Dangers of Yeast

The Role Several Species of Yeast and Fungi Play in Various Diseases

Dr. William Shaw, scientist and founder of The Great Plains Laboratory, has been studying for decades the microbial ecology of the GI tract and the role several species of yeast and fungi play in various diseases, including autism, Attention deficit disorder (ADD), Rett's syndrome, Ulcerative colitis, Seizures, Depression, Child Psychosis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Pervasive developmental disorder, Colitis, Schizophrenia, Migraine headache, Alzheimer's disease, SLE, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette's syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease.

Here are some of his findings.

Microbial Ecology of the GI Tract

"The number of microorganisms in the GI tract approaches the total number of cells in the body. Approximately 500 species of bacteria are present, of which 30-40 species of bacteria predominate, including several species of yeast and fungi.

The greatest number of species are anaerobic or facultative anaerobes. Yeast/fungi and Clostridia species are widely known to accompany the use of broad spectrum antibiotics. Furthermore, recent research indicates that the growth of certain Candida types is markedly stimulated by antibiotic addition to the culture media.

Books like The Yeast Connection and Yeast Syndrome have spread the knowledge about the health effects of Candida to the general public, but are widely ignored by a large segment of the medical community."

His treatment protocol focuses on prolonged doses of the antifungal medications, including Nystatin, Lamasil, Sporanox, Nizoral, Diflucan, Caprylic acid, grapefruit seed extract and garlic extract.

He found that the drugs worked well as long as the patients were taking them. When the drugs were discontinued, the symptoms would reoccur. These are his words:

"I have now detected this same phenomenon in hundreds of other cases. Even after six months of antifungal treatment, there is often a biochemical "rebound" and loss of improvements after discontinuing antifungal therapy. This rebound also occurs after other antifungal drugs as well.

Several explanations are possible for this phenomenon:

Because of one or more defects in the immune system such as IgA deficiency, IgG deficiency, or severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) which are found in most children with autism, the yeast, which are everywhere in our environment including the food we eat, repopulate the intestinal tract very rapidly.

The yeast are very resistant and have not been completely eliminated even after six months of antifungal therapy.

The yeast have genetically transformed some of the human cells that line the intestinal tract so that some of the human cells now contain yeast DNA. These genetically transformed human cells produce both yeast and human products and are somewhat sensitive to antifungal drugs but are not killed by them and produce yeast products whenever antifungal drugs are absent.

Some of the yeast are hidden in recesses of the intestinal tract or in the deeper layers of the mucosa that lines the intestine where they are relatively safe from the drug. Although their numbers are small, they readily repopulate the intestine after antifungals are stopped.

In addition to the immune system taking inventory of its own cells, it seems increasingly likely that the immune system also takes an inventory of bacteria and yeast cells present in the intestinal tract soon after birth. This inventory is performed by a group of cells called the CD5+ B-cells, which are among the very first immunological cells to appear in the developing embryo and appear to play a role in tolerance to intestinal microorganisms in postnatal life. These cells may play a role in regulating the secretion of IgA, the antibody class that is secreted into the intestinal tract and which may select which microorganisms are tolerated in the intestinal tract. Furthermore, the eradication of normal flora especially when antibiotics are administered repetitively during infancy may cause the CD5+ cells to reject these normal organisms at a later age. Any cells that are on this early inventory may be awarded immune tolerance and will not be attacked later on by the immune system. Either antibiotic use in infancy or yeast infection of the mother during pregnancy may result in later immune tolerance to yeast.

Not surprisingly, neurofibrillary tangles similar to those found in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims have also been reported in the brain of an autistic person at autopsy. It has been reported that frequent urinary tract infections and high amounts of circulating immune complexes are associated with more severe Alzheimer disease. The use of antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections would of course lead to yeast overgrowth of the gastrointestinal tract.

Elevation of yeast metabolites are found in many of the same disorders and are even more common in autism, SLE, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, attention deficit hyperactivity, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The finding of pentosidine in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer’s brains and its absence from normal areas of the brain may indicate a direct role of a yeast byproduct in accelerating the normal aging process. Tartaric acid from yeast overgrowth has a direct toxic effect on muscles and is an inhibitor of a key Krebs cycle enzyme that supplies raw materials for gluconeogenesis and offers an explanation for many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Interestingly, I have found that tartaric acid and/or other yeast byproducts are also elevated in urine samples of adults with the disorder fibromyalgia, a debilitating disease associated with muscle and joint pain, depression, foggy thinking, and chronic fatigue. (Dr. Kevorkian has assisted in the suicide of two people with this disorder, which is tragic since a simple antiyeast treatment may help relieve the symptoms of this disorder.)

Richard Jaeckle, MD, a psychiatrist and allergist in Dallas, Texas has treated a number of psychotic individuals using antifungal therapy and finds that psychotic patients with elevated CPK, uric acid and white cell counts may respond favorably to antifungal treatment. Patients with psychotic behavior may have gastrointestinal overgrowth of both yeast and Clostridia."

"The toxic yeast products were just discovered, but as knowledge of them increases, acceptance of the yeast-related illnesses will increase.

As the philosopher Schopenhauer said, 'All truth goes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Then, it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident.' Within five years, people who ignore the importance of yeast-related illness will be in the same camp with those in the Flat-Earth Society."

While their work is extremely exciting, they do not warn of the dangers of long term usage of some of these potentially highly toxic drugs, such as liver damage and/or failure. And even Dr. Shaw concedes that the yeast overgrowth reoccurs after treatment is stopped.

Below is a letter we received from Dr. Robert DiOrio, a psychologist in Las Vegas, Nevada regarding ThreeLac:

December 19,2004

Dear Mark,

I wanted to let you know that my personal experience with Three Lac has been excellent. My chronic aches and pains in the joints, early morning congestion, and general sense of well-being have improved dramatically.

I have placed several of my depressed patients on ThreeLac along with a few other vitamin suggestions and the results have been highly satisfactory. Several of my more complex patients who have presented with numerous medical issues seem to bail out too soon believing that the ThreeLac is doing nothing for them. My attempts to convince them that time on the product is essential have been to no avail; we live in the age of highly frustrated people who are desperately seeking the "quick fix". Keep up the good work! Recommending ThreeLac with the personal experience of good health as a direct result of ThreeLac is easy to do. Thanks for all your valuable experience and information.

Sincerely, Robert J. DiOrio, Ph.D.

  

The Many Symptoms of Yeast/Fungus Infestation 

“I would like to expand and strengthen understanding of the connection between Y/F (Yeast/Fungus) overgrowth, mycotoxins and so-called diseases. This connection usually involves vicious circles, wherein Y/F will take advantage of an unbalanced terrain, but will also compromise the terrain. As they do so, “host” resistance is decreased, and the poisons result in a host of physical and mental conditions. The following section relates Y/F and digestive imbalance to disease symptoms. These symptoms are often interrelated in a complex way, are usually chronic, and include, but are not limited to:

Allergy – food and environmental. As we’ve seen, the blood can be overwhelmed by fungus and poisons, severely stressing the immune system. In addition, digestive difficulties often prevent the proper breakdown of protein. Partially digested proteins (not usable by the body) can still be absorbed into the blood, especially when a leaky gut exists. In this form they serve no purpose other than feeding bacteria and Y/F feed on (putrefy and ferment) undigested proteins, they produce several toxins, including uric acid. These can be absorbed into the blood, or be produced in the blood by Y/F, which also activates an immune response.

Since this combination of poor protein digestion with Y/F and their mycotoxins is frequent or ongoing, our janitorial service is constantly irritated, overworked and on edge. Imagine yourself trying constantly to clean house as filth is being tossed in through the windows. These irritations may result in chemical or nutritional sensitivities – allergic reactions to other substances, which are called allergens. Allergens may be other foods, airborne matter or chemicals. An immediate or slightly delayed chemical chain reaction creates the various allergic responses we see (but there are some not commonly recognized, such as addictions). The allergy-causing food or airborne allergen does not cause the allergy directly, but only triggers it because immune processes are already compromised. That is, there is a threshold situation: the level of filth, toxicity or acidity has reached a point where the allergen instigates the reaction; but it does not cause the allergic condition.

The irritation/inflammation reaction produced (appearing as allergic symptoms) is a means of dealing with acid toxins. Sometimes the body will use sudden and drastic means in a cleansing reaction that is misinterpreted as an allergy if a beneficial, cleansing substance is taken, such as wheat grass. Soreness, swelling, tearing eyes, runny nose, eczema, etc., are all ways of eliminating acid toxins. Thus, Y/F, whose poisons are acid, may contribute significantly to your hay fever and sneezing. Once the process is under way, the number of offending substances can keep increasing until many individuals become so sensitive to the everyday environment that they must live in isolation or move to another climate. If you had no symptogenic Y/F, it would be impossible for you to have allergies.

Environmental hypersensitivity is another common complaint, closely related to allergy and immune function. Such things as smoke and auto exhaust, fumes in the home from carpet, fabrics, walls and natural gas leaks, can cause extreme adverse reactions. Environmental toxins stress and suppress the immune system, poison the cells, and promote the upward development of Y/F. Encouraged to grow in a terrain compromised by environmental toxins, Y/F weaken the entire body, making it more susceptible to the influence of environmental toxins: vicious circle. Symptoms are most dramatic when fungus, in the form of its tiny filaments (mycelia), infiltrates the heart, lungs, and sinus membranes. Serious tissue congestion and inflammation are the result. An autopsy performed on one woman who died of heart failure showed that her heart was encased in a fungal overgrowth!

Fatigue may have a slight edge on allergy as the most common symptom of bacterial and Y/F infestation. It can be especially pronounced after a night’s rest, after eating, and in the middle of the afternoon. Y/F infestation unbalances the process that controls the water and mineral content (electrolyte balance) of cells. Since this balance is necessary for cell activity, normal flow of energy is impeded.

As with allergy, disrupted digestion plays a major role in fatigue. If you cannot digest and assimilate food, the tissues will eventually starve, making you feel sick and tired. Acetaldehyde and other mycotoxins reduce the absorption of protein and minerals, which decrease the ability to produce enzymes and hormones. To make matters worse, the Y/F overgrowth is swapping its wastes for your hormones, blood sugar and other nutrients. Consequently, you are always hungry and/or have rapid drops in blood sugar (glucose) levels. Such disruption interferes with cell replacement and with substances necessary for energy production. The result is fatigue, poor endurance, and weakness. Thus, Y/F are the major players in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the so-called Epstein-Barr “nonvirus.” This syndrome may also involve damage to nerve transmission by toxic breakdown of neurotransmitters by acetaldehyde.

The vicious circle is that low energy levels will encourage yet a further overgrowth of Y/F. This is why a whole food diet, combined with taking vitamins, minerals, and protein supplements, makes most people feel so much better.

Neurological imbalance is a symptom of Y/F and is occurring in epidemic proportions. Mycotoxins interfere with the production of coenzyme A. Coenzymes combine with other compounds to produce complete enzymes. As noted, enzymes assist almost all body processes, including those of the brain and nervous system. When coenzyme A decreases, conditions like depression, anxiety, and PMS symptoms are often worsened, without apparent cause. The mycotoxin acetaldehyde is continually produced by YF and converted by the liver to alcohol. Some people who appear to have been drinking are actually showing the effects of Y/F and its alcohol by-product.

Common symptoms are in many cases simply the result of being poisoned: paranoia, not being in total control of one’s actions, knowing the right thing to do but being unable to do it, mental incompetence, and a variety of other behavioral disturbances (emotional and psychological). Other possible symptoms are panic attacks, feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability, and headaches. Hypochondriac-type reactions causing neurotic behavior and emotional instability are also possible.

How many people have spent fruitless, long periods of time in therapy trying to come to psychological grips with an imbalance in the brain and central nervous system created by toxicity? Given the enormous extent to which Y/F infestation has overtaken our population, it boggles the mind. Of course, the really tough cases get Prozac or something worse, on top of it. I’m not saying psychological problems don’t exist, but wouldn’t it seem wise to put the important Y/F variable into the equation? Or would this threaten the coffers of a most lucrative component of the pharmaceutical/medical complex?

How difficult is it to imagine that a lot of serious crime arises from mycotoxicity? A person may be very aware of their behavior, be miserable for it, yet, still be unable to realize how they lose control. Thus, our sometimes harsh, self-righteous attitude toward violent criminals may not always be appropriate. Think of the benefit to society of generating mental health through the simple process of balancing our inner terrain!

Additional neurological fallout from Y/F includes ailments such as mood swings, headaches, migraines, that fogged-in-feeling, inability to concentrate, poor memory, confusion, dizziness, and even MS-like symptoms such as slurred speech and muscular incoordination.

Hormone Imbalance and Yeast Infections

A woman who had been helped with her hormone imbalance symptoms by using natural progesterone cream told me she seemed to be having a relapse of her acne. I began reading a book by William Crook, M.D., THE YEAST CONNECTION AND THE WOMAN, and was fascinated, by what I read.

I learned first of all that many of the symptoms of hormone imbalance are the very same symptoms that have been identified as caused by yeast organisms -- specifically Candida albicans. There has been research into this ailment in recent years, but as with hormone imbalance, many in the medical profession are uninterested in checking out causes for common illnesses. They choose to treat symptoms, instead.

Yeast infections get a foothold in the body when antibiotics are used which kill not only bad bacteria, but also kill the “friendly” bacteria in our system which keep yeasts at a manageable level for our immune system. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the biggest culprits. These include tetracycline,ampicillin, amoxicillin, septra, and other medications commonly used for ear infections, sore throats, bladder infections, or acne.

Of particular interest to me was the section that taught that if yeast is the problem, using progesterone, even natural progesterone, can cause hormone imbalance symptoms to become worse! This, I believe, is very important information to add to any study of the use of natural progesterone. The reason for the worsening of symptoms is because progesterone has an influence on yeast growth. All this has something to do with hormone and acidity levels at the time of month when a woman is fertile.

Since yeast overgrowth is a problem in men, children, and babies, as well as in women, --- a closer look at this problem needs to be taken. While the use of broad spectrum antibiotics is definitely a factor in yeast overgrowth, the use of foods containing sugar also play a part in this illness.

There is help for anyone of any age who is suffering from an illness stemming from yeast overgrowth. This help is the use of a diet free from sugar and if one must use antibiotics for a bacterial infection,-- acidophilus, yogurt, or something else must be taken to restore the “friendly” bacteria in the intestinal tract, and stop the overgrowth of yeast in the body.

When this yeast-fungus passes through the wall of the intestine into the bloodstream, and is carried throughout the body, many systems become involved, including the brain. Irritability, anger, forgetfulness, depression, lack of interest in sex, and many other problems controlled by the brain begin to show up. Yeast overgrowth also damages the immune system, paving the way for many illnesses!!

When intercourse is painful, there is an inability to achieve orgasm, or a lack of interest in sex, yeast overgrowth should be suspected. When either a husband or wife is treated for yeast overgrowth, the other mate should be treated also, as yeast infections are passed back and forth between sexual partners. Often the husband has no visible symptoms.

Older women who have not used antibiotics for infections except occasionally, are not bothered with vaginal yeast infections nearly as often as the younger generation who have been given antibiotics for illnesses from babyhood on. When a woman gets a yeast infection, usually only the local area is treated. Many doctors don’t seem to realize that the infection is probably caused by an overgrowth of yeast throughout the system.

When a body’s immune system has been weakened by an overgrowth of yeast-fungus, it cannot adequately cope with either bacterial infections, viral infections, more fungus, or stress of any kind. The brain may be the first thing to react. It may shut down breathing, or cause impaired thinking. Hyperactivity is often the first thing noticed in children who are experiencing allergy problems. A stuffy or runny nose may be the body saying it has an overload of things. It cannot handle any more.

When a baby has recurring diaper rash or ear infections, suspect yeast. A baby can contract a yeast infection as it passes through the birth canal of an infected mother.

When a child is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, always check the possibility of yeast before using a drug, such as Ritalin, with it’s many side effects.

Considering all the many illnesses, some very serious, caused by yeast and fungus overgrowth in the human body, it seems that this illness should be given more attention by the medical profession. Perhaps I should say that we, the patient, should be more alert, and give more attention to the symptoms of yeast overgrowth.

Illnesses Caused or Made Worse by Yeast Overgrowth

immune system dysfunction, adrenal dysfunction, HORMONE IMBALANCE, digestive tract problems, thrush, diarrhea and constipation, colitis, abdominal pain, heartburn, canker sores, bloating, belching, flatulence, bad breath, dry mouth and throat, throat infections, food allergies, sugar cravings, crohn’s disease, psoriasis, rashes, hives, eczema, acne, asthma, allergic to smoke, sensitivity to odors, sensitivity to chemicals, sinus infections, ear infections, itching or pain in ears, headaches, night cough, nasal congestion or itching, muscle pain or weakness, joint pain, insomnia, low body temperature, athletes foot, tightness in chest, shortness of breath, attention deficit disorder, adult attention deficit disorder, hyperactive, persistent drowsiness, eye and visual problems, mood swings, lack of coordination, loss of balance, nymphomania, endometriosis, vaginal yeast infections, vulvodynia (burning vulva), sexual dysfunction, infertility, inability to reach orgasm, painful intercourse, disinterest in sex, vulvovaginitis, menstrual cramps, galactorrhea, impotence, jock itch, balanoprosthitis, prostatitis, urinary frequency, kidney and bladder infections, cystitis, hemorrhoids, depression, poor concentration, forgetfulness, anger, irritability, manic depression, meningitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, autism, multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes, alcoholism, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, vitamin and mineral deficiency, PMS, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, swelling in hands, feet, or face.

Candida – An M.D.’s Perspective

Yeast overgrowth affects 80% of American Women.

Somewhere between putting out the recycling and setting the dinner table, it hits: a feeling of desperate tiredness. But, of course, a nap is the one “to-do” that never finds a spot on your already-long list. So, if you’re like 80 percent of women, you reach for a sugary snack to give you the energy required to power through your day.

Far from being the solution to tiredness, however, those sugar fuel-ups are a top cause of fatigue and cravings, not to mention recurrent vaginal yeast infections, gastrointestinal distress, body-wide aches, blue moods and even severe PMS or menopausal symptoms, cautions Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., medical health advisor to The Yeast Connection (founded by William Crook, M.D. and author of The Yeast Connection). The reason: High-sugar foods – as well as seemingly “healthy” foods like yogurt and high-fiber cereals that contain high-fructose corn syrup – create an acidic internal environment that allows candida yeast to thrive.

How yeast overgrowth sabotages health

“When yeast are growing out of control, they literally poke holes in the gut lining and secrete at least 79 toxic by-products into the bloodstream that can tax the immune system, trigger internal inflammation and cause a host of health concerns,” explains Dr. Dean. And excess yeast drags women into a vicious health-sapping cycle. “Yeast need sugar to create their preferred acidic environment, so they thrive by releasing chemicals that trick the body into thinking blood sugar is low,” says Dr. Dean. “This results in intense cravings for carbohydrates.”

Complicating matters for sufferers: “Mainstream medical schools teach doctors that yeast either manifests as a vaginal infection or a very serious blood infection – the chronic condition of yeast overgrowth that starts in the gut just doesn’t exist to the medical establishment,” maintains Dr. Dean. “As a result, women can endure a lifetime of misdiagnoses like irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. And many women are simply told their symptoms are all in their head.”

Probiotics can be a cure

Eating yogurt can build up internal stores of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that eliminate overgrowth by producing yeast-killing hydrogen peroxide. What’s more, probiotics literally plug the holes that yeast create in the gut lining to prevent symptom-triggering toxins from leaking into the bloodstream. But when it comes to using yogurt as an Rx, caution is in order: Many popular brands contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, both of which serve as food for yeast to thrive on, says Dr. Dean. To truly get the probiotic benefit of yogurt, opt for the plain unsweetened kind (which can be sweetened with fresh fruit). According to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, enjoying at least one cup a day can sometimes restore probiotic levels in two weeks. Or, for even faster relief, consider taking a probiotic supplement, since yogurt generally only provides 2 to 10 million live bacteria and probiotic supplements provide many times more than yogurt.
How To Help Menstrual Cramps With Hydrotherapy           Menstrual cramps are a natural part of every woman’s life. Every month, a few days remain very painful and distressing for women. Menstrual cramps can be treated with many natural methods. Hydrotherapy is one of the many successful methods that can be used for treating menstrual cramps to obtain great relief. Hydrotherapy employs the use of water for treating pain.Water can be used in its various forms like steam, ice, hot or cold water etc. to relieve the symptoms naturally. Hydrotherapy can be done by anyone and in the comfort of your home. All you need is water and hence it is a safe and easy to use as well.                                           How To Help Menstrual Cramps With Hydrotherapy.                Warm Compress
Application of warm compress on the abdominal region helps in alleviating menstrual cramps. For applying warm compress, take a bowl of hot water and add a few drops of essential oils like marjoram oil, ginger extract or lavender oil to the hot water or on the cloth which is used for the hot compress.

Dip the cloth and wring dry. Apply on the abdominal region. Continue application for 15 -20 minutes until your cramps are greatly relieved. The hot steam that gets absorbed through the skin will relax your muscles and relieve the pain as well. You can also use warm and cold compress alternatively for treating menstrual cramps. 

Hot Shower

 

Menstrual cramps that are located at the back benefit greatly by taking a hot shower, especially before going to sleep. This will improve your sleep and also relieve the menstrual cramps as a result of hot water flowing over the sore areas of your body. The pressure of the water falling on the back and the heat combined together will help in relieving cramps effectively. 

Warm Bath 

 

Warm bath too helps in easing menstrual cramps. Adding a few drops of essential oil of your choice helps in increasing the overall effect of your healing.

It is important to avoid tub baths and bubble baths in hot water during menstruation as it can lead to an imbalance in the natural good bacteria in the vagina, leading to other problems like yeast infections. 

Hot Water Bags

A simple remedy that can keep your cramps under control all throughout the day and night is to use hot water bags or bottles to apply heat on the abdominal area and lower back where it hurts most. This will reduce the intensity of the cramps greatly by relieving muscle tension.

Hydrotherapy is in any way better than the use of electric heat pads which are used for application of heat on the abdominal area. Electromagnetic heating pads release electromagnetic radiation with every use which is not good for health in the long run.

Hydrotherapy is very safe and easy to be administered in any of the above mentioned forms. It also prevents side effects like the ones caused with the prolonged use of pain medications.

Hydrotherapy can be used for as many times as you want and for prolonged periods without any fear of complications in health

Hydrotherapy is the use of water in the treatment of disease. Hydrothermal therapy additionally uses its temperature effects, as in hot baths, saunas, wraps, etc.

Historical Perspective

Hydro- and hydrothermal therapy are traditional methods of treatment that have been used for the treatment of disease and injury by many cultures, including those of ancient Rome, China, and Japan. Water therapy has been around for centuries. The ancient Greeks took therapeutic baths. Water is an important ingredient in the traditional Chinese and Native American healing systems.
A Bavarian monk, Father Sebastian Kneipp helped re-popularize the therapeutic use of water in the 19th century. There are now many dozens of methods of applying hydrotherapy, including baths, saunas, douches, wraps, and packs.

How it works

The recuperative and healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on its mechanical and/or thermal effects. It exploits the body's reaction to hot and cold stimuli, to the protracted application of heat, to pressure exerted by the water and to the sensation it gives. The nerves carry impulses felt at the skin deeper into the body, where they are instrumental in stimulating the immune system, influencing the production of stress hormones, invigorating the circulation and digestion, encouraging blood flow, and lessening pain sensitivity.
Generally, heat quiets and soothes the body, slowing down the activity of internal organs. Cold, in contrast, stimulates and invigorates, increasing internal activity. If you are experiencing tense muscles and anxiety from your stress, a hot shower or bath is in order. If you are feeling tired and stressed out, you might want to try taking a warm shower or bath followed by a short, invigorating cold shower to help stimulate your body and mind.
When you submerge yourself in a bath, a pool, or a whirlpool, you experience a kind of weightlessness. Your body is relieved from the constant pull of gravity. Water also has a hydrostatic effect. It has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, in motion, stimulates touch receptors on the skin, boosting blood circulation and releasing tight muscles.

Indications

Hydrotherapy and hydrothermal therapy are chiefly used to tone up the body, to stimulate digestion, the circulation, and the immune system, and to bring relief from pain. Description of indications are given under individual method used.

Water seems to have special powers in getting rid of stress and rejuvenating our body. It affects the skin and muscles. It calms the lungs, heart, stomach, and endocrine system by stimulating nerve reflexes on the spinal cord.

Proof it works

Various case reports, observational studies, and a number of controlled studies provide some evidence of success in the use of hydrotherapy.
In a study of 40 persons at University of Minnesota, 85% of the participants preferred a whirlpool bath to a still bath. Only whirlpool was effective in reducing the participants' reactivity to stress although both still and whirlpool baths were effective in reducing anxiety.

Risks, Cautions, and Contraindications

Please see under individual techniques for warnings and caution for the use and follow them.
Persons with impaired temperature sensation run the risk of scalding or frostbite at temperature extremes.
When a condition is recurrent or persistent, please consult your physician to determine whether a physical therapy of this type is suitable in your case.

• If you have diabetes, avoid hot application to the feet or legs. Also avoid full body heating treatments, such as body wraps.
• Avoid cold application if you are diagnosed with Raynaud's disease.
• Hot immersion baths and long, hot saunas are not recommended for those with diabetes or multiple sclerosis, women who are pregnant or anyone with abnormally high or low blood pressure.
• Don't take cold foot baths if you are prone to  bladder or rectal irritation. People suffering from sciatica, pelvic inflammation or rheumatism in the toes or ankles should avoid cold foot baths.
• Elderly people and young children may be exhausted by too much heat and should avoid long full-body hot treatments such as immersion baths and saunas.
• If you are pregnant or have heart disease, consult a doctor before taking a sauna.

Common techniques

A number of techniques are available under the general heading of hydrotherapy. These include: baths and showers, neutral baths, sitz baths, contrast sitz baths, foot baths, cold mitten friction rub, steam inhalation, hot compresses, cold compresses, alternating hot and cold compresses, heating compresses, body wrap, wet sheet pack, and salt glow.

Cold rubbings

Soak a linen cloth in cold water, wring out and briskly rub the upper and lower trunk, or the entire body. Go to bed until warm and dry. Indications: For invigoration, to tone up the body, to promote blood flow, for use in problems of circulation, or infections of the respiratory system.

Douches

Gentle douches can be carried out with a watering can or hose. The water should not splash, but gently envelop the skin. The water stream should always be directed from the periphery toward the heart. After douching, stroke off excess water, dress, and exercise. There are various types of douche:

• Knee douche. The water stream is directed from the right small toe, along the outside of the lower leg to the hollow of the knee, then back along the inside and over the sole of the foot. The process is then repeated for the left leg. Useful for headaches and migraines, low blood pressure, sleeplessness, contusions, and varicose veins. This treatment influences the digestive and reproductive organs and can help ward off vascular damage. Do not use for urinary tract infections,   irritable bladder, sciatica, or during menstruation.
• Thigh douche. The procedure is as for a knee douche, but includes the upper thigh. It can stimulate blood flow and help improve poor circulation. Useful for the treatment of varicose veins, muscular rheumatism, crural paralysis, coxarthritis. Do not use for urinary tract infection, irritable bladder, sciatica, or during menstruation.
• Lower trunk douche. The procedure is as for the thigh douche, but including the lower trunk. Useful for diabetes mellitus, meteorism, enlargement of the liver, enlargement of the gallbladder, stone formation. Do not use for urinary tract infections,  irritable bladder, sciatica, or during menstruation.
• Arm douche. Direct the water stream from the outside of the right hand to the shoulder, then back on the inside of the arm. Repeat the process for the left arm. Useful for cold hands, nervous disorders, neuralgia and paralysis, rheumatism of the arms, heart problems, vertigo, headaches, catarrh in the nose and throat.
• Chest douche. Douche the arms first. Useful for chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma, angina pectoris. Caution: Moderate the temperature if there is risk of angiospasm.
• Upper trunk douche. This involves the upper torso and arms. It can be used to improve blood flow to the lungs, heart, and pleura. Useful for the treatment of bronchitis, bronchial asthma, disease of the larynx and vocal cords, headaches, nervous excitability, varicose veins of the legs, for toning-up, and for stimulating cardiac and respiratory activity. Caution: Do not use if there is blood stasis in the pulmonary circulation.
• Back douche. Useful for the treatment of weakened back muscles, back pain, spinal disease, multiple sclerosis, bronchial asthma, nearly all diseases of the lung. Warning: Do not use in debilitated patients or those with neurasthenia.
• Neck douche. Useful for headaches, migraines, tenseness in the shoulder and neck, hypersensitivity to changes in the weather, mild depression, tinnitus, vertigo, arthrosis of the hand and finger joints. Warning: Not to be used in persons with high blood pressure, enlargement of the thyroid, or raised intraocular pressure.
• Face douche. Proceed from the right temple downward to the chin, upward to the left temple, from right to left over the forehead, and repeatedly from the forehead to the chin, then in circles over the face. This is useful for relieving headaches and migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, toothaches, for relaxing tired eyes. Caution: Keep the eyes closed.

Sauna and Steam Baths

Saunas and steam baths are similar in effect; the decision to take one rather than the other will be guided by personal preference. In a sauna the heat acts more quickly to eliminate toxins through the skin, though some consider the moist air of a steam bath to have a more satisfying effect on the respiratory system. Saunas are deeply relaxing and are a great way to melt away stress.
A sauna is an eliminative procedure; it stimulates blood flow, increases the heart rate, has an immune-modulating effect, promotes hormone production, encourages mucosal secretions in the respiratory system, opens the airways, reduces resistance to respiration, regulates the vegetative system, relaxes, and can improve mental outlook. Children can start to take saunas at two or three years of age.
Indications: For "toning-up," for health promotion, as a way of treating pain caused by pulled back muscles, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, unstable hypertension (stages I and 11), severely disturbed peripheral blood circulation.
Warnings: Saunas should not be taken by persons with acute rheumatoid arthritis, acute infection, active tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, acute mental disorder, inflammation of an inner organ or blood vessels, significant vascular changes in the brain or heart, circulatory problems or acute cancer.
Do not spend more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time in a sauna. Wipe your face frequently with a cold cloth to avoid overheating.

Full and partial immersion baths

Various substances can be added to warm and rising temperature baths. See herbal baths below. The following are the different kinds of bath used:
Rising temperature hip bath. This is taken in a tub filled with a hand's breadth of tepid water. Hot water is then gradually added until the level reaches the navel. The final temperature should be 103-104'F. Following this procedure, the patient is wrapped warm and proceeds to bed. It should last 15-30 minutes, not more than three times per week.
Indications: incipient and abating common colds, back pain (sciatica).
Warning: to be used with caution by persons with heart or circulation problems, hemorrhoids, or varicose veins.
Cold foot bath. The feet are placed into a foot bath filled to calf depth with cold water. Stop when a cold stimulus is felt or when the water is no longer perceived as being particularly cold. Stroke off excess water, dress, and walk or run until dry. A special form of this treatment is "walking in water," which involves walking stork-like on a non-slip mat placed under the water.
Indications: Varicose veins, susceptibility to edemas, headaches, low blood pressure, circulatory problems, sleeplessness, proneness to the common cold, sweaty feet, or a contused ankle.
Warning: This type of treatment is best avoided by people who suffer from cold feet, very high blood pressure, an irritable bladder, urinary tract infection, diabetes, or vascular occlusion.
Rising temperature foot bath, warm foot bath. The feet are immersed in a foot bath filled with water at body temperature. Hot water is gradually added to give a final temperature of 103-104'F. In warm foot baths water of this temperature is added straight away. Keep warm afterwards. The procedure should last 10-15 minutes and can be done daily.
Indications: Cold feet, start of a common cold, for relaxation.
Warning: Best avoided by people with varicose veins, lymphostasis, or edema.
Cold arm bath. A basin is filled with cold water until it reaches a depth several inches above the immersed elbow. If the treatment becomes intolerable, stop and repeat as desired.
Indications: Headaches, sleeplessness.
Warning: Best avoided by people with heart or circulatory problems.
Rising temperature arm bath. In principle, this is the same as the rising temperature foot bath. It should be followed by a cold arm douche, then by half an hour's rest.
Indications: Bronchitis, asthma, incipient respiratory infection, circulatory problems, angina pectoris.

Sitz bath. This is generally taken in a hip bath as a cold, rising temperature, or warm sitz bath. Prior to a sitz bath, warm the feet, e.g. through a warm foot bath. Parts of the body not immersed in water should be covered. Cold sitz baths may help men increase their sperm counts. Alternating hot and cold sitz baths can improve pelvic circulation in both sexes.

Indications: Cold sitz bath for hemorrhoids or inflammation of the anus; warm or rising temperature sitz bath for difficulty in voiding the bladder, an irritable bladder, inflammation or infection of the prostate, preparation for pregnancy.
Warning: Do not use warm or rising temperature sitz baths for hemorrhoids.

Wraps

A wrap is primarily used as a supportive measure for treating fever and local inflammation. The person receiving treatment should first adopt a relaxed position. Then a linen cloth is moistened with cold water (warm water for respiratory diseases), well wrung out, and then wrapped tightly around the appropriate part of the body, but not so tightly as to cause constriction. The moist linen cloth is in turn wrapped with a dry cotton or linen cloth. The patient is then usually wrapped in a blanket or another cloth, and should rest for 45-60 minutes or, if the intention is to induce sweating, for up to three hours.
If the wrap is not felt to be warm after a quarter of an hour, heat should be applied in the form of a hot water bottle or by giving warm tea. The wrap should be removed immediately if the person complains of feeling unwell.

Indications:

• Neck wrap: sore throat
• Chest wrap: bronchitis, lung disease, neuralgia
• Body wrap (between costal arch and pubic bone): inflammatory disease of the upper abdomen, gastric and duodenal ulcers, cramps, sleeplessness, fever
• Trunk wrap (between pubic bone and armpits): high fever
• Hip wrap (with gap between the legs): prostatitis, vaginitis, hemorrhoids, anal eczema, inflammation in the pelvic cavity
• Calf wrap (between foot and knee): lymphostasis, edema, for withdrawing heat in fever and phlebitis; in varicose veins the effect can sometimes be amplified through the use of healing earth or loam poultices Joint wraps: rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis

Packs  
Warm packs. A wrapping cloth is soaked in a hot infusion or decoction of herbs, then wrung out and applied to the patient's body. Alternatively, the wrap may receive a coating of hot mud mustard flour, or fango. As a further alternative, hayseed may be placed in a sack and steamed.
Indications: Painful chronic diseases such as arthrosis, renal disease, or cystitis, and for stimulating blood flow.
Warning: Always check that the temperature is tolerable before applying a wrap.
Cold packs. Cooled cataplasm is spread onto the wrapping cloth and placed on the part of the body. Crushed ice in a plastic bag may also be repeatedly applied for one minute, then removed for four.
Indications: Various inflammatory arthropathies, sprains and strains, pleurisy. Ice packs can also be used for headaches.
Warning: When using ice packs, place a thin cloth between the pack and the skin to prevent frostbite.

Herbal baths can be particularly soothing when you are experiencing a period of stress. There are several ways to prepare an herbal bath:

1. Simmer 1/2 cup of herbs in 1 quart of water in a covered pot for fifteen minutes. While the herbs are simmering, take a short shower to cleanse your body, then fill the tub with hot or warm water. Strain the liquid from the decoction into the bath water, and wrap the herbs in a washcloth. Soak in the tub for at least twenty minutes, using the "herbal washcloth" to rub over your body. -
2. Add 1/2 cup of herbs to running bath water, preferably hot. You might want to cover the drain with a thin mesh screen to prevent the herbs from clogging the pipes. Soak in the tub for twenty to thirty minutes.
3. Fill a thin cloth bag with 1/2 cup of herbs, either placing it in the bath water or tying it to the spigot so that the hot water runs through it as it fills the tub. Again, soak for twenty to thirty minutes.
Certain herbs are quite effective for creating soothing baths. Combine a handful each of valerian, lavender, linden, chamomile, hops, and burdock root, and add it to your bath according to one of the preceding methods. Soak for thirty minutes in the tub. Another soothing herbal bath calls for a handful each of hops, linden, valerian, chamomile, yarrow, and passionflower. Prepare this bath according to one of the preceding methods, or simmer the herbs in a quart of water, then drink 1/2cup of the liquid (with lemon and honey added, if you wish) and pour the rest in the tub. While soaking in an herbal bath, you can read, meditate, listen to peaceful music, or just sit quietly, concentrating on relaxing yourself.

Importance of Drinking Sufficient Water

It is very important that we drink sufficient amount of water in a day to make up for the water lost. The benefits of drinking water is widely recognized. Drinking pure, fresh water is essential to our health and well-being.
Our need for water increases as we grow older. As we age, our skin and mucus membranes become thinner and lose more water, and our kidneys function less efficiently. So our need for water increases. You may not feel thirsty. But you should get into the habit of drinking water, nevertheless.

Follow these steps for an Effective Hydrotherapy:

• For overall tension reduction, use a neutral bath (temperature between 92 to 94 degree F) that is close to the skin temperature.
• Use water temperature between 102 to 106 degree F for loosening tight, tense muscles and reducing the pain of stress-related conditions such as backache. (Using temperatures higher than 106 degrees is not recommended as it can raise your body temperature very fast, inducing an artificial fever.)
• Take a cold shower after you step out of the bath. This brings and immediate rush of blood through your system, as well as a rush of energy. (Try alternating cold and hot shower to get a similar effect. 3 minutes of hot water followed by 30 seconds of cold water and the 3 minutes of hot water, etc.)
• Stay in the bath no more than 15 to 20 minutes. If you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular problems, don't stay long enough to raise your body temperature.
• Evening is the best time to soak in water. A study conducted in England found that people who took a soaking bath before going to bed slept more readily and deeply.

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SDA President Visits Baraton

President Ted N. C. Wilson...He and his wife, Rae Lee visits Baraton.

Profile: Ted N. C. Wilson, a former vice president  of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Church, the son of a former church president Neal C. Wilson, was elected to serve as the new president of the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists a once Protestant denomination in June, 2010. Neal C. Wilson, served as President of the General Conference from 1979 to 1990.
Wilson replaces Jan Paulson who has been serving as General Conference President since 1999.
Pastor Wilson began his church career as a pastor in 1974 in the Greater New York Conference. He married Nancy Louise Vollmer Wilson, a physical therapist, in 1975. The couple has three daughters--Emilie Louise, married to Pastor Kameron DeVasher; Elizabeth Esther, married to Pastor David Wright; and Catherine Anne, married to Dr. Robert Renck--and five wonderful grandchildren.
Pastor Wilson served as an assistant director and then director of Metropolitan Ministries in New York from 1976 to 1981. He went on to serve in the church's then Africa-Indian Ocean Division, based in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, until 1990. There he served as a departmental director and later as executive secretary.
Following his post in West Africa, he served for two years at the church's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, as an associate secretary. He went on to accept the position of president of the church's Euro-Asia Division in Moscow, Russia, which he held from 1992 to 1996. Pastor Wilson returned to the United States to serve as president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, Maryland, until his election as a General Conference vice president in 2000.
An ordained minister, Pastor Wilson holds a doctoral degree in religious education from New York University, a master of divinity degree from Andrews University, and a master of science degree in public health from Loma Linda University's School of Public Health. In addition to English, he speaks French and some Russian. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a family of 17 million believers worldwide.

The President Leads by Planting a Tree in front of the University Library before being led to the field for an exciting event that saw people like Kip Keino, byname of Hezekiah Kipchoge Keino among other guests visit the Institution.

The Wife to the President Rae Lee, plants a Tree assisted by the University Administrators. For Rae, she said this was her first time to visit Baraton. 

   

Next to the Vice Chancellor is former cabinet Minister Hon. Nicholas arap Biwott  a Kenyan businessman, politician and philanthropist. Biwott has served as a civil servant, Member of Parliament and government minister, during which time he has held eight senior ministerial positions, worked alongside Kenya’s first three presidents – Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki – and with many significant public figures in post independence Kenya, including Bruce McKenzie and Tom Mboya. During Moi's presidency, Nicholas Biwott was considered by many as one of Kenya's most powerful politicians and able administrators.

The East and Central Africa Division President Elder Ruguri plants a Tree

The University of Eastern Africa Baraton Vice Chancellor Prof. Mwita addresses the Crowd

 

Former Western Kenya Field Director  Pr. Rotich, shares a word with the President

World known Athletes from Nandi region.

Officials from Athletics Kenya leading the President.

The Legendary Kipchoge Keino Leading guests to watch the much anticipated race.

  

Cameraman from the Presidential Press (Visit www.hopetv.org/)

Great words of inspiration from the President before the Races begun

 

Area Mp. Hon. Elijah Lagat was also present. Elijah Lagat was born and raised in Saniak Village in Nandi District. He was the winner of the 104th running of the Boston Marathon held in 2000. He won in the closest finish in the race's history when he edged out Gezahgne Abera of Ethiopia and fellow Kenyan and previous year's champion, Moses Tanui. Abera and Lagat were both clocked at 2 hours 9 minutes and 47 seconds while Tanui finished three seconds back. Lagat's win enabled the Kenyans to capture the individual men's Boston Marathon title for the 10th straight year. This is a record that still stands.

Among the runners that train and come from Nandi District is Emgwen MP Elijah Lagat, Sammy Kosgey, Ibrahim Hussein, Wilfred Bungei, Janet Jepkosgey and Pamela  Jelimo among others. Most of these Athletes train at the stadium in Kapsabet and Baraton University.

   

An Event of it's own to inspire Adventist and all people that "Christians are all Runners". This is the ground that Athletes Like Pamela Jelimo and Asbel Kiprop rise to Stardom. Asbel Kiprop is best known for running last behind all the Athletes but makes his way to the front on his last lap. He won several Gold medals in Olympics.

  Elder. Ted Wilson gave a short sermonate about the significance of the organized event. He said there is one thing that all Christians are running for and that is the eternal glory. He said! "In Heaven all participants shall be winners but today only one winner will be awarded". The President encouraged all participant to seek eternal glory.  

   

'A false Start'.

The Legendary Kipchoge ("Kip") Keino (Born on January 17, 1940, Nandi Hills, Kenya).  Kenyan distance runner, is a retired track and field athlete who won four Olympic medals. Keino is chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee (KOC). Kip Keino was among the first in a long line of successful middle and long distance runners to come from the country and has helped and inspired many of his fellow countrymen and women to become the athletics force that they are today.

  Athletics Kenya Officials give their remarks to the Athletes

 

Everyone is searching for the secret explanation so what does the research evidence point to? There is not one simple answer but here are my thoughts.
In athletics terms many people associate East Africa with Kenyan and Ethiopian distance running. Intriguingly, the majority of these runners come from three mountainous districts beside the Rift Valley: Nandi in Kenya, the most successful district, and Arsi and Shewa in Ethiopia.
Some people say that since these runners and their forebears live and train at altitude, they're bound to be good. "Altitude natives", through long-term exposure combined with endurance training, have increased red blood cells which is one neat explanation of their excellence in endurance events.
However, scientists highlight that any advantages of living at over 2000m are also available to those in Mexico, the Andes, and large parts of central Asia.
So why are these clusters of running excellence found in only three districts?

World Known champion Abel Kirui. Kirui is not the typically shy Kenyan athlete. Funny, bold, Gregarious, engaging, confident and outgoing and unafraid to make predictions, he is one of a slew of fast Kenyans who have taken Marathon running to a new level with incredibly fast times. In 2009, he won the World Championships in Berlin and in the year 2011, he finished first in Daugu, Korea (This was the place where the fastest man on Earth emerged). Abel is also a Seventh Day Adventist church member.

 

In this photos are World known Athletes. Standing next to the President is an Athlete by the name Janet Jepkosgey aka 'Eldoret Express'. She was the lead Woman in 800m tittle before a lady by the name Pamela Jelimo emerged and hit the headlines. Janet is the girl that is always behind Pamela Jelimo aka ' Kapsabet Express' in all her races. Janet is a silver medalist in Olympics behind Pamela Jelimo who won several Gold medals in Olympics and the Golden Jack pot that earned her 80, 000,000. All the two come from Rift Valley

 

A view of the proposed Library Building to be constructed in front of Student's Center

 Guess Who?

Long-Distance Relationship

Secrets Of Long-Distance RelationshipsWomen's magazines slip us the kind of information that we wouldn't find elsewhere; they reveal a female perspective that most men just aren't privy to. How they read into our behavior, how they perceive our actions, what their true expectations are... there's plenty to be learned from a glimpse into the other side.

AskMen.com will be providing you with just this kind of gender intelligence -- without the embarrassment that comes with retrieving it from your girlfriend's magazine rack. We'll be publishing a series of features from iVillage.com; articles originally written by women for women, but with insight that's invaluable to men. Of course, in exchange, we had to offer up some intelligence of our own... all the more reason for you to get on the inside track as soon as you can.

Long-distance loving

Men and women have an equally hard time dealing with the separation that’s involved in a long-distance relationship. The reality of only seeing your cross-country love once every few months can take its toll on anyone. That’s why iVillage.com is offering AskMen.com readers insight into how some couples have approached setting the boundaries for a successful long-distance relationship. See if you like their tips, and perhaps implement them into your own foreign fling.

Dealing with distance

You'd have to be a serious commitment-phobe to choose to live hundreds -- or even thousands -- of miles away from the man you love. But sometimes it's just not up to you. Career, school and family are just a few of the factors that keep lovers whispering sweet nothings into phones instead of each other's ears. But if you think a relationship is doomed because of distance, think again. According to stats compiled by the Center for the Study of Long-Distance Relationships (yes, there really is such a thing), the myth that most long-distance relationships fail is just that: a myth. The reality is that more couples are making it work than you might think. Over one million couples are living in separate U.S. cities today, and another 700,000 LDR couples are actually married. So how do you stay close (and get even closer) when you're so far apart? It's not simple, but it's not impossible -- and these five tips can help.

1- Be clear about expectations up front

Don't wing it; plan ahead. According to Dr. Greg Guldner, director of the Center for the Study of Long-Distance Relationships and author of Long Distance Relationships: The Complete Guide, the difference between LDR couples who make it and ones who don't can be summed up in two words: ground rules. Dr. Guldner explains that nearly 70% of LDR couples who didn't anticipate changes -- or talk through their game plan for dealing with them -- broke up within six months. The most important point, of course, is, are we monogamous?

Sarah Davidson, a 32-year-old interior designer, and her boyfriend, Tom, had been dating for only six months when he got a fabulous promotion in San Francisco that paid $10,000 more than his old job. The catch: They lived in New York. Sarah recalls, "I was devastated when he gave me the news, but Tom insisted he wanted us to stay together. I knew he was committed to making it work when he suggested we actually write out rules for our relationship. These included: no nookie while apart, a call or e-mail at least once a day, see each other at least once every two months." The rules worked. Now the two are seeing even more of each other, since they're married and both living on the west coast.

2- Express yourself

Even couples sharing the same zip code frequently have trouble telling each other how they feel. So imagine how much harder it is for lovers who can't use the power of touch to stay connected. Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages for Singles, says, "It's important to figure out how to make your long-distance partner feel cherished. This can be done with words. For example, 'If I were with you, I'd give you a big kiss.'" The relationship expert adds, "Share the day-to-day events going on in each other's lives. This is all geared to staying so close that when you do get together you won't have that awkward transition period where you feel like strangers."

New York PR account coordinator Kathleen Deegan and her fiance, Gene, have been challenged to stay close while he's been away at grad school in Maryland. Kathleen, 22, shares, "We've found that writing old-fashioned snail mail brings out our creative romantic  juices." She's got the right idea. Research shows the pen is mightier than the phone when it comes to LDRs; letter-writing couples have almost twice the chance of staying together compared with couples who never write. Kathleen and Gene go well beyond scribbling down a few lines. "Sometimes we clip cute articles from the paper to include, or funny song lyrics, and we even try our hand at poetry." Kathleen finishes, "I always go to my mailbox with anticipation." Of course, the e-mail inbox works too.

Keep the long-distance relationship going strong…

3- Enjoy your independence

Until their wedding  in 1999, Casey and Rob Amberg lived in different states; she lived in Arkansas, while he was in Missouri (where they now live together with their 2-year-old daughter). Casey, 29, says their relationship thrived despite the distance, partly because they retained their independence. "Being apart was hard, but it enabled us to continue growing as individuals while still remaining a couple. It was almost an empowering feeling to go out with friends and still feel committed in a relationship."

April Masini, dating coach and author of Date Out of Your League, wholeheartedly agrees with this strategy and takes it a step further. "Don't offer to drop your entire life and move to his city [right away], especially if this is a new and budding relationship . Not only does this make you look like a psycho and a stalker, relocation is a huge life-changing decision and is not to be taken lightly."

Eventually, of course, one or both of you hopefully will be able to move -- but the aim is compromise, not sacrifice. Whether you live apart or together, it's important not to make your partner your whole life.

4- Spice up the long-distance lovin'

Sure, sex is best when you're in the same room, and the happiest LDR couples strive to be together as often as possible. However, there are ways to keep the fires flaming from a distance. Creativity is key. That's why Rob Frankel created www.pillowmail.com, a site where you can instantly compose and e-mail each other erotic fantasies customized with your own dirty details.

It's true that mischievous messages may make you wish your lover were there to do all the things he wrote about. But his lack of physical presence doesn't mean you have to be left hot and bothered. Denise Jackson, a 34-year-old Texas pharmacist, and her boyfriend, who lives in North Carolina, regularly have down-and-dirty phone sex. Denise giggles, "Having a hands-free headset for the phone helps a lot." She adds, "At first I felt really funny saying sexual words when Tim wasn't actually with me. But practice made perfect." Once you're comfortable saying the words into a receiver, add some visuals. Dr. Guldner suggests using digital cameras to send photos to each other. Sparks are guaranteed.

5- Keep the faith

Yes, it's rough being apart, but harping on the negative can take a toll on the relationship. Dating coach Masini suggests, "Instead of moaning that you never see each other, talk about the interesting things you've been doing and ask what he's up to." This will help in two ways: He won't think you're obsessed with the relationship, and you won't be obsessed. The happier you act with your life, the happier you'll actually feel.

And here's a cheery thought to get you started. Dr. Guldner says, "The failure of LDRs is a misconception. Couples break up for many reasons, but my 10 years of research on this subject has shown that distance doesn't seem to be one of them. Indeed, couples in LDRs report the same levels of intimacy , trust, commitment, and satisfaction as geographically close couples." It's confirmed: Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Phone Booth

Chinese Proverbs

Learn famous Chinese Proverbs
 Chinese proverbs (諺語, yànyŭ) are famous sayings taken from literature, history, and famous people like philosophers. There are hundreds of Chinese proverbs addressing all aspects of life from education and work to personal goals and relationships.

Chinese Proverbs about Education/Personal Development:

After three days without reading, talk becomes flavorless.

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

A book holds a house of gold.

A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.

A fall into a ditch makes you wiser.

If you do not study hard when young you'll end up bewailing your failures as you grow up.

If a son is uneducated, his dad is to blame.

A Jade stone is useless before it is processed; a man is good-for-nothing until he is educated.

The longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be.

Of all the strategems, to know when to quit is the best.

One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of being choked.

Chinese Proverbs about Work.

Add legs to the snake after you have finished drawing it.

An ant may well destroy a whole dam.

Behind an able man there are always other able men.

Butcher the donkey after it finished his job on the mill.

A dish of carrot hastily cooked may still has soil uncleaned off the vegetable.

Dismantle the bridge shortly after crossing it.

Distant water won't help to put out a fire close at hand.

Distant water won't quench your immediate thirst.

Do not employ handsome servants.

Do not want others to know what you have done? Better not have done it anyways.

Chinese Proverbs about Personal Characteristics/Goals

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.

Better do a good deed near at home than go far away to burn incense.

Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

A camel standing amidst a flock of sheep.

Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.

A crane standing amidst a flock of chickens.

Crows everywhere are equally black.

A dog won't forsake his master because of his poverty; a son never deserts his mother for her homely appearance.

Dream different dreams while on the same bed.

If you want happiness for an hour; take a nap. If you want happiness for a day; go fishing. If you want happiness for a month; get married. If you want happiness for a year; inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness for a lifetime; help someone else.

To believe in one's dreams is to spend all of one's life asleep.

There is only one pretty child in the world and every mother has it.

A good fortune may forbode a bad luck, which may in turn disguise a good fortune.

Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger but a heart as soft as tofu.

Have one's ears pierced only before the wedding ceremony starts.

A horse cannot gain weight if not fed with extra fodder during the night; a man cannot become wealthy without earnings apart from his regular salaries.

How can you expect to find ivory in a dog's mouth?

If you have never done anything evil, you should not be worrying about devils to knock at your door.

An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.

Lift a stone only to drop on your own feet.

Once bitten by a snake, he/she is scared all his/her life at the mere sight of a rope.

No wind, no waves.

An overcrowded chicken farm produce fewer eggs.

Pick up a sesame seed but lose sight of a watermelon.

Play a harp before a cow.

Paper can't wrap up a fire.

Reshape one's foot to try to fit into a new shoe.

Regular feet can't be affected by irregular shoes.

Shed no tears until seeing the coffin.

A smile will gain you ten more years of life.

A sly rabbit will have three openings to its den.

Some prefer carrot while others like cabbage.

Three humble shoemakers brainstorming will make a great statesman.

You can't catch a cub without going into the tiger's den.

You think you lost your horse? Who knows, he may bring a whole herd back to you someday.

You won't help shoots grow by pulling them up higher.

You can't expect both ends of a sugar cane are as sweet.

Your fingers can't be of the same length.

Age and time do not wait for people.

Attack is the best defense.

Bad things never walk alone. 

Chinese Proverbs about Relationships:

A tiger never returns to his prey he did not finish off.

Vicious as a tigeress can be, she never eats her own cubs.

We are not so much concerned if you are slow as when you come to a halt.

A weasel comes to say Happy New Year to the chickens.

When you are poor, neighbors close by will not come; once you become rich, you'll be surprised by visits from (alleged) relatives afar.

Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook.

Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead.

With true friends...even water drunk together is sweet enough.

To attract good fortune, spend a new coin on an old friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend, and lift up the heart of a true friend by writing his name on the wings of a dragon.

Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.

Not the cry, but the flight of the wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.

Not wine...men intoxicate themselves; Not vice...men entice themselves.

A dog won't forsake his master because of his poverty; a son never deserts his mother for her homely appearance.

Even a hare will bite when it is cornered.

Once on a tiger's back, it is hard to alight.

Mend the pen only after the sheep are all gone.

Public before private and country before family.

One monk shoulders water by himself; two can still share the labor among them. When it comes to three, they have to go thirsty.

Only when all contribute their firewood can they build up a strong fire.

One joy scatters a hundred griefs.

Flies never visit an egg that has no crack.

How can you put out a fire set on a cart-load of firewood with only a cup of water?

It is easy to dodge a spear that comes in front of you but hard to keep harms away from an arrow shot from behind.

Kill a chicken before a monkey.

Kill one to warn a hundred.

A Better Way To Life

Truths for a Way Better Life!

Firstly, I want to point out that by ‘truth’ here, I am not intending to claim absolutes in any way, but more share some fundamental awarenesses that have rung true for me personally, and have worked positively without fail time and time again in my life.

I do encourage you to at least ‘try them on’, however.

1. You are loved, loving and loveable, ever and always.

Love, for yourself, others and the world, is the well-spring and foundation from which all good things rise, both in the giving and receiving of that love.

You are loved totally and unconditionally by the source of creation, whatever name you hold for that. There is nothing you need DO to be loved, for you are loved completely, and there’s nothing you can do to lose that love.

You are loved in entirety, and you are loving. Whatever your past, whatever your guilt, shame, or remorse, darkness, failings or regrets you have yet to forgive yourself for, these are simply mistakes. They are not who you are. Your TRUE essential nature is beautiful, loving and kind.

Forgive yourself for all mistakes,
the lost or wounded you did make.

People ‘act bad’ primarily because they feel they are bad, or because they are wounded, hurt, angry, misled, misaligned, have low self-worth or self-hate even, or hold faulty beliefs about themselves, others and the world.

The worse you feel about yourself, the worse you are likely to behave. Conversely, the better you feel about yourself, the better you are likely to behave.

Own and acknowledge your inherent worth and innate loving nature. Forgive yourself and return to the innocence that you are. You are born of love, returning to love. You are a spark of the divine. You are eternally loved, loving and loveable, always.

However separate from that love you ever feel sometimes, in truth it is always there for you. 

2. Lessons from a butterfly: embrace change and don’t be shy!

“Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

The wheel of life turns, and for a good reason, whether you know it at the time or not.

Change can always be an opening for opportunity, growth, and a better life. Trust in life’s turning seasons and be open to F L O W. The universe is always on your side.

When I talk about change here, I’m not referring to erratic, inconsistent behavior or an excuse for a lack of responsibility or commitment, but about being open, flexible and fluid, and letting your life breathe, move and DANCE to allow for growth and expansion, letting go of what does not serve you, and allowing more gifts to come in.

And of course you can be proactive with change owning and harnessing the power of your choice. What changes could you make right now to better your life?

Sometimes change begins with holding a new vision, or a new attitude, or way of thinking, and with taking small steps. As I always say…

Baby steps lead to monumental change!

What changes would instantly brighten your life? Would it be more time for rest and relaxation, or more time for fun and socializing, or ceasing certain habits (physical, mental or emotional), a change in your routine, more time in nature, more time with people, or more time alone? Is a change in job, home or relationships calling you?

And what needs to change on the inside to help with these changes? Who do you need to forgive? Yourself? Another? What thoughts, feelings, beliefs and attitudes could you change that would create a better life?

Spontaneity in itself can help to lighten your life, and initiate greater flow, rather than you’re a continued set or controlled way of doing things. If you’re too rigid or confined with plans and expectations and how things ‘should be’, it’s hard for the new and unexpected to come in, or blessings and synchronicities to arrive.

We often fear change, partly because we fear the unknown and unfamiliar, or sometimes out of loyalty to people in our past, and often because we think with change will come some kind of loss.

The next truth on letting go deals with this aspect, exploring how all endings herald a new birth! 

Sometimes we fear change because we fear greater responsibility, stepping into our power, being humiliated, rejected, being visible, or any other number of reasons.

Sometimes change is scary because it involves the breakdown of something existing in our life.

Trust in the flow. Sun follows rain like day follows night.
What may seem to be going wrong may, in fact, be going right!

Trust in yourself and your power as a creator. And trust in the universe; it only ever wants the best for you.

Sometimes the road of change is rocky, tumultuous even, which is why we may fear or resist it, yet it can still be for our best.

“All great changes are preceded by chaos .” ~ Deepak Chopra

What we resist becomes more painful. What we embrace through acceptance, with the light of hope and the wings of faith, can become joyful.

Bend like the willow in the breeze and life will flow with greater ease!

If you don’t embrace change, it can become more and more painful staying where you are. If you don’t listen to the whispers they become shouts. Patterns repeat until you heal and change.

Sometimes life gives you a shake you up to help you WAKE UP!

All change can be opportunity! 

3) In letting go you can only win.

This is what I regard to be a universal principle, whereby, if something is truly for your best, if you let it go, it will always come back, and if doesn’t, it’s because something better will.

Understanding this can grant a new level of faith and trust, and delete a lot of unnecessary fear, pain and resistance that comes with holding on.

Holding on actually repels that which you desire. Its energy is needy and controlling, which renders you less attractive. It doesn’t matter if you act out that energy or not, people will sense it anyway. It is sourced in fear and scarcity.

Choose instead trust and positive expectation instead. Have faith that the turning of the wheel is in your favour. Unless you’re sabotaging yourself, it always is.

When you let go, be that of a person or situation, you create the space for something new to arrive, whether that be the very thing you let go of at a new level, or something altogether brand new that would serve you better. In this sense, in letting go you can only win.

Nature abhors a vacuum. When you loosen your grip, when you empty your cup, it will ALWAYS be refilled.

You have to wholeheartedly let go though. This may include feeling the feelings and going through phases of grief, yet on the other side, a new start awaits!

At the end of any goodbye, awaits a new hello to dry the tear from your eye

As Rumi so neatly puts it, “Do not grieve . Anything you lose comes round in another form”.

Or as Carolyn Myss writes, “Everything lost is found again”.

4) Thoughts become things.

Now, this is certainly not a new idea, and with concepts like the ‘law of attraction’ and ‘mind over matter’ becoming more mainstream, it’s beginning to be more widely accepted.

That said, I think it is always worth reminding ourselves just how powerful our thoughts are.

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” ~ Peace Pilgrim

When we dissect our world to the subatomic level, we discover there is nothing solid at all!

Your world is comprised of wavelengths of energy that respond directly to your thoughts. At the deepest level, reality is essentially a reflection and extension of the entirety of your consciousness.

Of course, that consciousness reaches into other lives and the subconscious and unconscious mind, so it’s no wonder we don’t always know what’s going on or why.

That said, taking responsibility can still be freeing and empowering nonetheless; what we take responsibility for we are more able to change.

Perceived challenges, blocks or limitations ‘out there’, can be resolved by addressing and transforming the inner discordance that lies at their root.

You are source, not subject, of your world!

Life is your canvas… imagination your palate… choice & desire the brush and the strokes.

Beneath many thoughts, of course, are your beliefs, and it’s these that are most fundamental when it comes to shaping your reality, and determining your very thoughts.

You can clear negative beliefs and install positive beliefs with the Belief Buster Kit (at this link).

Your imagination is a powerful tool to breathe life into your intentions and visualize your dreams.

Putting yourself in the shoes of your brightest future, and most importantly, the positive happy feelings of that future you, is key to attracting those realities.

This is what I call Future Causation, and the Manifesting Blueprint Meditation (part of the Miracle Manifesting Program at this link ) activates this through a guided meditation to manifest your goals and encode your subconscious mind for their realization in your world.

5) Behind everyone’s eyes there’s a child somewhere inside; always be kind!

This is a reminder for daily compassion. Seek to understand and to see the innocence in all.

Everyone has a soft-centre, however well camouflaged, compensated for or covered over.

Inside, we are all much like soft boiled eggs, and have squishy hearts of gold!

It’s often the people that act the worst that are the most deprived of love, so have compassion, whilst retaining boundaries and self-respect, of course.

Acts of kindness have been proven to have mental, emotional and even physical benefits to those that deliver them, through increasing levels of oxytocin in the body.

Even relatively small acts are certainly worthwhile, for others and for you! That might be letting someone through in traffic, giving someone your seat on a train, offering sincere compliments, opening a door, taking the time to really listen, buying someone a book, feeding ducks in a pond, baking someone a cake, writing someone a thank-you card, volunteering, treating someone to lunch, writing a poem for someone, etc.

And always remember…

Kind words said in love, leave footprints on the soul.

The more you love and forgive yourself, the more compassionate you will towards others, so let the journey start with yourself.

Everyone has a soft-centre, however well camouflaged, compensated for or covered over. See the light and softness in others and it will blossom and bloom. The more beauty you see in others, the more beautiful they become, and the more beautiful YOU become too

Love and joy,

Life Through Banana

Kisii Women Improving Life Through Banana

 

When a women's group in Kisii County started as a merry- go-round 15 years ago, no one thought that they would come up with a brilliant idea of adding value to bananas. Many people fundamentally know bananas as delicious fruits common in Gusiiland. In fact, almost every home in the area has the crop in its compound. But Kenyuni Women Group found in Nyaura ward in Kisii district has since set an example that bananas are not only cooked or ripened but can also be used to bake many other food products.

Despite the many odds, the group with a membership of 20 now makes queen cakes, bread, biscuits, crisps, ugali flour, banana porridge and banana jam among other delicacies from the banana crop. The women say they came up with the idea after they discovered that middle men were exploiting them by giving then as little as Sh 100 per banana bunch.

Because of the high demand of their products by locals, the group agreed that each member plants at least 30 suckers or more with those who have large parcels of land to avoid a shortage of the crop. A visit to one of their farms where they get bananas for their mini bakery revealed that the group comprising of five widows is committed to fighting poverty through the venture.

According to the group leader Everline Onserio, the farm contains varieties of bananas including the ripening and baking varieties. “We have varieties which are only used for ripening and those for baking. Each member has planted some in her piece of land to avoid a shortage,” Onserio said.

Onserio explained that when the crop is ready, it is carefully harvested and treated with salt water so that they do not get dirty before they are transported on a motorbike to their ‘factory’ situated at Menyinkwa buying centre, a kilometre away. She said that they make bread, chapati and mandazi from ripened bananas which they sell to the public at affordable prices. “Even though we face many challenges in our business, we are committed to making our families earn a living through our small income,” Onserio said. “Our products are chemical free that is why we encourage people to buy and consume them. The biggest challenge we are facing is marketing. If we would have a ready market them we will be making brisk business,” she added.

The group leader says that most of what they make is purchased by the locals who flock their bakery from morning to evening because of the quality of the products. Most of the residents interviewed praised the group saying that their products are local and original compared to those sold in supermarkets. They said they have since changed their eating habits, diet and mostly consume the products because they are nutritious.

Onserio disclosed that apart from the locals, they receive customers from towns as far as Nairobi who order for cakes especially for wedding ceremonies. The women's leader said her group has a strict record keeping tradition monitored by Veronica Nafula whom they sponsored to go for training to study financial management. “As you see we keep records on daily transactions because we want to establish whether we are making progress or not. Initially when we didn’t have such records it was difficult for us to know the position of our business,” she said.

Showing one of the charts in their office, Nafula said the group used get Sh299, 000 before value addition annually but now they rake in Sh635,000 per year. Following their progress, a group member has since composed a Kiswahili poem in which she praises the banana as a plant that can help the community jump out of poverty.

At a time like this, when Kenyans are feeling the heat occasioned by inflation, Onserio said that food security can be attained if banana production and value addition is embraced. Onserio added: “I think time has come for Kenyans to change their eating habits and embrace ugali cooked from banana flour instead of maize flour,”

She called on well wishers to come to their aid and help them with funds to purchase baking equipment to increase their production. The leader asked the concerned authorities to assist them get a patent from Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) so that their products can be sold even in supermarkets and other outlets on limited time as they have to attend to other family duties.

But Kisii deputy mayor, Patrick Siro who is the area councillor and group patron is optimistic that the group will be successful in the long run. Siro said there is need for more funding to the group so that members can attain food security and improve their economic base. The Nyaura ward civic leader expressed optimism that the ongoing construction of a banana factory near Kisii town will help growers of the crop and alleviate poverty.

Members of the group underwent a 40- week training courtesy of the ministry of Agriculture, a few years back where were sensitized on how to plant, rear, harvest, handle the produce and add value so as to earn more money and they are reaping dividends from this venture. They got initial funding of Sh120,000 through the Njaa Marufuku Kenya and an additional Sh127,000 from Showmap, which they used to buy the modern disease resistant crop, rent a house and buy a few machines for the business.

Ben Mogaka a businessman said that such groups should be funded because it is the only way to fight poverty in the society. “Groups with such noble ideas should be funded because they play a pivotal role towards the realisation of vision 2030,” Mogaka said. Mogaka who is also secretary of the chamber of commerce, Kisii branch, said there is need to look for ways to enable the group get exposure through exhibitions.

He added Banks should give the group soft loans to enable them enhance their business. “I also call upon well wishers to come to the aid of the group saying as a chamber of commerce they will visit the group and see how they can be helped,” he added. Mogaka asked the constituency poverty eradication committees to pay the women a visit how they can help them because it is within their mandate.

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