Settlement in Chinese Drywall Case

Chinese drywall manufacturer reaches settlement

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, a major manufacturer of problem drywall from China, has agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to repair 4500 mostly Gulf Coast area homes ruined with its product.

Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune archiveA sample of the Chinese-made drywall ripped out of the Chalmette home of Thomas and Lauren Stone in June 2009.

The settlement, announced Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon, ends a nightmare for about 1,575 Louisiana families which began when many rebuilt their homes after Hurricane Katrina or purchased new ones with corrosive wallboard, prolonging the agony of the storm. With their properties unfit for residence or sale, many have lost their homes to foreclosure or been devastated financially as they were forced to rent apartments while continuing to make their mortgage payments.

The deal is likely worth $800 million to $1 billion based on the number of homes, average size and repair cost, plaintiff liaison counsel Russ Herman said. That means that some $280 million to $350 million could flow to Louisiana, which is believed to have about 35 percent of all homes with Knauf-brand drywall.

Knauf attorneys said the amount of the settlement ultimately depends on how many homeowners can prove that they have drywall produced by their client.

The settlement will pay the full cost of repairing homes and sets aside money to cover losses such as foreclosures or short sales. Although money has also been set aside to cover health problems, Knauf attorney Steven Glickstein said that from Knauf's point of view, there is no evidence that problem drywall is responsible for personal injuries.  Continue reading 

Selections from Natural Health News

Natural Health News: TVA Coal Sludge and Health Risks

Dec 15, 2010

For the thousands of U.S. homeowners who are grappling with the financial and emotional trauma caused by defective Chinese drywall, one thing is now clear: The federal government is woefully unequipped to help them ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Fungus Following Joplin Tornado

Aug 18, 2011

See also: Mold problems and flooding: Lessons to be learned from Katrina UPDATE: 9 April, 2010 - Judge Awards Families $2.6M Over Chinese Drywall UPDATE: 3 April, 2010 - Feds: Homes with Chinese drywall must be ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Mold problems and flooding: Lessons to be ...

May 03, 2010

Clothes can be washed or dry cleaned, but most furniture is a loss. Ditto for carpeting, insulation, wallpaper and drywall, which no longer lives up to its name. Mattresses that didn't get wet probably have mold if they were in a ...

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DAILY ASPIRIN LINKED TO 'WET' AMD

Daily use of aspirin over the long term, as with coumadin, eventually causes the cell wall membrane to fail and bleeding is the end result, and it can be uncontrollable in a large number of cases. 


There are so many safe and effective natural supplements and remedies that will help with maintaining "thinned" blood it is puzzling why people subject themselves to these risks.

 "Regular aspirin users at higher risk of sight problems, research suggests" Martin Evans, The Telegraph, 10/3/11, telegraph.co. uk 

Study after study has shown that daily aspirin use increases the risk of intestinal bleeding and a potentially fatal haemorrhage. Also, a recent study showed some disturbing news for anyone who values their eyesight.

 Dutch researchers examined more than 4,000 elderly patients. Among these patients, 840 took a daily low-dose aspirin. When the researchers compared records, they found that those who used aspirin were TWO TIMES more likely to develop "wet" advanced macular degeneration (AMD) - the advanced form of the disease that sharply increases risk of blindness. 

This does not prove that aspirin promotes wet AMD... but there is a significant link and a very alarming risk that should be taken seriously.

Researchers continued to say that the heart health benefits of aspirin outweigh the AMD risks.

But in a 2005 New England Journal of Medicine study, some 20,000 middle-aged women took 100mg of aspirin daily for 10 years. Another group of nearly the same size took a placebo.

Results showed that aspirin provided no protection from heart attack, but did slightly reduce risk of ischemic stroke. 

Meanwhile, women in the aspirin group were found to have a 40% increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding severe enough to require transfusions!

Add to that wet AMD and this "wonder drug" may not be worth the risk. 

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Medications Cause Serious Issues

Dec. 14--DECATUR -- Each year, adverse reactions to medications cause approximately 100,000 emergency hospital visits for American adults 65 and older. The figure comes from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study found that a small group of diabetes medications and drugs to prevent blood clots were causing about two-thirds of the hospitalizations, according to a news release issued by the CDC. The information was collected between 2007 and 2009 by the centers' National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance project.

"These data suggest that focusing safety initiatives on a few medicines that commonly cause serious, measurable harms can improve care for many older Americans," said Dr. Dan Budnitz, director of CDC's Medication Safety Program. "Blood thinners and diabetes medicines often require blood testing and dosing changes, but these are critical medicines for older adults with certain medical conditions. Doctors and patients should continue to use these medications but remember to work together to safely manage them."

Approximately 48 percent of the hospitalizations mentioned in the study occurred in those 80 and older, and two-thirds were caused by overdoses or in situations where patients might have taken the amount of medication as prescribed, but the drug caused more than the intended effect in the person's body.

Continue reading the complete article by Annie Getsinger, Herald & Review, Decatur, Ill. 

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

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ALL VACCINES ARE CONTAMINATED

"The chief, if not the sole, cause of the monstrous increase in cancer has been vaccination" - Dr. Robert Bell, once Vice President International Society for Cancer Research at the British Cancer Hospital

Experts say families need to take a critical look at vaccines.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Have you been rushing out to get a yearly flu vaccine or diligently taking your children for the 40 or so mandated childhood vaccines?

That's really a shame because you have unwittingly been trading a run-of-the-mill flu or just the measles, for loading up your or your children's bodies with cancer and other deadly viruses, a destructive bacteria, a chemical selected to damage fertility, and with synthetic DNA that threatens to damage your own DNA - the biologic code for your existence.

Who is saying the vaccines are contaminated?


All the vaccines mandated to children and many other vaccines as well, including the seasonal flu vaccines being mandated to health care workers, are contaminated with polysorbate 80, the central ingredient in a pharmaceutical industry patent to damage fertility. 


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Couch Potato Workout

Just Get Moving!

Couch Potato Workout

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Keeping Your Skin Healthy And Clear To Reduce Breakouts

For millennia clean and healthy skin has been a measure of a person's physical beauty, and never has that been more true than in today's culture. Unfortunately, many of us are plagued with oily, acne prone skin and have to deal with its negative impact on our self-esteem and social status. There have been lots of theories on the reasons for this affliction, the best ones being makeup causing acne, stress, diet, hygiene, and of course, genetics. There are several things that we do know now that will help keep your skin healthy and clear, minus the wives' tales and urban legend.

One of the first things that we recommend for healthy skin is making sure that you are drinking plenty of water each and every day. Your skin composition is about 70% water, 20% proteins, and some assorted other compounds on top of that. By keeping your skin hydrated, you are naturally flushing its cells of toxins and foreign materials. This is nature's design for keeping your skin clean and free of such matter.

Although I mentioned diet earlier as something that is not believed to cause acne anymore, it is still true that you can choose foods that will be more nourishing for your skin. Vegetables and fruit are foods that are good for your skin due to the specific vitamins contained within. Vitamin A, common in carrots, spinach, and many other veggies, is known to be vital for clear, healthy, blemish free skin. Foods rich in antioxidants are also a great choice for keeping your skin clear and acne free. Choose fruits that are orange and yellow in color, as they are normally loaded with antioxidants. These foods also contain generous amounts of vitamin C, which is of course, great for the immune system. Spinach, blueberries, tomatoes, and salmon are also great choices for a skin healthy diet.

Another factor to consider, at least for women, is the types and amount of makeup that you wear every day. One great tip is to just not use too much makeup, as it is considered a foreign substance by the body, and your skin may react to it in a negative way, such as in a breakout or blemishes. The best makeup for acne prone skin is one that is as full of natural ingredients as possible. Although it is not uncommon for this type of makeup to be a little bit more expensive, the cost benefit is that your skin will be much healthier and less prone to acne breakouts. Another thing to remember about makeup is to never use products that you have had sitting around for a long time as it is much more likely to have bacteria on the surface or in the brush.

Last but not least, in your arsenal of weapons against acne and blemished skin, should be proper cleansing of the skin. First and foremost, you should never go to bed with any makeup on your face, even if most of it has worn off over the course of the day. Even the best makeup will contribute to acne if left on your skin overnight. Use a mild soap such as Noxema, Clean and Clear, or Oil of Olay, and warm water and lightly scrub your skin to remove the makeup that is left. It only takes 3 or 4 minutes before you go to bed, and the benefits will be enormous to the health of your skin.

To learn more about tips and techniques for keeping your skin clear, including the best makeup for acne, please visit my site here.

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Foods For Healthy Skin

Youthful skin is characterized by its healthy appearance. As we age our collagen production begins to naturally decline. Collagen is part of the building blocks of the skin and what keeps skin from aging, wrinkling and looking unhealthy. There are many different types of foods that can help provide your skin with the nutrients that it needs to age more gracefully. By eating a diet high in antioxidants you are helping to keep the cells from oxidizing, which is what accelerates aging.

The antioxidants Vitamins A, C and E fight off free radical damage that ages the skin. Foods highest in Vitamin A include the following: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and greens. Foods highest in Vitamin C include fruits and vegetables such as; oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, red peppers and brussel sprouts. Foods highest in Vitamin E include spinach, olives and vegetable oils.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: There is much talk about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for heart health. But these good fats are also very powerful allies in the quest to slow down the aging process. Well known anti-aging physician, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, MD, promotes a diet that is high in Omega-3's and antioxidants. Top foods for omega-3's include; seafood, eggs, canola oil and walnuts.

Foods nourish the skin from the inside out. This is far more effective than simply applying creams and lotions to the skin. The right foods help stimulate collagen production and will make your skin more youthful. Avocados: This fruit is very healthy for the skin. It contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that promote skin health. Primarily it contains Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, B and E. Lecithin and potassium are also found in avocados. A and E are high in antioxidants and lecithin is known to strengthen skin cells. Avocados also contain minerals that help prevent inflammation which ages the skin.

Blueberries: Berries and blueberries in particular contain among the highest levels of antioxidants found in any foods. They promote healing of the skin and are anti-inflammatory. Blueberries make a healthy, low calorie snack that you can enjoy daily.

Cruciferous Vegetables: These include vegetables such as broccoli, kale and cabbage. They help detoxify the body and are filled with minerals and antioxidants that work to repair damage to the skin.

There are so many delicious ways you can enjoy these vegetables. A simple sauté with olive oil which is filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids is an easy way to enjoy these foods. Green Leafy Vegetables: These include collard greens and spinach. High in Vitamins A and C, these carotenoid antioxidants will help your skin to stay soft and smooth. Green Tea: Since green tea is minimally processed it maintains a naturally higher level of antioxidants. The type of antioxidant found in green tea is known as "catechins". This antioxidant helps to keep the skin hydrated and promotes better blood circulation with creates that youthful glow. You can enjoy a cup or two throughout the day and know that you are helping your skin stay healthy.

Seeds: Sunflower seeds in particular are high in vitamin E. This antioxidant power combined with the essential fatty acids it contains helps slow down the skins aging process. Fatty acids also keep the skin softer and suppler. There are certain dairy products that are high in vitamin A. Stick to the healthiest dairy foods such as plain yogurts and eggs. Whole grains are very high in b vitamins which nourish the skin. B vitamins help cells to grow and replace cells that have died. They also help prevent rough, dry skin. You can eat the healthiest grains by concentrating on whole wheat breads and pasta, oatmeal and brown rice.

Whole Foods: Focus on creating a diet that is filled with whole foods to protect your skin health. Avoid processed foods, sugars, white flour products and unhealthy fats. Create a diet centered on whole fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins such as seafood, chicken and turkey, whole grains and healthy oils. These foods contain the highest levels of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats. By following some of these tips and guidelines you will be providing your body with the much needed nutrients to promote healthier skin. Aging is something we cannot avoid, however we can slow the process down and be happier with our physical appearance with proper nutrition. Remember whenever beginning any dietary or lifestyle changes, always consult with a medical professional, particularly if you are taking prescription drugs or suffer from any disease or ailment.

The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California is a world renowned alternative cancer treatment center. The Issels Treatment is an Integrative Immunotherapy program with a 50 year history. Founded in 1951 by a pioneer in integrative cancer medicine, Dr. Josef Issels, MD., a German oncologist, The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California treats patients with all natural non toxic therapies for a variety of health conditions including cancer.

If you would like more information regarding the treatments available at The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California, please call 805-962-2126 or toll free at 888-374-7735. And please visit the website at: http://www.issels.com/Questionaire/questionnaire_IMC.aspx.

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