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Top Stories 29th
Annual Convention 7/23/2010 Legislation Journal
of the American Naturopathic Facts |
QUANTUMED - The Evolution of Atomic Healing & Nanomedicine Foods Are Essential To Vitamin Intake Intoduction To Electrohomeopathy ANMA Photo I.D. Membership Cards MORE NEW COLORS for ANMA Embroidered Polo Shirts, LAB COATS & SCRUBS!
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The President's Corner
By: Mary Dunlap, N.D. for Dr. Charles Curtis
In 2009 there will be a flood of legislation across the country that will attempt to deprive you of your right to practice. ANMA will be fighting hard to keep legislation fair for you. Additionally, ANMA will be supporting legislation that will recognize practice and title rights of all naturopaths. ANMA will keep you informed as legislation is introduced in different states. We highly recommend you maintain an active interest in your future and livelihood. Non-involvement and non-interest in tracking legislation in your state can be devastating to your practice. We can not stress enough how important it is to keep ANMA updated with your current contact information. This includes your email address, which is the quickest and most cost effective way we can contact our members. Please call ANMA at 702-897-7053 or email us at admin@anma.org to provide us with your current contact information. With a successful 2008 convention behind us and plans for the next one, I encourage you to continue your support for this hard working organization. ANMA will hold its next convention at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 24, 25, & 26, 2009. A rewarding seminar with terrific speakers from around the world and over a hundred exhibitors with new and exhilarating products, is being planned for you. Please be sure to mark your calendars now, and plan to attend in July. For more information regarding the 28th annual convention, please see our registration form on page 19 of this publication. I want to give special recognition to the staff at ANMA for doing such a superb job, having worked tirelessly to insure the success of each annual convention. Their dedication has ensured the smooth operation for the continued growth of ANMA. There is still much to do to continue the momentum. We ask that you continue your dedicated support and encourage your colleagues to join ANMA. With ANMA being the largest naturopathic association in the world, our great strength lies in our numbers. I would also like to thank the growing number of new members from various educational institutes, both correspondence and resident, for joining with the ANMA. It is only through unity, cohesiveness, hard work, dedication, and a non-discriminating policy that the naturopathic profession can progress to its rightful place in the health care of people worldwide. The time is now and the place is right here with ANMA, the association that diligently protects your right to practice. God bless and may you all have a prosperous 2009.
Foil To commemorate over 28 years of success ANMA has created a special membership certificate that looks as beautiful as a work of art. Our already attractive membership certificate is now even more mesmerizing. This special membership certificate is foil embossed with five vibrant and metallic colors. The price is only $100.00 ($125.00 with your picture added to certificate) and shipping is included. I guarantee the new ANMA Certificate will be the best looking certificate on your wall. If you are not a 100% satisfied and as crazy as I am about this membership certificate, ANMA will gladly refund your money after the certificate has been returned. To order please call Julie Morgan at 702-897-7053 or e-mail us at admin@anma.org.
QUANTUMED
By: Asad Shahsavari, NMD, PhD, MD (MA) The year is 1959. It is December 29th and the wintery chill is thawed by a hot new topic of physics. Richard P. Feynman, a frontline quantum physicist, takes the podium at California Institute of Technology (CalTech) for the annual meeting of the American Physical Society to deliver a rather provocative speech: There’s Plenty of Room At The Bottom, An Invitation To Enter A New Field of Physics. The following is a direct quote: "This fact-that enormous amounts of information can be carried in an exceedingly small space is, of course, well known to biologists and resolves the mystery which existed before we understood all this clearly, of how it could be that, in the tiniest cell, all of the information for the organization of a complex creature such as ourselves can be stored...all this information is contained in a very tiny fraction of the cell in the form of long-chain DNA molecules in which approximately 50 atoms are used for one bit of information about the cell. A friend of mine (Albert R. Hibbs) suggest a very interesting possibility for relatively small machines. He says that, although it is a very wild idea, it would be interesting in surgery if you could swallow the surgeon. You put the mechanical surgeon inside the blood vessel and it goes into the heart and ‘looks’ around." (full text available at: http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html) Fast forward to the year 1966. A movie is released by 20th Century Fox named The Fantastic Voyage which involves a Cold War plot between the United States and the Soviet Union, who are concurrently developing a technology that miniaturizes matter by shrinking atoms. One leading scientist, researching behind The Iron Curtain, skirts an assassination plot and is left comatose with a blood clot in his brain. A rescue team is assembled on a submarine named the Proteus, which is then miniaturized and injected into his bloodstream. Their mission? To reach the blood clot and remove it before it executes the scientist. Their voyage is, indeed, fantastic as it takes them on a surrealistic cruise through the heart, inner ear, lungs and a harrowing, narrow final escape through the eye on a teardrop. Fast forward again to 1974, when Norio Taniguchi, a professor with Tokyo Science University, submitted a paper to the British Society of Precision Engineering entitled On the Basic Concept of Nano-Technology, wherein he defined the freshly-coined concept of nanotechnology as mainly "consisting of the processing of, separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or by one molecule." Later explorations into this shangrila "nanoland" were spearheaded by Dr. Eric K. Drexler, whose definitive works on nanotechnology launched a deeper probe into the possibilities with his landmark books: Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology (1986) and Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computations. It appears that the allure of nanotechnology is the lightning bolt in scientific epiphanies to cross the millennia. From Buck Rogers to the Twilight Zone to Star Trek to the neo-nano frontiers, we have finally landed at quark speed on the edge of a universe of sub-atomic dimensions. No longer a stretch of the imagination, it is quickly becoming a nuclear reality show of quantum physics, nanorobotics, intramolecular computers and self-replicating machines. What were once the cartoon illusions of sci-fi wizards are fast becoming the Nobel Prize nominees in chemistry, physics and medicine. And the winner is: nanotechnology. It may be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius but, if nanotechnology has anything to do with it, the Chinese calendar will add the Year of the Nanorobot in the not too distant future. Yet, just how did we journey from launching a NASA shuttle millions of light years away, to the idea of injecting microscopic robots into the double helix of the DNA? Perhaps, while some gaze at the stars, infatuated with the grandiosity of galaxies and outer space, others are surfing the web in illusive cyberspace and still others are fascinated with inner space and the miniscule, infinitesimal components of the finite factors of the elements of existence. Oddly enough, they all may be searching for the same answers to the same questions. Just when we thought we were barking up the right tree, the forest has disappeared. Drawing from physics, chemistry, electronics, biology, medicine and just about everything accessible on an atomic level, nanotechnology has widened the horizons of traditional empirical process by narrowing the playing field to a mere nanometer. Derived from the Greek word for midget "nano" is a prefix in the metric system designating one billionth part. One nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. The double helix of DNA has a diameter of around 2 nm. To put it into a more plebian perspective, imagine a marble compared to the size of the earth. Feynman eloquently described in his speech, when referring to the manufacturing of molecular machines and the demagnification possibilities, that the sum total of all of mankind’s recorded information in books could be carried around in a single legible pamphlet, complete with text, drawings, engravings, etc...and be a complete reproduction on a molecular scale. Back to the drawing board, nanotech research provides us now with dip pen nanolithography and nano imprint lithography and it is postulated that, not only could Feynman’s hypothesis by accurate, but, theoretically, the entire contents of the Library of Congress could be stored in a nano device smaller than a neuron. More dramatically, if such a nano storage device were implanted into the brain chemistry and properly connected with other interface network devices, the results could provide an intellectual access medium to the entirety of the stored information. So much for cheating on exams in the year 2059. Perhaps, the next generation of detention halls will be for students who short circuit the neuronal nano storage devices of other students, causing them to flunk their nuclear physics test in kindergarten! All jesting aside, the era of nanotechnology is not a comic book invention but represents a stunning collage of quantum physics, supramolecular chemistry and bioelectrical engineering in an unprecedented scientific adventure. While the Space Age boasted pioneering into gargantuan areas of space, the era of nanotech is pioneering the inner sanctum of molecular structures and the curios behaviors that occur on a nanoscale. For example, it has been observed that with common earth elements, opacity reverts to transparency, as with copper, inert materials are transformed into catalysts, as with platinum and what is solid gold at room temperature turns into liquid gold on the nanoscale. Even gravity loses its omnipotence and takes a back seat to surface tension. There are also ergonomic considerations as much larger materials and devices require substantial energy to motivate and can be cumbersome to manipulate. Nanoscale materials and devices, however, require minute amounts of energy and are capable of operating on a molecular level with control options using acoustic messaging and nanorobots which are able to be fabricated from desktop nanofactories. It was said that Einstein, when asked to dispel the ludicrous notion that alchemists could turn water into gold, responded that all matter was believed to vibrate at a certain frequency. Theoretically, we might surmise, that if properties of elements, such as gold, can be radically altered on a nanoscale to become liquid, how far off the sanity meter would it be to imagine other transformative options? After all, Einstein’s jewel equation E=mc2 essentially gave a mathematical voice to the theory that energy and mass are convertible. Energy could become mass and mass could become energy. Perhaps, nanotechnology will finally prove the alchemists were closer to the truth than their adversaries and unlike the Inquisition or the Dark Ages, nanoscientists may only risk losing face and not losing their heads, invoking the name of science. Feynman, in his 1959 speech, also mentioned computers of that era which filled entire rooms and wondered why they couldn’t be manufactured on an atomic level. He proposed these computers could also have certain qualitative features and be able to function with an intrinsic ability to make judgments and choices and calculations. Feynman’s hypothetical computers, however, were way beyond the user-friendly PC laptops we log onto today. He took the quantum leap to the 21st Century and the nanotech arena and did it without using the "net." Most tempting amidst all the sweets in the proverbial nanotech candy shop to those in the healing arts, however, is nanomedicine, which promises to be the panacea of all disease. Robert Freitas, Jr. of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing, is one of the leading contemporary researchers in the field. His quote is music to the ears of all aching bodies when he comments, "nanomedicine will eliminate virtually all common diseases of the 21st Century, virtually all medical pain and suffering and allow the extension of human capabilities, most especially our mental abilities." What may lie ahead in nanomedicine is a Pandora’s Box of tempting pharmaceutical, surgical and metabolic enhancements. These will radically change the way we view degenerative disease, congenital illness, and the consummate healing process. Where this will lead, in terms of social responsibility for a litany of ethical, moral and legal issues, proposes a plethora of equal and opposite theories, this article attempts to scratch the surface of the biopharmaceutical and molecular manufacturing brainstorm of nanomedicine and translate the exhaustive body of information into breathe-easy terms. It also examines some of the surging ethical concerns revolving around this novel approach to therapeutic modalities. So where did all the nanoscience to nanomedicine have its beginnings? Aside from its 21st Century stardom status, we know that nanotech’s embryonic stages were seeded in the womb of quantum physics and the dawn of the atomic age. Its shirt-tail offspring may well be genetic engineering, cloning and stem cell research. However, we may be confused thinking that nanotechnology was a windfall in the 1980’s or perhaps, was the new kid on the block with Feynman’s classic oratory at CalTech in 1959. However, the timeline of science will surprise us to find that in ancient Greece, Democritus had proposed matter was comprised of small particles of geometric designs, which he called "atomos" (atoms), the Greek word for uncut or indivisible. The year was 430 BC. Perhaps, a bit plagaristic then, was Englishman John Dalton, who argued nearly 2233 years later, that matter consisted of small particles called atoms. It was 1803 BC. One wonders just where physics was hiding out for over two thousand years. Bravo to Democritus for deducing the atomic theory without the advantage of any microscopes or molecular scanning devices available to contemporary science. And let’s not ignore the olympian work of the emerging quantum physicists in the first half of the 20th Century, such as Dirac, Maxwell, Planck, Meitner, Boehm, Einstein, Fermi and Feynman. Whose genius and curiosity pried open the atomic attic and dusted off the cobwebs of Newtonian physics. Their challenge of the scientific status quo led us to the edge of a dramatic paradigm shift from the Big Bang to the Strings Theory and onto parallel universes, antimatter and virtual particles. Because of these scientific visionaries and the next generation of fearless thinkers, we are fast zeroing-in from celestial nebulae to being nebulous regarding the validity of the accepted Standard Theory. According to some of physics newest heretics, including Edward Whitten and Michael McCrutcheon. There is talk of the "theory of everything" and, possibly, a plausible explanation of the source behind the forces of gravity, electricity, magnetism and atomic particles. What’s around the proverbial corner may be the elusive answer the star gazers, the atom splitters and the nanotechies are equally searching for; the answers to the mysteries of the universe, from black holes to the boogey-man in the closet. Well, maybe not the boogey-man in the closet. That’s still uncharted territory known only to the invisible friends that live in a secret corner of a child’s mind. It is also of interest to note that as early as 1914, the beginnings of nanomaterials were being investigated by R. Zsigmondy, who authored Colloids and the Ultramicroscope. His investigations used gold sols and other nanomaterials of 10 nanometers or less with the ultramicroscope which employed a dark field microscopy technique for seeing particles smaller than a light wavelength. That tanning lotion we just purchased, with an SPF 15 sunscreen for the latest trip to the Bahamas, may contain colloidal titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, by-products of the nanoparticles research. If one manages to avoid a blistering sunburn, courtesy of these colloid nanomaterials, hats off to Zsigmondy and his successors. Among other current commercial uses for these nanoparticles are cosmetics, food products, food packaging, clothing, cleaning products, household paints, furniture varnishes, appliances, disinfectants and cerium oxide fuel catalysts. While Bill Gates was making the electric typewriter a thing of the past with the invention of the personal computer and we were all scrambling to exchange cassette tapes for CD’s and DVD’s, the nanotech researchers were already envisioning nanocomputers the size of a neuron. The revolutionary effects of a single element, silicon, and its dominion over the meteoric success of computer technology, gave rise to a silicon empire from microchips to semiconductors to breast implants to Silicon Valley. However, nothing has sufficiently prepared us for the futuristic possibilities of nanotechnology knocking at the door of our wildest dreams. Even the new nano-lingo is as if speaking Swahili at a bingo game in Khatmandu. The semantics are an entirely fabricated language that arose from a collective of scientific resources and their combined co-creation of nano-dynamics. Some of the terminology is self-explanatory and some is distinctly nano and can be a tongue twister to the novice. For starters, the easy ones are obvious: • nanocars • nanionics • nanotubes • nanoscale • nanospace • nanowires • nanorobots • nanobubble • nanosystems • nanodevices • nanocrystals • nanosensors • nanoparticles • nanocircuitry • nanofactories • nanoelectronics • nano-dispersion • nanometer (nm) • nanobiomagnetics • nanobiotechnology • dip pen nanolithography • nanoparticle contrast agents • nanoelectromechanical relaxation • oscillator Then, there are the ultimate brain teasers such as: • ultrasound attenuation spectroscopy • non-covalent intermolecular forces • high energy particle accelerator • dual polarization interferometry • fractional quantum Hall effect • molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) • electromagnetic pulses (EMP) • synthetic molecular motors • neuro-elecronic interfaces • microfabricated cantilever • supramolecular assembly • colloid vibration current • photodynamic therapy • programmable matter • molecular assemblers • microelectrophoresis • biomimetic principles • mechanosynthesis • femtotechnology • picotechnology • electroacoustic • zeta potential • impalefection But, along came these enigmatic whatchamacallit, thingamajigs, created by the nano-geeks, and they are priceless additions to a future Webster’s New World Dictionary: • quantum dots • dendrimers • spintronics • photonics • rotaxanes • fullerenes • buckyballs Who says science must be stoic? Thanks to the avant-garde revelations of Buckminster Fuller, imagine the newest nano-sports competition, in the year 2030, featuring the Fullerenes vs. the Buckyballs! Add to these synthesized semantics, a whole new level of advanced analytical tools and you have the next avalanche of technology that will surely bury what we now consider "state of the art." Some of the tools that have ushered in the nanotechnology research are Bell Telephone Laboratories’ Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), developed in the 1960s and 70s, which was foundational in the research behind fractional quantum Hall effects, leading to the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics. Calvin Quate’s Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM), allowed scientists to see nanoscale structures as well as the Atomic Force Microscope and the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM). In 2007, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Grunberg and Fert for their Giant magnetoresistance discovery, which is spearheading the new field of spintronics. Focusing on the nanomedicine aspects of this newly ordained world of atomic and molecular scale technology, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has designed the NIH Nanmedicine Roadmap Initiative (nihroadmap.nih.gov) which enlists the intellectual resources of a sophisticated scientific staff representing mathematics, medicine, physics, engineering, biology and computer technology. Their exhaustive task is to decipher the clues and codes to unraveling the mysteries of biological molecular device manufacturing and the intrinsic issues revolving around the complexity of actions and reactions that may accompany these materials and devices within the human structure and functional metabolism. The Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI), within the NIH, has dedicated funding and personnel to nanomedical research. In 2005, the NIH funded a 5-year plan to establish up to four dedicated nanomedicine centers. As of April, 2006, the journal Nature Materials listed 130 nanotech-based drugs and related drug delivery systems on the worldwide market. Even as early as 2004, there was an estimated $6.8 billion in nanomedical sales with a minimum of $3.8 billion being added annually in nanotech research and development. Analysts have quoted as high as a trillion dollars is to be expected for the nanomedicine industry budget of the very near future. Aside from investing in nanotechnology, it would also be prudent fiscal advice to invest in a publishing company that specializes in revised textbooks on physics, chemistry, and medicine. Given the exponential growth of nanomedical research and the impressive body of seminal discoveries in breakthrough surgical techniques, diagnostics, imaging, drug deliverance and cellular repair, it appears that all the current publications will be grossly obsolete within a decade or two. With such enormous press and promotion behind this breakthrough research on such small scales, it might be valuable to put nanotech into perspective. Let’s do the math on some practical comparisons. We already established that a nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. Visually, if we were to line up six bonded carbon atoms, they would be the width of a single nanometer. Using that same measuring process, it would require approximately 40.000 nanometers to equal the width of a strand of human hair. Speaking in yardstick terms, it would take roughly 25.400.000 nanometers to fill an inch. Now, if we imagine a nanoscale blood analysis, red blood cells would be approximately 7,000 nanometers in diameter and 2,000 nanometers in height, whereas white blood cells are the heavyweights at 10,000 nanometers in diameter. Proteins tip the scales at 5-50 nanometers. Bacteria range from 1-10,000 nanometers, while a virus may be up to only 100 nanometers. Compared to white blood cells or bacteria, the DNA is a mere 2 nanometers, yet is the major relay station for genetic coding and metabolic regulation. Maybe, the old adage "less is more" is the mantra for the atomic level. Before we head off into the wild blue yonder of debating "technethics", a word coined by chemical engineer and theologian, Norman Faramelli, in his 1971 book of the same name, let’s take a closer look at what Pandora’s Box has in store for all the upcoming medical "nanoholics" who are already inebriated with the phenomena this technology promises. Inevitably, the so-called advanced conventional medical practices of today, including full body radiation, chemotherapy, organ transplants, amputations, prosthetics, drug dependency therapies, root canals, mercury amalgam fillings, kidney dialysis, open-heart surgery, by-passes and angioplasties will be replaced with the remarkable advancements of nanomedicine. The conventional modalities of the past fifty years may be considered as antiquated and barbaric as blood letting and leeches were in the 19th century. Their contenders will be nanotechnology’s medicine chest of nanopharmacokinetics, nanorobotics and cellular repair nanodevices. They will be the precision-designed, calculated and calibrated dream team of healing that will leave conventional medicine in the dust of their nanocars and synthetic molecular motors. Fasten your seat belts for the technological ride of the century. Taking a peek at some of the wonderland of nanomedicine, we find nanorobots made of diamond or diamondoid fullerenes, able to become an artificial cell. As an example, Freitas has designed what he terms a "respirocyte," comprised of roughly 18 billion carbon atoms, capable of delivering up to 236 times more oxygen per unit volume than the commonly known red blood cell. Beyond the efficiency of biological mechanisms, the diamondoid cellular structure would allow for a greatly enhanced operational yield and longevity. Theoretically speaking, one liter of these "respirocytes" would provide enough oxygen for an average person to hold their breath for four hours sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool or a sprinter at top speed running for fifteen minutes on a single breath. So long, steroids in sports. Imagine the court battles with athletes and the superiority with nanomedicine. Freitas has also postulated that cells have unique sets of surface antigens. These are valuable in evaluating the cell’s homeostasis, parent organ type, species, and identity of the individual. He regards this as "a biochemical Social Security Number...using chemotactic sensors, analogous to chemical force microscopy, they may be keyed to the specific known antigens or the desired target cells." In nanomedicine, devices could be designed and utilized to complement information derived from genetic engineering and the mapping of the human genome, as well as implementing distinct DNA repairs and alterations. In cancer research, nanomedicine is devising methods of delivering cytotoxic chemicals directly to the targeted areas without damaging surrounding tissues or healthy cells elsewhere in the body. Advancements in pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and nano-drug delivery systems are aimed at penetrating the cell membrane and going directly into the cytoplasm. Non-target tissue damage will be reduced by installing a trigger response mechanism which only activates on particular signals. The initial research shows quantum dots of cadmium selenide will seep into cancerous tumors and glow when exposed to ultraviolet light, allowing for oncologists to be site specific to the tumor mass without endangering healthy tissue. Sensor test chips containing thousands of nanowires will have the capacity to detect specific proteins and biomakers, also indicative of cancer cells. However exciting these novel drug deliverance methods may appear, there is something even more stimulating and inspiring on the nanomedical horizon. If we can ward off the drug dominance of medicine, as was the nemesis of the electric car, demonized by fossil fuel engines in the early 1900’s, there may be hope for the phasing out of toxic therapies which now have dominion within the medical scene. Big Pharma, if not willing to convert to Good Karma, may become extinct in the wake of the classic sign of evolution equated with the inability to adapt. According to Robert Freitas, regarding the use of anti-cancer drugs in nanomedicine, he remarks, "Bulk delivery of cytotoxins to tissue cells is completely unnecessary if the means exists to reverse the carcinomatous process at the cellular and genetic level." In the European Union (EU), the NANOBIOCOM project is gaining ground. The project parameters are "to establish the scientific and technological basis for the development of a new "intelligent" composite scaffold for bone tissue repair and regeneration with bioactive behavior capable of activating osteoprogenitor cells and genes and within and ‘in vivo’ environment, provide the interface to respond to physiological and biological changes, with mechanical and structural properties similar to a healthy bone and with size and shape required for reconstructing big skeletal defects." Nanotechnology is now accepted as a global research and development boom. It is the "gold rush" of the 21st Century. As more and more inventive and technologically proven products hit the marketplace, medicine will, indeed, move to the beat of a different drummer. Remember Feynman and Hibbs and the rather wild idea of "swallowing a surgeon?" Well, Hollywood’s response to that with The Fantastic Voyage was matched later, in the 1989 Disney Studios release, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, a series about a zany inventor who seems to have perfected a shrinking device that reduced objects to one hundredth of their size. In fact, Disney started shrinking everybody, from the inventor’s kids, to the inventor and his wife, to their neighbors, etc… everything was shrinking, but the escalating box office receipts for these comic quasi sci-fi films. They even produced Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, yet, in reality, the audiences kept getting larger. It seems reductionism had taken on a whole new meaning. In light of that, it is interesting to recall Einstein’s quote: "All matter is thought vibrating at a certain frequency." In fact, everything we see of absolute human design has a thought induced origin. Nanotechnology’s love affair with atomic and molecular scales and the persistent affiliation with smaller and smaller particles echoes similar philosophical aspects shared by those with materialistic viewpoints on reductionism. One of those who shared such ideologies was Francis Crick. Countering Crick’s attitudes, John Horgan, a science writer, wrote: "In a sense, Crick is right. We are nothing but a pack of neurons. At the same time, neuroscience has so far proved to be oddly unsatisfactory. Explaining the mind in terms of neurons has not yielded much more insight or benefit than explaining the mind in terms of quarks and electrons. There are many alternative reductionisms. We are nothing but a pack of idiosyncratic genes. We are nothing but a pack of adaptations sculpted by natural selection. We are nothing but a pack of computational devices dedicated to different tasks. We are nothing but a pack of sexual neuroses. These proclamations, like Crick’s, are all defensible, and they are all inadequate." Being reduced to a pack of neurons may seem rather dehumanizing, akin to being viewed as a bag of blood or a stack of bones. But, looking pragmatically at conventional medicine over the past two centuries, it appears to be the standard. Doctors routinely order tests involving that bag of blood and scan that stack of bones to determine the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of a disease, rather than the consummate health profile of a patient. Up to 1.4 million Americans annually, according to latest surveys, are victims of tests and treatments which are proven to be inaccurate or inappropriate. It has been calculated that over $65 billion a year is actually wasted due to poor drug bioavailability. It is hoped that, with the onslaught of nanomedical targeted drug deliverance techniques, that high drug dosages and inevitable drug waste, along with the eradication of the toxic trail of drugs distributed through the body, will be managed more directly and wisely. As we begin to exchange more and more of our body parts for fabricated replacements and defer dominion over our inherent responsibility for our own health and welfare to devices, machines, computers and robots, where will that leave our sense of humanity in the long run? Will convenience regarding disease prevail over consciousness regarding health? This brings us to a crucial rite of passage; a ritual initiation of sorts, that must evolve and involve all of our ways of thinking, feeling and acting. Will we continue to become more indulgent, negligent, and abusive in our lifestyles, causing rampant rises in degenerative diseases, and then expect nanomedicine to send in the troops of robotics and molecular cell repair devices to clean up our acts and save us, just in time for the next round of alcohol and drug bringing and another drive through the junk food take out? Answers to these questions will be as monumental to the future of humanity as those being fielded by the excitement generated by nanotechnology. Seeing how nanotechnology is homogenizing diverse scientific contingencies into a unified field of research and development, reminds us of the unified field theory of quantum physics and the concepts orbiting around a central theme of the composites of existence. Poetic as it may seem, it is clear to see that all of these scientific viewpoints define life and its variables quite uniquely. The chemist interprets life through chemical bonds and reactions. The physicist examines space, time and energy. The engineer determines the mechanics of building devices and translating energy into work. The philosopher delves into the constructs of the mind and systems of thoughts and beliefs. And the list goes on... Yet, even though they choose to interpret and define according to their specific ivory towers, they eventually arrive at a common space. Nanotechnology is a bird’s-eye view of these diverse scientific considerations. In a sense, it unifies the fields of theories. We may be getting much closer to a cohesive community of intelligence. Along with shedding light on anything, there comes an attendant recognition or risk and responsibility. There are ensuing consequences for the environment, the involved entities, be they human, animal or elemental, and the ethical, moral and legal implications and complications that arise from the most obvious and the most obscure of situations, especially where nanomedicine is concerned. If we are to place nanorobots and mechanical devices into the DNA of the human system and allow them to repair all damage and disease, who controls the mechanisms and what supervision is in order that will provide for safe-guarding from forced sterilization, euthanasia or genetic manipulation of races, genders, or age biases? Without the development of serious ethical criteria and stringent safety measures in place, there may be repeats of dark periods of human history, as with the eugenics projects of the 1900’s and the racial cleansing genocidal tactics of the Third Reich. Are we prepared to enter the nanotech era on a scientific level without also developing the superior consciousness and ethics that will prevent other tragic reactions to emerging technologies, such as evidenced in the nuclear holocausts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? These are answers to questions not found in splitting an atom or ingesting a drug, but are found within our sensitivities to a more universal view of action and reaction. A case, in point , recently occurred, where a 24-year male was convicted of vehicular manslaughter after driving the wrong way on a freeway ramp and causing a head-on collision that killed five members of a family. He was witnessed leaving a local bar intoxicated and heading into a Taco Bell drive through window ten minutes later. The food clerk called 911 to advise authorities that the driver was dangerously inebriated and tried to stall him. Unfortunately, within minutes after leaving the Taco Bell window, the fatal crash occurred. The driver was remorseful, but convicted of the manslaughter, and will spend his life dealing with depression and guilt, in addition to the judicial penalties. If this kind of behavior is not dealt with on a psychological level among the youth, in order to prevent them from engaging in recreational substance abuse and its resultant atrocities, then no form of medicine, nano or otherwise, will repair the situation. There may be instant repair of tissues, but what will repair the issues? Only an elevated level of consciousness and a heightened awareness of giving no abuse an excuse will ensure that individuals will make better choices instead of taking risky chances. Revisiting Feynman’s speech, we are reminded "...that, in the tiniest cell, all of the information for the organization of a complex creature such as ourselves can be stored… in the form of long-chain DNA molecules…" The same principle may apply in photosynthesis, where, according to a Webster definition, it is "a biological synthesis of chemical compounds...occurring in green plant cells supplied with enough light to allow chlorophyll to aid in the transformation of the radiant energy into a chemical form." Clearly, from DNA to a simple green leaf. The dynamics of nanotechnology have been in motion in nature for millions of years. We sense, that beyond the largest galaxy or within the smallest fragment of an atom, there is a continuity of energetic factors that speaks to our physical senses, arouses our curiosities and emotional passions and inspires our intuitive and spiritual alliances. Science may only be revealing what has been intrinsic to our very existence all along. As we continue to bump into the walls of discovery and awaken to find what is already there, we are faced with the truth that we are not creating anything, but merely erasing our ignorance by acknowledging its reality. When someone takes an empty canvas and paints a masterpiece or composes a song or choreographs a dance or writes a great epic, that is not only discovery, but creativity that calls on inspiration, skill and intelligence. At that moment, we tap into a universal consciousness that is a source of unlimited energy and a resource of impeccable knowledge. Some call it talent, others call it enlightenment. Science with a conscience and and enlightened consciousness is a welcome addition to any civilization. This underlying conscious expression of our humanity links us with all that exists and reminds us that we have within us the very same elements as the earth, the mountains, the wind and the sea; as the stars, the planets and the meteorites. That we share an atomic commonality with outer space and inner space and that we are kindred beings with whatever comprises the totality of life. We may always discover novel ways of controlling, converting and collaborating those elements, eco-systems and energies. However, in the deeper reaches of our consciousness, lies the fundamental matrix of being. It may be the essential ingredient that comprises thoughts, beliefs and emotions and no atomic force microscope or galactic telescope will discover it for us. It may well be the sole source of all the forces we examine and experiment with in the grand laboratories of science and it permeates the very core of our existence. One day, when we have dissected life to its most miniscule components, we may find our way back to the wholeness. Perhaps consciousness is the raw material, the avatar of lifeforce. Within it, though is manifested and from thought emerges discovery and from discovery is born technology. In the movies Bicentennial Man, starring Robin Williams, an interesting twist occurs. While we are now becoming more intimately robotic in our own experience of humanity, the character in the film, a robot named Andrew, goes through a series of altercations and alterations to become and android and eventually a humanoid. His discovery of emotions, including compassion and love, bring him to accept mortality as a requirement to being recognized as a human being. His eulogy before the World Congress to win determination of humanity was poignant and powerful: "To be acknowledged for who and what I am; no more, no less. Not for acclaim, not for approval, but for the simple truth of that recognition. It has been the drive of my existence. And it must be achieved, if I am to live or die with dignity." Andrew chose to age and die in order to be recognized as human. On his deathbed, he was granted his humanity by the World Congress and passed on in peace and with dignity. His dream had been realized to embrace humanity and mortality rather than a manipulated state of programmed perfection without free will. From time immemorial, the sages have elucidated the human spirit and higher consciousness. Some have consolidated such beliefs into reverence for gods, others have defied nature and others have chosen to find their answers investigating the empirical world of science. The ultimate research will be in deciphering and manifesting the code of consciousness. In that quest, experience and expression may supersede experiment. When that day arrives, time and space, energy and matter, will cease to be mysteries and become masteries. The will not be beyond our comprehension, but within it. And, whether it be nanotechnology or the boogey-man in the closet, we will not only discover what has already been created and how. We may become the creative force and understand why.
The Eight Causes of Disease By: Dr. Eliezer Ben-Joseph Foreword If someone were to ask you to tell them what matters most in life, what is most important, what would your answer be? Money? Fame? Family and friends? Whatever it is, one answer that’s high on most everyone’s list is health and longevity. After all, without a long life lived in good health, how can you enjoy all that you cherish and have worked hard to attain and achieve? You’ve heard it so many times, among comments between adults with enough life experience to know the truth of it - without your health, you have nothing. It is the foundation of everything. Of course, the flip side of good health is bad health. The list seems endless: colds, flu, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and so many more. While many conditions are age related, the reason that we fall prey to disease is due to one or more of the following factors: • Oxidation • Enzyme depletion • Inflammation • Mitochondrial energy depletion • Immune dysfunction • Toxicity • Stress • Glycation, lipoxidation, and carbonylationThese factors frequently join forces to compromise the body’s natural defenses against illness and disease, causing all sorts physical degradation and premature aging. Imagine being able to thwart these factors that cripple you and steal your precious time simply by swallowing a few capsules every day. Conventional wisdom says that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is, yet you can see that the word used is "conventional" not "absolute" because every once in a while, something comes along to challenge the conventional wisdom with something extraordinary, and you are in the right place at the right time for a revolutionary new product that is now available to you.
Introduction Welcome to a new age, the age of Prime Longevity. This report will help you to understand the comprehensive science behind this formula and how you can, indeed, find time in a bottle. Man has been looking for a way to extend his time on earth and maintain peak functionality while doing it ever since he realized that he was a mortal being. This goal has urged explorers to launch ships in an effort to find the Fountain of Youth, prompted scientists to burn the midnight oil while they experimented with formulas for the Elixir of Life, and guided pilgrims to search for the Holy Grail so that they can drink from it and attain immortality. As medical and scientific research has continued, an enormous body of information has been created, including the discovery of the anti-aging molecule. You may ask yourself why, with all this information available, has no one come up with a supplement like Prime Longevity before? The answer is simple – making all the data cohesive enough to be effective is not for the dilettante or the marketer looking to make a dollar on the next big thing. It takes someone with an extremely comprehensive knowledge of the subject, someone who has spent years in study, someone who has no other projects that must be put on hold in order to devote the necessary amount of time to collating all the data, someone who is not beholden to a pharmaceutical company for its research and development capital, someone who is truly committed to quality and effectiveness rather than the financial opportunity that a designer line of supplements might offer. Prime Longevity addresses both life span and health span, the number of years spent vital and vigorous, not merely drawing breadth. Prime Longevity offers you the opportunity to minimize, postpone, or altogether eliminate the time you spend enduring ill health.
The Challenges This section will provide you with a brief synopsis of the eight causes of disease and how they can affect you:
Oxidation There are approximately 100 trillion individual living units, our cells, which make up the human body, each assigned to a different organ or body system, each grouping with a function to perform, like a small bio-factory creating the manifestation of life itself. Cells are composed of smaller particles called molecules, which are composed of even smaller particles called atoms. You may remember from science class that each atom has a pair of electrons, which orbit its nucleus, much like the planets orbit the sun in our solar system. When one of the electrons becomes detached, the remaining atom or molecule is thrown out of balance, becoming what is known as a free radical. In the instinct of self-preservation, these free radicals will steal an electron from another molecule, causing further imbalance and the creation of more free radicals. This process is called oxidation and the domino effect which produces billions of free radicals can take place in a mere fraction of a second. Oxidation causes damage and destruction to the human body at the cellular level, resulting in disease and premature aging. The brain is 10 times more vulnerable to attacks by free radicals due to its composition of easily oxidized lipid molecules. When an attack is severe enough to cause genetic damage, we see birth defects, accelerated aging, and diseases such as cancer. Physical trauma, treatments such as chemotherapy, and emotional and physical stress are some of the internal factors contributing to the production of free radicals. The body actually creates some free radicals deliberately to defend itself against viruses and bacteria. Exposure to air pollution, pesticides, and irradiation are some of the contributing factors that come from outside the human body. Fortunately, there are materials that oppose the oxidation process. These are known as antioxidants and their job is to neutralize the effects of free radical damage by marshalling its defensive forces of enzymes, amino acids, peptides, and other molecules, and destroying the free radicals.
Enzyme Depletion The presence of enzymes in the body is so essential that it has been suggested that the span of one’s life is directly related to the rate of enzyme exhaustion. Enzymes initiate and control all chemical reactions in the body and to experience a deficiency in enzyme production results in aging, disease, and premature death. Our very existence and all its manifestations – reproduction, mental activity, even breathing – are the result of the enzyme process. The three categories of enzymes are food, digestive, and metabolic. The enzyme content of food is what determines whether it is healthy or unhealthy. Cooked and processed foods are so low in enzymes that, instead of being able to begin the assimilation process in the stomach, which is the function of food enzymes, the entire burden is put on the digestive system. Metabolic enzymes are responsible for, among other things, the modulation of the detoxification process and the elimination of destructive microorganisms. Research shows that every body system can be affected by an enzyme deficiency, resulting in illnesses as pervasive and diverse as irritable bowel syndrome, gingivitis, multiple sclerosis, autism, sinusitis, psoriasis, stroke, and cancer. Enzyme therapy has proved quite valuable in the treatment of many of these conditions, particularly cancer, because enzyme supplementation reduces the need for the body to spend its energy on enzyme production and allows it to focus the metabolic enzymes on the sources of the disease. To hinder the depletion of enzymes is to promote the extension of our life and health spans.
Inflammation Inflammation is a defense mechanism created by the immune system to fight off infection and irritation and initiate healing. Swelling, heat, pain, and redness are all symptoms of this survival apparatus, initiated as the first step in the healing process. Occasionally, however, the regulatory aspect of this mechanism fails to perform its function and allows inflammation to continue uncontrolled. There are many illnesses and disorders that seem to accompany the aging process, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and Parkinson’s. However, there has been increasing evidence to support the idea that the underlying cause of these and many other conditions are actually inflammatory conditions. It is now widely accepted in the medical community that coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death for men and women in this country, is inherently connected to inflammation. Scientists have also recently discovered an enzyme, produced in response to inflammatory process, which helps to create another avenue to further inflammation. This enzyme, commonly known as COX-2, only appears during episodes of inflammation and the process could not continue without it. Another enzyme, recently identified and known as LOX-5, is now being linked to neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, and ischemia, previously thought to be solely the result of the aging and physical breakdown process.
Mitochondrial Energy Depletion Every cell in the body operates with small organ structures called mitochondria. They act as batteries for creating and maintaining cellular energy, providing the strength and stamina the body needs to perform everyday activities. When these batteries run low, both mental and physical functions are diminished. In youth, the body is able to replicate mitochondria, keeping up with increasing demands for energy. Aging, and its associated chemical degradations, sees a significant drop in the body’s ability to sustain that pace the energy production. This situation is exacerbated by attacks by free radicals, becoming a vicious cycle resulting in heightened damage and more frequent episodes of disease. In the normal manner of cellular life, apoptosis occurs, which is the organized death and removal process of each cell before regeneration can take place. When the level of mitochondrial energy becomes inadequate to serve the body’s minimum metabolic needs, the apoptosis process is compromised. The abnormal cells that remain may die without being removed, thus creating further inflammation, or even mutate into cancer. Mitochondria are particularly susceptible to free radical attacks due to their unique and individually formed DNA structure, which does not possess the necessary safeguard mechanisms for repair and protection.
Immune Dysfunction Probably the most familiar and talked about component of the human body is the immune system. It is the gauge of the body’s state of health, its primary defense against disease, and its chief supporter of good health. When the body is invaded by threatening entities such as toxins, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, the immune system rallies its array of defense components to protect it. The immune system is armed with both detection and response mechanisms, designed to establish barriers, root out foreign substances, and eliminate them before they replicate. Without its vigilant watch for damaged, malformed, or mutated cells, the incidents of cancer would be even greater in number. Considering all the strains of virus, bacteria, parasites and the like extant in the world as we know it, the immune system and its complex infrastructure of tissue, cells, and organs is all that stands between the body and sickness and death.
Toxicity In all of mankind’s efforts to move forward, to make progress in every area of life, has left us awash in a sea of toxins. Deadly poisons have literally hitched a ride on planes, trains, and automobiles, not to mention all the high tech devices we have fashioned in the name of medicine and recreation. The most fundamental aspects of the body’s daily life and function have been compromised by the unintended consequences of progress. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat all bring the body into contact with the most damaging environmental toxins. The average American household is a cornucopia of poisons what with all the cleaning and deodorizing products, cosmetics and personal grooming products, food additives, and prescription and non-prescription drugs kept on hand. Normal metabolic function can produce certain toxins, such as lactic acid and urea, which combine with the chemicals to create a potentially lethal potion. The result has been a nearly unimaginable plague of diseases. In addition of a rise in the more familiar illnesses, such as flu, insomnia, migraines, allergies, and heart disease, we have seen the increase in birth defects and the advent of a variety of new syndromes like ADD, ADHD, chronic fatigue and, of course, HIV/AIDS. In remote parts of the world that remain relatively untouched by pollution there exist cultures whose members live to be well over 100 years old. Their air is clean, their water is clean, and their diet consists of unprocessed, uncontaminated foods. As modern civilization finds its way to these people, so does disease and premature death. Not even this amazing machine we call the human body can stand up to the relentless onslaught of toxins that are the by-products of modern life.
Stress Stress is the true common denominator, the enemy that besets us all at one time or another, in one form or another. Money, relationships, health problems, the state of the world, war – each one can cause debilitating stress, which is the physiological and mental response to situations, real or imagined, with which we do not believe we can reasonably cope. If you yourself are not currently taking some kind of mood altering, tranquilizing, or antidepressant drug, you can be sure that someone you know is. These are powerful influences and they can manifest as insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, migraines, ulcers, hives, heart attacks, and death. Stress can deplete the immune system, clearing the way for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, muscular, endocrine, and mental health problems. There are medical research scientists who are convinced that as much as 80% of age-related diseases that fail to resolve in a timely manner are stress induced.
Glycation, Lipoxidation, and Carbonylation The excess of insulin in the bloodstream is related to the glycation process. The food we eat is converted into energy to nourish each cell, with glucose being the sugar that aids in the assimilation of proteins and carbohydrates. The pancreas produces insulin, a polypeptide molecule, to address an increase of glucose in the bloodstream. An excess of glucose in the bloodstream and is the foundation of diabetes. If left unchecked, this condition can be responsible for heart attacks, blindness, and kidney failure. When blood sugars link up with lipids, lipoxidation occurs. Whenever any process involves lipids, the organs most vulnerable to damage are the ones with the highest fatty acid composition, like the brain and the heart. When the surrounding proteins become cross-linked, their function and integrity is damaged and compromised. The body then alerts the immune system to produce inflammatory chemicals known as cytokines, which cause help to cause conditions like arthritis, vision loss, fatigue, wrinkled skin, and cataracts, to name a few. One of the most commonly observable symptoms in the aging process is the appearance of brown spots on the skin. This is the result of a chemical process called carbonylation, an action much like roasting meat or toasting bread. When proteins oxidize and react to various sugars, lipids, and other bio-chemicals, carbonylation results, causing the proteins in play to accumulate in the vital organs. As the buildup worsens, the organs experience more damage and function is impaired. This degradation can affect every body system, from skin discoloration to neurodegenerative conditions. When the cells become unable to identify damaged DNA, the illness and aging process escalate. Part two ‘Solutions’ with the full reference list will appear in the next issue.
Foods Are Essential By: Dr. William E. Muirhead, N.D., N.C., C.P.T., N.S.
It is essential that a person is aware of what constitutes good food health vitamin intake. The federal drug administration produces a recommended daily allowance for the majority of vitamins which it regards as a good food health vitamin intake. These figures vary according to a person’s age, sex and some other factors. So what’s good food health vitamin intake for a young woman is going to be different to that of a man in his seventies. The food health vitamin intake amounts of certain foods are included in the nutritional labeling. This labeling is important for a person to consider and helps ensure that they are receiving the correct food health vitamin intake from the foods that they eat. The nutritional information is often represented as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance of each vitamin and mineral and can help assess the value of the foods in the quest for good food health vitamin intake. There are also a number of items that a person may want to restrict in their diet as part of their good food health vitamin intake. Again, the nutritional labeling of certain foods can help a person to see how high a product is in these undesirable contents. Salt and fat, for example, may be items that a person wants to consider limiting as part of their good food health vitamin intake even though they are not strictly vitamins. The majority of people actually refer to nutrients when they use the word vitamin and food manufacturers are aware that a person is looking at minerals and other items when they are considering their good food health vitamin intake. Fiber is another element that many people are more aware of as forming an essential part of a balanced diet and is necessary for good food health vitamin intake. If a person is on a restricted diet for any reason then they need to pay even more attention to their good food health vitamin intake. Obviously, some foods contain different nutrients to others and this is applicable to vitamins as well and it may be more difficult for a person to achieve their good food health vitamin intake if they are unable to eat certain foods. Vitamin supplements can form an essential part of a good food health vitamin intake for people who are unable to obtain their vitamins from their normal diet. It is also worth remembering that the good food health vitamin intake for a person varies throughout their life depending on their general health.
Natural Vitamin Sources There are a lot of people who do not have enough natural vitamin sources in their diet and therefore suffer from a deficiency of one or more vitamins. Obviously, it is possible to buy vitamin supplements to help overcome any deficiencies but for the majority of people it should be possible for them to obtain the majority of their recommended daily allowance of vitamins from natural vitamin sources. The key to gaining the correct amount of vitamins from natural vitamin sources is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. There are certain diets, such as vegetarian, that provide a limited number of natural vitamin supplements and therefore a supplement may be necessary. Also, the intake required of these natural vitamin sources at certain periods may need to be increased and a supplement may be the best option. It is important to be aware of each of the different types of vitamins and their best natural vitamin sources so that a person can incorporate as many of these as possible into their regular diet. Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and need to be replenished on a daily basis so it is natural vitamin sources for these vitamins that are the most essential to know.
Natural Vitamins in Foods • Natural Vitamin B1 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, organ meats, egg yolk • Natural Vitamin B2 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, legumes, nuts, organ meats, blackstrap molasses • Natural Vitamin B3 sources are lean meats, poultry & fish, brewer’s yeast, peanuts, milk, rice bran, potatoes • Natural Vitamin B4 sources are egg yolks, organ meats, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, soybeans, fish, legumes • Natural Vitamin B5 sources are organ meats, egg yolks, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ, salmon, brewer’s yeast • Natural Vitamin B6 sources are meats, whole grains, organ meats brewer’s yeast, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ • Natural Vitamin B7 sources are egg yolks, liver, unpolished rice, brewer’s yeast, sardines, legumes, whole grains • Natural Vitamin B8 sources are whole grains, citrus fruits, molasses, meat, milk, nuts, vegetables, brewer’s yeast • Natural Vitamin B9 sources are dark-green leafy vegetables, organ meats, root vegetables, oysters, salmon, milk • Natural Vitamin B12 sources are organ meats, fish, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, lamb, bananas, kelp, peanuts • Natural Vitamin B13 sources are root vegetables, liquid whey • Natural Vitamin B15 sources are brewer’s yeast, rare steaks, brown rice, sunflower, pumpkin & sesame seeds • Natural Vitamin B17 sources are whole kernels of apricots, apples, cherries, peaches, plums • Natural Vitamin C sources are citrus, cabbage family, chili peppers, berries, melons, asparagus, rose hips You can achieve the needed Vitamin intake by watching the foods that you eat. This article provides you with a brief balance of the foods needed as a daily intake to obtain the desired Vitamins. For more assistance in understanding Vitamins and there health benefits contact a local Naturopath, Nutritional Consultant or Certified Personal Trainer.
Introduction To Electrohomeopathy By: Dr. Debasish Kundu, Ph.D. (Spagyric
Homeopathy) History of alchemy or spagyrism can be traced to pre-vedic period in India. The archaeological excavations at Mohenjodaro and Harappa in the Indus valley have brought to light that, the people in ancient India were possessing alchemical knowledge as early as in the pre-historic period. In vedic period single herbs were prescribed. Minerals and animal substances were also prescribed, but no compound preparations were in use. Alchemy in India, was started for the preparation of an elixir of life for imparting immortality. The exalted imperishable status accorded, over the ages, to the soul in the percipience of body-soul relationship had in it the seeds of challenge to make the material mortal body itself immortal. The responses to this challenge, which were varied in different cultures, were often associated with a shroud of mystery. It took some time for the human mind to cast off the esoteric envelope as a first step to conceive of rejuvenation. Thus extending the longevity of the material body, but within the concept that the body has birth and death in contradiction to the soul. As the Bhagavadgita (bible of Indian mythology) says: "... the soul has neither birth nor death; it is not slain when the body is slain; it is eternally the same... just as a person puts on new garments, giving up the old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material body, giving up the old and decaying ones". Mankind has been on a quest for longevity and immortality since evolution. In India, the beginnings of such endeavours can be seen in the Rigveda wherein Somarasa was extolled as an exhilarating divine elixir. Later in the Ayurvedic classic, Susruta Samhita, Soma elixir, it was claimed, would enable its consumer to live for ten thousand years with a youthful body and supernatural powers. The Ayurveda, Indian system of medicine, has eight divisions and one of them is entitled Rasayana, concerned with rejuvenating elixirs and processes for arresting physical and mental decay. There are references in both the Charaka and Susruta Samhitas to several other compositions with the claim that they would confer on the consumer a long youthful life of thousands of years. These elixirs were mostly herbal preparations and rasayana of the Ayurveda, it may be noted, was more in the nature of prolonging the life of the material body than "transmuting" it into an immortal state. Even so, it seemed to have paved the way for speculating on the immortality of the body. Alchemy or Spagyrism in India flourished in the medieval period (800-1300 AD). It is also interesting to note that Needham claimed that earliest distillation of alcohol is attested to through the archaeological findings at Taxila. In fact, the ancient name of alcohol is khola, which sounds so similar to it! Susruta-Samhita used the word khola for alcoholic beverages, perhaps the modern word alcohol is derived from it. Somarasa, which was mentioned in the Vedas, was probably the earliest evidence of the use of intoxicants in India. Kautilya’s Arthasastra listed a variety of liquors such as Medaka, Prasanna, Asava, Arista, Maireya and Madhu. Caraka Samhita also mentioned sources for making various Asavas: cereals, fruits, roots, woods, flowers, stems, leaves, barks of plants and sugar cane. Medieval alchemical texts also mentioned fermented liquors and their methods of preparation. The Siddha System of Medicine which is mostly prevalent in Tamil Nadu, southern part of India, appears to have been evolved from the earlier alchemical concepts and practices. Though the system had originally its own ways of preparing certain substances of medicinal value, like muppu (a specially prepared mixture of three salts). It assimilated gradually some of the alchemical preparations and developed a number of mineral compositions which go under the names, bhaspam (Skt.: bhasma), cendurams (Skt.: sindura or mercury) and cunnams (probably calcium compounds or earthly substances). Indian alchemy or spagyrism of both Sanskritic and Tamilian traditions, developed a wide variety a chemical processes for the preparation of elixir of life, in which mercury occupied a prime position. Nagarjuna was an Indian metallurgist and alchemist, born at Fort Daihak near Somnath in Gujarat in 931. He wrote the treatise Rasaratnakara that deals with preparations of rasa (mercury) compounds. It gives a survey of the status of metallurgy and alchemy in India. He also wrote Uttaratantra as a supplement to Susrutasamhita, dealing with preparation of medicinal drugs, and an Ayurvedic treatise, Arogyamanjari. His other treatises are Kakshaputatantra, Yogasara and Yogasatak. The term of Spagyrism (Spagyria) has been used for the first time by the renaissance doctor: Theophrast Von Bombast Paracelsus (1493-1541). Spagyrism represents a crude form of homeopathy in which both vital healing energy and active substances are extracted from medicinal plants, creating powerful mother tinctures that can be further potentized. Derived from the Greek words spao (separate) and ageiro (unite), spagyric remedies were originally created by fermenting parts of wild herbs. Several authorities have described how Hahnemann was influenced by the works of Paracelsus: 1) Hahnemann himself pretended to take inspiration from Paracelsus medicine in the elaboration of his homeopatic theory. He got totally lost in his interpretation,but this takes nothing away of the importance of his discoveries. (Spagyric Medicine by Patrick Riviere) 2) Martin Gumpert wrote a book entitled, Hahnemann: The Adventurous Career of a Medical Rebel. In this book it reveals that Hahnemann studied and delighted in the teachings of a Swiss occultic medical philosopher named Paracelsus (1493-1541). Paracelsus developed a medical philosophy that combined the esoteric occult teachings of the Cabala with the facts and fancies of science. His "medical" philosophy was occult oriented without a doubt. The teachings of Paracelsus stimulated Hahnemann’s thinking and he developed some of his doctrine based on the occult teachings of Paracelsus. 3) Hahnemann used some alchemical techniques in his preparation of homeopathic remedies. Clear evidence of Hahnemann’s detailed knowledge of alchemical techniques lies scattered here and there throughout his writings, especially in his mode of preparation of certain remedies. Extracts now follow. Let us begin by considering some of Hahnemann’s own instructions for the mode of preparation of some of the elite members of his materia medica, Ammonium Carbonicum, Causticum, Hepar sulphuris calcareum, Kali carb,etc. (Hahnemann’s Debt To Alchemy by Peter Morrell) 4) "Paracelsus’ system... was a rude form of homeopathy..." (Similarities Between Hahnemann and Paracelsus by R. E. Dudgeon) 5) Paracelsus’... next step would have been to administer metals and minerals in a systematic way to healthy persons, as had been suggested by Galen. This step was in fact taken by Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathic medicine, possibly through inspiration from Paracelsus. (J. Coulter) 6) Paracelsus proposed the "doctrine of signatures" ("signa naturae") according to which the therapeutic properties of different remedies were similar to and could be deduced from the external appearance of plants and minerals: red remedies for blood diseases, sharply pointed leaves for the pain caused by stab wounds, iris colored Eufrasia for eye diseases, topaz against jaundice (because both are yellow) and so on. This has been adopted by Hahnemann in his Organon of Medicine. (Immunology and Homeopathy: Historical Background by Paolo Bellavite and Valeria Piasere, Department of Science Morfologico-Biomediche, Anita Conforti, Department of Medicina e Sanita Pubblica, and Riccardo Ortolani, Association for Integrative Medicine (Giovanni Scolaro), University of Verona, Piazza L.A. Scuro, 37134 Verona, Italy, eCAM October 7, 2005) Spagyrism and homeopathy are thus two distinct branches of medicine that has emerged in the form of Spagyric Homeopathy as an enhanced and effective healing system. Spagyric homeopathy represents a form of homeopathy in which both vital healing energy and active substances are extracted from medicinal plants (Spagyric Medicine by Patrick Riviere, translated in English from French by Mezarek,1999). The medicines were known as "electric school of homeopathy" in the time of Mattei in the later part of the 19th century. German spagyrist Baron Alexander Von Bernus, wrote on this subject, in his fascination book: Alchemy and Medicine, that the current knowledge of the plants called an organica (containing a lot of mineral salts) that act as remineralizr producing an exchange of element in human body, should have allowed a deep study of the prime importance of the salts that constitute the mineral substance of vegetal. Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, sometimes the scope of herbal medicine is extended to include fungi and bee products, as well as minerals, shells and certain animal parts. Many plants synthesize substances that are useful to the maintenance of health in humans and other animals. These include aromatic substances, most of which are phenols or their oxygen-substituted derivatives such as tannins. Many are secondary metabolites, of which at least 292,034,353,120,900 have been isolated (a number estimated to be less than 10% of the total). In many cases, these substances (particularly the alkaloids) serve as plant defense mechanisms against predation by microorganisms, insects and herbivores. Many of the herbs and spices used by humans to season food yield useful medicinal compounds. People on all continents have used hundreds to thousands of indigenous plants for treatment of ailments since prehistoric times. Indigenous healers often claim to have learned by observing that sick animals change their food preferences to nibble at bitter herbs they would normally reject. Field biologists have provided corroborating evidence based on observation of diverse species, such as chimpanzees, chickens, sheep and butterflies. Lowland gorillas take 90% of their diet from the fruits of Aframomum melegueta, a relative of the ginger plant, that is a potent antimicrobial and apparently keeps shigellosis and similar infections at bay. Based on similar observations, Mattei, influenced by Ayurveda, Alchemy and Homeopathy, also by Acupuncture (as evident from his theory and application of electric fluids on some nerve endings) and Color therapy (as evident from his writings on electric color fluids) created his mystique therapy Electrohomeopathy. The treatment is based on purification of blood and lymph, the two vital body fluids. In his book H. C. Allen termed Electrohomeopathy as specific medicine because, the name of the medicines correspond to the ailment in broad spectrum, like, Scrofoloso remedies, act on the scrofulous disorders and the metabolism. Linfatico remedies act on both systems of lymph and blood, especially the white corpuscles. Angioiticos remedies, which act on the blood vessels, the arteries and the veins and the circulatory system. Canceroso remedies, act on cellular construction and the chronic degeneration of Lymph. Febrifugo remedies, act on the fevers and all types of intermittent diseases, as well as disorders of the spleen and liver. Vermifugo remedies act on the intestines, but also on the other parts of our organism and also destroy all worms. Pettorale remedies, act on the respiratory system and bronchial tubes. Venereo remedies have a general constitutional effect. Next is the " electric fluids" which restore the balance between the two electric charges of the human body and bring the suffering to the neutral state: Red Electricity is an arterial and nerve stimulant. This increases the vitality of the body. Blue Electricity has tonic effects on the circulatory system, when used in a diluted form it calms the organs which is over stimulated. Green Electricity promotes venous system and helps with chronic diseases and arthritic conditions. Yellow Electricity relaxes muscular or nervous tension, diminishing organic function and excitement. White Electricity exerts a gentle, calming influence over the nervous system. APP water for skin keeps the skin fresh and smooth as cosmetic effect. In one sentence, Mattei combined principles and applications of the most effective therapies into one and blended his charismatic personality to form the therapy known to the world as Electrohomeopathy. Here is a recent description of bio- electricity in Time-Life’s science magazine: "Electricity is almost certainly the most elusive of everyday things: It lives in the walls of our houses and regulates the lives of our cells. It bolts from the sky as lightning and sparks from your finger if you touch a metal doorknob after shuffling across the rug. It shapes the structure of matter making plastic pliable, oil slick, and glue sticky. It runs electric trains and human brains . . . Light is electromagnetic radiation and that includes everything from visible light to x-rays, microwaves, and radio waves. The magnetism in iron magnets is caused by the spinning of countless electrons twirling in unison, just as the magnetic field of the earth is most probably created by the swirling of electric currents in its molten metal core. Your entire body is a giant electric machine: body chemistry (like all chemistry) is based on electrical bonds. It even runs on electricity. The energy you need to see these words comes from the egg you ate for breakfast; the egg got its energy from the corn consumed by the hen; the corn extracted that energy directly from the electromagnetic light of the sun through photosynthesis. When you think about it, the universe is positively (and negatively) electrifying. But, because of the usually perfect balance between positive and negative forces, most of the electrical power around you is neutralized and therefore unnervingly invisible, at least in the normal sense... Essentially, everything around us is electrically charged empty space". © Copyright of this article reserved with the author, for any clarifications or inquiries, please contact : drdkundu@hotmail.com
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