Health Issues
Big Ag and Big Pharma are interested in profit, not public health, and their lobbyists fight to protect their corporate interests, not consumer interests. OCA advocates for a sustainable, integrative healthcare system with an emphasis on prevention, nutrition, wellness promotion, and freedom of choice in healthcare for everyone.
Prenatal care has drastically changed in the last 100 years. Up until 75 years ago, nearly 66 percent of U.S. women had a home birth with no painkillers. The practice of modern obstetrics included a trend toward hospital births. Much of the first issues in obstetrics was the debate over analgesics used during childbirth and the effort to find something safe for both the mother and the child.
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The cheapest foods tend to be calorie-dense but nutritionally bankrupt—think of the bounty a five-spot furnishes from the McDonald’s dollar menu. And when straight-up access to nutritious foods is obstructed or barred to many Americans—most often those in communities of color, low-income neighborhoods, and rural areas—swinging by the drive-thru often makes the most sense.
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An increasing number of people have been striving for a healthier lifestyle in recent years. As a result, there's been a surge in the demand for health-boosting beverages. One of the most interesting (and at times controversial) beverages out there is kombucha.
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A popular form of vegetable oils, soybean oil is extracted from soybean seeds. There has been much hype about its touted health benefits, but there's more to soybean oil than what's advertised on product labels. It could be very problematic to use in cooking, due to manufacturing processes and the presence of genetically engineered varieties. Get the lowdown on this food staple, and why it is one of the worst oils for cooking.
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In 1973, the U.S. government passed a law requiring all children's sleepwear to be fire resistant, believing they were preserving public health and keeping children safe. A mere five years later, scientists discovered the chemical used to make the fire retardant fabrics — brominated Tris — was responsible for rising incidences of cancer, and the chemical was banned by 1977.
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In 2016, 22.9 million U.S. adults reported having cancer at least once in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cancer is the second-most common cause of death behind heart disease in the U.S., taking 185.1 lives out of a population of 100,000 in 2016, according to the CDC website.
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Cancer is at epidemic proportions around the around the world. In the U.S., 1,660 people are expected to die from cancer every day in 2019; in China, 4 people die of cancer every minute, or about 5,760 every day. Even though China has a larger population, their rate is still higher than the U.S.
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The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) strongly opposes federal interference in medical decisions, including mandated vaccines. After being fully informed of the risks and benefits of a medical procedure, patients have the right to reject or accept that procedure.
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Drop and give me 20! Actually, make that 40. A study from Harvard's School of Public Health revealed that middle-aged men who can complete more than 40 pushups have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared with men who can do less than 10.
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A few years ago, the term "gluten free" was mostly associated with wheat allergy and celiac disease. Those afflicted with either condition who adopted a gluten-free diet often reported a resurgence of health and well-being.
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