Custom Health NYC

Drug Company Pleads Guilty to Health Fraud

2010-04-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Life Extension Magazine (www.lef.org)

By William Faloon

In an unprecedented development, a pharmaceutical giant has pled guilty to a felony with the intent to defraud, and its parent has agreed to pay a record $2.3 billion to reimburse Medicare, Medicaid, and other agencies for drugs that were marketed in violation of various federal laws.1

For those who labor under the misconception that pharmaceutical companies serve benevolent purposes, the multiple criminal counts you are about to read will eradicate this fallacy.

Lethal Drug Illegally Promoted at Higher than Allowed Doses

Most of you are familiar with the Vioxx® scandal, where pharmaceutical giant Merck has spent billions of dollars defending and settling lawsuits showing that the deadly dangers of this drug were known long before it was withdrawn.

A lesser-known arthritis drug in this category called Bextra® was also withdrawn because of increased risks of heart attacks and strokes, as well as deaths, in patients prescribed it.2-4

In a startling admission, a subsidiary of pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has pled guilty to a criminal charge that it fraudulently sold Bextra® not to treat arthritis, but to be used in higher doses to relieve acute and surgical pain.5

Even at the usual dose, Bextra® inflicted fatal side effects. In a 2004 analysis presented at the American Heart Association, Bextra® was shown to more than double the risk of heart attack or stroke. The lead author of this study commented that “This is a time bomb waiting to go off.”6

The record financial payout by Pfizer is not because Bextra® injured or killed arthritis patients. It is to settle government claims that Pfizer illegally promoted the sale of Bextra® for uses and dosages that the FDA specifically declined to approve due to safety concerns. Of the total settlement, $1.195 billion represents a fine for the fraudulent marketing of Bextra®—the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter.

Cash Kickbacks Paid to Doctors to Prescribe Drugs

Part of the $2.3 billion settlement involves allegations that Pfizer paid doctors kickbacks to induce them to prescribe the following drugs:

Drug	Indication
Aricept®	Alzheimer’s
Celebrex®	Arthritis
Lipitor®	High Cholesterol and LDL
Norvasc®	Hypertension
Relpax®	Migraine
Viagra®	Impotence
Zithromax®	Antibiotic
Zoloft®	Depression
Zyrtec®	Allergy

The government’s complaint describes how Pfizer compensated doctors to prescribe these drugs in some instances by providing cash payments or so-called “gifts” such as travel, entertainment, and meals. Illegal remuneration was also allegedly paid to doctors in the form of speaker fees, mentorships, preceptorships, and journal clubs.

When one reviews the diverse list of drugs that Pfizer is claimed to have paid doctors to prescribe, it is no wonder they grew to become the largest pharmaceutical company in the world.

Physicians Paid to Illegally Prescribe Drugs

It’s one thing to break the law by paying doctors to prescribe drugs that at least have some degree of documented efficacy, but Pfizer went further than this.

The government’s complaint describes how Pfizer created new uses for its patented drugs and then engaged in all kinds of devious schemes to illegally promote these “new uses” to physicians. For instance, Pfizer claimed their drug Lyrica® was superior to lower-cost generic medications to treat neuropathic and surgical pain, and then illegally compensated doctors to prescribe Lyrica® for these indications.15

Geodon® is a drug approved to treat schizophrenia or acute bipolar mania, but the government outlined in its complaint that Pfizer was inappropriately and illegally promoting it for use in children and adults to treat autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and depression. The government contended that Pfizer illegally promoted Geodon® at dosages that were off-label and “offered and paid illegal remuneration to health care professionals to induce them to promote and prescribe Geodon in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.”16

Zyvox® is an antibiotic Pfizer makes to treat deadly antibiotic-resistant MRSA staph infections. The settlement agreement outlined various alleged misconduct relating to the illegal marketing of this drug, including how Pfizer falsely advertised that Zyvox® was superior to generic vancomycin and then illegally paid doctors to prescribe it.17

Pfizer Gets By with a Slap on the Wrist

In the settlement agreement, Pfizer only has to agree to admit to the Bextra® criminal charge. In exchange for paying a total of $2.3 billion, Pfizer is allowed to claim a denial of the government’s other allegations.

To give you an idea what a drop in the bucket this payout is to Pfizer, when a one-time tax break was given to corporations that repatriated offshore profits, Pfizer brought back $37 billion of cash stashed away from its foreign operations.18 Pfizer did this because the tax rate was only 5.25% that year. Considering how much more they made in their largest market (the United States), writing a $2.3 billion check to settle these massive fraud claims is pocket change to a company the size of Pfizer.

This is not the first time Pfizer was caught committing these illegal acts. Prosecutors noted that this was Pfizer’s fourth such settlement since 2002.1 In fact, according to the US Attorney, while Pfizer was negotiating deals over past misconduct, they were continuing to violate the same laws with other drugs.19

Contrast Pfizer’s “slap-on-the-wrist” fine to what the FDA does to those who practice alternative medicine. Under far less egregious circumstances, the government seizes everything owned by alternative practitioners and often subjects them to harsh jail sentences.

Drug Companies Pay Ghostwriters

According to a study released by editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association, drug companies pay doctors with prestigious university affiliations to put their name on so-called “scientific papers” that are written by ghostwriters.20

These pharmaceutical company-financed articles, carefully calibrated to sell expensive prescription drugs, slip by the peer-review process and make it into the top medical journals. Not only do these articles influence physician prescribing practices, but the media often picks up on them and runs favorable news articles about these deceptively promoted drugs.

As Life Extension reported last year, drug company Wyeth faces 8,400 lawsuits from women who claim Premarin® or PremPro® caused them to become ill. Court documents from these cases reveal that Wyeth paid ghostwriters to produce 26 “scientific” papers supporting the use of their dangerous female hormone drugs.21

The Wyeth-funded articles extolled purported benefits of these unnatural hormone drugs while downplaying their lethal risks. Nowhere in these articles was Wyeth’s role in initiating and paying for them disclosed.

Court documents show how Wyeth contracted with private companies to outline articles, draft them, and then solicit top physicians to sign their names, even though many of the doctors contributed little or no writing to them. These tainted articles were published in medical journals between 1998 and 2005, and helped generate billions of dollars of sales for Wyeth.21

If you wonder how pharmaceutical companies have been able to defraud the American public for so many decades, look no further than the incestuous relationship they maintain with the FDA. By providing the pharmaceutical industry a virtual monopoly over drug sales in the United States, as the FDA does, consumers have only limited options when they contract a serious illness.

Those who offer alternatives to FDA-approved drugs often find themselves under criminal or civil investigation by any number of federal agencies, thus impeding or outright blocking their ability to compete against pharmaceutical behemoths.

Not all prescription drugs are fraudulently sold. In fact, some medications confer longevity benefits. The problem is that pharmaceutical companies exert so much control over the FDA that consumers cannot rely on this agency to protect them against dangerous and ineffective drugs.

Marinated Mushrooms

2010-04-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Directions

1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed

1⁄2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1⁄2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are just soft, 6–8 minutes.

2. Transfer mushrooms to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Mushrooms will keep in refrigerator for 1 week. Serve chilled, warm, or at room temperature.  

MAKES 2 1⁄2 CUPS

Sweet Potato Falafels

2010-03-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

***These falafels are crisp on the outside and soft and velvety on the inside***

Ingredients:

2 Large sweet potatoes (orange flesh)
1.5 cups chick pea flour (aka garbonzo flour)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 large cloves of garlic minced
1.5 teaspoon cumin powder
1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Canola oil for frying
salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Roast sweet potatoes in 425 degree oven until the flesh is soft (45 minutes to 1 hour). Let potatoes cool. Peel the potatoes and mash until smooth.
2) Add cumin powder, coriander, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper (to taste), minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and olive oil to the mashed sweet potatoes. Combine well.
3) Add 1 cup of chickpea flour to the sweet potato mixture and mix well. At the point, the mixture should be light , fluffy, and moist.
4) Shape the mixture into balls or patties. The shapes will not be perfect since the mixture is moist. Coat the balls or patties with remaining chickpea flour.
5) Fry the patties in canola oil until golden brown.

Ground Turkey Gravy with Peas

2010-03-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1lb ground turkey
6 oz frozen or fresh peas
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 all purpose flour or gluten free flour (e.g Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour available at health food store)
2 cups water
2T olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 raw eggs (optional)

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.
2) Add chopped onion and minced garlic, cook until onions are starting to soften.
3) Add ground turkey, break up in pan, and cook until well browned. Add salt and pepper.
4) Add 1/4 cup of flour and quickly stir until the turkey mixture is coated with flour.
5) Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and scrap the brown bits that form at the bottom of the pan. This water will be absorbed by the turkey mixture and will also evaporate. Add the remaining 1.5 cups of water and the peas, stir well. Cook until peas are tender (3-5 minutes). Check the consistency of the mixture. If the mixture is too dry, add more water until the sauce resembles texture of gravy.
6) Salt and pepper if needed.

I like to serve this turkey gravy over hot rice. To add extra richness and silkiness, crack a raw egg over each serving of piping hot turkey gravy. Stir to combine.

2010-03-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Lentil Pilaf with Toasted Almonds
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1 lb. mushrooms (any variety is fine, I like baby portobellas)
1/2 cup black or green lentils (washed)
1.5 cups basmati rice (washed and drained)
4 big cloves of garlic (minced)
1 medium yellow onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup toasted Almond slivers
5 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper
A cooking pan at least 3 inches deep (I like cast iron)
A handful of chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
1) Place washed lentils in 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and then simmer until al dente. Drain.
2) Heat up 3 T of olive oil over medium high heat and add minced garlic and sliced onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
3) Add washed and drained basmati rice and fry the rice for 5 minutes.
4) Add the lentils into the rice mixture. Add 2 t of salt and add pepper to taste.
5) Pour 3 additional cups of water and bring to boil. Turn down heat to simmer. Cover tightly with a lid. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes
6) While the rice is cooking, heat up 2 T of olive oil in another pan over medium high heat. Cook the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of salt until mushrooms render fluid and until desired doneness.
7) Pour cooked mushrooms over rice. Top with sliver almonds and optional cilantro. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
8) Serve as a side dish or as a wholesome vegetarian/vegan entree.

5 Simple Steps to Help Prevent Cancer

2010-03-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

5 Simple Steps to Help Prevent Cancer

Gigi Chow N.D.

1 1) Eat Your Colors

Colorful fruits and vegetables are your friends when it comes to cancer prevention. The brilliant colors of foods such as pomegranates, blueberries, carrots, and broccoli indicate the foods are loaded with antioxidants.

First of all, what are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are molecules that can safely interact with free radicals and stop the free radicals from damaging vital molecules in the body such as the DNA. Free radicals, also known as oxidants, disrupt the stability of the cell membranes and if not counteracted by antioxidants, will ultimately damage the inner contents of the cells such as the DNA. A cell that has accumulated a large amount of DNA damage may lead to unregulated cell division, which can lead to the formation of cancer.

When it comes to choosing the types of fruits and vegetables, the general rule is that the brighter the color, the higher the antioxidants. Kale therefore is a better option than iceberg lettuce and sweet potato is better than a white potato. Don’t forget that beans also come in many wonderful colors, red kidney beans and black bean are all great sources of antioxidants.

2) Drink Green Tea

Tea drinking is an ancient tradition dating back 5,000 years in China and India. Long regarded in those cultures as an aid to good health, researchers are studying tea for possible use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cancers.

The cancer-preventive effects of green tea and its main constituent EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) are widely supported by results from epidemiological, cell culture, animal and clinical studies (1). Green tea’s EGCG has been shown to prevent damage to the DNA because it is an excellent antioxidant. In addition, green tea has been show to inhibit tumor growth and keep tumor suppressor genes (a stretch of DNA responsible for preventing cancer) active (2).

Try adding two 12oz cups of green tea to your diet to reap green tea’s anti-cancer benefits. Aside from protecting you from cancer, green tea has many other wonderful benefits such as lowering blood pressure and relieving stress as well.

3) The Power of Mushrooms

A vital and healthy immune system is critical for cancer prevention. Immune cells such as the natural killer cells have an important job of recognizing cancer cells and killing them before the cancer cells can proliferate. Mushrooms comprise a vast number of compounds called polysaccharides with anti-tumor and immune-stimulating properties.

The number of mushrooms on Earth is estimated at 140,000, yet maybe only 10% (approximately 14,000 named species) are known (3). Several mushrooms have been shown to exhibit immune boosting and anti-cancer properties:

(i) Maitake mushroom (specifically a maitake mushroom extract known as MD-fraction) has shown strong anti-cancer activity by increasing immune-competent cell activity (4). In a study (4), a combination of MD-fraction and whole maitake powder was investigated to determine its effectiveness for 22- to 57-year-old cancer patients in stages II-IV. Cancer regression or significant symptom improvement was observed in 58.3 percent of liver cancer patients, 68.8 percent of breast cancer patients, and 62.5 percent of lung cancer patients.. Furthermore, when maitake was taken in addition to chemotherapy, immune-competent cell activities were enhanced 1.2-1.4 times, compared with chemotherapy alone.

(ii) Coriolus versicolor or turkey tail mushroom, is a medicinal mushroom widely prescribed for the prophylaxis and treatment of cancer and infection in China. In recent years, it has been extensively demonstrated clinically that aqueous extracts obtained from Coriolus versicolor display a wide array of biological activities, including stimulatory effects on different immune cells and inhibition of cancer growth (5).

The anti-cancer benefits from mushrooms are likely not derived from eating common types of mushrooms found in the grocery store such as button mushrooms or portabellas. However, the immune-boosting and tumor-fighting powers of medicinal mushrooms such as maitake and Coriolus versicolor make them worthy candidates for consideration along with your daily multivitamin.

4) Shed Excess Fat

Cancers such as breast, uterus, along with gynecological tumors such as uterine fibroids, cysts, and endometriosis are linked to high amount of estrogens in the body. These cancers and tumors are unfortunately on the rise. One sure way of keeping the amount of estrogens in check is to consume a diet lower in dietary fats.

Fatty foods affect the body in many ways and have a strong influence on hormonal activity in the body (6). First, high-fat diets increase the amount of estrogens, the female sex hormones, in the blood. It is known that many breast tumors are "fueled" by estrogens. Estrogens are normal and essential hormones for both women and men, but the more estrogen there is, the greater the driving force behind some kinds of breast cancer. On high-fat diets, estrogen levels increase.

To make matters worse, the excessive adipose tissues that accumulate around our thighs and midsection also serve as endogenous secretors of estrogen. Therefore, it is not only essential we avoid a high fat diet, but we should also lose excessive fats especially around our abdominal areas since excessive abdominal fat is correlated with increased cardiovascular risks.

Of course, not all fats are the same. Fats that are known to have anti-inflammatory effects such as olive, fish, and flaxseed oils should be consumed in a greater amount than oils that are inflammatory like corn, butter, and other high-fat dairy sources. As a general rule, keep daily fat intake under 30 percent of your overall diet.

5) Minimize the Consumption of Foods Cooked in High Temperatures

Almost everyone loves fried and baked foods. But now these two cooking methods have health agencies worldwide concerned. A Swedish report found that when starchy foods (like flour and potatoes) when baked or fried at high temperatures produce the carcinogenic (i.e. cancer causing) chemical acrylamide (7). Prolonged exposure to acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and may do the same in humans.

The generation of carcinogens from frying is not limited to only starchy foods. During the process of frying protein-rich foods, such as meat and fish, various kinds of mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HA) are produced, particularly when cooking temperature is very high (8). Heterocyclic amines have been shown to cause malignant tumors in the colon and breast of mice and rats, and are possible or probable carcinogens for humans (8).

Foods that are broiled and barbecued may also be bad for health. These methods use high temperature to cook foods resulting in the formation of oxidants (much like acrylamides and heterocyclic amines), which is what the charred black layer is on top of many barbecued and broiled foods. As mentioned before, oxidants or free radicals disrupt the stability of cell membranes and DNA; accumulated damage to the DNA is a precursor to cancer.

To minimize the number of carcinogens released from cooking, limit temperature of cooking to 375 degrees and below. When consuming fried, broiled, barbecued, or baked foods that are cooked in high temperature, make sure you consume plenty of antioxidant fruits and vegetables to neutralize the oxidants released from high temperature cooking.

Green Tea and 2010

2010-03-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Green Tea and Your New Year Resolutions

By Gigi Chow N.D.

That time of the year is coming again. It’s time to think about some resolutions to ring in 2010! Green tea may help you stick to and follow through the changes that you want to make for the coming New Year.

WeightLoss

Over 67 percent of adult Americans, that is approximately 2 out of every 3 Americans, is considered overweight or obese according to the CDC (1), so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. How will green tea help you achieve your weight loss goals?

Reports (2) have shown that green tea extract intake is associated with increased weight loss. Thanks to the ever famous antioxidant associated with green tea, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) along with caffeine, green tea can increase thermogenesis or the rate at which calories are burned, and therefore boosts metabolism. Raising metabolism causes the body to burn more calories, which in turn can lead to weight loss.

In addition, research (3) indicates that green tea consumption activates a higher rate of fat oxidation, or the rate at which fat is burned. In a human study, participants taking green tea extract experienced a significant increase in their energy expenditure compared to pure caffeine, ephedrine, and capsacin (a compound found in cayenne peppers). The researchers concluded that participants using green tea extract had increased fat oxidation beyond what could be attributed to the caffeine they consumed from the green tea. This indicates that green tea contains beneficial components that affect the body's metabolism in such a way that favors weight loss.

Green tea also shows promise in appetite suppression. Scientists at the University of Chicago's Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research have found that a major chemical component of green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight (4). Rats injected with EGCG derived from green tea leaves lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections.

While many over-the-counter diet aids are stimulants and therefore raise heart rate and blood pressure, participants using green tea extract did not have increased heart rate, suggesting that green tea may be an alternative to many stimulant based diet aids.

Greater Heart Health

Too much fat in the blood is definitely bad for the heart. This is because the when excessive levels of fat accumulate in the blood vessels and become oxidized (oxidation is a normal cellular process), the oxidation of fat long term may cause damage to the vessels. Damage to the vessels lead to inflammation and may lead to the deposition of additional fats to the site of damage. Over time, this process leads to decrease circulation to the heart, elevated high blood pressure and heart rate, and eventually a heart attack. Green tea extract has been shown to lower cholesterol and thus may play a beneficial role in heart disease prevention.

A study done on August 2009 (5) investigated the effects of green tea extract and individuals with high blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides). The study included 33 subjects aged between 21 and 71 years who had a low-fat diet (25-35% of total calories and 200 mg of cholesterol per day). They were randomized for two sequential treatments: 250-mg capsules of green tea dry extract or placebo for a total period of 16 weeks; each patient received green tea (Camellia sinensis) for eight weeks and placebo for another eight weeks.

The results at the end of the 16 weeks revealed that in the eight weeks that participants received green tea extract, there was a significant reduction of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels

Green tea extract may also help lower blood pressure and inflammation. Inflammation is a process that is not only involved in heart disease but many chronic degenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study on 111 healthy adult volunteers 21-70 y old was performed (6). Green tea extract was effective for decreasing, in as quickly as 3 weeks, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and a marker of chronic inflammation, all independent cardiovascular risk factors.

Green tea extract therefore shows considerable promise in prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Stress Reduction

Is stress getting the best of you? If your goal is managing your stress better, green tea can help.

According to a very recent study (7), the study involved over 40,000 Japanese individuals and found an inverse relationship between psychological stress and green tea consumption. In other words, the more green tea consumed, the less the psychological stress.

L-Theanine is an amino acid contained in green tea leaves and is responsible for green tea’s relaxation effect. The calming effect of green tea may appear contradictory since you may think that the caffeine in green tea would stimulate. However, the action of L-Theanine actually acts antagonistically against the stimulatory effects of caffeine on the nervous system (8). First, L-Theanine directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Alpha is present in wakefulness where there is a relaxed and effortless alertness (9). Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect (10).

Stress and anxiety are debilitating conditions that can lead to a loss of our well-being, performance, and even lifespan. Stress also impairs the immune system, leaving us vulnerable to infections, and can cause depression. Stress and depression are intimately connected and they increasingly take a toll on the health of the people around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that within 20 years more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem; it ranks depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, with around 120 million people affected.

Stress is undoubtedly and unfortunately a part of daily living. Consumption of 50 mg of L-theanine (equivalent to two-three cups of tea) stimulates the alpha-brain waves associated with relaxation. L-Theanine is also available as a dietary supplement. The simple addition of green tea or L-Theanine supplementation may help lessen the physical and psychological effects of acute and chronic stress.

Side Effects

Tea is the most consumed beverage worldwide after water, and has been consumed for thousands of years by billions of people. Green tea consumption is therefore generally safe. However, individuals with certain conditions should check with their doctors before consuming high quantities of green tea.

Green tea, although it has the counterbalancing effect from L-Theanine, contains caffeine. Individuals sensitive to caffeine should keep all caffeine containing foods and beverages to a minimum.

The safety of tea extracts or supplements for pregnant or breastfeeding women has not been established. Some organizations advise pregnant women to limit their caffeine consumption to 300 mg/day, because higher caffeine intakes have been associated with increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight in some epidemiological studies.

A number of drugs can impair the metabolism of caffeine, increasing the potential for adverse effects from caffeine (11). Such drugs include cimetidine (Tagamet), disulfiram (Antabuse), estrogens, fluoroquinolone antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, norfloxacin), fluconazole (Diflucan), fluvoxamine (Luvox), mexiletine (Mexitil), riluzol (Rilutek), terbinafine (Lamisil), and verapamil (Calan). High caffeine intakes may increase the risk of toxicity of some drugs, including albuterol (Alupent), clozapine (Clozaril), ephedrine, epinephrine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, phenylpropanolamine, and theophylline. Abrupt caffeine withdrawal has been found to increase serum lithium levels in people taking lithium, potentially increasing the risk of lithium toxicity. It is therefore recommended to take green tea away from all medications.

Excessive green tea consumption may decrease the therapeutic effects of the anticoagulant, warfarin or Coumadin (11). Such an effect was documented in one patient who began drinking one-half gallon to one gallon of green tea daily. It is probably not necessary for people on warfarin therapy to avoid green tea entirely; however, large quantities of green tea may decrease its effectiveness.

Flavonoids in tea can bind non-heme iron, inhibiting its intestinal absorption (11). Non-heme iron is the principal form of iron in plant foods, dairy products, and iron supplements. The consumption of one cup of tea with a meal has been found to decrease the absorption of non-heme iron in that meal by about 70%. To maximize iron absorption from a meal or iron supplements, tea should not be consumed at the same time.

Summary

If your New Year goals involve losing weight, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and managing stress and calming anxiety, green tea will definitely give you a helping hand in achieving your resolutions. Have a happy and healthy 2010!

Millet with Almonds, Sweet Potatoes, and Cranberries

2009-12-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

Millet with Almonds, Sweet Potatoes, and Cranberries

3/4 cup(s) uncooked millet

2 cup(s) water

2 tsp salt, divided

Ground black pepper and salt to taste

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 pound sweet potatoes, fresh, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (peeled or unpeeled is entirely up to you)

1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

1) Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil and with 1 tsp salt. Roast the sweet potatoes in a 325 degree oven until soft (30 – 45 min).

2) While the sweet potatoes are roasting, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add millet; cook, stirring frequently, until millet looks and smells toasted, about 4 minutes.

3) Transfer millet to a medium saucepan. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer and cook until millet is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

4) When millet is finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in cranberries; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add roasted sweet potatoes, toasted slivered almonds and stir.

5) Mix 3 tbsps of oil and 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar together in a small bowl. Add to millet and toss to mix and coat.

6) Stir in cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pots, Pans, and Plastics: A Shopper's Guide to Food Safety

2009-07-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Pots, Pans, and Plastics: A Shopper's Guide to Food Safety

Web MD, Matthew Hoffman, MD
Published March 6, 2009

Our food, it seems, is always touching plastic. Plastics play a part in every phase of food production and preparation. Food gets processed on plastic equipment, and packaged and shipped in plastic-lined boxes and cans. At home, we store and reheat the leftovers in plastic containers.

As for that strange plastic taste in last week's lo mein -- that's just the aftertaste of convenience. It couldn't possibly be harmful, right?

Recent health controversies have spawned new discussions about the safety of plastics in the food industry. In particular, research that's found potential health risks from bisphenol A (BPA), a common chemical in food packaging, has many concerned.

"For many years, the plastics incorporating BPA were believed to be safe," says Anila Jacob, MD, senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization. Now that there are many questions about BPA, "that does raise broader questions about the safety of plastics in general," Jacob tells WebMD.

Plastics make getting, eating, and storing food more efficient. But are they also making us sick?
Plastic in Food: Inevitable Transfer

It's long been known that infinitesimal bits of plastic get into our food from containers. The process is called "leaching" or "migration." The chemical industry acknowledges that you can't avoid this transfer, noting on its web site that "[v]irtually all food packaging materials contain substances that can migrate into the food they contact."

The amounts are small, says Laura Vandenberg, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in biology at Tufts University in Boston. "But almost any plastic container can be expected to leach trace amounts of plastics into food," she says.

Heating food in plastic seems to increase the amount that's transferred to food. Migration also increases when plastic touches fatty, salty, or acidic foods. How much actually gets into our bodies? Vandenberg says that to her knowledge, there's no research that can answer that question.

Although most of the chemicals making the culinary crossing are considered "safe," Jacob tells WebMD that's generally not because they've been proved safe, but rather they haven't been proven to be unsafe.

"There is very little published research on the potential adverse health effects of chemicals that leach from plastic food containers, so it's difficult to say they're safe with any degree of certainty, especially with long-term use," says Jacob.

Two suspects are under active investigation: bisphenol A and a class of chemicals called phthalates.
Plastics and the BPA Story

Bisphenol A is a material used in hard, lightweight plastics called polycarbonates. Some baby bottles and water bottles are made from bisphenol A. Enormous amounts of BPA are produced each year -- about 6 billion pounds.

Although bisphenol A came to fame on the nightly news as a potential poison in our water bottles, our main exposure comes from the linings of canned foods, according to Vandenberg, who studies BPA.
Plastics and the BPA Story continued...

"Over a dozen studies clearly show that BPA is not only leaching from cans, but it reaches the food stored inside," says Vandenberg.

The BPA we ingest gets into our bloodstream. Regular monitoring by the CDC shows that more than 90% of us have detectable levels of bisphenol A in our bodies.

Among all the other plastic substances that get into our food, BPA stands out, according to Vandenberg, for its ability to disrupt the functions of hormones -- especially estrogen.

Hundreds of studies show that high doses of BPA disrupt reproductive development and function in laboratory animals. Levels in humans were thought to be too low to be of concern, but more recent research has challenged that perception, Vandenberg tells WebMD.

"Several animal studies suggest that BPA has effects at much lower doses than previously believed," says Vandenberg. "The levels of BPA in people frequently exceed the levels shown to have effects in rodents in these studies," she adds.

Chemical industry sources are quick to point out that this "low-dose hypothesis" has not yet been proven. They cite studies that have not shown harm from BPA at low doses in rodents. However, a new study in a prestigious journal also shows the low-dose BPA effect not just in rats but in monkeys, whose systems are more like humans.

One large, well-conducted study in humans showed that people who had high levels of BPA in the urine had a higher rate of diabetes, heart disease, and liver toxicity.

Altogether, Vandenberg believes a "fragile consensus" exists among scientists that BPA might be harmful. "Looking at the data we have, there is no reason to conclude we are all safe from BPA's effects," she tells WebMD.

The FDA recently repeated its previous statements that current BPA exposures are safe. However, the National Institutes of Health's latest review voiced "some concern" about BPA's effects.

If you want to reduce your exposure to BPA, there are some steps you can take:

* Eat less canned food, and more frozen or fresh food. In addition to avoiding BPA, you'll also get more nutrients and less sodium -- both steps toward a healthier diet.
* Breastfeed your baby, or use powdered formula instead of cans.
* Avoid bottles and plastic containers that are made from polycarbonate (usually marked with a number 7 or the letters PC) and if you want to reduce exposure to phthalates, avoid polyvinyl chloride (marked with a number 3 or PVC).

Phthalates: Is Your Food Plasticized?

Phthalates are a group of chemical "plasticizers" that are used in a huge variety of consumer products, from PVC pipes to perfume. With billions of pounds produced annually, phthalates ("THAL-ates") are everywhere. They're even in the indoor dust we breathe. Random sampling by the CDC shows most people in the U.S. have detectable levels of phthalates in their bodies. Phthalates have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Nine other countries, including Japan, Mexico and Argentina, have also outlawed the chemicals.
Phthalates: Is Your Food Plasticized? continued...

Researchers believe most of the phthalates in our bodies come from food. But they don't know exactly how and in what amounts. According to studies cited by the Department of Health and Human Services, phthalates on crops might accumulate in the livestock we eat. Or, phthalates in plastic packaging could leach into the food inside.

Like BPA, phthalates disrupt hormones -- in this case, testosterone. "Phthalates are thought to block the action of testosterone in the body, with significant effects on the male reproductive tract and other organs" in high-dose animal studies, Vandenberg tells WebMD.

People are exposed to much lower levels, and government and industry have considered phthalates to be safe. A 2000 NIH panel concluded that food exposures of phthalates pose "minimal concern" for most people, including children and developing fetuses.

But a handful of well-conducted studies have questioned phthalates' safety. Higher levels of phthalates in the body have been linked to low sperm count and quality in adult men. In one highly publicized study, pregnant women with higher levels of phthalates were more likely to bear baby boys with subtle genital changes -- namely, a slightly shorter distance between the anus and scrotum.

Avoiding phthalates is tricky, because they're so widespread and it's unclear where the greatest exposure comes from. You can reduce phthalate exposure from plastics by following the tips in the next section.
Pots, Pans, and Plastic: Sticky Questions

Teflon and related nonstick coatings on pots and pans aren't widely suspected of being toxic if swallowed. However, Teflon and all nonstick cookware can release toxic chemicals during manufacture and disposal, as well as during use at very high temperatures -- temperatures over 500 degrees.

The same chemical used in nonstick cookware is also used in the linings of nonstick packaging like that used for microwave popcorn and some fast-food containers.

You can avoid any exposure to these chemicals by following these tips:

* Never preheat your nonstick cookware on high. Empty pans can reach high temperatures very quickly. Stick to as low a temperature as possible to safely cook the food.
* Don't put nonstick cookware in an oven over 500 degrees.
* Run an exhaust fan over the stove while using nonstick cookware.
* Never cook on Teflon or other nonstick cookware with a pet bird in the kitchen. The fumes from an overheated pan can kill a bird in seconds.
* Opt for cookware that is made from safer materials like cast iron.
* Reduce your consumption of microwave popcorn and fast foods.

To reduce your exposure to the chemicals in plastic, use these strategies:

* Use a paper towel instead of plastic wrap in the microwave.
* Don't microwave food in plastic containers (put food on a plate instead).
* Use safer dishware made from materials like glass or stainless steel.
* Avoid use of plastic containers with the number 3 or 7 on them. Plastics with the number 1 (typically used for water and soda bottles) are single use only. Recycle after use.
* Use tempered glass baby bottles instead of plastic. If you use plastic bottles, don't heat them.
* Store food in glass or Pyrex containers, rather than plastic.
* Discard scratched or worn plastic containers.
* Hand wash plastics to reduce wear and tear.

Physical Relaxation Techniques

2009-07-15T08:44:00.001-07:00

Physical Relaxation Techniques

Deep Breathing, PMR and the Relaxation Response

Physical relaxation techniques are as effective as mental techniques in reducing stress. In fact, the best relaxation is achieved by using physical and mental techniques together.

These three useful physical relaxation techniques can help you reduce muscle tension and manage the effects of the fight-or-flight response on your body. This is particularly important if you need to think clearly and perform precisely when you are under pressure.

The techniques we will look at are Deep Breathing, Progressive Muscular Relaxation and “The Relaxation Response”.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a simple, but very effective, method of relaxation. It is a core component of everything from the "take ten deep breaths" approach to calming someone down, right through to yoga relaxation and Zen meditation. It works well in conjunction with other relaxation techniques such as Progressive Muscular Relaxation, relaxation imagery and meditation to reduce stress.

To use the technique, take a number of deep breaths and relax your body further with each breath. That's all there is to it!

Progressive Muscular Relaxation

Progressive Muscular Relaxation is useful for relaxing your body when your muscles are tense.

The idea behind PMR is that you tense up a group of muscles so that they are as tightly contracted as possible. Hold them in a state of extreme tension for a few seconds. Then, relax the muscles normally. Then, consciously relax the muscles even further so that you are as relaxed as possible.

By tensing your muscles first, you will find that you are able to relax your muscles more than would be the case if you tried to relax your muscles directly.

Experiment with PMR by forming a fist, and clenching your hand as tight as you can for a few seconds. Relax your hand to its previous tension, and then consciously relax it again so that it is as loose as possible. You should feel deep relaxation in your hand muscles.

The Relaxation Response

‘The Relaxation Response’ is the name of a book published by Dr Herbert Benson of Harvard University in 1968. In a series of experiments into various popular meditation techniques, Dr Benson established that these techniques had a very real effect on reducing stress and controlling the fight-or-flight response. Direct effects included deep relaxation, slowed heartbeat and breathing, reduced oxygen consumption and increased skin resistance.

This is something that you can do for yourself by following these steps:

Sit quietly and comfortably.
Close your eyes.
Start by relaxing the muscles of your feet and work up your body relaxing muscles.
Focus your attention on your breathing.
Breathe in deeply and then let your breath out. Count your breaths, and say the number of the breath as you let it out (this gives you something to do with your mind, helping you to avoid distraction).

Do this for ten or twenty minutes.

An even more potent alternative approach is to follow these steps, but to use relaxation imagery instead of counting breaths in step 5.

Pesticides Again Linked to Parkinson’s

2009-07-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 15, 2009

Pesticides Again Linked to Parkinson's

Texas researchers have discovered people with Parkinson’s disease have significantly higher blood levels of a particular pesticide than healthy people or those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists from UT Southwestern Medical Center discuss their findings in a study appearing in the July issue of Archives of Neurology.

Researchers found the pesticide beta-HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) in 76 percent of people with Parkinson’s, compared with 40 percent of healthy controls and 30 percent of those with Alzheimer’s.

The finding might provide the basis for a beta-HCH blood test to identify individuals at risk for developing Parkinson’s disease. The results also point the way to more research on environmental causes of Parkinson’s.

“There’s been a link between pesticide use and Parkinson’s disease for a long time, but never a specific pesticide,” said Dr. Dwight German, professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern and a senior author of the paper.

“This is particularly important because the disease is not diagnosed until after significant nerve damage has occurred. A test for this risk factor might allow for early detection and protective treatment.”

About 1 million people in the U.S. have Parkinson’s, a number expected to rise as the population ages. The disease occurs when brain cells in particular regions die, causing tremors, cognitive problems and a host of other symptoms.

The study involved 113 participants, ages 50 to 89. Fifty had Parkinson’s, 43 were healthy and 20 had Alzheimer’s. The researchers tested the subjects’ blood for 15 pesticides known as organochlorines.

These pesticides, which include the well-known DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), were widely used in the U.S. from the 1950s to the 1970s but are more tightly regulated now. They persist in the environment for years without breaking down. In the body, they dissolve in fats and are known to attack the type of brain nerves that die in Parkinson’s disease, the researchers said.

“Much higher levels of the beta-HCH were in the air, water and food chain when the Parkinson’s patients were in their 20s and 30s,” Dr. German said.

“Also, the half-life of the pesticide is seven to eight years, so it stays in the body for a long time.”

Parkinson’s disease is more common among rural men than other demographic groups, but it is not a matter of a single factor causing the devastating disease, Dr. German said.

“Some people with Parkinson’s might have the disease because of exposure to environmental pesticides, but there are also genes known to play a role in the condition,” Dr. German said.

Although the current study points to an interesting link between the pesticide beta-HCH and Parkinson’s, there could be other pesticides involved with the disease, he said.

For example, the pesticide lindane often contains beta-HCH, but lindane breaks down faster. Beta-HCH might simply be a sign that someone was exposed to lindane, with lindane actually causing the damage to the brain, the researchers said.

In future research, Dr. German hopes to test patients from a wider geographical area and to measure pesticide levels in postmortem brains. He and his team also are collecting blood samples from both patients with Parkinson’s and their spouses to see if a genetic difference might be making the one with Parkinson’s more susceptible to pesticides than the other.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute on Aging, the Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society, Rowe & Co. Inc., the Dallas Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Garden Turkey Meatballs

2009-07-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

Garden Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds ground turkey
½ cup dry breadcrumbs or ground rice cake crumbs if eating gluten-free
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
¼ cup finely shredded carrot
¼ cup coarsely shredded zucchini
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves minced
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done.

Alternately, you can fry the meatballs in a pan.

Yield

30 meatballs (serving size: 5 meatballs)

Asparagus-Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

2009-07-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Asparagus-Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

4 large portabella mushrooms (1 to 1-1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cut fresh asparagus (about 5 ounces spears)
1/3 cup chopped shallots or sweet onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh whole grain bread crumbs or if eating gluten-free-5 ground rice cake (use a coffee grinder or food processor to grind 5 rice cakes)
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 385F.
Clean mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. Cut off stems from mushroom caps. Coarsely chop stems and set aside. Use a spoon or paring knife to scrape out and discard gills from mushroom caps. Brush 2 teaspoons of the oil over mushroom caps; place oiled sides down on a glass baking dish.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, shallots, garlic and chopped mushroom stems. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and stir in bread crumbs or rice cake crumbs. Add optional Romano or Parmesan cheese. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Bake about 12 minutes covered with foil and another 8 minutes until mushroom caps look soft and tender. Drizzle with olive oil if stuffed mushrooms look dry.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed mushroom cap).

Cannellini Bean Puree and Rainbow Chard

2009-07-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

Cannellini Bean Puree and Rainbow Chard

Serves 2. Recipe can be doubled.

1 15oz can of cannellini beans

A pinch of dried thyme leaves.

4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp.olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 - 1.5 lbs of swiss chard (I used rainbow chard), washed, ends trimmed, leaves roughly chopped, stems julienned into strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chili (optional)
Juice of half a small lemon

1. Bring a 6-qt. pot salted water to a boil. Add a little bit of oil in the water and then add the greens (the oil will keep the greens green) and cook until they're wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1⁄2 cup cooking liquid. Set greens and cooking liquid aside.

2. Drain can of beans. Heat stove on medium-high. Add 1 T of olive oil to hot pan and put in 1/3 of minced garlic, stir around in hot oil until fragrant. Add thyme and drained cannellini beans to the pan and fry the beans until the outer coating of the beans are slightly golden brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off heat. Puree this mixture in a food processor with lemon juice, 1 T of olive oil (extra-virgin for flavor). If the mixture is too dry, add cooking liquid from the rainbow chard until desired consistency is achieved.

3. Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, optional chili, and onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add greens and cook greens for 1 minutes. If greens look dry, add cooking liquid to moisten. Cook greens until soft about 3 minutes. Season greens with salt and pepper. Transfer cannellini bean purée to a platter and spoon greens over the top. Drizzle with more olive oil (if necessary) and the juices from the skillet.

Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2009-06-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes-unpeeled, about 3 pounds. Remove the pointy ends and cut into 1 inch pieces.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place sweet potatoes on a glass making dish, coat with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Cover with foil and roast until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes.
Mash roasted sweet potatoes with fork.
Season with more salt if necessary.

****I don’t peel the sweet potatoes because I like the texture of the roasted sweet potato peel mixed in with the mashed sweet potatoes. If you don’t like the peel, go ahead and peel the potatoes before you cut them into 1 inch pieces.

Stuffed Eggplants

2009-06-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

Stuffed Eggplants

Ingredients

1 large eggplant; 4 graffiti eggplants; or 8 baby eggplants (I prefer the flavor of smaller ones)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of left-over cooked rice (any variety is fine)
2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce
1 cup frozen organic spinach
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
¾ cup grated parmesan (optional if you are dairy sensitive)
½ cup of toasted pine nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the center (this is best done with a knife), give the scooped out eggplant meat a rough chop. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the eggplant halves with olive oil.

Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sautee garlic and onions until the onion is translucent. Add the seasoned eggplant and another tablespoon of olive oil, sautee for 1 minute. Add frozen spinach and cook until spinach is completed defrosted. Now add the leftover rice and mix thoroughly with the eggplant mixture. Add marinara sauce and make sure all the ingredients are mixed. This mixture does not need to be heated thoroughly because this is the eggplant stuffing which will go into the oven.

Fill the eggplant halves with this mixture.

Sprinkle filled eggplants with parmesan if desired. Alternately, you can also sprinkled eggplant with toast pine nuts. Place on a lightly oiled glass baking dish, and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes in preheated oven. Bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until eggplants are soft and tender. Keep a watchful eye when baking the eggplants uncovered as the rice mixture may dry out; check the eggplant after 10 minutes of baking uncovered. Let cool briefly and serve.

Household Items that may Feminize Baby Boys

2008-02-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

Caution: These ~~six~~ seven household items may feminize baby boys

. . . and they're unhealthy for you, too. Phthalates are the culprit.

Phtha-what, you ask? Phthalates are common industrial chemicals. They've been around since the 1930's, making vinyl out of hard plastics, acting as solvents, and contributing to the "fragrance" of many personal care products. The Centers for Disease Control tested 289 people in 2000, and found phthalates in all of their blood at surprisingly high levels. High phthalate levels have been linked to decreased sperm motility and concentration and altered hormone levels in adult men; in a recent study of 134 newborn boys and their mothers, researchers found distinct differences in the reproductive systems of the boys whose mothers had the highest phthalate levels during pregnancy. Further research revealed that those moms' phthalate levels weren't uncommon -- in fact, an estimated one quarter of American women would have similarly high phthalate levels.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to limit your exposure. Here are ~~six~~ seven common sources of phthalate exposure in the home, and what you can do to avoid them.

Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.
Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don't give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!
Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.
Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the "fragrance" in some products. Since DEP won't be listed separately, you're better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don't have the word "fragrance" on the ingredients list.
Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you're making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That "new shower curtain" smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.
*Air Fresheners: New research from the NRDC demonstrates that, just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. That even goes for the ones labeled "fragrance free." NRDC suggests that you open your windows and use fans to circulate air and keep it fresh.

*Thanks to the EWG research team for reminding me about this common source of phthalate exposure!

NEW PRODUCT TESTS FIND LEAD IN LIPSTICK

2008-01-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

From The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

Top brands L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Christian Dior test positive for lead

Toys made in China aren’t the only products laced with dangerous heavy metals: lipstick manufactured in the United States and used daily by millions of American women also contains surprisingly high levels of lead, according to new product tests released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The lead tests were conducted by an independent laboratory over the month of September on red lipsticks bought in Boston, Hartford, Conn., San Francisco and Minneapolis. Top findings include:

More than half of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested (61 percent) contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). None of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient.

One-third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy – a standard established to protect children from directly ingesting lead. Lipstick products, like candy, are directly ingested into the body. Nevertheless, the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick, which fits with the disturbing absence of FDA regulatory oversight and enforcement capacity for the $50 billion personal care products industry.

The good news is that the tests show it is possible to make lipstick without lead: 39 percent of lipsticks tested had no detectable levels of lead, and cost doesn’t seem to be a factor. Some less expensive brands such as Revlon ($7.49) had no detectable levels of lead, while the more expensive Dior Addict brand ($24.50) had higher levels than some other brands.

Among the top brands testing positive for lead were:
-L’Oreal Colour Riche “True Red” – 0.65 ppm
-L’Oreal Colour Riche “Classic Wine” – 0.58 ppm
-Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red” – 0.56 ppm
-Dior Addict “Positive Red” – 0.21 ppm

Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure. Lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development. Lead has also been linked to infertility and miscarriage.

“Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. The latest studies show there is no safe level of lead exposure,” said Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, president, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice.

-----

There are many natural cosmetics that are safe. Women should not have to sacrifice their health for beauty, especially at the expense of their own pocketbooks. Many cosmetics at the drugstores and even expensive department stores contain dangerous chemicals that are irritants, carcinogens, and estrogen mimickers. I am in a continuous hunt to find heath and beauty products that are safe and effective. I am going to post my findings shortly, so stay tuned.

Dr. Gigi
www.customhealthnyc.com