“Unless we put medical freedom in the constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship…The constitution of this Republic should make special provision for medical freedom as well as religious freedom.”  ~ Benjamin Rush M.D. signer of the Declaration of Independence, known as the “Father of American Medicine.” 

Latest News on GMO Issues:

• Chipotle restaurant chain has announced that they will no longer use any ingredients in their food that contains GMO’s. This is capturing much media attention, both for and against GMO’s. Consequently, more people are now becoming aware of the discussion and educating themselves.  In the end that’s the most important thing!
• In June, a Federal Court agreed with farmers who are concerned about their crops being contaminated by GMO crops! This is the first time that has happened at the Federal level and will bring about some massive changes in protecting our food sources as well. Until now, local farmers were being sued by Monsanto’s attorneys if contamination of GMO crops (by the local farmers’ non-GMO seeds) were found in their crops. These farmers were often ruined by the lawsuits when they had to defend themselves against the deeper pockets and an army of corporate attorneys specializing in this type of lawsuit.

Health Freedom Bill Passed in Nevada: Thanks to Jim Jenks, Dianne Miller & the lobbyist for the successful passage of this bill in Nevada. Not only did they work tirelessly but Jim also personally funded part of the money required for this legislative project. [Support of the Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation could eliminate the need for this]

Abortion Victory for North Carolina: In June, North Carolina joins Missouri, South Dakota and Utah in requiring a 72-hour waiting period for abortions, except in cases of a medical emergency.. A total of 24 states require some waiting period before an abortion can be performed, and several are considering new or longer restrictions this year.

“Health Freedom may not be on the front burner for most in Washington, but this is exactly the time when sneaky things happen in Washington.”

POSSIBLE BAN ON BULK CAFFEINE POWDER (BCP).
In the past few months, at least two confirmed deaths have been linked to the use of BCP. On December 9, 2014, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a Citizens Petition to “Ban the Retail Distribution of Pure and Highly Concentrated Caffeine Sold in Powder Form as a Dietary Supplement.” On January 22, 2015, Six U.S. senators supported the Petition filed by (CSPI) by sending a letter of support to Dr. Hamburg of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). The United Natural Product Alliance (UNPA) has made a no-sale policy of selling BCP as a condition for membership. While many in the industry support the ban, Dr. Daniel Fabricant, CEO of Natural Product Association, has a different opinion, he worries that this is a situation where people are overdosing and not following label instructions. Fabricant thinks if the FDA finds a risk they should ban the products, but he states, “we don’t want to get into a position where Senators are using a court public opinion to regulate the industry.” He says the FDA should “make a decision based on science.” Nature’s Sunshine Legal Department will continue to monitor and update.
MINNESOTA PROPOSES A GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM (GMO) LABELING BILL.
Minnesota Introduced Bills number SF335 and HF351, to the Senate and House on January 26, 2015. If passed, the bills will take effect January, 2017, and will require the wording “Produced with Genetic Engineering” to be place on packaging in a “clear and conspicuous” manner. Alaska, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont have already adopted GMO labeling laws. Nature’s Sunshine Legal Department will monitor and update.

FINAL AMENDMENT TO COOLING-OFF RULE APPROVED BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
On January 6, 2015, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) approved the final amendment to the Cooling-Off Rule. Previously, the rule stated it was unfair and deceptive for door-to-door sales people to fail to provide consumers with disclosures regarding their right to cancel sales contracts within three business days of a transaction if the sale was valued at more than $25.00. The amended rule took effect on March 13, 2015. The rule distinguishes between sales at a buyer’s residence and sales at other locations. The rule retains the $25.00 limit for in home sales, and places a $130.00 limit for sales located in temporary locations (i.e. Retail stores). The reason for retaining the $25.00 limit was to “discourage high-pressure sales tactics and deception that can occur during in home solicitations.” This information is provided by NSP’s Legal Department for informational purposes.

Diane Miller, our Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation’s advocate and lobbyist, spoke at convention on “What is the law? What is printed in word is the law.” This is why we must diligently read every upcoming bill and critique the wording so that tactfully hidden wording does not contain phrases that will work against us in our pursuit for the right and choice to practice health freedom. With 50 states involved, that is quite a large assignment.

“Safe Harbor” Health Freedom states in 2015 are: OK, ID, MN, RI, CA, LA, AZ(limited), NM, and CO.

The “hot spot” states for 2015 appear to be: MN, WI, OH, and NV. These states especially need careful watching.

The U.S. Health Freedom Congress consists of 40+ different organizations that attend, discuss, and work for health freedom issues.

Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation: The Health Freedom Fund was established in 1987 by NSP to provide financial support for the people who fight to preserve our rights to use and promote natural products and holistic health. Donations help provide for lobbyists who talk directly to legislators, explaining YOUR side of the issues. Kirk Bashaw, president of SHFF, stated” “Out of 145,000 NSP distributors, only 740 contribute consistently to the Health Freedom Fund.” That is pitiful! IF everyone donated/pledged only $1 per month, it would provide $145,000 each month to further our cause and need for health freedom support. Sadly, managers are representing their own states at the legislature, at their own expense, because the funds are not there to cover the expenses of a lobbyist.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR HEALTH FREEDOM FOUNDATION – Don’t let someone else have to bear the burden of providing support for you. It’s as simple as filling out a form online pledging your donation be deducted from your monthly bonus check, or – simply write a check for as little as $12, and it will cover your minimum donation for the entire year. Isn’t your Health Freedom worth that much to you???

Feel free to contact us @ 804-739-9400 or fyiherbs@aol.com if you need any help in getting this accomplished. The time is now! The need is urgent!

We are all aware of the information in the news media recently about companies selling herbal supplements in New York State that contained contaminants and that many contained none of the herbs that were listed in the labels. This report from Beth Clay of the JLH Project gives us more insights into the situation:

Dietary Supplements Under Attack Again: New York’s Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, (NYAG) launched what the Council for Responsible Nutrition has termed a sting operation and publicity stunt on dietary supplement major retail outlets – Target, GNC, Walgreen’s and Wal-Mart. The NYAG claims to have conducted independent DNA barcode testing on top selling products purchased at these outlets and further claims that the herbs listed on the labels were not found in the products. Subpoenas and cease and desist letters were issued after he publicized his findings. What the NYAG has not done is release the findings for his independent evaluation.

Numerous botanical experts have stated that the testing method the NYAG states was used is in fact invalid for using on finished botanical products. Many industry officials are concerned because this state legal activity, which of course got national media attention, is short on facts. There was a failure on the NYAG’s part to release information confirming whether the amounts of supposed contaminants such as gluten, beans, and rice were trace, minute, or in amounts that exceeded the federal limits. The New York Times has published the cease and desist letters sent to companies at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/02/02/health/herbal_supplement_letters.html

Quality Assurance is required under federal FDA cGMP guidelines as stipulated in federal law. If companies are marketing adulterated products, including products that do not contain the herbs on the label, then the NYAG is well within his purview to request these products not be sold in his state. Until and unless there is sunlight in the process, and the data is released for review, we cannot be sure whether the NYAG’s actions are justified, or simply a publicity stunt, setting the stage for legislators to attempt a challenge to the existing federal laws on dietary supplements.
If you have questions about the type of testing used by the companies you buy your dietary supplement products from, reach out and ask the company to explain how they meet federal quality control guidelines. There are validated testing methods used by the industry. {Nature’s Sunshine Products Stands Behind its 42-Year Commitment to Quality}

Healthful diet report: Sugary drinks out; coffee, eggs in (Source: Washington/Associated Press)

Recommendations on February 19, 2015 from a government advisory committee call for an environmentally friendly diet lower in red and processed meats. But the panel would reverse previous guidance on limiting dietary cholesterol. And it says the caffeine in a few cups of coffee could actually be good for you. The committee is backing off stricter limits on salt, though it says Americans still get much too much. It’s also recommending the first real limits on added sugar. The Agriculture and Health and Human Services Departments will take those recommendations into account in writing final 2015 dietary guidelines by the end of the year. The guidelines affect nutritional patterns throughout the country – from federally subsidized school lunches to food package labels to your doctor’s advice. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “it is by no means over” with the release of the report. The government will take comments and possibly make changes before releasing its final guidelines for consumers. Even with the changes, the report sticks to the basic message of previous guidelines: Eat more fruits and vegetables and whole grains; eat less saturated fats, salt and sugar.

RETHINKING CHOLESTEROL: The report says dietary cholesterol now is “not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.” This follows increasing medical research showing the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream is more complicated than once thought. The committee says available evidence “shows no appreciable relationship” between heart disease and how much dietary cholesterol you eat. It still recommends eating less saturated fat, limiting it to 10 percent of total calories.The panel doesn’t give specific recommendation for how much cholesterol or how many eggs a person may eat.

WATCH THE SUGAR: Added sugars should be around 200 calories a day – about the amount in one 16-ounce sugary drink, says the advisory committee, which is made up of doctors and nutritionists. (This recommendation is part of a push in recent years to help consumers isolate added sugars from naturally occurring ones like those in fruit and milk).

Americans now get about 13 percent of their calories from added sugar, or 268 calories a day, the committee says, with older children, adolescents and young adults generally taking in more. The committee recommends replacing sugary drinks with water.

Tax the Sweets: The panel says Americans should pay taxes on sugary sodas and snacks, as a way to stimulate them to cut down on sugars consumed.

ADVICE ON SALT: The panel recommends 2,300 milligrams a day for all people, even those most at risk for heart disease. The 2010 dietary guidelines had recommended those at risk for heart disease limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams. The new report said lowering to that amount can still be helpful for some. But the new advice follows a 2013 report by the Institute of Medicine that said there is no good evidence that eating less than 2,300 milligrams a day of sodium offers benefits. Alice Lichtenstein, a member of the panel and a professor at Tufts University, said the new recommendation “puts the focus where it should be.” Get sodium intake down, and fine-tune the numbers as more evidence comes in.

A HEARTY ENDORSEMENT FOR COFFEE: The report looks at caffeine for the first time, and says coffee is OK – even good for you. The panel says there is strong evidence that 3 to 5 cups a day can be part of a healthy diet, and there’s consistent evidence that it’s even associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Just don’t add calories with cream, milk and sugars. The report advises against large-size coffee based energy drinks, and recommends pregnant women limit caffeine to two cups of coffee a day.

EAT A PLANT-BASED DIET:  The panel recommends eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. A plant-based diet is “more health promoting and is associated with less environmental impact” than the current U.S. diet, which is high in meat. The report stops short of telling people not to eat meat, saying “no food groups need to be eliminated completely to improve sustainability outcomes.”

Overall, the panel advises a diet lower in red and processed meat, and in a footnote says lean meats can be part of a healthy diet. The meat recommendations in particular may prompt pushback from Capitol Hill. Last year, Congress noted the panel’s interest in the environment and directed Vilsack “to only include nutrition and dietary information, not extraneous factors” in final guidelines.