In this video, the announcer whips up a batch of flu vaccine in a blender. Yes, it’s very funny, but it’s also very revealing and thought provoking!

Eye on the Flu Shot

Still thinking of getting a flue shot?

Written by Vin Miller of  Natural Bias

The tremendous amount of electromagnetic radiation produced by modern technology has been associated with many health concerns. Although it’s impossible to completely avoid this radiation, there are fortunately a number of precautions that you can take to minimize your exposure.

Because electromagnetic radiation is such a complicated subject, one of the biggest challenges is simply understanding what it is. Once you have a basic understanding of electromagnetic fields and the radiation that they produce, it’s much easier to identify the different forms, appreciate the dangers that they pose, and understand what can be done to reduce your risk. 

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic fields are the combination of an electric field and a magnetic field and are created by electrical current. The electromagnetic radiation produced by modern technology is the energy that is generated by such fields. The following table lists the different ranges of electromagnetic radiation along with some of their common sources.

The Thermal and Ionizing Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation

The electromagnetic radiation with the highest frequencies and shortest wavelengths tend to contain the most energy and be the most dangerous. X-rays and gamma rays are considered to be ionizing radiation because they have enough energy to detach electrons from atoms and turn them into ions. This can cause permanent damage at the cellular level including genetic mutation and cancer.

Although radio waves and microwaves aren’t ionizing, they can have thermal effects that causes tissue to overheat and become damaged. This is how microwave ovens cook food and is one of the primary reasons why there’s such concern over the safety of cell phone usage.

It’s well known that thermal and ionizing effects of high frequency electromagnetic radiation are dangerous. However, the health effects of lower frequency radiation, often referred to as biological effects, are a much more controversial issue that isn’t getting the attention or respect that it deserves despite a significant amount of convincing evidence.

Because the body is reliant on the earth’s natural electromagnetic field and its own subtle electrical currents, it’s very sensitive to electromagnetic fields. As such, the radiation produced by modern technology can interfere with human biological function even at frequencies that are much lower than the thermal and ionizing ranges.

How to Measure Electromagnetic Radiation

Since you typically can’t see or feel electromagnetic fields, they can be very difficult to detect which is one of the many reasons why electromagnetic radiation is so unsettling.

For important situations such as choosing a new home or office, the most reliable option is to hire an experienced electrical engineer to take measurements for you. They will be much more likely to have the expertise and advanced equipment necessary to make an accurate assessment. For situations that are less critical, you can buy your own meter at an affordable price. I have the TriField Electromagnetic Field Meter which measures electric fields, magnetic fields, and radiation in the radio and microwave ranges.

If you’d rather not spend money on a meter, you can use a portable battery operated AM radio to detect electric fields, but it’s obviously not as precise and won’t detect magnetic fields. You can set the radio to a station that receives no signal and turn the volume up. When the radio encounters an electric field, which is generally also a good indication of a magnetic field, you’ll hear noise. Although this won’t give you a clear indication of how strong the field is, it will at least let you know that it exists.

Units of Measurement

Measurements of low frequency electromagnetic radiation are usually based on magnetic field strength. Based on a conservative evaluation of existing research, most experts who are concerned about the dangers of electromagnetic radiation recommend 1 milligauss or less as a desirable reading. However, some research has shown unfavorable results even at this level. Some urban areas have ambient fields of 3 milligauss or higher. Even though this is regarded as safe by some standards, many experts suggest doing as much as possible to reduce exposure to lower levels.

The higher frequencies of electromagnetic radiation are measured by power density instead of magnetic field strength. Although different frequencies of radio and microwave radiation can have varying effects, a power density of 1 milliwatt per centimeter squared is generally considered safe in the United States. However, many experts believe that this is too much. The standard in Russia is 100 times more protective at 1 microwatt per centimeter squared, and undesirable health effects have even been found at levels below this.

Electrical Power Lines and Residential Wiring

One of the most common sources of low frequency electromagnetic radiation is power lines. Depending on which country you live in, the electrical current that flows through power lines alternates at a frequency of 50 or 60 Hertz which produces electromagnetic radiation at the same frequency. Some power lines operate at very high voltages with a significant amount of current running through them, and if your house or office is close enough to them, you may be continuously exposed to potentially dangerous levels of electromagnetic radiation. A considerable amount of research has linked cancer and a number of other health concerns with the electromagnetic radiation produced by power lines which has made them the subject of numerous lawsuits regarding health issues and real estate devaluation.

The electrical wiring in homes and offices is also a concern. Wiring can still produce electromagnetic fields even without anything being plugged into it’s outlets. Incorrect wiring, which is usually more common in older homes and buildings, is especially problematic because it can produce much stronger electromagnetic fields.

If the measurements throughout hour home or office are consistently elevated, chances are that it’s coming from power lines or faulty wiring. Although it might be a large and potentially costly project, faulty wiring can be fixed relatively easily. Ambient electromagnetic fields from power lines, however, can only be avoided by relocating to a different area or taking action against the utility company. Because of the difficulty and inconvenience associated with either course of action, it’s important to properly assess a home or office for electromagnetic radiation exposure prior to moving in.

Electronics and Appliances

Electromagnetic fields from electronic devices and appliances are one of the most common sources of radiation in homes and offices. As such, it’s important to measure the magnetic fields produced by all of the commonly used electronics and appliances in your home and office. By doing so, you can identify which items present the most risk and the distance at which their radiation drops to a safe level. It’s even a good idea to measure electronics and appliances when they’re shut off because they can still produce electromagnetic fields as long as they’re plugged in. Microwave ovens are notorious for this.

The items that were found to produce potentially dangerous electromagnetic fields should either be replaced or used as infrequently as possible. I recently replaced a computer monitor that produced a magnetic field of 100 milligauss at 3 feet away. This is 100 times the recommended level of 1 milligauss, and I spent a considerable amount of time in front of this monitor. Fortunately, the newer flat screen monitors produce a much weaker magnetic field that’s undetectable at 3 feet away which is about how far you should aim to have your monitor from your face.

When using electrical equipment or appliances, especially when first turning them on, you can reduce your exposure to their electromagnetic fields by standing as far away from them as possible. It’s also a good idea to stay out of the kitchen when using the oven or dishwasher, or to at least avoid standing directly in front of them. If you use a hair dryer, try to hold it as far away from your head as possible, and if you use an electric razor, consider switching to a regular razor.

Here are the ranges of magnetic field measurements provided by the Environmental Protection Agency for a number common electrical devices and appliances. For most of these items, I included measurements taken in my home. All measurements are in milligauss.

Communication Towers and Antennas

In addition to the ambient electromagnetic fields produced by power lines, we are constantly exposed to an ever increasing amount of radio and microwave radiation from communication towers and antennas. This includes signals for radio, television, and satellite broadcasting, cell phones, military radar and communication, air traffic control, and local police and fire department communication.

Like power lines, communication towers and antennas have been the subject of numerous lawsuits and the cause of real estate devaluation. However, this is where the similarities end. Radio and microwave radiation covers a much larger spectrum and is produced by a variety of sources in a number of different forms. Less research has been done on the health effects of radio and microwave radiation, there is very little regulation, and the entire subject is surrounded by a lot of controversy. Some of the research that does exist has linked radio and microwave radiation to cataracts, reproductive issues, sleeping disorders, headaches, anxiety, impaired mental function, impaired lung function, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and multiple forms of cancer.

As with power lines, there’s not much that can be done to reduce exposure to the electromagnetic radiation produced by local communication towers and antennas. As such, it’s best to be aware of their presence prior to moving into a new home or office and to do everything you can to prevent new installations.

Cell Phones, Cordless Phones, and Wireless Internet

Because these technologies are convenient and have become a ubiquitous part of modern life, many people are resistant to the possibility that the radio and microwave radiation they produce is a legitimate health risk. The radiation produced by cell phones can produce both thermal and non thermal effects and is recognized by many experts as a cancer risk. The advent of high speed networks has resulted in more people using the internet through their phones which has significantly increased the amount of ambient electromagnetic radiation and also puts such users at more risk.

To minimize your exposure to cell phone radiation, use speakerphone or a wired headset, avoid using bluetooth headsets, don’t allow your conversations to be any longer than necessary, minimize your use of data features, and keep your phone turned off as often as possible, especially when carrying it close to your body. By following these suggestions, you may even be able to reduce your bill and enjoy fewer interruptions. For more information on cell phone radiation, including the radiation ratings of most phone models, visit the Environmental Working Group’s Cell Phone Radiation Guide.

Cordless phones and wireless internet routers are also a concern because of the amount of electromagnetic radiation that they continuously produce. In fact, they typically produce more radiation than cell phones. To minimize your exposure, use regular corded telephones and wired internet connections. If you insist on using wireless devices, at least use a timer to keep them turned off while you sleep.

Keep in mind that the radiation produced by these devices is similar in concept to second hand cigarette smoke. Your usage can affect the people around you, and your cordless phones and wireless routers can even affect your neighbors.

Medical Imaging Equipment

Medical imaging is another significant source of electromagnetic radiation that doesn’t get the attention or respect that it deserves. Although it’s fairly common knowledge that x-rays are harmful and that they should be taken as infrequently as possible, there are also concerns about other types of imaging such as MRI, CAT scan, ultrasound, and mammography. Although these technologies are extremely helpful for diagnosing medical conditions, they also produce a significant amount of radiation, and some experts believe that they’re used far too frequently. In fact, Dr. Robert Becker believes that medical facilities are pressured into recommending the use of these devices to help pay for their high cost. He also believes that many doctors abuse them as screening tools when they should really be used to confirm strong suspicions of a specific diagnosis.

The Most Important Place and Time to Reduce Exposure

Quality sleep is one of the most important aspects of good health. Exposure to electromagnetic radiation while you sleep can impair your body’s ability to repair itself and fight illness. In addition to following good sleep habits, it’s important to minimize the electromagnetic fields surrounding your bed as much as possible.

Many people sleep with an alarm clock close to their head and their bed close to electrical outlets. In addition, some people use electric blankets or sleep on water beds that are electrically heated. These are both continuous sources of strong electromagnetic fields that are present throughout the entire night. To minimize your exposure while you sleep, keep your alarm clock away from your head, power it with batteries instead of plugging it in, shut off the circuit that feeds the outlets near your bed, and if you sleep on a water bed or use an electric blanket, turn them off before getting into bed.

Ley lines and underground rivers can also interfere with your sleep by altering the earth’s natural electromagnetic field. If your sleep isn’t as restorative as you’d like and you feel that you’ve done everything you can to improve it, try moving your bed to a different part of the room. Alternatively, before you decide to rearrange your bedroom, you can try sleeping in a different room to see if you notice a difference.

Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?

The tremendous amount of electromagnetic radiation that we’re exposed to today can be very unsettling, but it does more harm than good to stress over it. What’s important is that you do your best to minimize your risk in the most practical ways possible. Although it might take some effort to do so, there’s no reason to be anxious about it.

To assess your level of exposure, use a device like the TriField Electromagnetic Field Meter to take your own measurements, or hire a professional to do it for you. For each source of electromagnetic radiation that you’re exposed to, including those that can’t be measured, assess your level of risk and decide if the exposure is justified by the benefits that it offers. For example, it’s probably not worthwhile to chat unnecessarily on a cell phone or have an excessive number of ultrasounds during pregnancy, but in other situations, the same technologies can save lives. Likewise, you might not be able to reduce your exposure beyond a certain point without moving to a new home or office.

For a better understanding of electromagnetic radiation and how to minimize your exposure, I highly recommend reading Electromagnetic Fields by B. Blake Levitt and Cross Currents by Robert Becker MD.

Editors note: To learn more about Vin and enjoy the full spectrum of his writing, be sure to visit Natural Bias. He has my highest recommendation.

Are we preprogrammed for disease or good health? Do you believe that your genes control your health or can you override your genetics?

A fascinating field of research called “epigenetics” challenges the conventional beliefs about genetic programming and examines the physical effects of emotion on our bodies and health.

In this video, author and cellular biologist Dr. Bruce H. Lipton, explores the importance of perception in maintaining optimal health.

Researchers studying the preventive effects of vitamin D on cancer have proposed a new model of cancer development that hinges on a loss of cancer cells’ ability to stick together. The model, dubbed DINOMIT, differs from the older model of cancer development, which suggests genetic mutations as the earliest driving forces behind cancer.

“The first event in cancer is loss of communication among cells due to, among other things, low vitamin D and calcium levels,” said epidemiologist Cedric Garland. “This loss may play a key role in cancer by disrupting the communication between cells that is essential to healthy cell turnover, allowing more aggressive cancer cells to take over.”

Garland suggests that such cellular disruption could account for the earliest stages of many cancers. Previous theories linking vitamin D to certain cancers have been tested and confirmed in more than 200 epidemiological studies, and understanding of its physiological basis stems from more than 2,500 laboratory studies.

Each letter in DINOMIT stands for a different phase of cancer development – disjunction, initiation, natural selection, overgrowth of cells, metastasis, involution, and transition.

While there is not yet definitive scientific proof, Garland suggests that much of the evolutionary process in cancer could be arrested at the outset by maintaining adequate vitamin D levels.

According to another study, getting more of the “sunshine vitamin” may also help you stay mentally fit as you age.

Researchers compared the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79, and found those with low vitamin D levels performed less well on a task designed to test mental agility. The findings are some of the strongest evidence yet of such a link, because of the size of the study and because the researchers adjusted for a number of lifestyle factors believed to affect mental ability.

The researchers do not know exactly how vitamin D and mental agility may be connected, but it could be connected to the vitamin’s role in increasing certain hormonal activity, or it could have a protective effect on brain neurons.

Source: Science Daily May 24, 2009 

New research makes a strong case for exercise as a way to help prevent cancer both for men and women. Let’s consider the results of two related studies.

Men - Those with stronger muscles from regular weight training are up to 40 percent less likely to die from cancer, according to new research. These findings suggest that muscular strength is as important as staying slim and eating healthy when it comes to protecting your body against deadly tumors.

A team of experts tracked the lifestyles of over 8,500 men for more than two decades. Each volunteer had regular medical check ups that included tests of their muscular strength. The men who regularly worked out with weights and had the highest muscle strength were between 30 percent and 40 percent less likely to lose their life to a deadly tumor.

Even among volunteers who were overweight, regular weight training seemed to have a protective effect, although the researchers stressed that keeping a healthy weight was still crucial for avoiding premature death.

But they added, “In the light of these results, it is equally important to maintain healthy muscular strength levels.”

Researchers said it’s possible to reduce cancer mortality rates in men by promoting resistance training involving the major muscle groups at least two days a week.

Women – exercise reduces breast cancer . Reports have shown that excess weight and large sizes have been associated to a higher risk of breast cancer.

It remains unclear the amount or intensity of exercise that is needed to produce this effect and at what age the physical activity must occur. The study consisted of a group of 74,171 women aged 50-79 from 40 U.S. clinical centers between 1993-1998 for the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study.

Information collected was based on factors such as medical, family history, physical activity, diet, height, weight and lifetime use of hormone therapy.

In a four-and-a-half year follow-up of the study, breast cancer was newly diagnosed in 1,780 of the women. The study also revealed that women who participated in regular strenuous physical activities at the age of 35 decreased their risk of breast cancer by 14 percent compared with less active women.

This is further evidence that exercise before and after menopause are linked to breast cancer prevention. The effect was realized even with small increments of exercise equivalent to one to two hours per week of brisk walking. The results have shared similarities to those associated with decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease among post menopausal women and those with diabetes.

Sources: Men – The Telegraph, Women – Canadian Medical Journal

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Worries about the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA) used in Nalgene plastic water containers have led a major Canadian retailer to remove Nalgene, along with other polycarbonate plastic containers, from store shelves in early December.
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There is little dispute that the chemical can disrupt the hormonal system, but scientists disagree on whether the low doses found in food and beverage containers can cause harm. The FDA and the plastics industry have argued that BPA-based products do not pose a health risk. 
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However, an expert panel of researchers recently reported that the potential for BPA to affect human health is a concern, and more research is needed. Many Americans currently have higher levels of BPA than those found to cause harm in lab animals.

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After the first reports of a salmonella outbreak this spring, it took a full 89 days before jalapeño and serrano peppers came under suspicion as the culprit. During that period, more than 1,440 victims were hospitalized.
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Even as bacterial outbreaks have become more high-profile, and the financial fallout from recalls more severe, the government has been handing off many food-safety responsibilities to private industry. Food safety today is a business.
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For most Americans, the FDA is still the public face of food safety. But in reality, oversight of farms and food plants has gradually changed hands. There is now a cottage industry of third-party companies calling themselves “food-safety consultants.”
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This has created some alarming potential gaps. There’s no certification system for these third-party inspectors. Critics worry that retailers hire these companies not just to ensure food quality — but also as a defense mechanism to help protect their public image in case something goes wrong.
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And while tomato and spinach growers are audited heavily because they’ve had so many problems in the past, other crops, such as broccoli and cauliflower, are scrutinized less. Many growers are living in a continuing state of denial about whether they should be doing anything.
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There’s also the concern that these efforts could actually be making food less safe. In some cases, a grower needs to pay for audits from six or seven companies just to satisfy the demands of all of its different buyers. The overlapping attention might help eliminate problems, but it’s also costly. For slaughter facilities squeezed by rising costs, surreptitiously cutting out E. coli tests has been one of their money-saving tactics.
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To get a further sense of the problem, consider that today about 80 percent of the United State’s seafood and slightly less than half of its fresh fruits are imported from overseas. But the FDA inspects only about 1 percent. Meanwhile, it would cost the FDA more than $3.5 billion to inspect every one of the roughly 250,000 domestic and foreign food facilities just once.
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In reality, industry insiders say the FDA is lucky if it gets to the same facility once every three years.
 

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A research team has demonstrated that intellectual work induces a substantial increase in appetite and calorie intake. This discovery could help to explain, in part, the current obesity epidemic.
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The team measured the spontaneous food intake of 14 students after each of three tasks: relaxing in a sitting position, reading and summarizing a text, and completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer.
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Each session of intellectual work required only three calories more than the rest period. However, despite the low energy cost of mental work, the students spontaneously consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text and 253 more calories after the computer tests than they did after relaxing.
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Blood samples taken before, during, and after each session revealed that intellectual work caused bigger fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels — two critical components in the body’s regulatory and energy machinery — than rest periods.
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Jean-Philippe Chaput, the lead author of the study, said that mental work “destabilizes” the levels of insulin and glucose, thus stimulating the appetite, apparently in response to a need to restore the body’s energy balance.

Can you really fight wrinkles from the inside out? Yes and there’s a fruit that can help.

It’s papaya. What makes papaya so perfect? Easy. Vitamin C. Papaya has loads of it, and getting lots of vitamin C may mean more youthful skin — fewer wrinkles and less thinning and dryness. A recent study in women over 40 confirmed it.

The Mysteries of C
Vitamin C is a natural friend to skin. The nutrient is essential for making collagen, the protein fibers that give skin its strength and resiliency. And being a powerful antioxidant, C also disarms free radicals that would otherwise chip away and weaken collagen. (Did you know? Vitamin C helps protect skin from this sun scourge, too.)

More Food for Your Face
A little extra vitamin C isn’t all it takes to plump your complexion. Here are a few more food tips that can help keep your face fresh:

• Munch on walnuts. In the vitamin C study, researchers also noted that diets rich in linoleic acid — an essential fatty acid in walnuts — meant moister, plumper skin. (Bonus: Walnuts will make this happy, too.)
• Ease up on fats and refined carbs. Scientists found both were linked to aging skin. Discover the dark side of processed foods with this article.
• Think whole grains. The magnesium and B vitamins you get from them help with the regeneration of skin cells. Find out what foods are mostly whole grains.
• Keep the fruits and veggies coming. To stay smooth and healthy, your skin needs a whole slew of antioxidant-rich produce. Like this root vegetable.

Read this article for a complete chart of healthy food choices for your skin.

Real Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

References Published  

Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women Cosgrove, M. C., Franco, O. H., Granger, S. P., Murray, P. G., Mayes, A. E., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 Oct;86

Is a person’s weight really a reliable indicator of overall health?

Some medical research is showing that it isn’t. Last week a report in The Archives of Internal Medicine compared weight and cardiovascular risk factors among a representative sample of more than 5,400 adults. Half of the overweight people and one-third of obese people in the study were “metabolically healthy.” That means that many overweight and obese adults may have healthy levels of “good” cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose.

At the same time, about one out of four slim people in the study actually had at least two cardiovascular risk factors typically associated with obesity.

Being overweight or obese is definitely linked with numerous health problems. Nonetheless, researchers found the proportion of overweight and obese people who are metabolically healthy surprising.

Several studies have shown that fitness, as determined by how a person performs on a treadmill, is a far better indicator of health than body mass index. Some research has indicated that people who are fat but can still keep up on treadmill tests have much lower heart risk than people who are slim and unfit.