Medical Breakthrough: Reviving the Dead!

Thursday, August 22, 2013 by: Jonathan Benson

It is generally the case that once a person dies, there is only about a three-to-five minute window of potential resuscitation time before he or she becomes irreversibly dead, depending on the cause of death. But an American clinical care physician claims to have come up with a new way to revive corpses several hours after being dead, a process that with future advancements could eventually make it possible to revive the deceased up to 24 hours after death, he says.

Cardiac patients at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York are already a living testament to the success of Dr. Sam Parnia's unusual revival claims. According to the latest available statistics, nearly twice as many patients are resuscitated there every year compared to other U.S. hospitals -- the average resuscitation rate at Stony Brook is an astounding 33 percent, which contrasts sharply with the 18 percent average elsewhere.

So how does it all work? Utilizing the latest available medical technologies, Dr. Parnia carefully cools down the bodies of qualifying "dead" patients and pumps up their tissues with oxygen. This process, he says, prevents them from truly "dying," as it basically just puts their lives on hold and gives physicians time to intercede and work their magic. The process is so effective, claims Dr. Parnia, that it could have revived the life of James Gandolfini, the former star of the popular television series, The Sopranos, who is believed to have died from a heart attack.

"I believe if he died here, he could still be alive," said Dr. Parnia recently to Germany's Der Spiegel magazine. "We'd cool him down, pump oxygen to the tissues ... clinically dead, he could then be cared for by the cardiologist. He would make an angiogram, find the clot, take it out, put in a stent and we would restart the heart."

Every victim of Titanic disaster could have been saved using modern techniques, says Dr. Parnia

These may sound like wild claims, but Dr. Parnia is confident in the power of this breakthrough technology. He is so confident, in fact, that he even wrote a book called Erasing Death, which deals in depth with the subject of so-called modern resuscitation science and how it has the potential to literally change the course of history. If the 1,514 people who died after the Titanic sunk back in 1912 had died today, for instance, all of them could have been brought back to life using modern resuscitation techniques, claims Dr. Parnia, and the catastrophe could have been completely avoided.

"Death can no longer be considered an absolute moment but rather a process that can be reversed even many hours after it has taken place," wrote Dr. Parnia in a recent piece for The Huffington Post. "[I]t is only after a person actually dies that the cells in his body go through their own process of death, which can be manipulated through science."

Though it is not yet possible to bring a person back to life after he or she has been dead longer than about three hours, Dr. Parnia is convinced that advances in resuscitation technology over the next 20 years will make it possible for bodies that have been "dead" as long as 24 hours to be revived. As medical science continues to gain a better grasp on the process of death, it will only become increasingly possible to prevent it altogether.

"We may soon be rescuing people from death's clutches hours, or even longer, after they have actually died," says Dr. Parnia. "My basic message: The death we commonly perceive today in 2013 is a death that can be reversed."

Everlasting Diet: Quinoa, Mushrooms & Coca?

THE oldest person in the world says a diet of quinoa, mushrooms and coca have kept him alive for 123 years.

Bolivian indigenous farmer Carmelo Flores, who turned 123 a month ago, attributes his longevity to the traditional Andean diet.
Mr Flores told Reuters he has lived so long by eating quinoa grains, riverside mushrooms and constantly chewing coca leaves.
"Potatoes with quinoa are delicious," Flores said.
To what else does Mr Flores, who has long herded cattle and sheep, owe his longevity?
"I walk a lot, that's all. I go out with the animals,'' he told Associated Press.
"I don't eat noodles or rice, only barley. I used to grow potatoes, beans, oca (an Andean tuber)."
The water Mr Flores drinks streams down from the snow-capped peak of Illampu, one of Bolivia's highest mountains.

He says he doesn't drink alcohol, though did imbibe some in his youth.
He's eaten a lot of mutton, and though he likes pork it is rarely available. He fondly remembers hunting and eating fox as a younger man.
He says he has never been farther afield than La Paz, 80 kilometres away, and has never been seriously ill.
This comes after the Bolivian Government confirmed his age, and consequently that he is the oldest living person. They say he turned 123 a month ago.
The native Aymara lives in a straw-roofed dirt-floor hut in an isolated hamlet near Lake Titicaca at 4000 metres, is illiterate, speaks no Spanish and has no teeth.
Want to live to 100? Here's how
He walks without a cane and doesn't wear glasses. And though he speaks the Aymara language with a firm voice, one must speak directly into his ear to be heard.
"I see a bit dimly. I had good vision before. But I saw you coming,'' he told a group of Associated Press reporters who drove from the capital, La Paz, after a local TV report about him.

Initially it had been impossible to verify Flores' age as the poor, landlocked South American country only started issuing official birth certificates in 1940.
But he has a baptism certificate which lists his birthday as July 16, 1890 and he has national identity documents based on the certificate.
Bolivia's Civil Registry Office looked into the validity of the documents and has confirmed they are legitimate.
The director of Bolivia's civil registrar, Eugenio Condori, showed the AP the registry that lists Carmelo Flores' birthdate as July 16, 1890.
Many in Bolivia are celebrating Flores' longevity. A local government official plans to award him the title of "Living Heritage of Humanity" on August 26.
Guinness World Records says the oldest living person verified by original proof of birth is Misao Okawa, a 115-year-old Japanese woman, while the oldest verified age on record was 122 years and 164 days: Jeanne Calment of France. She died in 1997.

Tilapia Worse Than Bacon!

by Dr. Josh Axe on June 20, 2012

I’ve written before about the dangers of farmed fish. Most people agree that eating fish is a healthier option for us. And the truth is, it really is! Fish is a low fat, high protein food that has a range of health benefits. However, given what we know of fish and its sources today, I need to clarify the myth that all fish is healthy.

Fish may not always be good for you. Fish can either be incredibly healthy or detrimental to our health, depending on where it’s sourced. There’s a world of difference between fish caught in the wild, and farm bred or farm-raised fish.

The most common types of farm-raised fish are:

• Salmon
• Carp
• Tilapia
• Sea bass
• Catfish
• Cod

Why Is Farm Raised Fish So Bad For You?
1. Can Cause Inflammation
Farm raised Tilapia has always been a popular source for fish, not only because it’s widely available in the US, but it’s also very inexpensive. It’s known in the food business as “aquatic chicken” because it breeds easily and tastes bland. Tilapia is the perfect factory fish; it happily eats pellets made largely of corn and soy and gains weight rapidly, easily converting a diet that resembles cheap chicken feed into low-cost seafood. Recent studies have concluded that eating

Tilapia may worsen inflammation which can lead to heart disease, arthritis, asthma and a world of other serious health problems. People who have started eating more fish as a way to get their dose of omega-3-fatty-acids and lessen their risk of heart attacks should avoid Tilapia. In fact, scientists have found that the inflammatory potential of Tilapia is greater than that of a hamburger or pork bacon!

2. Contains Cancer Causing Pollutants
Farm bred fish may have at least 10 times the cancer causing pollutants compared to the wild variety. This can most likely be attributed to the feeds used on farm-raised fish. Chicken feces is one of the main ingredients in farm fish feed. Not only that, the transfer of pig and duck waste to fish farms is also a very common practice.

3. Contains Antibiotics and Pesticides
Where do farm bred fish get their antibiotics? The crowded conditions of fish farms cause the fish to be more susceptible to disease. To keep them alive, farm owners give antibiotics to the fish to stave off disease. Farm bred fish are also treated with pesticides to combat sea lice. The pesticides used to treat these fish are so deadly that they have been found to kill wild salmon that are accidentally exposed to them. These pesticides are also eventually released in the ocean where they get into the bodies and systems of other marine life.

4. Low Levels of Nutrients
Many of us consume fish, hoping to reap the omega-3 fatty acid benefits that come with it. However, did you know that the omega-3-acids found in farm raised fish are less usable to our bodies compared to wild bred fish, and they also have a lower protein content. Not only that, because farm raised fish are kept in cages, they have the tendency to contain more fat, and can have a higher concentration of omega-6 acids. The problem with getting too much omega 3 and omega 6 acids is that they may cause inflammation to the body

5. Contains Toxic Chemicals
Dibutylin levels (toxic chemical used in PVC plastics) is said to be 6 times higher in farm raised mussels compared to wild ones. Dibutylin is toxic and can impair immune system function while also contributing to inflammation. Dibutylin may be the reason why we’ve seen a rise in asthma, obesity, allergies and other metabolic disorders in the recent years.

6. Contains Even MORE Toxic Chemicals
Dioxin levels (toxic chemical) are 11 times higher in farm bred salmon compared to wild salmon. Dioxin is actually a very toxic chemical that can contribute to cancer and other complications. The problem with dioxin is that once it enters our system, it can take a very long time until it is let out. The half life of dioxin is about 7 to 11 years.

This is why I only eat Wild Caught fish like Wild Sockeye Salmon. Wild caught salmon is loaded with Omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA, and has incredible health benefits. Plus, Salmon contains astaxanthin (A metabolic building block) which has been shown to be 6,000 times more powerful than Vitamin D at absorbing free radicals.

To see all the fish I recommend, check out my free Healing Food Shopping List. If you’re not eating Salmon or another wild caught fish once daily, then I recommend taking a high quality fish oil that contains astaxanthin, like Oceans 3.

Where to Get Wild Caught Fish
1. Local Health Food Stores, Whole Foods. Be careful though, because “wild caught” can be a loosely used term, so ask. Kroger and Publix are starting to carry more organic and wild caught items.

2. Online. This works great for me because I know exactly where my fish is sourced from plus it shows up at my door. This is why I prefer to order wild caught fish online. I trust Vital Choice, it’s where I order my wild caught Salmon and other fish from.

Detox Baths: Which Ones are Best and for What Ailments

by SARAH on AUGUST 20, 2013

One casualty of the hurry, hurry modern lifestyle is the regular practice of highly beneficial and therapeutic detoxification baths.

A quick shower in the morning or after working out has gained favor over a more leisurely soak with bathing ingredients carefully chosen to support internal cleansing, overall health and even to remedy specific ailments or injuries.

I first became familiar with the benefits of cleansing baths during my travels in Asia just before I launched into my corporate career after college.

The Japanese in particular greatly value cleansing baths, so much so that public baths remain popular even today.  The Japanese favor using water as hot as a person can possibly stand with a special type of cloth used to exfoliate and thereby encourage detoxification via the body’s largest organ – the skin.

According to nutritional pioneer Dr. Hazel Parcells, 65% of body cleansing is achieved via the skin!

In America, bathing is viewed more for relaxation than detoxification as a general rule. The focus on bathing enjoyment can be observed at bed and bath stores where a plethora of artificially scented, hormone disrupting bubble bath concoctions are creatively displayed and are best sellers year round.

I would venture to suggest that health cannot easily be maintained over the long term without the regular incorporation of cleansing baths.  If traditional cultures valued therapeutic cleansing baths back when our world was pristine with clean water, air, and unprocessed, additive free food, one can only imagine how important a gentle and regular detoxification bathing protocol is today given our toxic soup world with chemicals and other biologically disrupting agents nearly everywhere!

If the body is clogged up with toxins from the physiological stress of modern living and the chemical assault from every direction, it cannot properly utilize the nutrient dense food that is consumed.

How a Cleansing Bath Works
The reason water as hot as can be tolerated is typically used is because this initially draws toxins to the surface of the skin, as described by Dr. Hazel Parcells in her book The Pioneer Nutritionist  Dr. Hazel Parcells in Her Own Words. Then, as the water gradually cools down, the toxins are pulled into the water via the principle of osmosis – the weak energy from the cooling water draws from the strong energy from the body heated up initially by the very hot water.

If the wisdom of cleansing baths appeals to you, below is a primer on four different types of therapeutic baths. Generally speaking, a cleansing bath 2-3 times per week with only one per day maximum works well for most people to keep elimination channels open and gently encourage the detoxification process on a regular basis.

Baking Soda Bath
Dissolve 4 cups of baking soda in a regular size tubful of water as hot as you can tolerate. Use more as needed if your tub is oversized. Stay in the bath until the water has cooled which will take approximately 45 minutes. Do not rinse after the bath – simply towel dry.

This bath is beneficial for exposure to irradiated food, swollen glands, sore throat or soreness of the gums and mouth. It is also beneficial for those with digestive impairment such as the inability to hold food in the stomach comfortably (source).

Epsom Salts Bath
Dissolve 2 cups of epsom salts in a regular sized bath. Use more as needed if your tub is oversized. The temperature should be comfortably warm but not overly hot. Soak for at least 12 minutes and up to 20-30 minutes. Rinse and towel dry.

The scientific name for epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium and sulfur are both critical nutrients but surprisingly can be poorly absorbed from our food. Soaking in epsom salts overcomes this problem as these minerals both absorb readily via the skin.

According to the Epsom Salt Industry Council, a simple soak is beneficial to heart and circulatory health, can lower blood pressure, helps ease muscle pain and eliminates harmful substances from the body. It also improves nerve function by encouraging proper regulation of electrolytes.

Soak in epsom salts 2-3 times weekly for general health maintenance or to alleviate the discomfort of bruising and sprains. An epsom salts soak also encourages detoxification of drugs remaining in the body after surgery.

Sea Salt and Baking Soda Bath
Dissolve one pound of sea salt or rock salt and one pound of baking soda to a regular sized tub of water (more if the tub is large) as hot as you can stand it. Stay in the bath until the water has cooled which will be about 45 minutes. If the bath is too hot, you can add some cold water if this is the only way you can manage to stay in for at least 30 minutes. Don’t ever add more hot water after entering the bath, however.

Do not rinse or shower but simply towel dry after the bath is complete. This bath will likely make you tired so do it in the evening before bed if possible.

This bath is therapeutic for any exposure to environmental radiation, x-rays, plane flights or airport screenings by TSA (source).

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Bath
Add 2 cups of pure apple cider vinegar to a regular sized tub of water as hot as tolerated. Use more as needed if your tub is oversized. Stay in the bath until the water has cooled which will be about 45 minutes. Towel dry and don’t shower for at least 8 hours.

This bath is a great overall detoxifier and for muscle aches and pains brought on by physical exertion. An ACV bath also draws excess uric acid out of the body. Uric acid is created when the body breaks down substances called purines in certain foods and drinks. Most uric acid is eliminated via the kidneys in the urine, but some folks such as those with gout can have issues with excess levels. An ACV cleansing bath can provide welcome relief for those with joint problems, arthritis, gout, bursitis, or tendonitis. It also is very helpful for those with excessive body odor problems.

Contraindications
Be sure to only do one bathing formula per day. Do not mix ingredients from different bath recipes. If you are pregnant, consult with your healthcare practitioner before commencing any detox bath routine.

Gut Week 2013

OK Friends It is GUT WEEK 2013! Of course Infinity Health and Wellness Center is going to be here to give you plenty of info and fun facts about your gut! Here's the first:

How well do you know your gut?

The digestive system (or ‘gut’) is responsible for processing the food we eat, so that essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals can be absorbed, providing vital fuel for our body. Most of the time it works remarkably well considering the variety of foods that we put into it – but if, for example, we are stressed; if we eat too much of any component of our diet, then it may ‘complain’ and we develop gut symptoms. And just occasionally, these symptoms can be the sign of a medical disease involving the gut. So understanding how the digestive system works and how to look after it is important.

Use your senses to get to know your gut better!

• Rumbling in the gut (‘borborygmi’) could be a sign you are either hungry as the gut is contracting and moving its contents on. It could also be a sign of emotion.
• Take a good look at your stools. Sloppy, loose and pale stools could indicate food is moving through the gut too quickly, while hard, darker stools which are hard to pass could indicate a hold-up in the gut.
• Smell your stools. The smell of the stool relates to what has been eaten and the composition of your bacterial flora.
• A bad taste in the mouth could be linked to a number of issues, including; constipation, loosely fitted crowns and gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue). A sour taste may be linked to acid reflux, where regurgitated stomach acid enters the mouth. Metallic tastes in the mouth may occur in women at the start of pregnancy, individual taking antibiotics, or those with a zinc or vitamin B12 deficiency.
• How does it feel? Eating too much of the wrong foods could lead to abdominal pain and cramping. Excess fruit, fat or coffee may cause cramping.

Ahmad "Real" Givens from VH1's Real Chance of Love Fighting Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer can happen to anyone. Black men have less chance of survival from it than Non-hispanic White men. Please everyone go get tested and keep up your colonics!

The former VH1 reality star Ahmad Givens, nickname “Real”, had a popular show called Real Chance of Love, and was on a mission to find love.

Fast forward to four months ago, Real was in a Beverly Hills hospital.

Once fans learned of the severity of Real’s stage 4 colon cancer, they immediately sent in an outpouring of love and support for the 33-year-old. In return, he issued this statement:

“Hey everyone, I know its been awhile since I’ve been on here. I’m sure most of you know I have colon cancer. At this moment I would like everyone to know I am doing a lot better after the chemo,changing my diet and the biggest impact of all which is God. He is truly amazing. It has truly touched my heart to see the love and support I have received from family, friends, associates, the media and all the people on Facebook and Twitter. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone and all those who have donated. Your donations have helped more than you know and I don’t know how to thank you enough. I’m gonna fight this cancer with all my strength and with God’s grace and love, I believe I’m gonna beat this. I’ll keep u posted on my progress and again, I thank you for all the donations, love and support from everyone. Thank you and I love you all. God bless.”

These days, things are looking up for the TV star.  He’s taking his weekly chemotherapy treatments in stride and adopting a healthy lifestyle. When asked about his life now, he says, “If you’re 30 years old, please go get a thorough check-up. Cancer has no age limit these days. One of two people have cancer in the U.S. Love you. God bless.”

Via Twitter, he even shared with us his desire to return to work and inspire his fans:

“I feel better and I’m ready to work in some capacity,that’s why I think a radio show is good. Plus, I get to talk to all the people that showed love.”

What Do Black Men Need To Know About Colorectal Cancer?

African American men have less than a 5-year survival rate for colon cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.

Colorectal cancer can begin in either the colon or the rectum. Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer.

Most colon and rectal cancers begin involve a type of tumor called adenocarcinoma, which is a cancer of the cells that line the inside tissue of the colon and rectum. Other types of cancer that occur far less often, but can begin in the colon or rectum, include carcinoid tumor, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and lymphoma.

Because they are in a high-risk group, it is important for all Black to start their colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 40.

Terrance Howard Urges Us to "Get Tested For Colon Cancer" !!!!!!

Lost his mother to her battle with Colon Cancer. Please Watch.

Solutions for Madness & Personal Crises

Tuesday, August 06, 2013 by: Peter Breggin

There are solutions to madness, psychosis, and personal crises. What I mean by madness is an experience of overwhelming emotional distress that leaves us feeling isolated, abandoned, frightened and helpless. Sometimes we feel it as demoralizing guilt, at other times burning shame or terrifying anxiety, and sometimes all three at once. We may escape into frustration, anger and rage, but beneath always lies fear and helplessness. We may hear voices or see things that others don't experience, or more mundanely tie ourselves in knots with obsessions and compulsions. At the root is always the core human experience of fear and helplessness. In my book Toxic Psychiatry I call it "emotional overwhelm."

A psychiatrist may diagnose madness as psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, panic disorder, or bipolar disorder, and then insist that it needs a medical fix. From the other side of the human spectrum, saints in the midst of madness have felt they were being tortured by the devil and tempted by evil, and they turned successfully to faith. Some of us think madness is an inevitable part of the human experience, especially if we open ourselves to discover our true nature and purposes in life and to transform ourselves in new directions.

As infants we are born into fear and helplessness, wholly unable to survive on our own, and then rescued and transformed by those who nurture us. Those who raise us create the social fabric in which we develop, making our personalities and identities in many ways inseparable from the people who have raised us. Madness or emotional overwhelm is a tearing apart of this intimately woven internal and external social fabric of our lives.

Madness or feeling extremely overwhelmed and desperate usually starts as a horrific experience or soon becomes one. Yet these experiences can motivate us to reweave our personal and social fabric into a new artistic, spiritual, or even political perspective and approach to our lives. Read the lives of people whom we value as great contributors; most of them were psychiatrically diagnosable, and the others remained below the psychiatric radar by hiding their private feelings and their personal crises from public view. Perhaps we are not meant to become fully human without going through our own experience of madness or terrifying overwhelm, whether it manifests as adolescent angst, a midlife crisis, or an outright "psychotic break." Paraphrasing Shakespeare, "One touch of madness makes the whole world kin."

What we call madness commonly results from the rips and holes in the social fabric that have been woven into us from infancy and probably from gestation. So the "solutions" to madness always involve a healing of the internal and external social fabric through developing new and better approaches to life, usually along with new and better relationships with people or God, or both. Through God we can relate to something or someone greater than ourselves regardless of the chaos, turmoil, or hatred in which we are immersed.

And who or what is God? That's for each of us to decide. For some it's a personal relationship, for others a moral abstraction, for some it's a childish myth, and for others a way of affirming that the meaning of life lies in becoming a source of love - a person who has joyful experiences of other people and life and who seeks to protect, nurture and treasure people and other aspects of life.

This is the practical sum of my wisdom from more than seven decades with myself and among other human beings: There is love and then there is everything else, all the dreadful and demoralizing stuff, including the breakdown of our sense of self and our relationship with others, ending in overwhelm and madness. To love others, nature, art, pets - to love any aspect of Creation - is incompatible with madness and provides the way through it to a better life.

The problem is that love is easier said than done. It is no small challenge to become a loving human being. And it is not a given that we will become loving. We are not born with it; we have to grow into it. To do so we must, again in Shakespeare's words, overcome "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." Even more daunting, we must overcome our own human nature with all its flaws and inner contradictions. Yet this is the task and the adventure. It never ends as long as we are alive and, who knows, it may not end there.

So what is the "solution" to madness as well as nearly every other experience of emotional distress and overwhelm? It lies in every opportunity we have to learn to take responsibility for becoming ever more loving. It cannot come from psychiatric drugs or other psychoactive substances; each and every one impairs our frontal lobe function which then makes it more difficult for us to love, to relate to others, and to affirm higher values. We are not merely our brains; but drug-induced brain dysfunction impairs our ability to know and to express ourselves as souls, beings, or persons. Sure, psychotherapy can help - if it's done well and suits our nature - but it cannot help without our finding the determination and courage to love.

Becoming a source of love has very practical applications to every aspect of our lives from family and romantic life to work, religion, and politics. In regard to helping human beings in personal distress, it lies at the heart of psychotherapy. And as psychotherapy becomes increasingly unavailable under government healthcare, a caring and treasuring attitude toward one another needs to be recognized as the most fundamental aspect of every form of healing. Whether we are looking at Twelve Step programs, volunteer and peer support, parenting classes, family therapy, or frontier mental health alternatives like Soteria House or Open Dialogue for severely distressed people - caring, respectful relationship is the starting point and the most critical element.

Some of my contributions relating to mental health alternatives and helping those who are deeply disturbed include my book Heart of Being Helpful (2006), my Empathic Therapy Training Film DVD (2011), and the Empathic Therapy Conference DVD set. I am also producing a growing "Simple Truths about Psychiatry" series of short videos. The most recent video is "How to Help Deeply Disturbed Persons."

Our last resort must never be psychiatric drugs, diagnoses or involuntary treatment; it must be the determination to find personal and social solutions based on respect and love for ourselves, for each other, for nature, and for God.

Who can help us through madness? Anyone trustworthy and loving but only if we have the courage to take the risk of being vulnerable yet one more time in this treacherous place called Earth. Experience and wisdom helps in everything we do, and sometimes training can be useful, but the underlying operating principle of someone helping must be a caring and reverential attitude.

If the relationship is personal such as friendship and family life, we must take utmost responsibility for being ethical, honorable, and honest. If the relationship is professional, we must also emphasize the boundaries and limits placed upon it, otherwise a supposedly "loving" professional relationship can easily become self-serving to the provider and abusive to the recipient.

How do we know and recognize love or a loving relationship? By how it brings us to take joy in the existence of other human beings and by how it leads everyone involved to care about, respect, protect and nurture them.

The core of what I'm saying has been said in different ways in untold numbers of religions and philosophies but it is too rarely applied to personal crises, experiences of overwhelm, or people who are labeled with psychiatric diagnoses. What you are reading is my way of cutting through distorted views of modern psychiatry and all the other junk in life to get to what matters. What matters is taking responsibility to love ourselves, one another, and our highest values or God.

I have been thinking and writing about these issues my whole adult life going all the way back to when I was a Harvard undergraduate running a college student volunteer program in a Bedlam-like state mental hospital. From that time forward, I have realized that human relationship is the key to healing emotional crisis and distress. The subtitle of Toxic Psychiatry (1991) sums it up: Why Therapy, Empathy and Love Must Replace the Drugs, Electroshock and Biochemical Theories of the "New Psychiatry."

In The Heart of Being Helpful (1997), I describe the creation of a "healing presence" as the key to all helping relationships. In my latest book, Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (2013), I present the Guidelines for Empathic Therapy developed for our nonprofit Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy. The first guideline affirms, "We treasure those who seek our help, and we view therapy as a sacred and inviolable trust. With humility and gratitude, we honor the privilege of being therapists." This is how to enter all of our relationships.

It is crystal clear to me now - everything good between and among human beings begins with and draws on relationship and love. Love is the most essential ingredient in all the activities we call therapy, healing, recovery, rehabilitation, self-empowerment, personal growth, or enlightenment. Becoming a source of love is the most wonderful thing we can do for ourselves and others. In a word, love is central to life. Life offers many roads for recovery and self-transformation from therapy and education to friendship, family, work, nature, and spirituality. At the heart of all personal growth is the experience of love which lifts us beyond ourselves to a joyful and treasuring awareness of all that is good in ourselves, others, and life.

Peter R. Breggin, MD, is a psychiatrist in private practice in Ithaca, New York (www.breggin.com). He is also the director of the Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy. The Center has annual conferences open to the public. DVD sets for the Empathic Therapy Conference are available and provide inspiring and informative perspectives.

Herbal Solution for Men's Aging Symptom

August 5th, 2013

As men age, they can begin to experience a slow down in testosterone production and the bodily functions it’s related to. This condition, otherwise known as andropause (or male menopause in some circles), is extremely common yet not always discussed. It’s time to bring the problem to light and discuss honest solutions which can include the use of various herbal therapies. One herb in particular, withania somnifera, better known as Ashwagandha, has been used for thousands of years as an aphrodisiac, as an enhancer of cognitive function, to relieve stress, for greater energy, and to promote male vitality. For men, this Ayurvedic herb can have far reaching effects on proper hormone function and long term health.

A Male Hormone Stabilizer
Ashwagandha has proven a potent option to support male fertility. When tested, researchers found it ‘significantly’ increased serum levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone, a hormone that stimulates testosterone production.  A 2013 study reported that Ashwagandha stimulated enzyme activity and revitalized the balance of reproductive hormones in infertile men. 

While showing great promise as a solution for infertility, the consistent, positive impact on male reproductive hormones suggests application as a male hormone stabilizer. All of this research supports its traditional use as well as new opportunities for use as a rejuvenating supplement to promote and maintain a man’s health.

Revitalizes Hormone Imbalance in Men
A variety of factors can create male hormone imbalance, including age and body weight; stress is another. Stress can be physical as well as mental. A 2013 study from Texas A&M University focused on the effects of overtraining and over-doing exercise. The stress created by this type of training led to severe adrenal fatigue and the inability for the body to maintain balanced hormone levels.

Although this study evaluated the stress created by physical training, the hormone imbalance created by stress can result from situations regardless of how or where they occur. As an adaptogen, Ashwagandha provides holistic support, helping to counter the effects of stress on the body. The ability to relieve stress can also help a man maintain stable hormone levels.

Additional Men’s Health Benefits
Hormone balance protects more than a man’s vitality. It promotes a healthy prostate, ideal body weight, erectile response, and helps to limit unnecessary fatigue. These represent only a sampling of the problems that can result from male hormone imbalance.

For a man, proper hormone levels promote healthy sexual function, encourage strength and muscle development, and sharpen cognitive function. Plus, a man will feel greater energy, drive and confidence when he is in peak health. Perhaps the confidence that results from stable, balanced testosterone levels has earned Ashwagandha its reputation as an aphrodisiac.

When to Take Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha can offer holistic support for a man’s health as he ages. It can also provide protection against a wide array of ‘age-related’ illnesses commonly resulting from the hormone imbalance that can result from consistent daily stresses. With thousands of years of practical use supported by modern research, it promises an effective way for men to supplement for better health and vitality.

Fiber is the New Sexy!

by Dr. Sara Gottfried M.D

Rock your fiber, but not for the reason you’re thinking. Eighty percent of women aged 35+ have estrogen dominance, and fiber is proven to lower estrogen levels (and prevent breast cancer).

Mind the Gap
I recommend (and Dr. Weil) 35-45 grams of fiber per day yet the average fiber intake among American women is less than 14 grams. We must close the fiber gap.

Get A Glistening Gut
What could be more sexy than a beautiful gut? All glistening and shiny, doing it’s job just right, not inflamed, not allergic, just all happy? Fiber takes you there: removes toxins, keeps things moving, gives you a sense of satiety. Most important? Fiber protects your gut from injury and disease. Let’s get some.

My Fave Fiber-Rich Foods Bran, Baby
Bran, or at least raw bran from corn, rice and wheat, counters constipation because it is rich in insoluble fiber. Oat bran, lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). Bran can be sprinkled into your favorite foods—from hot cereal (I favor oat groats, quinoa flakes) to yogurt. And for those of you still eating cereal and bars (you mean I haven’t convinced you not to?!), I’ve included some of the popular high-fiber choices.

Food  |  Portion  |  Amount of Fiber

• Oat bran, raw – 1 ounce – 12 g
• Corn bran, raw – 1 ounce – 22 g
• Fiber One Bran Cereal – 1/2 cup – 14 g
• All-Bran Cereal – 1/2 cup – 10 g

Great Sources of Fiber
Beantown
Beans are some of the most naturally-rich sources of fiber. Many indigenous diets include a bean or two in the mix. Some folks experience gas as they amp up bean intake, so they may be better off slowly working beans into their diet. I cook mine in the slow cooker, after an overnight soak, and have zero problems with gas. Try a variety of beans as a replacement for animal protein in soups, salads, and dips.

• Adzuki beans, cooked – 1 cup – 17 g
• Fava beans, cooked – 1 cup -  9 g
• Black beans, cooked  – 1 cup – 15 g
• Garbanzo beans, cooked – 1 cup – 12 g
• Lentils, cooked  – 1 cup – 16 g

Berrylicious
We love berries for their superfood antioxidant status, but let’s keep their fiber in mind. I eat berries every morning on my oat groats. I buy mine frozen and organic from the local store during the winter.

• Raspberries, raw – 1 cup – 8 g
• Blueberries, raw – 1 cup -  4 g
• Strawberries, raw  – 1 cup  – 3 g
• Boysenberries, frozen – 1 cup  – 7 g
• Blackberries, raw – 1 cup – 8 g

Put Your Hands in the Air for Whole Grains
Not my first choice, but whole grains get you dense nutrients the less process they are. But aim for smaller quantities, particularly at lunch and dinner if you’re trying to lose weight. Think of it more as a condiment.

• Barley, pearled, cooked – 1 cup – 6 g
• Oats (old fashioned), dry – 1/2 cup -  4 g
• Quinoa, cooked – 1 cup  -  5 g
• Wheat berries, dry  – 1/4 cup -  5 g
• Brown rice, cooked  – 1 cup  -  4 g
• Spaghetti (whole wheat), cooked – 1 cup -  6 g

Crazy Sexy Peas
Peas are crazy full of fiber. Not just for New Years Day! I love BEPs in more ways than you know!

• Blackeyed peas, cooked – 1 cup – 11 g
• Peas, split, cooked – 1 cup  – 16 g
• Peas, green, frozen – 1 cup – 14 g

Imma be the Queen of Greens
There are 1000+ plant species with edible leaves, so you can truly go wild in this category. I toss many of them chopped in a salad, or saute them in coconut oil with Meyer lemon and shallots. Delish.

• Beet greens, cooked – 1 cup – 4 g
• Mustard greens, cooked – 1 cup  – 5 g
• Collard greens, cooked – 1 cup -  5 g
• Spinach, cooked  – 1 cup  -  4 g
• Swiss chard, cooked -  1 cup -  4 g

Mother's Junk Food Diet Predisposes Children to Unhealthy Life Habits

Friday, August 02, 2013 by: John Phillip

Researchers are beginning to compile an impressive wealth of scientific evidence to explain how the nutritional status, and specifically the diet of a mother during gestation, plays a critical role in setting the initial gene set or expression for the newborn child that will determine susceptibility toward many chronic diseases throughout life. It is not only important for a mother to ensure they eat to obtain a full complement of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, but eating foods high in hydrogenated and oxidized fats and sugary junk foods can lead to a lifelong struggle with overeating by increasing the desire to make unhealthy food choices.

A team of scientists from the University of Adelaide in Australia have presented the results of their work to the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB) which explains how eating a junk-food diet during pregnancy changes the development of the opioid signaling pathway in a baby's brain and permanently alters the way this system operates after birth. This study provides solid evidence to support the importance of obtaining proper nutrition and eating healthy when trying to conceive, and especially once a pregnancy has been confirmed.

Poor dietary habits before birth lead to increased risk of overweight and chronic illnesses for offspring

This research involved measuring and detecting opioid levels in a mouse model. Opioids are chemicals which are released when we eat foods that are high in fat and sugar, and that are responsible for causing the release of another 'feel good' chemical, dopamine. The team found that the gene responsible for encoding one of the opioids, enkephalin, was expressed at a higher level in the offspring of mothers who had consumed a junk food diet than in the offspring of mothers who ate standard rat feed.

The increased enkephalin level found in those eating an unhealthy diet provides first time evidence that the opioid signaling pathway is less sensitive in junk-food exposed offspring. Reduced sensitivity to opioids means that individuals whose mothers eat too much junk-food during pregnancy and breastfeeding would have to eat more junk foods to get the same positive response, making them more likely to over consume high-fat and high-sugar foods. Lead study author, Dr. Jessica Gugusheff concluded "the results of this study will eventually permit us to better inform pregnant women about the enduring effect their diet has on the development of their child's lifelong food preferences and risk of negative metabolic outcomes."

Continued research into the study of nutrigenomics (the study of the effects of foods and food constituents on gene expression) helps to explain why the prevalence of processed and refined junk foods is perpetuating the poor health of future generations that are now destined to be dependent on 'frankenfoods'. Our children will unknowingly and unnecessarily suffer the long-term effects of sub-standard nutrition: overweight, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, dementia and early death.

Lifestyle Activities that Cripple Our Immune System

There are many common things people do in our society that cripple the immune system and make us more susceptible to illness.  People often act as though they are a poor victim of a vicious assault by a pathogen when they get sick.  What they don’t often realize is that their lifestyle provided the proper environment for the pathogen to do what it was created to do.

The job of any pathogen is to “break down decaying matter.”  Our job must be to “not be decaying matter,” by keeping our bodies functioning and adapting at their peak potential.

Here are five major things most individuals in our society do to promote illness.

Sugar:
Consuming sugar feeds parasites within our body and depletes our system of critical immune boosting nutrients such as vitamin C, glutathione, zinc, etc.  Sugar also feeds the development of abnormal tissue and cancerous growth.   When sugar and starch is metabolized in our body it breaks down into a simple molecule called glucose that is used for energy production.

In the 1970’s, Dr. John Ely discovered the Glucose-Ascorbate-Antagonism (GAA) theory.  Glucose and vitamin C (ascorbate) have a very similar chemical makeup.  This theory proposes that elevated glucose levels compete and effectively restrict vitamin C from entering cells.  Both glucose and vitamin C depend upon the pancreatic hormone insulin and its signaling effects in order to get into cells.

There is an important receptor called the Glut-1 receptor that activates in response to insulin to allow both glucose and vitamin C to enter the cell.  However, glucose has a greater affinity for the insulin receptor.  This means that the greater the content of circulating blood sugar the less vitamin C will enter the cell.

White blood cells have more insulin pumps than any other type of cell and may contain 20 times the amount of vitamin C as other cells.  They also need 50 times more vitamin C inside the cell than in the blood plasma in order to handle the oxidative stress that occurs when they encounter a pathogenic substance.

When white blood cells encounter pathogenic bacteria and viruses they must ingest or phagocytize these organisms in order to neutralize them.  The phagocytic index measures how effective a particular white blood cell is at destroying viruses, bacteria & cancer cells.  Elevated blood sugar impairs this phagocytic index.  In fact, a blood sugar of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%.

Sleep Deprivation:
Quality sleep is one of the most fundamental nutrients that every person needs in order to perform at their optimal. Sleep deprivation creates a heightened stress response within the body that disrupts normal healing and tissue rejuvenation processes.  When the body has a heightened stress response it lowers immune coordination and increases inflammatory processes.

Drinking Tap Water:
Municipal water is extraordinarily toxic to the body and destroys the immune system.  This water is loaded with environmental toxins such as chlorine, DBP’s, arsenic, heavy metals and fluoride.  Proper water filtration is essential to remove these chemical agents.

High quality reverse osmosis systems are one of the very few water systems that is able to effectively remove fluoride.  Add back a pinch of pink salt (1/4 teaspoon per gallon) to replace any lost minerals from the reverse osmosis process.  Teach your children not to use municipal water fountains but instead to carry bottled water in either glass or stainless steel bottles.

Staying Indoors:
We spend as much as 90% of our lives indoors nowadays and researchers are investigating our exposure to indoor pollutants as contributing causes to rising incidence of chronic illness in our society.  According to the EPA, our indoor environment is two to five times more toxic than our outdoor environment, and in some cases, the air measurements indoors have been found to be 100 times more polluted.

By spending so much time indoors we are also missing out on the protective factors inherent in nature.  When outside we are exposed to low levels of natural pathogens and our immune system is able to gently adapt to these.  Being outside also offers the benefit of fresh air, sunlight and vitamin D3 and if you take off your shoes the electrons from the ground.

Chronic Dehydration:
All life began in water; even the developing fetus is surrounded by water. A water rationing system takes effect immediately in response to any form of dehydration. A neurotransmitter named Histamine becomes active and redistributes water throughout the body. Some areas of the body are obviously more important than others. The order of circulatory priority (an inborn triage system) is the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, and glands. Of least importance are the muscles, bones & skin.

Histamine’s responsibility is to ensure that these vital organs have enough water to function properly during times of dehydration. If the dehydration issues become chronic, then water must be taken from major regions within the body. Additionally, chronic dehydration can cause histamine to become excessively active leading to symptoms that are often mistaken for other disorders. The most common symptoms associated with dehydration and elevated histamine include allergies, asthma, dyspepsia, colitis, constipation, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches and chronic pain.

Dr. Vickers Explains Coffee Enemas for Healing Cancer

So why in the world would you put coffee where the sun don’t shine?
Enter Dr. Patrick Vickers of Northern Baja Gerson Center.
In this short video Dr. Vickers does an excellent job explaining what coffee enemas do in the body and why they are critical for advanced cancer patients on the Gerson therapy.