News Alerts: Week 7, 2016

Tim Noakes finally has his say on South Africa’s dietary ‘mis-guidelines’

Over the last few days, University of Cape Town emeritus professor Tim Noakes is finally having his say —and is building a ‘compelling case’ at his hearing. Noakes, South Africa’s ‘Banting’ expert, is on trial for misconduct, after he offered a mother weaning advice on Twitter. It is only now during the third round of hearings, that he is at last having his right of reply. It’s reported that he spent much of day six at the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) hearing, “Probing the underbelly of these guidelines and finding them wanting – on infant weaning in particular”. BizNews.com said, “Noakes is busily building a compelling case to show his advice is not unconventional, not in conflict with recommendations in the official dietary guidelines on complementary foods for paediatric weaning, not even in conflict with testimony by the HPCSA’s own expert witnesses”. Noakes is taking issue with weaning dietary advice to include cereals and grains along with standard veg and meat. He told the hearing that such advice is, “led by industry — food and drug companies — not science”.

Pyriproxyfen, Zika and microcephaly

A new report has been published by the Argentine doctors’ organisation challenging the link between the Zika virus and microcephaly. Brazil’s Health Minister has gone as far as to say that he has, “100% certainty that there is a link between Zika and microcephaly”, despite Colombia’s President having said, “there’s no evidence Zika has caused any cases of the birth defect”. The new report suggests the chemical Pyriproxyfen is to blame. The pesticide was added to the drinking water in the areas affected by the epidemic to control mosquito numbers. Pyriproxyfen is produced by Sumitomo Chemical, one of Monsanto’s ‘strategic partners’, and has been designed to act as a growth inhibitor, generating malformations in developing mosquitoes, a condition very similar to microcephaly… In the words of the Argentine Physicians, “Malformations detected in thousands of children from pregnant women living in areas where the Brazilian state added Pyriproxyfen to drinking water are not a coincidence”.

Support increases against smart meters

A recent report suggests that support in the US is increasing for those who do not wish to have smart meters in their homes. Del Glen Glass plans to introduce legislation preventing utility companies from charging customers extra for opting out of smart meters, he states, “There’s no reason to charge someone for something they don’t want”. This comes alongside the legislation being pushed by Senator Kris Jordan that would require utility companies to get permission before installing smart meters. These are promising moves for those aware of the potential health threats posed by electro-magnetic radiation. To find out more about the health risks associated with EMR visit our ANH-Intl campaign page.

Organic more nutritionally valuable

Following on from the 30 year Farming Systems Trial, started in 1981, a new study has been published supporting the nutritional benefits of organic farming. The new study shows organic milk and meat to contain 50% more valuable omega-3 fatty acids than non-organic. Organic milk and dairy is also reported to contain 40% more conjugated linoleic acid. Helen Browning, the UK Soil Association’s chief executive, says that, “This research confirms, what you feed farm animals and how you treat them affects the quality of the food”. So by eating organic not only are you limiting your exposure to harmful chemicals, but you also get more nutritional benefit from your food, and you limit damage to the environment.

Children devoid of access to the natural environment

A two-year study has found that more than 1 in 9 English children haven’t set foot in a natural environment, such as a park, forest or beach, in the last 12 months! Low income families and black, Asian and minority ethnic households are less likely to visit the natural environment than caucasian children and those from higher income households, the Guardian reports. Natalie Johnson of the Wild Network, an organisation hatched on the back of the film Project Wild Thing, has described “the time children play freely outside as important as their French lesson, their ballet lesson and their Mandarin lesson”, but explains that it’s difficult to make parents aware of the importance. This, alongside a lack of role models with an enthusiasm for the outdoors, busy roads and “genuine gang problems” are all to blame.

Corrosive chemicals in water strongly implicated in US Flint water crisis

A recent article by Michael Connett of the Fluoride Action Network clearly sets out the compelling case for the role of corrosive water chemicals such as fluoridating agents in the lead poisoning water crisis in Flint and in other fluoridated areas of the USA. Corrosive chemicals include chlorine, chloramines and fluorosilicic acid. The article provides evidence from various sources that the fluoridating agent hydrofluorosilicic acid (un-buffered) in particular has been found to increase the corrosion of lead pipes, as was found in Thunder Bay in 2009. The Thunder Bay report makes clear the need for the addition of a buffering solution or ‘neutralising agent’, such as sodium hydroxide, where hydrofluoroslicic acid is used. Connett’s article highlights the 7 fluoridated cities where there are “higher rates of lead poisoning”. The article also suggests that there has been a failure to add anti-corrosives by those responsible for the Flint water supply. In the early 1990s, water departments in Maryland and Washington, “Noticed significant drops in water lead levels immediately after terminating their fluoridation programs”. More compelling reasons to end the unsafe practice of water fluoridation. Read more about clean drinking water and the health hazards presented by fluoridation of the water supply.