There May Be An Upside

Can we use WASP venom to spur on and activate certain proteins, which are found in the human brain to increase cell growth, brain capacity and neuron transmissions? The reason I ask is that every poison to man seems to stimulate a reaction to fight it. And the old adage “That which does not kill us makes us stronger”. Here is some interesting thoughts on the actual known and studied effects and conclusions.

Now then is such a difference. We know that the venom in WASPS is substantial. And we know that there are about 10,000 known chemicals in the brain. 2000 very prevalent and 200 or more acting in significant amounts during normal brain activity operations. Now then if these chemicals are increased in the brain they will change the current thought. I as most of us can attest that venom from a Bee or Wasp when injected increases adrenaline and increase heart rate. But what else does this do to the human. We know that this poison effects the central nervous system and therefore does act upon the brain since it is connected to the central nervous system. But what if it is exactly injected into the scalp or that part of the body where blood flows interact with the brain. What if we inject it into the brain directly? What is the Genome of the venom? Scientists have mapped out the WASP, Mosquito, Bee, Fly and those things associated with such virus or disease vectors. For instance Malaria, which kills a child every 30 seconds and about a million a year in Sub-Sahara Africa. But the ability to make venom and what it is made of and what travels within it is of significant value in creating anti-viruses, antidotes, etc. One Witch Potion, without going into witch doctor propaganda, Harry Potter Best Selling Books or hocus Pocus, it has been discussed through the ages in many cultures throughout recorded history. So then what good can this provide, what does it do to the human brain and why is it many Bee Keepers seems to be better observers and thinkers than other folks? HMMM? This is an interesting post. Yes it is and there seems to be something to this. People who are allergic to bee stings can die. Those that are not obviously have a defense mechanism and immune system, which jumps into action. But few are without some reaction.
[http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2076.html] .
Well before you get all excited about what this venom is made of, they have figured it out.

Turns out it has some ten amino acids in it amongst other things such a proteins. This when shot into a human even at such small amounts is not without an effect. Is it good or bad. Well it maybe good in some regards and it certainly forces the body to defend itself and therefore triggers the manufacture and discharge of a whole other set of naturally made proteins in the body. We know from the relationships between mankind and other species that throughout the last 160,000 years and as many as 1 million years we have in some form or another been living together. Everything affects everything else.

Those, which are allergic to bees are rarely allergic to wasps. And vice versa. The Wasp has certain proteins, which do not exist in bee stings. There maybe a correlation to the natural brain stimulants found in the protein PWS 120MCG/V, or that protein triggers the body to counteract the venom and forces a defense system which increases brain activity or changes the areas of the brain which are used in certain ways and for certain things. It is an observation that people who live in areas where wasps live have a percentage of intellectuals coming out of those regions who do not have the benefits of good schools, proper nurturing or balanced diet or high in protein foods which are prevalent.
What is also of interest is during hotter summers we will see a higher degree of these species in North America. And as well, more mosquitoes on other similar genome insects as well as the Killer bees we saw climb into Northern Climates during the last decade. As climates change and cycles come forth, we may find ourselves needing to study these things more and learn how to adapt and create symbiotic relationships with these insects as we attempt to share the country with them. These invaders have different niches but some which coincide and collide with mankind. We need be sure we know which is which. For instance the West Nile Virus is a real problem with animals and livestock. These are sources of our artificial food chain to sustain life as we know it.
We need to know how each creature works and its place in our lives and eco-system so that we can live accordingly and harvest the important things for ourselves. For instance if Wasps eat Mosquitoes and we can harvest the venom then we can have the best of all worlds for us. If Wasps feed on certain types of Mosquitoes such as the common house Mosquito, Culex pipiens, which sucks the blood from birds and occasionally humans, also known to spread West Nile Virus then the global heating will bring in the Wasps and they will take care of the Mosquito populations. The venom if it stings people would not transfer and the Wasps have adapted not be affected by the disease itself. Problems being that Wasps are territorial and might sting people and they just keep stinging and can cause issues such as the ones stated in the previous listed websites above. Now then if we are to really go after these mosquitoes we might have artificial robot or scare crow dummies like humans, which give off a scent or odor that the mosquitoes pick up on and then the flesh like surface would contain underneath acetone or Wasp venom proteins underneath killing the mosquito. Every member of the food chain appears to have an enemy and the giant Mosquitoes with the once inch wing span eat, the other mosquitoes but cannot sting humans, thus they too are positive contributions to the food chain which keeps the biting mosquitoes away. The protein in Wasp Venom is an interesting one and we need to study it more. The Wasp is also used to eat aphids in many places where they are sensitive to the use of insecticides or that the level of potency of insecticide to kill them is too much since the aphids, mosquitoes and other insects have grown accustomed to the insecticides and are resistant now. These are all real issues in modern farming.
There are many types of Mosquitoes about 80, which harm man or carry diseases. We know of as many types of WASPS, some of which like to eat aphids and certain smaller insects like the common house mosquito, which has killed hundreds and seems to be killing more each year with West Nile Virus, which is not very funny. Now then we also have a bark beetle problem so if we can find a genome which likes to eat sand flies for the beach goers and surfers and kite surfers, likes to eat aphids for the farmers, Culex type mosquitoes for the West Nile Situation and Bark Beetles for the forests we are good to go. Meanwhile scientists are trying to decide how to genetically modify organisms such as mosquitoes so they will not carry West Nile virus. If they do that Malaria, Yellow Fever and a host of other terrible problems maybe only one more step away. Think about it.

Our Health Report Card

Today in the United States we spend over one and a half trillion dollars a year on health care.
That represents the highest spending per person in the world. With that entire investment
one would think that Americans are the healthiest people in the world. And yet a recent
report from the World Health Organization ranked the United States 37th in overall health.
This certainly does not earn the United States an "A." If you factor in the spending, it would
even seem like we get an "F" in our state of health.
So with all this talk about health, the question is what is health?
The World Health Organization has defined an internationally recognized definition of health.
According to the World Health Organization, "health is a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
So let's break this down.
Physical well-being is what the body lives through, enjoys and desires, as well as the agreement
with which the body interacts with the environment.
Mental well-being is what a person thinks and the processes carried out by the brain. This also
includes a spiritual balance for a state of mental harmony.
Social well-being is the harmony with which the body lives among other people and other life.
When all of these elements are in balance, a person is then considered healthy. With these
factors as a measure, is it then so surprising that so many are considered to be unhealthy?
Physical health is not the apparent absence of illness. Most chronic diseases do not, come
on suddenly. They grow through our body over time until finally the effects are severe enough
to show symptoms. It is only the appearance of symptoms that may come on suddenly. So the
absence of symptoms simply means the absence of symptoms.
In the US we have many dedicated health care professionals committing miracles in trauma care
every day. For that the US most certainly gets an A, but with the definition of health provided
by the World Health Organization, it is clear that the responsibility for health does lie with the
doctor. It is our responsibility to focus on creating a balance in the factors of health. First for
ourselves and then for others.

Ideal Choelsterol Reading

Cholesterol is a substance that is present in the human body, and is both good and bad for us. High levels of cholesterol, especially LDL or bad cholesterol can put you at an increased risk for heart diseases and strokes. Similarly, low levels of HDL or good cholesterol, can also increase your risk substantially. But what are high and low levels of cholesterol? Here's a view of ideal cholesterol readings.
Total Cholesterol
According to the total cholesterol in your body, you may have normal levels or increased levels of cholesterol.
Under 200mg/DL: This is the most desirable level of cholesterol to have. If you have cholesterol lower than 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood, then you are considered to have the optimum and normal levels of cholesterol.
Between 200 and 239mg/DL: People within this range of total body cholesterol fall into the category of borderline high risk for getting heart diseases or stroke.
240mg/DL and above: If your total body cholesterol is 240mg/DL or more, then you are at very high risk for contracting heart ailments.
Normal Levels Of HDL Cholesterol
The normal levels of HDL cholesterol are 50-60 mg/DL for women, and 40-50mg/DL for men. HDL is the good cholesterol, and levels lower than 40mg/DL can increase your risk of heart diseases.
Normal Levels Of LDL Cholesterol
Here is a chart, which will show you the optimum, normal, and high levels of LDL cholesterol.

Levels Of LDL Cholesterol     Diagnosis

Below 100mg/DL                Optimum levels

Between 100 and 129mg/DL      Normal levels

Between 130 and 159mg/DL      Borderline Risk

Between 160 and 189mg/DL      High Risk

More Than 190mg/DL            Very High Risk

Note that these readings are guidelines and are considered as part of your overall profile when a doctor makes an assessment of your ideal cholesterol readings. Some people may read high compared to others and yet be found to not be at risk. This is because cholesterol is also made naturally by the body and some people may simply have higher levels than others. However, by understanding the ideal cholesterol reading ranges and by making healthy lifestyle choices, you should be able to achieve your own ideal cholesterol levels, naturally.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Undiagnosed Celiac Disease

Your doctor tells you your stomach problems are from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). So he treats (or mistreats) you for your symptoms when in fact you don't have IBS. What your doctor may have missed is that you have a little known condition, celiac disease, and you don't have to suffer anymore because relief of your problems is only a change of diet away.

The National Institute of Health, estimates that over three million Americans have undiagnosed celiac disease. Why so many? Because on average it takes 11 years to get a proper diagnosis. That's 11 years millions of people are needlessly suffering. Could you be one of them?

The symptoms of celiac disease are very similar to a host of other intestinal disorders. They are: diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and weight loss. And many patients don't experience those signs but instead report so-called atypical symptoms, including: a blistering, itchy skin rash, anemia, short stature, delayed puberty, infertility, and tooth enamel defects. Because there are a broad range of symptoms that may be readily associated with other conditions or ailments, celiac can be difficult to diagnose and often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

So what exactly is celiac disease?

It's a genetic autoimmune disorder also known as gluten-intolerance. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley and its derivatives. Therefore foods and ingredients to be avoided include such staples as most flours, bread, and pasta. If you have celiac disease your body recognizes gluten as a toxin. Toxins are essentially poisons to your body. Gluten reeks havoc on a celiac's body by causing the villi, which line the intestinal wall, to become flattened and lose the ability to absorb nutrients from food.

It is important to properly diagnose and treat celiac disease for two reasons. First, with proper treatment the small intestine will heal and your symptoms will disappear over time. The other more important reason is that if a persona with the disorder continues to eat gluten, chances of gastrointestinal cancer can increase by 40 to 100 times that of the normal population. In addition, gastrointestinal carcinoma or lymphoma develops in up to 15 percent of patients with untreated celiac disease. Osteoporosis is another condition that can be caused by failing to treat this disease.

The only acceptable treatment for celiac disease is strict adherence to a 100% gluten-free diet for life. That measure can prevent almost all complications caused by the disease - without medication - as the small intestine will steadily heal and start absorbing needed nutrients and, therefore, eliminate painful symptoms.

But a gluten-free diet is not easy. It means avoiding all products that contain wheat, rye, and barley or any of their derivatives. That challenge can prove to be a daunting task as many hidden sources of gluten are found in the ingredients of several processed foods. However, the health rewards are tremendous.

Being diagnosed with celiac is a life-changing experience. Imagine having to give up bread, pasta, and beer among other things. Where can you go out to eat? Where can you vacation? Where can you find substitutes for the foods you crave? The doctors will not have the answers to these questions. The best source of information on living with celiac is hearing from others who have "been there, done that."

If you have been suffering from intestinal problems and have not gotten relief, find out all you can about celiac disease. Educate your doctor about it. It can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. There are many support groups across the country and several books that can give you information and put you on the road to recovery.

Water Supply contain Drugs or Toxins

Water treatment plants are set up to eliminate certain types of waste materials, such as pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals from the water supply. They cannot however cope, neither are they equipped to deal with pharmaceuticals, as you will probably know, up to 90% of drugs that are taken in to our bodies, is eliminated by the kidneys and urine, so whatever passes through our bodies, eventually end up back at the water treatment plant and then in to our water supply.
Pharmaceuticals are just one of a huge number of toxins and pollutants that are present in the water supply, they can even contain the residue of DDT, which does not break down for a very long time. There can be drugs which could react adversely with drugs that you are currently taking, the list of pollutants in water supplies seem to be growing all the time.
It was brought to light initially by scientists in Germany in 1997 and published in the Journal, Chemosphere, when it was found that there were pharmaceutical drugs in the water supply for Berlin.
A number of researchers agree that the concentration of antibiotics in our water supply is currently 1000 times higher than it was in 1997, High enough to cause the mutation of e-coli bacteria in to strains that are resistant to the normal antibiotics, this has already occurred in the United States and elsewhere.
When e-coli was first found at water treatment plants, Time Magazine cover, portrayed e-coli running out of a kitchen tap or faucet, it has also been found in swimming pools.
A serious threat to public health could develop if the e-coli became resistant to most antibiotics through mutation. The continued use, or misuse of antibiotics can in time only lead to the ability of our Immune System to see us through any serious medical condition. If your Immune System is functioning efficiently, you will stand a fighting chance. In today's environment, with so many toxins, pollutants and other threats to good health, it will make sense to not only eat a healthy diet, but also take nutritional supplements especially designed to boost your immune system.
Evidence of pollution in the water supply is everywhere, a scientist discovered in Lake Mead, which supplies southern Nevada and northern Mexico that the water contained so much estrogen; it was causing male fish to produce female egg protein.
Another scientist discovered that the broad class of antibiotics in drinking water has a toxic effect on human DNA. It was also found additional cases of medication resistant bacteria are continually being reported. The reason? If bacteria encounter just enough antibiotics to irritate it, without killing it off, the bacteria will mutate and become resistant to that antibiotic.
Please remember that you not only need water to live, but you also need it to help you feel well. Headaches, fatigue weakness and other health conditions may result from not receiving sufficient supplies of water. The more that you push your system, the more body fat that you have, then it is only natural that the more water your body will need to function efficiently.

Better Aging

My friend who retired last year from years on Wall Street tells me, "I have to watch very carefully how I spend my money. I don't know how to do anything."

One of the reasons people find retirement challenging, is also the solution to the problem of better aging: we identify with roles in our lives. Worse than that, we enjoy them. They're what our life is all about or we wouldn't have been doing them in the first place.

Now my friend certainly knows how to do things. He can cook his breakfast, he's an attentive father, he knows how to mow the lawn. But to his way of thinking, now that he's no longer a broker, he "doesn't know how to do anything."

Whether it's being a manager, a doctor, or a mother, a recent study confirms we do best when have control over roles we value, and that this is more important than a sense of control over life itself. ["Role-Specific Feelings of Control and Mortality," Neal Krause, Ph.D., and Benjamin A. Shaw, Ph.D.; Psychology and Aging, Vol. 15, No. 4.]

What does this mean to you and me on a daily basis?

In the study, conducted over 6-7 years, participants were asked to name the roles they valued most in their lives, including such things as parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, friend, homemaker, provider, volunteer work, church member, etc.

In the follow-up study it was found that participants who were able to maintain a sense of control over the role most important to them were less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors (smoking, drinking, obesity) and less likely to die prematurely. And, the research found, it was only the most important valued role that correlated with decline, not choices two and three.

By "having a sense of control," I imagine they mean being able to continue doing that. I also would imagine, unless your life has been different of mine, there's no sense assuming control over life in general. You've learned that by now!

Your most-valued role amounts to why you like being alive, or what makes life worth living. In other words, what matters to you.

The researchers suggest that psychological coping abilities "decline" with age. I suggest they can be bolstered, even increase by studying EQ, and a look ahead is an emotionally intelligent thing to do.

In my coaching work with clients in transition, the "transition" often amounts to the fact they've lost or been ousted from a role they enjoyed. Some were fired, some forced into retirement, others lost children prematurely, others are between parenting and grand parenting, and not "needed" by anyone in that special nurturing role.

How can you cope better? While life is about losses, it is equally about gains and wins. While you may be dumb-founded by an immediate loss, with time and Emotional Intelligence competencies, you can make the next step and find a new role. Resilience is one of the many EQ competencies and it means being able to bounce back after loss, failure, and defeat, while remaining hopeful and enthusiastic.

Somewhere there's a baby crying ... a group that needs managing ... an account that needs balancing. How you define your role is up to you. It's personal choice and that's what EQ is all about. You may no longer run Coca-Cola, but you can run the volunteer department of the local children's shelter.

We're so busy when we're young, and so many of the roles are proscribed, we can forget it's an open and flexible system.

Lamenting my "last baby," I was reminded by an older friend that she went weekly to the neonatal unit at the hospital and sat and rocked the newborns.

On a recent flight to Seattle, I met an 80 year old woman with her foster baby. She took newborns to their adoptive parents, usually a plane ride. There she was with infant seat, bottles, diaper bag, and the whole thing. How she did it physically I don't know. It must've been the drive of her heart, the satisfaction she got, and the physical condition she had to be in to do it. The heart will motivate.

Emotional Intelligence involves flexibility and being able to generate new solutions. Just as the teenager must one day have her first job, you will one day have to move into new territory. Re-creating roles is one thing you can do for better aging. If you are "stuck" on a certain definition and in the "yes, but" mode, consider something different.

CLIENT: I miss so much being a mother.

ME: Then go mother someone.

CLIENT: That's not the same thing. That's not being their REAL mother.

ME: Says who?

I have had, when working at the children's shelter, a child tell me, "I know you're my real mom." Yes, it's heart-rending. Yes, that's part of it. Wasn't it part of it the first time round?

As a volunteer director, I relied on many people who were starting new roles, and the more they considered it their job, their real job, the more helpful they were to me.

Managing the kitchen of the shelter can be as much a real management job as you make it, and if you think it isn't "real" and isn't needed, on what do you base your judgment? Does money have to change hands? There are other things to work for, and other rewards, and if being important is one of them, you will, if anything, be more important, because many volunteers call in at the slightest whim to cancel, or don't show up at all. They don't take it seriously. Taking things seriously is a personal decision and totally within your control.

Molly has "adopted" her niece and nephew by-marriage, who are very young and going through some very difficult times. Notice these people are not even related to her. With a newborn in the house, their toddler has been diagnosed with a heart defect, possibly terminal, and requiring lots of care, while one of their parents is also dying. No one told them Molly wasn't their mother. And believe me, no one asked for her credentials when she showed up at the door of this overwhelmed young couple.

The Utopia of Now

Where am I running? What am I looking for? It seems like a funny idea and yet I, like many others, am running towards a utopia that I will never find. Sometimes I think that human beings are designed this way, programmed in constant search of a light at the end of the tunnel.

What does it take to live peacefully in the moment? How can I be fully satisfied with the status quo? Perhaps I need to live for today - accept life the way it is exactly at this moment and stop trying to change things. The universe is in constant change and yet all I really want to do is hold still - to be still in a moment where there is no fear, no pain, hurt, guilt or shame. Is this peaceful moment now? If it doesn't feel like it can I imagine it and then it will appear? If I imagine it is now - will it stay?

I am always advising others that no matter what our situation, we are always in full control of our own actions. Perhaps this peacefulness I seek is a choice. Maybe I have to choose to let the binding emotions go - to release fear, guilt, shame, anger, resentment and all other harmful emotions and just be still. Just exist in peace with myself regardless of where I am and what my circumstance.

Will this choice to allow peace in the moment have any impact on my destiny? If energy is always flowing then I always have energy inside of me. If my energy goes from negative to positive will my life change? My guess is yes - and I think the reason is simple:

1)LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE: If my energy is positive I have more positive energy coming in to my life. If negative energy surrounds me I will act as a magnet for more negative energy.

So how do I change my energy?

2)FOR EVERY ACTION, THERE IS AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION: It takes incredible strength but I must exert only positive energy to change my life and re-establish the energy that surrounds me.

But here is the trap:

If I am in an abyss of negative energy I feel that I am stuck. I can't change my circumstance. I feel I am a victim of a curse - bad luck. It is easy for me to feel this way but as long as I do I am stuck.

So the question is - NO the CHALLENGE is how do I stake steps to change the energy that surrounds me from negative to positive?

The only thing that is for sure is that I am in full control of my own actions. Even the choice not to act is an action. Every choice I make is an action which I have full control over. I can change my situation by changing myself.

Until I change myself I will be stuck in my own curse.

This is why God brings people into my life to remind me of the choices that I have.

So the choice is simple: will I seek pay-back or pay it forward? Will I choose to feel anger or see the lesson to be learned? Will I act in a way that is selfish or selfless? Will I be a victim of my circumstances or a warrior fighting to achieve my goals? Will I choose to let small things bother me or will I choose to let them go? Will I throw a pity-party or believe that I am worthy of all the goodness, prosperity and blessings that God has to offer?