A new report, Nutritional quality and safety of organic food, has found that organic foods are better for you and contain less pesticides and nitrates, and have higher levels of minerals and antioxidants.  The study was published by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA).

The major points of the study are:

1. organic plant products contain more dry matter and minerals (Fe, Mg) and contain more anti-oxidant micronutrients such as phenols and salicylic acid
2. organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids
3. data on carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented
4. 94–100% of organic food does not contain any pesticide residues
5. organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less
6. organic cereals contain overall similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones

We are lucky living in the bay area because there are loads of farmers markets providing local fresh organic veggies and fruits.

This is by Brian Sutton, DC, because he did a great job breaking this story I’m going to leave it as-is, thanks Brian:

A small number of international news sources (but none I could find in the U.S. press) are reporting on an event that happened recently involving an influenza vaccine produced by the U.S.-based pharmaceutical company, Baxter. It seems that while doing a routine check on a new shipment of H3N2 seasonal flu vaccines, a subcontractor in the Czech Republic noticed a problem. Normally, the vaccine has little effect when injected into ferrets, although they may become ill if some remnants of the virus are still viable. However, this time the ferrets died.

Further investigation revealed that the vaccine, which had also been shipped to Slovenia and Germany, contained a live H5N1 avian flu virus. Somehow, a live experimental culture of avian flu was mixed into the influenza vaccine before shipment. This is especially disturbing since the avian flu, which is not as easily spread as influenza, could become very contagious through a process called “reassortment” when mixed with something spread by airborne contact like influenza. Reassortment is one process responsible for many pandemic viruses. According to experts, “Accidental release of a mixture of live H5N1 and H3N2 viruses could have resulted in dire consequences.”¹³

At least four countries are conducting investigations into the incident, which critics say should not have been possible because of the number of safeguards that are supposedly in place, leading to a number of interesting speculations and one or two rather disturbing conspiracy theories.¹⁴

13. Branswell H. “Baxter: Product Contained Live Bird Flu Virus.” Toronto Sun, May 5, 2009. www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/02/27/8560781.html.
14. “‘Accidental’ Contamination of Vaccine With Live Avian Flu Virus Virtually Impossible.” www.propagandamatrix.com/articles/march2009.

For information about Brian Sutton, DC

I recently did a post on the importance of washing your hands and avoiding sneezing/coughing into your hands.

As the H1N1, or as the media calls it-the swine flu fear is heightened I will spend a few posts on easy ways to boost the immune system. Most patients first come into my office for an injury whether it be sports related or just from life but it also has been shown to help improve immunity.

Chiropractic care was first linked to improved immunity during the deadly flu epidemic of 1917 and 1918. The funny thing was: Chiropractic patients fared better than the general population. This observation spurred a study of the field. The data reported that flu victims under chiropractic care had an estimated .25 percent death rate, a lot less than the normal rate of 5 percent among flu victims who did not receive chiropractic care.

In the years since, studies are finding that chiropractic care is a way to improve immunity. One study, from the National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, Illinois, found that disease-fighting white blood cell counts were higher just 15 minutes after chiropractic manipulation was applied to the back. A similar study investigated the immune system response in HIV-positive patients under chiropractic care. After six months of treating spinal misalignment, the group receiving the chiropractic treatment showed a 48 percent increase in white blood cell counts. Conversely, the group that did not receive chiropractic manipulation experienced a 7.96 percent decrease in immunity cells, Psychologytoday.com.

There is a lot of fear and panic surrounding the H1N1 virus or swine flu and people are rushing to get vaccines and policy makers are pushing for manditory vaccinations in certain populations such as schools.  Reporter Cynthia Tucker from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pointed out that “Elmo appears in videos to tell listeners (children and adults) to wash their hands and cough into their sleeves” is prudent advice that should not be overlooked.

I too support the basic Public Health suggests such as washing hands more and coughing and sneezing into your sleeve verses your hand to prevent issues. Vaccines can be useful but it must be fully vetted before the public is encouraged to receive the injections and certainly before it is mandatory.  This video points out that many of the scientists who made the vaccine are hesitant at this point to receive the vaccine.

Too often public health tips are overlooked along with known immune system bolstering techniques such as exercise, healthy diet, and supplementation. Even chiropractic has been shown to improve the overall immune response… these safe techniques should be further studied and publicized in conjunction to putting billions (yes billions) into the vaccine.

Image from www.sesamestreet.org