Are you suffering from fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes? Do you have a bull’s eye rash? Were you bitten by a tick in the last 30 days? If you live in the Northeast or the upper Midwest, you may have contracted Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that infects up to 300,000 Americans each year.

If left untreated,  symptoms can escalate (within days to months) to severe headaches and neck stiffness; a spreading rash; severe joint pain and swelling; facial palsy; irregular heartbeat; dizziness; shortness of breath; nerve, tendon, muscle, joint, and bone pain; inflammation of the brain and spinal cord; numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and problems with short-term memory.

Where Do You Catch It?

Lyme disease cases are concentrated in 14 states:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

The CDC reports 95% of all cases are from these states. However, if you have the symptoms, you should still be tested for the bacteria. There are few states with zero cases.

Related: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

How Do You Catch It?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans by a tick bite. According to the CDC, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the disease is transmitted.

It isn’t the adult ticks that are most likely to infect us, it’s the nymphs, the tiny (less than 2mm) immature ticks that latch on and stay on long enough to make us sick.

Is it Always a Tick?

There has been some question of whether humans could catch Lyme disease from other bloodsucking insects. The CDC says there is no evidence that mosquitoes, fleas, lice, or other pests transmit the disease. The CDC also states that there is no evidence that Lyme disease is contagious – you cannot catch it from sexual contact, food, air, water, or an infected pet.

Others disagree. The Lyme Disease Association of Australia states,

Scientific studies support potential alternate modes of transmission; however these potential transmission sources have not been fully researched.”

The site goes on to post studies of transmission through other blood-sucking insects, such as mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and mites. In addition, they cite anecdotal evidence of sexual transmission and the need for research into transmission through sexual contact, blood and tissue donation, and through infected pets and livestock.

What New With Lyme?

Not long ago, chronic Lyme was dismissed by the conventional medical profession as being a non-existent. Today, the CDC not only recognizes the existence of chronic Lyme disease, it informs us that the “proper” name is Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.

The CDC says that most experts attribute the symptoms to residual damage to the body’s tissues and immune system, but other experts attribute ongoing symptoms to persistent bacteria that was not killed by the initial treatment and cannot be detected through laboratory testing due to diagnostic limitations and the bacteria’s ability to remain in the body undetected.

Conventional Lyme Treatment

It can be difficult to diagnose Lyme disease. False negative tests add to the confusion and poor treatment of this disease. But diagnostics are not the only problem.

According to Lyme Disease.Org, there are two standards of treatment. They state,

There is significant controversy in science, medicine, and public policy regarding Lyme disease. Two medical societies hold widely divergent views on the best approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. The conflict makes it difficult for patients to be properly diagnosed and receive treatment.”

And…

The ideal antibiotics, route of administration and duration of treatment for persistent Lyme disease are not established. No single antibiotic or combination of antibiotics appears to be capable of completely eradicating the infection, and treatment failures or relapses are reported with all current regimens, although they are less common with early aggressive treatment.”

Unconventional Lyme Treatment

Unconventional treatment of Lyme disease centers first on diet, gut health, and immune system health. Leaky gut needs to be addressed and other infections and parasites need to be identified and treated. There are many supplements and herbs that boost the immune system and fight Lyme disease.

One doctor, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt MD, Ph.D. also checks for insulin resistance, exposure to mold, and exposure to electromagnetic fields. His patients respond quite well to limitations (or elimination) of the “electrosmog.” Cell phones and cordless phones are not used in the home and neither are wireless Internet connections. Some go so far as to paint the outside of their homes with a graphite paint called Y Shield, and they use a special cloth for curtains until recovery from Lyme is complete.

Related: Earthing – Touching Earth

Why is Lyme Disease Increasing?

One reason for the increase in cases of Lyme disease may be due to many environmental factors. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the stress we endure, and our constant exposure to chemicals and electromagnetic fields all affect the immune system and our ability to fight disease without the additional aid of pharmaceuticals, herbs, or supplements.

But it’s not just our ability to fight off the disease that is a factor. It is also spreading in the wild.

Ecologists Felicia Keesing and Rick Ostfeld predict 2017 will be a bad year due to a “plague of mice” in the Hudson River Valley. After studying Lyme disease for 20 years, they have found the mice population to be a good predictor of disease activity.

New research suggests the loss of predators such as foxes and martens is a major factor in mice population control. Red foxes and martens feed on small rodents, including the white–footed mice known to carry the Lyme bacteria. In areas with a higher number of these predators (areas where foxes were protected rather than hunted) data shows a huge reduction in the number of infected ticks.

Opossums also help control ticks. Although they do eat mice, their impact is due to their fastidiousness. Like cats, opossums carefully groom themselves, swallowing ticks as they pull them from their fur – an estimated 5,000 ticks per season.

Climate change is also linked to the increase in Lyme disease. Warming climates allow the life cycle of the ticks to speed up, doubling reproduction in the U.S. and increasing reproduction in Canada by two to five times. Both the CDC and the EPA believe climate change is a factor. The EPA has added Lyme disease to its list of climate change indicators.

Some areas that show an increase also have experienced failed farms. Land that was cultivated has reverted to its natural state with trees and brush and an increase in ticks, mice, deer and other animals.

How Do You Test For Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose because it mimics many auto-immune diseases. Physical symptoms alone will not specify Lyme disease unless the bull’s eye rash is present at the site of a tick or bug bite.

The two tests for Lyme disease, the Western blot and the ELISA tests, which may be used together to measure specific antibodies in the blood, are known to result in a false negative result. Dr. Axe recommends direct microscopy in addition to a physical examination.

If you have the symptoms, chances are you will be working with your health care practitioner to find a diagnosis. Make sure you include testing for Lyme disease. And be sure you are tested for parasites and co-infections as well.

From the Editor:

I’m not big on diagnosis, or getting tested for Lyme, as both are highly inaccurate. If anyone is feeling a handful of the symptoms below, it’s time for a wellness overhaul. Check out How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally. It’s not an easy protocol, but it works.”

These are the symptoms that indicate a Lyme disease should be considered:

• Any rash where a tick bite occurred. Although we are told a bull’s eye rash in the indicator, 70% develop a very different looking rash as shown in these examples.  And not all rashes are limited to the area of the bite.
• Flu-like symptoms
• Fever
• Chills
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Pain in the muscles, joints, and connective tissues
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Trouble sleeping
• Neck pain
• Extreme fatigue
• Nausea and loss of appetite
• Arthritis and swollen joints
• Mood changes
• Cognitive changes, which include brain fog, forgetfulness, headaches, difficulty concentrating

Conclusion

If you live in an area where Lyme disease is common, take extra care when you are out in nature. Long sleeves, long pants, and natural insect repellant will all help, but a thorough inspection of the body is also a good idea. Remember your pets can also pick up these ticks. Natural insect repellents work well for them, too.

Related Reading:

• How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid
• How to Detoxify From Chemotherapy and Repair the Body
• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Sources:

• Lyme Disease – CDC
• Lyme Disease Transmission – Lyme Disease Association of Australia
• Lyme Disease Association, Inc.
• Why Is Lyme Disease Not Just Tick-Borne Anymore? – Care 2
• Lyme Disease Treatment – Lyme Disease.org
• Chronic (Persistent) Lyme Disease – Healthline
• Forbidding Forecast For Lyme Disease In The Northeast – Goats and Soda
• Fewer foxes could mean an uptick in Lyme disease – Treehugger
• Opossums – killers of ticks – Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies
• Lyme Disease Is Spreading, Government Research Finds – NBC News
• Has Climate Change Made Lyme Disease Worse? – Scientific American
• Lyme Disease Treatment (Natural vs. Conventional) + Prevention Tips –Dr. Axe

A jury in Los Angeles ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a record breaking $417 million to Eva Echeverria, a hospitalized woman in California. Eva claimed in her lawsuit that the talc ingredient in the company’s well-known baby powder may cause ovarian cancer when applied regularly to the crotch.

The plaintiff alleged Johnson & Johnson does not adequately warn consumers about talcum powder’s potential cancer risks. She says she used the baby powder daily basis from around the 1950s until 2016. Court papers show she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007.

Related: Galactagogues Foods, Herbs, and other Ways to Increase Breast Milk Production

Mrs. Echeverria is dying from this ovarian cancer and she said to me all she wanted to do was to help the other women throughout the whole country who have ovarian cancer for using Johnson & Johnson for 20 and 30 years,” – Robinson said.

This is not the lawsuit of this kind, or Johnson & Johnson’s first loss, either. In St. Louis, $70 million was awarded to a woman with ovarian cancer due to baby powder usage,

We are pleased the jury did the right thing. They once again reaffirmed the need for Johnson & Johnson to warn the public of the ovarian cancer risk associated with its product,” Attorney Jim Onder

Apparently, Johnson & Johnson is still not adequately warning its customers.

On a side note, did you know Johnson and Johnson produce vaccines?

Related: Why Anti-Vaxxers Don’t Vaccinate

Can talcum powders cause cancer? Many believe so. According to Cancer.org,

It has been suggested that talcum powder might cause cancer in the ovaries if the powder particles (applied to the genital area or on sanitary napkins, diaphragms, or condoms) were to travel through the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes to the ovary. Many studies in women have looked at the possible link between talcum powder and cancer of the ovary. Findings have been mixed, with some studies reporting a slightly increased risk and some reporting no increase.”

There’s a better option.

Homemade Baby Powder Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup arrowroot powder
• ¼ cup bentonite clay powder or White Kaolin Clay
• 1 tsp chamomile, lavender, or calendula flowers, in powdered form (use a blender)

Instructions

Mix it together, use as needed. If you want, you can add a couple of drops of an essential oil instead of the flower. Be careful with using essential oils and infants. It’s not something that should be taken lightly. Chamomile, lavender, and calendula in controlled amounts are of the few I that are generally considered safe for small children and infants.

If diaper rashes are a problem, the baby’s eco system is unbalanced, and which usually equates to less beneficial bacteria and more Candida in the gut.

Recommended Reading:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• SIDS and SUID
• Circumcision, the Primal Cut – A Human Rights Violation
• Common Bad Parenting Advice You Should Ignore

“Meat” grown in a lab is a hot trend right now, with manufacturers jumping over each other in a quest to be in on the next big food craze. Scientists, environmentalists, and entrepreneurs are extremely excited by the prospect of meeting the world’s growing demand for meat with only a fraction of the resources needed by our current factory farming system. One company, Impossible Foods, has been carried away in that excitement. They began selling their soy leghemoglobin derived Impossible Burger in 2016, despite not being generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

Putting Sustainability First

Cultured “meat” is an enticing proposition. The Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water, and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions than its cow-sourced counterparts. It’s also free of antibiotics, artificial ingredients, and hormones. This particular cultured meat is made from soy leghemoglobin genes and a genetically modified yeast not unlike that found in common Belgian beers.

Leghemoglobin is a hemoprotein found in the root nodules of leguminous plants – in this case, soy. Once these hemoproteins are broken down, they release heme. Heme contains iron and carries oxygen in the blood, making the veggie burger “bleed” and giving it a meaty texture and flavor. Making the burger entirely out of these root nodules would be expensive and would increase its negative environmental impact, but Impossible Foods, the company behind Impossible Burger, combines the soy leghemoglobin gene to a yeast strain and then grows the yeast via fermentation.  

Can You Eat It?

Sustainable? Yes. But is it safe?

Impossible Foods says yes. The burger has been reviewed by a panel of experts, with scientists from the University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin and Virginia Commonwealth University generally recognizing it as safe. Rats studies have been conducted, and there were no adverse effects from the soy leghemoglobin protein, even when feeding the rats 200 times the amount a human is expected to consume.

But the magical yeast that allows the company to produce their burger causes other problems. There are more than 40 other unidentified proteins in the impossible burger. In the words of Michael Hansen, a senior scientist at Consumer’s Union, “It’s only 73 percent pure, the other 27 percent is from proteins from the genetically engineered yeast that produces it, and these [proteins] have an unknown function…” Due to these unidentified proteins, the FDA told Impossible Foods that the burger was unlikely to be recognized as safe.

What is Progress?

The Impossible Burger has been available at select restaurants since 2016. Impossible Foods does not need the FDA to categorize the burger as generally recognized as safe to sell it. This isn’t actually illegal, as the FDA’s self-affirmation program does not require new ingredients to be approved. We only have any of this information because Impossible Foods tried to go one step further in the regulation process, applying for the FDA’s GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status.

Impossible Foods has a mission, and that mission is an admirable and necessary one. Forget about figuring out if it’s real or not, climate change is here. Factory farming is not sustainable, even as the demand for meat is still growing. More consumers are looking for quality sustainable or vegan/vegetarian options, and Impossible Foods wants to serve that market. Their website emphasizes their sustainability.

They also make a point to push transparency and encourage questions. That will be crucial for a generation that is looking for corporations to step in where the government is not addressing their needs and concerns.

The food system has to change or it will collapse. Many companies have been stepping up their environmental bona fides in response the Environmental Protection Agency’s current irresponsibility. It remains to be seen if the FDA can cope with the demands of the rapidly evolving demands and realities of a sustainable food system. 

Sources:

• Impossible Burger’s ‘Secret Sauce’ Highlights Challenges of Food Tech – NY Times
• Untested GMO Ingredient Illegally Sold Without FDA Approval – Cornucopia Institute
• Frequently Asked Questions – Impossible Foods
• Silicon Valley’s Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes And Sizzles Like Meat – NPR

In this day and age, you’re either pro-vaccine, or you’re an “anti-vaxxer.”  And if you have one problem with one vaccine, or even just one vaccine ingredient, you are labeled not only anti-vaxxer but also anti-science.

Consider a person in the “pro-vaccine” camp. Let’s say this person approves of all of the vaccines from the CDCs Immunization Schedule page, and of course, they also get the flu shot.

Would said person mind, say… “drinking” additional vaccines? Not a specific amount or at a specific time, and not in any way that can be measured. Would it be ok if those vaccine concoctions were developed for livestock, and deemed not fit for humans?

Of course, we’re not drinking vaccine ingredients, but chances are very good that meat eaters are eating them.

If you’re anti-GMO, you can get organic meat. If you’re anti-antibiotics, that’s another good reason to buy organic meat (supposedly). But what if you don’t want to consume vaccine ingredients?

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

Livestock Vaccines

So what kind of animal vaccines are you eating? It depends.

The amount and type of vaccines given to an animal depend on what animal is it. Currently, there are vaccines on the market for pigs, cows, sheep, goats, poultry (chicken, ducks, and turkeys), and fish. There a few different vaccine delivery systems, from injections to spray droplets and through drinking water.

There’s also a difference between modified live viruses (MLV) and killed viruses.

MLVs are a vaccine consisting of a live virus, usually freeze-dried. They provoke a stronger immune response, are less likely to contain adjuvants, and result in fewer lesions at the injection site. They are designed to be a single dose. The downside of these immunizations is a lack of stability, as they must be used within 1-2 hours of being reconstituted and are susceptible to heat and sunlight. These vaccines also shed and must be carefully monitored when given to female cows so as not to interfere with pregnancy.

Killed viruses are seen as safer than MLVs.  They don’t shed and are safer for pregnant or immunocompromised animals. But without a live vaccine to provoke an immune response, killed vaccines frequently have adjuvants designed to increase that response, like oils, formalin (formaldehyde), thimerosal, and aluminum hydroxide. These are more likely to cause lesions at the injection sites and require the animal to be dosed twice. Most farmers prefer the one shot advantage offered by the modified live vaccines.

The average calf receives a minimum of three vaccines in their first 2-3 months. One of these vaccines is always a 7 or 8 shot for clostridial viruses, and another is a shot for 3-5 different bovine respiratory disorders. They receive boosters shortly before weaning. Other commonly given cattle vaccines include pinkeye, Pasteurella, Brucellosis, tetanus, and scours. Pigs are supposed to be immunized for Leptospirosis, Parvovirus, Erysipelas, E. coli, and Atrophic rhinitis. For poultry it depends, there’s chicken, turkey, and duck.

Related: Influenza Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness of the Flu Shot

Speaking of Preservatives…

A Google search for livestock vaccines shows how easy it is to obtain these vaccines. This also makes it easier to check the ingredients, although some products are still reluctant to list anything not considered an active ingredient. Many livestock vaccines actually have antibiotics as preservatives, whereas as others use various forms of aluminum, formaldehyde, and thimerosal.

Thimerosal is particularly of note, as the human vaccine debate frequently centers around thimerosal and its role in the development of autism and other developmental disorders. There is no such debate in livestock vaccines. After all, no cares if your cow is unable to function properly in society or experiences random seizures.

The preservatives in animal vaccines also make them very toxic to humans. Workers who are accidentally injected with these vaccines deal with side effects from the oil-based adjuvants in livestock vaccines (particularly cattle vaccines) for months after an accidental injection. A dose meant for a 1,000-pound animal is clearly too much for the average person, but the vaccine is specifically designed to stimulate a response in the cattle for a period of weeks to months. Removing the oil-based preservatives from the human body can sometimes involve surgery.

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

The adjuvants in animal vaccines are what make them dangerous to people. Still, most of us won’t be handling livestock anytime soon. Many of the companies that make livestock vaccines make people vaccines, but those meant for people are not oil-based, even if some of the other preservatives are the same.

Livestock Vaccines Are Not Safe for People

Any insert will tell you that livestock vaccines are not safe for people.

We don’t value the life of livestock the way we do humans. This is why they get differing grades for feed. But beyond the stray injection or accidental interaction suffered by a handler, no one is being exposed to these vaccines. Except when we ingest the meat. The same with antibiotics being fed to farm animals. We were told that we didn’t have to worry about those… but now we have microbial revolution consisting of antibiotic resistant superbugs we are unprepared to deal with.

The extent to which veterinary vaccines pose a health hazard to humans is unclear. The increased use of veterinary vaccines may be accompanied by an increase in human exposure to the vaccine strains, thus increasing the potential for adverse effects. Also, new methods of vaccine administration may result in an increased likelihood of inadvertent exposure. For example, increased use of aerosol administration may result in greater human exposure to animal vaccines. For some animal vaccines, such as those administered to prevent “kennel cough” in dogs, aerosol administration is becoming the preferred route. Also, oral administration of vaccines that contain live agents is becoming more common. Orally administered vaccines have been developed for rabies prophylaxis in wildlife, and millions of baits have been distributed. The administration of live vaccines to animals destined for the human food supply may result in human exposure to a vaccine strain. Illness subsequent to such an exposure is unlikely to be recognized by the patient or the physician as a potential consequence of an animal vaccine exposure.” – Oxford Academic

Conclusion

What’s a meat eater to do? My wife and I shop at the local farmers market. We know our vendors. They are the farmers. We buy ground beef for our dog and the farmer is about as fond of vaccines as we are. I recommend that everyone grow as much of their own food as they can and get to know everything about the people involved in growing and processing anything else you consume.

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Nurses Against Vaccines
• Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out Against Vaccines
• Statesmen Against Mandatory Vaccines
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

Sources:

• Effects of Antibiotics on Animal Feed – udel.com
• Farm Animal Vaccination – noah.co.uk
• Livestock Health Care Practice Standard – U.S. Government Publishing Office
• Current Status of Veterinary Vaccines – National Center for Biotechnology Information
• What to Do When the Handler Suffers an Accidental Injection – The Prairie Star
• The Number of New Flu Viruses is Increasing and Could Lead to a Pandemic  – The Conversation
•  Herd Health: Vaccinations for the Cow-Calf Operation – Cattle Network
• Calf Vaccination Guidelines – New Mexico State University
• Vaccinations for the Swine Herd – Alabama Extension
• Merck Veterinary Manual – Merck

They say bad news comes in threes, and biotech giant Monsanto can certainly attest to the truth of that statement right now. Their newest product line, XtendiMax (better known as dicamba), made it to market without proper volatility testing. This refers to the product’s tendency to vaporize and travel. Subsequently, dicamba is drifting, causing major damage to neighboring crops, and currently banned in one U.S. state. There have also been two separate instances of newly released documents confirming that Monsanto knew two of their products, PCBs (from 1935 and 1977) and glyphosate, are harmful and continued to defend and sell them in spite of that.

For years, Monsanto has presented unsafe products as safe with little to no repercussion. Yet it is still on track to further dominate the food supply due to the company’s merger with Bayer. So why are the agencies charged with regulating food and environmental safety ok with Monsanto’s market control in the face of their shady practices?

Recommended: Lyme Disease – Holistic Protocol to Completely Rebuild the Immune System

Past Indiscretions with PCBs

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, were banned pretty much everywhere in 1979 after being linked to cancer and environmental degradation. PCBs began manufacture in 1935, and the first evidence of their toxicity appeared in 1937, after three workers who handled the chemicals died from acute liver damage. Serious health and environmental concerns continue to be reported to this day, even though the largest manufacturer of these, Monsanto, halted their production in 1977.

Monsanto is currently being sued by the state of Washington and eight cities for PCB contamination. Recently released documents have confirmed that Monsanto was aware of the effect of PCBs as early as 1969, eight years before they stopped selling them. A 1969 pollution abatement plan from the company acknowledged the product’s risks, stating “…“The evidence proving the persistence of these compounds and their universal presence in the environment is beyond questioning.” In another letter from a Monsanto manager in 1975, the company knew that “There is a potential real effect to humans – including death…”

In Monsanto’s own words, PCBs are dangerous in more ways than one. Yet they made money and Monsanto is first and foremost a business. But this wouldn’t be the only instance of company records showing corporate profits trump health, safety, and environmental concerns.

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Present Problems with Roundup

More court documents exposing Monsanto’s behind the scenes manipulations were released by attorneys pursuing claims against the company in regards to the link between Roundup and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Attorneys from the law firm Baum Hedlund Aristei Goldman released more than 700 pages of internal documents, detailing Monsanto’s behind the scenes activities. Numerous emails, texts, and other documents confirm that employees at Monsanto ghostwrote and manipulated scientific studies and expert panel discussions, failed to disclose conflicts of interest, discredited multiple negative glyphosate studies, and colluded with the Environmental Protection Agency. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) labeled glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2015, but it’s clear from the recently released documents that Monsanto has known this since before 2008.

These documents also make Monsanto’s strategy for avoiding regulation clear: government collusion. Many of the documents released are communications with high ranking individuals at the Environmental Protection Agency, imploring them to delay scientific reviews of glyphosate multiple times. Monsanto’s has a clear modus operandi once they learn their products cause human harm – muddy the scientific waters, defend it furiously, and make as much money as possible. Their experience with PCBs was a learning experience. The lesson? Get the agencies regulating you to do the dirty work.

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods

Future Uncertainty with Dicamba

The Environmental Protection Agency approved Monsanto’s newest version of dicamba, XtendiMax, in November of 2016. Poised to replace glyphosate now that many weeds are developing resistance to that product, many farmers instead experienced serious crop loss after illegal versions of it used prior to that release drifted onto their fields from neighboring farms. With the product officially released, Monsanto is now facing a class actions lawsuits from farmers reporting severe losses for the second year in a row.

Testimony from researchers, regulators, and a company employee indicate that Monsanto used its influence to bring the product to market without all of the proper tests, including a proper volatility test. In fact, testing contracts for the product explicitly forbade it. Yet the EPA approved the product without it.

Arkansas was the only state to ask for additional testing. Monsanto denied that request. Arkansas has now banned dicamba, and other states are now assessing damage from the herbicide for the second year in a row. This damage occurs when dicamba drifted to other, non-modified crops, the exact scenario further testing could have predicted. A class action lawsuit is pending.

Is It Too Late?

Monsanto wields incredible influence with government agencies, scientists, and researchers. This allows the company to continually deny and create confusion around health and environmental damages that their products are actually causing. And it’s scary. What chance do we have when those charged with upholding regulations created to protect the public are on the Monsanto Christmas card list?

It took nearly a decade from when Monsanto privately acknowledged the damage PCBs were causing for regulatory agencies to do something about it. The new formulation of dicamba, XtendiMax, has been on the market for less than a year and has been banned in both Arkansas and Missouri. The times are changing.

Recommended Reading:

• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials
• What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

Sources:

• Scant Oversight, Corporate Secrecy Preceded U.S. Weed Killer Crisis – Reuter’s
• Monsanto Sold Banned Chemicals for Years Despite Known Health Risks, Archives Reveal – The Guardian
• New ‘Monsanto Papers’ Add To Questions Of Regulatory Collusion, Scientific Mischief – Huffington Post
• Monsanto Weed Killer Roundup Faces New Doubts on Safety in Unsealed Documents – NY Times
• Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit – Baum Hedlund Aristei Goldman
• Class Lawsuit Takes Aim at Dicamba Producers, Accuses Monsanto Reps of Condoning Illegal Spraying – St. Louis Post Dispatch

For the first time in human history, genetically modified (GM) fish has been sold for human consumption.

The seller? AquaBounty Technologies – a company that produces GM AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon.

In their most recent quarterly report, AquaBounty stated that they sold approximately 5 tons of their GM Atlantic salmon fillets. The worst part is that only AquaBounty knows where their genetically modified fish are going. All we know is that the GM fish are in Canada.

“No one except AquaBounty knows where the GM salmon are,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN). “The company did not disclose where the GM salmon fillets were sold or for what purpose…”

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Lucy has been trying to get answers from AquaBounty for years. In 2013, she went straight to AquaBounty’s facility in Prince Edward Island, Canada to investigate.

Unfortunately, Lucy and her colleagues were treated like criminals. The only information they could find is that AquaBounty is polluting their local environment.

Organizations like CBAN are essential in keeping the Canadian public informed on genetically modified food because members of the Canadian Parliament voted against mandatory GM food labeling in May.

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods

But what does this have to do with the United States?

In the United States, GM salmon is approved for human consumption. The only thing that is keeping it from being sold to the US is an import ban that has been put on GM fish until labeling guidelines are published.

At first, this sounds like great news, but what this really means is that GM fish will not be imported into the United States… yet.

Recommended Reading:

• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials
• What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

Sources:

• Canadians Are Unknowingly Eating GM Salmon — Natural Blaze
• First genetically engineered salmon sold in Canada — Nature

The percentage of new Clostridium difficile infections reported in healthcare facilities has dropped for the first time since 2000, says the CDC’s Emerging Infections Program. A sneak peek at the information on C. diff infections from 2011-2014 provided by shows a decrease in the rates of infections in healthcare settings. According to Dr. Alice Guh, a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control, “Preliminary analyses suggest a 9 to 15 percent decrease in health care [C. diff] incidence nationally.”

But wait! The actual number of C. diff infections is on the rise. In 2011, deaths from C. diff infections reached almost 30,000 people and an additional 500,000 cases of illness were reported. So what does it mean when infections are on the decline in healthcare settings where they are most commonly contracted, yet on the rise elsewhere? Science does not yet have an answer, but current positive results indicate that cleanliness, not antibiotics, is the future.

A Brief Primer

Many of the people who have C. diff in their intestine never develop an infection, because our “beneficial” bacteria in the gut are able to keep pathogens in check, like with candida. If the beneficial bacteria are not able to counteract the c. diff, infections can cause diarrhea, painful stomach cramping, kidney infections, fever, and dehydration in varying degrees. C. diff is also an incredibly resilient bacteria. Spores can last for months outside of the body and can only be killed with bleach, UV cleaning, and other similar methods.

The treatment for C. diff is usually antibiotics, stronger antibiotics, and the antibiotics of last resort. For anyone who is at all familiar with how the gut functions, this is a recipe for disaster. The antibiotics set the gut up for failure by killing the beneficial bacteria that balance gut flora and keep the C. diff in check. Studies have shown that even occupying the same hospital room as someone who has taken antibiotics increases the likelihood of a C. diff infection developing.

“C”-ing a Difference

So what has changed in the last ten years that has yielded the notable decrease of C. diff infection rates in healthcare facilities?

In unsurprising news, the answer is not antibiotics. Healthcare practitioners deliberately limited the amount of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed and instead focused on cleaning and implementing new infection protocols aimed at controlling the spread of C. diff. These changes are also beneficial in lowering rates of other antibiotic-resistant infections and the number of diarrheal deaths in the U.S. overall.

Yet C. Diff Remains a Major Health Concern

Despite that, death rates from infections caused by this particular bacteria are still reaching dangerous and expensive levels. The number of deaths from C. diff infections rose from 3,000 to 14,000 in a period of 7 years, and. As repeated antibiotic use has left us with the hardiest specimens of an already hardy bacteria, the need for personal responsibility in managing C. diff is greater than ever.

Following the example of the healthcare system and restricting unnecessary (or all, if possible) antibiotics while applying best hygiene practices, but these new hospital cleanliness procedures are only a piece of the puzzle in dealing with C. diff and other bacterial infections effectively (spoiler alert: more produce helps!). They are also a piece of the puzzle that will be difficult for the average person to replicate. But there are other ways to reduce the chance of infection developing due to rampant C. diff.

The Strong Survive

It’s simplistic to reduce the fascinating and intricate workings of the gut microbiome to good guys and bad guys, but it’s useful in helping to focus on what matters the most: balance. In nursing homes, as many as half of the residents may have C. diff colonized in their gut. Since not all of those with the C. diff (bad guy) experience infection, something is halting the microbe’s progress.

Enter the good guys – your beneficial microbes. Many of the people, even people living in the same facilities, house the C. diff bacteria with no infection. A resilient, opportunistic bacteria like C. diff is looking for a host it can take advantage of, and a body dealing with a toxic overload with depleted beneficial bacteria is an easy target. Cultivating those microbes by consuming fresh, raw, organic produce and eliminating processed, artificially produced food are the best and most necessary ways to build your body’s natural defenses.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Cure Lyme Disease and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• Diff Infections Are Falling, Thanks To Better Cleaning And Fewer Antibiotics – NPR
• Bacteria Resistant to All Available Antibiotics has Claimed Its First Victim – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Antibiotic Side Effects Are Contagious – C. Diff Infections Are On The Rise – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Vital Signs: Preventing Clostridium difficile Infections – CDC.gov