New--Start

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:55:00 +0000

For Those Wanting a Business for the New Year

The world of the Internet is a prime example of new—starts. It is in continual flux. Search engines change their rules, people come and go, technology and software take leaps and bounds. Things used to become obsolete after years, not, say, six months? Looking at the world connecting, whether online or through a smart phone, it may seem hard to find consistency. Jim Cockrum is a successful online and off line entrepreneur who demonstrates consistency and reliability who believes in win-win situations. Both the customer and business should benefit from their interaction. The “Silent Sales Machine” is a business publication Jim started years ago which is now in its 7^th edition. He provides follow up editions to prior purchasers for free. I found this publication provides multiple business resources as well as guidance. Here is a look at what’s in the book:

Chapter 1 What this book will do for you
Chapter 2 What are “Silent Sales Machines”?
Chapter 3 The Tools and Basic Skills of Online Success
Chapter 4 Some “Silent Sales Machine” Examples & Ideas
Chapter 5 Where you should NOT start
Chapter 6 More Great Business Ideas
Chapter 7 How to Go Offline with Online concepts
Chapter 8 Where to Start

By following this affiliate link –Click Here!

- you can purchase the “Silent Sales Machine”.

I let you know about Jim’s work, you purchase the book and gain knowledge and I receive a commission.

Alternately use your smart phone and scan this QR code:

Non-Profit Book Helps Create New Starts!

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Hello everyone. In my search for honest business instructors, I’ve found Jim Cockrum. Today (September 27) is the release date for a book he wrote on successful business methods, called “Free Marketing: 101 Low and No-Cost Ways to Grow Your Business, Online and Off”. The book is available in Nook and Kindle as well as in hardback format.

All profits go to a Detroit mission that is helping to revitalize the economy of the Detroit area it is in. I’ve looked at the pre-published copy, and have found a lot of brilliant ideas.

This is a video on it:

Here is the sales page link for the book on Amazon, and this is the one for Barnes & Noble.

Neither one of these two links is an affiliate link.

If you want to learn about Jim, go here.

Albert Schweitzer Once Said...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:11:00 +0000

In everyone's life,
at some time,
our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame
by an encounter with
another human being.

We should all be
thankful for those people
who rekindle the inner spirit.

Cool dance for a hot summer day! "Dance Like No One's Watching"

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:14:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

It is not length of life,,..

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:25:00 +0000

... but depth of life.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It does not matter...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:59:00 +0000

...how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." – Confucius

Healthcare Reform is More Corporate Welfare

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Congressman Ron Paul

Last Wednesday the nation was riveted to the President’s speech on healthcare reform before Congress. While the President’s concern for the uninsured is no doubt sincere, his plan amounts to a magnanimous gift to the health insurance industry, despite any implications to the contrary.

For decades the insurance industry has been lobbying for mandated coverage for everyone. Imagine if the cell phone industry or the cable TV industry received such a gift from government? If government were to fine individuals simply for not buying a corporation’s product, it would be an incredible and completely unfair boon to that industry, at the expense of freedom and the free market. Yet this is what the current healthcare reform plans intend to do for the very powerful health insurance industry.

The stipulation that pre-existing conditions would have to be covered seems a small price to pay for increasing their client pool to 100 % of the American people. A big red flag, however, is that they would also have immunity from lawsuits, should they fail to actually cover what they are supposedly required to cover, so these requirements on them are probably meaningless. Mandates on all citizens to be customers of theirs, however, are enforceable with fines and taxes.

Insurance providers seem to have successfully equated health insurance with health care but this is a relatively new concept. There were doctors and medicine long before there was health insurance. Health insurance is not a bad thing, but it is not the only conceivable way to get health care. Instead, we seem to still rely on the creativity and competence of politicians to solve problems, which always somehow seem to be tied in with which lobby is the strongest in Washington.

It is sad to think of the many creative, free market solutions that government prohibits with all its interference. What if instead of joining a health insurance plan, you could buy a membership directly from a hospital or doctor? What if a doctor wanted to have a cash-only practice, or make house calls, or determine his or her own patient load, or otherwise practice medicine outside the constraints of the current bureaucratic system? Alternative healthcare delivery models will be at an even stronger competitive disadvantage if families are forced to buy into the insurance model. And yet, the reforms are sold to us as increasing competition.

What if just once Washington got out of the way and allowed the ingenuity of the American people to come up with a whole spectrum of alternatives to our broken system? Then the free market, not lobbyists and politicians, would decide which models work and which did not.

Unfortunately, the most broken aspect of our system is that Washington sees the need to act on every problem in society, rather than staying out of the way, or getting out of the way. The only tools the government has are force and favors. These are tools that many unscrupulous and lazy corporations would like to wield to their own advantage, rather than simply providing a better product that people will willingly buy. It seems the health insurance industry will get more of those advantages very soon.

Friendship Is Important For Good Health

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:55:00 +0000

Discovered this through someone I know:

Friendship is important for a healthy life, just remember it's quality that's important, not quantity.

Vaccine Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:12:00 +0000

In his documentary film Vaccine Nation, award-winning investigative film director Dr. Gary Null challenges the basic health claims by government health agencies and pharmaceutical firms that vaccines are perfectly safe.

This is one of the most critical questions facing today‘s children and future generations to come.

If inoculation with a large regimen of vaccines is safe, what can account for the rapid increase in autism and other mental disabilities that are now at epidemic proportions? And why isn‘t the sudden onset of neurological illnesses in children being treated as an urgent crisis by our government and medical industries?

My Vaccine Journey

Although I first started my health journey in 1968 when I began exercising, I took a number of side paths. The major one was medical school, and by the time I completed my residency training in 1985 I was thoroughly brainwashed with the belief that drugs and vaccines were imperative to produce health, and prevent disease.

Of course, as you are aware, I eventually learned that nothing could be further from the truth and my views had been skillfully manipulated by the masterful control of the health care system by the drug companies.

A great testimony to the effectiveness of my brainwashing was the views I held of Dr. Robert Mendelsohn who was a pediatrician that had learned the awful truth of vaccines and was heralding the alarm trumpets. At the time, I felt he was a dangerous quack and should have his license removed.

Unfortunately he passed away in 1988, which was long before I started my epiphany of health truths that eventually helped me understand how on target he was, and how many lives he helped save. It is one of the great regrets of my life that I never met Dr. Mendelhson, as we both attended the same school.

From my vaccine growth experience it has become very clear to me that vaccine beliefs are the last ones to change as physicians migrate from conventional to natural medicine. It is a belief that you don‘t want to challenge very vigorously as, in my experience, it is rigidly held and defended, and typically requires years of exposure to alternative views before they can even begin to hear the truth about this crucial topic.

Vaccine Nation

I recently had the opportunity to review the DVD Vaccine Nation ; Executive Producer, Gary Null, and Producer, Manette Loudon, and was very impressed with the compelling story it told.

One of the most riveting parts of the video was the story of Alan Yurko, which will chill your blood. Alan was convicted of killing his infant son by shaking him to death, when the reality of the situation was his child was killed by vaccines. He was given a life sentence for his non-crime, and was reviled by his fellow inmates because he was a convicted child killer, which is pretty low on the prison totem pole.

You are probably thinking, so what? The guy was probably guilty anyway and really did kill his child and what could that possibly mean to me?

Well, if those thoughts are coming to your mind, they echo ones similar to mine when Alan wrote to me from his prison cell for help. Unfortunately I chose to do nothing to help him at the time and justified it by saying I did not have the time or resources to evaluate his case.

Thankfully other physicians selflessly came to his rescue. Alan was very poor and could not afford anything but an inept public defender. Fortunately, with expert medical help he was able to secure a retrial and is now free.

Moved to Tears

This was one of the most moving DVDs I have seen in some time, because of my personal connection with Alan‘s case. About one third of the DVD reviews his heartrending personal story. He and his wife Francine are interviewed from the beginning of his trial when he was not even allowed to attend his child‘s funeral, to the very end when he is finally freed from prison.

I have been opposed to vaccines for about 15 years now, but Vaccine Nation converted me from being aware to being an activist.

My inaction with Alan‘s plea for help was a powerful life experience and I committed myself to never making that type of mistake again, and doing everything I possibly can to inform, educate, protect and defend against this type of tragedy from ever happening again.

You Can Make a Difference

Let‘s face it, most of us have precious little time to read and catch up on important topics. But most of us have time to be entertained. Nothing wrong with that, as it is part of a balanced life. However if you select most typical contemporary media you are not only wasting your time but exposing your brain to potentially dangerous brainwashing.

You simply have to be very careful about what you choose to view.

So why not choose an educational DVD that could teach you about a topic that is not really easy to read about? In the time you typically waste on watching most of the trash that passes for media entertainment, you can painlessly view this video.

Let me assure you, with extreme confidence, that Vaccine Nation has the potential to move you to informed action about this crucial subject, and your actions can easily save the lives of a few innocent infants.

You can purchase this video at www.VaccineNation.net.

Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year!!

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:46:00 +0000

GlaxoSmithKline is preparing to sell billions worth of swine flu drugs this year. Their swine flu vaccine will be available by September, and international governments are already stockpiling large supplies of GSK's anti-viral treatment Relenza.

Worldwide sales from the two drugs are expected to be enormous, but the company rejected claims it was exploiting the pandemic.

GlaxoSmithKline has also developed an anti-viral face mask, which is expected to be used by people such as "front line health workers."

Sources:

The Guardian July 22, 2009

Regina's Blog July 19, 2009

Click On Detroit July 17, 2009

Dr. Mercola''s Comments Dr. Mercola's Comments:

According to recent media reports, some 160 million doses of swine flu vaccine are slated to be delivered to the U.S. by fall; enough doses to vaccinate a large portion of the U.S. population. The U.K. government has placed advance orders for 60 million doses.

But that’s probably just the beginning if sanity does not take hold soon.

According to Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccine makers could produce nearly FIVE BILLION pandemic flu shots per year in the best-case scenario.

And according to Business Week, wealthier countries like the U.S. and the U.K. will pay just under $10 per dose, while developing countries would pay less.

If these facts hold true, Big Pharma stands to gain up to $49 billion a year on the swine flu vaccine alone.

You might know that I am a native Chicagoan. Our most famous senator of course is now President Obama. But one of the most prominent senators preceeding him was Everett Dirksen.

Senator Dirksen passed away 40 years ago, but I remember him saying very clearly when he was talking about Defense Department spending:

"A billion dollars here and a billion dollars there, and before you know it you are talking about real money."

I realize that with the current economic crisis $50 billion doesn’t seem like a lot but it really is. These companies stand to earn about $50 billion PER YEAR from these vaccine recommendations.

Is it any wonder you’re being bombarded with scary messages about the significant threat posed by swine flu? The swine flu vaccines stand poised to be absolute Blockbusters if this hyped up vaccine drive is successful.

Say NO to the Vaccine !!!

Safety, Anyone?

According to the Guardian article above, the first human trials have begun in Adelaide, Australia, where adult volunteers are receiving vaccines from two pharmaceutical companies.

However, don’t mistake reports of human trials as a sign that safety measures are in place. Far from it.

GlaxoSmithKline has actually stated, "Clinical trials will be limited, due to the need to provide the vaccine to governments as quickly as possible. Additional studies will therefore be required and conducted after the vaccine is made available." [Emphasis mine].

Folks, how could this be anything but a prescription for potentially massive disaster?

Unfortunately, many people will not realize that when they line up for this vaccine, they are in fact accepting their role as TEST SUBJECTS. They are likely NOT receiving a drug that has any proof of being safe.

Please, if you care about the health and welfare of your friends and family, do not be shy about sharing information about this vaccine with them. It’s imperative that we quell this mounting drive to mass vaccinate, especially the mass vaccination of children.

There are factors involved with this vaccine that are brand new, which means it will be highly experimental and unpredictable.

For example, this vaccine will not be made using the methods of the past. In order to speed up the cultivation of the virus and the manufacturing process, they’re using human liver cells instead of chicken eggs. Whether this new procedure is better or worse than the old method, I can’t say.

However, I believe it’s probably safe to say even the vaccine manufacturer does not know the answer to that question, since it’s never been used before and they have not had time to conduct any human testing. So, it’s Russian Roulette, if you ask me.

Most of the vaccines created will also include thimerosal (mercury), and the toxic adjuvant squalene, both of which have been clearly shown to carry significant health risks.

Why Safety is of No Real Concern for Vaccine Makers

Do you believe safety is a major concern for vaccine makers?

The last swine flu vaccination campaign that took place in 1976 led to thousands of lawsuits. Damage claims totaled $1.3 billion. The vaccine claimed 25 lives and hundreds of previously healthy young adults were crippled from Guillain-Barré Syndrome. The swine flu itself claimed ONE life.

This time around, the U.S. government has taken steps to ensure this will not happen again. The financial liability, I mean.

Vaccine makers and federal officials have been rendered mmune from lawsuits.Should anything go wrong with this current vaccine they will not have to pay a single cent to anyone,

Complete and total insulation from any legal actions thanks to effective manipulation of the US legal system through effective lobbying.

You may already know that since the 1980s, vaccine makers have been protected against lawsuits stemming from the use of childhood vaccines. Now, for the first time, they can wash their hands of any hazards stemming from a flu vaccine AND any associated adjuvants, such as squalene. The antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are also included in this protective legislation.

The 2006 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (the PREP Act) allows the DHHS Secretary to invoke almost complete immunity from liability for manufacturers of vaccines and drugs used to combat a declared public health emergency. The PREP Act removes your right to a trial jury unless you can provide clear evidence of willful misconduct that resulted in death or serious physical injury.

And get what you have to do BEFORE you can sue them--you must apply for and be granted permission to sue by the DHHS Secretary.

So what does all this mean?

It means that a) you agree to be a human guinea pig, and b) if your health suffers, you have virtually no legal recourse whatsoever. Believe me, no one will take responsibility for what happens to you or your child once you’ve been injected with this experimental vaccine.

It also means that at this point, a) vaccine makers have no financial incentive to make a safe product, and worse, b) they have a negative incentive to test it for safety.

Why?

Because if they KNOW there are problems, they could potentially be held liable for willful misconduct!

As long as they can prove they “didn’t know” of any problem, they will not be liable for damages. Hence it’s in their best interest to know as little as possible about the adverse reactions it might cause.

It is a topsy-turvy world, but that is the reality we’re faced with today, and that’s why I believe the ramifications of this mass vaccination campaign may turn out to be far worse than anyone’s willing to consider.

Are you prepared to let yourself or your child to be an unpaid test subject in an experimental drug trial with no guarantees of any kind?

Let it be well known that if you place your sole trust in your health officials and the vaccine makers, the potential price you might pay is your physical health and financial future. Everything is at stake. So, think carefully, and choose wisely, because once the damage is done, there’s no one to address your complaints.

Are the Swine Flu Numbers Correct?

Another area of concern is the reported number of cases of swine flu. What IS the real number?

Did you know that in the U.K., for example, they now appear to be collecting swine flu data online and via the phone, based on nothing but self assessment?

How can this contribute to an accurate picture of the spread of this disease?

Remember, the swine flu has nearly identical symptoms as the regular flu. The only way to know for sure is through laboratory verification of the strain.

Symptoms of the swine flu include:

* Fever of more than 100
* Coughing
* Runny nose and/or sore throat
* Joint aches
* Severe headache
* Vomiting and/or diarrhea
* Lethargy
* Lack of appetite

The British government’s National Pandemic Flu Service consists of an online form that assesses your symptoms, and if you’re deemed to fit the swine flu profile, you’re issued an authorization number to collect an antiviral from your local Antiviral Collection Point.

According to the Guardian, about 100,000 Brits caught the swine flu last week; nearly double the previous week’s figures.

But did they really contract the swine flu?

Or did the vast majority of them simply have a case of the sniffles, or a seasonal flu bug? Without laboratory confirmation, no one will ever know, but they sure are using those numbers to scare you!

Combat Battle Fatigue with the Two Paths to Sanity

As mentioned in Regina’s Blog above, another problem many are facing right now is information overwhelm, followed by battle fatigue as you weed through the propaganda and misinformation, trying to figure out what’s true and what’s not.

Eventually, this can lead to complacency, which I believe is the ultimate goal of the propagators of this campaign.

They want you to give up, shut up, and get shot up—so they can make billions of dollars, all without assuming any risk whatsoever.

This is not an option for any of us if we are to stop this inhumane, if not criminal, violation of our rights.

Instead, I suggest focusing your energy on the following two paths to sanity:

1. Take care of your health to protect yourself against any kind of influenza, and

2. Take a stance and make your voice heard politically

Here’s a quick rundown of how to do both.

How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu Without Vaccination

Following these simple guidelines will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

* Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I've previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

For those of you in the U.S., we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively. We hope to offer this service later this year, but in the meantime you can get your vitamin D levels checked inexpensively by going to this GrassrootsHealth D*action.

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1,000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell's work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. However the best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.
* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.
* Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night's Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.
* Have Effective Tools to Address Stress . We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as meridian tapping techniques, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.
* Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. You can review my exercise guidelines for some great tips on how to get started.
* Take a Good Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.
* Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.
* Use Natural Antibiotics. Examples include colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and garlic. These work like broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your body. And unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance.
* Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines. In this particular case, I'd also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug.

Keep in mind that virtually all vaccinations will LOWER your immune system (this is the main job of the vaccine adjuvants), NOT make it stronger!

How to Make Your Opinion Count

First, I strongly recommend you continue to educate yourself about influenza strains, vaccination risks, and the public health laws in your state that may require you or your children to undergo either mandatory vaccination or quarantine.

For a brief but comprehensive report on the history of mandatory vaccinations in the U.S. as well as the current laws in place, read the five-page CRS Report for Congress titled Mandatory Vaccinations: Precedent and Current Laws.

If you live in the U.S., I suggest you:

1. Visit the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) and join the fight against mandatory vaccination.
2. Read about a proposed self-shielding/self-quarantine bill and send a message to your local legislator here. (You can learn more about self-shielding and social distancing at this link.)

Last but not least, make the necessary preparations to self-shield/self-quarantine in the event of a swine flu outbreak in your area. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

* Store a two-week supply of food and water in the event you can’t get to a store or stores run out of supplies.
* Make sure you have a supply of any prescription drugs you take on hand.
* Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home.
* Get involved in community efforts to prepare for an influenza outbreak.

World Class Vaccine Conference!!

The International Vaccine Conference is held about once every FIVE years. It is without question the single best conference on vaccines in the world. For every speaker that is speaking there are 5-10 others that were not able to speak.

It is the best of the best speakers on this topic and I am VERY excited about attending. Washington DC is absolutely delightful in the fall and all the world-class museums there are free.

Please join me at this event. It is only $195 for the weekend and the hotel rooms are severely discounted. So even if you are only considering going, you should register for the hotel as there is no charge to cancel your reservation.

register now

Related Links:

Swine Flu is NOT the Problem -- It is the Vaccine that May Harm or Kill You

Major Expose on Swine Flu by 60 Minutes

Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed

Music Therapy: A New Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:15:00 +0000

JOYFUL MUSIC MAY PROMOTE HEART HEALTH, ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE STUDY

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Listening to your favorite music may be good for your cardiovascular system. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown for the first time that the emotions aroused by joyful music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function.

Music, selected by study participants because it made them feel good and brought them a sense of joy, caused tissue in the inner lining of blood vessels to dilate (or expand) in order to increase blood flow. This healthy response matches what the same researchers found in a 2005 study of laughter. On the other hand, when study volunteers listened to music they perceived as stressful, their blood vessels narrowed, producing a potentially unhealthy response that reduces blood flow.

The results of the study, conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center, will be presented at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, on November 11, 2008, in New Orleans.

“We had previously demonstrated that positive emotions, such as laughter, were good for vascular health. So, a logical question was whether other emotions, such as those evoked by music, have a similar effect,” says principal investigator Michael Miller, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We knew that individual people would react differently to different types of music, so in this study, we enabled participants to select music based upon their likes and dislikes.”

Study design

Ten healthy, non-smoking volunteers (70 percent male, average age 36 years) participated in all phases of the randomized study. There were four phases. In one, volunteers listened to music they selected that evoked joy. The volunteers brought recordings of their favorite music to the laboratory, or, if they did not own the music, the investigators acquired the recordings. Another phase included listening to a type of music that the volunteers said made them feel anxious. In a third session, audio tapes to promote relaxation were played and in a fourth, participants were shown videotapes designed to induce laughter.

Each volunteer participated in each of the four phases, but the order in which each phase occurred was determined at random.

To minimize emotional desensitization, the volunteers were told to avoid listening to their favorite music for a minimum of two weeks. “The idea here was that when they listened to this music that they really enjoyed, they would get an extra boost of whatever emotion was being generated,” says Dr. Miller.

Prior to each phase of the study, the volunteers fasted overnight and were given a baseline test to measure what is known as flow-mediated dilation.

This test can be used to determine how the endothelium (the lining of blood vessels) responds to a wide range of stimuli, from exercise to emotions to medications. The endothelium has a powerful effect on blood vessel tone and regulates blood flow, adjusts coagulation and blood thickening, and secretes chemicals and other substances in response to wounds, infections or irritation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.

During the blood vessel dilation test, blood flow in the brachial artery, located in the upper arm, is restricted by a blood pressure cuff and released. An ultrasound device measures how well the blood vessel responds to the sudden increase in flow, with the result expressed as a percentage change in vessel diameter.

After the baseline test, each volunteer was exposed to the music or humorous video for 30 minutes. Additional dilation measurements were obtained throughout each phase to assess changes from baseline. Participants returned a minimum of one week later for the next phase. Sixteen measurements per person or a total of 160 dilation measurements were taken during the course of the study, which took six to eight months to complete.

Study results

Compared to baseline, the average upper arm blood vessel diameter increased 26 percent after the joyful music phase, while listening to music that caused anxiety narrowed blood vessels by six percent. “I was impressed with the highly significant differences both before and after listening to joyful music as well as between joyful and anxious music,” says Dr. Miller.

During the laughter phase of the study, a 19 percent increase in dilation showed a significant trend. The relaxation phase increased dilation by 11 percent on average; a number that the investigators determined was not statistically significant.

Most of the participants in the study selected country music as their favorite to evoke joy, according to Dr. Miller, while they said “heavy metal” music made them feel anxious. “You can’t read into this too much, although you could argue that country music is light, spirited, a lot of love songs.” says Dr. Miller, who enjoys rock, classical, jazz and country music. He says he could have selected 10 other individuals and the favorite could have been a different type of music.

Could other types of music produce similar positive effects on blood vessels? It’s possible, according to Dr. Miller. “The answer, in my opinion, is how an individual is ‘wired.’ We’re all wired differently, we all react differently. I enjoy country music, so I could appreciate why country music could cause that joyful response,” he says.

Dr. Miller believes that a physiological reaction to the type of music is behind the formation of positive and negative blood vessel reaction. “We don’t understand why somebody may be drawn to certain classical music, for example. There are no words in that, and yet the rhythm, the melody and harmony, may all play a role in the emotional and cardiovascular response.”

That physiological impact may also affect the activity of brain chemicals called endorphins. “The emotional component may be an endorphin-mediated effect,” says Dr. Miller. “The active listening to music evokes such raw positive emotions likely in part due to the release of endorphins, part of that mind-heart connection that we yearn to learn so much more about. Needless to say, these results were music to my ears because they signal another preventive strategy that we may incorporate in our daily lives to promote heart health.”

Dr. Miller’s funding sources include the American Heart Association, Veterans Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

###

University of Maryland Press Release

Celtic Woman - A New Journey - Granuaile's Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Certain Adverse Events Part 5 and 6

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Certain Adverse Events Part 3 and Part Four

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Certain Adverse Events Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Certain Adverse Events Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Can Calcium Actually Make Your Bones Weaker?

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Many of you have or will eventually suffer from osteoporosis. But the drugs designed to treat it are dangerous and loaded with side effects. Fortunately, there are safe, natural treatments you can use instead.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Osteoporosis is a very common problem. It’s characterized by porous and fragile bones, which over time increases your risk of fractures, most often your hips, vertebrae and wrists. In fact, it will affect about half of all the people watching this video.

The following information is important for a number of reasons, because there’s a lot of confusion about this condition, but I want to specifically clear up two major misconceptions.

Clearing Up Two Major Myths About Osteoporosis and Its Treatment

The first myth is that osteoporosis is due to a calcium deficiency. As you’ll soon see, that’s not simply the case.

The second misconception is that the treatment for it is to use bisfosphonate drugs like Fosamax, Actonel, or Boniva. This is one of the worst strategies for treating this condition, because even though it will increase your bone density, it is a poison! The reason these drugs work is because they actually kill certain cells in your bone called osteoclasts. These are the cells that destroy bone as part of your natural bone regeneration process.

When these cells die off, you’re left with only osteoblasts, which build bone. Hence you get bigger bone that is denser, but NOT stronger. Your bones actually become weaker, and in the long term increase your risk of developing a fracture.

Your bone undergoes a dynamic process, constantly being remolded based on the forces in your body, and you need to have both osteoblasts and osteclasts to remove old bone and rebuild new bone.

Another drug you want to avoid, especially if you have asthma or any other autoimmune disease, is steroids. Steroids are very detrimental for bone density, and will increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Eating Right for Healthy Bone Density and Strength

One of the important strategies for healthy bones is to eat the right kind of foods. If you eat a diet full of processed foods, it will produce biochemical and metabolic conditions in your body that will decrease your bone density, so avoiding processed foods is the first step in the right direction.

Eating high quality, organic, biodynamic, locally-grown food will naturally increase your bone density and decrease your risk of developing osteoporosis.

One food in particular worth mentioning are onions, which are high in gamma-glutamyl peptides that have been shown to increase bone density. But generally, you’ll want to eat lots of fresh vegetables.

There’s a common concern that eating a high protein diet will secrete calcium into your urine. But the truth of the matter is that more people are now eating low-protein diets, and your body needs protein, because amino acids are part of the bone matrix. If you don’t consume enough of specific amino acids your body can’t form strong, dense bones. So you’ll also want to make sure you eat plenty of high quality protein like free-range eggs and grass-fed meats.

One food you may want to consider avoiding is gluten -- a specific protein in many grains, specifically wheat, but also barley, rye, oats and spelt. Gluten has been shown to decrease bone density.

Beneficial Supplements

Along with your foods, your omega 3 fat content has a lot to do with building healthy bone. Most everyone needs to take a high quality, animal-based omega 3 fat. I recommend krill oil, as I believe it’s a superior source of omega 3’s.

At the same time, to balance out your omega 3 and omega 6 ratio, you’ll want to reduce the amount of processed vegetable oils you consume. Oils like corn oil, safflower- and soy oil are loaded with omega 6’s. Additionally, canola should be avoided for other reasons.

Another supplement you may want to consider if you already have osteoporosis is vitamin K2, which has been shown to radically improve bone density. Fermented foods, such as natto, typically have the highest concentration of vitamin K found in the human diet and can provide several milligrams of vitamin K2 on a daily basis.

Additional Components that are Vital for Bone Density

Two additional components that are vital for building bone density and strength are vitamin D and proper exercise.

Vitamin D -- Interestingly, you don’t need much vitamin D to protect you against osteomalacia (the term for the softening of bones due to defective bone mineralization, also known as rickets in children). In fact, most of our RDA’s are based on that observation, which is why they’re up to ten times lower than what many people need for optimal health.

Now we know that vitamin D is enormously important for an ever-growing number of conditions, which is why I recommend you regularly expose large amounts of your skin to safe amounts of sunshine (or use a safe tanning bed) to optimize your vitamin D levels.

If neither of those is available, then you’ll want to use an oral form of vitamin D3. However, if you take oral vitamin D, make sure you’re measuring your vitamin D levels with a reputable reference lab (in the U.S. I recommend LabCorp). Getting your levels up to about 60 ng/ml will help you optimize your bone density.

Proper exercise -- The second component you can’t ignore if you want strong, healthy bones is weight bearing exercises like strength training. Remember, bone-building is a dynamic process, so you want to make sure you exert enough force on your bones to stimulate the osteoblasts to build new bone.

You may want to see a personal trainer or exercise therapist to give you specific exercises to build up the muscles around the bone that are most at risk, such as your arms and hips, as that’s where most of the damage occurs.

The Calcium Lie

Dr. Robert Thompson M.D. wrote an entire book, The Calcium Lie, addressing this important issue. Although he’d been able to resolve many illnesses with supplements and herbs and other less toxic alternatives to drugs, he’d come to realize that similar to the pharmaceutical industry, the nutrition industry had its own flaws.

He concluded that enormous amounts of money were being wasted on supplements that had little or no health benefit, and in some cases could actually worsen your health.

One of the tenets of his book is that bone is composed of at least a dozen minerals, and if you focus exclusively on calcium supplementation you are likely going to worsen your bone density, and will actually increase your risk of osteoporosis!

Dr. Thompson believes that the overconsumption of calcium in the goal of preventing osteoporosis creates other mineral deficiencies and imbalances that will also increase your risk of heart disease, kidney stones, gallstones, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Interestingly, he proposes that one of the best practical alternatives is the use of naturally occurring ionic supplements, as ionic minerals are the most plentiful form of minerals found on earth. He believes that almost everyone needs trace minerals, not just calcium, because you simply cannot get all the nutrients you need through food grown in mineral depleted soils.

Unprocessed Salt – A Better Alternative to Calcium Supplementation

Dr. Thompson believes that unprocessed salts are one of the best sources of these ionic trace minerals responsible for catalyzing many important functions in your body.

I have been a long time fan of high quality salt, and even more so once I learned of Himalayan salt, which I believe is one of the healthiest salts on the planet. High quality salts like Himalayan contain vitally important trace minerals from the ancient oceans that are not contaminated with toxins, and which are very difficult to get in your food due to the challenges of modern agricultural practices.

When Government Plays Doctor

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:26:00 +0000

Dr. Ron Paul

This week, concerns about swine flu have dominated the media and many government officials. While the American people should be made aware of infectious diseases and common sense preventative measures, much of the hysterical reaction from government only serves to remind us how detrimental to your health it can be when government plays doctor.

As a physician, I have yet to see any evidence that justifies the current level of alarm. Influenza typically kills around 36,000 people every year in this country and hospitalizes a couple hundred thousand. So far there are only a handful of confirmed deaths attributable to this strain, and most of those sickened have or will fully recover. Every death is tragic, but I see no reason to deal with this flu outbreak any differently than we typically deal with any other flu season. Instead, government in its infinite wisdom is performing even more invasive screening at airports, closing down schools and sporting events, and causing general panic.

We had a similar outbreak in 1976, with only 1 death from the flu, but mandatory vaccinations killed at least 25 before the program was abandoned.

When government gets involved in healthcare decisions, the cure is so often worse than the illness. And yet, this administration will likely consolidate the government’s power over your health with sweeping new reforms that are already being discussed in the Senate.

Government has not improved healthcare, and has not made it cheaper. Quite the opposite; costs have skyrocketed, and quality has gone down in many ways. Gone are the days of the country doctor making house calls, or of voluntarily giving away medical services at charity hospitals. The bureaucratization of healthcare these past 45 years has made things worse. It saddens me as a doctor that physicians are less and less accountable to patients, but more and more accountable to government red tape, insurance companies and attorneys. It seems so perverse to me that important medical decisions that will directly affect the lives of all or nearly all Americans are being hashed out behind closed doors in Washington rather than between doctors and patients.

There is perhaps nothing more valuable to a human being than his or her health, which is why I’ve always considered the practice of medicine so crucial to our well-being. Any intrusion by government into the privacy and trust between doctor and patient is detrimental to the art of medicine. It distorts the whole dynamic of who the client really is when doctors must answer more to government or insurance companies than to their patients. The best solutions to improving quality and lowering costs of healthcare would be measures that put decisions back into the hands of patients and doctors, where they rightfully belong. I have introduced HR 1495 The Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Act, which promotes health savings accounts and tax deductibility of healthcare costs as an important step in this direction.

The unfortunate reality of this recent health crisis, as with any crisis, is that it presents opportunities that the unscrupulous will take advantage of, while the fearful become more compliant.

Congressman Paul on the Recent Swine Flu Scare

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Dr. Ron Paul is a physician and Representative to the U.S. House of Congress.
4/27/09

Because Laughing is Good For You

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:59:00 +0000

This is someone's editing class assignment, a trailer of Ocean's Eleven using footage from The Great Muppet Caper. It has really good trailer-type editing, and the audio syncing is hilarious! Excellent casting. I hope they get an "A".

Video Report on MSG Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Video Report on MSG Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Video Report on MSG Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:47:00 +0000

Added Resources on MSG

noreply@blogger.com (Joan) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:34:00 +0000

You can get more information from these books.