This Does Suck, Big Time!

Think About This One!!!

It is short but very interesting!

 

A car company can move it's factories to Mexico and claim it's a free market.

 

A toy company can out source to a Chinese subcontractor and claim it's a free market.

 

A shoe company can produce its shoes in Southeast Asia and claim it's a free market.

 

A major bank can incorporate in Bermuda to avoid taxes and claim it's a free market.

 

We can buy HP Printers made in Mexico . We can buy shirts made in Bangladesh .

We can purchase almost anything we want from 20 different countries.

 

BUT, heaven help the senior citizens who dare to buy their prescription drugs from a

Canadian or Mexican pharmacy. That's called un-American and illegal and our politicians want to stop it!

 

And you think the pharmaceutical companies don't have a powerful lobby? Think again!

 

Forward this to every person you know over age 50. It is an interesting thought.

Maybe this is an issue that should come up in the next election!

 

Forget the 50, send it to everyone.  We're all in this boat together!  

Even if you aren't in this boat now, you're standing on the pier.

 

Cirrhosis of the Liver From a "Harmless" Soft Drink?

 

By Jon Herring 

You can file this article under "another reason to avoid processed foods."

In ETR #1682, I explained that when the chemical preservative sodium benzoate mixes with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), benzene forms as a byproduct. Benzene is an aggressive carcinogen, even in minute amounts. That's why I strongly recommend avoiding fruit-flavored soft drinks, which are often made with both sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid.

But now there is news that sodium benzoate itself could be responsible for DNA damage. Peter Piper, an English professor of molecular biology and biotechnology at Sheffield University, has been studying this common preservative for the past seven years. When he tested the impact of the substance on living yeast cells, he was alarmed to find that the benzoate was damaging the "power station" of all cells, the mitochondria.

Speaking to The Independent, Piper said, "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: They knock it out altogether."

Damage the energy production capacity of a cell, and the cell will begin to malfunction in a serious way. Piper suggests that a number of conditions, including Parkinson's, cirrhosis of the liver, and accelerated aging, can be linked to this type of damage.

The bottom line is this. We really don't know what many of the "harmless" artificial ingredients and chemical preservatives in our food will do to us. In most cases, the long-term effects are unknown. So, as always, stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible. And think twice - make that three times - about buying soft drinks that contain sodium benzoate.

PSA: Raisins and grapes can be harmful to dogs.

 

Snopes also says this is true...

snopes (dot) com

Claim:   Raisins and grapes can be harmful to dogs.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]

 

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday.  He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in& nbsp;immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but....   Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 ½ times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the ren al values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids.  At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic.. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Laurinda Morris, DVM

Danville Veterinary Clinic

Danville , Ohio

Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth Sending