The monthly Special Updates from the AHHA are Reports with items of interest to those actively enhancing their health and well-being. Each Report features a health or health freedom issue. It also features a research item and an AHHA resource.

These free Reports are sent out to subscribers. You can have these AHHA Special Updates sent to you personally by signing up online.

The Archives of these AHHA Special Updates Reports are maintained here for those who have not yet signed up to receive them by email and those who wish to review past issues.

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September 27, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Power of Melatonin
“Melatonin has been shown to be a major regulator of the immune system. Consequently, disease states affecting a wide range of organ systems have been reported as benefiting from melatonin administration.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “Melatonin: More Than Just the Hormone That Regulates Sleep” by Pamela W. Smith, MD, MPH, MS

Search for Evidence-based Research Articles.

FEATURED ISSUE
Who will assume Chevron Doctrine power?
Last summer there were a number of U.S. Supreme Court rulings. One involved the Chevron doctrine, which allowed federal agencies to interpret ambiguous laws with broad authority. The court overturned this doctrine. It is interesting to note two opposing views of this matter now in the news.

As this will not be resolved in the near future, you are encouraged to become aware of the different points of view to help you to understand what is behind different types of actions. For example, note that related Senate and House bills were actually introduced before and after the Supreme Court ruling. Yet the bills have the same name and same text.

For those of you who follow regulations related to natural health, you may wish to take extra time figuring out the preferences of those who see one point of view offering more possibilities than the other to promote natural health.

ISSUE: Which point of view do I seen to favor for the future of the Chevron Doctrine being applied to natural health?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, we offer you the following articles to get you started in your personal research on the opposing points of view. This knowledge will be helpful in the year or so ahead while the two factions will be striving to have their way be the one in control.

Follow up to late June 2024 Supreme Court ruling…

Historic Ruling Limits FDA Authority (7/3/24)
Alliance for Natural Health USA
“The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to overturn Chevron deference that has for 40 years allowed ambiguous statutes to be interpreted by the relevant federal agency, making it easier to challenge federal agencies like the FDA and FTC on their interpretations of ambiguous statutes, potentially benefiting natural health access.”

Senate Bill 4749 – Stop Corporate Capture Act (7/3/24)
Congress.gov
“Senate Bill 4749 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) Introduced 7/23/24 “Stop Corporate Capture Act”
“A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to require disclosure of conflicts of interest with respect to rulemaking, and for other purposes”
“Sec. 2.  Findings
(1) Congress is dependent on providing discretion to executive officials and agencies (including independent agencies) to implement its statutes. Congress provides appropriate oversight of the use of this discretion.”
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4749/text
Prognosis: 11% chance of getting past committee; 4% chance of being enacted; close to end of two year period of 118^th Congress 2^nd Session (2023-2024) so will miss deadline for completion

H.R.1507 – Stop Corporate Capture Act  118th Congress (2023-2024)
Congress.gov
“H.R. 1507 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) Introduced 3/9/23 “Stop Corporate Capture Act”
“To amend title 5, United States Code, to require disclosure of conflicts of interest with respect to rulemaking, and for other purposes.”
“Sec. 2.  Findings
(1) Congress is dependent on providing discretion to executive officials and agencies (including independent agencies) to implement its statutes. Congress provides appropriate oversight of the use of this discretion.”
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1507/text

Booker Joins Senate Response to End of Chevron Doctrine (7/24/24)
Cory Booker
“The Stop Corporate Capture Act codifies the Chevron doctrine and reforms the regulatory process to end corporations’ influence over the rulemaking process, prioritize scientific and public integrity, and reduce delays in implementation of laws.”

Defend Natural Health Game Changer! (9/5/24)
Alliance for Natural Health USA
“In the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that checked the power of federal agencies like the FDA and the FTC, lawmakers in Congress have introduced a bill to roll back the clock on that decision. This will permanently give agencies the authority to inappropriately create policy in areas where the letter of the law is unclear or ambiguous.”
“We’re currently working with our General Counsel, Jonathan Emord, Esq., on several other legal challenges that leverage the overturning of Chevron to advance the cause of natural health.”

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Unique video blurbs
You are invited to view brief, educational, health-related video clips created by AHHA members in our Self-Help Videos section. These video clips, which give tips on health and wellness, are offered to support your journey toward achieving a higher level of wellness.

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August 30, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Importance of early detection
In a Townsend Letter research article, “Diagnostic Tests for Early Detection of Cancer: An Integrative Approach,” integrative physician Leigh Erin Connealy, MD, who has expertise in cancer treatment, describes little-known diagnostic tests that permit early detection when treatments and lifestyle change are most effective.

Search for Evidence-based Research Articles.

FEATURED ISSUE
New cautions related to fluoride
Normally, when we read about fluoride, we expect to be learning about how to improve your dental health. So it was a surprise to discover two scientific articles that look into fluoride and children’s neurodevelopment.

(1) In August 2024, the Federal government released a monograph looking into the levels of fluoride and children’s IQs. The headlines of the general press may be quite disturbing as we read that high levels of fluoride in drinking water can lower our children’s IQ. It is important therefore to understand that this monograph was the result of compiling and reviewing a collection of studies with a wide range of content.

(2) In May 2024, a scientific study related to fluoride and neurobehavioral issues in young children was released.

These two articles will be especially of interest to families with young children.

ISSUE: Does my family need to look into our level of fluoride consumption?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, we offer you the following articles to get you started in your personal research. You are encouraged to be on the lookout in the future for related studies.

NTP Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition: A Systemic Review (August 2024)
National Toxicology Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Method  A systematic review protocol was developed and utilized following the standardized OHAT systematic review approach for conducting literature-based health assessments. This monograph presents the current state of evidence associating fluoride exposure with cognitive or neurodevelopmental health effects and incorporated predefined assessments of study quality and confidence levels. Benefits of fluoride with respect to oral health are not addressed in this monograph.”

Fluoride Exposure: Neurodevelopment and Cognition (August 2024)
National Toxicology Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Findings  The NTP monograph concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter, are associated with lower IQ in children. The NTP review was designed to evaluate total fluoride exposure from all sources and was not designed to evaluate the health effects of fluoridated drinking water alone. It is important to note, however, that there were insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 mg/L currently recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children’s IQ.”

National Toxicology Program releases fluoride exposure monograph (8/27/24)
by Olivia Anderson
ADA News
“The long-awaited report, which follows two previous drafts in 2019 and 2020, summarizes the available literature about a possible relationship between fluoride exposure, neurodevelopmental and cognitive health and IQ. The report’s authors acknowledge the findings are limited to fluoride exposures that are more than double (≥1.5 mg/L) what the CDC recommends for community water fluoridation (0.7 mg/L).”

US government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids (8/23/24)
by Mike Stobbe
The Associated Press
“The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has determined — “with moderate confidence” — that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. While the report was not designed to evaluate the health effects of fluoride in drinking water alone, it is a striking acknowledgment of a potential neurological risk from high levels of fluoride.”

Fluoride and IQ (8/23/24)
by Pien Huang, Will Stone
NPR
“The authors of the report gathered animal and human studies from around the world and weighed the available evidence. They conclude with moderate confidence that there is an association between higher levels of fluoride and lower IQ in children. The report didn’t quantify the effects, but some of the studies they included showed a decrease of a few IQ points.”

Study explores association between fluoride exposure in pregnancy and neurobehavioral issues in young children (5/20/24)
by Jill Pease
UF Health
“It is believed to be the first U.S.-based study to examine associations of prenatal fluoride exposure with parent-reported child neurobehavioral issues, which include symptoms of anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions and other complaints, such as stomachaches and headaches.”

Maternal Urinary Fluoride and Child Neurobehavior at Age 36 Months (5/20/24)
by Ashley J. Malin, PhD, Sandrah P. Eckel, PhD, Howard Ju, MD, et al
JAMA Network Open
“Conclusions and Relevance  In this prospective cohort study of mother-child pairs in Los Angeles, California, prenatal fluoride exposure was associated with increased neurobehavioral problems. These findings suggest that there may be a need to establish recommendations for limiting fluoride exposure during the prenatal period.”

You are also encouraged to go to our blog at ahha.org/blog and post your comments.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Your Power of Choice
More and more diseases are being documented as being the result of poor lifestyle choices. AHHA’s booklet, Wellness From Within: The First Step, reminds us of the power of the decisions we make throughout the day. Take time to review the options included in this FREE booklet and choose to change one thing in your everyday routine. Check out the various formats of the booklet, which is available online in English, Spanish, and MP3 format.

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July 26, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Create space for spiritual well-being
“Spirituality, or acknowledging spirit, shape clinician interactions with patients in a way that can benefit individual care…Creating space for spiritual well-being takes into account the deep need for connectedness, as part of the human existence, especially at a time of vulnerability in illness.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “In the Spirit of Connectedness” by Aparna Taylor, MSc, ND.

Search for Evidence-based Research Articles.

FEATURED ISSUE
Unique status of NMN
The dietary supplement industry feels like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been playing cat and mouse with its members. Although the FDA had initially allowed one company to market NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) as a dietary supplement, in late 2022 the FDA banned NMN from being sold as a dietary supplement because it was studied as a drug first. However, this ban is not being enforced.

Research indicates that NMN is a precursor for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), thus a key player in supporting many cell processes, including brain health, anti-aging, and the cardiovascular system, to name a few. So NMN is of major interest to many health conscious individuals.

Because of the unique situation with the FDA, NMN products are more challenging to evaluate and to obtain.

ISSUE: Do I wish to expand my research of NMN products?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, we offer you the following background articles and encourage you to make the effort to better understand how to evaluate NMN products. You may also wish to research options for protecting the public’s ability to have access to NMN products.

FDA Halts NMN Supplement Approval, Citing Pharmaceutical Potential (11/29/22)
by Brett J. Weiss
NMN.com
“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdraws new dietary supplement (NDI) status of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) under pharmaceutical industry pressure. This development is a reversal of the FDA’s previous decision to allow its sale as a new dietary supplement (NDI). Although many vitamin and supplement companies that sell NMN remain concerned with this news, banning NMN’s sale is not currently being enforced.”

NMN is precluded in supplements, says pharma company to FDA (1/2/24)
by Josh Long
Natural Products Insider
“A clinical-stage pharmaceutical company that has been investigating the use of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) to treat medical conditions, including Alzheimer’s, has requested the Food and Drug Administration uphold its determination that the ingredient is excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement product and cannot be marketed in such products.”

FDA Bans NMN as a Dietary Supplement: Why and What Happened? (2/13/24)
by Kimberly Drake
Healthnews
“…timeline of events leading up to and after the FDA banned NMN. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) — a compound involved in cellular repair and protection. Reports suggest supplementing with NMN may reduce age-related inflammation, boost cardiovascular and brain health, and support the body’s metabolic processes.”

FDA sticking to its guns on NMN in dietary supplements (4/11/24)
by Josh Long
Natural Products Insider
“In letters that were made public in late March on the government docket, FDA reiterated its view that β-NMN (beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide) is excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement.”

Longevity Supplement in Peril (6/28/24)
Alliance for Natural Health USA
“The FDA claimed in 2022 that NMN was illegal because it was studied as a drug first. But instead of enforcing a ban, it has continued to allow NMN supplements to remain in a legal grey area. This discourages reputable companies from investing in NMN products, while shady businesses may sell fraudulent versions, ultimately reducing the quality and choice of supplements for consumers”

You are also encouraged to go to our blog at ahha.org/blog and post your comments.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Discover new wellness options
AHHA Organizational Member companies offer innovative wellness-enhancing products and services to support your journey to a higher level of wellness. In our online Resource section, check out the PRODUCTS and SERVICES categories of the AHHA Self-Help Tools searchable database.

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June 28, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Mobilize healing capacity
“Qigong and yoga are ancient methodologies developed and refined over thousands of years, designed to sustain the inherent healing systems of the body by maximizing restorative energies… The efficacy of these techniques can now be explained through our scientific understanding of the body’s basic self-regulatory mechanisms… Applied in the management of chronic disease, therapeutic exercise could potentially reduce the burden of illness.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “Physiology of Qigong and Yoga” by Roger Jahnke, OMD and Nancy Faass, MSW, MPH.

Search for Evidence-based Research Articles.

FEATURED ISSUE
Pending Supreme Court Ruling
Have you been following the U.S. Supreme Court rulings as they have gradually been released during the month of June 2024? As one of these decisions appeared to have potential for allowing broader support for natural health access, this was selected as our Issue for this month. We were dismayed, however, when the normal release completion deadline of June 26 arrived and our selected Issue still had not been released. This report for you will therefore serve to alert you to the potential impact of one ruling that may benefit your health. You can check the media reports for the last minute add-on days, June 27 and 28 and look for the Chevron Doctrine or Deference ruling.

The 2024 Chevron Doctrine case wants to clarify the 1984 Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council case in which the Supreme Court ruled that when a law passed by Congress is unclear or ambiguous on a topic, courts should defer to a federal agency’s interpretation of the statute. The problem is that this ruling increased the power of federal agencies without accountability to the courts.

We at AHHA are most interested in how this has impacted the natural health industry. Most likely due to successful lobbying, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have been influenced to use their power to encourage the pharmaceutical industry and discourage the natural health industry

Although the specific 2024 Supreme Court case involving Chevron Doctrine was brought by fishermen, the ruling would impact all federal agencies. Why might you care? Should the Supreme Court rule to dimmish the power of federal agencies, there could be a major opportunity for the natural health industry to challenge FDA and FTC rules that restrict public access to natural health products.

So, your media search is to review the ten rulings still to be released. Look for the ruling involving Chevron Doctrine and find out whether or not there is a change in the level of power granted to federal agencies to interpret a statute. If there is a change, consider how this might be used by the leaders of the natural health industry to diminish the current restrictions.

ISSUE: What is the Supreme Court 2024 ruling involving Chevron Doctrine?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, we offer you the following background articles and encourage you to seek out the Supreme Court rulings released at the end of June to locate the Chevron Doctrine ruling.

CHEVRON U. S. A. INC. v. NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC., ET AL
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (1984)

Supreme Court likely to discard Chevron (1/17/24)
by Amy Howe
SCOTUSblog
“It has been nearly 40 years since the Supreme Court indicated in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council that courts should defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute. After more than three-and-a-half hours of oral argument on Wednesday, it seemed unlikely that the rule outlined in that case, known as the Chevron doctrine, will survive in its current form. A majority of the justices seemed ready to jettison the doctrine or at the very least significantly limit it.”

U.S. Supreme Court May Soon Discard or Modify Chevron Deference (5/20/24)
Holland & Knight
“This Holland & Knight alert examines the various ways in which the Court could rule and the impacts the ruling could have on agency-regulated entities.”

When Deference is Due to Federal Agencies: A Review of the Chevron Case (6/4/24)
by Barbara Pfeffer Billauer JD, MA
American Council on Science and Health
“Most anticipate the Supreme Court will roll back the Chevron Doctrine in a manner that may impact FDA drug-approval decisions. And a slew of cases have been raised to support this concern. But I’m not as convinced. The court may be less swayed where more is at stake than money versus environmental stewardship.”

The Supreme Court is weighing the power of regulators (6/10/24)
by Evan George
UCLA Newsroom
“As the Supreme Court term nears its traditional summer recess, legal observers expect one of the most far-reaching decisions to come from a pair of cases called Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce.The companies involved are looking to limit the power of regulatory agencies by overturning what’s known as the “Chevron doctrine.” UCLA Law experts say a decision in favor of these companies could strip regulators of decision-making power across the federal government.”

Chevron Revisited: Natural Health Game Changer? (6/13/24)
Alliance for Natural Health USA
“Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on cases that call for a decades-old legal doctrine to be overturned that gave a blank check to federal agencies to abuse their power. If this doctrine, known as the Chevron doctrine, is overturned or even weakened, many potential avenues open up to challenge FDA and FTC interpretations that have limited access to and information about dietary supplements.”

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Full resource menu
Have you discovered the AHHA website’s horizontal photo footer menu under the heading DISCOVER ALL OF THE RESOURCES IN THIS WEBSITE. Each menu item links you to a different category of wellness resource. While there are four menu items visible at a time, by clicking on the triangle at the end of the row you can access all five levels of this menu for exploring ahha.org.

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May 31, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Mood support naturally
A comprehensive, integrative approach to mood disorders works very well in clinical practice. This may include all or most of the following: lifestyle and dietary modifications, constitutional homeopathy, botanical medicines, nutraceutical support, psychotherapy, and occasionally pharmaceutical interventions.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “Safe, Effective, Natural Solutions to Mood Disorders” by Todd Born, ND, CNS.

Search for Evidence-based Research Articles.

FEATURED ISSUE
WHO seeking more power
The 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland from May 27 through June 1, 2024. Why should you care? Because at this gathering, WHA may finalize global health regulations, specifically the Pandemic Treaty and the latest amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), which could empower the World Health Organization (WHO) to dictate how resources for a future international health crisis (like another COVID-19 pandemic) would be handled. It appears that there is a 50/50 chance for at least one of these documents to be finalized by the time you read these words.

If you are in favor of your health being governed by power outside your home country, you will probably be encouraged by this shift in power to those with globalist goals. If your preferences are for having person health freedom, you will probably be hoping that your home country will decide to not participate in whatever the WHO gets finalized this week and/or during the next year. You may decide to check your favorite news sources this week to track everything involving issues like “Pandemic Treaty” or “International Health Regulations” or “IHR.”

ISSUE: What do I know about the WHO Pandemic Treaty and the recent amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR)?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, a few key articles have been selected to get you started in understanding this complex matter of health freedom.

Governments near agreement on package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (4/27/24)
World Health Organization
“State Parties to the IHR took a major step towards agreeing on the package of amendments which will be put forward to the World Health Assembly, which takes place from 27 May–1 June.”
‘The International Health Regulations have been the cornerstone of global health security for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic showed the need to strengthen them in some areas to make them fit for purpose,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Countries are grasping this historic opportunity to protect future generations from the impact of epidemics and pandemics, with a commitment to equity and solidarity.’”

The Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly (updated 5/28/24)
World Health Organization
“The Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 27 May – 1 June 2024. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is: All for Health, Health for All.”
Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord
International Health Regulations: amendments

Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement (5/10/24)
World Health Organization
[Colored coded recent revisions]

For WHO proposals
Remarks by HHS Secretary Becerra at the 77th World Health Assembly (5/28/24)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Let’s capture the significant progress achieved over the past two years and finalize the proposed amendments to the IHRs this week.”
“Those amendments—especially the tiered alert system—will immediately make a difference in improving global preparedness. Finalizing the IHRs will build confidence in our ability to work together and set the stage for a more constructive future on pandemic response. And, we can prove that the world is ready to respond in extraordinary ways to extraordinary events that threaten global health.”

How the World Health Organization could fight future pandemics (5/24/24)
by Emma Farge and Jennifer Rigby
Reuters
“The new IHR rules and the pandemic accord are designed to complement each other and views vary over whether one could exist without the other. Sources say the IHR talks are more advanced and more likely to pass, with negotiations close to completion.”
“Unlike the treaty, which would require ratification to take effect, possibly taking years, the IHR changes take effect automatically after 12 months unless countries opt out.”

Pandemic Agreement and Revisions to the International Health Regulations (May 2024)
O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law
“The pandemic agreement is a potential international agreement currently being negotiated by the 194 member states of the WHO to drive a more equitable global response to pandemics, safeguard national health systems, and enhance cooperation among member states during pandemics.”

Against WHO proposals
Governors, lawmakers and AGs team up to stop WHO from seizing more power over U.S. health decisions (5/28/24)
by Charlotte Hazard
Just the News
“Republican governors, attorneys general and lawmakers are working together to create maximum pressure to stop the World Health Organization from seizing new powers to impose decisions on the United States and other member countries during future public health crises.”
“The political leaders are warning that changes the WHO wants to make to its member agreements, which are generally supported by the Biden administration, would insert foreigners into the doctor-patient relationship here in America.”

The new pandemic treaty: Are we in safer hands? Probably not (2/22/24)
The BMJ
“Last week, a new draft of the pandemic treaty was released to member states with various revisions. When negotiations began more than two years ago for an international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response, it was hoped that this new treaty could lead to greater accountability from governments. Yet the treaty’s new sections outlining governance are a far cry from these aspirations and are a step backwards from previous versions.”
“The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response recommended that pandemic governance should be led by heads of state to ensure it receives the political attention it deserves. Yet in the new text, oversight of treaty compliance is left to member states through a ‘third committee’ of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the main decision making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). This third committee would supplement the existing two, ‘Committee A,’ which oversees programmes, and ‘Committee B,’ which is responsible for financial and administrative matters. All member states participate in these committees, but they are mostly attended by a technocrat or diplomat, who is very distant in the hierarchy from a head of state.”

WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Falters and Looks Set to Fail…This Year (5/28/24)
by Scott C. Tips
National Health Federation
“Given its complete and utter failure to competently handle the last pandemic, it was strange indeed to charge the WHO with any responsibility for managing the next pandemic unless and until the WHO is fundamentally reformed; and, even then, it would still fail since decentralized approaches to pandemics offer superior responses to medical crises. Placing all of the World’s eggs in one basket risks a major catastrophe for humanity should the one global medical response be the wrong one!”
“However, this week the WHA will still take up the proposed amendments to its International Health Regulations (IHR), the most important ones of which would enable WHO to shove medical decisions down the World’s throats, and the decisions would be made by one unaccountable person, the WHO Director-General?”

Who needs the WHO? (5/23/24)
Alliance for Natural Health
“Details of the proposals have changed, but the overall thrust remains the same: the goal is a global pandemic cartel that delivers customers to drug companies while anything questioning the legitimacy of such an arrangement is deemed ‘misinformation’ and snuffed out.”
“The Pandemic Treaty and the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) have gone through several iterations—an updated draft of the Pandemic Treaty was just introduced last week. There have been some positive changes in the updated drafts, but the overall framework remains unchanged.”

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Your spiritual self
The holistic, or whole person, approach sees “the whole as more than just the sum of its parts.” This means that the whole of you is an integrated union of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual selves. AHHA’s website offers a list of books that can support you in developing a richer connection with your spiritual self. Take a look at the books in the Connecting to Your Spirituality database to find the books that will speak to you.

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April 26, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Intravenous vitamin C for cancer
“A 68-year-old man with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma refused conventional treatment and opted for intravenous vitamin C in doses of 75 to 125 g two to three times a week….He survived nearly four years, during which time he received more than 450 vitamin C infusions and had objective evidence of disease regression.” From a Townsend Lette  research article, “Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer with Intravenous Vitamin C.”

FEATURED ISSUE
Dietitians’ monopoly?
Reaching the goal of being healthy requires choosing a healthy lifestyle. One of important lifestyle choices involves the nutritional choices you make in what you eat. The professional associations for dietitians and nutritionists have a strong history of seeing that the general public learns about healthy nutrition from a variety of approaches. However, something is currently unfolding that appears to have a disturbing side-effect

Have you heard about the Dietitian Interstate Compact? This is a legal maneuver currently being enacted by the states to make it easier for Registered Dietician Nutritionists (RDNs) to be allowed to practice in multiple states. The concerning side-effect is that it appears to be establishing a professional monopoly for the RDNs to be the providers of nutritional guidance. If this happens, the general public would be deprived of access to nutrition professionals offering other nutritional approaches.

Note that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) is the trade group for RDNs, which is the  group of dieticians that has a history of partnering with industries offering junk food. Compare this, for example, with what is offered by Certified Nutrition Specialist® that are certified by the American Nutrition Association.

ISSUE: Will the Dietitian Interstate Compact create a monopoly for Registered Dietician Nutritionists and block out other nutrition professionals?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, a few key articles have been selected to get you started in studying this matter.

Dietitian Licensure Compact
The Council of State Governments

Dietitian License Compact
National Center for Interstate Compacts

Junk Food and Junk Advice (4/11/24)
Alliance for Natural Health

What is the difference between nutritionists vs dietitians? (6/26/23)
Medical News Today

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
How to find a progressive physician
Are you searching for a medical doctor who delivers care that is more than just drugs and surgery? Check our Holistic Practitioners database. If this does not help you locate such a physician in your geographic area, the Practitioner Referral Sources list is a useful next step. This list includes a wide variety of healthcare modality associations that give referrals, some of which are exclusively for medical doctors. Physicians who are affiliated with the organizations in our databases are definitely the open-minded, progressive ones who have gone beyond drugs and surgery. Where else but with AHHA can you find so many of these special physicians so easily?

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March 22, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Neglected heart health factors
“Whether an individual seeks peak exercise performance goals or generalized wellness, quantifying sufficient pulmonary function and competency is of paramount importance.” “Increasing levels of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) through supplementation with NR (nicotinamide riboside) is critical for cardiovascular health and cardiac energy metabolism.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “Novel Ways to Support Cardiac Energetics” by Chris D. Meletis, ND.

FEATURED ISSUE
Vitamin B3 levels controversy
The United States and fifty other countries have for decades fortified flour and cereals with niacin (vitamin B3) because of past research showing that B3 helped to prevent disease related to nutritional deficiency. But new research published in Nature Medicine in February 2024 found that about twenty-five per cent of the study’s participants were designated as developing cardiovascular disease caused by consuming higher levels of vitamin B3.

This research is so new that your family physician may not yet have had an opportunity to study the now conflicting positions in the medical community related to how much vitamin B3 would be optimal for you. Before you do consult with your family physician, therefore, you may want to inform yourself about what is currently known about various vitamin B3 levels, determine how much vitamin B3 is in your daily diet, and look at your heart’s health.

ISSUE: What is the relationship of my heart health and the amount of vitamin B3 I consume?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, only a few key articles have been selected that you are encouraged to study the contents of both viewpoints in detail (rather than skimming). You are further encouraged to stay alert for future studies that will hopefully provide broader and deep research into this aspect of maintaining a healthy heart, and perhaps identifying something else that is involved in triggering the vascular inflammation.

New research changing viewpoint of niacin (vitamin B3) level related to heart health
Cleveland Clinic-Led Study Discovers Link between High Levels of Niacin – a Common B Vitamin – and Heart Disease (2/19/24)
Newsroom of Cleveland Clinic
“Cleveland Clinic researchers have identified a new pathway that contributes to cardiovascular disease associated with high levels of niacin, a common B vitamin previously recommended to lower cholesterol…..The main takeaway is not that we should cut out our entire intake of niacin – that’s not a realistic approach,” said Dr. Hazen. ‘Given these findings, a discussion over whether a continued mandate of flour and cereal fortification with niacin in the U.S. could be warranted.’”

A terminal metabolite of niacin promotes vascular inflammation and contributes to cardiovascular disease risk (2/19/24)
by Marc Ferrell, et. all.
Nature Medicine
“Niacin is an essential micronutrient fortified in food staples, but its role in CVD (cardiovascular disease) is not well understood.”

Hesitancy to adopt new B3 level based on one study
B3 in the crosshairs––should you worry? (3/8/24)
by Dr Ronald Hoffman
Intelligent Medicine
“I, for one, am not ready to jettison my use of B-vitamin containing supplements and NAD-supporting nutrients on the sketchy basis of a single study, no matter how much it’s been uncritically amplified by the media.”

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
How do YOU define “holistic”?
Have you discovered that others are not defining the term “holistic” the same way you are? AHHA has always recommended that when you’re talking about holistic concepts, it’s wise to define terms and make sure you and the person you are talking with agree on those definitions. AHHA offers articles on this important topic. See the What is Holistic? category in our Self-Help Articles Collection. Perhaps these articles will also help you clarify your own thinking about what “holistic” really means.

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February 23, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Fibromyalgia pain relief
“Fibromyalgia is dramatically increasing in both prevalence and public awareness.” Learn about “a comprehensive protocol to see optimal results…from severe fatigue and widespread pain” in a Townsend Letter research article, “Effective Treatment of Pain and Sleep in Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Clinical Approach” by Jacob Teitelbaum, MD.

FEATURED ISSUE
WHO Pandemic Treaty
It appears that the World Health Organization (WHO) is positioning itself to be calling the shots for addressing future health pandemics. This United Nations (UN) health agency is currently refining agreements for the 194 member countries to grant total power to WHO, overriding national and personal health preferences. Final legally binding documents will be voted on in May 2024 at the World Health Assembly in Switzerland.

Some of the key items you may want to track for the Pandemic Treaty and International Health Regulations (IHR) are:

• Requirement for UN member countries to recognize WHO as the guidance and coordinating authority of international public health response during public health.
• Requirement for UN member countries to give WHO binding powers to dictate health policy to member states for medical countermeasures to address a public health emergency.
• If the United States continues to join with those UN member countries calling for the negotiations and drafts of the documents to remain closed to the public.
• If there are penalties if a UN member country does not follow WHO dictates related to health policies.

 

ISSUE: Might I lose my personal health freedoms when the next pandemic arrives?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, the following articles have been selected so that you can begin to be aware of the possible threats to your future health freedoms. You are encouraged to delve deeper and expand your knowledge of this matter using these articles as a springboard.

From WHO:
International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005)
World Health Organization (WHO)

Article-by-Article Compilation of Proposed Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) submitted in accordance with decision WHA75(9) (2022)
World Health Organization (WHO)

Proposal for negotiating text of the WHO Pandemic Agreement (10/30/23)
World Health Organization (WHO)

Comments from other organizations:
Concerns About the WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty (10/10/23)
C-Fam  Center for Family & Human Rights

Health Freedom Threatened by WHO Power Grab (2/16/24)
Alliance for Natural Health

WHO ‘Pandemic Treaty’ Draft Reaffirms Nations’ Sovereignty to Dictate Health Policy (3/2/23)
by Catalina Jaramillo
FactCheck.org

Why the WHO Pandemic Treaty Threatens Freedom of Expression
by Giorgio Mazzoli
Real Clear Politics

WHO Pandemic Treaty Remains Fatally Flawed (2/5/24)
by Brett Schaefer and Steven Groves
The Heritage Foundation

WHO member states are negotiating a pandemic treaty. But will countries follow the new rules? (2/15/24)
by Elliot Hannon, Nina Schwalbe, Susanna Lehtimaki
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

You are also encouraged to go to our blog at ahha.org/blog and post your comments.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Change a life
Check out the AHHA Gift for a Better Life, a single-sheet flyer that introduces the powerful concept of the holistic approach. It’s available for free!. Who do you know who could benefit from receiving a copy? You can download the flyer and share it by emailing it or hand delivering a printed copy (double-sided). It can empower that person’s life. Note that this flyer is available in both English and Spanish.

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January 26, 2024

FEATURED RESEARCH ARTICLE
Essential oils as self-care resource
“Due to their multifaceted properties, essential oils bridge the link between the mind and body. They are synergistic with many integrative and conventional treatments based on their influence on one’s mindset, mood, and biology.” From a Townsend Letter research article, “Mind-Body Applications of Essential Oils: A Case Study of Anxiety” by Sarah A LoBisco, ND, IFMCP.

FEATURED ISSUE
Troubling excessive mortality rates
In your circle of family and friends, how many have died in the last twelve months? Is your real world experience matching the scientific articles that report mortality rates for all age groups as “excessive”? Probable causes for death statistics that are higher than expected are listed, but calculated in a variety of ways, so it is difficult to compare to look for consensus. Plus, articles are highly technical, so they are also not easy for the general public to fully understand.

If you are a take-charge individual and want to learn from these statistics in order to improve your longevity, you might wish to dig through some of the articles with the goal of discovering some gems of data that would be appropriate for you and your physician to incorporate into your prevention program.

ISSUE: Why are mortality rates continuing to be so high in the United States?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, the following articles have been selected so that you can begin to be aware of the troubling excessive mortality rates in the United States. You are encouraged to delve deeper and expand your knowledge of this matter using these articles as a springboard.

Are humans really dying more quickly than expected? (1/12/24)
by Rob Verkerk
Alliance for Natural Health – International
“First, there appears to be a very real — not an imaginary — increase in excess deaths that was apparent throughout 2023 that is almost certainly ongoing into 2024 that is affecting younger people, not the older age groups that were most affected during the early, most lethal phase of the pandemic.
Second, there has been a consistent inability for any of the authors, funders or health authorities, that have been responsible for collating, analysing and publishing the excess mortality data considered here, to reflect on a much wider range of possible contributory factors.”

US Mortality Rates Remain Increasing Long After COVID Pandemic; Why Are Americans Dying So Young? (12/14/23)
by Conelisa N. Hubilla
The Science Times
“Public health agencies have reported that Americans are dying in abnormally high numbers long since COVID-19 waned. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf even describes this trend as a catastrophic decline in US life expectancy.
Industry analysts and actuaries predict that excess deaths will continue among people with life insurance through 2030 and will be highest at younger ages. This prediction contradicts normal mortality expectations for a vigorous population with life insurance. The worst is even expected from poorly insured Americans who are afflicted by disabilities.”

The Missing Americans: Unprecedented US Mortality Far Exceeds Other Wealthy Nations (7/14/23)
by Jillian McKoy
Boston University School of Public Health
“Comparing age-specific death rates in the U.S. and 21 other wealthy nations from 1933 through 2021, the authors find that current death rates in the US are much higher than other wealthy nations, and the number of excess U.S. deaths has never been larger.”

Annual numbers of excess deaths in the US relative to other developed countries are growing at an alarming rate (6/13/23)
by Patrick Heuveline
The Conversation
“Rising living standards and medical advances through the 20th century have made it possible for people in wealthy countries to live longer and with a better quality of life. Given that the U.S. is the largest economic power in the world, with cutting-edge medical technology, Americans should have an advantage over other countries in terms of life span and death rates.
But in the last 50 years, many countries around the world have outpaced the U.S. in how fast death rates are declining, as revealed by trends in life expectancy.”

What Is the Cause of Increased Mortality Rates? (9/2/22)
by Dr. Joseph Mercola
The Defender
“As one can see, we have lost 349,000 younger Americans to something besides COVID and non-natural death, during the period from 3 April 2021 to 13 August 2022.
The current rate of mortality in this ICD categorization, is around 5,000 – 8,000 per week … which exceeds most weeks of the COVID pandemic itself (save for the absolute peak periods). By now, if all these mortality excesses were indeed a holdover from COVID-19 itself, they should have already begun to tail off. Unfortunately, they are not only not tailing off, in many cases they are still increasing.”

You are also encouraged to go to our blog at ahha.org/blog and post your comments.

FEATURED AHHA RESOURCE
Do you have any treatment questions?
Perhaps the most important resource created by AHHA is the Treatment Researchers list. This unique list includes organizations whose experts can answer your health questions and research treatment options for any health condition using conventional medicine and/or alternative approaches. If you know of someone dealing with a life-threatening or debilitating diagnosis, it is vital for you to inform him or her of this valuable support option, so that they have a wide range of options to consider.

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Current Special Updates Archives
Special Updates Archives for 2023
Special Updates Archives for 2022
Special Updates Archives for 2021
Special Updates Archives for 2020
Special Updates Archives for 2019
Special Updates Archives for 2018
Special Updates Archives for 2017

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