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Editorial Issue 192

by Sandra Goodman PhD(more info)

listed in editorial, originally published in issue 192 - March 2012

Positive Health PH Online is not a political publication; however I don't feel the need to apologize for my great sense of loss on hearing that only yesterday 22 Feb one of the finest journalists of her generation, Marie Colvin, along with French photographer Remi Ochlik and scores of civilians were killed in Homs, Syria, adding to the lengthening death toll of over 5,000 Syrians killed. Watching slaughter on television in the face of increasing impotence is not easy for any of us.

The link between a person’s beliefs, agenda, training has an inestimable influence upon the prism through which they view health issues, political actions, indeed probably every aspect of their life. I didn’t always realize this when I was a mere naïve, idealistic scientist who thought that knowledge and facts were truths that would be accepted by everyone.

Then I conducted research regarding the health benefits of nutrients such as vitamin C and organic germanium, published books on those subjects and attempted to fund research to determine whether immune-enhancing organic germanium could potentially be effective in the treatment of HIV Aids. Organic germanium was banned due to a contamination problem [the use of inorganic rather than organic germanium] with one batch and Linus Pauling is still ridiculed in various parts of the media with phrases such as “expensive urine”. For sceptics reading this issue, please see the Letters to the Editors in this issue for Vitamin C research regarding protection against radiation damage and side effects of vaccination.

How wrong it is to think that truth and science is universally accepted, although this belief underpins much of our education, medical and scientific institutions. So, for example, despite the voluminous undisputed published research demonstrating that mercury is a potent, toxic poison, mercury amalgam fillings are still used to fill teeth in most countries, including the UK. The following extract from Wikipedia summarizes the situation:

“The dental amalgam controversy refers to the conflicting views over the use of amalgam as a filling material mainly because it contains the element mercury. The concern centers on the health effects of toxicity or allergy which may be associated with constant mercury exposure, particularly as an alleged cause of chronic illnesses, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, birth defects, oral lesions, and mental disorders.[citation needed] Scientists agree that dental amalgam fillings leach mercury into the mouth, but studies vary widely in the amount and whether such amount presents significant health risks. Estimations run from 1-3 µg/day (FDA) up to 27 µg/day (Patterson).[1][2] The effects of that amount of exposure is also disputed,[3][4] and currently dental amalgam is approved for use in most countries, although Norway, Denmark and Sweden are notable exceptions.[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_amalgam_controversy

I recently read a newspaper article about a case brought against a dentist in which the practice of mercury-free dentistry was referred to as quackery; evidently the divide between those who think mercury to be a poison and those who think it is perfectly safe for fillings will not be disappearing any time soon.

There is no shortage of other health-related issues with chasms between divergent opinions and a multitude of vested financial, political and pharmaceutical interests:

  • Sugar is harmful to health;
  • Carbonated drinks are harmful for digestion;
  • Fluoridation is harmful to teeth and health;
  • Sweeteners such as aspartame are harmful;
  • Proximity to mobile phone masts is associated with increased cancer risk;
  • Cholesterol and fat is a major culprit in heart disease;
  • Genetically modified food may be dangerous or harmful to health.
  • Links between children excessively playing computer, online video games and violence.

I was recently asked by a young salesman about natural treatment approaches for his waking up in the night with stomach pain. I don’t generally get into telephone consultations beyond asking whether the person has seen their doctor, if they are taking medication for this ailment and if they would like me to email them contact details for qualified practitioners. However on this occasion I elicited a few details from this young man and was astonished to hear that he had been on antacid prescription drugs, that a co-worker had suggested that he try an over-the-counter proprietary pink antacid medicine, and that he was too busy even to visit his GP. He also “drank a lot of fizzy drinks and ate lots of hot, spicy curries”. Common sense might suggest measures to relieve his symptoms, but he either appeared totally ignorant about digestion and health in general, or else it occurred to me that he might be attempting to entrap me into practising medicine over the phone!!

Several articles published in this issue offer a wealth of nutritional and environmental advice regarding several of the issues mentioned above, i.e. Childhood Obesity and Food Advertisements, The Harm of Children’s Sugar-Filled Vitamin Supplements and Electrical Sensitivity: Mobile Phones, Microwaves, Electro-Smog and What to Avoid.

If people are not interested in natural health and actually are on the other side of the natural health debate, i.e. are suspicious of avoiding doctors and drugs, then presumably they won’t be reading these pages.

Comments:

  1. Olivia Roberts said..

    Dear Sandra,


    How right you are. Our society simply does not observe. Shocking though it may seem, doctors do not know if the patient that leaves their surgery with a prescription will get better. They have no way of knowing because it is not in their job description. Furthermore, it is absolutely not in their job description to recognise a new cure for any problem. I remember how excited I was when I sailed into my local surgery and mentioned to my doctor that I had found an answer to the problem of nits which involved no chemicals, and no expense whatsoever. She looked at me coldly and said that her patients 'would not do it'. It was simply brisk-brushing for 20 minutes morning and night.


    I had just completed a week of it clearing re-infestation from my children attending a jamboree every evening!It was so simple. An old health visitor had told me about this so obviously it had been known for many years. My mother was a nurse, and she used weak salt and water to bathe our eyes if ever conjunctivitis threatened, I still use it for my children, but my GP at the time said he could not recommend it because there had been no clinical trials!


    I remember when my best friend told me that she had been electrocuted, thrown across the room, and she had tasted the strong taste of metal in her mouth. Six months later an aggressive tumour began to grow in her breast. She died of breast cancer nine months later, after drastic surgery and other therapy had failed. I worry about these new light bulbs.


    I read a story that someone in the USA called the authorities after one of these bulbs had broken in a small bedroom. If I remember correctly, they sealed off the room stating it was 'contaminated'. Wasn't the World Health Authority considering a world-wide ban on mercury in all manufacturing processes? Thank you for allowing me a few moments on my soap-box! Olivia


  2. Sandra Goodman said..

    Your comments ring so true, and no matter how many times we relate even old wives tales - truths - and scientific facts such as mercury toxicity - it may help to alleviate someone's suffering or even save lives.


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About Sandra Goodman PhD

Sandra Goodman PhD, Co-founder and Editor of Positive Health, trained as a Molecular Biology scientist in Agricultural Biotechnology in Canada and the US, focusing upon health issues since the 1980s in the UK. Author of 4 books, including Nutrition and Cancer: State-of-the-Art, Vitamin C – The Master Nutrient, Germanium: The Health and Life Enhancer and numerous articles, Dr Goodman was the lead author of the Consensus Document Nutritional and LifeStyle Guidelines for People with Cancer and compiled the Cancer and Nutrition Database for the Bristol Cancer Help Centre in 1993. Dr Goodman is passionate about making available to all people, particularly those with cancer, clinical expertise in Nutrition and Complementary Therapies. Dr Goodman was recently featured as Doctor of the Fortnight in ThinkWellness360.

Dr Goodman and long-term partner Mike Howell seek individuals with vision, resources, and organization to continue and expand the Positive Health PH Online legacy beyond the first 30 years, with facilities for training, to fund alternative cancer research, and promote holistic organizations internationally. Read about Dr Goodman and purchase Nutrition and Cancer: State-of-the-Art.  She may be contacted privately for Research, Lectures and Editorial services via: sandra@drsgoodman.com     www.drsgoodman.com  sandra@positivehealth.com   and www.positivehealth.com

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