Multiple lawsuits are making their way through the court system alleging that Merck’s blockbuster vaccine for shingles isn’t safe, and could cause serious adverse effects. Plaintiffs in the state of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, allege that Zostavax isn’t safe, and are taking to both the state and federal court system to seek justice.

According to Marc Bern of Marc J. Bern & Partners, there have been “thousands of complaints” about Zostavax in Pennsylvania alone. Patient injuries from the vaccine, he says, range from shingles itself, which the vaccine is supposed to prevent, to serious personal injuries such as blindness and paralysis. Other reports of adverse effects from Zostavax include brain damage and death.

“I think Merck has failed terribly … to warn about the very serious side effects and the failure of the vaccine to do what they claim it does,” Bern told FiercePharma.

Merck vehemently defends Zostavax, just like it does all of its deadly drugs and vaccines

Merck, which also manufactures the deadly Gardasil vaccine for HPV and cervical cancer, is taking to usual form in full defense of Zostavax. The multinational drug corporation says it “stands behind the demonstrated safety and efficacy” of the shot, which the company has paid tens of millions of dollars to get approved in 50 countries. (RELATED: Find more news about vaccines at Vaccines.news)

More than 36 million doses of Zostavax have been injected into people’s bodies since the vaccine first hit the market in 2006. Merck claims that most of these vaccine injections didn’t cause any problems, and thus constitute a full and complete record of safety, for which the public should be assured.

But the thousands of people who took the shot and are now permanently injured or dead tell a much different story. So many people are filing lawsuits against Merck over Zostavax that Bern would like to see them grouped for mass tort status. Attorney Michael Katz, from the law firm Lopez McHugh, has likewise filed several injury cases in federal court concerning Zostavax, and anticipates hundreds more in the near future.

According to data compiled by the Philadelphia-based law firm, Zostavax is only effective in about 51 percent of people who get the shot. And many of those who receive the vaccine end up getting shingles anyway, based on the numbers, which suggests that the vaccine is neither safe nor effective in the majority of people who receive it, contrary to what Merck continues to claim.

“There is some indication that the vaccination is linked to death,” the Lopez McHugh website contends. “NCIV (The National Vaccine Information Center) analysis indicates that there were more than 1,100 serious adverse event reports made to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System from 1990 until September 2015 related to shingles-containing vaccinations. Of these reports, 90 were for deaths associated with the shingles vaccine.”

Merck must have missed this important data, as it usually does when billions of dollars in profit are on the line. Just in the last year alone, the drug and vaccine behemoth raked in $749 million in sales from Zostavax, so there’s a whole lot to lose from the vaccine potentially losing its approved status due to being a deadly threat.

Sources for this article include:

FiercePharma.com

LopezMcHugh.com

The study divided the participants into two groups. One took a placebo pill, the other received 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D3 and 1,500 mg/d of calcium. Over the course of four years, researchers recorded all incidences of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It was found that around four percent of the supplement group developed a form of cancer compared to around six percent in the placebo group. That’s roughly a relative 50% increase in cancer risk among those who did not receive the vitamin D.

How much vitamin D do I really need?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests an average daily intake of 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D a day. However, they are quick to point out that this is only for those who receive adequate amounts of sunlight. Those who are not exposed to sunlight would need higher doses of vitamin D. In reality, wellness experts say that a dose of 8,000 to 10, 000 IU a day of the vitamin is needed — especially for people who stay indoors a lot.

Statistics on the number of people suffering from a vitamin D deficiency are conflicting. It is estimated, however, that around 42 percent of U.S. adults are vitamin D deficient, with the highest rates found among African Americans and Hispanics.

Sunlight is the main source of the vitamin. Your skin naturally synthesizes the fat-soluble vitamin when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is then processed by your liver and sends it through the body. Every cell has a receptor for vitamin D. The vitamin is responsible for several processes and is necessary for a healthy immune system and strong bones. Two forms of the vitamin can be found in one’s diet. Vitamin D2 found in mushrooms and vitamin D3 which is found in oily fish and eggs. Of the two, vitamin D3 is more potent, raising blood levels of vitamin D almost twice as much as D2. (RELATED: Top 5 reasons the USA Medical Industrial Complex does NOT want you to understand the importance of Vitamin D.)

What about the calcium used?

The study used calcium supplements comprised of calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is common because it is inexpensive and convenient. Nevertheless, calcium carbonate is not readily absorbed by the body. It depends on stomach acid for absorption. This is why people who take calcium supplements are told to eat a full meal before taking the supplement. Failure to do so can lead to serious gastrointestinal issues. Taken properly or not, calcium carbonate has also been linked to several other side-effects such as bloating, constipation, or a combination of the two.

More importantly: Calcium carbonate does not provide the adequate amount of calcium needed for the body to perform properly. Doctors recommend sourcing the mineral instead through a healthy diet.

Take note that the body needs vitamin D for calcium to be absorbed. Lacking in the former would affect levels of the latter. So, let’s take a look at that study again. Participants were given a low dose of vitamin D which could affect the way their bodies absorbed the calcium — of which they were given a cheap form of. Is it any surprise then that the study showed negative results?

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

MayoClinic.org

NHS.uk

WashingtonPost.com

AuthorityNutrition.com

ODS.OD.NIH.gov

Health.Harvard.edu

Drugs.com

On the contrary, one of the million-dollar experiments, the highly-hyped GMO Golden Rice, does the exact opposite. Instead of increasing crop production, these mutant plants have shown significant abnormalities in their growth, as well as reduced rice yield in field trials, a new study reported.

For the highly controversial project with the aim to develop a rice variety that contains high levels of vitamin A, this new finding is a serious obstacle. GMO proponents have long hoped to bring Golden Rice to the market to enrich the diet of poor farmers in rural areas with much-needed vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiencies heighten the risk of infections and blindness, among other diseases.

In the past, environmental groups such as Greenpeace have been blamed by GMO proponents for slowing the introduction of Golden Rice to the market. Are these scientists looking for a real solution or is this just a smart PR campaign? The latter might be closer to the truth. Just as any other GMO crop, Golden Rice fails miserably on all levels.

A failed attempt to breed a rice variety that produces vitamin A and addresses world hunger

After more than 20 years of research, the controversial GMO crop with the potential to save the third world from vitamin A deficiencies, blindness, and starvation fails to address its promises and is nowhere near being released onto the market, since the researchers now stumbled on yet another bump in the road.

Researchers believe the introduction of the new gene has caused widespread genomic instability that interferes with the production of the plant’s growth hormone, resulting in weak, stunted plants and poor rice production. One might think that after 20 years of unsuccessful attempts to bring this crop to the market, researchers would give up and look for a real solution to address the issues. But somehow, they keep pushing for the release of Golden Rice to solve the problem. (RELATED: Find more news on the lunacy of failed genetic engineering projects at GeneticLunacy.com.)

The truth is big AG corporations could not care less about blindness, vitamin A levels, and starvation. A much darker truth lies behind this crop and the reason why GMO supporters have been pushing for the release of Golden Rice for commercial use. Golden Rice has been called the Trojan Horse of biotechnology corporations by anti-GMO activists because the industry hopes it will pave the way for the global approval of other, more profitable and commercially attractive GMO crops, reported the University of Washington.

It is time for the world to wake up and find a real solution to our nutrition issues. GMO crops such as Golden Rice are not an answer to the problem. Think of how glyphosate-resistant crops were going to reduce pesticide use. Today, however, we face massive resistance issues and have never used as many cancer-causing chemicals on our fields, which inevitably end up on our plates.

As stated by Natural Blaze, GMO crops, such as Golden Rice, are only making things worse while producing good PR and billion-dollar profits. Is the Golden Rice hype bubble finally going to burst? (RELATED: Learn more about the damaging effects of pesticides at Pesticides.news.)

Sources:

NaturalBlaze.com

GMWatch.org

Journals.Plos.org

The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.

Apple has added another word –” augmented” —  to spice up that original definition. As reported by The Daily Mail, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook is a “big fan” of augmented reality (AR) and believes that the masses will be so enveloped within the technology it will be like “eating three meals a day.” He’s extremely excited about the technology. And, reports Bloomberg.com, so are some salivating investors  who”are quite happy to know” of Cook’s abiding trust in AR as an economic driver, giving Apple the opportunity to again “dominate the next generation of gadgetry.”

AR isn’t as well known as virtual reality (VR). And the AR physical devices wont’ be as intimidating as those large headgear VR computer glasses that most people are familiar with. Tim Cook has said that he doesn’t really think “people will want to be enclosed in something.” But what exactly is AR?  Here’s a quick definition from Matt Gonzalez, who works for Macrumors.com.

There are several products Apple has been tinkering with to propel AR supremacy. Digital glasses will connect to iPhones and reveal all sorts of AR content that gives the user access to digital information while still knowing where they are in the real world. And rumors are swirling concerning a built in AR system for iPhone 8. Technical issues may hold that off for a time, but it is coming. And please keep in mind, while you’re swallowing their apple, that data is continually being scanned by other very interested parties.

One particularly chilling specific of the AR potential in the iPhone 8 has been revealed by Rod Hal, a JPMorgan technology analyst. He says the iPhone 8 “would feature a front-facing 3D laser scanner to detect the person’s face, instead of their fingerprint, in order to provide first-class security. . .”  The privacy implications of this is staggering, if you think about how much personal and health information is available via facial expressions and most importantly, an iris scan. But the millions from the current tech-addicted generation may be more concerned about an augmented restaurant menu, AR selfies and all those available AR games.

Macrumors.com reports that Apple’s intent to bring AR to the fore also meant some very specific acquisitions. They nabbed Doug Bowman, a former computer science professor at Virginia Tech who ran a lab there called the Center for Human-Computer Interaction. Other hires include former employees of Microsoft’s HoloLens team, as well as whole companies like Faceshift, which Apple purchased in 2015 for their prowess in 3D animation and facial expression.

In Tim Cook’s quest to “bring technology to the masses” with AR, Apple  purchased another company called Mataio that has expertise in creating “augmented reality scenarios in just a few minutes.” In this video, a Time Traveler AR program, crafted with Metaio technology, allowed visitors to the Berlin Wall to “augment” their tourism reality.

One question no one seems to be asking is this: When reality becomes augmented, how will the brains of those who participate in these realities be affected? Perhaps the psychiatric cartel will create new words and diseases for cognitive impairment, schizophrenia and paranoia. And then the pharmaceutical cartel can create more sorcery concoctions to “fix” the problem. (RELATED: See more news about technology glitches at Glitch.news.)

Until then, remind your children what real seeds looks like. And, if you’re able, plant or sprout a few. You won’t need any AR for that.

Sources:

En.OxfordDictionaries.com

DailyMail.co.uk

YouTube.com

Bloomberg.com

Macrumors.com

YouTube.com

YouTube.com

Just another moronic charlatan and industry-funded journo-prostitute for Monsanto, Merck and Pfizer, Stephanie Lee will post any biotech-written or pharma-scripted propaganda to get herself a paycheck to spend on her favorite past-time, which is learning more about how she can shill for the pharmaceutical industry. She also claims to speak on health panels – most likely to help people eat experimental GMOs, get mercury-laden flu shots, and acquire cancer and dementia sooner in life. It’s truly amazing that hucksters and hacks at Buzzfeed have the gall to criticize, demonize and try to character assassinate the most well-researched journalists, reporters and real scientists on planet Earth, namely Mike Adams, Editor of Natural News and lead scientist at CWC labs.

One of the most visionary humanitarian scientists on planet Earth just donated a lifesaving patent that could save millions of people from radiation poisoning

Tens of millions of Americans are now educated and smart enough to eat organic food regularly, stay clear of toxic prescription medications, avoid unproven and experimental vaccines, and rarely, if ever, eat genetically modified corn, soy or canola. Why? The Editor of Natural News, Mike Adams, has published thousands and thousands of articles over the past dozen years on the power of natural food and remedies to assist people’s pleasant and rewarding journey of longevity through organic living. Also, over the past few years, Mike Adams has dedicated massive amounts of time and energy to building and running a food forensics lab, from the ground up, and testing food and medicines (and supplements) for dangerous toxins like heavy metals, pesticides, synthetic contaminants and even radiation.

Unfortunately, there are many bitter and twisted people who despise real science and the truth about food and medicine. These internet “science” trolls want nothing more than a paycheck for bad-mouthing the pioneers who have saved lives, extended lives, emboldened lives and accomplished all of that through research and hard work.

Food science researcher Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, has patented the world’s first dietary supplement that is laboratory validated to bind with and capture cesium isotopes (including cesium-137), and it’s called Cesium Eliminator. Taking “incredible” to the next level, Adams has now dedicated this amazing formulated discovery and patented invention as a donation for humanity in the event of a nuclear catastrophe. No kidding.

The critics have nothing sensible left to say as Mike Adams’ science breakthrough could save millions of lives in the aftermath of a nuclear event

Using simple natural ingredients, including seawater extract, dehydrated seaweed, zeolites, Hawaiian spirulina and chlorella (at specific particle sizes and ratios), the patented formula literally eliminates radioactive cesium isotopes from the human digestive tract if contaminated food and water have been ingested.

Thanks to a mainstream media blackout of any news regarding the horrific situation at Fukushima nuclear facility in Japan, most people have no clue that the radiation leakage is far worse than that of Chernobyl decades ago. This same type of catastrophe could easily happen in the United States, not to mention if terrorists purposely caused an event or if some rogue country like Iran or North Korea started a nuclear war.

Mike Adams says he is ready to donate the licensing and manufacturing rights to his patented invention to any state or national government in need. Plus, Adams has stockpiled the raw materials to replicate the product should there be a massive incident in Texas or the U.S.A.

Where’s the CDC, the FDA and the EPA now? Why haven’t they already done this? Do they even care? We all know that the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA are like bad jokes when it comes to protecting Americans or rescuing them during or after natural catastrophes, not to mention doing anything to protect us all prior to such an event. The EPA can’t even protect our tap water. How could we ever expect them to invent or patent something to save us all from nuclear radiation poisoning?

Cesium-137 is a deadly radioisotope created in the aftermath of nuclear bombs with a half-life of 30 years. That means any land affected would be completely contaminated and ruined for any agriculture for a few generations. Millions of people would die from cancer if they did not eliminate the majority of the cesium from their digestive tract before it gets absorbed into the blood and deposited in soft tissues throughout the body.

Let’s all congratulate Mike Adams and thank him for his tireless efforts to help people all around the world learn how to protect their health from disease, disorder, and now nuclear radiation. What a difference a little dedication can make!

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

CesiumEliminator.com

CWClabs.com

CWClabs.com

Google.com/patents

However, researchers found that the effects were replicated when the placebo group were given Equazen. “We were a bit surprised to see this level of effect in mainstream children. This has not been shown before. As a scientist, you always want a second study to confirm your findings, but these are very promising results,” said study lead researcher Dr Mats Johnson.

“It shows that Equazen is having a great effect on reading scores for mainstream children. A child who is a poor reader is likely to show behavioral problems and an inability to focus on learning tasks two years later. Similarly, children who show early signs of behavioral problems are more likely to develop reading problems,” said public health nutritionist Dr. Emma Derbyshire.

Fish oil boosts school performance in children

The recent findings coincide with various studies that previously examined the efficacy of  fish oil supplements in improving the overall school performance in children.

Fish oil supplementation was associated with higher subject scores among students  who took their annual standard assessment test, a  2007 study revealed. Research data showed that 92 percent of students met the required standard for English, a significant increase from a pre-estimated rate of only 68 percent. The study also showed that 92 percent of children met the national standards in maths, up from a pre-estimated passing rate of 78 percent. Marked improvements in concentration and behavior were also observed in children, researchers said.

The researchers also found that daily omega-3 supplementation lead to significant improvements in reading comprehension among younger students. Data showed that seven and eight-year-old pupils started with an average reading of nine months above their age, but finished with an average reading of 18 moths above their age at three months following fish oil supplementation.

The Durnham County Council in the U.K.  also examined more than 3,000 grade 11 pupils and found that those who took Omega-3 and Omega-6 capsules had average scores that were 17.7 points higher than those in the control group.

Fish oil improves cognitive function in babies

Data from a placebo-controlled study showed that fish oil supplementation during pregnancy helped improve visual acuity in babies. High fish intake was also associated with having significantly smarter infants, another study demonstrated. However, elevated levels of hair mercury seemed to dampen the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids, researchers said.

Fish oils are packed with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which was shown to promote learning and visual acuity in infants. An analysis of 109 infants  and their mothers demonstrated that higher cord blood levels of DHA resulted in better visual acuity, cognitive function, and motor development in babies during their first year. The results stress on the importance of increased essential fatty acid intake during the third trimester to promote photoreceptor development and synaptogenesis in the brain. (RELATED: Visit Brain.news for more coverage of nutrition for the brain.)

In a related study, children and women with high DHA levels in their blood cells exhibited above average scores in an intelligence test regardless of their fish oil intake. The results published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that long-term fatty acid intake may show greater efficacy in boosting cognitive performance than supplementation alone.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

Telegraph.co.uk

PsychologyToday.com

BabyMed.com

Structured thinking leads to a static brain

To better process information, we tend to group data into bite-sized manageable pieces, which prevents us from becoming overwhelmed. We have extended this into all aspects of our lives. The emphasis on organized structures has made managerial strategies entirely focused on efficiency. However, this “flat” way of thinking reprograms the brain to be inflexible. Kim and his co-author Chen-Bo Zhong conclude that society has become too focused on order, effectively cutting off our natural predilection towards cognitive flexibility. (RELATED: Read more news about the mysteries of the mind at MIND.news.)

The researchers ran a series of three experiments to test their theory. The first two experiments had participants make as many sentences as they could from a group of nouns. In one experiment, the participants were given the nouns in neatly organized categories. In the second, the nouns were not organized in any particular way. In the final experiment, participants were tasked to make an alien out of a box of organized or unorganized bricks. Participants in the organized category were not allowed to dump the bricks onto the table, while those in the unorganized group could do as they pleased with the blocks.

Results show that those who fell under the organized group tended to follow preconceived patterns. They were typically faster than the unorganized group but showed no variation in their wording style or how they built the alien. Authors classified this type of thinking as a “hierarchically organized information structure” which organizes data based on what is known. This type of structure builds patterns based on familiarity, area of expertise, or discipline. The other form of thinking, flat information structure, sees information without any form of category and therefore has no hindrance to how it can be used.

Put simply: Practice makes perfect — but then we plateau and are no longer able to give new ideas.

The importance of creativity

So why is this important to learn? Science proves that the brain is constantly adapting to situations. Neural connections are strengthened or destroyed based on what it receives every day. So, the brain of a firefighter for example would be much different from the brain of a lab technician. Our brains take in the necessary information and categorizes it to give us the best chance for survival. Learning creativity — or rather, encouraging cognitive flexibility — keeps the brain elastic and pliable. This proves essential during disaster preparedness or experiencing new things.

A Harvard Business Review paper argues that we place too much stock on the term “creativity.” The ideas that we judge as “creative” are often based on how novel they are rather than their usefulness. In terms of business, rewards are given to the most innovative without thinking of its implementation. Ted Levitt, who wrote the 2002 article says, “A powerful new idea can kick around unused in a company for years, not because its merits are not recognized but because nobody has assumed the responsibility for converting it from words into action. What is often lacking is not creativity in the idea-creating sense but innovation in the action-producing sense, i.e., putting ideas to work.”

With the latest study, Kim and Zhong define creativity not as the propensity to generate ideas but how quickly participants were able to shift ideas and thought patterns. This may be a better — and perhaps more accurate — way of defining creativity and its importance in the workplace.

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

HBR.org

FPSPI.org

CNN.com

Instead, over the weekend Trump announced the creation of a new office aimed at paring back and dramatically restructuring the so-called fourth branch of government – the federal bureaucracy.

As reported by The Washington Post, the administration on Monday announced the formation of the White House Office of American Innovation, which has been put in place to overhaul the bureaucracy in order to allow it to function more effectively and efficiently, like a business.

Led by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, the office is seen within the administration as a “SWAT team of strategic consultants,” the Post noted, which will “be staffed by former business executives and is designed to infuse fresh thinking into Washington” and “float above the daily political grind” which has, to this point, thwarted any serious bureaucratic reforms. (RELATED: Another Promise Fulfilled: Trump Signs Executive Order Slashing Burdensome Regulations

“All Americans, regardless of their political views, can recognize that government stagnation has hindered our ability to properly function, often creating widespread congestion and leading to cost overruns and delays,” the president said in a statement to the Post. “I promised the American people I would produce results, and apply my ‘ahead of schedule, under budget’ mentality to the government.”

Legitimate efforts to pare back the expansive federal bureaucracy – what chief White House strategic Steve Bannon has described as the “administrative state” – in recent administrations have been non-existent. President Obama not only perpetuated the fourth branch of government, he greatly expanded Executive Branch authority by pushing his big government agenda through the various federal agencies, especially the EPA, FDA, and IRS.

His predecessor, George W. Bush, also massively expanded the size and scope of the federal government. Following the 9/11 attacks, Congress and the White House passed legislation creating the gargantuan Department of Homeland Security, which combined existing federal agencies and created new ones like the Transportation Security Administration.

The last serious attempt to roll back government occurred during the Reagan administration, and while he succeeded on some levels, even he couldn’t get rid of entire federal agencies – like the Department of Education which, when he came into office in January 1981, had only been in existence for a few years.

The formation of this new office is in line with Trump’s earlier actions to curb federal rules and regulations. In January, shortly after taking office, he signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to get rid of two regulations for every new rule written and implemented. This came after Trump ordered a freeze on all federal hiring, with the exception of the military and national security positions. (RELATED: Trump’s Economic Plan: No ‘Death Tax’, Less Business Tax, And Fewer Regulations)

The new office also makes sense given Trump’s previous statements regarding federal regulations. He has said he would like to do away with 75 percent of regulations currently on the books, and more if it can be done responsibly.

“It’s clear as can be that they intend to reduce the level of regulation,” said James Gattuso, a senior fellow in regulatory policy at the conservative Heritage Foundation, of the Trump administration, MSN reported.

“If successful, it would be the first time in a generation,” since Ronald Reagan was in the White House that the federal regulatory burden was cut substantially he added, commenting on Trump’s previous executive actions.

As the Post noted, Kushner is setting up his new office as “an offensive team” comprised of aggressive ideas devoid of ideology that can literally transform the way government operates. He seeks to attract talent from within and outside of government and to be linked with the business, philanthropic and academic communities.

“We should have excellence in government,” said Kushner in a West Wing interview with the Post. “The government should be run like a great American company. Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens.”

Included in the new office’s efforts are reforming the chronically troubled Veterans Affairs, and battling opioid addiction, which has evolved into a nationwide crisis.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources:

WashingtonPost.com

TheNationalSentinel.com

If you’re scared of going to the dentist, you’re not alone. In fact, researchers have found it’s quite likely that your parents were also scared of visiting the dentist. However, your fear is not the result of simply observing your parents’ fears and adopting their attitude toward dentists; believe it or not, there is evidence that being afraid of dental treatment could actually have a genetic basis.

A separate but related problem – a fear of pain – can also be inherited. Researchers believe it is the same genes that play a role in the fear of pain that can influence a fear of the dentist.

Is it estimated that 10 to 20 percent of American adults experience a significant dental care-related fear. The British Dental Health Foundation’s dental helpline gets calls from people who are trying to cope with excruciating toothache pain because they are too scared to go to the dentist. Dental adviser Karen Coates reports that it is not unusual for the helpline to hear from people in their 30s who have not gone to the dentist since they were children.

A West Virginia University study used family cohort data in its novel approach to studying the heritability of this problem, and the results could lead to improvements in dental care for all patients, especially those who suffer from this debilitating fear.

The researchers found that in addition to the genetic component, environmental factors also play a role. Many people with a fear of the dentist had a bad experience in childhood, for example, when dental techniques were quite different from modern practices.

Dentists can help alleviate these fears by taking steps like hiring polite and friendly staff, adopting a good “bedside manner,” and filling their walls with soothing artwork. Many dentists keep instruments out of sight to avoid causing panic, and play background music to help obscure the anxiety-inducing sound of drills and other tools.

Avoiding the dentist

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who has a fear of the dentist, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible so you can keep your trips to the dentist to a minimum. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural treatments that can help you achieve optimum oral health. Brushing and flossing, for example, are simple, and can do a lot more than just prevent gum disease, bad breath and cavities. Studies have found that having healthy gums and teeth can reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease, and can even prevent memory loss, which is a big concern with today’s rising levels of Alzheimer’s. You can clean and polish your teeth and soothe gum inflammation easily and naturally with the help of baking soda.

Some people like to swish coconut oil in their mouths. Known as oil pulling, this process takes advantage of oil’s superior ability to penetrate the tiny crevices in your teeth and gums. After swishing for several minutes to allow it to draw out toxins, the oil should simply be spat out into the sink.

Going to the dentist might be unnerving, but sound oral hygiene practices can help you keep this ordeal to the minimum.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

NHS.uk

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

Lead author of the study, Dr. Robert Nolan, Ph.D. said, “the electronic counseling (e-Counseling) intervention had an effect similar to that of adding an additional blood-pressure-lowering medication.”

To Pop or Not to Pop? That is the Question

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) annually notes the number of heart-related cases in America and those numbers are not encouraging. There has been an increase in the reported number of cases of hypertension over the last few years. The population that shows a marked increase are adults aged 20-30. These people who are affectionately termed “millennials” may not live longer than their parents if major health advancements are not made.

It was found that more than a third of the American population are currently hypertensive, meaning they suffer from high blood pressure. That translates to around 75 million people affected by this cardiac condition. Of these, only half have their hypertension under control.

The most common treatment for high blood pressure is medication. Pharmaceutical companies have developed synthetic drugs that effectively manage the heart processes. Several studies prove these drugs’ effectiveness at temporarily managing the measurable symptoms of hypertension. Yet these medications are not suitable for long-term use. The same studies that laud their efficacy also caution against prolonged use, the reason being that these medicines are not without their side-effects, the most severe being liver damage. (Follow more news on dangerous medication side effects at DangerousMedicine.com.)

Protect One, Destroy Others

In a paradoxical turn of events, hypertension drugs safeguard the heart while increasing the risk of other organ diseases. Medical professionals consistently advise their patients to regularly check their liver health. Statin drugs are known to affect the reproductive area as well. Men who take the drug are at higher risk of experiencing erectile dysfunction.

The problem, doctors warn, is escalation through compounding. Patients see the positive results of hypertension medicine but then experience other conditions which require more pills. The ripple effect concludes with a person potentially taking more than a dozen tablets every day to treat their multiple symptoms. A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that around 60 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug every day.

This leads back to the importance of the new study. Authors say that these results prove that holistic wellness can be an ideal alternative to traditional therapy. Making the necessary lifestyle changes over a period of four months can dramatically change body functions and health. The conclusion still lacks understanding on why merely talking to someone and applying adjustments to one’s lifestyle lead to inconceivable reductions in blood pressure.

Hypotheses include improved mood caused by a lack of stress. Scores of medical studies have associated talk therapy with enhanced well-being. People who have strong social relationships (regardless of type) or have someone they can speak with on a regular basis report general happiness and reduced stress. These people have better immune systems and are less likely to develop heart-related conditions, especially those related to stress.

Dr. Nolan was aware of this and was not particularly surprised by the findings of the study. “In the e-Counseling intervention we tried to replicate the experience of going through face-to-face lifestyle counseling for a year. We made use of what we know from 60 years of research on the effective features of motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy, and we applied those features using the technology that was available to our team.”

 Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

ScienceDaily.com

CDC.gov

WashingtonPost.com