Study Shows ADHD Drugs Do Not Help With Homework

A small, first-of-its-kind, study suggests that giving stimulants, (like Adderall or Ritalin), to kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may not help them complete homework or get better grades. Instead, the research suggests these drugged children may actually “…experience acute and prolonged academic impairment and underachievement including marked difficulty with completing homework.”

Researchers compared behavioral techniques against medications in 75 children attending a summer school program for eight weeks. They randomly assigned children to receive either behavioral treatment that included daily report cards for kids and coaching parents to help with homework or a long-acting stimulant.

“Long-acting stimulant medications haven’t been shown to help with homework performance despite companies advertising their utility for homework time,” said Brittany Merrill, lead study author and a researcher at the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University in Miami. He added via email: Behavioral interventions are more effective than long-acting stimulant medications in improving homework performance among children with ADHD, and stimulant medication did not add to the effectiveness of the behavioral intervention.”

From the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology:

Evidence indicates that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience acute and prolonged academic impairment and underachievement including marked difficulty with completing homework. This study is the first to examine the effects of behavioral, psychostimulant, and combined treatments on homework problems, which have been shown to predict academic performance longitudinally.Method: Children with ADHD (ages 5–12, N = 75, 71% male, 83% Hispanic/Latino) and their families were randomly assigned to either behavioral treatment (homework-focused parent training and a daily report card; BPT + DRC) or a waitlist control group. Children also participated in a concurrent psychostimulant crossover trial conducted in a summer treatment program. Children’s objective homework completion and accuracy were measured as well as parent-reported child homework behaviors and parenting skills.Results: BPT + DRC had large effects on objective measures of homework completion and accuracy (Cohen’s ds from 1.40 to 2.21, ps < .001). Other findings, including unimodal medication and incremental combined treatment benefits, were not significant. Conclusions: Behavioral treatment focused on homework problems results in clear benefits for children’s homework completion and accuracy (the difference between passing and failing, on average), whereas long-acting stimulant medication resulted in limited and largely nonsignificant acute effects on homework performance.”

Reuters reports that children were excluded from the study if they had been diagnosed with autism, mental health disorders, or other medical issues that could negatively affect treatment with stimulants.

Despite being advertised as beneficial by the drug companies, this study concludes that long-acting stimulant medication is not likely to be a positive solution for homework problems.

The differences were significant. Children subject to behavioral treatment finished between 10% to 13% more homework and completed the problems 8% more accurately compared to the drugged students. The authors conclude that the difference translates into getting an average passing grade of C using behavioral techniques, while children on stimulants would average an F.

There are limitations to the study such as its small size and the potential for environmental influences that could affect the reaction to the medication. The authors also concede that more time on a medication may yield positive results.

On the other hand, many natural healthcare practitioners believe that ADHD is most often a result of being overtired, which is caused by many factors including vaccine damage, poor diet, poor sleep habits, and emotional issues. The fact that the drugs of choice used to treat ADHD are stimulants does support the theory of being overtired. It may seem contradictive, since someone exhibiting hyperactivity doesn’t appear to be tired, but it’s the body’s way of compensating by releasing adrenalin.

ADHD, like most other chronic health issues, is best treated with diet and some other hands-on, engaged approaches. Drugs typically do not work as well as suggested, if at all, and always (literally, always) cause problems. If you have ADHD, you would do well to cut out artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, refined sugars, and any stimulants, and get good quality sleep. And don’t get the flu shot.

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Dr. Bronner’s No Longer With Organic Trade Assoc. Saying They Betrayed GMO Labeling Movement

Most of our readers are familiar with Dr. Bronner’s, the largest soap and body care products company in the natural and organic sector. The company supports an increased minimum wage, cannabis reform, animal welfare rights, and has a long history of supporting the organic movement.

The Organic Trade Association, aka OTA, is a membership-based business association for the organic business community in North America. OTA claims to promote the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, and the public. The OTA recently disillusioned consumers who are fighting for GMO labeling by supporting the DARK act. In response, Dr. Bronners has cut ties with the organization.

Dr. Bronner’s, North America’s leading natural brand of soap and organic body care products, has resigned from the Organic Trade Association (OTA), citing the association’s betrayal of the consumer-led GMO labeling movement, and general drift away from the core principles that drive the organic movement. The OTA compromised their initial position of opposition to the DARK Act and lent the crucial support that allowed anti-labeling legislators to push that same legislation through the Senate and be signed into law by President Obama this summer.” – Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner’s has pledged to redirect its organizational resources to organizations that “…more authentically and courageously…” promote organic, sustainable agriculture.

We are particularly thrilled to support the Rodale Institute’s new Organic Farming Association and the expansion of their regional teaching farms across the country, as well as participate in the North American General Assembly of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) at Expo East,” says Dr. Bronner’s Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO), David Bronner. “We encourage all true organic companies, whether they choose to remain a part of the OTA or not, to support and participate in both,” continues Bronner.

This DARK Act was made possible in large part by what I and other movement leaders see clearly as the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) betrayal of the movement to mandate labeling of GMOs in America, forever preempting Vermont and all other states from mandating disclosure of GMOs on packaging.” – David Bronner, Huffington Post

Late July President Obama ignored roughly 250,000 petitioners by signing  Senate Bill 764, otherwise known as The DARK Act, into law. It’s a compromise bill developed by food companies that creates mandatory, standard, national labeling for GMO foods. The problem with the bill is that it does not provide a simple label disclosure on the package. It also eliminated the ability of individual states to force labeling. And to make matters worse, as the bill is written, this law might not even apply to genetically modified ingredients derived from soy and sugar beets. Companies will have the choice of using clear text, a GMO a symbol, or a digital link like the QR code. It’s assumed by consumer advocates that companies will choose to use the QR code, forcing consumers to be both vigilant and technologically savvy, which they say is not likely for people on lower incomes.

Professor Laura Murphy is the director of the Environmental & Natural Resources Law Clinic at Vermont Law School. She says,

If Congress were really interested in providing consumers with information, it could have adopted Vermont’s on-package label that companies are already using across the country. Instead, Congress created a mechanism for companies to hide behind QR codes and trample on state efforts to provide their citizens with actual information. As if this weren’t bad enough, the federal law has a confusing definition of ‘bioengineering’ that gives USDA the authority to determine how much of a product needs to be bioengineered before a label is required, and prevents even the food companies from certain types of disclosure.” – ER News

Conclusion

With Bayer merging with  Monsanto, the TPP deal, globalization, and industry monopolization, It’s time to grow your own food! Don’t buy processed food. Stick to the produce and bulk sections. When GMOs can’t be avoided, take high-quality probiotics daily.

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Are You Taking a Drug That May Cause Alzheimer’s?

A study was published in 2015 that clearly linked anticholinergic drugs with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Many of these drugs are taken by countless Americans on a daily basis. Are you taking one or more of these drugs? Do you realize the risk? If you take one of these drugs on a daily basis for 3 or more years, your risk of dementia will increase by more than 50%!

We should only have to listen to the litany of side effects and contraindications to know that most, if not all, of today’s pharmaceuticals are dangerous. Yet somehow, most of us have been brainwashed into ignoring these warnings, always believing in the overarching promise that the FDA will not allow drugs on the market that can hurt us – even when the pharmaceutical ads say otherwise. When that overconfidence is not the reason we ignore the warnings, perhaps it is the lure of playing Russian roulette. Surely we won’t be among the ones who die, suffer a stroke, or experience some other heinous side-effect.

Since we have been conditioned to ignore warnings, both verbal and in print, will we also ignore a study that reveals a horrific outcome for a large collection of drugs? Will we ignore the findings that link these drugs to irreversible dementia? Or will we listen?

What is Dementia?

Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is a set of symptoms – cognitive impairments involving memory, reasoning and judgment, focus and attention, communication and language, and/or visual perception. Dementia is present when at lease two of these symptoms are severe enough to cause significant impairment in activities of daily living.

Alzheimer’s, an irreversible and progressive disease, accounts for the vast majority of dementia patients. Many studies have suggested a link between anticholinergic drugs and dementia. A recent longitudinal study showed a significant link between these drugs and dementia with the vast majority (79%) of dementia patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

What Are Anticholinergic Drugs?

Anticholinergic drugs block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. These drugs are used to treat many diseases and disorders including sleep disorders, depression, muscle cramps, insomnia, allergies, asthma, incontinence, gastrointestinal cramps, motion sickness, vertigo, hypertension, Parkinson’s, psychosis, and COPD.

Some of these drugs are commonly sold over the counter like Benedryl, Advil PM, Tylenol PM, and Motrin PM. And many people take these drugs on a daily basis. The study not only showed a significant link between these drugs and Alzheimer’s, it showed a dose response – meaning that the longer you take these drugs, the more likely Alzheimer’s will be the result. The following statistics reveal the effects of these drugs taken daily compared to those who did not use these drugs:

  • 3-12 months – 19% increased risk for Alzheimer’s
  • 1-3 years – 23% increased risk for Alzheimer’s
  • 3-7 years – 54% increased risk for Alzheimer’s

A Comprehensive List of Anticholinergic Drugs

Aging Brain Care has created a detailed list of anticholinergic drugs, with both generic and brand names. In the notes, it says, “Each definite anticholinergic may increase the risk of cognitive impairment by 46% over 6 years.” So before you take that daily dose of medication, check to be sure the drug you are taking is not one of the 99 medications listed on the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale. Or better yet, reclaim your health and get off medications altogether. It’s easier than you think.

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GMO Labeling Bill Passes Senate – Did Whole Foods Sell Us Out?

On Thursday, July 7th, the senate voted 63-30 to approved a bipartisan compromise bill for a federal labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms. The bill is moving to the House of Representatives next.

Proponents of the bill say the law will be good for consumers, allowing shoppers to know what they’re getting, and the bill will provide a national standard for labeling.

There are three labeling options. Companies can label the food product as genetically modified or they can use a symbol that denotes GMOs, an on-pack symbol, the bar code, or the unreadable QR product code. When companies choose to label only through the QR code (and we guess that’s what most will do), the customer is expected to scan the barcode with their smartphones or call an 800 number.

Critics are quick to point out that this law will wipe out existing labeling laws like Vermont’s current legislation that does require clear and conscious GMO labeling. Also, this bill could exempt certain genetically modified foods from any kind of GMO labeling.

Proponents of labeling insisted that nothing short of text on packages would do. Some, including Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and erstwhile presidential candidate, also raised concerns over the definition in the bill for determining which foods would require labels, a sign that if the bill becomes law, legal challenges will almost certainly follow.” – New York Times

For example, if a biotech product is genetically engineered with items ‘found in nature,’ (such as bacteria), then it can be passed as a natural food product. Other GMOs, which cannot yet be detected by current technology, would also pass as whole foods under the new law. This would include foods made with non in vitro recombinant DNA techniques.” – Natural News

The USDA Secretary would also have the power to determine what concentration of GMO ingredients would fall under the labeling law, so it’s not unlikely consumers may ingest GMOs even after verifying that the QR bar Code says no GMO.

Even if the customer has a phone and a QR bar code app, and wants to take the time to scan the product, more often than not, cell phones don’t work at all or the internet is extremely slow inside a grocery store. Some grocery stores don’t even allow cell phones (This is true for Dekalb Farmer’s Market in Decatur Georgia. Be sure to check them out if you haven’t).

The law will not go into effect for two years if it does make it all the way to be signed into law. Consumers will have to wait, and no other states will be able to legislate labeling in the meantime.

Is Whole Foods in Cahoots With Monsanto?

Walter Robb, the CEO of Whole Foods backs the new bill, saying:

The alternative is that Vermont goes into effect and then there’s a number of other states behind that, it makes it difficult for manufacturers to be able to label and label to that different standard…

And I think the way she’s put the bill together, which is to give manufacturers choices, is I think the marketplace and the customers will take it from here… so obviously, I think she’s done a great piece of work… we are already are out there further with our commitment to full transparency by 2018. We’re not gonna… we’re looking at how these two live with each other, but we’re already past that, but I think in this day and age, to come together, to create some sort of a reasonable standard that manufacturers can… and gives the customer a lot more information is a pretty good thing.”

Whole Foods backed the bill. As Walter made clear, Whole Foods is looking out for their food manufacturers first and foremost. Whole Foods has helped champion the idea of food transparency, but the company would not get behind previous, more conscious legislation to label GMO foods. This bill’s ambiguous text leaves a lot to be interpreted, and it is clear this is a bill written by the food companies in an attempt to appease the public without actually affecting GMO sales.

Conclusion

If the bill passes into law, is it a step in the right direction? Maybe. It depends on how the legislation plays out. The bill, as it is now, leaves so much up for interpretation. The harder the public pushes for transparency, the more likely the bill will get better for consumers along the way, or get replaced by something better. Regardless, the best way to avoid GMOs is to avoid buying processed, manufactured food. Stick to the produce section in grocery stores (whole produce GMOs are very rare), visit your local farmer’s markets and get to know the farmers (not the guys who buy food from distributors and pretend to be farmers, get to know the actual farmers). And grow your own food! It’ll be interesting to see what happens with labeling whole produce if the bill passes and more foods do get genetically modified.

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CDC Alert: Candida Auris – Our Latest Superbug Creation

Fungal infections caused by Candida are the most common type of fungal infections in the world. Fiercely opportunistic, Candida is a part of everyone’s intestinal flora. It doesn’t actually cause problems unless it takes over and crowds out the good bacteria. Then it causes numerous health issues. Four different species of Candida make up the majority of fungal infections in the United States: Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis. If you catch them early, most of these Candida infections can be taken care of with an adjustment in diet.

A Possible Scenario

The conventional medical treatment for Candida involves pharmaceuticals. Somewhat effective in killing Candida, these drugs also kill other microbes in the intestinal tract and leave you without enough beneficial bacteria to fight off other new infections.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a clinical alert to U.S. healthcare facilities asking them to be on the lookout for one such infection associated with high mortality, a resilient species of yeast called Candida auris that has shown resistance to three major classes of antifungals.

The New, Interesting Fun Guy on the Block

Identified in 10 countries worldwide, including the U.S, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, Candida auris causes invasive infections in the ear, bloodstream, and wounds. It has also shown up in the respiratory tract and in urine tests.

It may be underreported. Advanced testing facilities are needed to isolate and confirm Candida auris since it closely resembles other species of Candida. There’s speculation that Candida auris is not a new species as much as it is a result of the medical community’s unintentional and highly successful super-bacteria and fungus breeding program.

The Hospital is a Petri Dish

So why the clinical alert from the CDC, as opposed to a general notice? Tests of Candida auris outbreaks in healthcare facilities in other countries have been very closely related genetically, suggesting that the healthcare facilities are where the fungus is developing and thriving. 

pathogen memeConsider the sad irony. The fungal and bacterial pathogens that pose the most risk to us are the result of the healthcare and farm industries.

The origin of the average yeast infection isn’t a mystery, as Candida exists in everyone’s personal microbes. But the evolution of a common garden variety microbe into a species associated with a high mortality rate gets a boost from the lack of competition and the survive and thrive environment of a hospital. Go to the hospital for a yeast infection, take medication and wipe it out (along with a lot of your beneficial microbes), and you might pick up something new while you are even less equipped to fight pathogens. Convenient, no?

Are We Prepared for What’s Next?

There was one confirmed case of Candida auris in the U.S. in 2013 (although due to the lack of definitive testing, that number is likely to be higher). Sure that’s one case. But if only one confirmed case in the United States is enough for the CDC to issue a clinical alert, what does that say about this particular infection?

Bacteria and fungi are becoming increasingly resistant to drug therapy and last resort medications, and it stands to reason that the evolution of parasites and other microbes will follow close behind. In the twenty years since the first identification of Candida auris, the fungus is rapidly burning a hole through standard treatments. It’s past time to stop making drug therapy the first response. If the symptoms of these conditions continue to be merely managed and repeat infections are treated rather than addressing their causes with real change and education, everyone will be affected, not just the people who have to check into the hospital.

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How Bacteria Is Evolving – Should We Be Worried? (the answer is yes!)

Ah, bacteria, the original cockroach. No matter what you use to try and annihilate it, it keeps coming back, stronger than before. Strains of bacteria like listeria, campylobacter, and salmonella caused food poisoning affecting one in six people in the U.S. The bacteria resistant to the “antibiotic of last resort” has arrived in the U.S., and researchers in Canada have discovered a newly evolved, heat-loving strain of E. coli that survives temperatures high enough to cook meat medium-well. If harmful bacteria were to go into business, the stock would be climbing and the future would look terrific.

Dealing With the Usual Suspects

Gonorrhea is showing signs of resistance to last resort treatment in 10 different countries, and there are no new antibiotics in development to treat it.

Chipotle has suffered business setbacks. Blue Bell Creameries are permanently closed. Most recently, General Mills has recalled a full lot of their Gold Medal flour. The common thread? E. coli, listeria, salmonella, and all of those pesky bacteria responsible for over four million pounds of food being recalled in the U.S. in 2015 and food poisoning affecting roughly 48 million people.

The methods for detecting bacteria and pathogens in our food have become more sophisticated, so it’s likely there have been many unrecorded outbreaks in the past. But then again, the number of cases attributed to the most well-known bacteria that cause food poisoning (like listeria, salmonella, or E. coli), have remained steady over the years, while campylobacter bacteria and rare Vibrio infections are on the rise. When increased detection and better food safety standards still do not result in a decline in pathogens, where does that leave us?

Soooo…Fire?

From food safety 101 we know that food is only considered safe when we heat it enough to kill off harmful bacteria. But what do you do when the bacteria has mutated to withstand those temperatures, like the strain of E. coli discovered by Canadian researchers?

Food safety literature recommends heating beef to 160 degrees, although they also note that 140 degrees is a sufficient temperature to kill harmful bacteria in less than a minute. But the new strain of E. coli does not die. In fact, it lived for over an hour at a temperature of  140 degrees. Right now, 16 genes with this mutation are present in about 2% of E. coli strains (good and bad), but with the other evolutionary strides bacteria have been making, who knows what will happen!

Fire’s Out. Soooo…Antibiotics?

People in the U.S. can now look forward to the newest shot fired in the bacteria vs. antibiotic war, now that bacteria has been found to be immune to colistin, a long-acknowledged “antibiotic of last resort”. Constant use of antibiotics has encouraged bacteria to evolve, to build up an immunity to these drugs.

An entire group of antibiotics – sulphonamides – is being phased out due to bacteria resistance. Gonorrhea is showing signs of resistance to last resort treatment in 10 different countries, and there are no new antibiotics in development to treat it.  Stories like these are becoming more and more common as our extensive use of antibiotics continues to breed stronger bacteria. We respond with new antibiotics and the next generation of the bacteria is more resistant than before. When it ends, do you really think we’re going to end up on top?

Can We Actually Control the Bacteria?

If your reaction to hearing all of this bad news about bacteria is to scream something along the lines of, “Kill it with fire!” you’re not alone. Solutions like antibiotics, antibacterial soaps, and hand sanitizers came with a price. They became part of the problem.

There are no easy answers here. Ideally, we will stop treating livestock with unneeded antibiotics. We will stop the indiscriminate use of antibiotics to treat infections and seek alternative treatments whenever possible. Maybe we will go so far as to change our diets to build immunity and encourage our natural, protective bacteria to thrive.

Are we past the point that these changes will be enough. Is our microbial world going to end up a cautionary tale a la Jurassic Park? Keep in mind that we can’t just seal off the island.

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EU Proposal to Renew Glyphosate License Blocked!

Europe has become a battleground between environmental groups and big biotech companies. A French farmer won a case against Monsanto after suffering neurological problems due to inhaling their weedkiller, Lasso. By now, everyone has seen the study from the World Health Organization’s cancer agency calling glyphosate, the darling of Monsanto’s herbicides, probably carcinogenic. Instances like these and many others have left some European Nations wary of these chemicals, as evidence of their toxicity to humans is on the rise.

The Votes Are…Not In

And now we come to a crossroads. The European license for glyphosate is scheduled to expire on June 30. Previous meetings of nations of the European Union to renew the license for a 15-year span have ended in stalemates, as countries have refused to support that renewal in the face of growing scientific unrest and public opposition. The latest meeting took place Monday, with the executive body of the European Union, the European Commission (which is not affiliated with any specific country), proposing a 12- to 18-month extension for more scientific study. Malta was the only voice speaking against the extension, but the lack of votes from Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Portugal and Luxembourg kept the extension from being adopted.

The Results Are…Likely To Go One of Two Ways

So what happens now, with the glyphosate license expiring in less than a month? Option one would be an executive decision by the European Commission ignoring the lack of agreement from EU Nations and reauthorizing glyphosate. While possible, this scenario flies in the face of the Commission’s support of the democratic process that led to last year’s law allowing countries to make their own decisions regarding genetically modified crops. The leader of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has publicly proclaimed his unwillingness to act against the interests of the majority view. The proposal of an extension did receive support from many countries, though, and Monsanto could see losses of potentially up to $5 billion dollars, which could result in some serious corporate pressure on the Commission.

What’s behind door number two? The simple option: leave it be. If a new agreement is not in place by the 30th of June, the license  is expired and all glyphosate products need to be gone from European Union shelves in six months. Is this more likely to happen if there are only eight votes either blocking or missing in keeping glyphosate from the shiny new license it desires? It seems unlikely until you consider some of the countries that abstained: Germany, France, and Italy, aka, three of the most powerful countries in the EU. The more you look at it, the more prudent this option becomes, really. Glyphosate has been labeled as probably cancer-causing. A product with issues (dangerous malfunctions, allergens or food contamination) would be pulled the shelves immediately. Why is glyphosate any different?

The Whole World Should be Watching

Europe has been on the forefront of recent biotech regulations in agriculture, and the decision, in this case, will resonate throughout the world. Supporters of a renewed license have pointed to the fear and confusion this will cause with consumers, which consumers would be well within their rights to feel. A probable cancer-causing chemical that has previously been sprayed with wild abandon is pulled off of shelves until a scientific consensus can be reached. What exactly is there to fear again? The knowledge that safety takes a backseat to profits, perhaps.

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