When the jets flew into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the volume on fear in this country was cranked way up, much of it with the intention of manipulating us and unfortunately with considerable success. One of the cooler heads was Mr. Rogers. What he told children (and adults who were smart enough to listen) was “Pay attention to the helpers.” [Read more…]

The next issue of the journal Science includes an article about gestational diabetes[1]., which is specific to women while they’re pregnant. An increasing number of women are getting this particular form of blood sugar derangement. Although the condition goes away after the child is born, a woman who has had gestational diabetes is more likely to have type 2 diabetes later in her life. The health of the fetus is also challenged in the womb and can affect its health throughout life. [Read more…]

The death rate from cancer in the United States is falling. Last week the National Cancer Institute was happy to report that for the last several years a smaller percentage of people are dying from cancer. They were also happy to report that the percentage of people newly diagnosed with cancer also went down, although not as much as cancer deaths. There’s a good deal of cooking the books in these happy numbers. [Read more…]

In 2002 journalist Gary Taubes wrote a very influential article titled “What If It’s All Been a Big Fat Lie?” about how institutional science clings to the myth that fat harms your health despite substantial science to the contrary. So I was looking forward to his article in last Sunday’s New York Times titled “Do We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy?”

What a disappointment. [Read more…]

A buzz began a few weeks ago among people concerned about the spread of wireless technologies. Germany’s Green Party asked its Federal Government to formally take a position. The Government responded by saying that people should use wired connections when it is at all possible in order to avoid exposure to radio frequency radiation. [Read more…]

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported presidential candidate John Edwards as saying that his version of universal health care would make preventive care mandatory. “If you are going to be in the system, you can’t choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK.” The example he is reported as giving is “that women would be required to have regular mammograms.” [Read more…]

The cancer establishment has been sent, in the words of a researcher, “back to the drawing board.” She was referring to a large study that sprouted headlines such as “Study: Diet doesn’t help cancer fight” and “No Cancer Shield Found in Fruit and Vegetable Diet.” And it is good that they feel compelled back to the drawing board because of how poorly such research is typically designed. [Read more…]

According to a large survey released last month, most Europeans believe that cell phones and cell phone antennas damage their health. About three of every four people interviewed expressed moderate to extreme concern. They also expressed considerable concern that they were not being adequately informed about these risks—again, about three out four people interviewed. [Read more…]

Suppose several hundred marine biologists studied your swimming pool. 47% (or 69% or 77% or 83%) of the biologists report you’ve got a shark in your pool. Would you dive in? Would you let your kids dive in? [Read more…]

Last Monday court proceedings began in Washington, DC with 4,800 families asking a special court to rule that mercury in vaccines had caused their children’s autism. It has many people in the medical and public health establishment worried. [Read more…]