Health Issues
OCA's Health Resource and Action Center
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.
News
June 15, 2006
Do you want to know what happens when a government that cares nothing about the people gets put in charge of administering a drug benefit program? You get an unmitigated disaster, and that's what we're seeing today with the Medicare prescription drug benefit program. This program, which is just legalized theft from one group of American taxpayers to another group of American consumers (mostly the elderly), originally promised to give people discounts on prescription drugs.
The program was supposed to cost "only" a couple hundred billion dollars. It turns out that, as usual, the Read more
The program was supposed to cost "only" a couple hundred billion dollars. It turns out that, as usual, the Read more
News
June 14, 2006
Headaches, bloating, irritability, depression and fatigue are just a few of the unpleasant symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, which affects millions of women every month. But fortunately, PMS -- though widely believed to be a result of changes in hormone levels during a woman's menstrual cycle -- is not entirely beyond a woman's control. Research shows that diet and nutrition play a significant role in the severity of PMS symptoms, and many women could ease their monthly bouts with discomfort simply by changing their diets or taking nutritional supplements.
Western society has Read more
Western society has Read more
Scientific Study
Drinking coffee seems to protect alcohol drinkers from liver disease, a new study suggests. (Read the full study here)
Every daily cup of coffee reduced the incidence of cirrhosis, a condition that destroys liver tissue, by 22 percent, according to researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, in Oakland, Calif.
However, Dr. Arthur L. Klatsky, the leader of the study and an associate in Kaiser Permanente's research division, said the results "should not be interpreted Read more
Every daily cup of coffee reduced the incidence of cirrhosis, a condition that destroys liver tissue, by 22 percent, according to researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, in Oakland, Calif.
However, Dr. Arthur L. Klatsky, the leader of the study and an associate in Kaiser Permanente's research division, said the results "should not be interpreted Read more
News
June 12, 2006
Seattle, WA -- The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it will phase out the use of a pesticide that poisons farmworkers. EPA took the action after as part of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by farmworkers challenging EPA's decision to allow continued use of this pesticide.
"This pesticide has put thousands of workers at risk of serious illness every year," said Erik Nicholson of the United Farmworkers of America. "The phase out is welcome, although it should have come years ago."
The pesticide, azinphos-methyl ("AZM"), is a highly toxic organophosphate Read more
"This pesticide has put thousands of workers at risk of serious illness every year," said Erik Nicholson of the United Farmworkers of America. "The phase out is welcome, although it should have come years ago."
The pesticide, azinphos-methyl ("AZM"), is a highly toxic organophosphate Read more
News
June 10, 2006
JAKARTA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Human-to-human transmission of bird flu probably occurred in Indonesia's seven cluster cases, a minister said. But he ruled out a pandemic of H5N1 across the archipelago.
"Limited human-to-human transmission may have occurred in small clusters in the country. It has not only happened in several regions in Indonesia but also in Azerbaijan and other places in the world," Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said Friday after a meeting with agencies involved in curbing the spread of the disease.
Other health officials, Read more
"Limited human-to-human transmission may have occurred in small clusters in the country. It has not only happened in several regions in Indonesia but also in Azerbaijan and other places in the world," Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said Friday after a meeting with agencies involved in curbing the spread of the disease.
Other health officials, Read more
News
June 9, 2006
The Body Hunters: How the Drug Industry Tests Its Products On the World's Poorest Patients <http://alternet.bookswelike.net/isbn/1565849124 (New Press)
A newly surfaced report alleges that in 1996, drug monolith Pfizer gave an unproven drug to Nigerian children and infants suffering from meningitis -- without the authorization of the Nigerian government. Completed five years ago and coming to light in a May 7 Washington Post investigation < Read more
A newly surfaced report alleges that in 1996, drug monolith Pfizer gave an unproven drug to Nigerian children and infants suffering from meningitis -- without the authorization of the Nigerian government. Completed five years ago and coming to light in a May 7 Washington Post investigation < Read more
News
June 9, 2006
If bird flu spreads to the United States, local towns and states cannot rely solely on the federal government to help contain the virus, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday.
"Local planning is really the frontline, I can't say it enough," said Dr. Julie Gerberding at the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Boston.
In the event of a pandemic, Gerberding warned that hospitals and medical centers would be overwhelmed and vaccines would not be readily available. Gerberding said people would have to Read more
"Local planning is really the frontline, I can't say it enough," said Dr. Julie Gerberding at the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Boston.
In the event of a pandemic, Gerberding warned that hospitals and medical centers would be overwhelmed and vaccines would not be readily available. Gerberding said people would have to Read more
News
June 7, 2006
Millions of American women suffer from hot flashes during menopause, but not many realize that diet can have a lot to do with it. Fortunately, hot flashes do not have to be an inevitable part of menopause. In fact, women in some cultures -- namely in Asia -- rarely experience discomfort from hot flashes at all. What's their secret? It could very likely be what's on their dinner plate.
Research indicates that soy, a significant element in the traditional Japanese diet, may be useful in preventing hot flashes in women. Edible beans, especially soybeans, contain the compounds Read more
Research indicates that soy, a significant element in the traditional Japanese diet, may be useful in preventing hot flashes in women. Edible beans, especially soybeans, contain the compounds Read more
News
September 1, 1997
Introduction: "....The report offers a glimpse into the history of fluoride, a bio-accumulative toxic that Americans ingest every day. The authors, Griffiths and Bryson, spent more than a year on research. With the belief that the information should be withheld no longer, the authors gave their report to Waste Not, and others, with a short note: "use as you wish."
The science of fluoridating public drinking water systems has been, from day one, shoddy at best. As we learn from this report, the basis of that science was rooted in protecting the U.S. Atomic bomb program from litigation. Read more
The science of fluoridating public drinking water systems has been, from day one, shoddy at best. As we learn from this report, the basis of that science was rooted in protecting the U.S. Atomic bomb program from litigation. Read more
Scientific Study
May 31, 2006
You may have heard that antiperspirants cause breast cancer. And you may have heard the National Cancer Institute insists they don't. But now there's evidence that they do, in fact, cause breast cancer. And now we know why.
We've known for years that abnormal estrogen metabolism is at the root of breast cancer. Estrogen is carcinogenic when it's in excess or out of balance.
Now a new study indicates that aluminum adversely affects your estrogen metabolism. In fact, the researchers discovered that both aluminum and cadmium bind to estrogen receptors in your breasts Read more
We've known for years that abnormal estrogen metabolism is at the root of breast cancer. Estrogen is carcinogenic when it's in excess or out of balance.
Now a new study indicates that aluminum adversely affects your estrogen metabolism. In fact, the researchers discovered that both aluminum and cadmium bind to estrogen receptors in your breasts Read more
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