With the growing awareness that toxic artificial sweeteners like aspartame are seriously compromising the health of the population, more and more companies are transitioning to more natural, healthy sweeteners. The transition is undoubtedly a positive one, but research has shown that the process of using other sweeteners sometimes leads to higher levels of other toxic compounds.

Sweetener Ingredient Used in Infant Formula and Energy Bars Found to Contain Arsenic

Research has recently found that organic brown rice syrup, the sweetener many companies are switching to, has significant concentrations of a heavy metal known as arsenic. In some instances, arsenic was found at levels 6 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘safe limit’ of arsenic in drinking water.

The findings came after arsenic content was analyzed in a range of products made with and without brown rice syrup. An analysis of three different brown rice syrups found that total arsenic concentrations ranged from 80 to 400 nanograms per gram. Researchers found that the proportion of organic arsenic was between 80 and 90 percent of the total arsenic level for 2 of the 3 syrups., while the 3rd syrup was made up of 50 percent.

Brian Jackson and his colleagues also tested 17 baby formulas – 15 of which dd not contain organic brown rice syrup. Baby formulas containing the sweetener ended up having 20 times higher arsenic concentrations than the formula without the sweetener.

Since organic brown rice syrup is increasingly being used in organic food products, the researchers suspect arsenic levels to increase from diet. Unfortunately, certain baby formulas and energy bars — two products often containing brown rice syrup — aren’t the only carriers of arsenic. Arsenic has also been found in many apple juice brands on numerous occasions. After hiring an independent lab to test apple juice, Dr. Oz, concluded that many apple juice brands contain high amounts of arsenic. Similarly, both apple juice and grape juice were found to be contaminated with arsenic by Consumer Reports.

The growing concern over arsenic exposure and arsenic poisoning is very real. Our bodies are being exposed to heavy metals in amounts that, in some cases, don’t exceed the “safety” limit put in place by government organizations. But with compounded ‘small amounts’ of exposure, our bodies are being completely invaded by these heavy metals in a very large way.

To reduce exposure, educate yourself on where arsenic may reside. Performing a heavy metal cleanse, buying a water and shower filter, and avoiding processed food are great steps to reducing arsenic exposure. Mothers should also breast feed babies instead of giving them infant formula or baby food, which has also been found to contain arsenic.

If there was any doubt left in your mind over the health devastating effects of processed foods, this may be the final nail in the coffin. In a video documenting what goes on in your body after consuming processed verse whole foods, small electronic devices reveal just how much your body struggles in digesting and utilizing processed foods laced with damaging ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup (which contains mercury) and aspartame. Oftentimes the truth is quite dirty, and in the case of this video you may want to make sure you’re not eating while watching — especially not processed foods!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi_DaJKsCLo

The video examines what happens in your body after consuming both processed foods and foods deemed to be wholesome. For processed foods, the subject consumed Gatorade, Top Ramen, and gummi bears, while the participant consuming a hibiscus drink, homemade broth with noodles, and gummi bears created from juice. Created by video producer Stefani Bardin in conjunction with gastroenterologist Dr. Braden Kuo at Harvard University, the video shows that you cannot even properly digest processed foods. In the case of Gatorade, it has to do with the harsh artificial ingredients that even manage to preserve the blue color for quite some time.

Using a tiny LED camera capsule, the team was able to track the visual progress of food digestion between the two different meal categories.

As you are probably fully aware, the dangers posed by processed ingredients are due to the destructive nature that the ingredients contain. In the case of genetically modified foods, which are now consuming the food supply, it is known that longterm damage can occur to human health — particularly in regards to organ damage. As video producer Stefani Bardin puts it: Ramen noddles are meant to survive armageddon, whereas homemade noodles are made to be eaten. If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to begin your own organic garden and purchase local, 100% organic produce for you and your family. It is very simple to begin organic gardening, and it can be very therapeutic for your mental health as well.

Both soda and diet soda are two drinks you won’t want to be anywhere near if you really care about your health. These highly consumed beverages contain massive amounts of sugar and toxic ingredients, leading to a great deal of health complications. Research has found that those who drink soda on a daily basis are increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Diet Soda Increases Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Lead researcher Hannah Gardener and her team studied 2,564 adults aged 69 years or older in New York City over the course of 10 years. During the time period, 591 men and women had a heart attack, stroke, or died of cardiovascular causes. Researchers found that diet soda consumption was linked to a 44 percent higher chance of heart attack or stroke, up from the 22 percent non-soda drinkers have.

Although the findings are sad for soda-consumers, it is only a glimpse of how soda and diet soda can really cause problems. Most sodas contain very large quantities of sugar. This sugar often comes in some refined form, like high-fructose corn syrup, which is even more dangerous than regular sugar and is known to contain mercury. The over-consumption of sugar alone can actually damage the body in a number of ways, including damaging DNA, causing inflammation, altering cellular metabolism, increasing production of free radicals, and causing cancer. Amazingly, high-fructose corn syrup is even worse.

Research released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that half of the US population above age 2 consumes sugary drinks like soda daily. Around 5 percent of the population consumes more than 4 12-ounce cans of soda every day. Needless to say, these stats go very much against the recommendation of the American Heart Association, which is to drink less than 3 cans of soda per week. But even soda with little or no sugar is harmful.

Marketed for containing little to no sugar, diet soda could even be worse than regular soda due to the addition of a toxic sweetener called aspartame. Aspartame has been shown to cause neurological issues as well as cancerous brain tumors. One study even found that 67 percent of female rats exposed to aspartame developed tumors about the size of golf balls.

To add to the health issues, one infographic shows that:

• Drinking two sodas per week increases risk of pancreatic cancer by 87 percent.

• Drinking one soda per day increases risk of metabolic syndrome by 44 percent and a child’s risk of becoming obese by 60 percent.

• Drinking two sodas per day increases risk of gout by 85 percent.

You may be exposing yourself to toxic cancer-causing bisphenol A (BPA) on a daily basis if you’re handling receipts from a variety of stores. While this has been known for quite some time, lawmakers in Illonois are now moving to ban the health threatening BPA. If legislators fully act and require stores to halt the usage of BPA-laced receipts, it could lead to nationwide changes being made in the fight against BPA contamination.

Introduced by State Rep. Karen May, the Illonois legislation is actually long overdue. It has been known for years that BPA can cause diabetes, artery hardening, and even infertility! Representative May explains that BPA on paper receipts are particularly of concern due to the fact that the BPA content of the receipts can actually rub off on your fingers. After rubbing off on your fingers, the BPA will go through your skin and enter your body. Hand washing is also virtually ineffective at removing it. For cashiers and customers alike, this is very concerning.

“It’s especially important because it rubs off on your fingers,” May says. “It’s a class of chemicals called endocrine disrupters, and they really do nasty things to our body.”

The legislation is a step in the right direction, as BPA is heavily ubiquitous among the food supply. Present in everything from canned goods to global currencies, this toxic chemical has been allowed by regulators to enter the food supply and now legislators must move to solve this issue.

Until this legislation is carried across the United States and elsewhere, natural solutions do exist to rid your body of BPA and reverse many of the harmful effects. I encourage you to read an article I wrote back in 2011 entitled The BPA Solution, which outlines how a total of 13 completely natural and health-promoting substances can help restore your body to optimal health and fight back against BPA toxicity.

In an exciting act of grassroots resistance to Monsanto and their GMOs that are ravaging the planet, activist Adam Eidinger has infiltrated a Monsanto shareholder meeting and posted the video up on Youtube. Eidinger discusses the negative impact of GMO crops, Roundup, and other Monsanto creations on human health and the environment. As a result, a shocked Monsanto spokesman (identified as CEO Hugh Grant by Eidinger) does his best to brush off the concerns and assure the activist that the company — the same company that has been found to be running slave rings on their GMO crop fields — cares very much about the concerns of their shareholders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvMauD9w5B4

One of the major concerns highlighted by activist Adam Eidinger, who identifies himself as an ‘occupy activist’, is the increased usage of pesticides on crops as a result of Monsanto’s failing Bt-infused GMO crops. Bt is a toxin incorporated into genetically modified crops in order to kill different insects, though recently it was exposed that Bt usage has subsequently spawned insect populations which are resistant to the biopesticide. At least 8 populations of insects have developed resistance, with 2 populations resistant to Bt sprays and at least 6 species resistant to Bt crops as a whole.

What is the result? Farmers are being forced to spray substantially more pesticides as a result, leading to further pesticide-laden genetically modified foods being unknowingly consumed by a large number of individuals.

This is also further demonstrated by the EPA, which has also found Monsanto’s GMO corn to be ineffective. It even found that the crops were creating resistant rootworms. The EPA found that the resistant rootworms, which are evolving to resist the insecticide,  are currently found Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska.

In a follow-up video, Adam Eidinger asks just how much Monsanto spends to squelch GMO labeling campaigns. Of course you may remember that Monsanto had admitted to influencing the outcome of the Colorado labeling initiative which ended in failure. With a number of phony pro-GMO protests and farmers likely paid off by Monsanto, the company managed to alter the result. The actions bring into question why Monsanto would deny consumers the right to know if their foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that sales would decrease substantially, as consumers are catching on to the dangers of GMO foods. Monsanto managed to rake in $11.8 billion in sales during the 2011 fiscal year that ended Aug 31, and they have no intention of slowing down their hazardous production — even if it means destroying your health along with the genetic integrity of the planet.

Curcumin, the key chemical in turmeric, has been shown to possess very powerful health-promoting properties. Recent research has even found that curcumin can even prolong lives of fruit flies by 75 percent. While the research was done on insects, it highlights the life-promoting aspects of this powerful substance — along with mountains of other scientific research. The findings also shed light on how curcumin can slow the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia. This research provides a potential explanation of why rates of dementia are less common among the elderly in India, where turmeric is widely used in the production of spices.

Curcumin Shown to Cause Fruit Flies to Live 75 Percent Longer

A protein known as amyloid plaques has previously been shown to lead to Alzheimer’s. While curcumin has not been found to dissolve the damaging plaque, it does accelerate nerve fiber formation by reducing the amount of oligomers, which are thought to be harmful to the nerve cells.

Prof Per Hammarstrom, of Linkoping University in Sweden, said: “The results confirm our belief that it is the oligomers that are most harmful to the nerve cells…We now see small molecules in an animal model can influence the amyloid form. To our knowledge the encapsulation of oligomers is a new and exciting treatment strategy.”

This certainly isn’t the first time turmeric has been shown to prolong life. Researchers experimenting with curcumin in the treatment of a fatal brain cancer known as glioblastoma (GBMs) published groundbreaking findings, where curcumin was shown to decrease brain tumor size in animals by 81 percent in more than 9 studies. To add to the fantastic news, there was no evidence of toxicity, which is what one could expect from chemotherapy and other cancer treatments which often result in extreme side effects. In fact, cancer drugs have been found to kill patients more quickly and spawn mega tumors!

On a similar note, researchers at the UCLA also found that curcumin exhibits cancer-blocking properties. Using 21 participants suffering from head and neck cancers, the lab found that the enzymes in the patients’ mouths responsible for promoting cancer spread and growth were inhibited by curcumin supplementation. The ingestion of curcumin intake blocked the spread of the malignant cells.

The health benefits of both turmeric and curcumin as an herbal medicine is currently catching major attention. Turmeric possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, acting simultaneously as an antiseptic used for treating wounds and as a solution for inflammatory complications. Turmeric supplements are quickly becoming a ‘must-have’ for every household. It is common, inexpensive, and provides potent health-promoting with simplicity – so much so that it has been found to positively affect over 530 diseases. Even with the smallest amount of turmeric you will undoubtedly see incredible improvements in your health.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HBSYd-g-tc

As a featured guest on The Power Hour with Joyce Riley, Anthony discusses the true severity of the Fukushima disaster and how it affects you and your family. Fukushima has had 5 major meltdowns now, in a disaster that is making experts say that it is larger than Chernobyl. Aljazeera reported in September that the radiation emitted from Fukushima would rival or surpass Chernobyl in only the weeks following the disaster.

According to Aljazeera:

“Experts say that the total radiation leaked will eventually exceed the amounts released from the Chernobyl disaster that the Ukraine in April 1986. This amount would make Fukushima the worst nuclear disaster in history.”

This news was from 2011, but the current news isn’t much better. After officials said they were going to perform a ‘cold shutdown’ to prevent any further issues, its now come out that the Fukushima reactor temperature now surpasses 752 degrees — whereas 100 degrees celsius was required for the cold shutdown.

Tepco, the operators of the plant, say the thermometer is conveniently broken, but they have been known to conceal the truth from the public in the past. It took a report months after the initiail Fukushima disaster to state that the amount of radiation released exceeds twice what experts claimed, and that report is actually very concervative. Researchers stated:

“Significantly more radioactive caesium was released into the atmosphere as a result of the Fukushima explosion than many experts previously stated. A new study challenges the official explanations of the Fukushima explosion, stating that the amount of radioactive isotope caesium-137 released at the height of the crisis was equivalent to 42% of that from Chernobyl.”

The researchers also explain how the plant operating company completely covered it up.

“In fact, this statement came with a big delay. The operating company deliberately concealed this information. The explanation is simple – the company is afraid that any checking by competent experts would reveal its inability to save the situation. Only recently, foreign experts founded a consultative body for the clean-up of the accident’s consequences. Moreover, the company is concealing the information about the amount of pollution of the environment.”

Dr. Chris Busby, who is a known authority on the Fukushima disaster, actually said that the disaster could lead to 200,000 deaths. Amazingly, reports have already shown that the disaster is killing thousands of individuals. One peer-reviewed study found that radioactive fallout from Fukushima has already killed an estimated 14,000 individuals in the United States — most under age one.

It was also found that radioactive cesium was contaminating san francisco-area milk with 150% of the EPA’s maximum contamination limit.

Beyond that, you’re also being exposed to a number of other sources of radiation throughout your day that increase the total percentage. What’s more is that some reports have also tied Fukushima radiation to an increase in heart disease. And it’s not going anywhere fast, as cesium-137 has a 30-year half-life. In fact, the land seriously contaminated by the Fukushima disaster will remain dangerously radioactive for up to 300 years.

The University of Missouri-Columbia said:

“Food grown in these regions is contaminated with cesium-137, and sadly most of the children living there who eat this food have become unhealthy. The Belrad Institute, after nine years of research and hundreds of autopsies, found that cesium-137 concentrates in the vital organs, particularly the heart and endocrine system. Professor Yuri Bandazhevsky discovered that children contaminated with cesium-137 that produced 50 atomic disintegrations per second (beck-rells) per kilogram of body weight caused irreversible heart damage in a child.”

So it’s causing irreversible heart damage. And this is not an isolated issue, either. While radiation is certainly spiking throughout Tokyo,  it is really affecting the entire globe. United States researchers are have revealed that radioactive cesium has been detected in US soil in levels that indicate a severe threat to human health.

In a video about the coming effects of Fukushima radiation on US health, one part of the transcript reads:

“It is a public health issue and not a personal health issue. What that means is that we will never know who is the individual who got cancer from Fukushima. But we can be sure that the radiation did reach here and that there will be an increase in cancers, especially on the West Coast where the Rocky Mountains stopped most of the radiation and deposited it on the ground.”

Luckily there are natural methods of combatting this radiation, particularly in the form of food and supplements. While it’s certainly beneficial for virtually everyone to consume these foods and nutritional supplements, it may be particularly vital when fighting radiation that could be damaging the health of you and your family.

• Sea vegetables: theyre nutritious, taste great, and protect against radiation with high iodine content. Kelp is a great choice here. You just have to watch out for contamination like mercury and othet toxic ingredients — make sure you buy high quality organic when possible.

• Chrlorella: Chlorella is full of chlorophyll, which may ward off radiation and is an overall immune booster.

• Spirulina: Spirulina has been been shown to not only enhance the immune system and reduce cholesterol, but also protect the body from radiation.

• Apple pectin: Beginning to gain a powerful reputation as an anti-radiation substance.

• Turmeric: this substance is really becoming the next vitamin D — it’s so powerful in boosting your immunity and recent studies show it can protect your skin from radiation. More importantly, it posesses anti-radiation and toxicity effects that can actually interfere with chemotherapy, which just shows how powerful it is. You’ll want to be taking this in a liquid form as a lot of the dry capsules don’t work very well, or perhaps in a food source. The food source is also of concern as it needs to be 100% organic and unprocessed.

Mercury found in dental amalgam fillings has been an issue within the dental community and beyond for many years. These fillings, used since the American Civil War, contain an estimated 50 percent mercury. Whenever friction meets these fillings, toxic mercury gases are emitted. This means that with each chew and dental drill comes an emission of mercury gases, leading to numerous health problems. While nearly half of dentists have stopped using amalgam fillings due to health dangers, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to act on these issues.

FDA Ignoring Own Scientists Warnings on Amalgam Fillings

In December 2010, the Food and Drug Administration convened its second scientific advisory panel on dental amalgams. Scientists yet again told the FDA that amalgam use in children, pregnant women, and hypersensitive adults must come to a halt. The toxic vapors emitted are harmful to everyone, but these groups of individuals especially suffer.

According to Campaign for Mercury Free Dentistry:

Dr. Kotagal said there is “no place for mercury in children,” Dr. Ismail said “children less than 6 years of age, I would restrict it significantly,” Dr. Thompson said “definitely not in pregnant women and definitely not in those below 6 years of age,” Dr. Fleming said we need contraindications for pregnant women, and Dr. Burbacher said, “why put amalgams in children if we know they’re going to live with that for the rest of their lives? And we don’t know what that’s going to do.”

In 2009, no one on the FDA’s panel agreed to the FDA’s ruling – unrestricted amalgam use in children and in pregnant women. Then, in 2011, FDA Center Director Jeff Shuren – the person in charge of amalgam issues – was put in the hot seat after being confronted by dentists, consumers, and scientists. In response to the concerns voiced by the dentists, consumers, and scientists, Shuren said that the FDA would make ‘an announcement by the end of the year’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ylnQ-T7oiA

Needless to say, no such announcement has been made. Until the FDA listens to its scientists, children will continue to develop neurological system complications, and the toxic vapors will continue to toxify the environment.

The solution? Give your Congressman or Congresswoman a call and ask that he/she write the FDA on this issue. To locate the name of your Member of Congress, click here.  Then phone Congress at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Member’s office. Tell them how the continued use of amalgam fillings is leading to human and environmental damage.

Microtechnology is on the horizon and offers a new frontier of possibilities in many aspects of human life. While there are twofold implications for this application of technology, its potential use for medical application has been the subject of recent attention.

Individuals who receive daily injections for medicine could instead rely on an implantable microchip device, which is currently being developed for practical use.

Many people don’t like to receive medicine in pill form and the complications that go with it, even more so with needle injected medication. The use of this remote controlled microchip technology can offer a more efficient and directed application of medicine for such people. That said, the pharmaceutical-based ‘medications’ oftentimes do little to cure the underlying diseases.

In a study conducted by MicroChips Inc, the manufacturer of this technology, researchers tested the device by using it on seven postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The device is controlled remotely to deliver doses of a bone-forming hormone, in a similar manner to that of an injection or other application.

While the subjects were only tested for 20 days, the findings will enable the developers of this technology to create similar micro implantable devices that work for a whole year. Many patients rarely follow full prescription plans for their given medication. The peer-reviewed study was published online by the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Microtechnology on the Horizon

Though the technology is not fully developed, its application could increase the rate of compliance with medications for many, due to foregoing injections or other forms of application. This can be bad, as many pharmaceuticals are dangerous and are to be avoided. Cancer drugs, for example, have been found to make tumors worse and kill the patient more quickly.

The other worry is the safety of the technology. While the application of medicine would be easier, like any other technologies, it could easily be subject to mismanagement. A good example would be if the device was used to apply a hardening agent to bones or teeth, and somehow began to harden arteries and organs not intentionally targeted.

Similarly, if an individual came to rely solely on these technologies, then when they malfunction, there is going to be an issue that may not be easily resolved — possibly resulting in danger to the user.

Its application is also limited due to the micro technology itself. Diabetics for example would not be able to fully rely on a device like this due to the amount of insulin they need to take, although it may function in mitigating or otherwise changing the application of medicine altogether. Ultimately the technology must be perfected and tested extensively before any practical applications are made, which requires long-term trials. Implantable medication chips signify a complete transition away for natural and effective cures and into a further drug-frenzied society where legitimate cures are unfairly dismissed.

There is often a large barrier between those in favor of eastern medicine and those in favor of western medicine. Methods of healing are drastically different, with western medicine being much more ‘unnatural’ than eastern. Eastern philosophy uses whole-food formulas to nourish the body’s natural healing abilities while western philosophy isolates and forces therapeutic actions to ‘treat’ disease.

Infographic | Eastern vs. Western Medicine

Eastern examination works with the elements earth, fire, wood, metal, and water to interpret the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment. Western medicine uses vital signs like height, weight, and body temperate, and general appearance for health examination.

Due to the harsh, ineffective, and dependency-driven aspects of Western medicine, Eastern medical philosophies are regaining popularity. Pharmaceutical drugs are vastly overused, leading to detrimental health effects. These drugs are dished out by profit-driven health officials who simply would not profit if the world were to awaken to the plethora of free health-promoting substances.

An infographic comparing Eastern and Western practices goes on to show how an Eastern practice like acupuncture can provide faster and safer treatments than pharmaceutical medications. A migraine can be treated with one acupuncture session, compared to western medicine where you would be dependent on harmful pain medications. Similarly, 8-25 treatments of acupuncture can treat back/neck pain, while western medicine would tackle the issue with more everlasting pain medication.

While Eastern practices are growing in popularity, Western medicine still blankets over the majority of the population. Even though Eastern medicine is still picking up, more and more people are deciding to cut out conventional medicine while turning to more natural treatments such as vitamins and foods like turmeric. In fact, there have been 0 deaths from vitamins over the past 27 years and over 3 million deaths related to prescription drug use.