I'm not one of those who believe that medical doctors are infallible, or that there is absolutely no merit in alternative healing or treatments...but...
...I have a problem with the proponents of this stuff telling me that it will absolutely work all of the time and with listening to the pseudo-scientific b.s. that often accompanies it.
In my observation
Some of these "remedies" seem to work only in the mind of the recipient, with no objective or repeatable phenomena
Some apparently bring results some of the time, with no understanding of why they work when they do and don't when they don't
Some really do work, and are ignored by the scientific and medical establishment either because of competition or because the mechanism that affects the cure doesn't fit any known theories
If I was seriously sick and dying I do not think I would sing the same tune...
We all can get helpless and I think experts study for a reason and God will guide us in the right course of action.
I would not reccomend someone do one of my hair brain ideas I use because like Oakspear I have no idea why they may work for me much less anyone eles...
But I also know the medical community doesnot know why some drugs in fact many drugs seem to interact the way they do and or just why either..
It is a HUGE assumption DR> may understand what the chemical reactions mean and the fact and figures frankly they often DO NOT..
it helped a mouse or a stray cat once and now the humans get a chance to see if it will work for them!!! it often takes years to figure out ooops our bad and I do not like the odds!!! alot of damage is done to the human body in the name of medicine today alot esp older folks who they tend to prescribe the newer untried and ifffy meds too just to see.
think not ? ask a old folk in a nursing home with little or no family input on their care just what this pill taken seven times a day is for ???? true and scary . If you complain long enough about anything today the Dr. is almost forced to give ya something or be sued for malpractice and they cover themselves from those premiums that drive a more thinking thoughful DR. away from medicine.
but like I said I would sing a different tune if it was my love one suffering Im sure I would be as desperate as the dr. often seem to be with the hit and miss meds they offer today.
Over the years since leaving twi I have found that things (modailites, alternative stuff) that I scoffed and laughed at years ago make a lot of sense NOW!
I have learned to 'eat my words' graciously.
One thing about 'alternative' medicine-- by the time the patient/client arrives at that practicinars door they have (at times)exausted their traditional medical options. So-- that leaves the the 'scientific proof path a bit lopsided!!
But-- completly antedotial--- from MY perspective--- people that are OPEN to the possibility of some of these modalities are a lot Happier group!!
They do not seem to be as tightly wrapped -- and more willing to take responsibility for their own well being. They also explore more!!
Hey-- it takes a very special pwern to lay there with a wax candle sticking out of their ear!(I've done it--- and am completly surprise that more of you have not!!)
And Wacky--- whom I suspect is trained in a lot more modalities than I am----------is so right. There are a number of scientific studies dealing with craino sacral work-- amazing PROVABLE results!! And if you can make your way through those textbooks she mentioned you would see why!
Upledger Ints. is a great place to get more info.
I guess it just depends on which web site you go to to get your information!!
Yes and if a pharmacutical sales person came in five minutes before you with a NEW drug... Then, the Doctor says, "Well let's try this and see how it works for you..."
So we are at the mercy of the drug ealse person and the insurance customer service.
I am glad we have Doctors I just do not think they have all the answers because in my life they haven't.
"We are fully aware that what stands in the way of change are powerful pharmaceutical companies, medical technology companies, and special interest groups with enormous vested interests in the business of medicine. They fund medical research, support medical schools and hospitals, and advertise in medical journals. With deep pockets they entice scientists and academics to support their efforts. Such funding can sway the balance of opinion from professional caution to uncritical acceptance of a new therapy or drug. You only have to look at the number of invested people on hospital, medical, and government health advisory boards to see conflict of interest. The public is mostly unaware of these interlocking interests."
...
"Former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Dr. Marcia Angell, struggled to bring the attention of the world to the problem of commercializing scientific research in her outgoing editorial titled “Is Academic Medicine for Sale?”20 Angell called for stronger restrictions on pharmaceutical stock ownership and other financial incentives for researchers. She said that growing conflicts of interest are tainting science. She warned that, “When the boundaries between industry and academic medicine become as blurred as they are now, the business goals of industry influence the mission of medical schools in multiple ways.” She did not discount the benefits of research but said a Faustian bargain now existed between medical schools and the pharmaceutical industry."
I have used ear candles for years and always had good success. It is important to keep the small hole at the end of the candle open when you are doing it. Sometimes it get plugged with wax and that stops the process of pulling the wax out of your ear.
Want to talk about a real health issue...ASPARTAME ..it is a substitute sweetner made by Monsanto Corporation. It is added to everything especially diet drinks. The issue is that it turns toxic at approximately 86 degrees and our body temperature is 98.6. It is responsible for many many health problems. For more information, go to bragg.com and click on health alerts.
More bull..... Aspartame is made from two vital amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, bound by a tiny amount of methanol. There is so little NutraSweet in the average diet soda that the amount of methanol released when it breaks down is minuscule, easily metabolized by the liver with no ill effects. In fact, methanol occurs naturally in most fruit and vegetable juices. A glass of fresh-squeezed tomato juice has six times the amount of methanol in 1 can of diet soda.
To put it in perspective, in order for you to drink enough diet soda to cause a case of acute methanol poisoning, you'd have to drink over 700 cans in one sitting.
Geez, if you knew how much really horrible stuff is routinely filtered out of your blood by your liver and kidneys every day, you'd wonder how you ever survived infancy. Methanol, formaldehyde, cyanide, etc., etc.
Anytime you hear another one of these doom & gloom stories you have to consider the source, and their agenda.
Artificial sweeteners are marketed with the promise of weight control, and the vast majority of people who consume them do so to either lose or avoid gaining weight. Folks, this is a fraud of gigantic proportions.
From 1960 to l976, there was virtually no change in the number of Americans who were overweight: roughly 24 percent of the population. However, from the mid l980s to the present, this number has more than doubled to 54 percent! this coincides with the massive infusion of noncaloric chemical sweeteners and sugar-free "diet" foods that are eaten by close to three-quarters of the adult population.
Although several factors contribute to these alarming statistics, I am convinced that our blind acceptance of the most popular of these artificial sweeteners, aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), plays a significant role in our current weight problems. Far from helping us lose weight, aspartame has been proven to increase appetite, especially cravings for sweets. Imagine "diet" products that help you pack on extra pounds! And aspartame's downside doesn't end with weight gain: This sweetener is associated with multiple health problems.
ASPARTAME MAY CAUSE A VARIETY OF DISEASES
Since aspartame came on the market in l981, it has accounted for more than 75 percent of the complaints reported in the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring system. the most common adverse reactions attributed to aspartame are headaches, dizziness, attention difficulties, memory loss, slurred speech and vision problems. this cluster of symptoms has become so common that it is actually referred to as "aspartame disease".
Even more serious disorders have a suspected link with aspartame. Is it an accident that the incidence of brain tumors has increased by 10% since l975? John W. Olney, MD, of the Washington University Medical School in St. Louis believes there may be a link between the two. In an article published in The Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, he notes that animal studies reveal high levels of brain tumors in aspartame-fed rats. According to Dr. Olney, recent findings show that aspartame has mutagenic (cancer-causing) potential, and the sharp rise in malignant brain tumors coincides with the increased use of aspartame.
Could serious seizures and vision loss somehow be associated with the sweetener? The U.S. Navy and Air Force published articles in Navy Physiology and Flying Safety with this warning: "several researchers have found aspartame can increase the frequency of seizures, or lower the stimulation necessary to induce them. this means a pilot who drinks diet sodas is more susceptible to flicker vertigo, or to flicker-induced epileptic activity. It also means that all pilots are potential victims of sudden memory loss, dizziness during instrument flight, and gradual loss of vision."
What about multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and other mood disorders? I have reviewed scores of documented cases of patients with symptoms so severe that they were mistakenly diagnosed with one of these conditions, only to have all signs of disease completely vanish after getting off aspartame.
THE FDA IGNORES SAFETY CONCERNS
Yet the FDA has chosen to turn a deaf ear to repeated requests by scientists, physicians, and consumers to review aspartame's safety.
Aspartame has spelled trouble from the get-go. The unique property of this chemical, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar, was accidently discovered in l965 by a chemist trying to develop an ulcer drug. Although the FDA rescinded its initial approval because of studies showing that it caused seizures and brain tumors in lab animals, the agency eventually capitulated to political and monetary pressure and in l981 gave aspartame the stamp of approval. In doing so, this bureaucracy overrode the 3-0 decision of a Public Board of Inquiry, which had reviewed the scientific data and had recommended delaying approval pending further studies on the sweetener's link with brain cancer.
In the intervening years, safety concerns have mushroomed. Ralph G. Walton, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, reviewed all the studies on aspartame and found 166 with relevance for human safety. Every one of the 74 studies funded by the aspartame industry gave it a clean bill of health, while 92 percent of those independently funded revealed safety problems.
ASPARTAME CAN UPSET BRAIN CHEMISTRY
Once you understand a bit about the chemistry of aspartame, you'll see why it can cause so many problems.
Aspartame is comprised of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartic acid acts as an "excitatory" neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, in the brain, stimulating neurons to fire. Problems can arise when aspartic acid is out of balance with "inhibitory" amino acids that calm things down. Phenylalanine also easily enters the brain, where it is transformed into neurotransmitters that can further interfere with normal brain function.
This is a likely reason why aspartame lowers the threshold for seizures, mood disorders, and other nervous system problems. this altered brain chemistry may also be responsible for the addictive nature of aspartame. Some patients report that getting off diet soda takes more willpower than giving up cigarettes!
A LITTLE MOONSHINE FOR YOU?
The remaining component, which makes up 10 percent of aspartame, may be the most dangerous part. It is a methyl ester that breaks down after ingestion into methanol, a nervous system toxin also known as free methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. Methanol is extremely harmful to the optic nerve. A main ingredient in "moonshine" it was notorious during Prohibition for causing blindness. Methanol is rapidly released into the bloodstream, where it is further metabolized into other harmful components, including formaldehyde ( a known neurotoxin and carcinogen) and formic acid (the poison in ant stings).
Is it any wonder that many of the symptoms of "aspartame disease" are neurological and visual? Drinking a diet soda or two (and I've had patients who drink at least a liter a day) delivers a powerful chemical rush with decidedly negative effects. With this kind of questionable history, who would want to consume this artificial chemical, particularly when there are natural and healthy sweeteners available?
RECOMMENDATIONS
Please take the warnings in this article very seriously. although some people are much more sensitive to aspartame's adverse effects than others, damage is likely cumulative. Aspartame is particularly harmful to children and the developing fetus. I strongly urge anyone with an aspartame "habit" to get off this harmful sweetener. For more information on the downside of aspartame, visit www.dorway.com or send a self-addressed envelope with six stamps to Betty Martini, Mission Possible International, 9270 river Club Parkway, Duluth, Georgia 30097.
Don't trade one bad habit for another by switching to sugar-laden drinks and sweets. Avoid most bottled or canned sodas, teas and juices altogether. If they don't contain an artificial sweetener, they're loaded with some kind of sugar. Your beverage of choice should be water. (Try perking it up with a slice of lemon.) Sparkling water, diluted fruit juice, and homemade iced tea flavored with the herbal sweetener stevia are other options. A few drops of stevia also nicely sweeten hot tea, coffee, cereal, yogurt, and other foods. Stevia is sold in health food stores or may be ordered from Amai Health (877/989-9954) or Wisdom of the Ancients (800/899-9908). We'll talk more about healthy sweeteners in next month's issue.
You can subscribe to Health & Healing by calling 800/539-8219 or go to drwhitaker.com
I guess I just don't understand the need to embrace most of the "alternative medicine" hype.
Are there problems with modern, AMA - approved medical practices? Certainly. People are still the ones practicing, right? There will be mistakes, there will be bad doctors, and even profiteering corporations that play fast and lose with the truth in order to make more profits.
There's still no cure for cancer, aids, MS, or dozens of other fatal and crippling diseases. But no matter what faults you find with conventional medicine, not one of those faults makes "alternative" approaches one iota more credible.
Personally I'm unwilling to accept any treatment where there's some sort of magical element to it. "We don't know exactly why this works, but, Boy! It sure does!" Sorry no sale.
Likewise for any regimen that has lots of scientific sounding terms to explain it, but the explanation doesn't make any sense (i.e. "realigning the energy channels", "focusing your healing centers", or such nonsensical claptrap).
For those that embrace the alternative treatments (holistic, homeopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic, etc.), doesn't it concern you that these "disciplines" routinely avoid accepted scientific protocols in their testing? Why do you suppose their evidence of effecatiousness is almost always anecdotal?
Do you realize why anecdotal evidence is usually completely disregarded in scientific circles? (no, it's not because they hate the alternative medicine community for cutting into their profits)
Wouldn't you really rather have sound, reproducible evidence of the effectiveness of a medicine rather than having to just believe in it?
I do some of the homopathic stuff and as I said I am not sick. and I think if I was ever sick I would go to a diferent song and dance real quick.
That being said I have had good luck with the homopathic route
herbs are studied and grown Geo it is a SCIENCE and a Big one at that. Studies have been amass..
Europe funds alot of testing forhomoepathic stuff. the stuff I metioned on this thread for ear aches... Yes controlled testing with scientific results.
I read alot and I study and I ask those I know who may have tried it or read experts . The internet is full of information about chemicals and herbs and studies.
it isnt just a guru or a witch spell or a a friend told a friend it is a science . it can be foolish as well asis abuse of prescribtive medicine in the states.
You can buy this stuff as remedies here in the states and it takes alot of testing to get anything on the shelf in America.
Have you ever read the supposed "law of infintesimals" that was written by the founder of the so-called "science"?
It states something to the effect that the less of a curative agent that is used, the stronger it's potentcy. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense (?).
Also, ever wonder why homeopathic "drugs" are simply sold over the counter? I mean even toxic things like beladonna (sp?)? It's because there's basically NONE of the active ingredient (that's stated on the label) in the actual "medicine". Yes, that's right, it's simply water. The dilution rate that's stated on the label (I forget exactly now, but I think it's stated something like "3X" or somesuch), works out to about 1 drop per volume of water equal to the displacement of the ENTIRE WORLD!
Yes, it doesn't matter to homeopaths that the dilution is probably so extreme that not a single molecule of the supposed active ingredient is left in the mix. No, no! Just the fact that the water had - at some point in time - come in contact with that agent, was enough to impart the curative powers.
Can you say "BULL$HIT"? Sure, I knew you could.
And I'm sorry, but alternative medicine, by it's very definition, is NOT scientific. If there were (and I think there have been a couple) effective regimens discovered by alternative practitioners that passed muster in proper testing protocols, they would be accepted in mainstream medicine, and as a result would no longer be "alternative".
The reason the practices of the alternative camp are not accepted is simply because they ARE NOT scientifically tested. They have zero to back them up other than the salesmanship of their prime advocates and the tearful, heartfelt testimonies of those "cured" by them.
I live near a large health food store (a couple in fact) that enjoys a booming business. Aside from offerring organic foods
there is a cafe, a vitamin section , a book section, and an area for small discussions
which is typically used when an "expert" in
a given alternative medicine field strolls
through town to promote a book or video.
I dated someone who frequented the place so
I got to experience this place. I've made the following observations:
Most of the clientele is 30+. There are
very few young people except perhaps for
the cashiers.
Most seem to have a decent amount of
discretionary income and do not mind at
all buying hundreds of dollars worth of
books and food.
Most seem to be sufferring from chronic complaints such as insomnia, dyspepsia,
migraines which they have been unable to
resolve ,to the their satisfaction, using accepted medical approaches.
Because many suffer from chronic ailments
there is a high level of personal tension in the place despite all attempts to make it seem peaceful (new age music, water fountains, a hint of incense, subdued lighting). I've seen
near knock down dragouts in the aisles resulting
from arguments about whether or not a certain
sea algae would be harmful for someone with allergies.
Most of the patrons are women and in general
most patrons appear to be single thus its no surprise that the store is something of a meet
market. In fact its not uncommon for people to
cruise the aisles waiting for something interesting to come along.
There is an astonishing lack of basic knowledge
of human physiology on the part of the store managers though this does not stop them from
dispensing advice to people with very serious
diseases. Its mindblowing what they will tell
people just to get them to by a $45 dollar bottle of pills made of seaweed.
The "experts" who speak there tend to be
specialists in fields that in general don't
have any established standards for training or well known edcuational paths. For example I'm not sure what a "7th Plane Reiki Master" is but I saw this guy proclaim himself as being one while making refercene to "years of committed study" under "Ramtha" as if all the world knows him ..her ? But the crowd eats it up and
if its an act then its a damn good one because
it looks like folks are going for it.
In my opinion this place is popular because
it serves a demographic of aging baby boomers
who don't like the bar scene and might genuinely
want to do something about chronic problems. At the same time they are able to meet people in the same boat so it becomes something of a social experience.
But I'm not at all sold on the worth of the knowledge that they are handing out. In many cases its just flat out wrong and contradicts basic biology. But no one seems to care....
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Yeah, behind some of those well educated Doctors, is a minimum wage earning insurance customer service rep making decisions about our health care!
Yes, frightening....
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Oakspear
I'm not one of those who believe that medical doctors are infallible, or that there is absolutely no merit in alternative healing or treatments...but...
...I have a problem with the proponents of this stuff telling me that it will absolutely work all of the time and with listening to the pseudo-scientific b.s. that often accompanies it.
In my observation
- Some of these "remedies" seem to work only in the mind of the recipient, with no objective or repeatable phenomena
- Some apparently bring results some of the time, with no understanding of why they work when they do and don't when they don't
- Some really do work, and are ignored by the scientific and medical establishment either because of competition or because the mechanism that affects the cure doesn't fit any known theories
But if it works for you...go for it.On the other hand...pragmatic fallacy
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mj412
If I was seriously sick and dying I do not think I would sing the same tune...
We all can get helpless and I think experts study for a reason and God will guide us in the right course of action.
I would not reccomend someone do one of my hair brain ideas I use because like Oakspear I have no idea why they may work for me much less anyone eles...
But I also know the medical community doesnot know why some drugs in fact many drugs seem to interact the way they do and or just why either..
It is a HUGE assumption DR> may understand what the chemical reactions mean and the fact and figures frankly they often DO NOT..
it helped a mouse or a stray cat once and now the humans get a chance to see if it will work for them!!! it often takes years to figure out ooops our bad and I do not like the odds!!! alot of damage is done to the human body in the name of medicine today alot esp older folks who they tend to prescribe the newer untried and ifffy meds too just to see.
think not ? ask a old folk in a nursing home with little or no family input on their care just what this pill taken seven times a day is for ???? true and scary . If you complain long enough about anything today the Dr. is almost forced to give ya something or be sued for malpractice and they cover themselves from those premiums that drive a more thinking thoughful DR. away from medicine.
but like I said I would sing a different tune if it was my love one suffering Im sure I would be as desperate as the dr. often seem to be with the hit and miss meds they offer today.
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2life
LOL!!
Over the years since leaving twi I have found that things (modailites, alternative stuff) that I scoffed and laughed at years ago make a lot of sense NOW!
I have learned to 'eat my words' graciously.
One thing about 'alternative' medicine-- by the time the patient/client arrives at that practicinars door they have (at times)exausted their traditional medical options. So-- that leaves the the 'scientific proof path a bit lopsided!!
But-- completly antedotial--- from MY perspective--- people that are OPEN to the possibility of some of these modalities are a lot Happier group!!
They do not seem to be as tightly wrapped -- and more willing to take responsibility for their own well being. They also explore more!!
Hey-- it takes a very special pwern to lay there with a wax candle sticking out of their ear!(I've done it--- and am completly surprise that more of you have not!!)
And Wacky--- whom I suspect is trained in a lot more modalities than I am----------is so right. There are a number of scientific studies dealing with craino sacral work-- amazing PROVABLE results!! And if you can make your way through those textbooks she mentioned you would see why!
Upledger Ints. is a great place to get more info.
I guess it just depends on which web site you go to to get your information!!
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Dot Matrix
Yes and if a pharmacutical sales person came in five minutes before you with a NEW drug... Then, the Doctor says, "Well let's try this and see how it works for you..."
So we are at the mercy of the drug ealse person and the insurance customer service.
I am glad we have Doctors I just do not think they have all the answers because in my life they haven't.
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Dot Matrix
http://www.garynull.com/Article.aspx?Artic...bymedicine1.htm
death by medicine
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Dot Matrix
American Medicine:
http://www.garynull.com/Article.aspx?Artic...bymedicine1.htm
"We are fully aware that what stands in the way of change are powerful pharmaceutical companies, medical technology companies, and special interest groups with enormous vested interests in the business of medicine. They fund medical research, support medical schools and hospitals, and advertise in medical journals. With deep pockets they entice scientists and academics to support their efforts. Such funding can sway the balance of opinion from professional caution to uncritical acceptance of a new therapy or drug. You only have to look at the number of invested people on hospital, medical, and government health advisory boards to see conflict of interest. The public is mostly unaware of these interlocking interests."
...
"Former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Dr. Marcia Angell, struggled to bring the attention of the world to the problem of commercializing scientific research in her outgoing editorial titled “Is Academic Medicine for Sale?”20 Angell called for stronger restrictions on pharmaceutical stock ownership and other financial incentives for researchers. She said that growing conflicts of interest are tainting science. She warned that, “When the boundaries between industry and academic medicine become as blurred as they are now, the business goals of industry influence the mission of medical schools in multiple ways.” She did not discount the benefits of research but said a Faustian bargain now existed between medical schools and the pharmaceutical industry."
...
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Paradiseden
I have used ear candles for years and always had good success. It is important to keep the small hole at the end of the candle open when you are doing it. Sometimes it get plugged with wax and that stops the process of pulling the wax out of your ear.
Want to talk about a real health issue...ASPARTAME ..it is a substitute sweetner made by Monsanto Corporation. It is added to everything especially diet drinks. The issue is that it turns toxic at approximately 86 degrees and our body temperature is 98.6. It is responsible for many many health problems. For more information, go to bragg.com and click on health alerts.
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Zixar
More bull..... Aspartame is made from two vital amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, bound by a tiny amount of methanol. There is so little NutraSweet in the average diet soda that the amount of methanol released when it breaks down is minuscule, easily metabolized by the liver with no ill effects. In fact, methanol occurs naturally in most fruit and vegetable juices. A glass of fresh-squeezed tomato juice has six times the amount of methanol in 1 can of diet soda.
To put it in perspective, in order for you to drink enough diet soda to cause a case of acute methanol poisoning, you'd have to drink over 700 cans in one sitting.
Geez, if you knew how much really horrible stuff is routinely filtered out of your blood by your liver and kidneys every day, you'd wonder how you ever survived infancy. Methanol, formaldehyde, cyanide, etc., etc.
Anytime you hear another one of these doom & gloom stories you have to consider the source, and their agenda.
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Dot Matrix
Of interest:
Dr. Julian Whitaker -
The Lowdown On Aspartame/NutraSweet
From 'Health & Healing' March, 2000
From Betty Martini
3-8-00
Artificial sweeteners are marketed with the promise of weight control, and the vast majority of people who consume them do so to either lose or avoid gaining weight. Folks, this is a fraud of gigantic proportions.
From 1960 to l976, there was virtually no change in the number of Americans who were overweight: roughly 24 percent of the population. However, from the mid l980s to the present, this number has more than doubled to 54 percent! this coincides with the massive infusion of noncaloric chemical sweeteners and sugar-free "diet" foods that are eaten by close to three-quarters of the adult population.
Although several factors contribute to these alarming statistics, I am convinced that our blind acceptance of the most popular of these artificial sweeteners, aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful), plays a significant role in our current weight problems. Far from helping us lose weight, aspartame has been proven to increase appetite, especially cravings for sweets. Imagine "diet" products that help you pack on extra pounds! And aspartame's downside doesn't end with weight gain: This sweetener is associated with multiple health problems.
ASPARTAME MAY CAUSE A VARIETY OF DISEASES
Since aspartame came on the market in l981, it has accounted for more than 75 percent of the complaints reported in the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring system. the most common adverse reactions attributed to aspartame are headaches, dizziness, attention difficulties, memory loss, slurred speech and vision problems. this cluster of symptoms has become so common that it is actually referred to as "aspartame disease".
Even more serious disorders have a suspected link with aspartame. Is it an accident that the incidence of brain tumors has increased by 10% since l975? John W. Olney, MD, of the Washington University Medical School in St. Louis believes there may be a link between the two. In an article published in The Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, he notes that animal studies reveal high levels of brain tumors in aspartame-fed rats. According to Dr. Olney, recent findings show that aspartame has mutagenic (cancer-causing) potential, and the sharp rise in malignant brain tumors coincides with the increased use of aspartame.
Could serious seizures and vision loss somehow be associated with the sweetener? The U.S. Navy and Air Force published articles in Navy Physiology and Flying Safety with this warning: "several researchers have found aspartame can increase the frequency of seizures, or lower the stimulation necessary to induce them. this means a pilot who drinks diet sodas is more susceptible to flicker vertigo, or to flicker-induced epileptic activity. It also means that all pilots are potential victims of sudden memory loss, dizziness during instrument flight, and gradual loss of vision."
What about multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and other mood disorders? I have reviewed scores of documented cases of patients with symptoms so severe that they were mistakenly diagnosed with one of these conditions, only to have all signs of disease completely vanish after getting off aspartame.
THE FDA IGNORES SAFETY CONCERNS
Yet the FDA has chosen to turn a deaf ear to repeated requests by scientists, physicians, and consumers to review aspartame's safety.
Aspartame has spelled trouble from the get-go. The unique property of this chemical, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar, was accidently discovered in l965 by a chemist trying to develop an ulcer drug. Although the FDA rescinded its initial approval because of studies showing that it caused seizures and brain tumors in lab animals, the agency eventually capitulated to political and monetary pressure and in l981 gave aspartame the stamp of approval. In doing so, this bureaucracy overrode the 3-0 decision of a Public Board of Inquiry, which had reviewed the scientific data and had recommended delaying approval pending further studies on the sweetener's link with brain cancer.
In the intervening years, safety concerns have mushroomed. Ralph G. Walton, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, reviewed all the studies on aspartame and found 166 with relevance for human safety. Every one of the 74 studies funded by the aspartame industry gave it a clean bill of health, while 92 percent of those independently funded revealed safety problems.
ASPARTAME CAN UPSET BRAIN CHEMISTRY
Once you understand a bit about the chemistry of aspartame, you'll see why it can cause so many problems.
Aspartame is comprised of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartic acid acts as an "excitatory" neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, in the brain, stimulating neurons to fire. Problems can arise when aspartic acid is out of balance with "inhibitory" amino acids that calm things down. Phenylalanine also easily enters the brain, where it is transformed into neurotransmitters that can further interfere with normal brain function.
This is a likely reason why aspartame lowers the threshold for seizures, mood disorders, and other nervous system problems. this altered brain chemistry may also be responsible for the addictive nature of aspartame. Some patients report that getting off diet soda takes more willpower than giving up cigarettes!
A LITTLE MOONSHINE FOR YOU?
The remaining component, which makes up 10 percent of aspartame, may be the most dangerous part. It is a methyl ester that breaks down after ingestion into methanol, a nervous system toxin also known as free methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. Methanol is extremely harmful to the optic nerve. A main ingredient in "moonshine" it was notorious during Prohibition for causing blindness. Methanol is rapidly released into the bloodstream, where it is further metabolized into other harmful components, including formaldehyde ( a known neurotoxin and carcinogen) and formic acid (the poison in ant stings).
Is it any wonder that many of the symptoms of "aspartame disease" are neurological and visual? Drinking a diet soda or two (and I've had patients who drink at least a liter a day) delivers a powerful chemical rush with decidedly negative effects. With this kind of questionable history, who would want to consume this artificial chemical, particularly when there are natural and healthy sweeteners available?
RECOMMENDATIONS
Please take the warnings in this article very seriously. although some people are much more sensitive to aspartame's adverse effects than others, damage is likely cumulative. Aspartame is particularly harmful to children and the developing fetus. I strongly urge anyone with an aspartame "habit" to get off this harmful sweetener. For more information on the downside of aspartame, visit www.dorway.com or send a self-addressed envelope with six stamps to Betty Martini, Mission Possible International, 9270 river Club Parkway, Duluth, Georgia 30097.
Don't trade one bad habit for another by switching to sugar-laden drinks and sweets. Avoid most bottled or canned sodas, teas and juices altogether. If they don't contain an artificial sweetener, they're loaded with some kind of sugar. Your beverage of choice should be water. (Try perking it up with a slice of lemon.) Sparkling water, diluted fruit juice, and homemade iced tea flavored with the herbal sweetener stevia are other options. A few drops of stevia also nicely sweeten hot tea, coffee, cereal, yogurt, and other foods. Stevia is sold in health food stores or may be ordered from Amai Health (877/989-9954) or Wisdom of the Ancients (800/899-9908). We'll talk more about healthy sweeteners in next month's issue.
You can subscribe to Health & Healing by calling 800/539-8219 or go to drwhitaker.com
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
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George Aar
And for a different point of view:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blas...terms=aspartame
I guess I just don't understand the need to embrace most of the "alternative medicine" hype.
Are there problems with modern, AMA - approved medical practices? Certainly. People are still the ones practicing, right? There will be mistakes, there will be bad doctors, and even profiteering corporations that play fast and lose with the truth in order to make more profits.
There's still no cure for cancer, aids, MS, or dozens of other fatal and crippling diseases. But no matter what faults you find with conventional medicine, not one of those faults makes "alternative" approaches one iota more credible.
Personally I'm unwilling to accept any treatment where there's some sort of magical element to it. "We don't know exactly why this works, but, Boy! It sure does!" Sorry no sale.
Likewise for any regimen that has lots of scientific sounding terms to explain it, but the explanation doesn't make any sense (i.e. "realigning the energy channels", "focusing your healing centers", or such nonsensical claptrap).
For those that embrace the alternative treatments (holistic, homeopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic, etc.), doesn't it concern you that these "disciplines" routinely avoid accepted scientific protocols in their testing? Why do you suppose their evidence of effecatiousness is almost always anecdotal?
Do you realize why anecdotal evidence is usually completely disregarded in scientific circles? (no, it's not because they hate the alternative medicine community for cutting into their profits)
Wouldn't you really rather have sound, reproducible evidence of the effectiveness of a medicine rather than having to just believe in it?
Gawd, I KNOW I would...
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Tom Strange
I know what yer sayin' Geo... but sometimes folks with chronic problems try desperate things...
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mj412
I hear you too Geo.
I do some of the homopathic stuff and as I said I am not sick. and I think if I was ever sick I would go to a diferent song and dance real quick.
That being said I have had good luck with the homopathic route
herbs are studied and grown Geo it is a SCIENCE and a Big one at that. Studies have been amass..
Europe funds alot of testing forhomoepathic stuff. the stuff I metioned on this thread for ear aches... Yes controlled testing with scientific results.
I read alot and I study and I ask those I know who may have tried it or read experts . The internet is full of information about chemicals and herbs and studies.
it isnt just a guru or a witch spell or a a friend told a friend it is a science . it can be foolish as well asis abuse of prescribtive medicine in the states.
You can buy this stuff as remedies here in the states and it takes alot of testing to get anything on the shelf in America.
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George Aar
Homeopathy is a real sorepoint with me.
Have you ever read the supposed "law of infintesimals" that was written by the founder of the so-called "science"?
It states something to the effect that the less of a curative agent that is used, the stronger it's potentcy. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense (?).
Also, ever wonder why homeopathic "drugs" are simply sold over the counter? I mean even toxic things like beladonna (sp?)? It's because there's basically NONE of the active ingredient (that's stated on the label) in the actual "medicine". Yes, that's right, it's simply water. The dilution rate that's stated on the label (I forget exactly now, but I think it's stated something like "3X" or somesuch), works out to about 1 drop per volume of water equal to the displacement of the ENTIRE WORLD!
Yes, it doesn't matter to homeopaths that the dilution is probably so extreme that not a single molecule of the supposed active ingredient is left in the mix. No, no! Just the fact that the water had - at some point in time - come in contact with that agent, was enough to impart the curative powers.
Can you say "BULL$HIT"? Sure, I knew you could.
And I'm sorry, but alternative medicine, by it's very definition, is NOT scientific. If there were (and I think there have been a couple) effective regimens discovered by alternative practitioners that passed muster in proper testing protocols, they would be accepted in mainstream medicine, and as a result would no longer be "alternative".
The reason the practices of the alternative camp are not accepted is simply because they ARE NOT scientifically tested. They have zero to back them up other than the salesmanship of their prime advocates and the tearful, heartfelt testimonies of those "cured" by them.
In other words - NOTHING!
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valerie52
Dear Wacky Funster,
I would love to have you work on me during thanksgiving!!!
It is a date!!!!
I still have my really nice massage table too.
Thank you!!
valerie52
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moreyt
Dot:
I have candled my ears several times. Seems to relieve sinus pressure for me.
A dr. once told me that sinus pressure can make a person's ear ache.
I have also heard of a chiropractor adjusting a person's ear to relieve ringing.
Just a few tidbits . . .
Take care,
moreyt
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Dot Matrix
MoreyT
So good to see you girl! I will have to ask the chiropractor about that! sounds good!
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diazbro
A slight change of subject but still related.
I live near a large health food store (a couple in fact) that enjoys a booming business. Aside from offerring organic foods
there is a cafe, a vitamin section , a book section, and an area for small discussions
which is typically used when an "expert" in
a given alternative medicine field strolls
through town to promote a book or video.
I dated someone who frequented the place so
I got to experience this place. I've made the following observations:
Most of the clientele is 30+. There are
very few young people except perhaps for
the cashiers.
Most seem to have a decent amount of
discretionary income and do not mind at
all buying hundreds of dollars worth of
books and food.
Most seem to be sufferring from chronic complaints such as insomnia, dyspepsia,
migraines which they have been unable to
resolve ,to the their satisfaction, using accepted medical approaches.
Because many suffer from chronic ailments
there is a high level of personal tension in the place despite all attempts to make it seem peaceful (new age music, water fountains, a hint of incense, subdued lighting). I've seen
near knock down dragouts in the aisles resulting
from arguments about whether or not a certain
sea algae would be harmful for someone with allergies.
Most of the patrons are women and in general
most patrons appear to be single thus its no surprise that the store is something of a meet
market. In fact its not uncommon for people to
cruise the aisles waiting for something interesting to come along.
There is an astonishing lack of basic knowledge
of human physiology on the part of the store managers though this does not stop them from
dispensing advice to people with very serious
diseases. Its mindblowing what they will tell
people just to get them to by a $45 dollar bottle of pills made of seaweed.
The "experts" who speak there tend to be
specialists in fields that in general don't
have any established standards for training or well known edcuational paths. For example I'm not sure what a "7th Plane Reiki Master" is but I saw this guy proclaim himself as being one while making refercene to "years of committed study" under "Ramtha" as if all the world knows him ..her ? But the crowd eats it up and
if its an act then its a damn good one because
it looks like folks are going for it.
In my opinion this place is popular because
it serves a demographic of aging baby boomers
who don't like the bar scene and might genuinely
want to do something about chronic problems. At the same time they are able to meet people in the same boat so it becomes something of a social experience.
But I'm not at all sold on the worth of the knowledge that they are handing out. In many cases its just flat out wrong and contradicts basic biology. But no one seems to care....
The place seems to make plenty of money so
perhaps it wouldn't be a bad business.
As a matter of act just start calling me "
Great Reiki Master".....
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