Monday is Columbus Day

This coming Monday is Columbus Day. It commemorates the discovery of America by Columbus, the first "illegal alien".

Are We Alone?

Logic dictates that planet Earth cannot be unique in the Universe. Whether you believe in a creator or you do not, it is highly improbable that our beautiful planet is the only one that supports life. Scientists just discovered a new planet "similar" to ours some 20 light-year away. (If we could travel by the speed of light it would take us 20 years to get there.) Many believe that our planet is being visited by extraterrestrial aliens (ET). The intention of their visits, if they are true, remain unknown. I would argue that such ETs have mastered the ability to prolong their lives so much so that they could travel long distance and reach their destination alive. I hope it is true that we are being visited by such beings. Perhaps they could teach us a thing or two about extending our lives, a matter I get interested in it by the day as I get older. ET, if you are reading this blog post, please leave me a comment. Wouldn't you? I am waiting.

Where to Get Organic Herbs

A new list on this site will include herbal resources. Please check this list often on this page as we will be updating the information on it periodically. BMP does not have any affiliation with any of these companies. This list is provided as an educational information. Always investigate the quality and the safety of herbal products on your own before you make the purchase. Many herbs/botanicals have interactions with drugs or on their own they could result in severe injuries and even death. Always (no exceptions) consult with your physician before you take anything related to your health. He/she is the one who "supposedly" has all the information on your medical history and can make a decision whether an herb or botanical is good for you. Wishing you the best of healthy life.

Papaya Leaves Tea Infusion

Papaya leaves are known to produce an increase in the blood platelets count. A tea infusion of Papaya dry leaves may be prepared by boiling a cup of water and then adding one teaspoonful of the dried leaves. Cover the tea and let it sit on the counter for about 8-10 minutes. Drink while it is hot. For sweetening the tea, add some organic honey. Purchase the organic variety of Papaya leaves.

Proton Pump Inhibitors

New studies are emerging on the link between heart attack and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). These studies are showing an increase in the risk of heart attack by 25% for those patients who take PPIs on a daily basis for a long time. PPIs are normally used to suppress acid secretion from the stomach for those who suffer from acid reflux disease (GERDS). Some of the PPIs are now available over-the-counter and do not require a physician prescription. Consult with your primary health provider about your use of PPIs before initiating treatment.

Happy Sunday Morning

Early Christians used to go to church to attend a service early Sunday morning. The few thousands of early Christians had greater faith than all the millions of Christians living today. It is true we are away from the risen Lord by about 2000+ years, however we keep forgetting that the Holly Spirit lives with us as he had lived with all the generations following Christ. The Holly Spirit is here. We probably do not see him, but he is walking the streets with us, at work with us, at churches, at the grocery stores, etc. The Holly Spirit gives strength and encouragement. He has spoken through the prophets in the Old Testament and lives within the church, in each one of us, despite our failures. This is the Season of the Holly Spirit. Let us rejoice. Hallelujah.

Preventive Care

According to Western medical doctors (allopathic physicians) the extent of "preventive care" is simply the annual physical exam. While the annual physical may be a part of prevention, but by itself is just a tiny portion of preventive health. Prevention includes living healthy: mind, body, and spirit. It includes eating the healthy food, having positive thinking, and keeping in touch with the Creator. Our Creator is the source of life. He feeds us with spiritual nourishment to keep our spirit away from destruction. Being in contact with source of light gives clarity to our mind which yields a prosperous and happy life. In turn, happy life nourishes the immune system, the body's source for defence. Happy life does not allow stress to overcome it. Since stress is the cause of 80% of diseases--a scientific medical fact, happy life is also a healthy life. Physical exam may be part of preventive care, but by itself is useless. It is time for the allopathic medical establishment to realize that an 8-minute annual visit to the doctor does not, on its own, prevent disease. Health and maintaining it requires a whole life change, and a brief annual visit to the doctor cannot teach people how to live healthy. It is time for the medical establishment to emphasize on health and not on disease. It is time for the doctors to once again become teachers of health, the true meaning of the title "doctor".

Niacin Side Effects

Niacin is Vitamin B3. In addition to lowering platelets count, niacin has the potential of causing liver damage. Patients who are taking niacin should be monitored for their liver functions at minimum every three months.

Downers

Have you ever had the experience of talking to people that always bring up the negative stuff? These people focus on the bad and the ugly, the distressing and the stressing, the sad and the miserable, the stuff that really make you hate your life and yourself. There are people like that living in your neighborhood, school, place of employment, church, tennis club, soccer club, football club, baseball club, etc. that part of their enjoyment is to make you feel miserable. When they want to congratulate you on your birthday, for example, they tell you how old you are now and how fast you are closing in on the end of your life. They remind you with death and sadness, tears and miseries. Perhaps some members of your family are like that (don't we all have one or two of those?) Avoid them if you can. Avoid them like a plague. Keep them from "contaminating" your happiness. We are not created to be miserable. We are made in the image of the Almighty Joyful God. We should be joyful and happy. Keep away from those downers and enjoy life to its fullest. Amen.

Coffee and Parkinson's Disease

Drinking coffee is associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease. About one-fourth of the population carries a version of the gene GRIN2A that is helpful in protecting individuals from developing the disease.

Colon Cancer Detection

The most useful technique for colon cancer detection currently is colonoscopy. Researchers from a Denmark-based institute are working on a simple blood test to detect colon cancer in its earliest stages. This test utilizes the "microRNA" method for detecting biomarkers that are specific for colon cancer. This technique is about to be tested in clinical trial on a relatively large scale. Most colonoscopy procedures are done on a three-year or a five-year schedule which could miss early cancer development during the period between testing. The good news is that for most colon cancer, their development from polyps into malignant tumors is slow and takes literally years to be completed.

A New Poll on BMP

We began today a new poll on Botanical Medicine Posts (BMP). This with respect to a proposed meeting for the Bloggers in the area of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Even if you are not a Blogger in CAM but interested to participate, please respond to the poll. The poll will end on December 10, 2010 at midnight. Depending on the interest we will or will not meet in Boston, MA next year. Thank you for participating. BMP

Aspirin and Niacin

Taking one aspirin tablet a day may overcome the problem of face flushing associated with taking niacin. However, the concomitant administration of these two chemicals together has a great potential for harm. They both affect the platelets in a negative way, causing potential spontaneous bleeding. In addition, taking aspirin for a relatively short period of time (several weeks) may cause ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract. These ulcers may bleed and require hospitalization. Consult with your physician before taking these agents and follow his/her advise.

Giving

According to some christian churches (not all of them), there are four ways for giving. These are Tithing, First-Fruit, Alms, and Seed. The first two are acts of obedience (if you still think that you still are under the Mosaic Law). Alms is an act of charity, whereas Seed is an act of faith. Some believe that if you give, God will reward you with more. They even cite verses from the Bible to prove their point. While I am not oppose to giving per Se, I do have an issue in "marketing" and misleading folks for telling them they are going to get rich if they donate $1000 to a TV station. As I am writing this Post, a Christian TV station is having a fund drive to support their mission. I have no problem with people giving for this noble cause. It is great to have a TV station devoted to preaching the Bible. What I found it unnecessary is to propose the idea that if you give $1000 to this station, God will reward you with a multitude of money and make you rich. I just do not think Jesus died on the cross for this stuff. Is not it better to just tell the people we need an "X" amount of money to keep this station on the Air, and then let everyone make up their decision on how much to give? Perhaps, they should say we need 300 person to donate $1000 each this year (I think they said it, but it was in fine print). Then, those who could afford it let them send the money. If you are prompted to give just for the sake of getting it back or getting more of it, you have missed the whole idea why the good Lord died for all of us on the cross. God does not print dollars. This duties was given to the Federal Government. You get dollars by working for it. You donate money for the goodness of your heart, not because you want to get rich. Yes, God wants you to prosper, but by working hard and honestly earning your living. Thank you for your donation.

Elul

Elul is a word found in the Bible. Elul, in Arabic or Hebrew, means the month of September.

Cat's Claw

Cat's claw is an anti-inflammatory herb that is commonly recommended by herbalists for the management of osteoarthritis.

Colonoscopy Procedure: What to Expect

Many people are advised to undergo a colonoscopy procedure. This test includes the placement of a flexible tube with a camera for the physician to scan the large intestine (the colon) and detect if any tumor growth (malignant or benign) is present. The physician is then able to remove any polyp encountered on the surface of the colon and send it for pathological testing. The patient has to clear his system by taking a laxative the day before the procedure. In addition, no solid foods or colored liquids are allowed the day prior to the test. On the day of the test, after normal checking in, the patient is escorted to a divide in a big hall separated by blinds from other divides. The patient will be asked to get undressed, put a hospital gown on, and lay on a hospital bed covered with sheets. The nurse comes in and take vital signs on the patient. Then the nurse asks the patients questions while she/he enters them in a laptop computer. The questions are related to previous health, surgical, and family history. A catheter is then placed in one of the hand's vein (this can be a bit uncomfortable, but really is not bad). Then they will start giving the patient intravenous fluids through this catheter. The colonoscopist and the anesthesiologist visit with the patient and make sure everything is okay. The patient is then rolled into the test room where the instrument is located. The room temperature there is always kept a bit on the cold side. After a casual chat with the nurses, an oxygen liner in placed on the nostrils to help the patient breath during the anaesthesia. They ask the patient to role on his/her left side and bend his knee upwards. Anaesthesia is then given intravenously, and as the patient watches the nurse giving him the anesthesia injection, the next thing he remembers is waking up in the big hall again. They make sure that the patient passes gas and burbs before they give him something to drink. Afterward, a family member comes in to drive the patient home. The physician comes in and explain what occurred during the test and if there were any polyps removed. The patient gets dressed and a nurse aid escorts him out the facility to the car waiting for him up front. The first 24 hours following the procedure, the patient should introduce foods slowly in his system; no big meals or "seedy" foods, and NOT TO DRIVE OR MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS. The patient is instructed to call his physician if any bleeding or unusual discomfort occurs (not common). The worst thing about this test is the prep given the day before the procedure. But yet, even that it is not that bad. People with family history of colon cancer, blood in the stool, or over 50 years old should undergo this test. Contact your primary care physician if you have any concerns of taking it. It is a great test to have available for the public. It is simple to do, almost no discomfort at all, and it is truly a life saver. You won't feel a thing. Go do it.

President George W. Bush Does Not Like Red Jelly

Mr. Rush Limbaugh, the radio talk icon, once said that he got invited to the White House when then President George W. Bush (43) was still in office. It was to celebrate Mr. Limbaugh's birthday. During the dinner, Mr. Limbaugh had several items to choose from for his meal. Mr. Bush wanted a "peanut butter and jelly" sandwich. The President said to the waiter to make sure "none of this red jelly stuff, I want the grape one." Mr. Limbaugh's birthday cake was a replicate of his "Golden Microphone." This happened the last year President Bush was in office.

Christian Positive Thinking

The same part of the brain that occupies us with worry and negative thoughts is the one that helps us meditate. Although none of us, except for the monks, is able to read the Bible the whole day, meditating on what we already read in the Bible the whole day keeps our mind clear, sharp, and fully in communication with God. Negative thoughts may occasionally come and go; just ignore them. Remember, there is an eternal war between the goods and the evils, between the light and the darkness, between choosing to do the right thing or the wrong act. As a person, you have to choose on what side you are. A lukewarm person is always on the wrong side. When we meditate on the Bible, we make the princesses of darkness extremely mad at us. We become even more so the subject of their attacks. When we occupy our mind with positive thoughts, all our actions become positive. Not only that, but we develop clarity in our actions. This lead to a prosperous and happy life. The Lord said in so many ways that we should pray without ceasing, or to meditate. And, He also invited us to be on His side, because the weight He places on us is light. The source of Light does not have in Him any darkness. Be part of it and change yourself and the world around you. It is never too late. It is not even the 11th hour yet.

Valerian and Hops

Valerian and hops combination has been shown repeatedly effective in improving the sleep quality and the sleep latency for those who suffer from insomnia.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease that has a huge economical impact. One area of misdiagnosis is that the failure of physicians to look "outside the box". Certain slow growing cancers can mimic the symptoms of CFS, and unless the physician does a thorough evaluation of the patients, these cancers may be missed.