Mile High Natural Awakenings

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson’s seminal book, Silent Spring , which warned of the far-reaching dangers of deadly pesticides and was widely regarded as a catalyst for America’s conservation, clean air and water and environmental protection movements. Now author Laurie Lawlor and illustrator Laurie Beingessner bring her message to today’s youth in the children’s book, Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World . Carson’s life—from her childhood fascination with nature to becoming a college graduate and biologist to writing Silent Spring before her death in 1964—is told in easy-to-understand terms. An epilogue recounts her legacy for all generations. Carson encouraged readers to rethink fundamental values about the relationship between people and nature and not to suppose that, “Nature exists for the convenience of man,” as she put it. One of the vivid examples of life’s ...

New evidence that chemical pollution may be linked to breast cancer comes from a surprising source: a group of male breast cancer patients at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. Poisons in the camp’s drinking water, including benzene, a carcinogenic gasoline additive, perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), are regarded as a cause; conditions at the base are also blamed for unusual rates of leukemia and birth defects. The worst period of contamination of the base’s water supply began in the late 1950s and continued for more than 30 more years. Because men are simpler to study than women— their risk of developing breast cancer is not complicated by factors such as menstruation, reproduction, breastfeeding and hormone replacement therapy—the epidemiologists may be able to conclusively link industrial chemicals with an increased risk of the disease for both genders. So...

The popularity of acupuncture in the United States is increasing steadily, according to a study of Americans’ use of the ancient Chinese energy balancing technique, published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Researchers found that in 2007, 6 percent of adult Americans included acupuncture as part of their regular health care regimen, up 42 percent from 2002 (at that time, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine also reported that 60 percent of adults surveyed considered acupuncture as a treatment option). Most commonly used for pain relief, acupuncture is based on the theory that needle stimulation of specific points on the body’s energy channels, called meridians, corrects imbalances and helps restore health. Some Western experts believe that the needles stimulate pain-sensing nerves, which trigger the brain to release endorphins, the body’s pain-re...

What do Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower have in common? According to a new  study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, these cruciferous veggies are associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer. Throw in a good measure of A’s, as in apples, and people can also reduce their risk of distal colon cancer, report researchers from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research at the University of Western Australia and Deakin University, in Victoria, Australia. The investigation examined the potential link between fruits and vegetables and three cancers in different parts of the bowel.

A recent American Heart Association (AHA) survey reports that only 12 percent of American adults regularly practice the healthy-life trifecta of good nutrition, exercise and oral care. The most common excuse is a lack of time. Of those surveyed, 80 percent said that eating at least nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily is a struggle. About 60 percent find it difficult to log the association’s recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. At least 25 percent don’t brush and rinse twice daily and floss at least once daily. Yet, 90 percent of Americans like the idea of improving their health. The AHA “My Heart. My Life.” initiative offers a straightforward set of solutions to help families understand how to make incremental changes that have long-term health impact (MyLifeCheck.Heart.org). “Whether it is simply adding a 30-minute brisk walk to your day, eating a few more fruits and vegetables with meals, b...

Beyond continuing its well-documented opposition to genetically modified (GMO) labeling laws in order to protect its corporate interests, Monsanto has recently launched aggressive backdoor attacks on organic and non-GMO farmers and consumers. The corporation’s rider attached to the U.S. House of Representatives’ 2013 Agriculture Appropriations Bill would allow planting of new genetically engineered (GE) crops—even when courts rule that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved them illegally. Now, Monsanto has slipped an even more dangerous provision, HR 872, into the house version of the Farm Bill. This so-called Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act would stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from reviewing new and expanded uses of pesticides (often caused by the introduction of herbicideresistant GMO crops) and require the USDA to approve GE crops easier and faster. Most GMO crops have been genetical...

The portable computers that serve as our business and communication “lifelines” may actually be thwarting unborn lives. Researchers suggest that laptop computer (LTC) users should avoid putting the devices directly on their laps, especially for extended periods of time. Recent research reported in the journal Fertility and Sterility examined semen samples from 29 healthy male donors that used an LTC on their laps, near their testes. The scientists found that LTCs connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi resulted in decreased sperm motility and increased sperm DNA fragmentation. A separate study, published in the journal Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, noted that electromagnetic fields produced by LTCs likely induce currents within the body and can expose developing fetuses in pregnant women to unsafe levels. The researchers concluded that, “[An individual’s] ‘laptop’ is paradoxically an imprope...