More Vitamin D, No Vaccines, Virtually No Autism

By Dr Mayer Eisenstein

While vaccine proponents claim that the benefits of childhood vaccination are undeniable, vaccine opponents hold that the incidence of autism, diabetes, and other chronic immune and neurological dysfunction in children has increased dramatically in the last 30 years. This stresses the difficulty in making an informed decision on whether to vaccinate or not. Can Vitamin D improve the symptoms of autism? I will present case studies that exemplify the effect of Vitamin D3 in treating autism.

Genetic Roulette -- The Gamble of Our Lives

Tapped - The Movie

'Tapped The Movie' - Trailer on Bottled Water Documentary from WorldClassWellness on Vimeo.

Official Site:
http://www.tappedthemovie.com/

Hepatitis B vaccination of male neonates and autism diagnosis, NHIS 1997-2002.

J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2010;73(24):1665-77. doi: 10.1080/15287394.2010.519317

Gallagher CM, Goodman MS.

Source

PhD Program in Population Health and Clinical Outcomes Research, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA. cmgallagher@notes.cc.sunysb.edu

Abstract

Universal hepatitis B vaccination was recommended for U.S. newborns in 1991; however, safety findings are mixed. The association between hepatitis B vaccination of male neonates and parental report of autism diagnosis was determined. This cross-sectional study used weighted probability samples obtained from National Health Interview Survey 1997-2002 data sets. Vaccination status was determined from the vaccination record. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds for autism diagnosis associated with neonatal hepatitis B vaccination among boys age 3-17 years, born before 1999, adjusted for race, maternal education, and two-parent household. Boys vaccinated as neonates had threefold greater odds for autism diagnosis compared to boys never vaccinated or vaccinated after the first month of life. Non-Hispanic white boys were 64% less likely to have autism diagnosis relative to nonwhite boys. Findings suggest that U.S. male neonates vaccinated with the hepatitis B vaccine prior to 1999 (from vaccination record) had a threefold higher risk for parental report of autism diagnosis compared to boys not vaccinated as neonates during that same time period. Nonwhite boys bore a greater risk.

PMID: 21058170 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Source

Download full text:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15287394.2010.519317

An In-depth Report on the Effects of Mercury Poisoning Toxicity

By Dr Thomas Nissen 

MERCURY: What kinds of symptoms does mercury cause?

Symptoms of mercury toxicity are many and varied, since mercury can both reach and affect nearly every cell in the body! Systemic (overall) effects can occur for this reason. The particular symptoms you experience first depend on your own genetic weakest links and on other toxic suppressors. The answers to the following questions below address the type of symptoms that can occur.

How does mercury toxicity affect the reproductive system?

Reproductive effects can occur, such as infertility, miscarriage and prematurity. Mercury lowers zinc levels, which then lowers progesterone levels. Progesterone is needed to bring a pregnancy to term. Birth defects, especially involving the brain and learning ability, can be caused by mercury, as the metal can pass through both the placental barrier and the blood-brain barrier contrary to prior belief. Low libido (sex drive) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are examples of a downward spiral of problems whose root cause is mercury toxicity.

Lowered progesterone levels can lead to infertility. PMS and infertility are common among many young female dental workers due at least in part to their mercury exposure. Male dental workers also suffer from infertility. Mercury lowers zinc levels, which in turn leads to lower testosterone (male hormone) levels.

Can babies absorb mercury from their mothers?

Mercury can cross the placental barrier, which screens out many harmful substances. This has been shown in both human and animal studies. Mercury is in fact, stored in the fetus before the mother. Mercury will also be transmitted to the infant via breast milk. Mercury from amalgam is stored in the breast milk and in the fetus at levels up to eight times that in the mother’s tissues.

How is the immune system affected?

It has been shown that mercury rapidly depletes the immune system. Mercury has been shown to induce auto-immune diseases. Mercury can cause an increase in the number and severity of allergies.

What other types of symptoms are caused by mercury?

Candida (yeast) overgrowth that is difficult to get rid of is also associated with mercury in the mouth. Mercury acts as an antibiotic, and, like medicinal antibiotics, it kills the friendly bacteria which help control yeast overgrowth.

Any of these symptoms can affect almost anyone with amalgam fillings. Some people, however, are especially sensitive, or allergic.

Replacement reactions, also called fight for site, occur when mercury (usually with a +2 charge) grabs the biological spaces which should be filled by necessary minerals. Symptoms that can be caused by a deficiency of minerals displaced by mercury include:

• Magnesium: irregular heartbeat, receding gums
• Iron: anemia
• Copper: anemia, thyroid dysfunction, impaired digestion
• Zinc: anorexia nervosa, loss of taste and smell, loss of appetite, low libido, PMS
• Iodine: thyroid dysfunction

Some digestive problems can be caused by parasite or bacterial infection such as helicobacter secondary to immune system suppression by mercury. Mercury, in effect, opens the door like the Trojan horse so that undesirables can come in.

Mercury combines with bile and can cause bile from the gallbladder to become more alkaline, providing a favorable environment for parasites. These parasites can plug up the hepatic or bile duct so that needed digestive and other enzymes from the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas are not released. Gallbladder function then suffers.

Mercury acts as an antibiotic, and was used in some medicines until safer alternatives came along for this purpose. In the body mercury also acts as an antibiotic, and like medicinal antibiotics it kills off the beneficial bacteria which repel parasites and aid in digestion.

Yeast overgrowth with its attendant symptoms of fatigue, sweets cravings and vaginal infections is often traced to the antibiotic effect of dental mercury. Suspect this as a root cause when yeast is a continuing problem in spite of repeated treatment. The symptom (yeast overgrowth) will not likely go away until the root cause (mercury) is dealt with. The effect of dental mercury on normal gut flora is well documented.

Thyroid problems or mercury toxicity?

Endocrine problems such as low body temperature often improve rapidly when amalgam is removed, a sure sign that the amalgam was causing the problem in the first place. Normal body temperature is about 98.6 F orally.

People reacting to amalgam components often have a temperature range of 96.2 to 97.6 degrees, which can rise to 98.2 in as little as one day after amalgam removal and to 98.6 soon afterward. A low body temperature is a sign of low thyroid function, and many people have mistakenly been given thyroid hormone to remedy a symptom caused by amalgam fillings.

Synthetic thyroid hormone (thyroxin) can shut down the natural feedback cycle of the pituitary gland and its production of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This shutdown then adversely affects the rest of the endocrine system. It would be far better to correct the cause of the apparent thyroid malfunction by removing the fillings that are responsible for the low body temperature, rather than prescribing supplemental thyroid hormone.

What are the mental symptoms of mercury toxicity?

Since mercury is so soluble, it can be easily absorbed through the roof of the mouth, which is less than an inch from the posterior pituitary gland. Mental symptoms of toxicity affecting the posterior pituitary include:

Depression, Timidity, Rage, Phobias, Anxiety, Lowered libido, Indecisiveness, Lack of self confidence, Compulsions, Mood swings

Mercury tends to accumulate in all tisues, but especially in the brain. Within the brain, mercury is stored prefentially in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

Accumulation in the brain leads to mental and nervous system effects such as brain fog, depression, vision difficulties, and others as listed above. Mental effects are among the most common due to mercury's special affinity for the brain. Mercury inhibits the effects of certain neurotransmitters:

• Dopamine: controls pain, well-being
• Serotonin: relaxation, sleep, well-being
• Adrenaline: energy and stamina
• Noradrenaline, melatonin: sleep cycles 

Inhibition of these neurotransmitters by mercury can account in part for the feelings of depression and loss of motivation.

Other mental/neurological symptoms include:

• General neurological symptoms
• Mental illness
• Demyelinization, which can lead to such diseases as multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Developmental problems
• Cerebral palsy
• ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease)
• Alzheimer's disease
• Psychological problems, including loss of function and memory, anger and emotionality, and timidity

How does mercury cause fatigue and lack of energy?

Mercury binds to nitrogen and sulfur in proteins, oxygen from the lungs, sulfur from the liver's detoxification systems, and selenium from the colon. Lower levels of body tissue oxygen due to mercury's binding it may lead to:

• Fatigue caused by low blood sugar secondary to low blood oxygen
• Parasite infestation by setting up an anaerobic (less oxygen) environment, and by lowering the level of the good bacteria which fight off parasites
• An anaerobic environment also favors the development of yeast infections and cancer, since yeast is a fermenting spore and cancer is a fermenting cell rather than a normal respiratory (oxygen using) cell

Mercury binds with hemoglobin, which is responsible for oxygen transport to the tissues. This results in less oxygen reaching the tissues. The body attempts to compensate for this by increasing the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

A normal or increased hemoglobin (oxygen carrying) level combined with symptoms usually associated with low hemoglobin such as anemia are often indicative of mercury toxicity. Copper is also required to prevent anemia, and mercury can compete for copper's binding sites. A lowered hematocrit (red blood cell count) can be indicative of lowered blood copper levels.

The terms hematocrit and hemoglobin, found routinely on blood test printouts, can be confusing. If blood is compared to a train carrying oxygen to where it is needed, hematocrit is a measure of the number of boxcars on the train (red blood cells), while hemoglobin is a measure of the carrying capacity of each boxcar, or red blood cell.

Other mineral levels can be lowered by mercury's tendency to fight for site. A deficiency of any of these minerals can lead to fatigue and other symptoms:

Cobalt, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium are all required for energy.

• Zinc is needed for the manufacture of adrenaline
• A deficiency of zinc, copper, or potassium can lower adrenal activity
• Cobalt, usually obtained from vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) prevents pernicious anemia, a cause of fatigue
• Mercury blocks magnesium and manganese transport required for memory, resulting in lowered ability to concentrate

These mineral deficiencies may be primarily due to dietary deficiencies. However, deficiencies may also be secondary. The mineral may be in the body but cannot get to where it is needed because mercury has blocked the way. This is like putting a too-large battery in a toy - it won't fit in the slot made for a smaller battery, both denying power to the toy and blocking the slot from receiving the correct size battery.

Fatigue associated with mercury toxicity can be due to several of mercury's effects, including reducing adrenaline and neurotransmitter effects, reducing oxygen to tissues, and interfering with coenzyme A, which converts sugar to energy.

How can mercury increase the toxicity of other poisons?

Mercuric ion (Hg+2) binds to sulfhydryl groups (-SH) in proteins and disulfide groups (-SS) in amino acids. These sulfur containing groups have an important detoxification function in the body. Increased toxicity from chemicals and metals other than mercury can result from mercury binding these sulfur groups and preventing them from detoxifying the chemicals.

Mercury binding the bile lowers the ability of the body to absorb fat, leading to increased absorption of toxic oil-soluble chemicals such as solvents and pesticides like a dry sponge.

Selenium is an antioxidant which binds in place of oxygen and which protects against free radical damage from chemicals which can lead to cancer. Mercury can bind to selenium, making it useless for this protective purpose.

What else can mercury do?

Mercurous ion (Hg+1) pushes out Na+1 (sodium), K+1 (potassium), and Li+1 (lithium). Sodium and potassium are part of the cellular sodium/potassium pump which causes muscle movement. Interference with sodium and potassium can lead to muscle weakness for this reason. Leg and muscle cramps may be due to potassium deficiency.

Lithium is sometimes given as lithium carbonate to patients suffering from bipolar depression (manic depressive illness) since lack of lithium is one of the causes of the disease. Lack of lithium may itself be caused by mercury preventing lithium from working as it should in the brain. 

Mercury is like the 200 pound bully attacking a 7 pound baby; the small baby doesn't have much of a chance. 200 and 7 are the molecular weights of mercury (the bully) and lithium (the baby) respectively. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar depression, maybe what you need is less mercury, not more lithium pills.

Mercury fights for binding sites in the kidney, another organ for which it has a special affinity. A mineral and electrolyte balance is needed in order for the kidney to perform its functions, and a poorly functioning kidney can lead to edema (fluid buildup in the body). These minerals are prevented from entering into their reactions when mercury is there to interfere. 

Suppression of potassium by mercury also affects the kidneys which takes you from making adrenaline to maintaining electrolyte balance, and the lowered adrenaline level can lead to lower energy.

Detoxification systems such as metallothionein, cytochrome P-450, and bile are adversely affected by mercury. Metallothionein binds toxic metals in the body to prepare them for excretion. Mercury ties up this material so it cannot clear out other metals such as lead, cadmium, and aluminum.

Mercury from amalgam binds to -SH (sulfhydryl) groups, which are used in almost every enzymatic process in the body. Mercury therefore has the potential to disturb all metabolic processes.

Some people appear to be allergic to whatever food they eat. No matter what they eat, at least one thing in common is ingested - mercury (or nickel). Mercury released from amalgam during chewing may be the cause of most of the symptoms which seem to be caused by the food.

If a mercury vapor test, described later in this chapter, is done, it may show a low to moderate level of mercury initially, but a sharply increased level after chewing gum. This is also what happens when food is chewed. Such a test result combined with apparent allergy to most food points to mercury as a probable culprit. Nickel, which may also be contributing to the problem, is in stainless steel posts and braces.

Source

Birth as we know it

The many ways amalgam (mercury) fillings are destroying your health

By Dr Mercola

Dr. Dave Simone works with Consumers for Dental Choice to fight amalgam because he fully appreciates how deviating amalgam fillings can be to your health. Dental amalgam emits mercury vapor even after it is placed in your mouth. This mercury is bioaccumulative and endangers your health in many ways, which we'll review below.

I urge you to watch the interview I did with Dr. Simone in its entirety, or at least read through the transcript, as he covers far more than what this summary contains. For example, he explains how mercury actually inhibits its own elimination mechanism:

"[Y]ou make glutathione in the mitochondria of your cells. It's one of your 20 amino acids. Glutathione is your heavy metal detox amino acid. It grabs on to mercury, finds its way to your large intestine… you excrete mercury that way… [But] mercury inhibits the manufacturing of glutathione, so mercury stops its own elimination mechanism. [Hence] it bioaccumulates in your body. It also affects the Krebs cycle. So you're not producing ATP, your energy source."

For the rest of Dr Mercola's comment, please click on the link below:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/07/health-hazards-of-dental-mercury.aspx?e_cid=20110907_DNL_art_1

Life with a newborn: Identifying food allergies

By Modern Alternative Mama

I hate to say it, but I have more knowledge on this topic than I ever wanted.... Primarily with my first two babies, although I've noted that Jacob is sensitive to food additives. It's not too bad because I basically can eat anything I make at home (no 'food groups' to avoid), but I do have to prepare everything myself!

These days, a lot of babies are allergic to foods, and these allergies or sensitivities show up within days to weeks of birth. It can happen in formula-fed babies (which can require trying several different types of formula, including special hydrolyzed formulas in severe cases), but it can also happen in breastfed babies. That's what my experience has been with -- allergies in breastfed babies.

Why Are Breastfed Babies Allergic?

Babies cannot be allergic to breastmilk itself. They can, however, be allergic to something that the mother is eating and passing along in her breastmilk.

This can happen when a mother's gut health is not optimal. What she eats doesn't get fully digested before some of it is absorbed through a leaky gut wall ("leaky" because there are places that aren't populated by the beneficial bacteria that should be there). These undigested proteins get into the breastmilk and get passed to the baby, whose system can't handle it. This leads to sensitizing the baby and causing allergies. The baby's gut is open at birth and remains that way until at least 18 weeks of age, which means any large proteins are absorbed immediately into the bloodstream (which causes the sensitizing and allergies).

Breastfeeding is still crucial, because breastmilk contains IgA, a substance that coats the intestines and helps them to mature and close properly. It also protects against allergies by preventing properly digested proteins in mother's milk from getting out of the gut. If formula is used instead because baby is reacting to mother's milk, then the IgA is lost and baby's gut is sensitized automatically by whatever baby is eating (usually milk or soy based formulas).

Signs of Allergies

There are many different signs of allergies. It depends on the baby and the severity of the reaction. For example, when my gut health wasn't optimal, I noted a lot more of these signs. Now that my gut health is pretty good, I note only a couple (and then only if I've eaten something I really shouldn't have anyway).

• Eczema (yes, it is a sign of allergies!)
• Fussiness/crying/screaming
• Gas (especially if it causes baby a lot of discomfort)
• Spitting up (a tiny bit is normal, a lot or if it causes discomfort is not)
• Projectile vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty nursing (baby pulls back, chokes, screams, arches back)
• Red ring around anus
• Diaper rash
• Failure to gain weight/slow weight gain
• Red, itchy palms
• Night waking/disturbed sleep

You may notice some or all of these. With Daniel I noted spitting up, gas, fussiness, difficulty nursing, red ring around the anus (irritated red, not pale pink, which is normal), and later diaper rash. Eczema was a major sign for Bekah, along with night waking, diaper rash, and diarrhea. Every baby is different, but these signs clearly say "something's not right."

Determining the Culprit

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to figure out what's causing the problem, especially if it's multiple things. Dairy, soy, and wheat are the top culprits and should always be suspected first. Corn and nuts are also major issues. However, it can be any number of foods. I've heard of pomegranates (that was an issue for Daniel), bell peppers, and all kinds of other obscure foods being a major problem, so if none of the main suspects seem to be the cause, try other things.

Foods can get into your milk from almost immediately to 12 - 18 hours after ingesting it. I know that foods usually get into my milk 5 - 6 hours after ingestion (with Daniel this was true). It clears your system 18 - 24 hours later.

For this reason, it's helpful to keep a food diary. Write down what you've eaten and also what baby's reaction is, if any. After a few days or a week, patterns should emerge -- when you eat certain food(s), baby reacts poorly. Eliminate these foods and you should see changes.

It's important to note that while the foods can clear your system in about 24 hours, resulting in improvement in baby's reactions, if you've been eating the regularly they won't clear your system completely for up to 2 months. Therefore, if you note some improvement but not complete reversal of symptoms, continue with the elimination diet.

Elimination diets aren't fun, but they are necessary for your baby's health. These reactions are also a huge indicator that your gut health isn't right, and that you probably have food sensitivities too. It's best if you don't eat them, for your own health.

Helping Food Allergies

Are you or your baby just destined to suffer from these food allergies forever, now that it's started? No!

Fortunately, you can move past these allergies. I have done it with two babies and now have a third that doesn't have any "regular" allergies (just the minor reactions to food additives...which really has just driven home the point that these are not actually foods and we should not eat them!).

Here's the best way to handle it (in my experience):

1. Keep breastfeeding -- Your baby needs that IgA to help his/her gut mature properly. Formula will hurt his/her gut when it is already sensitized.
2. Eliminate the offending food(s) -- Stop consuming the foods that are causing the reactions in order to prevent further damage
3. Begin GAPS -- This is a special diet that eliminates grains and dairy and focuses heavily on meats, stock, probiotic foods, and fats to heal and seal the gut lining. This diet is how we achieved healing from allergies, and we still go back to it frequently.
4. Delay solids -- Your baby shouldn't have solids until his/her gut is sealed properly through breastfeeding while you eat according to GAPS. This should be around 9 - 10 months (assuming you discover allergies in the first few months, not later in baby's life). First foods should be stock, fats, meat, and probiotic foods.
5. Shore up your gut health with GAPS -- Stay on GAPS until your gut health is better in order to prevent problems with future babies!

Food allergies in infants aren't fun. And it's not easy to handle. But you can do it, and still help everybody be as healthy as possible!

We can be much kinder

We Can Be Much Kinder from The Other Side of the Glass on Vimeo.
"My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." -- Dalai Lama

This is a revision of the short that was originally done for the Birth Matters Virginia contest in May, 2009. We Can Be Much Kinder is also a chapter in the film, The Other Side of the Glass and expands upon this video short.

This short is about the importance of leaving the mother and baby intact -- cord intact -- until the mother feels she and baby are ready to be separated.

This film has brief images of a woman's breast and nipple as she is with her newborn baby as his cord is cut and as he crawls to the breast to self-attachment. This process, called Self-Attachment and/or Breast Crawl is becoming known now as a very critical part of human development that has been disrupted by modern, medicalized birth.

GMO toxins in vast majority of pregnant women and fetuses (Canadian study)

From health freedom alliance

The GMO mass experiment on the public is producing results. The toxic elements can be found in nearly all pregnant women and children.

The toxins designed into genetically modified crops are finding their way into the bloodstreams of all pregnant women and their fetuses. This shocking result belies the genetic modification industry’s claims that such toxins are destroyed by the digestive tracts of people who eat the animals fed these GMO crops. Obviously, that claim was based on nothing.

(If you’ve seen news reports claiming less than 100% are affected, it’s because they picked up the wrong figures from the study, as shown below.)

The Study and Results

The study, “Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec”, was published in the journal Reproductive Toxicology. The authors, Aziz Aris and Samuel Leblanc, examined the blood of 30 pregnant women and 39 nonpregnant women. All births associated with the study were considered normal; babies were at normal birth weights and considered healthy.

The authors looked for:

Glyphosate, brand name Roundup

Gluphosinate, a broad-spectrum herbicide

AMPA, aminomethyl phosphoric acid, a metabolite of glyphosate

3-MMPA, 3-methylphosphinico propionic acid, a metabolite of gluphosinate

Cry1Ab, the Bt toxin of gluphosinate

Interestingly, both glyphosate and gluphosinate were found in large percentages of nonpregnant women, but neither was found in pregnant women or their fetuses. Obviously, a metabolic change occurs when a woman becomes pregnant. One might have hoped that would be adequate to prevent the toxic effects of GMO feed crops. Unfortunately, it appears that the opposite occurs with Bt corn metabolites, though no toxins from gluphosate were found.

The Bt GMO toxins, 3-MPPA and Cry1Ab, show up in mothers and fetuses, as this table shows:

Toxin Maternal Fetal Cord

3-MPPA 100% 100%

Cry1Ab 93% 80%

Toxicity of 3-MPPA and Cry1Ab

The first thing that needs to be noted is that 3-MPPA and Cry1Ab are used in pesticides for their toxic effects. There can be little doubt that ingestion of them carries some risk.

Unsurprisingly, there is little serious research on these chemicals, since the manufacturers control access for studies. Nonetheless, there is enough information available to know that assumptions of safety in genetically engineered foods is irresponsible. The risks are serious.

3-MPPA

3-MPPA is a propionic acid. Notice that the PAN Pesticides Database shows several issues with propionic acid, including:

Inhalation: burning sensation, cough, shortness of breath, and sore throat.

Skin: burns, pain, blisters.

Eyes: redness, pain, blurred vision, severe deep burns.

Ingestion: abdominal cramps, burning sensation, nausea, shock, collapse, sore throat, vomiting.

Propionic acids are classed as Bad Actor Chemicals, and 3-MPPA is one of them. One surely must ask how the FDA and USDA came to accept the notion that any GMO with 3-MPPA should be classed as “generally accepted as safe”.

And now we have proof that the highly toxic 3-MPPA is showing up in nearly all pregnant women and fetuses!

Cry1Ab

Though the PAN Pesticides Database lists no toxicity for Cry1Ab, any assumption of safety is misplaced. If we look further, we find that story is false. Greenpeace has been studying Cry1Ab, and what they’ve found is far from calming. They have found that:

Cry1Ab is a potent immunogen, meaning that it creates an immune response. It contains a gene for resistance to the antibiotic streptomycin. Therefore, it is likely to increase the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The immunogenic response can be initiated by either injection or gastrointestinally, that is, by eating it.

The immunogenic response affects the mucus membranes and can be systemic.

Cry1Ab binds to to proteins in the mouse gastrointestinal tract.

And now we have proof that the highly toxic Cry1Ab is showing up in all pregnant women and fetuses!

Study Authors’ Claims Versus Reality

The authors conclude only:

Since the basis of better health is prevention, one would hope that we can develop procedures to avoid environmentally induced disease in susceptible population such as pregnant woman and their fetuses.

After showing evidence that virtually all pregnant women and fetuses are accumulating toxins in their blood because of genetically modified crops, all the authors suggest is the development of procedures to avoid exposure in pregnant women and their fetuses? Surely they can do better than that.

They have demonstrated that there is no truth behind any claim that any genetically modified food can be considered GRAS—generally recognized as safe. Yet, that’s the excuse the USDA is using to virtually rubber stamp every application for a GMO. The only thing that even slows them down is a strong public outcry, as with GM salmon.

We now have proof that virtually every pregnant woman and every fetus is—or soon will be—intoxicated with dangerous chemicals because of genetically engineered foods. Experiments have demonstrated that the effects of GMOs can be catastrophic.

As documented in Antidepressants Increase Death Rate: Non-Pharma Funded Research, even when researchers’ results clearly slow serious risks in profitable Big Pharma or Agribusiness products, they pull their punches in the conclusions. This study is no different.

Genetically modified organisms are enormously profitable. There is no other reason that the term GRAS can exist in reference to them. They have never been shown to be safe—and now it’s obvious that an entire generation is at risk because of them. The results of the mass experiment are in. It’s time to call a halt—and hope that the damage doesn’t pass down the generations.

Source:

http://www.gaia-health.com/articles451/000460-gmo-toxins-pregnant-women-fetuses.shtml

References:

• Abstract of Aris A, Leblanc S. Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada. ReprodToxicol (2011), doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.02.004
• PAN Pesticides Database: Propionic acid
• PAN Pesticides Database: Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein and the genetic material (PV-ZMBK07) necessary for its production in corn event MON-00810
• Genetically engineered (GE) Bt eggplant (talong): Health risks, environmental impacts and contamination from field trials (PDF)
• Modelling in the light of uncertainty of key parameters: a call to exercise caution in field predictions of Bt-maize effects
• Maternal and Fetal Exposure to Pesticides Associated with GM Foods
• GM food toxins found in the blood of 93% of unborn babies
• Bt toxin found in blood of pregnant women and fetuses

232 toxic chemicals found in 10 babies

From Mercola.com

Laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group have detected bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic component and synthetic estrogen, in umbilical cord blood of American infants.

Nine of 10 randomly selected samples of cord blood tested positive for BPA, an industrial petrochemical.

BPA has been implicated in a lengthening list of serious chronic disorders, including cancer, cognitive and behavioral impairments, endocrine system disruption, reproductive and cardiovascular system abnormalities, diabetes, asthma and obesity.

In all, the tests found as many as 232 chemicals in the 10 newborns, all of minority descent. The cord blood study has produced hard new evidence that American children are being exposed, beginning in the womb, to complex mixtures of dangerous substances that may have lifelong consequences.

And in a separate study, researchers found that complications of pregnancy, such as preterm labor, preterm birth, and infection were lowest in women with the highest vitamin D levels.

Blood levels of activated vitamin D usually rise during very early pregnancy, and some of it crosses the placenta to bathe the fetus, especially the developing fetal brain, in activated vitamin D. But many -- in fact most -- pregnant women do not make as much vitamin D as they need.

4,000 IU of vitamin D per day during pregnancy was found to be safe (not a single adverse event). However, this amount only resulted in a mean vitamin D blood level of 27 ng/ml in the newborn infants, indicating that even 4,000 IU per day during pregnancy is not enough.

Babies are born at considerable risk nowadays due to the toxic load of their mothers. If a baby is exposed to numerous toxic compounds in utero, changes may occur that either directly cause cancer, or lengthen the period of sensitivity to carcinogens, therefore making the child more susceptible to cancer, and other diseases, later in life.

This EWG study is the first to detect BPA in umbilical cord blood, which is a very concerning finding considering this chemical has been linked to endocrine system disruption, reproductive and cardiovascular system abnormalities, diabetes and more at very low levels.

However, it is not the first to show just how extensive a chemical cocktail newborn babies are being exposed to.

Exposure to Nearly 300 Toxic Chemicals … Before Birth

A prior study by EWG found that blood samples from newborns contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and Teflon chemicals.

Of the 287 chemicals EWG detected in umbilical cord blood, it’s known that:

• 180 cause cancer in humans or animals
• 217 are toxic to your brain and nervous system
• 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests

Children, meanwhile, experience greater exposure to chemicals pound-for-pound than adults, and have an immature and porous blood-brain barrier, which allows greater chemical exposures to reach their developing brain.

Children also have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, according to EWG, which allows more of a chemical to reach their organs, while systems that detoxify and excrete chemicals in adults are not fully developed. These factors, coupled with the fact that a child will be around for 80 years or more, allowing more than enough time for chemicals to do their damage, signals a major challenge for kids born today.

Experts believe rising rates of birth defects, asthma, neuro-developmental disorders and other serious diseases in U.S. children are a result of these early chemical exposures.

BPA: A Toxic Plastic Chemical to Watch Out For

Plastics chemicals are among the most pervasive and potentially damaging toxins for a fetus, so if you’re pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, now is the time to start limiting your exposure.

This includes BPA, which EWG detected in newborn umbilical cord blood. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it mimics your body‘s natural hormones and can trigger major changes in your body. Of 115 published animal studies, 81 percent found significant effects from even low-level exposure to BPA.

This toxic chemical first caught researchers’ attention after normal mice began to display uncommon genetic abnormalities. The defects were linked to plastic cages and water bottles that had been cleaned with a harsh detergent, causing BPA to leach out of the plastic. After determining how much BPA the mice had been exposed to, the researchers realized even an extremely small dose of 20 parts per billion daily, for just five to seven days, was enough to produce effects.

Some of the greatest concern surrounds early-life exposure to BPA.

This can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, which can cause spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage. And being exposed to just 0.23 parts per billion of BPA is enough to disrupt the effect of estrogen in a baby's developing brain.

Again, for this reason women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant should be especially diligent at avoiding BPA, but practically no one is immune. A study last year found the chemical can lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems in adults, and previous research has linked BPA to:

• Structural damage to your brain
• Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
• Increased fat formation and risk of obesity
• Altered immune function
• Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
• Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior
• Stimulation of prostate cancer cells
• Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Liver damage

As it stands, BPA is one of the world's highest production-volume chemicals and is widely used in the production of:

• Plastic water bottles

• Plastic gallon milk bottles

• Plastic microwavable plates, ovenware, and utensils

• Tooth sealants

• Canned foods and soda cans (most have plastic lining in the cans)

• Baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and sippy cups

Avoiding these items is an important step to limit your BPA exposure, and you can find even more tips in this past article.

Phthalates: Another Plasticizer Chemical to Avoid

Phthalates, or “plasticizers,” are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. They’re also one of the most pervasive of the endocrine disrupters.

These chemicals have increasingly become associated with changes in development of the male brain as well as with genital defects, metabolic abnormalities and reduced testosterone in babies and adults.

Phthalates are found in, among other things:

• Processed food packaging
• Hoses
• Raincoats
• Shower curtains
• Vinyl flooring and wall coverings
• Lubricant and adhesives
• Detergents
• Beauty products like nail polish, hair spray, shampoo, deodorants, and fragrances
• Toys

11 Tips to Minimize Your Chemical Exposure

There are about 75,000 chemicals regularly manufactured and imported by U.S. industries. Rather than compile an endless list of what you should avoid, it’s far easier to focus on what you should do to lead a healthy lifestyle with as minimal a chemical exposure as possible:

1. As much as possible, buy and eat organic produce and free-range, organic foods to reduce your exposure to pesticides and fertilizers.

2. Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish, which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury, supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat fish that is wild-caught and lab tested for purity.

3. Eat mostly raw, fresh foods, steering clear of processed, prepackaged foods of all kinds. This way you automatically avoid artificial food additives of all kinds, including dangerous artificial sweeteners, food coloring and MSG.

4. Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods (which are often lined with BPA-containing liners).

5. Have your tap water tested and, if contaminants are found, install an appropriate water filter on all your faucets (even those in your shower or bath).

6. Only use natural cleaning products in your home.

7. Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group has a great safety guide to help you find personal care products that are free of phthalates and other potentially dangerous chemicals.

8. Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances.

9. Replace your Teflon pots and pans with ceramic or glass cookware.

10. When redoing your home, look for “green,” toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor coverings.

11. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric.

Vital Information Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know

Just as important as avoiding potentially harmful substances is making sure you’re getting enough of the good ones – and one of the most important is vitamin D.

I am convinced that in the not too distant future it will be mandatory for women to receive regular vitamin D blood test levels.

Why?

There is powerful new evidence emerging that sufficient vitamin D levels can reduce your risk of having a premature delivery. It can also help protect your newborn baby from other health problems.

In what is considered the first scientific trial that meets the most stringent criteria for “evidence-based inquiry,” U.S. researchers Drs. Hollis and Wagner divulged their findings at a recent international vitamin D research conference in Brugge, Belgium.

Their findings included:

• Mothers who took 4,000 IU’s (ten times the RDA of 400 IU) of vitamin D during pregnancy had their risk of premature birth reduced by half
• Premature babies born to women taking high doses of vitamin D were reduced by half at both 32 and 37 weeks
• There were also fewer babies who were born “small for dates”
• Women taking high doses of vitamin D had a 25 percent reduction in infections, particularly respiratory infections such as colds and flu as well as fewer infections of the vagina and the gums
• The “comorbidities of pregnancy” were reduced by 30 percent in the women who took the high-dose vitamin D. (Including diabetes, high blood pressure, and pre-eclampsia -- a potentially deadly increase in blood pressure and fluid)
• Babies getting the highest amounts of vitamin D after birth had fewer colds and less eczema

Another 2009 study on vitamin D deficiency in newborns with acute lower respiratory infection confirmed a strong, positive correlation between newborns' and mothers' vitamin D levels.

That study found that over 87 percent of all newborns and over 67 percent of all mothers had vitamin D levels lower than 20 ng/ml, which is a severe deficiency state. As a result, the researchers recommended that all mothers optimize their vitamin D levels during pregnancy, especially in the winter months, to safeguard their babies' health.

In addition, numerous other studies have found that vitamin D may protect against a number of birth defects and autism.

But many -- in fact most -- pregnant women do not make as much vitamin D as they need.

It is absolutely imperative that pregnant women maintain a blood level of between 50 and 70 ng/ml of 25 hydroxy D. So please watch my free one-hour vitamin D lecture to find out how to get your levels optimized.

Link.