Alternative Health, Alternative Medicine

How To-31: "How to Make Turkish Tomato Soup"

2010-03-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Whether you"re looking for a creative twist on tomato soup or you need an appetizer to start off a traditional Turkish meal, this recipe is likely to satisfy. This is also a unique way to enjoy fresh domates (tomatoes) on a cool, summer night.

Ingredients

6-7 large tomatoes
1 white onion
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of oregano
pinch of sugar
4 small bunches of parsley (flat leaf preferred)
1 bay leaf
three cups of chicken broth/stock
butter
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Steps

Slice the tomatoes and chop the parsley into very small pieces. Combine with the oregano, sugar, nutmeg, 1/2 tablespoon pepper and the bay leaf.
Chop the onion into small pieces and saute on medium high heat with butter in a pan until they are brown/yellow. If you find that your butter is burning you may add a bit of oil (canola or olive- not extra virgin olive oil however) to raise the smoke point of the fats.
Add all the ingredients of step one to the fried onion.
Mix thoroughly and fry for approximately fifteen minutes on half heat, until tomatoes are soft.
While you wait for the tomatoes to soften, heat up three cups of chicken broth/stock.
When the tomato mixture is soft, add the chicken broth/stock and stir well.
Put the lid on the pan and cook the mixture of tomatoes and chicken broth for about ten minutes.
Take the pan off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until there are no chunks of tomato left.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a big pan.
Add teaspoon of flour and stir it well to make a roux - this will melt in the soup and thicken it. For optimal results cook the roux until it reaches a medium golden brown color (the more you cook a roux the less thickening power it will have- it will also give it a stronger almost nutty taste.
Slowly pour the soup into the pan with the butter and flour.
Add the whipping cream. Last add salt to taste.
Heat the soup on the stove and serve.

Tips

If you notice that the onions are getting stuck to the pan, add some butter.
Instead of an immersion blender you can also pour the soup through a sieve.
This recipe is perfect if you have some tomatoes left. Almost all of the ingredients are standard.
If you want more than four cups of soup, you can simply double the ingredients.
Take out the bay leaf before you use the immersion blender.
Make sure once the cream is added not to let the soup boil as this will cause it to break (the proteins and the fat in the cream separate).

Things You"ll Need

An immersion blender or another way to puree (such as a sieve)
Two big pots

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Originally written in Dutch: nl:Turkse tomatensoep maken.

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

Pondering this Evening

2010-03-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

1) I really don"t want to be on call tomorrow. I"ve got a serious case of the "I don" wanna!!""s.

2) I am slowly but surely realizing that my organizational strategies are unsustainable. Currently my kitchen is organized in 3 catagories: flat things, plastic things, and other stuff. This isn"t exactly working for me. I wonder how much it would cost to have someone come and organize my life, just once. It"s like, I"d like to be organized, I"m just having a hard time figuring out how to do it.

3) Fall has come and gone awfully quickly this year. It gets dark early, and the leaves are now all gone. I actually like this weather (ok, I like all weather, I like the warm sunny days, the cold rainy ones, the cold sunny ones, the snowy days), it"s just a reminder of how quickly time goes.

Health Facts-4: "Value of Sexual Vital Fluid"

2010-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

In the structure of the body, every part, every limb, every chemical and every phenomenon is important and valuable, deserving appropriate respect and attention. Among all the phenomena the sexual vital fluid is most important for germination, survival and in short, all aspects of life. ....Only by the excretion of the sexual vital fluid man is germinated. By the same excretion man leves the body and that is the end, Death. The entire mechanism and chemistry of the body is based wholly on the sexual vital fluid. It is a unique mixture of various mysterious chemicals serving as a suitable container for the life-force. The quantity and quality of the life-force in a body is commensurate with the quantity and quality of the sexual vital fluid. Further, it is according to the quantity and quality of the life-force in a body that the quantity of charge and stock of bio-magnetism are conditioned.

When the sexual vital fluid is thrown away in an irresponsible manner, or production is reduced by illness or old age, simultaneously the stock of life-force will become proportionately less. As a result, all the three functions of the Consciousness connected with the (1) Central Nervous System (CNS); (2) Autonomous Nervous Systems (ANS); and (3) Universal Wave will become disturbed and thereby man is rendered weak in potential. Now you know the great value of the sexual vital fluid. One has to store it with care, conserve it with due reverence and expend it creatively with a total perspective awareness to enjoy a healhty, happy, prosperous and blissful life.

Although overflow of of the sexual vital fluid (i.e.) enjaculation of the surplus starts at the age of maturity, about 14 years of age, it requires ten years more for males and six years more for females to get proper strength and concentration of fluid to withstand many kinds of disturbances. After this age, the sexual vital fluid will be surprlus has to be necessarily eliminated in a natural way by coition. One or two years more or less for sexual gratification will not produce any harm. Completely suppressing the flow for lack of opportunity or by some wrong concepts will cause definite damage to the kidneys, prostate gland and brain in males, and to kidneys, uterus, ovaries and brain for females.

If for some reason one decides to lead a celibate life, some special process should be followed under the guidance of a spiritual master. There are some exercises and breathing processes to neutralise the sexual vital fluid and transmute it into spiritual energy. One should not neglect any of the facts explained above.

Over-indulgence in sex will replete the vital fluid and bring the stock to a low level. As a result of the reduction in the stock of life-force, the bio-magnetism will become deficient in intensity. Eventually the health of the body and clarity of the intellect will be the casualty. Over-indulgence in sex will also cause impotency which will result in un told suffering for both the life-partners.

Masturbation, homosexuality, having sexual contact with animals and enjoy sex during menstrual period of women will not only deteriorate the health but upset the body-chemistry to such an exrtent that it cannot be restored to normal by treatment. These are examples of improper sex.

The education in schools and colleges has come to cover a wide range of subjects from Health to Computer Technology but the importance of Sexual Education is undreestimated and overlooked. Karma Yoga includes sex education to a full extent.

Excerpts from "KARMA YOGA : The Holistic Unity" by Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi.

"KARMA YOGA : The Holistic Unity"

Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi.

Vethathiri Publications

Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600041, India

Pages 123

1986 edition

Grateful thanks to Vethathiri Publications.

Attention

2010-03-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

At first, attention was motivated primarily by the recognition that practitioners
needed to know more about unconventional systems of care in order to engage
their alternatively inclined patients in open discussion of their habit (in contrast
to shaming them in the manner of the cartoon physician). Eisenberg had found

Baby"s Bliss GripeWater Liquid, 4-Ounce Bottles

2010-03-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

This product is one of medicine for children. Pediatrician recommended. Preservative free! Baby"s Bliss GripeWater is a highly effective, herbal supplement used to ease the gas and stomach discomfort often associated with colic, hiccups and teething
Safety Information
Keep this and all supplements out of the reach of children. Do not exceed recommended dosage. Do not give to a child if they are allergic to any of the ingredients. Since infants have immature immune systems a possibility exists that an infant may have a

Ingredients
Other Ingredients: Deionized Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Fructose, Citrus Bioflavonoid Extract, Citric Acid, and Grapefruit Seed Extract.

Directions
Shake well. May be taken directly by dropper or in a bottle up to six times in a 24 hour period. We recommend discarding six weeks after opening. Suggested Use: Babies 2 to 4 weeks of age 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml). Infants 1 to 6 months of age 1 tsp (5 ml).

How To Prevent Cold Sores?

2010-03-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

Many people who suffer frequent cold sores often ask if there is a cure for cold sores. Unfortunately there is no known cure for it. But while there is no cure yet, there are several preventive measures people can take to keep their cold sore outbreaks to a least.

Some of these preventions is avoiding to kiss people who currently have cold sores, stay away from prolonged exposure to the sun to protect the lips, use lip balm with sun block on the lips at all times, and avoiding personal triggers that can lead to a cold sore outbreak. Wear a hat or stay in the shade to keep the lips from getting too much sun. Following these procedures will not guarantee that a person will never have another cold sore, but it will decrease the likelihood that they will have another outbreak.

It is advised to avoid close contact with anyone who currently has a cold sore. It is because people can be spreading the cold-sore-causing HSV-1 virus even when they do not have a cold sores, it is much more likely to spread when a sore is present. It is also advisable to prevent sharing any items with people who have cold sores as well such as toothbrushes, towels, razors, and tableware. It can carry the HSV-1 virus.

People who are sensitive with some foods causing to trigger cold sore outbreak like foods and drinks containing caffeine like chocolate, coffee, and soft drinks must limit their intake of these foods in order to lessen the likelihood of getting cold sore outbreak.

As has been said, there is no cold sores cure and treatment, but there are preventions to reduce the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak. Anyone who has a weakened immune system is at a risk for cold sores, and many of these preventive measures can still be effective.

Should the NHS fund complementary medicine?

2010-03-20T03:46:00.000-07:00

A group of doctors has tried to stop NHS resources being spent on quackery.

Let"s rather spend money on real medicine that actually works than use them on unproven and disproved treatments.

Let us give it to real nurses and doctors who use real medicine that actually works.

Reasons?

1. NHS money are being given away from good working medicine which would otherwise be available. They give false information to patients who should be receiving conventional medical treatment.

2. Public are best served by using the available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence

3. "Alternative" medicine does not work, because if it did it would become part of the conventional medicine and it would be very easy to prove it in a double-blinded controlled trial. Results have not published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and it is a fair bet that they are not very reproducible.

4. The "Scientific" basis of "alternative" medicine is not consistent with known science (eg. homeopathy, energy therapies). We knows that homeopathy does not work. Experiments of this kind have been done repeatedly. The people given the wrong homeopathic solution get better just as often as the people given the "homeopathic remedy" (i.e. water). There is nothing that is evidence-based to support homeopathy and it deserves no more place in science than horoscopes.

5. The NHS Direct website includes links to sources containing misleading information about CAM. Furthermore, they allow NHS Alliance and NHS Trust Association to use their logo and style on their website, both websites seems to exist solely to promote CAM. Why support Them?

Why don"t we accept that the standard of evidence-based medicine is the only standard? Moreover, that unproven or disproved treatments should be replaced with good evidence and clear information.

Should the NHS fund complementary medicine? Give your vote!

Relevant links:

NHS told to abandon alternative medicine

Doctors" letter: In full
The open letter from some of the UK"s leading doctors urging NHS trusts to stop using complementary therapies.

Links to video of Prince"s comments...

Prince Charles first advocated the use of complementary medicines more than 20 years ago, and has established the Prince"s Foundation for Integrated Health.

Complementary Medical Association Response to Dr. Baum and Colleagues

The IMPROBABLE SCIENCE page

That Blogger flag

2010-03-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

You"ll notice a new button in the Blogger title bar up top. They"ve instituted a "Flag as Objectionble" option for all the splogs (spam logs) that are filling up Blogspot. The number of these damn things is incredible. Just click on "Next Blog" a few times and you"ll see what I mean. Here"s one dedicated to kitchen cabinets. I especially love how that one has been hit by a spammer in the comments.

Google is also instituting a captcha to stop spam comments. I"ve never had a problem with those here, so I have intention no turn it on.

Dealing with the splogs is a good idea. It"s in Google"s own best interest, of course, too. These things dilute the Blogger brand and poison their own search index.

This phenomenon is just another example of how a few spamming parasites can make life a little more difficult for everyone else.

A Weird Anniversary

2010-03-19T22:11:00.000-07:00

This week is a weird anniversary for me. A year ago I had to do something terrible to a mom to save her baby"s life. This is an open letter for that mom, just in case she happens to read my blog.

Dear Patient:

I am really sorry that what happened happened. I think about it every day, and every day, I wish I had found a better solution than I did. I hope your baby"s well. I think about you and your family every day. Above all, I hope that you don"t think about the awful pain and distress of what happened every time you look at your baby. I wish you and your family nothing but joy and peace.

Sincerely,
Me

CoQ10 Supplements

2010-03-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

CoQ10: Coenzyme Q10 Supplements

Coenzyme Q-10 � also known as Co Q-10 � is an antioxidant with a variety of benefits.** Co Q-10 has been shown to support the cardiovascular system, cognitive function and nervous system health.** It also plays a role in helping the body convert food to energy.**

Coenzeyme Q-10 (a.k.a. Co Q10, CoQ10) is a powerful weapon in supporting heart health**. Co Q10 plays a key role in helping the body to convert food to energy, making Coenzyme Q-10 essential for energy production at the cellular level.** Some studies indicate that Coenzyme Q-10 may promote cognitive function and nervous system health.**

CoQ10 Supplements and Coenzyme Q10

In a study conducted by Berman et al. (2004), subjects consuming Co Q10 (Coenzyme Q-10) showed significant improvement in a six-minute walk test1. Other positive findings for Coenzyme Q-10 included breathing measures, heart health and fatigue. The administration of CoQ10 to subjects led to a significant improvement in functional status, quality of life and overall well being.

In another clinical trial, the effects of oral treatment with Coenzyme Q-10 (120 mg/day) were compared for one year in 144 subjects2. Co Q10 significantly increased the level of Vitamin E in the blood, supported healthy HDL levels (high-density lipoprotein, known as the �good� cholesterol), and reduced molecules that cause oxidative stress. Conversely, there was a significantly lower effect in the control group.

Coenzyme Q-10 BENEFITS

CoQ10 is an antioxidant which fights cell-damaging free radicals in the body.**

CoQ10 supports heart health.**

CoQ10 helps the body convert food to energy.**

CoQ10 may promote cognitive function and nervous system health.**

NOTE: Coenzyme Q-10 is often called Co Q10, Coenzyme Q10, CoQ10 or even q10 for short. CoQ10 supplements are popular with those researching heart health, cardiac health, myocardial health, antioxidant support, energy and ATP production, cognitive function, nervous system health and cholesterol maintenance. New studies on CoQ10 and its relationship to those on Statin drugs and CoQ10 and its relationship to those taking heart medication are being conducted.

1. Berman M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 in patients with end-stage heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Clin Cardiol. 2004 May;27(5):295-9.

2. Singh RB, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 on risk of atherosclerosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Apr;246(1-2):75-82.

Shop Puritan�s Pride Bargain Bin for Special Offers on Top Selling Vitamins & Supplements.

Very Biblical...

2010-03-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

The simple choices that we make in our lifestyle

2010-03-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

Many people have a hard time believing that the simple choices that we make in our lifestyle -- what we eat, how we respond to stress, whether or not we smoke cigarettes, how much exercise we get, and the quality of our relationships and social support -- can be as powerful as drugs and surgery.

But they often are. And in many instances, they"re even more powerful than breakthroughs in medicine.

Our bodies have a remarkable capacity to begin healing, if we address the lifestyle factors that often cause these chronic diseases.

More Random than Random

2010-03-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

And here you are with the final sample article I wrote up:

Quick quiz: What do streak-shooting basketball players, Princeton�s Global Consciousness Project, and iTunes� Smart Shuffle feature have in common. If you said, �They�re all the result of people misinterpreting random data,� then you�re reading this out loud and probably getting strange looks right about now (You�re also right).

The human mind doesn�t do well with the random, but, as with most flaws in human perception, there�s actually a good reason for this. In harsher times, when survival was less of a given than it is today, there was a distinct evolutionary advantage to finding patterns. A human who noticed many patterns was more likely to spot the pattern indicative of a predator, or realize that a seed dropped into the ground last year had turned into a sprout this year. A few extra patterns spotted may incur slight inconveniences, but it�s still a lot better than dying because you missed one.

The flip side to this is that now humans aren�t good judges of random data, and start to see patterns where there are none. For instance, take the following three strings of numbers, representing a random choice from 4 numbers:

12414412
23123441
21434231

One of them is completely random, the other two aren�t. Which one do you think is the random one? Human instincts lead most people towards the second or third choice, but it�s actually the first one�which deviates the most from the expected distribution and looks streakiest�which I generated randomly. It has too many 4�s and 1�s and absolutely no 3�s, but that was the way the dice rolled. In the long run, random data will indeed average out, but streaks are to be expected in the short term.

So let�s go back to the examples I listed at the beginning of this article. It�s a commonly-held belief that in basketball, players are prone to streak shooting, often referred to as the �hot hand.� After a few successful shots, a player is believed to �loosen up� or �get into a groove.� The reverse supposedly happen after a few misses. To determine whether or not this actually happens, Gilovich et al. examined the records of the Philadelphia 76ers during the �80-�81 season. The results were surprising, to say the least: It turned out that after a series of baskets, players were less likely to score again. On the other hand, after a series of misses, players were more likely to land a basket. What was really going on is that people were noticing the streaks that inevitably arise in random data and believing them to be non-random.

A similar situation arose with the shuffle feature on iPods at one point. Apple received numerous complaints and inquiries from people who claimed that their iPods were playing favorites. Some artists or albums seemed to show up much too often, while others too rarely�if at all. Their software engineers went over the random number generator again and again, and they found nothing wrong with it. And yet people wouldn�t believe them. Eventually, they decided they had to address it somehow, so they came out with the �smart shuffle� feature. It allowed people to decrease the likelihood that multiple songs by the same artist would be heard within a small amount of time. As Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder described it, �We"re making it less random to make it feel more random.�

My final example is the worst of the bunch: Princeton�s Global Consciousness Project. This project was inspired by work done in PEAR (The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research), and it essentially boils down to people watching random numbers and trying to judge if they see deviations during major world events. And, surprising as it may not be, they�re able to find deviations from a perfectly chance distribution around every major event (and plenty of deviations around absolutely nothing, but they don�t talk about them). They claim that these deviations are due to some �quantum energy field� in the world caused by human consciousness. In the eight years that the project has been active, all it"s accomplished is spotting streaks in random data while wasting mass amounts of time and money, all of which could have been saved with just a little bit better understanding of what "random" means, but no one"s stepped in to put a stop to it, so far.

How To Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Aloe Vera?

2010-03-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

When you think of Aloe Vera, you probably think of a spiny, desert-like plant, but the medicinal properties of this cannot be ignored by many nowadays. Aloe Vera is used as treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. While Aloe Vera is an odd looking plant and it"s true that many people don"t find it particularly attractive to look at, Aloe Vera is also one of the oldest medicinal plants in the history.

One of the many health benefits of Aloe Vera is its use to treat digestive issues and intestinal upsets. Dr. Jeffrey Bland of the Linus Pauling Institute has done research on the health benefits of Aloe Vera on the intestinal tract, and found several beneficial effects. These health benefits include increased protein digestion and absorption, and a greater volume of water in the stool, which is a crucial factor in reducing the symptoms from irritable bowel syndrome.

Aloe Vera is a natural substance and can gently correct intestinal tract problems that may cause irritable bowel and other intestinal disorders. This is great news for those who suffer from these often debilitating and almost always inconvenient and embarrassing conditions.

Irritable bowel syndrome can be very difficult to treat. Many sufferers of IBS turn to an oral aloe Vera supplement for relief. Aloe Vera supplements can provide you with a simple and natural solution to your IBS symptoms.

But you have to remember that if you are currently experiencing abdominal pain, it is extremely important that you see a doctor and have your pain evaluated. It"s true that many relatively minor disorders can cause abdominal pain, but so can several potentially fatal conditions, including appendicitis. Let the doctor be the doctor - Never try to diagnose your own abdominal pain; always get it checked out by a medical professional.

The symptoms you may experience with irritable bowel syndrome include constipation, diarrhea, urgent bowel movements, and lower back pain. Sufferers of IBS often find their lifestyles controlled by their illness, and find that some days their IBS rules their life.

As a natural treatment for IBS, Aloe Vera works on several levels. By helping to cleanse and repair the lining of your digestive tract, Aloe Vera restores natural function to your digestive/absorptive processes. This means that you get the proper nutrition from your food. This allows your digestive system to use your food properly to nourish your body, without toxins leaching into your bloodstream.

Is There Any Cure for Fatty Heart?

2010-03-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

What is the best cure for fatty heart?

We all know that if heart is ailing, it is as terrible as cancer because we will not know when we"re going to have heart attack.

As possible as we can we tend to avoid fatty foods and foods bad for the heart. But how you can get rid of fats if your heart have already accumulated it? What do you think will get cure of it?

Take the following steps to get rid of fats to your heart

For one day, eat the live foods that you like best; the next two days live on liquids - like taking fruit juices, you can take milk, and water etc. The third day, you eat again three meals, as if there were nothing wrong with you.; then fast two more days on liquids. Keep up this sequence for two weeks, and your heart will offer less complaint. Live on natural foods all the while , for your blood must be vigorous and vital to cure your heart condition.

Summer Fitness for Busy Women: 4 Quick Exercises

2010-03-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

It"s summertime, and the living is easy - except when you have to think about putting on an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini! But don"t worry, there"s still time to get in shape to strut your stuff on the beach or the boardwalk!

These tried-and-tested exercises can give you quick results with just 10 minute focused workouts every other day. (If you"re on a serious mission and feeling really motivated, feel free to go for it every day!) And don"t forget ...

Read Article...

Yellow Teeth - Requires For Makeover

2010-03-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

Yellow teeth or hollows in your teeth, probably, not such attractive thing if you, happens, smile to the person; for the first time you have met.

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It is possible to consider it as badly oral hygiene than something else. With arrival of a new tooth-paste which only assert that all your hollows without results have driven away. Many, happens, go to the dentist to correct this which can cost a heap of money, and it can be avoided, if go to a problem root.

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It can be declared as one of the most general problems mentioning people now.

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yellowing teeth can be a sign of shortage of tooth hygiene. This tooth memorial board is called mainly because of yellowish biofilm which are generated about a teeth. If it is not cleaned properly everyday, it can lead to other tooth problems as hollows and rubber ignition.

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Some of the general reasons which we can identify to have a yellow teeth, is overconsumption of coffee, tea. Smoking and consumption of products can worsen your teeth. Food with which we eat and have not worked at all to clean them after meal, is one of the main reasons of such problem.

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Not after hot and cold cycles which concludes the contract and extends, when you eat or drink something cold or is hot. This expansion and reduction help to call colourings as it passes through a teeth. Products which are very sour also, create colourings and yellowing teeth.

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With increasing age we tend to lack the same ability to struggle with hollows and other bacterial attacks on our teeth.

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Usual oral hygiene also is mentioned because of increasing age. As colouring remains on our teeth with smaller quantity of tooth hygiene which it tends to become much more dark and very firm to remove.

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Some of the general means, which we can use to avoid yellow colourings,
-A good oral hygiene
- Rinsing after each meal
- Polishing of it, by means of baking soda
- Bleaching of it, by means of the nature very own bleach - lime
-Flossing your teeth regularly
- Leaving from starch and sugar
- Be switched to a vegetable which will help your teeth
Mixture-A Salts and precisely powdered crust can exhaust to be used as an excellent tooth-paste
- Drink a lot of water
- Avoid some tobacco
- Avoid to smoke
- Chewing of rubber without sugar helps
- Addition of decrease in oil of a carnation to your tooth-paste cleaning a teeth can to make miracles to your teeth

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Before act on these means please check up, whether you have an allergy on any of these food products to avoid the further complication. A site or the author are not responsible for the decisions accepted by the reader

Critique of Isagenix

2010-03-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

The following article has been submitted by Dr Harriet Hall.

A friend inquired about a product, Isagenix (actually a whole family of products) that is being pushed by the leader of her weight loss group, claiming that "The Isagenix cleanse is unique because it not only removes impurities at the cellular level, it builds the body up with incredible nutrition. Besides detoxing the body, Isagenix teaches people a wonderful lesson that they don"t need to eat as much as they are accustom to and eating healthy choices are really important and also a lot of the food we are eating is nutritionally bankrupt."

I went through the website (http://www.isagenix.com/) and watched the promotional videos. There is so much to criticize that I hardly know where to start. It"s all misinformation, unsupported claims, testimonials, and money-making ploys.

I couldn"t find a critique of Isagenix on the Web, but that"s not surprising. No serious medical scientist would take it seriously enough to bother about it. And it"s basically all been done before; it"s just a slightly new wrinkle on an old scam. You will find some information on related products at:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html
You can also go to the quackwatch.org homepage and type in cleansing or type in detoxification.

The claims on the Isagenix website are a mishmash of pseudoscience, myth, misrepresentation, and outright lies. For example:

Americans are sicker than ever before.

Toxicity accounts for most diseases.

The body protects itself from toxins by coating them with fat, causing obesity. [The truth: some toxins are soluble in fat and can be taken into existing fat cells, but no new fat cells are created.]

The internal organs become clogged and deteriorate if you don"t cleanse. Nutrients that cleanse, revitalize, rejuvenate - what does this even mean? The human body needs cleansing like air conditioners that need their filters changed and car engines that need oil changes. [This is nonsense: the human body cannot be compared to a machine: it is a living, self-regulating organism that does its own maintenance.]

They engage in scare-mongering about toxins, but provide no data to show that the tiny amounts we ingest lead to any significant adverse health effects. They also provide no evidence that their treatment actually removes any toxins from the body. Or that doing so would have any significant impact on health. There have been no properly controlled scientific studies of their "cleansing" treatments, only testimonials of the sort that abound on the Internet for hundreds of other ineffective products.

There is absolutely no rationale for the particular combination of ingredients in their products. They have LOTS of different products, and have included just about every nutrient and herbal remedy in existence: 242 of them! Some of these we know to be useless, some are potentially harmful, and we have no idea how the particular ingredients in the mixtures might interact for better or for worse.

They offer "ionic" minerals from "ancient plant deposits." Minerals are the same thing wherever they come from, and all "ionic" means is that it is in a form that can be absorbed - i.e. magnesium as milk of magnesia rather than as a lump of elemental magnesium metal.

They advertise "no caffeine added" for a product that contains green tea; green tea contains caffeine. They repeat the tired old myth that our food isn"t as nutritious as in the "good old days." They put digestive enzymes in their products to help you assimilate them, not realizing that orally ingested digestive enzymes are themselves digested in the stomach before they can do anything. They say that their electrolytes "ignite the body"s electrical system" - I have no idea what this means, and it certainly is not scientific terminology.

Their antioxidant mixture contains 15,000 IU of vitamin A as beta carotene plus 5000 IU as palmitate. The Medical Letter recently reviewed vitamin A and warned that no one should take high-dose beta carotene supplements, and that women should not take vitamin A supplements at all during pregnancy or after menopause. Among other things, they said: Vitamin A may also have pro-oxidant effects in vivo. A high intake of vitamin A from supplements and food has been associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in postmenopausal women and with teratogenicity when taken during early pregnancy. A placebo-controlled intervention trial in Finnish smokers found that 20 mg/day of a beta carotene supplement increased the incidence of lung cancer by 18%, which was statistically significant. Another large double blind intervention trial in smokers and asbestos exposed workers, terminated early because no benefit was demonstrated, found that combined therapy with 30 mg of beta carotene and 25,000 IU of vitamin A daily was associated with an increase in the incidence of lung cancer, cardiovascular mortality and total mortality.

The Medical Letter concluded: "A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables may be safer than taking vitamin supplements. No biologically active substance taken for a long term can be assumed to be free of risk."

Isagenix claims to promote weight loss. All treatments for weight loss work the same way: they get people to ingest fewer calories than they expend. There is no reason to think that a person who restricts calorie intake and exercises will lose any more weight if they add Isagenix products. Diuretic and laxative effects, psychological factors, and enthusiasm for a new method may initially fool people into thinking they have benefited.

Their medical advisor, Becky Natrajan, MD, tells us on a video presentation that she is "excited about results" but she does not say what those results are or why she thinks the results are due to the product rather than to diet, exercise and other factors. Perhaps her funniest argument is that the $5 a day Isagenix costs you is less expensive than open heart surgery. As if it were a simple choice between the two!

She tells you to contact the person who told you about Isagenix. And one of the headings on the website is "Wealth." There you will find out how you can sell products from your home and become an associate, a consultant or an executive with increasing levels of financial return. This sounds like a typical multilevel marketing scheme, typical of products that can"t be marketed effectively based purely on their merits.

In short, Isagenix is a slick marketing enterprise that lines the promoters" pockets by selling baseless hope. There is a disclaimer on the website that should be taken very seriously: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

Harriet Hall, M.D.

Excuse me, your knuckles are dragging

2010-03-19T03:19:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I check out what John Bambenek has written for the Daily Illini, and every time I regret it. He writes with this bizarre combination of seething anger, pompous self-righteousness, and Freeper-esque zealotry. His letter published in today"s DI is no exception. Today he"s blathering on about some very odd concept of feminism, one that seems to bear no resemblance to real feminism.

He begins reasonably enough:

Originally, feminism was about changing attitudes, particularly that women are of equal dignity as men. Women can be just as capable to become doctors, lawyers, CEOs or politicians. Far from being merely sperm receptacles, they are people entitled to the full balance of human dignity. The rallying call of these feminists was "love me for my mind, not just my body."

It"s hard to disagree with most of that, though I would suggest the origins of feminism largely originated with the radical request of "Hello, may I vote too, please?" However, though I haven"t studied the history of the movement in great detail, I don"t think feminism was much about "being loved" so much as the idea that women should be allowed to take part in society just as much as men.

Then we find out that feminism has been hijacked by ... those damn, evil, feminists:

Enter groups such as the Feminist Majority at the University of Illinois. The motto of this group and those like it can be described as "love me for my body ... PLEASE!" The slogans they chose to put on their T-shirts revolve around sex toys and genitalia. In psychology this would be called a "fixation."

No, I think in psychology, this would be called a T-shirt. They usually have short, witty, and often slightly provocative sayings on them. Quickly glancing at some available T-shirts at cafepress.com, I found such slogans as, "I reject your reality and substitute my own," "I"m not a gynecologist ... but I"ll take a look," and "You say potato ... I say fuck you." Now, these T-shirt slogans and those wearing them are not actually supporting schizophrenia, medical malpractice, or overdoing it with carbs. They"re just trying to be funny. It"s not a good idea to attempt to analyze a whole movement based on what"s printed clothing handed out on a college campus.

It"s not even clear what shirts Bambeneck was referring to. He doesn"t say. But I did check out the Feminist Majority at UIUC"s webpage, and I couldn"t find anything about sex toys or genitalia, much to my inner straight man"s disappointment. I did, however, find a mission statement saying that they make their "best efforts to inform the student population about the issues related to women"s rights and equality in society." I also found information on women"s health issues, and links to other sites, at least two of which are dedicated to stopping domestic violence. Links to the sellers of dildos and vibrators? Not a one. Not even a measly French tickler.

Then the gloves come off and the real derangement begins:

Women traditionally have been looked upon as sexual objects. So what do these neofeminists do? ... They"ve gone one step further from the prostitution of women to preaching harlotry. The difference between a prostitute and a harlot is that the prostitute at least has enough self respect to demand payment for services rendered.

Wow. I can almost see the flecks of foam at the corners of Bambi"s mouth now. On a thou-shalt-not-judge scale of 1 to 10, where Preacher Dan is a 5 and Fred Phelps is a 14, that rates about a 7.

Now he gets to what evil, evil feminism has cost us:

It has lead to the rejection of the biggest trait distinctive of women - motherhood.

For you women readers ... and who the hell taught you to read anyway? A waste of perfectly good time that could have been better used teaching you to cook and sew, if you ask me. Anyway, for you women readers we now see what your options in life are:

Madonna.
Whore.

You may pick only one. You can be a raving feminist slut that spreads her legs for any man that comes along, or you can be an innocent chaste virgin that thinks babies are left under cabbage leaves who is gently deflowered on her wedding night to the sound of harpsichord music and the fluttering of angels" wings.

Seriously, this apparent inability of Bambi"s to visualize a woman as anything other than the Whore of Babylon or an automated progeny cannon seems positively unhealthy.

(And what"s up with this being printed as a "letter," anyway? Has his tenure as a DI columnist ended, or does this have something to do with the fact that the DI suspended all staff-written editorials a few weeks ago for an unstated reason?)

UPDATE: Bambenek himself visited and comments:

Argumentum ad hominem. I win.

First of all, Bambenek doesn"t get to call women "sluts" and "harlots" and them complain about ad hominem attacks. It"s a rule. There"s even a word for that. Hippo-something...

Secondly, mine wasn"t even an ad hominem argument. That"s when someone ridicules the arguer rather than the argument. I was pointing out, in a biting, witty, and sarcastic manner, that Bambenek"s argument was one giant false dilemma. Namely, that the only possible options he presented were that women are all raving whores or vestal virgins. That"s it. Nothing in between. I didn"t even get around to pointing out the false statement about the Guttmacher statistics (they don"t even list "sexual convenience" as one of the reasons women have abortions, 25% do so because of concerns for their health or the health of the fetus). Then there"s the fact that his whole letter is a straw man argument that feminism (oh, excuse me, "neo-feminism") tells women to hump anything even slightly pointy. He also vaguley quotes "studies" which I can"t seem to find. I did a Google Scholar search for "inner-slut mentality" and came up with no hits. I suspect that, even if he did find some sort of study, it doesn"t say what he thinks it says.

Need I even mention how he portrays women as the Guardian of the Temple of Chastity, while men are simply slathering, mindless slaves to their urges that bear no moral responsibility of their own? It"s a mild form of the same attitude that forces women to wear the burqua in Middle Eastern countries: men are unable to control themselves when it comes to those "feminine wiles," so it"s the women who are to be blamed if they have sex.

UPDATE II: Feministing also has a good slap-down of Bambenek"s "argument."

UPDATE III: Bambenek also posted this over at Blogcritics.org, where there has been a few interesting comments. The first commenter is skeptical asks John to explain what studies he was talking about that inspired his "devastation from the inner-slut mentality" line. John responds with:

How fundamentally unamerican for you to tell me what I can and cannot say. This is America, you don"t tell me what I can and can"t say, you don"t pre-select who gets to talk about issues, and you don"t get to stack the deck.

Um, no. Someone asking you to put your money where your mouth is when you spout off about dubious "facts" isn"t censorship.

ThermaCare Air-Activated Neck to Arm Heatwraps

2010-03-19T01:34:00.000-07:00

This medicine one of solution to take care your health. details read this description:Ultra-thin ThermaCare Heat Wraps can be worn discreetly under clothing, allowing you to move comfortably during your daily activities. Designed to fit your neck, shoulder, upper back, wrist or elbow, each one-time-use wrap is air-activated as soon as the pouch is opened. Unlike treatments applied for short periods, ThermaCare delivers consistent low-level heat for at least 8 hours, providing up to 24 hours of powerful pain relief, deep muscle relaxation, and increased circulation. These wraps work great for muscular aches caused by strains, sprains, and arthritis.
Ingredients
HeatPatches are filled with: iron powder, activated charcoal, sodium chloride, sodium thiosulfate, and water.

Directions
Open the airtight pouch to activate the wrap. It may take 30 minutes for the wrap to reach its therapeutic temperature. Peel away the paper to reveal the adhesive side. Place on pain area with adhesive side towards skin. Attach firmly. May be used day or night, even during sleep. For maximum effectiveness, wear for 8 hours.

Warnings
To reduce the risk of skin irritation or burns, avoid wearing ThermaCare for more than 8 hours a day during any 24-hour period. Do not use ThermaCare on areas of bruising or swelling that have occurred within 48 hours or on areas of the body where heat cannot be felt. People unable to remove the product, including children, should not use ThermaCare. Consult your doctor about using ThermaCare if you have diabetes, poor circulation, rheumatoid arthritis or are pregnant. Do not microwave.

Product Description
ThermaCare Neck to Arm HeatWraps can be applied to sore areas of your neck, shoulder, upper back, wrist, or elbow. Thin enough to wear discreetly under your clothing, ThermaCare HeatWraps allow you to move freely while delivering therapeutic heat to provide temporary relief of minor muscular aches and pains associated with overexertion, strains, sprains, and arthritis. These single use air-activated HeatWraps contain natural heat generating ingredients (iron, charcoal, table salt, water) that heat up when exposed to oxygen in the air. When you open the ThermaCare pouch, the wrap will begin to warm immediately and will reach its therapeutic temperature within about 30 minutes. 3 HeatWraps per box.

Professional (Dis?) Courtesy

2010-03-19T01:31:00.000-07:00

Ah... so, faithful readers, you have all heard about my tragic intestinal distress. Three weeks of said distress lead me to see my internist about a week ago. My internist was sufficiently concerned to consider hospitalizing me and then said that I needed an urgent colonoscopy, and that she would schedule it. 6 days and 8 phonecalls by me later (please realize that I"m not that excited about a colonoscopy... but I"m really tired of feeling ill), she had still not followed up on the colonoscopy thing. She flaked. Now, I know, we all have things going on in our lives that may affect our ability to get stuff done, but still... I have to work. I"ve been back to work because when I"m resting and have free access to a restroom and to any fluids I care to drink, I do a little better. When I"m at work, I get exhausted and dehydrated, which makes my abdominal pain worse. I"m feeling tired and still somewhat uncomfortable, but not too bad today (having done nothing at work except nap and attempt to deal with my illness).

The mind-numbing fatigue may be related to my having not eaten in 4 days.

Anyway, I may be a bit of a wuss about being sick (I"m very seldomly ill, so I"m not great at coping when I am). But this is still something that needs to be taken care of. I"ve missed a huge part of the last 2 weeks of work. And my doc delayed my treatment by a week.

Oh, and I was scolded by an attending at work yesterday. Something about, "You have to take care of yourself, if you miss a little work to take care of this it"s not a big deal" (For the record, it feels like a big deal right now. I could almost cry when I think about all I"m not getting done). Then she called one of the gi docs. On vacation. As it turns out the international conference of digestive disease starts on Monday. I called a bunch of gi docs, no appointments until the middle or end of June. I can"t be this sick that long.

So... What did I do? I know this probably violates many multitudinous manners manuals, all rules of appropriate behaviour. I paged the gi fellow on call, and I said, "I"m really sorry to bother you, and this is terribly inappropriate, but I"m Midwife W. Knife, I"m a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow, and I really need to see a gastroenterologist, I"ve been sick for a month, and I can"t seem to get any appointment any time soon. Can you help me, please? If you don"t feel comfortable with this, that"s fine, I understand". And he said, "Sure. I"ll hook you right up. Let me just finish this consult, and we can meet." So we met. I told him what was going on, and then he arranged for me to have a colonoscopy, first thing Friday morning. He even called me a VIP, and talked the chairman of the GI department into doing the scope. He even said, "This doesn"t sound like it should wait until we get back from DC in a week and a half.". He didn"t question the fact that I called him (and I"d never met him before) to try to work my way through the back door to try to get some appropriate care. He was jolly, helpful, explained things appropriately, and got me all set up. He even did a good job at negotiating that patient-as-doctor sort of thing. He didn"t assume I knew much about guts (which is true). He even said, "If you don"t want me doing your scope [presumably because he"s a fellow], that"s ok, Dr. Chair can do it." (and to that I said, "It"s fine with me if you"d do the scope, if you have time and all.").

I appreciate his help so much. I just need to feel better. The only thing is, though, patients who aren"t doctors who end up in my position just don"t have that option. What do normal people do when their doctors flake? Do they just suffer for weeks-months? Because I think if I felt this bad for another month, I"d likely end up in the hospital, as a patient.

Again, I feel bad for using my status as a physician to expedite treatment. For god"s sake, I had my "preop clinic visit" in my call room! I hope that this doesn"t delay treatment for anybody who used the appropriate channels. But... I got desparate enough that I would have tried almost anything.

Oh, and after this, I will never, ever flake on a patient. I don"t know that I"ve ever done it in the past, but I certainly won"t do it now.

The Bill of Rights in Action

2010-03-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

I was watching NBC news tonight, and a couple of stories caught my eye. First of all, John Mark Karr, who recently confessed to the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey, has been released. This story is interesting as it highlights one of the reasons behind the Fifth Amendment, which prevents people from being able to testify against themselves.

This also means that an admission of guilt alone is not sufficient grounds to convict someone. It"s greatly helpful for the police in solving a case, and can count as extremely strong evidence, but it must be supported. In this case, the admission was completely unsupported. Karr"s DNA doesn"t match that found at the scene of the crime, his story doesn"t fit the known events, and there"s no evidence establishing him at or near the scene. In this case, the Fifth Amendment serves to prevent us from jailing an innocent (if deluded) man.

Interestingly, this wasn"t the initial reason for the Fifth Amendment. That reason was to prevent forced confessions, such as the type coerced in the witch hunts of infamy.

Now, for a use of the Bill I like a bit less. In this case, it"s the exercise of First Amenment rights to free speech and freedom of the press. Not long after the Karr story, the news went back to their main thread of the night, looking back at the Katrina disaster. One of their guests was a man who"d written a book about the inherent racism of the situation with all the blacks living in poverty. Though I don"t agree that there was any active racism involved, that"s not the point I had a problem with.

The problem started when he went on to how important religion was to all of these people (firstly, it was a gross generalization and assumption). And then he said something that I really hate, and yet hear all the time: That if it weren"t for their faith, they"d be lost and crazy, resorting to murder and suicide. While I respect his right to say this and NBC"s right to show the story, I don"t respect them for it. I"m willing to bet they wouldn"t let me on the show to make a counterpoint, mentioning all of the actual murders made in the name of religion as opposed to the hypothetical murders made by hypothetical atheists.

To a religious person, I can see how a comment like that could get by. But to an atheist, it"s a vicious slur. How do you think they would like it if I said that atheism is the only thing keeping many people from committing murder (though granted, I actually have evidence to support that statement). Either way, it"s the First Amendment that allows me to say all this now and speak back at their slurs.

Sex!

2010-03-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

Now that I have your attention... (No, don"t go all pouty like that; this entry really is about sex.)

This is a bit preliminary, but Peter Bearman and Hannah Bruckner are presenting a study at the 2004 National STD Prevention Conference that shows that "virginity pledges" do delay the onset of sexual behavior, but those that take them show the same STD infection rates as those that do not. The reason being that the pledged virgins are less likely to use condoms when they actually do have sex.

This study hasn"t been published yet, and the conference is still on-going, so I can"t find much on this particular study. However, in a previous paper of theirs, they make some very interesting points:

Pledging does significantly delay the onset of sexual behavior, although it depends at what age the pledge is taken.
Pledging only works when it is "non-normative," i.e. when there are not very few or very many pledgers.
Those that break the pledge are less likely to use condoms.

I found the second point the most interesting. One would think in a community where everyone was pledging to remain a virgin until marriage, it would be very effective.

The big finding from the study they are presenting today seems to be the fact that STD rates for pledgers and non-pledgers are about the same. This should come as no surprise to anyone. Abstinence-only education stresses that condoms do not prevent STDs, or that they are ineffective (the claimed degree of ineffecacy depending on the program) at doing so. They typically claim that the only method that is 100% guaranteed to prevent pregnancy or STDs is abstinence. [1]

Abstinence-only education is not fault-tolerant. As any engineer knows, everything fails. Parts break. Steel corrodes. You can never eliminate human error. And as any software developer knows, it is important for a complicated system to fail gracefully. That is, you must plan for a failure in critical systems. That"s why we have backup systems, uninterruptable power supplies, and emergency stairwells. Not planning for predictable failures is not just careless, it is negligent.

Life long celibacy is not likely to happen for most people. And 88% of virginity pledgers are not virgins on their wedding night; that number goes up to 99% when we"re not talking about pledgers. Therefore, it is reprehensible for any sex education system not take into account the fact that every one of its students will eventually have sex, and most likely before marriage. That"s why abstinence-only education is a sham. Its purpose is not to keep kids safe or out of "trouble," but to push forward what is essentially a religious agenda. They"re not trying to keep kids safe, they"re trying to keep them from sin.

I"m not saying that sex education shouldn"t teach abstinence. I don"t think that 13 year olds should be having sex. We should, as a society, encourage kids to put off sex until they are physically, socially, and emotionally capable of handling it. But when they do -- and virtually all of them will -- they need to be armed with all of the tools necessary to do so in a safe and responsible manner. Seat belts aren"t 100% effective, but I still wear mine when driving. Why is a condom so different?

To quote Mary Jo from Designing Women:

I think it really shouldn"t matter what your personal views are on birth control, because we"re not just talking about preventing births anymore. We"re talking about preventing deaths. Twenty-five thousand Americans [2] have died, and we"re still debating. Well, for me, the debate is over. More important than what any civic leaders, PTA, or Board of Education thinks about teenagers having sex, or any immoral act that my daughter or your son might engage in..... the bottom line is I don"t think they should have to die for it.

For me, too, Mary Jo, the debate is over.

[1] I"m making the big assumption here that virginity pledgers are more likely to take part in abstinence-only education. That"s an assumption; I haven"t been able to find much on Bearman"s study. But it seems likely.

[2] That was in 1987. That number has now grown twentyfold, to 500,000.

How To-52: "How to Be More Aware of Your Health"

2010-03-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You have a mind of your own. Doctors can"t know everything. Perhaps some people trust doctors a little too much. They expect miracles and then blame the doctors when things turn out to be less than what they imagined. That"s not fair to you or the doctor.
So here are a few simple things to keep in mind when you are dealing with medical issues

Steps

Listen to your body. It"s always sending you signals. If it doesn"t "feel right" then it"s time to re-evaluate your options.
Get a third and fourth opinion on major a major diagnosis. For example, your doctor tells you that you have cancer. Confirm with another physician.
Research your medical situation. The internet is packed with information. Go to discussion groups about your medical issue. Go to websites. Print out journals. Dig Deep. Why be in the dark about what"s happening with your body? This is your life!
Ask your doctor questions. This is why you pay the doctor. If he or she is worth anything, he or she will be happy to answer your questions and give you ways to find out more information. Some doctors use a sliding-scale fee system. They will charge more if you ask more questions. Find out the cost before your consultation.
If your doctor gets offended or displays a overly-negative reaction towards your questions, find another doctor. You need a doctor in whom you can place your confidence.

Tips

Do regular relaxation exercises. This is simply closing your eyes in a comfortable position and breathing deeply while clearing your mind of any thoughts. This does not have to take long, five minutes can be sufficient.

Warnings

While researching your symptoms and conditions on the Internet, be careful that you are recieving accurate information. Many doctors and hospitals have patient information sites to help you get accurate information; use them!
When looking at your own medical imaging test results, be aware of the specific language that radiologists use. For example, "metastatic cancer cannot be excluded" does NOT mean you have cancer - it means they can"t prove you DON"T have cancer without other tests, which your primary physician already may have already done and is just waiting for tests results to confirm his/her thoughts.
If you want the drug you saw on in an advertisement, or have diagnosed yourself and just want it confirmed, be honest about it when you see your physician. They may not agree with you, but you won"t be wasting thier time or yours.

Related wikiHows

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

Scot-Tussin DM Maximum Strength Cough Suppressant and Cold Relief

2010-03-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

If you have problem with your health you can try this product, details read this description:
Decades of experience since 1956 in providing you with quality medicines goes into every product. Scot-Tusin has been an innovator in the formulation of sugar-free and alcohol-free medicines for the diabetic consumer and has been fortunate to have recieved recommendations from generations of doctors. Scot-Tussin has been and still is committed to the often overlooked special needs patient. Our medicines (except where indicated) are safe for the typical consumer as well as those with diabetic, celiac sprue, high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, and are kosher as well.
Safety Information
Do not exceed 6 doses in any 24 period

Indications
Cough Suppressant & Cold Relief

Ingredients
DM 15mg./5ml.CM 2mg./5ml.

Directions
12 years and older 2 TSP every 4-6 hrs children 6-12 1tsp every 4-6 hrs Children 2-6 1/2 tsp every 4-6 hrs children under 2 ask a doctor

Infant Constipation Remedies

2010-03-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Infant constipation, like constipation in adults, is a common cause of abdominal pain in this age group. Children can have a very wide range of variations in the frequency at which they open their bowel.

Infant constipation can said to occur if there is a deviation from what is normal for that child, both in frequency and consistency.

Foremost of them is the switching from breast milk to formula or the changing of formulas without consulting with their pediatrician first. The form of the formula. If it is powder, ensure there is no packing when measuring. This basically means no compressing when you are measuring the formula.

Bottle fed babies have been known pass stool only once a day or even once every two or three days compared to their breast fed counterparts who go at least once a day.

Potty training anxiety. This is especially common in toddlers and older children. Parents should not be too harsh with potty training. It could cause the kids to resist opening their bowel.

Since constipation is not limited to just adults alone, infants have them too. However, the baby constipation remedy you need varies. Hence to sustain an optimal bodily function in your child, you"ll need to ensure that your child passes her stools as and when due.

1. Give your child enough fluids to take. Do not switch abruptly from breast milk to formula or from one formula to another without consulting a pediatrician.

2. Use magnesium popularly found in the form of magnesium citrate. This aids the contraction of the peristaltic muscles resulting in bowel evacuation. Apart from this, it enables the muscles of the intestine to function maximally. When giving it to the child, it is better to start with 1/16 of a tablespoon added to water which is given to the child. This can be continually applied until the child consistently has satisfactory bowel movements.

3. Massage the baby. This simple act can ease tension in the baby, improves digestion, improves the growth of the baby and generally helps her fight off diseases.

Baby constipation remedy can be easily gotten if you know what to do. But you should try to understand what may be causing the constipation and help resolve it. In newborn babies, a few days old, discuss with your doctor immediately.

About the Author:

Get 3 FREE Bottles of Bowtrol Colon Cleanse Here! - Natural Colon Cleanse & Weight Loss Program detoxify and revitalize your body in the easy way. Free Bottles Go Very Fast! Read more articles about Herbal Constipation and subscribe if it helps.

Acne Scarring

2010-03-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Acne is a condition that is common and can affect people from their teens throughout adulthood. Acne can lead to severe scarring for reasons that are not fully understood. The severity of scarring is different with each person, sometimes leading to disfiguring and permanent scars. The term "scarring" refers to permanent texture changes in the skin due to damaged collagen from inflammation. Scars are formed at the location of an injury to tissue, which is caused by the bodies inflammatory response to sebum, dead cells and bacteria in the plugged sebaceous follicle.

Some people are more susceptible to acne scarring, suffering from severe inflammatory acne, occurring deep within the skin, or even from more superficial inflamed lesions. Acne scarring is also described by several patients as a discoloration of their skin, even months after the acne lesion has healed.

The life history of acne scarring is not well understood. Some people obtain scars that stay with them for a lifetime with little to no change, whereas others are able to see a degree of remodeling as the acne scars reduce in size over time. Acne scarring can be devastating for people who suffer from it, which can lead to immediate treatment to remove or diminish the scarring effects. It is hard to gauge how extensive and deep the scars will be, or what is the best method to prevent and treat acne scarring before it happens.

There are several different types of acne scarring including; ice pick scarring, atrophic scarring and hypertrophic scarring. Ice pick scars are usually small deep pitted scars with steep jagged edges. Atrophic scars are smaller and soft, and over time change color and reduce in size. Hypertrophic scars are thick and lumpy and sit above the surface of the skin, much more common on the back and chest.

Acne scarring can be treated early in its course, by reducing the amount of inflammation in order to prevent permanent damage. Since the severity of scarring is different with each person, any person who tends to scar easy should be under the care of a dermatologist.

DermaNetwork.org is a leading provider of acne scarring information and resources. Find a local skin care professional today.

Why I don�t believe in homeopathy

2010-03-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

Homeopathy is an alternative kind of medicine based on the principle "like cures like". This means that a substance which in a large dose will cause some form of illness, will in a small dose cure the same illness. Already at this point my sceptic instinct kicks in. Does this mean that if I am poisoned with arsenic, then taking a little bit more will cure me? Eating fat food (in small quantities) will make me thinner? Sugar will help against diabetes? Furthermore, it is suggested that substances get better the more diluted they are. One explanation of this pattern could be that the active ingredient is harmful, and therefore, the more diluted substance will have less of a negative effect on the patient. Often homeopathic medicines doesn�t contain a single molecule of active substance, it is pure water. It is claimed that the water molecules have a memory of the active substance and therefore they work (see picture). I would like to know how a memory is stored in two hydrogen and an oxygen... Despite these issues which are at odds with both chemical and physical principles homeopathic medicine is gaining in popularity. In Belgium, for instance, 52% of the people use homeopathic substances. On the positive side, these substances are unlikely to do any harm to the patients.

Since I grew up in J�rna, the Scandinavian centre of the Antroposofic movement, I have been exposed to many weird theories that flourish in this little town. I should mention here, in case friends and family read this, that I think there are many good things about antroposofi. They have a developed art and many good artists have received their training in J�rna. I also think their school system is superior to others in many respects (though not all). Nevertheless, some theories are, in my opinion, swallowed with too little sceptic though. For instance, in J�rna people widely believe in astrology, and they use celestial powers to make biodynamical foods that will give the consumer more spiritual strength...

In J�rna it is also widely believed that homeopathic medicine works. My mother is one of its advocates and she often gave me these substances when I was sick. When got well she would say, I told you so, it works. I don�t think she thought a lot about it when I followed the normal pattern. Individual exemplars are of course no valid evidence, even if I did get well earlier than normally it might have been because of other factors, such as the healthy food that she insisted on giving to me (which I am of course grateful for). So what does the evidence say?

There are, to my surprise, one meta-analysis which suggests that homeopathic substances do have an effect. This study, published in the British medical journal showed that in 81 out of 107 trials, homeopathic substances had been effective. However, in another meta-analysis published by the lancet, the effect was at par with the placebo effect. Studies with better experimental control more rarely show significant effects. Because homeopathic theory is at odds with chemical and physical laws I believe that the effects that are attributed to these substances are actually placebo effects.

A clever little twitch has made it all but impossible to falsify homeopathy, which is not a virtue in a scientific sense. Homeopaths claim that even though two persons have the same disease, they may need different remedies, so when someone is given a homeopathic substance and there is no effect, the doctor can simply refer to this principle. This is similar to telling your psychoanalyst that you were not abused as a child. He (it is normally a he) will respond that you are in denial. If you say that you were indeed abused he will say "aha, then I was right"...

There is an award of one million dollars to you if you can show in a well conducted experiment that homeopathic medicine works...

Murder for hire in South Dakota

2010-03-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

South Dakota just passed a law banning all abortions, except if the mother will die unless she gets one. Now, the purpose of the law isn"t actually to ban all abortions. The purpose of the law is to be challenged in court. It seems to be a given that, when the law is challenged in court it will lose. Then it can be taken to the Supreme Court, and right-wingers will be able to see if Judge Alito will be worth all the effort they went to to put him on the bench. So, the purpose of this law isn"t to ban abortions in South Dakota, it"s to over turn Roe v. Wade.

The bill contains no rape or incest provisions. That is, at least, logically consistent. If a blastocyst is an "innocent" human being, it can"t be held responsible for how it was conceived.

However, I think that it"s interesting that the bill only punishes abortion doctors. It makes providing an abortion a Class 5 felony, the second lowest class of felony, punishable of up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. It does not, however, criminalize getting an abortion. And that"s not logically consistent. Any woman that paid someone to beat her two-year-old to death would be tried for murder, and rightly so. Why, then, does a mother that pays a doctor to kill her "unborn baby" get off scot-free? Undoubtedly, it"s because the South Dakota legislature was queasy at the idea of a raped 12-year-old getting tried for murder.

I don"t think this was really the intended purpose, but this bill also outlaws in vitro fertilization, where some fertilized embryos are usually discarded. In fact, it looks to me that abortion is a (fairly) minor felony, but IVF is first degree murder. South Dakota law defines first degree murder as:

Homicide is murder in the first degree if perpetrated ... with a premeditated design to effect the death of the person killed or of any other human being, including an unborn child

The new anti-abortion law defines an "unborn child" as "an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens, throughout the entire embryonic and fetal ages of the unborn child from fertilization to full gestation and childbirth."

This law makes no distinction between an "unborn child" and an unborn child inside a pregnant woman. So it seems to me that a fertilized zygote in a petrie dish can be murdered. Oddly enough, that would be first degree murder, but an abortion is only a Class 5 felony.

If I were a fertility doctor in South Dakota, I would be very concerned right about now.

Not the Sushi!!

2010-03-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Went out for sushi last night with friends. That was fun. Unfortunately, I shortly afterward found myself covered in a maculopapular rash and was quite nauseated. I"m hoping it"s a viral thing. I wish there were some way to figure out what it was in the sushi that I might have been allergic to. I don"t really want to rechallenge a food allergy by mistake. :(

WAH!!! I like sushi!

Ok, whining has officially ended.

help Wildlife

2010-03-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here"s some nice ideas for helping wildlife:

http://www.ravensbeard.org/Ravensbeard-Wildlife-Center-Simple-Things-to-help-Wildlife.htm

Unsettled

2010-03-18T04:08:00.000-07:00

Feeling kind of unsettled this evening. I"m at work, it"s almost 7pm, I"m going to be here for another hour or so, but I"m having a hard time concentrating.

Its been an odd day.

I started off with some resident teaching at a local hospital from 7-9am. The hospital is not exactly affiliated with my program, but I get paid a little to teach there, and I like the teaching. Some of the attendings come to my lectures sometimes, and they"re a friendly colleagial group.

Then I came back to my office and got organized for the day. I had a genetics clinic in the morning, but no patients showed up. So, assuming the secretary would page me if anybody came to the clinic, I set about working on my journal club presentation for tomorrow (it"s about gene expression profiling in juvenile mouse sperm... don"t ask.) I finished that up.

I went down to the ultrasound unit and did some anatomy scans to help them out. I"m not great at ultrasound, so in that way, it"s frustrating. But, there is fun in it too. Parents love to look at their babies, and I get to say, "oh, look, here are the boy parts" and take cute face shots and genetalia shots for parents to use to embarass their kids in 15 years.

Back to my office, attempted to work on a lecture for the residents. Didn"t get very far.

An attending of mine came in, and needed to talk. She"d had a rough day, so she sat in my office, I handed her tissues and tried to come up with ways to be reassuring and supportive.

Then I got paged. A patient I"ve been taking care of since Sunday has an advanced malignancy and multi-organ failure. Well, she"d been on maximal ventilator settings, in acute renal failure, liver failure, dic, etc. Getting sicker sicker sicker. She"s also 33 weeks pregnant. Unable to come up with any other course of action, we did what we thought was a perimortem c-section (because it seemed like her death was extremely imminent and her family felt that she would want her baby delivered rather than allowed to die, and she probably wouldn"t have lived/won"t live long enough for an induction). It became clear through the course of the day that this woman is going to die. We managed to complete the c-section without her dying, so I guess we got lucky*, but now I"m hanging out to make sure that she stops bleeding. She seems to be a little better, which sometimes happens after a c-section. There are times where c-sections can improve hemodynamics and respiratory status a little. Don"t misunderstand me, she"s still going to die. But it may not be tonight. I hope it isn"t tonight. I feel like I should stay until she stabilizes a little. I feel like I should be here if she dies. I operated on her. I"m her doctor. I attempted to calm her down while she was getting tubed a week ago by saying, "we"re going to take good care of you and your baby" (although at this point in my career, I know that I shouldn"t torture myself with the promise, "You"re going to be all right." when it isn"t true, so I didn"t make that promise).

I"m also on call tomorrow. The selfish part of me would like to go home, take a bubble bath, eat some pasta followed by some girlscout cookies, and have a relaxing pre-call night. But instead, I"ll sleep with my pager right next to me. I"ll answer it when it rings at 2am and the fellow on call tonight says, "I just wanted to let you know that Ms.X died this morning.", and I will come in, and I will talk to the family, and I will hand them tissues. Then I will go see her little boy and tell him that his mommy loved him (even though he"ll be a 6 hour old 33 weeker at the time, so he won"t understand, but I promised). But don"t think that I"m all that noble, because I will hate it, at least a little, that I"m obligated to come in at 2am when I"m on call the next night.

Then I will sleep on my couch in my office and be on call tomorrow night. But you know, for me it"ll be ok. I know the drill. I"ve been at work for 48+ hours in a row before. I"ll be cranky and sad on Saturday and Sunday, and probably won"t be able to sleep Saturday because I get that post call insomnia. I"ll probably sleep most of Sunday, and then Monday, I"ll start my week over.**

But for her, it won"t be ok. Because she"s going to die. Because she"s leaving a brand new little baby without a mother. Because she would have liked nothing more than to be a mother to this little one, but the universe had other plans. And this little boy will never know his mother and may always wonder why she left him. I do hope that he learns through his grandparents that she loved him, and that she wanted to stay and be with him.

* Some say that they would rather be lucky than good. I usually would rather be good than lucky (because that would mean that all the bad stuff that goes down when I"m here isn"t my fault), but today I"m at least vaugely grateful to have been lucky.

** Sometimes I wonder what non-medical people must thing about this. About my (and really, most doctors") ability to pick up the pieces and go forward and just move on to the next thing on the to-do list even when terrible things are happening. I mean, does it make me a bad or unfeeling person that I can write about this and then go on with my life? Or does it seem callous and uncaring that I can do a sexual assault eval on a 9 year old and then continue my day? It isn"t that these things don"t affect me, its that I can"t let them affect how I do my job. So, I"m not as callous as it might seem.

Oops, I Patented Your Natural Product

2010-03-18T01:13:00.000-07:00

What are good ways to lower your cholesterol? You could eat less cholesterol. That helps, but the human liver is great at making cholesterol. In fact, it tends to do so pretty much constantly--but entertainingly enough, the liver works the hardest at producing LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) while you"re sleeping. No, you shouldn"t give up sleep. But what"s worth recognizing is that diet isn"t the only source of cholesterol, and in fact, the liver probably contributes more bad cholesterol than diet. In fact, removing part of the liver reduced circulating LDL concentrations in animal studies. You could also exercise, drink less alcohol, and give up smoking. All of these things work. But what if they aren"t enough?

Statins are a popular target for proponents of "alternative medicine." You don"t need statins, they say, you can just take vitamins and eat healthy. Sometimes they promote other unproven supplements or "treatments." Statins are dangerous. Statins are worthless. The lipid hypothesis is false; scientists are lying to you and cholesterol has nothing to do with cardiovascular disease. Here, drink this Kool-aid.

Pigs fed high-cholesterol diets are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD). And Watanabe rabbits lack a specific gene that prevents them from manufacturing receptors for LDL cholesterol in the liver. Normally, the liver"s LDL receptors sense circulating cholesterol levels as a regulatory mechanism; if there"s a lot of cholesterol floating around, the liver will react by making less cholesterol. Since the rabbits" livers are unable to compensate for high levels of LDL, they develop arterial plaques with astounding frequency. If fed a high-cholesterol diet, the rate and probability of plaque formation increases. And if animal studies aren"t good enough, check out the Framingham heart study, which involves an entire town in Massachusetts that"s been followed for three generations to learn more about CVD risk factors. Scientists didn"t just pull the lipid hypothesis of atherosclerosis out of thin air. There"s a lot of very thorough research and credible data that"s been taken into consideration.

All the attempts to "debunk" the lipid hypothesis and the value of statins are crackpottery. Are they miracle drugs or cure-alls? Of course not; no one says they are.

Anyway. "Natural" methods for treating illness are popular with a lot of patients. There"s something wholesome-sounding about the word, like your mother would want you to take natural products. Nevermind that natural does not mean safe; botulinum toxin is one of the most dangerous substances in the world, and it"s made by bacteria. All-natural! Maybe that"s why people are willing to inject it into their faces to get rid of wrinkles.

Here"s a secret. Statins are natural.

Have you heard of red yeast rice? It"s an interesting product. Monascus purpureus, a fungus that grows on rice, produces a wide variety of chemical compounds, including a group called mevinic acids. Naturally fermented red rice yeast is about 0.4% mevinic acids by weight. Red yeast rice supplements are not always what they claim to be on the label, but there"s presumably some statin-equivalent content in there.

How about mevastatin? Mevastatin was isolated from Penicillium citrinum mold. Man, mold is great stuff. We play with mold long enough and we have this interesting tendency to serendipitiously find antibiotics and anti-cancer compounds.

Like penicillin, statins were originally isolated as naturally-occuring substances. The major mevinic acid compound in red yeast rice was named lovastatin. And guess what? It got patented. It"s called Mevacor. Huh. I thought the natural medicine folks were always saying that the reason Big Pharma isn"t willing to seriously investigate "natural remedies" is because they can"t be patented?

That claim, of course, is a load of Penicillium fungus. Sure, you can"t patent vitamin C, but you can patent unique compounds that you discover, no matter where they come from. Statins are some of the top money-makers for Pharma today (for better or for worse), and they got their start in yeast and mold colonies. Pharma would have to be incredibly to stupid to ignore nature as a potential source for useful drug compounds. It"s true that most of the statins prescribed are synthetic compounds like simvastatin (Zocor). But simvastatin was made by modifying lovastatin to increase its effectiveness. Inspired by nature, proven by science. Saying Zocor is unnatural is like saying cutting trees into two-by-fours to build houses instead of just using felled logs is unnatural. By altering a naturally-occuring substance, we can make it a better drug than it would be otherwise.

If something proves to be useful, medicine will use it, whether it"s "natural" or not--a false dichotomy to begin with. And if it isn"t, medicine will discard it. Scientific analysis is the only way to tell the difference. And anyone who tries to tell you differently needs to go read about penicillin.

How to Call a Consult

2010-03-17T23:44:00.000-07:00

One of my jobs is to be the attending (really pre-tending) for the postpartum service for three months per year. This means that I act as a mentor for the residents taking care of the patients. The residents are told to call me if anybody gets "sick" and I meet with them twice a week to run through the list of patients and to do some teaching. (We"ve been talking about the care of cardiac disease in pregnancy).

At this point in the year, even the interns should know how to call a consult. However, I suspect that the level of professionalism that I was taught isn"t part of the culture here. So, in the hopes of not having to teach this lesson again and again, I"m going to post it here.

First, how to not call a consult. Putting an order in the computer that says, "Consult: Psychiatry; h/o depression, evaluate and manage" is not an acceptable way to obtain a consult.

You must take a history. Which means talking to the patient. Ask them about the history of their depression. How long? When? What meds are they on? Are they having any symptoms now? Any suicidality? Any history of postpartum depression? Who"s their doctor?

If a person has stable depression, well controlled on their meds and a relationship with a doctor who"s treating it, they don"t need a psych consult. They do need an early postpartum check to make sure they"re not having worsening of their depression or psychosis postpartum. And remember bipolar disorder is a HUGE risk factor for postpartum psychosis, which is very dangerous to mom and baby.

Then a consult always requires contact with the person you"re asking for the consult. Part of it is so that you can say "please" and "thank you". Part of the reason is so that you can give that person some sort of an idea of the urgency for the consult.

Next, the question is, who do you call? If the patient has a history of depression and is on, say, Zoloft, there"s a fair chance that someone, somewhere is prescribing her Zoloft. That person is treating her depression. There"s a fair chance that that person is either a primary care doc or an actual psychiatrist. If you have questions about the patient, that doc is the first person to call. If the patient doesn"t have a doc, and you have an actual question, you need to call the psych resident on call for consults. You can generally find this person through the operator. Or page whoever they give you as the psych resident on call, and that person will be able to help you find the right resident.

When you call that person, ask when they"ll be able to see the patient. Don"t nag them (and remember the please and thank yous), but if it"s important enough to ask someone else to spend their time on, it"s important enough to follow up quickly. Also, ask a specific question you"re looking for the answer for. It helps them give you a helpful consult. So, you could ask, "This patient has a previous diagnosis of depression, was on Zoloft, but ran out. She doesn"t remember the doctor who gave her the Zoloft. When she was admitted to L&D, she had a Blood Alcohol Level of 188 and extremely odd behavior. She"s sober now, no evidence of EtOH withdrawl. She states she was drinking because she ran out of Zoloft. Would you please come see her and make some recommendations for treatment?" Or, "This patient came in, seemed to have some odd behavior, and now she"s got an altered mental status, hallucinations, and delusions. Her creatinine is 2, she has a funny rash, and her platelets are 29. She has a psychiatric history that we"re unable to pin down. Would you please come help us figure out if this is delerium from TTP or if her behavior is due to a mental illness?"

Also, make sure the patient knows that a doctor from another service (especially psych, but it includes renal, derm, etc.) is going to come see them.

Read their entire note. You may learn something about the patient or about psychiatry (or any other specialty you consult) you didn"t know. If you can"t read it, page the consult resident and ask them to interpret their writing.

If the consult is an emergency, tell the service it"s an emergency or urgent or whatever, and call when you need it. If it"s not urgent, make sure that you call it in the morning, preferably by 10am, to allow the consulting service time to work it into their busy day. Remember, everybody"s busy, everybody"s time is valuable. Just because people don"t run around doing emergency c-sections and catching babies all day doesn"t mean that they"re not as busy as you are.

Thank you!

God of the non-gaps

2010-03-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Evolved and Rational"s latest post is another delightful snark, with which I am nevertheless going to take issue.

Perhaps uncharacteristically, Evolved is being far too kind this time, I"m afraid.

She says: "Behe"s theology is one where god resides in the gaps of human knowledge [...] his criteria for detecting design is merely what has not been explained by science at the time. "

I think the first part of that quote is what Behe was aiming for. Unfortunately, he missed - Behe"s examples of gaps, his cases of "irreducible complexity", his examples of non-evolution, are wrong.

On HIV, Behe was wrong. He was thoroughly spanked by erv (erv is now at scienceblogs), pursued at Panda"s Thumb (e.g. ), and eventually forced to admit that he was wrong. A sucky admission, but still, he finally noticed he"d been pwned.
On the bacterial flagellum, Behe was wrong. Epically wrong.
On the immune system and much else besides, Behe was wrong

These are just examples, there are lots of others.

I"m not aware of a single instance where Behe managed to pick an actual legitimate gap.

[It"s not like it"s hard. As the cryptotheist evolution-denialists are so fond of pointing out, just like building a drystone wall, every time a gap is filled in, there are more (but much tinier) gaps around it - so these days there are plenty of little gaps to go around, if you have even the slightest clue about where to look. Of course the big problem for the cryptotheist is that to actually find the genuine gaps you have to know enough science to be able to read a few papers - that is, to display a basic competence one might expect from a beginning science postgrad.]

While trying to construct a God-of-the-gaps (a trivial exercise for even the barely competent), Behe - doubtless inspired by God - constructed a God-of-the-non-gaps, a God-of-the-reducibly-complex, a God-of-the-already-explained-by-science.

Behe"s work is a masterpiece of epic fail. Perhaps God is trying to tell you something, Michael. Like how much you suck at science. (As Abbie pointed out, you also suck at Google.)

(I won"t even bother with Dembski. His work is more incompetent, contentless and pathetic than that of Behe. And he"s an unrepentant - and incompetent - thief. Why pussyfoot about, let"s just go the whole hog. Dembski just generally sucks.)

Quit Wasting Your Time With "Over the Counter" Acne Treatments

2010-03-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

There is a simple reason why so many people still buy "over the counter" treatments. It is because they don"t work. All the "over the counter" treatments will get rid of acne but will not prevent the acne from coming back.

Since the products don"t stop the acne from coming back, you will continue to buy their products. The sad thing about this is that all the major companies understand this and don"t care. After all, if you stopped buying their products, they would no longer be in business. The product that these companies make will dry out your skin so the acne will go away. The problem with that is that the acne will definitely come back.

The secret to truly get rid of acne is simple. You need to find a company that not only offer you a treatment but will offer you a prevention. The best companies will offer both. They sell product that will eliminate you acne but will also sell you products that will help your skin to stay healthy and prevent the acne from coming back.

Either way you want to use lotions and do other things to keep you skin healthy. So what you want to do is find that treatment that will allow you to eliminate your acne and prevent it from coming back.

So quit wasting your time with all the same "over the counter" treatments that don"t work. Learn how to not only get rid of acne but keep it gone for good.

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

There are no legal numbers

2010-03-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

This appears to establish that all integers* are illegal, via a less formal version the following argument.

*(and by a fairly obvious extension, all numbers)

Some integers are illegal (in the sense, for example, that you can"t publish them without violating certain laws)
Publishing encoded versions of illegal integers (say via some publicly available encoding algorithm) is also illegal
Assume there is some smallest illegal integer, k
It is presumably legal to publish k-1
However, if I publish an algorithm to convert k-1 to an illegal integer (such as "add 1"), it would then be illegal to publish k-1, since with the algorithm it"s an encoded version of the illegal integer
Hence, k-1 is an illegal integer
Therefore, since the algorithm for converting one less than an illegal integer to an illegal integer has already been published, there is no smallest illegal integer
A similar argument applies to any integer one larger than an illegal number (with the algorithm "subtract 1"), so there is no largest illegal integer.
therefore, all integers are illegal.

"I"m sorry, I couldn"t do my arithmetic homework. It"s against the law!"

Man dies of Selenium overdose

2010-03-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

I am often told by supporters of natural medicine that "alternative" or "natural" treatments are safe, simply because they are natural. A reminder that tobacco is a natural herb and uranium a natural mineral is usually all that"s needed to point out that natural and safe are not synonymous.

A report written up in the Medical Journal of Australia details the death of a 75 year old male who had a prostate cancer scare. An initial report showed elevated antigens for prostate cancer. Before further test could be completed to verify or exclude the presence of prostate cancer, the man used the internet to see what he could take.

The "natural" supplement he chose to help him with his (as yet unconfirmed) cancer was selenium. A google search for selenium and "prostate cancer" done while writing this blog found 454,000 matches. With that many hits it"s easy to understand how he could have determined that selenium can assist with prostate cancer.

Our patient then purchased selenium supplements from 2 different pharmacies. (In Australia, most supplements are sold by the same people licensed to dispense prescription only medications) The National Institutes of Health"s tolerable upper intake of selenium is 400 micrograms. Luckily, many supplements are very low in the active element, with glucose being used as a filler. The unlucky man in this case purchased sodium selenite, which is much higher purity at 96%.

After ingesting 10 grams, some 250,000 times greater than the tolerable limit suggested, the man became very ill. He took the selenium at 7:00 am, was in hospital by 10:30 am and despite the best efforts of the medical staff, was deceased by 1:00 pm.

There is growing evidence of a correlation between low selenium levels and prostate cancers. However, there still needs to be further research to confirm the nature of the link and then, if proven, determine what level of selenium is optimal. There also needs to be research to work out how the selenium works and what side effects, if any, may occur. This research is going on in places such as the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo NY and many universities.

It is also important to understand that a substance that may reduce the incidence of cancer will not automatically cure a cancer if taken in large quanitities. Rather than help, this case shows that large amounts of supplements can be deadly. This case shows clearly that natural does not mean safe and that more is not always better.

In all cases where your health is concerned, see your medically trained doctor. Don"t try to self-medicate and don"t fall for the dangerous belief that natural means effective or even safe. If you are unsure, get a second opinion from another medically trained doctor.

"There is only one truth. How we interpret that truth is called belief."
"The existence of belief does not indicate the presence of truth."

I got push-polled about cigarette tax

2010-03-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I"ve never been pushpolled before. I"ve never even heard of anyone being push-polled (outside of the US).

I was asked to participate in a short survey. I was somewhat suspicious ("surveys" are often thinly disguised marketing), but the guy promised 3 minutes, and I thought, "what the heck".

So I was asked about my attitude to a proposal to increase cigarette taxes.
I gave my answer, and began to think it might be legit after all.

I was then asked a series of carefully-worded and ordered questions, and became increasingly suspicious that something was up, because the questions seemed increasingly designed to elicit a particular response in opposition to the tax increase. After four minutes (okay, so he fibbed, but not by a whole lot), the guy (an Indian, as usual) asked "Given what you now know about the proposal ..." and then it was the exact same FIRST question I had been asked.

Now I didn"t know anything I hadn"t known before (apart from some slightly dubious statements in the questions that I didn"t attach much credence to - but I"m a skeptic; a lot of people would probably accept them as true). To ask the question again implied it was expected I might have changed my mind. No legitimate poll does it like that. I guess most people wouldn"t realize what was up, but I was peeved.

I just said "I"ve already answered that question", and got off as fast as I could, but DAMN I"m annoyed now.

The results of the SECOND asking of that question will no doubt be used to fuel a push to oppose the proposal (with, of course, no mention of the tricks it took to lead people to that answer).

Expect some agitation from this puppy, you ghouls. I haz internets and access to bordz and groopz. You don"t entwine me in your devious little push-polls without some push-back.

Preventing Prostate Cancer

2010-03-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D can really help prolong life in several different ways. Here"s some more research on its importance:

By inducing a specific gene to increase expression of a key enzyme, vitamin D protects healthy prostate cells from the damage and injuries that can lead to cancer, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers report.

Buy good quality vitamin D supplement.

Mercuri Vacsin to threat Autism

2010-03-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

According to writer, Drs Robert Schechter and Judith K. Grether from California Departement of Public Health, there is permanent improvement a few latter years in diagnosing trouble cases autis, what covers autis and related condition.

Some groups is maintaining autis because of or triggered by preservative presentation based on mercury in vaccine. Content timerosal approximant 50% etilmerukri based on wt. and applied to kill or prevents growth various pathogens.

In the year 2001, timerosal pulled from most all vaccines in America Utar and Europe. Step by step replaced with material non mercury and some vaccines is formulation so that didn"t require again preserver.

Schechter and Grether cases data analysis autis child of at California Departement od Developmental Service from the year 1995 until March 2007. Finding they as follows :

* For every year age 3-12 years, estimation of prevalence autis child of increasing during study period.

* For child of bearing before 1993, prevalence autis at the age of 3 year is 0,3 / 1000 chlids.

* The year 2003, prevalence autis child of age 3 year is 1,3 per 1000 chlids.

* estimation of Highest prevalence happened the year 2006, that is 4,5 of 1000 chlids borns the year 2000 estimated to suffers autis.

* Although too early to calculate prevalence for age 6 year or more children borne after the year 2000, prevalence at the age of 3-5 years had increased every year since the year 1999.

* Timerosal has pulled at the same period with case autis child of age 3-5 years increases.

* Based on image of quarter, case number autis at the age of 3-5 years increases every quarter from January 1995 ( 0,6 per 1000 life births) up to maret 2007 ( 4,1 per 1000 life births).

Writer concludes that based on their analysis to data Departement of Developmental Service indicates that happened improvement of autis in Kalfornia although timerosal eliminated from all vaccines. They support continuation effort for invention of modification risk factors for autis and related condition.

Advertising in Bizarro World

2010-03-17T04:06:00.000-07:00

The other day I picked up a new copy of everyone"s favorite pharmacy publication, DrugTopics. I generally like DrugTopics, except when they"re running Zicam ads or otherwise uncritically promoting unproven treatments because the manufacturers were willing to pay for a page. The Zicam ads are annoying because they attempt to lend legitimacy to a product that has done everything conceivable to skirt FDA regulation--like calling itself homeopathic when in fact it contains measurable amounts of zinc. At a "1X" and "2X" dilution, a "recommended daily dose" of oral Zicam "cold remedy" tablets contains 80 mg of zinc. That"s nearly eight times the typical dietary intake, and your average multivitamin contains about 10 mg as well. In essence, Zicam is about as homeopathic as Prozac, except that Prozac required FDA approval and Zicam didn"t. Way to go, guys.

But this post isn"t about Zicam. No, another advertisement caught my eye this time around--it was an ad for Luvox CR.

Luvox CR is a new formulation of fluvoxamine, a drug used to treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It"s in the same general family as all the other SSRIs--Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, et cetera. Granted, there are subtle differences between all of these drugs, but it"s fair to say that fluxovamine (more or less) doesn"t do anything spectacular by comparison; it is, in fact, one of the oldest SSRIs on the market.

Luvox CR, like many other drugs, is a follow-on drug intended to extend the patent life of a drug entity. Of course, follow-on drugs typically tend to come out a few years before a patent expires as opposed to a decade later, so Luvox CR is kinda missing the boat, but they"re trying. All of this is acceptable, if shady, given the tendency of drug reps to push follow-on drugs like they"re the greatest thing since sliced bread (and, of course, are totally worth paying $5 a dose for as opposed to the 50 cents the generic version of the old drug might cost).

Here"s why I"m making the bizarro world reference. The advertisement"s tagline was, and I quote: "NEW LUVOX CR: AN ANTIDEPRESSANT WITH NO GENERIC EQUIVALENT!"

I blinked in curiosity after reading these words. Was this supposed to be a good thing? Are reps supposed to approach psychiatrists, talk them up about the wonders of their new product, and wow them at the end with a concluding "best of all, this drug is going to cost your patients a fortune?" Who is this supposed to impress? I"m pretty sure the only people who think that "no generic equivalent" is a merit are the drug companies.

Or maybe these sorts of advertisements aren"t ads at all--they"re a warning to uppity pharmacists not to try doing stuff like "saving patients money" by "requesting lower-cost alternatives" and "cutting into pharma"s profits."

Did I publish that where it was publicly viewable? Oooops.

Seriously. This is my biggest gripe about the pharmaceutical companies and their method of advertising. I can deal with them buying filet mignon for doctors. I can tolerate the magazine ads and even the occasional television spot, even if I think direct-to-consumer advertising does a lot more harm than good (no statistics, just impressions). What I can"t stand is pharma advertising flaws as merits. "Our product costs ten times as much as our competitor"s!" is something you would never hear touted as a positive in any other industry.

But hey, I"d much rather pharma play fast and loose with patent laws to try to squeeze a few more good years out of drugs that the FDA has thoroughly reviewed than "big woo" (sometimes the same companies, for that matter) play the get-out-of-jail-free "it"s alternative medicine" card. After all, big woo has to slap the quack Miranda warning on all their products.

It"s a strange day and age when "costs more!" and "isn"t proven to work!" are somehow twisted to be signs of a good product.

Female Circumcision

2010-03-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

This may sound culturally insensitive of me, but it"s hard for me to believe how a parent could do something like this to a child.

Man gets sentanced for ten years for female circumcision

Aren"t parents supposed to love their children? How could a parent think that doing something like this is loving. How could a father decide to "cut" his child?

3 Deadly Reasons Why People Never Get Rid of Acne - You Should Know This Before It"s Too Late

2010-03-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

Acne is one condition no one wants to deal with and the longer you have it the more you have to suffer not only on the physical scale but on the emotional scale as well. Acne hammers a person"s self esteem in ways one can"t imagine. But there are certain reasons due to which a lot of people out there only tend to make their condition worse by doing or not doing certain things. This is the major reason why you should know this too before you end up making the same mistakes. Read on to discover some of the major reasons why people never get rid of acne.....

Thinking that it would go away by itself- Some people simply feel that letting acne run it"s course will make it go away with time but that"s not true at all. Often with time your acne condition might only get worse if you don"t do something about it right now. It is very important to take good care of your skin when you are suffering from acne or else you might only end up making it worse and more difficult for yourself to deal with.

Not altering your diet- What you eat has a lot to do with how healthy your skin would be. A lot of people out there want to get rid of acne but at the same time want to eat all those unhealthy foods which are high in oil content. You will have to alter your diet and try to have as many natural fruits and vegetables as possible if you want to see some real results.

Not being consistent- Whenever people see some results on their face they feel that acne is gone and will never come back now and often end up going back to their old lousy habits. You see this is where people always get major breakouts again and they often struggle to deal with it again. This is the main reason why you must be consistent with your efforts no matter what.

What you don"t know yet- I know that what I am about to reveal to you can be almost impossible to believe. But it is 100% truth! Do you know what you can cure any sort of acne within 3 days? Seems impossible right? Well see for yourself follow this link- Click Here

Nobility must be earned

2010-03-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

A random post.

Annoyance #99:
My state government has a "don"t offend the Catholics" law in place. I have to fork over *lots* of my hard earned cash (via the government) to support the stupidly-named World Youth Day (a lovely little convention where altar boys from all over the world can compare their sodomization stories), and I can"t even wear a FUCK THE POPE T-shirt?

Well, fuck the pope and this government.

Next election, if I have to vote for those fetid arsewipe Libs in order to get rid of this lot, I will; of course, I"d vote against them next time around - maybe giving the current mob a few years in opposition will do some good. This mob has been in too long, and the Liberals don"t stink quite so much just now. It would make me puke just to vote for them, but if I"m going to puke either way, it might as well be in the service of getting some new blood into the government.

Who knows, maybe the Libascists can get the trains running on time.

[Aside added in later edit]: More on WYD over at The Thinkers Podium.

Maybe I need a T-shirt like this.

Something like this - the second part shows what it would look like if I put a bit of tape over the middle, rather than folding it. It"s a bit subtler, I think:

Now, to be really subtle, just have the first line and cover the bottom half. If they read something into that, well, that"s their own evil mind, innit?

More T-shirts at Five Public Opinions
[end of edit]

On an almost completely unrelated matter, PZed said:

We are not princes of the earth, we are the descendants of worms, and any nobility must be earned.

I"d like to put that on a t-shirt. Except the pope would be offended and I"ll be out $5500 and get strip-searched.

Tell the Truth, Faster on KXAM Radio

2010-03-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

Join Suart Altschuler, MFT every Saturday Afternoon at 1-2 PM, PST and Arizona Time on KXAM AM 1310 Phoenix, AZ

OR KXAM Webcast

Visit Tell the Truth, Faster for each weeks topic.

DETAILS

During the program, Stuart will explore ways to help you towards improving your life�by identifying the truth about who you are and accessing the courage to change and grow.

So tune in each week to Tell the Truth, Faster! for information and conversation on topics of personal interest and community relevance.� Enlightenment, growth, and intrigue are the goals of the show.�
Visit Tell the Truth, Faster

Belief and skepticism at the dinner table

2010-03-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fun with bots

2010-03-16T01:31:00.000-07:00

The gay.com chatrooms are getting increasingly overrun by advertising chat bots. Brought to you by the same industry that brought you spam and telemarketing, these send you a private message, pretending to be a real person, then hit you with the ad for their porn site. The recent twist is that there is some Eliza-like coding in these and they"ll respond if you accuse them of being a "bot. But it"s not done very well. It seems to only look for "bot" in your statement then reply with a canned response. So I had a bit of fun with one:

oursecretkept_-: sup

[me]: bot, huh?

oursecretkept_-: a bot? hahaha no

[me]: yes you"re a bot

oursecretkept_-: yeah right im no bot man

oursecretkept_-: i"m bored, let"s get on cam or just watch me, pics & cam at www.dudepages.com/ogfactor

[me]: stupid bog

[me]: stupit bot

oursecretkept_-: uhh me a bot? dont think so dude

[me]: uhh, yes you a bot

oursecretkept_-: uhh me a bot? dont think so dude

[me]: you"re a bot. you dont think at all

oursecretkept_-: a bot? hahaha no

oursecretkept_-: i"m bored, let"s get on cam or just watch me, pics & cam at www.dudepages.com/ogfactor

[me]: argle bargle bot boom wakka wakka

oursecretkept_-: uhh me a bot? dont think so dude

[me]: garbage text bot just greping for the word bot, huh?

oursecretkept_-: Im 26 man, you can see pics & my cam at www.dudepages.com/ogfactor

[me]: you"re a 26 year old bot, huh?

oursecretkept_-: Im 26 :). pics and cam up at www.dudepages.com/ogfactor

[me]: freaking bot

oursecretkept_-: uhh me a bot? dont think so dude

oursecretkept_-: i"m bored, let"s get on cam or just watch me, pics & cam at
www.dudepages.com/ogfactor

Of course, the dudepages.com page is just a shill for ifriends.com / webpower.com porn cams. iFriends is well aware of the fact that their service is massively abused in this sense, they just refuse to do anything about it. This is assuming they"re not part of the scam themselves. They are well-known for their spam friendliness, and have even been in certain blacklists for ages. May they rot there forever.

Foods that Heal-3: Cabbage

2010-03-15T23:25:00.000-07:00

Cabbage combats cancer; Prevents constipation; Promotes weightloss; Protects your heart; Helps Hemorrhoids.

Method of detecting or diagnosing diseases

2010-03-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

Several of Classic Medical (allopathic medicine) practitioner using very unsuitable to detect disease. They use blood and urine to detect disease. They also grope and touch sensitive part of the body which can be degrading patients. Equipments designed claimed as sophisticated to detect diseases in fact (most of it) will only harm patients.

Rectum diagnosis to detect prostate cancer.

Colonscopy Tecnique

Right Figure ia Colon with bad condition

Left figure is Colon with health

It is sufficiently enough if the doctor to ask symptoms or hear complaints from the patients. Doctor should not poke rectum part (usually to detect prostat cancer) or survey genitals part to gain certainty about the disease. Actually touching the sensitive part will not help towards remedial or discover of disease in accuracy.

It something very unethical in the medical world, the �Classic Medical� hurt patients and cause bloodsheds merely to get blood for tests. Use urine and faeces are very dirty whereas the revenue is not-so accurate.

Sphygmomanometer or mercury manometer (instrumentation to measure blood pressure) is something that is not sensible because blood pressure is influenced by patient�s feelings during the process of diagnose. Therefore, the usage of this instruments is inaccurate. Only the expert and experienced practitioner can achive the best resolt.

The use of x-ray is something of high risk and harmful because the radiation can damage body"s tissues. No matter how patient�s injury, method used predicted to detect sick using radio wave or radiation wave is very dangerous and unacceptable. Using beams or waves which is not within the natural body range will only harm our body.

Enough once to know the existing of fetus by using ultra sound. They is no any benefit at all to know the health state in the fetus. If any fault is discovered through the observation, nothing can be done to help. Example, if the baby is disabled, then there are no medicine for the treatment. Pregnant mother�s would only be emotionally disrupted and yet the possibility that the observation accuracy is uncertain. Moreover there is no purpose to know gender in of the fetus and it is much prohibited.

This situation below can be avoided

if we treat patients sincerely

Most of �Classic Medical� practitioner depend entirely on patient�s complaint to detect disease. Symptom complained patients are something inaccurate. Patient do not understand disease, as such patient could not tell symptom state undeceive. Dependence to complaint symptom will cause big mistake during treatment process.

Ginkgo Biloba HEALTH BENEFITS

2010-03-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

by James John

What is Ginkgo Biloba?
Ginkgo biloba (pronounced as ging-koh bi-lo-bah) The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), sometimes also known as the Maidenhair Tree, is a unique tree with no close living relatives.

History of Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is the world"s oldest living tree species, the sole survivor of the Ginkgoaceae tree family whose fossil record dates back more than 200 million years.The earliest mention of ginkgo biloba as a medicine is found in the Chinese materia medica, Pen T"sao Ching (The Classic of Herbs), published in 2800 B.C. and attributed to the emperor and sage Shen Nung. Mention is made of ginkgo"s use for respiratory ailments (such as asthma), as well as its benefits for brain function. Indeed, when applying the ancient "doctrine of signatures", the ginkgo leaf bears an uncanny resemblance to the cerebral hemispheres.

Ginkgo Biloba is Used for:
*Insufficient blood flow to the brain.
*Alzheimer"s Disease
*Depression
*Impotence
*Inner ear problems
*Multiple sclerosis
*Neuralgia
*Outer vascular insufficiency

Ginkgo Biloba Applications:

Ginkgo Biloba extract is an herb that helps arteries in the legs and relieves pain, cramping and weakness. It increases circulation of blood flow in the retina and prevents muscular degeneration. Ear problems are improved with Ginkgo Biloba, due to improved blood flow to the nerves of the inner ear. It is found to benefit chronic ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Ginkgo is a gift for the aging. It increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain and extremities, improves mental clarity and inhibits free radical scavengers from destroying cells. It supplies nutritional support to all areas of the body. It dilates the blood vessels, allowing improved blood flow to the tissues. It eliminates waste matedhal and inhibits the clumping of blood platelets, and prevents circulating platelets from sticking together, which contributes to heart problems, strokes and artery conditions. Ginkgo is an adaptation herb, which helps the body deal with stressful situations. It is also helpful in the treatment of allergies, Alzheimer"s disease, anxiety attacks, arthritis, asthma, ADD, circulatory disorders, cancer, coughs, depression, dizziness, equilibrium problems, headaches, heart and lung problems, memory loss, mood swings, muscular degeneration, Raynaud"s disease, stroke, tinnitus, toxic shock syndrome, varicose veins, vascular impotence and vertigo.

Other uses of Ginkgo Biloba:
Studies have shown positive results from the use of ginkgo for the following conditions: sexual dysfunction secondary to the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, mountain sickness and decreasing vasoactivity in response to cold, macular degeneration, asthma, and hypoxia. The World Health Organization has recommended the use of ginkgo in Raynaud"s disease, acrocyanosis, and post-phlebitic syndrome. Ginkgo biloba extract increases circulation to both the brain and extremities of the body. In addition to inhibiting platelet stickiness, GBE regulates the tone and elasticity of blood vessels. In other words, it makes circulation more efficient. Ginkgo is the best selling herbal medicine in France and Germany, where it is taken daily by millions of people from middle age onward to maintain and improve cerebral circulation, the memory, and to reduce the possibility of a stroke. Studies have indicated that people suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vertigo experienced dramatic improvement after taking ginkgo due to increased circulation in the inner ear. Ginkgo"s effect as an anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic agent has also been demonstrated.

About the Author
Author by James John

Effective Acne Treatment

2010-03-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

For an acne treatment to be effective it needs to treat the reason for the outbreak. Acne is most often associated with teens, but in fact anyone of any age can be inflicted with the problem. Although acne is not considered to be a severe disease, it does have serious and negative effects on a person"s self esteem and confidence.

If you have acne you know what it"s like to spend almost every waking minute worrying and wondering about the treatments you are using. Many people can not feel good about themselves if they have blemishes and they find it difficult to socialize at all if they suffer from acne.

A lot of the acne treatments you buy without prescriptions are formulated to suit young skin, so if you are suffering with adult acne, they probably won"t be ideal for you. Some products can provide short term improvements, but they fail to deal with the underlying causes deeper in the skin.

It is important to be aware of what is in acne medications you are using. This will make it easier to know which products are the same as past ineffective ones.

If your skin is sensitive, try natural products before stronger medications. Sometimes all it takes is regular cleansing with the right ingredients for your skin and your acne will be gone for good.

Just because someone you know recommends a product that has worked well for them doesn"t mean it will provide the same results for you.

When you take a medication internally there will often be side effects such as dry skin, itching and irritation which can sometimes even lead to more breakouts. Quality acne products will often offer a money back guarantee if you don"t see results within a month, which proves they have faith that it works.

Benzoyl peroxide is a common and popular acne fighting ingredient in a lot of products. It will dry up pimples and kill bacteria, but excess drying can cause more breakouts as well.

The real answer to treating acne lies in nutrition: natural foods like green vegetables, whole grains foods rich in essential fatty acids can rebalance hormones, sebum production and vitamin levels.

A good way to work out which foods could be contributing to your acne problem is to make a record of everything you eat. Eliminating different types of foods for a month or two at a time will help you work out what is best for you. Women should also track menstruation to determine if the problem may be related to hormones.

Water is also extremely important to eliminating acne. Your skin is attempting to excrete toxins from the body that could otherwise be washed out with water. Drinking plenty of water and sweating through exercise will eliminate toxins from your skin.

Some people may notice when they are worried or feeling stressed, they have an outbreak of acne. This is due to the hormonal changes that occur during times of stress and staying healthy is the best way to combat this as well.

There are so many different acne treatments on the market and if you have tried over the counter products and find they haven"t worked your next step is to visit the doctor for a prescription. Alternatively there are skin specialists who deal with laser therapy, micro dermabrasion and other effective, yet costly procedures.

Harleen makes is easy to understand your acne treatment needs. Learn about this skin condition and the treatment options in the market. To receive a Free Acne Treatment Guide visit website.

http://www.uacne.com

Back From Ecuador

2010-03-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

My display issues seem somewhat intermittent (ok, some of them are consistent, but others are intermittent), and I"m stuck in an airport for a long layover, and since my monitor is working a little better (although the good people at Dell haven"t yet replaced it... that will happen Tues/Wednesday).

Anyway, some initial Ecuador impressions:

1) Quito has noticeably less air than sea-level!

2) The people of Ecuador are extremely pleasant, but efficiency is clearly not on their list of priorities. We kept getting confused because every time we sat down to eat a meal, it would take 3 hours. Even if it was coffee at a chocolate shop!

3) Managing everyday life while living with an Ecuadorian host family that speaks no English is exhausting when you speak no Spanish.

4) The above is actually doable, particularly when you combine medical students fluent in Spanish, a phrase book, and some determined sign language!

5) Real, hot showers are a too-often taken for granted luxury!

6) The lack of diesel fumes is a too-often taken for granted luxury!

7) The developing world is a dangerous place. I have a whole post coming up on what trial lawyers have actually contributed to our country (I know, seems unlikely to me, too until I saw it).

Hm... now I have to work on the best way to post some pics!

The virtue of changing your mind

2010-03-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

More and more I have wondered why it is seen as such a disgrace to change your mind about things. I have had many different discussions on different subjects online as well as in real life, and almost invariably people hold on to their ideas and beliefs as if their life depended on it. I will haste to admit that I am also guilty of this type of behavior. Even when my opponent has brought up a really good point that threatens my entire argument, it is tempting to go "well you are just an ashole", or something equally relevant... When I am courageous enough to say, "that is a good point, you are right" it often feels like I have lost my dignity, and I will walk away like a dog with the tail between its legs. I wonder why it is so hard to admit that you were wrong? Is there some evolutionary explanation of this?

It is of course important to point out that it would also be a problem if people changed their mind too easily. Many of the ideas that are today seen as obvious, were ridiculed when first articulated (the earth revolves around the sun? I don"t think so!). I don"t know where to put the limit, but in general it seems that people are probably a little bit too slow in changing their mind.

I think that if people were better at changing their minds, we would have a better world. As a scientist the ideal-me should be able to change his mind if enough evidence against my belief is shown to me. This is by the way a difference between science and faith. In the latter you are not supposed to doubt, no matter what happens. I think that this inflexibility is probably the main problem with religion. Richard Dawkins in his documentary "the root of all evil" tells us about one of his professors who had been working on a theory for a decade or so when an American colleague came and showed him overwhelming evidence that the theory was wrong. The professor, unbelievably, admitted right there and then, in front of loads of people, that he had been wrong, Wow!

The reason I started to think about these issues was that someone very dear to me, after reading my post about homeopathy, said that I should be a bit more careful when I denounce ideas such as biodynamical foods. She said that these comments might come back to haunt me when I become a famous scientist. This is true indeed, but why should it be so hard to say that "that was my belief at the time, now I believe this and this". People should be allowed to change their mind. (of course, I should probably check my sources carefully before I throw out accusations). Knowing what we know today I think that the Iraq war was a bad idea, but back before the war I thought it was probably a good idea to get rid of Saddam and the WoMD that I thought were there.

This is what I am going to do. When I have written a certain number of posts on this blog I will review my posts, and then make a new post about which things I have changed my mind about, great idea is it not? I mean, it would be kind of remarkable if I got everything right the first time. So keep sending the good comments and tell me when you think I am wrong, you might just be able to change my rock-hard mind.

Health News-7: "Age No Bar"

2010-03-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Researchers in Europe who studies 4,300 service men have found out that contrary to popular assumption, brain power grows with age.

Courtesy: "Newscape", The Hindu, Madurai, January 8, 2008

Chocolate, not for the holidays or ever Holiday ALERT

2010-03-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

With the holidays upon us, and table scraps galore!
Don"t give Fido or Fluffy the chocolate. It"s poisonous for their systoms.
Also be sure the poinsetias, tree leaves , and mistletoe are on the DO NOT EAT list too!!

If your pet eats any of the above,
call your veterinarian or take them to your vet as soon as possible.
Do not let your holiday treats or trim create illness in your beloved four footed family member.

Contact information:
Brent Atwater
Pet Medical Intuitive, Animal Communicator
Animal Healing
Box 475
Southern Pines, NC 28388
NC Phone: 910.692.5206
ATL Phone: 404.242.9022
E mail: Brent@BrentAtwater.com
Web site: http://www.BrentAtwater.com

Good Doc or Nice Doc

2010-03-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

I have now escaped the hospital (actually did it about a week ago). The whole 4.5 days I was there, all I really ever wanted was to go home. And I made no bones about it.

I showed up in the emergency room, and asked the ED doc for some iv fluids and some zofran, and told her that I didn"t need any more than that, I didn"t think, and that I would just leave. She offered me some narcs, I declined. She offered me a ct scan, I declined, and then she said, "will you at least please stay for some labs and for me to curbside gi on how to get you in to see someone before next februrary?", and I agreed. Then, she walked away, for a bit (she had sick people to see, I think), and came back just a few minutes later, and sort of laid down the law. She said unless I stayed for the abdominal ct (I think it was useless, but the ED scans pretty much everybody with tender bellies), the lab results, 2L of IVF, 2 doses of iv steroids, and a gi consult (she said they would come by at 7am), it would be against medical advice. So, I started to negotiate ("How about 1 dose of the steroids and I"ll see the gi doc in a couple of days as an outpatient..."). At some point, the dilaudid started, and every time I tried to get my stuff together to go (or asked my nurse about some discharge papers), they drugged me again. Sneaky bastards. I do have to admit, I was quite uncomfortable, and dilaudid is quite effective for eliminating pain. I wasn"t snowed enough to be considered "chemically restrained", but at the same time, you give 1 mg of dilaudid to someone who"s essentially opiod naieve, and in addition to relieving them of pain, you will releive them of the motivation to sign out AMA, or really to leave at all.

The night was kind of bad. The ED just isn"t a great place to hang out. Between the woman having an MI next to me and the lady yelling at the top of her voice, "bring me more dilaudid you f---ing c-nt!!", it"s just not terribly restful, and everything that is annoying is more annoying when you"re nauseated and having severe diarrhea. (dilaudid fixes that, too!).

Around 8 am I realized I wasn"t going to be able to go home, and even if I convinced them to discharge me or to bring me AMA paperwork, I wasn"t going to be able to work safely. I still was getting lightheaded and profusely sweating just walking to the bathroom, so I finally agreed to stay, and they took me to a hospital room. They actually hid me away on the oncology floor in a very tiny but pleasant and private room wiht a view of the ocean. The one good thing about UC is that if you get admitted to the hospital, there"s always the possibility you could have C.diff, so you always get a medically necessary private room.

The nurses were extremely sweet to me. One brought in movies and books (that I was too fatigued to watch or read). They were very conscientous, and even went above and beyond the call of duty. In fact, my only complaint about the hospital is that the pillows suck. If I"d realized they were going to talk me into staying, I would have brought my own. For a couple of days, I felt too ill to concentrate on reading or movies, but started to spend more time awake. This is the annoying part of being sick. And I got so bored. I tried going for a walk, but didn"t make it very far. Anyway, the nurses and aids would come in and actually chat with me. I felt a little bad about it, because I"m sure that they were busy, but I really appreciated it.

The gastroenterologist was, perhaps, a weirdo. I can"t decide if he"s a good doc or a bad doc. He sort of tread the line between being condescending and setting limits. Apparently he"s the one that suggested the scheduled (as opposed to as needed) dilaudid (and it actually did slow the bathroom trips down a lot) that started in the ED. When he saw me the morning I was admitted, I told him that since I"d tolerated the ct contrast, I could probably go home on some oral steroids the next morning. I told him I really wanted to go to work, that it was a new job, and my first one out of training... blah blah blah. He listened for a little bit, but then stopped me, and said, "If you won"t stay for 48 hours of IV steroids and until you"re eating 3 meals a day on oral prednisone, then your gut won"t heal, and we don"t have anything else to talk about. " And he basically threatened to fire me if I left before his conditions were met. Now on one hand, I can see how he was probably right. I was a little anemic and a little dry on admission. On the other hand, well, he really was kind of bossy about it. On the third hand, I hope this doesn"t mean that he"s going to yell at me all the time as my doctor, "cause I"m not into that. At the same time, he was, in other ways, very nice. I was explaining that I had been on prednisone for most of the last 2 years, never had a sustained remission, really, and that I"d gained like 40-50lbs on the prednisone. He told me, "Of course you did, almost everybody does, and we"ll get you off the prednisone". And he told me a plan. And a plan in case the plan fails. And, aside from being bossy about staying in the hospital, he was pretty nice. And I guess, as a doc, I know that there are times when I just have to put my foot down to my patients, but usually it"s about something serious, like the fact that they are putting themselves or their baby at risk of death by leaving the hospital. Not about the merits of inpatient vs outpatient treatment. So now I"m wondering how nice of a guy he"ll really be. I mean, maybe he really did think it was vital for me to stay in the hospital? Or is he really a bit of a jerk? Everybody says he"s the best guy for inflammatory bowel disease in the northwest, but nobody says he"s the nicest guy around. At the same time, if he gets me feeling well consistently and off the prednisone on a long-term or permanent basis (without a colectomy), do I really care if he"s a nice guy? I mean, nice is better than mean, but good is better than nice. My UC was, apparently been mismanaged by a pretty nice guy for a while, so maybe I should just be glad that I get to trade nice for good?

The rest of the hospital stay was the same. Too much dilaudid, too much food, which I forced myself to eat so that they would be sure to send me home. And the last week has been pretty good. I was home on Saturday, back to work on Monday, and I"m on call this weekend. The weird thing is? I feel so good now, I think I"ve probably been sicker for longer than I would have thought, if that makes sense. I haven"t felt this good in maybe a year? Even the prednisone side effects, which are annoying (sleeplessness, increased apetite, weight gain, hot flashes), are worth it to feel this good right now.

What is internal X ray vision? How is it used with my Intuition, Medical intuitive diagnosis & Intuitive healing?

2010-03-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

What is internal X ray vision? How is it used with my Intuition, Medical intuitive diagnosis & Intuitive healing?

X-ray vision, Superman had it!, the ability to see thru walls (which are just a dense gathering of energy that creates its form). In today�s world, x-ray vision is a reality and not a cartoon myth.

The ability to visualize energy fields through the mind�s eye is called clairvoyance. The actual ability to perceive a physical body�s exterior energy field (called an aura) or internal bimolecular energy fields is called HSP (Higher Sensory Perception) internal vision by Barbara Brennan author of �Hands of Light.� By directing your brain to focus at a higher vibrational frequency level one can see the bimolecular energy formation of cells, tissue, bones, organs another subtle bioenergy systems (example_ the nervous system with neural pathways and nerve damage or electromagnetic misfiring disorders) inside of the human body at whatever depth or resolution they choose. Dr. Mehmet Oz stated on Oprah, �everything is pure energy, you are a mass of vibrating frequencies gathered into the physical form that you call your body.�

How do we access the information stored within our energy fields? Traditional medicine uses MRI�s, CAT scan, PET images, MUGA and Trilogy data, and they�re still using the X-ray technology. Internal X-ray vision coupled with intuitive anatomical medical diagnosis is a relatively new information gathering method that is gaining ground as part the comprehensive diagnostic process for integrative holistic medical teams and facilities.

The 2007 Rhine Research Center�s (founder by J B Rhine who identified and validated ESP) International Spring Conference CONSCIOUSNESS TODAY featured an Intuitive Medical Diagnosis Panel Discussion about scientific and clinical intuitive medical diagnosis chaired by Larry Burk, MD, Moderator, Radiologist, Intuitive Diagnosis Researcher. Brent Atwater one of the panelist, is a documented and published peer reviewed and respected medical intuitive who uses internal x-ray vision to perform intuitive anatomical medical diagnosis. Other participants were Leon Curry, MD, Internist, Intuitive Diagnosis Researcher who worked with Greta Alexander an intuitive diagnostic pioneer and Mary Jo Bulbrook, RN, EdD.

Ms. Atwater (whose friends call her a human MRI), points out that internal X-ray vision contributes the following to medical diagnostic procedures:
� Can be performed from a distant location, also know as remote internal viewing.
� SAVES TIME! in catastrophic or trauma injury, critical or intensive care or emergency medicine situations.
� Determines the "urgency" of your physical situation.
� Finds medical conditions and health issue locations, and determines the extent and severity in the body.

� Clarifies critical disease areas and identifies other contributing energy imbalances within each client"s physical systems at all levels-cellular, organs, muscles, vascular, nervous, etc..

� Continuously monitors the client�s condition without interfering or creating complications during medical treatments and procedures.

� Has no side effects and is non invasive.

� Provides a detailed physical and all systems analysis of what is happening at any time.

� Can confirm or raise valuable concerns about test results, medications, treatments and procedures.

� Can be used in conjunction or comparison with your current MRIs, PETs, MUGAs, Cat Scans, Trilogy and X rays.

� Provides an alternative medicine assessment.

� Can identify areas that have not yet become detectable by traditional medical examinations or testing methods or procedures. This information can assist you in making decisions about your current and future medical treatment, and health care.

� Can provide information about future health issues.

In her book, Thru My Eyes as a Medical Intuitive, Ms Atwater states that learning techniques to have internal x-ray vision can sometimes be taught to those individuals who are capable of focusing at higher energy levels, and to those who are inherently gifted with intuitive gifts. Brent notes that intuitive anatomical medical diagnostic (Body Scan) workshops usually include:
� Techniques to look inside a body and interpret what you see.

� Learn the electromagnetic frequency colors of the various bio energy patterns of various health issues and medical conditions and their positions in the body�s energy field.

Reputable and evidence based intuitive anatomical medical diagnostic research is providing valuable scientific documentation about energy medicine in order to help bridge and create the integration of traditional and alternative medicine so that each patient will benefit from all healing and diagnostic modalities that are available!

Feel free to reprint this article in its original format.

Contact Information:

Brent Atwater, Alternative Medical Specialist

Medical Intuitive, Distance Energy Healing

ATL, GA Phone: 404.242.9022

Phone: 910.692.5206 USA

Website: http://www.brentatwater.com/

Email: mailto:Brent@BrentAtwater.com

Disclaimer: Brent Atwater collaborates with and participates in ongoing energy medicine and intuitive diagnostic medical research, and independent case studies with the world"s leading doctors, physicians, researchers, scientists, and medical facilities. Her work is creating evidence based research that documents the bridging of traditional and alternative healthcare into integrative medicine. Atwater is not a medical doctor or associated with any branch of medicine. Brent works in Alternative Healing, Healthcare and Medicine - Integrative Medicine. She offers her opinions based on her intuition, and her personal energy healing work, which is not a substitute for medical procedures or treatments. Always consult a physician or trained health care professional concerning any medical problem or condition before undertaking any diet, health related or lifestyle change programs. As in traditional medicine, there are no guarantees with medical intuition, intuitive anatomical medical diagnosis or energy medicine.

What Is Noni Juice - An Ancient Health Food

2010-03-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

by Dean Iggo

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

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

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

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

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

Why can"t you buy plain yogurt in small containers?

2010-03-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

When I was shopping for ingredients to make a recipe the other day, I needed to buy plain yogurt, something I don"t often buy. In the yogurt isle of the supermarket there were a wealth of options. Even in plain yogurt there was plain, vanilla (pretty close), whole-milk, low-fat, nonfat, organic, and regular. But that kind of yogurt is only sold by the bucketful.

Sure, the flavored yogurt is sold in smaller containers. If I wanted Banana Berry Rhubarb Delight instead of plain, I could have bought individual 8 oz. containers, four-packs, six-packs, whipped, blended, sugar-free, drinkable smoothies, and even freakin" yogurt-in-a-tube. But, no, I needed plain yogurt, and the smallest container they seem to sell is two pounds.

So I have two-pound-minus-a-cup of plain, whole milk yogurt and no idea what to do with it. I"ve made yogurt cheese before, and that worked fine, I just don"t have a lot of use for it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

ADD Treatment Effective, Natural Remedy

2010-03-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Article courtesy of Native Remedies

There are a number of factors that can affect normal concentration and a person"s ability to remain centered.

Children�s bodies are made to move around and their naturally enquiring minds may jump from one thing to the other. However, some children find it more difficult than others to settle down and pay attention and this does not always go down well in the classroom.

It stands to reason, therefore, that by supporting harmony and balance in the brain and soothed nerves, we can create the best climate for concentration to take place. Similarly, if the body�s systems are balanced and functioning as they should, cognitive, emotional and behavioral conditions for concentration are at optimal levels.

The Natural Way

Homeopathic remedies have a long history of use in supporting mental, physical and emotional health, preferring a holistic approach to the suppression of symptoms. Homeopathy operates on the principle of �like treats like�, using minute amounts of proven, homeopathically prepared ingredients to support the body to heal itself. Due to the unique homeopathic manufacturing methods, homeopathic remedies are very safe and do not interact negatively with prescription or other OTC medicines. As a result, homeopathic remedies can make all the difference without compromising health.

What is BrightSpark?

BrightSpark is a safe, non-addictive, natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients especially selected to temporarily relieve hyperactivity, distractibility and impulsiveness in children.

How has BrightSpark helped others?

"You"ve got me shaking my head with surprise and amazement� After 1 day, I swear I thought I was imagining it... but I could tell BrightSpark took the "edge" off my son"s personality!" -C.M., MA, USA

�I tried the BrightSpark and Focus Formula as a last resort for my 4-yr-old son when he was about to be removed from his pre-school if his behavior didn"t improve. I absolutely could not believe the difference in behavior and impulse control after he began these supplements. Within a week he was like a different child! The difference was dramatic. I was shocked when the school recently told me my son was one of the best kids in the class! Outbursts and problems are rare now and quality of life has improved for the whole family. I couldn"t be more thankful for these products.� -Leia, OH, USA

�My 5 year old son was diagnosed �I had done a lot of research on natural ways to help him. I came across your website and have had him on the BrightSpark along with the Focus Formula. We have also done a lot of diet control, natural vitamins � I can"t tell you the how much your products have helped him� He is doing much better in school� he is back to our loving, caring, humorous little boy. We were dealing with hitting, kicking, spitting, talking back and very hyper before. He has changed so much and I can"t tell you how happy we are along with the rest of his family. ...We can"t thank you enough. I can"t figure out why the doctors don"t recommend these types of products for people. Thanks again!� -Lori, NY, USA

Get more info on BrightSpark for Child ADD and ADHD

Related Products:
* Focus Formula� is a herbal remedy used to support concentration, attention and normal energy levels in children and adults.

SocSec

2010-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

David sent out a mass email telling people about this FactCheck.org article. It"s a bit cryptic to me, but it looks like the Bush administration citations of an $11B shortfall in Social Security is a number based on an infinite projection into the future. In mathematical terms, it sounds like they"re integrating from now to inifity. Previously, Social Security only attempted to forecast 75 years into the future.

This is, of course, an outragous attempt at deception. The idea that we can reliably forecast the economic state of our nation 100+ years into the future is ludicrous. The idea that we should basically eliminate the Social Security program in response to this is criminal. That"s like expecting an accountant in pre-Great-Depression times to have forecast the Internet boom.

But all this makes no difference. It is taken as axiomatic in the news these days that Social Security is about to collapse under its own weight any day now. As usual, in this administration, the messaging trumps the message. So expect to see this $11B number thrown about a LOT on Fox News.

There is a bit of resistance to this attempt at deception, however. There"s the FactCheck article, and now a website dedicated to getting the word out:

Whew and Wha????

2010-03-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

I just finished the first draft of my thesis (and have a firm defense date, scheduled, May 26th). I realize that the first draft is not going to be the final, and I have a bit of work left to do. It is, however, such a relief to have a (relatively) complete version finished!

And, because I"ve been doing a lot of "last things" recently, I did my last teaching conference (which we get paid a small amount of money into our "educational" fund for). So, I went to buy a new laptop with the money. It wasn"t a very expensive laptop ($800), just something that"s lighter that will get me through until I start my real job (soon!!! Licensing is done, credentialling is almost done). Anyway, BestBuy tried to sell me a $500 extended warrenty. On an $800 laptop! If I had $500 to spend on an extended warrenty, I would just buy a new computer when the new one breaks.

Cheneyspeak

2010-03-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by a clip of the Daily Show seen on tonight"s Larry King Live:

BORGER: Well, let"s get to Mohamed Atta for a minute because you mentioned him as well. You have said in the past that it was, quote, "pretty well confirmed."

CHENEY: No, I never said that.

BORGER: OK.

CHENEY: I never said that.

BORGER: I think that is...

CHENEY: Absolutely not. What I said was the Czech intelligence service reported after 9/11 that Atta had been in Prague on April 9 of 2001, where he allegedly met with an Iraqi intelligence official. We have never been able to confirm that nor have we been able to knock it down, we just don"t know.
-- CNBC interview, June 17, 2004

But then,

Well, what we now have that"s developed since you and I last talked, Tim, of course, was that report that"s been pretty well confirmed, that [Atta] did go to Prague and he did meet with a senior official of the Iraqi intelligence service in Czechoslovakia last April, several months before the attack.
-- Vice President Cheney, Meet the Press, CBS, December 9, 2001

And we"re supposed to trust these people?

Hospital Dangers Part 2

2010-03-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

Unless you are unconscious from an accident etc., you might want to go into the Hospital with your eyes open, your vigilance on guard and only if you absolutely must. You have a very good chance of being one of the unlucky ones who does not make it out!

You can see Part 1 of this report at:

http://alternativemedicinetruth.blogspot.com/2004/07/hospital-dangers-worse-than-you-think.html

New Study Puts Hospital Error Death Rate At Twice IOM"s Total----Excerpt from BioWorld

Putting the problem in the most graphic terms possible, she says the 195,000 figure translates to "the equivalent of 390 jumbo jets full of people . . . dying each year due to likely preventable, in-hospital medical errors, making this one of the leading killers in the U.S." And she adds: "If the Center for Disease Control and Prevention"s [Atlanta, Georgia] annual list of leading causes of death included medical errors, it would show up as No. 6, ahead of diabetes, pneumonia, Alzheimer"s and renal disease."

Full Article At: http://www.bioworld.com/servlet/com.accumedia.web.Dispatcher?next=bioWorldHeadlines_article&forceid=33312

A real viable alternative to surgery and drugs etc. in a hospital, etc. is MME. You can read many happy patient testimonials at Advanced Magnetic Research Institute

Also, see RifeTech and OxygenMedicine.com

Depression Causes a Higher Cost of Lost Productive Time Among US Workers

2010-03-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

Cost of Lost Productive Time at Work Among US Workers With Depression:

Evidence consistently indicates that depression has adversely affected work productivity with work absence and reduced performance while at work in the US workforce. Estimates of the cost impact in lost labor time in the US workforce, however, are scarce and dated.

Accordig to the American Productivity Audit (conducted August 1, 2001�July 31, 2002) between May 20 and July 11, 2002, excess lost productive time (LPT) costs from depression were derived as the difference in LPT among individuals with depression minus the expected LPT in the absence of depression projected to the US workforce.
Workers with depression reported significantly more total health-related LPT than those without depression 81% of the LPT costs are explained by reduced performance while at work.

Major depression accounts for 48% of the LPT among those with depression, again with a majority of the cost explained by reduced performance while at work. Self-reported use of antidepressants in the previous 12 months among those with depression was low and the mean reported treatment effectiveness was only moderate. Extrapolation of these survey results and self-reported annual incomes to the population of US workers suggests that US workers with depression employed in the previous week cost employers an estimated $44 billion per year in LPT, an excess of $31 billion per year compared with peers without depression. This estimate does not include labor costs associated with short- and long-term disability.

A majority of the LPT costs that employers face from employee depression is invisible and explained by reduced performance while at work. Use of treatments for depression appears to be relatively low. The combined LPT burden among those with depression and the low level of treatment suggests that there may be cost-effective opportunities for improving depression-related outcomes in the US workforce.

Applied Kinesiology & Fairies

2010-03-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

The SCAM diagnostic test, Applied Kinesiology, is when the quack pushes on your arm while a substance is held near you. If the arm is weak, then that item is causing your illness. It is used by naturopaths, chiropractors, herbalists and others who practice health fraud. Some even have their assistant hold your hand and then push on the assistant"s arm to test YOUR health.

One supporter of this diagnostic test was saying that it was being unreasonable to declare this as quackery without taking the time to test it myself. Not trying it myself was "unscientific". She also reminded me that I could not prove that Applied Kinesiology does not work.

I responded to the challenge by asking her to prove that fairies don"t exist, reminding her to do this herself and to check under every toadstool to avoid missing the one where they live. It is almost impossible to prove a negative.

With a BBQ coming up soon, I may test Applied Kinesiology with some friends. If nothing else, it will be good for a laugh. What"s not so funny, is that quacks use this test and then charge for a corresponding bogus cure to unsuspecting people with illnesses.

More on Applied Kinesiology can be found at http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Tests/ak.html

To join the fight against health fraud, or just become better educated to avoid being a victim, check www.ncafh.com or in Australia www.acahf.org.au .

Taking things just a bit too far

2010-03-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

In one of those coupon circulars that come in the mail every so often, I noticed that one of the local chains is introducing a thin crust pizza. The best part is that they"re advertising it as the current marketing flavor of the month, "Low Carb."

Good Lord, talk about jumping on a bandwagon. I"m all for people bettering themselves and taking responsibility for their health, but diet pizza? Is eating less and exercising more really that much to ask?

Facts On Alternative Medicine

2010-03-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

The world is full of people who are suffering from different diseases and who live their everyday lives with pain. Many of these people are searching for different ways to treat their diseases in hopes that they may find something that helps them or eases their pain and that is why many of them are choosing alternative medicines. Before you consider trying alternative medicine, you should do research on it and find out which alternative medicine would be the best for you.

Alternative medicine deals with a large variety of non-traditional medicines and methods of treatment for all of the medical problems that people encounter. Some alternative medicines are covered by insurance, but most of them are not. People are much more aware today of bad things that they should not put into their bodies and alternative medicine blends well into the thinking of health-conscious people.

There are different types of alternative medicines that are gaining in popularity. Some of these include massage therapy, folk medicine, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, and faith healing just to name a few.

A lot of people who are terminally ill depend on alternative medicines especially many of the cancer and aids patients. Cancer patients take them instead of the regular chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Alternative medicines are also used for chronic back pain and migraines. They have also been used on animals.

Most of the people who are interested in alternative medicine are those who are searching for new ways to treat their symptoms and who believe that natural things are more healthy and better for their bodies.

Each person is responsible for their own health and what they put into their bodies and which treatments they decide to choose for their illnesses. They should take the time to decide whether alternative medicines might be an option for them and their health problems.

If you would like more information on alternative medicine, please visit the following address:

http://www.culbre.com/alternative

About the Author

I am a 51 year old retired mill worker from northern Maine. I am happily married with 3 boys. My main interests are my family and God. I enjoy hunting, fishing, reading and walking. I have an online camera store located at www.cameradealcenter.com

Members of another botanical healing

2010-03-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

Far more numerous were the members of another botanicalmembers of another botanical healing
group, one that originated independently of Thomsonianism. Eclecticism was
exactly what its name implied, a system that borrowed freely from all schools
of practice, taking anything that experience showed to be effective and safe.
Thomsonian remedies were quite popular among eclectics, but so were items
taken from Native American and other botanical traditions, as well as nonmineral
drugs from the allopathic armamentarium. Guided by the rule of vires
vitales sustinete, or �sustain the [patient�s] vital forces,� eclectics abjured all
strong depletive treatments, which meant lobelia as well as calomel and
bleeding.46

Home Gym

2010-03-13T02:08:00.000-08:00

Product Features
Compact yet provides complete exercise workout, Both upper and lower body exercises in one machine, Adjustable arms provide multiple positions for upper body exercises
Bungee mechanism adjusts for different resistance levels, Padded seat and backrest

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Sometimes You Need to Talk to A Human (or Lost Luggage)

2010-03-13T02:05:00.000-08:00

I just got back from my course in Maine at 3am this morning (it"s now 9pm). They lost my luggage (or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say lost track of, since I had 3 connecting flights and got rerouted around them due to some mechanical difficulties).

This is not an anti-airline rant. I"m actually quite pleased with 3 of the 4 airlines that have been involved in my travels. I will never fly US AIR again, but that"s another story.

So, my ticket read as follows: Bangor to NY Laguardia (US Air); NY Laguardia (LGA) to Washington Dulles (IAD) (United) and Dulles to Home (United). I usually fly Northwest (who happens to have a direct flight from Maine to home) but booked my tickets too late to get that flight.

Anyway, due to mechanical problems on the LGA to IAD flight, I got rerouted on a direct flight to Home. Yay! Airline error in my favor! Except the flight left 2 hours late (due to air traffic overload... this happens every time I fly through LGA and so, in the future, I will be avoiding that airport like the plauge. No flight ever leaves on time (except possibly the first flight in the morning) from that airport.) The direct flight to home was on American Airlines. So, I was directed to claim my bags and recheck them with American.

So, while I was waiting for my bags, I was informed that the (delayed due to mechanical failure) flight"s already taken off, and that my bags will be joining me at home, or if it"s convienient, I can pick them up at the airport. So, I"m thinking, ok, whatever..

As it turns out, the flight combo actually beats me home (mostlly due to air traffic problems at LGA), but my bags aren"t on it. The problem here is that I leave for a job interview tomorrow night. It would be good if I had clothes to interview in. I suspect they won"t be happy if I show up in capri cargos (2 sizes too big) and a stained t-shirt (which are all the clean clothes I"ve got left!).

AA has a website you can check your bag"s status. However, it always says "your luggage has not been found". You get the same response when you call their automated hotline. However, if you manage to make it far enough through the phone tree to talk to an actual agent, they will transfer you to an actual human being in the baggage department. That human being must have supernatural powers, because she can tell you where your luggage is. She was able to figure out that my bags have actually made it to my Home City and will be joining me at my home tomorrow morning!

Overall, I give United and American kudos for actually trying to make me happy. US AIR now charges $2 for a glass of water on its flights, and they hire the rudest weirdest ticket agents and flight attendants, so they"re off my list. I try to avoid American, too, because the checked bag fee annoys me. But in this instance, they were helpful.

The moral of this story? Sometimes you need to talk to a human being.

(image credit)

The Healing Power of Acid Tincture of Lobelia

2010-03-13T01:37:00.000-08:00

In the early years, it is not known that Lobelia can become one of the finest remedies God has blessed mankind with.

Lobelia inflate is one of the most valuable herbs used in the botanic practice. Much has been written as to whether this herb is a poison or not. Practical experience � which is far better than theory �has proved that it is harmless as milk, and instead of being a poison, it is an antidote to poison.

The analysis of its chemical constituents show it to contain an alkaloid lobelina and an acid lobelic acid, resin, wax, and gum; the seeds contain in addition about 30% of fixed oil. We have attended cases where poison had been given in mistake, and Lobelia has had the desired effect of discharging the contents of the stomach.

Medical professionals are often deluded by giving heed to mere opinions instead of noticing facts; but those men who have divested themselves of that which has been taught them in medical schools have discovered truth from error.

Dr. Butler in the year 1810 disclosed how effective Lobelia is in treating his asthma condition he is suffering for about ten years. He has made many trial of different treatment with very little benefit until his breathing became very difficult that he took a tablespoonful of the acid tincture of Lobelia, and in about three or four minutes his breathing was free as it ever was and taking another in ten minutes that he felt through every part of his body the comfort and easiness. Since that time his health has improved.

Today, acid tincture of Lobelia is prescribed as remedy for whooping cough with striking success.

I"m fundraising for WaterAid again!

2010-03-13T00:49:00.000-08:00

Once again I"m fundraising for WaterAid. I"ve previosuly run the London marathon and riden across the USA from Seattle to just north of Boston. This time I"m tackling a bike ride in Africa with my son, Tom. We are going from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam. We are not riding it all but should complete approx 350 miles in two weeks. We expect it will be hot and thirsty work so riding for WaterAid is particularly appropriate. The money we raise will be spent on projects in Tanzania. All the money we raise goes to waterAid - we pay all our own expenses. Please support us:

Tea? Coffee?

2010-03-13T00:39:00.000-08:00

Recent research shows that
(i) caffeine prevents and even reverses the effects of Alzheimers, and
(ii) tea consumption reduces the risk of Parkinsons

So do I drink coffee and get Parkinsons or tea and get Alzheimers?

I guess tea has a little caffeine, so I could drink like 15 cups a day.

Who knows - if I stop putting milk in it, all that peeing might even help with kidney stones. Or then again, maybe it will power my car.

Sports Medicine, Alternative medicine & Energy Medicine: Energy Healing for Sports injury and Sports pain management

2010-03-13T00:34:00.000-08:00

Sports Medicine, Alternative Medicine & Energy Medicine: Medical intuition &Energy Healing for Sports injuries and Sports Pain therapy

In addition to her alternative health and holistic Energy Medicine practice addressing disease and disorder, and emergency medicine, Brent Atwater"s medical intuitive and distance energy healing work has produced beneficial results in Sports medicine, (Alternative Sports Medicine healing, Sports Pain therapy and Sports rehabilitation) for tough sports injuries or those critical, intensive catastrophic sports traumas.

Brent"s abilitiy to see inside a body (onsite or at a distance) saves precious time in identifying and determining the extent, location and severity of the injury on the playing field or in the emergency room. In the weeks and months following the initial sports injury, using medical intution can help refine pain management, sports therapies and sports rehabilitation treatments for ongoing issues, chronic pain and health conditions created by your sports injury.

For Emergency Sports Medicine see
http://www.brentenergywork.com/EMERGENCY%20Medicine.htm

As a distance energy healer, Brent"s bioenergy work is electromagnetic in nature, like magnet therapy or electromagnetic TENS unit muscle stimulation therapy. Her work has created wonderful results with numbness, nerve damage, paralysis, and other neuromuscular, or neuroskeletal disorders, back pain, spinal cord injury and others. See http://www.brentenergywork.com/MAIN%20INDEX.htm

Brent"s work is complementary with chiropractors, coaches, sports physicians, health care practitioners, athletic trainers and sports rehabilitation therapists, athletes, players and individuals. She integrates her energy healing with their procedures and treatments.

Brent participates in ongoing research and clinical trials.
Her medical intuitive and distance energy healing work is doccumented.

Sports injury conditions in which her energy healing work has very beneficial effects:
Back Pain, low-back pain ( lumbago)
Blood disorders, Septicemia/Systemic Infection, embolism, bruising
Bone fracture regeneration, Stress fractures
Brain Injury, Stroke, TIA, Seizures, Concussion
Cardiac, Electromagnetic disorders
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Catastrophic & critical injury
Cervical disc & neck pain
Chronic Pain relief, pain management
Inflammation
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Musculoskeletal symptoms, muscular regenerations, muscle soreness
Neuromuscular disease, disorder therapy,
Nerve damage, nerve inflammation, nerve entrapment,
Nerve disorders, Nerve injury & Nerve pain
Neurological disorders and disease
Spinal Cord injury, herniated disc, lumbar spine pain
Sciatica, Scoliosis
Tumors

"Positive Attitudes , Affirmations & Actions for Overcoming Your Health Challenges" is also a great book and resource for those long standing Sports injuries, using your mind over your matter!

For further details see: http://www.brentenergywork.com/SPORTS_MEDICINE.htm

Contact Information:
Brent Atwater
ATL, GA Phone: 404.242.9022 USA
NC Phone: 910.692.5206 USA
Email: Brent@BrentAtwater.com
Web site : http://www.brentatwater.com/

Hyperactive Thyroid Treatment

2010-03-12T17:09:00.000-08:00

The thyroid gland works in conjunction with the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. When the level of thyroid hormones drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which tells the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Once aware of the TSH, the thyroid secretes more T3 and T4 thereby raising blood levels. The pituitary gland then slows down its TSH production. In this article I"ll discuss in detail the three hyperactive thyroid treatments which includes drug therapy, radioactive iodine, surgery, and homeopathic treatments.

Hyperactive thyroid is a term used to define a production disorder of the thyroid. Often termed as a thyroid condition called hyperthyroidism, it relates to a pattern of symptoms of thyroid problems, regardless of the cause. Hyperactive thyroid tissues within the gland produce excess hormones that lead to abnormally high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.

It should be known that very small amounts of hormones are required to alter cell metabolism. The two main hormones produced by the thyroid are thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which are mostly bound by proteins. Only a small amount remains free to perform hormonal activity. Hyper-function of the thyroid results in a large number of free thyroid hormones that circulate in the blood.

Causes

Almost three quarters of hyperthyroidism instances are caused by Graves� disease, and the rest by thyroid adenomas and goiter. Thyroiditis is another thyroid condition that refers to inflammation of the gland. Thyroiditis includes Hashimoto�s Thyroiditis, which, like Graves� disease, is a thyroid problem that is caused by autoimmunity. Initially, thyroiditis causes a hyperactive thyroid, but the disease slowly progresses into thyroid dysfunction and a low thyroid. Some women experience increased thyroid activity during the year after delivery, a thyroid condition known as postpartum thyroiditis.

Hyperthyroidism may also result from accidental consumption of beef contaminated with thyroid tissue. Sometimes, anti-arrhythmic drugs like Amiodarone may also cause hyperthyroidism. Therefore, anti-arrhythmic drugs are used to treat abnormal heart rhythm, but only when other safer drugs are ineffective, as they can have fatal side effects.

Thyroid hormones, like other endocrine hormones, are released directly into the blood, as they are required by all cells for metabolism. Increased circulation of free thyroid hormones results in numerous symptoms that are often difficult to recognize, as they are vague and sometimes mimic the aging process.

Symptoms

Hyperactive thyroid usually manifests in physiological symptoms like weight loss (despite increased appetite), heat intolerance, hyperactivity, and an increase in thirst levels, urination and sweating. Psychological symptoms include anxiety, apathy and depression. Thyroid hormones are carried by transporter proteins that can cross the blood brain barrier and cause neurological symptoms like tremors, spasmodic movements, and neuromuscular diseases, and are known to even cause paralysis in some susceptible individuals. Hyperthyroidism can be pretty debilitating at times, and if left untreated may result in osteoporosis.

Hyperactive Thyroid Treatment

Overactivity of the thyroid gland can be brought down to normal levels by the use of various antithyroid drugs such as neomercazole (carbimazole). Another treatment uses radioactive iodine to destroy part of the thyroid gland and thereby reduce hormone production. The last option is surgery and may be considered necessary in some cases.

Did you know the thyroid is a very sensitive organ that is responsible for many functions in the body. Natural remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to support the solid thyroid health and health of the endocrine system, helping to support and balance efficient hormone production and natural thyroid gland function.

So there you have it. Your options for hyperactive thyroid treatment can be drugs that inhibit production of thyroid hormones, radioactive iodine to destroy part of the thyroid gland, surgery, or homeopathic treatment. The greatest thing about a natural treatment is that it doesn�t cost much and it is 100% safe.

Get more Information on Thyroid Assist - Nature"s Treatment for Hypothyroidism

How To-103: "How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food"

2010-03-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Fast food is very unhealthy, and regular consumption of fast food can lead to a host of medical problems. Additionally, fast food is bad for the earth, as it increases wasteful and harmful farming practices. If you are addicted to fast food, here is how to overcome your addiction.

Steps

Watch a video, DVD, or television program on the dangers of fast food. This will probably put you off eating it, as the program will likely go into graphic detail about the high fat, salt and sugar levels in the foods. Two excellent examples are the films "Super Size Me" and "Fast Food Nation".
Go to your local supermarket, and instead of heading straight to the ice cream section, go to a healthier alternative such as the aisles that contain fruits and grains.
Write down what foods you like. If any of them are considered healthy, you can keep them; if not, you should find all of those foods in your house and find some method of throwing them away.
Substitute the unhealthy foods for healthier alternatives. If you like burgers, try a steak, or something a bit cheaper. Try some new foods. Concentrate on foods that have lots of grains and/or vegetables in them.
Avoid your local fast food restaurants as much as possible. Whenever you pass one, or any other fast food outlet, think back to the program you saw and what that type of food is doing to your insides. If you are without food and your only option is a fast food place, buy the healthy options such as salads or grilled chicken.
Learn to cook. A well-cooked meal using fresh ingredients is not only better for you, but it also tastes better. Learning to cook can help you appreciate food and you will see that much of the "flavor" of fast food is just the taste of fat.
Consult a registered dietitian in your area for many tips on healthier alternatives, eating behavior modification, timing of meals, and where to get healthy foods in your locale. Allow a professional to get you off on the right foot to provide for a competitive edge over the current obesogenic, fast-food hungry society.

Tips

If you and your friends are addicted to fast food, you can all give it up together. This way you will have less temptation than if your friends are chomping away on burgers in front of you. You may look into groups or networks of healthy people to surround yourself with to provide support through this important stage of life.
Recommended reading: "Fast Food Nation", by Eric Schlosser. This book gives you a sense of fast food"s effect on your health, and also its effects on the global economy, agriculture, immigrants, etc. You"ll think about this book when you feel tempted to go to the drive-through.
Try not to carry cash with you. Having cash on hand makes it that much easier to stop at a fast food place on the way home, and there"s something sad about charging a burger and fries to your credit card that might deter you from using plastic.
Putting some numbers to your fast food habit might make the reality sink in. Estimate or keep track of how much money you spend and how many calories you consume each week or month on fast food--it will shock you.
Stop going for the Drive-Ins, and head over to your local market and pick up some health products or such items like, Lean Cuisine.
Try to just ignore fast food restaurants and don"t enter them. If you get the urge just try to take that urge and turn it into a hobby such as sports and outdoor activities.
The good news is that, unlike other addictions such as drugs and smoking, it will not kill you to enjoy a favorite unhealthy food once or twice a month. Just make sure you get it to go so that you will not order more after you finish a small portion.

Warnings

As with overcoming any addiction, you will need a lot of willpower.

Things You"ll Need

Cook books

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

2010-03-12T07:55:00.000-08:00

Complementary and Alternative Medicine s (CAM, in short) is a topic of common discussion these days. They say practices and products used or intended to be used for treating a patient that are not a part of the "standard care" are termed as complementary medicine or alternative medicine. Even in the USA where this discussion is very much to the fore, the list of practices and products that are considered complementary and alternative medicine is continually going through a change.

Some experts argue that use of term complementary medicine or alternative medicine is erroneous. They say there is no alternative medicine and as believers in science and evidence, we should talk of medicine that is adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective and medicine that has not been adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective. Whether the therapeutic technique is eastern or western is irrelevant; our focus should be on the patient and his disease or ailment. Practices and products that are presently CAM but are subsequently proven to be safe and effective get adopted in the conventional health care and are not considered complementary and alternative medicine anymore.

It is interesting to find that while the medical profession may not be happy about "non-standard" practices and products - CAM - the patients seem to be turning to complementary and alternative medicine in increasing numbers, as some surveys indicate. A survey in USA in 2002 found that 36% of Americans used alternative therapy such as yoga, meditation, herbal treatments in the past 12 months. In 1998, a BBC telephone survey in UK found about 20% adults used alternative medicine in the past 12 months. It was found that use of alternative medicine had increased by 30% from 1990 to 1997. These figures do not include use of prayers as alternative or complementary medicine as practiced by many people.

In USA it is found that the number of colleges offering courses in alternative medicine is increasing. Naturopathy and osteopathy also are finding wider acceptance in medical colleges and universities. They seem to adopt a balanced view that they neither reject conventional medicine nor adopt the alternative practices blindly.

It is obvious that medical products and practices that do not fall under the term "standard care" do have a significant influence on the society. It is a measure of recognition of this fact that in 1998, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established as the Federal Government"s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

We shall look into some of these issues regarding complementary and alternative medicine and try to understand what these various systems of treatment involve.

S. Phadke is a retired professional. He enjoys writing and has been writing articles on a variety of subjects such as Energy Conservation, Home Based Industries , Online Data Storage, Internet marketing, etc.

Presently he is preparing to write a series of articles on Health related issues and on CAM (Complimentary and Alternative Madicine)

He can be contacted at snphadke@gmail.com

Guide For Herbal Treatment Of Psoriasis

2010-03-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

Herbs might not cure psoriasis, but herbal treatment for psoriasis can be a smart way to help reduce your pain, inflammation, and itching. Herbs should not be used without first consulting your doctor, and they should never be used as a replacement to your traditional medications.

Talk with your doctor before you start taking any herbs. Although they are natural, not all herbs are safe. People with certain conditions and people taking certain medications should be especially careful of what herbs they take as herbs may interact with medicine. Other herbs are best in small doses.

Although no studies have been done, milk thistle is often used as an herbal treatment for psoriasis. People with psoriasis have unusual T-cell activation. Milk thistle is a known blocker of this. Milk thistle is to be taken internally, either in tablets or in liquid form. It is not suggested for people on antipsycotics or on male hormones.

Oregano oil is another herbal treatment for psoriasis. The oil can be found at many health food stores or ordered online. Oregano oil is helpful because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. It can be used topically or taken orally.

Turmeric can reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. It can be taken as a capsule or in spice form. It is one of the primary flavors of curry powder and can be used in cooking.

Pau d"arco is good for immunity in general and dermatitis in particular. It can be consumed as a tea or as a pill. Gotu kola is thought to improve broken skin.

While searching for more vitamins and herbs to use for herbal treatment of psoriasis, consider aloe, vitamin A, chamomile, bayberry, selenium, cayenne, and burdock.

Since stress can worsen your psoriasis, consider herbs that help relieve stress in addition to herbs that can help treat psoriasis. A cup of chamomile tea can help calm the nerves after a stressful day. Other people find success with St. John"s wort.

Herbs should not replace traditional medication nor a doctor"s care, but herbal treatment for psoriasis has its place in helping to reduce your symptoms, ease your pain, and control your psoriasis.

Yeast Infection Treatment Effective, Natural Remedy

2010-03-12T03:07:00.000-08:00

Article courtesy of Native Remedies

Are you itching to hear more about Candida?

Microscopic fungi or yeast occur naturally in the body and are present on all surfaces of the human body � inside and out. One of the most well-known fungal growths in the body is systemic Candida albicans.

Under normal circumstances, this fungus lives in balance with the other healthy bacteria in the body and causes no harm. However, correct balance of Candida and other digestive flora is important in maintaining health in many different body systems, as well as certain moist parts of your body such as the vagina, groin, ears, under nails, in skin folds, teeth cavities, and in the digestive tract.

A balanced pH level is the key to maintaining balanced systemic Candida infections. The body has a healthy ph (alkaline or acidity level) of 6.4 if measuring urine or saliva. Maintaining pH balance within the normal range � neither too acidic, nor too alkaline � is important to support normal levels of fungi, such as yeast (Candida).

The natural ability to keep conditions stable also depends greatly on the immune system, which also helps to support normal pH and maintain acid balance in the body. A healthy diet is the best way to help the immune system keep a healthy balance.

The natural way

A healthy body, with a strong immune system, balanced pH and balanced levels of probiotics (and Candida) in the system will be protected from infection. There are many natural ways to support the immune system such as diet, adequate sleep, moderate exercise, and relaxation. pH and systemic Candida levels can also be kept at appropriate levels by avoiding excess grains, dairy, sugar, dietary yeast and most processed foods in the diet. Raw vegetables should also be included in a healthy eating plan.

However, today�s modern lifestyle is filled with fast food, pollution, and stress. Over time, these factors can sometimes affect the regulation mechanisms of the body, particularly the body�s natural ability to keep Candida levels in check. To help you, we offer a free download of our Candida diet with every purchase of Candidate.

Acidophilus is a probiotic culture that is present in most yoghurt (especially organic sugar free yoghurt). This probiotic culture contains plenty of good bacteria and can help to support the immune system and maintain normal levels of yeast in the system. Yoghurt can also be used as an effective vaginal douche to help support balance in the vagina. (Hilton E, Isenberg HD, Alperstein P, et al. �Ingestion of yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus as prophylaxis for candidal vaginitis�. Ann Intern Med 1992;116:353�7).

Keeping the immune system healthy will also go a long way to reducing the need for conventional oral antibiotics which have been shown to have an effect on the natural balance of Candida in the body.

Natural remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to support the immune system, healthy balance of pH and balanced probiotics and yeast levels in the body. In more recent times, research has confirmed this traditional wisdom.

What is Candidate?

Candidate is a 100% safe, non-addictive natural herbal remedy formulated by our team of natural health experts. Candidate has been used for many years to safely support balanced and healthy levels of pH and bacteria in the body, thereby assisting the body in its natural ability to maintain routine levels of Candida.

By supporting pH levels and healthy probiotic growth, Candidate can help to maintain healthy levels of systemic Candida and yeast in the body.

How has Candidate helped others?

�...I started taking Candidate on Monday... I"m so amazed and thankful that your product worked so fast and well. Thank you!" -Lynne R.

�Candidate has helped me a lot ...After much research I took Candidate and ImmunityPlus, and also went on the recommended eating plan for a month. I am eating normally now except for sugar and junk food, and I feel like a young man again. I have started gardening... which is a real miracle for me!� -David

�...All day long my thoughts were focused on food, and I could NOT resist anything with sugar in it! I used to feel guilty, worthless, and weak. I have been taking Candidate for four weeks, and I can stay away from the sugar for the first time in my life! I can"t say THANK YOU enough!� -Lillian

Get more Information on Candidate for Candidiasis, Candida and Yeast Infection

Related Products:
* For those looking to supplement with an immune system tonic, visit Immunity Plus

Featured site(s) at Skeptic Ring

2010-03-12T02:34:00.000-08:00

I have taken a break from regular blogging since January this year, but there"s still a lot of good skeptical blogging and websites to read, and a lot of them is gathered together in the Skeptic Ring:

The Skeptic Ring consists of sites that examine claims about paranormal phenomena and fringe science from a skeptical point of view. These sites believe that such claims should be examined rationally and objectively. Topics include UFOs, psychic powers, ghosts, crop circles, astrology, telepathy, repressed memories, creationism, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, hypnosis, homeopathy, Reiki, TFT, nonexistent chiropractic subluxations, dowsing, and conspiracy theories. It is not an atheism ring or an anti-religion ring, since some believers can, in other areas, be skeptics....;-)

Anyone having a website with these topics have the possibility to join the webring by contacting the ringmaster Paul Lee. The ring have 162 active site(s) including Anne"s Anti-Quackery & Science Blog. I am very flattered to find AAQ&SB in company with Skeptico and The Skeptics Society and Skeptic Magazine as one of the featured site(s) at the Skeptic Ring, and here too.

Dr. William Hammesfahr is a quack, it is beyound doubt

2010-03-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

Dubious doctor touted as Nobel Prize nominee by Hannity, Scarborough

Fox News host Sean Hannity and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough both promoted Dr. William Hammesfahr�s false claim that he is a Nobel Prize nominee.

Hammesfahr, a Florida neurologist disciplined in 2003 by the Florida Board of Medicine who claims he can help Terri Schiavo, testified during an October 2002 court hearing on the Schiavo case that his claim to be a Nobel nominee is based on a letter written by Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-FL) recommending him for the prize. But Bilirakis is not qualified to make a valid nomination under the Nobel rules.

According to the process posted on the Nobel Prize website, the Nobel Assembly sends out invitations to approximately 3,000 people who are allowed to propose candidates. The 3,000 are "mainly members of the Nobel Assembly, previous prize winners, and a selection of professors at universities around the world."

Read more about the "Nobel Prize nominee" Dr. Hammesfahr here.

More about the Schiavo "Nobel Prize Nominated" Doctor

NewsMax reports that Dr. William Hammesfahr "believes that Terri Schiavo can recover with proper treatment." NewsMax � along with FOX, MSNBC, the National Review and Dr. Hammesfahr�s website � indicates that he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1999.

� if he had been truly nominated � he would be violating fundamental Nobel Foundation principles to say that. The 50 year vow of silence is up in 2049. But wait. There�s more.

The Tampa Tribune reported in 2003 that the Nobel Prize nomination was a letter written by Hammesfahr"s Congressman to the Nobel committee. The Nobel Prize website articulates the nomination procedure: a letter from a Congressman isn�t on the list. Does the Nobel Committee consider these "informal" nominations? In a word: no. (and a nod to News Hounds) The Florida court found Hammesfahr�s 2002 testimony in the Schiavo case to be anecdotal. A quick review of the handful of published research on his web site makes that judgment abundantly clear. It reminds me of the "doctor-by-mail-order" materials that land by the truckload in my parents� mailbox each month.

Read more here.

http://www.johnandkenshow.com/

Baby Sleep Problems Remedy

2010-03-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

If your little one is suffering from baby sleep problems, life can be very exhausting indeed. Sometimes it seems that baby just will not go to sleep, or not at any time when you can benefit from it. Try these tactics to help your baby to drop off to sleep quickly and peacefully.

Some babies will fall asleep to music. You could experiment with playing peaceful music quietly in the room. Many babies love being sung to, and a lullaby often works. You can also try reading repetitive stories or poems to the baby in a very calm voice, even if he or she is way too young to understand them.

Many babies feel secure when they are being rocked and you know how it can calm a baby to be walked around the room in your arms. Many babies will also fall asleep when they are walked in their stroller or driven in the car. It can be very frustrating to have baby sleep at these moments when you have no chance of sleeping yourself! But you could try putting baby in the stroller or the car and going for a very short trip.

You could also use a rocking crib for a newborn but look for one that can be fixed so it will not rock and only use the rocking facility when you need to. You do not want your baby to get used to it always moving when he or she moves. This would cause problems later when you want to transfer your growing child to a bed that does not rock.

Try not to transfer your anxiety about sleep to the baby. This can be hard to do when you are desperate for your child to doze off, but it is very important. The baby will feel your anxiety and associate it with sleep or night time, so that he or she becomes afraid to fall asleep or scared of the dark. This could cause sleep problems that continue long into childhood and even adulthood. Try to create the feeling that sleep is a pleasant and happy state to fall into and stay in, by keeping yourself as calm and happy as possible while you are trying to get your baby to sleep. Chill-out music may help you with your own emotional state.

If the current sleep routine that you are using is simply not working, consider making some changes either to the routine or to your lifestyle. You can try alternative times, have both parents put baby to bed together, change the baby"s feeding routine, walks, daytime naps or the time that you get up in the morning. Do not try to force your baby into a routine that only suits you - you may have a baby with a very different temperament to your own.

Finally, if these tips do not help, seek professional advice. It is important to know what is normal and what is not, and to get some help for serious baby sleep problems so that they do not affect your ability to care for your baby.

Welcome!

2010-03-11T17:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "Live 100 years"

This blog is designed for anybody that cares about their health, nutrition, beauty and well-being.

Here I will post extensive information about health conditions and diseases, health advice and why nutritional supplements and "Natural Health" can help you fight and prevent many diseases.

I believe that Natural Health is a positive alternative to cure or prevent diseases. Natural health is an eclectic self-care system of natural therapies concerned with building and restoring health and wellnes by working with the natural recuperative powers of the human body and the immune system through natural products.

His Noodly Appendage

2010-03-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

... is such a wonderful, delightful phrase.

I cannot say it - I cannot even read it - without a smile growing into a barely held in snort of laughter. I"m grinning like an idiot right now as I type, trying like hell not to just burst out in joyous laughter.

It"s not like I"ve just heard it for the first time - I"ve been aware of the FSM for ages, but it still amuses me no end.

Getting Rid of Pimples - Fast and Easy

2010-03-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Pimples are the worst thing you can get on your face they sit there and catch the eye of all your friends and family it is no wonder why they are so embarrassing. Well after suffering from acne for many years I know how it feels to have an overload of these on your face all at once so what is the best way of getting rid of pimples?

Well getting rid of pimples is easy providing you follow the right plan of action because generally you are not actually being told the whole truth about getting clear skin. There are so many acne myths out there but if you know what you are doing you can basically get rid of them overnight.

First of your all you need to eliminate dairy products for a few days because they contain hormones in them that can trigger the release of sebum in your body. Sebum is the main substance that is used in the creation of acne so limiting this is vital. Swap to soy products for similar benefits without the hormones until your pimples disappear.

Next you will need a topical treatment that you can get from your local drugstore for about $10 and it is called benzoyl peroxide. This treatment helps to oxygenate skin pores and allow them to breathe more easily so they do not clog and impurities are washed away so no more pimples can form.

Getting rid of pimples will take about 1 to 3 days as long as you follow the action plan and I also recommend washing your face with a cream based cleanser. This will help to get rid of any extra surface oils or impurities that lurk on your skin that will otherwise form acne.

If you are truly sick of your acne and want the truth once and for all follow the steps that completely cleared my skin, for more information visit - clear skin in 6 days.

Reprieve

2010-03-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

As you arrive at your next destination, a feeling of relief comes across you. Where is this...? Ah, it"s a Newsweek office. No major credulity here recently, and didn"t they also publish an interesting article about statistics recently?

You"re about to request a trip off to another locale - the atmosphere here is nice, but you have work to do - when a reporter rushes in shouting, "Mr. Jameson! Breaking news!"

A gruff man at a nearby desk spins around in his chair and asks, "Yeah? What is it? I haven"t got all day, you know!"

"Uh, sir, it seems that Scientologists are starting to claim that Tom Cruise has been imbued with the reincarnated soul of L. Ron Hubbard."

"So? Why should I care what those nutjobs are up to?"

"Because they"ve somehow hijacked multiple TV networks to broadcast this message," the reporter explains.

"What!?" Jameson exclaims. He motions to you. "You, whats-yer-name, turn on the TV!"

"Uh, yes sir," you say, and turn on a nearby television. True to the reporter"s word, Tom Cruise is on TV broadcasting his message.

This could be bad, you think to yourself. We can"t let the Scientologists get any more dupes. Could this night be their plan to do exactly that? But wait, didn"t Behe act like he had something to do with it as well?

It"s probably Behe behind all of this...

It"s probably Cruise behind all of this...

Herbal Medicines for Cataracts

2010-03-11T06:53:00.000-08:00

The lens, one of the eye"s primary focusing mechanisms, is located just behind the pupil. A normal lens is transparent, allowing light into the eye. Cataracts, however, renders a lens cloudy, making it difficult for the necessary light to enter. Although cataracts typically start in only one eye, both eyes usually become affected with time, causing either largely diminished sight or total blindness. Cataracts usually develop gradually many people don"t realize that they have the condition until they struggle to pass a vision test.

Cataracts is one of the world"s most common vision problems. In fact, approximately 16 million people worldwide are blind because of cataracts.

Age plays a significant role in the formation of cataracts-many people develop some clouding of the lens after age 60. Yet age isn"t the only cause. Diabetes mellitus, family predisposition, long-term use of corticosteroid drugs, and overexposure to ultraviolet rays can all lead to cataracts.
An eye injury can also cause cataract formation later in life. In rare instances, infants are born with cataracts or develop the condition shortly after birth.

Signs and Symptoms

Blurry or distorted vision in one or both eyes, which sometimes worsens in bright light

Appearance of "halos" of light around bright lights or lighted objects

Impaired night vision

Conventional Medical Treatment

An ophthalmologist tests for cataracts with a complete eye examination, a slit-lamp examination, and perhaps, ultrasonography to further evaluate the opacity of the lens. If the diagnosis is cataracts, glasses and contact lenses may be able to offer temporary help.

If your lack of vision begins to interfere with everyday activities, your physician may recommend cataract surgery. Under general or local anesthesia, the clouded lens is removed from the eye and, in most cases, replaced with an artificial one. The surgery, done on an outpatient basis, typically takes one hour. More than 98 percent of all cataract operations result in improved vision.

Complementary and Alternative Treatments

Nutrition and Supplementation
An important factor in cataract prevention is drinking water. Drink lots of filtered water; avoid fluoridated and chlorinated water. Eliminate dairy products and saturated fats, which promote the formation of free radicals and can damage the lens. Use only cold-pressed oils. Medical journals report an association between cigarettes and cataracts, probably because smoking generates free radicals.

Nutritionists recommend the following daily supplements:

Most Important

copper (3 mg)-important for proper healing and, along with manganese, retards the growth of cataracts
manganese (10 mg taken separate from calcium)
glutathione (as directed on label)-helps maintain a healthy lens; slows the progression of cataracts
vitamin A (25,000 to 50,000 IU; do not exceed 8000 IU if you are pregnant)-vital for normal vision
mixed carotenoid formula (as directed on label)-a precursor of vitamin A
vitamin B1 (thiamine) (50 mg)-important for intracellular eye metabolism
vitamin C with bioflavonoids (3000 mg 4 times daily)-a free radical destroyer
itamin E (400 IU)-helps arrest and reverse cataract formation
zinc (30 mg, not to exceed a total of 100 mg from all supplements)-protects against light induced damage

Also Recommended
selenium (400 mcg)-destroys free radicals
riboflavin (50 mg)-a deficiency has been linked to cataracts
(Consult your healthcare provider regarding the duration of treatment)
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture In treating cataracts, the acupuncturist usually pinpoints Bladder 1, Stomach 1, Large Intestine 4, and Triple Warmer 6, along with related auricular points and associated points, following a complete diagnosis.
Acupressure Cataracts can be treated by firmly massaging the acupressure points around the eye socket and on the cheeks, forehead, and temple.
Chinese Herbal Therapy The herbal formula Dendrobium Moniliforme Night Sight Pills also may be prescribed for cataracts. Because Traditional Chinese Medicine attributes most eye disorders to liver dysfunction, an herbalist may also prescribe tonics to strengthen this organ and improve the flow of chi within the liver meridian.

About the Author
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creation and existence

2010-03-11T05:27:00.000-08:00

If you assert that everything that exists must have a creator, then you assert that either god does not exist or god in turn had a creator.

If you instead agree that at least some things don"t have a creator, then there is no need to posit a creator at all.

Give me a break

2010-03-11T05:26:00.000-08:00

Sci-fi has done some really good shows. Farscape and Battlestar Galactica both come to mind. Unfortunately, they also have a penchant for really crappy movies with at best B-grade actors and some CGI monster of the week. Giant insects, giant snakes, giant worms from the depths of the sea, etc. Usually with about five people trapped in some remote location trying to not get eaten, except most of them do.

This week"s pile of crap is Mansquito. I can"t decide if that sounds more like a crappy sci-fi movie, or some sort of sci-fi porn movie.

Probiotic Acidophilus

2010-03-11T04:45:00.000-08:00

I"m really excited about a range of probiotic acidophilus I"ve added to our online health shop. What is particularly good about them is that there are different formulas for different problems. There"s one for stomach bloating, another one for diarrhoea, and another one to take before you go on an exotic holiday.

There"s also one for babies and children. Reserahc has shown that many small children don"t have the right gut flora, particularly children with eczema. This vanilla flavoured sachet is easy for them to take and is very effective. Check out the full range of probiotic acidophilus here.

Here comes Africa!

2010-03-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

well, it"s now the day before my African trip - I"m raising money for WaterAid on a cycle ride from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam. I"m really excited and flying round trying to get everything ready and leave the business in the best possible shape for while I"m away.

There"s been a flurry of last minute sponsors which is just so heartening, so that we"re now over �4300 - less than �700 to go.

Got my homeopathic travel kit ready and now just the last few things to do before I set out tomorrow.

No blog till I return ....

Natural Remedy For Constipation

2010-03-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

Anyone can have constipation whatever your race is. It can afflict all walks of life. Constipation is an accumulation of waste matter in the body because of wrong diet and improper lifestyle.

Eating foods that is low fiber and foods which are not nutritious and are devitalized are the culprit. Lack of muscular tone in the bowels, improper mastication of food, meat diet, too many varieties of food at one meal, eating food that is too concentrated, using coffee, tea, and liquor of all kinds must be avoided; Irregular habits of attending to the call of nature, sedentary life, and lack of exercise are other contributing factors to this almost universal ailment.

The life giving properties which would aid digestion are removed from the foods we eat, or are spoiled by improper cooking and wrong combinations. Excessive use of drugs and patent medicines is a frequent cause of constipation, tumors, etc.

The symptoms of constipation are coated tongue, foul breath, backache, headache, mental dullness, depression, insomnia, loss of appetite, and various pains. In infants, they are irritable and cross if bowels are irregular.

To treat constipation, you must regulate the diet. Take high enemas of red raspberry leaves, wild cherry bark or leaves, or bayberry bark, using one heaping teaspoonful to a quart of water. This is a very good disinfectant and stimulant to bring back the peristaltic action of the colon. Take an enema every evening.

Eat foods as dry as possible. If food is eaten dry and thoroughly saturated with saliva, it is a wonderful help to lubricate the bowels, it will make the system alkaline, and will greatly increase the rapidity of digestion.

Do your drinking one hour before or two to three hours after eating. Drinking with meals is not advisable. No liquid of any kind should be taken with the meals. Eat freely of fresh and stewed fruits, apples, figs, peaches, oranges, bananas, blueberries, selecting the fruits that agree best with you. But fruits and vegetables should not be eaten at the same meal.

How To-85: "How to make Natural Mood-Enhancing Baths"

2010-03-10T21:48:00.000-08:00

How to Make Natural Mood Enhancing Baths

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Feel better and up your spirits with these mood-enhancing baths. Find the all-natural ingredients right in your cupboard!

Ingredients

For bath #1:

1/4 cup of pure vanilla extract

For bath #2:

1 handful of pine needles
1 pair of old panty hose

Steps

Add 1/4 cup of pure vanilla extract to a warm bath. Relax and enjoy.
Change things up.
Gather up a handful of pine needles and set them aside.
Cut the foot off of an old pair of panty hose (to make a nylon bag) or use a sachet bag.
Place the pine needles in the nylon or sachet.
Take the bag and tie it around or hang it from the faucet and let the pine hydrate under running bath water.

Tips

Vanilla has the ability to lift spirits and revive.
You can combine the two baths or use them individually.

Warnings

Do not use these baths if you are allergic to pine or vanilla.

Related wikiHows

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

My current research project (fall 06) - Electrophysiology and stereotypes...

2010-03-10T20:45:00.000-08:00

Since I am doing the "C-course" in psychology at Lund University, I am expected to carry out a research project. I was lucky to be allowed to use the rather new EEG lab that has been set up. This allowed me to do an experiment that I have been thinking about since the spring but which I have not had the chance to do until now

So what is my project about? I am actually trying to do something as sexy as measuring peoples" stereotypes using EEG. An EEG (see picture) measures the electrical activity that the brain generates. This electrical activity differs depending on what the brain is doing. If you are sleepy the brain will start to generate what is referred to as alpha waves (a funny consequence of this is that you can actually see when your subjects are starting to get fed up with your experiment), if you are dead there will be a straight line, an epileptic seizure is characterized by wild activity etc etc. In fact, the brain also generates characteristic wave patterns in response to certain events, these patterns are called event-related potentials or ERPs.

In my experiment I am looking at a specific wave called the N400, N because it is a negative deflection, and 400 because it occurs 400 milliseconds after the stimuli was presented. The N400 appears when our brain perceives something unexpected. For example, when the brain hears a sentence such as "Jack took the bus to town to meet some of his boxershorts", the brain says, wrooong!! (an N400 wave appears). Similarly, if famous faces from different occupations e.g. Robert De Niro and Billy the clown, are presented serially, the N400 also appears, thus suggesting that our brain has recognized that these two stimuli did not belong to the same category.

I am reasoning that stereotype incongruency, that is, things that go against your stereotype, will also elicit this N400 component. To test this prediction I have obtained a collection of attractive and unattractive faces as well as a collection of negative and positive words. Presumably the N400 component will appear when I present to my participants an attractive face followed by a negative word, or conversely an unattracitve face followed by a positive word. The reason I believe so is that there is a lot of evidence suggesting that we associate attractive faces with positive characteristics and unattractive faces with negative characteristics. To be continued...

I"m a Tool (or 5.5 Months Until Graduation)

2010-03-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

So, the program that I"m at primarily regards its fellows as tools... Tools to get vaginal swabbing done. Tools to help with the call schedule. Tools to do the resident education for obstetrical topics, etc.

Our education is such a low priority that there has not been an MFM fellows" lecture series. It"s such a low priority that when there are interesting grand rounds or speakers, the attendings will often expect us to cover their resident protected time or clinical activities so that they can go. I try to give them a little slack, because they only have 3 MFMs (for 5700 deliveries and an ultrasound unit).

Our education is such a low priority at this institution that I"m essentially a self-taught MFM.

It"s kind of a malignant place, in a lot of ways. They"ve totally broken the educational social contract of graduate medical education. You know, the understood bit about us helping out the department and attendings at a very low rate of pay (~$46k if you want to know) in exchange for education? Our educational needs/wants are dismissed under the guise of "Learn to be an independant life-long learner!". We can get called in on no notice for a 10 minute meeting on a Saturday that has no identifiable purpose other than to prove that we had a meeting.

Having said this, the most recent event takes the cake. It is no surprise that we are required to defend our thesis prior to graduation. Ok... whatever.

But imagine my surprise when I get an email one night that says basically, "Your defense is in a week" (apparently that was a convienient time for the attendings). So, I spend 24 hours in a near-panic, until I get an email that says "Oh, never mind, it"s in May....".

Now, I just need to manage not to quit for long enough to graduate!

You know, the people here seem to think I"m a disappointment because I didn"t choose to go into academic medicine. Had my experience here been better, I might have stayed in academics.

In all fairness, the department has deteriorated to this level likely as a result of the demoralization and burnout of the few remaining attendings. I don"t feel that this is an excuse for creating an environment uncondusive to learning, but it is probably the main factor.

For all of you looking at training programs right now, my advice is this: STAY AWAY from programs that don"t have enough attendings to do the work!!

O"Reilly to commit career suicide

2010-03-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Against all reason, Bill O"Reilly has agreed to appear on The Colbert Report this Thursday, and he"s let Stephen Colbert appear on The O"Reilly Factor. What could he possibly be thinking?

Well, maybe he"s thinking that The Colbert Report is serious again. I wouldn"t put it past him.

On the other hand, judging by his past actions, O"Reilly does seem to have a tendency to make the worst possible publicity move. Maybe he just decided it"s been long enough since he made a complete ass of himself.

This isn"t to say I"m not gleeful that this is happening, I"m just slightly baffled. Ah well, not that it matters. Fare thee well, Bill O"Reilly"s career.

It"s Time To Take Alternative Medicine

2010-03-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

Charles is right! Time to take alternative medicine seriously
Khaleej Times - Dubai,United Arab Emirates

... This prompted Prince Charles, a longtime supporter of alternative medicine to include in a speech he made to the World Health Organisation, a plea to orthodox ...

East Meets West
Valley Advocate - Easthampton,MA,USA

... 2002 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, more than one-third of Americans have used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM ...

Alternative medicine advocate to talk in Novi
Detroit Free Press - United States...

Natural health treatments -- also known as holistic or alternative medicine -- are said to help with everything from PMS to cancer. ...

Homemade remedies a popular, but risky, alternative for many
...Sun-Sentinel.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL,USA

... 36 percent of adults in the United States employ home remedies, according to a 2004 survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. ...

Alternative cancer treatments growing
Munster Times - Munster,IN,USA

... Research by the National Institutes of Health found about 50 percent of adults have used complementary and alternative medicine, not including prayer. ...

More seek alternative medicine
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Wilkes Barre,PA,USA

... Nope. These days, it�s not easy being seen. That is one of the reasons alternative medicine has gotten so hot in the past decade or so. ...

Herbal Remedies For Cough

2010-03-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Coughing is an essential action to help clear the airways and throat. However, there are instances wherein cough suggests a symptom of an underlying condition usually obstruction in the respiratory tract. Coughing is a clear skin that the body is functioning properly because of the fact that it can defend the body from irritants coming from the lungs, throat, and other structures in the respiratory tract. There are times when coughing is caused by environmental irritants like smoke, dust, and other allergens.

In ayurveda, cough is termed as Kaasa roga, a Kapha (water) illness, a common problem caused by irritation or stress of the Kapha Dosha. In this belief, it is caused by poor digestion wherein the food not properly absorbed by the body is changed into ama (Ayurveda: mucus). This ama combined with different motions and passages causes cough upon reaching the respiratory system.

Based on the ayurvedic theory there are five varieties of cough namely kaphaja, pittaja, vataja, kshayaja, and kshataja. Each type of cough has its own identifying characteristics, causative factors, and their own treatment depending on what caused the coughing.

Herbal Remedies for Cough

* The bark of bay berry (myrica nagi) turned into powder is one effective treatment for coughs caused by long-term bronchitis.

* Leaves of Betel (piper betle) are one of the most effective herbal remedies for coughing. Preparation requires crushing the leaves and adding water until the leaves are of paste consistency. It is specifically applied on the chest.

* Leaves of Butea (butea monosperma) are used in treating cough due to septic and sore throats. Solution is prepared by boiling leaves in water and using the water as mouthwash in order to benefit from its healing properties.

* For coughs caused by a swollen pharynx, characterized by irritation of the throat is usually treated by means of clove (Syzygium aromaticum).

* The humble garlic used for saut�ing is one of the most essential herbal remedies for cough particularly whooping cough (pertussis). Usual dosage is 2-3 garlic pieces taken twice or thrice daily.

Other good herbal remedies:

* Treat Cough with Mullein: Mullein is considered as one of the best herbs for cough in Eastern United States.

This is primarily because this herb has no known toxicity content. It is usually taken in the form of tincture and teas. Native dried mullein can also be used as tobacco to treat asthma and bronchitis.

* Cough and Marshmallow root: Marshmallow root provides for a soothing relief for people suffering from severe coughing and other bronchial problems.

Marshmallow root is now available at herb stores in liquid extract, powder, tincture, and cream form.

* Peppermint Treatment: Peppermint has a natural cooling and warming effect that is very effective in treating coughs, colds, and fever. Peppermint has decongestant and astringent actions that relieve stuffiness and congestion. It is available in the form of tea, lozenges, and oils.

* Wild cherry bark for Cough: Wild cherry bark is a natural expectorant that can flush out phlegm. This herb is commonly used to treat coughs associated with phlegm and congestion.
Boil 4 ounces of wild cherry bark in a 500ml water. Simmer it on low heat for an hour. Drink 1 to 3 teaspoon for cough treatment.

* Thyme for Cough: The extracted oil thymol of thyme is used as an antibiotic and expectorant. In fact, this herb is commonly used in most commercial cough syrup formulation. Thyme in syrup, tincture, tea, and oil form is very effective in treating coughs.

Home Remedies for Cough - In addition to herbal remedies, there are still home remedies for cough that makes use of common cooking ingredients usually present in the kitchen of many homes. This includes ginger, honey, pepper, and figs.

Due to multiple of probabilities in developing cough; it is highly essential that everyone should be informed on the simplest and most common home and herbal remedies for cough. This is precautionary so as to prevent you from rushing directly to a local drugstore or the doctor"s clinic in search for a cure to stop the coughing episodes.

About the Author
The author is the owner of www.herbalmeds4u.com. For more information about Herbal Remedies for Cough visit www.herbalmeds4u.com/remedies/cough.aspx.