Contact: Barbara Haumann (413-376-1220)
Organic Trade Association (OTA) hails panel for empowering consumers with ways to reduce their cancer risk

GREENFIELD, Mass. (May 6, 2010)—. The President’s Cancer Panel Report released on May 6 exhorts consumers to choose food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers , antibiotics, and growth hormones to help decrease their exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase their risk of contracting cancer. Organic products avoid the use of these chemicals.

“Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers…Similarly, exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications,” according to the landmark report, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now,” submitted to President Obama by Dr. LaSalle Leffall, Jr., an oncologist and professor of surgery at Howard University, and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke, an immunologist at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

“Organic production and processing is the only system that uses certification and inspection to verify that these chemicals are not used on the farm all the way to our dinner tables,” said Christine Bushway, Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

Organic production is based on a system of farming without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) and synthetic fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food. In addition, animal confinement in feedlots is prohibited.

“Consumers should know that organic foods have the least chemicals applied in their production and the least residues in the final products. Thus, those seeking to minimize their exposure to these chemicals and follow the recommendations of the President’s Cancer Panel can look for the USDA Organic label wherever they shop,” said Bushway.

“The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures,” the panel wrote in a letter to President Obama. It added. “The Panel urges you most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

It added, “Many known or suspected carcinogens first identified through studies of industrial and agricultural occupational exposures have since found their way into soil, air, water and numerous consumer products…Some of these chemicals have been found in maternal blood, placental tissue, and breast milk samples from pregnant women and mothers who recently gave birth. Thus, chemical contaminants are being passed on to the next generation, both prenatally and during breastfeeding.”

“OTA is gratified to see a prestigious scientific panel recognize what the organic farmers and the organic community have realized about environmental health and organic agriculture for decades, and we applaud them for taking on this critical issue,” Bushway added.

The full report is available online.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy (www.ota.com).

Organic Trade Association (OTA) encourages consumers to choose organic fruits and vegetables

By Barbara Haumann, 413-376-1220

Following closely on the heels of the President’s Cancer Panel Report exhorting consumers to choose food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers , antibiotics, and growth hormones to help decrease their exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase their risk of contracting cancer, a study published in today’s issue of the journal Pediatrics concludes that exposure to organophosphate pesticides at levels common among U.S. children may contribute to the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in these children.

“Studies have increasingly shown the importance of minimizing young children’s exposure to even low levels of chemical pesticides. This study adds to that wealth of knowledge and arms parents with information that helps them reduce their children’s pesticide intake,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director, pointing out that the use of organophosphates is prohibited in organic production.

The article reported findings from a study examining the association between urinary concentrations of metabolites of organophosphates and ADHD in children ages 8 to 15. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers led by Maryse Bouchard, a researcher in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of Montreal, analyzed the levels of pesticide metabolites in the urine of 1,139 children and found children with above-average levels had roughly twice the odds of being diagnosed with ADHD.

As the largest study of this kind so far, it reminds consumers that organophosphates were originally developed for use in chemical warfare because they are known to be toxic to the nervous system. Organophosphate compounds are used in agriculture to kill pests.

“Organic food production and processing is the only system that uses certification and inspection to verify that these chemicals are not used,” Bushway added. “Those seeking to minimize their exposure to these chemicals can look for the USDA Organic label wherever they shop.”

The abstract of the paper published in the journal Pediatrics is accessible online.

For more information on organic, go to OTA’s consumer web site, www.organicitsworthit.org.

Our readers know how I feel about vaccines.  These are not the vaccines that Benjamin Franklin advocated more than two hundred years ago.  These are not the vaccines that were created in the 50s and 60s.  These are chemical cocktails that challenge our children’s health and immune system.  They also challenge the health of adults as well.
The choice is yours, as parents whether to inoculate your children and at what age.  My only request is that you look at all of the data.  And, not blindly agree to vaccines because your pediatrician says it’s okay.  That’s what my pediatrician said when asked about trace amounts of mercury and aluminum in the booster shots.  If it was okay, then why six month later did his practice switch to vaccines with fewer trace  chemicals?
The only way your pediatrican will change is if you first educate yourself and then educate them by refusing to spending your money on poor quality drugs  – not just vaccines.
If you are looking for information, I highly recommend the column below written by Kurt Perkins DC on February 3, 2010.  We are reprinting it in its entirety with Dr Perkins permission.  This is the first non-fear based article on MMR vaccines.  This is his response to an article/attack in the British Medical Journal in January on Dr Andrew Wakefield.
MMR Perspective

By Kurt Perkins
http://drkurtrant.blogspot.com/2010/02/mmr-perspective.html
www.mychirorocks.com
All over the news there have been stories how Lancet, the British medical journal, has discredited and voided out the research done by Dr. Andrew Wakefield.  In the Lancet article, Wakefield made a mere SUGGESTION that there MAY be a connection between autism and the MMR vaccine, BUT further studies had to be performed, this was back in the late ‘90s.  That was it, and this was career suicide for him ever since.  To do further studies, he had to do his OWN research.  This is where the supposed ‘conflict of interest’ has come in the news.  A group paid him to do research.  In case you don’t know, it costs money to do research, so he got paid to work.  Read on as we discuss the conflict of interest perspective from the leading pro-vaccine front man.
I’ve waited a week to comment on this issue because I was waiting to see if Dr. Paul Offit was going to make an appearance and he, in fact, did this morning on CBS’s morning program (2/3/10).  I waited because Dr. Offit is the vaccine industries highest paid unofficial spokes person.  Dr. Profit Offit has earned close to $10 million in royalties from the Rotateq vaccine and stands to earn $13-$35 million over the life of the vaccine patents, the one he invented, as well as voted into the child’s mandatory vaccine schedule.
This is the same man that said a baby could tolerate 100,000 vaccines safely.  He also took home $29 million from the sale of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as part of a $182 million sale of its worldwide royalty interest in the Merck Rotateq vaccine to Royal Pharma.  The amount could be as high as $42 million, based on an analysis of current CHOP administrative policies.
Perspective on conflict of interest is always necessary, especially from a group such as the vaccine industry that has billions and billions of dollars to bury any contrary thought or notion that challenges their cash cow dogma.  Ask this question.  If everyone stopped getting the MMR vaccine, would Dr. Wakefield make any money from those decisions?  On the contrary, how much money would the vaccine industry lose if everyone stopped getting MMR?  The CDC states there were just over 4 million births in 2009.  That would be a huge loss to the vaccine industry if the MMRs were stopped.  Can you image a guaranteed 4 million new customers every year that would buy your product more than once?  Of course, the vaccine industry is going to nullify any accusation that vaccines cause harm.
Prior to the MMR vaccine being given at 12-15 months of age, a child could receive up to 25 doses of vaccines.  You can find the vaccine schedule on the CDC’s webpage.  What poisonous ingredients do those vaccines contain?  How would you like a healthy dose of mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, MSG, and anti-freeze.  Don’t believe me?  Check out the CDC’s page
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf
I’m going to propose that even if a child did not receive the MMR vaccine, autism rates would still sky rocket just like they have the past 20-30 years.  I also propose that mercury is not the only culprit.  Do some research and look at the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity, such as aluminum.  A lot of it sounds like autism type disorders to me.  When vaccines are developed, they are not tested if they cause problems, just if they supposedly can prevent a minor illness most often seen in a culture where sanitation, hygiene, and lack of nutrition are problems.  Not the case in the USA.
My final piece of perspective MMR PERSPECTIVE to challenge you is from the wellness paradigm.  In wellness, dis-ease happens from 2 manners, deficiency, or toxicity.  The human body is an eco-system.  We are animated earth.  There is nothing in the human body that is not Earth, unless man puts it in like mercury, formaldehyde, anti-freeze, or monkey kidney tissue.  For humans to thrive, we must eat, move, and think in a manner that is required for proper genetic expression.  Our cells desire to maintain balance and only become imbalanced when overtaken by deficiency or toxicity.  This is the basis of physiology, not a controversial topic at all.  In the case of vaccines, adding chemicals to the body to prevent minor illness has had a massive trade in overall health.  ‘Science’ will hang onto the notion that mercury does not cause autism, yet they are asking the wrong questions.
The correct question should be, ‘by adding chemicals and viruses to the human eco-system in a way that nature would never allow, will the eco-system flourish or get sick?’  If you look around, the answer is we get sick.  Just in kids, cancer, diabetes, auto-immune disorders, asthma, allergies, and AUTISM are at all time highs and getting worse.  But science will look at the fact that fewer kids get chicken pox or fewer cases of diarrhea and call that success.  It’s absurd and idiotic to say that’s a success when you see the trade off end result.  Are vaccines the only culprit?  Absolutely not, but from a human physiology/eco-system paradigm, vaccines will never move a cell towards balance which promotes growth and repair.  If you want more info regarding vaccines, there are many books.  I always recommend ‘The Sanctity of the Human Blood’ by Dr. Tim O’Shea.  Don’t worry, I get ZERO kick backs for recommending his book.  Another book, not so much a vaccine book but diving into the world of toxicity is called ‘Excitotoxins’ by Dr. Russell Blaylock.  A third book that is great is called, ‘The Virus and the Vaccine’ by Bookchin and Schumacher.  Again, I have no financial ties to these books, so it doesn’t matter to me if you read them or not.  What matters to me is that you get informed from sources that are not tied to the vaccine industry but are well referenced.
Remember that health is a choice, a whole choice and nothing but a choice.  BUT, those choices can only be made accurately if you ask the right questions.
Dr Perkin can be reached at 719.598.6955 or www.mychirorocks.com

By Sherry Dell, CN

Shopping at the mall, sugar-fied diets and holiday cheer, all make for stress and close proximity to germs.  In this month’s article from Sherry Dell she gives 5 tips to maximize your health – from drinking water to changing your diet.  Yes, food does help or hurt your body.

Read Sherry’s suggestions to stay healthy and happy going into the new year.

Louis Pasteur, generally considered the father of germ theory, is quoted as having recanted his beliefs on germs on his deathbed, saying, “The germ is nothing.  The terrain is everything.”  What is the terrain?  To germs, the terrain is the world they live in; to us, the terrain is another word for our bodies.  In other words, Pasteur was telling us that bacteria and viruses are all around us at all times.   It is the status of our immune system or the internal “terrain” created by our body’s biochemistry that makes the difference between illness and health.

Right now, germs are the topic of the day.  Seasonal flu, H1N1, colds and all manner of respiratory distress are the leading story on the nightly news.  But is this really news?  Hasn’t your mother always told, “Wash your hands before you eat.  Keep your hands away from your face.  Stay warm.  Get your rest.  Eat right.  Drink your water.”  She and your mother’s mother and your mother’s mother’s mother, etc. throughout time immemorial have been saying these things, because there have always been germs to contend with.  And humanity has multiplied and thrived.

So on behalf of mothers everywhere, let me just remind you all, that there is a flu prevention diet.  And, there is a flu prevention lifestyle.  In fact, I bet you already know what it is.  It is pretty much the opposite of the current American lifestyle of too much stress, too little exercise, too little sleep, too much sugar, and processed food and alcohol and coffee, which all make our internal terrain a very happy home for any passing germ of the day.  The basics of the flu prevention lifestyle are managed stress, daily exercise, plenty of rest, whole food, and optimal hydration.

And here’s my version of the flu prevention diet.  If you can’t commit to this for the long run, try to hang with it through the cold and flu season and you will have a much better chance of missing all the fun of the infections that are scaring the pants off of everyone:   

1. Lots of non-chlorinated water each day (divide your body weight in half and drink that many ounces each day);
2. Three meals per day to include more high quality protein and much less simple carbohydrate (emphasize vegetarian protein such as legumes and nuts and seeds plus chicken, turkey, fish);
3. NO SUGAR;  NO COFFEE, NO ALCOHOL (somebody has to say it; these are the most acidifying components of our diets and an acid pH is what makes a good terrain for germs of all kinds)
4. Very limited dairy especially if you are in any way congested;
5. Very limited fried and other rancid or saturated fats –eat adequate amounts of good essential fatty acids such as those found in fish and fish oils and safflower and olive oils.

The other big topic in the news today of course is the swine flu vaccination.  My reading of the literature suggests that the effectiveness of the flu vaccine has not been well established.  In other words, getting the shot itself does not necessarily guarantee you protection against the flu.  Any flu. And they only have vaccination available currently for two types.  Please take a look at www.swineflu.mercola.com and www.russellblaylockmd.com  to get access to the detailed research.

To some of us our pets are like our children.When there are recalls or alerts about pet food or pet treats we want to know. This is an alert from the FDA on Pig Ears and Beef Hooves. If you have any made by these companies please don’t feed them to your pet, dispose of them as soon as you can.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

During September 2009, the FDA conducted routine testing of pig ears made by Pet Carousel. The test results detected a positive reading for Salmonella. This prompted an FDA inspection of Pet Carousel’s manufacturing facilities. During the inspection, the agency collected additional pet treat samples. Further analysis found Salmonella present in beef hooves, pig ears and in the manufacturing environment.

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. People handling dry pet food and/or pet treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their health care provider immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may only experience a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products or is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The FDA will continue to investigate this matter to determine the source of the Salmonella contamination and offer updates as appropriate.

By Ariel Heart

The old saying “if you don’t learn from history you are doomed to repeat it” is true in the Health Care debate.  On Saturday October 10, 2009, there was a Health Care Forum in Colorado Springs thanks to Change the Works (http://www.coloradoforhealthcare.org ).  One particular audience member commented that she was old enough to remember the similar fervent battle against Medicare when it was first offered up in the 1960s. 

The long fight for Medicare began when the first bill was introduced in 1952 by President Harry S Truman.  President Truman wanted universal health care.  The American Medical Assoc was against. He had to retreat in the face of the AMA’s massive funding against the idea to covering the elderly and some disabled.

President Lyndon B Johnson signed Medicare (a single payer, social insurance program for persons 65 and older) into existence thirteen years later in July 1965  as part of the Social Security Act of 1965.  The very same Democratic party who claims to be the champion to save Medicare today, safeguarding it from some invisible threat, is the very same party that for thirteen years screamed Medicare was entitlement and socialism.  Interestingly the very same recorded message is playing today…is it live or Memorex?

This past summer, we saw volatile town hall meetings with some people vehemently insisting that the government keep their hands off their Medicare.  It would be knee-slapping funny, if it weren’t so tragic.  Have we forgotten our own history?  Have we forgotten the 60’s fear rhetoric spread that Medicare was socialism coming to destroy the very fabric of our democracy.

Ronald Reagan: “[I]f you don’t [stop Medicare] and I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free.”  Reagan gave this speech during his stint as host of General Electric Theater that required him to tour GE plants. These speeches to the workers were very often pro-corporation message – a company sponsored propaganda moment, if you will.  This particular speech is preserved on LP format with a cover titled “Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine.”  Reagan was getting paid the modern equivalent of a million dollars for this job.  Not surprisingly, he soon changed his party affiliation to Republican. Even back then, big corporations were pulling out all the stops to fight people (elderly) from having affordable single payer health coverage.  Consider that Ronald Reagan is practically the patron saint of the GOP and bills have been submitted to have Reagan added to Mount Rushmore or his face on one of our dollar bills.

Another one of the old rhetoric arguments against Medicare was how it was Entitlement with a capitol E.  Sound familiar in our current health care debate?

Barry Goldwater: “Having given our pensioners their medical care in kind, why not food baskets, why not public housing accommodations, why not vacation resorts, why not a ration of cigarettes for those who smoke and of beer for those who drink.” This was during his 1964 during his Presidential campaign.  This is the same party who claims to be saving our grandparent’s medicare from the current reform bill.  If it doesn’t make you pause and seriously question their trustworthiness, it should.

Well it has been forty-four years since socialized medicine in the form of Medicare was initiated in the US.  Were the doom and gloom predictions of freedom ending because of Medicare true?   If we are one smidgen closer to being a socialist country, it is a safe bet it was not due to Medicare.  What can be said about Medicare is that it has helped our elderly have a better chance at a quality of life for longer in their lives – and it was the right thing to do. 
We also have the argument that health care is not a right in this country.  This would make it a privilege.  Again we can go back in history when this was not an issue.  All the way back to 1944, in fact.  President Franklin D Roosevelt (D – New York), in his  January 11, 1944 message to Congress on the State of the Union, he made one of the most important declarations of the century – and perhaps even the next. 
In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.
Among these are:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.
America’s own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens.
President Roosevelt died approximately fifteen months after giving this historic speech regarding a Second Bill of Rights.  FDR was not surprisingly disliked by greed driven profiteers for such radical thinking – and regulating Wall Street.  In 1934 the McCormack-Dickstein Committee hearings began hearings on a coup purportedly to overthrow President Roosevelt backed by wealthy financiers.  Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler testified of the coup but there was never enough proof to bring actual charges against the wealth financiers who wanted Roosevelt and his radical ways out of the White House. 

Consider Franklin D Roosevelt in light of the Health Care debate of today.  Who is really against people getting adequate or affordable coverage?  Follow the money.  Health Care is big business.  If you are a health insurance company you want more money coming in (premiums) with less and less going out (coverage).  That is “good” business also know as “the profit motive.”

Yet another argument against Health Care reform claims the current bill will institute care rationing.  October 10th the Denver Post reported how a Grand Junction infant was denied coverage because at four months old and nineteen pounds the baby can be classified overweight.  October 19th Denver news channels and even the Huffington Post reported how Aislin Bates was denied health insurance coverage because she was underweight.  And then there is the case of Chris Turner, a rape victim told rape is a pre-existing condition and such a rape victim could be denied coverage.  This is the true health care rationing being done in the name of “good business” and it has been going on for a long time.  Even though this may not be historical, it would have been negligent not to mention the recent history developing around us.

History teaches us valuable lessons from those that have gone through the experience before us.  Hopefully this quick snapshot of the health care debate in history has shed some light on the current situation.  History is truly repeating itself and with one of the most critical issues to our country.  Don’t let the broken record rhetoric from the 1960s fool you.  It has taken since Truman and the initial efforts beginning in 1952 to get to this point of serious universal health care being considered.  Perhaps it is time to resurrect Franklin D Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights too.

Ariel Heart is a Colorado Springs native and graduate of University of Pheonix with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.  She also holds a degree in Sacred Theology from a Bible Institute.  She has worked for Fortune 500 companies in a widely varied career for the last twenty some years.  She is currently working on her fist full length non-fiction book with the goal of getting published.

By Robert J. Posch
We are quickly approaching the much dreaded “Flu” season once again.  Normally, the “flu” targets citizens over 65. However, the new H1N1 virus, or Swine Flu primarily spreads among the high risk population indiscriminately targeting any age group.  This makes any building vulnerable to the Swine Flu, especially facilities with multi-tenant offices and public restrooms. 

Your first line of defense to defeating the spread of Swine Flu, and other disease, is effective on-site sanitation.  You want your restrooms, phones, door handles and all skin contact areas to be disinfected by trained people.  The President et al cleaner for washing but if the faucets are merely “cleaned” rather than hand disinfected you are only spreading germs (does your school disinfect?).  Then you must insure that your cleaning personnel are completely trained and are utilizing a hospital grade disinfectant (with proper kill claim for H1N1 influenza).

If you are directly involved in the oversight and compliance of your buildings green cleaning program, you should consider making sure your there is a committed true green agenda, which is maximizing the health of each green community – in this case, tenants, visitors and staff.

What You Don’t Want:

 Business as usual approach with no focus on new threats
 No serious effort made to disinfect high areas of bacteria concentration passed from each building occupants (as well as others, if open to the public)
 Over the counter cleaners with little to no disinfecting power in high touch areas such as bathrooms, cafeterias, etc.
 Old fashioned bleaches, etc. that are highly toxic and don’t have the Influenza A and/or Avian Flu claims.
 The old dirty bucket of mop water

Since cleaning is not a core competency but an allocation of resources, has your facility managers done what efficient businesses do – outsource this critical cleaning function to a reputable cleaning company? Reputable is the operative word; Companies who have heavily invested in upfront training for improving health and indoor air quality for every building occupant, their customers and visitors.

Issues important when considering the overall health of your building:

 Training Costs – Does your current cleaning program have a formal training and disinfection protocol for all personnel including OSHA compliance and Blood borne pathogen training?
 Are your cleaning personnel using hospital grade disinfectants designed to kill a broad spectrum of bacteria and viruses?
 Is there a process in place at your building occupants to address safety issues regarding the cleaning agents being used?  For example, are all of the cleaning products in the school properly labeled? Are there Material Data Safety sheets (MSDS) for every cleaning product in case of eye/skin contact, ingestion or other accident? How about an OSHA-approved plan for blood borne pathogen exposure?
 Are your cleaners using the most advanced technology? Back Pack vacuums for example which filter to .3 Microns providing cleaner, fresher air; or micro-fiber technology which literally eliminates cross contamination of harmful bacteria and viruses in your facility.

With professional cleaning, you’ll save money and improve the health of all building occupants.

What A Concerned Parent or Other Building Occupant would like to see

Green is defined by Presidential Executive Order 13101 as a “product that reduces the impact on health and the environment compared to similar products.”  We can take the analogy as to the processes used (trained versus “are they trained?”) in the proper mixture, utilization, etc. of these chemicals.

I would like to review with you the following touch points to reduce your exposure to Avian or Swine Flu, as well as have an integrated plan for you to consider.

RESTROOMS: These are high-contact areas and bacteria/virus havens, which are often improperly cleaned/disinfect.  A hospital grade disinfectant effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria and rated as a Staphylocidal-Pseudomonidal- Salmonellacidal-Virucidal is recommended.

                        To find out which products have been tested and approved for killing viruses, including the H1N1 “swine flu” model, check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s page on registered antimicrobial products.
 

OFFICES: A green cleaning program which minimizes harmful chemical usage by interchanging micro fiber cloths for complete dust removal while cleaning drier and greener.

 Try to have accessible – hand sanitizer stations beyond the bathroom as hand washing is an important defense against cold/flu.

 A vacuuming program that filters out 99.9% of harmful bacteria and viruses; and leaves fresh healthy air quality, reducing the risk of respiratory illness.

 Encourage anyone who may have cold or flu symptoms to work from home.

How A Good Commercial Cleaning Company Will Help Provide a Green, Healthy Environment

    A reputable commercial cleaning company with a commitment to promoting a healthy school environment.

1.      Knows Restrooms. They understand that a clean classroom begins with a clean restroom, so we clean and disinfect all counters, stall walls, fixtures, fittings, light switches or push plates, and floors with hospital-grade disinfectant. 

2. Knows Carpets. Carpets act like filter inside a building, trapping dirt and other contaminants that would otherwise be airborne – similar to the air filter in your car. You want multiple cleaning processes to keep carpets fresh and clean. This is an important factor in helping to prevent respiratory diseases (especially for little children who are a lot closer to the carpet!).  Regular thorough vacuuming of this nature has been shown to be even more essential than carpet cleaning when it comes to reducing the amount of pollutants in the area (and extending the life of the carpet as well). You should have carpet cleaning experts trained in the most effective methods of extracting the remaining dirt and contaminants from your carpets and area rugs.

3. Knows Green Cleaning. Your children are in an enclosed classroom/school much of the day.  Indoor air quality is essential. In addition to the benefit obtained by using the proper vacuuming you want to improve indoor air quality by avoiding toxic chemicals, and by using the greenest and most effective chemicals. (If the products aren’t effective, then ‘green’ is only a feel-good term.) The chemicals you want are approved by the EPA and the proper use of the chemicals is a must in a good training program for the professionals cleaning and sanitizing your school. Proper products and proper result in the use of less product and achieve better results. Fewer chemicals also mean a healthier environment for staff and children. 

4. Cleans Smarter. In the case of Jan-Pro franchise owners and their employees are trained in the use of color-coded micro fiber cloths to prevent cross contamination (you won’t see a pink microfiber cloth used to disinfect a toilet being used to clean a telephone receiver!). We clean, disinfect and sanitize all drinking fountains, dispensers, showers, etc. Out MSD sheets are available for review for each chemical used – and our professional staff can explain their use. 

5. Trains Better. The people acting as an essential firewall in school health should receive intensive training over five weeks, including training in OSHA Exposure Control Plan & Compliance, Blood Borne Pathogen Standard, Label and MSDS Compliance and Chemical Handling. The training Program should teach specific steps to disinfect surfaces outlined by the Center of Disease Control (CDC).  There is specific DWELL TIME for disinfectants. Even if you are using proper disinfectants you are negating their effective value to your students if you’re in -house people aren’t allowing the disinfectant to dwell for the proper amount of time.
Are We Doing Our Best to Protect Our Students, Teachers and Staff in a Cost-Effective Way?

As a parent ask yourself the last time your child’s school audited:
 Procedures for integrated sanitation to protect your child;
 Training of staff entrusted with sanitizing your child’s school;
 Full costing of your tax dollars to make sure funding a non-core competency makes financial, environmental and health/safety sense in the 21st Century.

The threat of a serious outbreak of swine flu and other health – related issues is a good time to get involved and see if your school has maximized its ability to protect your child at school in the most effective manner. Please give me a call if you’d like to discuss any of these issues further.

Robert J. Posch
Chief Operating Officer
Jan-Pro of Southern Colorado
(719) 264-1117
bob.posch@jan-pro.com

 This is commentary from Micheal Connelly with additional comments by Ariel Hart.
Michael Connelly (http://michaelconnelly.viviti.com/ ) is a
Constitutional Lawyer and has read the entire health care bill and
has some comments, not about the bill, but about the effects on
our Constitution. It’s a broader picture than just health care
reform.

All of you and those to whom you communicate had better sit up
and pay attention; once this sort of thing happens, it will be
irreversible.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE BILLS

Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed
House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I
studied it with particular emphasis from my area of
expertise,constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts
of the proposed law that were being discussed might be
unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard
or expected.

To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its
implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the
media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health
care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of
citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants,
free abortion services, and probably forced participation in
abortions by members of the medical profession.

The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies
out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All
decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by
federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care
professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and
allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly
controlled.

However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the
surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really
has no intention of providing affordable health care choices.
Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of
power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever
occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one
is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United
States will effectively have been destroyed.

The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of
power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of
the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the
Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over
the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The
irony is that the Congress doesn’t have any authority to legislate
in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the
text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to
the members of Congress to regulate health care.

The paragraph below is really frightening

This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of
the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare
information, your personal financial information, and the
information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this
is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th
Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable
searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to
privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless
of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide.

If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have
private insurance that is not deemed “acceptable” to the “Health
Choices Administrator” appointed by Obama there will be a tax
imposed on you. It is called a “tax” instead of a fine because of
the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the
5th Amendment. However, that doesn’t work because since there is
nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the
imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of
property without the “due process of law.

So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left
hate so much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are
effectively nullified by this law. It doesn’t stop there though.
The 9th Amendment that provides: “The enumeration in the
Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people;” The 10th Amendment
states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to
the States respectively, or to the people.” Under the provisions
of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor
the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many
areas that once were theirs to control.

I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think
you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about
seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution
requires the members of both houses of Congress to “be bound by
oath or affirmation” to support the Constitution. If I was a
member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this
legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating
that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway I would
hope the American people would hold me accountable.

For those who might doubt the nature of this threat I suggest
they consult the source. Here is a link to the Constitution:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

And another to the Bill of Rights:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript..html

There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from
us.

Michael Connelly
Retired attorney, Constitutional Law Instructor
Carrollton, Texas
mrobertc@hotmail.com
bio
.. continue with the defense of Mr. Connelly of which I found the following:

Diploma, Redemptorist High School in New Orleans, La. 1966. · Bachelor of Science, Business and Public Administration, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La. (Degree required numerous political science and business courses. Many history and public speaking courses were taken as electives.) 1971
· Juris Doctorate, Louisiana State University Law School, 1973.
· Graduate, U.S. Army Intelligence School, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, 1973.

Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, 1971.
· Active duty at the U.S. Army Intelligence School from Sept. 1973- Nov. 1973.
· Assigned to reserve duty with 352nd Army Security Agency company in Baton Rouge from Jan 1974 until Aug. 1978. (Served as Supply officer, Operations officer, and Recruiting officer.)
· Left the reserves in 1978 as a Captain.

Licensed attorney in Baton Rouge, La. since 1973.
· Qualified to practice before all Louisiana State and Federal Courts and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
· I have also represented clients before the U.S. Supreme Court.
· Areas of practice include Constitutional Law, Personal Injury Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Business Law, Medical Malpractice and Successions.
· Special assistant attorney general for the State of Louisiana, 1977-80.
· Of Counsel for U.S. Justice Foundation, 1980-98.
· General Counsel, Council for Inter-American Security, 1978-95.
· Still licensed, but inactive since 2001.
Currently teaching courses on Evidence Law, Constitutional Law, Courtroom Strategy and Business Law for Education to Go, an online company providing courses for numerous universities.
· Have appeared as a guest lecturer at both LSU and University of New Orleans.
· Substitute high school teacher for East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Sept. 1998-Jan. 2000.
· Temporary full time teacher of World Geography, Woodlawn High School, Baton Rouge, La., 1998-99.

 
there are comments by other people as well as the lawyer…. kind of interesting… and some info on his bio…

Michael Connelly September 8, 2009 Thanks to everyone for your comments and interest. Even when people disagree with me I appreciate what they have to say if it is done in a respectful manner. This nation was built on the right to disagree.
It is difficult to cite specific sections of HR 3200 for several reasons. First, much of what I refer to as being done by the bill may not be in just one particular section. Instead the preparers attempt to hide their actual intent by spreading things throughout the bill in different sections. Second, any specific section I refer to by number may change as the Congress returns from recess and starts trying to rework the bill to make it seem more reasonable to the American people. In other words, what is contained in Section 1173A that provides for government electronic access to private information may be renumbered and contain something totally different tomorrow.
However, here are some of the most pertinent sections dealing with some of the areas you are asking about. Section 113 gives the government control over all health insurance, private and public. Section 141 authorizes the appointment of the Health Choices Administrator. He or she will answer to no one other than the President. Sections 201 and 203 give this person the power to decide what benefits you can get in your insurance, whether public or private. This opens the door for health care rationing. This is further mandated by Section 225 that gives the administrator complete control over hospitals and doctors. It sets the fees that can be charged and the services that can be provided.
If the Administrator decides you didn’t need to be hospitalized the hospital can be fined for “breaking the government rules.” This also opens the door for the Administrator to force hospitals and physicians to perform abortions. All health procedures will mandated by the government. There is also no provision for services to be provided only to citizens or legal residents of the United States. This means that since illegal aliens get the services now, they will continue to do so.
Here is a link to the entire bill and you can look up these and other provisions: http://thomas.loc.gov/. I hope you find this helpful
Michael Connelly August 21, 2009

In fact, my comments on the 3rd Amendment are based on a Supreme Court decision which decided that the 3rd Amendment granted the right to Privacy. I cite this as the Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) case.

Michael Connelly August 21, 2009

Hi Kristopher Carlson: I admit that for a long time the 10th Amendment was considered dead. However, during the last few years of my active practice of law I successfully used it several times in cases and in recent years it has seemed to have been revived. The fact that it was ignored for years does not mean that it is not still the law of the land as envisioned by the framers of the Bill of Rights.

Michael Connelly October 1, 2009

Anne:
Your concerns are real and I respect them. Some people who sent emails in response to my articles have accused me of being paid off by the insurance companies. Nothing could be farther from the truth since believe me, after all of the times I represented my clients and fought against the private insurance companies for their arbitrary refusal to pay just claims (and often won), I am the last person the insurnace companies would hire to champion their cause. On the other hand, I spent more time fighting for clients who had paid for years into Social Security System who were arbitrarily denied coverage they had earned when they became disabled. It was even worse for the military veterans who have defended our country and can’t get proper care from the Federal Government even though they are entitled to it.
Many states have taken positive and effective actions to keep the private health insurance companies in line, yet if the health care bills in Congress pass, the states will be able to nothing for their citizens. The same people who have led the post office and the Social Security Administration into virtual bankruptcy will now be handling health care for everyone. Well not exactly everyone; the President, his cabinet members, and the members of Congress will continue to get premium health care, the rest of us will get chaos.

From Ariel Hart:

Hey, thanks for sending that email my way. 
It’s nuts how many rumors are swirling around out there about the health bills.  It’s hard to know which ones are true and which ones are just crazy internet rumors.
If this one were true, I’d be pretty upset – so I decided to see if I could find out for myself.
It seems the email originated as a blog post by Michael Connolly, who claims to be a “Constitutional Law Instructor.” That’s very misleading.  Mr. Connolly doesn’t actually work at a university or law school, but gives lessons online at www.ed2go.com whose motto is: “Learn it on Tuesday, Use it on Wednesday!” I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty shady to me.

That’s like me claiming to be a pro football coach because I have a fantasy football team.
Check out his page: http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic3/newcrsdes.cgi?name=firstclass&aw=yyy&course=cl1
As for the content of his blog post, it seems as if the fake professor is using fake information.
The email claimed health reform would lead to rationing of health services, especially for seniors.  That’s not true.  I came across a well-researched article in Newsweek that calls this a “lie” simply intended to scare people into opposing reform.  You can read it yourself: http://www.newsweek.com/id/212131/page/2
The email also says the bills would provide free health care for illegal immigrants. Again, this is a blatant lie. The bill itself even states “No Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens.” You can see for yourself on page 143 http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
The email also says reform would result in a “government takeover” of health care. That’s not true either. I found a website called FactCheck.org that looks at this assertion & flat out debunks it.  The government would not make medical decisions or force American patients to do anything they didn’t want to – it would just give people to option to purchase a reasonably priced health insurance plan.  That’s it.
The website wrote that “Obama has long said he would allow individuals or small businesses to buy insurance through a public plan – like the one now available to members of Congress. But nobody would be forced to drop his or her current insurance, and private plans would exist as they do now.” You can read more at http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/government-run-health-care/
As for “Professor” Connolly’s claim that health care reform is unconstitutional, that’s also wrong.  This interpretation of the 10th amendment is an extremist view held by people who believe almost everything is unconstitutional. They think the same thing about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the federal highway system, rules regulating airplane safety and anti-discrimination laws.
In reality, the Constitution gives congress the power to “lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises” and to “provide for….the general welfare of the United States.” It also allows Congress “to regulate commerce… among the several states.” Health care is a huge part of our nation’s economy, and definitely falls under the interstate commerce clause of the constitution. 

If you want to find more information on this, I found some great websites:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/19/bachmann-unconstitutional/
http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=rally_round_the_true_constitution
I think by now you can see that pretty much every part of this email is a lie.  So hopefully that helps put your mind at ease.

Legal Exemptions To Vaccinations
 www.janethull.com/newsletter/1009/legal_exemptions_to_vaccinations.php

Reprinted from National Vaccine Information Center. http://www.know-vaccines.org/exemption-legal.html.

Medical, philosophical or personal belief exemptions are worded differently in each state. To use an exemption for your child, you must know specifically what the law says in your state.

Philosophical Exemption:
The following 18 states allow exemption to vaccinations based on philosophical, personal or conscientiously held beliefs: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

In many of these states, individuals must object to all vaccines, not just a particular vaccine in order to use the philosophical or personal belief exemption. Many state legislators are being urged by Federal health officials and medical organizations to revoke this exemption to vaccinations. If you are objecting to vaccinations based on philosophical or personal convictions, keep an eye on your state legislature as public health officials may seek to amend state laws to eliminate this exemption.

Religious Exemption:
All states allow a religious exemption to vaccinations except Mississippi and West Virginia.

The religious exemption is intended for people who hold a sincere religious belief opposing vaccination to the extent that if the state forced a vaccination, it would be an infringement on their right to exercise their religious beliefs. Some state laws define religious exemptions broadly to include personal religious beliefs, similar to personal philosophical beliefs. Other states require that an individual who claims a religious exemption to be a member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science) or another bona fide religion whose written tenets include prohibition of invasive medical procedures such as vaccinations. (This kind of language has been ruled unconstitutional when it has been challenged in state Supreme Courts.) Some laws require a signed affidavit from the pastor or spiritual advisor of the parent exercising religious exemption that affirms the parents’ sincere religious belief about vaccination, while others allow the parent to sign a notarized waiver. Prior to registering your child for school, you must check your state law to verify what proof may be needed.
Due to differences in state laws, the National Vaccine Information Center does not recommend or provide a prewritten waiver for religious exemption because it may not conform with what is required in your state, and may actually draw attention to your child, and you may be singled out and challenged.

If you are challenged, you could end up in litigation brought by your state or county health department to prove your religious beliefs. The religious exemption is granted based on the First Amendment of the Constitution, which is the right to freely exercise your religion. Because citizens are protected under the First Amendment of the United States, a state must have a “compelling State interest” before this right can be taken away. One “compelling State interest” is the spread of communicable diseases. In state court cases that have set precedent on this issue, the freedom to act according to your own religious belief is subject to reasonable regulation with the justification that it must not threaten the welfare of society as a whole.

However, parents have successfully obtained religious exemptions to vaccinations. The constitutional right to have and exercise personal religious beliefs, whether you are of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other faith, can be defended. If you exercise your right to religious exemption, you must be prepared to defend it. It is always best to define your personal religious beliefs opposing vaccination in your own words when you write a letter defending them. If you do belong to a church and take the time to educate the head of your local church about the sincerity of your personal religious beliefs regarding vaccination, obtaining a letter from your pastor, priest, rabbi or other spiritual counselor affirming the sincerity of your religious beliefs may also be advisable.

Medical Exemptions:
All 50 states allow medical exemption to vaccinations. Proof of medical exemption must take the form of a signed statement by a Medical Doctor (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) that the administering of one or more vaccines would be detrimental to the health of an individual. Most doctors follow the AAP and CDC guidelines. Most states do not allow Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) to write medical exemptions to vaccination.
Some states will accept a private physician’s written exemption without question. Other states allow the state health department to review the doctor’s exemption and revoke it if health department officials don’t think the exemption is justified.

Proof of Immunity:
Some states will allow exemptions to vaccination for certain diseases if proof of immunity can be shown to exist. Immunity can be proven if you or your child have had the natural disease or have already been vaccinated. You have to check your state laws to determine which vaccines in your state can be exempted, if proof of immunity is demonstrated.

Private medical laboratories can take blood (a titer test) and analyze it to measure the level of antibodies, for example, to measles or pertussis that are present in the blood. If the antibody level is high enough, according to accepted standards, you have obtained proof of immunity and may be able to use this for an exemption to vaccination.

This is from an email I receive today.  I don’t know who the author is.  And, I want to credit whoever is for sending this common sense, not fear-based email on how to prevent MOST flu and viruses.  ~ The Editor

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital  ,  Saifee Hospital  , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).
       
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know (Who is this wonderfully caring person.)

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat.  In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
       
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
       
1. Frequent hand-washing – This is well highlighted in all official communications.
       
 2. Hands-off-the-face” Approach – Resist all temptations to touch any part of face, unless you want to eat, bathe or slap.
       
 3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water  – Use Listerine if you don’t trust salt.  H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.  Simply gargling prevents proliferation.  In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
       
4. Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water  -  Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti, both very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities.  Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
       
5.  Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C such as Amla and other citrus fruits -   If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
                
6. Drink warm liquids – Drinking warm liquids (tea, coffee, broth, etc) has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction.  Warm liquids wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
        
I suggest you pass this on to your entire e-list.  You never know 20 who might pay attention to it – and STAY ALIVE because of it.