Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Do YOu Know Which Are The 3 Most Powerful Healing Essential Oils
Do You Know Which Are The 3 Most Powerful Healing Essential Oils?
Posted Monday, January 30, 2017 at 11:29am EST
Keywords: Anti-Fungal Essential Oils, best essential oils, essential oils for beginners, essential oils for health
A few years ago I became interested in the healing power of essential oils and quickly found a few favorites. Those are; oregano oil, black seed oil, and magnesium oil.
Essential oils are more than delicious smelling oils. These wildly healthful plant extracts can help you heal, maintain good body energy balances and can even be used, with caution, for your pets.
Essential oils are very potent, and the utmost care and attention should be applied when using and handling these products.
Some oils can be made simply and at home, but others need the distillation process to fully extract all their potent properties. And yes, if you’re really keen, you can purchase a distillation kit for around $400. To make your own, you will need a LOT of the plant material to start with. Always make sure to start with the very highest quality plant material, to ensure the best oils coming out the other end of the process.
If you cannot make your own or don’t have access to the necessary plant material, there are plenty of retailers that are happy to sell you certified organic essential oils.
These highly potent oils are usually used for their healing properties. However, some just smell so good, that you will want to wear them as a perfume!
Modern science has finally caught up with the use of essential oils in some pharmaceuticals. For example, eucalyptus essential oil is used in preparations to help relieve sore throats and congestive coughs. Also, many essential oils are used in the ancient art of aromatherapy.
Oregano Oil
Is a powerful antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal oil that can help fight off infections. Personally, I love oregano oil for relieving tooth ache and keeping colds and flu at bay. As soon as I feel a little tickle in the throat, I start taking 3 x 3 drops per day. Caution: when first using this oil, make sure you start with only 1 x 3 drops per day. It’s really strong stuff!
Carvacrol is the main ingredient in oregano oil that makes it so powerful against many ailments. This substance is being evaluated in many scientific studies, and there are great results coming through. Carvacrol has been proven to kill cancer cells, supports a balanced blood sugar level and is effective in the fight against candida (see the end of the article for the link to the very long list of studies)
Black Seed Oil
This particular oil has been described as ‘the remedy for all ailments except death’ Now, while I can’t attest to the death part, I can tell you that this is another powerful oil, useful in relieving toothache. However, this oil has a side benefit that I didn’t count on. After taking this internally for just a few days, I noticed my facial wrinkles smoothing out. Wow, an excellent anti-aging effect!
Recent studies have shown that black seed oil (from the Nigella sativa plant) can combat super bugs that are fast becoming resistant to man-made antibiotics. Take that big pharma!
The fantastic anti-cancer properties of black seed oil are attributed to the active ingredient called thymoquinone. There has been a lot of interest from the scientific community in thymoquinone, for it’s potential as a cancer treatment. “Recent preclinical and clinical studies provide evidence that adoptive transfer of in vitro activated T cells can results in significant antitumor responses in vivo upon acquisition of certain survival and homing properties during in vitro activation.”
“Significant apoptosis” has been observed in vitro.
Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that occurs in multi cellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (morphology) and death. In vitro means a process performed or taking place in a test tube, culture dish, or elsewhere outside a living organism.
In 2008 there was a study of 2.5ml x 2 daily of black seed oil, tested against atorvastatin 10 mg once a day and metformin 500 mg twice a day. The result? “The treatment group showed significant improvement concerning total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood glucose.”
Magnesium Oil
This is called an oil, but it’s not. I’m not sure why the moniker of oil is attached to it because it’s quite a watery substance. Magnesium oil is mainly used topically with massage to relieve cramps. When we dehydrate, we not only lose water but also salts. Magnesium oil replaces some of these body salts, thus avoiding cramps in the first place.
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals, and it’s been mostly removed from our food supply. Since the 1950’s, up to 95% of magnesium is now not present in vegetables, grains, and pasta. No wonder we are all getting sick! I consider magnesium oil to be a ‘get it in ya NOW’ type supplement.
I love to use it before bed, rubbed into my legs, for a good nights sleep. This wonder oil is great to alleviate the suffering of migraines, restless leg syndrome, baths for eczema and psoriasis, to calm stress and hyperactivity, help with the pain of your lunar cycle, improve skin quality and even help with diabetic symptoms.
How To Choose The Highest Quality Essential Oils
When choosing a supplier for your essential oils, please ensure you find certified organic oils. Organic certification is different in each country. However, there are international standards too. It’s a minefield of information, but, if you just stick to certified organic labels, then you will be getting the highest quality available.
Organic certified essential oils are always more expensive. However, this shows the true cost of growing high quality, chemical free products. It’s all the costs of complying to certification that raise the prices so high. My hot tip is to learn how to grow and make your own oils!
Organic farming is also often performed on a much smaller scale, utilizing farm management practices which do not harm the environment, wildlife or you. That’s why I don’t care what the price is; the quality is what counts.
Essential oils are called ‘essential’ for a reason. Get some in your natural health cabinet today!
(See the references section below for the link to the HUGE list of clinical studies on oregano oil)
References
Immune System Basics for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's
Immune System Basics For Hypothyroidism And Hashimoto’s
ON MARCH 22, 2016
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Dr. Kharrazain, Dr. K News
Dr. K discusses immune system basics for Hashimoto’s
About 90 percent of hypothyroidism cases in the United States are due to Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. It’s important to identify Hashimoto’s because you then know it is the immune system you must address, although thyroid hormone medication may still be necessary.
How to test for Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism
In identifying Hashimoto’s, I test the blood for two antibodies that affect thyroid hormone production. These are:
- thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO Ab), which indicates that the immune system is attacking the TPO enzyme in the thyroid gland
- thyroglobulin antibodies (TGB Ab), which indicates that the immune system is attacking the TGB protein in the thyroid gland
If you test negative for Hashimoto’s but have symptoms
If the tests are negative but symptoms point to Hashimoto’s, I repeat the test since these antibodies are known to fluctuate. Also, results can be negative if the immune system is exhausted due to overwork and unable to produce enough antibodies for a positive result. Many times when people follow the autoimmune diet, antibody levels go up even though symptoms improve. This is because the immune system is able to recover enough to produce more antibodies. If you continue to follow the diet and autoimmune protocols, antibody levels should eventually drop as the immune system becomes more regulated.
Why antibody levels do not tell you the degree of autoimmunity
A mistake many people make is thinking low antibody levels mean their autoimmunity is not that bad, or that high antibody levels mean it is very bad. This can be true, but the opposite can be true as well. A person with low antibody levels can have terrible Hashimoto’s flare-ups while a person with higher antibody levels can be symptom-free and feel great. This is because the antibodies do not destroy the tissue themselves, they merely paint targets on it. It is up to the immune system to then decide whether it will attack the tissue with a knife or a blow torch. Of course, the most desirable outcome is to produce no antibodies to the tissue, which indicates the Hashimoto’s is in remission. But in the meantime, your symptoms will tell you more about the severity of your Hashimoto’s than your antibody panel.
The only exception to this is with antibodies to brain and nervous tissue–the higher they are the worse the autoimmune destruction.
Avoiding Hashimoto’s triggers: Understanding TH-1 and TH-2
It’s also important to know if you have Hashimoto’s so you can avoid immune triggers that will worsen your thyroid condition. One well-documented trigger is gluten, the protein found in wheat. You may also need to follow the autoimmune diet as many Hashimoto’s patients are sensitive to other foods that can trigger a flare-up.
Other triggers can be found in common supplements. In order to know which supplements are safe for you, it’s helpful to know whether your autoimmune Hashimoto’s is TH-1 dominant or TH-2 dominant. (TH stands for T-helper cells.)
This involves identifying which aspect of the immune system response is hyperactive–the side that deploys immune cells to attack the intruder–or the side that deploys antibodies to tag the intruder so it’s easier to find next time.
If you are TH-1 dominant, you are producing too many natural killer and cytotoxic T-cells. These are the ones that immediately attack the intruder.
If you TH-2 dominant, you’re flooding your system with B-cells. These are the antibodies that tag the intruder so it can be more quickly identified next time.
Different herbs and supplements stimulate either TH-1 or TH-2. When the immune system is imbalanced, these supplements can either worsen your Hashimoto’s or make you feel better, depending on your TH dominance.
Compounds that stimulate TH-1
(These stimulate TH-1 and dampen TH-2. Avoid if you are TH-1 dominant. If you are TH-2 dominant they may make you feel better.)
- Astragalus
- Echinacea
- Beta-glucan mushroom
- Maitake mushroom
- Glycyrrhiza (from licorice)
- Lemon balm
Compounds that stimulate TH-2
(These stimulate TH-2 and dampen TH-1. Avoid if you are TH-2 dominant. If you are TH-1 dominant they may make you feel better.)
- Caffeine
- Green tea extract
- Grape seed extract
- Pine bark extract
- White willow bark
- Lycopene
- Pycnogenol
Some people have clear reactions to these compounds. I have known TH-1 dominant people who ate the perfect diet and could not figure out why their autoimmune condition was out of control. Turns out they drank echninacea tea daily. The same goes for TH-2 dominant people and green tea.
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On the other hand, a TH-1 dominant person may feel better using compounds that activate TH-2, and vice versa. Stimulating the weaker TH helps many people restore balance and improve symptoms.
Also, some people are so immune reactive they react to everything on both lists. Other people find compounds on both lists help them. Another group finds no reaction to the compounds on either list. Although we can identify some basic immune mechanisms, it’s important to remember not everyone’s body “follows the rules,” so pay attention to your symptoms. Your practitioner also may be able to run a lab panel to test for a TH dominance, which is explained more in the thyroid book.
If you read the thyroid book you may notice resveratrol is no longer on the TH-2 list. This is because we now work with another TH system called TH-17. TH-17 promotes inflammation and tissue destruction regardless of your TH dominance. I have found that emulsified resveratrol and curcumin, in high therapeutic doses, work well together to dampen TH-17 in most people. However, if you are a sensitive TH-2 dominant person, you may want to slowly dose up on resveratrol in case it makes you feel worse.
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About the Author
Datis Kharrazian, DHSc, DC, MS, MNeuroSci, FAACP, DACBN, DABCN, DIBAK, CNS is considered one of the leading experts in non-pharmaceutical applications to chronic illnesses, autoimmune disorders, and complex neurological disorders. Patients from all over the world fly into his practice located in San Diego, California to understand his perspective regarding their condition and to apply natural medicine alternatives to help them improve their quality of life. Dr. Kharrazian has become the referral source for many doctors nationally and internationally when their cases becomes too complex to evaluate and diagnose. Dr. Kharrazian’s first book, Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? quickly became the best-selling thyroid book. It has been listed as the number-one selling thyroid book on Amazon since its release in October of 2009. Dr. Kharrazian earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York with honors and his Doctor of Chiropractic degree graduating with honors from Southern California University of Health Sciences, where he was distinguished with the Mindlin Honors at Entrance Award, the Dean’s List, and the Delta Sigma Award for Academic Excellence. He has earned a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, a Master of Neurological Sciences from the Carrick Institute of Graduate Studies, and a Doctor of Health Science from Nova Southeastern University. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in health sciences with doctoral research in immunology at Nova Southeastern University.
Questions or anything to ask Dr. K about the immune system? We want your thoughts in the comments section–Please! You might be able to help someone else.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Surprising Health Benefits of Fish Sauce
Surprising Health Benefits of Fish Sauce
January 30, 2017 | 18,566 views
By Dr. Mercola
Long before probiotic supplements hit the shelves, people have been eating fermented vegetables and meat for their high nutritive and health value. In many areas, fermented foods are also a delicacy, taking on the flavor of the culture, such as Japanese kimchi or German sauerkraut.
Hundreds of years ago, fermentation was used to preserve foods, and later came to be valued for medicinal and nourishing properties.
In the U.S., the art of fermenting foods was largely lost, as many were unaware nearly 85 percent of your immune system resides in your gut and fermented foods improve the diversity of your gut microbiome.
When the bacteria in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract are not properly balanced, it can trigger allergies, autoimmune diseases and even impact your weight.
With increasing media attention on the importance of nutrition for overall health, more people are becoming weary of processed foods and the dubious health claims that go along with them.
These changes are leading people back to relearning some of the ancient culinary methods of food preparation, including fermenting and the use of fermented foods in your daily diet.1
While many of the popular fermented foods are vegetables, research has identified enzymes and peptides found in fermented fish were associated with immune stimulating properties and tissue repair.2
What Is Fish Sauce?
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In this short video, chef Spike Mendelsohn takes a tour of the Red Boat Fish Sauce factory and discusses how the sauce is made with the owner. Fish sauce is a pungent condiment used commonly in Asian foods.
Some compare the smell of the product to a wet cat.3 Most people agree the odor emanating from the bottle isn't pleasant, but also agree the added depth of flavor to the food is welcome. Well-made fish sauce is produced by fermenting whole fish with salt and water.
The salt effectively kills harmful bacteria in the fish as it ferments.4 No other ingredients are added to a traditionally made, quality product. These three ingredients are placed in barrels and allowed to sit between 12 and 18 months. The shorter the time period, the fishier the taste of the end product.
Although we call it fish sauce, the ancient Greeks used something similar called garos and the ancient Romans called it garum.5 The Malays called it ke-chap and the Chinese called it ke-tsiap.
Whatever it was called, the ancient form of fermentation included using anchovies, sea salt and water in barrels, before the product was pressed and the brown liquid extracted.
Unfortunately, modern processing uses inferior fish (sometimes laden with toxins), a quicker chemical fermentation process and sweeteners. In a traditional form, the product contains fermented by-product of the entire fish, harvested from clean water and rich in extracted minerals and vitamins.
Fish silage is a liquid product made from fish or parts of fish that are liquefied through the action of acids added to the fish and enzymes found in the fish.6 While fish silage and fish meal were part of the study examining enzymes associated with the immune system, these products are used for animal feed, mainly in pig or cattle farming.7
The Difference Between Decomposition and Fermentation
Fish sauce has been referred to as the "mother of all condiments,"8 produced in combination with enzymes commonly found in the fish to result in an autolysis or self-digestion of the flesh. Fermentation reduces the fish to a liquefied product, but it is not the same as decomposition that accompanies bacterial growth after death.
Originally, fermentation was done to prevent decomposition of the food. Samples of garum were found in containers preserved in Pompeii, which were comparable to well-made fish sauce produced in Italy and Southeastern Asia.9
Preservation is accomplished with the use of lactic acid bacteria fermentation that prevents rotting or decomposition of the fish.
During decomposition or putrefaction of animal flesh, biogenic amines are formed — namely putrescine and cadaverine. Both of these are biomarkers that are foul-smelling, toxic compounds, giving rotting meat their characteristic odor and thought to be the scent detected by cadaver dogs.
Cadaverine is a breakdown product of the amino acid lysine, and putrescine is from the amino acid ornithine.10 The production of these two components happens during aerobic bacterial growth which breaks down the tissue.
Autolysis, or the breakdown of tissue from bodily enzymes, is also part of decomposition. Since decomposition begins at the moment of death, it is important for the first steps of the fermentation process to be done immediately after the fish are caught.
From Fish Sauce to Ketchup
The ancient form of fish sauce adds a unique flavor to food when used in cooking or after food has been brought to the table. Manufacture of the product for Western consumers originally included adding sweetener to the product.
However, over time, the process and the product changed completely and became what Americans know today as catsup or ketchup. The changes created a product far removed from the "sacred food" held dear by cultures for nutrient value that renewed the people.
Once believed to help improve fertility, promote good health and speed recovery from illnesses, ketchup now holds little to no nutrient value.
Early British recipes contained anchovies, wine, spices, vinegar and shallots.11 Unfortunately, the industrialized ketchup is laden with high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar and a small amount of tomato paste.12
One tablespoon of ketchup has approximately 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar,13 which is 2 grams less than a chocolate chip cookie.14
Most people add more than one tablespoon of ketchup to their burgers, which means ketchup may contribute a significant portion of sugar and carbohydrates to your daily diet.
The Importance of Salt to Nutrition and Taste
Salt has been used to preserve and enhance the flavor of foods for thousands of years. Research has now determined fish sauce may reduce your overall sodium intake, while not impairing the flavor of your food.15
Although salt is important to your health and nutrition, many people consume large amounts of unhealthy refined salt in processed foods.
Between 2011 and 2012 the average American consumed nearly 3,500 milligrams (mg) of salt per day, 1200 mg more per day than recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),16 and 2,000 mg more than what is recommended by the American Heart Association.17
Much of the salt consumed is refined and has next to nothing in common with natural salt.
The structure of processed salt is radically altered during refining as it is heated above 1,200 degrees F and then chemically "cleaned." These processes alter the natural chemical structure of the compound.
Meanwhile, natural unrefined salt is a necessary component of blood plasma, lymphatic fluid and amniotic fluid. It helps your brain communicate with your muscles and is used to regulate your blood pressure.
Adding fish sauce to your cooking not only may reduce the amount of refined sodium you consume, but may also have a beneficial impact on your blood pressure. Warnings about salt use are grounded in the belief high amounts of sodium may increase your blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease and stroke. It is true that lowering your salt intake may lower your blood pressure, but only between 1 mm Hg and 5 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic pressure.18
Research has found that consuming fish sauce has a tendency to lower blood pressure in lab animals.19 Researchers isolated angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting proteins from fish sauce. These are some of the same proteins used in ACE inhibitor medications to help control high blood pressure. Too little sodium may also be harmful to your health.
Several studies demonstrate problems too little sodium can cause, such as an increased risk of death if you have type 2 diabetes,20 increased insulin resistance21 and an increase in low density lipoproteins (LD) and triglycerides.22 As most people get their salt from processed foods and restricting natural salt has no proven benefits, you may find eating real, organic foods and adding natural Himalayan salt as needed to your foods will meet your needs.
Protein Hydrolysates and Antioxidant Activity Found in Fish Sauce
Researchers found protein hydrolysates were created23 during the fermentation process, which have significant health benefits. They improve the ability of skeletal muscle to absorb free amino acids required to build more muscle, affecting body composition, exercise performance and muscle growth.24
Protein hydrolysates are also used for tissue repair, resulting in more rapid uptake of amino acids, as compared with consuming whole proteins or supplementing with free-form amino acid mixes.25 Additionally, they promote a strong insulinotropic response, meaning they stimulate the production and action of insulin in the body.26
This means protein hydrolysates found in fish sauce may reduce your insulin resistance, thereby lowering your risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The effects of the protein hydrolysates are present only when you consume the fish sauce. There is no extended effect after the hydrolysates have been metabolized.
During the fermentation process enzymes are also created that help to support your immune system and play a role in scavenging free radicals.27 Oxidative stress and free radical production are strongly linked to aging and diseases such as arthritis, cancers28 and neurodegenerative diseases.29
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated in your body from a variety of different metabolic actions, exposure to physical or chemical conditions or during an illness or disease state. In order to reduce the negative effects of free radicals on your body, you need a steady diet of antioxidants. When free radicals overwhelm your ability to control the negative effects, oxidative stress results.
Foods that provide you with those antioxidants are functional foods as they help manage your health and reduce the effect of disease.30 Using a luminol chemiluminescence method, researchers found the antioxidants in fish sauce had strong scavenging capability.31
Using Fish Sauce
Although you may be offended by the odor coming from a bottle of fish sauce, you'll likely find the additional layer of flavor it adds to your food enjoyable. The usefulness of this condiment extends well beyond Asian cooking. Professional chefs sing the praises of this sauce as the secret ingredient in many of their dishes.32
It is important to purchase a quality product that underwent natural fermentation and had no additional chemicals added. Quality fish sauce will last a long time as the salt used in fermentation eliminates bacterial growth responsible for food spoilage. However, if you find it's molded or turns cloudy, it's best to dispose of it. Store it in a cool, dry, dark place that has a stable temperature. Refrigeration may lead to crystallizing of the salt in the product.
Red Boat fish sauce has been used and enjoyed by multiple professional chefs33 on fish, chicken, steak and pork chops. Despite a strong odor and flavor, it has also been successfully used in salad dressing34 and to season collard greens.35 Red Boat fish sauce uses an artisanal method of slow fermentation to achieve its flavor, which consumers assert has a smoother and less fishy flavor than other brands.36
Buyer Beware: Poor Quality Fish Sauce Could Be Hazardous to Your Health
For all its benefits, poor quality fish sauce may do you more harm than good. In October, 2016, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the country’s ministries of health and industry to verify quality of fish sauce products, as news of chemical use in the industry spawned fears.37
A Vietnamese news article claimed more than a dozen chemical additives had been found in a popular fish sauce, including flavor enhancers, coloring agents and preservatives. Tests conducted by a consumer rights group also found high levels of arsenic in 67 percent of the 150 samples of Vietnamese and Thai fish sauce brands.38
Price can be a factor when determining quality. A cheap price may well mean inferior quality and use of unsavory additives. For example, in Vietnam, adulterated products may sell for less than $2 whereas a high quality, traditionally fermented fish sauce typically sells for $9.
Also pay close attention to expiration dates, and be sure to store it in your refrigerator.39 As a general rule, the Association for Science Cooperation in Asia (ASCA) suggests traditionally fermented fish sauce has a shelf life of five years. That said, it’s important to remember that while the fermentation process very effectively kills of bacteria — to the point that no pasteurization is required — there’s no guarantee that each and every bottle of fish sauce will always be good.
It can go bad at any time before or after its opening, as chemical reactions can deteriorate the quality over time. Always inspect the product for color, mold and “off” flavors or odors, and discard if it looks, smells or tastes odd in any way.
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The Trump-Putin Phone Call: New US-Russia Partnership? Hold the Cheers!
Global Research, January 29, 2017
Region: Russia and FSU, USA
Except for cooperating during WW II to defeat Nazism, America has been largely adversarial toward Russia for the past century.
On Saturday, Trump and Putin spoke by phone. Discussion lasted nearly an hour. Both leaders agreed to continue “regular personal contacts.”
They’ll meet later in the year for face-to-face talks on an unspecified date at a mutually acceptable venue. A White House statement said the following:
The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair.
Both President Trump and President Putin are hopeful that after today’s call the two sides can move quickly to tackle terrorism and other important issues of mutual concern.
A more detailed Kremlim press service statement said “(t)he pressing international problems, including tackling terrorism, the developments in the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the strategic stability and non-proliferation area, the situation around Iran’s nuclear program and the Korean Peninsula were discussed in detail.”
The key aspects of the Ukrainian crisis have been touched upon as well. It has been agreed to establish partner-type cooperation in those and other areas.
The presidents spoke in favor of creating real coordination of Russian and American actions with a purpose to defeat the ISIL and other terrorist groups in Syria.
Both sides demonstrated their will to take joint steps to stabilize and expand the cooperation between Russia and the United States, on a constructive, equal and mutually beneficial basis.
It was stressed that it is important to restore the mutually advantageous trade and economic ties between business circles of the two countries, which could further enhance a gradual and sustainable development of bilateral relations.
Saturday’s conversation was the first one between both leaders since Trump’s inauguration. One phone call doesn’t erase a century of US-instigated hostility, its longstanding plans for regime change, thousands of US-led heavily armed NATO forces positioned on Russia’s borders, and virtually the entire Congress opposed to normalized relations.
Putin reportedly told Trump he sees Washington as Russia’s most important partner in fighting the scourge of terrorism.
After his deceptive reset outreach, Obama hugely soured bilateral relations. Stepping back from the brink won’t be easy, warm relations likely impossible after adversarial ones for so long.
Bipartisan congressional consensus irresponsibly considers Putin public enemy number one. America’s intelligence community and major media challenged Trump’s legitimacy.
Congress may block lifting sanctions on Russia by executive order. Trump said he’s open to doing it “if we can make some good (bilateral) deals…”
He tweeted and publicly said having good relations with Russia is a good thing. He warned only “fools” believe otherwise.
Moscow is no stranger to US duplicity, its practice of saying one thing and doing another. Putin will proceed cautiously in relations with Trump.
He’ll welcome anything positive, knowing things can change unacceptably any time for any reason. It happened so many times before.
Last week, addressing Russia’s lower house State Duma, Sergey Lavrov said “(w)e have no illusions that there will be a new reset with the United States. We have no naive expectations.”
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
The original source of this article is Global Research
Copyright © Stephen Lendman, Global Research, 2017
Sunday, January 29, 2017
EO
Why would the text of President Trump’s Executive Order suspending travel visas be readily available on CNN (HERE), New York Times (HERE), Wall Street Journal (HERE), but not on White House page (HERE)?
I don’t think it’s accidental. The limiting Visa program was President Obama’s action, not President Trump.
If you review the actual text of the executive order (copied below in full) what you will immediately notice is the order doesn’t specify ANY countries to be included in the Visa suspension (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen).
President Trump is not suspending visas from countries his team selected, they are simply suspending visa approval from countries President Obama selected. Additionally, Trump is suspending ALL visa applications from those countries – nothing to do with Muslim applications.
• In 2013 President Obama suspended refugees from Iraq for six months. • In 2015 Congress passed, and Obama signed, a law restricting visas from states of concern; • and in 2016 Obama’s DHS, Jeh Johnson, expanded those restrictions. …. all President Trump is doing is taking the same action as Obama 2013, and applying Visa restrictions to the nation states Obama selected in 2015 and 2016.
From the Executive order:
[…] to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening of foreign nationals, and to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists or criminals, pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of such persons for 90 days from the date of this order (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas). (link)
The President Obama Department of Homeland Security already targeted those seven listed countries for the past several years as nations of concern.
In February of 2016 the Department of Homeland Security announced that was continuing its implementation of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 with the addition of Libya, Somalia, and Yemen as three countries of additional concern.
DHS: “limiting Visa Waiver Program travel for certain individuals who have traveled to these countries.” DHS noted “the three additional countries designated today join Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Syria as countries subject to restrictions for Visa Waiver Program travel for certain individuals.”
President Trump is carrying out an executive action in support of the US Customs and Border Protection Act of 2015, which relates to “the Visa Waiver Program and Terrorist Travel Protection Act of 2015“. President Trump did not select seven countries – the US Congress and Obama’s Department of Homeland Security had singled out these countries.
Nowhere in President Trump’s executive order does he single out any country for VISA suspension. Instead what his XO does is say he’s suspending visa approvals from countries already outlined by the Obama administration as representing a specific threat such that they were categorized for extreme visa vetting by: 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12)
FULL TEXT:
PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
♦ Section 1. Purpose. The visa-issuance process plays a crucial role in detecting individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States. Perhaps in no instance was that more apparent than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans. And while the visa-issuance process was reviewed and amended after the September 11 attacks to better detect would-be terrorists from receiving visas, these measures did not stop attacks by foreign nationals who were admitted to the United States.
Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program.
Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism.
In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including “honor” killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation.
♦ Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks in the United States; and to prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws for malevolent purposes.
♦ Sec. 3. Suspension of Issuance of Visas and Other Immigration Benefits to Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall immediately conduct a review to determine the information needed from any country to adjudicate any visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual seeking the benefit is who the individual claims to be and is not a security or public-safety threat.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report on the results of the review described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security’s determination of the information needed for adjudications and a list of countries that do not provide adequate information, within 30 days of the date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence.
(c) To temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening of foreign nationals, and to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists or criminals, pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of such persons for 90 days from the date of this order (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas).
(d) Immediately upon receipt of the report described in subsection (b) of this section regarding the information needed for adjudications, the Secretary of State shall request all foreign governments that do not supply such information to start providing such information regarding their nationals within 60 days of notification.
(e) After the 60-day period described in subsection (d) of this section expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the President a list of countries recommended for inclusion on a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry of foreign nationals (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas) from countries that do not provide the information requested pursuant to subsection (d) of this section until compliance occurs.
(f) At any point after submitting the list described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may submit to the President the names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment.
(g) Notwithstanding a suspension pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or pursuant to a Presidential proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked.
(h) The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall submit to the President a joint report on the progress in implementing this order within 30 days of the date of this order, a second report within 60 days of the date of this order, a third report within 90 days of the date of this order, and a fourth report within 120 days of the date of this order.
♦ Sec. 4. Implementing Uniform Screening Standards for All Immigration Programs.
(a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall implement a program, as part of the adjudication process for immigration benefits, to identify individuals seeking to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis with the intent to cause harm, or who are at risk of causing harm subsequent to their admission. This program will include the development of a uniform screening standard and procedure, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent; a mechanism to ensure that the applicant is who the applicant claims to be; a process to evaluate the applicant’s likelihood of becoming a positively contributing member of society and the applicant’s ability to make contributions to the national interest; and a mechanism to assess whether or not the applicant has the intent to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of this directive within 60 days of the date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the date of this order.
♦ Sec. 5. Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017.
(a) The Secretary of State shall suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days. During the 120-day period, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall review the USRAP application and adjudication process to determine what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures. Refugee applicants who are already in the USRAP process may be admitted upon the initiation and completion of these revised procedures. Upon the date that is 120 days after the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall resume USRAP admissions only for nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly determined that such additional procedures are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United States.
(b) Upon the resumption of USRAP admissions, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, is further directed to make changes, to the extent permitted by law, to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality. Where necessary and appropriate, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall recommend legislation to the President that would assist with such prioritization.
(c) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made to the USRAP to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest.
(d) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I determine that additional admissions would be in the national interest.
(e) Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the admission of such individuals as refugees is in the national interest — including when the person is a religious minority in his country of nationality facing religious persecution, when admitting the person would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a preexisting international agreement, or when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship — and it would not pose a risk to the security or welfare of the United States.
(f) The Secretary of State shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the directive in subsection (b) of this section regarding prioritization of claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution within 100 days of the date of this order and shall submit a second report within 200 days of the date of this order.
(g) It is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall examine existing law to determine the extent to which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal to lawfully promote such involvement.
♦ Sec. 6. Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding the exercises of authority in section 212 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182, relating to the terrorism grounds of inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing memoranda.
♦ Sec. 7. Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Tracking System.
(a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry-exit tracking system for all travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports on the progress of the directive contained in subsection (a) of this section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200 days of the date of this order, and a third report shall be submitted within 365 days of the date of this order. Further, the Secretary shall submit a report every 180 days thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational.
♦ Sec. 8. Visa Interview Security.
(a) The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1222, which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions.
(b) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program, including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that non-immigrant visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected.
♦ Sec. 9. Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country, to the extent practicable.
♦ Sec. 10. Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent with the American people, and to more effectively implement policies and practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security, collect and make publicly available within 180 days, and every 180 days thereafter:
(i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation, or material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national security reasons since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later;
(ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and
(iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including honor killings, in the United States by foreign nationals, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and
(iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses.
(b) The Secretary of State shall, within one year of the date of this order, provide a report on the estimated long-term costs of the USRAP at the Federal, State, and local levels.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Did You Know You Can Heal Your Thyroid With Coconut Oil? Just Do This
TEAM - 3:00 AM
These days majority of Americans suffer from symptoms like weight gain, loss of libido, ringing in the ears, hair loss, brittle nails, constipation, fatigue, sensitivity to cold, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, cold hands and feet, frequent infections, dizziness, hoarse voice, and joint aches.
Nearly 65% of the American population is overweight, 27% is clinically obese. It has been scientifically shown that the underlying cause of weight issues, particularly among women, is an underactive thyroid.
Since coconut oil is saturated and very stable fat, the body is not hampered with oxidative stress. Unlike vegetable oils, it doesn’t require the enzyme stress, preventing T4 to T3 hormone conversion. Being stable oil is not the only reason for this, though. It is processed differently in the body and doesn’t need to be broken down with assistance of enzyme-dependent processes.
In addition to this, given that the liver is the place where damage from oxidized and rancid oils as well as a conversion of T4 to T3 occurs, removing long-chain fats from the diet and swapping them from medium-chain fats found in coconut oil, may eventually help rebuild cell membranes and increase enzyme production.
Although further research on the topic needs to be done, people replacing polyunsaturated oils with coconut oil are reporting many positive effects. For instance, Donna and Sharon have undergone notable improvements in her thyroid health.
“I’ve been on coconut oil since September 2002 and, although, that doesn’t seem like long, it has changed my life and the lives of my family and friends. My weight actually went UP when I started on coconut oil but I felt so GREAT! Being hypothyroid, I was on Synthroid and Cytomel and had been for years, but with inconsistent results and feeling worse. Other changes besides the addition of coconut oil were the complete removal of soy (and that is a major challenge in itself!), all trans fatty acids, no refined sugar, and organ cleanses seasonally.
My thyroid meds were discontinued with my doctor’s knowledge as I was getting too energetic and having trouble sleeping! [Imagine], from being a ‘sleepaholic’ couch potato that was cold! My weight stayed steady until the last three weeks and it has now started the downward move. My goal was health and just believed the weight would come off when I found the right diet and exercise routine that my life was comfortable with. I’ve tried removing the coconut oil but my energy drops and I don’t feel as good,” Donna explains.
Furthermore, Sharon writes the following in the coconut-info discussion group:
“I have had the same problem with sluggish metabolism and weight gain since having children. Even a no-calorie diet (fast) for 5 days did not work. As soon as I started taking Virgin Coconut Oil, the fat began to melt and I have lost 20 pounds. Over the same period of time, my 13-year-old daughter who was very chubby and very worried about it, but could not bring up the self-control to renounce some of her favorite fatty foods, lost about 10 pounds. She now has the perfect figure, to her great joy! Pants she was bulging out of a year ago hang loose on her!”
Tips on How to Nourish Your Thyroid
- Eat healthy oils like coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and butter
- Avoid commercial salad dressings which are packed with unhealthy fats and prepare your own instead
- Eat iodine-rich foods like black seaweed, kelp powder, kombu, and smaller coldwater fish
- Supplement with zinc, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E
- Juice cranberries and radishes on a regular basis
- Limit exposure to mercury and fluoride
- Exercise
Source: healthybodyandtips
Saturday, January 28, 2017
This Former Techie Owes His Fortune to Electronic Devices. Now He Thinks They're Dangerous.
Silicon Valley isn't the best place to be hypersensitive to electromagnetic fields.
JOSH HARKINSONJAN. 28, 2017 6:00 AM
Sullivan in his Los Altos office Courtesy Peter Sullivan
Peter Sullivan and I are driving around Palo Alto, California, in his black Tesla Roadster when the clicking begins. The $2,500 German-made instrument resting in my lap is picking up electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from a nearby cell tower. As we follow a procession of BMWs and Priuses into the parking lot of Henry M. Gunn High School, the clicking crescendos into a roar of static. "I can feel it right here," Sullivan says, wincing as he massages his forehead. The last time he visited the tower, he tells me, it took him three days to recover.
Sullivan is among the estimated 3 percent of people in California who claim they are highly sensitive to EMFs, the electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless routers, cellphones, and countless other modern accouterments. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome—famously suffered by the brother of Jimmie McGill, the lead character on AMC's Better Call Saul—is not a formally recognized medical condition in most countries and it has little basis in mainstream science. Dozens of peer-reviewed studies have essentially concluded that the problem is in peoples' heads.
An estimated 3 percent of Californians believe EMFs are affecting their health.
That's what Sullivan used to think, too. A Stanford computer science major who has worked as a software designer for Excite, Silicon Graphics, and Netflix, he paid little mind to EMFs, which he once viewed as harmless and inevitable. His wife joined Google early on and now serves as its chief culture officer—founder Sergey Brin sometimes drops by the couple's home sporting Google Glass. "I thought that anybody that talked about the health effects of EMFs was a complete idiot. I thought that they just were not science-y," Sullivan recalls. But then he got sick.
Around 2005, Sullivan started having trouble sleeping. He lost weight precipitously and struggled to maintain focus. After his top-flight Stanford doctors failed to figure out what was wrong with him, he tried every alternative remedy on the books, from cutting out gluten to taking chelating agents to purge his body of heavy metals. Nothing really worked. He noticed, however, that he felt weird after talking on a cellphone or plugging into a laptop charger. So like any good health hacker, he kept debugging.
A feng shui consultant in Silicon Valley knew a guy in Los Angeles who called himself a "building biologist" and had reputedly worked wonders for Richard Gere. Sullivan flew the guy up to his $6 million home in a leafy Los Altos neighborhood and watched with interest as the man probed the baseboards of Sullivan's newly renovated bedrooms, bulky instruments flashing and buzzing. The consultant's verdict: Sullivan's house was an EMF disaster zone. The wifi and cordless phones would have to go. He'd need to rip out the walls and change everything.
This was a bit like asking a winemaker to quit drinking or advising an auto exec to commute on a fixie. Sullivan took things slow at first, installing some metal shielding around the electrical conduits in his downtown Los Altos office to block a portion of the radiation. He subsequently found that a 30-minute catnap in his office left him more replenished than a whole night's sleep at home, so he began napping there regularly. One day when he felt like the EMFs in his home were really messing with him, he drove up to a hiking trail in the Los Altos hills and slept in the parking lot.
By the time I met Sullivan in person, one bright day this past spring, he had regained the lost weight and was feeling good. A former Navy pilot who used to land fighter jets on aircraft carriers, Sullivan still has a military crispness in his posture and elocution. Having recently retired from tech at age 40, he now devotes most of his time to exposing the hazards of EMFs. He has even brought up the matter with a few high-ranking friends at Google. "This is the new smoking," he recalls telling them. "It's just like the beginning days, when the evidence is there and people aren't catching on."
"This is the new smoking," Sullivan insists. "It's just like the beginning days, when the evidence is there and people aren't catching on."
Many controlled studies do, in fact, show that people who claim to suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity experience symptoms when exposed to electromagnetic fields. But if those same people are unaware that the EMFs are present, the correlation between the symptoms and the exposure evaporates. The leading explanation is what's known as the "nocebo" effect—people feel sick when exposed to something they believe is bad for them. Case in point: In 2010, residents of the town of Fourways, South Africa, successfully petitioned for a cellphone tower to be removed due to a rash of illness in the area. It was later revealed that the tower wasn't operational during the period of the complaints.
But don't expect Jimmie McGill's big brother to give up his space blanket just yet. Other research suggests that EMFs do have measurable biological effects, albeit in lab animals. A $25 million study released in May by the National Toxicology Program found that male rats exposed to radio-frequency radiation, the kind emitted by cellphones, were more likely to develop two forms of cancer—although the findings were controversial. Joel Moskowitz, the director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California-Berkeley and a believer in electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome, argues that the wireless industry has used its financial clout to suppress essential health research. "This is very much like tobacco back in the 1950s," he concurs. "The industry has co-opted many researchers and has stopped funding many people who were finding evidence of harm."
Sullivan, who majored in psychology as an undergraduate, refuses to believe that he's just being neurotic. Through his foundation, Clear Light Ventures, he has given about $1 million to anti-EMF advocacy groups and researchers that the wireless industry won't touch. They include retired Washington State University biochemistry professor Martin Pall, who has proposed a biological mechanism for EHS, and Harvard neurology professor Martha Herbert, who has suggested there could be links between EMFs and autism.
Laura Torres, who worked with Sullivan in the early 1990s as a product manager at Silicon Graphics, remembers him as a guy who "totally thinks outside the box." He created software to log customer service calls, then a novel invention and a big-time saver for the company's tech support team. "He really takes a creative approach to solving problems, which I think is what he is doing with this EMF thing," she says.
Sullivan says his anti-EMF advocacy should not be viewed as an affront to his fellow techies: "We are hoping that the industry, instead of being like tobacco and going through denial, will be more like the automotive industry and say, 'Okay, we are just going to keep improving safety. We will sell you more stuff that is safer and lower power.' And it will be a win for everybody."
During my visit, Sullivan walks me through his home's $100,000 worth of EMF-proofing. In his wood-paneled home office he points out a $1,000 Alan Maher technical ground, a device that helps channel electrical noise away from power outlets, and a plug-in Stetzer filter, which makes "a nice clean sine wave in your electricity," as my host puts it. He flips a desktop switch to cut off power to his MacBook—he rarely works on it while it's charging. He made an exception last night after the battery died and says he ended up feeling wired and jittery as a result.
Sullivan installed a switch that lets him shut off his home's electricity while he sleeps: "Our bedroom is like camping!"
We step outside and through a gate, crunching over groundcover to the shingled exterior of his first-floor bedroom. Sheets of black mesh hang from a nearby fence to block a neighbor's wifi signal. A nearby power line is wrapped in a material that dissipates certain electrical frequencies as friction, like a string dampener on a tennis racquet. Sullivan has installed a switch by his bed that lets him shut off his home's electricity while he sleeps. "Our bedroom is like camping!" he says proudly. "We have all the luxury of being inside, but none of the EMFs."
Indoors on a kitchen stool his wife, Stacy, is hunched over a laptop plugged into an ethernet cable. "She's in wireless jail," Sullivan jokes.
"I used to be able to just do this wherever I wanted to work," she responds wistfully. "But it's okay."
In terms of protection, this residence doesn't even compare with another one Sullivan owns in the Los Altos hills. We hop in his Tesla (modified to shield him from its EMFs) and drive there. Originally built in the early 1900s as a hunting lodge, it had been renovated into a shrine to modernism by an HP executive. Sullivan bought it a few years ago and converted it into what he calls a "model healthy home." He's hoping its shielded environment will help me to understand what sudden exposure to EMFs feels like.
In an empty upstairs bedroom that Sullivan sometimes uses as an office, a graphite paint called WiShield coats the walls. Clear, EMF-blocking films cover the windows. Conductive tape on the floor carries any electrical current to a high-frequency ground in the closet. Sullivan switches on his EMF meter: zero. "I thrive on it!" he says. "I get my best work done here."
He hands me a bottle of oxygenated water and instructs me to down it. This will supposedly unclump my blood, heightening my EMF sensitivity. Rummaging through the closet, he emerges with an air pump from his son's aquarium. He has discovered that this pump maxes out his instruments, producing "a fucking nightmare magnetic field." He holds it a couple of feet away from me and switches it on. I feel a small cramp in my stomach.
Maybe Sullivan was onto something. After all, birds and sea turtles use Earth's magnetic fields to navigate, and foxes seem able to rely on them to detect prey. Then again, maybe all I'd felt was the nocebo effect. Sullivan suggested that I get to the bottom of it by spending a night at the shielded house. I didn't feel the need, I told him, but I understood why he might. "When I wake up, it just feels like you can do anything," he'd assured me. "You just feel completely different, like your world has changed."
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Beneficial Uses for Manuka Honey
12 Beneficial Uses For Manuka Honey You Didn’t Know
Why is Manuka Honey is Amazing?
There are Manuka Trees indigenous to New Zealand where the bees gather nectar from the flowers which is how the honey is produced. I am obsessed with Manuka Honey because it cannot be called Manuka Honey unless at least 70 percent of the nectar comes from the Manuka Tree which is one of the reasons why this honey is so extraordinary. Another reason why this honey is extraordinary is because it goes thru three rating systems before anyone can consume it, which will be explained later in this article. Also, because this honey is so special and the healthiest to consume, it is important to spot the real Manuka Honey from the fake Manuka Honey. Unfortunately, there are companies out there that have been known to put inaccurate labels on food products, even honey. Being able to understand this will allow people to get the most health benefits out of this amazing honey, so let’s first discuss what Manuka Honey can actually treat or even cure!
The Health Benefits of Manuka Honey
There are 12 proven benefits of using or ingesting Manuka Honey that can treat a range of medical issues wounds to staph infections. Manuka Honey has been said to been used for thousands of years. Modern research has been proven to back up such historical claims, so here’s what I have found that Manuka Honey can heal or treat:
- Cuts, Sores, Blisters and Burns
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Manuka Honey is not only has antibacterial properties but has anti-inflammatory properties. It is one of the most well known topical remedies used as a wound or burn treatment, as it has been stated that the application was more effective for post-operative wounds than using regular antibiotic creams. It was actually a study published in 2003 in the European Journal of Medical Research. Manuka Honey has also been used topically to treat bed sores.
- Eczema, Rosacea and Acne
placeholder 125 blocked. Reason : no sizes If your skin issues stem from a bacteria overgrowth then there is a great chance that Manuka Honey will help conditions such eczema, rosacea and acne, which are three somewhat common issues. There are countless testimonials online where people used this topically to treat such skin conditions and then started using it for overall skincare for anti-aging purposes.
- Bacterial Disorders, Bowel Disease and Digestive Issues
placeholder 126 blocked. Reason : no sizes A bacterium that causes infectious diarrhea called clostridium difficle was researched and a study showed that Manuka Honey ingested was effective against the bacteria and was a potential source of treatments against bacterial infection. Clostridum Difficle is basically a bacterial infection that attacks the digestive system which is a serious condition that not only causes diarrhea, but also abdominal cramping and fever. This infection could be life threatening.
Manuka Honey can also heal the intestinal lining. Furthermore, it is also said that the honey is effective in balancing the acidity of the digestive system and has the capability to reduce acid reflux. Additionally, a healthy digestive system can lead to a healthy bowel and likely prevent inflammatory bowel disease. However, if you are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, Manuka Honey will help heal inflammation and reverse oxidative colonic damage.
- Staph Infections or MRSA
As of late, the super bug MRSA has been found to become resistant to antibiotic treatment. And the overuse of any antibiotics only creates immunity to them; thus, causing them to no longer be effective against infectious diseases which is where Manuka Honey comes in handy. Manuka honey has been proven to be effective against certain proteins that MRSA needs to synthesize and build. More studies are being conducted because the medical community is considering this to possibly be a treatment they will use to fight MRSA.
- Allergies
placeholder 129 blocked. Reason : no sizes I have used organic raw honey in teas to treat my allergies and studies have shown that Manuka Honey is just as effective in reducing the symptoms of seasonal allergies. It’s another tool in your tool belt during allergy season.
- Dental Diseases, Plaque and Tooth Decay
Unfortunately due to genetics, I suffer from dental issues, specifically gingivitis and periodontal issues. I am constantly searching for remedies or cures because it is not fun to go to the dentist, especially when they are sticking needles in your gums and cutting them up. Then, they make you take Resin which I have no clue what is in it. I always prefer natural remedies over prescribed because most of them are an expensive temporary fix and could be toxic to your body. Most of my issues come from a buildup in plaque which New Zealand research showed that if you use Manuka Honey as alternative toothpaste it can help reduce plaque by 35 percent and help prevent gingivitis and tooth decay because it has a rich source of compounds such as, zinc, calcium and phosphorus which are vital for healthy teeth. My suggestion is to also use baking soda and activated charcoal.
- Sore Throats, Strep, Colds and Coughs
Although regular organic raw honey, if ingested, can be used to treat these ailments, Manuka Honey and Manuka Propolislozenges are great for a sore throat because it is effective in preventing the strep bacteria from spreading. Additionally, the National Cancer Institute recently approved the use of Manuka Honey to also treat sore throats caused by chemotherapy.
- Molluscum Contagiosum
Most of you have probably never heard of this unless you have children but is actually a relatively common benign viral skin infection that causes painless and sometimes itchy bumps on the body. Although this commonly affects children, adults can be affected by this as well. You can leave this untreated but those annoying bumps will not go away for about a year; however, Manuka Honey, if used topically, can speed up the healing process.
- Corneal Oedema
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Studies have showed that using Manuka Honey eye drops two to three times a day, in conjunction with conventional treatment, have found it to help reduce and manage corneal odema, a post-operative complaint, and improve eyesight.
- Cancer Treatment
Studies have shown that Manuka Honey has powerful anti-proliferative effects on cancers such as, skin cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. Without chemotherapy the honey has been found to subdue tumor growth by 33 percent. If you are currently seeking chemotherapy, which is extremely toxic, Manuka Honey has been proven to be a pivotal method of alleviating the toxicity and inhibiting tumor growth by 61 percent.
- Insomnia and Other Sleep Problems
Experts say that Manuka Honey is great to promote deep and restful sleep because it releases glycogen in the body which is important for bodily functions during rest and sleep. It also helps stimulate the release of melatonin in the brain which is vital for someone that has insomnia or has problems getting quality sleep. There are many kinds of sleep teas that you can put the honey in. Some people suggest it with milk before bed but I do not promote dairy; however, you can try it with coconut or almond milk.
- Stomach Ulcers
If you worry or are under great stress, you could get stomach ulcers. Medicines also can cause these ultra painful ulcers. H. Pylori is a bacteria often responsible for most ulcers, in which Manuka Honey kills when ingested.
The 3 Manuka Honey Quality Rating Systems
Like the gems, the more authentic they are the more valuable and expensive it gets. But that money will be well spent because the higher rating levels the honey is the more beneficial it is going to be for your health. The three levels are NPA (Non Peroxide Activity), UMF (Unique Manuka Factor), and MGO (Methylglyoxal Content). It is important know that the higher the rating of all three systems translates to it having higher the antibacterial effects. However, honey with a rating below the UMF/MGO scale is still sold as Manuka Honey but does not possess antibacterial effects, thus, why I must explain the rating systems more in depth. placeholder 128 blocked. Reason : no sizes
- Non Peroxide Activity
As you learned previously, one way to grade Manuka Honey is by determining the level of NPA. Understanding what NPA is can get very scientific, but in short, it is a measurement of the potency of the enzymes in the Manuka Honey. Hydrogen Peroxide is found in all honeys, even in Manuka Honey. Though Hydrogen Peroxide is quite effective for healing things such as cuts, it is unstable in the presence of air and light which makes it difficult to store and use. In honey it is stable and released gradually. However, storing honey is an issue that must be considered because glucose oxidase, an enzyme found in honey, is reduced by heat, light and some forms of energy such as microwaves. Therefore, some honeys are more sensitive to light exposure than others. The trick is to use the enzyme catalase which neutralizes the activity oxidase, thus, creating non peroxide activity. To measure non peroxide activity, adding the testing process of UMF and MGO is vital. Please know that the NPA rating is not a direct measurement of antibacterial activity which is why all three must be considered. In conclusion, not all Manuka Honey has peroxide activity and not all honey has NPA either. Moreover, there are actually some Manuka Honeys that have both properties, but some have little or none. The honey is also influenced by a seasonal variation with both types of activity (individually) being either present or absent in any particular honey season. When you see Grade A, Active or Active Manuka on the labels, it is expressing the existence of antibacterial activity, either peroxide activity, non-peroxide activity (NPA), or both.
- Unique Manuka Factor
Now that you have learned a bit about the NPA rating, I will summarize the New Zealand trademarked rating factor, UMF. This rating actually refers to NPA in honey. The higher the UMF means it is more potent, which is the reason why honey with higher ratings is more expensive. UMF ranges from 10 to 25 in rating. Very high UMF such as, UMF 20, is considered to have activity with superior antibacterial properties. Medium UMF is considered to be just suitable for helping maintain good health.
- Methylglyoxal Content
MGO is a toxic compound, known to have antiseptic properties which are found in high concentrations up to 1000 times greater than in any other honey compared to Manuka Honey. Furthermore, it is MGO that gives Manuka Honey its unique antibacterial properties. It is also very stable because it is resistant to heat, body fluids, light and enzymatic activity. This compound found in Manuka Honey is considered to be superior to the glucose oxidase enzyme, which as I previously stated, is found in all honeys. Anything higher than 100 mg/kg is considered antibacterial because the higher the concentration means more antibacterial activity. The test done for MGO is most accurate and is also very easy to explain to consumers. MGO 100+ Manuka Honey means that in 1kg of honey there are 100mg of Methyglyoxal. MGO is also a trademark but of the Manuka New Zealand Ltd; therefore, this grade is only seen in their products.
How to Spot Fake Manuka Honey
According to The UK Food Standards Authority, much of what is on the shelves of stores consists of fake Manuka Honey, and could possibly be the same for online stores. Therefore, the authorities have issued a warning that honey labeled Manuka may not be legitimate. A great way to tell if the honey is genuine is to look for UMF is on the label and making sure that your supplier is on the list of UMFHA licensees. The UMF trademark is usually on the front. You most likely will also see MGO which is another trademark pertaining to New Zealand.
You can find a New Zealand packaged and produced, raw, non-gmo project verified Manuka Honey on amazon here.
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Warnings About Manuka Honey:
Due to the bacterial spores that cause botulism, babies under the age of 12 months must not consume Manuka Honey. Manuka Honey has a high content of glucose; therefore, diabetics should limit the amount of consumption.
Image: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/honey/
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