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Stress and Your Heart

While many of us know that relaxation is good for our minds and bodies, and living with high stress levels contributes to illness, and disease, concepts like “relaxation” and “stress” often feel abstract and hard to manage in our daily lives. Learning about cortisol, “the stress-hormone” and oxytocin, “the anti-stress hormone,” also known as “the bonding hormone” can help us understand what happens in our bodies and minds when we experience stress, and when we do self-care activities that help us to relax and reduce stress.

When we experience long-term stress*, our bodies generate cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol makes us hypervigilant, and mobilized to cope with stress and emergencies. Living with high levels of cortisol leads to many health problems, including heart health problems.

*Long-term stress is defined as stress that lasts for 15 minutes or longer.

Possible sources of long-term stress:

* disliking your job, boss or co-workers

* daily commuting in traffic

* unfulfilling, disconnected or abusive relationships

* loneliness, lack of friends

* disease or chronic pain

* fear of crime or illness

* debt or fear of having enough money for college tuition or retirement

Sadly, these are very common experiences for many of us in today’s world. Experiencing long-term stress from multiple sources increases the amount of cortisol we generate in our bodies.

Health impact of high cortisol levels:

* high blood pressure

* clogged arteries

* heart disease

* depression

* weakened immune system

* diabetes

* obesity

* osteoporosis

Fortunately, oxytocin has been found to be an anti-stress hormone that counters the effect of cortisol. Oxytocin is best known for its role in inducing emotional bonding and lactation when a woman gives birth to a baby. To reduce stress, and improve your heart health, you can engage in activities which generate oxytocin.

Oxytocin-generating activities:

* taking time for daily meditation

* getting emotional support by talking with a friend or loved one

* getting a massage for nurturing touch

* petting or playing with your cat or dog

* going to church, temple or doing your own spiritual practice

* joining a support group

* exercise

* mind-body practices

All of these activities are part of a good self-care program. Most of them feel good while we are doing them, in addition to improving our body chemistry as a result of doing them.

Health impact of oxytocin:

* counteracts the effects of cortisol

* increased sense of calm and connection

* lower blood pressure

* protects against heart disease

* faster wound healing

* lessens cravings and addictions

* diminishes sense of pain

To take better care of your heart, see if you can reduce the stress factors in your life, and if you can increase your self-care activities.

©2007 Linda Marks

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Capitalism Should Always Be Capitalized in the Capital

Over the past weekend I’ve been reading a very famous popular book by Peter Drucker “Post-Capitalist Society,” which he had produced in 1993. Dr. Drucker is obviously a fan of capitalism, but he also approaches it from a free-market and academic displacement simultaneously. As much as I am bothered by his comments on “post capitalism” and want very much to disagree with his conclusions in this work, he does bring up a number of good points. Okay so let’s talk about this for second shall we?

Dr. Drucker tells us of a time period when capitalism attained its capital “C” as it was not just an economic term, but also a socio-economic term. It was indeed a noun as well is a verb. Currently, I would say that we have a severe challenge in Washington DC with negative connotations which go along with the word capitalism, and it is by far a travesty considering all we are and all that we have built. There are many in Washington DC now, generally left-leaning socialist, or Democrats who refuse to capitalize the word capitalism in our nation’s capital.

It’s as if they do not feel the word is honorable any longer, and purposely go out of their way to show their discontent. In many regards one could say that it proves that the United States has lost her way, and is following the European Union, South America, and other faltered socialist economies into the abyss. Remember, those folks in Washington DC do dictate quite a bit of policy, and create the rules and regulations on business. Indeed, they also make laws that include the social welfare of our society, which makes it even more alarming.

The word capitalism has been capitalized for well over 100 years. To degrade the word, or call it evil in the midst of class warfare with the intention of dividing the people of this great nation does a disservice to our nation’s history, and our forward progression. I often find it interesting that those who are socialist leaning call themselves progressives, when socialism is indeed regressive in every regard. It hasn’t actually worked anywhere it’s ever been tried.

In this work Peter Drucker insists that in the future we will have a knowledge-based economy, where knowledge is more important skill, and yet, I tend to disagree with at least half of his comments because it is those that “do” and their causation which is bringing forth increased productivity by doing, not those who sit around thinking and analyzing what was done the prior. One can sit around and talk about how things should be in a perfect utopian world, but it will surely take a capitalist, or an entrepreneurial capitalist who will make it happen.

Further, to allow socialist intellectual thinkers – self-proclaimed in my opinion because I believe that to be an oxymoron – to dictate policy and destroy our money system in trade for this futuristic economy based on knowledge alone is laughable. We already have found that knowledge is readily accessible, and relatively free. Unless all the knowledge of the world is collected in one place and walled off from society where only a few people possess the knowledge therefore can control the economy, then all the knowledge will be owned by all the people.

In this regard, all it does is level the playing field and make knowledge absolutely worthless, rather merely a baseline, which actually isn’t so bad. If everyone has access to the same knowledge, then how can we build an economic structure upon it? Many have stated that the United States needs knowledge workers, and we need to be the creators, innovators, and designers of tomorrow’s future. In other words, we will design and create everything, and it will be manufactured in places with abundant labor.

That will not happen, because if knowledge is available everywhere, whether it is stolen by intellectual property theft, or specifically taught to other nations for reasons of liberty and freedom, it will still be universally known, and therefore there will be no advantage to the United States or the Western world. In other words, it is quite possible that a knowledge-based economy cannot exist with free and fair trade, or with knowledge being distributed on the Internet worldwide as it is today.

Further, other nations do not need abundant labor to produce and manufacture anything, because the next generation of robots will be doing all the work. In fact, we will soon learn that we have far too many people on the planet who are not actually needed for anything, other than to consume, but are of no value in a knowledge-based economy because their skill is no longer needed, and their knowledge is already known – while robots can do the rest.

A utopian civilization or global economy based on knowledge, will not work – it’s not that it can’t work, it’s that we’d have to destroy everything to make it work and create a new class-system with similar if not even more problems in the process, without knowing the end results therefore;

Peter Drucker is wrong!

It’s nice that Dr. Drucker has produced this book, and it was interesting from an intellectual standpoint in reading, although it was written in 1993, not claiming to be a prediction the future, but rather a warning of what was, and what was to come. Apparently, he got it wrong. That’s okay, it’s still worth reading, and I would recommend it to anyone in that regard. They say knowledge is power, but if everyone has the same knowledge, then everyone has the power, and therefore there is no power at all.

This is much that can to the parent who tells their Son he is so very special, and then the parent tells the neighbor kid he is special, and then their son asks; “I thought you said I was special?” And the parent says; “you are special, and he is special, because everyone is special.” Then her son makes a statement of intellectual revelation; “if everyone is special, then nobody is.”

Likewise, if everyone has the same knowledge, then knowledge has no value. Interestingly enough, humans are putting all of their knowledge online, and making it available to the world. Even those who have specialized knowledge will find others with the same knowledge putting it online, even if they keep their own knowledge to themselves. Therefore their secret knowledge or skills that they possess are no longer secret at all, nor are they worth anything.

If we destroy our capitalist society, devalue our money, claim to be entering an era of post-capitalism, and then show up at the door with the theory that; knowledge is power – then indeed we will be both broke and powerless. That doesn’t sound like a very good plan to me. How about you? Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

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Immune System Blues or Avoidance of Degenerative Diseases

Our health is the only thing we have; we can’t really exist without it. Avoidance of degenerate disease and longevity go hand in hand. The attackers are Viruses, Allergens, Bacteria, Molds, Etc.

In a lot of ways, our gastrointestinal tract is our second immune system and our second brain. Natrens Bifidus Factors re-implants that good bacteria that you lost from pharmaceuticals, antibiotics etc and is also a big help for digestion and any immune disorder. We need to be constantly on the defense. Detoxification and cleansing are always one of the first steps. The Green Foods by Dr. Hagiwora, Green Magma, also recommended by Dr. Elson M Haas, author of The New Detox Diet, help with your Acid & Alkaline balance. We are attacked by Infection, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases, Moducare by Wakunaga/Kyolic increases the Natural Killer Cells for overactive or under active immunity. It comes from Plant Fats, known as Sterols/ Sterolins. Moducare also comes in chewable grape flavor.

All chronic and metabolic diseases cause immune system failure. The Lifestyle Disease Division of the Ministry of Health and Labor in their 2006 report, said that the Metabolic Syndrome shows up in one out of every two men, ages 40-74 and beyond. With women, it’s one out of every five in the same age group. This shows that high blood pressure, high cholesterol and elevated insulin levels are going through the roof. We are not paying attention to these warnings. Ridgecrest Herbals has Blood Sugar Balance, with all the Chinese botanicals to encourage natural harmony. Jarrow Formulas has Glucose Optimizer, with all the herbs, amino acids and full spectrum ingredients. Our protective immune cells, which are the elite warriors of the white blood cells, are screaming, help me, help me. They need your help in defending themselves against the super germs and super microbes, and warding off the stressors of our environment and lifestyle, and the pharmaceuticals that gobble up all our nutrients. Mangoxan by Pure Fruit Technologies helps the absorption of Antioxidants, and other nerve damages. They also have Goji-Zen. Goji also known as Wolfberry in traditional Chinese medicine has been in use for Eye Health, for twenty centuries.

Our diets are low in immune strengthening nutrients resulting in depression and other immunological factors. Nobody can eat enough, that’s a fool’s tale in this day and age, considering what our generation is up against. Different organs of our body require different nutrients, as they all go down to different cell receptor sites for repairing, and we need to repair every single day. Antibodies, what are they? That’s what is released by our Immune System, if the immune system is working properly. Now Foods has Immune Advantage, with all the Immunoglobulins, that work with our red blood cells and Proline, an amino acid for Heart Health. Now Foods also has Colostrum, which is a very important function of those antibodies to destroy and prevent naughty cells from developing. It comes in powder or caps. While pollution and chemicals affect us at the cellular level, nutritionals will help keep us living longer and healthier and slow down our aging clock. So send in nutritional support for your body’s defense team and become a lean mean fighting machine.

Now for our picky children, they also need immune help, they usually do not eat right and are exposed to all kinds of germs. Healthasure has the Gummie Bear packs with all the nutrients, and Hero Nutritional Products has the Yummie Bears, a whole food fruit and veggie blend. And what about our pet’s, they come down with almost the same problems we do. Mezotrace has a complete formula, which includes all the B vitamins, antioxidants and trace minerals. Jarrow Formulas has the Intestinal For Pets, this has all the good strains of Probiotics, It can be mixed in their foods for detoxification and bad breath.

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Panic Attacks and Their Origins

For Panic Attacks Help May Be On the Way

If you have panic attacks help is available. Finding it can be frustrating. It often takes time to find the root cause or causes and address them. But, try not to get too frustrated and do not give up. Try to take a deep breath and hold it. Now, let it out slowly and read on.

If it has been a while since you had a physical, make an appointment to see your doctor. There are some biological causes, including low blood sugar, hyperthyroidism and vitamin B deficiency. Treating the underlying health problem causes the attacks to stop.

If you are taking any kind of prescription or over the counter medication, find out what the side effects are. Anxiety or nervousness, either of which could cause an attack, may be listed among the side effects. Some of the drugs that are known to cause panic attacks include Ritalin and some antibiotics.

Antidepressants classified as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can cause panicky feelings, especially during the first few days or weeks of use. Since many people experience both anxiety and depression, an SSRI may be prescribed.

If you are taking an SSRI and you have panic attacks help could have been found in switching to a different one. There are dozens of different SSRIs, as well as other drugs for treating depression. Sometimes, it takes a little experiment to find one that relieves the depression, without worsening the anxiety.

If you have a phobia, you are under a great deal of stress or you recently endured a very stressful episode, you may need some psychological assistance. A counselor can teach you about different methods of relaxing the muscles and the mind. He or she can help you identify unexpressed feelings. Keeping your emotions bottled up can cause the uncomfortable feelings that you are experiencing.

For many people with panic attacks help is found when they learn that their symptoms are not harmful or dangerous. You might be worried that you are having a heart attack or feel as though you are being smothered.

The physical symptoms that you feel are caused primarily by increased adrenalin production. It's not dangerous, just uncomfortable.

It is part of the "Fight or Flight" mechanism that evolved as a protection when we were threatened. The idea is that you either Fight it or Run Away. It is a normal response and nothing to be afraid of.

For panic attacks help is available from a number of different sources.

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Go Red for Good Health

The month is about love and there is no better way to say I love you than to share heart healthy insight with friends, family and loved ones. For so many years when the topic was heart health most of the information was based on what the medical profession knew about men and their heart health. Fortune health professionals have revised their outlook and there is now research and data available on women. We've learned that it is important for women to know the risk factors.

Now I wish I could say it was all about the medical info, but as you know you can often get the attention of women when you pair the subject with fashion. We've all heard about Go Red for Women, ® the designated day each February when people are encouraged to wear red to spotlight the importance of women having healthy hearts. This month I'm encouraging you to go red, add some sizzle and put that hot color on your menu year 'round.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US One in four women in this country dies of heart disease. Risk factors contributing to heart disease include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. Although these factors affect both sexes, several factors can affect the heart health of women more than that of men. Factors which can play a role in the development of heart disease in women are:

• The combination of fat around your abdomen, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high triglycerides.

• Mental stress and depression. Depression makes it tough to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stick to the treatment. So talk to your doctor if you're having symptoms of depression.

• Smoking is a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than in men.

• Low levels of estrogen after menopause may increase a woman's risk for developing cardiovascular disease in the smaller blood vessels.

Women most often are the caregivers, but in reality we often overlook giving ourselves the care we need. Each of the above risk factors can be decreed by making changes in lifestyle. By adding and increasing the priority of regular exercise to the daily or weekly routine, women can help reduce fat around the abdomen, blood pressure, depression and stress. The addition of one healthy lifestyle activity can pay off by reducing at least four risk factors. Now that's a high-heeled step in the right direction.

Smoking cessation is a must-and the benefits start immediately. After 20 minutes blood pressure decreases, after eight hours, oxygen levels in the blood rise and after 24 hours the chance of a heart attack decreases. Within 48 hours, the ability to taste and smell increases, which adds up to more enjoyment in the flavor and texture of good-for-you foods.

Stock up on colorful red fruits and vegetables. By increasing the amount of produce in the daily diet, you can maximize the nutrients, increase anti-oxidants, and fiber-all recognized picks for a healthy lifestyle. Choices include red beets, pomegranates, red cage, red grapefruit, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, red apples, red grapes, tomatoes, red crops, dried cranberries and cherries. Add red to the menu and look for the eye-catching color in the freezer, produce section and on supermarket shelves.

Now changing your lifestyle is not limited to women, this is a change that is good for the entire family.

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How to Regrow Hair – 4 Easy and Practical Steps to More Hair Growth

If you are looking for practical ways on how to re-grow hair, consider these simple options. While there are many state-of-the-art discoveries concerning hair growth and retention, there are still easy and conservative means of stimulating hair growth and preventing the incidence of severe hair loss.

These simple remedies can be done right in the comfort of your home. They are not just easy and natural but they are economic as well. Consider these options and see how your hair and scalp respond to them.

1.) There are many resources and hair care products that can show you how to re-grow hair. One of the most effective is application of Aloe Vera directly on the hair and scalp. Aloe Vera is known for its nourishing properties. It is effective in stimulating the growth of healthy and beautiful hair. It can also make the hair strands stronger in order to resist further damage. There are a lot of hair care products that contain Aloe Vera. However, applying its gel directly to the scalp through gentle massage using your fingertips can improve circulation and boost hair growth. Aloe Vera is safe and natural and can be applied daily to the hair and scalp.

2.) Another practical way on how to re-grow hair is by taking lots of B vitamins. Sources of B vitamins include meat, fish, eggs, poultry, meat and milk. There are also shampoos and conditioners that contain B vitamins. Vitamins B6 and B12 are effective in preventing hair loss and in stimulating the growth of new hair strands. Vitamins B3 is effective in increasing the circulation in the scalp which is essential in bringing in nutrients to the hair follicles and Vitamin B5 is effecting in stopping hair loss and in re-growing hair. In addition to these, B vitamins also moisturize the scalp thatby relieving dryness and itchiness.

3.) Vitamin E can also help in re-growing the hair. Sources of vitamin E include fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains. There are also natural vitamin E supplements that are widely available in various drugstores and health stores. This vitamin is effective in fighting off free radicals which are harmful to the cells of the body. It is also a strong antioxidant that promotes radiant and youngger looking skin as well as healthy hair. Vitamin E has many other health benefits and some of them are growth of healthy hair and keeping a well-nourished scalp.

4.) Other things that you can do in order to stimulate hair growth are; initiate a healthy lifestyle, follow a well-balanced diet and have enough rest and sleep. Healthy lifestyle means not smoking, reducing intake of alcoholic beverages to a minimum, increasing water intake and having enough physical activity. Eating a well-balanced meal that consist of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is likewise important. Cut down on your sodium intake and minimize fast foods and processed foods in your diet. A well-balanced meal can contribute to healthy skin and hair. Lastly, rejuvenate and refresh your body by having sufficient hours of sleep and rest. Remember, stress is one of the factors that contribute to hair fall and hair loss. Therefore, sleep and rest are important to maintain wellness and relieve the body of stress.

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How to Deal With ProSolution Pills Side Effects

ProSolution Pills, the herbal male enhancement product that has been getting quite a bit of press lately, is, for most users, one of the safest methods of penis enlargement. It is certainly safer than surgery and some of the more extreme stretching and traction methods. Neverheless, as with any medically active substance, there is always the risk of side effects. ProSolution Pills side effects are generally mild but may be problematic for those with certain pre-existing conditions. This article looks at a few of the more common ProSolution Pills side effects and how best to deal with them.

Perhaps the most common side effect that often comes from taking the ProSolution supplement is nausea. This is not so much a side effect as it is the body's way of dealing with a sudden influx of different substances. The best way to reduce the occurrence of nausea is to take the supplement with food and a big glass of water. This helps to slow the absorption of the active ingredients, resulting in less of a gastric response.

As with most male enhancement products, ProSolution Pills work in part by increasing blood flow in the vascular tissue in the penis. This is accomplished in a number of ways, but it almost always involves a slight increase in blood pressure. While this is tolerable for most users, it can be significant for those who suffer from severe hypertension or other cardiovascular disorders. Those who have these conditions should always consult a physician before using ProSolution Pills or any other male enhancement herbal supplement.

By far the most common ProSolution Pills side effects involve the nausea and elevated blood pressure. While these are minor for most users, those who have pre-existing conditions that make these side effects intolerable should either not take the pills or take them only under the guidance of a physician.

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Faith, Filth and the Human Heart

There is a story of a group of the very pious who are waiting in heaven for judgment. As they are waiting and complaining about the wait, they begin to see some of the "sinners" they knew on earth coming into the waiting room: a corrupt politician, an itinerant woman who had been convoked of shoplifting many times, a prostitute, a drug addict, a criminal, etc.

With each of these arrivals, the feeling of hostility increased in the first group. They glare at the others. They talk among themselves. Within a short time, words were spoken to those others, "What makes you think you're going to get in with the evil, sinful lives you lived on earth?"

"We are relying on the mercy and grace of God.

"Our good lives, of course." They turned their backs to the others.

Time began to drag on for the first group. They began to complain to one another. "If those other people get in, there's no justice.

The Lord arrived. He turned toward the first group, "I understand you've been wondering why there has been no judgment."

"Yes!" they fought out. "We want a judgment. We want justice."

The Lord replied, "The judge has already taken place." You've judged these. the Kingdom of God ".

The issue in Matthew 15: 10-28 is true holiness. Specifically, what constituents true holiness? Is it strict observance of the law or rituals, as the Pharisees or some church-goers think? After all, the Pharisees were so concerned about obeying God's law that they wrote countless rules to cover every conceivable situation. It makes me wonder if some government bureaucrats are descended from the Pharisees!

Or perhaps true holiness comes from the heart instead, as Jesus argues. He is right when he says that evil thoughts and deeds come from the heart. One only has to read the comments made by the man behind the recent terrorist attacks in Norway to see that this is true. On the other hand, we only have to look at people such as Mother Theresa or Desmond Tutu, or organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and the local food bank to see that good thoughts and deeds also come from the hearts of people, especially people who are willing to work for social justice.

Jesus continuously pointed out the conditions of the Pharisees' hearts. They held on to outward religious practices, but God wanted their hearts, which were hardened and cold. He wants the same thing from us today. Often times our hearts are hardened because of the world we live in and Jesus warns us of what will happen if we do not soften our hardened hearts. In Matthew 12: 33-37, Jesus states:

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored in him, and the evil man brings evil out of the evil stored in him. But I tell you that men will have to give an account on the day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned. "

Purity also affects the issue of just who can be admitted to God's kingdom, as we can see from the discussion Jesus has with the Canaanite woman. His reaction to her request shocks us, but it should not surprise us when we consider the culture of Jesus' time-a culture that treated women and children as second-class citizens. For example, Jews also thought that Gentiles were "dogs".

In Jesus' time, people did keep dogs as pets, but dogs were mainly scavengers who ate garbage and the carcasses of dead animals. Dogs that were pets were often fed food scraps from their owner's table, as they sometimes do now-hence the Canaanite woman's reference to dogs eating the crumbs from the master's table. The Canaanites were also considered to be dogs in the eyes of the Jews because they were descended from Noah's son Ham. He was the son who saw his father naked and passed out from being under the influence of alcohol. Instead of doing the sensible thing by covering Noah and keeping his mouth shut, Ham went and told people what he saw. Now there's a good example of someone having an unclean heart!

In contrast, the Canaanite woman had a pure heart. She was motivated by concern for her daughter and she knew that Jesus could heal her. While Jesus did open the door of God's kingdom to the Gentiles in his Great Commission in Matthew 28: 18-20, his priority at this time was the Israelites. Jesus represented God's faithfulness to the covenant he made to the Jews in the Old Testament.

The reference to dogs eating the crumbs from their master's table is a metaphor for the way in which the early Gentiles hear Jesus' message. Although Jesus' ministry was aimed at the Jews, some Gentiles did hear his messages and believed. These Gentiles were the "dogs" who ate the crumbs from Jesus' table. In the eyes of God, we are all dogs, and we are all dependent on free scraps from God's Table.

The Canaanite woman and the woman in the parable of the widow and the unjust judge prove that persistence pays off. Both of them refused to give up until they got what they wanted, and in both cases they showed true faith. God will grant our requests in his own time and in his own way if it falls within his plan for our lives, especially if our requests show true faith and holiness that comes from the heart.

Matthew's Gospel was written for a Jewish Christian audience, but by the time it was written, the church had long since begun opening its doors to the Gentiles. The Gospel reflects the tension between the Jewish community, where the church had its roots, and the Gentiles who were being admitted to the church's membership. Jesus unites what divides us. In him our many causes of exclusion became opportunities for embrace. Jesus, himself a man on the margins of society, brings the outsider inside.

A similar tension exists within some churches today, especially when they deal with issues such as the blessing of same-sex marriages. God breaks through such tensions. God is much bigger and more inclusive than any religious box people might use to contain God. When we turn to Jesus like the Canaanite woman did, and we receive a favorable response like she did, we learn to reflect on our shared religious customs and life together.

The story also reminds us that we too have come to Jesus through the Jews. We share the same faith; we see the hope this faith gave our ancestors in their wait for salvation. We are reminded that we have no claim to priority with Jesus. We are all equal in the eyes of God. We are recipients of grace-all has been freely bestowed on us. What we see is the God Jesus reveals to the woman; a God who would draw us close, sees our distress and helps us.

Those whom Christ wishes to honor must be humbled to feel their unworthiness. The Canaanite woman turned this into an argument to support her request. God's original plan was to bring salvation first to the Israelites and then to the Gentiles, but he responds to all who call on him in true faith and humility. For example, one night several months ago my mother had to be rushed by ambulance to the local hospital because of a medical emergency. I followed behind the ambulance in my own car. The doctor on call diagnosed the problem as a heart attack. After he spoke to the two of us, I went home, knowing that there was nothing more I could do for her at that time. After I called the rest of the family, I got ready for bed. Before I went to sleep, I had a serious talk with the Lord. I do not remember the exact words I used, but the prayer went something like this.

"Lord, I'm leaving the situation in your hands now. Please bless the doctors and nurses who are caring for her. If it's your will that Mom gets better, then please heal her. do not let her suffer. If her condition gets to the point where I have to make the important decisions that Mom and I have discussed, please give me the strength, wisdom and courage to make the right decision; and please give me the strength and courage to accept the consequences of my decision-especially consequences from other family members ".

Thankfully, God answered my prayer in the way I wanted him to answer it. Medical tests the next day revealed that the doctor made the wrong diagnosis. Mom did not have a heart attack-she had blood clots in both lungs. With proper treatment, Mom slowly got better and stronger, and she was discharged from the hospital after one week. Faith comes from an abundance of trials, not from the lack of trials. Great faith achieves great victories over these trials.

Only two people in the Gospels are said to have had great faith, and both of them were Gentiles. Great faith does not depend on background or position, but on the attitude of the heart. If we are fully committed to God, our entire lives will be expressions of worship and adoration to Him.

As I wrote earlier, God's original plan was to bring salvation first to the Israelites and then to the Gentiles, but he responds to all who call on him in true faith. Those who call on him in true faith have some degree of both faith and spiritual poverty. This is nothing new in Jesus' ministry. From its very beginning he realized that his message was directed to the lowest of the low in heart, to the emotional down-and-outers, to those knocked down on all fours and willing to crawl. In other words, his message has been directed to "dogs". The Canaanite woman took this to heart, groveling and grateful for any crumb that might fall from his table. She became a dog, and this was exactly the humility Jesus was looking for.

Legalism destroys spiritual life, makes us narrow and causes us to miss what is most important to God. We condemn those who differ from us in style of worship, language and culture because of legalism. While legalism stresses external behavior, Jesus emphasizes the motives of the heart. By focusing on the motives of the heart, rather than the legalistic purity, Jesus makes religious observances both easier and harder. It is easier because broad guidelines have replaced legalistic complexity. It is harder because we have to let our devotion to God affect us in the innermost parts of our being.

We live in a world that still needs a Savior. The Canaanite woman points us to a greater resource than human love. It's God's infinite mercy in the person and work of Jesus. He is God's love in action for her and for us. When she wears out to Jesus, she does so because she knows who he is and what he can do.

This story reminds us how the Church, which is Christ's earthly body, is repeated taught, not so much by respectable insiders, but by those on the margins, the people without power and credibility. These marginal people storm in, insisting that the church should live up to the pattern offered by Jesus. They rock the boat, and in so doing they force the church to remember its reason for being. Often these and others like them come to the church with a commendable faith, even as the Canaanite woman drew near to Jesus. They may come from outside the boundaries of power and acceptability, yet they're even eager for scraps from the table. What they need, what they deserve, is a seat with the rest of us at God's Table. There is much we can learn from them. Will we acknowledge them, listen to the, welcome them?

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Medical Malpractice and the Law

Medical malpractice cases can be big news, but these cases run the gamut from minor injuries to permanent injuries to death. What is medical malpractice? It’s a mistake, often called medical negligence, made by a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional that results in a patient’s injury. Doctors and medical facilities maintain malpractice insurance policies to pay for these mistakes, and patients can file lawsuits against the doctor and medical facility or hospital to receive money for the injuries.

The most obvious type of medical malpractice is a mistake made during surgery. This famously happened to comedian and former Saturday Night Live star, Dana Carvey. He had a blocked artery to his heart, but the surgeon ended up operating on the wrong artery. This meant that Carvey had to undergo a second surgery. In this high profile medical malpractice case, Carvey was awarded $7.5 million.

Other surgical mistakes could lead to infection, paralysis, accidentally cutting a vital organ, or leaving a foreign object inside the patient’s body. Surgical mistakes are only one type of medical malpractice, however. These cases can involve any number of mistakes, such as:

Misdiagnosis – A doctor may inaccurately determine that a patient has one condition or disease when it is later discovered that the patient had a different condition or disease. If the real disease goes untreated, it can lead to injury or death. A misdiagnosis may also lead the doctor to prescribe the wrong medications or unnecessary surgery, which can cause injury to the patient.

Delayed diagnosis – In this case, the physician fails to determine that the patient has a serious illness such as cancer or heart disease. Obviously, if the person isn’t treated because the doctor failed to recognize the illness, it could lead to injury or death. A delay can also occur if someone is forced to wait in an emergency room for too long, for example.

Anesthesia Mistakes – Anesthesiologists are responsible for the medication that causes a patient to sleep during a medical procedure. Since people can be sensitive to these medications, it’s the responsibility of the anesthesiologist to review a patient’s medical history to try to ensure that the anesthesia medication won’t cause problems. If it does, the anesthesiologist and medical facility may be sued for the patient’s injuries.

Prescriptions – Before prescribing medications, a doctor needs to know all other medications that a patient may be taking because it can be dangerous to mix them. It can also be dangerous to take some medications if the patient has a specific disease. For example, a particular heart medication may be dangerous for someone with Parkinson’s Disease.

Childbirth – If medical personnel make mistakes during childbirth, the result can be death or permanent disabilities, such as brain damage in the baby.

Of course, these are just a few of the more common forms of medical malpractice. Dental malpractice and all sorts of other possibilities exist in the medical field.

What to Do If You Have Been Injured by Medical Malpractice

If you believe that you or a loved one has been injured by medical malpractice, the first thing you need to do is consult a lawyer. These kinds of cases can be very complicated, so it’s absolutely necessary to have an experienced attorney working on your behalf.

Why are these cases so complicated? It can often be difficult to prove that the medical professionals acted negligently. All medical records have to be carefully examined to determine if malpractice really did take place. Did the doctor not perform his or her duties up to the standards expected of the profession? This can be likened to a driver who runs a red light or doesn’t stop for a stop light.

It is also important to note that each state has what is called a “statute of limitations” on medical malpractice claims. So, you need to act quickly if you believe malpractice has taken place because after a period of time, you will no longer be allowed to file a lawsuit.

Most lawyers who work on medical malpractice cases don’t require you to pay them a fee up front. They work on what is called a “contingency” basis, which means that they take a percentage of the total settlement you receive when the case is finished. The lawyer takes a certain risk here, so it’s to the lawyer’s advantage to only take cases that are likely to lead to a settlement that will be higher than the costs of the lawsuit. This means, first and foremost, that there must be what is called “causation.”

Causation means that it must be provable that the injury occurred as a direct result of the medical professional’s negligence. Most of the lawyers who handle medical malpractice cases have medical investigators to help them develop the evidence to prove that you or your loved one was indeed a victim of malpractice.

It’s also to the lawyer’s advantage to try to get you as much money as possible and to try to keep your case from going to court. This means that the lawyer will negotiate on your behalf with the lawyer for the malpractice insurance company, working to obtain a settlement for you. Experienced medical malpractice attorneys know what settlement amounts are reasonable to expect for different kinds of cases.

How long do medical malpractice lawsuits take to settle? This varies greatly and depends on a number of factors. The more complex the issues involved, of course, the longer it will probably take before a settlement will be reached.

The most important reason for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is to receive the money you need for medical care related to the injury. If the injury is permanent, such as in the case of cerebral palsy or paralysis, the costs can be enormous and will last a lifetime. The injured person or the caretaker of the injured person may not be able to work for a period of time, so there may also be a loss of income – before the settlement and perhaps also in the future.

In addition, there may be money awarded for what is called “pain and suffering” and for “loss of consortium,” which refers to a loss of benefits by the injured person’s husband or wife. Punitive damages are also sometimes awarded, which is punishment when the negligence is extreme. Monies in the settlement that are for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, punitive damages, and loss of consortium, are restricted in some U.S. states.

Another reason for filing a medical malpractice suit, however, is to make sure that the medical professional isn’t negligent with other patients. This doesn’t mean that the doctor will be forced to stop practicing medicine, however. In most cases, the malpractice is considered to be an honest mistake. The negligence must be extreme for a doctor to lose his or her medical license, and the health department is the agency that must make that decision.

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Panic Attack Symptoms

What are panic attack symptoms? How can I know if I'm having a panic attack? These are just a couple of the questions that I found myself asking after my 11th visit to the emergency room. The following list may help you understand your own symptoms and whether they signal a panic attack.

Heart Palpitations: If you feel that your heart is skipping beats, your heart is beating too fast, too slow, or fluttering, you are probably having heart palpitations.

Dizziness: This can be felt in two ways. You can have a feeling of lightheadedness or you may feel that the surroundings are moving even when you are perfectly still (known as vertigo).

Tingling Sensations in the Hands and Feet: This is the kind of feeling that you get when your foot falls "sleep". Not generally painful, but quite annoying.

Chest Pain or Discomfort: Although this is also one of the symptoms of panic attacks; this one should be checked out by a medical professional as it may be something more serious. These pains can either be dull or sharp.

Disorientation or Feelings of Unreality: One of the many panic attacks that can be quite frightening, disorientation can be described as suddenly forgetting where you are, even if you're in your own home. Unreality is a feeling of being detached from your surroundings.

Sweating: This can be uncontrollable, profuse and downright embarrassing.

Trembling: Your arms or hands or legs or even your entire body can feel shaky when you're having an attack.

Shortness of Breath: You suddenly feel as though you can not breathe and you're afraid of dying from suffocation. You might be feeling that breathing is forced or that you might be having a hard time trying to catch your breath.

Stomach Distress: Digestive problems can accompany panic attacks. This can incorporate diarrhea, bloating and vomiting. It's the nastiest of the panic attack symptoms.

Fortunately, it is quite easy to treat panic disorder. With this article as a guide, perhaps you may find it easy to discuss your particular panic attack symptoms with your doctor.

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What Are You Creating Next To Grow Your Business?

Creating new things leads to growth.

Whenever I talk to business owners who want to grow their business, my question is “What are you creating to make that happen?”

Many times, they don’t have an answer. Instead, they are just trying to do more of the same things. More meetings, more conversations, more sales, more customers. And if things are working well, then by all means keep doing them.

But in order to improve things in a bigger way, we have to innovate. And innovation means creating and trying new things.

Create New Things To Sell

Creating something new could mean a new product, or program, or package. Having something new to sell can open you up to customers who weren’t buying your previous offer, but might be interested in something a little different.

This often happens with my clients who build online courses and training programs. They are able to sell the program to people who hadn’t signed up for one-on-one services. It’s a different approach, a different price point, and a different opportunity.

Having a new offer opens up conversations with people that had previously been at a dead end. It can create momentum in your business, and lead to growth in areas that didn’t exist before!

Create Things To Reach More People

The best way to reach more people is to create things to help you get in front of them. This is where content comes in!

What can you create to provide value and give to people? Can you send them a blog article? Offer them a free PDF download? Invite them to an event? Engage with them through a video or audio series?

Content is a hot-button word in marketing these days because it works!

It’s the best way to find and reach the people who are interested in what you do. With my clients, I recommend creating 1-4 Nurturing Content pieces each month, and one Catalyst Content piece every 12-18 weeks.

Creating content is what allows you to get in front of people on a regular basis in a positive way, rather than with the same annoying sales pitch.

Creating Systems

Another thing you can create to grow your business are systems and processes. What is your process for following up with people? What is the sequence of communications? What do you provide to build a relationship and earn their trust?

Maybe you need to create a leveraged program, sales process, or customer service system. What are the pieces of the system? Once you create it, you can use it over and over again.

So it comes down to this…

If you want to be growing, then you also have to be creating. The fastest growing businesses and individuals have time built in to create things in these categories for their business.

How about you? What are you creating next to grow your business?

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The Official Goal of Therapy in Advanced Stages of the Disease: Increase Survival

For any type of cancer there are 4 stages (in ascending order of severity) that assess the extent of the disease. Knowing the stage of disease is important to provide the most appropriate care for the sick, as well as to form a reasonably prognosis.

Stages one and two are considered early. The tumor is limited and the prognosis, especially if there is no lymph node involvement, is often positive. Stages III and IV are considered advanced and the prognosis is usually poor. The disease has spread to other organs and usually turns out to be more aggressive and resistant to treatment. The tumor, at this point, having made metastases, must be attacked in a systemic way.

As a result of this surgery is often not valid clinical indication and therapy is usually represented by the most appropriate chemotherapy for the initial treatment (1 st line) and molecular targeted drugs for the next treatment (2nd line), possibly more cycles of radiotherapy.

In advanced disease, these therapies, while having systemic action, like acting on the whole body, no longer aims to heal, but they are designed to increase survival by limiting the possible symptoms of the disease and the patient's pain (objective cure / palliative) . With a few exceptions represented by tumors with low-grade malignancies (eg testicular cancer), the finding with advanced neoplasia III or stage IV for which you can only groped to slow down the development, is living with the situation more dramatic for a patient with cancer (and its expensive).

It's a terrible psychological situation: it feels condemned to death. They are negative thoughts like, "maybe I'll die in a few months", "maybe the disease progresses I will try to short to unbearable pain", "what will the lives of my loved ones be without me", and other conflicting thoughts which a natural instinct for survival leads in any case to entertain hopes of "maybe if I can survive for some years, then I can count on a new cure", "maybe I can get into some new experimental protocol", "maybe there is a Unofficial miraculous cure ".

My mother died of cancer that is the reason why this information is very dear to my heart.

Maybe you also know people of you have dear ones that have left you due to this serious illness.

Still there is always hope. Research is evolving each an every day. Be confident and have faith. Alternatives cures for cancer may be the way.

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Attacking the Layers of Chronic Pain in 5 Easy Steps

A project of any significant size is normally going to need more than a single step to accomplish. High-value projects and goals almost invariably require careful planning, several steps during a period of time and perseverance to stick with it and see the project right through to the finish. Aiming to attack the layers of chronic pain isn’t any exception. To attack chronic pain conditions such as RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy), sciatic pain, chronic low back pain (CLBP), neuralgia, neuropathies, headache pain is not a single step project either. But here is how to achieve that in five simple steps.

Step 1. Realize that much of the pain is now what we call secondary or tertiary pain.

These painful areas are not the same areas as the original pain and in fact may now be more painful than the original precipitating painful condition. For the chronic pain patient the pain actually starts a process called “layering” in which guarding, postural changes, lack of movement creates stress in other areas of our body that, over time, results in creation of a second layer of pain. This is important because when chronic pain is treated there usually is more than one area of pain and the easiest to treat are the secondary layers of pain that have emerged over time. When you decide not to do this step, of going for the secondary layers, you may not achieve the pain relief that is expected.

Step 2. Treat the secondary pains with the armada of treatment options you have.

Lets take one of the most common second layers of pain for the back pain patient. That’s usually a sciatic, or radiating leg pain that may or may not extend into the foot causing a secondary foot pain, ankle or knee pain. Attack these pains first. If using an interferential unit then set the electrodes up to stimulate into those painful areas. Generally after a few 20 – 45 minute treatments the pain will subside or go away completely. The original cause of the sciatica problem is still the posturing from the back pain condition however for most sciatic pain patients the sciatica, knee pain, ankle pain etc. is now the most painful problem. This is also the easier to treat and the quickest success can be seen here. This is usually a crucial step that will need your full attention.

Do the interferential therapy for pain stimulus removal first in the secondary or tertiary areas. The reason why is the key is to slowly remove the pain layers, not the original cause such as the back in this specific, until we can get to the original source that created the secondary layers. The additional treatments are used to remove the irritation, one layer at a time, so the patient can feel better and see progress being made.

Step 3. If the combination of treatments resulted in diminishing of let’s say, any pain below the knee, then you are being successful as the foot,ankle, toe pain were all tertiary and now they are not hurting complicating the successful treatments.

The real reason for this is to advance pain relief until we remove all but the original pain source. In this case the original pain is the back condition. Also, you want to discover which of our treatment options work best for what layer of pain. As any chronic pain patient knows, pain moves. At certain times one remedy may be better than another and over time, what is best when, is discovered.

Step 4. Successfully use treatment options until the secondary pains are gone.

To elaborate on that a little bit, what we are trying to do is simply take away all secondary pains until we get to the original cause and once there then the most important aspect begins.

Step 5. Prevent the reoccurence of the conditions that lead to the secondary issues.

That means once the pain layers are to only one, then by continuing to use interferential treatments during stretching, using maybe tens mode while outside working or shopping then the pain is subsided and you may participate without guarding or shielding against pain. This is the process that restores elasticity to the muscles, allows free movement without restrictive pain and now the focus is on treating only one pain, that of the lower back. Furthermore, the original source of pain can now be treated with the goal of total elimination..

Finally, for those who have followed the above tips closely, you’ll succeed and can then enjoy the fruits of this success! You can be a little bit pleased with yourself and self-satisfied! You set yourself a goal and here you have attained it! Now enjoy it!

If you did not follow the tips set forth above, well… good luck anyway. You will likely require it…;-)

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Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Eating – Four Healthy Sources Of Fiber

If you have been given a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, or you are someone who is taking steps not to become a diabetic, it is crucial you include a healthy amount of dietary fiber in your eating plan.

Fiber will not raise your blood sugar and will help control blood sugar spikes. Dietary fiber is classified as being soluble or insoluble: it depends on whether the fiber dissolves in water. We need to take in both of these kinds which are found in many foods.

Fiber naturally occurs in…

  • fruits,
  • vegetables,
  • grains, and
  • beans.

Insoluble fiber helps…

  • prevent constipation,
  • remove toxic waste from your colon, and
  • helps balance the pH in your intestines.

Soluble protein helps…

  • prevent blood sugar spikes after eating, so you will not overeat, and
  • maintain a healthy ratio of cholesterol, therefore, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Many people know vegetables are good sources of fiber. Here are some healthy sources to be on the lookout for…

1. Beans. Beans are a vegetable you will want to consider adding to your diet plan. Beans can be consumed on their own as a side dish or added to another meal such as in soups, stews, or chili.

With so many different varieties available, you are sure to find one you will like.

Fiber content per one cup serving: 15 grams.

2. Blackberries. Blackberries are another tasty food if you want to boost your total dietary fiber intake. They are also quite low in calories, so are suitable for those who are planning to lower their calorie count. Blackberries are also loaded with antioxidants, so offer many health benefits.

You will find them easy to eat on their own or add them to smoothies, over yogurt, or a bowl of cereal.

Fiber content per one cup serving: 7.6 grams

3. Barley. If you eat brown rice on the side of your meals, now might be the time to consider changing to barley instead. Barley is a fantastic grain to have and is much higher in fiber than brown rice.

It also presents a heartier, nuttier flavor, something many people prefer. If you think barley is only for beef barley soup, think again. There are many delicious ways to serve this grain.

Fiber content per one cup serving: 6 grams

4. Oatmeal. There is no better way to start your day than with a bowl of hearty oatmeal. Oatmeal is virtually sugar-free, so proves to be an excellent grain for keeping your blood sugar levels in check.

You will also receive a reasonable amount of food for the number of calories found in oatmeal, so this makes it a fantastic option for those who are on a reduced calorie eating plan.

Fiber content per one cup serving: 4 grams

It is essential to get your fiber from different sources such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.