-President

Kimberly Matteo – dr.matteo@yahoo.com – 720-335-6556

    CO4HF Steering Committee Member – SHFF CO State Coordinator

Jacquelyn Pinkham – jkpinkham@msn.com – 970-245-5772

    CO4HF Steering Committee Member and SHFF CO State Coordinator

Kimberly Sharples – kimberlysharples@msn.com – 719-390-1979

   CO4HF Steering Committee Member and Health Freedom Activist

Fri May 9, 2008 1:26pm EDT

LONDON (Reuters) – Celebrity British chef Gordon Ramsay said restaurants should be fined if they serve out-of-season fruit and vegetables.

“I don’t want to see asparagus in the middle of December. I don’t want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March. I want to see it home-grown,” he said after raising his concerns with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

“Fruit and veg should be seasonal. Chefs should be fined if they don’t have ingredients in season on their menu,” he told the BBC on Friday.

Ramsay, whose London restaurants include Petrus and The Savoy Grill, said Britain had become a nation of lazy eaters who followed trends and fads rather than substance.

“There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only,” he added.

(Reporting by Paul Majendie, Editing by Jeremy Lovell)

Nanotech Exposed in Grocery Store Aisles

March 11, 2008

For Immediate Release
For more information contact:
Nick Berning, 202-222-0748
Ian Illuminato, 202-222-0735

Report finds Miller Light, Cadbury and other brands have toxic risks

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Untested nanotechnology is being used in more than 100 food products, food packaging and contact materials currently on the shelf, without warning or new FDA testing, according to a report released today by Friends of the Earth.

The report, Out of the Laboratory and onto Our Plates: Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture, found nanomaterials in popular products and packaging including Miller Light beer, Cadbury Chocolate packaging and ToddlerHealth, a nutritional drink powder for infants sold extensively at health food stores including WholeFoods.

“Nanotech food was put on our plates without FDA testing for consumer safety,” said Ian Illuminato, Friends of the Earth Health and Environment Campaigner. “Consumers have a right to know if they are taste-testing a dangerous new technology.”

Existing regulations require no new testing or labeling for nanomaterials when they are created from existing approved chemicals, despite major differences in potential toxicity. The report reveals toxicity risks of nanomaterials such as organ damage and decreased immune system response.

“Nanotechnology can be very dangerous when used in food,” said report co-author Dr Rye Senjen. “Early scientific evidence indicates that some nanomaterials produce free radicals which destroy or mutate DNA and can cause damage to the liver and kidneys.”

Report co-author Georgia Miller, Friends of the Earth Australia Nanotechnology Project Coordinator, said many of the world’s largest food companies, including Heinz, Nestle, Unilever and Kraft are currently using and testing nanotechnology for food processing and packaging. Without increased federal oversight, these companies could begin sale of these products whenever they choose.

“There is no legal requirement for manufacturers to label their products that contain nanomaterials, or to conduct new safety tests,” said Miller. “This gives manufacturers the ability to force-feed untested technology to consumers without their consent.”

Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at the scale of atoms and molecules, is now used to manufacture nutritional supplements, flavor and colors additives, food packaging, cling wrap and containers, and chemicals used in agriculture.

“Friends of the Earth calls on the FDA to stop the sale of all nano food, packaging, and agricultural chemicals until strong scientific regulations are enacted to ensure consumer safety and until ingredients are labeled,” said Illuminato.

The report, released internationally today in the U.S., Europe and Australia details more than a hundred nano food, food packaging and food contact products now on sale internationally. The Australian government has already welcomed the report and announced that it will begin exploring regulation of nano food and nano agriculture as a result of the report. The full report can be found at www. foe. org.

Friends of the Earth is the U.S. voice of an influential, international network of grassroots groups in 70 countries. Since 1969, Friends of the Earth has been at the forefront of high-profile efforts to create a more healthy, just world. One of its current campaigns focuses on combating the spread of nanotechnology without regulation and oversight.

http://action. foe. org/pressRelease. jsp?press_release_KEY=343

Amendments to HB1064

Amendments to HB1064 part 2

Vanilla is one of the world’s most loved and tantalizing flavors. An incredibly versatile spice whose flavor and fragrance is an ingredient in more dishes than we could begin to list, adding a little vanilla can do wonders for most foods and beverages. Despite its ubiquity, though, vanilla is the second most expensive spice, after saffron. There are at least 150 known varieties of vanilla, but only two – Bourbon and Tahitian – are used commercially, most commonly as vanilla extract, that magical smelling liquid in the little brown bottles that is so cherished by home bakers.But vanilla is more than just an ingredient in baked goods; it’s been used for various purposes, from aromatherapy to herbal remedies, for centuries. Useful for calming both body and mind, vanilla can help us feel good. Here are some suggestions for making use of vanilla’s magic.* A tablespoon of vanilla extract added to a gallon of paint can help cut the smell.* Adding a vanilla bean or two to your furniture polish acts as both a natural insect repellant and air freshener. Bugs don’t like the smell and will stay clear, whereas you and your guests will enjoy the sweet smell of vanilla.* Vanilla’s sweetness relieves heat. Adding vanilla to a spicy recipe will soften the bite, while bringing out the sweetness and flavor of the peppers. Rubbing some vanilla on your tongue can even soothe the burn from taking a bite of something that’s too hot or spicy.* A few drops of vanilla can neutralize the acidity of tomato-based sauces.* Place a cotton ball soaked with vanilla on a saucer in your refrigerator to remove musty odors or overpowering food smells.* Soothe a teething baby by rubbing a little pure vanilla extract onto the child ‘s gums.http://www.farmersalmanac.com/natural_cures/a/the_magic_of_vanilla

Vitamin K linked to stronger bones for adolescentsBy Stephen Daniells3/5/2008- An adolescent’s vitamin K status could have important long-term implications on bone health, and a better status may protect them from osteoporosis later in life, suggests a new study.An improved status of the vitamin was found to improve bone mineral content and bone mass in the whole body, according to the study with 307 healthy children with an average age of 11.2 published in the British Journal of Nutrition.”As children grow the increase in bone mass may fail to keep up with the increase in height, or length of the bone, and as a consequence, this imbalance may result in fracture,” said lead author Marieke Summeren from University Medical Centre Utrecht.”But the main threat of a long-term shortage of K vitamins is that peak bone mass may be compromised, and as we age and begin to lose bone density, the risk of fracture in later life is increased.”Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass, which leads to an increase risk of fractures, especially the hips, spine and wrists. An estimated 75 million people suffer from osteoporosis in Europe, the USA and Japan.Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.Potential reduction of osteoporosis has traditionally been a two-pronged approach by either attempting to boost bone density in high-risk post-menopausal women by improved diet or supplements, or by maximising the build up of bone during the highly important pubescent years.About 35 per cent of a mature adult’s peak bone mass is built-up during puberty.The new study followed the children for years and correlated vitamin K status, measured as a ratio of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) to carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC), to bone mineral content (BMC) and markers of bone metabolism.Osteocalcin is a vitamin K-dependent protein and is essential for the body to utilise calcium in bone tissue. Without adequate vitamin K, the osteocalcin remains inactive, and thus not effective.Summeren and co-workers report that large variations were observed in the vitamin K status of the children, both at the start and end of the two-year study. Nonetheless, an improved vitamin K status over the time period, as was observed in 281 children, was associated with a significant increase in BMC.”There are two types of vitamin K from dietary sources. Vitamin K1 is found in leafy green vegetables, and Vitamin K2, also called menaquinones, are predominately found in fermented cheeses, curd, and the fermented soy called natto,” explained co-author Leon Schurgers from VitaK and Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of Maastricht.”Vitamin K1 is mostly used by the liver where it is involved in the synthesis of certain blood clotting factors. Vitamin K2 is also equally active outside the liver, in tissues including bone. Thus it is important to have good sources of both types of vitamin K!”The research adds to a growing body of science linking the vitamin to improved boned health, particularly in post-menopausal women. The Maastricht-based researchers previously reported that daily supplements of vitamin K2 maintained hipbone strength in postmenopausal women, while placebo led to weakening (Osteoporosis International, doi: 10.1007/s00198-007-0337-9).The double-blind, placebo controlled study followed 325 healthy women with no osteoporosis for three years and also found that vitamin K2 supplements boosted the women’s bone mineral content (BMC), compared to placebo.The new study also included researchers from VU University Medical Centre and the Danone Research Centre Daniel Carasso in France.Source: British Journal of NutritionPublished online ahead of print, doi:10.1017/S0007114508921760″Vitamin K status is associated with childhood bone mineral content”Authors: M.J.H. van Summeren, S.C.C.M. van Coeverden, L.J. Schurgers, L.A.J.L.M. Braam, F. Noirt, C.S.P.M. Uiterwaal, W. Kuis, C. Vermeer

“In my quiet moments, I think of the future with all of its wonderful possibilities and with all of its terrible temptations. I wonder what will happen to you in the next 10 years. Where will you be? What will you be doing? That will depend on the choices you make, some of which may seem unimportant at the time but which will have tremendous consequences.” Gordon B. Hinckley