Antibiotic widely prescribed for decades has dangerous side effects which can kill !

(NaturalNews) You often hear that older prescription drugs are pretty safe. After all, if countless people have been taking them for many years, doctors would know by now if they were dangerous, right?

Unfortunately, that's a myth for several reasons. First, it can take decades for links between the use of a drug and other diseases to be obvious. In addition, side effects may be ignored, often chalked up as "all in the patient's head," or blamed on the disease the drug was prescribed to treat. All this instead of recognizing that the deteriorating condition of a patient, including death, may be caused by the treatment itself, i.e. the Big Pharma medication.

A dramatic example of the latter scenario has just been revealed in a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). The antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (sold as Septra, Bactrim and in generic forms) has been in wide use since l968 -- but scientists are now warning it is high time doctors realize the drug can cause serious adverse and even deadly reactions.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for urinary tract infections (UTI) in Canada; about 4,000 people a week receive prescriptions for this drug in Ontario alone. It is also one of the top drugs used for UTIs in the US. In addition, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is prescribed to treat community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other bacterial infections including ear infections, bronchitis, traveler's diarrhea and pneumonia.

"Although trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole has numerous benefits, particularly in the care of patients with HIV and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, it is associated with multiple toxicities," stated researchers Joanne M. W. Ho, MD and David N. Juurlink, MD, PhD, of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research Drug Safety and Effectiveness Cross-Discplinary Training Program.

Little known but serious side effects

So just how toxic are these side effects, exactly? Those involving the kidneys can be life-threatening. The antibiotic can cause super high levels of potassium (hyperkalemia), which can disrupt normal heart rhythm leading to death, and cause extreme low blood sugar drops (hypoglycemia). The drug is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and to people who have anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency. It is also linked to liver damage.

In their paper, Dr. Ho and Dr. Juurlink pointed out that trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole easily crosses the brain-blood barrier, resulting a multitude of neurological symptoms. Curiously, these problems have only been reported in case reports and little research has been conducted on them -- so they don't show up as a big red flag in the "medical literature." However, according to the Canadian scientists, brain related problems associated with the drug include delirium, tremors and gait disturbances.

Another recent study published in the British Medical Journal, shows that the elderly are especially at risk when they take trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole if they are already on the medication known as spironolactone for heart failure. The reason? It turns out that Bactrim-type antibiotics are often prescribed for these patients without doctors knowing -- or bothering to look up -- the fact that the combination can result in death.

That fact brings up an obvious question. How many seniors have died from cardiac arrest that was blamed on their heart failure or age when, in fact, it was the result of a fatal drug combination involving trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and spironolactone?

Elders beware deadly drug combo

Scientists from the University of Toronto, St Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto investigated the records of thousands of patients taking spironolactone (sold under the Big Pharma brand names Aldactone, Novo-Spiroton, Aldactazide, Spiractin, Spirotone, Verospiron or Berlactone).

Although it has been shown to cause tumors in animal studies, spironolactone has been prescribed to millions of people since the l960s to treat edema (fluid retention) in those with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver or the kidney disorder known as nephrotic syndrome. It's also used to treat or prevent low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia).

Heart failure, a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood adequately to meet the body's needs, is a huge problem, especially among older people. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for example, 5.7 million people in the US have the condition and it results in about 300,000 deaths each year. Unfortunately, the new research has found that people given spironolactone for heart failure are also given a trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole like Bactrim. The result can be soaring potassium levels that kill.

The BMJ study concluded that older patients receiving both spironolactone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were at a dramatically increased risk for being hospitalized for hyperkalemia; the authors warned this drug combination should be avoided.

"Increased awareness of this drug interaction among pharmacists and physicians is needed to ensure that the potential for life threatening hyperkalemia with this drug combination is minimized, either by selection of alternative antibiotics when appropriate or by close monitoring of patients treated with both drugs," the researchers wrote.

Bottom line: if you or a family member are prescribed any drug, do your homework. Don't assume your doctor or pharmacist is aware of, or is paying adequate attention to both the side effects of a medication you should know about or the potential ramifications of combining more than one drug.

Have a Healthy and Successful Antibiotic Free Day!

Ginger is powerful!

(NaturalNews) Ginger root is more than a zesty culinary spice. It's both a general tonic and specific medicinal herb. Ginger is actually the rhizome or horizontal "creeping root" of the Zingiber officinale plant, which belongs to the same family as turmeric and cardamom. Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine has used ginger for centuries. Now mainstream medicine uses various ginger extracts for major health problems.

Ginger Benefits

Ginger has been used effectively for gastrointestinal problems as major as colitis and as minor as motion sickness. It stimulates good digestion. It helps alleviate congestion and minimizes mucous, even helping asthmatics. Various ginger extracts have been shown to improve cardiovascular health and circulation.

Ginger kills off 5-LO enzymes, without which prostate cancer cells die within hours. A component of ginger has demonstrated the ability to slow or stop several types of cancer mestastasis (spreading cancer cells).
Some oncologists use ginger extracts as adjuncts to their toxic therapies, enabling them to shorten the length of their patients' suffering from chemo or radiation.

It is also an excellent natural anti-inflammatory. More naturopaths and even MDs are picking up on the fact that daily ginger consumption helps sooth daily arthritis pain as well other chronic aches and pains. Even brain inflammation is sometimes handled or alleviated with ginger.

One mainstream medical report asserted that ginger was no better than ibuprofen for arthritic inflammation relief. But ibuprofen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) with many harmful long term side effects, affecting kidneys, liver, and intestines while damaging the immune system.

With all the concern regarding increased nuclear fallout and radiation from Fukushima, it's good to know that ginger offers considerable radiation protection. But it needs to be consumed on a daily basis. How to use ginger is in the next section of this article.

It makes sense to use a natural, less expensive anti-inflammatory that is also an immune system enhancing tonic on a daily basis for chronic aches and pains.

How to Use Ginger

Since ginger extracts have so many powerful mainstream medical applications as implied above, your daily or frequent use of ginger roots will certainly provide considerable health benefits as well.

Powdered ginger capsules are handy to have on hand. But either juicing or brewing as a tea from fresh ginger roots are the best ways to use ginger. Make sure the ginger roots you purchase are crisp with smooth outer skins. Avoid the moist, wrinkled roots.

A traditional method is to first skin the roots, then cut several long thin slices that can be placed into a pot of pure water. The more ginger slices the better. Too strong is easily thinned down with added water. Too weak is almost useless as a tonic or remedy.

After bringing the pot to a boil, bring the heat down and let it simmer for around a half-hour. The pot with water and ginger can remain intact overnight for additional steeping. Go ahead and have a cup, but pour the rest into a glass container to refrigerate.

If the tea is strong enough, you can treat it like a concentrate. Pour some into a cup and add hot water each time you have some. If the taste is slightly offensive, add some raw honey.

If you have a slow speed masticating juicer, you can juice a small (two inch long), freshly peeled piece of thick root as part of whatever juice you like to drink. If you make water kefir, you can add a tablespoon or two of this thick heavy ginger liquid into the fermentation process for every pint of water kefir you brew.

 

Have a Healthy and Successful Ginger Filled Day!

How to go Green at home

NaturalNews) Many people are under the impression that it has to cost a lot to go green at home. While fitting solar panels, skylights and LED lights may be an expensive outlay, there are many other ways to go green by simply changing the way you do things around the house.

When doing laundry, ensure that you only wash and dry when you have full loads, as these appliances will use the same amount of power to run with one or two items in them as they will when they are full. On this note however, it is also important to not overfill these appliances, as the clothing will not be washed or dried properly. Most clothing items can be washed in cold water. Not only will this save on the electricity required to heat the water, but your clothing will also last longer this way. If you have the space, line drying your laundry will help to reduce your electricity bill substantially.

Unplug any appliances and power tools that are not in regular use. This includes cell phone chargers, battery chargers and any power tools that you may have on standby in the garage. Tests have shown that appliances left on in standby mode can account for as much as 30% of a household's electricity bill. This applies to TVs and computers as well. Replace incandescent bulbs with more efficient and more environmentally friendly LED ones. Unfortunately, standard energy saver globes contain mercury, which is highly toxic to people as well as the environment.

You can actually go green by doing your daily or weekly shopping a little differently. This will involve buying local and in-season fresh produce instead of imported foods. By buying organic foods where possible, you will help the environment by reducing the amount of harmful chemical pesticides that are released into the ground and atmosphere.

Try to make a list before shopping to avoid unnecessary purchases. This will also help you to save gas by making fewer trips to the store. When shopping, use reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags. If you do forget to bring your bags from home, see if the store can supply paper bags or even an old produce box to carry your groceries in, instead of plastic bags. When shopping, try to only purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products and laundry detergents. If you eat meat, try to implement one or two meatless meals a week. Ensure that the meat purchased is grass-fed and organic, as this will help to support your local farmer instead of the inhumane factory farms.

Fix leaky toilets, taps (faucets) or showerheads. This will save gallons of water annually. Encourage your family to take shorter showers and shallower baths to help save water. When brushing your teeth or shaving, don't leave the tap (faucet) running, as this can waste a lot of water. Avoid over-watering lawns and plants.

By implementing these easy tips, you will be able to go green without making any significant changes to your lifestyle or your bank account.

Have a Healthy and Successful Green Day!

Why You Need Nutritional Health Supplements

Do you really need to take nutritional health supplements to be healthy? Or can you get all the nutrition you need from healthy eating?

And if you do need supplements, what are the best supplements for your health?

There's been a lot of confusion about nutritional health supplements. It wasn't too long ago that all government agencies and almost all doctors and nutritionists told us we didn't need nutritional supplements.

They said we could get everything we need from the "food pyramid."

Some "authorities" still say we don't need to take health supplements to be healthy and stay disease free. But the facts say otherwise!

Nutrition for Great Health vs "Adequate" Nutrition

A few years back the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) started checking the evidence for whether or not you need health supplements. Now, Canada's numbers would be very similar, but it's much harder to find up to date numbers for health Canada so these will do.

They studied the nutritional intake of over 21,000 Americans. And the shocking findings showed that no one was getting even the minimum RDA's (recommended daily allowance) from the foods they ate.


And the RDA’s were meant to be just the bare-bones "adequate" nutrition necessary to prevent deficiency diseases like scurvy, beriberi and rickets.

The RDA's are certainly nowhere close to the optimum nutrition that can give you the great anti-aging health and fitness you want. Yet not one single person was getting even "adequate" nutrition from their food.


That's when "authority" figures started changing their tune.

Here's Why You Need Nutritional Health Supplements

The RDA for Vitamin C is only 60 milligrams. But numerous studies show the ODA (optimum daily allowance) for C is at least 500 milligrams.

And getting the ODA of vitamin C not only protects you from scurvy, it also helps protect against colds, flues, viruses and many deadly diseases.

Here's another example. The RDA for vitamin E is 30 IU's (International Units). And two very good sources for E are peanuts and brown rice. But to get "adequate" vitamin E from these two foods you would have to eat:

• at least 10 oz. of peanuts with 1,050 calories
• or 2 ¼ pounds of brown rice at 1,575 calories.

No way, right? But that's not the end of it.

Studies show in order to take full advantage of the many great health benefits of vitamin E, you need to be getting the ODA, between 200 and 400 IU's. So how much would you have to eat to get the ODA for E?



Hope you’re hungry! Because for "optimum" E nutrition you need:

• a minimum of 40 cups of peanuts at 33,600 calories
• or 130 cups of brown rice with 91,000 calories!

Not to mention the depleted nutrients in our foods today, I feel it's a must to supplement your diet with vitamins. Not sure what supplements you should take? Click HERE to find out. Also remember not all supplements are created equal, click HERE to see the difference between a high quality and a waste of money supplement. The foundation to optimum nutrition can be started HERE.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Where does your donated cancer money really go?

(NaturalNews) During October, there will be runs, walks, and other fund raising schemes for "curing cancer." The most notorious fund raiser is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. They display the most pink within the pink ribbon culture. Their mission statement is a world without breast cancer. So why are they ignoring actual existing cancer cures?

Pink washing

Woe to any other non-profit fund raising group that uses their event or activity linked to the phrase "... for the cure." Komen threatens them with lawsuits. It's okay for Komen's "corporate partners," for example KFC's "Buckets for the Cure" not long ago. One wonders how Komen will protect the word "hope" that they're using these days.

Komen enlists businesses to display the pink ribbon or color a product pink "(item) for the cure" or "(item) of hope." This has come to be known as "pink washing". It involves businesses donating small portions of their sales revenue to Komen. Often the businesses sell products that suppress the immune system or contain carcinogenic ingredients.

Besides KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) there have been many other unhealthy contributors "for the cure." Some of them sell cosmetics that contain carcinogenic ingredients. Some others are industries that emit environmental and health hazards. Some of them sold yogurts that contained rBGH in their pasteurized milk.

Komen has its own mail order list of mostly useless items, but under Komen.com rather than Komen.org. Pink washed companies or corporate partners have an opportunity to sell more products to those who think consuming goods leads to cancer cures. A Seattle gun store once teamed up with Komen and sold pink barreled Walther P-22 "handguns of hope."

Following the money

According to Charity Navigator.org, former CEO of Komen for the Cure Hala G. Moddelmog was salaried at approximately $500,000 annually plus bonus. But Komen's founder, Susan G. Komen's surviving sister Nancy G. Brinker, has recently taken over the CEO position and no figures could be found for her.

CEOs of charities that spent more than $100 million, which includes Komen, averaged over $450,000 annually according to Charity Navigator.org. Several charitable organization jobs are advertised for $200,000 annually. Naturally there are additional perks for travel and lodging as well.

Komen's revenue for the fiscal year of 2009/10 was $400 million. Thirty-five million came from investments and $365 million was from the various fund raising efforts, including race or walk fees, donations, pink washing, sponsors, and Komen.com sales.

That fiscal year, Komen' s contributions were: $141 million for education, $47 million for health screening, and $75 million for research. Fundraising costs and affiliate expenses were approximately $60 million with general administrative costs at $37 million.

Education did not include dietary information such as abstaining from sugar (cancer's favorite food) and toxic foods. It didn't include avoiding junk foods and eating whole organic foods. Vitamin D3 was not even mentioned. But bickering over whether radiation should come before or after chemo was discussed.

Mammograms can cause cancer or misdiagnose, resulting in unnecessary treatment. Thermography is safe and effective. But Komen refuses to acknowledge this while pushing mammograms.

Research is for Big Pharma only. There's nothing for Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski in Houston or Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez in New York, both of whom are doing their best going through FDA hoops to gain acceptance for their safe, efficacious treatments. No real follow up with the Gerson Institute or Hoxsey's Bio-Medical Center, both forced into operating out of Mexico.

How come no research into mega-dose IV vitamin C for cancer? There are studies proving its efficacy. Hey Komen, how come you haven't consulted with TV star Suzanne Somers about her breast cancer cure from European mistletoe extract injections? She wrote a bestseller about it.

What would any of these cancer charity people do if the actual existing inexpensive cures were allowed? Maybe they don't want a cure. Maybe they want their high paying jobs and puffed up prestige. They are part of the multi-billion dollar cancer industry, which would collapse if cures are allowed.

Komen has been raising funds for thirty years. As long as there are suckers who worship the cut, burn, and poison cancer cult while continually biting the "hope" bait, they'll continue.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

An estimated 70 percent of the population is deficient in vitamin D. Recent study of this essential micronutrient has demonstrated its central role in maintaining health. Insufficient levels of vitamin D have been linked to:

• Suppressed immunity - our innate systems of defense may not function efficiently without adequate vitamin D, allowing increased susceptibility to infectious agents.
• Increased risk of chronic disease - low levels of vitamin D have been associated with a higher than normal risk of heart disease and several kinds of cancer.
• Heightened inflammation - vitamin D is a key cofactor in regulating inflammation throughout the body.

I recommend prudent daily sun exposure to support the natural production of vitamin D in our skin, as well as speaking to your doctor or nutritionist about checking vitamin D levels and supplementing if necessary.

Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Are you taking the recommended amount of vitamin D? And why do you need this micronutrient, anyway? Find out - get your free, personalized supplement recommendation with a Nutri-Physical. Visit today to learn more.

Have a Healthy and Successful Vitamin D Filled Day!

MSG – ASPARTAME The Silent Killers

What is MSG and what does it do to you?

There is a lot of information and opinions out regarding the effects of MSG on the human body. Google the term and you’ll find an overwhelming response! Personally, I feel anything that’s a chemical, MSG or “artificial” anything, is harmful. The human body is designed to process whole, natural foods - not chemicals. A build up of chemicals in the body will eventually interfere with the body’s performance and lead to serious health issues.

MSG and artificial sweeteners are the biggest culprits, in my opinion. The following is a list of additives used in many foods that we ingest on a regular basis in this country, such foods as prepackaged meals, soups, snacks, condiments, and fast foods.

So how do you get away from all these chemicals?

Keep yourself informed! The more informed you are as a consumer, the more you won’t buy the products that contain these poisons. Sooner or later these companies will have to stop using them. What a blessing that will be for everyone.

These additives have no other purpose other than to enhance the taste of food.

Sources of MSG

* Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG *

(A partial list of the most common names)

Monosodium Glutamate Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Hydrolyzed Protein Hydrolyzed Plant Protein

Plant Protein Extract Sodium Caseinate

Calcium Caseinate Yeast Extract

Textured Protein (Including TVP) Autolyzed Yeast

Hydrolyzed Oat Flour Corn Oil

* Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG *

Malt Extract Malt Flavoring

Bouillon Broth

Stock Flavoring

Natural Flavors/Flavoring Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring

Seasoning Spices

*Food Additives That MAY Contain MSG or Excitotoxins *

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitotoxicity

Carrageenan Enzymes

Soy Protein Concentrate Soy Protein Isolate

Whey Protein Concentrate Protease Enzymes

Do you use Aspartame? You won’t after you read this!


This should open your eyes!

Please share this with anyone you know who chooses to purchase “diet” products. Remind them that the first three letters in diet are DIE. Hopefully this will help them make better choices.

Aspartame is an intense source of Excitotoxins, sold under brand names such as NutraSweet, Equal, and aspartame. It breaks down within 20 minutes at room temperature into several primary toxic and dangerous ingredients:

1. DKP- Diketopiperazine (when ingested converts to a near duplicate form of a powerful brain tumor causing agent)

2. Formic Acid (ant venom)

3. Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)

4. Methanol (causes blindness)

These can be found in diet drinks, sugar free gums, children’s medications, and thousands of other products claiming to be 'low calorie', 'diet', or 'sugar free' products. Make sure you read the labels before you purchase any of these products.

Check out more information at Coach Mask's blog and learn how to make you and your family healthy and feeling great!

Knowledge is Power!

Have a Healthy and Successful MSG- Aspartame Free Day!