The millions of swine flu deaths governments and health agencies around the world feared did not happen. Drug companies did make a killing in flu shot sales, with millions of dollars lining the coffers of Big Pharma.

But swine flu being a dud did not deter Big Pharma from making a combination flu shot that contains both the regular flu and the swine flu vaccines.

This is the same type of flu shot that Australia suspended for use in children under the age of five because it resulted in many kids suffering from high fever, vomiting, and febrile convulsions, Dr. Joseph Mercola warns.

A special government committee that investigated last year’s swine flu vaccine found that it may be associated with a higher rate of certain kinds of reactions like:

1. Guillain-Barre syndrome – has been associated with influenza vaccine since 1976, the same year the first swine flu vaccine was used.
2. Thrombocytopenia – an autoimmune blood disorder wherein your blood cannot produce enough platelets.
3. Bell’s palsy – a neuroimmune reaction that causes facial paralysis.

But that’s not all. If you’re a senior citizen age 65 and older, the CDC wants you to take a flu shot that is four times as potent!

Why? Because when swine flu broke out last year, the CDC explained that seniors weren’t included in the first round of shots because studies showed that this age group had a lower risk of infection compared to younger age groups, Dr. Mercola explains.

Since H1N1 is now a component of the seasonal flu shot, the CDC wants seniors to take a more potent vaccine that contains an antigen (H1N1) they’re probably already immune to. This new shot will not have any safety evaluations until AFTER the flu season is underway.

The swine flu vaccine was not made mandatory last year because of people like you, who made their voices heard and value health freedom. Dr. Mercola urges you to help spread the word about this new and potentially more dangerous flu shot. Let your family, friends, and co-workers know what they might not hear from conventional media to help them protect their health.

In 2007, about 25 to 30 percent of the more than 200,000 bariatric surgeries (weight-loss surgeries) done in the U.S. used gastric banding.

Doctors say gastric banding is the least invasive form of bariatric surgery. With the obesity epidemic showing no signs of slowing down, many of those battling weight issues may be considering using a gastric band.

Obesity puts you at an increased risk of arthritis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, several forms of cancer, and many other diseases. It is a major public health crisis, but one that can be addressed without resorting to gastric band surgery, Dr. Joseph Mercola points out.

There’s always a risk when you go under the knife, but gastric banding and all types of bariatric surgery are fraught with a higher ratio of potential complications and risks.

One American clinical study that included a 3-year follow-up revealed that 88 percent of patients that tried a gastric band experienced one or more complications. 25 percent ended up having the gastric band removed permanently.

About nine percent of patients who had gastric band surgery had to undergo a second surgery to correct a problem with the band and/or a complication from the original operation.

Common gastric band complications are:

• Band eroding into the stomach (1.3 percent, requires band removal)
• Band slippage and/or pouch dilation (24 percent, requires another surgery)
• Difficulty swallowing (9 percent)
• Esophageal dilation and reduced esophageal function (11 percent)
• Gastroesophageal reflux (34 percent)
• Leaking or twisted access port into the stomach (9 percent)
• Stomach obstruction (14 percent)

Other possible complications include bowel and gallbladder issues, fainting, infection, kidney stones, malnutrition, and an increased risk of death, Dr. Mercola warns.

Bariatric surgery is just a quick fix and is NOT an effective weight loss tool because of the many negative long-term health consequences associated with this type of procedure.

Losing weight is very simple, if you know what you need to do, says Dr. Mercola. The number one dietary enemy in America is fructose, which is believed to be the main culprit in the obesity epidemic. Avoiding or completely eliminating fructose from your diet will greatly help your weight loss efforts.

You don’t need to restrict your food intake or go hungry in order to lose weight. Discover your unique Nutritional Type to conquer your food cravings and the need for snacks. Eating according to your Nutritional Type will not only help you manage your weight better, it will also help boost your energy, mind, mood, and emotions.

1. Vitamin K1 is found in green vegetables and goes directly to your liver. It helps you maintain a healthy blood clotting system. Babies need vitamin K1 to prevent a serious bleeding disorder. Vitamin K1 also prevents blood vessels from calcifying, helps your bones retain calcium, and helps you develop the right crystalline structure, Dr. Joseph Mercola explains.
2. Vitamin K2 is produced by bacteria and goes straight to your bones, vessel walls, and tissues other than your liver. It is present in fermented foods like curd cheese and natto. While a lot of vitamin K2 is present in your gut, it is not absorbed there. Most of it is just excreted in your stool.

Vitamin K2 comes in different forms, MK4 and MK7 being the most significant. MK4 is a synthetic product which is very similar to vitamin K1. Your body is capable of converting vitamin K1 into MK4. MK4, however, has a very short half-life (about an hour), making it ineffective as a dietary supplement.

MK7, on the other hand, is an agent which stays in your body longer–having a half-life of three days.

Nowadays, this “forgotten vitamin” is getting more attention as more studies show that it may have cancer prevention properties.

Dr. Mercola recently interviewed top vitamin K researcher Dr. Cees Vermeer, who founded the world’s largest vitamin K research group in 1975.

According to Dr. Vermeer, men who get adequate amounts of vitamin K2 can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by up to 50 percent. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among men in the U.S.

Research conducted by the German Cancer Research Center suggests that people with a high consumption of vitamin K from food may reduce their risk of developing or dying from lung and prostate cancer compared to those who consume few vitamin K-rich foods.

Other studies show that vitamin K may be beneficial in the fight against other types of cancer, including colon, leukemia, liver, lung, nasopharynx, and oral cancers.

The Vitamin K, Vitamin D, and Calcium Triumvirate

Dr. Vermeer says that vitamin K is unable to do its work by itself. For you to fully experience and optimize the benefits of vitamin K, you need to take several “partner” nutrients.

Vitamin D, an important cancer-fighting nutrient, is one. There is a synergistic effect between vitamins K and D. These two nutrients work together to increase MGP, or Matrix GLA Protein–the protein responsible for protecting your blood vessels from calcification.

You probably know that calcium is good for your bones, but what you may not know is that it can also harm your arteries by calcifying them. Taking vitamin K solves this problem because it protects your blood vessels from calcification when in the presence of high calcium levels, Dr. Mercola explains.

Vitamin K, in the form of MK7, also increases the production of osteocalcin, a vitamin K-dependent protein your bones need to use calcium.

Take note: Vitamin K is a fat-soluble nutrient, so you need to eat some fat along with it so your body can effectively absorb it. A word of caution: Taking Vitamin K2 while on anticoagulation drugs may lead to adverse side effects. Patients on blood-thinning medications and those who have a history of stroke, cardiac arrest, and are prone to blood clotting should not take Vitamin K2 without first consulting their physician.

However, food is not only wasted in the summer. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Foundation and the International Water Management Institute, almost HALF of the food produced worldwide is wasted.

Americans waste an estimated 1,400 calories of food per person DAILY. These wasted calories represent about 39 percent of the available U.S. food supply and account for approximately 300 million barrels of oil annually. Not to mention all of the environmental implications that go along with fossil fuel consumption, says Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Making small changes in the way you plan your meals and store your groceries will go a long way. Here are some useful tips from Dr. Mercola that will help extend the shelf life of food and avoid spoilage:

1. Check the Source
   Don’t buy a fancy new fridge. It’s more important to choose where you buy your food. Try shopping for groceries at small, local, organic farms so you can personally check their condition. Food that is grown on a smaller scale usually contains lower levels of bacteria and will give you a few more days of leeway before it spoils.
2. Store Food Correctly
   Store your food in glass containers. Dr. Mercola suggests using the “rule of four.” This means keeping food no more than four days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius. Raw chicken, ground beef, and cuts of beef and lamb are usually safe for three days at this temperature, and four days for leftovers. Read this article to get more detailed instructions on how to store specific fruits and vegetables.
3. Keep Oxygen Out
   Oxygen accelerates food decay. You can “vacuum pack” most of your produce to protect them from the damaging effects of oxygen in the air. Use the bag at the grocery produce section to store your vegetables. Put the bag against your chest and squeeze the produce against your chest using your arm to force all the air out of the bag. Once the air has been removed, seal the bag with a twist tie.
4. Be Mindful When Throwing Food Away
   Don’t throw away bread, cheese, fruits, and vegetables just because of a spot of mold, bruises, or an imperfection. If the food starts smelling a little different, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it has gone bad. Cut or remove the particular spot because you can still eat the rest of it.
5. Plan Your Meals
   Planning your meals will help reduce the amount of food that goes to waste and will help you optimize the nutritional content of your meals, Dr. Mercola advises. Plan your meals according to your Nutritional Type, so you know what to consume, and therefore, what to buy and prepare.

But did you know that aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent?

Aspartame’s discovery was accidental. A chemist was testing a new chemical as a possible anti-ulcer drug when he spilled some of the liquid on his hand. He licked his thumb clean and was surprised at its sweetness.

The rest is artificial sweetener history, or infamy. The FDA originally banned the use of aspartame after three independent scientists found that it might induce brain tumors. But strong pressure from a very influential figure finally put the controversial sweetener on the market.

The Dangers of Aspartame

If you think that low-calorie foods and drinks using aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are a dieter’s best friend, you are gravely mistaken, says Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Sweet Deception. Studies show that aspartame may actually increase your appetite. You’re more prone to gain weight if you regularly consume aspartame-sweetened diet sodas.

But false weight loss promises are the least of your concerns when compared to other aspartame effects. It’s a little known fact that aspartame accounts for about 85 percent of all adverse reactions to food additives, including five reported deaths.

Aspartame is composed of three chemicals: aspartic acid (40 percent), methanol (10 percent), and phenylalanine (50 percent). Aspartic acid is a known excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of damage or death. Methanol, or wood alcohol, breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde–a deadly neurotoxin, Dr. Mercola explains.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid present in your brain. Those suffering from the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine, which leads to dangerously high and sometimes lethal levels of this amino acid in the brain. Consuming aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to high levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.

The combined effects of these three chemicals can lead to a wide variety of health problems, some occur immediately, while others appear gradually. Some of the conditions that are caused or worsened by aspartame include:

• Birth defects
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Emotional disorders
• Epilepsy/seizures
• Fatigue
• Headaches/migraines
• Insomnia
• Memory loss

Avoid aspartame and other potentially toxic artificial sweeteners if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you have experienced an adverse reaction to any product containing aspartame, call the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in your area.

Using high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener is out of the question. For Dr. Mercola, the healthiest sugar alternative is stevia. Stevia is a safe, natural alternative that’s ideal if you’re watching your weight or trying to avoid sugar.

Dr. Mercola recommends using stevia in moderation, though it is far less likely to cause metabolic problems than sugar or any artificial sweetener. If you have problems with your insulin, it’s best for you to avoid ALL forms of sweeteners, including stevia, as all sweets can decrease your insulin sensitivity.