Guest guest Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Note: forwarded message attached. News - Today's headlines http://news. POPEYE'S PROBLEM Health Sciences Institute e-Alert September 12, 2002 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, Would you want to eat a salad that might be laced with a measles vaccine, or a baked potato that contained a vaccine for hepatitis B? Just when you think we've reached the brink of absurdity, the ledge gets extended again. Last month I read an article about two research projects currently underway that, taken to their extremes (and that's the plan), will develop vegetables that actually contain vaccines. The article was sent to me by HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., who occasionally contributes to the e-Alert. After reading the article I called Dr. Spreen and we had a chat about genetic engineering, both of us becoming a little angry at the fact that there are brilliant researchers out there who seem to be completely lacking in the common sense department. As we went back and forth, it became clear to me that he had a number of important points to make, so I asked him to give us his take on the troubling consequences of tinkering with the natural laws of the garden. And this is what he had to say... ----------------------------- Eat your Vaccines ----------------------------- Recently there was an article published in " Nature Science Update " describing experiments to incorporate vaccines within plant life, so that immunizations could be administered orally in the form of vegetables instead of needles. For those not predisposed to the joys of having needles stuck in their bodies, this has the ring of amazing convenience. We're talking one of those incredible advances in modern medicine here, a technological quantum leap. I guess I'm weird (probably not much doubt about that) but I had a slightly different reaction/horror. The venerable Dr. Joseph Mercola said it best; " This is one genie that should be left in its bottle. " How right I believe he is. There is more than one issue here. I'd certainly prefer to eat my vaccine, like the old sugar cube deal for polio when I was a kid, rather than have somebody shove a nail in me. Whatever your beliefs concerning immunizations and their side effects, this route of delivery sounds pretty desirable. However, three small issues come to mind (though I'll bet there are lots more): first, wouldn't you like to know when you're getting a drug that someone else has decided you need? Since spinach leaves with or without the drug would presumably look the same you could have a problem there. What if the drug adversely affects a developing fetus, or reacts against certain drugs, or causes side effects in certain types of people? We've already had our wake-up call with StarLink corn, a genetic variant that was 'supposed' to be only for farm animals, and never meant to reach human consumption. Too late. It's now everywhere, whatever the long- term affects of this mutant strain, and it can't be stopped. ----------------------------- It's not nice to fool Mother Nature ----------------------------- Before you assume I'm over-reacting, there are a couple of other issues. Second, wouldn't you like to know just who has decided what new drug should be administered to your body? With this neat new route of delivery it's no longer your family doc, nor is it anyone else you can readily identify. You won't know for sure how many drugs are being administered, or their purpose, so you can't look into what testing was done, what a drug company did to get approval, or why someone wants a certain medication inside you. But say you're a trusting soul (not recommended for those with only one body to inhabit). There's still that third little issue. This one's already an issue today, with the use of fluoride in our water supplies. Whether you are pro or con in the fluoride controversy, there is one simple problem that nobody can dispute: You can't control the dose. ----------------------------- Factors unknown ----------------------------- In the case of water delivery, there are sumo wrestlers who don't drink much water, and there are little old ladies who drink lots of water, constantly. Few (and no rational) individuals argue that either fluoride or any vaccine is harmless at any dose level. These agents have toxicities, some of them are unknown, and some are unquestionably dose- related. In the case of vaccines in your salad, spinach lovers like Popeye could have a real problem, while your veggie-phobic, junk food junkie teenager ends up getting no " protection " at all. Yeah, I know, we could all force down the veggie that we KNOW contains the vaccine. But then you're still back to the StarLink corn situation (which is now unstoppable and no longer a theoretical problem): How do you keep the drug veggie away from the organic farm next door...or ANYBODY'S farm? This is one horse that doesn't seem to be quite out of the barn yet. I'm going to continue studying this issue and will let you know how you can get involved to keep our vegetable supply drug free. Good Health, Allan N. Spreen, MD ----------------------------- Some things just don't need " improving " ----------------------------- Dr. Spreen briefly mentioned the use of fluoride in our drinking water, a subject that I addressed in a July e-Alert ( " Where the Yellow Went " 7/15/02). I received several e-mails about that e-Alert. A couple of readers were quite angry that I would even think of questioning the benefits of fluoride in every glass of tap water. But Dr. Spreen's point here is on the mark: the benefits of any sort of mass-medicating are outweighed by the dangers that arise when the dosage can't be controlled. I think that most people would be very surprised to discover that high levels of fluoride in drinking water do not provide high levels of dental health - in fact, just the opposite. Excessive fluoridation can actually cause teeth to become brittle and vulnerable to decay. That's just one of the reasons that quite a few countries (including France, Germany and Japan) have rejected the use of fluoride in their water supplies. But the news gets worse. Recently some of the large marketers of bottled water have begun selling the idea that kids who get their drinking water out of bottles may not be getting all the fluoride they " need. " Their answer: fluoridated bottled water! Not only is the concept of " improving " water a wrongheaded idea, it's dangerous if kids start getting fluoride in both their tap water and their bottled water. Want to do your kids a favor? Keep giving them the unfluoridated bottled water. If they're doing a good job of brushing and getting regular check-ups at the dentist, then their dental hygiene will be just fine - without the fluoride. To find out more about the dangers of fluoride in tap water, take a moment to read this message from William Campbell Douglass II, M.D., " How does the government help big industry get rid of millions of tons of toxic waste? Easy. They add it to your drinking water! " http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/600SCTDF/W610BE53 In the meantime, like Dr. Spreen, I'll keep a lookout for continuing developments in the genetic modification of crops. As he made clear, this is a situation that presents many problems, and - so far - no workable solutions. ************************************************************** Black-Listed Cancer Treatment Could Save Your Life! The key to stopping many cancers has been around for over 30 years. Yet it has been banned by the very agency designed to protect your health--the FDA. A German research scientist discovered a natural formula that could prevent and even cure cancer. Her findings, which were barred from the medical journals, are now finally available in an updated English translation. Click below to learn more about this incredible black-listed formula visit: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/FCBK/W680C90K (if you can't click here use the HTML links listed below) ************************************************************** ....and another thing I received several e-mail responses to this past Monday's e- Alert ( " Greasing the Skids " 9/9/02), some of which I'll answer next week. For now I'll field this one from an HSI member named Ulysses who asks: " What are the benefits of using extra virgin olive oil for frying fish, potatoes, etc., over the oils used by fast food operations? " First the easy part: Fast food chains (or Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) as they now prefer to be called) use oils with high levels of trans-fatty acids which, as we now know, are strongly associated with heart disease. Olive oil is a monounsaturated oil. In other words, it's not saturated with hydrogen - a process that creates trans-fatty acids. So olive oil would clearly be a healthier choice for the QSRs to use, but it would be far too expensive, and also has a distinctive taste that might not appeal to everyone. But for those who do enjoy the flavor, olive oil is a good choice for cooking at home. A study from the University of Barcelona reported last spring that virgin olive oil contains high levels of vitamin E and phenols. Phenols contain flavonoids - biologically active compounds that are remarkably high in antioxidants. The study concluded that virgin olive oil may inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and might even do a little cancer fighting as well. That said, the health concerns arising from deep-frying continue to mount. So, in addition, to switching to olive oil, consider switching your cooking method, as well. For me, I'll have the antipasto - but with the measles vaccine on the side, please. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute Sources: " Eat up your Vaccine " Nature Science Update, 7/22/02 " How does the government help big industry get rid of millions of tons of toxic waste? Easy. They add it to your drinking water! " William Campbell Douglass II, M.D. " Tooth Decay Trends: Fluoridated Vs. Unfluoridated Countries " Fluoride Action Network " Virgin Olive Oil May Reduce Cholesterol Damage " Reuters Health, 4/12/02 Copyright ©1997-2002 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without written permission. ************** THE " 7 SECRETS " YOU NEED TO KNOW ************** Discover the powerful offshore secrets your government (among others) is keeping from you...including the top international attorney's " blue print on how to avoid tax legally " that former U.S. Senator Moynihan publicly admitted he did not want published...the secret banking techniques that were quoted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal to have caused the IRS " deep concern " ...Some have paid for these secrets but as a reader of the Health Science Institute e- alert, we'll show you how to get these secrets for free, just LINK: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/SVS/WSVSC902 (if you can't click this link use the HTML link below) ************************************************************** <b>HTML links for AOL, CompuServe and other users</b> <a href= " http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/FCBK/W680C90K " >Black-Listed Cancer Treatment Could Save Your Life!</a> <a href= " http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/SVS/WSVSC902 " >THE " 7 SECRETS " YOU NEED TO KNOW</a> <a href= " http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/600SCTDF/W610BE53 " >Water Filter</a> ************************************************************** If you'd like to participate in the HSI Forum, search past e-Alerts and products or you're an HSI member and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.hsibaltimore.com ************************************************************** To learn more about the Health Sciences Institute, call (508) 368-7494 or http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/HSI/WHSIC313. ************************************************************** IMPORTANT: We have a strict anti-spam policy. 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