Curtailing the Corporatocracy

In 1995 I saved the life of my then 78- year-old mother-in-law.

Before I discuss this further, some context is needed. In the introduction to my third book, Beyond Mental Illness, I state that I am not a PhD, or an MD, but merely a JSW (just a social worker), actually a retired LCSW who happens to know his way around the Internet. I define a class of citizen-empowered researchers, claim myself as one, and then introduce a model for reforming the prevailing mental illness paradigm, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5). My authority is footnotes, not advanced degrees. So it is in that same spirit that I share some observations regarding advertised products of the corporatocracy that affect the health of our lungs, guts, hearts and brains. In an era of sensational “breaking” news, these observations are less likely to garner attention since we are like the proverbial frog in cold water that is slowly coming to a boil.

First there is Nexium, touted as “the brand doctors and pharmacists use most for their own frequent heartburn.” My mother-in law’s doctor had told her she had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal illness. I did a Google search and then advised her to stop the Nexium she had been taking for years. She did so and lived until she was 93. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), of which Nexium is one example, treat excessive stomach acid and are commonly taken for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies show that progressive use of PPIs over time is associated with increased risk of death from multiple causes, include lung and kidney disease. One study found a subgroup in which 65 percent of 65-year-old women taking Nexium for five years or longer had pulmonary fibrosis. Did you know that for many, apple cider vinegar can be just as effective for heartburn?

Been seeing lots of ads lately for heart arrhythmia medications? Are these anomalies caused by a deficiency of blood thinning medications such as Warfarin and Xarelto? Could a relationship exist between the increasing number of ads for blood thinners, diagnoses of atrial fibrillation, and the ubiquitous exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMF)? Did you know that EMF affects the stability of the heart? It also changes the polarity of red blood cells, causing them to stick together, limiting circulation. This is called rouleau.

We have all seen the heartbreaking ads featuring children at St Jude’s Hospital with gliomas, brain tumors that are almost always fatal, except when treated at the Burzynski clinic in Houston Texas. However, the corporatocracy, via the FDA and fake news bloggers, have besmirched the good doctor’s reputation for years. As cynical as it sounds, for the corporatocracy, cancer is a disease better managed than cured.

Speaking of brain tumors, precancerous micronuclei are formed when an animal is exposed to EMF found in cell and remote phones. A recent groundbreaking study found significant cancer risk for rats exposed to cell phone tower radiation below the FCC limits. While the World Health Organization declares that EMF is a potential carcinogen, the FCC supports continued installation of G5 antennas.

Why is France banning WI FI in some schools, limiting it in others, and requiring reports of cases of electrical sensitivity? Why do insurance companies refuse to insure cell phone makers? By the way, the aforementioned Dr. Burzynski, who, as stated earlier, has cured more gliomas than anyone in history—yes, that one—he does not have a cell phone.

Resistance is growing, as evidenced by the recent withdrawal of a Verizon proposal to install a cell phone tower in downtown Nevada City. After an ill–fated attempt to allow the state to wrest control over antennae placement from local governments, the telecommunications industry is now making an end run to impose federal control. Senate Bill 3157, Streamline Broad Cell Deployment Act, would end the role of local governments in regulating 5G antennas.

So what can we do about the pervasive deleterious influence of the corporatocracy upon our health? We can’t rely on the swamp-drainers, regardless of who sits in the White House. Individually, we are powerless minnows, but together we can make a whale of a difference. Start by getting informed.

One way to tame the corporatocracy is to stop feeding it. Consider alternatives to proton pump inhibitors. Lessen your EMF exposure. Use your cell phone sparingly, or, better yet, especially if you use it a lot, smash it. Heavy-usage individuals are more at risk for cancer.