Watchman News

Toronto’s department of public health has advised teenagers and young children to limit their use of cell phones, in order to avoid potential health risks. The advisory is the first of its kind in Canada.
Officials have warned that because of possible side effects from radio frequency radiation, children under eight should only use a cell phone in emergencies, and teenagers should limit calls to less than 10 minutes.
For many years, most government health agencies were dismissive of any risk. But with more studies, a pattern is emerging that suggests people who have used their cell phones for a long period of time are at greater risk of certain kinds of brain tumors.

Food additives and poor diet could help explain poor school performance, criminal behavior, alcoholism, and the growing numbers of Alzheimer‘s patients.
According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, high sugar content and starchy carbohydrates lead to excessive insulin release, which in turn leads to falling blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia causes the brain to secrete glutamate in levels that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, panic attacks and an increase in suicide risk.
The glutamate that causes this is identical to the flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its chemical cousins, which are found in thousands of food products, further exacerbating the problem.
Repeated hypoglycemic episodes increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer‘s disease, Parkinson‘s and ALS (Lou Gehrig‘s). In children, hypoglycemia often leads to hyperactivity. In both children and adults, it can cause violent and aggressive behavior. In older people, there can be mental confusion.
An anti-hypoglycemic diet would consist of lean meat and lots of fresh vegetables. Another key is limiting sugars and starches.

For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that some children as young as 8 should be given cholesterol-lowering drugs to ward off future heart problems.

Dr. Stephen Daniels, who is on the academy‘s nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence that damage leading to heart disease, the nation‘s leading killer, begins early in life.
The drug treatments would be targeted at kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol along with other risky factors, including obesity and high blood pressure.

Cholesterol screening is also now being recommended for kids with a family history of high cholesterol and those who are overweight, obese or have other heart disease risk factors. Screening should take place after age 2 but no later than age 10, according to the AAP.

By Dr. Mercola

Flip-flops may throw off your stride and cause pain in your lower legs and feet, according to researchers at Auburn University in Alabama.

Researchers recruited 39 college-age men and women, and measured how the participants walked on a special platform wearing thong flip-flops. On another day, the same participants walked across the platform wearing their own athletic shoes.

When the participants wore flip-flops, they took shorter strides and their heels hit the ground with less vertical force. When people walk in flip-flops, they apparently alter their gait, which may explain why lower leg and foot problems can occur in people who wear such shoes frequently.
Throwing on a pair of flip-flops to putter around your garden or walk along the beach is an integral part of summer for many people. However, according to Tony Bruno — a certified Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist — wearing flip-flops can not only cause dysfunctional changes and pain in your foot, these changes can resonate all the way up to your head, neck, and jaw. 
This happens because your toes try to grip into bottom of the flip-flop to hold them on your feet. Look at your toes in flip-flops. The distal part of your toe is trying to flex down (planter flex) to hold the flip-flop on, while the other part of your toe (middle) is trying to bridge up (dorsi flex).  

Unfortunately, this is the opposite of what your toes should be doing at that time. This improper toe action shortens natural stride, prevents the natural “locking” of your foot, and forces your hip and leg musculature to work harder, forcing some muscles to shut down. Muscle Activation Techniques is one of the ways to “turn on” the muscles that are shut down from improper foot wear and other compensations. 
Hammer toes are the result of years of compensation from the intrinsic (small) foot muscles and long term flip-flop wear can contribute to this. So if you want to avoid hammer toes, you may want to reconsider wearing flip-flops. 

Are You a ‘Cow-Walker’ or a ‘Fox-Walker’?

One of the classic works on the topic of going barefoot is Take Off Your Shoes and Walk by Simon J. Wikler D.S.C. In it, he explains that improperly shaped shoes — including high heels and pointed toes — are responsible for modern-day foot troubles. In fact, the book describes a study from the late 1950s that found children who were allowed to go barefoot had:

Greater agility
Denser muscles on the bottom of their feet
Less deformed toes
Greater flexor strength
More ability to spread the toes
More flexibility of the gluteal and hamstring muscles

Meanwhile, an article last year suggested that shoes lead to what’s called “cow-walk.” 

Cow-walk puts tremendous pressure on your joints.It starts with the squeezing of your foot inside the shoe and continues with a constant jarring the knees as they’re locked straight upon the pole-driving impact of the heel. This force travels straight up your spine, all the way up your neck.

In contrast, “fox-walking” is the walk of the natural hunter-gatherer — the graceful flow of your body in total synchronization. Your knees are bent rather than locked, the ball of your foot touches the ground first, followed by your heel, in a virtually soundless step motion. 

If you’ve ever seen a baby walking barefoot, they actually display the correct walking technique that we adults have lost touch with.

Should You Go Barefoot?

Bunions are non-existent in barefoot populations of the world, but from a practical perspective, going barefoot all the time is just not an option for most people. But you can certainly do so inside of your home or backyard — and you may even feel some benefits, particularly from walking on a natural surface.

If you decide to go barefoot, do it slowly, progressing to more and more time spent without shoes. Also, when you start going barefoot it is best to initiate on naturally softer ground like grass and sand, not cement or hardwood. When the muscles and joints of the foot are “stable” your body can handle progressively more time barefoot. 
There have been some very compelling studies suggesting that when you are “grounded,” free electrons can easily come up from the earth and essentially nullify free radicals in your body. Ancient philosophies call this life-force energy Chi (also called Qi or Prana) and believe it can be absorbed through the soles of your feet automatically and unconsciously when walking barefoot.

So walking barefoot — on clean, natural surfaces — could be an easy way to contribute to your overall health.

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS) is a condition in which people are highly sensitive to electromagnetic fields. In an area such as a wireless hotspot, they experience pain or other symptoms.
People with EHS experience a variety of symptoms including headache, fatigue, nausea, burning and itchy skin, and muscle aches. These symptoms are subjective and vary between individuals, which makes the condition difficult to study, and has left experts divided about the validity of such claims.
More than 30 studies have been conducted to determine what link the condition has to exposure to electromagnetic fields from sources such as radar dishes, mobile phone signals and, Wi-Fi hotspots.

Hairdressers and barbers are at increased risk of developing cancer as a result of their use of hair dyes. These risks could also extend to personal use of the dyes.

A panel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France reviewed the evidence and found a consistent risk of bladder cancer in male hairdressers and barbers. A second review of the evidence on personal hair dye use found some studies suggested a possible association with bladder cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia.

However, the panel found that the evidence was inadequate to classify the carcinogenicity of personal hair dye use.

Not all fatigue or tiredness is due to thyroid malfunction, so how do you tell the difference?

Thyroid-related fatigue begins to appear when you cannot sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a past level of fitness or ability. If your thyroid foundation is weak, sustaining energy output is difficult. You will notice you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things you used to be able to do.

Some of the key symptoms of thyroid fatigue include:

Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and typically not exercising on a consistent basis.

A heavy or tired head, especially in the afternoon, as your head is a very sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status.

Falling asleep as soon as you sit down and don’t have to do anything.

If you wake up energized, maintain decent energy throughout the day, are able to maintain mental alertness/sharpness, have energy as needed to meet demands, and your muscles feel fit, you do not have thyroid-related fatigue. However, the more you do not feel like this, the greater chance there is a thyroid-related problem.

The Daily Green offers this handy guide on the various types of plastic:Number 1 Plastics — PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)

Found In: Soft drinks, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.
Recycling: Pick up through most curbside recycling programs.
Recycled Into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containersIt poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20 percent), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers.Number 2 Plastics — HDPE (high density polyethylene)

Found In: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners
Recycling: Pick up through most curbside recycling programs, although some only allow those containers with necks.
Recycled Into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencingHDPE carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.Number 3 Plastics — V (Vinyl) or PVC

Found In: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping
Recycling: Rarely recycled; accepted by some plastic lumber makers.
Recycled Into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, matsPVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don‘t let the plastic touch food. Never burn PVC, because it releases toxins.Number 4 Plastics — LDPE (low density polyethylene)

Found In: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet
Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.
Recycled Into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tileHistorically, LDPE has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.Number 5 Plastics — PP (polypropylene)

Found In: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles
Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled Into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, traysPolypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.Number 6 Plastics — PS (polystyrene)

Found In: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases
Recycling: Number 6 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled Into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containersPolystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products — in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists‘ hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. Number 7 Plastics — Miscellaneous

Found In: Three- and five-gallon water bottles, ‘bullet-proof‘ materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon
Recycling: Number 7 plastics have traditionally not been recycled, though some curbside programs now take them.
Recycled Into: Plastic lumber, custom-made productsA wide variety of plastic resins that don‘t fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors.

Inhaled diesel exhaust triggers a stress response in the brain. This could have damaging long-term effects on brain function in people living in areas with high traffic pollution.
Small particles of soot, or nanoparticles, can travel up the nose and lodge in the brain. It is conceivable that this could interfere with normal brain function and information processing.
10 male volunteers, aged 18 to 39, were placed in a room filled with exhaust from a diesel engine for one hour. After about 30 minutes, EEG brain wave patterns displayed a stress response, suggesting changes in information processing in the brain cortex.

Victoria Inness-Brown’s family was addicted to diet soda. After researching the effects of aspartame, she strongly believed the artificial sweetener might one day lead to their illness or even their early deaths.
So she decided to perform her own aspartame experiment — with 108 rats for 2 years and 8 months. Daily, she fed some of the rats the equivalent, for their body weight, of two-thirds the aspartame contained in 8-oz of diet soda.
Eleven of the females who took aspartame — 37 percent — developed tumors, some of massive size.
For details and photos of Inness-Brown’s amazing experiment, click the link below.

Foods and beverages that contain no-calorie artificial sweeteners may be ruining your ability to control your food intake and body weight, according to new research by psychologists at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center.

In their study, when compared with rats that ate yogurt sweetened with glucose (a simple sugar), rats that ate yogurt sweetened with the zero-calorie artificial sweetener saccharin:

Consumed more calories (and didn’t make up for it by cutting back later)
Gained more weight
Put on more body fat

It’s thought that consuming artificial sweeteners breaks the connection between a sweet sensation and a high-calorie food, thereby changing your body’s ability to regulate intake.

The researchers also measured the rats’ core body temperatures, which typically rise after eating. However, after eating a sweet, high-calorie meal, rats that ate saccharin had a lower rise in body temperature than rats that ate glucose.

The researchers believe that this blunted biological response led the rats to overeat, and made it harder to burn off the calories later.

They concluded that consuming foods sweetened with saccharin would lead to greater weight gain and body fat than eating the same foods sweetened with sugar.

Although further research needs to be done, the researchers believe that consuming other artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame K would have similar effects.

Alcohol may seem like the perfect cold-weather beverage, because it creates a sensation of warmth. But it actually decreases core body temperature and increases your risk of hypothermia.
In cold weather, blood flows away from your skin and into your organs, causing a sensation of coldness but increasing core body temperature. Alcohol reverses this process, increasing the flow of blood to your skin. This causes a sensation of warmth, but sets off a sharp drop in body temperature.
Alcohol also reduces your ability to shiver, which is one of your body’s way of creating warmth, and increases sweating, which further decreases body temperature.
Several studies have found that alcohol often plays a role in hypothermia-related injuries and deaths.

Traces of cancer and psychiatric drugs were found in Britain’s tap water, according to a 100-page report commissioned by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).Despite extensive purification treatments used by water companies, traces of bleomycin, a cancer chemotherapy drug, and diazepam, a sedative, have been found in the drinking water.Though experts say the drug levels are too low to pose a direct health risk, concerns have been raised about exposing pregnant women to the drugs, which could harm an unborn child.A separate study by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford, Oxfordshire also revealed that chemotherapy drugs are being washed into Britain’s rivers. The report estimated that an adult who drinks more than three pints of water a day would receive doses of the drugs between 300 and 30,000 times lower than recommended safety levels each week. Still, some experts are worried.”There is not evidence to show that drinking water treatment removes all these drugs, so while we are not wanting to alarm people, it would be foolish to assume there is no risk,” said scientist Andrew Johnson, who led the Wallingford study.

In the wake of the FDA approval of Lyrica, the first medicine approved to treat fibromyalgia, the New York Times has published a controversial article questioning whether the disease exists at all.
The Times claims that patient advocacy groups and doctors who specialize in fibromyalgia believe that the Lyrica approval is a milestone, and hope its approval will legitimize fibromyalgia in the same manner that Prozac legitimized depression. But, says the Times, other doctors believe that the disease does not exist, and that Lyrica will be taken by millions of people who do not need it.
Adding to the controversy is the fact that Lyrica itself is a drug originally designed for diabetic nerve pain that was rejected because of its unimpressive results and many side effects, including weight gain, edema, dizziness and sleepiness. This has left some wondering if the repositioning of Lyrica is little more than a cynical ploy to sell a failed medication. The potential for weight gain is a special concern, because many fibromyalgia patients are already overweight.
The Times article has already generated a good deal of online comment, and highlights the uneasy intersection where drug company greed and medicalization of nonexistent illnesses meets conventional medicine’s inability to diagnose and treat real problems.

Migratory birds are known to use the geomagnetic field as a source of compass information. Scientists have shown that oscillating magnetic fields disrupt the orientation behavior of migratory birds.
Researchers found that robins were disoriented when exposed to a vertically aligned, broadband or a single-frequency field.
According to Alasdair Philips of Powerwatch,
“… medium- and short-wave frequencies have been used since the 1930s with little evidence of any effect on bird behavior. But since the mobile phone networks went up there have been increasing reports of birds, especially homing pigeons, getting lost. Research now needs to look at the effects of base station signals, particularly in view of the disorientating effects of EMR ‘noise‘ reported in this study.”

Linked below is an old advertisement for a “shoe-fitting fluoroscope” — essentially, an X-ray machine used to look at the bones of your foot in order to judge your shoe size.
As little as 60 years ago, these devices were pervasive and thought to be harmless. But by the early 1950s, a number of professional organizations had issued warnings about the continued use of shoe-fitting fluoroscopes — some thirty years after they were invented and routinely used. Today we know how risky and carcinogenic X-rays can be. One shoe model received such a serious radiation burn from a shoe-fitting fluoroscope that her leg had to be amputated.

In case you did not already realize it, the one trillion plastic grocery bags used worldwide every year are becoming a serious drain on the environment. 21st Century Citizen has compiled a great list of the Top 25 resources to help you reduce, recycle, or reuse all those plastic bags you carry home from your grocery store.  Their list includes creative gems like: Where to find a recycling location near you, in case your local grocery does not offer a recycling binSites that sell reusable shopping totesCreative ideas for reusing plastic bags for other things around your houseNovel classroom projects for teachers Patterns for turning plastic bags into reusable items such as hefty tote bags and all-weather rugs With so many options, there’s bound to be a solution that works for you, reducing your environmental impact, and saving you money in the process! For the full list, check out the source link below.Sources:21st Century Citizen