Four Children Dead in Amarillo, TX in Pesticide Poisoning

Four children have died in Amarillo, TX after the aluminum phosphide was sprayed under their house. The other inhabitants of the home are still in treatment, and whether they make it or not, the effects of the gas will cause long-term health problems.

Aluminum phosphide is a restricted-use pesticide due to its volatile nature. It turns into phosphine gas when mixed with water. According to the Amarillo Fire Department, a license is required to purchase the pesticide. In this case, it was bought on the black market. It was applied during the day and the toxic fumes leeched into the house during the night.

How Aluminum Phosphide Works

Aluminum phosphide turns into toxic phosphine gas when it comes into contact with water, either deliberately or in the atmosphere. Once toxic phosphine gas has been ingested, it causes the circulatory system to shut down. There is no antidote for the gas, and close to 60% of people who develop aluminum phosphide poisoning die from multiple organ failure, myocarditis, and profound shock.

Aluminum Phosphide Use in the United States

Aluminum phosphide is used to kill rodents, bedbugs, and other pests. It is also used to fumigate cereal grains, usually in tablet form and mixed with other chemicals that help keep the aluminum phosphide from exploding. The use of aluminum phosphide without a professional is not recommended. Yet similar pesticides like zinc phosphide in the form of rodent pellets are available to purchase at Wal-mart.

The people who sell pesticides cannot keep you safe because let’s face it -pesticides aren’t safe. While the pesticide used here is without question more dangerous than the average pesticide, this doesn’t change the fact that pesticides used to kill rodents and other pests are meant to kill living things, and children are especially vulnerable.

Recommended Reading:
Sources:


FDA Says to Avoid Repeated or Lengthy Sedation or Anesthesia for Pregnant Women and Children Under Three

Studies on childhood brain development in children under three have found that long or repeated exposure to general anesthesia has the potential to negatively affect that growth. The Food and Drug Administration has recently issued a warning regarding the use of general anesthesia and sedation drugs for children under three and pregnant women in their third trimester to make consumers aware of the possible side effects. The list of drugs includes commonly used anesthetics like lorazepam, ketamine, and midazolam, among others.

Janet Woodcock, the director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research released a statement regarding the FDA’s position on the new labeling requirements. “…based on the FDA’s comprehensive analysis of the latest published scientific studies, we are issuing a Drug Safety Communication to inform health care providers, parents and caregivers of children younger than three years, and pregnant women in their third trimester, that the repeated or lengthy (more than three hours) use of general anesthetic and sedation drugs may adversely affect children’s developing brains.”

Better Safe Than Sorry

Anesthesia or sedation are medically necessary in many cases and generally considered safe. Low-risk patients see a death rate of 1 in 300,000. Common non-emergency cases of sedation or anesthesia in small children include abdominal issues; nose, ear, and throat conditions; and dental procedures. The use of general anesthesia in emergency situations cannot always be avoided. The new warning label required by the FDA is intended to raise awareness of the potential effects of anesthesia on brain development during its crucial development years.

Obstetricians Have Objections

As of right now, no one has taken issue with the warning labels in regards to children. Extending the warning to pregnant women in their third trimester, however, has been more controversial. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) registered their disapproval on the inclusion of pregnant women in this warning, claiming they are “…unaware of data on pregnant women that support the FDA’s claims. These warnings may cause patients and providers to inappropriately reject the use of these medically indicated drugs.” Both animal and human clinical trials were studied for the safety advisory, but the actual human trials were only done on children.

Developing Brains Should Avoid Unnecessary Sedation

Babies have amazing, malleable brains that are developing by leaps and bounds. It’s often hard to see how much they’re learning and developing until much later in life. A caution advisory like the one issued by the FDA is designed to preserve that activity. While the ACOG makes a good point considering the clinical studies did not specifically test human pregnant women, it’s hard to see why exercising caution and sedating pregnant women only when necessary is such an issue.

Recommended Reading:
Sources:


How to Handle a Fever

You hear coughing, whining, or those dreaded words, “Mommy, Daddy, I’m sick.” A hand to the forehead tells you your child is burning up. Don’t panic. If your child is sick, a fever is an indication of an active, vigilant immune system hard at work.

Although the medical community has long known that a fever is the body’s way of fighting a bacterial or viral infection, many doctors still advocate the use of pharmaceuticals to bring down a fever without thought of the consequences – the possibility of a longer illness and a greater need for medical intervention.

Recently, there appears to be a shift in thinking. More conventional healthcare sites on the internet are stating that a fever is a natural and helpful process of the immune system. But even among these enlightened professionals, their opinions vary as to how high a temperature can reach and still be safe for a child or infant.

It is a good idea to know how your health care provider expects you to respond to fevers. When you are upset and worried about a sick child, it is not the best time to discover you don’t agree with your doctor’s treatment protocols.

The following is standard advice from the Web for when to call your doctor if your child is running a fever:

  • Newborn to 3 months old – Call immediately for any elevated temp
  • 3-5 months old – Call if temp reaches 101 or higher
  • 6 months old and up– Call if temp reaches 102 degrees or more

Your healthcare provider should never make you feel uncomfortable for calling with any concern about your child. On the other end of the spectrum, if you don’t call when your provider thinks you should, you might find yourself in an uncomfortable confrontation. Knowing your health care provider’s basic protocols – and knowing whether you agree with them -is an invaluable aid in choosing the right person to advise you. It is also a great tool to aid you in developing a strong and trusting relationship. If your health care provider doesn’t offer these protocols in writing (they should!), ask questions and take notes.

What Temperature is Considered a Fever?

Generally, an oral temperature exceeding 100.40F (which is 380C for those smart enough to be on the metric system) is considered a fever.

Our bodies regulate temperature within a limited range. Although individual baseline temperatures do vary, 98.6o is the typical baseline temperature. But temperature can also vary based on the time of day, activity level, layers of clothing, or even due to weather. It would be helpful to determine your child’s normal baseline temperature and regular variations before a fever occurs.

How to Take Your Child’s Temperature

The various ways to take a temperature produce different results. The most accurate methods are oral, rectal, ear, or axillary (armpit) measurements. The newest method, the temporal artery thermometer (swept across the forehead) is also gaining in popularity with reports of high accuracy. But before you use any type of digital device, read and follow the directions. If you have an old-fashioned glass thermometer, a comparison of results will assure the digital device is correctly calibrated.

The two best things about today’s digital thermometers, ear thermometers, and temporal artery thermometers is how fast they are and how they let you know when the reading is complete. Glass thermometers are very slow and require you to hold them in place for a full two to three minutes to gain an accurate reading. Holding any child still for three minutes is difficult at the best of times, much less when they are sick and fussy and you are holding a thermometer pressed into their armpit or rectum.

It is important to note that a temperature taken from the ear, rectum, or temporal artery thermometer will be half a degree to a full degree higher than an oral temperature. An axillary (armpit) temperature will be half a degree to a full degree lower than an oral temperature. Unless otherwise noted, the oral temperature is the temperature stated in everything from the definition of a temperature to warnings and directions for care unless otherwise noted. So, if you do seek medical care or medical advice for a fever, be sure to communicate the method you used to obtain your child’s temperature. For example, you would say, “103.40 rectal temperature.”

How to Support a Fever, and Let it Break Naturally

For decades, parents have been taught to bring down a fever with pharmaceuticals.

We stopped using aspirin for children in the early 1980s due to its association with Reye’s syndrome. The recommendation switched to acetaminophen (Tylenol).

But recent studies revealed an association between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism when it is given after a vaccine or during a viral illness. Also, acetaminophen is very hard on the liver. It is the nation’s leading cause of liver failure.

As far as pharmaceuticals go, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc.) is the last choice for fever reduction. It, however, has its own horrific side effects. WebMD offers an eye-opening list. Do you really want to give this drug to your child?

Instead of thinking in terms of treating or eliminating the fever, we should think in terms of supporting the body’s efforts to fight the illness. Fever is a good thing, as long as dehydration is avoided.

If you feel the need to bring down your child’s temperature, a cool damp rag to the forehead or back of the neck can be helpful, but immersion in tepid water is the most surefire way to bring down a temperature. If you choose to do this, don’t torture your child. Start with water that is warm enough for them to feel comfortable. So start with comfortably warm water and gradually cool it down by adding a little cold water at a time.

Bring toys to the tub. Preferably, you will want your child to stay in the water for 20-30 minutes at a time.

Hydrate,  Hydrate, Hydrate

Dress your child in a light layer of clothing and push fluids. If you are nursing, nurse more often. If you are bottle feeding, offer more formula and offer feedings more often. For older children, offer extra water throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks (including moms that are breastfeeding).  If the body is hydrated properly a fever is likely to move up and down a few times and then break. Being properly hydrated before getting sick can be the difference between a fever that does its job and a dangerous fever requiring intervention. Check out this recipe. The cranberry lemonade can help boost kidney and liver function, which boosts immune function.

A fever that stays at a dangerous temperature is a sign of a dehydrated body. Incidentally, diarrhea indicates a high likelihood of being dehydrated. Mineral deficiencies with an infection cause temporary kidney failure leading to diarrhea, and fevers that don’t fluctuate and break. For more on the immune system see

Related Reading:
Sources:


Hair Loss in Women: Why It Happens and What Can You Do to Stop It

There are few things as devastating for a woman as seeing her hair fall out at an unusual rate and feeling powerless to stop it. Fortunately, in most cases, hair loss can be reversed by a few lifestyle changes and the help of herbal remedies.

A person has around 100,000 strands of hair on the scalp, and it is normal to lose 50-100 strands every day. However, if more hair falls out, it can lead to bald spots or a thinning hair line — a problem that affects millions of women in the world.

Hair loss happens when the hair follicles are blocked or are not able to function properly. This can be a side effect of poor scalp circulation, vitamin deficiencies, improper diet changes, dental problems, stress, hormonal imbalances, and toxic hair products.

Bring More Circulation to the Scalp

Increased circulation to the scalp helps regrow hair because the scalp cells die or don’t function properly without enough blood and oxygen. You can bring more circulation by massaging the scalp and through the use of hair oils and herbs.

Massaging the scalp also reduces stress levels, another threat to healthy hair.

Massage the scalp at least once a week as a preventative. If you are experiencing hair loss, massage the scalp on a daily basis. If your hair is falling out at an extreme rate, keep the pressure gentle. If you are too rough, you may accidentally rip out weak hair stands.

Use Beneficial Oils in Your Hair

Using hair oils is a popular remedy in India. It is not only used for hair loss, but to grow thicker, longer, and healthier hair. When massaging the scalp, use a few of these beneficial oils to regrow hair. You should rub it on the spots that have been especially affected.

The nutrients in the oils help boost blood flow and circulation and also address a dry scalp issue. If the scalp is dry, and if you have dandruff, the hair follicles are blocked, leading to hair loss. Using oils will moisturize the scalp and stimulate the hair follicles to stop hair loss and regrow lost hair strands, and it will keep the existing hair stronger and healthier. A few oils to consider are:

  • Castor oil
  • Argan oil
  • Jojoba oil
  • Emu oil
  • Carrot seed oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Bhringraj Oil

You can also add a few drops of essential oils, such as rosemary essential oils, to speed up the healing process of your scalp.

Apply Herbal and Nutrient Rich Mixtures to Scalp and Hair

There are also many recipes of healthy mixtures you can make and put on your head overnight for nutrients to be absorbed directly into the scalp. This type of treatment is messier than the oils and requires you to wear a shower cap when sleeping, but it has worked for many people. It can also be fun to experiment because there are so many options out there.

  • Indian gooseberry – Mix one tablespoon of Indian gooseberry (rich in Vitamin C) with one tablespoon of lemon juice, massage into the scalp and leave overnight. Wash your hair in the morning.
  • Fenugreek – Make a paste from one cup of soaked fenugreek seeds (protein-rich), apply to hair and leave for 40 minutes.
  • Aloe vera – Use aloe vera juice or gel or the scalp, leave for a few hours, wash it off.
  • Licorice root – Mix one tablespoon of ground licorice root with one cup of milk and ¼ teaspoon of saffron.  Apply to scalp and leave overnight. Wash off in the morning.

Herbs that Are Beneficial for Hair

Ayurveda medicine and Western herbal medicine use herbs for hair health. These herbs boost blood circulation, heal the scalp cells, and promote hair growth.

In Ayurveda, the recommended herbs are:

  • Horsetail – rich in silica
  • Indian gooseberry or amla – vitamin C and antioxidants
  • Neem – fights dandruff
  • Ashwagandha – immune support

Western herbal medicine recommends the following:

  • Hibiscus – against dandruff, prevents premature gray hair
  • Stinging nettle – follicle health (taken internally)

Vitamin Deficiencies — Getting Enough Nutrients

If your body is deficient in vital nutrients, this can lead to hair loss. Simply taking a good multivitamin or even a multivitamin formed specifically for hair health may bring good results. There are also specific vitamins that are most important to hair health: biotin, iron, protein, and healthy fats.

Biotin: The Most Important Vitamin for Hair

Biotin or vitamin B7 is the most important vitamin for addressing hair loss. Biotin improves keratin – a protein that makes up hair, as well as skin and nails. If you have leaky gut or if your digestive tract is not able to absorb nutrients properly, you are probably deficient in biotin.

Food sources for B7 are:

  • Liver
  • Eggs
  • Salmon
  • Cheese
  • Avocado
  • Raspberry
  • Cauliflower

Vitamins and Healthy Fats for Hair

Hair loss can also be caused by a lack of iron (especially if you have anemia), protein, potassium, and protein. You may be experiencing a lack of iron if you do not eat red meat. Other sources of iron are chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, beans and lentils, and spinach.

Hair growth also requires a good amount of protein. If you are vegetarian or vegan, good sources of plant protein are beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and some superfoods such as algae, goji berries, hemp, and chia seeds.

Potassium brings circulation to the scalp and boosts follicle health. You can get a lot of potassium from bananas.

Finally, it is important to get plenty of healthy fats. Salmon and avocados are two good sources.

Make Sure You Are Eating a Proper Diet

Hair loss can be a side effect of changing a diet too rapidly, switching to a diet that is lacking in nutrients, eating a high-glycemic diet, or going on a crash diet.

As a rule, avoid any crash diets, and avoid diets that are high in sugars (especially fake sugars), and processed foods.

If you just switched or are thinking of switching to a plant-based diet, make sure you do your research to find the best plant sources for all your vitamin needs, especially protein and iron.

Hormonal Imbalance Can Lead to Hair Loss

In today’s world, many of us live under high amounts of stress on a daily basis. This can lead to hormonal imbalances, a poorly functioning thyroid, and poorly functioning adrenals, all of which can lead to rapid hair loss. Addressing these underlying issues, including auto-immune disorders and chronic illnesses, is important for many people to regain a healthy scalp and strong, healthy hair. Also, it is important to recognize that some medications cause hair loss. If this is the case,  you will have to wait until you stop taking them to see real results.

Take Care of Your Emotional Health

Like stress, anxiety and depression can lead to hair loss.  To reduce your stress levels and to help alleviate anxiety and depression,  try yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and journaling.

Address Dental Health

The connection of dental health with hair health is less known, but more studies have recently come out bridging the gap between the two. What the scientists are starting to find out is that any health issues in the mouth directly affect the rest of the body, including hair. Gum disease, cavities, and infections in the mouth all can lead to hair loss.

Switch to Natural Hair Products

Finally, some people experience hair loss simply from the toxins of the hair products they use. Most shampoos and conditioners, hair sprays, hair dyes, and other products, contain cancer-causing chemicals, as well as chemicals that ruin hair. These chemicals include sulfates, parabens, phthalate, artificial coloring, and artificial fragrances.

Switch to natural, organic shampoos. If you want to dye your hair, use henna instead of commercial dyes. While traditionally henna is red, more companies are now making henna hair dyes in shades of brown and black.

Recommended Reading:
Sources:


Food, Nutrition, and Herbs for Insomnia

If your mantra in life is, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you might want to take 5 minutes to rethink this strategy. Driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 25% of all fatal and serious car accidents and a continual lack of quality sleep is directly linked to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. You can pump the weights and crank up the cardio, but if you are not balancing your body with the healing powers of sleep, you won’t be able to stave off these debilitating symptoms and conditions forever. In fact, pushing your mind and body beyond its natural limits without rewarding it with well-earned sleep can result in chronic fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, and hormone dysregulation.

Not convinced? Research confirms that lack of sleep is also directly linked to:

  • Shrinking of the brain
  • Organ failure
  • Infertility
  • Memory reduction
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Chronic illness
  • Premature aging
  • Reduced life expectancy

Luckily, stacking your fork with slumber-inducing snacks is easier than you think. But can you really eat yourself to sleep? Is it possible to create your best dreamscape while stuffing your face? Is your dinner your best doctor? Yes, yes, and definitely yes.

The Science of Sleep

There are more than a dozen interconnected hormones and chemicals responsible for the onset and execution of a successful sleep session. They’re all important ingredients for a dream feast, but having a bite-sized understanding of these primary components will see you to sleep in no time.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It’s a vital element of the system that regulates your internal body clock and natural sleep-wake rhythms.

How and when your body creates and releases melatonin is contingent upon light exposure in the day and the gradual onset of darkness in the evening. Levels start to rise from early evening, remain high and steady throughout the night, and begin to drop off in the early morning hours.

Healthy levels are attributed to the ability to fall asleep quickly, to reduced or eliminated sleep interruptions, and to being able to wake easily at consistent times. In addition, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It is capable of free radical scavenging throughout the entire body due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and navigate the blood-brain barrier.

Though there is still much to learn about this heroic hormone, there is growing evidence that supports the positive impact melatonin may have on countless biological functions. From heavy metal chelation, Alzheimer’s Disease treatments, and obesity prevention to insomnia, immune function, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) treatment, melatonin is king.

Studies show, melatonin has a hand in:

  • Immune function
  • Jet lag recovery
  • Headache reduction (particularly cluster headaches)
  • Managing sleep cycle disruption due to night or shift work
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome treatment
  • Controlling sleep disorders associated with autism, cerebral palsy, blindness, and ADHD
  • Reducing withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking
  • Medication or pharmaceutical induced insomnia
  • Helping to fight certain types of cancer (particularly brain, breast, colon, lung, and renal)
  • Reducing the side effects associated with chemotherapy
  • Reducing the impact and instance of tinnitus
  • Protection from radioactivity
  • Prevention of gallstone development
  • Improved fertility

Studies suggest that it may be especially useful to treat sleep issues that are due to behavioral, developmental, or mental disorders.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is responsible for making melatonin and serotonin. Humans cannot synthesize it, and a lack of tryptophan would be lethal; it must be obtained from plant or animal sources.

This vital molecule is helpful in dealing with sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, and bruxism. It may also have a serious psychological impact, with low levels showing a correlation with depression, anxiety, irritability, and aggression. Conditions such as PMS, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome all show symptom relief when consistently healthy tryptophan levels are present.

Due to the link with both serotonin and melatonin, tryptophan induces feelings of calm, relaxation, well-being and sleepiness. It also assists your body in manufacturing and assimilating proteins for cellular function and efficiently assists with niacin production and conversion.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the flight-or-fight hormone responsible for a wide range of functions and reactions in the body. Produced in the adrenal glands, it is transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Cortisol creates the rise and shine impulse that wakes you up in the morning. Maintaining homeostasis of this hormone is an essential component to finding that sweet sleep spot.

Cortisol levels peak between 8-9 am. and respond to daily activity levels. Production sharply declines between midnight and 4am. This balance creates what is known as a diurnal rhythm (being awake during the day, sleeping at night).

Depending upon the cells it is interacting with, cortisol can have a directly positive impact on your stress response, blood pressure, and inflammation reduction. It also influences blood sugar control, metabolism regulation, and memory formation.

However, both high and low cortisol levels will have a negative influence on your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right nutrients the body needs to function. When elevated for extended periods of time, cortisol can interfere with weight, immune function, and chronic disease.

Experiencing a spike of cortisol late in the day or evening can induce an elongated stress response due to adrenaline release that prevents the yummy wind down after a long day. Similarly, dysregulation can cause unhelpful hiccups of cortisol through the night that interfere with a solid sleep state and those vital REM periods.

Excess cortisol may present as an inability to shut your brain down at night and racing thoughts that often focus on negative experiences in the past or worries about the future – otherwise known as being “tired but wired”.

Overproduction of cortisol can be caused by being overworked, routinely stressed, worn down, or chronically ill. Over time, this can manifest as adrenal fatigue, insomnia, sleep disruption, and depression.

Low levels will reduce the “cortisol awakening response”. Energy is often at a bare minimum, inducing a state of chronic fatigue. This can prevent initiation of other hormone cycles or incite overreaction of others, creating a negative feedback loop.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and the most important amino acid for sleep, muscle relaxation, and anxiety reduction. In short, it turns off the worrying thoughts that impede restful sleep and prepares the mind for mood balancing subconscious decongesting. These sedating effects have a huge impact on sleep quality and quantity.

GABA can be helpful with relaxation and the ability to fall and stay asleep. It has also useful in dealing with restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, and even epilepsy.

Low levels of GABA can prevent you from going into a deep sleep, which allows minor distractions to wake you up and prevent you from nodding off again. In addition, low GABA is linked to depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders.

Poor diet, illness, age, and exposure to environmental toxins can all affect the GABA levels.

When to Eat

Eating yourself to sleep involves diet consciousness. Get familiar with the best foods for supporting those 40 winks.

Make sure you’re not consuming the wrong stuff at the wrong time. It confuses the natural flow of chemicals and hormones that orchestrate revitalizing rest, which can be a tripwire for general system dysregulation. All sources of caffeine should be consumed before 2 pm. For sensitive folk, this includes chocolate. Additionally, avoid taking Vitamin D supplements or Fermented Cod Liver Oil after 2 pm. Ideally, you should stop eating for 4 hours before bed, but at the very least, skip heavy, spicy, and/or difficult to digest meals within that time frame.

If necessary, eat a small high protein/high fat snack at 7pm or earlier to tide you over and keep your blood sugar balanced. A handful of nuts promotes tryptophan production. To keep nighttime interruptions to a minimum, stop drinking about 2 hours prior to bed.

Foods and Substances That Prevent Sleep

Trans fatty acids and industrial seed oils (vegetable, canola, margarines, and shortenings) promote systemic inflammation, that encourage biological stress. Foods with a high glycemic index will also interfere with natural sleep patterns by spiking blood sugar and cortisol response. These include simple carbs, sugar, fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks.

Pharmaceuticals, Over the Counter Meds, and Substances

Medications can be seriously disruptive to sleep, but also very sneaky. It’s often difficult to ascertain whether those tablets are tampering with your sleep, particularly if you are taking multiple medications. Have a rifle through your medicine cabinet to check whether one of these top culprits is causing problems.

  • Alpha-blockers and Beta Blockers
  • SSRI antidepressants
  • Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • Cholinesterase inhibitors and ACE inhibitors
  • Second-generation (nonsedating) H1 antagonists
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin
  • Statins
  • Corticosteroids

Nicotine and THC (marijuana) could also be a factor.

The Best Sleep Diet

Let’s eat! It’s time to breakfast, lunch, and dinner ourselves into bed. These dietary additions will manufacture the building blocks of structural hormone and chemicals to balance and promote the best sleep.

Follow an organic, anti-inflammatory diet that excludes processed products and is high in whole foods, healthy fats, vegetables, and some fruits. Along with plenty of nuts and seeds, you’ll be able to load up on important antioxidants and phytonutrients while maximizing fiber intake. Be sure to keep your Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid intake ratio within the 1:3-1:4 range.

Top Foods for Melatonin Management

  • Tart cherry juice
  • Bananas, oranges, pineapple
  • Tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet corn
  • Barley, oats, rice
  • Flaxseed, walnuts, almonds
  • Fenugreek and mustard seeds

Top Foods for Tryptophan Production

  • Seeds and nuts
  • Soy
  • Cheese
  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Beans and lentils
  • Eggs

Top Foods for Cortisol Control

  • Cold water fish
  • Beef liver
  • Eggs
  • Greek or fermented yogurt
  • Flaxseed and walnuts
  • Chard (swiss, ruby, rainbow)
  • Citrus fruits and papaya
  • White beans

Top Foods That Promote GABA

  • Black, green, oolong tea
  • Halibut, mackerel, shrimp
  • Beef liver
  • Fermented foods
  • Jumbo oats and rice bran
  • Almonds and walnuts
  • Lentils

Other Foods for Sleep

There are lots of additional options and substitutes for getting the most delicious sleep. Switch regular potatoes for beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes, and that greasy side dish for some steamed dark leafy greens. Cook with coconut oil and drizzle a fresh salad with extra virgin olive or avocado oils. Incorporate grass fed gelatin and a dash of creamy milk into your smoothies.

In the evening, make up a brew of your favorite herbal tea. Chamomile, mint, lavender and St. John’s Wort are particularly soothing.

What Supplements Promote Good Sleep

Finding the right combination of supplemental additions to your diet and routine is extremely personal. There is no one-size-fits all approach, so careful experimentation and observation is an important part of finding what’s right for you.

Herbs

Vitamins and Minerals

Supplements and Extracts

Final Thoughts

Stop hiding your sleep worries under the bed. Make integrating these balancing practices into your routine a daily, lifetime habit. Eat yourself to sleep, sleep yourself to life.`

Recommended Products:
Recommended Reading:
Sources:


Does Soda Tax Work?

The total number of cities in the United States that have voted to place a tax on beverages with added sugar like soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks grew from two cities (Philadelphia and Berkeley, CA) to six cities (San Francisco, Oakland, Albany, CA, and Boulder, CO) and one county (Cook County, which contains most of the city of Chicago). Relatively new to the United States, these “soda taxes” will or have also taken effect in France, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Much like tobacco taxes, the goal is to make the consumption of a key culprit (added sugars), which is associated with the rise of diabetes and other diseases, a less attractive choice. The effects of refined sugars on public health and healthcare costs are becoming one of the most important issues the world must face. But are taxes on sugary beverages the way to address it?

Do They Even Work?

…it’s possible the increased awareness campaigns are doing as much, if not more…

Short answer: probably. Of all of the local governments that have passed a tax on beverages with added sugar, there is only one that has any actual data: Berkeley. That measure was passed in 2014, and it took effect in January of 2015. With Berkeley as the sample size, the numbers are promising. For minority and low-income residents in Berkeley (the population most likely to drink sugary drinks), consumption fell 21 percent once the tax was implemented. But those numbers are not the entire story.

While the increase in the price of soda likely deterred many regular customers, that wasn’t the only way the Berkeley community achieved its positive results. The first objective of the campaign is to raise awareness. The tax has been earmarked for community programs specifically designed to promote health education and diet awareness, like the Berkeley YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention and Reduce Obesity campaign and the Unified school districts gardening and nutritional education programs. As the Berkeley tax is applied to beverage distributors, not consumers, it’s possible the increased awareness campaigns are doing as much, if not more than the actual tax.

In looking at the results of the Berkeley sugary beverage tax, it’s easy to see why it’s succeeding. The tax raises awareness of the issue and the education delivers resources and strategies to make better choices. A small, progressively minded, and wealthy community like Berkeley has the infrastructure to implement this program. But the tax itself is not without issues.

Why It’s Problematic

What’s the biggest issue with a soda tax? The people enforcing it – if you can call government people. There are two hurdles to worry about that combine and amplify one other. Reason one? Any time things are taxed, governments begin to expect and rely on that money. The second question is whether the government agency that is regulating this tax and other similar taxes actually knows anything about health.

Seriously…Does It Work?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes. But we don’t know if it does work without the education. Education makes a difference. The low-income populations (or people likely to have less access to quality health education) are responsible for a large percentage of sugary beverage consumption. Replacing unhealthy choices with better alternatives will always create a more lasting impact on habits than merely raising the price of soda ever could. One way or the other, the world is waking up to the truth about sugar.

Sources:


Shaken Baby Syndrome – Child Abuse or Vaccine Injury?

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS, which is also known as abusive head trauma) is a diagnostic term for brain damage inflicted upon a baby or young child who has been violently shaken or thrown against an object. When a child presents with a subdural hematoma, retinal bleeding, and brain swelling, these three symptoms together are supposed to confirm the diagnosis.

The blood vessels in a young child’s brain are delicate. Their heads are large, and their necks are weak. When an infant or young child is violently shaken, the head jerks back and forth as the brain bashes against the inner wall of the skull, which can cause blood vessels to rupture and tears to form in brain and nerve tissue. Bleeding on the brain and swelling or bruising of the brain can occur, resulting in injury or death.

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

There are about 1,300 reported cases of SBS in the U.S. per year. One in four of these babies dies from their injuries, while 80% of children who survive suffer lifelong disabilities.

There is, however, a rising concern that SBS is either over diagnosed, wrongly diagnosed, or an altogether non-scientific diagnosis.

Is SBS a Definitive Diagnosis?

In the last 15 years, the validity of the SBS diagnosis has come under fire with medical examiners, pediatricians, neurologists, other physicians, prosecutors, and judges reversing their belief that the classic triad for this diagnosis can only be due to child abuse.

The Washington Post reports that Gregory G. Davis, the chief medical examiner in Birmingham, Alabama and the board chairman of the National Association of Medical Examiners said:

You can’t necessarily prove [Shaken Baby Syndrome] one way or another — sort of like politics or religion. Neither side can point to compelling evidence and say, ‘We’re right and the other side is wrong.’ So instead, it goes to trial.”

The Washing Post also reports that the pediatric neurosurgeon, Norman Guthkelch, who…

…had a key role in the original hypothesis that led to Shaken Baby Syndrome. Now, he says the science is faulty and there should be an independent review of Shaken Baby convictions.”

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

At trial, the outcome is swayed by the testimony of expert witnesses, the doctors who testify about the child’s symptoms, examination, and diagnosis. For many doctors, this diagnosis is ironclad. In their medical books, they were taught that presentation of the triad of symptoms is indicates SBS. That’s all there is to it, so that is what they say in court. But others are beginning to question the validity of the diagnostic criteria and the diagnosis itself. And some who question it are paying the price.

Dr. Wancy Squier

Physicians and scientists are supposed to keep an open mind. They know that science depends on keen observation and attention to detail. This observation and on-going questioning lead to fine-tuning diagnostics and to new discoveries. Sometimes new knowledge replaces earlier, widely accepted beliefs, especially the commonly held beliefs derived from textbooks. But when the impact of new hypotheses or the discovery of a mistake disrupts the status quo and places blame or liability on others, backlash can destroy a career.

Related: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Judy Mikovits Ph.D. dared to reveal her discovery that many of our vaccines are contaminated with a retrovirus that is associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and autism. Rather than receiving recognition and accolades for her discovery, she was fired, arrested, and discredited.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield discovered a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, how the vaccine damages the gut microbiome. He publically advocated for discontinuation of the MMR, for replacing it with singular vaccines rather than the triple dose. For this, he lost his license to practice medicine.

In March of 2016, Dr. Wancy Squier, a world-renowned neuropathologist, lost her license to practice medicine (which the British call being “struck off the register”). The Medical Practitioners Tribunal of the General Medical Council, the same tribunal that revoked Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s license, determined that she lied and misled the courts due to her testimony that refutes the diagnostic criteria for SBS. She is currently appealing their ruling.

Due to her Dr. Squier’s testimony, a parent has been released from prison, her conviction overturned. Other parents were found not guilty of their charges. Their children presented with the triad of symptoms which normally guarantees a conviction, but Dr. Squier’s experience and research has convinced her that the SBS diagnosis is unscientific and unsupported. After studying all the literature she could find regarding SBS she says, “I have found nothing which satisfies me that there is any scientific foundation for it.”

More than 350 doctors have written letters of support to the British Medical Journal on Dr. Squier’s behalf. Three other British doctors who are skeptical about the SBS diagnosis who previously testified in the courts with similar testimonies are now afraid of the consequences. They no longer testify in civil or criminal cases regarding SBS for fear of losing their licenses.

Misguided Justice Leading Misdiagnoses

The very act of prosecution and plea bargaining has led to the legitimacy of the diagnosis. When innocent mothers, fathers, and caretakers take a plea, saying in effect that they did shake a child (when they didn’t) their “admission of guilt” validates the hypothesis that the classic triad of symptoms is proof of shaken baby syndrome.

For example, an innocent man is accused of murdering his girlfriend’s baby, an infant that presented with the classic triad. He repeatedly states that he is innocent, that he never shook or otherwise abused the child. But now, he is facing life in prison. His lawyer convinces him there is no hope for acquittal – the evidence is too great, too ironclad. The accused has to make a choice. Does he go to trial when his lawyer assures him there is a 97% or more chance that he will be convicted for a crime he did not commit and will spend the rest of his life in prison? Or does he plead guilty in order to strike a plea bargain with a reduced charge and a 10-year prison sentence with possible early release for good behavior? If these are his only choices, of course, he takes the deal. But his confession adds to the growing body of evidence that the triad of symptoms is caused by child abuse – even though no abuse ever occurred.

SBS Symptoms and Vaccine Injury

Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP detected a pattern when he was reviewing the pediatric records of four infants diagnosed with SDS. While looking for underlying medical conditions, he found intriguing similarities in the cases. Although the children were geographically distant from one another, they all had these things in common:

  • None were abused
  • All had complicated past histories
  • All had medical conditions that explained their symptoms (other than abuse)
  • All received the same three vaccines: Pediarix, HIB and Prevnar within three weeks of their apparent life-threatening event

Conclusion

While Dr. Squier fights for her license, there are a growing number of SBS convictions being overturned in the United States along with a rising concern that SBS cases, SIDS, and many cases of fractures are actually caused by vaccines. (Fractures can be due to vaccine induces rickets that causes soft bones). While the CDC and the FDA continue to deny the growing evidence of vaccine injury and death, many grieving parents who have lost their babies are serving time for crimes that never occurred.

Related Reading:
Sources: