Project MK-ULTRA - C.I.A 'Mind Control' human experimentation

Project MKULTRA, or MK-ULTRA, was the code name for a covert, illegal CIA human experimentation program, run by the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence. This official U.S. government program began in the early 1950s, continuing at least through the late 1960s, and it used U.S. and Canadian citizens as its test subjects.
The published evidence indicates that Project MKULTRA involved the use of many methodologies to manipulate individual mental states and alter brain functions, including the surreptitious administration of drugs and other chemicals, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, isolation, verbal and sexual abuse, as well as various forms of torture.

Project MKULTRA was first brought to wide public attention in 1975 by the U.S. Congress, through investigations by the Church Committee, and by a presidential commission known as the Rockefeller Commission. Investigative efforts were hampered by the fact that CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all MKULTRA files destroyed in 1973; the Church Committee and Rockefeller Commission investigations relied on the sworn testimony of direct participants and on the relatively small number of documents that survived Helms' destruction order.

Goals

watch documentary:

The Agency poured millions of dollars into studies examining methods of influencing and controlling the mind, and of enhancing their ability to extract information from resistant subjects during interrogation.
Some historians have asserted that creating a "Manchurian Candidate" subject through "mind control" techniques was a goal of MKULTRA and related CIA projects. Alfred McCoy has claimed that the CIA attempted to focus media attention on these sorts of "ridiculous" programs, so that the public would not look at the primary goal of the research, which was developing effective methods of torture and interrogation. Such authors cite as one example, the fact that the CIA's KUBARK interrogation manual refers to "studies at McGill University", and that most of the techniques recommended in KUBARK are exactly those that researcher Donald Ewen Cameron used on his test subjects (sensory deprivation, drugs, isolation, etc.).
One 1955 MKULTRA document gives an indication of the size and range of the effort; this document refers to the study of an assortment of mind-altering substances described as follows:

1. Substances which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public.
2. Substances which increase the efficiency of mentation and perception.
3. Materials which will prevent or counteract the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
4. Materials which will promote the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
5. Materials which will produce the signs and symptoms of recognized diseases in a reversible way so that they may be used for malingering, etc.
6. Materials which will render the induction of hypnosis easier or otherwise enhance its usefulness.
7. Substances which will enhance the ability of individuals to withstand privation, torture and coercion during interrogation and so-called "brain-washing".
8. Materials and physical methods which will produce amnesia for events preceding and during their use.
9. Physical methods of producing shock and confusion over extended periods of time and capable of surreptitious use.
10. Substances which produce physical disablement such as paralysis of the legs, acute anemia, etc.
11. Substances which will produce "pure" euphoria with no subsequent let-down.
12. Substances which alter personality structure in such a way that the tendency of the recipient to become dependent upon another person is enhanced.
13. A material which will cause mental confusion of such a type that the individual under its influence will find it difficult to maintain a fabrication under questioning.
14. Substances which will lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts.
15. Substances which promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects.
16. A knockout pill which can surreptitiously be administered in drinks, food, cigarettes, as an aerosol, etc., which will be safe to use, provide a maximum of amnesia, and be suitable for use by agent types on an ad-hoc basis.
17. A material which can be surreptitiously administered by the above routes and which in very small amounts will make it impossible for a person to perform physical activity.

Experiments

CIA documents suggest that "chemical, biological and radiological" means were investigated for the purpose of mind control as part of MKULTRA.

Drugs

LSD 

Early CIA efforts focused on LSD, which later came to dominate many of MKULTRA's programs.
Once Project MKULTRA officially got underway in April, 1953, experiments included administering LSD to CIA employees, military personnel, doctors, other government agents, prostitutes, mentally ill patients, and members of the general public in order to study their reactions. LSD and other drugs were usually administered without the subject's knowledge or informed consent, a violation of the Nuremberg Code that the U.S. agreed to follow after World War II.
Efforts to "recruit" subjects were often illegal, even though actual use of LSD was legal in the United States until October 6, 1966. In Operation Midnight Climax, the CIA set up several brothels in San Francisco, CA to obtain a selection of men who would be too embarrassed to talk about the events. The men were dosed with LSD, the brothels were equipped with two-way mirrors, and the sessions were filmed for later viewing and study.
Some subjects' participation was consensual, and in these cases they appeared to be singled out for even more extreme experiments. In one case, volunteers were given LSD for 77 consecutive days.
LSD was eventually dismissed by MKULTRA's researchers as too unpredictable in its results. Useful information was sometimes obtained by questioning subjects after they had ingested LSD.

Other drugs

Another technique investigated was connecting a barbiturate IV into one arm and an amphetamine IV into the other. The barbiturates were released into the person first, and as soon as the person began to fall asleep, the amphetamines were released. The person would then begin babbling incoherently, and it was sometimes possible to ask questions and get useful answers.
Other experiments involved drugs such as temazepam (used under code name MKSEARCH), heroin, morphine, MDMA, mescaline, psilocybin, scopolamin, marijuana,alcohol,sodium pentothal, and ergine.

Extent of participation

Forty-four American colleges or universities, 15 research foundations or chemical or pharmaceutical companies and the like including Sandoz (currently Novartis) and Eli Lilly and Company, 12 hospitals or clinics (in addition to those associated with universities), and three prisons are known to have participated in MKULTRA

Notable subjects

• A considerable amount of credible circumstantial evidence suggests that Theodore Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, participated in CIA-sponsored MKULTRA experiments conducted at Harvard University from the fall of 1959 through the spring of 1962. During World War II, Henry Murray, the lead researcher in the Harvard experiments, served with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was a forerunner of the CIA. Murray applied for a grant funded by the United States Navy, and his Harvard stress experiments strongly resembled those run by the OSS. Beginning at the age of sixteen, Kaczynski participated along with twenty-one other undergraduate students in the Harvard experiments, which have been described as "disturbing" and "ethically indefensible."
• Merry Prankster Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, volunteered for MKULTRA experiments involving LSD and other psychedelic drugs at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Menlo Park while he was a student at nearby Stanford University. Kesey's experiences while under the influence of LSD inspired him to promote the drug outside the context of the MKULTRA experiments, which influenced the early development of hippie culture.
• Robert Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Along with Ken Kesey, Hunter was an early volunteer MKULTRA test subject at Stanford University. Stanford test subjects were paid to take LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline, then report on their experiences. These experiences were creatively formative for Hunter:

  Sit back picture yourself swooping up a shell of purple with foam crests of crystal drops soft nigh they fall unto the sea of morning creep-very-softly mist...and then sort of cascade tinkley-bell like (must I take you by the hand, every so slowly type) and then conglomerate suddenly into a peal of silver vibrant uncomprehendingly, blood singingly, joyously resounding bells....By my faith if this be insanity, then for the love of God permit me to remain insane.

• Candy Jones, American fashion model and radio host, claimed to have been a victim of mind control in the 1960s.
• Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger volunteered for testing while in prison

November 2011- Health Observations and Events

Awareness Event	Coverage	Related Organization
Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month	Australia	Muscular Dystrophy Australia
Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month	Canada	Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of Canada
Amaryllis Month	Canada	Huntington Society of Canada
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation Awareness (CPR) Month	Canada	Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Diabetes Awareness Month	Canada	Canadian Diabetes Association
Hemophilia Awareness Month	Canada	Canadian Hemophilla Society
Osteoporosis Month	Canada	Osteoporosis Canada
National Marrow Awareness Month	United States	National Marrow Donor Program
National Hospice Month	United States	The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Diabetic Eye Disease Month	United States	Prevent Blindness America
National Healthy Skin Month	United States	American Academy of Dermatology
Prematurity Awareness Month	United States	March of Dimes
National Epilepsy Month	United States	Epilepsy Foundation
American Diabetes Month	United States	American Diabetes Association
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month	United States	Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month	United States	Alzheimer's Association
Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month	United States	Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Lung Cancer Awareness Month	Worldwide	Macmillan Cancer Support

November 2011 Health Current Events - Weeks

Event	Date	Nation	Organisation
Scleroderma Awareness Week	3rd Nov - 9th Nov	United Kingdom	Raynauds & Scleroderma Association
Mouth Cancer Awareness Week	11th Nov - 17th Nov	United Kingdom	Mouth Cancer
GERD Awareness Week	18th Nov - 24th Nov	Worldwide	IFFGD
Diabetes Awareness Week	18th Nov - 24th Nov	New Zealand	Diabetes New Zealand

November 2011 Health Events - Days

Event	Date	Nation	Organization
World Diabetes Day	14th Nov	Worldwide	World Diabetes Day
Great American Smokeout Day	20th Nov	United States	American Cancer Society

[Infographic] The Stats about Pharmaceutical Companies

How Youth Drive Change - UNESCO Youth Forum 2011

          Today’s youth are raising their voices to shape the present and futures of their countries. They want to be heard, to be included in decision-making debates and to make change. Student engagement, social innovation, fostering democracy, youth employment, conflict and sustainable development are among the issues that will be discussed on the floor of the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum. 

• Young  people in the world: So different and so alike, Monique Coleman
• Mobile revolution, Gigi Ibrahim
• Spring of outrage, Alfredo Trujillo Fernandez
• Miracle Weapons, Serge Amisi
• When poetry is louder than a bomb,Nate Marshall
• Moonlight stars, Carol Natukunda
• A young sughar, Noshan Abbas
• Rebels with a cause, Jens Lubbadeh
• Prescriptions for a sick planet, Zhao Ying
• Green architecture, Carlos Bartesaghi Koc

Held from 17 to 20 October 2011 in UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the Forum brings together youth delegates, civil society participants, UN entities, intergovernmental organizations, academics and the private sector. Participants will discuss, debate, and exchange ideas on the Forum’s timely themes and have the opportunity to present their recommendations to the representatives of Member States during the 36th UNESCO General Conference. 

During the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum, youth delegates and key partners will examine achievements and lessons learnt during the International Year of Youth and will discuss ways to maintain and capitalize on the momentum created by the Year.

The main theme of the Forum is How youth drive change pdf. [ http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001937/193773E.pdf]

The sub-themes are:

• Citizens in action: youth in political and public life
• Countering youth exclusion, vulnerability and violence
• Breaking through employment barriers

The output of the Youth Forum is a Final Report drafted by youth participants containing key recommendations on the themes that will be presented to representatives of National governments at the 36th UNESCO General Conference

Join

Join the UNESCO Facebook page to discuss the issues of the Youth Forum and share your views!

Participate in the Twitter conversation @unescoNOW using the hashtag #UNESCOYOUTH.

Contact

• youth(at)unesco.org

Marijuana replaces Ritalin treatment in Children and Adolescents with ADD/ADHD

Brief Overview 
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is also known as hyperactivity or attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADHD is a common condition that affects children and adolescents, while ADD is more common in adults.
        The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 3% to 5% of children have ADHD. Some experts, though, say ADHD may occurs in 8% to 10% of school age children. Experts also question whether kids really outgrow ADHD. What that means is that this disorder may be more common in adults than previously thought.

       Children with ADHD generally have problems paying attention or concentrating. They can't seem to follow directions and are easily bored or frustrated with tasks. They also tend to move constantly and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act. These behaviors are generally common in children. But they occur more often than usual and are more severe in a child with ADHD.
The behaviors that are common with ADHD interfere with a child's ability to function at school and at home.
Adults with ADHD may have difficulty with time management, organizational skills, goal setting, and employment. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addictions.

      The primary ADHD medications include stimulants, nonstimulants, andantidepressants.
Stimulants are the most common treatment for ADHD in children andadolescents. They include methylphenidate -- Ritalin, Metadate, Concerta -- oramphetamines, including Dexedrine, Dextrostat, and Adderall. A newer drug,Vyvanse, is a type of amphetamine that’s formulated to last longer and to beless conducive to dependence than other stimulants.
     As always there is a flip-side to these prescription drugs, and in the case of Ritalin, substance abusers have found various ways to ingest the drug recreationally, which gives an effect similar to cocaine or amphetamine so the use of ritalin is to be closely monitored.

• For the child diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, the side effects of using Ritalin, are many, including psychosis (abnormal thinking or hallucinations), difficulty sleeping, stomach aches, diarrhea, headaches, lack of hunger (leading to weight loss) and dry mouth. In some cases, the use of Ritalin has led to death.
• If Ritalin or its side effects, are causing your children problems, ask your doctor about using marijuana as an alternative.

Dr Claudia Jenson, who was a consultant pediatrician from USC, came up with a novel way of treating ADD/ADHD, without any of the unwanted side effects which can result from using popularly prescribed medicines several years ago.

How to Turn your iPhone into a Microscope

       CellScope is a UC Berkeley project designed to enable microscopic image captures from a cell phone’s camera. At first it might sound like a pointlessly geeky project to do microscopy on a cell phone, but in fact it has important applications for mobile health services in remote areas. In some areas of sub-Saharan Africa and other developing areas of the world, access to health care of any kind is scarce, and it often falls upon poorly-equipped doctors or volunteers to take up the slack.

Since health care equipment is generally expensive to begin with, outfitting even a low-power microscope with a wireless transmitter capable of communicating with doctors at a remote location could easily run into the thousands of dollars. Not only that, but the equipment itself would likely be bulky, temperamental, and easily damaged. That's where CellScope comes in. Via an attachment, CellScope can turn a standard cell phone camera into a 5x to 50x microscope, essentially creating a miniaturized blood lab that can capture images and transmit them far more cheaply than traditional equipment.
The iPhone 4 pictured above  isn't the first mobile phone to be hooked into the CellScope rig, but with its high-quality camera and extensive photo sharing abilities, it might end up being the best mobile device for the job. Plus, viewing microscopic images on a Retina Display sounds like a great alternative to peering into one of those microscope eyepieces. This obviously won't replace traditional setups in a fully-equipped laboratory, but for the kind of remote and rural applications that CellScope covers, it sounds like an ideal solution.

Smartphone vs. Traditional Microscope: Plant Matter

These are stained samples of pollen (left images) and plant stems (right two images). Top row: commercial microscope. Bottom row: cell phone microscope

Smartphone vs. Traditional Microscope: Polarized Light

                    These are images of a sugar crystal taken through polarized light filters. Left: 
                                 traditional microscope. Right: cell phone microscope


The CellScope clips easily to a cell phone via a modified belt clip. Illumination is provided by a ring of low-cost, low-power, high-brightness white LEDs, powered by a battery attached to the device. It can be angled to fully illuminate a sample at the focal point.
Originally the idea for the CellScope began with Daniel Fletcher, a professor of bioengineering at Berkeley, who challenged his students to develop a camera phone microscope. The team is working now on another version of the CellScope to be used in more developed countries. With the CellScope, for example, cancer patients may be able to perform critical tasks, such as blood cell counts, at home and send in the data, avoiding the need to make stressful trips to hospital.



http://cellscope.berkeley.edu/
http://appadvice.com/appnn/2010/09/turn-iphone-coolest-microscope-10
http://www.earthtimes.org/scitech/app-for-that-turn-iphone-medical-imager/1456/

2011 Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth Through 6 Years Old

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them

• Diphtheria (Can be prevented by DTaP vaccine)*

Diphtheria is a very contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system, including the lungs. Diphtheria can be passed from person to person by direct contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. When people are infected, the diphtheria bacteria produce a toxin (poison) in the body that can cause weakness, sore throat, low-grade fever, and swollen glands in the neck. Effects from this toxin can also lead to swelling of the heart muscle and, in some cases, heart failure. In severe cases, the illness can cause coma, paralysis, and even death.

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Can be prevented by Hib vaccine)

Hib disease is caused by bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b.
The disease is very serious for children younger than age 5, especially infants. Hib is spread from person to person by direct contact, or by contact with respiratory droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. Hib is most commonly spread by people who have the bacteria in their noses and throats but who are not sick. Hib can cause meningitis—an infection around the brain and spinal cord—which can lead to life-long disability, mental retardation, or death. Hib can also cause epiglottis (infection in the throat) and pneumonia (infection in the lungs). All these infections can be life threatening.

• Hepatitis A (Can be prevented by HepA vaccine)

Hepatitis A is an infection in the liver caused by a virus. The virus is spread primarily person-to-person through the fecal-oral route. In other words, the virus is taken in by mouth from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces (stool) of an infected person. Symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). An infected person may have no symptoms, may have mild illness for a week or two, or may have severe illness for several months that requires hospitalization. In the U.S., about 100 people a year die from hepatitis A.

• Hepatitis B (Can be prevented by HepB vaccine)

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. It spreads through contact with blood or other body fluids, for example, from sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes or eating utensils. Hepatitis B causes a flu-like illness with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, rashes, joint pain, and jaundice. The virus stays in the liver of some people for the rest of their lives and can result in severe liver diseases, including fatal cancer.

• Influenza (Can be prevented by annual flu vaccine)

Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It spreads easily through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can cause mild to severe illness. Typical symptoms include a sudden high fever, chills, a dry cough, headache, runny nose, sore throat, and muscle and joint pain. Extreme fatigue can last from several days to weeks. Influenza may lead to hospitalization or even death, even among previously healthy children.

• Measles (Can be prevented by MMR vaccine)**

Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases. Measles is spread by direct contact with the airborne respiratory droplets of an infected person. Measles is so contagious that just being in the same room after a person who has measles has already left can result in infection. Symptoms usually include a rash, fever, cough, and watery eyes. Fever can persist, reaching 104˚F or higher, rash can last for up to a week, and coughing can last about 10 days. Measles can also cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or death.

• Mumps (Can be prevented by MMR vaccine)**

Mumps is an infectious disease caused by the mumps virus, which is spread in the air by a cough or sneeze from an infected person. A child can also get infected with mumps by coming in contact with a contaminated object, like a toy. The mumps virus causes fever, headaches, painful swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw, fever, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Severe complications for children who get mumps are rare, but can include meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), permanent hearing loss, or swelling of the testes, which can lead to sterility in men.

• Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (Can be prevented by DTaP vaccine)*

Pertussis is caused by bacteria that spread through direct contact with respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. In the beginning, symptoms of pertussis are similar to the common cold, including runny nose, sneezing, low grade fever, and cough. After 1-2 weeks, pertussis can cause spells of violent coughing and choking, making it hard to breathe, drink, or eat. This cough can last for weeks. Pertussis is most serious for babies, who can get pneumonia, have seizures, become brain damaged, or even die. About two-thirds of children under 1 year of age who get pertussis must be hospitalized.

• Pneumococcal Disease (Can be prevented by PCV vaccine)

Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection that invades the lungs, causing the most common kind of bacterial pneumonia. The bacteria are commonly found in many people’s noses and throats and are spread by droplets when people who have the bacteria in their throats or noses cough or sneeze. People—especially children—often have the bacteria in their throats without being ill. In fact, the bacteria are present in about 25% of people. Why the bacteria suddenly invade the body and cause disease is unknown. The bacteria can invade both the bloodstream (bacteremia) and the brain (meningitis, that is infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord). Symptoms include high fever, cough with chest pain and mucus, shaking chills, breathlessness, and chest pain that increases with breathing. Pneumococcal disease can result in hospitalization and even death.

• Polio (Can be prevented by IPV vaccine)

Polio is caused by a virus that lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines. It spreads through contact with the feces (stool) of an infected person and through droplets from a sneeze or cough. Symptoms typically include sudden fever, sore throat, headache, muscle weakness, and pain. In about 1% of cases, polio can cause paralysis. Among those who are paralyzed, up to 5% of children may die because they become unable to breathe.

• Rotavirus (Can be prevented by RV vaccine)

Rotavirus is caused by a virus and is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among children. Rotavirus is spread primarily person-to-person through the fecal-oral route. In other words, the virus is taken in by mouth from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces (stool) of an infected person. Common symptoms of rotavirus include vomiting, watery diarrhea that lasts for 3-8 days, fever and abdominal pain. Approximately 55,000 children are hospitalized each year in the United States from severe diarrhea and vomiting caused by rotavirus.

• Rubella (German Measles) (Can be prevented by MMR

vaccine)** Rubella is caused by a virus that is spread through coughing and sneezing. In children rubella usually causes a mild illness with fever, swollen glands, and a rash that lasts about 3 days. Rubella rarely causes serious illness or complications in children, but can be very serious in preg nant women. If a pregnant woman is infected, the result to the baby can be devastating, including miscarriage, serious heart defects, mental retardation and loss of hearing and eye sight.

• Tetanus (Lockjaw) (Can be prevented by DTaP vaccine)*

Tetanus is caused by bacteria found in soil that enters the body through a wound, such as a deep cut. When people are infected, the bacteria produce a toxin (poison) in the body that causes serious, painful spasms and stiffness of all muscles in the body. This can lead to “locking” of the jaw so a person cannot open his or her mouth, swallow, or breathe. Complete recovery from tetanus can take months. Three of ten people who get tetanus die from the disease.

• Varicella (Chickenpox) (Can be prevented by Varicella vaccine)

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella zoster virus. Chickenpox is very contagious and spreads very easily from infected people. It can spread from either a cough, sneeze. It can also spread by contact with virus particles that come from the blisters on the skin, either by touching them or by breathing in these virus particles. Typical symptoms of chickenpox include an itchy rash with blisters, tiredness, headache and fever. Chickenpox is usually mild, but it can lead to severe skin infections, pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), or even death.


2011 Recommended immunizations for children from birth through 6 years old  CDC http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/infants/downloads/parent-ver-sch-0-6yrs.pdf

Links: 
Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 7 - 18 Years— 2011
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule - 2011
          

The Blue Zones and The Secret of Longevity

          Dan Buettner is the team leader of "The Blue Zones" which is a longevity research project funded by National Geographic. They are studying human longevity in various cultures around the world. In his book "The Blue Zones", Dan Buettner outlines the healthy habits, the longevity diets and the cultural and familial values that each longevity society upholds.
The name for the project was coined after Dan's team happened to be using a blue marker to circle areas with high rates of human longevity on a map. A blue zone is specifically a geographical region somewhere in the world that has exceptionally high rates of longevity. For example, Okinawan longevity is the best in the world, per capita. One in 2,000 Okinawans can expect to make it past 100, whereas the average American has a 1 in 100,000 chance (according to statistics from 1990).

Certain lifestyle habits were found to be common practices in each blue zone longevity society:

• Emphasis on strong family values

• Strong community values

• Exclusively plant based diets (little to no animal products)

• Whole food lifestyles focused on fruits and veggies

• Antioxidants and anti-aging herbs are plentiful

• Daily benefits of physical exercise

• Everyone knows how to deal with stress

• All the elders and centenarians still work

• Daily consumption of small amounts of alcohol

• A sense of purpose in life (Ikigai is the Japanese word for this)

• Spirituality is part of life in all of the blue zones

• A complete absence of smoking and obesity

• veryone knows the benefits of a positive attitude

Blue Zone Diet Basics

Buettner defines a Blue Zone as an area where there is an unusually high number of people living until the age of a hundred or more. In addition, not only are they living a long time but they are also remaining vibrant and happy while they age.
Four regions of the world are identified and the elements that may contribute to the remarkable occurrence of longevity in these areas are examined.

The Italian Island of Sardinia

• In one village of 2500 people there were seven centenarians; a very high number considering that the ratio in the US is one per 5000.
• Sardinians eat a Mediterranean style diet with whole grains, fava beans, vegetables, fruits, sheep and goat milk products and red wine. Meat is reserved for Sundays and special occasions.

Okinawa in Japan

• Is now well known as one of the areas in the world where people live long and healthy lives.
• The Okinawan diet includes brown rice, soy products such as miso and tofu, vegetables, sweet potatoes and fish. Pork is consumed only for very infrequent ceremonial occasions and is taken in small amounts.
• An important aspect of the Okinawan approach to diet is to eat until only 80% full, which results in a moderate restriction of calorie intake, one of the factors associated with longevity.

Loma Linda in California

• Here there is a population of Seventh Day Adventists and a well-known health study has documented that Adventists live longer than the rest of the population and their vegetarian diet is thought to be the most likely cause of this.
• Specific dietary factors that may be involved in their outstanding health include a high intake of fruit and vegetables, oatmeal, nuts and water.

A Region in Costa Rica

• This is where the world’s healthiest and longest-lived people were found.
• Their diet includes orange, mango, papaya, corn, beans, rice, squash and eggs. The water in this region is also particularly high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

Common to all of the Blue Zones was a strong emphasis on family and community. Social support is one factor that may be involved in the low level of stress that is reported by the centenarians.
The longest living people in these communities have worked in physical labor their entire lives and most of them are still active. They have a strong sense of purpose as well as defined spiritual beliefs and practices.



http://www.bluezones.com

Latisse - the new treatment promises to enhance the length, thickness and shade of Eyelashes

        The solution, manufactured by American pharmaceutical giant Allergen - which also makes Botox, must be applied daily during the period of the treatment, claims to double the thickness of the lashes as well as making them 18 % darker and 25 % longer. Having applied the lotion for four months, women can even reduce the dose by half to maintain the lashes' thickness and length and if they stop the treatment altogether, the lash will revert to its thinner, shorter original condition.

Since its launch, Latisse, which was originally targeted at middle-aged women with thinning lashes, has sold more than 2.5 million bottles.

“This treatment is bigger than Botox in the US,” said Dr Mark Fuller, co-founder of the LashesClinic chain which has already treated 600 women at its centres in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, London and Glasgow.

During clinical trials in 2008, Bimatoprost was ruled safe for cosmetic use, though pregnant or breast-feeding women and anyone who has had cataract surgery in the past three months were advised against use.

Roughly three per cent of testers experienced side effects, the most common being red and itchy eyes or darkened eyelids. In rare but extreme cases, the user’s eye colour changed. But the doctors behind LashesClinic claim that the side-effects came only from overenthusiastic application. 

“Two out of 600 patients reported red or itchy eyes,” said co-founder Dr Usman Goheer. “One was applying the solution to the lower lash - it is only supposed to be used on the top lash. The other was using two drops instead of one in an effort to grow her lashes more quickly.

“We put them back on the right track and no one has stopped using the treatment because of side effects, or because they have found that it doesn’t work.” - The Mail on Sunday

Find out more....

http://www.eyelash-growth.com/reviews/latisse/

http://www.latisse.com/Latisse.aspx

Warnings about the safety of Codeine, Oxycodone and Acetaminophen in breastfeeding mothers

          Doctors have been prescribing Codeine for postpartum pain management for many years, and, until recently, it was considered safe to breastfeed while taking the opioid. But the death of an infant exposed to Codeine through breast-milk has many health care providers questioning the safety of the drug when used by breastfeeding mothers. Because of the potential risks, some doctors have begun the practice of prescribing Oxycodone as an alternative to Codeine; however, a new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics finds that oxycodone is no safer for breastfed infants than codeine.The levels of Oxycodone in breast milk strongly correlated with plasma levels, suggesting that Oxycodone persisted in the breast milk of some mothers. Therefore, it is important to address the neonatal safety of Oxycodone during breastfeeding.

   
 In this study, were compared the maternal reports of CNS depression in breastfed infants exposed to Oxycodone with those in infants who were exposed to Codeine or Acetaminophen alone. The analysis reveals several important features of this potentially fatal adverse reaction: the maternal self-report of neonatal CNS depression is higher in neonates breastfed by mothers mediated with oxycodone than in infants breastfed by mothers medicated with acetaminophen.
   Symptomatic infants of mothers medicated with Oxycodone were sleeping longer than asymptomatic infants. In most cases of CNS depression in the oxycodone and codeine cohort, the parents reported dramatic neonatal improvement when exposure of the opioid ceased. There was a dose-response relationship with mothers of symptomatic infants having consumed on average 50% more oxycodone and codeine per kg of maternal body weight. However, some mothers reported neonatal CNS depression when they were consuming as little as 0.03 mg/kg of oxycodone daily. Furthermore, there was a trend for mothers of symptomatic infants of using oxycodone or codeine for longer periods than mothers of asymptomatic infants. Our findings suggest that maternal CNS depression is a strong predictor of neonatal CNS depression for both oxycodone and codeine. When clinicians observe maternal CNS depression, they need to monitor the child for it as well. Finally, mothers medicated with oxycodone were more likely to experience CNS depressive adverse effects in addition to other adverse effects known to be associated with opioid use compared with mothers taking codeine.

      Table . Maternal adverse event reported with oxycodone or codeine use during breastfeeding

	Oxycodone (n = 139)	Codeine (n = 139)
Sedation∗	92 (%)	21 (%)
Other concomitant adverse events
Nausea	19 (21)	4 (19)
Vomiting	8 (8.6)	2 (9.5)
Constipation	23 (25)	13 (62)
Dizziness	23 (25)	6 (29)
Weakness	8 (8.6)	6 (29)
Confusion	1 (1)	0 (0)
Rash	0 (0)	2 (9.5)

∗Of the proportion of mothers who reported experiencing adverse effects with oxycodone or codeine medication, all listed sedation as an adverse event. All other adverse effects with oxycodone or codeine medication occurred in conjunction with sedation. Mothers were significantly more likely to experience sedative adverse effects from oxycodone as compared with codeine (P < .0001; OR, 17.62; 95% CI, 9.95-31.21).

Several differences in the 3 cohorts in this study need to be highlighted:
1.First, maternal indications for receiving acetaminophen or opioids were different in the cohorts. This is reflective of the general practice of prescribing Opioids for pain relief after caesarian delivery or episiotomy in Canada. Therefore, questions related to comparative efficacy among Codeine, Oxycodone, and Acetaminophen cannot be addressed by this study.

2. Second, with sequential statistical analysis, mothers in the codeine group were found to be significantly more likely than mothers in the oxycodone group to be first-time mothers. Arguably, the inexperience of first-time mothers may lead to hypervigilance and increased anxiety, which could translate to increased reporting of CNS depressive symptoms. Although we observed a similar incidence of neonatal CNS depression between oxycodone and codeine, parity could have biased these results, causing over-reporting of CNS depression in the codeine group.

3. Third, infants who were exposed to oxycodone via breast milk were slightly younger in the oxycodone group as compared with the codeine and acetaminophen groups. Pharmacodynamic modeling has revealed that compromised neonatal opioid clearance capacity (which is closely related to age) may predispose infants to CNS depressive adverse effects when exposed to maternal opioids. However, within the oxycodone group, there was no difference in PMA between symptomatic infants and asymptomatic infants.
The major limitation of this study was its retrospective nature, and thus the potential for recall bias was introduced. Furthermore, the population of mothers interviewed were self-selected because they took the initiative to call the Motherisk Program and ask for safety advice. It is possible that these women may have exhibited increased vigilance in monitoring their infants for symptoms of adverse drug reaction than the general population, but this increased attention would also likely improve recall of the event. The control group or acetaminophen cohort was deemed critical to account for non-specific features that may resemble neonatal CNS depression especially when they are based on maternal reports. In accordance, there is only one maternal-positive report of infant CNS depression when a mother was breastfeeding and consuming acetaminophen alone.

In conclusion, maternal consumption of Oxycodone is associated with an increased risk of CNS depression in the breastfed infant, such that 1 in 5 breastfed infants with mothers medicated with oxycodone experienced symptoms of CNS depression. Therefore, replacement of codeine by oxycodone during breastfeeding cannot be assumed to be safe for the child and the mother. In the future, prospective and pharmacogenetic studies are needed to investigate other factors related to maternal oxycodone use and neonatal CNS depression.

Sources:

Use of Certain Opioid Analgesics During Breast-Feeding Not Safe http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/749972?src=cmemp

Acetaminophen/Oxycodone Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings http://www.drugs.com/pregnancy/acetaminophen-oxycodone.html

Central Nervous System Depression of Neonates Breastfed by Mothers Receiving Oxycodone for Postpartum Analgesia http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476%2811%2900678-0/fulltext#appsec1

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) has today decided the winners of the The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2011

       The 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann and Ralph M. Steinman.
       Beutler and Hoffmann were honoured for "their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity", while the other half of the prize was given to Steinman for "his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity".

From fundamental research to medical use

The discoveries that are awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize have provided novel insights into the activation and regulation of our immune system. They have made possible the development of new methods for preventing and treating disease, for instance with improved vaccines against infections and in attempts to stimulate the immune system to attack tumors. These discoveries also help us understand why the immune system can attack our own tissues, thus providing clues for novel treatment of inflammatory diseases.



Bruce A. Beutler was born in 1957 in Chicago, USA. He received his MD from the University of Chicago in 1981 and worked as a scientist at Rockefeller University in New York and the University of Texas in Dallas, where he discovered the LPS receptor. Since 2000 he has been professor of genetics and immunology at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA.

Jules A. Hoffmann was born in Echternach, Luxembourg in 1941. He studied at the University of Strasbourg in France, where he obtained his PhD in 1969. After postdoctoral training at the University of Marburg, Germany, he returned to Strasbourg, where he headed a research laboratory from 1974 to 2009. He has also served as director of the Institute for Molecular Cell Biology in Strasbourg and during 2007-2008 as President of the French National Academy of Sciences.

Ralph M. Steinman was born in 1943 in Montreal, Canada, where he studied biology and chemistry at McGill University. After studying medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, USA, he received his MD in 1968. He has been affiliated with Rockefeller University in New York since 1970, has been professor of immunology at this institution since 1988, and is also director of its Center for Immunology and Immune Diseases.
Steinman died this weekend of pancreatic cancer, The Gazette was told by Steinman's family. The Nobel Prize is not normally given posthumously, unless "a prizewinner dies before he has received the prize, then the prize may be presented," the Nobel Prize website states.
     The committee that awarded the 2011 Nobel Medicine Prize was not aware that Steinman had died just days before Monday's announcement, the head of the committee said.
Nobel Prize regulations do not allow the award to be given posthumously, but Goeran Hansson said the committee stood by its choice.


      The Nobel Institute added: "This year's Nobel Laureates have revolutionized our understanding of the immune system by discovering key principles for its activation."

Find out more : http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2011/press.html#

Healthy Pumpkin Pudding - Grab your go-to dessert recipe for fall

What's your favorite pumpkin treat - or your fave got-to dessert recipe this time of year??

This sweet treat of Pumpkin Pudding is a creamy blend of fall spices, maple syrup and cozy pumpkin. Pumpkin pie flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger are swirled into each spoonful.

This is my go-to dessert recipe for fall because it is so simple to prepare in a flash. As easy to make as a smoothie. Yet elegant enough to serve at a fall dinner party. And even better, it's totally good for you! Healthy enough to eat any time of the day - from a quick breakfast to a midnight snack. 5 ingredients, 5 minutes no-cooking required. Blend, chill, serve..

Healthy Pudding! This pudding is rich in protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, potassium, free of refined sugar - and it even contains some fiber from the canned pumpkin.

1 Cup Canned Pumpkin contains:
83 calories
1g fat
7g fiber
3g protein
763% RDA vitamin A
19% RDA iron
17% RDA vitamin C
49% RDA vitamin K
14% RDA potassium

5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pudding
vegan, makes about 3 cups

• 1 lb silken tofu (I used one pack of Nasoya silken tofu)

• 1/2 tsp salt (I used a pink salt)

• 2/3 cup maple syrup

• 1 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened

• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

optional add-in: 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted slowly

topping: vanilla bean coconut milk whip

To Make:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend on low -> high until smooth and creamy. The mixture will be watery at this point, but placing it back in the fridge or freezer will firm it up a bit.
3. If you are adding the coconut oil, melt it in the microwave (don't let it get too hot though - just softened - you can also do this on your stove top). Then very slowly pour into the pudding mixture while blending on low. You don't want the coconut oil to chill too quickly and turn into little beads - a slow smooth blend is ideal.
4. For quick chill: pour pudding into tiny serving cups and place in the freezer for 15 minutes - then move to fridge until ready to serve.

A swirl of coconut milk whip - vanilla bean flavor is the perfect topping!!

You can blend up this pudding in under five minutes and be enjoying it in about twenty minutes (about 20 minutes for the chill time).

Add-on's. A cool swirl of my coconut whip seen here (beater whipping method) and here (dispenser method) is a perfect touch.

October 2011- Health Observations and Events

October 2011 Health Current Events - Months

Awareness Event	Coverage	Related Organization
National Bandanna Day	Australia	CanTeen
SIDS Awareness Month	Canada	Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
Autism Awareness Month	Canada	Autism Society Canada
Eye Health Month	Canada	Canadian Association of Optometrists
Breast Cancer Awareness Month	Canada	Canadian Cancer Society
Breast Cancer Awareness Month	United Kingdom	Breast Cancer Care
National Liver Awareness Month	United States	American Liver Foundation
Celiac Awareness Month	United States	Celiac Sprue Association
Lung Health Day	United States	American Association for Respiratory Care
Healthy Lung Month	United States	American Lung Association
National Orthodontic Health Month	United States	American Association of Orthodontists
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month	United States	National Down Syndrome Society
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month	United States	Spina Bifida Association
Lupus Awareness Month	Worldwide	Lupus UK
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month	Worldwide	International Rett Syndrome Foundation

October 2011 Health Current Events - Weeks

Event	Date	Nation	Organisation
BackCare Awareness Week	4th Oct - 10th Oct	United Kingdom	BackCare
Mental Illness Awareness Week	5th Oct - 11th Oct	United States	National Alliance on Mental Illness
Baby Loss Awareness Week	9th Oct - 15th Oct	United Kingdom	Baby Loss Awareness
Haemophilia Awareness Week	12th Oct - 18th Oct	Australia	Haemophilia Foundation Australia

October 2011 Health Events - Days

Event	Date	Nation	Organization
2010 NYC Kidney Walk	7th Oct	United States	National Kidney Foundation
World Mental Health Day	10th Oct	Worldwide	World Federation For Mental Health
National Depression Screening Day	11th Oct	United States	Screening for Mental Health
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day	13th Oct	United States	Breastcancer.org
World Food Day	16th Oct	Worldwide	World Food Day USA
International Osteoporosis Day	20th Oct	Worldwide	International Osteoporosis Foundation
International Stuttering Awareness Day	22nd Oct	Worldwide	British Stammering Association
National Bug Busting Day - 3rd of 3	31st Oct	United Kingdom	Community Hygiene Concern

Urbanization and Cardiovascular Disease: Raising Heart-Healthy Children in Today’s Cities

WORLD HEART FEDERATION CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT CHILDREN’S HEART HEALTH IN WORLD’S MOST POPULOUS CITIES

New S.P.A.C.E strategy to address threat to the cardiovascular health of the world’s urban children

Geneva, 29 September 2011 – On World Heart Day, the World Heart Federation calls for a new approach to make cities heart healthier for the children who live in them. The call to action follows research commissioned by them which shows that increasing urbanization threatens the current and future heart health of children.


The research results are presented in a new report entitled, Urbanization and Cardiovascular Disease: Raising Heart-Healthy Children in Today’s Cities. The report summary – made available today – shows how urban life in low- and middle-income countries – often imposes limitations on the ways in which children live, and restricts opportunities for heart-healthy behaviours. In large cities across the globe, urban living actually facilitates unhealthy behaviour in children, including: physical inactivity, eating unhealthy foods, and even tobacco use by children as young as two. Crowded city living environments can also spread diseases such as rheumatic fever, which if left untreated, can cause rheumatic heart disease.

The report notes that children are particularly at risk of the negative health effects of city life, since they are most dependent on and affected by their living environment. Since urbanization is continuing to occur rapidly worldwide, urgent action is needed to prevent an “epidemic” of cardiovascular disease (CVD) including heart attacks and stroke.

“Although urbanization can be positive, bringing with it great opportunities, inherent to city-life are practical and logistical obstructions to heart-healthy behaviour for children. Lack of recreational space or unsafe environments may cause children to be inactive, or poor economic circumstance may force parents trying to feed hungry children to purchase cheap but unhealthy food high in fat, salts and sugars,” explains Professor Sidney C. Smith Jr, MD, President of the World Heart Federation.


To support policymakers, city planners, and other adults concerned with making cities more heart healthy, the World Heart Federation has devised the S.P.A.C.E strategy, which incorporates five critical elements:

•    Stakeholder collaboration – To bring together all those who have an impact on children’s lives and health, including family, neighbours, teachers, religious and community leaders. Local and national governments need to ensure that city planning includes all these stakeholders.

•    Planning cities – So that they incorporate healthy choices in the natural, built, social and economic environment. As cities grow and land comes under ever more pressure, it is essential that the interests of children and their health are taken into account in the planning process. This includes providing space for outdoor recreation and exercise, limiting the presence of unhealthy food choices, and promoting smoke-free environments.

•    Access to healthcare – The intensive population of urban areas can make the provision of healthcare easier. However, inequities persist and prevent poor people from getting the healthcare they need. Investment in paediatric healthcare will greatly improve CVD outcomes within cities.

•    Child-focused dialogue – All city dwellers face similar risks to their future heart health, but children’s needs are very specific and need to be addressed separately from those of adults. It is important that approaches to improving heart health should include elements that are aimed specifically at children.

•    Evaluation – More information and research is needed to fully understand the impact that cities have on children’s heart health. Every city provides different risks and opportunities. Therefore, each city needs to carry out its own evaluation to establish the risks that exist and what can be done to mitigate them.

“We recognize that the S.P.A.C.E strategy may not be fully applicable or affordable for all nations currently experiencing the rapid urbanization of their populations. But it is hoped that the report presents a range of options to policymakers that are looking for initiatives to make a difference to CVD health outcomes,” said Johanna Ralston, Chief Executive Officer at the World Heart Federation. 

Creating environments that facilitate healthy behaviour can help children to build a heart-healthy future. By introducing the new S.P.A.C.E strategy, planners, government officials and other adults who have an impact on children’s lives can help to make cities as healthy as possible for future generations.

• AboutWorld Heart Federation    http://www.world-heart-federation.org/fileadmin/user_upload/images/About_us/About%20the%20World%20Heart%20Federation.pdf

• Cardiovascular disease risk factors http://www.world-heart-federation.org/cardiovascular-health/cardiovascular-disease-risk-factors/

 

Breast Cancer iPhone App Enlists Hunky Men to Remind Women About Self-Examination

A breast cancer app for iPhone, as well as Android, in which hunky men remind women to self-examine will be available in October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The Canadian charity Rethink Breast Cancer (RBC) has come up with an app called "Your Man Reminder."
Women can choose from six stereotypical male hunks, including the Boy Next Door, the Sports Jock, and the Business Man. A woman's hunk will pop up on her smartphone on a regular basis and remind her to do a self-exam. He will also offer her words of encouragement, such as "Give your breasts some TLC." TLC is breast awareness code for the words touch, look and check. Women can even choose the pose they want their man to make. The app will also offer scheduling options for doctors' appointments and a "signs and symptoms" tab, among other conveniences.

    Tracie Snitker, who works for the public relations firm promoting the app, said Your Man Reminder targets young women who give little thought to breast cancer detection. "It's not a lot of fun to remind yourself to do a self exam," Snitker said. "And a busy woman has so many reminders in her phone for all kinds of things. With this app, you can have a cute guy to remind you to do it."
The charity itself is known for doing "provocative" marketing campaigns with "shock value," Snitker said. Previous efforts have urged women to "Save the Boobies!" In honor of its 10th anniversary, the organization will be throwing a BoobyBall next month.
       Asked whether the app would offend women, Snitker said: "He's not going to do it for you. It's about touching yourself, about knowing how your breast feels when it's normal. So later if there's a change, you'll know."

      "Young women are busy and often need a reminder to show their breasts some TLC,"  Rethink Breast Cancer executive director M.J. DeCoteau said in a statement: "Being aware of what your breasts regularly look and feel like is the key to early detection and what better way to remind you to check yourself than a friendly nudge from a hot guy."

Sources:
http://m.ibtimes.com/breast-cancer-iphone-app-218657.html

Daltonism/ Color Blindness Tests

       
          Color blindness or color vision deficiency is the inability or decreased ability to see color, or perceive color differences, under lighting conditions when color vision is not normally impaired. "Color blind" is a term of art; there is no actual blindness but there is a fault in the development of either or both sets of retinal cones that perceive color in light and transmit that information to the optic nerve. The gene that causes color blindness is carried on the X chromosome, making the handicap far more common among men (who have just one X chromosome) than among women (who have two, so must inherit the gene from both parents).
The symptoms of color blindness also can be produced by physical or chemical damage to the eye, optic nerve, or the brain generally. These are not true color blindness, however, but they represent conditions of limited actual blindness. Similarly, a person with achromatopsia, although unable to see colors, is not "color blind" per se but they suffer from a completely different disorder, of which atypical color deficiency is only one manifestation.

Click HERE  to take the Test 

Colorblindness Test for Children

     The image below can be used as a simple, non-medical test for red-greencolorblindness in children. Originally published in Field and Streammagazine, the test was intended for potential hunters. However, the animalshapes can usually be identified by young children who may not yet be ableto read numbers, which are used in standard colorblindness tests.

A larger version of the image, which can be printed on plain white paper (or photo paper), can be found here.

The image should be presented to a child in private. The child can be asked if they see any animals. There should be no prompting. The key for what can be seen with differing color vision can be seen below:

Past use of this test indicates the following:
    Children with normal vision can see the bear, deer, rabbit, and squirrel. They cannot see the fox.
    Children with a red-green color vision deficiency see a cow (instead of the deer), a fox (in the lower left), and usually the rabbit and squirrel. They cannot see the bear. Red-green colorblindness apparently occurs in varying degrees--mild to severe. Children with severe red-green color vision deficiency may have difficulty seeing the rabbit and/or squirrel. Generally, anyone with a red-green color deficiency cannot see the bear, butcan see the fox.

     Children (and adults) with a red-green color deficiency have difficultydifferentiating shades of the following colors from each other:
    red from green
    green from brown (especially beige)
    blue from purple
    pink from gray
Note that most color deficient children can identify pure primary colors.

       In each of these cases, the color red (found in red, brown, purple, andpink) cannot be discerned, making the distinction difficult. Thus childrensee purple azalea or crepe myrtle blossoms as blue. They have difficultyseeing the browned pine needles among the green ones. A flashing trafficlight could be red or amber. Green traffic lights look white.
      Because of the shift in the color vision of those with red-green colorblindness, those with the deficiency can more readily differentiate yellow and blue fromgreen. Yellow and/or blue are frequently the “favorite colors” of those witha red-green color deficiency.
      Obviously once identified, tact must be used when informing a child of this vision issue. Care must also be shown when dealing with such children in agroup setting, so as not to call undue attention or create a reason for discriminationor ridicule.

Given the frequency of this condition, it is surprising that testing isnot done on all children prior to entering pre-school or school. This condition should be identified early, so that parents, caregivers, and teachers can address it with understanding, patience, and respect. 
(via @http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hellmers/test/)

Links:
http://www.colblindor.com/2006/04/09/daltonism-named-after-john-dalton/
http://m-a-s.110mb.com/Daltonism/daltonism_tests.htm