Think twice before removing your breasts!

A brand new 2014 study, published in JAMA, shows that patients who chose to have bilateral mastectomies (double breast removal) did not live longer than those who had a single mastectomy or had treatment with lumpectomy and radiation therapy. The study looked at close to 200,000 patients in California and found that the use of bilateral mastectomy increased significantly throughout California from 1998 through 2011. However it was not associated with lower mortality than that achieved with having lumps removed and undergoing radiotherapy. Lead scientist for the project, Dr Allison Kurian from Stanford University, said “We can now say that the average breast cancer patient who has bilateral mastectomy will have no better survival than the average patient who has lumpectomy plus radiation.” Eluned Hughes, head of public health at Breakthrough Breast Cancer in the UK, believes any woman considering having such a radical operation should carefully consider all the available evidence about the risks and benefits involved before submitting to the knife.

Fruit juice NOT one of our recommended five a day

Campaigners are calling for fruit juice to be removed from the recommended 5 a day list following results of an analysis undertaken by the health group, Action on Sugar. The analysis looked at more than 200 juices, smoothies and fruit drinks, and revealed that more than 25% of the beverages tested contained at least as much sugar as a glass of Coca-Cola, with up to six teaspoons per 250ml glass. The survey looked specifically at juices that were aimed at children or marketed as lunchbox-friendly, and has resulted in a call for a reduction in the amount of sugar manufacturers add to their products, and for the Government to withdraw its advice that a small glass of unsweetened fruit juice can count towards fruit and vegetable intake recommendations. Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Action on Sugar, said “It is a complete scandal that these drinks are marketed to children and parents as if they are ‘healthy’; this has to stop.” However Public Health England says the advice is sound and it’s chief nutritionist, Alison Tedstone, still advises that “Fruit juice is a useful contribution towards our five-a-day.”

Inability to contain GM spread lethal risk for bees

A new study has shown that genetically modified (GM) crop contamination of non-GM crops cannot be contained. The study is an analysis of a GM Contamination Register kept by Genewatch and Greenpeace, and holds records of nearly 400 contamination cases within 63 countries. The authors focused their analysis on cases of contamination arising from unauthorised GM crops (i.e. those without any authorisation for commercial growing anywhere in the world). The main points of the study show unequivocal evidence that GM contamination occurs and, more worryingly, that some of the contaminating GM crops haven’t undergone any environmental or food safety analysis. GM rice tops the league table of contamination cases by crop, and once contamination has occurred, it can be almost impossible to contain it.

In Ontario, Canada, bee-keeper, Dave Schuit, lost about 37 million bees within weeks of genetically modified corn being planted near to his farm. Schuit stated, “Once the corn started to get planted our bees died by the millions”, and another local farmer, Nathan Carey, who believes there is a strong correlation between the disappearance of bees and insecticide use, says he noticed that there were not enough bees on his farm this spring. The US Department of Agriculture has so far failed to ban neonicotinoid insecticides and two of manufacturer Bayer’s best-selling pesticides, Imidacloprid and Clothianidin, are known to get into pollen and nectar, and can damage essential insects such as bees.

"The Quest for The Cures...Continues" attracts huge viewing

Ty Bollinger’s cancer docu-series, “The Quest for the Cures…Continues”, gained over 1 million views throughout October and delivered fascinating information into the hands of thousands of people who desperately need it. The series gave a wealth of information about cancer and ways of helping to support your body back to health without going down the conventional chemotherapy/radiation route. It was packed full of interviews with leading doctors, scientists, researchers, and several cancer survivors sharing their knowledge and experience of holistic cancer care. If you missed it this time, you can be first in line to watch it when it premieres again in late November and Ty is also planning on producing the “Global Quest for the Cures” in 2015. Until then, you can find out more about the origins of this unique series by reading our exclusive feature with Ty himself!

Suspected manipulation of European GM feeding study

Concern has been raised about a new study regarding the results of GRACE, the publicly funded EU GMO safety research project. The project is extremely important, as the EU Commission will base their decision about the future risk assessment standards for genetically engineered plants in the EU, on the results of these feeding studies. Several scientists have voiced their misgivings, saying that the evaluation actually reveals indications of negative health impacts on the kidneys, liver and pancreas. The authors of the paper, however, conclude "no adverse effects" in the test-rats that were fed Monsanto's pesticidal maize MON810 for 90 days. Along with this suspected manipulation of the results, Testbiotech has revealed in their analysis of the data, numerous conflicts of interest with industry among the authors of the study and even among the editors of the journal that published it, Archives of Toxicology. As a consequence, Testbiotech is calling for the paper to be retracted.

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