tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303345122024-03-12T17:03:50.800-05:00Hidden Recovery Environment BlogThis book is a collection of advice from an Autism mom. The info is geared towards high functioning children with PDD-NOS, Asperger's, and mainstreamed children with Autism. This blog is also about the consequences of modern living, and why 1 in 6 children are born with disorders and delays resulting from GI and immune dysfunction.AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-53309040634392795892012-03-20T11:07:00.000-05:002012-03-20T11:07:45.981-05:00<div>
Look what I came across? Hoping to talk to him at some point. Very inspiring! Stay tuned.</div>
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http://www.joeslivingproof.com/index.phpAshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-71435156740655782512012-02-05T20:31:00.001-05:002012-03-27T16:23:09.146-05:007th Grade UpdateThis feels really nice, blogging again! It's been such a long time since Facebook has taken over the top destination for wasting time in my life. I've kept up on Leo's timeline, although I do owe a 7th grade update. <br />
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Here is snapshot of what Leo is like lately: Yesterday I was too sick to do my morning routine, so I asked Leo to get himself ready for school and walk to the bus (usual) without me so I could sleep in. Sydney was sick too. I came downstairs later today to find evidence of scrambled eggs for breakfast (he even soaked the pan), leftover chinese food for lunch (rice on counter), and he even remembered to lock up. He also let the dogs out and fed them.<br />
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After school, he texted me on the bus to tell me he's going to a friend's since it was so nice out. No need to stress about a snack, his body is no longer hypoglycemic. Even though it's been years, I don't forget that my life once was ruled by many things including the food clock. He came home later and reported (after much encouragement since he doesn't like to talk much these days) that they played basketball in the street, then browsed for inappropriate rap music on ITunes. They have block class together, so they actually did a little homework. <br />
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He is making almost straight A's, and is friends with a wide variety of boys - he is social accepted by the cool kids/jocks as well as the band kids and nerd/math kids. He is definitely full-swing into puberty. I see that brain fog every so often. He pushes back, sometimes lazy, and avoids talking to us about his personal life. He confides in Sydney, his younger sister. <br />
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Leo continues to talk to his BFF back in Connecticut about once a week by Skype or through their phones. It is so wonderful to have this boy in Leo's life. <br />
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Dad has been busy at work, so Leo has taken over some of Dad's household chores - even doing all of the recycling and garbage without being asked on garbage day (yesterday). He is a good boy and very considerate and thoughtful! I am so inspired by him. <br />
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I know this may be normal for most 13 year olds, but for me this is a miracle from where we started.<br />
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Me? I am into my fourth year of managing Sydney's Chronic Lyme Disease. She was a very very sick little girl, but today she is back and doing really well. She is in school full-time and dancing about 8 hours a week! <br />
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I've been feeling old lately, and wishing I could just turn off a switch so I don't see what I see day after day. Any Veteran mom may feel the same way? Don't want to see what I see anymore. Will post on this later!<br />
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Hoping to get back to my homeopathy studies while maintaining my websites and book. Need to figure that one out. Hoping to be a two income family once again! Fingers crossed Sydney stays stable as we approach middle school in the fall. <br />
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Not sure if anyone is reading this? <br />
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In health and hope, Ashley<br />
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<br />AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-91873514930124794682012-01-04T13:28:00.005-05:002012-01-04T13:33:36.259-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqIXanjeM66v0usEso4IVvbjZOZLzB1NXbAoErahDICJZr0HvvTBVlv59sKfKx70gxNTDQnHYYjKBpoMZEkuvjqoTS2Y70EA8ob4VcyuDgOqRwMf0rtvWjQYEDjtWajvfzkXd/s1600/kindlecoveronly.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqIXanjeM66v0usEso4IVvbjZOZLzB1NXbAoErahDICJZr0HvvTBVlv59sKfKx70gxNTDQnHYYjKBpoMZEkuvjqoTS2Y70EA8ob4VcyuDgOqRwMf0rtvWjQYEDjtWajvfzkXd/s400/kindlecoveronly.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693846002341229186" /></a><br />Excited to share here that an <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/hiddenrecovec-20">ebook version</a> of my book is available on Amazon. Printed versions are only available through my <a href="http://www.hiddenrecovery.com">website</a>. Happy to start the new year this way!<div><br /></div><div>Happy New Year!<br /><div><br /></div><div>In health and hope,<br /><div><br /></div></div></div><div>Ashley</div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-90049705063166370762011-11-08T00:09:00.002-05:002012-03-27T16:25:17.535-05:00Dr. Marra, Our Lyme Doc<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Dr. Marra has made it possible for both my kids to live normal lives. As I am typing this, my daughter is practicing her dance team choreography. She dances 7 hours a week, and is preparing for a competition. Just a couple years ago, she could not walk longer than one block without triggering a Lyme flare. For her, that meant sudden shin, sole, stomach, and head pain so bad, it stopped her in her tracks. She had to relearn how to ride a bike, run, and do typical gym activities. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Dr. Marra chose to take on her very complex case. Before Dr. Marra, my daughter was home for 2nd grade because she had 26 chronic pain areas, and we almost lost her to a flare-induced seizure when she was 7. It was New Years Eve, and we were in a hotel surrounded by noise makers and drunk people. I have been to hell, and it’s called Lyme, but we are back. The doc that mentored Dr. Marra for years saved her life, and we are forever grateful we have her in our lives to finish the job. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">When my son began showing signs of Lyme disease, she put him on a protocol that, a year and a half later, has just one residual symptom of minor facial tics. Dr. Marra prevented the big decline that we didn’t know how to stop with our daughter. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What is it like to see Dr. Marra? First, she interviews me, the mom. It is an intensive interview, which I appreciate. Next, she interviews my child. After that, Dr. Marra performs a thorough Lyme exam, EVERY visit. I am not kidding! I have had docs that never even turn around to look at my daughter sitting on the exam table, and not even look up from note taking. That had left the burden of discovery on me, and I am not a doctor! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Every visit is different, and every visit I learn something new. I appreciate the frequent visits, as I know I am shortening our Lyme time by the personal monitoring we are getting from Dr. Marra. She is available in emergencies and even quick questions. I walk out being thankful I have scrounged up the money to pay for this expensive disease(s). I may be sweating as I write out that fat check, but I am thankful for the bag of gold (supplements/test resulfs) and knowledge I walk out with. I know I am one step closer to a full recovery. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have never had more personal care from ANY doctor in my life. Amazingly, she KNOWS my kids! I don’t have to reiterate and do a life history each visit. She picks up where we left off, takes their cases, and tinkers sometimes in a minor way, or major way with their protocol. That is the nature of Lyme. These dynamic changes are the reason my kids are doing so well. She sees the big picture, and also the most minute detail, and factors that in to my bi-monthly master plan. Both my kids open up to her and tell her things that I cannot get out of them. They adore her, and find her office to be a very special sanctuary. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Better yet, I appreciate the fact I am not getting a boiler plate protocol. I have two sick kids, and their protocols continue to be extremely different (other than core nutritionals). They do have intensity and variety in common. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Dr. Marra is one of the brightest people I have ever met. Scary bright. She embraces her calling with enthusiasm and no B.S. I am sure there are plenty of other ways she could be using that science brain of hers. But, she has chosen one of the hardest specialties there are, a political/orphan disease with no cure. I mean hello, I would run as fast as I could and hide under a rock. She has chosen to help us, when western medicine has turned away from us. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I can see how some people can be turned off by her direct approach. She tells it like it is, and knows her stuff, which I prefer. I don’t care for the hand-holding/babysitting style, but hey that is me. I am busy dealing with 3 people with Chronic Lyme, I drive from 3 hours away, so I am in no mood for dancing around. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> I know it’s not for everyone to be accountable for their wellness, and just wants a doc to take over and fix it. For those that get better, I have observed the following characteristic: It’s a team effort by everyone involved. Patient, doctor, family/community. After all, there is no cure for this disease. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">And speaking of teaching, from what I have observed, she attends or speaks at all of the major seminars - Lyme, and other health related conferences. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">She is extremely well connected because of her east coast roots. Given the type of disease this is, it is more important than ever to tap in to your doc community, just as it is for us parents to turn to other parents for support and advice. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I found Dr. Marra through word-of-mouth back in CT, ground zero for Chronic Lyme Disease. Two years ago, my family and I were fleeing the war zone for a safer life for my children. I knew that moving to the NW was possible - an east coast doc with a “pedigree” that no other doc could match. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My daughter had done very well with the cutting edge docs that are at the forefront of research and treatment guidelines back in the trenches. The top dogs. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">These guys trained Dr. Marra</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">. She was mentored by them, and watched them work. I felt like I had won the lottery having access to the caliber of these east coast docs, but right here in the NW. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We look forward to walking the walk with Dr. Marra's guidance for as long as it takes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-87958941544219742572011-09-23T10:37:00.003-05:002011-09-23T10:42:23.605-05:00Autism's Puzzle: Decoding An EpidemicA great article summarizing the latest thinking into the environmental causes of autism. I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Pam. She is an amazing person. She has saved her entire family from Lyme disease and their co-infections. She is a brilliant researcher and author. Her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cure-Inside-Epidemic-Pamela-Weintraub/dp/0312378130/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316792463&sr=8-1">Cure Unknown,</a> saved my daughter from Chronic Lyme Disease. It had all the information I needed to understand the disease, the politics, and where to look for help. <div><br /></div><div>The magazine, Experience Life, is a really good one. I highly recommend taking a look. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.experiencelife.com/issues/october-2011/wellness/autisms-puzzle.php">Autism's Puzzle</a>; Decoding an Epidemic, by Pamela Weintraub.</div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-84956590540264025672011-09-14T14:40:00.003-05:002011-09-14T14:44:14.326-05:00Autoimmunity: autism, pandas, vaccines<div>Here is another fantastic article from the<a href="http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/09/the-vicious-truth-vaccines-autism-pandas-and-autoimmunity.html#more"> Age Of Autism</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Between my two children, we have dealt with food allergies, environmental allergies, asthma, pandas, chronic lyme disease and co-infections, and let's not forget - autism. And here I sit as one of the "lucky" ones. A parent that has had some success with treatments. For the majority out there, not the case. </div><div><br /></div><div>So depressing, but had to post!</div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-91172701887909703842011-05-21T22:57:00.044-05:002011-08-02T17:25:05.306-05:00HFA: Advice From A Mom, From Diagnosis To Recovery Book The book price is $15. Shipping and handling is $5 inside the U.S.A. Order online with PayPal or Google Checkout. For checks sent by mail, email me at Busterfoofoo@gmail.com for address. <span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">For international orders, email me at Busterfoofoo@gmail.com for your country's shipping and payment link. Thanks!<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
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<br /></b></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-29238374565877431052011-05-08T13:46:00.005-05:002011-05-08T14:12:44.189-05:00My New Book Coming SoonHi everyone. I am beyond excited that I am close to finishing my book. It's been a journey. I started collecting answers to questions that parents have asked me over the years. I've worked on it now and then. When my daughter got sick I stopped everything. But, now that she is out of the woods I picked it up again and am almost done. <div><br /></div><div>My hope is that our experience will helps others. Here is a peak at the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/54959624/Toc">Table Of Contents</a> for your review. Feel free to tell me what you think. I will let you know when it's ready for purchase!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ashley</div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-64338401648422050562011-03-30T12:52:00.002-05:002011-03-30T13:00:04.327-05:00Telling Leo About his Autism Label<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial">I have gone over in my mind a thousand times what I would say. What came out of my mouth was pretty close to that. It went really well! But first, here's the backstory.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My husband and I made the decision to wait until Leo asked if their was a name for his issues, or if it seemed he needed to know for some reason. I anticipated the topic would come up when he noticed a classmate with Down Syndrome looked like his cousin. Leo could relate to all the therapies and issues his cousin had. His cousin’s issues had a name, did his as well? But, he didn’t ask.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We wanted Leo to be in a good place and to be able to handle any reservations he may have once he learned of the label. He knew all about discrimination, comparing it to racial issues. He also witnessed classmates making fun of children with special needs. “Andrea only wants to play baby games. It’s so annoying!” they said one day. He associated himself with those children, but instinct told him to not share that he once had the same issues too.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In my mind, I wanted him to know by middle or high school. We didn’t anticipate any reservations -- he doesn’t read the media or hear discriminatory remarks using the word autism -- yet. Knowing beforehand and building upon that seemed ideal. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He has always been comfortable with the fact that he grew up as a “Help Needed” child, the term they used in elementary school. He remembers most of his therapists and some of his “special” interests and behaviors, like stimming on wheels and buses.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Like a child that is adopted, we knew this conversation would take place many times over the years, in layers that were age appropriate. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So here is what happened! The kids and I were invited to speak at a Lyme seminar. Leo was very excited about this -- he loves to talk in front of people. I thought about it, and realized that we couldn’t do it because our privacy would be at risk. The seminar was nearby. Not everyone is thrilled with the content of my blogs, which is one of the reasons why I have used an alias. So, I realized I needed to tell him why. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">On our way pick up a few things at a convenience store. I park, and we sit and talk in the parking lot in front of the building.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “So Leo, I decided that we can’t do that Lyme seminar.” </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo: “Why not?”</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “Well, I realized that there is one thing you don’t know about yourself. Something about when you had all those problems as a little guy.” </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo:”Okay, what?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “Well, all of your problems actually have a name. You had an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It’s a category of behaviors, learning and health problems.” There are many different kinds, and you had the one called Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). It is a mild version. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo: “So like how my Lyme is milder and different than Sydney’s?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “Right. Your friends like Joey have Autism, and some of your other friends like Nate have the same kind like you, PDD.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Because of all your hard work, you were able to get better and not have it anymore. You are still the same person, just wired differently. Some things remain easier and harder for you. For example, drawing and visual/spacial stuff is challenging for you even though you have tested average for those. Sometimes it takes you a little longer to notice inferences. You have always known that about yourself, right? You remember your Helper at school, all the speech you had, and the Helpers that played with you at our old house?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo: “Yeah, yeah. Of course I remember. But I was really smart, right?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “Absolutely, and you still are. Your brain is unique and because of that you have incredible skills, like your memory and how good you are at math. That is why Yale asked you back, so they could learn from you. You are like a rock star to them. That’s what they do, they study these Autism Spectrum Disorders since it’s now an epidemic. Very few kids recover like you have.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo:”Wow. So cool!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “So, because people discriminate, we only share the name with certain people we can trust. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo:”Like Harrison (our neighbor) doesn’t tell everyone about his ADHD and Dyslexia?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom:”Right. For the same reasons. Autism is even harder to understand, so people have a bad stereotype of it in their minds. I’ve studied it over the years, so I have become an expert in a way. I help people on my website, and as you know I am writing a book about what happened with you. People have been inspired by your recovery and have learned from our experience.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo: “So, the book is ONLY about me, and not Sydney? Awesome! So, am I like, famous?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom: “Kind of, I guess. In a way, to a group of moms with kids that have an autism spectrum disorder. Don’t use the book against your sister, okay? She is in the book a little bit. I have learned a lot from her too. We both have.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo:”Look! A cheese special (he points at a sign on the window for a sale).”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mom:”Cool. So do you have any questions?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Leo:”Mom, it’s just a word.”</span></p>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-12601919703677732602011-02-22T12:50:00.003-05:002011-02-22T12:59:21.253-05:00Rage and Chronic InfectionsI can't help but think that this little boy I saw on Oprah has multiple chronic infections. His red ears and tics furthered my interest. <div><br /></div><div>Rage and violence is commonly seen as a symptom of Lyme Disease and the co-infections, particularly Bartonella. Many undiagnosed people end up in mental institutions. Some end up on antibiotics that kill the infection, and the symptoms disappear. Any Google search will provide more info for those interested.</div><div><br /></div><div>My heart goes out to this family and this little boy. He is amazing and tries so hard to just get through the interview. I can't imagine what a day is like for him. My hope is the family has looked into treating chronic infections as a way to return their little boy to them.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Children-Dealing-with-Violent-Rage">Oprah Interview</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Children-Dealing-with-Violent-Rage"></a>I recommend a<a href="http://www.ilads.org/contact/contact_ilads.html"> Lyme-literate medical docto</a>r for screening since the current testing available is tenuous. Lyme doctors address the big picture - strep, viruses, not just the Lyme bacteria and co-infections. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-33552269361297745982011-02-22T12:20:00.003-05:002011-02-22T12:27:13.207-05:00Getting Shingles More Than Once<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: left; line-height: 1; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none !important; background-attachment: initial !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: initial !important; border-top- font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:62.5%;color:initial !important;"><div class="fullwide subType-unsubscribed" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background- width: auto !important; background-image: none; zoom: 1; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div class="reallywide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div id="articleTabs_panel_article" class="mastertextCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 0px; display: inline; font-size:1em;"><div class="padding-left-big" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:1em;"><div id="article_story" class="col6wide colOverflowTruncated" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- position: relative; z-index: 10; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div class="wrap padding-left-big" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:1em;"><div class="printSummary pfHeader col6wide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: none; width: auto; clear: both; display: block; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:large;">This kind of article should make me happy. All it does is remind me how far behind the medical community is in understanding chronic illness, and the cause and effect of modern living to the immune system. And most frustrating, how doctors do not believe their patients. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:large;">Or parents when they say vaccines triggered autism.</span></div></div><div class="articleHeadlineBox headlineType-bylineIcon" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; float: none; clear: both; display: block; height: 120px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; position: relative; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; min-height: 120px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><ul class="cMetadata metadataType-articleStamp" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; zoom: 1; font-size: 1.1em; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); clear: both; float: none; "><li class="articleSection first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: left; letter-spacing: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 0.9em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: none; border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/search?article-doc-type=%7BHealth+Journal%7D&HEADER_TEXT=health+journal" style="color: rgb(9, 61, 114); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1em; ">HEALTH JOURNAL</a></li><li class="dateStamp" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 1.5em; float: left; letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); line-height: 0.9em; text-transform: uppercase; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><small style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">FEBRUARY 22, 2011</small></li></ul><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 90px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 2.8em; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, 'Century Schoolbook', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; width: auto; line-height: 1.1075em; font: normal normal normal 2.5em/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><br /></h1><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 90px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 2.8em; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, 'Century Schoolbook', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; width: auto; line-height: 1.1075em; font: normal normal normal 2.5em/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Painful Shingles Can Strike More Than Once</h1><div class="bylineIconTree" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; bottom: auto; top: 2px; position: static; right: 8px; width: auto; "><div class="bylineIconBox" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: none; "><ul class="cMetadata metadataType-articleCredits" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; zoom: 1; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); clear: both; float: left; width: auto; text-align: left; "><li class="byline" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.3em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); float: none; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: right; "><h3 style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.25em; ">By MELINDA BECK</h3></li></ul><div class="icon" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; position: absolute; top: 38px; right: 0px; "><img src="http://online.wsj.com/img/renocol_MelindaBeck.gif" width="78" height="78" alt="Columnist's name" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; " /></div></div></div></div></div><div id="articleTabs_panel_article" class="mastertextCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 0px; display: inline; "><div class="padding-left-big" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><div id="article_story" class="col6wide colOverflowTruncated" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; position: relative; z-index: 10; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><div id="article_pagination_top" class="articlePagination" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: none; width: auto; text-align: right; clear: left; "></div><div id="article_story_body" class="article story" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><div class="articlePage" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Having shingles can be a miserable experience. Now, to make matters worse, the long-held notion that people can only get shingles once in their lives appears to be false, according to a study in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings this month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">It's estimated that 1 in 3 Americans will get shingles at some point, with one million new cases reported a year in the U.S. It typically starts with itching, tingling or numbness, then develops into a painful rash that blisters. It often hits people who are elderly or already suffering from another illness or trauma, and the residual nerve pain can last for months.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">The incidence rate has been rising around the world, in all age groups, though it isn't clear why, says Rafael Harpaz, a medical epidemiologist in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of viral diseases. More than half of cases occur in people over age 60, when the risk of complications also rises steeply. Women are slightly more likely to contract shingles than men.</p><div class="legacyInset" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; width: 278px; "><div class="insetContent" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; border-top-width: 4px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(112, 120, 124); display: block !important; "><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; width: 264px; float: none; clear: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(112, 120, 124); 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border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; ">View Full Image</a></p></div></div><a style="display: block; cursor: pointer; "><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AZ536_HEALTH_D_20110221165504.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="HEALTHCOL" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></a></div><cite style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: right; display: block; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Science Photo Library/Custom Medical Stock Photo</cite><p class="targetCaption" style="margin-top: 6px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Shingles rash</p></div><div id="articleImage_1" class="insetFullBracket" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; visibility: hidden; position: absolute; top: -100%; left: 0px; z-index: 100; "><div class="insetFullBox" style="margin-top: -30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: -10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; position: absolute; background-image: url(http://s1.wsj.net/img/BGD_insetBracket.png); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-right-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-left-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; "><div class="insetButton" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; position: absolute; top: 5px; right: 8px; "><a class="insetClose" style="background-image: url(http://s2.wsj.net/img/BTN_insetClose.gif); cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 19px; text-indent: -9999px; width: 19px; "><img src="http://si.wsj.net/img/BTN_insetClose.gif" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="19" width="19" alt="HEALTHCOL" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></a></div><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AZ536_HEALTH_G_20110221165504.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="HEALTHCOL" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></div></div></div></div><h3 class="first" style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; ">Shingles 101</h3><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">1 in 3 Americans will have it in their lifetimes.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">There are one million new cases a year.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">It only strikes people who have had chicken pox</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Risks and complications rise with age.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Symptoms include blistery rash, nerve pain.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Can cause vision and hearing damage.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Vaccine cuts risk by about half.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; "><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; ">Source: CDC</em></p></div></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">The CDC has urged all Americans age 60 and older to get the shingles vaccine—whether they've had shingles or not. But supplies of the vaccine are on back order in some areas. Merck & Co., the only company that makes it, has encountered frequent supply problems since the vaccine was approved in 2006.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Shingles is caused by the Varicella zoster virus, or VZV, the same virus that causes chicken pox, and it only strikes people who have had chicken pox in the past. Like other herpes viruses, VZV never fully leaves peoples' bodies. It can lie dormant for decades in the nerve roots in the spinal column, until it suddenly replicates and travels down the nerves to cause shingles. This frequently creates a striped rash that follows the pattern of nerves on the back or chest.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Exactly what prompts the virus to wake up is unknown, but it seems to occur when the immune system, which has kept it in check for years, becomes weakened due to age, illness or treatments such as chemotherapy. Emotional stress can cause recurrences of other herpes viruses, and the CDC is investigating whether it can spark shingles as well.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">For the new study on shingles recurrence, researchers at the Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester, Minn., examined medical records of nearly 1,700 patients who had a documented case of shingles between 1996 and 2001. They found that more than 5% of them were treated for a second episode within an average of eight years—about the same rate as would typically experience a first case.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">That a recurrence is so common is more of a surprise to virologists and other scientists than primary-care physicians, who have seen it in their practices, says Barbara Yawn, director of research at the Olmsted center and the study's lead author. "I've gotten calls and emails from some saying, 'Thank you. Now they will believe us.'"</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">The Olmsted researchers found the people most likely to have a recurrence were patients whose pain had lasted more than 30 days with their first shingles episode.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">It's possible that some subgroups of the virus are more prone to recurrence, says Dr. Yawn. In their next study, her team is monitoring new episodes of shingles and the CDC will analyze samples of those that recur to look for genetic patterns. The earlier studies were funded in part by Merck and the National Institutes of Health, while the new study is funded by the CDC.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Some shingles cases are mild, causing only a minor rash. But some patients develop sharp, stabbing nerve pain that can make the affected area extremely sensitive. "Sometimes people say they can't stand to have anything touch the rash area, even clothes," Dr. Yawn says.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">In some cases, the nerve pain is the only symptom for days. Patients have been hospitalized with what was thought to be heart disease or appendicitis until the telltale shingles rash appeared. "Sometimes the rash never develops—that really confuses doctors," says the CDC's Dr. Harpaz.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Nerve pain that lingers for more than a month is called postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN, and it can last for years in some patients. While antiviral medications can shorten the duration and severity of shingles episodes, PHN is harder to treat. Some patients get limited relief from opiates, antiseizure medications and antidepressants, but many elderly people can't tolerate the side effects.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">In rare cases, shingles has other serious consequences. Blisters can become infected. A rash on the face can spread shingles into eyes, which can lead to loss of vision, sometimes permanent. A rash around the ear can cause a complication known as Ramsey Hunt syndrome, which can include deafness and weakness of the facial muscles.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">A big unknown is whether people who got the chicken-pox vaccine as children will be susceptible to shingles in later years or protected from it—or even vulnerable to full-blown chicken pox if their immunity has weakened. Since the chicken-pox vaccine was only approved in 1996, it will be several decades before the first generation of Americans to be widely vaccinated reaches the typical shingles years.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">"It's quite plausible that rates will come down dramatically as those kids become older adults," says Dr. Harpaz, though he notes that some people who got the chicken-pox vaccine may unknowingly harbor the actual virus because the vaccine doesn't prevent 100% of cases, and some people may have had a mild, unnoticeable case before they were vaccinated.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">The shingles vaccine, known as Zostavax, doesn't eliminate all cases. Studies show that it cuts the risk of shingles by about half in people over age 60. The cases that do occur in vaccinated people tend to be milder.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">If it's possible to get shingles more than once, why does a vaccine work at all? Eddy Bresnitz, Merck's medical director for adult vaccines, says that unlike most vaccines, which prime a person's immune system to ward off a virus the first time it invades, Zostavax boosts the immune system's ability to keep the preexisting herpes infection in check, even though it never fully disappears.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">To date, less than 11% of Americans over age 60 have had the shingles vaccine, partly because the shortages have frustrated public-awareness efforts and partly because of cost. Zostavax, which ranges from $140 to $400, is one of the most expensive of adult vaccines, and only some Medicare Part D plans cover it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Dr. Bresnitz says Merck is building a new plant in North Carolina and expects to have more Zostavax available in coming years. It uses the same raw materials as the chicken-pox vaccine for children, to which Merck gives first priority. People can check for local availability of the vaccine at www.Zostavax.com. Side effects are usually limited to mild irritation and tenderness around the injection site.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; ">Public-health experts urge Americans over 60 not to wait until they are very old or ailing to get the vaccine. Once people have compromised immune systems, they are no longer eligible, due to the risk that the vaccine could cause shingles rather than prevent it.</p></div></div><div class="col6wide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><div class="printSummary pfFooter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; clear: both; display: block; text-align: center; height: 48px; "><div><br /></div></div></div><div id="leaveComment" class="leaveComment1 community funcBox" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-85023495762393238182011-01-31T12:12:00.000-05:002011-01-31T12:13:56.239-05:009 Questions for Pro-Vaccine Advocates and Their Claims<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; "><p><i>This article has been around for a while, think it's a good reminder of the hard decisions we make. Click here for the source of article from </i><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/102809_9_arguments_to_win_any_vaccine_debate.shtml"><i>PreventDisease.com</i></a><i>:</i><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Since the flu pandemic was declared, there have been several so-called "vaccine experts" coming out of the wood work attempting to justify the effectiveness of vaccines. All of them parrot the same ridiculous historical and pseudoscientific perspectives of vaccinations which are easily squelched with the following 9 questions.</span></span></p><p><b><span style="color:#990000;">Claim:</span> </b>The study of vaccines, their historical record of achievements, effectiveness, safety and mechanism in humans are well understood and proven in scientific and medical circles.<br /><b><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Fact: </span>The claim is completely false. </b><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>1. What to ask:</b></span> Could you please provide one double-blind, placebo-controlled study that can prove the safety and effectiveness of vaccines?<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>2. What to ask:</b></span> Could you please provide scientific evidence on ANY study which can confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of vaccines?<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>3. What to ask:</b></span> Could you please provide scientific evidence which can prove that disease reduction in any part of the world, at any point in history was attributable to inoculation of populations?<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>4. What to ask:</b></span> Could you please explain how the safety and mechanism of vaccines in the human body are scientifically proven if their pharmacokinetics (the study of bodily absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of ingredients) are never examined<br />or analyzed in any vaccine study?<br /><br />One of the most critical elements which defines the toxicity potential of any vaccine are its pharmacokinetic properties. Drug companies and health agencies refuse to consider the study, analysis or evaluation of the pharmacokinetic properties of any vaccine.<br /><br />There is not one double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the history of vaccine development that has ever proven their safety, effectiveness or achievements (unless those achievements have underlined their damage to human health).<br /><br />There are also no controlled studies completed in any country which have objectively proven that vaccines have had any direct or consequential effect on the reduction of any type of disease in any<br />part of the world.<br /><br />Every single study that has ever attempted to validate the safety and effectiveness of vaccines has conclusively established carcinogenic, mutagenic, neurotoxic or fertility impairments, but they won't address those.<br /><br />******************************************************************************<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#990000;">Claim:</span></b> Preservatives and chemical additives used in the manufacture of vaccines are safe and no studies have been linked or proven them unsafe for use in humans.<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#006600;">Fact: </span>The claim is completely false. </b><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>5. What to ask:</b></span> Could you please provide scientific justification as to how injecting a human being with a confirmed neurotoxin is beneficial to human health and prevents disease?<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><b>6. What to ask:</b></span> Can you provide a risk/benefit profile on how the benefits of injecting a known neurotoxin exceeds its risks to human health for the intended goal of preventing disease?<br /><br />This issue is no longer even open to debate. It is a scientifically established fact in literally hundreds of studies that the preservatives and chemical additives in vaccines damage cells. Neurotoxicity, immune suppression, immune-mediated chronic inflammation and carcinogenic proliferation are just a few of several effects that have been observed on the human body. <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/100509_vaccine_chemicals_inserts.shtml">See a list of chemicals in vaccines</a><br /><br />Fortunately, the drug companies still tell us the damage vaccines have on the human body. People just don't read them. All you have to do is look at the insert for any vaccine, and it will detail the exact<a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092109_H1N1_package_inserts_warnings.shtml">ingredients, alerts and potentially lethal effects.</a><br /><br />See my latest <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/102609_Alert_Canadians_Arepanrix_vaccine_analysis.shtml">analysis of the Arepanrix H1N1 vaccine</a> for an example.<br /><br />Any medical professional who believes that it is justified to inject any type of neurotoxin into any person to prevent any disease is completely misguided, misinformed, deluded and ignorant of any logic regarding human health.<br /><br />******************************************************************************<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#990000;">Claim:</span></b> Once an individual is injected with the foreign antigen in the vaccine, that individual becomes immune to future infections.<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#006600;">Fact: </span>The claim is completely false. </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color:#006600;"><b>7. What to ask:</b></span> </b>Could you please provide scientific justification on how bypassing the respiratory tract (or mucous membrane) is advantageous and how directly injecting viruses into the bloodstream enhances immune functioning and prevents future infections?<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#006600;"><b>8. What to ask:</b></span></b> Could you please provide scientific justification on how a vaccine would prevent viruses from mutating?<br /><br /><b><span style="color:#006600;"><b>9. What to ask:</b></span></b> Could you please provide scientific justification as to how a vaccination can target a virus in an infected individual who does not have the exact viral configuration or strain the vaccine was developed for?</p><p>All promoters of vaccination fail to realize that the respiratory tract of humans (actually all mammals) contains antibodies which initiates natural immune responses within the respiratory tract mucosa. Bypassing this mucosal aspect of the immune system by directly injecting viruses into the bloodstream leads to a corruption in the immune system itself. As a result, the pathogenic viruses or bacteria cannot be eliminated by the immune system and remain in the body, where they will further grow and/or mutate as the individual is exposed to ever more antigens and toxins in the environment which continue to assault the immune system.<br /></p><p>Despite the injection of any type of vaccine, viruses continue circulating through the body, mutating and transforming into other organisms. The ability of a vaccine manufacturer to target the exact viral strain without knowing its mutagenic properties is equivalent to shooting a gun at a fixed target that has already been moved from its location. You would be shooting at what was, not what is!<br /><br />Flu viruses, may mutate, change or adapt several times over a period of one flu season, making the seasonal influenza vaccine 100% redundant and ineffective every single flu season. Ironically, the natural immune defenses of the human body can target these changes but the vaccines cannot.<br /><br />I have never encountered one pro-vaccine advocate, whether medically or scientifically qualified, who could answer even 1 let alone all 9 of these questions. One or all of the following will happen when debating any of the above questions:<br /><br />- They will concede defeat and admit they are stumped<br /><br />- They will attempt to discredit unrelated issues that do not pertain to the question.<br /><br />- They will formulate their response and rebuttal based on historical arguments and scientific studies which have been disproved over and over again.<br /><br />Not one pro-vaccine advocate will ever directly address these questions in an open mainstream venue.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><b>Flu Vaccine Exposed: Think Twice!</b></span><i><span style="color:#990000;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/zCBlxqmOMKM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="395" style="display: inline-block; background-image: url(http://www.blogger.com/img/video_object.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; visibility: visible; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></object></span></i><br /><br /><i>Dave Mihalovic is a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in vaccine research, cancer prevention and a natural approach to treatment.</i><br /><br />* <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092109_H1N1_package_inserts_warnings.shtml"><b>A full list of h1n1 vaccine ingredients, alerts and warnings. </b></a><br /></p><ul><li>More articles in the <a href="http://www.preventdisease.com/misc1.html">Flu Pandemic Archive</a><br /><br /></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/100509_injectable_nano_microchips.shtml">Are Populations Being Primed<br />For Nano-Microchips Inside Vaccines?</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/093009_britain_vaccines_children.shtml">Britain Now Testing Experimental<br />Vaccines On Children</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/093009_glaxo_shipping_untested_vaccines.shtml">GlaxoSmithKline To Start Shipping<br />Untested H1N1 Vaccines Next Week</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092909_h1n1_expert_immune_system_reactions.shtml">H1N1 Expert Says Scientists Are Clueless<br />About Immune Reactions to Vaccinations</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092509_parents_do_not_want_kids_getting_flu_shot.shtml">Most Parents Do Not Want Their<br />Kids Getting The H1N1 Flu Shot</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092409_last_years_shot_make_more_susceptible.shtml">If You've Had Last Year's Flu Shot,<br />You May Be More Susceptible to swine flu</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092509_dr_oz_promotes_flu_vaccine.shtml">Oprah's Health Expert, Dr. Oz Promotes<br />the Flu Vaccine on Behalf of Walgreens</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092109_vaccines_responsible_for_all_diseases.shtml">Vaccines Are One Big Experiment Causing<br />Hundreds of Diseases In The Modern World</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/091809_horowitz_launches_FBI_request.shtml">Drug Industry Investigator Launches FBI<br />Request To Investigate H1N1 Swine Flu</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/091509_swine_backtrack_conflict_interests.shtml">H1N1 Vaccine Shortage Prompts Backtrack:<br />One Vaccine is Suddenly Protective Now</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/090809_swine_WHO_junk_science.shtml">Junk Science and Contradictions Dominate<br />WHO Pandemic Statements and Policies<br /></a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/090109_flu_hype.shtml">How To Orchestrate An Effective<br />Pandemic Campaign For The Flu</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/082009_swine_avoidance.shtml">Solutions To Help Those<br />Forced To Take The H1N1 Vaccine</a><br /></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/081809_swine_flu_hype.shtml">Vaccines Are Producing<br />The Pandemic, Not The Flu</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/080709_swine_flu_hype.shtml">The H1N1 Vaccine Is A Much Greater<br />Risk To Your Health Than The Flu Itself</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/072809_swine_flu.shtml">First Target of Vaccination Campaigns:<br />Pregnant Women And Unborn Children</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/072709_swine.shtml">Governments Massively Stockpiling<br />Vaccines For Campaigns This Fall</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/071509_mass_vaccinations.shtml">Governments Intensifying Fearmongering<br />Strategies For Mass H1N1 Vaccinations</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/063009_WHO_UN_genocide.shtml">Mass Vaccinations Being Prepared<br />For WHO And UN Sponsored Genocide</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/070709_journalist_fired.shtml">Journalist Fired Over Flu Pandemic Lawsuit</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/050409_flu_hype.shtml">Swine Flu Hype: Political Lies and<br />Media Disinformation are Rampant</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/062909_wmds.shtml">Inoculations Are The True<br />Weapons Of Mass Destruction</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/031109_baxter.shtml">Baxter Caught Shipping Vaccines With<br />Live Avian Flu Virus To 18 Countries Worldwide</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/061009_vaccinations_mandatory.shtml">Federal U.S. Laws Will Make Dangerous<br />Vaccinations Mandatory For All Americans</a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/042709_swine_flu.shtml">Speculations of Origins of Swine<br />Flu Proliferate Across Internet</a><a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/050409_flu_hype.shtml"></a></li><li><a href="http://preventdisease.com/home/tips78.shtml">The Risks Of Vaccines Currently<br />Outweigh Any Benefits To Human Health</a></li></ul><div class="storyheadline"><div class="storyhdr"><div class="spacer"><div id="textArea" class="copyNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-size:78%;color:#0000FF;"></span></b></span></div></div></div></div><p><span style="color:#0000FF;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-size:78%;color:#990033;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><span style="color:#0000FF;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-size:78%;color:#990033;"></span></b></span></span><div id="listbox"><span style="color:#0000FF;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-size:78%;color:#990033;">Reference Sources</span><span style="font-size:78%;">: <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/09/062909_wmds.shtml">http://preventdisease.com/news/09/062909_wmds.shtml</a></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><span style="color:#999999;">October 28, 2009</span></span></b></span></div></span>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-77186799530140083862011-01-13T12:20:00.002-05:002011-01-13T12:26:44.117-05:00My Favorite Snack MixHad to share what has been working for MONTHS now. I have put together a great snack for school that both my kids have not gotten tired of! So I figured I should share since us moms need all the ideas we can get. It covers all the food groups to maximize nutrition and also regulate blood sugar. Here goes:<div><br /></div><div>2 handfuls of GF pretzels (carb)</div><div>1 tablespoon Eden organic shelled pistacios (protein)</div><div>1 tablespoon of GFCF mini-chocolate chips (antioxidant but also good for motivation to eat)</div><div>1 small carrot (fiber, something alive)</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you go! I also use shelled sunflower seeds for nut-free classrooms, and use different veggies like celery, a few sprigs of parsley or cilantro (can't beat how lovely the fragrance is). I also do the Trader Joes rice crackers instead of pretzels. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's to not the same 'ole! Ashley</div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-71345199012955958702011-01-07T11:55:00.001-05:002011-01-07T11:56:56.528-05:00Finally! Government Looking Into Fluoride<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 29px; line-height: 16px; ">AP EXCLUSIVE: US says too much fluoride in water</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; "><div id="doc" style="margin-top: 20px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: left; width: 950px; "><div class="bd" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="byline" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; "><cite class="vcard" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; ">By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer</cite><abbr title="2011-01-07T07:54:45-0800" class="recenttimedate" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-variant: normal; display: block; color: rgb(111, 111, 111); margin-top: 2px; ">57 mins ago</abbr></div><div id="darla-ad__LREC" class="mod ad darla_ad" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; width: 300px; height: 274px; float: right; "><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: inherit; width: 300px; height: 250px; "><tbody><tr style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; 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height: 250px; margin-left: 200px; margin-top: 0px; "></embed></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><iframe id="yn-darla1" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" contentid="1" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; "></iframe></div><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">ATLANTA – Fluoride in drinking water — credited with dramatically cutting cavities and tooth decay — may now be too much of a good thing. Getting too much of it causes spots on some kids' teeth.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">A reported increase in the spotting problem is one reason the federal government will announce Friday it plans to lower the recommended levels for fluoride in water supplies — the first such change in nearly 50 years.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">About 2 out of 5 adolescents have tooth streaking or spottiness because of too much fluoride, a surprising government study found recently. In some extreme cases, teeth can even be pitted by the mineral — though many cases are so mild only dentists notice it.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Health officials note that most communities have fluoride in their water supplies, and toothpaste has it too. Some kids are even given fluoride supplements.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is announcing a proposal to change the recommended fluoride level to 0.7 milligrams per liter of water. And the Environmental Protection Agency will review whether the maximum cutoff of 4 milligrams per liter is too high.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The standard since 1962 has been a range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the splotchy tooth condition, fluorosis, is unexpectedly common in kids ages 12 through 15. And it appears to have grown much more common since the 1980s.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">"One of the things that we're most concerned about is exactly that," said an administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly before the release of the report. The official described the government's plans in an interview with The Associated Press.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The government also is expected to release two related EPA studies which look at the ways Americans are exposed to fluoride and the potential health effects. This shift is sure to re-energize groups that still oppose it.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in water and soil. About 70 years ago, scientists discovered that people who lived where water supplies naturally had more fluoride also had fewer cavities. Some locales have naturally occurring fluoridation levels above 1.2. Today, most public drinking water supplies are fluoridated, especially in larger cities. Counting everyone, including those who live in rural areas, about 64 percent of Americans drink fluoridated water.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Maryland is the most fluoridated state, with nearly every resident on a fluoridated water system. In contrast, only about 11 percent of Hawaii residents are on fluoridated water, according to government statistics.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Fluoridation has been fought for decades by people who worried about its effects, including conspiracy theorists who feared it was a plot to make people submissive to government power.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Those battles continue.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">"It's amazing that people have been so convinced that this is an OK thing to do," said Deborah Catrow, who successfully fought a ballot proposal in 2005 that would have added fluoride to drinking water in Springfield, Ohio.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Reducing fluoride would be a good start, but she hopes it will be eliminated all together from municipal water supplies.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Voters in Springfield, which is near Dayton, turned down the measure 57 to 43 percent in 2005. They also rejected the idea in the 1970s.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Catrow said it was hard standing up to city hall, the American Dental Association and the state health department. "Anybody who was anti-fluoride was considered crazy at the time," she said.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Drinking water patterns have changed over the years, so that some stark regional differences in fluoride consumption are leveling out. There was initially a range in recommended levels because people in hotter climates drank more water. But with air conditioning, Americans in the South and Southwest don't necessarily consume more water than those in colder states, said one senior administration official.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Fluorosis is considered the main downside related to fluoridation.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">According to the CDC, nearly 23 percent of children ages 12-15 had fluorosis in a study done in 1986 and 1987. That rose to 41 percent in the more recent study, which covered the years 1999 through 2004.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">"We're not necessarily surprised to see this slow rise in mild fluorosis," Dr. William Kohn, director of the CDC's division of oral health, said in a recent interview.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Health officials have hesitated to call it a problem, however. In most kids, it's barely noticeable; even dentists have trouble seeing it, and sometimes don't bother to tell their unknowing patients. Except in the most severe cases, health officials considered the discoloring of fluorosis to be a welcome trade-off for the protection fluoride provides against cavities.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Generally, the prevalence of tooth decay in at least one tooth among U.S. teens has declined from about 90 percent to 60 percent. Health officials call water fluoridation one of the ten greatest public health accomplishments of the last century.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">"One of water fluoridation's biggest advantages is that it benefits all residents of a community — at home, work, school, or play. And fluoridation's effectiveness in preventing tooth decay is not limited to children, but extends throughout life, resulting in improved oral health," said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh, in a statement.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The government is not suggesting people change their brushing or other tooth-care habits.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">The American Dental Association on Friday morning released a statement applauding the government announcement.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">"This is a superb example of a government agency fulfilling its mission to protect and enhance the health of the American people," said ADA President Dr. Raymond F. Gist, DDS.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Indeed, many health leaders continue to be worried about cavities, particularly among poor families with kids who eat a lot of sweets but don't get much dental care. The American Public Health Association in November adopted a resolution calling for coordinated programs to be established at public health, dental and medical clinics to offer fluoride varnish — a highly concentrated lacquer painted on teeth to prevent cavities.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Secretary Kathleen Sebelius could make a final decision within a few months, the administration official said.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">There is no fluoride in most European water supplies. In Britain, only about 10 percent of the population has water with fluoride in it. It's been a controversial issue there, with critics arguing people shouldn't be forced to have "medical treatment" forced on them. In recent years, the UK has tried to add fluoride to communities with the worst dental health but there's still considerable opposition.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Some European nations used to add fluoride to water supplies but have stopped. Some countries add it to salt instead.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">___</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; ">Associated press writers Maria Cheng in London and John Seewer in Toledo contributed to this report.</p></div><div class="mod ad ad_footer" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; "><div class="bd" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; "><img src="http://ads.bluelithium.com/pixel?id=1080520&t=2" width="1" height="1" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></div></div></div><iframe id="yn-darla-callframe" frameborder="0" height="0" width="0" title=""></iframe></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-64197337962220323422010-12-05T13:50:00.002-05:002010-12-05T14:06:14.503-05:00Babycakes, My New Favorite GFCF CookbookYou will LOVE love love this cookbook, <a href="http://www.babycakesnyc.com/books.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Babycakes</span></a>. It contains the recipes from a fancy bakery in NYC that has star clientele. It's been out for a while, but I finally got a copy of my own. Over the years my sister-in-law has ordered from this place for us when we visit. <div><br /></div><div>It is incredible how many famous people are into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">GFCF</span> baked goods. Their faces are peppered throughout this book! Us moms with special kids are reaping the benefits of allergy-free foods mainstreamed. </div><div><br /></div><div>The best part about this book is the explanation of ingredients. Each flour type is described so you know why certain ingredients are blended together, what gives what flavor, texture, consistency, all of those properties we look for. The author does a great job of giving you all of the info needed to be successful and also to play around with the recipes. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also like the use of coconut flour and oil. I've been using coconut for years, also as a lotion for myself and my kids. Coconut is anti-microbial and has numerous other healing properties. </div><div><br /></div><div>These days there is no excuse but to make even more delicious than "regular" treats for yourself and your precious children. Lisa Lewis will forever take credit for saving us all from insanity by giving us the gift of Special Diets for Special Kids cookbook ages ago. But now we have glitz and glamour and even better recipes to choose from! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-78982537905098414602010-10-19T10:47:00.006-05:002010-10-19T10:57:43.781-05:00Autism Recovery Study<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><div class="articleheader" style="zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 5px; "><div class="entryInfo" style="zoom: 1; display: block; margin-left: 5.5em; "><h2 style=" font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; display: block; line-height: 1em; font-size:1.9em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Recovery from Autism</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></h2><h2 size="1.9em" style=" font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; display: block; line-height: 1em; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By: Colin Poitras, University of Connecticut 9/13/10</span></span></h2></div></div><div class="postWrap" style="zoom: 1; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yet after five months of targeted intervention with a home-based therapist, Catherine, who had a regressive form of </span><a href="http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autism spectrum disorder</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, began recovering some of the communication and social skills she had lost. Fein, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at UConn, was intrigued.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By age three, Catherine was doing well enough to enroll in a private preschool for typically developing children where, with additional support, she continued to progress. By age five, Catherine was enrolled in a public school kindergarten with no autism diagnosis, no individualized education plan, and no ongoing specialized interventions of any kind.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now, years later, Fein’s research into recovery from autism has brought her international attention and offered hope to thousands of parents around the globe. Catherine remains a subject in one of Fein’s ongoing studies and is one of many formerly autistic children who, Fein says, are now living typical lives with no significant impairments.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“They are doing just great. They are not having any major behavioral issues,” says Fein, whose work has been featured on NBC’s</span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today Show</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and in </span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">New York Times</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">TIME</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> magazine. “Their cognitive functioning is good. Their academics are excellent. Their reading comprehension is mostly above grade level. Their math is terrific, their memory is terrific, and their language is terrific.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Based on her research, Fein believes that at least 10 percent, and possibly as many as 20 percent, of children who receive a diagnosis of autism or autism spectrum disorder can “recover” from it if they are provided the right kind of intensive behavioral therapy.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fein cautions that not all children achieve the same degree of progress from the treatment, which can take years and which professionals refer to as </span><a href="http://www.centerforautism.com/getting_started/aba.asp" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Applied Behavior Analysis</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (ABA). In fact, she says, most children with autism will remain autistic despite therapists’ and parents’ best efforts. But in looking at a group of 20 “recovered” children between the ages of 9 and 18 who were once diagnosed with autism, Fein says she recognized a pattern.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Almost all of the kids in recovery received intense behavioral intervention and they tended to be diagnosed with autism earlier, almost a year earlier,” says Fein, a certified clinical neuropsychologist and former board member of the </span><a href="http://www.theaacn.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. “A higher percent of the recovered group also received more than 20 hours a week of intense behavioral intervention compared with the comparison group of kids with autism who have not recovered.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fein arrived at UConn in 1976 and has since received more than $15 million in research grants from the </span><a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">National Institute of Mental Health</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and other sources to pursue her analysis. Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for the national advocacy group </span><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Autism Speaks</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and a research professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, calls Fein a leader in her field.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Dr. Fein has been a true leader in the field of autism research,” says Dawson. “She helped develop the most widely used screener for autism in toddlers. More recently, she was the first to validate that children with autism can lose their diagnosis. In both of these areas, as well as others, Dr. Fein’s work has been very influential in shaping the field.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fein says that the children most likely to see improvement from Applied Behavior Analysis are those with generally milder symptoms and higher IQs who are diagnosed early. She also says that those who have recovered from autism tend to have some “residual psychiatric vulnerability” that may include depression, anxiety, phobias, and tics, although the tics usually subside by late adolescence.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Currently, Fein is working with other specialists in analyzing brain scans of the individuals in her study to see whether the size, structure, and networks of the brains of the recovered children look like those of children with typical development or the brains of those with autism.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Most professionals still think that autistic kids cannot recover,” says Fein. “But the parents, they know they had an autistic kid and now they know this kid is doing great, so that is validation. Here is a national researcher who is demonstrating that what they know to be true is true.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fein is a highly respected researcher who, along with former graduate student </span><a href="http://www2.gsu.edu/%7Ewwwpsy/robins.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Diana Robins</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (now a researcher at Georgia State University), modified an early detection “checklist” for autism that has become the most widely used screening method around the world and has been published in 25 languages. Fein and her research team are currently working on revising the checklist from 23 questions to 10, to simplify the process and make it more accessible for parents.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fein says she’s been fascinated with autism since she first worked with children with the disability in the early 1970s.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“They are just endlessly fascinating, because their behavior is both inexplicable and in some ways consistent from kid to kid,” she says. “Every year, the field gets more confusing at higher and higher levels. Thirty years ago, autism was thought not to be a genetic illness. Now it is considered one of the most heritable of all the psychiatric illnesses. Yet when you try to pin down what the genetics are, it’s as confusing as any illness. It’s a tangled mess. There’s hardly a segment of the chromosome that hasn’t been implicated, yet the findings have been inconsistent from study to study.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In addition to her research, Fein teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in neuropsychology at UConn, and is editing a volume on the neuropsychology of autism for Oxford University Press. In 2007, she published </span><a href="http://www.woodbinehouse.com/main.asp_Q_product_id_E_978-1-890627-61-4_A_.asp" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 86, 152); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a book on autism for teachers</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking back, Fein says that despite all the unknowns, there have been significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of autism.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Things are much better,” she says. “Many more kids are having better outcomes. Even kids who are very limited, their behavior is under better control and their parents have a much better idea of what to expect. When I used to go out 30 years ago with a kid with a physical disability or autism, people would stare. One woman followed us around crying. People are much more understanding today. Public awareness has really increased.”</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; "></p><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Leo participated in this study via Yale Child Study Center. Cool!</span></blockquote><p></p></div></span>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-15063931835177827842010-10-10T21:48:00.005-05:002010-10-10T21:55:10.620-05:00Gadolinium, The Metal Dye They Use For MRIs<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>FDA Acts to Restrict GE’s </b></span><b>Omniscan MRI Drug, and Two Others </b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 13.0px Georgia; color: #666666"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>by </i><a href="http://www.propublica.org/site/author/jeff_gerth/"><span style="font: 13.0px Georgia; text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099"><i>Jeff Gerth</i></span></a><i> ProPublica, Sep. 9, 2009 6:28 p.m.</i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>Sept. 10:</b> This post has been <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/fda-acts-to-restrict-ges-omniscan-mri-drug-and-2-others-0909#covidien_update"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">updated</span></a>.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today that GE Healthcare’s Omniscan and two other MRI drugs <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm223966.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">should not be used</span></a> in patients with severely impaired kidneys because they risk developing a rare but potentially fatal disease.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The decision <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/ges-omniscan-the-spectre-haunting-ge-1026"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">marks a turnabout</span></a> for the FDA and brings U.S. labeling requirements for Omniscan and the other drugs more in line with those in Europe, where an association first surfaced between Omniscan and the disease, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, or NSF.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It also comes as a setback to GE Healthcare, <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/fdi-advised-to-restrict-general-electric-omniscan-drug"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">which argued against special FDA labeling</span></a> for Omniscan, and which faces <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/judge-opens-door-to-case-against-general-electrics-omniscan"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">hundreds of lawsuits</span></a> from patients who contracted NSF.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color: #000099"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000000">ProPublica <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/ges-omniscan-the-spectre-haunting-ge-1026"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">reported last year on GE Healthcare’s efforts to defend Omniscan</span></a>, and on the company’s attempt to <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/ges-omniscan-lawsuit-ratchets-up-volume-in-british-libel-debate-1219"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">muzzle a Danish radiologist</span></a> who criticized the drug.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Magnevist, the market leader, sold by Bayer HealthCare, and Optimark, which is sold by Covidien, are also affected by the FDA’s announcement Thursday.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Covidien last year acted on its own to contraindicate use of Optimark for at-risk kidney patients. But GE and Bayer continued to assert that their drugs were no riskier than the other so-called contrast agents, which are used to make MRIs easier to read.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The FDA has approved <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm142882.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">seven such drugs</span></a> for use in the United States.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099"><a href="http://www.propublica.org/documents/item/ge-healthcare-statement">GE Healthcare</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> and <a href="http://www.propublica.org/documents/item/bayer-healthcare-statement-100909"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">Bayer</span></a> issued statements Thursday emphasizing their continued concern about patient safety and pointing out that tens of millions of doses have been used as diagnostic tools without any adverse effects.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">GE said it would update Omniscan’s label to reflect that the drug should not be administered to patients with severe kidney damage. Bayer said it would respond to the FDA’s action within 30 days.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The first link between contrast agents containing gadolinium, a heavy metal, and NSF, a crippling condition with potentially lethal complications, surfaced in 2006. The next year, the FDA recommended a “black box” warning for at-risk kidney patients.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The agency decided to treat all the drugs as a class, ignoring two of its own medical reviewers, who said Omniscan was associated with a disproportionately high share of NSF cases and wanted to ban its use in patients with severe kidney conditions.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since 2007, all contrast drugs sold in the U.S. <a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2007/ucm108919.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">have carried the same warning</span></a> on their labels. Regulators in Europe, by comparison, acted that year to contraindicate use of Omniscan, Magnevist and Optimark in patients with severe kidney disease.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Amid continuing concerns about safety last year, the FDA<a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/fdi-advised-to-restrict-general-electric-omniscan-drug"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">convened two advisory panels</span></a> in December to look at the issue again. The agency’s scientists had done further research and concluded that warning labels for the three drugs should be made sterner.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The panels recommended a ban on Optimark and Omniscan. But while some panel members also voiced concerns about Magnevist, there was a wide range of opinions about what to do and no consensus.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The FDA normally follows the recommendations of its advisory panels.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">More than 110 million doses of Magnevist have been sold worldwide, according to Bayer; GE Healthcare says Omniscan, the nearest competitor, has been used more than 48 million times.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All the manufacturers deny that their drug causes NSF. Omniscan has been linked to more of the reported cases of the disease than any other drug and has been named in more lawsuits than the other drug companies.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since the disclosure of the disease the market share of Omniscan has fallen by about one half and the percentage of a less risky drug, MultiHance, made by Bracco Diagnostics, has risen, according to FDA data presented last December.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In addition to banning the three drugs for some, the FDA urged better screening to discover at-risk patients before using any of the gadolinium-based agents, which are administered intravenously, and closer monitoring of patients for signs of NSF afterward.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">NSF has not been reported in patients with healthy kidneys, the FDA said. The disease, marked by scaling, hardening and tightening of the skin, or red or dark patches, can also cause fibrosis of internal organs that may lead to death, the FDA said.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">New reports of NSF have virtually disappeared thanks to heightened awareness about the condition.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>Update:</b> Covidien has <a href="http://www.propublica.org/documents/item/covidien-statement-regarding-fda-restrictions-on-gadolinium-based-contrast-"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000099">issued a statement</span></a> in response to the FDA's action.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><blockquote>I just read about this through the Lyme Induced Autism Group. This is so scary. Yet another thing to get out of our bodies. Anyone needing an MRI probably already has problems? Another thing conventional doctors know nothing about. Chelation has such a bad name these days. People suffering with all sorts of problems, all from THIS!</blockquote><p></p>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-63437995060313176012010-09-24T13:12:00.008-05:002010-09-24T15:26:09.247-05:00Our Bigtime Middle SchoolerSo far Leo is doing amazingly well in his first year of middle school. I recall being so miserable this age! He is relaxed and confident, and at this point really likes all of his teachers, especially his homeroom. His personality immediately matured once school started, almost as if he was trying on this older persona to fit the bill. He really seemed to think he was a big shot. <div><br /></div><div>He knows several kids in his class from elementary school (there are 5 feeder schools), and is now mentioning a boy from a different elementary school that he is "starting to become friends with." Yeah! His teachers seem really motivated and youthful and also parents themselves. Always a help!<div><br /></div><div>Right away Leo memorized his schedule, didn't need to look at it after day one. He is amazing with directions and location, he never got lost. He seemed <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">unfazed</span> by having to switch classes.<br /><div><br /></div><div>The bus was our biggest concern - Leo did NOT like how long the ride was, and how it drove 20 miles an hour and stopped so many times. He had a huge headache the first couple days but now he's adjusted. He has learned how to move around to sit with friends as people get off, and keep himself entertained for the almost hour ride home. I said to myself that I'd give him 2 weeks to adjust, and if he still didn't like it I'd drive him. After a few days he loves it, a big social time for the kids. Recess and lunch is so short, the only real time the neighborhood kids can connect. </div><div><br /></div><div>I loved helping him put together his multiple class binder with tabs and all of his grownup supplies. No more crayons! He loves that he needs a scientific calculator and is proud that he is in advanced math. Thankfully the school emphasizes organization - he writes in all of his assignments in a calendar and each teacher has a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">web page</span> with links and the homework and even grades. Designed just for me and also Leo. </div><div><br /></div><div>The math teacher is a classic math nerd, and seems to be one of our people. She is really dedicated and encourages kids to hang out in her class at lunch and ask for help. Leo really likes her, so I am happy that he can have fun with math again, his favorite subject and also his best strength. </div><div><br /></div><div>Leo prefers to take lunch, although he is healthy enough to eat cafeteria food. He doesn't like a big production since there are always lines and cuts out of table time. He plays some kind of sport at lunch and that too is organized, so he is having fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>Class sizes are big (28 in most classes, up to 50 for band and technology). We are looking at this year as a placeholder to see how he does. Will he thrive in large classes with so much independence? He qualifies for the "gifted" program (I really hate that word since all kids are gifted in different ways), so we can always look for those programs for next year if needed. Always hard to know what to do, but at least we are lucky to have choices. So, we went with a social decision - to have him go with the neighbor kids. </div><div><br /></div><div>I do miss the emphasis on education from back east. There is less money per student here and so the schools are not as good as what we were used to. I do want him to have choices for college and really have a solid base to fall back on. I didn't, and had to take several remedial courses to be prepared for certain college courses. But I am getting too ahead of myself! </div><div><br /></div><div>It's been a year since we moved from New England to the beautiful North West. Leo has friends, is identified still under the "jock" group. He has no best friend, just a few good friends. His best friend from back east visited this summer. They had a blast! We were so impressed how Leo was able to maintain a long-distance friendship at 11 years old. Phone and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Skype</span>. A true deep and lasting friendship. </div><div><br /></div><div>Leo continues to play baseball, his first love, but is enjoying his Fantasy Football League and watching ESPN with his dad. He has also taken up hiking and camping with his dad, such a nature lover. He now walks with me on weekends up the hills in our neighborhood - a real workout for me! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Health wise</span>, Leo is doing well. We continue to eat organic whole foods whenever possible, and eat gluten and sugar on occasion, usually for social reasons or going out to dinner. Unfortunately, Leo began having symptoms of Lyme disease back in February, so we started him on an anti-microbial regiment that includes antibiotics, and herbs/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">homeopathics</span> for support. We are happy to be living out of Lyme Land, and are hopeful that by next year the microbes will be under control, including strep and mold. In some ways, he is no different than any other "normal" kid out there physically, except that he takes a boat load of pills.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have seen shades of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">pre</span>-adolescence, and recently Leo asked me to buy him <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">deodorant</span>. He is growing up! I no longer feel as anxious as I used to feel about going through puberty. I am confident he will maintain his functioning level, barring anything unusual happen with his Lyme. He has barely any symptoms - occasional facial tics that come and go when he is getting sick or nervous, or going through a die-off cycle with the Lyme.</div><div><br /></div><div>And speaking of Lyme, I heard Leo recently tell his friend about his sister's condition (she has Chronic Lyme and was very very ill, but is now pain-free and doing well). Leo said "Can you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">imagine</span>, having a headache that never goes away for 2 years?" Not to mention all her other 17 symptoms she had of pain. His empathy and deep understand of what our family goes through and had to go through really moved me. Such empathy, in a kid that used to have autism!</div><div><br /></div><div>Sydney, Leo's 9 year old sister is doing very well. She is now pain-free, losing all her chronic symptoms this summer. Pretty exciting! She does get flares each week, but they are minor, and are only one or two symptoms that last about 4 to 5 hours. Her pathogen load is very low, and we feel we are close to remission. She will continue on her Chronic Lyme regiment for at least one more year. Lucky for us, we have great doctors that we see each month and she is steadily improving. She plays soccer and has 4 dance classes a week, not to mention lots of play dates and playing with neighborhood kids. She is really enjoying her newly found endurance, and is rebuilding her strength and stamina. She is free from pain, and we are all overjoyed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly, I should mention we had a great end of elementary school. I never got a chance to post about it. I was a blubbering mess as usual. I couldn't stop thinking about how much he has gone through, and now today he lives a normal life and has just "graduated" elementary school. He is in line with the other kids, laughing and joking around, high-fiving the teachers. So much pain and suffering, so much chaos long ago. Incredible.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leo did get a little homesick for his old school the last couple weeks, and regretted not being able to graduate with his friends. He was positive but realistic about graduating with kids he didn't know every well. He prefers our current life, and is very wise about the dangers of Lyme and his weak immune system. He had a great summer - lots of site-seeing and hosting friends and family. Their turn to visit us instead of visa-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">versa</span>. He loves having his own room and enjoys a more urban experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>I make sure to tell him how much I love him and how proud of him every day. This is usually right before he waves me away while he meets up with the neighbor boy to go to the bus in the morning. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-87810248460991104142010-09-23T11:13:00.001-05:002010-09-23T11:15:27.291-05:00The First Autism ChildThis is a very fascinating article in <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/10/autism-8217-s-first-child/8227/">The Atlantic</a> about the "first" adult with Autism. He sounds like an incredible person that has been through so much.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-91696442398016421282010-09-22T10:57:00.004-05:002010-09-22T11:00:47.625-05:00NY Times: Genetically Engineered Salmon<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font: normal normal normal 83.5%/normal Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; padding-top: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 118px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 62.5%; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><div class="header" style="float: left; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; width: 1245px; "><div class="left" style="float: left; width: 500px; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/misc/nytlogo153x23.gif" align="left" alt="The New York Times" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; " /></a><div class="printInfo" style="clear: left; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 5px; "></div></div></div><div class="timestamp" style="margin-top: 15px; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal !important; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; color: rgb(168, 24, 23); ">September 21, 2010</div><div class="kicker" style="font-weight: normal; color: black; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 15px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; "></div><h1 style="font-size: 2.4em; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.083em; "><nyt_headline version="1.0" type=" ">F.D.A. Hearing Focuses on the Labeling of Genetically Engineered Salmon</nyt_headline></h1><nyt_byline><h6 class="byline" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; ">By <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/andrew_pollack/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Andrew Pollack" class="meta-per" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">ANDREW POLLACK</a></h6></nyt_byline><nyt_text><div id="articleBody"><nyt_correction_top></nyt_correction_top><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ROCKVILLE, Md. — So what do you call a salmon that is genetically engineered to grow fast?</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If it is allowed to be sold in supermarkets, some consumer and environmental groups want it to be labeled as just that — so the engineered salmon cannot be mistaken for the regular fish. But the </span><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/food_and_drug_administration/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about the U.S. Food And Drug Administration." class="meta-org" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Food and Drug Administration</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> says such a label might not be possible under its regulations.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The labeling issue was the focus of a daylong hearing here Tuesday as the F.D.A. considers whether to approve the sale of the genetically engineered salmon, which grow to market size in about half the time as regular salmon.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If approved, the salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal to enter the American food supply. The F.D.A. made no ruling on the labeling, but officials made clear that the agency was not permitted to change the label on a food merely because it was genetically engineered. The food itself must be different — in its taste, nutrition or safety, for example. For the same reason, no labels about genetic engineering appear on the many foods now sold that contain genetically modified corn and soybeans.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The consumer groups, which do not want the salmon approved at all, disputed the F.D.A.’s interpretation of the regulations. The groups also said that in an era in which people pay more attention to the sources of their food, they had a right to know when a product was genetically engineered.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“The least you can do if you put these products on the market is to let consumers decide for themselves, and you need labeling to do that,” said Patricia Lovera of Food and Water Watch, an advocacy group. “Every trend in the food industry shows consumers want more information, not less.”</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But AquaBounty Technologies, the Boston-area company that developed the salmon, suggested that a “genetically engineered” label would be akin to a skull and crossbones, killing sales. Elliot Entis, a founder of AquaBounty, said critics were trying to “delegitimize the product through labeling.”</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Some representatives of the food and biotechnology industries supported the F.D.A.’s policy about labeling. “The food label is not a playground for every bit of information someone wants to know,” said David B. Schmidt, president of the International Food Information Council, an industry group.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If there were no requirement to label the fish, AquaBounty or companies that market its fish could voluntarily label it. It is more likely, however, that other fish companies would want to label their products as not being genetically engineered.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But the F.D.A. has said even that labeling could run into roadblocks. Labeling must not be false and misleading, such as by implying that the nonengineered fish was in some way superior to the engineered fish. The agency has stopped some milk producers from labeling their product as coming from cows not injected with bovine </span><a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/growth-hormone/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Growth hormone." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">growth hormone</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">unless they include a statement that the F.D.A. had found that there is no difference between milk from treated and untreated cows.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The timetable for approval of the salmon is not clear.</span></p><p style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In a meeting Monday, F.D.A. advisers faulted some studies the agency used to conclude that the salmon was safe for people and the environment, though they did not say the fish was dangerous. If the F.D.A. were to now order AquaBounty Technologies to do more studies, any approval could be delayed by months.</span></p><p style="color: black; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; "></p><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What's for dinner? Frankenfish or cloned cow? So many things to choose from that isn't studied and without a doubt will change our DNA and destroy this generation. </span></blockquote><p></p><nyt_correction_bottom><div class="articleCorrection" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em; "></div></nyt_correction_bottom><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><nyt_update_bottom></nyt_update_bottom></span></div></nyt_text><br /><center></center><div id="upNextWrapper"><div id="upNext" style="width: 360px; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); position: fixed; bottom: 0px; right: -410px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-box-shadow: rgb(102, 102, 102) 0px 4px 10px; "><div class="wrapper opposingFloatControl"><div class="toggleHolder element1" style="float: left; width: 50px; "><img width="13" class="toggleControl" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/article/upNext/upnext_rest.png" /></div><div class="element1" style="float: left; width: 310px; "><h6 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.25em; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase; font: normal normal bold 1em/normal arial, helvetica, sans-serif; ">MORE IN BUSINESS DAY <span class="num" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-weight: normal; ">(1 OF 19 ARTICLES)</span></h6><h3 style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.133em; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/technology/22oracle.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fbusiness%2Findex.jsonp" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Oracle Growth Plans Worry Rivals and Customers</a></h3><p class="refer" style="color: black; font-size: 1.1em; margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.182em; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/technology/22oracle.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fbusiness%2Findex.jsonp" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Read More »</a></p><button type="button" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 5px; right: 5px; width: 13px; height: 13px; background-image: url(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/article/comments/buttons/close_window.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-indent: -999em; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; cursor: pointer; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Close</button><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: -10989px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:100%;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-940290201212936782010-09-17T11:56:00.010-05:002010-09-17T12:14:49.080-05:00WSJ: Herbal Supplements Face New Scrutiny<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: left; line-height: 1; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:62.5%;color:initial;"><div class="fullwide subType-unsubscribed" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background- width: auto; background-image: none; zoom: 1; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div class="reallywide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:1em;color:initial;"><div id="articleTabs_panel_article" class="mastertextCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 0px; display: inline; "><div class="padding-left-big" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div id="article_story" class="col6wide colOverflowTruncated" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: left; width: auto; background-image: none; 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margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">by Laura Landro</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Elderberry extract and acai to boost the immune system. Black cohosh to lessen the discomforts of menopause. Soy capsules to prevent bone loss and prostate cancer.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Many botanical supplements—made from the seeds, bark, leaves, flowers and stems of a wide range of plants—have been widely used as folk remedies for centuries. Americans have been consuming growing quantities of the supplements in hopes of warding off disease and easing symptoms of various conditions. But there is scant scientific evidence to support their health benefits.</p><div class="legacyInset" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; width: 278px; "><div class="insetContent" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; border-top-width: 4px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(176, 202, 218); "><h3 class="first" style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; border-top-style: none; 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position: relative; left: 0px; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; "><a style="display: block; cursor: pointer; background-color: rgb(239, 244, 248); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-right-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; ">View Full Image</a></p></div></div><a style="display: block; cursor: pointer; "><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AW940_INFORM_D_20100913165243.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="INFORMED3" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></a></div><cite style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: right; display: block; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Getty Images</cite><p class="targetCaption" style="margin-top: 6px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Milk thistle</p></div><div id="articleImage_3" class="insetFullBracket" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; 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margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; "><a style="display: block; cursor: pointer; background-color: rgb(239, 244, 248); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-right-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; ">View Full Image</a></p></div></div><a style="display: block; cursor: pointer; "><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AW941_INFORM_D_20100913165303.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="INFORMED4" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></a></div><cite style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: right; display: block; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Getty Images</cite><p class="targetCaption" style="margin-top: 6px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">St. John's wort</p></div><div id="articleImage_4" class="insetFullBracket" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; 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position: absolute; top: 5px; right: 8px; "><a class="insetClose" style="background-image: url(http://s2.wsj.net/img/BTN_insetClose.gif); cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 19px; text-indent: -9999px; width: 19px; "><img src="http://si.wsj.net/img/BTN_insetClose.gif" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="19" width="19" alt="INFORMED4" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></a></div><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AW941_INFORM_G_20100913165303.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="INFORMED4" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; " /></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Now, the federal government is stepping up research into the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of over-the-counter supplements, including plant oils, garlic, soy, elderberry, licorice, black cohosh, St. John's wort and the Asian herb dong quai. The aim is to better understand how compounds in the plants affect health and to help consumers make more informed choices about supplements, which can interact with prescription drugs, cause side effects or lead to new health risks. Sales of botanical supplements in the U.S. topped $5 billion last year, up 17% from five years earlier, according to the non-profit American Botanical Council.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">"Sometimes people assume because a product is natural, it is also safer. But these compounds can have both benefits and potential side effects and we need to understand both of those," says Floyd Chilton III, director of the Center for Botanical Lipids and Inflammatory Disease Prevention at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Dr. Chilton's center received a $7.5 million federal grant to study botanicals, including whether plant oils such as echium and borage can help play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">"People are using supplements for purposes for which they were not intended," such as treating health conditions they have self-diagnosed, or using multiple supplements in combination with prescription medications, says Marguerite Klein, director of the Botanical Centers Research program at the National Institutes of Health. One concern, she says is the heavy use by women of black cohosh to treat menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes. Limited research seems to support the black cohosh's benefit. But it isn't known how the botanical works. Black cohosh has been linked in some patients to liver damage, and breast-cancer patients are often advised to avoid using it because its effects on breast tissue are unknown.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Helping to spur the research initiative are the Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health. The agencies last month awarded grants totaling about $37 million to five dietary supplement research centers, expanding a program that has already awarded more than $250 million in research grants for herbs and botanicals since 2002. The NIH is also funding research into botanical products through the National Cancer Institute, which is interested in how components in botanicals might influence cancer risk and tumor growth.</p><div class="insetCol3wide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; width: 280px; float: left; clear: left; "><div class="insetContent embedType-videoThumb imageFormat-arbitrary" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; float: left; clear: left; border-top-width: 4px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(176, 202, 218); "><div class="insetTree" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: left; position: relative; "><div class="insetType-video" id="articlevideo_5" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; width: 264px; "><div widget="article.articleThumbnailPlayer" guid="{6DAD2506-7835-4A9D-9476-5183E3D2FEB5}" info="{"brightcoveID":"","unixLastModifiedDate":"1,280,410,865","formattedCreationDate":"7/29/2010 1:40:22 PM","wsj-subsection":"","catastrophic":"0","bwcconf-package":"","linkURL":"http://online.wsj.com/video/the-powers-of-garlic/6DAD2506-7835-4A9D-9476-5183E3D2FEB5.html","titletag":"","relatedLinkText":"","emailURL":"http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=create&fb=Y&url=@VIDEO_LINK_URL&title=@VIDEO_TITLE&random=@RANDOM_NUMBER&partnerID=@EMAIL_PARTNER_ID&image=@VIDEO_STILL_URL&expire=&summary=@VIDEO_DESCRIPTION","id":"{6DAD2506-7835-4A9D-9476-5183E3D2FEB5}","mw-channel":"General","allthingsd-section":"","formattedLastModifiedDate":"7/29/2010 1:41:05 PM","vbLastModifiedDate":"40,388.57","name":"The Powers of Garlic","mw-subchannel":"General","bwc-package":"","vbCreationDate":"40,388.57","unixCreationDate":"1,280,410,822","video320kMP4Url":"http://m.wsj.net/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic_320k.mp4","rssURL":"http://feeds.wsjonline.com/wsj/video/news/feed","wsj-section":"News","videoURL":"rtmp://cp49988.edgefcs.net/ondemand/74940/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic.flv","adZone":"news_video","thumbnailURLSmall":"http://m.wsj.net/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic_115x65.jpg","docID":"1002530632","videoStillURL":"http://m.wsj.net/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic_512x288.jpg","editor":"Nouzha Charafeddine","thumbnailURL":"http://m.wsj.net/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic_167x94.jpg","allthingsd-subsection":"","linkRelativeURL":"/video/the-powers-of-garlic/6DAD2506-7835-4A9D-9476-5183E3D2FEB5","relatedLinkHref":"","description":"Adding garlic to your diet has several health benefits including assistance in warding off cancer and boosting the immune system. Video courtesy of Fox News.","adCategory":"","doctypeID":"115","provider":"WSJ.com","duration":"110","author":"Nouzha Charafeddine"}" class="thumbnailVideo" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><div class="videoTree" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 13px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; float: right; position: relative; "><div class="videoFrame" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; display: table; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704190704575489812916405630.html?mod=rss_Health&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fxml%2Frss%2F3_7089+%28WSJ.com%3A+Health%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo#" style="color: rgb(9, 61, 114); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 115px; height: 78px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; "><img height="65" width="115" src="http://m.wsj.net/video/20100729/072910foxnewscoregarlic/072910foxnewscoregarlic_115x65.jpg" alt="video" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; " /><span class="videoBug" style="display: block; position: absolute; left: 5px; bottom: 10px; width: 14px; height: 14px; background-image: url(http://s2.wsj.net/img/ICN_videoBug.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "> </span></a></div></div><h3 class="first" style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; display: block; clear: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704190704575489812916405630.html?mod=rss_Health&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fxml%2Frss%2F3_7089+%28WSJ.com%3A+Health%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo#" style="color: rgb(9, 61, 114); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: url(http://s3.wsj.net/img/icon_video.gif); padding-right: 0px; font-weight: normal; padding-left: 20px; background-position: 0px 0.1em; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">The Powers of Garlic</a></h3><small style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.1em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; display: block; clear: none; ">1:50</small><p class="targetCaption" style="margin-top: 6px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; clear: none; ">Adding garlic to your diet has several health benefits including assistance in warding off cancer and boosting the immune system. Video courtesy of Fox News.</p></div></div></div></div></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Studies funded by the federal grants have so far shown that chamomile capsules may help reduce anxiety compared to a placebo and that an extract from the milk thistle plant can interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus. They also have refuted some purported benefits of botanicals, showing, for instance, that ginkgo biloba does not prevent heart attack, stroke, or cancer, or stem memory loss and that St. John's wort was no better than a placebo in treating symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and teens.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Unlike drugs, which must be tested in clinical trials and approved by the Food and Drug Administration before they can be marketed, botanicals and other supplements don't require regulatory approval. The FDA in June began requiring all supplement makers to follow strict quality manufacturing standards, but the agency only periodically inspects plants.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">An investigation published in May by the General Accounting Office found deceptive marketing practices at a number of online retailers, including claims that supplements could prevent or cure conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or cardiovascular disease. The investigation also found trace amounts of potentially hazardous contaminants, such as lead or bacteria, in 37 of 40 herbal dietary supplement products it tested.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Tod Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com, which tests supplement brands for quality, says the group finds problems with about 25% of all supplements, and especially with herbal products, many with ingredients from overseas. A recent review of supplements made from ginseng—commonly taken to boost energy and vitality—found that 45% failed quality tests because they didn't contain the advertised amount of ginseng or were contaminated with lead. Test results and other information are available to members, who pay $30 annually.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Consumers also can find information about potential uses, benefits and risks of dietary supplements at federal websites ods.gov and nccam.gov. Another government site, Medlineplus.gov, grades scientific evidence on a variety of supplements.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">William Cefalu, director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, says researchers are only beginning to understand how thousands of different compounds in a single plant may interact, and how the concentration of a particular plant chemical affects its potency. For example, peppermint tea is considered safe to drink, but peppermint oil, often taken for irritable bowel syndrome or indigestion, is much more concentrated and can be toxic if used in high doses.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; ">Because the potency of wild plants can vary, some researchers are cultivating their own. At the Center for Botanical Interaction Studies at the University of Missouri in Columbia, 600 types of soybean seeds are being cultivated to study different concentrations of the same compounds in the plants and how they might work to prevent prostate cancer. The center is also growing 60 types of elderberries to study the plant's possible role in boosting the immune system against infection and fighting cancer and inflammation in the body. Center director Dennis Lubahn says there may be variations in individual plants that will make a difference in how well they fight disease. "We've come a long way from the traditional medicine woman sampling leaves in the forest," he says.</p><div class="insetCol6wide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; clear: both; "><div class="insetContent" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1em; zoom: 1; border-top-width: 4px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(176, 202, 218); "><h3 class="first" style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; ">Petal Power?</h3><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); display: block; ">Researchers are studying if plant-based supplements on the market can help treat many diseases and conditions.</p><table width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: 1em; "><tbody><tr class="odd"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">BOTANICAL</strong></td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">POSSIBLE BENEFIT</strong></td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">POSSIBLE RISKS</strong></td></tr><tr class="even"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Black cohosh</strong></td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Prevention of hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, may help improve bone density.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">No long-term safety data on breast tissue; may cause liver damage.</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Soy</strong>(phytoestrogens)</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">May lower risk of LDL ('bad') cholesterol; reduce hot flashes and other menopause symptoms.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Possible role in development of breast, uterine cancers.</td></tr><tr class="even"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Milk thistle</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">May promote growth of liver cells, improve symptoms of liver disease; possible treatment for hepatitis C.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">May lower blood-sugar levels in diabetics; allergic reactions, gastrointestinal side effects.</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Ginseng</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">May lower blood sugar, boost immunity, increase stamina.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Headaches; allergic reactions; sleep and gastrointestinal problems.</td></tr><tr class="even"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Elderberry</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Anti-oxidant, may lower cholesterol, boost immune system, improve heart health.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Diuretic effects; no scientific data on benefits.</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Cranberry (extracts, tablet, capsules )</strong></td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">May prevent urinary tract disorders, stomach ulcers, dental plaque; anti-cancer benefits.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Could cause GI upset; may interact with blood-thinning drugs.</td></tr><tr class="even"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Evening primrose</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">Modest benefits for eczema; may be useful for rheumatoid arthritis and breast pain.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(231, 239, 244); ">May cause gastrointestinal upset, headache.</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">St. John's wort</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">May help treat mild depression.</td><td align="left" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">May limit effectiveness of prescription medications; unproven as treatment for major depression.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 10px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">—Email <a class="" href="mailto:informedpatient@wsj.com" style="color: rgb(9, 61, 114); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">informedpatient@wsj.com</a></span></span></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 10px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 10px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><a class="" href="mailto:informedpatient@wsj.com" style="color: rgb(9, 61, 114); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "></a>.</span>It is plainly obvious why the government and their special interest groups (pharm. companies) are spending millions of dollars looking into natural treatments. As always, it's the money they are losing to this new market - 5 billion to be exact as stated in the article. I also noted there were no deaths or serious complications using these alternatives mentioned as an anecdote or otherwise. The Possible Risks column are filled with symptoms that "may" appear. Symptoms that are similar and common to prescription drugs. And actually, they do not look as bad as a whole in comparison. We read daily about newly uncovered risks from prescription meds and even deaths. I am hopeful this is a sign we are moving in the right direction now that money is going into different pockets. There are choices out there and so are answers to chronic illness. We just have to be in charge of our own health and get it done.</span></blockquote></span></span></cite></div></div><div class="col6wide" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: left; width: auto; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; "><div class="printSummary pfFooter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; display: block; text-align: center; height: 48px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font: normal normal normal 1.06em/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; display: block; text-align: center; 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background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; "><div id="footer" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><iframe width="0" height="0" src="http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/PixelTracking.html?site=interactive.wsj.com&zone=lifestyle_health_informpatientstory&pageId=0_0_WA_0001&cb=509163" style="visibility: hidden; "></iframe> <iframe name="33595_171184" height="0" width="0" id="__loomia_cs_iframe__" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "></iframe></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-79323587909862033162010-08-20T12:23:00.003-05:002010-08-20T12:44:14.815-05:00Father of ABA, Dr. Lovaas, Passes<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;">I took his passing very hard, much like I did when Bernard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rimland</span> passed a while back. Both of these men founded what is now today most commonly used to treat autism.I was so sad that I didn't know how to put it into words what this man has done for our children. But, a few days later I read an email sent to my support group from our former advocate (she saved us tons of money and time and is also an incredible autism mom herself). Karen Simon says it best: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>I'm not sure parents of newly diagnosed kids know of the significance of Ivar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lovaas</span> to all of the ABA programs our kids have today and the idea that a kid can become indistinguishable. We met him often when Christopher was in his replication site in Stockton, California from 1996-1998 and what I loved was how open he was to what needed to be done. He had been saddled with {and still is} the reputation that he was a rigid and single minded man stuck on his original findings and insisting that all therapies be done in this manner. The problem as he told us is that he needed to prove to the naysayers that intensive 1-1 therapy done in a systematic and data driven approach worked and in order to do this he had to exactly replicate his findings of 1987 so more school districts would fund these programs. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;"><br />What my husband and I found, however, was a kind and caring man who never stopped learning. He encouraged us to get speech therapy, OT , music therapy and even learning the computer although that was new to him . He had a daily physical component to his program which included learning to ride a bike, swim and using all playground equipment. He told us the importance of parent involvement. He had my husband give him. He asked Jim to give him a list of the computer programs and music <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CD's</span> that we found on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">internet</span> that we were using for Christopher so that he could share them with other families. He started the first informal support group among parents of his kids. He NEVER wanted kids to sit a table for hours at a time. His program was very fast paced and fluid and kids were in and out of the chair every 2-3 minutes and many did become indistinguishable and those who didn't did much better as a result anyway. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;"><br />It pains me that in many ways we are all still fighting this fight even though his is over, but I wanted to share with everyone that this was a man I truly loved for giving me my son back in the days when there was no hope given to any parents of children with autism. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, helvetica;font-size:13px;">Rest in Peace Ivar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Lovaas</span></span></div></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-14830666557699703112010-07-15T21:28:00.003-05:002010-07-15T21:35:25.850-05:00Saving SammyI finally got around to catching up on research. The fairly<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Sammy-Curing-Caught-ebook/dp/B002MY9HMY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1279247234&sr=8-1"> new book</a> (Sept.09) Saving Sammy and T<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50bQtkfiHvs">oday Show interview</a> is a true inspiration. I enjoyed watching the interview and was so happy to know that the mom has shared her story. <div><br /></div><div>The story is about her son that was diagnosed with what I think is severe OCD but actually had PANDAS. </div><div><br /></div><div>The fear and hesitation in the doctor voice made me sad, but I am glad she did put herself out there. Rare for anyone in this business of "new" illnesses caused by bacteria or viruses that were once thought benign such as Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, Mycoplasma, and last but not least, Strep. </div><div>I dream of the day that doctors refer to dynamic, updated, guidelines that reflect the children that reside in our classrooms and in our homes. Our generation. </div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-51200803107259058332010-06-28T18:09:00.002-05:002010-06-28T18:11:38.047-05:00NY Times: Childhood Combo. Vax and Seizure Risk<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font: normal normal normal 83.5%/normal Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; padding-top: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 118px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 62.5%; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><div class="header" style="float: left; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; width: 1553px; "><div class="left" style="float: left; width: 410px; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/misc/nytlogo153x23.gif" align="left" alt="The New York Times" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; " /></a><nyt_reprints_form><li class="reprints" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.25em; "><form name="cccform" action="https://s100.copyright.com/CommonApp/LoadingApplication.jsp" target="_Icon" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "></form></li></nyt_reprints_form></div></div><div class="timestamp" style="margin-top: 15px; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal !important; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; color: rgb(168, 24, 23); ">June 28, 2010</div><div class="kicker" style="font-weight: normal; color: black; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 15px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; "></div><h1 style="font-size: 2.4em; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.083em; "><nyt_headline version="1.0" type=" ">Childhood: Combination Vaccine and Seizure Risk</nyt_headline></h1><nyt_byline><h6 class="byline" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; ">By Roni Caryn Rabin</h6></nyt_byline><nyt_text><div id="articleBody"><nyt_correction_top></nyt_correction_top><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">Toddlers who get a vaccine that combines the <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/measles/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Measles." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">measles</a>-<a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/mumps/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Mumps." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">mumps</a>-<a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/rubella/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about German Measles (Rubella)." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">rubella</a> and <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/chickenpox/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Chickenpox." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">chickenpox</a> immunizations are at twice the usual risk for fevers that lead to <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/injury/convulsions/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Convulsions." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">convulsions</a>, a new study reports.</p><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">The risk for a so-called <a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm" title="Government fact sheet." style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">febrile seizure</a> after any measles vaccination is less than 1 <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/generalized-tonic-clonic-seizure/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Generalized tonic-clonic seizure." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">seizure</a> per 1,000 <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/immunizations-general-overview/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Immunizations - general overview." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">vaccinations</a>; but among children who received the combined vaccine, there is 1 additional seizure for every 2,300 vaccinated, said Dr. Nicola Klein, the study’s lead investigator and director of the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center.</p><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">The reactions, which occur a week to 10 days after vaccination, are not life-threatening and usually resolve on their own. The <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/fever/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Fever." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">fever</a>-related convulsions can be frightening, but they are brief and not linked to any long-term complications or seizure disorders.</p><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">To do the analysis, published this week in the journal Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente researchers used the government’s Vaccine Safety Datalink, a safety surveillance system that compiles data on nine million members of eight managed-care organizations.</p><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">They compared seizure and fever reactions among 83,107 1-year-olds who had combined M.M.R. and chickenpox vaccinations with reactions of 376,354 toddlers who received separate vaccines.</p><p style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; ">“Unless parents have a strong preference for the combination vaccine, providers should use a separate vaccine,” Dr. Klein said.</p><nyt_correction_bottom><div class="articleCorrection" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em; "></div></nyt_correction_bottom><nyt_update_bottom></nyt_update_bottom></div></nyt_text><blockquote>Freakin' FINALLY! I wonder what will happen now that we have "real" evidence about the consequences of these vaccinations.. Since the epidemic of chronic illnesses in children isn't enough!</blockquote><br /><center></center><div id="upNextWrapper"><div id="upNext" style="width: 360px; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); position: fixed; bottom: 0px; right: -410px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-box-shadow: rgb(102, 102, 102) 0px 4px 10px; "><div class="wrapper"><h6 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.25em; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase; font: normal normal bold 1em/normal arial, helvetica, sans-serif; ">MORE IN RESEARCH <span class="num" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-weight: normal; ">(6 OF 24 ARTICLES)</span></h6><h3 style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.133em; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/health/research/29drug.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fhealth%2Fresearch%2Findex.jsonp" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Heart Risks Seen in Diabetes Medicine</a></h3><p class="refer" style="color: black; font-size: 1.1em; margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.182em; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/health/research/29drug.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fhealth%2Fresearch%2Findex.jsonp" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Read More »</a></p><button type="button" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 5px; right: 5px; width: 13px; height: 13px; background-image: url(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/article/comments/buttons/close_window.gif); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-indent: -999em; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; cursor: pointer; background-position: 0px 0px; ">Close</button><div style="text-align: center; text-indent: -10989px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:100%;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></span></div>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334512.post-78572947047506907232010-06-28T11:24:00.003-05:002010-06-28T11:56:34.355-05:00FDA Urging Limited Antibiotics In Meat<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; "><div id="y-article-hd" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.65em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.65em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; "><div class="y-article-hd-left" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><h1 class="test1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1.82em; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></h1><h2 style="margin-top: -10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(47, 58, 63); border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-color: initial; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; ">FDA urging meat producers to limit antibiotics given to animals<br /></h2><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/news/apf/SIG=10kfmofol;_ylt=Ai1fyOExOASD_ciBoOGllc3eba9_;_ylu=X3oDMTE4azhlNXFhBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNuZXdzcHJvdmlkZXJjb250ZW50aW5mbwRzbGsDYXA-/*http://www.ap.org/termsandconditions" style="color: rgb(26, 84, 136); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/fi/gr/ap_106x27.gif" alt="ap" class="sponsorimage" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; " /></a></div></div><div id="y-article-bd" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="mod provider-attribution" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-size: 11px; "><span class="byline">Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Writer</span>, <span class="datetime">On Monday June 28, 2010, 11:08 am EDT</span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration is urging meat producers to limit the amount of antibiotics they give animals in response to public health concerns about the drugs.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">The FDA said the use of antibiotics in meat poses a "serious public health threat" because they create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat the meat. The agency is recommending that producers use the drugs judiciously, limiting their use unless they are medically necessary and only using them with the oversight of a veterinarian.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">"Developing strategies for reducing (antibiotic) resistance is critically important for protecting both public and animal health," the agency said in draft guidelines printed in the Federal Register on Monday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">The agency said misuse and overuse of the drugs has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics have been used in meat to kill pathogens for more than 50 years, and the FDA acknowledged that practice has had "tremendous benefits" to animal and human health.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">Of greater concern, the agency said, is when producers use antibiotics on healthy animals to speed growth and reduce feed costs. The agency is also concerned about antibiotics that are given continuously through feed or water to entire herds or flocks of animals.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); ">The agency said it is expecting to issue more specific guidelines in the near future.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); "></p><blockquote>I wonder what provoked some attention here. As usual, the words "concerned" "urging" and "using drugs judiciously" means nothing. No one will do anything until they have to, as they are making money just fine as is. Is this just FDA P.R.? At any rate, this isn't in the papers, and I am sure we can set the clock for any viable action to be taken in 10 years from now. Apparently things aren't bad enough for real action - we need the suppliers to start losing money.</blockquote><p></p></div></span>AshleyLeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00063238658873407897noreply@blogger.com0