Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Drug Ingredients and the FDA


Greetings,
So, do you trust the FDA to monitor the import of drug components from all over the world?  
Who believes that they're going to control the import from manufactures for the other 80% of ingredients in Prescription Drugs? 
Not Me!
I'll tell you something, I'm really glad that we don't take any medications.
Just got this today and thought you'd be interested.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

Drug Industry Daily       June 28, 211

A recently released report from the FDA says close to 80 percent of the active ingredients found in pharmaceutical products originate abroad.

“Americans are not going to restrict themselves to seasonal and locally grown food. Nor will we limit ourselves to the drugs and devices that can be developed and manufactured using only ingredients and parts that come from within the U.S.,” blogger Steven Grossman says. Through international cooperation, the FDA has set up a plan to monitor the import of pharmaceutical ingredients by assembling global coalitions of regulators through partnerships with foreign counterparts, developing a global data system that will allow information to be shared and continuing to expand its capabilities in intelligence gathering.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Buy Better Fish


Greetings,
Summer time is officially here. 
With all the benefits that come from eating fish, thought we’d talk about how to get the best fish for your money.
Debbie & I love eating fish, probably eat more fish and anything else.
Here are 5 tips for fish !
1.  We are fortunate to live close water, but you may not be so lucky.  So it’s good to know that Flash Frozen Fish is almost as good as fresh. The catch (get it, the catch...) is, it needs to be frozen within 12 hours of coming out of the water.  Flash Frozen can actually be healthier than some fresh fish.  Most "Fresh Fish" has been sitting around for way too long.    Remember, the fresher the better.
2.  If you are buying fresh fish, you need to know two things.  Who your buying from and   “When did you get this?”  The answer you’re looking for is “today”.   Plan on cooking it the same day you bought it otherwise, why spend extra money for fresh fish?
3.  Any fish you buy should pass the Sight and Sniff Test.  Make sure that it looks shinny and has a nice luster, it shouldn’t look dull or damaged. If is smells fishy, it’s old and it's going to taste, just like it smells!  It should smell like where it came from, the sea.
4.  You don’t need anything added; make sure it's not loaded with salt or artificial colors.  Check the label on packaged fish and look for added brine. 
5.  Yes we like fried fish, but it completely ruins the nutritional value. Loading it down with things like butter or cream isn’t much better. There are lots of wonderful recipes out there to bake, broil, and grill it.  A quick internet search will turn up literally thousands, so experiment and find a new favorite recipe.

Now that it’s grilling time, here is one of my favorite ways to make a quick simple meal. Cut a lemon in thin slices. Lay them on a piece of foil, then put your fish on top and add some spices, lemon juice and a little olive oil.  Seal and throw it on the grill for a quick  tasty and nutritious meal.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Want to avoid paying extra fees when flying?


Greetings,
Have you had a chance to go to the airport lately?
If your planning on air travel being part of your travel plans, you may be in for a surprise, especially if you pack like my Debbie does.
The airlines have found a new revenue stream, charging extra for baggage, and it can climb fairly quickly.  You’ll be paying for any excess weight or extra bags you take along this time.
Depending on which airline you choose, your going to need to budget extra money, here are a couple of examples…
Alaska Airlines - $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second.
Delta – First one is free, second is $50.
Northwest - First one is free, second is $50.
US Airways – Better plan ahead, if you pay for it in advance its $15 but if you wait until your vacation, add another $5.
Think you can just carry on that extra bag like we used to? Forget about it… Now the TSA is helping the airlines by limiting the number of carry on’s allowed.
So what to do? Here are a couple of common sense things.
  •       Do you really need to bring 17 different outfits?  Once we brought 4 suitcases to go on a beach vacation, all we wore was our bathing suits and tank tops…
  •       Wear a sport coat / jacket on the plane to save room & weight in your bags.
  •       Cut back on the toiletries.  You can get travel size lotions and potions now, or just transfer your favorites into smaller bottles.  Don’t forget to put everything into a zip lock bag.
  •       Put your luggage on a scale at home, most airlines draw the line at 50 pounds per bag. You don’t want to have to go thru stuff at the counter then try to figure out where to put all that stuff to get under the limit.
  •       Take advantage of frequent flyer programs, some airlines will wave fees for their cardholders, Ask about these discounts. Also if your active military, they are now waiving fees since they got bad press for changing military returning from overseas.
  •       Sometimes airlines run specials that waive extra fees, remember that if you don’t ask, you won’t get it.
  •       You can use the hotels laundry services instead of bringing more clothing. Many hotels now even have washers and dryers available if you want to save money
  •       Check with your travel agent, hotels are hurting for business and many will reimburse for baggage fees, again you have to ask to receive.
  •        If you must have to have something heavy, try mailing it to your destination.  While you may have to pay a little more, you can count on your stuff being there when you get there (have you ever had to stand in line when you bag didn’t show up?).

There are still some airlines that don’t charge for bags, like JetBlue and Southwest.  I know that for us we'll try to book our flights on these if we have to fly, personally I'd rather drive. (If you haven't read our posting on Naked body scanners, you'll want to read that one before you fly)
Hope these tips help, enjoy your travel.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Don’t throw away the best parts.


Greetings,
Somewhere along the way, we've stopped eating the skins off of fruits and veggies.  
We’ve been guilty of this our own selves, and after doing some research, we won’t be doing that any longer.
Here are some of the many benefits available from what usually gets thrown out!

APPLES
Researchers have rediscovered that ursolic acid in an apple’s skin offers many benefits, from building muscle growth to lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.

AVOCADOS
Well you can’t eat the skin on this one, you can use the oil to make a cream that is able to penetrate down into the lower levels to naturally soften and moisturizes.  Because the skin is high in sterolins, it can even help reduce age spots and is great to use after being out in the sun all day.

BANANAS
Bet you never tried this one, boil the skin for 10 minutes and drink it straight or add it to your juice.  Researchers in Taiwan discovered that this can ease depression because it had serotonin and this has been shown to help balance your mood swings.
It’s also good for your eyes, protecting eye cells from ultraviolet light, which are known to cause cataracts.
Are you shoes needing a polish?  You can polish your shoes with the skins and then use a soft cloth for a quick shine.
Are mosquitos getting you down? Just rub a banana peel and it should help soothe the itching.
Want to make you plants shine naturally? Rub them down and they will shine and also you’ll fertilize them and protect them for pests too.

KIWIS
Kiwis skin contain 3 times the antioxidants that’s in the pulp.  Put the skin in to your juicer to get the cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic benefits

LEMONS & LIMES
If you haven’t read my other post on using Lemons to fight cancer, be sure to read that post.
But that’s not all they’re good for.  Do you still use a microwave? (we don’t but some of you still do) Put a lemon peel and some of the pieces of fruit in to a bowl of water and let it come to a boil for about 10 minutes to get rid of those nasty odors.
The citric acid is great to safely polish brass, copper and any other non-ferrous metals.  Use baking soda to make the job even easier.
Here’s a good one, cut the rind and drop into a bottle of Vodka for a great summer drink.
Do you have an old bottle of Olive Oil? To revitalize your oil, put a couple of slice of the rind into your bottle to spice it up.

ORANGES
Don’t throw that orange peal away; it’s loaded with super flavonoids.  The antioxidants in the peel over 20 times more powerful than the juice itself.  Add grated peals to your casseroles and baked goods.
If you’re into juicing, just throw the whole oranges into the hopper.

PAPAYA
Are your feet rough and dry?  Rub papaya skins and also the pulp to soften and soothe you dry and cracked heels.
Papayas are loaded with vitamin A and papain, this breaks down and removes dead skin.  Not for just your feet but many people also use it to exfoliate their faces.
Quick warning, the juice from the skin can dry our your skin, don’t leave it on longer than 5 minutes.

PEACHES
Looking for a natural facial? Put a pinch of sugar on the inside of the peach skin and you have a great scrub for your face.
Peaches are high in Vitamin A and potassium.  Use it to hydrate and renew you skin.  When your eating the peach, don’t peal it for a natural boost for your immune system, help remove toxins protect your eyes from cataracts.  Peaches can also help lower your chances of cancer, heart disease and even arthritis.

PEARS
Did you know the skin in a pear has more vitamins and nutrients than the rest of the fruit?  The skins are packed with chlorogenic acid, a powerful anti-oxidant and flavonoid – phloretin.  These have been tested in a lab to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

POMEGRANATES
We’ve heard about the benefits of eating and drinking pomegranates.  But did you know that the rinds could help with diarrhea?  Boil a piece of the skin in water with cinnamon stick, let cool and drink this as needed or up to 3 times a day until the symptoms are gone.

POTATO
Are you roots showing?  Boil potato peels in water for 30 minutes and let cool.  Use this as a rinse after your shampoo to gradually darken grey hair (may need to try this one;-)
Next time you have a baked potato, don’t throw away the skin, one potato provides half of your daily allowance of soluble fiber, potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin C.

Now go eat your fruits and veggies, and don't skip the peels and rinds…
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

Monday, June 13, 2011

Cancer is Serious "BU$INE$$"


If you know someone who has cancer, you need to send this to them.
Please take the time to view it before it expires, this video will only be available until the 20th for free, please watch this today.
 
If you or anyone you know has had cancer it's a must see. It might be a rude awakening for some people but I've been aware of the inner workings of Big Pharma and the FDA for a long time.
 
Many of you who know us, know that we don't go to doctors, instead we've been going the non-traditional route for many years. If your reading this blog, you know that Pharma tries to destroy anything labeled as "alternative".  Pay special attention to the dialogue of the Chinese scientist as he explains just how the system works in a capitalist environment.
After watching this video, we would highly recommend Dr. Burzynski to people with cancer issues.
 
So please grab a friend, pull up a chair and watch the whole show. It's really worth it.
 
Here is the link to the video - please forward this to those you care about.


Please watch this video.

All the Best,
Lou & Debbie

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Government says that formaldehyde & styrene causes cancer


Greetings,
Now the government is saying that formaldehyde is a cancer-causing agent!  Is it just us, or is it that every time we turn around there is something we’ve known ourselves (all you need is a little common sense) is bad for us. 
For years I have been telling anyone who would listen to avoid anything that has this in it.  This includes aspartame, which breaks down in the bloodstream into formaldehyde!
Please share this with people you know, we need to get this info out.   Will keep putting out more info, have a great post on the benefits of Lemons on fighting cancer, it's still up if you need it.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

The government says the industrial chemical formaldehyde causes Cancer and that styrene, which is used worldwide in the manufacture of fiberglass and food containers, may cause cancer.     
The National Institutes of Health says people with higher measures of exposure to formaldehyde are at increased risk for certain types of rare cancers, including in the upper part of the throat behind the nose.     
The strong-smelling chemical is widely used to make resins for household items, including paper product coatings, plastics and textile finishes. It also is commonly used as a preservative in medical laboratories, mortuaries and consumer products including some hair straightening products.     
The government says styrene is a component of tobacco smoke, and  NIH says the greatest exposure to the chemical is through cigarette smoking.

Friday, June 10, 2011

FDA issues warning against Statins!


Greetings,
Here is another example of how listening to the established medical model can get you into trouble (or by watching commercials on TV!). 
Here we go again, now another one of the magic bullets from the drug companies is once again being issued new safety warnings.
Please share this with people who are taking these dangerous products.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie


FDA issues warning against high doses of simvastatin  06/10/2011

 FDA on Wednesday issued new safety restrictions on high-dose simvastatin, which also is sold under the brand name Zocor, because of concerns that it can cause a potentially severe muscle disease called myopathy, the New York Times'"Prescriptions" reports.



About 2.1 million U.S. residents in 2010 were prescribed simvastatin at the 80-milligram dose, which is the highest approved dose of the cholesterol-lowering drug. FDA is recommending that physicians only continue to prescribe the high dose to patients who have been taking it for at least one year without any adverse muscle pain. 

The agency reviewed the results of a seven-year study and found that patients taking that dose were at a greater risk than those taking lower doses or other statins. FDA will be "making label changes to reduce the risk of statin-associate muscle injury," according to Eric Colman of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The recommendation also applies to Vytorin and Simcor, which are combination drugs sold by Merck and Schering-Plough, and Abbott Laboratories, respectively (Wilson, "Prescriptions," 
New York Times, 6/8; Stein, "The Checkup," Washington Post, 6/8).


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Maybe you should not read this - your blood pressure might go up!

Greetings,
Wow, My head almost exploded! This is what is wrong with our country.  
http://detnews.com/article/20110607/AUTO01/106070368/1148/rss25
This jerk wants to use the force of government to: 
"nudge consumers toward more fuel efficient cars"
I am so sick of people like this, and I bet you are too!
It's time to get off our rear ends and stand up to people like this.
I don't need nudged toward anything!
We can make a decision that's best for our family's with the government nudging us, don't you think?
We need private enterprises to come up with something new and better.  
When the CEO of GM wants to raise gas tax another dollar to sell more junk cars, he crossed the line. 
We need to tell the government to get out of our lives!
I will never buy another new GM car - ever, what about you?
Would love to hear what you think.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie
(Sorry I made your blood pressure explode :-)

Monday, June 6, 2011

Status changes


Greetings,
Every once in a while my mother sends me something 
that's really quite profound.  
This little story is one of them.
Hope you get it too…

All the best

Lou & Debbie

THINK...


There was 
a young girl who hated herself,
because she was blind.
She 
hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.
He was always there for her. 
She told her boyfriend,
'If I could only see, I would marry you."



One day, 
someone donated a pair of eyes to her.
When the bandages 
finally came off, 
she was able to see everything, including her 
boyfriend. 


He asked 
her,
"Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?"
The 
girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.
The 
sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. 
She hadn't expected that. 
The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to
refuse to marry him. 



Her 
boyfriend left in tears and days later, 
he wrote a note to her 
saying:
"Take good care of your eyes, my dear, 
for before they were yours, they were mine."
This is 
how the human brain often works.
When our status in life changes,
will we forget what's most important.
Only a very few remember what life was like before,
and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. 


Remember that Life Is a Gift.
Today before you say an unkind word…
Think of someone who can't speak. 


Before you complain about the taste of your food…
Think of someone 
who has nothing to eat
Before you complain about your husband or wife…
Think of someone 
who's crying out to GOD for a companion. 


Today before you complain about life…
Think of someone who went 
too early to heaven
Before
 whining about the distance you drive…
Think of someone who
walks the same distance with their feet. 


When 
you are tired and complain about your job…
Think of the 
unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish
they had your 
job

And when 
depressing thoughts seem to get you down…
Put a smile on 
your face and think: 
I'm alive and still 
here.

I PRAY THIS MOVES AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD... 


THANKS FOR READING THIS MESSAGE 
and SHARING IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!





Wednesday, June 1, 2011

FDA Conducts Safety Review Of Birth-Control Pills For Blood-Clot Risk


Greetings,
Another drug comes under review of the FDA.  There have been many reports of the dangers of taking birth control pills and now the FDA is looking at a link between Blood Clots and taking the pill. Isn’t it interesting that Bayer says that the risk is small, but I wonder how small is small to someone who got a blood clot?  It’s always better to find a natural way instead of taking a dangerous drug.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie
FDA Conducts Safety Review Of Birth-Control Pills For Blood-Clot Risk

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it is conducting a safety review of certain types of birth-control pills to see if they increase the risk of blood clots beyond that of other pills.
The agency said the review is focusing on products that contain drospirenone, which is used in pills including Yaz and Yasmin, which are marketed by Bayer AG (BAYRY, BAYN.XE). Drospirenone is a type of female sex hormone called a progestin.
Most birth-control pills contain two types of hormones, estrogen and progestin. All types of pills increase the risk of blood clots and product labels warn of such risk. The FDA said, however, two recently published studies reported a greater risk of blood clots for women taking birth-control pills containing drospirenone compared with the risk for women taking birth-control pills containing another progestin known as levonorgestrel.
The FDA said some previous studies have reported that the risk of blood clots for women who use birth-control pills containing drospirenone is higher than that for women who use birth-control pills containing levonorgestrel, while other studies haven't found such a risk. While the risk of blood clots is low among women who take birth-control pills, the FDA said it is higher than the risk among women who aren't taking the pills.
Blood clots form inside a vein and are known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. The clots usually form in the lower leg or thigh, but can break loose and travel to other areas of the body such as the lungs, where they are called a pulmonary embolism, or PE. The FDA said the symptoms of a DVT include the new onset of persistent leg pain, while those of a PE include severe chest pain and sudden shortness of breath.
The FDA said it is "currently evaluating the conflicting results from these studies and will look at all currently available information to fully assess the risks and benefits of drospirenone-containing birth control pills." An FDA-commissioned study exploring the association of blood clots with hormonal contraception is in the process of being finalized and reviewed. The study involves more than 800,000 U.S. women and results are expected later this summer.
Bayer said its analysis of the available scientific evidence shows that the risk of developing a blood clot associated with taking pills containing drospirenone "is comparable" to that of other birth-control pills studied. The company said it "will continue to work closely with the FDA on this matter." Sales of Bayer's Yaz product family have been declining, which the company blames on generic competition in the U.S. Yaz-related sales fell nearly 16% to EUR242 million ($348 million) in the first quarter after dropping 13% in 2010.
Last week, the European Medicines Agency said the risk of developing blood clots for oral contraceptives containing drospirenone was higher than that of pills containing levonorgestrel but said the risk for any type of birth-control pill was small. EMA said the product labels of birth-control pills containing drospirenone will be updated.
The most recent studies were published earlier this year in the British Medical Journal. They compared women taking birth-control pills containing drospirenone with women taking birth-control pills containing levonorgestrel and found the risk of blood clots to be 2 to 3 times greater among women taking drospirenone products.