Healthy Lifestyle

Wireless headphones, like Apple's popular AirPods, could be dangerous to human health, according to a petition signed by 250 scientists.¹ The devices, which include not only AirPods but also other wireless Bluetooth headphones, bring a new level of function and convenience to those looking to listen to music, podcasts, audio books and more while on the go.

Since their introduction, more than 44 million AirPods have been sold,² with another 55 million predicted to be sold in 2019 alone. Forecasts were that 80 million would be sold in 2020,³ but when the final tally came in, they actually hit over 100 million.⁴ It's an undeniably alluring bit of technology — one that was further made into a "necessity" of sorts when Apple removed the headphone jack from its iPhone 7⁵ — but it's one that may come at a steep price.

The petition to the United Nations (U.N.), led by the International Electromagnetic Field Alliance, takes aim at both nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which are used by AirPods and other Bluetooth devices, as well as cellphones and Wi-Fi, which emit radiofrequency radiation.

Scientists Warn of Danger From EMFs

The petition, which was originally released in 2015 and updated in 2019, is an international appeal from scientists who work closely in the study of the health effects of nonionizing EMF. For decades, the industry has claimed that nonionizing radiation is harmless and the only radiation worth worrying about is ionizing radiation. On the contrary, the scientists state:⁶

"Based upon peer-reviewed, published research, we have serious concerns regarding the ubiquitous and increasing exposure to EMF generated by electric and wireless devices.

These include — but are not limited to — radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitting devices, such as cellular and cordless phones and their base stations, Wi-Fi, broadcast antennas, smart meters and baby monitors as well as electric devices and infrastructures used in the delivery of electricity that generate extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF)."

Noting the International Agency for Research on Cancer's classification of EMF as a possible human carcinogen, they also stated numerous scientific publications show EMF affects organisms at levels "well below" most international and national guidelines. Among the potential risks of exposure include:⁷

By failing to take action, the petition states, the World Health Organization is "failing to fulfill its role as the pre-eminent international public health agency," adding that damage from EMF "goes well beyond the human race, as there is growing evidence of harmful effects to both plant and animal life."⁸

Why Wireless Earbuds Could Be Particularly Problematic

Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley and one of the petition's signers, explained that earbud technology is so new that research hasn't yet been done to detail what effects it could have on the brain.

However, he stated in a news release, "I couldn't imagine it's all that great for you," noting that AirPods "communicate with one another using a magnetic induction field, a variable magnetic field [one] sends through your brain to communicate with the other."⁹

Bluetooth technology like that used by AirPods is typically low intensity, but it's the close proximity to your brain that could make earbuds particularly dangerous, especially since they tend to be used for longer periods. Moskowitz said the technology could "open the blood-brain barrier, which evolved to keep large molecules out of the brain."

He believes that with earbuds, exposure leading to neurological disorders and diseases may be more likely than cancer. "From a precautionary standpoint, I would argue you shouldn't experiment with your brain like this by keeping these kinds of wireless headphones on your head or in your ears," Moskowitz said in a news release. "You're conducting a health experiment on yourself, and current regulations are completely oblivious to these kinds of exposures."¹⁰

EMFs May Damage Your Cells by Causing Excessive Free Radicals

Martin Pall, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Washington State University, is another one of the scientists who signed the petition. He discovered more than two dozen bodies of research asserting that EMFs work by activating voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), which are located in the outer membrane of your cells.

Once activated, they allow a tremendous influx of calcium into the cell — about 1 million calcium ions per second per VGCC. When there's excess calcium in the cell, it increases levels of both nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide. While NO has many beneficial health effects, massively excessive amounts of it react with superoxide, forming peroxynitrite, which is an extremely potent oxidant stressor.

Peroxynitrites, in turn, break down to form reactive free radicals, both reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl radicals, carbonate radicals and NO2 radicals — all three of which do damage. Peroxynitrites also do their own damage.

EMFs are not, therefore, causing damage by having a thermal influence or heating your tissues; they are not "cooking" your cells as some suggest. Rather, EMF radiation activates the VGCCs in the outer cell membrane, triggering a chain reaction of devastating events that, ultimately:

• Decimates your mitochondrial function, cell membranes and cellular proteins
• Causes severe cellular damage
• Results in DNA breaks
• Dramatically accelerates your aging process
• Puts you at higher risk for chronic disease

Like Moskowitz, Pall believes consequences of chronic EMF exposure to the brain can include neurological changes leading to anxiety, depression, autism and Alzheimer's disease.¹¹ Further, it's known that elevated VGCC activity in certain parts of the brain produces a variety of neuropsychiatric effects. According to Pall:

"I reviewed a [large number] of studies on various kinds of EMF exposures, each of them showing neuropsychiatric effects. What you find is that these effects have been repeated many times in these epidemiological studies.

It's the same thing that everybody's complaining about, 'I'm tired all the time,' 'I can't sleep,' 'I can't concentrate,' 'I'm depressed,' 'I'm anxious all the time,' 'My memory doesn't work well anymore.' All the things everybody's complaining about.

We know all those things are caused by EMF exposures. There's no doubt about that. Because we know their effects on the brain, we know that the VGCCs' excessive activity can produce various neuropsychiatric problems."

Nine Measures to Protect Human Health From EMFs Requested

In their petition to the U.N., the scientists state there are inadequate nonionizing EMF guidelines on an international level, and the agencies responsible have failed to create and impose sufficient guidelines and safety standards to protect public health and populations that may be especially vulnerable to EMF, such as children.

They're calling for the United Nations Environmental Programme to fund an independent multidisciplinary committee to figure out ways to lower human exposure to RFR and ELF, noting that while industry should cooperate in this process, they should not be allowed to bias the findings. They also made the following nine requests regarding EMF:

1. Children and pregnant women be protected
2. Guidelines and regulatory standards be strengthened
3. Manufacturers be encouraged to develop safer technology
4. Utilities responsible for the generation, transmission, distribution and monitoring of electricity maintain adequate power quality and ensure proper electrical wiring to minimize harmful ground current
5. The public be fully informed about the potential health risks from electromagnetic energy and taught harm-reduction strategies
6. Medical professionals be educated about the biological effects of electromagnetic energy and be provided training on treatment of patients with electromagnetic sensitivity
7. Governments fund training and research on electromagnetic fields and health that are independent of industry, and mandate industry cooperation with researchers
8. Media disclose experts' financial relationships with industry when citing their opinions regarding health and safety aspects of EMF-emitting technologies
9. White-zones (radiation-free areas) be established

Protections Needed Before 5G Technology Becomes Widespread

The scientists' petition is a somber warning as 5G, or "5th Generation," networks continue to roll out. Unlike the "4th Generation" (4G) technology currently in use, which relies on huge 90-foot cell towers with about a dozen antenna ports on each, the 5G system uses "small cell" facilities or bases, each with about 100 antenna ports each.¹²

Expected to be 10 to 100 times faster than 4G technology and capable of supporting at least 100 billion devices,¹³ 5G relies primarily on the bandwidth of the millimeter wave (MMW), which is between 30GHz and 300GHz, according to EMF coach and author Lloyd Burrell.¹⁴

MMWs have not been widely used before, but there are some concerning findings to date, including that sweat ducts in human skin act as antennae when they come in contact with MMWs.¹⁵

In addition, there is a possibility the technology could worsen the problems with antibiotic-resistant bacteria already plaguing the world, as they cause changes in E. coli and many other bacteria, depressing their growth and changing properties and activity.

This also raises concerns that the technology could lead to similar changes in human cells. According to researchers in the journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology:¹⁶

"MMW … or electromagnetic fields of extremely high frequencies at low intensity is a new environmental factor, the level of which is increased as technology advances. It is of interest that bacteria and other cells might communicate with each other by electromagnetic field of sub-extremely high frequency range …

[T]he combined action of MMW and antibiotics resulted with more strong effects. These effects are of significance for understanding changed metabolic pathways and distinguish [sic] role of bacteria in environment; they might be leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria."

Studies have even shown that MMWs may invoke stress protein changes in plants such as wheat shoots,¹⁷ while low levels of nonionizing radiation have been linked to disturbances and health problems in birds and bees.¹⁸

Skip the Earbuds — and Other Tips to Lower Your EMF Exposure

It's clear that when it comes to the use of earbuds, the use of the precautionary principle is warranted. Don't become part of the experiment — skip earbuds and listen to your media content the "old-fashioned" way instead.

Apart from that, here are 19 more suggestions that will help reduce your EMF exposure and help mitigate damage from unavoidable exposures.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for the functioning of several proteins involved in physiological processes. Naturally occurring forms are vitamin K1 (referred to as phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (called menaquinones).^1,2

Vitamin K1, which is derived from green plants, is best known for the role it plays in blood clotting, while vitamin K2, derived primarily from fermented foods and animal products such as eggs, meat and liver,³ is important to hormone production and utilization, as well as bone and heart health.

Vitamin K2 does not get the attention it deserves, and it's highly likely you're not getting enough in your diet. Although fat-soluble, the body stores very little and it's rapidly depleted without regular dietary intake.

Before discussing the numerous areas of your health where vitamin K2 has a significant impact, it's first important to understand the different forms of the vitamin.

The Different Forms of Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is needed to activate the protein osteocalcin, which is found in your bones. Without vitamin K2, this and other vitamin K2-dependent proteins remain inactivated, and cannot perform their biological functions.⁴

According to Leon Schurgers, a world-renowned researcher in vitamin K2, the difference between vitamins K1 and K2 was clearly established in The Rotterdam Study,⁵ published in 2004, of which Schurgers was a co-author.

While the study focused on the difference between how K1 and K2 affect the heart (K1 has no effect at all), the researchers also looked at what types of foods supply each of the vitamins. In an interview, he said:

"I measured a variety of food items for vitamin K content ... Vitamin K1 is highly available in green, leafy vegetables — spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage.

However, the absorption of vitamin K1 from food is extremely low. Only 10 percent of the vitamin K which is found in green leafy vegetables, is absorbed in your body ... And there's no variable or modification of the consumption that will significantly increase the absorption ..."

Vitamin K2, on the other hand, was only present in fermented foods. It's actually produced by specific bacteria during the fermentation process. Certain bacteria in your gut naturally produce vitamin K2 in your body as well. Interestingly, while the K1 in vegetables is poorly absorbed, virtually all of the K2 in fermented foods is readily available to your body. Vitamin K2 can be further broken down into:^6,7,8

>>>>> Click Here <<<<<

Cardiovascular Protection and Cofactor for Vitamin D, Calcium

Calcium deposits in the arteries are responsible for atherosclerosis, hardening and narrowing of the arteries, slowly blocking blood flow.

It's a common cause of heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular disease. Vitamin K2 is important in the activation of important proteins, such as matrix GLA-protein (MGP), found in your vascular system,¹⁷ and studies have demonstrated K2 inhibits arterial calcification and improves arterial flexibility,^18,19 thereby reducing your risk of atherosclerosis.

One recent study²⁰ proposed therapeutic supplementation with vitamin K2 could prevent or halt progression of vascular calcification that may occur with excessive calcium intake, and other studies have demonstrated those eating the highest amount of vitamin K2 have the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease.²¹

Vitamin K2 also functions as an important cofactor for calcium and vitamin D. While calcium is important for strengthening bones and overall skeletal health, it only works when it gets to the right place. Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from being deposited along the walls of the blood vessels and directs it into the bone.²²

So, it's important to remember that vitamin K2 and vitamin D (along with calcium and magnesium) have a synergistic relationship when it comes to your bone and heart health. To maximize your benefits of oral vitamin D supplementation, it's important to maintain optimal levels of vitamin K2.²³ Studies indicate supplementing with both vitamins D3 and K2 offers greater cardiovascular health benefits than consuming either vitamin alone.²⁴

K2 Helps Prevent Osteoporosis and Protects Teeth

As mentioned earlier, vitamin K2 activates osteocalcin, a protein hormone made by your bone that is dependent on K2 for activation via carboxylation. One of the primary roles osteocalcin plays is in binding calcium and transporting it to the bone.²⁵

Osteocalcin is a small non-collagenous protein measured in the serum and synovial fluid samples of people with osteoarthritis,²⁶ and researchers believe serum levels of osteocalcin may be useful as a screening tool to assess osteoporosis risk.²⁷

Vitamin K2 is also important for your oral health. Preserving enamel helps reduce cavity formation. Your enamel is made of hollow tubes that extend into the dentin. The enamel is made of nonliving cells, while the dentin has live cells called odontoblasts.

These cells release proteins using vitamin K2 to help prevent tooth decay through an immune response.²⁸ Research has demonstrated osteocalcin may be found in inflamed tissue, and researchers consider the protein to have a reparative role in dental pulp.²⁹

Vitamin K2 Plays a Role in Reducing Inflammation

The inflammatory response is a crucial component in many chronic diseases and diseases of aging. Scientific evidence suggests both vitamin K1 and K2 have anti-inflammatory activity, in part by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B.³⁰

For example, in one meta-analysis,³¹ researchers found evidence vitamin K has a protective role in chronic aging conditions, inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Another study³² confirmed the role the vitamin K2 MK-7 form specifically has in the modulation of inflammatory biomarkers.

The researchers evaluated natural vitamin K2 for its potential to inhibit gene expression and production of pro-inflammatory markers in vitro, finding the MK-7 form inhibited gene expression in a dose-dependent manner.

Other research³³ has demonstrated a reduction in C-reactive protein, a common biomarker used to evaluate inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. C-reactive protein is a risk marker for a wide range of diseases and the researchers concluded higher intake of vitamin K2 may lower overall risk.

There is also accumulating evidence vitamin K2 may play a role in chronic kidney disease. A pre- and post-intervention clinical trial,³⁴ which included patients with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease who took a vitamin K2 MK-7 supplement for four weeks, found it significantly reduced calcification in the patients' blood vessels. Patients with chronic kidney disease with a subclinical vitamin K deficiency may also benefit from a greater intake of the vitamin.³⁵

Deficiency Affects Testosterone Production

Yet another role vitamin K2 plays in your body is the optimal production of sex hormones. Research shows vitamin K2 MK-4, found in animal foods such as meat and dairy products, can help balance testosterone production.³⁶ Animal studies show inducing a vitamin K deficiency reduces testosterone production.³⁷

Vitamin K2 has an effect in women as well, as the vitamin may be helpful in the management of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This is now the most common hormonal disorders in young women, causing enlarged ovaries and potentially leading to fertility problems.³⁸

In one randomized study, 60 vitamin D deficient women with PCOS took either a placebo or a combination of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K for eight weeks. Those in the treatment group enjoyed greater decrease in testosterone and symptoms than the placebo group.³⁹

How K2 May Influence Insulin Sensitivity

An unexpected discovery was made when researchers found bone was an endocrine organ, contributing to the regulation of a number of physiological processes, including glucose homeostasis.⁴⁰

There's even evidence to suggest vitamin K2 supplementation may improve insulin sensitivity via osteocalcin metabolism,⁴¹ and may help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. ⁴² The evidence is not conclusive, however, as a systematic review of controlled trials found K2 supplementation had no effect on insulin sensitivity.⁴³

Part of the problem may have something to do with the form of vitamin given. Numerous studies have demonstrated synthetic vitamin K2 supplements are not as effective as natto-derived K2 supplements.

Statins Contribute to the Depletion of Vitamin K2

Nearly 25% of Americans over the age of 45 are taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, despite the high risks of the drugs. In addition to other side effects, statins inhibit the production of vitamin K2.

A study published in Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology⁴⁴ revealed statins may actually stimulate the development of atherosclerosis and heart failure, and one of the mechanisms by which this occurs is the inhibition of the synthesis of vitamin K2, which protects your arteries from calcification.

How to Boost Your Intake of Vitamin K2 Naturally

If you decide to take a statin or use a vitamin D3 supplement, it is highly recommended you include a vitamin K2 supplement in the MK-7 form. Seek out a supplement extracted from the Japanese fermented soy product called natto. Professor Cees Vermeer,⁴⁵ one of the world's top vitamin K2 researchers, recommends between 45 micrograms (mcg) and 185 mcg daily for adults.

Just remember that since vitamin K2 is fat-soluble, it's best to take it with a small amount of fat to improve absorption. Consuming foods rich in vitamin K2 is your best bet. MK-4 is found in animal foods such as free-range, organic eggs (particularly the yolk), dark chicken meat and goose liver. MK-7 is found in fermented foods such as natto, a type of fermented soy, and in soft and hard cheeses such as Brie and Gouda.

Children in the U.S. are being plied with powerful drugs to treat mental health concerns. The medications, however, don’t get to the root of the problem and often create new problems of their own — symptoms that are then treated with more medications.

According to mail-order pharmacy Express Scripts, prescriptions for antidepressants for teenagers increased 38% from 2015 to 2019, while such prescriptions for adults rose 12% during that time.¹ Note that this was prior to the pandemic, during which social isolation and other fears may have pushed some children with mental health issues “over the edge.”²

Significantly higher rates of suicide-related behaviors, including suicide ideation and suicide attempts, also corresponded to times of increased COVID-19-related concerns,³ the end result being that even more children have likely been prescribed psychotropic drugs compared to in 2019, before the pandemic.

Children Prescribed Multiple — Even 10 — Drugs

It’s hard to imagine a reason to prescribe nearly a dozen psychotropic medications to a healthy teenager. In Renae Smith’s case, the reasoning stems not from a clear-cut medical need but from disjointed care and overprescribing physicians who seemingly had no other options for care than doling out drugs.

Smith, who was prescribed 10 psychotropic medications while she was still in high school, was profiled by The New York Times, which detailed her hefty regimen:⁴

“In 2021, the year she graduated, New Horizon [Counseling Center on Long Island] was prescribing her seven: Focalin; Trintellix; alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug known to be addictive; Lamictal and Topamax, a combination of seizure and migraine medication that can be used to stabilize mood;

Rexulti, an “add-on” drug for adults who have major depressive disorder; and olanzapine, a drug used mainly for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. (Ms. Smith said she was told that olanzapine would dull the side effects of the other medications and help her sleep.)”

Smith, however, did not have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, nor seizures or migraines. What she did have was feelings of depression and anxiety, along with some suicidal ideation, and a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which she received in fourth grade.

Dr. David Lohr, a child psychiatrist at the University of Louisville, told The New York Times that ADHD is the “foundation of polypharmacy,”⁵ a term used to describe the use of multiple medications at one time.

Multiple Drugs for Autism, Depression and More

Other mental health conditions, including autism, also have high rates of psychotropic polypharmacy. One systematic review found that up to 87% of children and youth with autism are prescribed two or more medications simultaneously.⁶

The researchers urged “further research to determine appropriate practices related to the monitoring of adverse side effects, and the long-term impact of polypharmacy among autistic youth.”⁷ In another example of the rampant overprescribing, The New York Times reported:⁸

“Instances of polypharmacy do not always begin with a diagnosis of A.D.H.D. Last summer, Jean, 22, who is being identified by her middle name to protect her privacy, grew increasingly agitated and depressed before her senior year in college.

By April of this year she was taking seven psychiatric medicines. They included lamotrigine, an anti-epileptic drug used for mood; hydroxyzine, gapapentin and propranolol for anxiety; escitalopram, an antidepressant; mirtazapine to treat major depressive disorder; and lithium carbonate, for general mood disorders, although it is also used to treat bipolar disorder, which Jean has not been diagnosed with.”

Among the drugs prescribed to Smith at various points during her adolescence was Effexor, an antidepressant that’s not approved for use in children and increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in children and young adults — especially in those who, like Smith, have had suicidal thoughts or actions in the past.⁹

She was also prescribed Abilify (aripiprazole), an antipsychotic drug often used to treat schizophrenia. Writing in Frontiers in Psychiatry, a team of researchers called for “safer” use of Abilify and Risperdal (risperidone) in children and adolescents after recording a range of adverse drug reactions related to their use.¹⁰

Ironically, they noted, “Psychiatric disorders were the main related adverse events for aripiprazole (20.2%), and among these, suicidal behavior was one of the most reported (14.9%).” Other reactions, including weight gain disorders, reproductive system disorders and metabolism disorders, were also reported, with 90% of them being serious.¹¹

One Drug Prescription Turns Into Two, and More

Using drugs to cover up the symptoms of mental health conditions in children is a slippery slope that often leads to overprescribing. A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2020 revealed that not only is the use of ADHD medication increasing but so is psychotherapeutic polypharmacy.¹²

From 2006 to 2015, prescriptions for ADHD medications among patients aged 2 to 24 years increased from 4.8% to 8.4%, while the percentage of those who were prescribed a drug for ADHD as well as at least one other medication rose from 26% to 40.7%.¹³

Most often, stimulants and α-2 agonists were prescribed together to treat ADHD, while the most common psychotropic agents prescribed in addition were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs).

“Surprisingly,” the researchers noted, “SGAs were coprescribed with ADHD medications most frequently at visits in the youngest patients (2–5 years of age)” — possibly in an attempt to treat sleep difficulties.¹⁴ They added:¹⁵

“[T]he high use of multiclass drug combinations in children and adolescents is concerning, given their vulnerability to adverse effects and the unknown impact of long-term neurologically altering substances on the development of an immature brain and nervous system.”

Overprescribing pills is ultimately setting up children for a downward spiral of increasing side effects and worsening health. Indeed, for all of the risks of adverse effects, “the meds don’t work all that well,” Dr. Robert Hilt, a psychiatrist at the University of Washington, told The New York Times.¹⁶

A separate review published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology found “minimal evidence of benefit for mood or anxiety comorbidities” when SSRIs were added to other ADHD treatments, while adding Strattera (atomoxetine) also led to “mixed reports of benefit, including the only small RCT [randomized controlled trial] showing no benefit.” Moreover, the study revealed, unsurprisingly, “Combinations frequently yielded more side effects ...”¹⁷

It should be noted that it’s not only psychotropic medications that are often prescribed simultaneously. Pain medications, including highly addictive opioids, may also be prescribed in potent polypharmacy cocktails to children. According to a retrospective cohort study published in the journal Pain Medicine, out of 25,321 children between the ages of 2 and 17 who suffered from chronic musculoskeletal pain, 26% were prescribed two to four medications at once.¹⁸

Even among the very youngest children, polypharmacy is a problem. Data released in 2014 from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights¹⁹ showed hundreds of thousands of toddlers were prescribed psychiatric drugs and more than 274,000 children from birth to 1 year old were included in that mix. According to their figures, the numbers of children aged birth to 1 year old on these medications were:²⁰

• 249,669 on antianxiety drugs (such as Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan)
• 26,406 on antidepressants (such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil)
• 1,422 on ADHD drugs (such as Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta)
• 654 on antipsychotics (such as Risperdal, Seroquel, and Zyprexa)

Children in Foster Care at Risk of Polypharmacy

Children in the foster care system are at particularly high risk of being prescribed multiple drugs, regardless of also receiving psychotherapy.²¹ Those from low-income families are also unfairly affected, and both populations — children from low-income households and those in foster care — are at risk of what’s known as high-level psychotropic polypharmacy, which describes the use of multiple drugs with:²²

• Concurrent use
• At least four classes of medications including an antipsychotic
• At least 30 days duration

As noted by researchers in BMC Psychiatry:²³

“Children in foster care are at great risk for behavioral and mental health problems due to trauma, stress, and exposure to numerous adverse childhood events. In complex cases, psychotropic polypharmacy may be needed and appropriate. However, there is little evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of psychotropic polypharmacy, especially high-level psychotropic polypharmacy (HLPP) in children and adolescents.”

They pointed out the many known side effects of psychotropic medications, including increases in:²⁴

Metabolic dysfunction is another known risk, which requires close monitoring while medications are taken. However, the researchers found that rates of metabolic screening in foster care children are low:²⁵

“The concern for metabolic dysfunction is even greater for children in the foster care system and those suffering from other traumas and toxic stress as these factors may compound the damaging effects of the medications on metabolic systems. Caution is warranted for all psychotropic medication use, especially HLPP and antipsychotics.”

A Holistic Approach Is Needed

The BMC Psychiatry study found that, among children in foster care, “disruptive and impulsive behaviors predicts HLPP use.”²⁶ Other children may be set on the polypharmacy cycle due to inattentiveness, hyperactivity or other behavioral issues, conditions that can often be resolved with therapy and lifestyle changes.

Toward this end, addressing both exercise and diet is essential. Exercise enhances cognitive performance and brain function, especially during tasks requiring greater executive control.²⁷ Executive control is the ability to maintain focus, working memory and cognitive flexibility (or switching between tasks), and is often impaired in children with ADHD.²⁸

Exercise appears to benefit cognitive, behavioral and socio-emotional functions in children and adults with ADHD.²⁹ As for diet, the evidence suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be at the root of a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, is quite compelling. One study went so far as to suggest celiac disease should be added to the ADHD symptom checklist.³⁰

Exposure to food additives, an imbalanced gut microbiome and a deficiency in omega-3 fats³¹ are other essential pieces to mental health. If your child is struggling with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms, or other behavioral or mental health conditions, I recommend consulting with a holistic physician who is experienced in treating these conditions using natural methods.

A holistic approach is needed, one that addresses the key tenets of good health and creates real wellness instead of attempting to cover up symptoms with more pills. If you live in the U.S. and are having thoughts of suicide, dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are in danger of acting on suicidal thoughts, call 911 for immediate assistance.

While the globalist cabal claims “climate change” is the No. 1 threat to humanity, necessitating radical quality of life sacrifices and the total relinquishing of privacy and freedom, there are far more pressing problems. One key environmental threat facing mankind today is the increasing lack of potable water, thanks to a combination of water pollution and scarcity. Without potable water, we’re in immediate lethal peril.

Groundwater aquifers rapidly depleting, resulting in water scarcity, higher prices, land cave-ins and water wars. On top of that, much of the world's remaining water supply has become too contaminated to drink or even bathe in, and infrastructure — especially in the U.S. but also elsewhere — is nearing the end of its useful life and is in dire need of upgrades.

Water Contamination Commonplace Even in Developed Countries

News of dangerous water contamination in the U.S., reported in the first week of September 2022 alone, include:

According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 billion people worldwide drink water contaminated with feces,⁶ resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths due to preventable diseases each year.

Water sources in both developing and developed countries are also contaminated with toxic chemical pollutants that treatment plants are not prepared to filter. Among the most hazardous water pollutants are arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics.⁷

Algae Blooms Are a Costly Problem

According to a September 5, 2022, article in the San Francisco Chronicle,⁸ wastewater from 37 sewage plants dumped into the San Francisco Bay has turned the water a murky brown, and dead fish litter the shores. (While hard to believe, an estimated 80% of global wastewater is released into the environment untreated.⁹)

An estimated 10,000 yellowfin goby and hundreds of striped bass and white sturgeon have washed ashore so far. The cause for the die-off: toxic algae bloom, triggered by the nitrogen and phosphorous from the feces and urine in the discharged wastewater.

Harmful algae bloom (HABs) will turn the water red and release neurotoxic compounds that are then passed up the food chain. It also depletes the water of oxygen, eventually — if not properly addressed — creating a dead zone where no life can be sustained.¹⁰ As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle:¹¹

“The regional water board has told agencies that it will probably require caps on nutrients in wastewater when their regional permit comes up for renewal in 2024.

But upgrading dozens of aging treatment facilities could cost $14 billion, which would double or triple ratepayers’ water bills, [executive officer of San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Eileen] White said in an interview.

‘It’s a multibillion-dollar Bay Area issue that needs to be thought through very carefully, taking the science into effect,’ she said. ‘There’s all of sorts of different treatments, and none of them are cheap’ ...

Federal, state and local governments and the treatment plants themselves have spent millions to research the issue, but like much of climate change planning, the science and policy are moving slower than the problem is progressing.”

Some water treatment plants could help address the problem using already existing infrastructure. The San Jose/Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, for example, has been able to reduce the nitrogen load of its wastewater from 17 to 11 milligrams per liter, at no extra cost, simply by directing the water through a series of four tanks containing nitrogen-consuming bacteria before it’s discharged.

Wastewater Could Be a Source of Reusable Phosphorous

One of the important resources found in wastewater is phosphorus. This mineral is an essential nutrient for plant growth, which is why many fertilizers include it. And, while widespread across the Earth, there are limited areas where it is found in concentrated form.

However, wastewater contains a significant amount, as phosphorus is not only found in human excrement but also in detergents. Removing and reusing phosphorus from wastewater would not only increase supply, but would also reduce the risk of algae blooms.

The U.N. has proposed¹² that removing and recovering phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients from wastewater could prevent hyper-growth of HEBs in lakes and rivers, while simultaneously providing a unique business opportunity to recuperate a finite resource essential for agriculture. The Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant has been doing this for years already, as seen in the 2012 video report above.

Pharmaceutical Pollution Is Widespread

Anything and everything you flush down the drain ends up somewhere and, oftentimes, the end destination is your local waterways. Pharmaceutical drugs are particularly problematic, as water treatment plants are not equipped to filter out these compounds.

Water treatment plants fail to filter out an estimated 93% of the drug compounds in wastewater, and a 2017 U.S. Geological Survey found 80% of U.S. waterways contained pharmaceutical pollution,¹³ which can have a devastating impact on aquatic species.

Proper disposal of drugs, lotions, creams and perfumes is paramount to the reduction of water pollution. By using all-natural and unscented personal care products, dropping off unused and expired drugs at a drug take-back site and not flushing any medication down the toilet, you can reduce your personal pharmaceutical footprint.

If you’re in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has tools to help you find a local drug take-back location on its Drug Disposal: Drug Take Back Locations page.¹⁴

Firefighting Foam Contaminates Water Across the US

Firefighting foam also poses a serious threat to our water supplies. In 2015, investigative journalist Sharon Lerner published an extensive series¹⁵ of articles about the dangers of PFAS¹⁶ (two of the most well-known ones of which are PFOA and PFOS) and the industry’s attempts to cover up the damage.

Part 15¹⁷ addressed the U.S. military’s affinity for toxic flame retardants, despite the fact that billions of dollars are being spent trying to clean up drinking water contaminated by firefighting foam used on military installations. Many other PFAS chemicals¹⁸ — such as PFHxS, PFHpA, PFBA and PFBS — have also been detected in drinking water, yet the military is only attempting to clean up PFOA and PFOS contamination.

Around hundreds of U.S. military bases, PFAS have leached through the ground, contaminating surrounding groundwater. In addition to prostate cancer and thyroid problems, these chemicals have been linked to other types of cancer as well, including kidney, testicular and bladder cancer, as well as immune dysfunction, reproductive problems and hormone disruption.

Considering the public health threat posed by PFAS contamination, courtesy of firefighting foam, you’d think the U.S. government would take proactive measures to eliminate the use of these toxic chemicals. After all, other countries are using PFAS-free firefighting foam, and it works just as well. Alas, this is not happening.

Incomplete data make it very difficult to ascertain how widespread the PFAS-contamination might be, but drinking water near at least 46 military installations in the U.S. have been found to contain PFOA and/or PFOS at levels exceeding 70 parts per trillion (ppt), which is the EPA’s health advisory level for drinking water.¹⁹

If you live anywhere near a military installation or fire department fire-training area, consider getting your tap water tested for PFAS and other toxic contaminants. Water testing is a prudent step no matter where you live these days, as is filtering your water, as there are literally hundreds of potential water contaminants that can harm your health.

Factory Farm Contamination

Another major source of water contamination is runoff from factory farms. In addition to farming chemicals such as nitrates, which pose a serious threat to water quality, there’s the issue of drug-resistant bacteria, which are a result of antibiotic overuse in livestock.

When it comes to water pollution from farms, the problem is twofold. First, regular farming is exempt from the Clean Water Act. Second, while farms registered as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are regulated under the Act, many simply don’t apply for the required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which dictate what you’re allowed to discharge into national waterways.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of CAFOs in the U.S. increased by 956, to a total of 19,496, yet the total number of CAFO discharge permits didn’t go up but actually declined by 1,806 during that period.²⁰ Many farmers also don’t bother with nutrient management planning, which is voluntary, even though there are plenty of conservation practices that can help reduce water pollution.²¹

The Global Crisis of Vanishing Groundwater

Industrial farming also uses enormous amounts of potable water for irrigation, and in many areas, aquifers are being drained faster than they can be refilled, resulting in water scarcity.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 80% of U.S. consumptive water (and more than 90% in many Western states) is used for agricultural purposes.²²

NASA mapping²³ of groundwater storage trends for the earth's 37 largest aquifers reveals 21 aquifers have already exceeded their sustainability tipping points and are being depleted, and 13 of them are considered “significantly distressed, threatening regional water security and resilience.” Considering groundwater accounts for 99% of potable freshwater,²⁴ the depletion of aquifers is a serious concern. As reported by the Pacific Institute:²⁵

“Depleted groundwater aquifers can take thousands of years to be replenished by rain, snow, and other sources. This option can be off the table when an aquifer becomes so depleted it loses its capacity to store water.

In the U.S., the Ogallala Aquifer, which stretches across parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, illustrates this concern.

A history of groundwater overdraft threatens to deplete the aquifer. Once depleted, it’s estimated the Ogallala Aquifer could take more than 6,000 years to be naturally replenished ...

A 2021 Pacific Institute study²⁶ highlighted connections between California groundwater management and local communities’ ability to access water — with significant water equity concerns.

California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was created to help protect groundwater, but the study showed minimum groundwater thresholds defined by SGMA would leave many people vulnerable to losing their water access.”

What Are the Solutions?

There tends to be a “free-for-all” mentality at play where the one who can afford to drill the deepest well wins in the short term, but everyone loses in the long term. Groundwater as a resource needs proper governance and management. Farmers also need more efficient irrigation systems, and we need engineering solutions to improve the refill rate of aquifers.

On a personal level, we also need to make changes in how we use water, and how we grow crops. Selecting the most appropriate crops for any given area would result in more efficient water usage, and would reduce the amount farmers would have to draw from our aquifers. In short, we need to grow food with less water.

The good news is we already know how to do that, and it’s called regenerative agriculture. It’s been well-proven that regenerative agriculture biodynamic farming is far more water efficient than industrial farming. To learn how, see “Regenerative Food and Farming: The Road Forward.”

With water wars becoming a reality even in developed nations (just look at California, where the battle over water allocation has been ongoing for more than a decade²⁷), you’d be wise to give serious thought to emergency water preparations.

Not only do you need a source of water, were your tap water to stop running, but you also need to have the proper supplies on hand to filter and decontaminate that water to make it safe to drink.

Filtering the water you use for drinking, cooking and bathing is, I think, an absolute necessity these days, no matter where you live — unless you’ve had your water tested and are satisfied that it’s pure (which is rare). I recommend installing a whole-house filter system to ensure optimal water quality from your tap.

In an emergency situation, however, when tap water is unavailable, you’ll need to source your water elsewhere and that can be a real challenge, as people in Jackson, Mississippi, are now finding out.

In “How to Secure Your Water Supply for Emergencies,” I review ideas for alternative water sources, such as collecting spring water, or water from a local stream or river, which is far from ideal but might work in the short-term, and setting up a rain catchment system, which is a far more sustainable, long-term solution.

I also go over basic water purification and disinfection guidelines. Rainwater is often thought to be pristine, but it’s not, so even rainwater needs to be properly filtered before drinking.

The time to sort out your emergency plans is now, while municipal water and supply chains are still operational. Once an emergency hits, it’s too late to start thinking about installing wells or rain barrels and buying water filters, as by then the things you need might be incredibly difficult to get.

As reviewed in “Why Government Health Care Kills More People Than It Helps,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention couldn't have botched its COVID response any more if it tried.

August 17, 2022, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky even publicly admitted the agency’s failures, stating, “we are responsible for some pretty dramatic, pretty public mistakes from testing, to data, to communications.”^1,2,3

To save face, Walensky is reorganizing the agency, but considering the extent to which CDC officials have lied, obfuscated and broken laws intended to protect public health, it is highly unlikely that the CDC will ever be able to recover their credibility.

Abolish the CDC

The CDC is corrupted beyond salvage, and as noted by Brownstone Institute founder and president Jeffrey Tucker,⁴ the only way to fix a captured bureaucracy is to get rid of it:

“Any serious effort to end the crisis must deal with the problem of the administrative state and the bureaucratic power thereof. Without that focus, no reform effort can get anywhere ...

The reason is simple: a free and functioning society cannot coexist with an undemocratic beast like this on the loose, making its own laws and running roughshod over rights and liberties with zero oversight from elected leaders. Until the administrative state is defanged and disempowered, there will be no representative government and no hope for change.

It’s obvious that the bureaucracies will not reform themselves ... The reform will be ... cosmetic without reality. It will not deal with the central problem as plainly stated by Harvey Risch:⁵ ‘industry subservience and epidemiologic incompetence’ ...

After Betsy DeVos left the Department of Education, and observing from the inside what a disaster it truly was, she said what needed to be said. Abolish it. Shut it down. Defund it completely. Forget about it. It does nothing useful. Everything it does can be performed better at the state level or private markets. All true.

What she says about the Department of Education is equally true of another hundred-plus agencies of the administrative state. People have been talking lately about abolishing the FBI. Great, do it. Same goes for the CDC. It’s time. Right now. Pull the plug on the whole thing and sell the real estate.

Truly there is no other option except continuing to do what we are doing now. The status quo is intolerable. If a serious reform-minded Congress comes to power, abolition and not reform and not cuts, needs to be the starting point of discussion ...

There needs to be a to-be-abolished list and any federal government institution with the word agency, department, or bureau needs to be on it ... Society itself, which is smarter than bureaucracy, can manage the rest.”

The Rise of the American Biosecurity State

To understand how and why the CDC has morphed into an agency that works against, instead of for, the public good, we need to take a look at the history of American biodefense. Two journalists have recently dedicated articles to this issue.

In an August 29, 2022, Unherd article,⁶ Ashley Rindsberg reviewed how Dr. Anthony Fauci rose to power as the highest paid federal employee, sitting at the “very top of America’s biodefense infrastructure,” with near-unlimited authority, at least as it pertains to science; what gets funded and what doesn’t.

“To understand the rise of Fauci ... we must return to the first months of the 2000s, when a hawkish new administration was settling into power,” Rindsberg writes. George W. Bush came into office with Dick Cheney as vice president. Cheney had already served as defense secretary under George H.W. Bush.

According to Rindsberg, the Bush administration “came to power with biological weapons and infectious disease very much top of mind, with Cheney seeking to address the gaping hole in America’s national security left by the country’s lack of a coherent biodefense strategy.”

Biodefense became an even more prominent concern in the aftermath of 9/11, when letters containing anthrax were sent out to members of media and two U.S. senators. Of the 22 people infected with anthrax, five died. According to Rindsberg, Cheney “served as the political engine behind a paradigm shift that would soon take place in America’s biodefense strategy.”

Biodefense for the 21st Century

Just six days before 9/11, Joe Biden, then-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had led a hearing on the threat of bioterrorism and the spread of infectious diseases.

Subsequent to that hearing, in June 2002, president Bush signed the “Biodefense for the 21st Century”⁷ directive, the aim of which was to advance a “comprehensive framework” for U.S. biodefense, based on the assumption that America could be devastated by a bioweapons attack.

The directive outlined “essential pillars” of the U.S. biodefense program, including threat awareness and vulnerability assessment, prevention and protection, surveillance and detection, response and recovery. The year before, in June 2001, senior policymakers had also performed a two-day tabletop simulation of a smallpox attack called Dark Winter.

“Intended ... to expose vulnerabilities, the operation showed how quickly a public health disaster could lead to widespread chaos and social collapse. This was the stuff nightmares are made of — and, by all accounts, those were the nightmares that Dick Cheney was having,” Rindsberg writes. He continues:⁸

“Significant as it was, [Cheney’s] transformation of America’s biodefence framework was part of a much larger repositioning of long-term geopolitical strategy, an effort also led by Cheney.

In the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse in the early Nineties, Cheney, then Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, along with Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, began formulating a grand strategy for the post-Cold War era.

This plan, revealed in an infamous leaked memo,⁹ was rooted in a single strategic objective: America should permanently remain the world’s superpower. Its architects argued the US would do so only by preserving ‘strategic depth’ to ‘shape the security environment.’

The initial leaked memo was later reworked by Cheney’s chief of staff, Scooter Libby, who broadened the concept¹⁰ of ‘strategic depth’ to cover not only geographic reach but also an ability to wage war with weapons that could not only cripple an enemy’s military capabilities but disrupt its political, economic and social stability.”

How Biodefense Became Fauci’s Domain

In 2002, the Bush administration quintupled biodefense spending to $317 million. That same year, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), broke out in China, and in 2003, just as SARS was being contained, H5N1 avian influenza emerged.

The back-to-back outbreaks acted as fuel for the erection of a biosecurity state, and in 2003, the Bush administration increased the annual biodefense budget to $2 billion — a staggering sum at the time. Bush also earmarked another $6 billion for the development and stockpiling of vaccines over the next decade.

But funding was only part of the challenge. To truly prepare for a bioweapons attack, research had to be conducted and coordinated, and to that end, Cheney brought all biodefense research programs under the purview of a single entity — the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), led by Fauci.

So, since 2003, Fauci has been responsible for “civilian biodefense research with a focus on research and early development of medical countermeasures against terrorist threats from infectious diseases and radiation exposures.”¹¹

What’s more, as explained by Rindsberg, “as far as NIAID was concerned, there was no meaningful administrative distinction between biodefense and scientific research. With the stroke of Cheney’s pen, all United States biodefense efforts, classified or unclassified, were placed under the aegis of Anthony Fauci.”

This, in a nutshell, explains Fauci’s power. As the head of the biodefense infrastructure, Fauci has, for decades, had an open channel straight into the top office of the White House. He’s also exempt from oversight. For all these years, he’s had carte blanche to approve and run whatever biodefense research he wanted, without anyone telling him otherwise.

It also explains why he’s the highest paid employee in the federal government, making more than the president himself. A significant portion of Fauci’s $417,600 annual salary¹² is compensation for his biodefense research leadership.

COVID-19 Is Fauci’s Grandest Failure

As top dog of biodefense research, it was Fauci’s job to prevent COVID-19 from devastating the U.S. Instead, in 2017, he confidently announced that then-president Trump would “no doubt” have to face a “surprise infectious disease outbreak,”¹³ and then went on to issue a never-ending series of conflicting recommendations as head of the White House Coronavirus Response team.

Fauci also led efforts to suppress discussion about the origin of COVID-19, as detailed in “Liars, Propagandists and The Great Reset.”

In January 2022, House Oversight Committee Republicans released National Institutes of Health emails showing Fauci and now-former NIH director Francis Collins spearheaded the effort to bury the lab leak theory, even though the consensus in early February 2020 was that the virus likely leaked from the Wuhan lab — and that it appeared to have been genetically engineered.

February 4, 2020, Fauci and Collins received a draft of the article, “The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2,” later published in Nature Medicine.¹⁴ The original draft has never been released to the public, but we do have an email reply from Fauci, in which he objected to the inclusion of serial passaging through humanized mice.

In its final form, the Nature Medicine article roundly dismissed the idea that the virus originated in a lab, proposing instead that it must have evolved naturally, even though no actual evidence for that existed.

The Dangers of Biodefense Research Are Obvious

For years, a number of critics have warned that biodefense research could result in the very thing we’re trying to avoid, namely an infectious disease outbreak, as even the highest-security laboratories are prone to leaks and accidents.

One such critic is Richard Ebright, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University. In 2003, he warned that the burgeoning biodefense endeavor, while well-intentioned, “may perversely have exactly the opposite effect.”¹⁵

Fauci, ever the defender of risky research (and as we now understand, for selfish reasons), dismissed Ebright’s concerns as “spurious.” Today, Fauci’s dismissal rings hollow, as documents obtained through various Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests show he and Collins appear to have been more than a little nervous about people discovering they funded gain-of-function research on coronaviruses.¹⁶ As reported by U.S. Right To Know (USRTK):¹⁷

“In the earliest days of the pandemic, Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins emailed about coronaviruses under study at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and about whether they had steered money to the lab, an email obtained by U.S. Right to Know shows.

Collins ... and Fauci ... exchanged emails on February 1, 2020, about a preprint¹⁸ authored by Zhengli Shi, director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases. The preprint described bat coronaviruses under study at the lab, including a coronavirus 96% genetically similar to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The emails show that Collins and Fauci were concerned about links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and NIH. ‘In case you haven’t seen this preprint from one week ago,’ Collins said in a February 1, 2020, email to Fauci. ‘No evidence this work was supported by NIH’ ...

About two hours after the email exchange, Collins and Fauci would join a secret teleconference with a group of virologists who were closely examining the novel coronavirus. The teleconference touched off a high-profile push to discredit the lab leak hypothesis.

The revelation that Collins and Fauci were discussing whether NIH had funded work on coronaviruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 at the Wuhan lab in the hours before suggests that politics may have been at play.”

How Cheney Tricked Us Into War

The second article¹⁹ to take a deep dive into the links between Cheney and Fauci was published by Sam Husseini, September 7, 2022. Husseini, however, throws his searchlight on the way both of these characters have used lies to further the biosecurity agenda:

“Twenty years ago, the ‘Cheney-Bush junta’ ... launched its propaganda campaign to invade Iraq ... Sept. 8, 2002, The New York Times ran on its front page the story ‘U.S. Says Hussein Intensifies Quest for A-Bomb Parts’ ...

That same day, then Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on Meet the Press ... hyping the New York Times story as evidence that Hussein was attempting to acquire ‘the kinds of tubes that are necessary to build a centrifuge and the centrifuge is required to take low-grade uranium and enhance it into highly-enriched uranium which is what you have to have in order to build a bomb.’ Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice followed Cheney’s lead on other shows.”

The problem, we now know, is that the “anonymous source” quoted by The New York Times lied. Worse, Cheney himself appears to have been that source. In other words, Cheney leaked the false story to the press, and then used that news coverage to support his recommendation to invade Iraq.

“Even the mainstream Bob Simon of CBS would later remark to Bill Moyers about Cheney: ‘You leak a story, and then you quote the story. I mean, that's a remarkable thing to do,’” Husseini writes,²⁰ adding: “Remarkable is actually an understatement. It’s engaging in a de facto conspiracy to deceive the U.S. public into war.”

Fauci Caught Employing the Same Trick

Taking a page straight out of Cheney’s handbook, Fauci used the exact same trick when, in April 2020, he was asked to address the suggestion that SARS-CoV-2 was manmade.

Fauci went on to cite “a study ... where a group of highly qualified evolutionary virologists looked at the sequences there and the sequences in bats as they evolve. And the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human.”

That paper was “The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2”²¹ that I just discussed above — the paper that Fauci and Collins edited prior to its publication in Nature Medicine. So, Fauci edited the paper²² and then he used that paper as “evidence” to support his irrational stance that the virus occurred naturally.

Just as Cheney engaged in a “de facto conspiracy to deceive the U.S. public into war,” Fauci engaged in a de facto conspiracy to trick the public into giving up our freedoms and livelihoods in the name of biosecurity. So, as noted by Husseini,²³ “One thing that should be kept in mind as one parses through the claims and ‘exposés’ is that some are de facto cover stories.”

‘Biodefense’ Has Become a War Machine Against the Public

Now, nearly three years into the COVID debacle, it’s clear that this is indeed a war. It’s a war against the American public, for the purpose of forcing us into a New World Order, a One World Government run by a globalist cabal, where “biosecurity” is the justification for the removal of Constitutional rights and freedoms.

The same war is being waged by governments across the globe, against their own citizens, for the same reason and with the same aim. Fauci like Cheney before him, is responsible for getting us into this war, and for keeping us in it, using lies and propaganda.

The Iraq war — launched under false pretenses — lasted for eight years. No doubt, COVID could be strung out for that long as well, unless the truth is finally recognized by the masses.

And, to circle back to where we started, the institutions that facilitated this war on the American public must be abolished and dismantled, and the individuals responsible within them held to account for their roles. This includes not only Fauci and Walensky, but a host of others as well.

Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of the mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology,¹ has unintentionally become a public figure for speaking out about the risks and ineffectiveness of COVID-19 shots. He's been deplatformed by LinkedIn and Twitter in the process, but that's only the beginning.

Malone is now earning most of his income from continuing to speak out via Substack, functioning not only as a scientist but as a citizen reporter. "To shut me down is basically anticompetitive," Malone said, speaking with WND in the video above.²

Malone Files Defamation Lawsuit Against WaPo

Yet, corporate media outlets are attempting to do just that, as they continue to publish defamatory hit pieces against Malone, as they have done to yours truly and many others who have shared information that's not in line with the official narrative. Now Malone is fighting back, as he's filed a $50 million lawsuit³ against The Washington Post (WaPo).⁴

If you've heard of Malone, it may be because his mention of the term "mass formation psychosis" on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" December 31, 2021, which was viewed by more than 50 million people,⁵ went viral.

Those under the spell of mass formation psychosis obsessively focus on a failure of the normal world or a particular event or person who becomes the focus of the attention and can effectively control the masses.

Mass formation can occur in a society with feelings of social isolation and free-floating anxiety among a large number of people, and provides a coherent explanation of why so many people have fallen victim to the unbelievable lies and propaganda of the mainstream COVID-19 narrative.

Malone is also dedicated to speaking out because he wants to protect future generations. He's concerned about the pandemic response's effects on children, stating that public policies have had a particularly strong adverse effect on the young, and calling COVID-19 injection mandates "completely unjustified" for children.⁶ He also told WND:⁷

"I am of the opinion that a product that does not prevent infection, replication or spread of a pathogen to any substantial degree is not a vaccine.

And the fallback, of course, has been by the government that the genetic inoculations prevent severe disease and death, but unfortunately for all of us, the data are now showing internationally, and increasingly within the U.S., that the risk of severe disease or death is at a minimum equivalent between the unvaccinated and those who have received at least two inoculations.

And the data from most countries that are reporting this, like in Northern Europe, suggest the multiple inoculations — four or more injections, and even three injections to some extent — are associated with a higher risk of hospitalization and death."

It doesn't matter if what he's saying is true; if it creates "vaccine hesitancy," it will be censored. Toward that end, Malone has been targeted by the media and labeled an "anti-vaxxer," which is ironic since he's received COVID-19 shots.

Malone Attorneys File Cease-and-Desist Letters

Malone's attorneys sent cease-and-desist letters to the corporate media outlets that were most egregious in their attacks against him. This included The Washington Post, The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone and The Scientist, which published an inflammatory article against Malone and his response when a physician from Maui alerted the Maryland state medical board that Malone was promoting "COVID-19 misinformation."⁸

The reason he's suing The Washington Post, in particular, is because after his attorneys sent the media outlet a cease-and-desist letter, it put out another attack article repeating the same defamatory statements. "So that appears to show malice," Malone said, "and there's a number of other aspects in the words that they've used that appear to meet the criteria for malice."⁹

The Washington Post has continued to publish hit pieces against Malone, "accusing him of spreading 'dangerous lies' and 'leading his followers on a journey to illness, suffering and possible death,'" WND noted, adding, "Significantly, Post staff writer Timothy Bella labeled as "misinformation" Malone's statement that the vaccines 'are not working,' citing studies published by the CDC's sponsored journal as a counterpoint."¹⁰

Writing on Substack, Malone further explained that he had a gut feeling The Washington Post was up to no good when Bella first contacted him, asking to shadow him at the Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington, D.C., held in January 2022, where Malone was speaking:¹¹

"Having been defamed and slandered by state-sponsored media before, I had learned enough about how these reporters approach their targets to politely turn down the offer to 'profile' me by a WaPo reported who has 'respect for you and your body of work' ...

In retrospect, my gut instinct was right. I felt like I was being set up (I can't get into the head or Mr. Bella and speak to his motives — maybe others can). Can you only imagine what would have been written and published IF I had agreed to have Mr. Bella shadow me — as he requested? Let my experience be a lesson to all concerned."

Malone is seeking more than $50 million in damages for injury to his reputation (past and future), insult, pain and mental suffering, lost income, career damage and impairment of future earnings.¹² The lawsuit alleges:¹³

"WaPo falsely accused Dr. Malone of fraud, disinformation, dishonesty, deception, lying to the American public, lack of integrity, immorality and ethical improprieties. The gist of the Article is that Dr. Malone is unfit to be a medical doctor and scientist. WaPo exposed Dr. Malone to public ridicule, scorn, and contempt, and severely prejudiced Dr. Malone in his employment."

The New York Times Also Attacked Malone

Malone told WND that he was also "ground into sausage" by The New York Times, after one of their reporters, who he welcomed to his farm for what he thought would be a good faith interview, published another attack piece. He now says he's gotten to the point where he tells others who are speaking words that are not endorsed by the government or the current narrative to "just say no" if they're approached by the media.¹⁴

Indeed, The New York Times has also published repeated hit pieces against me, making multiple blatantly false claims and labeling me a "superspreader" of misinformation. Twitter has banned anyone from sharing any link to my website, YouTube banned my account with over 15 years of content, while Facebook and Google have done everything possible to make me disappear.

It certainly would be much easier to cave under the pressure, but if we don't stand up for our rights and freedom now — when will it be too late? I will continue 'superspreading' truth and health until my last days, and I suspect Malone will as well.

"The lesson learned by so many is that the likes of Business Insider, Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN," Malone said, "these are media outlets which are paid by pharma and paid by the government ... more and more is coming out ... that the government has been actively promoting these forms of attack, cancelling and defamation."¹⁵

New York Times Paradox Explained?

Malone also spoke about the seeming paradox of the corporate-sponsored, narrative-aligned New York Times publishing an exposé in February 2022 that revealed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been collecting data on COVID-19 hospitalizations according to age, race and injection status throughout the pandemic but didn't release most of it to the public.¹⁶

Such data certainly would have been of interest to a large portion of the U.S. population, but according to CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund, the CDC hadn't released all of the data "because basically, at the end of the day, it's not yet ready for prime time."¹⁷ The Times reported, "Another reason is fear that the information might be misinterpreted, Ms. Nordlund said."¹⁸

Malone said he believes that the CDC withholding evidence about COVID-19 shot safety is scientific fraud¹⁹ and, beyond that, the outcome of the Times exposé and other public criticism of the CDC may have been revealed by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky's recent calls for sweeping changes at the CDC.²⁰ Among them, Malone says, is the establishment of a committee:²¹

"The outcome of all of this is that a committee has been established — you know what that means in D.C., it means that nobody has to take a hit for any bad decisions ... responsibility is all diffused — to advise and provide oversite for operations at the CDC."

Another outcome is to make the CDC less academic and give them more money and more power. "They need the power to extract data from the states," Malone said, explaining:²²

"Since the practice of medicine is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution as a federal mandate," — the regulation of the practice of medicine is done at the state level — "she wants to basically circumvent the Constitution and be able to demand data from the states, because apparently they don't have enough data at the CDC, even though there are multiple stories out that they haven't analyzed and reported the data that they do have, and they need more money to hire more people in order to do this.

They need to refocus their workforce on rapid response rather than putting out academic papers. The whole thing, to me, reeks to high heaven."

Turning an Attack Into a Badge of Honor

While being targeted by the media has ruined many reputations, it's possible to turn the attack into a badge of honor. One way to do this is to not back down under these signs of oppression and continue to fight for the truth, no matter the cost. Malone's lawsuit will not be the last that seeks to expose the true intentions behind the COVID spin.

And remember, in your own search for the truth — and in your journey to protect and maintain your health and that of your family — understand that the media intentionally uses Orwellian doublespeak, a weapon of tyranny in which words are twisted, reversing their meaning.