Michiganders still have elevated PBB levels in their bodies 40 years after chemical accident by Rebecca Williams

In 1973, a plant owned by Velsicol Chemical made a mistake and shipped a toxic flame retardant chemical to a livestock feed plant. The chemical is called polybrominated biphenyl, or PBB. It took about a year to discover the accident.

It took about a year to discover the accident. Millions of Michiganders ate contaminated beef, chicken, pork, milk and eggs. All these years later, researchers are finding that PBB exposure is linked to health problems. Michele Marcus is a professor of epidemiology, environmental health and pediatrics at Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and Emory University School of Medicine.

Is Soy or Almond Milk Healthier Than Cow's Milk? by Julie Stewart

Subscribe When you were a kid, milk was the sacred cow of the dairy market. But since 2009, sales of non-dairy milk alternatives have spiked 94 percent. Why? Partly because the ingredients are less expensive to produce than real milk.

Before we take a critical eye to milk alternatives, let's look at good old-fashioned cow's milk. Here are the positives: An 8-ounce glass of whole milk has nearly 8 grams of protein and 149 calories. For comparison, a 4-ounce skinless roasted chicken breast has 35 grams of protein and 186 calories.

Dangers of Essential Oils by Tori Rodriguez

Odds are you know someone who sells essential oils for a multi-level marketing company, and they might just tout them as a miracle remedy for just about everything.

Anything powerful enough to have a beneficial effect on the body could also have negative effects, says Bauer. "Whether it's a drug, an herb or an essential oil, all should be treated with respect," he says. "What works for one person may not work for the next-or may interfere with medications," he says, or have other side effects. Don't assume it's safe because it's natural, and be aware that "not all essential oil companies test their oils for quality," says Roz Zollinger, a certified aromatherapist, instructor and founder of the Heal Center in Atlanta. Research the company before you buy.

Shaking Up The Salt Debate! by James Colquhoun

A mineral that has received a lot of bad press, salt is actually fundamental to our health. Ironic, isn't it? So why are we led to believe salt is bad? I am blowing the lid on the salt debate.

So here it is: SALT IS GOOD FOR YOU Salt? I hear you say. Are you sure? And this is where the camp of traditional believers might jump in, yelling 'NO. IT'S NOT!'. And they would be right if I was talking about the chemically produced table salt that is added to most processed foods, meats and snacks (that IS bad for you). But I'm not. I'm talking about REAL salt - 100 percent natural salt that is extracted from a legitimate natural source and is not bleached or processed.

Why You Should Avoid Palm Oil Like The Plague by Michele Miller

Palm oil is used in many things from chips and baked goods to shampoo and cleaning products to an oil used for cooking. It is the most widley used vegetable oil in the world.

It even sounds healthier because it's different from GMO vegetable oil like canola. It comes from a palm fruit grown on an African oil palm tree so what could be unhealthy, harmful, or unsustainable about that? Well it's contributing to the death of thousands of orangutans and many other animals who live in the forests. Not to mention, it's affecting the indigenous people and the environment.

Costco gets creative to meet shoppers' huge appetite for organics by Janet I. Tu

To boost its supply of organic foods, Costco is trying something new: It's working with farmers to help them buy land and equipment as it struggles to keep pace with customer demand.

At Costco's recent shareholder meeting, CEO Craig Jelinek touted the vast amounts of food the company sold last year, from 83 million rotisserie chickens to $6.1 billion worth of produce. As for organics, one of the fastest-growing categories in food sales and one in which Costco has become a major player?

Geo-engineering: Climate fixes 'could harm billions' by David Shukman

Schemes to tackle climate change could prove disastrous for billions of people, but might be required for the good of the planet, scientists say. That is the conclusion of a new set of studies into what's become known as geo-engineering.

This is the so far unproven science of intervening in the climate to bring down temperatures. These projects work by, for example, shading the Earth from the Sun or soaking up carbon dioxide. Ideas include aircraft spraying out sulphur particles at high altitude to mimic the cooling effect of volcanoes or using artificial "trees" to absorb CO2.

The Most Common Symptoms of Mineral Deficiency by John Borsov

Different mineral and vitamin deficiencies can lead to a variety of health issues provided through several symptoms indicated on particular parts of the body. But how to tell which symptom is related to which deficiency?

Presenting you the meaning of the most common symptoms which can clearly state you what vitamin or mineral you need to increase on with consumption. Muscle cramps or headaches can be a result of magnesium deficiency Magnesium as the most common mineral is a really essential nutrient for the function of the nervous system. It not only helps you relax nerves and tense muscles, but can alleviate headaches and muscle cramping too.

California bans commercial crab fishing due to excessive radiation in seafood by David Gutierrez

In November of last year, California state officials placed an indefinite hold on the commercial crab season, in order to protect public health. The reason given by the state was dangerously high levels of algal toxins in the bodies of the crabs.

But according to New York radio station 95.1 FM (SuperStation 95), insiders from the California Fish and Game Commission have revealed that the real reason for the ban was dangerously high levels of radioactivity resulting from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Radioactive crab are so dangerous to eat that state officials felt the need to protect the public, Superstation 95 reports. But officials were unwilling to publicly admit the true reason for the ban, which contradicts official claims that the Fukushima disaster poses no threat to the U.S. West coast.

Indian farmer's associations demand government approve GMO mustard

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. A consortium of six farmer bodies demanded for commercialisation of GM Mustard crop saying this will help in increasing yield and farmers income.

The representatives of consortium also submitted a petition in this regard to Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundariya. The commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop is presently under the consideration of biotech regulator Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).