Prosperity and Government

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

--Adrian Pierce Rogers, (1931-2005), American Pastor

OC

The Real Health Reform Solution: A Health Freedom Zone in America

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, introduced a brilliant solution to our current health care reform dilemma: The creation of a Health Freedom Zone in America

OC and Mike Adams, Health Freedom Expo, Long Beach, CA, 03.27.10

Mike says,"Here's how it would work: All it takes is just one state -- such as Oregon, Washington, Arizona or Hawaii -- declaring itself to be the "health freedom zone" for America.

It would openly allow naturopathic physicians and "CAM" practitioners (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) to treat (and help cure) serious diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many others. It would openly allow Chinese Medicine doctors, naturopaths, chiropractors and other well-educated health practitioners to offer nutritional therapies to prevent and cure serious disease. At the same time, it would allow nutritional supplement companies to tell the truth about the truthful therapeutic effects of their products right on the product labels, so that consumers buying such products at retailers within the state could make informed decisions about how to prevent cancer with vitamin D, for example.

If just one state were to step up and much such a declaration, it would instantly transform itself into the natural health capitol of North America and patients and natural health practitioners would flock to the state from all across North America to experience natural medicine that really works.

A wealth of positive effects

The results of this would include all the following:

#1) Your state would experience a booming economy from the huge influx of new natural health businesses and customers engaged in "natural health medical tourism" from all across the country.

#2) Potentially millions of new jobs would be created in your state in the support of these businesses, including office staff, logistics, administration, marketing and much more.

#3) Your state's population would get healthier because they would now have access to naturopathic medicine, honestly-labeled nutritional supplements (instead of the supplement censorship that is now forced upon us by the FDA), and natural therapies that are safer, more affordable and more effective than drugs and surgery.

#4) Because your state's population is now getting healthier, your state expenditures on Medicaid would plummet. So even while your economy is booming from natural health care tourism, you're also spending less on sickness and disease.

#5) Your workforce becomes highly productive and desirable. As your population becomes healthier and regains strong cognitive function thanks to nutrition, your workforce becomes sharper and healthier. Corporations experience higher productivity and reduced losses due to sick time of staff, and your state gains a reputation as a place where companies can hire smart, productive and healthy people who have far lower health care costs. Can you imagine the huge influx of corporations and the massive job creation that would follow?

#6) As all of this is going on, your state would also see dramatic increases in happiness and longevity among the population. And that translates into quality of life that gets your cities named as top choices for places to live in America.

There are other benefits, too. These are just a few of the more important ones."

For more information and a link to Mike's YouTube, click:

http://www.naturalnews.com/028464_health_freedom_A merica.html

I think he's brilliant. This is simple, makes sense and is a viable solution to provide top quality care at reasonable costs AND maintain our health freedoms.

OC

Are Your Health Freedoms at Risk?

Yes.

But they don't have to be. You can protect them by writing your local and state representatives. Let them know how you feel. You can call, too, but writing is more effective. Your letter doesn't have to be long....just write your thoughts about health care the way you see it. Many people want health care, but not at the cost of the plan that was recently voted and signed --- dollar-wise and otherwise. Some say it's a start. I say we can do better. And remember, the people who vote on this "health care" don't receive it...they receive a premium plan that we pay out for the rest of their lives.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE HERE ---

WE'RE NOT STUCK WITH A POORLY WRITTEN PLAN!

It's easy to fix:

1. Talk to friends, family, colleagues and neighbors.

2. Write your "perfect" health care plan. Submit it by email, fax or snail mail to your local and state representatives. It's easy. Just google your state representatives. For example, I live in California, so I google "California state representatives". There's usually local contact information as well as information to an office in Washington, DC. I write my respresentatives on a regular basis -- Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and others have regularly responded to my emails. On the other hand, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger, and Senator John McCain have failed to respond to my letters and emails. I remain optimistic.

3. Know that just because you don't hear from them doesn't mean that they haven't read your thoughts. Everything gets read by someone in the office. When I call their offices, I tell the person who answers the phone how I feel about a bill...for or against, and they record it. Those calls takes less than 20 seconds, including dialing and connect time.

4. Go to the Healthkeepers Alliance site for more information about your state's upcoming bills and issues:

http://healthkeepers.org/public/

WE MUST BE AND REMAIN VIGILANT!

OC

God Help Us

Obama's Health Care Reform plan passed tonight. It's only a matter of time before our citizens see that passing this poorly written bill was one of the biggest mistakes in American history. It's not even about "health care" at all, as there is no mention of disease prevention programs, self-treat education or even address the war the FDA and other agencies have waged against the natural health community.

It does, however, infringe upon our personal freedoms, mandating that we purchase health care that we may not want, or be fined. It also paves the way for a cascade of future personal freedom infringements. We will be taxed at a higher rate to pay for this outrageous spending.

And we have no choice in the matter!

This America?

What has happened to our great nation?

We've been betrayed and sold down the river by those we trusted and voted to protect our rights. We made history, all right....one giant step toward socialism and lack of freedom of choice.

This vote diminished our freedom and rights.

It is important we all understand the difference between "health care" and "health plan".

This bill does not provide "health care". It will only provide a "plan" that we will all be mandated to purchase or pay a fine. The quality of care we will receive is yet to be seen.

Of course, those who voted this bill in will not be covered by "the plan", as they will continue to enjoy lifetime benefits to a premium plan for life at taxpayer expense.

La-de-dah.

Obama was beaming when he said that he listened to the people and we won. Meanwhile, there were demonstrators outside who were clearly against this bill.

Is there a big batch of Kool-Aid being served in Washington?

In his closing argument, House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said that the Democrats were ignoring the will of the people. "We have failed to listen to America, and we have failed to reflect the will of our constituents," he said. "And when we fail to reflect that will, we fail ourselves, and we fail our country."

OC

Opportunities Abound

I'm sure you've heard more than your fair share of negative news about our economy. You don't have to watch network or cable news (I don't) to hear about it....just about everyone and their mother seems to be talking about it! Seriously, it's been 3 years with this "Debbie Downer" speak. Let's lighten up, be productive, and talk about what we CAN do!

Why have so many people bought into a downward spiraling way of thinking? When you hear people talk about the latest financial fiasco, simply ask, "How do you know?" When they say they heard it one the news, ask them if they believe everything they hear. Of course, the answer is 'no'.

The upside is that this negative talk has made me focus on opportunities --- turning possibilities into viable means of positive, productive change. It's time to get creative, people! We actually have more opportunities around us than years past... ..they're just different. As with anything new, they look and feel is unfamiliar, but only until you recognize them. Remember, children go through this every day -- it's called 'the learning process'. Successful adults continue their growth by keeping their minds and eyes open, as that of a child. The beautiful thing is that adults have learned discernment, and have the richness of their life's experience to draw from when entertaining new possibilities.

We live in a world full of wonder and amazement. Opportunities abound. Those still operating with a 'been there, done that' attitude and mindset will be left behind through these rapidly changing times. It's no time to be jaded.

Live every experience as if it's for the first time, and you could very well find yourself open to new possibilities. If you're feeling at a loss, it's time to prepare for your next adventure.

Fasten your seatbelt and pay attention. It's happening all around you.

OC

Happy Life Tips: A Page From Life's Handbook

Wisdom is all around us. Here are a few pearls of wisdom my friend, Barbara, emailed to me today:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.

* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

* Always wear stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be "recalled" by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

* Birthdays are good for you....the more you have, the longer you live.

* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

*********

I am blessed with great friends! I'll bet you are, too.

OC

McCain's "Dietary Supplement Safety Act" Squashed!

Be proud, Americans! Thank you for taking time from your busy day to write/email congress regarding S.3002, John McCain's Dietary Supplement Safety Act. Senator McCain has rescinded his support of the DSSA.

Americans love their freedoms, including the freedom to purchase dietary supplements. McCain's bill would have turned the dietary supplement business over to the FDA, and eventually, Big Pharma. This bill was a very thinly veiled cousin to Europe's Codex Alimentarius, which currently restricts the sale of dietary supplements. McCain's bill would have given carte blanche to launch Codex here in the US, making you a criminal if you chose to continue to enjoy your dietary supplements to improve your health and vitality, and give drug companies and the government the right to destroy what health freedoms DSHEA has accomplished.

The fact that American consumers love their dietary supplements and want less, not more regulation is proven by the hard data demonstrating that in one of the worst economies in decades dietary supplement sales increased significantly in 2009. During America's recent financial crisis, the dietary supplement industry was one of our nation's only industries that had economic growth. The passing of any bill that would jeopardize the dietary supplement industry is counter to the health, best interest and desire of American citizens. Furthermore, the passing of any bill so highly detrimental to our economic growth and well being and is outright anti-American!

Why congress doesn't focus on cleaning up the problems they already have with OTC drugs, pharmaceutical drugs, and the FDA cleaning their house of AERS and VAERS reports is beyond me. Our government has enough problems their plate -- there's no need to create more!

OC

Mercury Amalgam Update: Pennsylvania "Amalgam Wars" Against Disabled Children

From the desk of Charlie Brown, General Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice:

Pennsylvania Dental Association planned "Amalgam Wars"

Against Children for a Year

The evidence suggests that the American Dental Association’s sixth largest chapter, Pennsylvania, has been planning its assault on the rights of disabled children for the past year.

In his “president’s message” dated 13 May 2009, Dr. David Tecosky, former president of the Philadelphia County Dental Society (PCDS) boasted about the association’s elaborate preparations for fighting the “amalgam wars” -- which means, as shown by the behavior and policies of this rogue dental society, a war against the children of America. In his speech, Tocosky announced that he and PCDS board member Dr. Andrew Mramor had received “Spokesperson Training” from the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) in order to more effectively wage the “amalgam wars” against children. Mramor runs a clinic in heavily-minority North Philadelphia, and with encouragement from the dental associations, pressures parents to sign a consent form permitting dentists to subject their children to amalgam (the form even prohibits parents from altering any of its provisions). Being well trained by the Pennsylvania Dental Association, and testifying on its behalf in a written statement dated 11 February 2010, Mramor admitted that he has turned away disabled children as patients for the sole reason that the parent or guardian refuses to consent to amalgam – he won’t so much as clean their teeth if they don’t submit to mercury exposure. In that statement, on the joint letterhead of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia dental associations, Mramor smugly adds that such parents are unlikely to find another dentist for their children.

On 23 February 2010, we asked the Attorney General of Pennsylvania to open a civil rights investigation of the Pennsylvania Dental Association and the Philadelphia County Dental Society for strong-arming parents and patients into submitting to amalgam. To clarify our complaint to the Attorney General, we filed a supplement explaining that Mramor is a PCDS board member and has been especially trained by the PDA as its “spokesperson” on amalgam. We also forwarded a copy of the dental association-endorsed consent form that forces parents to choose: mercury fillings or no dental care.

To our friends in, or with ties to, theKeystone State:

If you haven’t done so already, please write Attorney General Thomas Corbett, and ask him to investigate the PA Dental Association for strong-arming the parents of children with disabilities into “consenting” to mercury fillings.

Email: civilrights@attorneygeneral.gov

Mailing Address: 16th Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg PA 17120

Fax: 717-787-8242

Charlie Brown

8 March 2010

PS----Freya Koss, frekoss@aol.com, spearheaded the adoption of the Philadelphia fact sheet law and has been leading the charge on behalf of the children of Philly.

*********

OC

Follow Up: My Letter to John McCain

After yesterday's post, I thought it fit to write John McCain. So here it is:

March 4, 2010

Dear Senator McCain,

I am a Naturopath and founder of a natural health practice in Southern California. That said, I am not anti-pharm. There are good drugs available that have saved lives. There are also drugs that are on the market that have taken lives. There are many drugs that are currently over-prescribed.

It's no secret that we have a pharmaceutical problem in the US. It's also no secret that the dietary supplement business has exploded to $32 Billion. That's a huge chunk of change that everyone would want to get their hands on. But at what cost to the people? And to what end?

I was a supporter of yours in this last election for many reasons. I was surprised to learn the you wrote the Dietary Supplement Safety Act, which would impede the health freedoms we currently enjoy today in the US.

Giving the FDA control over supplements doesn't make sense, as they are obviously overloaded with what they have on their plate. Thousands of reports have been made to AERS and VAERS, indicating injury or death related to pharmaceutical products, with no action taken toward the manufacturers. Recently, a supplement company was called on the carpet for one incident, and wasn't allowed any recourse. The product was pulled from the shelves.

That's just unfair.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for you, Senator McCain. However, I am dismayed by this bill, and am surprised you wrote it!

I know you are a freedom-loving man. You are a national hero. You fought to protect our freedom in Vietnam, as did my brother. I don't want to see you add to the recent erosion of integrity and founding principles of our country.

Our citizens deserve to make their own choices, and our decisions will only be as good as our information. Providing disease prevention and self-treat education would provide a substantial savings to our current broken health care system.

Diabetes, obesity and many coronary diseases are completely preventable. I'd like to see you write a bill making food manufacturers responsible for providing REAL sources of high quality nutrition, rather than dead, preservative and food additive-laden excuses which lead to and promote unnecessary disease. Then, go after fast food chains. Prepared food manufacturers have a great responsibility to provide wholesome, highly nutritious food sources, and they've failed, as evidenced by our rapidly escalating disease rate.

That said, people should be accountable and responsible for their behavior (or lack thereof). Since this problem has been created with government assistance, I'm expecting government be part of a viable solution to include maintaining our health freedoms.

I know I speak for many when I urge you to reconsider the DSSA bill. I believe that self-treat and disease prevention education should be the cornerstone of ANY health care reform plan, and it can be managed so that it is not a threat to insurance and pharmaceutical companies. I am part of a national network of health professionals who are committed to providing health education.

Respectfully,

Kristin Mills, ND, CNHP

Take Action!

John McCain has written a bill called the Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA), which, if voted in, would repeal key sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The DSHEA protects supplementst if they are food products that have been in the food supply and not chemically altered or were sold as supplements prior to 1994 (the year DSHEA was passed). If a supplement fits one of these categories, the FDA cannot arbitrarily ban it or reclassify it as a drug.

McCain's bill would give carte blanche to the FDA to ban or turn over any supplement to FDA-favored drug companies. (And it's no secret that the FDA is friendly to drug companies and hostile to supplement companies.) This will give the FDA more control, but is already misusing the Adverse Reporting System (AERS) and VAERS for vaccine reporting. Drugs and vaccines already have thousands of adverse reports, without any action. Yet the FDA recently pulled a supplement from the market based on a couple of alleged adverse reports without allowing the company to provide any counter evidence or argument.

Drug companies are threatened by supplement companies because supplements are effective, safer, and less expensive. The FDA doesn't like supplement companies because the do not come through the FDA approval process and therefore do not support the FDA budget.

The FDA is supposed to guard and protect our health, and yet is hostile to natural medicine based on diet, exercise and supplements. Natural medicine is the real future of health care...and there's nothing in it financially for the FDA or drug companies.

Protect your access to supplements and rights to health freedom by contacting your senators today by asking them NOT to co-sponsor Senator McCain's Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA), rather OPPOSE it.

For more information, click here:

http://www.suzannesomers.com/Blog/post/Senator-McCain-and-your-Supplements.aspx

OC

General Colin Powell: A Leader Worth Following

You may be wondering why a business whose primary focus is natural health be interested in discussing General Colin Powell?

The answer is simple:

We are all about supporting the best of the best.

As you know, I was blessed with an opportunity to listen to him speak a couple of weeks ago. He shared the following simple leadership tips:

1. Promote Hopefulness

The ripple effect of an enthusiastic and optimistic leader is powerful, as is the effect of pessimism and cynicism. Leaders set the tone for the team. A gung-ho attitude of 'we can change the world/business and make it a better place' goes a long way down the road of success, as does sharing exciting news, celebrate victories, smile, and look for the bright side of a situation.

2. Encourage Growth

Effective leaders inspire and encourage their team members to learn new skills and grab new responsibilities to avoid stagnation. Reinventing jobs promotes smart, happy, forward-thinking teams. Pigeon-holing employees (or anyone) will make them become bored and begin to spoil the company culture. Keep your team growing and thriving by encouraging cross-training, reading, seminars, education, brainstorming, idea boxes -- no limits. At a performance review, instead of asking, 'how do you feel you've performed your job', ask 'how much have you changed?' The stronger and smarter your team is, the stronger you are as a leader

3. Leader vs Manager

Titles mean little in terms of real power. Real power is the capacity to influence and inspire. Have ou ever known a manager who few people respected and became a figure-head? have you ever known a non-manager who had little authority but commanded respect? Just because you have the title doesn't mean that you will get the respect of those around you. True leaders gather a following through vision, determination, wisdom, expertise, compassion and integrity. If you find that people don't respect ou, take a close look at each of these attributes to see what you could be lacking.

4. Ask Questions

Some people don't stop to ask for directions. This won't work in business because not asking questions will about guarantee failure --- and take the company down with you. If you see a potential problem, ask questions until you find the solution. If you would like to understand your customer, ask questions. Great leaders know that asking the right questions unearth problems and yield tremendous understanding about their customers, employees and operations. Take tim to survey everyone. Encourage and reward others for finding errors and loopholes --- and preventing them!

5. Never be Afraid to Make People Mad

It's more important to be respected than liked. Sometimes you'll have to make tough decisions that not everyone will like. Prepare yourself for these moments by thinking through why you make the decision. Then pinpoint precisely why your decision is best for your team, your customers and the company. Realize that part of your job is to 'sell' your decision. That's part of diplomacy. In the end, if others don't agree, don't be afraid to hold your ground. Exceptional leaders possess passion and tenacity. Dig in and make sure that the best solution wins.

OC