Your medical searches on the internet, and your privacy (or lack thereof)

It’s no secret that the National Security Agency is capable of tracking your movements from your cell phone signal. Facebook is registering everything you click on, using advertising as an excuse to insert itself even further into our lives. Online advertisers collect and catalog “cookies” left behind on sites you search and browse. With more and more of your online behavior followed, every area of your daily life that you expose may be monitored by government agencies or corporations for their own purposes. Your health and your interest in specific medical information is certainly one of those areas. Studies have found that sites like WebMD, CDC.gov, Mayo Clinic, and Livestrong all contain tracking software that sends any pages you look at to businesses like Facebook, Twitter, and data brokers like Experian and Axciom.

Medical Searches and Where the Data Goes

It’s easier now than it has ever been to look up medical information, from specific diseases to symptoms and treatments. But like with all convenience, it comes at a price. Over 90% of the top 50 search results of nearly 2,000 common diseases made third-party requests to other websites like Google, Facebook, and AppNexus among others. For-profit health sites were among the worst offenders. WebMD, one of the most popular online websites for health related concerns, sent third-party requests detailing individuals searches to 34 separate domains, including data brokers Axciom and Experian. Experian is especially troubling, as they have been involved in selling consumer data to services perpetuating identity theft.

WedMD is first and foremost a business, and it’s not difficult to believe they would sell search data in the name of profit. Perhaps more surprising is the role of healthcare.gov in this race to make a quick buck from violating consumers’ medical privacy. As millions signed up for health care, the data they gave the website was transmitted to at least 14 third-party domains. Personal information was sent to these sites even if the person using healthcare.gov had specifically enabled Do Not Track. Other government health websites, notably CDC.gov, are also loaded down with tracking software. What does it say about a government that spies on its own citizens and then turns that data over to companies who are willing to further exploit them?

The Long Reach of Google

Does this mean all health websites have only their own interests at heart? Probably not. More likely than not, they have Google. In the study that analyzed third-party requests from health websites, 78% of pages on those web sites included content from Google. Today’s standard website almost always includes some type of analytics, video material, and social media. This would also account for the second and third most present third party contents, Facebook and comScore, another analytics company.

Last year in Canada, Google was taken to task for violating the government’s privacy laws after a citizen discovered he was being targeted with ads for a sleep condition he was searching. The Office of Canada’s Privacy Commissioner was able to recreate the plaintiff’s experience, showing what Google is capable of divining about your personal medical information through its online properties.

Is Privacy Possible?

Unfortunately, software tracking of any and all activities involving technology are already firmly entrenched in our way of life. For the average user of the Internet, it’s next to impossible to avoid. Even so, you can still take measures to protect yourself. If you’re looking for sensitive health information or want a little more privacy, consider using an app like Privacy Badger or AdBlock to increase your chance of blocking third-party requests. Clearing your browser history often also gives corporations less information to easily dig through. Since there are so many companies involved in selling your information online, it’s up to you to protect yourself.

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Autoimmune Disease – The Body’s Betrayal

When you think of disease, life-threatening disease, what first comes to mind? Cancer? Heart disease?

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), 9 million Americans suffer from Cancer on an annual basis; 22 million suffer from heart disease. Autoimmune disease beats them both with an annual number of 23.5 million and rising.

According to American Autoimmune, 50 million would be a more accurate number because the NIH only counts and tracks 24 autoimmune diseases (all with good epidemiology studies) though researchers consider 80-100 diseases to be chronic, autoimmune conditions.

What Is an Autoimmune Disease?

The simple definition of an autoimmune disease is a misguided immune system that attacks healthy body tissue. Some autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis or arthritis target specific body parts, while others, such as lupus, affect many parts of the body.

These diseases cause more than inflammation, pain or discomfort; many are crippling and are among the leading causes of death in America. The following is a short list of the most common autoimmune diseases.

Common autoimmune diseases

  • Addison’s disease
  • Arthritis
  • Celiac disease
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Diabetes (type 1)
  • Graves’ disease
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
  • Lupus
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Pernicious anemia
  • Polyarteritis
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica
  • Psoriasis
  • Raynaud’s phenomenon
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Sjögren’s syndrome
  • Ulcerative colitis

Conventional medicine offers no cures and has not reached a definitive answer as to the cause of autoimmune diseases. The primary treatment is medication. Steroids are commonly prescribed, despite how damaging their long-term use can be to the body.

Conventional medicine recognizes a genetic component and questions whether a viral infection could trigger an autoimmune disease. They have also acknowledged the fact that many people suffering from autoimmune diseases have celiac disease as well as another autoimmune disease.

How to Cure Autoimmune Disease

Natural health care practitioners believe that health, or lack of health, begins in the gut. Not only is the gut responsible for 80% of our immune system, an unhealthy gut cannot absorb the nutrients the body needs for every function, including healing.

A sick gut is often a leaky gut, one that allows proteins and food particles to pass into the bloodstream, causing the immune system to attack these foreign particles as pathogens.

An unhealthy gut is the result of an unhealthy diet, antibiotic use, and Candida overgrowth. If you want to rid yourself of any chronic condition, you have to heal the body, one cell at a time. If you are ready to do this, it all starts with diet.

A Truly Healthy Diet Is the Key to Health

The healthiest diet is a whole food, plant-based, 80% raw diet. A full 80% of your diet should be fresh, raw, organic produce – more vegetables than fruit. This will provide your body with the nutrients, fiber, and enzymes it needs and the perfect food to help the colonies of beneficial bacteria in your gut to thrive and reproduce.

There is no room in a healthy diet for processed foods with the exception of a few organic products such as healthy oils. The following should all be permanently eliminated:

  • Artificial colors
  • Artificial flavor
  • Preservatives
  • MSG, BHA, BHT
  • GMOs
  • Trans fats
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Processed sugars

During the healing process eliminate the following foods as well:

  • Dairy products
  • Caffeine
  • Gluten (very important!) All grains containing gluten and all sources of gluten contamination.

You may be able to add some or all of these foods back into your diet on a limited basis after you have healed your gut and eliminated the autoimmune disease, but it is highly possible that you will find you feel better without them.

If you choose to eat meat, be absolutely sure that it is organic. This is vitally important. When you eat meat, you are eating off the top of the food chain. Animals that are not raised organic are fed hormones, antibiotics, and GMO feed, all of which is passed onto you.

To Eliminate Disease, Help Your Body Detox

Once you are eating right, you need to detox and avoid as many environmental toxins as possible. Give your immune system a rest. Use only organic soap, shampoo, skin care products, perfumes, colognes, cleaning products, etc. Your immune system responds to viruses, bacteria, fungi (Candida is the main one), parasites, and toxins. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system needs all the help you can give it. Get rid of the chemicals. Remember that your skin is a sponge, soaking up whatever you put on it.

You must kill the overgrowth of Candida in your body. Chances are the “indiscriminate attacks” that your immune system makes on your tissues are either an attempt to kill Candida that is present throughout your body or it’s a response to the proteins and other food particles that are routinely released into the bloodstream from a leaky gut. To heal the body, kill the Candida and heal the gut.

You need to move. Your lymphatic system is an integral part of your immune system. In order to work properly, it must circulate. Rebounding is considered the best exercise to move the lymph, but other exercise works as well. Walk, run, swim, yoga, dance – just move.

A healthy immune system also requires vitamin D. The best source is the sun, but many of us don’t live in an optimal climate and many with autoimmune diseases are photosensitive. If you supplement, be sure to choose a quality vitamin.

Conclusion:

To heal the immune system, you must heal the whole body. The good news is that every cell in the body requires the same thing: elimination of toxins and high-quality nutrients.

To learn more about a healthy diet, read 80% Raw Food Diet. To learn how to detox safely, read about a Total Detox Plan, How To Detoxify from Vaccines and Heavy Metals, and Inexpensive Easy Detox. (But know you will need to do a full detox.)

Autoimmune disease usually starts in the gut, and typically ends with healing the thyroid. Check out , How To Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem and see Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies.

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Cheap Dollar Store Products Shown To Have Very High Levels Of Toxic Chemicals

Everyone wants to get more than they paid for. Who doesn’t like a bargain? Unfortunately, recent testing of 164 dollar store products found that the little extras they’re offering are toxic chemicals like toxic metals, phthalates, BPAs, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

Healthystuff, an organization that researches toxic chemicals in everyday products, teamed with the Campaign for Healthier Solutions to release this report, which found over 81% of the products tested from retailers like Dollar Tree and Dollar General had a troubling level of at least one hazardous chemical.

With the majority of dollar store customers unable to afford to shop elsewhere, will these findings change the way the dollar stores do business? Or will they continue to take advantage of people who feel they don’t have a choice?

Recommended: How To Heal Your Gut

Can You Trust Big Business?

Walmart is the first corporation you think of when you think of big business that caters to lower-income people and families. That dollar store hidden in a strip mall doesn’t even seem to be on the same level. Don’t be fooled – dollar stores are big business and they’re getting bigger. Dollar Tree has 4,900 stores and with their tentative acquisition of Family Dollar has potentially added 8000 more stores. In contrast, Walmart had only 4,399 locations in the United States at the end of last year.

The four stores that had products tested in this study (Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and 99 Cents Only) have combined sales of over 36 million. This is big business, and it seems like dollar stores are more concerned with profiting from cheaply made, toxic items than providing consumers with safe products.

Related: Many Hand-me-down Plastic Toys Are Toxic for Kids

Healthystuff found widespread causes for alarm in their tests of dollar store products. In addition to the 81% of items that were found to contain concerning levels of one hazardous chemical, a little less than half (49%) of the items tested had two or more hazardous toxins at concerning levels.

PVC was found in 38% of items tested and 32% had high levels of pthalates, a group of chemicals found to cause birth defects, diabetes, and cancer as well as other health issues. Forty percent of sales at these dollar stores are food products. Too often, lower income people choose these items due to their affordability, not knowing about the presence of cancer-causing BPAs or other chemicals.

Recommended: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Who Does This Effect?

So who’s shopping at here? Who are the dollar stores hurting with their lack of regulations on toxic chemicals? Thanks to the recent recession, the pool of customers who do their shopping at the dollar store has increased. The number of Americans living below the poverty level increased by 40%, and as more people find themselves living paycheck to paycheck, these cheap, just-for-right now products have more appeal. Dollar stores also rely on their widespread store locations. Convenience is a big deal to consumers, and that’s another thing that attracts people to dollar stores.

Recommended: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

The Results and What You Can Do

Now that these tests are out there, the onus is on the dollar stores to do something. Removing the chemicals from their products would, of course, be the best-case scenario.

The Campaign for Healthier Solutions is calling on dollar stores nationwide to remove children’s products with lead and phthalates and adopting chemical management policies that will identify, share, and remove chemicals. You can also check your state and local policies requiring discount stores to disclose hazardous materials and make efforts to switch to less toxic, safer alternatives.

If you’re using toxic cleaning products, see Clean Your Home Cheaply and Easily Without Toxic Chemicals – DIY. Also, check outHow to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors.

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Monsanto Has Ruined Our Honey – It’s Contaminated With Glyphosates From Roundup

A recent study by researchers from Boston University and Abraxis LLC found significant amounts of glyphosates in a food that you wouldn’t necessarily expect: honey.

Five categories of food items were tested from Philadelphia grocery stores: honey, corn and pancake syrup, soy milk, tofu, and soy sauce. Sixty-two percent of the conventional honeys and 45% of the organic honeys sampled had levels of glyphosates above the minimum established limits.

It’s hard to ignore the presence of glyphosate in a large portion of our food supply. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in Monsanto’s star herbicide, Roundup. It is interesting to note that the level of glyphosates was much higher in honey from countries that permitted GM crops; honey from the U.S. contained the highest levels.

Even the Organic Honey?

So how did so many of the 69 honey samples, including 11 organic samples, tested contain such high levels of glyphosates? There are two reasons for this. Given that a single honeybee can fly over 6 miles to find nectar and bring back a total of 250 pounds of nectar a year, modern life is set up so that it is almost impossible for them to avoid harmful substances. Pesticides, herbicides, and toxins released into the air from factories and cities make it impossible for all but the most remote beehives to maintain 100% purity.

There’s also the issue of the wax that bees use for their hives. Bees are at risk for Varroa mites, an external parasite that reproduces in the hives, so conventional beekeepers frequently use pesticides to get rid of them. Beeswax retains chemicals, so over time, these chemicals build up and make their way into the honey. While the use of pesticides directly on the beehives isn’t an issue for beekeepers using organic methods, the issue is where they source their wax. A survey of pesticide residues in beehives found that over 98% of them contained at least one pesticide. With such a large amount of wax contaminated, it’s likely that organic beekeepers who purchase commercially available wax will be unable to avoid these toxins.

Can I Ever Eat Honey Again?

Is there any way around the amount of herbicides and pesticides in honey? Short answer? Probably not. Countries that don’t allow genetically modified crops have lower levels of herbicides in their honey, but that list of countries is under attack every day that Monsanto and their buddies are in business. With increased use of chemicals in farming, a greater amount of herbicides and pesticides will make it way into beehives, causing a ripple effect throughout bee colonies.

If you’re going to purchase honey, your best bet is to do your research. Talking to local beekeepers at farmer’s markets can give you an idea of the quality of honey available directly in your area. Even though there were glyphosates in the organic honey, there were still more in the conventional honey. You can increase your odds of getting less toxic honey by researching which countries don’t allow GMOs (not a bad solution for other products, either!).

If you find yourself eating honey often, it could be a good idea to do a detox to remove Candida and toxins from your body.

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Live a Cancer Free Life

Cancer propaganda is blasted from the airways, the television, the Internet, and print media. Cancer treatment is big business. So are the campaigns that ask you to contribute your hard earned money to find a cure. Meanwhile the big shots at the American Cancer Society make six figures, while claiming they are searching for a cure. But there is no real cure that will ever come from conventional medicine, just treatments. Treatments that are as likely to kill as they are to cure.

Cancer is a malfunction within the body. So the obvious question to ask is, “Why is the body malfunctioning?”

Every cell within the body has a purpose. If the cell isn’t functioning correctly, it is due to one or both of these basic reasons:

  1. The cell does not have the proper nutrition it needs to function correctly.
  2. Toxins or waste are making it impossible for the cell to function correctly.

How Do You Avoid Cancer or Heal Your Body If You Already Have Cancer?

First and foremost, you flood your body with nutrients. This is the foundation for all health. Your body needs a wide variety of nutrients to nourish itself, to feed every cell, to regulate its systems, to produce neurotransmitters and hormones, T cells and red blood cells, bone and tissue. It cannot maintain, much less repair itself, if it doesn’t have the basic building blocks it requires.

So What Is a Truly Healthy Diet?

A truly healthy diet is a plant-based diet consisting of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce – more vegetables than fruits. It contains a wide variety of foods and includes healthy omega 3 fatty acids. If meat is eaten, it is also organic.

A truly healthy diet does not contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It does not include GMOs, MSG, or trans fats. In other words, it does not contain 99% of today’s processed foods. Limit sugar and caffeine. Try to eliminate all processed sugar. Cancer cells love sugar.

Numerous studies have revealed a link between meat consumption and cancer rates. Vegetarians definitely have lower rates of cancer. Processed meats are the worst offenders – again artificial preservatives are very toxic to the body. But all of today’s meat – except for organic, free-range meats – contain antibiotics and hormones. Many of the animals are raised on foods unnatural to their diet. In addition, many are fed GMO foods. Is it any wonder that consumption of disease ridden, factory-raised animals contributes to cancer?

Conclusion

Everyone with cancer has at least two out of these five things in common, and typically all of them:

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How Cancer Tumors Use Meat To Fuel Their Growth – Collective Evolution



6 Antioxidant-rich Foods for Good Health

Antioxidants are natural substances that offer protection against cell damage. In addition, they help fight free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can damage your healthy cells, DNA, and protein. In fact, free radical damage can lead to cancer. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants. Adding antioxidant-rich foods to your diet can be beneficial for your health.

Apples

Apples are a good source of antioxidant flavonoids. Flavonoids offer protection to plants against ultraviolet light and pathogens. In addition, these compounds impart color to flowers and fruits. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2002, flavonoid intake is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases. There are many simple ways to include apples in your diet. Give a fruity appeal to your omelet by adding apples. Grate apples and add to waffles or pancakes. You can also toss a few slices on your oatmeal.

Onions

In addition to providing flavor, onions provide health-promoting nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C, iron, dietary fiber, and folic acid. Furthermore, onions contain the flavonoid quercetin. According to the National Onion Association, studies have demonstrated that eating onions may help reduce the risk of certain diseases. Consumption of onions may help prevent gastric ulcers by inhibiting the growth of Helicobacter pylori, a microorganism responsible for causing ulcers. To reap its benefits, add sauteed chopped onions to any vegetable dish. You can also top your plain rice with onions and sesame seeds.

Strawberries

Deliciously sweet strawberries possess a strong antioxidant capacity. A study published in the journal “Food Chemistry” found that eating strawberries regularly can boost blood antioxidant levels and prevent chronic diseases. Also, these soft red fruits help maintain healthy eyes and skin. Flavonoids present in strawberries help fight free radical formation, thereby reducing the risk of dementia, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. You can enjoy strawberries as an afternoon snack or toss a handful in your morning cereal.

Eggplant

Eggplant contains chlorogenic acid that exhibits very strong antioxidant activity. According to the researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, chlorogenic acid in eggplant not only helps fight free radicals, it also helps lower cholesterol. The compound can prevent cells from changing into cancer cells. To reap the benefits, add eggplant cubes to your curry sauce and serve over brown rice. Top your pizza with eggplant cubes.

Kiwi

Kiwi is packed with two vital antioxidants: vitamin A and vitamin E. Both of these vitamins help keep free radical damage at bay. Eating kiwis can help keep your blood pressure under control. By incorporating kiwis into your diet, you can give your immune system a boost. Fiber found in the fruit helps in the digestion of food. You can enjoy kiwi in many ways. Use it in fruit tarts. Make a chilled soup by blending cantaloupe and kiwifruit together. You can also add the fruit to tossed green salads.

Blackberries

According to The Berry Health Benefits Network, blackberries are rich in vitamin C, ellagic acid, and fiber. Studies have shown that these nutrients help in decreasing the risk of certain cancers. A phenolic compound, ellagic acid has antiviral, anticarcinogen, and antibacterial properties. Furthermore, blackberries have the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. You can use blackberries in jellies and jams. Mix them into plain yogurts or make a blackberry milkshake by blending blackberries with low-fat vanilla ice cream.

Conclusion

Adding antioxidant-rich foods to your diet will enhance your ability to fight disease. Also, make sure to lead a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking, and minimizing alcohol consumption. Unhealthy lifestyle habits can increase the formation of disease-causing free radicals.

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Some Antibiotics May Blind, Cripple, or Kill You

Pharmaceutical drugs come with risks, risks most users choose to ignore. We block out the risks when we hear about a drug on television or the radio. We either skim over the words in print or ignore them altogether. Due to trust that the federal government will protect us and a belief that pharmaceutical companies have our best interest at heart, we play Russian roulette, believing we would never be so unlucky as to suffer a serious side-effect. After all, they are so rare!

We are all aware that antibiotics can cause allergic reactions, even fatal ones. It is not so common knowledge to find an antibiotic can cripple or kill in other ways.

Chris Dannelly was in the prime of his life at age 41. His physical (two months prior to his death) showed he was in excellent health. He was an athlete who stayed in shape. When he came down with the flu and pneumonia, he was prescribed levofloxacin (brand name Levaquin) an antibiotic manufactured by Johnson and Johnson, Jansen Pharmaceutical. This antibiotic was the best selling antibiotic in the United States in 2010.

Chris took two pills. Those two pills killed him.

Chris did not have an allergic reaction. He died an excruciatingly painful death from rhabdomyolysis, a syndrome caused by the death of muscle fibers and the release of myoglobin into the bloodstream. Death occurs due to toxic overload with resultant kidney failure, heart attack, liver damage, or compartment syndrome (which inhibits blood flow).

Chris died 48 hours after taking the second pill. The diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis was made through autopsy.

Death and Injury Caused by Levaquin

Rhabdomyolysis is not the only serious reaction patients have had to Levaquin. Many have experienced Achilles ruptures; severe on-going joint, muscle, or tendon pain; rupture of the retina; or neurological damage that may well be irreversible. Two other possible fatal outcomes are related to skin reactions: Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrosis (TEN). Stevens-Johnson syndrome results in blistering of the mucous membranes, while TEN causes widespread necrosis of the skin. It can literally fall off the body in sheets.

The circular for the drug includes a current stand statement for prescription drugs:

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

This statement is one that supports the mindset that these things happen to other people, not us. Seriously, would any of us risk our health with pharmaceuticals if we really paid attention to and understood the warnings? Not if we understood that foods, herbs, and natural supplements would cure that pneumonia, sinus infection, or strep throat. Not if we all understood that natural treatment strengthens the immune system and that over time through the use of natural remedies we would catch fewer infections and when we did, they would be less severe.

The Beneficial Risk Profile

Pharmaceutical companies are quick to talk about the benefit risk profile – the fact that a particular drug has helped so many people as opposed to how few it damaged or killed. And though this drug has 20,000 or more lawsuits filed against it, claims can be made that it has helped many more. (And yet, many other medicines with less risk could have been used instead.)

This is a very expensive medication. It makes a great deal of money for its company. It is one of the drugs in the class called fluoroquinolones. Another well-known drug in this class is Cipro.

Do you think Johnson and Johnson bases their risk-benefit calculations on anything other than profit compared to losses through lawsuits? If you do, you drank the Kool-Aid.

If you’ve recently taken antibiotics, this is what you need to do to restore healthy intestinal flora, and check out Make Your Immune System Bulletproof with These Natural Remedies for real immunity from bacterial infections and other pathogens. See Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases to learn more about the gut and how to repair antibiotic damage.

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