Study Sheds New Light on Prescription Drug Deaths

One of the major reasons why the FDA approved Purdue Pharma's OxyContin was the company's assertions that Oxy was less addictive than existing prescription painkillers. As we later found out, Purdue intentionally misled us - for which they were fined $634 million. However, by the time the judgment went through, addiction treatment centers were already filling up with people who had become addicted to the drug.
Doctors, in an effort to give patients a less dangerous painkiller, started prescribing more methadone. Since methadone has traditionally been used to help people get off heroin and other opiates - although, in practice, most people who tried to do so wound up parked on methadone indefinitely - it was a logical choice. As a result, the rate of methadone prescriptions increased by 1300% from 1997 through 2006.
But as the number of prescriptions went up, so did the rate of adverse events - negative reactions to the drug - which increased by 1800%. The number of methadone-related deaths also increased by a whopping 400%.
In fact, methadone killed far more people than heroin ever did: about half as many people were using methadone, but twice as many people were dying.
The interesting thing about the methadone-related deaths is that the majority of them, although not all by a long shot, involved people who were taking methadone along with one or more other drugs.
Since methadone stays in the system long after its painkilling effects have worn off, it's easy for a patient to assume that the drug is out of their system and they need more. Sometimes they would take more methadone, but often they would take a different painkiller instead, looking for relief until their next prescribed dose of methadone.
This combination of drugs caused the heart and respiratory rate to decrease dangerously, sometimes resulting in a person simply dying in their sleep having had no warning whatsoever that they were in trouble.
But, as it turns out, there was more to the problem than met the eye: A new study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Washington in Seattle is now shedding light on the problem. The findings, published in the March issue of Anesthesiology and Drug and Alcohol Dependence, revealed an interaction with other drugs that causes methadone to stay in the system even longer than its known time period.
Researchers hope this information will help change the prescribing guidelines so methadone can be taken safely. In the meantime, patients should read the study themselves and ensure their doctors are familiar with the information.
Patients should also be aware than methadone can be much more difficult to stop taking than other drugs. In fact, many addiction treatment centers refuse to take clients whose dosage is anything other than minimal.
If methadone can be avoided and, instead, other treatments can be used for pain, patients are far less likely to suffer ill effects, are not risking prescription drug addiction - which is almost a certainty with methadone and other opioid painkillers when taken for anything other than a short time - and, possibly, death.
There are plenty of doctors around who will help find non-drug treatment for pain. And there are plenty of therapies out there. To be safe, give them a try.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2302589

The Most Innocent Victims of Drugs

According to the National Association for Perinatal Addiction Research and Education (NAPARE), about 1 out of every 10 newborns in the U.S. is exposed in the womb to one or more illicit drugs. The most frequent ingredient in the mix is cocaine. In major cities of the USA such as New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington many hospitals report that the percentage of newborns showing the effects of drugs is 20% or even higher. By the latest estimates, more than 1 million women use cocaine in the USA.
Anomalies associated with maternal cocaine use during pregnancy
Anomalies associated with maternal cocaine use during pregnancy can range from minor ones i.e., fetal cocaine syndrome: low birth weight, prematurity, irritability, microcephaly (baby's head is abnormally small), large fontanelles (the spaces where bones of the skull come together, but are not completely joined), prominent glabella (protrusion of the area between the eyes), marked periorbital and eyelid edema, low nasal bridge (a flattening of the top part of the nose), short nose, and small toenails, to major ones, i.e., segmental intestinal atresia (narrowing or absence of a portion of the intestine), sirenomelia (the term comes from "siren" or "mermaid" because of the characteristic fusion of the lower extremities that results from a failure in the development of a normal vascular supply to lower extremities), limb-body wall complex (presence of an abdominal wall defect, a short umbilical cord, abnormal curvature of the spine, limb anomaly, and craniofacial defect) and limb reduction defects (which involve missing tissue or bone in any part of a limb or limbs and can range in severity from missing fingers and toes to the complete absence of one or both arms and/or legs), congenital anomalies of the genitourinary system in infants, prune belly anomaly (when the intestinal pattern is evident through the thin protruding abdominal wall in the infant), neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, neonatal myocardial infarction and myocardial calcification). Let us focus one of the most rare but most horrific anomalies associated with maternal cocaine use during pregnancy, gastroschisis.
Gastroschisis
Gastroschisis is a congenital disorder in which a defect is present in the wall of the abdomen of the embryo. Typically there is a small abdominal cavity with herniated abdominal organs that usually appear on the right side of the abdomen. There is no membranous sac covering the organs. The intestines may be swollen and look shortened due to exposure to the liquid that surrounds the fetus during pregnancy. Since the 1970s noteworthy trends have been observed in gastroschisis prevail. Overall, gastroschisis rates have increased over time in several regions around the world. Prevalence of gastroschisis displays wide variation by geographic location, both within and between countries. One study indicated that gastroschisis was more likely to occur in rural areas than urban ones. Birth prevalence in the United States for gastroschisis ranges between 1.22 and 5.11 per 10,000 live births (National Birth Defects Prevention Network).
Risk factors
Most studies focusing on the maternal age have found much higher rates of gastroschisis for very young mothers. The gender of the infant is associated with the risk for gastroschisis. Males are more likely than females to have gastroschisis. Maternal alcohol use has been linked to higher rates of gastroschisis, as has recreational drug use (cocaine, amphetamine, or LSD). Nevertheless scientific evidence indicates that not all people are equally susceptible to birth defects. Genetic and nutritional factors may combine with other environmental factors to increase the risk. This combination of factors makes it extremely difficult to conduct epidemiologic studies in populations of people when the entire collection of risk factors is not well understood or identified.
Cocaine and gastroschisis
Cocaine causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing the vital flow of oxygen and other nutrients. Because fetal cells multiply fleetly in the first months of the pregnancy, the proper blood supply of the embryo is set back by the mother's early and continuous use of cocaine. The heavy maternal cocaine use during the later months of pregnancy can lead to an embolism, or clot, that lodges in a fetal vessel and completely disrupts the blood supply to an organ or limb. The result: different kind of deformities (shriveled arm or leg, missing section of intestine or kidney etc. Fortunately such bold defects are very rare. Thus the link between maternal cocaine use and increased gastroschisis risk is of particular interest because cocaine is a vasoconstrictor. One hypothesis offered for the etiology of gastroschisis is that it is a vascular disruption defect.
Diagnosis
The possibility of prenatal diagnosis either through echosonogram or any other method available allows the mother to be referred to an adequate center where a caesarean section or induced natural birth can be performed before term (as natural birth is recommended and just as safe as with a normal baby), preferably within 2 weeks of term, and allow the immediate surgery to be performed on the newborn. The main cause for lengthy recovery periods in patients is the time taken for the infants' bowel function to return to normal. The morbidity is closely related to the presence of other malformations and complications of the wound or the intestine. Patients frequently require more than one surgery. The fetal abdominal wall can be seen by ultrasound from 9 postmenstrual weeks although the defect cannot not been confidently diagnosed until after the 12th week of pregnancy.
Treatment and Prognosis
There is a small risk of a chromosomal abnormality and other defects cannot be always excluded either, women who have a fetus with a gastroschisis an amniocentesis, also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT have been offered to check the karyotype. AFT is a medical procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections, in which a small amount of amniotic fluid contains fetal tissues, is extracted from the amnion or amniotic sac surrounding the fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic abnormalities. Most women are to be subjected to additional surveillance with ultrasound biophysical tests and or cardiotocographs (CTG) during the third trimester. In spite of all best efforts taken by doctors about 30% of women will labor prematurely (before 37 weeks gestation). The good news is most women will not have another fetus with gastroschisis (although there is a 3 - 5% reported recurrence risk). For babies born with gastroschisis, the defect requires immediate surgery and intensive hospital care. Some babies with gastroschisis born to have strongly damaged bowel. Besides, they can have blockages in the bowel. If these blockages have been present for a long time, they can cause parts of the bowel to be greatly distended. Even when these blockages are relieved after birth it can sometimes take many months for the bowel to function normally. So it can take many months for the baby to tolerate milk. They have a long stay in hospital and require intravenous feeding. Fortunately most babies do not have these types of serious problems and feeding can be established within 7 - 21 days of age. Most babies with gastroschisis are discharged within 3-4 weeks of birth. Nowadays 90% of the neonates could survive due to the current advances in surgical techniques and intensive care management.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1900978

Sex, Drugs, and Rock

Driving That Train:
The area that is now known as Turkey played a major role in the Mystery Religions. The use of drugs to create "religious" experiences was developed to a fine art by various occult fraternal mystery religion groups in the Turkey area. The Assassins from where we get the word hashish controlled parts of Turkey and Lebanon in Medieval times. They used drugs to gain the allegiance of their recruits. Some of the most powerful figures for the Illuminati have been Turks. The Grand Orient has had some powerful figures in Turkey. For instance, at the Masonic Congress of all the Grand Orients' (that's European Freemasonry- although several American presidents have been members of European Freemasonry) Grand Lodges, Bou Achmed came from Turkey. The Grand Lodge of Asia was represented by Sebeyck-Kadir from Asia. Bou Achmed took a big role in the Grand Orient's decisions.
As an aside, let me explain one example of the power of the Grand Orient in America. The Grand Orient was originally strong in Louisiana but spread itself to many other US. locations. Garfield, a very powerful man in the Grand Orient, managed to become US. President because the political process got deadlocked at the convention and the Masons suggested him as a compromise candidate. Although Garfield was an extremely powerful Mason, had been perhaps the youngest general in the US. Army during the Civil War, the Illuminati ordered him shot after he had served about a year in office as President. Garfield was reported by an eye-witness to Satanic rituals to have participated in the cannibalistic rites of Satanism done to gain the spiritual power of the eaten person. The Grand Orient Freemasonry has been linked to other orders of Freemasonry that are also called Rosicrucians. Pope John XXIII joined a Rosicrucian group that had links to European Freemasonry when he was in Turkey.
While the secret Grand Orient Freemasonry was very strong in Turkey in spite of its small numbers, the regular American Freemasonry granted a dispensation for a Masonic Lodge to operate in Smyrna, Turkey in May, 1863 but the charters were withdrawn on Aug. 27, 1880. However, it is interesting that of all the Turkish cities, Smyrna was definitely the best place for Freemasonry to gain recruits. Men like Achmed Pasha and many of the other Pasha family have been leaders within Freemasonry and the Illuminati. Achmed Pasha was a Satanist and had a large harem. Mehmet Talaat Pasha (1872-1921) was a Freemason and part of the Turkish revolution of 1908. He was the leader of the Young Turks, which was a joint project of the Sufis and the Frankist Satanists. (The type of Satanism led by the Frank family has had connections to Turkey for hundreds of years.) Mehmet Talaat Pasha was the Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Turkey. He was held the political position in Turkey of grand vizier of Turkey (1917-18). Another Turkish Pasha was part of the Turkish royalty running Egypt when Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. His name was Khedive Ismail Pasha and he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Egypt. It was this Turk, Khedive Ismail Pasha, who gave the famous Obelisk to the United States. This Obelisk was called Cleopatra's Needle and was originally erected in the city of the sun, Heliopolis, about 1500 B.C. The Obelisk is a representation of a human penis, because sun worship, worship of regeneration (sex) and worship of the sun god Satan were all tied together. Masons helped with the moving of the obelisk, and its dedication when it arrived in New York City. Large obelisks have been erected by Masons in New York, Washington D.C., Paris, the Vatican, and London. (If my memory serves me correct Berlin received one too at one time.)" (1)
Notice the importance of Smyrna as a source of Freemasonry here. That is where the Onassis family has operated potion-pushing or altered consciousness drugs for millennia.
Sometimes, when my tiny head is spinning with disinfotainment and other artifacts of the mediasphere, I try to think what archaeologists and social historians 2,000 years from now might make of our particular little epoch. How, for instance, would they parse the word "drug"?
Is a "drug dealer" a pharmacist or a petty criminal? When we talk about "reasonably priced drugs for seniors," are we discussing marijuana or Lipitor {or Levitra}? What would they make of the fact that the last four American administrations have declared a "war on drugs" while taking money from drug companies?
Why is it bad when residents of Colombia build mansions from profits on the sale of drugs, but it's good when residents of Newport, R.I., do the same thing? When one person cannot live without "lifesaving drugs," we express great sympathy, unless that person is a "drug addict," in which case we may even throw him in jail. When a mood-altering drug is sold in pill form in stores, it's called an antidepressant and hailed as a medical breakthrough. When a mood-altering drug is sold on the streets, it's called felony drug trafficking and subject to stiff criminal penalties.
Because we are native speakers of Americanadianese, we can wend our way through the contradictions. We know that the bad drugs are the ones the cause euphoria and impair judgment, unless the drug is alcohol, but that's not ever called a drug, so there's no confusion there. We know that the good drugs are the ones that cure diseases or relieve symptoms, except sometimes the good drugs are ineffective or even counterproductive in achieving those goals.
Street dealers do not finance experimental trials on the effectiveness of the drugs they sell. Drug companies do, but they fudge the results. Street dealers have a small feedback loop because customers can tell pretty quickly whether they're loaded or not. Drug companies have a long feedback loop because human beings can't instantly tell whether their cholesterol is being lowered or their blood thinned or their insulin production stimulated. A drug with a long feedback loop is clearly more profitable than one with a short feedback loop because the dealer can keep an ineffective drug on the shelves much longer.
Interestingly, the people who sell ineffective drugs are generally said to have made "honest mistakes." If a street dealer sold you an ineffective drug, you could take five of your friends and go back and have a brisk conversation with him. If a behind-the-counter dealer sold you an ineffective drug, you'd have to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit and maybe, maybe, 10 years later you'd get some money, although probably you'd be dead by then.
Street dealers don't have patents on their drugs, which means that they'll always have plenty of competition. Drug companies do have patents, so they can set their prices without worrying about market economics. And when their patents run out, they can put out a drug with a slightly different formulation, promote it like mad and sell the new drug in a monopolistic setting {With government mandated market support in order to manage the 'money-trees' while building bureaucracy.}. You have to wonder when street dealers are going to come up with Cocaine XR or LSD Reditabs.
Since the street dealer works in a competitive atmosphere, he has to keep his prices relatively low. In order to increase his profitability, he can "step on" his product, that is, dilute it. It would be unwise for a drug company to adulterate its product, but since it owns a monopoly, it can set prices artificially high and achieve the same profitability levels. A street dealer who knowingly poisons his clientele is called "the scum of the earth." A drug corporation that knowingly poisons its clientele is called "a tobacco company." People who sell illegal drugs often rot in jail for 20 or 30 years. People who sell legal drugs are often forced to attend tedious daylong board meetings. People who take illegal drugs are called "losers." People who take legal drugs are called "everyone in America."
Glad I'm not an archaeologist in 4040; my brain would ache a whole lot.
One pill makes you larger, and one pill puts you in jail, and please do not operate heavy machinery with the ones that mother gives you. {My ex-roommate was being told to apply for his old job as a forklift truck operator while being given drugs for Schizophrenia which he did not have. He was no liar and could not expose a potential employer to the insurance risks or his fellow employees to the life threat this would entail. Many drugs people use are impairing their driving prowess, and there are laws to take away their license that go unenforced.}
Driving that train, high on ethyl 4-1-piperidinecarboxylate.
Homeopathy:
It is a wonderful thing to have the Joy of Learning and to make a career that you find is related to your studies. There are so many ways to get a Doctor label and thus claim expertise in the many fields and disciplines which we have broken knowledge into. Some of this is counter to real expertise and much of it just sets people apart from knowledge and each other. But people are also being segmented into classes within the hierarchy of government backed by and for elites in all so many ways. Medicine has been one of their more dastardly tools alongside religion. This next little factoid reminds me of how Edward Gibbon almost died because the British Medical system would not approve vaccinations through use of scabs as had been done by the likes of Paracelsus or others in antiquity and which was approved in the France of his era.
"When the Cholera epidemic reached England, it provided another opportunity to compare homeopathic treatment with the conventional methods of the day. Regular allopathic medicine yielded a mortality rate of 59 percent compared to only 16 percent for the Homeopaths. (2) When these statistics were collected, the information was so startling that a medical commission was sent to the London Homeopathic Hospital to check the records. Though the data were duly verified, it was decided not to make them public, and the facts were not released until a hundred years later." (3)
The formation of the American Medical Association is a major issue against alternative healing or real care for people. In the late 19th Century as these issues were becoming apparent there were many who knew that the allopaths or medical doctors selling laudanum and the like were actually the 'Killing-trade'. There are signs that stress management (don't fret - sweat or exercise) and the connectiveness to the 'all' around us are again making a play to be considered in health maintenance. Vitamins and supplements are able to prove to even the most duped person receiving medical care that they work and yet some doctor's groups and the governments that back them still disqualify doctors who advise their usage.
Academics are subject to a 'Knowledge Filter' (Berkeley Law Professor - Johnson) or Literary Theory (UBC English Professor Graham Good) and the outright suppression of creative or thoughtful and meaningful potentials. (4) The concept of Bucky Fuller called 'the observer of the observed' and his more detailed 'creative realization' is part of what operates as we 'project' upon reality. For example the things we see are actually a mixture of fields of energy from the dross and less excited to the highly excited or vibrational energy inside the atomic structures. One way of visualizing this includes an aura, which is the field of energy not usually visible but associated with the solar body and integrative centers called chakras. Perhaps we could contemplate a time when all people had the ability to see or sense auras. In our socially normed 'projections' that include telling our children certain things do not exist, we have lost the conscious integration or incorporation of these fields of reality.
Psychic surgeons in the Philippines and Brazil have had their energy measured during operations at the same vibration rate of 7.8 cycles. It started me thinking about how we can alter our state and how others might perceive us in these altered states. Clearly if anyone could see all the spaces between our electrons and the nuclei or between the different atoms and molecules we wouldn't seem solid by a long shot. Thus these surgeons who use no utensils would be able to energize the infected or diseased body part or tumor to remove it at an altered vibration level. There have been solid documentaries with such credible support as X-rays before a San Francisco businessman had such a tumor removed and X-rays a year later showing it hadn't returned. In the end you must decide who has the most to gain from the arguments and whether or not you want to actualize your own potential. Once you do a few things the debunkers say are impossible - then a smile will come to your face; and the intellectual conflict loses all import.
String Theory knows about the harmonic forces that are less than solid which somehow combine to make what we perceive as a solid. The astrophysicists now have told us that 95% of the universe is 'Dark Matter' or 'Dark Energy' - so get with it before you are invisible and don't know it! Just kidding! We fear that which we cannot fully comprehend and our experts or priests and doctors include many enablers of our fears. We even allow fear to pre-empt love; which is ironic because at the end of our lives it's not the fears or the differences that matter the most but whether we loved and allowed ourselves to be loved as much as possible.
"Every new perception of knowledge is always based either directly or indirectly on older knowledge. InteliTapping allows us to connect with the oldest, yet most complete source of knowledge." (5)
Nature produced a show on the origins of music and the biological and archetypal impact it has had on our evolution and emotional wherewithal. Along with reed instruments from as long ago as 60,000 years that obviously show sophisticated development of technology, they had the cave operas of those who rubbed and drummed on stalactites. They posited that the tree-swinging hominid that like the Sumatran Gibbon co-ordinates community for protection through territorial chants, is not so much less aware as most of our great Lockean influenced academics seem to be. These animals also learned what plants are dangerous and what plants alter your spiritual consciousness. You can see it when your puppy goes outside for the first time and chews on some grass to settle its tummy. Our genes contain a lot of information or the ability to tap-in to much knowledge. The buzz you get from 'weed' is the buzz coming from your Thalami and Third Eye or Pineal gland that has a crystal radio receiver and grains or crystalline structures. Crystalline structures like quartz were known to be useful in the Lost Chord of the Druids and more ancient shamans. There are magnificent quartz caves in Central America and other places that would have been used by early hominids for a certainty.
The Best Body Language - Sex:
Long before Tantra or Bhakti Yoga there were many things ancients probably learned from intercourse, even more than most people do today. Today we have drugs like Viagra to enhance the longevity of the sexual encounter. The Mayans have natural drug for this. There are so many things which keep us busy or deflect us from spiritual insight as is noted in many Eastern systems which refer to the 'busy-mind' or samsara and the illusion of Maya.
Second degree Wiccan students who have advanced through a rigorous training in esoteric knowledge begin a quest that many would regard as perverse pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification. The partners are often involved in other committed relationships. When a man and a woman who are interested in spiritual growth combine to experience the Tantric or Bhakti (Yoga) or ritualistic growth potential to free more than just their personal self or ego to reach the heights of spiritual or psychic possibilities; who can say what is real and what is imagined. This effort to commune with spirit is termed 'working partners' and the allies or guides is who they really seek to merge or work with. The imagination is undoubtedly a part of the dynamic. It isn't necessary for them to care for each other in the way lovers do. I have not done this 'work'.
Many people talk about 'soulmates' or 'dual flames' and the words become mere shadows of the real potential. At the same time sex is a dirty 'word', and act, in much of society.
What can a writer say to convey the essence of all these things?
If I absolve myself from the challenge of integrating these concepts, rituals and soulful realities I would simply say trust your soul and know that wherever you may go you will find something more than whatever you thought was real to begin with.
If I talk about 'la petite mort' or empathic attunements with the soul of the partner that allows the self to disintegrate and become part of something larger than one person; and almost dissolve in the vastness of spirit - it will only seem like prose and poetry. The phrase 'la petite mort' or 'the little death' can in fact lead to a Kundalini type experience which can cause death.
Of course, one can wax eloquent and carry on at length about any of their hopes and desires. The essence of a great working partner most probably has little to do with these aspirations and more to do with the way the soul interpenetrates all people. The glimpses of insight gained through empathy and love with those who shared my needs are special to me and will forever stay in the part of my soul (if there is such a part) that cherishes all we were and hungers for what we could have been.
To deprecate the witch who 'draws down the moon' into their partner on the path to worship of things no one can fully know is the stuff of fearful and insecure people. That kind of bigotry without actual experience is rampant in all areas of society. It is truly just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when one contemplates all the ways mankind has developed to separate himself from what we are collectively and what god truly wishes for us to realize. No amount of constant seeking or obsession with these pursuits will ever get a man any closer to his soul than what he was while in his mother's womb.
The joy and creativity of the challenge to know is as great a gift as our maker can give us - except perhaps the acquiescence to the soul within the loved one you are blessed to have the chance to know and share your life with. In the moment of creation each day as we grow and learn to be, we are forever drawn by some force that seeks greater harmony and purpose for all energy.
Many (if not most) people think the 24 hour orgasm is like alien abductions but the EEG and other ways of measuring physical responses would convince them otherwise. A similar number of people find the misuse of Tantric Yoga by the likes of Crowley and Hubbard is tantamount to whatever is evil in man. I say they are right, but that is not the fault of Tantric Yoga. These techniques are very seductive and in some ways the participants would choose to have the experience even if they knew a great deal about it because it is a sad truism that Masters and Johnson or Kinsey are right. They say a full third of women never have an orgasm through intercourse.
Many people seldom enjoy sex and some significant number of the rest of us are in varying stages of poor to decent ability and openness to what great learning sex can provide. It could be said that our sexual relations are a good barometer of the state of society. I favour sex education and all the opportunities and responsibilities that go with the natural and soulful functions of the act. It is easy to understand why some people are hesitant to have strangers teach their loved ones about sex. But Father Leo Booth is right when he notes that parents who repress their children or foist suppressive behavior upon them are just as guilty of abuse.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/33720

Is it Really Fibromyalgia?

"I have been seen by 9 other doctors and all of them tell me I have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have tried physical therapy, medication pain management, psychology and psychiatry, exercise, and trigger point injections. Nothing works. I think I am crazy".
In 12 years of practice, I have heard this statement hundreds of times. Patients come to me fearful, hopeless, distraught, tearful and humbled. The reality is that each of these patients has a story to tell if we take the time to listen to them.
Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, "yuppie syndrome", rheumatism, Lupus, and any of the other colorful scarlet letters we allow people to walk around with each day in this country are utilized differently depending on whom the patient is seeing. There is little consistency in my experience. According to Wolfe F, et al. JRheumatology 23(3):534-9, 1996, there is a diagram defining 18 points of pain which is used to diagnose fibromyalgia, however, their research suggested that a patient does not necessarily have to qualify for the 11 of 18 points to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. According to the Fibromyalgia Network, this condition "only takes about 5 minutes" to diagnose.
After a 5 minute diagnosis, patients are prescribed up to 4 medications (pain medications, sleeping medications, anti-depressants and muscle relaxers) each varying in their purpose and affects on the body. According to the latest medical research there is no discussion for ultimately resolving these conditions of health and the core focus is to manage the symptoms, teach coping strategies to the patient and recommend engagement in exercise. "Although the intensity of your symptoms may vary, they'll probably never disappear completely. It may be 'reassuring' to know, however, that fibromyalgia isn't progressive or life threatening." (Mayoclinic.com).
Patients generally report a list of symptoms, which many times overlap with other known medical diagnosis. Common symptoms and history provided by the patient include; pain all over, joint stiffness, fatigue, irregular bowels, poor concentration, poor sleep, low labido, irregular menses, dizziness, restless legs, depression, anxiety, irritability, history for antibiotics, steroid and pain medications use and allergies from the environment and foods. Spending over an hour on initial evaluation with my patients, I have found many interesting aspects about the person's life that reveals a direct correlation between their healthcare history and key events in their lives.
In my practice, I have noted that greater than 70% of patients having been diagnosed with a chronic pain type condition such as fibromyalgia reported that they had been sexually molested, raped or were forced to engage in inappropriate sex acts prior to the age of 18 by a family member or friend. Of the remaining 30%, 10% reported some catastrophic trauma (car accident, observed a suicide, lost a child, etc.) in their life within one year of the chronic pain symptoms and 20% reported living with an alcoholic parent or spouse with a history for violence, emotional and or sexual abuse. All of them share a traumatic event or series of events that resulted in their bodies experiencing a hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis) response known as "fight or flight". These findings are consistent with published studies such as: Posttraumatic stress disorder, tenderness, and fibromyalgia syndrome (Amitala, et al. J Psychosomatic Research 61(5):663-669, 2006) suggesting that "PTSD is highly associated with fibromyalgia. The degree and impact of these disorders are also highly related".
Further clinical evaluation through saliva testing (24 hour circadian rhythm analysis) revealed major imbalances in 100% of the patient population for abnormal adrenal cortisol (elevated and depressed). This too is consistent with medical research indicating a correlation between depression, fibromyalgia and traumatic responses. Recently, there were some reports that fibromyalgia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), two disorders which show a significant amplitude of depressive symptoms, are associated with changes in the baseline activity of the HPA axis (Maes, et al. JActaPsychiaticaScandinavica 98(4):328-335, 2007).
There is a growing body of research linking post traumatic stress and chronic pain, "A consistent relationship has been seen between PTSD and chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia," says psychologist John D. Otis, PhD. "While the cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown, the condition often occurs following physical trauma -- such as an illness or injury -- which may act as a trigger." According to Peter Roy-Byrne, MD, who is chief of psychiatry at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, he has also studied the association between post traumatic stress and chronic pain and fatigue. He tells WebMD that patients with fibromyalgia should be evaluated for PTSD, and PTSD patients should be evaluated for the chronic pain condition. Roy-Byrne is also professor and vice chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
This latest research is validating the reality of the patients I have worked with. The missing link, in my experience, between managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia (allopathy) and supporting the body's innate ability to heal from the condition (naturopathy) is "validation" for the patient. The basic principle of validation is the reciprocated communication of respect which communicates that the other's opinions are acknowledged, respected, heard, and they are being treated with genuine respect as a legitimate expression of their feelings, rather than marginalized or dismissed (Wikipedia).
When a person is able to correlate a significant traumatic event in their life with their body's natural response for survival and protection, they immediately begin to bring forth the realities of the past and allow themselves the opportunity to move forward into their future. Validation reverses the ill effects of the person accepting a false reality that they may in fact "be crazy". By placing a face to the condition of health, you release the somato-emotional restriction, facilitate natural immune and endocrine response to the fight or flight experience (Pert, et al. Neuropeptides and their receptors: a psychosomatic network. J Immunol. 1985;135(2 Suppl):820s-826s) and encourage the person to shed the scarlet letter of the condition and begin to manifest a reality of health rather than dysfunction.
Understanding how the body responds biochemically to stress whether it is environmental, physical, chemical, electro-magnetic, cognitive, emotional, or spiritual provides a foundation for appreciation as to why we feel the way we do (mind-body connection) and begins the first steps towards healing. When our fight or flight response is activated, sequences of nerve cell firing occur and chemical hormones like adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released into our bloodstream. These chemical releases cause our body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes. We become prepared-physically and psychologically-for fight or flight. If this response becomes chronic in nature our body's natural response becomes fatigued, we drain our reserves of cortisol in the adrenal glands, our digestive system does not reset, our hormone values become imbalanced and our muscles stay on alert restricted, tight, and ready to protect ourselves.
According to Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, Dr. Todd Nippoldt, the medical term "adrenal insufficiency" refers to inadequate production of one or more of these hormones as a result of an underlying disease. Signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency include fatigue, body aches, unexplained weight loss, low blood pressure, lightheadedness and loss of body hair. The evidence is overwhelming that there is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones. If not properly metabolized over time, excessive stress can lead to disorders of our autonomic nervous system (causing headache, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure and the like) and disorders of our hormonal and immune systems (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies).
If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or another chronic pain and fatigue condition, consider adrenal testing through saliva analysis, establish a relationship with a provider who will listen and validate your experiences, be empowered and seek alternatives that may be complimentary to your current treatment model, be open and honest with your provider of your past experiences including the use of any and all drugs, herbs and supplements that you are taking.
Wellness recommendations may include; relaxation, alkaline diet, proper hydration, certain herbs and supplements including homeopathy, manual therapies, detoxification, healthy sleep, gentle movement exercise such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong or Yoga, prayer and spiritual guidance and shifting your current reality to a more positive and enlightened perspective. Build a foundation of support around you with those that are healthy, positive that encourage you to be the same. Be "reassured" that your health is your choice. Live in the now and consider the path to wellness.

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Meditation As a Tool for Rehabilitation of Prison Inmates

Prisoners of Our Own Mind: The Powerful Effects of Meditation as a Tool for Rehabilitation
Abstract
The inability to cope efficiently with anxiety and negative emotions may lead to various physical and psychological problems. The primary purpose of this paper was to examine the effects of Vipassana Meditation (VM) and X Meditation (TM) on the psychological health and rehabilitation of inmates. The most common physiological and psychological effects of meditation are: lower heart rate, reduced blood pressure, decreased breathing, decreased metabolism, increased mental alertness, improved cognitive and affective performance, enhanced well-being, reduced pain and stress, reduced anxiety, reduced depression, and modification of EEG patterns. Some of the previous findings have highlighted the plasticity of the brain and its adaptive capacity to stressful situations. With the attainment of heightened awareness and better coping capabilities through meditation, inmates possess a self-empowering tool to maintain good mental health. Furthermore, with the regular practice of meditation, inmates are better able to cope with their anger and frustrations, and violence rates as well as recidivism can be lowered.
Positive psychology, a new trend in the field of psychology, was pioneered by Martin Seligman in 1998. The purpose was to challenge the focus of current forms of therapy on negative aspects of the human condition, and rethink the positive characteristics of human nature that promote greater well-being. Positive psychology claims that people possess a wide range of psychological strengths and qualities which are essential for dealing with the challenges encountered in life. According to Seligman, prior to WWI, psychology had three goals: cure mental illness, make life productive and more fulfilling, and identify and nurture high talent (Seligman, 2005). The latter two of these goals were apparently forgotten as psychology shifted to focus on curing the mental illnesses of veterans and traumatized citizens. Today, the field is shifting back to focus on the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of better quality of life.
The primary goal of positive psychology is to help patients, and in this specific case, inmates, develop their strengths in order to lead more fulfilling lives and better cope with stress and aggression. Specific coping approaches are particular coping mechanisms designed to help people better deal and overcome the hardships of life. Of these coping mechanisms, there has been an increased interest in the application of the Asian techniques of meditation as a way of rehabilitation for the prison population.
The aim of meditation is to understand our true nature and be freed from the illusion that causes our suffering. From a psychological growth perspective, it is essential for individuals to be able to free themselves from the imaginary boundaries that limit their worldviews and consciousnesses. By realizing the true fleeting nature of emotions and sensations, one learns not to feel attached to physical or psychological pain, and to let go. The regular practice of meditation teaches one about the impermanence of mental and physical states, helping the person not to react emotionally and to experience more detachment. As a result, meditation induces a state of deep relaxation, inner harmony and heightened consciousness. Diverse techniques can be used during meditation, but all of them imply concentration on a particular object or activity and the elimination of all forms of internal or external distractions.
The first type of meditation presented in this paper is Vipassana Meditation (VM). The origins of mindfulness go back to the teachings of Siddharta Gautama (563 BCE - 483 BCE), the Buddha. The Buddha emphasized the notion of mindfulness of speech, thought and action in order to attain relief from suffering and ignorance. Being mindful means being fully aware of the present moment. The teaching of mindfulness or "insight" meditation focuses on a deep, penetrative nonconceptual seeing into the nature of the mind and the world and continuity of awareness in all daily activities. Vipassana Meditation is referred to as an opening up meditation, where one is to attend to all internal and external stimuli non-judgmentally. This type of meditation requires an ability to focus and to be open. By analyzing one's thoughts or cognitions, VM focuses on a greater understanding through the systematic cultivation of inquiry and insight. Like cognitive behavioral therapy, VM involves the use of introspection or insight, where cognitions can be observed non-judgmentally and better understood. Hence, the path to better physical and psychological health comprises a better understanding of one's reactions to all emotions. The main cause of human suffering stems from the way we interpret the world surrounding us. By understanding and changing our cognitions, we can lead more fulfilling lives and experience an increase in well-being.
Relaxation is a bi-product of this type of meditation, but it is not an objective of the process. Vipassana Meditation is taught during intensive 10-day retreats, where one is to remain silent for the duration of the retreat and meditate all day. The schedule is very strict and meditators must begin their daily sittings before sunrise, not eat after midday, refrain from any intoxicants, from killing, from sexual activity, from lying, singing, dancing and talking. Furthermore, in order to turn one's full attention inward; eye contact with other participants is to be avoided, as well as reading, watching television, listening to the radio, and engaging in strenuous exercise.
The second type of meditation to be studied is X Meditation (TM). TM has its foundation in the Indian Vedanta philosophy and is practiced for at least 20 minutes twice daily while sitting with the eyes closed. The technique comprises the silent mental repetition of a mantra, which is a word or phrase used as a focus for the attention. The goal of this meditation is to attain pure consciousness: Samadhi. This technique became very popular in the early 1970s and scientists soon began to research the therapeutic effects of meditation.
In the United States, although sentencing is severe, recidivism rates are alarmingly high and many offenders fail to be rehabilitated into society. In order to improve a failing system, some facilities have considered rehabilitation as a viable alternative to punishment and opened their doors to promising, but non-conventional interventions such as meditation.
Beginning in 1997, Vipassana Meditation courses have been held in North American correctional facilities and researchers have demonstrated that such a technique has beneficial effects on lowering recidivism rates and improving inmate behavior and coping skills. Because of its very nature, the practice of Vipassana leads to a systematic process of self-observation that increases awareness, self-control, and inner balance, thus helping inmates make wiser decisions.
According the North American Vipassana Prison Project (http://www.prison.dhamma.org), to this day, only three research studies have been conducted on the effects of Vipassana Meditation (VM) courses on inmates in North America.
In 2002, a study conducted at the North Rehabilitation Facility (NRF) in Seattle, Washington, demonstrated that inmates participating in VM courses were 20% less likely to return to jail than the general inmate population who did not complete a course. Furthermore, Parks and Marlatt (2006) evaluated the effects of VM courses on substance use, recidivism, and psychological outcomes in an incarcerated population. According to the authors, previous findings in India suggested that VM courses are correlated to lowered levels of recidivism, depression, anxiety, hostility, and increased cooperation with prison authorities. The first Vipassana courses offered in a North American correctional facility were conducted at the North Rehabilitation Facility (NRF), a minimum-security adult jail in Seattle, Washington, with male and female inmates. Five men's courses and four women's courses were evaluated during a 15-month period. Study participants completed baseline measures 1 week prior to the start of the course, and a post-course assessment within 1 week of the end of the course. Follow-up assessments were administered 3 and 6 months after release from NRF. The total number of participants who volunteered for the Vipassana course was 79.2% men and 20.8% women, ranging in age from 19 to 58 years. Results indicated a significant relationship between participation in the VM course and post incarceration substance use, as well as improved psychosocial functioning. Thus, participants reported lower levels of psychiatric symptoms, more internal alcohol-related locus of control, and higher levels of optimism.
Unfortunately, very little research has been conducted on the effects of VM courses in prisons. The preliminary results are very encouraging, but not many facilities are open to trying alternative treatments for rehabilitation. Furthermore, unlike X Meditation (TM), VM courses are very demanding and require strong commitment. Sitting for 10 days in absolute silence and meditating 10 or more hours each day is very challenging. Also, one of the possible reasons for the lack of research is probably a lack of funding. Vipassana courses, as taught by S.N. Goenka, are entirely free. Participants are encouraged to make a donation only if they complete the course and no donations are accepted by people who have not completed a retreat. Also, unlike TM teachers, Vipassana teachers worldwide work as volunteers and are not remunerated. Thus, the money that is donated helps maintain or open new retreat centers, but does not fund research.
Unlike VM, X Meditation (TM) has generated an extensive amount of research in many different areas. TM has become famous in the 1960s when the Beatles introduced the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to the West. Since then, many paying courses have been held worldwide and a university has been created. Thus, the majority of the research on TM has been conducted and sponsored by the Maharishi University.
The rationale behind the use of TM as a means for rehabilitation of prison inmates is the notion that people at different stages of self-development are at greater or lesser risk for committing crimes. Alexander, Walton, and Goodman (2003) have simplified Loevinger's stages of ego development into three major levels: Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional. Each level contains several other stages of development, which vary along dimensions of impulse control, conscious concerns, and interpersonal and cognitive styles. Thus, people at lower levels of development are more likely to engage in basic coping mechanisms such as being impulsive or egocentric. Furthermore, people demonstrating a needs-gratification frame of reference tend to experience strenuous interpersonal relations and have little awareness of inner states. Therefore, such people might be unaware or have difficulty conforming to the conventions, rules, or laws of society and may engage in criminal behaviors. The next level is the Conventional level, in which the person can be described as conformist, self-aware, and conscientious. This level is typically attained by late adolescence. Finally, the last level is the Postconventional level, which is the most mature type of functioning in Loevinger's framework. People at this level have a capacity for self-actualization, are autonomous, experience inner fulfillment, strong moral values and respect for others, and demonstrate flexibility in adapting to demands and coping with external or internal conflicts. Proponents of the TM method cite previous studies indicating that TM programs enhance self-development and self-actualization, thus suggesting that continued practice of this type of meditation facilitates advancement through the stages of self-development in adulthood. Therefore, by introducing TM programs as a means for rehabilitation, self-development can be accelerated in inmates, thus providing them with a technique that promotes a greater ability to function in a manner acceptable to society.
In their study, Alexander, Walton, and Goodman (2003) discuss the use of TM as a means for rehabilitation of repeat offenders. According to their research, the practice of TM reduces multiple factors such as anxiety, aggression, addictions, and other psychological as well as physiological factors linked to the likelihood of committing a crime. Therefore, they propose that the systematic practice of this type of meditation promotes the experience of transcendental consciousness, which in turn alleviates stress-induced imbalances including hypertension, psychopathology, as well as addictive behaviors. The purpose of their study was to demonstrate that the practice of TM by prison inmates would lead to more rapid self-development, increased experiences of major states of consciousness said to be higher than walking, sleeping, and dreaming, and the reduction of psychopathological conditions. The researchers hypothesized that, compared to control groups, inmates practicing the TM program would show decreased psychopathology, as indicated by questionnaire measures of psychoticism, hostility, aggression, depression, and psychopathic deviation; they would show enhanced personality development, particularly as indicated by measures of ego- or self-development, moral reasoning, and cognitive development; and finally, they would show increased reports of higher states of consciousness, as indicated by scores on the State of Consciousness Inventory. The subjects were 160 adult male inmates from the Massachusetts Correctional Institute (MCI), Walpole: a maximum-security institution. Results indicated that inmates who had practiced the TM program for a duration of 20 months had improved scores compared to the control group. Highly significant differences were found in development, consciousness, and psychopathology scores. Thus, the results confirmed the stated hypothesis that inmates practicing TM would demonstrate reduced levels of psychopathology, increased self-development, and increased experiences of higher states of consciousness.
In the second part of the Walpole Study, Alexander and Orme-Johnson (2003) studied longitudinal changes in self-development and psychopathology over a 15.7 month period in 271 maximum-security prisoners. For this study, four groups were compared: prisoners participating in the TM program, counseling, drug rehabilitation, or Muslim or Christian groups. The results indicated that only regular participants in the TM program changed significantly, moving from Loevinger's Conformist level, which is characterized by an exploitative orientation, to the Self Aware level, which is characterized by a greater awareness of norms and goals. Furthermore, TM participants demonstrated significant reductions in aggression, schizophrenic symptoms, decreased trait-anxiety, and increased frequency of post-conceptual experience of higher states of consciousness. Thus, the results of the longitudinal follow-up corroborated the cross-sectional findings, showing that TM practice increases self-development.
In the third part of the Walpole Study, Alexander, Rainforth, Frank, Grant, Von Stade, and Walton (2003) conducted a retrospective investigation of recidivism among 286 inmates released from Walpole prison, by following them for 59 months. Results indicated that only 32% of inmates who practiced the TM technique returned to prison for a stay of 30 days or more, compared to 48% of inmates who participated in other prison programs. Therefore, the practice of TM correlated with a statistically significant reduction in recidivism of 33%. Again, those findings were consistent with the assumption that regular practice of TM would result in reduced psychopathology, accelerated psychological development, and reduced criminal behavior.
In another study, Rainforth, Alexander, and Cavanaugh (2003) examined recidivism rates over a 15-year period among inmates trained in the TM method who had been released from a maximum security prison in California. From 1975 to 1982, a total of 153 inmates at Folsom Prison participated in the TM program. By 1982, all of them had been paroled. The researchers matched each TM participant to a non-meditating control subject from the Folsom Prison records, controlling for variables such as parole year, race, offence, prior commitment record, age, history of drug abuse, ethnicity, marital status, educational attainment, IQ, employment history, military service, age at first arrest and first commitment, age at parole, months served, and rule violations prior to entry into the study. Results were statistically significant and indicated that the TM group had a 46.7% recidivism rate during follow-up period compared to 66.7% for the controls. Furthermore, the results also indicated that the TM program demonstrated lasting rehabilitation effects.
In their pilot study, Orme-Johnson and Moore (2003) investigated the physiological and psychological effects of TM on 17 prison inmates who practiced the method for two months. Participants were male inmates of La Tuna Federal Penitentiary near El Paso, Texas, who had been incarcerated for narcotic-related crimes. Results indicated increased stability of the autonomic nervous system, as indicated by fewer spontaneous skin resistance responses (SSRR). Furthermore, reductions in rigidity, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors were observed on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI): decreased Psychastenia and Social Introversion. Also, it was noted that regularity of practice correlated significantly with the percentage decrease in SSRR, which in turn correlated with decreased Psychasthenia. As noted by the authors, previous studies have indicated electrodermal hyporeactivity of subjects with antisocial behavior. Thus, psychopathic, delinquent, hyperactive, and aggressive individuals show lower tonic levels of skin conductance, smaller amplitude autonomic responses to stimulation, slower recovery of the skin resistance response, and fewer SSRR. In light of such physiological responses, the authors discuss previous studies showing that antisocial individuals suffer from an unresponsive autonomic nervous system, and therefore exhibit little to no anxiety or criminal inhibition. Whereas psychopathic inmates demonstrate slow electrodermal recovery from stimulation or lack of electrodermal and heart rate responses, TM subjects demonstrated more rapid recovery and larger amplitude of electrodermal and heart rate responses. Therefore, Orme-Johnson and Moore (2003) propose that this type of meditation increases reactivity of feelings, spontaneity, capacity for warm interpersonal relations, affective maturity, integrated perspective on self and the world, and resilient sense of self. Such personality changes are associated with positive behavioral changes, including decrease recidivism and better rehabilitation of the inmate population.
Based on his review of the literature on TM, Hawkins (2003) also notes that incarcerated offenders show rapid positive changes in risk factors associated with criminal behavior. Hence, with the regular practice of TM, factors such as anxiety, aggression, hostility, moral judgment, in-prison rule infractions, and substance abuse are greatly improved. Furthermore, it is noted that the TM program significantly helps reduce substance use as well as the underlying factors that trigger substance dependence, such as anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and other forms of psychological distress. As a holistic approach, TM addresses psychological as well as physical issues. Thus, psychological health as well as autonomic functioning and neuroendocrine balance can be achieved. As a result, the practice of TM not only improves the current status of inmates, but also provides long-term outcomes such as lower recidivism rates for parolee practitioners and lower relapse rates for addicts.
In review of the above studies on the effects of X Meditation and Vipassana Meditation on prison inmates, it appears that similar results can be obtained with the practice of either form of meditation.
In contrast to the TM program which relies on the repetition of a given mantra, the VM program shares some similarities with cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy involves recognizing unhelpful patterns of thinking and modifying or replacing these patterns with more realistic or helpful ones. However, with Vipassana Meditation, the emphasis is on acknowledging thoughts and their impermanence, and learning to let go without identifying with them.
Perhaps, the Vipassana program has generated less research in the area of forensic psychology because of the strenuous conditions necessitated in order to complete a course. Thus, unless they are extremely motivated, inmates might demonstrate greater difficulty participating in such a program than they would with the TM program, which only requires two short 20-minute sessions per day.
Finally, based on the current research conducted at several maximum-security prisons, including Folsom and San Quentin in California, and Walpole in Massachusetts, Magill (2003) reports that up to 56% fewer inmates are convicted of new crimes after completing the TM program. Such results emphasize how beneficial the introduction of meditation programs in correctional facilities are. Thus, not only does meditation improve physical and psychological behaviors of inmates and reduces recidivism, it is also a cost-effective way to address rehabilitation.
References Alexander, C., & Orme-Johnson, D. (2003). Walpole study of the X Meditation program in maximum security prisoners II: longitudinal study of development and psychopathology. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 127-160.
Alexander, C., Rainforth, M., Frank, P., Grant, J., Von Stade, C., & Walton, K. (2003). Walpole study of the X Meditation program in maximum security prisoners III: reduced recidivism. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 161-180.
Alexander, C., Walton, K., & Goodman, R. (2003). Walpole study of the X Meditation program in maximum security prisoners I: cross-sectional differences in development and psychopathology. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 97-125.
Hawkins, M. (2003). Section I: theory and review. Effectiveness of the X Meditation Program in criminal rehabilitation and substance abuse recovery: a review of the research. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 47-65.
Magill, D. (2003). Cost savings from teaching the X Meditation program in prisons. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 319-331.
Orme-Johnson, D., & Moore, R. (2003). Section II: original research on rehabilitation. First prison study using the X Meditation program: La Tuna Federal Penitentiary, 1971. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 89-95.
Parks, G., & Marlatt, A. (2006). Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20, 343-347.
Rainforth, M., Alexander, C., & Cavanaugh, K. (2003). Effects of the X Meditation program on recidivism among former inmates of Folsom prison: survival analysis of 15-year follow-up date. X Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, 181-203.
Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2005). Handbook of positive psychology. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press.

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Herbal Medicine is People's Medicine

Herbal medicine is people's medicine. Herbal medicine is the primary medicine of most people on this planet, right now. It's not something old and dusty. It's not a bunch of doctors and chemists figuring out how to use herbs like drugs. Herbal medicine is a 3-year-old picking plantain and putting it on a skinned knee or an insect bite. Herbal medicine is the medicine of women and children. It is the medicine of the earth. It's medicine that's free. It's not something that must be studied before it can help you. Start with one plant. Approach herbal medicine directly, hands on, in the back yard with your children.
You can be your own herbalist, if you keep it simple. First, divide herbs into four categories: nourishing, tonifying, stimulating/sedating, and potentially poisonous. Use nourishing herbs daily, tonifying herbs regularly, stimulating/sedating rarely, and potentially poisonous herbs almost never.
Nourishing herbs are nutritive plants such as kale, garlic, dandelion greens, rolled oats, plantain seeds, blueberries, and edible weeds - the powerhouses of nutrition. Nourishing plants can be used in any quantity for any length of time.
Nutritive herbs are rich in minerals and vitamins. One hundred grams of dandelion (about ½ cup of greens) has 14,000 IU of vitamin A.
Tonifying herbs are like exercise; they include such plants as burdock, dandelion root, yellow dock, motherwort, ginseng, astragalus, chaste berry, schisandra. One of the benefits of exercise, of tonification, is that it helps us when we're stressed. You're not necessarily going to feel better if you exercise once for ten minutes. But, if you exercise for ten minutes every day, after several months, you will notice changes.
What's confusing is the difference between tonifying and stimulating herbs. When we take tonics, we feel better and have more energy. When we take stimulating herbs, we also feel better and have more energy, but only when we are stimulating ourselves. There are immediate uncomfortable effects when we lack our stimulant, but no decrease in health if we stop taking the tonic. Ginger and cinnamon certainly have their uses. But they don't build health.
Over the long run, stimulants erode our health. Nourishing ultimately gives us more energy, though it will take a few days to feel it, whereas the effects of stimulants are immediate. My apprentices drink two or more cups of nourishing herbal infusion daily. And after ten days, their skin is nicer, they have more energy and stamina, they stop craving sweets, and they feel a lot better over all.
With nourishing and tonifying herbs in our daily lives, we have solid energy that adds to health instead of subtracting from it. Instead of raiding my storehouse with stimulants, I build my reserves with nourishing herbal infusions.
I recommend that people drink nourishing herbal infusions on a daily basis. Everything will follow from there.
I consider dark chocolate an important health food.
Stimulating/sedating herbs are some of the most widely used of all herbs. They include coffee, tea, cinnamon, ginger, hops, kava kava, licorice, passion flower, skullcap, valerian, willow, and wintergreen. They are best used when there is a specific need: A pre-diabetic might choose to take a teaspoonful of cinnamon daily. Ginger compresses are great, and I enjoy it in my food, occasionally. The point with these herbs is to avoid daily use.
The last category is potentially poisonous herbs, ones we only in extreme situations, to ward off death. I include goldenseal, poke root, cayenne, rue, sweet clover, and wormwood in this category.
Goldenseal is a broad spectrum antibacterial. It kills more gut flora than antibiotics. It negatively impacts kidney, liver, and gut function. In forty years as an herbalist, I have used it only once: externally. It is overused, to the detriment of people's health, and to the near extinction of the plant itself.
we have three different medical traditions; The Wise Woman Tradition, the Heroic Tradition and the Scientific Tradition. They overlap, but, in general, the Heroic Tradition is called alternative medicine. It dates back to ancient Greece and the idea that there are four "humors." Disease occurs due to disruption of the humors. George Washington got the flu. The best healers of the day, who were heroic healers, puked him. He didn't get better, so they purged him. He got worse, so they bled him. He got worse. They puked, purged, and bled him again. He died.
That was the best medicine of the day. Today, we think of the humors as toxins, and people continue puke, purge, and poke, only now, we call it "cleansing." My experience has shown me that cleansing does no good and can cause great harm. The Heroic Tradition prefers stimulating, sedating, and potentially poisonous herbs; and they generally use complicated mixtures of herbs. They want to be the heroes. The problem with these very potent herbs, however, is that they must be given in very accurate doses. This is the beginning of the pharmaceutical industry. The active poisons were extracted from plants, and crude plant drugs became "safe" pharmaceutical drugs.
That is the Scientific Tradition, which tells us that our bodies are machines and they need to be fixed. In the Scientific Tradition, health is a measurement. We eat by the numbers. The advantage to treating bodies as machines is that it allows us to deal with intractable problems. My sweetheart's grandfather died of a heart attack at 57. His father had his first heart attack at 57, survived that one, and died of a second one at 59. My sweetheart, at 59, had a triple bypass, not a heart attack. Now, you might say, "Well, couldn't you have done something to prevent that, Susun?" No. Very, very high cholesterol runs in his family. But consider this: The surgeon said to him, afterwards, "Your heart was getting about a third of the blood it needed; it ought to have been damaged or even dead. But you have one of the healthiest hearts I've ever seen. What's up?" He's been drinking nourishing herbal infusions for 20 years. He doesn't eat any vegetable/seed oils, doesn't take supplements, does do yoga, and leads a vigorous, healthy life.
My friend, Ellen, was hit by a tractor trailer, which ran a red light. Her neck was broken in three places. She was picked up by a helicopter and taken to a major medical center, where they took a piece of her thigh bone and fused it into her neck. She can walk -not well, but she can walk. I couldn't have done that with comfrey, love, or my drum. But two weeks later, everybody in the hospital wanted to know what we were doing because Ellen was healing so rapidly. That's comfrey, love, and my drum. I'm one of the people who coined the term, "integrated medicine." I want all three traditions to be recognized for their strengths and weaknesses, so each person can have the health care that is best suited to them and their situation.
The third tradition is the oldest tradition of them all and the tradition that I speak for: the Wise Woman Tradition. In the Scientific Tradition (linear) we fix the broken machine; in the Heroic Tradition (circular) we cleanse the filthy temple. In the Wise Woman Tradition (spiralic), we nourish the unique wholeness of each individual. Nourishment certainly has to do with what we eat, but it is more. Everything we take in - sights, sounds, thoughts, stories, smells, everything - becomes part of us. Many people who eat well are on a diet of junk food when it comes to what they take in other than food. No, I don't watch television.
When you read about herbal medicine, for instance, or see a doctor or healer, you could ask yourself: "Which tradition is this writer or healer working with?". The Scientific Tradition says herbs are dangerous; they are crude drugs, drugs with green coats. Drugs have been made from herbs; but that doesn't mean all herbs are drug-like. The Heroic Tradition says herbs - like cayenne, goldenseal, and lobelia - cleanse. I teach my students that cleansing, in terms of a living body, really means damage and destroy. In the Wise Woman Tradition, we start from the understanding that we are created in perfection. We do not fall from that perfection, but we fall from our belief in that perfection. The Heroic Tradition encourages us to berate ourselves, to believe that any health problem is our own fault. There is power in those beliefs, but little healing, to my mind. To me, healing is wholing. To heal is to make someone more, not less. I strive not to take away, but to add, and let what isn't needed go as it will, and it will.
We recognize our wholeness/health/holiness when we accept ourselves exactly as we are, with love and compassion. In the Wise Woman Tradition, we nourish what we want to be, rather than rejecting what we don't want. We trust our bodies, we trust the earth, we trust our gut feelings.
Cholesterol's connection to heart attacks has never been proven. And we have virtually no idea what healthy cholesterol is in a post-menopausal woman. Remember, my sweetheart: incredibly high cholesterol but never had a heart attack. Inflammation has been shown, over and over, to lead to heart attacks. You may want to consider reducing inflammation instead of cholesterol. One of the best ways to do that is to stop eating oils pressed from seeds, and to start eating olive oil, organic butter, and the natural fats from organically-raised, pastured animals.
Canola oil, flax oil, hemp oil, evening primrose oil, soy oil, sesame oil, almond oil, corn oil - all considered healthy, but examples of the oils I avoid when I want to avoid inflammation. And inflammation underlies and supports heart attack, joint pain, dementia, cancer.
The Scientific Tradition, says "measure and fix." For optimal health follow an anti-inflammatory diet - the first step is to remove seed oils from your diet. Then, reduce and remove stimulants - coffee, black pepper, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, soda pop. Third, reduce and remove all sources of high-fructose corn syrup. Meanwhile, introduce optimally nutritive foods: nourishing herbal infusions, plain yogurt, fermented vegetables, whole grains, miso, seaweed. Give yourself at least a year to make these changes. You are already perfect; and you can create a greater perfection as you nourish yourself.
Slippery elm is wonderful herbal ally. I make lozenges by mixing slippery elm bark powder with a little honey. I stir until it clumps up, adding more honey if needed. It's just right when it's like pie dough. Using my hands, I make balls the size of hazelnut or bigger, and roll them in more powdered slippery elm so they don't stick to each other. I store them in a small metal tin; and don't leave home without it. Slippery elm is so safe that you can dissolve a ball in your mouth as often as you want, any time you feel any distress. If you're working with an ongoing condition, at least two a day is good. Slippery elm restores the lining of the intestines, prevents any agents within the body from disturbing the intestines, and neutralizes any poisons that are present in or around the intestines.
A great ally that you could grow is comfrey. There is some controversy about the use of comfrey root, so I restrict myself to the leaf. Also, I'm careful to use garden comfrey, which is less problematic. To make a nourishing herbal infusion with comfrey, weigh out one ounce of dried leaves and put that in a quart canning jar. Fill it to the top with boiling water. Screw a tight lid on it and let it steep for at least 4 hours - or up to 9 hours at cool room temperature. Strain the herb out, squeezing it well. The liquid is what we drink; I put the spent herb in the compost. Comfrey leaf infusion can be drunk hot, with a spoonful of honey, or over ice. You can also heat it up and pour it over a mint tea bag. Comfrey gives the lining of the lungs and the intestines flexible strength and health.
Comfrey leaf infusion is good for people who have quit smoking, or even if they are still smoking. Comfrey leaf infusion is also a tremendous ally to bone flexibility and strength. It also heals and strengthens tendons and ligaments. Remember comfrey: it contains proteins that create short-term memory cells.
Teas and infusions are generally safe; tinctures are more concentrated and thus less safe, and capsules are the least safe of all. In fact, herbs in capsules are the most likely to create horrible side-effects. I tell my students to completely avoid herbs in capsules.
Let's go back to our four categories - nourishing herbs contain vitamins and minerals, proteins and nutritive factors that are easily soluble in water and vinegar, but not alcohol. Stimulating/sedating and potentially poisonous herbs contain active ingredients that are more soluble in alcohol than in water. Thus, infusions and vinegars are nutritive, while tinctures are more drug-like.
An infusion is a large amount of dried herb brewed for a long time. A tea is a small amount of fresh or dried herb brewed for a short time. To make an infusion: Buy dried herbs in bulk - my favorites for nourishing infusions are stinging nettle, oatstraw, red clover, linden, and comfrey leaf - and place one ounce of dried herb in a quart canning jar; fill with boiling water; screw on a tight lid; steep for at least 4 hours; strain; drink the liquid hot or cold; refrigerate what's left and consume it within 36 hours.
A quart of nettle infusion can have 2000mg of calcium; and we could easily consume that in a day. A dropperful of nettle tincture would contain, at the most, 3-5mg of calcium.
The definition of a tincture is an alcohol extract. The active principles in plants - alkaloids, glycosides, volatile oils, and resins - generally dissolve poorly in water. Tinctures can make a plant act more like a drug, and allow finer control over the dose.
Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material on this website/email is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.

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Salvation Army, Not Just A Religion, A Charity Worth Giving To

Last year during Christmas season I started to enter a store that I had shopped at regularly for years. I stopped at the store entrance because I felt that something was wrong. Then I realized that there was no bell ringing and no Salvation Army volunteer with his or her red kettle. I went into the store and asked the manager if he knew why the Salvation Army volunteer was not outside. He stated that the company had gotten complaints from people who were unhappy that a religious organization was soliciting donations in front of the company's stores. He stated that the company had decided that they would no longer allow the Salvation Army to have a space outside the stores. This way the company would not offend people. I told the manager that they had just offended me. I walked out and have never again shopped at that store or at any of that company's other stores.
Every year I know it's the Christmas season when I see the Salvation Army volunteers ringing their bells and standing next to their red donation kettles or buckets. Every time I see one of those red buckets I put $5, $10 or $20 in the bucket and thank the volunteer for being there and allowing me to make the donation. I thank them because I believe that they are doing me a favor by allowing me to help people through the Salvation Army. They are the ones that have to stand for hours ringing their bell while all I have to do is put money in the bucket. They don't get paid for doing this they just do it out of love for their fellow humans. I not only donate at Christmas time, I also send in anonymous donations (For my own ideological reasons most of my donations to most entities are made anonymously.) at other times of the year and when there are various disasters.
I am not connected in any way with the Salvation Army nor have I ever recieved aid from them. The Salvation Army is a christian religious organization and although I am a Christian I am a Catholic. Some people ask me why I give to the Salvation Army instead of the Catholic Church. I tell them that I do give to the Church, but I also give to the Salvation Army. As far as I am concerned the Salvation Army is one of the finest charities around. They try to help any and every person regardless of race, nationality, color, sexual preference or religious beliefs. They have never tried to convert anyone I know of and they never seem to engage in any type of politicking. The only thing I have ever seen them do is help people. They have their beliefs but as far as I have seen they do not try to force those beliefs on others.
The Salvation Army is a religious organization, they do have ministries, they do have members, and they do preach the gospel of Christ to people, however, as far as I know they do not preach to people that do not want to hear them and they never require people that they are helping to join them. When I was young, I knew a girl whose family belonged to the Salvation Army. Not once did they ever try to "convert" me, not once did they ever try to talk me into going to services with them and not once did they ever try to do anything other that to be nice to me. At that time I was an Agnostic and they knew this but they never tried to change my mind and they never judged me.
According the Salvation Army, "83 cents of every dollar collected by the Army goes directly to client service", this is one the highest percentages of any non-profit in the world. Among the services that they provide are disaster relief services, day care centers, summer camps, holiday assistance, services for the aging, AIDS education and residential services, medical facilities, shelters for battered women and children, family and career counseling, vocational training, correction services, and substance abuse rehabilitation. More than 30 million people a year are aided in some form by services provided by The Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army is actively involved in fighting the international crime of human and sexual trafficking. The battle is fought on two fronts: shaping public policy in Washington, DC, as well as providing basic services and advocacy for victims. They run 120 adult rehabilitation centers across the nation, these centers focus solely on defeating substance abuse. Individuals with identifiable and treatable needs go to these centers for help when they no longer are able to cope with their addictions. They receive housing, nourishing meals, and necessary medical care, and they engage in work therapy. The Salvation Army also operates 18 locations across the United States, which provide a comprehensive treatment program for men and women struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Clients are primarily homeless, with limited or no access to other treatment or social service programs. Educational assistance along with classes such as relapse prevention and anger management prepare graduates for independence and meaningful employment. Each year, thousands of older adults are served by The Salvation Army through a myriad of programs. At Salvation Army community centers, seniors may find educational classes, adult day care, hot-lunch programs, and the "league of mercy," a community care ministry that sends volunteers to hospitals, nursing homes, and directly to the homebound to provide a listening ear, a caring heart and a helping hand.
They provide needy families with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, gifts for children, coats and shoes for kids with none to wear, and visitation to the elderly and imprisoned who have no one to care for them. Families who are in desperate need of basics such as food, clothing and household items during the holidays are placed in the care of the Army's Adopt a Family program. Each family creates a wish list of items and is matched with a volunteer donor team. Businesses, families and school groups adopt families in this program, generously meeting the family's needs and instilling hope in those who have none.
The Salvation Army may be a religious organization but their main function seems to be to help those in need. As such they are a charity worth donating to. A charity that deserves your donations, not just at Christmas time but year round. Help them help others. You don't have to be a Christian to give to them, you don't even have to believe in God. All you have to believe in is helping other people.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and currently publishes several internet directories including http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com a legal and lifestyle resources directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public

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