FEATURED RESEARCH
Reduce gut stress
It can be frustrating for those suffering with the abdominal pain and cramping from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because responses to treatment options differ from one person to another. There is a new approach to consider. Recent research studied the effects of hypnotherapy sessions on patients with IBS and found significant, long-term improvement in the symptoms. For details, check out the article, "Hypnotherapy May Improve IBS Symptoms," from the November, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter. Could the mind-body connection explain how mentally reducing stress might make the intestines less sensitive?

FEATURED ISSUE
Airport x-ray cancer risk
How much air travel do you do? One of the new technologies to protect the safety of air travelers includes the full-body scanners at airport security. However, this backscatter x-ray machine is getting widely divergent health safety reviews because it emits ionized radiation. Some medical sources report that the airport x-rays have enough energy to cause a DNA mutation that might trigger cancer. Airport x-ray machines were recently banned in Europe because of the potential health and safety risk for passengers. The U.S. Transportation Security Authority (TSA) maintains, however, that backscatter x-ray scanners emit such low levels of radiation (said to be equivalent to the radiation you'd get in about two minutes of flying) that any resulting increase in cancer risk would be negligible. In early November, the head of the TSA testified at a senate hearing that a new, independent study on the safety of x-ray body scanners would be done. But now there are indications that this will not be happening.

Issue: Are airport backscatter x-ray scanners safe?
Below are some web sources to assist you in researching this matter.

PRO
Safety - Advanced Imaging Technology
Transportation Security Administration

Airport Full-Body Screening: What Is the Risk? (6/27/11)
By Pratik Mehta, BA & Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD
Archives of Internal Medicine

Products for Security Screening of People - Risk/Benefits (12/23/10)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Rapiscan Secure 1000® Series Safety Features (6/14/11)
Rapiscan Systems

CON
New airport x-ray machines could pose cancer risk (11/2/11)
Envirothink

U.S. Government Glossed Over Cancer Concerns As It Rolled Out Airport X-Ray Scanners (11/1/11)
By Michael Grabell
ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest

TSA Attempts to Cover Up Cancer Threat From Its Airport X-ray Machines (11/29/11)
Alliance for Natural Health USA

Europe Bans Airport X-Ray Scanners. Should the U.S. Follow Suit? (11/21/11)
By Meredith Melnick
Time - Healthland

You can post your comments on our blog at ahhablog.org.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Gift of knowledge
Looking for a special gift to motivate a loved one to get more involved in enhancing his/her quality of wellness? AHHA members have written a number of books (and created CDs and DVDs) with personal health tips. You can check these out at Health-related Books, CDs, DVDs...and the Books/ Other Media section of the AHHA Organizational Member list.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Lavender for pain relief
Are you dealing with intense pain? Are you looking for non-drug options for pain relief? Have you tried lavender oil aromatherapy? If not, check out the article, "Lavender Oil Aromatherapy for Pain," from the September, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter that reports study results with significant reduction of pain.

FEATURED ISSUE
Vaccine safety studies false?
On Friday, September 30, 2011, Brian Hooker, PhD, filed a lawsuit (see bolenreport.com/ Geier/hookersuit.pdf) in federal court in Washington, DC, against the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demanding that the CDC quit stalling on his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and provide him with the public information he is looking for. Hooker has been making specific FOIA requests to the CDC since March 11, 2005, on the subject of the CDC's five "Thimerosal in vaccines studies" that he feels omitted important information and/or included false data.

The CDC has presented numerous studies to prove the safety and efficacy of thimerosal and that there is no link between thimerosal and autism. These are being challenged by Dr. Hooker.

Below are links where you can read up on what will be in the news very soon.

PRO
Links to the studies CDC uses to prove safety of thimerosal and vaccines:
Thimerosal and the Occurrence of Autism: Negative Ecological Evidence From Danish Population-Based Data (2003)
Pediatrics

Autism and thimerosal-containing vaccines: Lack of consistent evidence for an association (2003)
American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Association Between Thimerosal-containing Vaccine and Autism (2003)
The Journal of the American Medical Association

Safety of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines: A Two-Phased Study of Computerized Health Maintenance Organization Databases (2003)
Pediatrics

Thimerosal Exposure in Infants and Developmental Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study in the United Kingdom Does Not Support a Causal Association (2004)
Pediatrics

Prenatal and Infant Exposure to Thimerosal From Vaccines and Immunoglobulins and Risk of Autism (2010)
Pediatrics

CON
Tim Bolen has released three parts of a five-part series providing the data compiled by Brian S. Hooker:
The CDC Has Known All Along How Dangerous Vaccines Are - And Has Covered It Up... (Part One) (10/4/11)
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

The CDC Has Known All Along How Dangerous Vaccines Are - And Has Covered It Up... (Part Two) (10/13/11)
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
This report includes Brian Hooker's critiques of all five of the original CDC studies, plus his analysis of the CDC's 2010 study.

The CDC Has Known All Along How Dangerous Vaccines Are - And Has Covered It Up... (Part Three) (10/22/11)
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

You can post your comments on our blog at AHHAblog.org

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Weekly inspiration
It is important to be self-sufficient during these challenging times. One positive step you can take is to assume more responsibility for the every-day actions you take that impact the quality of your health. AHHA has an online collection of Self-Help Articles that presents a multitude of ideas you can consider incorporating into your daily life. Making just one simple change in your daily routine can raise your level of wellness. Why not check out the articles and be inspired?

AHHA offers ongoing weekly inspiration. Go to Free Stuff and sign up to receive weekly eAlerts with the Featured Article of the Week and the Featured Video of the Week.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Gals - eat your veggies!
A recent study suggests that women who maintain a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. The article, "Vegetable-Rich Diet Linked to Reduced Breast Cancer Risk," from the September, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter, goes into detail explaining positive and negative female hormone receptor conditions and the impact of diet choices on the level of risk for breast cancer.

FEATURED ISSUE
Will GM foods will soon be labeled?
Two major actions were initiated this month to force a change in government regulations to require labeling of genetically modified (GM)/ generically engineered (GE) foods in the United States. On the federal level the Center For Food Safety filed a legal petition with the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) demanding that the agency require the labeling of all food produced using genetic engineering. On the state level, the Organic Consumers Association is supporting grassroots activities in the State of California to get an initiative on the 2012 ballot for California to be the first state with food laws mandating GM labels.

Are you part of the 96% of the U.S. citizens who want to know if the food they eat has been genetically modified? If you are, you will want to keep track of what happens in the upcoming months. The following links will help you get your education on this matter started.

Genetically modified food
Wikipedia

PRO
Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.
United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Genetically modified crops get boost over organics with recent USDA rulings (3/23/11)
By Lindsey Layton
The Washington Post / Post Politics

Why Aren't G.M.O. Foods Labeled? (2/15/11)
By Mark Bittman
The New York Times / The Opinion Pages

CON
Tell the FDA: Just Label It! (10/5/11)
Organic Consumers Association

Groups File Legal Petition With FDA Demanding Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods (10/4/11)
Center For Food Safety

California May Require Labeling of GE Food Products! (10/4/11)
Alliance for Natural Health-USA

Death blow to GMOs? California ballot initiative calls for mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered foods (10/3/11)
by Mark Adams
NaturalNews

Do you believe genetically modified foods should be labeled? (2/25/11)
MSNBC / health

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Knowledge Is Power
Some patients need to research the treatment options available for their condition so they can better understand which healthcare professionals they need on their healthcare team. Health Information Search Services is a unique list that includes organizations whose experts can research treatment options for any health condition, plus other health questions. You can specify conventional medicine and/or alternative approaches. If you know of someone dealing with a life threatening or debilitating diagnosis, please let him or her know about this valuable support option.

FEATURED RESEARCH
New benefit from yoga?
According to a new study, therapeutic yoga used in combination with conventional treatment may benefit patients with schizophrenia. Patients in the study that received the yoga therapy showed significant improvements in quality of life. For details, see "Yoga for Schizophrenia" from the July, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter.

FEATURED ISSUE
Mandatory vaccines?
The controversy over the safety of vaccines may become moot if vaccines become mandatory. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has unveiled a new National Vaccine Plan "to enhance coordination of all aspects of federal vaccine and immunization activities." Public perception is that the goal is to have all vaccines mandatory despite scientific indications of dangerous side effects from many vaccines.

Some view government funding of vaccines, along with mandatory use of these vaccines, as favoritism that provides huge profits for the vaccine manufacturers. Couple this with the Supreme Court ruling absolving drug manufacturers of responsibility for injury or death as a result of being vaccinated, and many feel that consumer safety is being compromised.

Parents are complaining how difficult it is to become informed about the safety and/or dangers of vaccines. Some aspects to be researched:
· What are the odds of contracting a disease/condition if my child does not have the vaccine?
· How effective is the vaccine to prevent this disease/condition?
· What side effects are known from the vaccine?
· Any there any reports of injury or death related to vaccine?
· Are any reviews of existing research selective or are they truly representative of findings?
· Is this an issue of freedom of choice vs. a government mandated requirement for the vaccine?

Are you curious to learn more about the opposing views on the safety of the new National Vaccine Plan? Here are a few sites to get you started.

PRO
U.S. National Vaccine Plan (2/16/11 )
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

The National Vaccine Plan: Ten Years of Future Opportunities for State Immunization Programs (2/16/11)
Scientific Technologies Corporation

The Politics of Health care: HHS Unveils New National Vaccine Plan (2/18/11)
By Frank Irving
Healthcare POV

CON
A New Federal Vaccine Plan-and a Bad State Bill (9/6/11)
Alliance for Natural Health USA

Scientists and Drug Companies Scheme to Avoid FDA Scrutiny and Exploit US Vaccine Programme Immunity Against the Public Interest (5/20/11)
By John Stone
Age of Autism

A botched battle in the vaccine safety wars (8/31/11)
By Erika Check Hayden
The Last Word on Nothing

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Do you have a personal healthcare team?
Whether your team is one individual or a diverse group of practitioners, the ideal team is one in which you and your physicians and other professionals function as partners and everyone espouses a holistic (whole person) approach to creating optimal wellness. If this isn't happening in your case, consider making some changes. A great place to start your search is the AHHA Practitioner Member list.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Do green veggies make you smarter?
According to a new study, adolescents who consume high quantities of folate in their diets may have increased academic success. Natural sources of folate include leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach and lettuce, and fruits, such as bananas and melons. For details, see "Folate Intake Linked to Academic Achievement" from the July, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter.

FEATURED ISSUE
Is fluoride falling out of favor?
Since the 1940s there has been a gradual increase in the treating of public drinking water, until today two thirds of U.S. public drinking water is fluoridated. A January, 2011, report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is being quoted as both supporting this trend and also as cautioning about the inherent dangers from exposure to fluoride. How can the general public know what to believe?

Is fluoride a health benefit? Has it enhanced the dental health of the American public? Or is fluoride a toxic substance that not only has not reduced tooth decay, but also causes the pitting of teeth and increases the risk of brittle bones, fractures, and crippling bone abnormalities?

To assist you in determining what you chose to believe, AHHA has compiled the following online articles that present pro and con information.

PRO
"EPA and HHS Announce New Scientific Assessments and Actions on Fluoride / Agencies working together to maintain benefits of preventing tooth decay while preventing excessive exposure" (1/7/11)
United States Environmental Protection Agency
(This is the report that is being interpreted in varying ways.)

"Community Water Fluoridation" (1/6/11)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Fluoride Facts from the American Dental Hygienists' Association" (1/6/11)
Advanced Family Dental

CON
"FDA: Fluoride Supplements Never Found Safe or Effective" (7/29/11)
New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.

"EPA: Fluoride Must Be Phased Out" (7/13/11)
Bob Tuskin Show

"The Case Against Water Fluoridation" (8/12/11)
Small Footprint Family

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Are you on the Social Network?
AHHA now has a blog! Go to ahhablog.org to see the new way we get to communicate with the world. AHHA will continue sending out via email our weekly Featured Video of the Week and Featured Article of the Week alerts, plus the monthly AHHA Special Update eReport. However, now we will ALSO share the same information on the blog, plus a new Facebook page and a Twitter page. Please share these with your friends who prefer playing in the social media arena.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Benefits of pets
A recent study suggests that young children who have an indoor pet during their first year of life may be less likely to develop pet allergies. For details review the article, "Pets During Childhood May Reduce Risk for Allergies" in the June, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter.

FEATURED ISSUE
Are your supplements in danger?
Most people in the U.S. are confident that their access to dietary supplements is protected by the 1994 law Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). However, one matter not clearly defined in DHSEA may be a fatal flaw. In order to provide the missing clear definition of what is a "new dietary ingredient (NDIs)," the recent "Food Safety Modernization Act" included a requirement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must publish guidelines clarifying this NDI definition.

On July 1, the FDA released "Draft Guidance for Industry: Dietary Supplements: New Dietary Ingredient Notifications and Related issues." Wow, is this generating reactions! As the FDA has invited comments (due by October 3, 2011), it looks like they should expect to receive a high volume of feedback. Maybe some from you?

Here are some comments that show concern about this matter:
* These restrictive regulations will be in the hands of the FDA, which wants supplements and drugs to be handled in the same way.
* Requirements applicable to NDIs are more restrictive than the statutory language contemplates and would create substantial hurdles for manufacturers.
* If fully implemented, could ban virtually all dietary supplements in the USA that were formulated after 1994.

There will be more and more aspects of the proposed legislation coming out in upcoming months. Here are some sites where you can begin your research:

PRO
Draft Guidance for Industry: Dietary Supplements: New Dietary Ingredient Notifications and Related Issues
July 1, 2011
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

FDA seeks to ease confusion on supplements
July 6, 2011
Emily Stephenson, Reuters

Let the Fireworks Begin! FDA Publishes its Long-awaited New Dietary Ingredient Draft Guidance
July 7, 2011
Riette van Laack, FDA/ Law Blog

CON
FDA's New Sneak Attack on Supplements
July 5, 2011
Alliance for Natural Health USA

FDA's scheme to outlaw nearly all nutritional supplements created after 1994 would destroy millions of jobs and devastate economy
July 7, 2011
Mike Adams, Natural News

New Durbin Bill and FDA Guidance for Dietary Ingredients
July 8, 2011
National Health Federation

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
What did I miss?
If you are a new subscriber to our monthly AHHA Special Updates eReports, you may be wondering what you've missed in earlier updates. We have an AHHA Special Updates eReport Archives. Check out the interesting research and reminders of matters about which to be vigilant.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Value of breakfast
According to a recent study, eating a high-protein healthy breakfast may help you stay full until lunchtime. If you are trying to lose weight by skipping breakfast, check out the article, "High-Protein Breakfast May Prevent Hunger" in the May, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter.

FEATURED ISSUE
When antibiotics are not the answer
The discovery of antibiotics 70 years ago offered healing to patients with bacterial infections. Unfortunately, through the decades more and more bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Many feel this is due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics by physicians, plus the use of antibiotics in animals grown for humans to eat. Developing new antibiotic drugs turns out to not be a viable option. Because of the serious side effects associated with use of antibiotics, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reluctant to approve new ones.

Why should you want to become better informed about this entire matter?
· Verify the dangers to your own satisfaction
· Research other treatment options - such as natural solutions
· Take preventive measures

The following links have been selected to get you started in your research:

Killer Super Bugs - The Result of Antibiotic Misuse
Healthy Lifestyle

Antibiotic Resisting Bacteria The Rise of Superbugs
By Dr. Burt

UN health agency cautions on drug-resistant disease-causing germs
UN News Centre

'Superbug' spreading to Southern California hospitals
Los Angeles Times

Drug developers explore vitamin D benefits without the vitamin
Nature Medicine

Superbugs: Will Millions Die Needlessly Before We Act?
Alliance for Natural Health USA

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Researching schools for a career change?
AHHA Organizational Members offer products, services, and educational opportunities you can use to enhance your health and well-being. The category Education-Professional has a list of educational institutions appropriate for individuals considering a career in the healthcare field. Check here to check things out.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Gluten sensitivity documented
Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Celiac Research have proven that gluten sensitivity is different from celiac disease at the molecular level and in the response it elicits from the immune system. The research, published online in BMC Medicine, provides the first scientific evidence of a different mechanism leading to gluten sensitivity. It also demonstrates that gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are part of a spectrum of gluten-related disorders.

FEATURED ISSUE
How to get CAM coverage?
Have you ever investigated Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs)? A HSA is a savings account owned by an individual. Funds in this account can be used for health/wellness products and services. At the time the funds are deposited into the account, they are not subject to federal income taxes. FSAs, which allow employees to be reimbursed for medical expenses, are usually funded through voluntary salary reduction agreements with the person's employer. No employment or federal income taxes are deducted. These two programs are popular with individuals who use over-the-counter drugs and complementary and alternative therapies not covered by regular insurance.

There are currently bills in the U.S. Senate (S. 312) and House of Representatives (H.R. 605) that could protect HSAs and FSAs from being gutted by the healthcare reform act, especially if they are passed with important additional amendments.

AHHA is bringing this matter to your attention for several reasons:
· You may want to learn more about HSAs or FSAs for your personal use
· You may already have a HSA or FSA and need to understand how the terms might change
· You may want to take action to influence the pending legislation to conform to what you feel is best.

The following links have been selected to get you started in your research:
H.R. 605: Patients' Freedom to Choose Act
Govtrack.us

S. 312: Patients' Freedom to Choose Act
Govtrack.us

Help Us Rescue Two Health Savings Programs that We Really Need
Alliance for Natural Health USA

Health savings account
Wikipedia

Flexible spending account
Wikipedia

For additional information, you might try Googling "Patients' Freedom to Choose Act."

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Power of your everyday choices
More and more diseases are being documented as being the result of poor everyday lifestyle choices. AHHA's booklet, Wellness From Within: The First Step, reminds you of the power of the decisions you make throughout each day. Take time to review the options included in this booklet. Choose to do one thing in your everyday routine differently. Various formats of the booklet are available online. Free!

FEATURED RESEARCH
Natural option proved better than drug
Are you concerned about your blood pressure? Are diet and exercise not working to keep yours within a healthy range? Are you investigating non-drug options? If you answered yes to any of these questions, check out some newly published research on a natural option. This research is presented in an article titled, "Olive Leaf for Hypertension", in the March, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter. Olive leaf tea has been used in the Middle East for centuries to treat high blood pressure and a number of other conditions. In a recent trial, patients in the olive leaf extract group got the same level of benefits as the drug group, However, only the olive leaf group also experienced significant reduction in triglyceride levels. If you are interested, hand this article to your physician.

FEATURED ISSUE
Another chance to learn the truth
Are you aware that the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act defines anything that cures, treats, mitigates, diagnoses or prevents disease as a drug? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is using this definition to prohibit food producers and dietary supplement manufacturers from letting you know about nutritional benefits that might benefit the quality of your health. Every year or so, legislation is introduced to change FDA regulations so that legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific studies can be referenced without changing the foodÕs regulatory category to an unapproved drug. This just happened on April 5, 2011, as HR 1364, the "Free Speech About Science Act" was introduced. Will this get passed this time?

Issue: Should the FDA allow the general public to learn of a food's health-benefits-related scientific research results without that food being reclassified as a drug by the FDA?

PRO
Chaffetz and Polis introduce the Free Speech About Science Act
Congressman Jason Chaffetz website

Free Speech About Science White Paper
Alliance for Natural Health USA

H.R. 1364: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act concerning the distribution of information on...
Govtrack.us

CON
Guidance for Industry: Structure/Function Claims, Small Entity Compliance Guide
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

IOM Report Recommends Framework to Evaluate Science Behind Health Claims for Foods and Drugs; Calls for Equal Rigor in Assessing Food Claims and Drug Approvals
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies

Help end criminalization of vitamin, supplement makers in America
Mike Adams of Natural News This article explains the FDA position that "anything that cures, treats, mitigates, diagnoses or prevents disease as a drug."

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Non-personal health resources are available, too
While most people come to the AHHA website searching for resources to enhance their personal wellness, many people also come for information related to their business or career. On the AHHA home page there are three special "portal" boxes. The third one (on the right) leads you to the Wellness Research section with details for how AHHA has special tips for journalists, owners of health-related businesses, healing centers, students, and career searchers.

FEATURED RESEARCH
What your child eats IS important!
What parents have long suspected has now been proven. Some ordinary, seemingly healthy foods can have adverse effects on your child. A recent study removed wheat, eggs, tomatoes and dairy products from the diets of 100 children ages four to eight with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There were significant improvements in their ADHD symptoms. This research is presented in the article, "Testing Diet and ADHD Link" in the February, 2011, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter. Interested parents may want to share this research with their physicians.

FEATURED ISSUE
Is chronic Lyme disease real or medical myth?
Are you aware of the dramatically opposing camps in the medical field regarding whether there is a real condition called chronic Lyme disease or if it is "all in your head." On one hand, the International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society reports that "a preponderance of evidence indicates that active ongoing spirochetal infection with or without other tick-borne co-infections is the cause of the persistent symptoms in Chronic Lyme Disease." On the other hand, the Infectious Disease Society of America insists that there is "no convincing biologic evidence for the existence of symptomatic chronic B. burgdorferi infection [the pathologic agent in Lyme disease]..." This latter view is accepted by the Centers for Disease Control.

Those experiencing the painful and debilitation symptoms of Lyme disease will tell you the symptoms are real. They will also tell how difficult it is to find medical professionals who can figure out what is wrong and how to help them.

The following articles have been selected to help you get better informed about chronic Lyme disease:

PRO
Basic information about Lyme disease
International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society

Lyme 101
California Lyme Disease Association

Lyme Disease: Misdiagnosed, Underreported and Epidemic
Alliance for Natural Health USA

CON
Frequently Asked Questions About Lyme Disease
Infectious Diseases Society of America

Chronic Lyme Disease Exemplifies What's Wrong With Playing Doctor On The Web
Forbes - David Whelan

Dispelling the chronic Lyme disease myth
MM Kemperman, JS Bakken, GR Kravitz

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Video clips with power
AHHA is thrilled to introduce a new addition to our resource lists: Self-Help Videos. You are linked to educational videos (created by AHHA members) that offer information and suggestions for enhancing your health and well-being.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Your eyes are important
Glaucoma (an increase in internal eye pressure that can lead to damage in the optic nerve and eventually cause blindness) is a common condition that can start showing up about the same time as retirement. If one wants to enjoy one's "golden years," it's important to maintain one's eyesight. Recent research indicates that adding auricular acupressure to a treatment program for glaucoma does improve the intraocular pressure. Something to check out with your ophthalmologist? This research is presented in the article, "Acupressure for Glaucoma", in the December, 2010, issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter.

FEATURED ISSUE
Organic future threatened?
This is an alert. The US Department of Agriculture has made two major decisions this month to deregulate genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa and sugarbeets that have "built in" resistance to pesticide. Organic farmers have fears that wind-blown pollen from the GE crops will contaminate organic fields.

Read the following articles and decide if you are concerned about this.

PRO
Beet growers optimistic about USDA decision on genetically modified seed (2/8/11)
Times-News magicValley.com

USDA Announces Decision to Fully Deregulate Roundup Ready Alfalfa (1/27/11)
United States Department of Agriculture

Genetically modified alfalfa environmental statement out (12/23/10)
AG Weekly

CON
USDA Says Yes to Genetically Engineered Sugarbeets-Kiss "Organic" Goodbye! (2/8/11)
Alliance for Natural Health USA

USDA Approves Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets (2/4/11)
Rodale - where health meets green

USDA Completely Deregulates Genetically Engineered Alfalfa-It is Time to Demand Congressional Hearings! (2/1/11)
Alliance for Natural Health USA

USDA stance on GM alfalfa threatens "fabric of organic industry" (Jan 2011)
The Organic & Non-GMO Report

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Change a life
AHHA offers a single sheet that introduces the powerful concept of the "holistic approach"-and it is available for free! Check out our "Gift for a Better Life". Who do you know who could benefit from receiving a copy of this sheet? Download, print out double-sided, share with a friend, and empower a life.

FEATURED RESEARCH
Run to survive
Research verifies the correlation between exercise and recovery from disease. The specific research in the article, "Exercise May Improve Prostate Cancer Survival, as presented in the January, 2011 issue of Natural Standard's Integrative Medicine Newsletter, focuses on men dealing with prostate cancer and how any level of exercise improved their recovery rate. If your doctor says you are fit enough, get up off the couch and start walking. Picture yourself literally moving toward your goal of enhanced health.

FEATURED ISSUE
Is intravenous vitamin C a drug?
Our issue this month is to alert you to a developing action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the manufacture and distribution of several natural nutrients in injectable form. In December, the FDA sent a letter to one manufacturer and put the company on notice that its products for (1) vitamin B-complex injection, (2) magnesium chloride injection, and (3) ascorbic acid (vitamin C) injection are considered drugs and must be approved as such. The reality is that the expensive process to gain approval of a non-patentable natural item will never happen, as the company could never recoup the costs.

The online articles related to this matter are focusing on intravenous vitamin C. Recent private research showing the success of using intravenous vitamin C in treating a number of diseases makes the threat of this substance becoming unavailable of concern to a number of advocates of natural treatments.

The issue appears to be whether or not the FDA should be designating natural nutrients as drugs. Here are a few articles that present what is currently happening in some detail:

PRO
FDA letter to McGuff Pharmaceuticals
(See section on Unapproved New Drug and Misbranding Violations section)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Department of Health and Human Services

CON
An Important Update on IV Vitamin C
Alliance for Natural Health USA

Vitamin C
care2 make a difference

You are urged to join the conversation. Register your opinions on this issue. Post new, current web articles you find. Participate in AHHA's interactive Issues Forum at ahhaissuesforum.org. Note that the instructions for how to post are available on every page.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Career resources
More and more people are contacting AHHA to gain information about a career in holistic health. They want to help others learn the tools for making wise lifestyle decisions that will result in a higher level of wellness. In response to these queries, AHHA has compiled a special section of our website, For Career Research, with links to valuable resources for those developing their career plans. Share this resource with friends who may be contemplating a career change to healthcare.

FOLLOW-UP
S.510 passed
Using some unorthodox legislative approaches, the controversial bill titled the Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510/H.R. 2751) passed the Senate and House in December. The bill was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011.

Obama signs bill to improve nation's food safety
By Darlene Superville and Mary Clare Jalonic
The Washington Post

Bill Summary & Status 111th Congress (2009 - 2010) H.R.2751
The Library of Congress

The "Food Safety" Saga: Our Job Is Just Beginning
(Timeline history of this bill)
Alliance for Natural Health USA