Myth #1: Liquid Vitamins

The most contentious liquid vitamin myth is that liquid vitamins have a 90% absorption rate, but this is disproved by a simple experiment. Liquid vitamins increase the number of entry pathways into the body, allowing for greater absorption. Vitamin absorption must now be more than just a theory. Visual proof of a vitamin supplement's ability to pass through a thin membrane is now possible with a coffee filter. Two vitamins were chosen for their popularity and availability, and both spent the same amount of time in the stomach acid equivalent and filtering through the filter.

The weight analysis revealed 0.2 ounces of filtered liquid vitamin supplement and 0.8 ounces of filtered pill form vitamin. The coffee filter contains visual proof of liquid vitamins' ability to absorb approximately 3 to 4 times more efficiently than pill form vitamins.

Liquid vitamins have been stealing the spotlight from vitamin supplements. Many people have been plagued by questionable facts and liquid vitamin claims. The truth about vitamin absorption has finally arrived.

The most contentious liquid vitamin myth has to be superior vitamin absorption. Pill vitamins have a 30% absorption rate, whereas liquid vitamins have a 90% absorption rate. It is now time to visually prove or disprove this fact.

A simple experiment is used in the fact testing approach. The experiment started with a hypothesis. A nutrient must be completely simplified before passing through the body's membranes, such as the villi in the small intestine or the mucous membrane, in order to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Keeping this in mind, a pill must be simplified before nutrient absorption can occur. This restricts the pill form vitamin to only one route of entry into the bloodstream: the small intestine.

Fortunately, liquid vitamins increase the number of entry pathways into the body, allowing for greater absorption. A liquid vitamin is already in its most basic form. As you drink the liquid vitamin, absorption begins in your mouth's mucous membrane and through tissue in your esophagus.

Vitamin absorption must now be more than just a theory. Visual proof of the vitamin supplement's ability to pass through a very thin membrane must be available. Visual proof is now possible with a few items from your kitchen. A coffee filter can be used to simulate the permeable membrane through which nutrients must pass in our bodies. Lemon juice has a pH similar to stomach acid. Stomach acid pH levels can range from 1 to 3 depending on stomach conditions. The pH of lemon juice is 2.3. Two vitamins were chosen for their popularity and availability, but will remain anonymous in order to preserve the experiment's universality.

After completing the vitamin absorption experiment planning, the experiment was carried out, leaving only visual vitamin absorption facts behind. Before and after the experiment, all components were weighed. Both vitamins spent the same amount of time in the stomach acid equivalent and filtering through the coffee filter. The experiment time frames were designed to be as close to digestion as possible, which takes approximately 2-4 hours in the stomach.

The vitamin absorption facts were finally visually displayed after the filtering process was completed. The weight analysis revealed 0.2 ounces of filtered liquid vitamin supplement and 0.8 ounces of filtered pill form vitamin. This corresponds to the absorption rate facts tested. The coffee filter contains visual proof of liquid vitamins' ability to absorb approximately 3 to 4 times more efficiently than pill form vitamins.

Loss of Pounds The ability to set goals, achieve objectives, and harness the power of intention

The most important details in this text are the importance of setting goals, achieving objectives, and harnessing the power of intention to achieve weight loss. Brian Tracy has stated that the act of taking the first step and following through is what separates the winners from the losers, and it all starts with clearly defining what you want. To achieve weight loss permanently, it is important to see yourself as 'lean' or 'lighter' with absolute clarity and to practice daily effective, proactive rituals that promote or provide assurance, insurance, functionality, or the opportunity to continue to have or use something that you most likely want to keep. 

Exercise and nutrition are frequently perplexing topics that are often shrouded in mystery, but they do not have to be. Knowing how to do something and actually doing it is where the line is drawn, and having an intention combined with an objective acts as the proverbial driver behind the wheel.

Intention is like stepping on the gas pedal, which results in action or OBJECTIVE. The most important details in this text are that goals or objectives motivate and generate oomph, that they are the steam that wakes you up, gets you to work, helps you focus, and aids in the achievement process, and that subconscious conditioning produces behaviors that are more commonly referred to as habits. 

To become a creature of positive habit, it is important to create a sense of purpose, a reason why, and combine that purpose with your desire and emotionally stimulated intention; write down this desire, intention, and purpose; visualize a 'clear-vision' of how you see yourself in a 'fighting' situation; and stay focused using all of these components. Finally, setting goals and focusing your attention on them will help you build the body of your dreams. The key to success is to take control of your own mind and become proactive about your 'destination' and take the necessary steps to 'arrive'.

Self-control and self-reliance are inner resources that you already have, and they exist. Setting goals and having objectives to strive for works because it activates the mechanism of the subconscious mind, which in turn activates the application of intention, which produces results. Change is possible, but you must first decide that change is what you want and then pursue it with reckless abandon. With all of the necessary tools in place and in proper form, you can achieve anything and live a life of genuine conviction and purpose.

What separates the winners from the losers is the act of taking the first step.

Setting objectives and goals, as well as a desire or intention to meet those goals and objectives, is unquestionably the most important piece of the puzzle when attempting to achieve anything worthwhile in life. And, as Brian Tracy has stated, the act of taking the first step and then following through is what separates the winners from the losers. It all starts with clearly defining what you want, and weight loss is no exception! The potency of your objectives and the strength of your intention will greatly aid in the clarity and precision with which you outline your goals. So, if you truly want to lose weight permanently, you must see yourself as 'lean' or 'lighter' with absolute clarity! It is possible that it will happen to you. You've probably heard that life is a journey, not a destination...

Enjoy the journey, but know where you're going so you can get there faster!

Brushing your teeth, washing your hair,'showing up' at work on time, and sleeping are all daily rituals that promote or provide assurance, insurance, functionality, or the opportunity to continue to have or use something that you most likely want to keep... When these rituals are abandoned, decay, breakdown, or unemployment occur, resulting in a downward spiral of unpleasant events. Although it may sound strange, your body functions or DIS-functions in the same way; practice daily effective, proactive rituals, and ta...da... you either attain, maintain, or achieve the desired object or objective. Exercise and nutrition are frequently perplexing topics that are often shrouded in mystery, but they do not have to be. Knowledge and application of knowledge are not synonymous; they are distinct and distinct. Knowing how to do something and actually doing it is where the line is drawn, and having an intention combined with an objective acts as the proverbial driver behind the wheel...and placing intention into the subconscious mind is like stepping on the gas pedal, which results in action or OBJECTIVE.

Can you remember a time when you wanted something so badly that nothing else mattered? That thing that drove you was desire, and if you got that 'object' of desire, it was intention that drove you to go out and get or "receive" that object. Goals or objectives motivate and generate oomph, that get-up-and-go; they are the steam that wakes you up, gets you to work, helps you focus, and aids in the achievement process. Emotion combined with a goal provides fuel for achievement. Create a sense of purpose, a reason why, and combine that purpose with your desire and your emotionally stimulated intention; write down this desire, intention, and purpose, and since we're talking about weight loss, this could be that desire. Imagine a 'clear-vision' of how you see yourself in a 'fighting' situation, we call this "visualizing," and stay focused using all of these components, and guess what... It will happen... Yes, time, patience, persistence, effort, and action are required, but it is an undeniable fact that you will reap what you sow. This is the next stage of positive reinforcement... Any suggestion you plant in your subconscious mind is used; if it's negative, it produces negative results; if it's positive, it produces positive results! If you know what to do but can't seem to get yourself to do it, you've probably been sending your subconscious mind negative or contradictory messages. Subconscious conditioning produces behaviors that are more commonly referred to as habits. Fortunately, just as easily as you can become a victim of negative habits, you can re-program your subconscious mind with positive instructions and become a creature of positive habit. It all starts with a conscious decision and written goals.

Pay close attention to the intention.

The brain... It's a horrible thing...to waste! I am always astounded by the similarities we all share, as well as by how different we are. So simple, yet so complex...and when it comes to exercising our mental capacities, this is where some show signs of mastery and others appear to be sleeping giants! I've worked with thousands of people over the years, and what's remarkable is that almost all of them fall into similar distinct mind-sets, either because they have the desire and intent to accomplish something great, or because they believe they are losing something that they want badly enough to keep! The bottom line is that if you want to get in amazing shape, all you have to do is make up your mind and "intend" to achieve your goal. Setting goals and focusing your attention on them will help you build the body of your dreams. Setting this attentive intent in motion is the positive action required to propel you forward and upward. Exercise and proper nutrition are only two components of this program's matrix, and in all honesty, if you don't properly tune that focus 'in,' the best of programs or intentions will not eliminate the natural tendency to 'bail-out' before success has arrived. When it comes to success, the 'killer-of-giants' is self-defeat. Setting goals and having objectives to strive for works because it activates the mechanism of the all-powerful subconscious mind, which in turn activates the application of intention, which produces results.

Success

The theme here is to take control of your own mind; success will be found when you become proactive about your 'destination' and take the necessary steps to 'arrive'. It truly is about the incredible power of self-control and self-reliance. These are inner resources that you already have, and have always had. You may not have realized you possessed these abilities, but they exist, however latent they may be...they exist! It's not uncommon for you to have not used them or to have used them inefficiently. Change is possible, but you must first decide that change is what you want and then pursue it with reckless abandon. With all of the necessary tools in place and in proper form, you can achieve anything, and I mean anything! Prepare to succeed and live a life of genuine conviction and purpose. "Have a purpose in life, and throw yourself into your work with all the strength of mind and muscle that God has given," wrote the Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle. Beautiful! And until next time, good luck and God bless you.

Medicine's Two Facets

The two opposing points of view on how to maintain good health have been around since ancient times. The 'Asklepian' approach is used in mainstream western medicine today, while the 'Hygeian' approach has gained traction due to dissatisfaction with mainstream medicine and an increasing awareness of drug companies' influence. Hygeians believe that good health is primarily a personal responsibility, not the responsibility of overworked physicians. 

Mainstream medicine has a place in everyone's health plan, and can provide advantages such as early detection of a developing disease that may not be aware of. A friend of mine, a former competitive body builder, was water skiing on a lake about 15 years ago when he died from a massive heart attack. This tragedy could have been avoided if more people were aware of their risk factors and were able to correct any abnormalities before it was too late. Technology for measuring ALL of the 'predictors' that indicate your risk of such an event had been available 15 years ago.

There have always been two opposing points of view on how to maintain good health or regain it after having lost it. This conflict has existed since ancient times... and will undoubtedly continue for a long time.

One'side' believes that good health is the result of external intervention... drugs, surgery, and so on. The opposing'side' believes that good health results from living in accordance with natural law... proper nutrition... cleanliness, and so on.

These two groups of people had names in ancient Greece. Each group came under the umbrella of a 'god,' as was often the case in those days. One was 'Asklepios,' the god of medicine, who advocated for the 'intervention' approach. Asklepians were the name given to these people. Those who believed that living in harmony with nature was the key to good health looked up to 'Hygeia,' the goddess of health. These people were known as 'Hygeian'.

Hygeians vs. Asklepians

Both sides were critical of the other... not much has changed over the years. The 'Asklepian' approach is used in mainstream western medicine today. However, the Hygeian approach, which has always been the underlying principle of Chinese traditional medicine, has gained significant traction in recent years. The rise in popularity of the 'Hygeian' approach is undoubtedly due to a combination of factors: Dissatisfaction with mainstream medicine. There are more cases of medical'misadventure'. (It is best to avoid hospitals.) Recognize that good health is primarily a personal responsibility... not the responsibility of overworked physicians. An increasing awareness that drug companies have a strong influence in the medical industry and that there are often better, safer, and more cost-effective natural alternatives to drugs.

Despite this justifiable "swing" away from mainstream medicine, mainstream medicine has a place in everyone's health plan... aside from the obvious ones in treating accident cases or chronic urgent illness. So, if you are already a 'Hygeian,' don't overlook the advantages that mainstream medicine can provide you in your quest for overall good health and longevity.

These advantages stem primarily from the early detection of a developing disease that you may not be aware of!

As an example

Assume you are over 40 years old, healthy, fit, and not overweight. You eat well, don't smoke or drink excessively, and are rarely ill. You most likely believe that you will live forever... or at least until the age of 100! Right? Perhaps... or perhaps not.

Consider this for a moment. Have you ever known anyone around this age who died unexpectedly, much to your surprise because you thought they were so healthy? That individual may have even been a competitive athlete!

Allow me to tell you a true story.

A friend of mine, around 40 years old, a former competitive body builder who was still in great shape and extremely fit, was water skiing on a lake about 15 years ago. He was watching some young water skiers perform some 'tricks'.

Being the competitive person that he was he waited until they came in and went down to the waters edge and said "Now, I'll show you how to really do it". Those were the last words he ever spoke... a few minutes later, he was dead from a massive heart attack.

My friend died in an instant. He could just as easily have had a stroke, from which he may or may not have recovered... which would have been a major tragedy as well.

Tragedies are frequently avoidable.

Tragedies like this occur on a daily basis, and the consequences are devastating not only to the victims, but also to their families, friends, and loved ones. Unfortunately, many of these tragedies could have been avoided if more people were aware of their risk factors and were able to correct any abnormalities before it was too late!

Now, let's get back to the point of this story. My friend died as a result of an artery blockage. It only takes one. If technology for measuring ALL of the 'predictors' that indicate your risk of such an event had been available 15 years ago AND my friend had understood what they meant, he'd probably still be showing those young guys how to do water-skiing tricks!

How many thousands of people are still dying needlessly because they do not know how to use current technology... or, in some cases, are so opposed to mainstream medicine that they do not use the "good" parts!

What should you do now?

First and foremost, if you are over 35 and have not had a blood test in the last few years, make an appointment... RIGHT NOW!

Get a broad one that checks for:

Cholesterol. Triglycerides on both the LDL and HDL levels Homocysteine Lipoproteins The Liver Function The Renal Function Glucose in the Blood

If you are a man over the age of 40, make sure you have a PSA. (PSA) (Prostate Specific Antigen) test) Hint: Recent research suggests that if you had sex within the previous 72 hours, your PSA levels may be affected. Avoid alcohol for 2 to 3 days before your test.

Ask your doctor, regardless of gender, if any other tests are recommended for you. If all of your tests are within the normal range, you can relax knowing that you are unlikely to face any immediate health risks. You can then focus your efforts on feeling better and slowing down the aging process.

If any of your tests are abnormal, you will need to take steps to bring them back into 'normal' ranges... and you may be subjected to additional tests. It is the treatment of any abnormalities from these blood tests that create a potential conflict between 'Askelepians' and 'Hygeians'.

Here's an example of a possible conflict:

If your tests show that your cholesterol is 'out of whack,' your'mainstream' physician may first recommend lowering your dietary cholesterol intake. This is unlikely to be successful because ingested cholesterol accounts for a small proportion of total blood cholesterol.

They will most likely recommend one of the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as'statins' next. These medications work by inhibiting an enzyme required by your liver to produce cholesterol. (Your liver produces up to 80% of your blood cholesterol, not from dietary cholesterol).

These statin drugs are extremely potent and have been linked to serious side effects, including death. In fact, Bayers was recently forced to withdraw their statin drug from the market due to 'unacceptably high' fatality rates. Despite these risks, statin drugs are widely prescribed and sell for billions of dollars each year.

It's ironic that there are natural alternatives to statin drugs that can help lower cholesterol while being safe and without side effects. However, the general public knows little about them because they are not patentable and there is no financial incentive for large corporations to promote them.

The same principle applies to a wide range of ailments. There are numerous legal treatment options. What matters is that you seek out and use natural alternatives before agreeing to expose yourself to the negative side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

Pharmaceutical drugs are referred to as "blockers," whereas natural remedies are referred to as "enablers."

Pharmaceutical drugs are 'blockers,' and they rarely heal the underlying condition. They generally work by suppressing natural functions such as certain enzymes, as I mentioned earlier when mentioning the'statin' example. Because of this process, results are frequently 'instant,' and as such, these powerful prescription drugs have a place in life-threatening emergencies.

Natural products, on the other hand, such as herbs and vitamins, are referred to as 'enablers'. They work to address the underlying cause of the disease, which is frequently a nutrient deficiency of some kind. The outcomes are not immediate and must be measured over weeks or even months.

If you have a serious illness, work with your doctor to try to cure it... first with natural remedies. If she or he is unfamiliar with the treatment you want to try, do some additional research and obtain supporting information so you can discuss the options intelligently. If your doctor is resistant to natural remedies, it might be a good idea to look for another qualified doctor who is.

The Evolution of Health Biology The Way To Perpetual Health?

The "New Biology of Health" is concerned with maintaining the body's acid/alkaline balance, also known as pH. Dr. Robert O. Young, cellular biologist and author of the "pH Miracle," teaches that our American lifestyles and diets destroy cellular health and make us sick, tired, and vulnerable to viruses and bacteria, while also hastening aging. 

The Rebalancing Act is a cleansing process that restores the pH level to slightly alkaline via a cleansing process. Many people will never try rebalancing because they believe it takes a food nerd to alkalize, but thousands of others swear that the "alkalarian" lifestyle dramatically improves their health and that they enjoy a salad for breakfast. An example of someone who is motivated to "get healthy" and regain their "youthful" feeling is Rachael Boomher, age 55 and slightly overweight, who suffered from chronic fatigue, high blood pressure and cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 

Rachael decided to give pH balancing a shot, reducing her intake of acidic foods and replacing oranges with grapefruit, almond milk with cow's milk, almond butter with peanut butter, and filtered water with tap water.

The 30-day experiment was successful and Rachael felt more energized and had a strong desire for alkaline foods. Rachel's experiment with the pH Balancing program yielded two significant benefits: an increase in energy and a loss of 10 pounds with no effort. She expects key indicators like cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure to fall if she sticks with the program with the same zeal she started with. Learn about the "New Biology of Health" and try pH balancing for 10 days before giving up acidic lifestyle, diet soda, juicy steaks, or fast food. SuperGreens and pH drops can be pricey at first, but if you can eliminate other expenses, SuperGreens will appear to be less expensive overall.

What exactly is the "New Biology of Health"? And who is the snake oil salesman claiming that certain products are a cure-all for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease? Is it effective?

Simply put, the "New Biology of Health" is concerned with maintaining your body's acid/alkaline balance, also known as pH. The ideal pH level is slightly alkaline, as measured by saliva, urine, or blood tests.

Dr. Robert O. Young, cellular biologist and author of the “pH Miracle,” teaches that our American lifestyles and diets destroy cellular health. Stress, the environment, and especially acidic foods (almost everything you eat except certain fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts) cause your body's cells to become unhealthy and acidic. Your overall health is determined by the state of your cells.

Essentially, our lifestyles and diets make us sick, tired, and vulnerable to viruses and bacteria, while also hastening aging. Take a look at our culture's pharmaceutical consumption. The number of pills you take appears to be directly proportional to your age!

The Rebalancing Act: Towards the "pH Miracle"

So, where is the miracle? It's called pH balancing... restore your pH level to slightly alkaline via a cleansing process, and you're back in good health; no, better health than you've ever had. But wait, you need to keep your pH level stable, so cut out the meat, eggs, sugary fruits, desserts, dairy products, coffee, diet soda, and bread.

And, by the way, drink so much water laced with SuperGreens (grass) and pH booster that you triple your daily bathroom visits.

Is the Effort Worthwhile?

Why would you subject yourself to such a drastic change? Many people will never try rebalancing because they believe it takes a food nerd to alkalize. However, thousands of others swear that the "alkalarian" lifestyle dramatically improves their health and that they enjoy a salad for breakfast!

Consider an example of someone who is motivated to "get healthy" and regain their "youthful" feeling.

Here's an Actual Case Study

Rachael Boomher, age 55 and slightly overweight, suffered from chronic fatigue, high blood pressure and cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and borderline glaucoma. A routine test a few years ago revealed precancerous cells. This condition was "corrected" surgically. (FYI, Rachael is not a fictitious character created by the author.)

Is Rachael your average middle-aged baby boomer? Yes, but with a significant difference... she believes that being sick, tired, and generally unhealthy can be changed... regardless of what doctors say about her "genes" or cultural expectations about age-related health conditions.

Her obsession is regaining and maintaining her health. The mission was a failure for several years. Then she came across "Living Health." In this CD program, Tony Robbins, the motivational guru/crusader, describes Dr. Young’s “New Biology of Health.” Rachael discovered that Tony had tested it on himself and thousands of his followers, with positive results. Isn't Tony the first energizer bunny?

Still, Rachael is a natural skeptic, so she looked into Dr. Young and discovered hundreds of incredible testimonials about people's health improvements. She also discovered conflicting reviews for his books. Dr. Young appeared to be regarded as either a mad scientist or a life saver.

The pH Balancing Program is being launched.

Despite the negative reviews, she decided to give pH balancing a shot, beginning with the swamp juice (SuperGreens) and pH drops.

Over the next month, she reduced her intake of the most acidic foods: red meat, sugar, pasta, dairy products, eggs, and processed foods. She added vegetables and salads, replaced oranges with grapefruit, almond milk with cow's milk, almond butter with peanut butter, and filtered water with tap water.

Rachael felt more energized as her pH levels increased and her body eliminated deadly toxins. She had a strong desire for alkaline foods. Even though her desire for acidic foods waned, she maintained a long-standing daily habit of café au lait.

The 30-Day Experiment Was Successful!

Rachel's experiment with the pH Balancing program yielded two significant benefits: an increase in energy and the loss of more than 10 pounds with no effort. Really... no effort required!

These results may appear unimpressive, but they represent a new beginning for Rachael. Instead of pushing herself to get through the day and then collapsing on the couch at night, she thinks more clearly, acts faster, and has more energy to spare for her family and hobbies. She expects key indicators like cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure to fall, especially if she sticks with the program with the same zeal she started with.

What Does the pH Miracle Mean for You?

Stop blaming everyone and everything except yourself if you're sick and tired of being sick and tired. Pity the party is over! Learn about the "New Biology of Health." Begin by visiting the following websites: www.snyderhealth.com and www.phmiracleliving.com.

Try pH balancing for 10 days before you decide you can't give up your acidic lifestyle, diet soda, juicy steaks, or fast food. Not a lifetime, but only ten days. You'll feel a lot better, especially if you're dealing with health issues like Rachael. Growing old isn't difficult; we make it difficult with our diets and lifestyles.

Please keep in mind that SuperGreens and pH drops can be pricey at first. However, you may eventually stop taking prescriptions and some supplements. Because you can eliminate other expenses, SuperGreens will appear to be less expensive overall. After all, what is the cost of eternal youth?

Dental Infections and Gum Disease Cause Surprising Blood Changes

Dr. Prices conducted extensive blood tests on patients and animals to determine the side effects of root canal infections. Results showed that Lymphocytes increased by 58%, Polymorphonuclear leukocytes reduced by 33%, Hemoglobin levels fluctuated little, sugar levels were elevated, ionic calcium levels were lower, Uric acid and nitrogen retention were increased, acidosis resulted from a decrease in alkaline reserves, and patients with pus-filled pyorrhea pockets lost a lot of weight. 

This study found that it was the bacteria's toxins, not the bacteria themselves, that caused the animals' weight loss and death. All rabbits who received inoculations of infected material or had infected teeth implanted under their skin lost weight, and patients with rheumatic disease were prone to tissue withering. Dr. Price observed that emaciation may range from 10% to 25%, and in severe cases, it may range from 35% to 40%.

Dr. Prices assumed that dentists would be aware of any changes in a patient's blood when a dental infection was present, but found no reports on the subject in scientific literature. This prompted him to conduct extensive blood tests on patients and animals in order to determine the side effects of root canal infections.

Thousands of patient and animal blood tests Infected by root-filled teeth?

- Lymphocytes (white blood cells) increased by 58% in humans and 58% in rabbits.

- Polymorphonuclear leukocytes, a type of white blood cell, were reduced by 33% in humans and animals.

- Hemoglobin levels fluctuated very little, either up or down.

- Hemophilia, or a proclivity to bleed, was common in rabbits.

- Sugar levels in the blood were found to be elevated.

- Although some rabbits had higher levels of ionic calcium, calcium levels were lower in the majority of rabbits.

- leading to 15 to 20 distinct pathologic conditions.

- Uric acid and nitrogen retention were increased.

- Acidosis resulted from a decrease in alkaline reserves.

- Some patients, as well as all animals, lost weight. Patients suffering from rheumatic disease frequently experienced tissue withering.

Patients with pus-filled pyorrhea pockets lost a lot of weight, as did animals given diluted solutions of crushed pyorrhetic teeth that had all the bacteria filtered out. This clearly demonstrated that it was the bacteria's toxins, not the bacteria themselves, that caused the animals' weight loss and death.

If you think this was an isolated incident, consider that this study involved 667 rabbit inoculations. Bacteria were found to be absent in 667 successive rabbit inoculations, some with cultures, some with culture filtrates, and many with filtered washings from crushed teeth. Of these, 33 1/3 percent suffered losses ranging from 10% to 30%, while 3.6 percent suffered losses ranging from 30% to 50%.

Because all of the rabbits were fed the same diet throughout the tests, any changes in blood and weight, whether positive or negative, must be regarded as diagnostic symptoms of the presence of dental infections, caused by bacteria or their toxins.

All rabbits who received inoculations of infected material or had infected teeth implanted under their skin lost weight. The greater the severity of the infection, the greater the weight loss.

Dr. Price observed that patients with rheumatic disease were prone to tissue withering. In normal cases, emaciation may range from 10% to 25%, and in severe cases, it may range from 35% to 40%. He reported that one woman patient who weighed 130 pounds had dropped to 72 pounds. Her weight quickly increased from 72 pounds to 111 pounds following the removal of her dental infections. A rabbit was inoculated with a culture taken from one of her infected teeth. This rabbit's weight dropped from 1381 to 1105 grams in four days (20 percent).

Protein Diet What Does It Mean For Your Body?

Protein is a crucial component in our bodies, forming the basis of our muscles, glands, and organs. Our bodies are composed primarily of water and protein. A diet high in protein can have significant benefits, especially when it comes to muscle growth and fighting fat.

There are different types of proteins, and like fats and carbohydrates, some are better than others. Proteins are composed of amino acids, and the human body requires 20 of these amino acids for its normal growth and development. Some of these amino acids are essential and must be obtained through the diet, as the body cannot produce them on its own.

When planning a protein-rich diet, it is important to choose foods that provide not only non-essential amino acids, but also essential amino acids. Good food choices include broccoli, spinach, nuts, beans, lentils, pasta, and barley. By including these foods in your diet, you can ensure that your body has the essential nutrients it needs to thrive.

Orphan Drugs Provide Hope in Places Where There Is Little or No Hope

Gary Jacob, CEO of Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is leading a scientific effort to develop a new orphan drug called Atiprimod for patients with multiple myeloma. The FDA recently granted Callisto orphan drug designation, providing financial incentives to continue the costly development process. Orphan drugs are providing new doses of hope where there was previously little or none at all. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, an estimated 6,000 orphan diseases affect approximately 25 million people in the United States. The FDA program went into effect in 1983, paving the way for new drugs for orphan diseases, but large pharmaceutical companies have been largely absent.

Small pharmaceutical companies with promising drug candidates have been drawn into the breach by the FDA's orphan drug incentives, which include grants, seven years of marketing exclusivity, and tax breaks. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple myeloma, and Huntington's disease all affect fewer than 100 people. Dr. Kenneth C. Anderson, a member of Callisto's Medical Advisory Board, is excited to see Atiprimod enter clinical trials for evaluation in patients with multiple myeloma, as it has the potential to help patients who have not responded to other medications. Phase I/IIa trials are set to begin later this month.

Gary Jacob received distressing news during a visit to his doctor - not about himself, but about a doctor's friend.

The doctor's friend fell and broke a rib while playing with one of his children. That was bad enough, but during the hospital examination, the father was given a shocking and completely unexpected diagnosis: he had multiple myeloma, a bone marrow blood cancer.

The diagnosis was equivalent to a death sentence.

Jacob was aware of the anguish experienced by multiple myeloma patients. The disease is incurable and nearly always fatal, making it one of the rare diseases with few, if any, treatments available. They are referred to as "orphan" diseases because the patient populations are small and commercial development of a drug is deemed economically unattractive.

Mr. Jacob was aware because, as CEO of Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a small Manhattan-based biopharmaceutical company, he is leading a scientific effort to develop a new orphan drug called "Atiprimod" for patients with multiple myeloma.

"My father's illness drove home to me the importance of what we're doing," Mr. Jacob says. "Everyone agrees that more drugs are needed to treat multiple myeloma. There are people dying with no real hope because there is no effective treatment for all patients."

Orphan drugs are providing new doses of hope where there was previously little or none at all. Pharmaceutical companies developed ten drugs for orphan diseases in the decade preceding the start of the federal Food and Drug Administration's orphan drug program. The FDA reports that nearly 250 new drugs have been developed and approved in the decades since, with hundreds more in the works.

Atiprimod is one of the drugs making its way to the market. The FDA recently granted Callisto orphan drug designation, providing the company with financial incentives to continue the costly development process.

The program covers drugs for orphan diseases with fewer than 200,000 patients.

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, an estimated 6,000 orphan diseases affect approximately 25 million people in the United States.

Cystic fibrosis, HIV-related complications, Gaucher's disease, hemophilia, and rare cancers were among the orphan diseases without effective treatments until the FDA program went into effect in 1983, paving the way for new drugs for patients with these diseases.

Large pharmaceutical companies have been largely absent from the efforts.

According to Dr. John McCormick, deputy director of the orphan drug program, only 15% of applications for orphan drug designation have come from larger pharmaceutical companies.

The reason is that investors are expecting negative investment returns.

Small pharmaceutical companies with promising drug candidates have been drawn into the breach by the FDA's orphan drug incentives, which include grants, seven years of marketing exclusivity, and tax breaks.

While the future looks brighter, developing drugs for orphan diseases remains a daunting task.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, affects 30,000 Americans each year, with 8,000 new cases diagnosed; Huntington's disease also affects 30,000 people.

According to the National Institutes of Health, some diseases affect fewer than 100 people.

Multiple myeloma affects an estimated 50,000 people, with 15,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The FDA approved Velcade, a new drug for patients with the disease, last year. However, there are still many patients with multiple myeloma who do not have access to treatment.

Dr. Kenneth C. Anderson, who was involved in the preclinical development and clinical trials of Velcade and is now a member of Callisto's Medical Advisory Board, is one of the experts who believes that more drugs to treat multiple myeloma are needed.

"He is very excited to see Atiprimod enter clinical trials for evaluation in patients with multiple myeloma," Jacob said of Anderson. "He believes it has the potential to help patients who have not responded to other medications."

Dr. Anderson is the director of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center in Boston, MA, and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Atiprimod Phase I/IIa trials are set to begin later this month.

Dr. Donald Picker, Senior Vice President of Drug Development at Callisto, stated that studies of Atiprimod conducted in collaboration with scientists from the National Cancer Institute have been very promising.

"In essence, we've demonstrated in these preliminary studies that Atiprimod has the potential to intervene with cancer cells and tumors in three ways: by inhibiting their formation, programming their death, and limiting their ability to grow blood vessels required for survival. These findings suggest that Atiprimod may represent a novel class of compounds for development as a therapeutic intervention in human cancers "Dr. Picker stated.

A Significant Global Public Health and Healing Event

A Significant Global Public Health and Healing Event. In recent months, two of the world's most widely read publications, Parade Magazine and USA Weekend, have made a series of media references to a truly unusual upcoming event.

An unprecedented global health and healing event is about to spread across our planet, educating on natural health solutions and providing a vision of a global coming together for personal and global healing, as well as an urge for people to open their hearts and minds to wisdom from all corners of humanity for the betterment of all.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 29th, 2006 (celebrated every year on the last Saturday of April), a large group of people who have experienced the health and healing benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong (Chi Kung) will hold exhibitions and teach-ins on these ancient health tools in New Zealand's earliest time zones. Tens of thousands will participate in hundreds of events across sixty nations as 10 a.m. rolls across the globe time zone by time zone.

A recent Harvard, Yale, and MIT study discovered that "meditation increases brain size," particularly in the creative centers of the mind. As the moving meditations of tai chi and qigong spread throughout cities worldwide in public places, they expose tens of thousands to the gentle flowing motions of moving meditation, and this moment of mind expansion is carried into millions of homes with the help of global media. What impact does one day of blanketing the world in images of unity, healing, and open-heartedness have on the planet, on humanity? Perhaps it increases global brain size!

And, while research into this has yet to be conducted, it is possible that it enlarges the size of the planet's heart. World Tai Chi & Qigong Day has received moving testimonials from people as diverse as an American Vietnam War Veteran, a young woman recovering from burns caused by a bombing run in the most recent war, and a housewife in Belgium... all explaining what it means to them to be able to participate each year in a global wave of healing intent.

Paul Claroni, a Vietnam veteran from the United States

"Dear Mr Bill, I appreciate your interest in me and your assistance. I had a great time that day with all the taichi people, my friends, and Elaine. I'm not feeling well right now, but I'm hoping to feel better soon. I enjoy Tai chi and find it a great way to relax. Keep in touch with me, and I will do the same. Best regards." Hannan Shihab (Iraq)

"I'm also sending you a photo of myself taken on WTCQD on April 30, 2005. It's a picture of a happy woman who, eight years ago, couldn't stand for more than ten minutes on two feet because her entire body hurt! I now work as a health counselor for both the body and the soul! With all my heart!" Hilda Cardinaels from Belgium

The event is both moving and emotional, but it also provides very practical opportunities for global health and healing. A local television news station, for example, was interviewing a World Tai Chi & Qigong Day (WTCQD) event organizer the morning before the event about seven years ago. A woman was watching the interview and learning about medical research on the potential benefits of tai chi and qigong for chronic pain and limited mobility. The woman suggested to her daughter, who was recovering from a car accident and was experiencing chronic pain and limited mobility, that she attend this "World Tai Chi Day" event and learn about tai chi.

She and her daughter did attend, and from there, not only did they learn tai chi and qigong by attending local classes, but Linda Bowers went on to become a tai chi teacher. Linda now teaches tai chi in a variety of settings, including one for the Kansas State Women's Prison, where she has taught fifty women the tai chi long form, and five of these women have received teaching certificates, which Linda presented to Kansas Governor Kris Kobach last year. These women's lives have been forever altered for the better. I recall teaching tai chi and qigong for the court drug rehabilitation program in Kansas City, and addicts would thank me after classes for giving them a chance to feel well-being rather than gnawing need. Their lives were forever altered because they now possessed life tools that no one had ever told them existed.

Multiply Linda's story by the tens of thousands who take part in sixty countries on the last Saturday of April each year, and you have a world-changing event in every sense.

Who is eligible to participate in World Tai Chi & Qigong Day? Everyone on the planet. When you go to worldtaichiday.org and click on "Everyone's Resources," you'll see a "World TC & QG Day Events Locator," which will take you to your country and state and direct you to WTCQD events in your area. For those already practicing tai chi or qigong, worldtaichiday.org has a "Schools Resources" menu with many Event Organizing resources to use to create a successful event, as well as a free listing for your classes / event.

Where do events take place? In general, and in hundreds of cities across sixty nations and six continents. There is almost certainly an event near where you live. To find one near you, go to worldtaichiday.org.

Most events include free teach-ins, so you'll be able to learn a little tai chi or qigong while also following along with the mass exhibition that will be held to coincide with the hundreds of other events that will be held around the world before and after yours.

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is a one-of-a-kind blend of fun, serious health education, and life-changing movement for a global audience hungry for simple natural solutions to our world's growing complexity. Emerging medical research suggests that tai chi and qigong could significantly improve the lives of millions of people suffering from common chronic health issues if they only knew about them. Given some of the astounding findings, such as tai chi's ability to boost immune system function (UCLA), or dramatically reduce Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in high school students (University of Miami School of Medicine), lower high blood pressure, heal heart disease (BBC), build bone mass, improve breathing, and so on, one would think that billions of dollars would be poured into developing and spreading these tools further and faster to tai chi practitioners.

However, this is not the case. According to preliminary tai chi & qigong research, our health establishment and media appear incapable of exploring and promoting non-surgery, non-drug solutions to our global health challenges in a way that would be appropriate for such highly effective therapy. As a result, World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is also intended to provide popular culture media with a "opportunity" to do a great service to the millions of people worldwide who are unaware of natural health therapies that could greatly improve their lives. World Tai Chi & Qigong Day hopes to collaborate with media, government, business, and other organizations around the world to improve personal and global health through information.

Over sixteen US governors, senates, and mayors from around the world have officially declared World Tai Chi & Qigong Day for their respective states, cities, or countries. The World Health Organization has recognized World Tai Chi & Qigong Day's efforts. There is, however, much more to be done. The work of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day will continue until everyone is aware of the benefits to their lives that tai chi & qigong may offer, and simple natural solutions are given the attention they deserve in our media.

Actually, even if all of that happens, it will continue because it is simply "FUN" to play tai chi and qigong with the rest of the world each year, and it simply "FEELS GOOD." Join us for World Tai Chi & Qigong Day 2006 on Saturday, April 29th, at 10 a.m. local time around the world. Change the world while having fun!

Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen

Nutrition alone can be an effective ADHD alternative treatment, as research suggests that nutritional deficiencies, particularly those involving essential fatty acids and amino acids, are a factor in Attention Deficit Disorder and learning deficiencies. According to a George Washington University School of Medicine study, hyperactive children who ate a high-protein meal performed equally well, if not better, in school than non-hyperactive children. 

Oxford University (England) study looked at the effects of fatty acid supplementation in children with average intelligence but significant reading and writing difficulties. Purdue University researchers discovered that boys with low blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids have a higher prevalence of ADHD. 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder in children, and statistics and studies show that a significant number of ADHD children are deficient in essential fatty acids. Physicians commonly use stimulant drugs such as Ritalin for ADHD, but studies show that ADHD children whose treatment program only includes stimulant medication are at a high risk for vandalism, petty crime, alcoholic intoxication, and marijuana possession. 

Fatty acids are essential for proper growth, mental function, the immune system, and brain development, and must be obtained through diet and supplementation. Flax seed and flax oil are the richest plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, and they provide Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition that is essential for healthy childhood behavioral and IQ development. Every ADHD nutrition food action plan should include one to two tablespoons of flax oil.

Nutrition as a form of Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help Is Just Around the Corner

The quality of food we eat (or do not eat) has a significant impact on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD. Nutrition alone can be an effective ADHD alternative treatment for many people.

A growing body of research suggests that nutritional deficiencies, particularly those involving essential fatty acids and amino acids, are a factor in Attention Deficit Disorder and learning deficiencies.

For one minute, put down the Ritalin bottle and think about these ADHD nutrition research findings.

According to a George Washington University School of Medicine study, hyperactive children who ate a high-protein meal performed equally well, if not better, in school than non-hyperactive children.

An Oxford University (England) study looked at the effects of fatty acid supplementation in children with average intelligence but significant reading and writing difficulties. ADHD symptoms improved significantly in children given Essential Fatty Acids compared to children given a placebo in the control group. In 1981, researchers discovered a link between ADHD and low essential fatty acid levels. 

In 1983, studies on essential fatty acid blood levels in children with behavioral problems confirmed this Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition link. In a 1987 study, researchers confirmed the link between essential fatty acid deficiency and Attention Deficit Disorder. Then, in a 1995 study comparing essential fatty acid levels in ADHD boys to a control group of boys without ADHD, Omega-3 fatty acid levels were found to be significantly lower. Purdue University researchers discovered in 1996 that boys with low blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids have a higher prevalence of Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD.

The most common behavioral disorder in children is Attention Deficit Disorder. Although not all Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) children are deficient in essential fatty acids, statistics and studies show that a significant number of ADHD children are.

Physicians commonly use stimulant drugs such as Ritalin for Attention Deficit Disorder, but studies show that ADHD children whose treatment program only includes stimulant medication are at a high risk for vandalism, petty crime, alcoholic intoxication, and marijuana possession. Furthermore, ADHD medications do not always work, have a slew of negative side effects, and never address the underlying cause of Attention Deficit Disorder.

Nutrition and food are one of the first aspects of treatment to consider with Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD, either as an ADHD alternative treatment or in conjunction with traditional ADHD stimulant drug treatment.

Fatty acids are essential for proper growth, mental function, the immune system, and brain development because they are used to make brain and nerve tissue in the body. Because the body cannot produce the two fatty acid families, Omega-3 and Omega-6, these key Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD nutrition ingredients must be obtained through diet and supplementation.

Despite the fact that the typical Western diet is high in Omega-6 fatty acids (found in corn, sunflower, canola, and safflower oil, margarine, vegetable oil, and shortening), most Americans, young and old, are deficient in Omega-3.

Many childhood behavioral and learning issues, according to learning specialists, are linked to Omega-3 deficiencies. Males are more affected by this deficiency because their requirements for essential fatty acids are higher in general. It comes as no surprise that boys are diagnosed with ADHD at a much higher rate than girls.

ADHD adults and parents of ADHD children should consume Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods on a daily basis. However, many children refuse to consume Omega-3-rich fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines.

Enter flax seed and flax oil, the "food of the gods" for Omega-3 fatty acids.

Flax seed and flax oil are the richest plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, and they provide Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition that is essential for healthy childhood behavioral and IQ development. Every Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD nutrition food action plan should include one to two tablespoons of flax oil.

In addition to improving brain function, flax oil can help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. Flax oil softens skin, balances energy, burns fat, stimulates metabolism, strengthens the immune system, manages diabetes, and aids in the prevention of autoimmune disease and inflammatory disorders. Flax oil can also help with PMS and some menopausal symptoms.

Here are some delicious ways to incorporate flax oil into your daily diet:

In flavored yogurt, combine 1 tablespoon flax oil.

In fruit smoothies, 1 tablespoon of flax oil is virtually undetectable.

Instead of granulated sugar, combine 1 tablespoon flax oil with 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey.

When making tuna or egg salad, use 1-2 tablespoons flax oil and reduce the amount of Miracle Whip or mayonnaise used by a factor of two.

Melt one stick organic butter and combine it with four ounces flax oil once it has cooled to room temperature. Refrigerate until the flax butter hardens before using it in place of margarine. Make Omega-3 "Ice Cream" by combining 2 cups yogurt, 1 tablespoon flax oil, and fresh or frozen fruit. When frozen, serve.

The majority of studies on the effects of essential fatty acids discovered that at least 10 weeks of supplementation are required to adequately raise fatty acid levels in brain cells. Before judging the effectiveness of nutrition on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD symptoms, follow a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids for at least 10 weeks, preferably 12 weeks.

Important information about flax oil:

Flax oil is highly perishable and should always be kept refrigerated.

Heat destroys the beneficial properties of flax oil. Only use flax oil with cold foods, preferably cold proteins. Use only high-quality, cold-pressed flax oil when purchasing flax oil. The label should include the date pressed as well as a freshness date of four months or less from the pressed date. If not, do not purchase it! If you use flax seed oil after its expiration date, it will go rancid.

When it comes to Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD nutrition, essential fatty acids are not the only thing that is required. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are essential because both amino acids and essential fatty acids are required for the body to function. As a result, quality protein is essential in Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition.

People with attention deficits and hyperactivity can significantly reduce their unfocused or misdirected energy by starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast. A high-protein breakfast can improve concentration, decrease restlessness, and promote mental and physical calm.

Instead of sugared cereals, syrup-covered pancakes, sweet rolls, doughnuts, or danishes to start the day, try these brain-boosting breakfast ideas;

Breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit.

Peanut butter on whole wheat toast.

Smoothie of fruits and yogurt with flax oil.

Shake with protein.

Bacon and eggs on toast with milk.

On an English muffin, an egg and sausage patty is served.

A tablespoon of flax oil and yogurt.

A New Bodybuilding Study on the Advantages of "Deadlifts"

Deadlifts are a high-potential muscle-building exercise that can increase physical power to single-digit levels, increase metabolism, improve urination, detoxification, and gas-liberation, and improve sexual performance and desire.

Deadlifts are a high-potential muscle-building exercise that can take your overall physical condition to a whole new level if done correctly.

Here are some facts about how Deadlifts can dramatically increase your physical power to single-digit levels:

Deadlifts will quadruple your natural testosterone and growth hormone levels each time you perform this exercise (once or twice a month).

Deadlifts will dramatically increase your metabolism and convert fat into pure energy.

Deadlifts will improve your urination, detoxification, and "gas-liberation" (don't laugh - it's true)...

Deadlifts, when done correctly, will improve your sexual performance and desire.

Deadlifts can dramatically improve lung function and heart efficiency.

Deadlifts will help your immune system recover quickly from a variety of illnesses.

Deadlifts will make you faster, stronger, leaner, more reactive, and energetic...

I crave the sensation of short-duration, high-intensity Deadlifts that successfully force my body to excrete a constant flow of testosterone, arousing a voracious beast within me...

After a 'Deadlift Workout,' I can feel my sexuality soar... my muscles so engorged, that my poise is automatically triggered and empowered to the max.

Low-carb diets are on their way out...Taste is Back

Low-carb diets are on their way out due to increased awareness about obesity, food, and eating. This has caused restaurant chains and farmers to suffer, with no research done on the side-effects of "not eating" what these diets restrict. Eating too much meat and fat can lead to putrefying products in the bowels, and as people get older, they lose the ability to digest food like they used to. Additionally, the low carb diet has started them on food that they may not be able to absorb anyway, so they haven't been absorbing the vitamins and minerals they need to start, process, or finish important tasks. The "Atkins" diets advocate not eating processed and manufactured foods that break down quickly into sugars, but the human body was designed to break down complex carbohydrates into more simple usable energy.

The "old fashioned" weight loss plan is a tried and true method of weight loss that anyone can do and tastes delicious. It involves eating healthy, slow-absorbing carbohydrates, counting and burning calories, and exercising. The new trend is "healthy and better tasting proportions".

To see "low carb" diets on their way out is a somewhat reflective process; not that I was a fan of ketogenic diets unless you have Adolescent Epilepsy, but bringing the "low carb or ketogenic diet" to the forefront of our American society meant that more people were being educated about obesity, food, and eating.

This recognition about food was astounding and became overwhelming, causing restaurant chains and some farmers to really suffer from these trendy diets. People have lost farms that have been in their families for years, businesses that lend job and economic stability to an area, have gone out of business or lost business, all on a dietary whim, with no research done on the side-effects of "not eating" what these diets restrict.

"What are the side effects?" you inquire. Okay, so you've lost a lot of weight by eating a lot of meat and fat, and your cholesterol numbers may be within reach, but have you had your bowels checked recently? Eating that much meat and fat can only result in putrefying products in the bowels. Isn't it disgusting?

As you get older, you lose the ability to digest food like you used to when you were young and had a lot of enzymes. That can be due to age, but it can also be due to disease and antibiotic use. The point is that the low carb diet has started you on food that you may not be able to absorb anyway, so you haven't been absorbing the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to start, process, or finish some important tasks.

"So what's the harm in that", you may say, "I've lost weight and feel great, and I don't feel sick". You probably wouldn't. There are some illnesses that you do not notice until it is too late. One of the leading causes of colon cancer is eating too much meat and fat and not being able to digest that protein and fat in the system. When enough damage is done, you no longer absorb minerals and vitamins as you should, and you begin to develop other, more serious problems, such as cancer.

I must admit that the "Atkins" diets advocate not eating processed and manufactured foods that break down so quickly into sugars that you can almost hear them run into the veins! That is still true; the human body was designed to break down complex carbohydrates into more simple usable energy. The breakdown of a whole grain, fresh vegetable, or fruit product also requires energy, so not only does your body use energy to break down this healthy food, but you also get a lot of fiber, which keeps the intestines and colon clean and functioning well.

So, what's the next trend? I believe the next trend will be the "old fashioned" weight loss plan. This is a tried and true method of weight loss that anyone can do and tastes delicious. This would entail eating healthy, slow-absorbing carbohydrates, counting and burning calories, and exercising! A balanced diet, along with knowing how many calories you need to eat per day to either maintain or lose weight, and an exercise program to give your bones and muscles a reason to stay strong, not a trendy type diet, but a healthy lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life, with room for an occasional treat now and then. "Low carb" is out, the new trend is "healthy and better tasting proportions".

Keyhole Surgery is a revolutionary boon for living kidney donors

Keyhole Surgery is a revolutionary boon for living kidney donors. Surgeons inflate the donor's abdomen during the procedure to make small keyhole-sized incisions. A laparoscope (a tiny fiber optic camera) is inserted, along with long instruments used to sever blood vessels and detach the kidney. Living donation is now accounting for nearly 40% of all kidney transplants performed in Canada. Live donor kidneys typically last twice as long as cadaveric donors' kidneys. The Kidney Foundation of Canada has been supporting the work of Canadian researchers involved in laparoscopic surgery since 2001.

Every year, an increasing number of Canadians make the difficult decision to donate one of their kidneys to a family member or friend in need.

While this life-saving act is a blessing for the recipient, it can present difficulties for the donor on several levels. Making a 20- to 30-centimetre incision across the side of the body, going through two to three layers of muscle, and removing 10 centimetres of rib is standard procedure for removing a kidney. With scarring and several months of inactivity, the decision to be a donor is understandably intimidating for many.

However, thanks to a groundbreaking medical procedure known as laparoscopic or "keyhole" surgery, painful incisions and lengthy recovery times may soon be a thing of the past.

"When compared to traditional methods, keyhole surgery is major abdominal surgery without uncomfortable incisions and disfiguring," said Dr. Joseph Mamazza, lead surgeon and medical director of St. Michael's Hospital's Minimal Access Therapeutic Program in Toronto. "It entails an 8 to 10 centimetre cut in the groin area, which reduces the risk of infection and other complications."

Doctors inflate the donor's abdomen during the procedure to make small keyhole-sized incisions. After that, a laparoscope (a tiny fiber optic camera) is inserted, along with long instruments used to sever blood vessels and detach the kidney.

Glenn Collins underwent the first laparoscopic kidney retrieval in Southern Alberta two years ago to help his diabetic older brother, Michael, who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1997. Glenn's gift gave Michael new hope, especially since his brother was deemed an unlikely candidate for a transplant due to his age and medical history.

Glenn, an outspoken supporter of organ donation, approached a clinic in Calgary about becoming a live kidney donor after researching laparoscopic surgery on the Internet.

"It was an easy decision because Michael was in need," Glenn explained. "While any member of our large family could have answered the call, I stepped up because I was the youngest and fittest, and I passed all of the tests to determine if I was a suitable donor."

Glenn recalls waking up the day after surgery and walking the long corridor to Michael's room when asked about his recovery.

"If it hadn't been for the scar, I would never have known I'd had surgery!" he exclaimed.

Laparoscopic surgery, according to Dr. Mamazza, is advantageous for a variety of reasons. For starters, live donor kidneys typically last twice as long as cadaveric donors' kidneys - people who died suddenly as a result of some kind of trauma. Furthermore, live donors who undergo laparoscopic surgery have less post-operative discomfort and usually recover faster, with their hospital stay reduced from a few months to a few days.

"Keyhole surgery goes a long way toward reducing donor and recipient anxiety," Dr. Mamazza said.

Living donation is now accounting for nearly 40% of all kidney transplants performed.

In February 1995, the world's first live donor keyhole surgery procedure was performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The Kidney Foundation of Canada has been supporting the work of Canadian researchers involved in the study of laparoscopic procedures since 2001.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada is the only national health charity that funds research, provides educational and emotional support services, advocates for access to high-quality healthcare, and actively promotes awareness and commitment to organ donation.

Simply saying no isn't enough to avoid holiday weight gain

According to nutritionists, the average person gains 5-7 pounds during the holiday season. Our inner brat nags us, insisting that we "really need" that extra helping of pie. Eat a salad before attending a cocktail party to avoid being tempted by all the snacks. Most people abandon their diets later in the day, when willpower is at its weakest. The key is to limit your vulnerability to temptation. Place treats in the back of a cupboard or refrigerator and wrap them in opaque paper or plastic so they don't stand out.

The holiday season is rapidly approaching. Magazines and newspapers have been printing recipes and enticing photographs of rich, mouth-watering treats like cookies, candies, dips, and calorie-laden drinks for weeks.

Then, in the same issue, they give advice on how not to eat all of this. Pace yourself, they say. Keep it to one tidbit every half-hour. Eat a salad before attending a cocktail party to avoid being tempted by all the snacks. Yeah, like my inner brat is going to forego the fondue because I've already loaded up on lettuce.

According to nutritionists, the average person gains 5-7 pounds during the holiday season.

It's difficult to resist all the treats, especially when we see them in advertisements and displays, as well as on counter tops at home, work, and when visiting. Our inner brat nags us, insisting that we "really need" that extra helping of pie. Or it rationalizes that a couple of cookies aren't much and that we can exercise more later.

It's difficult to keep your weight under control at this time of year. It's a good strategy to "just say no" to occasional temptations, but it doesn't work when you're bombarded with images, aromas, and offers of one treat after another.

Controlling oneself is mentally taxing. When you repeatedly say "no" to treats, your mental energy slowly depletes. That's why most people abandon their diets later in the day, when their willpower is at its weakest.

A better solution would be to avoid asking the yes/no question in the first place. The key is to limit your vulnerability to temptation. Here are some pointers:

1. Place treats in the back of a cupboard or refrigerator. Wrap them in opaque paper or plastic so they don't stand out.

2. If there are treats on counters or desks at work, reroute yourself so you don't walk by them.

3. Avoid reading recipes for high-calorie foods. Turn the page quickly when you see photos of cakes and other desserts in magazines. There is less temptation when there is less exposure.

4. If you attend business-related holiday cocktail parties, make a point of only visiting the buffet table once. Stay for no more than half an hour if possible.

5. Get some fresh air every day. Nature helps to clear your mind, making your cravings less noticeable.

6. Get more rest. Not only will you be more alert and less irritable, but research shows that people who sleep more have a better balance of the hormones that regulate hunger - and they weigh LESS than those who don't sleep enough!

How to Get Fit While Saving Money on Health Insurance

There are three aspects to achieving peak health and fitness: diet, exercise and genetics. Find the proper balance and you will become as fit and healthy as your body and genetics allow. Increased fitness will save you money on health insurance; a long no-claims insurance history will also help you look and feel better. Many people overlook anaerobic exercise or weight training. Weight training can reshape your body in any way you want by using weights.

Cycling is a great low-impact exercise that I enjoy. A long no-claims bonus can help you save money on health insurance.

Before we begin, allow me to explain the purpose of this article. I want you to get so healthy that you never need to use your health insurance again. Increased fitness will save you money. A long no-claims insurance history will save you money. And you'll look and feel much better as a result.

There are three aspects to achieving peak health and fitness. Diet and exercise are both important. But that's just two! Let me divide Exercise into two categories: Aerobic exercise and Aneorobic exercise.

Get all three correct. Find the proper balance. And you will become as fit and healthy as your body and genetics allow.

Advice on each of these fitness factors has filled entire forests of paper. Simply walking into your local bookstore will reveal shelves of diet advice. Shelves of fitness advice.

It's amazing how much contradicts itself, especially when it comes to diet. For example, on the shelf next to each other, you'll find a book advocating low carbs and low fat, and another saying high fat is okay if you keep the carbs low. Another emphasizes high protein and claims that carbs are irrelevant...

* Diet

Let me give you some basic dietary advice. Stick to a low-fat, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. Several medical and weight loss studies conducted in the last 10-20 years support this approach. Many other diet myths date back centuries and appear to be completely false when examined using modern methods.

* Aerobic Workout

Couch potatoes are unaware of how quickly they can begin to feel fit and healthy. Simply go for a 20-minute walk three to four times per week.

Do some more strenuous aerobic exercise if possible. Cycling is a great low-impact exercise that I enjoy. I also get to see beautiful scenery while riding.

Running is an even more intense aerobic exercise, but take care of your joints. Perhaps you prefer hiking to explore the surrounding countryside? Alternatively, try rowing or tennis. Exercise as a sport also allows you to make new friends.

* Anaerobic Workout

Many people try to improve their diet. Many people participate in aerobic exercise. However, many people overlook anaerobic exercise or weight training.

What is the significance of weight training?

Muscle mass declines as you get older. Fat is burned by muscle. As you lose muscle, it becomes more difficult to keep the fat off. Weight training, on the other hand, can reshape your body.

If you started out as a pear shape, no matter how much aerobic exercise you do, you'll still be a pear shape (a smaller pear shape).

You can flatten your stomach, tone your thighs, bulk up your chest and shoulders, and reshape your body in any way you want by using weights.

Weight training is extremely beneficial to skeleton strength and conditioning. Older women can lessen the effects of osteoporosis, while older men can keep their strength and agility.

This brief article can only serve as an introduction to the three keys to your health. If you follow these steps, you should not need to file a health insurance claim.

A long no-claims bonus can help you save money on health insurance. Reduce the cost of your health insurance with any insurer that rates your fitness.

Herbs as medicines

Herbal medicine has a written history in Chinese medicine dating back over 2000 years. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging Nettle have well-researched medicinal properties. Many of them, in fact, serve as the foundation for pharmaceutical drugs. Using anecdotal evidence, which has a history dating back thousands of years, appears to have escaped my esteemed colleagues entirely. Aspirin tablets contain salicylic acid, which was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree.

Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs typically contain hundreds, if not thousands, of chemical compounds that interact. The extract from the bark of the White Willow tree does not generally cause stomach irritation. This is because it contains ingredients that protect the stomach lining and thus prevent ulceration. Herbal extracts can be just as effective but are rarely promoted and used by health professionals. Herbalists rarely prescribe herbal extracts as singles (a preparation which utilises only one herb) Herbalists typically combine a variety of medicinal plants to create a blend that addresses more than just the major symptoms. The presence of active ingredients in the primary or principle herb does not imply that other herbs are unnecessary in the preparation.

Herbs and medicinal plants have long been used to treat disease. Herbal medicine has a written history in traditional Chinese medicine dating back over 2000 years, and herbalists in the West have used "weeds" for just as long to treat what ails us. We've all heard about the benefits of garlic, chamomile, peppermint, lavender, and other common herbs.

The pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for 'new drugs' and more effective substances to treat diseases for which there may be no or very few drugs available, is driving renewed interest in medicinal herbs.

Given the long history of herbal medicine use and the large body of evidence supporting its efficacy, why are we not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal medicine instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs known as drugs, despite the millions of dollars spent searching for these seemingly elusive substances?

When it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, herbs are considered treasures, and many so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging Nettle, and many other plants have well-researched and established medicinal properties that have few, if any, competitors in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them, in fact, serve as the foundation for pharmaceutical drugs.

Scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, west London, are investigating the medicinal properties of common herbs such as dandelion, believing it could be the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.

Early tests indicate that it may hold the key to preventing cancer, which kills tens of thousands of people each year.

Their research on the cancer-fighting properties of the dandelion, which has also been used to treat warts in the past, is part of a larger project to investigate the natural medicinal properties of hundreds of British plants and flowers.

"We aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties," said Professor Monique Simmonds, head of Kew's Sustainable Uses of Plants Group. "We are looking at plants that we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems."

"We'll look into them to see what active compounds they have that can treat the illness."

Unfortunately, as is often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active ingredients that can then be synthesized and turned into pharmaceutical drugs. Herbs are not traditionally used in this manner, and their functions inevitably change when the active ingredients are used in isolation. That's like saying the engine is the most important part of a car and nothing else is necessary...

So, why is it necessary to isolate the 'active ingredients'?

As a scientist, I understand the scientific process of establishing the fact that a specific herb works on a specific disease, pathogen, or whatever, and the need to know why and how it does so. But, and this is a big but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine, I also understand the process of selecting and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs that have a synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the person with the disease - that is a big difference that is not easily tested using standard scientific methodologies.

Using anecdotal evidence, which has a history dating back thousands of years, appears to have escaped my esteemed colleagues entirely. Rather than attempting to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not test these herbs on patients in vivo, using the vast array of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians, to see how and why these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, albeit somewhat similar, physiology to us...).

I suspect that one of the reasons for not following the above procedure is that pharmaceutical companies are more interested in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance that can then be manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course, that's where the money is...

The problem with this approach is that medicinal plants such as Comfrey, Dandelion, and other herbs typically contain hundreds, if not thousands, of chemical compounds that interact, many of which are unknown and cannot be manufactured. This is why manufactured drugs based on so-called active ingredients frequently fail to work or cause side effects.

Aspirin is a classic example. Aspirin tablets contain salicylic acid, which was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. Although Aspirin is a relatively simple compound to synthesize, it is well known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and, in some cases, ulceration of the stomach wall.

Due to other, so-called 'non-active ingredients' contained in the bark, which function to protect the stomach lining and thus prevent ulceration of the stomach wall, the herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree does not generally cause stomach irritation.

Consider whether you would prefer side effects or no side effects. It's a straightforward answer. Isn't that right?

So, why are herbal medicines not more widely used, and why are pharmaceutical imposters stuffed down our throats? The answer is that pharmaceutical companies make little or no money from herbs. They, the herbs, have already been invented; they grow quickly, multiply easily, and are generally abundant.

Furthermore, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the patient's health problem over time, leaving no need to continue taking the preparation - which means no repeat sales... There are no ongoing prescriptions... no ongoing issues.

Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, primarily aim to relieve symptoms - which means ongoing consultations, sales, and health problems - which do you believe is a more profitable proposition...?

Don't get me wrong: this is not to say that all drugs are forgeries or that none of the pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies; they do, and some are life-saving preparations that are undeniably valuable. Herbal extracts, on the other hand, can be just as effective but are rarely promoted and used.

The daily news is full of 'discoveries' of herbs discovered to be a possible cure for this or that, such as Dandelion and its anti-cancer properties. The point is that these herbs must be thoroughly researched. They are not just 'an active ingredient'. They typically contain hundreds of ingredients, and taking just one or two is not what makes medicinal plants work. Furthermore, herbalists rarely prescribe herbal extracts as singles (a preparation which utilises only one herb). Herbalists typically combine a variety of medicinal plants to create a blend that addresses more than just the major symptoms.

In Chinese medicine, for example, there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which necessitates a significant depth of knowledge and experience on the part of the physician. The presence of active ingredients in the primary or principle herb, which has a specific physiological effect, does not imply that the other herbs are unnecessary in the preparation. This is a fact that appears to be overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry in its quest to develop new drugs that can control disease.

Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants may hold the key to many diseases, that they are inexpensive, and that they have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is herbal medicine still not at the forefront of medical treatments, and is regarded as hocus-pocus by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies?