Category: illness

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Dr Andreas Noack's Warning to the World about Covid Jabs

Dr. Andreas Noack, a German chemist and a graphene expert, revealed that each of the most popular jabs contained “nano sized razor blades” made of graphene hydroxide, a material with “zero biological degradability” and “the sharpest imaginable structures because they are only one atom layer thick”.

The German doctor added “If you understand that razors are being injected, it is clear why all the cardiovascular diseases appear. The heart is cut up. The brain is cut up. Blood vessels are cut up. You see people collapse immediately after vaccination and have a seizure. Even if people don’t drop dead immediately, it cuts up the blood vessels little by little. It destroys the heart. All the heart attacks. All the strokes.”
(more…)

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Raw vegan food can eliminate migraines and transform your health completely

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram


The way that Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram transformed her life and her health is truly inspiring. At sixteen she was pre-diabetic with hyperglycemia. By eighteen, she suffered awful migraines, insomnia, depression, nausea, constipation, hair loss, skin problems, lack of confidence and her blood sugar issues remained. Continue reading “Raw vegan food can eliminate migraines and transform your health completely”

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Added sugars to be listed separately from total sugars

Food Label Poison

FDA proposes new labeling requirements for Sugar and Sweeteners

Two perspective articles were published today in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine on the FDA’s proposed new food labeling guidelines. The FDA is an organization that is criticized frequently and rarely applauded for its slow but steady progress in protecting consumers.

David Kessler, the former FDA commissioner that helped create the current Nutrition Facts Label, stated that “reducing the incidence of diet-related disease and associated mortality was one of the most significant contributions we could make to public health. Our goal was… to give people accurate, easy-to-read information that encouraged them to make healthier food choices.”

The original label fell short of that goal, but it was a starting point. Ideally, the FDA should have continued to improve its labeling requirements to protect consumers from the dishonest tactics of food manufacturers.

FDA Proposed New Label

Some twenty-five years have passed, and the FDA is finally ready to take its next “baby step”, the very first revision to the food label since its creation. But the update is far from dramatic, and the changes may even be hard to detect (so I have taken the liberty of highlighting them in yellow in the photo, although the actual labels will be plain black and white). A line will be added to list added sugars separately from total sugars. And the serving sizes will be revised to more accurately reflect what people actually eat.

These small changes are specifically aimed at the obesity epidemic. Kessler says that “over the past decade, we have learned a great deal about the reinforcing properties of sugar and how they promote overeating, and we know that people tend to consume calorie-rich, sugary products at the expense of nutrient-dense foods.”

Indeed, twenty-five years have taught us more than just “added sugars lead to obesity”. In this proverbial cat-and-mouse game, the manufacturers have become big, fat rats under the nose of a sleepy cat.

Manufacturers still use the following tricks to avoid telling consumer’s the truth about its “food” products that rarely contain more than low-cost, nutritionally-void substances and toxic additives:

Instead of real ingredients like fruits and vegetables, which are costlier and more “problematic” due to the fact that real food cannot be held in a warehouse for years, manufacturers use dried up, pulverized grass seeds, also known as grains, and then fortify them with synthetic vitamins, creating the illusion of a nutritious product for a fraction of the cost. Wonderful!

Manufacturers fill their products with addictive sugar and artificial sweeteners, and then label them as “low fat”.

Tiny type and complex names are used to confuse the consumer. The FDA currently requires that ingredients be listed in descending order by weight. But rather than listing “sugar” as the #1 ingredient, sneeky manufacturers add several different sweeteners, including fructose, corn syrup, aspartame, sucralose, dextrose, maltodextrin and brown rice syrup, which can be listed separately further down the list. Brilliant!

According to Peter Williams in the journal “Nutrition Reviews”, consumers do trust the health claims that manufacturers make on the front of their packaging. Products that contained a health claim (such as “low fat” or “lower sugar”) were considered “healthier” than foods without such claims (3), yet many of these items actually contain no real food at all, and could fairly be called pure junk.

Fruit Loops Pure Sugar

Kessler believes that the FDA should require manufacturers to list the top three ingredients, the number of additional ingredients and the calorie count on the front of each package in large bold letters. (See image.) He also believes that forcing these labels onto the fronts of packages will have the double-whammy effect of embarrassing the manufacturers into putting real food into their packages. I agree on both counts! Too bad Kessler is no longer in charge of the FDA.

If it were me running the FDA, I would implement Kessler’s ideas, and I’d go even further. I am decidedly less forgiving of the manufacturers that harm consumers with addictive, toxic ingredients sold as food. You can see my version of the new proposed food label at the top of this page.

References:

  1. David A. Kessler, M.D. New England Journal of Medicine, July 17, 2014; 371:193-195, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1402971
  2. Allison C. Sylvetsky, Ph.D. et al. New England Journal of Medicine, July 17, 2014; 371:195-198, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1404899
  3. Williams Peter. Consumer understanding and use of health claims for foods. Nutrition Reviews, July 2005, Volume 63, Issue 7, pages 256–264
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Diabetes: A New Method of Treatment

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the world’s biggest killers. The word “diabetes” means “passing through” and “mellitus” refers to honey or the sweet taste of sugar. It happens that those with diabetes urinate more frequently, and that urine is loaded with sugar, but this is just one of many symptoms of diabetes. The other symptoms include blurry vision, increased appetite or thirst, and extreme weakness. These and still more symptoms merely indicate that you may look forward to a long list of terrible consequences of full-blown diabetes: heart disease, obesity, liver failure, difficulty breathing, erectile dysfunction, yeast infections, joint problems, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, gangrene and ulcers leading to the amputation of limbs, coma, memory loss, nerve damage, premature aging and unfortunately, the list goes on and on.

The medical community holds that there is no cure for diabetes, but there is evidence to suggest that diabetes is both preventable and reversible. My intention in sharing this information with you is that you will work together with your doctor to achieve the highest level of health, while using the fewest medications possible.

The three types of Diabetes, as defined by mainstream doctors

A diagnosis of diabetes is always classified as being either “Type 1”, “Type 2” or “gestational”. Type 1, according to the vast majority of doctors, is the pancreas’ complete inability to produce insulin, and therefore requires a lifetime of direct insulin injections. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (or IDDM) and was previously called “juvenile-onset diabetes”. The medical community has been forced to drop the latter name because of the great number of adults that are developing Type 1 diabetes, and the great number of children that are developing Type 2 diabetes.  Type 2 diabetes, according to mainstream literature, is when the beta cells of the pancreas can be stimulated to produce insulin, meaning that the “lucky” patient can swap a lifetime of needles for a lifetime of pills. “Gestational” diabetes affects only pregnant women and their babies. Although the mainstream medical community rejects the idea of curing diabetes, many responsible physicians do recommend that their patients adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle to prevent diabetes or slow its progression.

The alternative theory: Diabetes is preventable and curable

There are several new and old treatment protocols that offer more than blind hope for those suffering with diabetes.

Dr. Robert Young’s pH Miracle

Dr. Robert O. Young is a modern-day champion in the fight against diabetes. A microbiologist, Dr. Young uses a high-powered microscope to perform live-cell analysis on human blood. This process allows him to record the movement of the living blood. Using this technology, he re-discovered what a French scientist named Antoine Béchamp(1,2) had discovered about 100 years ago: that a blood cell can actually become a bacterial cell or a fungus cell (and can convert back to a regular blood cell) depending on the pH of the fluid that surrounds the cell.  Both Béchamp and Young observed tiny organisms called microzymas, which can morph or transform themselves through a process called pleomorphism. Béchamp’s discoveries were mostly ignored for a century as the world erroneously followed Louis Pasteur’s Germ Theory. Pasteur blamed “external” invaders that could be killed with heat (pasteurization) and/or drugs (antibiotics).  He ignored the possibility that disease was created internally. The Germ Theory lives on today, as it is compatible with big business: pasteurization allows mass-production of animal products in disgracefully dirty conditions, and the “external threat” of deadly germs creates a huge demand for pharmaceuticals. Recognizing the possibility that “the enemy is created within”, one is empowered to take personal responsibility for preventing and reversing one’s disease. That real healing can happen through proper diet and lifestyle is the nightmare of Big Pharma and Big Food. Dr. Young’s book, The pH Miracle for Diabetes is a blueprint for preventing and reversing diabetes. I have read, and thoroughly agree with the essence of Dr. Young’s message. In the book, Dr. Young describes the results that he observed in two small clinical trials, and provides a wealth of knowledge that he accumulated over many years of scientific study. His wife, Shelly Redford Young, provides 125 pages of recipes that can help anyone to improve their diet. Shelly’s recipes are nutritious, delicious and easy-to-follow. (Although I must confess to not having tried all of them since I normally create my own recipes with the freshest organic fruits and vegetables available to me.) I would recommend that you buy his book if you or someone that you care about is diabetic, or on the road to becoming one.

Dr. William Davis’ “No-Wheat/Low Carb” Diet

Dr. Davis is a cardiologist that has seen thousands of patients with both heart disease and diabetes. Dr. Davis’ own clinical experience confirms what the medical literature already knew: that  diabetes and heart disease often go hand-in-hand. In fact, that is an understatement. Having diabetes makes you about 60% more likely to suffer heart disease. Dr. Davis has authored the book “Wheat Belly”, which explains in great detail, the correlation between these two diseases. As the title of the book suggests, Dr. Davis recommends drastically-reducing our consumption of carbohydrates, and eliminating wheat altogether. According to Dr. Davis, a slice of whole wheat bread will spike your blood sugar more than a Snickers bar, and even more than  eating a teaspoon of pure table sugar. Throughout the book, Dr. Davis does not spare any detail. He thoroughly describes the sequence of events from the instant that a carbohydrate enters your mouth, through the entire digestive tract, the creation of several types of lipoproteins and the formation of AGE’s (advanced glycation end products). Lipoproteins are proteins that carry lipids. They are often referred to (erroneously) as “cholesterol”.  LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein, and is often referred to (again, erroneously) as “bad cholesterol”. Dr. Davis is crystal clear on this issue: LDL is only problematic when the LDL molecules are smaller than 25.5 nanometers. The more wheat, sugar and other carbohydrates we eat, the more of these “small” LDL molecules are created. Davis is equally descriptive on AGE’s, which are the true cause of aging. He explains that diabetics are among the unhealthiest people in this regard, as their high rate of glycation indicates that they are aging faster than the rest of us. He does not suggest that aging can be halted completely, but he does prescribe a method of slowing down the process as much as possible. Yes, eliminate wheat, and reduce sugar and grains. Doing so will protect you from premature aging, as well as diabetes and heart disease, according to Dr. Davis.

Tuleina, The Ancient Herbal Healing System of the Kuna Tribe

The Kuna tribe of Panama also knows that diabetes is reversible, but they made this discovery without the benefit of a microscope. The Kuna rely on the advice of “Nele”, the Kuna doctor. I met Nele over a decade ago and have learned some of the Kuna’s most precious secrets. Nele prescribes a list of ten medicinal plants, all found abundantly in Panama, to reverse diabetes.  Nele does not emphasize the value of any one plant, but rather, the synergistic value of many plants. In her words “trust not the plant, but the creator of the plants… attack the enemy not with one warrior but with many”. I have personally witnessed the dramatic and sustained lowering of blood sugar in Type 1 diabetics, after drinking just one cup of tea, made from just one of the ten plants prescribed by Nele. Although these observations appear miraculous to the observer (in this case, me), this type of “anecdotal evidence” is often disregarded by the medical community, which prefers to base itself solely on (expensive) randomized clinical trials. Both Nele and I are more than willing to cooperate in such a trial, but as of yet we are not connected with any diabetes clinic.

the-lotus-lifestyle-300

The Lotus Lifestyle

The Lotus Lifestyle is a system that I created for living in balance, easily. You can read about The Lotus Lifestyle in detail if you wish.  But for the purpose of this article, here is a short summary: There are nine essential elements to a healthy lifestyle: love, clean air, sunshine, natural spring water, an alkalizing (plant-based) diet, staying wiggly, detoxifying, meditation and dreaming. The simpler a plan, the easier it is to implement, so I have organized my plan into an 8-petaled lotus flower, which symbolizes beauty and balance… each of the eight petals symbolizes one of the elements that is necessary for obtaining wellness, and each springs from the core of the lotus, which is love itself. The nine essential elements that I describe in The Lotus Lifestyle are available to all, and it is possible to partake without spending a penny. The nine elements of The Lotus Lifestyle work synergistically to create a healthy, alkaline environment for the cells. My plan agrees with the good doctors (including Young and Davis) that vegetables and herbs are among the best sources nutrients, while grains and animal products are among the worst (because they acidify, and lead to diabetes). But my plan also emphasizes the importance of breathing clean air as deeply as possible, to increase the oxygen and eliminate acidic waste products from the cells.  The other ‘petals’ of The Lotus Lifestyle, such as getting sunshine, clean water, and staying wiggly, are simple methods of keeping all systems in balance and functioning as nature intended.

The Consensus among “Alternative” Practitioners

The four “alternative” plans presented here all fit together perfectly without contradictions. Dr. Young (so far) has not tested the specific plants prescribed by Nele. But Dr. Young does rely heavily on green vegetables and medicinal herbs to alkalize the body, such that the sick cells can morph back into healthy cells, thus reversing the illness. I am confident that if Dr. Young (or another microbiologist with a similar willingness to challenge the mainstream belief) were to observe the effects of Nele’s herbs under a microscope, the images would confirm that the herbs do work synergistically to alkalize the blood and to support cellular healing. The diet plan contained within my Lotus Lifestyle is one that alkalizes the body, allowing it to heal itself in the manner described in detail by Dr. Young. My diet plan fits equally well with Dr. Davis’ advice, as I do not recommend any grains or sugars other than those contained in whole fruits and vegetables. Even the mainstream doctors recommend “a healthy diet and lifestyle”, and my plan offers that precisely.   Notes and Links

  1. 1883 publication of Antoine Béchamp: Les microzymas dans leurs rapports avec l’hétérogénie, l’histogénie, la physiologie et la pathologie : examen de la panspermie atmosphérique continue ou discontinue, morbifère ou non morbifère / par A. Béchamp,… -J.-B. Baillière et fils (Paris)-1883
  2. The hand-drawings of Antoine Béchamp depicting cellular pleomorphism: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65140517/f1058.image.r=B%C3%A9champ,%20Antoine.langFR

 

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Cacao, the Chocolate Fruit

Liquid Chocolate

Cacao –Food of the Gods

Cacao is among the most famous plants on Earth. Its name comes from the Greek, and means “food of the gods”. Cacao was used and cultivated by ancient Central American indigenous tribes such as the Mayas, Aztecs and Kunas as currency. Their abundant gold was used as a mere decoration as it could not be as valuable as that which produced health.

Modern scientists are re-discovering the many medicinal uses of antioxidant-rich cacao, including its ability to fight cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression, while stimulating cognitive function, improving memory and intelligence.

 

Cacao, and Natural Chocolate

Liquid Chocolate, made from the Cacao Fruit
Liquid Chocolate, made from the Cacao Fruit

Cacao is the most important component in the production of chocolate. While commercial chocolates often contain copious amounts of sugar, cow milk and other addictive and toxic substances, it is certainly possible to produce a high quality chocolate using only healthy ingredients like cacao, coconut, and a natural sweetener like stevia, honey or maple syrup.

 

Health Benefits of Cacao and Chocolate

A 2012 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found a “close, significant linear correlation between chocolate consumption per capita and the number of Nobel laureates”. (1)

Other recent studies have shown a positive effect on cholesterol, cough, weight loss, eczema, heart disease, high blood pressure and skin care.

In my wellness center, several female clients reported an absence of PMS symptoms following a chocolate therapy administered prior to the expected onset of the monthly symptoms. This chocolate therapy consisted of painting dark chocolate sauce on the patient from head to toe, allowing the skin to absorb the nutrients, as well as inhalation of the chocolate aroma, and a small amount of this same chocolate mixture was consumed.

Chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac and a mood-enhancer. Raw cacao stimulates the production of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, important neurotransmitters that block pain while creating pleasure and relaxation. Endorphins are our natural pain relievers; when pain suddenly disappears, a feeling of euphoria takes its place. Dopamine produces a feeling of joy with heightened focus and attention. Serotonin is our natural anti-depressant and it is important for relaxation and sleep. Each of these neurotransmitters are needed for good physical and mental health. Higher-than-normal levels of these neurotransmitters is likely to produce a feeling of intense pleasure and euphoria.

Interestingly, when forced to choose between chocolate and sex, 22 percent of women said they’d prefer chocolate. A survey of  2000 people found that alcohol, chocolate and sex were the three most difficult things to forgo.  (2)

It is important to keep both sides of this coin in proper perspective. While decreasing pain and increasing both pleasure and relaxation are normally welcomed benefits, relying on any one nutrient to stimulate these natural functions can lead to addiction and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if consumption ceases. In other words, cacao may be considered a medicine, and it is important to regulate the dosage. An excess external stimulation may cause the body to under-produce on its own, which would explain the withdrawal symptoms.

The Chicago Sun Times reported that people who suffer extreme depression have an irregular production of phenylethylamine or PEA, an amphetamine that stimulates dopamine receptors and increases mental alertness, pulse,  blood pressure and blood sugar levels. When we fall in love, our brain naturally releases phenylethlamine, producing so much pleasure that it can be addictive. The heartbroken may self-medicate by binging on chocolate since chocolate is high in phenylethylamine.

Theophylline is a stimulant of the heart and central nervous system, relaxes the bronchial smooth muscles, and may be effective in preventing and treating apnea in premature infancy.

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid. Endocannabinoids occur naturally in the brain, but are most concentrated in the cannabis plant, and to a much lesser extent in cacao.

The Raw Cacao Fruit

Cacao pod
Cacao pod

Pictured above is an entire cacao pod, which grows directly from the trunk of a tree in Central America.

Cacao pod, split open
Cacao pod, split open

The picture above shows the cacao pod sliced in half, revealing the seeds covered in a sweet gooey white gel.

Cacao seeds coated in gel
Cacao seeds coated in gel

Pictured above are the raw seeds covered in white slimy gel. This sweet gel may be the key to prevention of cancer and heart disease as it is consumed by the indigenous tribe that does not suffer either of these degenerative diseases. There are almost no studies on the consumption of the gel, most probably because developed countries normally only receive the processed cacao and have never had access to the fruit in its raw form.

Cacaotero Theobroma

The scientific name of the chocolate fruit is “Cacaotero Theobroma”. Its chemical composition includes a large number of vitamins, amino acids and other phyto-nutrients… over 300 compounds in all. The flavor components include polyphenols, aliphatic esters, unsaturated aromatic carbonyls, pyrazines, diketopiperazines, and theobromine.

Per 100 grams, the seed contains 456 calories, 3.6 grams of water, 12.0 grams of protein, 46.3 grams of fat, 34.7 grams of total carbohydrate, 8.6 grams of fiber, 106 mg of calcium, 537 mg phosphorus, 3.6 mg iron, 30 mg beta-carotene, 0.17 mg of thiamine (Vitamin B1), 0.14 mg riboflavin (Vitamin B2), 1.7 mg niacin (Vitamin B3), and 3 mg ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).

Wealth of India reported that the edible pulp of the fruit contains 79.7–88.5% water, 0.5–0.7% albuminoids, astringents, etc.; 8.3–13.1% glucose, 0.4–0.9% sucrose, a trace of starch, 0.2–0.4% non-volatile acids (as tartaric), 0.03% Fe2O3 and 0.4% mineral salts (K, Na, Ca, Mg).

Raw seeds contain 0.24 mg/100 g thiamine, 0.41 riboflavin, 0.09 pyridoxine, 2.1 nicotinamide, and 1.35 pantothenic acid.

Cocoa also contains about 18% proteins, fats (cocoa butter), amines and alkaloids including theobromine (0.5 to 2.7%), caffeine (ca 0.25% in cocoa; 0.7 to 1.70 in fat-free beans, with forasteros containing less than 0.1% and criollos containing 1.43 to 1.70%), tyramine, dopamine, salsolinol, trigonelline, nicotinic acid, and free amino acids; tannins; phospholipids; and more.

The seeds, leaves and roots contain alkaloids theobromine and caffeine which has diuretic and vasodilator. Antitumor activity was found in the root and bark. The seeds contain fat (cocoa butter) are used in pharmacy as an emollient and for making ointments and creams. It is helpful in treating dry skin, burns, dandruff, dysentery, measles, and even snakebites, according to folk healers. Overall, cocoa is slightly tonic and stimulant, although in large doses or in sensitive individuals, can cause insomnia and tachycardia. (5)

 

Cacao and Caffeine

To compare the amount of caffeine in a 6 oz cup of various beverages, I rely on information from Tyler and Palotti (6,7).

  1. Expresso coffee: 310 mg
  2. Boiled coffee: 100 mg
  3. Instant coffee: 65mg
  4. Hierba mate: 25–50 mg
  5. Tea: 10–50 mg
  6. Cola: 25 mg
  7. Coca cola: 20 mg
  8. Cocoa (cacao): 13 mg
  9. Pepsi cola: 10 mg

 

References

  1. Chocolate Consumption, Cognitive Function, and Nobel Laureates, Franz H. Messerli, The New England Journal of Medicine, October 18, 2012.
  2. Cancer Research UK, survey of 2000 people
  3. The Chicago Sun Times
  4. Wealth of India
  5. Maria Candelaria, 102-year-old herbalist
  6. Tyler 1982
  7. Palotti 1977
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Placebo vs. Migraine Medication

The placebo effect is the nemesis of the pharmaceutical industry because, simply put, their drugs are often no more effective than a fake pill labeled as a “magic substance”.  This is truly remarkable, because it means that a patient’s condition can greatly improve with positive thinking. It is the patient’s expectation that turns distilled water, salt or sugar into a “magic cure”.

The scientific study of the placebo effect was pioneered in 1955 by the anesthesiologist Henry K. Beecher (1904-1976). Beecher analyzed 26 studies and concluded that an average of 32% of patients responded to placebo

Placebo accounts for more than 50% of the drug effect

A recent study conducted the Department of Neurology of Harvard Medical School, proved once again, not only that the placebo effect is powerful and real, but that it increased substantially based on increased patient expectation. The scientists followed 60 migraineurs and randomly gave them 10mg of rizatriptan (brand name: maxalt) or a fake pill for each of their migraine attacks. The scientists played around with the labeling to find out which positive responses could be attributed to the drug itself and which responses were caused by the patient’s belief.

Relative to no treatment, the placebo, under each information condition, accounted for more than 50% of the drug effect. Increasing “positive” information incrementally boosted the efficacy of both placebo and medication during migraine attacks. The benefits of placebo persisted even if placebo was honestly described. Whether treatment involves medication or placebo, the information provided to patients and the ritual of pill taking are important components of care.

I agree wholeheartedly with the study’s authors that “information provided to patients” is an important component of care, but I disagree that “the ritual of pill taking” is a necessary one.  More often than not, it is the patient’s positive thinking that initiates the healing. Both healing and positive thinking were around prior to the invention of pills, so I cannot concede that the pill is required for healing in all cases. While some drugs are life-saving under the right (rare) circumstances, it seems to me that it would be wise for doctors to exploit the placebo effect to its fullest potential prior to even attempting a (real) drug that has harmful side effects.

Real drugs have real side effects

The main difference between taking a real drug as compared to a fake drug is with regard to the harmful unwanted side effects. One of the most common side effects of triptans (the most commonly-prescribed drugs for migraines) is that they actually cause migraines to increase in frequency and severity. In fact, the term M.O.H. (Medication Overuse Headaches) was coined to deal with this issue. Using a fake pill, or even a glass of water with some (non-existent) magic powder dissolved in it as a placebo, can never produce the terrible condition called M.O.H.

The best natural cure

The best natural cures for nearly any medical condition will involve positive thinking as part of a healthy lifestyle. For information on healing migraines without any pills (real or fake), please see my articles: The Lotus Lifestyle and Help for Migraines and Headaches. Hint: you need only natural things like sunshine, clean food, and the right kind of exercise for getting and staying wiggly.

References

  1. Altered placebo and drug labeling changes the outcome of episodic migraine attacks. Kam-Hansen S, et al. Science Translational Medicine. 2014 Jan 8.
  2. The Powerful Placebo, Beecher, 1955.
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Headache and Migraines up 193% due to Economic Recession

According to a study published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine(1), headache symptoms, including migraines, were up 193 percent between 2009 and 2011. The study, conducted by Benjamin M. Althouse and others, compared the number of Google searches done pre- and post-recession and found an increase of 1.52 million queries for headache-related terms at the end of the recession, compared with the beginning. The number of queries had declined steadily in the three years prior to the recession (2006-2009).

Using Google searches to estimate the total number of headache and migraine sufferers is not an ideal method, as there is no guarantee that every headache and migraine sufferer will check with Google. But headaches and migraines are conditions that are both under-diagnosed by doctors, as many patients self-medicate with over-the-counter medications or simply wait for the symptoms to pass. Patients may neglect to mention these symptoms during a later visit to the doctor when the patient is feeling better. Considering this, the Google trend does seem to give a valuable insight into the overall trend. Plus, Google search results are much more readily available and less expensive to analyse than the old methods of conducting surveys and counting visits to hospitals and clinics.

As you can see from the graphs below, the trend for both headache symptoms including migraine (bottom graph) and ulcer symptoms (top graph) shows a clear and dramatic increase during the years hardest hit by the recession.

Headache Migraine and Ulcer Trend 2006-2011
Headache/Migraine and Ulcer Trend 2006-2011

 

Althouse and his colleagues looked at the searches related to 383 medical conditions. The report, which was blocked from publication until just this month, gives greater details on the 100 conditions that increased most substantially during the recession. Ulcers and headaches were the two conditions with the greatest increase, 228% and 193% respectively.

 

How is (Economic) Stress Related to Headaches and Migraines

Money certainly doesn’t buy happiness or health. Some folks live in abject poverty and manage to sidestep ulcers and headaches, while many of the world’s wealthiest indeed suffer both of these conditions regularly.

But for some people, economic stress seems to put them on a downward spiral that starts with negative emotions, followed by declining lifestyle habits (especially diet and exercise). Dr. John W. Ayers, a research professor at San Diego State University, said “by the end of the great recession in 2011, queries were still substantially higher than before the recession… People were not getting better with the economy. People were potentially much sicker.” (2) If lack of money could directly cause ulcers, headaches and migraines, then these conditions should have improved notably at the end of the great recession. This study clearly shows that economic stress is but one contributor to these and many other conditions.

Health problems most often result from an accumulation of stress and toxins.  If you have lived in a toxic environment, or have eaten a toxic diet for a number of years, then you can expect that you have accumulated toxins in your body. Moving to a less toxic area and choosing less toxic food will certainly help you avoid worsening the accumulation, but this will not necessarily mean that the prior accumulation will disappear.

Similarly, stressful situations such as an economic recession may elicit an unhealthy physical/mental response in some people, leading to accumulated physical/mental tension. When the stressful situation passes, this does not automatically mean that the accumulated tension will dissipate. Unless one takes a specific action to eliminate the accumulated toxins and physical/mental tension, then the symptoms are likely to persist beyond the removal of the external causal factor.

 

How to Stay Healthy and Avoid Headaches and Migraines, Even During Stressful Times

My wellness-generating Lotus Lifestyle contains all of the essential lifestyle elements for getting and staying healthy. The 9-point system includes a proper diet, the right kind of exercise, and seven other key points. Following my system costs nothing, and will give you the best chance at eliminating and avoiding stress-and-lifestyle-related symptoms.

It is certainly wise to avoid whichever toxins and stressful situations that we reasonably can. But we must recognise that some toxins and some stressful situations are impossible to avoid, therefore we must adopt a healthy attitude and select a healthful response to such situations.

Whenever there is an uncomfortable situation, such as getting robbed, yelled at, accused, attacked, or when dealing with economic problems such as filing taxes, paying bills or getting fired, it is easy to become so absorbed in emotion that one fails to observe the physical consequence: often a tightening of certain muscles and of the myofascial tissues. Over time, our bodies adjust (unhealthily) to the repetitive stress. This results in a cumulative loss of “wiggliness”, which upsets the normal energy flow that is required to keep all of our systems functioning healthfully.

The healthy response to stressful situations is to continue observing one’s inner (physical/mental) state while also taking care of the external situation. If one is forced to react to the external situation immediately, as in the life-threatening situation of being attacked, then  look inside as soon as the danger passes. When we look “inside” we can often notice that our heart rate has increased, our breath has become more shallow and some muscles have become tighter. We should remind ourselves to breathe deeply and slowly, and this will directly cause a normalisation of the heart rate and will leave us feeling much better overall. The tightening of the muscles must also be released, since tight muscles leads to a lack of wiggliness. And when we lose our wiggliness, conditions like headaches and anxiety “suddenly” appear.

If the anxious person fails to take the appropriate steps of breathing deeply and getting wiggly, he may instead seek instant gratification  with a mad dash to the fridge or an urgent stop at a fast food restaurant for some . The anxious person is not thinking about long term health, which would involve selecting proper foods and lovingly preparing them without adding harmful chemicals. The anxious person is looking to stuff his face and his belly right this moment to divert his attention from the anxiety itself or from the stressful situation he is facing.

Sadly, it seems the world fully caters to the anxious customer… 24-hour drive-throughs and supermarkets provide so many choices,  almost none of which are free of toxins, and almost all of which cause acidity. Stomach acidity directly causes ulcers and indirectly leads to a host of other physical and mental symptoms including anxiety and headaches.

Eating healthy food is the best way to avoid ingesting harmful chemicals. But even if you select the very healthiest option, an organic raw vegan diet (recipes here),  that doesn’t mean that you will never take in any toxin. There are plenty of toxins that will find their way into your body without your having eaten them, such as from the air that we breathe. So we still need to consider a regular detox regimen such as the daily use of a sauna, or perhaps a yearly (supervised) water fast.

References

  1. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Benjamin M. Althouse et al. 2014. View report.
  2. New York Times. January 8, 2014. Hard Times and Headaches. Nicholas Bakalar.

 

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Updated: Help for Migraines and Headaches

Lotus Garden

Nearly everyone experiences at least an occasional headache, while around 15% of people suffer its most painful and debilitating form, the migraine. My protocol addresses the underlying cause of these conditions, which produces long-lasting results while other practitioners rely on techniques that at best mask the symptoms and sometimes contribute to a progressive worsening of the disease.

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A headache is like an alarm that begs for a specific action. The alarm should persist, at least intermittently, until the original cause for the alarm has been solved. Failing to address the real cause of these conditions, the noise continues. Lacking a viable method of achieving true peace, some simply ignore the noise, while others  hide from it with prescription or illicit drugs.

The American Migraine Foundation states that “there is no cure for migraines” and that “Current Migraine Treatments are Inadequate”. I agree with them regarding the current popular treatments, but I expect they may change their opinion once they learn about the system that I have created.

A Description of Migraines

From the New England Journal of Medicine: There are two main types of migraine. Both types of migraine typically affect patients for the major part of their lives, at considerable socioeconomic and personal expense. (1)

The first, migraine without aura (previously called common migraine), is characterized by headache attacks lasting 4 to 72 hours. The headache is usually severe, unilateral, pulsating, aggravated by physical activity, and accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), and phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound). (1)

In the second type, migraine with aura (previously called classic migraine), the attacks are initiated by neurologic symptoms called aura (visual, sensory, speech, or motor symptoms). Otherwise, the attacks are the same as those in migraine without aura. (1)

Migraine Statistics

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, six percent of the population have migraine without aura during a one-year period, and 9 percent have it at some time in their lives. The corresponding figures for migraine with aura are 4 percent and 6 percent. The male:female ratio for both types of migraine is approximately 1:3. (1)

The World Health Organization lists Migraines as one of the 20 most disabling medical illnesses in its Global Burden of Disease Study (updated in 2004), because the average migraine sufferer loses 1.3% of their years due to disability (YLD). 1.3% may sound like a small number, but it translates to 114 hours per year or 8,550 excruciating hours or nearly one full year of intense pain over a 75-year lifespan. The WHO also states that in terms of its disabling effect, migraines compare with dementia, quadriplegia and active psychosis.

The Migraine Trust, a charitable health and medical research center for migraines estimates that there are an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks every day in the United Kingdom alone.

Barriers to effective care

(From the World Health Organization)

Lack of knowledge among health-care providers is the principal clinical barrier. Worldwide, on average only four hours of undergraduate medical education are dedicated to instruction on headache disorders. The minority of individuals with headache disorders worldwide are professionally diagnosed; 40% for those with migraine and TTH, while for MOH it is only 10%.

Poor awareness extends to the general public. Headache disorders are not perceived by the public as serious since they are mostly episodic, do not cause death, and are not contagious. The low consultation rates in developed countries may indicate that many sufferers are unaware that effective treatments exist. 50% of people with headache are estimated to be self-treating.

Many governments, seeking to constrain health-care costs, do not acknowledge the substantial burden of headache on society. They might not recognize that the direct costs of treating headache are small in comparison with the huge indirect-cost savings that might be made (eg, by reducing lost working days) if resources were allocated to treat headache disorders appropriately.

The High Cost of Migraines

According to new data presented at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society, migraine headaches cost American employers more than $24 billion a year in direct and indirect healthcare costs. Source: PR Newswire

Conventional Migraine Treatments

Conventional medicine recommends the use of pain medication to hide the most troublesome symptoms. Avoidance of triggers is not itself a treatment but doctors frequently recommend this as a prophylactic or preventative technique. Doctors also sometimes prescribe medications as an additional prophylactic.

Alternative Migraine Treatments

Popular alternative remedies include acupuncture, chiropractic and massage treatments.

From Wikipedia: While acupuncture is effective “true” acupuncture is not more efficient than sham acupuncture, with both appearing more effective than routine care, with fewer adverse effects than prophylactic drug treatment. Chiropractic manipulation, physiotherapy, massage and relaxation might be as effective as propranolol or topiramate in the prevention of migraine headaches…There is some tentative evidence of benefit for magnesium, coenzyme Q(10), riboflavin, vitamin B(12), and feverfew… Of the alternative medicines, Petasites hybridus (butterbur) has the best evidence for migraine prevention.

Common Migraine Triggers

Many people find that their migraine begins soon after consuming a particular food, or in the presence of a particular environmental factor. Author Alexander Mauskop lists these common triggers as: cheese, bacon, nuts, avocados, chocolate, yeast, spices, hot dogs, corn, anything fermemented, red wine, beer, beverages containing caffeine, skipping meals, stress, fatigue, bright lights, strong odors, certain medications, perfumes and other odors, air pollution, hormonal changes, the weather, seasonal changes and altitude.

The Problem with Avoiding Migraine Triggers

While some of these items should rightfully be avoided anyway, others, such as avocados, spices, the weather and seasonal changes are healthy, enjoyable parts of living well. Avocados provide some of the healthiest fat on Earth. As for spices… surely migraine sufferers shouldn’t be expected to avoid all 350+ common spices, many of which provide important nutrients and are indispensable in preventing many diseases. Those living high in the mountains could certainly move their household to a lower city, but with a considerable expense and inconvenience. And just how would you go about avoiding the weather. Either you must stay indoors forever, or perhaps move to San Diego, Malta or Colombia. You may indeed get some more enjoyment out of life by selecting one of these places to live, but this certainly cannot be an acceptable recommendation for avoiding migraines.

Avoid These Migraine-Causing Chemicals

I strongly suggest avoiding all of the following chemicals, even if you do not suffer from migraines. These chemicals are linked with migraines and a host of other serious physical and mental conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to cancer to epileptic seizures and more.

Aspartame, a popular sweetener found in many packaged foods labelled “sugar free”, is linked to migraines and many other conditions. The journal Pediatric Neurology recently published a study on teens that frequently chew gum (most of which contains the chemical Aspartame). Of the thirty patients studied, 26 reported significant improvement and 19 reported a complete improvement after discontinuing the habit of gum-chewing. All twenty patients that resumed the habit experienced headache or migraine within days.

Bisphenol A (BPA), which mimics oestrogen, frequently leaches into food and beverages from its plastic container. A recent study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences provides more proof that BPA causes migraines.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an excitatory neurotoxin (or excitotoxin) that is commonly added to packaged foods and even restaurant foods (particularly Chinese restaurant food) to enhance the neurologic perception of the food’s taste. In other words, the food does not actually taste better, but the brain is tricked into perceiving a better taste. The brain cells that are excited by MSG then die, so the enhanced pleasure comes at a great cost.   A 2010 study from the University of Oxford found that a gene called TRESK was implicated in some migraine patients. The researchers found that if the TRESK gene malfunctions, other factors (such as MSG) can more easily trigger a migraine.

Migraine Medications

Web-md.com lists 91 pharmaceutical medications for temporary migraine relief. Some doctors prescribe one or more of these medications for acute migraine attacks and others also prescribe medication as a prophylactic, that is, to prevent future migraines. Prophylactic treatments are considered effective if they cut down the severity or frequency of the migraine attacks by half or more.

Medication-Overuse Headaches (MOH)

A common side effect of migraine medicines is that they actually cause  migraines.(2) Sometimes this side effect does not appear the first few times a new medication is taken, suggesting that the medication accumulates in the body, worsening the condition over time. This is called Medication-overuse Headaches (MOH).

This study, sponsored by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline examined Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) Alone or With a Triptan and Reports of Transition From Episodic to Chronic Migraine. The study was completed in 2011 but the results were never published. Dare I guess the reason that the results remain hidden? The most likely answer is that the results of the study were not particularly flattering to the drug giant.

Other Common Side Effects of Popular Migraine Medications

Other side effects of popular migraine medications include an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and bleeding, sometimes-fatal hepatic (liver) problems, renal (kidney) problems, muscle weakness, dizziness, nausea and mental health problems including depression, anxiety, irritability, and psychotic reactions, and sleep disturbances such as insomnia and nightmares. Some migraine medications cause weight gain and hair loss. Using Botox as a migraine treatment can cause headaches, bruising and pain at the injections sites, drooping eyelid, muscle pain and stiffness, and the inability to raise the eyebrows for the 3 months the Botox is in effect.

My Quest for the Migraine Cure

I began searching for an effective treatment for migraine at a very young age, to provide relief for two family members. Initially I looked at massage and myotherapy, without finding immediate success in either of these methods. I began reading about reflexology, acupuncture, chiropractic and other physical manipulation techniques. Each of these methods has been successful for some patients but not for the majority. I read up on homeopathy, naturopathy, and nutrition. These last two seemed to offer a real solution that would require patience and dedication on the part of the sufferer to produce results. I have incorporated this knowledge into my protocol, but I still needed to develop a method to provide immediate relief for those experiencing an acute migraine attack, and a system that could pre-empt future migraine attacks for at least the length of time needed to implement the naturalistic nutrition and lifestyle plans. I continued reading and experimenting for many years.

My Key Discovery: Wiggliness is Wellness!

By experimenting on more than a thousand volunteers I discovered that those suffering with migraines (and other serious health conditions) were less wiggly than healthier volunteers. I began to associate wiggliness with wellness. I noticed that wiggliness was not directly associated with any other physical attribute such as flexibility, body constitution/shape or overall fitness level. I began to focus more and more on wiggliness. Babies are the wiggliest humans and tend to be healthy. The elderly are the least wiggly and tend to suffer many chronic health conditions. There are other factors at play besides wiggliness, of course, but I was nonetheless interested to find a method for restoring wiggliness. I eventually developed a method that works, and the results have been called “miraculous” by those that experienced immediate and lasting relief from my system, when countless other systems had previously failed.

My Protocol for Immediate and Lasting Migraine Relief

After more than two decades of experimentation, I  succeeded in developing a highly effective,  non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical treatment protocol for chronic headaches and chronic migraines.

The hallmark of my system is a unique method of restoring the normal energy flow (wiggliness!) throughout the entire body, such that the body is able to “heal itself” quickly and efficiently. This self-healing includes proper oxygenation and detoxification, which are apparently hindered by a lack of what I call “wiggliness”.

In most cases, my migraine-healing method can eliminate an acute migraine attack in under ten minutes. By the end of the first session (which typically lasts 1.5 – 2 hours), the energy flow has been restored to the extent that approximately 80% of migraine sufferers will not have a recurrence for an extended period, generally 6 months – 1 year, even without a follow-up treatment. In the remaining 20% of subjects where migraines do continue, they are generally more than 50% less frequent and less severe. In these cases, a follow-up treatment may further improve the condition.

My migraine-healing method is designed to provide immediate relief from an acute migraine attack, as well as an effective non-pharmaceutical prophylactic against the migraines that would otherwise be forthcoming. Migraine pain is debilitating and demoralizing. It is therefore necessary to alleviate the condition for as long as possible, to afford the patient time and “space” to implement the remainder of my anti-migraine protocol. My migraine-healing treatment provides the necessary freedom from pain and stress and then focuses on making the result permanent through lifestyle training.

My migraine-healing method involves a sequence of 40 techniques of gentle body manipulation, each of which is set to a carefully-selected piece of music that contains a specific “pulse”. The movements must perfectly correspond with the pulse of the music. The majority of the techniques are quite simple. This allows my system to be taught to many people with different backgrounds. A chiropractor, a doctor or an experienced massage therapist will be able to master all 40 techniques with as little as three days of practice. Compassionate but less-experienced care-givers will still be able to perform 35 of those techniques.

The goal of my system is to allow energy to pass through the body “unobstructed” (to the greatest extent possible during a single session). If a serious blockage can be reduced by 80% during the session, the migraine condition will be halted. If the person were suffering an acute migraine attack just prior to the treatment, this will have disappeared. If the person usually suffers a daily migraine, she will likely enjoy a considerable period of time free of further attacks. This period is usually a minimum of several months but can be extended indefinitely with a very simple daily exercise that takes just 1-2 minutes to maintain the benefits of the treatment over the long term.

In addition to migraine symptoms vanishing, the patient may experience other benefits. If she previously had suffered from insomnia or anxiety, these conditions will also greatly improve and there may also be an improvement in some cases of depression.

The remainder of my protocol (besides its hallmark treatment described above) relates to living in harmony with nature. I developed The Lotus Lifestyle to provide the 8 simple steps for avoiding migraines and pretty well every other serious health problem:

  1. Breathe clean air, softly and deeply.
  2. Get adequate sunlight.
  3. Drink clean, living water.
  4. Eat plants to alkalize.
  5. Get wiggly with my migraine-healing treatment, or with fluid exercise such as tai chi.
  6. Detoxify with saunas, massage or fasting.
  7. Meditate or pray.
  8. Restand dream .

The Lotus Lifestyle is designed for everyone, not just migraine sufferers. It provides the guidelines for obtaining the correct nutrients and avoiding and eliminating harmful toxins. It is possible to follow The Lotus Lifestyle without spending a penny. I frequently teach this method in schools and when I am invited as a guest speaker. At my wellness center The Lotus Garden, visitors “learn by doing”… that is to say, they live all eight components of The Lotus Lifestyle, so they can immediately feel the dramatic improvement in their overall wellness. Daytime visitors can get an immediate boost in their energy and a dramatic reduction in pain and they can get a taste of delicious, healthy food. Guests that stay a longer period can fully detox and fully renew themselves, while breathing clean air and sampling infinite varieties of healthy meals.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions or comments, or to book a visit to the Lotus Garden.

References

  1. Understanding the Biologic Basis of Migraine: Jes Olesen, M.D., New England Journal of Medicine, December 22, 1994
  2. Too frequent use of painkillers can cause rather than cure headaches: Hawkes N. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22991196 British Medical Journal. September 18, 2012
  3. Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Alone or With a Triptan and Reports of Transition From Episodic to Chronic Migraine (study completed but results never published) ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01435941

  4. The Influence of Excessive Chewing Gum Use on Headache Frequency and Severity Among Adolescents, Pediatric Neurology, Nov 1, 2013

  5. Migraine Headaches, Journal of American Medical Association, June 24, 2009, Vol 301, No. 24
  6. Excitotoxins in Foods, Neurotoxicology. 1994 Fall;15(3):535-44.
  7. The American Migraine Foundation
  8. PR Newswire American Headache Society
  9. World Health Organization  Global Burden of Disease Study
  10. The Migraine Trust

This article was originally published on October 1, 2012 and was last edited December 18, 2013.

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Dr. Omar Moreno: Wifi Radiation linked to cancer, headaches and reduction of sperm count

Respected Reader,

Doctor Omar Moreno
Doctor Omar Moreno

WIFI RADIATION SEVERELY AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR FAMILY.

Availability of Wi-Fi is very convenient as it eliminates the use of cables. This technology is used in computers, tablets and mobile phones for sending e-mails and surfing the Internet anywhere within the range of the Wi-Fi signal.

Yet despite these benefits, studies show that the radiation generated by wireless routers negatively affects our health.

British activist website “Stop Smart Meters” recently published a list of 34 scientific studies showing adverse biological effects of exposure to Wi-Fi , including studies that link it to headaches, reduced sperm count and oxidative stress, which can ultimately lead to cancer.

The latest study of the damage caused by Wi-Fi comes from a surprisingly humble source: five  fifth-grade girls in Denmark, whose science experiment revealed that the wireless radiation is equally devastating to plants.

UNDENIABLE RESULTS

The experiment began when the five students realised that they had difficulty concentrating in school if they slept near their mobile phones the night before… see more.

TIPS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST WI-FI RADIATION

Follow these tips to protect your health and that of your family from Wi-Fi radiation… view more

REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO WI-FI RADIATION

If you can not do without your Wi-FI, minimize it so… read more

Greetings and blessings,

Dr. Omar Moreno ND- DSNM

 

References