CONTENTS
1) Feature: Cell Phone Headaches, Cell Tower Blues
2) Issue Updates
--New Studies: Fluoride Not Preventing Tooth Decay
--Moratorium on New Tar Sands Development Sought
--Canadian Population Health Impact of Cancer
3) Media Watch
--Ministers Back “Terminator” GM Crops
--DuPont Bets Big on Biotechnology
--GMOs May Not be the Answer to Banishing World Hunger
--10-Year Ban Proposed for Genetically Modified Agriculture
--Monsanto, Sygenta Shares Grow Despite EU Opposition to GM Crops
--GM Survey Shows Environmental Gains
--Harvard Professor: Hiding a Link about Fluoridation and Cancer?
--Dental Caries and Fluorosis in Relation to Water Fluoride Levels
--Aboriginal Midwifery Reclaims Part of Lost Culture
--Bisphenol A in Plastics Inhibits Brain Development – Even in Small Doses
--Sour Findings on Popular Sweetener, Aspartame
--Foes of Food-labeling Bill Criticize Law
--Poultry and the Environment
-- Poultry and Eggs, Canadian Industry
--Healthier Chickens on the Market: Producers Cut Use of Antibiotics
--Pesticides Found in Most Rivers, Streams
--Winter Warmest Ever on Record in Canada
--Expert Advisory Panel on Breast Implants
--Food Stress in Montreal: Nine out of 10 Respondents Changed Their Habits in the Past Two Years
--Fruit, Vegetables Yielding Fewer Nutrients
--CLA Supplements Help Keep Fat Off
--Lifting Weights Attacks Belly Fat
--Healthy Lifestyle May Fight Impotence
--How the Feds Make Bad-for-you Food Cheaper than Healthful Fare
--Japanese Putting All Their Energy into Saving Fuel
--Greening the Cube: Eco-friendly Furniture Meets the Cubicle Culture
--Alternative Medicine Common in Kids; Docs Unaware
--Newer Antidepressants Linked to Serious Lung Disorder in Newborns
--The Real Cause of Bird Flu: Industrial Agriculture
4) Calendar of Events
--Stress: A Roadblock on the Path to Wellness, Mar 18, Vancouver
--Greens Can Save Your Life, Mar 25, Vancouver; Mar 26, Courtenay, BC; Mar 27, Victoria; Mar 29, Edmonton, AB; Mar 30, Calgary, AB
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1) Cell Phone Headaches, Cell Tower Blues
by Magda Havas
Imagine a world identical to our own with one exception: everyone is deaf. There is no radio, and television remains a silent movie. Telephone communication is visual, but beyond that the world is very much like our own. What would such a world be like?
Probably very noisy, since there would be no need for noise control and no regulations to limit noise. Car engines would still roar, perhaps louder than they do now, tires would squeal, birds would sing, and thunder would rumble across the sky, but we would not be able to hear any of this.
Now, imagine that some people in this world can hear. They don’t realize they are any different except in a few subtle ways. They can predict the coming of storms. They claim to “hear” thunder at a distance. They have difficulty sleeping. In the middle of the night, they hear roaring engines, squealing tires, horns blaring and other things that are silent to the rest of us. Because of their poor sleep, they are tired during the day. They become anxious and worried. The noise frightens them, but only they can hear it so they begin to question their sanity.
One sufferer, John, confides in a friend who is sympathetic and tells him to visit his family doctor. But the doctor doesn’t know what to make of this. The sleeping pills and tranquilizers she prescribes don’t stop the noise during the day. Another, less sympathetic doctor recommends a psychiatrist for mental problems. But John doesn’t think he’s crazy, or is he?
Now, instead of noise, imagine a world where people can’t sense radio frequency energy. That is the world we live in. We hear radio frequencies only when they are converted to sound by our radios, televisions, or telephones. If we could hear them this would be a very noisy planet. In the middle of a street in any major city, you would hear thousands of simultaneous telephone conversations, hundreds of radio and television stations. It would probably drive most of us crazy.
Fortunately most of us can’t “hear” radio frequencies, but some people can sense them. And just like in our make-believe world of the deaf, the few individuals who can sense these frequencies can’t sleep, develop headaches, and are under constant stress.
This syndrome is called “electromagnetic hypersensitivity” and some people are gravely affected. Those who see their doctors are often dismissed, given sleeping pills or sent to a psychiatrist. These people are not crazy. They just happen to be more sensitive than the rest of us to electromagnetic noise pollution generated by our technological advances.
Below is a quote from a man in Abbotsford, BC who has some of the classic symptoms of electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome.
“We live one property away from a cell phone tower and have another a half mile down the road... I have had strange, unexplained health issues that conventional medical tests cannot solve for three or four years. Along with these, I developed cancer on my right breast when a brown spot that had been there for 35 years suddenly went bad. The following are symptoms that have occurred since these towers were installed and have had no relief to date: headaches, nausea, unsteadiness, pressure in head over eyes, ears, cheeks and back of head. Sometimes blurred vision. General feeling of fatigue and aches for no apparent reason. Have undergone complete blood workup, X-ray, CT Scan. Have tried various alternative medical practices, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal remedies, exercise, watching diet closer, lose weight and drinking plenty of water. Nothing seems to work. Don’t know if the towers are responsible for the above mentioned, but I do feel somewhat better when I leave the area for a period of time.”
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity has not yet been accepted by our medical professionals. Just like chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical hypersensitivity, and seasonal affective disorder, it will take some time and many complaining patients before that changes. In the meantime, those suffering need to reduce their exposure to radio frequency radiation - not a simple thing to do in our highly technical society.
Our government can play a vital role by restricting the installation of antennas for cell phones on high rise buildings and by increasing the distance of cell phone and broadcast antennas on towers near built up areas. We need “cell phone restricted” areas on trains, buses, and in buildings that have regular phone lines.
The levels allowed for radio frequency radiation need to be reduced. Our guidelines are among the worst in the world, along with Great Britain, the USA, Germany and Japan. The more we rely on cell phones, the more antennas needed for their use. We have more than 300 transmitting antennas in the City of Peterborough. In Toronto, the number exceeds 10,000 and most were erected since 1980.
There is some evidence to suggest that as our exposure to electromagnetic energy increases, so will our sensitivity. Sweden recognizes this disorder and has a website to provide suffers with information. If you think you are sensitive to electromagnetic energy, please contact me for more information.
Reprinted from the Peterborough Examiner with author permission. Magda Havas, an associate professor at Trent University in the Environmental and Resource Studies program, can be reached at mhavas@trentu.ca or 705- 748-1011 x 1232.
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2) ISSUE UPDATES
New Studies: Fluoride Not Preventing Tooth Decay
PRESS RELEASE- New York, March 9, 2006
Fluoride is not stopping cavities and is causing discolored teeth, reported several new studies presented at the American Association for Dental Research’s annual meeting from March 8 - 11, 2006, in Orlando, Florida, reports the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF).
For example, researchers following children from birth, starting 1991- 1995, found almost double the dental fluorosis in early erupting permanent teeth of nine-year-olds drinking optimally fluoridated water compared to children drinking sub-optimally fluoridated water (41 vs. 21 per cent); but no less tooth decay.
Researchers found no significant relationship between fluoride exposure and cavities in permanent teeth of six to nine-year-olds in Campeche, Mexico.
A US national study reports cavity prevalence increased by 15 per cent in two to five-year-olds, in surveys taken between 1988-1994 and 1999-2002, despite 60 years of water fluoridation reaching two-thirds of Americans on public water supplies and virtually 100 per cent via the food supply. However, the Centers for Disease Control report that one-third to one-half of US schoolchildren display dental fluorosis.
Another US study shows that breastfed children have less cavities than non-breastfed, even though breast milk has 100 times less fluoride than dentists claim is optimal to reduce cavities. Breastfeeding is also protective against fluorosis.
Although New York City fluoridated in 1965, NYC children of Chinese descent suffer a much higher prevalence and severity of tooth decay than the national average (63 vs. 38 per cent).
About half of seven to 14-year-old children from fluoridated Rochester, NY, have cavities. Latino children had significantly higher caries experience than African-American and Caucasian children, thus indicating that disparities exist among different ethnic groups even when the water is fluoridated.
In fluoridated Detroit, 91 per cent of African American low-income children five years and younger have tooth decay.
“Today, fluoridation puts American children at risk of dental fluorosis without any benefit of less tooth decay,” says Paul Beeber, New York State Opposed to Fluoridation President and General Counsel. “And growing evidence links fluoride to hypersensitivities, bone damage, thyroid problems and more.”
NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc
PO Box 263
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
E-mail: nyscof@aol.com
Web: www.FluorideAction.Net
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Moratorium on New Tar Sands Development Sought
PRESS RELEASE – Edmonton, March 14, 2006
The Government of Alberta should impose a moratorium on new tar sands projects development in the Athabasca region given growing concern about the health, social and environmental impacts of rapid tar sands expansion, says Sierra Club of Canada.
“The Tar Sands produces the world’s dirtiest type of oil,” says Elizabeth May, Executive Director of Sierra Club of Canada, “Now there is evidence that, next to nuclear energy, it may very well be the world’s most lethal type. We think that a time out is in order while provincial consultations on an Oil Sands Strategy proceed and until a full investigation of the health effects of tar sands development is completed.”
“Recent reports of elevated rates of cancer and other diseases in the northern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan, which is downstream and downwind from the tar sands, should raise alarm bells about the feverish pace of tar sands development in the region,” says Lindsay Telfer, Director of Sierra Club of Canada’s Prairie Chapter. “Unfortunately, this may be the first of many communities to experience ill effects of an industry that has not been held accountable for air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions it produces, in addition to the boreal forests, rivers and wetlands it destroys.
“As the Athabasca River becomes increasingly surrounded by tar sands developments, those living downstream become increasingly threatened. This includes communities in northern Saskatchewan as well as the North West Territories who receive contaminated air and water from rapidly expanding Tar Sands operations,” stated Telfer.
This news comes at a time when the Government of Alberta is preparing to launch consultations on the development of the Tar Sands region. “This case points to the clear need to engage communities’ potentially impacted by Tar Sands industrial developments in the pending consultations,” says May, “including those downstream and down wind from developments.”
Sierra Club of Canada endorses a full investigation into the downstream health impacts of Tar Sands developments and encourages Health Canada to do the same for communities in Saskatchewan and the North West Territories. Investigations should include full disclosure of results.
Contact: Elizabeth May: Executive Director - Sierra Club of Canada, Ottawa: 613-241-4611
Lindsay Telfer: Director, Sierra Club of Canada, Prairie Chapter, Edmonton: 780-439-1160
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Canadian Population Health Impact of Cancer
Cancer cost Canadians the equivalent of nearly one million potential years of life in 2001, and not only because the disease causes premature death, according to a new study.
People living with cancer may experience a wide range of limitations in their mental, physical and social functioning, even after the cancer is in remission. These limitations interfere with their normal daily activities, and reduce their health-related quality of life. Results of this study were published March 7, 2006 in the newsletter of Statistics Canada’s Health Analysis and Measurement Group.
More at http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060307/d060307b.....
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4) MEDIA WATCH
Ministers Back “Terminator” GM Crops
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
DuPont Bets Big on Biotechnology
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
GMOs May Not be the Answer to Banishing World Hunger
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
10-Year Ban Proposed for Genetically Modified Agriculture
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
Monsanto, Sygenta Shares Grow Despite EU Opposition to GM Crops
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
GM Survey Shows Environmental Gains
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseactio...
Harvard Professor: Hiding a Link about Fluoridation and Cancer?
http://www.fluoridealert.org/fox-transcript.html
Dental Caries and Fluorosis in Relation to Water Fluoride Levels
http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2006Orld/techprogram/abs...
Aboriginal Midwifery Reclaims Part of Lost Culture
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/story/win-aboriginalmidwi...
Bisphenol A in Plastics Inhibits Brain Development – Even in Small Doses
http://www.deliciouslivingmag.com/magazine/index.cfm...
Sour Findings on Popular Sweetener, Aspartame
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2006/114-3/ss.html#sou...
Foes of Food-labeling Bill Criticize Law
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&e=5&u=...
Poultry and the Environment
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/02/13/pate/i...
Poultry and Eggs, Canadian Industry
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060302/d060302b....
Healthier Chickens on the Market: Producers Cut Use of Antibiotics
http://eartheasy.com/article_healthier_chicken.htm
Pesticides Found in Most Rivers, Streams
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&e=1&u=...
Winter Warmest Ever on Record in CanadaM
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10057
Expert Advisory Panel on Breast Implants
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/md-im/activit/sci-con...
Food Stress in Montreal: Nine out of 10 Respondents Changed Their Habits in the Past Two Years
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2...
Fruit, Vegetables Yielding Fewer Nutrients
http://eartheasy.com/article_fruit_veg_dilution.htm
CLA Supplements Help Keep Fat Off
http://www.nutritionhorizon.com/newsmaker_article.as...
Lifting Weights Attacks Belly Fat
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&e=2&u=...
Healthy Lifestyle May Fight Impotence
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=97&e=7&u=/...
How the Feds Make Bad-for-you Food Cheaper than Healthful Fare
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/02/22/philpo...
Japanese Putting All Their Energy into Saving Fuel
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article...
Greening the Cube: Eco-friendly Furniture Meets the Cubicle Culture
http://www.grist.org/biz/tp/2006/03/02/makower/index...
Alternative Medicine Common in Kids; Docs Unaware
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&e=9&u=...
Newer Antidepressants Linked to Serious Lung Disorder in Newborns
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis...
The Real Cause of Bird Flu: Industrial Agriculture
http://healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=8262
For more current stories, check out “News” at www.hans.org.
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6) Calendar of Events
Stress: A Roadblock on the Path to Wellness
Who: 7th Annual AIMS Conference, presented by AIMS, the Alternative and Integrative Medical Society of UBC
When: March 18, 9am – 4pm
Where: UBC Forest Sciences Centre
Price: Students: $10/$15 (AIMS Members/Non-Members), public/professionals: $30/$40 (AIMS Members/Non-Members)
Contact: www.aims.ubc.ca/conference
Keynote speaker, Kenford Nedd MD, an internationally renowned speaker, practices in the field of family and behavioural medicine and treats stress related disorders in both corporate and clinical settings. He has been been featured as one of the top 10 speakers in America by the American Society of Association Executives.
Conference topics include:
The Evolution of Stress / The Effects of Stress On Health / Environmental Stress / Mindfully Eating / Women’s Health & Stress / Pre-Natal Stress / Yoga / Cranial Sacral Therapy / Massage / Laughing Therapy and more... also... Cooking demonstrations and nutritious food throughout the day!
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Greens Can Save Your Life
Who: Victoria Boutenko
When: March 25, 10am - 4:30pm
Where: Unitarian Church, 949 West 49th Ave (corner of 49th & Oak), Vancouver. Doors open 9:30am.
Price: $45 advance tix / $55 at door (incl organic lunch & dinner
Contact www.rawbc.org or 604-728-2482.
Highly-acclaimed author and inspirational speaker Victoria Boutenko explores the connection between raw food and optimum health.
Mar 26: Courtenay, BC, RSVP to ZenZero at 250 338-0571 or email rawrose@rawfoods.com
Mar 27: Victoria, BC, call: 250-385-5656 or email: corenda@island.net
Mar 29: Edmonton, AB, call: Monique at 634-1426
Mar 30: Calgary, AB, e-mail Diana at diana_s@telus.net
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Founded in 1984, Health Action Network Society is a membership-based, non-profit charitable organization dedicated to gathering and disseminating health promotion information.