Information on popular complementary and alternative medical topics

This is essential as we become more experienced in mental exercises. The aim is more complete relaxation of the mind. When we are in comfortable positions the relaxation of our mind comes largely from the feeling of bodily comfort. When we achieve this relaxation in situations of physical discomfort, the relaxation comes from the mind itself. This is what we aim to achieve.

We can practise in positions of varying discomfort according to our taste and the degree to which we have mastered the exercises. When we can do it well lying on the floor, we can try lying with a few pebbles under our back in the region of the shoulder blades. When we can do this, we are immediately aware of the much greater relaxation of our mind, and we soon notice that the relaxation remains with us for increasing periods in our everyday life.

In the sitting position we can put a small clip on the skin of our arm. We immediately relax deeply so as to avoid the feeling of discomfort. This soon passes off, and we come to feel a very complete relaxation of our mind. Young people can practise in the cross-legged, squatting position, and maintain a sufficient degree of discomfort by pulling their legs under their buttocks as the yogis do.

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What not to eat is, perhaps, even more important that what to eat when planning a program of vital nutrition.

First and foremost, white sugar and all foods made with it should be totally excluded. Ice cream, candies, sodas, pastries, cakes, cookies, pies, sugared desserts—all must go. The astronomical use of refined white sugar and sugar syrups in the American diet is, to my mind, the greatest health-destroying factor causing the deplorable health condition of the nation.

Coffee, tea, and chocolate drinks, as well as all soft drinks, should be omitted and replaced by wholesome herb drinks and fruit juices. Health food stores carry a wide assortment of delicious herb teas: peppermint, alfalfa, camomile, rose hips, mate, white clover, fenugreek, etc. There you can also acquire a vegetable and fruit juicer, which will make it possible to squeeze fresh juices in your own home.

Salt and all sharp, irritating spices, such as white pepper, mustard, black pepper, etc. must be excluded. When you get accustomed to eating fresh, raw fruits and vegetables you will soon find that they taste delectable even without any seasoning. Even steamed vegetables and baked potatoes taste excellent without salt. This is also true with whole grain breads and cereals. If seasoning for salads or cooked dishes is desired, onions, garlic, dill, sage, watercress, paprika, red chili, and many other herb flavorings will give you a wide variety of choice. Kelp, powdered or granulated, can serve as a salt substitute for a beginner. This seaweed product has a mild, salty taste and could be added to various dishes. Of course, sufferers of arthritis should use a great amount of kelp as a food supplement—it is an extremely beneficial biological therapeutic agent in arthritis.

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Occasionally, a single, generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) or generalized absence (petit mal) seizure may be prolonged (lasting more than 30 minutes) or the seizures may follow each other in rapid succession without full recovery between each one. When this happens, it is called status epilepticus. There are a number of different types of status epilepticus, the most common are:

convulsive status — prolonged tonic-clonic seizure

non-convulsive status — repeated myoclonic seizures

(non-convulsive means that — prolonged absence seizure

there are no jerks or abnormal — prolonged complex partial seizure

movements)

epilepsia partialis continua — continuous twitching of

one arm/leg

(this is rare) or one side of the face, or both.

The EEG is not usually helpful in convulsive status, but may be extremely valuable in

non-convulsive status. In this type of status, the diagnosis of epilepsy may not be immediately obvious. The patients may just appear confused or bewildered, with some inappropriate behaviour. An EEG recorded at this time will confirm the diagnosis.

Convulsive status epilepticus is a medical emergency which requires prompt treatment. When a convulsion is prolonged, or a patient does not recover fully between seizures there is a danger that a lack of an adequate oxygen supply to the brain may cause brain damage. There is also the risk of vomiting with aspiration of the vomit into the lungs. Although rare, patients may die in status epilepticus.

The longer the patient has been in status epilepticus, the harder it is to stop it.

Treatment consists of giving a fast-acting anti-epileptic drug as quickly as possible. This is usually given into a vein, or if this is difficult (which may be the case in young children), into the rectum. The most commonly used drug is diazepam (also called Valium, Diazemuls, or in a rectal tube preparation, Stesolid). Stesolid may be given by parents at home. This is useful as it means that treatment can be given early and before waiting for a doctor to arrive, or for the child to be taken to hospital. Other drugs that are sometimes used include lorazepam (Ativan), chlormethiazole (Heminevrin), and paraldehyde. This drug is usually given via the rectum but may, rarely be administered as an intramuscular injection into the buttocks. Paraldehyde is a very effective anticonvulsant but its main disadvantage is its unpleasant smell.

If the first dose of either diazepam, lorazepam, or paraldehyde does not terminate the status, then a second dose may be given. If this is not successful then the patient must be treated more urgently, and admitted to the intensive care unit. This is because the suppression of the seizure may require such considerable amounts of drugs that normal breathing may also be suppressed. In this situation, patients may require ventilator-assisted respiration, and intensive nursing. The longer-acting drugs which are most commonly used include phenytoin and phenobarbitone. They are usually given by a ‘drip’ intravenously to ensure that they work quickly. As the seizure comes under control, drugs can be given again by mouth.

Once the patient has recovered and is stable, any factors which may have caused the status epilepticus must be identified to try and prevent a recurrence. In many situations, this will involve a review of the usual oral anti-epileptic medication, and ensuring that patients take their medication regularly.

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The sciatic nerves radiate down the buttocks and legs. Strains, sprains, pinched nerves and arthritis can send awful pains shooting along these nerves or even persist to a paralysing degree. The slightest movement can sometimes generate feelings like a knife has been plunged into the area.

Back pains are the second leading cause of doctor visits for adults over 45 years of age. If they’re caused by arthritis or chronic inflammation in the back or spine, CMO is very likely to help.

As we have discussed in great detail in earlier parts of this book, CMO will almost always correct the problems that cause neck, back, leg, knee, and foot pains. That also holds true for ankylosing spondylitis and the chronic inflammation caused by injured or dislocated spinal disks. In some cases, though, surgery may be necessary to correct some structural defects or injuries.

But surgery isn’t always the answer — at least not all by itself. One retired man was still suffering miserably despite seven back surgeries, including the insertion of a steel plate in his neck, before he found out about CMO. He also had numbness and large arthritic knobs on several of his fingers. His doctor told him they were caused by bone spurs and suggested injecting them with steroids or removing them surgically.

His back pains were so terrible he was getting nerve block injections just about every month to help control the pain. X-rays and scans revealed the existence of a large number of bone spurs. The doctors were now recommending even more surgery.

One bottle of CMO capsules reduced his pain and he has found no need for more nerve block injections. He finds that aspirin is now enough. He plans to take another set of CMO capsules to try for even better results. The knobs on his fingers are disappearing, and a throbbing in his hands that used to keep him up all night is gone completely. He no longer feels any need for surgery.

There have been thousands of similar cases, some worse, some less severe, and just about all have achieved complete or nearly complete recovery. It would take several volumes just to include a representative sample. Suffice it to say that virtually all chronic neck, back, leg, knee, and foot pain problems can be helped with CMO.

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Signs and symptoms

The diagnosis of poisoning depends primarily upon knowing what the child has eaten or drunk. Otherwise, the diagnosis relies on suspicion, a careful physical examination for telltale clues, and laboratory tests. Usually, the telltale signs of aspirin overdose are rapid breathing, ringing in the ears, nausea, over-excitement, and unconsciousness. Poisoning from acids and alkalis causes burns on the lips, mouth, and tongue. An overdose of an iron tonic produces abdominal pain and severe vomiting, often with blood in the vomited material, followed by collapse.

Home care

Two steps are vital. First, try to determine quickly what the substance is that your child has taken, how much of the substance your child has taken, and when the incident happened. Second, call your doctor or local poison control center for instructions. Read the label of the drug or other preparation over the phone. You will be told whether or not to induce vomiting.

If your child has not vomited, if the poison was neither a strong acid nor an alkali, and if your child is conscious, induce vomiting by giving two to three teaspoonful of syrup of ipecac followed by a half to a full glass of water. Do not give milk. If the child does not vomit within 20 to 30 minutes, repeat the syrup of ipecac liquid dose. It is not safe to induce vomiting after the child has swallowed volatile hydrocarbons (petrol, turpentine, and so on).

In general, if your child has taken a normally edible substance (medications, for example), induce vomiting. If your child has taken a substance that is not normally edible (petrol or furniture polish, for instance), do not induce vomiting. If your child is not fully conscious, do not induce vomiting.

Precautions

• The most important precaution is prevention: see that all poisonous substances are stored out of reach of children – under lock and key if necessary.

• Keep the telephone numbers of police and fire departments, your doctor, and the local poison control center near the telephone.

• Always have syrup of ipecac in the house.

• Do not transfer any poisonous substance to an ordinary glass or bottle and do not keep any medication in an unlabeled container.

• Insist upon childproof tops on all medicines, not just those intended for children.

• Make sure that the bottles containing turpentine and kerosene have safety tops.

• Be careful with iron tablets. They taste sweet, look like candy, and can be deadly.

• When visiting other people’s homes, do not let your children explore until you are sure there are no poisons within reach.

• When guests visit you, be certain their medications are out of reach of any children.

Medical treatment

Your doctor may induce vomiting with syrup of ipecac or wash out the stomach by means of a tube. Further treatment varies with the substance taken and your child’s condition.

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There are many different syringes of varying sizes for various medical purposes, but the insulin syringe has a special shape and markings to ensure that the dose of insulin is measured accurately.

It is essential to obtain the correct insulin syringe and learn how to use it.

Syringes are made of plastic and are disposable; that means that they are designed to be used once and then thrown away. Whether they can be used more than once is discussed later.

There are a number of brands of syringes available, but there are only two sizes of syringe. There is a 1 ml syringe which holds up to 100 units, and a 0.5 ml syringe which holds up to 50 units. Standards for manufacture of syringes ensure that the markings of the different syringes are similar, any syringe can be used with any of the available insulins, and the numbers marked on the syringe always refer to the number of units that has been drawn up.

1. The 0.5 ml syringe (Lo Dose)

This syringe measures up to 50 units, it is the best syringe for those people who need a small dose of insulin (less than 50 units). It has a long narrow barrel and the numbers on the syringe refer to the numbers of units. Marks on the syringe each represent one unit. This allows very accurate measurement of small doses.

2. The 1 ml syringe

This syringe measures up to 100 units and is used for those people, particularly teenagers and adults, who may need more than 50 units of insulin in one dose. As with the smaller syringe, the numbers on the syringe refer to the number of units, but in this syringe the marks on the barrel each represent two units.

The needle

Syringes are supplied with a fine needle attached and ready to use. All the recommended syringes are designed so that there is very little wasted space left at the tip of the syringe and in the end of the needle; these syringes are called ‘minimal dead space’ syringes, and they have the advantage over older syringes in that virtually all the insulin you draw up is given and none remains in the tip after the injection. This means almost no insulin is wasted and if you have to mix two insulins in the syringe before injection, then you can be sure the mixture remains in the correct proportions.

Can single-use plastic syringes be re-used?

Single use or disposable plastic syringes were intended to be used once and discarded. This would certainly be the practice in hospital where there would be a risk of transferring germs from one person to another if the syringe or needle were used a second time. This is not a risk at home.

Very many people with diabetes have re-used the same disposable syringe many times without any harmful effects. This is not surprising, because the possible contamination of the needle or syringe will be confined to harmless germs that live on that person’s skin. Provided there is no infection in the skin (for example boils, pustules or infected scratches) then these germs are quite harmless. The body is used to them and they aren’t causing trouble. Insulin has a preservative added to the bottle which keeps it sterile and this preservative then protects the inside of the syringe after use. There is no need to wash out the syringe or sterilize it.

It is of course essential, if you use the syringe a second time, to replace the cap over the needle immediately and keep the syringe covered in a clean and cool place such as the refrigerator. If the syringe were handled by someone with dirty hands or contaminated in any way it must be discarded. One objection to using a syringe several times is that the needle may become blunt and may hurt more as it enters the skin. Few people find that this is a problem if the needle is just used twice.

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Aluminum

Aluminum has been linked to dementia because it has been found in patches of cell damage in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. The results are not conclusive but we should perhaps be wary of it anyway.

The main sources of aluminum are indigestion tablets (antacids), deodorants and anti-perspirants, anti-caking agents found in some dried milk, aluminum cookware, soft drink cans and foil. High levels of aluminum can be seen from the analysis of a hair sample.

What You Can Do

• Buy aluminum-free deodorants at health food shops, where the ingredients will be listed on the containers.

• If you are taking indigestion tablets, have the cause of the problem investigated either medically or with a good nutritional therapist.

• Get rid of all your aluminum pans and buy cast iron, enamel, glass and stainless steel. (People used to cook rhubarb (a very acidic fruit) in an aluminum pan to ‘clean’ up the pan, which it did very nicely, as the aluminum was neatly absorbed into the rhubarb.)

•The same applies to acid drinks like colas in aluminum cans. They should be avoided for a number of reasons, including the leaching of aluminum into the drink.

Cadmium

This is an inorganic poison present in tobacco smoke and is a well-known mutagen. It interferes with your zinc levels which are crucial for both male and female fertility. The main answer is for both of you to stop smoking.

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What they are?

Stones made of calcium salts that are produced by and lodge in the kidney. Some stay there and produce no symptoms for years and others pas down the tube (the ureter) that leads from the kidney to the bladder, causing great pain as they do so. Such stones hospitalize more than million North Americans each year. Many millions of others have small stones which pass without being noticed or with only a small amount of abdominal or loin pain.

What causes them?

The fluids that pass through the kidneys contain many different chemicals and minerals. Two of the more plentiful of these are calcium and oxalate, which combine to form calcium oxalate. If there is too little fluid or too much of these salts they begin to settle out and crystallize. More crystals are attracted until, like a snowball, the deposit increases in size and becomes a small, hard stone. This in turn can grow in size to almost fill the cavity of the kidney.

Just what starts off this crystallization process is not known but it is thought that a tiny piece of organic matter such as a bacterium could do so.

The population appears to be divided into two broad categories-stone-formers and non-stone-formers. An analysis of 24-hour urine collections from stone-formers shows that between 40 and 60 per cent has too much calcium in their urine. One study found that stone-formers ate more purine-containing foods and another found that they consumed more meat, fish and poultry and less bread, grains and starch. Research shows that both protein and glucose increase the rate of calcium excretion in the urine and that the glucose effect is exaggerated in stone-formers. This led one researcher to claim that kidney stones are a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. Adding sugar to the diet increases the amount of calcium put out in the urine.

Another feature of the diet of the countries in which kidney stones are common is the amount of animal protein they eat. Research has found that the more animal protein we eat the more oxalate and calcium we excrete into our urine.

Dietary fibre traps and reduces the absorption of sugars, and wheat bran definitely produces beneficial effects on carbohydrate metabolism and the control of blood sugar. One study found that wheat bran reduced the absorption of calcium from the diet by as much as 50 per cent and that the increased absorption of calcium normally produced by sugar was reduced in those taking bran.

A study in Ireland, where 8 per cent of the population has a kidney stone at some time in their lives, found that the diet of fifty-one stone-formers was different from those who never formed stones. The stone-producers ate less fibre, got fewer carbohydrates from fruit, vegetables and grains and ate more fat and red meats.

An Australian study compared thirty meat-eaters with thirty vegetarians and found that the animal proteins caused an abundance of calcium to be excreted into the urine. They also found that the lower the calcium intake, the higher the oxalate excretion, so clearly reducing calcium intake alone is no good if you have kidney stones-you need to reduce your oxalate level as well.

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Combined treatment for endometriosis involves the use of a course of hormonal treatment before or after surgery.

Who is suitable for combined treatment?

Combined treatment is sometimes used for women with the more severe forms of endometriosis in association with a conservative laparotomy though it may also be used in combination with a hysterectomy. Laparoscopic surgery is often followed by a course of hormonal treatment regardless of the severity of the condition.

What does combined treatment involve?

Gynecologists vary in the way that they use combined treatment. Some believe that the hormonal treatment is best used before surgery and some believe that it is best used after surgery, while others believe that it can be used both before and after surgery.

Those who recommend that the hormonal treatment be taken before surgery believe that it makes the surgery easier to perform by reducing the size and number of the implants that need to be removed and makes them easier to remove. They also believe that it reduces the development of adhesions following surgery.

The practice of using the hormonal therapy after surgery is based on the thinking that surgery can only remove those implants which are visible and accessible. The hormonal therapy is used to eradicate any implants remaining after surgery, including any microscopic implants.

If the hormonal therapy is used before surgery, two to six months of treatment is usually prescribed, whereas if it is used after surgery up to nine months of treatment is generally used.

Effectiveness of combined treatment

There are few statistics on the benefits of combined treatment. Many gynecologists believe that combined treatment is probably more effective than hormonal or surgical treatment alone.

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Exotic Eggplant Salad

1 clove garlic

2-3 chillies

1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon honey

4 tomatoes

1 Chinese celery 1 onion

3 small eggplants (cooked and cubed)

200 grams organic chicken breast, poached

15 grams coriander leaves

1 handful fresh lemongrass, chopped

Crush the garlic and chillies together. Add the tamari, lime juice and honey, and combine well, to form a dressing. De-seed tomatoes and slice. Cut celery, shred the onion and chop the eggplant. Tear the cooked chicken strips and mix with celery, eggplant, onion, tomato, coriander leaves, lemongrass and dressing.

Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad

1 chilli

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon of apple juice concentrate

1/2 teaspoon tamari sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

100 grams chicken breast (preferably organic) – poached and finely shredded

220 grams raw cabbage, finely shredded

40 grams carrot, finely shredded

5 grams coriander

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 handful raw, organic peanuts (chopped finely)

1 handful fresh mung beans

Combine finely chopped chilli with the garlic, apple concentrate, tamari, lime juice, water, vinegar and onion. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, to help the flavours develop. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the dressing, except the chopped peanuts and mung beans. Mix thoroughly. Then sprinkle the chopped peanuts and mung beans over the top and serve.

Watercress and Goat’s Cheese Salad

1/2 bunch watercress

100 grams diced goat’s cheese

1 gem lettuce, sliced

Ó cucumber, sliced

Ó green pepper, chopped

1 handful of alfalfa sprouts

Combine all ingredients and toss them with 1 tablespoon or ó

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