Alternative Health & Healing Newsletter

January, 2003

CONTENTS:

California Judge Approves Landmark Warning on Mercury Use in Dentistry

Rocket Fuel Toxic Found In Lettuce

Viagra May Fight Antidepressants’ Sex Side Effects

Starting a Weight Loss Program?

Weight Loss Inhibitor One – Sleep Depravation

Weight Loss Inhibitor Two - No Exercise, Eating High Saturated Fats

Two Out of Three Babies Receive Antibiotics by First Birthday

Medical Journal Ads Often Misleading

Biopsy Mix-Up

California Judge Approves Landmark Warning on Mercury Use in Dentistry. 

By:  Tim Bolen

(San Francisco, CA) - For the first time anywhere, dentists will be required to post a warning about the dangers of mercury in their dental fillings.  A California Superior court judge finalized the language for the warning to be posted in dentists' offices here today.

The warning will read as follows:

Notice to Patients, Proposition 65:

Warning on dental amalgams, used in many dental fillings, causes exposure to mercury, a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Root canal treatments and restorations including fillings, crowns and bridges, use chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has studied the situation and approved for use all dental restorative materials.

Consult your dentist to determine which materials are appropriate for your treatment.

The exact language of the warning was argued and then finalized before Superior Court Judge James A. Robertson II between the California Dental Association, the largest constituent organization of the American Dental Association and Attorney Shawn Khorrami (Cor-ahm-mee). The agreement requires its member dentists to warn patients about the toxic dangers of
mercury dental fillings and root canals. The agreement also allows non-CDA dentists to opt in to the agreement and post the warning.

The warning is the result of a lawsuit filed by The Law Offices of Shawn Khorrami on behalf of As You Sow, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to advocacy and activism in the public interest.

"This is the first admission by organized dentistry that amalgams pose a potential health risk," says Shawn Khorrami, lead attorney. "The only problem is that it's about 100 years too late."

This California consent judgment follows on the heels of recent lawsuits filed in Georgia, Texas, Ohio and Los Angeles, California charging that mercury fillings placed in a woman's mouth contributed to the autism of her child, as well as lawsuits in Maryland, California, and New York charging the American Dental Association with misrepresenting amalgam dental fillings
as "silver."  The lawsuits basically allege that such fillings actually contain approximately 50% mercury by weight. They cause continuous, daily exposure to mercury and, thereby pose substantial health risks to certain users. Mercury, a highly toxic substance, is the most widely used substance in dental fillings today.

The use of mercury-based thimerosal in vaccines also has been the source of the recent controversy in the Homeland Security legislation.

Khorrami filed the lawsuit against Roger Fieldman D.D.S., Inc., the Citadel Dental Group, Inc.  dental offices, dental laboratories and private dental schools and training programs with more than nine employees. The suit won the enforcement of Proposition 65, Safe Drinking Water and Toxics Enforcement Act [Health & Safety Code § 25249.6].

Proposition 65 requires that a clear and reasonable warning be provided to persons prior to their exposure to a chemical known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.  This statute lists mercury, contained in dental amalgam, as a substance that can cause reproductive toxicity. The lawsuit was based on the absence of warnings to patients treated with amalgam restorative
materials in dental offices.

The judgment on Proposition 65 mandates that all dental offices with more than nine employees provide warnings on the dangers of Mercury dental fillings to patients. Those in non-compliance could incur a fine of up to $2,500 per day.

Rocket Fuel Toxic Found in Lettuce

OAKLAND, California, January 2, 2003 (ENS) - Perchlorate, an ingredient in rocket fuel which impairs the thyroid's ability to take up iodide and produce hormones, has contaminated almost 300 drinking water sources and farm wells in California and sources in at least 15 other states.

This new information is found in test data and documents obtained by Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit environmental research organization with offices in Oakland and Washington, DC. Contamination has affected the Colorado River from near Las Vegas to the Mexican border. The river is the primary or sole source of irrigation water for farms in
California, Arizona and Nevada that grow the great majority of the lettuce sold in the U.S. during the winter. Eating lettuce or other vegetables grown in fields irrigated by the Colorado River may expose consumers to a larger dose of toxic rocket fuel than is considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Test results never before made public, obtained by EWG, show that leafy vegetables grown with contaminated irrigation water take up, store and concentrate potentially harmful levels of perchlorate. Sworn depositions and other courtroom documents show that the giant aerospace and defense contractor Lockheed Martin, a major user of perchlorate, knew as early as 1997 that vegetables stored high concentrations of the chemical, but said
nothing to the EPA or California state health officials. EWG says that "Lockheed Martin is responsible for polluting dozens of water supplies in the Redlands area of San Bernardino County, California with high levels of perchlorate and other chemicals." The company has made no comment on these allegations.

A class action lawsuit has been brought against the company by more than 800 residents of the area, who blame contaminated drinking water for cancer and other health problems. Farms in the area are not irrigated by the Colorado River, but draw from wells that have been contaminated by perchlorate plumes from now abandoned Lockheed facilities.

Lawyers at Engstrom, Lipscomb and Lack in Los Angeles, who represent the Redlands residents suing Lockheed Martin, learned that the company had earlier been in negotiation with Lucky Farms, a San Bernardino grower of lettuce and other vegetables, over contamination of the farm's water supply. The lawyers subpoenaed all materials from the negotiations, and have discovered that Lockheed was sitting on evidence of vegetables' uptake and concentration of perchlorate.

The subpoenaed documents, obtained by EWG from lawyers at Engstrom, Lipscomb and Lack, showed that in late 1997 and early 1998, Lucky Farms conducted a series of tests on its produce to see if they were contaminated with perchlorate. These tests were conducted on four samples of "leafy vegetables" and four samples of some kind of "vegetable matter" which was not identified. Overall, the vegetables were found to have an average of more than 2,600 micrograms of perchlorate per kilogram, thousands of times higher than what the EPA considers to be a safe amount in a liter of water.

"We know the water supplies of millions of Californians are contaminated with perchlorate at potentially harmful levels," said Bill Walker, EWG's California director. "But that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of untested wells and water systems across the country, and many Americans may be consuming a toxin which is a health threat at very low doses, especially to infants and children."

Too much perchlorate can damage the thyroid gland, which controls growth, development and metabolism. At higher levels, perchlorate is known to cause cancer. Although there is currently no federal drinking water standard for perchlorate, the EPA's proposed "reference dose," the level that the EPA

says is safe to consume each day, is two micrograms per day for an adult. "If the perchlorate levels reported here are confirmed by further testing," EWG says, "immediate government action will be needed to reduce perchlorate in lettuce and other vegetables."

The EWG is urging the Food and Drug Administration to test lettuce and other vegetables grown with Colorado River water for perchlorate, and that the results of this testing be made public as soon as they are confirmed. In addition, says EWG, any grower affected by perchlorate contamination of their crops "should be fully compensated for any and all economic losses to their farming operations and property values."

Viagra May Fight Antidepressants' Sex Side Effects
Wed January 1, 2003 03:09 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Viagra may combat impotence brought on by antidepressant drugs, new research suggests.

As many as 70% of people on antidepressant drugs go off them, or fail to take them regularly, due to side effects such as weight gain, sleep disturbances and sexual dysfunction, according to the new report. Sexual side effects are seen with selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), which include Prozac (fluoxetine), as well as other drugs.

The new study, which the researchers say is the first to look at this question, found that Viagra did help boost sexual function in men who were taking SRIs.

The investigators studied 90 men with depression in remission and sexual dysfunction linked to SRI use. Half of the group was instructed to take 50 to 100 milligrams (mg) of Viagra before sexual activity while the other half took a placebo before having sex. The study period lasted for 6 weeks.

Roughly 55% of the men in the Viagra group reported that their symptoms were "much or very much improved" compared to about 4% of men who took the placebo, Dr. H. George Nurnberg of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and colleagues report.

"Erectile function, arousal, ejaculation, orgasm and overall satisfaction" were all improved "significantly" among the men who took Viagra compared to those given placebo, the authors write in the January 1st issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The drug company Pfizer Inc., which makes Viagra, funded the study.

"In our study sildenafil effectively improved erectile dysfunction and other aspects of sexual function in men with sexual dysfunction associated with the use of SRI antidepressants. These improvements may allow patients to maintain adherence with effective antidepressant treatment," the researchers conclude.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association 2003:289:56-64.

COMMENT:  It figures. Since doctors over-prescribe anti-depressants, the solution is to turn to yet “another” drug to neutralize the sex side effects, hence Viagra.  How convenient that Pfizer, Inc., which makes Viagra, funded the just-published study. What a grand act of public service to Americans. Am I the only one that smells the scent of money?  L

STARTING A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM? 

Dr. Edward Group III has developed the BEST way to lose weight, to keep it off, to fight off disease and to get/keep the body healthy.

For Serious People Only !!

I have been asked by many people to put together a weight loss program that works, and is suitable for all individuals. This program is the correct way for anyone to lose weight and keep it off. I will tell you that this is not a “MAGIC BULLET” program, where you do not have to do anything but pop a pill or drink a liquid. This program will re-balance your system, help reverse aging, and let your body eliminate unwanted fat at a safe and effective rate. This is not only a weight loss program; it is also a plan for

“TOTAL HEALTH”

If you want a quick fix (taking metabolism boosters etc), only to gain more weight

when you stop, do not even consider this program. Our program is designed to change the way you think and live your life. Change is only a decision away. You can do this!

If you are motivated, and truly care about taking care of your body, and you are willing to make changes in your life, then this program is for you !!  As long as you rely on someone or something else to take off your weight, you will always struggle. It is time for you to take responsibility for your own health, and learn how to lose unwanted fat and keep it off for good. Science says it takes 21 days to change a habit. Set short-term goals and go for it! Once you get through the first few weeks you will be on your way to feeling the best you have in years!  I  promise!!!

**Why do over the counter metabolism boosters, pills or drinks only work temporarily?

What you are being told is a lie!  If you take some of these products you can be causing permanent damage to your cells, organs and body. The body is not designed for rapid weight loss. It also is not designed for pills or substances, which internally stimulate your metabolism. People are being told that they can “POP” a magic pill and will lose weight. You are not told about the serious side effects of taking these products and the damage they will cause on the body.

What happens when you take these products is that you synthetically stimulate your metabolism to burn fat and increase heart rate and circulation. This causes the normal regulation system in the body to slow down or stop completely. If your body senses these stimulants already in the system, your organs (adrenal glands, and others) slow down or stop regulating your metabolism. This can cause internal damage to your system, which can take years to repair. 

When you take a stimulant to boost your metabolism, you will go on an up or down swing and eventually have to take more and more until they do not work anymore. This causes stress on the adrenal glands and slows the organs production of its own metabolism stabilizers.

This, over a period of time can cause adrenal burnout and organ dysfunction, which can damage your vital organs. This is why when you quit taking these pills you end up gaining more weight back, then you will have to work even harder to lose unwanted fat and keep it off. The only true way to lose weight and keep it off is to follow this program, monitor your intake of foods, take nutritional support formulas and exercise regularly. Weight regulation is a lifelong habit.

CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND EAT HEALTHY, FOLLOW MY PROGRAM AND YOU WILL FEEL BETTER AND LOOK BETTER THAN YOU HAVE IN YEARS!

Good Luck,  Dr. Edward F. Group III

To Order the complete program for $14.95 (supplements not included) go to: www.ghchealth.com

WEIGHT LOSS INHIBITOR ONE - SLEEP DEPRAVATION

By: Pam Smith

Did you know that if you are trying to lose weight, you might be able to sleep on it - with much better results?

Research is showing that chronic sleep deprivation makes a person more than just a little drowsy or “fuzzy”.  It can actually affect your body's metabolic regulation system.  This is an interesting fact as more than three-quarters of adults surveyed last year reported symptoms of a sleep disorder at least a few nights a week.  And more than half of our population is overweight.  Hmmm. Could there be a correlation here?

The evidence is showing that sleep is very important in controlling some of the metabolic regulators of the body including growth hormone, cortisol (a stress hormone), blood sugar and insulin.  In one study, for instance, young men were limited to four hours of sleep per night for six nights. They developed glucose and insulin responses similar to people that have
diabetes. Their bodies needed more insulin to do the same amount of work as a normal person.  When this same group went back to appropriate sleep patterns of 8-12 hours per night, their glucose and insulin levels returned to normal. Insulin increases the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, and that promotes fat storage - a weight loss inhibitor.

Also, sleep deprivation increased the subject's level of cortisol, which among other things regulates appetite.  The over-production of cortisol, like the underproduction of growth hormone, has been linked to obesity.  This can cause one to get hungry and turn to too much food - a weight loss inhibitor.

So what can you do to improve your ZZZZ's?  Try these tips and resolve to get to bed on time:

- Be Clock-Driven - When it comes to catching up on lost sleep, timing is everything.  Getting up at the same time each day daily resets your body’s internal time clock.

- Check Your Medicines - Ask your pharmacist or physician if any of your prescription or over-the-counter medications are insomnia triggers.

- Regulate Your Hormones - A female approaching menopause cannot, and should not, ignore her hormonal state.

- Cut Out the Caffeine by Midday - North Americans drink 400 million cups of coffee each day, and get extra doses of caffeine in tea or cola-type sodas, cocoa, and chocolate.  The caffeine interferes with uninterrupted sleep patterns.

- Choose Night-time Snacks Wisely - Overeating, or high-fat, high-sugar snacks after dinner, can result in such an overload to your body that it will resist either getting to sleep or staying asleep. One tip that works well is to eat a small bowl of whole grain, non-sweetened cereal with low-fat milk (or soy milk) before bedtime.  It will help to keep your blood sugar level even through the night with its carbohydrate and protein balance.

- Skip the Nightcap and Night Smoke - Alcohol and nicotine in the bloodstream makes staying asleep much more difficult.
 
- Work Your Body During the Day - With its ability to physically process the stressors of the day, exercise allows for sweeter sleep; it's nature's best tranquilizer!
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WEIGHT LOSS INHIBITOR TWO - NO EXERCISE, EATING HIGH SATURATED FATS

A recent study revealed how exercise helps the body burn fat consumed long after a workout. However, in the study, exercise appeared to help burn only the unsaturated fats consumed. It had little effect on the rate at which the body burned saturated fats eaten at a later meal. The kind of fat that you eat makes a difference. Unsaturated fats are fats that come almost exclusively from plant products, such as olive oil or canola oil. Saturated fats come almost exclusively from animal sources, such as lard and butter. (Think hamburgers and fries).

Ideally, you should incorporate the following Eating Habits:

Eat Early and Eat Often
Eat Balanced and Eat Lean
Eat Bright and Eat Variety
Drink Water - at least 64 oz. per day

Remember though, that you don't have to be rapidly losing weight to be reaping rewards from an exercise program. In a recent study, dramatic improvements in health levels were achieved through exercise even when little or no weight loss occurred. In particular, researchers noted a significant improvement in cholesterol profiles.

So, if you don't see big results right way, perseverance will pay off when it comes to exercise. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less room, so you can be reducing your body size or improving body tone without seeing a dramatic change on the scale. Also, weight loss that lasts is generally a gradual process, so give your exercise program time to have an effect. You'll be gaining some great health benefits along the way and you will feel so much better!

As a retired physician, I can honestly say that unless you are in a serious accident, your best chance of living to a ripe old age is to avoid doctors and hospitals and learn nutrition, herbal medicine and other forms of natural medicine unless you are fortunate enough to have a naturopathic physician available. Almost all drugs are toxic and are designed only to treat symptoms and not to cure anyone. Vaccines are highly dangerous, have never been adequately studied or proven to be effective, and have a poor risk/reward ratio. Most surgery is unnecessary and most textbooks of medicine are inaccurate and deceptive. Almost every disease is said to be idiopathic (without known cause) or genetic – although this is untrue. In short, our mainstream medical system is hopelessly inept and/or corrupt. The treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases is a national scandal. The sooner you learn this, the better off you will be.
– A.Greenberg, M.D.

Two Out of Three Babies Receive Antibiotics by First Birthday

Two out of three infants receive antibiotics before they turn one year old. By the age of two, three out of four children have received the drugs, according to recent research.

These findings are especially concerning as resistance to common antibiotics is becoming an ever increasing problem. Deaths caused by Staphylococcus aureus, the so-called superbug that is resistant to most antibiotics, are reportedly increasing.

Moreover, research from a new study has shown that children from low-economic backgrounds are more likely to receive antibiotics than those from more well off families, and boys tend to receive antibiotics

 earlier than girls. Low-economic background might be a factor because people from this group tend to have higher rates of respiratory illness due to smoking and a lower likelihood of breast-feeding.

The study investigated how young children are when they receive antibiotics and evaluated patterns of antibiotic resistance among people aged zero to 40 years.

Records for all children born in Tayside, Scotland during 1993 showed that by the age of one year 63 percent of infants had needed antibiotics, 75 percent by the age of two. Exposure to antibiotics was highest during the first two years of life, and decreased steadily thereafter.

In terms of antibiotic resistance acquired through exposure to drugs, resistance increased with age up to six years, then declined until 20 years of age, then increased with age, according to researchers. Whether exposure to antibiotics at an early is an important factor in the development of antibiotic resistance remains unknown.

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy December 2002;50:1085-1088

Medical Journal Drug Ads Often Misleading

Pharmaceutical ads in medical journals are often deceiving, leading one team of researchers to suggest that doctors use caution when reviewing such ads.

The study of about 100 promotional claims for blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering drugs in medical journals found that references to research studies did not support the advertisements’ claims 44 percent of the time.

For blood pressure medications, references were misleading some 69 percent of the time, and about 20 percent of ads for cholesterol-lowering mediation were misleading.

Most commonly, references were found to be "particularly misleading." These ads referenced studies that had involved specific groups of people, such as people who had just had a heart attack, but then recommended the use of the involved medications for a different group of people or the general population.

Although strategies, such as government regulations and reviews by journal editors, have been put in place in the past to ensure journal ad accuracy, these measures have not been sufficient.

Researchers say that doctors should be wary when looking at drug ads, even if they contain research study references that seem credible. They note, however, that the accuracy of pharmaceutical advertising may be improved if the ads were submitted to a review panel prior to being published.

Lancet January 4, 2003;361:10-11,27-32 Free Full Text Article

Biopsy Mix-Up

Mistake Costs Woman Both Breasts

      Jan. 20

— After she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in May 2002, Linda McDougal underwent a mastectomy, but two days later she received startling news: It was all a mix-up, and she never had cancer.

Her surgeon at the United Hospital of St. Paul, Minn. had walked in and said that she had some bad news, and wanted to be as straightforward about it as she could be.

"She said there was no other way than to just tell us that I didn't have cancer. My immediate reaction was great — you got it all," The Woodville, Wisc. accountant and mother of three told Good Morning America. "Then she said, 'No, you don't understand. You never had cancer.' And it was instant shock."

She told McDougal that her tests had been mixed up with someone else's, and her now-amputated breasts had been healthy.

"I was shocked. It didn't take more than 10 seconds before I was in tears, along with my husband," McDougal said.

Slides Were Switched

McDougal was diagnosed with cancer after her doctor had a biopsy performed when a suspicious spot appeared on her mammogram. She was then told that her only chances for survival were a double mastectomy followed by three months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation therapy.

But after both of McDougal's breasts were amputated, doctors found no malignancy in the amputated breast tissue. The pathologist who had handled her test discovered that tissue from McDougal's biopsy was switched with tissue from another woman.

The hospital acknowledged the mistake, but laid the blame on an independent pathologist report. Pathologists do contract work at United, but are not employees of the hospital.

"There were two separate patient slides on one tray, and two separate patient paperwork, and these were inadvertently switched," said Dr Laurel Krause a senior pathologist at United Hospital.

No Disciplinary Action Against Pathologist

That woman who actually had cancer was notified, and has since been successfully treated. There were no disciplinary actions taken against the pathologist who made the error since that person had no prior or subsequent history of errors.

"There was a full and thorough investigation of the physician involved," Krause said. "Had there been any history of previous errors, absolutely disciplinary action would have been entertained."

Hospital officials say they have made changes so that there is not another mix-up in the future, but that is of little comfort to McDougal.

"I'm angry, I have been angry. It's taken me almost seven months to get to a point where I can talk about it," McDougal said. "I have to live with this the rest of my life."

She has not yet decided whether she will sue, but has retained an attorney.

"Apparently physicians aren't going to be held accountable unless they do it more than once," Chris Messerley, her attorney, said. But Krause insists that the situation has been handled appropriately.

Case Study in Second Opinions

"I don't think we should confuse accountability with discipline," Krause said. "This pathologist involved was the first person to recognize the error, to catch it and to fully disclose it. This person is being very accountable, and cooperating in all respects with the hospital."

McDougal is angry and says she only received an apology from her surgeon, not the pathologist responsible for the error.

"We deeply regret what happened, and wish we had made that clear at the time," Krause said. "At the time, Linda was very angry, and justifiably so."

She said that the pathologist tried to offer an apology through the surgeon, but McDougal declined tohear it, though McDougal said she knew of no such attempt.

An attorney representing United's pathologists said the group's insurance company has paid McDougal's medical expenses and lost wages, and will continue to do so.

McDougal is fighting several infections, and as a result, has been unable to continue going through the reconstructive surgeries she had started on.

She says that what happened to her is a perfect example of why people should get second opinions.

"When it comes to your health, in a case where you trust a diagnosis of cancer, you owe it to yourself to get a second opinion, a third if that's what it takes," she said.

If you would like to have Dr. Group speak at your church, organization or civic group or know of an organization that would benefit from this seminar, please contact us at 713.476.0016

DISCLAIMER:  It is your constitutional right to educate yourself in health and medical knowledge, to seek helpful information and make use of it for your own benefit, and for that of your family.  You are the one responsible for your health.  In order to make decisions in all health matters, you must educate yourself. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition, see your physician of choice. We do not claim to "cure" disease, but simply help you make physical and mental changes in your own body in order to help your body heal itself.

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Proverbs 18:9 (Amplified)