Fall 2012 Meeting of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee

Here are some videos of the meeting of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee

 

Welcome and Opening Remarks (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zl2RX4URuI
 
Public Comment on Day One- AM (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIGpfvfFZ1w

 

Agency Updates from HRSA, NIH, and FDA (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buDxhejdg90

 

Biomarkers – An overview & Future Look (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01hZYq4GMtI

 

FDA & Drug Development (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGASSh7YV3s

 

Public Comment on Day One – PM (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fIEeQBdvxM

 

Committee Discussion & Plans for Day Two (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs1A6KhHInU

 

Opening Remarks & Agency Updates (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWBmqd8LDhg

 

Social Security Administration (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af_r5LiIjXQ

 

Public Comment on Day Two (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGb0U6EaI4o

 

ME/CFS Organizations (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTHpny0u-XU

 

A Path Forward (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFaXiiSdZqI

 

Finalize Recommendations (CFSAC Fall 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO9bO-udcY0

 

 

Pesticide Protest: Soccer Moms Play It Safe, Keep Kids Off Fields Over Chemical Concerns

Pesticide Protest: Soccer Moms Play It Safe, Keep Kids Off Fields Over Chemical Concerns
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/12/pesticides-soccer-playing-fields-parents-concerns_n_1961284.html

"Cedar McGourty-Batchelor won't be playing soccer this Saturday. Neither will his first-grade teammates from Riverview Elementary School -- nor, for that matter, any other kids in Durango, Colo.
Concerns from local soccer moms and dads who learned a synthetic weed killer containing at least two possible carcinogens would be applied to fields one day before their children would be running, kicking and most likely rolling around on the grass, pushed the city to postpone all youth soccer games scheduled for Saturday.
"I believe these chemicals are harmful, and it's best for my son not to be exposed to them," said Sheryl McGourty, Cedar's mom, who wrote to Durango Parks and Recreation with her concerns."

VIDEO: Environmental Working Group: 10 Americans

VIDEO:  Environmental Working Group: 10 Americans http://youtu.be/0-kc3AIM_LU

From a Reader:
"Ken Cook, president of EWG (Environmental Working Group) talks about 287 chemicals found in the umbilical cord blood of 10 Americans, including his son. Shockingly, 212 of the 287 are industrial chemicals and pesticides ba
nned more than 30 years ago.

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, grandfathered in 62,000 chemicals and presumed them safe. The law does not require any health or safety studies before a new chemical is allowed onto the market. Only 5 chemicals have ever been banned or restricted.

The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act of 2008 will require that chemicals are safe BEFORE they hit the marketplace. The video ends with a plea to get involved to help pass this act."

 

Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Reason Discovered for the Toxicity of Indoor Mould

Reason Discovered for the Toxicity of Indoor Mould
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121012074655.htm

"ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) — A team of researchers at the University of Helsinki has discovered how indoor mould makes people sick.The only remedy is to heal the living environment."

Fake pharmaceuticals, Bad medicine

Fake pharmaceuticals, Bad medicine
The world's drug supply is global. Governments have failed to keep up

http://www.economist.com/node/21564546

 

"PATIENTS expect drugs to be safe. But even in supposedly well-run health systems, they can be useless—or deadly. Tainted steroids from a compounding pharmacy (one which mixes its own drugs) near Boston had killed 11 people with fungal meningitis and sickened more than 100 as of October 10th. A contaminated blood thinner, heparin, was linked to 149 American deaths in 2007-08. This year it emerged that some vials of the cancer medicine Avastin contained no active ingredient."

Wireless Radiation Poses a Health Risk, Physicians Demand Precaution Now

Wireless Radiation Poses a Health Risk, Physicians Demand Precaution Now
http://www.scribd.com/doc/109351923/Wireless-Radiation-Poses-a-Health-Risk-Physicians-Demand-Precaution-Now

"More than 1000 physicians signed the "Freiburg Appeal" in 2002. It was translated into manylanguages. As many as 36,000 people from all over the world support its warning about thedangers of wireless radiation."

Physician group adds weight to Wi-Fi warnings

Physician group adds weight to Wi-Fi warnings
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=33091&rss=67&rid=999999&news_channel_id=40&channel_id=40&rot=3

 

"OTTAWA - Schools should not install wireless Internet systems because the technology is linked to learning disabilities, headaches and immune system deficiencies, according to an international association of physicians."

Klinghardt: Biological treatment of Lyme disease

Klinghardt: Biological treatment of Lyme disease

http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/Protocols/Klinghardt-Biological-treatment-of-Lyme-disease.html

Klinghardt Neurotoxin Elimination Protocol

Klinghardt Neurotoxin Elimination Protocol
http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/Protocols/Klinghardt-Neurotoxin-Elimination-Protocol.html

Smart Meters & EMR: The Health Crisis Of Our Time - Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt

Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

COVER STORY: Study: Indoor air quality poses possible health threat

COVER STORY: Study: Indoor air quality poses possible health threat
http://www.nst.com.my/red/cover-story-study-indoor-air-quality-poses-possible-health-threat-1.155616

"SICK BUILDING: New buildings, public buildings and air-conditioned buildings were found to have higher readings of formaldehyde, says study"

CHE EMF Working Group call: Cell Antennas and Health: The State of the Science

CHE EMF Working Group call: Cell Antennas and Health: The State of the Science
October 18, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific / noon Eastern
http://www.healthandenvironment.org/wg_calls/11349

Heart Scare Collapse is Blamed on Phone Masts

Heart Scare Collapse is Blamed on Phone Masts

http://www.buergerwelle.de/assets/files/heart_scare_collapse_is_blamed_on_phone_masts.pdf

Scientists Warn of Low-Dose Risks of Chemical Exposure by Elizabeth Grossman: Yale Environment 360

Scientists Warn of Low-Dose Risks of Chemical Exposure by Elizabeth Grossman: Yale Environment 360
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/scientists_warn_of_low_dose_risk_of_endocrine_blocking_chemical_exposure/2507/

"A new study finds that even low doses of hormone-disrupting chemicals — used in everything from plastics to pesticides – can have serious effects on human health. These findings, the researchers say, point to the need for basic changes in how chemical safety testing is conducted."

OCA: Road to Victory

VIEW THIS ISSUE ONLINE | SUBSCRIBE & Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Essay of the Week: Prop 37 and the Future of Food by Michael Pollan Michael Pollan – New York Times columnist and arguably the most influential food writer in America – weighed in yesterday in support of California's Prop 37 GMO labeling ballot initiative.   In his essay announcing his endorsement, Pollan talks about the growing food movement as an economic and a social movement, and then asks: Is it yet a political movement? Possibly. If Prop 37 passes, it could go on to change the political conversation around our entire industrial food chain – not just in California, but in the entire country. READ MORE California Update: Volunteers Needed on the Road to Victory With less than a month remaining until election day, Nov. 6, the mass media are reporting that Prop 37, the California ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods and ban the routine food industry practice of marketing GMO-tainted foods as "natural," is likely on the road to victory. As a growing number of commentators point out, victory for the GMO right to know forces in California will have global consequences, dramatically increasing consumer demand for organic and non-GMO foods, and dramatically decreasing market share for genetically engineered foods and crops. But now is not the time for overconfidence. Monsanto, Big Ag, and Biotech are flooding the airwaves in California with $35 million worth of misleading ads and outright lies, designed to confuse California voters. Our two most powerful weapons are the alternative media (especially the internet and social media) and our grassroots forces on the ground, leafleting shoppers at supermarkets and contacting likely voters over the telephone. We now have 5,000 volunteers on the ground and on the phone, but we need 15,000 more to lead us to victory in these next four weeks. If you live in California, please volunteer to leaflet. If you live outside California, please volunteer for our upcoming phone bank to call registered voters in California. SIGN UP HERE Support the OCA and OCF Don't let $35 Million Kill GMO Labeling in California! The polls so far in California have been running strongly in favor of the YES on 37 campaign – but could $35 million in ads change that? Years ago, GMO right-to-know forces enjoyed a similar lead in an Oregon Ballot Initiate, but were defeated by a massive barrage of TV ads by Monsanto and corporate agribusiness. Could $35 million of ads, flooding the California airwaves, mean the end of GMO labeling in California, too? Thanks to the overwhelming response from organic consumers like you, the OCA and OCF have donated more than $1 million to the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act. Thank you to all of you – from all over the country – who have stood with us in this fight. For those who haven't joined in yet, now is the time. Early voting has already started, and in less than five weeks it will all be over. Please help us win this historic, grassroots-driven GMO labeling initiative by making a donation today. And please pass this message along to everyone you know who cares about food safety. Thank you! DONATE TO THE ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION (tax-deductible, helps  support our public education work against GMOs and chemical food, and our work on behalf of organic standards, fair trade and sustainable farming) DONATE TO THE ORGANIC CONSUMERS FUND (non-tax-deductible, but necessary for our legislative efforts in California and other states) Hollywood Celebs Join Our Campaign in California: Spread the Message No matter how much money Monsanto pours into the No on 37 campaign, it's never going to be able to find people who go to the grocery store looking for genetically modified food to eat and feed their families. If there were people like that, Monsanto would love the idea of labeling! But they just don't exist. There are organic consumers, locavores, and non-GMO shoppers, but there is just no such thing as a GMO-foodie. Monsanto may have more money, but we have the overwhelming people power. Early voting has already begun (it started Monday, October 8). In less than a month, the election will be over. Let's not be left wishing we'd done more to help everyone we know in California get the facts they need to vote Yes on 37. One easy thing you can do is to share the Yes on 37 ads. A new one just came out this week with Danny DeVito, Bill Maher, Jillian Michaels and many other celebrities who support California's Prop 37. WATCH AND SHARE New Studies Highlight Increasing Dangers of Pesticides They're everywhere. And they're making us – and especially our kids – sick. Two new studies out this week reveal just how pervasive pesticides are in our environment, and how they are wreaking havoc with our health. In the UK, the Institute of Science in Society issued a report titled: Why Glyphosate Should Be Banned. Glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, has contaminated land, water, air, and our food supply, according to the report, which says the maximum permitted levels of Glyphosate are set to rise by100-150 times in the European Union if Monsanto gets its way. Another study, by the Pesticide Action Network North America, reports that more than 1 billion pounds of pesticides used annually nationwide have contributed to an array of health problems in youth, including autism, cancer, birth defects, early puberty, obesity, diabetes and asthma. READ THE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE IN SOCIETY REPORT HERE READ THE PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK STUDY HERE Food Babe to President Obama: Label GMOs! Did you see what Vani Hari of FoodBabe.com did at the Democratic National Convention? She grabbed a place near the stage in front of the TV cameras, and when Obama's USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke at the convention, she held up a sign saying "LABEL GMOs". Vilsack – the former Biotech Governor of the Year – is responsible for the decision that allowed Monsanto to push its GMO alfalfa, sugar beets and sweet corn into the market – without labels. Vani Hari's action was captured live on TV and made national news. Afterward, she made an inspiring video about the experience. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE OCA Is on Pinterest! Check out our new Pinterest page for do-it-yourself resources and sustainable living projects, plus the latest news on organic food and gardening. Learn how to build a greenhouse – or how to help pass California's GMO labeling initiative. Want to share a great article from the OCA on organic gardening, or the future of food? Maybe your followers would be interested in a great photo from the Prop 37 GMO labeling campaign? Now you can Pin it! You can also help grow awareness of OCA and the work we do by letting your Facebook friends and Twitter followers know about our new account. Thanks! Little Bytes Essential Reading for the Week Ten Percent of Children Now Born with Neurological Problems: Pesticides Blamed by Report for Illnesses Organic Baby Food May Soon Contain Who-Knows-What The Fate of Humanity Is at Stake – Why Are Romney and Obama Too Cowardly to Talk About What Really Matters? Flu Shot Being Forced on Health Workers Beyond the Nov. 6 Election: Interview with Climate Crisis Leader Bill McKibben Message From Our Sponsors Eden Foods Offers OCA Customers 15% Discount Eden Foods is one of the few national organic food producers who goes beyond the USDA Organic Standards. Although Eden Foods is USDA certified, their products do not bear the USDA seal, because they say the USDA standard really represents a "minimum standard" that Eden Foods goes far beyond. As a subscriber to Organic Bytes, you can enjoy a 15% discount rate on any Eden Foods products by going here. LEARN MORE Connect With OCA! Facebook Pages: organicconsumers millionsagainst comingclean Twitter Feeds: @organicconsumer @againstmonsanto @OCA_comingclean More: rss feed youtube channel Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power! Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association 6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652 Subscribe & Read past issues and print- friendly PDF versions of Organic Bytes

Fracking critics make voices heard

Fracking critics make voices heard
http://www.news-press.com/article/20121009/GREEN/310090004/Fracking-critics-make-voices-heard

"The energy industry claims fracking is safe. Critics say otherwise. "The record shows that there have been no incidents of contamination from hydraulic fracturing in over 1.2 million wells drilled over more than 60 years," Richard Ranger, senior policy analyst for the American Petroleum Institute, commented in the institute's blog, "Energy Tomorrow." But environmentalists are up in arms, and on Sept. 22, protestors in the U.S and other countries held a "GlobalFrackdown," to say "no" to fracking."

Artificial turf: can it impact children's health?

Artificial turf: can it impact children's health?

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/10/artificial_turf_sports_field_r.html

The Drive for a safer Chemicals Policy in the United States

The Drive for a safer Chemicals Policy in the United States
http://www.chemicalspolicy.org/downloads/Belliveau.pdf

"This article analyzes the history, policies and politics of the modern era of safer chemical policy reform in the United States. In the last decade, state laws have modeled a chemical policy framework to phase out unnecessary dangerous chemicals in favor of safer alternatives. These state drivers, along with market campaigns to reduce downstream business use of hazardous chemicals, have weakened the chemical industry's resistance to fixing the broken federal chemical safety system. The obsolete Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) has failed to protect public health and the environment and has stifled innovation toward greener chemistry. Health advocates with a progressive policy vision tempered by legislative pragmatism have launched a TSCA reform campaign to challenge chemical industry power in a weak Congress. The opportunity and limits to winning meaningful TSCA reform are characterized and marked as a critical milestone on the path to a truly comprehensive safer chemical policy for the United States."

The Air Quality Health Index and Asthma Morbidity: A Population-Based Study

The Air Quality Health Index and Asthma Morbidity: A Population-Based Study
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/2012/10/the-air-quality-health-index-and-asthma-morbidity-a-population-based-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-air-quality-health-index-and-asthma-morbidity-a-population-based-study

Citation: Teresa To, Shen S, Atenafu EG, Guan J, McLimont S, Stocks B, Licskai C. The Air Quality Health Index and Asthma Morbidity: A Population-Based Study. Environ Health Perspect (): .doi:10.1289/ehp.1104816
Received: December 4, 2011; Accepted: October 10, 2012; Published: October 10, 2012

 

Abstract

Background: Exposure to air pollution has been linked to the exacerbation of respiratory diseases. The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), developed in Canada, is a new health risk scale for reporting air quality and advising risk reduction actions.

Objective: We used the AQHI to estimate the impact of air quality on asthma morbidity adjusting for potential confounders.
Methods: Daily air pollutant measures were obtained from 14 regional monitoring stations in Ontario. Daily counts of asthma-attributed hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and outpatient visits were obtained from a provincial registry of 1.5 million individuals with asthma. Poisson regression was used to estimate health services rate ratios (RR) as a measure of association between the AQHI or individual pollutants and health services use. We adjusted for age, sex, season, year, and region of residence.

Results: The AQHI was significantly associated with increased use of asthma health services on the same day and on the two following days, depending on the specific outcome assessed. A unit increase in the AQHI was associated with a 5.6% increase in asthma outpatient visits (RR=1.056; 95% CI: 1.053, 1.058) and a 2.1% increase in the rate of hospitalization (RR=1.021; 95% CI: 1.014, 1.028) on the same day, and with a 1.3% increase in the rate of ED visits (RR=1.013; 95% CI: 1.010, 1.017) after a 2-day lag.

Conclusions: The AQHI was significantly associated with the use of asthma related health services. Timely AQHI health risk advisories with integrated risk reduction messages may reduce morbidity associated with air pollution in individuals with asthma.

Altering the Primal Environment: Health Effects Associated with Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Altering the Primal Environment: Health Effects Associated with Assisted Reproductive Technologies
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/2012/10/altering-the-primal-environment-health-effects-associated-with-assisted-reproductive-technologies/

"When Darine El-Chaar began her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Ottawa five years ago, she grew curious about the potential health repercussions of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), the catchall term for procedures used to help couples artificially conceive a child. ART involves surgically removing eggs from a woman's ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the womb.1 Women undergoing ART take "fertility drugs" such as clomiphene citrate and gonadotropins to stimulate the production of many eggs rather than the single egg that would normally grow during their monthly menstrual cycle.2"

BPA Exposure Impacts Pregnant Women's Thyroids, Study Suggests

BPA Exposure Impacts Pregnant Women's Thyroids, Study Suggests

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_129930.html

"Widely used chemical linked to lower levels of hormone in newborn boys, but not girls"

Pesticides blamed by report for illnesses

Pesticides blamed by report for illnesses
http://www.sfgate.com/green/article/Report-links-pesticides-and-child-illness-3933168.php

"Pesticides pervade the environment, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, and they are making children sicker than they were a generation ago, a new report warns."

Mercury in Fish Associated with ADHD

Mercury in Fish Associated with ADHD

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/ADHD-ADD/35206

 

"Prenatal exposure to mercury through maternal fish consumption was associated with attention-deficit and hyperactivity behaviors in children, yet fish in the mother's diet also appeared to be neuroprotective, a population-based study suggested."

 

 

Why Glyphosate Should Be Banned

Why Glyphosate Should Be Banned

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Why_Glyphosate_Should_be_Banned.php

 

"Glyphosate has contaminated land, water, air, and our food supply; the maximum permitted levels are set to rise by100-150 times in the European Union if Monsanto gets its way as damning evidence of serious harm to health & the environment piles up Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji and Dr Mae-Wan Ho."

The Anatomy of Hope | CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help

The Anatomy of Hope | CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help

http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/the-anatomy-hope

[COMMENT:  The CFIDS and fibromyalgia self-help page has an excellent discussion of unrealistic hope and how it can be damaging, and also how realistic hope combines acceptance with hope and "takes into account the real threats that exist and seeks to navigate the best path around them. To have hope is to "acquire a belief in your ability to have some control over your circumstances."" When a challenge comes up, find a work around. If shopping isn't possible any longer due to MCS reactions, there is no reason to lose hope. It just requires a different approach than was used before the onset of MCS. There are stores that deliver, online shopping, family and friends who may be willing to help, and people who would jump at the chance of a part-time job shopping for a small amount of extra income. Acceptance and hope combined allow problem solving to occur.]

NEWSLETTER: MCSA NEWS - October 2012

MCSA NEWS
October 2012, Volume 7, Issue 10

 

 

 

Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/October2012.pdf (View, Download, and Print)

 

Inside This Issue:

 

• Scientific Study:  Indoor Air Quality:  A Reliable Predictor of Teacher Sick Leave
• Scientific Study:  Pesticides Cause Toxic Effects Generations Later
• News:  $7.3 Million Awarded in Popcorn Lung Case
• Patient Support & Resources
• Community News
• Featured Research Studies

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities America

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Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to treat multiple chemical sensitivities: a randomized pilot trial.

[COMMENT:  Now there is proof of what we've been saying all along! Mindfulness based therapy is helpful for some to cope with MCS, but not to cure it. Gupta Amygdala Retraining, Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining, and the Lightning Process are marketed to innocent hopefuls who are often financially insecure and desperate to get well. The fancy packaging makes it seem like they are changing the brain, but evidence shows they are merely well known cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT), mindfulness based programs, and neuro linguistic programming (NLP) strategies. They can't cure MCS or any other disease because MCS is not a coping problem. These programs can only help the few who have trouble coping with MCS to cope with it. We cannot assume that everyone with MCS, or any disease, has challenges coping. Many people have developed excellent coping skills throughout life. Some cope by talking, solving problems, relating to others in the same situation, praying, exercise, meditation, and more. There is no need to pay lots of money to learn a coping strategy, even common mindfulness, CBT, and NLP programs. Theses techniques can easily be found for free and/or are covered by major medical insurance. The proof is in the pudding! No one should merely learn to cope with being ill or be brainwashing into pretending they are not ill. Let's put the fake cures to rest and/or market them as coping strategies for ANY of life's challenges, and get back to researching real treatments for MCS so people can actually get better!]

 

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to treat multiple chemical sensitivities: a randomized pilot trial.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22530938

 

Scand J Psychol. 2012 Jun;53(3):233-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9450.2012.00950.x. Epub 2012 Apr 25.

Skovbjerg S, Hauge CR, Rasmussen A, Winkel P, Elberling J.

Source
The Danish Research Centre for Chemical Sensitivities, Department of Dermato-Allergology, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Denmark. sinsko01@geh.regionh.dk

 

Abstract

Multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) is a medically unexplained and socially disabling disorder characterized by negative health effects attributed to exposure to common airborne chemicals. Currently, there is no evidence-based treatment. The objectives of the study were to assess the feasibility of an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy program (MBCT) for adults with MCS and to evaluate possible effects on psychological distress and illness perception. The study design was a randomized clinical trial. The MBCT programme comprised 8 weekly sessions of 2½ hours. Forty-two adults were screened for eligibility and 37 were included. Mean age of the participants was 51.6 years, 35 (94.6%) were female and 21 (56.8%) were unemployed. Measures of psychological distress and illness perceptions were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and at 3 months follow-up. No significant differences in effect measures were found between the groups. However, those who completed the MBCT program generally reported benefiting in terms of improved coping strategies and sleep quality. The positive verbal feedback from the participants in the MBCT group suggests that a larger randomized clinical trial on the effect of MBCT for MCS could be considered.

PMID:  23016822  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The toxic trade in fake make-up: How counterfeit cosmetics containing dangerous levels of arsenic are being sold online to unsuspecting bargain hunters

The toxic trade in fake make-up: How counterfeit cosmetics containing dangerous levels of arsenic are being sold online to unsuspecting bargain hunters 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2210884/The-toxic-trade-fake-make-How-counterfeit-cosmetics-containing-dangerous-levels-arsenic-sold-online-unsuspecting-bargain-hunters.html

"When Mandy Lanham saw her favourite foundation for sale online at a greatly reduced price she snapped it up — after all, few of us can resist a beauty bargain. The product — called Some Kinda Gorgeous and made by popular cosmetics brand Benefit — was being sold new on eBay by a seemingly reputable seller and duly arrived a few days later.  Having saved £10 on the recommended retail price of £23.50, Mandy, 48, a part-time teacher from East Sussex, was quietly smug.  'I thought it was a very good price but not so cheap that I was suspicious,' she says. 'I'd been looking for presents for my daughters when I spotted it. I checked out the ratings of the seller and all the feedback from customers was positive. The packaging in the picture looked convincing, too.'  Alarm bells only started ringing when the product arrived and Mandy put the make-up on her face.  'It felt sticky and unpleasant on my skin and I noticed the medium shade I'd chosen wasn't the same as the old one that I'd bought from a Benefit counter in a department store. It didn't smell the same either,' she says.  The following morning, Mandy's skin had flared up. Her face felt tender and puffy and it took a few hours for the swelling to go down. Mandy had unwittingly bought a fake — a fact confirmed when she contacted trading standards officers."

Even BPA-free bottles might leach worrisome chemicals

Even BPA-free bottles might leach worrisome chemicals
http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/even-bpa-free-bottles-might-leach-worrisome-chemicals-1.978033

"By now most Canadians are familiar with bisphenol A or BPA, a chemical still widely used in food containers that many worry might present a health risk.  Several studies have noted that BPA can mimic the hormone estrogen and have linked it to a number of health problems, from cancer, to obesity and even diabetes.  The concerns about BPA compelled Canada and several other countries to ban its use in baby bottles. That ban has led to a new market for BPA-free plastic bottles.  But what do we know about the replacement chemicals that are used in BPA-free plastics?  A number of studies suggest many BPA-free plastics substitutes may be no better than BPA."

Gimme kills shrimp, fish and human

Gimme kills shrimp, fish and human
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/49170/gimme-kills-shrimp--fish-and-human.html

"VietNamNet Bridge – The insecticides with high toxicity have been used by many farmers to catch shrimp, fish and wildlife. By doing this, they have been destroying their living environment themselves--thus harming their health."