FDA: Obamacare’s Calorie-Count Mandate Now In Effect—But Not Enforceable

Friday, August 27, 2010
By Chris Neefus

President Barack Obama speaks in Seattle on Tuesday, August 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(CNSNews.com) - A mandate buried in the health-care bill President Barack Obama signed in March is now confounding not only the vending-machine operators who are supposed to follow it but also the federal regulators who are supposed to enforce it.

The Food and Drug Administration has ruled that the provisions in Obamacare that mandate that restaurant owners and vending-machine operators disclose the calorie contents of the foods they sell retroactively took effect on the day Obama signed the bill.
The FDA, however, has not been able to give vending-machine operators complete and final guidance on how they should make their machines comply with the law, thus causing “confusion” and “frustration” in the industry, and leading the agency to refrain for now from enforcing the provision.

Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) says companies with 20 or more restaurants or vending machines must disclose nutrition content for standard menu items, and that for vending machines in particular, the company “shall provide a sign in close proximity to each article of food or the selection button that includes a clear and conspicuous statement disclosing the number of calories contained in the article.”

The FDA has ruled that this section of the law went into effect on March 23, 2010, when President Obama signed it, and has laid out detailed instructions for how chain restaurants should display the calorie counts of each menu item, along with definitions of each term involved in the regulation. The FDA has not managed to give similarly detailed guidance to vending machine operators. In fact, the FDA guidance produced on the question thus far has only reiterated the law’s mandate that companies that operate 20 or more vending machines must “immediately disclose, in a clear and conspicuous manner,” the number of calories contained in each snack item or drink.

Neal Monroe, vice president of government affairs at the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) which represents vending machine operators, says he was told by the FDA that they were “still trying to get their arms around” how to implement the provisions of the law.  The resulting confusion is a problem for people in his industry.

“There’s definitely confusion and a little bit of frustration from our folks who want to comply with the regulations,” Monroe told CNSNews.com. “They want to provide this information to their customers.”

Monroe pointed out that people “recognize that the snacks and the drinks have the nutritional facts panel already on the packaging. It’s just a unique situation.”

According to the FDA, it hopes to issue a final guidance to vending machine operators by December. But Monroe says the agency told him on a conference call it could not promise anything until the spring.

“There was a conference call with the Food and Drug Administration this week, and they’re hoping to provide us guidance sooner rather than later, but they can’t promise any guidance or regulations until March of next year,” he said.

That would mean a full year had passed  between Obama signing the law and a federal regulatory agency figuring out how to enforce it.

The FDA did not respond to an inquiry from CNSNews.com.
The current guidance on the vending-machine mandate concedes: “FDA is aware that industry may need additional guidance from FDA and time to comply with the provisions of section 4205 that became requirements immediately upon enactment of the law.

Accordingly, FDA expects to refrain from initiating enforcement action until after a time period established in the final guidance. FDA is interested in comments on the appropriate time period for enforcement after the issuance of final guidance. FDA anticipates issuing final guidance in December 2010.

Vending machine operators, meanwhile, are worried about whether their small businesses will survive this single federal regulation that was sandwiched into the massive health care bill.

“To give you an idea of the economic impact, a vending operator who has just 20 machines is making less than $4,000 a year in profit,” said Monroe. “And these regulations cost between $3 and $100 per machine.”

“This could be an enormous economic hit for them,” he told CNSNews.com.

“What we are concerned about is the impact of the regulation on our small business people in this economic situation,” said Monroe. “The climate is pretty tough. As unemployment increases, there are fewer workers in the factories, there are fewer people buying snacks, so this is a—a pretty tough economic hit.”

Monroe faulted the vagueness of the original statute in the health care bill for some of the current uncertainty. “In a 2,000-plus page bill, vending had one sentence (that will affect) at least 90 percent of the industry,” he said.

WHO scandal exposed: Advisors received kickbacks from H1N1 vaccine manufacturers

A stunning new report reveals that top scientists who convinced the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare H1N1 a global pandemic held close financial ties to the drug companies that profited from the sale of those vaccines. This report, published in the British Medical Journal, exposes the hidden ties that drove WHO to declare a pandemic, resulting in billions of dollars in profits for vaccine manufacturers.

Several key advisors who urged WHO to declare a pandemic received direct financial compensation from the very same vaccine manufacturers who received a windfall of profits from the pandemic announcement. During all this, WHO refused to disclose any conflicts of interests between its top advisors and the drug companies who would financially benefit from its decisions.

All the kickbacks, in other words, were swept under the table and kept silent, and WHO somehow didn’t think it was important to let the world know that it was receiving policy advice from individuals who stood to make millions of dollars when a pandemic was declared.

WHO credibility destroyed

The report was authored by Deborah Cohen (BMJ features editor), and Philip Carter, a journalist who works for the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London. In their report, Cohen states, “…our investigation has revealed damaging issues. If these are not addressed, H1N1 may yet claim its biggest victim — the credibility of the WHO and the trust in the global public health system.”

In response to the report, WHO secretary-general Dr Margaret Chan defended the secrecy, saying that WHO intentionally kept the financial ties a secret in order to “…protect the integrity and independence of the members while doing this critical work… [and] also to ensure transparency.”

Dr Chan apparently does not understand the meaning of the word “transparency.” Then again, WHO has always twisted reality in order to serve its corporate masters, the pharmaceutical giants who profit from disease. To say that they are keeping the financial ties a secret in order to “protect the integrity” of the members is like saying we’re all serving alcohol at tonight’s AA meeting in order to keep everybody off the bottle.

It just flat out makes no sense.

But since when did making sense have anything to do with WHO’s decision process anyway?

Even Fiona Godlee, editor of the BMJ, had harsh words for the WHO, saying, “…its credibility has been badly damaged. WHO must act now to restore its credibility.”

Yet more criticism for WHO

The BMJ isn’t the only medical publication criticizing WHO for its poor handling of conflicts of interest. Another report from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly also criticized WHO, saying: “Parliamentary Assembly is alarmed about the way in which the H1N1 influenza pandemic has been handled, not only by the World Health Organization (WHO), but also by the competent health authorities at the level of the European Union and at national level.” It went on to explain that WHO’s actions led to “a waste of large sums of public money, and also unjustified scares and fears about health risks faced by the European public at large.”

The funny thing is, NaturalNews and other natural health advocates told you all the same thing a year ago, and we didn’t have to spend millions of dollars on a study to arrive at this conclusion. It was obvious to anyone who knows just how corrupt the sick-care industry really is. They’ll do practically anything to make more money, including bribing WHO scientific advisors and paying them kickbacks once the vaccine sales surge.

The vaccine industry and all its drug pushers are, of course, criticizing this investigative report. They say WHO “had no choice” but to declare a pandemic and recommend vaccines, since vaccines are the only treatment option for influenza. That’s a lie, of course: Vitamin D has been scientifically proven to be five times more effective than vaccines at preventing influenza infections, but WHO never recommended vitamin D to anyone.

The entire focus was on pushing more high-profit vaccines, not recommending the things that would actually help people the most. And now we know why: The more vulnerable people were to the pandemic, the more would be killed by H1N1, thereby “proving” the importance of vaccination programs.

People were kept ignorant of natural remedies, in other words, to make sure more people died and a more urgent call for mass vaccination programs could be carried out. (A few lives never gets in the way of Big Pharma profits, does it?)

How the scam really worked

Here’s a summary of how the WHO vaccine scam worked:

Step 1) Exaggerate the risk: WHO hypes up the pandemic risk by declaring a phase 6 pandemic even when the mortality rate of the virus was so low that it could be halted with simple vitamin D supplements.

Step 2) Urge countries to stockpile: WHO urged nations around the world to stockpile H1N1 vaccines, calling it a “public health emergency.”

Step 3) Collect the cash: Countries spend billions of dollars buying and stockpiling H1N1 vaccines while Big Pharma pockets the cash.

Step 4) Get your kickbacks: WHO advisors, meanwhile, collected their kickbacks from the vaccine manufacturers. Those kickbacks were intentionally kept secret.

Step 5) Keep people afraid: In order to keep demand for the vaccines as high as possible, WHO continued to flame the fears by warning that H1N1 was extremely dangerous and everybody should continue to get vaccinated. (The CDC echoed the same message in the USA.)

This is how WHO pulled off one of the greatest vaccine pandemic scams in the last century, and it worked like gangbusters. WHO advisors walked away with loads of cash, the drug companies stockpiled huge profits, and the taxpayers of nations around the world were left saddled with useless vaccines rotting on the shelves that will soon have to be destroyed (at additional taxpayer cost, no doubt) or dumped down the drain (where they will contaminate the waterways).

Meanwhile, nobody dared tell the public the truth about vitamin D, thereby ensuring that the next pandemic will give them another opportunity to repeat the exact same scam (for yet more profit).

The criminality of the vaccine industry

The bottom line is all this is a frightening picture of just how pathetic the vaccine industry has become and how corrupt the WHO and the CDC really are. What took place here is called corruption and bribery, folks. Kickbacks were paid, lies were told and governments were swindled out of billions of dollars. These are felony crimes being committed by our global health leaders.

The real question is: Why do governments continue to allow public health organizations to be so easily corrupted by the vaccine industry? And who will stand up to this profit conspiracy that exploits members of the public as if they were profit-generating guinea pigs?

The next time you hear the WHO say anything, just remember: Their advisors are on the take from the drug companies, and just about anything you’re likely to hear from the World Health Organization originates with a profit motive rather than a commitment to public health.

Oh, and by the way… for the record, there has never been a single scientific study ever published showing that H1N1 vaccines worked. Not only was the H1N1 pandemic a fraud to begin with, but the medicine they claimed treated it was also based on fraud. And now we know the rest of the story of why it was all done: Kickbacks from Big Pharma, paid to advisors who told WHO to declare a pandemic.

Mike Adams  -  Natural News  -  June 6, 2010 – Info Wars

Sources for this story include:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineF…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy…

Dogs Know

This really is a great story

Lucky Dog....

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box..

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.  The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her... what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him!  The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.  Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called.  It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong.  She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned!  While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.

He had covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying.  Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now, and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky, he still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure..

Remember... Live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget... the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.  They are the ones that care for us.  For those of us true pet lovers, our dogs and cats are people too; perhaps even better friends than our human friends and acquaintances.

Live simply… Love seriously. Care deeply.  Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

A small request
All you are asked to do is keep this sharing this, even if it is only to one more person, in memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer or is still fighting their battle.

And also to use it as an encouragement to fight against animal abuse.  Please intercede on their behalf whenever you are needed, even if it is just a hunch.

 

Cross-posted at: Just One More Pet

Your Government Is Not Looking Out For You… Quite the Contrary

 

Food Fascism on the Horizon?

By Andrew Ward

Here’s the latest on the so-called Food Safety bill from the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA):

Senate Bill 510 has grown to 225 pages with a complete substitute, and it appears to be even more objectionable to advocates of small farms and nutrient dense farm products. While we have not had time to fully dissect the legislation, it should be noted that S510 still: removes judicial overview on the secretary’s ruling, replaces “credible evidence” with “reason to believe,” grants blanket authority for the agencies to write rules and regulations on domestic production that will dangerously harmonize with international standards. It also specifically brings dairy farms under further regulatory authority and thereby endangers the fresh milk movement.

Those who have opposed this bill should continue to oppose it.

There is no reason to compromise on this bill. The FDA and USDA still have more than ample authority to protect the anonymous food supply, yet they are not doing so. Instead they are raiding food buying clubs, and raw milk farms, and declaring that citizens have no right to bodily health or any particular food for themselves or their children.

In short, you better keep an eye out for this one.  Food is where the rubber meets the road.  We’ll keep you posted.

 

You got duped by government into believing that you were doomed unless you got a virus shot

So let’s start with the con that was the H1N1 virus.  You got duped by government into believing that you were doomed unless you got a virus shot and the companies that manufactured the vaccine got obscenely rich off of your money.  Meanwhile, the peddlers of this fraud (government) sat back in their easy chairs and stroked their egos with how brilliant they were in catching the epidemic before it wiped out all human life on the planet.  What a crock!

Remember when Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said at an April 29, 2009 emergency meeting in Geneva “It really is all of humanity that is under threat?”  Really!  WHO then raised the virus threat level to six, the highest level on their “scare” chart.  What was the outcome from all this H1N1 virus non-sense?  Slightly more severe than a normal flu season.  God how governments love emergencies, real, imagined or manufactured

Read full article:  H1N1+M-C G-W+Obama Care vs. Truth

Galactic Re-Alignment Affects Human Physical and Mental State

New Scientific Study Shows Solar Activity Affects Humans Physical and Mental State

A recent study published today in the NewScientist, indicates a direct connection between the Sun's solar storms and human biological effect. The conduit which facilitates the charged particles from the Sun to human disturbance -- is the very same conduit which steers Earth's weather ----- The Magnetic Field. Yes, animals and humans have a magnetic field which surrounds them -- in the very same way the magnetic field surrounds the Earth as a protector.

http://www.ofspiritandsoul.com/earth%20vortices/vortices.html

Earth Vortices, Ley Lines and Tectonic Plates  (Updated 2004)

Vortices are high energy spots on the Earth. Earth energy is due to its electromagnetic field. NASA research has proved that the human energy field is tuned in to certain ‘Earth Waves’. (See section Energies) The joining on the surface of the Earth are ‘hot spots’ of energy focus which we know as the vortices of the Earth, these are linked by ley lines. A Ley line is an energy line, some being of more importance than others.

Earth vortices are analogous to the chakras in the human body. There are 9 major chakras in the body, counting two above the head within the etheric field, which are not normally referred to. There are several minor chakras throughout the body. (See section Chakras) The arteries in the human body are analogous to the rivers and waterways of Planet Earth. Ley Lines are analogous to the nervous/energy system in the human body.

Major Vortices

• Avebury, England
• Ayers Rock, Australia
• Bimini- off Florida coast
• Calgary- Canada, including the area surrounding Lake Louise and Banff National Park.
• Easter Island- Chile
• Nepal
• Machu Pichu - The Andes, Sth America
• Philippines
• Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Sedona, Arizona .US
• Tibet, Lhasa
• Mexico, Rosarito – location of Natural Health facility - Sanoviv Medical Center as well as at the locations of several pyramid ruins

  Photo by UCLA Shutterbug

http://www.ofspiritandsoul.com/energies/energies.html

Vortex or Power spots (see Vortices on Earth)
Vortices are high energy spots on the Earth. Earth energy is due to the electromagnetic field of our planet earth. NASA research has proved that our own energy field is tuned in to certain ‘Earth Waves’. This oscillates at between 7-8 cycles per second. In a meditative state, the human brain alters and will also oscillate at the same rate in tune with the Earth energy. To experience this to its optimum one has to practise for some time before becoming ‘attuned’. Some individuals will never achieve this. Spiritual awareness, like Wisdom, is not something that can be taught easily, it has to be reached through living. This ability was once known by all mankind, but has been lost for a long time. It is believed by many, that we entered a more spiritually aware period during the 1960’s, with many individuals becoming more attuned with Earth’s energies and needs and therefore their own energies.

http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/core_energy_earth.htm
The Earth Energy Field:

The earth’s natural electromagnetic field has a frequency measured as about 7.8 HZ or Hertz. This is the well known and documented Schumann Resonance measured daily in seismology laboratories.

There is much concern now among scientists about the damage caused by civilization’s pollution of the earth. There is also monitoring of the normally occurring changes in the universe.

When people meditate and calm their brain chatter, their brains emit alpha frequencies of 7 to 9 Hz. The human brain in a relaxed state then has the same frequency of vibration as the energy field of the earth.

When humans live close to nature, their energy fields are in synchrony with the energy field of the earth, so they experience more balance and better health.

Before the invention of electricity, people lived in harmony with the earth and her daily and seasonal cycles. Technology advances have added tremendous levels of electromagnetic energy millions of times higher than before … microwaves, x-rays, cell phones, television, radio frequencies, high tension wires, etc.

Dr. Robert Becker is a world renowned expert on electromagnetic fields (EMF). He said, “At the present time, the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of EMF’s.”

In addition the energy field of the earth interacts with the energy fields of other planets and constellations. Those changes then reflect on the energy fields of living bodies including humans.

The energy fields then as the interface connect all living matter … humans, plant, animal, and the earth.

http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/core_energy.htm
The Universal Energy Field:

Today, quantum physicists lead the way in bringing back together the fields of science and religion. This is an outgrowth of their work with identifying the “God particle”. New theories and paradigms in science like the “string theory” sound more like the thoughts of philosophers and poets of old.

The universe is now recognized as a living entity of immeasurable intelligence, size, and power. Recent reports in November 2006 (article to be published in Feb 10 edition of Astrophysical Journal) from the Hubble telescope verify one of Einstein’s discarded theories of “dark energy” that continually pushes the blossoming of the evolving universal energy field.

We can call this vast energy field God, or more generically … the Universal Energy Field. The Universal Field is a vast, cosmic sea of endless possibilities and infinite wisdom … the Source of All … extending infinitely … beyond human measure. This Universal Field, Source of All, or God is the ultimate living being bringing forth and staying connected to every other living thing.

At the highest frequency of vibration each form of living matter is interconnected as our particles dance and spin apart. At the lowest frequencies we appear separate in the mass of our physical bodies.

The energy fields of humans, plants, animals, the earth, and the universe provide the interface that connects us all.
http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/core_vibrations.htm
The Power of Vibrations
In the laboratory scientists can use the SQUID or Superconducting Quantum Interface Device to detect the ultra-sensitive magnetic field surrounding the hands of a healer intent on sending healing energy to a recipient. Dr. John Zimmerman at the University of Colorado School of Medicine proved the magnetic nature of healing energy. Experiments have been conducted in skeptical laboratories to demonstrate the measurable effects of healing energy on living plants. Bernard Grad added energy to one batch of water with magnets. Energy was added to another batch of water by a healer. Both batches of water were used to feed separate plants. Both showed a measurable acceleration of growth in the target plants.

http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/core_disease.htm
Imbalance and Disease
Through these meridians flows the life force or chi … an invisible nutritious energy. From outside the physical body, this chi (also known as qi, ki, or prana) enters the acupuncture points and flows deep within the physical body to provide life giving energy of a subtle nature. There are twelve pairs of meridians that are connected to specific organ systems deep within the physical body.

It is essential that the flow of this subtle energy be free and of full force. When this energy is blocked imbalanced, or diminished dysfunction within the organ systems innervated will result.

Thus, balance and harmony on the etheric level result in balance, harmony, and optimal health on the physical level. Imbalance and dis-harmony on the etheric level results in various states of dis-ease on the physical.
Thus, balance and harmony are essential on the etheric level … on the higher frequency levels of energy in order to maintain optimal functioning and optimal health on the denser physical level.
Balance at the level of the chakras and the acupuncture meridians of the energy body and the etheric body translates into optimal health in the physical body.
Imbalance at the etheric or energy level translates into various states of disease in the human body.

Co-Create Your Own Reality: Dr.Cleve Backster

http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/co_create-power.htm

The Power of Thoughts, Words, Actions The Power of Attraction

We are energetic beings. Similarly our thoughts, words, and actions are energetic expressions. Our thoughts are powerful expressions of energy. Our thoughts and the thoughts of others affect us and other life forms.

Dr.Cleve Backster conducted his famous experiments using plants and simple animals like shrimp. Backster showed scientifically that the house plants in his laboratory were influenced by the thoughts of people. When Backster thought about cutting or killing a plant, that plant plus all the other plants in the room reacted with fear. He recorded and measured this reaction of the power of thoughts with the equivalent of a lie detector.

Daily the scientist left the room to go to lunch. After eating, when he just thought about returning to the laboratory, the equipment recorded a spike in the fear of the plants at the same time. Thoughts projected by Backster were instantly communicated to his plants even though they were miles apart.

Later in 1995, based on the effects of human intention on plants, Backster was asked to design an experiment for the U.S. Army to conduct on human DNA. These experiments showed that DNA taken from the donor’s mouth and nurtured in a Petri plate in the next room exhibited the same reactions to emotions stimulated in the subject’s body a few hundred feet away. Again the result was instantaneous.

After the Army stopped their experiments, Dr. Backster continued to increase the distance between the donor and his DNA in the Petri dish. Even when 350 miles apart, the separated DNA and the DNA in the donor reacted the same way instantly as measured by an atomic clock in Colorado. The energy of the thoughts, and the emotions, or feelings transmitted instantaneously.

Remember that every living creature, including humankind, is an energetic being, as is the Universal Field, Consciousness, The Source of All, the Divine Matrix, or God. We are all one … all part of that cosmic sea of possibilities waiting to be brought into reality. There is no true separation at the level of the subtle energy now measurable by modern scientific technology. There is no true separation according to the ancient philosophy of the ages.

http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/jgilliland.htm
Our Link to the Outer Limits
James Gilliland - around 8:30min into the video I can see connections to
Lynne McTaggart in the sense of consciousness changing.
Both acknowledge increased solar flares - James states this is part of Grand Cycle (the procession that relates to the Mayan Calender)
http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/lmctaggart.htm
The Intention Experiment
"Lynne McTaggart is the award-winning author of five books, including the international bestselling sensations 'Living The Field' and 'The Intention Experiment'. She is an internationally recognized spokesperson on the science of spirituality."
Lynne makes statement linking sun spot activity with consciousness -
it hit a "0" activity in March 2008 - and peaks in 2012
high activity can enhance intentionality...
others predict peak for 2010-11
http://www.livingthefield.com/interviews.htm

Rupert Sheldrake invites you to participate in his ongoing research. - Online Tests
http://www.sheldrake.org/Onlineexp/portal/
http://www.sheldrake.org/Onlineexp/offline/
http://www.sheldrake.org/Onlineexp/results/
The Online Staring Experiment - Results
http://www.sheldrake.org/papers/Morphic/prayer_paper.html
http://www.sheldrake.org/Articles&Papers/papers/
Index of Scientific Papers

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/4639.asp

Exponentially rising solar flares can cause our consciousness float out of our bodies by 2012 – an amazing phenomenon
India Daily Technology Team
Sep. 18, 2005

The polar reversal in the Sun and a million year cycle are creating huge solar flares. Earth’s magnetosphere is resisting as much as possible. The solar wind in the form of electromagnetic storm is harmful in many ways. But scientists are wondering if it can cause an amazing effect around 2012 when the solar wind will peak. There is a possibility that we will experience out of body experience by 2012. It will depend on the intensity of the solar storms experienced by the earth and how much earth’s magnetosphere can protect us. If the solar storm is excessive, then our consciousness will float out of our bodies by 2012.

An electromagnetic storm is an intense phenomenon where a region of the universe experiences a very strong electromagnetic field. This is most analogous to a rainstorm. Normal rain poses no threat, but can be incredibly dangerous in heavy amounts. The same applies to electromagnetic fields. In small amounts, electromagnetic fields will not cause noticeable disruption to electronic systems. However, in large amounts, they can cause charged particles (for example, in wires) to feel a significant force, moving them. Since wires aren''t usually free to move, the flow of electrons can become extremely disrupted. This can also be extremely hazardous for delicate systems, such as those found on sensitive electronic equipments sensitive to these disruptions.

The Earth's magnetic field is in 10s of microteslas, which doesn''t cause significant problems to existing systems. Electromagnetic storms are rated in the magnitude of milliteslas or whole teslas. With wires, such intense fields can only be felt within extreme proximity to the wire with an incredible amount of current. Such close proximity could allow electrons to "jump" from the wire to whatever was nearby (as they do in spark plugs), and the amount of current would be fatal to humans.

It is possible, intense solar wind will cause us to feel out body experiences. The life forms in the universe are Zero Point Energy Modules (ZPEM) and are electromagnetic in nature with specific vibration sequences. The extreme solar storms from the Sun can cause the ZPEMs in the earth to lose its natural bonding to the body as their natural frequency of vibration will be disturbed.

In that case we will experience for a year or so something amazing – out of body experiences. Hopefully, nothing of that will happen. The solar wind may not go that intense and the magnetosphere of the earth will be able to protect us.

If our consciousness float out of our bodies by 2012 for a temporary period of a few years, all living beings will be less concerned with the material world and focus more on the spiritual needs. The world may actually become a very peaceful place.

Magnetism Affects the Human Brain
Electromagnetic fields are an inescapable fact of life. From birth to death, we are bathed in the Earth's all-encompassing field, and our technology adds to this with ubiquitous electrical appliances and power lines. Yet the question remains as to whether human beings can actually sense magnetic fields and, if so, what effect they might have. Now an international group of researchers has measured a distinct physiological response in human brains exposed to a magnetic field.

The research group, which includes neurosurgeon Hans Wieser of Zurich, Jon Paul Dobson of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Michael Fuller of the University of California (Santa Barbara), came together when Fuller's sabbatical took him to Zurich as part of his continuing studies of Earth's changing magnetic field. There he met Wieser, a specialist in the treatment of epileptics who do not respond to drug treatment. In such patients, the only way to stop the electrical storms responsible for their seizures is to surgically remove small portions of the brain which generate the seizures. To localize this region precisely, electrodes were implanted directly into the patient's brain. Then the researchers waited for seizures to occur spontaneously so that they could pinpoint the culprit area, and thus remove the smallest amount of tissue possible.

The effects of external magnetic fields on the human brain are normally so small they are lost in the much larger ambient electromagnetic fluctuations. They are virtually impossible to detect outside the cranium. But in this case, magnetic fields could be applied to the brain and measured from within. Consequently the chances of detecting an effect were much larger and more immediate. This procedure thus worked to benefit both patients and scientific research. The research group enclosed each patient's head in a coil which could generate a magnetic field of 1 to 2 milliteslas, about 100 times stronger than Earth's and nearly the strength of fields around ordinary household appliances. The patients responded with multiple bursts of epileptiform activity recorded from the implanted electrodes, thus demonstrating that magnetic fields are capable of directly affecting the human brain.

Although the unusual population and small sample size do not permit generalizations, the recent revelation that the human brain contains millions of tiny magnetic particles (see Noetic Sciences Review, "Science Notes", Autumn 1992) makes this observation on human magnetoreception all the more intriguing.
Source: Science, Vol. 260:1590, June 11, 1993.
http://www.sciencemag.org/

cience 4 April 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5872, pp. 82 - 86
DOI: 10.1126/science.1154415

Prev | Table of Contents | Next

REPORTS

REVEALING MAGNETIC INTERACTIONS FROM SINGLE-ATOM MAGNETIZATION CURVES
FOCKO MEIER,^* LIHUI ZHOU, JENS WIEBE, ROLAND WIESENDANGER

The miniaturization of magnetic devices toward the limit of single atoms calls for appropriate tools to study their magnetic properties. We demonstrate the ability to measure magnetization curves of individual magnetic atoms adsorbed on a nonmagnetic metallic substrate with use of a scanning tunneling microscope with a spin-polarized tip. We can map out low-energy magnetic interactions on the atomic scale as evidenced by the oscillating indirect exchange between a Co adatom and a nanowire on Pt(111). These results are important for the understanding of variations that are found in the magnetic properties of apparently identical adatoms because of different local environments.

Institute of Applied Physics and Microstructure Research Center, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, D-20355 Hamburg, Germany.

^* Present address: Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics,Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:jwiebe@physnet.uni-hamburg.de

ENERGY FIELDS
http://www.hearttoheartassociates.com/core_energy_human.htm
The Human Energy Field:

We are essentially electromagnetic beings composed of tiny particles of energy and information pulsating and spinning at a high rate of speed. At their highest frequency of vibration these particles are farthest apart. At their lower frequencies they come closer together manifesting in the density of the physical body.

Albert Einstein proved scientifically that energy becomes matter, and matter becomes energy according to the change in the frequency of vibration. Although this model is well accepted in science and physics, the Eiensteinian viewpoint has been slowly introduced into the western medical model to replace the Newtonian paradigm.

The human energy field or HEF is seen and recorded by Kirlian photography as varying layers of colored light around the physical body. These layers forming the aura pulsate according to the condition of the physical body.

For example, when a speaker is passionately explaining his topic, pale yellow light may be seen extending farther out from the body. Then as he calms his delivery, the yellow color may be seen closer to his body.

When a person is enjoying optimal health, her aura will be stronger and more constant. When a person is weak and dying, her aura … her energy body diminishes.

The human energy field forms the interface reacting with the physical cellular systems of the human physical body. When the energy field is in balance and harmony, the physical body experiences optimal health.

As the particles of one energy field pulsate and dance farther apart at a higher frequency, they intermingle with the particles of other people and other living matter including the earth itself. Thus, you may sense or feel a familiar presence in a crowded room even before you actually see your friend.

HTTP://HOME.GWI.NET/~ERICHARD/
THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO THE HONORING, EXPLORING AND UNDERSTANDING OF EARTH AND ITS ENERGETIC CONNECTIONS TO ITS LIFE-FORMS AND THE WHOLE COSMOS

Interstellar Communications, Infinite Mind, Bidirectional Near-field Longitudinal Gravity Waves, Bioenergetics, Consciousness Techniques, Earth Resonance, Wave Theory of Gravity.

EARTH RHYTHMS

You are a vibrant, living, dancing hologram of light. Not just the light which your eyes detect--that is also a part of you--but the light vibration of all the presently known and measurable electromagnetic spectrum. You radiate the ultra-violet and higher energies; streams of infrared waves flow between your bodies. The complexities of microwave information resonate and chat within the molecular and cellular structures which you call a body. The cellular chemical messengers circulate and form; dissapate to reform anew the delicate holographic instructions.

The radio waves of ancient galaxies, neighboring stars and solar family planets rain and dance upon the Earth's umbrella-like energy belts, altering the intensity, selectively protecting the delicate organic forms. Slower and ever more powerful rhythms of planetary turnings, solar sprinklings, starry pulses, galactic tides and universal songs sweep through and around you every instant. The holographic body reverberates with the wind of electromagnetic light; every cell listens to the drum-beats, attunes its spiral DNA structure to the composition, and sings its own unique chord; inducing resonant vibrations throughout the cellular molecules.

These radiations of electrical and magnetic waves of information move through space and our atmospheric environment. Some of our body structures exhibit a resonance matching the Earth's natural magnetic field, allowing certain rhythmic behavior as seen in human and other life-forms. All life on Earth has developed under the influence of this geomagnetic field which varies in structure and dynamic properties by its pulsations. These pulsations are due to the interaction of the plasma waves coming from throughout the solar system and cosmos and interacting with the Earth's magnetosphere.

Our home solar system forms a complex, harmonically interrelating, multi-octave musical instrument composed of great number of octaves of vibrational interplay. Your brain and body structures resonate to those continually fluctuating field patterns as they beat against the Earth', Moon's, and Sun's natural rhythms.

How does the Universe communicate with Itself, and its life-forms, unhampered by time dependency? The bi-directional harmonic waves of gravity supply intergalactic information coupling via instantaneous longitudinal transmissions into and out of the Solar system. With the plotting of solar system resonances, interplanetary coupling, magnetospheric and Schumann resonances, and free oscillations of the Earth, this cosmic information becomes available to human bioenergies.

The vertically-arrayed human body nervous system senses and functions within the Earth's ever-changing local atmospheric electrical potential and the longitudinal gravity waves which the Earth intercepts. A multiplicity of Solar system vibrational signals occur within the same spectrum-octaves as the brain/body detected signals. The extremely low frequency, long wavelength near field signals associated with interstellar and intergalactic gravity coupling are detected by our brain/body sensing mechanism. These naturally-occurring information signals bring about changes within the human body energy pathways, restructure body water resonances, modulate the DNA processes and stimulate other circadian rhythm entrainments. Thus supplying an intimate instantaneous interconnection of our very own brain/body/mind to the immensity of the Universe.

LISTEN TO THE DRUMBEAT The holographic body reverberates with the wind of light; every cell listens to the drumbeat of Earth, attunes its spiral DNA structure to the composition, and sings its unique chord; inducing resonant vibrations throughtout the cellular molecules.

GEOMETRY OF INFINITE MIND How does the Universe communicate with itself, and hence to its life forms, unhampered by time dependency? The wave theory of gravity will demonstrate intergalactic information wave coupling via instantaneous longitudinal transmissions into and out of the solar system. With solar-system resonances, interplanetary coupling, magnetospheric and Schumann resonances, and free geomagnetic oscillations of the Earth, we may begin to understand how this cosmic information becomes available to human bioenergies. These naturally-occurring information signals bring about changes within the human body energy pathways, restructure body water resonances, modulate the DNA processes and stimulate other circadian rhythm entrainments.

CEREBRAL BREATHING Our whole body structure is in rhythmical breath motion. Each breath stimulates an electromagnetic field across the upper body, which modulates the transfer of signals that continually communicate up and down the intricate spinal column and directing the brain/mind processes.

http://home.gwi.net/~erichard/geomind.htm
ABSTRACT : THE GEOMETRY OF INFINITE MIND AND LIVING SYSTEMS

How does the Universe communicate with Itself, and hence to its life forms, unhampered by time dependency? The electromagnetic wave theory of gravity will be used to demonstrate intergalactic information wave coupling via instantaneous longitudinal transmissions into and out of the Solar system. With the plotting of Solar system resonance's, interplanetary coupling, magnetospheric and Schumann resonances, and free geomagnetic oscillations of the Earth, we will begin to understand how this cosmic information becomes available to human bioenergies. The vertically-arrayed human body senses and functions within the Earth's ever-changing local atmospheric electrical potential and the longitudinal gravity waves which the Earth intercepts are sensed by the human body nervous system. A multiplicity of solar system vibration signals occur within the same spectrum-octaves as the detected brain/body signals. The extremely low frequency, long wavelength near field signals associated with interstellar and intergalactic gravity coupling will be shown to be detected in a similar manner by our brain/body sensing mechanism. These naturally-occurring information signals bring about changes within the human body energy pathways, restructure body water resonances, modulate the DNA processes and stimulate other circadian rhythm entrainments.

INTRODUCTION

As we move about the planetary surface in our daily activities, we are generally unaware of the vast information exchange occurring within our human body structure and of how our individual minds continually communicate with the planetary, stellar, galactic and cosmic Mind. Does that last sentence surprise you? Please join me as I try to describe for you this apparent intimate instantaneous interconnection of our very own brain/body/mind to the immensity of the Universe.

When simultaneous electromagnetic measurements are performed for the detection of brainwave signals and for the detection of the Earth and atmospheric activity, it is found that there are many synchronous frequencies detected.

...Notice as we take a long slow inhalation, hold, and then a long slow exhalation; observe that our whole body structure is in rhythmical motion. Let's watch this breathing motion once again and place our attention on its process. Each breath stimulates a bipolar, electromagnetic field across the upper body by causing stress within the crystalline rib-cage. An electromagnetic field is generated by the piezoelectric pressure of the bone and muscle crystal and water liquid-crystal structures. This breath-rate electromagnetic field modulates the transfer of signals that continually communicate up and down the intricate spinal cord. These bundles of spinal and cranial nerve cells listen and vibrate to the soft, gentle cadence of your breath moving in and moving out.

This pulsing central nervous system, consisting of bundles of sensory and motor axons radiating from the brain and spinal cord segments, is constructed from a great number of interconnected, multi-polar neurons which are composed of vast numbers of cells. These cell membranes display very great sensitivities both to vibrating electric fields and to molecular stimulation at extremely low energy levels. The cellular activities cooperate to bring about high amplification of these weak signal frequencies.

Electromagnetic fields in the ELF (extremely low frequency) spectrum can change the characteristics of hormone, antibody and neurotransmitters at the cell site. These modulating actions of electromagnetic fields show highly cooperative processes within the biologic systems. Each breath-beat creates whispers of motion across and throughout your bodily cellular field, modulating the existent complexity of intracellular information flow. Within your cells, the organizing DNA double helix structure and its RNA message carriers dance to the beat of ever higher and higher frequencies. There, information is sent, received, stored and transferred by the resonance and polarity shifts of the amino acid protein building blocks, bringing about shifts within the proteins. Changes of external sound and electromagnetic frequency have a measureable effect upon the amino acid protein response, mutation rate, cell lifetimes, primary processes and relaxation rate of the cells. Amplitude and frequency changes throughout the electromagnetic spectrum of the ELF/VLF, radio, microwave, visible, ultraviolet and beyond have shown detectable cellular change. See figure (5) Biological Events Time Scale.

... My studies continue in showing a correlation between solar and celestial activity i.e. solar flares, coronal mass ejections and gamma ray burst, and a distinct fluctuation in human and animal behavior.

POSTED BY DHYANA BEAUMONT AT 1:27 AM

Are signs of 2012 galactic alignment evident now?

10-ft tall Tablet of Mayan Calendar

Michael Eure  -  Activist Post

As the media focuses on the failing economy, there isn’t much mainstream discussion about the climatic and geological changes Earth is now experiencing.  Although it may be a stretch for most people’s imaginations, it appears that the rapid decline of our economy and the increased geological activity are connected.

In the recent past we have experienced a spike in the number of earthquakes, floods, droughts, sink holes, and other natural disasters.  The tsunami that killed almost a quarter of a million people in the Indian Ocean; the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile that were record breaking; and the many floods in the U.S. that have been caused by sudden extreme rainstorms, are increasing in frequency and effect. These are just a few examples.  We are fast approaching the date agreed upon by both Eastern and Western religions  -- and now science -- that will come about with great changes for our world: December 21, 2012.

How can economic events and natural disasters be connected you ask?  The answer is very simple if you contemplate the effects of the astrological event that is approaching: our Sun and our planet are lining up with the center of the Galaxy, and the entire Solar System is passing through an interstellar energy cloud.  This passing is causing an extraordinary flare up of the Sun's normal activity that occurs every 11 years, which throughout history has had devastating consequences.  Some experts have charted even greater galactic cycles such as the Mayan 26,000 Great Year Cycle, and other cycles lasting hundreds of thousands of years.

Along with this unusual alignment comes Planet X, as NASA calls it. In mythology it is known as“Nibiru," a planet that has an extreme elliptical orbit that passes between the Earth and Mars about every 3,600 years. As we enter this mysterious galactic cycle, it seems the changing electromagnetic forces may be affecting both the Sun and our planet in more profound ways than we can imagine.  And indeed, these energetic forces seem to be affecting human consciousness, as our entire central nervous system is an electromagnetic structure.

I find it very interesting that its path nearest to our planet correlates with the Mayan calendar that ends in December, 2012. Everyone has read some about 2012, but very few understand the astrological significance of this date. Some researchers are concerned because our planet is moving into alignment with our Sun and the center of our galaxy, which is considered by most astronomers to be an extremely powerful black hole about one million miles across.

The effects of this alignment cannot be underestimated. How this affects our climate, our geology, and our culture is a little harder to grasp because we live in such small conscious boxes. Like the vibrational changes occurring in the universe now, most people are simply too distracted to familiarize themselves with these events. I know this because my wife is a professional astrologer and people are very skeptical until she does a chart for them.  When she begins to tell them about their life, their most common response is, "well there must be something to this stuff."

We are at a major turning point both from the point of view of Earth’s climate and its culture. We have gotten so out of balance with nature and our connection to nature that things must change. For those that take a scientific view that,  “for every action there is an opposite but equal reaction," then surely, a galactic event of this magnitude will have an untold equal reaction.

For those of a more spiritual nature, Einstein himself said:

The most beautiful and the most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sewer of all true science. Those of us who can no longer stand rapt in awe and wonder are as good as dead. To know what is impenetrable to us actually exists and manifests itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty that our dull faculties can comprehend, this knowledge, this feeling, is at the heart of all true religiousness.

As these geological, climate, environmental and social changes become more severe, a mass awakening is likely to take place.  Hopefully humanity can handle it.  You can be assured that the Elite are already prepared for the coming events as they are very much in tune to this secret scientific, astrological, and vibrational knowledge.  Perhaps it is time that we all prepare as well.

The Activist Post encourages open-minded inquiry.  While there are certain topics that we do not cover directly, we welcome submissions like this one that challenge mainstream thought.  As always, follow the links and do your own research.

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The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act

Kucinich Announces Right to Know Legislation in Wake of Alfalfa Supreme Court Ruling

By Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)  -  June 21, 2010

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), a long-time advocate of family farmers and organic foods, today made the following statement after the Supreme Court voted 7-1 to allow the experimental planting of genetically modified alfalfa seed before an environmental review is completed:

"Today the Supreme Court ruled that when it comes to genetically modified organisms, we as consumers, have to wait until the damage is done and obvious, before we can act to protect health and the environment, even if that damage could be irreversible.

"Haven't we learned from the catastrophe in the Gulf of the dangers of technological arrogance, of proceeding ahead with technologies without worrying about the consequences?  Why do we continue to throw precaution to the wind?

"Tomorrow I will introduce three bills this week that will provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all Genetically Engineered (GE) plants, animals, bacteria, and other organisms.  To ensure we can maximize benefits and minimize hazards, Congress must provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all GE products.

  Structured as a common-sense precaution to ensure GE foods do no harm, these bills will ensure that consumers are protected, food safety measures are strengthened, farmers' rights are better protected and biotech companies are responsible for their products," said Kucinich.

Straight to the Source

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S510 Is Hissing in the Grass

Video:  Food Laws – Vandana Shiva, ISEC: Forcing People to Globalize

Painful Debilitating Disease More Devastating than Previously Recognized

Total video length: 17:45
Download Interview Transcript

Total video length: 7:51

By Dr. Mercola

Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1 percent of our population and at least two million Americans have definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis. This number has increased in recent years, as in 2010 about 2.5 percent of white women developed RA.

It is a much more devastating illness than previously appreciated. Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a progressive disability.

The natural course of rheumatoid arthritis is quite remarkable in that less than 1 percent of people with the disease have a spontaneous remission. Some disability occurs in 50-70 percent of people within five years after onset of the disease, and half will stop working within 10 years. The annual cost of this disease in the U.S. is estimated to be over $1 billion.

This devastating prognosis is what makes this novel form of treatment so exciting, as it has a far higher likelihood of succeeding than the conventional approach.

Over the years I have treated over 3,000 patients with rheumatic illnesses, including SLE, scleroderma, polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Approximately 15 percent of these patients were lost to follow-up for whatever reason and have not continued with treatment. The remaining patients seem to have a 60-90 percent likelihood of improvement on this treatment regimen.

This level of improvement is quite a stark contrast to the typical numbers quoted above that are experienced with conventional approaches, and certainly a strong motivation to try the protocol I discuss below.

RA Can Be More Deadly than Heart Disease

There is also an increased mortality rate with this disease. The five-year survival rate of patients with more than thirty joints involved is approximately 50 percent. This is similar to severe coronary artery disease or stage IV Hodgkin's disease.

Thirty years ago, one researcher concluded that there was an average loss of 18 years of life in patients who developed rheumatoid arthritis before the age of 50.

Most authorities believe that remissions rarely occur. Some experts feel that the term "remission-inducing" should not be used to describe ANY current rheumatoid arthritis treatment, and a review of contemporary treatment methods shows that medical science has not been able to significantly improve the long-term outcome of this disease.

Dr. Brown Pioneered a Novel Approach to Treat RA

I first became aware of Doctor Brown's protocol in 1989 when I saw him on 20/20 on ABC. This was shortly after the introduction of his first edition of his book, The Road Back. Unfortunately, Dr. Brown died from prostate cancer shortly after the 20/20 program so I never had a chance to meet him.

My application of Dr. Brown's protocol has changed significantly since I first started implementing it. Initially, I rigidly followed Dr. Brown's work with minimal modifications to his protocol. About the only change I made was changing Tetracycline to Minocin. I believe I was one of the first physicians who recommended the shift to Minocin and most people who use his protocol now use Minocin.

In 1939, Dr. Sabin, the discoverer of the polio vaccine, first reported chronic arthritis in mice caused by a mycoplasma. He suggested this agent might cause human rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Brown worked with Dr. Sabin at the Rockefeller Institute.

Dr. Brown was a board certified rheumatologist who graduated from Johns Hopkins medical school. He was a professor of medicine at George Washington University until 1970 where he served as chairman of the Arthritis Institute in Arlington, Virginia. He published over 100 papers in peer reviewed scientific literature.

He was able to help over 10,000 patients when he used this program, from the 1950s until his death in 1989, and clearly far more than that have been helped by other physicians using this protocol.

He found that significant benefits from the treatment require, on average, about one to two years.

I have treated nearly 3000 patients and find that the dietary modification I advocate, which I started to integrate in the early 1990's, accelerates the response rate to several months. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of this aspect of the program.

Still, the length of therapy can vary widely.

In severe cases, it may take up to 30 months for patients to gain sustained improvement. One requires patience because remissions may take up to 3 to 5 years. Dr. Brown's pioneering approach represents a safer, less toxic alternative to many conventional regimens and results of the NIH trial have finally scientifically validated this treatment.

The dietary changes are absolutely an essential component of my protocol. Dr. Brown's original protocol was notorious for inducing a Herxheimer, or worsening of symptoms, before improvement was noted. This could last two to six months. Implementing my nutrition plan resulted in a lessening of that reaction in most cases.

When I first started using his protocol for patients in the late '80s, the common retort from other physicians was that there was "no scientific proof" that this treatment worked. Well, that is certainly not true today. A review of the bibliography will provide over 200 references in the peer-reviewed medical literature that supports the application of Minocin in the use of rheumatic illnesses.

In my experience, nearly 80 percent of people do remarkably better with this program. However, approximately 5 percent continue to worsen and require conventional agents, like methotrexate, to relieve their symptoms.

Scientific Proof for this Approach

The definitive scientific support for minocycline in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis came with the MIRA trial in the United States. This was a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial done at six university centers involving 200 patients for nearly one year. The dosage they used (100 mg twice daily) was much higher and likely less effective than what most clinicians currently use.

They also did not employ any additional antibiotics or nutritional regimens, yet 55 percent of patients improved. This study finally provided the "proof" that many traditional clinicians demanded before seriously considering this treatment as an alternative regimen for rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Thomas Brown's effort to treat the chronic mycoplasma infections believed to cause rheumatoid arthritis is the basis for this therapy. Dr. Brown believed that most rheumatic illnesses respond to this treatment. He and others used this therapy for SLE, ankylosing spondylitis, scleroderma, dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

Dr. Osler was one of the most well respected and prominent physicians of his time (1849- 1919), and many regard him as the consummate physician of modern times. An excerpt from a commentary on Dr. William Osler provides a useful perspective on application of alternative medical paradigms:

Osler would caution us against the arrogance of believing that only our current medical practices can benefit the patient. He would realize that new scientific insights might emerge from as yet unproved beliefs. Although he would fight vigorously to protect the public against frauds and charlatans, he would encourage critical study of whatever therapeutic approaches were reliably reported to be beneficial to patients.

Factors Associated with Your Success on this Program

There are many variables associated with an increased chance of remission or improvement.

• The younger you are, the greater your chance for improvement
• The more closely you follow the nutrition plan, the more likely you are to improve and the less likely you are to have a severe flare-up. I now offer the Nutritional Typing Test for free, so please do not skip this essential step.
• Smoking seems to be negatively associated with improvement
• The longer you have had the illness and the more severe the illness, the more difficult it seems to treat

Revised Antibiotic-Free Approach

Although I used a revision of his antibiotic approach for nearly ten years, my particular prejudice is to focus on natural therapies. The program that follows is my revision of this protocol that allows for a completely drug-free treatment of RA, which is based on my experience of treating over 3000 patients with rheumatic illnesses in my Chicago clinic.

If you are interested in reviewing or considering Dr. Brown's antibiotic approach, I have included a summary of his work and the evidence for it in the appendix.

Crucial Lifestyle Changes

Improving your diet using a combination of my nutritional guidelines, nutritional typing is crucial for your success. In addition, there are some general principles that seem to hold true for all nutritional types and these include:

• Eliminating sugar, especially fructose, and most grains. For most people it would be best to limit fruit to small quantities
• Eating unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic and locally grown if possible
• Eating your food as close to raw as possible
• Getting plenty high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats. Krill oil seems to be particularly helpful here as it appears to be a more effective anti inflammatory preparation. It is particularly effective if taken concurrently with 4 mg of Astaxanthin, which is a potent antioxidant bioflavanoid derived from algae
• Astaxanthin at 4 mg per day is particularly important for anyone placed on prednisone as Astaxanthin offers potent protection against cataracts and age related macular degeneration
• Incorporating regular exercise into your daily schedule

Early Emotional Traumas are Pervasive in Those with RA

With the vast majority of the patients I treated, some type of emotional trauma occurred early in their life, before the age their conscious mind was formed, which is typically around the age of 5 or 6. However, a trauma can occur at any age, and has a profoundly negative impact.

If that specific emotional insult is not addressed with an effective treatment modality then the underlying emotional trigger will continue to fester, allowing the destructive process to proceed, which can predispose you to severe autoimmune diseases like RA later in life.

In some cases, RA appears to be caused by an infection, and it is my experience that this infection is usually acquired when you have a stressful event that causes a disruption in your bioelectrical circuits, which then impairs your immune system.

This early emotional trauma predisposes you to developing the initial infection, and also contributes to your relative inability to effectively defeat the infection.

Therefore, it's very important to have an effective tool to address these underlying emotional traumas. In my practice, the most common form of treatment used is called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).

Although EFT is something that you can learn to do yourself in the comfort of your own home, it is important to consult a well-trained professional to obtain the skills necessary to promote proper healing using this amazing tool.

Vitamin D Deficiency Rampant in Those with RA

The early part of the 21^st century brought enormous attention to the importance and value of vitamin D, particularly in the treatment of autoimmune diseases like RA.

From my perspective, it is now virtually criminal negligent malpractice to treat a person with RA and not aggressively monitor their vitamin D levels to confirm that they are in a therapeutic range of 65-80 ng/ml.

This is so important that blood tests need to be done every two weeks, so the dose can be adjusted to get into that range. Most normal-weight adults should start at 10,000 units of vitamin D per day.

If you are in the US, then Lab Corp is the lab of choice as Quest labs provide results that are falsely elevated. If you choose to use Quest you need to multiply your result by 0.70 to obtain the right number.

For more detailed information on vitamin D you can review my vitamin D resource page.

Low Dose Naltrexone

One new addition to the protocol is low-dose Naltrexone, which I would encourage anyone with RA to try. It is inexpensive and non-toxic and I have a number of physician reports documenting incredible efficacy in getting people off of all their dangerous arthritis meds.

Although this is a drug, and strictly speaking not a natural therapy, it has provided important relief and is FAR safer than the toxic drugs that are typically used by nearly all rheumatologists.

Nutritional Considerations

Limiting sugar is a critical element of the treatment program. Sugar has multiple significant negative influences on your biochemistry. First and foremost, it increases your insulin levels, which is the root cause of nearly all chronic disease. It can also impair your gut bacteria.

In my experience if you are unable to decrease your sugar intake, you are far less likely to improve. Please understand that the number one source of calories in the US is high fructose corn syrup from drinking soda. One of the first steps you can take is to phase out all soda, and replace it with pure, clean water.

Exercise for Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is very important to exercise and increase muscle tone of your non-weight bearing joints. Experts tell us that disuse results in muscle atrophy and weakness. Additionally, immobility may result in joint contractures and loss of range of motion (ROM). Active ROM exercises are preferred to passive.

There is some evidence that passive ROM exercises increase the number of white blood cells (WBCs) in your joints.

If your joints are stiff, you should stretch and apply heat before exercising. If your joints are swollen, application of ten minutes of ice before exercise would be helpful.

The inflamed joint is very vulnerable to damage from improper exercise, so you must be cautious. People with arthritis must strike a delicate balance between rest and activity, and must avoid activities that aggravate joint pain. You should avoid any exercise that strains a significantly unstable joint.

A good rule of thumb is that if the pain lasts longer than one hour after stopping exercise, you should slow down or choose another form of exercise. Assistive devices are also helpful to decrease the pressure on affected joints. Many patients need to be urged to take advantage of these. The Arthritis Foundation has a book, Guide to Independent Living, which instructs patients about how to obtain them.

Of course, it is important to maintain good cardiovascular fitness as well. Walking with appropriate supportive shoes is another important consideration.

If your condition allows, it would be wise to move towards a Peak Fitness program that is designed for reaching optimal health.

It's Important to Control Your Pain

One of the primary problems with RA is controlling pain. The conventional treatment typically includes using very dangerous drugs like prednisone, methotrexate, and drugs that interfere with tumor necrosis factor, like Enbrel.

The goal is to implement the lifestyle changes discussed above as quickly as possible, so you can start to reduce these toxic and dangerous drugs, which do absolutely nothing to treat the cause of the disease.

However pain relief is obviously very important, and if this is not achieved, you can go into a depressive cycle that can clearly worsen your immune system and cause the RA to flare.

So the goal is to be as comfortable and pain free as possible with the least amount of drugs.The Mayo Clinic offers several common sense guidelines for avoiding pain by paying heed to how you move, so as to not injure your joints.

Safest Anti-Inflammatories to Use for Pain

Clearly the safest prescription drugs to use for pain are the non-acetylated salicylates such as:

• Salsalate
• Sodium salicylate
• Magnesium salicylate (i.e., Salflex, Disalcid, or Trilisate).

They are the drugs of choice if there is renal insufficiency as they minimally interfere with anticyclooxygenase and other prostaglandins.

Additionally, they will not impair platelet inhibition in those patients who are on an every-other-day aspirin regimen to decrease their risk for stroke or heart disease.

Unlike aspirin, they do not increase the formation of products of lipoxygenase-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid. For this reason, they may be less likely to cause hypersensitivity reactions. These drugs have been safely used in patients with reversible obstructive airway disease and a history of aspirin sensitivity.

They are also much gentler on your stomach than the other NSAIDs and are the drug of choice if you have problems with peptic ulcer disease. Unfortunately, all these benefits are balanced by the fact they may not be as effective as the other agents and are less convenient to take. You need to take 1.5-2 grams twice a day, and tinnitus, or ringing in your ear, is a frequent side effect.

You need to be aware of this complication and know that if tinnitus does develop, you need to stop the drugs for a day and restart with a dose that is half a pill per day lower. You can repeat this until you find a dose that relieves your pain and doesn't cause any ringing in your ears.

If the Safer Anti-Inflammatories aren't Helping, Try This Next…

If the non-acetylated salicylates aren't helping there are many different NSAIDs to try. Relafen, Daypro, Voltaren, Motrin, Naprosyn. Meclomen, Indocin, Orudis, and Tolectin are among the most toxic or likely to cause complications. You can experiment with them, and see which one works best for you.

If cost is a concern, generic ibuprofen can be used at up to 800 mg per dose. Unfortunately, recent studies suggest this drug is more damaging to your kidneys.

If you use any of the above drugs, though, it is really important to make sure you take them with your largest meal as this will somewhat moderate their GI toxicity and the likelihood of causing an ulcer.

Please beware that they are much more dangerous than the antibiotics or non-acetylated salicylates.

You should have an SMA blood test performed at least once a year if you are on these medications. In addition, you must monitor your serum potassium levels if you are on an ACE inhibitor as these medications can cause high potassium levels. You should also monitor your kidney function. The SMA will show any liver impairment the drugs might be causing.

These medications can also impair prostaglandin metabolism and cause papillary necrosis and chronic interstitial nephritis. Your kidney needs vasodilatory prostaglandins (PGE2 and prostacycline) to counterbalance the effects of potent vasoconstrictor hormones such as angiotensin II and catecholamines. NSAIDs decrease prostaglandin synthesis by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, leading to unopposed constriction of the renal arterioles supplying your kidney.

Warning: These Drugs Massively Increase Your Risk for Ulcers

The first non-aspirin NSAID, indomethacin, was introduced in 1963. Now more than 30 are available. Relafen is one of the better alternatives as it seems to cause less of an intestinal dysbiosis. You must be especially careful to monitor renal function periodically. It is important to understand and accept the risks associated with these more toxic drugs.

Every year, they do enough damage to the GI tract to kill 2,000 to 4,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis alone. That is ten peopleEVERY DAY. At any given time, 10 to 20 percent of all those receiving NSAID therapy have gastric ulcers.

If you are taking an NSAID, you are at approximately three times greater risk for developing serious gastrointestinal side effects than those who don't.

Approximately 1.2 percent of patients taking NSAIDs are hospitalized for upper GI problems, per year of exposure. One study of patients taking NSAIDs showed that a life-threatening complication was the first sign of ulcer in more than half of the subjects.

Researchers found that the drugs suppress production of prostacyclin, which is needed to dilate blood vessels and inhibit clotting. Earlier studies had found that mice genetically engineered to be unable to use prostacyclin properly were prone to clotting disorders.

Anyone who is at increased risk of cardiovascular disease should steer clear of these medications. Ulcer complications are certainly potentially life-threatening, but, heart attacks are a much more common and likely risk, especially in older individuals.

How You Can Tell if You are at Risk for NSAID Side Effects

Risk factor analysis can help determine if you will face an increased danger of developing these complications. If you have any of the following, you will likely to have a higher risk of side effects from these drugs:

1. Old age
2. Peptic ulcer history
3. Alcohol dependency
4. Cigarette smoking
5. Concurrent prednisone or corticosteroid use
6. Disability
7. Taking a high dose of the NSAID
8. Using an NSAID known to be more toxic

Prednisone

The above drug class are called non steroidal anti inflammatories (NSAIDs). If they are unable to control the pain, then prednisone is nearly universally used. This is a steroid drug that is loaded with side effects.

If you are on large doses of prednisone for extended periods of time, you can be virtually assured that you will develop the following problems:

• Osteoporosis
• Cataracts
• Diabetes
• Ulcers
• Herpes reactivation
• Insomnia
• Hypertension
• Kidney stones

You can be virtually assured that every time you take a dose of prednisone your bones are becoming weaker. The higher the dose and the longer you are on prednisone, the more likely you are to develop the problems.

However, if you are able to keep your dose to 5 mg or below, this is not typically a major issue.

Typically this is one of the first medicines you should try to stop as soon as your symptoms permit.

Beware that blood levels of cortisol peak between 3 and 9am. It would, therefore, be safest to administer the prednisone in the morning. This will minimize the suppression on your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

You also need to be concerned about the increased risk of peptic ulcer disease when using this medicine with conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. If you are taking both of these medicines, you have a 15 times greater risk of developing an ulcer!

If you are already on prednisone, it is helpful to get a prescription for 1 mg tablets so you can wean yourself off the prednisone as soon as possible. Usually you can lower your dose by about 1 mg per week. If a relapse of your symptoms occurs, then further reduction of the prednisone is not indicated.

How Do You Know When to Stop the Drugs?

Unlike conventional approaches to RA, my protocol is designed to treat the underlying cause of the problem. So eventually the drugs that you are going to use during the program will be weaned off.

The following criteria can help determine when you are in remission and can consider weaning off your medications: *

• A decrease in duration of morning stiffness to no more than 15 minutes
• No pain at rest
• Little or no pain or tenderness on motion
• Absence of joint swelling
• A normal energy level
• A decrease in your ESR to no more than 30
• A normalization of your CBC. Generally your HGB, HCT, & MCV will increase to normal and your "pseudo"-iron deficiency will disappear
• ANA, RF, & ASO titers returning to normal

If you discontinue your medications before all of the above criteria are met, there is a greater risk that the disease will recur.

If you meet the above criteria, you can try to wean off your anti-inflammatory medication and monitor for flare-ups. If no flare-ups occur for six months, then discontinue the clindamycin.

If the improvements are maintained for the next six months, you can then discontinue your Minocin and monitor for recurrences. If symptoms should recur, it would be wise to restart the previous antibiotic regimen.

Evaluation to Determine and Follow RA

If you have received evaluations and treatment by one or more board certified rheumatologists, you can be very confident that the appropriate evaluation was done. Although conventional treatments fail miserably in the long run, the conventional diagnostic approach is typically excellent, and you can start the treatment program discussed above.

If you have not been evaluated by a specialist then it will be important to be properly evaluated to determine if indeed you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Please be sure and carefully review Appendix Two, as you will want to confirm that fibromyalgia is not present.

Beware that arthritic pain can be an early manifestation of 20-30 different clinical problems.

These include not only rheumatic disease, but also metabolic, infectious and malignant disorders. Rheumatoid arthritis is a clinical diagnosis for which there is not a single test or group of laboratory tests which can be considered confirmatory.

Criteria for Classification of Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Morning Stiffness - Morning stiffness in and around joints lasting at least one hour before maximal improvement is noted.
• Arthritis of three or more joint areas - At least three joint areas have simultaneously had soft-tissue swelling or fluid (not bony overgrowth) observed by a physician. There are 14 possible joints: right or left PIP, MCP, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, and MTP joints.
• Arthritis of hand joints - At least one joint area swollen as above in a wrist, MCP, or PIP joint.
• Symmetric arthritis - Simultaneous involvement of the same joint areas (as in criterion 2) on both sides of your body (bilateral involvement of PIPs, MCPs, or MTPs) is acceptable without absolute symmetry. Lack of symmetry is not sufficient to rule out the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Rheumatoid Nodules - Subcutaneous nodules over bony prominences, or extensor surfaces, or in juxta-articular regions, observed by a physician. Only about 25 percent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis develop nodules, and usually as a later manifestation.
• Serum Rheumatoid Factor - Demonstration of abnormal amounts of serum rheumatoid factor by any method that has been positive in less than 5 percent of normal control subjects. This test is positive only 30-40 percent of the time in the early months of rheumatoid arthritis.

You must also make certain that the first four symptoms listed in the table above are present for six or more weeks. These criteria have a 91-94 percent sensitivity and 89 percent specificity for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

However, these criteria were designed for classification and not for diagnosis. The diagnosis must be made on clinical grounds. It is important to note that many patients with negative serologic tests can have a strong clinical picture for rheumatoid arthritis.

Your Hands are the KEY to the Diagnosis of RA

In a way, the hands are the calling card of rheumatoid arthritis. If you completely lack hand and wrist involvement, even by history, the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is doubtful. Rheumatoid arthritis rarely affects your hips and ankles early in its course.

The metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal and wrist joints are the first joints to become symptomatic. Osteoarthritis typically affects the joints that are closest to your fingertips (DIP joints) while RA typically affects the joints closest to your wrist (PIP), like your knuckles.

Fatigue may be present before your joint symptoms begin, and morning stiffness is a sensitive indicator of rheumatoid arthritis. An increase in fluid in and around your joint probably causes the stiffness. Your joints are warm, but your skin is rarely red.

When your joints develop effusions, hold them flexed at 5 to 20 degrees as it is likely going to be too painful to extend them fully.

Radiological Changes

Radiological changes typical of rheumatoid arthritis on PA hand and wrist X-rays, which must include erosions or unequivocal bony decalcification localized to, or most marked, adjacent to the involved joints (osteoarthritic changes alone do not count).

Note: You must satisfy at least four of the seven criteria listed. Any of criteria 1-4 must have been present for at least 6 weeks. Patients with two clinical diagnoses are not excluded. Designations as classic, definite, or probable rheumatoid arthritis, are not to be made.

Laboratory Evaluation

The general initial laboratory evaluation should include a baseline ESR, CBC, SMA, U/A, 25 hydroxy D level and an ASO titer. You can also draw RF and ANA titers to further objectively document improvement with the therapy. However, they seldom add much to the assessment.

Follow-up visits can be every two to four months depending on the extent of the disease and ease of testing.

The exception here would be vitamin D testing which should be done every two weeks until your 25 hydroxy D level is between 65 and 80 ng/ml.

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a hypochromic, microcytic CBC that appears very similar to iron deficiency, but it is not at all related. This is probably due to the inflammation in the rheumatoid arthritis impairing optimal bone marrow utilization of iron.

It is important to note that this type of anemia does NOT respond to iron and if you are put on iron you will get worse, as the iron is a very potent oxidative stress. Ferritin levels are generally the most reliable indicator of total iron body stores. Unfortunately it is also an acute phase reactant protein and will be elevated anytime the ESR is elevated. This makes ferritin an unreliable test in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

APPENDIX ONE: The Infectious Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is quite clear that autoimmunity plays a major role in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Most rheumatology investigators believe that an infectious agent causes rheumatoid arthritis. There is little agreement as to the involved organism, however.

Investigators have proposed the following infectious agents:

• Human T-cell lymphotropic virus Type I
• Rubella virus
• Cytomegalovirus
• Herpesvirus
• Mycoplasma

This review will focus on the evidence supporting the hypothesis that mycoplasma is a common etiologic agent of rheumatoid arthritis.

Mycoplasmas are the smallest self-replicating prokaryotes. They differ from classical bacteria by lacking rigid cell wall structures and are the smallest known organisms capable of extracellular existence. They are considered to be parasites of humans, animals, and plants.

Culturing Mycoplasmas from Joints

Mycoplasmas have limited biosynthetic capabilities and are very difficult to culture and grow from synovial tissues. They require complex growth media or a close parasitic relation with animal cells. This contributed to many investigators failure to isolate them from arthritic tissue.

In reactive arthritis, immune complexes rather than viable organisms localize in your joints. The infectious agent is actually present at another site. Some investigators believe that the organism binding in the immune complex contributes to the difficulty in obtaining positive mycoplasma cultures.

Despite this difficulty, some researchers have successfully isolated mycoplasma from synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A British group used a leucocyte-migration inhibition test and found two-thirds of their rheumatoid arthritis patients to be infected with Mycoplasma fermentens. These results are impressive since they did not include more prevalent Mycoplasma strains like M salivarium, M ovale, M hominis, and M pneumonia.

One Finnish investigator reported a 100 percent incidence of isolation of mycoplasma from 27 rheumatoid synovia using a modified culture technique. None of the non- rheumatoid tissue yielded any mycoplasmas.

The same investigator used an indirect hemagglutination technique and reported mycoplasma antibodies in 53 percent of patients with definite rheumatoid arthritis. Using similar techniques other investigators have cultured mycoplasma in 80-100 percent of their rheumatoid arthritis test population.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also follow some mycoplasma respiratory infections.

One study of over 1000 patients was able to identify arthritis in nearly 1 percent of the patients. These infections can be associated with a positive rheumatoid factor. This provides additional support for mycoplasma as an etiologic agent for rheumatoid arthritis. Human genital mycoplasma infections have also caused septic arthritis.

Harvard investigators were able to culture mycoplasma or a similar organism, ureaplasma urealyticum, from 63 percent of female patients with SLE and only 4 percent of patients with CFS. The researchers chose CFS, as these patients shared similar symptoms as those with SLE, such as fatigue, arthralgias, and myalgias.

Animal Evidence for the Protocol

The full spectrum of human rheumatoid arthritis immune responses (lymphokine production, altered lymphocyte reactivity, immune complex deposition, cell-mediated immunity and development of autoimmune reactions) occurs in mycoplasma induced animal arthritis.

Investigators have implicated at least 31 different mycoplasma species.

Mycoplasma can produce experimental arthritis in animals from three days to months later. The time seems to depend on the dose given, and the virulence of the organism.

There is a close degree of similarity between these infections and those of human rheumatoid arthritis.

Mycoplasmas cause arthritis in animals by several mechanisms. They either directly multiply within the joint or initiate an intense local immune response.

Arthritogenic mycoplasmas also cause joint inflammation in animals by several mechanisms. They induce nonspecific lymphocyte cytotoxicity and antilymphocyte antibodies as well as rheumatoid factor.

Mycoplasma clearly causes chronic arthritis in mice, rats, fowl, swine, sheep, goats, cattle and rabbits. The arthritis appears to be the direct result of joint infection with culturable mycoplasma organisms.

Gorillas have tissue reactions closer to man than any other animal, and investigators have shown that mycoplasma can precipitate a rheumatic illness in gorillas. One study demonstrated that mycoplasma antigens do occur in immune complexes in great apes.

The human and gorilla IgG are very similar and express nearly identical rheumatoid factors (IgM anti-IgG antibodies). The study showed that when mycoplasma binds to IgG it can cause a conformational change. This conformational change results in an anti-IgG antibody, which can then stimulate an autoimmune response.

The Science of Why Minocycline is Used

If mycoplasma were a causative factor in rheumatoid arthritis, one would expect tetracycline type drugs to provide some sort of improvement in the disease. Collagenase activity increases in rheumatoid arthritis and probably has a role in its cause.

Investigators have demonstrated that tetracycline and minocycline inhibit leukocyte, macrophage, and synovial collagenase.

There are several other aspects of tetracyclines that may play a role in rheumatoid arthritis. Investigators have shown minocycline and tetracycline to retard excessive connective tissue breakdown and bone resorption, while doxycycline inhibits digestion of human cartilage.

It is also possible that tetracycline treatment improves rheumatic illness by reducing delayed-type hypersensitivity response. Minocycline and doxycycline both inhibit phosolipases which are considered proinflammatory and capable of inducing synovitis.

Minocycline is a more potent antibiotic than tetracycline and penetrates tissues better.

These characteristics shifted the treatment of rheumatic illness away from tetracycline to minocycline. Minocycline may benefit rheumatoid arthritis patients through its immunomodulating and immunosuppressive properties. In vitro studies have demonstrated a decreased neutrophil production of reactive oxygen intermediates along with diminished neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis.

Minocycline has also been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of synovitis in animal models of arthritis. The improvement was independent of minocycline's effect on collagenase. Minocycline has also been shown to increase intracellular calcium concentrations that inhibit T-cells.

Individuals with the Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) DR4 allele seem to be predisposed to developing rheumatoid arthritis.

The infectious agent probably interacts with this specific antigen in some way to precipitate rheumatoid arthritis. There is strong support for the role of T cells in this interaction.

So minocycline may suppress rheumatoid arthritis by altering T cell calcium flux and the expression of T cell derived from collagen binding protein. Minocycline produced a suppression of the delayed hypersensitivity in patients with Reiter's syndrome, and investigators also successfully used minocycline to treat the arthritis and early morning stiffness of Reiter's syndrome.

Clinical Studies

In 1970, investigators at Boston University conducted a small, randomized placebo-controlled trial to determine if tetracycline would treat rheumatoid arthritis. They used 250 mg of tetracycline a day.

Their study showed no improvement after one year of tetracycline treatment. Several factors could explain their inability to demonstrate any benefits.

Their study used only 27 patients for a one-year trial, and only 12 received tetracycline, so noncompliance may have been a factor. Additionally, none of the patients had severe arthritis. Patients were excluded from the trial if they were on any anti-remittive therapy.

Finnish investigators used lymecycline to treat the reactive arthritis in Chlamydia trachomatous infections. Their study compared the effect of the medication in patients with two other reactive arthritis infections: Yersinia and Campylobacter.

Lymecyline produced a shorter course of illness in the Chlamydia induced arthritis patients, but did not affect the other enteric infections-associated reactive arthritis. The investigators later published findings that suggested lymecycline achieved its effect through non-antimicrobial actions. They speculated it worked by preventing the oxidative activation of collagenase.

The first trial of minocycline for the treatment of animal and human rheumatoid arthritis was published by Breedveld. In the first published human trial, Breedveld treated ten patients in an open study for 16 weeks. He used a very high dose of 400 mg per day. Most patients had vestibular side effects resulting from this dose.

However, all patients showed benefit from the treatment, and all variables of efficacy were significantly improved at the end of the trial.

Breedveld expanded on his initial study and later observed similar impressive results. This was a 26-week double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial with minocycline for 80 patients. They were given 200 mg twice a day.

The Ritchie articular index and the number of swollen joints significantly improved (p <>

Investigators in Israel studied 18 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis for 48 weeks.

These patients had failed two other DMARD. They were taken off all DMARD agents and given minocycline 100 mg twice a day. Six patients did not complete the study -- three withdrew because of lack of improvement, and three had side effects of vertigo or leukopenia.

All patients completing the study improved. Three had complete remission, three had substantial improvement of greater than 50 percent, and six had moderate improvement of 25 percent in the number of active joints and morning stiffness.

APPENDIX TWO: Make Certain You are Assessed for Fibromyalgia

You need to be very sensitive to this condition when you have rheumatoid arthritis as it is frequently a complicating condition. Many times, the pain will be confused with a flare-up of the RA.

You need to aggressively treat this problem. If it is ignored, the likelihood of successfully treating the arthritis is significantly diminished.

Fibromyalgia is a very common problem. Some experts believe that 5 percent of people are affected with it. Over 12 percent of the patients at the Mayo Clinic's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have this problem, and it is the third most common diagnosis by rheumatologists in the outpatient setting. Fibromyalgia affects women five times as frequently as men.

Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

One of the main features of fibromyalgia is morning stiffness, fatigue, and multiple areas of tenderness in typical locations. Most people with fibromyalgia complain of pain over many areas of their body, with an average of six to nine locations. Although the pain is frequently described as being "all over," it is most prominent in the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and back.

Tender points are generally symmetrical and on both sides of the body. The areas of tenderness are usually small (less than an inch in diameter) and deep within the muscle. They are often located in sites that are slightly tender in normal people.

People with fibromyalgia, however, differ in having increased tenderness at these sites than the average person. Firm palpation with the thumb (just past the point where the nail turns white) over the outside elbow will typically cause a vague sensation of discomfort. Patients with fibromyalgia will experience much more pain and will often withdraw the arm involuntarily.

More than 70 percent of patients describe their pain as profound aching and stiffness of muscles. Often it is relatively constant from moment to moment, but certain positions or movements may momentarily worsen the pain. Other terms used to describe the pain are "dull" and "numb."

Sharp or intermittent pain is relatively uncommon.

Patients with fibromyalgia also often complain that sudden loud noises worsen their pain.

The generalized stiffness of fibromyalgia does not diminish with activity, unlike the stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis, which lessens as the day progresses. Despite the lack of abnormal lab tests, patients can suffer considerable discomfort.

The fatigue is often severe enough to impair activities of work and recreation. Patients commonly experience fatigue on arising and complain of being more fatigued when they wake up than when they went to bed.

Over 90 percent of patients believe the pain, stiffness, and fatigue are made worse by cold, damp weather. Overexertion, anxiety and stress are also factors.

Many find that localized heat, such as hot baths, showers, or heating pads, give them some relief. There is also a tendency for pain to improve in the summer with mild activity, or with rest.

Some patients will date the onset of their symptoms to some initiating event. This is often an injury, such as a fall, a motor vehicle accident, or a vocational or sports injury. Others find that their symptoms began with a stressful or emotional event, such as a death in the family, a divorce, a job loss, or similar occurrence.

Pain Location

Patients with fibromyalgia have pain in at least 11 of the following 18 tender point sites (one on each side of the body):

1. Base of the skull where the suboccipital muscle inserts.
2. Back of the low neck (anterior intertransverse spaces of C5-C7).
3. Midpoint of the upper shoulders (trapezius).
4. On the back in the middle of the scapula.
5. On the chest where the second rib attaches to the breastbone (sternum).
6. One inch below the outside of each elbow (lateral epicondyle).
7. Upper outer quadrant of buttocks.
8. Just behind the swelling on the upper leg bone below the hip (trochanteric prominence).
9. The inside of both knees (medial fat pads proximal to the joint line).

Treatment of Fibromyalgia

There is a persuasive body of emerging evidence that indicates that patients with fibromyalgia are physically unfit in terms of sustained endurance. Some studies show that exercise can decrease fibromyalgia pain by 75 percent.

Sleep is also critical to improvement, and many times, improved fitness will also correct the sleep disturbance.

Normalizing vitamin D levels has also been shown to be helpful to decrease pain as has topical magnesium oil supplementation.

Allergies, especially to mold, seem to be another common cause of fibromyalgia. There are some simple interventions using techniques called Total Body Modification (TBM) 800-243-4826.

APPENDIX THREE: Antibiotic Therapy with Minocin

There are three different tetracyclines available: simple tetracycline, doxycycline, or Minocin (minocycline).

Minocin has a distinct and clear advantage over tetracycline and doxycycline in three important areas:

1. Extended spectrum of activity
2. Greater tissue penetrability
3. Higher and more sustained serum levels

Bacterial cell membranes contain a lipid layer. One mechanism of building up a resistance to an antibiotic is to produce a thicker lipid layer. This layer makes it difficult for an antibiotic to penetrate. Minocin's chemical structure makes it the most lipid soluble of all the tetracyclines.

This difference can clearly be demonstrated when you compare the drugs in the treatment of two common clinical conditions.

Minocin gives consistently superior clinical results in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. In other studies, Minocin was used to improve between 75-85 percent of patients whose acne had become resistant to tetracycline. Strep is also believed to be a contributing cause to many patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Minocin has shown significant activity against treatment of this organism.

This is something I can relate to because my grandmother died of rheumatoid arthritis at 42.

See full article at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/16/rheumatoid-arthritis-protocol.asp