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Don't Let Congress Take Away Your Supplements

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:52:36 +0000

On February 4, 2010, Senators John McCain and Byron Dorgan introduced S. 3002, the "Dietary Supplement Safety Act."

This legislation would mandate that every dietary supplement would have to go through a brand new process of government review in order to stay on the market.

If this bill becomes law your health care choices will be drastically reduced, and many of the supplements available today will become illegal. This and other provisions of this misguided legislation affect ALL dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, sports, and diet products.

The supposed purpose of the bill is to make dietary supplements "safer," which is ironic because dietary supplements already have an excellent safety record. It also ignores the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration already have the powers they need to police the market.

Click here to send a note in opposition to S. 3002 directly to your two Senators or use the information on the website to write a personal letter. Either way, you need to act immediately. Do not let Congress take away your right to dietary supplements.

Aspartame renamed AminoSweet and marketed as "Natural"

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:32:04 +0000

Below is a preview of a good documentary on Aspartame (now AminoSweet). For the full documentary, you can click here

Above is the logo and here is the website. Be sure to spread the word that this old toxic substance with a new name is going to be marketed to your family and friends.

Text Source: NaturalNews

In response to growing awareness about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, what does the manufacturer of one of the world's most notable artificial sweeteners do? Why, rename it and begin marketing it as natural, of course. This is precisely the strategy of Ajinomoto, maker of aspartame, which hopes to pull the wool over the eyes of the public with its rebranded version of aspartame, called "AminoSweet".

Over 25 years ago, aspartame was first introduced into the European food supply. Today, it is an everyday component of most diet beverages, sugar-free desserts, and chewing gums in countries worldwide. But the tides have been turning as the general public is waking up to the truth about artificial sweeteners like aspartame and the harm they cause to health. The latest aspartame marketing scheme is a desperate effort to indoctrinate the public into accepting the chemical sweetener as natural and safe, despite evidence to the contrary.

Aspartame was an accidental discovery by James Schlatter, a chemist who had been trying to produce an anti-ulcer pharmaceutical drug for G.D. Searle & Company back in 1965. Upon mixing aspartic acid and phenylalanine, two naturally-occurring amino acids, he discovered that the new compound had a sweet taste. The company merely changed its FDA approval application from drug to food additive and, voila, aspartame was born.

Just a little history on how Aspartame came to be.

G.D. Searle & Company first patented aspartame in 1970. An internal memo released in the same year urged company executives to work on getting the FDA into the "habit of saying yes" and of encouraging a "subconscious spirit of participation" in getting the chemical approved.

G.D. Searle & Company submitted its first petition to the FDA in 1973 and fought for years to gain FDA approval, submitting its own safety studies that many believed were inadequate and deceptive. Despite numerous objections, including one from its own scientists, the company was able to convince the FDA to approve aspartame for commercial use in a few products in 1974, igniting a blaze of controversy.

In 1976, then FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt wrote a letter to Sen. Ted Kennedy expressing concern over the "questionable integrity of the basic safety data submitted for aspartame safety". FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill believed that a grand jury should investigate G.D. Searle & Company for lying about the safety of aspartame in its reports and for concealing evidence proving the chemical is unsafe for consumption.

Despite the myriad of evidence gained over the years showing that aspartame is a dangerous toxin, it has remained on the global market with the exception of a few countries that have banned it. In fact, it continued to gain approval for use in new types of food despite evidence showing that it causes neurological brain damage, cancerous tumors, and endocrine disruption, among other things.

The details of aspartame's history are lengthy, but the point remains that the carcinogen was illegitimately approved as a food additive through heavy-handed prodding by a powerful corporation with its own interests in mind. Practically all drugs and food additives are approved by the FDA not because science shows they are safe but because companies essentially lobby the FDA with monetary payoffs and complete the agency's multi-million dollar approval process.

Changing aspartame's name to something that is "appealing and memorable", in Ajinomoto's own words, may hoodwink some but hopefully most will reject this clever marketing tactic as nothing more than a desperate attempt to preserve the company's multi-billion dollar cash cow. Do not be deceived.

Ajinomoto brands aspartame 'AminoSweet' - FoodBev.com

Aspartame History Highlights - Janet Starr Hull

FDA's approval of aspartame under scrutiny - The Globe and Mail (Canada)

An Overdue Ban On A Dangerous Sweetener - Huffington Post

New Legislation Poses Threat to DSHEA

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:56:16 +0000

Source: At a press conference held earlier today, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced that he would be introducing legislation that would amend the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) additional powers over retailers and suppliers in the dietary supplements industry. The Natural Products Association is reviewing McCain's bill, which is cosponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), and offers this initial analysis regarding the impact of the legislation on the industry.
NPA will work aggressively to address this threat to the industry. The association will continue to keep its members informed and let them know how they can help protect their businesses.
Brief description of the provisions of the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 New Requirements from Suppliers to Retailers Suppliers and retailers regardless of size all along the chain of commerce are required to "obtain adequate written evidence" from the seller that the product is registered as required. That evidence must be retained in a file available for inspection. Adverse Event Reporting (AER) Requires reporting of all adverse events, not just serious adverse events. In addition, a compilation of non-serious AERs must be submitted annually, and records must be maintained for three years. "Accepted Dietary Ingredients" List Mandates creation by the Secretary of a list of "Accepted Dietary Ingredients" to replace the current "in commerce pre-DSHEA" test. New Dietary Ingredients (NDI) NDIs are considered adulterated unless there is a history of use or evidence of its safety. Registrants shall maintain a "scientifically reasonable substantiation file" available for inspection by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Registration required 75 days prior to market. Recall Authority Provides immediate recall authority to the Secretary upon determination that a supplement "would cause serious, adverse health consequences or death, or is adulterated or misbranded." Companies subject to a recall have the right to challenge the order in an "informal hearing" within 10 days. At their own expense, retailers must notify customers of such recalls. Registration of Dietary Supplement Facilities Dietary supplement facilities shall register with the Secretary (required information includes name, address of all facilities, trade names, list of supplements, their ingredients, and labels). Registration is annual.
Read the complete bill here. Other Links of Interest: Petition: CODEX-Criminalizing Natural Health, Vitamins & Herbs Part 1 of 4

Free Introduction To Reiki Seminar

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:12:08 +0000

Join us on Feb 6th 2010 @ 11:00 A.M. for a free Reiki Seminar at our store.
Space is limited. Please send us an email or call the store to sign up.
Click here for our address and directions.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Jean Isaacs, L.M.T., Reiki Master, Esoteric Healer, began her full time study and work in the healing and energy arts in 1987. Her vast education and training includes experience in spiritual and health related disciplines. She conducts workshops on Reiki, Meditation, Sacred Path Teachings, and Creative Visualization. She has been a featured guest on Michigan and Kentucky television stations. Jean lectures for professional organizations and provides consulting services. We are so pleased to welcome Jean and her teachings to our store and community.

You can reach her at her website: lotuspalms.com.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an "attunement" given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life.

Its use is not dependent on one's intellectual capacity or spiritual development and therefore is available to everyone. It has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds.

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it.

While Reiki is not a religion, it is still important to live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Dr. Mikao Usui, the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are nearly universal across all cultures.

Teri Roberts' Art Gallery

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:37:46 +0000

If you are interested in commissioning a work from Teri, please call the store: 859-253-0012

I am very happy to inform everyone that we've got Teri's Art Gallery digitized and is now available for viewing right here. I expect a few edits to come over the next few days as we'll be updating the Names and maybe adjusting some of the Coloring.

Here are 9 random works from the Gallery:

We'll be working on a more formal Gallery over the next week or so. Though for now, these pieces are so beautiful I wanted to share them. You'll need to register to leave a comment in the Gallery.

Study of Genetically Modified Crop Shows Organ Damage

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:57:03 +0000

The following is the conclusion section from the research paper.

[In] the three GM maize varieties that formed the basis of this investigation, new side effects linked to the consumption of these cereals were revealed, which were sex- and often dose-dependent. Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. As there normally exists sex differences in liver and kidney metabolism, the highly statistically significant disturbances in the function of these organs, seen between male and female rats, cannot be dismissed as biologically insignificant as has been proposed by others [4]. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity. This can be due to the new pesticides (herbicide or insecticide) present specifically in each type of GM maize.

[...] These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown. [...] In conclusion, our data presented here strongly recommend that additional long-term (up to 2 years) animal feeding studies be performed in at least three species, preferably also multi-generational, to provide true scientifically valid data on the acute and chronic toxic effects of GM crops, feed and foods. Our analysis highlights that the kidneys and liver as particularly important on which to focus such research as there was a clear negative impact on the function of these organs in rats consuming GM maize varieties for just 90 days.

The History of Swine Flu - CBS 60 Minutes 1976

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:09:23 +0000

It's a real shame we don't see reporting like this anymore from the so called "news" sources. If you are considering getting the swine flu shot for yourself or for your family, this is worth watching. History has a tendency of repeating itself, and it seems all to likely that it is happening again. One has to wonder what these drug companies are up to. Watch Part 1 & 2 of the video.

It's all about the water

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:06:05 +0000

Dr. Ralph gives some great advice on how to protect your health and help the planet with clean filtered water.

Most people when they are asked about filters on their water, assume that filtering tap water for drinking is the only thing to consider. Though as Dr. Ralph points out, showering in unfiltered water is more harmful as you are absorbing and inhaling chlorine with each shower or bath. Chlorine is a toxic poison and can cause many problems with your health and harm your immune system. This is something to consider for everyone, especially children.

Using a simple shower filter and a tap filter is a great solution to prevent the health risk. Their are many filters on the market, and their effectiveness varies depending on the technology and manufacturer. While any protection is better than none at all, we endorse certain filters that not only stop the Chlorine, but also address other harmful toxins like Lead, Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs), and Trihalomethanes (THMs) found in the water.

U.S. drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer.
--Ralph Nader Research Institute

The 2 options we support are the filtration solutions from Aquasana & NewWaveEnviro. You can pick up the NewWaveEnviro products in our store and we are working on getting Aquasana on our shelves too. Though for now, you can order either online from their websites. However, Aquasana offers a terrific solution for those who don't wish to worry about always having a clean and working filter. Their Water4Life® program keeps your filters up to date while giving you a 20% discount and a fixed price for life on their products.

Consuming Kids

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:52:35 +0000

Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car. Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children's advocates, and industry insiders, the film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing in the wake of deregulation, showing how youth marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. Consuming Kids pushes back against the wholesale commercialization of childhood, raising urgent questions about the ethics of children's marketing and its impact on the health and well-being of kids.

Dr Wayne Dyer's 'Power Of Intention'

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 02:48:57 +0000


Inspirational and empowering presentation of best selling author and spiritual/personal growth guru Dr Dyer's engaging best selling program, recorded from TV in it's entirety 2hrs 15minutes long and engaging for every second! Enjoy!