Wednesday, September 23

Author: Catherine

Botanicals

FDA Confirms ‘Dangerous’ Levels of Heavy Metals in Some Kratom Products

Final results of tests performed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 30 kratom products confirm the presence of heavy metals, including lead and nickel, at concentrations not considered safe for human consumption, the FDA said Wednesday. The FDA first warned of "disturbingly" high levels of heavy metals, including lead and nickel, last November, as reported by Medscape Medical News. The FDA has posted a list of the kratom products and concentrations of heavy metals found in them on its website. Based on reported patterns of kratom use, heavy kratom users may be exposed to levels of lead and nickel many times greater than the safe daily exposure, the FDA warns in a statement. Based on these test results, the typical long-term kratom user could potentially develop heavy...
Botanicals

Drug task force lobbies county to ban sale of opioid-like Kratom

In response to the request of a community drug task force, the St. Johns County Board of Commissioners will consider at their board meeting Tuesday regulating kratom, a plant-based substance considered to be similar to opioids. Kratom is a botanical product found in Southeast Asia that can mimic the “high” of harder drugs like morphine and heroin because of compounds that interact with the same pleasure-producing receptors in the brain, and thus cause dependence, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Reports show that consumption of the drug — sold as powder, capsules or a liquid “K Shot” — has increased over the last few years, particularly among opioid users looking to switch to a less expensive alternative or to move toward sobriety. It has also been shown to produce ...
What Are The Hidden Dangers Of A Yo-Yo Diet?
Diet

What Are The Hidden Dangers Of A Yo-Yo Diet?

Yo-yo diets have gained prominence as a way to help people achieve their desired body weight, but in reality, this dangerous tactic can prove to be disastrous to your long-term health. Nonetheless, many everyday individuals continue to embark on yo-yo diets because they misunderstand the consequences of their actions and have been misled by certain professionals (like actors) who find such diets necessary for their work and success. Yo-yo Dieting isn't Natural Yo-yo dieting, or rapidly losing and then gaining weight, simply isn't natural for most human beings. Yo-yo dieting derives its name from the popular yo-yo hobby, which features a yo-yo going up and down repeatedly. So, too, does a yo-yo diet feature your body weight heavily fluctuating between a heavyweight and a light one. ...
Botanicals

Texas will soon remove hemp from its list of controlled substances. What does that mean for CBD and hemp products?

Texas is eliminating hemp from its list of controlled substances, bringing it in line with federal law but possibly feeding confusion about the legality of some hemp-based products. The Texas Department of State Health Services is on Friday removing hemp from a list of Schedule I drugs that can be abused and have no authorized medical use, the Dallas Morning News reported. Other Schedule I drugs include Kratom. Hemp and marijuana are both derived from the cannabis plant, but hemp has low levels of THC, the psychoactive compound that gets marijuana users high. Declassifying hemp doesn’t clear up the legality of hemp products currently sold in Texas, such as pain creams and oils, according to some legal experts. “It’s really not going to have any direct impact other than to confuse p...
GMO’s Are In Our Food, But We Aren’t Being Told About Them
Genetically Modified Foods

GMO’s Are In Our Food, But We Aren’t Being Told About Them

In 1996, the first genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were introduced in Canada. Today, there are more than 81 genetically modified foods approved for sale and use in our food products — but you’d never know from reading their labels. In Modified, a documentary from CBC Docs POV, filmmaker Aube Giroux goes on a personal journey to understand more about how GMOs have changed farming and why GMOs aren’t labeled on food products in Canada. “While many countries around the world were choosing to label them, Canada and the United States decided against it,” says Giroux in the film, remembering when the first GMOs came on the market. “So if you wanted to avoid GMOs, you had to become a bit of a detective.” Essentially, GMOs are created when genes are transferred between organisms that c...
8 Natural Remedies for Stomach Pain
Remedies

8 Natural Remedies for Stomach Pain

When tummy troubles flare, it can be tough to know the best course of action for relief. Though you may reach for an over-the-counter medication as a matter of course to quell stomach pain, many common drugstore meds can come with drawbacks. Still, how do you know which foods, oils, or supplements to trust? A number of folk remedies supposedly relieve stomach pain, but before you spend your money, it’s best to determine what’s based on evidence. 1. Peppermint Oil Peppermint has more to offer than flavoring Christmas candy canes. It can actually serve as a powerful analgesic. “The volatile oils and compounds like menthol that give peppermint its wonderful aroma relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract while increasing the flow of bile from the gallbladder, helping your body ...