Why Ditching Antibacterial Soap Is a Good Idea

By Dr. Mercola

Washing your hands is at the top of the list when it comes to effective contagious disease prevention, but many still make the mistake of assuming you have to use antibacterial soap to get the job done right.

The same goes for other household cleaning. Routinely disinfecting your body and surroundings may actually cause far more harm than good in the long run.

Not only does it promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria, but antibacterial compounds such as triclosan have also been linked to a number or harmful health effects, especially in young children.

For example, research has shown that triclosan can alter hormone regulation and may interfere with fetal development in pregnant women.

This is a potentially serious concern, as researchers recently discovered traces of triclosan in 100 percent of all urine samples collected from pregnant women^{1, 2, 3, 4} (all of whom were residents of Brooklyn, New York).

Triclosan was also found in 51 percent of cord blood samples. Yet another antibacterial compound, triclocarban, was detected in 87 percent of urine samples, and 23 percent of the cord blood samples.

A second study⁵ found the presence of triclosan in nearly 75 percent of doctors and nurses tested. Considering the hazards, I strongly recommend ditching antibacterial soaps and any other product containing triclosan, such as triclosan-containing toothpaste.⁶

Warm water and a mild soap is really all you need to scrub off the germs. Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated⁷ that "there is currently no evidence that [antibacterial soaps] are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water."

The Many Health Hazards of Triclosan 

As noted in the featured article in The Atlantic,⁸ the reasons for avoiding triclosan are far from few... This antibacterial ingredient has been linked to:

• Allergies
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Endocrine disruption
• Weight gain
• Inflammatory responses

Most recently, triclosan was found to aggravate the growth of liver and kidney tumors, which came as a surprise to the researchers. According to one of the authors:⁹

“We aren't saying that triclosan causes cancer. We're just saying that with constant exposure, this environmental agent, which is extremely ubiquitous, can promote development of tumors. If one can avoid it, I would avoid it."

In another interview he clarified by saying:¹⁰

"If you have a damaged cell that's been attacked by a mutagen, triclosan promotes the development of the tumor. The compound also causes inflammation, which means that all the ingredients necessary for developing cancer are present.”

Personally, I believe there’s plenty of evidence suggesting triclosan is an unnecessary hazard that is best avoided, especially if you have children, due to its adverse effects on the endocrine system.

Triclosan Can Wreak Havoc on Hormone Function

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a serious concern, as they can promote a wide variety of health problems, including: breast, ovarian, prostate, and testicular cancer, preterm and low birth weight babies, precocious puberty in girls, and undescended testicles in boys.

According to Thomas Zoeller, a biology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who specializes in how chemicals affect the endocrine system, triclosan is one of the top 10 endocrine-disrupting chemicals used on a regular basis by most Americans. Hence, removing triclosan from the market could have a substantial impact on public health.

As noted by Professor Caren Helbing Ph.D. at the University of Victoria in Canada, the chemical structure of triclosan is similar to both thyroid hormones and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This similarity allows it to attach to your hormone receptors.

Helbing’s research shows that tadpoles exposed to triclosan suffered stunted development and leg deformations. The metamorphic process these frogs undergo is mediated by thyroid hormones. 

Her findings were published in the Journal of Aquatic Toxicology¹¹ in 2006, which concluded that: “Exposure to low levels of triclosan disrupts thyroid hormone-associated gene expression and can alter the rate of thyroid hormone-mediated postembryonic anuran development.”

Triclosan has also been found in community water supplies. There, it breaks down forming certain forms of dioxin, which are toxic to aquatic life and humans alike.

Are You Brushing Your Teeth with Triclosan?

Besides hand soaps and products specifically marketed as antibacterial, triclosan can also be found in a number of other household and personal care products, including cutting boards, toys, acne cream, and even toothpaste.

At present, Colgate Total is the only triclosan-containing toothpaste sold in the US, but it’s a best-seller—chances are you have a tube in your bathroom right now. If you do, consider this: if triclosan can cause serious health problems when used topically, using it in your mouth is likely even worse, as chemicals are readily absorbed into your oral tissues.

Colgate claims its product is safe,¹² of course, citing a Cochrane Review¹³ as supporting evidence. But the review in question actually focused on the Colgate Total’s effectiveness in fighting bleeding gums and inflammation; not its long-term safety... Cochrane analyzed more than 30 studies published between 1990 and 2012, and found “moderate quality evidence” that Colgate Total is more effective than other toothpastes with respect to reducing gum bleeding and inflammation. However, the authors, Philip Riley and Thomas Lamont, specifically noted that the studies did not allow them to assess any long-term side effects.¹⁴

40 Years of Regulatory Inaction...

A number of other countries have regulations for triclosan, but the US does not. Back in 1978, the FDA said it could not make a ruling on the safety of triclosan due to insufficient evidence. In 2010, the National Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit against the FDA over the matter. In response to growing concerns, Minnesota recently passed legislation banning the chemical in products sold within its state lines.

The state-imposed ban will not take effect until January 2017, however. There’s still no FDA ruling on triclosan, but the FDA has promised it will address the matter in 2016. However, as recently revealed by Bloomberg,^{15, 16} the FDA knew, or should have reasonably suspected, that there are safety problems:

“Colgate’s Total application included 35 pages summarizing toxicology studies on triclosan, which the FDA withheld from view. The agency released the pages¹⁷ earlier this year in response to a lawsuit over a Freedom of Information Act request... The pages show how even with one of the US’s most stringent regulatory processes -- FDA approval of a new drug -- the government relies on company-backed science to show products are safe and effective.

The recently released pages, taken alongside new research on triclosan, raise questions about whether the agency did appropriate due diligence in approving Total 17 years ago, and whether its approval should stand in light of new research... Among the pages were studies showing fetal bone malformations in mice and rats. Colgate said the findings weren’t relevant. Viewed through the prism of today’s science, such malformations look more like a signal that triclosan is disrupting the endocrine system and throwing off hormonal functioning...

Colgate’s application materials also show that the FDA asked questions about the thoroughness of cancer studies, which are partly addressed in recently released documents... ‘We have created a system where we are testing these chemicals out on the human population. I love the idea they are all safe,’ [biology professor Thomas] Zoeller said. ‘But when we have studies on animals that suggest otherwise, I think we’re taking a huge risk.’”

Proper Hand Washing Techniques

Hand washing is a simple way to reduce your exposure to potentially disease-causing germs and reduce your chances of getting sick. While not the only factor, it can drastically reduce the germs that get access to your body, especially when you do it at key times, such as before eating or touching your mouth, eyes, and nose, and after using the restroom or visiting public areas. You do NOT need antibacterial soap however, and this has actually been scientifically verified.

Hand washing needs to be done correctly, however, in order to be truly effective for disease control. Simply rinsing your hands with water, or giving a quick scrub with soap, is not enough to remove germs. In one recent study,¹⁸ only five percent of people washed their hands in a way that would actually kill infection and illness-causing germs. So, to make sure you’re actually removing the germs when you wash your hands, follow these guidelines:

• Use warm, running water and a mild soap (avoid antibacterial soap)
• Work up a good lather, all the way up to your wrists, scrubbing for at least 15 or 20 seconds (most people only wash for about 6 seconds)
• Make sure you cover all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and around and below your fingernails
• Rinse thoroughly under running water
• In public places, use a paper towel to open the door as a protection from germs that the handles may harbor

Keep in mind that your skin is your primary barrier against germs, so obsessive-compulsive washing, especially in dry environments that typically exist for most in the winter months when the heat is on, can actually increase your risk of getting sick by drying out your skin. So keep a balance—avoid washing your hands to the point of irritating your skin, as dry, cracked areas are a perfect entryway for germs.

Keeping Yourself and Your Home Clean, Safely

I strongly encourage you to ditch all of your chemical disinfectants, including your antibacterial soaps, laundry detergents, and bath and kitchen cleansers, in favor of more natural alternatives. No study has shown that a vigorous program of home disinfection leads to a reduction of illness in a family. They have, however, shown that disinfectants can cause harm. Ideally, it’s best to limit your use of soap on your body as it removes the sebum, which contains beneficial fats designed to protect your skin from infection. Using soap will remove not only dirt but also these useful fats.

For those times when you need to do a bit of cleansing, one of the best non-toxic disinfectants is a mild soap and warm water. You can use this for washing your hands, your body, and for other household cleansing. Another all-purpose cleanser that works great for kitchen counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms is 3% hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. Simply put each liquid into a separate spray bottle, then spray the surface with one, followed by the other.

In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner. The best results came from using one mist right after the other -- it is 10 times more effective than using either spray by itself and more effective than mixing the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one sprayer.

Coconut oil also has potent disinfectant properties, and can be used to disinfect wooden cutting boards. Sunlight is another powerful disinfectant, and drying your laundry in the sun is one of the best ways to save energy and wind up with fresh, clean linens and clothing. Truly, there’s no need to expose your family to dangerous chemical disinfectants. As an added bonus aside from the health benefits, using this type of natural homemade cleanser is much less expensive than commercial varieties.

Global Obesity Now Worse Than Smoking

By Dr. Mercola

More than 2.1 billion people, or close to 30 percent of the global population, are overweight or obese. This is more than double the number of adults and children who are undernourished.¹

Further, according to a report by The McKinsey Global Institute, the global cost of obesity is now $2 trillion annually, which is nearly as much as the global cost of smoking ($2.1 trillion) and armed violence (including war and terrorism, which also has a global cost of $2.1 trillion).

For comparison, alcoholism costs are $1.4 trillion annually, road accidents cost $700 billion, and unsafe sex costs $300 billion. What’s more, if current trends continue, the McKinsey report estimates that nearly half of the world's adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030.

The costs stemming from obesity are varied. The condition is associated with lost work days and lower productivity, and higher health care costs due to a myriad of related diseases. Worldwide, obesity is responsible for about 5 percent of all deaths each year.² But while the global burden of obesity is clear, what’s less so is what to do about it.

‘Systemic, Sustained Portfolio of Initiatives’ Needed to Reduce Obesity Health Burden

The McKinsey report leaves more questions than answers, but that’s to be expected because obesity, and its causes, is complex. As they wrote, “existing evidence indicates that no single intervention is likely to have a significant overall impact.” Instead, they recommended a “systemic, sustained portfolio of initiatives,” which include such options as:

• Reducing default portion sizes
• Changing marketing practices
• Restructuring urban and education environments to facilitate physical activities
• Reformulating food products
• Workplace wellness

Rather than wait for the “perfect proof” of what works, the report urges experimenting with solutions immediately, especially when the interventions are low cost and low risk.

The changes, according to their findings, should “rely less on conscious choices by individuals and more on changes to the environment and societal norms.” This, they say, is important because education and personal responsibility are not sufficient on their own to reduce obesity – a stance I can’t completely agree with.

Societal changes are indeed important, but so is personal choice and, absolutely, education -- spreading the truth about what really works to maintain a healthy body weight.

The Big Lie from Monsanto and the GMA

The 300+ members of the pro-GMO Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) include chemical/pesticide (i.e. Monsanto), GE (genetically engineered) seed, and processed junk-food companies.

Between 2012 and mid-2014, GMA (by way of dues from their members) successfully blocked GMO labeling legislation in over 30 states, at a price tag of more than $100 million. The claim that GE crops are "necessary" to feed a growing population is a popular mantra among those who do not have an understanding of the whole picture.

Contrary to claims, genetic engineering has not increased crop yields,³ which isn’t surprising as what we really need is to focus on strategies that will promote soil health -- and GE crops decimate soil fertility.

Also, besides killing critical soil microbes needed for plant health and nutrition, what many fail to take into account is that GE plants typically require more water, not less.

And while many varieties are designed to produce their own internal pesticides, which was meant to reduce pesticide requirements, these plants actually require more pesticides too—just to keep up with the proliferation of resistant pests and weeds!

So the big lie that Monsanto and the GMA junk food purveyors continue to promote is how they aim to feed the world… but they fail to show their products are actually FATTENING the world.

They make no progress with starvation due to distribution issues, and instead look for profitable ways to get more people eating the GMO diet staples of corn syrup, trans fats from soybean oil, and sugar, which together fuel the rising obesity rates around the globe. The safety of the entire GMO “food” production is a boldfaced lie when you look at these primary food crops sickening Americans:

• High fructose corn syrup—one of the primary sources of calories in the American diet—is made from GMO corn (Bt corn), registered with the EPA for producing its own internal pesticide
• Hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats) known to cause heart and cardiovascular disease are made from GMO soy that is resistant to pesticide. This allows it to soak up much more of it than non-GMO soy
• Sugar beets are also genetically engineered, ensuring that even foods sweetened with "regular sugar" fall into a more toxic category, courtesy of elevated pesticide contamination

Corn syrup, trans fats, and sugar – what a "safe and healthy" food system these companies have created... The continued argument that GMOs are safe is a horrible joke. These ingredients are now foundational in the US diet, and there is virtually no doubt that they are primary contributors to many Americans' failing health and rising rates of obesity.

Soda Companies Increase Marketing to Black and Latino Kids

GMA members also include leading beverage companies, who have recently done just the opposite of what the McKinsey report advises to counter rising obesity rates… they’ve ramped up marketing to black and Latino youth, a population who already has higher rates of obesity than white children and teens.⁴

In a report released by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University,⁵ it was revealed that, in 2013:⁶

• Black youth saw more than twice as many TV ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks than white youth
• Advertising for sugary drinks and energy drinks on Spanish-language TV increased by 44 percent
• Beverage companies spent $866 million to advertise unhealthy drinks, which is more than four times the amount spent to advertise water and 100% juice
• Many beverage companies developed child-friendly mobile “advergame” apps

Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives at the Yale Rudd Center and lead author of the report, told The Salt:⁷

“[Black and Latino] populations suffer more from diabetes, obesity and other negative health consequences from the consumption of sugary beverages; it's a huge problem in those communities.

…These companies all say they have practices for responsible marketing to children in black and Latino communities, but it's not very responsible to be marketing products that are so detrimental to them.

We are really hoping to get companies to pay attention not just to the market opportunities, but also the public health consequences of what they're doing."

Food and beverage advertisers are far from innocent when it comes to creating a global obesity pandemic. According to recent research into food addiction, "highly processed foods can lead to classic signs of addiction like loss of control, tolerance, and withdrawal."⁸ What other industry is infamous for aggressively marketing a highly addictive product to kids?

Big Tobacco... And just like the tobacco industry, the processed-food industry is fighting tooth and nail to divert responsibility away from their products when questions are raised about the root causes of obesity and food addiction. Is it any coincidence now that the products of these two powerful industries – smoking and obesity – top the list for global health costs?

8 Million Americans Have Diabetes But Don’t Know It

When discussing obesity, it’s not only obesity that’s the problem. As the McKinsey report noted, the rising rates of obesity are driving the increases in heart and lung disease, lifestyle-related cancer, and… diabetes.⁹ In 2012, more than 28 million (11.8%) US adults had diabetes, but about 8 million of didn’t know it, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.¹⁰ This amounts to about three in 10 Americans with diabetes being unaware that they’re suffering from this serious condition.

Worse, about two-thirds of those with undiagnosed diabetes had seen a doctor at least twice in the past year. Even among those diagnosed, the report found much room for improvement of care. Only 64 percent of people with diagnosed diabetes were meeting their blood sugar goals and only 66 percent had their blood pressure under control.¹¹ Said Dr. Robert Ratner, chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association:¹²

"We need to be making the diabetes diagnosis. If you miss the diagnosis, there really are adverse consequences. A disease like diabetes is treatable, but it's only treatable if you've been diagnosed.”

Unfortunately, what many US physicians fail to recognize is that proper diet and exercise are the keys for resolving diabetes – not insulin and not drugs. Type 2 diabetes is a disease rooted in insulin resistance and perhaps more importantly, a malfunction of leptin signaling, caused by chronically elevated insulin and leptin levels. One of the driving forces behind type 2 diabetes is excessive dietary fructose, which has adverse effects on insulin and leptin – and also plays a role in driving up rates of obesity. According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 70 percent of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or delayed with a healthier lifestyle.¹³

Rising Diabetes Rates May Fuel Tuberculosis Epidemic

Diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, limb amputations, and many other health problems, including reduced immunity. This has major implications, because diabetes isn’t a condition isolated to the US. Eighty percent of diabetics live in low- and middle-income countries, ¹⁴ where infectious disease like tuberculosis (TB) is common. Diabetes triples your risk of tuberculosis, which infected 9 million people in 2013 (1.5 million died from the disease). According to a report published by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases and the World Diabetes Foundation, the world is facing a “looming co-epidemic of TB-diabetes.”¹⁵

As CNN reported:¹⁶

“Changes in diets and lifestyles are taking place across emerging economies, particularly as more people move to urban settings to earn a living. The changes are resulting in higher rates of diseases such as type-2 diabetes… Worryingly, diabetes also triples the risk a person will develop TB… The number of people with diabetes is predicted to be 592 million by 2035, with the majority living in countries with high rates of TB, such as India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia.”

Obesity May Overtake Hunger as the World’s Number One Health Problem

In 1950, the number of starving individuals on Earth was estimated to be around 700 million; 100 million people, primarily in rich countries, were obese. By 2010, the world’s hungry had marginally grown to 800 million, while the number of obese citizens of the world had exploded to 500 million. Estimates suggest that by 2030, more than one billion people, worldwide, will fall into the obese category.¹⁷ Along with excess body weight comes a wide range of other health problems. In the US, eight obesity-related diseases account for a staggering 75 percent of healthcare costs. These diseases include:

Type 2 diabetes	Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Hypertension	Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Lipid problems	Cancer (especially breast, endometrial, colon, gallbladder, prostate, and kidney18)
Heart disease	Dementia

The four diseases in the left column are associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a common factor in obesity. However, several other diseases fall within this category as well, which are listed on the right. And many more could be added to that list. According to the Surgeon General, in addition to the diseases mentioned above, obesity increases your risk for asthma, sleep disorders (including sleep apnea), depression, pregnancy complications, and poor surgical outcomes.¹⁹

Again, it's easy to think of obesity as a problem affecting only the wealthiest of nations, but even developing countries are increasingly plagued by expanding waistlines. One analysis discovered that more than half of the world's obese people congregate in 10 countries: United States, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, and Indonesia.²⁰ The analysis also revealed:

• One-third of the global population (about 2.1 billion people) is now overweight or obese, 671 million of which fall into the obese category
• Worldwide, rates of obesity among children have risen by 50 percent between 1980 and 2013
• In Tonga, more than half of all adults, both men and women, are obese
• In Kuwait, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Libya, Qatar, and Samoa, more than half of all women are obese
• Of the more than 180 countries analyzed, the US carries the heaviest obesity burden, followed by China and India. Obese Americans account for about 13 percent of the world's obese people, while China and India together account for 15 percent of the total

Non-starchy, carb-rich, highly processed (and typically genetically engineered) foods, along with being in continuous feast mode, are primary drivers of these statistics. Wherever a highly processed food diet becomes the norm, obesity inevitably follows.

How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy

Most overweight Americans have some degree of insulin and leptin resistance. Generally, in order for you to significantly gain weight, you must first become leptin resistant. Leptin is a hormone that helps you regulate your appetite. When your leptin levels rise, it signals your body that you're full, so you'll stop eating. However, as you become increasingly resistant to the effects of leptin, you end up eating more. Many people who are overweight also have an impairment in their body's ability to oxidize fat, which leads to a low-energy state.

Dr. Richard Johnson's research clearly shows that refined sugar (in particular fructose) is exceptionally effective at causing leptin resistance in animals, and it's very effective at blocking the burning of fat. If you are insulin or leptin resistant, as long as you keep eating fructose and grains, you're programming your body to create and store fat... This is one of the key reasons why, if you are overweight (which means you are also likely insulin or leptin resistant), it would be prudent for you to restrict your fructose consumption to about 15 to 25 grams of fructose per day from all sources. Not only will this help you to avoid additional weight gain, but it will also help you to avoid further metabolic dysfunction.

You may find this fructose chart helpful in estimating how many grams of fructose you are consuming each day. Dietary sugar, especially fructose, is a significant "tripper of your fat switch." However, if you are serious about losing weight, you'll need a comprehensive plan that includes the following. This plan will help most people lose weight but, also, it will help you to gain metabolic health. So even if your weight is normal, you can follow this plan to ensure that you're metabolically healthy as well.

• Eliminate or strictly limit fructose in your diet, and follow the healthy eating program in my comprehensive nutrition plan.
• You can also use intermittent fasting strategically with this program to greatly boost your body's fat-burning potential. Intermittent fasting helps reset your body to use fat as its primary fuel, and mounting evidence confirms that when your body becomes adapted to burning FAT instead of sugar as its primary fuel, you dramatically reduce your risk of chronic disease. Exercising in a fasted state (such as first thing in the morning) will bring it up yet another notch. A simple way to get started with intermittent fasting is to simply omit breakfast, making lunch the first meal of your day. It is a useful strategy to follow until your insulin resistance resolves.
• Engage in high-intensity Peak Fitness exercise to burn fat and increase muscle mass (a natural fat burner). Also, strive to sit less (much less, such as only three hours a day) and walk 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day in addition to your regular exercise program.
• Address the emotional component of eating. For this I highly recommend the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which helps eliminate your food cravings naturally.

Vaccine Court: Attorneys Win, Families Suffer

By Dr. Mercola

If you or your child were to be seriously injured after receiving a routine government-recommended vaccination, what would you do? You might assume, as many Americans do, that you could choose to hire an attorney and sue the vaccine’s manufacturer. 

Or you might sue the doctor if the vaccine was given negligently so you could obtain financial compensation for medical care, pain, and suffering.

But this is not possible. At least, not anymore, because Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court have banned vaccine product liability and vaccine injury malpractice lawsuits in the US. Today, vaccine victims are forced to apply to a federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

Vaccine injury claims are awarded or denied by US Department of Health and Human Services officials using US Department of Justice attorneys, with some cases contested and decided by special masters in the US Court of Federal Claims.

The VCIP was created by Congress in 1986 under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act after vaccine manufacturers threatened to stop producing vaccines if they weren’t protected from vaccine injury lawsuits.

The VICP was supposed to be an alternative to a civil court lawsuit and gave partial liability protection to vaccine manufacturers, pediatricians, and other vaccine providers from civil liability for injuries and deaths caused by federally-recommended childhood vaccines.¹

Drug companies weren’t satisfied with partial liability protection and, in 2011, convinced the US Supreme Court majority to rule that federally licensed and recommended vaccines are “unavoidably unsafe” and that the VICP should be the “sole remedy” for all vaccine injury claims.²

Now, even if it can be proven that a government-recommended vaccine that injured or killed someone in America was defectively designed and could have been made less reactive – nobody can sue drug companies making big profits from government-recommended and mandated vaccines!³

Though the federal compensation system was originally intended to help vaccine-injured Americans by giving them a non-adversarial, expedited, less expensive administrative alternative to a civil court lawsuit, it has morphed into a program that is anything but that.

Sadly, the VICP process often adds more suffering to vaccine victims, who may be left waiting without support and financial assistance for more than a decade. Some VICP claimants even say they felt “attacked” by the government that was supposed to help them.

Associated Press Investigation Reveals Serious Flaws in Vaccine Court

The Associated Press (AP) analyzed nearly 15,000 vaccine-injury cases and hundreds of decisions. They conducted more than 100 interviews using data on vaccine-court cases through January 2013 (they say the government has refused to release an updated list of cases).⁴

While the cases are supposed to be resolved in 240 days or less (with an additional 150 days for potential extensions), less than 7 percent of non-autism cases met this requirement. When autism claims were factored in, only 4.5 percent were resolved in less than 240 days. According to the AP:

“Most non-autism cases take at least two and a half years, with the average case length more than three years, not including cases unresolved at the end of 2012. Hundreds have surpassed the decade mark. Several people died before getting any money.”

Taxpayers and Vaccine Users Foot Bill for VICP Awards

The VICP is funded by a 75-cent tax on each dose of vaccine sold by vaccine manufacturers to the federal government, state governments, HMOs, or individual doctors in private practice and that money is placed into a Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund managed by the U.S. Treasury Department.

To date, there is a surplus of $3.5 billion in the Trust Fund that has not yet been awarded to vaccine victims. In other words, taxpayers and everyone who gets vaccinated in the US pay money into the VICP Trust Fund, which could be described as a de facto vaccine injury self-insurance program.

The problem is that, when the risks of vaccination turn out to be 100 percent for some people, they have no guarantee of getting federal vaccine injury compensation. In fact, three out of four vaccine injury victims are turned away empty handed!⁵

Government Hires Doctors with Ties to the Vaccine Industry

If you apply to the VICP, know that your private attorney likely will be facing well-paid federal health officials and Justice Department attorneys, who have hired high-priced medical experts to discredit your case.

The government, for instance, uses taxpayer money to hire “special experts,” who are often doctors with ties to the pharmaceutical industry, to oppose vaccine injury compensation awards in order to defend vaccine safety in court, according to the AP analysis.

The government is concerned, first and foremost, with maintaining the image of vaccine safety to the American public. They do not want you to know, for instance, that in 2008 they conceded that childhood vaccines contributed to permanent brain damage that included symptoms of autism in 9-year-old Hannah Poling, lest you begin to question vaccine safety.

In vaccine court, the government will fight your claim – even if you have good evidence that your claim is very legitimate -- or they may try to quietly settle it with a lowball offer (which preys on families in urgent need of money).

If the government settles vaccine injury cases outside of the US Court of Claims, they don’t have to admit that the vaccine caused harm, which makes public health officials, medical trade organizations, and drug companies very happy because it preserves the illusion that vaccines are safe for everyone.

 According to the AP investigation:⁶

“Lawmakers designed vaccine court to favor payouts, but the government fights legitimate claims and fails its obligation to publicize the court, worried that if they concede a vaccine caused harm, the public will react by skipping shots.

…If government doctors had their way… 1,600 families would not have gotten more than $1.1 billion in cash and future medical care between the court's opening in 1988 and the end of 2012.

…‘The system is not working,’ said Richard Topping, a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney who handled vaccine injury claims but resigned after concluding his bosses had no desire to fix the major flaws he saw. ‘People who need help aren't getting it.’”

Even Nancy Grace Was Shocked to Learn You Can’t Sue US Vaccine Manufacturers

In the video above, you can watch as nationally known journalist and attorney Nancy Grace is told, live on the air, that vaccine manufacturers can’t be sued for vaccine injuries. She was covering a story about a 10-year-old child who was paralyzed after receiving a flu shot. Even she was surprised, which goes to show how far federal health agencies have gone to keep the VICP a well-kept secret.

Not many Americans know that there is a short THREE-year deadline to file a vaccine compensation claim in the VICP after a vaccine injury occurs and a shocking TWO-year deadline to file a claim after a vaccine death. If you don’t file in time, you will be barred from applying for federal vaccine injury compensation and, since you are also barred from filing a civil lawsuit against a vaccine manufacturer or doctor who may have given the vaccine negligently, you will be left to handle all the medical bills and lifelong care you or your child may require after suffering a serious vaccine reaction.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 14,439 claims of vaccine injury and 1,149 claims of vaccine-related death. Less than one-quarter of the claims were approved while more than three-quarters were denied. Renee Gentry, president of the Vaccine Injured Petitioners Bar Association, said:⁷

“It was supposed to be a friendly, fast alternative program that didn’t require the protections plaintiffs would have in civil litigation… It’s the complete opposite.”

Proving causation is extremely difficult with vaccine injuries in part because there are huge gaps in vaccine safety science and, also, unless a vaccine reaction is immediate and obvious, parents may not connect their child's deterioration in health to the shots the child was given. When parents report their child's regression into chronic poor health following vaccination to their child's pediatrician, they are typically told the illness couldn't possibly be related to the vaccine or vaccinations the child was given.

Sometimes reactions occur within hours or days of vaccination and are dramatic and life threatening and the child is taken to the emergency room and the vaccine reaction symptoms are recorded in the child's medical record. Usually, only the most clear cut and identifiable vaccine reactions end up in Vaccine Court—the ones where the "dots" are easily connected.

Unfortunately, at that point the damage is done and the child may be left with lifelong chronic illness and disability. The vast majority of vaccine adverse reactions are never reported to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).

Still, CDC's VAERS database⁸ lists 8,000 different adverse vaccine reactions, from localized swelling and anaphylactic shock to autism, coma, and death.⁹ Vaccines are a $30-billion per year industry. Today, four dominate the world market (Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi Pasteur, and GlaxoSmithKline). Given the furor that erupts when anybody publicly questions vaccine safety, you would assume that the US government considers vaccines completely safe. But in reality, that's not the case. As Global Research reported:¹⁰

“The very existence of the vaccine court, which the AP admits was created to shield vaccine companies from liability and jury verdicts, proves that vaccines injure and kill children. The AP even uses the phrase ‘vaccine-injured Americans’ to describe those for whom the court exists. And yet the basic premise is still that vaccines are safe and necessary, and thus the system operates in defense of this, at the expense of public health.”

How Trans Fat Harms Your Memory

By Dr. Mercola

There are a number of dietary links between dementia and heart disease. Excessive sugar/processed fructose, grains, and trans fat consumption are three factors that promote both.

Not surprisingly, recent research¹ has pointed out that heart disease also increases your odds of developing Alzheimer's disease, which is a serious and deadly form of dementia.

According to the authors, vascular damage may predispose your brain to increased amyloid plaque buildup, which is a hallmark of this degenerative brain disease. Plaque buildup worsens with stiffer arteries, so preventing arterial plaque formation may be a critical factor in the prevention of dementia.

For decades, saturated fats have been demonized as the cause of heart disease. The food industry, responding to such health concerns replaced saturated fats with trans fats, and a whole new market of low-fat (but high-sugar) foods was born.

Americans' health has plummeted ever since, and there's no telling how many people have been millions have been prematurely killed by this mistake... Making matters worse, genetically engineered soy oil, which is a major source of trans fats, can oxidize inside your body, thereby causing damage to both your heart and your brain.

Trans Fat Clogs Your Arteries, Not Saturated Fat

As it turns out, saturated fat was never the culprit in heart disease. That assumption was based on flawed research, the conclusions of which were entirely erroneous.

Dr. Fred Kummerow, author of Cholesterol Is Not the Culprit, has researched fats and heart disease for eight decades, and he was the first researcher to identify which fats actually cause clogged arteries.

Last December, The New York Times² featured Dr. Kummerow's research on fats, which shows that trans fats (found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) are to blame for rising heart disease rates. Dr. Kummerow was the first to publish a scientific article on this association, back in 1957.

Preliminary study findings³ presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014 also reveal that trans fat is linked to a higher risk of memory impairment. This isn't surprising when you consider the links between dementia and heart disease. According to Time Magazine:⁴

"[T]rans fat intake was linked to worse memory in people under age 45, even after controlling for mind-influencing factors like age, depression and education. Every gram of trans fat eaten per day was linked to 0.76 fewer words recalled. Put another way? Those who ate the most trans fat remembered 11 fewer words."

One of the authors, Dr. Beatrice Golomb, noted that since the average number of words correctly recalled was 86, a loss of about a dozen words represents "a pretty big detriment to function."⁵

The research, while unable to establish cause and effect, suggests trans fats may act as a pro-oxidant, contributing to oxidative stress that causes cellular damage. This is similar to Dr. Kummerow's earlier findings, which show that vegetable oils oxidize when heated, and when oxidized cholesterol and trans fat enter into your LDL particles, they become destructive. 

Trans Fats 101

Dr. Kummerow, now 100 years old, is still an active researcher and writer. He published four papers in the past couple of years alone. Some of his most recent research⁶ shows that there are two types of fats in our diet responsible for the formation of heart disease:

1. Trans fat found in partially hydrogenated oil. Structurally, trans fats are synthetic fatty acids; 14 of them are produced during the hydrogenation process. (They are not present in either animal or vegetable fats.)

Trans fats prevent the synthesis of prostacyclin,⁷ which is necessary to keep your blood flowing. When your arteries cannot produce prostacyclin, blood clots form, and you may succumb to sudden death.

2. Oxidized cholesterol forms when polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as soybean, corn and sunflower oils) are heated. This oxidized cholesterol (not dietary cholesterol in and of itself) causes increased thromboxane formation—a factor that clots your blood.

Two of Dr. Kummerow's papers pertain to how these oils harden your arteries and play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. As reported by The New York Times:⁸ "The problem, [Dr. Kummerow] says, is not LDL, the "bad cholesterol"... What matters is whether the cholesterol and fat residing in those LDL particles have been oxidized...

[He] contends that the high temperatures used in commercial frying cause inherently unstable polyunsaturated oils to oxidize, and that these oxidized fatty acids become a destructive part of LDL particles. Even when not oxidized by frying, soybean and corn oils can oxidize inside the body."

Download Interview Transcript

You Need Saturated Fats for Healthy Brain Function

Our ancestral diet was very high in saturated fats and virtually void of sugar and non-vegetable carbohydrates. Today, not only do most of us eat excessive amounts of carbohydrates, these carbs are refined and highly processed.

In the last decade, we've also shifted over to genetically engineered (GE) grains and sugar (GE sugar beets and corn), the long-term health effects of which have never been established.

This mistaken fat phobia has undoubtedly played a significant role in the dramatic rise in dementia and other neurological disorders, because your brain cannot function properly without fats. In fact, most people benefit from up to 50-85 percent of their daily calories in the form of fats for optimal health (for listing of healthy fats, see end of article) while they are seeking to resolve their insulin resistance.

For comparison, the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to between five to six percent of total calories!⁹ There's no doubt in my mind that this grossly sub-optimal recommendation level is contributing to the poor health of Americans, and promoting both heart disease and dementia.

While trans fat consumption decreased by about one-third between 1980-2009,¹⁰ many are still getting far too much trans fat in their diet. The problem is that it's oftentimes hidden. Even products boasting a "zero trans fat" label can contain trans fat, because food manufacturers are not required to list trans fat if it falls below a certain amount per serving. Using ridiculously tiny serving portion is a legal loophole that permits food manufacturers to mislead you about the trans fat in their products. As a general rule, to avoid trans fats, you need to avoid any and all foods containing or cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, so be sure to check the list of ingredients.

Two Additional Concerns: Cyclic Aldehydes and Acrylamide

Besides the damage from trans fats, vegetable oils such as peanut, corn, and soy oil degrade into highly toxic oxidation products called cyclic aldehydes when heated, and these byproducts may actually do more harm than trans fat. But because this is so new, very few are aware of this problem. In animals, even low levels of cyclic aldehydes oxidize LDL cholesterol and cause high levels of inflammation associated with heart disease. Cyclic aldehydes have also been shown to cause toxic shock in animals through gastric damage, which is consistent with the rise in immune problems and gastrointestinal-related diseases in the human population. To learn more about this, please listen to my interview with investigative journalist Nina Teicholz.¹¹

Acrylamide^{12, 13} is another highly toxic byproduct produced when starchy or carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and grains are fried or cooked at high temperatures. French fries, chips, cookies, crackers, and cereals tend to have some of the highest levels of acrylamide, courtesy of the processing they've been put through. Acrylamide is a known neurotoxin, and animal research has revealed clear evidence of carcinogenic activity.¹⁴

While there's no official data on what cooking oils may contribute to or prevent acrylamide formation, I believe it's quite clear that processed vegetable oils increase the health hazards of foods processed or cooked at high temperatures. Speaking of acrylamide, on November 7, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved genetically engineered varieties of potato,¹⁵ engineered to generate less acrylamide when cooked than regular potatoes. In my view, this madness is only going to make matter worse.

The problem of trans fats and cyclic aldehydes can largely be addressed by reverting to using saturated fats like butter, coconut oil and lard—the latter two of which are very stable and excellent for high temperature cooking. The problem of acrylamide is solved by cooking foods at lower temperatures. This, of course, would be a severe blow to the processed food industry. So instead of making some much needed changes to our food system (such as reverting away from processed foods and promoting more whole foods), a potato is genetically engineered that will not develop as much acrylamide—this way the food industry can continue making chips and French fries cooked in heart-, brain-, and gut-damaging vegetables oils, most of which are also genetically engineered (corn, soy), while pretending—and probably boasting—that they've "done something" to make our foods safer...

Avoiding Processed Food Is the Easiest Way to Protect Your Health

According to Dr. Kummerow, your body can eliminate trans fats in about a month, which is encouraging. The tragic reality, of course, is that 95 percent of the food that most Americans eat is processed—and processed food is where all this trans fat lies—and the cyclic aldehydes, and the acrylamide, and the genetically engineered ingredients, and the pesticides... So, if you want to protect your health, particularly your heart, brain, and gut, you need to avoid as many processed foods (including most restaurant food) as much as possible, and start cooking at home, using fresh, whole, unadulterated ingredients. In summary, I recommend:

1. Avoiding sugar, processed fructose, and grains if you are insulin and leptin resistant. This effectively means you must avoid most processed foods
2. Eating a healthful diet of whole foods, ideally organic, and replacing the grain carbs with:
• Large amounts of vegetables
• Low-to-moderate amount of high quality protein (think organically raised, pastured animals)
• As much highly quality healthy fat as you want (saturated and monounsaturated from animal- and tropical oil sources). Again, most people need upwards of 50-85 percent of their daily calories in the form of fat for optimal health until their insulin resistance is resolved. Sources of healthful fats to add to your diet include:

Avocados	Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk	Raw dairy	Organic pastured egg yolks
Coconuts and coconut oil	Unheated organic nut oils	Raw nuts, such as almonds, pecans, macadamia, and seeds	Grass-fed meats

Additional Dietary Guidelines for Maintaining Healthy Brain Function

When it comes to protecting your brain and preventing memory loss and dementia, your diet and lifestyle are your most important allies. My optimized nutrition plan can set you on the right path in this regard. As explained by neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the book, Grain Brain, Alzheimer's is a disease predicated primarily on lifestyle choices; the two main culprits being excessive sugar and gluten consumption.

You want to be especially wary of genetically engineered ingredients, as they are heavily contaminated with glyphosate—a herbicide thought to be worse than DDT, and DDT has already been linked to the development of Alzheimer's. In terms of your diet and other lifestyle factors, the following suggestions may be among the most important for preserving your brain function as you age:

• Avoid sugar and refined fructose. Ideally, you'll want to keep your sugar levels to a minimum and your total fructose below 25 grams per day, or as low as 15 grams per day if you have insulin/leptin resistance or any related disorders
• Avoid gluten and casein (primarily wheat and pasteurized dairy, but not dairy fat, such as butter). Research shows that your blood-brain barrier is negatively affected by gluten. Gluten also makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your bloodstream, where they don't belong. That then sensitizes your immune system and promotes inflammation and autoimmunity, both of which play a role in the development of Alzheimer's
• Optimize your gut flora by regularly eating fermented foods or taking a high-potency and high-quality probiotic supplement
• Increase consumption of all healthy fats, including animal-based omega-3. Healthy fats that your brain needs for optimal function include organically-raised grass-fed meats, coconut oil, olives and olive oil, avocado, nuts, organic pastured egg yolks, and butter made from raw grass-fed milk. High intake of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA are also helpful for preventing cell damage caused by Alzheimer's disease, thereby slowing down its progression, and lowering your risk of developing the disorder.
• Reduce your overall calorie consumption, and/or intermittently fast until insulin resistance resolves. Ketones are mobilized when you replace carbs with coconut oil and other sources of healthy fats. Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool to jumpstart your body into remembering how to burn fat and repair the inulin/leptin resistance that is also a primary contributing factor for Alzheimer's. To learn more, please see this previous article.
• Improve your magnesium levels. Preliminary research strongly suggests a decrease in Alzheimer symptoms with increased levels of magnesium in the brain.
• Eat a nutritious diet, rich in folate. Vegetables, without question, are your best form of folate, and we should all eat plenty of fresh raw veggies every day. Avoid supplements like folic acid, which is the inferior synthetic version of folate.
• Exercise regularly. It's been suggested that exercise can trigger a change in the way the amyloid precursor protein is metabolized, thus, slowing down the onset and progression of Alzheimer's. Exercise also increases levels of BDNF (brain derived neurotropic factor) and a protein PGC-1alpha. Research has shown that people with Alzheimer's have less PGC-1alpha in their brains and cells that contain more of the protein produce less of the toxic amyloid protein associated with Alzheimer's. I would strongly recommend reviewing the Peak Fitness Technique for my specific recommendations.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels with safe sun exposure. Sufficient vitamin D is imperative for proper functioning of your immune system to combat inflammation that is also associated with Alzheimer's.
• Avoid and eliminate mercury from your body. Dental amalgam fillings, which are 50 percent mercury by weight, are one of the major sources of heavy metal toxicity, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed. Once you have adjusted to following the diet described in my optimized nutrition plan, you can follow the mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist to have your amalgams removed.
• Avoid and eliminate aluminum from your body: Sources of aluminum include antiperspirants, non-stick cookware, vaccine adjuvants, etc. For tips on how to detox aluminum, please see my article, "First Case Study to Show Direct Link between Alzheimer's and Aluminum Toxicity."
• Avoid flu vaccinations as most contain both mercury and aluminum, well-known neurotoxic and immunotoxic agents.
• Avoid anticholinergics and statin drugs. Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of dementia. These drugs include certain nighttime pain relievers, antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, medications to control incontinence, and certain narcotic pain relievers. Statin drugs are particularly problematic because they suppress the synthesis of cholesterol, deplete your brain of coenzyme Q10 and neurotransmitter precursors, and prevent adequate delivery of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble antioxidants to your brain by inhibiting the production of the indispensable carrier biomolecule known as low-density lipoprotein.

Dry Winter Skin? Here's Help

By Dr. Mercola

Cold, dry winter weather is a common cause of dry skin. It can leave your skin feeling tight, rough, and itchy, which is where the term “winter itch” comes from.

Aside from feeling uncomfortable and perhaps being less than desirable aesthetically speaking, when dry skin becomes severe, it can crack, making a perfect entryway for germs.

These germs can cause infection in your body, not only in your skin but elsewhere as well. For this reason, tending to dry skin is more than a matter of cosmetics; it’s a matter of health and safety.

Tending to Dry Skin from the Inside Out

External variables certainly contribute to dry skin. Weather is a major factor, as mentioned, and so is your occupation. If you’re a nurse or hairstylist, for instance, your hands will be washed and/or immersed in water much of the day, which dries out skin and causes it to become dry and cracked.

If you’re over the age of 40, you may have noticed that your skin has become dryer as well. This tends to happen with age (as your skin becomes thinner as well). People with atopic dermatitis (eczema) are also more prone to dry skin, as are those with psoriasis.

However, another factor to consider is whether your diet is providing the nutrients your skin needs to stay supple. Chief among them are omega-3 fats, which help normalize your skin fats and prevent dehydration in your cells.

This keeps your skin cells strong and full of moisture, which can help to decrease the appearance of fine lines. Fatty-acid deficiency can manifest in a variety of ways, but skin problems such as eczema, thick patches of skin, and cracked heels are common.

Additionally, omega-3 fats may have an anti-inflammatory effect that can help to soothe irritated skin, giving you a clearer, smoother complexion. Omega-3 fat deficiency is actually quite common in the US (it’s been called the sixth biggest killer of Americans), as omega-3-rich foods are not widely consumed.

Fish has always been one of the best sources for animal-based omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, but as levels of pollution have increased, this treasure of a food has become less and less viable as a primary source of these healthful fats.

I’ve previously shared tips on the best types of fish to consume in terms of omega-3 fats and environmental toxins, but a general guideline is the smaller and the closer to the bottom of the food chain the fish is, the less contamination it will have accumulated. This includes:

• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Herring

Wild-caught Alaskan salmon is another healthy option. That said, if you’re suffering from dry skin, an omega-3 fat supplement, such as krill oil, may be highly beneficial. If you already use krill oil, you may need to increase your dose in the colder dry winter months.

Coconut Oil Promotes Skin Health Inside and Out

If your skin is dry now, a simple remedy is pure coconut oil, which acts as a wonderful all-natural “anti-aging” moisturizer when applied topically. When absorbed into your skin and connective tissues, coconut oil helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by helping to keep your connective tissues strong and supple.

Physiologist and biochemist Ray Peat, Ph.D. considers coconut oil an antioxidant,¹ due to its stability and resistance to oxidation and free radical formation. Besides that, coconut oil also has potent antimicrobial activity.

About 50 percent of the fat in coconut oil is lauric acid that your body converts into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoa properties. Capric acid, another coconut fatty acid present in smaller amounts, also has antimicrobial activity.

It also helps exfoliate the outer layer of dead skin cells, making your skin smoother. You’d also be wise to start eating coconut oil as well, because it may help protect your skin from the aging effects of free radicals (while offering numerous other health benefits as well).

For topical use, you can use coconut oil by itself or add your favorite essential oil. (Make sure you're using a high-quality essential oil that is safe for topical application.) You can even try whipping the coconut oil with an electric mixer to produce a fluffy moisturizer that stays soft and spreadable even in cooler temperatures.²

Additional Dietary Factors to Hydrate and Soften Skin

Besides increasing your omega-3 intake and using coconut oil, you'd be wise to address the rest of your diet as well. Eating a healthy diet as described in my nutrition plan, which focuses on whole, bioavailable organic foods, is your number one strategy for supplying the necessary nutrients your skin needs to thrive. Some foods are particularly effective at promoting beautiful, moisturized, healthy skin, and this includes:

• Drink more water. When the outermost layer of the epidermis (your skin’s outer layer) lacks water, your skin becomes rough and dry. While it’s not entirely clear whether drinking more water can counteract dry skin, it stands to reason that a hydrated body is conducive to hydrated skin. You should drink enough water so that your urine is a very pale yellow.
• Eat fresh vegetables: Ideally fresh, organic and locally grown. Fresh vegetable juice is also wonderful for your skin, as are carotenoids, which give red, orange, and yellow fruits their color.

Studies have shown that eating foods with these deeply colored pigments can actually make your face look healthier than being tanned. A simple way to ensure you're getting enough fresh vegetables in your diet is to juice them.

• Fermented vegetables. Many don't realize this, but the health and quality of your skin is strongly linked to the health of your gut. Fermented vegetables are ideal for promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

Signals from these gut microorganisms are sent throughout your body—they even interact with organisms in your skin. Researchers are now looking into how these interactions can help with a wide variety of skin conditions, including dryness and poor collagen production.

Normalizing your gut microflora has been shown to help against skin irritations and chronic skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. Optimizing your gut bacteria has even been shown to produce clearer, acne-free skin. If you do not regularly consume fermented foods, then high-quality probiotics are definitely recommended.

• Avoid sugars, fructose, grains, and processed foods: This is perhaps the most important step you can take to improve your overall skin health regardless of the season. If you eliminate all sugars, fructose, and grains from your diet for a few weeks, you would likely notice rapid improvement in your complexion. Processed foods, trans fats, processed table salt, and pasteurized dairy products can also have a detrimental impact on your skin.

Wash Your Hands Only When Necessary and Avoid Hot Showers

Washing your hands with plain soap and water is one of the best defenses against infectious disease (well, aside from maintaining a strong immune system). However, if you wash your hands too often, they will inevitably become dry and probably cracked, especially if it’s winter. This will then make it easier for infectious agents to enter your body, which is counterproductive.

So my advice is to wash your hands only when necessary and using only gentle non-antibacterial soaps to do so. After you wash, you can rub on some coconut oil to help counteract the dryness. In addition, hot water is extremely drying for your skin.

When you shower or bathe, make the water warm but not hot, and try not to linger. If you take long hot showers in the winter, your skin will likely pay the price. And as soon as you’re done showering, slather on some coconut oil to seal in the moisture.

Use a Humidifier to Add Moisture to Your Air

During the winter (and in dry environments), humidity levels frequently drop below 10 percent. This contributes to dry skin, a scratchy throat, and may even increase rates of respiratory infections and allergies.³ To increase humidity, you can:

• Use a vaporizer or humidifier
• Create a steam bath by taking a hot shower, or filling your sink with hot water, then placing a towel over your head as you lean over the sink
• Breathe in the steam from a hot cup of tea
• Boil water on your stove or simply place bowls of water around your home

A word of caution if you decide to use a humidifier: you must be VERY careful about making sure your humidity levels are not too high, as the high humidity will cause mold to grow, which could devastate your health. According to Dr. Robert Ivker, D.O., former President of the American Holistic Medical Association, the ideal level of relative humidity for sinus health is between 35-45 percent. This level is also generally recommended to avoid mold damage in your home. So if you choose to use a humidifier, do so sparingly, making sure humidity levels do not get too high.

A hygrometer, which you can find at most hardware stores, can measure the amount of moisture in your home's air so you can adjust your humidifier use accordingly. Some humidifiers also have a hygrometer built in. As far as using a humidifier goes, you'll also need to make sure you clean it often, at least once every three days using hydrogen peroxide to remove any film or mineral deposits. The water in the reservoir should be changed daily, and be sure the area around it (tabletops, windows, carpeting, curtains, etc.) are kept dry. If you have a central air heating system, the best humidifier is one that is built directly over your furnace and tied into a humidistat and water source so the entire process is automated and your home is evenly humidified.

A Simple Strategy to Get Rid of Dry Flakes

Once you've addressed the suggestions above, the following routine can help you to remove excess flakes to reveal the glowing skin underneath:

1. Use a dry body brush to get rid of flakes (do this for a few minutes on your dry skin, before getting wet)
2. Avoid using soap or use the least amount possible, especially in winter or in dry climates, as this may promote and aggravate dry skin
3. Instead, apply a natural body scrub to exfoliate your skin (also apply this to your skin before getting wet, and choose one that also contains oil to moisturize)
4. After your shower, apply a heavy natural body butter or natural moisturizing oil (not mineral oil or baby oil) to help seal in moisture; coconut oil works well for this purpose
5. Protect your skin as much as possible; wear gloves when you go outdoors in cold weather and wrap a scarf around your face, for instance

Five of the Healthiest and Most Affordable Foods Available

By Dr. Mercola

Processed foods may be convenient, but they will not necessarily save you money—especially not if you count the cost of added healthcare expenses down the road when poor diet starts catching up with you.

In terms of long-term disease-prevention, cooking from scratch using fresh unprocessed ingredients is perhaps your best guarantee.  

Recent research^{1, 2} on healthy eating suggests that home cooking tends to result in reduced calorie consumption. People who ate the most home-cooked meals wound up consuming about 130 fewer calories daily, on average.

The authors also noted that: “If a person—or someone in their household—cooks dinner frequently, regardless of whether or not they are trying to lose weight, diet quality improves.”

Contrary to popular belief, healthy unadulterated foods also do not necessarily have to cost you a lot more than processed fare. There are in fact many examples of exceptionally affordable health foods. Following are five examples that are frequently overlooked.

#1: Homemade Bone Broth

Homemade bone broth is a true staple that can go a long way toward improving your diet and health. It’s excellent for speeding healing and recuperation from illness, and it contains many valuable vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that support your immune function.

These includes calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, trace minerals, and compounds like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, which are sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain. Other health benefits of good-old-fashioned bone broth include:

Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion	Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses, etc.: A study published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection
Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage	Fights inflammation: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis (whole-body inflammation). Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better
Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation	Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth

Making your own bone broth is extremely cost effective, as you can make use of leftover carcass bones that would otherwise be thrown away. And while the thought of making your own broth may seem intimidating at first, it's actually quite easy. For instructions and a sample bone broth recipe, please see this previous article.

#2: Homegrown Vegetables and Sprouts

Growing your own food is a great way to lower your food costs, improve your health, and help build a more sustainable food system. Homegrown vegetables are fresher, taste better, and are oftentimes more nutritious than store-bought food that has traveled thousands of miles—and you certainly cannot beat the price!

Whole, organically grown plants are a rich source of natural medicine. Even our DNA contains much of the same material found in the plant world, which gives new meaning to the idea of healing plants.

Even if you only have access to a patio, you can still grow some of your own veggies using containers. Tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, lettuce, and peppers are examples of plants that thrive in containers. You can also use hanging baskets to utilize your lateral space.

To learn more, please see my previous article on creating edible gardens in small spaces. I’ve also written about how you can garden during the winter. This clearly requires a bit more dedication and planning, but it can be done if you have the will.

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to garden or prefer not to, then you can still access healthy vegetables grown locally by supporting local farmer's markets.

One of the easiest plants to grow at home, even if you’re new to gardening and have limited space is sprouts. It’s also an excellent choice during winter months, when outdoor gardening is limited or ruled out.

A concentrated source of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals, sprouted seeds are a true superfood that many overlook. In fact, the protein, vitamin, and mineral content of many sprouted seeds far surpass that of organic homegrown vegetables!

An added boon is that they grow really quickly. You can have homegrown sprouts ready to harvest in a matter of days, which you can then add to salads, soups, or fresh vegetable juice.

Some of my favorites include watercress, broccoli, and sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds can provide you with 30 times the nutrient content of organic vegetables, and sprouts in general also contain up to 100 times more enzymes than raw fruits and vegetables. These enzymes are important as they allow your body to absorb and use the nutrients of other foods you eat as well.

Broccoli sprouts, specifically, have been shown to help detoxify a number of environmental pollutants, including carcinogens like benzene and acroleine. They’re also an excellent alternative if you don't like the taste or smell of broccoli, which has well-established anti-cancer properties.

Studies suggest that watercress may have cancer-suppressing activity resembling that of broccoli sprouts, and its overall nutritional profile surpasses most other sprouted seeds, including sunflower seeds.

I started sprouting seeds in Ball jars about 20 years ago. Now I grow them in them in trays using soil instead, as it’s far easier and produces more nutritious and abundant food. For directions, see my previous article, “How to Grow Your Own Food in Small Spaces.”

#3: Fermented Vegetables

Once you’re growing your own vegetables, fermenting them will allow you to eliminate waste and provide you with healthy food during the non-growing season. Fermented vegetables are teeming with essential enzymes and beneficial bacteria needed for optimal gut health and digestion, and they are easier to digest than raw or cooked vegetables.

When your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is not working well, a wide range of health problems can appear, including allergies and autoimmune diseases. If fermented with a special starter culture, they can also provide high levels of vitamin K2.

If you suffer from any major illness, it is important to “heal and seal" your gut in order to fully recuperate. Fermented foods are a cornerstone for maintaining a healthy gut.

Just one quarter to one half cup of fermented food, eaten with one to three meals per day, can have a dramatically beneficial impact on your health. Fermented vegetables and other cultured foods also offer a multitude of medicinal rewards by:

• Strengthening immunity with increased antibodies that fight off infectious disease
• Helping pregnant and nursing mothers transfer beneficial bacteria to their infants
• Beneficially impacting the behavior of children with autism, ADD, and ADHD
• Regulating weight and appetite by reducing cravings for sugar, soft drinks, bread, and pasta -- all foods I strongly advise against
• Helping your body detoxify a variety of environmental toxins, including pesticides and heavy metals

Ideally, you'll want to include a variety of cultured and fermented foods in your diet, as each provides different beneficial bacteria. Besides fermented vegetables, other cultured foods include kefir and yogurt, ideally made from raw organic milk. To make it yourself, all you need is one-half packet of kefir starter granules in a quart of raw milk, which you leave at room temperature overnight. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days. To learn more about fermenting your own foods, listen to the following interview with Caroline Barringer.

Download Interview Transcript

#4: Canned Wild Alaskan Salmon

So far, we’ve talked mainly about home-grown foods. Avoiding processed and pre-packaged foods is key for optimal health, but there are a few exceptions. One canned food I do recommend is canned wild-caught Alaskan salmon. It’s inexpensive, selling for around a dollar or two in many places, and, in my view, the high amounts of healthy fats and lower contamination levels found in wild-caught salmon outweighs the risks of it being sold in a can. Some brands also offer BPA-free cans, which is well worth looking for. Rising pollution levels have contaminated most fish to the point of being potentially hazardous, especially for children and pregnant women, if eaten too frequently, or in too high amounts.

The key to eating fish these days is to choose fish that are high in healthy omega-3 fats, and low in hazardous contaminants. Wild-caught Alaskan salmon (NOT farmed salmon such as Atlantic salmon) fits this description, and is one of the few types of fish I still recommend eating. Fresh or frozen Alaskan salmon tend to be pricier, so canned salmon can be a thrifty alternative. Just make sure it's labeled "Alaskan Salmon," as it is not allowed to be farmed. Sockeye salmon is another healthy option that cannot be farmed. Sockeye salmon has the added advantage of having one of the highest concentrations of astaxanthin of any food. Other canned fish that are in the safer category (having lower contamination risk and higher nutritional value) are sardines, anchovies, and pickled herring—all of which also contain higher amounts of healthy fats such as omega-3.

#5: Organic, Free-Range or Pastured Eggs

Organically raised fee-range or "pastured" eggs are another excellent source of high-quality nutrients, especially high-quality protein and fat. Proteins are essential to the building, maintenance, and repair of your body tissues. Proteins are also major components of your immune system and hormones. While found in many types of food, only foods from animal sources, such as meat and eggs, contain "complete proteins," meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, choline for your brain, nervous and cardiovascular systems, and naturally occurring B12.

The key to healthy eggs is making sure they come from chickens that have been allowed to range free on pasture. The nutritional differences between true free-ranging chicken eggs and commercially farmed eggs are a result of the different diets eaten by the two groups of chickens. You can tell the eggs are free range or pastured by the color of the egg yolk. Foraged hens produce eggs with bright orange yolks. Dull, pale yellow yolks are a sure sign you're getting eggs from caged hens that are not allowed to forage for their natural diet.

Your best source for fresh eggs is a local farmer that allows his hens to forage freely outdoors. The following organizations can also help you locate not only farm-fresh eggs but also other organic and locally produced foods, including many of those discussed above.

• Local Harvest -- This Web site will help you find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce and grass-fed meats.
• Eat Wild: With more than 1,400 pasture-based farms, Eatwild's Directory of Farms is one of the most comprehensive sources for pastured foods in the United States and Canada.
• Farmers' Markets -- A national listing of farmers' markets.
• Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals -- The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
• FoodRoutes -- The FoodRoutes "Find Good Food" map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSAs, and markets near you.

Use Your Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey for Roast Turkey Vegetable Soup

By Dr. Mercola

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, which means today you may have a refrigerator that’s overflowing with leftovers. Ironically, the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year – a time centered on gratitude and giving – is actually one of the most wasteful times of year.

Household waste, including trash from packages and wrapping paper along with food waste, increases by more than 25 percent during the holidays, adding an additional 1 million tons a week to US landfills.¹

As for turkey, Americans buy about 581 million pounds for Thanksgiving, and throw away 200 million of them – that’s more than one-third of it, wasted. According to the National Resources Defense Council:²

“Along with trashing uneaten turkeys… [Americans will] be wasting the resources necessary for its production…

…meaning 105 billion gallons of water (enough to supply New York City for over 100 days) and greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 800,000 car trips from New York to San Francisco. That’s enough turkey to provide each American household that is food insecure with more than 11 additional servings.”

If you’ve got turkey leftover, don’t throw it in the trash. Repurpose it into another meal. Even the bones and carcass can be used to make an incredibly delicious and healthy roast turkey vegetable soup.

Roast Turkey Vegetable Soup

This recipe for Roast Turkey Vegetable Soup, from Earthbound Farm Organic,³ is perfect after Thanksgiving, but you can make it year-round (and substitute organic pastured chicken, if you like).

It makes use of your leftover turkey meat and, even better, the bones and carcass. The latter, which many people throw away as “waste,” are actually what make this soup so good for you – it creates nourishing bone broth.

Roast Turkey Vegetable Soup4 Ingredients 1 organic turkey carcass (with most meat removed) 2 yellow onions (cut into 8 pieces each) 2 large carrots (cut into 1-inch lengths) 2 stalks celery (cut into 1-inch lengths) 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs fresh thyme 12 fresh parsley stems 1 tsp whole black peppercorns 1 large carrot (cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices) 2 stalks celery (sliced 1/4 inch thick) 1 small fennel bulb (cored, cut in half, and sliced 1/4 inch thick) 1 leek (cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices) 1 cup green beans (cut into 1-inch lengths) 2 small zucchini (cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices) 3 cups cubed cooked turkey meat (optional) Salt (to taste) Freshly ground pepper (to taste) Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the turkey carcass and bones in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes, then add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan. Cook until the vegetables and bones begin to brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer the contents of the roasting pan to a large stock pot. Add cold water to completely cover the bones and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, parsley, and peppercorns; reduce the heat to a setting that will maintain a slow simmer. Cook the stock for 4 hours, adding more water if the level drops below the bones and vegetables. Let cool for 30 minutes, then strain the stock through a colander or sieve, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the contents of the colander. At this point, you can continue with the soup recipe, or cool the stock and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 5 days, or freeze it. Return the stock to a large Dutch oven or 4-quart pot. Add the carrots and cook the soup over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the celery, fennel, and leeks, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green beans and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cubed turkey and the zucchini. Continue cooking until the zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Bone Broth Is Healing to Your Gut

Bone broth is a staple of the GAPS Diet, which is based on the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) principles developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. It is an excellent food to improve your gut, bone, and joint health.

The GAPS diet is often used to treat children with autism and other disorders rooted in gut dysfunction, but just about anyone with allergies or less than optimal gut health can benefit from it, as it is designed to heal leaky gut.

If your gut is leaky or permeable, partially undigested proteins have the opportunity to pass through your intestine and access your bloodstream and contribute to allergic reactions. This is known as leaky gut syndrome, or LGS.

When your intestinal lining is repeatedly damaged due to reoccurring leaky gut syndrome, damaged cells called microvilli become unable to do their job properly. They become unable to process and utilize the nutrients and enzymes that are vital to proper digestion.

Eventually, digestion is impaired and absorption of nutrients is negatively affected. As more exposure occurs, your body initiates an attack on these foreign invaders. It responds with inflammation, allergic reactions, and other symptoms we relate to a variety of diseases.

The primary food that you focus on eating if you start out on the GAPS diet is bone broth, because not only is it very easily digested, it also contains profound immune-optimizing components. This is why, even if you don’t have gut issues, bone broth is still a wonderful staple food to include in your diet.

6 Top Benefits of Bone Broth

There are many reasons for incorporating good-old-fashioned bone broth into your diet. The following health benefits attest to its status as "good medicine."

Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion	Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses, etc.: A study published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection5
Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage	Fights inflammation: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis6 (whole-body inflammation). Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better
Promotes strong, healthy bones: Bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation	Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth

You Can Make Bone Broth from Beef, Pork, or Fish, Too

If you’re not a fan of turkey, don’t worry. You can also make bone broth using whole organic chicken, whole fish (including the head) or fish bones, beef marrow bones, or pork. Each will render a different flavor, with chicken being the mildest. Perhaps the most important caveat when making broth, whether you're using turkey, chicken, or beef, is to make sure the bones are from organically raised, pastured or grass-fed animals. As noted by Sally Fallon, chickens raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) tend to produce stock that doesn't gel, and this gelatin has long been valued for its therapeutic properties.⁷ As noted by Hilary Boynton, co-author of The Heal Your Gut Cookbook: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Intestinal Health Using the GAPS Diet:

"You definitely want to get the best bones you can get—bones from pastured animals. If you can't find a farmer in your area, reach out to your local Weston A. Price chapter leader... There are also resources to get homemade bone broth if you can't make it yourself. ...If you can only get CAFO bones, I guess you go with that. You can still get some healing benefits. But it would be better to go with bones from pastured animals."

If you’re wondering when you’ll have time to simmer bone broth for hours on the stove, try preparing homemade bone broth by using a slow cooker or crockpot. A slow cooker is actually an excellent way to go, as it is safer than leaving a burner on for extended periods. To use a slow cooker, you will need to first bring the broth to a boil in a pot on your stove (since a slow cooker won’t boil), then skim the scum off the top. Pay careful attention to this stage, as once the broth begins to boil the scum is rolled right back into the broth. The scum are the impurities that you want to remove. You can then transfer the broth to your slow cooker and turn it on to low heat for 24 to 72 hours.

What Else Can You Do to Reduce Food Waste During the Holidays?

You’ve now got a way to use up all that leftover turkey, including the bones and carcass. But what about your other leftovers? First, reduce the amount of excess at future holiday meals by cooking only as much as you need. There are many free calculators online to help you make an accurate estimate. One to try is the Perfect Portion Tool from Love Food Hate Waste.⁸ While shopping, look for locally produced foods, which are fresher and keep longer, as well as have a smaller ecological footprint.

You can also make a point to buy the “ugly ducklings” in the produce section, which makes use of food that might otherwise be thrown away. When you store your food, such as produce, create a "vacuum pack" to help protect it from oxygen and airborne microbes that will accelerate its decay. Leave the produce in the bag it came in from the grocery store, place it against your chest, and use your arm to squeeze the excess air out of the bag. Then seal it with a twist tie (or use an automatic vacuum sealer like the FoodSaver).

Next, turn your food scraps into valuable fertilizer by composting. This benefits soil, plants, and the greater environment, while keeping more food waste out of landfills. Finally, donate excess food and garden produce to food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, shelters—and your friends and neighbors. If you’re adventurous, there are even apps available, such as LeftoverSwap, that allow you to swap leftovers with others in your community.