Wisdom From An Unexpected Source

I recently saw a video that was inspirational, and surprising in both its source and commonsense. A collection of clips of different talks and discussions with the famous actor, Will Smith, yielded a remarkably simple and profound perspective on living a happy and worthy life. There are innumerable glints of diamonds to be found within his philosophy. His wisdom is derived from sources as varied as philosophical giants to lessons taught by his parents and grandparents. To say that, with few exceptions, everyone would benefit in some manner from viewing this humble yet passionate man and listening to one of the few true ‘old souls’ would be an understatement.

A Few Key ‘Diamonds’ to Cherish

• Passion: Determine what you love, develop an unshakable belief in your ability to achieve your goal(s) and never stop trying

• Be Unrealistic: As Will aptly notes, would air travel ever be invented had the early pioneers failed to dream, be tied down by reality? Why limit your dreams to those that are well within our grasp—dare to step out of your comfort zone. If you fear taking that step, it is generally a sign that doing so will lead to growth. Stay within your comfort zone and settle for mediocrity, push past your fears to greatness.

• Intense Focus: never lose sight of your goal(s), no matter what obstacles appear in your path (and there will be obstacles).

• Make a Choice: Don’t allow external circumstances to fully dictate the life you live. Deliberate creation is the only way to manifest the life you deserve; the life of your dreams.

• Serve Others: As all famous philosophers believe and all religions preach, stepping out of oneself to reach out to others, with no expectation of receiving, is the only path to a worthwhile life. Serving others in large and small ways is the hallmark of a worthy life, not the accumulation of material objects and not fame.

Are these items revolutionary? No. Are they delivered by a man who has devoted his life to the study of religion? No. However, as a man born in humble circumstances, his life of abundance bears testament to his wisdom.

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Who Are We To Question Our Existence?

Yehuda Berg, a master Kabbalist who has devoted his life to helping others to overcome their self-imposed barriers to achieve the joy that is rightfully theirs, has provided a brief but insightful post as to the vital importance of each living being. With difficult times, difficult questions are often raised, not the least of which are questions as to the meaning of life, as well as the relevance of our place in the world. For those who find that life is not as they had dreamt it would be in their youth, or feel their contributions to the world to be miniscule or non-existent, I would encourage you to take two minutes to review the words of this brilliant scholar.

I challenge you to acknowledge the value of yourself as a person – just as you are: famous or not, married or single, employed or unemployed.

“Each and every one of us has a specific task in this world. If we accomplish this task we reveal maximum Light for ourselves and the world. It’s not everyone’s destiny to be a scholar or a spiritual guide. Each person has to find their spot, their unique piece of the puzzle, where they’re doing and giving their most.

That’s often in the most ordinary ways, and ordinary places.
We always look at what we’re not doing. Instead, let’s consider how we can do more good in what we are doing.”

It's not about the Actions but about the Energy behind those Actions

It's not about the actions that you take but the energy (vibration) behind those actions. It's not about what you do, but your thoughts and congruency and alignment about what you do. You can take less actions and get great results, or you can take all the actions in the world and it not quite be how you want it. The factor is the thoughts about (and behind) your actions.

This is why some people can eat what they like, exercise very little and still have wonderful bodies, whereas others will "toil" and "strain" and have to "work hard" for it. It is also the same when it comes to money or business, where some people will take certain actions - or even none - and it will work out for them whereas others will do everything they can and do not get there in the same way or the journey is a bit more "difficult".

So whilst actions are to be commended, there is also another component as well as the actions which is an energetic component or a vibrational component. It is about the energetic or vibrational component. That is down to your thoughts about what you are wanting. It is about your alignment. How do you feel about what you want? The better you feel about what you want, the more in alignment you are with it.

In the example above about having a wonderful body, some would say it is about the beliefs a person has and that causes chemical reactions within the body, whether when they eat or when they exercise. The answer is it is all the same thing. Beliefs are clusters of thought - and thought is vibration. Beliefs can be thought of as collective clusters of vibration so to speak and we can answer this with physiological terms or metaphysical terms, it is all the same and fits together. You change your thoughts and practice beliefs by practicing the thoughts you want to have.

Your beliefs - which can be seen as "practiced thought", and nothing more mystical and magical and "unchangeable" than that - only came into existence by practice (whether deliberately or accidentally) and in fusing with emotion, which can add a bit of "glue" to it so to speak in adding importance to them, e.g. you tend to pay attention to things with love, joy or fear rather than something that has no emotion to it - and because of the emotion they tend to be given a bit more emphasis than that which doesn't. Which is why when you want to create positive experiences, the more natural positive emotion the better, it adds intensity, permeability and "emphasis" to it.

Your beliefs are very changeable and it is about practicing thinking things that feel good, and this is also how you create constructive and EMPOWERING beliefs that support you in what you do and ADD emphasis and energy to what you do.

Your beliefs are very changeable and it is about practicing things that feel good

But it shouldn't be hard work, think about the things that naturally feel good to you, allow yourself to do that. Oftentimes we don't allow ourselves to think of what we want or like because we are scared we cannot have it or it is not ok. Let me tell you, in the domain of your own head you can think what you like! And soon enough your reality will change and YOU can tell others how it is, you will shape your reality by your practiced thoughts (and you don't have to tell anyone how you did it if you don't want to, just our secret ;)).

This also applies to interpersonal communications. It isn't really about the "words" you use, but again about the vibrational or energetic component BEHIND those words. Sometimes you may not necessarily say the "right" things but because of your vibrational alignment you will get results. And at other times you may be "trying" to say things a certain way and in your trying too hard there is an element of lack and that is being picked up in your vibration.

So to put it very simply, how do you feel about what you want? The better you feel, the more in alignment you are with it. And then it may not even be about the actions that you take, it may be that the actions are inspired or it may be that as a result of synchronicities that what you want lands right in your lap - and either way it is ok, the Universe is doing what it does in bringing vibrational matches together.

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Prescription Drug Abuse

The incorrect use of prescription drugs is rapidly becoming a very serious issue in the United States. Increasing numbers of individuals seek simple solutions, most often in the form of a pill, for a variety of symptoms which were either not recognized or not considered to be abnormal five, ten, or even fifteen years ago. Today, there are pharmaceutical treatments for virtually every sensation, ranging from anxiety, restlessness, depression, gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, hair loss, obesity, just to name a few. The issues with taking such steps are numerous, including unanticipated side effets, counter-indications with other medications and supplements, and most dangerously, overuse of prescription drugs often leads to a new effect: addiction, and hence overuse which in extreme cases may have deadly consequences.

Most of us are aware of the addictive qualities of such drugs as heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines, and the potential fatal side effects of overuse with respect to these substances. But, with the exception of the death of a famous personality, most are unaware of the devastating impacts of prescription painkillers that millions of Americans are prescribed on a daily basis. According to recent numbers published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 26,000 fatal overdoses every year as a direct result of prescription drug medication addiction. According to the CDC, the number of overdose deaths from opioid painkillers such as morphine and codeine more than tripled from 1999 to 2006, with nearly 14,000 reported deaths in 2006 alone. Even more alarming is the statement that prescription pain killer deaths have now surpassed those of heroin and cocaine as the leading cause of fatal overdoses. According to the experts, it is an unrecognized epidemic.

The problem is most prevalent in the United States where prescription medications, especially painkillers, are prescribed to too many patients on a regular basis. The European Union has far more stringent regulations on the prescription of antibiotics, painkillers, antidepressants, and otherwise, and the CDC notes that one of the reasons why so many Americans are abusing painkillers is a direct result of the obesity epidemic. As Americans grow older and heavier, issues associated with weight gain are more prevalent: joints bearing heavier weight deteriorate more rapidly; arthritis has increased, as has diabetes, cardiovascular issues and various ligament, tendon and muscle damage. Unfortunately, rather than pursue a longer-term solution to the underlying condition through lifestyle, dietary, fitness and wellness regimens, many seek a quick fix to the symptoms.

The statistics released by the CDC are fairly shocking in their revelation. Obesity has become far more than just an epidemic affecting the overall quality of individuals’ lives; it has evolved to the point where individuals are combating their attendant pain with prescription painkillers and are becoming addicted in the process, leading to a dangerous spiral that must be halted. There are alternatives, it is time to stop seeking the simple answer and focus upon alternatives which will lead to optimal health on all levels.

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Juggling Enhances Cognitive Functioning

Cognitive-impairing diseases are amongst the most debilitating types that can affect an individual. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are considered to be the leading cause of debilitation in the geriatric population, with numbers continuing to rise on a global basis year after year.

Various research has been conducted on cognitive function over the years, and what most of the studies agree upon is that individuals who maintain high levels of cognitive functionality over the course of their lifetime have a distinctly lower chance of developing cognitive deficiency in their later years. The easiest analogy is to compare the mind to the body. A consistent exercise regime has long been known to aid in avoiding movement impairment in later years, as well as to substantially decrease the risk of a host of illnesses and disease, such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and even certain forms of cancer. By continually maintaining one’s body in peak physical condition, a much higher quality of life can be realized. The mind operates in much the same fashion. If one continually maintains his or her cognitive functions at peak conditions, the mind will continue to work at a higher capacity for a much longer period of time.

Some of the mental activities that have been suggested over the years include games such as chess, word puzzles, learning new languages, and other types of activities that require use of cognitive abilities. Recent research published by the University of Oxford shows that juggling is another way to help boost cognitive functioning, largely due to the type of hand-eye coordination required, thereby stimulating the brain’s activity and accelerating the growth of new neural connections.

The research examined 24 individuals practicing 30 minutes each day for six weeks. Using a variety of tensor imaging scans, the jugglers were scanned both before and after the training period. In addition, a control group of 24 individuals who did not learn to juggle were scanned. After six weeks, the brains of those who did not juggle showed no change, while the scans of the jugglers showed new brain matter in areas of the brain directly related to vision and movement. Most interesting was the fact that how well they juggled was not a contributory factor in the growth of the brain matter, rather, it was the simple act of juggling that stimulated the neural growth.

The University of Oxford research team scanned the brains of the jugglers for an additional four weeks after the conclusion of the study and discovered that the newly developed white matter remained, and surprisingly, gray matter actually increased, which suggests that the brain's structure retains the benefits of active learning, as well as providing proof that white matter is a significant factor in neurodevelopment. This study was published in a book by Frank R. Wilson titled, “The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and Human Culture.” According to Dr. Wilson the type of learning does not matter. It might be juggling, model building, or learning how to plan a garden. In his words, “the desire to learn is reshaped continuously as brain and hand visualize one another.” The lesson: we must all continually find opportunities to step out of our comfort zones and continually push ourselves towards new cognitive challenges.

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Surprising Dangers of Phthalate

Phthalates have been in use for years in a variety of products throughout the world but have now gradually begun to be eliminated as many of their ingredients are now known to cause health issues in certain individuals due to toxic components.
Phthalates are primarily used as plasticizers, substances added to plastics that increase their flexibility, directly affecting their durability and longevity. Common usage of phthalates can be seen in gelling agents, waxes, paints, modeling clay, printing inks, caulks, adhesives, shower curtains, vinyl upholstery, and food wrappers, just to name a few. However, one of the most common usages of phthalates is as a part of the coating for pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements.

Perhaps the most controversial study in recent years was published in the November 2009 version of the International Journal of Andrology, which suggests that “prenatal exposure to anti-androgenic phthalates may be associated with less male-typical behavior in boys...and…that these ubiquitous environmental chemicals have the potential to alter the androgen-responsible brain development in humans.” This study has prompted a flurry of attention within the medical community since the study was first undertaken at the University of Rochester.

The study itself has many individuals understandably concerned, not the least of which is due to the potentially ground-breaking significance of the findings with respect to environmental factors associated with homosexuality. As has been well-documented, homosexual tendencies are generally recognized at a very early age, well before the onset of puberty and thus are most commonly recognized to be of genetic origin as opposed to a simple lifestyle ‘choice’. The University of Rochester research suggests that the feminization process occurs during pregnancy when phthalate exposure may cause hormonal disruptions in the unborn child, with male children being feminized by a disruption in the testosterone levels. Additionally, the study also showed a strong correlation between the types of toys that male children played with and the levels of phthalates their mothers had been exposed to during pregnancy. The research discovered that male children exposed to higher levels of phthalates tended to avoid playing with cars, trains, or toy guns, for example, instead preferring more feminine activities such as playing house, tea parties, and more feminine toys such as dolls.

It is crucial to note that this research is fairly one-sided at best. While there can be no doubt about certain side effects of phthalates and their links to obesity and metabolic interference, the question as to whether these substances are able to influence a male child’s hormonal patterns has yet to be determined with any sort of clarity. As with many research studies, substantial additional work is required prior to establishing a definitive correlation with respect to phthalates and sexual preference. In any event, due to the inherent dangers that have been proven, eliminating or reducing the use of or exposure to phthalates is a wise precaution for everyone, male or female.

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Hypnotherapy's Role in Treating IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome—otherwise known as IBS—is one of the most common physical disorders affecting individuals on a global basis, and it is the most common condition seen by gastroenterologists throughout the world. Sadly, there is no known cure.

Given the fact that it is a functional disorder with symptoms that might result from a wide variety of sources, in many cases IBS is condition that all too often an individual is told that he or she must simply learn to live with. Some of the most common symptoms include abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits without any discernible reason, such as severe bouts of diarrhea or constipation. As a general rule bowel movements tend to temporarily alleviate the symptoms.

IBS does not generally lead to life-threatening conditions in patients suffering from the disorder. It is not a disease. Unfortunately, IBS can be extremely difficult to live with and may cause not only chronic pain, but also fatigue, limited food choices, restrictions on activities, and even depression. It can be embarrassing, potentially expensive, and in certain cases may debilitate an individual to the point where they cannot work or even function in a social setting. Some researchers suggest that the high numbers of IBS cases, in addition to the associated costs as a result of treating the disorder, combined with the high societal cost should mandate this condition being elevated to ‘disease’ status. Indeed, many consider IBS to be a chronic illness.

The primary method for treating IBS is through modification of the individual’s diet. Paradoxically, diet is also the primary cause of IBS, although it is not the sole cause. Many individuals have found that controlling the amount of fiber in their diet is an effective means of managing the disorder. Still others rely upon common medications such as stool softeners, laxatives, or anti-diarrheals, depending upon the nature of the symptoms. There are also a variety of prescription drugs that are recommended, however, one of the more non-traditional methods for treating IBS that has been gaining some attention among research communities in recent years is psychotherapy.

There are two common types of psychotherapy used to help with IBS symptoms: cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis. The former has been shown to be effective, albeit the approach is long-term in nature. Alternatively, hypnosis has been shown to rapidly improve the mental well-being of an individual, which tends to relax the patient and stimulate various processes within the body that lead to a natural healing process. While no conclusive studies have been conducted to date, ample anecdotal evidence has been documented. Hence, hypnosis as a means of treating IBS is gaining popularity among the alternative medicine community. However, since IBS is a disorder, and there are also a wide variety of other ways to potentially treat it, and different methods work differently on different individuals, the current consensus is that it could possibly be another way to treat the disorder but its effectiveness may vary between individuals exhibiting the exact symptoms. In any event, this is welcome news to those individuals suffering from IBS because it means that there is one more method that can potentially be used to find relief from this debilitating disorder.

The Relationship between Lead and Depressive Illness

In the 21st century most of us perhaps consider lead poisoning to be an issue of the past; on par with other contact illnesses such as asbestosis.
Lead poisoning was indeed a fairly significant threat during the 20th century due to the significant amounts of lead used in certain kinds of paints to help create bright colors. Since deteriorating lead paint created lead dust, poisoning was a common problem with infants for many years due to the oral play of young children who habitually place objects in their mouths. A relatively small amount of lead, such as that found in a paint chip that has peeled away from the wall, when consumed can be deadly. Lead interferes with a variety of processes within the body and is toxic to many of our organs and tissues, such as the heart, kidneys, intestines, bones, and our nervous system. Symptoms can manifest with abdominal pain, anemia, and in severe cases seizures and coma, or even death.
Lead paint has been banned for many years and is generally considered to be a concern only if one lives in or has purchased an older home. However, lead does not only exist in man-made products. It is a natural element and many of us experience exposure without realizing same. Maryse F. Bouchard, PhD of the Universite de Montreal and the Harvard School of Public Health, in a recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry concluded that lead exposure may be a major causal factor for individuals suffering from depression.
According to the research, individuals suffering from relatively low levels of lead exposure had a significantly high risk of being diagnosed with depressive disorders, as well as experiencing a higher risk of developing panic disorders. According to Bouchard, “what is most surprising is the finding that lead can be associated with adverse mental health status at such low levels of exposure.”
Many of the studies have been conducted on employees in places such as foundries and battery factories, where workers are exposed to the elements on a regular basis, and present with heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and hostility, and according to Ellen Silbergeld, professor of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University, as low an exposure as 4 ug/dL (micrograms per deciliter) may double your risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke, as well as cause significant memory loss. The workers studied presented with levels of 40 ug/dL - clearly an alarming number.
According to Dr. Bouchard, “one of the shocking things is that in my study group, the mean blood lead level was only 1.6 ug/dL, which is representative of the exposure level in the general population. These findings suggest that lead neurotoxicity may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes, even at levels generally considered to pose low, or no risk. These findings…should underscore the need for considering ways to further reduce environmental lead exposures.”
Steps have already been taken in the appropriate direction, such as the elimination of lead from gasoline, and the banning of lead paint being used in construction of homes. Hopefully lead poisoning will soon truly become a condition of the past.

Beneficial Effects of Sleeping in the Dark

A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago, published in the December 2009 issue of Behavioral Brain Research, examined the degree to which the level of light in a room during a sleeping session may directly affect levels of depression. It has been a question that many scientists have pondered over the years, due to the fact that many individuals who sleep with some form of light, whether from a television set, a street light shining in through the window, or even an LED display from digital clock, have suffered from some form of clinical depression, while individuals who sleep in a completely controlled environment where light is completely eliminated seem to exhibit or report fewer signs of depression.
It is true that many individuals claim that they cannot fall asleep without the aid of a television. This begs the question: does the flickering light from the television affect sleep patterns at a subconscious level? A room that has some type of light source might not necessarily keep one awake at night but it might well lead to symptoms of depression as a result of interrupted sleep.
The study was conducted at Ohio State University and involved 24 male laboratory mice. Half were subjected to light for 16 hours a day, then darkness for 8, while the others lived in a lighted area for a full 24 hours a day. Meanwhile, half of each group of mice were allowed access to opaque tubes in their cages where they could escape from light at any time they chose, while the other half of the tubes were completely clear and offered no shelter from the light at any time. Over a period of three weeks researchers conducted a series of tests to measure depression and anxiety levels in the rodents. What they discovered was that in virtually every test in which the mice were forced to live and sleep in constant light, depressive symptoms were exhibited as compared with those mice that experienced ‘normal’ light and dark cycles.
Laura Fronken, lead author of the study and a graduate student in psychology at Ohio State University, stated that, “the ability to escape the light seemed to quell the depressive effects, but constant light with no chance of escape increased depressive symptoms.”
The overall conclusion of the study is that the use of artificial light during the night may indeed promote harmful effects on human health. Fronken noted that that “this is important for people who work night shifts, and for children and others who watch TV late into the night disrupting their usual light-dark cycle.” Researchers also suggest that their study could potentially impact healthcare itself, considering that most intensive care units are extremely well lit 24 hours a day, which might well delay progress in their patients as well as contributing to psychological stress and far less than optimal sleep required for healing.

Is Genetic Analysis Beneficial?

One of the pressing questions in recent years is whether or not an individual's genes can predict their risk of developing diseases or illnesses later in life, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or other varieties of common diseases that plague modern humans. When the human genome was finally decoded in 2003 the floodgates were literally thrown open as researchers began scrambling to find ways to use this new information about genes and their variations to determine whether or not various chronic diseases are tied to the genetic structure. The sheer number of companies which have opened in the wake of the genome project, offering genetic screenings and disease risk assessments is staggering, but at the end of the day one simple question remains: can an individual's chance of developing disease based upon their genetic makeup actually be predicted with any certainty?
According to a recent set of commentaries published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the answer is no. One of the authors of the commentary, David B. Goldstein of Duke University, suggests that, “with only a few exceptions, what the genomics companies are doing right now is recreational genomics. The information has little, or in many cases no, clinical relevance.”
Analysis of the genome on a global basis has shown some success, such as illuminating the differences between the genetic codes of healthy and unhealthy patients. Unfortunately, these differences—though measurable—do little to provide significant information as to actual risks or predictability of diseases. Researchers initially expected to find measurable genetic variations responsible for the different types of diseases, thus allowing predictions to be a simple matter, however, what they found instead was that the most common gene variants affect disease risk on a very marginal scale.
Goldstein suggests that the source of the difficulty can be found in the number of rare genetic variants, making screening far less helpful in predicting risk. For example, if only a small number of variables are involved in the process they could provide information on the biological nature of the disease's development, but the problem lies in the fact that complex diseases have exceedingly complex variations, which provides almost no direction to researchers. After more than 100 genome-wide studies conducted on thousands of patients throughout the world, virtually no evidence has been discovered which would provide any degree of certainty with respect to the prediction of disease in a given individual based simply upon his or her genetic makeup. As Goldstein says, “discovering rare variants… is beyond the grasp of the genome-wide association studies.”
While it is true that some diseases, such as sickle cell anemia and certain breast cancers can be caused by as few as one mutation on a single gene, the problem is that most diseases are far more complex and develop under a series of circumstances that require interaction between various genes and environmental factors. Thus, predictions regarding potential disease become virtually impossible due to the complexity of factors attributable to even a single mutation. Barring a revolutionary breakthrough, at this point in time, genetic screening for disease appears to be more relevant to the realms of science fiction than scientific research.

An Overview of Acupuncture

When considering a medical intervention like acupuncture, which originated centuries ago in non-Western culture (China), it is relatively easy to make it look faintly absurd by contrasting its conceptual vocabulary with that of modern day medical science. Undoubtedly, many practices of bygone days were, we now know, exceedingly dangerous and rooted in magical or religious thinking (illness as divine retribution). No one today would attempt to heal a wound by applying a poultice of dung, for example. But some practices, like acupuncture, have withstood the test of time and are still with us. Is its survival merely a function of the wishful thinking of individuals with an irrational mistrust of mainstream medicine, or might there be something more to it?

Defining Acupuncture
To begin with vocabularies: the ancient Chinese clearly did not have our 21st century knowledge of physiology, anatomy and biochemistry. The words they used were rather different than our modern day references to cell membranes, endoplasmic reticula and neurotransmitters. They believed that the body was invested with a constantly flowing life energy, ‘chi’ (or ‘qi’); should this energy be blocked in its flow, or become unbalanced in its distribution, illness and pain would result. Chinese acupuncturists sought to unblock the chi pathways (‘meridians’), restore energic balance and return the patient to health. While these terms may seem strange or even a little quaint to modern day medicine, they are not entirely different from the concepts of a much more modern figure – Sigmund Freud. Freud began life as a neurophysiologist then proceeded to develop psychoanalysis, in which he used the analogy of a life energy he called ‘libido.’ In his psychological work, Freud concluded that individuals became ill or profoundly unhappy when their libido was obstructed, unbalanced, or simply waning.

Whether one chooses to believe in the conceptual basis of ancient acupuncture or not, there is some compelling scientific evidence that it can indeed have discernibly positive effects with some patients and with certain medical disorders. Furthermore, as acupuncture is being increasingly practiced in the West, chiefly as a form of complementary medicine, painstaking efforts have been made by its practitioners to develop concepts and causal explanations which are compatible with advanced knowledge of physiology, anatomy and biochemistry.

Acupuncture, for example, is now known to produce analgesic effects by activating the body’s endogenous opioid peptide system, releasing natural, pain-relieving opiates (endorphins) into the blood. One method of pain-relief acupuncture uses high-intensity, low frequency electrical stimulation of acupuncture needles to produce a slow-onset but cumulative effect which becomes generalized throughout the body as endorphins are progressively released. The other method produces more localized and rapid effects through activating the monoamine-dependent system using high-frequency, low-intensity electrical stimulation of acupuncture needles.

This medically informed or ‘hybrid’ acupuncture has devised a plausible model of the therapeutic actions of the needles. They are believed to activate nerve impulse transmission in the neuropeptide and neurohumoral systems and also produce biochemical and cellular changes in the cardiovascular system. In addition, the needles are believed to influence the flow of ions in the lymphatic system, a model which parallels the more ancient notion of chi energy flowing through meridians.

The Uses of Acupuncture
The treatment continues to employ the insertion of fine, sterile needles into the body in highly specified areas. The needles are then activated manually, thermally or through electrical stimulation, and left in situ for between five and 20 minutes. Alongside their scientific medical knowledge, hybrid acupuncturists tend to retain the concept of unbalanced or obstructed energy flow and have developed a sophisticated model of how specific organs may influence particular conditions. For example, in addition to the physiological functions of, say, the kidneys which have been established by scientific Western medicine, acupuncturists hold that these organs also supervise a range of other physiological processes and anatomical structures. These include scalp hair, hearing, joints, bone and marrow, as well as psychological characteristics such as will and motivation.

This is where more orthodox medical scientists may express a degree of skepticism, of course, yet, nonetheless, physicians are increasingly turning to acupuncture as a complementary approach in the management and treatment of a number of conditions. In the United States, it is increasingly accepted as an effective means of helping to alleviate pain in numerous musculoskeletal conditions. Acute conditions such as soft tissue bruising, nerve entrapments, sprains, strains and muscle spasms are sometimes referred to acupuncturists for the initial pain relief therapy, whereas more chronic conditions tend to require combined pain relief methods, with acupuncture being but one component. These conditions include repetitive strain disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow, but also more severe conditions such as osteoarthritis – one study showed that acupuncture significantly diminished knee-pain and increased joint mobility in patients with osteoarthritic knees.

Other chronic musculoskeletal disorders treated with acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy (i.e., in addition to pharmacological treatment or more invasive medical procedures) include the widespread pain and tenderness in muscle and soft tissue known as fibromyalgia, and some forms of lower back pain such as degenerative disc disease. However, it has also been used effectively to treat asthma, reduce dental pain, menstrual cramps and labor pain, as well as alleviate tension headaches and migraines.

Moreover, its credibility is enhanced by the willingness of its more sophisticated practitioners to concede that it is no panacea or miracle treatment. There is little evidence that it has any appreciable effect, for example, as a primary therapy in the treatment of cerebrovascular accidents, although it may assist as an adjunctive therapy in stroke rehabilitation. Similarly, it is relatively ineffective as a sole therapy in the treatment of spinal injuries or chronic immune-mediated or inflammatory disorders such as ulcerative colitis and is regarded by most of its practitioners as an inappropriate treatment method for conditions such as HIV or chronic fatigue states, even though it may help enliven and energize very seriously ill patients.

While hybrid acupuncture at least attempts to sustain a dialogue between Western and Eastern modes of thought in the field of health and medicine, ultimately it may be impossible to create a completely unified language or conceptual model. The dialogue is, however, yielding interesting and positive results as well as fostering a greater degree of mutual respect for the two perspectives.

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A New Method of CPR May Save Many Lives

The vast majority of first responders and aid givers have been taught the internationally approved, traditional method of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for several decades now; the technique has, until very recently, been regarded throughout the world as best medical practice. There is, however, a significant problem with this technique: it treats two entirely different conditions – cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest – as though they were the same. A recent modification is resulting in a significantly better survival rate for people who collapse with cardiac arrest – by far the most common cause of sudden unexpected collapse.

Respiratory arrest accounts for just 20% of sudden collapse casualties and is nearly always due to drowning, choking or drug intoxication. By contrast, a massive 80% of such casualties have suffered a heart attack. The CPR method involves compressing the collapsed patient’s chest rhythmically, at the rate of 30 compressions per minute, followed by two mouth to mouth breaths. The routine is repeated until paramedics arrive, who will continue to use it until the patient is conveyed to the hospital. Tragically, national statistics show that only about 2% of cardiac arrest casualties who collapse outside of a hospital will survive without significant long-term damage. The harm, in other words, has already been done by the time the patient arrives in the emergency room and little if anything can be done to reverse it in the vast majority of cases.

There is, however, some wonderfully exciting news in the midst of this gloom. A simple but highly effective new innovation is radically changing this depressing survival rate. If CPR is replaced by CCR – Cardio-Cerebral Resuscitation – significantly more lives can be saved and full health can very often be restored over time. What exactly does this innovation consist of? Just what does CCR involve?

No Pause for Breath: The Importance of Chest Compression
Against the weight of established medical opinion, the new method places its emphasis on chest compressions rather than the mixture of chest compression and mouth to mouth lung ventilation currently practiced. And the rate of compression rises significantly, from the 30 per minute advocated in CPR to 200 in two minutes for CCR. CCR is undoubtedly a method which has to be administered by properly trained professionals, using the right equipment. Mouth to mouth breathing assistance after chest compressions is replaced by shocks from defibrillator pads – one shock after three sets of 200 compressions (as opposed to two breaths after one set of 30 compressions).

Immediately, a concern appears. If a lay individual is confronted with a suddenly collapsed patient, what should he or she do? With increased chest compression and defibrillation, 60 to 65% of patients are revived before reaching the hospital, as opposed to the 24% saved by CPR.

The new technique allows a degree of cautious discrimination: if the collapse has clearly been the result of choking or drowning, CPR may still be the revival method of choice. But where cardiac arrest is suspected, CCR is far more likely to result in recovery. In these scenarios, it is vastly more important to keep the heart pumping reliably than it is to administer breath to the lungs. The evidence is that there is already sufficient oxygen in the blood to refrain from breathing assistance and concentrate purely on manual heart massage in CCR in the immediate aftermath of a suspected cardiac arrest. And this appears to be enabling far more people to come forward as first responders and aid givers than had been possible previously.


In the past, a significant number of lay first aiders appear to have been dissuaded from administering CPR when confronted with a collapse victim, with the most commonly cited reason being fear of contracting potentially dangerous infection during mouth to mouth resuscitation. CCR abolishes this risk – rapid chest compression is all that is necessary until the medics arrive with their defibrillators and other equipment. If onlookers are averse to placing their mouths on a stranger’s mouth, just keeping the blood flowing will in and of itself yield significant benefits in the majority of cases.

Accounts of this new technique’s effects are as moving as they are inspirational. A relatively fit and healthy 51 year old from Olathe, Scot Goddard, collapsed after a routine sports workout at his athletic club. Two people at the club administered CPR for a couple of minutes until the paramedics arrived, whereupon CCR was started. At that point, Goddard had no heartbeat and was not breathing. The ambulance crew kept the CCR going until his arrival at the hospital, where he was fully revived, undergoing heart by-pass surgery shortly after the ordeal. The surgeon who operated was forthright: Goddard was alive because of CCR. All the surgery did was repair a pre-existing problem – his life was saved long before he arrived in the operating theater.

Another casualty from Arizona cited in Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s book collapsed whilst driving home from work. Luckily, a UPS driver happened upon his crashed vehicle and administered chest compressions to the victim. Literally seconds later, when the fully-trained team from the nearby fire station arrived, the full CCR technique was implemented. The victim recovered a short time later.

The help of bystanders can be crucial – even CPR alone can help a cardiac arrest victim survive. But with greater public awareness of the advantages of CCR, more and more people may follow their immediate instincts and help a fallen stranger, with no risk of mouth to mouth infection. Survival depends not merely on people near to the casualty who know what to do, but on people being willing to do what it takes. Removing the mouth to mouth scenario promises to significantly increased the rate of bystander assistance – human beings overwhelmingly want to help one another at times of crisis and CCR may well encourage many, many more to come forward in an emergency to give life saving assistance.

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The Struggle of the Caregiver

It has been estimated that up to two million frail, confused, elderly Americans are presently being cared for in 18,000 nursing homes across the US. While this may seem like a large number, in reality it represents only a small proportion of the aging population in need of care in the US. The vast majority of these elderly patients, many with dementia of varying degrees of severity and degeneration, are being cared for by their own adult children. Because this work tends to happen silently and invisibly ‘behind the scenes’ of working life, it has, until recently, received little social policy attention.

It is relatively easy to see this care giving as part of ordinary family life. The profile of ‘ordinary family life’, however, has changed much in the last few decades. Increasingly, family expenditure demands the incomes of two individuals; the traditional family structure of the homemaking mom and the breadwinning dad is less and less the norm, with both parents today more typically working long hours.

When an elderly, much loved parent becomes increasingly unable to care for themselves safely, a major source of severe stress beckons the adult son or daughter who takes on a care giving role. The stress has many determinants: the inevitable wear and tear of trying to juxtapose work and family commitments with travel to the elderly loved one on a regular, frequently daily, basis; the emotional strain of watching a loved relative become increasingly ill or confused with little prospect of improvement and every prospect of further decline and eventual death; the sometimes bewildering tasks of making sense of medical diagnoses and treatment and of finding additional sources of help. Add to this the guilt that caregivers frequently experience – either that they are not being good enough or (sometimes ‘and’) that partners and children are being deprived as a result of the extra commitments – and a potentially dangerous predicament begins to emerge.

More than 44 million adults – that’s 21% of the adult population – are presently acting as unpaid caregivers to elderly parents or other relatives, providing 80% of long-term care in the USA. This is a sizeable army of potentially highly stressed individuals, 61% of whom are women, often with children of their own and active working lives. Research has strongly suggested that care giving is associated with increased probabilities of various health problems. These include depression and anxiety disorders (ranging from feeling chronically sad, tired and worried to acute panic attacks), higher levels of stress-related blood cortisols, diminished immunity to colds and influenza, slower healing of wounds and injuries, and increased risk of serious health disorders such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and even heart disease and cancer. Some of this is undoubtedly associated with self-neglect and sheer exhaustion arising directly from the care giving role, which can become all-consuming unless one develops a repertoire of pragmatic survival strategies

Surviving the Struggle and Resisting Self-punishing Attitudes
One immediate starting point is to try to resist self-punishing modes of thought. Caregivers are human beings with personal limitations and finite resources; to believe otherwise is to create unnecessary self-torment. Anyone who believes that only perfect care is good enough will rapidly be destined to nosedive into painful self-disillusionment. Impossible aims can only fail, and impossible wishes can only be disappointed. ‘Good enough’ is far less self-punishing than ‘ideal’ or perfect. And good enough means being realistic – no mortal can be in more than one place at any one time. Negotiating with human resources departments at work to explore caregiver’s leave options may be an essential first step – some organizations permit 12 weeks of caregiver leave per year under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

Clarify Medical Diagnoses, Prognoses and Treatment Recommendations
While it can be a painful business to fully determine the nature of the problem, how it is likely to develop and, ultimately, how much longer an elderly parent is expected to live, it is also essential. While physicians vary in how comfortable they are in relaying often distressing information, it is enormously important to be as clear as one can possibly be about what is likely to lie ahead. Asking for lay descriptions wherever a medical phrase causes confusion or incomprehension is vital, as is obtaining a clear description of the treatment plan.


Family Conference
Unless one is an only child, a sister or brother (plus spouses if there are any) may be recruited to help out on a regular basis. Wherever possible, it is inestimably helpful for family members who can help in sharing the care giving to all be aware of the nature and severity of the problem, what needs to be done, and who is going to handle which portions. Clearly, close and supportive family networks will be a good deal easier to co-ordinate and make plans with than more strained family relationships. Even here, though, adversity can sometime bring out the best in people. Sharing the load begins with the family, but it may also involve more formal sources of support.

Asking For Help
It benefits no one for a principal caregiver to fall ill; asking for help (and knowing who to ask) should come before a crisis like this, preferably, rather than after one has occurred. Caregivers who are either losing or gaining weight appreciably, not sleeping, feeling worried or sad and even suicidal, are not coping with the strains being placed upon them.

This may have nothing to do with personal inadequacy or weaknesses, except insofar as all human beings have inescapable vulnerabilities and needs (like adequate recuperation). The primary treatment physician may be a good person to start with for advice on what forms of community support may be available. These can include help with meal delivery, home health care services such as physical therapy or nursing, ‘homecare’ services (anything from cooking, cleaning, and shopping to companionship) and home alteration (such as improving bathing and toilet arrangements for disabled patients). Additionally, there are also facilities available for occasional ‘respite care’ breaks, ranging from home visiting for companionship for a few hours to day care to short-stay nursing home care.

One sometimes needs to be kind to oneself before one can be kind to others.

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Connecting the Dots

Who doesn't know the name 'Steve Jobs' - the brilliance, the stupidity, the courage, the defiance. In his commencement address at Stanford, Jobs discusses the one-the only- way to live...never settle, find what you love, follow your instincts, and trust that even when events appear darkest, if your path is certain, your dreams will manifest. It doesn't mean that one can just dream, it does mean that the moments count. Would he have realized this had he not faced cancer? Who can say, but wisdom comes from many sources - Jobs may never have graduated college, but his wisdom is born of experience and mortality. Live as though there were no tomorrow...we've heard it said many times, but how powerful the words are from one who learned that lesson before it was too late. It's not too late for most of us, will we heed these words at last?

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The Don't Quit Poem

This famous poem-a portion of which was embedded in this video presentation by Fernando Productions-is a subject that we can all relate to. Hitting bottom-at least from our individual perspective-happens to each of us in different ways, whether it be a broken heart, death of a loved one, addiction to drugs or alcohol, loss of a job, an incurable disease. The list is infinite, and those who are able to surmount any overwhelming loss almost invariably state that while they would not have wished for the experience, it changed their view of life: created character where none existed, enabled love where it had been shut out, empathy where it had been deemed irrelevant.

As with fitness, it is the parts of life that hurt, the last few repetitions that you struggle to attain, that make the difference. Those who can move past the pain, the hurt, the loss will have gained immeasurably.

While we seek to avoid pain, it is inevitable. Embrace it for the lessons it provides, and never consider quitting. If you need inspiration, there are hundreds of figures throughout history--perhaps even one living next door.

The poem's author is anonymous. Here is the original in its entirety:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown

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Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do

While I'm not a devoted follower of Tony Robbins, I did find this particular talk to be quite insightful. His talk focuses on why we fail to accomplish goals--what separates those who succeed from those who fail. The defiining factor is 'resourcefulness', which he defines as the ability to 'find a way'. Emotional fitness or 'psychological strength' is the differentiator amongst people--he points to Lance Armstrong as a model.

What are you going to focus on? This creates emotion (negative or positive, happy or sad). Perception is all (do we view circumstances as proof of negative beliefs or an exciting challenge or merely a roll of the dice?) Our model of the world filters our experiences. The way to change the world is to understand the model of the world held by others.

Tony defines 6 'human needs':
Certainty
Variety
Significance
Connection/Love
Growth
Contribute to others

Which of these 6 needs is an individual's strongest driver is what shapes his/her decisions and ultimately determine the course of their lives.

He uses one exercise in which he asks people to envision the decisions that they would make if they faced death-today. How many of us would make different choices? Would we spend more time with loved ones, take the trip we have spoken of for years? How many of us can honestly say that we wouldn't change a thing?

What feeds our souls?
The last 2 items are what feed the soul, and what Robbins believes shaped his life and shapes the life of those who are successful and happy. Giving back to others may be a cliche but it is one based in truth.

Listen and learn from one who truly has traveled the route from 'rags to riches' and endeavors to show others the path.

Treatments for Adrenal Gland Fatigue

The Adrenal Gland

The adrenal glands are glands in our bodies which are primarily responsible for releasing hormones associated with the stress levels in our bodies, specifically cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are directly responsible for the energy levels in our bodies. For example, if the adrenal glands secrete high levels of adrenaline then our bodies are either in the middle of or are preparing for some form of violent muscular action, during which the heart and lungs accelerate, the various sphincters of the body tighten, the dilation of blood vessels in the muscles occurs, and individuals can also undergo tunnel vision or some form of hot flash associated with the rush of adrenaline through the system. Adrenaline is most commonly associated with some form of excessive excitement that our bodies are subjected to, whether riding a roller coaster, being involved in a car accident, skydiving, bungee jumping, or enduring in live combat. These are all examples of moments when the body secretes high levels of adrenaline.

In contrast are the moments when our body releases high levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that our bodies only secrete during moments of stress. It is considered one of the most detrimental hormones in our bodies if it is present in excess because of the potential harm that it can do to our systems. Cortisol directly affects the functional ability of the kidneys, weakens the activity of the immune system, and has been shown to decrease bone formation in high levels, thus favoring the development of osteoporosis over the long-term life expectancy of an individual. High levels of cortisol also increase blood pressure, damage cells in the hippocampus, which is the region of the brain that is our learning center, and has been linked to obesity because it directly affects the body's efficiency when burning fat. Between these two hormones, the adrenal glands control our body at the most basic, chemical level.

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is a term used primarily by practitioners of alternative medicine. They believe that adrenal fatigue is a form of health disorder in which the adrenal glands are supposedly exhausted and unable to produce adequate quantities of hormones within our bodies, specifically cortisol. While high levels of cortisol are detrimental, normal levels are required for certain functions of the body. In any case, the label of adrenal fatigue is applied to a wide variety of nonspecific medically-unexplained symptoms, which does not have any basis in scientific fact. Even so, the concept itself has given rise to a group of practitioners who perform alternative medicine, as well as an entire industry of dietary supplements which supposedly treat the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

The belief is that if your adrenal glands are not operating properly they are unable to meet your body's needs. There are a wide variety of symptoms that can appear, ranging from excessive fatigue and exhaustion, salty and sweet food cravings, difficulty in concentrating, poor digestion, food allergies, or extreme sensitivities to heat and cold, just to name a few. Adrenal glands control the level of blood sugar by monitoring whether or not they need to release extra hormones into the system. This concept dates back to an old theory called the “fight or flight” system, which is where the body literally adjusts the levels of hormones dependent upon whether or not we need more energy. While it used to be used for the days when we were hunters and gatherers and needed to run from dinosaurs or predators, our glands now use it for far more mundane purposes, such as when we find ourselves in the middle of a traffic jam and experience a moment of road rage. However, being constantly under stress eventually takes a toll on the glands themselves, and they can either become damaged and release insufficient levels of hormones, or they can stop producing hormones. This is the concept of adrenal fatigue.

Treating Adrenal Fatigue

There are a variety of methods you can use to combat adrenal fatigue. First and most importantly, ensure that you obtain sufficient sleep and proper rest. Without rest, stress levels will continue to rise, which means that you are continually placing high demands upon your adrenal glands. Additionally, you have to start monitoring your stress levels. It is physically impossible to escape or develop an immunity to stress; it is a fact of life. However, steps can be taken to control our reactions to the stress that we encounter. Exercise, meditation, dancing, hobbies, listening to music, reading – these are but a few options to pursue.

In addition, there are supplements which can combat adrenal fatigue. Working with a naturopath or chiropractor to target appropriate supplements is a wise course of action. A healthy exercise routine is also considered key, because exercise naturally regulates the levels of adrenaline and cortisol in the body. Since there are so many different avenues to pursue, simply start small by getting an extra hour or two of sleep every night and begin to incorporate an exercise regimen into your schedule. Remember, change is gradual, so it may be necessary to wait several weeks to determine the effects your new lifestyle is having.

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The Link between Vitamins A and D and Breast Cancer

The Missing Link

Scientists have known the importance of vitamin D as a preventative measure against cancer for years. Specifically, the primary hormone in vitamin D known as calcitriol has been proven to induce death in cancer cells, and a variety of research done since the 1970s has found significant evidence that vitamin D has fairly progressive preventative effects against many forms of cancer, but considering humanity has begun to evolve in the direction where we work primarily indoors, lather sunscreen on our skins prior to exposure to direct sunlight, and wear more and more clothing to prevent the occurrence of a sunburn, it is little wonder that cancer rates continue to increase. In fact, a pair of studies presented by the American Association for Cancer Research in 2006 showed that women who obtain sufficient amounts of vitamin D are less likely to develop breast cancer, with evidence that the sunshine vitamin is the primary factor.

The first study showed that higher levels of vitamin D translated to a 50% lower risk of breast cancer, with even moderate levels showing a 10% reduced risk, and the research group stated that the study showed how more than 20,000 cases of cancer per year could be completely avoided if women simply spent more time in the sun. In addition, Canadian researchers performed a second study and found that women who spent a majority of their time outdoors, or consumed higher levels of vitamin D through their diet or supplements, were 25% to 45% less likely to develop breast cancer as compared to a control group.

The body manufactures vitamin D as a direct result of exposure to sunlight, but because sun exposure is so controversial due to the supposed risks of skin cancer, many shun the sun. This is unfortunate, because breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women across the nation, and a 50% reduction is significant enough to be considered jaw-dropping in scope.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A, on the other hand, has been proven over the years to have wide variety of beneficial side effects in the body, ranging from improving our vision, helping with the transcription of genes, boosting our immune function, assisting in embryonic development and reproduction, helping our bones metabolize, helping our haematopoiesis, boosting our antioxidant levels, and increasing our overall skin health..

In a study performed by the University of Chicago, published in the journal Cell, research showed how vitamin A can actually normalize cell growth and inhibit future growth of cancerous cells. According to the American Cancer Society, estrogen is part of what fuels the growth of two out of three breast cancers that women suffer from because it alters certain genes, opening the door to certain types of breast cells becoming malignant and proliferating. What the research showed was that the retonic acid in vitamin A can actually alter these same genes and inhibit their growth. According to Myles Brown, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in a statement to the press, “This work reveals important insights on the interplay between vitamin A and estrogen activity. These insights will hopefully lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of the most common forms of breast cancer.”

Since retinoic acid had already demonstrated such cancer fighting potential in previous studies, and is actually currently used to treat certain forms of leukemia, new studies have been undertaken as well. For example Kevin White, Professor of Human Genetics and Director of the Institute for Genomics and System Biology at the University of Chicago, undertook a study with several colleagues to document the cell receptors for the vitamin A derivative using a process called ChIP, which in laymen’s terms locates where the receptors are bound to the genome and measures the expression levels of the genes themselves. This new technique has allowed scientists to track the complete genetic effects of this vitamin A derivative, and the results showed that 39% of the genomic regions bound by estrogen overlapped with those bound by retinoic acid. What that boils down to is that scientists now have evidence that estrogen and retinoic acids actually have a type of “cross talk” which means that they normalize each other, allowing scientists to effectively control the growth of the disease. While the research is not conclusive, after performing a test on 295 breast cancer patients, the results showed that the more strongly a tumor responded to retinoic acid, the greater the chances a woman had of long-term survival, not to mention lack of relapse.

The Combination

The combination of these two super vitamins is fairly significant. Since vitamin D has been known for years to actually stop cancer cells from growing, and in some cases kills them off entirely, and vitamin A is just now proving that it has cancer-stopping side effects as well, the conclusion is fairly staggering in scope. If scientists are able to somehow meld the two cancer-fighting aspects of these vitamins together, the potential exists for completely stopping or curing breast cancer.

According to Dr. White, “Understanding all the components of this process could be used against breast cancer in three ways. It suggests new ways to think about preventing the disease in those at high risk. It offers molecular tools that could provide a more precise diagnosis and predict outcomes. It could also be used to enhance current therapies, making existing drugs…even more powerful”.

While the evidence itself is not conclusive by any means, it is a step in the right direction that has scientists worldwide fairly excited about the prospects.

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Radioactive Seed Implants to Cure Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the more common cancers among men, especially as they age. Physicians are continually looking for ways to combat the cancer, either to prevent it completely, or to find ways to treat it once a patient has been diagnosed. There are a number of treatments to choose from, but understanding which one is right for you requires a better understanding of what prostate cancer is, and how it progresses. Your opinion will be determined in part by the advice of your healthcare provider or your personal physician, but the more that you know, the more informed decision you can make.

Prostate cancer initiates in the prostate gland, as its name suggests. Cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, most dangerously the bones and the lymph nodes. Diagnosing prostate cancer early is extremely important. The earlier the disease is discovered, the better the chances of successful treatment and avoidance of metastasizing. This form of cancer can cause pain, erectile dysfunction, difficulty urinating, and worse. Detection rates vary around the world, but the United States is generally the leader in diagnostic techniques. Due to the manner in which cancer spreads, and the fact that most men do not develop this form of cancer until the age of 50, it often goes completely undiagnosed. Ironically, even though it is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in men, many of the victims never present with symptoms, never undergo therapy, and many eventually die of other causes. The only positive of prostate cancer is that it is extremely slow growing and while there are symptoms, they are generally mild.

There are a variety of methods used for treating prostate cancer, although the primary therapies are surgery and the use of radiation. Individuals may also undergo hormone therapy, chemotherapy, proton therapy, cryosurgery, high-intensity focused ultrasound, or the latest cutting edge treatment, radioactive seed implants.

It is unknown exactly what causes prostate cancer; a man's risk is related to age, genetics, race, diet, lifestyle, and medication, among other factors, with the primary one being age. Prostate cancer is fairly uncommon in men under the age of 45, but the risk increases as one ages, with the average age of diagnosis at 70 years of age.

What is a Radioactive Seed Implant?

Radioactive seed implants are a form of radiation therapy prescribed to patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is also described as internal radiation therapy, or brachytherapy. The traditional method is permanent, although there is a newer technique simply called temporary brachytherapy.

The permanent method, which has been used in the past, requires a doctor or physician to implant radioactive seeds into the prostate. The number of seeds and their specific location within the prostate is determined by the severity of the cancer. A treatment plan is specifically tailored for each patient, generally involving 40 to 100 seeds. These implants are permanent, eventually becoming biologically inert after a few months. They are specifically useful because they allow a high dose of radiation to be delivered to the prostate while limiting damage to the surrounding tissue.

With the newer method, a hollow needle is inserted into the prostate gland for a period of anywhere from five to 15 minutes, with the seeds inside the needle. This is repeated several times over a period of a few days. Eventually the implants remain permanently within the prostate, becoming biologically inert after approximately 10 months. Both methods have been growing in popularity in recent years because of the time and convenience of the treatment. External radiation generally requires eight to nine weeks of daily treatments, while seed implantation can either be over the course of a few days or in one procedural visit. Its effects last for a period of several months.

Research

Dr. Louis Potter MD, Chairman of Radiation Medicine at North Shore University Hospital and LIJ Medical Center, recently supervised a study observed 2,119 prostate cancer patients between 1992 and 2005, narrowing their selection to men under 60 years old. The study looked at treatments that were completed with permanent brachytherapy and those with and without hormone therapy, external beam radiation, permanent prostate brachytherapy, or any combination of the above. The goal of this study was to determine whether there was a difference in rates of progression among treatments and whether those rates had anything to do with the age of the patient. They followed 237 patients for a period of 56 months after treatment. According to the findings of Dr. Potter published in the Journal of Urology, age did not seem to play a part. “There is a whole politics to prostate cancer treatments,” he added. “But the bottom line is that brachytherapy is an appropriate option for men at any age”. The debate in recent years has been whether prostate brachytherapy is effective as a surgery in reducing the risk of disease progression in younger men. Dr. Potter stated, “There is no gold standard for outcomes in younger men with prostate cancer. Outcomes are impacted by disease related risk factors but not by age.”

His research has been picked up by the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and the North Shore LIJ Health System and is currently being continued. Adam P. Dicker, MD/PhD from the Kimmel Cancer Center is currently researching the field of prostate brachytherapy, focusing mainly on the definition and evaluation of the actual dose of radiation required. Their most recent comprehensive text was published by Frances and Taylor in 2005, “Basic and Advanced Techniques and Prostate Brachytherapy.” In it, they addressed all aspects of prostate cancer and brachytherapy, specifically discussing the practical techniques and issues that can be incorporated into daily practice. His research is ongoing at the Prostate Brachytherapy Program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

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