5 DONTS when you are SLEEPING

  

Sleep is vital for us to revitalise and assist in proper bodily development. However, sleep can affect health adversely if you are not keeping up good habits to prepare for a good rest.

1.  DONT SLEEP WITH WET HAIRS

Wet hair is in its most fragile state because the hydrogen bond is broken.  Hence, hair strands are more fragile and easier to break.  There are complaints from people who did not dry the hair before sleeping to wake up with severe headache. Also, it becomes a fertile breeding ground for bacteria to thrive.

2.  DON’T SLEEP WITH WATCH

Watches can emit a certain level of radioactivity.  Though it presents in minute quantity, long exposure may have adverse effects on your health.

3.   DON’T SLEEP WITH BRA/UNDERPANTS

Scientists in America have discovered those that wear bras exceeding 12 hours have a higher risk of contracting breast cancer. This is in line with a call made by the World Health Organization in relation to chemical toxins found in bras to be the prime suspect of cancer.

Under normal circumstances, toxins residing in breast tissue are normally flushed by clear lymph fluid into large clusters of lymph nodes nestling in the armpits and upper chest. However, lymphatic vessels being very thin and hypersensitive to pressure are easily compressed.  Hence, chronic minimal pressure on the breasts can cause lymph valves and vessels to close. With less oxygen and fewer nutrients delivered to the cells in the dense area, whilst waste products collect, prolonged bra-constricted lymph drainage can cause cancer to develop.

Statistics showed one out of seven women strapped into a bra for more than 12 hours a day and three out of four women who wore their daytime bras to sleep are equal at risk for breast cancer. On the contrary, bra-free women have just a one in 168 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer, similar to bra-free men.  The good news is that when the 80% of bra-wearers who experience lumps, cysts and tenderness get rid of the bra those symptoms almost vanish within a month. Hence, at the first sign of a lump, women should take their bras off before they take their breasts off.

If it is your preference to wear underpants to bed, opt for cotton undies, since this natural material is breathable. Wearing tight underwear or a pair of polyester panties can lock in moisture and lead to yeast infections. Also, the underpants can abrade on your skin a little bit, which can cause pimples to develop. Guys can slip in some loose cotton boxers.

4  DON’T SLEEP WITH PHONE

Surveys found half of the users put their handphone near their beds because they are often used as alarm clocks or on call waiting mode. This is a ‘no-no’ for three reasons:

(1)  Scientists have proved that electrical items including mobile phone and television in the ‘on’ mode set emit magnetic waves that can cause disruptions to our nervous system. Though cell phones give off only small doses of electromagnetic radiation similar to X-rays and microwaves, the accumulative effect is unclear yet. Still, the World Health Organization warned in 2011 that usage may be possibly carcinogenic to humans, especially in children, whose scalps and skulls are thinner than adults’, and thus more vulnerable to radiation.

(2)  It can be a fire hazard if the gadget is covered by bedding or other thick material. Another possibility is using incompatible cell phone batteries and chargers. Hence to minimise this risk, stick to phone accessories from the original manufacturer.

(3)  Electrical gadgets like cell phones, tablets and TVs emit blue light that can inhibit the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and disrupt our body rhythms. This may be because blue light emits wavelengths similar to daylight, which can make our bodies think it is daytime, at any time. It is advisable to power down all electronics two hours before bedtime or keep them in another room.

5  DON’T SLEEP WITH MAKE UP ON

Makeup is supposed to help you look and feel more beautiful, but leaving it on overnight often has the opposite effect. Skin problems occur when it becomes habitual. Why?

Sleeping in your makeup allows unnecessary exposure to the free radicals in the air which attacks the skin to cause the breakdown of healthy collagen, resulting in formation of fine lines.

The pores on our outer skin enable us to sweat and secrete sebum, a waxy lubricant that helps to moisturize and protect our skin, and also to remove dead skin cells and other irritants. The problem with makeup is that it clogs the pores and prevents sebum from functioning.  An accumulation of  sebum attracts the acne-causing bacteria.  Skin irritation can make one lose sleep or go into deep sleep.

Bonus points, 2 more for reading to the end….

6.  DONT SLEEP ON THE JOB! – Unless you want to be sent home to sleep as long as you like!

7.  DONT SLEEP WITH OTHER’S SPOUSE! -  Unless you do not want to wake up anymore!!

Have your BEAUTY sleep always !!!

The Best HEALTHY Way to DEFROST foods

  

In today’s modern-day living, frozen foods are an indispensable convenience for consumers. We no longer have to visit supermarkets daily to get our supplies.

To get frozen foods cooked without compromising on the freshness and taste is not an easy task. The risk of contamination is high if meat is not defrosted correctly, allowing bacteria to multiply quickly and thus cause illness to occur.

When food is frozen at 0oC and below, some of the bacteria found in the food lie inactive but are still alive. When frozen food is thawed, its core temperature rises and bacteria start to reactivate and reproduce. Thus, frozen food should not be left to thaw at room temperature to prevent the bacteria from multiplying to high levels.

 

So determining how to defrost foods is probably one of the most important aspects of cooking it which most people do not get it right. The common wrong techniques are:

 

1. Thawing the frozen food at room temperature

2. Soaking the frozen food under running tap water

3. Using the defrost feature of the freezer
4. Using microwave oven

Remember an improper defrost does not thaw the foods well. As a result, the quality of the food is adversely affected. With nutrients losing, meat and fish do not taste fresh and good. Vegetables and fruits may become soft and mushy like being over-ripened.

 

The best technique to defrost foods properly is to dip the frozen food into iced water. The steps are:

• Place the meat into a leak-proof plastic bag. Make sure the bag has no leakage so air cannot enter to prevent it from floating and the food turning watery from absorbing too much water. Also, the food is exposed to bacterial growth.
• Fill a plastic, aluminum or stainless container, with enough cold water to soak the frozen food.
• Submerge the bag with the meat in cold water with ice cubes added if necessary and change the water every 30 minutes. The frozen meat decreases the temperature of the water, slowing the thawing process if the water is not changed.
• Defrost small amounts of meat in approximately 1 hour. Larger pieces of meat can take up to 2 to 3 hours.
• Avoid cross-contamination from water dripping off the food or splashing onto other food, preparation surfaces and utensils.

In this way, foods are defrosted in the most speedy and economical way. With its nutritional contents remain well-preserved, freshness is retained. Cooking must begin immediately and never return to the freezer. As soon as they begin to thaw and become warmer than 40°F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.

Be organised. After buying raw meat (animal and seafood) back from the supermarket, clean thoroughly and repack them into smaller polybags before sending to the freezer.

Stay Healthy WITHOUT Airconditioning

  

How many of us can do without airconditioning?  Not possible in a dry and humid climate like Singapore.  It is no longer a luxury but a necessity in our daily life whether in our working place or home.  In fact, majority of us know that airconditioning is bad for the health, and contributes to medical problems like cough, cold, asthma, sinus, dry skin and eyes but simply cannot live without it.

(1)  Respiratory infections

When exposed suddenly to cold and dry air, the lining of the nose becomes irritated and inflamed, and starts to produce mucus.  This nasal congestion problem can extend with mucus dripping into the throat and induce a cough to expel it.  However, if the irritant is not removed, bacteria moves in to thrive on the stagnant fluid.  Excessive amount can cause an infection. People with sensitive nose or nasal allergies are prone to this problem.

Asthma patients also experience attack in such an environment.  This happens when sensitive airways react to a trigger factor like cold and dry air by tightening and becoming inflamed, causing coughing, wheezing and breathing difficulties. Those sufferers should take their medications regularly to minimise the risk of irritation and symptoms.

Not forgetting that aircondition unit itself is a fertile ground for breeding mold and bacteria, such as legionella, responsible for fatal pneumonia.  Just by inhaling the mist of water vapour emitting from the aircon is good enough to introduce harmful bacteria into the body.  This is how the ‘sick building syndrome’ comes about when harmful bacteria get trapped into an aircon unit and travel far and wide in a building sharing a common aircon system spreading its contagious effect.

Advice is to service the airconditioning unit every 3 months, and apply a chemical wash or disinfect yearly.

(2)  Skin woes

Reduced humidity in an aircon space promotes drier skin as the dry air blowing out absorbs moisture from the skin.  The external irritants worsen certain skin conditions like dry skin, eczema and ichthyosis (dry and scaly).  Hence, prolonged exposure to dry air can result in faster degeneration of body cells, causing wrinkle formation and premature aging.  Oil secreted by the sebaceous glands that lubricates the surface of the skin and protects the moisture in the cells is ‘scraped off’ exposing them to the thin air resulting in evaporation.  This results in sagging cells losing the elasticity, radiance and plump-up features.

Advice is to apply moisturiser on the skin 2-3 times a day.

(3)  Dry eyes

Constant exposure to airconditioning leads to faster evaporation of tears, resulting in eye discomfort and fatigue, and blurring of vision.

Use artificial tear eye drops if your eyes are feeling dry.

(4)  Cost savings

Huge savings if you turned off the airconditioning.  Switching to an electric fan can save as much as 90% of the utility bill.  On extremely hot weather, you can turn on the aircon but use an air humidifier to make the air less dry.

Conclusion

For the betterment of our planet, conservation of energy is a prerogative for everyone.  We should help to reduce the amount of fossil fuels burnt to produce energy and the volume of greenhouses gases generated, including carbon dioxide, which are released during the burning process.

Source:  ST Mind your Body, Mar 31, 2011

VIVA corner

Taking VIVAShield helps to strengthen and protect the skin tissue as it contains potent antioxidants that neutralises free radicals.

VIVA Omega 3 helps to replace the oil on the skin lost from the damage caused by long exposure to dry air.

VIVA Refresh detoxifying toner and Rejuvenate Mask can help to restore the healthy tone to the damaged skin by adding moisture, coenzyme 10 and collagen to the hungry and thirsty cells.

The POTENT Tongkat Ali

 

Tongkat Ali is a flowering plant native to Indonesia and Malaysia. The meaning of the word Tongkat Ali is “Ali’s walking stick” in the Malay language. It actually indicates the ability of the shrub to fight against physical exhaustion and mental fatigue by strengthening the immunity.

In Malaysia, the indigenous people in the Pahang forests have traditionally been making use of the plant parts for its antimalarial, aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and antipyretic (lowering fever) activities.

However, the part of the tree proven medicinally is the root and has to be dug vertically into the ground to extract. To most of us in Southeast Asia, it is dubbed the “Asian Viagra”, associated with increasing male virility and sexual prowess and may treat erectile dysfunction.

It can be available in the form of regular powder where the root is just crushed and pulverized, and also in various extract potencies where the active ingredients are more concentrated.

Medical studies

In recent times, some scientific studies conducted discovered that it enhances sexual characteristics and performance in rodents. Other laboratory animal tests have produced positive indications, with one extract having been observed to increase sexual activity in mature rats, including arousal, sniffing and mounting behavior.

In another experiment conducted on male treated rats, it was found that this extract, eurycoma longifolia increases sperm count, and the plasma testosterone level was significantly increased when compared with that of the control and infertile animals.

Following this study, researchers in the field of sports medicine started to look into the anabolic potential of the plant. In a placebo-controlled human study with healthy young men in a weight-training program, it was found that “the lean body mass of the treatment group showed a significant increment, from 52.26 (7.18) kg to 54.39 (7.43) kg (p = 0.012).” Furthermore, “the increase in strength in the treatment group was larger than in the placebo group (6.78% and 2.77% respectively. The mean arm circumference of the treatment group increased significantly by 1.8 cm after the supplementation… but there was no significant increase in the placebo group.” The results of the study were published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Sports Medicine. This is one of many ingredients mostly made up of cultivated roots in sports supplement and in gym circles, commonly referred to as Longjack.

Cancer treatment

Taiwanese scientists isolated 65 biochemical compounds from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia, of which ten exhibited “strong cytotoxicity” towards human lung and breast cancer cell lines. They also isolated beta-carboline alkaloids, several of which were active against lung and breast cancer cell lines. Medical researchers in Japan concluded that different fractions were effective against different cancers with one extract induced apoptosis in breast-cancer cells.

Concerns

+ A study into this aspect concluded: ”The results indicate that eurycomanone is poorly bioavailable when given orally… the absolute bioavailability of the compound was low with 10.5%… ” its poor oral bioavailability may be due to poor membrane permeability in view of its low P value and/or high first-pass metabolism.”

+ “As of 2011, we have come across only limited human research regarding the influence of this herb on testosterone levels. Even if this herb helps make, or release, testosterone, would the effects continue over time? The answers are not clear at this time. We do know that taking a tongkal ali supplement helps increase libido and genital sensation, along with orgasm strength. Are these due to testosterone release or due to other factors? Supplementation with this plant extract may not be an effective long term strategy to increase levels of testosterone, but it could perhaps be in the short term.”

+ The governments of Canada and Singapore have issued warnings against the product XP Tongkat Ali Supreme for containing the prescription drug tadalafil which can be life-threatening in some individuals.

+ Traditionally Eurycoma longifolia is extracted and purified with water and not ethanol as practised by some manufacturers. Surveys have shown a large number of Malaysian Eurycoma longifolia products (36 out of 100) are contaminated with mercury and lead beyond legally permitted limits.

+ Fake Eurycoma longifolia products have been pulled off the shelves in several countries but are still sold over the Internet, mostly shipped from the UK. In Malaysia, the common use of Eurycoma longifolia as a food and drink additive, coupled with a wide distribution of products using cheaper synthetic drugs in lieu of Eurycoma longifolia, has led to the invention of an electronic tongue to determine the presence and concentration of genuine Eurycoma longifolia in products claiming to contain it.

Who should not use?

* As Tongkat ali is believed to increase testosterone levels, men with breast or prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease or sleep apnea should avoid it.

* Pregnant or nursing women or children.

* People with weakened immune systems as some evidence suggest it may further weaken immune function.

* Those who have heart failure or heart rhythm problems should be cautious and use minute amounts since this herb increases heart rate.

* People who are taking immunosuppressant drugs.

Precautions

+ Only buy Tongkat Ali root extract that has been taken from trees at least 10 years of age or the extract is considered less effective.

+ When used in high dosages, side effects include increased body temperature, anxiety, restlessness, irritability and insomnia (in turn reduces sex drive).

BE SAFE THAN BE SORRY ! WHAT IS FUN MAY NO LONGER BE FUN ANYMORE !!

How to be a SMART consumer

***SHELF LIFE***

Should we just throw away unconsumed food after their expiration dates?   Often we gauge the safety date on shelf-stable products by:

 

Use-By, Best if Used By, Best By, Best Before when actually all the above merely give indication how long the product is likely to remain at its absolute best quality when unopened.

 

Proper storage allow the shelf life to be extended beyond this date. However, examine if there is any noticeable gradual changes in the unopened product’s texture, color or flavor.

As for perishables like meat, seafood, poultry and milk, the sell-by date is a guide for stores to know how long they can display a particular product. It is advisable to buy the product before the sell-by date expires. If you have followed the safe storage procedures, consuming not far beyond that date is not a problem. For instance, milk that has been continuously refrigerated remains drinkable for about one week after the “sell by” date on the package. However, take ‘expires on’ seriously when infant formula and some baby foods are concerned.

 

Note packing codes which appear as a series of letters and/or numbers on the package may indicate the date or time of manufacture, and does not provide any indication of either food safety or quality. This is of good help to manufacturers and grocers in rotating their stock and quickly locate products in the event of a recall.

 

***FRUIT LABEL***

Do you know that the little sticker on the piece of fruit you are eating  right now tells you a whole lot more than just the country of origin?  Pay  attention to these critical numbers as stores are not obligated to tell  you from the digits if the produce is grown naturally, organically or genetically.

 

+   Conventional Fruit Labels – Four digits starting with 3 or 4  (eg. 4922)

These produce have been grown on ordinary conventional farms where harmful  fertilizers and chemical pesticides are applied. This is why you need to wash  your fruit before eating it.

 

+   Genetically Modified Fruits – Five digits and starts with the  digit 8 (eg. 89222)

Nobody knows yet what the effect genetically modified foods” has on our  bodies or whether they are any harmful effects.

 

Basically, the genetically altered produce has its genes mutated by scientist in order to make them  more resistant to bugs and pesticide sprays during harvesting.

 

+  Organic Fruit Labels – Five digits and starts with number 9  (eg. 99222)

 

***ORGANIC FOOD*** 

+  Paying more for organic is worth it? Organic produce may help to avoid pesticides, but it may be more prevalent than you think.

 

List compiled in the US of the pesticide levels of common rank, ranked 1 (lowest) to 100 (highest)

 

* Peaches – 100

* Apples – 89

 * Strawberries – 82

 * Pear – 65

 * Grapes – 43

 

* Oranges – 42

 * Blueberries – 24

 * Bananas – 16

 * Pineapples – 7

 

Other items nicknamed the “clean 15″ includes onions, sweet corn and avocados  having lower levels of pesticides on average. (for complete list, go to Ewg.org/foodnews/)

 

+  Organic food uses no pesticides?

 

Most people harbour the thought that organic food is grown pesticide free. Is this the reality?

The British Journal of Nutrition found that organic produce contains less pesticide residue than conventional food. The big difference is that conventional farmers apply synthetic pesticides not permitted under organic farming.  Besides using natural farming methods, pesticides are still necessary to enable healthy natural growth. Thus, organic farmers use lots of natural pesticides which prove to be as toxic as the synthetic ones.

There is no test carried out on levels of organic pesticides. Basically, the organic pesticides have little impact of the environment as they degrade faster. To be more effective on plants, more have to be applied and thus the end result may be about the same for both types.

 

The two popular organic pesticides – rotenone and pyrethrin are extracted from sub-tropical plant species and chyrsanthemum respectively. On excessive use, both can damage nerves or nerves cells. This is found to cause Parkinson’s disease in laboratory mice.

 

Given the fact that the level of pesticides even in conventionally growth produce is already way below permissible levels, rinsing any produce thoroughly eliminates most pesticide residues is sufficed.

For those who still insists on organic food, it is just one part of  the equation of eating well. Eating organic potato chips may seem better than  the ordinary one, but it is still the unhealthy junk food. Avoid processed food at all cost.

So eating sufficient fresh fruits and vegetables whether organic or not makes more sense than having a limited intake of organic food due to cost reason.

 

Source: http://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/5

TCM products - SAFE and EFFECTIVE?

On August 20, Britain's Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency issued a press release warning that extreme caution should be used with a number of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) because they could contain dangerously high levels of toxins, including lead, mercury and arsenic.

The release said the drugs are not authorized for sale in Britain, but can be bought on the Internet. "People are warned to exercise extreme caution when buying unlicensed medicines as they have not been assessed for safety and quality, and standards can vary widely," it says.

The TCMs named include Niuhuang Jiedu Pian for the treatment of tonsillitis, toothaches and other maladies; Bak Foong Pills, often used for the treatment of menstrual pain; and Fabao, used to treat baldness.

In early August, Hong Kong authorities ordered the recall of Bak Foong Pills because the city's health authorities found they exceeded acceptable levels of lead by two times and Fabao because it surpassed mercury levels by 11 times. In July, the Swedish National Food Agency also found extremely high levels of arsenic in Niuhuang Jiedu Pian and warned other European Union countries that it constitutes a serious health risk.
(Read more: Electronic pills may be the future of medicine)

Richard Woodfield, the British regulatory agency's head of policy for herbal medicines, said in the press release: "The adulteration of traditional Chinese medicines with heavy metals is a significant international problem and can pose a serious risk to public health." He urged the public to choose herbal medicines that meet quality and safety standards, and have Britain's Traditional Herbal Registration certificate on their packaging.

Since the beginning of this year, TCMs have repeatedly been questioned, mainly by foreign official and private drug testing organizations. Apart from being potentially toxic, another common concern is that the herbal remedies often contain pesticide residue.

Two Greenpeace reports issued on July 1 said that out of the 36 kinds of frequently used Chinese herbal products tested in Germany, France, Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, the United States and Canada, pesticide residues were detected in all but one of the products. Among those cited were nine of China's leading drug brands, such as Tong Ren Tang and Yunnan Baiyao.

The industry's reaction toward safety issues has been the same for years: avoidance. No company responded to the Greenpeace reports. A public relations official at one the companies cited told Caixin that his peers all have a standard answer to questions over product safety: "We are in line with national standards. EU standards do not apply to China domestically."

He said pesticide residues are found not only in TCM products, but also in fruits and vegetables.
"We dare not say anything (in public), otherwise we can easily become a target," the PR source said.
 

Personalized medicine: the next big thing?

Alex Gunz, fund manager at Heptagon Capital, tells CNBC how personalized medicine will have a profound change on health as medicine becomes proactive.
 

The 'health food' problem

More or less all medicines, whether Western or Chinese, have side effects. Over the thousands of years that TCM has developed, the concept that all medicines are in a certain sense a sort of poison has always been acknowledged.

The difference is that Western medical practices require the side effects of drugs to be clearly identified, says Wei Lixin, a professor at the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission, which in charge of drafting the official pharmacopoeia, a book that describes TCM treatments and their preparations.
(Read more: Cashing in on health scares, China online food sales boom)

However, there are no such guidelines on toxicity for TCM, says Wei. As a result, Chinese and foreign commercial health care companies have often bragged that their herbal preparations are not harmful.

Yu Zhibin, of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products, said that among the numerous incidents involving acute TCM side effects in the West, one cause is that these countries do not regard the Chinese medicines as drugs, but as health foods.
As a result some in the public take medicines as though they were food.

Work to be done

Theory behind TCM has long held that blending several herbal ingredients mitigates the toxicity of substances, and methods have been developed to make toxic substances react with each other, thus diluting or decomposing toxins.

Also, Wei said that when discussing the toxicity of Chinese medicines, the elements of the chemical compound, dosage and the period of treatment should be taken into account. Simply declaring that a certain substance is poisonous can be misleading. He used the example of cinnabar, the common mercury ore, which is a mineral drug that can, of course, be toxic in high doses.

"It's an incomplete statement to say cinnabar is poisonous," Wei said. "The truth is that it will become harmful to humans in high and extended usage."

For decades, the Chinese medicine community has been trying to use modern Western methodologies to measure toxicity in herbal remedies. Chen Keji, president of the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that in the current pharmacopoeia, 18.3 percent of Chinese medicines do not have instructions for dosage or any toxicity analysis.
(Read more: China says Glaxo executives confess to bribing doctors)

Many TCM practitioners say that it will be a long time before authorities can provide a systematic analysis for all substances used in Chinese medicine. The effort does, however, continue. At the national level, three Chinese medicine safety evaluation centers and four clinical trial centers devoted to standardizing TCM have been established in recent years. New TCM drugs are required to satisfy the standards of a safety evaluation system before receiving regulatory approval. They must also come with safety guidelines.

Wei says he hopes the central government will launch a comprehensive toxicity study, but says it will require an enormous amount of time and energy to conduct scientific safety evaluations for all TCM products. "A toxicity problem is often not addressed until a poisoning incident is reported," he said.
 

More from Caixin Online:

Traditional medicine: handle with care
With funds flowing in, health-care firms are hale and hearty
Debate erupts after mercury found in chinese medicine

Lost business

The inability of Chinese products to meet the norms of modern medicine and provide safety assurances has, ironically, left China behind in the international TCM market, a US$30 billion annual business. Japanese and South Korean companies own 70% of the market. China accounts for a mere 5%, mostly represented by the export of raw materials to Japan and South Korea.

Shen Zhixiang, president of the Chinese Folk Medicine Research Association, said there are two reasons for this. "In reference to safety and effectiveness, Chinese TCM companies have given neither enough effort nor funding," he said. It was up to the industry to do the required research, he said.

Most Chinese TCM producers invest heavily in new product research that can boost stock prices, not in time-consuming clinical or safety studies.

Yuan Jinghua, an investment manager at China Meheco, said China launches over 1,000 TCM products every year. Meanwhile, Japan had almost no new TCM product in the last 30 years, and companies in that country concentrate their efforts on clinical studies and meeting international standards.
(Read more: Health-care cost inflation on track to slow in 2014: report)

Without certification, it is impossible for Chinese TCM products to be used as medicine in developed countries. Thus they are not recognized by mainstream American and European medical institutions.

Britain was the first European country to set up proper legal regulation of TCMs, though the majority of products are sold as health products or food because it is hard for them to meet drug standards.

No Chinese TCM products have received certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, meaning they are locked out of the country's herbal medicine market, which is worth US$2 billion annually. The only likely candidate is a product under Tianjin Tasly Holding Group, which just passed the second phase of an FDA clinical trial. If all goes well, a brown pill used to treat angina can be sold in the United States as early as 2014.

Our comments

TCM has a variety of natural healing methods that traditionally help to resolve many health issues. These ancient healing forms have been effectively used for thousands of years without any accompanying side effects. Why in recent times are there so much public complaints about its detrimental health effects on application?

In the present era some TCM establishments seem to adopt similar concept as the western practice in making 'healthy' profits from health. It is indecent to make money from healthy people but how not to miss the billions of dollars set aside each year for health purpose? Marketers would think of ways to get in patients in treating disease and chronic illness, and addicting people to lifetime requirements for prescription medicines.

By expanding on the disease economy, profits keep rolling in and shareholders are more than happy to invest in such manufacturing concerns. To manage cost, these companies are least willing to invest in Research and Development, clinical studies or procuring quality raw materials.

Organic produces do not find a place in this economy. Instead, herbs derived are commerically harvested and found laced with pesticide residues. To make matter worse, there are many reported cases where patients have fallen ill or died after being sold Chinese herbal potions and pills that either contained, or were contaminated with, illegal substances, such as poisonous plants, asbestos, heavy metals such as mercury and even powerful Western medicines to enhance their potencies.

Dr Debbie Shaw, a toxicologist who is the head of the Chinese Medicine Advisory Service at UK Guy’s Hospital, has studied 40 case reports of liver damage caused by herbal medicine. At the same time, there are two reported cases of skin complaints prescribed with a Chinese remedy containing the same contaminant - aristochia that put both patients at risk and finally landed on dialysis treatment.

Incidentially, under EU rules that came into force in 2011, all medicinal herbs must be officially certified as safe before being sold publicly. The regulations aimed to ensure quality control, reporting of adverse effects and proper labelling of contents. A ban is also imposed on unregulated health practitioners from commissioning or formulating their own concoctions.

With over 12,800 types of Chinese medicinals known by people, including over 11,000 medicinal plants, 1500 medicinal animals, 80 medicinal minerals and 1 million TCM prescriptions found to-date, it is an immense task to document all for study reference to make possible better appreciation of the complexicities involved. To put into proper perspective, controlled studies should be forthcoming to add credibility. A more scientific approach aims at transparency and universality, cutting across all boundaries and cultures, bearing consistent results is a big step to take for the betterment of mankind!

Source ref: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1254746/Chinese-medicine-caused-kidney-failure-cancer-So-safe-popular-cures.html
VIVA corner

The baby boomers live in an information age where most understand the importance of taking charge of their own lives. This orientation leads to a major shift towards prevention and away from treatment. Alternative therapies become very acceptable in developed societies - eg. in Americans more than 65% currently use multivitamins and more than 30% use herbal products. Results have shown that such safe alternative as compared to costly prescription drugs enables individuals to live not just longer but also healthier.

A new industry known as 'nutraceuticals' is born out of a need for products that can provide high safety and high efficacy. A nutraceutical is defined as a product extracted in concentrates from fruits, vegetables or plants, deemed safe and non-toxic, and has beneficial medicinal purposes. Two decades ago, this new trend was not obvious and few companies saw the change coming. VIVA LIfe Science not only identified the potential but viewed this as a way to help people to achieve optimal health.

Since then there is no turning back and its scientists have been busy identifying and scientifically testing beneficial nutrients, and producing high quality products under exacting pharmaceutical standards. To carry out this huge project, millions of dollars have been invested in state of the art research laboratories and FDA registered manufacturing facilties. This is made possible by sourcing the highest quality from the farm to R&D labs.

The final products are put to undergo rigorous testing by several prominent medical teaching universities and hospitals before the clinical reports are published in many peer reviewed medical journals. Moving a step forward, VIVA has initiated filing patents for its products.

As a food-based company, there is no necessity to go the extra mile to prepare for the launch of its products. However, the painstaking effort taken is well rewarded with strong gain in brand reputation in USA and abroad. Thus far, VIVA has been bagging highest recognition awards by the Taiwan Health Authority for few consecutive years running.

If VIVA can be so committed to quality scientific rigor, why are other companies not willing to take the similiar path? You can be sure that VIVA dares to take up the challenge because it truly provides premium quality nutrients to suit any individual!

Energy SAVING Bulbs

 

 

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is designed to replace general service incandescent lamp and can fit into most existing light fixtures formerly used for incandescent.

Differences

+ Given the same amount of visible light, CFLs use about 1/3 power and thus have an extended lifespan between 8 and 15 times more. CFLs typically have a rated lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually manufactured to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.

However, the life of a CFL is significantly shorter if it is turned on and off frequently. It is suggested to leave the CFL on when leaving a room for less than 15 minutes to mitigate this problem.

+ CFLs produce less light later in their lives than when they are new. The light output decay is exponential, with the fastest losses being soon after the lamp is first used. By the end of their lives, CFLs can only produce 70–80% of their original light output.

+ Incandescent reaches full brightness a fraction of a second after being switched on. CFLs turn on within a second, but most available on the shelves still take time about a minute to warm up to full brightness.

+ Only some CFLs are labeled for dimming control. Using regular CFLs with a dimmer is ineffective at dimming, can shorten bulb life and will void the warranty of certain manufacturers. Hence, there is a need for the dimmer switch used in conjunction with a dimmable CFL to be matched to its power consumption range.

+ CFLs can damage paintings and textiles which have light-sensitive dyes and pigments. Strong colours will tend to fade on exposure to UV light. Shielding these items when placed near the bulbs for a long period of time is necessary.

+ CFLs are sold at higher prices but can save much on electricity bills.

Now the danger part to look out….

Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury as vapor inside the glass tubing, which complicates their disposal. Most CFLs contain 3–5 mg per bulb, with the eco-friendly bulbs containing as little as 1 mg. As mercury is poisonous in nature, even tiny quantities are a concern for landfills and waste incinerators where the mercury from lamps may be released and contribute to air and water pollution.

China, being the manufacturing powerhouse in the world is well known for low production costs and thus able to make CFLs more affordable. However, in the past decade, hundreds of Chinese factory workers who manufacture CFLs for export to first world countries were being poisoned and hospitalized due to mercury exposure. A case in Nanhai Feiyang lighting factory in Foshan saw 68 out of 72 so badly poisoned that they required hospitalization. At another CFL factory in Jinzhou, 121 out of 123 employees were found to have excessive mercury levels, with one employee’s mercury level 150 times the accepted standard.

Researchers in USA were unable to remove mercury from carpet, and agitation of the carpet — such as by young children playing — created localized concentrations as high as 25,000 ng/m³ in air close to the carpet, even weeks after the initial breakage.

Precautionary steps to adopt when bulbs are broken:

* Everyone in the room has to be evacuated from the room within 15 minutes. Mercury contamination can cause migraine, disorientation, imbalances and allergies or severe skin conditions by touching this substance or inhaled. Make sure no one steps on the shards of glass littering the floor.

* Do not clean the debris of the broken bulb with a vacuum cleaner because the remnants may remain and spread to the other areas when used again. Instead, wear a rubber glove and use a normal broom or brush to clean up is good enough. Try not to inhale dust from the broken bulb. Put it in a seal bag and dispose off from the house.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

Latest findings:

A group of German scientists claimed that several carcinogenic chemicals and toxins were released when the environmentally-friendly compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were switched on, including phenol, naphthalene and styrene. Advice is not to leave the bulbs on for extended periods, particularly in unventilated areas and near someone’s head.

Also latest report released by Abraham Haim, a professor of biology at Haifa University in Israel, that the bulbs could result in higher breast cancer rates if used late at night. He explained that the bluer light that CFLs emitted closely mimicked daylight, disrupting the body’s production of the hormone melatonin more than older-style filament bulbs, which cast a yellower light.

The Migraine Action Association has warned that they could trigger migraines and skin care specialists have claimed that their intense light could exacerbate a range of existing skin problems.

The bulbs are already widely used in the UK following EU direction to phase out traditional incandescent lighting by the end of this year. The British experts insisted that more research was needed and urged consumers not to panic.

You decide?

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8462626/Energy-saving-light-bulbs-contain-cancer-causing-chemicals.html (dated 20-4-2011)


Useful tips


Apply unwanted perfumes with cotton balls on light bulb. You will be amazed to see when light up it emits a warming sensation filled with aroma.

MICROWAVE ovens

 

When it comes to microwave ovens, the price for convenience can be a compromise to your health. Read this post on the destructive effects of microwave ovens can do to your health before it is too late.

Research showed that microwave oven can cause massive bodily damage as its waves violently rip the molecules in any food placed apart, eliminating most nutrients and rendering it carcinogenic at its worst. The radiation effect can cause injury by raising the temperature of body organs.

How does microwaves work?

+ Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, both electrical and magnetic (EM) energy moving together through space. EM radiation ranges from very high energy (gamma rays and x-rays) on one end to very low energy (radio waves) on the other end of the spectrum. Microwaves are on the low-energy end of the spectrum, after radio waves with a short wavelength of about 4.8 inches (about the width of your head).

+ Water is the main operating agent as its molecules are bipolar – having a positive and negative end, that rotate rapidly in the alternating electric field. As such the energy generated at extremely high frequencies—like millions of times per second—creates molecular friction that turns to steam to heat up the food. However, if the food or object placed in the microwave oven had no water content it is not be able to have this resonance.

+ Contrary to popular belief, microwaved foods does not cook “from the inside out.” When thicker foods are cooked, microwaves heat the outer layers, and the inner layers are cooked mostly by the conduction of heat from the hot outer layers, inward. Since not all areas contain the same amount of water, the heating is uneven. This is opposed to conventional heating of food whereby heat is transferred conventionally from the outside, inward.

What can go wrong?

+ Carcinogenic toxins can leach out of the plastic and paper containers/covers into your food. Such toxic chemicals commonly used to pack microwavable foods like pizzas, chips and popcorn are polyethylene terpthalate (PET), benzene, toluene and xylene. Microwaving fatty foods in plastic containers leads to the release of dioxins (known carcinogens) and other toxins into your food. One of the worst contaminants is BPA (bisphenol A) – an estrogen-like compound used widely in plastic products and dishes made specifically for the microwave purpose.

+ Though the FDA limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) per square centimeter at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface, standing a foot away from it while it is running can still expose you to almost 400 milliGauss, and a mere 4 milliGauss has been firmly linked to leukemia. It can also cause burns deep within the body without our knowledge.

 Kids and pregnant women should avoid standing near the microwave oven in its operating mode. Also note that since our eyes are known to be particularly susceptible to microwave radiation as high microwave exposures can cause cataracts. Other studies showed microwaves can cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, pain or pressure in the chest and sharp rise in blood sugar for some diabetic patients.

+ The rapid speed in heating up causes a change in the food’s chemical structure.

• A study published in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that broccoli “zapped” in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97% of its beneficial antioxidants. By comparison, steamed broccoli lost 11% or fewer of its antioxidants. There were also reductions in phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, but mineral levels remained intact.
• In a study of garlic, as little as 60 seconds of microwave heating was enough to inactivate its allinase, garlic’s principle active ingredient against cancer.
• Microwaving can destroy the essential disease-fighting agents in breast milk that offer protection for the baby, notably the lost of lysozyme activity and antibodies whilst foster the growth of more potentially pathogenic bacteria. Also found are the depletion of vitamin content and certain amino acids converted into other substances that are biologically inactive or become toxic to the nervous system and kidneys.
• In the field of gene-altering technology to weaken cell membranes, scientists have been using microwaves to break cells apart. Such experiments are carried out to show how impaired cells can become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms.

Symptoms to watch out

People who have been exposed to high levels of microwave radiation experience a variety of symptoms, including:

• Insomnia, night sweats and various sleep disturbances
• Headaches and dizziness
• Swollen lymph nodes and a weakened immune system
• Impaired cognition
• Depression and irritability
• Nausea and appetite loss
• Vision and eye problems
• Frequent urination and extreme thirst

Conduct a blood test if you have any of the above symptoms recurring.

How does cancer develop?

+ When lymphatic disorders are observed, it leads to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers, especially stomach and intestinal cancer (where food is digested). This can be seen by an increased rate of cancer cell formation present in the blood.

+ The Powerwatch article summarized the Russian research quite well below:

• Russian investigators found that carcinogens were formed from the microwaving of nearly all foods tested.
• The microwaving of milk and grains converted some of the amino acids into carcinogenic substances.
• Microwaving prepared meats caused the formation of the cancer-causing agents d-Nitrosodienthanolamines.
• Thawing frozen fruits by microwave converted their glucoside and galactoside fractions into carcinogenic substances.
• Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.
• Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants—especially root vegetables.
• Structural degradation leading to decreased food value was found to be 60 to 90% overall for all foods tested, with significant decreases in bioavailability of B complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, essential minerals, and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat).

+ Some fairly compelling evidence supporting the destructive effects of microwaves comes from a highly cited study by a Swiss food scientist named Hans Hertel. He was the first scientist to study the effects of microwaved foods on the blood and physiology of human beings and concluded that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food and the blood composition that could cause negative health effects.

His findings are as follows:

• Increased cholesterol levels;
• Decreased numbers of leukocytes (white blood cells), which can suggest poisoning;
• Decreased numbers of red blood cells;
• Production of radiolytic compounds;
• Decreased hemoglobin levels, which could indicate anemia.

More comments

In summary, microwave ovens kill you slowly without your knowledge and should therefore be discontinued IMMEDIATELY. Some strong reasons are:

+  As microwave emits electrical impulses to the brain from constant exposure, it can cause loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability and a dip in intelligence. In the worst scenario, it causes long term permanent brain damage.


+  Minerals, vitamins and nutrients of all microwaved food are reduced or altered into compounds where the human body derives little or no benefit. In some instances, the unknown byproducts cannot be broken down or turn toxic. Study showed the minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals. Remember the effects of such by-products are residual and accumulative within the human body permanently. This may explain the exponential rate of stomach and intestinal cancerous growths in developed countries.


+  Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

+  Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods. 

Recommendation

 

If you still like to keep your microwave oven, use it for disinfecting purpose or occasional heating of food.  Do not peer into it while it is on and wait until the microwave finishes beeping before opening it. When not in use, keep safe by unplugging and keep children away.Though it is a common electric appliance in most kitchens, there are some people who CAN survive without microwave ovens and are living happily and healthily. Making a few small lifestyle adjustments like eating more organic raw foods can help in a long way.

Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx

  

CAR Air-conditioning

 

Have you wonder why the vehicle’s manual usually states to roll down the windows to release all the hot air before turning on the A/C? Everyday, many people are in their vehicle seats the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night without observing this procedure.

 

Note the steps:

 

+ Do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car - notice the smell of heated plastic?

 

+ Open the windows after you enter your car, and then turn ON the AC after a couple of minutes

 

The danger lurking can be so terrible as to cause cancer. Why?

 

According to research, the car’s dashboard, seats, a/c ducts and all of the plastic objects present emit Benzene, a cancer-causing toxin. Therefore, those who enter the car with closed windows inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of this toxin.

 

+ Acceptable Benzene level indoors is: 50 mg per sq.ft.
 

+ A car parked indoors, with windows closed, contains 400-800 mg of Benzene.
 

+ A car parked outdoor under the sun with a temperature above 60 degrees F can chalk up Benzene level up to 2000-4000 mg (40 times the acceptable level)

 

What is Benzene?

 

Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil, being one of the most basic petrochemicals. It is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell that evaporates easily into the air. Known to be a carcinogen, its use as an additive in gasoline is now limited, but ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production of industrial solvent and precursor to basic industrial chemicals including drugs, plastics, dyes, resins, nylon, synthetic fibers, lubricants, detergents and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires.

 

The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) classifies benzene as a human carcinogen. Human exposure to benzene is a global health problem. Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed in this toxin.

+ The short-term breathing of high levels of benzene can be fatal; low levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion and unconsciousness. Eating or drinking foods containing high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, irritation of the stomach, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions and death.

+ The major effects of benzene are manifested via prolonged exposure through the blood. It can cause damages to the bone marrow and a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. In cases of excessive bleeding, a compromising immune system increases the chance of infection. Hence, it is commonly associated with other blood cancers and pre-cancers of the blood.

 

+ Some women having breathed high levels of benzene for many months experienced irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries. Such exposure has also been linked directly to the neural birth defects spina bifida and anencephaly. Men exposed to high levels of benzene are more likely to have an abnormal amount of chromosomes in their sperm, which impacts fertility and fetal development.

+ Benzene targets main organs like liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain, and can cause DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, etc. This may account for the higher incidence of leukemia and multiple myeloma caused by chronic exposure in recent times. Pure benzene, when oxidized in the body to produce an epoxide, if not excreted readily can interact with DNA to produce harmful mutations.

+ People most exposed:

– In two separate studies conducted, it has been connected to a rare form of kidney cancer in one involving tank truck drivers and the other involving seamen on tanker vessels, both carrying benzene-laden chemicals.

— Workers in various industries that make or use benzene may be at risk for being exposed to high levels of this carcinogenic chemical. Industries that involve the use of benzene include the rubber industry, oil refineries, coke and chemical plants, shoe manufacturers and gasoline-related industries. Downstream petroleum industry operations include the following categories: refinery, pipeline, marine, rail, bulk terminals and trucks, service stations, underground storage tanks, tank cleaning, and site characterization and remediation.

— Water and soil contamination are important pathways of concern for transmission of benzene contact. In the US alone, there are approximately 100,000 different sites that have benzene soil or groundwater contamination. In 2005, the water supply to the city of Harbin in China with a population of almost nine million people, was cut off because of a major benzene exposure. Benzene leaked into the Songhua River, which supplies drinking water to the city, after an explosion at a China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) factory in the city of Jilin on 13 November.

Adopt the right approach to minimise the inhalation of this deadly chemical. It is extremely difficult for the body to expel this toxic stuff.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene

VIVA corner

Glutathione seems to play an important role by protecting against benzene-induced DNA breaks and it is being identified as a new biomarker for exposure and effect. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an important enzyme that is responsible for protecting cells from damage due to free radicals like hydrogen and lipid peroxides with its antioxidant properties. Levels of glutathione peroxidase in the body are closely linked with glutathione, the master antioxidant.

To raise glutathione levels, it is better to supply the body with the raw materials it uses to make this compound: cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. VIVA Ageguard is derived from soy and rice protein, broken down into unchained form for quick absorption. The 3 amino acids mentioned above, glutamine, cysteine and glycine are present in this product.

VIVA Chloroguard acts as an antioxidant and reduces acid levels in the body which occur from free radical formation and oxidative reactions. It is effective in neutralising and eliminating heavy metals like lead, mercury, copper and cadmium. All the potent ingredients found in it help to strengthen the liver and aid in the body’s detoxification processes.

  

Before you pick up your handphone again....

"Digital" dementia

Doc­tors in South Korea have recently reported a surge in “dig­i­tal demen­tia” among young peo­ple who have become over-reliant on elec­tronic devices that they are show­ing signs of dete­ri­o­ra­tion in cog­ni­tive abilities.

In this era of high-tech, we are becoming more machine than human. Peo­ple are so con­nected to their cell phones, as well as other dig­i­tal devices such as lap­tops and game sys­tems, that if we were forced to stop using them, some would most cer­tainly expe­ri­ence withdrawal symptoms, quite sim­i­lar to those who have suf­fered psy­chi­atric ill­ness or a seri­ous head injury. This is unprecedented and the ubiquitous problem warrants close examination before the situation gets worse.

Accord­ing to The Tele­graph, doc­tors have reported that the per­cent­age of peo­ple aged between 10 and 19 who oper­ate their smart­phones for more than seven hours a day has greatly increased since last year. South Kore­ans have the high­est per­cent­age of smart­phone users in the world, with 67% of the pop­u­la­tion connected.

“Heavy users are likely to develop the left side of their brains, leav­ing the right side untapped or under­de­vel­oped,” said Byun Gi-won.

Since the right side of our brain is linked to con­cen­tra­tion, its fail­ure to develop sig­nif­i­cantly affects mem­ory span and atten­tion — lead­ing to dementia.

Dr. Man­fred Spitzer, a Ger­man neu­ro­sci­en­tist, has warned that spend­ing too much time on elec­tronic devices has irre­versible con­se­quences. He has even called for dig­i­tal media to be banned from Ger­man class­rooms before kids become “addicted.”

In 2012, TIME mag­a­zine released a Mobil­ity Poll, wherein researchers polled nearly 5,000 peo­ple in eight coun­tries. The results?

Nearly 84% of peo­ple world­wide said that they could not go a sin­gle day with­out their mobile device in hand!

Handphones CAUSES Cancer?

 

After a group of scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, analyzed peer-reviewed studies on cellphones, the panel announced on May 31, 2011 that cell phones might possibly cause brain cancer. The announcement comes from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Like the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society relies on IARC for evaluation of cancer risks.

This puts cellphones in the same category as lead and auto exhaust. The WHO report noted that there was not enough evidence to prove the radiation from cellphones is linked to cancer, but enough to alert consumers to a possible connection.

“We reached this conclusion based on a review of human evidence showing increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, in association with wireless phone use.”

Though the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates radiation from cellphones claimed that there is no scientific evidence to date that proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other health effects, including headaches, dizziness or memory loss but brain experts believed that ”commonsense would tell you that since a cellphone is a microwave generator and emits radiation, it has the potential to alter DNA and should therefore be used in moderation.

Proving a causal relation between cellphone use and brain tumors is very hard to do as it takes many patients over many years to try to draw a connection but even if a connection exists, it will be very hard to prove it in the short term. This is because radiation emitted by cellphone includes very low level microwave radiation, a type of non-ionizing radiation which is absorbed near the skin as compared to ionizing radiation emitted by an X-ray or CT scan that has enough energy to break down chemical bonds by knocking electrons off atoms or molecules, rendering them unstable.

As a precautionary step, is recommended not speaking for long periods with the phone held to the ear and preferably using an earpiece or speaker to keep the phone away from your head. Hence, risk of brain tumor formation from the phone will be essentially eliminated.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, added: “Given that the evidence remains uncertain, it is up to each individual to determine what changes they wish to make, if any, after weighing the potential benefits and risks of using a cellphone.”

If some feel the potential risk outweighs the benefit, they can take actions, including limiting cellphone use or using a headset, he said. “Limiting use among children also seems reasonable in light of this uncertainty,” Brawley said.

Latest findings

25-6-2011 – WHO has never concurred on an epidemiological link between cellphone use and glioma and consistently insisted that no such risk existed. The claim may not be found on ionisation but mutation of cells causing gradual damage, especially to the brain tissue near the ears and become cancer spots over a prolonged period of time.

Recently NASA scientist Peter Siegel irradiated cells with ultrasound waves, which like cellphone waves are low frequency that carry low energy and yet capable of boring nano-sized pores through cell membranes. Hence, the biological effects affecting cell functionalities are still unknown risks that need further exploration.

Recommendations

“Recent studies have raised alarm bells about mobile phones. An unreleased World Health Organisation study reportedly found “a significantly increased risk” of some brain tumors related to use of mobile phones for 10 years or more.”

Brain cancer surgeon Charlie Teo from Melbourne informed that as breast cancer doubles its cell numbers in weeks or months, brain cancer works so rapidly, taking a mere 16 hours to create havoc. There is no differentiation in age group and the incident rate is ticking faster especially in developing countries.

+ The FCC noted that earpieces do significantly reduce the rate of energy absorption in a user’s head, but that if the phone is attached to the waist or another part of the body, then that part of the body is exposed to radiofrequency radiation. A Suleyman Demirel University study in Turkey found wearing a mobile phone on your belt may lead to decreased bone density in an area of the pelvis commonly used for bone grafts. It can also be a contributory factor to mutations in prostate cells but yet to be proven conclusively.

+ Other devices such as metal cellphone shields that claim to protect users from cellphone radiation or reduce is doubted by the FCC. It explained that they may actually increase radio frequency absorption in the head due to their potential to interfere with proper operation of the phone, thus forcing it to increase power to compensate.

+ Finally, cell phones emit the most radiation when they are attempting to connect to cellular towers. A moving phone, or a phone in an area with a weak signal, has to work harder, giving of more radiation. So users can avoid using their cell phones in elevators, buildings and rural areas if they want to reduce their exposure, experts say.

LAST ADVICE: WHEN YOUR HANDPHONE IS DOWN TO THE LAST BAR, DO NOT USE THE CHAT ON IT AS RADIATION IS 1000 TIMES STRONGER !!!

Wise up! Reduce damage to your body by reducing usage of electronic devices.