Friday, January 14, 2011

Is tap water good for you?

I'm talking about fluoridated water. Once you start to peer through the slit in the black curtain there’s no pulling yourself back out. So, the only way to go is further in. But first, a few quick points I came across to get us started.

Getting a drug approved by the FDA cost $100 million dollars in clinical trials. No wonder small companies don't stand a chance in hell.

Allowing information on the established health benefits of supplements is opposed by the FDA.

Onto Fluoride.

It’s good for our teeth, right? Thank God they put it in the water, or we’d be in the dentist’s office all the time with our teeth rotting out of our heads, right? Great that it’s free, and everyone gets it! Right?

You guessed it. Nope.

The Wikipedia says “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control listed water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century.” In fact, the whole Wiki entry reflects everything I used to believe about fluoridation.

Then I went to the “discussions” page. Here’s how the comments started:

“I am shocked at the cheerleading going on here. Fluoride is an industrial waste product and it accumulates in the Pineal Gland of the brain.”

And it went on into a much more heated and ugly debate. “The article is not balanced” seems to sum it up for me. The main page promotes fluoridation like an ad campaign, without referencing any of the controversy or addressing many of the more questionable facts about water fluoridation. For shame Wikipedia. I wonder how much in donations that cost?

If you want to know what the ADA and the FDA’s stand are on water fluoridation, just read the wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation

I’ll tell you the stuff it took me a little longer to uncover.

Seems the main controversial points to know about are:
1) Is Fluoride really good for our teeth?
2) Where does the Fluoride in our water come from?
3) What else does Fluoride do to us?
4) Does water fluoridation violate the individual's right to informed consent to medication?

The most obvious shocker is the suggestion that fluoride actually may be harming our teeth. There is something called fluorosis that an excess of fluoride can cause. One news video I watched said "according to new studies, this is showing up in one in three teens." Brown stains, white streaks and chipped teeth... If you want to see what fluorosis looks like, check here: (not pretty!)

http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/why-you-should-avoid-fluoride/

This article goes on to say that “Children exposed to the government’s current maximum fluoride limit “risk developing severe tooth enamel fluorosis, a condition characterized by discoloration, enamel loss and pitting of the teeth, ” the National Academy of Sciences said in a statement.

In fact, last week, America’s top health official, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced plans to lower the agency's maximum recommended fluoride level from 1.2 milligrams per liter of water to 0.7. Which means that they acknowledge the research from many sources that there’s too much fluoride in American water, and it’s causing harm. It’s a start I guess.

The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to using the power of information to protect human health and the environment have been campaigning against fluoridation for six years.

http://www.ewg.org/release/us-catches-science-fluoride-drinking-water

So although fluoride might help prevent tooth decay, too much of it is a bad thing for our teeth. Not only is it in our water, but it’s found in many types of toothpaste, and in foods too (many are made with fluoridated water). We really have no idea how much fluoride we ingest.

The Environmental Working Group supports the use of fluoride in toothpaste, where there is strong evidence of its effectiveness. But EWG’s analysis concludes that fluoridation of public water supplies should end, because the risks outweigh possible benefits, especially for infants and young children, who consume more water than adults relative to their size.

Hey, maybe we should just eat less sugar and brush and floss more?

Next up: What IS Fluoride?

A little history…

From http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=phosphorus-a-looming-crisis

“In the 20th century the three nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) enabled agriculture to increase its productivity and the world’s population to grow more than six fold.”

Raw phosphate ore (which is what’s mined to make the fertilizer) contains high concentrations of fluoride. When this ore is processed, the fluoride content of the ore is vaporized into the air, forming highly toxic gaseous compounds. It seems for about 15 years, the cows were the most obvious great sufferers of this environmental disaster, being afflicted with terrible and painful bone cancer.

SO, the phosphate industry had to clean up their act. They came up with this scrubbing system that collects the toxic by products, and either they dump it in the wastewater ponds, or... water-treatment facilities!

Awesome.

http://www.fluoridealert.org/phosphate/overview.htm
http://www.fluoridedebate.com/question01.html

“The chemicals used to fluoridate 90% of public drinking water are industrial grade hazardous wastes captured in the air pollution-control scrubber systems of the phosphate fertilizer industry, called silicofluorides. These wastes contain a number of toxic contaminants including lead, arsenic, cadmium and even some radioactive isotopes.”

So, instead of the expense of disposing of this 'fluosilicic acid' in a toxic waste dump, the acid is sold to municipalities, and injected into drinking water. EEK!! Sounds completely ridiculous, I know. But there you go.

BTW… my suspicious mind was curious about the dates that these two events happened. When did the scrubbing system start, and when did water fluoridation start? From what I could tell, it was about 1974 that the “scrubbing” system was patented (although sick cows from fluoride poisoning were reported back in the early 50's). But it was in 1945 that water fluoridation started in the USA. OK, fine. But still… it seems weird that they didn’t reconsider thinking fluoride was good for us when it was discovered that fluoride was poisoning the cows.

“The plain fact that fluorine is an insidious poison, harmful, toxic and cumulative in its effects, even when ingested in minimal amounts, will remain unchanged no matter how many times it will be repeated in print that fluoridation of the water supply is 'safe'." Ludwig Gross, M.D., former Chief of Veterans Administration Cancer Research, Bronx, NY.

You can read even more about what fluoridation is here, if you’re not horrified enough already.

http://www.thenhf.com/article.php?id=1112
or here
http://www.voteoutfluoride.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=61

Onward! What else does this disgusting addition to our drinking water do to us?

I found this in an article from a site that seems to be an advocate of fluoridated water.
http://www.scumdoctor.com/dental-health/fluoride/Disadvantage-Of-Fluoride-In-Water.html

“However, with all the advantages, there are disadvantages of fluoride in water. Water fluoridation leads to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. Dental fluorosis, which is an excess of fluoride, can also alter the appearance of children’s teeth during the developing years. Skeletal fluorosis, the result of high concentration of fluoride, weakens the bones. There have been isolated cases of fluoride poisoning from addition of excessive quantities of fluoride. This shows up as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.”

“Studies show that fluoride is a toxin that can cause liver and brain damage, osteoporosis and thyroid disorders.”

Damn. Seriously?

There is one study I found to determine the impact of fluoride on the pineal gland - a small gland located between the two hemispheres of the brain that regulates the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the onset of puberty and helps protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals. It also helps regulates the sleep-wake cycle and has been shown to regulate blood pressure and body temperature.

http://www.icnr.com/articles/fluoride-deposition.html
http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/pineal/

"In conclusion, the human pineal gland contains the highest concentration of fluoride in the body. Fluoride is associated with depressed pineal melatonin synthesis by prepubertal gerbils and an accelerated onset of sexual maturation in the female gerbil. The results strengthen the hypothesis that the pineal has a role in the timing of the onset of puberty. Whether or not fluoride interferes with pineal function in humans requires further investigation."

OK, gerbils don’t like it. (poor things!) But wait there’s more…

Fluoride accumulates in our bones and makes them more brittle and prone to fracture.
There is a substantive body of evidence that fluoride can induce bone cancer. It seems to affect boys in their growth spurts more than girls. Excessive exposure to fluoride causes an arthritic bone disease called skeletal fluorosis. (this is difficult to diagnose in early stages, and can resemble various forms of arthritis including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.) Basically, it's just not good for the bones.

But wait… there’s even more…

Researchers at Binghamton University in N.Y., and an EPA neurotoxicologist speculate that "fluoride in water may complex with the aluminum in food and enable it to cross the bloodbrain barrier. Both treated groups also suffered neural injury and showed increased deposits of ß-amyloid protein in the brain, similar to those seen in humans with Alzheimer’s disease."

From http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2001/mar01/flouride.html
“In a recent article in the journal NeuroToxicology, a research team led by Roger D. Masters, Dartmouth College Research Professor and Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government Emeritus, reports evidence that public drinking water treated with sodium silicofluoride or fluosilicic acid, known as silicofluorides (SiFs), is linked to higher uptake of lead in children.”

“…our preliminary findings show correlations between SiF use and more behavior problems due to known effects of lead on brain chemistry."

We all know lead poisoning is bad! Seems fluoride makes even lead worse in our bodies by making it more accessible.

If you want to be even more disturbed, check out the long list of fluoride symptoms from a study done in 1887!
http://www.ayurveda-florida.com/Research_non_ayurvedic_topics_health_disease_related/fluoride_poisoning.htm

Which brings me finally to…

Don’t you feel betrayed and violated that the decision to consume this toxic waste is being put completely out of your hands?

It is in the water for the love of god. Without our consent or even the full disclosure of what it’s doing to us. And if we don’t want it in our water, we have to BUY bottled water that is filtered, or a water filtering system OURSELVES! I say the government should have to provide filters to anyone who wants one. I didn’t ask or agree to have this crap in my water. Thanks but no thanks!

There is one small hope, that would solve this problem, but of course, would cause a multitude of other problems.

http://phosphorusfutures.net/peak-phosphorus
“…we will see a global peak in phosphate rock reserves, estimated to occur in the next 30 years.”

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=phosphorus-a-looming-crisis
“Mining phosphorus for fertilizer is consuming the mineral faster than geologic cycles can replenish it. The U.S. may run out of its accessible domestic sources in a few decades, and few other countries have substantial reserves, which could also be depleted in about a century.”

But damn it, do we want to wait that long to be able to have clean drinking water? When all they have to do is just stop adding stuff?

One more link to what’s becoming my favorite site that isn’t afraid to call it like it is: http://www.naturalnews.com/030952_CDC_fluoride.html

OK, don’t despair! I know this stuff gets really heavy. BUT there’s hope. There are lots of sites and information to help you from drinking as much of this stuff.

http://www.ewg.org/fluoride-tap-water-what-you-can-do
http://www.fannz.org.nz/fluoride_removal.php

First of all… if you can, get a reverse osmosis filter to remove fluoride from your tap water. Definitely use fluoride-free water for infant formula.

If you go the bottled water route, make sure it’s been distilled or treated with reverse osmosis filtration, or at least doesn’t have fluoride in it! Nearly half the bottled waters out there are taken from tap water! The freakin' Bastards! You can also have mineral water (check there's no fluoride in there!) delivered in bulk quantities.

If you have pets, check this out…
http://www.ewg.org/pets/fluorideindogfood

Use the right toothpaste. The American Dental Association recommends fluoride-free toothpaste for children under 2. Personally, I also use a fluoride free toothpaste.

Here’s some reverse osmosis filter systems I found. There's more. Have a look around. Just make sure it gets rid of the fluoride. You want the Reverse Osmosis Systems.

http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/ro-45-detail.htm (USA)
http://www.nzfilterwarehouse.com/Reverse-Osmosis-Systems-and-Parts.html (NZ)
http://purewaterfreedom.com/osc/index.php?cPath=4 (NZ) (has some nice options)

If you live in a fluoridation-free country… GOOD ON YOU! I applaud your country for looking out for your best interests in this case.

http://www.fluoridation.com/c-country.htm

“99% of western continental Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns.”

http://www.yes4cleanwater.org/Documents/CoutriesRejectedF.pdf

In 2000, government authorities from various countries were asked if they fluoridated their water and if not, why. Germany stopped all fluoridation and provided the most extensive reasons for that action via a position statement issued by the DVGW (German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water). As the letter indicated, “The information is dated 1992, but we still fully agree with this statement.” The DVGW sets technical standards that are used in the operation of water systems in Germany and the European Union. The following are quotes from the DVGW position statement.

(1) “It is not the task of water supply companies to add substances to drinking water intended as prophylactics against illness not caused by drinking water.” (2) “Caries is not the manifestation of fluoride deficiency, but is the result of a generally false nutrition and inefficient dental May 1, 2008
hygiene. Unwholesome habits resulting in caries are not eliminated by the fluoridation of drinking water; on the contrary, they are promoted.” (3) “The suggested optimal fluoride concentration of 1 mg per liter is very close to the dose with which long term detrimental effects in people cannot be excluded. . . the limit value in drinking water cannot be justified in view of different habits and therefore differing consumption of drinking water and the uncontrolled intake of fluorides from other sources. The safety of a lifelong accumulation of fluoride in the human body as a result of increased intake is disputed in medical science throughout the world.” (4) “More than 99 per cent [of fluoride contained in drinking water] would be discharged with waste water directly into the environment. This additional fluoride emission into waters is unacceptable for ecological reasons.” (5) “The consumer cannot avoid fluoridated drinking water made available by public water supply. This mandatory intake of fluoride violates the basic right to bodily freedom from injury . . . provided by the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.” (6) “Fluoride intake for the prevention of caries is more effective with specific measures taken by the individual than by fluoridation of drinking water.” (7) “An assessment of risks vs. benefits involving both the health aspects and ecological consequences justifies DVGW’s rejection of the fluoridation of drinking water.”

Wow. Go Germany!!

You can check your country’s fluoridation levels on the web. FYI, Canada’s water is also fluoridated. But it doesn’t have to be a whole country affair. That the whole country is in or out. New York is trying to have fluoride removed from their tap water. Go New York!

The Ministry of Health in NZ website indicates the fluoride in the water supply should be between 0.7 ppm and 1.0 ppm. New Zealand tap water is fluoridated at 0.85 mg/L. If you live in NZ, you can check to see if your town has fluoride in your water.
http://www.fannz.org.nz/ismytownfluoridated.php

http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/fluoride-debate-reignited-3994878
After the US has dropped their acceptable levels “Byrne believes New Zealand's Health Ministry now has no choice but to also recommend councils drop their maximum fluoride levels to 0.7ppm.”

Yeah. No kidding.

I'm off to buy me a reverse osmosis filter system!

ps. boiling fluoridated water just concentrates the fluoride, so make sure you empty the kettle each time before you make a cuppa if you're using unfiltered water.

Next time... to reduce cholesterol, you have to take drugs, right? ha! So wrong.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Hi Ho Silver!!

I was sick over the holidays. Again. I was visiting with some friends, and they gave me some colloidal silver. My friend was very adamant. In fact so much so that I actually took a swig immediately. But I had no idea what it was. Other than something I thought of as liquid jewelery.

So, I contacted my pal Goggle. And read. And read. I'd never even heard of taking a metal to help against ailments. That's just crazy talk.

Or is it?

Turns out, silver has been used for over 1000 years for it's antibacterial qualities. It's not exactly new stuff. It's been commonly used topically as a treatment for burns and other skin infections. It's also been used as a water purifier, and as a purifier for swimming pools. Hell, the Royals used silver to eat with and store their food in for ages.

But what about using silver inside the body?

The more I read, the more it sounded like silver, processed a certain way, can kill 100% (!!) of the viruses, bacteria and fungus in your body and it's non toxic (!!). But surely, I asked myself, if there was a chance that there was something that worked better than antibiotics, we would have heard of it. Right? If it kills viruses instead of making them into stronger super bugs (as antibiotics does) then of course, this would be cause for big press and much rejoicing? Right?

Maybe not.

But first I wanted to see what all the quiet fuss was about. What is colloidal silver exactly? And how does it work? And what else does it do to us?

I searched on. I found a fabulous site called
http://www.silver-colloids.com/.

It's a scientific site that is "dedicated to the publication and dissemination of scientific information about colloidal silver." The site is maintained by Mr. Frank Key, a principal scientist of the Colloidal Science Laboratory, Inc.

(BTW, Frank Key actually reads and replies to his emails. I know this because he's replied to me twice now. His emails were incredibly helpful for the gaps I still had. But I'm getting ahead of myself.)

In this site are 30+ publications all about the nature of various physical properties of colloidal silver, how the theory translates to practice and laboratory experiments that were performed to determine particular attributes of silver colloids.

Fascinating stuff. Seriously. I was engrossed through all of it. Mr. Key has presented a site that the non-scientific community can understand. I was hooked.

So, what is Colloidal Silver exactly?

One bit that I found most interesting in the publications was the differences between silver ions and silver particles and why it is important to know what type of silver is in a colloidal silver product. This is cause for MUCH controversy, and everyone seems to have their own opinion on which provides benefits and how much.

In brief, there is Ionic Silver (which looks clear like water and can be made at home) and there are True Colloids which contain Silver Particles, not silver ions.

From http://www.silver-colloids.com/Pubs/AboutIonic.html
"The difference between silver ions and silver particles boils down to the fact that silver ions combine with chloride ions to form silver chloride and silver particles do not."

So, why do we care?

Basically, the surface area of silver is the key to the benefits. And it's the particles that provide the surface area. As well, the particles are slowly eliminated from the body, and do not build up.

This is taken from the Colloidal Science Laboratory site
http://www.colloidalsciencelab.com/

"One of the most important properties of a colloid, and one of most difficult to properly determine is particle surface area. Particle surface area is the property of a colloid that translates directly to the ability of the colloid to react with its environment. Effectiveness of colloids is predicated on exposing the largest possible surface area of the metal particles to the areas of interest. In the chemical world, reactivity increases with increasing surface area."

So, why aren't all products silver particles?

It's harder to make, and of course, more expensive. And you can't make it at home.

But ionic silver is still supposed to have benefits, because some silver particle content will survive. But it's the uncertainty of how it's made that concerns me. If it's poorly made, and you take too much of it, or put it on your skin and go under a sun bed (!?), then you can develop a condition called Argyria, a permanent discolouration of the skin. Yeah, it turns you blue, for life. I know. I want the good stuff.

OK, how do they work? And why don't they kill the good bacteria in my body as well as the bad, like antibiotics do?

I had a little more trouble find out HOW they work, so Mr. Frank Key sent me this web site. He said that the HOW was not his field of expertise, although I suspect he's just being modest! This site's articles are much harder to slog through than Frank Key's information, but it's well worth the effort.

http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/

There are articles on research of silver nanoparticles blocking the transmition of HIV-1.
http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/8/1/15
This is the part I liked...

"...microbicides could have the potential to eliminate drug-resistant bacteria, in addition to sexually transmitted diseases that cause inflammation. Previous studies have reported that silver ions and silver nanoparticles exert anti-inflammatory effects, induce lymphoproliferation, and inhibit bacterial and HIV-1 infection. These characteristics make silver nanoparticles of interest in microbicide research."

But I still didn't tell you the HOW. Right.

This web site tells the story of Colloidal Silver very nicely.
http://tuberose.com/Colloidal_Silver.html

But basically:

"Colloidal silver works as a catalyst, disabling the enzyme that all one-celled bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms use for their oxygen metabolism. In short, the bad guys suffocate."

"It does this by attaching itself to the cell membrane of a bacterium, which disables its oxygen-metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung. Because it can no longer breathe, within a few minutes the pathogen suffocates and dies and is cleared out of the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems."

Anything bigger than one cell seems to like it."

Another cool site I found is:
http://www.e-colloidalsilver.com/

"It is believed to be effective in fighting bacteria because it disrupts an enzyme that harmful bacteria need to breathe. Silver atoms also adhere to the DNA of harmful bacteria, which prevents it from uncoiling and therefore prevents it from multiplying."

If you want more... this site explains how bacteria, viruses and fungus live and grow, and how silver nanoparticles kill them.
http://www.azonano.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=1695

Cool, right?

Hell ya!!

So onto my next question... why doesn't it kill the good bacteria too?

http://www.e-colloidalsilver.com/
"Many strains of pathogenic microbes, viruses, fungi, bacteria or any other single-celled pathogen resistant to other antibiotics are killed on contact by colloidal silver, and are unable to mutate. However, silver is virtually non-toxic and does not harm tissue-cell enzymes and friendly bacteria. Unlike antibiotics, colloidal silver does not weaken the body's immune system. In fact, it is said to give the body a second immune system, creating a shield against disease of all kinds."

http://www.naturesalternatives.com/lc/whatiscs.html
"One explanation is that the friendly bacteria are aerobic, while unfriendly bacteria are anaerobic. Also, it is said that the silver does not attack bacteria directly, but rather decomposes certain enzymes the anaerobic bacteria, viruses, yeast, and molds require. The silver acts as a catalyst... It is probable that the reason the bacteria cannot develop a resistance to silver, as they do to antibiotics, is because silver does not attack them directly, but rather destroys the enzymes they depend on."

But you know what, I've taken TONS of antibiotics, and we all know that kills the good bacteria. I take probiotics for that. So, what the hell, as some sites say, it doesn't hurt to be on the safe side, and take the probiotics while taking the colloidal silver.

And if it's a well made colloidal silver, it is eliminated completely from the body within 24 hours. Now, if you take a ton of the stuff, way more than what's suggested, then well, you're an idiot.

I have read a few unsubstantiated claims that colloidal silver is associated with a number of adverse side effects such as kidney damage, headache, fatigue, skin irritation, and neurologic problems. But for the life of me, I can't see it in any of the scientific papers I've read, or any of the masses of testimonials. I've read a whole lot more substantiated potential side effects on the forms of the drugs I'm prescribed.

And the benefits... WELL! Researchers has found that Colloidal Silver is effective against more than 650 dangerous microbes. Some of them specifically are:

the cold and flu viruses (oh yeah baby!)
MRSA virus (Methicilian resistant Staphylococcus aureus - antibiotic resistant virus)
Upper respiratory tract infection
bronchitis
Yeast Infections (Candidiasis)
cold sore virus
shingles
hepatitis C
fungus
boils
Mononucleosis (glandular fever)

And many many more...
http://www.colloidal-silver-information.com/category/benefits/
http://www.colloidforum.com/phpBB3/

So, at this point, I'm feeling pretty astonished and really freakin' excited!!

The next obvious question is... why the hell isn't this more commonly used rather than antibiotics? (!!)

Seems that this is most likely the sad truth of what you've probably already guessed.

Silver can not be controlled (or profited) by the FDA or governing bodies, as it is considered a pre 1938 drug, and now an over the counter supplement. Antibiotics (not to mention cold remedies) are a HUGE money maker. Imagine the mayham if it got out that this was a viable and preferred method of treatment over antibiotics? Imagine if the world knew that Colloidal Silver can potentially eliminate many of the viruses, bacteria and fungus known to man while being virtually non-toxic?

I'm expecting the FDA to ban Colloidal Silver if word gets out.

The Drug Pushers (and FDA) probably had a celebration party over the numbskull that turned himself blue and got a ton of press. It takes a "special" kind of guy to do that to himself. Maybe the price of turning blue was worth it? (taking the conspiracy idea even a step further.) In any case, the only thing I can seem to find against Colloidal Silver is that it could turn you blue if you take too much of the poorly made nasty stuff. (And we know now how not to do that.)

There's a website has very strong opinions on the role the FDA plays in oppressing our health freedoms. The article was written in 2008 but still valid, and a good way to get good and pissed off! I mean if we're going to have a hope in hell of staying healthy, we have to care.

http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000538_colloidal_silver_FDA_health_freedom.html

This 3 part interview with a Colloidal Silver producer, Ben Taylor about his fight with the government is astonishing, and a MUST READ (IMHO) for anyone who is compelled to fight for our health freedoms. Some really cool, simple things to be aware of about our rights. Big UPS to Mr. Taylor for his bravery!

I've ordered 6 bottles of what I can tell is some of the good stuff. It has an infinite self life (non organic, so no biodegradability) I'm not going to tell you what I ordered, in case you think I'm working for them. I'm not. OK, I'll tell you... but do your own research. That's the key to your own health after all.

http://www.purestcolloids.com/mesosilver.php

I also think http://www.utopiasilver.com/ (Ben Taylor's Company) sells the good stuff. I will order from him next.

As a final note, despite all the other things that seem more pressing today, the financial collapse, the endlessly mystifying wars, the oil crisis, the water crisis, the food crisis... as the old adage goes, if you don't have your health, you don't have anything. Complacency is easier, but do you really want to leave your life in the hands of The Drug Pushers?

Speaking of complacency... next up... fluoride and what is it really doing in our water? And what is it doing to us?

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Enough Mrs. Nice Sick Girl.

I’m sick of getting sick. I’m sick of not knowing why I get sick so often, what I’m sick of, and I’m sick of not understanding what drugs the doctors are giving me, and what they are doing to me really.

With Gary’s (www.garymoller.com/) patience and generosity to education and help heal me over the past few years, discussions with friends, and spending more time with Goggle than I care to admit, I have gained just enough knowledge to be dangerous. And seriously pissed off. I have questions.

Is there a conspiracy penetrating deep into the medical profession at large? Do companies, and ultimately people, who are in the business of pushing drugs, control the medical profession? Are they trying to find the best ways to improve our health? Or are they only interested in the best ways that make money? One thing for sure is that being sick is a moneymaker. And chronic illness is the jackpot of sickness. Repeat customers.

The idea that money controls the schools, the research, the clinics, the hospitals and in turn our health, gives me a shiver down my spine. We are forced to trust these institutions. We don’t have a choice. I suppose you can spend 7 years in med school and then 7 more becoming a nutritionist, and perhaps even a few more learning physio therapy, and perhaps some more as a chiropractor or an osteopath, or a naturopath. And don’t forget acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and then there’s energy healing and cranial massage and chakra cleansing. Just to name a few. And then you wouldn’t have to depend on anyone to keep you well. Right. So we pick a path and believe what they tell us, because the alternative is just too impractical.

But maybe if you did all that learning, or even a fraction of that, then you’d feel more confident telling your doctor “Actually I don’t think I have Lupus, and I’m not going to take those steroids you’re pushing on me thanks. I’m going to give these anti inflammatories a go, and perhaps I’ll cut down on some of the flammitory foods like red meat and sugar, eat more berries, and I’ll also take a few supplements that will help with my adrenal fatigue and I’ll get some more rest. When I’m up to it, I’m going to give some nanoparticle colloidal silver a try to see if I can’t get rid of the glandular fever virus I got as a kid that I think I’ve been fighting again. Of course, a good massage to get rid of some toxins is in order. And lots of black tea. I’ll let you know how I get on.”

Now, I’m not naïve enough to think that love and caring for our fellow man rules the world. I know business is about profit. I just don’t think that profit should take precedence over our health. Call me a hippie. There are enough questionable practices and impersonal guesswork that result in a prescription than there are flies around fresh dog poo. I know this from personal experience. Last year I got so many prescriptions for various drugs, if I’d stock piled all the pills; I bet they would have filled a triple D bra. Both sides.

More questions. Why is there not more research being done on the free stuff (Vitamin D from the sun for example)? Or on supplements (Vitamin C for example)? Why do doctors stick their noses in the air about using these as potential remedies rather than drugs? Why is it that most of the research goes to finding a drug that can be patented, even if there are other solutions which are better? How much of the medical research being done is funded by the drug companies? Why doesn’t the government fund more research that’s in the best interests of our health, and perhaps (gasp!) non profitable? Why do supplements get such an eye roll from doctors and most people? Who would benefit the most if people thought that supplements and alternate (other than drugs) medicine was a bunch of mumbo jumbo and drugs were the way to go?

When was the last time your doctor said, “You might be Vitamin D deficient. Let’s do a blood test for that before I put you on these anti depressants. In the mean time, take in some sun. If there isn’t any, go to a sun bed for 5 minutes.” Right. Where’s the profit in that? Where are the kickbacks? The sun isn’t going to give them any. And even if you have a well meaning (but stupid or narrow minded) doctor, who is interested in results that aren’t in their medical drug book online, they usually aren’t trained in any field other than drug pushing. And they are brainwashed, just like the rest of us, that the sun (never mind sunbeds!) is evil. One blast of raw sunshine on unprotected skin will surely cost you a melanoma or two. Best to stay covered up, and just take these little pink pills. They’ll make everything OK. Side effects? Don’t worry. We have drugs for those too.

More questions. So, are the pharmaceutical companies to blame for this era of miracle drugs that make us sick? Are antibiotics, statin drugs, anti depressants, steroids and too many more drugs to mention good for us? Or at least not bad for us? Now, I’m not saying that we should never take drugs. Or that all drugs are evil devices of the devil. (not out loud anyway) Sometimes when your health is bad, you’re suffering more than you can bare and there is no option, well, there’s no option. And there have been amazing breakthroughs in medicine because of the funding by pharmaceutical companies. (I'm sure there have been, despite their motivations.)

HOWEVER, and it’s a biggie, are they sabotaging any other form of health care as mumbo jumbo witchery? Is the drug club like being on “Survivor”? If you don’t play by our rules, and if you don’t tow the popular (our) line, then you’re voted off the medical island. You’re ridiculed, and your reputation is soiled. You are not invited to the nice parties any more. Is this why GP's generally don't know or don't care about nutrition? Are they afraid they won't get that nice trip to Fiji that's promised if they sell x number of pills for The Drug Pushers?

Here are a few personal examples that have added fuel to my growing anger. I had a doctor tell me that if they can’t measure it in a lab test, and he can’t find it in his drug book, then he’s not interested in that method. I had another doctor tell me that if I was looking for alternate ways to bring down my cholesterol without using a prescription drug, then I should go to a nutritionist. He wasn’t interested in that kind of treatment. Another doctor told me that I needed surgery. So I had it against my better judgement! (He guilted me into it when I questioned him.) Turned out, I did not need the surgery. But he stuck to his guns and in fact, didn't even call me afterwards! And I could go on. I kid you not. I have been misdiagnosed and mistreated more often by more medical professionals than I care to admit.

A few more questions. Why are hair tissue analysis tests not considered a viable source of information? Why are we not tested for vitamin and mineral deficiencies and toxicity levels as a standard practice for diagnosing a problem? Why is lifestyle (and stress levels) not more seriously considered as a leading cause of many diseases? Why? Is there no money in these lengthy and supposedly “inconclusive” tests? As an aside, tell me how is a blood test which is affected by the food you just ate more reliable than a hair analysis that averages the past 3 months of your life? Is it just simpler and more profitable to write a nice tidy prescription?

Isn't there a morality that goes with treating a sick person? It's not like someone selling you an inferior TV. I know "buyer beware" and all that. But chances are, if you're swindled out of a nice TV it's not going to kill you. Disease is on the incline, and we are sitting ducks.

Bottom line? I don’t think profit should determine the state of our health. I don’t think it should be about money and power. I don’t want to be an expendable guinea pig. I don’t want to be poked and analysed and evaluated without the results taking my whole story into consideration, or without options on care. I have no idea what or whom to believe any more.

So I’ve been doing some of my own, amateur and crude research. I mean who’s going to care more about my health and wellbeing than I do? Who's going to care more about my freedoms to be allowed to take supplements more than I do? But if I take an active role in my recovery, will I go mad with all the information and misinformation that’s out there? It's definitely like Pandora's Box. I've allowed myself to mistrust the ones we've been brainwashed to trust, and I am horrified. Did you know the FDA is trying to ban injectable Vitamin C? Make it a criminal offence. And yet, cigarettes are A-OK! WTF!

(If you're interested in the Vit C story, here's more...)
http://www.naturalnews.com/030936_vitamin_C_FDA.html

The more I peer down the rabbit hole, the more pissed off I'm getting. And I’ve got questions.

Why have we become so terrified of the sun? Can massage therapy really cure carpal tunnel? Do I have to take drugs to lower my hereditary high cholesterol? Can handling treated wood cause testicular cancer? Is Silver a replacement for antibiotics? Is there a cure for the common cold that we are not being told about? Why is the FDA in the drug pusher's pockets? Does the fluoride in the water make us dumb and rot our teeth?

How can we be fed so many lies, and we just swallow them?

I’ve discovered some shocking information that I feel an overwhelming need to share. If for no other reason than to scream to the world “I’m sick and tired and I’m not going to take it any more!”

First up… Can nanoparticle colloidal silver do a better job than antibiotics?