Words of Wisdom from Jack Canfield - Co-author, Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Series

 Hi Everyone

Jack Canfield is a good friend of mine and he just published this about
A Time for Love & Healing. I thought it appropriate for what we are going
through as a country.

Jerry

A Time for Love & Healing (and So Much More)

It’s been a challenging week here in the USA.

Yet I still deeply believe that we are on the cusp of starting an exciting new chapter in the history of our great country.

It’s clear we have a lot of big problems to solve.

But now that these problems are more clearly transparent to us, it will become easier for us to work together to solve them.

And we DO have to work *together* to solve them – make no mistake.

Anger and divisiveness will never solve anything.

Only accountability, transparency, and a sincere desire for healing and connection will accomplish that.

So in the days and weeks to come, no matter what is happening in the world, I encourage you to focus on the one person you can ever truly hope to change: YOURSELF.

Now is the time to hold yourself more accountable for your own thoughts and actions and ask yourself this question daily:

Are you adding to the anger and division in the world right now – or are you focused on healing and encouraging the kind of connection and compassionate understanding we need to TRULY heal.

The choice is up to you, as it always is.

You have the power to create the world you want to inhabit. We all do!

And it’s time we start using that power to create a world that works for all of us.

To your deep and abiding happiness,

Jack Canfield
America's #1 Success Coach
New York Times Bestselling Author
CEO, The Canfield Training Group

Love Between Animals – A Touching Video & The Truth About Mercury Fillings

              Love Between Animals – A Touching Video

A friend sent me this link to a very touching video on the love between animals. I watched it and said “AWWWWWWWWW!” I think you will too. Enjoy and keep in mind, we should be as “species blind” or in our case “color-blind” as these animals. 

https://www.facebook.com/gmichailow/posts/10164411233235296

             The Truth About Mercury Fillings

Now that you’ve had your dose of love, let’s look at a very positive development concerning mercury fillings. For years people and groups have been fighting to ban mercury fillings from being used to fill dental cavities. It’s been an uphill battle. Well, it seems that the battle is just about over.

The FDA, on September 24, 2020, released its findings on the safety of mercury amalgams or I should say the lack of safety of mercury fillings. The FDA found that mercury fillings may adversely affect people in certain high-risk groups and that those people should avoid mercury fillings.

These groups included: 

Pregnant women and their developing fetus

Nursing women

Women who planned to become pregnant 

Infants and children under the age of 6

People with neurological diseases

People with impaired kidney function

People with heightened sensitivity to mercury and other components in the amalgam

The FDA has admitted that dental amalgam’s release mercury vapor. They also advised dentist to not use the term “silver fillings” since it is misleading.

So…while it’s not a total ban, you need to just look at the list and ask yourself some questions - “why in the world would I want to put mercury fillings in my body when it can cause so much harm to so many people. Can I view it as really safe even if I’m not in the groups listed above, and finally, is it even worth the risk when there are good options to use instead of mercury?

Mercury’s days are finally numbered!
(Reported Mercola.com)

Why Stress Management is so Important to do Today

With Covid-19 now striking the President of the United States and his being in the hospital, this, I believe, should be focusing us even more on the power of this virus to alter lives. With all this change, it’s important to understand how our stress, anxiety and depression levels have been increasing.

In April, the National Center for Disease Statistics and the CDC launched an online survey to understand what people are experiencing. When they did this survey in 2019, they found that 11% of the respondents showed signs of anxiety or depression.

In the current survey, the researchers found that 33% of Americans felt symptoms of anxiety and 25% showed signs of depression. As you can see, this is a dramatic increase in these numbers. Since this survey was done in April, I’m certain that these numbers are even higher today.

Since I’ve been teaching and writing on Stress Management for almost 50 years, I know that getting your stress levels down can lead to reducing your anxiety and depression. While I’ve written a book on this called Manging Your Stress in Difficult Times: Succeeding in Times of Change, there are now many, many things you can do to lower your stress beyond wearing a mask and social distancing. From doing breathing exercises to meditation to prayer to walking, running, biking, taking vitamin and supplements, you can help yourself handle what’s coming at you.

Of course, if you need to, you might want to consider seeking professional help, since you can now use tele-medicine to talk to a mental health professional. 

So…reducing your stress is up to you and we all need to start taking steps to take charge of our lives again.

Using Sound May Stop the Coronavirus

Scientists at The Human Energy Research Centre in New Delhi India have found that they can use sound therapy combined with quantum physics to stop the coronavirus. Their initial concept is that everything has a sound vibration. A simple example illustrating this concept would be how dogs can hear a dog whistle that humans cannot hear. The sound that the dogs hear is real. It’s just that it’s at a frequency that we cannot hear.

The researchers were able to discover and measure the vibrational frequencies of the coronavirus and two enzymes. They then developed frequencies to attack these three aspects of the virus. These sound waves attacked the virus and at a high enough level of vibration, the virus, which has a protein layer, started to break down. The virus simply couldn’t survive beyond a certain vibration level.

Their initial trial had patients improving within days. Each patient experienced an hour-long therapy session, the patients listened to three different sounds for 7 minutes each with a five minutes pause between sounds. The patients experienced four to six sessions over two to three days which was a complete course of treatment The patients improved within days.

The researchers are looking to test their approach on a larger scale. If it works, we may not have to wait for a vaccine to stop the virus. So…imagine the frequencies being broadcast around the world on radio, TV and the internet and within days, the pandemic is over. What a lovely thought and hopefully this approach will prove sound.
(Reported The Indian News Express, July 17, 2020)

Using Vitamin D in the Fight Against COVID-19

The question keeps coming up as to what you can do to help yourself in your fight against COVID-19. In this country, the answer has been not much besides wearing masks, social distancing, disinfecting areas and washing your hands with soap.

There’s another option that’s getting traction behind it coming out of other countries and that’s taking Vitamin D. In the June 22, 2020 issue of Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, the president of the British Society of Ecological Medicine, Damien Downing, talked about the power of Vitamin D for reducing the risk of getting COVID-19 by 90% and reducing the risk of dying by 96%,

Some of the research that has already been done which supports this conclusion found major reductions in those taking Vitamin D in experiencing only mild symptoms of COVID-19 and also having a mild clinical outcome (meaning they didn’t die).

Having a high level of Vitamin D seems to make the difference. A study in Indonesia looked at 780 COVID -19 patients. Those with a Vitamin D level below 20 ng/ml (which is very low) had a seven times greater risk of dying than those who had a Vitamin D level of above 30 ng/ml.

Another study from 20 European countries found that patients who had a level of Vitamin D above 75 mg/ml had a zero probability of developing and dying from COVID-19. That’s right 0% probability of developing and dying from COVID-19.

You also won’t hit levels of toxicity with Vitamin D until you get above 200 ng/ml which would be very, very hard to do.

The problem in this country is that the CDC is only looking at drug and vaccine options. They are totally ignoring what’s happening in the rest of the world and the Tech platforms like Facebook and YouTube have agreed to only publish CDC recommendations. This means you’re not hearing anything positive about Vitamin D. So, my question is…could the drug company’s influence and the billions of dollars they stand to make from a vaccine have anything to do with how the CDC is ignoring the real evidence that’s out there? Just asking.

To reach these protective levels of Vitamin D, you would need to take 4000 to 7500 IU/day (IUs is how Vitamin D is measured) and it would take several months to reach this 75 ng/ml level. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, you can get there by taking 20,000 IU/day for two weeks.

You should also get a blood test for Vitamin D as that’s the only way to really tell what your level is. When I had my blood tested years ago, my Vitamin D level was only 13. It’s now at 65ng/ml!

I would also recommend your taking Vitamin D3 as it’s better absorbed by the body. I would also add 200 mcg of Vitamin K2 in the form of MK-7 per day as it helps the Vitamin D do its work in the body.
(Reported Mercola.com 7/9/20)

Why Being On Zoom Meetings Is So Tiring

Many people are spending a lot of time on Zoom meetings and webinars (like hours a day), and you’re finding yourself worn out at the end of the day. So, why is Zoom so stressful.

Well, I’ve got several theories as to what’s happening and what you can do about it.
First of all, let’s talk about when we watch TV and an ad comes on. For most ads, they are designed to have the image change about every 2 or 3 seconds. You might not even be aware of it happening. The advertisers are doing that for a very specific reason. They are attempting to tap into the startle response which is a survival mechanism.

The picture you’re watching on the commercial changes to another image. The way your body responses is to view the jump from one image to the next as a potential threat. This increases your focus as you’re attempting to figure out of it is a real threat to your survival. Two to three seconds later, another image comes up and another and another. This keeps you focused on the ad, especially if it’s one you haven’t seen before.

Since the ad only runs for 30 to 60 seconds and there may be 5 or 6 commercials before you return to your regular program, its residual effect on your body is minimal.

If you’re on a Zoom meeting (or any other meeting platform) in Gallery mode, where you see everyone in boxes on screen, you’ll have someone almost always moving some part of their body. This triggers your eyes to go into a mild startle response.

If you’re in a Zoom meeting in presenter mode, the person who is talking is in center screen. If another person starts to talk, they go into center screen. And as it continues going from one person to another in center screen, you will be experiencing a mild startle response with each change.

If some people don’t have their mikes muted, they will keep showing up on screen when they make a sound. This again triggers a mild startle response.

If you’ve attending a webinar and the presenter is using PowerPoint, the startle effect will probably be very mild or not exist at all, since you know when the presenter will be changing the slide so you are subconsciously prepared for the change.

Being on Zoom for several hours will also affect your eyes. It’s been proven that just keeping your eyes focused on a computer screen for long periods of time can cause many uncomfortable eye-related symptoms, such as, eyestrain, dry eyes, headache, fatigue, difficulty focusing, blurred vision, and even shoulder and neck pain. Your eyes actually have to work harder to see close up verses far away.

The problem with all this is that you’re on the Zoom call or webinar for several hours and you wind up feeling exhausted by the end of it. 

So, is there anything you can do about this? Here are several possible solutions:

1. You may be able to phone into the meeting, especially if there won’t be any screen sharing of slides or other information taking place. You’re listening, instead of looking.

2. Every few minutes, glance away from the screen to give your eyes a chance to change its focus.

3. This third idea is a unique one that I came up with. First, turn your camera and mike off. Next, take a piece of cardboard large enough to cover the screen and put it in front of the monitor. This way you can just use your ears to listen.

If there is something you need to see on screen, you simply flip the cardboard down so you can see what’s on screen. If you need to share something, after you’ve moved the cardboard out of the way, you can turn your mike and camera back on. When you’re done speaking, turn the mike and camera off and put the cardboard back in place.

The end result, you should feel better at the end of the meeting or webinar- no headache, eye strain or exhaustion! So…bring on those Zoom meetings!

Oops! Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease

We’ve all been trained that cholesterol is the bad guy when it comes to heart disease, so we do everything we can to lower it to protect ourselves which includes taking statin drugs.

I was recently at my doctor’s office for a check-up (while wearing a mask, of course). There was a poster on the wall that said that high cholesterol rates only show up in half the cases of heart attacks. This means there is actually a low correlation between cholesterol and heart disease.

As a matter of fact, there is now research showing that older people who have high levels of LDL cholesterol does not lead to an early death. Instead, these people lived the longest when compared to patients who had low LDLs that were untreated and those who were taking statins.

This raises another question. How effective are statins in extending a person’s life? A meta-analysis of 11 statin drug studies found that statins postponed a person’s death by 3.2 to 4.1 days. In addition, you may have to deal with side effects which can include muscle pain and muscle damage, type 2 diabetes, live damage, among others.

Not focusing on cholesterol has also led to the popularity and effectiveness of the Ketone Diet. So… how about having some nuts and dairy products in our regular diet.
(Reported Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology 2018)

Therapy Dogs Effect More Than Just Patients

Therapy dogs are being used in medical situations because they are effective in reducing patient’s levels of stress, pain, anxiety, and anger while increasing the patient’s feelings of being supported and comforted.

A study by the Indiana University School of Medicine found that therapy dogs even have an effect on the physicians and nurses working in an Emergency Room.

The researchers found that just five minutes of interaction with a therapy dog lowered the docs and nurses stress levels. They compared the dogs to doing art therapy to a control group that did neither. The researchers found that salivary cortisol levels, which is a measure of stress, decreased significantly with the dogs and the art therapy.

In a survey done on what patients and staff think of therapy dogs in the ER, 87.8% of the patients and 92% of the staff approved of therapy dogs.

So…with all the craziness around COVID-19 and working in an ER, therapy dogs may be the best way to keep everyone sane in a crazy situation.
(Reported Healthpets.mercola.com, 6/4/20)

               Feedback from A Reader of My Blog

Emily Eisen recently wrote me about the impact of my blog on her. I thought you’d like to see what she wrote. “I’m sorry I haven’t told you this many times before but I enjoy and get so much amazing information from your reports and I thank you for all these years that you’ve provided this body soul and mind nourishment for us.”

Thanks, Emily. Your comments are greatly appreciated!

Top Critical Care Specialists Being Ignored On COVID-19 Treatment

The recommendations for an extremely effective treatment for Covid-19 by a group of 5 critical care specialists, which includes several of the top experts in the world, are being ignored by medical groups, the government and drug companies. 

To put it simply, this is a breakthrough treatment for stopping COVID-19. 

The doctors have jointly treated over 100 patients with a 98% success rate. The only 2 that died didn't die from COVID-19. They died from other advanced medical conditions.

These experts have even testified before Congress about the effectiveness of their results with no one paying attention. The group includes Drs. Paul Marik, Umberto Meduri, Joseph Varon and José Iglesias (Check out their credentials).

The protocols that these doctors have developed call for using the following:

1. Intravenous methylprednisolone to suppress the immune system and prevent organ damage from cytokine storms. This is followed by oral prednisone.

2. Vitamin C to control inflammation and prevent the development of leaky blood vessels in the lungs. 

3. Subcutaneous heparin to thin the blood and prevent blood clots. It must be administered within six hours of admission into the hospital.

4. High-flow nasal oxygen to avoid mechanical ventilation, which itself damages the lungs and is associated with a mortality rate approaching nearly 90% in some centers. 

5. Optional additions include the use of thiamine, zinc and Vitamin D (which I've already written about in an earlier blog). 

Could it be that the drug companies are seeing dollar signs in front of them and don't want to find something that would stop the development of vaccines? It's clear to me that the rate of success that these doctors are experiencing would eliminate the need to develop a vaccine to solve the Covid-19 pandemic? 

So…this protocol would also be a much better option for President Trump to recommend than using bleach or drugs that can kill you!

The Key Ingredient in The Mediterranean Diet

You may have heard of the Mediterranean Diet, which is a way to live longer and stay healthier. It includes eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, breads, herbs, spices, fish, seafood, moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt (almost no meat) and extra virgin olive oil. The people in Italy who eat this diet have a very low incidence of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline, plus they live longer. Many are over 100 years old. Their arteries are as supple as those of people 10 years younger than them

It’s now turning out that there’s one ingredient that’s key for the cognitive part and that’s extra virgin olive oil. The researchers have found that this type of olive oil can actually flush out tau proteins that interfere with the communication channels between cells. They are thinking that using extra virgin olive oil might even reverse Alzheimer’s and other dementias and are recommending you take 2 tablespoons per day. 

It also turns out not all extra virgin olive oil is the same. The researchers recommend making sure the bottle says extra virgin, it’s in a dark bottle and it hasn’t hit its expiration date. Finally, they suggest you want to purchase olive oil from California as they have introduced standardized testing to make sure you’re getting real extra virgin olive oil. So…bottom’s up!
(Reported AARP BULLETIN/ Real Possibilities April 2020)

Now For Some Good News & COVID-19 May Be Going to The Dogs

There’s Some Good News Out There
John Krasinski, a star on The Office, has created a YouTube show called Some Good News (SGN). I happened to catch the 3rd episode. John does a great job of highlighting fun positive stuff. I proudly admit that I got tears during several of the segments. I would highly recommend that you watch the entire program, including when he stands up at the end of the show.

Here’s the ink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg08rJGKjtA.

COVID-19 May Be Going to The Dogs
There’s an organization that trains dogs called Medical Detection Dogs. They have successfully trained dogs to detect the scent of diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's and bacterial infections. The dogs can also be trained to pick up subtle changes in skin temperature, which means they might also be used to locate people with fevers.

Claire Guest, founder and chief executive of Medical Detection Dogs, in an interview with CTV News said, "In principle, we're sure that dogs could detect COVID-19. We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odor of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs.

The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic, and tell us whether they need to be tested. This would be fast, effective and noninvasive and make sure the limited NHS (National Health Service) testing resources are only used where they are really needed."

The head of disease control at the LSHTM believes that since trained dogs can detect malaria with "extremely high accuracy," and since other respiratory diseases have their own odor signatures, there's a "very high chance" scent detection dogs can be trained to pick up COVID-19.

According to Steve Lindsay of Durham University, the dogs may be used at airports in the future to identify travelers infected with the novel coronavirus, potentially helping to prevent the re-emergence of the disease.

I can envision them being used to quickly track down the people who are not showing symptoms but need to be quarantined to stop the spread of COVID-19. So…dogs may get another title besides Man’s Best Friend to Men and Women’s Life Saving Friend!
(Reported April 24, 2020 by Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola.com) 

It’s Time for Some Humor at the Expense of the Coronavirus

A friend emailed me this fun stuff that I thought I’d share with you. I think we can all use a laugh or two!

Hope you enjoy it.
Jerry

It’s called CABIN FEVER!

Tomorrow is the National Home School Tornado Drill.  Lock your kids in the basement until you give the all clear.  You’re welcome!

I was so bored I called Jake from State Farm just to talk to someone.  He asked me what I was wearing.

2019: Stay away from negative people. 2020: Stay away from positive people.

The world has turned upside down.  Old folks are sneaking out of the house, and their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors!

You think it’s bad now?  In 20 years, our country will be run by people home schooled by day drinkers…

This virus has done what no woman had been able to do…cancel all sports, shut down all bars, and keep men at home!!! And the women are now saying, Oops.

Do not call the police on suspicious people in your neighborhood!  Those are your neighbors without makeup and hair extensions!

Since we can’t eat out, now’s the perfect time to eat better, get fit, and stay healthy.  We’re quarantined!  Who are we trying to impress?  We have snacks, we have sweatpants – I say we use them!

Day 7 at home and the dog is looking at me like, “See? This is why I chew the furniture!”

Does anyone know if we can take showers yet or should we just keep washing our hands???

I never thought the comment “I wouldn’t touch him/her with a 6-foot pole” would become a national policy, but here we are! I can’t wait to get back to the 12 inches rule from Catholic School!

Me: Alexa what’s the weather this weekend?
Alexa: It doesn’t matter – you’re not going anywhere.

Can everyone please just follow the government instructions so we can knock out this coronavirus and be done?  I feel like a kindergartner who keeps losing more recess time because one or two kids can’t follow directions. 

I swear my fridge just said, “what the hell do you want now?”

When this is over…what meeting do I attend first…Weight Watchers or AA?

Quarantine has turned us into dogs. We roam the house all day looking for food. We are told “no” if we get too close to strangers.  And we get really excited about car rides.

Strengthening Your Immune System

I ran across an article in Organic Consumers Association that I thought I’d share with you. It’s by Pat Thomas. Pat is editor at Natural Health News in the UK and author of “Complete Wellness and What Works, What Doesn’t – The Guide to Alternative Healthcare.”

What  Pat did was to give a great update on the latest COVID-19 conventional treatment news and alternative health options. It’s a good source for an overview picture of how you can help keep yourself health during this crisis.
Here’s the link: https://www.organicconsumers.org/blog/coronavirus-what-are-best-alternatives-self-care?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_ campaign=OB+657&utm_ content=OB+657

Using Quercetin in the Fight Against Coronavirus

I want to share with you another substance you should consider in our fight against the Coronavirus.

When the SARS epidemic broke out in 2003, two Canadian researchers, Michel Chrétien and Majambu Mbikay, began investigating quercetin. They found it was very effective against the SARS virus.

In 2014, it was also found to be effective against Ebola. Similar results happened when it was tested against the highly pathogenic influenza virus H1Ni.

Quercetin is a plant pigment (flavonoid). It is found in many plants and foods, such as red wine, onions, green tea, apples, berries, Ginkgo biloba, St. John's wort and American elder.

Quercetin has already been approved for human consumption by the FDA. At this point, it’s recommended to not take it for longer than 12 weeks and the side effects are only headaches, numbness and tingling.

It’s mechanism of action is to do 3 things:
1. It Inhibits the virus' ability to infect cells
2. It Inhibits replication of already infected cells
3. It Reduces infected cells' resistance to treatment with antiviral medication

The most recent study published on the effect of quercetin was reported this month, March 2020, in the journal Microbial Pathogenesis. The researchers found quercetin "provides comprehensive protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection”. It is now being studied against the coronavirus.

With these kinds of results, your best course of action might be to start taking quercetin. I’ve started taking 500 mg once a day. I got it at The Vitamin Shoppe, and it is very reasonably priced. So…why wait for more studies to be done since the side effects and the cost of quercetin are very reasonable plus it might have a big pay-off – you stay healthy.
(Reported Mercola.com, March 16, 2020)

Another Natural Option for Fighting Coronavirus

With the poor response of the US government to fighting the coronavirus to this point, we need to know if there are steps we can take for ourselves to help us if we get infected. This has led me to share with you about glycyrrhizin, which sounds like a pretty fancy term. I know you’ve heard about this substance because it’s licorice.

This is the real licorice and not the candy you buy in the store. It turns out it’s one of most powerful antiviral compounds ever studied. A study on glycyrrhizin's inhibitory activity against SARS-associated coronavirus, which is similar to this current virus, was published in Lancet in June of 2003. The researchers found of all the compounds they tested with SARS patients that licorice worked the best.

Licorice also worked when pitted against the flu. In a study published in the journal Antibacterial Agents and Chemotherapy, the researchers infected mice with lethal injections of the influenza virus. The mice given the licorice ALL survived. The mice not given licorice only survived an average of 10.5 days, with no survivors by day 21.

Since you’ll need to figure out if licorice is right for you and how much to take, here’s the article I took this information from so you can decide for yourself what to do if you get coronavirus - https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/can-licorice-save-world-next-pandemic-infection.

The KETO Diet’s Effect on Dementia

The KETO Diet has become very popular. It’s where you’re eating mostly fats. Some recent research looked at how it impacts a person’s brain.

Your brain runs on sugar. When you get older, the brain can struggle to metabolize the sugar properly which can lead to cognitive decline. By fasting for 12 hours you shift your body towards producing ketones which the brain prefers.

Ketones can supply more than 60% of your brain’s energy. In this study, the researchers gave 19 people, who averaged 75 years old and had cognitive impairment, 2 drinks per day that contained what’s called a medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) like coconut oil. The body converted the MCTs into ketones.

After six months, the researchers found significant improvements in the subject’s language skills, processing speed, executive function and they even scored 54% higher on a test of visual memory.

So…if you or someone you now who is aging and having memory problems, is slowing down or struggling to find words, then ketones might be the way to go for the person.

Walking a Dog Keeps You Fit

You may be aware that government guidelines for keeping healthy are for you to get 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. One way to do that and do even more is to get a dog.

A study involving hundreds of British households found that dog owners are four times more likely than other people to meet this standard. They also found that most dog owners will far exceed this standard by the walking close to 300 minutes a week with their dogs.

When the researchers compared the dog walkers with non-dog walkers, the dog walkers had 200 more minutes a week that they were doing.

Personally, I’ve had 2 dogs in my life and my last one, Kan’e (a Bichon), was 16 when we had to put him down a month ago. I’ve made a commitment to continue walking without him. So…every afternoon and again late at night, I take myself for a walk in his honor and for my health!
(Reported The New York Times, Special Advertising Supplement, January 12, 2020)

Some Research Supporting The Benefits of Marijuana

There’s research coming out that’s supporting the very positive benefits of marijuana. I want to talk about two studies.

The first one was with people over 65 responding to a questionnaire about the quality of their lives before and after they started using cannabis. The results were compiled from over 2,700 patients who had chronic pain and cancer. More than 90% of the patients noted an improvement in their condition after 6 months of using the drug.

The second study analyzed the data from 1,200 cancer patients who used medical marijuana. They found that an astonishing 95% reported an improvement in their symptoms which included a diverse range of problems, including sleep problems, lack of appetite, weakness, nausea and pain.

The researchers felt that the drug was safe and effective in older populations seeking relief from chronic pain and cancer-related symptoms. So…if you live in a state which allows medical marijuana, and you’re suffering from chronic pain or cancer, puff away or try the gummy bears!
(Reported March/April 2020, Discover Magazine)

Stopping Illegal Logging in the Rain Forest

The rain forest is crucial to the health of the planet. The trees in the forests store CO2 and also convert it to produce oxygen. Illegal logging is destroying the rain forests around the world. There’s now an ingenious way of using technology to halt deforestation.

In the Indonesian rain forest, they are using a unique surveillance system to make this happen. They are taking recycled cell phones that are charged by solar panels and placing them in the treetops. Next, they have created artificial intelligence software that can detect activity by these loggers and send instant alerts to rangers to stop them.

The approach was created by the nonprofit Rainforest Connection and it’s a great example of using low-cost technology to help save the planet. So…who would have thought old cell phones could have such an important usage.
(Reported Solutions/edf.org/Winter 2020) 

Places Where Conventional Medical Wisdom Is Wrong

This week I want to share with you 2 areas where researchers have debunked conventional wisdom by doing rigorous studies according to an article published in The New York Times by Gina Kolate.

1. The step counters and calorie trackers that are in vogue may not be helping you lose weight. In fact, dieters may be better off without digital equipment. A study followed 470 dieters for two years. They found that those who wore tracking devices for steps taken and calories burned actually lost less weight than those who just followed standard advice.

So…1, 2, 3, 4…forget it!

2. The conventional wisdom is when a pregnant woman’s water breaks that you should deliver the baby immediately because of the OBGYN’s concern that this could lead to bacteria invading the womb and causing infection in the baby. So, deliver the baby immediately. 

Researchers found that the OBGYN can monitor the fetus while waiting for labor to begin naturally and the fetus will not have a greater risk for infection. They also found if the baby went to the end of term that the babies were healthier, had less respiratory distress and a lower risk of death than those that were delivered immediately after the water broke.  So…broken water, no problem, it’s not the disastrous situation we’ve thought it was. 

(Reported New York Times, January 12, 2020)