My Evolving Fractal

 I, like every thoughtful person, am seeking meaning in life. I know that at times we look at those around us and we pass judgments. I say how can that person (drug addict, pedophile, rapist, or unscrupulous businessman) live such a self-indulgent life? And then I consider someone like Mother Teresa of Calcutta "By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus."  I am overwhelmed by the beautiful, simplicity of her spirit.  I wonder where do I rank on the humanity continuum—am I living up to my truest potential, or am I taking expedient shortcuts? 

(Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)Vatican news services retrieved 30 April 2012) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa.

I do believe there is a plan and orderliness to life. I do not believe life is random or accidental. I do not know what language the Creator actually speaks. Perhaps he/she does actually speak the language of math; perhaps (s)he speaks fractal.

“The Chaotic Life: Patterns and randomness in how we live,” by David Pincus discusses

“Fractal Brains: Fractal Thoughts Our Brains are fractal, with far reaching branches,”

(September 4, 2009) by Dr. David Pincus in The Chaotic Life. Researchers from the University of Cambridge took a big step forward this year in understanding how our brains work. It seems that the brain has a fractal organization. This likely gives us much of what we consider human. And at a deeper level these findings may help to connect us in a very fundamental way to the rest of the natural world. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-chaotic-life

 FRACTAL PATTERNS IN NATURE

                                                                                                                                                                             

So what do fractals have to do with Mother Teresa? The beauty that is Mother Teresa lies in the plan and orderliness of her life and her willingness to commit and cooperate with this plan in her life. Is this an easy process? It seems not.

Our Lord wants me to be a free nun covered with the poverty of the cross. Today I learned a good lesson. The poverty of the poor must be so hard for them. While looking for a home I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached. I thought how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food and health. Then the comfort of Loreto [her former order] came to tempt me. 'You have only to say the word and all that will be yours again,' the Tempter kept on saying ... Of free choice, my God, and out of love for you, I desire to remain and do whatever be your Holy will in my regard. I did not let a single tear come. (Spink, Kathryn (1997). Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography. New York. HarperCollins, p.37. ISBN 0-06-250825-3.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa

Rather the process seems to ask us to cooperate with a plan. This plan creates incredible beauty whether the Creator is creating broccoli, a sea creature in a shell, or a human being. What is the difference between Mother Teresa, me, and the completely self-indulgent person? I think the difference lies in one’s willingness to cooperate, and have faith in a plan that is grand and amazing---beyond our ability to comprehend. We have choices—do we live in a small world bounded by our self-interest and bodily indulgences, or do we like Mother Teresa look at our fellow beings and think “… how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food and health.”

I have come to the understanding that I am not meant to be like Mother Teresa; I am meant to be me. There is a unique plan for me and it is beautiful. I am my own evolving fractal.

Hope and Healing: Antineoplastons for cancer treatment

I have watched a stunning independently made documentary film.  I wish I could say that I was stunned, overwhelmed by the picturesque beauty of the scenery, or deeply touched by the humanity of the story line but I cannot.

What stuns me is the corruptness that infects the Food and Drug Administration. I believe there are cancer treatments that promote healing without destroying the immune system and healthy tissue. Stanislaw Burzynski, MD, Ph D, has found such a treatment.

However rather than being supported in his research of this break through treatment for cancer, he is harassed.  Why is he harassed? Because of a bizarre set of regulations put in place by the FDA that state an individual cannot hold patents only large corporations can. Even if your treatment works it won’t be approved because you are not MERC or Pfizer. (This is my simplistic understanding of the laws and regulations at work)

The FDA no longer uses regulations to protect us, but has been corrupted by power, greed and corporate influence.  I hope you will take the time to watch this documentary about Stanislaw Burzynski, MD, Ph D. Please don’t skip the last ten minutes (I was tempted because it is long-1 ½ hours) Julian Whitaker, MD makes excellent points about the reason the medical establishment is trying to stifle Burzynski’s work. His findings will shake up the trillion dollar standardized cancer treatment business.

Burzynski, the Movie is the story of a medical doctor and Ph.D biochemist named Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, who won the largest, and possibly the most convoluted and intriguing legal battle against the FDA in American history.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BurzynskiMovie

detox bath a proactive way of reclaiming health

When I was young my parents liked to vacation in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was there that I was introduced to the idea of soaking in mineral waters as a great stress reliever. Across history ancient peoples have sought out and found wonderful natural springs and pools for healing.

As part of my personal cancer healing modality, I did (and continue to do) detoxification baths. I found some excellent grapefruit based cellular detox granules at a health food store. Initially I was careful to avoid getting the sutured area wet but just soaking my feet and legs brought an overwhelming sense of well being and hopefulness. The detox bath was a proactive way of reclaiming my health. 

Four years after surgery I am in excellent health and I am still committed to  detoxifying to maintain health. The following detox recipes are from (and our thanks to) Dr. Hazel Parcells, Naturopath, who shared them on the Internet. If you want to research the science on why detox baths work, the information is out there. I wish you HAPPY SOAKING!!

Epsom salts for detox

A simple way to draw toxins out of the body is to take a hot Epsom salt bath. Hot water draws toxins out of the body to the skin’s surface, and while the water cools it pulls toxins from the skin, according to Naturopath Dr. Hazel Parcells. When magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) is absorbed through the skin in a bath, it helps to draw toxins from the body, reduce swelling and relax muscles.

Epsom salts are named for the mineral rich waters of Epsom, England, where they were known at least as far back as Shakespeare's day.

General Information:

You may experience flu-like symptoms during the detoxification because your body is ridding itself of poisons. You can get some relief from these symptoms by taking baths using Epsom salts (1 to 2 cups) and baking soda (1 cup) in a tub of water and soaking for 20 minutes (soaking for more than 20 minutes may cause you to get too exhausted). On off days, you can put 1 cup of apple cider vinegar in the tub and soak.

Skin brushing can be very beneficial, because the skin is a primary avenue for detoxification - along with the lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. Use a vegetable brush. You can purchase this at a health food store. You need to brush all parts of the body toward the heart. Then follow with a sesame oil massage. Massaging with sesame oil brings relief. This oil can be purchased from the health food store. Massage the whole body for 5 minutes before bathing or showering.

Detox Baths:

(NOTE: Baths should be taken on a daily basis during detox and rotated, switching to a different type of bath each day. After detoxing, use whichever bath seems appropriate to meet your current needs.)

EPSOM SALTS AND GINGER:

This bath opens pores and eliminates toxins and also helps to eliminate pain. Stir one cup of Epsom salts and 2 tablespoons of ginger in a cup of water first, then add to the bath. Do not remain in the tub for more than 30 minutes.

SALT AND SODA:

This bath counteracts the effects of radiation, whether from X-rays, cancer treatment radiation, fallout from the atmosphere, or television radiation. 1 cup of baking soda and 1 to 2 cups of ordinary coarse salt (or Epsom salts or sea salt) to a tub of water. You can soak for 20 minutes.

EPSOM SALTS, SEA SALT, AND SESAME OIL:

This bath helps with dry skin and stress. Take 1 cup of Epsom salt, 1 cup of sea salt (from the health food store), and 1 cup of sesame oil and put into a warm to hot tub of water and soak for 20 minutes. Pat yourself dry.

VINEGAR BATH:

This is used when the body is too acidic. This is a quick way of restoring the acid-alkaline balance. 1 cup to 2 quarts of 100% apple cider vinegar to a bathtub of warm water. Soak 40 to 45 minutes. This is excellent for excess uric acid in the body and especially for the joints, arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and gout.

BENTONITE BATH:

A fast detoxification method. Soak 2 to 4 pounds of bentonite clay in a flat container overnight to dissolve it. Then add this to a tub of water. With 2 pounds of bentonite you would soak one hour; with 4 pounds you would soak only about 30 minutes. The more bentonite used, the faster the detoxification. (NOTE: While bentonite is a great absorber, it is widely used to seal well-casings and ponds. It would very likely seal many septic systems too, costing thousands to repair. Use sparingly or with caution!)

What's Your Parenting Style

Why even think about your parenting style? Because your parenting style creates the way you relate to your child and the way your child learns to view the world, himself in the world, and others in the world.

For business types let’s put it this way--you are the CEO of your family--Management--”THE MAN,” or “THE WOMAN,” “THE BOSS”

What does a good  boss/supervisor/manager/parent do: 

        They play a role in creating the company/family culture,

They pay attention to what effects team/family cohesion & relationships,

They create a climate for worker/child motivation,

They model appropriate behaviors and reenforce growth in the worker/child,

They encourage behavior change with encouragement, praise, or logical consequences

The result is a successful business & a successful family. Hard work you bet! 

There are three basic styles of parenting 1) authoritarian, 2) democratic, or 3) laissez faire (let things alone). 

Authoritarian parents--”My way or the highway”

Democratic parents--”Let’s look at the pros & cons and we can take a family vote.”

Laissez faire parents--”I give you everything you want and this is the way you behave?.” “I work hard all day. I can’t make you do anything--what’s that school teaching you anyway?.” “Talk to your mom (dad) I have work to do.”

Typically the parent has a primary style. Both parents should try to maintain the same parenting style and be consistent about it. Inconsistency creates insecurity in young children. While inconsistency gives older children a foot in the door to complain, “That’s not fair! Dad (Mom) lets me do it.

Consistency trains kids not to argue. Be careful to not reward the child’s whining, nagging, or tantrum behavior--this teaches the child he/she controls you.

What worked for me in my classroom when student mis-behavior pushed me to my limit and I was so angry I could not see straight was to say to the student in a very quiet, intense voice (it also helps to display angry eyes) “I am so frustrated and disappointed with your behavior I cannot even talk to you right now. Go sit down in time out until I decide what is the right thing to do. I will let you know what we are going to do about this.”

I like the word frustrated, rather than angry/mad, because it make me feel like I have control over my emotions. To me there is nothing wrong with telling the child I am disappointed with his behavior; it helps the child learn that his behavior impacts others. Telling the child to go sit down in time out is a positive action that is essentially an immediate punishment in the eyes of the child. But it is also a delay tactic to give the parent time to devise a logical consequence that addresses the uniqueness of the problem.

The same old spanking or the same old screaming lecture soon loses their effectiveness.

Unique logical consequences require the parent to do some creative thinking and should create a positive learning experience,

For example the child breaks your favorite vase you inherited from your grandmother, what do you do? “ I am so frustrated and disappointed that you broke my grandmother’s vase. I am so sad I cannot even talk to you right now. Joe, go sit down in your room until I decide what is the right thing to do. I will let you know what we are going to do about this.”

A possible unique logical consequences--”Joe, you will take out the trash and mow the lawn for three weeks, you will earn $40.00 and then we will go out and buy a vase that reminds us of grandma to replace the one you broke.”

This is a win-win. Joe is disciplined. He learns actions have consequences. He learns his parent cares about and supports him. Joe becomes emotionally invested in a positive outcome. The parent and child work togeather for a positive outcome.

PARENTING MYTHS:

Isn’t parenting something you just do? How hard can it be my parents did it.

It worked for my parents--look how good I turned out. 

If it was good enough for me it is good enough for my kids.

Empowered Health Choices

Welcome to my blog. It is my goal to share ideas, thoughts, and relevant information that will be empowering to you. Why is empowerment so important? Empowerment sets you free to be your best self. Helping you achieve your goals is a service I am happy to provide.

I, like most of us, was programmed by the medical experts and the news media to be terrified by the possibility of having cancer. But I was also conflicted in my thinking. My Dad had colon cancer in 1980ish. He was faced with having to live with a colostomy. He had made up his mind to die instead. As a family we had to persuade, argue, cajole, and put our collective foot down--insisting he would have the surgery. And if dying meant so much to him he could die during the surgery as that seemed like a quicker, more efficient way to go. (This logic is consistent with my family’s culture and does not reflect the values of most people--I think.) Long story short, my Dad did radiation prior to surgery, did the surgery, refused chemotherapy, and lived to the age of 95 and a half. Until his passing, he lived happily in his own home, played pool, and drove through his hometown.

When my own breast cancer emerged I realized that I was really lacking in knowledge and understanding to make good decisions. So I trusted my intuitive nature and did a lot of prayer and meditation.  I chose to do the surgery and alternative therapies. The following information is from Michael Grant White’ website and is an excellent outline of basic information one should have when decision making. 

Michael Grant White - OBDMT, NE, NCLMBT License #1724, http://breathing.com/about.htm

Cancer Update

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime. 

3. When the person's immune system is strong, the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors. 

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune 
system. 

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc. 

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation, the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites. 

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. 

Cancer Cells Feed On: 

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. A better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. 

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved. 

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. 

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruit help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. 
Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). 

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic; avoid it. 

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup. 

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Florssence, Essiac, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells. 

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.  

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.



2. CANCER UPDATE 2 FROM JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL, US - PLEASE READ 

1. No plastic containers in microwave. 

2. No water bottles in freezer. 

3. No plastic wrap in microwave. 

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. 
This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. 
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.