Who would think that sunscreen causes cancer? It has been only a fairly recent development, but it still could cause some serious shock and awe when everyone figures out that conventional sunscreen found in drugstores nationally could be a potential risk factor for skin cancer. Sunscreens are made to protect and help your body, so why are we finding out that sunscreen causes cancer? It could be simply widespread ignorance, or it could be that the FDA has kept this secret under wraps for at least a decade.

Sunscreen Causes Cancer?

Studies conducted indicate the dangers of certain chemical compounds within sunscreen could be causing a variety of skin damaging ailments, especially when reacting with the sun’s intensive heat. Though the FDA had supervised and funded the studies showing key ingredients related to vitamin A as carcinogenic, they knowingly prevented the information from being released to the public whatsoever – up until recently. The synthetic vitamin A compound found in many sunscreen brands contain retinol and retinyl palmitate, both found to react negatively in the sunlight, becoming toxic to the system. This isn’t to be confused with the health-enhancing vitamin A that is found in many foods – it is a purely synthetic and ultimately useless ingredient. When combined with the extensive use over time, this kind of sunscreen can lead to skin damage in its users.

These aren’t the only things to be worried about when applying your doctor-recommended photocarcinogen, though. Oxybenzone and other vague mystery chemicals are found amongst a wide variety of name brand sunscreens, with many of these having yet to be proven as safe to use at all. About 8 percent of all sunscreens have been quality tested by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to be both safe and effective for the intended use, whereas the other 92 percent contain at least one (if not many more) of the ingredients designated as detrimental for human use, further adding to the worry if sunscreen causes cancer.

This means the public not only has been encouraged to buy something that is known to be detrimental for at least a decade, but is only left with a selection that is 8% safe. Not only that, but the sunscreens widely credited as preventative cures for skin cancer are also the root cause of a widespread vitamin D deficiency – a vitamin shown to slash flu risk and fight cancer. There has also been a connection made between vitamin D and weight loss. Vitamin D production is extremely limited when sunscreen is used to protect the body from natural sunlight.

So, now that there has been some research showing sunscreen causes cancer, the question remains: what will people do about it? On a larger scale, it must be demanded by enough people for the harmful ingredients to be omitted from sunscreens. Until then, tell the companies using these ingredients that you don’t want their toxic products. Spend your dollar on a safe sunscreen with safe ingredients.

Additional sources:

Environmental Working Group

Vitamin D is a well-known cancer preventative and overall health enhancer, but some researchers have even made a serious connection between vitamin D and weight loss. The University of Minnestoa study found that higher vitamin D levels coupled with a properly balanced diet helps people lose more weight than if simply utilizing a properly balanced diet. What this means is that one of many vitamin D benefits is the acceleration of fat loss, diet aside.

Vitamin D Benefits | Vitamin D and Weight Loss

The subjects were monitored for 11 weeks, and given 750 fewer calories than their estimated daily needs. They also had their fat distribution measured with DXA (bone densitometry) scans. On average, subjects had insufficient vitamin D levels, however, the authors found that baseline, or pre-diet, vitamin D levels ‘predicted weight loss in a linear relationship’. For every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol – the precursor form of vitamin D and an effective method to measuring vitamin D levels – participants lost nearly half of a pound (0.196 kg) more on their calorie-restricted diet.

Similarly, for each 1-ng/mL increase in the active form of vitamin D,1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, individuals lost about 0.25lbs (0.107 kg) more. In addition, higher baseline vitamin D levels (both the precursor and active forms) predicted greater loss of abdominal fat, lending even greater reason to take advantage of the relationship between vitamin D and weight loss.

An interesting part of the study is weight loss occurred particularly around the abdomen, a sweet spot every overweight individual wants to target. Could the vitamin D and weight loss connection focus on fat loss on the stomach area specifically? Of course it can, but first you need to build up a proper nutritional platform to work from. Vitamin D and other essential nutrients can help speed up the process of weight loss, ward off cancer, and other deadly diseases, but food can not be replaced. Ensure that you are eating the correct foods, and be careful about deceptive labeling.

“Our results suggest the possibility that adding Vitamin D to a reduced-calorie diet will lead to increased weight loss in individuals with low Vitamin D levels,” said Researcher Shalamar Sibley, M.D., who headed the study.

These findings are yet one additional indicator that vitamin D can be used to treat various conditions, as well as promote weight loss. The majority of the U.S. is deficient in vitamin D, leading to a multitude of health problems such as increased risk of contracting a cold or flu, and even depression. Some individuals don’t yet recognize the benefits of vitamin D, but sharing the knowledge on the vitamin D and weight loss connection could ignite a thirst for more knowledge.

Vitamin D is widely considered to be one of the most beneficial vitamins, though sadly many parents deprive their children of it by neglecting their need for the biggest source of the vitamin – the sun. The most recent study of children ages 4 through 7 suggests that much of it has to do with parents neglecting their child’s inherent (and very necessary) need to go outside and play.

Not Enough Vitamin D Gathered Outdoors

The study details that a massive 42 percent of all preschoolers are not being taken outside to play daily by either of their parents. Children that don’t go to daycare regularly in particular are at the highest risk of being bound to their homes. The report describes that there is “considerable room for improvement in parent-supervised outdoor play opportunities for preschool-aged children, which could have numerous benefits for young children’s health and development…in particular, efforts are needed to increase active outdoor play in children who are girls and nonwhite.”

Many thousands of modern families have a tough time adjusting to the nature of young children, being busy without end in some cases. That does not mean that it is irrelevant to try and push your children towards social and physical heights, the most important benefits of playing outside with others. Many children that are stay-at-home types without the structural benefits of daycare are likely on the verge of becoming another casualty of this generation of television.

Public schooling may also prove itself to be at some fault, especially those in urban sprawls. Many schools have been effectively desolating young students’ interests in outdoor activities by reducing the amount of recess and PE time by as much as an hour a week, in an effort to boost time spent in classrooms – all bracketed under the No Child Left Behind standard of quality.

A particularly good example of the descent of time spent outside in young school children comes from a survey taken in 1989 by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. The survey found that 96 percent of elementary schools had at least on recess during the day. A decade later, down to the 70th percentile. It is always the responsibility of the parent to decide what is best for their children, but NCLB and other like-minded organizations may believe they know what is best for all children.

High blood pressure is experienced by nearly 68 million adults in the United States alone — that’s 1 in 3 adults. Often accompanied by excess weight, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and the leading killer — heart disease. If you are someone who has high blood pressure, the mainstream medical industry wants nothing more than your eternal business, buying their pharmaceutical drugs that never really cure anything. But instead of doing that, try utilizing one of these home remedies for high blood pressure.

Natural Alternative – Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure

Drink Coconut Water to Combat High Blood Pressure

Coconut water is a tasty and nutritious beverage which has also been shown to be effective at lowering blood pressure. In one study where authors investigated the effects of coconut water when regularly consumed, they found that coconut water was able to significantly lower blood pressure in 71 percent of the study participants. This refreshing beverage has also been shown to rise above sports drinks in hydration while causing not nearly as many stomach pains. This is only one of many coconut water benefits.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Effectively helping thousands of health ailments such as strep throat and acid reflux, the benefits of apple cider vinegar also extend to treating high blood pressure. Just a few tablespoons a day for one month could have a dramatic impact. I have seen people’s blood pressure go from 150/80 to 130/80 in just a month while taking 2 tablespoons of ACV a day. Many others have experienced the same scenario, and blood pressure medications are often chucked. This is one of many home remedies for high blood pressure that could help you too.

Vitamin D

Research points out that vitamin D can be an effective solution to lower blood pressure, promote vascular health by helping blood vessels, and contribute to healthy arteries. While helping to lower blood pressure, this powerful cancer fighter can also protect you from the flu 800% better than any flu vaccine.

Aloe Vera, Hibiscus Tea, Cayenne Pepper

To add to the home remedies for high blood pressure, aloe, cayenne pepper, honey, and tea are all fabulous for helping with a whole host of health problems. They are often used in combination to treat anything from strep throat to lowering insulin levels to boosting overall health. Not surprisingly, some individuals have also found this combination to effectively lower blood pressure.

An edited statement from EarthClinic:

“One year ago I started having headaches and my Dr. found that I had high blood pressure – 187/100. Yikes. I was told I needed to take meds for life. I refused to believe that and have been searching for a natural cure since then. I have found it drinking fresh Aloe every morning. I take a medium leaf wash and remove thorns, put it in the blender, with one lemon and one tablespoon raw honey. Strain and drink on an empty stomach after one month I am off meds and my readings are 109/65! I also drink one cup of hibiscus tea a day and eat cayenne pepper with meals. My friend also tried this and she is a diabetic her blood sugar is now an average 80, and off insulin.”

In addition to all of these solutions, living an overall healthy lifestyle with some exercise will also help greatly. This means avoiding fructose, which has been shown to up the risk of having blood pressure levels of 160/100 mmHg by 77 percent with the consumption of 74 grams (2.5 sugary drinks). Maintaining a healthy weight while reducing fructose intake to no more than 20g per day are excellent preventative measures. Although there are many home remedies for high blood pressure, start with these and measure the results!

Thanks to widespread and unnecessary usage of antibiotics throughout the modern world, a heavily drug-resistant form of tuberculosis is now striking fear into the hearts of scientists and doctors alike. Affecting both poor and rich, those affected with the disease are put into quarantine and injected with a large number of super drugs. If the disease were to spread and develop, tuberculosis experts are worried that medical professionals would be helpless to stop it — at least when it comes to more of big pharma’s drugs. Natural solutions do exist, and they don’t involve the very drugs that spawned the ‘white plague’ in the first place.

India is receiving the bulk of the blame for spurring on the drug-resistant killer, as the country is known for its massive overuse of antibiotics. In fact, India has the most cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in the world, with more than 100,000 cases of the disease. While multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is still quite deadly, it is the ‘extensively drug-resistant’ and ’totally drug-resistant’ tuberculosis that worries many health organizations and officials.

‘Totally a Man Made Disease’

Make no mistake that this is not a ‘natural’ evolution of disease, but a result of excessive drug use made possible by big pharma and mainstream health officials. Even members of the World Health Organization’s ‘Stop TB Partnership’ are outraged over the man-made disease progression, with member Lucica Ditiu stating that the drug-resistant TB “is a totally man-made disease”. Dr. Zarir Udwadia, also a TB specialist from India, had similar statements, explaining that that resistant strains were ”an accident waiting to happen.”

Dr. Udwadia published a report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases last year documenting four cases of totally drug-resistant tuberculosis. Currently, he has about twelve cases of the resistant disease with no treatment options left, and three have already died. Each medicine the doctor used to combat the mutated bacteria failed, with the bacteria immune to 12 drugs total. Dr. Udwadia explains that to even get to the point of developing such a drug resistant strain, it requires severe misuse of antibiotic drugs:

“To get to this stage, you have to have amplified resistance over years, with loads of misuse of (antibiotic) drugs. And no other country throws around second-line drugs as freely as India has been doing.”

Real Solutions

It is clear that the resistant strain is a real threat to public health, with many experts concerned about a potential pandemic. Unfortunately these very same individuals who blow the whistle over the new resistant ‘white plague’ being a man-made disease are turning to even more pharmaceuticals to ‘treat’ the condition. This is a serious web of drug use, with drugs creating problems that require even more drug usage. There’s simply no room for a cure within this drug paradigm, because even if they make a drug powerful enough to wipe out the resistant tuberculosis bacteria, it comes with an onslaught of symptoms that ‘require’ more drugs.

In one case of treatment, for example, Anna Watterson was given so many drug injections in an attempt to treat the resistant disease that she was heavily bruised, constantly nauseous, and unable to go out into the sun.

Instead of subjecting yourself to this ‘drug web’, you can utilize natural solutions that will also serve to enhance other biological aspects of your life as well. Vitamin D3, for example, can not only boost your overall immunity and resistance to tuberculosis, but it can also help fight the disease once you’ve been infected. Scientists have even found that vitamin D intake can significantly reduce tuberculosis associated mortality on a global scale. But what if you’re infected with the totally resistant mega bacteria?

Garlic has been found to outpace drugs in the treatment of resistant tuberculosis, putting pharmaceuticals to shame and of course boosting your overall health in the process. This has been proven by more than one piece of peer-viewed research, with scientists finding garlic to be one of many natural solutions that should be considered by all medical professionals. Amazingly, there are 43 other natural substances documented as powerful solutions to tuberculosis, virtually all of which most doctors ignore. In the abstract of the study from the University of Health Sciences in Pakistan, scientists state:

“Alternate medicine practices with plant extracts including garlic should be considered to decrease the burden of drug resistance and cost in the management of diseases. “

Big pharma’s drugs spawned this new plague, so why take them to fight it? Empower your health naturally through nutrient-dense foods, supplements, and pure water. In particular, stock up on vitamin D and turmeric — they will be highly beneficial in the event of a pandemic or disease outbreak.

Menstrual cramps and pain are just a couple of the things a woman may experience while on her period. Unfortunately many women aren’t aware of anything that could help to reduce the discomfort, and so they indulge in harmful pain medications such as Advil, Tylenol, or Aleve. But recent research shows that a single large dose of vitamin D may be enough to dampen the pain and discomfort brought on by a woman’s period.

Vitamin D an Effective Solution for Menstrual Cramps and Pain

Lead author Antonino Lasco, MD, of the University of Messina, and his team conducted a study with 40 women aged 18 to 40. At the beginning of the study, some of the women were randomly assigned a mega-dose of vitamin D at 300,000 IUs while other participants took an inactive liquid placebo. During the two month study period, the women tracked their menstrual pain and made it known whether they also took prescription or nonprescription pain medication.

Women taking the vitamin D not only reported experiencing less pain, none of them resorted to pain medication. 40 percent of the women who took the placebo admitted to taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug at least once.

“We observed a significant reduction of pain in the vitamin D group compared with the placebo group over the two-month duration of our study,” writes Lasco. The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

An over-production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins can result in painful periods. Vitamin D is known to reduce their production, which in turn lessens the severity of menstrual cramps or pain. Vitamin D is also known to decrease the production of inflammation-causing molecules known as cytokines, leading to further aid in pain.

Since pain medication comes with unwanted adverse side-effects, supplementing with vitamin D serves as a much better solution for women with menstrual cramps. While the study exemplified how beneficial vitamin D can be at a single dose, daily intake of the vitamin may also be beneficial. To know for sure of how much vitamin D ingestion is optimal, a blood test can be taken called 25-hydroxyvitamin D. An optimal range of 50-70ng/ml would more than likely have dampened the pain and cramps even more.

Amid the controversy surrounding the potential release of heavily weaponized H5N1 bird flu, scientists are now reporting that they have found evidence of flu in bats, and state that the risk to humans is unclear. Being labeled as ‘bat flu’, the discovery marks the first documented report of a flu virus in winged mammals. For now, scientists have not been able to grow the virus and are unaware of how easily the virus can spread.

The news shocked many scientists who previously thought that the flu had already been discovered in all possible animals. While flu bugs have been tracked in animals such as dogs, horses, whales, and seals, bats were never thought to contract the flu. Interestingly, however, it may have been discovered around five years ago. Back in 2009, Russian virologists reported that they had found flu in bats, but their claims were ejected due to insufficient evidence.

“Most people are fairly convinced we had already discovered flu in all the possible” animals, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist Ruben Donis, who co-wrote the bat flu study.

The news could not have come at a better time for some scientists who continue to push for a release of the mutated H5N1 bird flu strain, which was mutated 5 times in order to become highly contagious between ferrets – the very animal model used to study human flu infection. Taking attention away from the bird flu release controversy, bat flu may soon become the new focus in the field of potentially threatening viruses. For now, the WHO says that the weaponized strain will not be released until a panel of ‘experts’ determines it to be safe. Paul Keim, chair of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, explained how volatile of a weapon the mutated bird flu could become:

“This is such a dangerous biological weapon, it would not be controllable. Whoever used it would doubtlessly decimate their own people as well,” Keim said.

Scientists say that bat flu could potentially pose a risk to humans if it were to mingle with more common forms of influenza, swap genes, and mutate into something more dangerous. If you’re worried about the flu, natural solutions do exist. Vitamin D can slash your risk of the flu by nearly half, and is more effective than harmful medical interventions.

The FDA is setting up to approve the first prescription weight-loss medication since 1999, but will this risky appetite suppressant really lead to effective fat loss? And more importantly, at what cost? Trendy fat loss pills have a history of being recalled over serious health concerns, in addition to being called out for simply not working. With 75 million obese adults in the U.S., and an obesity rate of nearly 35%, something must be done. The most potent form of lasting fat loss starts in your kitchen, and it costs absolutely nothing.

1. Stop Dieting

In our modern world, it is important to realize that it is not necessarily the foods themselves that should firstly be considered when beginning your journey to lasting fat loss, but the ingredients that make up the foods you are eating on a daily basis. Do your foods contain obesity-inducing high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, or large amounts of sugar? If you’re following a traditional ‘diet’ program as sold by Weight Watchers and others, the answer is most likely yes. The issue with these organizations is that they examine the macro-nutrient content of the product, not the ingredients or the overall quality.

While it is important to eat within certain parameters (high protein to stimulate fat loss, for example), this is something to concern yourself with after removing the harmful ingredients from your diet. What does it matter if the food item you’re eating for dinner is low in carbs when it’s loaded with fat-packing toxic ingredients that will not only destroy your fat loss attempts, but make you sick. Instead of stressing over calorie intake, look for high quality organic materials to make your own means — not chemical-laden “lean” meals that will only serve to damage your health.

Start making your meals from scratch with organic produce purchased from your local farmers market or health food store. This will improve your overall health, digestion, and be vital in your quest to maintained fat loss. Need proof? Watch this gut-wrenching video of what really happens in your body when you eat processed junk verses legitimately wholesome foods.

2. More of the Good Stuff

Eliminating toxic ingredients that are contributing to your weight loss woes is essential, but so is incorporating beneficial items into your daily nutritional intake. One substance that stands out among many fat-combating substances is vitamin D. The research is very clear that vitamin D is a powerful tool in the fight against obesity, much more so than hazardous diet pills. This is due to the fact that vitamin D levels may actually play a role in determining the overall success of your fat loss diet. If you’re vitamin D deficient, this could mean further unneeded hardship in your fight against fat.

Groundbreaking findings presented at The Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. demonstrated this aspect of the sunshine vitamin. Instead of worthless diet pills, vitamin D should be recommended to the public. The best part? It’s free! You can generate vitamin D for free outdoors during the appropriate months, and in the winter months it’s not a challenge to purchase highly inexpensive vitamin D3 supplements for a fraction of a single takeout meal.

Be sure you’re optimizing your vitamin D levels, get a blood test:

Other powerful nutritional fat loss solutions include:

• High quality whey protein
• Organic tea
• Saturated fat (to curb cravings)
• Organic green, leafy vegetables
• Apple cider vinegar
• Turmeric

3. Stop Exercising for Hours

You don’t have to spend hours in the gym to lose fat. In fact, it may actually be hurting your progress in the fight against fat. Giving up hours on the treadmill in favor of just 15-30 minutes of high intensity training can serve to empower your fat loss lifestyle much more efficiently, in addition to saving you time.

It’s called high intensity interval training, and it’s catching on fast. While at first scrutinized by health professionals, HIIT is now recommended by a large number of experts from around the world. Studies have shown that performing HIIT in such a short period of time can actually lead to lasting fat burn, with one study finding that the fat incinerating effects lasted for roughly 24 hours afterwards. This means that even while you’re sitting at home doing nothing, you’re still burning fat. For more detailed instructions, check out the HIIT infographic with all of the specifics.

In 2010, approximately 29.8 million adults were diagnosed with sinusitis, a sinus infection. A very large amount of those diagnoses resulted in doctors prescribing antibiotics in order to treat the problem, but new research shows that antibiotics are not even effective at treating sinus infection. In fact, a placebo was shown to be just as effective.

Antibiotics Shown to be Ineffective at Treating Sinus Infection

For the study, main author Dr. Jane M Garbutt and her team examined data involving 166 adults stricken with acute sinus infections with either moderate, severe, or very severe symptoms. Specifically, the symptoms had to include pain or tenderness in the face and sinuses, and nasal discharge lasting between 7 and 28 days. Each participant was randomly assigned either a 10-day dose of an antibiotics known as amoxicillin, or a 10-day dose of a placebo.

While the antibiotics relieved symptoms more than the placebo up until day 3, it was not anymore effective than the placebo for the remaining time period.

“We hope this study provides scientific evidence that doctors can use with patients to explain that an antibiotic is not likely to help an acute sinus infection…our results show that antibiotics aren’t necessary for a basic sinus infection – most people get better on their own.” said lead author Dr Jane M Garbutt, associate professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.

Since the beginning of using antibiotics, the needed dosage to potentially treat most bacterial infections, including sinus infection, has increased tremendously. The overuse of antibiotics has become a serious problem, with even mainstream doctors warning against the excessive overuse of the drugs due to the permanent negative alterations in digestive flora. Contributing to mental illness, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, antibiotics are evoking fear in scientists by perpetuating diseases ‘impossible’ to treat.

Sinus infections almost always go away on their own, but there are ways to lessen the length, severity, and also prevent the negative experience. Boosting your own immune system through eating organic foods, exercising, and supplementing with powerful supplements like turmeric and vitamin D is at the base of prevention. In addition, an absolutely fantastic solution for relieving symptoms is raw organic apple cider vinegar. After simply consuming apple cider vinegar on its own or combining it with other powerful relievers such as cayenne pepper, you will undoubtedly see a an improvement.

The psychiatric community as well as health and government officials have been pushing antidepressants on the people for years. Instead of addressing the underlying cause of such negative feelings, psychiatrists and medical representatives have been making you think that the only answer to depression is an antidepressant drug. However, the claims that antidepressants are the answer are completely false, but many will refuse to admit the truth to the public. Why? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that antipsychotics raked in over $14 billion in sales back in 2008.

Antidepressants Proven to be Useless, Pushed on Public Anyway

Those pushing antidepressants would at least have an argument for their use if the drugs worked, but they aren’t even effective. In fact, the pills have been shown to worsen depression. The Food and Drug Administration even admits that antidepressants are more than capable of causing suicidal thoughts and an increased risk of suicide. According to research concerning antidepressant trials, around 1 in 5 patients on popular Cymbalta and other related pharmaceuticals may actually feel worse than those given placebo pills. Despite the evidence linking popular antidepressants like Prozac to suicide, more than 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 12 are now taking antidepressants prescribed by their doctors.

Recently, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, data was requested and received showing that big pharma has known as along that the drugs don’t work. After studying placebos for over 30 years, Irving Kirsch of Havard Medical School requested unpublished studies which show that antidepressants provide almost no benefit, while placebos prove effective. Seeing as placebos are almost always more or just as effective, the push for antidepressants is both useless and irresponsible.

Even if the drug were effective, as big pharma continues to claim, are the potential 100′s of negative side-effects worth the risk? In addition to experiencing the dizziness, mania, impotence, and suicidal thoughts, you may also be causing your arteries to thicken 400 percent faster than they normally would.

Instead of subjecting yourself to this harmful and unnecessary ‘solution’, explore all other options. Depression is often the result of a much deeper unresolved emotional scar. By engaging in a state of meditation, you may be able to unconsciously uncover the path to solving this issue. The feelings may also be the result of a state of denial regarding what things in your life are making you happy and unhappy. Truly recognizing what makes you feel a certain way empowers you to make the decisions in your life to exclude the bad and embrace the good.

While searching for the core reason, there are also dietary decisions to be made. Vitamin D, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids should all be considered to help fight depression. By incorporating super supplements like turmeric and living a healthy lifestyle, you will also be giving yourself greater health, empowerment, and accomplishment.