Just Label It: We Have a Right to Know

93% of Americans want the FDA to label genetically engineered foods. Watch the new video from Food, Inc. Filmmaker Robert Kenner to hear why we have the right to know what's in our food. Will you join these individuals — and over half a million Americans — in contacting the FDA to require the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods? http://justlabelit.orghttp://justlabelit.org/

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"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Lose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Pedal wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.)  - New !   

$500m of US food aid lost to waste and company profit, says Oxfam

More than 17 million more hungry people could have been reached by US-funded programmes in 2010 if 'tied aid' restrictions were lifted, according to report

guardian.co.uk, Claire Provost, Friday 30 March 2012

World Food Programme wheat is unloaded from a US navy helicopter in
Pakistan. Photograph: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

Nearly $500m of US food aid is lost to waste, inefficiency and the profit margins of big American agribusiness, according to a report by aid groups urging reforms on how US food aid is sourced and delivered.

Oxfam America and the American Jewish World Service (AJWS), which published the report on Thursday, estimate more than 17 million more hungry people could have been reached by US-funded programmes in 2010 if "anachronistic" restrictions contained in the US farm bill had been lifted.

The US provides roughly 50% of food aid globally at an estimated annual cost of $2bn. But unlike many other major donors, virtually all American food aid is "tied" and must be bought from US suppliers and transported on US ships – even if there are cheaper alternatives.

The report urges Congress to relax these restrictions and curtail "monetisation" schemes, where aid agencies are given US food to sell off in developing countries to finance their projects. Such reforms to the farm bill, which covers the bulk of US food aid programmes and is up for reauthorisation this year, could pay "enormous anti-hunger dividends" for those most in need, says the report, while saving millions in taxpayers' money.

"Food aid is a vital part of US foreign policy, but we are shortchanging millions of hungry people with unnecessary red tape," said the AJWS director of advocacy, Timi Gerson, in a statement. "US policies are ripe for reforms that will save lives now and reduce the need for aid later by enabling local farmers to thrive."

A January 2012 study by agricultural economists at Cornell University found that buying food products locally leads to average cost-savings of more than 50% for cereals like wheat, and almost 25% for pulses like peas and lentils. However, it found that some processed foods like vegetable oil are potentially cheaper to buy and ship from the US.

The study also estimated that procuring food locally, or distributing cash or vouchers, results in an average time-saving of nearly 14 weeks. It suggested a more flexible approach to food aid programmes, with aid agencies allowed to choose between food aid shipped from the US, locally or regionally purchased supplies, vouchers and cash transfers, depending on the situation and specific objectives.

The Oxfam/AJWS report acknowledged there may be limits to the amount of food aid that should be bought locally. In some cases, such as food aid destined for nearby Latin American countries, shipping costs could be relatively low, and some products might actually be cheaper to buy in the US. It also warned that in certain situations the stress placed on local markets by food aid procurement "could drive food price inflation, pushing the costs of food beyond the reach of local consumers".

Congress should, however, put an immediate end to the monetisation of food aid, it said. In 2010, aid agencies received more than $300m in US food to sell off in developing countries to finance their projects. The report estimates that just over $90m was lost in the process, as aid agencies often have to, or choose to, sell supplies below cost.

Lawmakers should cut this "circuitous, inefficient route" to funding development projects and hand cash directly to aid agencies rather than via US agribusiness, said the report, arguing that such schemes not only reduce the effectiveness of US aid programmes but can also undercut developing country farmers by flooding markets with US commodities.

Eric Munoz, senior policy advisor at Oxfam America, said while there is a growing body of evidence that US food aid policies carry significant financial and human costs, pushing through reforms means competing with powerful business and political interests "who all benefit from the current system and support the status quo".

In 2010 about 40% of US-funded food aid was purchased from just three companies, he said. Meanwhile, as current regulations require at least 75% of American food aid to be shipped on US-flagged vessels, "this is essentially a subsidy to the [shipping] industry and so they also have a very strong interest to maintain the current system", Munoz added.

Earlier this year, the US agency for international development (USAid) revised its procurement regulations to allow the agency to buy most goods and services from developing countries. But US-funded food aid – along with motor vehicles and US-patented pharmaceuticals – was not covered by these changes.

Munoz hopes the current financial climate might help push congressional officials to also reconsider long-standing food aid policies. "There is a growing recognition that we need to make the best uses of the resources available," he said. "And business as usual will certainly not make a difference in the lives of hungry people."

Related Article:

One third of world's food is wasted, says UN study

David Wilcock: March 28, 2012 Interview with Whistleblower “Drake” on Mass Arrests

The 2012 Scenario, by BZ Riger, 2012 MARCH 30 

David Wilcock interviews a top insider, “Drake,” asked by the Pentagon to publicly discuss the mass arrests. “Drake” points us to the website Freedom Reigns for more details.

UPDATE 2:59 PM — INTERVIEW WITH TOP INSIDER ABOUT IMMINENT MASS ARRESTS

I am on the plane to this weekend’s conference in Austin. You are about to hear a stunning interview with Drake, an insider specifically asked by the Pentagon “good guys” to come forward and explain what is going to be done.

I was blown away by the information he was giving. If you didn’t already believe this was really going to happen, this may very well change your mind.

I ran Drake through an extensive validation process with one of my top insiders and he passed with flying colors. He is the real deal.

We have an urgent-status rush transcription order for our Divine Cosmos Transcription Team on this, and will get it posted ASAP.

These are ZIP files. All you have to do is download them, open them and tell them where you want your MP3 to go. It’s that simple — just like our downloadable products. Here they are:

http://divinecosmos.com/media/DivineCosmosDrakePart01.MP3.zip

http://divinecosmos.com/media/DivineCosmosDrakePart02.MP3.zip

http://divinecosmos.com/media/DivineCosmosDrakePart03.MP3.zip

These MP3 files will load into ALL standard MP3 players and also into iTunes. However, iTunes has had some issues with MP3 files lately.

If you try to load these files into iTunes and it crashes, you need to update your iTunes. The current iTunes version 10.6.1 fixes most of these bugs.

Please update your iTunes to load them into your iPhone, iPod, or iPad in order to listen to these files on those devices.

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Juicing cannabis miraculously saves lives after physicians declare the battle lost

Natural News, by Raw Michelle, Friday, March 30, 2012

See all articles by this author

(NaturalNews) At 16, Kristen Peskuski was suffering from joint inflammation and an array of autoimmune conditions which made her organs and other tissues swell, including interstitial cystitis and lupus. She was prescribed over 40 different anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and painkilling medications to combat the symptoms. Still struggling to bring the symptoms under control, Kristen developed steroid toxicity. She was told that the most she could hope for was reduced discomfort, and with luck, she might make it to her 30th birthday. Seeking alternative treatments, she began juicing raw cannabis leaves every day, and within two months, Kristen's back pain had been eliminated, and she had stopped using any other painkillers.

Meet Amber

At two years old, she was diagnosed with terminal brain tumours. Her mother was told that with treatment, Amber had a 10 percentchance of survival. After surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, the tumours were still spreading. Her parents were advised to take their child home, make her comfortable, and prepare for the inevitable. A month later, her parents reported a startling change. The tumours had decreased in size and number. The family had been juicing cannabis leaves and feeding their baby a few ounces of the juice each day.

Up in smoke

A typical first reaction is to associate marijuana consumption with its psychoactive effects. However, THC only becomes psychoactive when heated, like when traditionally smoked or cooked. When used raw, cannabis isn't psychoactive. The marijuana's abilities as a painkiller are generally perceived to be the result of its psychoactivity - so much so that the intensity of a plant's psychoactive effects is often used as a gauge of its medical potency. Contrary to intuition, this isn't true! The medical properties of marijuana are actually destroyed when heated or aged, as it becomes psychoactive. Heating converts 600mg of non-psychoactive THC acid into 10mg of psychoactive THC. Here's where the exchange for medical effects occurs. While the 10mg retain some medicinal effects, there is only a fraction of the THC left. In simplified terms, in the raw plant, THC acid isn't psychoactive, but acts as a very powerful medicine, up to 400 times more powerful than when smoked.

Healthful communication

Scientific American, in 2004, published an article called "The Brain's Own Marijuana", in which they asserted that the brain releases chemicals that are structurally and functionally similar to cannabinoids - the reactive property in marijuana. THC is the cannabinoid that people are most familiar with, but this is only one of 80. In normal synaptic nerve function, the signals are uni-directional, and the receiver forwards the signal, but never notifies the sender that the message has been received. Cannabinoids maintain communication with the original transmitter so that it is aware that the message has been received and is being worked on. For example, if a neuron sends a pain signal, normally it would just keep sending the message until the message becomes false. The cannabinoids turn every cell into a manager with increased oversight.

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Evidence for homeopathy builds

"The Many 'Shoulds' "  – Jan 26, 2012 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)

(Subjects: Religion/Worship, Lightworkers, Food, Health, Prescription Drugs, Homeopathy, Innate (Body intelligence), New Age movement, Global Unity, ... etc.) - New !

Dog Welcomes Home Soldier...Again (Video)

To say that our boxer, Chuck, was excited to see him come home is an understatement. (And if you're wondering why it says "again" it is because we went through this a year ago as well. That video is also posted.)

Experts Said it Wouldn’t Work, But

Rescue  Dog and Dying 4-yr-old

Proved Them Wrong

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Do Animals Reincarnate? - NOV 22, 2010 (Kuthumi channelled by Lynette Leckie-Clark)

"Animals Consciousness: The Divine of Cats and Dogs" - JUL 31, 2011 (Metraton channelled by Tyberonn)

The manuscript of survival – part 108 - (Constant Companions channeled through Aisha North)

Aisha North, Mar 22, 2012

Todays transmission might seem to be a bit awkward, as we would like to delve into a subject that for many entails to be of a rather private character, namely the emissions and the accompanying aches and pains your physical body is currently in the process of engendering. This is indeed a rather unwholesome subject to some, as all of their bodily functions are something that needs to be kept very private, but this is indeed what needs to be adressed, as it is a very important part of your physical tune ups to call them that.

We are aware that this will seem to be very insignificant in the whole picture, as to most of you, what is going on around you, indeed in the entire universe, is much more interesting than what is actually happening inside of that physical vehicle you inhabit, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, your seeminlgy humble sack of flesh and blood is such a magnificent creation it far surpasses much of the other things that exist. We will not go into too much detail, suffice to say that if you would pick up any book on the subject of your anatomy, you would be flabbergasted by the complexity of this beauteous construction. Indeed, your scientists are admitting that there are so many processes going inside of you that to them are too complicated to explain. In other words, we would like you to take a closer look at this seemingly inconspicuous physical body of yours and give it some examination, as this is indeed a most important part of this whole ascension process.

Let us explain. You are well aware that your purpose here is to ensure that you raise the level of vibration in yourselves in such a way that you can ascend to the next level of awareness together with your home, Planet Earth. But in order to fulfill this task, your biggest challenge is to do so whilst being inside that physical vehicle, your human body, and the reason for that is simple. Without this body, you cannot continue to be a living, breathing part of this world you call the earth, and she needs your presence here in so many ways you cannot even begin to comprehend. You are her trusted companions, and you have a sort of symbiotic relationship that together makes up a very special part of creation. You see, you are not the same without her, and she would not be the same without you, so your presence here in that physical body is indeed very important. Do not forget that your world is also home to a whole host of more intangible beings at the moment, but you are the main reason for her existence. She has been set up as a special place for training, and as we have delved into on earlier occasions, this training entails living a life inside a very physical body, something that is very different indeed from the kind of life so many of you have experienced before.

It would be an easy task if you were to just raise the vibration of your etheric soul, unhindered by the presence of a physical body, and for many, this task of raising the level of vibration inside that vehicle is just too exhausting, and they decied to leave it alltogether. We do not judge anyone that chooses to do so, but as we have said earlier, that means leaving with an unfulfilled task, as it is the literal lightening of your physical bodies that is so essential to this process. You are not meant to ”slip into” the next level unhampered by a physical body, you are meant to embrace this process wholeheartedly and ensure that you get to the other side as it were whilst still a whole human being. Complete with warts and all as you say.

And in order to do just that, you are treading up a path that no one has gone before you, as the process of raising the vibration inside just such a physical body like yours is indeed a mighty task few others can claim to have done. As we have told you earlier, you are indeed brave pioneers, and part of the unknown territory you have to traverse is your own body. It has started a total metamorphosis, indeed, it is well on its way to master this immense process of being tuned into a totally new level of mastery, were it is transformed from a carbon based structure and into a crystalline form, almost like a humble piece of coal is turned into a brilliant diamond. And just like the diamond, the pressure it takes to achieve this transformation is immense, hence the not so pleasant reactions you will experience along the way.

We started this missive by saying that we would like to cover a a rather unsavoury subject, and that is where we are now, as we would like to delve into the rather unpleasant side effects from this ”pressurizing” that is currently being put upon your whole structure. Most, if not all of you, will have already been well exposed to these effects by now, as it is impossible to go through such a thorough restructuring of your body without any notice at all. You have been exposed to so much intense energies that are literally rewriting your whole dna, and this will cause a lot of ”symptoms” on a more or less daily basis at the moment. We have already delved into the mental challenges at some length, so now we would like to delve a little bit into the physical parts of this process.

First of all let us just remind you that you are all individuals with a whole unique set up of features, and as such, no process will be exactly the same for any of you, but there are some underlying factors that are identical. One of them is the cleansing process that is going on now. It is perhaps the most important one, and indeed the most challenging one, as not only is it a total clearing of any mental and emotional residue that you might still carry, it is also a thorough cleansing of any chemical and physical residue that you have picked up along the way. This is the ”nasty” part of the process you might agree, as you are all well aware of just how your body cleanses itself from any waste products. We venture to guess that the toilet has been a much frequented place these last few months, and we also venture to guess that your visits there have been rather intensely odoriferous to put it rather delicately. Or to be more blunt, the fluids and matter you have been expelling from your bodies have at times seemed more like toxic waste from a chemical plant than something excreted by a human body. The reason for this is simple, as you have indeed been ridding yourselves of so much introduced chemicals in your system, it is almost to be likened to hazardous waste produced by the more unsavoury factories that abound in your environment. You see, your bodies have been exposed to so much of these chemicals every time you breathe, drink water or eat food, it has been almost like a waste bin of harmful substances. But now, thanks to these barrages of energy, these substances are literally forced from your bodies. You see, they, along with so much else, are not compatible to your heightened level of vibration, and therefore they will be literally forced out in any way the body knows how to.

As we have said earlier, this process can in many ways be likened to a very thorough spring cleaning, and this time, no corner will be overlooked. So do not be dishearthened by those seeming endlessly recurring stomach upsets that plague you intensely at times. They are in fact a sure sign of this clearing up and lightening up process, and even if they might be considered as the most unpleasant and mayhaps rather embarasssing moments, thank your body for its willingness to support you in this by working so hard to purify itself. It is doing all it can to keep up with your spirit, but it needs your support back, so make sure to tune in well and listen to what it tells you to do and what not to do. That way, you can help to make this a real team effort, and ensure a rather less exhausting trip than if you refuse to take your body’s signals to heart.

That is all we have for you today dear ones, we will return with more sweet smelling missives than this one at a later time.

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"Recalibration of the Human Being" – Jan 7, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Text Version)


"Recalibration of Knowledge" – Jan 14, 2012 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Channelling, God-Creator, Benevolent Design, New Energy, Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Reincarnation, Gaia, Old Energies (Africa,Terrorists, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela ... ), Weather, Rejuvenation, Akash, Nicolas Tesla / Einstein, Cold Fusion, Magnetics, Lemuria, Atomic Structure (Electrons, Particles, Polarity, Self Balancing, Magnetism), Entanglement, "Life is necessary for a Universe to exist and not the other way around", DNA, Humans (Baby getting ready, First Breath, Stem Cells, Embryonic Stem Cells, Rejuvenation), Global Unity, ... etc.) - (Text Version)

Monsanto and Genetically Modified Crops - Is there a cover-up?

Pravda.Ru, Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey, 19 Mar 2012

Does Monsanto know what it is doing? Do, we, the public have all the facts? Is genetically modified food safe? Are food products which contain it clearly labelled? Is Monsanto, knowingly or unknowingly, destroying the biosphere? Is genetically modified produce a health hazard? For those who do not wish to get scared, please do not read on.

Monsanto. Haven't we heard that name before? Yes, do you remember who created Agent Orange? Do you remember who created DDT? Do you remember who created Aspartame?

If we are what we eat, then we have a right to know the answers to these questions. And there are more. Why are cancers of the digestive system rising exponentially? Let us start with Monsanto's wonderful herbicide, Roundup.

The journal Current Microbiology has just released a report (1) on a substance called Glyphosate, created by Monsanto in the 1970s and used in Roundup. The report is shocking. It reveals that studies prove that Glyphosate is altering and destroying the micro-organisms in the soil, which has a potential effect upon the health of crops growing in it.

So devastating are the effects, according to the report, that some bacteria have disappeared from certain areas where Roundup was used to spray vast areas of land and apart from this, use of the product has spurred the appearance of superweeds, meaning that in turn farmers have to use greater and greater concentrations of the product. The soil is as a result being rendered barren for future generations.

Far more worrying are fears that the use of this herbicide is killing organisms whose benefit on a planetary scale has not yet been fully investigated and whose elimination from the ecological chain may have very serious consequences.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. What happens to Glyphosate? It works its way down through the topsoil to the groundwater below and from there finds its way into our water supply - underground water currents and springs. This is not conjecture: virtually all rain samples tested in the USA contain Glyphosate.

What does the US Department of Agriculture do? Why, nothing! And this, despite the fact that other investigations have warned that Glyphosate can be carcinogenic, reducing fertility and increasing risk of cancer because it is genotoxic, damaging the DNA chain.

The problem is not only restricted to the USA. Superweeds have lasting damaging effects upon the soil and nowadays already cover millions of hectares in the USA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, the EU and South Africa.

Cancer, infertility, barren land, destruction of DNA, destruction of micro-organisms which may be crucial for the planet's ecosystem, superweeds...what else? Well it appears we have been here before. In fact, Monsanto has just agreed to pay out 93 million USD for the effects of an explosion at its plant in Nitro, West Virginia involving the herbicide 2,4,5-T which contained the toxic agent dioxin. But there are still 80,000 property damage claims against the firm.

In fact, an investigation of the Nitro Residents v. Monsanto case reveals some horrific allegations which involve contamination of the environment, cover-ups, falsification of studies...you name it. But hey, as a government contractor, Monsanto has always enjoyed government immunity in the USA.

And what was that about Monsanto not serving Genetically Engineered (GE) food in its own canteens? Well, when we take into consideration that Glyphosate destroys human kidney cells at concentrations 450 times lower than the concentration used in agricultural applications... and when we consider the very little information available on the real potential dangers lurking behind GE foodstuffs, it is hardly surprising.

What is unacceptable is that while the long-term effects of consumption of GE food are still not available, GE seeds are spreading round the planet on wind currents and on aquifers. Remember the respected scientist Arpad Pusztai?

Arpad Pusztai is an expert in biochemistry and nutrition who worked at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland. When he released information about his discovery that Genetically Modified potatoes create severe damage to the immune system and organs of rats, he was suspended, threatened with a lawsuit and handed a gagging order, while his findings were denied or distorted. The gagging order was later lifted and when he went public again there was a massive recall of products. The US consumer was, of course, the last to know.

Before I finish, a question: Why do mice, rats, geese, cows, pigs, elk and squirrels avoid eating GM foods when given the choice?

Who would like to be a Monsanto shareholder now? I sure as heck wouldn't.

(1) Effects of Roundup® and Glyphosate on Three Food Microorganisms: Geotrichum candidum, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

Sources: Greenpeace; NaturalNews

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"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Lose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Pedal wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.)  - New !   

Safeway to Stop Selling ‘Pink Slime’ Textured Beef

ABC News, by Jim Avila, Mar 21, 2012

   

Safeway, America’s second largest supermarket chain, has announced it will no longer sell what the meat industry calls “lean finely textured beef” and the public has come to call “pink slime“.

Safeway says in a statement “considerable consumer concern” led to its decision even though the chain believes its beef with the controversial filler in it is safe.

“Safeway is committed to providing our customers with the highest-quality products,” the company said in a statement. “While the USDA and food industry experts agree that lean finely textured beef is safe and wholesome, recent news stories have caused considerable consumer concern about this product.  Safeway will no longer purchase ground beef containing lean finely textured beef.”

Makers of “lean finely textured beef” and the USDA  say that it is not an additive and need not be labeled, and is safe to eat. But critics, including former USDA scientists, contend the ammonia treated “pink slime” — made from low quality scraps once used for dog food and cooking oil — is less nutritious than pure ground beef.

“It’s not fresh ground beef. It’s a cheap substitute being added in,” microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein said.

Seventy percent of all store bought ground beef contained “pink slime,” but since ABC News exposed its widespread use many grocery stores have told shoppers their meat counters are free of the mixture.

The USDA announced last week that it will disclose to school districts which of its suppliers use pink slime so administrators can decide whether to purchase it.

Safeway has 1400 stores coast to coast,  second only to Kroger. The chain now joins Publix, HEB, Whole Foods and Costco promising their ground beef is additive free.

Related Article:

70 Percent of Ground Beef at Supermarkets Contains ‘Pink Slime’

Image Credit: Brian Yarvin/Getty Images 

.

Steroid usage among Bangladesh's prostitutes worries health activists

Deutsche Welle, 20 March 2012

Prostitutes in a slum in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, often use steroids to appear "healthier" and snag clients. Aid activists complain about the rampant use of these drugs, which could be lethal if consumed for long.

There is no shortage of men looking for "company" in Kandapara slum, a labyrinth of tiny lanes, located a few hours drive northeast of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. But with rates as low as 50 taka (around 0.60 dollar cents), the need to attract as many customers as possible is great, prompting a rising, trend of steroid abuse among adolescent sex workers to "enhance" their appearance.

"There is a huge difference between my appearance now and the malnourished look of my childhood," says Hashi, a 17-year-old who was lured into the sex trade 10 years ago. Hashi is one of around 900 sex workers - some as young as 12. She started taking steroids soon after entering the profession. "I am healthier than before and fit to serve a lot of customers in a day. Sometimes up to 15," she says.

Also known as Dexamethasone, Oradexon treats inflammation and allergies in humans and is used by farmers to fatten livestock. Charities say the over-the-counter drug is taken by 90 percent of sex workers in Kandapara and the other 14 legalised brothels across the impoverished South Asian nation.

The girls are first forced to take it by their madams, or "sardarnis", who run the brothels. It increases their appetite, making them gain weight rapidly and giving the appearance that these poorly nourished teens are in fact healthy and older. It also helps sardarnis keep the police away. The legal age for sex work in Bangladesh is 18. The girls then continue to consume it, saying that it keeps them "strong and healthy", which in turn will help them get more clients in a day so they can earn enough to survive. 

Oradexon, they say, keeps them going, even though there are known risks associated with its long-term use. The steroid can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, skin rashes and headaches and is highly addictive, according to social activists. It also weakens the immune system and leaves patients more susceptible to illnesses. There have been reports of young sex workers dying from drug overdose.

"Steroids are life-saving as well as life-destroying drugs which are used by sex workers in poor countries," said Shipra Gowshami, a lawyer and human rights activist who works with sex workers in brothels in the central Bangladeshi town of Faridpur. "A lack of awareness, easy availability and malpractices of quacks are some of the prime causes of why these drugs are being abused," Gowshami said.

In 2010, ActionAid Bangladesh began a campaign to promote awareness of the drug among sex workers. But they say they are facing a long fight in persuading not only the brothels to stop using it but also authorities to regulate it. "There have been attempts to raise awareness on the negative impact of the use of such drugs but brothel owners, madams and pimps are a long way from withdrawing such practices," said Farah Kabir, country director for ActionAid Bangladesh. "We have an uphill battle, yet it can be won. There needs to be greater regulation in the sale of such drugs. The government and the state must play an active role."

Reuters

Editor: Grahame Lucas

The 10p-a-day vitamin supplement that tackles dementia: So why is the drug industry spending billions?

Daily Mail, By PROFESSOR DAVID SMITH, 17 March 2012

Modern medicine has let us cheat death. We can replace organs, take pills to stave off heart disease, cure many cancers, and control previously fatal conditions such as diabetes. As a result, the average life expectancy is 80, whereas 100 years ago it was 52. Yet now, if these other illnesses don’t get us, it seems that dementia will.

More than 800,000 Britons suffer from some form of the disease, with 75 per cent of them having Alzheimer’s. All lead to mental decline, memory loss, speech and movement problems, and death.

The world’s bestselling medication for Alzheimer’s (AD) is donepezil, marketed as Aricept until its UK patent ran out last month – and it’s now 80 per cent cheaper as a result.  

Decline: A diseased brain, left, beside a healthy one 

But while donepezil improves  memory function in patients with mild to moderate AD or with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) – minor memory problems that may be a precursor to dementia – it helps only a third of full AD sufferers; others will get no benefit or suffer side effects.

For those for whom it works, the drug improves quality of life for a year or two. After that, since the brain damage caused by the disease progresses, patients may show a marked decline. Modest as its effects are, it is widely used because it is the best drug of its kind. But I believe if we are to beat this horrific illness, a more broadminded approach is needed.

It’s a folly that such huge amounts are pumped into searching for a ‘new Aricept’. While donepezil has had some success, countless other similar drugs have foundered.

The fundamental problem with Alzheimer drug research is that it is almost entirely based on the ‘amyloid hypothesis’, a theory about what causes AD that appears increasingly invalid.

Amyloid is an insoluble toxic protein deposited between the nerve cells of the brain that has been shown to kill them. In 1991, scientists in London  discovered that a mutated gene in the precursor protein to amyloid (beta-amyloid) caused a rare genetic form of AD. Since then, drug companies have considered that manipulating amyloid lies at the heart of dealing with AD.

But this puts all their eggs in one basket. Billions of pounds have been spent, and every single trial has failed. Some drugs made the symptoms of dementia worse.

Research should be geared towards intervening at an early stage. This is key to slowing down or stopping nerve cell death associated with AD. Once the nerve cells have died and the brain has shrunk, it’s too late.

Research into Alzheimer's should be geared towards
intervening at an early stage 

I am the founding director of the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing (OPTIMA), which studies the causes of dementia. Last year  we recruited 270 elderly people with memory problems and gave them Vitamin B tablets – folic acid (800 micrograms), B12 (500 micrograms) and B6 (20 milligrams).

The supplements, which cost as little as 10p a day, were found to slow shrinkage of the brain by an average of 30 per cent a year – and slow the rate of cognitive decline – in people with high blood levels of homocysteine. Raised levels of this amino acid can increase the risk of developing AD three or four-fold.

By regulating homocysteine with  B vitamins, we showed for the first time it is possible to slow the progress of the disease, if you start early. More trials are needed to test whether  continued treatment can delay its progress indefinitely, but B vitamins have been shown to be as good clinically as Aricept – and better in that they slow the disease progression rather than ease the symptoms.

There is no way of knowing who  is predisposed to AD, apart from extremely rare familial forms of AD.

But those with memory problems should have their homocysteine measured and be started on B vitamins, under medical guidance. Normal  dietary intake isn’t enough. One (200ml) glass of semi-skimmed milk contains 2.5 micrograms of B12, and most manage to eat five micrograms a day. But we do know people with high Vitamin B intakes are less likely to develop dementia, so every little helps.

Large-scale studies are needed to see if nutrition and exercise can slow the conversion of memory impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. We also need to know if they improve the response to drugs such as donepezil. 

For OPTIMA, the next step is a trial of 1,000 people with MCI to see if  B vitamins prevent the conversion to dementia over a two-year period. Can AD be beaten? I am optimistic.

The author is Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford and co-founder of OPTIMA.

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"The Many 'Shoulds' "  – Jan 26, 2012 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)

(Subjects: Religion/Worship, Lightworkers, Food, Health, Prescription Drugs, Homeopathy, Innate (Body intelligence), New Age movement, Global Unity, ... etc.) - New !


"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Lose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Pedal wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.)  - New !