First-of-its-kind study reveals that finished kitchen cabinets are emitting toxins

The kitchen is one of the most trafficked areas in most homes. For many, it’s not just a place to cook and prepare food; it’s a place where the family comes together. But new research has shown that the kitchen may actually be one of the most dangerous places in your home — and not because of all the sharp utensils. Scientists have discovered that many finished kitchen cabinets are actually emitting toxins knows as “polychlorinated biphenyl compounds,” or PCBs for short. Indeed, it seems that there is no shortage of toxins secretly lurking around in our modern world. Apparently, even the way we treat wood today turns it into poison. Who would have thought?
The shocking find comes from scientists at the University of Iowa, who suspect that PCBs may be a byproduct of sealants used in the cabinet industry. The research was led by Keri C. Hornbuckle and her colleagues from the university’s College of Engineering.

What are PCBs?

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, are recognized as toxins. They’re known for being carcinogenic, as well as for their potential to cause endocrine disruption and other adverse health effects. In the U.S., manufacturing of PCBs was banned in 1979.
As EcoWatch reports, Monsanto was actually the leading manufacturer of PCBs all the way up until 1977, before switching over to agriculture and biotech. Monsanto sure does have a knack for being involved with health-destroying toxins and other evil schemes, don’t they? The EPA banned PCBs due to their links to cancer and birth defects, but the toxins have also been linked to causing other health problems, such as skin issues, liver conditions and endocrine disruption.

Despite being banned almost 40 years ago, PCBs remain a threat — in large part due to their ability to remain in the environment long-term. Past studies have noted that caulking, sealants, floor finishes and other products are still leaching these toxins into the environment. Often, it is assumed that this happens in older buildings, which were built during the time PCBs were still legal, even though PCBs are still found contaminating food supplies and other products to this day.
The new study led by Hornbuckle shows that modern sealants are still capable of producing PCBs as a byproduct.

PCBs in your kitchen

To conduct their research, Hornbuckle and her team sampled indoor and outdoor air around 16 homes in Iowa. Over the course of six weeks, the researchers measured the concentrations of PCBs using polyurethane-equipped passive air samplers — and what they found was shocking. Three different types of PCBs were found in disturbingly high amounts, and the team has surmised that finished kitchen cabinetry is the primary source of these toxins.
As Science Daily reports:

They found neurotoxic PCB-47 and PCB-51, as well as PCB-68, at much higher levels than expected. The concentrations seemed to be dependent on the year the house was built, with higher levels in more recent years. After testing the emissions coming from a variety of household items, including the stove, floor and walls, the researchers found the PCBs wafting off the finished kitchen cabinetry.

The team has posited that decomposition of 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl peroxide, a common ingredient in modern cabinet sealants, is responsible for producing the toxic compounds. In newer or recently renovated homes, the amount of PCBs detected was noticeably higher.
As Environmental Health News notes, there are many health issues associated with PCBs. All three of the PCBs detected are considered to be neurotoxic. PCB-47 has also been linked to liver problems, and both PCB-47 and PCB-51 have been associated with hormone disruption. The PCBs detected by the researchers may also cause cancer — and experts say the metabolites of these hazardous chemicals may also be toxic.
Knowing what is going into and around your home is so important these days
News Source; Naturalnews.com

Psych drug use skyrockets in U.S. prisons

Psychiatric drug use is rising throughout the country, and one segment of the population where the increase has been particularly sharp is among inmates. In fact, the number of California prisoners who take psychotropic drugs has risen by 25 percent in just five years. Now, one fifth of the state’s county jail population is taking such medications.
According to Sacramento consulting firm California Health Policy Strategies, the rise could be a consequence of the increasing numbers of inmates who suffer from mental illness. The group also suggests that better identification of those who need treatment is contributing to the increase.
As community-based treatment and psychiatric beds remain sorely lacking throughout not only California but the entire country, jails are essentially becoming places to send people who are in the midst of an acute mental health crisis. Experts say the justice system is simply overwhelmed with mental illness.
Predatory marketing and prescribing practices on the part of pharmaceutical companies and doctors are also playing a big role in prison psychiatric drug use, just as it is in the general population. Prisoners are typically screened upon arrival, then placed on psychiatric drugs to treat whatever “disorders” those examining them claim they have. After they’ve served their sentence and been released, they may end up committing more crimes because of the aggression these drugs often cause, leading them to be incarcerated again and start this highly profitable cycle all over again.
In Oklahoma, the percentage of inmates who were diagnosed with mental illness doubled in the last five years, and numbers are rising throughout the country. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that American taxpayers spend around $9 billion a year on these drugs for inmates.
American Jail Association President Esteban Gonzalez told the Wall Street Journal: “In every city and state I have visited, the jails have become the de facto mental institutions.”

Drugging prisoners to make them more docile

Of course, there’s also the fact that much like teachers insisting spirited children take dangerous ADHD drugs to make them easier to manage, prison employees often find it easier to control inmate populations when they have been essentially sedated.
Mental Health America President and Chief Executive Officer Zima Creason said: “Sadly, they just throw a bunch of pills at them because there is nothing else.”
This is due, in part, to the fact that many jails lack sufficient outdoor spaces and exercise yards where people can experience true healing through connecting with nature and improving their health.
Creason added: “Jail is not conducive for real recovery. We are never going to put a dent in the numbers unless we provide a therapeutic environment.”

Giving inmates antidepressants can backfire

With antidepressants, the opposite effect is often seen as these drugs often have the effect of making people more violent. While depression rarely leads to violence, antidepressants are another story entirely. Experts say that SSRIs have caused a scary rise in mass murders and other violence.
Psychiatrist David Healy said: “Violence and other potentially criminal behavior caused by prescription drugs are medicine’s best kept secret. Never before in the fields of medicine and law have there been so many events with so much concealed data and so little focused expertise.”
Inmates can even be given drug treatment involuntarily with a court order, opening up the possibility of abuse.
Many of the perpetrators of some of the most horrific mass shootings in recent years were taking SSRI drugs, so it’s easy to see why giving them to so many prisoners, especially unnecessarily, is such an awful idea – for everyone except the drug makers who profit, of course.

Are you feeding your brain the right nutrients? Folate, vitamins B12, C, E, and D are crucial for mental health

eeding your brain the right nutrients, such as folate, and vitamins B12, C, E, and D are crucial for mental health. In a review, it was found that patients with the chronic mental disorder schizophrenia have low levels of these nutrients.
A team of researchers from the University of Manchester, Belgium’s KU Leuven University, and the University of Western Sydney analyzed 28 study articles with a total of 2,612 participants.
The research team discovered that low levels of the nutrients appeared to be present from the beginning of the illness and were associated with worsening of the disease. They saw a significant reduction in folate, vitamin D, and vitamin C in people with first-episode psychosis in comparison to the controls. In addition, they found that the difference in vitamin D levels between first-episode psychosis and controls was the most striking of all nutrients.
One notable study found that differences in folate levels were because of genetic difference in folate metabolism instead of dietary influences. Two studies with small sample sizes revealed large deficiency of vitamin C in first-episode psychosis.
This is parallel with data indicating low fruit and vegetable consumption in this population. In addition, a single randomized control trial in patients experiencing first antipsychotic treatment has shown 500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C each day significantly lessens psychiatric symptoms.
Low levels of folate and vitamin B12 were also often seen in patients with schizophrenia, where worsening of symptom severity were also observed. Supplementation of B-vitamins may significantly reduce symptoms of schizophrenia and reverse some neurological deficits linked to the illness. Moreover, vitamins C and E – which are antioxidants – are also lacking in chronic schizophrenia. This potentially contributes to the increased oxidative stress seen in this population.

“Right away, as soon as they are presenting with psychotic symptoms, they have low folate – which is really important for brain health – and low vitamin D, which is also a neuroprotective nutrient; both key factors in people’s mood and energy levels,” said Joseph Firth, lead author of the study.
The team also found that the participants with the lower levels of these nutrients also had the worst mental health. Firth explained that people with high levels of these nutrients had better mental health even if they got psychosis.
Furthermore, researchers also found that the eating a healthy diet does not only apply to mental health, but also to cardiovascular health as well. This is because large-scale studies found associations between low levels of both vitamin D and folate to heart-related conditions.
Based on the analysis, nutritional deficiencies as a result of inadequate intake or absorption of nutrients are now considered as a risk factor for psychiatric conditions. This review suggests that the consumption of a nutritious diet is important for overall health.
Here is a list of foods for the brain that you can include in your diet:

• Folate – Folate-rich foods include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, breakfast cereals, and fortified grains and grain products.
• Vitamin B12 – You can get this vitamin from eggs, milk, cheese, milk products, meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry.
• Vitamin C – Although the most common source of vitamin C is orange, there are other foods rich in this vitamin. These include bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, kiwi, mangoes, papaya, pineapple, and strawberries.
• Vitamin D – The most common source of this vitamin is the sun, but you can also get the body to make vitamin D from foods like salmon, mackerel, beef, calf liver, egg yolks, tuna, sardines, shiitake mushrooms, yogurt, and almond milk.
  Vitamin E – Vitamin E can help prevent cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, according to studies. You can get your vitamin E from foods, such as almonds, avocado, dried apricots, eggs, hazelnuts, kiwi, peanut butter, pine nuts, spinach, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ oil.

A flesh-eating disease is spreading in Australia and officials have no idea how to stop it

           A frightening flesh-eating disease is currently making its way across Australia, and puzzled scientists and officials aren’t sure how to stop this mysterious condition from wreaking havoc.
Cases of an infection known as Buruli ulcer have spiked in recent years in the country, rising 150 percent from 74 cases in 2013 to 186 in 2016. It shows no signs of slowing down; last year saw a projected 286 cases.
The infection causes unsightly skin ulcers that destroy the skin and the soft tissue around it. Complicating matters is the fact that scientists aren’t sure how it is spread or how to prevent it. They know it is caused by the Mycobacterium ulcerans bacterium, which is in the same family as the microbes behind leprosy and tuberculosis – hardly a comforting thought. It creates a toxin that destroys the tissue and creates big ulcers that are typically seen on the arms and legs.
While an eight-week course of antibiotics seems to do the trick for some people, others need surgery to remove some of the affected skin or even amputation. Those who don’t get it treated early enough face long-term disabilities, limited joint movement, and other problems.
It has also been reported in countries throughout the Western Pacific, South America, and Africa, with Nigeria being another hotspot. In Victoria, the cases are becoming more severe and appearing in areas that were previously untouched.
Researchers are confused by the fact that it’s appearing in some temperate rural areas of Victoria because it’s usually associated with swamplands in tropical countries. Buruli ulcer has also spread to some Melbourne suburbs in what is the only current outbreak to be reported in the developed world. They would like to find out what it is about these areas that make them hotbeds of the disease and what happens to people there that causes them to pick it up.

Insects and animals eyed as possible mode of transmission

Researchers theorize that it may be passed to humans from insects in water. Mosquitoes are one potential carrier being explored; some have tested positive for the bacterium and insect repellent use has been linked to a lower risk of infection. In addition, the feces of some ringtail possums contained the bacteria, although it’s not certain people are getting it from them.
The ulcers have also hit animals like cats, dogs, and koalas, but scientists can’t say for sure if they are spreading it. They do not believe, however, that it can spread from person to person.
The first sign most people notice is a painless lump on their skin resembling an insect bite. As the infection burrows deeper into the fatty layer between the skin and muscle lining, the infection spreads sideways and makes its way throughout the person’s body, destroying the tissue it encounters on the way before erupting through the skin again as an ulcer. It’s difficult for a person to know that they have the infection at first, but when the ulcer erupts, the pain is very severe.
Although the lack of a clear cause means scientists are unsure how it can be prevented, they nevertheless recommend people avoid mosquito bites, immediately clean and cover cuts they get outdoors, and see a doctor if they suspect they could have the infection.
In the meantime, the researchers would like to see a thorough examination of the environments, local fauna and human behavior in the areas being hit by this illness so they can gain a deeper understanding of how it spreads and hopefully find effective interventions to stem this devastating illness.