High Fructose Corn Syrup - a honey bee connection?

HFCS might be what is killing off the honey bees.  It might also scramble your genes.  There is more investigation needed, but here's the info: Bee-Ware-HMF

BigPharma - You want to trust these guys?

Pulling strings and doing shady things.

The Merck Rap-Sheet (and this ain't music baby!)

Pfizer Pays Record $1.3 Billion Penalty for Drug Misbranding

Off-label marketing makes a mockery of modern medicine
So-called "off-label" marketing of drugs is rampant in the pharmaceutical industry. Although the FDA, drug companies and many conventional doctors claim the drug industry is guided by a "gold standard" of scientific scrutiny, the truth is that pharmaceuticals are routinely marketed and prescribed for health conditions for which they have never even been studied... much less actually approved by the FDA. The fact that this continues today makes a mockery of any "scientific credibility" the pharmaceutical industry claims to possess.

Drug companies take advantage of this gaping hole in regulatory oversight by getting their drugs approved by the FDA for one health condition, then heavily promoting it for numerous unrelated conditions. A drug approved for high blood pressure, for example, could be openly marketed for diabetes or Alzheimer's disease even though there is no evidence whatsoever showing the drug to be either safe or effective for such conditions.

The same is true with the intended demographics of pharmaceuticals: Drug companies often get their drugs approved for adults, then they market those drugs to children even though the drugs have never been tested with children.

The result is a pharmaceutical industry that appears to be highly regulated, but isn't. Virtually any drug can be pushed for any disease for almost any reason -- all with virtually no oversight by the FDA. In fact, in this Pfizer case, even with the Justice Department filing criminal charges against Pfizer, the FDA has stood by and done absolutely nothing to prevent such actions from being repeated in the future by Pfizer or another drug company.

See Full Story

Your Government At Work

More evidence of corruption in high places (what's new).

Follow The Money - or - What's the FDA sold you down the river for now?!

B-12

I have no opinion or supporting evidence on the following - but put it here to keep track of it for further investigation.

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
September 15 2009

The common picture of a B12 deficient patient is an elderly person with pernicious anemia. But B12 deficiency may be caused instead by food-B12 malabsorption.

Food-B12 malabsorption is the inability to release B12 from food or its binding proteins. Unlike pernicious anemia, it’s more likely to be associated with mild, preclinical B12 deficiency.

B12 deficiency is common in elderly patients. One study revealed a prevalence of 12 percent among elderly people. Other studies, focusing on those who are in institutions or who are sick and malnourished, have suggested a higher prevalence of 30 percent to 40 percent. Unfortunately, B12 deficiency is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations can be very subtle. In fact, one of its manifestations -- mild memory loss -- can mimic the early stages of dementia.

Food-B12 malabsorption is caused primarily by atrophic gastritis. More than 40 percent of patients older than 80 years have gastric atrophy that can be related to h. pylori infection.


Sources:

The Journal of Family Practice July 2007; 56(7): 537-542

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The studies mentioned in this article are further proof of a situation I’ve been warning my readers about for at least a decade: vitamin B12 deficiency is a pervasive and growing health crisis in the U.S. and other countries around the globe.

And the primary cause of the deficiency might shock you (more about that shortly).

I’m very happy to see a mainstream medical publication like the JFP acknowledge not only the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency and its primary source, but also the fact that oral supplementation is a simple, cost effective treatment for most people.

This is great news for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the discomfort, inconvenience and cost of injections to treat a B12 deficiency.

Why Vitamin B12 is Essential

Vitamin B12 fuels many of your body’s most important functions, literally from your head to your feet. Among them:

•proper food digestion and absorption
•healthy nervous system function
•formation of red blood cells
•proper circulation
•healthy immune system function
•mood regulation
•mental clarity, concentration, memory function
Your body was simply not built to function without a sufficient supply of vitamin B12 throughout its lifetime. I can’t overemphasize the importance of insuring you are getting adequate B12.

What are the Odds YOU are B12 Deficient?

The above article primarily addresses B12 deficiency in the elderly, but you shouldn’t assume you are not at risk just because you’re under a certain age or eat foods containing vitamin B12.

It’s true if you’re over 50 or a vegan/vegetarian, your chances of being vitamin B12 deficient are higher than average. But no matter your age or diet, if your body isn’t absorbing the B12 you’re giving it, you, too, could be lacking in this vitally important nutrient.

Surprising Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Since vitamin B12 is present in natural form only in animal sources of food, strict vegetarians and vegans are very high on the list of those who can expect to be B12 deficient.

Other sources of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

•Inadequate production of stomach acid -- The older you are, the less able your stomach is to produce the hydrochloric acid necessary to release B12 from the food you eat.
•Long-term use of antacid/antiulcer drugs -- Since hydrochloric acid is a requirement for the absorption of vitamin B12, it follows that if you’re taking an antacid, your stomach won’t be able to digest B12 out of your food. This class of drugs includes H2-receptor antagonists like Zantac and Tagamet, and proton pump inhibitors like Nexium and Prilosec.
•Use of the drug metformin for Type 2 diabetes -- Use of metformin (brand names include Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Fortamet, Riomet, and Glumetza) may inhibit your B12 absorption, especially at higher doses.
•Infection with H. pylori bacteria -- If you suffer from a chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, you might be B12 deficient.
•Coffee consumption -- Four or more cups of coffee a day can reduce your B vitamin stores by as much as 15 percent.
•Gastric bypass surgery
•Exposure to nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
•And the LEADING cause of vitamin B12 deficiency: food-cobalamin malabsorption syndrome -- This condition results when your stomach lining loses its ability to produce intrinsic factor, a protein that binds to vitamin B12 and allows your body to absorb it into your bloodstream at the end of your small intestine.
The Role of Intrinsic Factor in B12 Absorption

The reason your body needs intrinsic factor is because vitamin B12 is a very large molecule. It is actually the largest vitamin we know of, and the way it gets absorbed into your body is complex.

Intrinsic factor is a molecule protein made by your stomach. It grabs onto the B12 molecule and together they move through your stomach to your small intestine. When they reach the end of your small intestine, the intrinsic factor is absorbed first, pulling the B12 with it into the cells of your large intestine, where they are absorbed for use by the rest of your body.

If your body doesn’t produce enough stomach acid, then you’re not producing enough intrinsic factor either. Since the only way vitamin B12 can be absorbed into your system is through bonding with intrinsic factor molecules, it’s easy to understand why so many people are not getting adequate B12 into their bodies.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of B12 Deficiency

There are a wide range of symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, from mild to severe, which can affect your body, mind and mood.

In general, look for signs of:

1.Fatigue, lack of energy, muscle weakness, tingling in your extremities
2.Mental fogginess or problems with your memory, trouble sleeping
3.Mood swings, especially feelings of apathy or lack of motivation
Even though vitamin B12 is water-soluble, it doesn’t exit your body quickly like other water-soluble vitamins. B12 is stored in your liver, kidneys and other body tissues, and as a result, a deficiency may not show itself for a number of years.

This time lag is a serious concern, because after about seven years of B12 deficiency, irreversible brain damage can result.

Other symptoms of long-term, chronic B12 deficiency can include:

•depression
•dementia and Alzheimer's
•anemia
•neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions
•female fertility and childbearing problems
•heart disease and cancer
Sources of Vitamin B12

As I mentioned earlier, B12 is available in its natural form only in animal food sources. These include seafood, beef, chicken, pork, milk, eggs.

If you don’t consume enough of these animal products to get an adequate supply of B12, or if your body’s ability to absorb the vitamin from food is compromised, there’s good news.

Science has recently developed a technology that can reduce the effective size of the vitamin B12 molecule and help you absorb this molecule into the fine capillaries under your tongue. The delivery system for these microscopic droplets of vitamin B12 is a fine mist you spray into your mouth.

This delivery system bypasses the intrinsic factor problem and is much easier, safer and less painful than a vitamin B12 shot.

What to Do If You Suspect You Have a B12 Deficiency

Blood tests for vitamin B12 deficiency aren’t as clear cut or helpful as they are for other nutritional deficiencies. Standard tests to assess vitamin B12 concentrations are limited because the clinical severity of vitamin B12 deficiency is unrelated to vitamin B12 concentrations.

Getting your B12 and MMA serum levels lab tested is one way to go, especially if you have a compelling reason to have “official” test results.

However, it is probably a more practical approach if you suspect or are concerned you are vitamin B12 deficient, to simply supplement your diet with B12 and see if your symptoms improve.

Vitamin B12 supplementation is completely non-toxic and inexpensive, especially when compared to the cost of laboratory testing. If you aren’t getting sufficient B12 in your diet, or you suspect your body isn’t able to efficiently absorb the vitamin, I recommend you begin supplementation immediately with either an under-the-tongue fine mist spray or vitamin B12 injections.

LINK: MERCOLA & Vitamin B-12

Antioxidant ratings

I use cloves instead of breath mints and wondered if they had much value. This article in Natural News seems to indicate they are off the chart with an antioxidant rating (ORAC) of 314,446!

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Goji Berries score 25,300, and raw elderberries are 14,697. Apples score 6,681 on the ORAC scale, and raw blueberries score 6,552. (Source: ORACvalues.com)

(NaturalNews) If you follow the news on superfoods, you're probably familiar with the term "ORAC" -- Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It's a measure of the antioxidant power of a food or substance. You may not be aware that there's a new, more advanced ORAC test available today: ORACFN.

ORACFN measures the food's ability to protect against oxidative damage caused by five common radicals: hydroxyl, peroxyl, peroxynitrite, singlet oxygen, and superoxide anion. This is designed to provide a more accurate assessment on how the substance being tested might function in the human body.


The highest ORAC value on record for a common food is cloves, which score an amazing 314,446 (cloves are also an ingredient used in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas, as is cinnamon, another high scorer on the ORAC scale).

For the complete article see NaturalNews

Statin Drugs and Muscle Problems

Statin drugs have been known for some time to cause depletion of CoQ10 in the body, but research has discovered it also depletes selenium. This may cause irreperable muscle deterioration, sore aching muscles, tiredness and other symptoms common to seleniun deficiency. Atricle

H1N1 Flu pandemic - What Ya Gonna Do?

Try Vitamin D. A wimpy 400 IU/day gives little or no protection. 2000 IU/day or higher is recommended.
It is a well-known medical fact, of course, that influenza always gets worse during the winter months North of the equator and the summer months South of the equator (which are really called their "winter" months). This is because as sunlight hours lessen during the winter, the people living there become vitamin D deficient and are susceptible to influenza infections of all kinds.

Source 1
Resource 1

H1N1 - Sorry, You Lose - or - your government at work

Legal Immunity Set for Swine Flu Vaccine Makers

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius has not only given immunity to the makers of Tamiflu and Relenza for injuries stemming from their use against swine flu, she has granted immunity to future swine flu vaccines and “any associated adjuvants”.
The last time the government embarked on a major vaccine campaign against a new swine flu, thousands filed claims contending they suffered side effects from the shots. This time around, they will have no recourse.

The 2006 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (the PREP Act) allows the DHHS Secretary to invoke almost complete immunity from liability for manufacturers of vaccines and drugs used to combat a declared public health emergency.

The PREP Act removes the right to a trial jury unless a plaintiff can provide clear evidence of willful misconduct that resulted in death or serious physical injury -- and gets permission to sue from the DHHS Secretary.

But once the PREP Act is invoked to shield manufacturers from liability, the pharmaceutical firms have no financial incentive to make the safest product, and have a negative incentive to test it for safety. As long as they do not deliberately harm consumers of the product, they will not be liable for damages.

Meanwhile, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hoping to have 120 million doses of H1N1 swine flu virus vaccine ready before flu season this fall, some are raising concerns over what they see as an effort to rush the drug through safety trials.

The source of many of these concerns is the probability that the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal will be an ingredient in some of the doses of the new vaccine.

Groups opposed to current vaccination practices condemn thimerosal as a toxin responsible for the development of autism and related ailments in children. Additionally, the possibility that the swine flu vaccine could also contain an adjuvant, an ingredient that would allow more doses to be created from existing supplies of the vaccine, has also worried these groups.


Sources:

Anthrax Vaccine July 27, 2009
ABC News July 30, 2009
Prisonplanet.com July 30, 2009

Heart Health - Viscosity Test

Has your doctor ever mentioned this test? Does he know the significance of it? Probably not, as it is one of the tests one would like done BEFORE having a heart attack or stroke and as one of the indicators of cardiovascular health.

In the U.S. we deal largely in Sick-Care (don't do anything until there is a problem) rather than Health-Care (optimize health and prevent problems/illness). That is why putting a few trillion more bucks in our $ick-care system just isn't going to help! . . that's the commercial, now on with it.

From Wikipedia: "elevation of plasma viscosity correlates to the progression of coronary and peripheral vascular diseases. Anemia can lead to decrease blood viscosity, which may lead to heart failure."

From Vilastic Scientific: "Variations in blood viscoelasticity are seen in such conditions as cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, stroke and other conditions." (Note: rather technical site - probably more than you want to know)

The double whammy of 'thick blood' and high iron levels leads to trouble! Experts say your ferritin (iron) level should be around 100 ug/ml or lower. Your blood viscosity and elasticity is a rather complicated test, best understood by a qualified cardiologist. At this point I'm not sure how you determine who is qualified - I would start with one that is F.A.C.C. trained.

So what if you have high iron and high viscosity. Best remedy is to give blood - it will lower both of them! And if you don't take a lot of meds, haven't been to certain countries, it should be free.
If you can't qualify as a donor, most blood banks (Red Cross, etc.) will take a pint and throw it away, but it will cost you..... "It makes sense for everyone over age fifty (or men over 30) to give blood one to four times per year." This doesn't apply to those who are anemic or iron deficient.

Heartburn? If you want it, take a PPI med

(NaturalNews) Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, Aciphex. These and a dozen more drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have quickly become superstars of Big Pharma. As recently reported by US News and World Report, last year people worldwide shelled out some $ 25.6 billion for these drugs that are supposed to alleviate heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Although hailed by most doctors as safe, reports have started cropping up that side effects may include everything from dizziness to osteoporosis, increased risk of heart attacks, pneumonia and more. Article

Now comes research that shows the drugs actually cause the symptoms they are supposed to treat. A new study just published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, found that taking a PPI drug for eight weeks induced acid-related symptoms including heartburn, acid regurgitation and dyspepsia in healthy individuals soon after they stopped taking the pills.

"The observation that more than 40 percent of healthy volunteers, who have never been bothered by heartburn, acid regurgitation or dyspepsia, develop such symptoms in the weeks after cessation of PPIs is remarkable and has potentially important clinical and economic implications," Christina Reimer, MD, of Copenhagen University and lead author of the study, said in a statement to the media. "This study indicates unrecognized aspects of PPI withdrawal and is a very strong indication of a clinically significant acid rebound phenomenon that needs to be investigated in proper patient populations."

In the randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, the scientists investigated whether long-term treatment with a PPI could cause a dependency state. Specifically, they wanted to see if patients would need non-stop, continuous treatment with the drugs due to rebound acid hypersecretion when the medications were stopped. In all, 120 healthy participants were randomized to about three months of taking inactive placebo pills or 40 mg. of the PPI drug esomeprazole (brand names: Nexium, Esotrex) daily. This was followed by having all the research subjects take a placebo for another four weeks. A Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) was filled out weekly by those participating in the study.

During the first two weeks after withdrawal of the PPI, the majority of research participants began to have mild to moderate indigestion discomfort. What's more, the GSRS scores for acid-related symptoms were significantly higher in the PPI group during weeks 10, 11 and 12 of the study. In fact, 44 percent of the people taking the PPI experienced at least one worrisome acid-related symptom in weeks nine through 12 compared to only 15 percent in the control taking placebo pills. About 22 percent of people in the PPI group complained of dyspepsia, heartburn or acid regurgitation in week 10 and 11; around 21 percent of the research subjects had indigestion problems in week 12 of the study. However, those in the placebo group reported indigestion and reflux symptoms at a far lower rate. Only about seven, five and two percent of them had heartburn or other related problems during weeks 10, 11 and 12 of the study.

"We find it highly likely that the symptoms observed in this trial are caused by rebound acid hypersecretion and that this phenomenon is equally relevant in patients treated long term with PPIs. If rebound acid hypersecretion induces acid-related symptoms, this might lead to PPI dependency. Our results justify the speculation that PPI dependency could be one of the explanations for the rapidly and continuously increasing use of PPIs," Dr. Reimer stated.

In the media statement, the researchers noted previous research has have shown that about 33 percent of patients who start taking PPI drugs keep on refilling their prescriptions. So why do they need maintenance therapy if these drugs are supposed to successfully treat GERD and related conditions? Reimer's research strongly indicates it's because when people try to stop taking PPIs, they experience an increase in gastric acid secretion that soars beyond their pre-treatment levels. Within two weeks after withdrawal from treatment, they experience even worse heartburn, regurgitation and other GERD symptoms than ever -- so they have to go right back on the expensive PPI drug therapy.

Phthalates - Danger to unborns and infants

(NaturalNews) Chemicals called phthalates are frequently used in vinyl and other plastic products, including personal care products, children's toys, and medical devices -- despite the fact research has suggested these compounds can play havoc with the function of the human endocrine system and potentially cause a host of health problems, especially in children. Because phthalates are hormone disrupters they have been linked to childhood obesity and now to low birth weight - the leading cause of death in children under five years of age.

"Even careful reading of labels can be confusing because some manufacturers use various chemical names when they list phthalates. For example, DEHP, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate are forms of phthalates often used in as medical devices such as IV bags and tubing. DBP stands for di-n-butyl phthalate and is found in nail polish products while DEP, or diethyl phthalate, is often an ingredient in deodorants, hair gels and other personal care products."

You can also search online - just enter 'phthalates in baby products' in your search engine and browse what comes up.

Cancer and Grapeseed Extract

"An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract." For more of this article, go to University of Kentucky. You can also read a little more at NaturalNews.

Cancer - and Bayer vitamins

Take it for what it's worth. The following from CSPI:

If you are a man over 50, you've likely seen ads for Bayer One A Day men's multivitamins that claimed the mineral selenium helps reduce risk of prostate cancer or otherwise promotes "prostate health."

There's a big problem however: It's not true.

In fact, for most men, taking too much selenium may actually promote more aggressive forms of prostate cancer. And, previous studies warned against supplementing with selenium since men taking selenium developed more cases of diabetes than men in control groups who did not.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has threatened Bayer with a lawsuit over those claims, and just last month, asked the Food and Drug Administration to seize existing stockpiles of One A Day Men's Health Formula and One A Day Men's 50+ Advantage.

As CSPI senior nutritionist David Schardt said at the time, "Bayer is exploiting men's fear of prostate cancer just to sell more pills." And, a group of some of the most prominent prostate cancer researchers in the country wrote that "Bayer Healthcare is doing a disservice to men by misleading them about a protective role for selenium in prostate cancer."

Fluoride Update

Here is a rather long (1-hr, 49-min) audio interview illuminating the health risks and exposure to fluoride. You now get it on lettuce, onions, potatoes, etc. You also get it from pesticides. A very interesting listen. Dr. Bill Osmunson. Also see my previous Post on fluoride.

There is also a very dangerous class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. Over ten years ago I took several prescriptions for Cipro and suffered irreversable nervous system damage, partial loss of smell, numbness in my feet, tinnitus, panic attacts and depression.
According to Bob Patton, one of many fighting to get the truth out about these antibiotics, about half of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics that were once on the market have been removed from clinical practice due to their horrific side effects: Omniflox, Raxar, Trovan, Zagam, and Tequin have all been banned.

However, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, and Floxin continue to be prescribed for a variety of infections, both major and minor. Cipro and Levaquin are by far the favorites.

Although they are admittedly powerful anti-infectives, they are too often prescribed as a first-line defense for minor problems such as sinus, bladder, and prostate infections. These super-antibiotics should be used as a last line of defense, not handed out like candy for every patient with a sore throat, which has unfortunately become the norm.

And with devastating results.

In most cases, adverse reactions occur very quickly, sometimes after just a few pills. Reactions are usually multiple and involve many body systems.

In Dr. Cohen’s 2001 study, the following reaction rates were documented:

o Nervous system symptoms occurred in 91 percent of patients (pain, tingling and numbness, dizziness, malaise, weakness, headaches, anxiety and panic, loss of memory, psychosis)
o Musculoskeletal symptoms in 73 percent of patients (tendon ruptures, tendonitis, weakness, joint swelling)
o Sensory symptoms in 42 percent of patients (tinnitus, altered visual, olfactory, and auditory function)
o Cardiovascular symptoms in 36 percent of patients (tachycardia, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations)
o Skin reactions in 29 percent of patients (rashes, hair loss, sweating, intolerance to heat or cold)
o Gastrointestinal symptoms in 18 percent of patients (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain).

Patient BEWARE (I found out too late!) You may also want to read Wikipedia for some additional background.

CoQ10 Update

CoQ10 is necessary for energy production in every cell in your body, and is particularly critical in the heart muscle. It is also one of the key enzymes that regenerate the antioxidant vitamins in your body, such as Vit-C & E that become oxidized as they neutralize free radicals.
However, recent research (reference?) shows that most of your store bought CoQ-10 comes in the oxidized form and is useless in this role of re-energizing. How can you tell? Just poke a little hole in the capsule and squeeze a little out onto something white. If it is bright orange, it is the oxidized (or useless) form. Did you get it at a 'bargan price'? For sure you will find it oxidized.
Another fact is that your body produces CoQ-10, but this production starts decreasing after age 25 or so. By your 50's it is dramatically less.

Here is a list of common medications that lower levels of C0Q10 in the body:

Statins for cholesterol , including atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol, and simvastatin (Zocor).

Fibric acid derivatives for cholesterol, including gemfibrozil (Lopid).

Beta-blockers for high blood pressure, such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetolol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor or Toprol), and propranolol (Inderal).
Tricyclic antidepressant medications, including amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), and imipramine (Tofranil).

Also see Univ of Maryland and Wikipedia

Baby Formula . . . food for thought

This is just a quickie. For those pregnant moms out there. Here is something to become more informed about - the hazards of baby formula.

Another hazard to children and particularly the developing fetus is MSG. More later...

pH and body chemistry

The topic of acid-alkaline foods and how the relate to our health has been studied for almost a century. Keeping your body pH slightly alkaline is important to your health and is one of the many failings of the modern western diet. Want to know more? Her is a good read on the subject: The pH Nutrition Guide . But, if you search further you will find different foods listed differently. Here is an article that gives some balance to the subject of pH and foods: whfoods.
Enjoy

Information on Drugs

Want to know what the drug interactions are with supplements and herbs?
Here is an excellent resource
Enjoy!

More on Genetically Modified Food - Sugar Beets

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has just released a statement regarding the Dangers of GMO substances. Here is the Original Statement, should you desire to get it from the source. The recent proliferation of GMO foods for human consumption has been associated with the rise in early puberty as well as reproductive disorders and infertility.

A related issue: (NaturalNews for complete story) More than 70 companies have signed a pledge promising to avoid using sugar from genetically modified sugar beets "wherever possible."Genetically modified sugar beets, engineered by the Monsanto Corporation to be resistant to its herbicide Roundup, were first harvested in fall 2008. By now, sugar from those beets has likely entered the food stream. Critics of genetic engineering have raised concerns that the modified beets could produce food allergies, threaten wildlife and spread herbicide resistance or other modified traits to closely related species, including chard or table beets."We need to avoid the all-too-common situation of finding out a product is harmful after it has been approved and widely distributed," said Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology, one of the organizations sponsoring the pledge. "Requiring that GM foods be labeled is the only protection consumers have if they want to avoid eating GM foods."

For more links and information on GM foods and related articles, see this post.

MSG and obesity

A good friend sent me a link to the dangers of MSG. That lead me down a path to discover some of the stuff in PubMed that was interesting. I'll only mention one article here: MSG & Obesity

This is a direct quote of the last line in that article: "This research provides data that MSG intake may be associated with increased risk of overweight independent of physical activity and total energy intake in humans."

For more on MSG, check out my other posts on the subject:
MSG-1

MSG-2