Day 4: Sharfstein Needs to Answer re FDA ‘end game’ vs. Our Movement

This week’s grassroots project is to phone or write FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein to determine whether he stopped the FDA staff proposal for an “end game” against our movement.

http://www.toxicteeth.org/endgame-email-from-Strait.doc

I had expected Sharfstein’s staff to say, “Of course, we don’t tolerate this.” Instead, FDA continues its hostile policy toward consumers: voice mails on the phones and form-letter replies to e-mails. For Henry Schein Inc., of course, the answer is quite different --- a rule allowing untrammeled amalgam sales resulting in a jump in stock price.

Joshua Sharfstein can only hide in FDA’s bureaucratic cocoon for so long. So now it’s the turn of you folks in the Eastern and Atlantic time zones. Please call Dr. Sharfstein, at 301.796-5040, or write Dr. Sharfstein, JMSharf1@fda.hhs.gov.

Here are the two suggested questions:

1. Did you reject George Strait’s proposal for an “end game” against those fighting your mercury fillings rule?

2. Did you sanction Strait for proposing to punish those who disagree with you?

We do this phoning on a rotation, going west to east across the nation. In case you didn’t get to call or write earlier in the week, please call on Friday, or write by the end of the weekend.

-- Charlie

24 September 2009

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org,
www.toxicteeth.org
Working for Mercury-Free Dentistry

Day 3: Sharfstein needs to answer re FDA ‘end game’ vs. our movement

An update from Charlie Brown, National Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice:

To reinforce what we are fighting for, here is a letter to the editor in the Cleveland Plain Dealer from a woman who suffered from MS symptoms for 25 years before seeing those symptoms steadily reversed following the removal of her mercury fillings.

http://www.cleveland.com/health/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living-0/1253608247203030.xml&coll=2

So far this week Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein remains stone-faced. Did Sharfstein, or did he not, condemn the George Strait plan for an “end game” against our movement?

http://www.toxicteeth.org/endgame-email-from-Strait.doc

Did Sharfstein, or did he not, discipline Strait for seeking to deprive us of our Constitutional rights?

Under our time zone rotation, Thursday, 24 September is the day for folks in the Central time zone, plus our friends in Latin America.* Call or write Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein at 301.796-5040, or JMSharf1@fda.hhs.gov . Tell him you have two questions about Asst. Commissioner George Strait’s “end game” plan vs. our movement:

1. Did you reject George Strait’s proposal for an “end game” against those fighting your mercury fillings rule?

2. Did you sanction Strait for proposing to punish those who disagree with you?

-- Charlie

23 September 2009

* We’re tag-teaming this again. Each day this week a different time zone calls or writes (if you missed your day, please feel free to contact Sharfstein anyways).

-- Tuesday, 22 September, folks in Pacific time zone + AK + HI.

-- Wed. 23 Sept., Mountain time zone, plus Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

-- Thurs., 24 Sept.: Central time zone, plus Latin America.

-- Fri., 25 Sept.: Eastern & Atlantic time zones.

If you missed your day, go ahead and call Thursday or Friday.

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org,
www.toxicteeth.org
Working for Mercury-Free Dentistry

Day 2: Ask Sharfstein, "Did you stop FDA ‘end game’ against our movement?"

It’s time for Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein to choose -- choose between loyalty to the President (whose track record is 100% against mercury exposure) and loyalty to Margaret Hamburg (whose track record is profiting off of Henry Schein, Inc. stock options while in office). Sharfstein entered FDA as Hamburg’s Sancho Panza and proceeded to rubber stamp the amalgam rule that Hamburg handed him at the last minute.

At some point, Sharfstein should have drawn the line. And that point was when the chief press officer asked him to approve an “end game” for the opponents of amalgam.

http://www.toxicteeth.org/endgame-email-from-Strait.doc

Sharfstein should not only have vetoed the idea but he should have disciplined George Strait for even suggesting a plan to deprive us of our constitutional rights.

You did a great job smoking out Hamburg who claimed she recused herself -- she has finally admitted that not only was she profiting from stock options while in office, but far from having any proof of recusal, she actually met with staff to discuss the issue. So now it’s time to find out what Sharfstein’s been up to.

Under our time zone rotation, Wednesday, 23 September (tomorrow), is the day for folks in the Mountain Time Zone of North America, plus our friends in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.* Call or write Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein at 301.796-5040, or JMSharf1@fda.hhs.gov . Tell him you have two questions about Assistant Commissioner George Strait’s plan for an “end game” against our movement:

1. Did you reject George Strait’s proposal for an “end game” against those fighting your mercury fillings rule?

2. Did you sanction Strait for proposing to punish those who disagree with you?

-- Charlie

22 September 2009

* We’re tag-teaming this again. Each day this week a different time zone calls or writes (if you missed your day, please feel free to contact Sharfstein anyway).

-- Tuesday, 22 Sept: folks in Pacific time zone + AK + HI.

-- Wednesday, 23 Sept: Mountain Time Zone, plus our friends in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

-- Thursday, 24 Sept: Central Time zone, plus our friends in Latin America.

-- Friday, 25 Sept: Eastern & Atlantic time zones.

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org,
www.toxicteeth.org
Working for Mercury-Free Dentistry

LNH Note: We continue to support Consumers for Dental Choice, Charlie Brown and his tireless efforts to work toward safe and non-toxic dentistry practices.

Update from Consumers for Dental Choice: Ask Sharfstein if he Vetoed FDA “End Game” Proposal

On August 14, in a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein (and copied to Commissioner Hamburg and press aide Mary Long), FDA’s top press official George Strait proposed the agency begin a “communications end game” on our movement. http://www.toxicteeth.org/endgame-email-from-Strait.doc

Is protecting mercury fillings so important to FDA that it must attack those who want to phase it out?

The American people need to know: Did Sharfstein put the brakes on this contemptible proposal? Either he stopped it or he didn’t; saying nothing when an aide presents a program that so blatantly violates our constitutional rights is unacceptable. Sharfstein is a Presidential appointee who took an oath to uphold the Constitution.

The “end game” plan suggests FDA may be spiraling into a rogue agency whose decisions cannot withstand public scrutiny. FDA cannot explain why unrestricted mercury exposure is good for the public health. FDA cannot explain why parents should not be informed that mercury exposure from amalgam puts their children at risk for neurological harm. FDA cannot explain why it allows corporations untrammeled amalgam sales while it denies consumers’ basic right to know that a toxin is being implanted in their bodies. FDA cannot explain why Commissioner Hamburg organized a staff meeting about the amalgam rule when she was required to recuse herself. Small wonder FDA is desperate to silence our questions with an end game.

This week’s project is to find out whether Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein rejected the plan for an “end game” against us.

Call or write Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein at 301.796-5040 or JMSharf1@fda.hhs.gov. Tell him you have two questions about Assistant Commissioner George Strait’s plan for an “end game” against our movement:

1. Did you reject George Strait’s proposal for an “end game” against those fighting your mercury fillings rule?

2. Did you sanction Strait for proposing to punish those who disagree with you?

Let’s tag-team this again. Each day this week a different time zone calls or writes. West Coasters first:

* On Tuesday, 22 Sept, folks in Pacific time zone + AK + HI.

* On Wed. 23 Sept, Mountain Time Zone, plus our friends in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

* Thurs., 24 Sept: Central Time zone, plus our friends in Latin America.

* Fri., 25 Sept: Eastern & Atlantic time zones.

-- Charlie

21 September 2009

PS: Last week’s project was to write or phone your Congressman or Congresswoman about Margaret Hamburg participating in this rule-making despite claiming she recused herself, and about FDA’s proposed end game on this consumer movement. If you haven’t written yet, please do so now. You can reach Congress by going to https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml; choose your state, enter your zip, then click “Contact My Representative.”

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org,
www.toxicteeth.org
Working for Mercury-Free Dentistry

Equinox and Your Health

An equinox happens twice in one year -- the vernal equinox or the March equinox, and the autumnal equinox or the September equinox. An equinox occurs when the tilt of Earth’s own axis is inclined neither away and neither towards the Sun which means that the Sun is vertically above one Equator point.

Equinox and Your Health

In terms of our health, Spring and Fall equinox are optimum times of the year to detoxify the body to rid itself of old waste and prepare the body for a new seasonal change. Beginning on September 22 or 23, the autumnal equinox signals a time of change in weather, daylight, and temperatures. We need to take special care of the two vital organs of this season, the lungs and the large intestines.

Equally important to your health and detox process are your large intestines, which also need your special attention during this season. When the system becomes backed up with toxins, a mucus buildup along the lining of the intestinal wall occurs. The wastes lodged in your colon ultimately affect every part of your body and result in constipation. One of the first places this intestinal problem appears is your skin in the form of rashes, blotchy skins, acne, and eczema. And because constipation can cause fecal matter to stay lodged in your system for weeks or even years, this motionless waste develops a hard, stubborn buildup along the walls of our bowels and creates a dangerous playground for unwanted bacteria.

The lungs along with the bronchial tubes, throat, sinuses, and nose—are a major detoxification pathway. They act as the go-between for the internal and outer environment, inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide through the pulmonary capillaries. Each cell performs as a mini-lung by taking in oxygen from the bloodstream and eliminating carbon dioxide, which is then carried back to the lungs. That’s why it’s so essential for your lungs to have good-quality air that is clean, moist, warm, and rich in oxygen.

It is important the body be properly built up before beginning any detoxification program. For more information regarding Detoxification -- what it is, how if affects you and what you can do to feel better, go to:

http://lagunanaturalhealth.com/detoxification.htm

Autumn Healing Tea, Herbs and Spices

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) tea is an excellent autumn beverage choice due to its effectiveness as a lubricant and its ability to soften and dissolve mucus in the lungs and moisten the intestinal tract to prevent constipation.

Autumn spices including warming cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and anise, which are not only deliciously aromatic but help to prevent indigestion, gas, and cold hands and feet. Anise is a lung remedy as well, known to help bronchial disorders and asthma. Your autumn tea, herbs, and spices all help to support intestinal and respiratory function and alleviate dampness.

Autumn Detox Plan

The harvest season is the time to begin to decrease your intake of cooling summer foods and start to increase more cooked and warming foods into your eating plan in preparation for winter. It’s also the season to reduce your fruit intake from three portions to two, because fruits are especially cooling to the body. Our bodies need more warmth in cooler weather.

For the autumn detox plan, whether you stay on it for the minimum three days or two weeks, the foods to be consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are from the food groups listed below.

Oils—1 tablespoon lignan-rich flaxseed oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil daily.

Lean protein—at least 8 ounces daily. Choose from beef, buffalo, eggs, lamb, poultry, fermented tofu and tempeh.

Vegetables—Unlimited raw or steamed, low glycemic; plus 3 tablespoons sauerkraut.

Fruits—2 whole portions daily. Choose from 1 medium apple, 1 cup cranberries, 1 medium pear, 1/2 medium persimmon, 1/2 pomegranate; plus 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

Filtered pure water—8 glasses a day.

With or between meals—2 cups of fenugreek tea daily.

Ann Louise Gittleman's Sample Autumn Detox Plan Menu

Upon rising -- two 8 ounce glasses of water with the juice of one lemon.Before breakfast—1 cup fenugreek tea

Breakfast—1 stewed apple with cinnamon and nutmeg; Autumn Scrambler (made with 2 eggs, mushrooms, and onions with 1/2 tablespoon sesame seed oil).

Mid-morning—two 8-ounce glasses of water

Lunch—Tempeh burger; Warm cabbage salad with grated carrots, celery, parsley, and dressing of 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon aniseeds; 3 tablespoons sauerkraut

Mid-afternoon—two 8-ounce glasses of water

Before dinner—1 pear

Dinner—Broiled lamb chops with a dash of cinnamon; braised greens and sliced daikon with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil; Autumn Leaves Veggies (with steamed wild mushrooms, radishes, and snow peas); 1 cup of fenugreek tea

Mid-evening—two 8-ounce glasses of water.

Colon Therapy

In the fall, you may consider a series of colon hydrotherapy treatments to assist in cleansing the bowel. Colon hydrotherapists believe that regular colon cleansing helps relieve fatigue, gas, headaches, irritability, and a number of stubborn skin problems. Colonic enthusiasts report a marked sense of well-being, more energy, less brain fog and more tranquility. Dark circles and bags under the eyes disappear. Colon hydrotherapy can help to establish the pattern of regular bowel movements on a daily basis. Once the system has been cleansed by means of colon hydrotherapy, the colon can again function as it was meant to, eliminating unwanted wastes from the body.

---

Ann Louise Gittleman, N.D., M.S., C.N.S., is one of the foremost nutritionists in the United States. She is the author of The Fat Flush Plan (McGraw Hill, 2001), Eat Fat, Lose Weight (Keats, 1999), and Why Am I Always So Tired? (Harper San Francisco, 1999).

LNH

Mercury Amalgam Update: "Tip of the Hamburg?"

We now know that Margaret Hamburg had a meeting with staff on the amalgam rule, even though her staff has been writing you form letters falsely claiming she was “not involved.” We now know that Margaret Hamburg was still cashing her Henry Schein stock options two months after becoming Commissioner. We now know Margaret Hamburg’s top press aide George Strait proposes FDA do an “end game” on our movement.

But we only got a fraction of the documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act;

Commissioner Hamburg blotted out or withheld entirely at least 90% of the documents we requested.

So what we know may be only “the tip of the Hamburg.” (Larry Pilot, the experienced FDA lawyer based in Arlington, VA, came up with that great one-liner.)

So ask your Congressman or Congresswoman to write FDA and inquire about the corruption which led to a rule covering up the mercury in amalgam, a rule that breaches last year’s contract FDA signed with us, a rule that boosted up the stock price of Hamburg benefactor Henry Schein, Inc.

e-mailing Congress/faxing Congress /phoning Congress: go to https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

choose your state, enter your zip, then click “Contact My Representative.”

Talking Points to your Congressman/Congresswoman:

* FDA’s rule conceals the mercury in amalgam from consumers.

* FDA’s rule benefits Commissioner Hamburg’s corporate benefactor, Henry Schein.

* Commissioner Hamburg participated despite claiming that she was recused for ethical reasons, and despite selling off Schein stock options at the same time.

* Dr. Hamburg and her staff are covering up her role in the rule-making.

* FDA proposes to silence critics of the rule via an “end game.”

Additional talking point to Democrat: FDA under Hamburg is a rogue agency defying President Obama’s deep concerns about mercury.

Additional talking point to Republican: FDA under Hamburg is a rogue agency that pulled from its consumer website the warning of neurological harm to children and unborn babies, put there by the Republican Commissioner.

In the battle against FDA, our choice is an end game for mercury fillings -- or an end game for this movement.

---Charlie

18 September 2009

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org,
www.toxicteeth.org
Working for Mercury-Free Dentistry

LNH Note: We continue to support the tireless work of Charlie Brown and Consumers for Dental Choice in their tireless efforts to make dentistry safe for everyone.

http://www.dentistry.com/articles/The_Oath_and_Law_of_Hippocrates.aspx

OC