I found the recipe a while back on the WHO website & have recently run across it in my files. The recipe is for an electrolyte replacement beverage that could be used instead of Gatorade. This one is not neon & thus is safer. Electrolyte replacement is necessary after extreme fluid loss, such as after a bout of diarrhea or vomiting. Athletes drink Gatorade due to the electrolyte loss through perspiration. 3/4 t sea salt 1/2 t backing soda 4 t cream of tarter (or eat 2 bananas for potassium) 1T sugar 1 liter of water optional: 1T orange juice or 2t lemon juice

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Natural Gatorade (Electrolyte Replacement Drink)

I’ve recently been researching Castor oil packs. Many holistic practitioners recommend them, and they have some intriguing uses. Castor oil comes from the Castor bean. It’s use was popularized by early new-ager, psychic and medical intuitive, Edgar Cayce. You might find wikipedia’s entry on him of interest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce . From the point of view of Chinese Medicine, Castor oil seems to have the ability to move Qi, Blood and Phelgm (congealed fluids). This is seen by the claims to dissolve tumors and nodules and to improve Liver function, including treating cirrhosis. Uses include bursitis/arthritis/joint pain, improving digestion/constipation, treating the liver/gallbladder, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, reducing menstrual cramping and dissolving tumours and nodules. I’ve seen claims of improving sleep/insomnia and relaxing facial wrinkles. You can find Castor oil in the health and body section of a natural food store. You might try a drug store, some may carry it. Do not ingest Castor oil as it is toxic. Do not use over open sores/wounds. Do not use with heavy bleeding (including menstrual). For insomnia, put a drop on each eyelid before retiring, and then do my insomnia meditation described in an earlier post, 4/09. For the face, put a few drops of Castor oil on the face at night to soften skin, relax wrinkles and reduce swelling and blemishes. Pay particular attention to problematic areas. The following link gives a long list of personal testimonials of people’s experiences with using Castor oil packs. There’s a wide variety of intriguing uses presented here: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/castor_oil.html Usually Castor oil is administered as a Castor oil pack. I’ve include the instructions for making a Castor oil pack below (taken from earthclinic.com). For most conditions, do Castor oil packs 4x/week for one hour duration. Materials * Three layers of undyed wool or cotton flannel large enough to cover the affected area * Castor oil * Plastic wrap cut 1-2″ larger than the flannel (can be cut from a plastic bag) * Hot water bottle * Container with lid * Old clothes and sheets. Castor oil will stain clothing and bedding. Place the flannel in the container. Soak it in Castor oil so that it is saturated, but not dripping. Place the pack over the affected body part. Cover with plastic. Place the hot water bottle over the pack. Leave it on for 45-60 minutes. Rest while the pack is in place. After removing the pack, cleanse the area with a dilute solution of water and baking soda. Store the pack in the covered container in the refrigerator. Each pack may be reused up to 25-30 times. I am interested in learning about your experience with Castor oil, positive or negative. Please send me your feedback about this. KB

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Castor Oil Packs

Apples have been on sale recently at Earthfare and Greenlife, so I bought a few pounds and made a easy applesauce, mmm, mmm. My grandmother used to make this and I still remember how much I loved eating it. We used to eat it with cinnamon graham crackers. It’s also tasty over ice cream. Though, as an acupuncturist, I avoid frozen, sugary concoctions, such as ice cream. I’ve been enjoying the applesauce over millet and walnuts in the morning for breakfast, or as an apres-dining snack. I used my version of my grandmother’s recipe. She used to can it in jars. I haven’t yet learned canning. 7lbs apples - I used a blend of macs and granny smith: they were both on sale. The granny smith added a tang, so I would continue with 50% green apples. Whole spices: cinnamon [1 stick], anise [maybe 1t], nutmeg [1/2 nut], cloves [maybe 7 or so] filtered water Core the apples and cut into 3″ chunks. (Quarter, then halve the quarters). I pressure cooked them on low pressure for about 5min with 1/4 pot of water and the spices [put these in a cloth teabag or a tea ball]. Alternatively, you could simmer them until they get soft. Then I pulled out the spices and pureed the apples with an immersion blender. You could use a food processor. My grandmother pushed them through a pureor with a wooden mallet. Using the modern appliances you get to use the skins, which have beneficial nutrients. If the sauce is too wet, simmer it down a little longer. No sugar necessary, and boy is it tasty. The cinnamon levels out the sugar spike, providing a slow release which is easier for the body to utilize. KB

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Homemade Applesauce: Healthy and Guilt-free Dessert

Fertility treatments ‘no benefit’ Two common treatments for fertility problems do not work, an Aberdeen University-led study suggests. UK guidelines recommend the drug clomid and artificial insemination for couples who have trouble conceiving despite no known cause for their infertility. But trials of 580 women in Scotland found the treatments were no better than trying to get pregnant naturally, the British Medical Journal reports. A third of couples who struggle to get pregnant have unexplained infertility. It means, despite a battery of tests, doctors cannot find a reason why they struggle to conceive. “ It sends a positive message that the chances of success spontaneously are pretty convincing ” Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, study leader The options listed by the National Institute of Clinical and Health Excellence (NICE) include up to six cycles of unstimulated intrauterine insemination - where sperm is inserted directly into the woman’s womb - and use of clomid (clomifene citrate), a drug which stimulates the ovaries. The treatments have both been offered for many years because “doing nothing” is an unpopular choice among patients, the researchers said. But until now there has been little rigorous testing of their effectiveness. Success rate Five hospitals were involved in the study: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary and Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Scientists from Oxford University also took part in the research. In the six-month study, participants had all suffered unexplained fertility problems for more than two years. Overall, 101 women ended up having a successful pregnancy. Of those who tried to conceive naturally, 17% became pregnant and gave birth to a live baby. For clomid, the birth rate was 14%, and insemination 23% - not significantly different from the chances of success with no intervention. However, the women undergoing active treatment were more reassured. Between 10 and 20% of women taking the drug had side-effects, including abdominal pain, bloating, hot flushes, nausea and headaches. The drug also increases the risk of twins and triplets, which can be more dangerous for mother and babies than a singleton pregnancy. But the researchers were quick to point out that it is a very useful treatment for women who have problems with ovulation. ‘Cheap but common’ Study leader, Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, from the University of Aberdeen, said the findings challenge current practice. “The first thing is it sends a positive message that the chances of success spontaneously are pretty convincing.” He added: “These treatments are cheap but common - if you total all the money, time and effort spent on them, it’s considerable.” In an accompanying article, researchers from the Assisted Conception Unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said because of the lack of evidence, many couples with unexplained infertility endure “expensive, potentially hazardous, and often unnecessary treatments”. Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield and secretary of the British Fertility Society, said: “It is very important that we have a strong evidence base to support the treatments that are offered to infertile couples and as such this study is very valuable. “Intrauterine insemination has been offered to couples with unexplained infertility for many years, but if there is no benefit in doing so then we should re-evaluate the clinical guidelines so that NHS money is used wisely.” Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7547400.stm Published: 2008/08/07 23:11:20 GMT © BBC MMIX

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Studies Show ‘No Benefit’ of Clomid or IUI’s in Increasing Chances of Pregnancy

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) News Advisory Noted Author, Surgeon To Address “Chinese Medicine, Western Science and Acupuncture” at NCCAM’s Inaugural Stephen E. Straus Distinguished Lecture What: National Book Award-winning author and surgeon Sherwin B. Nuland, M.D., discusses his experiences in China observing major surgery conducted without anesthesia, aided by acupuncture—and whether its effectiveness can be explained by current biomedical science. Dr. Nuland, author of The Uncertain Art: Thoughts on a Life in Medicine , and clinical professor of surgery at Yale University, will be the featured speaker at the inaugural Stephen E. Straus Distinguished Lecture in the Science of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. His lecture is entitled “Chinese Medicine, Western Science and Acupuncture.” Why: This lecture series was established in honor of Stephen E. Straus, M.D., founding director of NCCAM and an internationally recognized clinician-scientist, who died in 2007. Dr. Nuland, the first lecturer of the series, will draw on personal experiences as a surgeon to explore the idea that there are medical phenomena that cannot be explained by the investigational methods used by today’s biomedical science. When: Tuesday, March 10, lecture from 2:30–4:00 p.m. EST Reception and poster session from 4:00–5:00 p.m. EST Where: National Institutes of Health [NIH], Building 10, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland. Lecture: Masur Auditorium; Reception and Poster Session: Southeast Patio More information: Details are available on NCCAM’s website at nccam.nih.gov. Sign language interpretation will be provided; for other reasonable accommodation or more information call Karen Davison at 301-984-7191. Who Should Attend: The event is free and open to the public. Hosts: Presented by NCCAM and supported by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health with generous funding from The Bernard Osher Foundation. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s mission is to explore complementary and alternative medical practices in the context of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals. For additional information, call NCCAM’s Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit the NCCAM Web site at nccam.nih.gov . NCCAM 1999–2009: Celebrating 10 years of rigorous research. The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health [NIH] was established by the United States Congress to support the mission of the National Institutes of Health—improving health through scientific discovery. The Foundation identifies and develops opportunities for innovative public-private partnerships involving industry, academia, and the philanthropic community. A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation, the Foundation raises private-sector funds for a broad portfolio of unique programs that complement and enhance NIH priorities and activities. The Foundation’s web site is www.fnih.org . The National Institutes of Health (NIH)— The Nation’s Medical Research Agency —includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov .

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MD Speaks About Acupuncture Anesthesia for Surgery in Address to National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

I was just wat ching Dr. Wayne Dyer’s Power of Intention on PBS this afternoon. He highlighted some interesting medical research on the health benefits of preforming acts of kindness. Apparently researchers have studied the effects of acts of kindness on both the giver, receiver and the witnesses and have concluded that preforming acts of kindness increases serotonin levels and strengthens immune function in both the giver, receiver and witnesses of acts of kindness. Serotonin’s are brain neurotransmitters, a type of endorphin. Increased levels in serotonin’s are seen in happy people: increased endorphin levels are the brain chemicals responsible for the ‘runners high’. Many of the anti-depressant drugs function to increase brain serotonin levels. Researchers have found that witnessing, giving or receiving acts of kindness will increase these brain chemicals, in addition to strengthing immune function. It doesn’t get more empowering than that! KB

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Randon Acts of Kindness Improve Health

Here’s an amazing video from a Qi Gong master, John Cheng of Java demonstrating his incredible abilities with qi , you can hardly believe your eyes. He lights a piece of paper on fire, turns on an LED light bulb, and sends a chopstick through a 1” thick wood table with a Formica top using qi emanating from his hands. A patient of mine went to Java to get treated by John and attests that this is legit. KB http://www.youtube.com/watch? v= RAAB 0 dbc 3Es&feature=related

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Amazing YouTube Video: Qi demonstration

Here’s an amazing video from a Qi Gong master, John Cheng of Java demonstrating his incredible abilities with qi , you can hardly believe your eyes. He lights a piece of paper on fire, turns on an LED light bulb, and sends a chopstick through a 1” thick wood table with a Formica top using qi emanating from his hands. A patient of mine went to Java to get treated by John and attests that this is legit. KB http://www.youtube.com/watch? v= RAAB 0 dbc 3Es&feature=related

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Amazing YouTube Video: Qi demonstration