Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Having grown up with rock legend Bob Dylan, Rob Borsellino always wanted to shake the hand of his favorite artist. With the help of a friend those hands finally met out west near a corn field.

On April 21, 2006, legendary musicians Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard traveled to Des Moines, Iowa to perform a concert in Borsellino's honor, raising over $100,000 for the ALS Association.

Rob received the Voice of Courage Award accepted by Sen. Tom Harkin at ALSA’s Celebration of Excellence Reception and Awards Presentation in Washington, D.C.

Columnist for Des Moines Registry, Rob testified before the Senate Subcommittee 2005.

The ALS community has many Legends - Rob Borsellino was just that.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Facts (CAM)

More than 70% to 90% of physicians consider CAM therapies, such as diet and exercise, behavioral medicine, counseling and psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy, to be legitimate medical practices.

Approximately 80% of medical students and 70% of family physicians are interested in receiving training in multiple areas of CAM therapies.

In any given year, 69% of Americans use at least one type of CAM therapy.

Due to high market demand, at least 67% of health insurers and HMOs, such as Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Mutual of Omaha, Prudential, California Pacific, Catholic HealthCare West, HealthNet, and Oxford Health Plans, cover CAM therapies.

Chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal therapies, and mind-body techniques, among other CAM therapies, are offered at 64% of U.S. medical schools.

Approximately 57% of physicians have referred patients to CAM professionals.

It has been shown that 56% of Americans believe their health plans should cover CAM therapies.

Estimates place the size and value of the CAM market at $24 billion, a figure projected to increase at a rate of 15% per year.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently invests about $40 million per year in CAM-related research.

Based on the popularity and growth of CAM therapies in the U.S., the American Medical Association (AMA) ranked alternative medicine among the top 3 subjects (out of 86) for mainstream medical journals to address in the coming years.11 In response, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a highly renowned medical journal, identified alternative medicine as the 7th (out of 73) most important topic for future publication.

Chiropractors are licensed in all 50 states, and 12 states require that health plans include chiropractic benefits.

There are nearly 40,000 doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) throughout the country.

Acupuncturists are licensed in 34 states.

There are currently 21 schools in the U.S. that offer certification in homeopathic medicine.

Naturopathic professionals are licensed in 12 states.

MedausPharmacy

Dr. Gabor Maté: “When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection”

The Vancouver-based Dr. Gabor Maté argues that too many doctors seem to have forgotten what was once a commonplace assumption—that emotions are deeply implicated in both the development of illness and in the restoration of health. Based on medical studies and his own experience with chronically ill patients at the Palliative Care Unit at Vancouver Hospital, where he was the medical coordinator for seven years, Dr. Gabor Maté makes the case that there are important links between the mind and the immune system. He found that stress and individual emotional makeup play critical roles in an array of diseases.

It’s also typical for people that develop ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I talk about the example of Lou Gehrig, if I may tell you about that. Lou Gehrig was this great baseball player, a teammate of Babe Ruth’s on the New York Yankees. And he set a record for consecutive games played that stood for nearly sixty years. Now, Gehrig wasn’t just a great athlete. He was also dutiful. He—it’s not that he was never hurt. At one point, his hands were x-rayed. It turns out his fingers had been fractured seventeen separate times. And his teammates described him as grimacing like a mad monkey in agony when he fielded the ball. But he never took himself out of a game, because he was too dutiful to his own self-image and also to the fans and to the owners. Now, that sense of responsibility, and not looking after yourself, is totally typical of everybody who develops ALS. And it goes back to their childhoods, because, just like with the woman with rheumatoid arthritis, she was a failure the moment she was born, because her mother conceived her to keep the marriage together with the father. The marriage broke up, and she never had the feeling that she was accepted and liked for who she was, therefore she had to become this dutiful caregiver. Lou Gehrig’s father was an alcoholic, and Gehrig learned very early in life that he had to take care of others, as the children of alcoholics often do. And that then became his pattern until he could no longer drag himself around the baseball diamond because of the ALS, which in North America, of course, is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Democracy Now Feb. 15, 2010

Faces of ALS

ReWire Your Brain For Love | Marsha Lucas, PhD

Mindfulness meditation can change your brain in ways that support healthier, more successful relationships. But how can you meditate when your brain is so busy? Marsha Lucas, PhD is a psychologist / neuropsychologist who explains why the busier your brain is, the more opportunities you have to do the "reps" in meditation that re-wire your brain.

What is Spirulina?

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina plantensis is a food supplement form of a one-celled, spiral-shaped microscopic blue-green algae that is exceedingly adaptable to its surroundings and naturally occurs in a wide variety of environments including fresh water, tropical springs, and saltpans. It is not a sea plant, but does grow in fresh water bodies that contain a higher than usual amount of salt. Because of its natural ability to grow in warm environments that other organisms cannot survive in, spirulina is actually one of the most sterile foods on earth. It is also known to be one of the earliest forms of life and has been on the planet for more than 3.6 billion years. Spirulina is both a complete food and a whole food supplement. Long before it became known as a “probiotic” or “super food” by the health food industry, spirulina has been consumed by humans worldwide for centuries because of its rich nutrient range and ability to sustain life even without need for other foods. Today, spirulina farming has become a part of the new era of ecological agriculture and is recognized as a powerful food source.

Spirulina also contains extensive levels of trace elements and essential minerals. In its natural aquatic environment, minerals that have been deposited from ancient soils become chelated with their amino acids and can thus be more easily assimilated by the body. Aside from being a vegetarian source of vitamin B12, other major nutritional components of spirulina that are of significant value to human health are Essential Fatty Oils (rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which is effective against viral infections and promotes cardiovascular health), Phycocyanin (stimulates the immune system by making iron more bio-available), Chlorophyll (cleanses and detoxifies the body and helps to remove heavy metals from the system), Beta-carotene (10 times greater than carrots), and antioxidants (for complete immune support).

For more than 30 years spirulina (Spirulina platensis) has been the first choice for supplementing a vegetarian diet. This special blue-green algae is a good source of numerous vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids which are very difficult to reach and maintain at sufficient concentrations with a vegetarian diet. Most notable is the high quality protein, which contains all nine essential amino acids. Although this simple organism has been around for millions of years, it was only fairly recently when it has earned recognition as the superfood of the future because of its remarkable nutritional content. Spirulina, in comparison with either beef or soybeans, is a much better source of protein. It is also among the rare non-animal sources of vitamin B12, and contains twice the amount of B12 found in beef liver, which makes it an excellent addition to the vegetarian diet.

In the United States, Spirulina is sold as a dietary supplement, and dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs. Therefore, premarket evaluation and approval by the Food and Drug Administration are not required unless claims are made for specific disease prevention or treatment.

Health Benefits of Spirulina

Sabrina Parker - Love Is Forever

For most teenagers love means trips to the movies, stolen kisses behind the bleachers and the heartbreak of that first breakup.  For Sabrina Parker and Matt Scozzari it means a whole lot more.

The two began dating after Matt, in his own words, got up the nerve to ask her out. Over the next three months things seemed perfect to them, but Matt noticed that Sabrina seemed ill. She was tired easily, she sometimes had trouble speaking, she was losing weight.

When he asked if she was ok she told him it was fine, the doctor was treating her.

What she did not tell him was that only a month after they started dating she had been diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and the prognosis was not good.

Finally after her surprise sweet 16 party two of her friends, both in tears, broke the news to Matt.

He was obviously devastated but when Sabrina asked him if he was going to leave her because of the diagnosis he responded “I will never leave you, no matter what”.  For both of them facing trials in life was not new.

Sabrina’s grandmother and mother both died from ALS. Matt had been diagnosed with a mild learning disability, had endured teasing from schoolmates due to speech problems and had watched his grandmother die from cancer. But both overcame these problems.

WHERE ARE THE CURES

Educate Yourself

Of the billions of dollars spent on medical research each year, few if any patient treatments emerge. From the time a scientist has an idea for a relevant experiment, it could be as long as 40 years before a treatment is available. As unimaginable as this seems, it is true.

Sign the Patient's Manifesto now!

Scientists Shift from Studying Disease to Studying Health

by Dr. Christiane Northrup

As a Doctor, I’m often asked how to reverse a medical condition or disease state. Although I know the causes of many illnesses as well as what to do to relieve a person’s symptoms, the focus of my life’s work has been on prevention. This means adopting the habits and lifestyle you need to live a long, healthy life—and doing it as early in your life as possible. Most people believe that disease is inevitable and that they will die of something dreadful, like cancer, heart disease or Alzheimer’s disease. And most scientists study patients with disease to determine what contributed to the individual’s illness. So, I was thrilled to learn about Richard Davidson, Ph.D., and the work that’s being done at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin under his direction. Dr. Davidson established The Center “to scientifically determine how healthy qualities of mind develop and to investigate interventions to cultivate those qualities in children and adults.”

In May 2010, the Dalai Lama traveled to Wisconsin for the grand opening of the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin, where some of Dr. Davidson’s research will be conducted. Dr. Davidson had been inspired by his holiness the Dalai Lama many years ago when the Dalai Lama posed an interesting question of him. The Dalai Lama had noticed that our Western culture put a lot of emphasis on studying diseases of the mind, like anxiety and depression. The Dalai Lama asked Dr. Davidson what does our Western science say about a healthy mind, and what are the characteristics of a person with a healthy mind. Dr. Davidson didn’t have an answer.

Dr. Davidson began to determine which practices encourage compassion, happiness, and well-being. Of course meditation was on the top of the list, and many studies have already been conducted on Buddhist monks to understand the positive effects that meditation has on the brain and body. The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds continues to study a health mind as defined by the Dalai Lama: “The kind of mind which can create good health, and also which can maintain calmness, and also bring more sense of community. That mind is, I think, a healthy mind.”

What If Lou Gehrig had More Than ALS

Dr. Gabor Maté has lived several lives in one. He's most decidedly a risk-taker: the bestselling author of a controversial book on attention-deficit disorder called Scattered Minds, Maté is a political activist known for his (even more controversial) views on the Middle East, and a physician/psychotherapist who gave up his family practice several years ago to work with HIV-positive heroin addicts on the Vancouver's downtown east side. Unflinching in the face of criticism, this is a man who will not keep silent about his multiple passions.

In his latest book, When the Body Says No, he goes out on a medical limb with his passionately-argued thesis that certain types of chronic disease can be triggered by stress. And not the garden variety stress we usually think of (the job, the kids, the mortgage), but internal stress generated by the repression of powerful emotions, particularly anger.

In his many years as a palliative care physician, Maté observed in his dying patients certain eerie similarities in personality. Many of them were cheerful and agreeable to a fault, never seemed angry, placed everyone else's needs above their own, and were harshly critical with themselves. Their personal boundaries seemed fragile and uncertain, as if they did not know where they left off and others began. In many cases, it was nearly impossible for them to say "no," to the point that their bodies had to say it for them.

These personal observations matched up with certain discoveries in the relatively-new field of psychoneuroimmunology, the science studying the intricate interaction between psyche and soma. The mainstream medical idea of a "mind/body split" no longer made sense to Maté, so he set out to probe the mystery of what makes us sick, and how we can guard our health through a better understanding of boundaries, emotional honesty and personal autonomy.

Though the book has been warmly received by readers and is already climbing Canadian bestseller lists, it has not done so well with certain members of the medical community, not to mention some reviewers (the Toronto Globe and Mail was particularly caustic, though they did praise his elegant and graceful expression of complex ideas). Maté's critics claim the author blames people for getting sick, that his ideas are too touchy-feely and that the science isn't there to back up his claims. However, When the Body Says No presents compelling evidence that our psyches and our bodies are so inextricably intertwined that they are inseparable.

As for emotional repression, Maté found it has very long roots. What happened to us when we were kids really does affect us dramatically in the here and now, especially if "negative" emotions like anger were repressed and love was poorly expressed. And early trauma leaves an impact like a wrecking ball hitting delicate crystal.

Pecans and ALS - It's Nuts

Eating about a handful of pecans each day may play a role in protecting the nervous system, according to a new animal study published in the current issue of Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. The study, conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, suggests adding pecans to your diet may delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration. This may include diseases like amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Mice provided a diet supplemented with pecans displayed a significant delay in decline in motor function compared to mice receiving no pecans. Mice eating the diet with the most pecans (0.05%) fared best. Both pecan groups fared significantly better than those whose diets contained no pecans. The result was based on how the mice performed in highly specific tests, each of which compared mice on the control diet with mice consuming pecan-enriched diets.

For more information on the health benefits of pecans, recipes, photos and much more, visit www.ilovepecans.org.

Cough Assist for ALS

Cough Assist
Studies have shown prolonged survival and a delayed need for tracheotomy by over a year with its use?

The CoughAssist noninvasively helps patients clear bronchial secretions when they can't cough for themselves. The CoughAssist is a safe, comfortable way to reduce the risk of airway damage and respiratory complications. Helps patients by enhancing or replacing their natural removal of bronchial secretions with the gradual application of positive pressure to the airway followed by a rapid shift to negative pressure. The slow inhale/rapid exhale airflow simulates the natural coughing process while avoiding the potential problems associated with more invasive procedures.Many physicians now recommend the Cough Assist or Exsufflator. This product is often ordered prior to or at the same time as the BIPAP. The Cough Assist is a prescription item that is covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Find out more, ask questions and pass on the information;
http://www.coughassist.com/
http://www.alshopefoundation.com/resp.php

ALS......The Long Goodbye

Hard to watch...but harder to live with.
This is a family's journey with Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Through Life we learn Suffering precedes Death.
Through ALS we learn Suffering engages the Family.

Because You Really Love that ALS Patient

Pamper yourself with a gentle, warm aerated stream. A convenient remote control allows you to personalize several functions including water temperature, pressure, and even offers a gentle cycling massage feature.
Follow cleansing with a touch of a button for an adjustable warm air-dry while enjoying the comfort of a gently heated seat. Both features include adjustable temperatures.
BB-1000 is equipped with state-of-the-art "smart power saving function" that calculates the most frequently used hours of the day for maximum savings with a powerful deodorizer that eliminates up to 90% of embarrassing odor.
Its patented 1 pocket 3 nozzles allow maximum hygiene with a soothing pulsating massage.
Equipped with the most advanced "Capacitance" seat sensor and "Self Diagnose," BB-1000 is truly the most advanced and complete bidet seat in the industry.

• Available in Round and Elongated. White or Biscuit.
• Convenient Remote Control
• Powerful deodorizer with carbon filter
• Patented 1 pocket 3 nozzle system
• Auto Smart Power Saving
• Extra protections on electronic parts
• Quality approved by UL CE TUV
• Heated Seat
• Warm Air Dry
• Built-in Filter
• Hydraulic Seat and Cover
• Safety Sensor
• Self-Diagnosis
• Wide Cleaning
• Massage Cleaning
• Quick Release for Easy Cleaning
• Gentle Aerated Water Stream