Alternative Health, Alternative Medicine

High Triglycerides

2010-02-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

High triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia) can be controlled with dietary and herbal supplements

Recommended reading:

Prescription free

French Paradox

Beat It Naturally

Dietary changes likely to be of assistance with high triglycerides ( hypertriglyceridemia)

While consuming moderate amounts of alcohol does not appear to affect high triglycerides levels, heavy drinking is believed to be an important cause of hypertriglyceridemia. Alcoholics with elevated TG levels should deal with the disease of alcoholism first.

Alternative Therapy online has some answers to hypertriglyceridemia levels.

Sugar is also a problem area.

Ingesting refined sugar increases high triglycerides levels, as well. People with elevated high triglycerides should therefore reduce their intake of sugar, sweets, and other sugar-containing foods. There is also evidence that ingesting fructose in amounts that are found in a typical Western diet can raise TG levels, although not all studies agree on that point. It should be noted that most studies of fructose investigated the refined form, not the fructose that occurs naturally in some fruits.

In a recent study of heavy caffeine users (individuals who were consuming an average of 560 mg of caffeine per day from coffee and tea), changing to decaffeinated coffee and eliminating all other caffeinated products for two weeks resulted in a statistically significant 25% reduction in high triglyceride levels.

Diets high in fiber have reduced high triglyceride levels in several clinical trials, but have had no effect in other clinical trials. Water-soluble fibers, such as pectin found in fruit, guar gum and other gums found in beans, and beta-glucan found in oats, may be particularly helpful in lowering triglycerides.

Consumption of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet reduced high triglycerides in one study. However, in another study, populations that consumed a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet had higher TG levels, compared with populations that consumed lower amounts of carbohydrates. Suddenly switching to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet will generally increase high triglycerides temporarily, but making the switch gradually protects against this short-term problem.
The blood level of TGs following a meal may be a more important indicator of coronary heart disease risk than the fasting level. However, a low-fat diet (55% carbohydrates, 23% fats, 22% proteins) that succeeded in normalizing other blood lipids, including fasting TG levels, failed to normalize post-meal TG levels in a group of people with hypertriglyceridemia. These results suggest that dietary reduction of fasting TGs, even if the diet controls other blood lipids, may not be enough to provide optimal protection against coronary heart disease. Many doctors recommend a diet low in saturated fat (meaning avoidance of red meat and all dairy except nonfat dairy) to reducehigh triglycerides and the risk of heart disease.

Some, but not all, studies have found that increasing consumption of fish is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Significant amounts of TG-lowering omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) can be found in the fish oil of salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, albacore tuna, and black cod. Many doctors recommend that people with elevated TGs increase their intake of these fatty fish.

Lifestyle changes that may be helpful to hypertriglyceridemia

Exercise lowers triglyceride levels. People who have diabetes, heart disease, or are over the age of 40, should talk with a doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Smoking has been linked to elevated triglyceride levels. As always, it makes sense for smokers to quit.
Obesity increases triglyceride levels. Maintaining ideal body weight helps protect against elevated TG levels. Many doctors encourage people who have elevated TGs and who are overweight to lose the extra weight.
Nutritional supplements that may be helpful to hypertriglyceridemia
Many double-blind trials have demonstrated that fish oils (also called fish-oil concentrates) containing EPA and DHA (mentioned above) lower triglyceride levels. The amount of fish oil used in much of the research was an amount that provided 3,000 mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids. To calculate how much omega-3 fatty acid is contained in a fish-oil supplement, add together the amounts of EPA and DHA. For example, a typical 1,000-mg capsule of fish oil provides 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA (total omega-3 fatty acids equals 300 mg). Ten of these capsules would contain 3,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseed oil, do not lower triglycerides. While flaxseed oil has other benefits, it should not be used for the purpose of reducing TGs.
Cod liver oil, another source of omega-3 fatty acids, has also been found to lower triglycerides. Cod-liver oil is less expensive than the fish-oil concentrates discussed previously. However, cod-liver oil also contains relatively large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D; too much of either can cause side effects. In contrast, fish-oil concentrates have little or none of these vitamins. Individuals wishing to use cod liver oil as a substitute for a fish-oil concentrate should consult a doctor.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil and cod liver oil have been reported to affect blood in many other ways that might lower the risk of heart disease. However, these supplements sometimes increase LDL cholesterol�the bad form of cholesterol. A doctor can check to see if fish oil has this effect on an individual. Research shows that when 900 mg of garlic extract is added to fish oil, the combination still dramatically lowers TG levels but no longer increases LDL cholesterol. Therefore, it appears that taking garlic supplements may be a way to avoid the increase in LDL cholesterol sometimes associated with taking fish oil. People who take fish oil may also need to take vitamin E to prevent the oil from undergoing potentially damaging oxidation in the body. It is not known how much vitamin E is needed to prevent such oxidation. The amount required would presumably depend on the amount of fish oil used. In one clinical trial, 300 IU of vitamin E per day prevented oxidation damage in individuals taking 6 grams of fish oil per day.
Pantethine is a byproduct of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Several clinical trials have shown that 300 mg of pantethine taken three times per day will lower triglyceride levels. Pantothenic acid, which is found in most B vitamins, does not have this effect.
The niacin form of vitamin B3 is used by doctors to lower cholesterol levels, but niacin also lowers TG levels. The amount of niacin needed to achieve worthwhile reductions in cholesterol and triglyceride levels is several grams per day. Such quantities can cause side effects, including potential damage to the liver, and should not be taken without the supervision of a doctor. Some doctors recommend inositol hexaniacinate (a special form of vitamin B3) as an alternative to niacin. A typical amount recommended is 500 mg three times per day. This form of vitamin B3 does not typically cause a skin flush and is said to be safer for the liver than niacin. However, the alleged safety advantage of inositol hexaniacinate needs to be confirmed by additional clinical trials. Moreover, it is not clear whether inositol hexaniacinate is as effective as niacin at lowering cholesterol and TG levels.
In a preliminary trial, supplementation with 800 mg of calcium per day for one year resulted in a statistically significant 35% reduction in the average triglyceride level among people with elevated cholesterol and triglycerides. However, in another trial, calcium supplementation had no effect on TG levels. One of the differences between these two trials was that more people in the former trial had initially elevated triglyceride levels.
In a double-blind trial, 30 people with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes received 200 mcg of chromium per day (as chromium picolinate) for two months and a placebo for an additional two months. The average triglyceride level was significantly lower (by an average of 17.4%) during chromium supplementation than during the placebo period. Some, but not all, trials support these findings. It is not clear whether chromium supplementation affects triglyceride levels in non-diabetics, but some evidence suggests that it does not.
L-carnitine is another supplement that has lowered TGs in several clinical trials. However, the effect of carnitine is unpredictable, and some individuals have experienced an increase in triglyceride levels after receiving this supplement. Some doctors recommend 1�3 grams of carnitine per day, in the form known as L-carnitine.
Several double-blind trials have evaluated the efficacy of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) or inulin (a related compound) for lowering blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These trials have shown that in individuals with elevated total cholesterol or triglyceride levels, including people with type 2 diabetes, FOS or inulin (in amounts ranging from 8 to 20 grams daily) produced significant reductions in triglyceride levels; however, the effect on cholesterol levels was inconsistent. In people with normal or low cholesterol or triglyceride levels, FOS or inulin produced little effect.
The effect of policosanol on serum triglycerides has been inconsistent, ranging from no effect up to as much as a 19% reduction. Several controlled studies have compared policosanol with cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, and have found policosanol similarly effective. Policosanol extracted from beeswax or other sources differs from the sugar-cane-derived preparation in the proportions of long-chain alcohols, and whether these types of policosanol are as effective as sugar-cane-derived policosanol is unknown.
A double-blind trial found that a supplement of 5 grams of creatine plus 1 gram of glucose taken four times per day for five days followed by twice a day for 51 days significantly lowered serum total triglycerides in both men and women. However, another double-blind trial found no change in any of these blood levels in trained athletes using creatine during a 12-week strength training program. Creatine supplementation in this negative trial was lower�only five grams per day was taken for the last 11 weeks of the study.

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions.

Herbs that may be helpful

Guggul, a mixture of ketonic steroids from the gum oleoresin of Commiphora mukul, is an approved treatment of hyperlipidemia in India and has been a mainstay of Ayurvedic herbal approaches to preventing atherosclerosis. Clinical trials indicate that guggul is effective in the treatment of high triglycerides; in one trial, serum triglycerides fell by 30.3%.

However, these results have not been confirmed by large, controlled trials. The recommended daily intake of guggul is typically based on the amount of guggulsterones in the extract. The recommended amount of guggulsterones is 25 mg three times per day. Most extracts contain 5�10% guggulsterones. Guggul�s effect on triglycerides should be monitored for three to four months, and guggul may be taken long term if successful in lowering triglycerides.
Reports on many clinical trials of garlic performed until 1998 suggested that triglycerides were lowered by an average of 8�27% and cholesterol by 9�12% over a one- to four-month period. Most of these trials used 600�900 mg per day of a garlic supplement standardized to alliin content and allicin potential. More recently, however, three double-blind clinical trials have found garlic to have minimal success in lowering triglycerides and cholesterol. One negative trial has been criticized for using a steam distilled garlic �oil� that has no track record for this purpose, while the others used the same standardized garlic products as the previous positive clinical trials. Based on these findings, the use of garlic should not be considered a primary approach to lowering high triglycerides and cholesterol.
Odor-controlled, enteric-coated garlic tablets standardized for allicin content can be taken in the amount of 900 mg daily (providing 5,000�6,000 mcg of allicin), divided into two or three daily portions.
In a double-blind trial, people with moderately high triglycerides took a tincture of Achillea wilhelmsii, an herb used in traditional Persian medicine. Participants in the trial used 15�20 drops of the tincture twice daily for six months. At the end of the trial, participants experienced significant reductions in triglycerides compared to those who took placebo. No adverse effects were reported.
Fenugreek has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with high lipid levels in preliminary trials. Bread made with 50 grams defatted fenugreek powder was used twice daily in the trial. Similar results have been seen at half that amount in people with diabetes and elevated blood levels of various lipids. A small randomized trial found similar results using 100 grams fenugreek seeds daily. One small clinical trial found that either 25 grams or 50 grams per day of defatted fenugreek seed powder were effective in reducing triglycerides over a 20-day period. Mild diarrhea and gas can accompany the first few days of fenugreek use, though it almost always fades as the person taking it adapts.
Psyllium seeds and husks have shown a modest ability to lower blood triglyceride levels in some, 89 but not all, clinical trials. Further research is needed to assess the effect of psyllium on triglyceride levels more closely, as much of the study so far has focused on lowering cholesterol levels.
Intake of three cups or less of green tea daily has been shown not to affect blood triglyceride levels. Intake of four or more cups per day has been correlated with lower triglyceride levels. Overall, the evidence is unclear on how much of an effect high levels of intake of green tea has on triglyceride levels.
Although primarily used to lower high serum cholesterol, red yeast rice extract, high in monacolins, has been found to significantly lower serum triglyceride levels. People in the trial took 1.2 grams (approximately 13.5 mg total monacolins) of a concentrated red yeast rice extract per day for two months. The sale of Cholestin has been banned in the United States, as a result of a lawsuit alleging patent infringement. Other red yeast rice products currently on the market differ from Cholestin in their chemical makeup. None contain the full complement of 10 monacolin compounds that are present in Cholestin, and some contain a potentially toxic fermentation product called citrinin. Until further information is available, red yeast rice products other than Cholestin cannot be recommended.
Animal studies suggest the mushroom maitake may lower fat levels in the blood. However, this research is still preliminary and requires confirmation by controlled human trials.
Are there any side effects or interactions?
Refer to the individual herb for information about any side effects or interactions.

Women"s Health Products including multivitamins and women"s supplements.

triglyceride

Children with high blood pressure

2010-02-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

A new study in the US found 21% of school children had HBP, especially the prevalence was higher among the overweight and Hispanic group. The study group were involving 1,066 children aged 10-12 from seventeen schools in Fort Worth, Texas.

21%! what does the future hold for these kids?

Read the full study.

Viagra and Your Eyesight

2010-02-07T18:08:00.000-08:00

Here is another good reason not to take Viagra. Why are some drugs "good" and some drugs "bad". Because the bible tells us so? I think not. Why, it is the all-knowing, all-wise FDA. Hale Ceasar, (and cover your ass).

Nonarteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Developing Soon After Use of Sildenafil (Viagra): A Report of Seven New Cases. Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology. 25(1):9-13, March 2005.Pomeranz, Howard D. MD, PhD; Bhavsar, Abdhish R. MD

Abstract: Seven patients, aged between 50 and 69 years, had typical features of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) within 36 hours after ingestion of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) for erectile dysfunction. Six patients had vision loss within 24 hours after use of the agent. Final visual acuity in the affected eye ranged from 20/20 to light perception. Both eyes were affected in one individual. All affected individuals had pre-existing hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, or hyperlipidemia. Seven similar cases have been previously reported. Sildenafil may provoke NAION in individuals with an arteriosclerotic risk profile.

(C) 2005 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

http://www.jneuro-ophthalmology.com/pt/re/jneuroophth/abstract.00041327-200503000-00003.htm;jsessionid=CLGVIG1qyc6gNemnkKySTV5ESUeQ9PIeyM12ZDpNE8i5b6waMqM9!-777534296!-949856032!9001!-1?index=1&results=1&count=10&searchid=1&nav=search

Computer woes

2010-02-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Well, this is frustrating. My computer has just recently taken to spontaneously shutting down for no apparent reason. No warning or anything, just in the middle of whatever I"m doing ... pfffft. I"m reasonably sure it just needs the power supply replaced, which is about a $100-150 fix.

But it"s just over 3 years old and I had been thinking about replacing it this January. Replacing the power supply is a good 10-20% of the cost of a new computer. The idea of being without a computer for a protracted period strikes fear into my heart, so it seems reasonable to replace it early.

I haven"t bought a computer in three years, so I"ve fallen behind in what"s good, what"s not, and what former players in the market are a shadow of themselves. I"m thinking about either going with a mail-order configurator like Cyberpower, but I"ve also considered getting a premade system at Circuit City or Best Buy and dropping in a decent graphics card. I"m avoiding Dell. I think their quality has improved over what it once was, but I think they"re overpriced. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a vendor or experiences they"d like to share?

And just to stave off the inevitable, no a Mac is not an option.

UPDATE: No boot for me! It looks like the turning-off-unexpectedly problem has turned into a wont-even-boot problem. Nuts. Thank goodness for work laptops you can take home. Posting may be light for the next couple of weeks. Fortunately, I don"t think I lost any data. Since this is probably a power supply problem, it should all be intact on the hard drive. When I get a new computer, I"ll get an external drive encloser and drop my old hard drive into that. That way I"ll have all my old data and a backup drive, too!

Hey, if you do mostly desktop applications, word processing, email and the like, a Mac is probably a good choice. On the other hand, you can get a decent PC suitable for doing all those things for a third of the price. Wow, it looks like you can even get an ultra-portable from Dell for $350. Admittedly that"s probably not good for much other than web browsing and email, but damn, you can spend more than that on a PDA.

How To-13: "How to Make Cold Healing Tea"

2010-02-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

How to Make Cold Healing Tea

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have a Cold? Cant Stop Coughing? Here is something that will help you feel better!

Ingredients

Dry tea leaves
Lemon
Honey
Sugar
Boiled water
cinnamon(optional)

Steps

Boil two cups of water
Cut a lemon in half. Then, cut two slices and put them into a tea pot.
Add four tea spoons of sugar into the tea pot.
Mush the lemon and sugar until the lemon lets out all of its juice.
Add one table spoon of honey.
Mix
Put half of a hand full of dry tea leaves into a tea pot.
Add one cup of boiled water.
Mix,close tea pot ( put on lid) and wait 5/10 min.
Remove lid and mix again.
Take a cup and pour the tea until half of the cup is full.
Add boiled water until the cup is full.
Drink tea.

Tips

Drink hot for best results!
Drink several times daily or when coughing begins.
For best results use a colander when pouring tea into cup to keep the tea leaves from getting into the cup.

Warnings

This is not a medicine! This tea will only give temporary relief and will not replace medicine!
Be careful of hot tea.

Things You"ll Need

Dry tea leaves
Lemon
Honey
Sugar
Boiled water
cinnamon(optional)
tea pot
something to boil water in.
colander
spoon (to mix)

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world"s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Cold Healing Tea. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Ardi: probably not an actual ancestor

2010-02-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

Again, find an interesting fossil, and the media is full of hyperbole.

Ardi is probably not a human ancestor. Ardi is probably not a common ancestor of humans and chimps.

The hominin family tree is very bushy. There"s lots of "cousins" in it.

It"s much more likely that Ardi"s species is a close relative of a human ancestor than a direct human ancestor - but Ardi is probably very like a direct human ancestor that lived at the same time (a bit like looking for Cro Magnon and finding Neanderthal - it"s really a very good approximation). It"s even less likely that Ardi is the most recent common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and bonobos. Again, Ardi is probably somewhat like that common ancestor, but to my understanding the branch point is a good deal older than Ardi - the figure I usually see is 6-7 mya, Ardipithecus ramidus is a bit over 4.

You don"t need to call your great aunt "grandma" to feel close to her.

The fossil is a very exciting find. We don"t need to make it something it"s likely not, for it to be fascinating.

(been trying to post this since news first came, but haven"t been able to get on blogger for some reason)

Some perspective on this President"s Day

2010-02-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our 24-hour cable news networks, we are better informed than ever.

This morning I turned on C-SPAN while I was eating breakfast. It"s President"s Day, so they were having a Presidential-themed morning. Several scholars that had written books about the history of the Presidency were on. There was some debate about what the worst Presidential decisions were in our history, and who the best and worst Presidents were. It was a lively discussion that stretched from Lincoln to Harding, to Carter.

Then, just briefly, I flipped over to CNN. They had 30 seconds of video of a 60-something-year-old woman that had just given birth. Then they cut to a story about a 30-pound housecat in China.

Thanks, CNN. What would we do without you?

Is everything connected?

2010-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many integrative medicine/complementary therapy practitioners see everything as being connected in some way.

The article in New Scientist entitled "The universe is a string-net liquid" gives some support to this.

Scientists from MIT and Harvard University explained their experiment at the Topological Quantum Computing conference in the USA earlier this month.

I can"t put my hand on my heart and say I understood all the article - I don"t have a science background - but it appears that they have produced more evidence of entanglement - particles influencing each other over vast differences.

Healers who work with people at a distance and other therapies that defy the "normal" understanding of the physical world may be a step nearer to vindication.

HOOKED ON LEGAL DRUGS: LEGAL ADDICTS?

2010-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

Is it the drugs or is it us? Well, we are responsible in the final analysis whether we want to be or not. Others may take advantage, but it is we who continue to roll out the red carpet of mental and emotional dependency. Can we blaime big pharma and the allopathic medical edifice for wanting to eat and grow? We all want to live. It is our choice.

As Dr. Mercola says, "Just say not to drugs." Here are two more "legal" drugs to watch out for. Some drugs are useful if used correctly; but the problem remains that we, as a people, are not using them correctly. Read this article and let it be the start of something big; our freedom from being hooked on any kind of drugs!

A sample:

All drugs carry the risk of side effects. Whether they"re prescribed by a doctor or bought over the counter does not make a difference in this risk. That is why my best advice to you is to avoid using drugs whenever possible. Instead, it is best to solve the root problem, and studies have proven that time and time again. You can use the search engine on this site to find simple inexpensive practical and non-toxic solutions for your health challenges.

Take Pepcid for example. This heartburn medication is just one of a popular group of acid-suppressives that can often cause more problems than they solve: A recent study found that taking these drugs could increase your risk of pneumonia, for instance. MOre at:

http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/2/drug_warnings.htm

Special Offers On self Help Self Hypnosis CDs

2010-02-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

we are currently running a special offer on the CDs on our web site - buy one and get the second one for half price.

We have:

Stop Smoking
Weight Loss
Positive Thinking
Relaxation
Meditation
Energy & Motivation
Self Esteem
Improving Memory
Play Better Golf
Financial Success
Exercise And Motivation
and lots more.

You can listen to most of them before you buy.

White Tea More Effective Than Green Tea

2010-02-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

Green tea and white tea both originate from the eastern country of China. Over the past number of years, green tea has become very popular in the west due to its unique aid to weight loss.

Both teas are different due to the time that their leaf is plucked from the plant. White tea leaf is plucked when the plant is only a small bud, while the green tea leaf is plucked at a much later time after the bud has grown into an almost full leaf. This leads to a difference in the taste and color of both of them.

White tea has recently been seen to show amazing characteristics particularly with regard to weight loss and anti aging. It surpasses some of the benefits of green tea almost three times in effectiveness.

White tea has remarkably shown to have much higher levels of radical fighting antioxidants than green tea. These are responsible for increasing metabolism rate, which in turn lets you lose weight while not doing any exercise at all.

White tea has a much more mellow and sweet taste as compared to green tea. Its delightful taste alone caused Chinese people to treat it as a delicacy available only to the upper class families. It makes it much easier to stick to a diet that includes white tea as more often than not you won"t be able to wait for your next serving.

White tea contains much less caffeine than green tea, making it an instant healthy drink. It also does away with any caffeine side effects you fear you might have while drinking tea.

White tea has been seen to be more effective against cancer as compared to green tea. This is again due to the higher concentration of antioxidants present in it which can inhibit cancer cells and prevent formation of new ones.

With so much gunning for white tea, you would now have even more reason to try it out and improve your lifestyle.

About the Author:

Still not convinced? read more about green and white tea on our blog and get a free trial of white tea as a gift.

A cute overload

2010-02-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

It"s Sunday. I don"t feel like being particularly insightful.

I"m a sucker for pictures of cute animals doing cute things. I Can Has Cheeseburger? takes it to an almost dangerous level of cute.

This geeky picture is my favorite. Honorable mentions go to this one, this one, this one, and this one.

(Via the Detonating Armadillo. Or something.)

Natural Remedies For Treating a Cold

2010-02-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it can be hard to escape that shivery feeling that happens when you get too cold. A good immediate remedy for this is to wrap yourself up in a douvet and stick a hairdryer up it, (making sure the air flow is not restricted) until you feel warmed up.

Colds are the body"s escape mechanism. When the whole system is overloaded it crashes. The body stresses out and the immune system drops its threshold. The nose releases toxic wastes in the form of mucous and the body often aches and feels exhausted. Pay attention to what your body is saying because an unchecked cold can become far more serious if you keep it buried.

If you are one of those people who can tell when you have a cold coming on, then it can be stopped, or at least minimised, in several ways. Firstly, rest is essential. There is no way your body will self-heal in a stressful situation. If you have to work, take it easy or delegate a bit more. Lemon juice, rose hips, parsley (not if you"re pregnant) and fresh orange all contain vitamin C, so take them.

Some colds can actually be completely stopped dead by gently sniffing a mixture of lemon juice and warm water up your nose, if you are brave enough. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds contain zinc which is important in cold prevention so take some of those. Otherwise its time to sweat those built up toxins right out through the skin. Start with a peppermint tea and take some garlic or garlic capsules. Then boil a large onion in milk for an hour, eat it, and drink the milk. Follow on with a steaming cup of lemon juice, honey, cinnamon and grated ginger which will stimulate circulation and sweating. Enjoy it in a mustard footbath which will also warm up the blood - use multiple and layered remedies and take them as an opportunity to treat yourself.

For a mustard footbath, take 1 tsp. yellow powder mustard and one of household soda (if you have hard water) and put them in a deep basin with some water as hot as you can stand. Keep your feet and lower legs in for about ten minutes, topping the bath up with fresh hot (not boling) water. Dry off, put on thick socks and climb into a freshly warmed bed, the earlier the better.

How To-124: "How to Drink More Water Every Day"

2010-02-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

How to Drink More Water Every Day

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There are a variety of reasons to drink plenty of water each day. Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes. Substituting water for beverages high in calories can also help control weight. Follow the steps below to make sure you"re getting enough of this most basic necessity.

Steps

Determine how much water you need. You"ve probably heard the "8 by 8" rule - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 quarts, 1.8 liters) - but the amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight and activity level. Another way to determine your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75 ounces of water daily. For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts believe they are a gross exaggeration. See "warnings" below for more information.
Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you"re drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips:
Carry water with you everywhere you go in a bottle or other container. Note here that recent research continuously shows plastic bottles leach toxic chemicals into water. It is highly recommended that one use glass containers such as an old Pierre bottle. Begin keeping all your glass bottles, and soon you"ll find the ideal glass bottle for you. Remember, water will never become toxic in glass containers! Before long, you"ll find yourself reaching for it without a second thought.
Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you"ll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you"re at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you"re working.
Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you"ll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday.
Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth, even though it may be better for your teeth.[1] Keep in mind that fluoride, found in small quantities in tap water, is necessary for strong, healthy teeth. [2]
Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour, just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water.
Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint (optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the summertime. Cranberry juice is also another option, and has a bitter taste. Patients suffering from urinary infection caused by insufficient intake of water should drink cranberry juice and eat watermelon if not plain water everyday. A tomato is 95% water. An egg is about 74% water. An uncooked piece of lean meat is about 70% water.
Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. However, too cold water will cost your body energy to heat it to body temperature. But drinking cold water can also help burn more calories than drinking room temperature or warm water because your body would need to heat to heat it to body temperature.
Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness.

Warnings

Increasing your water intake may cause you to have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. To avoid this, you may want to stop drinking water a few hours before bedtime--or make sure you visit the toilet before bed!
While adequate water is essential to health, it is possible to drink too much water or any other beverage, and there has been considerable scientific debate surrounding how much water a person really needs per day. According to Snopes - http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp - the Los Angeles Times has reported that "Kidney specialists do agree on one thing, however: that the 8-by-8 (2 L) rule is a gross overestimate of any required minimum. To replace daily losses of water, an average-sized adult with healthy kidneys sitting in a temperate climate needs no more than one liter of fluid...the equivalent of about four 8-ounce (250 ml) glasses.
People with some heart conditions, high blood pressure or swelling of the lower legs (edema) need to avoid excess water. If you have a history of kidney problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intakes.
You shouldn"t drink too much water while eating as it dilutes your stomach acid and can cause digestion problems.
If you live in a place with a lot of heat (e.g., The Caribbean), you will have to drink extra water.
It is possible to "overdose" on water. Water intoxication occurs when the electrolytes in the body are so diluted that they have trouble keeping the balance of water even inside and outside of individual cells. What that means is that drinking too much water (while not getting enough electrolytes) can cause your cells to burst. If you plan on doing heavy prolonged exercise, be sure to alternate sports drinks with regular water to keep your electrolytes in balance.
Crystal Lite, Gatorade and other electrolyte drinks contain acetic acid which can increase rates of tooth decay. There is no real reason to drink electrolyte drinks unless you are heavily exercising (see above).
Be aware that some elderly individuals with difficulty walking may avoid drinking adequate amounts of water, as they have difficulty transferring/walking to the bathroom. In such cases, a bedside commode may be useful. If you are caring for such an individual, encourage them to drink the necessary amount of water and reassure him/her that you can help them with the transfer to the commode.
It is not recommended that you reuse plastic water bottles that are intended for one time use, specifically number one plastics. These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses. If you wish to always have water around, use a water bottle. Bottles like Sigg or other canteens are now more favorable due to the risk of chemical leeching when using plastic products.

Things You"ll Need

Bottle (Optional)
Money (If you buy bottled water)
Determination (Don"t give up)
Water
Counter (Keep up with how much you drink)
Conveniently-located commode

Sources and Citations

^ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/aprilholladay/2004-05-07-wonderquest_x.htm

^ http://www.h2only.ca/about_water/fluoride/index.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Drink More Water Every Day. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Continued Myth about Cancer

2010-02-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

Is it true that when you have surgery and air hits the cancer cells it causes the cancer to spread rapidly through out the body?

This is what everyone tells me and about 41 percent believe in this myth as published in Cancer Myths Abound, Survey Finds from HealthDay News, Monday - June 27.

While cancer is less likely to be talked about today in the hushed tones of yesteryear, Americans still hold many misconceptions about the disease, a poll of U.S. adults has found.

For example, among 957 U.S. adults polled, about 41 percent believe that surgical treatments for cancer actually spread the disease.

Another 27 percent believe scientists have already found a cure for cancer, but that this cure is being withheld by the health care industry because it makes more money treating the illness...

People seem to imagine that "Treating cancer with surgery can cause it to spread throughout the body" but it"s false. Visit the American Cancer Society to get the true facts on cancer.

Myths About Surgery for Cancer

Myth: Treating cancer with surgery causes it to spread throughout the body.

Respondents Who Agreed: 41%

Origin: This myth may have started many years ago when most patients already had very advanced cancers by the time they sought medical care. Doctors may have operated to find the cause of a patient"s illness and found an advanced cancer that could not be treated successfully. When the patient died a short time later, observers thought the surgery caused the cells to spread and killed the patient.

Reality: Specialists in cancer surgery know how to safely take biopsy samples and to remove tumors without causing spread of the cancer. In many cases, surgery is an essential part of the cancer treatment plan.

For a few types of cancer, surgeons take extra precautions to prevent any chance of the cancer spreading. For example, in testicular cancer the entire testicle containing the cancer is removed, so no cancer cells are dislodged. Doctors who perform surgery for cancer are specialists and are highly trained in the intricacies of cancer and anatomy.

Another myth mentioned in the poll is that drug companies are withholding the cure for cancer because they would lose the money that they get from treating patients with today�s drugs. This conspiracy theory is also nonsense but very common. Cancer is not one disease but many and it is unlikely that any single "cure" would work for all of them.

Over at Directory of Acoustic Neuroma Myths they have listed some of the misconceptions about cancer and surgery.

Another myth that I heard lately was that sugar "feeds cancer".

I made a Google on this and realised how popular this myth is.

I know that all cells use glucose/sugar and cancer cells need a fair amount, I would expect. The body also regulates sugar levels in the blood and if you don"t eat sugar or carbohydrate your cells will convert protein into sugar and from your own muscle if necessary. So anyone who tells you "sugar feeds cancer" is making the claim that if you eat less sugar, your cancer cells will "starve". The body regulates sugar levels closely, so how will that help?

The main thing with that myth is there"s no proof it is true.

The reasons for these myths are historical; some of them used to be true but no longer is. At other times, the reason is that doctors and patients speak different languages and misunderstandings arise. In yet other cases it"s just wishful thinking on the part of patients.

Legal Myths May Prevent Comfort Measures for Dying Patients

Myths and Half-Truths About Cancer

Top 10 Cancer Myths Quiz

Nickel Allergy And Mobile/Cell Phones

2010-02-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

People who are allergic to nickel may get a rash on their cheek or ear if they spend a lot of time talking on a cell phone containing nickel. They might also get a rash on the fingers if they send lots of text messages, according to The British Association of Dermatologists.

Read more.

So is this evil in a good way?

2010-02-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

My blog is apparently 22% evil. Funny, I figured I"d be worse than that. I"m slightly more evil than David"s Reports From the Edge, but I"m not sure if he"s ahead or I am.

Gematria, by the way, is the study of numerolgy of Hebrew alphabet, usually applied to the Talmud. It works by assigning a number value to the letters, and adding up the numbers associated with the letters. It seems 3 is a good number and 13 is an evil number.

I couldn"t help but wonder who else was good and evil.

Liberal blog: DailyKos is 27% evil.

Liberal blog: Eschaton is 45% evil. Hmm, gonna have to watch that guy.

Liberal blog: AmericaBLOG is 37% evil.

Conservative blog: Powerlineblog is 40% evil.

and ...

rushlimbaugh.com is 95% evil. Seriously.

Got a problem? Find a natural remedy solution

2010-02-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

We often put up with things, thinking nothing can be done about them, but often there are natural remedies - nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, flower remedies, soothing creams, etc. - that can help us feel a lot, lot better.� The problem is how to find them. We"ve simplified the process with our natural remedy finder - there are now 59 different problems listed with details of the natural remedies that can help:

�� Acne
�� Ageing Support
�� Alcoholism Help
�� Angina Remedies
�� Anxiety Remedies
�� Arthritis Remedies
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�� Bloating Remedies
�� Blood Sugar Problems
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�� Cholesterol Problems
�� Cold Remedies
�� Colitis Help
�� Constant Tiredness
�� Constipation Remedies�
�� Cough Remedies
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�� Cystitis Remedies
�� Depression Remedies
�� Dermatitis Remedies
�� Diarrhoea Remedies
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�� Exam Stress Help�
�� Eye Problems
�� Flatulence Remedies
�� Gum Disease�
�� Hair Loss In Women
�� Hay Fever Remedies
�� Headache Remedies
�� Heart Health
�� Indigestion Remedies
�� Insomnia Remedies
�� Irritable Bowel Syndrome Remedies
�� Memory Problems
�� Menopause Remedies
�� Migraine Remedies
�� Mood Swings
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�� Oily Skin Remedies
�� Pain Remedies
�� Pregnancy Health
�� Premenstrual Syndrome Treatment
�� Psoriasis Remedies
�� Raynaud"s Disease Remedies
�� Rheumatism Relief
�� Rheumatoid Arthritis Remedies
�� Scar Tissue
�� Shingles Remedies
�� Sinusitis Remedies
�� Smoking Help
�� Sore Throat Remedies
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�� Varicose Veins Remedies
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�� Weight Loss Help

Do take a look and find the right health remedies for you.

How to Manufacture Subtle Energies?

2010-02-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

Meditation is a way of manufacturing what we call ojas. When we eat food, digestion manufactures the body in a certain way. This is important for our physical existence, but the body by itself does not serve any purpose. The body can be a means of great suffering.

The body is capable of pleasure also but its limitations will be unfulfilling over a period of time. In meditation, we are using energy to manufacture something much subtler than the physical body. Now the process of shifting life forces into a different level of manufacture, where instead of physical body cells, it begins to manufacture subtler energies, or ojas, is known as meditation.

The quality, intensity and volume of ojas makes the difference between one human being and another. Why one person�s presence seems to be so strong and transforming, and another�s weak is simply because of the ojas he carries with him .

A meditator is someone who has set up an industry of ojas. Right now, it is quite limiting and frustrating not to allow people to go into higher states of energy and ojas simply because people don�t have the necessary balance, preparedness, discipline or are unable to understand the priorities they need to allocate to different dimensions of their life. There are many things you do, that dissipate and destroy, the growth of ojas in you. Various types of mental activity can do that.

Certain types of physical activity, excessive sexuality, indulgence in food, too much of stimulants and being in contaminated atmospheres can also do that. Spirituality is going into processes that can enhance one�s ojas and change the very fundamentals of life; to take a person to a completely different experience, of joy within himself and a blissfulness which is not only his, which will be everybody�s around him.

Your meditation is not only about yourself. If 25 people in a hall become truly meditative, the whole town, without knowing why, will become peaceful. Without having any idea about what is happening to them, there will be a certain sense of settling. The deeper one goes into it, the more of a device he becomes for everybody�s well-being.

It is not by mouthing good things that true peace and well-being will come. Only when people carry the right kind of energy around them, only when their ojas is such that a hundred people can sit under their shadow, and experience it, only then wellbeing will truly happen. Quite a few people are experientially open and definitely capable of generating higher possibilities of energy. But modern life has made people absolutely fickle.

You�re simply shifting all the time, from this to that, whether it comes to jobs, priorities, education or relationships. Your energy also becomes unstable. If all we want to teach is a simple technique of meditation, or something for your health and well-being, i can train people to do that in two to three weeks� time, maybe four weeks.

We can train teachers to go on imparting meditation, kriyas and whatever little things that are necessary for one�s physical and mental well-being. Out of a thousand people who come, you may find a dozen people who are capable of higher possibilities. Only if you make yourself available to higher and higher possibilities, it�s only then that grace can descend and do something that you yourself could never do. Only then this can become a very fulfilling process for an individual.

Learn Yoga Meditation Mudras Acupressure Yoga teacher Yoga Instructer Yoga Jobs

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Skeptic"s Circle #62

2010-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

The latest Skeptics Circle is now up, courtesy of Polite Company.

Open thread as usual, but pointing out how I use this same format for announcing every Skeptics Circle but never bother to copy and paste it is FORBIDDEN.

Rules to live by

2010-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

As part of the revamp of http://www.healthandgoodness.com I am putting case studies on it. Christine Nightingale of Toronto sent me an interesting case study and I dceided to look at her web site http://www.nightingalehealing.com. I looked at the section on Reiki and she has this:

"Dr. Usui rediscovered the laying on of hands which was practiced by Christ and Buddha. He formulated these principles of Reiki:

I will not be angry.
I will do my work joyfully.
I will be kind to my neighbour and every living thing.
I will give thanks for my many blessings.
I will not worry.

Reiki is not a religion, it is a way of life."

Sound principles.

SUPER HEALTH REJUVENATION DIET, DETOX AND REMEDIES FOR 2008

2010-02-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

2008 Diet and Detox For Long and Healthy Life

We found something very unique and positive for your 2008 New Year�s resolutions; you know, the ones you never keep. We don�t either. That is why we found this so fascinating. By the time we got through with the e-workshop by this modern Shaman, we are inspired to really take some action. Knowing this information is like reading every health post we ever put up and then a lot more. There is stuff here your doctor does not know and wishes he did, especially when his or her family gets sick with some terminal or so-called incurable disease. According to Shaman Jim, there is almost nothing that cannot be remedied if the person has the right attitude and they seek aright. The correct method will manifest. Here is a description in his own words;

"I HAVE COME UP WITH A HOME METHOD THAT IS SIMPLE, EASY AND NATURAL TO LOSE BAD FAT, REJUVENATE AND GENERALLY MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. BUT IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT. IT IS A SYNOPISS OF ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SURVIVE THIS SICK AGE AMD BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY.

AND, THERE IS SOME NEW VERY CRITICAL INFORMATION TO PROTECT YOU FROM TOXINS SNEAKED INTO YOUR FOOD AND WATER.

AND, I WILL TELL YOU OF THE SUPPRESSED CURES AND REMEDIES THAT ARE REAL AND BEING USED AROUND THE WORLD!

By following this simple method, you will gain an understanding of how your body really works and how to best work with Nature to attain your optimal health, fitness and happiness. THIS AWARENESS, will help you automatically choose aright, and you will lose unwanted weight naturally and keep it off without drugs and other unnatural and harmful chemicals. By investing the little time it takes to understand my Shaman understanding of the body, you will gain back your health and keep it.

Unfortunately, when they handed out the bodies in this world they forgot to give us the instruction manual on how best to operate it. But, we do have the Shaman knowledge, a record of what was in that operations manual and then some.

We are going to learn how the body really works and we are going to keep it simple. It is going to be practical. We only want enough theory so we can get practical results, so bear with me to get a basic concept of health and it�s ins and outs. Once we understand the basics then we can immediately apply it to overcome diseases, lose fat, feel good all the time, etc. etc. In other words, feel and look like God intended us to, happy, healthy and beautiful. But first some basic facts about Nature, the body and the effects of wrong living in our spiritually ignorant civilization.

Some of this info has appeared before on alternative health websites. The article I wrote got over 11,000 hits and I hope it did someone some good. But that was incomplete. Here I will offer the theory and the method, the best way to get back to and retain maximum health for your body and your mind.

I also offer some alternative and mostly unknown (suppressed) healing methods you might want to consider if you have one of the fatal diseases that ordinary medicine deems incurable. There is nearly always an answer if you will open your mind and are willing to do the work to get yourself back into the harmony of correct living. But first, you walk a while in my shoes and see what it is about. First walk, then fly. THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOK OR SEMINAR. THIS IS IT. YOU WILL GET THE KNOWLEDGE OF 100 GREAT HEALTH BOOKS BASED ON THE TRUTH AND NOT ON SOME TRICK TO KEEP YOU SICK AND BLEED YOU FOREVER FOR YOUR INSURANCE MONEY. WALK WITH ME."

SEE INFORMATION ON SHAMAN JIM�S E-WORKSHOP

OJ (no not that one)

2010-02-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

David called me this evening to make sure I caught the first episode of Outback Jack tonight. This is the reality show where they take a bunch of women and throw them in the Australian Outback with some big Aussie hunk.

I watched the first few minutes of it, and was struck by the women. They are all stick-thin, vapid, and modelish-looking. Now, I"m sure TBS is editing the hell out of the clips to make them seem like airheads. After all, that"s the show"s schtick. But something else struck me as odd. There"s the token black chick, four brunettes, and the remaining seven women are all blonde, in varying degrees of natural-blondeness. The women are, on average, four year"s younger than "Jack"s" 28 years. (One presumes Jack"s real name of Vadim Dale just sounded to ... ethnic or something.)

It seems like we"re getting one too many of these shows. The first one or two were interesting, but now they"re cropping up all over the place. Are we really such a nation of couch potatos that we"re fascinated by watching other people date people and have lives that we are unable to get any of our own?

How to Pop the Pimple

2010-02-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

Acne is a nightmare situation for those who suffer from daily breakouts. But it can be handled very effectively. Do you suffer from the situations when your pimples are ready and begging to be popped but you have to try your best to stop yourself from touching them? Yes now you can do it, you just need to have the right information.

An advice which we always used to have from our ancestors is that we should not pop our pimple and let it run its course. But practically it is not possible to go to the college, or to the office or to meet the boyfriend carrying a bulging white zit for the whole world to see. Another important thing is that if done in a right way popping a pimple helps the pimple to heal at a faster rate. But we have to use this idea only for the pimples which are absolutely ready and begging for being popped-all the way at the surface and white. The perfect time for doing this is after a shower when the skin is soft.

Just follow these steps: -

1. You have to disinfect a sharp sewing needle with the help of alcohol.
2. Softly prick the surface of the pimple.
3. Wrap both of your index fingers with the help of tissues.
4. Squeeze it from the sides using a down and in motion. Do this with a soft but a confident touch. It will pop up if it is ready, if it is not, leave it right then and there. You have to stop the process on seeing a drop of blood or a drop of clear fluid.
5. If you go on doing the hard work with the pimple which is not ready it will leave a scar. Better walk away from the mirror.

By simply following the above mentioned steps you will pop your pimple without leaving a scar.

It is always better to leave the deep and painful pimples. Never try to pop these pimples. Instead, for a fantastic option for these types of lesions better visit - Acne Natural Remedies and Acne Treatment where you can find the wonderful remedies not only for these but for your subtle scars too.

This, too, is a chocolate city

2010-02-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

On the way back on this trip, I was keeping track of the train"s schedule. As I saw the scheduled times at each stop slip more and more, my "God, I have a four-and-a-half hour layover in Chicago?" gradually turned into, "God, I only have a four-and-a-half hour layover in Chicago?" So, when the train was finally six hours late, you can imagine I was in a bit of a pickle. Not being able to rent a car on such short notice, I took Amtrak up on their lodging and transportation.

Let me tell you, staying with Amtrak when they screw up is much nicer that riding with Amtrak when they screw up. They put me up in a fairly swanky hotel in downtown Chicago for the night, with enough cash for taxis to and fro, and meals. The next train out wasn"t until four p.m. the following afternoon, so I took the alternate option of a Greyhound bus home.

I was waiting in the Greyhound terminal at 9:30 the next morning, and looked around to see that I was pretty much the only white guy in the room. Seriously, I"d estimate that the clientele and the staff were 10% white, 10% Asian or Hispanic, and the rest were black. I"m not saying that"s a bad thing, of course, but it was simply unusual enough to make me sit up and take notice. It was sort of like a reverse episode of Friends, where every single person in New York City was white. On the bus itself, there"s me, one Asian guy, and everyone else was black. It was fairly evenly split between the sexes.

On the train, I didn"t notice this. An unusual variety of age, perhaps (see previous entry), but the crowd was pretty racially diverse. I can"t help but wonder why this is the case.

The only reason I can think for this is economics. The bus is quite a bit cheaper than the train, I think, let alone flying.

It is, at least, a striking reminder that there does exist a significant class difference in our society. Whether driven by race, economics, education, or some combination of these, that difference exists.

Coming on the one-year anniversary of the Katrina devastation, it seems to be particularly important to remember that class difference. Republican pundits chastised New Orlenian residents for not preparing better and for not evacuating sooner. But it was not a sea of poor white faces at the Superdome. If such a disaster struck Chicago, or Houston, would we see pictures much different on CNN?

(2006-08-28 12:13)

Will natural medicine be a pille or a needle?

2010-02-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

From the skeptical inquirer:

Many alternative practitioners promise to reveal "secrets your doctor never told you." One secret is never mentioned: why alternative remedies are ingested rather than injected. Though most practitioners of alternative medicine are silent on this question, this "missing information," as previously described by Kardes and Sanbonmatsu (2003), is crucial for evaluating the promised cure.

So-called natural medicines, usually herbs or supplements, are invariably things to eat or drink. And why not? Ever since the appearance of pharmaceuticals in the early 1800s, the doctor"s prescription, legible only to a pharmacist, would nearly always get you something to swallow--a liquid, a pill, or a powder; an extract of senna leaves to relieve constipation, for example, or a "headache powder." Only occasionally would the prescription get you something to rub on your skin, like a salve. Today, medication still comes mostly in pill or capsule form.

By the late 1800s, Louis Pasteur"s work with microorganisms brought about the first vaccines, for anthrax and rabies. BCG (bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine against tuberculosis appeared in 1921, and by 1955, Jonas Salk developed his polio vaccine. These vaccines could not be swallowed, they had to be injected. With a needle. But inflicting pain is unpleasant and discourages parents from bringing their children for vaccination. Therefore, Albert Sabin"s 1965 oral polio vaccine was an important discovery.

The 1960s also brought the oral contraceptives--birth-control pills. Carl Djerassi, a chemistry professor at Stanford University known as "the father of the birth-control pill," preferred to call it "chemical fertility control." What was so special about oral polio vaccine and oral contraceptives? Did we not always swallow our medicines? Why were these oral medications such a breakthrough?

Although polio vaccine and birth-control pills are Far apart in the pharmaceutical spectrum, the reason for the importance of "oral" is the same. Research often yields promising compounds that act on microorganisms or on cell cultures in vitro, in the shallow glass vessels called petri dishes. Next, the potential remedy is tested on animals, usually via a syringe. How does it get to be a pill? Or does it?

From Needle to Pill

Progesterone is a hormone secreted during pregnancy. One of its functions is to prevent the fertilization of other egg cells. It is the natural form of birth control, but it cannot be used as a pill. Progesterone is absorbed readily through the intestinal wall and is quickly metabolized on its first pass through the liver. Its half-life in the blood stream is about five minutes (Katzung 1998). Chemically modifying the progesterone molecule avoids this problem. That modification allowed the development of the Pill.

The moment we swallow something, what we eat starts on an obstacle course toward its destination. Enzymes in saliva begin the attack. Then the strongly acidic environment in the stomach alters many food molecules. Chemicals that survive this far face the digestive enzymes on their way through the small intestine. Eventually, some useful products of the breakdown of our food are absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Others are fermented by the bacteria in our colon, and still others are excreted.

More hurdles wait in the bloodstream. Portal blood carries absorbed food-derived molecules first to the liver, which can metabolize a chemical, be it food or medicine, before it reaches the systemic circulation. It"s quite a steeplechase for whatever we eat.

Like the family doctor of old, alternative healers also give us pills or teas. After all, we have been conditioned to accept medicine as something we eat, never mind who recommends or prescribes it. But there is a difference between the alternative and the conventional. We invariably eat or drink the herbalist"s prescriptions. But physicians, although they prefer to prescribe pills or capsules, must sometimes reach for the needle, because many effective drugs do not cope well with the rigors of our digestive tract. A drug"s susceptibility to digestion or its poor absorption through the intestinal wall result in poor bioavailability. Such drugs must be injected to bypass the digestive system. The alternative-medicine approach rarely considers the bioavailability question.

Of an annotated list of North American prescription drugs, fully one third cannot be taken orally for these reasons (Springhouse Corporation 1996). They are injected, usually by a nurse or a doctor. In contrast, the complementary approach holds to the view that good medicine, provided by nature, comes from plants. It should be eaten, even if the extract must be sealed in a capsule. Strangely, although chemical laboratories are not kindly thought of by herb users, buying herbal extracts sealed into laboratory-made capsules does not seem to be a problem.

An early step in testing new drugs is determining how the drug reaches the target organ, how much enters the circulation, and how quickly it is metabolized or excreted. Without knowing this pharmacokinetic behavior, we cannot predict what happens after we swallow the pill, the capsule, or the tea.

A chemical called amygdalin, extracted from peach or apricot pits, was touted throughout the 1970s as an anticancer drug under the name Laetrile and became the subject of much controversy. While some alternative healers still believe Laetrile is a cancer drug, conventional medicine has rejected it. Laetrile molecules consist, in the chemical sense, of three smaller building blocks: benzaldehyde, glucose, and hydrocyanic acid. The last one is a highly toxic chemical, the "cyanide" of detective stories and gas chambers.

The reason for rejecting Laetrile is its pharmacokinetic behavior. When injected into cancer patients, it was quickly and almost completely excreted in the urine (Moertel et al. 1981). Given orally, it is rapidly split into its building blocks by stomach acid, causing elevated but nonlethal blood levels of cyanide. Since injected Laetrile is not absorbed, and if orally administered, the drug is destroyed by digestion, whatever it does to cancer cells in a lab is irrelevant.

VitaminB5 for Dieting

2010-02-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

Better metabolism, better digestion, and an in-sync melody of the vitamins and minerals within can help the dieter reach their weight loss goals a bit quicker and safer. Dieters generally restrict calories, vitamin supplements may help ensure better nutrition and a more efficient metabolism.

SkinB5 a revolutionary acne treatment has many other benefits due to its core ingredient, Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), which is "burned" to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, are essential in the breakdown of fats and protein. B complex vitamins also play an important role in maintaining muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract and promoting the health of the nervous system, skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and liver.

In addition to playing a role in the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates for energy, Vitamin B5 is critical to the manufacture of red blood cells as well as sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands (small glands that sit atop of the kidneys). Vitamin B5 is also important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract and it helps the body use other vitamins (particularly B2 [riboflavin]) more effectively. It is sometimes referred to as the "anti-stress" vitamin because it is believed to enhance the activity of the immune system and improve the body"s ability to withstand stressful conditions.

Pantethine, an active stable form of vitamin B5, has been gaining attention in recent years as a possible treatment for high cholesterol. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, however. Panthanol, another form of vitamin B5, is often found in hair care products because of the belief that it makes hair more manageable, softer, and shinier.

Symptoms of a vitamin B5 deficiency may include fatigue, insomnia, depression, irritability, vomiting, stomach pains, burning feet, and upper respiratory infections.

Author: Nick Bell Nick provides vitamin B5 acne treatment product for acne cure.

Other Blogs

2010-02-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

As an inspiration for my Blog I often read other blogs. Even though I would like everyone to read my blog more than anyone elses" I feel obligated to admit that there are a lot of good blogs out there. I thought I would list a few of them here. I want to apologize in advance to my English speaking readers for the fact that many of the blogs that I read are in Swedish.

There are many blogs out there that, like my own, discusses atheism, religion, and evolution. One excellent, recently born blog is Allotetraploid. The author of this blog not only lives in the same city as I, he is also interested in the exact same things, religion, psychology and biology. I look forward to taking a beer with him someday J.

I am a member of the Swedish organization Humanisterna, and it is good news that Felicia Giljam, the organizer of Humanisternas youth group has once again, after a long pause, started posting on her Blog Furiku. The day before yesterday I received a comment on my post from another blogger living in my vicinity. Her name is Anna Bjurstr�m, and on her blog "Anna Does Malm�" she has a very nice mix of interesting everyday observations and more philosophical subjects. I can only give my warmest recomendations.

For those who do not speak Swedish I recommend Rationally Speaking. Author Massimo Pigilucci who is professor in evolution and ecology always publish well written and inspiring posts on his blog (maybe he is helped by his editor!). See for instance his criticism of the God Delusion here.

Finally I would like to recommend Z"s blog. She and I probably disagree about a lot, most noticeably, she believes in God whereas I do not. However, her posts are always interesting and she has my admiration for her willingness to discuss and defend her beliefs without being offended by my God-forsaken comments. I am all for different points of view, and Z provides a different perspective worthy of your attention...

If you want more recommendations, scroll down and see the list "recommended blogs".

Large space habitats

2010-02-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about space habitats. It was probably triggered indirectly by the fact that I"m reading* a SF story at present (The Algebraist, Iain M Banks), though there"s no direct connection to my resulting train of thought.

*when I"m travelling, I read. There"s lots of waiting about and sitting in planes and stuff (13-14 hours across the Pacific, for starters) and I rarely feel well enough in flight to concentrate on actual work. Even if I only spend a fraction of that time reading, I will get through several books on a trip.

It occurred to me that there will be a particular radius of "ring"-type space station where one rotation in 24 hours would produce artificial gravity of about 1g (this will obviously be large, even without doing calculations).

If you put such a habitat at an L4- or L5- point on the earth-sun system, you"ll get earth-level radiation from the sun (without the nice van Allen belts to protect you, unfortunately), with earth "days" and earth "gravity".

So how big is it? Well, I did the calculations, and I get a radius of 1.85 million km. This thing is huge - the earth-moon system would fit comfortably inside it.

It"s not Ringworld-huge, by a long, long shot - on that scale, it"s miniscule. But still, very very large indeed. If it were a thin ring about 100 km wide (it"s about 11.5 million km around, so 100 km wide is indeed "thin"), it would have a "land" area roughly eight times that of earth (assuming people live only on the inner surface of the ring). For the present I"m assuming you"d have a series of interconnected domes or similar on the inner surface, which allows you to bring air, water and other resources in stages.

Assuming, that is, that I have done all the calculations correctly.

Many of the problems associated with a ringworld habitat go away - you don"t need to worry about the orbit being unstable for example, though I guess if the mass gets large enough there may be some issues with the stability of the Lagrange points. The amount of material required is far, far smaller than for a ringworld - and the relatively more obtainable amounts of material mean much less hyper-engineering is required.

I haven"t done any engineering calculations to work out stresses and such, so I don"t know whether you could build a lot of the base structure from simple rock, or if you really need to go to strong metals or even unobtainium.

A nice little thought experiment, anyway. I don"t recall seeing anything like this in a story. I"m not sure if that"s because I don"t read around enough or just that nobody has used an idea like this - but I cannot have been the first person to work this out, so I am curious to know if it has been used in a story somewhere.

[Edit: there"s some nifty ringworld artwork to be found.]

Get Rid of Acne in 3 Days Or Less - Get Your Self Esteem Back Today

2010-02-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

We now live in a world where appearance means everything. Even though it shouldn"t, people will always judge you by your appearance. For that reason, the average person with a acne problem will be to self conscious to try new things. Did you ever get mad because you were afraid to apply for that job or ask that one person out? Believe it or not, but you are no different then most people with an acne problem. More and more people are still spending countless hours looking for that treatment that will finally get rid of acne for good.

The great news for you is that you are able to regain your self esteem today. Thanks to the internet, you are now able to find some of the smaller companies that will offer the latest treatments to get rid of acne fast. You no longer have to keep using the "over the counter" acne treatments. Chances are that you have been using them for a while with very little results. The reason for this is that you skin is not reacting to the medicine in a positive way. What you need to do is find a different company that will make an acne treatment that will work for your skin type.

In order to find an acne treatment that was made for your skin, you use to have to see you doctor. The biggest problem with that was the cost. Not only would you have to buy the ance treatment, you would also have to pay for the doctors visit.

Because you are now able to find some of the smaller companies, you no longer have to settle for those two options. You are now able to find acne treatments that will work like a prescription but will cost the same price as the "over the counter" treatments.

So get your self esteem back today. Let the internet help you find all the latest treatments that will get rid of acne fast.

Click Here To: Get Rid Of Acne In Less Than 3 Days

Keloid

2010-02-05T02:25:00.000-08:00

Form that is small relative do not mean not to bother. Because, felt an itch generated is really do not make happy. That is keloid, initial bump from hurt.
Having beginning of only semi left finger of little finger, now bump in middle chest of Budi ( 30), have been equal to forefinger and wide. Do not only that, this bump very bothers, pain, itchy, and squeezes. � I don"t know beginning of this hurt, but don"t know why becoming increasingly big, not to mention if it is hit sweat, keloid also would increasingly itchy and rose colored,� says officer one of privat enterprise in Jakarta. Even, other keloid growed in chest left side.
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But, for the things one is doesn"t bother because besides having colour equal to skin, not also itchs even is hit sweat. Only, its(the presence a few bothering appearance. � Effect two keloids in this body, I thus refuse to swim. Ashamed seen people,� express man who had been more than seven years its(the body is decorated [by] keloid.
The same thing experienced by Irma ( 25), housewife. Nudges in his(its left arm grows keloid along the length of 10 cm with wide is not less than 1 cm. As a result, s(he have never dressed short arm.
According To Irma, the hurt having beginning of when s(he is fall from the top (of) pohon,15 last year, then because [his] arms broken, s(he also is operated for. � After operated, grows keloid with form of like kelabang, is because ex- stitching in right and left also becomes big,� its(the papar. Irma simply not only having one keloids. Keloid secondly emerges below(under bosom. When sweating, this keloid also starts itching, s(he also have ever scratched it is so bloody.
� Now, after knew if the keloid would increasingly big if it is scratched, I like closes it with band of seukuran keloid or sometimes small cloth. That done to permeate the sweat. Result of his(its, now had not too itched again,� he said. From the angle of medical, keloid of course doesn"t kill. But, from the angle of esthetics, disparity of this skin can be hardly bothers. Imagines if keloid happened in part of open body and not possibly is closed over clothes.
According to skin specialist RS Marinir Cilandak dr Abdul Gayum SpKK, keloid is grating is abnormal in process of hurt healing. Keloid is in the form of thick network, uppermost, and wide exceeding scar boundary or ex- hurt with smooth surface, having colour more dark or redly compared to skin around. Besides, this abnormal scar network tend to grows in order do not and sometime felt itchy. � Basically keloid is not congenital disease or descendant, but because skin response at higher patient than uncontaminated. This keloid also can be be big, more than anything else if pain or gatalKetika scratched or there are excitement, existence of this keloid will extend,� its(the papar. Abdul adds, not all part of bodies earns easily is growed keloid. Mean, there is parts of certain body of course gristle is growed [by] keloid. Part of that is for example arm, chest, ear, backside neck, foot/feet. So, if there is ex- pimple in face, do not always will arise keloid. More than anything else, if the pimple didn"t experience infection of weight. This because face is not be including part of body which keloid gristle.
� Unhappily, this keloid cannot lose at all. But, there are some drug which able to disguise or assuages its(the development,� express it. Whereas itu,spesialis skin from home Sakit Umum Daerah ( RSUD) Tarakan dr Sutirto Basuki SpKK tells, keloid formed at ex- hurt that is relative in, that is ex- tindik, tattoo, ex- operation, singe, puncture hurt, shoot hurt, etcetera. Even so, simply do not all people can be infected keloid.
This thing is caused [by] related keloid of genetic factor. Although someone experiences singe, ex- the hurt will not round into keloid if(when people of course doesn"t have disparity wafting would of this skin. Besides multifarious ex- hurt which has been mentioned above, keloid also able to grow from ex- hurt which seems to as light as a feather, that is pimple. Till now, possibly do not many numeral mans if pimple can generate keloid. But its(the fact, pimple also can generate keloid.

Rapid Cleanse Medicine

2010-02-05T01:55:00.000-08:00

This product suitable for your take care your health.Total Body Rapid Cleanse by Renew Life is a 7-day, deep acting total body cleansing and metabolic jumpstart program. Step 1: Detoxify with Deep Liver and Organ Cleanse . Each serving is loaded with potent herbal extracts, amino acids and Vitamin C providing powerful antioxidant and deep-cleansing support. The liver is the most important detoxification organ in the body and Total Body Rapid Cleanse supports this critical organ with 4 amino acids and 6 herbal extracts. 7 herbal extracts are included to support the rapid and deep detoxification of the lungs, lymphatic system, kidneys, skin and blood. Step 2: Capture with Natural Acacia Fiber. Total Body Rapid Cleanse includes 8 grams of soluble fiber to be taken each day while cleansing. For this 7-day, deep-cleansing experience, we have included 100% soluble fiber. Acacia dissolves completely when mixed with water and has no taste or gritty texture. Fiber is a critical component of colon cleansing as well as organ detoxification and purification. Step 3: Eliminate with Colon Cleanse. Total Body Rapid Cleanse is formulated with magnesium hydroxide, a mineral that hydrates the bowel, along with cape aloe and rhubarb to promote bowel contractions. Triphala, marshmallow and slippery elm are soothing herbs included to comfort this step in cleansing.
Indications
Total Body Rapid Cleanse is designed for colon cleanse, liver cleanse, total internal cleansing and detoxification.

Ingredients
Rapid CleanseTM I: Proprietary blend 500 mg Betaine Hydrochloride, L-Glycine, L Glutamine L-Methionine, N-Acetyl-Cysteine. Extract Blend: Milk Thistle Seed, Burdock Root ,Dandelion Leaf ,Dandelion Root ,Fenugreek Seed , Garlic Bulb, Mullein Leaf, Oatstraw ,Oregano Leaf, Stinging Nettle Leaf , Turmeric Root , Bamboo Leaf Extract , Natural Chlorophyll. ------ Rapid Cleanse TM II: Acacia Fiber ------ Rapid CleanseTM III: Proprietary Blend: Cape Aloe Leaf ** Rhubarb Root, Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm Bark, Triphala (a blend of amalaki, bibhitaki and haritaki) Other Ingredients: Vegetable Capsule (vegetable fiber and water)

Directions
Rapid Cleanse I: Take 2 capsules in the morning. Please read accompanying literature. Rapid Cleanse II: Take one level scoop mixed in 8 ounces of water in the morning and one level scoop mixed in 8 ounces of water in the evening. Follow with at least 8 additional ounces of water. Drink plenty of water while using this product. Rapid Cleanse III: Take 2 capsules at night with 8 ounces of water. Please read accompanying literature.

Benefits of New Medications

2010-02-05T00:55:00.000-08:00

Patients are not the only group to have become more concerned about
the quality of life that results from medical interventions. The interest of
health researchers, policy makers, and administrators predates the public�s
by at least a decade. Beginning in the 1960s, a variety of medications
were developed to increase patients� functioning or to lessen their pain,
discomfort, depression, or anxiety without curing their diseases or increasing
their prospects for survival. In order to assess the benefits of
these new medications, the pharmaceutical industry financed the design
and use of some of the earliest quantitative measures of quality of
life. That industry continues to play a major role in developing and utilizing
increasingly sophisticated quality-of-life measures (Walker, 1993;
Spilker, 1996). In the past thirty years, quality-of-life measurement has
been eagerly taken up by researchers, epidemiologists, public and private
health administrators, health economists, and health policy makers.1
Together with estimates of survival and tests of physiological function,
these measures have now become a standard part of the calculus employed
to compare the �cost-effectiveness� of treatments for the same
and different health conditions, a calculus that is used to justify tradeoffs
among limited medical resource

Natural Treatment For Dropsy

2010-02-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

Dropsy is an accumulation of watery fluid in the cellular tissues or in any of the cavities of the body, as the chest or abdomen, and may be due to disease of the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or peritoneum. Anything that will cause the blood to become poisoned or the red corpuscles to die may result in dropsy.

In most cases it is cause by a crippled heart or kidneys. Sometimes the liver and gall bladder are so diseased and inflamed that they will not function normally, and a dropsical condition will arise, causing the abdominal cavity to fill up with fluid. It may be that the kidneys are the cause. In the case of Bright�s disease, when the kidneys are not able to function properly dropsy will result.

Natural treatment can always help get rid of dropsy. Generally, a complete change should be made in the diet, leaving off all alcoholic drinks, cocoa, chocolate, tea, coffee, and soft-drinks. No flesh foods, pies, cakes, or rich pastries should be indulged in. All foods should be eaten as dry as possible, thereby causing the patient to chew his food thoroughly. No fluid should be taken with the meals, but water can be taken one hour after meals. Do not use any salt. Fruits and tomatoes should compose a large part of the diet. One vegetable meal a day, preferably at noon, should compose the diet of all patients. Do not eat fruits and vegetables at the same meal. Sprouted lentils and sprouted soybeans are very good as well as all the soybean preparations you know. Eat freely of vegetables, as eggplant, young beets, parsley, celery, okra, kale, asparagus, collards, mustard, lettuce, spinach, parsnips, onions, cucumbers, watercress, pumpkin, potatoes, yellow corn, Swiss chard, cauliflower, endive, fresh beans, and peas.

Thoroughly ripe bananas maybe eaten often but fresh grapes should be eaten freely in season but if there is none, dried ones should be used. Nuts or any nut preparations should take the place of the meat. Cocoanut is also good as coconut milk. Whole wheat zwieback should be eaten instead of fresh bread. Never eat bread made with soda or baking powder.

Drink plenty of water and fruit juices to flush the kidneys and bladder. A hot bath daily preferably at night, to produce perspiration will help rid the body of impurities. Cold morning baths and washing of the limbs and abdomen two or three times a day with cold water are also beneficial.

Drinking plenty of herb tea of red raspberry or pleurisy root will produce perspiration. If this is in powdered form, take a half teaspoonful to one cup of boiling water. Let it steep thirty minutes, and drink; or the powder may be taken in capsules for to six times a day. An excellent herb combination for this purpose is one-half teaspoonful each of wild yam and black cohosh, with a pitch of cayenne pepper added, to a cup of water.

Keep the bowels active, so that they move at least three times a day by using the herbal laxatives which was already given in this blog.

A tea made of wild carrot, blossoms or seeds ground, dandelion root, yarrow, burdock root, queen of the meadow, dwarf elder, and broom. This may be mixed equal parts, using one teaspoonful to a cup of boiling water, and steeping twenty or thirty minutes.

Burdock and broom make a good combination. They are also prepared in the same way. Dwarf elder is especially good, since it cleanses the kidneys.

The following remedy has been known to cure dropsy many times:

Take grapevine root and burn to ashes. Use one dessert spoonful of this in a glass of water three or four times a day, always drinking plenty of water with it. The inner bark of the vine is good too, prepared in the same way.

Frequent bathing in the ocean is very helpful for dropsy. If one cannot do this, take one pound of Epsom Salts and one pound table salt and add to your bath.

Wild carrot, which grows in many of the states of the US, has been known to cure dropsy, together with the proper diet after leaving off the harmful drinks, foods, and habits.

Trofim Lysenko - why we should not mix ideology and science

2010-02-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

What happens when ideology becomes more important than scientifical critical thinking?

Trofim Lysenko (see picture), quickly became a very prominent "scientist" in the soviet union following an article printed in Pravda (aka "the truth") about this barefooted peasant who "solved problems". Even though he had little education and was barely literate Lysenko progressed rapidly in the soviet system and it did not take many years before he controlled much of the agricultural policy in the soviet union. Lysenko was a practical man who cared about practical issues rather than theoretical nonsense. When something appealed to Lysenko"s intuition there was really no need for rigorous testing, consider for instance his citation "In order to obtain a certain result, you must want to obtain precisely that result; if you want to obtain a certain result you will obtain it". When he had achieved a powerful position in the soviet union Lysenko"s intuition became so important that criticzing him was associated with grave dangers. Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian biologist who have made important contributions to genetics was one of Lysenko"s many victims

Lysenko did not believe in Darwin"s theory of evolution because organisms do not "compete", they co-operate. Based on this belief Lysenko ordered that trees should be planted in groups so that they would co-operate (perhaps he was a well-meaning man after all). The result: only 5% of the trees planted flourished, 15% survived, huge economical costs to the soviet union. Lysenko also believed that environment meant everything. Give a seed a good environment and it will flourish. The result of this: availability of meat and vegetables was no higher in 1953 than in 1900 when Tsar Nicholas II reigned the country, millions of Russians starved. In fact, Lysenko even believed that one could easily change one species into another species by manipulating the environment, and indeed "scientists" began reporting studies in which they changed bacteria into viruses and even a rabbit into a chicken!

This history shows the danger of letting ideals steer science. Though he may have been a well meaning man, Lysenko ignored what was known about agriculture and the Russian people suffered the consequences. As I have previously argues, I think it would be a mistake to ignore what we know about human nature when we design our society. Under what conditions do people tend to co-operate, and when do we not co-operate?, what differences between the sexes should we expect and accept rather than fight against (and which should we fight against)? I think that the most important lesson of the above is that whatever ideological motives we have we should not let these motives affect the way we do scientific research...

Natural sleeping remedy

2010-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

Free guide and articles natural sleeping aids.Natural sleeping pill.Approach free from natural pill sleeping tranquilizers yourself.

read more | digg story

Pumpkin Seeds As Alternative Medicine

2010-02-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Seeds As Alternative Medicine

Pumpkin seeds, pepitas have been used as an alternative medicine for centuries by the Native American cultures. They are best known for the elimination of intestinal worms in humans. Scientific investigation has shown them to be effective in treating a wide range of ailments.

Pumpkin seeds are used for the prevention of prostate cancer.
They are a diuretic used to treat bladder irritation, kidney stones and urination problems.
These seeds alleviate travel sickness, nausea and motion sickness.
Pumpkin seeds with husks help nursing women to produce more milk.

Pumpkin seeds are safe with zero side effects. Pregnant women, children, those with liver problems or with other debilitating illnesses can take pumpkin seeds without risk. I love these seeds and eat them at least once a week. The best part is that these tasty pumpkin seeds are also a great alternative medicine.

Yellow mustard

2010-02-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

An approach to healing based on this �law of similars,� Hahnemann
decided, should be called �homeopathy� from the Greek roots homoios (like)
and pathos (suffering). Yet whether spelled �homeopathy� or �homoeopathy�
(a version popular in the nineteenth century and still encountered occasionally),
the notion that like cures like was not an entirely new concept. As a
hunch about nature�s way of healing, it is as old as the human race and has
been applied in every form from the ancient Roman�s faith in the power of
raw dog�s liver to ward off rabies to the seventeenth-century Englishman�s
use of pomegranate seeds to relieve toothache to the eighteenth-century American�s
trust in yellow mustard seed as a preventive of yellow fever. For that
matter, the still popular recommendation of �the hair of the dog that bit you�
as the surest hangover remedy might be thought of as homeopathy

Psoriasis Treatments, Resources and Links

2010-02-04T02:46:00.000-08:00

What is Psoriasis?

Typically psoriasis sufferers usually develop well defined red raised patches covered by silvery scales which form first on the scalp, behind the ears, on the back of the neck, between the shoulders, on elbows and knees or near fingernails and toenails.

How is Psoriasis usually treated?

Psoriasis cannot be cured although symptoms may disappear for long periods. Conventional treatment is aimed at controlling the condition and ranges from simple topical treatments such as moisturizing and lubricating products and corticosteroid creams to exposure to ultraviolet light. Very severe conditions may be treated with anticancer medications.

Read Article---Psoriasis: Helping yourself can speed up recovery

Read Article---Psoriasis Treatments Entering New Era

Read Article---Psoriasis Resources and Links

Memes! 8 Random Things About Me

2010-02-04T01:50:00.000-08:00

Blogging at 5am because my oligoarthritis has migrated to my knee. Fortunately just one, and now that I"ve sat down at the computer I"m waiting for the vicod.in to set in so that I can limp to my bed. Whatever this illness is, I"m really sick of it! I now don"t even care what the diagnosis is, so long as it"s something treatable. I would rather that the treatment not involve steroids, because I"ve been on prednisone a couple of times for asthma exacerbations with some annoying side effects. Basically, I became very weepy and irritable and unable to sleep. I know, not life threatening, just annoying. I should not complain, many people have it much worse. It may just be a coincidence, but it started on day 2 of the prednisone (both times) and resolved about 24 hours after discontinuing it. It could be unpleasant if I were to need to take prednisone for more than just a few days.

Anyway, so here I am, sitting at the computer, wondering what to do. So, I thought, I"ve got it! I"ll knock out that meme!

Milk & two sugars and Medstudentitis tagged me for this meme. So, with a nod to them, here it goes! The instructions for the meme appear to be to list 8 random things about yourself, and then tag 8 random people.

1) Although in blogland I post about my colon on the internet, in reality, I"m a very private person.

2) I am terribly fond of my 2 cats, and am starting to get sad at the fact that they"re starting to get old. They"re both 9 now.

3) I love to teach, but I"m having a hard time learning how to turn the reigns over to the residents, especially in critical procedures or critical decision making.

4) I obsessively check Statcounter and Google Analytics to make sure that there aren"t a lot of people who read this blog where I live or anywhere I used to live.

5) If you knew me in real life, it would be fairly easy to tell who I am by this blog. I"m told that I write like I talk.

6) I recently "came out" to my little brother (ok, he"s bigger than I am, he"s really my younger brother) about my blog. He seems to like it. (Hi Little Brother!!!).

7) My brothers and I are very close. My sisters and I are much less close (I love them, but we don"t really have much in common).

8) I am almost dangerously irreverant in real life. :)

Let"s see... I hope that amused everybody. I"m supposed to tag 8 people? Hm... I"m going to cheat a little bit. I am tagging Dinah, Roy, and Clinkshrink over at Shrink Rap; I want to tag fatdoctor, and I"m sad about her disappearance. So.. I"m going to tag Dr. J and Dr. H, TinySurgeon, Junior DocSpot, and Bronze John.

Life style for Prevention of Cancer

2010-02-04T00:58:00.000-08:00

What life style which baiik for disease prevention of cancer? Beginning Of December 2007 is in having conference international annual of ke-6 The American Association for Cancer Reseasrch, submitted some things about life style ( diet, physical activity, smoking, and other) what can have an effect on to risk hit or not of someone from cancer. Following points from what submitted in the symposium and from American Cancer Society Recommendations for Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, 2006 : � main Kontributor to neoplastic disease is genetic and area. � Desists or doesn"t smoke reducing someone risk to suffer lung cancer. If man is desisting smoking to consume vegetables 4 portion or lebih/minggu, hence degradation of risk is hit [by] lung cancer would be lower again is compared to man is desisting smoking but doesn"t consume vegetable. ( The University of Texas M.D.Anderson Cancer Center) � Physical activity ( for example gardening, dsb) more reduces cancer risk at people former finite smoker of 45% compared to which unsatisfying does physical activity. � At man is smoking, risk is hit [by] bosom cancer 2 times more higher if consumption of vegetable ( salad) less than 4 porsi/minggu compared to smoker consuming more vegetable. So also with physical activity ( like gardening) will reduce lung cancer risk at smoker.

� consumption of Brocolli can assist prevents urinary bladder cancer. Content isothiocyanates which implied in brocolli has been known as an cancer inhibitor matter. Isothiocyanates from brocolli selectively would up to epitel urinary bladder through urine. Study at attempt mouse indicates that brocolli extract in haves a meaning (of), and depends on dose, pursues the forming of urinary bladder cancer. � Consumption cruciferous vegetables ( like brocolli, kol, cabbage) raw ( be not the be cooked) counted 3 portion or more per month also can reduce urinary bladder cancer risk equal � 40%. If it is cooked, content isothiocyanates will decrease 60 � 90%. � Diabetes mellitus Patient woman ( Deutschmark) type 2 berisiko 1,5 higher times to suffer cancer kolorektal ( large intestine cancer) compared to woman that is is not suffers Deutschmark. ( University of Minnesota) � The relation of obesity with bosom cancer at woman. Mortality risk ( death) bosom cancer patient woman which obes 2,4 times more higher is compared to normal body weighing bosom cancer patient. � Life style recommended according to American Cancer Society to prevent cancer is : multiplies consumption fruit and finite vegetable of 5 porsi/hari; asupan calorie appropriate ( be fair); limits consumption of red flesh ( for example, beef, chicken, dsb); avoids smoking; and avoids alcohol.

Certain food salted, like briny fish also relates to improvement of risk incidence [of] nasopharynx cancer, stomach, and gullet. Drinks white water minimized 8 gelas/hari also assists reducing risk incidence [of] urinary bladder cancer. Study at animal indicates that consumption of fish can reduce risk incidence [of] cancer. Minimum physical practice 30 minutes 5 times one week also can assist reducing cancer risk and disease kardiovaskular.

Costus As Alternative Medicine

2010-02-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

Costus As Alternative Medicine

Costus is an alternative medicine used by the Chinese and Indians for centuries. In China it is one of the 50 fundamental medicinal herbs. It is of the same family as ginger.

It is a remedy for gastric disorders such as diarrhea, bloating and stomach ache.
It is a treatment for mild skin irritations.
It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat asthma and coughs.
Its roots are used to expel parasites.
In Tibet it is a remedy for emotional weakness.
In India it is inhaled to clear the bronchial passages.
It eases pain associated with rheumatism.

Costus is available as extracts, powders or infusions at Asian markets and specialty stores. Amount to be taken is related to the condition that requires treatment. It is a non toxic herb without any known drug interactions. It can sometimes bring on skin irritation when used externally especially in sensitive individuals. The dried roots of costus are still used as an alternative medicine to give relief to symptoms associated with intestinal disorders.

HGH Human Growth Hormone Research

2010-02-03T22:32:00.000-08:00

For those of you that are looking for information on anti-aging and youth, we have found a website that talks about the Human Growth Hormone HGH which it seems could help slow down aging.

From the beginning of time man has sought a way to extend life, reverse the aging process, and live forever. Up to this point, nothing has proven to be significantly viable for this purpose. However, the greatest advance in man�s ability to �turn back the clock� may now be available to us. The human growth hormone (HGH or Somatotropin) has produced increases in the levels of insulin-like growth hormone 1 (IGF-1). There is a direct connection between the level of this hormone in a human�s body, and their age. As observed by many scientists, if this hormone could be kept at the levels of youth, then would the aging process be slowed down, or even stopped altogether? It is a question that has spawned much controversy within the ranks of physicians, with many leading doctors on both sides of the issue.

Tell me what you think.

Stay in health and live 100 years!

Very Biblical...

2010-02-03T22:01:00.000-08:00

It looks like the bigotry of the father is being visited upon the son. Just a couple of days ago, I blogged about Zach, sent to an ex-gay boot camp by his small minded family. It turns out that Zach is indeed real, and his last name is S-------.

And wow, is his family ever small minded. Zach"s father is quoted on CBN (I won"t link, so as not to increase their Google PageRank):

We felt very good about Zach coming here because� to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn"t give him today,� S----- said. �Knowing that your son... statistics say that by the age of 30 he could either have AIDS or be dead.

Now, clearly, Mr. S is a pig. But I want to know what was left out in that bold ellipsis? CBN has already been ... shall we say "creative" with their editing.

Now I do think Mr. S is something of a bigoted nitwit, but it"s hard not to think that he"s doing what -- in his own mind -- is best for his son. After all, who wants their children to burn in hell for all eternity? But Mr. S has said that he put his kid in there so he wont "have AIDS or [be] dead" by the time he"s 30. Why, then, would he put his son in the care of a man that says he"d rather see his "patients" dead rather than still gay at the end of the program?

Updated (27 Aug. 2005): I took out the last name. The kid"s sixteen; doesn"t seem right to list his full name on the public Web.

Rescuer Herb Cinderella

2010-02-03T20:47:00.000-08:00

Herb ingredient which consist of turmeric rhizome ( Levator skapula Curcuma longa.), black meeting rhizome ( Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb.), crop meniran ( Phillantus urinaria L.), papaw leaf ( Levator skapula Carica papaya.) and red guava leaf ( Psidium guajava L.), and salt sufficiently.
Sixth of the herb is believed [by] menyimpan antioxidant special quality, antivirus or antibakteri, boosts up number of trombosites in blood and stabilizes blood pressure. black Turmeric rhizome and meeting x"self is including medical plant from family encountered. Difference both only there is at its(the rhizome. If cut, turmeric rhizome is having color jingga, while encountering black of its(the rhizome having color rather kehitaman.

Herb ingredient which consist of turmeric rhizome ( Levator skapula Curcuma longa.), black meeting rhizome ( Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb.), crop meniran ( Phillantus urinaria L.), papaw leaf ( Levator skapula Carica papaya.) and red guava leaf ( Psidium guajava L.), and salt sufficiently.

Sixth of the herb is believed [by] menyimpan antioxidant special quality, antivirus or antibakteri, boosts up number of trombosites in blood and stabilizes blood pressure. black Turmeric rhizome and meeting x"self is including medical plant from family encountered. Difference both only there is at its(the rhizome. If cut, turmeric rhizome is having color jingga, while encountering black of its(the rhizome having color rather kehitaman.

What Will Reduce The Swelling Of Tonsils Immediately?

2010-02-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

The tonsils are the look-out that guards the stomach from unnatural foods. Out tonsils prevent us from swallowing foods when our taste buds discovered it is improper.

Diseased tonsils are usually swollen and this is called or known as tonsillitis.

The best remedies for bad tonsils are:

First, get rid of your disease-building habits: cooked food eating; inactive muscles and mind; insufficient sleep, fresh air, and sunshine; wasting vital energies. You have to avoid all unnecessary habits which are not good to your health. Begin living according to the laws of nature. Specifically, in the way of remedy, put hot and cold applications on the neck, alternating, and ending with a cold. Then, when plenty of blood has been collected in the neck region, do some neck exercises, so that the blood will be absorbed into the muscles.

The best way to reduce the swelling of the tonsils more quickly are the juices and the aroma of certain fruits. Several apples, for example, eaten each night on retiring lying flat on the back in bed, will bathe the tonsils in their alkaline fluid and quickly reduce them to normalcy. If your teeth are not good, grind the apples into mash. Swollen tonsils often have been aided by eating daily a small handful of dried olives, which are rich in potassium.

Tips To Cure Baby Acne

2010-02-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

How happy you are with the arrival of your baby, first or second I do not know, but how sorry you are to see the small red spots on the cheeks of the baby. Many of your friends and relatives have assured you that it will go away, you also know that it will pass over, yet you are worried. You feel the need to seek tips to cure baby acne, either from your doctor or other experienced ones, who have tackled such situations.

Baby acne is not uncommon among the new born. Its other name is infantile acne. Though cheek is the favorite place of baby acne, it manifests over chin and forehead as well. Babies are born with it, it can get it anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months age. It can hang on till the baby reaches the age of six months as well.

Again, nothing much to worry. Time is the best healer. Mother"s hormones did the trick. The baby gets exposed to the hormones, when mother carries it. The good and bad of the hormones were passed on to the baby. As the baby grows, the effect of the hormones also fades away and you are happy to see the clean, rosy cheeks of your baby.

As for tips to deal with the baby acne, the first tip is, don"t do anything to worsen the situation. Picking any acne is bad, and to do it on your baby is worst. The skin of the baby is very tender.

Also, you are not expected to put any oil or lotion on it. Let your anxiety not score over the reality. Wash the baby with the finest and mild soap. As for washing its clothes, treat it as the part of the baby itself and use a good quality detergent.

You are again told not to worry much about the baby acne, your concern is understandable, if acne persists even after 6 months of age. Then you need to contact your doctor.

In fact, your care about the skin during and after pregnancy and your diet is as important as the care of the baby. New born baby"s skin is gifted to it by you. Since most of the babies depend upon mother"s milk, for their maintenance and growth, your style of life has direct effects on it.

Skin is the base on which acne thrives. An infant"s skin is highly sensitive, and in the first few weeks after the birth, many changes in the conditions occur. Don"t make a grim situation of the normal changes and minor irritants. The market is flooded with some necessary and a host of unnecessary baby products. Don"t daub the baby with powders, oils, lotions and creams. Let the skin breathe freely to enable it to meet the acne condition in the natural way.

To get more information on acne, acne treatments and acne medication visit http://www.acnetalks.com/pimple

This week in stupidity

2010-02-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

There simply is nothing so low that the pro "family" organizations will not stoop to it. Last week was No Name Calling Week, basically an anti-bullying project aimed at schoolkids. The Illinois Family Institute is all up in arms becase one of the forty-two sponsoring organizations was GLESN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. This project wasn"t targeted at defending gay kids, but anyone bullied, whether for their weight, height, intelligence, and, yes, sexual orientation. Other sponsors of the project include the Anti Defamation League, the Girl Scouts, and National Association of Secondary School Principals, a notoriously well-known terrorist organization.

But no, we can"t have that. David Smith, Senior Policy Analyst for the IFI, objects to the Week because "No Name Calling Week targets young impressionable children in fifth through eighth grades with messages that seem harmless enough - "diversity" and "tolerance."" Yeah, we can"t have that, can we? "Their main objective is ... part of an overall effort to promote the homosexual agenda to children." Exactly. The radical agenda of not getting the queer kid"s ass kicked in gym class.

So I"m now officially proposing February 7-11, 2005 as Call David Smith a Cocksucker Week.

Things I only eat while on prednisone

2010-02-03T05:25:00.000-08:00

I"ve been on prednisone for a week or so now, and overall, am feeling much better. Prednisone is a hard drug for me to tolerate, though, I get cranky and moody and anxious and have a hard time sleeping. Over the past few months, on and off of prednisone, I"m learning to cope a bit better (a little exercise will go a long way; there"s nothing wrong with not watching sad tv shows or reading sad books right now;). I was about to cry in the grocery store last night for no clear reason (ok, they didn"t have my favorite flavor of Ben and Jerry"s but that"s not really a reason, right?). And it seems like a lot of this is unavoidable right now, and there"s not much that can be done about it, so I kind of have to muddle through, I guess.

There"s one other side effect that I really get, even at low doeses. HUNGER!!!!! Like super starving I could gnaw my own arm off and eat it right here in the car at this traffic light hunger. Hunger that wakes me from a sound sleep at 2am.

And do I eat normal food when I"m hungry like this? Of course not. I eat many things that might not even be considered real food. What is it about prednisone that makes me want to eat:

Spaghetti-O"s (especially with meatballs!)

Kraft Mac "n Cheese

Canned fruit coctail

Cheese sandwiches

Sugar cereals

And why can"t prednisone make me crave fruits and veggies? That"s my other question!

What is the Best Acne Treatment Available?

2010-02-03T05:11:00.000-08:00

Acne is a complex issue and there are a lot of factors that come into play when prescribing treatments. It does not affect a certain race of people or a certain kind of person. It does not affect just women and it is not limited to just teens. Anyone can get acne and everybody is different.

With that said, there is not one specific product or medication that can get rid of everyone"s acne. Since we are all different, our bodies respond to different medications. What works for this person may not work for that person.

Have you ever tried an acne treatment or program that worked for someone else but made your skin dry and irritated? That probably happened because one solution in the product does not work for your skin type.

Doctors take this into consideration when they are prescribing treatments or referring an over-the-counter medication.

Lets look at the most commonly known best acne treatments.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide continues to be the most prescribed treatment today. It is usually very successful in combatting acne and can be found in most OTC products. You do not need a prescription to get products with benzoyl peroxide in them. It works by introducing oxygen into the pore and it cleanses the pores of dead skin cells.

The side effects of benzoyl peroxide are dryness, flakiness, and sometimes burning.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is another popular treatment. Generally, you do not need a written prescription to use this product. Sometimes, though when acne is severe a doctor may prescribe medication with a higher strength. It works by unclogging pores to allow the pimple to shrink. It also reduces swelling and redness associated with acne.

Side effects can include irritation or stinging. More serious side effects may include dizziness, headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and even hearing loss.

Tretinoin, or Retin A

This treatment is derived from Vitamin A and works by allowing the skin cells to shed and unclogging the pore. It can also prevent the formation of new pimples. Results sometimes take 6-9 weeks to show.

The side effects of using Retin-A are usually dryness and irritation.

Accutane

Accutane is not as common as the first 3 because it is prescribed when other treatment does not work. This is a powerful drug and should be used for severe acne. It can take nearly 4-5 months to see any results, but it can be safer than long-term use of other products.

Side effects of accutane include dry skin and itching, irritated eye lids, hair thinning, and increased sensitivity to the sun.

These are the most common treatments available today. To say one is better over the other is up to each individual. If you find one does not work, keep trying until you find the product that best suits your individual needs.

Chantel Shuman is a dedicated stay-at-home mom to a beautiful baby girl. She enjoys promoting products that help people overcome life"s many challenges.

Want more information on how to get rid of your acne? Acne Troubles!

Natural Solutions for Candida Albicans

2010-02-03T02:50:00.000-08:00

Candida can be controlled by means of a balanced diet and by the elimination of certain foods in order to create an internal environment in which the yeast cannot survive. CANDIDA DIET with daily and weekly food suggestions.

Maintenance Program

After the initial four weeks detox, you can slowly re-introduce foods from the �Foods to avoid list�, but, please remember to use them in moderation. The foods to continue avoiding, or using with caution are... Read Article

A 100% natural, safe, effective and powerful herbal formula especially designed to treat Candida overgrowth, prevent topical Candida infections such as thrush and promote the growth of healthy probiotic flora in the digestive tract, thereby achieving lasting control of Candidiasis. Proven herbal treatment for Candida and Yeast Infections

On the normalization of torture

2010-02-03T02:31:00.000-08:00

As more timely bloggers than I have pointer out, Supreme Court Justice said the other day:

...it would be absurd to say that you can�t stick something under the fingernails, smack them in the face. It would be absurd to say that you couldn�t do that.

I just want to point out the complete moral turpitude of what Scalia is saying. He"s not even bothering to participate in the legal sophistry so popular among Republicans these days that waterboarding isn"t torture. He"s flat-out saying that the US can torture detainees. He"s talking about putting splinters under people"s fingernails, for crying out loud.

That"s where this issue has brought us. It used to be that the United States could claim to be a moral authority in the world. Now a member of the highest court in the land is claiming the US has the legal authority to torture captives and it barely even makes the news.

80 Hours

2010-02-03T02:18:00.000-08:00

July marked the beginning of a grand adventure for many new interns. Becomming a doctor is, indeed an adventure. At its best, medicine is a fascinating career, where people are given the responsibility for caring for patients. Learning the art of medicine provides the basis for a great career, full of stimulating learning and rewarding relationships with patients.

Medicine also has a darker side. One aspect of that darker side is our inability to train doctors without working them within an inch of their lives. This work continues beyond residency in most fields, and I would say that, at least now, attendings (at least when they"re on clinical service) and fellows work every bit as hard as the residents. This work-aholic approach to life has costs for the trainees and the seasoned professionals alike. Clearly, when working 120 hours a week, the remaining 48 hours doesn"t provide much time for reconnecting with loved ones, maintaning a connection to the outside world, sleeping, exercising, and eating well. Yet, as physicians we tell our patients to maintain their social connections, to get 8 hours of sleep a night, at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, and to avoid processed, high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar foods.

There is evidence, most notably from work by the Harvard Work Hours Health and Safety Group that exhaustion is bad for residents and bad for patients. Residents working 24 hours or longer are 2.3 times as likely to be involved in an auto accident, and the odds of a crash increased by 16% after every extended durration shift. Interns working extended shifts also made 36% more serious medical errors (although few of these ultimately affected patient care, being caught by other physicians, pharmacists and nurses who were caring for patients). The conclusion of the Harvard Work Hours Health and Safety Group was that there isn"t evidence to support continuing extended shifts.

Another interesting note is that after 2008, residents in Europe will be allowed to work only 48 hours. Also, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as well as other governing bodies do not allow people in other jobs (Air traffic controllers, nurses, pilots, truck drivers, etc.) to work more than a certain number of hours at a time. And while hours are now officially (and sometimes even effectively) limited for residents in the U.S., hours for fellows are either not limited or (in my case) not enforced. There are no work hours limits for attendings.

One of the defenses for this practice is that patients and physicians in training are well served by continuity. While I"m a fan of continuity, I fail to see how patients are well served by exhausted physicians on the tail end of a 30-36 hour shift. Moreover, I feel like if patients were taken care of by a consistent day team and a consistent night team, their continuity would be just as well served. There is also the suggestion that preventable errors are increased when transfer of care (or Signout) occurs between teams taking care of patients. I would argue that the transfer of patient care is a skill that should be learned. Afterall, eventually, everybody goes home.

I think that there are a couple of real advantages to working such long shifts. Firstly, as a doctor, sometimes you really have to work when you"re exhausted, and you have to be able to make at least a reasonable decision when tired. This is a skill that should be learned. I think that this, in and of itself, is a good reason to not do away with all shifts longer than 12 hours (as has been suggeseted by some). Another reason is that there is some advantage of continuity to the resident. It"s good to watch a disease process unfold. It"s good learning to be in the hospital long enough to see what effect your decision had on the patient. Did your 2 Liter NS bolus put the 80 year old into CHF? It"s good to be in the hospital to see that happen.

Also, it"s hard to justify decreasing hours while keeping residencies the same length. You just don"t see as much stuff in 80 hours as you do in 120 hours. Even if the scutwork is taken away (and much like poverty, scutwork will always be with us), you still just have to be present a certain amount of time to see certain rare but important diseases. The solution to this, at some point, is going to have to be lengthening residencies if work-hours limits drop below 80, especially in the surgical fields, where competence depends on a certain amount of OR time and exposure to uncommon procedures (such as a Cesarean hysterectomy) which you may need to perform on an emergent basis.

Also, the absolute limits create a bit of a professional problem. Yes, it"s the shift-work mentality I"m talking about. Admittedly, there have to be limits to how much time people spend in the hospital, and the reason that there are now rules about it is because the system was abusive in the past. But making rules about how much time one may spend in the hospital seems to decrease the level of professionalism a bit. Medicine becomes less of a calling, less of a profession and more of a job. I don"t know that our patients really want to be just a job to their doctors....

Solutions? I"m not really sure. I think about it a lot. If anybody has ideas, I"d love to hear them!

ALBIL

2010-02-03T00:40:00.000-08:00

David loaned me Steve Kluger"s Almost Like Being in Love this weekend. I find myself having a hard time putting it down, I"m enjoying it so much. I was having to supress fits of giggles reading it on the bus this afternoon. It"s like the gay Bridget Jones"s Diary. (And if you know me, you know that"s high praise, indeed.)

I have a feeling that it"s about to take a turn for the serious soon, though. And it"s the sort of book that I enjoy as I read it but feel bad when I stop, because I"ve never had a boyfriend like that and probably never will. (Same reason I gave up renting romantic comedies.)

So far, I think it would make a really good movie, if they correctly adapted the book"s device of telling the story in memos and journal entries. Since Fried Green Tomatoes managed to do it, I can only hope this one would, too.

The Low Fat Diet

2010-02-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

What Is A Low Fat Diet?

Low fat diets try to eliminate most fats from the foods you eat. The diet replaces fat with vegetables, lean meat, brown rice, fiber-rich whole fruits, vegetables, and products made from whole wheat flour. The idea of this diet is to reduce your intake of saturated fat and replace them with protein, polyunsaturated oils and beneficial carbohydrates. This helps the dieter to lose weight while bringing your cholesterol, triglycerides and body fat down. The diet concentrates on restricting fats and filling the dieter up with protein and carbohydrates. This diet eliminates most fats from your diet, and replaces them with fiber-rich whole vegetables,fruit, lean meat, brown rice and products made from whole wheat flour. The goal of low fat diets is to reduce saturated fat in your diet.

How Does It Work?

The Diet works on the principles of reducing your saturated fat intake, thus leading to weight loss. The diet recommends the dieters to switch to lower fat options like: low fat dairy food, low-fat cheese, fat-free dressings and switch to fish, turkey and chicken from beef and lamb. It also recommends that the dieters eat more complex carbohydrates Like potatoes, wholemeal or wholegrain bread, oats, cereal, rice, pasta. The diet says to also eat more fruit, vegetables and salad and to make these foods a MAJOR part of your diet. Because of this weight is lost.

How Much Can You Lose?

Men lose an average of 6-8 pounds after the first two weeks on this diet. Women lose an average of 4-6 pounds. In subsequent weeks, dieters lose an average of 1-2 pounds each week.

Any Possible Side Effects?

Non to note

KNOW THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS

Saturated Fats

Foods high in saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty fresh and processed meats, the skin and fat of poultry, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. Keep your intake of these foods low.

Dietary Cholesterol

Foods that are high in cholesterol also tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats.

Trans Fatty Acids

Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods.

Unsaturated Fats

Unsaturated fats (oils) do not raise blood cholesterol. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish like salmon. Unsaturated oils include both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils are some of the oils high in monounsaturated fats. Vegetable oils such as soybean oil, corn oil, and cottonseed oil and many kinds of nuts are good sources of polyunsaturated fats. Some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids that are being studied to determine if they offer protection against heart disease. Use moderate amounts of food high in unsaturated fats, taking care to avoid excess calories.

Unconventional therapies

2010-02-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

Is there anecdotal evidence that unconventional therapies sometimes yield positive outcomes? Yes. There"s also anecdotal evidence that athletes who refuse to shave during winning streaks sometimes bring home championships. It was George D. Lundberg, a former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, who said: "There"s no alternative medicine. There is only scientifically proven, evidence-based medicine supported by solid data." We"d do well to keep that in mind as we plot the future of American health care. It"s not like we"ve got billions to waste

Healing Power of Poetry

2010-02-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

I am reproducing material from my poetry blog (Your Poems and My Poems), which I felt could find a place in this blog as it discusses about the therapeutic value of Poetry:

"Dr.Smiley Blanton, one of America"s great psychiatrists, wrote a charming book, "THE HEALING POWER OF POETRY". He found, in his work with patients, that emotional troubles could be helped by the healing properties of great poetry. (From "Treasury of Courage and Confidence" by Dr.Norman Vincent Peale).

(On an impulse, I tried Google Search for "Healing Power of Poetry" and got results within 0.34 seconds. It gave about 7890 links! I am furnishing details about one of the articles that I could access immediately and which also impressed me, namely, "Finding the Words to Say It: The Healing Power of Poetry" by Robert Carroll, UCLA Department of Psychiatry, Los Angeles CA 90024, USA. It was published in an Oxford University Press (OUP) jounral, namely, "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine".

Another interesting feature of this article is it has been published under Open Access model and though the author retains copyright, "users are entitled to use, reproduce, disseminate, or display the open access version of this article for non-commercial purposes provided that: the original authorship is properly and fully attributed; the Journal and Oxford University Press are attributed as the original place of publication with the correct citation details given; if an article is subsequently reproduced or disseminated not in its entirety but only in part or as a derivative work this must be clearly indicated. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions{at}oupjournals.org."
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/2/2/161

As the article talks about the therapeutic value of poetry, I think I should also post a copy in my other blog devoted to Alternative Medicine and Health.

Grateful thanks to Dr.Robert Carroll and OUP."

Intersection with an IDiot

2010-02-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

The problem with people on ScienceBlogs doing this is that they all share the same sub-domain, so Google treats them all as the same site. Not so for Blogspot, which is why I"m joining in to pick up the slack which our poor blogging friends such as Orac and PZ are constrained from picking up.

(Explanation here)

Congraturation!

2010-02-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Barack Obama, on becoming the 44th President of the United States in what will probably be remembered as one of the most significant elections of my generation. And I have no doubt that I will remember it despite all the champagne I consumed last night in celebration.

It"s going to be a long road, but this is a step toward fixing a lot of the problems that have sprung up over the past decade.

Health Summit draws crowds

2010-02-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

Article orginally printed in the Salt Lake Tribune, November 24, 2006. Written by Wendy Frank.

Alternative medicine attracted the curious and those skeptical of traditional methods, to the South Towne Expo.

The Alternative Health Summit that wrapped up recently at the South Towne Expo Center served as a magnet for the curious, including medical practional Yentai Ng of West Jordan.

"I just came to check things out," said Ng, who claims he can see people"s auras and their past lives.

Presented by Derrick Walker, founder of the Alternative Medicine Referral Network, the event was an East-meets-West convergence of medicine, science and spirituality.

"There "s so much to learn at each booth," said Janet Ainsworth of Bluffdale. "I only visited four in five hours."

All told, there were 40 booths touting the latest in nontraditional therapeutic practics and products -- everything from a fermented soy beverage concocted to protect patients from the toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiation to a device that applied vibrational frequencies to supposedly boost flexibility and muscle strength.

For people plagued by a general malaise, there was an ionic-detoxification process that was said to draw toxins from the body. For an aching neck or back, there was a thermal-massage bed system. There also was Quantum Touch healing for people who tote backpacks or babies and had their hips out of line.

Natalie Bowman of Payson was impressed with the hip therapy she received from Mary Strack. "When she put her hands on my hips," Bowman said, I felt a warmth. And when she finished, I actually felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted."

Fad dieters at the summit had lots of information to digest, particularly from a testimonial-filled newsletter about losing inches and boosting the immune system through swallong colostrum supplements.

A huge draw at the event was the electrodermal-assessment machine, voted the world"s top light-acupuncture machine by the German Acupuncture Society. For some, a shot ofr two of exotic hand-packaged tea was energizing enough. Others gravitated to samples of dark chocolate made from unprocessed cocoa, assured they would be lowering their "bad" cholesterol, not upping their weight.

There was plenty more to devour in presentations such as "Spirituality and Healing" by special guest, Dr. Joan Borysenko, "Remote Viewing" (the ablility to perceive people and things in distant time) by Talia Shafir, "Earthing" (healing through barefoot contact with the earth) by Clint Ober, and "Feng Shui clutter clearing" by Claudia Draper.

Many at the summit said they turned to alternative medicine after more traditional approaches failed to heal their health woes.

"In my teens I became very sick,"said Terry Austin of Draper. "octors did the best they could, but that led me on a differrent journey to something bigger out there. Drugs aren"t the answer." Added Sandy Root, also of Draper, "Whatever we can do to take charge of our medical care through self-education will enable us to make more informed choices."

For more information about the Alternative Medicine Referral Network, call Derrick Walker at 800-498-5640.

The Demarcation Problem

2010-02-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

The following is an essay I submitted for one of my classes last year. It deals with the demarcation problem of science, so I figured you might find it interesting.

The field of science has been responsible for many significant steps forward in civilization, and true scientists are granted great amounts of respect in modern society. As such, many pretenders find it beneficial to claim to be scientists themselves. This makes the Demarcation Problem�distinguishing science from non-science, pseudoscience, and religion�an important issue and possibly a useful tool in exposing these pretenders. In this paper I intend to examine the history of demarcation, analyze the boundaries of science with non-science, pseudoscience, and religion, and propose standards for distinguishing science from these fields.

- - - - -

The first attempt to demarcate science came from the Vienna Circle, a philosophical society formed at the Vienna University in 1922. They developed the theory of Logical Positivism, which stated that the only meaningful statements were ones that were derived from empirical observations (also known as verificationism). This most clearly demarcates science from religion (which was their particular goal), in that it implies that religious and metaphysical statements are meaningless. There were problems with this theory, however. For one, it failed to distinguish fields such as art, which is also based on empirical knowledge (though generally artificial and subjective), from science. The theory also inadvertently condemned mathematics as being meaningless, as it wasn�t based on empirical evidence.

These problems were noticed by the philosopher Karl Popper. He pointed out that a theory could be meaningful without being scientific and that a standard of meaningfulness would not necessarily coincide with a demarcation of science. Popper�s proposed alternative was falsificationism: If a theory is falsifiable, it is scientific; if a theory is not falsifiable, it is not scientific. This theory has shown to be much better at demarcating science than verificationism was. Using the example above, art shows no falsifiability as the field is highly subjective, and each person is entitled to their own artistic preferences. Also, since mathematical theorems are proven, they are not falsifiable and thus not scientific�though this doesn�t mean that they aren�t meaningful or useful for science.

Falsificationism has some problems of its own, however. Almost every theory or paradigm has certain anomalies which could be said to falsify it. However, due to the statistical nature of many experiments, if a large number of experiments are done, it becomes inevitable that some will display seemingly anomalous results. Falsificationism also has the curious property that it makes many mundane statements scientific. For instance, the statement, �My eyes are blue,� could be falsified if the one looked at the speaker�s eyes and found that they were not blue, so under falsificationism, it must be a scientific statement.

The most recent views on the demarcation of science come from Thomas Kuhn. He stressed that science operates in two different manners: what he calls �normal science� and �extraordinary science.� Normal science is mostly a problem-solving phase, where scientists solve problems within the current paradigm. In this phase, the standard of falsificationism still has merit. Extraordinary science is what happens once a significant number of anomalies has built up, making the current paradigm no longer viable. A new paradigm is developed at this time, and the scientific community undergoes a �paradigm shift� and gradually switches. Since all paradigms have anomalies, particularly at their early stages before they�ve been fully refined, a strict interpretation of falsificationism would rule out all of these new paradigms almost immediately. This isn�t what the scientific community judges, however. The new paradigm is judged on its ability to solve problems. If it solves more problems or more important problems, it is generally accepted over the previous paradigm. Thus, in this stage, the standard of whether a paradigm is scientific is its ability to solve problems in normal science.

- - - - -

Distinguishing science from non-science or religion is generally a simple matter, as the two generally make no claims to be scientific. When they do make claims of being scientific, they become pseudoscience. Even so, it is useful to recognize the distinctions, as science doesn�t always specifically declare itself as such. For the boundary between science and religion, the verificationism view works quite well in the majority of cases. Science deals primarily with empirical matters, while religion deals primarily with spiritual matters, which cannot be empirically and objectively observed.

Occasionally, however, these will overlap. Religion might make claims about empirical matters, or science might make claims about unobservable phenomena. In these cases, the methodology of the two is what differentiates them. Science relies on objective experiments to gain knowledge, and there is a high degree of community in it that helps to confirm or disconfirm theories and settle debates between paradigms. Religion is more subjective, and every individual has a different interpretation. Due to its objective nature, two individuals practicing science within the same paradigm will generally come to the same result. In religious debates, disputes are attempted to be settled by appeal to authority�generally, the word of the clergy, holy texts, or a prophet�but this is never perfect due to the subjective element, and there will always be different interpretations of a religion.

When distinguishing science from non-science, it�s easiest to start by defining the core of what science is, and then define non-science as the fields which fall outside this definition. At it essence, science is a system of acquiring knowledge about the physical world through objective experimentation and observation. Therefore, we can immediately classify fields such as art and business, which do not involve the acquisition of knowledge, as being non-science. Mathematics, which doesn�t acquire knowledge about the physical world, is also non-science. Engineering is focused on the practical application of scientific knowledge, so while engineers may practice science at times, the field as a whole is non-science.

There is also the subdivision of science known as the social sciences, comprising fields such as history, economics, and sociology, to consider. They use methods similar to the natural sciences, but study human behavior instead. One large limitation they have is that experimentation is rarely feasible, and so all studies must be observational. This makes it a lot more difficult to test theories, and the unpredictability of human nature only adds to this problem. But just because a field comes with difficulties doesn�t mean it can�t be scientific�it just isn�t as reliable. The social sciences do fit many of the criteria of science, but it is necessary to keep in mind that due to the complexities of human nature, the results aren�t as reliable as those obtained in the natural sciences.

Now we come to the division between science and pseudoscience. Pseudoscience can be defined simply as something which claims to be scientific but isn�t. Classic examples of pseudoscience include astrology and the belief in ESP. The belief in the existence of ESP provides a good example of how falsificationism can work to classify it as pseudoscience. Since it�s impossible to analyze every event on earth taking place at any time in history, it would be impossible to prove that there isn�t at least one legitimate case of ESP. As such, it�s impossible to falsify it, so it�s unscientific.

Astrology, on the other hand, is a field for which falsificationism fails us. Since it relies on predicting the outcomes of earthly events from analyzing the stars and other planets of our solar system, it could theoretically be falsified if these predictions are false (or show no statistical improvement over random, similar predictions). In fact, this is exactly what has happened. Experiments have been done repeatedly with astrology showing that its predictions show no statistical merit. But the fact that some experiments have been done which falsify it isn�t enough to say it�s unscientific�all paradigms and theories have had a small number of experiments performed which give contrary results. It is simply the result of random chance that with a large number of experiments performed, some will have extraordinary results. Even if many or most of the experiments give evidence against the theory, it�s still possible that the theory is correct and this was just an extraordinary occurrence.

If we were to rely solely on falsificationism, we would be forced to accept that those who practice astrology are practicing a science. Therefore, it�s apparent that we will need a further standard to judge whether falsifiable fields are scientific. For this, we can use some of Kuhn�s views on science: primarily that it is, in the end, a communal practice. Therefore, we can rely on the opinion of the scientific community on whether or not a theory actually has been falsified. In the case of astrology, this is most definitely the case; the chance of all of the experiments which disprove it being the result of random chance is so slim that astrology can safely be said to be falsified, and thus is a pseudoscience.

There is an obvious problem in applying this standard too strictly: All new paradigms and theories go through a period in which they are put on trial by the scientific community, and it is the norm that they are presumed �guilty until proven innocent.� Because of this, we must make an important distinction. Newer paradigms and theories that have yet to be fully fleshed out and whose �trials� have yet to be resolved are classified as �protosciences.� These protosciences shouldn�t be classified as pseudosciences as they haven�t been dismissed by the scientific community. But conversely, they also shouldn�t be given the weight that established sciences have, as they have not yet proven their merit. An example of a modern protoscience is String Theory, which roughly states that subatomic particles are shaped like coiled strings, and the different motions of these strings correspond to different properties and interactions of the particles. At this time, the proponents of String Theory have some evidence which could be said to support this theory, but they don�t have a way to test it�it isn�t falsifiable. It will possibly become falsifiable at some point as the theory evolves, and it is not immune to scientific review, so calling it a pseudoscience would be a definite misnomer.

- - - - -

One of the reasons that demarcation is an important problem is in the admissibility of scientific testimony in court. �Junk science��the popular term for pseudoscience�has been showing up in an alarming number of lawsuits in attempts to win money when there is no actual merit to the case. Up until 1993, the preferred method for accepting scientific testimony was for the judge to determine simply whether the evidence presented had �gained general acceptance in the particular field in which it belongs.� While this standard was reasonable, it was often impossible to apply it. How would the opposing attorney prove that the evidence was not generally accepted? A disagreeing expert could be brought in, but how would that expert prove to be more reliable? The difficulty here was what allowed so much junk science to sneak through.

In essence, the legal system needed to come up with its own demarcation between science and pseudoscience that was simple enough for the judge to understand and apply. This was done in the Supreme Court�s opinion of the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals in 1993. The �Daubert Standard� included two measures by which an expert�s testimony would be admissible: relevancy and reliability. The relevancy prong is simply whether the testimony is relevant to the case. For instance, a chemist could testify that acid could be used to burn off one�s fingerprints, but if fingerprints were actually found at the crime scene this piece of information could be deemed irrelevant. The reliability prong was the part used to determine whether the testimony was actually scientific. The Supreme Court gave �general observations� of what made scientific testimony reliable, though they stressed that it wasn�t supposed to be an exacting checklist:

Empirical testing: the theory or technique must be falsifiable, refutable, and testable.
Subjected to peer review and publication.
Known or potential error rate.
Whether there are standards controlling the technique"s operations.
Whether the theory and technique is generally accepted by a relevant scientific community.

The first point here is simply the falsifiability criterion. The fifth point shows a critical divergence from asking for communal acceptance of the theory; it asks only for communal acceptance of the methods used to obtain this theory (this is also the intention of the fourth point). This is important as it allows for novel ideas and evidence to be presented, as long as they were arrived at in a scientific manner. The second and third points are most important within the legal context for which this standard was intended. The second point means that the testimony has been exposed to the possibility of criticism from the scientific community, so if the evidence presented has been argued heavily against, it would be easy for the opposing council to show this. The third point also opens up a possible argument if the error rate is high; the opposing council could argue that this high error rate decreases the reliability of the testimony as evidence.

- - - - -

This gives us the following three-step process in order to determine whether a theory is scientific: First, determine whether the theory is potentially falsifiable (a good measure of whether it�s empirically-based). If it�s falsifiable, determine whether the methods used to obtain it are generally accepted by the relevant scientific community. Finally, examine the criticism of the theory by the scientific community, and whether or not this warrants claiming that it�s falsified. If it�s falsifiable, obtained in a scientific manner, and hasn�t been falsified by the scientific community, then it�s scientific. This method isn�t perfect, and one should keep in mind the aforementioned classifications of social sciences and protosciences which may or may not end up classified as science under this standard. Of course, science is ever-evolving, so many sciences of today will likely become obsolete, just as Phlogistics and the Geocentric Theory have. In their day, they were scientific, but if one were to practice them today, they would be pseudosciences.

Nothing funny about this chiropractic story

2010-02-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Mostly I poke fun at the stupidity of alternative medicine and their followers but every now and then I learn of real tragedies and real victims where there is nothing funny about it.

Canadian Chiropractor Sued after Child Is Paralyzed

I found this article on Chirobase "Your Skeptical Guide to Chiropractic History, Theories, and Practices" I haven"t fully explored the site but it seems interesting.

Chirobase

This story reminds me of a friend of mine. She was in a car accident and actually broke her neck with (I assume) a hairline fracture. Did she go to the emergency room! No.

She first went to a chiropractor! Can you believe it? She had been so convinced that "traditional medicine" had no solutions to pain. The guy yanked her neck this way and that, knowing full well she had been in a car accident! Now THAT quack should have been sued.

Horseradish As Alternative Medicine

2010-02-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

Horseradish As Alternative Medicine

Horseradish is a common condiment and an alternative medicine. It is an ancient herb that dates back to biblical times. This herb was one of the bitter herbs used during the Jewish Passover.

It is a tonic for the liver and the spleen.
It is effective in expelling worms in children.
It is used to treat food poisoning.
It clears the skin of blemishes and spots.
It gives relief for rheumatism, arthritis and gout.
It is an excellent remedy for sinus and lung congestion.
It is a treatment for kidney infections and kidney stones.

Horseradish is available as capsules, tincture and tea. The standard dosage in tincture form is 2 or 3 ml three times a day. It is an herb that is safe to use over long term. Poultice can be used to heal infected wounds. Expecting or nursing women and young children should avoid taking this herb. Those people who suffer from peptic ulcer and gastritis should also refrain from using it.

I have personally used this herb for my sinus problem with satisfactory results. It is very often combined with garlic. Horseradish is an alternative medicine for many health disorders but its value is still greatly undervalued.

Special Offer On Probiotics

2010-02-02T01:21:00.000-08:00

Probiotics can help your immune system, your digestive system and your general sense of well-being. We have a special offer running at the moment - buy OptiBac and get free AntiBloat. AntiBloat normally retails at �7.33.

Start with the AntiBloat - one sachet a day for a week - which helps reduce bloating and gets your digestion off to a good start, then swap to OptiBac, a unique and balanced formulation of 6 different probiotic strains combined with prebiotics (i.e. food for the probiotics to flourish) to provide daily maintenance for digestive health and the immune system. A month"s course is �8.80.

Optibac is sugar free. Actimel has 14g of sugar per 100g and Yakult has 18g sugar per 100g!!! (Coca Cola is only 10g / 100g)!

So make the healthy choice and get AntiBloat + OptiBac for �8.80

Music, developer and healer of human brain

2010-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

We all listen to music, rock or jazz or classic, everybody has his or her own taste.

We all know that it does have a soothing effect on us, may be energizing at times we feel low, etc., etc.
But have you ever though that there could be a scientific logic behind all this, and that music can be used as treatment for various disorders?

Researchers have called it the MOZART EFFECT, the effect of music on brain.
It has been known since earlier times that music plays a role in development of human brain.
Both harmful and beneficial effects of music have been recognized by the ancient Greeks and Romans, including Pythagoras, Democritus, Aristotle, Galen, and Celsus. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) refers to the qualities of specific instruments and sounds and their beneficial effects on various organs. Plato, Cicero, and Seneca all believed that music profoundly affected the behavior of entire societies and that the state should regulate the performance of music and prohibit certain types because of their potentially harmful effects.

The "Mozart Effect" is based on research by Frances Rauscher et al., who determined that listening to 10 minutes of Mozart"s "Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major" briefly increased scores 48% (relative to control groups) on the paper-folding task, a component of the Stanford-Binet intelligence test that measures spatio-temporal reasoning abilities. Moreover, the effects were transient, lasting only about 10 minutes, and performance on non-spatial reasoning tasks was unaffected. Such results seem to be unique to the music of Mozart, whereas music not as highly structured did not have measureable effects. Other researchers have demonstrated that compositions of other classical composers such as J.S. Bach show similar benefits.

Different types of music may significantly affect blood cortisol levels. Cortisol and adrenaline are two "stress" hormones that are secreted by the adrenal glands in response to ACTH. In one experiment, patients who had just been informed of their need for imminent surgery, were tested for blood cortisol concentrations after listening to a calming piece of music, chosen by each patient in consultation with a music therapist; cortisol levels were reduced by 50% compared with the control group that did not listen to any music. In another experiment, this time with healthy people, similar results were obtained by playing sitar music by Ravi Shankar, whereas a waltz by Johann Strauss and a rhythmically irregular, somewhat discordant piece by contemporary composer W.H. Henze had no effect.

Music is used in a variety of medical disorders, including seizures, ADD syndrome in chilren, lower blood pressure, treat depression, stress, anxiety and insomnia.

Good Samaritan hospital in Colorado has a dedicated section for music therapy, where about 9000 musical selections have been assorted to help in various stages of healing.

So go ahead, and listen all the soothing music you can lay your hands on, but remember music can make a person sick also, so just check the music you are planning to listen.

Happy Music listening

http://heartspring.net/music_health_effects.html

WHAT ARE OXYGEN THERAPIES?

2010-02-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

What are oxygen therapies and how can they help me?

Good question. Who knows what the future will bring, but if the past is any indication, then it could try men�s bodies as well as try their souls, so to speak. Bio-logical (should be bio-illogical) warfare, a rampant flu epidemic, even a flip in the earth�s magnetic poles, (which by the way has happened many times according to scientists) could knock our immune systems for a lupe-tee-lu. (It is suspected that during the null period between flips, when the magnetic field is essentially zero, that our immune systems go down as well). Even then, the coming onslaught of �superbugs� may not care whether you are healthy or not! Diseases like drug-resistant Tuberculosis have already landed on our shores and show up periodically in jails and grade schools to the chagrin of the CDC.

Are you prepared? Have you begun to wean your way from dependence on the �grid� or �matrix� (civilization as we now know it)? Could you be your own doctor or help others in great need. Or, like your pudgy, well-programmed neighbor, do you exist only to serve the system by being a �consumer�. God, don�t you just love being called a consumer; a dependent blob that is always hungry and thus is always buying something? Well, they have changed that term at least for now. But, the reality still lives.

There are various real, effective, safe and tested alternative methods of killing germs and after all, that is what it is about. The new super bugs are becoming resistant to antibiotics, e.g. vancomycin and mixed cocktails of drugs are the only way to fight many of these new bugs! They can evolve faster than the drug companies can come up with viable new antibiotics, and all drugs have side effects! And, no anti biotic will help if it is a virus!

We have to use new methods that go outside the old chemical paradigm. There are several therapies that can do this but we will look only at oxygen therapies for now. The chief among these you need to know about is �ozone therapy� as used by over 4000 doctors in Germany and also in Russia, Cuba and Mexico.
�Although the bactericidal and fungicidal effects of ozone had been known for practically a century�.it was not until over the last 20 years that intensive research on its efficacy against viruses has been conducted.

Comprehensive results are available from the field of drinking water and especially waste water treatment, in which ozone can be employed considerably more efficiently than chlorine, as it kills all viruses, much faster, even those which incontestably survive high chlorine concentration!�

From Ozone Therapy FAQ

But, it can be used inside the body to accomplish the same purification. This is being done right now all over the world. Why not here?

Because it has been used for over 50 years, it is well documented and there is plenty of information. Because the FDA calls it a poisonous gas with no therapeutic value, it is hard to find practitioners in the USA. At least you can study up on it and be prepared. You can acquire your own equipment very reasonably and with some study and elbow grease, you can learn to take care of your own health needs. This therapy is used successfully on everything from aids to cancer! Of course, we are not doctors and this is only our opinion based on study and observation. Please do not construe this as medical advice.

Your doctor may not even know about it or if he or she does, may be afraid due to lack of knowledge or fear of reprisals from the AMA, FDA, Peer Review Board, etc. We have known people who have gone to clinics in places like Mexico and spend tons of money and still died. Maybe because they waited too long. They would have been better served to learn of this therapy in advance of any problem.

One of the things besides fixing broken bones that allopathic medicine is very good at is �diagnosis� (except in some cases like lyme disease,etc.). They have a super technology at their behest. Use it. But then, when they try to scare you into submission to the knife, the neutrons, or the poisons, etc., just tell them you want to talk it over with your spouse first. Walk away like you did from that car salesman last time you bought a car. Never take your spouse unless you want to run out of excuses to buy. You get the idea.

As you will discover by a little reading, ozone therapy, when used properly, has next to zero side effects, is super effective and is non-invasive in the sense that surgery is. There is plenty of proof if you will begin reading now. Get your own ozone generator for the time when perhaps your doctor will be too busy or even too sick to help you and your family. Ozone is step one on the road to health self reliance. It is the king of oxygen therapies, Nature�s gift to mankind in an era when the oxygen levels have been depleted to dangerous levels. This is our gift to you for the coming times. Do not ignore it.

GlobalWarming Awareness2007

2010-02-01T18:17:00.000-08:00

Finally I can login into this blog after a little bit confusing... :)
Blogger has new version and every user must login with Google Account username and password. This morning I have tried several times to login using my Goggle username and password, but I still could not login. And then I try to use my old username and password to login ... it works!

Blogger then inform me that I should use my Google account to next login. It"s ok, no problem.

Recently I have a project called Globalwarming Awareness2007. It is a project focussing on creating consciousness of out planet Earth heat rises. Visit that link for further information.

Acne Natural Cure

2010-02-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

By: infozilla
At occurrence on a skin of eels it is necessary to use cautiously cosmetics since to rub in a skin of some creams and ointments can promote disease development.
Eels it is possible to squeeze out periodically. For this purpose it is necessary to steam out a skin preliminary. In saucepan to pour boiled water and to throw a grass handful (milfoil, camomile, kalendula, mint) to incline the person over saucepan and to cover a head with a towel. To sit minutes 7-10. Hands and the person before procedure are necessary for processing carefully - a dirt from under nails to clean, wash up hands with soap and to process a skin of hands and the person spirit or cologne. If it not to make - on a place of the squeezed out eel there can be a furuncle that is much more unpleasant. After the skin will steam out, eels it is possible to squeeze out cautiously.
Treatment acne
Treatment acne should be complex to what are applied both internal, and external means.
It is useful to accept inside from two to four teaspoons brewing yeasts every morning before meal.
One of the best means of treatment acne, pustulous diseases - tincture from petals of a white lily. Fresh petals to combine in a bottle and to fill in with vodka or the dissolved spirit. Every evening to wipe this infusion the person.
It is possible to apply the juice of leaves of the aloe. Leaves to wash boiled water, to dry and 10 days to lay in a dark cool place, then to crush and wring out juice. This juice wipe a skin. It is possible also mixture from leaves to fill in with cold boiled water, taking on 1 part of the crushed leaves of 5 parts of water to insist this mix, within an hour, then to boil it 2-3 minutes to filter and apply to lotions
Help to get rid of spots and eels of a lotion and compresses from broth of birch kidneys. A table spoon of birch kidneys to fill in with a glass of abrupt boiled water and to boil 10-20 minutes. To allow to be insisted and filter. It is possible to make kidneys as tea, to insist and drink.
It is possible to use and birch leaves. Drink tea all year long and will be rewarded by health. A table spoon with a hill on a 0,5-litre thermos to insist 20-30 minutes, drink instead of tea and water. Leaves can be made in a teapot or a coffee pot, but in a thermos all the same it is better. It is possible to rinse infusion hair.
Fresh juice of the plantain big to wipe a skin, to add in masks.
2 table spoons small cut root of the primrose spring on a glass of boiling water. To insist 1 hour. To filter. To wipe a skin.
1 table spoon the flowers of the pith of the black to fill in with a boiled water glass, to do poultices. It is possible to drink infusion on a half-glass 3 times a day for blood clarification
From leaves,flowers bird-cherry it is possible to use broth for washings by Broth from a bark, kidneys, needle of the pine tree to wash the face. To use for baths
2 table spoons grass of the wormwood of the bitter on 300 ml of boiling water to insist. To use for compresses and lotions. Juice fresh ice-hole to add in masks.
Infusion from balm to use for lotions. 4 table spoons of a plant on boiled water.
Internal means:
2 spoons of leaves nettle to fill in 2 boiled water, to insist 2 ?, to drink on a half-glass 4 times a day
One a spoon crushed roots of the dandelion to fill in boiled water, to boil 15 mines, to cool 45 mines, to filter. To drink on a half-glass 3 times a day for 15 mines to meal
Infusion grass is the sage to drink instead of tea and coffee
Recipes alternative medicine.Natural remedies

How To-27: "How to Create a Home First Aid Kit"

2010-02-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Emergencies happen.you can prepare for one by making a first aid kit.A first aid kit can be

Steps

Choose a nice sized container. It needs to be large enough to store the materials.
Store it an easily accessed locale in your home. Teach your children and frequent house guests where the first aid kit is stored.
Fill the box will the following sterile and/or newly-bought items:
- Adhesive dressings, of varied size and shape, from regular Band-Aid shapes to small squares to large
- Small (but sharp) scissors
- A package of gauze pads. They can be large, because you can always cut them if necessary.
- Adhesive tape (Not like cellophane tape)
- Cotton Balls, large and small, or tampons
- Rubbing non-Alcohol wipes for cleaning external surfaces only (i.e. cleaning dirt off of unbroken skin, or wiping down a surface)
- Antibiotic Ointment, for keeping the infection out of cuts, scrapes, etc.
- A thermometer
- Tweezers for pulling out splinter
- Latex or vinyl gloves, in case of blood,body fluids and dangerous waste
  - keep two pairs for the smallest kit
- A bee sting kit
- Insect Repellant
- sterile dressings(a sterile pad attached to a roller bandage)
- roller bandages
- triangular bandages
- sterile saline
- CPR breathing mask
- safety pins and bandage clips
you can use these items, if you have no supplies in an emergency:
- sticks for splints
- cloth for bleeding,slings.
- Water,to clean wounds and eyes.

Tips

You can also use a store bought kit and and add other items like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls,extra bandages and a thermometer.
Cotton swabs are optional
For antibiotic ointment, Neosporin is recommended, because it does not sting the cut.
You could save a life by learning first aid.Go to Your local red cross or other organisation.
Blue items are available for kitcens ECT.

Warnings

Wash tweezers, scissors, and thermometer after each use.
Be aware of what you use and don"t let supplies get low!
Be sure everyone who would potentially use the kit is not allergic to any of the ingredients.
Do not store prescriptions in the first aid kit,items such as an epipen are all right though

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world"s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Create a Home First Aid Kit. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Issues of Professionalism 1

2010-02-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

One of my interests could be broadly described as professionalism in medicine. Medicine can be such a stressful and demanding occupation that often many aspects of professionalism fall by the wayside. When you live at your job, its easy for your work behavior to blend with your home behavior; to a certain extent, this is probably fine. And I"m sure that this isn"t the only source of unprofessional behavior in medicine (there are certain personality issues among certain doctors, you have the sometimes unrealistic expectations of perfection, etc.).

One of the things I"ve been thinking about today has to do with how we train our future ob/gyns. I like the residents. I care about their welfare. I think that people don"t learn well when you beat them (either in actuality or metaphorically). The place that I"m training at has been described as a malignant (medical slang for hierarchical and hostile) training program, for the residents even more than for the fellows. I trained at a place that was very benign (the opposite of malignant). Our residency program director used to say that she was told that it took 2-3 years of being out of training to recover from each year spent in residency or fellowship. She always said that her goal was to structure the residency and do some proactive damage control to limit the number of years needed to recover. In contrast, this program is almost the opposite. They have no qualms about torturing residents until they decide to leave. They don"t agonize over firing a resident.

Every month we have a division meeting where we (among other things) evaluate the residents. One of the senior residents has a problem. He panics in the OR. His surgical skills are good. He"s a good guy, he"s done a lot of stuff, and he"s really smart. But he panics. I can see the panic in his eyes, and I know it"s terrible overwhelming fear because I"ve felt that before. Anybody who"s been in this field long enough has had a moment where everything seems like a disaster, and you feel like, "This patient is going to die. She"s going to die, and it"s all my fault because I was not a good enough doctor." The thing is, you need to be able to take a deep breath and continue despite the fact that you"re petrified, because if you can"t, the patient might die. The other thing is, you shouldn"t feel like that in routine cases. This is a surgical field, and people who feel like someone"s going to die every time they go into the OR have a problem here.

I don"t know if this is really an anxiety disorder as such. I am not afterall, a psychiatrist. I do know that this person has put enough into his education and training that it"s worth our time (as his teachers) to put the effort into him. I don"t think that this makes him unsafe as a doctor, exactly (although I can imagine instances where his panic could be dangerous), but I could imagine situations where he could be unsafe. At the same time, he"s not what we would call an "impaired physician", although this certainly could impair him in certain circumstances.

On a more personal level, I worry about him. I worry about how unpleasant it must be to operate when you"re terrified. I worry about how long he can compensate enough to do his job (which he has been doing), and I worry about what could happen if he eventually couldn"t compensate any longer.

Another issue is that if this is a manifestation of an anxiety order, that could, at least potentially, be treated. If its something else, that could potentially be dealt with also.

How does my division deal with this? They basically tell him to shape up or there will be consequences. Um.. so, that"s going to help? It just seems kind of heartless. Admittedly, maybe it"s the appropriate thing. Maybe the threatened consequences will force him to figure out what"s going on and come up with a plan to address it. But maybe it will just make things worse.

While I like this guy, I know that I"m (sort of) his teacher. I"m not his mom, and I"m not his friend. At the same time, I would like to help him. I just can"t figure out if there"s a nice way I could talk to him about this and try to figure out what"s going on. I feel like I can"t come up with a way to address it that will seem non-threatening. With all the stigma out there against physicians with mental illness*, I"m certainly not going to say, "I think you have an anxiety problem and it looks to me like you may be having panic attacks in the OR.".

Any thoughts? Solutions? Please, comment.

* I think that this stigma is real, and potentially dangerous. When I took my current job I had to answer all sorts of weird questions for the credentialling comittee (as well as for the employee health people). I mean, if I had been sanctioned for drug or alcohol abuse or if I had a history of psychosis, that might be something that they should know. I do not think that the question, "have you ever been diagnoised with a psychiatric disorder or recieved any care from a psychiatrist?" is anybody"s business but mine.

Quiddle Me Vis

2010-02-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I"ve got a ton of possibilities for my next "Big post" rolling around in my head, so I figured I"d leave it up to my readers which you wanted to see first. Here are a few suggestions, but feel free to come up with something else:

Another "Distilled Wisdom" post. I"ve got a couple in mind I could do, one in dealing with trolls, one in a particular arguing tactic.
"Why Atheism?" It worked for Skepticism.
Another "Quantum Mechanics for Dummies" post. I"ve got a particular subject in mind I could do (quantum uncertainty), but I"m open to other areas people would like to hear about.
On a similar vein, another explanatory science post trying to explain the four fundamental forces of nature. Gravity and E&M are pretty easy, but it took until just this year until anyone bothered giving me even a hint about how the nuclear forces worked, and it"s possible others are wondering the same thing.
Pretty much any physics question you might have. If it"s short enough, I might just answer it for ya in the comments.

Healthy Levels of Cholesterol

2010-02-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

Your total blood cholesterol level

Your total blood cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:
Desirable � Less than 200 mg/dL
Borderline high risk � 200�239 mg/dL
High risk � 240 mg/dL and over

Here is some more explanation about each of these categories.

Desirable- If your total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, your heart attack risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors. Even with a low risk, it"s still smart to eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and also get plenty of physical activity. Have your cholesterol levels measured every five years � or more often if you"re a man over 45 or a woman over 55.

Borderline high risk- People whose cholesterol level is from 200 to 239 mg/dL are borderline high risk. About a third of American adults are in this (borderline) group; almost half of adults have total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL.

Have your cholesterol and HDL rechecked in one to two years if:
Your total cholesterol is in this range.
Your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL.

You don�t have other risk factors for heart disease.

You should also lower your intake of foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol to reduce your blood cholesterol level to below 200 mg/dL. Your doctor may order another blood test to measure your LDL cholesterol. Ask your doctor to discuss your LDL cholesterol with you. Even if your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239 mg/dL, you may not be at high risk for a heart attack. Some people � such as women before menopause and young, active men who have no other risk factors � may have high HDL cholesterol and desirable LDL levels. Ask your doctor to interpret your results. Everyone"s case is different.

High risk- If your total cholesterol level is 240 or more, it"s definitely high. Your risk of heart attack and stroke is greater. In general, people who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL.
You need more tests. Ask your doctor for advice. About 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels.

Your LDL cholesterol level

Your LDL cholesterol level greatly affects your risk of heart attack and stroke. The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. In fact, it�s a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. Your LDL cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High

The key point to remember is, the lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. Your doctor may prescribe a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, regular exercise and a weight management program if you"re overweight. If you can"t lower your cholesterol with these efforts, medications may also be prescribed to lower your LDL cholesterol. Check these categories and the goals for treatment that can lower your risk of heart attack.

Your HDL cholesterol level
In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol that"s less than 40 mg/dL is low. Low HDL cholesterol puts you at high risk for heart disease. Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol. If you have low HDL cholesterol, you can help raise it by:

Not smoking
Losing weight (or maintaining a healthy weight)
Being physically active for at least 30�60 minutes a day on most or all days of the week

People with high blood triglycerides usually have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol ratio
Total blood cholesterol is the most common measurement of blood cholesterol. It"s the number you normally receive as test results. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Knowing your total blood cholesterol level is an important first step in determining your risk for heart disease. However, a critical second step is knowing your HDL or "good" cholesterol level.

Some physicians and cholesterol technicians use the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol in place of the total blood cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that the absolute numbers for total blood cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels be used. They"re more useful to the physician than the cholesterol ratio in determining the appropriate treatment for patients.

The ratio is obtained by dividing the HDL cholesterol level into the total cholesterol. For example, if a person has a total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL and an HDL cholesterol level of 50 mg/dL, the ratio would be stated as 4:1. The goal is to keep the ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5:1.

Your triglyceride level

Your triglyceride level will fall into one of these categories:
Triglyceride Level Classification
Less than 150 mg/dL Normal
150�199 mg/dL Borderline-high
200�499 mg/dL High
500 mg/dL or higher Very high

Many people with high triglycerides have underlying diseases or genetic disorders. If this is true for you, the main therapy is to change your lifestyle. This includes controlling your weight, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercising regularly, not smoking and, in some cases, drinking less alcohol. People with high triglycerides may also need to limit their intake of carbohydrates to no more than 45�50 percent of total calories. The reason for this is that carbohydrates raise triglycerides in some people and lower HDL cholesterol. Use products with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?

2010-02-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

Infections of the Urinary Tract are extremely common, accounting for more than 8 million doctor"s visits a year. Approximately 8 - 10 million people in the USA develop a UTI each year. Men, women and children develop UTI"s.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI"s) usually occurs when bacteria enter the opening of the urethra and multiply in the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the two kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder itself, and the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the urethral opening).

Twenty percent of women in the United States develop a UTI and twenty percent of those have a recurrence.

What is the usual treatment for a UTI?

Once a UTI has been diagnosed, most conventional doctors choose antibiotics as the preferred treatment. A course of antibiotics can quickly cure a UTI and kill the bacteria that cause it.

Although antibiotics certainly have their place, there are two main problems with antibiotic use for urinary tract infections:

1. Due to the frequency of antibiotic use for UTI"s and other infections, bacteria are developing a resistance to the antibiotics, making them less and less effective. The "smarter" the antibiotics become, the "smarter" the bacteria become as well. Eventually, the bacteria will mutate to avoid the effects of the antibiotics.

2. Frequent use of antibiotics will also affect your immune system functioning. As we have seen above, a healthy immune system is important in the prevention of UTI"s. This means that the antibiotics that are used to cure your UTI may make another infection more likely in the near future.

Natural Remedies

There are many natural herbs which are extremely effective in the treatment and prevention of UTI"s. Some of these have been used for centuries and many have been subjected to clinical trials which prove their effectiveness.

UTI Treatments and Remedies. Learn More...

Ecuador: Days 4-9: Clinic

2010-02-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

I"m not dead, not yet, anyway. ;) Thanks for your concern, but I really have been just super busy, off interviewing for jobs and going to conferences and stuff. Over the last 2 months, I"ve spent less than 2 weeks at home. Traveling is getting tiring!

So, anyway, the real reason I was in Ecuador! I"ll start off by saying that initially I thought that the reason I was going to Ecuador was to take care of the people. And I did some of that, but as it turns out, I was a little mistaken.

Our clinic was in a little town called San Martin, in the mountains above Quito. Having arrived from near sea-level at Banyos the night before, I spent my first day in clinic being somewhat useless and dizzy. I wouldn"t say I had altitude sickness (or acute mountain sickness to be technical about it), it was more a matter of needing more than 8 hours to acclimatize to the 14,000 foot altitude.

Anyway, it was me, 2 other docs (family medicine people) and a whole cadre of Spanish-speaking med students. I have to say, initially, I felt completely useless. Most of the patients complaints were things I had treated only long ago (if ever). Kids with parasites, old women with rotator cuff injuries. Men with BPH. That kind of thing. Kids with other problems. A kid with Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Then I realized it. The real reason I was in Ecuador was to teach the medical students how to take care of people. That realization (and maybe actually becoming acclimatized made a huge difference).

Some other observations: The reason docs like to go to the third world to help out is the fact that you can do a lot with very limited resources. All of our meds, all of our equipment were donated. It cost some money to ship the stuff (and the team) down, but basically, we helped people in ways we would not have been able to in the US, simply because the legal system (and JCHAO) have made things so expensive. Patient expectations also add to the cost. In Ecuador, people are willing to accept some ambiguity of diagnosis and try a treatment to see if it works. In the US, if you tell someone, "I think you have x, but there is a small possibility you could have y, so we"re going to try to treat for x, and if it doesn"t work, we"ll need to rule out y", they really want the ct scan or blood work or whatever to rule out disease y.

Interestingly, Ecuadorians don"t expect perfect health all of the time. They don"t expect their babies to be perfect (they"re aware of the risk that things happen, and they"re grateful when their babies are normal). They don"t expect to be pain-free all of the time.

Having said that, Ecuador does need more trial lawyers (the US has too many... maybe we could ship some down there?). People have horrible work-place injuries (like blindings) and get either no or minimal compensation, often not even enough to pay for medical bills.

Ecuador is a dangerous place. They don"t seem to think about safety much in Ecuador. This is why they need more trial lawyers. People to sue the pants off of people when they"re a bus driver and drive drunk and end up in an accident that paralyzes some poor kid.

You can practice good and rewarding medicine in a building with a dirt floor and without indoor plumming.

There are some illnesses that are really difficult to treat without any real way to follow the patient up (the clinic"s only open for 2 months).

I guess that"s most of it. I"ll close with some pics.

The road outside our clinic

Our waiting room

The exam rooms, separated by sheets hung from string

Washing out a little girl"s ear

History Taking

A happy patient!

Tom Cruise Website

2010-02-01T03:07:00.000-08:00

A new satirical website TomCruiseIsNuts.com about a mizguided zealot.

Cruise site gets to the nut of the matter

The amazing power of faith

2010-02-01T02:04:00.000-08:00

A rant. You have been warned. (Edited to be less of a rant. Still pretty strong.)

Faith can have the power to change lives. This is often held to be a good thing. I think that in fact, it is a very, very dangerous thing. And, quite often, a terrible thing.

My reasons range from the mundane to le monde. These are merely examples; there are many more.

The mundane: I know a boy. A very nice, intelligent boy. A likeable lad. His brain is, unfortunately, completely infected with the faith meme. He takes ridiculous risks with his life. If you warn him of danger, his reply is that he believes in God and God will protect him from harm (and he will yell this over his shoulder as he plummets full-tilt down concrete stairs or heads toward traffic, in spite of the added danger not looking poses). The faith that his parents have inflicted him with, or have allowed others to inflict on him, places him directly in harms way.

If a parent deliberately and with forethought chose to deny their child some essential nutrient that substantially increased the risk of the child dying, the media would trumpet it to the world as evil child abuse. But instill blind faith in God�s providence, and the faithful treat it as admirable. This child is being denied an essential nutrient. The lack of it affects brain development and as a result, this child�s risk of death has gone up dramatically. One can cross one"s fingers and hope he will come out of the worst of it before he is too badly harmed, but it�s rather like seeing a teenager taking up petrol sniffing � they might stop before the permanent harm becomes tragically too great, but you don�t necessarily believe they will.

The larger problem is, this increased risk in not limited to this boy. His faith rubs off on those around him (and, worse, he�s far from the most faith-meme-infected child I know). The fuckers that are playing with that child�s life are also playing with the lives of many children. Including my children. And, if experience is any guide, pleased with themselves. Like it"s a good thing.

Perhaps slightly less mundane: Teenagers have sex. Many of them get pregnant. They always have. They always will. Getting pregnant when you�re not ready for it can be a bad thing. Further, having sex before you"re mature enough to deal with it and everything that goes with it can be a bad thing. Some people of faith feel that the appropriate way to deal with it is to tell kids simply not to have sex. This is known as abstinence-only sex education.

The problem is, it does not work. Study after study show that it doesn"t. Kids whose sex education consists of abstinence-only programs have sex younger and more often than kids who get full on sex-education, including explanations of how contraception works. Millions of dollars are being spent, especially in the US, on programs that, in effect, lead to more teenage sex and pregnancy. Older kids who take a pledge not to have sex until they are married have sex almost as often as kids who don"t, but they"re much more likely to engage in unsafe sex, and less likely to seek treatment for sexually transmitted disease. (And they feel guilty about it, for all the good that does them.)

The solution of the faithful is to spend more money on abstinence-only programs. You see, the problem is, faith cannot be in error, because it is faith - you have to believe it works, no matter what the evidence. To even examine if the results of a faith based program works is to doubt your faith, and that, apparently, is a bad thing. If, somehow, they cannot avoid noticing that it doesn"t work, we must have done it wrong, so we all have to pray harder and do it more, and no matter how much harm it does, we have to force people to go along with it.

Le monde: Faith is, to a great extent, what got Bush elected. Faith is what convinces him that reason and evidence are trumped by the voice in his head. Faith (well, that and money, I guess) is what has convinced Bush and his cronies that trillions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of human lives must not only be spent, but must continue to be spent in a war that has made the world a far more dangerous place - and they were plainly told this in all manner of ways before it was too late. Faith trumps reason. Faith trumps evidence. Faith trumps truth.

Faith tells priests in Africa to tell people not to use condoms, that they"re an evil Western plot. I see people say "that"s no longer church policy". Well, they don"t seem to have gotten the message in a lot of places. Go tell them, or stop whining that it"s not fair to bring it up. If you"re not doing anything about it, stop trying to interfere with those of us who want to give it some attention.

Faith is, to a large extent, why the world cannot currently deal with the greatest threat to my great-great-grandchildren, and my neighbors great-great-grandchildren, and dammit, all great-great-grandchildren everywhere � runaway global warming. Faith blinds people to truth, and makes them condemn the people who tell it.

Faith makes for very bad decisions, both large and small.

As a result, faith, in short, because it encourages bad decisions, harms, even kills children. It ruins lives, brings death, poverty, waste, ruin, tragedy. Don�t expect me to sugar coat this, because it"s not a matter about which decent people should be polite.

Many theists, individually, might not agree with the bad decisions I�m talking about, but faith, and the belief that faith is somehow inherently good, is at the root of the problem of many bad decisions. Every major problem that keeps me awake at night, I see people of faith using that faith as a reason to stand in the way of solutions. Standing beside them I see people of less strident faith, people who hold �liberal� �sophisticated� beliefs, good decent people, not condemning them and everything they stand for, not fighting them. Instead, they praise their faith. They treat the misguided faith as admirable.

Pardon me if I don"t join you in admiring it.

... so shall ye reap

2010-02-01T00:54:00.000-08:00

This is roaring over the blogosphere as we speak, and he is supposed to address the issue tonight at 7, but it looks like Alan Keyes"s daughter is an out lesbian.

Yes, the very same Alan Keyes that claimed Mary Cheney was a "selfish hedonist," like all homosexuals. This is because gays can"t have children (*cough* adoption *cough*), and are therefore "impossible of seeking any higher good than orgasms," to quote Ms. Keyes.

This was discovered through her own blog. Apparently, as this is becoming more well-known, she is taking down parts of the blog, but Chillinois has archived some of her posts. Let"s just say it doesn"t paint such a rosy picture of the Keyes family.

Practice Yoga for the Face & Remove Wrinkles : Anti Aging Therapy

2010-01-31T20:52:00.000-08:00

Yoga facelift is a natural approach to reduce wrinkles. People who want a chemical-free facelift can try this form of yoga. Marie Veronique Nadeau, 59, has been doing yoga facelift for two years, and toning more than 130 muscles above her neck, the wrinkles were wiped away. However, Nadeau said there is a right and wrong way to work the face. If you do the wrong way, you can create more wrinkles without even knowing it. She suggests grabbing your face with your fingers and smiling without moving your lips. Do this five times with three repetitions each.

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Virgin Coconut Oil

2010-01-31T20:30:00.000-08:00

Coconut Oil is commonly used for medicinal and soap making. It could be used as cooking oil. It has been a staple cooking oil for thousands of years in tropical climates. It has been observed that coconut oil has a high tolerance for high cooking temperature and its chain structure will not be easily change with heat. And also medium chain fatty acids of coconut oil helps boosts metabolism, and somehow improves the immune system because of its has a high lauric acid component.

Follow the links to read more about the properties of Virgin Coconut Oil:

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

What Is Noni Juice - An Ancient Health Food

2010-01-31T15:45:00.000-08:00

by Dean Iggo

What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well? That question has been asked by alternative health professionals for years. There is no simple answer to the question of "What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well?" but there are many theories floating around that may lead to an answer in this burning debate.

What Is Noni Juice?
The first half of the question is fairly easy to answer. Noni Juice is the juice of the Morinda citrifolia plant grown in many tropical climates like Hawaii, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands. While the plant is native to the South Pacific, it has transplanted quite well to many other warm, moist growth climates. Most companies who sell Noni Juice sell a variety of other Noni based products, including one hundred percent pure Noni Juice, organic Noni Juice, and fresh Noni fruit leather. For the past two thousand years, natives to Southern Pacific Islands have been using the fruit to heal all sorts of ailments. Natives suggest that Noni Juice can be used to keep the infection out of open wounds and prevent more serious illnesses from forming in the body.

What Makes Noni Work So Well?
This is much harder to answer than the simplistic "What is Noni?" question. As with most alternative medicine products, modern science simply hasn"t completed enough research yet to answer this question. Dr. Ralph Heinicke suggested that the alkaloid xeronine makes Noni work well, and that could be the case. There are, however, many other possibilities. One idea that has been presented is that Noni works so well because it, like many fruits and vegetables you can find on your local store shelves, is packed with powerful antioxidants that are natural to fruits. These can help your body to fight infection. This is exactly why scientists have been telling you for years to eat a balanced diet. Noni can certainly be a part of that balanced diet. Another idea that has been presented is that Noni works well because of the kinds of soils it naturally grows in. Most Noni grows in climates that are free of pollution. Moreover, most growers have the opportunity to plant it in nutrient-rich soil, increasing its capacity to contain the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.

Figuring out the answer to "What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well?" is a tough road. Hopefully, scientific research will have a solid answer soon.

About the Author
Dean Iggo is the webmaster of NoniJuiceAdvisor.com providing unbiased hawaiian noni juice information including noni fruit juice benefits, testimonials and products.

Why, yes!

2010-01-31T12:23:00.000-08:00

I found this poll on the News-Gazette site this week.

Reloading didn"t help. Not surprisingly, the results showed a lot of people voting "Yes."

Acne Skin Care

2010-01-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

A chatter box topic in teen age campus!

Acne skin care has become a topic of discussion among the teen age girls and boys. But, normally we do not see such serious problems in early ages.

Soft skin becomes coarse!
We know the new born baby is so soft and smooth that you can not compare it with other than rose petals. When the baby grows into a little girl, you just wonder her skin continues to be smooth and soft. Only when she attains the age of puberty, we could see some changes in the faces of the growing youth. Acne skin care is a serious stage of concern, next to initiation of pimples on the facial petals.

Pimple"s Story!
The skin has a large number of hair follicles through out its body. Beneath the root of the follicle lies sebaceous gland, secreting an oily substance called sebum. When the dust and dirt block the minute pores, the oily substance get struck at the roots. The skin pores blocked become an unhygienic place for bacterial and fungal growth. Small skin eruptions appear to be called pimples, as a sign of passing the age of puberty. It is just the beginning of the need for acne skin care. Petals into Thorns - Pimple into Acne!

The problem starts only when the number of pimples gets increased in a larger area on the face. The girl and the mother get perturbed as the face turns from petals to thorns. The pimples at this serious stage are called acne and it is time to start the acne skin care. Otherwise it will express its veracity by the way of spreading to neck and down to chest and back also.

Wash and Wash to keep clean and sterile!
Acne skin care has well known processes from very simple to serious means of prevention, control and removal of acne. Just cleaning the face frequently with water helps to remove the excess oil secreted. Application of neutral soft soap finds its way to remove dust, dirt and oil and keeps the hair follicles clean. The fungal pores and bacterial growth does not appear as much as the skin is kept hygienic.

Start with soap and cream!
Application of an antibiotic cream tries to kill the germs, while a dermal soap cleans the black and white heads of the pimple and acne. In simple cases, this kind of simple acne skin care will be control the acne growth.

Peel the mask and go to laser beam tech!
However, the acne skin care needs sophisticated measures also. A face cream is pasted as a mask for a few hours and peeled off along with the fresh acne skin flare-ups or eruptions. In serious conditions acne skin care goes to the level of plastic surgery in operation theaters having laser technology.

Don"t worry - there are safer clinics to handle any worse case of acne skin care!

Raj Bhayani, A SKIN CARE EXPERT is a medical Doctor and a facial plastic surgeon who has been performing cosmetic surgery for many years.

Check the http://www.Best-Product.US web site for information on all aspects of finding anti aging skin care cure.

Angiogenesis-Regulating Protein Controls Tumor Growth

2010-01-31T05:42:00.000-08:00

Human beings can live -- and most apparently do -- with microscopic cancers in their bodies. It"s when these cancers grow and spread that they wreak havoc.
A solid tumor cannot grow beyond the size of a pinhead unless it has an independent blood supply to deliver the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow and advance. In order to grow and invade, a tumor develops its own blood supply through the process called angiogenesis.

Researchers have long theorized that angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs could interrupt that process, cutting off the blood supply to the tumor and, ideally, killing it.

Now a genetic analysis of a protein believed to affect the formation of blood vessels has proved that Thrombospondin-1 in fact regulates a tumor"s ability to form the independent blood supply that cancers need to grow and thrive, UCLA researchers report.

This is the first time the mechanism of Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) regulation has been demonstrated genetically in laboratory animals with cancer, said molecular biologist Luisa Iruela-Arispe, a researcher at UCLA"s Jonsson Cancer Center and an assistant professor in the UCLA Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology.

Iruela-Arispe"s research is outlined today in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The article can be found at this URL.

The UCLA discovery, the result of five years of laboratory experimentation and genetic analysis, could lead to new treatments targeted to fight malignancies, Iruela-Arispe said.

Already several angiogenesis inhibitors tested in clinical trials have been shown to suppress tumor growth, but their mechanism of action is often unclear.

In the case of TSP1, recognized more than a decade ago as the first naturally occurring protein to act as an angiogenesis inhibitor, Iruela-Arispe and her team of researchers set out to discover the mechanism used to regulate angiogenesis.

"As human beings, we have many internal controls in place to prevent tumors from growing and expanding. These are our gatekeepers," Iruela-Arispe said. "We all have cancers that occur within us, but the body throws up a lot of obstacles to keep the cancers from growing. TSP1 is likely to be one of those obstacles, and we were able to prove that it does regulate angiogenesis and tumor growth through a novel mechanism."

To uncover the mechanism, Iruela-Arispe and her team studied a strain of laboratory mice with breast cancer that overexpressed TSP1. These mice developed much smaller tumors that took longer to grow than a strain of mice that expressed no TSP1 at all.

Of the mice that overexpressed TSP1, 20 percent appeared to be protected from cancer -- although they carried the genetic mutation for the disease, the mice did not develop any tumors at all, Iruela-Arispe said.

The strain of mice with no TSP1, on the other hand, developed very large tumors very quickly. Iruela-Arispe said 100 percent of these mice developed breast cancer.

Additionally, the blood supply created by the tumors in the mice with no TSP1 was better developed and more efficient than the blood supply in the mice that overexpressed TSP1.

The capillaries in the mice lacking TSP1 were larger in diameter and more frequent in number, Iruela-Arispe said.

Iruela-Arispe"s research shows that TSP1 regulates the activation of a molecule called MMP9, which in previous research has been shown to promote angiogenesis and allow tumors to spread more easily to other organs.

Iruela-Arispe"s data indicates that TSP1 could be suppressing the activation of MMP9, providing protection from tumor growth.

This discovery could be used to develop drugs that mimic TSP1, perhaps preventing tumors from developing independent blood supplies. In effect, the drugs would starve the tumors of nutrients and oxygen, leading to their death.

"We know a lot about what promotes angiogenesis," Iruela-Arispe said. "Unfortunately, we know very little about what regulates it."

Iruela-Arispe has been studying TSP1 for nearly a dozen years. Her scientific team will continue to study the protein, "to build on this discovery and see if we can learn more about it and how it may help protect us from developing cancer," she said.

I feel left out

2010-01-31T05:29:00.000-08:00

Recently, it seems the trolls have been infesting all the skeptical blogs around here, but there"s one big notable exception: Me (oh yeah, and JanieBelle too, though the adult content on her blog could explain it). So I"m asking you: What am I doing wrong (or right, depending on your perspective)? Do I not post frequently enough? Am I too nice? Do they not get my Terry Pratchett references?

20% off self-hypnosis self-help CDs

2010-01-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

We�re offering 20% off all the self-help self-hypnosis CDs in our online shop. Offer ends on Friday at midnight.

You need to quote the code SAVE12 as you go through the checkout process. This great saving applies to online orders only.

Get yourself ready for the New Year with

Exercise Motivation CD

Financial Success CD

Stop Smoking CD

Positive Thinking CD

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And lots more. Carriage is �1.50 (within the UK; outside at cost). Order before noon (Monday to Friday) and your order is sent out by first class post the same day, otherwise the next working day.

All our products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee � we want you to be happy with what you buy from us.

You can listen to excerpts online before you buy.

6 Natural Cures That Work

2010-01-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

When your doc recommends a new treatment, you probably research all the side effects and pepper her with questions.

But perhaps because there"s something less scary or medical sounding about alternative medicines such as acupuncture or herbs, many smart people not only slack on their research into so-called complementary therapies, but they skip class altogether.

Two-thirds of adults who take herbal supplements are using them to treat conditions for which there is no scientific evidence that they work, a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports. It doesn"t help that mainstream doctors often aren"t familiar enough with complementary therapies to recommend them: Another survey of physicians at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found that while most believed some treatments hold promise, the majority were not comfortable counseling patients about them.

"It takes time and effort to discern which therapies are valuable and right for you," says Victoria Maizes, M.D., executive director of the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine in Tucson.

That"s where SELF comes in. We interviewed the experts and analyzed the data (yes, we peruse the Journal of the American Medical Association so you don"t have to) to ID six remedies that have proven potency. Let the natural healing begin!

About the Author
http://www.tcmadvisory.com/

Pet healing, Medical Intuitive Diagnostic Imaging�by Brent Atwater

2010-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

Brent Atwater"s Book due Fall 2009

Medical Intuitive Diagnostic Imaging � The energy images of medical conditions, health issues and disorders

"A groundbreaking intuitive healing and energy medicine book! A must read for energy healers, medical intuitives, alternative therapists, and holistic integrative healing practitioners"

Learn the energy pattern images and colors of disease, medical conditions & health issues and much more!

see www.JustPlainLoveBooks.com for updates

http://angelsbysharae.homestead.com/files/Brentsmall.gif
Contact information:
Brent Atwater
Box 475
Southern Pines, NC 28388
NC Phone: 910.692.5206
ATL Phone: 404.242.9022
E mail: Brent@BrentAtwater.com
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Repeat Caesarean: More Risk

2010-01-30T12:41:00.000-08:00

Women who have uterine caesarean scar have slightly increased long-term risks. These risks, which increase further with each additional caesarean delivery, include:

- Breaking open of incision scar during a later pregnancy or labour (uterine rupture, or tearing open of the uterus into the abdominal cavity), a serious condition that may result in hysterectomy, urologic injury or a need for blood transfusion for the mother, and neurological damage in the infant. 90% of uterine ruptures happen at the site of a scar from a previous C-section.

- Placenta previa (the growth of the placenta low in the uterus, blocking the cervix). Compared with women with no uterine scar, women have more than 4 times the risk of placenta previa with 1 prior caesarean, 7 times the risk with 2-3 prior caesareans, and 45 times the risk with 4 or more prior caesareans. Placenta previa more than doubles the chance of the baby dying and increases the rate of pre-term birth more than 6-fold.

- Placenta accreta, placenta increta, placenta percreta (least to most severe), the growth of the placenta deeper into the uterine wall than normal, which can lead to severe bleeding after childbirth, sometimes requiring a hysterectomy.

- The odd placenta accreta (placenta grows into or even through the uterus) jump from 1 in 1,000 with 1 prior caesarean to in 100 with more than 1 prior caesarean. Nearly all women with this complication will require a hysterectomy, nearly half will have a massive haemorrhage, and as many as 1 in 11 babies and 1 in 14 mothers will die. The incidence of placenta accrete has increased 10-fold in the last 50 years.

- Placental abruption. Compared with women with prior births and no previous caesareans, women with 1 prior caesarean or more have as much as 3 times the risk of placental abruption (early separation of a normal placenta from the wall of uterus). With placental abruption, 6 in every 100 babies will die, and 3 in 10 will be born too early.

Old scar tissue also increases the likelihood of surgical injury

One more woman in every 100 with a history of more than one caesarean will have an ectopic pregnancy (embryo implants outside the womb). Haemorrhage associated with ectopic pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal death in the US.

Women having elective repeat caesarean are more likely to experience haemorrhage requiring transfusion, blood clots, and infection.Postpartum recovery after repeat caesarean section is even more difficult when there is another child or children to care for.

RIP Terri

2010-01-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

I"m sure you know by now the last remaining pieces of Terri Shaivo died today. I figure the media circus around her will die down in two weeks or so. Canonization by the Religious Right will soon follow. (Or whatever it is Southern Baptists do instead of making people saints.)

Skin Disease Treatment And Skin Care

2010-01-30T00:37:00.000-08:00

Healthy skin represents healthy body. If something is wrong in our body system, we often notice there is change in the skin. If we had skin problems, we should ask advice from medical practitioners because it may connote something serious within our body.

To take care of our skin, we have to know how to get good and healthy skin.

Boils, carbuncles, blackheads, pimples or any skin infection are caused by impure blood. Go on a prolonged diet and stop eating meats of all kinds. It is also advised to avoid eating between meals. Also, avoid cane sugar, white flour or white flour products. Get plenty of exercise in the morning outside to get fresh air too. Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and well-cooked grains.

Cold rubs are very helpful. Use towel and rub vigorously afterwards to increase the circulation.

Make a strong tea of red clover blossoms, using three or four tablespoonfuls, granulated, to the quart of water. Steep one-half hour in boiling water, covered. Drink this tea freely in place of water. Chickweed tea may be used also in the same way. If you follow this treatment, using either of the herbs as directed, the skin disease will disappear.

Citrus fruits are beneficial in all skin troubles. For external treatment make into tea the following for bathe of infected or affected skin: Equal parts golden seal, Echinacea, yellow dock root, burdock root, and with hazel bark. These should be mixed thoroughly. Use a heaping tablespoonful of this mixture to a pint of boiling water, steep one-half hour, pour off the liquid or strain, add a level tablespoonful of boric acid: this will keep the fluid from souring. Apply a number of times during the day to the affected parts.

This Ends Now

2010-01-30T00:16:00.000-08:00

After having spent 5 days sleeping 12-14 hours/day and eating buckets of chocolate (although still exercising), I have to say that this ends now. I will clean my apartment, I will get out and do some shopping, and I will start getting up at a reasonable hour. I am on call at 8am on 12/30, and I must be able to get out of bed that morning. I also must continue to fit into my clothes.

So.

THIS

ENDS

NOW.

Senna Leaf As Alternative Medicine

2010-01-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

Senna Leaf As Alternative Medicine

Senna Leaf has been used as an alternative medicine for more than 3500 years. The ancient Egyptian physicians used this herb to treat constipation. Senna leaf is also used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

It is well known for its laxative properties and is the main component in herbal laxatives.

It flushes toxins and impurities out from the body.
It is beneficial to sufferers of anal fissures and haemorrhoids.
It cleans and clears the bowel before ultrasound and scanning procedures.

Senna leaf is available as tablets, powder, tea and tinctures. Some people prefer to use the unprocessed pods or leaves to make a tea. To avoid any side effects always take the lowest effective amount. A cup of tea per day is enough to relieve constipation. It is not used as a mean to solve chronic constipation.

Senna leaf is not recommended for nursing and pregnant women and children under 12. Those who suffer from undiagnosed abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction must not take this herb. Senna leaf could react with medications for heart problems. Long term use of Senna leaf could weaken colon and cause dependency.

World Health Organization has given its approval for Senna leaf to treat short term constipation. Senna leaf is an effective alternative medicine but it must be used with great caution.

Five Word Movie Review: Alex and Emma

2010-01-29T17:40:00.000-08:00

Alex and Emma

Occasionally amusing. Well-acted crap.

Discover how your body is able to support the healing process

2010-01-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, aside from keeping the internal processes of the body healthy, strong and functioning well, also serve to promote the healing of wounds, both on the external and inner surfaces of the body. The rate at which wounds heal and the quality of the repair tissues depends upon adequate nutrition. There are several vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that affect the healing process.

Vitamin K is essential to the very first step of healing a wound � stopping the bleeding, via the clotting of the blood. Without Vitamin K, healing would not proceed, as the blood would not clot. Vitamin K partners with the mineral calcium in the production of the body�s primary clotting agent, thrombin.

One of the most important vitamins involved in the healing of wounds is Vitamin C. It is particularly helpful in the growth and development of new tissues, in part because it also supports the health and function of the body�s many tiny capillaries that are responsible for taking oxygen and nutrients to the far reaches of the body.

Another aspect of its importance in the growth and development of new tissues, thus in wound healing, as well as the maintenance of existing tissues, has to do with its role in collagen production. Collagen is what makes the scar that holds a wound together and makes up the connective tissue of the body. Collagen supports the structure of the skin. Vitamin C is essential to the production of collagen, meaning that Vitamin C has a great part in literally holding the body together.

Zinc is another mineral important to wound healing. There are more than 300 enzymes in the body that require zinc to perform their tasks. Many of these enzymes relate directly to the healing of wounds, such as the production of collagen. Zinc plays a role in the body being able to make use of certain proteins and in cell division.

However, it should be noted, too much zinc can interfere with the healing of wounds. That is because the body operates on a chemical system that has a delicate balance, and too much zinc interferes with how the body uses copper and other substances, thus throwing off the balance that is necessary for the best wound healing.

Copper, a mineral, is also significant to the process of healing wounds. Copper has many roles in the body, including being a component of numerous enzymes. In terms of healing, one of its most important roles is in the formation of collagen, which is essential to the wound healing process.

The vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that we consume daily are what support all of the processes of the body and the mind. The healing of wounds is essential to the body, and proper nutrition is what allows the process of wound healing to operate at peak performance, meaning that wounds heal as well and as quickly as they should. Dietary supplements are an affordable, safe and convenient way to make sure that your body is able to support the healing process.

One hell of a brave penguin

2010-01-29T08:35:00.000-08:00

I can"t remember where I found this, and I really wish I could. It cracks me up no end.

One brave penguin.

Belief and skepticism at the dinner table

2010-01-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

My son has announced at the dinner table that he believes in God, twice this week.
(He"s being indoctrinated by his school friends again.)

His little sister gave him a withering look each time and said "I don"t."

This is no big deal. He"s only eight and in a sea of godbottery, so it"s not a big surprise that he picks up some of it. With Christmas coming, of course, they"re practicing carols for the school christmas concert and stuff, so the exposure to that has had him thinking about it even more than usual.

Personally, I"m not even going to try to disabuse him of it. Not yet anyway, he"s still a kid. Unless he tries to engage me in a conversation dealing with the merits of the position, in which case I may try a little gentle exposure to the bible and the actual beliefs of a few other religions. Curing only his ignorance of what belief in deities carries with it will probably be all he"ll need, though it may take him a while to sort it all out once he knows a bit more.

He has a decent grounding in looking for evidence. He knows that not everything someone tells him is going to be true. He loves science. He adores the Mythbusters. It all has an impact.

He has expressed open skepticism in a number of beliefs that come with Christianity. Angels make no sense to him - none whatever - and he rejects them as made up. He doesn"t believe that a star appeared over the inn where Jesus was born (he already knows that the stars are really far away, so whatever happened, it cannot have been a star dangling over Jesus" birthplace that they saw.)

So he"s not particularly gullible - in fact, I have to say he may well be less gullible than I was. I am proud that he"s applying logic to what he"s hearing - that will stand him in good stead. He"s a great kid.

I"ve told both my kids "Good on your for saying what you think".

I think that I will be helping my kids more by encouraging them to seek their own answers and ask their own questions (even when they come to conclusions I disagree with) than by trying to get them to believe what I do. I want to give them tools that help them figure out the world, not my answers. If I give them tools, they can go where I have not. If I give them answers, they may never realize that there may be better questions and better answers than mine.

And I think the world needs better questions and better answers.

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer

2010-01-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

Product Description
Ideal for the home gym for fitness enthusiasts of any skill level, the Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer provides an effective cardiovascular workout by combining upper and lower body flexibility and coordination into one impact-free motion. Elliptical trainers emulate the natural motion of your foot while supporting your heel throughout the stride, making them much easier on your knees and joints. In addition to feeling more natural while working out, regular use on elliptical trainers will increase heart and lung capacity while improving your health (and burning calories at the same time).
The Schwinn 430 offers eight computer-controlled resistance levels and eight workout programs for workout variety, including six user-profile programs, one manual, and one calorie goal program. Its quick start functions allows you to easily change your resistance level while exercising to challenge yourself to the next level. Three feedback programs--recovery mode, results mode, and body mass index (BMI)--allow you to track the progress of your workout routine. BioGlide motion technology offers a natural-feeling 18-inch stride while the trainer"s BioFit design will provide a comfortable feel on the footpads and handlebars. The handlebars also feature grip heart rate monitoring which allows you to track your heart rate while you"re exercising.

Additional features of the Schwinn 430 elliptical trainer include Eddy current brake resistance for smooth and quiet stopping, transport wheels to easily move the trainer across the room, and a water bottle holder to keep your hydration source close by. This elliptical trainer has a compact footprint 62 inches long by 27 inches wide by 64 inches tall.
Details click image above.....

Call in FEMA! No, better hold off on that...

2010-01-29T06:28:00.000-08:00

Rather than blog about anything, I"m just going to leave you with this video:

And yet it"s still better than FOX News.

Natural Cures for Yeast Infections

2010-01-29T03:32:00.000-08:00

Upset Balance Of Healthy Microorganisms Can Cause Yeast Infection Symptoms

Yeast infection is a natural condition that in generally situations will not do a healthy body much damage. The only nuisance is that often the balance of microorganisms that are deemed to be OKfor the person get unbalancedin relation to other potentially hurtful bacteria which in turn lead to too much yeast being able to develop which in turn leads to yeast infection. In for the most part suitcases this infection occurs in sitting room inwards the body to facilitate are very warm and wet and Candida Albicans, a usual form of yeast infection is well-known to affect approximately seventy-five percent of all women at slightest one time for the period of their lifetimes.

Irritation And discomfort

The most regular yeast infection symptoms is experiencing very intense or moderate irritation as well as feeling sore and besides experiencing discomfort in sexual intercourse. Along with, other yeast infection symptoms include feeling burning sensation once urinating and there is additionally every so often a discharge in the vaginal area that looks creamy and which can also appear likecottage cheese.

Mostly, there are marked vaginal yeast infection symptoms that are not what will be noticablein other conditions. The irratabilityinwards the vaginal area is positively a yeast infection symptom though it can also occur as a variety of other causes including due to presence of irritating chemicals that are sometimes found in soaps and detergents as well as in douches as too vaginal creams.

There is also a close connection involving stress (psychological) and yeast infection symptoms since a stressed out individualwill react adversley and this impairs the functioning of their immune system whichcanincreases the likelihood of yeast infection symptoms increasing.

Soreness in the course of sexual intercourse is an extra customary yeast infection symptom. In addition, often even the medications being taken to cure yeast infection can react unhelpfully with the immune system and this can create a condition known as vaginitis which is nothing but infection in the vagina. And, what�s more, Candida albicans is the commonest form of yeast infection that in turn is a variant of vaginitis which can lead to feeling pain during sexual intercourse which of course is one more of the other classic yeast infection symptoms.

To end with, ordinary yeast infection symptoms include vaginal discharge which however could not always be noticeable though it can without doubt happen identified from its odorless nature and its white and thickish appearance that reminds you of cottage cheese.

Men too can develop yeast infection and so it is also necessary to find out more about male yeast infection symptoms. Typically, such symptoms are seen as being an irritation as too discomfort of the head of the male penis which can also become quite irritated as well � just as is the case with female vaginal irritation.
Natural Cures For Yeast Infections

Click here to learn more about natural cures for candida

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About the Author

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Is all about sharing the success others have achieved with Sam Crowleys Six Days to Saturday Program.

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