To Heaven and Back

Last weekend marked the birth of my first Grandchild.  I made an airline reservation to fly out the next day to see this new addition to the family.  While browsing the books in the airport, I noticed "To Heaven and Back" (video introduction)...."A Doctor's Extraordinary Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels, and Life Again".

The life account of Dr. Mary Neal is certainly extraordinary.  Her life's journey as a teenager to becoming a well educated orthopedic back surgeon is unusual enough.  On a white water kayaking accident in Chile she was involved in a vertical pin and drowned.  Her faith gave her peace in her death.  She experienced heaven while her friends unsuccessfully tried to free her.  Eventually the force of the water broke both of her legs below the knees and she washed out.  It had been 15 minutes before the start of a  frantic effort to revive the blue corpse. 

Her description of heaven is something you will have to read.  She learned many things of our purpose and the interconnection we experience.  Of angels and God's all encompassing love.  Her purpose here had not yet been fulfilled and she was sent back.  Life came back into her body and she had a long and difficult recovery.  The difficulty was physical, emotional, and spiritual.  How could one experience heaven only to come back to this world?

As I gazed upon my Granddaughter, I was overcome with the joy of seeing a new life.  I watched as my daughter nursed her first child on the first day of her life.  I watched her father carry her around the room whispering things that only he and she could hear.  I held her as she slept.  A miracle of a new life, a spiritual creature here to have a human experience. 

The book offers a different perspective.  It is so easy for us to get caught up in the day and the minor obstacles.  It is easy to respond in anger or frustration.  The book reminds me to respond in love and compassion. 

Stay Well!

Nocebo Expectations?

Some will remember the Andy Griffith Show where Emma Watson was taking her pill for her aches and pain.  The pharmacist, Ellie Walker, was conflicted about refilling her prescription with a placebo.  Emma simply could not live without her pill.  In a clinical trial some get a real drug and others get a placebo.  There can be a placebo effect on individuals taking the real drug.  This means that the placebo effect can be beneficial to the results for the real drug.  If you believe a medical treatment will have a positive effect then you are more likely to have that experience. 

The nocebo is just the opposite.  A harmless substance creates a negative effect.  If you are uncomfortable with a medical treatment, the inability to embrace it could be a problem.  What if a physician prescribes a statin drug for elevated cholesterol, which you do not want?  Every time you swallow you have a negative feeling.  The results can be about one’s expectations.

Interesting. 

Stay well!

PCB's and Hand-Me-Down Poisons

On April 9, 2013, the NC Department of Health and Human Services issued a fish consumption advisory for Lake Norman.  Due to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) you should not consume Stripped Bass and Large Mouth Bass.  This is the first fish consumption warning for the 32,475 acres lake that was filled in 1963.  PCB’s have beenused as insulators for electrical transformers, lubricants and electric motors.  PCB’s are an environmental toxin that can cause neurological damage, reproductions, immune disorders and cancer.

Biphenyl compounds have been the chemical curse of the environment.  They also include diethylstilbesterol (DES), Bisphenol A (BPA), and DDT.  These chemicals do not readily break down, are fat-soluble, and readily penetrate the skin.  This means they can be stored in the fat of animals with an end storage point in humans.  Such a hand-me-down poison can be an underlying toxic load and a contributor for disease.  Theoretically, the larger and older fish will accumulate higher levels of toxins as they consume other contaminated fish.

The following are the chemical structures of these toxins, included only to demonstrate their structural similarity.

Picture of biphenyls

PCB



DDT


BPA

DES

It is not known why the Lake Norman fish have such elevated levels since there is no known contamination in the area.   They are made by electrically chlorinating a bisphenyl.  The most likely explanation could be related to the number of hydroelectric facilities or unauthorized dumping on the Catawba River.

At one time I was highly allergic to poison ivy as a child and adult.  I had mentioned this to Dr. Jack Hinze, a mentor and friend.  Questions led back to the DDT fogged in the summer streets.  He suggested homeopathic Addazen by Natural Creations along with herbal liver (Hepata Comp) and kidney (Kidney Comp) support as a possible detox.  I took his suggestion and, much to my surprise, my allergy to poison ivy decreased dramatically.  In theory, since homeopathy is based in “likes cures likes”, this product may be helpful in other biphenols. 

Stay Well

The Blessing

My Grandfather's blessing started with, "Father, give us grateful hearts for these tokens of Thy kindness."  My blessing starts with, "Heavenly Father, thank you for this food, bless this it to the nourishment of our bodies."  Can such a blessing change anything?  Absolutely!

It is easy to see and feel that giving thanks to God can change our inner being.  Such a positive thought is calming feeling of satisfaction.  It allows our bodies to be able to properly accept nourishment.

So often I have found myself saying "the blessing" from rote memory.  Words and thoughts can be powerful.  Giving voice to your thankfulness is powerful.  This is mindful intent. 

There is so much concern over the quality of food these days.  I believe that a mindful blessing can actually change the food.  We are asking God to consecrate the food and that the food will be able to nourish and sustain us.  Is this scientific?  Perhaps not in this world of so called "evidence based medicine".  However, in the world of quantum physics there is evidence of words that can change water.  The bible has many references to the spoken word. 

This Thanksgiving, I intend to be mindful of what I am asking.

In the name of Jesus Christ

Compounding Pharmacies

The tragic news of deaths related to contaminated injectables goes beyond the personal responsibility that every healthcare professional shares.  The “compounding” pharmacy involved is obviously not a compounding pharmacy but a manufacturer.  The production of 17,700 vials of product is not compounding.  Compounding is where a pharmacy combines ingredients that are not commercially available for a specific patient.  Pharmacists are allowed to compound stock for anticipated prescriptions.  I provided sterile compounding from 1983 to about 2002 and actually made the product in question.  However, after each batch was compounded, a sample was sent to an independent lab for testing to confirm potency and sterility before any product was dispensed.  This was not a requirement but just good procedure.  This is now a current “standard” according to USP guidelines.  The manufacturer in question was obviously not following current compounding guidelines or what is known as FDA good manufacturing practices.

Dr. John Carr has a more detailed blog about compounding pharmacies at his Holy Hormones blog spot.