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Smoking Health Risks

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Smoking Health Risks:

Health Risks

doctorEffects on the Lungs

According to the American Lung Association, smoking is directly responsible for about 90 percent of the deaths due to lung cancer. Smoking is also responsible for the majority of deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

A study in the July 2006 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine showed that smokers with asthma who give up smoking can improve their lung function in as little as 1 week. The small study involved 21 smokers with asthma. Ten of them quit smoking for 10 weeks, while the others continued to smoke. After just a week, lung function test scores in those who stopped smoking improved considerably. In less than 2 months, lung function scores among those who stopped smoking improved by more than 15%.

Study authors say their findings show that there is a “reversible component to the harmful effects of smoking on the airways in asthma.”

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke is produced by a burning cigarette or other tobacco product. An estimated 4 million children a year get sick from being around secondhand smoke. Parental smoking has been shown to affect the lungs of infants as early as the first 2 – 10 weeks of life, and such abnormal lung function could persist throughout life.

Exposure to secondhand smoke in the home increases the risk for asthma and asthma-related emergency room visits in children who have existing asthma.

Parental smoking is believed to increase the risk for lower respiratory tract infections (such as bronchitis or pneumonia) by 50%. Environmental exposure to smoke is thought to be responsible for 150,000 – 300,000 such cases of such every year.

Effects on the Heart and Blood Vessels

All forms of tobacco raise one’s heart attack risk. Smoking, chewing tobacco, and being exposed to secondhand smoke greatly increase one’s risk of a heart attack. In some cases, the risk of heart problems in people who smoke or are epoxies to smoke may be three times greater, according to a study published in the Lancet. However, the study also found that the risk of a heart attack among those who stopped smoking slowly decreased over time.

Effects on Male Fertility and Impotence

Smoking has a negative affect on a man’s sexuality and fertility. Heavy smoking is frequently cited as a contributory factor in impotence because it decreases the amount of blood flowing into the penis. One study noted that among men with high blood pressure, smoking caused a 26-fold increase in impotence.

Smoking impairs sperm motility, reduces sperm lifespan, and may cause genetic changes that can affect a man’s offspring. One 2002 trial found that men or women who smoke have lower success rates with fertility treatments. An earlier study reported that men who smoke also have lower sex drives and less frequent sex.

Effects on Pregnancy and Female Infertility

Studies have linked cigarette smoking to many reproductive problems. Continuing to smoke during pregnancy may also cause health problems in the baby.

Negative effects of smoking on female fertility include:

  • Greater risk for infertility. Women at greatest risk for fertility problems are those who smoke one or more packs a day and who started smoking before age 18.
  • Earlier menopause. Women who smoke tend to start menopause at an earlier age than nonsmokers, perhaps because toxins in cigarette smoke damage eggs.
  • Pregnancy complications. Women who smoke have a greater risk for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage.

Effects on Unborn Child. Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to an unborn child in many ways. Smoking reduces the mother’s folate levels, a B vitamin that is important for preventing birth defects. Pregnant women who smoke increase the risk for stillbirth, prematurity and low birth weight in their babies. Infant mortality rates in pregnant smokers are increased by 33%, mostly because of low birth rate.

Some women carry particular genes that may make it especially likely that they will deliver low birth weight infants if they smoke, although newborns of all female smokers have a greater risk for low weight.

The good news is that women who quit before becoming pregnant or even during the first trimester reduce the risk for a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

Children of mothers who smoke during pregnancy may also be at increased risk for obesity and diabetes.

Women who want to become pregnant should try smoking cessation aids before they try to conceive and make all attempts to quit. If new mothers cannot quit, they should be sure not to smoke in the same room as their infant. This simple behavior can considerably reduce the risks to the child.

Effects on Bones and Joints

Smoking has many harmful effects on bones and joints:

  • Smoking can keep new bone from forming. Women who smoke are at high risk for loss of bone density and osteoporosis.
  • Postmenopausal women who smoke have a significantly greater risk for hip fracture than those who do not.
  • Smokers are more apt to develop degenerative disorders and injuries in the spine.
  • Smokers have more trouble recovering from surgeries, including knee or hip replacements.
  • Smokers whose jobs involve lifting heavy objects are more likely to develop low back pain than nonsmokers.
  • Smoking may increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in some older women. A 2006 study in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases showed that smoking nearly doubled the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in postmenopausal women who did not have the most established genetic risk factor for the disease, a genotype called HLA-DRB1 SE.

Smoking and Diabetes

Smoking may increase the risk of developing diabetes. Researchers involved in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS) looked at the relationship between smoking and diabetes and found that 25% of smokers who started the trial with normal blood sugar had diabetes 5 years later compared to 14% of non-smokers. The results were published in Diabetes Care.

A study released in 2006 supports earlier beliefs that smokers have a higher risk of developing glucose intolerance, a condition that precedes diabetes. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, involved 4,572 people. The findings suggest that chemicals in smoke could affect the pancreas. The pancreas is the organ that produces insulin, which helps control blood sugar (glucose) levels.

Smoking and the Gastrointestinal Tract

Smoking increases acid production in the stomach. It also reduces blood flow and production of compounds that protect the stomach lining.

Diverticulitis. A 2000 study suggested that smoking was a major risk factor in diverticulitis, a condition in which small bumps develop in the wall of the colon. In addition, smokers were at risk for complications from diverticulitis, including bleeding and abscess. Diverticulitis mostly affects people over age 50.

Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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Definition of Substance Abuse

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substanceabDefinition of Substance Abuse
Substance abuse: The excessive use of a substance, especially alcohol or a drug. (There is no universally accepted definition of substance abuse.)

A definition of substance abuse that is frequently cited is that in DSM-IV, the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) issued by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-IV definition is as follows:

    A. A maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:

1.     Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)

2.     Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by substance use)

3.     Recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for substance-related disorderly conduct

4.     Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of intoxication, physical fights)

  • B. The symptoms have never met the criteria for Substance Dependence for this class of substance.

Drug Abuse and Addiction

Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction-that it is a disease that impacts the brain and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume their productive lives.

What is drug addiction?

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the individual that is addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person’s self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs.

It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction’s powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient’s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse.

Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And, as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal failure-rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated, adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover.

What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain’s communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs are able to do this: (1) by imitating the brain’s natural chemical messengers, and/or (2) by over stimulating the “reward circuit” of the brain.

Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, have a similar structure to chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. Because of this similarity, these drugs are able to “fool” the brain’s receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters, or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signal between neurons. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message that ultimately disrupts normal communication patterns.

Nearly all drugs, directly or indirectly, target the brain’s reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which normally responds to natural behaviors that are linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc), produces euphoric effects in response to the drugs. This reaction sets in motion a pattern that “teaches” people to repeat the behavior of abusing drugs.

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. As a result, dopamine’s impact on the reward circuit is lessened, reducing the abuser’s ability to enjoy the drugs and the things that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels those addicted to drugs to keep abusing drugs in order to attempt to bring their dopamine function back to normal. And, they may now require larger amounts of the drug than they first did to achieve the dopamine high-an effect known as tolerance.

Long-term abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate, which can impair cognitive function. Drugs of abuse facilitate no conscious (conditioned) learning, which leads the user to experience uncontrollable cravings when they see a place or person they associate with the drug experience, even when the drug itself is not available. Brain imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision-making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse consequences-in other words, to become addicted to drugs.

Why do some people become addicted, while others do not?

No single factor can predict whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a person’s biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

  • Biology. The genes that people are born with-in combination with environmental influences-account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction.
  • Environment. A person’s environment includes many different influences-from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a person’s life.
  • Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability, and adolescents experience a double challenge. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. And because adolescents’ brains are still developing in the areas that govern decision-making, judgment, and self-control, they are especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse.

Prevention is the key

Drug addiction is a preventable disease. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs that involve the family, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many events and cultural factors affect drug abuse trends, when youths perceive drug abuse as harmful, they reduce their drug taking. It is necessary, therefore, to help youth and the general public to understand the risks of drug abuse and for teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals to keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if a person never abuses drugs.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

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Anger Management

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angerWhy Anger Management Skills are Important to your Health

Everybody experiences anger at some point of time or the other. A certain degree of anger is normal and healthy. However, if it gets out of control you can harm not only yourself but also those you come into contact with. Anger is probably the most real of all human emotions. It can increase your determination and will-power to reach the heights of success or it can catapult you into the valleys of fury and rage. By itself, anger is not really dangerous to your well-being. Everything depends on how you deal with it.

We lead a different life as compared to our fore-fathers. Technology has perhaps improved life in many ways but it has also made it difficult and stressful. We have no time to smell the roses. We always have to do something yesterday, right now, today or tomorrow. This leads to overwhelming pressure and stress. Let’s take an example of the average married man. He wakes up in the morning to rush to work sometimes without breakfast. He travels miles to his workplace only to be reprimanded by his boss for late-coming. During the day he has projects to complete and deadlines to meet, all under his immediate supervisor’s watchful eye. If something goes wrong he is held responsible. He returns in the evening to a mischievous child and a wife who grumbles about his never having the time for her. A squabble follows making him feel stressed out, angry and depressed. And this is an average day in the life of a married man. The bad days are a different story altogether.

Anger Management: In this age of unusual stress and pressure, anger management is of paramount importance. It teaches you to accept what you can’t change and channel your energy to feel positive and calm. It is important for people from all walks of life to control and manage their anger. Employees must learn to deal with work pressure and demanding supervisors. Bosses should control their feelings of hostility towards perceived inefficient workers. Couples must stop venting their frustrations on each other. Anger management teaches you all this and much more. Organizations must recognize the need to incorporate anger management into their training programs. Expressing feelings must be encouraged and honest feedback should be provided. This will bring about a sense of harmony and increase productivity at the work-place.

Stress Management and Anger: Stress and anger are two sides of the same coin. Often, we are angry because we are stressed and vice versa. The causes of stress are many. Demands at the workplace, uncompromising supervisors, inefficient employees, strained relationships, health issues and financial worries are some of these causes. If you can learn to beat the heat and manage stress half the battle is won. There are various techniques that can be used to manage stress. Try deep breathing when faced with a tense situation. Yoga and meditation can also work as stress busters. Therapists endorse exercising as a means to release feel good hormones and do away with stress and tension.

All said and done, anger and stress to a certain degree is desirable and healthy. Excessive stress can lead to fits of anger and affect all aspects of life. Managing stress and anger is important for your emotional as well as physical well being.

The most effective way in managing your stress and anger is to learn anger and fear control skills by taking an anger management class. It would be most helpful if the classes focused on anger management, stress management, assertive communication, and emotional intelligence.

By Gregory Kyles, LPC, CEAP, CAMF http://www.ami-tx.com
www.angermanagementinstituteoftexas.com

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What Is Aromatherapy?

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What Is Aromatherapy
by Emily Cronkleton April 30, 2022

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it’s called essential oil therapy.

Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health, we recommed “Scent Bomb”.

Aromatherapy is thought of as both an art and a science. Recently, aromatherapy has gained more recognition in the fields of science and medicine.

 

How long has Aromatherapy been around?
Humans have used aromatherapy for thousands of years. Ancient cultures in China, India, Egypt, and elsewhere incorporated aromatic plant components in resins, balms, and oils. These natural substances were used for medical and religious purposes. They were known to have both physical and psychological benefits.

Essential oils distillation is attributed to the Persians in the 10th century, though the practice may have been in use for a long time prior to this. Information about essential oil distillation was published in the 16th century in Germany. French physicians in the 19th century recognized the potential of essential oils in treating disease.

Medical doctors became more established in the 19th century and focused on using chemical drugs. However, the French and German doctors still recognized the role of natural botanicals in treating illness.

The term “Aromatherapy” was coined by a French perfumer and chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé in a book he wrote on the topic that was published in 1937. He had previously discovered the healing potential of lavender in treating burns. The book discusses the use of essential oils in treating medical conditions.

How does Aromatherapy treatment work?
Aromatherapy works through the sense of smell and skin absorption using products such as these:
diffusers, aromatic spritzers, inhalers, bathing salts, body oils, creams, or lotions for massage or topical application, facial steamers, hot and cold compresses clay masks, You can use these alone or in any combination.

There are nearly one hundred types of essential oils available. Generally, people use the most popular oils. Essential oils are available online, in health food stores, and in some regular supermarkets. It’s important to buy from a reputable producer since the oils aren’t regulated by the FDA.

This ensures you’re buying a quality product that is 100 percent natural. It shouldn’t contain any additives or synthetic ingredients. Check out essential oils available on HousTone Publishing.

We recommend “Scent Bomb”s products each with 100 percent natural essential oils and has an array and variety of scents with unique healing properties, uses, and effects. Combining essential oils to create a synergistic blend creates even more benefits for the mind body and spirit.

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Smoking Kills

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smokingSmoking Kills

(This is how people who are addicted to using/ smoking Tobacco products rationalize using/smoking Tobacco products.)

Tobacco smoking has been fingered (e.g., U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [U.S. DHEW], 1964) as a major cause of mortality and morbidity, responsible for an estimated 434,000 deaths per year in the United States (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 1991a).

But, did you know that the so much publicized 400,000+ “smoking-related’ deaths in the US simply does not exist?

That number is a guess… a heavily slanted, politically manipulated estimate using a computer model programmed with the assumptions of causality in synergy with the current political agenda against tobacco.

It DOES NOT represent an actual body count.

Some claim that about 10 million people in the United States have died from causes attributed to smoking (including heart disease, emphysema, and other respiratory diseases) since the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health in 1964 with 2 million of these deaths the result of lung cancer alone.

In fact, they like to say that “Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States.”

They declare one in every five deaths in the United States is smoking related. Every year, smoking kills more than 276,000 men and 142,000 women. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking-attributable mortality and years of potential life lost–United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993;42(33):645-8.)

How do they explain why non-smokers (75% of heart disease deaths) die from heart disease?

Smoking Causes Cancer

“Ninety-five per cent of lung cancer deaths are due directly to cigarette smoking”, according to Dr Desmond Carney, oncologist at University College, Dublin, and secretary general of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

Women who smoke increase their risk of dying from lung cancer by nearly 12 times and the risk of dying from bronchitis and emphysema by more than 10 times. Between 1960 and 1990, deaths from lung cancer among women have increased by more than 400%–exceeding breast cancer deaths in the mid-1980s.(Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993;42(44)) The American Cancer Society predicts that 80,000 women will develop lung cancer this year and 67,000 will die from it, as compared to 43,500 deaths from breast cancer.

Men who smoke increase their risk of death from lung cancer by more than 22 times and from bronchitis and emphysema by nearly 10 times. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among middle-aged men and women. (CDC Smoking-attributable mortality and years of potential life lost–United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993; 42(33):645-8.)

Now that you’re totally terrified,
take a look at it another way…

70%of all cancers occur in non-smokers.

The National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health report in the 1995 Information Please Almanac states that only 30% of all cancers are caused by smoking.

Did you know that United Nations statistics have listed Japan and South Korea respectively as first and second in both life expectancy and tobacco consumption? If smoking were really as dreadful, harmful, and dangerous as the Anti-Smoking propaganda blitz claims it to be . . . how can this be true?!

The Japanese smoke twice as much as Americans and yet have half the number of lung cancers per 100,000 people.

cartoon

Why do some people get lung cancer — even if they never smoke?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The American Thoracic Society points out that over 75 percent of lung cancers are small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and have an average overall 35-year survival rate of only 14 percent. Previous research has shown that about 90 percent of NSCLC appear to be activated by specific signaling pathways in lung tissue. The new study by Dr. Cho and his research team found that high amounts of dietary inorganic phosphates actually stimulate those same cancer-triggering pathways.

New research suggests eating a lot of processed foods containing inorganic phosphates could be the explanation. In research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, scientists from Seoul National University conclude that a diet high in inorganic phosphates, which are found in a host of processed foods including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products, might spur the growth of lung cancer. The researchers also suggest the food additive may contribute to the development of malignancies in people predisposed to lung cancer.

While living organisms need a moderate level of phosphate, the use of inorganic phosphates as a food additive to increase water retention and improve food texture artificially has soared over the past decade. That means the average American diet is loaded with excess amounts of phosphates. “In the 1990s, phosphorous-containing food additives contributed an estimated 470 mg per day to the average daily adult diet. However, phosphates are currently being added much more frequently to a large number of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products. As a result, depending on individual food choices, phosphorous intake could be increased by as much as 1000 mg per day,” Dr. Cho explained in the media statement.

In truth, smoking is not a leading cause of cancer.

Lung cancer is primarily a condition developed in old age, with average age of onset age 65, according to American Cancer Society literature. It’s estimated more people will die of lung cancer in populations of older Americans, and where older Americans live, there more lung cancer deaths will be estimated. More incidences of lung cancer and deaths from lung cancer are likely to occur in Florida than in any other state. That’s where the highest percentage of retirees lives. And that’s where ACS estimates more lung cancers will occur. Lung cancer is a disease of old age, not smoking.

Research has now firmly linked many of today’s cancers with tainted virus vaccinations given in the early 1950s. In 1960, researchers discovered that the polio vaccine distributed to certain states was infected with another virus called “Simian Virus 40.” SV-40 is a monkey virus that is not normally found in humans. Unknown at the time, it was present in hundreds of rhesus monkeys that were used to grow and harvest the polio vaccine. Injected into research animals, the SV-40 virus causes brain and lung cancers. Now, some forty years later, its effect on humans is just being investigated.

  • Michele Carbone, Assistant Professor of Pathology at Loyola University in Chicago, has recently isolated fragments of the SV-40 virus in human bone cancers and in a lethal form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. He found SV-40 in 33% of the osteosarcoma bone cancers studied, in 40% of other bone cancers, and in 60% of the mesotheliomas lung cancers.
  • Researchers from the Institute of Histology and General Embryology of the University of Ferrara, lead by Dr. Fernanda Martini, discovered SV-40’s presence in a variety other tumors. They found the rhesus monkey virus in 83% of choriod plexus papillomas, in 73% of ependymomas, in 47% of astrocytomas, in 50% of glioblastomas, and in 14% of meningiomas.
  • Even more shocking, SV-40 has appeared in 61% of all new cancer patients — patients even too young to have received the contaminated vaccine being administered forty years ago!
  • Instead of getting the “dead” virus in an injection, the Federal vaccination policy was changed mandating that children should be given the new live “oral polio vaccine” (OPV). This decision was based upon the belief that the OPV recipient would “shed” the virus through body contact with other non-vaccinated children and adults, thereby spreading the “live” virus throughout the population. The SV-40 virus that contaminated the oral polio vaccine quickly spread from child to child and from child to adult, crossing state lines and national boundaries. By 1960, when the virus was first detected, it was already too late to prevent its dissemination throughout the population. The FDA quietly and gradually instituted a program to eliminate rhesus monkeys, which harbor the SV-40, and replace them with African Green monkeys that are free of the virus.

A number of public statements have been made by the National Cancer Institute, attempting to put their spin on these disturbing revelations. In a statement published in the January (1999) New England Journal of Medicine, the institute states that there is no evidence of an increase in humans of the types of cancers found in laboratory animals that have been injected with SV-40. But other researchers remind us that SV-40 has already been found in a wide variety of other tumors. It has been shown that individuals who received the tainted oral vaccine demonstrate a higher occurrence of these cancers.

Not surprisingly, the US government and its agencies are reluctant to pursue this matter. In fact, requests to the National Institute for Health for grants to study the SIV and simian cytomegalovirus (SCMV) were recently denied. Microbiologist Howard Urnovitz, Ph.D., may have an explanation as he stated in the Boston Globe: “that almost 100 million Americans were exposed (to SV-40) through a government sponsored program, but for over 30 years, there has been virtually no government effort to see if anyone’s been harmed by the exposure.” He added, “The government will not fund science that makes it look culpable.”

Philip Wiley sought at least $13.3 million in compensatory damages from six tobacco companies and two industry groups for the 1991 death of his wife. A jury in Muncie, Indiana agreed there is no proven connection between second hand smoke and cancer and said cigarettes were not a defective product that their makers were not negligent and the tobacco industry was not liable in the cancer death of a nonsmoking nurse exposed to secondhand smoke at a veteran’s hospital. Industry attorneys pointed out that Mrs. Wiley’s cancer may have had other causes and could have started in her pancreas, then spread to her lung.

Smoking May Actually Be Healthy For You

Smoking may actually help reduce the risk of breast cancer in some women, according to a study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study found that smoking reduces by 50 percent the risk of developing breast cancer in women who have a rare genetic mutation that can lead to the disease.

Studies have shown evidence of an inverse relationship between smoking and the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. In fact, most studies show that the more one smokes, the lower the risk level.

Scientists reported at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting that they’re encouraged they can design medications to capitalize on the benefits of nicotine without cardiovascular and other side effects. Apparently, they found that Nicotine-like compounds can improve memory and might one day be used in pills to treat disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. [CBS Market watch, Nov 8, 1998]

What Is the Leading Cause of Death in America?

Is cigarette smoking the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States?

  • The CDC estimates 434,000 smoking related deaths per year in the U.S.
  • The number of babies that die from abortion in the United States is 1.2 million a year.

A definitive review and close reading of medical peer-review journals, and government health statistics shows that American medicine frequently causes more harm than good. The number of people having in-hospital, adverse drug reactions (ADR) to prescribed medicine is 2.2 million. Dr. Richard Besser, of the CDC, in 1995, said the number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed annually for viral infections was 20 million. Dr. Besser, in 2003, now refers to tens of millions of unnecessary antibiotics.

The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed annually is 7.5 million. The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9 million. The total number of iatrogenic deaths is 783,936. It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the United States. The 2001 heart disease annual death rate is 699,697; the annual cancer death rate, 553,251. [Death by Medicine]

Quitting Can be Dangerous

According to three medical doctors writing in the journal Medical Hypotheses, giving up smoking can kill you. The doctors were “struck by the more than casual relationship between the appearance of lung cancer and an abrupt and recent cessation of the smoking.” In 182 of the 312 cases they treated, habitual smokers of at least a pack a day for at least a quarter-century developed lung cancer shortly after they gave up smoking.

In a rush to cover their tracks and bad statistics, anti-smoking advocates are quickly revising their numbers to be more in line with their political ambitions. In the 1960’s epidemiologists estimated that smoking killed one fourth of all regular smokers. That estimate was later raised to one third. More recently they suggest that both estimates are too low. According to scientist Richard Peto, lifelong cigarette use, particularly if begun before age 20, kills at least half of all smokers.

CDC Regularly Misrepresents the Facts

Americans are not experiencing the “epidemic of tobacco related disease and death” the anti-smokers claim. If that were true, why would annual death rates decrease in the U.S. as cigarette sales rates increase?

Cigarette

Census             Death by    Death    Sales per

Year   Population  All Cause  Rate%    Billion

1900   75,994,600  1,307,107  1.72    2.5

1910   91,972,260  1,351,992  1.47    8.6

1920  105,710,600  1,374,358  1.30   44.6

1930  122,775,100  1,387,358  1.13  119.3

1940  131,669,300  1,422,028  1.08  181.9

1950  150,697,400  1,446,695  0.96  369.8

1960  179,323,200  1,703,570  0.95  484.4

1970  203,302,000  1,921,031  0.94  536.5

1980  226,545,800  1,989,841  0.88  631.5

1990  248,709,900  2,162,000  0.87  525.0

Smokers represented nearly 50% of the adult male/female population for several decades in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking among adults decreased dramatically from 42% in 1965 to 26% in 1994. During this period, smoking among the adult male population declined from 52% to 28%; adult female smoking declined from 34% to 23%. In 1994, 48 million adults 18 years of age and older (25.3 million men, 22.7 million women) were current smokers in the United States.

If nearly 50% of the population smoked, you would expect at least nearly 50% of the people who die would be smokers, if smoke has nothing to do with dying. It stands to reason we should start suspecting that smoke kills smokers only when over 50% of those who die in a given year are smokers. By their own statistics, only about 20% of the deaths are smokers.

At the end of World War II, about 90 per cent of the adult male population of Britain smoked. If lung cancer takes about 20-25 years to show, as some claim, then by 1965, or 1970 at the latest, we would have seen an epidemic of truly catastrophic proportions. One in every eleven British men would have been dying of lung cancer. This simply did not happen.

There hardly appears to be the profound danger anti-smoking advocates would have us believe. As a matter of fact, it would appear you have a greater chance of dying if you’re a non-smoker!

In another look at the numbers, 38% of the people who smoke live beyond 80 years old, 50% live beyond 75 and 85% live beyond 65. This compares to 43% of non-smokers living beyond 80 years old, 50% of non-smokers live beyond 75, and 85% of non-smokers live beyond 65. The government and anti-smoking lobby can’t explain this disparity, so they lie.

Fewer Cigarettes Equals MORE Cancer?

U.S. historical statistics show that, in the period 1973-1994, annual per capita consumption of cigarettes FELL from 4,148 to 2,493. But in the same period, the incidence of lung and bronchial cancer ROSE from 42.5 to 57.1 cases per 100,000 population. How can this be if the propaganda of the Anti-Tobacco Pharmaceutical Cartel is correct?

The deluge of anti-smoking hysteria is actually a very recent thing. And it’s quite sudden too. Look at a film from only 10 or 15 years ago and you’ll see everyone smoking away merrily and without a worry. They’re smoking in the elevator, in the office and, of course, in every decent bar!

How can it be that we’ve been so suddenly immersed in this tidal wave of warnings and fear and – let’s be clear – propaganda? Doesn’t it seem a bit too orchestrated?

At the risk of repeating myself again…
It’s because of money, control, and jurisdiction.

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Choosing “Acupuncture” Over “KemeTones” Is Like Choosing Pain Over No Pain

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TAEM Logo Final

Press Release

June 2, 2017

story by Erica Modell

KemeTones © is the Kemetic (Indigenous Ancient, African, Egyptian’s) approach to using Sound Vibrations as Healing Therapy

Definition of Therapist: One specializing in therapy; a person trained in methods of alternative Health care treatment and rehabilitation, without the use of chemicals or surgery

Tchiya Amet El Maat, Natural Health Therapist and Wellness Coach, Specializing in Kemetic Healing and Egyptian Yoga is one of those Therapist that provides therapeutic treatments using Acutonics© tuning forks.

KemeTones © is the Kemetic (Indigenous Ancient, African, Egyptian’s) approach to using Sound Vibrations as Healing with Acutonics©. Acutonics is similar to Acupuncture, except tuning forks are use to direct sound energy vibrations to the same area most Acupuncturist used to stimulate “acupoints” without the pain of the insertion of fine, sterile needles into different areas of the skin.

Tchiya Bening Kemmedacupuncturist 2

Acupuncture is a 3,000-year-old healing technique of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1997, the US. National Institutes of Health (NIH) documented and publicized acupuncture’s safety and efficacy for treating a wide range of conditions. Continue reading Choosing “Acupuncture” Over “KemeTones” Is Like Choosing Pain Over No Pain →

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HEALTH CARE

The Business Of Drinking Water

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The most pressures substance of life on earth that makes up 94% of our body, and continually needs replenishing is water. Water In many parts of the world are at an all time shortage due to long lasting droughts; but that is not what this article is about.

This story is about the many varieties of manipulated waters, which claim to be the elixir and remedy for a variety of ailments. There is Vitamin-Water, Sparkling Water, Mineral Water, Coral Calcium Water, Detox Footbath, Energized Water, John Ellis Electron Water Machine, Magnetized Water, Penta Water, Pi Water and ASEA to name a few that are out in the market today. I am not recommending these products are how effective they are, it is just acknowledging that these water products do exist in todays market.ASEA_Water_Reviews_-_what_is_ASEA-slide

This months Health Update focus’s on ASEA water. Quoting ASEA “ ASEA is a “life-changing” health aid for everyone. ASEA is trillions of stable, completely balanced Redox Signaling Water Molecules suspended in a pristine saline solution—the same molecules that exist in the cells of the human body. Redox signaling is a function that is central to all life. Signaling molecules are created within every cell in the body. After the age of 12, our cells make fewer and fewer of these molecules. ASEA is the world’s only source for replenishing these molecules.”

In other words, the pure water is allowed to cure, before undergoing a patented process that oxidizes and reduces the saline solution mix into the final product that is ASEA Water.This must be some strong remedy stuff; if they both oxidize it and reduce it before they bottle it?

ASEA; from my understanding, ASEA does increase or add anything to the water they produce; They only reorganize the molecular structure so it is still just water that may provide health befits to select individuals as each persons body is bio-chemically different. What may not work for one person may actually make a difference in another person’s life.

Several long time friends introduce me to ASEA; which one use during a bout with depression after the birth of her first child; which actually happens to many women after they give birth. She is a firm believer that ASEA help her through the trying times and recommends it to anyone that suffers with emotional distress.

People that suffer from depression general turn towards drugs that can lead to dependency that is not something that should be recommended to new mothers especially those who are nursing.

In my opinion a useful water product has to better to fight depression and other aliments in these situation ASEA is far better than drugs that can be passed on to their offspring, harmful to own your health or cause a multitude of problems to users. If that is ASEA and it works for you then so be it.

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Good Food Additives

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Food Additives that are Good for You

Milk-Grains-and-VeggiesHere are some nutritional ingredients that are good for you:

Calcium:
Calcium is deficient in many of our diets, especially in the diets of teenagers. Calcium is important for healthy bones, teeth, blood clotting, and muscle and nerve function. The most absorbable form of calcium is found in dairy products, but what if you don’t like dairy products, or can’t tolerate dairy products? One great option is to choose calcium-fortified foods. The best-known calcium fortified food is orange juice, but look for calcium added to bread and other foods as well.

Prebiotics and Probiotics:
Probiotics are healthy bacteria that grow in our gut and help keep our digestive system healthy. Prebiotics are the fibers that help support the growth of the probiotics in our gut. Probiotics are naturally found in yogurt and fermented products. Adding the prebiotics like fructooligosaccarhides to foods will help these healthy bacteria flourish and improve our health. Prebiotics can be added to most any type of food, but is commonly found added to yogurt products and in supplement form

Fiber:
Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods. People on low cab diets often do not get enough fiber in their diets. Fiber is needed for a healthy digestive system, and some fibers will help reduce cholesterol and help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oat bran fiber is one example of a healthy fiber that will reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Oat bran fiber is often added to foods like breads, pasta, and snack foods to increase the fiber content.

Anti-Oxidants:
Anti-oxidants are the chemicals found in colorful fruits and vegetables that have special properties to prevent or even treat certain 2-shamrock-farms-milk-it-for-balance-largediseases. One example is lycopene, normally found in tomatoes. Lycopene, as well as other anti-oxidants can be added to regular foods, turning them into super-healthy functional foods.

Essential Fatty Acids:
Essential fatty acids and healthy omega 3 oils are needed for healthy nervous system function, healthy brain function, and will work as anti-inflammatories. Adding essential fatty acids to foods will make them even healthier. One example is the addition of an essential fatty acid called DHA to infant formula. Studies show that infants who get adequate amounts of DHA have better brain and eye development.

Proteins and Amino Acids:
Proteins and their individual components called amino acids serve several different functions in our body, most of them related to the structures of our body and for our immune system. Soy protein is an example of a nutritional ingredient that may be added to foods because soy consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

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Seasonal Allergies

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How to Cope With Seasonal Allergies

Becky Kospanova

SneezingAs spring arrives and everything around us starts blooming, not one person can remain untouched by the wonder and beauty of Mother Nature. However, for many unfortunate people spring brings not just enjoyment and happiness but also seasonal allergies. In a nutshell, allergy is an adverse reaction of human immune system to foreign substances (called allergens) which can lead to many symptoms ranging from coughing, sneezing, runny nose and scratchy throat to hives, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure, and even anaphylactic death. While people can suffer from different kinds of allergies (food, pets, latex, drug, insects, etc.), seasonal allergy is the most prevalent kind. In fact, as many as 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies; and the number keeps growing due to such factors as climate change and environmental pollution.

The effect of having so many people suffer from seasonal allergies is widely felt across the nation. According to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the direct annual cost of allergies is about 14.5 billion dollars due to the cost of visits to doctors’ offices, money spent on medications, and missed work or school days. As National Academy on Aging Society demonstrates, seasonal allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in USA and leads to 700 million dollars cost in lost productivity each year.

Regrettably, there is no cure for allergies to airborne tree, grass, weed pollens and mold spores. However, these seasonal allergies can be effectively managed. One of the most successful treatments is immunotherapy which involves allergy injections that gradually desensitize immune system to specific allergens. At the beginning, a doctor identifies specific allergens affecting a patient by conducting prick or scratch test which shows exactly what kind of injections a patient needs. Afterwards, a patient receives allergy injections (at first once or twice a week for about 4-6 months, later once or twice a month for maintenance). The dosage is gradually increased to desensitize a patient more effectively.

The downside of immunotherapy is that is takes a long time (usually, about 3-5 years), requires frequent doctor office visits, and cost (if medical insurance does not cover the cost of treatment, it can become prohibitive for many people). There exists an alternative option of rush immunotherapy which requires a patient to receive 4 shots daily at one hour intervals during first 5-10 days to reach a maintenance level, and then move to weekly, biweekly, and monthly injections. Many people react very well to immunotherapy and alleviate their symptoms to a great degree. It is especially true for children because the benefits of this treatment can be felt for many years to come.

In addition, there are a lot of medications, both prescription and non-prescription, available for allergy sufferers. A doctor can help to determine what particular medication will be most effective for a specific patient and in what form (nasal sprays, pills, or eye drops). And of course, people affected by allergies should employ simple preventative measures. For example, one should try to reduce exposure to allergens by avoiding being outside on particularly warm and windy days, delegating outside shores to others (or at least wearing face masks when working in the garden or mowing), and changing clothes and taking a shower after being outside, etc. Also, some steps might be taken at home to decrease allergies such as using high-efficiency filters in air-conditioning units, HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners, and HEPA filtered dehumidifiers in bedrooms. Moreover, one can purchase allergy free bedding, widely available in stores and on-line, to alleviate the symptoms.

Given the sheer number of people suffering from seasonal allergies and an impact they have on economy, it is clear that allergies are nothing to sneeze at! Fortunately, there are options available to help allergy sufferers which will let them enjoy their lives to the fullest.

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Dream Mind Tricks

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Dreams; Is your mind playing tricks on you?
The human mind, what all is it capable of? “The answer is, pretty much anything and everything.” It has its own mystifying ways to push the boundaries of reality. Things get tricky when an interconnection between the procedures of your mind, imaginations of your dreams and prudence of reality is revealed (Interface). It is then when the mind seems to have taken over reality and causes absurd experiences like Déjà-Vu, Precognition, Premonition, Lucid Dreams and Synchronicity. The cause of all these happenings is said to be a conflict between the conscious and the subconscious mind. The conscious chooses to push away things, which you are incapable of handling while the subconscious often taps in to the creative an imaginative world where everything deep within is exposed. So when you are on that road leading towards unknown parts (read-subconscious), be prepared’ as you maybe left awestruck with what you may find.

1. Déjà-Vu:

What is that feeling or illusion that causes you to think that you have been their, part of or witnessed a certain situation before? That could be Déjà-Vu and its; literal meaning is “already seen”. You are sitting somewhere, chatting with friends and suddenly you realize that you heard this conversation before. You know exactly where the discussion is leading too and what will be said. Or you visit a place for the first time and that feeling comes over you that you have been there before. It’s not surprising if you are also one of the 70% of the people who claim to have gone through what some would considered a bizarre experience. The reasons and why this happens is a mystery that still continues to go through numerous theories and studies by and between several groups of people. Psychoanalysts explain this as a method of fantasy fulfillment while Psychiatrists describe it as a short circuit occurring in the brain when an event makes its way into the memory, just a split second before you become mentally aware of the event.

 2. Precognitive and Premonition Dreams:

Both these dream types are correlated. When it comes to precognitive dreams, it refers to that dream which implies you are aware of the future. The information that is construed from these dreams cannot be derived from any current studies data that is available. On the other hand, premonitions also refer to intuitions but they only used for the most part to disclose evil forewarnings. The combined conclusion of various researches and surveys reveal that precognition is most likely to happen with people having creative bent of mind while premonitions are commonly observed in emotional and neurotic people.

 3. Lucid Dreams:

Have you ever felt like you were conscious while you are still dreaming? Do you sometimes know that you are controlling a dream to lead to a better ending? If you nodded to these questions, then probably you know the skill of lucid dreaming, where wishes come true. In this state you are intermingling with your subconscious and thus everything seems as authentic as it would be in reality. This is one trick played by the mind that can actually be beneficial for you.

4. Synchronicity:

When two separate events, which are connected to each other, merge unexpectedly without you making any willing efforts, it is known as Synchronicity and means “in time”. Your mind could be struggling with a problem and suddenly an external correlation seems to give you a solution to it. Many people believe in giving consideration to these signs and make life decisions accordingly as if the their sub-conscious universe is guiding them. It is said that this is the result, of a function, which puts things together and into place at a significant time as your mind unfolds its intentions.

 

So now do you recognize any of these strange dreams occurrences? Is your mind playing tricks on you? Think hard enough and you might unfold the mystery of your Dreams.

 

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Protect Yourself

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Summer and Beach- What to Wear and How to Protect Yourself from the Sun!

Summer is here and just about everybody heads to the beach at some point. After all, it is one of the most beloved summer pastimes which lets us to enjoy the sun, watch the waves, go for a swim, and stroll along the beach. It is especially true for this year’s summer which brought record high temperatures all over the United States. In fact, many believe that it is the hottest summer in the last several decades already! However, in order to make the most of your beach time, you need to keep several factors in your mind.

1. Choose right swimwear. This season, swimsuits with geometrical prints, flowers, stripes, ethnic design, and polka dots are especially favored by fashionistas. Bright colors are also in- especially orange, yellow, red, and blue. At the same time, classic combination of black and white always puts a person in style. For man, comfortable swim trunks with bold designs work well this season as well. When choosing the cut of your swimsuit- consider what activities you will more likely pursue during your stay at the beach. If you are planning to engage into active sports such as volleyball, surfing, etc. you would be more comfortable wearing a one-piece bathing suit which will allow you to move freely without worrying whether something is showing. However, if you prefer to sunbathe- bikinis should be your first choice. This season, bikinis with triangular tops (as opposed to more rounded ones) are especially fashionable.

2. Accessorize wisely. Besides bathing suits, you can make a bold fashion statement by choosing right accessories. First of all, do not forget your sunglasses! This season, aviator, cat-eye, and oversized sunglasses are in. Also, the color of your sunglasses can vary widely from pink, yellow, and blue to classic grey, black, and brown. Gradient lenses are also popular in 2012. Also, to better protect yourself from relentless sun, bring a brimmed hat or at least a cap. Floppy wide-brimmed hats seem to be all the rage this season. For leisurely strolls along the beach, bring along a cover-up such as chiffon skirt, sarong, or wrap; and for a man, light t-shirt always works well. You can also improve your beach look by playing with your footwear. Instead of plain and boring flip-flops, choose sandals decorated with beads, rhinestones, or appliqués for a true fashion statement.

3. Most importantly, protect yourself from the sun. Nowadays, everybody knows that exposure to the sun increases the chances of getting skin cancer dramatically. In fact, skin cancer is the most common cancer there is; and it affects more than two million Americans each year. As such, the importance of sunscreens cannot be stressed enough. Choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 for the face and SPF 45 for the body. Reapply it every two hours or after you went swimming or sweated profusely. Generally, people apply too little- as a rule, you practically have to coat yourself with thick and even layer of sunscreen to properly protect yourself. Also, nowadays, you can find beach attire with built-in sun protection which will also decrease your chances of getting skin cancer. Bring an umbrella with you to stay in the shade (but remember that you can still get sunburned in the shade) or choose a more shadowy part of the beach.

Summer is here! Enjoy the beach, look beautiful while doing so and, most importantly, be careful.

 

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Testosterone: The Mighty “T”

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Testosterone, it’s a natural substance with a colorful history and now its synthetic equivalent is a powerful moneymaker for the pharmaceutical industry. The television commercials for testosterone gel are ubiquitous. They go something like this: a middle-aged male, somewhere between ages 46 and 55, can barely drag himself out of bed. He shuffles through his day at the office while the younger men around him appear to skip down the halls. He has no energy for a pick-up game of basketball or handball or tennis. He has no appetite for drinks after work and forget dinner, dancing or sex with the wife. And of course, he’s depressed. Who wouldn’t be? But all it takes is a little testosterone gel and voila, he’ll soon dance the night away, work around the clock, and be a tiger in the bedroom. The Mighty “T” has come out of the illicit steroid trade of sports and into the mainstream of men’s health care.

Let’s start with the basics. For men, testosterone is the building block of all things identified as physically male. This is the ingredient a boy requires for puberty to get under way. With the help of testosterone, the penis and testicles grow. Muscles get bigger and bones grow stronger; hair sprouts on the face and groin, sperm is produced, the sexual urge, (libido), becomes pressing, moods modify, and believe it or not, the brain functions better. This crucial stuff, one of a group of hormones called androgens, actually has a starring role that begins in the womb. A genetically male (remember the XY chromosome combo from biology?) fetus develops male genitalia thanks to testosterone.

Hormone With A Past

Long ago, before testosterone was named and known, the curious and miracle-minded in different cultures, from Egyptians to Europeans, suspected the testicles might hold something special–beyond the obvious. Aphrodisiacs made from the gonads of animals considered sexually robust were taken as a cure for impotence and a restorative of vigor. Of course, culinary appeal is a matter of individual taste and nowhere is that more evident than in the elixir brewed by one Edouard Brown-Sequard, a 19th century French scientist. His model of male potency was found in dogs and guinea pigs. He used the animals testicles to concoct his potion. Sequard claimed his drink improved everything from brain power to sexual prowess to colons. Who knew guinea pigs were such Don Juans?

Despite no scientific evidence to support the aphrodisiac claims, there are still modern day versions of this ancient idea. One such offering comes from Charlie Bigham, a pastry chef from Britain. For Valentine’s Day, Chef Bigham makes a special treat that he sells to customers interested in improving the odds for a romantic tryst. He insists his special pie made with a filling of bull testicles, ginseng, and Mama Juana’s liquor is so potent it should a health warning. Not everyone agrees. Alex James, a food critic for the The Sun, a Brit tabloid, thinks there’s a better treat to inspire a passionate, virile evening—chocolate éclairs. He says “the suggestive shape and…oozy, gooey nature makes” the dessert the perfect indulgence for a sexy evening.

Pies and elixirs aside, scientific inquiry into the mystery of the male testicles and testosterone did have a breakthrough in 1936. That year Nobel Prize winners, Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt and Leopold Ruzicka, were responsible for the creation of an artificial testosterone substitute. Abuse of this hormone alternative by athletes began in the 1940s and continues to this day. It’s a shame testosterone replacement has attracted so much negative press because there are legitimate uses for it, though not in the areas the general public might suspect.

Testosterone: How Low Can You Go?

Low testosterone is a tricky diagnosis. As the male body ages decreased production of the hormone naturally occurs. There is a medical standard in place to gauge if a man’s testosterone is outside of the normal range. Certain medications, injuries, or illnesses may cause a man’s testosterone to drop below the standard but the normal dwindling of production that occurs with growing older is not likely to be a problem. In other words, the male body is designed to gently ratchet down as the years go by.

Science has recognized that the benefits of this steroid are many and varied but not necessarily in the ways many people might suspect. Where synthetic testosterone has shown genuine medical promise is in the treatment of age-related heart disease, osteoporosis, depression, and chronic fatigue. For women, the “Mighty T” has shown promise, in small quantities, for increasing sexual desire after menopause.

Testosterone has been praised and blamed for much that is right and wrong with a man’s health, happiness, and behavior. But the hype about “low testosterone” that’s now galvanizing attention through ads and commercials is likely more about boosting sales of the synthetic gel than an actual epidemic of male testosterone deficiency rampant across the country.

 

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Herpes Conversation 101

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More Than Friends Not Yet Lovers

Let’s not beat around the bush, talking about herpes with a prospective lover isn’t appealing. In fact, it would be easier, and a lot more fun, to admit you’re a vampire; at least you could put in a Twilight DVD and enjoy some popcorn together. But here you are, no popcorn, no movie, no sexy vampire scenes just you introducing a person you find attractive to a secret you find upsetting.

For most folks, having the herpes conversation ranks right up there with changing a cat’s litter box…it stinks. You’re not alone. Almost 50 million adults in this country between the ages of 14 and 49 have the herpes virus. But knowing you have company doesn’t make telling a guy or girl you want to romance that you have an ever-present STD (sexually transmitted disease). In fact, it can feel so overwhelming you may be tempted to skip the conversation. Don’t.

Yes, the herpes diagnosis was devastating and yes, it was followed by weeks or months of feeling angry, depressed, betrayed, and scared; and yeah, you’re ideas about love, relationships, and sex have been turned upside down. Herpes is exhausting for the body, mind, emotions, and ego. But remember, you will start dating again so it’s a good idea to get prepared in your head and gut for THE CONVERSATION. While you’re still coming to terms with how life will go on with a chronic condition, here are some things to work on:

Confidence: don’t let herpes define or control you; it’ a health condition that has to be managed not a jail sentence…unless you make it one.

Knowledge: know the facts about herpes so you are able to explain what it is and isn’t. You want to be able to answer questions and also, information is power; it helps put herpes into perspective.

Timing: there’s not a perfect moment to have that first, “I’ve got herpes,” conversation; you want to give a new relationship some time to mature so there’s some investment for both of you; that said, have the discussion BEFORE you start taking off each other’s clothes.

Intention: pick a place that gives you privacy and make sure you have plenty of time to talk; this is not a crowded restaurant or coffee-break conversation it’s a subject that needs focused attention.

Okay, time has passed. You finally decided to put on your big girl (or boy) party clothes and get on with a social life, and hey, it worked; you’ve met somebody that seems like promising boyfriend/girlfriend material, now what? Here are some tips for the “big talk:”

Starters: get a grip on your emotions before you introduce the topic; you’re not about to announce a death or confess a murder but you’re also hitting on a subject more serious than your favorite ice cream flavor. Here are some opening lines you can use:

I like you and the way our relationship is going so there’s some information about myself I want to share with you. I’ve tested positive for herpes, do you know what that means?

I’ve enjoyed spending time with you and feel like we’re at a point where I can trust you with some important information. I have herpes and here’s what that means.

I’m really attracted to you and I think you are to me so here’s some information we need to discuss. What do you know about herpes?

Silence: when you’ve said your piece, be quiet. Listen carefully, not defensively, and watch the non-verbal behavior to understand how the other person is dealing with the information.

Space: end with something like this:

I know you’ll need some time to think about this and I respect that but let’s plan to talk again.
This is a lot to digest so I understand you need some time to think about it before we take this to the next step.

There are many ways this herpes conversation might end, some happy and some not. But even if it doesn’t go well, here’s how one person summed-up her herpes conversation 101: “The bigtalk was something I was so scared of doing after I found out but it was the biggest reliever after it was done. If someone can’t accept you for who you are and the fact that you have herpes then they are obviously not worth it!”

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5 Best Ways to Avoid Weight Gain During Holiday Season

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The holiday season is fast approaching and everybody is looking forward to spending time with their families and friends, exchanging gifts, rejoicing in their fortunes and, best of all, eating delicious holiday fare. Unfortunately, all good things come with the price. One of the biggest drawbacks of the holidays is that most people experience some weight gain during this time. Popular belief holds that an average person gains anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds during the holidays. However, the studies conducted by the National Institute of Health have shown that, on average, people gain around 1 to 2 pounds during this period. While you might think that 1-2 pounds weight gain does not amount to much, the real problem is that these pounds stick- for ever. Over the years, the gradual weight gain might translate into real problems such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and such. However, with some discipline and determination, you can enjoy all the parties without sacrificing your figure. All you have to do is follow these 5 easy rules.

  1. Exercise portion control. The easiest way to do so is to visualize your plate (go for a smaller plate if possible). Divide the plate into 2 halves and fill one half with salad and other vegetables (preferably steamed), avoid fatty sauces and go for oil-and-vinegar based dressings. Divide the remaining half of the plate into two parts and fill one part with proteins such as lean meats, fish, and beans; fill the remaining part with something starchy.
  2. Limit your alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol during parties not only adds up to your calorie intake, but also lowers your inhibitions and makes you forgo all the promises you made to yourself. Also, make better choice of beverages- go for a light beer or wine instead of eggnog and limit yourself to 1-2 drinks. Accompany each drink with a glass of water to avoid drinking too much alcohol.
  3. Have a snack before the party. It is best to have a light healthy snack such as piece of fruit (banana, green apple, etc) or yogurt with granola before heading to the party where you will be tempted with all the delicious food. This tactic allows you to have better control over your cravings and make wiser food choices.
  4. Do not fall into all-or-nothing mentality. If you could not resist eating some sumptuous fried appetizer or went for an extra piece of chocolate cake, do not despair and say to yourself, “Oh well, I blew it already so might as well go for it!” It is OK to indulge a little, the key word being “little.” If you still ended up eating a bit too much, undo the damage the next day. One of the most effective ways to do so is to limit yourself to a glass of kefir every 2 hours during the whole day. This will stabilize your stomach and prevent any weight gain from previous night.
  5. Socialize as much as possible. Instead of zeroing in on the food during the party, take a chance to reconnect with your friends and family- talk, laugh and, best of all, dance. After all, that’s what the holidays are all about!
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