Page 14 - Spring2012

Caustic Commentary

despite the long list of side effects these drugs cause: memory vaccines and working with parents in a relationship that
loss, cognitive decline, Parkinson’s disease, muscle wasting, involves shared decision-making” (www.medicinenet.com,
back pain, heart failure, weakness and fatigue. Now another October 3, 2011).
can be added to the list: diabetes. A study published in the
Archives of Internal Medicine that looked at data gleaned TOXIC BY-PRODUCT IN BABY FORMULA
from the Women’s Health Initiative, found a nearly 50 percent Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) are toxic glucose
increase in diabetes among longtime statin users. A 2011 byproducts found in most heated foods. They are associated
analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association with increased insulin levels, increased diabetes and pre-
and a 2010 analysis in The Lancet also found a higher risk mature aging. Researchers from the Mount Sinai School of
of diabetes among those taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. Medicine found that levels of AGEs were up to one hundred
Doctors may be hemming and hawing, but they continue to times higher in baby formula compared to human breast
prescribe these dangerous drugs. “I don’t think there’s any milk as a result of heat processing during manufacture.
debate remaining, particularly in the higher doses, about The formula industry insists that AGEs do not cause health
whether statins slightly increase the risk of developing diabe- problems, noting that heat processing is vital to ensure micro-
tes,” says cardiologist Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic. biological safety of infant formula. “Modern food AGEs can
Yet he notes that statins are “among the best drugs we’ve got.” overwhelm the body’s defenses, a worrisome fact especially
Even a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association for young children,” said Dr. Helen Vlassara, MD, Profes-
(ADA) urges the continuation of statins. “Every medication sor and director of the Division of Experimental Diabetes
has risks and benefits,” says Vivian Fonseca, president of and Aging at the Mount Sinai School of Medicines. “More
the ADA, “but you don’t want people to have heart attacks research is certainly needed, but the findings confirm our
because they are so worried about getting diabetes.” studies in genetic animal models of diabetes. Given the rise
in the incidence of diabetes in children, safe and low-cost
RESISTANCE TO VACCINATIONS AGE-less approaches to children’s diet should be considered
More than one in ten parents don’t follow recommended by clinicians and families” (www.foodproductiondaily.com,
vaccination guidelines for their children, and at least 2 October 14, 2011). No mention, of course, of using raw milk,
percent skip vaccinations completely. Those who choose an which is very low in AGEs, for nourishing growing children
alternative schedule usually delay vaccinations until the age and infants that can’t be breastfed.
of three or four, when the greatest danger of vaccine-induced
autism has passed. Of course, health officials are not pleased. SUPERMARKET SCENTS?
“This really highlights…that there’s probably going to be a Many people are so sensitive to fake scents that they cannot
continuing increase in the number of parents who choose to visit a department store, shopping mall, or hairdresser. Now
follow alternative schedules,” said Dr. Amanda Dempsey. imagine that you are assaulted with fake food smells when
“We really need to start allocating government and educa- you visit the supermarket. Such a scenario may be just around
tional resources to stem the growing tide of discontent about the corner with a new “invisible technology” that allows
vaccines among parents.” These officials like to blame ever food and beverage processors to add a product aroma to its
increasing outbreaks of illnesses like measles, pertussis and packaging. Developed by ScentSational Technologies, the
mumps on lower rates of vaccination. The truth is that many product, called Encapscent, will be applied as microscopic
vaccinated children get these diseases. The trend will be cells to boxes, bottles and bags. The cells are ruptured when
difficult for health officials to stop, as the dangers of vac- handled to release the scent. “There are millions of cells on
cines continue to seep into the public consciousness. “The each packaging application so cells can be ruptured and the
days when people obeyed doctors’ orders without question scent released over and over again,” explains Steven M. Lan-
are over,” says Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president dau, ScentSational chief technological officer. “We have been
of the National Vaccine Information Center. “Pediatricians asked for many years to develop technology like this. We have
are going to have to get used to answering questions about tested it and it can even be adapted to ice cream. It’s a real
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