Archive for July, 2006

Mind Over Genes - Bruce Lipton

Published by Jonathan 1 year, 12 months ago in Writings from other authors. 0 Comments

Mind Over Genes: The New Biology

BRUCE LIPTON, PH.D.

Though mass consciousness is currently imbued with the notion that genes control the character of our lives, the results of the Human Genome Project completely undermine the long held concept of genetic determinism. Once thought to be in the domain of the genes, the control of health and behavior are now dynamically linked to the environment, and more importantly, our perception of the environment. Though mass consciousness is currently imbued with the notion that genes control the character of our lives, the results of the Human Genome Project completely undermine the long held concept of genetic determinism.

Dr. Bruce Lipton, noted lecturer and cell biologist, will present exciting new information at the conference on the molecular mechanisms by which animals, from single cells to humans, transduce environmental stimuli into physiological and behavioral responses. The newly identified cellular mechanisms include master switches through which our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs create the conditions of our body and of our place in the world. These amazing advances provide a scientific foundation for the necessity of merging allopathic, complementary and spiritual healing modalities. Evolution of this molecular mechanism provides for human consciousness and contributes to our spiritual nature.

BRUCE H. LIPTON, PH.D., is author of the best selling “The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles.” As a scientist and lecturer, Bruce formerly served as an Associate Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, where he participated in the medical curriculum as a lecturer in Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology. His laboratory research on muscular dystrophy focused on the biochemistry of cloned human stem cells. Subsequently, as a Fellow in Pathology at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, his published research on cloned human cells revealed how perception controls behavior and gene activity. Bruce has taken his award-winning medical school lectures to the public and is currently a popular keynote speaker and workshop presenter on topics of conscious parenting and the science of
complementary medicine. To learn more of Dr. Lipton, visit: www.brucelipton.com

Mind Over Genes: The New Biology (excerpt)

(c) 2005 Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.

Earlier in my career as a research scientist and medical school professor, I actively supported the perspective that the human body was a “biochemical machine ‘programmed’ by its genes. We scientists believed that our strengths, such as artistic or intellectual abilities, and our weaknesses, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer or depression, represented traits that were preprogrammed into our genes. Hence I perceived life’s attributes and deficits, as well as our health and our frailties as merely a reflection of our heredity expression.

Until recently, it was thought that genes were self-actualizing…that genes could ‘turn themselves on and off.’ Such behavior is required in order for genes to control biology. Though the power of genes is still emphasized in current biology courses and textbooks, a radically new understanding has emerged at the leading edge of cell science. It is now recognized that the environment, and more specifically, our perception (interpretation) of the environment, directly controls the activity of our genes. Environment controls gene activity through a process known as epigenetic control.

This new perspective of human biology does not view the body as just a mechanical device, but rather incorporates the role of a mind and spirit. This breakthrough in biology is fundamental in all healing for it recognizes that when we change our perception or beliefs we send totally different messages to our cells and reprogram their expression. The
new-biology reveals why people can have spontaneous remissions or recover from injuries deemed to be permanent disabilities.

(To enjoy the entire article, go to
http://www.brucelipton.com/mindovergenes.php)

Natural malaria prevention and treatment

Published by Jonathan 1 year, 12 months ago in Health & Healing. 0 Comments

A friend of mine is set to travel through various parts of Asia that travellers are normally advised to take anti-malaria drugs for. She’s not into taking most of the chemical based drugs the world is so addicted to (a wise woman) and so went looking for other options. She heard about Artemisinin. I have taken the following information about this substance from the Wikipedia.

Artemisinin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Artemisinin is a drug used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. The compound (a sesquiterpene lactone) is isolated from the shrub Artemisia annua long used in traditional Chinese medicine. Not all shrubs of this species contain artemisinin. Apparently it is only produced when the plant is subjected to certain conditions. It can be synthesized from arteminisic acid.[1]

History

Artemisia has been used by Chinese herbalists for more than a thousand years in the treatment of many illnesses, such as skin diseases and malaria. In the 1960s a research program was set up by the Chinese army to find an adequate treatment for malaria. In 1972, in the course of this research, Tu Youyou discovered artemisinin in the leaves of Artemisia annua. The drug is named qinghaosu in Chinese. It was one of many candidates then tested by Chinese scientists from a list of nearly 200 traditional Chinese medicines for treating malaria. It was the only one that was effective.

It remained largely unknown to the rest of the world for about ten years, until results were published in a Chinese medical journal. The report was met with skepticism at first, because the Chinese had made unsubstantiated claims about having found treatments for malaria before. In addition, the chemical structure of artemisinin, particularly the peroxide, appeared to be too unstable to be a viable drug.

For many years, access to the purified drug and the plant it was extracted from were restricted by the Chinese government. However, Artemisia annua is a common shrub and has been found in many parts of the world, including along the Potomac River, in Washington, D.C.

Currently, artemisinin is widely used in China and Southeast Asia for treatment of malaria. It is often used without taking precautions against conditions that might lead to resistance of the malaria parasite to this drug, leading to concern that the effectiveness of artemisinin may be reduced in the near future, as is the case with other classes of antimalarial drugs.

Because artemisinin itself has physical properties such as poor bioavailability that limit its effectiveness, semi-synthetic derivatives of artemisinin, including artemether and artesunate, have been developed. However, their activity is not long lasting, with significant decreases in effectiveness after one to two hours. To counter this drawback, artemisinin is given alongside lumefantrine to treat uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Lumefantrine has a half-life of about 3 to 6 days. Such a treatment is called ACT (artemisinin-based combination therapy); other examples are artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate-mefloquine, artesunate-amodiaquine, and artesunate-sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine. Recent trials have shown that ACT is more than 90% effective, with a recovery of malaria after three days, especially for the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum.

The World Health Organisation has recommended that a switch to ACT should be made in all countries where the malaria parasite has developed resistance to chloroquine. Artemisinin and its derivatives are now standard components of malaria treatment in China, Vietnam, and some other countries in Asia and Africa, where they have proved to be safe and effective anti-malarial drugs. They have minimal adverse side effects. Currently, artemisinin is not widely available in the United States or Canada, but is easy to find in Africa and Asia. There have been some concerns about the quality of some products on offer in Africa, but sticking to one of the European (often Belgian) manufacturers could overcome this problem.

To counter the present shortage in leaves of Artemisia annua, researchers have been searching for a way to develop artemisinin artificially in the laboratory. A recent paper in Nature presented a geneticly engineered yeast that created a closely related compound which can be efficently converted into Artemisinin. The compound called OZ-277 (also known as RBx11160), developed by Jonathan Vennerstrom at the University of Nebraska, has proved to be even more effective than the natural product in test-tube trials. A six month trial of the drug on human subjects in Thailand was started in January 2005. There are also plans to have the plant grow in other areas of the world (outside Vietnam and China).

Cancer Treatment

Artemisinin is under early research and testing for treatment of cancer. Artemisinin has a peroxide lactone group in its structure. It is thought that when the peroxide comes into contact with high iron concentrations (common in cancerous cells), the molecule becomes unstable and releases reactive oxygen species. It has been shown to reduce angiogenesis and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in some tissue cultures.

Mechanism of action

The specific mechanism of action of artemisinin is not well understood, and there is ongoing research directed at elucidating it. When the parasite that causes malaria infects a red blood cell, it consumes hemoglobin and liberates free heme, an iron-porphyrin complex. The iron reduces the peroxide bond in artemisinin generating high-valent iron-oxo species, resulting in a cascade of reactions that produce reactive oxygen radicals which damage the parasite leading to its death.[2]

Numerous studies have investigated the type of damage that these oxygen radicals may induce. For example, Pandey et al. have observed inhibition of digestive vacuole cysteine protease activity of malarial parasite by artemisinin.[3] These observations were further confirmed by ex vivo experiments showing accumulation of hemoglobin in the parasites treated with artemisinin, suggesting inhibition of hemoglobin degradation. They found artemisinin to be a potent inhibitor of hemeozoin formation activity of malaria parasite.

A 2005 study investigating the mode of action of artemisinin using a yeast model demonstrated that the drug acts on the electron transport chain, generates local reactive oxygen species, and causes the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. [4]

Resistance is conferred by a single mutation in the calcium channel. This has been observed only under laboratory conditions.[5]

The oxygen radicals have also been shown to inhibit PfATP6, a SERCA-type enzyme and artemisinin has been shown to compete with thapsigargin for SERCA binding, though artemesinin is much less toxic to mammalian cells.

Reference

  1. ^ Acton, N. & Roth, R.J. On the conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid into artemisinin. J. Org. Chem. 57, 3610-3614 (1992)
  2. ^ Cumming, Jared N.; Ploypradith, Poonsakdi; Posner, Gary H.. Antimalarial activity of artemisinin (qinghaosu) and related trioxanes: mechanism(s) of action. Advances in Pharmacology (San Diego) (1997), 37 253-297.
  3. ^ Pandey et al
  4. ^ Li et al., PLOS Genetics, September 2005, Volume 1, Issue 3
  5. ^ A.-C. Uhlemann et al. Nature Struct. Mol. Biol. 12, 628-629;2005

External links

Breaking Open the Head

Published by Jonathan 2 years ago in Entheogenic Plants, Sites worth checking out and Writings from other authors. 0 Comments

For those people interested in writings on shamanism and the psychedelic experience here is a book I came across whilst perusing around the internet. It’s called “Breaking Open the Head” (by Daniel Pinchbeck). I’ve not read this book, but it does look interesting.

The homepage for Breaking Open the Head by Daniel Pinchbeck is at — Breaking Open the Head

It can be obtained from Amazon.com using the following link:
Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism

There are sample chapters located at: http://www.breakingopenthehead.com/read_the_book.htm
Here’s the info from that page:

The purpose of taking [yagé] is to return to the uterus … where the individual “sees” the tribal divinities, the creation of the universe and humanity, the first human couple, the creation of the animals, and the establishment of the social order.
- Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff, Flesh of the Gods

We have drunk the Soma; we have become immortal; we have gone to the light; we have found the gods. What can hatred and the malice of a mortal do to us now, O immortal one?
- Rig Veda (c.1000 BC)

Included here are sections from my book. The first four sections are about visiting the Amazon to take ayahuasca, the sacred Amazonian jungle brew. I consider ayahuasca (also known as yagé) to be an extraordinarily profound and healing “medicine.”

The fifth section, “Phantasticum, $2000,” is a long evocation of an ayahuasca trip and some further speculations, that did not make it into the finished book.

Listening in - Big Brother in USA

Published by Jonathan 2 years ago in In the News and State of the world. 0 Comments

SOURCE: http://www.indymedia.org/or/2006/05/839598.shtml

NSA Tracking Millions of US Phone Calls with Telcos Help

18 May 2006 14:39 GMT

On May 11th, 2006, it was reported that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been secretly collecting the phone records of tens of millions of Americans since September 11, 2001. The data has been provided by telecommunications giants AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth. The companies are the nation’s three biggest telecommunications companies; they provide local and wireless phone service to more than 200 million customers. A fourth company, Qwest, reportedly refused to provide the data willingly provided by the others without subpoenas. According to the report, this particular program does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations, but last year, Bush admitted that he had authorized the NSA to eavesdrop - without warrants - on international calls and e-mails of people suspected of having links to terrorists when one party to the communication is in the USA. The full extent of that warrantless wiretapping has yet to be publicly determined.
Related Reports: 1 | 2 || Updates

In this new revelation, the NSA claims the phone record data is being used in its fight against terrorism, although the millions of Americans whose telephone behavior is being tracked are not suspected of any crime. Telephone company customers’ names, street addresses and other personal information are not being handed over as part of the NSA’s program, the sources for the report said. But the phone numbers the NSA collects can easily be cross-checked with other databases to obtain that information. Addressing the report shortly after its release, Bush strangely defended the program by saying, “Our intelligence activities strictly target al-Qaida and their known affiliates” and that American citizen’s privacy is being “fiercely protected.” He also said some members of Congress previously had been informed of the existence of the massive database program. While some Cogresspeople defended the program, others demanded answers from the Bush administration Thursday about the spy agency secretly collecting records of ordinary Americans’ phone calls to build a “database of every call ever made” within US borders. Congressional Republicans and Democrats demanded answers from the Bush administration about a government spy agency secretly collecting records of ordinary Americans’ phone calls to build a database of every call made within the country. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, said he would call the phone companies to appear before the panel “to find out exactly what is going on.”

SOURCE: http://www.indymedia.org/or/2006/05/839598.shtml

Health Supreme

Published by Jonathan 2 years ago in Health & Healing and State of the world. 0 Comments

Health Supreme

Here’s a great site with potentially useful health information. The author, Sepp Hasslberger, has also placed many great links on his site to other useful sites. I suggest using an RSS News reader to stay abreast of the articles he posts here and also for some of the sites he has listed (his links show which ones support RSS)

Health Supreme

Dental Health Dr Judd style

Published by Jonathan 2 years ago in Health & Healing and Writings from other authors. 4 Comments

Dental Truth

by Dr. Gerard F. Judd, Ph.D.

We can all stop spending billions for American dental work and research. Let me tell you why: I have learned the real causes of dental cavities and gum infection.

People, including you, will n.o.w be able to take care of their own dentistry with insignificant cost, and end with perfect teeth. Cavities and gum infections are ended!

A great amount of reputable dental research proves the following:

  • Tooth cavities will be end simply by rinsing acids off the teeth.
  • Acids alone eat the enamel.
  • There would be no cavities in the world if all people rinsed acids from their teeth promptly. Just sip water, milk or other liquid while eating. Water reacts with acids.
  • Foods and drinks, other than those containing acids, have no action on tooth enamel.
  • Sugars have no action on the enamel.
  • Bacteria cannot damage the enamel (calcium hydroxy phosphate). There is no such thing as decay of the enamel since bacteria require carbon and hydrogen to live. Billions of human and animal remains show teeth and bones are resistant to earth-bound organisms.
  • Teeth re-enamalize when clean. To make teeth clean one brushes with any bar soap. Soap washes off in just 2 rinses. What about toothpastes? Glycerine in all brands of tooth paste is so sticky that it takes 27 washes to get it off. Teeth brushed with any toothpaste are coated with a film and cannot properly re-enamelize.
  • Taking calcium and phosphate in the diet results in re-enamelization of the teeth, but only when they are clean. Bar soap does a perfect job in cleaning the surface. The enamel thickens and becomes less sensitive. Adenosine diphosphatase furnishes phosphate to teeth. [An enzyme in the body. - LT]
  • Gums are disinfected by brushing with any bar soap.
  • Plaque, a poorly formed crystal stuck to the bottom of the enamel, is prevented and eventually removed by brushing with bar soap. Dental procedures to get the badly formed crystals off dig holes through the enamel. These cavities catch food and cause gum infection. Prevention of plaque retards gum pockets. Gum pockets are formed as the plaque pushes the gums away from the teeth. Gum pockets, from 1 to 8 mm deep, are also formed by fluoride, which severs the protein molecules adhering the gums to the teeth. Soap prevents gingivitis caused by bacteria which is lodged in the gum pockets.
  • Vitamin C and phosphate help knit the gums back to the teeth. Pressing against the gums with fingers forces adhesive materials from the gums onto the teeth, which helps the process.
  • Abscesses can be offset by holding Cepacol (14% alcohol) in the mouth 5 minutes.
  • Receding gum surgery will end when the gum pockets cease. The very mention of the procedure, which involves transferring flesh from the roof of the mouth to the excised area of the gums, is a heinous and useless procedure which ought to pass into oblivion.
  • Removal of fluoride from drinking water, pastes or gels saves the enzyme adenosine diphosphatase so it can deliver phosphate to calcium at the tooth surface, resulting in a beautiful, semi-flexible enamel.
  • As stated above, the gums can be reconnected to the teeth by taking vitamin C (ascorbic acid)(1 tsp) with Arm and Hammer baking soda (1/2 tsp) in 1 inch of water, letting it fizz and then diluting to 1/2 to 1 cup with water, then drinking. The resulting sodium ascorbate is non-acid, very pure and a thousand times more soluble than vitamin C. Sodium ascorbate is more active than ascorbic acid (C) in building connective tissue and antibody structures and more effective in killing some viruses and bacteria.
  • Receding gums and plaque are ended when soap is used for brushing and vitamin C is taken daily.
  • 30% of American youths ages 8-10 have no cavities.
  • 100% of Ugandan youths ages 6-10 have no cavities. What does this tell us? The reason Ugandan youths have 3 times better teeth than American youths is because they do not consume as many acid foods have no fluoride in their drinking water, have regular meals rather than sipping acid drinks all day, have more calcium and phosphate in their diet, and have fewer dentists to ”work on” their teeth.
  • Dental literature says 42% of Americans over 65 have no natural teeth while 25% of those over 43 have none.
  • Dental literature says Americans age 43 average 32 cavities, those age 7 have 13 cavities, blacks and poverty stricken (without calcium and phosphate) have twice this and the Native Americans have four times this amount. The Native American plight can be blamed on their poor nutrition, excessive fluoridation and fr/ee but improper dental care. If fluoridation were effective in preventing cavities, Native Americans would have the least cavities of any group. they have had forced fluoridation for approximately 62 years.
  • Spokesmen for national groups are beginning to notice an alarming rise in cavities among children and teens. Same dentists recommend dental sealants, especially for older teens not previously considered candidates for the treatment. But if sealants are n.o.w ordered, aren’t dentists admitting no confidence in the ability of fluoride to prevent cavities?
  • Fluoride in water at one part per million increased tooth cavities in four large reliable studies 7.22.45 and 10% (average 21 %). The reason far these increases has to do with the fact that adenosine diphosphatase is destroyed by fluoride and calcium fluoride which slips into the enamel, is alien to the tooth composite and makes the enamel weak, brittle and discolored.
  • The health of american teeth will increase to be very nearly perfect if the regimen of water rinsing, soap brushing and taking calcium, phosphate and vitamin c in the diet is implemented. Fortunately, we n.o.w know the current teeth perfecting protocol of dentistry with fluoridation is flawed. If the early estimates of 80% tooth improvement in childrens’ teeth by age 13 were true, each American would n.o.w have less than one cavity. That is far from true.
  • The teeth in America are in a sorry state, and at the present time are getting worse. Numerous top scientists over the past 60 years have discarded the theory that fluoride helps teeth, or is a nutrient helpful to man. To avoid fluoride is to prevent more than 114 ailments listed with references in my book Good Teeth Birth to Death. These 114 medical side effects extend all the way from cancer down to headaches caused by 1 ppm (part per million) fluoride in the water. Thirteen of these side effects are proved by a double blind study on 60 patients by 12 physicians, 1 pharmacist and 1 attorney. The mechanism for destruction of enzymes by fluoride has been proven by x-ray studies. Hydrogen bonds are broken by fluoride.
  • Fluoride is the smallest negative particle on the face of the earth.
  • Since the fluoride particles are so small and so intensely negative, they connect with the hydrogen bonds holding the enzyme coils in place and ruin every enzyme molecule at very low concentration, around 1-3 ppm. These enzymes are often 3,000 or more times the small size of the fluoride. The effect is ruinous. To avoid fluoride is to prevent the destruction of 83 enzymes.
  • Fluoride is a severe biological poison. Being intensely negative, it unlatches positive hydrogen bonds in enzymes and proteins. It is fortunate we have learned fluoride is a nerve poison. Fluoride causes cavities. There is not the slightest doubt.
  • Methylmercury formed from amalgams in the body is deadly. It causes brain disease.
  • Fillings made of quartzite and epoxy are a safe substitute.
  • Fluoride harms the economy by making people purchase other than city water to avoid it.
  • Fluoride also harms the economy by making people dependent on undependable professions that know nothing about it.
  • Ignorance about fluoride and what it does is worldwide.
  • Keep the teeth moist. Teeth that are dry ”craze” (crack). If you chew ice, teeth may crumble. Teeth do have a breaking strength.
  • Look in your mouth.
  • Tell the dentist(s) what you want done and get several bids for examination and work. Save your fortunes.
  • We n.o.w know we can cancel the green light given by Harry Truman with the help of Congress to subsidize dentists. Billions of dollars are being wasted in this regard (Public Law 755, June 24,1948) that can n.o.w be returned to the taxpayers. I hope you will put this information in the hands of your Congress persons so they and we may alert the newspapers, radio and TV stations, magazines, and all other news media as well as their friends, families, and associates about this giant leap in dental technology.

I ask for your feedback on this letter and I would also like you to ask for feedback from the ones you contact. This is very important! Please mail a copy of this letter to your Congressperson, asking what they are going to do about this terrible incompetence and waste in dentistry and government spending.

Respectfully yours,

Gerard F. Judd, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Chemistry, Researcher for 18 years, Professor of Chemistry for 33 yrs. PS. My book Good Teeth, Birth to Death can be obtained by calling: (623) 412-3955.

An authoritative affidavit regarding fluoride submitted to U.S. courts.
http://gerardjudd.com/affidavit.htm

All the topics, educational books, video tapes: http://gerardjudd.com/book_index.htm General information: http://gerardjudd.com/goodteeth.htm

Introduction to what I teach and do: http://gerardjudd.com/faqs.htm for answers to some frequently asked ques/tions.

Problems and solutions: http://gerardjudd.com/problemsolutionsgrid.htm to solve all your teeth related problems.