Alternative Health, Alternative Medicine

Aloe Vera

2010-03-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Aloe Vera

Primordial in Africa, Aloe Vera also known as "lily to deserts", "plant immortality", and "plant medicine". The Name was derived by Arabic aloe meaning "bitter" because of bitter liquid discovered on sheet. Recorded use Aloe Vera on payment blazes, infections and hindrances returns insofar Egiptyane approximately through 1500 B.C. There is over 500 types aloe, growing worldwide. The Ancient Greeks, Arabs and Spaniard used the plant for all millennium. The African huntsmans still rub gel in their bodies as dezodorator/anti-perspirant.

Advance Study Aloe Vera

The Extended study for the first time since 1930"s has shown become clear issue dramatic advantage helium being fixed on defensive layer on unnatural area, accelerating healing factor. The Root of the plant aloe is also used as processing for colics. Since food addition, Aloe Vera speak that relieve the digestion, help on shelters and lymphatic circulations, and raise the function a liver, bud and bilious bubble. Fluid processing of health, used Aloe Vera and the other herbs have proved;proven useful for raised colitis and peptic ulcers. The Spoken administration of the extract Aloe Vera for 6 months produced the good result in processing the asthma. The Exception was that extract was not efficient on patient hung from corticosteroids. The Results of the experimental studies in rat and mouse remind to Aloe Vera could be efficient, as currently so and directly, on processing the diabetic cankers of the leg, as well as showing sugar to reduce the blood effect both in normal and chemical generated diabetic mouse. The Aloe Vera has shown the big promise as anti-bacterial and anti-viral substance. Acemannan, Present in Aloe Vera , has shown to promote the result in early processing the virus of the FACILITIES.

Use Aloe Vera

The Aloe Vera is used today for processing of the same term this on traditions is used for. That term include the constipation, as well as small reductions and burns. In India, Aloe Vera was also used as remedy for intestinal infections and given male.The Aloe Vera is a remedy for; Wounds, Cankers, Burns, Asthma, Diabetes.

The Aloe Vera Includes:

The Aloe vera plant is nearly 96% water. The Remaining portion this contains the active components such as, essential oil, amino acid, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glycoproteins. The Constituents, which produce cathartic effects purgative latex aloe known as anthraquinone glycosides. The Aloe Vera contains at least once three anti-inflammatory fat acids, which useful for gastric, small intestine and colons. The Aloe Vera naturally alkali digestive juice to be prevented on acidity - a total reason of the indigestion. Acemannan - newly discovered composition in aloe vera, which prepares to its abilities to intensify the natural resistance of the body. The Results have indicated acemannan can raise the firm system.

Pain Fighting Strategies For Fibromyalgia Sufferers That Work

2010-03-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

You know the pain, you know the trigger points, you know the fatigue that compounds the pain. You have probably spent a good amount of time in bed trying to deal with the pain, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, etc. But do you know some key strategies to fighting this terrible condition that affects millions of people? There are actions you can take to fight back against this terrible condition. Yes, you can eliminate the symptoms of fibromyalgia and it is possible to live life again pain free.

Let"s talk diet. Yes, I know that is a painful word in and of itself. There are many people out there who talk about different diets that can work for Fibromyalgia sufferers. A low carb high protein diet is a way to fight back against the painful condition of Fibromyalgia. It is also useful for other inflammatory conditions. Eating right will help your body provide an optimal environment for your body to fight against the awful pain associated with Fibromyalgia. Make sure that you avoid white processed foods, such as bread, refined sugar, etc. Also stay away from caffeine and alcohol. These can exacerbate your symptoms and make your pain worse.

In addition to talking about a low carb, high protein diet however, there is optimal health diets that really work at getting your body back in sync and getting you back on track. This diet focuses on giving your body the nutrition it needs at the cellular level while allowing your body to get rid of the built up toxins that are destroying it.

What is talking about diet without exercise? Yes, exercise can also provide incredible benefits to the Fibromyalgia sufferer. It is a great way to alleviate stress and is great helping you get your blood circulation on track. Exercise helps our bodies keep muscle tone and fight against fibromyalgia in many ways. Sleep is also a great by-product of exercise and we sufferers of Fibromyalgia know how important sleep can be. Fibromyalgia sufferers need to be careful what type of exercises they are engaging in and should seek the counsel of a health advisor with this. Yoga is one therapeutic exercise that has many Fibromyalgia sufferers jumping for joy.

Relaxation and meditation are also great for people wishing to rid themselves of the chronic painful condition of Fibromyalgia. Although these may not entirely cure your Fibromyalgia, there are studies that say these help aid the body to recovery and relax the mind and anxiety generally associated with the condition. This too helps with easing the pain. The more relaxed you are, the less pain you are in. Massage therapy is also an added tool in the fight against Fibromyalgia pain.

Fibromyalgia is a terribly painful condition that can be helped with these simple steps and dedication to a integrative program consisting of detoxification, rejuvenation, and maintenance. There are many natural alternatives and approaches to fighting this debilitating and painful condition. You can start to enjoy life again and live pain free.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Your Healthy Skin

2010-03-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

Everybody wants to have healthy skin. Mostly healthy skin tend to be cosmetic in nature � healthy skin is beautiful, and keeps us looking younger than our years � there are practical health benefits to maintaining the health of our skin.

The reason of the skin is to act as a barrier. It serves to prevent bacteria, viruses and other contaminants from entering the body and causing infection, illness and disease. There are so many vitamins and minerals that help to keep skin healthy, and thus able to serve its vital role in the protection of the body.

Antioxidant vitamins, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are very important to healthy skin because it is these vitamins that share in the responsibility of controlling the damage that free radicals, byproducts of energy production within the body and of environmental contaminants, produce.

Among the several types of damage done by free radicals is the destruction of collagen and elastin, which are fibers that support the skin. As these are damaged, wrinkles and a lack of that youthful firmness can occur. Vitamin C also plays a part in the production of collagen, making it essential to the function and look of the skin. Recent studies have found that Vitamin C and E, used together may help to repair sun-damaged skin.

Vitamin A has its own important role in skin health and beauty, in addition to its anti-oxidant properties. In terms of diet, even small deficiencies can negatively affect skin, causing flakiness and dryness.

Dryness can make lines and wrinkles that much more apparent. Its primary use, however, is as a topical solution for the treatment of severe acne and the reduction of lines and wrinkles themselves. Recent research has found that a topical solution that contains both Vitamin A and Vitamin C can, in some cases, reverse damage done by the aging process and by sun-damage.

Deficiencies in the Vitamin B complex can leave the skin prone to cracking, bleeding and dangerous skin lesions, that allow all manner of bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to easily enter the body. But in terms of strictly cosmetic concerns, even a little shortage of the Vitamin B complex can result in scaly and poorly textured skin. Topical preparations have been found to play an important role in the hydrating of skin cells, leading to noticeably firmer, healthier looking skin.

Vitamin K has been found to relieve those awful dark circles under the eyes. Some research has found that creams made up of both Vitamin K and Vitamin A are more effective than those that just contain Vitamin K, but researchers are still following up on these results.

Minerals important to the look and health of the skin include selenium, copper and zinc. Selenium, whether used as a topical solution or taken in the form of a dietary supplement is thought to play a role in the prevention of skin cancer. Copper, zinc and Vitamin C work together to form elastin, which helps to support skin, keeping it firm and healthy.

Topical solutions and dietary supplements can help to keep skin healthy and youthful in appearance. However, it is important to recognize that these are powerful substances, and using them within the standard guidelines of dosage is essential to good health. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and the results of too much are not pretty. Used correctly, however, your skin can look better than ever.

Best Ways To Cure Back Acnes

2010-03-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Acne is fast becoming a common occurence in both teenagers and grown-ups. People often think of acne which occurs on the face because that is where it is commonly noticed. However, as many acne sufferers know, the face is not only the area where acne can develop.

Other areas where acne can occur are the chest and the back. Unfortunately, chest and back acne are often harder to treat compared to those on the face. This means that products that one usually uses to treat facial acne might not be as effective as acne on the chest and on the back. Further, since the back is always in contact with the clothes (and other materials which could irritate the skin), this could worsen the condition of the acne further.

Treating back acne is similar to how one would treat facial acne. For example, one has to stick to a daily skin regimen for treatment, consisting of cleanser and moisturizer. However, applying medication on back acne could be more difficult compared to facial acne.

The clothes that you wear could be worsening your back acne condition. For example, tight or rough clothing rubs against the skin on your back and cause skin irritation. Also, the sweat from the tight clothes could cause excessive oil production by the skin. This eventually results in acne breakouts on the back.

In addition to clothes, we could also figure out the other things that could be causing back acne. For example, heavy backpacks that are worn across the shoulders and the upper back could aggravate back acne conditions. If you have acne on the areas in the shoulders and the upper back, you should consider stop using a backpack. A good alternative would be a shoulder bag. Once your back acne clears up, you could then use the backpack again.

The first step to treat back acne is to determine the severity of the acne"s condition so that the appropriate treatment could be given. The degree of "seriousness" of back acne could be characterized into three types - mild, moderate or severe. Additionally, one should also determine the type of skin - oily, dry or combination of both. This is important because different skin types show different reaction to acne medication.

Jamie Lockwood finally succeeded in removing his decade-long acne problems. Read how he did it at his blog at http://acnejamie.blogspot.com

The Best Acne Treatment Always Follows One Simple Rule - Learn How To Be 100 Percent Acne Free

2010-03-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

Let"s face it - Acne is annoying! It"s the number one skin condition and affects millions of people. The bad news - most people never get rid of their zits. The good news - You can have 100% clear skin with the best acne treatment.

Getting rid of acne isn"t all that hard once you understand what you must look for in a treatment. There"s one important rule you must follow: You have to treat all the causes of acne in order to eliminate it for good.

When you go into the drugstore you can find dozens of different products that claim to help get rid of pimples. The problem is that these products just don"t work. They try to get rid of one zit at a time instead of treating acne at the root of the problem.

Ok, so let"s look at what causes zits. This way we know what the best acne treatment will have to treat.

1) Excess Oil On Your Skin - If your sebaceous glands (skin glands) are overactive and produce too much oil, this extra oil clogs up your pores and causes breakouts.

So what does this mean? You need to use a treatment that eliminates the excess oil, unclogs you pores and controls future oil production. This might sound like a lot of things, but the best acne treatment accomplishes all of this by working as a "system" to attack zits from all angles.

2) Acne-Causing Bacteria - Studies have shown specific types of bacteria to responsible for causing acne. This bacteria can"t be killed just by using any soap out there - you need a treatment that specifically targets this bacteria and destroys it before it does any damage.

3) Inflammation of the skin - This is one of the biggest causes of breakouts that almost all the acne products seem to ignore. When you have inflammation of the skin, your skin cells are too busy trying to fight off this problem to be able to also fight off pimples.

Even worse, acne looks a lot worse if you have inflammation. The big, bright, fiery red zits or patches you sometimes see are a direct result of inflammation.

Many people don"t even know they have inflammation since it can happen "under the skin" and can be difficult to see. However, it is absolutely critical that you treat inflammation to be sure that you are attacking your acne from all angles. Many people see a drastic improvement simply by treating their skin for inflammation.

To find the best acne treatment for you, make sure it treats all of the above causes. It"s the only way you can truly cure your acne and get the clear skin you want. If you want a head start in finding the best ones out there, check out the reviews at http://www.fastacnetreatments.com.

Remember not to be discouraged if you have tried certain products that haven"t worked in getting rid of your pimples. 95% of the products out there don"t actually treat the causes of acne therefore they don"t work in the long-run. However, I promise once you find the best acne treatment for yourself, you will look in the mirror and see the perfect skin you want. All the best!

Want to know the best acne treatment? Learn how to clear your acne in just a few days by Clicking Here.

emotions and biology

2010-03-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

I"ve just posted two interesting articles by Tom Harrison on http://www.mytherapypractice.com:

Depression & Obesity Go Hand in Hand
by Tom Harrison
People who are "fat but happy" are likely the exception rather than the rule. Read more on this at:
http://www.mytherapypractice.com/psychology_emotions/depression_obesity.html

and

Early Childhood Neglect Leaves Biological Mark
Children who are deprived of a loving caregiver in their early years may experience abnormal activity of vasopressin and oxytocin, two hormones essential to forming social bonds and achieving emotional intimacy. Here"s the full article:

http://www.mytherapypractice.com/psychology_emotions/early_childhood_neglect.htm

Reproductive practice

2010-03-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

In this Introduction, i will briefly review how quality of life came
to assume such importance in health care and reproductive practice
and policy. We will then discuss some of the conceptual and ethical issues
raised by attempts to measure health-related quality of life and
to use such measures in the evaluation of health care interventions.
Next, we will examine the bearing of these issues on the current rethinking
of disability, a category that has been widely associated with
poor quality of life. We will describe the tension that has arisen between
the emerging understanding of disability as an interaction between
health and nonhealth conditions and environmental factors, and
the effort to systematically measure health-related quality of life. Finally,
wewill preview the discussions of these issues by the contributors to this
volume.

Deppresion Mood

2010-03-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

Depression is referred to a downturn in mood. This "mood" is usually transitory and is usually caused by something trivial. Depression is another way of term for being sad, feeling blue, discouraged, hopeless or "down in the dumps"Depression is often the result of many factors. These factors join together to cause feelings of depression or may have the same results when experienced

Alcoholism - the Sucker of the Life!

2010-03-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

Many, probably, not even consider it as illness which can be noticed as ignorance. This propensity to alcohol has very old relations with people. Some of these changes in alcohol are so exotic, that they were exported by kings and queens to suppress their thirst.

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This illness not can be is taken slightly as it is very fatal and can be described as illness of the murderer. Many cosume alcohol, but it is impossible to reach such stage where alcohol starts to absorb you. You release the feelings under the influence of alcohol which can be manipulated as dangerous business. Everyone starts to consume alcohol for the various reasons, once the pleasure, sometimes to grieve and once social pressure. It can be also for other reasons as genetic, psychological and many other social factors which does it even more more deadly.

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Propensity has spoilt the generations, the broken families and has created a devastation in a life. It - also a primary factor for half of transport deadly cases.

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Some of the fundamental reasons of to be the alcoholic or took a great interest in the alcoholic,

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1. Isolation can be considered as blessing for them as it is one of the reasons for drink.

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2. Vymaryvanie the text and not storing of things become very much the general factor.

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3. The usual life goes beserk as normal things of interest and actions do not seem that interesting more.

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4. You always feel belief to drink and when this which, happens, does not become very irritable.

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5. Presence of alcohol about you is one of persuasive requirements which you have.

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6. Napivanie to feel normal and presence of alcohol with only convinces to drink.

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7. You can notice also cancellation syndromes in the body as a nausea, sweating and shivering.

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Propensity to alcohol changes the person completely. You become so dependent to chemical which creates an adrenaline impulse to your brain. At alcohol drink there is a chemical instability which wins concept of prohibition and glutamate which raises your nervous system and operates as a stimulator.

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Some of other factors which propensities of alcohol lead, also

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The genetic: it is a lot of components when it is united create problems for the person. One of them being genetic association of that person coming from. If the person has a generation of people which take a great interest in alcohol or vulnerability then, they are people who have fallen a victim of an alcoholism.

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Emotions: They play very important role with effect of alcohol. Pressure, happiness, grief, pleasure and many other emotions create influence with quantity of alcohol which needs to be had.

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Psychological influences: Depression and factors as low self-respect create a window for alcohol. Session with another
People who drink, can be one of the reasons to create drink habit.

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Social and Cultural factors: the Social drinking can appear also the firm cores drinking. The designation, charm, and pressure of the peer all can lead to drink. Messages from mass-media also create influence.

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Age not a bar. As people start to take now sips at very early age. As soon as you start to abuse alcohol in earlyage, it is very difficult to get rid of it. Researches have shown, that men are inclined to be alcoholics in comparison with women.
Kress

Takes care of pregnant from depression

2010-03-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

Tiffani Field PhD from Universitas of Miami Medical School lays open, existence of influence between mothers which depression and chlid borne by it. Based on research done during 20 years, s(he finds that mother experiencing weight depression as result of alteration of mood or alteration of physical of during pregnancy, will bear children having high stres hormone rate. Besides, sensitive brain activity to depression and alteration of mood, shows a few expressions and experiences other depression symptom, like difficult to eat and sleep.

Dangerous again, if(when depression symptoms at newborn baby not soon is handled, child of rounding into chlid that is is happy not. They difficult to learn run, body weight is less, and not responsive to others. If(when this situation still is not overcome, chlid will grow to become balita which depression. When strarting school, they experience behaviour problem, like aggresive and stres easy to.

Tiffani also mentions that depression cause at pregnancy mother can be triggered by existence of problems at contents of like light content, often puking in the early of content, and other problems of which able to cause depression. mother would be continuous worryed of situation of child and this will make s(he to com under pressure.

Depression earns also is experienced by after the mother to bear its(the baby. In United States, around 30% from new mother borne anticipated to experiences depression pascamelahirkan.

Ms. and chlid experiencing depression must get help of the professionals. Required consultancy with medical doctor child and psikolog chlid. More and more quickly help is given, more and more big possibility that chlid will grow normal. Other therapy, like massage, also proven good to overcoming depression, good for child and also mother. But, this also must with observation from medical doctor.

Important, Tiffani suggests, this healing effort must be done at mother and baby. Didn"t only baby therapy, whereas mother is let more and more depressed in depression or on the contrary. Ms. and baby must cooperate to overcome its(the depression. Father also must stand is active in assisting healing of people closest this.

Here, the role of husband to mother is being containing and after delivering birth very big. Ms. pregnancy must get maximum support from husband. This husband support from can be shown variously, like giving calmness to wife, assists some of works of wife or merely giving light massage if(when wife feels stiff.

Expected, with total support from from husband, wife can pass a period of its(the pregnancy with feeling likes and far from depression which can cause is same to chlid which in containing it.

At the time of baby be awaited has borned, the role of husband who now becomes a father of course is expected to become increasingly active. Father and mother must share duty in mothering and takes care of small si. Doesn"t all treatment of baby is delivered to mother. This can make depression mother because its(the physical has not is convalesce after delivering birth, added new fatigue in taking care of the ducky.

Closed Set

2010-03-15T02:40:00.000-07:00

(click image for larger version)

It"s not the message, it"s the messaging

2010-03-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

Your liberal media at work.

Not all Christians need to lie about science

2010-03-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

An article appeared in the Vatican newspaper written by professor of evolutionary biology Fiorenzo Facchini:

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican newspaper has published an article saying "intelligent design" is not science and that teaching it alongside evolutionary theory in school classrooms only creates confusion.

We live in the 21st century and I am glad that some Christians are able to recognize Intelligent Design as fraud and accept evolution as the key of history of life on earth.

Advocates of ID claim without any evidence that a designer has created life, but evolution is the only explanation, which is consistent with the evidence.

I am the monkey king

2010-03-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was sitting down to eat breakfast, and turned on C-SPAN as I occasionally do. This should tell you two things about me. One, I am such a television addict that I don"t even eat breakfast without it on, and, two, I"m really a nerd.

The topic for the last hour or so of Washington Journal was Intellegent Design. The first guest was a reporter who talked a bit about ID in general and Kansas"s recent decent back into the Middle Ages. The next guest was the scientific laughingstock Michael Behe, which is when I turned the set off in disgust. Watching the archive on the C-SPAN website (yes, really, I"m a nerd) there was a third guest, Matthew Chapman, a descendant of Charles Darwin who wrote Trials of the Monkey. There are, apparently, no actual scientists in Washington.

The best part of the show is the people who call in. It"s a strange combination of laughing at all nutty people out there, and being frightened that, really, there all these nutty people out there. Today was no exception. One caller:

It"s really frightening to see how far our country has fallen with this debate. There was a time in our country when the Bible was taught in schools... I"m thirty-five years old, and since I"ve graduated from high school, the public school system has become a war zone. And there"s nothing wrong with teaching Intelligent Design. In fact, if anything I think maybe it"s going to educate students and educate children to maybe look into the Bible, maybe look into some other form of religion and find a meaning. There"s too many children out there, they don"t know why they"re here. If you"ve got something like evolution they just assume, "Well i guess I"m just evolving. So-and-so is bad, i guess since we evolved from monkeys we"re just going to continue to go down that slippery slope."

That"s at 1:52:40 in the stream, if you want to hear it.

One of the things that the big name ID proponents always say is that ID isn"t a religion, since it doesn"t say anything about the designer. On the other hand, in every case I"ve seen, when cornered about who the Designer is, the ID proponent always says something like, "Well, in my opinion, it was the God of the Scriptures." It"s pretty clear that that "God of the Scriptures" line is code for "fundamentalist Christianity." Behe himself has said that the mysterious Intelligent Designer was God. So yet again, we see that ID is just fundamentalist Christianity wrapped up in sheep"s clothing.

But what I found interesting about the above caller"s rant was the fact that the problem with evolution isn"t that it"s wrong, but that believing in it will rob your life of "meaning." Yet again, we see that when these fundamentalists are confronted with an aspect of the material world, of reality, that contradicts their preferred interpretation of some aspect of the Bible, they actually disbelieve the reality, rather than their supernatural beliefs. That"s why you can"t have an intellectual debate on this topic with proponents of ID. Even if you present them with mountains of evidence supporting evolution, they won"t believe it. And that"s because mountains of evidence supporting evolution is exactly what we have.

Excuses for not taking the Randi Challenge

2010-03-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Claus Larsen at Skeptic Report is wondering why nobody has ever passed the test offered by JREF.

Not one single person could actually do what he or she claimed to be able to do, and the one-million-dollar prize is still there to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.

He comes up with - I counted 28 excuses - correct me if I am wrong, that all have been used to avoid the challenge by possible participants.

Another possible way to "avoid" the challenge is to make a challenge by oneself like Marion Damper Jeans did.

Really there are no excuses for not picking up $1 million, except that.....

Herbal Medicine For Obsessions, Addictions and Phobias

2010-03-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Obsessions are recurring thoughts or ideas that are distressing and frightening. Like phobias, obsessions are irrational and uncontrollable and are rooted in anxiety. Compulsions or rituals often follow, when sufferers cannot stop themselves from taking particular actions or following particular routines to ward off the imagined danger.

Most people experience mild obsessions - for example, the urge to check or count things - but an obsessive person might not be able to leave the house without going back countless times to check the door was locked. Someone with an obsession about cleanliness might be compelled to wash his or her hands hundreds of times a day.

Doctors sometimes call this type of behavior "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." Performing a ritual means the sufferer feels better for a while but the anxiety soon starts again and the ritual has to be repeated. Obsessions and rituals interfere with daily life as they are very time consuming.

Treatment
Anything that helps reduce anxiety and tension can help. Relaxation techniques are useful for calming the body and mind. Some people find that sharing experiences and information with other sufferers can help.

Addictions
A person is addicted when they are compelled to do any activity repeatedly and to depend on it. Smoking, drinking, and taking drugs are well known addictions, but people can also be addicted to activities such as gambling, eating, or sexual intercourse.

Addictions are normally classified as psychological dependence or physical dependence. Psychological dependence involves powerful cravings for the activity, while physical dependence induces physical symptoms when the object of the addiction is withdrawn.

Treatment
Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Self-Help Groups
For some treatments sufferers have to agree to stop the addiction before therapy begins, while others concentrate on reducing the harm being done to them. One of the best-known self-help groups for alcohol addiction is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:
Acupuncture It is claimed that acupuncture can reduce a number of cravings, alleviate pain, and hi sufferers to relax.

Aromatherapy, Massage, Meditation, Yoga. and Hypnotherapy
These can all help people cope with physical withdrawal symptoms by aiding relaxation and improving general well-being. In all cases, strong willpower is essential. It is also vital to take care not to replace one source of addiction with another.

About the Author
Read out for Detox diet. Check out arthritis treatment and medical tests

The tale of "The square root of a rectangle"

2010-03-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Wow. Just wow.

I was just flicking through channels and caught a little of "Engineering an Empire" on the History Channel. The episode was on the Maya.

The narrator said something about the Maya knowing how to "compute the square root of a rectangle".

I was so boggled, I concluded I must have misheard - but no, it was repeated a minute or so later. It was emphasized; apparently we were expected to find this an impressive feat.

The Maya, apparently, knew how to compute the square root of a rectangle. That"s pretty clever of them, because that, as far as I can see, is utter nonsense.

As Inigo Montoya might have put it: I do not think it means what you think it means.

I wondered if they meant "compute the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle" (which is equivalent to the diagonal of a rectangle). I also wondered if perhaps they meant "the geometric mean of two numbers" (since that would be the square root of the area of a rectangle). I also wondered if they possibly intended something else.

I concluded they probably meant the first thing (since that"s a very valuable thing for a civilization to be able to do, crucial to surveying land - and then they had a shot of a Mayan guy squinting across the top of a stick as if he was indeed surveying). So that would kind of make sense.

But what the heck is someone who isn"t comfortable with mathematics supposed to make of it?

The show was no cheap-and-nasty affair. They made some pretty fancy graphics. They had actors dress up in costumes, and they had some pretty fancy sets and location shots. This was a pretty involved documentary. Why the hell couldn"t they have had the script looked over by anyone with even a modest bit of mathematics? Say, a mathematics undergrad? (Heck, I could have told them that was obvious nonsense before I was 16.)

That bit of (repeated, emphasized) mathematical nonsense is enough to make the entire program suspect - because if they were that lax with the mathematics, who knows what care was taken with the rest of it?

ADD Treatment Effective, Natural Remedy

2010-03-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

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.

How to Heal : Animal & Pet Alternative Healing & Medical Diagnosis

2010-03-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

How to Heal : Animal & Pet Alternative Healing & Medical Diagnosis

Shared via AddThis

Isn"t that how Science is supposed to work?

2010-03-14T05:03:00.000-07:00

Over at CNN.com they"ve published an article called: Third of study results don"t hold up - Wednesday, July 13:

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- New research highlights a frustrating fact about science: What was good for you yesterday frequently will turn out to be not so great tomorrow.

and.....

That means nearly one-third of the original results did not hold up, according to the report in Wednesday"s Journal of the American Medical Association.

It would be strange if medical studies always got the same result, because there will always be some differences that can"t be controlled, and isn"t that how Science is supposed to work?

Explained over at the Talk Origins Archive:
"All scientific statements and concepts are open to re-evaluation as new data is acquired and novel technologies emerge."

Contradicted and Initially Stronger Effects in Highly Cited Clinical Research

Email woes

2010-03-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

I owe some of you an email, and I know that. For some reason, Eudora is refusing to send outgoing messages. I can recieve fine, but not send. I"ll switch to Thunderbird sometime when I get the chance and get caught up on my emails.

Posted without further comment

2010-03-14T03:44:00.000-07:00

(-1)^-i - ? = 19.999...

(Google it)

{And here"s Randall Munroe to help explain.}

Intelligent Design in Court

2010-03-14T01:01:00.000-08:00

Pennsylvania school has to defend its policy at requiring students to hear about ID in biology lessons on evolution. Court has to decide the fundamental question: Is ID religion or Science. If they come up with the right answer, it could finish the long lasting "Teach both side"-discussion. Intelligent Design is by definition religion and it has nothing to do in science classes.

Intelligent design faces first big court test
Parents sue after alternate to evolution added to science curriculum

By Reporter Alex Johnson - MSNBC - Sept. 23, 2005

A federal judge in Pennsylvania will hear arguments Monday in a lawsuit that both sides say could set the fundamental ground rules for how American students are taught the origins of life for years to come.

At issue is an alternative to the standard theory of evolution called "intelligent design." Proponents argue that the structure of life on Earth is too complex to have evolved through natural selection, challenging a core principle of the biological theory launched by Charles Darwin�s �The Origin of Species� in 1859. Instead, contend adherents of intelligent design, life is probably the result of intervention by an intelligent agent.

Intelligent design has been bubbling up since 1987, when the Supreme Court ruled that public schools could not teach the biblical account of creation instead of evolution, because doing so would violate the constitutional ban on establishment of an official religion.

Critics deride intelligent design as creationism gussied up for the courts; advocates say it is an explicitly scientific construct that makes no supposition about the identity or nature of the designer.

The disagreement has led to anguished public debates and hearings before local school boards for almost 20 years. While judges have considered smaller questions barnacled to the issue, the trial that opens Monday is believed to be the first time a federal court has been asked to decide the fundamental question: Is intelligent design religion or science?

Finally, a chance for a definitive ruling
The Pennsylvania case "is probably the most important legal situation of creation and evolution in the last 18 years," said Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, which opposes challenges to the standard model of evolution.

"This will be the first legal challenge to intelligent design, and we�ll see whether they have been able to mask the creationist underpinnings and basic orientation of intelligent design," she said. Regardless who wins, "it will have quite a significant impact on what happens in American public school education."

The suit, brought by 11 parents, challenges the Dover Area School District�s adoption last year of an addition to the science curriculum directing teachers � in addition to teaching evolution � to tell students about intelligent design and refer them to an alternative textbook that champions it. Three opposing board members resigned after the vote.

The parents contended that the directive amounted to an attempt to inject religion into the curriculum in violation of the First Amendment. Their case was joined by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation for Church and State, with support from Scott"s organization.

The school board is being defended pro bono by the Thomas More Law Center, a Christian law firm in Ann Arbor, Mich. The case is being heard without a jury in Harrisburg by U.S. District Judge John Jones III, whom President Bush appointed to the bench in 2002.

Science organizations have generally turned their backs on forums in which they have been challenged to defend Darwinian evolution, on the theory that engaging the intelligent design school in any way is to take its ideas too seriously. For example, when the Kansas Board of Education held hearings this year on new science standards that criticized evolution, science groups boycotted.

The Pennsylvania case, however, gives scientists the chance to go on the attack, forcing intelligent-design advocates to defend their beliefs. But because local school boards have almost complete latitude to set the content of the curriculum, the plaintiffs must navigate a narrow path.

It isn"t enough for them to discredit intelligent design � indeed, that is almost irrelevant to the legal question. Instead, what they must do is show that the school board�s decision would have an unconstitutionally religious purpose and effect, Scott said.

Even so, Scott and others make no bones about their principal motivation: Intelligent design as science is bogus, they insist, and teaching it is a grave disservice to students.

"Intelligent design is simply the most recent version of creationism, which is admittedly a religious concept," said Alan Leshner, chief executive of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science and publisher of the journal Science. "There is no scientific basis to intelligent design."

Debating the terms of the debate
This is where things get sticky, because it all boils down to a basic argument over just what is evolution and what is religion.

Advocates have labored for years to have intelligent design be taken seriously as science. Although many of the leading thinkers in the movement openly acknowledge their Christian faith, they also sport Ph.D.s in hard science and maintain that their suppositions are rooted in principled observance of the scientific method.

And they generally have no problem with much of evolutionary theory, which can � in part �be stated as the change of species over time. Evidence, they agree, amply bears out this observation, which is known as micro-evolution.

Where they dissent is in what"s known as macro-evolution � the transformation over time of a species into another species. The distinction is drawn in "Of Pandas and People: The Central Question of Biological Origins," the alternative text endorsed by the Dover school board:

"Intelligent design means that various forms of life began abruptly through an intelligent agency, with their distinctive features already intact � fish with fins and scales, birds with feathers, beaks and wings. Some scientists have arrived at this view since fossil forms first appear in the rock record with their primitive features intact, rather than gradually developing."

In other words, their argument is not so much with evolution per se as it is with what they see as the failure of evolution to account for how it all started. It is perfectly reasonable as science, they believe, to explore whether an outside agent triggered diversity of complex biological structures seemingly engineered to sustain life on Earth.

Intelligent-design supporters are careful to say they don"t know who or what that outside agent was, but to the large majority of biologists, that�s beside the point: Science is concerned with the natural world, while intelligent design supposes an agent independent of the natural world.

You can teach such concepts, Leshner and Scott say; indeed, you should � just do it in philosophy and religion and literature classes. Don"t do it in science classes, because, by definition, that"s religion. It isn"t science.

"If we human beings evolved as a result of natural cause, are we special to God? Does life then have some sort of purpose?" Scott asked.

They�re legitimate questions, but "these are issues that are outside of science," she said. "These are not issues that should be part of the science curriculum."

Herbal Medicine/Phytotherapy

2010-03-14T00:57:00.000-08:00

A proportion of pharmaceutical drugs including current bronchodilators are derived from plants.[14] Most of the recent research in this field focused on pharmacological action and in vitro efficacy of herbal remedies. Li et al.,[15] for example, demonstrate a measurable antiinflammatory activity of Australian and Chinese plants. Since herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Indian medicine (among others), the interest has always been very strong in such natural remedies. A study by Orhan et al.[16] found that 31% of 304 children with asthma had used herbal medicine, and a study by Lanski et al.[17*] found that 45% of children attending an emergency department had used herbal medicine. Until now, there has been no evidence of efficacy of herbal medicine, as pointed out by the systematic review of Huntley and Ernst.[18**] This is mainly because of very heterogeneous, low-quality studies with small patient numbers. The review by Hofmann et al.[19] on the role of dried ivy (Hedera helix L.) in the treatment of children with asthma in three RCTs showed a significant decrease in airway resistance (but only one trial included a placebo control arm). Because of the meager database, no firm statement can be made on the role of dried ivy in asthma. Zhang et al.[20] assessed the efficacy of xiaoqinglong decoction combined with fluticasone in a RCT with 54 patients with mild or severe asthma and found a statistically stronger improvement of lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] and resistance) with the combination treatment than with fluticasone alone. Urata et al.,[21] in their double-blind, randomized, crossover study, found a significant improvement of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and respiratory symptoms after 4 weeks of treatment with 2.5 g of TJ-96 (herbal complex Saiboku-to) three times daily versus placebo. Older trials with Tylophora indica showed some efficacy in improving asthma control, but no newer studies with larger samples were published since then. Szelenyi and Brune[22] concluded in their complete review about herbal remedies that there is insufficient evidence to recommend their use as first-line or even adjunctive therapy for asthma.

Astonishing and perhaps frightening is the lack of information about the safety of these remedies and the widespread advertising of such therapies, mainly on the World Wide Web, where uncontrolled information lives freely and uncensored. Herbal remedies that have a biologic activity also have side effects[23] and interactions.[24] For example, Mizushima and Kobayashi[25] published a series of 24 cases of interstitial pneumonitis induced by herbal remedies.

We urgently need high-quality, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled studies on the safety and efficacy of phytotherapy in asthma because almost one third of our patients use it without solid information about the risks, interactions, and real benefit.

My first blog!

2010-03-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

I"m new to the world of blogging, but here goes. I write enough anyway so adding a blog doesn"t seem difficult.

Right now I"m really excited about lots of new projects that I"m involved with - more on these over the next few months. I want my epitaph to be "she lived passionately" - I want to live as close to my potential as I can, remaining excited about life and my place in it till I die.

Perimenopause Symptoms And Treatment

2010-03-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

I received this email today:

"Which products would you recomment for what I think is perimenopause.
I am feed up of feeling so awfull, I assumed as I still have periods though not regularly (three to four months gaps), I had to suffer this until the real menopause. However now the hot flushes have started too, I am wondering if all the other symptoms I had also relate to what I am told is perimenopause (listless, irritability, depressed, etc)"

and this is my reply:

Sorry you"re feeling so grim. Unfortunately many women (and doctors) seem to believe that it"s inevitable that they feel bad during and leading up to the menopause. I"m glad you don"t.

Personally I found Neways wild yam and chaste berry cream great as I approached the menopause. Sage tablets are particularly helpful for hot flushes.

For the irritability and depression etc. I suggest you try vitamin B complex - we sell this in our shop too.

Alternatively (or as well) you could try the Bush Flower Essence Woman - that"s in the Woman"s section of our site too.

It"s important at this time also to take care of yourself, eat well, drink lots of water, pamper yourself and go easy on yourself. Hope this info helps.

Doctors & The Drug Industry

2010-03-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

there are many life-saving drugs, but there"s also a less glamourous and reassuring side to the drug industry. Do you know that for every 15 doctors in the US there"s one drug rep? That"s a startling statistic - drug companies would not be spending all that money unless they expected some return.

this and other disturbing facts are in my article:

http://www.mytherapypractice.com/Medical/doctors_drug_companies.html

Healing Herbs - Can Natural Herbs Really Help Heal Your Ailments?

2010-03-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

There is great debate today over herbal remedies and whether or not they truly can treat illnesses and other health issues. While a blanket statement that all herbs are effective wouldn’t be true, there are some herbal remedies that have proven to be extremely effective in treating certain ailments. In this article, I’ll dig a little deeper into the world of healing herbs and how you can use them to improve your overall quality of life.

Healing herbs have been used for ages to relieve discomfort and provide treatment to the sick. In fact, herbs such as castor oil, mint, and garlic have a long history of being used as remedies.

In today’s day and age, herbs are once again starting to pick up in the popularity category. With the corruption and greed that is rampant in today’s healthcare system, alternative medicine has seen a boom in interest and people are actively seeking accurate information pertaining to herbal remedies.

So if herbs can be effective and efficient at treating certain ailments, why dont more medical doctors talk about them? Well, one reason is that many doctors get huge kickbacks and perks from pharmaceutical companies for prescribing their medications. There is a lot of money floating around in the prescription drugs business these days, and everyone seems to want their piece of the pie.

So what should you do if youre interested in applying herbal remedies and alternative medicine to treat your health issue? The answer is, research the herb thoroughly. Look for things like information on long-term side effects and overall effectiveness when used to treat your problem.

Healing herbs can be a wonderful way to increase the quality of your life. However, as with anything else, they should be used responsibly.

About the Author
Read our shocking review of the Dr. Natura Colonix program, an herbal colon cleanser at http://www.ColonixReview.com today.

Another problem with Prayer

2010-03-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

Pedro, over at Way Of the Mind made an insightful post about the efficacy of prayer.

He points out (among other things) that if God cured/healed the sick who pray for it, then atheists would be noticeably sicker, and for longer, than the theistic population.

I hadn"t really thought of it exactly that way before, so it was a useful insight (I pointed out in comments that atheists would never get a good parking spot, either, because they"d all be reserved for those people who pray for a parking spot).

[musing on... If prayer works, and you pray for a parking spot while children die of starvation ... what does that say about you? Then again, if God grants your request, while children die of starvation, what does that say about God?]

Hipertension Medicine Healthy Heart and Circulation Formula (100g Pure Herbal Extract Powder

2010-03-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

If you have hipertension you can use this medicine, you can read product discription:
Clinical Grade 100% Pure Herbal Extract Powder (not grinded raw herbs). No extra material included (i.e. gelatin capsules, artificial color coatings). You will take what you see, smell and taste. Easy to mix with other symptom formulas(i.e. High Cholesterol, Hypertension and etc. Formulas). Measuring plastic spoon included.
Dr. Lees Healthy Heart and Circulation Formula helps heart functioning and blood circulating by Invigorating the Blood, Dispelling Blood Stagnation, Promoting Natural Flow of Qi, Tonifying Qi & Blood and Nourishing Heart. very effectively. It relieves, regulates and normalizes Qi and Blood stagnation, supports functioning of Heart, Spleen, (Small) Intestine, Liver. For improving long term built chronic symptoms such as Heart Circulation Concerns, Hypertension and High Cholesterol, Dr. Lee recommends to purchase at least 3 bottles for each treatment to create a long term healing environment and therefore give you a realistic chance to start healing your illness.
# Major Herbs Functionings and Clinical Uses: Treatment of coronary artery disease; together ith other herbs that invigorate the Blood and move the Qi, were given to 44 caces of coronary artery diease for up to four months. Symptoms were significantly reduced in 49% and there were marked improvements in the EGG in 41%. Most improvements was seen as early as one month after beginning treatment, and a total of 90% of the patients in the series were able to stop taking nitroglycerin on a regular basis. Effect on cholesterol metabolism reported. Use for musculoskeletal trauma. Dispels Congealed Blood and alleviates pain; Hematological effect; Extractions of this herb have a weak anti-coagulant effect. Breaks up Congealed Blood; resolving symptoms related with Blood Stagnation.
# Tonifies, invigorates and harmonizes the Blood,stops pain from Congealed Blood. Moistens Dry Intestines from Deficient Blood and moves the stool. Effect on the Liver, Uterus, Cardiovascular system and Nervous system, also known for the treatment of pain and effect on smooth muscle. Generates the Fluid and Nourishes the Yin & Blood.Clears the Heat and cools the Blood. Tonifies Qi and Blood, srtengthens the Spleen and nourishes the Heart.
# Effects on Central Nervous System, Cardiovascular System/ Anti-inflammatory and Antibiotic effects/ Effects on smooth Muscle show n in numerous animal experiments.Invigorates the Blood and dispels Congealed Blood; also used for swelling and pain of traumatic injuries. Invigorates the Blood and promotes the circulations of Qi; used for any Congealed Blood patterns. Used for headaches by Expelling Wind and moves the Qi upwards.

Canine Liver Disease

2010-03-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

An alternative remedy for canine liver disease isn"t as far off as you may think. I will talk about the benefits of water-agrimony for the treatment of canine liver disease, but if you need a more holistic approach to canine liver disease, please click right here now. Although I will concentrate on water-agrimony and liver disease in humans here, the link just mentioned is essential viewing for alternative cures for canine liver disease.

In some countries, water-agrimony is also called water-hemp, bastard-hemp and bastard-agrimony. It may also be called eupatorium and hepatorium because it strengthens the liver.

The root continues a long time, having many long slender strings. The stalks grow up about two feet high. They are of a dark purple color. The branches are many, growing at distances the one from the other, the one from the one side of the stalk, the other from the opposite point. The leaves are winged and much indented at the edges. The flowers grow at the top of the branches, of a brown yellow color, patched with black spots, having a substance within the midst of them like that of a daisy. If you rub them between your fingers they smell like rosin, or cedar when it is burnt. The seeds are long and easily stick to any woollen things they touch.

They don"t delight in heat and therefore they are not so easily found in the southern parts of the UK and the USA as in the north where they grow frequently. You could also look for them in cold grounds, by ponds and ditch-sides and also by running water. Sometimes you may even find them growing in the midst of waters.

They all flower in July and August (summer to fall) and the seed is ripe presently after. It is now you may observe dogs digging at these when their liver disease becomes pronounced.

It is a plant of Jupiter, as well as the other agrimony, only this belongs to the celestial sign Cancer. It heals and dries, cuts and cleanses, thick and tough tumors of the heart, and for this I find it inferior to few herbs that grow. It helps the cachexcia, or evil disposition of the body. It also remedies dropsy and yellow jaundice. It opens the obstructions of the liver; mollifies the hardness of the spleen. Being applied outwardly as a cure for canine liver disease, it breaks imposthumes. Taken inwardly, especially for dog liver disease, it is an excellent remedy for the third-day ague. Water Agrimony can produce urine and the runs as a side effect.

It cleanses kills worms and cleanses the body of sharp humors, which are the causes of itching, scabs and so on. The smoke of the herb, being burnt, drives away wasps, flies and other unwonted flying pests. It strengthens the lungs exceedingly. Country people give it to their cattle when they are troubled with a cough or broken-winded.

Good luck with your dog if he"s suffering from liver disease and let me know about any positive results.

Author: Timothy Payn

Patchwork

2010-03-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

This is the dumbest thing ever.

Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic, like morphine or codeine. Unlike everyone"s favorite analgesics, Tylenol #3 and Vicodin, fentanyl is most commonly administered via a transdermal patch that is worn on the skin. Oral forms are available, but considerably less common (notably orally-disintegrating tablets and even a narcotic sucker). Fentanyl is very potent, and must be used in small doses--25 micrograms (or 0.025 mg) of fentanyl per hour over a 24-hour period is recommended for patients taking between 60 and 134 milligrams of oral morphine per day. Fentanyl should not even be initiated in patients taking less than this--for comparison"s sake, 60 mg of morphine is equivalent to 30 mg of oxycodone. Your standard Percocet tablet has 5 mg of oxycodone per tablet.

I may be belaboring the point. In any case, fentanyl is potent stuff. It takes very little fentanyl to match an equivalent dose of some other opioid painkiller.

Prescribing fentanyl for patients with anything less than chronic pain due to cancer or long-term injuries is irresponsible. The package insert itself says that using fentanyl patches for short-term pain is a mistake. Physicians prescribing the patches for patients with headaches are only part of the problem; there are no statistics available, as far as I can tell, but I"m willing to bet that much of the problem not misprescribing of fentanyl. The problem is misuse. Not in the sense of drug abuse, but rather in the sense of improper administration of the patches. Heating pads are a popular means of relieving chronic pain. But putting a heating pad over a fentanyl patch will dramatically increase the rate of transfer from the patch into the patient"s bloodstream, potentially resulting in death when the patient"s central nervous system stops triggering the breathing reflex. Patients who slap on a patch and then get into a hot tub may not get out.

An interesting issue is that transdermal patches must contain much more active ingredient than is to be delivered to the patient because the rate of transfer from the patch to the bloodstream is dependent on the difference between drug in the skin and drug in the patch. In short, a patch that only delivers 0.025 mg per hour may have to contain 3 mg of total drug to keep the flow moving. This means that a "used" patch still contains a lot of drug, and improper disposal of the patch can result in children or animals getting ahold of a lot of "leftover" fentanyl--easily fatal, should the patch be chewed or torn.

These deaths are so preventable it"s ridiculous. A little patient education about the proper use and disposal of fentanyl would have saved nearly everyone involved. This is the task set before pharmacists. This is the value of proper patient counseling. Like all drugs, fentanyl has risks. But the risks can be minimized if patients are properly informed. Counseling for such drugs should be legally mandated--and furthermore, drugstores should be required to give pharmacists the time and staffing to perform the task adequately. These deaths aren"t the fault of pharma. They"re due to ignorance and irresponsibility. Pharmacists need to educate their patients--and patients need to pay attention instead of quacking away on cellphones while they sign the pick-up log for their fentanyl patches.

If in two weeks I have to read another article about fentanyl patches for the fourth month in a row I"m going to go crazy.

Wild Medicine and Tansy Cakes

2010-03-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

It started with the Tansy cakes. I had to ask myself "Why would anyone eat anything so utterly disgusting in taste"? Chrysanthemum Vulgare is a common perennial in the British Isles and the name Tansy is said to be derived from the Greek "athansia", meaning "immortal". Reasons suggested for this include the fact that the dried flower lasts forever or that it has a medicinal quality contributing to long life. Looking back to Greek literature, Tansy was given by the Gods to Ganymede to make him immortal. In the language of flowers the gift of Tansy means "Rejected address" - " I am not interested in you". Its strange taste, not unlike the smell of "mothballs" might have something to do with this.

Tansy certainly had a reputation as a vermicide and vermifuge (killing and dispelling intestinal worms) in the middle ages. John Gerard wrote in his 17th century Herball:

"In the Spring time are made with the leaves here of newly sprung up, and with eggs, cakes of Tansies, which be pleasant to taste, and good for the stomacke. For if any bad humours cleave there unto, it doth perfectly concoct them and scoure them downewards".

Tansy was a common kitchen garden herb for medicinal and culinary use, in place of expensive foreign spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. It was used to flavour custard, cakes, milk puddings, omlettes and freshwater fish. In Ireland it was included in sausages called "Drisheens". Its use as a springtime "cleanser" became ritualised into a part of the Christian religious Easter traditions;

"On Easter Sunday be the pudding seen, To which the Tansy lends her sober green."

The consensus on this much written about herb is that it was used at Easter to purify the blood after lent. This consensus shows a problem though, in that in England the plant does not show leaves until the end of May - well after Easter. This is evidence of the assimilation of natural "self-medicating" herbalism into a controlling religious patriarchy.

Observation of wild and domesticated animals shows that they regularly self-medicate with wild plants. Sick chimpanzees chew bitter leaves from a bush not normally part of their diet, and then recover. Research by Michael Hoffman shows that a particular nematode worm is common in the monkey"s gut during the rainy season and that their chewing of the leaves coincided with the prevalence of this parasite, which it destroyed. This was the same bush that local tribes use to get rid of stomach parasites.

Dogs and cats self medicate by eating couch grass or cleavers. Parrots, chickens, camels, snow geese, starlings - all have been observed consuming substances normally alien to their diet to remedial effect. Bears particularly are venerated by North American Indian culture because they symbolise the powers of "regeneration". North American Indians discovered the use of a root called Osha from bears. It is so effective as an all round painkiller, antiviral, antipeptic that it is now on the endangered species list.

The Woolly Bear caterpillar has also been observed to change its diet according to whether it is infected by a particular parasite. Normally a Lupin eater, the caterpillar increases its chance of surviving a particular fly parasite by changing to a diet of Poison Hemlock. Self-medication is not therefore a "rational choice" in other species, but a carefully integrated part of a survival mechanism against an invisible predator - disease. Humans seem to have lost this sense of their own health and are not usually informed as to the uses of plants growing around them.

Humans often self-medicate though - alcohol indulgence to deal with stress being an obvious example of this or the ready availability of pharmaceutical or street drugs. We often consume substances such as caffeine or sugar drinks for easy energy. The natural trait towards self-medicating may well be at the basis of many of our unconscious "eating choices". Potatoes contain a form of opiate and all foods to some extent can act as "alteratives" to a unique physiology. We talk about comfort foods and rewarding ourselves with treats to eat. Often we might have a favourite food that can help if we feel too ill to eat, like scrambled egg. This is a unique food because it contains all of the amino acids we need to digest it. Chocolate is to many the ultimate comfort food treat.

An extreme example of what we do is shown in "Pica" where a person gets uncontrollable desires to eat certain edible (and inedible) substances. This condition is occurs in pregnant women and is thought to express the need for particular minerals. Because our food sources are often limited to processed food, and because of the destruction of herbal folk-lore and access to wild medicine, many of us have lost touch with our "health sense" or ability to use food or wild plants as preventative or curative self-medication.

But finally the wheel is turning and people want access to this more holistic and gentle sense of health that is prevalent in other medical philosophies such as Chinese or Tibetan. If you like the taste of mothballs you could even try Tansy cakes.

Article with thanks to Roger Phillips and Michael Hoffman

The Wild Herbal at: http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/wildflower.html

Think you know wildflowers ?
Take the free online wildflower test now by visiting simonthescribe

Breast Milk And Sleeping Babies

2010-03-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

The levels of the components in breast milk change every 24 hours in response to the needs of the baby. A new study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience shows, for example, how this milk could help newborn babies to sleep.

Breast milk contains various ingredients, such as nucleotides, which perform a very important role in regulating babies" sleep. The new study confirms that the composition of breast milk changes quite markedly throughout the day.

Isn"t nature wonderful? Why are we so arrogant that we think we can replace it easily?

Read more >>

Bone Fracture, broken bone regeneration healing testimonial

2010-03-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

Bone Fracture, broken bone

A Pomeranian had a non union fracture of the distal idius and ulna ( wrist & front leg bone) in May. In August, her bone was not healing and the vet decided to put a pin in leg or amputate. In August, Brent Atwater, a medical intuitive and distant energy healer began bone regeneration treatments. In September when the vet decided to x-ray her leg for the pin surgery and were pleased to discover that the leg had begun healing. So October 8th was the date the pin, would be inserted. When the vet took thepre surgery x-ray, the leg had healed even more. By November x-rays documented that her leg was totally healed. JG, NC

For more healing results see:
http://www.brentenergywork.com/PET%20Holistic.htm
http://www.brentenergywork.com/Healing%20Results.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

"Slowing the Ageing Process" by Dr Deepak Chopra

2010-03-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Grateful thanks to Dr Deepak Chopra and YouTube.

A few random things

2010-03-12T17:28:00.000-08:00

It appears I have some independent support for my position on the importance of grammar in sounding intelligent. Excerpted from a rant at The Two Percent Company:

Note the grasp of spelling, syntax and grammar in Karen"s e-mail as compared to the first one; are we saying that intelligent people see through Allison"s bullshit, while morons buy it hook, line and sinker? In a word: yeah.

Secondly, a note to other skeptical bloggers: I"m studying Physics at university (well, technically the program is "Mathematical Physics"), which means I"m one of the small group of people who actually have an idea of what quantum mechanics is actually about. So, if you need any help debunking someone"s claims that something works on a "quantum" level, I"m your man.

"Men have two levers, fear and self-interest." - Napoleon Bonaparte
Religion works because it pulls both levers simultaneously.

Pair charged over fake cancer clinic

2010-03-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

Pair charged over fake cancer clinic - Patients paid centre $12 million - Over 800 people seen in Tijuana

Toronto Star, August 3 by Karen Palmer

Two Canadians � including one Toronto man � have been charged with running a fake cancer clinic that allegedly collected more than $12 million by offering dubious treatments to more than 800 patients.

At least 37 Canadians were treated at the Tijuana, Mexico, clinic.

It promised to reduce the number of cancerous cells in patients" bodies by using "pulsed magnetic fields" to heat up and ultimately kill tumours.
.....
A man from Toronto and another from British Columbia ran CSCT Inc., which used websites, brochures and alternative medicine magazines to offer "cell specific cancer treatment."
.....
The treatment cost $15,000 to $20,000 (U.S.) per person, and patients paid for their flight and accommodations in Mexico.
.....

Continue reading the article.

They promised to cure several kinds of Cancer, - by using Zoetron Therapy.

This crazy therapy use an electromagnetic device called the "Zoetron Machine", and the promoters claimed it would selectively heat and kill cancerous cells, without harming the normal cells.

They claimed: Because cancer cells accumulate iron, the pulsed magnetic field from the Zoetron device will cause the iron to vibrate and produce heat that kills the cancer cells.

That"s of course not true and Michael Shermer gives the explanation here:

Iron atoms in a magnet are crammed together in a solid state about one atom apart from one another. In your blood only four iron atoms are allocated to each hemoglobin molecule, and they are separated by distances too great to form a magnet. This is easily tested by pricking your finger and placing a drop of your blood next to a magnet.

There"s no scientific evidence to believe that magnetic fields will kill any cells or that cancer cells would respond differently than normal cells to a magnetic field because of accumulated iron.

It seems they already in 2003 were charged in cancer therapy scam and in 2004 they were banned from marketing and selling their bogus cancer treatment too. But that obviously didn"t keept them from selling more bogus treatments.

The law of recursion

2010-03-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

An observation based on reading many comment threads:

As any comment thread grows sufficiently long, the probability that Godwin"s law will be mentioned approaches 1.

How To Prepare High Herb Enemas?

2010-03-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

There are several different kinds of enemas, such as ordinary enemas taken to relieve the rectum and lower colon; astringent enemas, taken in diarrhea, dysentery, etc.; and nourishing enemas, given in wasting diseases, unconsciousness and other conditions where it becomes necessary to administer food by rectum.

But high enemas are taken to thoroughly cleanse the entire length of the colon. All you need to take a high enema that thoroughly cleanse the colon, is a four-quart enema can with an ordinary rectal tip.

It is best to take it lying down. Lie on the floor, or in the bath tub. Use four quarts of water, or herb teas. It is not usually possible for a person to take the entire four quarts at one time, at first. When beginning, take a small amount of water, expel, and then take more, and so on until you have used the entire four quarts, retaining as much each time as is possible.

As soon as the colon is clean, you will be able to retain the full four quarts. You must try again and again until this is possible. When taking the high enema, assume different positions, also roll from side to side, so that the water is allowed to pass in, as sometimes there is a kink in the colon, and many times just a change in position allows a great deal more water to flow in.

There are some cases where there has been a diseased condition of the colon for some time, or some other difficulties which might make it impossible to ever retain this amount of water. In those cases, take as much as possible.

A media grump

2010-03-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

No, the title to this post does not refer to Ann Coulter; if it did, it would be titled A media skank, which is a horse of a different color. But then again, so is Ann.

Anyway, I was looking online for a copy of the (in)famous Monday Night Football promo that has everyone so up in arms. I wanted to see if it really was as scandalous as the press is making it out to be. So many people are apologizing about this promo, I"m surprised that CBS and NBC haven"t apologized for it at this point.

Unfortunately, even with the Internet being the amazing content delivery system that it is, I can"t find it anywhere for download. The Dallas Morning News has a version available for streaming, and iFilm may have the same thing, but I can"t seem to get anything at their site to play. But neither site will let you download the clip, just stream it in a separate window.

I hate streaming video. Yes, I realize I"m the last person on Earth that uses a modem, but streaming means that the DMN crappy version is a useless slideshow with audio that cuts in and out, even after setting my preferences in WMP to the lowest possible quality. And god forbid you press the pause button. Resuming streamed video from "pause" is a 50/50 proposition at best.

You know, I really don"t mind waiting 20 or 30 minutes to download a movie file if I know the quality is going to be better, and that I"ll be able to view the whole clip through without getting RealVideo"s obscenity-inducing "buffering ... buffering ... buffering" every five seconds. I"ll just start the download and go off and do something else for 15 minutes. I do have an attention span longer than a camera flash, really.

OK, I understand that these sites want to make sure that you view the movie clip along with their ads, and links to other locations on their site that I"ll never use. That"s fine. They have to pay the bills, too. Just embed those in the video, and let me download the freaking thing already.

Physics Q&A #1: Curved Space

2010-03-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my premier post of Physics Q&A, where I answer physics questions sent in by readers in order to help give you all an understanding of how the universe works. This week I"ll be covering the question of what it means for space to be curved. I was also planning to cover the four fundamental forces here, but it got long enough I decided to just put it up and get at that in the next few days.

Q: What does it mean for space to be curved?

Warning: High math content below. Feel free to skim down to where I"ve marked "*****" if that"s not your thing.

Before getting into this, it"s helpful for you to understand what a metric is. Basically, it"s a mathematical tool we use to measure distances in space. It takes a form like the following for normal, Cartesian space:

ds² = dx² + dy² + dz²

You might recognize this as being similar to the Pythagorean theorem for three dimensions, and that"s no coincidence. For short intervals, you can calculate the distance between two points from the metric by:

?s² = ?x² + ?y² + ?z²

In fact, in Cartesian space, this works exactly even for large distances, but this isn"t the case in general. Most of the time we have to integrate along a line segment in order to find the length of it. For an example of a more complicated line segment, take a look at the metric for polar coordinates:

ds² = dr² + r²d?²

Once we expand to three dimensions, we can add in another angle, ?, to get the spherical metric:

ds² = dr² + r²d?² + r²sin²?d?²

Then, for brevity"s sake, as we won"t be doing many complicated things with the angles here, we combine the two angles into a single angular portion ?, getting our final spherical metric:

ds² = dr² + r²d?²

This is the basic form metric generally used by astronomers for flat space. However, it turns out we can modify it to cover curved space as well by changing the r² factor into some other function of r, which we"ll call f²(r). We could choose virtually anything for it, but observationally we have a few limitations. Basically, on a cosmic scale, space appears to be roughly the same in every direction (it"s isotropic), and we would expect it to appear the same from when viewed from any point (it"s homogenous).

Actually deriving the possibilities for f(r) takes some work that you probably don"t care about, so I"ll just skip to the three solutions:

f(r) = r - This standard, flat space.
f(r) = R*sin(r/R) - This is known as positively curved space
f(r) = R*sinh(r/R) - This is known as negatively curved space

(In case you aren"t familiar with it, sinh is the hyperbolic sine defined by sinh(x) = (e^x - e^-x)/2)

It turns out that if R is sufficiently large, then for small values of r, the metric for positively-curved and negatively-curved space behaves just like for flat space, so the difference wouldn"t be perceptible to us. Note that when r becomes a significant portion of R, f(r) for positively-curved space increases more slowly than for flat space (angular distances correspond to less physical distance), while for negatively-curved space, f(r) increases faster (angular distances correspond to more physical distance).

***** (High-math content ends here)

So now the question is, what does space in these three different models actually look like? It"s very difficult to picture in your mind how 3-dimensional space can warp, but if we bump it down a level, to 2-dimensional space, we can use a trick called "embedding" it into 3-dimensional space. What we do here is just take a 2-dimensional membrane and somehow bend it around so it has the curvature we want.

Case 1: Flat Space

This is the simplest case. Here, we just have a flat plane representing our space:

Everything in here is perfectly sane. If you draw a circle with radius r, you"ll measure its circumference to be 2?r. Nothing interesting to see, move along.

Case 2: Positively-Curved Space

A bit more complicated, but still manageable. In this case, space ends up being represented as the surface of a sphere:

Now things are a bit more strange. If you draw a circle of radius r, you"ll find that its radius is a bit less than 2?r. Additionally, the entire space is finite, and you can walk all the way around it given enough time. It"s kind of like being on the surface of Earth if you pretend "up" and "down" don"t exist. This type of space can be extended to three dimensions rather easily; just imagine that you can travel in space in any direction, and if you go long enough, you"ll loop around to where you started. Additionally, at half that distance, no matter what direction you traveled, you"ll end up at the same point, polar to where you started.

Case 3: Negatively-Curved Space

Here"s where things go to hell. Negatively-curved space is a bitch, and we frankly have no way to give an entire representation of it using our tool of embedding it in higher-dimensional space. But, we can give a few local representations. The notable feature to negatively-curved space is that it has what"s known as a "saddle" shape locally:

As you can see, if you travel off in the x-direction either way, space curves up, while if you travel off in the y-direction either way, space curves down. This has the result of stretching out space, so if you were to draw a circle of radius r, you"ll find that it will have a circumference greater than 2?r.

Now, unfortunately we run into problems when we try to find a representation of negatively-curved space that has constant curvature everywhere. A simple hyperbolic representation which I used to generate the graph above doesn"t have constant curvature everywhere. Another common negatively-curved surface is what"s known as the pseudosphere:

The problem with using a pseudosphere to represent space is that it isn"t isotropic - one dimension extends out to infinity and goes imaginary at one point, while the other wraps around. However, it does have constant negative curvature. In the end, it turns out to be impossible to find a representation of isotropic negatively-curved space in this manner.

If we try to extend things to three dimensions, things get even worse. With our 2-dimensional membrane, we could have the x- and y-directions curve opposite ways, but if we add another dimension, we have no opposite left for it to curve in. To resolve this, we have to go up to at least 5-dimensional space to embed it. This allows us to have each dimension"s curving go in a direction 120 degrees off from the other two dimensions:

This allows us to give a partial representation of how it looks (I"ll spare your minds the 5-d graph). Unfortunately, we still run into a problem with coming up with a representation for infinite, isotropic, constant-curvature space. The lesson we have to take from this is one of two things:

1. An embedded representation might not be necessary. It could be that space just has a fundamental law about how distances in it work determined by the metric, and embedding is just a sometimes-convenient way of looking at it.

2. Negative space just won"t work. This would be the case if the real way things were made in the meta-universe was with our universe being embedded in some higher-dimensional Cartesian space. It"s possible that things would work out this way, but we can never know for sure. This possibility might imply that our universe can"t be negatively curved, but we can"t know for sure.

Aromatherapy - Using Essential Oils For Good Health

2010-03-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Author: Paul Graham

Even before the term alternative medicine was formally used, aromatherapy was already being practiced 5000 years ago by Egyptians. At that time, oil was extracted from aromatic plants
through infusion and used for embalming, cosmetics and medicinal purposes. This knowledge was passed on to the Greeks and served as the basis for more discoveries, including the relaxing and stimulating effects of the fragrance of some flowers. Going back further, ancient man"s dependence on the environment for all his basic needs and survival led him to discover natural ways of food preservation and the treatment of various conditions using herbs and aromatics.

1. Eastern Roots

The use of aromatics is also reflected in a Chinese herbal book by Shen Nung dated 2700 BC, showing specific details on more than 300 plants and their various applications. Ancient Chinese
also burned incense and wood as part of religious practices that a good number of their modern counterparts still observe today. Aromatics was also a part of acupressure, massage and other
therapies identified with the Chinese.

2. Modern Health Treatment

Today, many individuals place a high premium on health and well-being. The cost of traditional or conventional medicine such as surgery and medicare, however, has made a high number of
people turn to aromatherapy, or essential oils therapy, and other forms of alternative medicine.

3. Basics

- Facilitates an equilibrium of physical, mental and spiritual health through natural means - In some cases, these alternative treatments are now considered as strong and effective complements to regular medicine - The main component of aromatherapy is essential oils - Essential Oils are highly concentrated essences known for their healing effects

4. Essential Oils

These aroma-producing oils come from the flower, as in the case of a rose; leaves (basil is an example); twig; bark; fruit rind and other plant parts. Experts say that the extraction process
can be time-consuming, complex and require much patience. Recognition and acceptance of these factors is important: getting about 5 teaspoonsful of oil could entail the use more than 220 pounds of rose petals. This process is what makes pure essential oils costly, although their effectiveness is not compromised because a treatment can entail the use of only a few drops to generate the target effect. An option is the less-expensive synthetic oils, although they do not offer the healing properties of their natural counterparts.

5. How It Works

Essential oils work by stimulating the olfactory system and later the brain or limbic system. The fragrance, other properties and effects of the oil determine how these body systems and their parts are stimulated. During a massage, these oils are inhaled and absorbed by the body at the same time, penetrating the skin and eventually reaching the organs and body systems. The absorption can be as short as 20 minutes and possibly extend to 2 hours or more, making some experts advise to avoid a shower or bathing immediately after the massage to maximize the desired effect.

6. Effects Last Days, Not Hours

The longevity of a fragrance also varies from 3-24 hours to 2-3 days and even longer to about a week. Eucalyptus, peppermint thyme, and bergamot are among oils with a short-lived scent,
while the scent of hyssop, lavender, balm, and other oils last between 2-3 days. Jasmine, sandalwood, ginger and cedarwood are among the oils that take as long as one week before completely evaporating.

7. Achieve A Sense Of Calm

The desired health balance of an individual also requires the creation of a balanced perfume, or a combination of the three types of oils based on longevity. These various combinations or aromatherapy blends can be mixed into a warm bath to relax and calm an individual, eliminate stress and depression, energize and sooth the body or aching part. The healing or calming effect
of a massage can be enhanced by applying essential oils. However, this would require the use of carrier oils to prevent irritation or any other negative skin reaction. Some of these carrier oils, which help dilute essential oils, include avocado oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, wheatgerm oil, almond oil, soya oil and hazelnut oil.

About the author:
For more great aromatherapy related articles and resources check out http://aromathera
py.naturaltherapieshq.com

Aqua-Jet Foot Massage Spa, White

2010-03-12T04:13:00.000-08:00

Product Description
Treat yourself to the ultimate foot massage with the revolutionary new Aqua-Jet Foot Massage Spa exclusively from Brookstone! Indulge in a soothing 115 degree portable foot whirlpool bath for your feet with the Brookstone foot massager! Dual massaging hydro jets Adjustable heat and water speed Cordless remote control The Aqua-Jet foot massage spa increases circulation. With two powerful motors, two rotating hydro jets and soothing heat source, the Aqua-Jet Foot Massage Spa relieves tightness and relaxes your tired feet in a matter minutes. This Brookstone foot massager will leave your feet feeling completely rested and invigorated. Expose your feet to complete and total relaxation with the Brookstone foot massage spa. The Aqua-Jet foot spa?s two adjustable therapeutic rolling hydro jet nodes massage arches and stimulate important reflexology zones to provide optimal foot relaxation each and every time! The Aqua-Jet foot massaging spa also comes with removable pumice stone that you simply add to the warm water to exfoliate your rough and dry skin during your massage. The Brookstone foot massage machine offers convenient remote control. Adjust jet speed and water temperature with the push of a button while you relax at virtually any desired position. This incredible Aqua-Jet massaging foot spa is unlike anything your feet have ever experienced. Place your order today

Heart-Failure More And More Menaces

2010-03-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

Heart-failure disease or difficult of heart becoming menaces. Because, from some disease kardiovaskular, heart-failure stays at ranking is upper. Even a spark of life number in range of time five years healing as result of heart-failure in Indonesia reachs 40 %.
Heart specialist medical doctor RS Sarjito Yogyakarta, dr Budi Yuli Setianto, SpPD ( k), SpJP(K) tells though is the existing drug there have therapy technology and also of heart-failure that is increasingly onward but remain to just of mortality as result of the heart-failure remain to high.

" Though becoming therapy advance of its(the mortality heart-failure still high that is 40 %. Mean out of 100 heart-failure patient 60 among others died and only 40 just living in epoch five years healing," assertive of Budi in RS Sarjito,
Kindness Yuli adds, height of this heart-failure patient number also happened in RS Sarjito. According to him there are improvement trend of number of heart-failure patients from year to year in RS Sarjito. Even in six-month range of time in the year 2007 is the numbers reachs thinking three puluh thousand.
" Yes either takes care of lodges and also takes care of road(street since January until now can be reach three puluh thousand heart-failure patients," he/she said.
In RS SARJITO, said Budi, heart-failure still occupying first rangking of disease kardiovaskular after heart attack ( coroner heart) and heart sickness because wafting like heart leaked. " Numeral also equal to the national number that is 40 % heart-failure patient, 30 % because coroner heart and the rest because wafting,� says Budi.
Kindness affirms that actually this non heart-failure the price of death and able to be handled so long as done in routine. Kindness tells to be protected from heart-failure hence public must avoid disease cause of his(its like hypertension. For the purpose s(he suggests to avoid some abstentions to be protected from heart-failure that is smoking, hypertension, cholesterol excess, and diabetes ( diabetes).
" At least having to avoided [by] some ugly habits like excessive smoking and food of fat, commodity exchange incorporated and salt," cover Budi

Selmedica Discontinues Products

2010-03-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

From: Selmedica
Subject: DISCONTINUED PRODUCTS: PLEASE READ
Date: Jun 26, 2007 10:15 AM

Hello

We hope everyone is having a great summer! We want to let you know about some changes taking place at Selmedica. In our continued efforts to maintain the quality of products and the excellence of service to our customers, Selmedica Healthcare has evaluated our entire product line for return on investment and regulatory compliance. We have concluded that a portion of our product line does not meet our standards in one of the above mentioned categories

Below is the list of products Selmedica Healthcare has made the decision to discontinue and will no longer carry. As of 12:00 pm CST Wednesday, June 27th, all links to these products will be inactive - this means there will no longer be a page at the product"s URL.

Products to be immediately discontinued are as follows:

Altoxin
Amloxin
Androprin
Bexatrol
Celestrin
Cholestaprin
Dexoprin
Diavad
Disalyn
Episyl
Heradone
Herpatrex
Livadone
Palorin
Prenodol
Rybolin
Seratol
SmokeX24
Sonarx
Temerx
Thermoderm
Thymusil
Vacitia
Vagislin
Valbien
Viranol
Welatonin
Zetacap
Zetinol

As always, if you have any questions, please
feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,
Selmedica

Note From AlternativeMedicineReviews.blogspot.com
Click-here for alternative herbal remedies www.ourfamilyshealth.com

Patriotboy

2010-03-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

If you have not yet worshipped at the altar of Jesus"s General, go. Now. Drop whatever you are doing and click that link. His unwavering support of Our Leader will bring a (manly) tear to any red-blooded heterosexual American"s eye.

Meat eating and prostate cancer

2010-03-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

Eating meat and dairy products may increase the risk of prostate cancer, research by a University of Oxford team suggests. They examined the results of 12 studies, featuring a total of nearly 9,000 men.

Read more

Entrepreneurship at work

2010-03-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

You have been following the Jeff Gannon story, haven"t you? If not, naughty, naughty.

I don"t know how someone got ahold of his credentials, but you can take a look at, and even bid on, his White House press pass here. Go now, because it ain"t gonna be there long!

(Link courtesy of Americablog.)

Back from vacation

2010-03-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Anti Aging Juice Recipe

2010-03-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

A diet rich in vitamins and minerals can be a key factor in your fight against the aging process. One of the most pleasant and tasty ways to accomplish this is to consume foods that contain many of these vitamins and minerals such as fruits and vegetables. In the United States people rarely eat the amount of fruits and vegetables that will provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals in the fight against the aging process so a good juice recipe may be the answer.

Brightly colored fruits and vegetable usually have the best nutritional value. Flavonoids are the brightly colored pigments found in most fruits and vegetables. When consumed, they have antioxidant properties that have been associated with having good anti-aging properties.
Almost any type of fruit will have beneficial vitamins and minerals but choosing several fruits will be the most beneficial because different amounts of nutrition will be found in different fruits. Any different combinations of fruits can be used and the only limitation is your taste and seasonal availability.

Oranges, cherries, tangerines, apples, blueberries, cranberries, melons, bananas, plums, grapes, berries, kiwi, and mango would be a good choice to start with. Next try adding complimentary flavors such as strawberry and banana, apple and cranberries, orange and pineapple, mango, kiwi and grape. The search for the perfect juice recipes is never ending and should be attacked with gusto.

Vegetables are known to have great anti-aging benefits. Substances called Antioxidants can neutralize free radical by pairing up or binding with the free radical elections thus inhibiting them from damaging cells in the human body. Natural Antioxidants are abundant in vegetables such as carrots, squash, red and green cabbage, broccoli, spinach, and Spirulina a blue-green algae. If you do not like the flavors of some vegetables including them in an anti aging juice recipe can help disguise the flavor. These vegetables should be included in the daily diet and can easily be consumed in the juice.

Not getting enough fiber in your diet? Try adding wheat germ, flax, and even nuts to your perfect juice recipe. Oat bran muffins lower blood cholesterol among healthy college students by almost 10 percent. One of the great things about creating your own juice is that any kind of supplement can be added. Do you need to lower your cholesterol but do not like the flushing and tingling sensation that comes with taking Niacin tablets. Try blending niacin into your juice. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent.
How about adding a little spice to your life? Rosemary stimulated blood circulation and the nervous system and enhances memory and concentration. The ancient Greeks called it the Herb of Memory and they wore a stalk in their hair to increase memory. Garlic can counteract the usual result of high fats in the diet and to help reduce high blood pressure.

A little research and perhaps a visit to you healthcare professional that is specializing in anti aging medicine can help you decide on which supplements you should take. Supplements will usually have vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, hormones or other and can be blended in with the other ingredients of the anti aging juice recipe to increase its benefits.
Creating an anti aging juice recipe is fun and easy and will provide great health benefits to anyone who drinks them daily. Tofu, yogurt, eggs, wheat germ, flax, and other healthy foods can be added to your receipt and the only limitation is your imagination.

If you just feel that you need vitamins, supplements or herbs to fight the aging process then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

About the Author
David Cowley has created numerous articles on Anti Aging. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Anti Aging and how to treat it. Visit Aging Treatment

"Auntie Who?"

2010-03-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Australian Television viewers may remember the response by a primary school child to his mother telling him that her tea was packed with anti-oxidants. "Auntie Who?"

It would be hard not to watch television, listen to radio or read a magazine without stumbling across the idea that anti-oxidants help to combat free radicals and reduce the chances of getting cancer.

This theory has been tested through the use of placebo controlled trials and found to be as truthful as most vitamin claims. Another case of health fraud.

In a review of 14 studies involving 170,000 people, tests have shown that taking the most common vitamin based anti-oxidants (Vitamins A, C, E, Beta Carotene and selenium) does not reduce the rate of cancer. In fact, Beta Carotene actually increases the risk of contracting lung cancer.

This report should have responsible SCAM peddlers ceasing to use the free radicals & anti-oxidant stories to sell their vitamin capsules. Sorry, I should have realised, that if they were responsible, they wouldn"t be involved in an industry that specifically peddles treatments for which there is no evidence of efficacy.

Somehow I suspect that this story will be met with the usual claims of a conspiracy by "Big Pharma" to keep making money while watching people die, rather than allow the cheap and effective "natural" cure to cut into their profit.

I also suspect that some unscientific twaddle printed in a SCAM sheet masquarading as a medical journal will soon appear that refutes this latest study. Why not? I have already seen these so-called journals declare that praying has been proven to cure, even if the person didn"t know they were recieving the prayers. I have seen people calling for the release and compensation to be paid to Yurko and any other child killers charged with shaking their babies to death. Many still continue to support the ultimate in stupidity, homeopathy.

The only thing that distilled water (i.e. homeopathy) has ever cured is thirst.

I"m back (and front)

2010-03-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

I"m back from Texas. Hope everyone had a Happy Issac Newton"s Day or whatever. Blog posting will now resume on it"s regular irregular schedule.

Maintaining Emotional Balance

2010-03-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Article courtesy of Native Remedies

To a great extent, modern fast-paced lifestyles have been instrumental in raising a number of psychological and physiological issues. While health issues have long been in the media spotlight, behavioral and emotional issues struggle to find their rightful place and are often underplayed. Road rage has become more of a rule than exception. We tend to get unreasonably angry even without instigation, experience extreme sorrow even at events that may not merit such a reaction, and get annoyed without a justifiable reason.

Since these reactions have become a part and parcel of life, they are shrugged off as a transient phase in which one has lost emotional balance. It is only when the frequency of such incidents or events increases that we realize that we are overwhelmed and stressed. At this point, it suddenly dawns upon us that we have been like this for a while without having any idea about how it all happened.

Maintaining emotional balance is not only about managing emotions by eliminating negative thoughts, it is also about learning how to keep emotions under control. Howsoever positive you may be in your outlook, there is a high probability that adverse events will provoke negative emotions. It is your capacity to feel emotions in a balanced manner that helps in promoting your overall emotional health.

It is important to understand that a healthy body houses a healthy mind. The mind is responsible for one�s thoughts and feelings. It is the seat of the faculty of reason which determines how you feel and control a particular emotion. The emotions that you feel are actually physical responses in the nervous system, and therefore your overall health determines how well you are able to control them.

Eat healthy foods and avoid and restrict intake of coffee and alcohol. Exercise is extremely important. First, understand the level of your tolerance and then stick to the exercise regimen based on it. Getting sufficient relaxation and sleep is equally important. If you wake up feeling restful, you are liable to respond positively throughout the day.

Besides these, there are other steps that you may take to maintain your emotional balance.

* Organize and manage your time. Do one thing at a time instead of working in a haphazard manner.

* Set realistic goals that are achievable. Don�t set expectations that are at such a stretch that they are impossible to achieve.

* Express your emotions. Emotions that let to build up within tend to come out forcefully.

* Make positive affirmations to yourself and do it repeatedly so that they have an affect on your subconscious mind.

* Avoid mood-altering drugs.

Remember that you cannot control all situations. A healthy body and a positive attitude can effectively change the way you look at them. These not only help in approaching a situation calmly, but can also increase confidence and your ability to cope with negative emotions.

The natural way

A lot can be done to naturally maintain emotional health and a healthy positive mental attitude.

It is a good idea to keep your natural feel-good chemicals flowing by eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grain foods, ensuring plenty of fresh air, adequate sleep, moderate sunshine and regular exercise. Many healthy foods (e.g. bananas, turkey and carbohydrates) contain nutritional precursors of serotonin and this makes them natural �mood foods� to maintain healthy serotonin levels!

Also, never underestimate the power of a few stolen minutes during the workday (or school day) to rejuvenate the spirit and relax the mind � meditation, yoga or listening to a calming CD can all promote relaxation. Smoking, recreational drugs and alcohol can all depress the nervous system and affect the balance of neurotransmitters like serotonin � so try to cut back or avoid these habits for the sake of your emotional as well as your physical health.

What is MindSoothe?

MindSoothe is a 100% safe, non-addictive, natural herbal remedy that has been especially formulated by a Clinical Psychologist for adults and teens, and comes in a compact capsule form, making it easy to take.

MindSoothe can be used to safely maintain emotional health, balanced mood and systemic harmony in the brain and nervous system, without harmful side effects. This remedy contains a selection of herbs known for their excellent and supportive function in maintaining brain and nervous system health, emotional balance and overall emotional well-being.

How has MindSoothe helped others?

"Taking MindSoothe has been an absolute savior for me... MindSoothe has given me my life back, and has given my children their mother back." -Tina, Wales, UK

�...I began to feel that I wanted to change to something more natural and better for me. With the guidelines you gave me, I made the transition with very few problems and can truly say that your MindSoothe is helping me with each passing day - and I feel much better about it! I can recommend MindSoothe anytime to soothe the mind naturally!� -Joe, USA

�Your MindSoothe really helped me. I have been going through some bad times in a relationship and I felt as though I had hit rock bottom. After only three weeks, I could feel I had natural support. You will be glad to know that after six weeks I dumped the guy who was causing all the trouble and I am having a great time now! MindSoothe helped me through it, THANK YOU!!� -Linda S., USA

�I had been experiencing social nervousness that was affecting my social life and work. After taking MindSoothe for just one week, I feel great and am able to feel relaxed in social situations that I would otherwise want to avoid. No side effects! I am pleasantly surprised!� -Michelle, NY, USA

Get more info on MindSoothe for Depression

Related Products:
* To support balanced mood and stability in children 4-12 visit MindSoothe Jr.
* For children younger than 4 years of age visit Triple Complex Mood Tonic.

Black Walnut As Alternative Medicine

2010-03-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

Black Walnut As Alternative Medicine

Since the times of Ancient Romans and Greeks black walnut has been used as an alternative medicine. This is the hull extracted from the black walnut tree. It is best known for the elimination of parasites such as tapeworm from the stomach and intestines. Black walnut is also found to be useful for other health problems.

It is a laxative and beneficial for digestive complaints.
Use black walnut tree leaves to treat skin conditions such as ringworm, acne and eczema.
It is an effective home remedy for scorpion bites.
It can lower blood pressure.
It is useful in the treatment of asthma, lung disease, diarrhea, sore throat and thyroid problems.
It keeps your bowel regular.

You can get black walnut as capsules or tincture. It is well tolerated with no side effects. Sometimes it is used together with wormwood to increase its potency. Today black walnut is still recognised as an effective alternative medicine for expelling parasites from the human body.

Damn sinful bunnies...

2010-03-11T05:19:00.000-08:00

What is it with these faggy cartoon characters these days? First there was Spongebob, trying to lure kids into the evil of treating people with dignity and respect, and now we"ve got Buster from Postcards from Buster trying to lure them into becoming maple sugaring lesbians.

PBS has decided to bury an episode of the cartoon show because it showed a family where the parents are two women. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said that it wasn"t appropriate because many parents would object to their children being shown a family that included lesbians.

Apparently, however, it is perfectly acceptable to show Mormon and other fundamentalist Christians, which the Postcards from Buster show has shown. So it"s OK to portray religions that treat women as second-class citizens, but not a "lifestyle" that pisses off the Right?

The whole fucking point of this show is to expose kids to all sorts of people and families. Some like them and some different. Regardless of what the radical Right likes to think, gay people are here to stay, and gay families aren"t going anywere. So for a member of the government to try to sweep this uncomfortable fact under the rug because they don"t follow conservative Christian theology is abhorrent, to say the least.

I"d like to point out that this was Secretary Spellings second day of work. Really, what with No Child Left Behind massively underfunded, with Alabama keeping segregation era language in their constitution so that they wouldn"t have to form a decent public school system, and all the other problems with our education system in this country, you"d think that she could find something better to do than censor a kid"s cartoon TV show in her first week on the job.

Insomnia � Trouble sleeping?

2010-03-11T05:09:00.000-08:00

The English proverb says: �Six hours sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool.� but even a fool is better off than someone who cannot sleep at all. An insomniac may have difficulty in falling asleep or in staying asleep, both of which can increase daytime fatigue and irritability.

What causes insomnia? There are many reasons why you may have insomnia, chronic insomnia can itself be a symptom of another condition; some include receiving bad news, running out of time in an over burdened busy schedule; there are physical disorders such as �sleep apnoea�, restless legs, heart disease, lung disease, hot flashes, or diabetes, therefore it is wise to consult with your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping; the environment may also be a factor, like noise and light or lack of exercise during the day, lifestyle or the miss use of sleeping drugs can be another factor for having insomnia, or it can just occur for no apparent reason.

Insomnia can also be a symptom of psychiatric illnesses like depression and anxiety attacks. In all, we should be sensitive to those who spend the night trying to count all of the sheep in the world and never getting to sleep.

Alternative medicine or the use of alternative medicine types and natural remedies can be a very successful way in treating those suffering with insomnia - when administered properly by a qualified health specialist and therapist, they encompass a wide variety of disciplines that include everything from diet and exercise to mental conditioning and lifestyle changes. You may find one or more of the following alternative medicine types helpful to you.

The learning of relaxation techniques can help you to fall asleep faster and increase your sleep time, there are lots of things that you can do to improve your relaxation such as visualization which helps you relax by imagining a relaxing scene for you to sleep on.

Another alternative medicine type is meditation which essentially involves you focusing your mind on the present.

Some have found Yoga to be very relaxing and to encourage sleeping, Yoga develops the relationship between deep breathing, meditation, and stretching; There are many gentle styles of Yoga available that maybe helpful.

Acupuncture is often used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating cases of insomnia and is becoming a more popular practise in the western world.

A careful look and adjustment to your diet can make a huge difference too, particularly if you can cut out caffeine from your diet which can have a pronounced effect on sleep, in addition eliminating the drinking of tea and soft drinks at night time, can be beneficial.

Avoiding sweets or high sugar foods at night time that give you a short burst of energy will also help; because these type of high sugar foods can often cause uneven blood sugar levels, they can disturb your sleep in the middle of the night as the blood sugar level falls.

Apparently, it is proven that regular exercise deepens sleep in young adults with or without sleep disorders, therefore, increasing your personal exercise plan may also be an advantage in getting a better night sleep.

Alternative remedies such as using the root of valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and using herbs such as chamomile, passionflower, hops, ginseng, lemon balm and skullcap are all alternative medicine types that have been successfully used in treating people with sleep disorders. It is to be remembered that natural remedies are not always benign, some herbal therapies can interact with other medications you may be taking, therefore is it good practice to always consult with your doctor or health care provider before you change or adjust your current medication.

Many have found that taking a warm bath with appropriate aromatherapy oils added can relax the body and reduce a stressful mind to help you enjoy a comfortable rest through the night.

Bowflex Ultimate 2 Accessory Storage Rack

2010-03-11T01:19:00.000-08:00

This rack, specially designed to work with the Bowflex Ultimate� 2 home gym, stores your accessories and attachments between workouts to help keep your workout area organized. Note: Fitness Direct specifically disclaims any implied or expressed warranties of title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Some states do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties, so the foregoing disclaimer may not apply to you. All items are sold as is, where is. Bowflex�, Nautilus� and Schwinn� Fitness are a registered trademarks of The Nautilus Group Inc. The Nautilus Group Inc., is not affiliated with and does not endorse Fitness Direct in any way.

Helpful Acne Treatments That Work For Sensitive Teenage Skin Without The Bad Side Effects

2010-03-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

There"s no doubt about it - having acne is hard, particularly when you"re a teenager. It"s easy to get depressed about how unattractive and isolated you are, which can ruin your social life. So finding the right acne treatment is really important.

Unfortunately, though, too many acne treatments include chemical ingredients that can be harsh on your skin. Teenage skin is often very sensitive, and reacts badly to chemical exposure. It"s also really important to look after your skin properly as a teenager, so that you will have healthy skin through the rest of your life.

So if you"re looking for an acne treatment product that works, it"s also important to make sure it"s suitable for your skin. Plenty of acne treatment products use over the top hype about how fast and effective they are, but the reality is that most of these claims are just myths. Maybe the occasional person will have a spectacular recovery, but chances are you won"t. If you"re serious about getting rid of your acne for good, then don"t get fooled by all these hyped up claims.

There are plenty of effective acne treatment products available, but it"s going to take some time before you see any results. However if it works, does that really matter? One thing you should look for in acne treatment products is natural ingredients. These are much gentler on your skin than chemical ingredients. These acne treatments work by providing the skin with the natural ingredients required to fight acne. They also aim to make your skin oil free.

By working together with your skin to conquer acne, natural acne treatments give you a long lasting solution without the harshness or side effects often experienced when using the chemically based products. You will need to persist with the routine of your treatment, but in the long run you"ll find yourself free of acne, and your skin will thank you for the rest of your life.

About Author: For the very best teenage acne treatments try visiting Clear-Skin-Solutions.com where you will find valuable clear skin tips on acne skin care products, teenage acne solutions and home treatment for acne.

New Fragrance Kit

2010-03-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

I"m making the new fragrance kit and it"s very difficult.I always seem to suffer when I make the kits. When I made part of the bacteria kit I got a chest infection. This time I keep getting confused. It"s taking me about 5 times as long to make it as it should, because I keep getting confused. I can"t find starting samples even though they"re sittng in front of me. I forget what I"m doing. It"s interesting that I am experiencing this kit in this way, because fragrances are taken in via the nose and in part affect the brain, so my poor brain seems to be going into overload.

I was reading an article saying that fragrance-free air will become an issue just as smoke-free air is now. I think that may be right. I certainly hate a lot of the perfumes that are out there, but if you"re standing next to someone you get to breathe it in whether you like it or not.

Kill Cancer With Vegetables

2010-03-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

More proof that nature provides prevention and cure for most if not all of our man-created diseases.� Check out this short article and then eat your cabbage, wasabi,� even brussel sprouts, etc.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=11242

Also, you might want to check out this site for more ideas on how to fight cancer and win:

http://jackbenimble14.tripod.com/freehealthinfo/id2.html

�

The Riemann hypothesis - why does it matter?

2010-03-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Mathematicians regard the Riemann hypothesis as very important, not least because a fair number of important theorems have been shown, given the assumption that the Riemann hypothesis is correct, so as soon as it"s shown to be true, a whole pile of other interesting stuff is also true. Its impact is both practical and theoretical.

But when I was talking to William earlier today, he summed it up well:
"If it isn"t true, math is a lot weirder than we think it is."

[Oh, and in case you are wondering what the situation with Li"s proof is - while I was away on vacation for a few days, the paper was withdrawn. It appears Li could not rescue the proof. ]

For your reading pleasure...

2010-03-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

The newest issue of Skepchick Magazine is now up! Go and browse, but please don"t take it into the bathroom.

I"m pretty busy with work today, but I"ve got a really nice content post coming up, which I"ll try to get to today or tomorrow (as I intend to submit it to this week"s Skeptic"s Circle), so stay tuned.

Distilled Wisdom Index

2010-03-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I"ve hit the third post in my Distilled Wisdom series, and the first two are buried deep within my archives. So with that, I think it"s time to create an index post I can use to keep track of them, and you can use to check out any you might have missed.

Also, if there"s an aspect of debate you think would make a good entry, the comment thread here is a good place to let me know. Just remember that this all comes down to my own knowledge and experiences, so there may be fields I can"t cover.

The Index

1. How to Sound Intelligent
2. How to Sound Reliable
3-1. How to Sound Reasonable (Part 1)
3-2. How to Sound Reasonable (Part 2)
4. The Principle of Charity

Coming Soon

?. (Title held secret)
?. Trolls

Varicose Vienna And Pregnancy

2010-03-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

�

Spider or varicose veins - small unattractive groups of the red, bluish veins usually appearing on hips, calfs, and anklebones.

�

These tiny broken blood vessels are visible enough, as they appear only below a skin surface. varicose veins happen because of valves working with failures in veins because of long pressure or a barrier of veins.

�

They are big and lead to an itch and spasms.

varicose or veins of a spider develop in people from position or session for long time intervals, bad exercises, excessive weight, a lock sitting, has crossed feet during long time and even pregnancy.

�

The heredity also promotes formation varicose veins for many people.

This condition is more widespread in women than in men. If did not consider properly complications could happen.

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Tumour, restlessness, foot wounds, an itch, foot spasms, feeling of weight in feet and weariness - the general signs varicose veins.

Prevention varicose of Veins

- Eat the balanced diet which switches on new fruit and vegetables.

�

Your food should be low in fat and a carbonate.

- Switch on ginger, garlic, an onion and pineapples in your diet. Eat so a lot of blackberry and cherries as far as possible.

- Take a high albuminous diet to prevent a lock and to hold your guts the pure.

- Avoid, that sugar, frozen, has fried products, unhealthy food, tobacco, salt and has processed and has cleared products.

- Make a daily routine of exercises as walking, swimming and bicycle sports to advance the reference.

- Lift the feet at least once a day to facilitate signs of veins of a spider.

- Do not stand or sit during long time, avoid to sit, has crossed feet, heavy lifting or a premise of any unnecessary pressure upon your feet.

- The intense clothes of adjustment limit a blood-groove, avoid to carry them.

- If you have table job, take ruptures, going around, bend your muscles of a foot and move with your toes to increase a blood-groove.

�

- Rest your feet on the lifted object from a floor when it is set.

- If your job involves you to be on your feet all the day, to move your weight between your feet, the stand on your toes, replacement, placing one foot for once in a stool or walk around to weaken pressure upon your feet.

- If you are in a pain, stimulate the reference, absorbing the mentioned area of veins in a tub filled with cold water.

- varicose veins do a skin very itching. scratch an itching skin can lead to a bleeding. Hence it is desirable to avoid to scratch.

- Castor massage butter on the mentioned veins after a bath for simplification of a pain.

Gold Kili All Natural Instant Ginger Caffeine Free Herbal Tea Drink with Honey

2010-03-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

this drink gives a refreshing and invigorating feeling when consumed. Latest and hygienic manufacturing technique had been used to preserve the natural taste, goodness and fragrance. It is an ideal drink for everyone, anywhere, anytime.
Product Features
In traditional Chinese medicine, ginger was used to warm the stomach, spleen and lungs, and to help promote healthy digestion and circulation, Honey was use to strengthen the digestive system, moisten dryness, relieve spasm and clear away toxic materials, Ginger drink was popular for nausea and for colds in China.Enjoy it hot or iced, or add to milk, Nt Wt 12.6 Oz. Contains 20 individually sealed sachets

Ingredients
Premium Ginger, Honey, glucose, sucrose and fructose

Directions
One satch of Instant Ginger Drink makes with one cup of beverage. Pour contens in hot water (250 ml), stir and serve instantly.

Calcium Tube Anticipated Broken Bone

2010-03-10T01:12:00.000-08:00

We can save finite calcium of age 35 years. As free that which able to be done is balance between asupan and usage of calcium in body," says Dr H Briliantono M Soenarwo SpOT FICS MD PhD MBA, in discussion about bone and nutrition of calcium in Jakarta, last week.

Bone is life network that is periodically experiences unloading and regeneration ( remodelling). Starts age 30 upward, crushing process of bone by cell osteoclas happened is quicker from its(the forming process ( what done by osteoblast cell). Though, in process of this remodelling bone requires calcium carbonate and hydroyapatite.

Briliantono, or chummy is addressed [by] Toni, explains, bone structure consisted of two layers, namely strong cortex ( cortical) and layer in feebler ( trabecular).

Bone cortical generally more solid and compactly as exterior lasing. As for his(its real trabecular is bone architecture, its(the network is complicated, elastic, and hollow, and has ability of tension and compression to arrest;detain and channels bone burden. Also, gives help and assists bone to maintain its form.

That is why, Toni reminds, broken bone is not exclusive happened at exterior bone, can also is started from within ( micro fractur). " Initially could probably in the form of sigh, takes example at the time pushs cupboard;locker felt pain in part of waist or thigh," he/she said.

Explanation of Toni emphasizes the importance of taking care of strength of bone starts from interior. Both bone layers of course designed to arrest;detain pressure from everyday activity, but pengeroposan of bone can happened unconsciously ( silent) if happened is far in bone. " Thus, same interior bone the importance of with external bone," calls bone expert reaching for area docktorate ortopedi in this Universitas Kanazawa Jepang.

Tennis - Being An Attacking Player

2010-03-10T01:03:00.000-08:00

I"ve just posted an interesting tennis article on http://www.sportandme.com on whether attacking tennis players are born or made. It"s at:

http://www.sportandme.com/docs/sports/tennis/guide/tennis_attacking_player.html

Worst foods for pesticide residues

2010-03-09T22:55:00.000-08:00

Learn about PAN UK"s research on pesticide residues in food and find out about the top (or should we say bottom?) foods for having pesticide residues.
Read more >>

Mallow As Alternative Medicine

2010-03-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

Mallow As Alternative Medicine

Since the times of ancient Greece and Rome mallow has been used as an alternative medicine and as a food. Hippocrates used it to treat blood loss and bruises. The Arabs also used its leaves as a poultice to reduce inflammation.

It is a remedy for digestive complaints such as duodenal ulcers, gastroenteritis, peptic ulcers and colitis.
It is effective in treating respiratory disorders such as dry coughs, larynx, bronchitis, colds and tonsils.
It is a sedative for stress and anxiety.
It is an effective topical treatment for boils, wounds, cuts, abscesses, varicose veins and burns.
Its tea gives relief to rectum inflammation and hemorrhoids.

Mallow is generally taken internally in the form of tea, tincture and capsule. Teas can be made from the flowers, roots and leaves. For an infusion steep 2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water for 10 -15 minutes. Washing with mallow tea can soothe the burning and itching of skin allergies. A poultice of cayenne and mallow is effective for gangrene, eczema, bee stings and blood poisoning. Recommended dosage is one cup of tea three times a day. There are no side effects when not taken in excess.

Mallow is a very useful alternative medicine but most of us only known it to be a food and not a medicinal herb.

Porcupine Massage Ball

2010-03-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

Product Description
The porcupine ball has hundreds of sensory nodules. When when rolled along the body they provide a kneading effect resulting in deep muscle release and increased blood flow to the affected area to promote healing. The Porcupine Massage Ball is small enough to take with you and use anywhere. Keep one at home, another at work and another in your gym bag. Easy and fun to use on yourself or a partner.

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

2010-03-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). An autoimmune disease is one in which the human immune system begins to dysfunction and actually receives signals to begin attacking and breaking down various systems within the body.

In MS, the immune system begins to attack the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatty tissue called myelin, a substance rich in protein and lipids fatty substances that forms layers around the nerve fibers and acts as insulation, much like a rubber chord insulates electrical wiring. This insulation helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses.

In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions. Sometimes the nerve fiber itself is damaged or broken.

Myelin not only protects nerve fibers, but makes their job possible. When myelin or the nerve fiber is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is disrupted, and this produces the various symptoms of MS.

While Sanoviv respects the modern treatments and drug therapies used to halt or reverse MS, we also have successfully employed numerous complementary approaches that aid in minimizing the effects of the disease. Sanoviv"s guests have experienced tremendous results from Sanoviv"s programs in treating MS successfully.

Many of our guests have achieved the same level of results Roz Syler from our testimonial experienced including:

Restored use of limbs
Decreased dependency or complete elimination of painkillers and narcotics
Significant decrease in pain
A strong sense of "feeling normal", vibrant and alive

If you"d like to watch a video testimonial from one of our past guests who has achieved a high degree of comfort from a MS treatment, visit this link.

Click here to listen to Dr. Alberto Pena and hear how MS is treated at Sanoviv.

Garlic and health benefits

2010-03-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

Is it really healthy to eat garlic? Here is an explanation of garlic and its health benefits.

Allium sativum - garlic, whose family members include onions, scallions, chives and shallots is a favorite, pungent flavoring agent around the world, but there"s lots more to it than flavor!

Louis Pasteur proved that garlic had antibiotic properties by putting a small piece in a petri dish of bacteria, which it quickly killed. That was the first of thousands of modern scientific experiments using garlic - The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in the November 1990 edition that garlic has been described as therapeutic in more than 1,000 scientific studies!

As far back as 3,000 years ago, people were using it medicinally. It was a part of the diets of the slaves who built the pyramids. The ancient Greeks used it before battles and races. More recently, it was used to treat infected battle wounds of the First World War.

Is it really beneficial for the average person to eat it, though? Like most foods and substances, the answer is difficult to come by.

Some studies have shown that as little as half a clove of garlic a day can reduce cholesterol up to nine percent and because of that, reduce the risk of heart attack up to eighteen percent. Others say it will reduce cholesterol up to seventeen percent, still others say it has little if any effect. It"s worth noting that many, many more studies show a reduction in cholesterol than those who don"t.

We do know that it lowers blood pressure by enlarging or stretching blood vessels. One researcher noted that decreased blood pressure could be measured after patients took only one garlic powder capsule.

It"s also an anticoagulant and could be helpful in protecting from clots which cause strokes. If you"re taking aspirin to keep your blood from forming clots, garlic may be a more pleasant way. Mixing aspirin or other blood thinning medicines with garlic can be dangerous under some circumstances though, and should be done under a doctor"s care.

It"s been discovered that ulcers can be the result of viral infections, against which garlic can be a useful, internally taken, substance. It also is helpful against parasites, bacterial infection, cancer, and even slows the growth of existing tumors.

Garlic works inside the body by promoting the ability of white blood cells to fight infections, and by stimulating other immune cells like macrophages and T-cells which fight viral and bacterial infections, as well as cancer cells. In other words, it helps your body to help itself, and neither bacteria nor virus can develop a resistance to that.

Raw or cooked? It"s still under debate. Some studies say one thing, some say another. Garlic pills are thought to be as effective as raw garlic cloves by some; by others they"re thought to be useless. Standardized doses make it easier to track the effectiveness, but there are questions as to the effectiveness of garlic at all after it"s been tampered with.

The reasoning is that the power as well as the taste and odor of garlic is released when a clove is bruised, cut or chewed. Allicin thus released oxidizes quickly and breaks down into over a hundred different substances, not all of which are proved to be helpful to the human body.

What can we believe? It"s best to go with what we know to be true.

1. Raw garlic is an antibiotic, taken internally or externally.
2. It lowers blood pressure in pill form.
3. It"s an anticoagulant in any form.
4. It inhibits the growth of cancers and tumors in raw form.

With all the benefits to the average person, it should be included in every other diet every day. Especially in the US, where overweight, high blood pressure and heart problems are common health concerns, a daily dose of garlic is a part of a sensible, healthy diet.

Note: Individuals who take anticoagulants or who have hemophilia, or need to guard against low blood pressure need to consult their doctors and/or alternative health care specialist.

A Satirist on Religion

2010-03-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

My regulars will likely remember a few times in the past where I mentioned people"s ability to recognize satire, highlighting the example of my University"s paper"s columnist, Brendan Pinto. In the past, I"ve defended him from people who have grossly misinterpreted his intentions. Today"s a bit different, because this time he took on religion.

That"s not to say he actually took on religion; rather, his satirical persona did. So in actuality he"s either criticizing atheism or arguments against religion. I may have defended him in the past, but that"s no reason not to disagree with him now. I have no sacred cows here - only spherical ones. So, let"s dig into his article:

If there exists one uniting cultural force that crosses civilizations and connects the vast majority of humankind, it would have to be the hallowed institution of religion.

If there exists one uniting cultural force that crosses civilizations and connects the vast majority of humankind, it would have to be not being Canadian. Yeah, that"s a pretty pointless claim, whatever you put in there. Also a bit of an appeal to popularity. Seems he can"t help a few of his own beliefs slipping in. Notice how he also called it "hallowed," something most atheists would never do.

A tightly organized and fervently followed set of beliefs, held sacred by hundreds of millions of followers, providing instructions on how to live a moral life via divine revelation. Pffft. What a bunch of A-holes.

Billions of followers, actually. And the instructions are only partly on actual morals, a lot of it is on perceived morals. That is to say, it"s instructions just made up to make the followers think they"re better than others because they follow these crazy rules and others don"t. (Read Leviticus sometime. It"s full of ridiculous commandments like "Thou shalt not shave.") I"ll agree with the "A-hole" part though. (And note: You"re allowed to say "asshole" in a university paper; we"re all adults here.)

Co-ordinating the veneration of a deity is and will continue to be the most destructive force on the planet. You need look no further than the billions of lost man-hours and wasted productivity spent in churches, temples, mosques, and whatever the hell scientologists meet in. This doesn�t even begin to include the even longer stretches of time devoted to daily prayers and reflection. With all this time spent not working, you�d think these people were hippies.

Agreed. What exactly was he trying to satirize here, I wonder? Religion is a frakking huge waste of time, and that"s one of my big beefs with it.

The most notable violence incited by religion occurred during a horrific series of wars known as the Crusades. These battles were not meant to stop in-fighting among the Christians of Europe following a relative stabilization of its borders and stem the violence the aimless warriors were committing against the peasantry of the West. No, they were started because Jesus, between sermons on peace, love and helping the poor, wanted people to kill all non-Christians for the glory of his name. The Muslim army wasn�t pushing west to expand a growing Empire; it was just following the instructions in the Koran to, and my Arabic is a little weak, quote "slaughter those Jesus lovers." Look it up.

Ah, here we go, some actual arguments. First of all, I"d put the Inquisition and Witch Hunts above the Crusades, and it"s a lot harder to defend those. As for the Crusades themselves, there may have been other reasons, but religion was the tool used to mobilize the masses. Crusaders were promised a free ticket into heaven if they died on a crusade. Muslims who die in religious war are promised a free ticket into heaven plus 72 virgins. You think incentives like that don"t encourage warfare a bit too much?

As for stopping the in-fighting that was going on, trace it back. What was causing all of that in the first place? Minor religious differences, n"est pas? So, the crusades just refocused the warfare caused by religion. As for the Muslim side, why did they have to expand? It was because their religion commanded them to procreate more than a society with fixed borders could sustain. Religion at fault again.

Religion has been used to spur conflict almost as much as patriotism and ethnic allegiances.

More.

I say while we are abolishing religion, we get rid of the other two as well.

One world government, I like it. If we all live in the same nation, we can"t very well declare war on ourselves, now can we? And if we don"t have "ethnic allegiances," we also won"t have racism. The problem is that we"ll lose out on unique cultural contributions to art, but I"m sure you knew this. The thing is, a balance has to be reached somehow.

Even more recently we see the dangers of religion. The scandals involving lewd and lascivious acts of marauding Catholic priests committed against alter boys. If it weren�t for the Catholic Church, we wouldn�t have molestations. The strict moral teachings of religions inevitably lead to these heinous acts.

Let"s see, the church demands its priests be perfectly celibate. Masturbation"s also a sin, so that"s out of the question. That"s going to put a lot of pressure on anyone, and it"s not surprising that some are going to burst. Of course, there would be pedophiles without the church, but this way it"s harder on them. Plus you"re giving the ones that already exist an unrivaled opportunity to abuse young boys without fear of reprisal. The church"s obsession with upholding its holy image is what caused them to go on a massive cover-up, allowing pedophiles to abuse kids even longer. The church authorities are apparently the most religious people out there, and they care more about maintaining their image than protecting innocent children.

Now the odious religious types would have you believe that it is not the institution, but the individuals who are at fault.

Which might be valid if the institution either knew nothing about it, or did everything they could to stop it. Neither applies here.

They will yammer on about how it is not that the ideas of a religion are harmful, but the exploitation of their influence by those in power to oppress or do harm.

Any idea can be abused. Some tend to be more prone to abuse than others, however. Compare the basic Skeptic"s message of "Critical Thinking = Good." That one"s pretty hard to abuse. Now look at the basic religious message, appropriate to pretty much every religion, of, "Us = Good. Them = Bad." Yeah, that"s not prone to abuse in the slightest. (Don"t worry, checks are in the mail to replace any broken sarcasm detectors.)

If this is true, Jesus and Mohammad should have known that their warning to follow God�s laws are going to be taken out of context and kept the message to themselves. Seriously, what kind of a prophet are you if you didn�t see that coming?

More importantly: What kind of god doesn"t see this coming? And what kind of god sees it happening and does nothing? That"s right, the kind that doesn"t actually exist.

Deep in the heart of all religious dogma lie the seeds of hatred waiting to germinate in the rich, fertile potting soil of the idiot population.

Sadly, it"s true.

It isn�t just extremism or zealotry. Religion in and of itself is wrong.Because the concept of religion is built upon the idea that the core �truths� espoused by the religion are absolute and immutable, this idea gets extended to every bit of dogma associated with that set of beliefs. This is what makes every religion wrong in every possible way � no exceptions.

Extreme literalism is indeed a problem, as is the cognitive dissonance that it creates when the truths contradict themselves.

You may be asking how I could be so sure about this. I know that I�m right because this can be one of two things � a logical fallacy in the form of a false dichotomy or the unequivocal truth, and since I never speak in false dichotomies, it must be true.

Is it just me, or does that sound a bit too much like something religiosos use to defend their claims to the truth?

As an atheist, I see the harm religion does and know that the only way to make this world a better place is to eliminate it entirely. You know, how that Stalin guy tried to do. Taking the nation he built as an example, we see that eliminating religion will lead us to a Utopia free of suffering and ignorance.

"Stalin was an atheist, therefore atheism is bad." That"s one notch removed from an argument ad Nazium. And not a vertical notch, mind you, a horizontal notch. I"m tempted to point out that Hitler himself was quite religious and turned WWII era Germany into something of a theocracy with a few new rules that made the Fuhrer something to be worshipped, but that would be stooping to his level, so I won"t.

Unfortunately, we are stuck in this society with all the preachy pious jerk-offs breathing down our necks, day in and day out ,telling us "killing is a sin, lying is a sin, stealing is a sin." Shit, everything is a sin according to someone.

Um, nowadays, religiosos seem to be saying more along the lines of, "Gay is a sin, evolution is a sin, questioning is a sin." And you can say "Shit" but not "Asshole"? What the frak is up with that? (A little satire of my own, if you couldn"t tell.)

You can read the entire article here, though I"ve quoted pretty much the entire thing.

I suspect that this article is going to spawn a lot of hate from religious people who didn"t get it. If I can compress my thoughts into about 500 words or so, I might throw them for a loop and send in a letter arguing with the point he actually tried to make.

Health News-4: "World Diabetes Day: November 14"

2010-03-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

From International Diabetes Federation"s Website:

Diabetes is a silent killer that kills one person every ten seconds.

Diabetes is a global problem with devastating human, social and economic impact. Today more than 245 million people worldwide are living with diabetes and by 2025, this total is expected to increase to over 380 million people. Each year another 7 million people develop diabetes.

Diabetes is a growing epidemic threatening to overwhelm global healthcare services, wipe out some indigenous populations and undermine economies worldwide, especially in developing countries.

Each year more than 3.8 million people die from diabetes-related causes, one death every 10 seconds.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is a worldwide alliance of over 200 diabetes associations in more than 160 countries, who have come together to enhance the lives of people with diabetes everywhere. For over 50 years, IDF has been at the vanguard of global diabetes advocacy. The Federation is committed to raising global awareness of diabetes, promoting appropriate diabetes care and prevention, and encouraging activities towards finding a cure for the different types of diabetes. It is the mission of IDF to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide.

From Wikipedia:

World Diabetes Day is a day of awareness for diabetes. It was developed by the International Diabetes Federation in 1991 as a way to increase people"s knowledge about diabetes, and help prevent the disease. World Diabetes Day is held on November 14.

Grateful thanks to: International Diabetes Federation and Wikipedia.

http://www.unitefordiabetes.org/info/idf/index.html

http://www.unitefordiabetes.org/campaign/why/

http://www.unitefordiabetes.org/campaign/every10seconds.html

An online community is still a community

2010-03-09T02:48:00.000-08:00

I"ve been meaning to put this up for a while now, but keep not getting around to it. I realize the topic of this post may initially look a bit dorky, just bear with me, it"s really not. Yes it involves Warcraft (David, I can already hear your eyes glazing over), but just ignore the game jargon and it"s a really great story.

This story was posted in the Warcraft Europe forums a while ago and it"s about this guy that comes across a newbie asking for help:

So off i went, with a lvl 34 Human Warrior, and helped this fella out with a few of his red quests.. We chatted a little whilst we played, and it came to my attention that this wasn"t a very old player, as he kept on having to go "becuase dad neds 2 chek the emall" he also clearly had no idea how to play, kept on pointing at random objects and saying "coooooooooool!!", and by the state of his outfit, it looked like he hit mach 2 and collided with a Dorthy Perkins store.

A few weeks pass, they stay in touch now and then, but then he sees the kid again, this time getting cyber-bullied in-game.

Anyway, a few hours later, i get a message from this kid "i got kicked from my guild :(" i tried to cheer him up, but it wasn"t happening.. And to be honest i couldnt be arsed trying, and i was tired and logged off.

So yesterday ... i see this kid sitting next to the mailbox, no guild tag, people bouncing around him having fun.. And theres him, all alone, no-one paying attention to a "noob".. Now i know human race facial expressions never change, but as far as avatars go, this one looked really depressed.

So i message him asking if hes cool, and he tells me hes thinking about quitting, becuase he gets bullied alot at school, and his ex guild mates all said really horrible things to him, and that he knew some of the kids in reality, becuase they go to his school, and are beggining to bully him in school about how he plays WoW etc. We all remember how it was.. I remember i used to get bullied in school for not having any toys, or having an old version of a toy.. Imagine it now, you get bullied about it at home AND school too.

So he decides to do a really nice thing

So what did i do? I took the kid shopping is what i did... Bought him his epic (ground) mount, a load of nice armour off AH, which i made sure was well colour co-ordinated AND gave him very nice stats for his level. Bought him 2 very nice rare axes (fotgotten the name) and got a guild mate to put +15 agility on each one.

I also bought him a host of accessories, fun stuff, like a mana wyrm, somedeviate delights, an Orb of deception.. yunno.. all the "coooooool" stuff.

OK I realize that may have gotten a little thick for anyone that doesn"t play the game. He later says that he spent about 1600 gold on this little shopping trip. Just to put that in perspective, if you added all the gold up on all my characters across all the servers I"ve played on, you"d have about that much. This was months of work that this guy spent on the kid.

Then (and this is my favorite part), he gets a thank you letter. Not from the kid, but from the kid"s father:

I want to thank you for helping my son in this game, he"s been so excited for days about the new things you bought him, hes also been having a tough time in school latley, and we agreed we would get him this game as an escape, although latley its turned into nothing more than another source of bullying and abuse.

Thanks to you the little chaps smiling again.

Once again, lots of thanks!"

So yeah, maybe people think playing the game is a bit dorky, but this is the sort of story that restores my faith in the humanity of dorks.

I just realized that it"s a very fitting coincidence it"s currently Children"s Week, when players can take an (in-game) orphan around, show him different parts of the world, and buy him treats and candy.

Some pointers for new vistors

2010-03-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

I"m getting some hits from people looking for my Faith-based mathematics cartoon and some of my other posts. Cartoon/comic posts are here. Mathematics-related posts are here (also probability, statistics).

A post on believing what you feel in your heart is here.

Other tags are over on the right. I wish I knew how to only display tags that occurred more than twice.

What is Whooping Cough

2010-03-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

Do you have whooping cough?

Whooping cough in the first stages appears very similar to an ordinary cough, but later develops into a peculiar cough and is recognized by the sound, very aptly termed a whoop. In most cases, if the cough were treated and the simple herbs taken whooping would be prevented. It is contagious you know.

A great remedy for whooping cough is wild cherry bark. Of course, use it in a tea form. The following herbs is also good in treating whooping cough: One teaspoonful each - red raspberries, cubeb berries, colt"s foot, and a small teaspoonful lobelia herb. Put in a dish and pour on one pint of boiling water, allow to steep, one half hour. Give a teaspoonful of this every hour until the cough is better.

"Quantum computers will be better than..."

2010-03-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

ordinary computers programmed by publicists or reporters.

The story I linked to yesterday on a quantum computing development says this:

If a traditional computer were given the task of looking up a person"s phone number in a telephone book, it would look at each name in order until it found the right number.

That"s just stupid. The phonebook is in order for a start. So at worst, you"d use a binary search (but there are better things to do than that). That"s already "exponentially better" (using their own words).

How can we be sure when the bible is being literal?

2010-03-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

Over at Friendly Atheist, Hemant quoted Rochelle Weiss of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, who wrote about whether Jesus was righteous, and finds he comes up short.

Needless to say, apologists came in (and as usual, saying different things). This post is based on a comment I made there.

As always, when the bible say uncomfortable things, the apologists come right in with �this doesn�t mean what it says�.

Which is fine, I could accept that - unless, unless they also say about other parts �this means what it says�. You can�t have it both ways. You can�t declare the parts you don�t like to be �figures of speech� unless you accept that the same will be true of parts you would like to be literal; conversely, you can�t say �I think this is literally true� unless you�re prepared to accept that some of the parts you don�t like are also literally true.

It�s astoundingly convenient the way that it�s apparently almost universally only the most inconvenient parts of the bible that are held to be figures of speech (or in some other way should not be taken to mean what they plainly say).

�Okay, here, hate doesn�t mean hate. Actually, it means love, just not quite so much as someone else. But over there, well, it means hate.�

Even George Orwell didn�t imagine wordplay quite as sinister as that.

The problem with the �figure of speech� argument is that people of the time (as with people now) sometimes said similar things literally. There�s nothing in the bible to clearly say that the claim of �figure of speech� is in fact so. And it gets worse, because if some part isn"t literal, you have the further problem of guessing exactly what it"s supposed to mean.

It�s guesswork. Sometimes it�s educated guesswork, but much of the time it�s just a hopeful guess. Where does this supreme authority come from to know with certainty what is literal and what is not?

If nothing was at stake but academic pride, I wouldn"t care.

What if you guess wrong about what�s literal and what�s not? What could loving Jesus have in store for you? Well, he tells us - get the wrong things wrong, and it"s infinite torture. For guessing wrong, or believing someone else who claims their guess is right. So before you start casually declaring one bit not literal, and another bit literal, you better be damn sure you�ve got it right. You better have a lot more evidence than is on display in the comment thread there.

Now if Jesus really did mean that bit about hating parents literally, and you don"t, or you tell others not to hate theirs, you could be totally screwed, depending on which other bits are literally true (the problem is, if some is literal and some is figurative, there is no solid foundation for any claim). But then again maybe even Jesus� tender Hell is also just a figure of speech. So maybe nothing"s at stake. For the sake of all the apologists, we better hope so, eh?

I see lots of opinion on display from the religious, and precious little fact. Yet, they�ve got the unmitigated arrogance to be happily playing around with their apologetics, apparently putting others in danger of infinite torture.

Fingers crossed, eh? Good luck with that.

What is Homeopathic Medicine?

2010-03-08T04:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of homeopathy? You probably have, but have no idea what it really is. Homeopathy is a system of medicine that treats an illness or condition with highly diluted concentrations of natural ingredients that mimic the symptoms of the condition being treated. It seems like an odd premise, but in spite of the unusual mechanism behind it, it is a very effective method for treating disease.

How do you cure someone of an illness by giving that person a tiny concentration of something that actually causes the illness? According to proponents of the science, homeopathy not only works, but works better than conventional medicine. They say that somewhere along the line the pharmaceutical industry got involved in medicine, at which point natural remedies were abandoned in favor of chemical formulations.

If you browse through your local pharmacy, you will notice that there are actually quite a few products in the Cold & Flu aisle that are homeopathic. The easiest way to to find out if a product you are interested in is homeopathic is to read the label on the back and take a look at the ingredients. In homeopathy, all of the ingredients are diluted, so each ingredient in a homeopathic product has the letter X or C after it.

So, if one of the ingredients is Zinc 20X, that means the product contains Zinc that has been diluted 20 times. One of the most popular cold medicines on the market, Zicam, is actually a homeopathic remedy that consists of nothing more than homeopathic zinc ina nasal gel. Most people that use Zicam do not even realize that it is a homeopathic product.

There are homeopathic remedies available for almost any condition you can think of. Cold, flu, allergy, even bedwetting; there is a homeopathic remedy available for almost every condition. Homeopathy is universally recognized as being safe because the ingredients are always natural substances diluted many times over.

The big drug companies claim that any relief felt from the application of a homeopathic medicine can be attributed to the placebo effect. And, because the FDA does not require homeopathic products to undergo a clinical trial before being sold to the public, the detractors feel that homeopathy is junk science. So, is homeopathy a bunch of hodgepodge, or does it really work?
In my opinion, it works. There have been several clinical trials done over the years to test the efficacy of homeopathic products. Liddell Laboratories makes a product called Vital HGH which contains homeopathic HGH. Vital HGH is designed to treat the symptoms of aging and/or a rundown condition. In a small clinical trial performed years ago, a group of test subjects who were deficient in human growth hormone, ranging in age from 45 years and up, were given the Vital HGH formulation.

The results speak for themselves. During the five month clinical trial, the levels of HGH in the blood increased in every test subject, and more than doubled the average level of HGH. I personally have used homeopathic remedies to treat my allergies, and not only do they work, but they seem to prevent the symptoms from returning for an extended period of time.
The main reason why big drug manufacturers try to downplay the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines is so they will not have to make them. Most homeopathic products are incredibly cheap to manufacture and the profit margins are extremely small. A prescribed conventional medicine costs a lot more.

If the public began demanding natural, homeopathic remedies for their ailments, drug companies would have to make these kinds of products to stay in business, and then their revenues would tumble and their profits would shrink.

Imagine if Pfizer had to stop manufacturing Viagra, which they sell at $20-$30 per pill, and instead make a homeopathic product that would retail for only $20 for a one month supply. That is why drug companies often spend significant money to debunk claims that homeopathy works, using misinformation tactics to instill a belief in the public that homeopathy is a sham. This simply is not true. Homeopathy works, and is much more affordable.

Conventional medicines are still necessary because sometimes homeopathy does not work for each and every individual. But, next time you go to the pharmacy, take a look at some of the homeopathic brands on the shelf and give them a whirl. For common ailments that are not life threatening, homeopathy is probably a cheaper and more effective alternative. .

About the Author
Jim Pretin is the owner of http://www.forms4free.com, a service that helps programmers make free HTML forms.

Organic Skin Care Range

2010-03-08T04:09:00.000-08:00

For the last two months I�ve been using Beyond Organics skin care range � made by Marianne Tregoning near Helston in Cornwall. At the risk of sounding like one of those adverts I�d like to really recommend it to you all.

My skin is softer and more luminescent. I love the smell. The range is completely organic and suitable for vegetarians. Do give it a try.

You can see more about it at the Beyond Skincare web site.

(I have no financial or other incentive to let you know about this - I just love the stuff!)

Bush does not want your $1

2010-03-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

This is from over at Eschaton. I think it"s from today"s Meet the Press, but I"m not sure.

The guy who runs this building I"m in. Emergency management. He"s responsible for everything. His mother was trapped in St. Bernard nursing home and every day she called him and said. Are you coming. Son? Is somebody coming? And he said yeah. Mama. Somebody"s coming to get you.. Somebody"s coming to get you on Tuesday. Somebody"s coming to get you on Wednesday. Somebody"s coming to get you on Thursday. Somebody"s coming to get you on Friday. And she drowned Friday night.

If that doesn"t just break your heart, you must be a compassionate conservative.

Mr. President, no matter how many times you pat the head of FEMA on the back and tell him how great a job he"s doing, someone somewhere in your administration has cocked up on a level never before seen in American history. You tell us that you care for the people killed, hurt, and made homeless by this catastrophe. But we know that you were on vacation when it was clear this hurricane was going to be devastating, and you stayed there after the devestation. You tell us that no one could have predicted the collapse of the levies. But we know that that very situation was predicted by the very people in charge of them. And then you praise the man on whose watch so many people have unnecessarily died.

Tell us President Bush, where exactly does the buck stop in your administration?

Cancer Cures Alternative Medicine Style

2010-03-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

Where cancer is concerned it is always best to be very cautious and perform due diligence on all purported "remedies". There are only 11 states in the US that really allow doctors and patients to try "experimental" and unorthodox treatments for cancer. California actually has a law that forbids cancer being treated by other than conventional allopathic methods, e.g. chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, (even if the cancer is cured!!) Dr. Burzynski found this out when he began curing children of brain cancer. He has fought the FDA and won, but he is now in Texas and suffers great restrictions on who he can help.

Here is a very good article that ennumerates several very effective if unorthodox therapies for cancer, as well as other serious diseases. Some of these treatments have been tested and used for years in other countries that are not subject to the dictates of an out-of-control psuedo governtmental agency, i.e. FDA. One might save your life or the life of someone you love. If one life is saved then this posting is worth it. Please read and judge for yourself. As usual, Mr. Phelps, this tape will self-destruct in 10 seconds. Good luck.

http://jackbenimble14.tripod.com/id10.html

Vitamins and minerals: what is biotin?

2010-03-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

Getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet? Learn more about biotin and its integral function in the human body.

Biotin comes in two forms, and it is alternately known as vitamin H and Coenzyme R. Biotin is integral to many of the activities of enzymes in the human body. It is necessary for the breakdown of fatty acids in the human body. Biotin is also essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates. It is integral to the conversion process which takes fatty acids and carbohydrates in the body and converts them into energy. This then allows for production of fats and excretion of protein breakdown products.

The dietary sources for biotin are vast and varied. Biotin is available in a large number of foods. Liver and nuts are especially rich in biotin concentrations. Beans and egg yolks are also excellent dietary sources of biotin. Cauliflower is yet another consumable source of biotin for the human body.

Even though it is so important to proper functioning of the human organism, biotin deficiency does occur. Severe biotin deficiency often occurs in individuals who have general ill health. Symptoms of deficiency may include depression and poor appetite. An individual suffering from biotin deficiency may seem lethargic, weak or easily fatigued. Hair loss may result from biotin insufficiency. Additionally in some cases of severe biotin deficiency, eczema occurs. The eczema can appear anywhere on the body but primarily targets the face. Occasionally deficiency will result in a slight swelling or inflammation of the tongue as well.

Recommended intakes of biotin vary, but the common agreement among professionals seems to be between 35-60 micrograms daily, depending on severity of deficiency. Of course, before starting any form of supplementation you should consult your health care practitioner.

Things that make you go, "Who cares?"

2010-03-07T20:17:00.000-08:00

I"ve been working a bit on a Big Important Blog Post in my head for the past couple of days. Tonight I decided to make Indian food, so you get this, instead.

Over On Matt"s Planet, a commenter mentioned that he hadn"t heard of Paris Hilton for a couple of months. Other commenters asked how recently he arrived on Earth.

So here"s my question: is the constant media fixation on Hilton driven by the fact that people watch the news when she is on it, or is it that people watch the news when she is on it because the media is fixated on her? Discuss.

On a related note, the photographer that took the iconic picture of Paris weeping in the car as she was driven off to jail also took another famous picture exactly 35 years ago. You gotta feel for that poor photographer.

Alternative Medicine For You

2010-03-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Natural Cures "They" Don"t Want You To Know About Science Daily (press release) - USA... Ok, first some background, I am a firm believer in many forms of alternative medicine, and know several people who have been harmed by mainstream medicine and ...

Chinese medicine gaining respectability in West FDA support for ... San Francisco Chronicle - CA, USA... the system," said Dr. Harley Goldberg, a physician who directs the complementary and alternative medicine program for Kaiser"s Northern California division. ...

Healer lets nonvisual signals direct her to patients" needs OregonLive.com - Portland,OR,USA... college in the country, the school has redefined modern naturopathy by formalizing the curriculum and conducting research on alternative medicine, says Laura ...

Reiki healing: Woman mends �life force" from Bedford home Times-Mail (subscription) - Bedford,IN,USA... He said interest in alternative medicine is higher in cities than rural areas. �I definitely see more patients in Bloomington ...

Kaiser Daily Women"s Health Policy Report Highlights Recently ... Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USA... placebo treatments, according to research presented last month at the North American Research Conference on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Edmonton ...

Healthy alternatives Journal-Advocate - Sterling,CO,USA... Unleashing the body"s natural healing power has always been the backbone of alternative medicine. Be it regular chiropractic, therapeutic ...

Researchers mull efficacy of vitamin C in cancer treatment Centre Daily Times - Centre County,PA,USA... with a $5-billion budget, is not sponsoring studies of intravenous C. Neither is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - although it ...

Complementing cancer The Australian - Sydney,Australia... "Scientific validation of complementary and alternative medicine is needed, however, as every therapy has the potential for harm and unexpected interaction," O ...

Caregiving: Talking to the doc -- Part 2 Monsters and Critics.com - Glasgow,UK... cited reason for lack of disclosure was the feeling that the physician was not interested in the patient`s use of alternative medicine; unresponsiveness was ...

Point well taken Bangkok Post - Thailand... for them too." With more patients interested in this age-old treatment, Dr Varayut initiated the Acupuncture and Complementary Alternative Medicine Unit at ...

At Home Remedies for Curing Acne Naturally

2010-03-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here it comes again. That soreness on your face. You just know a pimple is right around the corner. In fact, it will most likely rear it"s ugly head by morning. There are methods you can take to help cure your acne naturally. Before spending tons of money on over the counter medicines, try some of these remedies.

At the first sign of a pimple forming, treatment should start. Washing your face with a mild antibacterial soap is the first step. Good soaps to use may contain one or more of the following ingredients: tea tree oil, green tea, aloe vera, and chamomile. After your skin is cleansed, dab a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on the offending areas with a swab. Hydrogen peroxide will kill the bacteria and should be applied on the pimple for up to a minute at a time. You can use a cotton ball or a swab and do this until it is healed. Tea tree oil is a great antiseptic that could be used instead of the peroxide.

Placing an ice pack on the pimple can reduce the swelling. Try doing this for 2 minutes and then take a break. Repeat as often as necessary. Masks applied to the face until they dry are very effective treatments in curing acne naturally. Try mixing baking soda with water and apply to the face. Rinse off after the mask dries. Applying an egg white mask can dry out the pimple. Leave this on for 20 minutes before rinsing off. A good oatmeal mask can be made by putting oats in a blender and adding a little apple cider vinegar and apply to the pimples for 20 minutes before washing off.

Some very good herbal treatments that can be used to cure acne naturally are chamomile, lavender, burdock root and echinacea. These herbs are usually very soothing and calming to pimples. Because they reduce swelling, they help to unclog pores. Another natural treatment is acidophilus. This good bacteria dwells in our intestinal track. Acidophilus aids in fighting against bad bacteria that can be harmful to your health. Acidophilus is a product that is taken orally and helps to kill the acne causing bacteria.

In order to be acne free, these four things need to happen in our skin care regimen. First, we must decrease the sebum production from our sebaceous glands. Second, we have to reduce acne bacteria. Then we must normalize the shedding of the skin. Lastly, eliminate the inflammation caused by acne. Curing acne naturally can be a hit or miss proposition. Homemade acne treatments can be safer, cheaper and more effective ways to deal with pimples. Following a procedure using only tested products should help you find a suitable cure much sooner.

If these natural cures are not effective in treating your acne, a dermatologist may be your next step. Mild acne may respond to some of these treatments. Don"t be afraid to seek out some over the counter medicines as they may be the answer to your problem.

About the Author

Cassie Ann has been interested in finding ways to overcome acne. Fighting pimples has been an issue in her family"s lives. To change your life forever, please visit http://how2getridofpimples.com and start feeling better about yourself today!

The Spine

2010-03-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

More than 31 million visits were made to physician offices in 2003 because of back problems (Source: National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.) Eight out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Low back pain is one of the most frequent problems treated by orthopaedic surgeons.

What is the lower back?
Your lower back is a complex structure of vertebrae, disks, spinal cord, and nerves, including:

five bones called lumbar vertebrae - stacked one upon the other, connecting the upper spine to the pelvis
six shock absorbers called disks - acting both as cushion and stabilizer to protect the lumbar vertebrae
spinal cord and nerves - the "electric cables" which travel through a central canal in the lumbar vertebrae, connecting your brain to the muscles of your legs
small joints - allowing functional movement and providing stability
muscles and ligaments - providing strength and power and at the same time support and stability

How does the spine work?

The lower or lumbar spine is a complex structure that connects your upper body (including your chest and arms) to your lower body (including your pelvis and legs). This important part of your spine provides you with both mobility and strength. The mobility allows movements such as turning, twisting or bending; and the strength allows you to stand, walk and lift. Proper functioning of your lower back is needed for almost all activities of daily living. Pain in the lower back can restrict your activity, reduce your work capacity and diminish your quality of life.

What are the common causes?

Low back pain can be caused by a number of factors:
-Protruding Disk
-Age
-Osteoporosis and Fractures
-Low Back Sprain and Strain

The muscles of the low back provide power and strength for activities such as standing, walking and lifting. A strain of the muscle can occur when the muscle is poorly conditioned or overworked. The ligaments of the low back act to interconnect the five vertebral bones and provide support or stability for the low back. A sprain of the low back can occur when a sudden, forceful movement injures a ligament which has become stiff or weak through poor conditioning or overuse.

Prevention

Back pain caused by lifting can be prevented if you use proper lifting techniques and exercise regularly to improve your muscle strength and overall physical condition. The normal effects of aging that result in decreased bone mass, and decreased strength and elasticity of muscles and ligaments, can"t be avoided.

However, the effects can be slowed by:

-exercising regularly to keep muscles that support your back strong and flexible
-using the correct lifting and moving techniques
-maintaining your proper body weight; being overweight puts a strain on your back muscles
-avoid smoking
-maintaining a proper posture when standing and sitting; don"t slouch

Staying in shape

You can reduce the risk of back pain if you stay in good physical shape.
Recreational activities such as swimming, bike riding, running or walking briskly will keep you in good physical condition. There also are specific exercises that are directed toward strengthening and stretching your back, stomach, hip and thigh muscles as well as exercises to decrease the strain on your lower back. Consult your physician about a proper exercise program.

And remember, live longer, healthier and happier.

Live 100 years!

The 7-year-old cornflake.

2010-03-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

As a child, one of the first things I can remember hearing from the "health food" gang is that doctors have spotted seven-year-old cornflakes lodged in people"s bowels!

While I don"t hear that much, anymore, I often still hear all kinds of nonsense about our G.I. system getting "clogged up" and backing up toxins in our system. This leads to the sale of all kinds of goofy stuff from colonics to endless variations on fiber and "detoxification" remedies.

Humboldt University in Berlin did a study that injects some common sense to these claims by the "alternative medicine" gang.

Muller-Lissner and his colleagues address some of the notions about constipation in a report published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

They first debunk the myth that chronic constipation may lead to autointoxication from the absorption of poisonous substances backed up in the colon.

This belief was held even among the ancient Egyptians, according to an inscription dating back to the 16th century B.C., and in the early 20th century a famous London surgeon asserted that all chronic diseases result from autointoxication. Yet, there is no current evidence to support such a theory, write Muller-Lissner and his team, adding that some people continue to undergo regular "colon cleansing" with laxatives and enemas.

New Report Clears Up Myths About Constipation

also see

Gastrointestinal Quackery: Colonics, Laxatives, and More

ALFIL 2: Casting

2010-03-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

David wants to know who should be cast in the movie version of Almost Like Falling in Love.

Like I said, Fried Green Tomatoes was written with a similar device, and they managed to turn it into a reasonably good movie. The key, I think, is to stay true to the story, but you have to abandon the literary device the book can use.
As for who to cast it, I"m not sure. I"m never any good at those things. I"d be concerned that they"d probably cast hot late-twenty-somethings to play the characters in high school, and early-thirty-somethings to play them later in life.

Craig needs to be someone that you can believe was a jock in high school, and is now a lawyer. Buff and fills out a suit real well. Jeremy Piven? He"s just about the right age and height as well. Travis is the nerdier/obsessive compulsive one, which in Hollywood terms means he"s buff and wears glasses. He"s especially quirky, and Johnny Depp could pull that off beautifully. But maybe he just springs to mind because I recently saw Secret Window.

Most importantly, they need to have a great and believable chemistry together. That"s not the easist thing in the world to achieve, and I doubt Depp and Piven would have it.

As for Clayton, I"d go for John Corbett. Then again, I"m in the midst of season four of Sex and the City, where he plays a sensitive yet butch carpenter, much like Clay.

Just please, God, no Rupert Everett.

Kind of cool stuff

2010-03-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

someone translated my blog into arabic:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=ar&sl=en&u=http://mwwak.blogspot.com/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpull%2Bout%2Ba%

Also, about.com appears to link to my blog now. Apparently, I"m gory but cool. Cool!

Acne Remedies - Home Remedies For Acne That Are Cheap and Effective

2010-03-07T02:31:00.000-08:00

There are a number of acne remedies that you can easily prepare at home. You don"t have to be a skin expert, immediately visit a professional or spend hundreds of dollars to get the results you need.

Some of the materials and methods incorporated in these acne remedies have been proven for many years and are considered very safe and effective. Try to mix your own concoction and find the best treatment that suits your skin type and needs.

Tea tree oil is one of the most popular home remedies for acne. There are various methods in applying this natural ingredient but the most effective would be topical use after it is diluted. Tea tree oil contains terpinen-4-ol which is a potent antibacterial agent that can kill bacteria and prevent future re-infection. Bacteria are one of the leading causes of pimples since these can clog and irritate pores. The ingredient is also very mild on the skin so people can actually use it regularly as a preventive measure for skin breakouts.

Apple cider vinegar is another cheap material that most kitchens have. It is found to be a great acne remedy as well. All you need to do is place some on a cotton ball and dab directly on the acne spots without rinsing. Allow the apple cider vinegar to treat your pimples overnight.

Some people prefer diluting the ingredient in clean water, washing their entire face with it then drying with a clean towel afterwards. Observe how your skin reacts to the treatment and make the necessary changes. Be careful about over-drying your skin which can make it peel or crack. There are several other natural ingredients at home known to be effective acne remedies such as zinc, green tea and garlic. Test which one renders the most noticeable results.

Want permanent acne solutions? Grab your FREE course that reveals highly effective acne remedies and prevention tips at: http://www.20daypersuasion.com/acne-secret.htm

OK, yeah, I"m weird

2010-03-07T01:28:00.000-08:00

And you thought Hannidate 2005 was bizarre? I forget where, but I recently found a link to RepublicanPeopleMeet.com. On a total lark, I signed up just to see what it was like inside. You have to fill out a initial profile. The weirdest thing is that in the "What are you looking for in a partner?" section, it makes suggestions about what you should ask for, and the very first suggestion is, "Assertive/Submissive." Huh? I thought the whole surrendered wife movement had come and gone. So naturally, I said that "submissiveness is very important to me."

Inside, it looks like there are scads of women looking for good, dominant, Republican men, but only 14 men looking for the same, in the entire country. I got a kick out of rwfacist"s profile:

A little about me...

I am an aryan republican who believes that affirmative action and immigration are the greatest challenges that this nation faces.
What are you looking for in a partner?

I am looking for a strong, blue eyed, blonde who doesn"t mind raising similar blue eyed, blond haired children.
I"d just like to add...

I enjoy marching, large torchlight rallys that occur at night, and Octoberfest. My life"s dream is to invade Poland.

Sure sounds like a good, red-blooded American Republican to me.

ANTIBIOTIC USAGE EARLY, INCREASES ASTHMA RISK AT CHLID

2010-03-07T00:52:00.000-08:00

a publication in Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine date of 18 Julies 2007 reporting a result of research � population based�, where done [by] research of longitude which to 13116 chlids in Canada bearing in the year 1995 and gets therapy with antibiotic in life first year to study risk factors the happening of asthma at chlid. Chlid diagnosed is asthmatic in life first year released from research. Simply 65 % child of getting antibiotic and many [by] broad spectru m antibiotic. Result of research indicates that relation between the happening of antibiotic asthma and usage increased at children who live in perdesan, doesn"t have asthma history at mother, there is no history has looking after animal especially dog in house and they getting antibiotika repeatedly. Relation between the happening of asthma and spectrum wide antibiotika also haves a meaning (of), medium with antibiotika narrow spectrum simply doesn"t have a meaning (of). Chlid getting antibiotic for infection disease is not breath channel simply has asthmatic risk twice the big at the age of 7 year compared to which is not got antibiotic.

This research confirms result of research before all that usage of antibiotic which too early at chlid ( age less than 1 year) especially antibiotic which broad spectru m, increases risk the happening of asthma at child of causing is suggested not to give antibiotic especially which wide bersektrum to child of age less than 1 year if not hardly is required.

Can you be pro-life and an organ donor?

2010-03-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

There"s a thread over at IlliniPundit about the recent stem cell breakthrough. In it, one commenter spouts the usual pro-life and anti-stem-cell line "We must not take life to save life." It"s the same mentality that you get from pro-lifers about abortion, namely the valuable part of a person is that he is "alive." They never seem to explain under what definition of "life" a zygote is alive but the sperm and ovum are not.

That kind of belief system, however, isn"t consistent with permitting organ donations for organs like the heart. Such transplants can come from people that are brain-dead. But I"m not even sure that the position that a person can even be brain-dead is compatible with the extreme pro-life position.

A brain-dead person is still, at the cellular level, alive. With the exception of breathing, many of the normal bodily functions are going on. His heart still beats; his hair still grows; his body is still warm. A blastocyst is alive only in this sense.

I"m of the opinion that brain activity isn"t just the most important thing about a person, it"s the only thing that"s valuable. It"s what makes the difference between living tissue and a person. Cut my arm off, and no one will argue that I"m less of a person; pick up my severed arm and no one will argue that it is in any way a person. So there must be something other than being alive at the cellular level that defines the important part of a person"s existence.

I just don"t see how anyone who"s thought it through can claim these two positions are anything other than logically inconsistent. I guess it"s that "logically" part that"s tripping me up. The pro-life, "an embryo is equivalent to a full grown human being" position isn"t a logical argument; it"s an emotional one. It has emotional resonance and it soundbites really well.

I"m sure many people will disagree with me and that"s fine. Just give me a usable definition of "alive" that applies to a zygote but not a brain-dead person. For bonus points, give me a meaningful definition of "person" that applies to a zygote but not a puppy.

UPDATE: To respond to Glock21"s question "At what point are we a human being or person?" I"d like to hand that one off to The Frontal Cortex:

Both political extremes are wrong. A zygote isn"t a baby, and a third-trimester fetus isn"t a zygote. If cellular biology knows anything, it"s that life is a gradient. Our consciousness slowly accumulates. There is no magic spark when an egg starts dividing and differentiating. It"s just DNA doing it"s thing. Of course, let those cells divide for long enough, and you"ll end up with something pretty miraculous. Deciding at what point the miracle begins - at what point that bundle of cells accumulates a "soul" or "mind" or "brain" - is, of course, the really difficult part. But other countries - like Britain, where abortion is an issue debated by doctors, not grandstanding Parliamentarians - show us that this question can be answered in a methodical and rational manner.

I have to say that the obsession and fascination with a fertilized egg because it"s apparently "whole" or "complete" is odd. Really, the only difference between separated gametes and a zygote is that the DNA has come together. Big deal. You can have tons of unique DNA in a test tube and it"s not a person. DNA isn"t even alive. And looking closely at the biology just makes the soundbite even more invalid. From The Island of Doubt:

...there is no "moment of conception."

For starters, the process of fertilization take a measurable amount of time. First the living sperm and living egg membranes fuse, then the egg completes the second stage of meiotic division -- the process that produces a haploid gamete with only half the DNA of a non-sex cell. Then the sperm loses its tail and the energy factory known as the mitochondria. Then the nuclear material from egg and sperm fuse, a process that again takes time. DNA must be wrangled and manipulated until new diploid chromosomes are ready for the next steps. It doesn"t happen all at once...

Furthermore, it"s only going to get worse. The better the temporal and spatial resolution of our technology,which is improving with each passing day, the more detail and complexity emerges in the reproductive cycle.

So I ask again: when exactly does in this process does one become a "human being" whose destruction is tantamount to murder? Where precisely is this moral boundary of which Mr. Bush speaks?

I understand that to admit to the fact that there is no boundary, that life is continuum, opens a lot of uncomfortable doors for those who like their ethical architecture to be straight and narrow. Sorry, but that"s ... life.

I think a lot of the arguing here happens because a segment of the population is very uncomfortable with greyness. Black or white. Good or evil. You"re either with us or against us. By framing the discussion in these terms, there isn"t any measured or critical analysis or discussion. But it does make things oh so morally uncomplicated.

UPDATE II: Fig pointed out that this post disappeared from the site. When I wrote the above update, I accidentally saved it as a draft, rather than publishing it to the site. Sorry.

Democrats never go to church?

2010-03-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

There is a post over at Illinipundit about Giuliani. I don"t want to comment on the discussion there, but point out something about the original editorial. That editorial, from the Washington Post, begins:

Social issues such as gay rights and gun control divide America so sharply largely because no one has found a single solution for them equally acceptable to both churchgoing conservatives and secular liberals.

Note the dichotomy there: the two groups in politics are, apparently "churchgoing conservatives" and "secular liberals". Even though an overwhelming majority of Democrats are religious -- and Christians, to boot -- only conservatives qualify as "churchgoing."

We saw this crap all the time in the last election, except that it wasn"t "churchgoing conservatives," it was "values voters." The rest of us being, apparently valueless, atheists that attend Black Mass during the new moon and probably would eat your face given half a chance.

It"s a dangerous assertion made worse by the fact that it"s probably unconscious at this point: that only conservatives have a moral compass. Of course, this meme has been brought to you by your "liberal" media.

The fate of the planet may depend on it!

2010-03-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

Scott Aaronson of Shtetl Optimized explains why safety considerations demand that we must turn on the LHC right away!

Got another one

2010-03-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

I don"t usually have enough time to invest a few hours in solving the Monday Math Madness puzzles on Wild About Math and Blinkdagger, but twice so far (out of the five puzzles posted) I was able to see how to do the puzzle essentially as soon as I read it, and so sent in an entry.

As with the first time, my entry was again correct, but still no banana, unfortunately. (It was essentially to prove that 1 and 9 were the only squares with no even digits.)

I"m there in the list of people giving correct answers, under the longer version of my nom-de-blog.

Alternative medicine

2010-03-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

Alternative medicine includes practices that differ from conventional medicine. Some alternative medicine practices are homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal medicine. A typical definition is "every available approach to healing that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine".

Alternative medicine practices may be based on non-traditional belief systems or philosophies, and some may not follow the scientific method. They may incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings, untested practices, pre-modern medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing. If an initially untested alternative medical approach is subsequently shown to be safe and effective, it may then be adopted by conventional practitioners and no longer considered "alternative".

"Alternative medicine" is often categorized together with complementary medicine using the umbrella term Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM.

Regulation / Alternative medicine

Jurisdiction differs concerning which branches of alternative medicine are legal, which are regulated, and which (if any) are provided by a government-controlled health service or reimbursed by a private health medical insurance company.

A number of alternative medicine advocates disagree with the restrictions of government agencies that approve medical treatments (such as the American Food and Drug Administration) and the agencies" adherence to experimental evaluation methods. They claim that this impedes those seeking to bring useful and effective treatments and approaches to the public, and protest that their contributions and discoveries are unfairly dismissed, overlooked or suppressed. Alternative medicine providers often argue that health fraud should be dealt with appropriately when it occurs.