Rethinking Dairy Fat

Rethinking Dairy Fat





AMAZING!! How long will the yo-yo play go on?? כמה זמן ימשיך לשחק יו יו?

Made In Israel - with Gordon Robertson

Video: Life: A Short Film

Video: Life: A Short Film: Bubby, what are those numbers on your arm?



Can't send you a better award winning short video on this day of remembrance : LIFE
A masterpiece about the most gruesome time in our history.

trial [not for reading]

atiuqsem

Wine: A large quantity has an appetizing effect; a small quantity sustains.[Berachot 35b]

A few FASCINATING medical-pesach issuses.
טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד-ברכות לה ,תעמוד ב
A large quantity has an appetizing effect; a small quantity sustains.[Berachot 35b]
It seems strange but a large quantity of wine will stimulate one's appetite, whereas a small quantity will
satisfy and keeps hunger away.
Therefore if one drinks wine one on erev Pesach he should drink a larger [not to small] amount] so that he will not suppress his appetite for the seder.
In the journal Science [1982] it was published that an rapid infusion of glucose in the duodenum very much increased the appetite of rabbits and a slow infusion decreased the appetite.
This is may explain the statement of the Talmud.
[Source; insights, a Talmudic treasury by rabbi Saul Weiss]
So for over-eaters: it is clear what to do.
Drink a very little bit of wine before the meal [one or two teaspoons]

[Rambam mishne tora [ chapter 5,halacha 2 ]:
[translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, Moznaim publ.corp]
"With regards to these five species of grain: if [flour from these species] is kneaded with fruit juice alone without any water, it will never become leavened.
Even if [flour] is placed in [these] juices the entire day until the dough rises, it is permitted to be eaten [on Pesach], for fruit juice does not cause [dough] to become leavened.
It merely causes [the flour] to decay.
The following are [included in the category] of fruit juice: wine ,milk, honey, olive oil, apple juice, pomegranate juice and all other similar wines ,oils, and beverages.
This applies so long as no water whatsoever is mixed with them.
If any water is mixed with them, they cause [the flour] to become leavened."

Simply, the smallest amount of added water will cause the mentioned grains to become leavened[to become chametz]
It is fascinating to be able to remark here the halacha brought by the Rambam and to relate this to the fact that in traditional medicine [as well in homeopathy] all water is not just water.
Water in fruits is considered to be totally different
from just plain water [ both of them are H2O in chemistry]
In homeopathy water that is shaken very vigorously has found to be different [from the water before it has been shaken] when examined with atom spectrography.
It is as if water has a "memory" [like footprints in the snow, which show-like a memory- that somebody passed there some while ago]

On seder Pesach all of us will remember the leaning on the left side.
[Kitzur shulchan aruch [chapter 71,halacha 5 ]

"It is beneficial to begin one's sleep while lying on the left side, and afterwards to change to the right side.

This is beneficial to one's health, since the liver is on one's right side, and the stomach on one's left. When one leans to the left, the liver will lie on the stomach and warm it with its heat. This will hasten the digestion of the food. After the food is digested, it is preferable to lean to the right, thus allowing the stomach to rest and the wastes to descend. One should not turn frequently from side to side"

Remarkable that I found in only one medical textbook form 1959 [and in no other book] that the temperature in the liver veins is above 41 degrees!!

Then it becomes understandable that lying on the left side "cooks" the food in the stomach [see above] which means that the speed of digestion is increased significantly!!

Do you know that recently it has been found that people who sleep only one on side have more tendency for kidney stones?

Pesach sameach we-kasher.

chicken soup

Bereshit:..............Fowl [chicken etc] were created on the fifth day.
As we starting Genesis [Bereshit], let's also start with a very old ,traditionally dish:
chicken soup also known as "Jewish penicillin" [just like garlic has been called Russian
penicillin]
The Rambam [Maimonides] already lauded the virtues of chicken [soup],especially for asthma.
He wrote a whole treatise about the treatment of asthma in Arabic for the sun of his “master” [“adoni”] the Sultan in Egypt
I will quote from the translations by professor Fred Rosner[who tanslated the medical writings of the Rambam in English] in connection with the health benefits of chickens as described by Maimonides.

Maimonides described what kind of chicken [tarnegolim] would be the best: not too old [younger then 2 year] , not too young, not too lean, preferable fatty chicken [by nature and not by stuffed feeding].
As this soup is especially well known in the Jewish kitchen we may try to find out what is "new" since the Rambam.
Since long chicken soup has been described-par excellence- for treating respiratory problems .
Recently chicken soup has been examined by modern medical research, not really necessary........, but still very fascinating to read and to know [if we did not already !]
Cystein [found in many protein foods as well as in chicken is released when chicken soup is made]-is also prescribed in the form of a medicine called acetylcysteine- causes a thinning of mucus in the lungs and is therefore beneficial for lung infections.
In 1975 a remarkable article was published [journal: Chest 1975;67:215] where a patient needed surgery and penicillin treatment for a sever pneumonia after he stopped treating himself properly with chicken soup!!
This article was the cause of a long correspondence where many other virtues of chicken soup were mentioned like treating anxiety,backache impotence , etc. with remarks especially by professor Fred Rosner.
Maimonides describes boiled chicken soup as an excellent food and medicine even for the treatment of leprosy.!! [tzara-at]
Main indication for chicken soup are a nose[cold],and respiratory infections
[bronchitis,pneumonia] and often asthma.
It is an excellent "medicine" to recover from various diseases which left a person weakened.
It may be further helpful for:[already mentioned:increases of sexual strength, anxiety], weakness in general,hemorrhoids,and possible for much more.
It has also been found that the calcium content of chicken soup increases with duration of cooking the soup with bones. Chicken soup prepared this way may be of use in patients who require calcium, but cannot tolerate dairy products or other calcium sources.
There are of course endless small variations as how chicken soup is made.
In Suriname peanut soup is well known: peanut[butter] added to chicken or meat soup: worth trying!
Personally I would advise to add in cases of colds and coughs some black pepper as well, as this is one of the best drugs for loosening mucus.
And what about our vegetarian friends?
Well. you could try to sniff up the vapors from hot chicken soup from your friend etc, this may also be of some benefit.
And for those who take chicken soup as a medicine, sip hot soup little bits at a time instead of drinking a whole cup at once, to make it more effective.
Recently is has been shown that chicken-especially the meat of the legs- may be of benefit for hypertension [ACE inhibiting].
In fact I have found in a Chinese book for recipes [by FaXiang Hou]various chicken soup prescriptions for hypertension [chicken chow mein,spicy gingered chicken etc]
Chicken cartilage soup have also shown to be useful in patients with rheumatoid arthritis .
Even for the treatment of thyroiditis [with hyperthyreoidea] chicken soup has been described.
As for the relief that chicken soup could give for facial pain,I could not find on what kind of pain it works but I would certain try it for trigeminus neuralgia , a particular difficult condition to treat!
A very nice article [not free from some subtle humor]was written about chicken soup by
professor Abraham Ohry and dr.Jenni Tsafrir [Tel ha-shomer].
The link is: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/12/1532
For recent research about chicken and its skin [and the benefits]: go to google, type: groups, click on groups, type: bdmesq and type in the search field: chicken

And to end with a happy note:
Chicken soup is considered to be able to correct too much black bile [humours] [Rambam] which is connected with melancholy.[sadness]
[These old traditional terms are forgotten or banned in modern medicine]
A cup of chicken soup could do quite a bit of good here, possibly, by correcting the “excess of black bile”.
And as we are/were in the middle of happy days[semachot]: a few hints in the Tora.[my “fantasy”]
The chicken was created on the fifth day: chamesh: chet mem shin : turn letters around: Sameach.[shin mem chet]
And so the fish,which is known to remove worries [dag mesir da-aga........now a days explained by the omega 3 in fish]
And if you ask about meat [behama]? Are meat [and wine] not advised by our Rabbis for happiness on our feast days?
Well: the cattle [behema] was created on the sixth day [shesh] shin -shin and is the word sas[on][sin-sin] not connected ?
These last remarks [pun]you may forget of course..............

chicken soup

Bereshit:..............Fowl [chicken etc] were created on the fifth day. As we starting Genesis [Bereshit], let's also start with a very old ,traditionally dish: chicken soup also known as "Jewish penicillin"  [just like garlic has been called Russian  penicillin] The Rambam [Maimonides] already lauded the virtues of chicken [soup],especially for asthma. He wrote a whole treatise about the treatment of asthma in Arabic for  the sun of his “master” [“adoni”] the Sultan in Egypt  I will quote from the translations by professor Fred Rosner[who tanslated the medical writings of   the Rambam in English] in connection with the health benefits of chickens as described by Maimonides.   Maimonides described what kind of chicken [tarnegolim] would be the best: not too old [younger then 2 year] , not too young, not too lean, preferable fatty chicken [by nature and not by stuffed feeding]. As this soup is especially well known in the Jewish kitchen we may try to find out what is "new" since the Rambam. Since long chicken soup has been described-par excellence- for treating respiratory problems . Recently chicken soup has been examined by modern medical research, not really necessary........, but still very fascinating to read and  to know [if we did not already !] Cystein [found in many protein foods  as well as in chicken is released when chicken soup is made]-is also prescribed in the form of a medicine called acetylcysteine- causes a thinning of mucus in the lungs and is therefore beneficial for lung infections. In 1975 a remarkable article was published [journal: Chest 1975;67:215] where a patient needed surgery and penicillin treatment  for a sever pneumonia after he stopped treating himself properly  with chicken soup!! This article was the cause of a long correspondence where many other virtues of chicken soup were mentioned like treating anxiety,backache impotence , etc. with remarks especially by professor Fred Rosner. Maimonides describes boiled chicken soup as an excellent food and medicine even for the treatment  of leprosy.!! [tzara-at] Main indication for chicken soup are a nose[cold],and respiratory infections  [bronchitis,pneumonia] and often asthma. It is an excellent "medicine" to recover from various diseases which left a person weakened. It may be further helpful for:[already mentioned:increases of sexual strength, anxiety], weakness in general,hemorrhoids,and possible for much more. It has also been found that the calcium content of chicken soup increases with duration of cooking the soup with bones. Chicken soup prepared this way may be of use in patients who require calcium, but cannot tolerate dairy products or other calcium sources.  There are of course endless small variations as how chicken soup is made. In Suriname peanut soup is well known: peanut[butter] added to chicken or meat soup: worth trying! Personally I would advise to add in cases of colds and coughs some black pepper as well, as this is one of the best drugs for loosening mucus. And what about our vegetarian friends? Well. you could try to sniff up the vapors from hot chicken soup from your friend etc, this may also be of some benefit. And for those who take chicken soup as a medicine, sip hot soup little bits at a time instead of  drinking a whole cup at once, to make it more effective. Recently is has been shown that chicken-especially the meat of the legs- may be of benefit for hypertension [ACE inhibiting]. In fact I have found in a Chinese book for recipes  [by FaXiang Hou]various chicken soup prescriptions for hypertension [chicken chow mein,spicy gingered chicken etc] Chicken cartilage soup  have also shown to be useful in patients with rheumatoid arthritis . Even for the treatment of thyroiditis [with hyperthyreoidea] chicken soup has been described. As for the relief that chicken soup could give for  facial pain,I could not find on what kind of pain it works but I would certain try it for trigeminus neuralgia , a particular difficult condition to treat! A very nice  article [not free from some subtle humor]was written about chicken soup by   professor Abraham Ohry and dr.Jenni Tsafrir [Tel ha-shomer]. The link is: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/12/1532 For recent research about chicken and its skin [and the benefits]: go to google, type: groups, click on groups, type: bdmesq and type in the search field: chicken  And to end with a happy note: Chicken soup is considered to be able to correct too much black bile [humours] [Rambam] which is connected with melancholy.[sadness] [These  old traditional terms are forgotten or banned in modern medicine]  A cup of chicken soup could do quite a bit of good here,  possibly, by correcting the “excess of  black bile”. And as we are/were in the middle of happy days[semachot]: a few hints in the Tora.[my “fantasy”] The chicken was created on the fifth day: chamesh: chet mem shin : turn letters around: Sameach.[shin mem chet] And so the fish,which is known to remove worries [dag mesir da-aga........now a days explained by the omega 3 in fish] And if you ask about meat [behama]? Are  meat [and wine] not advised by our Rabbis for happiness on our feast days? Well: the cattle [behema] was created on the sixth day [shesh] shin -shin and is the word sas[on][sin-sin] not connected ? These last remarks [pun]you may forget of course..............

Gold, silver, copper [ nechoshet ]: some Tora thoughts and some medical and homeopathic issues .

Gold, silver, copper [ nechoshet ]: some Tora thoughts and some medical and homeopathic issues .

Copper , together with silver and gold are repeatedly mentioned in the parshiot va-yakhel-pekudei [starting at shemot 35:1]

"Take from among you a donation for G-d, let
every generous person bring it, a donation for G-d,
consisting of gold, silver, and copper"; Vayakhel: Shemot/Exodus, Chapter 35 Verse 5

" And to devise [plans] with ingenuity, to execute [those plans] in gold, in silver and in copper." Vayakhel: Shemot/Exodus, Chapter 35 Verse 32:

He made the Basin [ Kior ] out of copper and its base out of copper, from the mirrors of the women who had gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting Vayakhel: Shemot/Exodus, Chapter 38 Verse 8:

The Kior was the basin in which the Kohanim washed their hands and feet every day at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

And today I will discuss some "medical issues" in connection with copper
Copper is -as everybody know- an excellent conductor [the second best after silver] and therefore used in electricity wires.
What may be less known is that copper does not sustain any bacteria growth on its surface and there fore it would be ideal to use this metal for door knobs especially in hospitals.
Is it not remarkable that the "Healer of all flesh" commanded that the Kior in the mishkan [Tabernacle] had to be made of copper?
The kohanim had to do the ritual washing form the copper basin!
[yes , I do realize that the Tora is not a medical hand book]

In the human body copper -even if it is present only in small amounts-has a vital function.
Copper and zinc are very dependent on each other.
Too much copper and low levels of zinc can lead to serious psychiatry problems and even possibly to certain forms of schizophrenia .
Fortunately, zinc food sources also provide copper.

Especially rich in copper are nuts (brazil nuts,cashews,peanuts, pecans), seeds (especially poppy and sunflower), chickpeas, liver and [oysters].
potatoes, legumes (beans and peas), grains (wheat and rye), fruits (peach and raisin), and even chocolate!
A shortage on the other hand can lead in the long run to serous blood vessel problems and even to a widening and weakening of the aorta which may rupture and cause a potential fatal bleeding.
Copper has many more important tasks.

It helps in the production of hemoglobin and some anemias may never get better without the addition of extra copper, again a not very well known fact.
For a proper thyroid function proper amounts of zinc , copper as well as selenium and other minerals/vitamins are required.
Women seem to need more copper then men for their hormonal balance, where as men need more zinc.
Is it again not striking that the mirrors of the women were made of copper?
[I am not relating to the midrash in the pure spiritual sense ,but I am wondering -and again only the Creator may know-if the women needed the little bit of extra copper which they possibly could have absorbed from these mirrors [micro-homeopathic amounts?] , to gives a more "materialistic-physiological" explanation of the midrash concerning the function of the mirrors...........??
I will now discuss the use of copper in homeopathy and just mention the most striking characteristics of this metal and this will give an idea when copper in homeopathic form may be indicated as a remedy.
The main essence [characteristic] of copper [cuprum metallicum] in homeopathy is:
CRAMPS, all kind of cramps ,calve cramps, spasms,twitching and even convulsions [epilepsy],crampy cough [whooping cough!],severe,violent asthma often relieved by vomiting and this in itself may be a sign that the patient needs copper.
Language is fascinating and to compare the root letters of cramps and cuprum with each others does give one an chizuk [strong argument] that what happened at Babel was very real!!
C...R...M...P= C... u.. P...R..M
nachash..........nechoshet .........cramping -----cuprum: wind like a snake french : se torder , serpenter = to wringle serpent = snake

german:sich schlängeln ........ schlange =snake

To show you that nachash and nechoshet [the wringeling of the snake ,the crampy movements are all found back in other languages and that cuprum [nechoshet] has as main characteristic: CRAMPS
A very special indication for cuprum is the so called "breath-holding spells''.

Small children who -after a crying spell- suddenly stop breathing and turn blue for a short while and then come back to "life". The condition is innocent except that it can cause the parents the fright of their life!
One dose of cuprum [potency 200] may clear up all future attacks!

Also mentally "cramped"[introvert],suppressed feelings,duty bound,keeps all the rules and regulations and can't stand when other don't do the same; fanatic,will not give up
Wants to be independent ,will not ask for help.
Dictatorial, they like to keep the same pattern,the same rules,no changes,please!
Policemen!! I understood that in the States police men are called in “slang”:copper
All cramps of the copper patient have a violent character [violent diarrhoea,violent vomiting,hysterical cramps,violent asthma]

Wants to be in control of everything.
Never able to relax, hard workers,ambitious very disciplined ,never gives up,hard for himself and others.
Cuprum children can behave violent [kicking,biting,spitting]
They are very serious in class and are afraid to get a rebuke or to be criticized and will do everything to please the teacher.[according to the rules]
School teachers should know this and they should not ask to much from children with a "copper picture",because these children will do everything to keep up with the demands and may then get sick if they can't perform as asked from them.

Copper children often don't like to be touched or to be approached.
Babies with colics may react very well on cuprum especially when there is a clear gurgling sound when they drink/nurse.

And to end with a simple advise: in ayurvedic medicine children with severe asthma are often given to drink some water that has been left [overnight] in a copper vessel.

May we celebrate the coming Purim with -if necessary – taking beforehand some copper water to loosen up! Purim sameach.

rapideyetechnology

http://rapideyetechnology.com/selfcare.htm

Little philosophy,some practical tips this month.

Little philosophy,some practical tips this month.

Today I will write about daily practical tips for treatment of various disorders.
The subjects will be short and I will write just one or two tips about each subject .
When I write about diabetes for example, then it is clear that whole books are written about this subject but when I write about cinnamon then this is just a single tip it is good to know about.
Other tips are proven homeopathic remedies ,some of which I have used frequently and wrote them down because I have found them useful indeed.
The best is to print out what you need and show this to the homeopathic pharmacy.
Some of the disorders are of more serious nature and the tips are just to help you supporting treatment already prescribed by your doctor.
Let's start with Hypertension: just two tips:

1] increase drastically your potassium intake by eating plenty vegetables and fruits [one or two potatoes per day can add a lot of potassium

2 ] learning some simple breathing exercises can work miracles [contact my talmidot to teach you this][or for nutritional advise in general]
ada : 02 6451246 [in gilo]
manu : 02 9932862 or 0545292337
neta : 02 5639232 or 0523466288

Diabetes: use cinnamon: put 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a paper coffee filter and pour a cup of hot water over it and drink the strained liquid.
you may use up to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day and prepare all at once and divide over the day.
Vomiting: except from adding ORS [see one of the former leaflets] give some tea of cloves to drink.[some 4 cloves on a glass of water]
If you or your child are extremely weak from loss of fluid [being it after gastroenteritis, heavy menstrual bleeding or whatever kind of fluid loss and then -after correcting fluid and mineral loss- you feel you are still not getting better quick enough, then go and buy:
helonias /china D6 aa [=equal parts] ad 30cc [all in one bottle] and take for one or more days 4 times a day some 5 drops on or under the tongue [not at the same time with food in the mouth] and the weakness may disappear within hours!
If you have a baby/young child who is often sick [bronchitis etc] and is sweating heavily especially in the neck area and possibly also has a "large head"[compared to other children] and is fond of eggs [don't give children below the age of 9 months eggs to eat] or in case the baby is only breast-feeding and the mother is "crazy" [teshuka] about eggs then you may consider giving the child just a few globules of calcium carbonicun 200 [ask for one "manna"] to suck and in the shortest time the child may be healthy.
The heavy sweating may sometimes the only indicated symptom to decide about this remedy.
Children who have been treated endless with antibiotics may in this case get better with just one dose of calcium carbonicum.
This is one of the proven miracles of homeopathy.
At the same vein: If a child is "crazy "about olives then there is a fair chance that the homeopathic remedy lycopodium will heal heal from whatever he has,
[may sound strange but I have seen this often enough]
By lycopodium D30 globuli and give just one time a 3 globules to suck.
For children with fluid "behind the eardrums" who are suggested to have ear tubes [kaftorim] it may be far better to give them kal. mur. D6 for a few weeks to suck, twice a day a 3 is enough.
The same remedy may be helpful for people with get easily ear pain when they have to travel] by air or from Jerusalem to the dead sea etc [height differences]
Carsick? try ginger before traveling of buy homeopathy:
cocculus/tabacum/petroleum D 6 aa ad 30cc and take a few times a day some 5 drops on or under the tongue.
Mothers who are exhausted from "night-watching"[breast feeding] or families who have to take care of sick family and get to little sleep should first of all of course try to get extra sleep but a dose of cocculus 200 [ask a again for one "manna"] can help quite a bit to get their strength back.[just take half of the small tube with little globules in it, under the tongue and suck them]
To help fractures heal more quickly:
calc phosph / symphytum D 6 aa ad 50cc twice a day some 5 drops on or under the tongue for a few weeks.
Acupuncture can be most important also especially for the proper healing of wrist or ankle fractures!
Varicose veins: easiest and cheapest treatment: 2 to 3 cups of rosemary tea a day [may also help your memory.........!!]
Acute asthma [as an emergency ,but consult also your doctor]: arsenicum/ natrium sulph /asa foetida D30 aa ad 50 cc, every hour or so a 5drops on or under the tongue and reduce to twice a day while getting better.
Migraine: take often ginger tea and also eat the ginger at the bottom of the cup.
Try also, if the ginger is not enough, the following homeopathic mixture [in case you can't consult an homeopathic practitioner]:
glonoinum d12, belladonna D6,,gelsemium D6,,nux vomica D6 , iris vers. D6,,sanguinaria D6,,nat. mur.D12 all in one bottle aa ad 50cc ,
take every 2 hours some 5 drops
And to stay a bit connected with parsha miketz:[this shabbath of chanuka]
If you never remember a dream [pharao did,but this was dictated from above] then you may be lacking vitamin B6. [and at the same time this lack may cause tingling fingers and swollen hands especially in the morning][so called carpal tunnel syndrome]
you may take a capsule of 100 mg vitamin B6 every day and consult your doctor.[no operation!!]
For cts [carpal tunnel syndrome][pressure on one of the hand nerves] acupuncture is very effective [just 2 needles]
In the future time some more tips b"h.
A Chanuka sameach and in case you eat to many fatty sufganiot [ of course they should be prepared with extra virgin olive oil] then there is still a "rescue"[hatzala] for this :
take: nux vomica/carbo veg.D30 a few globules every few hours or just chew on some anise seeds [half a teaspoon and swallow them afterwards.

don't suppress fever.........and the body wisdom will heal the disease

Fever can unlock autism's grip: study

Mon Dec 3, 2007 1:06am EST

By Michael Conlon

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip on children, a finding that could shed light on the roots of the condition and perhaps provide clues for treatment, researchers reported on Monday.

It appears that fever restores nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain, restoring a child's ability to interact and socialize during the fever, the study said.

"The results of this study are important because they show us that the autistic brain is plastic, or capable of altering current connections and forming new ones in response to different experiences or conditions," said Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a pediatric neurologist at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, who was one of the study authors.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, was based on 30 children with autism aged 2 to 18 who were observed during and after a fever of at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

More than 80 percent of those with fever showed some improvements in behavior during it and 30 percent had dramatic improvements, the researchers said. The change involved things like longer concentration spans, more talking, improved eye contact and better overall relations with adults and other children.

Zimmerman's team said the fever effect had been noted anecdotally in the past by parents and doctors.

Lee Grossman, president and chief executive officer of the Autism Society of America, said he had noticed it in his own son, who is now 20.

But he noted in an interview that the study's authors said expanded research was needed on the fever effect and its implications. "It's good that they've noticed this and are bringing it forward," he said.

People with autism spectrum disorders suffer in varying degrees from limited social interactions, lack of verbal and non-verbal communication and other abilities.

As many as 1.5 million Americans have some form of autism, according to ASA. It is not known what causes the condition.

Zimmerman said that while there currently is no definitive medical treatment, speech and language therapy started as soon as possible after diagnosis "can make a significant difference."

He called the fever research, headed by colleague Laura Curran, "an exciting lead" that could help point the way to a treatment that would reconnect the autistic brain. He said the fever effect was believed found only in children, whose brains are more "plastic" than those of adults.

(Editing by Andrew Stern and Eric Beech)

© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

Reuters journalists are subject to the Reuters Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

ישן ןחדש

על ישן וחדש

--- כולנו רוצים להתחיל את השנה החדשה עם כול הכוונות הטובות....... אז אפשר להתחיל את היום שלכם ושל ילדיכם עם ארוחת בוקר טובהְ ... לחם מלא משובח

או דגנים מאיכות טובה (בשלב זה אני ממליץ על dorset cereals מאנגליה, בודאי לא קורנפלייקס ודומיהם). ארוחת בוקר של דגנים מלאים עשויה למנוע מחלות רציניות כגון סוכרת ולחץ דם בגיל צעיר, השמנת יתר ומחלות לב. מוצרים מדגנים מלאים עשויים ליצור איזון נאות ברמת הסוכר במשך כל היום. כבר התלמוד הזכיר פת שחרית, כלומר "לחם של הבוקר". במשנה ברורה נאמר שאכילת ארוחת בוקר מידי יום (כמובן רק ארוחה בריאה) יכולה למנוע 83 מחלות.

--- עוד נושא בריאותי: לאחרונה שוב הוכח ללא צל של ספק שמספר צבעי מאכל ותוספי מזון מסוימים (לדוגמה sodium benzoate) הן גורם משמעותי אצל ילדים המוגדרים "בלתי נסבלים" (כלומר היפראקטיביים, adha,add). האם זה נכון הלכתית להעניק תעודת הכשר למוצרים אשר אנחנו יודעים בוודאות שהם עלולים לסכן ילדים וכתוצאה מכך עלולים לקבל תרופות מזיקות כמו[ritalin] ריטלין, וזאת כי אנחנו נוטים לא להתייחס לסוגיות בריאותיות מהזווית ההלכתית ?

שקדים נחשבים כמזון מעולה , הרמב"ם מאוד שיבח אותם:

"התאנים והענבים והשקדים, לעולם טובים בין רטובין בין יבשין ואוכל אדם מהם כל צורכו ולא יתמיד אכילתם, אע"פ שהן טובים מכל פרי האילנות". הם מאוד עשירים בויטמינים ובמינרלים חשובים ויכולים למנוע ולרפא מחלות לב וכלי דם. במקום להשתמש בתרופות statins אפשר במקומם לשקול אכילת חופן שקדים אחרי הארוחה. הסירו את הקליפות העלולות להיות קשות לעיכול. לחוששים ולחוששות מעליה במשקל, הרשו לי להבטיח שלעתים קרובות דווקא מורידים במשקל כתוצאה מאכילת המזון הבריא הזה.

--- ניתן למנוע עד 50%[ או יותר] ממקרי סרטן השד וסרטן המעי הגס על יד הגברת צריכת ויטמין די[vitamin D] . האין עובדה זו ראויה לפרסום יומי בתקשורת הישראלית? לדעתי, כמובן שכן. אנא בדקו את רמתו בגופכם - שם הבדיקה: - 25[OH]Dכדי לדעת באיזה מינון עליכם להתחיל, וראו עלון קודם שהוקדש לנושא.

--- הידעתם שפעולת שיעול תוך כדי קבלת זריקה עשוי לצמצם את כאב הדקירה? רק אנא הזהירו מראש את האחות שאתם מתכוונים להשתעל, כדי שלא תיבהל...

--- על מנת לשחרר לחץ באזור הסינוס/האף, לחצו לסירוגין את לשונכם אל החך, ואז לחצו באצבע בין הגבות. הפעולה תשחרר את הסתימה הרירית ותוך דקה תרגישו שהליחה הצמיגה תתחיל ליזול.

--- אם לדעתכם עליכם להוריד במשקל, אנא הימנעו מכל מיני דיאטות קיצוניות. היוועצו ברופא העוסק בתחום. לפי מחקר מ-2002, התרופה ההומיאופתית thyroidinium 30 עוזרת לירידת משקל מהירה יותר במשך הצום [הקצר]

--- אם אתם סובלים מקשקשים או מ-seborrhoeic dermatitis וכבר אוכלים תזונה נכונה, אפשר לנסות לקחת בוקר וערב 7 טיפות תחת הלשון של הנוסחה הבאה Potassium bromide, sodium bromide, nickel sulfate and sodium chloride all in a potency of d6 (together 50cc, equal parts)

יש להדפיס את הנוסחה ולמסור לאחד מבתי המרקחת[המומלצים על ידינו] הצרפתי או אופלטקה, ואנא הודיעו לי את התוצאות אם תנסו זאת.

• Lactobacillus GG (ניתן לרכישה בארה"ב בשםCulturelle - הוא אחד הפרוביוטיים [probiotics] היציבים והבדוקים – הוכח כיעיל במניעת חורים בשיניים[עששת] caries במיוחד אצל ילדים בגילאי 3-4.
• ניתן לעשות בו שימוש גם למטרות אחרות כגון , crohn's disease, colitis ואולי גם לטיפול בילדים עם אוטיזם.

--- ברוקולי וכרובית: אכילת ירקות אלו בקביעות יכולה למנוע מסרטן הערמונית [ הנפוץ מאוד וזוכה לטיפול יתר[מלהפוך ליותר אלים. יש דברים רבים עוד לומר בנושא זה, בע"ה בפעם הבאה.

--- ולסיום, הירק הצנוע שום [garlic] אם אתם מעוניינים ליהנות מטובו, יש שלוש דרכים לשימוש: טרי[חי], מבושל, ומטוגן. כל אחת משיטות אלו תביא לתועלת בריאותית שונה. חשוב לדעת: אם ברצונכם להשתמש בשום גם כנוגד סרטן, אז קלפו את השן והשהו אותה כרבע שעה לפני השימוש. רק לאחרונה מתברר שלשום עשויה להיות השפעה מדהימה על סרטן מאוד ממאיר במוח glioma/glioblastoma

מי ייתן ונבורך כולנו בשנה בריאה ומאושרת ונעשה ככול שביכולתנו לזרז "תיקון עולם" אמיתי

abdominal pain,appendicitis

Everybody may have now and then [strong] abdominal pain which may last for a while.
Abdominal pain may be caused by appendicitis and this is a surgical emergency, as you all know.
The purpose of this short story is not to make you -as parents- or as adults an expert in diagnosing appendicitis [often enough a surgeon my have difficulty with this!] but to give some clues as when to consider strongly this possibility.
In children abdominal pain is virtually always located around the navel area [saviv ha-tabur],if you ask the child to show where the belly hurts.
Also appendicitis may start with pain in this area and may be accompanied sometimes by repeated vomiting and a [low grade] fever].
The pain then shifts [moves] from the navel area to the lower abdomen on the right side.[important sign]
A very suspicious sign is "rebound" tenderness" : if one presses lightly on the abdomen and then very suddenly removes the pressure[lift your fingers suddenly from the place you were pressing on] a sharp strong pain may be felt!!
In this case don't consider the abdominal pain as trivial, but visit a doctor or a hospital.
Eating whole wheat bread and healthy food in general gives a high protection against appendicitis [and a whole array of other "western diseases]

Of old and new things.

----We all want to start the New Year with uttermost good intentions ..........so start the day of you child and yourself off with a good breakfast!
Some good whole wheat bread or some high quality cereal [I highly recommended at the moment "Dorset-cereals" from England.][Certainly not cornflakes and the likes]
A good whole grain breakfast may prevent serious diseases like diabetes and early hypertension, obesity and heart diseases
Whole-grain products can help to establish an excellent blood sugar control for most of the day.
The Talmud already mentioned the pat shacharit] which literally means, "morning bread".
The Mishna Berura notes that there are 83 diseases that can be avoided by eating breakfast each morning.[but only a proper healthy breakfast]

----Another health issue;
Recently it has been shown again without doubt that certain food colouring and food additives [for example sodium benzoate ] can play a major role in children who are diagnosed as "impossible"[ hyperactive, ADHA].
Should it halachically be allowed to get a kashrut stamp on these products if we know for sure that that children may be endangered by these compounds and "as a result of this" may be prescribed harmful drugs like ritalin just because we often ignore health issues as not being halachic issues?

---Almonds are considered a miracle superior food.
The Rambam highly praise them highly: "Figs, grapes and almonds are always beneficial, both fresh and dried. One may eat of them as much as he requires.. However, he should not eat them constantly even though they are the most beneficial of fruits".[hilchot de'ot chapter 4, halacha 11, translated by Rabbi Za'ev Abramson and Rabbi Eliyahu Touger].

The Hebrew text follows:

:התאנים והענבים והשקדים, לעולם טובים בין רטובין בין יבשין ואוכל אדם מהם כל צורכו ולא יתמיד אכילתם, אע"פ שהן טובים מכל פרי האילנות

They are extremely rich in important vitamins and minerals and can prevent and heal diseases of heart and blood vessels.
Instead of using dangerous "statins drugs", one may consider using after most meals a handful of almonds [remove the brown skin first because this may make the almonds hard to digest]
If women are afraid to eat almonds, because of weight problems, then I can assure them that they often will loose weigh instead of gaining by eating this very healthy product.

---As many as 50 percent of breast and colon cancer cases could be prevented by increasing intake of vitamin D.
Is this fact not be worth advertising
daily via the Israeli media? I would think so.
Please check your D level first {called: 25[OD] D} to know how much vitamin D you should take, to start with.
[See an earlier alon/bulletin where vitamin D is discussed extensively]

----Do you know that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick?
[Just tell the nurse that you are going to cough, so that she does not get frightened that something happened when you suddenly start coughing....]

---To relieve pressure in the sinus /nose area , alternately presse your tongue against the roof of your mouth, and then press between your eyebrows with one finger. This will open blockages and you may feel within a minute that the mucus starts draining.

---- If you think you should loose weight, then please don't go on "crazy diets".
Consult a doctor working in this field
Homeopathic dilution of Thyroidinum C30 [thyroid hormone ,but in non-measurable dilution] did affect the rate of body weight reduction in fasting patients.[ research from 2002]

---If you suffer a lot from dandruff ["kaskasim"] or seborrhoeic dermatits and you are on a healthy diet already, then you may try the following: potassium bromide, sodium bromide, nickel sulfate, and sodium chloride ,all in a potency of D6 [together 50 cc, equal parts]. [Print this out for the French pharmacy or for Oplatka] [the homeopathic pharmacies we mostly work with]
Take morning and evening under the tongue some 7 drops until there is improvement.
Let me know you experience, in case you used this.

---Lactobacillus GG [available as Culturelle from the U.S.A, one of the most stable and examined probiotics] has been shown to be quite effective in prevention of dental decay [caries]especially for three- and four-year-old children.
This probiotic can be used for many other purposes such as colitis, crohn's disease etc and possibly as well in children with autism.

----Broccoli and cauliflower : eating this vegetables regularly can prevent prostate cancer [which is very common and in general highly over treated] to a high degree from becoming more aggressive.[there are many more things to know about this issue, b"h a next time]

---Garlic: to end with this humble" vegetable":
if you want to benefit from garlic, then use it in 3 ways:
partially raw, partially cooked and partially fried.
All these three ways may bring a different medical benefit of garlic to the surface.
Important to know: if you want to use garlic with its anti-cancer benefits, then peel the clove and leave it standing[open] for some 15 minutes before you use it !! [So, only after 15 minutes you add it to your cooking etc]
Just recently it has been shown that garlic may have an incredible effect on a very malignant brain tumour: glioma/glioblastoma.

May we all be blessed with a happy and healthy new year and may we all do what is in our possibility to speed up a real "tikun olam".

Kol ha-neshama........."all that breathe

Kol ha-neshama........."all that breathes"

Our nose , our emotions, stress and much more.

The nose is extremely important organ and is very well described in the literature of old medical traditions like that from India and China.
In western medicine the nose has been denigrated to an organ which , if it does not functions "as it should" , should be treated aggressively with decongestants, nose drops, operations [polyps] etc.
There are powerful connections between the nose and the [central, autonomic] nervous system.
The nerve that goes from the brain to the nose [which we use for smelling] [the olfactory nerve] connects our outside world with the limbic system in the brain, a very important center, the seat of our emotions.
The way the inhaled air "whirls" with a big deal of turbulence through the complex structures in the nose is an absolute wonder of creation.
The air flow in the nose can reach a velocity of 20 to 200 miles per hour, dependent on one's activities.
As the nose contains a lot of tissue which easily swells up there is a constant change of airflow because of an ongoing shrinking and swelling of the tissues in the nostrils.

This is possibly the most complicated show of "aeronautics" in the world!
There is a clear connection between the nose and the sexual organs / functions in human beings.
Of course this did not escape the attention of Freud [and others] who showed that menstrual pains could be sometimes be relieved temporarily by anesthetizing certain areas in the nose.
It is interesting that many of us [even if we have been breathing for 70 years or so, day and night] would never have realized the following: [try to discover this for yourself now]
More or less every 2 hours there is a change in the blockage of the nostrils: gradually one nostril gets more and more open and the other one more and more engorged [nearly completely blocked] and this repeats itself in an ongoing circle if we are healthy.
Slowly western physiology has come to appreciate the wisdom of the old yogi.
It has been shown that an over activity of the left nostril [excessive air flow] is connected with some forms of depression and an over activity from the right nostril with hyperactivity.
The special breathing techniques used by the yogi, one of them called alternative nostril breathing got a firm western scientific base by showing the physiological relations between breathing and mental states.
There are many techniques described by the yogi and we will just discuss one of them.
An advanced technique, not described here, is to use both nostrils [to let the air flow freely through them at the same time] to calm the mind.
Snoring which can cause sleep apnoe-apnea [periodically stopping of breathing during sleep which can even last up to half a minute!]is more then a simple nuisance and the connection with high blood pressure and heart disease is well established.
If one closes the mouth of somebody who snores [forcing him to breath through his nose] the snoring becomes innocent [harmless] and does not cause a closing of the upper airways, this in contrast to snoring with an open mouth which can be dangerous.

I will describe now the technique of alternative nostril breathing. This is one of the most powerful breathing exercises and it increases the lung capacity as well as one's concentration.
Sit in a normal comfortable chair, straight but relaxed.

Check which nostril is active [the one through which you can breathe most freely at that moment].
Rest the index and middle finger in the middle between the eyebrows [so called "third eye"].
Let's say that your right nostril is open at the moment, in this case close with your ring finger the left nostril by pressing at the side of the nose.
Then

[1] Exhale slowly through the right nostril, counting [mentally] for 6 seconds as you exhale.
Straight afterwards inhale for 6 seconds through the same [right] nostril, still keeping the left nostril closed.
[2] Now straight after inhaling through the right nostril close with your thumb the right nostril and remove the ring finger from the left nostril.
Exhale for 6 seconds and inhale for 6 seconds slowly and switch again.
[3] Close left nostril [with ring finger]and breathe: out and in [6+6 seconds]
[4] Close right nostril [with thumb] and breathe: out and in[6+6 seconds]
[5]Close left nostril and breathe [6+6 seconds]
[6]Close right nostril and breathe [6+6 seconds]
All in all you have done this 3 rounds.
In short: start with the nostril which is most open and breathe, out and in while closing the other nostril, and then switch to the other nostril again, breath out and in while closing the second nostril again.

Repeat this exercise 3 times.
[6 complete breaths, one each side 3]
Important: make the exhaling and inhaling as smooth as possible [no jerks, no pauses and of equal length, the length of the "6 seconds" is less important ]
As you progress increase the lengths, maybe to "8 seconds", but keep things flowing and smooth!
This simple exercise has a beneficial influence on the functioning of both halves [hemispheres] of the brain, on concentration and on the lung function as said before.

Try to do the exercise some 3 times a day. It will take you only a few minutes.

In future issues of this leaflet [alon] we may discuss some more breathing techniques, b"h.

May the "Af"[anger][also nose in Hebrew] connected to chodesh Av change to Erech apayim.

And to end with a good wish from jewish source connected with the nose: [job41:10]

His sneezing flash forth light [of healing]… :atishotav tahel or……

vitamin D, antiepileptic drugs

A life saver or potential silent killer: :the cheapest prevention in medicine [code: prpvitaminD]

- Hide quoted text -

I am sending you 2 more articles about vitamin D.

- Hide quoted text -

it is clear to me after examining many patients for vitamin D that there is a rampant deficiency [with all the consequences] of this vitamin in "sunny" ISRAEL.
NO DOCTOR SHOULD REFUSE TO GIVE A REFERRAL FOR THIS EXAMINATION and all of us should have their level been checked at least once.
Ask for the test: 25[OH]D
alas, at the moment this issue is being ignored by most doctors and patients are being treated even for malignant tumours without ever having been checked for vitamin D.

.......... normal levels of serum 25(OH)D begin at 36 ng/ml..........[see article below]

TAMPA (EGMN) - Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent, even in patients whose 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are within the "normal" range, Dr. Robert P. Heaney said at the annual meeting of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry.

That's because the reference range for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels is too low, said Dr. Heaney of Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska. "Within the reference range, there is malabsorption of calcium and preventable fractures. These are as much expressions of nutritional deficiency as are the bleeding gums of scurvy."

The U.S. Institute of Medicine reevaluated the nutrient intake recommendations for bone-related nutrients, including vitamin D, in the mid-1990s. The role of vitamin D intake in preventing rickets had long been recognised, and it was known that vitamin D was necessary for calcium absorption. Ten years ago, the unanswered questions concerned the amount of vitamin D intake for optimal calcium absorption, possible associations between vitamin D status and other diseases, and how to determine whether a patient's vitamin D intake was sufficient.

"We've learned a lot since then," said Dr. Heaney. "We know that 25(OH)D is the functional status indicator, and we know that at levels below 20 nmol/L or 8 ng/mL, we get rickets and osteomalacia."

The controversy lies in deciding where the normal range of serum 25(OH)D should be for optimal bone health. Although the low end of the reference range may vary from 38 to 50 nmol/L, the individual is at risk for osteoporosis at serum 25(OH)D levels below 80 nmol/L, according to Dr. Heaney, who argues that normal levels of serum 25(OH)D begin at 80 nmol/L.

[my remark: this is equal to 36 ng/ml as is the units used in in most kuput cholim]

At levels between 20 and 80 nmol/L, increased bone remodeling, reduced calcium absorption, increased risk of falls, and increased risk of fractures occur.

The high prevalence of inadequate vitamin D status was evident nearly 10 years ago in a study of 290 consecutive patients in a medical ward (N. Engl. J. Med. 1998;338:777-83). More than half of the patients had serum 25(OH)D concentrations below the lower end of the reference range, and 22% were in the osteomalacia range, although their clinical diagnosis did not include osteomalacia.

Individuals might have inadequate vitamin D status even when serum 25(OH)D levels are well within the reference range. A study Dr. Heaney and colleagues conducted assessed serum 25(OH)D levels and calcium absorption in 34 healthy, postmenopausal women. The study showed that women whose serum 25(OH)D levels were at the lower end of the reference range had lower calcium absorption than women with higher levels. The study was conducted over 2 consecutive years in Omaha, Nebraska, in early spring, when serum vitamin D levels would be at their lowest levels. Participants were given oral 500-mg calcium supplements, and calcium absorption and serum 25(OH)D levels were measured. One year, the participants were predosed with vitamin D supplementation, and the other year, they were not (Am. Coll. Nutr. 2003;22:142-6).

Vitamin D supplementation resulted in an increase in serum 25(OH)D from 50 to 83 nmol/L. Both of those values are considered to be within the reference range, but the two levels had different effects on calcium absorption efficiency. At the lower serum 25(OH)D level of 50 nmol/L, calcium absorption efficiency was 22%, compared with 37% at the higher serum 25(OH)D level. Higher serum 25(OH)D levels were also associated with higher serum calcium concentrations and decreased serum parathyroid hormone levels.

Other studies have shown higher bone mineral density levels, decreased risk of fractures, or decreased risk of falling with levels of serum 25(OH)D above 80 nmol/L. "Within the range of 25(OH)D levels commonly encountered, calcium absorption rises as 25(OH)D rises," said Dr. Heaney. "Raising serum 25(OH)D levels from 50 to [about] 80 nmol/L improves calcium absorption, raises [bone mineral density], and reduces both fall and fracture risk."

Sources of vitamin D are not equivalent. The high-dose (50,000 IU) vitamin D supplement that is available by prescription is ergocalciferol, or D₂, which is less potent than cholecalciferol, or D₃. Over-the-counter preparations of vitamin D in the form of cholecalciferol are available at lower doses.

A typical over-the-counter vitamin D supplement might contain 400 IU, but supplementation to increase serum 25(OH)D levels within an effective range usually requires much higher doses. Intake of 1,000 IU of vitamin D raises serum 25(OH)D by approximately 15-25 nmol/L.

In studies conducted by Dr. Heaney, dosages of 5.000-10,000 IU/day for a 4-5 month period in healthy adults have not caused elevated calcium levels in serum or urine. Vitamin D dosages in that range produce serum 25(OH)D levels comparable to those seen in outdoor workers at the end of summer, he reported.

Concern over vitamin D intoxication should not be an issue unless the individual has regular dosages well in excess of 10,000 IU per day. "Our conclusion is that the safe upper limit level ought to be 10,000 IU per day," said Dr. Heaney. "I don't think many people would ever need that much, but it is nice to know that there is a therapeutic margin of safety.

This study is available on the National Library of Medicine which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. I [another writer]have provided the full abstract below²:

"Solar ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiance and/or vitamin D have been found inversely correlated with incidence, mortality, and/or survival rates for breast, colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancer and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Evidence is emerging that more than 17 different types of cancer are likely to be vitamin D-sensitive. A recent meta-analysis concluded that 1,000 IU of oral vitamin D per day is associated with a 50% reduction in colorectal cancer incidence. Using this value, as well as the findings in a multifactorial ecologic study of cancer mortality rates in the US, estimates for reductions in risk of vitamin D-sensitive cancer mortality rates were made for 1,000 IU/day. These estimates, along with annual average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, were used to estimate the reduction in cancer mortality rates in several Western European and North American countries that would result from intake of 1,000 IU/day of vitamin D. It was estimated that reductions could be 7% for males and 9% for females in the US and 14% for males and 20% for females in Western European countries below 59 degrees. It is proposed that increased fortification of food and increased availability of supplements could help increase vitamin D intake and could augment small increases in production of vitamin D from solar UVB irradiance. Providing 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day for all adult Americans would cost about $1 billion; the expected benefits for cancer would be in the range of $16-25 billion in addition to other health benefits of vitamin D."

2 more short remarks:

Conclusions: In ambulatory adults on antiepileptic drugs, high-dose vitamin D therapy substantially increased bone mineral density at several skeletal sites. In children, both doses resulted in comparable increases in bone mass.

Although it is best known for helping optimize bone development in children,⁸ vitamin D is also an important vitamin for pregnant women. Now a new study ⁹ has found that vitamin D deficiency may be very common among pregnant women.

pancreas cancer and triphala

A most important article.
For those of you who have consulted me for this condition,please contact me!!
PLEASE, WRITE / RESPOND ONLY !!!! TO :
bdmesq@gmail.com
Please,please!!!!!!!!!don't send a reply on this article because this is not sent form my e-mail address:bdmesq@gmail.com ,
but send a reply,if you wish to,to :bdemsq@gmail.com [my regular e-nail]

Triphala Fights Pancreatic Cancer
By Francis C. Assisi

Triphala is one of the cheapest herbal compositions available in Ayurveda. And modern medicine is only now learning that it can be one of the most powerful and effective cancer fighters.

www.puremail.com
A new study by Sanjay Srivastava of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute confirms that this herbal supplement has cancer-fighting properties that prevent or slow the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors implanted in mice. Results of the study were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 14-18, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The study found that an extract of triphala, the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis - the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted or unneeded cells. This process often is faulty in cancer cells. Results of the study, abstract number LB-142, were presented in a late-breaking session at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Triphala, one of the most popular herbal preparations in the world, is used for the treatment of intestinal-related disorders. It is typically taken with water and thought to promote appetite and digestion and to increase the number of red blood cells.

"We discovered that triphala fed orally to mice with human pancreatic tumors was an extremely effective inhibitor of the cancer process, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells," said Srivastava, lead investigator and assistant professor, department of pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off and significantly reduced the size of the tumors without causing any toxic side effects."

Dr. Srivastava and colleagues fed mice grafted with human pancreatic tumors 1 to 2 milligrams of triphala for five days a week and then compared tumor size and levels of apoptotic proteins in the tumors to a control group of mice that received normal saline only. They found that the mice that received triphala had increased levels of proteins associated with apoptosis and significantly smaller tumor sizes when compared to the control group. Triphala-treated tumors were half the size of tumors in untreated mice. Further testing revealed that triphala activated tumor-suppressor genes, resulting in the generation of proteins that support apoptosis, but did not negatively affect normal pancreatic cells.

"Our results demonstrate that triphala has strong anticancer properties given its ability to induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells without damaging normal pancreatic cells," said Dr. Srivastava. "With follow-up studies, we hope to demonstrate its potential use as a novel agent for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer," said Dr. Srivastava. Pancreatic cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States and is one of the most aggressive cancers, with an extremely poor prognosis.

Meanwhile the May 2007 issue of Phytotherapy Research contains a promising report showing that triphala inhibits the growth of common bacterial isolates from HIV infected patients.

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