Have you ever wondered why autoimmune disorders are more likely to affect women? Or why middle-aged men have more heart attacks than their female peers? Our hormones do so much more than just regulate our moods…and they might also explain why some conditions are disproportionately associated with one sex over the other.

Inflammation

An examination of 250 years of mortality data has found that women are more likely to survive extreme conditions like famine and disease than men. One possible reason for this is the hormone estrogen, which boosts the immune system. While that’s good news for all of us ladies out there, estrogen is a double-edged sword. The same hormone that makes women less susceptible to bacterial and viral infections also leads to autoimmune disease, which conventional medicine believes is simply the immune system attacking its own healthy tissue, otherwise known as an “overactive immune system”.

On the other side of the same coin, testosterone has its own benefits, and drawbacks. In 2018, a study of mast cells, immune cells that release histamines, produce a signaling molecule designed to tone down inflammation when exposed to the hormone. Testosterone may also play a role in combating depression, as men suffering from depression typically have low testosterone levels. But that suppressed immune response can keep the body from reacting to potential health hazards, including pathogens. This results in many men ignoring subtle immune system warnings until it’s too late.

Must Read: What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

Heart Disease

Men are more likely to experience heart attacks earlier in life than women, and both testosterone and estrogen play a role in this. Having too much or not enough testosterone puts men at greater risk (and likely women too, though studies are scarce). And estrogen stops white blood cells from adhering to the insides of blood vessels. This prevents dangerous blockages from occurring. For women, after menopause, the risk of heart disease rises significantly as estrogen decreases.

Autoimmune Disease, Estrogen, and Candida

Studies suggest that estrogen’s ability to increase immune system response leads to an overactive immune system, a.k.a. autoimmune disease. We suspect there is much more to it than this. Candida overgrowth is largely misunderstood and typically ignored within the conventional medical community. Research shows estrogen supports the growth of Candida. Anyone with autoimmune disease has Candida overgrowth. This is why women are far more likely to live with autoimmune disease.

Must Read: Fungal Infections – How to Eliminate Yeast, Candida, and Mold Infections For Good

Hormones Matter More Than We Think

Do we truly know how our modern conveniences – processed foods, multitudes of plastics, birth control – change us hormonally? Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women, and yet no one is treating it hormonally. Without an understanding of the body as a holistic system, we will never be able to properly address modern health concerns.

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

Sources:

• Why Women’s Immune Systems Are Stronger Than Men’s – Discover Magazine
• Women are More Likely to Survive Famine and Disease Epidemics Because They are ‘Hardier”, Study Finds – Independent 
• Testosterone may protect men from autoimmune diseases – Ars Technica
• The heart attack gender gap – Harvard Health Publishing
• Candida and Hormones – HormonesBalance.com
• The Largely Unknown Health Epidemic Affecting Almost ALL Americans – Body Ecology

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most commonly used herbicide in the world. Nearly 300 million pounds of Roundup is sprayed on U.S. farms every year. A small Indiana study found that more than 90 percent of pregnant women had glyphosate in their urine. They also found that higher concentrations of glyphosate correlate to earlier deliveries.

Researchers recruited 71 pregnant women in central Indiana. The women provided two urine samples and two drinking water samples from their homes and answered questions about what food and beverages they consume and the kind of stress they deal with, as well as where they lived. Researchers tested the water and urine samples for glyphosate. Then researchers divided women into four groups based on how much glyphosate was in their urine. Researchers later used medical records after birth to determine their pregnancy length.

The study found that 93 percent of the women had detectable glyphosate in their urine and those who lived in rural areas more glyphosate in their urine than the suburban residents did.

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

The study also found that women who drank more than 24 ounces of caffeinated beverages daily had shown greater levels of glyphosate. The good news is that none of the drinking water samples had detectable glyphosate levels in them, but this looks like bad news for coffee addicts.

Only two of the women in the study gave birth prematurely, but researchers found that women with more glyphosate in their urine delivered earlier than women with less, on average. Glyphosate was not found to lead to correlate with low birth weight or head circumference.

It was mind-boggling that glyphosate was so prevalent in urine samples . . . but it was a pleasant surprise that none of the drinking water came out positive,” – Lead author Shahid Parvez

The link between caffeine intake and high glyphosate levels in urine surprised the researchers.

Related: Glyphosate Drenched Crops

It makes sense to us since there are many different food products imported from Southeast Asia and South America but we don’t know what they contain. It indicates a need to think about these food products, such as coffee beans and other drinks that we import.” – Parvez

Most of the women were white. The sample was small. The study is limited by its small size and lack of geographic and racial diversity.

More research needs to be done, but the precautions are common sense. Be vigilant and careful, especially those living in areas where corn and soybeans are grown.”

Related: Monsanto’s Glyphosate, Fatty Liver Disease Link Proven – Published, Peer-reviewed, Scrutinized Study

Sources:

• Glyphosate exposure in pregnancy and shortened gestational length: a prospective Indiana birth cohort study – Environmental Health Journal
• Heavily used herbicide tied to shorter pregnancies – ReutersHeavily used herbicide tied to shorter pregnancies – Reuters

The Trump administration officially withdrew an Obama-era rule for higher standards regarding the treatment of animals whose meat will be sold under the organic label.

The standards were first created in 2016 under the United States Department of Agriculture. The rules had not been put in place yet. The USDA officially overturned the rule Monday, after delaying its implementation three times.

The rule would have required poultry to be housed in spaces large enough to move freely and fully stretch their wings. Livestock would be required to have some access to outdoor space year round.

The existing robust organic livestock and poultry regulations are effective. The organic industry’s continued growth domestically and globally shows that consumers trust the current approach that balances consumer expectations and the needs of organic producers and handlers.” – Greg Ibach, USDA Marketing and Regulatory Program Undersecretary

At this time animals must be raised without antibiotics or growth hormones, and the animal feed needs to be organic well. Clarity around animal welfare and living conditions is lacking. Many organic hens and cows live in similar conditions as their factory-farmed counterparts, with no room to move and little to no significant outside access. The USDA estimates that half of all organic eggs are produced from hens living in total confinement.

Consumers trust that the Organic seal stands for a meaningful difference in production practices. It makes no sense that the Trump Administration would pursue actions that could damage a marketplace that is giving American farmers a profitable alternative, creating jobs, and improving the economies of our rural areas.” – Organic Trade Association

The proposed rule drew 47,000 comments, with only 28 supporting the withdrawal, according to data compiled by the Organic Trade Association.

This is representative of the influence lobbyists and election money has at the Trump administration’s USDA.” – Mark Kastel, co-director of Cornucopia Institute

Six out of 10 Americans feel that animals used to produce organic food should be raised on farms with higher animal welfare standards. More than half of Americans believe such animals should be allowed time outside and room to move freely.

Source:

• Trump Administration Eliminates Animal Welfare Rule – Newsweek

• Trump directs EPA to begin dismantling clean water rule – LA Times
• US Drinking Water At Risk From Trump’s Cuts To Pollution Rules – New Scientist

The Arctic Apple was developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) and has been marketed in several of Midwest locations as part of a promotion test. The apples have been sliced and marketed in 10-ounce grab-and-go bags which were a hit with customers. Observing the “amazing” results of the test run in U.S. markets, the non-browning Arctic Apple is slated for “aggressive expansion.” It will be some time before the item is available in Canada.

We saw robust, positive results. The data was amazing. When people had a chance to see the apple and experience it and realize how fantastic it is, I think that that’s a real game changer. That’s what’s allowed us to move forward very aggressively with a lot of confidence.” Neal Carter, founder, told CBC Daybreak South host Chris Walker

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods

Growers and GMO opponents have repeatedly raised concerns regarding genetically engineered plants like the apple and the complex technology supporting it, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health Canada have both approved the Arctic Apple for sale.

Carter said customer polls performed in six store locations led to 92 percent of consumers stating they’d be quite likely or extremely likely to purchase the non-browning apples later on.

In addition, he said they saw practically no complaint concerning the genetic alteration of the food, which he found promising in light of the company’s expansion plans. “Our business model has us planting trees very aggressively,” Carter stated.

We understand that there’s a segment out there that chooses not to buy biotech and that’s fine, that’s their choice,” said Carter. “But it looks to us that there’s an awful lot of people that think this product is exciting and they’re really keen to try it and really keen to buy it.”

Carter has been working to create the Arctic apple since 1996. In 2015, his company was bought by Intrexon Corporation — a U.S. biotech company — that is now funding the planting of new trees. By 2022, he anticipates the firm will have more than 1,200 hectares planted in Washington state and will probably be developing more non-browning apples compared to all the apples grown in the Okanagan Valley.

Recommended: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

I don’t think we envisioned quite this aggressive of a plan.”

While he calls the U.S. evaluation run a triumph, he quotes that it will still be two more years before the apples are available for sale in Canada.

Source:

• B.C. creator of non-browning Arctic apple plans ‘aggressive expansion’ after positive U.S. test run – CBC

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly those included in the Enterobacteriaceae family like E.coli and salmonella, is one of the most urgent crises facing the healthcare industry. Figures predict 10 million deaths a year will occur worldwide by 2050 if nothing changes, and that doesn’t even take into account the long-term health issues those who survive will face. Currently, those who contract this kind of infection face a mortality rate of 40 to 50 percent. If that’s not enough to send a frisson of worry down the back of your neck, researchers at Emory University in Atlanta have discovered a strain of Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) where current diagnostic tests are unable to detect it’s resistance to medicine’s last line of defense. According to the study,

The data are worrisome, especially since the colistin heteroresistance was not detected by current diagnostic tests. As these isolates were carbapenem resistant, clinicians might turn to colistin as a last-line therapy for infections caused by such strains, not knowing that they in fact harbor a resistant subpopulation of cells, potentially leading to treatment failure.”

Recommended: Household Cleaners May Damage Lungs Like Pack-a-Day Smoking Habit, According to New Study

Bacteria Evolution

The strain is called Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), and it’s resistant to almost all available antibiotics, including carbapenems, a commonly used treatment for multidrug-resistant bacteria. Prior to this study, scientists thought it was still susceptible to colistin, the antibiotics of last resort, at a dose of 0.5 ml or less. A closer look at that bacteria has revealed that 1 in 1,000 CRKP cells can survive a dosage four times that (2 ml). Those cells are genetically identical to the antibiotic- susceptible bacteria, and scientists identified a protein in the cell’s membrane that signaled another protein inside the bacteria to turn resistance on and off. This communication system enables the bacteria to hide in plain sight, and our current health system has no way to counter it.

A New System

This is not the first and will not be the last study to reach the conclusion that something in the healthcare system is fundamentally flawed. Sick? Take antibiotics. Still not better? Here are stronger ones! Scientists have confirmed that current diagnostic tests can’t even properly determine how to treat these pathogens, and yet clinicians keep throwing the same pharmaceuticals at them. And even those practices are in serious danger, as the World Health Organization has confirmed recently that the world is running out of antibiotics.

Recommended: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

So much of our modern lifestyle is designed to be easy and convenient and it can be hard to see what the actual cost of it is. The bill has arrived for the antibiotics. Are we prepared to pay it?

Sources:

• Deadly superbug just got scarier—it can mysteriously thwart last-resort drug – Ars Technica
• Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Exhibiting Clinically Undetected Colistin Heteroresistance Leads to Treatment Failure in a Murine Model of Infection – American Society for Microbiology
• WHO Says the World Will Run Out of Antibiotics Able to Treat Bacteria Superbugs – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets eventually released the data from January in response to a public records request after three years of not publishing the information. The newly published data covers the years 2014-2016 and reveals a dramatic growth in pesticide use on Vermont’s dairy farms, particularly with GMO cornfields. Glyphosate use more than doubled in the last three years, while total corn-related pesticide usage climbed 27 percent.

GMO corn is growing on 92,000 acres in Vermont, making it the state’s number one crop by far. The corn is not for human consumption; it’s being fed to the state’s 135,000 cows.

Related: The Difference Between Heirlooms, Hybrids, and GMOs

In 2016, Vermont’s GMO corn plants acquired a 194,631 pound bathing of pesticides, a poisonous stew that comprised 34 distinct goods, everything from atrazine into 2,4-D. The most heavily employed cornfield pesticide in 2016 has been glyphosate, with 62,458 pounds used, over doubling the 27,440 pounds used in 2014.”  – Michael Colby

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

Read More: Cornucopia Institute

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods