News Alerts: Week 31, 2016

Nattokinase approved as a novel food

Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have delivered a positive opinion on the fermented soybean extract NSK-SD®, found in nattokwinase supplements. The panel found the extract to be “safe under the intended conditions of use as specified by the applicant.” Nattokinase is a traditional Japanese food that is extracted from fermented soy. It was discovered by a Japanese scientist looking for a natural remedy to dissolve blood clots related to heart attacks and stroke. Nattokinase is a powerful proteolytic enzyme that has anti-clotting benefits that has been used for over 1000 years. Its health benefits are supported by many scientific studies and it forms an important part of a natural approach to preventative healthcare, particularly cardiovascular disease.

UK and USA join forces in fight against diabetes

The USA and England have joined forces to create two films for healthcare professionals to show how they are reducing the risk for the combined 90 million people collectively who are on-track to develop Type 2 diabetes. Experts from both countries have shared tactics to in a bid to slash the numbers of people who go on to develop, what is essentially, a lifestyle disease borne from lack of knowledge and poor choices. The UK have recently launched their Healthier You campaign, whilst the USA announced that, “A successful demonstration project led by the YMCA of the USA had been shown to produce cost savings for Medicare participants, marking a critical step for HHS to eventually expand the Diabetes Prevention Program for those at high risk of Type 2 diabetes.”

First EU member country bans glyphosate!

Malta, the European Union’s smallest member state, has become the first country to institute a complete ban on glyphosate. The toxic chemical is the main ingredient in Monsanto’s number one selling herbicide, Round Up, and was recently classified as “probably carcinogenic” by the International Organisation for Research on Cancer. We’d like to see more member states following suit as a complete ban is the only way to ensure this dangerous toxin is removed from the food chain.

A poor pregnancy diet directly affects babies’ health

A new study has shown that, “the nutritional quality of a mother’s diet during pregnancy has a huge say in determining offspring attributes, such as weight and even susceptibility to chronic conditions”. In the study when the mother ate a diet low in protein, it resulted in a direct link between restricted growth and DNA modifications during protein production. This is an area that ANH-Intl have long been concerned about. We include nutritional and lifestyle guidelines for pregnancy at the end of the Food4Health campaign pages.

Energy drink ban for under 16s

The Lobby group Action on Sugar has been putting pressure on the UK government to ban the sale of energy drinks to under 16s. A recent report, written by Dr Shelina Vikram of Durham University and Action on Sugar researcher Kawther Hashem, cautioned that “robust evidence” showed children and adolescents who drink high sugar, high caffeine energy drinks are more likely to “consume alcohol, smoke or use drugs and there was some evidence that young energy drink consumers were more likely to have unhealthy diets and experience hyperactivity”.

Preorder VAXXED DVDs in the USA

Digital video discs of the controversial movie VAXXED are now available to pre-order in the USA and Canada. The film, directed by Andrew Wakefield, is currently touring the US. The documentary examines “the evidence behind an appalling cover-up committed by the government agency charged with protecting the health of American citizens”. It features “Interviews with pharmaceutical insiders, doctors, politicians, and parents of vaccine-injured children reveal an alarming deception that has contributed to the skyrocketing increase of autism and potentially the most catastrophic epidemic of our lifetime”.The DVD costs $24.95, and contains one hour of bonus material, such as trailers, deleted scenes, extended interviews, Filmmaker Q&As, and a featurette, and Wakefield response to allegations. It will be available from September 13th 2016.