Like apples? Now you have something to be happy about! That is assuming you like your life of course…
It just so happens that I love apples…
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006 | No Comments
Scorpions and brains
Tuesday, August 1st, 2006 | No Comments
This isn’t about the very tiny brains in scorpions. It’s about the treatment of a very aggressive form of brain cancer which has very few options in terms of treatment. The success of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) is variable depending on the type of cancer, its origin, location, etc. The treatment of brain cancer poses some unique obstacles in forming effective treatment strategies. Primarily is the obstruction to the introduction of chemotherapeutic agents to the brain by the “blood brain barrier.” Very few substances can pass through this filter. One thing that can is scorpion venom. While this is not news to most of us in the Chinese medicine world, Western medicine is just getting on board with some research that shows how effective this traditional substance can be (although the version used in the research was a synthetic version).
You can find the story here.
Thanks Kathy for the heads up 
Technorati Tags: brain cancer, glioma, chinese medicine, tcm, chinese medicine, scorpion venom
Interesting research
Monday, July 31st, 2006 | No Comments
Two aspects of this research are particularly interesting from a Chinese medicine point of view. First, the preliminary research data showing that slow breathing practiced for 15 minutes a day resulted in a 10 – 15 point drop in blood pressure. Second, the researcher postulates that the prolonged effect of the drop in blood pressure is due to a systemic mechanism, specifically the kidney’s excretion of salt.
The first point is probably well known. Meditation, progressive relaxation, and similar exercises can help to drop blood pressure. The second point is interesting because, if shown to be true, illustrates a concrete connection between the kidneys and the lungs – a basic premise in Chinese medicine.
Some interesting news on AIDS
Sunday, July 30th, 2006 | One Comment
In this article that appeared in wired magazine new research shows that the AIDS virus reeks havoc in the gut, resulting in inflammation. For those of us in Chinese medicine that means we need to “support the center.” For my colleagues out there, anyone thinking “Ministerial Fire”…?
Getting Ready!
Wednesday, July 26th, 2006 | 3 Comments
Getting ready to start up again. The new location will be on 40th Street, just west of Madison Avenue. This has been a crazy year for me. What started as an exploration of myself wound up with me taking on even more projects! Those who have accused me of working too much keep your eyes on the ball ’cause you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
It’s all really exciting stuff for me. I guess i’m going from focusing inwardly to focusing on my role in the world as a human being (though i have been called a couple of other things in the interim).
Anyway, I chose this location because it’s about as central as you can get. Just about every train in NY passes within a few blocks. That should make it more convenient for eveyone, except me of course LOL!
Wow! Just when you thought the church was out of touch….
Wednesday, July 26th, 2006 | No Comments
some bishop comes out with this. nice to know that god is watching…
Italian Journalists
Wednesday, June 21st, 2006 | No Comments
The history of Tibet
Sunday, June 18th, 2006 | No Comments
As some of you may know, the peaceful land of Tibet has not always been so. It has quite a history of violence and tyranny (think karma on a national scale). Just fyi I’m pretty sure that China’s current claim to Tibet is actually fueled by an ancient edict in which Tibet declared itself part of China. You may wonder at the incredulity of this radical statement, but Tibet was taking over China at the time – so I’m sure it seemed reasonable to the Tibetans. Anyway, for those of you unaware of Tibet’s great history of religious war (one historian told me that the Tibetans in their heyday made the Catholics look like nursery school children…), you might find this video from the NYTimes interesting… the article is here.
Poon Hill
Thursday, June 15th, 2006 | No Comments
Here you go. Poon hill is the “must see” spot for people doing the Annapurna circuit. It’s pretty obvious why.
You’ve gotta get up at around 3:30am, then trek like a Banshee (well, I guess actually more like a Sherpa) to the top of this “hill.”
Now I’ve seen hills and I’ve seen “hills,” but I ain’t never seen a hill like this. I was thinking they should have a defibrillator at the top. It’s around 45 minutes straight uphill. Luckily you don’t have to bring your pack. They have the most delicious piping hot, instant hot chocolate you’ve ever had. No tiny little dehydrated marshmallows, but hey you’re in Nepal!
Wow! Has anyone ever told you…
Thursday, June 15th, 2006 | No Comments
…that you should write a book? You should put a contract out on them! It never seems like it’s never going to end! It’s like a black hole. The more you give, the more it wants, the more dense it grows, the greater its pull. Lots of excuses for not getting around to THIS for a while. I’ll try and update it in the next few weeks.
Nepal really threw me off for a couple of reasons. There was NO internet access. It was freezing in the evening when I usually would have written (remember I had just come from Thailand – yeah, don’t give me any of that “life is tough” stuff either). And I took WAY too many photos (around 500). Going through them is truly overwhelming. And I’m not even a good photographer…
Okay, maybe I’ll sneak one post in here for good measure. I’m so bad sometimes… heeheehee…
