Author Archives: marcia

WIlliam Henry on the Blue Beings

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I am just including a portion of this fascinating article by William Henry.  Go to the link at the bottom for the rest:

William Henry — The Blue Avians and Sphere Beings

THE BLUE AVIANS AND BLUE SPHERE BEINGS : DO YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE CAN DO?

While in Boulder taping my new Gaia TV show, “The Awakened Soul: The Lost Science of Ascension,” I sat down with Corey Goode and David Wilcock for three episodes of their hit program “Cosmic Disclosure: Inside the Secret Space Program”.

Corey is a “SSP” whistle blower who tells an astounding story of advanced human civilizations in space, and extraterrestrials called Blue Sphere Beings and Blue Avians, who are guiding humanity. Hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to “Cosmic Disclosure” to listen, to lend support to Corey, and to advocate for a reshuffle of the ET-human relations deck… and a new beginning for humanity by disclosing the existence of our true place in the solar system.

Critics say Corey’s story is straight out of the fantasy and scifi pulp magazines of the 1920s and 30s. The first question David Wilcock asked me during the interview was if I thought Corey was crazy.

I have no idea, I said. People believe what they want to believe. Seeing is believing for some. They want proof: pics, video, something. Others see it and believe Corey, trusting in his sincerity and the vetting of David Wilcock, who is known for his links to ET insiders and whistleblowers.

All I know is I enjoyed talking with both of them. When I first heard Corey’s story, I thought, wow, he’s talking about two of my favorite subjects; the Bird Tribe and the blue sphere wormholes or ascension spheres of the ancients. Any minute now I thought he might get into some of the ancient beliefs about these subjects.

By the way, neither of these subjects are out of scifi magazines. That is, unless you read the ancient Egyptian religious texts, Hindu literature, Native American spiritual tradition and the Bible as scifi and interpret Christian art portraying the ascension of Jesus on a blue sphere as fantasy art.

Clare and I discussed aspects of these topics, especially the blue spheres, in an episode of ourARCANUM series called “Ascension Thrones of the Ancients.” I revisited the subject directly in an episode of THE AWAKENED SOUL called “The Blue Sphere and the Soul.”

After seeing my show, and the historical art I presented, the Gaia producers immediately booked the interview with Corey and David. What I was saying corroborates Corey story, they said.

The result was an exciting conversation.

Well, one interview turned to three. We left A LOT more to discuss.

It’s not everyday that one gets to fill in a blank for a dot connector like David Wilcock, but as you’ll see in the show, this is exactly what happened. The pearl I dropped on David’s door, I am certain, is a gift that will open new pathways for him and all who follow his work. All best blessings to all.

Corey was impressed by my photos from the temple of Horus at Edfu showing Horus, the falcon-headed god, painted blue. He had never seen any of the images I was presenting. His spontaneous reactions were insightful and wonder-inspiring. He reminded me of how I felt when I first took the photos.

Horus in blue at Edfu. Photo by William Henry.

More, he loved my collection of photos of Horus in blue from Denderah. He was especially impressed that, until five years ago when the Egyptians restored the ceiling, the magnificent blue images were covered with black soot. No one knew Horus was blue. Talk about divine timing! We laughed, wondering if they were waiting for Corey’s revelation of the Blue Avians?

Horus enthroned at Denderah, Egypt. Photo by William Henry.

Where I took Corey and David from there in my ascension art collection blew their minds (pun intended).

In this article I will share some key insights from my research on the Blue Sphere Beings and the Blue Birds.

Then, I will share some of my thoughts on the Bird Tribe that weren’t part of our conversation. They are actually insights from two extraordinary mystical sources, “The Wizard of Oz” and Paul McCartney.

I know you will be as amazed as I am about the correspondence. First a word about about the

THE RETURN OF THE BIRD TRIBES

Ever since reading Ken Carey’s “Return of the Bird Tribes” back in 1992, I have been on the trail of an ancient tribe of spiritual beings who continuously manifested to humans for thousands of years, right up to the present, to ‘upgrade’ humanity…to give us, well… wings.

The “Bird Tribes” are not birds. They are celestial beings or angels who are master Ascension Teachers. Carey calls them Star People. They really are Star People, but in real life they really do not have wings.

Carey’s book inspired me to research the Bird Tribe’s angelic language, the Language of the Birds. I wrote a book about it in 1998, but that is another story for another time.

My path led me to Egypt and the ibis-headed bird man, Thoth, teacher of the resurrection and ascension mysteries…

Thoth resurrects King Seti I, dressed in Osiris’s Karast garment, from the dead with the ankh or ‘Key of Life’. Photo by William Henry.

…And to the falcon-headed Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. In the ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, some of the oldest ascension texts in the world, the deceased king rises into the portals in the sky as Horus, indicating his role in the ‘stargate mysteries’ of ancient Egypt. Horus symbolizes the living, eternal light body returning to the stars…becoming a Starwalker in the Dimension of the Blessed.
These stargate mysteries came alive for me on the ceiling of Hathor’s magnificent temple of Love and Joy in Denderah, Egypt, where we see various members of the Bird Tribe, including Isis, the Great Cosmic Mother, and Horus, her Son of Light, as blue bird-people along with blue humans wearing feathered cloaks.

Go to this link for the rest of the article.  It is well worth it:    http://operationdisclosure.blogspot.ca/2016/06/william-henry-blue-avians-and-sphere.html

Creativity to Combat Stress

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UNE 15, 2016 by APRIL McCARTHY

Making Any Kind of Art At Any Skill Level Reduces Stress Hormones

Whether you’re Van Gogh or a stick-figure sketcher, a new Drexel University study found that making art can significantly reduce stress-related hormones in your body.

Although the researchers from Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions believed that past experience in creating art might amplify the activity’s stress-reducing effects, their study found that everyone seems to benefit equally.

“It was surprising and it also wasn’t,” said Girija Kaimal, EdD, assistant professor of creative arts therapies. “It wasn’t surprising because that’s the core idea in art therapy: Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting. That said, I did expect that perhaps the effects would be stronger for those with prior experience.”

The results of the study were published in Art Therapy under the title “Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making.” Kendra Ray, a doctoral student under Kaimal, and Juan Muniz, PhD, an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences, served as co-authors.

“Biomarkers” are biological indicators (like hormones) that can be used to measure conditions in the body, such as stress. Cortisol was one such the hormone measured in the study through saliva samples. The higher a person’s cortisol level, the more stressed a person is likely to be.

For Kaimal’s study, 39 adults, ranging from 18 to 59 years old, were invited to participate in 45 minutes of art-making. Cortisol levels were taken before and after the art-making period.

Materials available to the participants included markers and paper, modeling clay and collage materials. There were no directions given and every participant could use any of the materials they chose to create any work of art they desired. An art therapist was present during the activity to help if the participant requested any.

Of those who took part in the study, just under half reported that they had limited experience in making art.

The researchers found that 75 percent of the participants’ cortisol levels lowered during their 45 minutes of making art. And while there was some variation in how much cortisol levels lowered, there was no correlation between past art experiences and lower levels.

Written testimonies of their experiences afterward revealed how the participants felt about the creating art.

“It was very relaxing,” one wrote. “After about five minutes, I felt less anxious. I was able to obsess less about things that I had not done or need [ed] to get done. Doing art allowed me to put things into perspective.”

However, roughly 25 percent of the participants actually registered higher levels of cortisol — though that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Some amount of cortisol is essential for functioning,” Kaimal explained. “For example, our cortisol levels vary throughout the day — levels are highest in the morning because that gives us an energy boost to us going at the start of the day. It could’ve been that the art-making resulted in a state of arousal and/or engagement in the study’s participants.”

Kaimal and her team believed, going into the study, that the type of art materials used by participants might affect cortisol levels. They thought that the less-structured mediums — using clay or drawing with markers — would result in lower cortisol levels than the structured — collaging. That, however, wasn’t supported by the results, as no significant correlation was found.

The study did find a weak correlation between age and lower cortisol levels. Younger participants exhibited consistently lower cortisol levels after they’d created art.

Those results made Kaimal wonder about how young college students and high school students deal with the stress that comes from academia — and how creative arts can help.

“I think one reason might be that younger people are developmentally still figuring out ways to deal with stress and challenges, while older individuals — just from having lived life and being older — might have more strategies to problem-solve and manage stress more effectively,” Kaimal said.

In light of that, Kaimal plans to extend the study to explore whether “creative self- expression in a therapeutic environment can help reduce stress.” In that study, other biomarkers like alpha amylase and oxytocin will also be measured to give a more comprehensive picture.

Additionally, Kaimal also plans to study how visual arts-based expression affects end-of-life patients and their caregivers.

“We want to ultimately examine how creative pursuits could help with psychological well-being and, therefore, physiological health, as well,” she said.

from:    http://preventdisease.com/news/16/061516_Making-Art-Reduces-Stress-Hormones.shtml

Benefits of Cannabidiol

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Cannabidiol (CBD): The Cat’s Out of the Bag with This Cure-All

By Makia Freeman –

Makia Freeman
Contributor, ZenGardner.com

The truth about Cannabidiol (CBD)

and the cannabis plant in general can no longer be suppressed – and the exciting thing is that we are just at the beginning. We are literally just at the start on the long road of cannabis knowledge, which will take us to a deeper understanding of this astonishing plant, its varied uses and its manifold medical benefits. We still don’t even know how many cannabinoids (natural chemical compounds endemic to the cannabis plant) it contains – over the years the number has been revised in various places from 66 to 85 to 113+. We certainly don’t know the full range of effects of these cannabinoids, nor do we understand the synergistic way they work together, which is of the utmost importance. However, we do know enough to say that one of the foremost cannabinoids is cannabidiol or CBD, and we do know that it has incredible potential for healing a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, migraines, asthma, scar tissue, Crohn’s, epilepsy, seizures, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer. Ironically, the whole propaganda campaign of “reefer madness” that tried to demonize marijuana in the 1930s-1950s insinuated that pot caused schizophrenia, and while THC can have some mildly negative psychoactive effects when smoked, it may turn out that CBD-rich cannabis oil cures schizophrenia, not causes it. This demonization campaign, as usual, was led by the Rockefellers and other rich NWO families who were scared that cannabis would destroy their monopolies, such as the Western medical drug industry.

Clearly, the tides of cannabis perception are turning, and many people have overcome the stigma to explore the vast nutritional and medicinal benefits of cannabis. This article focuses on the healing potential of the preeminent cannabinoid, CBD.

Guess Where Else Cannabinoids are Found?

Before we break down the phenomenal effects of CBD, here is a mind-blowing fact. Cannabinoids aren’t just found in the cannabis plant. They’re also found somewhere closer to home: you! That’s right: the human body itself has an entire system which utilizes cannabinoids. It is known as the endocannabinoid system (“endo” is from a Greek word meaning “within”). In this way, we can distinguish among endocannabinoids (those produced by the human body), phytocannabinoids (those produced by the cannabis plant) and synthetic cannabinoids (the approximately 17 synthetic versions produced by the pharmaceutical cartel). Synthetic cannabinoids, by the way, are Big Pharma’s way of trying to pirate and cash in on Nature by modifying or isolating a natural chemical or compound, making it slightly different to its natural state, getting a patent, then marketing it as a drug with a governmentally enforced monopoly. Some synthetic cannabinoids (such as K2, spice, marinol, etc.) have been taken off the market due to their dangerous nature, but after all, they are part of the Big Pharma business plan, and the greater New World Order synthetic agenda, so what do you expect?

cannabidiol CBD cannabis plant

The Endocannabinoid System

The cannabinoid receptors (CB1, CB2, etc.), endocannabinoids and the related enzymes all make up the endocannabinoid system – and it’s not just some insignificant little system in the body. Evidence shows it to be essential in most if not all physiological systems, responsible for numerous processes including appetite, pain-sensation, mood, memory and immunity (yes, the endocannabinoid system influences the immune system too). The Italian researcher, Vincenzo Di Marzo, summed it up well in his 1998 study Endocannabinoids: endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligands with neuromodulatory action:

“‘Relax, eat, sleep, forget and protect’ might be some of the messages that are produced by the actions of endocannabinoids, alone or in combination with other mediators …”

cannabidiol CBD chemical formula

How CBD Works

CBD is a miracle compound. Unlike THC, it does not bind to the body’s cannabinoid receptors (CB1 or CB2), so it is not psychoactive and does not produce the high effect. Cannabidiol works through a number of complex mechanisms. Preclinical studies indicate that cannabidiol has the following list of extensive healing properties. The first 5 items on the list below all pertain to cannabidiol’s capacity as an anti-carcinogenic agent:

Anti-Proliferative: CBD stops cancer cells proliferating or reproducing. Many of its effects listed below stem from its ability to activate PPAR receptors. As the article How CBD Works states, “CBD also exerts an anti-cancer effect by activating PPARs [peroxisome proliferator activated receptors] that are situated on the surface of the cell’s nucleus. Activation of the receptor known as PPAR-gamma has an anti-proliferative effect as well as an ability to induce tumor regression in human lung cancer cell lines.”

Anti-Angiogenic: As the quote above also reveals, cannabidiol can stop cancer cells in another way, by preventing malignant tumors from forming the blood vessels they need to grow. The process of blood vessel creation is called angiogenesis, and since cannabidiol halts this, it is deemed anti-angiogenic.

Anti-Mitogenic: There is a 3rd way cannabidiol prevents cancer. It hinders or stops cell division (mitogenesis). One of the hallmarks of cancer is its unbridled growth, and amazingly, CBD actually stops the cancer spreading out of control by preventing the cancer cell from dividing and reproducing, and thus is deemed anti-mitogenic.

Anti-Metastatic: Metastasis is the process by which a cancer can spread around the body, especially to other organs which have no direct contact with it. Cannabidiol prevents cancer from spreading to other organs, so it is called anti-metastatic.

Pro-Apoptotic: Apoptosis is the medical word for programmed cell death. It’s an important part of every healthy and functional cell that it contains a program for apoptosis, so it can commit suicide or let itself die if it is compromised. Cancer cells characteristically do not undergo apoptosis, however cannabidiol is pro-apoptotic and actually induces cancer cells to die. Incredible!

Anti-Psychotic: In addition to showing impressive potential for curing cancer, cannabidiol also exhibits anti-psychotic properties, which means it could help heal a whole host of mental illnesses. As the aforementioned article How CBD Works states: “CBD’s enzyme-mediated activation of the PPAR-alpha receptor may have antipsychotic effects. Polymorphisms or mutations in the gene encoding PPAR-alpha can result in deficient PPAR-alpha signaling, which has been linked to schizophrenia. PPAR-alpha activation is both anti-inflammatory and can decrease dopamine release, thereby minimizing schizophrenic symptoms.”

Neuro-Protective: Neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) are another set of horrible diseases which are claiming the lives or more and more people. Fortunately, CBD shows potential for healing these too. Again, the issue comes back to the PPAR-activation (same article): “PPAR-gamma activation degrades amyloid-beta plaque, a key molecule linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This is one of the reasons why cannabidiol, a PPAR-gamma agonist, may be a useful remedy for Alzheimer’s patients. As an aside, PPAR receptors also regulate genes that are involved in energy homeostasis, lipid uptake, insulin sensitivity, and other metabolic functions. Diabetics, accordingly, may benefit from a CBD-rich treatment regimen.”

Anti-Inflammatory: Inflammatory diseases are another massive set of diseases that haunt the populations in developed countries, especially the US. Many nutritional experts and doctors have highlighted the strong connection between inflammation and disease. As Dr. Mark Hyman writes:

“Inflammation is a “hot” topic in medicine. It appears connected to almost every known chronic disease — from heart disease to cancer, diabetes to obesity, autism to dementia, and even depression. Other inflammatory diseases such as allergies, asthma, arthritis, and autoimmune disease are increasing at dramatic rates …”

According to various studies cited by Medical Marijuana Inc, cannabidiol stops inflammation in various ways:

“[cannabidiol decreases] the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and decrease the activation of the LPS-induced STAT1 transcription factor, a key factor in some of the pro-inflammatory process. CBD, however, also reduces the activity of the NF-kappaB pathway, a primary pathway regulating pro-inflammatory genes, and upregulates the activation of the STAT3 transcription factor, which induces anti-inflammatory events (Kozela, et al., 2010).”

Analgesic: Analgesic means pain-relieving. CBD is analgesic and is thus indicated for those suffering from inflammatory disease or conditions with chronic pain.

Anti-Convulsant: CBD has become famous for its ability to stop seizures and treat diseases such as epilepsy. The overwhelming consensus of case studies, surveys and pre-clinical animal studies shows that cannabidiol is a powerful anti-convulsant. For a sampling of the studies done on this, see here and here.

Pro-Anxiolytic: Finally, CBD also helps calms the nerves and reduce or eliminate anxiety, and thus is anti-anxiety or medically speaking pro-anxiolytic. The reason why CBD has this effect is probably due to its activation of the adenosine receptor. Adenosine receptors play major roles in brain and cardiovascular function (regulating oxygen intake and blood flow), as well as having anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body, which ties in with CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties.

cannabidiol CBD cannabis plant closeup

How Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells

For those wanting a little more information on how cannabis kills cancer cells, I recommend watching a few of these short videos. The 1st video shows how and why cannabis curse cancer. The 2nd video is an interview with a man called Dennis Hill, a survivor of stage IV prostate cancer. Dennis reveals how our bodies make cancer cells all the time, but our immune system (which includes the endocannabinoid system) can normally handle them. However, when the immune system is compromised, it gets behind on killing cancer cells.

Cancer cells have distorted or damaged DNA. Luckily, when a cell turns cancerous, the number of cannabinoid receptors in the cell increases. The body uses its endocannabinoid anandamide to stimulate the production of ceramide, which kills cancer cell mitochondria, starving the cancer cell. The ceramide is intelligently guided; it somehow “knows” to kill damaged cells only and leave the healthy ones intact, much like the way vitamin B17, amygdala or laetrile works to selectively target cancer cells too.

The Future of CBD Oil: Made Without Solvents

Rick Simpson, the Canadian hero who made CBD-rich cannabis oil, gave it away for free and healed many people, came up with a form of CBD oil where he used a solvent to extract it. However, there are now many companies who are producing high-quality CBD oil from non-GMO, non-pesticided hemp, which they then decarboxylate (turn the acidic forms of the cannabinoids into the non-acidic forms, i.e. turn CBDa into CBD and THCa into THC, etc.). I believe in the future, due to the unstoppable momentum of cannabis oil, medical marijuana will become completely decriminalized and legalized, and people all over will have access to high therapeutic grade CBD oil which contains no THC or psychoactive agents.

Conclusion: Let’s Explore the Many Uses of Cannabis and CBD Oil

There are no coincidences in our world – only magic, mystery, synchronicity, conspiracy and connection of which we are often unaware. The sheer fact that our body has its own endocannabinoid system, parallel to the phytocannabinoid system of the cannabis plant, is a fact of key significance and beyond mere coincidence. Call it what you want – cannabis, hemp, marijuana, pot, weed, ganja or kush – this plant has massive potential as a first-class healer extraordinaire. It’s time for all of us around the world to study and use this plant for the bounty of benefits it offers, including making paper, textiles, cloth, rope, oil and fuel, as well as for its nutritional benefits (hemp seed, hemp seed oil) and medical benefits (CBD oil). It has already saved people’s lives. Imagine what else it can do …

from:    http://www.zengardner.com/cannabidiol-cbd-cats-bag-cure/

New Info in DNA

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How does this relate to DNA? Well, there are many codes in our DNA that scientists have yet to crack. Parts of our DNA, for example have no known biological function, or at least we have yet to discover them. Maybe they have spiritual applications, or are connected to the non-physical realm in some way. These seemingly useless DNA are referred to as ‘Junk DNA,’ or ‘non-coding DNA.’ But we are learning more about them each day, as Scientific American reports, so the label isn’t entirely accurate.

We may think we know a lot, but the things we think we know and hold to be true are always changing. Science was no less valid to us 50 years ago than it is today, but theories have changed because we have learned more. And our knowledge of DNA has just changed again, as physicists have confirmed that there is a second layer of information hidden in our DNA, meaning that there is more than one way that DNA mutations can affect us.

The way DNA folds plays a role in controlling which genes are expressed inside of our bodies. When it comes to biology, we’re taught that DNA ‘makes us who we are’ through a sequence of letters. These codes would then determine which proteins to make in order to produce the necessary result. For example, there is a code for a protein that will make your skin brown, or your eyes dark, etc. All of this is determined by the way DNA is folded. Since the DNA in our body is extremely long, spanning a length of up to two metres, it has to be wrapped and folded in a certain way to fit inside of our bodies.

Scientists have known for a long time that the way it is wrapped and folded determines what proteins are expressed. Right now, biologists are currently working on isolating mechanical cues that determine how DNA is folded, which is influenced by a number of environmental factors, and other concepts like epigenetics. Even the way we think and perceive the environment, how feel, and what we believe can shape our DNA.

Some of these mechanical cues have been identified by a group of scientists at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Led by Helmut Schiessel, they were, as Science Alert explains, “able to show that these cues affected how the DNA was folded and which proteins are expressed – further evidence that the mechanics of DNA are written into our DNA, and they’re just as important in our evolution as the code itself.”

The discovery suggests that one day, we may be able to manipulate the mechanisms that determine the way DNA is folded in order to hide certain genes that produce deadly disease.

Is The Genetic ‘Tweaking’ Of Humans  On Its Way/Already Here?

Genetic manipulation is already occurring, and in fact we recently published an article about the first human being to have their DNA manipulated to make their white blood cells 20 years younger (you can read more about that here). And all my research into black budget programs suggests that human genetic engineering is already happening to further militaristic agendas. The evidence for the existence of multiple super soldier programs and other, equally frightening projects is compelling, but that’s a discussion for another article, as is the black budget topic that’s linked above.

Today, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not, and it’s unfortunate that it takes a mainstream media outlet to acknowledge something before the masses consider it to be real. That’s a tremendous amount of power to hold, and we know the media has been corrupted by financial, corporate and other elitist agendas. (This is a much broader topic than I wish to address in this article, however; you can learn more about it in this article we published on the it.)

It really is fascinating to imagine what we may be capable of. Perhaps one day we will eradicate all disease by learning how to manipulate our genetics, turning certain genes on and others off, even discovering new ones. What if there is already an intelligent extraterrestrial civilization out there somewhere in the universe which has learned to tweak their DNA so they can live for hundreds of years?

The future of genetic manipulation holds endless possibilities, and while many people worry about the consequences of us playing God, I argue that perhaps these types of discoveries were just waiting there for us to stumble upon, and our natural progression toward these discoveries was all part of ‘the plan,’ if there is one. Perhaps we create it ourselves.

One thing is for certain though — as with any new discovery, it does not matter what we find or what technology we develop, it’s the consciousness and intention behind how we use this knowledge that matters. Our history of innovation has been consistently marred by violence and the misuse of power, so I can only hope we are approaching a more peaceful era at this stage of our development.

Sources used not listed within article:

http://phys.org/news/2016-06-layer-dna.html

from:     http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/06/09/physicists-discover-a-second-layer-of-information-hidden-in-our-dna/

 

Natural Wrinkle Remover

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This Really Works: Get Rid Of The Wrinkles Around Your Eyes Using Only These 3 Ingredients (Recipe)

This Really Works: Get Rid Of The Wrinkles Around Your Eyes Using Only These 3 Ingredients (Recipe)

via HealthyWorld365,

This amazing new Japanese mask will erase the years from your face and make your skin look beautiful and smooth.

The Japanese have considered this cereal to be their beauty secret weapon. The rice is rich in vitamin B, which stimulates the cell regeneration and slows down the aging process.

All you need to prepare this amazing mask is:

  • 2-3 tablespoons of rice
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 tablespoon of milk

Preparation:

Put 2-3 tablespoons of rice in a little bit of water and cook it until the rice is tender. Wash the cooked rice and put it in a bowl. Add one tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of milk and mix the ingredients. Apply this rice mask on your face and leave it on for 30 minutes. Wash the mask using water. You can keep the mask 4 days in the fridge, and you can use it every day.

After a few days you will notice that your skin is softer and smoother.

from:    http://www.bodymindsoulspirit.com/get-rid-of-eye-wrinkles/

On Genetic Medicine

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What is Genetic Medicine?

Dr. Emilie C. Wilson

 Genetic medicine emerges in the field of medicine as a response to the long-noted trend that, while pharmaceutical and other medications seem to work well for many, for many others they do not.  As scientists and doctors have tried to understand why this is the case, they have begun to understand that our very genes could have a bigger impact than the medication’s effects.

Genetic medicine is targeted medical treatment based on an individual’s genetic “map”.  It does require some fancy labwork, some of which must be ordered by a doctor, although these days some tests are available online without a doctor’s order.  Treatments vary but people often respond quite well to targeted vitamin therapies.

We all have two sets of genes, one of which we inherited from our mother, and one from our father.  It’s the unique combination of those sets of genes that make us Us, at least on a biochemical, physiological level.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the MTHFR enzyme (and the MTHFR gene that codes for it).  If not, maybe you’ve heard about methylated folate, the active form of the vitamin folate (AKA folic acid).  Many people will have also heard about the supplement SAMe, a rather expensive option on the ever-broadening supplement shelf.  These are all related, and they all participate in a particular physiological process called “methylation,” which has lots of downstream effects on the way our bodies function.  That’s because methylation is a critical process that affects DNA, or our genetic information, and affects how each and every one of our cells function.  It does this by directing cell regeneration.  If the methylation process doesn’t work properly, the cell regeneration in every cell of our body is compromised.

Methylation has three big functions in the human body that have a huge impact on our overall health:

1.  Cell repair of injured cells

2.  Cell production (especially making those cells that “turn over” quickly, e.g. immune cells and blood cells, the cells in our intestines)

3. Neurological function and mental health

The MTHFR gene codes for an MTHFR enzyme that is responsible for adding a methyl group, or “methylating,” the folic acid and therefore acitvating it in our bodies.  Remember that we have 2 sets of genes (1 from Mom and 1 from Dad), so we have two sets of genetic information to make the MTHFR enzyme.

In many people both sets of the genes work just fine, so they are able to make many functioning copies of the MTHFR enzyme.

However, in some people one of the sets of genetic information may be broken, making them less able to methylate folic acid than someone with two functioning sets.

And in some people, both sets are broken, which greatly decreases their ability to methylate folic acid.  They are still able to do so, but only at about 30% of what a person with two functioning genes would be able to do.  Remember that methylation is a critical process to so many aspects of human health.

Most people who have these defects don’t even know that they do, because you can survive with two broken copies.  However, we’re beginning to understand that having defects in these genes can manifest in many different ways, especially in mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, often with people who have not responded well to pharmaceutical medications.  Other problems that can manifest from these genetic defects include sleep problems, poor recovery from workouts, low energy, digestive problems, and many other issues.

In recent years a genetic test has become available that looks for defects in the genes that code for MTHFR.  These tests are available from your doctor.  If you’d like to learn more about methylation and the MTHFR genes and what this could mean for you, please contact your doctor.

from:    http://www.mindbodycenterforintegrativemedicine.com/#!What-is-Genetic-Medicine/f7zb9/56d892530cf25a66a536b966

Dr. Wilson is a Naturopathic Physician who practices in Seattle.  Her website is:  http://www.mindbodycenterforintegrativemedicine.com/

Mining Data w/Windows 10

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What Microsoft Does NOT Want You To Know About Windows 10

Written by: Daniel Jennings Current Events June 10, 2016

What Microsoft Does NOT Want You To Know About Windows 10

Windows 10 could be a major threat to your privacy, and Microsoft is trying to force you to use it whether you want it or not.

In fact, if you use Windows 7 or 8, Microsoft could automatically update you to Windows 10 and begin tracking your every move.

“Microsoft openly stated that pervasive data collection will be present in any Windows version starting from Windows 10, and as a host of research on the Internet shows, this data collection cannot be disabled using official means,” tech expert Artem S. Tashkinov wrote at itvision.altervista.org.

The default settings for Windows 10 allow Microsoft to track every website you visit, every purchase you make, and every word you type into the search engine. It even allows Microsoft to track your physical location. Microsoft makes upgrading to the operating system tempting by making it free – at least until July 29.

Microsoft uses all of this data and interaction in several ways:

  • Offering users targeted ads.
  • Guiding users to its Windows Store.
  • Funneling users to the search page Bing, which it owns.

None of this is done with the current versions of Windows. (Windows 10 also can drain your battery if you own an older laptop.)

Fortunately, there are some ways to block Windows 10’s data collection and even to go back to Windows 7 or Windows 8 if you want.

Don’t Use Express Settings

Many users may not realize that the version of Windows 10 that automatically installs employs the so-called Express Settings. These automatically share a wide variety of information with Microsoft, including location and browser data, TechRadar reported. You can avoid these by picking “Custom Settings” for the install.

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If you’ve already installed Windows 10 using the Express Settings, then you can reverse Microsoft actions under the Privacy Settings in the control panel. For example, one setting asks if you want to “let apps use my advertising ID, send Microsoft Info about how I write, and let websites provide locally relevant content.” If this is on, both Microsoft and advertisers can collect data from your computer.

Other Problems With Windows 10

IT Pro reported that some of the Window 10 apps can take control of your camera and microphone and collect account information unless you turn them off.

You should also make sure that Wi-Fi Sense is off. If this feature is turned on, it could share your Wi-Fi passwords with routers, PC World reported. To turn Wi-Fi Sense off, go to Settings in the start menu, click on Network & Internet, then Manage Wi-Fi Settings, and chose what Wi-Fi you want to use. Turning off the hotspot keeps the computer from broadcasting your information.

Uninstalling Windows 10

Uninstalling Windows 10 and going back to Windows 8.1 or 7 is actually fairly easy – if you do it within 30 days. Visit Settings, find the Update & Security icon and click Recovery. You should see an option to “Go to Back to Windows 7” or “go back to Windows 8.1.” Click the right icon.

If it has been over a month since you added Windows 10, you will have to do a “clean install.” That will eliminate everything on your hard drive. Make sure you have all of your files on cloud storage or an external drive first.

from:    http://www.offthegridnews.com/current-events/what-microsoft-does-not-want-you-to-know-about-windows-10/

Perils of Smart Meter Grid

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Smart Meter Companies Admit: We’re Spying On You

Written by: Tara Dodrill

Power companies admit: We're spying on you

Smart meters are spying devices. Not breaking news? Likely not for those of us who have researched the issue for quite a long while, but an admission by those who make the devices is rather shocking.

That is exactly what has happened, as SmartGridNews, a website supported by the high-tech meter industry, acknowledged that smart meters are gathering private information on homeowners.

Smart meters utilize wireless technology and instantly tell power companies how much electricity a home is using, and even can report on the power usage by individual appliances, as Smart Grid News said. Smart meters also can literally control newer household appliances that have the capability to communicate with the device.

“One of the next areas of value comes from taking smart meter data and ‘disaggregating’ it to tell us exactly how customers are using electricity,” reads a new story on the website. “Do external devices already do this? Sure. Just as progress in the smart phone world reduced the need for external devices (cameras, alarm clocks, radios, pedometers, navigation systems, etc.) the ability to get accurate, appliance level feedback, without the need to invest in external hardware, is the next step in the world of smart meters.”

The Stop Smart Meters website states that fire dangers are also a problem associated with smart meters. Fire calls after smart meter installations reportedly include the shorting-out of electronics of all varieties and the burning-out of appliances.

Cyber hacking of smart meters to possibly overload and garner control of significant portions of the power grid is also an often-voiced worry about the smart power initiative. In Connecticut, 30 percent of customers in a pilot program had higher bills after smart meters were installed.

According to the Stop Smart Meters group, the smart grid devices do not always emit less RF (radio frequency) exposure than a cell phone — as some utility companies allegedly state.

“People are becoming increasingly aware of the potential harm done by chronic exposure to RF radiation-emitting devices and are taking steps to change how they use them. Most people are not offered a wired smart meter and you can’t turn it off once it is installed,” the group contends.

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Smart grid opponents have long opposed the gathering of their personal usage information.

Former CIA Director David Petraeus once stated that WiFi-connected devices, such as appliances commonly found inside many homes, will “transform the art of spying.” Petraeus also said that spies will be capable of monitoring Americans without going inside the home or perhaps even acquiring a warrant. He went on to state that remote control radio frequency identification devices, “energy harvesters,” sensor networks, and small embedded severs all connected to an Internet network will be all that is necessary for clandestine intelligence gathering.

The Smart Grid News report said customers surveyed in a recent report supported smart meters.

“Customers were delighted with the initiative as it showed how their new smart meters could work for them,” the website said. “Utility companies wanting to meet their specific conservation targets to drive customer engagement should ensure they are making the most of their smart meter investment. They can now use the power of smart meter data disaggregation to identify the customers who are most likely to help them reach their specific targets and turn them into willing partners in the drive for energy conservation.”

Data disaggregation basically means the automatic collection of personal energy habits of the homes attached to smart meters. The more customers know that is the case, the more they will oppose smart meters.

from:    http://www.offthegridnews.com/privacy/smart-meter-companies-admit-were-spying-on-you/

More on Climate Change

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North Atlantic cooling suggests climate is about to change over much of the northern hemisphere

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North Atlantic cooling suggests climate is about to change over much of the northern hemisphere

Based on the observations of ocean heat content in the North Atlantic Ocean, the climate in the northern hemisphere is on the verge of a change that could last for several decades. This change is associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)1 – a mode of natural variability occurring, with a period of 60 – 80 years, in the North Atlantic Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) field.

Observations made by Argo buoys2 have shown that the North Atlantic Ocean (60-0W, 30-65N) is rapidly cooling since 20073. This is associated with the natural variability in the North Atlantic Ocean sea surface temperatures – the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). However, the observed cooling does not only apply to the sea surface, but to the uppermost 700 m (2 296 feet) of the ocean.

The AMO index appears to be correlated to air temperatures and rainfall over much of the northern hemisphere4. The association appears to be high for North Eastern Brazil, African Sahel rainfall and North American and European summer climate. The AMO index also appears to be associated with changes in the frequency of North American droughts and is reflected in the frequency of severe Atlantic hurricanes.

“As one example, the AMO index may be related to the past occurrence of major droughts in the US Midwest and the Southwest. When the AMO is high, these droughts tend to be more frequent or prolonged, and vice-versa for low values of AMO. Two of the most severe droughts of the 20th century in the US occurred during the peak AMO values between 1925 and 1965: The Dust Bowl of the 1930s and the 1950s drought. On the other hand, Florida and the Pacific Northwest tend to be the opposite; high AMO is associated with relatively high precipitation.”

Cooling of the Atlantic is likely to bring drier summers in Britain and Ireland, accelerated sea-level rise along the northeast coast of the United States, and drought in the developing countries of the African Sahel region, a press release for a study by scientists from the University of Southampton and National Oceanography Centre (NOC) published last year said5. “Since this new climatic phase could be half a degree cooler, it may well offer a brief reprise from the rise of global temperatures, as well as result in fewer hurricanes hitting the United States. The study proves that ocean circulation is the link between weather and decadal scale climatic change. It is based on observational evidence of the link between ocean circulation and the decadal variability of sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean.”

Lead author of this study, Dr. Gerard McCarthy from the NOC, said: “Sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic vary between warm and cold over time-scales of many decades. These variations have been shown to influence temperature, rainfall, drought and even the frequency of hurricanes in many regions of the world. This decadal variability is a notable feature of the Atlantic Ocean and the climate of the regions it influences.”

These climatic phases, referred to as positive or negative AMO’s, are the result of the movement of heat northwards by a system of ocean currents. This movement of heat changes the temperature of the sea surface, which has a profound impact on climate on timescales of 20 – 30 years. The strength of these currents is determined by the same atmospheric conditions that control the position of the jet stream. Negative AMO’s occur when the currents are weaker and so less heat is carried northwards towards Europe from the tropics. The strength of ocean currents has been measured by a network of sensors, called the RAPID array, which have been collecting data on the flow rate of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) for a decade.

The AMOC, part of which is known as the Gulf Stream, has been seen to weaken over the past 10 years, a study by Laura Jackson of the UK’s Met Office said6. Her study also suggests that this weakening trend is likely due to variability over decades. “The AMOC plays a vital role in our climate as it transports heat northwards in the Atlantic and keeps Europe relatively warm,” Jackson said. Any substantial weakening of a major North Atlantic ocean current system would have a profound impact on the climate of northwest Europe, including the UK. The research also showed a link between the weakening in the AMOC and decreases in density in the Labrador Sea (between Greenland and Canada) several years earlier.

In the diagrams below, courtesy of Ole Humlum4, only original (raw) AMO values are shown.

Humlum writes: “As is seen from the annual diagram, the AMO index has been increasing since the beginning of the record in 1856, although with a clear, about 60 yr long, variation superimposed. Often, AMO values are shown linearly detrended to remove the overall increase since 1856, to emphasize the apparent rhythmic 60 yr variation. This detrending is usually intended to remove the alleged influence of greenhouse gas-induced global warming from the analysis, believed to cause the overall increase. However, as is seen in the diagram below, the overall increase has taken place since at least 1856, long before the alleged strong influence of increasing atmospheric CO2 began around 1975 (IPCC 2007). Therefore, the overall increase is likely to have another explanation; it may simply represent a natural recovery since the end of the previous cold period (the Little Ice Age). If so, the general AMO increase since 1856 may well represent part of a longer natural variation, too long to be fully represented by the AMO data series since 1856. For the above reasons, only the original (not detrended) AMO values are shown in the two diagrams below:”

Annual Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index values since 1856. The thin line indicates 3-month average values, and the thick line is the simple running 11-year average. Data source: Earth System Research Laboratory at NOAA. Last year shown: 2015. Last diagram update January 20, 2016.

Monthly Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index values since January 1979. The thin line indicates 3-month average values, and the thick line is the simple running 11-year average. By choosing January 1979 as starting point, the diagram is easy to compare with other types of temperature diagrams covering the satellite period since 1979. Data source: Earth System Research Laboratory at NOAA. Last month shown: May 2016. Last diagram update: June 13, 2016.

The map below shows the North Atlantic area within 60-0W and 30-65N, for which the heat content within the uppermost 700 m is shown in the diagrams below it3.

North Atlantic area within 60-0W and 30-65N. Credit: Climate4you

Global monthly heat content anomaly (GJ/m2) in the uppermost 700 m of the North Atlantic (60-0W, 30-65N) ocean since January 1979. The thin line indicates monthly values, and the thick line represents the simple running 37 month (c. 3 year) average. The starting month (January 1979) is chosen to enable easy comparison with global air temperature estimates within the satellite period. Data source: National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). Last period shown: January-March 2016. Last diagram update June 7, 2016.

Global monthly heat content anomaly (GJ/m2) in the uppermost 700 m of the North Atlantic (60-0W, 30-65N) ocean since January 1955. The thin line indicates monthly values, and the thick line represents the simple running 37 month (c. 3 year) average. Data source: National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). Last period shown: January-March 2016. Last diagram update June 7, 2016.

Interestingly, in a study by Zhou et al.7, a significant correlation was found between the solar wind speed (SWS) and sea surface temperature (SST) in the region of the North Atlantic Ocean for the northern hemisphere winter from 1963 to 2010, based on 3-month seasonal averages. “The correlation is dependent on Bz (the interplanetary magnetic field component parallel to the Earth’s magnetic dipole) as well as the SWS, and somewhat stronger in the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) west phase than in the east phase. The correlations with the SWS are stronger than those with the F10.7 parameter representing solar UV inputs to the stratosphere. SST responds to changes in tropospheric dynamics via wind stress, and to changes in cloud cover affecting the radiative balance. Suggested mechanisms for the solar influence on SST include changes in atmospheric ionization and cloud microphysics affecting cloud cover, storm invigoration, and tropospheric dynamics. Such changes modify upward wave propagation to the stratosphere, affecting the dynamics of the polar vortex. Also, direct solar inputs, including energetic particles and solar UV, produce stratospheric dynamical changes. Downward propagation of stratospheric dynamical changes eventually further perturbs tropospheric dynamics and SST.”

The solar-wind speeds peak about 3 or 4 years after the Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and sunspots peak in each cycle8.

Sunspot number progression observed from 2000 – May 2016. Credit NOAA/SWPC

Based on the current sunspot observations, their number for this solar cycle has peaked in January 2015, and our star is now on a steady path toward its next Solar Minimum, expected to hit the base just after 2020.

Global sea surface temperature anomaly for June 13, 2016 – current deviation of the surface temperature of Earth’s oceans from normal. Credit: NCEP (link leads to the latest map)

North Atlantic Ocean sea surface anomaly for June 13, 2016 – current deviation from normal. Credit: NCEP (link leads to the latest map)

References:

  1. Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) – NCAR/UCAR – CGD’s Climate Analysis Section
  2. Argo – UCSanDiego –  Argo is a major contributor to the WCRP ‘s Climate Variability and Predictability Experiment (CLIVAR) project and to the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE). The Argo array is part of the Global Climate Observing System/Global Ocean Observing System GCOS /GOOS
  3. North Atlantic Ocean (60-0W, 30-65N) heat content 0-700 m depth – Climate4you
  4. AMO (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation) Index – Climate4you
  5. Global climate on verge of multi-decadal change – Science Daily
  6. Research provides new perspectives on recent changes in the Atlantic Ocean – UK Met Office
  7. Correlations of global sea surface temperatures with the solar wind speed – Zhou et. al. – Science Direct
  8. The Solar Wind may be changing the surface temperature of the North Atlantic – JoNova

Featured image: North Atlantic Ocean sea surface anomaly for June 13, 2016 – current deviation from normal. Credit: NCEP

from:    http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2016/06/14/north-atlantic-cooling-suggests-climate-is-about-to-change-over-much-of-the-northern-hemisphere/

Considering Depression & Diabetes

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Depression and Diabetes: Too Much in Common

June 6, 2016

Dr. Emilie C. Wilson

Some healers, myself included, like to look for metaphors in medicine.  A common metaphor used to understand diabetes is that the “diabetic patient lacks sweetness in her/his life”.  While this is by no means meant to represent any individual patient’s experience with diabetes, some people do find an element of truth to this statement.

And when you consider that depression often coexists with diabetes, this statement gets even closer to home.

The medical community recognizes the relationship between elevated blood sugar levels and conditions such as heart and kidney disease; we now also recognize that elevated blood sugar and depression are also closely linked.  Depressed patients are less likely to engage in effective self-care practices such as exercise and cooking nutritious meals from whole foods (foods that have one ingredient on their list/foods that come directly from planet earth: think fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, fish, meat), which only exacerbates their increasing blood sugar levels.

Our bodies do not like our blood sugar levels to be too high (or too low, for that matter).  As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas pumps out more insulin to siphon the sugar out of our bloodstream and into the cells of our bodies for use as energy, or to be stored for later as triglycerides, or fat-storage molecules.  The problem is that if we constantly have high levels of insulin in our bloodstream, the cells in our body become “resistant” to insulin.  Think of insulin as a stereo, playing a message to the cells that glucose is outside, can they please open their doors and let in glucose in?  The cells get that message and open up their doors.  If, however, there is lots of glucose and therefore lots of insulin, the message played by insulin gets louder and louder.  In an effort to “plug their ears” from insulin’s now-very loud message, the cells open fewer doors, so less glucose can get into the cells, and more insulin must then be produced.  This is a state of insulin resistance, which is a precursor to diabetes, and occurs in the early stages of type II diabetes.

Among several other effects, insulin resistance and blood sugar dysregulation have marked disruptive effects on sleep, and can contribute to the development of sleep apnea.  Sleep is one of the most fundamental activities required for optimum mental health, so sleep disturbance feeds the negative spiral into worsening health for patients suffering from depression and diabetes.

By addressing lifestyle factors including diet (primarily, removing refined carbohydrates from the diet and adding in protective antioxidants and polyphenols from fruits and vegetables, as well as appropriate amounts of protein), exercise levels (implementing realistic movement goals appropriate for each patient), and sleep (making sure you’re getting restful, rejuvenating sleep), we at the Mind-Body Center aim to help you feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically.  We’ve also noticed that weight loss, an alert mind, regular and sustainable energy levels, and clear skin happen to be pleasant side effects!

from:    http://www.mindbodycenterforintegrativemedicine.com/#!Depression-and-Diabetes-Too-Much-in-Common/f7zb9/5748c3d20cf25d206f8bce03