# 65 Healing Salves and Other Goodies

GOOT Garlic Oil Ointment
You may loose the companion-ship of family / friends until a healing has taken place. Your choice. This mix does have an odor.

A Formula That Will Produce Miracles
Anti-infective/Anti-fungal/Anti-parasites Warm three tablespoons of Coconut oil over stove until melted and add three tablespoons of olive oil. Remove from heat and add three tablespoons of fresh chopped garlic. Blend at slow speed, then at high speed for two minutes. Use a blender or coffee grinder. Pour mixture through a screen to remove chunks of garlic that the blender may have missed. Pour into a wide mouth jar and label it "GOOT." Place in a refrigerator.
GOOT turns into a thick soft paste after one hour. This due to the melting point of the coconut oil, which is approximately 76 degrees. Above the 76 degree temperature, coconut oil is a liquid. GOOT, rubbed into the skin, transfers raw garlic oil directly into the blood stream. Apply on the feet of children or infants to fight infections. Rub on chest for chest colds, pneumonia or rub into nostrils for sinus infections. Apply directly to sores inside the mouth. Rub on Athlete's foot or genital area for jock itch. Insert GOOT into vagina or rectum for yeast or other related infections. Apply on rashes any place. Place on cotton swab for ear infections. GOOT kills Candida, parasites, bad bacteria and virus by direct application. In addition, it treats systemic infections by absorption through the skin into the blood supply and travels throughout the body. After two weeks, make a new batch of GOOT
---------------------------------------------

FOR ENERGY
P=Part Part can be any measure Use the same measuring tool for all parts measured. For instance a teaspoon, or tablespoon,
All in powder form.
4 p Club Moss ( Lycopodium Clavatum )
3 p Jamaican Ginger Root ( Zingiber Officinale )
2 p Gotu Kola ( Hydrocotyle Asiatica )
Mix all together. (I use a small device to put mix in capsules.) If only a small batch, pack capsules by hand. Of course be sure your not allergic to the herbs. If feeling weak or fatigued, 2 capsules with full 8 oz of water. If taken on an empty stomach before any strenuous event or sport, will have results in about 10 minutes. Have not tried as a tea.

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

For upset stomach / throwing-up.

Only cut form. Not powder.
1 p Peppermint ( Mentha piperita )
1 p Meadowsweet ( Spiraea ulmaria )
1 p Lemon Balm ( Melissa officinalis )
1 p Peach leaf ( Prunus persica )
1/8 p Lobelia ( Lobelia inflata )
Mix all together.
(You may hear all kinds of horror stories about using Lobelia, which if they were true, I must have died fourty years ago. Yes it is a potent herb, with true value.) Make as a tea. I normally use a tablespoon of the mix for each cup of tea and pour hot water into a cup , lid on top of cup, steep 10 minutes.
Please now, for me and those that have used them, as indicated, there were no problems. Before using , do a bit of home work and check out the listed herbs for your self. These formulas have been used by me for many decades.
But we are not all the same system wise, so do use common sense caution.

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

Another Healing Salve

This is a very effective salve. I use it on any wound - cut - sore.
Have seen it used for a gash in the heel of the foot, where the flesh was actually hanging loose. Washed with water, flesh sprinkled with Red Pepper ( no, Red Pepper applied to a bleeding wound don't sting ) and put back into place, with a heavy layer of this salve. Healed beautifully with only a faint scar visible.
All powder.
P = part Use the same spoon for all measurements
2 p Lobelia ( Lobelia inflata )
1/2 p Golden Seal Root ( Hydrastis canadensis )
3 p Slippery Elm Bark ( Ulmus fulva )
2 p Myrrh ( Commiphora myrrha )
Mix together. Add vaseline to the mix , make a slightly stiff but pliable mix. Blend it well for the best healing effect. Store in a small wide mouth jar for future use. Make sure your not allergic to any of the mix.

# 69 Our Ultimate Reality: Metaphysics, Life, The Universe, The Occult !

Metaphysics, did that word cause you pause? I think not. How about the word "religion" , did that shake you up? No! Yet if one says the word, "occult", most will raise an eyebrow of "Oh.Oh", with various looks of surprise or even question your sanity. Most people have never taken the time to look up the word and fail to understand its true meaning. Most will apply only what they have heard about it, all of it being nasty. So, you say my religion forbids its practice! Practice of what? Do you read the bible! Oh, you nasty occultist. From my point of view, ( even if I do have issues with the good book ) the bible is a beautiful tome of occult material. It even mentions dozens of Master Occultists. Yes, yes , I know many will frown on the words just stated, but to me its a truth. Once past the killing, mass killings, rape, slavery and other bone chilling events, look for the real beauty buried in many of the stories. Reread the words of the Master Jesus. Lets get to the bottom line, the punch words. Can you make any sense of whats happening in our world? Can you make any sense of what your life is all about? Questions like just mentioned, are what lead me to inquire of life," what is this all about"! So years of digging, research, tossing out the bible, finding out that the bible needed to be dug out of where I tossed it, and reviewing all data with a critical eye. Did I get all the answers? Sorry to say , nope. But I did finally start to understand, that there is more to life , than what meets the eye. That there are jewels of wisdom scattered around in numerous books, yes including the bible. Is my life easier for having discovered these jewels, not entirely yet, but making progress. So it was to my delight when I found another source of information that will, I believe enhance my understanding of what its all about.

For your free download:

http://www.ourultimatereality.com/book1.html

# 64 EFT and Heroin Addiction

"I consider EFT to be the perfect means now available to everyone for regaining physical and mental health" - Tania de Winne, MD -

Emotional Freedom TechniquesWhere emotional relief brings physical health
Self help method often works where nothing else will No Drugs Involved ~ High Success Rate

What is EFT?
Free EFT Manual & more
5 Star DVDs

First class result for a heroin addiction

Let experienced EFT'er Aileen Nobles take you through the details of unraveling her client's 6 year heroin addiction in 4 sessions. Please note her many creative approaches, including how she uses a light switch metaphor as a means to test how well things are going. Also note that first class results like this are rare with conventional treatments. A success like this one, however, does not always mean that the job is over. Future diligence is sometimes necessary.
By Aileen Nobles
Hi Gary,
I'm quite thrilled to share another wonderful success story in progress, thanks to EFT. Kristen has been generous enough to share her testimonial with your readers so that others may take hope.
When Kristen came for her first appointment she had been on heroin for 6 years. She was participating in a methadone program yet she was still craving heroin.
She has caring parents and a good job. We searched around for how it began, and she believes she started using in high school because it was a cool thing to do. She wanted to fit in with the others.
During the first session we tapped on:
* Feelings of disconnection from her emotions and life in general. * Unsure of her place in the world.* Feeling anxious around groups of people* Anxiety and fear at the thought of not using heroin again.
GC COMMENT: Please note that all of Aileen's tapping rounds in this article are aimed at GLOBAL issues and SYMPTOMS. This is often helpful to "take the edge off" and move toward healing. As you will see, it was certainly successful in this case. In my experience, however, the foundational issues behind addictions often revolve around the SPECIFIC EVENTS underlying the reasons for needing to use drugs. These SPECIFIC EVENTS eventually become important targets in many cases.
AILEEN CONTINUES: As a child Kristen had to share her bedroom with siblings, she always felt she wanted something that was her own secret but had no privacy. Heroin became her secret.
We used a visualization of a light switch being up and on when she was out of control, and tapped as she moved into a place where she could turn her switch off into the down position. This was something she could check in on any time throughout the day.
In the second session Kristen was taking methadone on a daily basis and still thinking about heroin. Her switch was usually up and she would keep putting it down as she tapped on the karate point (indicating success).
We tapped on:* Feeling anxious and spinning out of control.* The heavy cloud hanging over her.* Feeling overwhelmed at work and becoming immobilized and frozen.* Compulsive hair pulling whenever she was anxious.* Needing drugs before going out with friends.* A breathing problem - releasing fear* Cutting down on methadone* Not needing heroin or methadone to feel good
During our third session Kristen was still taking methadone and had not yet cut down. Her breathing had greatly improved. We tapped on:
* Afraid of not feeling well and always wanting to feel better (Heroin made her feel better)* Fear of the methadone wearing off and feeling sick* Withdrawal symptoms of feeling anxious and fidgety, hot and cold, and lack of concentration.
We reinforced the ideas of not needing to have a hidden secret, as she could keep anything she wanted to herself if she chose.
We tapped on how unique and talented she was, and tapped on opening her heart. Kristen's switch was now down and stayed down. We installed the idea that she would feel better than ever as she took control of her emotions and had no desire for heroin or methadone.
In all we had three hour long sessions and a half hour phone session. This testimonial will hopefully inspire others who either have or work with this challenging issue.
Letter from Kristen
I've been decreasing my methadone for the past five weeks, and I feel good about it. I talked to my counselor about the tapping...she was very happy for me, but didn't really inquire too much about the details of EFT, which I thought was odd considering the small miracle I'd just informed her of. She did say though that she can't think of the last time someone came into her office saying they didn't crave heroin anymore and would like to get off of methadone!I feel better than I've ever felt, I don't feel plagued by that existential heaviness anymore, and I certainly don't feel like using drugs. I just feel light and happy, and normal, a thing I've always wondered what it felt like.
I think back on all the years I was using and how I always felt I would never be able to stop using, how helpless I felt...now it never occurs to me, and it's like it hardly existed because the thought literally never crosses my mind to use. All the people who say they use drugs because of this trauma or that experience or upbringing, I never felt that way...it's just like I always thought, that I was a sane normal functioning person trapped in an addict's mind and body, or like a demon inside me. If only I could rid myself of that compulsion, I'd be fine because I don't have those kinds of issues. And that's exactly what happened.Thank you Aileen!
Aileen comments
Since receiving the letter above, Kristen came for another session. She had cut down on her methadone so much that she was feeling "sick." I asked her what sick felt like and she said it was the same feeling she had when she was coming down off heroin. She also had a fear of not going to the clinic every day. Without her habit...who would she be?"
We tapped on:
*Not needing to feel the sickness as her body knew how to compensate as she withdrew from methadone.*Releasing the need to have a crutch*Letting go of destructive habits *Re-inventing herself
We did some light hypnotic journeys featuring crutches getting smaller, and then being able to walk strongly on her own legs into her future self.
We had done only a few minutes on her hair pulling issue during our sessions yet Kristen told me she had almost stopped that habit.
When she tries to think about heroin, it's as if it belonged to someone else. She said that her friends and family are the ones who cant let go, and can't believe she doesn't think about it any more.The difference in Kristen's aura is amazing. Most people can sense a dark energy around someone and Kristen's energy is now so light compared to her first session.
These EFT techniques never cease to amaze me.
Love and Light,Aileen Nobleshttp://www.aileennobles.com/

# 63 Why Did I Do That! Updated 12-14-2007

Why Did I do That!

Over the years I’ve noticed that various people are given some nasty or nice descriptive labels. For instance, I would hear one person say “so and so is really a nasty person to get along with, and another person in the group at a later time would, during our conversation mention that the same person just labeled as a nasty, is such a nice person to get along with. In that I knew the person that just got the two labels that were complete opposites, caused me to wonder how that could be, as I knew this person as an individual that played no favorites, just wanted the job done right. So now there was an awareness in me ( as is, in many other areas ) that begged answers. From that period of time on, I started catching many more label attaching events.
( Wow, I even found that I had quite a few labels attached ! )
Started making notes about these instances. The nature of my job allowed me great latitude in asking questions about people. The larger my list of labels became, the more confusing it all became. Like the movie with the title ” The Good the Bad and the Ugly” many people seemed to fit into the three classes of that movie title, label wise. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here, these were normal every day kind of people, ahem, like me. From my point of view many of the labels just didn’t seem to fit the person involved. So dig for some answers that might shed some light on understanding it all. In seeking answers to specific situations of “why did I do or say that” and “what causes a label to be attached to a person“, some amazing and surprising amounts of what I call, "ah-ha's" showed up. Whether what I found is true for all people or if it was applicable only to a few people, remains as a question. Perhaps some readers will post , if any, of what I say here, seems to fit with them, event wise! At this point, I first need to set the perspective for this scenario.
During the course of ones working career and / or family interactions, etc, they can be labeled with words like: pompous, stupid, brilliant, naive, cold, conceited, understanding, compassionate, bigot, racist,, religious, irreligious, well tempered, ill tempered, explosive, passive, nice and not nice. At least that is how some of ones associates can or will see you as a person in certain settings. What I saw in all these labels, over the course of time, was a lack of congruity in their application to many individuals. So now, the question became, “how is this possible“! Why do they think that, of the person! Ever ask yourself “why did I do that?”. Why does a person react in such an odd way, or do this or that kind of action? Was some thing in ones speech or actions, being picked up that was conveying a message of some sort, that was perhaps not intended or desired to be expressed! What caused a person to do or say some thing they normally wouldn’t do or say?
What was the fire that lit the fuse?
Delving deeper into the matter, led paradoxically, to the conclusion that one can harbor many of the labels mentioned above and act or react accordingly. How could that be ! How can one be nice or not so nice, seemingly at the same time? What causes a normal at the moment, rational person, to become a raging maniac , so to speak, in the next moment? Questions, questions, but where are the answers! Same question with all the other labels mentioned. I’m looking for answers and all I’m coming up with is more questions. In the beginning, all my research was primarily through books, a very slow process. This was enhanced at a later date with the advent of computers and all the various Web sources. So on with the research. The first clue , so to speak, was reading that all emotions and events are stored with-in our psyche ! Yes, so what you ask? Patience now. Starting with any label, one must add to it, things we eat, liquids we drink, air we breathe, and people whom we associate with, the type of work we do, the area one lives in, religious upbringing , ones sleep pattern and we have a very powerful set of agents working in us all the time. Not some of the time, but all the time, awake or asleep. Doing what?
Glad you asked. These agents are setting up what I call “trigger points” of emotions. Mixing, sorting, coloring, filing and misfiling everything that makes you “who you are“. So in a way, one has a huge data base stored in them that can be instantly accessed. Those stored emotions ( labels ) one acts from, are NOT all drawn upon at the same time. More like one file, out of a labeled folder, that seemed to match the occasion taking place, but it may or may not have been the right match. That answers one of the questions raised earlier. Are you saying we can act rationally and not-rationally at the same time? That’s not what I said. What I did say, was, “seemingly“. We can act rationally in a given moment OR act non-rationally, but NOT both at the same time. While the events may appear to be taking place at the same time, each event stands alone. For each given event, ones psyche is instantly at work coloring that event according to stored emotions and combining it WITH the new prevailing emotion, creating what I found out to be, is a differentiated or non-differentiated event or action. The “ why “ question as answered here, at least for me, seems to be the misfiling of events and emotions some where inside of one. Like any filing system, where things DO get misfiled, the same misfiling can take place in ones psyche, and that is a strong possible reason for the unpredictable blow-ups or actions one can experience.
( hope psyche is the right term and never did locate the psyche filing cabinet ) (read new added information at the bottom of this post)
Give an example if you can! Well, lets see. OK, Your driving along the expressway, The car along side of you suddenly veers into your lane, you mentally shift into road-rage, and also spill your cup of hot coffee onto your lap. You are very emotionally up-set. Very ticked off, middle finger waving and maybe even cussing some, and very wet and stinging from the hot coffee just dumped on your lap. Felt really good to yell some choice words at that driver. But it all soon passes and the event is forgotten, or so you think it is! Six months later, you are in a meeting with your boss, and sipping hot coffee. The boss starts to pass on to you a folder to read, and in doing so , accidentally, knocks over your cup of hot coffee. You quickly jump up and angrily yell ”clumsy ox”, before you can even think of what is being said. ( think boss, spouse, friend, etc ) Why the blow-up now for a minor event ? What probably happened here, is that some how you accessed the highly charged emotional road rage and the spilt hot coffee event of six months ago, and reacted accordingly. What ever it is that accesses ones filing system, reached in and pulled up the HOT COFFEE file, never paid attention to what was attached to it, the "ANGER", file. Explain that! OK, the road rage event was , lets say, filed under “anger” ( differentiated ) and due to the high intensity of emotion involved with it, and the spilt hot coffee ( non-differentiated ) was misfiled along with it, where it did not belong. So when the boss knocked over the hot cup of coffee, your memory banks dug up the misfiled and emotionally charged ”hot spilt coffee”, ALONG with the ( but now with a changed status, to non-differentiated ) high emotionally charged “anger“. Boom , little event, big blow-up. Make sense to you? The same trouble making process can apply to any given anger / hurt feelings / unexplainable action / fears / phobias / health conditions, love or hate matters, etc. All this is nothing new, it goes back to biblical times. ( See Romans 7:15-24 , the things I do ) Every thing we say, hear, experience, eat or drink, is being classified and stored within us in folders and files. There can be various levels of emotions, ranging from low to high intensities in each file. The files can have a mix of positive , negative, or neutral charges, tied to stored but unrelated events . How one acts or reacts to all this stimuli is what makes you “unique“. It is also what causes others to attach a label on you as being “this or that” kind of a person. But it is a fact of life and actually happens that way. So, it seems that one can be classified with a specific label, but only FOR a given event or action, and one could possibly go through the whole list of titles, one at a time, and many could or would seem to “fit”, but it don’t necessarily mean that it is the true “ambiance” that prevails within you.
Well, you say, ”I am what I am, how do I change or control the outbursts or actions?”. For starters, just being aware that you do wear many flavors of stored emotions will help. Just knowing that stored emotions can be triggered by words and / or events that can spontaneously trigger the reaction that follows, is a learning curve that must be dwelt with.
Most emotions are under ones control, others just explode and happen. Some emotions may be dumped on you, ( pun intended ) similar to the hot coffee situation above. So, the real question is, what is your normal “ambiance” level like? The key word here is “ambiance”. Under normal conditions “what are you like!” Of course the term “normal conditions” is open to a wide scope of interpretation. For now, let “normal” mean that “most of the time you don’t say or do anything that causes another person discomfort or hurt by what you do or say”, that would be considered your “normal ambient level“.
If you blow-up for minor events, are easily provoked, hard to get along with, crabby most of the time, or, must get even for slights, you have a lot work ahead of you. All of the titles one does accumulates are from your doing or acting in some fashion. But at some level within you, you decided to keep it / them or you wouldn’t still have the label. Or perhaps it was a rare event! No one forces you to accept them. Change them. Easier said than done of course.
It will take effort on your part to make the corrections. It might be a slow process , but worth your while to do so. With effort on your part, you might even like the feeling of getting along with others “most of the time and feeling good “ about it all. So, one step at a time.
Granted , some situations will still pop up now and than that might or will cause a problem for you, especially those that are deeply buried and misfiled with high emotional intensity. So be it. You know that you are working to make corrections, and are making progress along those lines. But don’t adopt the occasional event, into becoming the controlling factor in your normal activities.
Do realize that there can be much more at work emotionally, in ones life, than what was touched upon . Expressed here were the average basic, every day aspects. If one has severe emotional conflicts, bouts of depression, phobias, harmful thoughts, might want to check out the free EFT course mentioned in this Blog, and / or seek professional help.

Download the FREE course here

http://www.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.htm

For the curious minded:
Have found various references on recent discoveries of where the memories and emotions are stored in ones body. Was very surprised to find that not all memories are stored in the brain. At least that is what some scientists are finding now, using the advanced technology that was not available previously. For instance , it has been said that magnetite and crystal specks were found in all cells of the body. Scientific theory indicates that these specks are capable of holding thoughts and emotions. Giving that concept some thought takes one to items, one is already using. The old wire recorder, the newer tape player / recorder, the computer hard disk and memory chips, wireless phones, etc. . The common denominator with all of these devices are either / or both of the magnetite and crystal specks. All these devices require power in some form. The power source slowed me down for awhile.
That is until I read that a scientist had found that every cell in the body has a tiny microscopic electric generator. Ah , here is the power source for the recording and playback aspects of the magnetite and crystal specks. As mentioned in the above article, this could be the elusive storage filing cabinet that holds ones folder and files of all events we experience. Remaining now, of course is what is the method of selecting a specific folder or file of events. With a computer or recorder, I have no problem in the knowing of the what and how of it. With the mind / body connection of selecting a specific file though, I am stuck. If a scientist will ever find that process remains to be seen.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Update 12-14-2007
Check out these sites for more information.
Memory Transfer Between Organ Transplants According to this study of patients who have received transplanted organs, particularly hearts, it is not uncommon for memories, behaviours, preferences and habits associated with the donor to be transferred to the recipient
http://www.mindpowernews.com/OrganMemoryTransfer.htmhttp://www.mindpowernews.com/TransplantMemories.htm

In a prior post, I made reference to " If a heart is transplanted, would the traits of the original heart owner still be present". Surprisingly, the answer is that a strong possibility exists, that some traits or mannerisms will show up in the recipient of that heart.

# 62 The Way To Go

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
chocolate in one hand, martini in the other,
body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and screaming,
"WOO HOO! What A Ride!"

# 61 Can We Cure.....More on EFT.

Articles & Ideas
Can we cure cancer, MS, diabetes, etc?

Hi Everyone,
I've had a few interesting discussions since posting my messages about "Persistence, Hemorrhoids & Uncle Bugs" and "Sitting on a Porcupine."
First, some were concerned that maybe "Henry" was not seeking medical care for his hemorrhoids (actually, an abscess). Not so. Henry is seeing a physician and, if we are not able to resolve it, surgery of some kind is likely to happen. Also, antibiotics are being taken.
The main queries I received, however, involved the use of EFT and its various options/cousins for serious diseases. The prevalent question was, "Can we cure cancer, MS, diabetes, etc. by tapping on the energy system?" I don't know, of course, because I've never seen anyone approach it with dedicated persistence--at least not yet. What I have seen, however, is impressive symptom relief for many degenerative diseases. For a dramatic example of this, listen to the audio session from our EFT Course where Adrienne helps Bruce, an MS sufferer. On that audio, Bruce achieves relief for an imposing list of symptoms (numbness, back pain, sleep disorder, urinary disorder, etc. etc.) AND he stands up out of his wheelchair and walks around while his wife says, "It's a miracle." He had never had this level of relief, or anything like it, before.
Bruce's results are fascinating, of course, but what is even more fascinating is the fact that Adrienne called him up 3 or 4 months later only to find that HE HAD QUIT TAPPING. Imagine that!! He had more symptom relief with a few rounds of tapping than all his medications and other interventions combined. Further, there were no negative side effects--just pure symptom relief. Yet....
HE QUIT DOING WHAT HAD HELPED HIM THE MOST!!!
This is not unique. I have also seen this with cancer, AIDS, and fibromyalgia. Also, practitioners have told me for years that people with many degenerative diseases just will not tap. This is true for diabetes, arthritis, lupus, leukemia, etc. etc. It happens with great frequency. In my experience, the vast majority of the people that have these serious diseases "forget" to tap even though it is their most efficient symptom relief tool.
That is profound. I mean really profound. Why would someone ignore their most effective tool for symptom relief but use other interventions that don't do nearly as well and cause negative side effects to boot? Why wouldn't they use it even if it was only their second or third best tool? Why do they just throw it away?
Is it because the tool came from a non-MD and therefore the client doesn't give it much weight? Perhaps. But this is hardly THE reason. There has been a clear shift in the past 20 years toward "alternative" methods. The medical community, while certainly deserving respect, is no longer seen as having all the answers. Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Reike practitioners, Rolfers, Massage therapists, Spiritual healers and even Tappers are gaining growing respect with the public.
Is it because of the so-called APEX problem (Callahan's term for cognitive dissonance)? Not really. People can be quite flexible if their motivations are in place. If pulling hair out of one's armpit, for example, somehow puts $100,000 in one's bank account, people are going to pull hair out of their armpits--even if they can't explain the "why" of it. They don't have to believe it. In fact, as ridiculous as it sounds, they will find a way to believe it. They will make up a theory. They will write a book about it. They will even find a way to grow more hair in their arm pits so they can continue to pile up the riches. You may resist this idea a bit but, at some level, you know this is true. If your bank account increased by $100,000 every time you pulled a hair out of your armpit, wouldn't you continue pulling those hairs? You may not admit it to anyone but that wouldn't keep you from doing it. Of course this armpit example is an exaggeration. It is a purposeful visit to Sillysville so that a larger point can be made. Namely, I don't think people avoid the tapping simply because they don't know how to explain it. The benefits are quite obvious. There must be another reason for their non-compliance.
So what is the reason for this odd behavior? Does it revolve around secondary gain or loss? I suspect so but have no way of proving it. This phenomenon, along with our so-called "tough cases," represent our main challenges. This is where the opportunity lies. This is where we learn. These types of cases lead us to the next floors of our Healing High Rise. The secrets to our progress are hidden within them. Persistence, diligence and skillful detective work will uncover both the reasons for, as well as the solutions to, these problems. Some practitioners will sit back and wait for others to do this. Others will dig in until they find the diamonds within all that dirt. I'm looking for the diamond diggers. They are the ones who will lead the way.
For the purposes of this article let me divide EFT, and all that has sprung from it, into two categories. The first category carries the label "Slam Dunk." It contains all the "oohs" & "aahs" that we get when we routinely wipe out trauma, phobias, pain, etc. with a wave of the hand (fingertips). This is fun, of course, but we don't learn much new from it. We just apply it and stand back to watch the magic show. The second category is labeled "The Fascinating Frontier." It contains those cases that have unexplainably slow, or non-existent, progress. This is the arena in which the true artisans of this profession will perfect their craft. This is where the work is...as well as the joy of discovery. It is where experimentation, persistence and rolling up one's sleeves pay big dividends.
Can we cure cancer, MS, diabetes, etc.? We have a good chance at it--especially if we recognize that the healing is done THROUGH us not BY us. Can we do it now? Perhaps. But I think it would take a lot more persistence than most clients or practitioners are willing to dedicate, at least for now. One thing is clear, though. Tapping is providing clear evidence that giving relief to emotional problems often gives relief to physical symptoms. The link is unmistakable. It is not much of a stretch to extend that phenomenon beyond routine maladies such as headaches, sinus congestion, stomach upsets and the like to cancer, MS, diabetes, etc. It is part of The Fascinating Frontier. It may take more work and more discovery to get there but the fingers pointing in that direction do so with authority.
There are hundreds of people on this list and hundreds of others using these procedures. Even so, we are just beginning. Less than 1% of the healing professions have even heard of what we are doing. Our mission is of major importance. It is a true paradigm shift. We are part of something very important. In time, it will be commonplace. But for now, we are the pioneers. We are the ones bringing it to the public. Tomorrow's leaders of this movement are reading this article right now. They are on the ground floor of the Healing High Rise. They are mastering these procedures and bringing them to others. They are learning, exploring, improving. They are giving definition to The Fascinating Frontier.
Look around at your colleagues. Look at yourself.
You are looking at tomorrow's leaders.
Love to all, Gary

Talker says "it costs nothing to get a free course on EFT, and to get started using it". Get it here.
Shortcut to:
http://www.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.htm

# 60 Wonder What 2006 Will Be Like

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2005 when...
1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )
12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

# 59 Things To Ponder On

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

A hundred years from now, who will notice.

Some times the faster you go, the behinder you get.

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

Life is sexually transmitted.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's butt."

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Feel free to add your own in the comments section. I can think of another dozen.

# 58 Are New Better Than The Older Ones?

Are Newer Drugs Any Better Than Older Ones?

A government-financed study comparing a variety of drugs used to treat schizophrenia has demonstrated that highly hyped newer drugs are little better, if at all, than older and cheaper medicines.
All Five Work, None Work Well
The study looked at four new-generation drugs, known as atypical antipsychotics, and one older drug. All five blunted the symptoms of schizophrenia, although three-quarters of the patients eventually stopped taking the drugs because of problems with side effects.
One of the newer drugs, Zyprexa, did help patients control symptoms for longer than the other drugs did, but also had a higher risk of serious side effects, including an increased diabetes risk.
Almost 1,500 people with the disorder participated in the study, which examined how long the drugs could be effectively used in real-world situations. After 18 months, 64 percent of the patients taking Zyprexa had stopped, and at least 74 percent had quit each of the other medications. Reasons for stopping use of the drugs included their being ineffective, intolerable side effects, or neurological symptoms such as stiffness and tremors.
Big Profits, Big Costs
The new drugs garner $10 billion in sales annually and account for 90 percent of all antipsychotics sold nationally.
The study is likely to have a great effect on state Medicaid programs, many of which are short on funds; the newer drugs cost three to 10 times more than the older drugs. The National Center for Policy Analysis estimates that Medicaid programs spend over $3 billion a year on antipsychotics, more than for any other class of drug.

New England Journal of Medicine
September 22, 2005; 353 (12): 1209-1223 Free Full-Text Article

New York Times
September 20, 2005 Registration Required

Spartanburg Herald-Journal
September 20, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment:
This study lays open one of the dirtiest little secrets of the pharmaceutical industry: new, massively hyped drugs are often no better than the older drugs they are replacing -- just more expensive for you, which means more profits for the drug companies. Since most of these drugs are required for life, it is an ongoing annuity for them.
The profit window for a drug is considered to be the lifespan of its patent. Once the patent runs out, the price can no longer be artificially inflated, as cheaper, generic versions of the drug can be made by other companies. So companies quickly bring other patented drugs on the market, claiming that they are newer, better, more effective, and safer than the older versions.
In fact, they are often minor variations on the older versions, changed just enough for a new patent. Even when there are significant differences, as in the case of this study, the side effects are often just as bad, and the effectiveness just as poor. A drug they can sell for a higher price is much more important to them than a drug that is more effective.
And the difference in price can be astonishing. A month's supply of the older drug in this study, perphenazine, was $60. The same amount of Zyprexa was $520. Pretty steep for a drug that might give you diabetes.
If you're wondering why the results of this study sound so logical and rational, yet so downbeat for the mega-drug companies, note that it was financed largely by the government, with few connections to the drug industry.
Another dirty little secret of the drug companies is that their drugs' shelf lives are typically much longer than they note. They put short shelf lives on them so you will throw any older drugs away and increase their revenues by purchasing more. This is a major issue for the military and a review five years ago tore open the secrets on this issue.
Related Articles:
Drug Industry Lies About New Drug Research and Development
Drug Companies Engage in Illegal Sales Practices: U.S. Issues Warning
New Diseases That Keep Drug Companies Rolling
Return to Table of Contents #700
Print this Page

E-mail to a Friend

Privacy/Security
Current Newsletter
Contact Info


This site is powered by the Northwoods Titan Content Management System
©Copyright 2005 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

# 57 Health Website Rankings

Health Website Rankings: Mercola.com is Now World's #1!
Below is a routinely updated ranking of the Web's most visited health websites provided by Alexa.com and grouped into both 1) natural health sites, and 2) all health sites in all categories.
Keep in mind that the lower the Alexa.com ranking number, the more popular the website. For example, a website with an Alexa.com rank of 10,000 means of all the over 300 million of websites that exist, that website is the 10,000th most visited on the entire Internet.
There are many tens of thousands of health websites, so why is Mercola.com the #1 most visited natural health website of them all - and one of the world's most visited of all health websites in any health category? Take a look at the latest rankings below, and then scroll down for the answer!

Most Visited Natural Health Content Sites
Name
URL
Rank
1.
Dr. Mercola
http://www.mercola.com/
1979
2.
LEF
http://www.lef.org/
8116
3.
Prevention
http://www.prevention.com/
9408
4.
Mothering
http://www.mothering.com/
10108
5.
News Target
http://www.newstarget.com/
10434
6.
Dr. Weil
http://www.drweil.com/
13229
7.
Whole Health MD
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/
15634
8.
EmoFree
http://www.emofree.com/
16973
9.
Health A to Z
http://www.healthatoz.com/
17730
10.
Atkins' Center
http://www.atkins.com/
19990
11.
True Star Health
http://www.truestarhealth.com/
20392
12.
Health World Online
http://www.healthy.net/
27384
13.
Chet Day
http://www.chetday.com/
33487
14.
La Leche League
http://www.lalecheleague.org/
36992
15.
Seek Wellness
http://www.seekwellness.com/
38875
16.
Environmental Working Group
http://www.ewg.org/
39775
17.
Shirley's Wellness Cafe
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/
42554
18.
Remedy Find
http://www.remedyfind.com/
44079
19.
Dr. Chopra
http://www.chopra.com/
50928
20.
ChiroWeb
http://www.chiroweb.com/
55808
21.
Dr. Mirkin
http://www.drmirkin.com/
60997
22.
Dr. Whitaker
http://www.drwhitaker.com/
63189
23.
Dr. David Williams
http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/
64159
24.
Consumer Lab
http://www.consumerlab.com/
67550
25.
Weston A. Price Foundation
http://www.westonaprice.org/
70843

Most Visited Health Content Sites
Name
URL
Rank
1.
NIH
http://www.nih.gov/
266
2.
WebMd
http://www.webmd.com/
619
3.
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/
1892
4.
Dr. Mercola
http://www.mercola.com/
1979
5.
MedicineNet
http://www.medicinenet.com/
2797
6.
Food and Drug Adminstration
http://www.fda.gov/
2857
7.
Drugs.com
http://www.drugs.com/
3433
8.
MedScape
http://www.medscape.com/
3610
9.
eMedicine
http://www.emedicine.com/
3690
10.
Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
3966
11.
RxList
http://www.rxlist.com/
4389
12.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.hhs.gov/
4726
13.
Kid's Health
http://www.kidshealth.org/
4848
14.
World Health Organization
www.who.int/en
5122
15.
Wrong Diagnosis
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/
5132
16.
Real Age
http://www.realage.com/
5736
17.
MedHelp
http://www.medhelp.org/
5963
18.
Men's Health Magazine
http://www.menshealth.com/
6494
19.
BMJ
bmj.bmjjournals.com
6564
20.
AMA
http://www.ama-assn.org/
6612
21.
Free Beauty Tips
http://www.free-beauty-tips.com/
6898
22.
The Child Health Site
http://www.thechildhealthsite.com/
7653
23.
LEF
http://www.lef.org/
8116
24.
American Baby
http://www.americanbaby.com/
8359
25.
NEJM
http://www.nejm.org/
9311

NOTE ON RANKING NUMBERS:
Websites such as CNN and MSNBC that offer health information among many other subject areas are not included in the rankings here, as traffic to these specific areas of their sites cannot be separated from traffic to their entire site. If you believe any medical or health Website has been overlooked, please check their name at http://www.alexa.com/ or contact us.
The 2 Main Reasons Mercola.com is #1
Over 375,000 subscribers -- including tens of thousands of health professionals -- read and trust the Mercola.com "eHealthy News You Can Use" e-newsletter -- and that number is growing by an average of 1000 subscribers per day! Why? Because:
You don't have time to sift through the 200 medical studies that come out each week, but if you want to live longer & healthier you deserve to know which studies matter to your personal health, and why and how. The Mercola.com e-newsletter does the work for you, providing the key insights you need to know!
You want all the insights on how medical and dietary research pertains to you personally -- in a straightforward manner that makes sense, without scientific jargon or fluff -- and with the Mercola.com "eHealthy News You Can Use" e-newsletter that's exactly what you get
You'll get important dietary advice in my newsletter long before you can find it anywhere else. I have been a physician for over two decades, with extensive education and experience in natural, conventional and alternative health, and in that time I've built a reputation as one of the leading diet and nutrition experts in the nation. You'll get this insight free!
You also get original health & wellness articles from a wide variety of other leading health professionals in all fields, such as women's health, chiropractic, exercise and beyond; these are the top experts in their fields providing highly useful information you won't see anywhere else
Even with all of the above, your Mercola.com "eHealthy News You Can Use" e-newsletter subscription is FREE
Millions of people daily visit Mercola.com to search from over 50,000 pages of information for proven and practical solutions to their health and wellness concerns. Why? Because:
Mercola.com contains over 50,000 pages of health & wellness information on every medical topic -- and using our powerful search engine the answers to your health questions are simple to find!
Mercola.com does NOT accept any third-party advertising or sponsorship, and I am in no way tied into any pharmaceutical company or any other corporate "interest" whatsoever. So you get the real inside scoop on health issues, with practical advice that matters to you untainted by outside influence!
The health and medical information is provided first-hand by experienced, credentialed professional experts. The articles are either created by me, Dr. Mercola, or by other physicians or health professionals and reviewed by me. I have been a physician for over twenty years with a long list of accomplishments that I invite you to read about in My Qualifications.
In a world overflowing with tens of thousands of "health" foods, supplements, gadgets, books and more, people are understandably confused as to which (very few) such products are truly worthwhile and deliver true health value. Only after careful review and with your health in mind (and again without any outside influence), you'll find reviews and insights for only the top-recommended health products that can truly help you. Those that may be difficult for some to find are offered in the "Most Popular Products" area.
Related Information:
See Mercola.com's Position in Previous Rankings
Print this Page

E-mail to a Friend

Privacy/Security
Current Newsletter
Contact Info


This site is powered by the Northwoods Titan Content Management System
©Copyright 2005 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

# 56 Expiration Date On Bottle Means What!

Drugs Frequently Potent Past Expiration

By Laurie P. Cohen
Do drugs really stop working after the date stamped on the bottle? Fifteen years ago, the U.S. military decided to find out. Sitting on a $1 billion stockpile of drugs and facing the daunting process of destroying and replacing its supply every two to three years, the military began a testing program to see if it could extend the life of its inventory. The testing, conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ultimately covered more than 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter.
The results, never before reported, show that about 90% of them were safe and effective far past their original expiration date, at least one for 15 years past it.
In light of these results, a former director of the testing program, Francis Flaherty, says he has concluded that expiration dates put on by manufacturers typically have no bearing on whether a drug is usable for longer. Mr. Flaherty notes that a drug maker is required to prove only that a drug is still good on whatever expiration date the company chooses to set. The expiration date doesn't mean, or even suggest, that the drug will stop being effective after that, nor that it will become harmful.MARKETING ISSUE
"Manufacturers put expiration dates on for marketing, rather than scientific, reasons," says Mr. Flaherty, a pharmacist at the FDA until his retirement last year. "It's not profitable for them to have products on a shelf for 10 years. They want turnover."
The FDA cautions that there isn't enough evidence from the program, which is weighted toward drugs needed during combat and which tests only individual manufacturing batches, to conclude that most drugs in people's medicine cabinets are potent beyond the expiration date. Still, Joel Davis, a former FDA expiration-date compliance chief, says that with a handful of exceptions - notably nitroglycerin, insulin and some liquid antibiotics - most drugs are probably as durable as those the agency has tested for the military. "Most drugs degrade very slowly," he says. "In all likelihood, you can take a product you have at home and keep it for many years, especially if it's in the refrigerator."

MANUFACTURERS' VIEW
Drug-industry officials don't dispute the results of the FDA's testing, within what is called the Shelf Life Extension Program. And they acknowledge that expiration dates have a commercial dimension. But they say relatively short shelf lives make sense from a public-safety standpoint, as well.
New, more-beneficial drugs can be brought on the market more easily if the old ones are discarded within a couple of years, they say. Label redesigns work better when consumers don't have earlier versions on hand to create confusion. From the companies' perspective, any liability or safety risk is diminished by limiting the period during which a consumer might misuse or improperly store a drug. "Two to three years is a very comfortable point of commercial convenience," says Mark van Arandonk, senior director for pharmaceutical development at Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc. "It gives us enough time to put the inventory in warehouses, ship it and ensure it will stay on shelves long enough to get used." But companies uniformly deny any effort to spur sales through planned obsolescence.WHY NOT LONGER?
Now that the FDA has found that many drugs are still good long after they have supposedly expired, why doesn't it advocate later expiration dates for consumer drugs? One reason is that the consumer market lacks the military's logistical reasons to keep drugs around longer.
Frank Holcombe, associate director of the FDA's office of generic drugs, says that in many cases a manufacturer could extend expiration periods again and again, but to support those extensions, it would have to keep doing stability studies, and keep more in storage than it would like.
Mr. Davis adds: "It's not the job of the FDA to be concerned about a consumer's economic interest." It would be up to Congress to impose changes, he says. As things stand now, expiration dates get a lot of emphasis. For instance, there is a campaign, co-sponsored by some drug retailers, that urges people to discard pills when they reach the date on the label.
And that date often is even earlier than the one the maker set. That's because when pharmacists dispense a drug in any container other than what it came to them in, they routinely cut the expiration date to just one year after dispensing. Some states even require pharmacists to do this.
Meanwhile, poor countries - under urging from the World Health Organization - often reject drug-company donations of much-needed medicines if they are within a year of their expiration dates.
It isn't known how much of the $120 billion-plus spent annually in the U.S. on prescription and over-the-counter medicines goes to replace expired ones. But in a poll done for The Wall Street Journal by NPD Group Inc. of Port Washington, N.Y., 70% of 1,000 respondents said they probably wouldn't take a prescription drug after its expiration date; 72% said the same of an over-the-counter remedy.
"People think that, upon expiration, drugs suddenly turn toxic or lose all their potency," says Philip Alper, professor of medicine at University of California at San Francisco. In his own practice, Dr. Alper says, "I frequently hear - from patients who can't afford medicine - that they have thrown away expired drugs." He says companies should be required to test drugs for longer periods and set later expiration dates when results warrant.
Some manufacturers first began putting expiration dates on drugs in the 1960s, although they didn't have to. When the FDA began requiring such dating in 1979, the main effect was to set uniform testing and reporting guidelines. As now required by the FDA, so-called stability testing analyzes the capacity of a drug to maintain its identity, strength, quality and purity for whatever period the manufacturer picks. If the company picks a two-year expiration date, it needn't test beyond that.
Testing for a two-year expiration doesn't initially entail holding a drug for two years. Rather, the drug is tested by subjecting it to extreme heat and humidity for several months, then chemically analyzing each ingredient's identity and strength. (After the date is set and the drug is marketed, testing continues for the full two years.) The FDA also uses chemical analysis in testing for possible shelf-life extension; it doesn't test on human subjects. Testing conditions are such that any medicine that meets, say, the standards for a two-year expiration date probably lasts longer, the FDA and drug companies agree.
STILL GOOD
Consider aspirin. Bayer AG puts two-year or three-year dates on aspirin and says that it should be discarded after that. Chris Allen, a vice president at the Bayer unit that makes aspirin, says the dating is "pretty conservative"; when Bayer has tested four-year-old aspirin, it remained 100% effective, he says.
So why doesn't Bayer set a four-year expiration date? Because the company often changes packaging, and it undertakes "continuous improvement programs," Mr. Allen says. Each change triggers a need for more expiration-date testing, he says, and testing each time for a four-year life would be impractical.
Bayer has never tested aspirin beyond four years, Mr. Allen says. But Jens Carstensen has. Dr. Carstensen, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin's pharmacy school, who wrote what is considered the main text on drug stability, says, "I did a study of different aspirins, and after five years, Bayer was still excellent. Aspirin, if made correctly, is very stable."
Only one report known to the medical community linked an old drug to human toxicity. A 1963 Journal of the American Medical Association article said degraded tetracycline caused kidney damage. Even this study, though, has been challenged by other scientists. Mr. Flaherty says the Shelf Life program encountered no toxicity with tetracycline and typically found batches effective for more than two years beyond their expiration dates.
PLEA FROM THE AIR FORCE
The program dates to a U.S. effort begun in 1981 to increase military readiness by buying large quantities of drugs and medical devices for the armed forces. Four years later, more than $1 billion of supplies had been stockpiled. The General Accounting Office audited Air Force troop hospitals in Europe and found many supplies at or near expiration. It warned that by the 1990s, more than $100 million would have to be spent yearly on replacements.
The Air Force Surgeon General's office asked the FDA if it could possibly extend the shelf life of these drugs. The FDA had the equipment for stability testing. And because it had approved the drugs' sale in the first place, it also had manufacturers' data on the testing protocols. Testing for the Air Force began in late 1985. In the first year, 58 medicines from 137 different manufacturing lots were shipped to the FDA from overseas storage, among them penicillin, lidocaine and Lactated Ringers, an intravenous solution for dehydration. After testing, the FDA extended more than 80% of the expired lots, by an average of 33 months.
In 1992, according to the FDA, more than half of the expired drugs that had been retested in 1985 were still fine. Even now, at least one still is. Such results came as a revelation for Army Col. George Crawford when he took over military oversight of the program in 1997. He is a pharmacist, but "nobody tells you in pharmacy school that shelf life is about marketing, turnover and profits," he says. (The drug makers don't agree that it is, however.)
HOW IT WORKS
The military's base for the program is a dingy barracks room in Fort Detrick, Md. There, a group headed by Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Russie, who recently took over from Col. Crawford, tracks drugs that are near expiration at defense facilities all over the world, selecting many for retesting. They are shipped to the FDA, which sends them to its laboratories.
The FDA's lab in Philadelphia recently tested five automatic injectors containing an antidote to chemical poisoning, which were purposely held for three months in conditions even hotter and more humid than the FDA requires in consumer testing of drugs. The FDA tested the drug contained in the injectors, pralidoxime chloride, by separating its ingredients and measuring the strength and quality of each, then applying a computer model to determine whether a shelf-life extension was warranted.
The injectors' original expiration date was November 1985. The FDA had retested them periodically ever since, each time approving their continued use. The batch, made by Ayerst Laboratories, now part of American Home Products Corp.'s Wyeth-Ayerst unit, is 18 years old. It is 15 years beyond the expiration date applied by Ayerst. The FDA found it is still good.
A spokesman for Wyeth-Ayerst says it "uses scientific data to establish expiration dates" and "tries to have the longest possible dating on products that scientific data supports." The company is aware of the FDA retesting program. It says it can't comment specifically on the injectors tested by the FDA.
A FEW FAIL
Shelf-life extensions are "intentionally conservative," the FDA's Mr. Flaherty told military brass in a 1992 speech. He says that if the agency extended an expiration date by 36 months, it had concluded the lot would retain all of its safety and efficacy for at least 72 months. A very few drugs aren't retested. The military has found that water-purification tablets and mefloquine hydrochloride, for malaria, routinely fail stability testing beyond their expiration dates, so it has removed them from the program.
Also excluded are large-volume intravenous solutions, such as saline. "We don't like to test those," says Col. Crawford. "Not because we can't, but because it would be politically sensitive if G.I. Joe was lying in bed and saw it had originally expired three years ago."
Mr. Flaherty has said that while he tested a handful of drug batches that didn't even make it to their expiration dates, most drugs were "surprisingly durable." In one instance, he says, drugs labeled for room-temperature storage had been kept for two years in a warehouse in Oman that averaged 135 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime. Upon expiration, the drugs, which included the local anesthetic lidocaine and atropine, a nerve-gas antidote also used by eye doctors to dilate pupils, "were well within the standards for potency and other quality characteristics," he says.
STABLE MOLECULE
One medicine the FDA has endorsed for extensions is ciprofloxacin hydrochloride tablets, an antibiotic marketed by Bayer as Cipro. One batch had an expiration date of March 1989. More than 9 1/2 years later, the FDA found the tablets still good; it then extended some of them for 18 more months and others for 24 more months.
Albert Poirier, quality-assurance director for Bayer's pharmaceutical division, says he isn't surprised because Cipro "is a stable drug molecule" in tablet form. "We go for a shelf life that will be safest for patients," he says. "We want the drug to be used up within three years. We wouldn't want a patient to have it for 10 years because they'd have an old package insert" that might omit new information or contra-indications and because "we'd have no control over how they'd store the drug during this time."
Another extended drug is Thorazine, a tranquilizer chemically known as chlorpromazine tablets. Batches bearing December 1996 expiration dates - unused and unopened, as is the case with all drugs evaluated in the Shelf Life program - were tested in July 1998 and extended for two years. A spokesman for the maker, SmithKline Beecham PLC, says it applies an expiration date 24 months after manufacture. "We think that is the appropriate expiration date," he says. "We don't benefit from short expiration dates."
Some other drugs the FDA has extended at least two years beyond their expiration dates are diazepam, sold as Valium; cimetidine, sold as Tagamet; phenytoin, sold as Dilantin; and the antibiotics tetracycline and penicillin.BIG SAVINGS
On a cost-benefit basis, the program's returns have been huge. The first year, the Air Force paid the FDA $78,000 for testing and saved 59 times that sum by not needing to replace the drugs. After other services joined, the military from 1993 through 1998 spent about $3.9 million on testing and saved $263.4 million on drug expense, according to Lt. Col. Russie.
Says Mr. Flaherty: "We've cost the pharmaceutical companies hundreds of millions of dollars in sales of new stuff to the Department of Defense." More than 12 years ago, Messrs. Flaherty and Davis explained the program to drug-company chemists at a meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists in Woodbridge, N.J., going into detail about how the FDA decided whether to extend a given expiration date. Mr. Davis concluded by noting how much the U.S. had saved by extending shelf lives instead of "destroying large quantities of still-useful medical products... ."
Mr. Flaherty says the FDA was keenly aware that if its methodology was flawed, or its results incorrect even once, its credibility would be attacked. Yet FDA officials say that during the program's 15 years, drug makers have never objected to any of its procedures or findings. "They may not have liked what we were doing, but they weren't able to challenge it," he says.
THE MESSAGE TO CIVILIANS
While the military is finding it can keep most drugs longer, civilians hear quite a different message. For instance, a campaign called the National Expired and Unused Medication Drive has collected and destroyed 36 tons of drugs since 1991, says its founder, Kathilee Champlin. Ms. Champlin, of Colorado Springs, Colo., says her interest derives from experience working with the elderly and seeing how hard it was for them to keep track of all their medications. She says she wasn't aware of any FDA program to extend drugs' shelf lives.
Her group has gained sponsorship from the some big drug retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. It sponsors the campaign to be "a good corporate citizen," says Frank Seagrave, vice president of pharmacy merchandising. "We believe that people should dispose of unused prescription medicines a year after they get them," he says, adding that Wal-Mart sometimes gives people a free bottle of vitamins if they bring in expired drugs.
Many pharmacists also play a role in shelf lives. The U.S. Pharmacopeia, a not-for-profit scientific group that develops standards for the drug industry, urged in 1985 that pharmacists set expiration dates at no more than one year if they were dispensing drugs in a bottle other than the manufacturer's original packaging. "New containers may let in more moisture and heat than the container the manufacturer used for the stability study," accelerating the drug's degradation, says the USP General Counsel Joseph Valentino.
The recommendation became a USP requirement in 1997. As a result, "the majority of pharmacists shorten the manufacturers' expiration dates" on prescription drugs to one year or less, says Susan Winckler, an official of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In fact, in 17 states, pharmacists now are legally required to do so. Ms. Winckler says shortening the dates makes sense because many people store drugs in moist bathrooms. She says the one-year rule is "motivated by product integrity and not by profit."
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL March 29, 2000

Dr. Mercola's Comment:
The key from the article is "shelf life is about marketing, turnover and profits. I find it absolutely incredible that the military spent from 1993 through 1998 about $3.9 million on testing and saved $263.4 million on drug expense.
We can clearly gain some valuable insights from this incredible piece in the Wall Street journal and sent in by ever diligent Michael Belkin.
Unless you have nitroglycerin, insulin and liquid antibiotics, you can pretty much be safely assured that your medication expires years beyond the date it says it does. I believe the major tragedy is that many Third World countries needlessly discard the drugs that are sent to them and could actually be saving lives due to lack of appreciation of this concept.

# 55 Decisions and Decorum

Recognizing that my views on numerous subjects give only one perspective , that a more eclectic approach was needed , and be available to my readers.

My view points, products and items used, and books mentioned, are, of course "what worked for me". But might not work for you! Listing all the various avenues would create write-ups that would be "book" like in size. In considering what is available and practical posed many problems. No way , could one cover all the various areas related to a specific subject.

So, in keeping with my philosophy of using the "KISS"process ( meaning of course, Keep It Simple Stupid ) I looked for a practical means of doing so. Other than hiring a Public Relations company ( too costly ) and beyond what is needed here, I decided to "hire" Google, so to speak, and put on their program to search out what fits, subject wise.

So feel free to "click" on the ads that show.
They are supposed to relate to content with-in a given article.

So , that's where it stands for now.

# 53 Free Will - Truth or Fiction

Where to start and arrange the words and subjects covered into a congruous read! Honestly, and unfortunately, there will be no solution, no real answers, regards topics covered. Everything presented here is abstract speculation. Metaphysics, religion, God, Higher Power, spirituality, and reality are mainly speculation.

One would think that at least reality could be understood. We experience it every day. Watch it though, seems that scientists have now found that quantum physics, indicates, that what we experience as our world, is not what we think it is. Still trying to sort this one out. Will at this time, leave out most of reality talk, for another post.

Part of ones reality seems to include "free will". That leads to choices and decisions. For instance, one can cheat, lie, harm another or purchase a purple and orange suit for dress up. Perhaps you helped care for a hurt animal or bird, maybe risked you life to help save a person in trouble. Even donated some cash to a charity while behind in paying the rent.

So you made a decision and a choice. What you did was free will in action , right, or was it! One classical complaint regards free will, is mentioned in the bible. If your interested go to Romans 7:15-24. So now one needs to ask, does one truly have "free will". This can be quite troublesome in ones life. Is there an explanation to this seeming paradox? Yes and no, are both in action here, at least it seems to be so.

Have over time really pondered this issue. Also seems that others have looked into this issue. I've listed one site, that has gone into the subject quite well. It makes sense, but how to prove it, still remains an issue with me. Is it even possible to verify in any way? While I do have beliefs on this subject, will need to pursue it further.

With the best of intentions, I include:

With permission, this is a quote from "Light Whispers, October 5, 2005" newsletter.

***DID YOU KNOW…FREE WILL***

Did you know…your life can be written in stone and that you may actually have little or no free will? The events that you must experience may be so defined that no matter what you choose to do, the Spirit Guides will manipulate the situations and circumstances so that you end up doing what was written (which is often not what you thought would happen). You cannot change what is written.

Did you know…you may have a lot of free will on your life path? It may not matter what you choose to experience in your life. If your spiritual goals and life blueprint do not have events that “must happen” for you to learn what you have chosen, you may be able to do what you want throughout your life.

Did you know…different areas or aspects of your life might allow for different amounts of free will? That means that you may have a lot of free will when it comes to your job or career and you may have little or no free will when it comes to your romantic relationships. Each aspect of life is unique and the amount of free will that you have within that aspect depends on what you are here to accomplish in life.

Did you know…you decide prior to being born what events will take place in your life and how much free will you will have during your lifetime? There is no one to blame for the experiences that you have or do not have in your life – you chose and agreed to have them.

Did you know…if you have a lot of free will, when you make a decision it will affect your life blueprint and you will sit down in Spirit with your Guides and Teachers and make the necessary adjustments to your life path as you go?

Did you know… One decision can affect other aspects of your life and that can affect predicted outcomes. That is why when you get a reading, your actions or decisions can change the outcomes of the reading. If you have no free will then what you have been told will come true when it is time.

That you can find out if you how much free will you have in certain aspects of your life by clicking here.

http://www.oralin.com/october5lightwhispers.htm

# 54 How Do You Think

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't!
If you'd like to win, but you think you can't,
It's almost certain you won't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you think you'll lose, you're lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself
Before you 'll ever win the prize.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the person who thinks he can!

-- Author Unknown

# 52 Recheck Posts For Added New Data

I do add to my postings as new information is found. So do a recheck in case some new data was put in. It is nice to see new comments to the posts. If you disagree with what is written, why not comment on it. Same with , if it helped, why not post a "yup, it was helpful because......".

If you get a burning desire ( LOL ) to carry on a discussion on some aspect of a post, do it through the comments segment. Please though, dont use any real names for every ones protection and safety. You can sign in with a User Name and Password, that way no one knows who you are, and my response is addressed to your private User Name.

In fact , I am going to create an open Post , just for that purpose, watch for it.


History
1st - 9/30/05

# 51 Chit Chat1 Rearranged blog as of 9-29-2005

Did you notice the rearranged articles?

Well it was all about learning how to tame the mess that came about in posting the blurbs. Interesting as this all is, there is a learning curve to cope with.
In the process of correcting the mess I had made, Your truly managed to lose all the "comments" that had been posted. I don't pretend to understand the "how of it", yet, but come on back and say "hi" again. Apparently "Post and Comments" are processed separately, with no control over the "Comments" section.

Had to add in a new process to foil Blog Hackers, that would post undesired data . Now you just type in what is shown in a little window, that automatic site readers are unable to handle, as of 9-28-2005.

Not quite sure , yet, on what or how it will wind up look wise.

If you Post a Comment , you might want to use only your first name, and the first letter of your last name. Use a password also if you want, or do it all "anonymously", then put your first name and first letter of the last name in the text.

This has been and is a surprising situation, writing down thoughts and also finding how often I type in a cuss or crappy word, and need to cut it out.
( need to apply this to my speech process too) .

Those things talked on, are from a number of sources and experiences . Huge amounts of water has rushed under and over this "bridge called life", and "the good, and the not so good" has registered "pleasant and not so pleasant" episodes. Not complaining though, it has all culminated so far, in the making of "The Talker". Is that good or not so good?
For now

Rearrange history , !st was 7/10/04, 2nd was 9/29/05

# 50 Taboo, Nope, Lets Talk On It

Talker, I need some help with..... !

Talker, you were right on , but what about..... ?

Talker, you are completely off base about..... !

Talker,......... ! ?

So the door is open, try it out for size. Use the "Comments" segment.

Do read the Post " Recheck Posts For Added Data" before you start.

# 49 Soul Food

Many times while speaking on religion with friends or proselytes, they erroneously conclude at times , that I am some what irreligious. Not so. The conundrum of existence posed a question. So, in pursuit of an answer, I unwillingly joined the ranks, of the perplexed. Many were the times , during these periods of searching, that I wished for that "blind faith" so many others expressed.
It just wasn't there for me.
See my post " Religious Quandary", for more detail.
http://anotherlookatit.blogspot.com/2004/07/8-religious-quandary.html

Is there a doubt in my mind regards a Higher Power, none what so ever.

Over the course of decades, numerous forays into the bible created more problems than answers. That being said, I found many of the words written, to be of great interest, for reasons I wont go into at this time. Now ,what is listed here , is actually how they are written in my original notes. Could have rewritten a word or two, of my original thoughts, but decided to leave them as is.

My note in Matthew 21:12 might disturb some. If so see
(1 Kings 16:11-12 ) and (2 Kings 9:8 ) but be sure to use an old version of the bible, that was not sanitized.

In checking the verses and numbers, one may have a bit of a problem. I use older versions of the bible, so what you might find is a sanitized version, that may differ in text. Even the meaning may have been man altered, to suit some subtle purpose.
So now I need to point out, should one be concerned about what is written in Revelations 22:18-19?
Check it out.

You can do some checking of verses at the site listed at the bottom. This is a pro & con type listing, of various religions with interesting comments. Was pleased to find this site, as it was here, that I found the many questions that I had also raised, listed. Only points out that there are other persons that were as "questioning", about things written, as I am. Right or wrong, is not the question , "how you perceive it all", is what really matters, not dogma forced upon you.

This is not the original sequence I followed, that is of no importance here.

Listed here are some that had raised many questions in my mind, in the nature of " who, why, what, how come, are you kidding" .

- Chapter / Verse - - How I marked my notes -

1 Chronicles 4:10 - Jabez- and God granted what he asked...
1 Thessolonians 5:23 - Spirit, Soul, and Body...
Acts of the Apostles 1:14 - and Jesus' brothers...
Galations 1:18-20 - James the Lords brother...
Genesis 4:13-16 - Cain kills Abel & now afraid...
Genesis 6:1,4 - sons of God & Nephilim...
Genesis 6:6 - God sorry he made man...
John 14:12,14 - The Works that I do, so shall you also do...
John 4:44 - Prophet has no honor in his own country...
Luke 12:54-56 - you see the future in.../ but cant see the present...
Luke 4:24 - no prophet is acceptable in his own country...
Luke 7:11,15 - raises a dead person to life...
Luke 8:43,44,46 - Who touched me...
Luke 8:49-55 - your not dead, raises dead person...
Luke 8:8 - hundred fold...
Luke 9:38-43 - apostles screwed up, Jesus ticked off...
Mark 10:30 - hundred fold...
Mark 4:10,11 - To you has been given the secret...
Mark 4:33,34 - he explained everything...
Mark 6:3 - Judas brother of Jesus...
Mark 8:22,25 - Jesus had to work harder on his miracle( blind man)...
Matthew 10:34,39 - Do not think I have come to bring peace on earth...
Matthew 13:10,13 - to you it has been given to know the secrets...
Matthew 13:55 - more, Judas brother of...
Matthew 13:8,23 - hundred fold...
Matthew 16:13,15 - Who do they say that the son of man is...
Matthew 17:20 - mustard seed...
Matthew 21:12 - Jesus pissed off...
Matthew 21:22 - What ever you ask in prayer...
Matthew 25:35,40 - for I was hungry... / do to the least...
Matthew 6:5,6,7 - Pray in secret, keep it simple, Our Father...
Matthew 8:13 - Jesus heals Centurions servant- be it done for you, as you have believed...
Romans 7:15,24 - Paul to the Romans: The things I do... / ought not do....

Shortcut to: http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

# 48 The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer/contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.
He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house,"he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build.

Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Who could say it more clearly?

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past.

Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices
you make today.

# 47 All Seeing Eye Guards Your PC

Came across this neat program that enhances your anti-virus programs. What it does when first installed, is "read" what you have in your unit. From that point on, ANY program that tries to access the internet or goes on-line, will trigger an "ALERT" or a"WARNING" window. This gives you a clear look at what is happening. As you start up a program for the first time, you are flashed a "notice", that the program is indeed , activating and doing some thing. If its a program you know you started, just click the "OK" button. So far it appears this happens only for the first time YOU invoke a program. If some "nasty" bug, worm, virus or Trojan tries to activate, an ALERT warning will pop up, telling you what it is. Here is where you CAN STOP the unknown program from doing its dirty work on your computer. Click the appropriate box to not allow it to run. Often, when I do a three finger ALT-CTRL-DEL, and the Task Manager opens and shows Processes that are running, I have NO IDEA what program is using that process. Mostly they ARE part of the Operating System, or a program you installed , that sets up a starting point and runs every time you start the computer. Now I have control of any thing that sneaks into my computer with-out my permission to do so. Will see how this all works out. For a clearer explanation go to the site shown here. Oh, by the way , its a free program.

Shortcut to:
http://www.fortego.com/en/ase.html

# 46 FIGHT SPYWARE TRICKS

Get angry!

Don't be a victim of spyware and adware.

Become armed and and you will be dangerous
to the spyware pushers.

Read tips for fighting back

( Parts 1 and 2 are also available at the site. )

Spyware tricks part III: fighting back
by
ZDNet's Suzi Turner --

Go here for free copy of Cookie Viewer.
You can view and / or erase specific offenders.
There are more neat free programs there.
Shortcut to:
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptcookie.asp

Go here for a free Spy remover.
Shortcut to:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html?tag=sb

Go here for a free multi-function program.
Its sort of a combination of all the above
Get the version that includes the installer
Do read the instructions included.
Shortcut to:
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm