-by Dr. Sherrill Sellman, ND

Here’s a question to ponder.

What happens to the hundreds of millions of prescription drugs and the over-the-counter medications that are swallowed daily?

The answer:they go out through the plumbing. Being flushed down the toilet and into the sewage system, 90% of every drug swallowed is either excreted, totally unchanged, or is broken down into active metabolites. They then continue on their way into your water supply to eventually return as a chemical cocktail flowing out of your kitchen tap!

In addition to pharmaceutical drugs, there’s another group of chemicals sneaking down the drain. More than 10,500 chemical ingredients are used to manufacture what is collectively known as “personal care products“. These include moisturizers, cleaners, cleansers, bubble baths, shampoos, fragrances, deodorants, mouthwashes, and sunscreens, etc. Research has shown that vast numbers of these chemicals can alter our endocrine, neurological, respiratory, and immune systems.

This collection of chemical compounds has been officially classified as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Pollutants (PPCPs). PPCPs comprise a very broad, diverse collection of thousands of chemical substances, including prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, fragrances, cosmetics, sun-screen agents, diagnostic agents, nutraceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, and many others. This broad collection of substances refers to, (in general), any product used by individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons. Until recently, little if any thought had been given to what may result from the staggering quantities of chemicals that are washed down the toilet or rinsed from our bodies.

It is estimated in the Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements, 1999, that “the amount of pharmaceuticals and personal care products entering the environment annually is about equal to the amount of pesticides used each year.”

Many pharmaceutical drugs and personal care products have persistent chemicals that remain biologically active even after being relegated to landfills and water systems. Hospitals, doctors’ offices, veterinary clinics, farms, and even the average home are all contributors to PCPP overload.

Other sources of PPCPs include unused medications (which are commonly flushed down the toilet), leaking septic systems, or discharge from waste-water treatment plants. It’s indeed a sobering thought to realize that our personal grooming habits as well as our reliance on pharmaceutical drugs, may, however unwittingly, contribute to global PPCPs pollution.

The fact is; no one really knows to what extent these chemical mixtures might be altering our health. Many chemicals are designed to profoundly affect humans’ physiology. Unlike pesticides, drugs, and personal care products, these mixtures have not been examined nor tested for their effects on the environment. This is very surprising, especially since certain pharmaceuticals are designed to modulate endocrine and immune systems.

Unintended Consequences

In the 1980s, the issue of PCPPs emerged as a serious area of investigation in Europe. A German study in Small Flows Quarterly by Nikki Stiles, found PCPPs in treated and untreated sewage effluent, surface water, ground water, and drinking water. The most commonly found medications were anti-inflammatory and pain-killing drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-convulsants, and oral contraceptives. Samples from 40 German rivers and streams turned up residues of 31 different PPCPs.

More recent findings in Berlin found significant amounts of antibiotics, ibuprofen, cholesterol-lowering drugs, hormones, (estrogen), and chemotherapy agents in that city’s water supply. British scientists estimate that more than a ton of aspirin and as well as a ton of morphine derivatives flow down just one small river in northeast London every year.

Samples from 139 U.S. streams showed detectable, although minute, quantities of PPCPs. The most frequent found were steroid hormones and non-prescription drugs. Antibiotics, prescriptionmedications, detergents, fire retardants, pesticides, and natural and synthetic hormones were also present.

Between 30-90% of most antibiotics given to humans and animals is excreted with the urine. The problem is particularly acute in the fish and farming industry, where, according to an article in New Scientist, 1999, 70-80% of antibiotics end up in the environment.

Would you like birth control pills with your coffee?

Synthetic steroid hormones are taken by one hundred million women worldwide as oral contraceptives or for hormone replacement therapy. Both natural and synthetic estrogen, as well as estrogen-mimicking chemicals from degradation of plasticizers, enter sewage treatment plants.

A Canadian study provided concrete evidence of just what exposure to these chemicals portends. For three years, Canadian scientists added birth-control pills into a pristine Ontario Lake set aside for research to measure their impact. The results: all male fish in the lake–from tiny tadpoles to large trout–were feminized and had egg proteins growing abnormally in their bodies. This was, (and is), an unmistakable sign of hormone disruption.Feminized male fish have now been found in rivers and streams worldwide.

Theo Colborn, author of Our Stolen Future, is worried about pharmaceutical estrogens mixing with chemicals already present in streams.”You can liken it to the side effects of a prescription drug – you don’t know how it’s going to interact with the over–the-counter drugs that you’re taking. For example bisphenol A, a compound of plastic, causes female mice to reach puberty earlier than normal. Bisphenol A forms a weak bond with the body’s estrogen receptors. It can scramble a cell’s natural communication system and cause it to replicate too quickly. That, in turn, raises concerns about breast cancer in women. What happens if this compound, which is active at low levels of exposure, combines with estrogen from a birth control pill in the water? At this point, it’s still unclear. It could have long-term health effects.“

Could estrogen-laced water contribute to sharply falling human sperm counts? In Europe, researchers have tied a decline in male sperm count to levels of estrogenic hormones in the environment. Unfortunately, the rising numbers of breast and uterine cancers, early puberty, and hypospadias (a birth defect of the urethra and the penis), reveal a most disturbing picture. It appears that this unnatural exposure to potent estrogen hormones, as well as to “estrogen mimickers“, could be seriously and irrevocably altering critical hormonal signaling in adults as well as in vulnerable infants and children.

Antibiotics – too much of a good thing

Detection of antibiotics in drinking water is of particular concern. The presence of these chemicals in the environment can lead to the development of resistant bacterial strains which contributes to antibiotic resistance. Some of the antibiotics detected were Class 1 drugs, (the ones used when other antibiotics don’t work).

A bacteria-phobic public now uses millions of pounds annually of triclosan, a broad-spectrum anti-microbial agent. Triclosan is a derivative of the herbicide 2,4-D. It is the active ingredient found in a plethora of products such as anti-bacterial soaps, deodorants, mouthwashes, sponges, and household cleaners. Triclosan’s popularity has contributed to the antibiotic resistance problem.

If triclosan-initiated antibiotic resistance wasn’t bad enough, researchers found that when triclosan in water was exposed to sunlight, it is converted into a dioxin. When first exposed to sunlight, triclosan becomes a mildly toxic chemical. The problem occurs when it becomes treated with chlorine at water treatment plants; it then breaks down to something even more potent.

What is particularly ironic is that the use of triclosan-treated products has never been proven to be superior to regular soap and water.

Just drink your Prozac and call me in the morning

 In 2004, major headlines in Britain announced that Prozac was found in drinking water. This situation has been described as a “hidden mass medication of the unsuspecting public“. Since there is no way to monitor for levels of Prozac or other PPCPs, a serious public health crisis is brewing.

In the UK, there has been a 166% increase in antidepressant prescriptions since 1991–up to 24 million prescriptions a year. The most popular kind is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox, and Seroxat/Paxil.

What might result from Prozac-laced water?

U.S. researchers found traces of Prozac and antidepressants in the livers, muscles, and brains of bluegill fish in Texas.In addition, they found traces of Prozac in “Prozac-free” people who ate the fish as well.

Low-level exposure to fluoxetine, the active ingredient of Prozac, delays both the development in fish and the natural metamorphosis in frogs. The researchers strongly suspect that the results imply a disruption of thyroid function-”We know that the thyroid levels peak with metamorphic climax, when the legs and arms form and the tail resorbs. We believe that fluoxetine inhibits the thyroid.”

When it comes to the possible side effects of PPCPs on humans and aquatic life, there are more questions than answers. It is a truly daunting task to assess the possible harmful effects of just one PPCP much less the exposure to thousands. And what might be the consequence of all those incalculable permutationsof drug mixtures? ……….No one really knows!

Where do we go from here?

The problem of pharmaceutical and personal care pollutants has been clearly identified; the tricky part is what to do about it.

 One obvious action would be to choose non-toxic alternatives. Choosing natural therapies replaces the dependency on pharmaceutical drugs. Also find your political voice on a local and national level, as well as supporting environmental organizations.

One practical solution to the flush problem would be a pharmaceutical “take-back program”– like those implemented in several European countries, Australia, and Canada.

What about water sewage plants?

It is a well-established fact that conventional sewage treatment technologies do not completely remove drug and chemical residues. While other methods, such as activated carbon filtration or treatment with ultraviolet light, could effectively remove PPCPs, they are costly approaches. So, if we can’t rely on the municipal water treatment systems, it’s really up to each person to find their own solutions. It is not advisable to drink tap water, for example – a much healthier choice would be a reputable brand of bottled spring water.

The most effective water purification system for removing PPCPs is an activated carbon filtration system. Investing in a high quality, whole-house water system using an activated carbon filtration method which purifies all the water used in your home drinking, bathing, and washing, would be your best line of defense, if your budget can manage it. At the very least use an activated carbon filter such as reverse osmosis.

[Editors Note: A water ionizer is considered by experts to be the very best water purification system-it filters and ionizes the water to remove all pollutants and harmful acid molecules from the water, but leaves all the beneficial substances intact. A reverse osmosis or water distiller can leach essential minerals from the body.]

The day may come when people will take responsibility for the life cycle of their products; when the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration will enact protective regulations for PPCPs; and new sewage treatment technologies will be developed that safely remove PPCPs.

But for the fight now, it seems that we’re on our own.

In a world of connectedness, we are again painfully reminded that nothing we do exists in isolation. Our most ordinary choices, in this case the drugs we ingest and the personal care products we use, may have lifelong consequences not just for us but also for all the unsuspecting people and wildlife downstream.

Remember, everyone lives downstream from someone!

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

This will help you understand the excuses you are making and how they hold you in pain; and how to use compassion with yourself to stop making excuses and step into a life of joy and abundance. This is based on the concepts and exercises found in Jesse’s books “Activating Compassion” and “Activating Compassion The Workbook”. You can purchase these books and find out more about Jesse’s work at www.jesseannnicholsgeorge1.com

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

AN ANCIENT “THIRD EYE” REVISITED

-by Al Plechner, DVM

The third eye is better known as the Pineal gland or epiphysis cerebri. The Pineal gland was revered by the ancient people as having magical powers. The French philosopher, Descartes, believed that the Pineal gland was the heart of the human brain.

This small endocrine organ is shaped like a pine cone, which relates to its name, Pineal gland or Pineal body. In humans, the gland is approximately one centimeter long. In a dog it is only one millimeter long.

The Pineal gland is located in close proximity to the hypothalamus, and when light or darkness passes through the eye and into the retina, the impulse is sent to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which resides in the hypothalamus, which is the area of the brain that regulates hormone production. Nerve fibers from the hypothalamus actually join the spinal cord, allowing this retinal impulse to penetrate the superior cervical ganglia. To complete this cycle, the impulse next goes to the post ganglionic neurons, which then transfer the final impulse into the Pineal Gland for further hormone modulation.

The significance of this cycle is that it allows the Pineal gland to receive impulses from the sympathetic nervous system, and in turn, change these various neurological impulses into regulatory signals to other glands which produce hormones. This cycle, with its completion, is vital for proper hormone regulation, and when there is an imbalance in this cycle, the Pineal gland can create many different types of endocrine imbalances.

When Descartes called the Pineal gland the “heart” of the brain, I agree, but with modern day thinking, I wonder if the Pineal gland should be referred to as the “computer chip” of the brain? With these impulses, the Pineal gland produces a hormone called Melatonin.

The release of Melatonin relates to the number of foot candles of light and dark that pass through the retina of the eye. The precursor of Melatonin is Serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter whose precursor is the amino acid, Tryptophan. Any deficiencies in either one of these precursors can cause the Pineal gland to create further endocrine imbalances.

Of interest, is a paper written by George C. Prendergast entitled, Cancer: Why Tumors Eat Tryptophan. This papercan be viewed in, Nature-478-p. 192-194, 13 October 2011.

According to this paper, tumors increase their consumption of the amino acid tryptophan in order to evade immune control.

Their findings indicate that cancer causes an increase in the production of the liver’s tryptophan metabolic breakdown enzyme that controls tryptophan production. With a tryptophan deficiency, there is further evidence why serotonin and melatonin may also be decreased, and which in turn, may reduce the control and moderation of the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis), which causes even more problems with endocrine regulation of the immune system. (However, in birds and reptiles, the location of the Pineal gland is in close proximity to the skin, and light and dark reach the Pineal gland through the skin and not through the retina of the eye for this Pineal gland cycle to occur. Hence forth, this is where the “third eye” concept was conceived.)

Light impulses that the Pineal gland receives inhibit the production of Melatonin. During the night, and during the dark phase of the moon, the retro-hypothalamic impulses stop, and there are no longer light impulses going to the Pineal gland. This allows the Pineal gland to release all of its Melatonin.

Again, to reiterate on this cycle, the actual connection is called the retro- hypothalamic tract. As light or dark traverse this tract, the impulse first goes to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, then to the sympathetic nervous system, and finally to the Pineal Gland. The foot candles of light and dark will determine whether Melatonin is released (or not), and whether endocrine balance will be maintained.

I think you can now realize, how a cloudy, rainy, dark day, the dark phase of the moon, and tanning, whether from the sun or from a “tanning bed”, might allow the Pineal gland to create some very important health issues if it is unable to maintain a proper endocrine balance. This may alsocause an alteration of the circadian rhythm.

A normal circadian rhythm involves a pattern based upon a 24 hour cycle, especially with the repetition of specific functions like sleeping and eating, and certain other endocrine feedback mechanisms. A deregulated circadian rhythm is very common in people that are sight challenged since there are no impulses reaching the Pineal gland through the retina.

In people, clinical deficiencies in Melatonin have been associated with low body temperature, personality disorders, a suppressed immune system, insomnia, and an elevated progesterone-estrogen ratio.

NOTE: Low levels of Melatonin have also been found in many women with breast cancer; thus-providing extra Melatonin, may help treat many patients with breast cancer.

The production of Melatonin from the Pineal gland has implicated several disorders including sexual dysfunction, hypertension, epilepsy, and Paget’s disease.

Paget’s disease is a disease, usually affecting middle aged to elderly people, which causes excessive bone destruction and disorganized bone repair. This really makes you wonder if Paget’s disease may not only be involved with osteoporosis, but to a greater degree, and depending on the Pineal glands, with the production of Melatonin as well.

Those who appear to have an excess amount of Melatonin production often suffer from SAD, (Seasonal Affective Disorder). SAD is thought to be caused by lack of sufficient light into the Pineal gland causing symptoms of fatigue, excessive sleep, abnormal food cravings, anxiety, depression, and definite changes in the sex hormones, like estrogen and progesterone.

I have to wonder if part of the increased suicide rate in certain areas of our country may be caused by a lack of daylight, due to excessive clouds and rain during the day. It has been reported that some people do not feel well with depressed sunlight, but on a bright day, they feel fine. Other signs of excess Melatonin production may cause depressed adrenal and/or thyroid function. Also, with a lowered estrogen-to-progesterone ratio, low blood pressure may often also be present.

In animals, a Melatonin imbalance can lead to infertility, specific regional hair loss, sleeping disorders, eating and behavioral problems. Also in animals, Melatonin may play a role with epilepsy, just like it does in people.

Melatonin does plays a major role in reproduction. With light and dark impulses going into the Pineal gland, the production of Melatonin can regulate and determine when a breeding season will occur or not occur in many different types of animals.

An example is in sheep where the breeding season can be manipulated with artificial light. Researchers have found that in sheep, during the non breeding season, the testicular sperm count was markedly reduced. This appears to be due to the Melatonin stopping the secretion of both luteinizing and follicular stimulating hormones, from the anterior pituitary gland. This in turn causes a reduction in the hypothalamic production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GrH), which is necessary for the anterior pituitary to continue functioning.

Another interesting observation was made when tadpoles were exposed to Pineal gland extracts. Upon exposure, the tadpoles lost their pigment and their skin became transparent. This makes you wonder if the Melatonin may also affect pigment loss in people as well as in other animals as well. As of yet, researchers haven’t proven that this happens in birds and mammals.

Also, certain foods may help or hurt a Melatonin imbalance, which is important for you know, for yourself, your family, and for your pets. For instance, Melatonin is present in tart cherries, oats, bananas, rice and corn.

Tryptophan, which is the precursor to Melatonin, is present in red meat, chicken, turkey, almonds, peanuts, seeds, bananas, soy, soy products, tuna and shell fish.

NOTE:Make sure thatnone of the foods listed above come from genetically modified seeds or are high in phytoestrogens.

You may want to consider a blood test to find out what the Melatonin production is from the Pineal gland to see if any modifications are indicated. A beginning Pineal blood sample should include Serotonin, Melatonin, Tryptophan, Zinc, ACTH, and Total Estrogen. (The blood test should be done during light hours, and if the Melatonin is normal and you still do not feel well, repeat only the Melatonin during the evening before sunrise. This will give you a better opportunity of getting some sleep without having to do the blood draw at 2 to 3 AM unless your physician decides the 2 to 3 Am Melatonin might be more significant.)

Salivary Melatonin might still be the easiest way to check levels in a 24-hour period, and salivary tests are also available to test for Melatonin, which may even be more convenient.

Some Interesting Observations

I am presently working with a brilliant Melungeon woman who suffers from many disorders that seem to plague her people and other early Americans. What we have found is that during certain moon phases, she undergoes a “Lunar Estrogen Surge”, even though she has no ovaries.

In looking at neurotransmitters, her precursor to Melatonin, Serotonin, is very elevated, and her Melatonin is deficient, which may lead to a hormone disruption of her Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. This may help to explain in part why she suffers from the moon-induced Lunar Estrogen Surge. This makes one wonder if there is a transference enzyme that is not present or not working that may be leading to her high Serotonin and her low Melatonin levels.

Low Melatonin will not neutralize the Aromatase in the tissue. This will cause DHEA, DHEAS, Androgen and Testosterone to be turned into total estrogen, and may be partially responsible for this Lunar Estrogen Surge. It is obvious that more research needs to be done, but so far the facts are quite interesting and hopefully this will help her feel better. It’s best to check with your health care professional for any further recommendations, including any other tests that he or she thinks may be important.

Besides the Pineal gland’s function, (with its production of Melatonin), researchers also believe it contains electromagnetic receptors that monitor magnetic fields and helps the body to align itself in space. Many species from whales to man, and many other animals including birds and bees, contain a highly magnetic mineral called magnetite in their bodies. Studies conducted by Dr. Joseph Kirschvink have found that the magnetite crystals enable animals, (from bees to whales), to navigate by using the earth’s electromagnetic fields. (In humans, Magnetite is synthesized by the brain and can be found throughout all brain tissue.)

It has been proven that certain electromagnetic fields can cause brain cancer and leukemia.

Dr. Kirschvink and his wife traversed honey bees through an exit maze following a north or south compass, and when they reversed the crystals in the bees with a very strong magnetic field, the bees flew in the opposite direction. Even a family of bacteria, that contain megnetosomes, when exposed to the earth’s electromagnetic field, will cause them to travel up and down the mud they live in. Other studies further suggest that the Pineal gland’s function, in certain mammals, birds and bees, is to help with proper navigation. If the magnetic fields are changed in our environment, the birds and bees, etc, become disoriented as to their navigation and alignment in space. This might explain the loss of the thousands of birds and bees that have recently occurred in and out of the U.S. EM fields can suppress the Pineal gland’s ability to produce Melanin and can cause damage to the circadian rhythm.

There also needs to be a consideration of the amount of magnetite that occurs in different species, including man. The more this magnetic material occurs in different amounts will indicate if that person is more sensitive to electromagnetic fields. (I personally believe this is why some people become ill after being exposed to X-rays.)

Extreme cases of electromagnetic imbalances has led to a person opening the refrigerator door and feeling as though they will be knocked to the floor. In the same light, some people become totally dysfunctional during and after being exposed to an MRI. This is where acupuncture may also come into play. Acupuncture realigns the positive and negative ions in the body which can be out of alignment due to external, electromagnetic fields.

Not only do the above electromagnetic exposures exist, but what about the other electromagnetic fields that humans and animals are exposed to, such as lightning, the moon, and other celestial bodies besides the earth?

JAWS-Scarier than T-Rex?

Of great interest are the electromagnetic magnetic sensors that the Great White Shark possesses, and has possessed, according to the experts, even before the dinosaurs roamed the earth!

It has to make you think that electromagnetic fields may have been even of greater significance with ancient man and animals, but evolution may have changed this to a degree. Yet, we are still seeing what was once in our ancient survivors like the Great White Shark. These EM sensors occur in the head and in the nose region of the shark along blue lines that are the nerves. Their nerve endings are surrounded by a “jelly like” substance referred to as the Ampulae of Lorenzini. These EM sensors provide the shark with extremely long-range information on all living creatures that emit low voltage.

Here is something interesting…It has been proven that if two 9 volt batteries are placed in the water 1,000 miles away from a shark, the shark would be able detect a faint voltage. The researchers refer to this as the sharks “distance touch”!

This is just one example of a prehistoric, cartilaginous fish that uses its electromagnetic sensors for survival. These facts may also be important for you to help avoid a shark attack by one of these prehistoric creatures.

So, where do we fit into this electromagnetic world, and how can we identify our exposures to these EM fields that may be hazardous to our health? (This may be a good reason to purchase an inexpensive electromagnetic meter, to make sure you, your family and your pets are not exposed to harmful electromagnetic fields.) Remember, these fields exist around electric outlets, microwaves, refrigerators, alarm clocks, and probably your cell phone. (Rearranging your furniture, making sure it is out of range of the EM fields that are caused by your electric outlets, would be a good place to start.)

Dr. Susanne Bennett, DC, CCSP, is a holistic, chiropractic physician who practices in Santa Monica, California, and has experience with several patients suffering from melatonin imbalances as well as with magnetic disturbances that occur due to their compromised Pineal glands. She also has found the Pineal gland to contain naturally high levels of calcium apatite, which is why fluoride has a high affinity for the Pineal gland. Thus, apparently, fluoride is attracted to bone and tissues which contain high levels of calcium. Dr. Bennett has also found that many of her patients have abnormal sleep patterns, and after she helps her patients with the fluoride detoxification, their sleep patterns return to normal.

In Summary……………

I do believe the Pineal gland might be the “computer chip” of the brain and the cause of many endocrine disorders that are not truly understood. All of this could be due to either its production of Melatonin or to its EM components and other maladies-that all may lead to damaged health.

Hopefully this article will stimulate your thoughts on the Pineal gland’s influence on you, you’re family, and you’re pets.

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

Zach’s Story

Zach Sobiech, 18-year-old teen from Stillwater, Minn., was never far from his friends, and his guitar. Upon his diagnosis of terminal cancer, Zach turned to music in a big way – writing and performing songs as a way to say goodbye to his friends and family. Zach passed away on May 20, 2013.

Zach bravely battled osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, since his diagnosis at age 14. As the disease progressed, doctors had no more effective treatment options to offer him a cure, and Zach was told in May, 2012 that he likely had months to a year to live.

In the face of this earth shattering news, his response was to embrace every day with hope and joy. Zach surrounded himself with family and friends. And, he wrote songs for the ones he loved, which touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Writing goodbye letters weren’t Zach’s style, so he put his heart into song lyrics. He released two albums, performed alongside some of today’s best musicians and achieved a dream of helping raise money and awareness for osteosarcoma research.

His hit song “Clouds” and the accompanying music video on YouTube garnered worldwide attention after his story appeared on CNN and in newspapers, television and websites around the world. The “Clouds” YouTube video topped 2.5 million views and continues to climb. Zach, along with his band, A Firm Handshake, released their sophomore album, “Fix Me Up”, in February, 2013 which continues to gain popularity.

In May, 2013, SoulPancake, a media company, released a documentary about Zach Sobiech and his life for their series, My Last Days.

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has several shelters open in Oklahoma and Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles have begun delivering hot meals throughout the affected areas. The Red Cross is also working to link loved ones in Moore who are OK through a website called Safe and Well. Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, donate online, or donate by phone at 1-800-RED CROSS.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is activating disaster response teams and mobile feeding units to help residents and rescuers in Moore, Okla., as well as in other locations in the Plains and the Midwest that were impacted by tornadoes. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY. If you’re sending a check make sure you put the words “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” on the check, and mail it to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK., 73157.

Operation USA

Los Angeles-based international relief agency Operation USA announced it’s providing emergency aid where needed to community-based health organizations across Oklahoma. Donate online, by phone at 1-800-678-7255, or by check made out to Operation USA, 7421 Beverly Blvd., PH, Los Angeles, CA 90036. You can also donate $10 by texting AID to 50555. Corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also being requested.

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief says it has deployed at least 80 volunteers to respond to severe weather in Oklahoma. Those interested in helping can make a tax-deductible donation to the BGCO’s Disaster Relief ministry online or call (405) 942-3800. You may also send checks to: BGCO Attn: Disaster Relief 3800 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

Party Hard, Skinny Minnie

-by Wendi Vaughn

I write songs, sing, and perform for a living. Yes, yes…

this is on top of teaching adults and high schoolers across the Los Angeles region. With this schedule it is easy to lose sight of health and wellness. The constant ripping and running leaves you stressed, sleep deprived, and malnourished most of the time. The last seven weeks of my life really opened my eyes to some of the challenges that “busy” brings, one of which is how to keep a sculpted body while zig-zagging around town as a social butterfly.

Many late nights in the studio led to even later nights of eating and drinking. That’s right, my friends and I have been enjoying our red wines, tequilas, gins, and more-not to excess of being drunk off our rockers, but just more than usual. I found that adding these confections along with later nights added some unwanted pounds that seemed to come out of nowhere. However, to be more exact, a little research pointed to where these useless pounds developed…

Empty Alcohol Calories

I was able to narrow it down to the alcohol because that was the newest addition to my daily routine. I traditionally get to bed at random times and I maintained the same diet as normal, however, the added calories I imbibed were the source of unwanted sugars that eventually turned into fat. Virtually all things consumed break down into a sugar that our bodies use for energy. The easiest sugars to assimilate into the body are simple sugars found naturally in fruits and veggies. These sugars are accompanied by fiber, which aids in the overall digestion and metabolizing process in the body.

In our society, we typically do not immediately use the sugar we put in our bodies, so these sugars are converted into fat triglycerides and stored in the body… (Can you say, “hello extra cushion”!). Even though I workout six days a week, I was taking in way more calories in alcohol then I was able to burn off fast enough. Singing behind a mic and writing songs are hardly enough physical activities to use up the extra sugars-and since alcohol is a depressant, sleep often followed my fun nights of drinking with friends.

Maintaining an appropriate sugar to fiber ratio is key in cutting the amount of fat that is stored from consuming too much unused sugar. The fiber allows the body to absorb the sugar over a longer period of time and essentially zaps the problem of sugar turning to fat. The key is to get the fiber in your system or reduce the amount of calories consumed- especially the ones we drink. The honest truth is that liquid foods of 100 calories won’t provide the same fullness that a solid food of 100 calories will.

How to Party, the Skinny Way:

Most bars have skinny drink mixes that will cut down on your sugar intake- investigate which ones work for you.

Sipping on alcohol “straight up” will present fewer calories into the blood than will the mixed drinks.

Cutting drinks with sparkling water is a good substitute for soda water.

Steering clear of dark liquors and “cloudy, milky drinks” will do you lots of good as well! Clear alcohols, more often than not, contain fewer calories than their darker counterparts.

Pair your drinks with lower calorie high fiber snacks and meals. The fiber from the food will help monitor the sugar released into the blood stream, promoting a more complete usage of the sugar.

Finally and probably most important…Stay hydrated while drinking! Remember to drink at least an additional 8 fl oz. of water for every drink consumed.

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

Beauty-A Love Yourself Story

-by Rebecca Kovan, PhD. (Dr. Bee)

Does the fountain of youth really exist? Record explicating its virtues dates back thousands of years when Herodotus, in fifth century BC, wrote of “the waters of life.” The legendary fountain is known for its ability to restore the youth of those who drink or bathe in its liquid magic. It gained legendary reputation via the Spanish explorer, Ponce de León, who quested for it in the early 1500s, in the land that is now marked as Florida.

Restoring youth

Now, that is BIG business, business that would have you believe that they have been able to package the fountain of youth in a bottle, tub, or tube. They dole out promises of lifted skin, clearer complexions, brighter eyes, glossier hair, pouter lips, diminished wrinkles—the whole shebang. All you have to do is believe their claims, purchase their product, and voilà, youth is yours again!

June is the swimsuit issue for Nutricula. Makes sense, for the swimsuit season is upon us. But, is it welcomed?Is it dreaded? The summer months find us shedding our protective layers, exposing our flaws and rolls and dimples and age. As the sun kisses us with its heat, coaxing us out of our heavy sweaters, our boxy coats, and our layered attempts at stylish warmth, are we embracing the skin we are in, or do we harbor self-resentment for our post-hibernation appearance?

Beauty is subjective, and we seem to be our own biggest critic. Have we thrown subjectivity out the window for the espousal of a self-castigating view of our bodies? Can we stand naked before a full length mirror—in its unforgiving glory—and love what looks us in the eye? Or, does the very thought of such an act elicit fear and loathing?

So many questions …………………………………………

Most appearance-driven media campaigns would have us believe there is a formula-a standard of beauty. They would have us make upward comparisons all day long, driven by the laser-focused, single goal that we purchase whatever it is that they are peddling. We are regarded as puppets with pocketbooks, and treated as though there is inherently something unattractive within us, something that must be fixed, and something that they [it is our lucky day!] have just the thing to address our unbecoming malady.

What a bunch of hogwash (no offense to hogs or to wash)!

Until we reclaim our beauty that lives within, we will continue to be pawns in the game of industry whims, trends, and dictations, benefitting from our insecurities. I am typically suspect of any industry that thrives on people’s self-doubt, vulnerability, and lack of confidence.

Should you be one of the fortunate who is secure in your beauty, who revels in it, and allows it to ooze from every pore of your being, hooray, the real kind. You are a role model to the strugglers. Hopefully you spend conscious time propping up and bolstering, helping others see how beautiful they actually are; you are a mirror, reflecting what is already there; what lies hidden or dormant or even in plain sight.

To be clear, this isn’t a gender-thing; this is a human-thing!

As a society, we tend to focus on individual body parts, drawing our conceptualizations of beauty from prescribed, force-fed notions. For women it can be long, supple legs; ripe, perky breasts; and a narrow waist that sits atop hubba-hubba hips. For men it can be broad, chiseled shoulders; a full, shaggy head of hair; and six-pack abs that complement sculpted buttocks. While these may be considered aspects of beauty to many, are they not the very components we see on the mannequins that grace our stores? The last time I checked, mannequins are not real; they are plastic or some composite thereof. They do not have beating hearts, they do not have blood that travels through the sixty-thousand-plus miles of vesseled highways, and they do not have eyes that glint with the spark of life.

As Homo sapiens, we are full of flaws—flaws of all sorts: physical flaws, emotional flaws, reasoning flaws, flaws upon flaws! Isn’t it our flaws though, that make us human? Beauty can and does co-exist with imperfection. The reality is that beauty is not something relegated to a particular stage. It is not monopolized by youth. It does not exist in the absence of blemishes, defects, or shortcomings. Beauty exists outside of thought, and thank goodness it does!

I will share with you a guilty pleasure of mine: I love the reality show Survivor. Without getting into all of the reasons, I feel the show is brilliant. I do want to share with you an observation I have, season after season. It happens every time, without fail; however, to do so requires a bit of backstory for those who are unfamiliar with the show.

The game’s motto is Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.

A group of approximately 20 strangers are brought to a remote island location, typically separated into two teams, and for 39-days, must battle the elements and each other, striving to win physical and mental challenges. Every few days, a player is voted off the tribe who loses the day’s challenge, until the tribes—now less in number—merge. Immunity becomes an individual matter, and the game proceeds until only two or three people remain. The final vote comes from a jury consisting of a truncated version of their island peers; they decide who of the remaining players deserves the one million dollar grand prize—who, in the spirit of the game, they feel Outwitted, Outplayed, and therefore Outlasted.

There is a period of time separating the filming on the island from the studio show where the winner is revealed. This is the bridge needed to highlight my consistently-reinforced position.

During the 39-days, there are no hair machines to dry, no styling products to shape, no fancy clothes to don, no tooth brushes or floss to clean, no shampoo or soap to wash, no razors to shave, and no make-up to be worn. Each contestant is filmed 24/7 in their respective natural states.

Now, you would think that as time passed, each contestant would become more and more visibly unattractive. Without the accoutrements associated with daily, Westernized living, how could they not?

But this does not seem to be the case.

As contestants dig their heels into the environment and move through their days and nights, they seem to take on a glow, and it is beautiful. They each emanate a beauty that is counter to what one would expect, especially amidst the rampant psychological pressure inherent in this game. Remember too—no make-up, hair unwashed, bug bites abound, and these contestants, women and men alike, season after season, look better as the game goes on. Sure they are hungry and losing weight quickly, but this does not account for all of which I speak; perhaps some, but definitely not all.

NOW………………..

Fast forward to the reunion show, taped in a studio, where time separates the jury’s final vote and its reading. Contestants and audience are waiting with anticipation to hear the results of the vote. Bodies have gained weight, filling back out to the pre-island states. Hair is styled to the hilt. Make-up is slathered on all of their faces. Clothes are new and fancy. Bodies are shaved and powdered.

They all look worse than they did on the island.

My opinion? Sure. But it is not mine alone. In fact, I have asked many, many fellow Survivor fans whether they thought contestants looked more physically beautiful on the island or later, off the island, and every person has noted the same thing.

On the island evokes a greater perception of beauty than off.

Does my sampling make my observation a fact? No. Do the matching conclusions regarding beauty prove anything, or relegate opinion to the realm of verity? No.

That said, what is deemed normal, may not be natural. And I’ll take natural over normal any and every time.

So what does this all mean? From the fountain of youth, to the beauty industry, to insecurities, to ideals, to flaws, to Survivor,to an informal poll ……………jumpity-jump-jump!

What is the take home?

This is the take home. I think it all means that beauty is a state that is uplifted and highlighted by that which is natural. I think it all means that we don’t need most of what we think we need to emanate beauty. I think it all means that youth is not only an age, but a state of mind. I think it all means that if we can embrace our flaws and all of their gloriousmanifestations, we can be living, walking, breathing exemplars of beauty, and that is the true ideal.

And finally, I think it all ultimately means that beauty really does emerge from within.

As is my way, I’ll conclude with a poem from, Alphabet Living, a book I co-authored and illustrated, for I think it addresses beauty from a place that is true and important. www.alphabetliving.com

B is for Beauty

Beauty takes so many forms—just simply look around.

Beauty is in nature and in people’s hearts it’s found.

Go beyond the surface; that’s where Beauty fully flowers.

Beauty colors everything with radiating powers!

Now go hug your children, remind them that beauty flows from the inside, and make it a great day!

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

It’s one of the most outrageous special interest provisions in years.

Written anonymously, the Monsanto Protection Act allows corporations to sell genetically-modified seeds even when federal courts have blocked them from doing so.

Think about that: We have a process for making sure that genetically-modified seeds aren’t sold, planted and grown until we know that they don’t pose a threat to other crops or to humans.

The Monsanto Protection Act overrides that process. It lets Monsanto and others ignore a court order designed to protect other farmers, the environment, and human health.

That’s just wrong.

And even worse, the Monsanto Protection Act was passed in secret, stuffed quietly into the budget bill that averted a government shutdown.

That’s why I’ve proposed an amendment to the Farm Bill that would repeal the Monsanto Protection Act. Please join me – and demand a vote in the U.S. Senate that would end this outrageous special interest override of judicial decisions.

-Senator Jeff Merkley

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com

The World Health Organization now suspects that the novel coronavirus (NCoV) is being passed person-to-person, a condition that would significantly raise concerns that the potentially fatal virus could be more easily spread than the unrelated H7N9 or other avian bird flu virus strains that are currently known to be contracted only by contact with infected fowl.

The suspicions have been raised after health authorities in France confirmed a second case of the virus and Saudi authorities announced two more deaths caused by NCoV infection.

Since 2012, the number of infections has been small — only 33 in Europe and the Middle East, led by 24 cases in Saudi Arabia — but the fatality rate is high with 18 deaths, also mostly in Saudi Arabia. The WHO is calling for countries to step up monitoring for the virus in order to identify clusters as early as possible.

So far cases outside of the Arabian Peninsula have been found in France, Germany, the UK and Jordan. The first case emerged in Abu Dhabi in June 2012.

“The different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact, this novel coronavirus can transmit from person to person,” the WHO said in a statement released Sunday. “There are many other things that we don’t understand. For example, how are people getting infected? Is it from animals? Is it from contaminated surfaces? Is it from other people? Finally, we don’t know how widespread is this virus, both in this region and in other countries.”

The second confirmed case in France was identified as that of a 50-year-old man who shared a room with a 65-year-old man who is believed to have contracted the virus on a trip to Dubai.

The Saudi Ministry of Health said Sunday that two more people have died from the infection in a cluster discovered in Al-Ahsa, in the country’s Eastern Province, where nine of the 15 fatalities in the country have been reported.

Two health care workers in Saudi Arabia were sickened while treating patients with a dangerous new virus, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

The health care workers were exposed to patients with the novel coronavirus, or nCoV, the WHO said in a statement Wednesday. One is a 45-year-old man who is currently in critical condition after becoming ill May 2, and the second is a 43-year-old woman who became ill on May 8 and is in stable condition. The woman has a co-existing health condition, the organization said.

“Although health care associated transmission has been observed before with nCoV (in Jordan in April 2012), this is the first time health care workers have been diagnosed with nCoV infection after exposure to patients,” according to the WHO.

Experts: New SARS-like virus could show up in US (Source CNN).

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An Australian man who was clinically dead for 40 minutes was brought back to life, thanks to a relatively new cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) procedure.

Colin Fiedler, a 49-year-old from Dandenong in Victoria, was pronounced dead at The Alfred Hospital last June after suffering a heart attack, according to Australian news outlet Herald Sun. Doctors were able to revive him with the use of a mechanical CPR machine called the “AutoPulse,” along with a portable heart-lung machine to keep blood and oxygen flowing to his vital organs.

Fiedler is one of seven cardiac arrest patients in Australia treated with the technique and one of three revived after being declared dead for 40 to 60 minutes, the Herald Sun notes.

The AutoPulse is a non-invasive, cardiac support pump that moves more blood throughout the body than manual compressions, according to manufacturer Zoll. It minimizes no-flow time and squeezes the entire chest as opposed to single-spot CPR.

The AutoPulse was first commercialized in 2003. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) have been discussing the usefulness of the CPR device for years, as well.

“It keeps chest pressure continuous and closer to therapeutic level,” EMT Intermediate and Sandy, Ore., volunteer David Silvia told ProCPR Blog back in 2009, “which in turn helps us administer the drugs. And there are no interruptions in CPR because you can shock, and give the drugs while it is running.”

“This has changed the way we work a cardiac arrest incident,” added Nathan Jaqua, an EMT Basic and student firefighter. “We use the same skills, but it changes the entire atmosphere.”

The U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) conducted a study on the effect of AutoPulse in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitations in 2011. After examining the response of 29 patients, the NCBI concluded that the AutoPulse caused a greater increase of diastolic blood pressure, compared to manual chest compressions. The department added that this device is “promising” and could be beneficial as a care strategy.

Original article: The Huffington Post  |  By Cavan Sieczkowski

All Rights Reserved© 2010-2012 Dalmo Accorsini/Nutricula Magazine All Rights Reserved - Nutricula is a registered trademark USPTO # 85175983 http://www.nutriculamagazine.com