Sunday, December 30, 2007
A story in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) debunks the claim made by American pharmaceutical companies that they charge more for their products because they spend more on research and development than firms in the rest of the world do.In fact, thepiece shows, U.K. drug companies spend proportionately more on R&D than their U.S. counterparts, but British drug prices remain much lower than those in the United States.The BMJarticle argues convincingly that in fact, American drugmakers invest three times more money on advertising, marketing, and administration than on research, and could cut costs in those areas if they truly wished to. British Medical Journal October 22, 2005; 331(7522): 958-960 Dr. Mercola's Comment:You are spending three times as much for drugadvertising, marketing, and administration as for their research! Think about that the next time you are faced with a high-cost prescription drug. Think about that branded calendar in your doctor's office, or the free sample he or she gives you. Think about all those annoying ads, selling typically useless drugs that feature "cute" characters, all designed to separate you from your hard-earned cash.The costs of American prescription drugs isn't high because of research. It's high so that drug companies have plenty of extra cash on hand to buy off Congress and market their potentially toxic products to you.Drug companies and their officials contributed at least $17 million to federal candidates in the 2004 elections, including:Nearly $1 million to President BushMore than $500,000 to his opponent, John KerryAt least 18 members of Congress received more than $100,000 apieceOver the past seven years, drug companies have spent more than $750 million on lobbying alone-- more then any other single industry! There are more drug company lobbyists in Washington than their are members of Congress.Meanwhile, the drug companies are spending $4 billion every year to market their products to you ... and another $16 billion spent trying to influence your doctor to prescribe their drugs to you.It is information like this that fuels my vision to spearhead a movement to replace the existing, broken health care paradigm, focused on drug-based solutions for curing conditions, and replace it with one that emphasizes prevention and treats the true causes of disease.
Soy Milk May be Tied to Infant Deaths
Although the autopsy is inconclusive and tests on the food are not yet complete, a porridge made of EdenSoy Extra soy milk and cornmeal may be responsible for the deaths of two infant brothers living in Brooklyn.When their mother attempted to wake them, shortly after noon, she found they were unconscious and took them to the hospital. Both were pronounced dead on arrival.Initial thoughts were that the twins had been overcome by a gas leak, but tests showed no leak.Because medical examiners also found no evidence of choking as a result of consuming the food, or any signs of foul play, the police instead began focusing on what the infants had eaten. The police cleaned out two nearby supermarkets of EdenSoy milk and cornmeal for testing. New York Times October 21, 2005 Registration RequiredNYNewsDay.com October 22, 2005 Dr. Mercola's Comment:If you ever wondered why I'm so concerned about the health dangers tied to the rampant use of soy products -- especially in processed foods -- this kind of incident is exactly the reason. In my view there just simply isn't any justification to ever use soy formula or worse, soy milk, in infants.This isn't the first time soy milk has been investigated for its toxic side effects. Separate incidents in California and Arkansas prompted the FDA to issue a 1990 warning against using soy milk as a formula substitute. Most brands have followed the tougher FDA labeling guidelines, except EdenSoy, says Dr. Kaayla T. Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food.In fact, the deaths of three infants prompted the Israeli Health Ministry to issue a health advisory earlier this year, recommending babies not be fed soy formula -- except as a last resort -- and severely limiting a child's intake of soy products.Without question the best food you can give your infant is breast milk and this should be your primary choice if at all possible, as it is the healthiest source of milk you can give to your infant. I believe very strongly all soy formula should be avoided andis not fit for human consumption. If breastfeeding is not an option,the best article I ever read on the topicis one published in a recent edition of the Weston Price ogranization. I am on their board and was able to obtain reprint rightsfor their article onhealthy alternatives to breast milk and commercial formula from Sally Fallon to run it in our newsletter. I would strongly encourage you to review thismulti-part series in this issueif you are unable to breastfeed.When making the alterntaive to breast milk described in the article, ideally, it would be best to use raw milk as the base (other ingredients to add are described in the article). The best way toget it is tofind a local dairy farmer in your areathrough your local health food store orthe Real Milk Web site. Raw milk is a safer and farhealthier alternative to pasteurized milk.
The 6 Top Causes of Dry Hair (4 of Them Potentially Serious)
Dry hair lacks the oil and moisture it needs to give it sheen and a soft texture. As a result, hair that's dry will be brittle and dull and have a straw-like texture. Most of us will get dry hair at one point or another--either due to over-processing or exposing it to sun, wind and chlorinated swimming pools. Dry hair that comes and goes from these external causes is an annoyance. Chronic dry hair that comes from an internal source, however, can be a sign of an underlying health problem. That's why, if your hair is dry, it's important to take a look through these six top causes and try to pinpoint yours. If conditioning treatments do not improve your hair's moisture level, it may be time to contact a health care provider. 1. Excessive Washing and Blow-Drying, Harsh Detergents Washing your hair too often, especially with a harsh shampoo, is a surefire way to strip moisture away. Heat from blow dryers, curling irons and electric curlers will also contribute to dryness. "It's in vogue these days to shampoo every day, but shampooing doesn't only wash away dirt, it washes out the hair's protective oils," says Thomas Goodman, Jr., M.D., a dermatologist from Memphis, Tennessee, and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences. If your hair is dry, try washing it just two or three times a week using a mild shampoo and a quality conditioner like Giovanni Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor, which uses vegetable proteins to reconstruct extremely dry and damaged hair. Like home remedies? "Mayonnaise makes an excellent conditioner," says Steven Docherty, senior art director at New York City's Vidal Sassoon Salon. Leave it on for five minutes to an hour before washing out. 2. Environmental Dryness The climate you live in can also dry out your hair. Areas with lots of sun, dry heat and little humidity, for instance, will definitely make your hair drier than tropical, humid locales. Likewise, if you're an outdoorsy person who likes to spend time in the sun, wind, ocean or pool, your hair also risks being dry. You can cut down on the damage to your hair from the elements by wearing a hat while outdoors and always using a swim cap when swimming in chlorinated water. 3. Anorexia Because people with anorexia engage in self-starving to stay dangerously thin, their bodies are denied the nutrients they need to function. This includes the nutrients necessary to maintain luster, shine and softness in their hair. Dry hair (along with dry skin and hair loss) is a common side effect of anorexia, and one that may manifest early on. 4. Malnutrition Similar to anorexia, a person who is malnourished does not take in the nutrients necessary for the body to maintain healthy hair. As a result, the hair becomes dry, brittle and damaged. In particular, dry hair can be a sign that your diet is lacking in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can be found in salmon and fish oil, walnuts and flax seeds. 5. Hypothyroidism This is a condition in which the body produces too little of the thyroid hormone. Dry, brittle and thin hair is an early symptom of hypothyroidism, along with weakness, fatigue, depression and joint or muscle pain. If left untreated, the condition causes the body to slow its functions, leading to mental and physical sluggishness and other symptoms that can range from mild to severe. 6. Hypoparathyroidism Hypoparthyroidism is having too little parathyroid hormone, which causes blood levels of calcium to fall and phosphorus to rise. This can lead to dry hair, scaly skin, cataracts, muscles cramps and spasms, seizures and more. The most common cause of hypoparathyroidism is injury to the parathyroid glands during head and neck surgery.
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