PAP's Used In Fast Food And Popcorn Are Dangerous To Your Health

Perfluoroalkyls, which are chemicals used to keep grease from leaking through fast food wrappers, are being ingested by people through their food and showing up as contaminants in blood.

Perfluoroalkyls are stable, synthetic chemicals that repel oil, grease, and water. They are used in surface protection treatments and coatings for packages.

The specific chemicals studied were polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs), which are the breakdown products of the perfluorinated carboxylic acids used in coating the food wrappers.
Common Dreams reports:

"The researchers used the PAP concentrations previously observed in human blood together with the PAP and PFCA concentrations observed in the rats to calculate human exposure to the chemical perflurooctanoic acid, PFOA."

Sources:

  Common Dreams November 9, 2010

  Environmental Health Perspectives October 29, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

How To Live Longer - Complementary Alternative Medicine

A new study recently compared patient-physician relationships and relief of symptoms between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and conventional primary care (COM). The study was part of a Swiss evaluation of complementary and alternative medicine.
Researchers looked at more than 6,000 patients. The study included patients of 77 non-certified CAM physicians and of 71 conventional physicians.

The patients completed a questionnaire which asked questions about symptom relief, patient satisfaction, and quality of patient-physician interaction.

According to Biomed Central:

"CAM physicians treated significantly more patients with chronic conditions than COM physicians.

CAM Patients had significant higher healing expectations than COM patients.

General patient satisfaction was significantly higher in CAM patients, although patient-reported symptom relief was significantly poorer, The quality of patient-physician communication was rated significantly better in CAM patients."

The study concluded that more effective communication patterns by complementary and alternative medicine could play an important role in allowing patients to maintain more positive outcome expectations.

Sources:

  Biomed Central November 4, 2010

Six Healthy-Sounding Foods That Really Aren't

Many foods have been heavily promoted as being healthy. But not all of them are. Here are some foods which are far less “good for you” than most people believe.

Energy bars
Energy bars usually contain protein and fiber, but they may also be loaded with calories. That’s fine if you occasionally make one a meal, but most people eat them as snacks.

Granola
Granola sounds healthy. But it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Don’t be fooled by a seemingly low calorie count; the portion sizes on the label are usually tiny.

Salad Toppings
The pecans and Gorgonzola cheese on Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad propel it into double-cheeseburger territory. Before ordering a salad, check its nutrition information.

Smoothies
Added sugars can make some smoothies the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling. The smallest serving of Jamba Juice’s Orange Dream Machine has 340 calories and an astonishing 69 grams of sugars.

Sushi Rolls
Sushi rolls vary, and the fried bits and mayonnaise in some can really jack up the calories.

Yogurts
The “fruit” in yogurt is really jam (that is to say, mostly sugar).

Sources:

  Shine from Yahoo May 22, 2008

5 Common Types Of Anxiety

Most people have experienced the clammy hands and the waves of nerves in their stomachs just before public speaking or the restless anxious feelings just before taking an exam.


These anxieties that emerge throughout our days are considered normal, however anxiety disorders lead to feelings of uneasiness, distress and irrational fears. When these anxieties aren’t properly addressed they could result in lost productivity and could also negatively affect a person’s quality of life.

Facts on Anxiety

• Over 19 million Americans are afflicted with some type of anxiety disorder.
  
• In 1990, the costs to cover anxiety disorders in America reached $46.6 billion.
  
• The costs for anxiety disorders makes up about one-third of the nation’s total mental health bill, which currently stands at $148 billion.
  

There is widely held misconception among the public that people with anxiety disorders have the capability to gain control of their symptoms through sheer willpower. The causes of anxiety disorders range from biological to environmental factors such as post-traumatic stress.

Five Common Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• Constant, intense worry about daily tasks and schedules
  
• Over 4 million Americans have been diagnosed with this disorder
  
• Most people with this disorder have the tendency to look at situations from a worst-case scenario perspective, which eventually disrupts their sleep patterns and ability to concentrate
  
• Physical symptoms include fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache and nausea
  
  

Panic Disorder

• Common traits of this disorder include panic attacks, instant feelings of terror that occur often and unexpectedly, chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal pain, loss of touch with reality, tingling extremities and a fear of dying
  
• Attacks usually last a couple of minutes, however in some cases can last up to one hour
  
• More women than men suffer from this type of anxiety
  
• Commonly surfaces in early adulthood before the age of 24
  

Social Phobia

• Overwhelming fear of social events and situations
  
• Causes people to avoid social events and places limitations on people’s lives
  
• Causes people to feel that others are constantly judging and evaluating their actions and behaviors
  

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• The repetition of rituals and thoughts that people feel unable to control
  
• Some of the symptoms include constant hand washing and counting things
  
  

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Ongoing symptoms that are a result from traumatic experiences such as war, rape, child abuse and natural disasters
  
• Other typical emotional symptoms include depression, anger and irritability
  
  

Research has shown that the two most successful treatments of anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and behavioral therapy.

Behavioral therapy is defined as targeting the issue through breathing exercises and small increments of exposure to what is causing the person anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy on the other hand, is designed to help the person deal more effectively with situations that fill them with anxiety.

Silver City Daily Press June 10, 2004

Why Do One In Ten Kids In The US Have ADHD?

A U.S. government survey claims that 1 in 10 U.S. children now has ADHD. This is a sizable increase from a few years earlier. ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) makes it hard for children to pay attention and control impulsive behavior.

About two-thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on some form of prescription medication.
According to AP medical writer Mike Stobbe:

"In the latest survey, 9.5 percent said a doctor or health care provider had told them their child had ADHD ... ADHD diagnosis is in many ways a matter of opinion.

There's no blood test or brain-imaging exam for the condition. Sometimes reading disabilities or other problems in the classroom cause a teacher or others to mistakenly think a child has ADHD."

Researchers suggested growing awareness and better screening may be responsible for the rising numbers, but there are a number of food additives that experts think may worsen ADHD as well. They include:

• Blue #1 and #2 food coloring
• Green #3
• Orange B
• Red #3 and #40
• Yellow #5 and #6
• Sodium benzoate, a preservative

According to Health.com:

"Will eliminating dye-containing foods from a child's diet help ADHD? Experts say there's not enough evidence ... Most studies of a possible link analyzed blends of additives, not single ingredients, making it difficult to find a culprit."

Sources:

  Yahoo Finance November 10, 2010

  Health.com November 2010

  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) November 12, 2010 / 59(44);1439-1443

20 Anti-Aging Herbs and Spices to Add to Your Diet

The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates--white flour, white salt, and processed food--is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings. So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality, especially over the holidays. The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal.

Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties.

Here's why:
* Spices and herbs maximize nutrient density. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. At the cocktail party, choose the Thai chicken satay stick over the tried and true fried chicken strip.

* Spices and herbs create a more thermogenic diet. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism.

* Some spices and herbs increase your overall feeling of fullness and satiety, so you'll eat less. One study conducted at Maanstricht University in the Netherlands showed that when one consumes an appetizer with half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, it decreased their calorie intake by 10-16 percent.

* Spices and herbs have real medicinal properties. Study after study shows the benefits of distinct herbs and spices. For example, one 2003 trial of 60 people with type 2 diabetes reported that consuming as little as two teaspoons of cinnamon daily for six weeks reduced blood-glucose levels significantly. It also improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, perhaps because insulin plays a key role in regulating fats in your body.

Choose flavor over blandness every time, and try to incorporate these specific herbs and spices into your diet if you have the following health concerns:

• rosemary and basil for their anti-inflammatory power
• cumin and sage for their dementia-fighting power
• cayenne and cinnamon for their obesity-fighting power
• coriander and cinnamon for their sugar regulating powers
• lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron for their calming effects on your mood
• turmeric for its cancer fighting power
• oregano for its fungus-beating power
• garlic, mustard seed and chicory for their heart-pumping power
• basil and thyme for their skin-saving power
• turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, and ginger for their immune-boosting power
• coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper for their depression-busting power

Sources:

  The Huffington Post December 20, 2008

What TSA Doesn't Want You To Know About Their Full Body Scans

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a leading privacy group, has asked a federal appeals court to suspend the U.S. government's program of introducing full-body imaging machines at airports.

According to the group, the imaging machines constitute a suspicionless search of all airport travelers in an extremely invasive way -- so invasive that it violates the reasonable standard contained in the Fourth Amendment.
Wired reports:

"The constitutional challenge aside, EPIC also charges that the Department of Homeland Security, in rolling out the devices, violated a host of bureaucratic policies requiring public review, including the Administrative Procedures Act. What's more, the group claims the machines, among other things, violate the federal Video Voyeurism Prevent Act, which protects against capturing improper images that violate one's privacy."

Further, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) sent a letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology in April warning of potential health risks -- including skin cancer -- from the scanners, which distribute a dose of radiation to the skin and underlying tissue.

Sources:

  Wired November 12, 2010

  CNN November 11, 2010

  CNN November 12, 2010

  Alternet.org November 14, 2010

  RawStory.com November 16, 2010

  CNN Opinion November 18, 2010

  NetworkWorld.com November 17, 2010

  CNN Travel November 21, 2010

  The Daily Squib August 4, 2010

  Raw Justice November 22, 2010

  Care2.com November 20, 2010

  MSNBC.com November 22, 2010

  AAPS November 24, 2010