Newsletter 12-9-2011

1) Health Myths Created by the "Father of Spin" - Do You Still Believe Them?
2) Doctor's Health Tip on Relieving Headaches
3) Labeling of GMO Foods
4) Energy Drinks, are they good for you?

New research has revealed just how misleading and questionable the results of medication studies cited in top medical journals actually are -- adding to an already sizeable mountain of data on mainstream medical manipulation.

Pharmaceutical and vaccine makers are continually found to be sponsoring the very institution performing the study on the effectiveness of their product.

Such is the case with a recent inquiry that examined the trustworthiness of top drug trials.

Investigators from UCLA and Harvard recently analyzed the randomized drug trials from six prestigious journals, reaching a conclusion that brings into question the overall credibility of many top medication studies and those who perform them.

The investigative team found that many of these pharmaceutical studies were sponsored by the drug manufacturers; sponsors who the report states "may promote the use of outcomes that are most likely to indicate favorable results for their products."

In fact many of these studies have been found to utilize different statistical techniques in order to establish the supposed safety of many medications that may actually be harmful to you.

Doctor's Health Tip on Relieving Headaches

This is a health article on how to harness headaches from
http://www.ThorburnChiropractic.com.. Sometimes there are chemical culprits
involved in triggering a headache. Among the chief troublemakers are substances
that can expand the blood vessels. Examples of these are listed below.

Worn-down adrenal glands is a key factor in causing the onset of a headache or
migraine (a migraine is a recurring throbbing headache, usually occurring on
one side of the head). Adrenals can be worn out by alcohol, caffeine, sugar,
pain, injury, etc.

Unfortunately some of our favorite foods are known headache triggers. Among
them are alcoholic beverages, cheese, onions, tomatoes, nuts and chocolate.

Most cured meats such as hot dogs, bacon, ham and salami contain preserving
chemicals called nitrites or nitrates. These chemicals are known to cause
blood vessels to dilate. Go for the uncured versions of these meats, available
at healthfood stores.

Read ingredients carefully and avoid MSG as it is toxic to the brain. MSG can
also be called "umami", glutamate or free glutamic acid. Any highly-processed
seasoning packets, mixes, flavored chips, articifial sweetners or fast foods
are suspect.

One of the main things I advise is to keep a headache diary. This is a record
of what you eat and drink each day. It is an important tool for finding
problem foods, food allergies, digestive problems, and it can help identify
which foods are acting as triggers for headaches.

Making these notes will help you find days when you consume too much fat or
sugar, not enough fruits and vegetables, inadequate water, or days when you ate
headache-triggering foods. These triggers can include chocolate, cheese, wine,
bananas, avocados, nuts, tomatoes, cola, coffee, caffeine, artificial sweeteners,
MSG, or other preservatives.

Sometimes the bones in the neck are out of place and muscles near the bones are
tense. This can irritate the nerves that lead out from the spine in that
area and contribute to headaches. Chiropractic adjustments and treatments can
help alleviate the pain. A cervical/neck pillow can do wonders to keep your bones
in the correct position while you sleep. These are small rolls that go inside your
pillow case and keep your neck curved in the correct way while you are on your
back or side.

Having a really good bed is important – one that is fully supportive of your
body, yet comfortable for you. Keep a regular sleep schedule as much as
possible, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Organize your
evenings so you go to bed in time to get at least eight hours of sleep. For the
best night's sleep, avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking in the evening.

Some relief from headaches can be obtained by doing slow, gentle stretching
exercises of the neck. By slowly dropping your head forward and then backward,
the weight of your head will stretch your neck muscles. You can also gently
turn your head from side to side without straining.

Yours in health,

Dr. T.

Dr. Charlene Thorburn R.N, D.C.
Chiropractor and Nutritional Consultant
http://www.ThorburnChiropractic.com
Phone: 818-841-1313

Bills have been introduced and there is an outcry to at least identify what type of foods you buy at the local food store.

Californians are one step closer to voting on a ballot initiative requiring labeling of genetically engineered foods. Last week, the coalition It's Our Right To Know filed a ballot initiative with the California Attorney General's office. Volunteers must collect at least 850,000 signatures by April 2012 in order to place the initiative on the November 2012 state ballot.

Energy drinks claim to provide people with increased energy levels that will keep them active & alert. People who use them say it is very effective. But are they good for you or even safe to drink? What do you need to know about and Energy Drink before you use them.

Energy drinks can be a deceptive combination of soft drink and nutritional supplements.

Most energy drinks contain at least as much caffeine as a standard eight-ounce cup of coffee (~80mg). In addition to large doses of caffeine, most energy drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar & legal herbal stimulants.

Energy drinks will give you a boost of energy, but it usually won’t last. Energy drinks containing these high amounts of sugar and caffeine are in amounts that can be dangerous, but, a common complaint of energy drink users is the same as any other sugar or caffeine-based product: the "crash" they experience after the energy "buzz" wears off.

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