Mosquito tests Positive for West Nile

Adult Mosquito Sample from Western Santa Rosa 

Tests Positive for West Nile Virus 

The Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) announced today that an adult mosquito sample from western Santa Rosa has tested positive for West Nile virus. Vector control technicians will check all known mosquito breeding sources in the area, as well as search for new sources. The District will place additional mosquito traps in surrounding areas.

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Wellness Corner - September 2011

Welcome to “The Wellness Corner.” 

This is the first installment of a monthly health column on prevention, wellness, and community health. 

My name is Dr. Gary Pace, and I work at the Forestville Wellness Center, the newest addition to the West County Health Centers.  We also operate the Occidental Area Health Center, Russian River Health Center in Guerneville, Forestville Teen Clinic, and the Sebastopol Community Health Center.  As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we are part of a national network of safety net providers.  Our health centers provide comprehensive medical care to all ages, for people with most types of insurance, including Medi-Care, Medi-Cal and the uninsured.

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Tick-bite Prevention Video Contest

Lyme Disease  needs a little Creative HELP!

Public Service announcement Video Contest

$350 award

The California Department of Public Health and the DEET Education Program are excited to announce the launch of our Tick-bite Prevention Video Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest! The purpose of the contest is to create short video public service announcements to help people understand how to prevent tick-bites.

The contest is open to California residents only. There are two age and award categories for the Video PSA:
1) 17 and younger
2) 18 and older

The first place winner in both categories will receive $350 and an award certificate. The winning videos may be featured on broadcast TV and/or radio and on government and partner websites and will remain available on YouTube. The winners may be invited to press events and/or asked to appear in future contest promotional videos. Other awards certificates will be issued for winners receiving second or third place or honorable mention.

Complete contest rules and entry forms can be found at: http://www.deetonline.org/CDPHvideocontest/. Entries are being accepted through April 1, 2011.

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Chinese Medicine: Vitamin D3, Its Role in Human Health

VITAMIN D3: ITS ROLE IN HUMAN HEALTH

Vitamin D facilitates several important body functions such as (1) helping absorption of calcium in the intestines from food, (2) regulating absorption of calcium in the kidneys, (3) governing the transport of calcium into the bone, (4) regulating bone growth and repair, (5) helping to regulate the thyroid and parathyroid function, (6) modulates neuromuscular and immune function and (7) reduces inflammation. It is now one the most frequent deficiencies in women. The lack of Vitamin D can lead to different health problems, which includes osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also currently being used to prevent muscle weakness, chronic pulmonary disease, cancer, asthma and bronchitis.

Many years ago our ancestors lived out in the sun, farming, riding horses, and walking. Now most everyone is driving in their cars, not getting any sun, using profuse amounts of sun block, working indoors and sitting in front of computers. The really significant reductions in sunlight exposure have occurred over time and at the same time, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease has become more prevalent.

Sunlight is good for the entire body in small doses and not during intense times of the sun. Only 30 minutes of full-body sun around 11am, produces 10,000 IU of Vitamin D. With the additional use of sunglasses it is believed by some sources that the sunglasses covers the pineal gland and prohibits the absorption of Vitamin D into the system. More research needs to be done to evaluate the risk-benefit ratio of possibly increased risk of melanoma versus the benefits of over-all health.

The recommended use of Vitamin D3 is 200 IU/day for those up to 50 years, 400 IU for those age 51-70 years and 600 IU for 71 years and older. I recently treated a woman who is 65 years old that had a bone density test and was suffering from continued bone loss. Through the use of a Calcium/Magnesium formula, a liquid Vitamin D, and another special formula for Bones, this patient, increased her bone density over a period of one year and is now normal. The treatment also included treatments for her Kidney meridian in Chinese Medicine, which rules the bones in the body.

There have been many studies validating the use of Vitamin D3 with congestive heart failure, breast cancer, better immune systems, slowing the progress of prostate cancer and treating influenza. It has also been found that Vitamin D3 prevents respiratory infections in children. It is easy to measure the level of Vitamin D3 by doing a blood test. Fluctuations in serum concentration could be problematic. Summertime Vitamin D3 levels are higher than winter time levels so it is important to increase the amounts of Vitamin D during the colder months. Most people have well below the optimum amounts of D and it has almost become an epidemic. There are many adults who experience depression due to their low levels and once treated experience a difference in their moods.

Vitamin D3 plays an essential role in maintaining important body functions such as the immune system and bone health. While Vitamin D3 supplementation is helpful in preventing and treating many health conditions, it is certainly not a substitute for going outdoors. By increasing the amounts of Vitamin D3 in your system it can help fight bone loss, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colds, and fight against many epidemics which now seem to be more a part of our health concerns. I urge people to get simple blood tests so that they can see where their numbers are and can monitor their progress over a year’s time. All of these small changes can lead to our greater health.

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Senior Momentum ~ Swim Swam Swum!

Recently, my sis (she’s 78) and I were reminiscing about the things we swore we would never do when we got, you know, old. (… it was back then, when we were oh-so-wise in those tender late teens and early 20’s.)

Among the vows -- about which we were a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y sure -- was the age beyond which we “wouldn’t be caught dead” in public in a bathing suit!

Well, time and realities tend to catch up with youthful vows and cold, harsh judgments. That line in the sand gets blurred. Bathing suits. Yeah. Right up there with cellulite, saggy upper arms and other gifts of time … what a dilemma it can be when the temperature soars, or your health demands solutions!

And … once upon a time, there I was, on the spot.

Fat lady in the pool! Yes. That was me; and what a challenge...

It’s one thing if you have a pool! It is another matter if you have to “go public.”

First, there was the discussion of the facts with dear, young, skinny Dr. K: your weight is climbing (duh); you can’t do the three-mile-a-day walk anymore (bum knee); some meds cause weight gain; high cholesterol; high blood pressure; you need a new approach; try water.

Answer: Fat lady into the pool! The right answer, but it has a lot of angles.

If you’re just a few pounds over, if you’re “fit enough” and just want to keep it that way, or if you’ve been a “club junkie” for years -- well, you probably won’t understand this dilemma!

First, there’s the “Club Tour”. Everywhere there are GREAT looking people doing bizarre and dedicated things on or with a variety of intriguing machines. They are intense -- pedaling, lifting, grunting, running, sweating. Not smiling.

Towels and water bottles and posters of achievement are everywhere. It seems there are a hundred forms of physical discipline (and torture) available as part of your Membership. The guide points out I am “... in the best possible place” to achieve my goals!

Next is the Women’s Locker Room -- a very busy place -- with (mostly) young hard bodies either getting-ready-to-workout, or getting-ready-to-meet-their-day!

Dryers hummm, the sauna bakes, the steam room sizzles, mirrors abound, and a huge scale sits exactly where no “larger” woman would ever drop the towel and step aboard. Great.

I spot the door to the Exercise Pool; really need to know how many steps it is from that door to the water. (The walk I have to do -- in a bathing suit -- something I haven’t worn public since my slender body betrayed me in my 50’s and became my mother’s.)

Well, it is 31 steps to the water. I’m a grown-up. I’m a professional businesswoman. I’m in tune with my priorities. I can do this. Sure I can. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Well, I signed up, put on the suit, avoided the mirrors. I walk the 31 steps, drop the towel-as-big-as-a-sheet, and carefully get into The Pool, often.

Believe me, it takes personal courage to get past some vanity we didn’t know was so big, and just get over ourselves.

In the pool -- pounds down, and counting! Have I betrayed the youthful vow my sis and I made oh so many naive years ago? Well, not exactly! It’s been easier for her anyway – she’s still slim! I have had to be innovative and add a few new twists: black tights, a gorgeous pool robe to drop at the last minute, and new dimensions for my sense of humor!

Beauty isn’t just in the eye of the beholder, it’s also about our own inner eye and sense of self. I swim, I swam, I swum!

Zoë Tummillo is a Business & Marketing Consultant/Trainer/Commercial Writer, dba COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS, in private practice since 1974. In addition to Commercial work, she writes “Senior Momentum: A Series of Situations”; and essay memoirs of growing up first generation Italian American: “Pieces of My Path”. To contact her, email writingservice@earthlink.net or Phone 707-869-1726

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Lyme Disease, an Epidemic larger than AIDS

FILM ON LYME DISEASE

Sonoma County residents can celebrate Lyme Disease Awareness Month by attending Under Our Skin, a frightening exposé about how our corrupt medical system is failing to address one of the most serious epidemics of our time.

This film will also be part of Disability Awareness Week at Sonoma State University, Wednesday, May 5th from 7 to 9pm at 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, Ives Hall - Warren Auditorium. http://sonoma.edu/dss/underourskin.shtml to RSVP your attendance, for more information and copy of the poster to circulate.

This eye-opening film investigates the untold story of Lyme disease, an emerging epidemic larger than AIDS. Each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, often told that their symptoms are “all in their head.” The film is being presented by the California Lyme Disease Association (CALDA).

According to CALDA volunteer Thora Graves of Sonoma, who organized the screening, the tiny ticks that cause Lyme disease are most active during the spring months.

“Many people think Lyme disease is rare or non-existent in California, but parts of California have tick infection rates that rival the worst of the Lyme hotspots back east,” says Graves.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by the bite of an infected tick. When it is misdiagnosed or goes untreated, it can cause long-term health problems, including crippling muscle and joint pain, disabling fatigue, mental illness, and even death.

“People seeking treatment are often mistakenly told they have MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or even mental illness—all of which can have the same symptoms as Lyme,” says Graves. Getting properly diagnosed is the first step, but doctors often rely on the ELISA test, which fails in 44 of every 100 cases, she adds.

“It’s important to use a sensitive screening test, which the ELISA is not,” Graves says.
Lyme is spread by western black-legged ticks, which have been found in 56 of California’s 58 counties. The tiny nymphal (immature) ticks can be found in leaf litter and on top of downed logs. Adult ticks are often found on the tips of grasses and shrubs next to trails. Ticks are carried from place to place by deer, squirrels, rodents, birds and even family pets.
For more information visit the CALDA website at www.LymeDisease.org.

HOW TO PREVENT LYME DISEASE
• Use sprays containing permethrin on clothing and DEET on skin.
• Avoid tick-infested areas and check yourself frequently for tiny ticks for several days following exposure. Parents should check their small children, paying particular attention to the hair.
• Remove any biting ticks promptly, using tweezers or a special tick-remover.
• Do not twist, squeeze or mutilate the tick. Try not to get any tick fluids on your bare skin.
• Disinfect the bite area and wash your hands.
• Save the tick in a small vial or plastic bag in case you want to test it.
• Watch the area for any signs of a developing rash.
• See a doctor knowledgeable about Lyme disease if you experience a rash or flu-like illness after exposure to ticks.

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Fight for Air - Sonoma County Healthy Home Website

IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU OR YOUR FAMILY SICK?

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAVE AN UNHEALTHY HOME?

New “Healthy Homes” Webpage Launched
on Sonoma County Environmental Health Division Website

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services, Environmental Health Division has launched a new webpage resource with information about how to identify health and safety problems in homes, and how to keep our homes healthy.

“Poor housing conditions can definitely affect the public’s health, which is why we’re so pleased to launch this webpage”, said Walt Kruse, Director of Environmental Health.

The webpage was created in cooperation with the Sonoma County Asthma Coalition through a grant from California Breathing of the California Department of Public Health. The webpage includes the following resource information:

· Aspects that define healthy homes
· What constitutes a substandard housing violation
· Indoor air quality asthma triggers
· A quick reference table and map of code enforcement jurisdictions that include the public contact numbers for submitting substandard housing complaints/tips
· Frequently asked questions regarding mold
· Tenant/Landlord resources
· Many helpful and informational links to external resources for Healthy Homes related topics

The new webpage is located at the following link: http://www.sonoma-county.org/health/eh/healthy_home.htm

For any questions regarding the webpage, please contact the Environmental Health Division at (707) 565-6565

Shan Magnuson
Associate Director
Sonoma County Asthma Coalition
American Lung Association in California
115 Talbot Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707-527-5864
smagnuson@alac.org
www.sonomaasthma.org

I am committed to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet as the guiding principle of our times.

Saturday, March 27, 2010
www.fightforairclimb.org

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SCIATICA & CHINESE MEDICINE

The lower back in Chinese Medicine is the residence of the Kidneys. If the back pain radiates down the leg from the back it indicates a more Full condition, usually from Damp-Cold in the leg channels. Occasionally it may also be due to Damp-Heat. The pain may also only occur in the leg without affecting the back. This syndrome of back pain is called Sciatica. It is important to try and find out what channels are involved so that certain acupuncture points can be used. As mentioned in many of my other articles, pain can be caused by both a deficiency or an excess condition as well as be an acute problem, which occurs suddenly or a chronic problem which continually occurs over time. Chronic conditions are always due to Kidney deficiency which can be combined with retention of Damp-Cold or stagnation of Qi and Blood.

Throughout my eighteen years in acupuncture, I have seen many types of Sciatica and the use of both Acupuncture and Herbs have gotten some very quick results. Many times there is a radiating leg pain in the very back of the leg or on the side of the leg. It usually occurs down one leg only and can be resolved in just a few treatments. The use of the herbs helps to release the cold, nourish the Kidneys and remove the dampness. Along with these treatments, I have given herbs to many patients to take for several months afterwards to minimize further back problems. It is also interesting to look at the function of the back, which helps us to stand erect in the world and move forward. In times of stress, many people experience back problems.

When a backache is accompanied by sciatica it usually takes a little longer to treat. As mentioned above, Sciatica is usually caused by Wind-Cold in both acute and chronic cases. The pain is usually worse in the morning and better with light exercise and movement. The pain can be relieved by an application of heat and is worse when the weather is cold and damp. During an acupuncture treatment I use both a special heat lamp and a warming herb called moxa. When Cold predominates there may be stiffness and contraction of the back muscles and the pain is more aggravated by rest and stagnation. When Dampness predominates there may be swelling, numbness and a feeling of heaviness.

My 55 year old patient complained of an acute backache, which had started after working at one of her jobs as a gardener. The pain was intense and was centered around the lower left kidney area. It radiated downwards to the left buttocks and the back of the leg. She was so uncomfortable that she came directly from work to see if she could get some relief so that she could go back to her job the following day. We even did her verbal intake with her standing up rather than sitting. The muscles on her left side were in spasm and the entire area felt very stiff. She was treated with both distal points and local points for a period of 45 minutes with both needles and moxa. I also sent her home with a fabulous Chinese formula for Sciatica. Upon getting off the table 80% of all her pain was gone and in the next couple days we gave her one more treatment and she took the herbs for four days. After the last treatment she was totally pain free.

Lower backache and Sciatica can be treated perfectly, adequately and successfully according to Chinese Medicine. The results are profound with no Western pain medications or treatments. For any questions or for a free ten-minute diagnosis, please call Marcy @707-824-8747.

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Public Health H1N1 Vaccinations

Get Vaccinated Against The 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu!

FREE Swine Flu Vaccination for those who meet Public Health Criteria
November 14 in Windsor & Santa Rosa - FREE
November 21 in Petaluma - FREE
December 5 at 9 Locations in Sonoma County - Donation

Getting vaccinated is the best protection against the 2009 H1N1 flu. Persons with a regular health provider should contact them about getting the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

Public Health is offering 2009 H1N1 flu vaccinations to people who meet all of the following:
• Live in Sonoma County,

• No health insurance, and

• One of the following priority groups:
1. Anyone who lives in a household or provides daily care to an infant less than 6 months old.
2. Children and young adults ranging from 6 months to 24 years old.
3. All pregnant women.
4. Adults ages 25 to 64 who have an underlying medical condition that puts them at risk from flu complications.
5. Health care workers and emergency medical personnel.

Please note: if you do not meet these conditions, you may be asked to wait until more vaccine becomes available later this year.

The vaccination clinics will take place from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on the following dates:

Saturday, November 14th - No Cost

Windsor High School, 8695 Windsor Road, Windsor

Lawrence Cook Middle School, 2480 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa


Saturday, November 21st - No Cost

Casa Grande High School, 333 Casa Grande Rd, Petaluma


Saturday, December 5th - Donation Requested

Nine locations around the county, call or check the website for details

The vaccinations are free and no appointment is necessary. Additional vaccination clinics are planned for November and December. A separate vaccine to prevent seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for most individuals, but seasonal flu vaccinations will NOT be provided at the clinics this Saturday or at the November clinics. Only the December clinics will offer both 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.

The 2009 H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus is circulating in communities and has continued to cause illness through the Fall. Most cases of H1N1 Influenza are fairly mild, but influenza can be a serious disease; in Sonoma County, there have been over 80 hospitalizations and 10 deaths due to this virus. The best prevention for influenza is vaccination.

Nationally, vaccine distribution is rolling out to states and counties. Most people will get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine at local doctors’ offices, medical clinics, health centers, and pharmacies. Dr. Mark Netherda, Deputy Public Health Officer stated, “The purpose of these first Public Health vaccination clinics is to serve those Sonoma County residents at greatest risk, especially those who do not have a medical provider, or other means to get the vaccine.”

Please call the Public Health Information Line (707)565-4477, or visit our website
www.sonoma-county.org/H1N1 for times, locations and to confirm last minute details.

County of Sonoma
Department of Public Health Services
Public Health Division

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Red Cross Classes for Employment Opportunities

RED CROSS OFFERS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING COURSES
IN SANTA ROSA (NOVEMBER)

American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties is offering instructor training courses for those interested in teaching CPR and First Aid classes in the community. Teaching these classes is a great way to earn extra income, quickly. Hours are extremely flexible and all are welcome
who are interested in health and safety.

The classes will be held at American Red Cross, 5297 Aero Drive in Santa Rosa.

Fundamentals of Instructor Training takes place on Tuesday, November 17 from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Red Cross, 5297 Aero Drive in Santa Rosa. The fee is $30. This is the first course to be completed before enrolling in the other Health & Safety instructor courses. Students will learn all of the services of the Red Cross as well as basic teaching techniques. Participants must be 17 years old to take the courses.

CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Instructor takes Saturday, November 21 and Saturday, November 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fee is $135. Participants will learn how to teach CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and AED Essentials. Students must be at least 17 years old and have completed Fundamentals of Instructor Training in the last 12 months.

Participants can register for classes in any one of five ways:

● Go online at www.arcsm.org (click on “Course Registration”)
● Call (707)577-7600 (Have credit card ready)
● Fax registration information to (707)543-8523 (include date and time of class desired, VISA/Mastercard information, phone and all contact information)
● Mail check or credit card information (include same information as for fax)
● Visit the Chapter (5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa) from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, SONOMA & MENDOCINO COUNTIES
American Red Cross is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies. The Sonoma & Mendocino counties chapter, like all Red Cross chapters, is self-sustaining and receives no funding from the national organization or United Way, and minimal government funding. All disaster assistance provided by the Chapter is free and is made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by the people of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Donations can be made online at www.arcsm.org, via mail to, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at 707-577-7600. Mendocino residents can call (707)463-0112.

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Live Healthy, Be Happy: Food Myths and Marketing Tricks

Shopping Tips
Buy foods from the outer aisles of your grocery store to find nutrient-rich fresh vegetables and fruits; dairy products; fresh fish, poultry, and meat; and the bulk food section, containing whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Look for the words “100% whole wheat, rye, oats” or other grain to avoid refined carbohydrates that will raise your blood sugar levels. When buying food in boxes or cans, choose those with the shortest ingredient list. The ingredients should be foods whose names you recognize rather than chemical additives.
Navigating the world of food has become trickier than ever. Food manufacturers spend millions of dollars on packaging to convince you that their specific products are good for your health.

Here are some common food myths and the real scoop on what is in those boxes and cans:

Myth #1 High fructose corn syrup is a healthy alternative to sugar.
High fructose corn syrup (“HFCS”), like sugar, is a rapidly absorbed form of carbohydrate. It raises your blood sugar levels quickly and promotes insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. HFCS contains “empty” calories; that is, calories that do not contribute nutrients that your body needs to maintain all of its daily functions. Consuming foods and drinks that contain HFCS or other sugars contributes to weight gain.

Myth#2 Butter substitutes are a healthy alternative to butter.
Most margarines and butter substitutes contain partially hydrogenated oils, which are essentially trans fats. Current medical research indicates that these fats are detrimental to our cardiovascular system, and the FDA has warned against consuming trans fats. Some of the butter substitutes are essentially made out of water, additives, and artificial flavors and colors. They contain no real nutrients.
What about butter? Made from milk, butter contains vitamins and minerals in addition to a variety of fats. Will smearing a little on a piece of toast harm you? Absolutely not. It is a much healthier alternative than the processed foods that are marketed as “healthy” substitutes.

Myth#3 Packaged foods labeled “low fat” are health foods.
The food industry has capitalized on the public’s concern that consuming high levels of saturated fat may contribute to heart disease. Packaged foods are labeled “low fat” in order to make you believe that they are healthy. The truth is that these foods often contain large quantities of sugars and refined carbohydrates. When we eat foods that don’t contain fat, we feel less satisfied. This is a perfect scenario for the food industry because it makes us want to eat more of the “low fat” cookies, candy, crackers, and energy bars that they are selling. Eating a lot of food containing sugars and refined carbohydrates sets us up for craving more of these foods. Read the food labels on these foods to see how many grams of sugar are contained in one serving. Beware: Just 14 grams of sugar = 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Tips for Reading Food Labels:
1. Serving size is not necessarily the amount that you actually eat at one time.
Do you eat 2 cookies or 8 cookies at a time? Remember to multiply the numbers listed on the food label by the actual number of servings that you consume to see the true number of calories, sugars, and fats you are eating.
2. Sugar can be the ingredient found in the greatest quantity in the food even though it is not listed first on the ingredient list.
Food marketers know that consumers don’t want to see sugar listed first on the ingredient list because that indicates that sugar is proportionally the biggest ingredient in the food. If the product contains different forms of sugar with different names (see sidebar), they are able to list them separately. By doing this, no one form of sugar will be first on the ingredient list. Look at the total number of grams of sugar in each serving to get a better idea of how “sweet” the food is.
3. A food can contain trans fats even though the food label says it contains “0” trans fats.
The FDA allows a food label to say “0” trans fats if a serving contains less than .5 grams of trans fats. This means that .49 grams per serving allows a company to make this claim.
How many servings are you eating? The FDA recommends that we eliminate trans fats from our diets because they are considered to be a cause of heart disease. Consult the ingredient list and avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils.

How much sugar is it okay to eat every day?
The USDA estimates that the average daily intake of sugar per person in the United States is 31 teaspoons! This equals around 500 “empty” calories each day.
There is no recommended daily limit on sugar intake. I would recommend that you treat foods with sugar as a minor part of your daily diet and substitute sweet tasting foods like fresh fruit. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and healthy blood sugar levels.

Myth #4 The word “natural” on a box of food means that it contains healthy foods. The food industry knows that health claims on food products sell foods, and that is why so many companies use the words “natural” and “healthy” on many packaged foods. These words have no agreed upon definition and can be used to describe a food that has been refined so much that it has no nutrient value, or to describe a processed food to which artificial flavorings, colorings, and other chemicals have been added. Read the ingredient list and the food label to decide for yourself if the contents of the box or can are indeed healthy.

Myth #5 Packaged foods labeled “low carb” are health foods.
The low carb craze has many people believing that carbohydrates are bad for you. In fact, carbohydrates provide the energy that your body needs to perform all of its functions. The problem is not eating carbohydrates, but the type of carbohydrate eaten. Packaged foods labeled “low carb’ often contain artificial sweeteners and flavorings that are not beneficial to your health.

Myth #6 Juice drinks are a healthy alternative to sodas.
The food industry has found a way to disguise the fact that these drinks are very high in sugar. Many of these drinks are sweetened with fruit juice concentrate, which is made by processing fruit juice until it is basically sugar. Snapple, made with “100% juice,” has more sugar in an 11.5 ounce bottle than you will find in a 12 ounce Coke. Healthy Alternatives? Juices found in the refrigerated section that contain fresh fruit juice only. Dilute these with water to decrease the effect on your blood sugar level. Or, better yet, eat a piece of whole fruit, which contains fiber that will keep your blood sugars from spiking.

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The Cancer ~ Fighting Kitchen

The Healing Foods Free Lecture Series Presents: Rebecca Katz

Tuesday ~ October 27th, 2009
5:30 to 7:00 PM

Rebecca Katz, author of One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and their friends.

The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, Rebecca's newest book, brings the healing power of delicious, nutritious foods to those whose hearts and bodies crave a revitalizing meal.

Join us at:
The Center for Spiritual Living
2075 Occidental Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

It is free, so bring a friend!

"I want you to think of this book as a toolbox to help you or someone you love get through cancer." Rebecca Katz

Please RSVP: jo@ceresproject.org or 707.829.5833 x 3


Volunteer Needed with In Design

Experience!

If you have experience with In Design and have extra time to help The Ceres Community Project, please contact Margaret at margaret@ceresproject.org or call 707-829-5833. Our immediate need is helping with our cookbook layout over the next month. If you know someone who may be interested, please forward this information to them! Thank you.

http://www.ceresproject.com/

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Addiction & Chinese Medicine

The idea of addiction has been a long-term topic on many levels. The past several years I have seen patients who are addicted to cigarettes, food and there own mental restlessness. This state of constant craving is never satisfied and affects the Heart and scatters the Qi. Craving also affects the Pericardium that surrounds the Heart and stirs up the fire in the Heart.

In disease, the Minister Fire refers to a pathological, excessive Empty-Fire rising from the Kidneys. The emotion of the Kidneys is fear and as this energy rises from the lower Dan Tien it begins to affect the Mind. If the Mind is settled, calm and content, the Pericardium and the Heart energy will follow and the person will lead a happy and balanced life. If the Mind is weak and dissatisfied, the Pericardium and the Heart will demand cravings and the person will constantly desire food, cigarettes and other objects but when attained they will never receive satisfaction and will be left frustrated and aroused.

Craving will cause Heart-Fire and Empty-Fire depending on the underlying condition of the patient. It seems to me that there are many emotional states such as resentment, anger, agitation, animosity, bitterness and hatred which all seem to play a large roll in the body not being balanced and for cravings to constantly occur. I believe this to be a temporary relief since the cravings seems to run the person involved with never any satisfaction. All of this bottled up emotion helps to create excessive consumptions of many things that seem to sabotage one’s spiritual growth. The positive counterpart to all of these emotions is flexibility, hope and a quiet endurance of hardship. The Heart meridian is made up of blood or substance and when this blood is deficient and there is not enough substance then the Heart and the Shen will not rest peacefully. It is important to build up this substance and open the Heart so that the cravings can longer have a hold on the patient.

Irregular eating and excessive consumption of fats, sweets, dairy foods and cold-raw foods can injure the Spleen and also create Blood and Qi stagnation. The Blood Sugar diet seems to balance out the body and make it more neutral. I have also found that deep breathing helps to shift the patient’s space and allows them to inhale deeply and oxygenate their Heart area. Over the past couple years there has been a great deal of stress on many people and they have resorted to some compulsive behaviors that take them completely out of their bodies. Sometimes I have seen the Lung play a major role in this type of addiction since the Lungs emotion in Chinese Medicine is grief and sorrow. It is important that people know that any organ can be responsible for disharmony and that my role as a practitioner is to create harmony and fullness in each patient. I do believe it is a time of Heart for many people and in opening up the Heart and pulling people back into their bodies so they can begin to experience peace.

My patient that I have been working with to stop smoking has just recently turned a corner since I have gone into deeper treatments of both His Heart and his Lung energies. He is now able to take a deep breath without craving a cigarette and feels more full and relaxed. There are many deeper issues that need to be looked at in order to get true healings. I believe all of these illnesses are an invitation to make healings within us and gain the spiritual benefits of health. We all have a right to feel good and a right to be happy and free of old patterns and of pain. The more we work on ourselves and honor ourselves the more we can move forward into true freedom.

Please call with any questions or schedule a free 15-minute diagnosis so that you can move forward into true health and freedom.

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Cancer Treatment in Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine and the Treatment of Cancer

by Marcy Basel

According the World Health Organization, more than 10 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer every year, and more than 6 million die from cancer. It is projected in the next 20 years these numbers will increase by 50%. The primary objectives of cancer treatment are cure, prolongation of life and improvement of the quality of life. Treatment with Western medicine may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. The treatment with Chinese Medicine involves acupuncture, herbs and dietary changes. Traditional Chinese medicine has produced extremely promising results in dealing with the adverse affects and complications occurring during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I have been working with cancer patients over the last eighteen years and while I was in acupuncture school I was diagnosed with melanoma on my face so I spent five years of my education focusing on many different types of cancer along with alternative means of treatment. I have also had experience with two major oncologists at St. John’s Hospital for three years assisting them and working with their patients both in the clinic and in the hospital.

The past several years I have treated many types of cancer and many different stages of cancer. I have found that Chinese medicine works synergistically with Western medicine methods to alleviate symptoms of a physical nature, disease stages, pathology and possible complications. I have noticed that my patients who are going through chemotherapy have done very well regarding theory nausea, tiredness and excess internal heat. The treatment in Western medicine seems to injure the Vital Qi and the acupuncture, diet and herbs seem to balance out many of the symptoms and helps the patient regarding their recovery. My job is to balance the immune system and also balance the Yin and Yang in the body. I have found that chemo and radiation both create and extreme amount of internal heat so acupuncture supports the Vital Qi, clears the heat, relieves toxicity, invigorates the blood, softens hardenings, dissipates lumps and corrects the inharmony.

Using Chinese Medicine along with surgery treats the local systemic system and helps to create an anti-cancer environment throughout the body. There are certain protocols for before, after and during cancer treatments, which help to nourish the body so it is not depleted. I have found that it is best for a patient to avoid anxiety, banish tension and create daily activities that move the Qi and are nourishing. The diet is also important to avoid heat-producing foods so that the Spleen is fortified and the Kidneys are boosted. Over the past ten years I have a created a protocol of vitamins, herbs, green drinks and American ginseng tea to help move a patient into remission and true health.

I have recently been treating a patient who had many cancerous tumors in her abdomen and was diagnosed with third stage cancer. Throughout her two-year journey of pain and discomfort she kept telling the doctor that something was wrong and it went undiagnosed until she experienced severe pain. Working with the oncologists many patients kept telling their doctors that something was wrong and they were never really examined until it was third or fourth stage cancer and many doctors just said it was nothing…please insist if you feel that something is wrong that the doctor takes further tests no matter what they may think. The melanoma on my face went undiagnosed until I insisted the dermatologist took a skin sample and sent it off to the lab. I was the one who insisted on the test, she claimed I was fine. The results of my patients surgery has been very rough on her, To begin with she had an allergic reaction to her treatments and had to be rushed to the hospital, She also has experienced severe weight loss, sores down her esophagus, severe burns under her arms and swelling in her legs. Through acupuncture, herbs and diet she is doing much better and her moods and outlook have been lifted as well. I even found her a Chinese crème that totally healed under her arms in two days.

It is an important time to take our own health into our own hands and take responsibility for our lives. Through the guidance of alternative healers we can assist the treatment of cancer and have a variety of methods available to us for our healing. Please create a system of health for yourselves where you are being nurtured on a deeper level than just the western system. These two work very well together and help to heal a person from the inside out so that their health is forever alive and well. It is my experience that offering this range of treatments will provide a major improvement in your quality of life and enables you to fight against your illness with more determination. My treatments balance the meridians, increase the immune system and also enhance the healing process as well as protect the body from future re-occurrences of cancer.

Marcy Basel

707-824-8747

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Sonoma County Programs Win National Awards

Three Sonoma County Programs Win National Awards

By Jim Toomey

Three Sonoma County programs were selected to receiveAchievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo will present the awards during their national conference, being held July 24th through 29th in Nashville, TN.
The programs being honored are:
- Circles Across Sonoma – Sonoma County Probation Department
- Health Action – Sonoma County Department of Health Services
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Sustainability Initiatives – Sonoma County General
Services Department, Energy & Sustainability Division.

Circles Across Sonoma is the nation’s first county-wide implementation of a gender responsive service program for girls involved at all levels of the local juvenile justice system. Program services are built upon the Girls Circle format, a promising practice model recognized by the office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Circles Across Sonoma Program offers the elegant solution of a consistent, structured, research based program delivered to girls throughout the continuum of juvenile justice, even as they return to their communities and homes. Circles Across Sonoma represents a major step forward in creating a gender responsive system for the Sonoma County. The program has enrolled 456 girls with a remarkable 73.2% completion rate.

Health Action began in 2007 as a health action council sponsored by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services (DHS). Health Action’s over-arching mission is community health improvement. Building on widespread interest and commitment, DHS has convened a diverse, multidisciplinary group of key community leaders to identify priority health and health care issues, and to develop specific recommendations on local approaches to promote the health of both the community and the health care deliver system. Since its inception, Health Action has; assessed data on health issues impacting Sonoma County, developed criteria focusing its efforts, developed an initial set of health improvement strategies, received public input on those strategies, and obtained Board of Supervisors approval of its Action plan for 2009 through 2012.

In the arena of climate protection, Sonoma County has created an aggressive and successful program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, motivated by the county’s commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and to operate in a sustainable way. The program includes a climate protection action plan, an energy project concentrating on facilities and self-generation, and a regional climate committee, comprised of all cities and agencies within the county. Important components of these comprehensive programs include, but are not limited to; collaboration between multiple agencies and jurisdictions on a common goal, the installation of a 1.4 megawatt natural gas fuel cell, the replacement of more than 260 gas powered vehicles with hybrid and electric cars, lighting and water conservation retrofits at facilities, and the creation of an AB 811 program to finance energy efficiency and conservation projects on residential and commercial properties throughout the county.

More information about these programs may be obtained at the following links:
Circles Across Sonoma:
www.sonoma-county.org/probation/juvenile_services/special_services.htm

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Peace in Medicine of Sebastopol, Safe & Secure Dispensary

As you approach Peace In Medicine, Sebastopol’s nonprofit, healing center and medical cannabis dispensary, you can expect to be greeted with a friendly “Hello, can I help you?” by one its Security Hosts. The welcoming, nonconfrontational mantra of the facility starts right there. This atypical style of security is representative of the community it serves, and it has earned the respect and confidence of the members of City Council and members of the business community. The Chief of Police has called more than once to commend the Security Hosts on their cooperative, low profile professionalism at events like the annual Harvest Dance. In the 18 months that Peace In Medicine has been open, there have been no occurrences involving local law enforcement, and no complaints from neighbors, both of which are unusual for a cannabis dispensary.

Safety and Security at Peace In Medicine
By Linda Stokely

Peace in Medicine was conceptualized in 2007 by Robert Jacob, a Sebastopol resident and activist. Mr. Jacob envisioned a grassroots, community-based healing center that would provide support and resources for health-challenged residents to take control of their healing process. The response from the community in the form of volunteers, investors, and board members was inspiring, and on October 2nd, 2007 the facility opened its doors and began offering free classes to its patients. The popularity of the classes resulted in Peace in Medicine adding a 900 sq. ft. space just 18 months later.

The Education and Healing Center provides a wide variety of classes and services aimed at helping people manage their own health, a few of these are free Chinese herbal medicine consultations, nutritional consultations, yoga and Tai Chi classes, acupuncture, and massage therapy. In addition, it hosts support groups for patients living with cancer or chronic pain, and the facility provides free meeting space for local nonprofit and environmental groups. On occasion there are talks by authors, hypnotherapists, and other alternative medicine experts. It truly is a model facility for what medical cannabis dispensaries can be.

One of the key factors contributing to its successful integration into the community has been its safety and security staff, known as “Safety Hosts.” These individuals, while trained in accordance with the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, also receive training in active listening, diplomacy, compassionate security, legal integrity, and how to de-escalate situations. Heading up Peace In Medicine’s team of Safety Hosts is Morgan Manlopig, a Monte Rio resident who grew up in the Bay Area, but spent summers in Sonoma County with his family. Morgan has spent many years in security working nightclubs and bars before working for dispensaries. As an activist and security professional, the opportunity to work in close cooperation with the Chief of Police and local officials, is a dream come true. In addition, Morgan recently completed CERT training and was welcomed onto Sebastopol’s Community Emergency Response Team. Morgan’s team of Safety Hosts includes an EMT, former Civil Air Patrol helicopter dispatcher, and an 8 year veteran Black Rock City Ranger. Safety Hosts deal with everything from senior citizens arriving there directly from a chemotherapy treatment, battling for their lives to young people looking for alternative modalities for their medical needs.

Jen Thille, former Sebastopol Planning Commissioner and Council Member knows Peace in Medicine well because of her interactions with the nonprofit. She had this to say about them, “Robert Jacob has proven his dedication to the safety and security of our community from the very beginning. Peace in Medicine is a first rate medical dispensary that provides invaluable services to local residents and I have nothing but admiration for what Robert has accomplished.”
Peace in Medicine firmly believes in the importance of supporting the community and providing patient access to alternative medicine, information and education in a safe environment. Peace in Medicine is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and has sponsored, and/or participated in, over a dozen community events, as well as anonymously funding many local schools, city parks and events for children and young adults. The experience of visiting Peace in Medicine is totally unlike that of the majority of dispensaries; here customers are treated like the patients they are.

Peace in Medicine is located in Gravenstein Station at 6771 Sebastopol Ave. in
Sebastopol, California. Its hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 10:30am-
7:00pm, Friday and Saturday 10:30am-9pm, and on Sundays from noon till 7:00pm. A calendar of monthly events can be viewed at www.peaceinmedicine.org. Peace In Medicine’s entire services are available to the general public, with the exception of dispensary access, which requires a letter of recommendation. Senior citizens, cyclists, and U. S. Veterans always receive a discount.

-------------------------------

THE STORY OF PEACE IN MEDICINE


Peace in Medicine is a nonprofit, educational healing center that provides a wide variety of classes and services aimed at helping people manage their own health. It offers free Chinese herbal medicine consultations, nutritional consultations, yoga classes, acupuncture, and massage therapy. The facility hosts support groups for patients living with cancer or chronic pain, and provides free meeting space for local nonprofit and environmental groups. It sponsors talks by authors, hypnotherapists, and other alternative medicine experts, and it is a role-model facility for the dispensing of medical cannabis.

Peace in Medicine was conceptualized in 2007 by Robert Jacob, a Sebastopol resident and activist. Mr. Jacob envisioned a grassroots, community-based healing center that would provide a much needed nexus of support and resources for health-challenged residents to take control of their healing process. The response from the community in the form of volunteers, investors, and board members was inspiring. On October 2, 2007 Peace in Medicine opened its doors in Sebastopol, and already serves over 5000 members.

The nonprofit has a unique business model firmly based in 2 overarching tenets: the importance of local support and supporting locally; the belief in patient access to alternative medicine, information and education in a safe environment; and an unwavering adherence to environmental integrity.

1) Peace in Medicine is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and has sponsored, and/or participated in, over a dozen community events, as well as anonymously sponsoring many local schools, city parks and events for children and young adults.

2) The calming, professional, medical office décor coupled with its well-trained, customer service oriented staff makes Peace In Medicine a model for facilities designed to implement the legal dispensation of medical cannabis in compliance with Prop. 215. The experience of visiting Peace in Medicine is totally unlike that of the majority of dispensaries. Customers are treated like the patients they are.

Peace in Medicine is located in Gravenstein Station at 6771 Sebastopol Ave. in Sebastopol, California, (707) 823-4206. Its hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 10:30am-7:00pm, Friday and Saturday 10:30am – 9pm, and on Sundays from noon till 7:00pm. A calendar of monthly events can be viewed at www.peaceinmedicine.org. Peace In Medicine’s entire services are available to the general public, with the exception of dispensary access. Senior citizens, cyclists, and U. S. Veterans always receive a discount.

For further information members of the press can contact Linda at Peace in Medicine at (707) 981-4407.

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Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?

Sent in by a reader to help you stay informed:

Critical Alert: The Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?

American health officials declared a public health emergency as cases of swine flu were confirmed in the U.S. Health officials across the world fear this could be the leading edge of a global pandemic emerging from Mexico, where seven people are confirmed dead as a result of the new virus.


On Wednesday April 29th, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its pandemic alert level to five on its six-level threat scale,1 which means they've determined that the virus is capable of human-to-human transmission. The initial outbreaks across North America reveal an infection already traveling at higher velocity than did the last official pandemic strain, the 1968 Hong Kong flu.

Phase 5 had never been declared since the warning system was introduced in 2005 in response to the avian influenza crisis. Phase 6 means a pandemic is under way. WHO now openly states it is not possible to contain the spread of this infection and recommends mitigation measures, not restricting travel or closing borders.

However, a pandemic does not necessarily mean what you think it does, it is NOT black-plague carts being hauled through the streets piled high with dead bodies. Nor does it mean flesh eating zombies wandering the streets feeding on the living. All a pandemic means is that a new infectious disease is spreading throughout the world.

The number of fatalities, and suspected and confirmed cases across the world change depending on the source, so your best bet -- if you want the latest numbers -- is to use Google Maps' Swine Flu Tracker.

Several nations have imposed travel bans, or made plans to quarantine air travelers2 that present symptoms of the swine flu, such as:

* Fever of more than 100
* Coughing
* Runny nose and/or sore throat
* Joint aches
* Severe headache
* Vomiting and/or diarrhea
* Lethargy
* Lack of appetite

Top global flu experts are trying to predict how dangerous the new swine flu strain will be, as it became clear that they had little information about Mexico's outbreak. It is as yet unclear how many cases occurred in the month or so before the outbreak was detected. It's also unknown whether the virus was mutating to be more lethal, or less.

Much Fear Mongering Being Promoted

I suspect you have likely been alarmed by the media's coverage of the swine flu scare. It has a noticeable subplot - preparing you for draconian measures to combat a future pandemic as well as forcing you to accept the idea of mandatory vaccinations.

On April 27, Time magazine published an article which discusses how dozens died and hundreds were injured from vaccines as a result of the 1976 swine flu fiasco, when the Ford administration attempted to use the infection of soldiers at Fort Dix as a pretext for a mass vaccination of the entire country.

Despite acknowledging that the 1976 farce was an example of “how not to handle a flu outbreak”, the article still introduces the notion that officials “may soon have to consider whether to institute draconian measures to combat the disease”.

Fortunately some respectable journalists recognize this and are seeking to spread a voice of reason to the fear that is being promoted in the majority of the media


WHO and CDC Pandemic Preparedness Seriously Broken

The pandemic warning system has failed as it simply doesn't exist, even in North America and Europe. To improve the system, massive new investments in surveillance, scientific and regulatory infrastructure, basic public health, and global access to common sense interventions like vitamin D optimization are required.

According to the Washington Post, the CDC did not learn about the outbreak until six days after Mexico had begun to impose emergency measures. There should be no excuses. The paradox of this swine flu panic is that, while totally unexpected, it was accurately predicted. Six years ago, Science dedicated a major story to evidence that "after years of stability, the North American swine flu virus has jumped onto an evolutionary fasttrack".

However, maybe this is precisely what public health authorities desire.


This is NOT the First Swine Flu Panic

My guess is that you can expect to see a lot of panic over this issue in the near future. But the key is to remain calm -- this isn't the first time the public has been warned about swine flu. The last time was in 1976, right before I entered medical school and I remember it very clearly. It resulted in the massive swine flu vaccine campaign.

Do you happen to recall the result of this massive campaign?

Within a few months, claims totaling $1.3 billion had been filed by victims who had suffered paralysis from the vaccine. The vaccine was also blamed for 25 deaths.

However, several hundred people developed crippling Guillain-Barré Syndrome after they were injected with the swine flu vaccine. Even healthy 20-year-olds ended up as paraplegics.

And the swine flu pandemic itself? It never materialized.

More People Died From the Swine Flu Vaccine than Swine Flu!

It is very difficult to forecast a pandemic, and a rash response can be extremely damaging.

To put things into perspective, malaria kills 3,000 people EVERY DAY, and it's considered "a health problem"... But of course, there are no fancy vaccines for malaria that can rake in billions of dollars in a short amount of time.

One Australian news source,3 for example, states that even a mild swine flu epidemic could lead to the deaths of 1.4 million people and would reduce economic growth by nearly $5 trillion dollars.

Give me a break, if this doesn't sound like the outlandish cries of the pandemic bird-flu I don't know what does. Do you remember when President Bush said two million Americans would die as a result of the bird flu?

In 2005, in 2006, 2007, and again in 2008, those fears were exposed as little more than a cruel hoax, designed to instill fear, and line the pocketbooks of various individuals and industry. I became so convinced by the evidence AGAINST the possibility of a bird flu pandemic that I wrote a New York Times bestselling book, The Bird Flu Hoax, all about the massive fraud involved with the epidemic that never happened..


What is the Swine Flu?

Regular swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by a type-A influenza virus that affects pigs. The current strain, A(H1N1), is a new variation of an H1N1 virus -- which causes seasonal flu outbreaks in humans -- that also contains genetic material of bird and pig versions of the flu.

Interestingly enough, this version has never before been seen in neither human nor animal, which I will discuss a bit later.

This does sound bad. But not so fast. There are a few reasons to not rush to conclusions that this is the deadly pandemic we've been told would occur in the near future (as if anyone could predict it without having some sort of inside knowledge).


Why a True Bird- or Swine Flu Pandemic is HIGHLY Unlikely

While in my opinion it is highly likely factory farming is responsible for producing this viral strain, I believe there is still no cause for concern.

You may not know this, but all H1N1 flu's are descendants of the 1918 pandemic strain. The reason why the flu shot may or may not work, however, from year to year, is due to mutations. Therefore, there's no vaccine available for this current hybrid flu strain, and naturally, this is feeding the fear that millions of people will die before a vaccine can be made.

However, let me remind you of one very important fact here.

Just a couple of months ago, scientists concluded that the 1918 flu pandemic that killed between 50-100 million people worldwide in a matter of 18 months -- which all these worst case scenarios are built upon -- was NOT due to the flu itself!4

Instead, they discovered the real culprit was strep infections.

People with influenza often get what is known as a "superinfection" with a bacterial agent. In 1918 it appears to have been Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Since strep is much easier to treat than the flu using modern medicine, a new pandemic would likely be much less dire than it was in the early 20th century, the researchers concluded.

Others, such as evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald,5 claim that a pandemic of this sort simply cannot happen, because in order for it to occur, the world has to change. Not the virus itself, but the world.

In a previous interview for Esquire magazine, in which he discusses the possibility of a bird flu pandemic, he states:

"They think that if a virus mutates, it's an evolutionary event. Well, the virus is mutating because that is what viruses and other pathogens do. But evolution is not just random mutation. It is random mutation coupled with natural selection; it is a battle for competitive advantage among different strains generated by random mutation.

For bird flu to evolve into a human pandemic, the strain that finds a home in humanity has to be a strain that is both highly virulent and highly transmissible. Deadliness has to translate somehow into popularity; H5N1 has to find a way to kill or immobilize its human hosts, and still find other hosts to infect. Usually that doesn't happen."

Ewald goes on to explain that evolution in general is all about trade-offs, and in the evolution of infections the trade-off is between virulence and transmissibility.

What this means is that in order for a "bird flu" or "swine flu" to turn into a human pandemic, it has to find an environment that favors both deadly virulence and ease of transmission.

People living in squalor on the Western Front at the end of World War I generated such an environment, from which the epidemic of 1918 could arise.

Likewise, crowded chicken farms, slaughterhouses, and jam-packed markets of eastern Asia provide another such environment, and that environment gave rise to the bird flu -- a pathogen that both kills and spreads, in birds, but not in humans.

Says Ewald:

"We know that H5N1 is well adapted to birds. We also know that it has a hard time becoming a virus that can move from person to person. It has a hard time without our doing anything. But we can make it harder. We can make sure it has no human population in which to evolve transmissibility. There is no need to rely on the mass extermination of chickens. There is no need to stockpile vaccines for everyone.

By vaccinating just the people most at risk -- the people who work with chickens and the caregivers -- we can prevent it from becoming transmissible among humans. Then it doesn't matter what it does in chickens."

Please remember that, despite the fantastic headlines and projections of MILLIONS of deaths, the H5N1 bird flu virus killed a mere 257 people worldwide since late 2003. As unfortunate as those deaths are, 257 deaths worldwide from any disease, over the course of five years, simply does not constitute an emergency worthy of much attention, let alone fear!

Honestly, your risk of being killed by a lightning strike in the last five years was about 2,300 percent higher than your risk of contracting and dying from the bird flu.6 I'm not kidding! In just one year (2004), more than 1,170 people died from lighting strikes, worldwide.7

So please, as the numbers of confirmed swine flu cases are released, keep a level head and don't let fear run away with your brains.


So is the Swine Flu Getting More or Less Dangerous?

On Sunday, April 26, The Independent reported that more than 1,000 people had contracted the swine flu virus in Mexico, 8 but by the afternoon that same day, Mexican President Calderon declared that more than two-thirds of the 1,300 thought to have contracted the disease had been given a clean bill of health and sent home.9

Additionally, the number of actual confirmed cases appears to be far lower than reported in many media outlets, leading me to believe that many reporters are interchanging the terms "suspected cases" and "confirmed cases."

Interestingly Mexico is the ONLY country in the world where someone has actually died from this disease.Mexico has reported 159 fatalities in flu-like cases in recent days, seven of which have been confirmed as swine flu. Another 19 patients have been confirmed as having swine flu but surviving. Although some insiders at WHO believe these numbers are seriously inflated and could be as low as single digits.
By contrast, the United States has had 109 confirmed cases, five hospitalizations and no deaths from US Citizens. On April 29th CNN reported the first swine fatality in the US, however this was actually a child from Mexico that died in Texas.

According to the World Health Organization's Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response site; as of April 30 there are:

* 109 in U.S. -- 1 death (from Mexican child that died in Texas) (reported by CDC as of April 30)
* 26 in Mexico -- 7 deaths
* 19 in Canada -- 0 deaths
* 13 in Spain -- 0 deaths
* 8 in United Kingdom -- 0 deaths
* 3 in Germany -- 0 deaths
* 2 in Israel -- 0 deaths
* 1 in Switzerland -- 0 deaths
* 1 in Austria -- 0 deaths
* 1 in Netherlands -- 0 deaths

Additionally, nearly all suspected new cases have been reported as mild.

Personally, I am highly skeptical. It simply doesn't add up to a real pandemic.

But it does raise serious questions about where this brand new, never before seen virus came from, especially since it cannot be contracted from eating pork products, and has never before been seen in pigs, and contains traits from the bird flu -- and which, so far, only seems to respond to Tamiflu. Are we just that lucky, or... what?


Your Fear Will Make Some People VERY Rich in Today's Crumbling Economy

According to the Associated Press at least one financial analyst estimates up to $388 million worth of Tamiflu sales in the near future10 -- and that's without a pandemic outbreak.

More than half a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences Inc., Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and other companies with a stake in flu treatments and detection, have seen a rise in their shares in a matter of days, and will likely see revenue boosts if the swine flu outbreak continues to spread.

As soon as Homeland Security declared a health emergency, 25 percent -- about 12 million doses -- of Tamiflu and Relenza treatment courses were released from the nation's stockpile. However, beware that the declaration also allows unapproved tests and drugs to be administered to children. Many health- and government officials are more than willing to take that chance with your life, and the life of your child. But are you?

Remember, Tamiflu went through some rough times not too long ago, as the dangers of this drug came to light when, in 2007, the FDA finally began investigating some 1,800 adverse event reports related to the drug. Common side effects of Tamiflu include:

* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Headache
* Dizziness
* Fatigue
* Cough

All in all, the very symptoms you're trying to avoid.

More serious symptoms included convulsions, delirium or delusions, and 14 deaths in children and teens as a result of neuropsychiatric problems and brain infections (which led Japan to ban Tamiflu for children in 2007). And that's for a drug that, when used as directed, only reduces the duration of influenza symptoms by 1 to 1 ½ days, according to the official data.

But making matters worse, some patients with influenza are at HIGHER risk for secondary bacterial infections when on Tamiflu. And secondary bacterial infections, as I mentioned earlier, was likely the REAL cause of the mass fatalities during the 1918 pandemic!


Where did This Mysterious New Animal-Human Flu Strain Come From?

Alongside the fear-mongering headlines, I've also seen increasing numbers of reports questioning the true nature of this virus. And rightfully so.

Could a mixed animal-human mutant like this occur naturally? And if not, who made it, and how was it released?

Not one to dabble too deep in conspiracy theories, I don't have to strain very hard to find actual facts to support the notion that this may not be a natural mutation, and that those who stand to gain have the wherewithal to pull off such a stunt.

Just last month I reported on the story that the American pharmaceutical company Baxter was under investigation for distributing the deadly avian flu virus to 18 different countries as part of a seasonal flu vaccine shipment. Czech reporters were probing to see if it may have been part of a deliberate attempt to start a pandemic; as such a "mistake" would be virtually impossible under the security protocols of that virus.

The H5N1 virus on its own is not very airborne. However, when combined with seasonal flu viruses, which are more easily spread, the effect could be a potent, airborne, deadly, biological weapon. If this batch of live bird flu and seasonal flu viruses had reached the public, it could have resulted in dire consequences.

There is a name for this mixing of viruses; it's called "reassortment," and it is one of two ways pandemic viruses are created in the lab. Some scientists say the most recent global outbreak -- the 1977 Russian flu -- was started by a virus created and leaked from a laboratory.

Another example of the less sterling integrity of Big Pharma is the case of Bayer, who sold millions of dollars worth of an injectable blood-clotting medicine to Asian, Latin American, and some European countries in the mid-1980s, even though they knew it was tainted with the AIDS virus.

So while it is morally unthinkable that a drug company would knowingly contaminate flu vaccines with a deadly flu virus such as the bird- or swine flu, it is certainly not impossible. It has already happened more than once.

But there seems to be no repercussions or hard feelings when industry oversteps the boundaries of morality and integrity and enters the arena of obscenity. Because, lo and behold, which company has been chosen to head up efforts, along with WHO, to produce a vaccine against the Mexican swine flu?

Baxter!11 Despite the fact that ink has barely dried on the investigative reports from their should-be-criminal "mistake" against humanity.

According to other sources,12 a top scientist for the United Nations, who has examined the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa, as well as HIV/AIDS victims, has concluded that the current swine flu virus possesses certain transmission "vectors" that suggest the new strain has been genetically-manufactured as a military biological warfare weapon.

The UN expert believes that Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and the current A-H1N1 swine flu virus are biological warfare agents.

In addition, Army criminal investigators are looking into the possibility that disease samples are missing from biolabs at Fort Detrick -- the same Army research lab from which the 2001 anthrax strain was released, according to a recent article in the Fredrick News Post.13 In February, the top biodefense lab halted all its research into Ebola, anthrax, plague, and other diseases known as "select agents," after they discovered virus samples that weren't listed in its inventory and might have been switched with something else.


Factory Farming Maybe Source of Swine Flu

Another theory as to the cause of Swine Flu might be factory farming. In the United States, pigs travel coast to coast. They can be bred in North Carolina, fattened in the corn belt of Iowa, and slaughtered in California.

While this may reduce short-term costs for the pork industry, the highly contagious nature of diseases like influenza (perhaps made further infectious by the stresses of transport) needs to be considered when calculating the true cost of long-distance live animal transport.

The majority of U.S. pig farms now confine more than 5,000 animals each. With a group of 5,000 animals, if a novel virus shows up it will have more opportunity to replicate and potentially spread than in a group of 100 pigs on a small farm.

With massive concentrations of farm animals within which to mutate, these new swine flu viruses in North America seem to be on an evolutionary fast track, jumping and reassorting between species at an unprecedented rate.


Should You Accept a Flu Vaccine -- Just to be Safe?

Watch the video above to see ridiculous 1976 commercials promoting Swine Flu shots.

As stated in the New York Times14 and elsewhere, flu experts have no idea whether the current seasonal flu vaccine would offer any protection whatsoever against this exotic mutant, and it will take months to create a new one.

But let me tell you, getting vaccinated now would not only offer no protection and potentially cause great harm, it would most likely be loaded with toxic mercury which is used as a preservative in most flu vaccines..

I've written extensively about the numerous dangers (and ineffectiveness) of flu vaccines, and why I do not recommend them to anyone. So no matter what you hear -- even if it comes from your doctor -- don't get a regular flu shot. They rarely work against seasonal flu...and certainly can't offer protection against a never-before- seen strain.

Currently, the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are the only drugs that appear effective against the (human flu) H1N1 virus, and I strongly believe taking Tamiflu to protect yourself against this new virus could be a serious mistake -- for all the reasons I already mentioned above.

But in addition to the dangerous side effects of Tamiflu, there is also growing evidence of resistance against the drug. In February, the pre-publication and preliminary findings journal called Nature Precedings published a paper on this concern, stating15:

The dramatic rise of oseltamivir [Tamiflu] resistance in the H1N1 serotype in the 2007/2008 season and the fixing of H274Y in the 2008/2009 season has raised concerns regarding individuals at risk for seasonal influenza, as well as development of similar resistance in the H5N1 serotype [bird flu].

Previously, oseltamivir resistance produced changes in H1N1 and H3N2 at multiple positions in treated patients. In contrast, the recently reported resistance involved patients who had not recently taken oseltamivir.

It's one more reason not to bother with this potentially dangerous drug.

And, once a specific swine flu drug is created, you can be sure that it has not had the time to be tested in clinical trials to determine safety and effectiveness, which puts us right back where I started this article -- with a potential repeat of the last dangerous swine flu vaccine, which destroyed the lives of hundreds of people.

Topping the whole mess off, of course, is the fact that if the new vaccine turns out to be a killer, the pharmaceutical companies responsible are immune from lawsuits -- something I've also warned about before on numerous occasions.

Unfortunately, those prospects won't stop the governments of the world from mandating the vaccine -- a scenario I hope we can all avoid.

How to Protect Yourself Without Dangerous Drugs and Vaccinations
For now, my point is that there are always going to be threats of flu pandemics, real or created, and there will always be potentially toxic vaccines that are peddled as the solution. But you can break free of that whole drug-solution trap by following some natural health principles.

I have not caught a flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too, without getting vaccinated, by following these simple guidelines, which will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

* Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I've previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively. We hope to offer this service by June 2009.

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell's work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. However the best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

BUT to keep this in perspective the regular flu, not the swine flu, has killed 13,000 in the US since January. But there is strong support that these types of figures are grossly exaggerated to increase vaccine sales. However, the fact remains that the regular flu at this point in time is FAR more dangerous than the swine flu and were you worried about the regular flu before the media started talking this up?

* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

* Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night's Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.

* Have Effective Tools to Address Stress . We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma. You can check out my free, 25-page EFT manual for some guidelines on how to perform EFT.

* Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. You can review my exercise guidelines for some great tips on how to get started.

* Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

* Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

* Eat Garlic Regularly. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don't enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.

* Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines In this particular case, I'd also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug. Vaccines will not be available for six months at the minimum but when available they will be ineffective and can lead to crippling paralysis like Guillain-Barré Syndrome just as it did in the 70s.

Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx

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