Alternative Medicine

Why PR Can be Effective "Medicine"

2012-01-04T19:00:00.001-08:00

When properly applied by business, non-profit andassociation managers, public relations “medicine”
does something positive about the behaviors of thoseimportant external audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations.It’s easy-to-swallow “medicine” when it leads managersto persuade those key outside folks to their way ofthinking, then move them to take actions that allow the manager’s department, division or subsidiary to succeed.In other words, effective public relations “medicine” is applied when PR alters individual perception leading to changed behaviors among a manager’s target “publics,” thus helping achieve his or her managerial objectives.

Here’s the underlying essence: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to
predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion
by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

But managers should always remember that their PR effort must demand more than special events, brochures
and press releases if they are to come up with the public relations results they paid for. Here’s a sampling of what this “medicine” can deliver: fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; customers starting to make repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Luckily, your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business, so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoring project. But you must be certain of several things. First, who among your PR team really understands the blueprint outlined above and shows commitment to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring? Second, be certain that your public relations people really accept why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And third, make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Review the bidding with your PR staff. Especially your game plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

You may wish to use those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity since, as noted, they’re already in the perception and persuasion business. And further, because it can run into real money using professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Here, you are aiming at creating a PR goal that does something about the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold? Where you establish a goal, you must establish a strategy that tells you how to get there. So keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like blue cheese on your corn flakes, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

It’s always a challenge to create an actionable message that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking. Here, you must do so, and it must be a well-written message target directly at your key external audience. Identify your strongest writer because s/he must build some very special, corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now it’s selection time once again, namely, the communications tactics most likely to carry your
message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you must be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members. By the way, you may wish to keep this kind of message low profile and unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. Reason is, the credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake, so how you communicate it is a concern.

You’ll need preliminary progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be on red alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction If things are not moving fast enough for you, you always have the option of accelerating the effort by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

The value of public relations as effective medicine for managers becomes clearer when you realize that
the people you deal with behave like everyone else –hey act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which means you really have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.

Why Modern Medicine is the Greatest Threat to Health

2012-01-04T18:56:00.001-08:00

There is the underlying assumption that modernity translates into better health. A corollary of this logic is that we can live our lives pretty much as we want because we can always buy a repair. You know, the car won't start, the TV is broken, the telephone is dead – no problem. Just call in an expert, spend some money and all is well.

People carry this over to their thinking about health. Our ticker falters, joints creak or an unwanted growth pops up – no problem. Buy some modern medical care. If that doesn't work, it's a problem of money, better insurance, more hospital funding, more research for the "cure," more doctors, better equipment and more technology. Right?

Wrong.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to the perpetrators themselves. The following is taken right from the pages of the Journal of the American Medical Association (July 26, 2000): "Of 13 countries in a recent (health) comparison, the United States (the most modern and advanced in the world) ranks an average of 12th (second from the bottom)..."

For example, the U.S. ranks:

· last for low birth weight
· last for neonatal and infant mortality overall
· 11th for post neonatal mortality
· last for years of potential life lost
· 11th for female life expectancy at one year, and next to last for males
· 10th for age adjusted mortality

The World Health Organization, using different indicators, ranked the U.S. 15th among 25 industrialized nations. (If ranked against "primitive" cultures eating and living as humans were designed, the whole industrialized world would be at the bottom of the heap.)

Some might say these dismal results are because of smoking, alcohol, cholesterol, animal fats and poor penetration of medical care. Not so. Countries where these health risks are greater have better overall health according to epidemiological studies. It's also not due to lack of technology. The U.S. is, for example, second only to Japan in the number of magnetic resonance imaging units (MRIs) and computed tomography scanners per unit of population. Neither can lack of medical personnel be blamed since the U.S. has the greatest number of employees per hospital bed in the world.

So what is the problem? Here are some clues as revealed in the same journal cited above:
· 12,000 deaths per year from unnecessary surgery
· 7,000 deaths per year from medication errors in hospitals
· 20,000 deaths per year from other hospital errors
· 80,000 deaths per year from nosocomial (originating in a hospital) infections
· 106,000 deaths per year from adverse effects of medications

That totals 225,000 deaths per year, the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer. Another study – we're talking just hospital related deaths here – estimates 284,000 deaths per year. An analysis of outpatient care jumps these figures by 199,000 deaths for a new total of 483,000 medically related deaths per year. And this assumes doctors and hospitals eagerly report all their mistakes. Think so?

The poor health ranking in the U.S. is in large part not because of lack of modern medical care, it is because of it! This does not deny that each person’s life choices do not impact health as well. People cannot live with abandon and then expect anybody to fix it regardless of their technology and skills. You can imagine the frustration physicians must feel faced day-to-day with patients wanting a quick fix for a lifetime of unhealthy life choices. Be that as it may, it does not deny that modern medicine in and of itself is a huge risk to those who surrender to it.

Why do we not hear more about this? It is just too difficult to come to grips with the inevitable – and unbelievable – conclusion: When all the deaths (not counting the hundreds of thousands who are maimed or otherwise harmed but don't die) reported and not reported are tallied, medical intervention is arguably the leading cause of death in our country.

Time to splash some cold water on the rely-on-modern-medicine inebriation. And remember folks, the above are just cold statistics. Take any one of these numbers and humanize it to the real pain, suffering, financial devastation, grief and family disruption, and each one is a heart rending story deserving of anyone's deep concern and sympathy. It is a tragedy of a magnitude unequalled by anything in human history. And it's repeated every year. It makes 9-11, all the deaths in all U.S. wars, deaths by auto, homicides and everything else pale in comparison. (Not to minimize the tragedy of each of those things.)

The media should be shouting about medical risks from atop their broadcast towers. But there is mostly silence, just reports in obscure (to the public) medical and scientific publications. In the meantime, trusting people keep flocking to the slaughter. From just 1995 to 2002, pharmaceutical sales jumped from $65 billion to over $200 billion. That's about one prescription for each man, woman and child in the country every month. This escalation in medical dependency is paralleled in surgeries, lab tests, emergency room admissions, elective procedures and outpatient visits.

You can do something about it. Begin today to take control of your own health destiny. The philosophical paradigm of conventional, allopathic, symptom based, reductionistic, crisis care, episodic, after-the-fact medicine is seriously flawed ... and very deadly. Good and well meaning doctors are hamstrung by wrong philosophical premises. They are crippled every bit as much as those who once believed in a flat Earth. Trying to achieve health with modern allopathic medicine is like trying to fix computers with a hammer, just because that's the only tool you were taught to use or believe in.

Don't wait for the system to change. Old ideas die too hard. The mega-medical industry is not going to be quick in either admitting error or revamping itself. Your health is at stake. Think prevention and natural holistic cure. Study, learn, grow, be skeptical, change lifestyle, be self-reliant – be a thinking person. That's your best road to health.

Why Choose Naturopathic Medicine?

2012-01-04T18:55:00.001-08:00

Naturopathic medicine is a system and philosophy of medicine that has been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Before the advent of ‘conventional’ medicine, which uses a wide variety of drugs and surgical procedures, almost every doctor learned how to use herbs, minerals, homeopathy, and other natural methods to treat disease. Since the early 1900’s and with the discovery of antibiotics, usage and public knowledge of naturopathic medicine has declined. This was most likely due to the ‘quick fix’ nature of many of the new drugs developed and increased safety of surgical procedures. Diseases such as influenza and measles, which today are generally nuisances and easily treated in most people, were very scary and sometimes life threatening in these earlier times. The plague literally plagued people. Today we are blessed with better opportunities for proper nutrition, hygiene, and information about these diseases, all of which lessen the threat of many of the more common diseases becoming life threatening. The attraction that people had towards conventional medicine was and is understandable. Treatments that decrease symptoms of a disease are often well received by patients who are dealing with a troublesome condition. Most advances in technology are viewed as progress and people want the best, especially where their health or that of their loved ones is concerned. The problem that came with this flux towards conventional medicine was that it was new and no one knew what the side effects or long-term effects of using synthetic drugs would be. Also, most people abandoned the more natural methods of health care and stopped caring for themselves in a way that would keep them strong and vital. Instead they began using pills and surgery as ‘fixes’ when things went wrong. They began to eat more processed foods that have fewer vitamins and minerals. Our environment became more polluted. Most doctors know little about nutrition, how or what to eat, or what to do with people affected by the environment. As well, the more scientific medicine gets, the less people understand it. This leads to people feeling ignorant about health matters and leaving all the power in their doctor’s hands.

So, here we are today. When people feel sick or know something is wrong, they make an appointment and usually get a prescription. If that doesn’t work, another prescription is tried. If a person is lucky, they get sick very infrequently and live healthy lives. Complications arise when the treatments given don’t work or cause side effects that need another treatment to lessen them. What happens if you have allergies, asthma, and diabetes? How many prescriptions do you take? What if the drugs given interact with each other or cause a nutritional deficiency? What about the people who are on a drug for the rest of their lives? What about people with chronic diseases that have been told they have no cure but the symptoms can be ‘managed’?

What causes many of the above problems is the philosophy of the medicine used. The focus should not be (however contrary it may sound) how to get rid of whatever ails you, but why it began. If you can find out what causes your disease and why it began for you, it is entirely possible to foster your health in such a way that your body heals itself. It does little good to get rid of an ear infection in your child if it returns again. Why take an antiviral daily to suppress herpes outbreaks when this can be done with lifestyle and natural methods that do the same thing while enhancing your immunity? If you have advanced heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, what feelings of hope do you have that your life can be enhanced? If you take medications daily, perhaps in increasing doses, for the rest of your life with your only hope to have better or stable lab test results, that doesn’t sound like the quality life you could be having. Did you know that with changes to your lifestyle and natural therapies you could increase the energy you feel as well as possibly reverse many of the damaging changes you now live with?

There are natural treatments for every complaint. I once heard from a wise doctor, “There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people”. What he meant was that every case of cancer may not be curable, but it is possible to cure cancer. No condition is incurable. What happens in treatment is more a factor of the person, the nature of the disease, and other variables, and not so much which disease is being treated. It is more difficult, of course, to treat diseases that are long-standing, severe, or in other ways complicated. But that does not mean it can never been done. If a person does not want treatment and they get something from being in the place they are at, that makes recovery all the more difficult. It is much easier to treat conditions when they first start and when the person wishes to be well. But still there are no guarantees.

What tends to work best for most people is a multifaceted approach to treating their condition. First, treat the whole person. Find out what their needs are and treat them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, as they need it. Treat their whole body. Migraines, arthritis, and urinary infections can be related and not separate diseases. A person may not need antibiotics or removal of an organ, they may need something that seems entirely unrelated. The toddler with constant stomach pains may not need medication; he may need to change day cares. Try to understand what is going on for the person.

Second, treat them in such a way as to increase their vitality. The goal is to increase the healing response within so that the body becomes healthier and reverses the disease process naturally and in its time (if this is possible). It may be necessary to provide some symptomatic relief, but the goal of a treatment should not be to simply suppress the symptoms. Just because symptoms are gone does not mean that the disease is not there. The goal is a complete cure and no return of the condition (sometimes this is possible, at other times it is not). Your body holds an incredible healing force that wants to keep you in harmonious balance at all times. Think of the miracle of healing a broken bone. Think of how microorganisms cause your lungs much distress in bronchitis, yet how well you breathe and how complete the cure when the body is done healing that condition. Think of the miracle of life itself. If disease arises when we hinder the body in maintaining its perfect balance, then restoring conditions of balance will help our bodies to heal themselves. After all, it is not the antibiotic that heals you. The antibiotic simply kills off enough bacteria to allow your body the upper hand. Ask yourself if the body shouldn’t have the upper hand to begin with. If you really do need antibiotics, what is causing the bacteria to gain the upper hand?

Naturopathic medicine strives to restore balance by removing any obstacles keeping your body from healing itself. Physicians using this medicine understand the importance of treating each person individually and in a way that helps restore their natural vitality. They also try to use the most gentle yet effective treatment possible to avoid causing side effects or interactions between treatments. Naturopathic physicians also recognize the importance of using conventional medicine when it is necessary. They will also use appropriate lab work, x-rays, and other tools for diagnosis and tracking when necessary. As all physicians, they frequently will refer a complicated condition to providers who can give the patient the best care along with the natural treatments. Naturopaths regard the wants and needs of their patients highly. A patient is encouraged to share their goals and take and active part in their healthcare. Consultations and treatments are generally longer than those with a conventional practitioner so questions can be addressed and a healing relationship established.

What Is Herbal Medicine? Is It Safe?

2012-01-04T18:54:00.001-08:00

Herbal medicine is the use of plant and herb extracts for their therapeutic value. Most plants contain and produce chemical substances that aid in healing and other physical treatments.

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare and constitutes a key role in the development of modern medicine as we know it today. Back when technology was still unheard of, primitive men utilised the vast flora around them to the fullest extent, observing both plant and animal life and their components, eventually giving birth to herbal medicine. In a study by the World Health Organization on herbal medicine use, about 80 f the world's populace still rely on herbal medicine to cure certain ailments and about 74 f the drugs we use today contain at least one botanical element. For instance, Chinese Herbal Medicine's use of ephedrine to cure respiratory conditions still exists in the present time. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in most of the commercial drugs that are being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.

Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Western Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, western herbal medicine remains a part of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also to help the whole body rejuventate strengthen itself. And while there is no scientific evidence that all herbal medicines claiming to have healing powers are actually effective, the number the herbal medicines that have been placed under clinical testing have proved their worth. The list of known kinds includes echinacea, which is used to temper colds, St John's wort, used to treat mild depression (without using Prozac), and hawthorne berries, which help in the recovery process from mild heart failures.

Is herbal medicine a direct substitute to modern medication? It depends. While herbal medicines are extracted naturally from plants, not all are safe to use; particularly if they are taken with other types of treatments that may not be complementary. Also, herbal medicine is often used only for mild ailments. If the symptoms are more serious, it is best to consult a trained practitioner of herbal medicine who can tell you which ones are appropriate and recommend dosage levels and frequency. Presently, most of the recommended herbal medicines fall outside of standard drug regulations, thus, not all of their claims to fame are guaranteed and true. And even as common sense tells us that herbal medicine has been around for thousand of years, giving an impression that it is quite an authority, it is not recommended to self-diagnose.

Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are still medicines and, therefore, share the likelihood of having side effects as regular commercial drugs. Some of us have this misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, they are 100 afe. This is not true all the time. The best defense against the possible side effects herbal medicines might give is to educate ourselves with the basics on the herbal medicine in question and to use it with caution.

Wellness Medicine

2012-01-04T18:53:00.001-08:00

THE SCIENCE OF OBESITY: FATS & CHOLESTEROL

For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately, we were doing it all wrong.

Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good fats," the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels. Before we examine the good fats and bad fats, let's talk about cholesterol.

Cholesterol - It's been ingrained into our brains that cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our intake of foods that contain it, but dietary cholesterol is different than blood cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two places--first, from food such as meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body. Our liver makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry it to all parts of your body. Our body needs cholesterol to help form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D.

You may have heard of "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. If there's HDL in the blood, then less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries. That's why it's called "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited in the coronary arteries. This is not good. A build-up of cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to parts of our heart. That means that our heart won't get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you're at a greater risk for developing heart disease. It may come as a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood cholesterol levels. It's the types of fats you eat that affect your blood cholesterol levels.

Bad Fats - There are two fats that you should limit your intake of--saturated and trans fats.

Saturated Fats - Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat, whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise both the good and bad blood cholesterol.

Trans Fats - Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation--heating oils in the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life. Margarine also contains a high amount of trans fats. Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL. Unfortunately, most products do not tell you how much trans fat it contains, but you can find out if it's in a product by looking at the ingredient list. If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats. Fortunately in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels, so it will be easier for you to find.

Good Fats - Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels.

Polyunsaturated Fats - Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid. However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish and walnuts.

Monounsaturated Fats - Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils. Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL.

Now, just because the unsaturated fats improve your blood cholesterol levels, you don't have the go-ahead to eat all of the olive oil, butter and nuts you want. Fat of any kind does contain calories, and if you're trying to lose weight, eat fat in moderation, and stay away from saturated fats.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR WEIGHT

A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored energy. In order to lose a pound of fat, you have to use 3500 more calories than you consume. Although this seems like a simple formula remember that your body is a thinking organism designed to protect itself. If you were to try to reduce your intake by the entire 3500 calories in one day, your body would register some type of alarm and think that there is a state of emergency. Immediately your metabolism would slow down and no weight loss would be achieved. It's better to spread your weight loss out over a period of a week, so that you aim to reduce your caloric intake by 3500 to 7000 calories per week, resulting in weight loss of one to two pounds per week. It's generally not recommended to try to lose more than two pounds in a week. Attempting to do so may cause health risks, and on top of this you're unlikely to be successful.

In the example of attempting to lose two pounds per week, you can use a basic method of calorie counting to help you accomplish your goal. To do so, you need to figure out how many calories a person of your age, sex, and weight usually needs in a day, subtract 500 from that amount, and follow a diet that provides you with that many calories. For example, if you would ordinarily need 3000 calories in a day, you would follow a 2500-calorie a day diet. Next, figure out how much exercise a person of your weight would need to do to burn 500 calories per day, and engage in an exercise plan that will help you achieve your goal. The result is simple: 500 fewer calories consumed and 500 more calories expended equals a 1000 calorie per day deficit, which, over the course of a week adds up to 7000 calories, or two pounds. Although individual results may vary, the bottom line is if your body is consuming fewer calories than it's expending, then weight will be lost.

Vitamins in Natural Medicines

2012-01-04T18:52:00.001-08:00

Looking for information about a nutritional supplement, vitamin, or herbal remedy? This guide gives you information about the history, medical uses and treatments using herbs, vitamins, and nutritional supplements, typical doses, side effects, government regulation, and how to be a savvy supplement shopper.

The evidence of natural therapies are increasing and being validated by scientists every day. Most health conditions being treated by medicine today are entirely preventable. Chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and others have been clearly linked to diet and lifestyle. Now it has never been easier to learn about this scientific evidence for maintaining health.

Vibrational Medicine

2012-01-04T18:51:00.001-08:00

Vibrational medicine attempts to treat people with various forms of pure energy. The influence of alternative medical systems such as Chinese, Ayervedic or Tibetan medicine have led in part to the development of machines that can 'image energy'. Heat energy imagers are an accepted part of our technology. We readily accept imaging heat, even though we can't see it, because heat is something we can sense through touch. With the 'energy body' it is not so straightforward. Very few of us have experienced this for ourselves and there is apparently no sensory backup to tell us it is there.

Experiments in 'electro-acupuncture' and Kirlian photography have led to an energy map of the body identical to that shown in traditional Chinese medicine. The meridian system is seen as an interface between the physical body and the energy body. Applications of resonant energy to the meridian system promote healing in a number of dis-eases, by altering the energy of the 'root system' concerned in the dis-ease. Much of this work seems to be 'undercover' and information and the manufacture of equipment for treatments of this nature is actually suppressed through legislation.

The etheric body, acupuncture meridians, chakras and nadis and other multi-dimensional aspects of the human are described by ancient schools of healing throughout the world. Western medicine in its reductionist stance, ignores these aspects because they can't be studied under a microscope. Only now, at the beginning of the 21st century are some doctors starting to catch on.

Vibrational medicine interfaces with subtle energy fields that underly the functions of a physical body. It is based on the idea of resonant frequencies, similar to a tuned string on a musical instrument resonating with anything tuned to the same frequency, or an opera singer smashing a glass by singing at a certain pitch. Some sciences and philosophies have recognised vibrational elements as an important part of the universe. It is proving difficult to link these new sciences with the dogma of Western medicine. Even as long ago as 1928 Thomas Sugrue recognised vibrational elements at work in the human body:

"The human body is made up of electronic vibrations, with each atom and elements of the body, each organ and organism, having its electronic unit of vibration necessary for the sustenance of, and equilibrium in that particular organism. Each unit, then, being a cell or a unit of life in itself has the capacity of reproducing itself by the first the law as is known as reproduction-division. When a force in any organ or element of the body becomes deficient in its ability to reproduce that equilibrium necessary for the sustenance of physical existence and its reproduction, that portion becomes deficient in electronic energy. This may come by injury or disease, received by external forces. It may come from internal forces through lack of eliminations produced in the system or by other agencies to meet its requirements in the body."

Edgar Cayce (1928) from There is a River by Thomas Sugrue.

Experiments in high-energy particle physics and the new field of quantum physics show us that nearly all matter is energy. In some sense we are made from 'frozen light'. As beings of energy we are influenced by and can be treated by energy and modern medicine is all too slowly realising this.

Medical science, alternative medicine and quantum science are merging in a few specific places. For example M.R.I. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) as mentioned previously, places the patient in a strong magnetic field that passes waves through the body. The computer creates an image by analysing changes in the magnetic alignment of the hydrogen protons in our cells. This is essentially an 'energy imager' but is used only for physical diagnosis.

A key principle behind M.R.I. is that the atoms under study (hydrogen) are being stimulated by the transfer of energy of a specific frequency. The energy is only absorbed by the atom if it is of a particular resonant frequency. Systems which produce frequencies that resonate with the biological phenomena being studied have the greatest chance of successfully imaging indicators of disease. M.R.I. promises much new diagnostic information about the body, showing even more detailed cellular pictures of structure and function. It is still looking at only physical molecular imaging - a sophisticated application of a Newtonian philosophy.

Cancer is already treated by radiation therapy, the application of gamma rays which can be focused at certain depths within a patient. This is used in a 'Newtonian science' way - primarily to destroy the lump. Any notions of vibrational levels that resonate with the patient are unresearched, because this aspect of us doesn't exist to Western scientific medicine.

What is needed now are imaging systems that allow healers to look to the level of energetic causes of illness and not just the biochemical abnormalities accompanying established disease. Truly preventative medicine awaits an imaging system that will prove to doctors that there is more to human beings than mere flesh and blood.

Devices capable of sensing vibrations in a person are appearing, one such uses voice analysis to identify missing frequencies. Practitioners are astounded at the accuracy of their findings and the speed of results in supplying that frequency to a patient. This tool is allowing switched-on energy workers to heal without having to diagnose, because the treatment gets to the energy root problem directly.

University of South Carolina School of Medicine upgrades gomembers meetingtrak solution

2012-01-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

[Herndon, VA] --- gomembers, Inc., announced today that trak customer University of South Carolina School of Medicine (USCSM: http://www.med.sc.edu) has elected to upgrade to the latest gomembers’ meetingtrak/ce software solution as well as adding etrak for their meeting management and online registrations.

etrak, built using Microsoft.NET technology, compliments meetingtrak/ce by providing real-time online registration capabilities. meetingtrak is the most powerful professional continuing education registration/credit tracking management software available.

”We are pleased that USCSM has decided to upgrade their trak solution by migrating to version 6.5 with continuing education tools," stated Tom McGourty, gomembers’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Upgrading to this adaptable solution and adding etrak has enhanced their gomembers’ total technology solution,” McGourty noted.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility - Part II

2012-01-04T18:49:00.000-08:00

In Part I, we considered the proper treatment methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine and The Four Examinations,which date back over three thousand years.

In this section, we will look at the mechanisms of action of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

It was shown in a study done at Harvard that stress reduces the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-ovarian axis function, thus being a factor to be considered in the infertility work-up. Acupuncture releases endorphins which mitigate ones response to stressful stimuli thus enhancing the possibility for conception.

"Historically, infertility, particularly "functional" infertility, was attributed to abnormal psychological functioning on the part of one or both members of the couple. Preliminary works in the 1940s and 1950s considered "psychogenic infertility" as the major cause of failure to conceive in as many as 50% of cases. As recently as the late 1960s, it was commonly believed that reproductive failure was the result of psychological and emotional factors. Psychogenic infertility was supposed to occur because of unconscious anxiety about sexual feelings, ambivalence toward motherhood, unresolved oedipal conflict, or conflicts of gender identity. Fortunately, advances in reproductive endocrinology and medical technology as well as in psychological research have de-emphasized the significance of psychopathology as the basis of infertility, and modern research shows that there is little evidence to support a role for personality factors or conflicts as a cause of infertility. This perspective unburdens the couple by relieving them of the additional guilt of thinking that it is their mental stress that may be responsible for their infertility.

Biologically, since the hypothalamus regulates both stress responses as well as the sex hormones, it's easy to see how stress could cause infertility in some women. Excessive stress may even lead to complete suppression of the menstrual cycle, and this is often seen in female marathon runners, who develop "runner's amenorrhea". In less severe cases, it could cause anovulation or irregular menstrual cycles. When activated by stress, the pituitary gland also produces increased amounts of prolactin, and elevated levels of prolactin could cause irregular ovulation. Since the female reproductive tract contains catecholamine receptors catecholamines produced in response to stress may potentially affect fertility, for example, by interfering with the transport of gametes through the Fallopian tube or by altering uterine blood flow. However, more complex mechanisms may be at play, and researchers still don't completely understand how stress interacts with the reproductive system. This is a story, which is still unfolding, and during the last 20 years, the new field of psychoneuroimmunology has emerged, which focuses on how your mind can affect your body.

Research has shown that the brain produces special molecules called neuropeptides, in response to emotions, and these peptides can interact with every cell of the body, including those of the immune system. In this view, the mind and the body are not only connected, but also inseparable, so that it is hardly surprising that stress can have a negative influence on fertility.

Stress can reduce sperm counts as well. Thus, testicular biopsies obtained from prisoners awaiting execution, who were obviously under extreme stress, revealed complete spermatogenetic arrest in all cases. Researchers have also showed significantly lower semen volume and sperm concentration in a group of chronically stressed marmoset monkey, and these changes were attributed to lower concentrations of LH and testosterone (which were reduced in the stressed group). However, how relevant these research findings are in clinical practice is still to be determined."

The stress factors that acupuncture addresses stems from both psycho-emotional factors as well as physical etiologies. For example, extremely painful pre-menstruum or mid cycle pain can be debilitating. This type of physical stress, no doubt produces emotional stress as a result of missed work, manifest pain and other life-style factors resulting from such extreme pain; all can mitigate the function of the reproductive system.

Aceto corticotropic hormone is released as a response to acupuncture needle stimuli. ACTH has an antiinflammatory mechanism which may for example, help with tubal factor based infertility as a response to pelvic inflammatory disease.

The insertion of acupuncture needles has been shown to effectively increase blood circulation. Acupuncture is very effective in treating, for example, Reynaud's Syndrome. Enhanced microcirculatory patency to the uterine lining does, undoubtedly contribute to a healthier and more growth oriented endometrium, especially when utilizing electrical stimulation on inserted acupuncture needles on points known as zigongxue which reside superior to the ovaries. The points zigongxue are located 3 inches inferior to the umbilicus and three inches bilateral to the anterior midline.

"They reviewed existing evidence regarding the role of acupuncture in the treatment of infertility, and identified a number of studies indicating that acupuncture can be beneficial as an adjunct to other infertility treatments, including IVF. Only one randomized controlled study examined the independent effect of acupuncture on IVF outcomes, but this indicated a positive effect.

The reviewed authors also highlight evidence that shows the effects of acupuncture may be mediated through neuropeptides that influence gonadotropin secretion, which could in turn affect the menstrual cycle. The technique can also reduce stress, which is known to adversely affect fertility, and has been implicated in the regulation of uterine blood flow."

"Using acupuncture during assisted reproduction may improve pregnancy rates, say researchers. However, they acknowledge that the mechanism behind this effect is unclear, and the team plans to carry out further studies to confirm, and further investigate, their findings.

Noting that acupuncture has been shown to affect the autonomic nervous system, Dr. Wolfgang Paulus (Christian-Lauritzen-Institut, Ulm, Germany) and colleagues postulated that the therapy could increase endometrial receptivity via control of related muscles and glands.

The researchers randomly assigned 160 women receiving assisted reproductive therapy to undergo IVF with or without acupuncture, before and after embryo transfer. In acupuncture subjects, the needles were placed at points believed to influence reproductive factors, for example by improving blood flow to the uterus.

Paulus et al report that the acupuncture group had a higher rate of pregnancy compared with those not given acupuncture (43 percent versus 26 percent). They conclude, therefore, that acupuncture could be "a useful tool" for improving pregnancy rates during certain infertility treatments."

In Part III we will look at the combined elements of Eastern and Western medicine along with herbal medication in the treatment of infertility.

Top 10 Ways Chinese Medicine Can Help You, Part 2

2012-01-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Chinese Medicine students learn about how every aspect of our lives (from bowel movements to emotions) relate to one another. We learn to relate to every kind of person.

Patients Can Push Your Buttons

Patients sometimes push our buttons, and this give us the opportunity to interact with ourselves. This is not always easy. We don't always like what we find! But if you commit to growth through interaction, helping, and self-examination, you can deactivate your buttons, grow past your limits, and increase your usefulness to others.

More specifically:

* Some students may realize they came to medicine for a selfish reason and decide to put helping others first.
* Some students find they are people-pleasers and have to learn how to set boundaries and be more assertive (not aggressive or passive-aggressive!).
* Others are more confrontational and aggressive by nature and need to learn compassion and patience.
* Some are analytical and live in their heads - they need to learn to focus on their hearts, gaining rapport and loving their patients.

Letting Go of Bad Habits

Your bad habits are called into question. At one point in my training, I went back to smoking cigarettes. It was a guilt-laden 6 weeks! It seemed hypocritical to want to be a healer while destroying my health. And I felt like I had to hide it. I quit to be a better example to my patients, and not to have to hide anything.

I also had to quit coffee. I knew from chinese medicine that it wasn't helping me with my impatience and irritability. It was worsening my liver qi stagnation! I had to give it up and take herbs instead. I had to practice what I preach.

When you know something is bad, it seems like fun to do it anyway (it gives you the illusion of power and control). But eventually you give in to the wisdom, do what is right, and get to feel even better. Then you can help others with the same struggle.

Your Victory can lead to their Victory

Occasionally, your own personal growth and commitment to self-examination helps your patients directly. At one point, I saw a woman with fears of abandonment. I had just discovered and confronted my own similar fears 6 months before. She was able to feel understood and heard and I was able to offer her solutions, strength, and hope.

In this way, we are trailblazers- pioneers in growth. If we remain shallow, so will our healing interactions. If we grow deeper, we can lead people to greater healing.

#7 It Benefits YOU Too!

As was just explained, by helping others you get to grow too.

Save on Health Care Costs

By giving yourself the know-how and resources to keep yourself, your friends, and your family well, you can save money. One acupuncturist said on an email list that it saved her family tens of thousands of dollars in medical costs. It can be practiced inexpensively - for many years it treated millions of poor peasants in China who had no access to western medicine. Chinese Medicine may be a large part of the solution to our healthcare crisis.

Professional Courtesy

Some acupuncturists trade treatments with one another to stay in good health. I've received hundreds of treatments from fellow students, practitioners, and my wife! It's helped me with anger, irritability, migraines, light sensitivity, fear, over-thinking, colds and flus, and cold sores, among other things.

#8 It's Traditional and Ancient

It's natural for us to look for reassurance, especially in dealing with our health. Biomedicine reassures by requiring studies of treatments for safety. Chinese medicine has been tested for safety and efficacy (especially acupuncture), and it has thousands of years of experience behind it to show what happens to the people it treats. It is inarguably a positive influence in our world. Biomedicine, on the other hand, is only 50 years old, and the full scope of the side effect phenomenon (short and long-term) has yet to be grasped.

Not every chinese remedy has been through the full rigors of the Randomized Controlled Trial (biomedicine's gold-standard), but neither have all of the standard biomedical treatments. The millions of hours and patient visits through hundreds of years establish traditional chinese treatments as safe and effective. More and more studies are being done to confirm them and understand how they work in biomedical terms. I have written extensively on acupuncture safety and how it works here.

#9 Its Theories have Broad Implications

Since it integrates many different disciplines and realms, CM concepts could be used to reorganize and give insight to psychology and psychiatry, pharmaceutical medicine, and sociology. These insights could guide and suggest future research in all fields.

The 16 types of the Meyers Briggs personality typing system have been somewhat integrated with the 5 constitutions and 6 temperaments of Chinese Medicine (read about that). This yields a mind-body medicine that integrates personality and physical disease.

From the patient's symptoms, we can understand their personality and what might help or hinder their healing from an emotional and behavioral perspective.

And vice versa, we can look at people's emotions and behavior and guess what kind of physical problems they might have. This makes for a quicker, more comprehensive medicine, and helps patients feel understood and confident in the care they receive.

#10 It can be a Lucrative AND Altruistic Career

As former AMA president and Medscape CEO George Lundberg, MD says, medicine walks a thin line because:

* It is supposed to be altruistic (selflessly concerned for others), but
* It is also a business (and thus vulnerable to selfish greed).

We could think of this as the yin and yang of the medical business.

Insurance Coverage for Acupuncture and Herbs

Some alternative medicine practitioners are happy to stay outside of the managed care system. It's valuable enough to patients to pay out of their own pockets. Increasingly, acupuncture is covered by insurance, HMO's and worker's compensation boards... sometimes the full cost of the treatment is covered and sometimes it isn't. Herbal medicine usually isn't covered... but patients are used to buying herbs and vitamins without reimbursement.

Lundberg suggests that:

* Proven preventive care should be financed by the government,
* Proven catastrophic care covered by insurance, and
* Everything else paid for out-of-pocket.

Grossing Gross Amounts of Money - Acupuncture Salaries

Regardless of who pays, acupuncturists can expect an annual gross salary of between $40,000 and$1,000,000. I just heard about a hospital position for an acupuncturist in Iowa that was paying $159 per hour (their medical doctor rate).

My wife made $100,000 her first year out of school. One acupuncturist here in San Diego grosses near $1,000,000 annually with worker's compensation cases only.

Right now in California, work-comp reimburses $120 per acupuncture treatment. Some acupuncturists see 4 patients per hour...

Let's do some quick math on an example. If you averaged $80 per treatment (which is achievable), saw 2 patients per hour, and worked 8 hours per day, 4 days per week (leaving a day or two to do paperwork), 48 weeks per year you could gross $245,760. If you spend 40% of your gross on overhead, you earn $147,456 before taxes.

What Makes for Making Money

How much you earn depends, as in all businesses, upon your resourcefulness, initiative, marketing savvy, and - most importantly - the quality of your service. As in all service businesses, you must be good at what you do.

The Freedom to Give

Making all that money frees us to be altruistic. A lot of volunteer care is given by acupuncturists. During "9/11,", New York students from the Pacific Institute of Chinese Medicine treated the firefighters. Likewise, students in San Diego from the Pacific College of Chinese Medicine treat Viet Nam veterans every year at a special gathering. Of dozens of services, the acupuncture is among the top 3 requested. You can take on a number of low or no-fee cases in your own practice. It's up to you.

#11 - There are so many options

It's a varied profession.

In California, acupuncturists are physicians and can be a patient's primary care practitioner - they are professionals on par with MD's, chiropractors, and psychologists. As an acupuncturist...

* You could work with an MD, DO, DC, psychologist, psychiatrist, or massage therapist.
* You can work in a high-class office wearing a suit. You could practice at home wearing your slippers.
* You could do all acupuncture, or all herbs, or both.
* You could treat just sports injuries, or workers compensation, or acupuncture face-lifts, or gynecology, or psychiatry, or do it all!
* There is room for new schools all over the U.S. - there are still states without any Chinese Medicine schools.
* You could practice in California (where 1/3 of us practice), or you could have an 'insta-practice' in many places all over the U.S. that don't have access to Chinese Medicine.
* You could teach or be a clinic supervisor at an established school.
* You could see loads of patients, or spend 2 hours with each one. One herbalist in China sees 80 patients per day. You have to be good to get herbs right- to get them right and see that many patients per day, you have to be stellar!
* You could create a business selling products to the 20,000 or so acupuncturists in the U.S. (even more internationally).
* You can write books and teach continuing education seminars.

There are so many options!

The True Meaning of Alternative Medicine

2012-01-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

Many people who are suffering from disease or pain have thought about trying the alternative medicine route. Before you try alternative medicine, you may want to learn a bit about it. There are a lot of different types of alternative medicine and they all may not be right for you.

Alternative medicine is a type of therapeutic practice that is not considered to be a part of traditional or conventional medical treatment. People use alternative medicine instead of using traditional medical treatment. This is often because they feel it is a natural way to get better.

There are many types of alternative medicine. Some are covered by medical insurance, but most are not. Some forms of alternative medicine that may be covered are chiropractic and osteopathic therapy. These forms of alternative medicine are widely used.

There are other forms of alternative medicine that are not as widely used, but are becoming more popular by the minute. These are: massage therapy, therapeutic touch, folk medicine, herbal medicine, special diets, homeopathy, music therapy, aromatherapy, naturopathy, faith healing, and new age healing. There are also some non-western forms of alternative medicine such as: Chinese medicine, gi gong, reiki, and ayarveda.

There are some less commonly practiced forms of alternative medicine as well. One is called biofield therapy. This is a form of alternative medicine that works with your so called "energy fields" to heal you. Another is bioelectrical magnetic therapy. This alternative medicine uses pulse and magnetic fields to heal you.

Alternative medicine is quite popular for people who are terminally ill. Many AIDS and cancer patients prefer it. An example of this is a cancer patient who uses alternative medicine instead of receiving traditional chemotherapy or radiation therapy. People also use alternative medicine to heal ailments such as back pain or migraines. Instead of traditional painkillers, the patients would use aromatherapy, sound therapy or herbal therapy. Alternative medicine is even used on animals. Have you ever seen the movie "The Horse Whisperer?" That was about a form of alternative medicine used on an animal. Acupuncture, herbal therapy, and others have also been used on animals.

The last thing you should know is that there is no scientific evidence that alternative medicine is effective. There have been no scientific studies to prove if they are safe or if they work for the diseases or ailments they are used for. Before using an alternative medicine, talk to your doctor, make sure your doctor feels it is safe and will not harm you.

There are many different kinds of alternative medicines to choose from. Now that you understand it a bit better, you can decide if it is right for you. For more information talk to your doctor or research it online. With careful research, you may find one that is right for you.

The Power of Ganoderma in Oriental Medicine

2012-01-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

Ganoderma, a rare variety of Mushroom credited with the highest medicinal qualities by the classic Chinese ‘Seng Nong’ is indeed a subject of much research from the ancient china of 100 B.C. or earlier to the modern times by various universities and research organizations. It is also known as Linghzi in China and Reishi in Japan.

It is said that in the ancient times anyone who found the rare Linghzi never revealed the place and kept it a secret of health, longevity and wealth. The Japanese revered the herb as ‘God’s Herb’ where it is known as Reishi.

Lingzhi in medicine was considered so auspicious that its medical efficacy has been attested to in the oldest Chinese medical text (over 2,000 years old). The book, which is known in Japan as "Shinnoh Honsohkyo", is now accepted as being the original textbook of Oriental medical science. In it, 365 kinds of medicines are classified and explained. Ganoderma is classified as “Superior Herb” or "God's Herbs" and they are for perpetual youth and longevity. The book states that for "superior" medicines, any amount can be taken as desired on a continuous basis with no unfavorable effects. Of the superior medicines listed in the text, Lingzhi was rated number one. You can see how important and powerful Lingzhi was considered in ancient times. It achieved its ranking in the Chinese text not because of its symbolic importance as a good omen but because of its medicinal properties. Centuries ago, Lingzhi was said to be a medicine that would grant you eternal youth and longevity.

But after 2,000 years, Lingzhi has jumped into the spotlight as a specific medicine for cancer. This must be a bitter irony for those in the modern medical profession who discounted the herbal remedies and oriental medicine as being “old wives' tales". The families of many cancer patients who have received a diagnostic "death sentence" now seek reishi as the only way left for them.

The Linghzi Mushrooms grows only on old tree barks with specific conditions difficult to replicate.

Till 1971 the herb was so rare that it was hardly sited except in mountainous areas. Many researchers had attempted to plant Ganoderma artificially but failed. Till in 1971 directed by Naoi Department of Agriculture and Professor Zenzaburo Kasai, Kyoto University made a breakthrough in its cultivation.

Presently the herb is grown only by 10 countries. The demand far outstrips supply due to the increasing evidence through various researches on its efficacy in treating many disease including Cancer, HIV, Hepatitis, Diabetes, Liver disorders and mainly as a preventive due its rich anti oxidant and detoxifying qualities. You can check further resources at http://globalhealthnetwork.tripod.com

Some of the research in Japan indicates that those that have taken Ganoderma for over a year the visit to doctors dropped into half. There are thousands of research paper available including on the internet on the subject of the healing breakthroughs achieved by Ganoderma in various treatments and too lengthy to discuss here. However we can highlight the research in short.

Summarized from these reports, it is found that Lingzhi have the following properties:

Improves cholesterosis, coronary insufficiency.

Improves hyper and hypotensions.

Improves nervous tension, neurosis.

Improves chronic bronchitis, hepatitis.

Improves leukocytopenia and reticuloendothelial system.

Effective in numerous other ailments.

The three major killers these days are: cancer, cerebrosis and coronary diseases. The latter two have their etiology closely linked to the blood circulatory system. Related problems like stroke, heart block, arteriosclerosis, obesity etc. are all tied to problems in the blood circulation. One out of three persons dies from one of the above ailments everyday.

Lingzhi can correct this imbalance and strengthen the system to prevent further deterioration.

What are noteworthy are its preventive capabilities. For the 21st century man, stressed out, poisoned by the polluted atmosphere, wrong food habits and drug induced illnesses of the modern medicine. While modern medicine has been very effective in treating certain conditions effectively and immediately, they do not address the holistic approach of the ancient medicine as a preventive and for regeneration of wasted tissues and damaged cells.

In conclusion, Ganoderma has been proven to exert significant effect on diminishing pain, fortifying the body's immune system and prolonging life. Even though its role in cancer control has not been determined 100 percent yet.

Ganoderma has a history of 3,000 years, during which time it is widely used by many people with no reported unfavorable side effects. It is therefore highly recommend for prevention. I hope that people from all walks of life will take a concerned interest and share in development of Herbal treatments. Hopefully, with so much research and emerging evidence, Ganoderma can bring a brighter outlook to the human race in the conquest of longevity.

The Maharishi Ayurveda Natural Medicine Approach to Beauty

2012-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

Maharishi Ayurveda (MAV), the modern, consciousness-based revival of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, considers true beauty to be supported by three pillars; Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty and Lasting Beauty. Only by enhancing all three can we attain the balanced state of radiant health that makes each of us the most fulfilled and beautiful person we can be.

Outer Beauty: Roopam

The outer signs of beauty - your skin, hair and nails - are more than just superficial measures of beauty. They are direct reflections of your overall health. These outer tissues are created by the inner physiological processes involved in digestion, metabolism and proper tissue development. Outer beauty depends more on the strength of your digestion and metabolism, the quality of your diet, and the purity of your blood, than on external cleansers and conditioners you may apply.

General Recommendations for Outer Beauty

As we will discuss, the key to skin care is matching your diet and skin care routine to the specific skin type you have. Meanwhile, there are some valuable recommendations for lustrous skin, hair and nails that will be helpful to everyone, regardless of skin type.

1. Diet: Without adequate nourishment, your collagen layer thins and a kind of wasting takes place. Over time, your skin can shrivel up like a plant without water from lack of nourishment. To keep your skin plump and glowing:

A. Eat fresh, whole organic foods that are freshly prepared.
Avoid packaged, canned, frozen, processed foods and leftovers. These foods have little nutritional value and also they are often poorly digested which creates impurities that localize in the skin. The resulting buildup of toxins causes irritation and blocks circulation depriving the skin of further nourishment and natural cleansing processes.

B. Favor skin nourishing foods.
1. Leafy green vegetables contain vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium) and are high in antioxidant properties. They nourish the skin and protect it from premature aging.
2. Sweet juicy fruits like grapes, melons, pears, plums and stewed apples at breakfast are excellent for the skin in almost everyone.
3. Eat a wide variety of grains over different meals and try mixed grain servings at breakfast and lunch. Add amaranth, quinoa, cous cous, millet and barley to the wheat and rice you already eat.
4. Favor light, easy to digest proteins like legume soups (especially yellow split mung dhal), whole milk, paneer (cheese made from boiling milk, adding lemon and straining solids) and lassi (diluted yogurt and spice drinks).
5. Oils like ghee (clarified butter) and organic, extra virgin olive oil should be included in the diet as they lubricate, nourish and create lustre in the skin.
6. Use spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and black pepper to improve digestion, nourish the skin and cleanse it of impurities.
7. Avoid microwaving and boiling your vegetables. They lose as much as 85% of their antioxidant content when cooked in this way. Steaming and sautéing are best.

Caring for outer beauty through knowledge of skin type

Besides these general recommendations the key to Outer Beauty is to understand the difference in skin types so you can gain the maximum benefit from your individualized skin care regimen. MAV identifies three different skin types based on which of the three main metabolic principles (doshas)- present in everyone, but to different degrees- is most dominant in your body.

Vata Skin

* Description: Vata is composed of the elements of air and space. If you have a vata skin type, your skin will be dry, thin, fine pored, delicate and cool to the touch. When balanced, it glows with a delicate lightness and refinement that is elegant and attractive. When vata skin is imbalanced, it will be prone to excessive dryness and may even be rough and flaky.

* Potential problems: The greatest beauty challenge for vata skin is its predisposition to symptoms of early aging. Your skin may tend to develop wrinkles earlier than most due to its tendency to dryness and thinness. If your digestion is not in balance, your skin can begin to look dull and grayish, even in your 20’s and 30’s. In addition, your skin may have a tendency for disorders such as dry eczema and skin fungus. Mental stress, such as worry, fear and lack of sleep, has a powerful debilitating effect on vata skin leaving it looking tired and lifeless.

* Recommendations for care
With a little knowledge, you can preserve and protect the delicate beauty of your vata type skin. Since your skin does not contain much moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. Eat a warm, unctuous diet (ghee and olive oil are best) and favor sour, salty and sweet tastes (naturally sweet like fruits, not refined sugar) as they balance vata. Avoid drying foods like crackers. Drink 6-8 glasses of warm (not cold for vata types!) water throughout the day and eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Going to bed early (before 10 PM) is very soothing to vata and will have a tremendously positive influence on your skin. Avoid cleansing products that dry the skin (like alcohol-based cleansers) and perform Ayurvedic oil massage to your whole body (abhyanga) in the morning before you shower.
Pitta Skin.
* Description: Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water. If you have a pitta skin type your skin is fair, soft, warm and of medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a beautiful, slightly rosy or golden glow, as if illuminated from within. Your hair typically is fine and straight, and is usually red, sandy or blonde in color. Your complexion tends toward the pink or reddish, and there is often a copious amount of freckles or moles.

* Potential problems: Among the many beauty challenges of pitta skin types is your tendency to develop rashes, rosacea, acne, liver spots or pigment disorders. Because of the large proportion of the fire element in your constitution, your skin does not tolerate heat or sun very well. Of all the three skin types, pitta skin has the least tolerance for the sun, is photosensitive, and most likely to accumulate sun damage over the years. Pitta skin is aggravated by emotional stress, especially suppressed anger, frustration, or resentment.

* Recommendations for care
Avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating therapies like facial or whole body steams. Avoid hot, spicy foods and favor astringent, bitter and sweet foods which balance pitta. (Again, naturally sweet, not chocolate and refined sugar!) Sweet juicy fruits (especially melons and pears), cooked greens and rose petal preserves are especially good. Drinking plenty of water helps wash impurities from sensitive pitta skin. Reduce external or internal contact with synthetic chemicals, to which your skin is especially prone to react, even in a delayed fashion after years of seemingly uneventful use. Avoid skin products that are abrasive, heating or contain artificial colors or preservatives. Most commercial make-up brands should be avoided in favor of strictly 100% natural ingredient cosmetics. And be sure to get your emotional stress under control through plenty of outdoor exercise, yoga and meditation.

Kapha Skin.
* Description: Kapha dosha is composed of the elements of earth and water. If you have a kapha skin type your skin is thick, oily, soft and cool to the touch. Your complexion is a glowing porcelain whitish color, like the moon, and hair characteristically thick, wavy, oily and dark. Kapha skin types, with their more generous collagen and connective tissue, are fortunate to develop wrinkles much later in life than vata or pitta types.

*Potential problems If your skin becomes imbalanced, it can show up as enlarged pores, excessively oily skin, moist types of eczema, blackheads, acne or pimples, and water retention. Kapha skin is also more prone to fungal infections.

* Recommendations for care
Kapha skin is more prone to clogging and needs more cleansing than other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams. Likewise, avoid heavy, hard to digest foods like fried foods, fatty meats, cheeses and rich desserts. Eat more light, easy to digest, astringent, bitter and pungent (well-spiced) foods as they balance kapha. Olive oil is the best cooking oil and a little ginger and lime juice can be taken before meals to increase your characteristically sluggish digestive fire. Take warm baths often and use gentle cleansers to open the skin pores. Avoid getting constipated and try to get some exercise every day to increase circulation and help purify the skin through the sweating process.

Inner Beauty: Gunam.

Happy, positive, loving, caring individuals have a special beauty that is far more than skin deep. Conversely we all experience the quick and deleterious effect on our skin from fatigue and stress.

Inner beauty is authentic beauty, not the kind that shows on a made-up face, but the kind that shines through from your soul, your consciousness or inner state of being. Inner beauty comes from a mind and heart that are in harmony, not at odds with each other, causing emotional confusion, loss of confidence, stress and worry. Inner peace is the foundation of outer beauty.

Maintain your self-confidence and a warm, loving personality by paying attention to your lifestyle and daily routine and effective management of stress (I highly recommend the TM technique for its scientifically-verified benefits on mental and physical health and reduced aging.) You will also be healthier and feel better through the day if you eat your main meal at midday and make a habit of going to bed early (by 10 PM is ideal.)

Remember, kindness, friendliness and sincerity naturally attract people to you. On the other hand, being uptight or tense makes people want to walk the other way, regardless of your facial structure, body weight, or other outer signs we associate with attractiveness.

Lasting Beauty: Yayastyag

In order to slow the aging process and gain lasting beauty there are two additional key considerations beyond those already discussed,

1. Eliminate toxins and free radicals in the body: The main deteriorating effects of aging come as toxins and impurities (called ama in Ayurveda) accumulate throughout the body. These toxins may begin as free radicals in the body, or over time may become oxidized into free radicals, all of which contribute to premature aging in the body. For lasting health and beauty it is essential to avoid and neutralize free radicals, to prevent impurities of all kinds from accumulating and to remove those that have already become lodged in the body.

The most powerful cleansing therapy in Maharishi Ayurveda is "panchakarma" therapy, a series of natural treatments ideally performed twice yearly, that involves 5-7 days in a row of massage, heat treatments and mild herbal enemas. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of undergoing this cleansing program once or twice a year to prevent impurities from accumulating, localizing and hardening in the tissues. Just as we change the oil in our cars regularly for optimal performance and lifespan, Ayurveda recommends that we cleanse the “sludge” from our tissues on a regular basis through panchakarma treatments.

Best of all, panchakarma treatments are luxurious, blissful, and make you feel (and look) completely rejuvenated in just a few days time. I have had many a patient who told me that friends asked them afterwards if they had gotten a facelift, they looked so fresh and youthful!

Other free radical busters include: reducing mental stress, eating antioxidant foods like leafy green vegetables, sweet, juicy fruits and cooking on a daily basis with antioxidant, detoxifying spices like turmeric and coriander.

2. Add rejuvenative techniques to daily living:

The daily activities of life in the modern world systematically wear us down and speed up the aging process. Ayurveda maintains it is crucial to practice daily rejuvenative regimens to counteract the stressful wear and tear of everyday life. According to Ayurveda the most important rejuvenative routines for your life are:

a) Going to bed by 10:00 PM. This simple habit is one of the most powerful techniques for health and longevity, according to MAV.
b) Meditate daily. Any meditation that does not involve concentration (which has been shown to increase anxiety) can be very helpful. I highly recommend the twice-daily deep rest and enlivenment of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, whose benefits have been verified by over 700 published research studies.
c) Eat organic, whole fresh food that is freshly prepared. There is an Ayurvedic saying: "Without proper diet. medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need." Be sure to avoid those leftovers, processed and microwaved foods for better nutrition and vitality.
d) Perform Ayurvedic oil massage in the morning (abhyanga). Morning oil massage purifies the entire body, reduces anxiety and stress, helps prevent and heal injuries and supports circulation. It is especially helpful in creating a radiant complexion and keeping your skin youthful. Research shows it may also help prevent skin cancers.
e) Practice yoga asanas. Maintaining flexibility and circulation is key to health.
f) Practice pranayama (yoga breathing) techniques. Pranayama enlivens the mind and body. Ideally practice the following sequence twice a day. Asanas, pranayama and meditation.

Summary

Everyone's unique beauty shines forth when they have radiant health and personal happiness. Beauty is a side effect of a balanced, fulfilled life. Supreme personal beauty is accessible to everyone who is willing to take more control of their health in their day-to-day life through time-tested principles of natural living.

For most of us, beauty is not a gift but a choice. Every woman can be radiantly beautiful simply by beginning to lead a healthier life. You will be rewarded by the glowing effects you will see in your mirror each day and the powerful, bliss-producing effect your special beauty has on everyone in your life.

The Essential Oil Home Medicine Chest – Part I: The Oils

2012-01-04T18:43:00.001-08:00

Essential oils provide a wonderful natural-medicine alternative to common ailments we see at home. Their actions are broad and diverse, ranging from topical antiseptics and anti-inflammatories to analgesics, digestive system tonics, and anti-depressants. While essential oils should not be a substitute for professional medical care, they can be successfully employed for many minor complaints, and as adjuncts to other therapies. Here we will have a brief look at ten essential oils considered by some to comprise the ‘basic home care kit’. While by no means exhaustive, this list will go a long way to providing effective (and often pleasant!) treatments for you and your family for things like cuts and scrapes, sunburn, digestive troubles, stress related conditions and more. In the second article, we will cover specific applications and uses of each oil.

Oil 1: Lavender
Lavender has often been called the ‘medicine chest in a bottle’ for its broad range of applications. Every home should keep Lavender on hand, even if no other oil is used, as it is so very effective on burns. It’s anti-inflammatory action is responsible for the beginnings of modern aromatherapy, as Dr. Jean Valnet discovered Lavender’s healing properties after being burned in a laboratory accident. Lavender is considered to speed wound healing and reduce scarring. The oil is also pleasantly calming, and can be used to reduce stress in a variety of situations – a commonly used technique is to apply Lavender oil ‘neat’ (undiluted) to the soles of the feet of patients recovering from almost any ailment.

Oil 2: Tea Tree
When first examined for it’s antiseptic properties, Tea Tree essential oil was found to be 100 times more powerful than carbolic acid – the medical standard at the time. Tea tree has an extremely broad range of antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties that have been confirmed by modern scientific research. Often used topically on small wounds, Tea Tree is also commonly found in oral hygiene preparations, and can also be effectively employed for Candida, athlete’s foot and acne, among other things.

Oil 3: Peppermint
An excellent digestive tonic, Peppermint essential oil can sooth many stomach complaints. For the traveler, it’s effectiveness on calming motion sickness can be of great help. Further, at least eight controlled studies have shown Peppermint oil to be effective in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a painful condition of the intestines. Beyond it’s support of the digestive system, Peppermint is delightfully stimulating to the mind, brightening and sharpening mental focus. Finally, Peppermint is considered by some to be a more effective insect repellent than citronella when used on the body (rather than in the surrounding air).

Oil 4: Chamomile
Ah, the great tension reliever, Chamomile oil. This extremely gentle essential oil is useful for a wide variety of nervous conditions, and is often indicated for cases of stress in children (including teething and general ‘crankiness’). Rubbing into the solar plexus is a commonly used application if that is where one tends to ‘hold tension’. Chamomile essential oil is available in to varieties, German or Blue Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. The Roman variety is most often used for stress relief, whereas the German variety has the added bonus of being an extremely effective anti-inflammatory.

Oil 5: Eucalyptus
Another essential oil with a broad range of properties, Eucalyptus is most often used for respiratory conditions, being useful in clearing congestion with coughs and colds. However, it’s effects are certainly not limited to the airways – because of it’s broad range of effects, it has been called the aromatherapists ‘designer oil’. Eucalyptus oil can cool the body in Summer (or due to fever – use in a compress), and support the immune system in Winter. Diffusing Eucalyptus oil can kill most staphylococcus bacteria, again being supportive of bronchial infections. It is considered equally effective in cases of cystitis, candida, and sunburn, to name a few, as well as being an insect repellent.

Oil 6: Geranium
Geranium (sometimes known as ‘Geranium Rose’) works wonderfully on both physiological and psychological levels. It’s floral aroma is brightening and uplifting, while also working as a sedative. Malte Hozzel has made this statement regarding this oil: "Geranium’s vital, sensual presence is not subtle, but direct & unavoidable, making it one of the oils of choice for aphrodisiac qualities. (Geranium Essential Oil) inspires natural beauty & enjoyment, uplifts instantly & "tonifies" the mind & intellect in a powerful, nearly demanding attitude. Mobilizing hidden creative & emotional reserves, helping us to rise to our own earthly & spiritual identify. A fiery beauty for the spells of all worlds." Particularly noted for it’s effect on female physiologic conditions, Geranium oil can be effective for menopausal problems, uterine and breast complaints.

Oil 7: Rosemary
Rosemary essential oil is an effective physical and mental stimulant, whether used in a diffuser or in a morning bath. It’s slightly spicy, rather than floral aroma, has a warming effect particularly useful for arthritic joints and other muscular complaints. It also has a long history of treatment for colds and flu – Rosemary was a component of ‘Four Thieves Vinegar’, which robbers rubbed upon their bodies to prevent infection when up to no good during the plague years of the middle ages. Also, Rosemary is the essential oil most often associated with improving hair growth in cases of Alopecia.

Oil 8: Thyme
Thyme oil is a powerful antiviral, antibiotic, antiseptic and diuretic, though it should be employed with great care. There are many types of Thyme oil available, but only the ‘linalol’ chemotype is appropriate for use with children; all varieties should be diluted prior to topical application. Given the precautions, Thyme can be a first line of defense in cases of flu, being used in a room diffuser. It also supports elimination of toxic wastes from the body (particularly noted for excessive uric acid), and it’s warming quality can eliminate mucous and phlegm. It’s application for the digestive system is that of a powerful anti-parasitic, and for the muscular system, it can be helpful for rheumatic aches and pains. Thyme oil may also be supportive in cases of hair loss.

Oil 9: Lemon
A recent study on test-taking college students showed the diffusion of Lemon oil into a room improved test scores more than any other oil. In addition to it’s mind-brightening qualities, it can also disinfect room air and act as a natural deodorant. Lemon has been noted to support liver function, and is also commonly used to assist in weight loss and cellulite reduction. In blends, lemon adds a pleasant top note, and can create a synergistic effect with other oils. Finally, Lemon oil is commonly used as both a fragrance and flavoring agent.

Oil 10: Clove
The power of Clove essential oil is noted upon the first sensing of the aroma – it is quite strong, sharp and earthy. Clove oil has been found to be the strongest anti-oxidant of any essential oil, and is a component of ‘longevity’ formulas. It is also an extremely potent antibacterial, effective against a broader range of microbes than any other oil except perhaps Oregano – Clove oil has even been employed to sterilize surgical instruments. Clove also has analgesic properties, and can be used to temporarily reduce the pain of toothache. Clove oil (or ground cloves) is also a component of Dr. Huda Clark’s anti-parasite protocol, helping eliminate parasites from one’s digestive system. This is a very powerful oil which should be diluted to 1% or less for topical application.

So, there we have a possible ‘top ten’ essential oils for the home medicine chest, a selection with an extremely broad range of uses for common ailments seen in a family setting. It is important to note that all essential oils are powerful, and they should be treated with caution and respect. Always refer to a trusted source before making specific applications of any oil, as many can be irritating or possibly toxic if used incorrectly.

To help employ these oils in your home, however, we will examine more specific uses of each essential oil in part II of this article. This will assist you in using these wonderful medicines of nature in your daily routine.

The Beginnings of Medicine, via the Back Passage

2012-01-04T18:42:00.001-08:00

When I should have been in short pants, but didn’t have any, medicine was hardly a tonic.
The nearest comparable thing to modern medicine was a type of Acupuncture

The most noticeable difference between it then, and now, is the needles.
We didn’t have medical grade stainless steel.

What we did have though, was an ample supply of bamboo chutes.
While these were considered organic, whatever that is, they were somewhat larger in diameter.

If time goes as slow for you as it does for me, then discover the virtues of ORIGINAL MEDICINE.

The science of putting such probes in particular nerve paths was more primitive, and one hundred times more effective.
Supposing that you had an earache, then I can guarantee you that you would only have it once.

An immature chute (three-inches in diameter) would be forcibly inserted directly to the site of the pain!! It was a similar deal for eye infections! Re-infections were non-existent!

In the off-chance that you had diarrhoea, then the treatment was local, rapid and somewhat final.

I won’t even mention toothache. We had no teeth! Indeed, teeth and any associated maladies, were considered to be a waste of good timber.

Eczema, psoriasis, acne and indeed migraine were migrant workers, as far as we were concerned.
Asthma was slightly different though, and was an herbal remedy for flatulence, not that we had much. It would be “lanced”, long before it would present a problem. Gaseous or otherwise.

Yes, our local clinic was never understaffed or under-resourced, such was the availability of bamboo.

Should a hungry dinosaur “happen” on your leg, arm, or anything except your head (this would have been considered to be a “threat”), a simple poultice made of Zinc (readily available at the 7/11), Selenium (unavailable, but anything starting with “S” was sufficient, and only your imagination could deprive you), and milk (from the milkman), would redirect the pain. Guaranteed!!!!

You had to be tough to survive medicine, and that was just practicing it.
To survive it as a patient required a sharp memory. If you “forgot” your previous visit, then ...........well then......longevity was not for you!

There was nothing trivial, repetitive or indeed actual, about the Hippocratic oath.
“Accept your fate, and relinquish your dinosaur eggs” as I remember it, was the motto of Medicine.

The Aromatherapy Home Medicine Chest – Part I: The Essential

2012-01-04T18:41:00.001-08:00

Essential oils provide a wonderful natural-medicine alternative to common ailments we see at home. Their actions are broad and diverse, ranging from topical antiseptics and anti-inflammatories to analgesics, digestive system tonics, and anti-depressants. While essential oils should not be a substitute for professional medical care, they can be successfully employed for many minor complaints, and as adjuncts to other therapies.

Here we will have a brief look at ten essential oils considered by some to comprise the ‘basic home care kit’. While by no means exhaustive, this list will go a long way to providing effective (and often pleasant!) treatments for you and your family for things like cuts and scrapes, sunburn, digestive troubles, stress related conditions and more. In the second article, we will cover specific applications and uses of each oil.

Oil #1: Lavender
Lavender has often been called the ‘medicine chest in a bottle’ for its broad range of applications. Every home should keep Lavender on hand, even if no other oil is used, as it is so very effective on burns. It’s anti-inflammatory action is responsible for the beginnings of modern aromatherapy, as Dr. Jean Valnet discovered Lavender’s healing properties after being burned in a laboratory accident. Lavender is considered to speed wound healing and reduce scarring. The oil is also pleasantly calming, and can be used to reduce stress in a variety of situations – a commonly used technique is to apply Lavender oil ‘neat’ (undiluted) to the soles of the feet of patients recovering from almost any ailment.

Oil #2: Tea Tree
When first examined for it’s antiseptic properties, Tea Tree essential oil was found to be 100 times more powerful than carbolic acid – the medical standard at the time. Tea tree has an extremely broad range of antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties that have been confirmed by modern scientific research. Often used topically on small wounds, Tea Tree is also commonly found in oral hygiene preparations, and can also be effectively employed for Candida, athlete’s foot and acne, among other things.

Oil #3: Peppermint
An excellent digestive tonic, Peppermint essential oil can sooth many stomach complaints. For the traveler, it’s effectiveness on calming motion sickness can be of great help. Further, at least eight controlled studies have shown Peppermint oil to be effective in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a painful condition of the intestines. Beyond it’s support of the digestive system, Peppermint is delightfully stimulating to the mind, brightening and sharpening mental focus. Finally, Peppermint is considered by some to be a more effective insect repellent than citronella when used on the body (rather than in the surrounding air).

Oil #4: Chamomile
Ah, the great tension reliever, Chamomile oil. This extremely gentle essential oil is useful for a wide variety of nervous conditions, and is often indicated for cases of stress in children (including teething and general ‘crankiness’). Rubbing into the solar plexus is a commonly used application if that is where one tends to ‘hold tension’. Chamomile essential oil is available in to varieties, German or Blue Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. The Roman variety is most often used for stress relief, whereas the German variety has the added bonus of being an extremely effective anti-inflammatory.

Oil #5: Eucalyptus
Another essential oil with a broad range of properties, Eucalyptus is most often used for respiratory conditions, being useful in clearing congestion with coughs and colds. However, it’s effects are certainly not limited to the airways – because of it’s broad range of effects, it has been called the aromatherapists ‘designer oil’. Eucalyptus oil can cool the body in Summer (or due to fever – use in a compress), and support the immune system in Winter. Diffusing Eucalyptus oil can kill most staphylococcus bacteria, again being supportive of bronchial infections. It is considered equally effective in cases of cystitis, candida, and sunburn, to name a few, as well as being an insect repellent.

Oil #6: Geranium
Geranium (sometimes known as ‘Geranium Rose’) works wonderfully on both physiological and psychological levels. It’s floral aroma is brightening and uplifting, while also working as a sedative. Malte Hozzel has made this statement regarding this oil: "Geranium’s vital, sensual presence is not subtle, but direct & unavoidable, making it one of the oils of choice for aphrodisiac qualities. (Geranium Essential Oil) inspires natural beauty & enjoyment, uplifts instantly & "tonifies" the mind & intellect in a powerful, nearly demanding attitude. Mobilizing hidden creative & emotional reserves, helping us to rise to our own earthly & spiritual identify. A fiery beauty for the spells of all worlds." Particularly noted for it’s effect on female physiologic conditions, Geranium oil can be effective for menopausal problems, uterine and breast complaints.

Oil #7: Rosemary
Rosemary essential oil is an effective physical and mental stimulant, whether used in a diffuser or in a morning bath. It’s slightly spicy, rather than floral aroma, has a warming effect particularly useful for arthritic joints and other muscular complaints. It also has a long history of treatment for colds and flu – Rosemary was a component of ‘Four Thieves Vinegar’, which robbers rubbed upon their bodies to prevent infection when up to no good during the plague years of the middle ages. Also, Rosemary is the essential oil most often associated with improving hair growth in cases of Alopecia.

Oil #8: Thyme
Thyme oil is a powerful antiviral, antibiotic, antiseptic and diuretic, though it should be employed with great care. There are many types of Thyme oil available, but only the ‘linalol’ chemotype is appropriate for use with children; all varieties should be diluted prior to topical application. Given the precautions, Thyme can be a first line of defense in cases of flu, being used in a room diffuser. It also supports elimination of toxic wastes from the body (particularly noted for excessive uric acid), and it’s warming quality can eliminate mucous and phlegm. It’s application for the digestive system is that of a powerful anti-parasitic, and for the muscular system, it can be helpful for rheumatic aches and pains. Thyme oil may also be supportive in cases of hair loss.

Oil #9: Lemon
A recent study on test-taking college students showed the diffusion of Lemon oil into a room improved test scores more than any other oil. In addition to it’s mind-brightening qualities, it can also disinfect room air and act as a natural deodorant. Lemon has been noted to support liver function, and is also commonly used to assist in weight loss and cellulite reduction. In blends, lemon adds a pleasant top note, and can create a synergistic effect with other oils. Finally, Lemon oil is commonly used as both a fragrance and flavoring agent.

Oil #10: Clove
The power of Clove essential oil is noted upon the first sensing of the aroma – it is quite strong, sharp and earthy. Clove oil has been found to be the strongest anti-oxidant of any essential oil, and is a component of ‘longevity’ formulas. It is also an extremely potent antibacterial, effective against a broader range of microbes than any other oil except perhaps Oregano – Clove oil has even been employed to sterilize surgical instruments. Clove also has analgesic properties, and can be used to temporarily reduce the pain of toothache. Clove oil (or ground cloves) is also a component of Dr. Huda Clark’s anti-parasite protocol, helping eliminate parasites from one’s digestive system. This is a very powerful oil which should be diluted to 1% or less for topical application.

So, there we have a possible ‘top ten’ essential oils for the home medicine chest, a selection with an extremely broad range of uses for common ailments seen in a family setting. It is important to note that all essential oils are powerful, and they should be treated with caution and respect. Always refer to a trusted source before making specific applications of any oil, as many can be irritating or possibly toxic if used incorrectly.

To help employ these oils in your home, however, we will examine more specific uses of each essential oil in part II of this article. This will assist you in using these wonderful medicines of nature in your daily routine.

Saving up on Discounted Medicines

2012-01-04T18:39:00.002-08:00

Have you ever remembered a time when your health suffered and you did not bother about having a physician check you out and write out a prescription from for the medications you need to have? Well, we would understand you very much if you answer never. It explains a certain human logic: once your health is at stake, you will never consider not taking any kind of medication.

Fact is American consumers of health care products pay some of the most expensive prices for prescription medications in the world. No doubt, health care is one of the most high-priced industries in the U.S. Due to the increasingly high prices of medicines, more and more people are looking into online drug stores that offer discount medicines. So, is there anything the matter with discounted medicines?

Most people look to save money as an important consideration in buying medication. Buying discounted drugs is a perfect solution in saving up. You might even find them available in every prescription on the market. They might even give the same results to be had from taking brand name drugs that are more costly. Still, you have to consider several things before getting that discounted medicines.

For one, the quality of the discounted medicines you are going to purchase must be of top priority. Cheaper does not exactly mean better once the issue of quality is involved. Researching is a good way of ensuring that you find the best, yet affordable medication. Research on where your discounted medicine comes from. Finding an FDA approved seal on your medicine that’s from a U.S. licensed pharmacy is also a good sign.

When we speak of saving up, taking discount drugs for your home medical supply can save you as much as a thousand dollars per month or year, depending on your health situation. Pharmacists also recommend generic drugs that are more affordable than other brands in terms of price and are as good as other brands with regards to effectiveness, quality and appearance. Generic drugs are but another name for the chemical compound that makes up a drug.

It is quite advantageous to purchase discounted medicines.
•They are cheaper than brand name drugs.
•They can be found easily through online drug stores and can be delivered to your front door.
•Online purchase of discount drugs won’t have you undergoing any appointments that could make you sit in a waiting room for hours.
•Wide range of discount drugs is being offered by online drug stores.
•You can be guaranteed of a secure transaction in online drug stores.
•You won’t get piled up with hidden charges such like prescription fees, doctor's fees, or shipping charges.
•There’s always a guarantee that the discount drugs they offer are FDA approved and issued by a licensed physician

Given the continuous increase in the cost of drugs or medicines than any other health care cost in the industry, those who do not have prescription drug coverage are the hardest hit. Discount drug programs can really benefit those without coverage and lower drug costs up to 65% of the average price.

As such, there is no harm in purchasing and taking discount drugs or medicines. In fact, it is quite beneficial in many ways. Given the hard times we’re experiencing right now, we need all the discounts we can get. Staying healthy shouldn’t cost you too much. -30-

Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain

2012-01-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films, shockwave therapy is a newage alternative to chronic pain sufferers. Utilized not only on humans for over 25 years for urologic and orthopedic conditions, shockwave therapy has even been introduced to veterinary and equine medicine as well. Helping individuals suffering from a range of conditions, including: golf or tennis elbow, stiff shoulders, calcaneal spurs, joint calcification, chronic tendon pain, and many other musculoskeletal disorders; shockwave therapy could possibly be the answer to help and healing.

To learn about Shockwave Therapy, I contacted Ms. LuJean Smith (Public Relations' Director) of Siemens Medical Solutions. In an informal interview, I asked Ms. Smith a few questions about this revolutionary therapy and how it aids patients with healing:

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Could you please tell me who developed and first began utilizing shockwave therapy?"
[L. Smith]: "German aerospace engineers realized the concept caused pitting or cavitation on aircraft parts. The first use of the technology for health care was for kidney stones in the 1970s."

(*Through further research, I discovered that 98% of all kidney stones are treated with shockwave therapy, also known as lithotripsy.)

Ms. Smith explained exactly how shockwave therapy works:

"A shockwave is created by an intense change in pressure just as upi experience witht he sonic boom of an aircraft or the force you feel after a bolt of lightening. The shock wave is an acoustic wave with a quick rise in maximum pressure and a frequency spectrum ranging from audible to the far end of the ultrasonic scale.

Extracorpeal Shock waves used in medicine today are created as a result of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or electro hydraulic generation.

Sonucur utilized an electromagnetic system that consists of an electromagnetic coil and opposing metal membrane. A high current impulse is released through the coil to create a strong magnetic field which causes a current in the opposing metal membrane. This current rapidly accelerates the membrane away from the coil producing an acoustic impulse in the surrounding water.

The acoustic impulse is focused by an acoustic lens to direct the shock wave energy to the target tissue. The acoustic lens controls the focus size and the amount of energy produced at the targeted tissue. The mechanisms for healing are not fully understood..."

Additionally, Ms. Smith expressed valuable insight regarding scientific evaluation supporting shockwave therapy. According to scientific studies, shockwave increases vascularization in treatment regions (based on MRI results). Furthermore, shockwave impact reduces pain from nerves as confirmed through lab test results on isolated nerve cells. And, consistent with Gate-Control theory (Gate-Control therory predicts that massaging a particular area stimulates large diameter nerve fibres; whereby pain relief is achieved.), shockwave eradicated chronic pain memory via over-stimulation.

Siemen's Sonocur Basic system has an articulating head that is placed directly onto the area of treatment, where adjustments are fine-tuned to the specific therapeutic focus. Once adjusted, preset pulses (shockwaves) are administered at low-energy levels; thus permitting anesthesia-free therapy.

When asked how long treatment lasts, Ms. Smith relayed that treatments generally last 15-30 minutes and is standardly administered over a course of three (3) treatments.

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How long has this treatment been in use and how successful is it?"
[L. Smith]: "The treatments have been used in Europe since the early 1990s. Clinical Treatments in the US started in 2000 with full approval for Sonocur in 2002. Success rates vary due to physician, experience and patient conditions. Studies have shown patients with complete recovery, patients with partial recovery, and patients with little or no recovery. But in general, 65% - 70% of patients the results have been quite favorable."

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How effective is shockwave therapy as opposed to other conventional treatments?"
[L. Smith]: "Normal treatments for various tendonapathies include steroid injections, physical therapy, various orthopedic support devices and in chronic conditions, even surgery. Study data shows some chronic patients have responded to none of the aforementioned treatments and have shown complete recovery with ESWL treatments. (ESWL therapy is recommended for patients that have a history of at least 6 months pain and unfavorable results with at least 3 of the conventional treatments.)"

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Are there any side effects to this treatment? Please Explain."
[L. Smith]: "The 2 most common side effects reported were slight nausea during the actual treamtne (approx. 20% of study patients) and soreness or stiffness the next day after the treatment. (Much like one feels the next day after a hard physical workout.)"

Ms. Smith also told me that shockwave therapy is readily used in approximately 175 sites across the Nation alone. Primarily orthopedic, sports medicine and podiatrist physicians provide shockwave therapy services. Additionally, "...shockwave therapy is approved by the FDA in uses for Chronic Plantar fascilitis and medial or lateral epicondylitis." Globally, "...shockwave therapy is utilized for tendonapathies, knees, shoulders, and treatment of Nonunion fractures."

In closing, shockwave therapy has been proven to stimulate and accelerate human healing process. While research continues at multiple sites around the country, shockwave therapy is revolutionizing modern medicine and effectively demonstrates how to achieve overall health.

Revenge is the Best Medicine

2012-01-04T18:37:00.001-08:00

Over the ages, the act of revenge has gone from a sacred way of life to an act of which to be ashamed and avoid. I disagree. A little clean, honest, LEGAL revenge can be just the thing to help you forgive and forget at least some of the indiscretions whether imagined or real that have been committed against you. Revenge gives you a terrific alternative to pouting, grouching, gossiping, and being spite-filled for years to come. A little reprisal can go a long way to cleansing the sprite and renewing the soul. Here are just a few tactics assured to enrage your foe with little effort on your part and a very minimal chance of your actions being proved as deliberate affronts. Introduce her new husband by the ex-husband’s first name. When approached with a last minute project, ask lots of questions . . . spaced out . . . over the period of the project . . . one at a time . . . ensuring the offending party . . . no solid block of concentration . . . for the duration of the time . . . you are inconvenience by their bad timing. Forget to put a fabric softener/anti-static sheet in the dryer with your wife’s undergarments. She will think if you with every electrifying step, with every tug at her slip and skirt, and with ever static filled shock. Rearrange the person’s desk, kitchen, files, closet, or medicine cabinet. Heck, go crazy! Do all of the above. Never spell his name correctly. Invite her to dinner and when she shows up, swear the mistake was hers and the dinner party was the night before. It is perfectly acceptable to then serve week old leftovers to the poor embarrassed soul. Tape the WWF over her sister’s wedding. Ya know all those magic little boxes that pop up on certain websites asking you to refer a friend. Refer a friend. Often. Preferably giving their work email address and phone number. Fix your 22-year-old friend up with your 46 year old college chum who still lives with her mother, talks to her cat, and spends more time and money on the Psychic Hotline than she does on hygiene. Call during the final episode of Survivor just to chat about old times. Answer all phone messages left after 10PM at 5 AM bright and early the following morning. This is most effective on the weekend. Eat a medium rare burger in front of a devote vegetarian. Ask him to have a vasectomy. Wear your high school cheerleading outfit to your teenager’s homecoming game. Tell her she reminds you of your mother. Tell your sister’s children about all the little no-no’s she committed at their age. Follow up with diagrams. Buy your grandchildren a drum set. Talk during the movie. Order an expensive meal and don’t eat it. Tell her you need to talk to her about something important, but it will have to wait until later. Put off the conversation as long as possible and then be as vague as possible.

Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online

2012-01-04T18:36:00.001-08:00

Pets are many things in many ways but they are not responsible. Not outside of very limited doggy parameters. This means that you are 100% responsible for your pet's health. In this day of seemingly limitless online medication options, the only way to face this challenge is through education. Freedom of choice is only a benefit when you are familiar with the choices.

The easy availability of medications online has placed extra pressure on society to moderate its own behavior responsibly. It has placed even more pressure on human beings using the Internet to shop for pets that are entirely reliant on them for their wellbeing.

Buying pet medicine online offers a level of consumer freedom that is enough to make one dizzy. In the old days we would take our pet to our local veterinarian who would counsel us on the right way to deal with our pet's health issues. This was a relief in two obvious ways: we could be guided by an expert and we could shift a little of the weight of responsibility. Today it is possible to go online, diagnose and medicate our own pet.

This is a boon on the one hand, and a very serious danger on the other. With the aid of the Internet we are empowered to act somewhat independently of traditional channels. This is a qualified bonus only if we are almost uncomfortably aware of the fact that we do not have years of veterinary experience behind us. This awareness should hopefully make us doubly cautious as we navigate these unfamiliar waters with our newfound freedom.

The bonus is a qualified one because it should not take the place of veterinary expertise when that is appropriate. The question of how to discern when that is appropriate is the million-dollar question. Websites play experts and they do so with expertise but it is not necessarily the expertise we need.

A favorite tactic is to dot the website with white clad 'experts' who profess to a proficiency they don't have. It is important to note that the figures are often just models paid to pose with an air of authority. We need something more than a show of proficiency when it comes to the lives of our precious pets.

The bottom line is this; nothing can take the place of a visit to the veterinarian when your pet is sick. Attempting to diagnose your pet's ailment yourself can have devastating consequences. When time is of the essence, wasting it waiting for cost effective, online drugs to be shipped to your door is not only unwise but inhumane.

Buying pet medicine online has a limited application. Within these boundaries it can be both benign and cost effective. This avenue works best with repeat medications like flea, tick, worming and heart medications. If you are considering taking advantage of the online option let your vet know. He or she will have to write out a prescription for you to use when purchasing online. Many services also offer to call the vet directly. Your delivery date will be reliant on prompt communication between the online company and the veterinarian's office working together to share information.

Purchasing non-prescription drugs for your pet online is also a matter for caution and consideration. Because certain drugs do not require a prescription does not mean that they are not potentially dangerous if administered unwisely. Read instructions carefully. Good websites take their role as educator seriously. Most have extensive information online regarding dosages and side effects.

Avoid or be cautious regarding prices that are way below market on pet medications. Most legitimate companies hover in the same discount region. Outrageous savings are normally only offered by fly by night companies offering questionable product.

Preventive Medicine - Ayurveda

2012-01-04T18:35:00.001-08:00

It should not be hard for anyone to imagine that man sought medicine to maintain life and gain knowledge since the time of his being pre-hominid and eating plants while learning which ones killed him. Your puppy or kitten will show this when it goes outside for the first time and eats grass to help its gastrointestinal processes. The Therapeutae of Pythagoras who some say developed the pentagram were learning from far more ancient insights that were being lost and we have lost a lot of the knowledge of healing he had in his chanting or ‘Singing of the Spheres’.

Ayurveda includes the use of herbs and plants combined with psychic arts of a healing nature. The proper practitioner includes psychology as part of the diagnosis and getting the patient to use their own mental or soulful energy. It comes from very ancient shamanism and has many names for its practice. This art is called ayurveda in India, and it has Taoist and Yogic corollaries.

When I lived in Vegas I grew Aloe Vera, and its Vitamin E may be part of why it works to heal so many things. Comfrey tea is something my brother took to help a broken leg that wasn't healing in the traditional medical approach. There are many ways to enhance the immune system along with our natural ability to heal and help each other. 'Cleansing' auras or meridians of 'Chhi' or pranha, positive visualization and what is sometimes deemed wholistics have been available for longer than books or politicians were practicing their questionable arts. The ancient priests and shamans who were corruptible became even more so as this knowledge grew. The Inca’s 'magic' and healing may have been one of the best balances of knowledge and compassion ever exercised on behalf of every citizen.

Can you honestly say you trust the future of gene therapy and near immortality to our current system? Do you want more transparency or honesty? Shouldn't we all become 'informed consumers' and have alternatives considered when they make sense? Much of what Western doctors learn about anatomy and diseases is easily input and reacted to by modern computer and diagnostic tools. Can you imagine them ever putting these things in the public forum and trying to engage us all in honest dialogue that might diminish their power, money and influence? In China you don't pay the doctor when you are sick and preventive medicine is the rule. Bill and Hillary Clinton tried to emphasize 'preventive medicine' and ran into the same kind of lobbying that George Bush and Dan Quayle saw when they ran with a commitment to institute 'tort reform' in the legal system.

The idea that a fully diluted homeopathic tincture might heal through some imprint left by Cyanide found in peach pits or laetrile is just one of the conundrums that science still struggles to face. But the fact is cyanide kills cells and results have been achieved by some people who might have attuned themselves with that small amount of Cyanide that Japanese researchers found in peach pits after the US researchers said there was no possible agent that could kill cancer cells in peach pits. The implications of this extend to genetic rituals that modern science cannot see the effects of, and other energy lattice memory or Intelligence.

There are forces in society which seek to keep certain knowledge hidden or what one might term ‘occulted’. We do need to learn to stop these shelving efforts that would rather have a monopoly and power before seeing all mankind capable of greater things.

Naturopathic Medicine

2012-01-04T18:33:00.001-08:00

Naturopathic Medicine is an holistic approach that relies on natural remedies. Sunlight, air, and water are thought of as natural healers; this, along with nutritional supplements and massage therapies are all part of naturopathic medicine.

Naturopathic medicine is founded on the principles that bodies are capable of self-healing. Naturopathic medicine emphasises healthy environments and is part of a belief that the natural body is one with the Divine on a cosmological viewpoint. Combining harmony or balance, naturopathic medicine is comprised of herbal supplements and remedies that enrich the immune system.

Theoretically, naturopathic medicine is also based on the principle that one can use his or her mind to enhance the immune system, overall improving health and well-being. Naturopathic medicine is a conglomeration of alternative medicines wrapped into one.

Commonly -- acupuncturists, Ayurvedic practitioners, and other alternative therapies utilize naturopathic medicine in their various treatments. Colonic irrigation, vitamin and mineral supplements, detoxification, proper diet and exercise, and a mariad of other holistic therapies are almost always used to bring about natural healing through naturopathic medicine therapy.

If you are interested in naturopathic medicine and how it may benefit you and your well-being, feel free to check Holistic Junction's business member directory for a naturopathic medicine practitioner or school today.

Medicine From Recommended Pharmacies

2012-01-04T18:32:00.001-08:00

With prescription medicines, there are so many choices to choose from and it is not easy finding cheaper and effective alternatives. Does your Government pay for all your healths cost, or are you uninsured and you have the burden of 100% of the cost for your family’s health care. If you have health care coverage, what percentage do you have to pay?

Once you decide what category you fall under, you need to decide which medicine is right for you. Trying to save money on your prescriptions may not be for you but for the vast majority of us who are not well off, we have to shop around for a cheaper source of quality prescriptions.

This brings us to the internet with even more questions. A recent Google search for the word “pharmacy” came up with over 29 million possibilities. So out of the 29 million WebPages. Which pharmacies have good quality prescriptions, which ones are fly-by night and which ones have good customer service? That is where an online pharmacy review site comes in.

A good pharmacy review site will first find quality online pharmacies. Do background checks on the medical pharmacies and contact them to see if they respond in a timely matter. Some good websites will go to the extent of ordering prescriptions from pharmacies to see if the right prescriptions arrive on time and as prescribed.

There are thousands of online pharmacies to choose from and an online pharmacy review site can help users to start choosing their prescriptions from recommended pharmacies. This makes it easier for online users and starts them in the right path. Not only can they find good pharmacies from such a review site, they can also find medicine that are competitively priced and within their budget range. How often do people take their friends' recommedations in trying out Lose Weight programs and medicine anyway?

Medical Malpractice Suits: Death By Medicine

2012-01-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

A recent report has found that Americans are more frightened of dying at the hands of their doctor than they are of a plane crash. The overwhelming majority of those who participated in the survey said that information about malpractice suits and medical errors would be the single most deciding factor in trusting a healthcare provider. These people must have heard that medical errors cause more deaths in the United States every year than car accidents, AIDS, or breast cancer.

In fact, for the airline industry to parallel medical errors in mortality rates a 280-person jet would have to crash every day of the year. This would account for the over 100,000 people who die annually due to complications in medical care, not to mention the nearly 2 million who are maimed and disabled. This malady is called iatrogenic disease, a disease that is a direct result of medical care. What is causing this epidemic? Many agree that the cause is over-treatment. More medicine is administered than necessary, people are hospitalized unnecessarily, and doctors prescribe drugs instead of healthy lifestyle choices. This is a major problem and it shows no signs of stopping.

In the ten year period between 1983 and 1993 the incidence of death by medical error, or iatrogenic disease, jumped 260% overall and 850% among patience receiving outpatient care. These statistics could only be an indication of the true numbers, because medical error is not often recorded on death certificates. Some people blame the increased number of deaths on a greater number of prescriptions, but the number of prescriptions issued has increased less than 40% in 10 years, compared with the 260% increased death rate. Instead, some doctors blame increased usage of anesthesia, especially among those receiving outpatient care.

Medical malpractice insurance rates have been skyrocketing, causing a small crisis among doctors who must be insured in order to practice. They complain of medical malpractice lawsuits going out of control, large cities awarding record settlements, too many people filing claims. Well can you blame people for filing claims? Doctors must be held accountable for their prescriptions, and if a doctor writes you a prescription that hurts you they deserve to be taken to court! This is truly an epidemic, and it must be stopped by holding irresponsible healthcare providers responsible. One in five Americans has experienced medical errors directly or has a family member who has suffered a medical error. If you feel you have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of a doctor, seek legal council and work it out with a lawyer.

Light - Medicine of the Future

2012-01-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future" by Jacob Liberman, O.D.,
Ph.D. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight.

As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, until then it's Vita-Lite. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. Most offices, stores, hospitals, and schools currently use cool-white fluorescent!

Full Vs. Incomplete Spectrum Lighting

"In 1980, Dr. Fritz Hollwich conducted a study comparing the effects of sitting under strong artificial cool-white (non-full spectrum) illumination versus the effects of sitting under strong artificial illumination that simulates sunlight (full-spectrum). Using changes in the endocrine system to evaluate these effects, he found stress like levels of ACTH an cortisol (the stress hormones) in individuals in sitting under the cool-white tubes. These changes were totally absent in the individuals sitting under the sunlight-simulating tubes.

The significance of Hollowich's findings becomes clear when the functions of ACTH and cortisol are examined. Both of these metabolic hormones play major roles in the functioning of the entire body and are very much related to stress response. Since their activity increases inhibitors, this may account for the observation that persistent stress stunts bodily growth in children. Hollowich's findings clarify and substantiate the observations of Ott and others regarding the agitated physical behavior, fatigue, and reduced mental capabilities of children. He concluded that the degree of biological disturbance and the resulting behavioral mal adaptations were directly related to the difference between the spectral composition of the artificial source and that of natural light.

Since cool-white fluorescent lamps are especially deficient in the red and blue-violet ends of the spectrum, this may explain why color therapists have historically used a combination of the colors red and blue-violet as an emotional stabilizer. Hollwich's work not only confirms the biological importance of full-spectrum lighting, but it also reconfirms the importance of specific colors by evaluating the effects of their omission from our daily lives. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. It has been found that full-spectrum lighting in the work place creates significantly lower stress on the nervous system than standard cool-white fluorescent lighting and reduces the number of absences due to illness. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight. Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future," by Jacob Liberman, O.D., Ph.D.

Shedding Light on Those Winter Blues

Does your spirit wanes with the shortening of days? You may be suffering from sunlight withdrawal. The syndrome appears with inevitable regularity. As summer pales into autumn, the victim feels an ominous sense of anxiety and foreboding at the mere thought of approaching winter. As days shorten from November into December, there's a gradual slowing down, a low of energy, a need for more and more sleep, a longing to lie undisturbed in bed.

It becomes harder to get to work, to accomplish anything when there. Depression and withdrawal follow. As a Brooklyn, New York, woman described it, "Everything seems gloomier and more difficult. There is sadness looming over everything. I can't concentrate at work and feel like going home afterward to hibernate like a bear."

Just as routinely, as spring approaches and days stretch out, the sufferer flips into high gear."Once the warm weather arrives, I feel a burden lifted," says the Brooklynite. "I feel freer and happier."

This is more than a dislike of icy slush and raw winds. Psychiatric researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have identified these complaints as a previously unrecognized clinical syndrome. They call its victims "winter depressives." "It is much more common than we thought," says Dr. Norman Rosenthal of NIMH. "We expected to get a few replies from our description of this pattern. Instead, we received more than three thousand responses from all over the country. The symptoms described were one after the other very much the same.

"Some of these winter depressives are being successfully treated, not with drugs or psychotherapy but with an element common to all our lives: artificial light. What scientists are learning from the use of light as it affects health and mood has implications for us all. It forces us to rethink the way we light up our lives, especially urban dwellers and workers who spend so much time indoors. Apparently artificial light does much more than enable us to read and work without benefit of sunlight. It affects our bodies.

"It is important to recognize that this is a distinct syndrome with a well-defined cluster of symptoms," says Dr. Thomas Wehr, an NIMH researcher. "We have measured some very interesting physiological changes specific to this kind of depression." While typically depressed people have impaired sleep patterns and usually wake up early, winter depressives might sleep nine or 10 hours a night, wake up tired, and take naps. There is a 50% reduction in delta sleep, the deepest, most restful phase of the sleep cycle. Winter depressives gain weight, crave carbohydrates, and their libido pales. Their energy levels drop; monitors on their wrists show that they are less active than in summer.

Such symptoms begin earlier the farther north they live and abate when they visit sunny climates in the winter. Symptoms peak and wane according to the length of days. In New York, for instance, on the shortest day of the year - December 21 - the sun rose at 7:17 a.m. and set at 4:32 p.m., contrasted to 5:25 a.m. and 8:31 p.m. at the height of summer, a six hour difference in light. Such a distinct seasonal pattern implicates the external environment as the culprit, the most obvious being sunlight. Sunlight has already been shown to trigger cycles and seasonal behavior in animals, including reproduction, hibernation, migration, and molting. Animal behavior has been fooled by artificial light. Could it also fool humans? Apparently. In a recent NIMH study, a group of these depressives were treated with amounts of light that simulated that of summer days. Short winter days were stretched by six extra hours of light. The subjects were awakened before sunrise to bask in three hours of light, and dusk was delayed for three more.

Since sunlight is thought to be the missing element, the subjects were flooded with an artificial light that most closely resembles the full broad spectrum of the sun. At 20 times the intensity of normal indoor lighting, the light approximated the sensation of sitting on a shady porch or under a tree in mid-summer. Fluorescent lamps are roughly three times more intense than ordinary light bulbs. A bank of eight 4-watt fluorescent bulbs at eye level lit the participants' rooms as they read, worked, or moved around. Within days this group responded with measurable mood changes, says Rosenthal. Their symptoms eased and energy levels rose, while a control group with a different threshold of light showed no change in behavior.

"Something in the external environment caused these changes," says Wehr, "but we are not prepared to say exactly what it is at this point. It is true, though, that waking up these people and exposing them to this light treated their symptoms. Whether it is the break in sleep pattern, the wavelengths or intensity of light, or some other factor we can't say at this point. The intensity of light used in the study may be well in excess of what is necessary to effect changes, stress the researchers. So they will continue to experiment with varieties of light therapy to determine the crucial element. The subjects themselves feel that sunlight is the missing ingredient.

One said that she felt as if she were in a "lower state of evolution since I function by photosynthesis." Although these winter depressives showed an abnormal response to light, each of us responds to it in varying degrees. External light travels on a direct pathway from the retina to the part of the hypothalamus believed to be involved in running our biologic clock, the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The path continues to the tiny, cone-shaped pineal gland, which secretes the hormone melatonin. It is thought that melatonin affects the regulation of behavioral changes in animals, but this has not been clearly shown in humans. Sufficiently intense light suppresses the secretion of this chemical, making it a useful marker in determining light's physical effect on behavior. The secretion of melatonin reflects light's effect on the hypothalamus, itself highly sensitive to light. This complex part of the brain regulates a multitude of body functions, playing a vital role in reproduction, thirst, hunger, satiation, temperature, emotions, and sleep patterns. Depression is associated with disturbances in the hypothalamus.

"By stimulating the hypothalamus with light we may be correcting these disturbances in this group," explains Rosenthal. Most artificial light differs from natural sunlight in wavelength (color) and intensity. Sunlight is very intense electromagnetic energy in a continuous spectrum of colors ranging from the short wavelengths of invisible ultraviolet light (UV) through blue, green, yellow, and into the infrared waves. Incandescent bulbs that light through heat light the majority of our homes. They lack the intensity of sunlight and produce light that is heavily infrared. "We don't like the incandescent lights," says Wehr. "It's conceivable for this purpose that they are not the safest. You can get burned from the heat and the infrared radiation."

Although some fluorescent lamps are described as "broad spectrum," they do not have the same distribution of colors as sunlight. Widely used fluorescent lights peak in the yellow-green portion of the spectrum, wavelengths to which the eye is most sensitive. That makes them energy efficient but different from natural sunlight, notably in the blue-green spectrum where the sun's emission or radiant energy is strongest. Additionally, conventional indoor lighting lacks the proper proportion of near-UV radiation of the sun that advocates claim to be vital to health and well being. Just as overexposure can be unhealthy, regulated doses of sun and UV can be therapeutic. UV is currently used to treat psoriasis and, experimentally, genital herpes and some forms of cancer in the early stages of the illness. Full-spectrum artificial light is widely used to cure potentially fatal type of infant jaundice. We need sunlight with its UV rays to metabolize vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium, especially in growing children and the elderly.

Some studies show that working under true full-spectrum lights enhances productivity and reduces fatigue. Even critics concede that many people who are deprived of natural light, such as night or shift workers, suffer undue emotional stress. Whether or just how we should alter our indoor lighting is a question being raised by these studies. As Dr. Richard Wurtman, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been saying for years, we should not take artificial lighting for granted. Lined up in the pro-sunlight camp, he has written, "Light is potentially too useful an agency of human health not to be more effectively examined and exploited." As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, says E. Woody Bickford, environmental engineer with Duro-Test, manufacturers of Vita-Lite. "Until we know," he points out, "Vita Lite, with its complete range of visible and invisible light, is what we have to work with."

For ordinary indoor lighting, two to four 40-watt lamps would provide some health benefits, he says. "The benefits seem to be proportional to the amount of light," he adds. "We may need higher intensity in all our work levels. Perhaps the cutoff point is what you can afford," Vita-Lite tubes are expensive, and most of our homes are not equipped with fixtures that can accommodate them.

Although many lighting experts are skeptical of the entire concept of light affecting our health, some light manufacturers are beginning to support research in the field, and one trade association has just established a new branch devoted to light and health. As the relationship between light and health becomes publicized, NIHM's Rosenthal worries that people will try to treat themselves. "With the winter depressives it's a matter of risks out-weighing benefits. Bright light can damage the retina; UV can be dangerous. But depression can be dangerous for them, too!"