Day: 08/30/2015

40 Amazing Uses for Aloe Vera!

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Aloe is a plant originally from Africa. The long, green leaves contain aloe gel and a sticky yellow residue called latex.

The gel is the part of the aloe plant used most commonly, both topically and orally. Aloe latex (also known as drug aloe) contains anthraquinone gycosides, constituents that have strong laxative effects, so it is rarely found in commercial laxative products.

 

the spiky, green gem has a rich history of various cultures and personalities who used the plant’s moist middle in a plethora of practical uses. Like Cleopatra who applied the gel to her body as part of her beauty regimen, the ancient Greeks who used it to cure everything from baldness to insomnia to the Native Americans who called aloe vera the “Wand of the Heaven.”

It doesn’t hurt that aloe vera produces at least six natural antiseptics, which are able to kill mold, bacteria, funguses, and viruses. In fact, the plant is so powerful that researchers and scientists are looking into its potential as an AIDS and cancer-fighter.

From all-around health elixirs to simple beauty aids, learn about the various ways to put your little plant to maximal use after splitting the leaves lengthwise down the middle.

40 Ways To Use Aloe Vera

Topical Aloe Uses

1. Pamper yourself to a soothing body rub. Slice aloe leaves lengthwise and use the inner sides as a biodegradable body scrub in the shower.

2. Treat burns from minor mishaps in the kitchen—from grease splatters or hot utensils.

3. For more major kitchen mishaps like a scald, mix some aloe gel and vitamin E oil into a little jar for a homemade burn healer.

4. Banish black and blue bruises by swapping on the good goo.

5. Soothe and heal sunburns the feel-good way. Aloe contains cooling properties similar to menthol.

6. Take the sting or itch out of insect bites.

7. Reduce tissue damage from frostbite.

8. Alleviate mysterious rashes.

9. Make feet baby soft with an exfoliating foot mask by mixing together a half cup of oatmeal, a half cup of corn meal, four tbsp. of aloe vera gel and a half cup of unscented body lotion.

10. Help heal herpes outbreaks.

11. Fight Athlete’s Foot.

12. Swab over blisters for quick relief.

13. Use as an antidote to allergic skin reactions.

14. Replace creams and lotions as a general moisturizer for dry skin. Aloe is fast absorbing!

15. Prevent pesky pimples and treat acne.

16. Soothe Psoriasis.

17. Prevent scarring and stretch marks.

18. Help rid of Rosacea.

19. Shrink warts.

20. Reverse signs of aging skin and wrinkles. Cleopatra did!

21. Help eliminate Eczema.

22. Brighten skin. Aloe can decrease pigmentation and dark spots.

23. Make skin new again with an exfoliating, organic sugar scrub by mixing together two tbsp. of aloe vera, 2 tbsp. of organic brown sugar and 1 tsp. of organic lemon juice.

24. For rougher patches mix together an organic salt skin scrub using two cups of sea salt, one cup of aloe vera, one cup of organic coconut oil and two tbsp. of local, organic honey.

25. Speed up hair growth by massaging aloe into the scalp, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and rinsing.

26. Reduce hair dandruff by mixing aloe vera juice with coconut milk and wheat germ oil. Massage into scalp and rinse.

27. Replace aloe with conditioner for silkier, smoother hair.

28. Remove eye makeup.

29. Treat minor vaginal irritations.

29. Treat minor vaginal irritations.

30. Drink aloe vera juice to relieve gastrointestinal disorders like indigestion

31. Sip it to aid in elimination. Many times, it’s recommended for its laxative effects.

32. Take a swig to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome including bloating and discomfort.

33. Take aloe orally to relieve heartburn, arthritis and rheumatism pain.

34. Boil leaves in a pan of water and breathe in the vapor to alleviate asthma.

35. Drink to lower blood sugar levels—especially for diabetics.

36. Strengthen gums and promote strong, healthy teeth by taking orally or use toothpaste with aloe vera ingredients.

37. Drink to help ease congestion, stomach ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, urinary tract infections and prostate problems.

38. Take orally to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides for a healthy heart.

39. Sip to minimize inflammation and infection of the eye and ear.

40. Toast to its general detoxifier and health boosting qualities!

Constituents

Aloe vera contains: anthraquinone glycosides, resins, polysaccharides, sterols, gelonins, chromones.

Usual dosage

Dosage of the herbal remedy made from aloe can differ for one disorder to another, and depends on the person as well, taking one 50-200 mg capsule of the aloe latex a day for a treatment period of ten days can aid in alleviating constipation in the person. The stabilized aloe gel can be applied topically for the treatment of minor burns, the gel can be used as a topical cream to be applied along the affected area of the skin three to five times daily for the treatment of all external injuries in affected individuals. A professional and qualified health care worker must be consulted before any attempt is made to treat more serious burns on the skin using the aloe gel alone. The preferred dose of the aloe vera gel by most people is, for internal purposes, about 30 ml of the aloe gel taken thrice daily during the entire length of the treatment.

Side effects and cautions

The topical use of the aloe gel for treatment purposes is essentially harmless for most people, with the rare exception of individuals who may have some allergic reaction to the aloe. While the aloe is safe to use for minor burns, it must be remembered that medical attention is necessary and vital if the burn begins to blisters significantly or is severe in appearance – the appearance of the burn will give you a good indication of the severity of the burn on the skin. Caution is required as the use of the aloe gel can actually impede or complicate the healing of the wound in some types of severe burns and wounds; medical attention is required for such cases. In addition, the aloe based laxative remedies must also be used in moderation, as prolonged utilization of the remedy for over ten consecutive days, can result in uncomfortable aggravation of the constipation, at the same time, continual use of the laxative can bring on dependency to the aloe – these situations must be avoided at all costs. Medical attention may in fact become necessary if the constipation affecting the person shows no sign of relief within a few days of treatment using the aloe laxative – the cause of the constipation may be different and the origin of the problem may in fact be internal.

Common names

  • Aloes
  • Aloe Vera
  • Barbados Aloe
  • Curacao Aloe
  • Kumari
  • Lu Hui

Borderline Personality Disorder: ‘I couldn’t deal with the rollercoaster in my head’.

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The majority of those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder are women but still so few people understand what it is. Sarah Graham reports

Shyness, bereavement and eccentric behaviour could be classed as a mental illness under new guidelines, leaving millions of people at risk of being diagnosed as having a psychiatric disorder, experts fear.

Borderline Personality Disorder – which is, perhaps more helpfully, also known as Emotionally Unstable or Emotional Regulation Personality Disorder – is a relatively rare mental health condition

Mental health has never been so high on the agenda. Both Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have made it a key part of their election campaigns, and we’re getting used to famous figures like Stephen Fry and Ruby Wax speaking openly about depression, anxiety and bipolar.

But there’s one condition, which mainly affects women, that you rarely hear a whisper of: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). I’d never even heard of it until last year, when one of my best friends took an overdose and ended up on a mental health ward.

Lottie was 24 when she was diagnosed with BPD; talking about it a year on, she tells me: “At the time, I was adamant about ending my life. I couldn’t deal with the rollercoaster in my head; I always felt like I never truly belonged, like my friends and relatives would have been better off without me.” It’s not an easy thing to hear, as a friend, but I know it must be an even harder feeling to live with.

Borderline Personality Disorder – which is, perhaps more helpfully, also known as Emotionally Unstable or Emotional Regulation Personality Disorder – is a relatively rare mental health condition, affecting around one per cent of the population, but 75 per cent of those with the diagnosis are women.

Put simply, BPD is characterised by emotional instability, unstable relationships, and impulsive behaviour – but no, it’s not even close to the way you jokingly describe your 20s.

As it stands, there’s so little public awareness of the condition that Lottie tells me it’s often easier to tell people she has depression or bipolar. “When people hear anything about a disordered personality, or emotional instability, they assume you’re this volatile person who is a danger to society,” she explains.

“On many occasions I’ve said it’s just depression, or not told friends or family at all, in case they thought I was weird. I know people [with BPD] who don’t disclose anything about their mental health due to the stigma. Many people haven’t even told their parents.”

To be diagnosed, you have to fulfil at least five of the nine criteria for BPD. These traits can include intense mood swings, an overwhelming fear of being alone, an impulse to self-harm or act recklessly, and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. They are persistent, often beginning during the sufferer’s teenage years, and have a profound, distressing impact on their life.

Families and friends can struggle

Given their extreme sensitivity to these symptoms, it’s hardly surprising that the behaviour of people with BPD may at times be clingy, jealous, or self-destructive – like constantly phoning someone; sudden, angry outbursts; drug and alcohol abuse; or unsafe sex. BPD can co-exist with depression, anxiety, bipolar, eating disorders or self-harm, and an estimated 60-70 per cent of people with BPD will attempt suicide.

Their behaviour can be extreme but, in reality, women with BPD are not the volatile, untreatable monsters they fear they will be judged as. Lottie is still the warm, loving friend she’s always been, and she’s come a long way thanks to the brilliant, supportive therapist who helps her manage the condition.

Despite this, I’ve also seen first hand how quickly her mood can still nosedive at times; I’ve found her self-destructive behaviour confusing and upsetting, and I sometimes find myself not knowing what to say or do to help. “A lot of families and friends struggle with the same things,” Imi tells me. “They may feel frustrated or helpless, or not understand their friend’s self-harming or impulsive habits.”

She explains the formula that she teaches families in her therapeutic practice: Support, Empathy and Truth. “As a rule of thumb, always start by validating the other person’s feelings – you don’t have to agree with the behaviour to do that, you can just empathise with the feelings, because there are no right or wrong feelings,” she explains. “Then, when they feel that you’re on their side, you can point out your version of the truth.”

It’s the elephant in the room

She adds: “If you live with someone with BPD, take care of yourself too, and make sure you work out a crisis plan – expand your support network, have the number of their GP and the local A&E, and make use of existing resources and organisations like Emergence.”

I ask Lottie the same question, and her answer is beautifully simple: “Speak to them about it. Let them tell you what it’s like to be in their head for the day. Don’t judge or jump to conclusions, and make sure it’s done on their terms, at their own pace. We just need support.”

Having these conversations is so crucial for women with BPD. With eight years of experience working with the condition, Imi firmly believes that stigma remains “the elephant in the room” when it comes to BPD, often rooted in ignorance and misconceptions.

“There are a lot of words that I find really unacceptable being thrown around when it comes to BPD, not only by the general public but actually in the psychiatric field itself,” she says. “I often hear things like manipulative, attention seeking – those are the worst – and then there’s over-reactive, drama queen, and so on.”

They’re words Lottie is also all too familiar with; she’s heard them from friends and health professionals alike. “It’s one of the biggest misconceptions, but we are not attention seekers,” she says. “We struggle more than we ever let on. The last thing we want is to sit in A&E or in a police cell under section 136. We don’t do this for fun. We fight a battle in our heads every single day, even with a smile on our faces.”

Magnets can help ‘reset’ depressed brains, study finds .

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Researchers have shown that non-invasive magnetic pulses can reset unhealthy activity in a region of the brain known to be overactive in patients with depression.

The technique is known as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and has been shown to treat persistent depression, as well as boost people’s memories, aid Parkinson’s sufferers, and help stroke patients to speak again. But this is the first time researchers have shown exactly how it works on a neurological level, and the results are pretty impressive.

“We found that one session of TMS modifies the connectivity of large-scale brain networks, particularly the right anterior insula, which is a key area in depression,” lead scientist Sarina Iwabuchi, from the University of Nottingham in the UK, told the European College of Neuropsychology at a conference in Amsterdam, where the research was presented.

The right anterior insula is part of the prefrontal cortex, and overactivity in the region is linked to excessive rumination, self-absorption and impaired attention in depressed patients. But after delivering powerful magnetic pulses directly to this area in 16 healthy controls and 16 patients with major depressive disorder, the study showed that TMS could slow the activity in this region down in those with depression.

Even better is the fact that TMS is drug-free and painless – the only known side effect is the occasional headache. The technique simply requires a device to be applied to a patient’s head. But even though TMS was approved for limited use in the treatment of depression by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008, it’s still not widely used.

This is the first study to guide TMS pulses with functional MRI scans, and then measure the changes it produced in the brain, and the results suggest that the treatment may offer a much-needed alternative for the one-third of patients who don’t respond to traditional medications such as Lexapro and Prozac.

Currently these patients are recommended to try electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or electric shock therapy as it’s sometimes known, which can be effective but requires anaesthesia and has been associated with side effects such as memory loss. A more targeted form of short electric pulses has been shown to be far gentler, but still requires patients to go under general anaesthetic and several treatment sessions. Scientists also still don’t really quite understand how ECT works.

TMS on the other hand doesn’t require any medication and appears to begin working after just one session. Importantly, this new study outlines the neurological changes that appear to be driving the positive results.

Of course, there are some big limits to this research, not least of all its small sample size. It also doesn’t provide evidence on how long-lasting these neurological changes are. But it’s been 30 years since we had a truly new treatment for depression, and so the research provides some much-needed hope for patients and their families.

“These findings are an exciting step in understanding how targeting the brain activity with magnetic stimulation may exert beneficial effects in the treatment of depression,” Catherine Harmer, a neuroscientist from the University of Oxford who wasn’t involved in the study told Amy Ellis Nutt over at TheWashington Post on behalf of the European College of Neuropsychology. “TMS techniques are still evolving … This kind of experimental medicine study is therefore essential for the improved personalisation and treatment of depression in the future.”

The Relation Between the Moon and the Human Mind

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Every thing around us has an effect on something within us – be it our exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVR), looking at the morning sky, taking a walk in the forest, or swimming in the sea – nature’s beauty prompts the flow of hormones and energy in our body. But not everything that’s present in nature is fundamentally good for human beings. The Moon, romanticised by poets and artists since ages, has a series of negative effects on the human mind, scientifically and spiritually. Several scientists and research institutions have conducted experiments over the years to study the effect of moon and full moon nights on the human mind and behaviour. Moon, Conscious and Sub-Conscious According to Quantum Physics, everything in the Universe – stars, planets, satellites or even the moon has an operating frequency. The frequency emanated by the moon affects the frequency of the mind that exerts control over our feelings, emotions and desires. The mind, which consists of conscious and sub-conscious mind, reacts to the standing and positioning of the moon in the sky. Neuroscience has recognized that the subconscious controls 95% of our lives.

chandra-asthami

Sub-conscious mind is the collective storehouse of impressions, memories and thoughts accumulated over the years and lifetime and it has a higher operating frequency in comparison to that of the moon. One needs constructive thinking and observatory skills to get into the realms of the sub-conscious mind. The moon frequencies have the power to make the thought frequencies in our sub-conscious mind to surface to the conscious mind. Since our sub-conscious mind consists of unnecessary and necessary, positive and negative imprints, their combined rise to the conscious mind, can leave us feeling exasperated, crazy and mindless. Moon, Tides and Human body Moon is the reason for tides on earth, as due to its gravitational pull the volatile objects (water) on earth tend to get disturbed. Aristotle and Roman historian Pliny the Elder suggested that the brain was the “moistest” organ in the body. Scientist went further on this line of thought and suggested that since the human body is made up of 80% water, it could be possible that moon does influence human’s state of mind and behaviour. However, to each research that proves the same, there is a contradictory research denying the same. But, there is concrete evidence that the moon affects human sleep patterns. The evidence was published based on the experiment where 33 adult volunteers (of both sexes) of different age groups were made to sleep for several nights in a sleep lab. Researchers studied and observed the volunteers’ brain activity, eye movements and hormone levels. Gradually, it was found out that on the nights closer to moon days, volunteers took an average of five minutes longer to fall asleep, and slept overall 20 minutes lesser than their usual sleeping hours. Additionally, melatonin (hormone that helps in regulating sleep cycle) level had dropped compared to other nights hence proving the fact that people are prone to insomnia during full moon nights. Practitioners of Ashtanga yoga, a traditional vigorous yoga style that is almost thousand years old, are asked to avoid doing yoga on moon days: full moon and new moon. The reason for the same is that one exhibits too much energy on full moon days, which might lead to injury and fracture in the body. It is, thus, advised, to indulge in   activities that calms the mind, for example — meditation. Countering the influence of the Moon In order to not let the moon vibrancies take over you, be vigilant about your own vibrations. Be watchful of your behaviour, impulses and thoughts on moon days. Since, new moon asks a part of your unconscious to rise up, you can use this as an opportunity to cleanse your mind off those thoughts which tend to bother and disturb you. New moon energy can be used in our favour if we choose to harness that energy to reflect and create a better self. Image sources and References A Database on Research of Human Behaviour with Regards to the Full Moon Moon and Mind Moon and sleep Spirituality and moon Effect of Moon How the moon messes with your sleep

Read more at: http://fractalenlightenment.com/29465/issues/the-relation-between-the-moon-and-the-human-mind | FractalEnlightenment.com

Fear Is Part of Your Intelligence

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When fear comes, what to do?

Why should you ask to do anything? When there is fear, be afraid! Why create a duality? When moments of fear come be fearful, tremble with fear, allow fear to take possession. Why this constant inquiry: What to do? Can’t you allow life in any way to take possession of you?

When love takes possession, what to do? Be loving! Don’t do anything — allow love to take possession of you. When fear comes tremble like a leaf in a strong wind. And it will be beautiful. When it has gone you will feel so serene and calm, as when a strong storm passes by everything is still afterwards. Why always fight something?

Fear comes — it is natural, absolutely natural. To think of a person who is without fear is impossible because he will be dead. Then somebody will be honking the horn on the road and a man without fear will go on, he will not bother. Then a snake will be on the path and a man without fear will not bother, he will go on. A man without fear will be absolutely foolish and stupid.

FEAR CHILD

Fear is part of your intelligence; nothing wrong in it.

“Allow fear. Only one thing is to be understood: when you allow fear and you tremble, watch it, enjoy it, and in that watching you will transcend it.”

Fear simply shows there is death; and we human beings are here only for a few moments. That trembling says that we are not going to be permanently here, we are not eternally here; a few days more and you will be gone.

In fact because of fear man has been in deep search of religion; otherwise there would have been no point. No animal is religious because no animal is in fear.

No animal can be religious because no animals can be aware of death. Man is aware of death. Death is there at every moment, it surrounds you from everywhere. Any moment you will be gone; that makes you tremble! But again the ego says: “No, you, afraid? No, this is not for you, this is for cowards. You are a brave man.”

It is not for cowards. Allow fear. Only one thing is to be understood: when you allow fear and you tremble, watch it, enjoy it, and in that watching you will transcend it. You will see the body is trembling, you will see the mind is trembling but you will come to feel a point within you, a deep centre which remains unaffected. The storm passes by but somewhere deep within you is a centre that is untouched: the centre of the cyclone.

Allow fear, don’t fight it. Watch what is happening. Go on watching. As your watching eye becomes more penetrating and intense, the body will be trembling, the mind will be trembling, but deep within you will be consciousness, which simply is a witness, which only watches. It remains untouched, like a lotus flower in water. Only when you attain that will you attain fearlessness.

But that fearlessness is not being unafraid. That fearlessness is not bravery. That fearlessness is a realisation that you are two — a part of you that will die and a part of you that is eternal. That part which is going to die is going to remain always afraid. And the part that is not going to die, which is immortal — for it there is no point in being afraid. Then a deep harmony exists.

You can use fear for meditation. Use all that you have for meditation so that you go beyond.

Biohackers gear up for genome editing

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Biohackers such as Johan Sosa are exploring the creative potential of molecular biology.

A complete lack of formal scientific training has not kept Johan Sosa from dabbling with one of the most powerful molecular-biology tools to come along in decades.

Sosa has already used CRISPR, a three-year-old technology that makes targeted modifications to DNA, in test-tube experiments. Next week, he hopes to try the method in yeast and, later, in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

Hailed for its simplicity and versatility, CRISPR allows scientists to make specific changes to a gene’s sequence more easily than ever before. Researchers have used CRISPR to edit genes in everything from bacteria to human embryos; the technique holds the potential to erase genetic defects from family pedigrees plagued by inherited disease, treat cancer in unprecedented ways or grow human organs in pigs. One researcher has even proposed modifying the elephant genome to produce a cold-adapted replica of the long-extinct woolly mammoth.

Such feats are beyond the reach of do-it-yourself (DIY) ‘biohackers’, a growing community of amateur biologists who often work in community laboratories, which typically charge a recurring fee for access to equipment and supplies. But CRISPR itself is not. Driven by an inventive spirit that inspires them to fiddle with yeast to alter the flavour of beer, build art installations out of bacteria or pursue serious basic-research questions, these amateurs cannot wait to try the technique.

“It’s, like, the most amazing tool ever,” says Andreas Stürmer, a biohacker and entrepreneur who lives in Dublin. “You could do it in your own home.”

Sosa is an IT consultant from San Jose, California, who took up biohacking as a hobby about three years ago, when he decided that he would like to grow organs — or maybe other body parts — in the lab. At first, he had no idea how unrealistic that goal was. “I just thought you take a bunch of stem cells and add stuff to them,” he says.

The challenge of manipulating living cells sank in as he began to read molecular-biology textbooks, attend seminars and teach himself laboratory techniques. He joined the BioCurious community lab in Sunnyvale, California.

Sosa is not quite sure what he will do with CRISPR once he has mastered it. He might participate in a group effort at BioCurious to engineer yeast to produce casein, a protein found in milk, as a step towards making vegan cheese. That could involve using CRISPR to learn how proteins are chemically modified in different types of yeast. “Now we have this ability to do what the major labs have been doing all this time,” he says. “It’s very exciting.”

Artist Georg Tremmel, a research fellow in biological-data visualization at the University of Tokyo, has clear plans for CRISPR. He and his collaborators plan to ‘de-engineer’ genetically modified blue carnations sold in Japan by snipping out the inserted gene that turns the flower blue, thus reverting it to its ‘natural’, white state. They want audiences to ponder whether these doubly modified carnations should be deemed any different from unengineered plants with essentially the same genome.

So far, the hardest part of the project has not been using CRISPR, but growing the carnations in cell culture, Tremmel says. Another challenge will be getting permission to exhibit the work: although the blue carnations have been approved for sale in Japan, the de-engineered white carnations may need regulatory approval before they can be taken out of a laboratory.

In addition to its creative possibilities, CRISPR also poses potential for mischief. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bioterrorism Protection Team has painstakingly forged relationships with the biohacker community over the past few years and regularly reminds its members to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Those concerns may be unnecessary, says Todd Kuiken, who studies science policy at the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington DC. Most biohackers have benign goals, he says, such as creating rainbow-coloured bacteria or brewing distinctive beer.

There is also a tendency to overestimate what a typical DIY biologist can do, Kuiken adds. Reagents such as enzymes and antibodies are expensive, molecular-biology experiments are time-consuming and equipment that professional scientists take for granted is often beyond the means of individuals or community labs. And most community labs insist that their members work only with organisms that require the lowest level of biosafety precautions, which leaves human cells and most pathogens off the menu. In some parts of Europe, genetic engineering is illegal outside of professional facilities.

Given the constraints of a DIY lab, many hobbyists resort to CRISPR only when they need an extremely precise change to the genome, says Keoni Gandall, a 16-year-old biohacker and science-fair champion from Huntington Beach, California, who has been working with polymerase chain reaction machines and centrifuges at home for about three years. So far, Gandall has used CRISPR only while volunteering in a local university lab. “It’s pretty good,” he says.

One of the biggest fears surrounding CRISPR is that it could be used to create a genetic modification designed to spread through a population of organisms at an unnaturally fast rate. But Dan Wright, an environmental lawyer and DIY biohacker in Los Angeles, California, thinks that such a scenario is still beyond the ability of most amateurs. Constructing such a system would surpass the relatively simple tweaks that he and his colleagues are contemplating.

“It’s too difficult,” Wright says. “Just knocking out a gene in one plant is enough of a challenge for a biohacker space at this point.”

The Fluoride Deception Continues as US Gov Ignores Fluoride’s Role as an Endocrine Disruptor

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In 2012 more than 67 percent of Americans received fluoridated water,[1]and of those, more than 11 million people were gettingfluoride at or above the “optimal” level of 0.7-1.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L), according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Then, in April this year, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that this “optimal” level of fluoride, recommended since 1962, had in fact been set too high, resulting in 40 percent of American teens showing signs of overexposure[2]-a condition known as dental fluorosis.

So, for the first time in nearly 55 years, the US government lowered its recommended level of fluoride in drinking water[3][4][5] to a maximum of 0.7 mg/L. The question is, will this new level protect everyone from overexposure?

Considering the fact that virtually all Americans get fluoride from other sources such as toothpaste, dental rinses, processed foods, and beverages, and the fact that fluoride accumulates in your body over time, chances are this lower level will still pose a health risk for many.

The first public experiment was allowed to continue for more than half a century before a re-evaluation of the dosage was done. Now, we’ll have to wait another decade before they try to determine whether 0.7 mg/L is really “optimal” or not.

Remember, fluoride is a toxic drug administered without prescription or dosage control, so really, the optimal dosage of fluoride in water is actually zero…

Fluoride Is a Toxic Drug Dispensed Without Prescription or Dosage Control

Fluoride is added to drinking water in an albeit futile attempt to prevent a disease (tooth decay), and as such becomes a medicine by FDA definition—and like most other drugs, there may be side effects.

The severity of those side effects depends on your age, size/weight, health status, and of course the amount of water you consume.

While proponents claim water fluoridation is no different than adding vitamin D to milk, fluoride is not an essential nutrient that many are deficient in, which is the case with vitamin D. Moreover, fluoride isn’t even approved by the FDA for the prevention of cavities!

What’s worse, it’s quite obvious that when you add fluoride to drinking water, you cannot control the dose that people are getting, and this alone is one of the reasons why fluoride should not be added to drinking water at any level.

Doing so can have significant consequences, but the health effects are largely hidden in the general disease statistics, since none of the US agencies promoting fluoridation are tracking and correlating the health outcomes of fluoride exposure.

What Happens to the Fluoride in Your Body?

Approximately 98 percent of the fluoride you consume is absorbed into your blood through your gastrointestinal tract. From there, it enters your body’s tissues.

On average, about 50 percent of the fluoride you ingest each day gets excreted through your kidneys, so kidney function is another important factor when it comes to the build-up of fluoride and its potentially toxic effects. The remainder accumulates in your teeth and bones,[6] pineal gland,[7] and other tissues—including your blood vessels, where it can contribute to calcification.

According to a 500-page long scientific review[8]by the National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC), published in 2006, fluoride is an endocrine disruptor that can affect your thyroid function[9] and even your blood sugar levels.

British researchers recently warned that 15,000 Britons may be needlessly afflicted with hypothyroidism as a result of drinking fluoridated water.[10] Thyroid dysfunction is also rampant in the US,[11] so from a public health standpoint, it makes no sense whatsoever to medicate the entire population with a drug that can either induce or exacerbate this condition.

Even more disturbing, 43 human studies[12] have linked moderately high fluoride exposures with reduced IQ in children, and over 100 animal studies have linked it to brain damage.

Recent research[13] has also linked water fluoridation with higher prevalence of ADHD. Using a predictive model, the researchers show that every one percent increase in the portion of the US population drinking fluoridated water in 1992 was associated with 67,000 additional cases of ADHD 11 years later, and an additional 131,000 cases 19 years later.

HHS Ignores Fact that Fluoride Is an Endocrine Disruptor

Despite massive amounts of evidence of harm, US health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) insist that water fluoridation has but one documented risk—dental fluorosis. And they claim dental fluorosis is primarily a cosmetic detriment.[14]

This ignores the fundamental fact that dental fluorosis is simply the most visibleform of fluorosis. If your teeth are being damaged, you may actually be suffering fluoride damage in areas you cannot see as well, such as your bones and internal organs.

In at least one previous study, bone fracture rates rose sharply with increasing severity ofdental fluorosis, indicating that dental fluorosis may in fact be an outward sign of damage occurring inside the body.

According to Fluoride Action Network[15] (FAN), the HHS whitewashed a number of safety issues when finalizing its new fluoride recommendation, including the impact fluoride has on intelligence.

Besides the 43 studies showing water fluoridation lowers IQ, a number of studies[16][17][18][19] have specifically shown that children who have moderate or severe dental fluorosis score lower on tests measuring cognitive skills and IQ.

This suggests that if 40 percent of our kids have dental fluorosis, water fluoridation is likely affecting our children’s IQ as well.

Another key factor ignored by the HHS is that fluoride is an endocrine disruptor—a finding reported for the first time in the NRC’s 2006 report.[20] Endocrine disruptors have the potential to disrupt the biology of both humans and animals, and this is certainly far more significant than severe dental fluorosis!

To learn more about why water fluoridation runs counter to good science, common sense, and the public good, please see the following video, which recounts 10 important fluoride facts. I also strongly encourage you to watch the featured interview with Christopher Bryson to get a clear understanding of the true history of water fluoridation.

Water Fluoridation Was Invented to Solve an Industrial Pollution Problem

Christopher Bryson, an award-winning journalist and former radio producer at the BBC, wrote the book: The Fluoride Deception. Both the book and the interview featured above were published in 2004. The book is based on nearly a decade’s worth of research, and it reveals how fluoride—a toxic byproduct of the aluminum industry—ended up being added to drinking water as a dental prophylactic. The commonly repeated history of how water fluoridation came to be states that the practice was spurred on by research from the 1930s, which found that people who drank water containing higher levels ofnaturally-occurring fluoride tended to have less severe tooth decay.

The real story, however, reveals fluoridation was little more than a well-orchestrated PR stunt, designed to sell an inconveniently toxic reality to an unsuspecting public. In his book, Bryson describes the deeply intertwined interests that existed in the 1940s and ’50s between the aluminum industry, the US nuclear weapons program, and the dental industry, which resulted in toxic fluoride being declared not only safe, but beneficial to human health. Prior to 1945 when communal water fluoridation in the US took effect, fluoride was in fact known as a protoplasmic poison that alters the permeability of the cell membrane by affecting certain enzymes.[21]

A 1936 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association stated that fluoride at the 1 part per million (ppm) concentration is as toxic as arsenic and lead. An editorial published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, October 1, 1944, stated: “Drinking water containing as little as 1.2 ppm fluoride will cause developmental disturbances.

We cannot run the risk of producing such serious systemic disturbances. The potentialities for harm outweigh those for good.” Such warnings were not heeded, and today we have even more evidence confirming these conclusions were in fact correct. One of the men responsible for quenching the resistance against water fluoridation was Harold Hodge, who headed up the toxicology department at the University of Rochester.

Back in 1957, Harold Hodge was the nation’s leading, most trusted scientist, and buried within declassified files of the Manhattan Project and the Atomic Energy Commission, Bryson found proof showing Hodge was tasked with producing medical information about fluoride that could help defend the government against lawsuits over fluoride pollution—an increasingly expensive and legally sensitive problem. Courtesy of his rank and reputation, when Hodge declared fluoride “absolutely safe” at 1 ppm, people believed him, and the naysayers were dismissed.

The Importance of Understanding Water Fluoridation Within Its Historical Context

Once you understand that the endorsement of fluoride as a dental health prophylactic arose from the need to address increasingly debilitating political and industrial problems relating to fluoride pollution, it becomes easier to see why the US government cannot backpedal and admit the whole thing was a scam. In his 2012 article “Poison is Treatment—Edward Bernays and the Campaign to Fluoridate America,[22] James F. Tracy boldly reveals the PR campaign that created this fake public health measure:

“The wide-scale US acceptance of fluoride-related compounds in drinking water and a wide variety of consumer products over the past half century is a textbook case of social engineering orchestrated by Sigmund Freud’s nephew and the ‘father of public relations’ Edward L. Bernays,” he writes. “The episode is instructive, for it suggests the tremendous capacity of powerful interests to reshape the social environment, thereby prompting individuals to unwarily think and act in ways that are often harmful to themselves and their loved ones.”

It’s unrealistic to believe the government will admit to orchestrating such a scheme, as there may be significant legal ramifications. For this reason, getting water fluoridation abolished has proven to be exceedingly difficult. One successful strategy has been to hold those making claims—and the elected officials who rely on them—accountable for producing proof that the specific fluoridation chemical being used fulfills their health and safety claims, and is in compliance with all regulations, laws, and risk assessments already required for safe drinking water.

For example, a few years ago, a Tennessee town stopped adding the hydrofluosilicic acid fluoride product they had been using, while still keeping its resolution to fluoridate its water supplies intact (meaning they didn’t make a decision on whether it might be harmful). They just haven’t been able to find a replacement product that is compliant with existing laws, regulations and safe-water requirements, and they will not add any fluoride product that is not in compliance. To learn more, please see this previous article, which discusses these strategies more in-depth.

Quantum mechanics 101: Demystifying tough physics in 4 easy lessons

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QUANTUM

Ready to level up your working knowledge of quantum mechanics? Check out these four TED-Ed Lessons written by Chad Orzel, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College and author of How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog.

1. Particles and waves: The central mystery of quantum mechanics

One of the most amazing facts in physics is that everything in the universe, from light to electrons to atoms, behaves like both a particle and a wave at the same time. But how did physicists arrive at this mind-boggling conclusion? In this lesson, Orzel recounts the string of scientists who built on each other’s discoveries to arrive at this ‘central mystery’ of quantum mechanics.

2. Schrödinger’s cat: A thought experiment in quantum mechanics

Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger, one of the founders of quantum mechanics, posed this famous question: If you put a cat in a sealed box with a device that has a 50% chance of killing the cat in the next hour, what will be the state of the cat when that time is up? Orzel investigates this thought experiment.

 

3. Einstein’s brilliant mistake: Entangled states

When you think about Einstein and physics, E=mc^2 is probably the first thing that comes to mind. But one of his greatest contributions to the field actually came in the form of an odd philosophical footnote in a 1935 paper he co-wrote — which ended up being wrong. Here, Orzel details Einstein’s “EPR” paper and its insights on the strange phenomena of entangled states.

 

4. What is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that you can never simultaneously know the exact position and the exact speed of an object. Why not? Because everything in the universe behaves like both a particle and a wave at the same time. In his final lesson, Orzel navigates this complex concept of quantum physics.

Being Single And Happy.

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Long Story Short

The stereotype of the lonely singleton is over. A new study has shown thatbeing single and happy is just a matter of whether or not you’re anxious of conflicts with other people.

Fine Living: Being Single And Happy

Long Story

Single people often joke that they’re happy to be free of the drama, arguments and passive aggressiveness that comes with relationships.

Smug couples assume that this is just the cover-up single people use when what they really mean is: “Having to always make my own cups of tea and waking up spooning my duvet every morning is making me genuinely fear that I’ll die alone”.

There have been endless studies telling us that couples are happier than singles. But now, single people officially have permission to be the smug ones, because research gathered from over 4,000 New Zealanders hasfinally proven otherwise.

“It’s a well-documented finding that single people tend to be less happy compared to those in a relationship, but that may not be true for everyone,” said the study’s lead researcher Yuthika Girme.

The study found that people with high “avoidance social goals” – in other words, people who hate conflict and confrontation and try to avoid it all costs – were just as happy being single as other participants who were in a relationship and the frequent battles that come with that.

According to the study, published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, this could be because being single could remove some the anxiety people with these high avoidance social goals experience whenarguing with their other half.

But before you go and cancel that date and throw out your razor: it’s not all good news for singletons, unfortunately. The single people who took part in the study that weren’t bothered at all about conflict reported to be less happier than their coupled-up counterparts.

So the lesson we can draw from this is that if you’re not bothered about blazing rows over who last took the bin out, you’re happier in a relationship. If you’d rather scratch out your own eyes than ask your girlfriend to move over onto her side of the bed – keep the bed to yourself.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question: What about people who have a chronic fear of sharing food? Are they happier alone, too?

Disrupt Your Feed: The desire to avoid an argument at all costs is engrained in the British way of life. Does this mean most of us are happier single?

Drop This Fact: The most common cause for arguments among couples is money.

Thyroid Hormone Toxicity .

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Iodine is absorbed from the GI tract and is transferred to the thyroid gland where oxidization and incorporation into tyrosyl residues of thyroglobulin occurs. Tyrosine is further oxidized to form monoiodotyrosine (MIT) and diiodotyrosine (DIT). The combination of 2 molecules of DIT forms thyroxine (T4). Triiodothyronine (T3) is made by the combination of MIT and DIT and by the monodeiodination of T4 in the periphery.

T3 is 4 times more active than the more abundant T4. The half-life of T4 is 5-7 days; the half-life of T3 is only 1 day. Approximately 99% of the circulating thyroid hormone is bound to plasma protein and is metabolized primarily by the liver.

Levels of thyroid hormones in the serum are tightly regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH) is secreted by the hypothalamus, and stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. Mature TSH reaches the thyroid gland and stimulates thyroid hormone production and release. The main hormone secreted from the thyroid gland is T4, which is converted to T3 by deiodinase in the peripheral organs. Secreted thyroid hormone reaches the hypothalamus and the pituitary, where it inhibits production and secretion of TRH and TSH, thereby establishing the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis.[1]

The most common thyroid hormone used clinically is levothyroxine (LT4), which is available in intravenously and orally administered forms to treat hypothyroidism and myxedema coma. Usual dosage ranges from 25-500 mcg/d. The higher doses can be used intravenously to treat myxedema coma.

Pathophysiology

Pharmacokinetics

Oral absorption of thyroid hormone can be erratic (T4 up to 80%; T3 up to 95%) and decreases with age. The time for peak serum levels is 2-4 hours. The onset of action for oral administration is 3-5 days and 6-8 hours for IV administration. Thyroid hormone is more than 99% protein-bound, and it is hepatically metabolized to triiodothyronine (the active form). Half-life elimination varies from 6-7 days for euthyroid, 9-10 days for hypothyroid, and 3-4 days for hyperthyroid states. It is excreted in both urine and feces, and this also decreases with age.

Mechanism

Levothyroxine’s delayed onset of toxicity is thought to be secondary to the delay in conversion of T4 to T3 and the distribution of T3 into tissues. As a result, symptoms may be delayed, developing anyway from 6 hours to 11 days after ingestion. If the ingested preparation contains T3, clinical symptoms may begin within 24 hours of ingestion. Mixtures of T4 and T3 can have immediate and delayed clinical effects. Thus, symptoms can occur anywhere from 6 hours to 11 days after ingestion.

Mechanism of toxicity involves stimulation of the cardiovascular (CV), GI, and neurologic systems through presumed activation of the adrenergic system. Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, the metabolic effects of thyroid hormone are thought to be mediated by the control of DNA transcription and protein synthesis. Thyroid hormone is integral to the regulation of normal metabolism, growth, and development. It promotes gluconeogenesis, controls the mobilization and utilization of glycogen stores, increases the basal metabolic rate, and increases protein synthesis at a cellular level.

United States

According to the Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System, in 2008, 13,005 exposures to thyroid hormone preparations were documented; of the total listed, 9,006 were single substance exposures. The breakdown by age for single substance exposures is as follows; 5,026 were associated with children younger than 6 years; 554 were associated with persons aged 6-19 years; and 2,957 were associated with those aged older than 19 years. Overall, 3 major adverse outcomes and no deaths were reported.[2]

Race

No scientific data demonstrate that outcomes following a toxic thyroid hormone ingestion are based on race.

Sex

No scientific data demonstrate that outcomes following a toxic thyroid hormone ingestion are based on sex.

Age

Inadvertent excessive thyroid hormone ingestion occurs primarily in pediatric patients.

History

Access to thyroid hormone, especially in pediatric or unknown ingestions, is important.

Physical

Focus the physical examination on findings consistent with symptoms of increased adrenergic activity and on the following signs:

  • Acute

    • Abdominal pain
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea
    • Increased appetite
    • Insomnia
    • Anxiousness
    • Agitation
    • Tremor
    • Seizures
    • Weakness
    • Diaphoresis
    • Tachycardia
    • Palpitations
    • Hypertension or hypotension
    • Hyperpyrexia/heat intolerance
    • Confusion
    • Psychosis
    • Hypoglycemia
    • Skin flushing
    • Transient systolic ejection murmurs
    • Pulmonary edema
    • Adrenal insufficiency
  • Chronic

    • Weight loss
    • Menstrual irregularities
    • Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
    • High-output left ventricular failure
    • Hypotension
    • Hemiparesis
    • Delirium
    • Coma
    • Pneumonia
    • Sepsis
    • Hyperthermia
    • Acute renal failure
    • Myopathy
    • Palmar and plantar desquamation
    • Premature epiphyseal closure in children
    • Craniosynostosis (infants)

    Causes

    Long-term abuse of thyroid supplements has been reported in obese patients as a method of weight control.

    Differential Diagnoses

    Laboratory Studies

    See the list below:

    • Most asymptomatic patients do not require diagnostic testing, especially very early after exposure.
    • The following tests are indicated in symptomatic patients:

      • Complete blood count
      • Electrolytes (eg, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous)
      • Urinalysis
      • Serum acetaminophen level (in patients with intentional exposures and suicidal ideations)
      • Arterial blood gas (ABG)
      • T3, T4, and T3 resin uptake (RU) levels may be sent 2-6 hours postingestion; however, remember the following:
        • These levels offer no aid in the acute phase of clinical management.
        • These levels are of no value in determining prognosis.

      Prehospital Care

       

      • Prehospital management includes gathering evidence of ingestion, administration of charcoal in alert patients with an exposure of more than 5 mg of thyroxine, a full initial assessment, oxygen, and intravenous access as necessary.

      Emergency Department Care

      See the list below:

      • If the ingestion is 0.5 mg (500 mcg) or less, discharge the patient home because no gastric decontamination is indicated.[3]
      • Most unintentional exposures could be treated with no decontamination, prudent follow up and observation at home, especially if calculated dose is below 4 mg (4,000 mcg).[4]

        • Phone follow up should be conducted up to 10 days after exposure.
        • Unintentional exposures in excess of 5 mg (5,000 mcg) of thyroxine may benefit from administration of activated charcoal.
        • Intentional massive exposures in excess of 10 mg (10,000 mcg) that present early (within an hour) may benefit from more aggressive decontamination, including gastric lavage, and subsequent administration of activated charcoal.
        • Patients with massive exposures or ingestion of T3-containing preparations should be admitted in anticipation of pending toxicity.
      • Admit all symptomatic patients and place them on cardiac monitoring.
      • Symptomatic patients require correction of dehydration and control of hyperthermia.
      • Important treatment points:

        • Ipecac syrup is no longer recommended for home or hospital treatment.
        • Asymptomatic patients should not be treated empirically with beta-blockers.
        • Chronic overdose—withdraw drug.
        • Use acetaminophen for fever control; aspirin is contraindicated because it displaces T4 from thyroid-binding globulin (TBG), increasing free T4.
        • Because of the delayed conversion to T3 and distribution to tissues, patients must be observed and managed for a longer period of time, especially with large overdoses.
        • The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis will return to normal in 6-8 weeks.

        GI decontaminant

        Class Summary

        Empirically used to minimize systemic absorption of the toxin. May only benefit if administered within 1-2 h of ingestion.

        Emergency treatment in poisoning caused by drugs and chemicals. Network of pores present in activated charcoal adsorbs 100-1000 mg of drug per gram of charcoal. Does not dissolve in water.

        Most useful if used within 4 h of ingestion. Repeated doses may be used, particularly with ingestions of sustained-released agents. May repeat dose q4h at 0.5 g/kg. Alternate with and without cathartic, if used.

        Cardiovascular agents

        Class Summary

        Beta-blockers are administered to counteract the increase in adrenergic activity and treat serious tachyarrhythmias.

        Propranolol (Inderal)

        Noncardioselective beta-blocker, widely available. DOC in treating cardiac arrhythmias resulting from hyperthyroidism. Controls cardiac and psychomotor manifestations within minutes.

        Important added benefit is the inhibition of peripheral conversion of T4 to T3.

        Esmolol (Brevibloc)

        A short-acting IV cardioselective beta-adrenergic blocker with no membrane depressant activity. Intravenous agent with half-life of 8 min, which allows for titration to effect and quick discontinuation prn.

        Thyroid agents

        Class Summary

        Thyroid agents are administered to prevent peripheral conversion of T4 to T3.

        The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had added a boxed warning, the strongest warning issued by the FDA, to the prescribing information for propylthiouracil. The boxed warning emphasizes the risk for severe liver injury and acute liver failure, some of which have been fatal. The boxed warning also states that propylthiouracil should be reserved for use in those who cannot tolerate other treatments such as methimazole, radioactive iodine, or surgery.

        The decision to include a boxed warning was based on the FDA’s review of postmarketing safety reports and meetings held with the American Thyroid Association, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the pediatric endocrine clinical community.

        The FDA has identified 32 cases (22 adult and 10 pediatric) of serious liver injury associated with propylthiouracil (PTU). Of the adults, 12 deaths and 5 liver transplants occurred, and among the pediatric patients, 1 death and 6 liver transplants occurred. PTU is indicated for hyperthyroidism due to Graves disease. These reports suggest an increased risk for liver toxicity with PTU compared with methimazole. Serious liver injury has been identified with methimazole in 5 cases (3 resulting in death).

        PTU is considered as a second-line drug therapy, except in patients who are allergic or intolerant to methimazole, or for women who are in the first trimester of pregnancy. Rare cases of embryopathy, including aplasia cutis, have been reported with methimazole during pregnancy. The FDA recommends the following criteria be considered for prescribing PTU.

        For more information, see the FDA Safety Alert.[5]

        – Reserve PTU use during first trimester of pregnancy, or in patients who are allergic to or intolerant of methimazole.

        – Closely monitor PTU therapy for signs and symptoms of liver injury, especially during the first 6 months after initiation of therapy.

        – For suspected liver injury, promptly discontinue PTU therapy and evaluate for evidence of liver injury and provide supportive care.

        – PTU should not be used in pediatric patients unless the patient is allergic to or intolerant of methimazole, and no other treatment options are available.

        – Counsel patients to promptly contact their health care provider for the following signs or symptoms: fatigue, weakness, vague abdominal pain, loss of appetite, itching, easy bruising, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.

        Propylthiouracil (Propyl-Thyracil)

        Derivative of thiourea that inhibits organification of iodine by thyroid gland. Blocks oxidation of iodine in thyroid gland, thereby, inhibiting thyroid hormone synthesis; inhibits T4 to T3 conversion.

        Inpatient Care

        See the list below:

        • Inpatient admission is warranted for symptomatic patients. Because symptoms generally revolve around cardiovascular problems, admit to a cardiac monitored bed while appropriate beta-blockade, IV hydration, and control of agitation and hyperthermia are achieved.

        Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

        See the list below:

        • Patients most frequently are treated on an outpatient basis if good follow-up can be guaranteed and psychiatric evaluation is not required. When symptoms develop, beta-blockade may be initiated and titrated to response.

        Prognosis

        See the list below:

        • Significant toxicity with acute ingestions is rare.
        • Serious toxicity is more commonly observed with chronic ingestions of large amounts of T4 than with other thyroid hormone ingestions.