Rainbow upon the Lake

Christmas, 2008.

Merry Christmas to all.

This morning after our puppies had opened their gifts and eaten their doggie treats from the stocking, which had been hung by the fireplace with care, I went up to our second floor patio to look at our world. At this time of the year we usually have heavy fog which is burned off by the sun between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. It is a beautiful experience watching the sun burn off the fog. Slowly the sun becomes brighter and brighter, the sky bluer, the fir and spruce trees across the meadow in front of our house begin taking form. Large birds begin assembling in their respective places in the trees to begin catching the morning sun rays as they throw off the chill of the night.

Slowly, as the fog lifts you can see the top of the mountains which lie across the lake to our north. As the mountains come into view the lake is still hidden. The sun rises higher and the view of the shore near our house comes into view. Then quicker and quicker the shape and contours of the lake come into view. Within minutes the lake shimmers in the morning sun, the herons can be seen far out in the center of the lake slowly circling as they search for their morning meal. The sky becomes a deep Mayan blue and the world is once again awakened for the new day.

This Christmas morning the magic of the unveiling new day occurred around 10:00 a.m. As I stood on the patio I looked toward the lake and there, before my eyes, a rainbow appeared in the lake. Then a second rainbow appeared simultaneously a couple of hundred yards beyond the first rainbow. As I watched, the colors became more intense. In the water, from the left were colors as follows: purple, blue, green, yellow and finally a reddish/orange brown. As I write this the rainbow is still upon the lake and it's colors still intensifying.

The second rainbow lost it's colors after about 30 minutes and then ghostly images appeared in the water. It looked as if ten or fifteen human like figures stood shoulder to shoulder looking in our direction or perhaps looking at the rainbow, still intensely colorful. I saw nothing that could have been reflecting in the water.

These entities looked like the "watchers" as they silently stood in place gazing. At times they seemed to be moving or dancing upon the water. Who were they?Were they water spirits come to view the spectacular lake rainbow? Their dancing continued for 30 minutes or so seemingly enjoying this Christmas morning, a dance of joy. Perhaps they were Christmas angels providing a special gift for my wife and I to enjoy.

How did this occur? Was there a rainbow from the sun over our house and the end of it in the lake. Are we in the middle of the rainbow, which we can't see above or around us, but can only see where it ends? Is the rainbow on the lake where the pot of gold is located? Is the rainbow and entities in the lake a sign to us? Who or what were these figures who appeared to be watching? A sign of peace and goodwill for us to understand that the madness of the world may be about to meet its match?

I have lived 57 years and have never seen such a phenomenon. Perhaps it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If so, I am thankful on this Christmas day, this day of peace and goodwill to others, that my wife and I were able to experience such a joyful phenomenon.

May peace, forever more, be in all our lives.

Actual Costs of Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Drugs

From JUDICIAL REFORM INVESTIGATIONS / justice@court.to

Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the Active ingredient in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found in drugs approved by the FDA. As we have revealed in past issues of Life Extension, a significant percentage of drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients made in other countries.

In our independent investigation of how much profit drug companies really make, we obtained the actual price of active ingredients used in some of the most popular drugs sold in America. The chart below speaks for itself.

BRAND NAME	CONSUMER PRICE 100	COST OF GENERAL ACTIVE INGREDIENTS per 100 tab/cap	PERCENT MARKUP
Celebrex 100 mg Claritin 10 mg Keflex 250 mg Lipitor 20 mg Norvasc 10 mg Paxil 20 mg Prevacid 30 mg Prilosec 20 mg Prozac 20 mg Tenormin 50 mg Vasotec 10 mg Xanax 1mg Zestril 20 mg Zithromax 600mg Zocor 40mg Zoloft 50mg	$130.27 $215.17 $157.39 $272.37 $188.29 $220.27 $44.77 $360.97 $247.47 $104.47 $102.37 $136.79 $89.89 $1,482.19 $350.27 $206.87	$0.60 $0.71 $1.88 $5.80 $0.14 $7.60 $1.01 $0.52 $0.11 $0.13 $0.20 $0.024 $3.20 $18.78 $8.63 $1.75	21,712% 30,306% 8,372% 4,696% 134,493% 2,898% 34,136% 69,417% 224,973% 80,362% 51,185% 569,958% 2,809% 7,892% 4,059% 11,821%

More Corporate Lies and Chicanery!

Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat processor and the second largest chicken producer in the U.S., has admitted that it injects its chickens with antibiotics before they hatch and then labels them as raised without antibiotics.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has told Tyson to stop using the antibiotic-free label, but the company has sued for the right to keep using it.

Poultry farmers regularly treat chickens and other birds with antibiotics. But scientists have become increasingly concerned that the routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture may accelerate the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

After Tyson began labeling its chicken antibiotic-free, the USDA warned the company that such labels were not truthful, because Tyson regularly treats its birds' feed with bacteria-killing ionophores. Tyson argued that ionophores are antimicrobials rather than antibiotics, and are not used on human patients.

Tyson suggested a compromise which was eventually accepted by the USDA -- they would use a label reading "raised without antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans."

Tyson's competitors: Perdue Farms Inc., Sanderson Farms Inc. and Foster Farms sued, and in May 2008, a federal judge ruled in their favor and told Tyson to stop using the label. Not long after, USDA inspectors discovered that in addition to using ionophores, Tyson was regularly injecting its chicken eggs with gentamicin, an antibiotic that has been used for more than 30 years.

The agency told Tyson that based on the new discovery, it would no longer consider the antibiotic-free label "truthful and accurate." Tyson objected again, claiming that because the antibiotics are injected before the chickens hatched, the birds can truthfully be said to be "raised without antibiotics."

Tyson has filed a lawsuit against the USDA, claiming that the agency had improperly changed the definition of "raised without antibiotics" to include the treatment of eggs.

Authors note, "another of the sick-assed crap pulled on the American people by big corporations! Boycott Tyson's Chickens!"
Sources:
Natural News November 9, 2008

Today, I watched a honeybee

Today is the day before Thanksgiving. In Mexico Thanksgiving Day is not celebrated; perhaps the Mexican people have their own Day Of Thanksgiving. Perhaps, many of the people in Mexico do not feel such a holiday is worthy as there is much need here.

Today, the day before the United States Day of Thanksgiving, I was sitting on our second floor patio, overlooking the lake and enjoying the warm tropical sun, even though the air temperature was 53 degrees. I currently have bronchitis and laryngitis so I felt the sun would be healing therapy.

Directly below our patio is a large lemon tree. It reaches the second floor so it must be 10 or 12 feet tall and 20 feet or so in circumference. It is a "mature" tree, just as I am a "mature" human. The tree has a hundred or so lemons on it. Some are as small as apple seeds, some the size of pennies, some the size of fully mature fruit. The tree is life in miniature. The fruit is of all sizes, shapes, quality and color. Just as in our life. It is home to birds, spiders, caterpillars, various bugs, butterflies, moths and honeybees. In the summer we hang our canary cage on one of its limbs and it becomes a singing lemon tree.

Our tree blooms all year; even now during the cool months of late fall the tree is blooming. It bloomed and produced all summer during the tropical wet season. Now it has decided to try and produce during the cool, dry season. Such hope! Such optimism! Such life! I picked one of our lemons, peeled and ate the fruit and juice, while enjoying the sun. The juice was very tart, thus I knew it had a high quantity of vitamin C. It was slightly bitter, so I knew it possessed healing levels of limonene. Therefore, it should be helpful for my bronchitis and laryngitis.

While I munched on my fresh lemon, I leaned over the iron railing a saw a solitary honeybee working over the blossoms. A single bee, out on his own, working at a task nature had placed upon him. He was working in spite of the cool temperatures, infrequent blossoms and other obstacles. He worked patiently and deliberately. He went from blossom to blossom and stayed as long as it took for him to gather the nectar. At this time of year, the winter spiders have set their traps between twigs and leaves to gather their food to tide them through the winter months. I watched as the honeybee, deftly dipped under a web and escaping it's entrapment continued to the next blossom. To continue his work.

Since he was the only honeybee I saw, all the nectar gathering, all the rewards of his work would be for he and his hive. Bringing home the bacon, so to speak.

It reminded me of people who work at jobs that they have been directed to and they go do their jobs day after day, in spite of obstacles. Sometimes they work by themselves, sometimes when the "conditions" are not conducive, sometimes when they don't feel well, sometimes when all others have quit for the season. They do it because just as the honeybee does, there is work to do. So they do it. They do it for themselves and their families.

Honeybees are the unsung heroes of the natural world, they contribute so much to other species and gather so little respect. They are dying out (a massive die-off) as a species now, due to bacterial/viral infections, pesticides and the maniacal Genetically Modified Foods (GMO's) foods. When the honeybees are all gone, then we'll know how important they were for us. Just as the Navajo wise man asked, "When all the prairie dogs are gone, who'll sing for the rain?"

Our unsung heroes of our society; the traveling salesperson, the factory worker who produces widgets for sale, others who produce tangible items for our use, teachers-who used to be able to actually teach, instead now act as baby sitters, the small farmer who provided most of our food, the waterworks persons who have one of the most important jobs in the country which is providing clean and safe drinking water supply from an ever decreasing source, the herb collectors who could help keep people healthy, instead of just treating symptoms as doctors now do; these unsung heroes have fallen by the wayside. They no longer count in our new hero-worship. They have been cast in the waste bin of life. Producers are now an antiquated bunch. Useless, as the honeybee, in this new world which has come into being.

The new heroes in the US are now the military and Blackwater mercenaries proudly fighting in unprovoked and unnecessary wars wherever they feel the need, killing men, women and children who have done nothing wrong but are then named "insurgents" after their deaths, military types using drone aircraft to fire missles at Afghan wedding parties-killing all- and then tout statistics of killing "enemy combatants", police who use their tasers on anything that moves, laughing as if it is a game, instead of "talking" with someone, torturers on our government payroll who kidnap innocent people and torture them for years in the name of the United States people, the bankers who steal as much a they can while producing absolutely nothing out of nothing but they keep the goods, the stock traders who sell and make money from selling bundles of nothing to each other so all the vermin can make lots of money while those who are retired and trusted these rats watch their retirement disappear into overseas banks, the Congresscritters and Senators who receive most of their pay from lobbyists and then vote for laws to help only the lobbyists, while ignoring the poor and disappearing middle-class. The Treasury Secretary, who came from the same den of vipers on Wall Street, demands (and receives) unlimited amounts of money to spend as he sees fit to help his buddies in the treasury banks continue to make their billions from the taxpayers, sports "stars" who are paid multi-millions of dollars while contributing absolutely nothing to society and while these "stars" arrogantly ignore laws and common sense (some who see nothing wrong with raising pit-bulls to tear each other apart while these "stars" bet money on the winner! The media, especially Fox and CNN who are nothing more than paid government shills who will not or cannot tell the truth-what is really happening-to anyone. These are today's heroes. None of these creatures produce anything of value to anyone but themselves. They never have. They never will. They simply take. And if their lips are moving you can be sure they are lying!

My little honeybee that I watched this morning, goes about his life doing what he loves and helps many other species survive. Even when conditions are not good for him, he goes out each day and provides his way in the world as nature intended. He does not do harm to others, he does not steal, he does not lie. He shares what he produces for the good of the tribe. I respect him. I love him. I am thankful for him and what he contributes to the world.

I cannot say the same for the for the latter day "heroes" I mentioned above. They are the vermin of the earth. For them, I will not be celebrating Thanksgiving this year. I do not cheer their success. I will continue to be thankful each day as it unfolds and I will continue to watch as nature works its magic in small sequences and which never fails to amaze me. For this I am thankful.

Alzheimer's Disease Natural Treatment

From Life Extension Foundation
www.lef.org


Neurofibrillary tangles, which are made of a protein called tau, are bundles of twisted filaments found within neurons. Tau is normally responsible for helping cells to function correctly; it delivers various substances throughout the cell. In people who have Alzheimer’s disease, tau becomes abnormally shaped and twists into pairs of helical filaments that gather in tangles. Because of the tangles, the neurons lose their ability to function, and the neurons eventually die. No one knows why this happens but there are probably several overlapping causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

There are many choices of both drugs and nutritional supplements available for patients with Alzheimer's disease. In light of new evidence that oxidative stress and inflammation are central to Alzheimer’s disease, people at risk of Alzheimer’s (or those who have early dementia) are advised to take supplements that reduce inflammation and oxidative damage. These include:

Curcumin—900 to 1800 milligrams (mg) daily
EPA/DHA—1400 mg daily of EPA and 1000 mg daily of DHA
Vitamin E—400 international units (IU) daily (with 200 mg of gamma-tocopherol)
Vitamin C—1 to 3 grams daily
Ginkgo biloba—120 mg daily
Acetyl-L-carnitine arginate—750 to 2000 mg daily
CoQ10—100 to 600 mg daily
N-acetylcysteine—600 mg daily
Aged garlic—1200 mg daily
Vinpocetine—15 to 20 mg daily
Green tea extract (93 percent polyphenols)—725 mg daily
B vitamins—A full complement of B vitamins (including folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12) to lower homocysteine. Specific suggested doses include 1000 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12, 250 mg of vitamin B6, and 800 mcg of folic acid.
Niacin—Up to 800 mg daily. Start slowly and take with food to avoid flushing.
Melatonin—1 to 3 mg each night
DHEA—15 to 75 mg daily. Have blood tested in 3 to 6 weeks to determine optimal dose.
Huperzine—50 mcg up to four times per week
Blueberry extract—500 to 2000 mg daily. If you eat blueberries, you don’t need to take this much blueberry extract.
Grape seed extract—100 mg daily

Breakthrough With Alzheimers?

From Life Extension Foundation
http://www.lef.org/

B vitamin prevents memory loss in animal model of Alzheimer’s disease
An article in the November 5, 2008 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience revealed the discovery of researchers at the University of California, Irvine of a protective effect of nicotinamide, otherwise known as niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3), against memory loss in mice bred to develop a condition that mimics human Alzheimer’s disease. Nicotinamide is a member of a group of compounds known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which have been shown to enhance memory. The compounds have been demonstrated to exert a protective effect on the central nervous system in rodent models of Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
For the current research, Kim Green, Frank LaFerla and their associates used mice bred to develop brain deposits of amyloid beta as well as phosphorylated tau protein, which forms neurofibrillary tangles that occur in human Alzheimer’s disease patients. The team added nicotinamide daily to the drinking water of four-month-old Alzheimer’s mice and normal mice, while other groups of mice received untreated water for four months. Cognition testing to evaluate short term and long term memory in areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease was conducted at the beginning and end of the study.
The team found lower levels of phosphorylated tau in the brains of the Alzheimer’s mice that received nicotinamide, as well as an increase in proteins that strengthen the brain’s microtubules along which information travels within the brain’s cells. "Microtubules are like highways inside cells,” Dr Green explained. “What we're doing with nicotinamide is making a wider, more stable highway. In Alzheimer's disease, this highway breaks down. We are preventing that from happening."
While untreated Alzheimer’s mice demonstrated memory loss by the end of the experiment, those that received nicotinamide performed at the same level as the normal mice. Even in normal mice that received nicotinamide, cognition was slightly enhanced. "This suggests that not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve," noted Dr LaFerla, who is a professor of neurobiology and behavior at UC Irvine.
"Nicotinamide has a very robust effect on neurons," Dr Green added. "Nicotinamide prevents loss of cognition in mice with Alzheimer's disease, and the beauty of it is we already are moving forward with a clinical trial."
“The results presented here suggest that nicotinamide has a potential as a novel, safe and inexpensive Alzheimer’s disease therapy, either alone or in combination with amyloid beta-lowering therapies,” Dr Green and colleagues conclude.

How to Manage Your Cholesterol Without Taking Dangerous Statin Drugs

One of the worse frauds thrust upon patients by doctors is that high cholesterol causes heart disease. This is wrong. The basis for this lie is due to a long continuing study in Massachusetts called the Framingham Study. This study showed a connection between high cholesterol with a higher incidence of heart attacks. Reseachers and drug companies took this information and built an entire medical program around this connection. Pharmaceutical companies invested billions of dollars to find drugs to lower the levels of this demon called cholesterol.

Eureka, they found one.

It was based on a Chinese supplement made from Red Rice Yeast. This yeast which grows on the rice had been used for three thousand years in China for cardio vascular disease and it's health promoting effects. The drug companies took this supplement, changed its chemical structure a little, so they could patent it, since you cannot patent a natural substance. They then put this "new" drug on the market as the statin class drugs called Lipitor, Zocor and the other "or" drugs. In the best of Chutzpah, the drug companies then turned around and sued the supplement companies, which had been selling the red rice yeast for many years, for selling a drug and they won in court! Red Rice Yeast was removed from the market. Some Naturopathic Doctors continued to prescribed and provide this product to their patients.

But by changing the chemical structure of the red rice yeast so they could then patent it, they made a perfectly safe supplement used for thousands of years into a dangerous "new" drug. This new statin drugs causes such side effects as muscle pains, to muscle destruction, to kidney failure, to liver failure. But hey, that's okay the drug companies were making billions of dollars off these drug. A little damage to the patient was apparently "acceptable collateral damage".

They then sent their drug reps to teach MD's that cholesterol was the source of heart attacks and all the doctors had to do was prescribe Lipitor or Zocor or another statin and the risk would be reduced. "Oh, yea, the reps would say, we're having a convention in Maui, all expenses paid, for the top 10% of prescribers of our drug" or they would say, "we need an experienced doctor to write a research article for us (which was already pre-written for them) and we'll pay you a $10,000 honorarium". To help this scam out, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed a new recommendation, a few years ago, that the "healthy" level of total cholesterol in the blood would be reduced from 200 mg/DL to 180 mg/DL. Thus with this new recommendation...even more people can be placed in the risky category and placed on a statin drug. This will ensure more profit for the drug companies and more "lecture fees" and "free conventions" for the MD's.

What a scam.

Cardiovascular diseae is not a single component disease. There are many factors, more than is actually known by researchers, as to what caues cardiovascular disease and heart attacks in particular. The main cause of cardiovascular disease is INFLAMMATION! Not cholesterol! Plaque that builds up in arteries causing constriction are made up of many things: fibrin, calcium, dead cells and yes cholesterol. But if you listen to the drug companies the only cause is cholesterol and "We have the perfect drug for it!".

To prevent heart attacks you must stop the inflammation, not lower cholesterol.

Inflammation causes damage to the intima (inner lining) of the blood vessels which cause the blood flow to be turbulent, similar to rapids in a river. The body wants to stop this turbulence by laying a coat of "plaque" so the blood will flow smoothly again. If the inflammation is not addressed, the new plaque will become nicked by inflammatory agents (free radicals) and the blood will once again be turbulent. The body responds by laying down another layer of plaque.

As long as the underlying cause (inflammation) is not addressed the turbulence, plaque buildup will continue until the blood vessel is blocked (occluded) and a heart attack or stroke is initiated.

Cholesterol management
Elevated cholesterol is associated with a greater-than-normal risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. While antioxidants can inhibit cholesterol from oxidizing onto the linings of the arteries, knowing and controlling your cholesterol levels is still an important step in preventing cardiovascular disease.
The following nutritional supplements offer synergistic benefits to assist dietary modification to help maintain healthy total serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels for those already within healthy range.

In a later article I will address how to control the CAUSE of heart disease...inflammation.

For now, I would like to try and help those who are still drinking the kool-aide and believe cholesterol is the root of all cardivascular evil. The following information is from Life Extension Organization http://www.lef.org/ and contains their recommendation for controling cholesterol the safe way. Without the use of the physically damaging statin drugs. LEF has excellent research into disease processes and also the best supplements you can purchase. I am not associated in any way with LEF... but I've used their information and products through my medical career.

Good reading. My comments are written in italics.

Elevated cholesterol is associated with (associated with, not the cause of) a greater-than-normal risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. While antioxidants can inhibit cholesterol from oxidizing onto the linings of the arteries, knowing and controlling your cholesterol levels is still an important step in preventing cardiovascular disease.

The following nutritional supplements offer synergistic benefits to assist dietary modification to help maintain healthy total serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels for those already within normal range:

Policosanol, take one tablet twice per day with meals: one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Or Sytrinol, one capsule twice daily. (or red rice yeast)

Fiber, 4 to 6 grams before any high-fat meal. (especially, water soluble fiber such as oats, pectin)

Chitosan, three to six 500-mg chitosan capsules and one 1000 mg ascorbic acid capsule right before a high-fat meal.

Niacin, 1500 to 3000 mg a day (if tolerable).

Artichoke extract, 300 mg, 3 times a day. (keeps the liver healthy in producing and controlling cholesterol)

Garlic, 600 to 4800 mg a day.

Curcumin, 900 to 1800 mg a day. (Helps the liver and stops inflammation)

Gugulipid, 140 mg 1 to 2 times a day. (regulates blood sugar and thus controls cholesterol)

Green tea, 750 mg a day of green tea, 93% polyphenol extract.

Perilla oil, 6000 mg a day. We suggest taking six 1000-mg gel caps daily. If triglycerides are high, consider taking 4-8 softgels of fish oil (EPA/DHA).

Vitamin E, 400 to 800 IU daily (do not use Dl-Alpha vitamin E! Use vitamin E with D-alpha and tocotrienols and tocopherol)

Soy protein extract, 2 heaping teaspoons (5 to 6 grams) of soy powder daily.

Selenium, 200 to 600 mcg daily.

Herbal Cardiovascular Formula, two-six capsules daily with food in divided doses. (A Life Extension Supplement)

If you are interested in keeping your cholesterol with "acceptable" ranges the above will help you to do so.

Resveratrol May Improve Liver Health and Regulate an Obesity-Controlling Hormone

Resveratrol, a flavonoid from red wine has received a lot of attention from naturopathic physcians in the past 10 or 12 years. It seems maybe science is catching up. Resveratrol has been used as an anti-oxidant, helps control blood sugar for diabetics, and appears to reduce the profliferation of cancer. I have also used it to help people with the eye condition calle Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). It strengthens blood vessels and helps with circulation of blood thus bringing nutrients and oxygen to cells which have been deprived.

Now a study is out concerning the use of resveratrol in fatty liver disease which seems to be caused by too high of alcohol consumptions and also poor diet. As a bonus, reseachers may have found a link in reducing the body's ability to make certain fats and to help burn it as energy instead of storing it.

Researchers report that the polyphenol resveratrol may stop the development of fatty liver disease, a condition associated with frequent alcohol consumption, and that it may influence the activity of an obesity-controlling hormone known as adiponectin.

The study authors divided mice into groups and fed all the animals a low-fat diet. One group of the mice consumed a diet supplemented with resveratrol, one group was supplemented with resveratrol plus alcohol, one group with only alcohol, and a control group consumed only the low-fat diet without alcohol or resveratrol.

The results indicated that resveratrol activated two molecules involved in cell signaling and the breakdown of fats in the liver: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). Alcohol is known to inhibit these molecules, leading to fat build-up and fatty liver, but resveratrol activated AMPK and SIRT1 in the livers of alcohol-fed mice.

Another interesting finding of the study was that the increased activation of AMPK and SIRT1 caused by resveratrol in alcohol-fed rats also was accompanied by changes in the levels of other molecules that control fat metabolism, including adiponectin, a hormone produced by fat cells, which helps to control obesity. By triggering these changes, resveratrol may stop fat from accumulating in the liver through reducing the production of fat and increasing the burning of fat already present.

According to the scientists, “Our study suggests that resveratrol may serve as a promising agent for preventing or treating human alcoholic fatty liver disease.”

Reference:
Ajmo JM, Liang X, Rogers CQ, Pennock B, You M. Resveratrol alleviates alcoholic fatty liver in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2008 Oct;295(4):G833-42.

Quercetin Studied for Its Immune-Boosting Effects

I have long used quercetin to stop inflammatory processes and for long-term relief of allergies. It is remarkable in that it produces no side effects and is absolutely safe. For respiratory allergies it takes 1 to 2 weeks for it's full effects to take place. Onions have high quercetin content so be sure to include them in your diet during "allergy season". An interestint point to make is it works so well that the OTC drug NasalCrom is made from quercetin. I recommend by-passing the drug and take the safer, less expensive supplemental form. I usually prescribed 1 to 2 grams (1,000mg - 2,000mg) and day in divided doses for my patients.

The following is a new study of yet another use for this special flavonoid. It has immune-boosting effects.

In a new study, quercetin was able to significantly strengthen immunity in animals exposed to the flu virus, consistent with the results of a human study released last year where the flavonoid had similar immune-enhancing effects.
Past studies have linked exercise stress to an increased risk for influenza. The flavonoid quercetin also has been reported to inhibit infectivity and replication of a broad spectrum of viruses and may offset the increase in susceptibility to infection associated with stressful exercise.

To further investigate quercetin’s possible anti-viral activities, researchers examined the flavonoid’s effects in mice that underwent stressful exercise then were exposed to influenza virus. The animals were assigned to one of four groups: exercise-placebo, exercise-quercetin, control-placebo, or control-quercetin. The exercise consisted of having the mice run until they were fatigued (approximately 140 min) on a treadmill for three consecutive days.
Quercetin (12.5 mg/kg) was administered through a stomach tube for 7 days before the mice were exposed to the virus. At 30 minutes after the last bout of exercise or rest, mice were intranasally inoculated with influenza virus. Mice were monitored daily for morbidity (time to sickness), symptom severity, and mortality (time to death) for 21 days.

Exercise stress was associated with an increased susceptibility to infection (morbidity, mortality, and symptom severity on days 5-7). However, quercetin made the animals less susceptible to viral infection after stressful exercise. The exercised mice not fed the quercetin experienced an increased susceptibility to infection of 91 percent, while quercetin was found to offset infection risk by 63 percent.

The illness rate in the mice that exercised and took quercetin was approximately equivalent to those that did not exercise, suggesting that quercetin supplementation stopped the immunity-lowering effects of the intense exercise.

According to the researchers, “These data suggest that short-term quercetin feedings may prove to be an effective strategy to lessen the impact of stressful exercise on susceptibility to respiratory infection.”

This study builds on an earlier human study where quercetin reduced illness and maintained mental performance in physically stressed subjects. Trained cyclists consumed 1,000 mg per day of quercetin (plus niacin and vitamin C) for five weeks. Another group of 20 cyclists were given a placebo. After three weeks, subjects rode a bicycle three hours per day for three days to the point of exhaustion.

After the exercise period, approximately 45 percent of the placebo-consuming cyclists became ill, while only 5 percent of the quercetin group suffered any illness. Furthermore, when given an alertness test, the quercetin-consuming subjects better maintained their ability to react after exhaustion. (Nieman DC, et. al. Research presented at the Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Charlotte, N.C., February 9, 2007.)

Reference:
Davis JM, Murphy EA, McClellan JL, Carmichael MD, Gangemi JD. Quercetin reduces susceptibility to influenza infection following stressful exercise. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2008 Aug;295(2):R505-9.

Natural Treatment for Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections are occasionally life-threatening health concerns. Older and newly emerging antibiotic-resistant infections are an increasing danger for children, the elderly, and people who have chronic diseases. Bacterial infections can disrupt normal intestinal flora, reduce nutrient and mineral supplies, and compromise immune responses. A healthy immune system can prevent or neutralize bacterial infections.

When dealing with a possible bacterial infection, it is impossible to tell, short of laboratory tests, which pathogen is causing the problem. Therefore, it is important to visit a physician for proper testing and, if necessary, to obtain prescription antibiotics. In addition, many nutrients have been shown to help strengthen the immune system and inhibit bacterial infection.

Nutrients that have been demonstrated to inhibit bacterial activity or enhance the immune system include:

Lactoferrin—300 milligrams (mg) daily
Oregano oil—400 to 1000 mg of essential oils daily
Garlic extract—600 to 1200 mg of Kyolic garlic daily
Norwegian shark liver oil—200 mg of active alkylglycerols
Bromelain—500 mg before each meal
L-arginine—900 mg daily
L-glutamine—1 to 2 grams (g) daily
Cranberry extract—500 mg daily
Probiotics—Follow directions on label.
Whey protein—1 to 2 scoops daily
Green tea extract—725 mg daily
Garlic bulb powder—1800 to 9000 mg of Pure Gar daily (if you already have an infection)

lifeextension@lefbc.com

Life Expectancy Drops To 69.3 Years In The US

Makes a person ashamed of what is going on in the United States!

10-22-8

(Reuters) -- What is the average life expectancy of Americans? For a long time it has been the low seventies for men and upper seventies for women. So it comes as a shock to learn that the average life expectancy for Americans has dropped to 69.3 years, according to the America's Health Rankings report, issued at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting. This figure is exceeded by 28 other countries, including Britain, France and Germany and is about five years less than the life expectancy in Japan. According to Dr. Reed Tuckson, this dismal number reflects increasing obesity, fewer people quitting smoking (although only 20.8 percent of Americans smoke today, down from almost one-third in 1990), and increasing numbers of people without health insurance. Officials made no mention of the increasing consumption of processed foods containing refined sweeteners, processed vegetable oils and toxic additives, and certainly did not allow even a whisper about the almost complete absence of nutrient-dense foods such as organ meats, shellfish and butterfat and eggs from grass-fed animals from the American diet (December 13, 2005). Nor does it mention the failure of the health care (sic) system, the chemicals added into the food system, GMO "Frankenfoods" in the supermarket with out any scientific testing for harm, the tainted colorless sky (chemtrails with barium and aluminum) and the poisonous water (MBTE, percholrate amongs other nasties). It doesn't count the stress that everyday people are under trying to purchase daily necessities, the drugs being pumped in to us and the mercury containing vaccines (thimerosol) which turn our children into medicated autistic kids. There is much that lends support to this report and the situation will only become worse!

My View of Life

Today is October 1st.

The US is in a meltdown of unprecedented proportions. Wall Street Security Traders and bankers are twisting arms for the US taxpayers to bail them out of their scams, while those who perpetuated these frauds scramble to protect their loot. Banks are holding onto their money, refusing to loan any money-even to each other. Gasoline is in short supply in the southeast apparently due to a hurricane three weeks ago, gasoline prices are as high as they've ever been, food prices continue to rise at ridiculous rates, unemployment is soaring even as the government understates the real unemployment levels, crime is soaring through the roof in the US cities as people desperately try to survive. The government responds by building more prisons and criminalizing most all behavior. Yet, instead of tackling these problems the US government continues to threaten other countries with air strikes in Pakistan, the illegal wars continues in Iraq and Afghanistan, continued threats on Iran, trying to pull off a coup d'etat in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela against popularly elected Presidents; the scams on the US people continue forward, AND beginning today the US Army is stationing battle hardened troops on US soil (for the first time since it was banned after the Civil War) in order to respond to "terrorist attacks", disasters or civil unrest (by US citizens) or for any national emergency the "President declares" in his infinite wisdom. But...

here in Mexico life is still peaceful. Fall has arrived. The monarch butterflies will be here at the end of the month. They must be somewhere in northern Mexico, right about now, on their annual migration. Last year they appeared in our yard October 31 for All Hallows Eve. The rains have slowed to a couple of times a week. This week the days have been sunny, cool with a deep blue sky. The winds pick up in the evenings allowing our wind chimes to sing their wonderful songs. I lay in bed at night and can hear the chimes singing merrily in the night down on the first floor beneath my bedroom, as the sheer curtains blow gently. Yesterday morning it was 38 degrees at 7:30 in the morning as we took our garbage to the street for pickup. The nights are cool enough for the need of two blankets and a two dog-night. Day temperatures are now in the mid-60's.

The apple trees are turning red and yellow, the pear trees are blooming with their white flowers, yet the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. We picked the rest of our peaches last week; peeled them and put them in the freezer for winter pies. Two weeks ago, I harvested our pears and made pear preserves. The pears were exceedingly juicy this years and so sweet! We are now harvesting fennel seeds, parsley, borage (with its beautiful blue star flowers), to be dried and used later. We have very tall and beautiful hyssop plants, which have bloomed all summer with their beautiful, purple blossoms attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. We will harvest these next week and make lozenges out of them for sore throat this winter, if needed. Our epazote grew furiously in the wet summer and now have gone to seed and small epazote plants are springing up in the garden. Sunflower heads have been harvested and are being dried for planting next spring. The roses are still blooming their beautiful, fragrant blossoms. Sunlight is moving south and the shadows grow longer on the north side of the house. Nature continues and the seasons change.

Across the lake and along the highways the Cosmo's are blooming. The pink hue covers the north shore peninsula and as seen from our balcony adds a sharp contrast to the blue water and green mountains whose top is often covered by white clouds.

Last week we had a new visitor. A Black Witch Moth took up residence in our living room. This moth is huge! Ours was probably 6 or 7 inches wing-tip to wing-tip. It is so large you actually hear the wings flapping. When it flies, it looks like a bat which causes confusion for some people. It is large but completely docile. It does not bite or sting or threaten to take all your money (or securities). It just spent the day on one of our adobe walls under a painting and slept until night to go visiting wherever a Witch Moth visits.

This morning, in anticipation of the cooler nights which are soon to be here, my wife and I gathered dried kindling from along the road in front of our house. The early, cool morning felt like the fall mornings we had in our cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains a number of years ago. We placed the kindling in the garage, next to our hoard of firewood and now await our first fire of the autumn.

We haven't left our house in two weeks. We are completely content to be at home. We sit on the balcony overlooking the lake and we feel the sun warming our skin as the wind whispers through the trees. As I sit in the sun on the porch I may pick over black beans or peruana beans for our evening meal, or smoke our dinner on the grill. We watch the Great White Herons circle above us and over the lake looking for their meal, and also before a storm, the herons take flight in great numbers to circle high above us riding the thermals seemingly enjoying the shear joy of life. We listen to the roosters crowing and the donkey braying off in the distance and the sheep come each day to fatten up on the grass which has been nurtured by the summer rains. A flock of turkeys strut down the road (some times being led by a rooster) nibbling on the grass seeds and insects, a mother duck leads her ducklings along the road in single file while teaching them how to survive. We leave our windows and front door open and sparrows invite themselves into the house to feast upon the seed thrown out of the cage by our two canaries. They eat their fill and then fly out the window again. This seems to make the canaries happy.

So while the world as we knew it crumbles into the dust of history, we enjoy our simple life. We enjoy the simple joys that life really offers, you can too, if you will simply take the time to notice. The feel of the sun on your skin on a cool day, the smell of fresh roses, the taste of newly harvested peaches or pears, the sweet sounds of life around you, the happiness you feel when you awake in the morning and the sun shines through your window and a gentle breeze blows. The smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen as you awaken. Of living your life with joy with the person you love. The letting go of the past and embracing the present.

I don't know what the future holds, but I know this...I refuse to live my life in fear. I refuse to allow others to control me. I honestly do not care what anyone thinks of me. I refuse to allow my happiness to be controlled by events I cannot change. I refuse to drink the Kool-Aid being offered by the government and controlled media.

And for today...

I am content.

Vitamins and Minerals Food Sources

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Micronurients

Vitamin A: Green leafy vegetables, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, wheatgrass juice

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Whole grains, nori, wakame, legumes (especially peanuts)

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Green vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nutritional yeast, hiziki

Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Whole grains (especially brown, black and red rice), posole, masa, nori, wakame, peanuts, nutritional yeast

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): whole grains, beans, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, nutritional yeast

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Whole grains, leafy green vegetables, dulse, nori, nutritional yeast, carrots, peas, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): Current scientific research has concluded that there are no reliable sources of B12 in plant sources, so it is best to take a supplement daily in lozenge form

Biotin: Soybeans, nutritional yeast, whole grains

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Citrus fruits, bell peppers, chiles, amaranth, berries, cabbage, parsley, sprouts, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts

Chlorine: Soybeans, whole grains, legumes

Co-Enzyme Q10: Peanuts, spinach

Vitamin D: Sunflower sprouts, fortified soymilk, fortified vegan cereal

Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds, wheat, oats, quinoa, brown, red and black rice, broccoli, cauliflower, dandelion greens, sprouts, asparagus, cucumbers, spinach, wheatgerm oil

Folic acid: Microalgae, sprouts, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nutritional yeast, dates, beans, legumes, mushrooms, oranges, beets, fenugreek and root vegetables

Inositol: Whole grains, nutritional yeast, beans and legumes, especially soybeans)

Vitamin E: Alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, hempseed, blackstrap molasses, dark leafy green Vitamin K: vegetables, green tea, kelp, soybeans, oats, rye, wheat

Vitamin P (bioflavonoids): Peppers, buckwheat, black currants

Vitamin U: Green cabbage

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Macronutrients

Complex Carbohydrates:Found almost exclusively in plant foods. Whole grains, beans, legumes, and vegetables

Protein: Beans, legumes, seeds, grains (especially quinoa and amaranth), leafy green vegetables

Fat: Avocados, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds

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Minerals

Boron: Seaweed, alfalfa, unrefined sea salt, nuts, carrots, leafy green vegetables, apples, pears

Calcium:leafy green vegetables, almonds, nutritional yeast, sesame seeds, figs, dandelion greens, wakame, hiziki, kelp, kombu, amaranth, quinoa, oats, beans, legumes, microalgae, fortified soymilk.

Chromium: Seaweed (especially kelp and alaria), whole grains, mushrroms, beets, nutritional yeast, beans, legumes

Copper :Seaweed, whole grains, raisins, apricots, garlic, mushrooms, beets, nuts, leafy green vegetables

Fluorine: Seaweed, rye, brown rice, parsley, avocados, cabbage

Germanium: Seaweed, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, aloe vera, ginsing, onions

Iodine: Seaweed and unrefined sea salt

Iron: Seaweed, molasses, whole grains, nuts, beets, sesame, seeds, beans, legumes, prunes, rasins, dates, dried apricots, almonds (taken with a vitamin c source will boost the iron absorption)

Magnesium: Seaweed, whole grains, microalgae, amaranth, beans, legumes, leafy green vegetables

Manganese: Seaweed, whole grains, nuts and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados

Phosphorus: Seaweed, whole grains, beans, legumes, dried fruit, garlic, nuts, seeds

Potasium: Kelp, dulse, carrot juice, whole grains, beans, legumes, bananas

Selenium: Seaweed, whole grains, beans, legumes, garlic, mushrooms

Silicon: Seaweed, whole grains, bib lettuce, parsnips, dandelion greens, strawberries, celery, cucumbers, apricots, carrots

Sodium: Seaweed, celery, unrefined sea salt

Sulfur Seaweed, cabbages, beans, legumes, onions, garlic, nettles, soybeans

Vanadium: Seaweed, whole grains, vegetable oils, dill, radishes, green beans

Zinc: Seaweed, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, nettles, soybeans

10 RULES FOR BEING HUMAN

1. You will receive a body.
You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons.
You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called "life".

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.
Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work".

4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end.
There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive that means there are still lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better place than "here".
When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here".

7. Other people are merely mirrors of you.
You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you.
You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie within you.
The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

Scientists may have cured cancer last week.

Yep.

So, why haven’t the media picked up on it?

Here’s the deal. Researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada found a cheap and easy to produce drug that kills almost all cancers. The drug is dichloroacetate, and since it is already used to treat metabolic disorders, we know it should be no problem to use it for other purposes.

Doesn’t this sound like the kind of news you see on the front page of every paper?

The drug also has no patent, which means it could be produced for bargain basement prices in comparison to what drug companies research and develop.

Scientists tested DCA on human cells cultured outside the body where it killed lung, breast and brain cancer cells, but left healthy cells alone. Rats plump with tumors shrank when they were fed water supplemented with DCA.

Again, this seems like it should be at the top of the nightly news, right?

Cancer cells don’t use the little power stations found in most human cells - the mitochondria. Instead, they use glycolysis, which is less effective and more wasteful.

Doctors have long believed the reason for this is because the mitochondria were damaged somehow. But, it turns out the mitochondria were just dormant, and DCA starts them back up again.

The side effect of this is it also reactivates a process called apoptosis. You see, mitochondria contain an all-too-important self-destruct button that can’t be pressed in cancer cells. Without it, tumors grow larger as cells refuse to be extinguished. Fully functioning mitochondria, thanks to DCA, can once again die.

With glycolysis turned off, the body produces less lactic acid, so the bad tissue around cancer cells doesn’t break down and seed new tumors.

Here’s the big catch. Pharmaceutical companies probably won’t invest in research into DCA because they won’t profit from it. It’s easy to make, un-patented and could be added to drinking water. Imagine, Gatorade with cancer control.

So, the groundwork will have to be done at universities and independently funded laboratories. But, how are they supposed to drum up support if the media aren’t even talking about it?

All I can do is write this and hope Google News picks it up. In the meantime, tell everyone you know and do your own research.

This is a column of opinion written by Printz Executive Editor David McRaney. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

UNC researchers find MSG use linked to obesity

This is another reason to avoid Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). MSG is known to cause allergic reactions, headaches, cardiovascular problems among it's many side effects. MSG is found in Chinese restaurant food, and all processed food. The purpose is to "enhance" flavor of otherwise flavorless processed food. It provides absolutely no nutritional value. It is place in food to help the manufacturer...not the consumer. Later I will post specific foods to avoid and the different names manufacturers use to hide MSG on their labels.

CHAPEL HILL – People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don't use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health study published this month in the journal Obesity.

Researchers at UNC and in China studied more than 750 Chinese men and women, aged between 40 and 59, in three rural villages in north and south China. The majority of study participants prepared their meals at home without commercially processed foods. About 82 percent of the participants used MSG in their food. Those users were divided into three groups, based on the amount of MSG they used. The third who used the most MSG were nearly three times more likely to be overweight than non-users.

"Animal studies have indicated for years that MSG might be associated with weight gain," said Ka He, M.D., assistant professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health. "Ours is the first study to show a link between MSG use and weight in humans."

Because MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, studying its potential effect on humans has been difficult. He and his colleagues chose study participants living in rural Chinese villages because they used very little commercially processed food, but many regularly used MSG in food preparation.

"We found that prevalence of overweight was significantly higher in MSG users than in non-users," He said. "We saw this risk even when we controlled for physical activity, total calorie intake and other possible explanations for the difference in body mass. The positive associations between MSG intake and overweight were consistent with data from animal studies."

As the percentage of overweight and obese people around the world continues to increase, He said, finding clues to the cause could be very important.

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other health organizations around the world have concluded that MSG is safe," He said, "but the question remains – is it healthy?"

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Co-authors on the study included Liancheng Zhao and colleagues from Fu Wai Hospital and Cardiovascular Institute at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing. Other researchers on this study were from Northwestern University in Chicago and the INTERMAP Cooperative Research Group.

The study is available online at: http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v16/n8/full/oby2008274a.html

Body Facts

Facts of the body you might find interesting:


More than half the bones in your body are located in your hands and feet.

There is enough iron in the human body to make one small nail.

Women blink almost twice as much as men.

A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph.

An average human drinks about 16,000 gallons of water in a lifetime.

Beards are the fastest growing hair. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it could grow to 30 feet over the course of his lifetime.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

Fingernails grow faster than toenails and your middle fingernail is the quickest one to grow. It takes about 150 days to grow out a full length fingernail.

Your brain continues to send out electrical wave signals approximately 37 hours after death.

The nervous system transmits messages to the brain at speeds of 180 miles per hour.

The human nose can remember 50,000 different smells.

The human eye can detect more than 10,000,000 different colors!

Your jawbone is the hardest bone in your body.

When you were born, you had 350 bones in your body, and after childhood 144 of these bones fused together.

Your brain stops growing when you are about 15 years old.

Laughing and coughing put more pressure on the spine than walking or standing.

Your stomach produces a new lining every 3 days in order to avoid digesting itself in its own production of acid.

About every seven years, your body replaces the equivalent of an entirely new skeleton.

The spinal cord is less then two feet in length and is the same diameter as your index finger, yet it contains over 10 billion nerve cells.

Blood type A can receive blood types A & O safely. Blood type B can receive types B & O. Blood type O can receive only O blood but are "universal donors" because O is acceptable to all other blood types. Blood type O is the most common blood type worldwide.

The eye muscle is the fastest reacting muscle of the whole body. It contracts in less than 1/100th of a second.

It takes approximately 200,000 frowns to create one permanent brow line.

Your eyesight is the sharpest in the middle of the day.

From innerbody.com, biology.about.com and teach-nology.com

Protect Your Bucket

A story was once told to me, many years ago, which I would like to pass along:

Every person born is born with a full bucket. You can't see the bucket but you carry it around with you each day. The bucket is filled with water which represents your hopes, dreams, goals, self confidence, happiness and all other positive aspects of life. In opposition to water, your bucket is lighter in weight when it is full. As your bucket is depleted the bucket becomes heavier until it is almost impossible to carry when it is empty.

When you live your dreams, hopes, do unto others and live a positive life, your bucket is replenished and the weight remains lite. When you live your life in harming others, harming yourself or simply cut-off from humanity and God, your bucket empties and correspondingly becomes a heavy burden.

Now there are people in our lives who have depleted their bucket. They are so cut-off from goodness that they can never replenish their bucket, so what they do is begin dipping their cup into the buckets of those around them. This offers them temporary relief, but due to their choices and actions their bucket continues to be depleted and their daily load heavy.

The problem with dipping their cup in some other person's bucket, is the other person's bucket begins to empty and the weight becomes heavier as the person begins losing their hopes, dreams, goals, self confidence and happiness. If the person who's bucket is being dipped is not careful and protective of their bucket, their's too will become empty and their life will fall into chaos and negativity. Their lives will become a burden, empty of all the positive aspects life has to offer. They become a burden.

To sustain themselves, they too will then begin dipping into other's buckets. The results are perpetuated.

The moral of this story is to protect your bucket. Do not allow others to quash your hopes, dreams, goals or self confidence. Don't allow the emotionally needy person, the psychologically unstable, the unconnected person, or the person who intends you harm to drain your bucket.

If you have dreams, follow them to the ends of the universe and don't take away another's dreams, especially children's.

If you have goals in life, go for them with all your ability and enjoy the journey.

Don't allow others to demean you. They do not have the right to do so and you don't deserve it.

Don't allow others to try and delete your self-confidence. This one of the worse actions an adult can do to a child.

Don't allow others to steal your "thunder" in life, each of us are special in our on way. Show your "uniqueness".

Don't allow others to dip their cup in your bucket, live positively and understand that by doing these things your bucket will continue to be full and your life a light unto the world.

Doctors' Comments On Patient Charts:

In the 1950's and 1960's, there was a television show called the Art Linkletter Show. One of the segments that he had was "Kids say the darndest things" and he would talk with several children, ask them questions and let the little tykes respond with their very funny and innocent answers.

Doctors, like children, can be very funny and often innocent, in their own right. While in medical school and taking OB/GYN classes we were constantly warned by our teachers to be extremely careful about what you say to a female patient during a pelvic exam. Once when I was about to insert the speculum into a patient, I was thinking I needed to warn her of the impending intrusion. So I warned her, "Okay, here I come". I immediately felt a sharp slap on the back of my head from the female supervisory doctor. Lesson learned.

The following are some notations made in patient charts, most probably from newbie doctors, as once I was.

• "Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year."

• "On the 2nd day the knee was better and on the 3rd day it disappeared completely."

• "The patient has been depressed ever since she began seeing me in 1993."

• "Discharge status: Alive but without permission."

• "Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful."

• "The patient refused an autopsy."

• "The patient has no past history of suicides."

• "Patient has left his white blood cells at another hospital."

• "Patient's past medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days."

• "Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch."

• "She has had no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night."

• "She is numb from her toes down."

• "While in the ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home."

• "The skin was moist and dry."

• "Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches."

• "Patient was alert and unresponsive."

• "She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce."

• "I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy."

• "The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead."

• "Patient has two teenage children but no other abnormalities."

• "Skin: Somewhat pale but present."

• "Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Blank, who felt we should sit on the abdomen, and I agree."

• "By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart stopped, and he was feeling better."

• "The patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of gas and crashed."

• "When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room."

• "Patient was released to outpatient department without dressing."

• "The patient will need disposition, and therefore we will get Dr. Blank to dispose of him."

• "The patient expired on the floor uneventfully."

And with that we uneventfully end this segment.

Airport Pollution

	Alliance of Residents Concerning O'Hare Inc.
	A Not for Profit Organization

Did you ever wonder what blows out of a jet airplane?
Here is what you'll find in the air around an airport:

Freon 11, Freon 12, Methyl Bromide, Dichloromethane, cis-l,2-Dichloroethylene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Carbon Tetrachloride, Benzene, Trichloroethylene, Toluene, Tetrachloroethene, Ethylbenzene, m,p-Xylene, o-Xylene, Styrene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, o-Dichlorobenzene, Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Acetone, Propinaldehyde, Crotonaldehyde, Isobutylaldehyde, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Benzaldehyde, Veraldehyde, Hexanaldehyde, Ethyl Alcohol, Acetone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Butane, Isopentane, Pentane, Hexane, Butyl Alcohol, Methyl Isobutyl Ketone, n,n-Dimethyl Acetamide, Dimethyl Disulfide, m-Cresol, 4-Ethyl Toulene, n-Heptaldehyde, Octanal, 1,4-Dioxane, Methyl Phenyl Ketone, Vinyl Acetate, Heptane, Phenol, Octane , Anthracene, Dimethylnapthalene(isomers), Flouranthene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, Pyrene , Benzo(a)pyrene, 1-nitropyrene, 1,8-dinitropyrene , 1,3-Butadiene , sulfites, nitrites, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen trioxide, nitric acid, sulfur oxides, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, urea, ammonia, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5)

What symptoms can occur with prolonged exposure to these chemicals?

ASPHYXIATION ASTHMA BRAIN CANCER CANCER CONJUNCTIVE IRRITATION COUGHING DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY DISTORTED PERCEPTIONS DROWSINESS DYSPNEA HEADACHE EEG CHANGES EMPHYSEMA FLUSHING HALLUCINATIONS HEART DISEASE HODGKIN'S DISEASE KIDNEY DAMAGE LACRIMATION LIVER DAMAGE

LUNG DISEASE LUNG STRUCTURE DAMAGE LUNG TIGHTNESS LYMPHOMA MENTAL DEPRESSION MULTIPLE ORGAN INVOLVEMENT MUSCLE WEAKNESS MUTATIONS MYELOID LEUKEMIA NASAL EFFECTS NAUSEA, VOMITING PULSE RATE DECREASE PULMONARY IRRITATION RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DAMAGE SKIN AND EYE IRRITATION SYSTEMIC IRRITATION TUMORS WHEEZING Click here for a list of research material cited above.

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Have there been studies on cancer rates near airports?

• A 1993 US-EPA study of Midway Airport exhibited massive amounts of known carcinogens coming from aircraft engines in tons-per-year. It also predicted that it produced more than 400 times the allowable cancer risks to the population than that of a federal Superfnd Cleanup site (Toxic Waste Dump), as a direct result of exposure to these airport toxins. CLICK HERE to view selected pages from the report "EPA Estimation and Evaluation of Cancer Risks Attributed to Air Pollution in Southwest Chicago."
  
• The National Cancer Institute states that studies show that some types of brain tumors are more frequent among workers in certain types of industries including oil refining and embalmers. Major health concerns of aircraft exhaust are petroleum and formaldehyde.
  
• The Federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states that volatile organic compounds in jet exhaust, precisely 1,3-butadiene and benzene pose increased health risks in the exposed populace for leukemia and thyroid cancer.
  
• Data from the State of Washington Department of Health regarding Seattle-Tacoma Airport shows that cancer rates are not only are up near the airport, but increase the closer you get to it.
  
• A second Washington state study of another airport, Boeing Field, by the Seattle-King County Department of Health shows that cancer rates are up 31% and the rate of respiratory disease among children is more than twice that of the county overall.

Food As Medicine

20 Common Cooking Ingredients that Act Like Medicines

Natural Home Remedies, Regional Remedies & Medicines, Traditional Herbal Remedies Delana

The use of herbal treatments for everything from sore throats to cancer has become more and more common with every passing year. We all know about the herbal supplements like St. John’s Wort that can help you with chronic health problems, but did you know that many common edible herbs, spices and vegetables can provide impressive health benefits?

While you probably already use these ingredients in your home, you may not realize that they can do much more than just making your meals tasty and interesting. Here are some common foods that do double duty as effective herbal treatments.

1. Turmeric. As anyone who has ever treated a head cold with a nice hot Indian meal already knows, turmeric is one of the best healing herbs available to us today. It contains the anti-inflammatory curcumin, which may function in the same way as some pharmaceutical arthritis drugs.

The next time your joints are aching, just have a healthy serving of curry and see if your symptoms respond to the exotic spice. Researchers recommend a daily serving of 400 mg.

2. Ginger. Ginger has been well-known as a calmer of upset tummies for many generations. This “old wives’ tale” has actually been proven to be true following several research studies on the effects of ginger ingestion of cruise ship passengers.

Many people around the world also use ginger as a mild pain reliever. For everyday aches or for arthritis pain, fresh or powdered ginger added to food can actually help to reduce your symptoms.

Ginger may also be an effective means of controlling ovarian cancer cells, according to a 2006 study by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. More research is needed, but the preliminary findings are very promising.

3. Cinnamon. Cinnamon was recently studied by German scientists for its effects on people with type 2 diabetes. Amazingly, they found that diabetics could decrease their blood sugar by up to 10% just by taking a cinnamon extract daily. Another study found that cinnamon may help to lower cholesterol as well.

Since cinnamon can be toxic when taken in very large quantities (much more than you would probably be able to eat at once), experts recommend that you use a cinnamon extract rather than actual cinnamon.

4. Garlic. Garlic is truly a super food. Not only does it taste wonderful, but it may even reduce your cancer risk. A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who consumed high doses of garlic had low instances of several types of cancers.

Garlic is known to be extremely useful against bacteria, even those that are resistant to antibiotics. It has antifungal and antiviral properties and may even help to lower cholesterol and prevent strokes.

5. Rosemary. If you have to choose just one herb to help you avoid several different types of cancer, rosemary may be it. Rosemary can actually help to prevent carcinogens that you ingest from binding with your DNA. This can help to prevent the formation of tumors and the eventual development of cancer.

Although human studies have not yet been conducted, preliminary animal studies have shown amazing potential for this common herb. You don’t need to buy any special form of rosemary to get these benefits; simply use rosemary liberally in your cooking along with other beneficial herbs like parsley, oregano, onion, garlic, or thyme.

6. Honey. Honey is commonly used as a digestion aid and to soothe sore tummies and throats. The hydrating qualities of honey are well-known all around the world, and desert travelers have been known to carry honey and water to quench their thirst on long treks.

Honey is used externally as well as internally. Its ability to hydrate skin works even when it is applied topically. Because of this, honey is a common ingredient in many skin treatments, lotions, soaps, and anti-aging skin creams.

Perhaps the most impressive of honey’s abilities is its effectiveness as a burn treatment. Honey helps to soothe the pain of a burn while limiting inflammation and retarding infection.

7. Chili Peppers. Hot peppers are an amazing food that can help you treat any number of common conditions. At home, you can eat them to to clear up a congested head and as a natural pain reliever.

An exciting and often-publicized use for chili peppers is as a metabolism boost. Adding chili peppers to your meals can help you burn more calories, and it is believed that chili peppers can even help you feel fuller after a meal.

8. Olive Oil. This delicious and exotic-tasting oil may help to save your life some day. With regular modest consumption, olive oil can help stop plaque from forming in arteries, thus reducing your risk of heart attacks.

9. Rice. Rice is one of the best-tolerated foods available. It can help to soothe a stomach that is suffering from constipation or diarrhea, and even people suffering from the flu are likely to be able to take some rice. Eating rice regularly can prevent the formation of kidney stones and block some types of intestinal cancers.

10. Parsley. Because it is rich in antioxidants, parsley can help to block certain types of cancers and keep your body’s cells young and healthy. Antioxidants are particularly useful for detoxifying carcinogens, such as the types found in cigarette smoke.

11. Onions (and related plants such as chives, shallots, and leeks). Plants in the onion family have been used as medicines since ancient times. Their properties have been known and enjoyed by cultures all around the world. Their exceptionally high concentration of antioxidants makes onions and related plants ideal for preventing cancer.

Onions and related plants are also a hugely effective treatment for lung disorders such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. They have outstanding anti-inflammatory properties and can be used as antibiotics and antivirals.

12. Lemon. Lemon has a multitude of medicinal uses and has been a prized part of the medicinal kitchen for many generations. It is a general clarifier and purifier, and can be taken to cleanse the body of impurities. It has also been used to treat headaches, arthritis, and pneumonia.

Although it seems counterintuitive (or just plain painful), applying lemon juice to cuts and scrapes is great for preventing infections. The natural antiseptic properties of lemon juice will keep infections at bay and can even reduce the appearance of bruises.

13. Mustard. This humble little plant is commonly used as an expectorant and decongestant. It is antibacterial and can also help to clear nasal passages when one is suffering from a cold or other sinus malady.

Surprisingly, mustard is also used to increase the metabolism. Using plain yellow mustard liberally on foods adds a negligible amount of calories and helps to increase the amount of calories that the body burns.

14. Cloves. Clove oil is used by many cultures as a natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory. It is used in many modern toothache remedies to dull the pain and swelling.

15. Apples. An apple a day keeps the cancer away. Regular consumption of apples can block many types of cancer and act as a general health-booster. Apples can reduce appetite and even lower your cholesterol.

16. Kale. Kale has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity lately, and with good reason. It has more lutein than any other vegetable and more beta carotene than spinach. It can help prevent cancer and regulate estrogen in the body.

17. Licorice. Not the licorice candy sold in the United States - this often contains no licorice at all! Real licorice contains a substance that is strongly anti-cancer, specifically prostate cancer. Licorice is also antibacterial and can reduce stomach ulcers and diarrhea.

18. Peppermint. Most mints, in fact. The leaves of mint plants are commonly used in teas and medicines to calm upset stomachs, promote sleep, and reduce stress and tension.

19. Horseradish. Like its relative mustard, horseradish is a fantastic tool for fighting digestive disorders. It can be used to treat constipation. It is also a great immune system booster, giving the liver increased power to filter out harmful substances from foods.

20. Avocado. The main ingredient in guacamole isn’t just tasty; it’s the source of lots of “good” fat and can prevent the buildup of “bad” cholesterol. It keeps your heart and circulatory system healthy by preventing the clogging of arteries.

Now that you know the incredible health benefits that some common herbs, spices, and plants can provide, try to incorporate some of them into your everyday eating. You may just find yourself in better health today and in the future.