Human Hormones Are Being Eclipsed By Synthetic Chemicals

A new study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology has raised some disturbing possibilities regarding the dangers of common hormone-mimicking preservatives found in thousands of consumer products on the market today. [1]

Titled “Parabens detection in different zones of the human breast: consideration of source and implications of findings,” researchers discussed the role that parabens — a class of estrogen-mimicking chemicals widely used in drugs, foods and cosmetics — may have in breast cancer and childhood disease.

The report focused on the findings of The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust published last month (March, 2012), which discovered five paraben esters in human breast tissue samples collected from 40 mastectomies from women with primary breast cancer. [2] The report revealed three things: >

Can Your Moisturizer Give You Skin Cancer?

Skin moisturizers are usually considered completely safe and healthy products. But a shocking study from Rutgers University suggests that some common moisturizers actually may promote skin cancer and lead to the development of aggressive, fast-growing tumors.

The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers in the United States has drastically increased in recent years to more than 2 million cases per year, more than all other cancers combined. >

Gene linked to post-traumatic stress

European researchers have identified a gene that is linked to improved memory, but also to increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dominique de Quervain of the University of Basel in Switzerland and his colleagues recruited around 700 healthy young volunteers, obtaining DNA samples from them to analyse the sequence of their PRKCA gene. This gene is one of many known to be involved in the formation of emotional memories, and encodes an enzyme called protein kinase C-α. The researchers then showed the participants a series of emotionally affecting photographs and shortly afterwards asked them to write down short descriptions of the images. >

Why are Drug Companies Targeting Your Children as Customers?

In 2009, the increase of prescription drug use among children was nearly four times higher than in the overall population, making children the leading growth demographic for the drug industry.

One in four insured children, and nearly 30 percent of adolescents, took at least one prescription medication to treat a chronic condition in 2009.

Reuters reports:

“Over the past nine years, the most substantial increases in the medicating of children were seen in drugs for conditions not typically associated with them, such as for type 2 diabetes and antipsychotics … Some long-standing childhood maladies also saw large increases, such as asthma.” >