Brad Meltzer’s show “Decoded” on the History Channel is pretty interesting.  I don’t watch it religiously, but I have seen a couple episodes.  With my obsession with 2012, I was sure to tune into the episode they did on the topic of 2012.  It was interesting and entertaining to say the least, but seemed to play up the fear factor in attempt to pull in the ratings.

The show touched on all the common topics that other shows and books have touched on:

• The potential threat of a solar flare shutting down our global infrastructure since the solar maximum happens to fall during 2012.
• The increased frequency of natural disasters with weather and seismic activity.
• The mass animal deaths taking place around the globe and changes in migration patterns due to climate changes forcing fish and land animals farther and farther north.

Occupy Wall Street

The ‘Occupy’ movement is intriguing.  The idea of social and economic equality is a continuation of equality movements that have spanned over the past 150 years.  I’m not writing this to argue and protest against The Man and corporate America playing a role into the toilet flush of the world economy.  Instead I want to discuss this movement in terms of this supposed ‘change’ that so many believe or have been talking about with the approaching magical date in 2012.

I’ve written about 2012 before, both debunking and informational posts on the many beliefs, facts, and theories behind it.  To say the least, I’m intrigued, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a hard core believer – especially when you get all into the alien and sci-fi aspect of it.  If I was to ‘believe’, then I would say my beliefs stem more from the theories of discovery and enlightenment of the Human race that are clearly around us all today.  The ‘Occupy’ movement, Human Genome Project and the advancements in the understanding of our genetics, the exponential advancement of our technology, and the unexplained occurrences: Massive animal deaths (as mapped on Google Maps), increase in major natural disasters (According to the EM-DAT, the total natural disasters reported each year has been steadily increasing in recent decades, from 78 in 1970 to 348 in 2004.), etc.

As far as the ‘Occupy’ movement, the huge global participation is directly attributed to today’s internet and technology.  The internet, in some respects, is the collective subconscious of this planet.  Never before has information been so easily distributed and readily consumed.  One could argue the increase of natural disasters is also a result of internet and technology – 1. We can now live in places never before habitable. 2. News of every natural disaster reaches millions.  So, it’s no surprise how the ‘Occupy’ phenomena has spread so quickly to 1500 cities worldwide.

Is the world finally becoming enlightened and demanding a global change?  Social and economic equality makes sense, but how can that be achieved?  Can the ‘Occupy’ movement really force global change?  All great questions that have yet to be answered. The timing is impeccable though with 2012 right around the corner when mentions from ancient civilizations, modern day spiritualists, and even scientists all theorize one similar concept: Change is upon us.

People are so quick to go to the doctor and get antibiotics when they get sick, but drugs aren’t always the best answer.  The following home remedies below are based on the traditional Eastern medicine of China and Japan. These remedies have been used for thousands of years to alleviate various imbalances caused by diet or unhealthy lifestyle.

They should be followed only after complete understanding of their uses. If there is any doubt as to whether one should use these remedies, please seek out an experienced homeopathic counselor for proper use.

Bancha Stem Tea
Use for strengthening the metabolism in all sicknesses. Use 1 tablespoon of tea to 1 quart of water, bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer 4–5 minutes.

Brown Rice Cream
Used in cases when a person in a weakened condition needs to be nourished and energized or when the digestive system is impaired. Dry-roast brown rice evenly until all the grains turn a yellowish color.

To one part rice, add a small amount of sea salt and 3–6 parts water, then pressure cook for at least 2 hours. Squeeze out the creamy part of the cooked rice gruel through a sanitized cheesecloth. Eat with a small volume of condiment, such as umeboshi plum, gomasio (sesame salt), tekka, kelp, or other seaweed powder.

Brown Rice Plaster
When the swelling of a boil or infection is not opened by a taro plaster, a rice plaster can be used to help reduce the fever around the infected area. Hand grind 70% cooked brown rice, 20% raw green leafy vegetables, and raw nori in a suribachi — the more grinding, the better.

(If the mixture is very sticky, add water.) Apply the paste to the affected area. If the plaster begins to burn, remove it, since it is no longer effective. To remove, rinse with warm water to remove direct paste.
Buckwheat Plaster
Draws retained water and excess fluid from swollen areas of the body.

Mix buckwheat flour with enough hot water to form a hard, stiff dough. Apply in a 1/2-inch layer to the affected area; tie in place with a bandage or piece of cotton linen, and leave in place for up to 4 hours.

Special considerations for cancer cases: A buckwheat plaster should be applied in cases where a patient develops a swollen abdomen due to retention of fluid. If this fluid is surgically removed, the patient may feel better temporarily but may suddenly become much worse after several days. It is better to avoid such a drastic procedure.

This plaster can be applied anywhere on the body. In cases where a breast has been removed, for example, the surrounding lymph nodes, the neck, or, in some cases, the arm often become swollen after several months. To relieve this condition, apply ginger compresses to the swollen area for about 5 minutes, then apply a buckwheat plaster; replace every 4 hours.

After removing the plaster, you may notice that fluid is coming out through the skin or that the swelling is starting to go down. A buckwheat plaster will usually eliminate the swelling after only several applications, or at most after two or three days.

Burdock Tea (dried root)
Use for strengthening vitality. To 1 portion of fresh burdock shavings, add 10 times the amount of water. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Carp Plaster
Reduces high fever, as in the case of pneumonia. Crush and mash a whole, live carp and mix with a small amount of whole-wheat flour. Spread this mixture onto oiled paper and apply to the chest. When treating pneumonia, drink 1 or 2 teaspoons of carp blood, only in the case where the carp has just been killed. Take the body temperature every half hour, and immediately remove the carp plaster when the temperature reaches normal.

Carrot-Daikon Drink
To eliminate excessive fats and help dissolve hardening accumulation in the intestines. Grate 1 tablespoon of raw daikon and carrot. Cook in 2 cups of water for 5–8 minutes with a pinch of sea salt or 7–10 drops of tamari soy sauce.

Daikon Radish Drink

Drink No. 1: May reduce a fever by inducing sweating. Mix 1/2 cup grated fresh daikon with 1 tablespoon of tamari soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger. Pour hot bancha tea over this mixture, stir, and drink while hot.

Drink No. 2: To induce urination. Use a piece of cheesecloth to squeeze the juice from the grated daikon. Mix 2 tablespoons of this juice with 6 tablespoons of hot water to which a pinch of sea salt has been added. Boil this mixture and drink only once a day. Do not use this preparation more than three consecutive days without proper supervision, and never use it without first boiling.

Drink No. 3: To help dissolve fat and mucus. In a teacup, place 1 tablespoon fresh grated daikon and a few drops of tamari soy sauce . Pour hot bancha tea over mixture and drink. It is most effective when taken just before sleeping. Do not use this drink longer than one week unless otherwise advised by an experienced macrobiotic counselor.

Dandelion Root Tea
Strengthens the heart and small intestine function and increases vitality. One tablespoon of root to 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer 10 minutes.

Dentie
Helps to prevent tooth problems, promotes a healthy condition in the mouth, and stops bleeding anywhere in the body by contracting expanded blood capillaries. Bake an eggplant, particularly the calix, or cap, until black.

Crush into a powder and mix with 30–50% roasted sea salt. Use daily as a tooth powder or apply to any bleeding area (even inside the nostrils in case of nosebleed, by inserting squeezed, wet tissue dipped in dentie into the nostril).

Dried Daikon Leaves
Used to warm the body and treat various disorders of the skin and female sex organs. Also helpful in drawing odors and excessive oils from the body. Dry fresh daikon leaves in the shade, away from direct sunlight, until they turn brown and brittle. (If daikon leaves are unavailable, turnip greens may be substituted.) Boil 4–5 bunches of the leaves in 4–5 quarts water until the water turns brown. Stir in a handful of sea salt and use in one of the following ways:

1. Dip cotton linen into the hot liquid and wring lightly. Apply to the affected area repeatedly, until the skin becomes completely red.

2. Women experiencing problems in their sexual organs should sit in a hot bath to which the daikon leaves liquid described above with the addition of 1 handful of sea salt has been added. The water should come to waist level, with the upper portion of the body covered with a towel. Remain in the water until the whole body becomes warm and sweating begins. This generally takes about 10 minutes.

Repeat as needed, up to ten days. Following the bath, douche with warm bancha tea, a very small pinch of salt, and juice of half a lemon.

Ginger Compress
Stimulates blood and body fluid circulation; helps loosen and dissolve stagnated toxic matter, cysts, tumors, etc.

Place a handful of grated ginger in a cheesecloth and squeeze out the ginger juice into a pot containing 1 gallon of hot water kept just below the boiling point, if you boil, you will lose the power of the ginger. Dip a towel into the ginger water (preferably a 100% cotton towel), wring it out tightly, and apply, very hot, directly to the area to be treated.
A second, dry towel can be placed on top to reduce heat loss. Apply a fresh hot towel every 2–3 minutes until the skin becomes red.

Special considerations for cancer cases: The ginger compress should be prepared in the usual manner. However, it should be applied for only a short time (3–5 minutes maximum), to activate circulation in the affected area, and should be followed immediately by a taro potato or potato plaster.

If a ginger compress is applied repeatedly over an extended period, it may accelerate the growth of the cancer, particularly if it is a more yin variety.

The ginger compress should be considered only as preparation for the taro plaster in cancer cases, not as an independent treatment, and applied for several minutes only. Please seek more specific recommendations from a qualified macrobiotic advisor.

Ginger Sesame Oil
Activates the function of the capillaries, circulation, and nerve reactions. Also relieves aches and pains. Mix the juice of grated fresh ginger with an equal amount of sesame oil.

Dip cotton linen into this mixture and rub briskly into the skin of the affected area. This is also helpful for headache, dandruff, and hair growth.

Grated Daikon
A digestive aid, especially for fatty, oily, heavy foods and animal food. Grate fresh daikon (red radish or turnip may be used if daikon is not available). Sprinkle with tamari soy sauce and eat about 1 tablespoon. You may also use a pinch of grated ginger.

Green Magma Tea
Young barley-grass powder. Good for reducing and melting fats, cysts and tumors arising from animal foods. Pour hot water over 1–2 teaspoons and drink. Consult a qualified macrobiotic counselor for length of time to use.

Kombu Tea
Good for strengthening the blood.

Drink No. 1: Use one 3-inch strip of kombu to 1 quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer 10 minutes.

Drink No. 2: Dry kombu in a 350° oven for 10–15 minutes or until crisp. Grate 1/2 teaspoon kombu into a cup and add hot water.

Kuzu (Kudzu) Drink
Strengthens digestion, increases vitality, andrelieves general fatigue. Dissolve a heaping teaspoon of kuzu powder in 2 teaspoons water and add to 1 cup cold water.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to the simmering point, and stir constantly, until the liquid becomes a transparent gelatin. Stir in 1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce and drink while hot.

Lotus Root Plaster
Draws stagnated mucus from the sinuses, nose, throat, and bronchi. Mix grated fresh lotus root with 10–15% pastry flour and 5% grated fresh ginger. Spread a 1/2-inch layer onto cotton linen and apply the lotus root directly to the skin.

Keep on for several hours or overnight and repeat daily for several days. A ginger compress can be applied before this application, to stimulate circulation and loosen mucus in the area being treated.

Lotus Root Tea
To aid in coughs and dissolving mucus. Grate 1/2 cup fresh lotus root, squeeze the juice into a pot, and add a small amount of water. Cook for 8–10 minutes. Add a pinch of sea salt and drink hot. If using dried lotus root, cook in 1 cup of water for 12–15 minutes, add a pinch of sea salt or tamari soy sauce, and drink hot.

Mugwort Tea
Good for ridding the body of worms and for jaundice. One tablespoon mugwort to 1 quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer 5–10 minutes. Use carefully, so as not to create constipation.

Mustard Plaster
Stimulates blood and body fluid circulation and loosens stagnation. Add hot water to dry mustard powder and stir well. Spread this mixture onto a paper towel and sandwich between two thick cotton towels. Apply this “sandwich” to the skin area, leave on until the skin becomes red and warm, then remove. After removing, wipe off remaining mustard plaster from the skin with towels.

Nachi Green Tea
To help dissolve and discharge animal fats and reduce high cholesterol levels. Place 1/2 teaspoon tea into the serving kettle. Pour 1 cup hot water over the tea and steep for 3–5 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup per day.

Ranshio
Used to strengthen the heart and stimulate heartbeat and blood circulation. Crush a raw egg and mix with 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce. Drink slowly. Use only once a day and for no more than three days.

Raw Brown Rice and Seeds
Will help eliminate worms of various types. Skip breakfast. Then, on an empty stomach, eat a handful of raw brown rice with half a handful of raw seeds, such as pumpkin or sunflower, and another half handful of chopped raw onion, scallion, or garlic.

Chew everything very well, and have your regular meal later in the day. Repeat for two to three days.

Roasted Barley Tea
Good for melting animal fat from the body. Roast barley in a skillet, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until a fragrant aroma is detected. To 1 portion barley, add 10 times the amount of water . Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and simmer 10 minutes.

This is a very nice summer drink and may also aid in the reduction of fever.

Roasted Rice Tea
Good for all sicknesses. Prepare using the same method as for roasted barley tea. This is also a good tea for reducing fever.

Salt Bancha Tea
Used to loosen stagnation in the nasal cavity or to cleanse the vagina. Add enough salt to warm bancha tea (body temperature) to make it just a little less salty than sea water.

Use the liquid to wash deep inside the nasal cavity through the nostrils or as a douche. Salt bancha tea can also be used as a wash for problems with the eyes, sore throat, and fatigue.

Salt Pack
Used to warm any part of the body. For the relief of diarrhea, for example, apply the pack to the abdominal region. Roast salt in a dry pan until hot, then wrap in a thick cotton linen pillowcase or towel. Apply to the troubled area and change when the pack begins to cool.

Salt Water
Cold salt water will contract the skin in the case of burns, while warm salt water can be used to clean the rectum, colon, and vagina. When the skin is damaged by fire, immediately soak the burned area in cold salt water until irritation disappears. Then apply vegetable oil to seal the wound from air. For constipation or mucus or fat accumulation in the rectum, colon, and vagina, use warm salt water (body temperature) as an enema or douche.

Scallion, Onion, or Daikon Juice
Neutralizes the poison of a bee sting or insect bite. Cut either a scallion or daikon or their greens and squeeze out the juice. (If you cannot obtain these vegetables, red radish can be used.) Rub the juice thoroughly into the wound.

Sesame Oil
Use to relieve stagnated bowels or to eliminate retained water. To induce the discharge of stagnated bowels, take 1–2 tablespoons raw sesame oil with 1/4 teaspoon ginger and tamari soy sauce on an empty stomach. To eliminate water retention in the eyes, put a drop or two of pure sesame oil (it is best to use dark sesame oil if available) in the eyes with an eyedropper, preferably before sleeping.

Continue up to a week, until the eyes improve. Before using the sesame oil for this purpose, remove impurities by boiling it and then straining it through a sanitized cheesecloth.

Shiitake Mushroom Tea
Used to relax an overly tense, stressful condition and help dissolve excessive animal fat. Soak a dried black shiitake mushroom cut in quarters. Cook in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes with a pinch of sea salt. Drink only 1/2 cup at a time.

Tamari Bancha Tea
Neutralizes an acidic blood condition, promotes blood circulation, and relieves fatigue. Pour 1 cup hot bancha twig tea over 1–2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce. Stir and drink hot.

Tofu Plaster
More effective than an ice pack to draw out fever. Squeeze the water from the tofu, mash it, then add 10–20% pastry flour and 5% grated ginger. Mix the ingredients and apply directly to the skin. Change every 2–3 hours, or sooner if plaster becomes very hot.

Taro Potato (Albi) Plaster
Often used after a ginger compress to collect stagnated toxic matter and draw it out of the body. Peel off potato skin and grate the white interior. Mix with 5% grated fresh ginger. Spread this mixture in a 1/2- inch-thick layer onto fresh cotton linen and apply the taro side directly to the skin. Change every 4 hours.

Taro potato can usually be obtained in most major cities in the U.S. and Canada, from Chinese, Armenian, or Puerto Rican grocery stores or natural food stores. The skin of this vegetable is brown and covered with “hair.” The taro potato is grown in Hawaii as well as the Orient. Smaller taro potatoes are the most effective for use in this plaster.

If taro is not available, a preparation using regular potato can be substituted. While not as effective as taro, it will still produce a beneficial result. Mix 50–60% grated potato with 40–50% grated green leafy vegetables, mixing them together in a suribachi. Add enough wheat flour to make a paste and add 5% grated ginger. Apply as above.

Special considerations for cancer cases: The taro plaster has the effect of drawing cancerous toxins out of the body and is particularly effective in removing carbon and other minerals often contained in tumors. If, when the plaster is removed, the light-colored mixture has become dark or brown, or if the skin where the plaster was applied also takes on a dark color, this change indicates that excessive carbon and other elements are being discharged through the skin. This treatment will gradually reduce the size of the tumor.

If the patient feels chilly from the coolness of the plaster, a hot ginger compress, applied for 5 minutes while changing plasters, will help relieve this. If chill persists, roast sea salt in a skillet, wrap it in a towel, and place it on top of the plaster. Be careful not to let the patient become too hot from this salt application.

Ume Extract
Good for neutralizing an acid or nauseous condition and diarrhea in the stomach. Pour hot water or bancha tea over 1/4 teaspoon of ume extract.

Umeboshi Plum
Neutralizes an acidic condition and relieves intestinal problems, including those caused by microorganisms. Take 1/2–1 umeboshi plum with 1 cup bancha tea. Or you may bake the whole plums. If you are using powder, add a tablespoon to 1 cup hot water.

Ume-Sho-Bancha
Strengthens the blood and circulation through the regulation of digestion. Pour 1 cup bancha tea over the meat of 1/2–1 umeboshi plum and 1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce. Stir and drink hot.

Ume-Sho-Bancha with Ginger
Increases blood circulation. Same as above, but add 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger juice and pour 1 cup hot bancha tea over, stir, and drink.

Ume-Sho-Kuzu (Kudzu) Drink
Strengthens digestion, revitalizes energy, and regulates the intestinal condition. Prepare the kuzu drink according to the instructions for Kuzu Drink and add the meat of 1/2–1 umeboshi plum. One-eighth teaspoon fresh grated ginger may also be added.

Think back to when you were born.  How different are things nowadays?  Well now look back 100 years ago.  It’s crazy to think about how much has changed.  Even crazier to think about how much things will change in the next 100 years.

They say that technological advancement is exponential.  Well with that in mind, looking at these changes in the past 100 years, it’s crazy to even imagine what we will see the rest of our lives!!

The year is 1910.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!

Here are some of the U.S. statistics for the Year 1910:

The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47

Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama , Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.

With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.

The average U .S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year ..

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,

a dentist $2,500 per year,

a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and

a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home ..

Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had no college education.

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as “substandard.”

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn’t been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!

Crossword puzzles , canned beer, and ice tea hadn’t been invented yet.

There was no Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Two out of every 10 U.S. adults couldn’t read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacist said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.” (Shocking!)

Eighteen percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

Yep that’s right…in 2007 the U.S. spent $286.5 Billion on prescription drugs. Antidepressants ranked as the leading therapy class by dispensed prescription volume in 2007.  Overall, the top five therapeutic categories — antidepressants, lipid regulators, codeine & combination pain medications, ace inhibitors and beta blockers — continued to lead the market in terms of prescription utilization^[1].  Although there was a market slowdown from 2006 to 2007, the volume of prescription drugs on the market grew.  The slowdown was directly related to the expiration of patents that now allows for generic brands to be created;  which,in turn, makes drugs more affordable to consumers thereby increasing consumption.

Many people make the assumption that as our technology and knowledge grow, the quality of health care improves.  To some extent, that is true.  What people fail to realize is that the Western Medicine industry is fueled by treatment, not by cures. What this means to the people of the Western world is that their doctors and every company surrounding their medical cure makes more money if they keep them just sick enough where they can live, but not cured so that they must continue treatment – Be it through medical treatment or a regiment of prescription drugs.

$286.5 billion was spent on prescription drugs last year.  If doctors actually cured people of their illnesses, there would be less doctor visits – less money in there pockets.  That $286 billion figure would significantly diminish.  Think of how many people over the age of 40 are taking drugs to regulate their lipids, cholesterol, neuro chemicals, etc.  Some of these people are swallowing pills daily just to maintain a certain lifestyle.  This is all due to our medical practices here in the U.S.  A doctor will see you have high blood pressure test results, and right away they will prescribe you Norvasc or some similar drug.  Sure they will mention change of diet, exercise, etc., could help, but they will not stress the importance of these lifestyle changes.  Nor will they mention that with significant change in lifestyle, the average person can defeat high blood pressure without the aid of prescription drugs.  The world spends about $8 billion to $10 billion on treatment of aids patients^[2].  Think what a cure would do to that figure.  It sounds ludicrous and inhumane, but the fact remains that the health care industry is not a non-profit industry.  Therefore we must take this into consideration when analyzing treatments and recommendations that our doctors give us to “improve” our health.

And so the question comes, “If I can just take a pill, why not just do it?”  If it was that simple, I’d agree to it too, but putting a band-aid over a wound doesn’t just heal it.  If you continue to live a lifestyle that brought on the high blood pressure in the first place, then it’s clear there is something unhealthy about those habits.  And even though prescription drugs can help correct your blood pressure, there are side effects that must be taken into consideration.  Let’s take a look at Norvasc for example:   Norvasc side effects include water retention, fatigue, and dizziness. There are also rare Norvasc side effects, which affect less than 1 percent of people taking the drug; these rare side effects may include loss of appetite, vomiting, and sexual problems^[3].  In order to correct a lifestyle issue, a person must run the risk of experiencing these side effects to solve the problem; cause more problems by trying to artificially solve another.  Norvasc  has rare occurrences of mild side effects.  There are drugs out there that cause more common, serious side effects.

In addition to physical ailments like high blood pressure, there are now a whole slew of prescription drugs that are prescribed to treat mental illnesses.  Think about how many friends or family members that are on anti-depressants or stimulant drugs to treat A.D.D./A.D.H.D.  I’m sure the list is long.  Until the 1950’s, there were no drugs that were administered  to patients diagnosed with these types of mental illnesses.  Now that drugs exist, often times people with “mental illnesses” are prescribed a drug after an initial assessment before therapy sessions even begin.  Well guess what?? Just as diet and lifestyle can affect your physical wellness, it can also affect your mental wellness.  Vitamin and supplement levels in your blood regulate hormone and neurotransmitter levels.  Want a simple example??  The sun gives us Vitamin D and it’s been shown in studies that vitamin D3 deficiency provides a compelling and parsimonious explanation for seasonal variations in mood^[4].  It’s not necessary to take Zolof or Prozac if you are a little down in the dumps…take a vacation, get some sun; or move somewhere sunny!!  Obviously this is a simplified and exaggerated example of this, but you get my point.

This brings me to the cure.  How do we cure our illnesses rather than just treat them as the Western Medicine practice wants from us?  Well clearly I’ve mentioned change in diet and lifestyle, but it goes above and beyond that.  There are certain ailments that exist in this world that our bodies cannot defeat without the help of medicine.  But instead of looking to the medicine cabinet for a pill, perhaps we should be looking more into the Earth.  Eastern Medicine practices focus on natural, herbal medicines that have been used for thousands of years by humans to heal.  Furthermore, there are also sciences, such as acupuncture, that also gives us alternate methods of healing.  I have horrible allergies, and although taking Allegra-D twice a day helps control them, the fact is, they still remain in me.  After studying Eastern Medicine practices for curing allergies, I found a couple things for me to try:

• A teaspoon of locally harvested honey from bees can help my body build up antibodies to significantly reduce my seasonal allergic reactions.
• By lowering my consumption of mucous forming products (i.e. milk, flour, cheese), I can significantly improve the clogging and build-up of mucous in my sinuses

I am not sitting here and preaching to you that Eastern Medicine is the only way to go.  There are pros and cons for arguments of both Western and Eastern Medical practices.  The intelligent human would not pick one or the other, but instead recognize the positives from both and utilize them in conjunction with each other to maximize your well-being.  Through technology, Western Medicine has created a means of analysis that can accurately report any given individual’s unique physiological makeup and what supplements and dietary changes can be integrated to maximize their wellness.  If you were to take this property of Western Medical practice and combine it with the knowledge of natural medicines/supplements, once could cure thousands of ailments that plague humans around the world.

One individual, Dr. Ray Kurzweil, has written a book called, Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever.  In it he explains how the advancement of technology and medical knowledge will one day prolong human life – perhaps indefinitely.  With the Bio-Tech Revolution followed by the Nano-Tech Revolution approaching in our near futures, humans will be able to harness technology to help create synthetic organic cells that will lack deformities or inefficiencies that end up causing ailments and early death.  His website, http://www.rayandterry.com, provides a portal to knowledge and the ability to purchase products that will help sustain longer life and health.

So the next time you are sick and want to go to the doctor to get better…think about this blog.  There is no money to made in curing patients.  Doctors get rich by seeing patients.  Doctors get “perks” for endorsing certain prescription drugs.  So your health and wellness are not the only factors that plays into doctors’ recommendations.

It doesn’t pay to cure.

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A lot of people are very opinionated about the subject of Michael Vick due to the fact that dogs (For the record:  I’m  a huge dog fan and have own and loved many) are involved in the situation.  For the first part of my rant, I’m going to strip away moral debate on this topic.  I mean, it’s very clear that what he did is wrong.  He should and did get punished for his actions.  The moral debate lies more on whether he should be let back into the NFL.  I’ll touch on that in a bit.

The Business Debate – A “Good” or “Bad” Move for the NFL

The verdict is in, everyone knows it:  Vick has clearance to play in the 2009-2010 NFL season.  Of course the NFL and the Eagles are going to catch a ton of scrutiny for this decision, posing the question, “Is this a good move for the NFL and the Eagles?”

From a business standpoint, letting Vick play is a great decision for the NFL and the Eagles.  Why?  Well I, for one, am very interested in seeing him on the playing field.  In his previous seasons, Vick was one of the most electrifying and exciting players to watch on the field.  Being from Detroit, I was reminded of the glorious days (glorious in terms of the Lions’ history of horrible teams) of Barry Sanders.  As a young lad, I was excited to go to the Thanksgiving Day games (we went every year) no matter what the record of the Lions was because Barry was always so amazing to watch…even if a loss was the end result.

Now, even if someone is not a Detroit fan (most likely 95% of the NFL fans out there!!), I would imagine that there are thousands, if not millions, of the NFL fans out there that agree with me on Vick’s “excitability.”  This means that Vick’s return to the field, after years in jail, will probably attract a number of eyes that normally wouldn’t watch the Eagles.  Also factor in that “Michael Vick” has become a household name that people trash over their family dinner regularly, you now have the non-NFL fans that will undoubtedly watch just because they are interested in the drama (think about how many people gawk at a car wreck).  This most definitely means that the ratings on the games in which Vick takes the field will most likely be quite high…which means more advertising dollars.

The same applies for the tickets sold for the games in which Vick plays.  Teams, such as the Lions, that have had horrible consecutive seasons will most likely see a spike in tickets sales for the game(s) that Vick is taking the field.  This equates to $$$$ to the NFL – Plain and simple.

Additionally, as the saying goes, “No PR is bad PR.”  Even though the whole world may hate Michael Vick, his presence on the field will attract the eyes of people who may not have ever watched a football game.  This equates to higher ratings which in turn…I already explained the scenario above.  The only question left to ask from a PR standpoint is, “Will Michael Vick’s presence on the field cause people to not watch NFL games or advertisers to not run ads on his games?”  I’m sure that there will be a very small percentage of people that might answer a questionnaire stating this is the reason they don’t watch NFL games.  But let’s be honest people, if you are an NFL fan, no matter how disgusted with Michael Vick, and maybe even the NFL and Eagles for putting him on the field, you’re still going to watch your team play on Sundays.  There maybe a few conservative advertisers that might drop out, but I think it’s safe to assume most will stay on, especially because the ratings will be higher.

Analyze this data, the only conclusion to come to is:  A phenomenal move on the part of the NFL and Eagles to better their business.

The Business Debate – Ethics and Practices

The second business topic deals more with the moral issues in this case.  As much as businesses and entrepreneurs would like to base decisions purely on the financial result, our society has evolved in such a way that business ethics are a very important part of the decision making process (Although I say very important, when it comes down to it, let’s not forget the point of a business is to make money).

The professional sports industry plays a very large role in the lives of our youth society.  Pro players are role models – no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  Being so, the entities, such as the NFL, that control the industry must take this into account when making decisions such as this case.  Although they are in it to make money, if they were completely irresponsible and allowed rapists, killers, and drug users (known to the public at least!!) to play professional sports, they would undoubtedly be taken to the town square and stoned.

Is it ethical for the NFL and Eagles to put Vick on the field?  Probably not.  If you look at other  careers, such as a lawyer, a felony conviction would get any lawyer’s license to practice revoked.  Granted, an NFL player is not defending criminals or representing accident victims in a court of law, but with the whole “role model” influence such a powerful medium to the youth across the country, one could argue that it’s of very similar significance.

In the end, as I mentioned above, the decision isn’t really going to take away from the NFL audience.  Weigh all these factors together, and I would have made the same decision.

Play on Michael Vick.

Stevia. Most people probably haven’t heard of it. Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia’s taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. However, health and political controversies have limited stevia’s availability in many countries; for example, the United States banned it in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement.

The question to ask is: Why it was banned unless labeled as a supplement by the US FDA? Is it because it’s potentially harmful to humans? In reality, stevia is natural and non-toxic. Compared to nutra-sweet or Splenda which are both derived through a chemical process, it’s actually much healthier for you.

In 1991, when the FDA labeled the plant as an “unsafe additive,” it restricted the import of stevia. This brought on much controversy that brought up questions of whether the FDA acted on results from empirical data that stevia was “inadequate to demonstrate its safety,” or if it was pressure from lobbyists in the artificial sweetener industry. Most likely we all have our opinions on that!

Well guess what…last year the FDA lifted the restriction and stevia can now be used as an additive. Wow, just when you thought our government did not act in the best interest of the people they TOTALLY redeem themselves…or NOT.

The real reason the restriction was lifted is not because they find that it’s in the best interest of public health. Forget that there is this all-natural product that grows from the ground that could be used as a sugar substitute rather than using nasty chemicals that we are finding cause an array of symptoms. Instead, what really pushed them to make the change…COCA COLA. That’s right folks. The beverage giant pushed and the government tipped over.

At least the soda giants took a turn for the better **applause**:

In December 2008, the FDA gave a “no objection” approval for GRAS status to Truvia (developed by Cargill and The Coca-Cola Company) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo and the Whole Earth Sweetener Company, a subsidiary of Merisant), both of which are wholly-derived from the Stevia plant.

My generation has seen some extreme advancements in evolution. My high school career marked the birth of the internet on a major scale.  Although it existed, the use of the internet was still in the exploration stage with AOL being the predominant online entity. Regardless, I was still resorting to visits to the library to read up on current news, research for essays, and learning how to do things.

Just over 10 years later, times have really changed.  I asked my brother about this (he just graduated high school). Turns out students aren’t really using libraries these days to research. They use Google to write their papers, Google to keep up on current news, Google to figure out answers to questions, and Google to figure out how to do something. These libraries seem to be serving little purpose other than a giant dust collection, and a public bathroom for the homeless (at least the homeless here in LA use it for that!).

There is definitely differentiation on how rapid this degradation of print publishing is occurring. For example, I think it’s safe to say that most people still prefer buying a printed novel and reading it that way rather than reading it online. Although I do see a lot more books available as downloadable PDFs, if the book is over 20 pages long and requires more than one sitting to read, it’s still more convenient to have a hand-held paperback you can take with you rather than lugging around a laptop.

It’s the print magazines and newspapers that are facing extinction. With books, the content usually doesn’t change. So if you buy a book, you don’t really have to worry about a new version coming out before you read it. With magazines and newspapers, it’s a completely different story. Typically, the minute a story is printed, it is at risk as being outdated. And the quickest the story can be updated is the next day.  More and more people are realizing this everyday and, instead of grabbing the Times to read with their coffee in the morning, they are simply jumping online to their favorite news site and consuming the information there.

This has been detrimental to the print industry.  There isn’t a newspaper out there that is reporting an increase in circulation or ad sales.  Most likely, there isn’t a magazine that can report that either.  Just recently, the hip-hop, R&B and soul magazine, Vibe, had the verdict handed down to close its doors as it enters its 16th year of publication by it’s parent company, the Wick Group.  16 years of publication, shut down!

One may argue that these publications should simply cut the costly process of printing and distribution and shift to being strictly an online publication.  On paper that may seem like a good idea, but it’s tough for any business to completely shift its business model…successfully that is.  In my opinion, it’d be easier for a brand new business to start as an online publication, then it would be for a print publication to shift to being strictly online.  The print publication, which most likely has been previously established with advertisers and readers as a printed publication, will have a hard time carrying over loyalty from it’s readers and advertisers to strictly the online world.

In addition, the online advertising business model has not proven to be one that makes profits easily.  CPMs are getting lower and lower and web traffic becomes more and more dispersed everyday.  And although publications like the Times, magazines like 944 have both print publications and websites they can sell advertising against, they are still struggling and are approaching that feared “red line” where profits are no more and instead turn to losses.

I think we’re years away from the extinction of printed publications, but we definitely are and will be witnessing more and more of these “smaller fish,” like Vibe magazine, dying.  People may say it’s a sad thing to see, but if you look at the scientific process of evolution…as one species dies out, usually a better more evolved species takes its place.

I went up to San Francisco this past weekend to support my sister in her event “dine for a change” – A benefit for the San Francisco Women Against Rape which provides free services to victims of rape.  She worked really hard, and from what I was hearing from initial reports around the city, it seemed to be a success.

She was able to bring Yelp on board as a marketing partner.  They donated a newsletter sponsorship that went out to San Francisco yelp members to SFWAR.  This means that Yelp sent out a newsletter which read “sponsored by SFWAR” with a link to the website under the article title and also included a banner ad for the “dine for a change” event at the bottom.  Great exposure; great job Erica.

Well, turns out Yelp made an honest mistake, but one that should have been caught.  The topic of the newsletter that SFWAR was attached to was about bicycles.  A normal topic, nothing crazy about it.  That is until the writer came up with the title “Put the Fun Between Your Legs” – sponsored by San Francisco Women Against Rape!  I’m sure it was just a simple overlook.  Editors may not have realized that SFWAR was an organization treating rape victims.  But you can imagine the displeasure of many supporters of SFWAR and victims of rape that read that newsletter.

To my sister’s horror, she began to receive emails from people about the mistake minutes after the newsletter went out.  Even Yelp itself was getting phone calls from people complaining about the inappropriateness.  Yelp owned up to the mistake and sent a correction with a new, more appropriate title and an official apology for the overlook.

In the end no real harm was done and one could even look back and chuckle at what happened (since it was an innocent overlook).  As for my sis…no press is bad press.  She got two releases and probably more attention to that article, SFWAR, and “dine for a change” because of the incident.

You can actually tell when they release the correction because people comment on that.  The funniest response is the first person to realize the inappropriateness:

Anyone else notice the tasteless combination of an email title of “Put The Fun Between Your Legs” and just below the title, the statement “This Weekly Yelp brought to you by SF Women Against Rape”

Click here to see all the comments: http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-francisco-put-the-fun-between-your-legs

Anytime I get to watch good music, be it at a concert hall, Hollywood club, or private party, it’s always a treat.  This past Friday was much more than a treat.  In front of barely a few hundred people, Tiesto took the stage at DJ Val Kolton’s VMODA House high atop the Hollywood Hills.  The theme was set as a white party and everybody, I mean everybody, was dressed in white.

The house was decked in white sheets stretched to the top of the 30 ft ceilings of Val’s house.  The house itself is unique as it resembles more of a club inside than a place of residence.  The ceiling is lined with smoke and light machines and a sound system that make several of the clubs here in Hollywood look amateur.

What’s a classy party without the classy food and beverages:  Steak quesadillas, stuffed portobella mushrooms, cucumbers wrapped with prosciutto, champagne, wine, and never-ending vodka were just a few of the things I can recall consuming.  After a while, the dancing occupied all of my time and I soon forget the gourmet food.

Tiesto was nothing short of amazing as usual.  He had the whole house rockin’ on the dance floor screaming and flailing their hands in the air.  Cameras were flashing like crazy as everyone was trying to catch this rare moment on film. DJ Val Kolton closed out the night and kept the party going until the wee hours in the morning.  Even once the sun was coming up, we just simply moved to the movie theatre room (which has no windows) where Val already had a DJ table set up so the music never quit.

Plain and simple…one of the funnest (yes I used funnest) nights I have had in a while.  My legs hurt from dancing so much.

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