The Huffington Post

Monsanto's GMO Corn Linked to Organ Failure, Study Reveals

In a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats. 

According to the study, which was summarized by Rady Ananda at Food Freedom, "Three varieties of Monsanto's GM corn - Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 - were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities."  [Click here]

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Nutraceuticals World

'Herbal Insights' Debuts on PBS TV Series

The American Botanical Council (ABC) has teamed up with the producers of a popular public television series to create "Herbal Insights," a new segment on popular herbs and herb issues.

Mark Blumenthal, ABC founder and executive director, has co-created and recorded "Herbal Insights" segments for Healing Quest, a public television show co-hosted by entertainment icon Olivia Newton-John and co-producers Judy Brooks and Roy Walkenhorst of Lightbridge Productions in Sonoma, CA.

The new season's shows with the "Herbal Insights" segments began airing in select markets on January 2, 2010, and are scheduled to run throughout the year. [Click here]

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Natural Health and Longevity Resource Center

Top Ten Best-Researched Herbs

by Steven Taormina

Beautiful to behold in nature, many plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Here are ten proven medicinal herbs that scientists have tested in clinical studies. Few people are aware of the multitude of scientific studies done on plants. This information should not be used as medical advice.

Garlic

"If we were to design a drug that had perfect properties according to what we know about heart disease and associated risk factors, we couldn't improve on garlic," says Amanda McQuade-Crawford, herbalist and director of the Ojai Center of Phytotherapy in Ojai, Calif. Regular use of garlic is associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease, she explains. Garlic raises protective HDLs (high-density lipoproteins), while it lowers harmful LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides (blood fats). Garlic is also known to help lower high blood pressure, she says. Garlic aids in cancer prevention by raising the body's level of glutathione transferase, a liver enzyme known to detoxify the body of carcinogens, says McQuade-Crawford. In China, researchers found gastric cancer was reduced where garlic intake was high. Other researchers have noted improved helper/suppressor ratios of T-cells in AIDS patients who take garlic. Proven to work against various micro-organisms including bacteria resistant to antibiotics, garlic is known to be antifungal and antiviral, she adds.

Hawthorn

The berries of this flowering shrub are best used for the heart, says McQuade-Crawford. Hawthorn aids the heart's pumping action by opening the coronary arteries to nourish the heart muscle. The herb can also slow a rapid heart rate and strengthen a failing heart. Hawthorn usually lowers high blood pressure, especially a raised diastolic high blood pressure, and it benefits low blood pressure due to weak heart muscles with arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). [Click here]

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The True Food Network (The Center for Food Safety)

Victory! Court Finds USDA Violated Federal Law by Allowing Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets on the Market

Government Failed To Evaluate Environmental and Economic Risks of Monsanto Product

In a case brought by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice representing a coalition of farmers and consumers, a Federal Court ruled yesterday that the Bush USDA's approval of genetically engineered (GE) "RoundUp Ready" sugar beets was unlawful. The Court ordered the USDA to conduct a rigorous assessment of the environmental and economic impacts of the crop on farmers and the environment.

The federal district court for the Northern District of California ruled that the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ("APHIS") violated the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") when it failed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") before deregulating sugar beets that have been genetically engineered ("GE") to be resistant to glyphosate herbicide, marketed by Monsanto as Roundup. Plaintiffs Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, Sierra Club, and High Mowing Seeds, represented by Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety, filed suit against APHIS in January 2008, alleging APHIS failed to adequately assess the environmental, health, and associated economic impacts of allowing "Roundup Ready" sugar beets to be commercially grown without restriction.  [Click here]

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Organic Consumers Association   

Ban Factory Farms & Stop Forced Vaccinations

Despite years of warnings by public interest organizations such as the Organic Consumers Association and the Humane Society of the U.S., earlier this year, drugged-out pigs and chickens on intensive confinement factory farms have incubated a highly infectious H1N1 virus that set off a global pandemic.

This so-far only moderately virulent but rapidly spreading strain of influenza, which contains genetic material from pigs, birds and humans has already infected 162,000 people and killed hundreds of people across the world, including the United States. The World Health Organization has warned that although the current H1N1 Swine Flu is far less deadly than the Bird Flu, it could mutate into a much more dangerous strain. As the flu season approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, profit-obsessed drug-makers are racing to supply governments with vaccines and medicines. [Click here]

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Prevention Magazine 

9 Herb Cures to Use Right Now!

When you want to treat a health problem with herbs, you want specifics, not speculation. And when it comes to the herbs that can ease those problems, specifics really matter. Though there are hoards of herbal products out there, it's not always easy to tell which you should use or how you should use it. The labels tell you nothing, and store clerks are often completely clueless. To use herbal medicine, you need specific guidance, and getting that guidance is a challenge.

One reason for all the confusion is the regulations issued by the FDA. Under the Dietary Health and Education Act of 1994, herbal products became "dietary supplements," subject to certain rules covering labeling and advertising. As a result, herbal product manufacturers are prohibited from giving you the specific information you need. Manufacturers can only make claims for structure and function, not for herbs' specific actions and uses. That's why you'll never see an ad for St. John's wort that mentions its proven ability to ease mild to moderate depression. Instead, you'll see an ad that refers to its "mood-enhancing benefit." [Click here]

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PubMed

Flavonoid intake and ovarian cancer risk in a population-based study

Women who eat a larger quantity of plant-based foods that contain the flavonoid, apigenin, may have a decreased risk for ovarian cancer, according to a preliminary population study that was published in the International Journal of cancer. The researchers assessed the flavonoids intake of foods commonly eaten over a one-week period by 1,141 women with ovarian cancer and 1,183 women without.

Using extensive food data, the researchers calculated the women's intake of five common flavonoids - myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin activity. Only apigenin intake was associated with a suggestive decrease in ovarian cancer risk. Apigenin is found in celery, parsley, red wine, tomato sauce, and other plant-based foods.

NOTE: The researchers cite celery, parsley, red wine and tomato sauce as good sources of apigenin, which they are. However, there are many herbs that are rich in this compound that are not being publicized. These include chamomile, thyme, peppermint, horsetail herb, lemon balm and yarrow. Just to add some perspective to the levels of this compound in herbs and foods, celery contains 0.004% apigenin whereas chamomile contains up to 8% - that is 2000 times higher! Therefore, a diet that is balanced and contains a variety of foods and herbs is very important- we are not merely suggesting that you can skip out the celery and drink chamomile tea! [Click here]

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Wiley InterScience 

Ginkgo biloba treating patients with attention-deficit disorder

A recent study in Italy investigated the use of Ginkgo biloba in six psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with ADD. The small study observed significant improvement in overall behavior including hyperactivity, inattention, and immaturity factors. This preliminary study indicates that ginkgo biloba might be a beneficial and useful treatment of ADD, with minimal side effects.  [Click here]

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Health Diaries 

10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.

Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.

In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. [Click here]

20 Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is one of nature's most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. [Click here]

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