Entre las muchas interferencias con que las personas se ven obligadas a elegir entre huir o atacar… el fantasma del miedo es uno de los más acuciantes. Y entre los más inmovilizadores está este miedo a no valer, que afecta de tal modo el paisaje interno y el cuadro de creencias, que condena a la persona que lo padece a un dolor creciente y amargo. ¿Cómo podemos deshacernos de este miedo tan tóxico?El miedo a no valer, a no poder, a no ser suficiente es un miedo que conocemos desde niños. Cuando eres pequeña hay muchas fronteras que no puedes cruzar: algunas porque es físicamente imposible (alcanzar la lata de las galletas) y otras porque forman parte de lo que la familia ha señalado como inapropiado (decir tacos o escarbarse la nariz). Esto forma parte del proceso normal de colaboración paterna para ayudar al niño en su adaptación a la sociedad y los niveles de frustración que esto conlleva.
Pero cuando nos enfrentamos a un desproporcionado intento de protegernos del fracaso o del engaño… o arrastramos un sentimiento de culpa superlativo que nos inmoviliza… estamos ante un problema que puede llevarse por delante nuestras posibilidades de que crear la vida que soñamos.
En esto tienen mucho que decir las creencias: imagina una niña cuya naturaleza es dócil, sensible y conciliadora, que ama a mucho a sus padres (como todos los niños) y que tiene unos padres inflexibles, de carácter muy fuerte, y cuya principal preocupación es que todo salga perfecto.
¿Cuál será el universo interno en el que se desarrollará esta niña? ¿Qué margen de error sentirá que tiene? ¿Cuál será su mayor preocupación a la hora de actuar, si quiere que sus padres aprueben su conducta y no se enfaden con ella?
Los niños por naturaleza se autoexpresan adecuadamente y saben hacer notar sus necesidades desde muy pequeños. De manera que si un niño empieza a sentir que tiene que esforzarse para ser aprobado, hay una tensión de fuerzas excesivo entre el universo de los padres, y el suyo.
Ahora sigamos con el ejemplo de la niña dócil, sensible y conciliadora del ejemplo. Imaginemos por ejemplo que sus padres son personas muy trabajadoras, muy responsables, y han estado toda la vida preocupados por ganar dinero y sacar adelante la familia. Una lucha difícil, dura, y con niveles sostenidos de estrés y de incertidumbre. Aquí… ¿Qué pasaría si la niña quisiera ser artista plástica, escritora o música? Según es el perfil que hemos trazado esto es una posibilidad pero… ¿cómo viviría internamente la posibilidad de decir a sus padres que siente una vocación que conlleva un gran nivel de incertidumbre en su desempeño?
Desde luego, bien pronto la niña escogerá una actividad que tranquilice a sus padres.
Y comenzará a construir una historia externa acorde a los requerimientos de su grupo… y una historia interna llena de frustración, tristeza e ira contenida.
Entonces imaginemos que decide estudiar Medicina, o Derecho. O Periodismo. Da igual lo que escoja:sentirá miedo a no valer.
Y este miedo será la expresión de dos cosas: primero de un intento profundo de intentar liberarse de un destino con el que no sintoniza para nada… y de un autocastigo inconsciente por haber traicionado el llamado de su verdadero destino.
Como siempre, esto no es nada más que un ejemplo, pero que sirve para ilustrar lo que quiero explicarte. Y lo que quiero explicarte es que el miedo a no valer, no es más que una creencia que se puede cambiar. Todas las personas valen. (Aunque desde luego no todas valen para lo mismo). Las creencias se pueden modificar fácilmente. En serio: muy fácilmente.
Pero hay un paso previo a modificar una creencia, que es el paso que te lleva a una mirada panorámica para reconocer el territorio en el que estás moviéndote. El miedo es un exceso de tensión entre dos o más fuerzas, y sólo hace falta reconocer lo que son estas fuerzas y hacia donde tiran, para que una comprensión nos permita dar el paso hacia el cambio.
Entonces, si hay un miedo que te inmoviliza, que no te permite ser tu misma, mira un poco hacia atrás. No tiene por qué ser algo de la infancia. Recuerda cuando fue la última etapa en la que ese miedo no estaba en tu vida. Recuerda cuando sentías que valías, que eras perfecta, que eras invencible… o simplemente que todo estaba bien. ¿Habría llegado tu miedo tan lejos si alguien hubiera dedicado algo de tiempo a verte tal como eres y te hubiera impulsado a dar pasos acordes a tu naturaleza?
Pienso que no.
No sabemos cuando empezó, pero sabemos que el miedo no vino contigo de fábrica porque de bebé llorabas, exigías y posiblemente te enfadabas libremente.
El exceso de autoprotección llegó después… ¿cuándo?… no lo sé.
Pero lo que te puedo decir, porque eso sí lo sé, es que fue una decisión. Un compromiso quizás.
Y los compromisos (todos, sin excepción)se pueden romper.
Cuando Mikao Usui creó el Método Reiki no se inventó nada que no estuviera incorporado en su propia cultura y en su manera de ver la vida. Usui era un hombre afortunado porque nació y creció en una época, en una familia, una cultura y una sociedad (el Japón Imperial) con unas características particulares. Era un hombre comprometido con su tiempo y con la Buena Ayuda, que llevó a cabo de muchas maneras a lo largo de su vida. Y no sólo lo hizo a partir del Método Reiki, método al que dió forma apenas 4 años antes de su muerte, cuando ya era un hombre de 64 años.
Para poder explicarte lo que vengo a explicarte, necesito antes hacer una breve referencia al metamodelodescubierto por Bandler y Grinder (los creadores de la PNL) y que comprendieron observando y estudiando profundamente el trabajo de Fritz Perls y Virginia Satir en psicoterapia… y apoyándose también en la Gramática Transformacional de Noam Chomsky. Bandler y Grinder descubrieron que las personas cuando hablamos, mostramos la estructura superficial de nuestro paisaje interno… y que lo que expresamos al hablar es nuestromapa de la realidad. Pero el mapa no es el territorio: y este mapa está repleto dedistorsiones, generalizaciones y eliminaciones.
Evidentemente a nivel individual nuestro mapa nos puede ofrecer la posibilidad de no ver dificultades en donde sí las hay (recuerdas aquello de “como no sabía que era imposible, lo hizo”?)… pero también, y lamentablemente esto es mucho más frecuente, nos puede limitar, empobrecer, y restringir enormemente.
Para entender la brecha entre el Método Reiki y la mentalidad occidental, necesitamos tomar consciencia de este concepto del mapa de la realidad.
Internamente todos tenemos trazado un mapa de la realidad, con los colores de nuestras creencias, nuestros compromisos, nuestras fidelidades, nuestros esquemas culturales sociales, nuestros permisos… olas fronteras que estos ponen a nuestro desempeño en la Vida. Intentar salirnos de este mapa es algo que crea tensiones internas, y a veces externas, y normalente evitamos hacerlo. Y te voy a dar un ejemplo:
Cuando hablas de energía, de conexión espiritual, o de desarrollo interior con un occidental al que este tema le es ajeno, te mira con cara de no comprender lo que le dices. E incluso en algunos momentos, con algunas personas, puedes llegar a sentirte “rara” o a veces un poco “angustiada” o “incómoda”. Cuando esto ocurre has dado con un muro: el muro trazado por el mapa de la realidad de la otra persona.
Te pongo otro ejemplo más, mira: en mi casa mi mapa de la realidad era diferente al de los demás niños. En mi casa, como ya te he contado alguna otra vez, “eramos artistas”. Esto implica un modelo de la realidad diferente: era la década de los 70 y mi padre practicaba Yoga, Meditación Trascendental, hacía ayunos de varios días, leía sobre macrobiótica, arquetipos, psicoanálisis, poesía… componía música, publicaba libros: su modelo de la realidad era más abierto que el de la mayoría de las personas, y causaba ciertos niveles de asombro y admiración porque a veces salía en los periódicos o daba conciertos en grandes teatros.
Imagina entonces: para la gente del barrio éramos raros que te mueres. De hecho oí muchas veces decir a algunas personas que mi padre era muy raro. Ya lo sabes: las personas llamamos “raro” a todo lo que no está en nuestro mapa de la realidad… y los “raros” normalmente no lo hacemos, porque la normalidad de los otros sí que está incluída en nuestro mapa de la realidad.
Dicho esto ahora sí vamos a hablar sobre el Método Reiki.
El Método Reiki es un método de gestión de la energía, y de crecimiento personal y espiritual muy completo. Tiene implícitos muchos conceptos que los occidentales luego hemos considerado novedosos como el incosciente (individual y/o colectivo), una perspectiva vibracional de la realidad, o sencillamente una mentalidad fenomenológica.
Sin embargo en occidente la mayoría de las personas no asocian al Método Reiki en absoluto con un método: hablan de imposición de manos, para hacerlo encajar con su propio mapa de influencia judeocristiana de la realidad. Las personas dicen que una vez iniciada vas a canalizar “Reiki” por las manos (cosa incorrecta porque “Reiki” es el nombre de un método), y se oye con frecuencia asociar el Método Reiki con ángeles, guías, magia, tarot, adivinación… y cierto grado de superioridad espiritual de los iniciados.
También oyes a veces decir a la gente que otro “tiene Reiki” (porque ha hecho un curso) o que “ha terminado todo Reiki”… como si fuera realmente posible. Todo esto es exactamente lo que hacemos con nuestra carrera universitaria o profesional: pensamos que nos otorga una categoría superior en algún sentido. Lo cual muestra nuestra profunda carencia de significado, y nuestro enorme desorden.
Los orientales en cambio, y específicamente los japoneses… (y específicamente los japoneses del Japón de Usui) tenían una visión, un mapa de la realidad, muy diferente. Aún hoy, quedan rastros de esta miradaen esta cultura nada individualista, profundamente conectada (incluso los no iniciados) y fuertemente respetuosa y consciente delos demás, de los vínculos familiares, y de sus tradiciones.
Un japonés normalmente se sentirá dulcemente conmovido por nuestra tendencia al individualismo y a la omnipotencia: ellos son hondamente colectivistas y esto los hace muy considerados, en general, con su prójimo.
Desde este mapa de la realidad, que incluye todo y a todos en la medida de lo posible, es mucho más fácil comprender por qué el Método Reiki fue creado por un japonés, y no por un madrileño, por ejemplo. Sus prioridades son diferentes, y esto no es malo ni es bueno: sólo es lo que es. Ahora: si miramos los resultados, como yo lo veo en mi consulta día a día, quizás ellos se equivocan algo menos que nosotros.
El otro día Virginia Canal, que tuvo la oportunidad de viajar a Japón antes de conocernos nosotras ni conocer el Método Reiki, me decía que allí no hay psicólogos. ¿te lo puedes imaginar? Supongo que será posible estudiar psicología en Japón, no lo sé. Pero no parece que tenga mucha salida. ¿No es sorprendente? Está claro que algo hacen mejor que nosotros… porque la gente se encuentra mayormente bien. Con sus idas y venidas, supongo… pero bien.
Cuando el Método Reiki se puso de moda lo primero que se le retiró fue el nombre de “método”. Se lesimplificó, esoterizó, y trivializó para que los occidentales no se asustaran y pagaran con alegría los cursos. Un método es algo largo de aprender, requiere trabajo, humildad y paciencia. Y los occidentales queremos una sanación rápida y sin muchos compromisos. Y sobre todo que no duela.
Esto me recuerda a aquella viñeta sobre la iluminación que publicamos varias veces en la web deFacebook… ¿la recuerdas? Es esta mira:
Bien, bromas aparte: luego de muchos años de experiencia, para mi queda claro que intentar comprender el Método Reiki desde una mentalidad acelerada, esquemática y desconectada del aspecto espiritual de la realidad es una fantasía con la cometa. Necesitamos empezar por ser capaces de ver el mapa de la realidad de Usui, su creador.
Para reducir esta brecha y poder sacar el máximo provecho del Método Reiki, necesitas ampliar tu modelo de la realidad: reparar las distorsiones, reducir la generalizaciones y trazar los caminos que han sido eliminados.
Esto solamente se logra a través de comprensiones que retiren el velo sobre la parte de la realidad que no ves siguiendo tu propio mapa actual.
Y esto requiere una guía comprometida, un maestro que haya hecho este trabajo previamente, y un profundo compromiso personal con tu crecimiento y con tu sanación interior.
Y entonces a partir de este proceso, podrás acercarte al Método Reikiy recibir sus grandes beneficios en su totalidad.
Antes, sólo recibirás un juego llamado Reiki, que te permitirá presumir de algo que no comprendes, con actitud infantil, y con un mapa distorsionado y con borrones, que no te conducirá verdaderamente hacia ningún tesoro.
Suzanne Humphries, a once sought-after nephrologist based out of Maine, has dedicated the last decade of her career to searching for the truth about vaccine safety.
Her most recent book, Dissolving Illusions: Disease, Vaccines and the Forgotten History, is a telling and thorough collection of historical documents and research that paints a different picture of vaccine safety and efficacy than is commonly presented by pro-vaccine advocates.
In a recent lecture, Humphries explains how aluminum, a widely used vaccine adjuvant, poses a greater risk to the health of the public than once previously thought, especially in regards to vaccines being given to pregnant women.
“Even if vaccines can prevent some infections, considering what’s in them, there’s no way they can improve overall health,” Dr. Humphries says. “And now they want to give vaccines to pregnant women, which in addition to these animal cells and associated genetic material also have aluminum in them.”
What We Know About Aluminum
Aluminum is a known neurotoxin, and scientific evidence shows that it can play a significant role in neurological diseases, including dementia, autism, and Parkinson’s disease.
However, this is in contrast to what the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) vaccine education center had to say about aluminum back in 2013:
“Aluminum is considered to be an essential metal with quantities fluctuating naturally during normal cellular activity. It is found in all tissues and is also believed to play an important role in the development of a healthy fetus.“
This statement was reviewed by CHOP’s Chief of Infectious Diseases — the staunch vaccine advocate and vaccine patent holder Paul Offit, MD, who’s also notorious for claiming that an infant can theoretically tolerate 10,000 vaccines at once.
Here is another statement from CHOP about aluminum:
“Given the quantities of aluminum we are exposed to on a daily basis, the quantity of aluminum in vaccines is miniscule. Aluminum-containing vaccines have been used for decades and have been given to over one billion people without problem.“
But as Suzanne Humphries points out, eating and injecting aluminum are in no way the same things. When we ingest aluminum through various sources, we only absorb about 1 percent of it.
When injected intramuscularly, however, our bodies absorb close to 100% of the aluminum.
A 2010 study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found that breastfed infants receiving a full recommended schedule of immunizations showed an exceedingly high exposure of Al (225 to 1750 μg per dose) when compared with estimated levels absorbed from breast milk alone (2.0 μg).
A 2011 paper by Dr. Kawahara had the following to say about aluminum:
“Whilst being environmentally abundant, aluminum is not essential for life. On the contrary, aluminum is a widely recognized neurotoxin that inhibits more than 200 biologically important functions and causes various adverse effects in plants, animals and humans.”
How Aluminum Affects Our Body
Humphries points out that aluminum has a number of side-effects inside the body, which include:
DNA alterations, abnormal regulation of gene function, and gene expression interference.
It damages cell membranes, and causes your myelin — the insulating layer around your nerves — to stiffen and become dysfunctional.
By binding to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it affects your energy metabolism.
Increased vascular endothelial adhesiveness and increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Coagulation of proteins, which may alter their function.
Enhanced excitotoxicity in your brain, and increased brain inflammation.
As Dr. Humphries points out, molecular biologists have also clearly demonstrated that exposure to aluminum skews your immune system to the Th2, or antibody driven immune system, which drives allergic responses.
How Much Aluminum Are We Getting From Vaccines Today?
Like Dr. Mercola explains, mercury may be on its way out of vaccines, but the use of aluminum is on the rise.
“The number of aluminum-containing vaccines children receive today has quadrupled over the past 30 years. In the 1970s, children got only four aluminum-containing vaccines in their first 18 months of life, but now they typically receive 17.”
Similarly, in her lecture Dr. Humphries reveals the startling amount of aluminum a US child receives today compared to only a few decades prior,
“By the age of 18 months, that infant has already received 4,925 micrograms (mcg) of aluminum, 100 percent of which is absorbed since it’s given intramuscularly. In the 1980s the amount of aluminum you got when following the childhood vaccination schedule amounted to 1,120 mcg, and importantly, it was given in more mature babies, not newborns. Today, American children end up getting a grand total of 6,150 mcg of aluminum if they get all of their recommended vaccines.”
Humphries also explains how an oft-cited study used to “prove” the safety of aluminum exposure was actually very misleading.
To assess whether or not diet and vaccines in combination might result in dangerously high aluminum levels, the researchers looked at studies on rodents who ingested aluminum, and one study involving ONE healthy man with normal kidney function who received 0.7 mcg injected directly into his blood stream — a tiny fraction of what babies get. Aluminum received intravenously is much more easily handled than aluminum received intramuscularly.
The aluminum he got was also a less toxic form than that used in vaccines. Several vaccines which are on the childhood vaccine schedule were also left out of Dr. Keith’s theoretical risk calculation. Based on all this questionable data, it was concluded that between diet and vaccines, the aluminum burden children are exposed to is unlikely to do harm.
Another important and overlooked factor is that infants have reduced kidney function, and therefore cannot excrete heavy metals as efficiently as someone with more mature organs.
What Happens When Vaccine Adjuvants Meets Glyphosate
In a 2014 paper published in the journal Toxicology, Dr. Stephanie Seneff addresses the toxic effects of aluminum and another common adjuvant, glutamate, on biological systems and their dangerous capacity to form “toxic complexes” with other chemicals.
“Glutamate is toxic to autistic kids, because they don’t have enough manganese. So when that extra glutamate is injected in through the vaccine, it goes to the brain, because of the influence of glyphosate [the signature herbicide used by Monsanto]. Glyphosate actually opens up the barriers—the gut barrier and the brain barrier—to allow [toxins] to get in… The two are working synergistically… The glyphosate is depleting the manganese, which is causing the glutamate to be toxic, and the glyphosate is causing the glutamate to go into the brain…”
She also elaborates on the combination of aluminum and glyphosate,
“Glyphosate chelates aluminum, effectively ‘hiding’ the aluminum molecule inside the glyphosate molecule. When ‘caged’ within glyphosate in this way, the aluminum gets even easier access to sensitive areas because, as mentioned, glyphosate opens up your gut- and brain barriers.”
Why Haven’t The Dangers Of Aluminum Been Properly Addressed?
At the end of Dr. Humphries lecture, she addresses the big question: Why are we still using aluminum in vaccines if it is so dangerous?
Her response seems fitting,
“Assessment of the safety of aluminum in vaccines is important because replacement of aluminum compounds in currently licensed vaccines would necessitate the introduction of a completely new compound that would have to be investigated before licensing. No obvious candidates to replace aluminum are available, so withdrawal for safety reasons would severely affect the immunogenicity and protective effects of some currently licensed vaccines and threaten immunization programs worldwide.”
Check out Dr. Humphries’s informative lecture below.
What are you thoughts on aluminum in vaccines? Should there be a more concerted effort to study the long-term effects of early exposure to aluminum from injected vaccines?
Dr. Oz is no stranger to public controversy concerning his comments on GMO food, pesticides and the biotech industry. It appears that he is now the center of his biggest challenge yet. Having been adored by the mainstream since his show began in 2009, Dr. Oz is now facing his biggest attack to date. Days after running the now viral episode essentially denouncing Monsanto’s flagship product Glyphosate, a group of ten doctors are now publicly demanding Dr. Oz resign from a senior staff position he holds at Columbia University. However it has since been discovered that of these doctors, one has been convicted of medical fraud and over half have connections to The American Council on Science and Health, a discredited industry front group for the pesticide and herbicide industry.
Dr. Oz’s Moment Of Truth
Shortly after the call for Dr. Oz to step down from Columbia University, Dr. Oz released this statement on his Facebook page:
“I bring the public information that will help them on their path to be their best selves. We provide multiple points of view, including mine which is offered without conflict of interest. That doesn’t sit well with certain agendas which distort the facts. For example, I do not claim that GMO foods are dangerous, but believe that they should be labeled like they are in most countries around the world. I will address this on the show next week.”
To be fair, Dr. Oz usually plays it safe on the GMO issue by riding the fence, yet recently he has appeared to surrender to the evidence. He wrapped up his latest “Glyphosate” episode with a final thought commentary stating:
“This is a big debate everyone. Folks who make these products say ‘we need more data before you can make that statement (glyphosate is a possible carcinogen).’ I think it’s the opposite. Not enough research doesn’t mean its safe; it means we actually don’t know! And it’s upon us; it’s our obligation to figure it out before we start releasing it and exposing kids and others.”
Back in 2012, Dr. Oz tackled the topic of GMO’s on his show and concluded the episode with this final thought:
“Let me give you my bottom line if I can. You vote with your pocketbook three times a day. You can choose to buy foods with GMO’s or without them. And so, instead of waiting for data to derive your decision, you are going to have to decide the safest foods for your family on your own. Labels do exist on some products, choose them for now and as the debate follow along I think its worth keep your head in the game because it is going to be a quick-moving field.”
Since 2012, the public has followed Dr. Oz’s advice by voting with their pocketbooks causing Monsanto’s stock price to continually plummet. There is now a clear demand for non-GMO food in stores that exceed the demand for organic products. Adding to the momentum, the public witnessed the largest single worldwide protest against a company and their products in the 2014 March Against Monsanto. Finally, the public no longer has to wait for “data to derive your decision” thanks to the World Health Organization classifying glyphosate at a 2A carcinogen in the same category as HIV and HPV. Doctors, food manufacturers and individuals all hear the starting gun in the race away from biotech and are now inundating independent lab facilities to test their products, their patients, and themselves for traces of the possible carcinogen.
It appears Doctor Oz now faces the largest “moment of truth” of his career as a doctor and a public figure. The wiggle room is gone, having been replaced by a collective worldwide voice, relentless daily pocketbook voting, and data to further drive the final nail into the sealed GMO coffin. Commanding the increasingly educated audience Doctor Oz has patiently built, coupled with now megaviral attention, he stands on the precipice of greatness. A rare opportunity to be the voice of a generation that has been waiting for a mainstream public figure with integrity to say what we all already know.
No Double Standard for Oz
In closing, here is a short list of public figures that have far exceeded Dr. Oz in making, what his attackers call “disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine” in their public statements and actions. To date, none have been called out on their statements and actions by the mainstream press.
Bill Maher: “Obama said in 2007 we would label genetically modified foods which, by the way, Europe has this, China!….China which puts lead in baby food, or some S#@t like this. But we can’t have that in America; even though nine out of ten Americans would like foods to at least be labeled so at least we know they’re frankenfoods.”
Seema Mather of Medical Watch news: “Mercury based preservatives in vaccines may be associated with improved behavior and mental performance.”
Ann Coulter, shortly after the Fukushima multiple reactor meltdowns, the largest in nuclear disaster in history:
“There’s a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the governments says are the minimum amounts you should be exposed to, are actually good for you and reduce cases of cancer.”
Madeleine Albright in a 60 minutes interview regarding the death toll of U.S. sanctions on Iraq:
60 Minutes Interviewer: We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean that’s more than died in Hiroshima. Is the price worth it?
Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price, we think the price is worth it.
Dr. Nancy Snyderman “Look this is one time, forget the conspiracy, listen to our government agencies, these guys are telling the truth. You know, there’s no conspiracy here folks, just get your damn vaccine!” *Note: Shortly after this interview Dr. Synderman broke the government mandated quarantine she was placed under during the 2014 Ebola outbreak to purchase a bowl of soup from a local restaurant.
Given the restrictions and the level of control placed upon the disclosure of information when it comes to “credible” medical studies, it seems surprising that glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide on the planet, has been officially deemed a dangerous health hazard to human beings by the mainstream health community.
“Glyphosate currently has the highest global production volume of all herbicides. The largest use worldwide is in agriculture. The agricultural use of glyphosate has increased sharply since the development of crops that have been genetically modified to make them resistant to glyphosate. Glyphosate is also used in forestry, urban, and home applications. Glyphosate has been detected in the air during spraying, in water, and in food. The general population is exposed primarily through residence near sprayed areas, home use, and diet. and the level that has been observed is generally low.” (source)
A recently published study in what is considered to be one of the most (if not the most) credible medical journals of today, The Lancet Oncology, determined that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp pesticide, is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The study was published earlier this month, and was conducted by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. It analyzed data from studies that have been conducted on the chemical for the past couple of decades. (source)
“There is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals. On the basis of tumours in mice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans. A US EPA report and several more recent positive results conclude that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, although it gave negative results in tests using bacteria. One study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate formulations were sprayed nearby.” (source)
It’s the beginning of 2015, and after decades of research and warnings from hundreds of scientists all around the globe, why has it taken so long to officially acknowledge (in North America) that glyphosate is harmful? Billions of pounds of this stuff is sprayed every single year, and as mentioned above, it is commonly detected in air samples, water samples, in our food, and even in our urine. So again, why the delay?
Many professionals today have expressed their concern regarding the delay and manipulation of medical research. Despite the fact that these types of facts have been published for a number of years, Monsanto still maintains that they are safe, and a major health organization like the WHO, you would think, would have acknowledged the dangers associated with these herbicides many years ago.
As Dr. Marcia Angell (physician, author, former editor in chief of the NEJM) puts it, “It’s just not possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgement of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines.” Others point to the “revolving door” between Monsanto, the EPA, and the FDA, and the fact that corporations (like Monsanto) have their hand in dictating governmental policy. Regardless, the information is out there and it’s quite clear that glyphosate is harmful. (source)
What’s worse, the genetically modified crops have become even more resistant to their killers, resulting in increased use of herbicides each year and even providing Monsanto the justification it needs to produce newer and more deadly chemical mixes to combat the problem.
Monsanto’s Response
Monsanto is not at all happy about the study and they are requesting a retraction. In a press release, Chief Technology Officer Dr. Robb Fraley said that Monsanto is “outraged” and that “this conclusion is inconsistent with the decades of ongoing safety reviews by the leading regulatory authorities around the world that have concluded that all labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health.” (source)
More Research
The list of studies outlining the dangers associated with this herbicide is enormous, and explains exactly why multiple countries around the globe forbid its use. For example, Sri Lanka decided to completely ban glyphosate from their country out of concern that the chemical may be linked to a fatal kidney disease that could kill agricultural workers.
A new study that was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggests that Roundup, or glyphosate, becomes highly toxic to the kidney once mixed with “hard” water or metals like cadmium and arsenic. These metals often exist naturally in the soil or are added via the fertilizer.(source)(source)
“An investigation carried out by medical specialists and scientists has revealed that kidney disease was mainly caused by glyphosate. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the immediate removal of glyphosate from the local market soon after he was told of the contents of the report.” (source)
Here is a report by multiple researchers, scientists, and professors regarding glyphosate and birth defects. Here is the conclusion they came to:
“Our examination of the evidence leads us to the conclusion that the current approval of glyphosate and Roundup is deeply flawed and unreliable. In this report, we examine the industry studies and regulatory documents that led to the approval of glyphosate. We show that industry and regulators knew as long ago as the 1980′s and 1990′s that glyphosate causes malformation, but that information was not made public. We demonstrate how EU regulators reasoned their way from clear evidence of glyphosate’s teratogenicity in industry’s own studies to a conclusion that minimized these findings in the EU Commission’s final review report.”
It’s also important to note that much research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, as well as other important independent research, has linked (using the Bradford Hill Criteria, fairly strong in my opinion) glyphosate to autism, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more. (source)(source) (Please do your research, there are many sources for this claim, I’ve provided a few here and within the articles that are linked within this article)
A report coming out of Argentina explains how deaths from cancerous tumors have as much as doubled in areas where genetically modified (GM) crops are grown and agro-chemicals are used. You can read more about that and access the report here.
“There is evidence of high levels of genetic damage in people of Marcos Juarez, which may result from unintentional exposure to pesticides. ” – Fernando Manas, PhD National University of Rio Cuarto (source)
A study was published in November 2012 in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology, titled Long Term Toxicity of Roundup Herbicide and a Roundup-Tolerant genetically modified maize, by Gilles-Eric Seralini and his team of researchers at France’s Caen University. It was a very significant study that made a lot of noise worldwide, the first of its kind under controlled conditions that examined the possible effects of a GMO maize diet treated with Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide. After going through such a rigorous review process and remaining published for a long time, the study was retracted. Hundreds of scientists around the world condemned the retraction, and the study was then republished, updated, and all criticisms were answered.
The chronic toxicity study examined the health impacts on rats of eating commercialized genetically modified (GM) maize, alongside Monsanto’s NK603 glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup.
The study found severe liver and kidney damage, as well as hormonal disturbances, in rats fed with GM maize in conjunction with low levels of Roundup – levels that were below those permitted in most drinking water across Europe. Results also indicated high rates of large tumors and mortality in most treatment groups.
You can read more about this story, and access the studies here. And as you can see from the quote taken from the WHO/The Lancet, multiple studies in animal models have shown these dangers, as well as multiple studies using human cells. There is obviously cause for concern here.
To access and read about more studies linking agricultural pesticides (and more) to autism, click here.
Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago. From childhood cancers to autism, birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise. Our assessment of the latest science leaves little room for doubt; pesticides are one key driver of this sobering trend.” October 2012 report by Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) (source)(source)
There is a lot of information to support these claims, so hopefully this gets you off to a good start if you are interested in doing more research.
Yes, I know … this will sound pretty unpopular, but it can serve as a guide.
It’s not commonly known that, when it comes to assessing our health, looking to the toilet is often a good place to start – turning around to look and smell your own feces after spending some time on the toilet will give you a good indication of the state of your health.
The average person generates about five tonnes of stool in his or her lifetime, and again, by looking at the shape, size, colour, and more, a person might be able to learn a lot about their overall health and how their gastrointestinal tract is functioning. Looking at your feces can also provide insights into what diseases you may be carrying.
The Bristol Stool Chart
The Bristol Stool chart, classified as a “medical aid,” groups the characteristics of human feces into seven different categories. It was created by Lewis and Heaton at the University of Bristol and was originally published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 1997. It’s also commonly referred to as the “Meyers Scale.” (source)
This chart is used today as an effective tool to evaluate treatments for various diseases within the bowel, and it’s also considered a useful “clinical communication aid.” (source) (source)
Not to say that the chart does not come without criticism – the validity of it has been questioned before – but despite this fact it is still widely used and is believed to be an effective tool by many health professionals.
Here is the chart:
Healthy Stool
Medium to light brown
Smooth and soft, formed into one long shape, not separated into little pieces
About one to two inches in diameter and up to 18 inches long
S-shaped, which comes from the shape of your lower intestine
Quiet and gentle dive into the water, it should fall into the bowl with the slightest little “whoosh” sound, not a loud splash
Natural smell, not repulsive
Uniform texture
Sinks slowly
Unhealthy Stool
Stool that is hard to pass, painful, or requires straining
Hard lumps and pieces, or mushy and watery, or even pasty and difficult to clean off
Narrow, pencil-like, or ribbon-like stools: these can indicate a bowel obstruction or tumor – or worst case, colon cancer: narrow stools on an infrequency basis are not so concerning, but if they persist, this definitely warrant a call to your physician
Black, tarry stools or bright red stools may indicate bleeding in the GI tract; black stools can also come from certain medications, supplements, or consuming black licorice: if you have black, tarry stools, it’s best to be evaluated by your healthcare provider
White, pale, or gray stools may indicate a lack of bile, which may suggest a serious problem (hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatic disorders, or possibly a blocked bile duct), so this warrants a call to your physician; antacids may also produce white stool
Yellow stools may indicate giardianfection, a gallbladder problem, or a condition known as Gilbert’s syndrome – if you see this, call your doctor
Increased mucus in stool: this can be associated with an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis, or even colon cancer, especially if accompanied by blood or abdominal pain
Foul Smelling Stools
No stool is going to smell pleasant, but generally, healthy stools have a common (not too foul) odor that is familiar. Stools that have unusually bad smells may be due to various medical conditions such as (source):
Celiac disease
Crohn’s disease
Chronic pancreatitis
Cystic fibrosis
Intestinal infection
Malabsorption
Short bowel syndrome
For common causes of increased/decreased bowel frequency or diarrhea, you can click here.
How To Improve Your Bowel Movements And The Importance of Diet
Ever since the medical industry switched over to chemical-based medicine, all we see being used are pills and medicines to combat various diseases, with very little emphasis placed upon the importance of diet.
That being said, the modern day food industry itself is being questioned daily, with most of North American food being banned in other countries due to the high amount of harmful pesticides sprayed on them, combined with the fact that they are genetically modified. Science is now showing us that pesticide accumulation in the body is significantly (I emphasize “significantly”) higher when eating conventional foods compared to organic. You can read more about that here.
“Most gastrointestinal problems can be prevented or resolved by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. If you aren’t achieving poo perfection, or if you don’t feel right, then look at the following factors and consider making a few changes. These strategies will help reverse constipation or diarrhea, in addition to helping prevent recurrences.” – Dr. Joespeh Mercola
Dr. Mercola outlines some tips for improving your bowel movements:
Remove all sources of gluten from your diet (the most common sources are wheat, barley, rye, spelt and other grains)
Eat a diet that includes whole foods, rich in fresh, organic vegetables and fruits that provide good nutrients and fiber; most of your fiber should come from vegetables, not from grains
Avoid artificial sweeteners, excess sugar (especially fructose), chemical additives, MSG, excessive amounts of caffeine, and processed foods, as they are all detrimental to your gastrointestinal (and immune) function
Boost your intestinal flora by adding naturally fermented foods into your diet, such as sauerkraut, pickles, and kefir (if you tolerate dairy); add a probiotic supplement if you suspect you’re not getting enough beneficial bacteria from your diet alone
Try increasing your fiber intake; good options include psyllium and freshly ground organic flax seed (shoot for 35 grams of fiber per day)
Make sure you stay well hydrated with fresh, pure water
Get plenty of exercise daily
Avoid pharmaceutical drugs, such as pain killers like codeine or hydrocodone, which will slow your bowel function; antidepressants and antibiotics can cause a variety of GI disruptions as well
Address emotional challenges with tools like EFT
Consider squatting instead of sitting to move your bowels; squatting straightens your rectum, relaxes your puborectalis muscle and encourages the complete emptying of your bowel without straining. It has also been scientifically shown to relieve constipation and hemorrhoids.
Lyme disease, do you have it? If you did, you probably wouldn’t know – unless you’re one of the chronic sufferers that have had to visit over 30 doctors to get a proper diagnosis. Lyme disease tests are highly inaccurate, often inconclusive or indicating false negatives.
Why? Because this clever bacteria has found a way to dumb down the immune system and white blood cells so that it’s not detectable until treatment is initiated. To diagnose Lyme properly you must see a “Lyme Literate MD (LLMD),” however, more and more doctors are turning their backs on patients due to sheer fear of losing their practices! Insurance companies and the CDC will do whatever it takes to stop Chronic Lyme Disease from being diagnosed, treated, or widely recognized as an increasingly common issue.
Lyme is considered by the medical field to “only” transmit by way of a tick infected with bacteria. However, the CDC itself admits it is under-reported, and believes there are between 300,000 to half a million new cases each year.That makes Lyme disease almost twice as common as breast cancer and six times more common thanHIV/AIDS. Where are all of these new cases coming from? (It’s interesting to note that since Avril Lavigne recently went public with her Chronic Lyme Disease battle, mainstream news outlets like The Daily Mail have been mentioning Lyme can be transmitted by mosquitoes, too!)
When Lyme isn’t detected in the early stages, it becomes Chronic Lyme, a condition which the CDC and IDSA bothdeny even exists. They will continue to deny it, because if there’s one thing insurance companies hate, it’s chronic disorders they have to spend time and money treating. Therefore, a panel with ties to insurance companies gathered to write up official Lyme guidelines that assure patients are only allowed a few weeks of antibiotic treatment and are not to be diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease (even if clear symptoms persist and invade the nervous system). Over half of the panelists who wrote the IDSA Lyme guidelines announcing that Chronic Lyme is not real — including the panel chairman — have obvious conflicts of interest including financial interests in drug companies, diagnostic tests, and patents, as well as consulting agreements with insurance companies. Researchers and scientists with evidence in support of Chronic Lyme were intentionally excluded from the panel. Because of these unjust Lyme guidelines, insurance companies have the “right” to deny coverage for the treatment of long-term Lyme disease. Doctors have even lost their practices for successfully diagnosing and treating Chronic Lyme, as shown in the film Under Our Skin. In the case of Dr. Joseph Jemsek of North Carolina, he not only lost his license, but also his livelihood. Dr. Jemsek can no longer practice simply because he gave antibiotics to Chronic Lyme sufferers, and was then sued by BCBS for 100 million dollars, following which he had to declare bankruptcy. You can read his closing remarks to the NC Medical Board just before they pulled his licensehere.You can also watch his story in the documentary at the end of this post.
Busted – Big Pharma bucks taint the IDSA
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal investigated the IDSA panel members for possible violation of antitrust laws and conflicts of interest.
Of the 14 panel authors of the first edition guidelines: 6 of them or their universities held patents on Lyme or its co-infections, 4 received funding from Lyme or co-infection test kit manufacturers, 4 were paid by insurance companies to write Lyme policy guidelines or consult in Lyme legal cases, and 9 received money from Lyme disease vaccine manufacturers. Some of the authors were involved in more than one conflict of interest. (Source: ‘Under Our Skin‘[2008])
Study: Strong Evidence Of Sexual Transmission
The bacteria that causes Lyme disease is Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria known as a spirochete. The Lyme spirochete is a cousin to Treponema pallidum, the spirochete that causes syphilis.
Dr. Alan MacDonald, MD who appears in the documentary ‘Under Our Skin’ (2008), says in the film that he found found Borrelia (Lyme) DNA in 7 out of 10 postmortem Alzheimers patients’ brains. This makes perfect sense, since syphilis, its cousin, also invades the brain in tertiary or neurosyphilis. Dr. Klinghardt, MD (also quoted from ‘Under Our Skin’) stated that he’s “never had a single patient with Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis who tested negative for Borrelia.”
Dr. Alan MacDonald, MD talks about Lyme.
Why are so many people suffering from Lyme disease and its allegedly associated chronic disorders, such as Alzheimers and ALS? A new study suggests that just like its spirochete cousin that causes syphilis, Lyme disease may be sexually transmitted! The study was presented at the annual Western Regional Meeting of the American Federation for Medical Research, and an abstract of the research was published in the January issue of the Journal of Investigative Medicine.
The study — presented at the annual Western Regional Meeting of the American Federation for Medical Research — a collaborative effort by an international team of scientists — tested semen samples and vaginal secretions of three groups of patients to investigate whether passing Lyme disease to a partner through unprotected sex is a possibility. The study observed control subjects without evidence of Lyme disease, random subjects who tested positive for Lyme disease, and married heterosexual couples engaging in unprotected sex who tested positive for the disease. The presence of B. burgdorferi and identical strains of the bacterium were of particular interest to the researchers in unprotected sex in spouses.
The control subjects were found to test negative for the bacterium in semen samples or vaginal secretions, as expected by the researchers. The researchers found traces of B. burgdorferi in the vaginal secretions of all women with Lyme disease. In contrast, approximately half of the men with the disease tested positive for the bacterium in semen samples. In addition, one of the heterosexual couples with Lyme disease were found to have identical strains of the bacterium in their genital secretions.
One researcher in the study notes, “There is always some risk of getting Lyme disease from a tick bite in the woods.But there may be a bigger risk of getting Lyme disease in the bedroom.”
“Our findings will change the way Lyme disease is viewed by doctors and patients,” said Marianne Middelveen, lead author of the study. “It explains why the disease is more common than one would think if only ticks were involved in transmission.” But will this actually change the way Lyme disease is viewed? Or will the money funneled in by insurance companies and vaccine manufacturers continue to blind and corrupt the IDSA board members? When is enough, enough?
The study was a joint effort by a team of scientists which included dermatologists, molecular biologists, microbiologists, internists, and family practitioners. The most revealing aspect of the study, in my opinion, is the fact I mentioned earlier: one of the heterosexual couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their genital secretions. “The presence of the Lyme spirochete in genital secretions and identical strains in married couples strongly suggests that sexual transmission of the disease occurs,” said Dr. Mayne.
A North Carolina State University researcher has discovered that Bartonella (a common Lyme co-infection) can be passed to unborn babies, causing chronic infections and possibly birth defects. Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt and his research group tested blood and tissue samples taken over a period of years from a mother, father and son who had suffered chronic illnesses for over a decade. Autopsy samples from their daughter–the son’s twin who died shortly after birth–contained DNA evidence of B. henselae and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffi infection, which was also found in the other members of the family. Breitschwerdt’s research appears online in the April 14 Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
You can read a transcript of one of Breitschwerdt’s interviews on Bartonella here.
Multiple Strains Of Lyme?
In 2002, W.T. Harvey, an MD from Houston, began finding large numbers of chronically ill Borrelia burgdorferi PCR- and seropositive patients in the area around his home and practice. Houston, Texas is declared a zoonotically “non-endemic” area, so he set out to understand just how this epidemic was occurring. W.T. Harvey had no competing financial interest (as the CDC and IDSA do) and received no grants when writing his study on Lyme.
“In order to understand this finding prior to sufficient data availability, we chose to examine critically the currently accepted but troublesome ‘Lyme disease’ concepts,” Harvey’s study reads. “Our method was to analyze each foundation ‘Lyme disease’ premise within the context of available medical and veterinary literature, then to reconstruct the disease model consistent with the preponderance of that data. We find the present conceptualization of the illness seriously truncated, with a high likelihood of two distinct but connected forms of human B. burgdorferi infection. The yet-unrecognized form appears to have a broader clinical presentation, wider geographic distribution, and vastly greater prevalence. We conclude that ‘Lyme disease’ currently acknowledges only its zoonosis arm and is a limited conceptualization of a far more pervasive and unrecognized infection state that must be considered a global epidemic.”
Could You Have Lyme From Your Pets?
Suzy Cohen of suzycohen.com is a registered pharmacist and best-selling author. When she graduated from pharmacy school in 1989, she believed that medication was the answer to helping patients get healthy. When that didn’t always work, she began to do some serious research. In one article addressing the truth about Lyme, she writes:
“Most Lyme sufferers have pet cats and dogs, they are not aware that their pets gave it to them. But it happens like this, your pets go out into the yard to do their duty, and ticks jump on them, especially in May and June, their breeding season but any time of the year is possible. Your pet totes these ticks into your house and then you cuddle with your pet. The ticks get on you, and numb your skin. They are teeny tiny, about the size of a poppy seed and you’ll never know you got bit. They like every part of your body, but especially warmer areas, like armpits for example. You may never know. Sometimes the Lyme can happen from a cat scratch or bite. When I ask pet owners about their pets, they go into a bit of denial, because of the great love they have for pets. But you have to realize pets, for as delightful as they are, are tick taxis. If you have Lyme, and get bit again by your pet, you are potentially introducing new coinfections or re-innoculating yourself with more Lyme organisms. It explains why some people just can’t get well, or get setbacks even under treatment.”
Borrelia spirochetes have been found in the urine of infected dogs, among several other animals. Studies on micehave found that the spirochetes in urine remained viable for 18-24 hours and concluded that “[u]rine may provide a method for contact non-tick transmission of B. burgdorferi in natural rodent populations particularly during periods of nesting and/or breeding.” Evidence for direct contact transmission has been demonstrated in mice.These findings suggest that further research is needed to evaluate alternate methods of Lyme transmission, such as by the urine of infected animals to humans.
Conclusion & How To Learn More:
“Lyme is one of the many microbes that has entered our system. And I feel as a physician that things are getting to a degree that’s serious. We’re watching other mammals die out and just think, ‘well, I’m glad it’s not me.’ However, as our environment becomes increasingly polluted, so do our bodies. And then we grow bugs [parasites, pathogens] in us that are not compatible with human life anymore.”
– Dr. Klinghardt, MD, ‘Under Our Skin’ (2008).
As Dr. Klinghardt said, this is getting serious. Or as Dr. Harvey put it, this is an epidemic. These patients, along with solid science, are being purposefully ignored because IDSA panelists have been bribed and bought.
Could you have Lyme? I suspect I might after a series of flea bites in 2011, and I’m almost positive my mother has had it for a very long time. Her doctors are finally thinking the same. This is no shock to me; as Dr. Klinghardt stated above, Lyme is one of the many microbes that has entered our system. We are all exposed to pathogens and parasites on a daily basis, and are never taught anything about how to cleanse or maintain a largely uninhabitable inner environment (hint: a strong immune system)! In fact, I’m on my third parasite cleanse and still passing worms. What else are we housing that we don’t know about? Why is all of this information ignored?
Lyme presents itself in symptoms often misdiagnosed as Crohn’s Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ALS, MS, Alzheimer’s, Colitis, Encephalitis, Fibromyalgia, Fifth’s Disease, Arthritis, Cystitis, IBS, Lupus, Prostatitis, Psychiatric Disorders (bipolar, depression), Sjogren’s Syndrome, sleep disorders, thyroid disease, and more.
This is a long list, and the number of people who go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed altogether is staggering. As I said, Lyme and hundreds of other pathogens and parasites have taken up residence in our bodies. We have improved our outer practices of hygiene, yet have increased our sources of autointoxication: GMO foods, processed food-like products, overeating, fluoride in water, and chemicals in everything from household cleaners to plastics – just to name a few.
Please watch “Under Our Skin” to learn more about Chronic Lyme disease and how the medical industry continues to ignore this epidemic.
Cucumber. Even its name sounds cool, crisp, and refreshing! Not only are cucumbers delicious and nutritious, they are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, such as: vitamin K and C, some B vitamins, copper, potassium, and manganese, all of which can help revitalize your health! This squash is definitely something you want to incorporate into your diet as much as possible. You won’t regret it.
9 (Of Many) Amazing Benefits Of Cucumbers
1. Brain Protection
Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonal called fistein that has been shown to play a crucial role in promoting brain health. It is known to improve memory and even protect your nerve cells from declining due to aging, and fisetin has also been found to prevent learning and memory impairments in mice with alzheimer’s disease. (1)
2. Amazing Antioxidant Properties
Cucumbers are loaded with antioxidants, including vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol. (2) Quercetin is an antioxidant that has been shown to prevent histamine release, making it a natural antihistamine. Kaempferol can help fight cancer and lower your risk of heart disease.
3. Reduce Inflammation
Cucumbers can literally help “cool” the inflammatory response system in your body. Some studies conducted on animals found that cucumber extract helps to reduce unwanted inflammation partially by inhibiting activity or pro-inflammatory enzymes. (3)
4. Cancer Risk Reduction
Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans, which can help lower your risk of various cancers such as breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate. (4) They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins (great name) which also have anti-cancer properties! (5)
5. Digestive Assistant
Cucumbers are loaded with fiber and water, two of the most essential elements that are needed for optimal digestive health. Cucumbers may help to raise the stomach pH, which can assist with symptoms of acid reflux. Also, the skin on cucumbers contains insoluble fiber, which can add bulk to your stool, assisting food to move through your digestive tract quickly and thereby promoting healthy elimination.
6. Freshen Your Breath
If your breath is a little on the stinky side, you can freshen it up by placing a slice of cucumber on the roof of your mouth. This will help help rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to Ayurveda, eating cucumbers can also help to release any excess heat in your stomach, which is believed to be a primary cause of bad breath.
7. Stress Management
Cucumbers contain an assortment of B vitamins including vitamin B1, B5, and B7. B vitamins are known to help ease anxiety and reduce the damaging effects of stress.
8. Healthy Weight Management
Cucumbers are extremely low in calories, but extremely high in nutrients, so they make a filling and healthy snack. When cucumbers are digesting they dissolve into a gel-like texture which helps to slow down digestion, helping you feel full for longer. This is why fiber rich foods are great for weight management.
9. Heart Health
Because cucumbers contain potassium, they can assist with lowering blood pressure. Potassium is an electrolyte, and its functions assist with interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function.
If these are not enough reasons to start eating more cucumbers, then I guess you must really not like them! Be sure to get organic when possible. You can enjoy slices of cucumber in your water, juice it with other veggies, add it to your salad, and just eat it straight up! Its great in the summer, but can definitely be enjoyed all year round. Enjoy!
Because’s so Much Important that You Ever Thought, please, Check the Film.
Thank You. #PlanetEartOurHome.
Renewable energy meets the evolution of consciousness in an exciting new documentary! With a special internet release in time for Earth Day, The Future of Energy film is coming off a North American and Australian tour, and was a featured film of New York Climate Week.
I recently watched a newly released documentary called The Future of Energy, a film that is as much about consciousness as it is about solar panels and wind turbines. I connected with Theo Badashi, co-writer and host of the film, for an exclusive Earth Week interview to ask him about the relationships between consciousness, energy, and community empowerment.
You can watch The Future of Energy free right here.
Adrian: When most people think of solar panels they don’t immediately think of the evolution of consciousness, yet your film speaks directly to that correlation. How did your team make those connections?
Theo: We’re deeply interested in understanding how consciousness evolves, and how new phases of evolution are expressed in our culture through the systems and technologies we create. Though we set out to tell a story of how renewable energy can help solve the climate crisis, a bigger story naturally emerged, as it became clear that renewable energy is a physical reflection of a larger shift that is occurring.
Adrian: A lot of people appear to be experiencing the shift in consciousness that your film describes. Share with us how you’re experiencing it.
Theo: The fundamental shift that we see is a transformation of our deeper sense of identity, in which individuals and communities are moving out of the old Egoic Self, and into what many call a Planetary or Biospheric Self. Technology—when used with intention—allows us to engage with people and beings all over the world, and from that people are developing empathy for other cultures, other species, even eco-systems themselves. We’re experiencing a deeper connection with this delicate Web of Life, and creating societies in which the sacredness of all beings is at the center of our decisions and actions. This shift in identity transcends politics, culture, and spiritual beliefs. It appears to be a fundamental evolutionary impulse that is now coming into a new phase of existence.
Adrian: The film places social and ecological justice at the heart of this global shift. With so much concern about racial oppression and economic inequality in America and around the world, what role does renewable energy play in actually addressing some of these problems?
Theo: Ecologist Joanna Macy, who we feature in the film, refers to our current era as the time of the Great Turning, in which we move away from systems based upon oppression and death, to systems based upon justice, abundance, and life. Our entire economic system in America was founded upon the oppression of African Americans and Indigenous peoples, and we see that same oppressive consciousness imbedded within the currently dominant energy regimes. For a genuine revolution of consciousness to occur, it’s clear to us that it has to be founded on restorative healing, honesty, democracy, and community empowerment. Our film aims at showing how this new energy revolution is doing just that.
Adrian: Last question: Can you offer advice to those of us in the consciousness community about how we can help create larger global change?
Theo: One way to further this shift is for the Conscious Evolutionaries of the world to step forward and tell a better story than the one told by Industrial Culture, by embracing our roles as Evolutionary Story Tellers. Climate psychologist Per Espen Stoknes, in his book What We Think About Global Warming, tells us that we have to create stories that simultaneously speak to the heart and the mind. The big mistake most climate educators make is to just lay out a bunch of facts and hope it scares people into action. Studies show that fearful facts actually shut people down and stop them from taking action. What we need is vision from the heart.
Our role as Evolutionaries is to tell a New Story about the world we are creating: a story so beautiful that we wake up each day excited to build it and share it. As cosmologist Brian Swimme reminds us, this is a story 14 billion years in the making. It’s a story about the unfurling of Life and creativity, and about the awakening of a species to its evolutionary potentials. The more we share this story, the more this vision comes to life.
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The Future of Energy: Lateral Power to the People is an exciting new documentary created by Maximilian DeArmon, Missy Lahren, Brett Mazurek, and Theo Badashi. To watch it free online and find out ways you can help, visit TheFutureofEnergy.org
There are thousands, if not millions, of plants which boast amazing medicinal uses for almost any ailment that you can think of. Before reaching out for that prescription drug or cream, do your body a favour and look into some of these amazing natural alternatives first! The best part about healing in this natural way is that many plants and herbs can be grown yourself, or can be purchased in a higher potency essential oil form. There is also a much lower risk for potential side effects, provided you are not allergic to the plant in question. Here are the top 5 most underrated medicinal plants!
1. Ginger
Ginger is an amazing spice to cook with. Not only does it taste great (especially when paired with garlic), it has a whole bunch of amazing medicinal benefits. Ginger is very commonly known for its ability to quell nausea, but it also has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-parasitic properties, and is anti-inflammatory as well! These are just a few of the many amazing uses for ginger.
The anti-inflammatory effects make ginger an incredible supplement for joint pain, menstrual pain, migraines, and more. Ginger is also great for people who suffer from indigestion; it contains protein-digesting enzymes and assists with stimulating your stomach to empty its contents.
2. Peppermint
Peppermint has many benefits to the respiratory system, for coughs, colds asthma, allergies, and tuberculosis. Rubbing peppermint oil on the chest can assist with these things. Peppermint oil has also been known to work wonders on digestive health, especially those with IBS. Peppermint tea can ease abdominal pain associated with digestion and offers gas relief.
Peppermint leaves, tea, and oil are all very easy to find. It is also very easy to grow your own peppermint in your garden! An added bonus to this is that it smells lovely and helps to keep unwanted pests away.
3. Chamomile
Chamomile has long been admired for its ability to relieve stress and make you feel relaxed, but did you know that it has a wide array of other benefits as well? According to a government organization in Germany known as Commission E, chamomile has been approved for reducing swelling on the skin and fighting bacteria! It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and also has anti-bacterial, anti-allergenic, anti-spasmodic, and sedative properties. It has been used to treat various skin disorders such as: psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, diaper rash, and many others.
4. Thyme
Thyme is not only great for cooking, providing a wonderful flavor and aroma to your savory dishes, but it contains many beneficial flavonoids for your health! Some of these flavonoids include: apigen, naringen, and leteolin, along with thymonin, which as been shown to protect and increase the percentage of healthy fats found in cell membranes.
Thyme also contains many nutrients including vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, manganese, copper and dietary fiber.
Thyme oil also has a wide variety of topical uses including relief from problems of gout, bites, sores, arthritis, menstrual pain, nausea, fatigue, athletes foot and even hangovers! It is also a great oil for aromatherapy and can be used to strengthen memory and concentration, and calm the mind and nerves.
4. Lavender
I personally LOVE lavender! It has the most lovely, calming smell and it is my go-to oil for my bubble baths. Lavender oil has been used aroma-therapeutically to treat such conditions as: insomnia, depression, stress, and restlessness.
Lavender oil has been known to fight antifungal-resistant skin and nail infections. It can also be used to: relieve muscle and joint pain, treat skin disorders like acne, psoriasis, and eczema, soothe insect bites, kill lice and nits, boost hair growth, improve digestion, alleviate various respiratory disorders, and more.
Entre las muchas interferencias con que las personas se ven obligadas a elegir entre huir o atacar… el fantasma del miedo es uno de los más acuciantes. Y entre los más inmovilizadores está este miedo a no valer, que afecta de tal modo el paisaje interno y el cuadro de creencias, que condena a la persona que lo padece a un dolor creciente y amargo. ¿Cómo podemos deshacernos de este miedo tan tóxico?El miedo a no valer, a no poder, a no ser suficiente es un miedo que conocemos desde niños. Cuando eres pequeña hay muchas fronteras que no puedes cruzar: algunas porque es físicamente imposible (alcanzar la lata de las galletas) y otras porque forman parte de lo que la familia ha señalado como inapropiado (decir tacos o escarbarse la nariz). Esto forma parte del proceso normal de colaboración paterna para ayudar al niño en su adaptación a la sociedad y los niveles de frustración que esto conlleva.
Shanti by Samantha Basso 