Latest news with #MAHAAction
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
PICO IV's Presence at MAHA Gala Marks Growing Legitimacy for CBD in Holistic Healthcare
JUPITER, Fla., May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PICO IV, the company behind the world's first sterile CBD solution designed to support the endocannabinoid system, joined healthcare innovators, wellness leaders, and forward-thinking organizations at the MAHA Spring Gala in Jupiter, Florida. The event, hosted by MAHA Action, marks a monumental moment for the CBD company, representing a broader shift in thinking regarding natural therapies and CBD's role in modern healthcare. A Growing Movement for Health Reform Led by CEO Del Bigtree, MAHA Action is a 501(c)(4) organization and a national movement committed to tackling the chronic disease epidemic through greater transparency, informed consent, and science-backed public health reform. This year's Spring Gala featured thought leaders like Del Bigtree, Alex Clark, and Sayer Ji, as well as organic food, live music, and a shared vision for a healthier America. A Sign of Progress for Natural Therapies "Being part of the MAHA Spring Gala was an incredible honor. We're proud to be alongside other innovators who are working to improve healthcare," said Joe Young, CEO and Co-Founder of PICO IV. "The fact that a CBD company was welcomed into this conversation signals just how far the wellness and healthcare space has evolved, and where it's headed." Looking Ahead As MAHA Action continues to rally the healthcare disruptors of tomorrow, PICO IV is proud to stand among those innovating and offering natural solutions to today's healthcare landscape. About PICO IVPICO IV is the creator of the world's first sterile CBD solution. Developed using patent-pending technology and utilizing FDA-approved filtration standards. PICO IV's flagship formula delivers cannabinoids with unmatched purity and precision. For more information, visit Contact:Maegan McCarthy FoxMfox@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE PicoIV Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Herald Scotland
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
RFK's followers are scrambling the country's stubborn red-blue divide
But Kennedy's supporters aren't following a simple partisan formula. They are opposing a Republican-backed bill in Tennessee that would limit the liability of pesticide companies, for example, while backing California Democrats on measures involving improved food quality for incarcerated people and limiting use of glyphosate, a herbicide linked to cancer. More: RFK Jr.: Chronic diseases need top billing, not infectious diseases like measles and COVID At the federal level, Kennedy in his opening months on the job announced a plan to phase out artificial dyes from the U.S. food supply and directed his department to conduct studies aimed at identifying "environmental toxins" behind the rising rates of autism. His critics have hammered him over his views on vaccines and for making major staffing cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Outside of Washington, D.C., Kennedy's followers appear to be scrambling the country's stubborn red-blue divide. Shifting from kind of 'woo-woo' to 'kind of trendy' "It's considered less 'woo-woo' now," said Emily Stembridge, a 39-year-old mother of three from Lehi, Utah, who recruited like-minded moms to lobby her Republican-dominated state to ban artificial food dyes from school lunches. "Now it's kind of trendy, and so, it was the time to strike." Stembridge, a Republican who grew up in a health-conscious family, says she was intrigued by Kennedy's 2024 presidential run, which ended last August when he dropped out and endorsed Trump before landing a job in the new president's Cabinet. The way Kennedy talked about health during that White House campaign, with an emphasis on "moms and families," spoke to her. MAHA Mom: 'If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it': Meet the food blogger influencing RFK Jr. "I'd never seen anyone in his position putting these issues in the forefront," she said. "These are things a lot of us were recognizing in our day-to-day that no one else seemed to want to pay attention to." Stembridge, who calls herself a MAHA Mom, contacted Utah state Rep. Kristen Chevrier and urged the Republican to introduce a bill banning artificial dyes in public schools. The freshman lawmaker did not need much convincing. As a mother of three children with autoimmune issues, Chevrier said she is forced to shop at specialty stores or make everything from scratch. "The whole mindset of our nation has shifted," Chevrier said of her legislation, which Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law in March. 'Dynamic change, state by state' Kennedy's momentum at the state level has not surprised Del Bigtree, CEO of the MAHA Alliance Super PAC and of MAHA Action, a nonprofit which tracks legislation throughout the country. "What you're seeing is what government does when the people are watching," he said. "And now you are gonna see dynamic change, state by state, I believe, because Robert Kennedy Jr. is championing these issues." The other reason politicians are paying attention, Bigtree says, is they see MAHA Moms as a "powerful voting block.""Moms are the most vocal voting block," he said. Kennedy this spring toured states that had passed MAHA-aligned bills and executive orders including West Virginia, Utah and Arizona. He visited Indianapolis for the launch of Gov. Mike Braun's "Make Indiana Healthy Again Initiative," where the Republican signed nine executive orders that called for the examination of the health impacts of artificial dyes and additives and increasing residents' access to local foods. At the Indiana meeting, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity TV doctor whom Trump appointed to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was also present with Kennedy to put a MAHA stamp of approval on the governor's efforts. During last year's presidential campaign Trump described Kennedy as a longtime friend and called his endorsement a great honor. "I'm going let him go wild on health. I'm going let him go wild on the food. I'm going to let him go wild on medicines," Trump said, at a rally at New York's Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27, less than 10 days before he won the presidential election. New laws in five states Others have followed Trump and Kennedy's lead. Governors in at least five states have signed MAHA-aligned laws and more than 30 more bills have been introduced around the country. In March, West Virginia became the first state to enact a sweeping ban on artificial food dyes and Utah led the nation in banning supplemental fluoride in the water supply. Florida lawmakers followed suit in a bill that passed last week that is now awaiting a signature from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. In April, Arizona banned ultra-processed foods in public school meals and purchases of soda using food stamps. The same month, Idaho banned soda and candy purchases using food stamps. More: RFK Jr., pushing curbs on fluoride, says 'the more you get, the stupider you are' "Idaho welcomes the MAHA movement," said Republican Gov. Brad Little, adding that Kennedy had called it an act of patriotism. "Idaho couldn't agree more." White House Spokesman Kush Desai said the states' embrace of the MAHA agenda proved that "everyday Americans support President Trump's commonsense initiative." While at least 11 Republican-controlled states are taking the lead on introducing MAHA-aligned bills, the advocacy group "MAHA Action" is also supporting Democrat-led bills in blue states. For instance, the group is backing California's Farm to School Program to improve student nutrition and a proposed bill in New Jersey banning the sale and application of the insecticide chlorpyrifos. People close to Kennedy, many of whom are former Democrats, say they see party lines blurring when it comes to health. California, led by two-term Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, was the first state to ban some artificial dyes last year. The state's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found a potential link between these dyes and hyperactivity. MAHA: An 'awakening for the Republicans'? Will Cole, a functional medicine practitioner, has known Kennedy for almost a decade. A former Democrat who is now an independent, Cole said there's a "realignment playing out in real time." "I feel like it's an awakening for the Republicans," he said, adding that the GOP has been "abysmal" when it comes to these topics. Before the MAHA fever took hold, he would have been described as a "crunchy leftist" in certain Republican circles, said Cole, whom the actress and wellness mogul Gwyneth Paltrow credits with helping her on her health journey. Bigtree, who grew up in Boulder, Colorado, favoring outdoor sports, natural food stores and a "very liberal" mindset, echoed that sentiment. "The entire idea of natural health and natural living and getting chemicals out of food used to be completely a liberal perspective," he said. "And now, suddenly in one of the most amazing shifts we've ever seen, we're seeing dyes being removed by a Republican administration." Both Bigtree and Cole talked about how after years of chasm, health care policy might finally be the unifying element between the two parties. Democrats tried for decades to pass comprehensive healthcare legislation before finally succeeding without any GOP support in 2010 under President Barack Obama. That effort cost Obama's party control of the U.S. House of Representatives, while Republicans failed in their own bids to repeal the law. Kennedy's supporters say one crucial way in which their work differs is in its intense focus on prevention and understanding the root causes of chronic diseases along with making healthcare more affordable. More: Supreme Court turns back Obamacare challenge, allowing individual coverage mandate to stand The policy team at MAHA Action is primarily focused on health-oriented bills at the state level because that's where most U.S. health policy is made, said Bigtree. He said the "incredible success" of the MAHA movement at the state level is applying "immense pressure" on the U.S. Congress to follow suit. The organization is currently working with members of both parties in Congress to co-sponsor future bills, Bigtree said while declining to identify what legislation or which Democrats the organization was working with. "Too soon," he said. Calley Means, an entrepreneur who serves as an advisor to Kennedy as a "special government employee" said MAHA is about transparency. Kennedy has accused Big Pharma and Big Food of keeping Americans sick for profit. "It's about making sure the incentives of our health care and food systems are prioritized to American health," he said, adding that Kennedy would use "his levers of power to spur transparency with the American people." Cole said he believes the most important thing holding together the diverse coalition of people within the MAHA movement is "freedom of speech and diversity of thought" around health and medicine. Kennedy's Instagram account was taken down by its parent company Facebook in 2021, for sharing "debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines." Cole said the way speech around health was handled online by major technology companies became a "bonding cause" among classic liberals, moderates, libertarians and conservatives. "We are not gonna agree on everything. Many of us are gonna be socially liberal people," he said. "So it'd be interesting to see how we can continue to work together." Critics worry about RFK Jr. and MAHA movement's sway on public health Paul A. Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said he agrees with Kennedy's encouragement of bans on soda and candy from the food stamp program. But he said Kennedy's views on most other things are "dangerous" to children. "He's an anti-vaccine activist. He's a science denialist, which is why I don't trust him with the science of food either because he's so willing to deny the science of vaccines," Offit said. "Why is he suddenly going to be much more reasonable about science regarding anything else?" Taking fluoride out of the drinking water, which Kennedy has encouraged states to do, will only increase cavities in that state, Offit said. Tennessee state Rep. Dr. Brock Martin, a Republican, said seeing Kennedy assume the position of health secretary was one of the coolest things he'd seen in the new Trump administration. Back in his home state, Martin said one of his priorities will be to propose a bill that would help increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in areas considered to be food deserts. "As a legislator, that's exciting because I know it's gonna drive cost down on health care," he said. More: RFK Jr. to go after fluoride in tap water as dentists warn of disastrous health impacts At the same time, MAHA Action is opposing a GOP bill in Tennessee that would limit the liability of pesticide companies if they were not labeled as harmful by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "That is a tricky one for me because I'm in farmland where all my farmers who put food on the table are reliant upon that product," Martin said. "I was kind of torn on that one. I didn't know honestly where I was gonna vote on it once it got there." The bill, which passed the state Senate, was held up in the House and has been tabled for now, he said. Stembridge, the mother who pushed for the ban on artificial food dyes in Utah, met Kennedy when he visited her state to celebrate the passage of the bill. More: Is fluoride in drinking water safe? RFK Jr. says fluoride 'will disappear' after election "It was exciting because he's actually addressing the giant elephant in the room of humanity," she said. "Like, America is sick and someone's finally pointing that out, and then saying, 'And what are we gonna do about it?'" Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
iCRYO Invited to Attend MAHA Spring Gala, Joins Industry Partner OxyHealth
JUPITER, Fla., May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iCRYO, a national leader in longevity and whole-body wellness centers, is honored to attend the MAHA Spring Gala on May 3, 2025, in Jupiter, Florida. The event, hosted by MAHA Action, will bring together influential voices and innovative organizations, including iCRYO and OxyHealth, the industry leader in hyperbaric oxygen chambers and iCRYO's exclusive provider for that service, for an unforgettable Saturday evening dedicated to the advancement of the Make America Healthy Again movement. MAHA Action, which was founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Del Bigtree, is on a mission to create lasting, science-backed reforms to public health policies, especially when it comes to the food and pharmaceutical industries. MAHA is aiming beyond just government reform, however. As detailed on the MAHA Action website, MAHA is a movement "empowering Americans to advocate for this once in a generation opportunity to reverse the chronic disease epidemic and make…Americans once again the healthiest people on Earth" (see The Spring Gala represents a rallying point for this important, generational effort. The event will feature speeches from health and wellness trailblazers like Del Bigtree, Sayer Ji, Vani Hari, Calley Means, and others, all of whom are committed to improving transparency, recalibrating regulations, and arming everyday Americans with more knowledge and resources to combat alarming rates of chronic disease and obesity. Promising a vibrant atmosphere filled with live music, organic gourmet fare, and handcrafted cocktails, the gala will be both a celebration of progress and a call to unite for the work yet to be done. "Being invited to the MAHA Spring Gala is an incredible honor," said Kyle Jones, Co-founder and CEO of iCRYO. "We believe the future of health must be proactive, personal, and rooted in real change, and MAHA Action is leading the most important movement of our time on that front. iCRYO is also proud to stand alongside trusted partners like OxyHealth to support this powerful mission, and we can't thank everyone on Robert and Del's team, especially Brigid, for making sure to include us." The Spring Gala is more than a celebration — it's a call to action. By bringing together the shakers and movers who represent the future of health and healthcare in the US, MAHA Action will undoubtedly capitalize on the friendships and networks forged during the gala to score even more wins and build even more momentum. With companies like iCRYO on the front likes of the movement, there is a day in the near future where healthy is once again the norm and not the exception. About iCRYO Founded in 2015, iCRYO's mission is to elevate the quality of life of its team members, guests, and franchisees by providing affordable, professional, and convenient personal health services while raising the standard as a global wellness brand. To learn more about its services, locations, and franchise opportunities, visit iCRYO Media Contact Robbie JenkinsDirector of View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE iCRYO Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pesticide in food that's 'making America sick again' may get free pass
A bill waiting on the desk of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has drawn criticism from those supporting the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, who claim it would impede lawsuits against pesticide companies. Georgia SB 144 would "clarify that a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with respect to pesticides," reads the bill. Emma Post, a spokesperson for MAHA Action based in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital, "The bill is literally making America sick again." 'Food Is Medicine' Takes Shape As Rfk Jr. Praises School Menu Changes In West Virginia The legislation comes as Bayer Monsanto, producer of the Roundup weed killer, was ordered last week by a Georgia jury to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who says the product caused his cancer, according to reports. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been a vocal critic of Roundup, working with his legal team in 2018 to award $289 million to a man who alleged the weed killer caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Read On The Fox News App Glyphosate, a pesticide used in products such as Roundup, has been shown to raise cancer risk in studies. In a study published in the journal Mutation Research, University of Washington researchers found that exposure to the pesticide raises the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41%. Kelly Ryerson, founder of Glyphosate Facts and owner of the Instagram account @glyphosategirl, told Fox News Digital that her journey researching the herbicide began with her own health struggles. For more Health articles, visit Ryerson, who is based in California, previously struggled with chronic illness and autoimmune issues, which she said improved when she stopped eating gluten. After attending a medical conference at Columbia University's Celiac Disease Center, Ryerson began to question modern farming practices rather than the gluten itself. "A lot of times, farmers are spraying Roundup on our grains right before harvest to facilitate an easier harvest," said Ryerson. "After that easier harvest, because everything's dry at the same time, those crops go directly to the mill and may end up in our food supply, at really alarmingly high levels." Ryerson said she has been advocating against "pesticide liability shields" such as the bill in Georgia. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "This is a terrifying thing." She added, "All of those victims will not be able to sue." Amid concerns about fertility, Ryerson said she brought three sperm samples to a lab to be tested, and glyphosate was present. "It crosses the blood-test barrier. It is also shown to kill sperm," she cautioned. "So now when you're eating that every single day, which we all are, because it's ubiquitous — it's in the water. It's in the food, it's in the air. We can't avoid it." Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals have found that glyphosate can harm sperm quality. Everything To Know About Maha Farmers Dana and Lauren Cavalea of Freedom Farms in Greene, New York, told Fox News Digital that they don't use any chemicals in their fields. "We use the animals to restore and regenerate the land," said Lauren Cavalea. "[There are] other things that are outside of our control," Dana Cavalea added. For instance, "if you have folks nearby who are using chemicals … there's a chance they [will] get into your ground." He went on, "You have a lot of people who are financially distressed, trying to keep their farms going. In order to create max production, we have to use these remedies that have been provided to us in order to create mass production." Utah Bans Fluoride From Public Drinking Water, Aligning With Maha Movement He noted that it is a complicated yet simple system, and that he hopes to see things change amid the MAHA movement. A spokesperson for Monsanto/Bayer — maker of Roundup — said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the verdict in the recent Georgia case "conflicts with the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence and the consensus of regulatory bodies and their scientific assessments worldwide." Following scientific assessments in 2023, the European Union Commission re-approved glyphosate for another 10 years. "We continue to stand fully behind the safety of Roundup products — critical tools that farmers rely on to produce affordable food and feed the world," added the Monsanto spokesperson. Fox News Digital reached out to the EPA and Gov. Kemp's office for article source: Pesticide in food that's 'making America sick again' may get free pass
Fox News
01-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Pesticide in food that's 'making America sick again' may get free pass
A bill waiting on the desk of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has drawn criticism from those supporting the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, who claim it would impede lawsuits against pesticide companies. Georgia SB 144 would "clarify that a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with respect to pesticides," reads the bill. Emma Post, a spokesperson for MAHA Action based in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital, "The bill is literally making America sick again." The legislation comes as Bayer Monsanto, producer of the Roundup weed killer, was ordered last week by a Georgia jury to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who says the product caused his cancer, according to reports. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been a vocal critic of Roundup, working with his legal team in 2018 to award $289 million to a man who alleged the weed killer caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Glyphosate, a pesticide used in products such as Roundup, has been shown to raise cancer risk in studies. In a study published in the journal Mutation Research, University of Washington researchers found that exposure to the pesticide raises the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41%. Kelly Ryerson, founder of Glyphosate Facts and owner of the Instagram account @glyphosategirl, told Fox News Digital that her journey researching the herbicide began with her own health struggles. For more Health articles, visit Ryerson, who is based in California, previously struggled with chronic illness and autoimmune issues, which she said improved when she stopped eating gluten. After attending a medical conference at Columbia University's Celiac Disease Center, Ryerson began to question modern farming practices rather than the gluten itself. "A lot of times, farmers are spraying Roundup on our grains right before harvest to facilitate an easier harvest," said Ryerson. "After that easier harvest, because everything's dry at the same time, those crops go directly to the mill and may end up in our food supply, at really alarmingly high levels." Ryerson said she has been advocating against "pesticide liability shields" such as the bill in Georgia. "This is a terrifying thing." She added, "All of those victims will not be able to sue." Amid concerns about fertility, Ryerson said she brought three sperm samples to a lab to be tested, and glyphosate was present. "The bill is literally making America sick again." "It crosses the blood-test barrier. It is also shown to kill sperm," she cautioned. "So now when you're eating that every single day, which we all are, because it's ubiquitous — it's in the water. It's in the food, it's in the air. We can't avoid it." Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals have found that glyphosate can harm sperm quality. Farmers Dana and Lauren Cavalea of Freedom Farms in Greene, New York, told Fox News Digital that they don't use any chemicals in their fields. "We use the animals to restore and regenerate the land," said Lauren Cavalea. "[There are] other things that are outside of our control," Dana Cavalea added. For instance, "if you have folks nearby who are using chemicals … there's a chance they [will] get into your ground." He went on, "You have a lot of people who are financially distressed, trying to keep their farms going. In order to create max production, we have to use these remedies that have been provided to us in order to create mass production." He noted that it is a complicated yet simple system, and that he hopes to see things change amid the MAHA movement. A spokesperson for Monsanto/Bayer — maker of Roundup — said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the verdict in the recent Georgia case "conflicts with the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence and the consensus of regulatory bodies and their scientific assessments worldwide." Following scientific assessments in 2023, the European Union Commission re-approved glyphosate for another 10 years. "We continue to stand fully behind the safety of Roundup products — critical tools that farmers rely on to produce affordable food and feed the world," added the Monsanto spokesperson. Fox News Digital reached out to the EPA and Governor Kemp's office for comment.
