alive&well's topics - tribe.net

Threat of world Aids pandemic among heterosexuals is over, report admits

prayoga — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:53:54 GMT

Will the dice roll??

A 25-year health campaign was misplaced outside the continent of Africa. But the disease still kills more than all wars and conflicts

By Jeremy Laurance
Sunday, 8 June 2008

A quarter of a century after the outbreak of Aids, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has accepted that the threat of a global heterosexual pandemic has disappeared.

In the first official admission that the universal prevention strategy promoted by the major Aids organisations may have been misdirected, Kevin de Cock, the head of the WHO's department of HIV/Aids said there will be no generalised epidemic of Aids in the heterosexual population outside Africa.

Dr De Cock, an epidemiologist who has spent much of his career leading the battle against the disease, said understanding of the threat posed by the virus had changed. Whereas once it was seen as a risk to populations everywhere, it was now recognised that, outside sub-Saharan Africa, it was confined to high-risk groups including men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, and sex workers and their clients.

Dr De Cock said: "It is very unlikely there will be a heterosexual epidemic in other countries. Ten years ago a lot of people were saying there would be a generalised epidemic in Asia – China was the big worry with its huge population. That doesn't look likely. But we have to be careful. As an epidemiologist it is better to describe what we can measure. There could be small outbreaks in some areas."

read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/threat-of-world-aids-pandemic-among-heterosexuals-is-over-report-admits-842478.html

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weekly quote from dali lama ;)*

lmbfreespirit — Sat, 31 May 2008 16:33:55 GMT

For those of you who are not able to devote all your time to meditation, there is nevertheless the possibility of engaging in practice in a serious way. For example, the students at the monastic universities in South India can, with some effort, do meditations during the prayers. When you recite the prayers, you can mentally do the contemplation. The lifestyle and daily routine at these monasteries have been structured by the great masters of the past in a way that is most conducive to individual practice as well as to the flourishing of the dharma.

If you find that your mind is in a very fluctuating emotional state--displaying anger, hatred, attachment and so forth--then you should first try to calm down that state of strong emotion. This should be done by first transforming it into a neutral state of mind, because there is no way that one can switch directly from a negative state of mind to a positive one. Therefore, you should first reduce the force of these emotions and fluctuations and try to bring about some sort of calmness, using any means--such as taking a stroll or concentrating on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath--that will enable you to forget what you are immediately feeling. This will help you to reduce the force of strong emotion, thereby giving you the calmness necessary for the practice of dharma. Like a white piece of cloth which could be dyed any color that you desire, such a neutral state of mind could then be transformed into a virtuous state of mind.

You could also engage in the preliminary practices of performing 100,000 prostrations, recitations of the Vajrasattva mantra, and so forth. When you undertake these practices, you should do them properly, not being only concerned about the number. Many great masters of the past of all traditions have emphasized the importance of these preliminary practices--they will enable you to have a very firm start. If through them you can acquire a fertile mind, then when the seed of meditation is planted, it will readily bear the fruits of realizations.

Having successfully neutralized the emotional fluctuations within your mind and having restored a reasonable degree of calmness, engage in the practice of taking refuge and generating the altruistic aspiration to attain full enlightenment. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the factor that distinguishes one's practice from that of an erroneous path, and the generation of the altruistic mind makes it superior to the paths aiming at individual liberation.

--from The Path to Bliss by H.H. the Dalai Lama, translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa, edited by Christine Cox, published by Snow Lion Publications

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posted in alive&well - 2 replies

A Way Out

StrongAngel — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:52:07 GMT

Hi All,
I was surprised not to find any info on Matthew Grace on this tribe.
He was one of the first ones to open my eyes to some of the erroneous beliefs about disease. His book ultimately changed my life.
I would check out his book: A Way Out. He also has a number of lectures he has done on diseases, including AIDS.

"If you or a loved one have been told that you are doomed to live with 'incurable' or 'chronic' disease, you have been lied to. You do not have to suffer through the druggings, burnings, poisonings, mutilations, irradiations, and hopelessness prescribed to you. You now have the opportunity to do what thousands of others have done; you can take responsibility for your well being, understand the true nature of disease, the simplicity of health and allow your body to do what it knows best--heal."
--Matthew Grace, A WAY OUT

http://www.matthewgrace.com/

I am in no way affiliated with him. I just really respect his personal story of transformation and what it has done for me. I thought I'd share it with you too.

Aloha,
NORA

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

KNOW yourself!

lmbfreespirit — Sun, 04 May 2008 15:57:22 GMT

The mind has to explore every corner of itself, leaving no spot uncovered, because if there is a single dark corner of one's mind which one is afraid to explore, from that springs illusion. --J. Krishnamurti

posted in alive&well - 1 reply

I am not yet, but I'm getting there ;)*

lmbfreespirit — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:19:06 GMT

http://tribes.tribe.net/eckarttolle

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

A New Gay Dating Site……with a twist

I-Thought-You-Knew — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:46:35 GMT

YES....you will see this post in my various tribes, so if you've seen it in another tribe you're a member of.........Don't Bitch. OKAY! And I say this in jest:-)

This gay dating site is unique in regards, to its approach, for its membership. Here’s the premise of the site, written and originated by the creator of the site:

“Welcome to Dissident Dating”

“Maybe you don't test for HIV or maybe you did and just don't trust the results. Maybe you've learned that AIDS is not caused by HIV, and that tests are inaccurate. Then you can meet like-minded people here, make friends, date, and...well, its up to you! On this site no one posts "status" because negative and positive are proven to be meaningless or at best misleading. Why not live and love!”

My Observation:

With all the fear and pandemonium about dating (these days) a person labeled ‘so-called’ hiv-antibody positive, this site doesn’t ask that you reveal your ‘status’ because the members are dissidents, and have accepted, not to accept, the fear based paradigm of hiv ‘antibodies’ being the cause of aids.

Definition of ‘Antibody’: any of numerous Y-shaped protein molecules produced by B cells as a primary immune defense, each molecule and its clones having a unique binding site that can combine with the complementary site of a foreign antigen, as on a virus or bacterium, thereby disabling the antigen and signaling other immune defenses.

So if you’ve been labeled hiv-antibody positive, or negative, or just don’t know, no one on the dating site will judge you about that. Just be prepared for a vast amount of mind-blowing (and boggling) knowledge from some of the members, you may come to know, on the site.

What I find interesting about the site, is it’s ability, to reach out to people, who, are taking a different stance and approach on dating, loving, meeting someone new, and being with someone who shares their views about the ‘Otherside’ of the hiv paradigm and model. And hey…you just might learn something new, and a thang-or-two, from a member, or so.

This is not a debate, or bitching, or mud-slinging site; that usually happens after you’re in a relationship. It’s a gay DATING site, with a majority of members who are interested in meeting and getting to know others, who question(s) the model we call hiv. Revealing your status (I would assume) – to another member – it entirely up to you and he, if you care to include it in your dialogue, but not required.

The site is new, so it will be a matter of time, when the membership continues to grow.
It is ‘not’ to assume that every member joining -- this site -- are considered as hiv antibody pos, because a lot of people aren’t, because they know enough and don’t believe hiv=aids, to be afraid of being with someone label as pos:
http://www.dissidentdating.com/index.php

Be open-minded. You may met someone who can change you life for the better. One just never knows, where cupid may strike.
Terry

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

Where have you people been all my life!

Brian — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:07:47 GMT

some of ya'll may know me from myspace/carter19604 and co-moderator at aidsmythexposed..... HELLO

posted in alive&well - 3 replies

~peace~

lmbfreespirit — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:41:58 GMT

What is the most efficient, the most profound way of
purifying our Bad-karma? Compassion! Remember,
compassion is the choice, the will; to take-away everyone’s
sufferings and their causes. In pages 16-17 of
“Quick Path to Happy Peace” there are some very powerful
Semi-verbal meditations culminating in a silent meditation
that not only increases our compassion and Heart-bliss, but
also purifies everyone’s sufferings and the Bad-karma that
can cause them. Of Course the easiest way to learn these
meditations is to make arrangements to receive
live, telephone-teachings ; like many of my other students
have.

If the essence of Tantra’s Completion stage are the yogas
of insight, then how do we bring this Heart-bliss of
Compassion into wisdom’s path of Letting-go? We’ll explore
that tomorrow.

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

BE alive & well w/the Obamm heath care plan!

lmbfreespirit — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:14:43 GMT

Plan for a Healthy America
“We now face an opportunity — and an obligation — to turn the page on the failed politics of yesterday's health care debates… My plan begins by covering every American. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change for you under this plan is the amount of money you will spend on premiums. That will be less. If you are one of the 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance, you will have it after this plan becomes law. No one will be turned away because of a preexisting condition or illness.”

— Barack Obama, Speech in Iowa City, IA, May 29, 2007

At a Glance
Quality, Affordable and Portable Coverage for All
Lower Costs by Modernizing The U.S. Health Care System
Fight for New Initiatives

Speak your mind and help set the policies that will guide this campaign and change the country.

Present your ideas
Discuss with others
Watch the VideoThe Problem
Millions of Americans are uninsured or underinsured because of rising medical costs: 47 million Americans — including nearly 9 million children — lack health insurance with no signs of this trend slowing down.

Health care costs are skyrocketing: Health insurance premiums have risen 4 times faster than wages over the past 6 years.

Too little is spent on prevention and public health: The nation faces epidemics of obesity and chronic diseases as well as new threats of pandemic flu and bioterrorism. Yet despite all of this less than 4 cents of every health care dollar is spent on prevention and public health.

Barack Obama's Plan
Quality, Affordable and Portable Coverage for All
Obama's Plan to Cover Uninsured Americans: Obama will make available a new national health plan to all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to members of Congress. The Obama plan will have the following features:
Guaranteed eligibility. No American will be turned away from any insurance plan because of illness or pre-existing conditions.
Comprehensive benefits. The benefit package will be similar to that offered through Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the plan members of Congress have. The plan will cover all essential medical services, including preventive, maternity and mental health care.
Affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
Subsidies. Individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP but still need financial assistance will receive an income-related federal subsidy to buy into the new public plan or purchase a private health care plan.
Simplified paperwork and reined in health costs.
Easy enrollment. The new public plan will be simple to enroll in and provide ready access to coverage.
Portability and choice. Participants in the new public plan and the National Health Insurance Exchange (see below) will be able to move from job to job without changing or jeopardizing their health care coverage.
Quality and efficiency. Participating insurance companies in the new public program will be required to report data to ensure that standards for quality, health information technology and administration are being met.
National Health Insurance Exchange: The Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible. Insurers would have to issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums that will not depend upon health status. The Exchange will require that all the plans offered are at least as generous as the new public plan and have the same standards for quality and efficiency. The Exchange would evaluate plans and make the differences among the plans, including cost of services, public.
Employer Contribution: Employers that do not offer or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Small employers that meet certain revenue thresholds will be exempt.
Mandatory Coverage of Children: Obama will require that all children have health care coverage. Obama will expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage, including allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans.
Expansion Of Medicaid and SCHIP: Obama will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function.
Flexibility for State Plans: Due to federal inaction, some states have taken the lead in health care reform. The Obama plan builds on these efforts and does not replace what states are doing. States can continue to experiment, provided they meet the minimum standards of the national plan.
Lower Costs by Modernizing The U.S. Health Care System
Reducing Costs of Catastrophic Illnesses for Employers and Their Employees: Catastrophic health expenditures account for a high percentage of medical expenses for private insurers. The Obama plan would reimburse employer health plans for a portion of the catastrophic costs they incur above a threshold if they guarantee such savings are used to reduce the cost of workers' premiums.
Helping Patients:
Support disease management programs. Seventy five percent of total health care dollars are spent on patients with one or more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Obama will require that providers that participate in the new public plan, Medicare or the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) utilize proven disease management programs. This will improve quality of care, give doctors better information and lower costs.
Coordinate and integrate care. Over 133 million Americans have at least one chronic disease and these chronic conditions cost a staggering $1.7 trillion yearly. Obama will support implementation of programs and encourage team care that will improve coordination and integration of care of those with chronic conditions.
Require full transparency about quality and costs. Obama will require hospitals and providers to collect and publicly report measures of health care costs and quality, including data on preventable medical errors, nurse staffing ratios, hospital-acquired infections, and disparities in care. Health plans will also be required to disclose the percentage of premiums that go to patient care as opposed to administrative costs.
Ensuring Providers Deliver Quality Care:
Promote patient safety. Obama will require providers to report preventable medical errors and support hospital and physician practice improvement to prevent future occurrences.
Align incentives for excellence. Both public and private insurers tend to pay providers based on the volume of services provided, rather than the quality or effectiveness of care. Providers who see patients enrolled in the new public plan, the National Health Insurance Exchange, Medicare and FEHBP will be rewarded for achieving performance thresholds on outcome measures.
Comparative effectiveness research. Obama will establish an independent institute to guide reviews and research on comparative effectiveness, so that Americans and their doctors will have the accurate and objective information they need to make the best decisions for their health and well-being.
Tackle disparities in health care. Obama will tackle the root causes of health disparities by addressing differences in access to health coverage and promoting prevention and public health, both of which play a major role in addressing disparities. He will also challenge the medical system to eliminate inequities in health care through quality measurement and reporting, implementation of effective interventions such as patient navigation programs, and diversification of the health workforce.
Insurance reform. Obama will strengthen antitrust laws to prevent insurers from overcharging physicians for their malpractice insurance and will promote new models for addressing errors that improve patient safety, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and reduce the need for malpractice suits.
Lowering Costs Through Investment in Electronic Health Information Technology Systems: Most medical records are still stored on paper, which makes it hard to coordinate care, measure quality or reduce medical errors and which costs twice as much as electronic claims. Obama will invest $10 billion a year over the next five years to move the U.S. health care system to broad adoption of standards-based electronic health information systems, including electronic health records, and will phase in requirements for full implementation of health IT. Obama will ensure that patients' privacy is protected.
Lowering Costs by Increasing Competition in the Insurance and Drug Markets: The insurance business today is dominated by a small group of large companies that has been gobbling up their rivals. There have been over 400 health care mergers in the last 10 years, and just two companies dominate a full third of the national market. These changes were supposed to make the industry more efficient, but instead premiums have skyrocketed by over 87 percent.
Barack Obama will prevent companies from abusing their monopoly power through unjustified price increases. His plan will force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care instead of keeping exorbitant amounts for profits and administration. His new National Health Exchange will help increase competition by insurers.
Lower prescription drug costs. The second-fastest growing type of health expenses is prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are selling the exact same drugs in Europe and Canada but charging Americans more than double the price. Obama will allow Americans to buy their medicines from other developed countries if the drugs are safe and prices are lower outside the U.S. Obama will also repeal the ban that prevents the government from negotiating with drug companies, which could result in savings as high as $30 billion. Finally, Obama will work to increase the use of generic drugs in Medicare, Medicaid, and FEHBP and prohibit big name drug companies from keeping generics out of markets.
Fight for New Initiatives
Advance the Biomedical Research Field: As a result of biomedical research the prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases such as cancer and heart disease is better today than any other time in history. Barack Obama has consistently supported funding for the national institutes of health and the national science foundation. Obama strongly supports investments in biomedical research, as well as medical education and training in health-related fields, because it provides the foundation for new therapies and diagnostics. Obama has been a champion of research in cancer, mental health, health disparities, global health, women and children's health, and veterans' health. As president, Obama will strengthen funding for biomedical research, and better improve the efficiency of that research by improving coordination both within government and across government/private/non-profit partnerships. An Obama administration will ensure that we translate scientific progress into improved approaches to disease prevention, early detection and therapy that is available for all Americans.
Fight AIDS Worldwide. There are 40 million people across the planet infected with HIV/AIDS. As president, Obama will continue to be a global leader in the fight against AIDS. Obama believes in working across party lines to combat this epidemic and recently joined Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) at a large California evangelical church to promote greater investment in the global AIDS battle.
Support Americans with Disabilities: As a former civil rights lawyer, Barack Obama knows firsthand the importance of strong protections for minority communities in our society. Obama is committed to strengthening and better enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so that future generations of Americans with disabilities have equal rights and opportunities. Obama believes we must restore the original legislative intent of the ADA in the wake of court decisions that have restricted the interpretation of this landmark legislation.

Barack Obama is also committed to ensuring that disabled Americans receive Medicaid and Medicare benefits in a low-cost, effective and timely manner. Recognizing that many individuals with disabilities rely on Medicare, Obama worked with Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) to urge the department of health and human services to provide clear and reliable information on the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to ensure that the Medicare recipients were protected from fraudulent claims by marketers and drug plan agents.
Improve Mental Health Care. Mental illness affects approximately one in five American families. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that untreated mental illnesses cost the U.S. more than $100 billion per year. As president, Obama will support mental health parity so that coverage for serious mental illnesses are provided on the same terms and conditions as other illnesses and diseases.
Protect Our Children from Lead Poisoning. More than 430,000 American children have dangerously high levels of lead in their blood. Lead can cause irreversible brain damage, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma and death. As president, Obama will protect children from lead poisoning by requiring that child care facilities be lead-safe within five years.
Reduce Risks of Mercury Pollution. More than five million women of childbearing age have high levels of toxic mercury in their blood, and approximately 630,000 newborns are born at risk every year. Barack Obama has a plan to significantly reduce the amount of mercury that is deposited in oceans, lakes, and rivers, which in turn would reduce the amount of mercury in fish.
Support Americans with Autism. More than one million Americans have autism, a complex neurobiological condition that has a range of impacts on thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. As diagnostic criteria broaden and awareness increases, more cases of autism have been recognized across the country. Barack Obama believes that we can do more to help autistic Americans and their families understand and live with autism. He has been a strong supporter of more than $1 billion in federal funding for autism research on the root causes and treatments, and he believes that we should increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to truly ensure that no child is left behind.

More than anything, autism remains a profound mystery with a broad spectrum of effects on autistic individuals, their families, loved ones, the community, and education and health care systems. Obama believes that the government and our communities should work together to provide a helping hand to autistic individuals and their families.

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

Serrano $2.5 Million Award Over False HIV Pos Raises Basic Questions

I-Thought-You-Knew — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 05:25:12 GMT

Verdict of $2.5 Million Over False-Positive HIV Diagnosis Brings up Basic Problems With AIDS Testing and Treatment, Say Scientists

CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2007--A lawsuit decided today against the University of Massachusetts Medical Center over consequences of an allegedly false-positive HIV antibody test exposes basic problems with the test and treatments for all persons taking them, according to a high-ranking medical researcher who has advised the plaintiff's lawyer on the case. The verdict, issued today, awarded $2.5 million to the plaintiff.

The complaint by Audrey Serrano, 45, in court hearings this week in Worcester, Mass., focuses on the absence of a “confirmatory” Western Blot test in her records. However, Andrew Maniotis, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, University of Illinois-Chicago School of Medicine, contends that, though the reliability of all HIV testing is not on trial in court here, the case history opens questions about it. And, because Serrano developed illnesses commonly defined as “AIDS-related conditions” only after taking HIV medications known as “highly active antiretroviral therapy” (HAART), the drugs themselves appear to have caused “AIDS.”

Rethinking AIDS (RA) has been asking such questions since its founding in 1991. Etienne de Harven, M.D., president of RA, says, “It is urgent that we open a public debate on the highly suspect reliability of all HIV testing. Moreover, I fully share Dr. Maniotis' concern about the safety of HIV drugs.” Further resources are online at the group’s Web site, www.rethinkingaids.com.

Rodney Richards, Ph.D., worked on the development of antibody (ELISA) and genetic “viral load” tests for Amgen and holds some related patents. “The diagnosis of being HIV positive is based on arbitrary combinations of tests, none of which are approved for diagnosing HIV,” he says. “In fact there is no test for HIV. It’s just an illusion.”

Raising issues of informed consent for all persons submitting to HIV antibody testing, the test kits themselves contain disclaimers that doctors rarely, if ever, share with patients. For example, Abbott Laboratories’ ELISA test kit, typically used as a preliminary test, warns:

“ELISA testing alone cannot be used to diagnose AIDS.”

Confirmation of an ELISA result with a Western Blot test is currently required as a “standard of care.” Epitope’s Western Blot package insert reads:

“Do not use this kit as the sole basis for HIV infection.”

“This is somewhat more concerning, since the Western Blot is supposed to be a highly accurate test, used to confirm that an ELISA is not a false positive,” says Dr. Maniotis. “Moreover, the peer-reviewed literature gives substantial evidence that the virus ‘HIV’ has never been isolated in purified form free of contaminating cellular debris in order to generate the so-called ‘specific viral antigens’ used in the test kits.”

Serrano, now acknowledged to have always tested HIV negative and therefore not to have been at risk for developing AIDS, nevertheless suffered from several AIDS-defining illnesses, including wasting, herpes, and oral thrush, while taking HAART. She also suffered from other health problems, including constant diarrhea (AIDS-defining under the African definition), muscle wasting, profound fatigue, non-specific skin lesions, oral thrush, herpes outbreaks, severe nosebleeds, constant gynecological bleeding and pain from ovarian cysts, fibrocystic breast lesions, hyperplastic pituitary lesions, and severe heart and respiratory difficulties.

Labels for HAART drugs actually list these conditions as possible side effects, suggesting that the drugs themselves cause AIDS-related conditions, Maniotis says.

Serrano’s experience is, sadly, not unique. Dr. Maniotis chose to investigate her case because, he says, “it is typical of many cases reviewed and, as it illustrates so clearly the development of AIDS-related conditions in a woman testing HIV negative who was healthy before she took HAART, strongly suggests that profound paradigm shifts are urgently needed to avoid more human rights violations.”

Drs. Maniotis and Richards are available for immediate media interviews and talk show appearances:

Andrew Maniotis, Ph.D.
Chicago, Ill., U.S. (Central time zone)
312-996-4838 office
773-960-9084 mobile
amanioti@uic.edu

Rodney Richards, Ph.D.
Illinois/Colorado, U.S. (Central and Mountain time zones)
303-909-4175 mobile
drmrsearch@yahoo.com

Dr. de Harven, president of RA, can be reached at:
Etienne de Harven, M.D.
Saint Cézaire, France [GMT +1 hour]
+33-4 93 60 28 39 phone
pitou.deharven@tele2.fr

Media Contacts:
David Crowe
Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Mountain time zone)
+1-403-289-6609 (office)
+1-403-861-2225 (mobile)
david.crowe@aras.ab.ca

Elizabeth Ely
Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S. (Eastern time zone)
+1-718-704-9672 (mobile)
elyelizabeth@verizon.net
E-mail: press@rethinkingaids.com
Web site: www.rethinkingaids.com

Rethinking AIDS: The Group for the Scientific Reappraisal of the HIV/AIDS Hypothesis (“RA” or “the Group”) was formed in 1991 to express the concerns of a growing number of renowned scientists and medical doctors about HIV research and the resulting human rights abuses. In 1995, by a letter published in Science, the Group called for a thorough reappraisal of the existing evidence for and against the HIV/AIDS hypothesis and recommended that critical epidemiological studies be undertaken.

Among RA’s founders and key members are Harvard microbiologist Dr. Charles Thomas; 1993 Nobel laureate for chemistry Dr. Kary Mullis; Nature Biotechnology co-founder Dr. Harvey Bialy; University of California at Berkeley molecular biologist Dr. Peter Duesberg and the late Yale mathematician Dr. Serge Lang, both members of the National Academy of Sciences; professor of medical physics at the Royal Perth Hospital in Western Australia Dr. Eleni Papadopulos; and Glasgow University professor emeritus of public health and World Health Organization consultant Dr. Gordon Stewart.

The Group’s current president, Dr. Etienne de Harven, is a professor emeritus of pathology at the University of Toronto and a former cancer researcher at Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York (1956-1981). He produced the first electron microscopic studies of a retrovirus (the murine Friend leukemia virus) and was director of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the Banting Institute, Department of Pathology, University of Toronto.
###

Ref: http://worcester.indymedia.org/node/17931

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

A letter to Ron Paul on Scientific Integrity and Dissidence

thecosmicdiva — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:00:42 GMT

Dear Mr. Hawes & Ron Paul

Firstly I want to say I truly appreciate the statement...
"Dissent is true Patriotism"

I have a fundamental question that affects millions of americans in many ways. And could very well rally another group of active individuals behind you.

My Question is in regards to HIV and AIDS... There are many qualified Scientists and Doctors who for years now have had many questions in regards to the current Hypothesis. They have much scientific evidence that questions the current mainstream idea and treatments. For me a knowlegable researcher it has logically caused me to question things also... The people are labelled Dissidents shut out of discussions and labelled as quacks. Despite thier credentials, thier previous backing on other subjects, and in many cases awards and notoriety, along with the amount of mounting evidence they hold. They have simply been calling for many years for a platform to open up debate on the subject. To no avail.

My feeling is if they are sooo wrong in thier questions the debate should be opened and be allowed to be explored. The fact that it is not allowed leaves me with the concern that maybe these other sides with billions of personal interests... medical, pharmacuetical, not to mention the legal ramifications... are refusing to allow it for fear they might just be proven wrong.

So I guess my question is...
What would Ron Paul do to ensure the integrity of science and medicine by allowing unconventional yet scientifically backed questions to be broached publicly and would he encourage them when thier are millions of lives at stake. Descrimination, Isolation, Manipulation, Toxic Drugs, Children are taken, etc etc. All by people who simply question the mainstream, and wish to have a choice in the risks they take with thier health. Even though the truth may not be as profitable as the accepted concept. And the fact that it may expose big mistakes on the part of the medical industry etc etc.

Its just so strange to me... because on the surface... immune disfunction in certain demographics and populations is not really worthy of being labelled a disease... as it is a by product... yes the fact that we are being poisoned from all kinds of directions (food/drugs/water) is a bit of an epedimic... but they keep discovering that people with HIV live longer and longer... and healthier lives... some are totally immune... never progress to aids... and the drugs are even called toxic and dangerous by the same doctors who prescribe them. Reputable scientists within the accepted hypothesis even admit that there are so many inconsistencies... and those that do die horribly seem to have many lifestyle factors involved in that particular reality...

So whats wrong with science that the questions that create major innovations and breakthroughs are no longer allowed or acceptable... particularly when they are not widely accepted by the financially based status quo.

You response will be greatly appreciated and I will be posting and forwarding this letter to many people who have similar concerns and questions. It would be a tremendous service to those caught up in the HIV/AIDS machine (a 300 billion dollar a year industry) to know that a simple debate on the subject would be encouraged and allowed... as they need some facts... and at the moment there are too many holes and inconsistencies.

Sincerely,
Your loyal voter
Jessica Irwin

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

LET US CONTINUE to be alive & well!

lmbfreespirit — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:10:52 GMT

http://tribes.tribe.net/stopglobalwarming

posted in alive&well - 1 reply

"An Apple A Day..." - Cider Vinegar Health Benefits

Craig — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 18:51:39 GMT

Many people are now convinced—Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), that wonderful “old-timers” home remedy, cures more ailments than any other folk remedy and has been highly regarded throughout history. In 400 B.C. the great Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing health qualities.

The reported cures from drinking Apple Cider Vinegar are numerous and include: allergies (including pet, food and environmental), sinus infections, acne, high cholesterol, flu, chronic fatigue, Candida, acid reflux, sore throats, contact dermatitis, arthritis, gout, and even heart pain. Apple Cider Vinegar breaks down fat and is widely used to lose weight. It has also been reported that a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water has soaring blood pressure under control in two weeks!

For centuries, the benefits from cider vinegar to fight infection, promote digestion, fighting osteoporosis, have been well known. One of the first goals on the way to great health is to restore the body's pH to the alkaline range. As nearly all chronic illnesses take place in a body that has become acidic due to the gradual depletion of its mineral reserves, it is logical to check on the body's acid/alkaline balance and to work towards maintaining it in the alkaline range. The state of the body's acid/alkaline balance can be easily measured by testing the urine using pH strips.

INTERNAL BENEFITS:
. Rich in enzymes & potassium
. Naturally supports a healthy immune system
. Helps control weight
. Helps soothe dry throat
. Promotes healthy digestion & pH balance
. Helps remove body sludge & toxins

ACV is also a natural antibiotic germ fighter, fights E. coli and other bacteria. It is an excellent remedy for food poisoning and helpful in digestive upsets. ACV helps control and normalize weight and improve digestion. ACV helps relieve arthritis stiffness and rheumatism.

Use two teaspoons (2 t.) in a pint of water daily for yourself—or one teaspoon in the dog or cat’s drinking water—as a healthy tonic. Drink a daily tonic of apple cider vinegar to help you keep the right pH balance in the urinary tract, since the proper acidity creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria and yeasts that cause these infections.

EXTERNAL BENEFITS:
. Helps maintain healthy skin
. Helps promote a youthful, healthy body
. Soothes irritated skin
. Relieves muscle pain from exercise

ACV helps to maintain healthy skin, promote youthful, healthy bodies. Soothes pain of sunburn, the itch from bug bites, and the sting from plants. ACV helps prevent dandruff, itching scalp, baldness, and dry skin. ACV soothes tight aching joints, sore muscles. Apple cider vinegar also removes sebum and environmental and product buildup on the hair shaft.

COMBINE WITH NATURAL BEE HONEY TO:
. Relax the nervous system
. Promote deep sleep
. Relieve rheumatism
. Relieve arthritis
. Relieve bone and muscle pain and soreness
. Relieve heart ailments
. Relieve stress
. Relieve insomnia

Mix organic apple cider with pure raw honey and drink at night before going to bed. Great for calming nerves, promoting relaxation and relief of bone related ailments. Adjust the amount of vinegar and honey for comfort and taste. See my recommended recipe here:

RECIPE:
250 mL (8 oz) Purified Water (warm enough to melt honey)
1 to 2 teaspoons Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic recommended)
1 to 2 teaspoons Honey (Local, raw, non-GMO recommended)

(Honey comes from flowers and has a very light energy. I recommend honey from flowers that are known to provide support for heart and lungs. Use local honey to help provide relief from allergies and build immunity.)

Apple Cider Vinegar is proving very beneficial to people and animals with arthritis because it breaks down calcium deposits in the joints while re-mineralizing the bones. It has shown to be equally beneficial to dogs with hip dysplasia. ACV is also effective for urinary tract infections, and it lowers high blood pressure. In animals, it is helpful in skin and coat problems and in replacing potassium depletion. (Cranberry juice is also a well-known home remedy for urinary tract infections. It prevents bacteria from attaching to the walls of the urinary tract.)

A new University of California-Davis Medical Center study shows that daily consumption of 12 ounces of apple cider or apple juice can reduce the risk of heart disease. And the benefits don’t stop there. A recent Cornell University study found that the antioxidants in apples also inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer cells.

ACV has been found to protect arteries from harmful buildup of plaque. Many heart attacks are caused by high amounts of fats and cholesterol in your blood. The fiber in ACV helps to absorb fats and cholesterol by expelling them from the body as waste materials.

ACV is used to promote the health of veins and capillaries; it is also useful in assisting in the health of the heart. The potassium found in apple cider vinegar is also beneficial to the heart.

The dietary fiber in ACV is beneficial in controlling glucose levels in the blood. Minerals like manganese, calcium, magnesium, silicon and iron develop bone mass and make them stronger. It is also a rich source of amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

ACV boosts the immune system and acts as a natural antiseptic and anti-biotic. Apples contain Vitamin C and flavonoids, which helps with wound healing and in reducing the severity of colds and flu symptoms. Apple cider also has acetic acid, plus ion-futynic lactic and propionic acids. It is the richest source of amino acids known.

Apple cider cannot cure cancer, but it is valuable to have around to help fight free radicals in the body. Beta-carotene, found in apple cider vinegar, is a powerful antioxidant, which helps to neutralize the free radicals formed in the body through oxidation. To prevent these free radicals, and to keep them in check, we need antioxidants to rid our body of these potentially dangerous compounds. Left alone, free radicals have the run of our bodies; they damage cells, which leads to cellular degeneration. The pectin in apple cider vinegar adds fiber to the diet, which helps prevent cancer, especially colon cancer. Fiber binds with certain cancer-causing compounds in the colon, and speeds up their elimination from the system.

VITAMINS IN APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:
. Vitamin C
. Vitamin E
. Vitamin A
. Vitamin B1
. Vitamin B2
. Vitamin B6
. Pro-vitamin beta-carotene
. Vitamin P

MINERALS & TRACE ELEMENTS IN APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:
. Potassium
. Calcium
. Magnesium
. Phosphorous
. Chlorine
. Sodium
. Sulfur (the mineral - not the sulfa, which some people are allergic to)
. Copper
. Iron
. Silicon
. Fluorine

BENEFITS FOR YOUR DOGS (AND OTHER PETS):
Every home with dogs should have Apple Cider Vinegar. It has multiple uses for dogs, including: alleviating allergies and arthritis, and establishing correct pH balance of the system.

Added to your pet's drinking water, ACV has shown to maintain the acid/alkaline balance of the digestive tract. To find your dog's pH level, get some pH strips at your local drugstore. First thing in the morning test your dog's urine. If the strip reads from 6.5 - 7.0, then your dog's system is what it should be. If the pH is higher, then the system is too alkaline, and ACV can help to establish a correct pH balance.

Use a few drops in your dog's ears after cleaning to avoid ear infections. ACV can be used in the prevention of muscle weakness, arthritis, calluses on elbows, hocks and joints, pimples, and sore joints. It has also been shown to be useful in the prevention of bladder and kidney stones, and bladder and kidney infections.

A dog with a correct pH balance is less likely to be bothered by fleas, black flies, ticks, and other external parasites. Its regular use results in less chance of ringworm, staph infections, streptococcus, and mange. If you are already experiencing these problems, dilute ACV with equal amounts of warm water and sponge onto your dog's coat.

You can also mix a 50/50 vinegar-water solution and add to a spray bottle to spray the coat. The ACV balances the pH of the skin and makes it less desirable to bacteria, bugs and infection. Not only that, but their coat is very soft and shiny. Applying undiluted apple cider vinegar to the affected area can soothe bee and wasp stings, as well as itchy mosquito bites.

MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION:
I have personally used and highly recommend Bragg® Certified Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. It is unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurized, has 5% acidity, and contains the amazing Mother of Vinegar, which occurs naturally as strand-like enzymes of connected protein molecules.

Bragg® Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is made from delicious, healthy, organically grown apples. Processed and bottled in accordance with USDA guidelines, it is Certified Organic by Organic Certifiers and Oregon Tilth; and is Kosher Certified.

Bragg® Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is full of zesty natural goodness. It is a wholesome way to add delicious flavor to salads, veggies, most foods, and even to sprinkle over popcorn.

Bragg® Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar has a pH of 4.075, Concentration/ Strength = 63 grain, Acetic Acid = 5.14 %, Potassium = 24mg/T. <2% DRV / RDI.

posted in alive&well - 1 reply

HIV - AIDS new treatment from China

Lashtal — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 03:48:21 GMT

Thought this might be of some interest...

http://natureproducts.net/Medicine/Revivo.html

Quoting the web-page:

"REVIVO is developed in Southern China where HIV/AIDS has become a serious epidemic, starting years ago through migrant workers to Thailand. There, in Northern Thailand, revivo has been tested first and is since then becoming popular not only because it is the least expensive of all available drugs but also because it is restoring the immune system function of the body so efficiently that in the majority of patients the CD4 counts are getting back to normal within 1 to 3 months, and a large number of viral secondary infections are taken care of at the same time.

While this is a new way of looking at the treatment of HIV, the medicine itself is but a sophisticated mixture of traditional Chinese herbs to cure immune system deficiencies. The herbal extracts are taken as a tea twice a day"

posted in alive&well - 7 replies

How Fauci solved AIDS

prayoga — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 12:03:52 GMT

How Fauci solved AIDS

At AIDS panel, future Nobelist Fauci revealed way forward:
* Add HIV to boost T-cells, eliminate drugs
* Long run danger remedied by normal health measures
http://www.scienceguardian.com/blog/?p=710

As we were saying, we welcome the Lasker prize which Dr Anthony Fauci of NIAID has won, because we already recognized a year ago the extraordinary contribution that the well tailored director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases had earlier made quietly to the final solution of the world wide AIDS panic, at a New School panel in June last year.

For some reason, perhaps personal modesty, Dr Fauci had not informed the general public previously of his breakthrough in understanding, but merely communicated it to the Proceedings of the National Academy and included it in a chapter on the Immunology of AIDS he wrote for the textbook “Fundamental Immunology”, edited by William E. Paul MD and published by Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins in 2003 (p. 1295):

What Fauci confirmed to the few graduate students and working scientists who perused this book was that the result of HIV arriving in the human body was to touch off and maintain proliferation of T-cells, rather than killing them off.

What happens is that for a 56 fold (5600 per cent) gain in HIV early on CD4 T-cells drop maybe 6% but CD8 T-cells rise 20 per cent. The net increase is there until drugs are provided, in which case this beneficial effect is wiped out. If the drugs are stopped, then the benefit is once again felt.

The total outcome is hidden in the complexity of the immune system - there are other major factors involved in the standard and rather misleading T-cell count, such as rate of production, redistribution, longevity of cells, level of apoptosis and activation induced cell death - but these trends are clear, Fauci pointed out:

“Several investigators have demonstrated that there is an increase in CD4+ T-cell proliferation in both HIV and SIV infection. In certain studies, the enhanced T-cell proliferation that was observed during active disease was significantly decreased following the initiation of anti-retroviral therapy, and proliferation increased again in parallel with plasma viremia following the cessation of treatment in these individuals.

Read the Proceedings for genuine AIDS truths

Fauci’s reference is a paper by Lempicki R. A. et al. in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (97:13778-83, 2000). The Proceedings is the place where all those seriously interested in what is really going on in science should go, perhaps. It is after all, the place where Peter Duesberg’s definitive review and rejection of HIV as the cause of AIDS took place nearly two decades ago, a beautifully written and argued exposition with 200 footnoted references from mainstream literature which oddly enough has never been answered in the same journal, though the HIV=AIDS paradigm author Bob Gallo promised the editors he would do so.

Apparently Gallo preferred to do so from the safe bunker of the last chapters of Virus Hunting, his 1991 book three years later which was happily not subject to peer review, nor did it have to provide references, unlike Duesberg’s masterpiece, which was afterwards cited in Nobel prize winning biologist Walter Gilbert’s graduate class at Harvard as an exemplary paradigm challenge. But we digress, as usual for the benefit of newcomers to this issue.

Fauci explains what kills T cells

Returning to Dr Fauci’s brave and perspicacious statement drawing the attention of insiders to the efficacy of HIV in stimulating the immune system, and the negative impact of drugs, this seemed at such odds with the general assumption in HIV∫AIDS that HIV kills T-cells rather than adds to them, and that drugs are needed to defeat the virus at whatever cost, that when Dr Fauci and Mathilde Krim mounted the stage at the New School with Larry Kramer to celebrate 25 years of HIV∫AIDS a year ago June 19th, Robert Houston took the opportunity to ask Dr Fauci about it.

The question came as a rowdy audience of middle aged gays calmed down after upsetting Larry Kramer so much with their objections to him telling the representative of the New York Times that the Times didn’t cover the issue of HIV∫AIDS enough that he stalked off the stage.

His departure was a pity, for his long time friend Dr Fauci gave an extremely informative reply which heralded the final solution of the AIDS puzzle, suggesting both its cause and its cure.

Fauci’s Final Solution in AIDS

Here’s how it went. Houston asked his question as follows, both flattering the two exceptional scientists and armed with the reference to the Fauci written statement if for some reason the great man saw fit to deny it.

Houston: We have two of the most distinguished scientists in the world on AIDS on this panel and I would like to ask a basic scientific question. How does HIV cause AIDS? Does it do so by directly killing T-cells, as the New York Times science writers seem to tell us, or do you think it does it in the opposite way: by causing T-cells to multiply - and by overactivating the immune system?

And this is how Dr Fauci explained how HIV boosted the immune system, rather than crippled it, having identified drugs as the real cause of T-cell decline in his written review earlier:

Fauci: Well… It does it in both ways. I don’t want to waffle with you on that but it is very, very clear that HIV is related to a very aberrant turning on and activation of T-cells. When T-cells are sustained in their activation - because every time anybody in this room gets an immune response to a benign virus or bacteria your immune system activates (he draws line going up in air with his hand) and then it goes down again (draws line in the air going down again) to the base line.

We like the Freudian slip here in calling HIV a ‘benign” virus, but we may have misheard Fauci - readers can check for themselves when we put the video up on YouTube shortly for the admiration of all.

Here Fauci has confirmed that when HIV is responded to by the immune system, the T-cells are activated to drive it out, and indeed, reference to the Lempicki paper will, as Robert Houston has shown here in the last comment attached to our earlier post nominating Fauci for the Nobel, for a 56-fold rise in HIV viral load between early and intermediate levels of infection, CD4 T-cells decline not very much (around 6% in the chart), while CD8 T-cells rise 20 per cent, for a combined rise of 11%. Now Fauci continued:

When you have a high level of viremia with a lot of activation you just drive the immune system to an aberrant form of activation that leads to the death of a cell, even cells which don’t directly get infected with HIV. They die by a process called apoptosis, meaning essentially they die a suicidal type death.

Here the director of NIAID for 23 years is bringing in cell suicide as a means of explaining how T-cells do die in the face of HIV. Apoptosis is indeed the last refuge of HIV∫AIDS paradigm promoters in their anxiety to explain how it is that HIV might be causing immune collapse by killing T-cells, when there is no discernible biological activity along these lines detected by any researcher in the 23 years of exceptionally well funded HIV∫AIDS research.

The problem is that until Dr Fauci in this reply confirmed that this was the case, doubters had wondered what the evidence was that there was any more cell suicide than normal when the body is aiming for homeostasis, ie returning to the normal balance in the proportions of the constituents of the blood. Cell suicide is a normal process here, and with the levels being maintained, as Dr Fauci confirms, it is hard to see how it is killing off so many T-cells that the immune system collapses.

The difficulty that conjuring up cell suicide is intended to solve is that there is no evidence of any mechanism by which HIV directly kills T-cells, which was the original premise of Robert Gallo’s theory that HIV was the cause of the immune collapse of AIDS. The evidence is that HIV does not kill T-Cells, so enthusiasts for the well funded paradigm had to come up with indirect ways it might get rid of T-cells.

Apoptosis is the best they could come up with, which didn’t present any great difficulty to the army of officials, politicians, activists, health workers, journeyman scientists and dying AIDS patients who were told of this solution perhaps because none of them had heard of Ptolemy the Egyptian, who managed to work out elliptical orbits that could predict the movements of the planets even though he assumed that the Sun went around the Earth, rather than vice versa. The indirect mechanisms by which HIV is said to work its fatal effects on T-cells are the elliptical trajectories of the HIV∫AIDS explanation of AIDS.

Now, however, the director of NIAID sums it all up in one beautiful breakthrough concept which accounts, finally, for the ultimate decline and fall of the human immune system after years of responding to HIV by making T-cells which effectively drive out the virus in a matter of weeks, reducing it to minimal levels of as little as one to five active virions per milliliter, impossible to detect without PCR.

Why does it all change? Steam is key

The puzzle has always been, why does the immune system collapse in five ten or even twenty years, if it has got rid of virtually all virus within six weeks. Fauci now ‘explains’:

You can wind up depleting your T-cells by direct infection and those cells dying or just a burst of aberrant activation and also some elimination by the immune system of infected cells. So it’s not a unified concept; there’s multifactorial ways in which you drain your T-cells and then after a few years you just run out of steam.

In other words, Dr Fauci is prepared to throw everything including the kitchen sink into the mix. Those who say that HIV doesn’t kill T-cells are wrong, it does kill them by “direct infection” somehow. Then you have more killed by cell suicide after a “burst of aberrant activation”. Finally - here is the key at last - the immune system just “runs out of steam”.

Dr Fauci’s Solution to AIDS

Robert Houston confesses that he failed to follow up his question because he was prepared only for Fauci to deny that T-cells proliferated when faced with HIV. What we wish he had done is congratulate Fauci for a conceptual framework which tells us how to defeat AIDS.
Unless we misunderstand him, here is his solution to HIV∫AIDS:

1. With even a dramatic leap in viral load, the T-cells divide faster in response. The end result is that CD 8 T-cell count goes up substantially, with no significant decline in CD 4 T-cell count.

2. So if there is any concern that the immune system is weak, simply add more HIV.

3. Remove ARV drugs, and T-cells will multiply and return to excess levels again.

4. After defeating HIV is a matter of weeks and then maintaining this success for up to twenty years, somehow the immune system might run of steam.

5. But as Dr Fauci’s choice of phrase implies this loss of steam can surely be prevented with proper exercise, nutrition, fresh air, travel and all other general health stimulants, including the renewed optimism that comes from knowing there is a solution - the Fauci Solution to AIDS.

But since the Lasker winner didn’t actually mention this last point explicitly perhaps we can check with him at the lunch where he will accept his prize, surrounded by the members of the medical and economic establishment, of which he has long been a fully paid up member.

So after years of the whole world left confused and supporting antiretroviral drugs as the only defense against the deadly effect of HIV, we have Dr Fauci to thank for telling us that on the contrary, it is HIV rather than drugs which benefit the immune system.

Of course, it must be acknowledged that both Robert Gallo, and two years later Peter Duesberg, were the first to point out that HIV was harmlessly involved in AIDS. But neither of them detected the fact that it was actually beneficial to AIDS patients.

Gallo, of course, proved that HIV was not the cause of AIDS with his 1984 papers showing it was occurring in only one third of sick AIDS patients, with pre-AIDS patients having it more often, suggesting it was a possible antidote. Now Anthony Fauci has found why - HIV stimulates the immune system - and he has also noticed that drugs have a negative impact.

Considering that the drug companies involved in HIV∫AIDS have a considerable interest in this revision of the paradigm, we feel that Anthony Fauci is showing considerable moral fortitude in revealing these insights in public in front of gay activists, who were already a noisy crowd and most of them funded by the drug companies.

Luckily, however, none of them noticed.

posted in alive&well - 4 replies

Light Pulses Kill Viruses

GAVCO — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 02:20:10 GMT

Visible light pulses knock out viruses in blood

13:28 27 July 2007
NewScientist.com news service
Belle Dumé

Viruses lurking in biological samples could be killed off with an intense pulse of visible light, new research shows.

Scientists in the US say the technique seems to have significant advantages over alternative methods, including use of UV irradiation or microwaves, as it kills viruses more effectively and safely.

The technique destroys a virus with a pulse of light from a low-power laser. The pulse produces mechanical vibrations in the virus shell, or capsid, irreversibly damaging and disintegrating it, and so "deactivating" the virus for good. The technique might be used to kill HIV, as well as hepatitis C, say the researchers involved.

Traditional methods of destroying viruses, such as UV irradiation, can cause mutations, which eventually make the micro-organisms resistant. UV light can also damage the DNA of surrounding healthy cells.

Scientists have also tried using microwaves to kill viruses but this is even less promising since the water in and around a micro-organism strongly absorbs this frequency of light. Most of the energy from the microwave radiation is absorbed by the water and does not even reach the virus itself.

Human cells undamaged

Kong-Thon Tsen of Arizona State University, and colleagues at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and the Uniformed Services University of The Health Sciences, all in the US, found that visible light can overcome this problem.

The researchers applied pulses of purple-coloured light lasting just 100 femtoseconds (10-15 seconds) to viruses called M13 bacteriophages. It takes just a single pulse to destroy the viruses completely, say the researchers.

The "power density" of the laser is just 5 microjoules per square centimetre, which is low enough to leave surrounding human cells and tissue undamaged, but high enough to produce large-amplitude vibrations in a virus's capsid. It is also too low to cause genetic mutations, meaning the virus will not build up resistant to the treatment over time.

Disinfecting blood

Tsen told New Scientist that the technique could be used to disinfect blood or other biological samples in hospitals.

"In addition, we believe that the method may be especially important in designing novel treatments for blood-borne viral diseases," he said. "For example blood dialysis allows us to irradiate a patient's blood outside the body and potentially cleanse it of infectious virus particles before reintroducing it into the patient. In this way, we could reduce mortality associated with diseases like hepatitis C and AIDS."

The team now plans to test the efficacy of its technique in killing a wide range of deadly viruses, including HIV and hepatitis C. "We also plan to conduct further tests on the effects of the low-power visible laser on mammalian cells to determine any potential side effects and confirm that it selectively kills viruses," said Tsen.

Journal reference: Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (19 322102)

posted in alive&well - 3 replies

fru-fru-fru-STRATION

TribalGuy — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:26:19 GMT

I went today to the local hiv clinic, to get results of my last blood draw. I've been feeling vaguley blah lately, and have been having a list of odd, not serious, issues. So today I was told that my cd4s are dangerously low and my viral load has jumped. OK...

But that goes against all the info that I'd previously been told. Like, oh- that my numbers looked good, my numbers don't move around much- that's what I've been hearing for the 4 years I've (periodically) been a patient there.

So of course, today I got the lecture about starting meds. I said no, being me, and explained that I'm not interested in them. I was asked why and cited deep personal beliefs. Asked just what those were, I basically said I'm more in tune with natural means of treatment. Meds maybe as a last resort, but not until I feel I've exhausted all other methods will I even CONSIDER them. And frankly, consider is about all I can imagine myself doing.
I've never known ANYONE on meds who hasn't had some really awful side-effects. Long-term. I'm not interested in that. Cuz heres' my major thang: I'm not afraid of death. But the idea of living for another 30 years chained to a chemical regimin and having side-effects the whole time does rather freak me out.

I'm trying to ensure a healhful quality of life. I just started yoga again after 3years away from it. I've been vegetarian for over 20 years, and eat predominantly organic. I don't smoke, drink or do drugs. So when I hear the "you must start meds" jargon, I feel like "Fuck that! I need to keep a better sleep/wake schedule, exercise more, watch my sugar, meditate, and stop listening to the fearspeak of others!"

I know I may seem a bit "agro" . But I hope that here, in this tribe, I might be heard and hear in return some words of direction.

I'd really like to find a clinic that I felt was open to treating me as a patient, not as an hiv+ patient. Cuz I'm getting older, and yeah, I have some health concerns. I just get so frustrated that all my info is seen throught that one, narrow hiv-infused lens.
I feel often frustrated at my own ignorance. Surely if I knew the right info, I could frame my questions more aptly , and receive answers to them. But then I realize, I'm uncommonly eloquent and have a larger than average vocabulary. Shoudn't that be enough to facillitate understanding?

My care provider today bespoke a cut off number of cd4s below which, if mine dip, meds are strongly recommended. But what about all the previous info on me? What about my body's natural fluctuations and rythyms? What life influences right now may be affecting the graph that a handful of pills doesn't address?

I'm not willing to buy into the standard ideology of hiv+aids. I've not seen that happening in my life. I do see that I am currently having some issues, and feel like I'm on the outside of the secret handshake.

I was told by my care provider today that some of what she's prescribing for me today (an oral swish and some anit-biotics) will only treat symptoms. Well that's fine, cuz symptoms are what I have. But of what exactly? She didn't even test me for anything! Just wanted me to start hiv meds... That's what's so maddening to me. She's a kind, compassionate woman, one who has my best interest at heart. But I have a very different idea of what that means.

Ironically, tomorrow is the local AIDSWalk. I've planned to go and meet a friend (potential date-boy) and support the local hiv community. But I feel very torn. Of course, I want to support and assist anyone who is in need. I've been in need myself, and know something of how scary it can be. (Not to mention financially ruinous.) But the flip side is, I know my presence also will support the standard hiv+aids model and it's pogroms. How do I proceed? Do I absent myself from the event, and potenitally keep assistance from someone who needs it? Cuz I don't want to take from someone else the right to decide different treatments for themselves than I'd choose for me...

So I feel rather in a quandry, here. Your opinions on it are welcomed gratefuly! Glad to know this tribe is here, and I'm not alone. Cuz honestly, my beloved companion of 12 1/2 years, my dog Daksha, died last week. And today, in light of the interaction I had this morning, I feel very, very alone...

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

Qina???

prayoga — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:40:03 GMT

Who knows Qina?
http://www.phend.co.za/qina/
usa; http://www.neumalife.com/

Who has used it and has good results?

posted in alive&well - 1 reply

i started a new tribe///hiv daing and hook up please join

RAFAGA — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:19:52 GMT

single and hiv?? lets say hello!!

posted in alive&well - 0 replies

To THINK is to CREATE

I-Thought-You-Knew — Sun, 20 May 2007 19:18:36 GMT

From, "The Impersonal Life."

"Now you may not even yet know I AM, or believe that I AM really you, or that I AM likewise your brother and your sister, and that you are all parts of Me and One with Me.

You may not realize that the Souls of you and your brother and sister, the only real and imperishable parts of the mortal you, are but different phases of Me in expression in what is called Nature.

Likewise you may not realize that you and your brothers and sisters are phases or attributes of My Divine Nature, just as your human personality, with its mortal body, mind and intellect, is a phase of your human nature.

No, you do not realize this yet, but I speak of it now, that you may know the signs when they begin to appear in your consciousness, as they surely will.

In order to recognize these signs, all that now follows must be considered carefully and studied, and should not be passed by until My meaning, at least in some degree, is grasped.

Once you fully understand the principle I here set down, then all My Message will become clear and comprehensible.

I first give you the Key that will unlock every mystery that now hides from you the secret of My Being.

This Key, when you once know how to use it, will open the door to all Wisdom and all Power in heaven and earth. Yea, it will open the door to the Kingdom of Heaven, and then you have but to enter in to become consciously One with Me.

This Key is

"To THINK is to CREATE," or

"As you THINK in your HEART, so is it with you".

Stop and meditate on this that it may get firmly fixed in your mind.

A Thinker is a Creator.

A Thinker lives in a world of his own conscious creation.

When you once know how "to think," you can create at will anything you wish, -- whether it be a new personality, a new environment, or a new world.

Let us see if you cannot grasp some of the Truths hidden and controlled by this Key.

You have been shown how all consciousness is One, and how it is all My Consciousness, and yet is also yours and likewise that of the animal, the plant, the stone, and the invisible cell.

You have seen how this consciousness is controlled by My Will, which causes the invisible cells to unite and form the various organisms for the expression and use of the different Centers of Intelligence through which I desire to express.

But you cannot yet see how you can direct and control the consciousness of the cells of your own body, not to speak of those of other bodies, even if you and I and they are all one in consciousness and intelligence.

By paying especial attention to what follows, however, you now may be enabled to see this.

Have you ever taken the pains to study out what is consciousness? How it seems to be an impersonal state of awareness, of waiting to serve or to be directed or used by some power latent in and intimately related to itself?

How man seems to be merely the highest type of organism containing this consciousness, which is directed and used by this power within itself?

That this power latent in man's consciousness and in all consciousness is nothing but Will, My Will? For you know that all power is but the manifestation of My Will.

Now you have been told that in the beginning I created man in "My Image and Likeness," after which I breathed into him the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul.

By creating man in My Image and Likeness I created an organism capable of expressing all of My Consciousness and all of My Will, which means likewise all of My Power, My Intelligence, and My Love. I therefore made it perfect in the beginning, patterning it after My own Perfection.

When I breathed into man's organism My Breath, it became alive with Me; for then it was I breathed into it My Will -- not from without, but from within -- from the Kingdom of Heaven within, where always I AM. Ever afterward I breathed and lived and had My Being within man, for I created him in My Image and Likeness only for that purpose.

The proof of this is, man does not and cannot breathe of himself. Something far greater than his conscious, natural self lives in his body and breathes through his lungs. A mighty power within his body thus uses the lungs, even as it uses the heart to force the blood containing the life it indrew through the lungs to every cell of the body; as it uses the stomach and other organs to digest and assimilate food to make blood, tissue, hair and bone; as it uses the brain, the tongue, the hands and feet, to think and say and do everything that man does.

This power is My Will to BE and LIVE in man. Therefore, whatever man is, I AM, and whatever man does, or you do, I do, and whatever you say or think, it is I Who say or think it through your organism.

You were also told that when man was thus possessed of My Breath he was given dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth. Which means he was made lord of the earth, the sea, the air and the ethers, and all beings living in all these kingdoms paid him homage and were subject to his will.

This naturally was so, for I, within man's consciousness and within all consciousness, AM always manifesting My Will; and I, the lord and ruler of man's organism, AM likewise the lord and ruler of all organisms in which consciousness dwells. As all consciousness is My Consciousness and It dwells wherever there is life , and as there is no substance in which there is not life, then My Consciousness must be in everything, -- in earth, water, air and fire, and therefore must fill all space. In fact it is space, or that which man calls space.

Then My Will, being the power latent in all consciousness, must reach everywhere. Therefore man's will, which is but a focalization of My Will, must likewise reach everywhere; hence the consciousness of all organisms, including his own, is subject to man's direction and control.

All it needs is for him consciously to realize this, realize that I, the Impersonal Self within him, AM constantly directing, controlling and using the consciousness of all organisms every moment of every day of his life.

I AM doing this by and through his thinking.

I AM doing this with and through man's organism. Man thinks he thinks; but it is I, the Real I of him, who thinks through his organism. Through this thinking and his spoken word I accomplish all that man does, and make man and his world all that they are.

It makes no difference if man and his world are not what he supposes they are.

They are just what I created them to be for My Purpose.

But, if I do all the thinking, man does not and cannot think, I hear you say.

Yes, here seems a mystery, but it will be revealed to you, if you note carefully what follows:

For I AM going to teach you -- man -- HOW to think."

http://pure-research.net/healing/bestill/index.html

Terry

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"Oil Pulling" Detox

GAVCO — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:29:04 GMT

Oil Pulling by Wendy Evensen

This remedy will certainly get your attention. It is a detox method called "Oil Pulling", and here are a few of the cures attributed to this unorthodox technique.
Mouth & Gum Disease
Stiff Joints
Allergies
Asthma
High Blood Sugar
Constipation
Migraines
Bronchitis
Eczema
Leukemia
Heart, Kidney, Lung Diseases
Arthritis
Meningitis
Insomnia
Migraine Headaches, Menopause (hormonal issues)
Cancer
AIDS
Chronic Infections
High Blood Pressure
Varicose Veins
Diabetes
Polio
Cracked Heels.
Dr. F. Karsch is the brains behind this technique. "Rinse the teeth and gums very thoroughly with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Do it slowly for 15-20 minutes up to three times a day on an empty stomach," he advises. When Dr. Karsch examined the gargled milkwhite oil under a microscope with 600 magnification, he saw live organisms swimming in it. It's poisonous, so never swallow it, he warns. These poisons are bacteria-embryos, which, if not eliminated, cause diseases. Apparently, Dr. Karsch cured his own chronic blood disease and 15-year-old arthritis.
By now I'm sure I've gotten your attention, so here are the complete instructions again, simple and inexpensive:

First thing in the morning, before brushing your teeth, eating or drinking, take 1 TBSP of either sesame or sunflower oil. Put the oil in your mouth, tilt your chin up and slowly swish, suck, chomp and pull through the teeth. Do this for at least 10 minutes. 15-20 minutes is better. You want the oil to become a thin, white foam when you finally spit it out. If it's still yellow, you haven't done it long enough. You can do this 2 more times during the day if you want to detoxify faster. Make sure you do it on an empty stomach, however. Spit it out when your mouth is full and rinse your mouth out well. Follow with 2 - 3 glasses of water. DO NOT SWALLOW THE OIL. It now contains parasites and bacteria! DO NOT GARGLE IN THE THROAT. THE OIL IS MEANT TO BE SWISHED IN THE MOUTH ONLY. DO IT SLOWLY.

How it works: The oil pulls all mucous, bacteria and toxins from your body through your saliva. According to Ayurvedic medicine, mucous is a poison that must be removed. This process makes oil thoroughly mixed with saliva. Swishing activates the enzymes and the enzymes draw toxins out of the blood.

A few tips to get the most "bang for your buck". Keep your chin tilted up make sure the oil gets to the back molars. We recommend sesame and sun-flower oils to produce most favorable results. If after meals, wait at least 4 hours before you oil pull. After drinking, wait 1 hour.

A worsening of symptoms is an excellent indication that the disease/ailment is being cured. Do not stop Oil Pulling if you feel aggravated symptoms or slightly heightened side effects. Your body is healing. It is important to understand that during the oil-pulling/swishing process your metabolism is intensi-fied, which can lead to improved health. One of the most striking results of this process is the fastening of loose teeth, the elimination of bleeding gums and the visible whitening of the teeth.

According to radical healer Dr. R. Ballantyne, who has studied Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, the tongue "is an indicator of what is going on in the body." A fiery red tongue depicts an irritated digestion; a pale shade, low digestion; and a purple tongue, a liver burdened with toxics.

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Cell phones and Famine

GAVCO — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 18:47:49 GMT

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?

Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007

It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.

They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.

The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives.

The alarm was first sounded last autumn, but has now hit half of all American states. The West Coast is thought to have lost 60 per cent of its commercial bee population, with 70 per cent missing on the East Coast.

CCD has since spread to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.

Other apiarists have recorded losses in Scotland, Wales and north-west England, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence of CCD in the UK."

The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".

No one knows why it is happening. Theories involving mites, pesticides, global warming and GM crops have been proposed, but all have drawbacks.

German research has long shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines.

Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause.

Dr George Carlo, who headed a massive study by the US government and mobile phone industry of hazards from mobiles in the Nineties, said: "I am convinced the possibility is real."

The case against handsets

Evidence of dangers to people from mobile phones is increasing. But proof is still lacking, largely because many of the biggest perils, such as cancer, take decades to show up.

Most research on cancer has so far proved inconclusive. But an official Finnish study found that people who used the phones for more than 10 years were 40 per cent more likely to get a brain tumour on the same side as they held the handset.

Equally alarming, blue-chip Swedish research revealed that radiation from mobile phones killed off brain cells, suggesting that today's teenagers could go senile in the prime of their lives.

Studies in India and the US have raised the possibility that men who use mobile phones heavily have reduced sperm counts. And, more prosaically, doctors have identified the condition of "text thumb", a form of RSI from constant texting.

Professor Sir William Stewart, who has headed two official inquiries, warned that children under eight should not use mobiles and made a series of safety recommendations, largely ignored by ministers.

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece

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