Tag: Cancer

When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection

When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection Paperback – January 1, 2011

by Gabor Maté M.D. (Author)

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

“This is a most important book, both for patient and physician. It could save your life.”
―Peter Levine, PhD, bestselling author of In an Unspoken Voice

Now in paperback, the bestselling exploration of the effects of the mind-body connection on stress and disease.

Can a person literally die of loneliness? Is there such a thing as a “cancer personality”? Drawing on scientific research and the author’s decades of experience as a practicing physician, this book provides answers to these and other important questions about the effect of the mind-body link on illness and health and the role that stress and one’s individual emotional makeup play in an array of common diseases.

  • Explores the role of the mind-body link in conditions and diseases such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, IBS, and multiple sclerosis
  • Draws on medical research and the author’s clinical experience as a family physician
  • Includes The Seven A’s of Healing-principles of healing and the prevention of illness from hidden stress

Shares dozens of enlightening case studies and stories, including those of people such as Lou Gehrig (ALS), Betty Ford (breast cancer), Ronald Reagan (Alzheimer’s), Gilda Radner (ovarian cancer), and Lance Armstrong (testicular cancer)

An international bestseller translated into fifteen languages, When the Body Says No promotes learning and healing, providing transformative insights into how disease can be the body’s way of saying no to what the mind cannot or will not acknowledge.

The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life

The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life Paperback – Illustrated, March 9, 2020

by Arthur Firstenberg (Author)

50,000 copies sold!  Cell towers, Wi-fi, 5G: electricity has shaped the modern world. But how has it affected our health and environment?

Over the last 220 years, society has evolved a universal belief that electricity is ‘safe’ for humanity and the planet. Scientist and journalist Arthur Firstenberg disrupts this conviction by telling the story of electricity in a way it has never been told before―from an environmental point of view―by detailing the effects that this fundamental societal building block has had on our health and our planet.

In The Invisible Rainbow, Firstenberg traces the history of electricity from the early eighteenth century to the present, making a compelling case that many environmental problems, as well as the major diseases of industrialized civilization―heart disease, diabetes, and cancer―are related to electrical pollution.

Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing Paperback – September 1, 2014

by Anita Moorjani (Author)

In this truly inspirational memoir, Anita Moorjani relates how, after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body began shutting down—overwhelmed by the malignant cells spreading throughout her system. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience where she realized her inherent worth . . . and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was released from the hospital within weeks—without a trace of cancer in her body! Within these pages, Anita recounts stories of her childhood in Hong Kong, her challenge to establish her career and find true love, as well as how she eventually ended up in that hospital bed where she defied all medical knowledge. As part of a traditional Hindu family residing in a largely Chinese and British society, Anita had been pushed and pulled by cultural and religious customs since she was a little girl. After years of struggling to forge her own path while trying to meet everyone else’s expectations, she had the realization, as a result of her epiphany on the other side, that she had the power to heal herself . . . and that there are miracles in the Universe that she’d never even imagined. In Dying to Be Me, Anita freely shares all she has learned about illness, healing, fear, “being love,” and the true magnificence of each and every human being! This is a book that definitely makes the case that we are spiritual beings having a human experience . . . and that we are all One!

AN INTELLIGENT APPROACH TO MONEY COUNTING TODAY CAN SAVE HUMAN LIVES TOMORROW

AN INTELLIGENT APPROACH TO MONEY COUNTING TODAY CAN SAVE HUMAN LIVES TOMORROW

FADI ABU ZUHRI

INTRODUCTION

Contamination by pathogenic microorganisms is a major public health risk. People are working in dirty environments or engaging in work where there is body contact with pathogens which are a health hazard (Nasser & Alwakeel, 2012). In this context, manual handling of currency notes poses a special risk to public health, especially in places such as exchange houses, banks and casinos. Infectious diseases can easily spread through body contact with money.

Microbial contamination of money may be from different sources, such as accounting machines, work environment, storage, common usage, processing and printing (Alemu, 2014). Daily transactions that move currency from one point to another also pass pathogens. Alemu (2014) reports that the sources of contamination may be due to poor money processing and handling. There is a possibility that the notes might serve as a means of transmitting potentially pathogenic microorganisms in such environments. Money is exchanged while buying goods and services in the majority of the areas across the world. It is utilized in all types of trade, from ordering milk in a local store to trading in drugs and sexual services; each providing a fertile ground for pathogens to breed.

THE HAZARDS OF MONEY COUNTING MACHINES

Green, Selman, and Radke (2006) point out that the parasites in notes that have been identified as contaminating substances are mainly from faecal matter. If the hands are not properly washed after visiting the toilet, the tendency is that the contamination develops parasitic eggs and even diseases. Green, Selman, and Radke (2006) pointed out that the cause of infection could be from mismanagement of currency, such as fumigation during a ceremony when the money can be stepped over if it falls down. People dealing with notes pass some of their body odour on to the currency note, inadvertently transmitting bacteria to the next person. Furthermore, microfluidic contamination is also drawn from dust, water, soil and the ones handling the objects, which are often used to count the notes.

Currency can cause the transfer of bacteria and parasites from one person to another, for example by using wet fingers, saliva or contaminated water and eventually going back to the bank. The appearance of the pathogenic microorganisms creates a potential risk to consumer health. It is recommended that people should follow hygiene practices before handling food and water after contacting notes and counting machines. Abid (2012) argues that microorganisms are everywhere, so they have the ability to live on items like notes and counting machines. In general, even the contact of currency notes with the atmosphere can lead to environmental contamination. Money that carry pathogenic microorganisms is often a forgotten reservoir of intestinal diseases. In most developed countries, it is held that the concurrent handling of food and currency leads to higher chances of health damage (Abid, 2012).

According to Nasser and Alwakeel (2012), many people have no wallets to keep their money in and squeezed notes are distributed, particularly among women merchants, motorcyclists, drivers, meat producers, restaurant waiters and owners, and others. Men and women squeeze their money in socks, while women put it under the rug or carpet. Men and women in markets stuff notes in dirty pockets. Such currency handling can transfer microorganisms to the notes. In addition, the storage of money in polyethylene, cotton, and pelt bags in a damp and dim environment also contributes to the development of microorganisms.

According to Abid (2012), the presence of a heavy load of microorganisms may represent a potential risk to the health of the consumers. People are expected to rely on a hygienic application before taking food and drinks after interacting with money and counting apparatuses. Microorganisms are present everywhere, so they can contaminate money counting machines.

Neel (2012) point out that currency is probably the most handled object in the world every day by people. Money moves between clean hands and very dirty hands, and vice versa. The lower notes are the most handled, since they are exchanged several times. In addition, cross-contamination of the faecal waste, injuries, nasal discharge, sneezing and cough are possible sources of transferring the microorganism to the notes.

PREVENTIVE ACTIONS – AVOID GETTING ILL

Neel (2012) indicates that there are various ways of controlling the hazardous effects of microorganisms from money. Compressed air must not be used to clean counting machines and workplaces, since it can generate air pollutants. For cleaning it is necessary to use a vacuum cleaner with a high-quality particle filter. One can also use a damp cloth to clean the structures. One should not dry sweep the place. A qualified ventilation company must carry out the complete control of the heating, aeration and air conditioning, in support of the counting rooms, workplaces and rest areas. Necessary changes must be made to ensure adequate ventilation. The goal of the project should be to offer sufficient space with air conditioning and better ventilation for each area.

Green, Selman, and Radke (2006) suggest that people should improve cleanliness in places where money counting takes place. It is necessary to increase the cleaning frequency and all the ventilation openings, instruments, tables and other parts should be cleaned regularly with a damp cloth. Workers must wash their hands thoroughly before smoking, eating, drinking and after finishing the shifts as part of their personal hygiene. The workers should use gloves and masks on their faces to protect themselves from the microorganisms found on the currencies.

It is not just the germs that are carried in notes, people that count money within safes or secured closed environments are also exposed to fine particulate matter from the printing ink. Ordinary dust masks and hand gloves cannot offer adequate protection against airborne pathogens and fine ink that are very small in size.

There are three levels of filter efficiencies of masks – 95% (N95), 99% (N99), and 99.97% (N100 or HEPA filter) tested against aerosol (fine mist) droplets 0.3 microns in diameter. N95 type respirators are the respirators recommended for use by health care workers in contact with patients with infections (CCOHS, 2018). There are several resources freely available to better understand respiratory protection (OSHA, 2012; OSHA, 2009)

Yue et al. (2013) argue that Cordyceps is a well-known traditional medicinal mushrooms in China. Cordyceps attacks the larvae of some insect species and develops into sclerotium, from which it grows further. For this reason, Cordyceps can be useful to the people who use money-counting machines because Cordyceps can help killing microorganisms that are capable of causing various diseases to the money handlers, such as cancer.

CONCLUSION

Various sources have shown that currencies, money-counting machines and currency counting rooms of banks are contaminated with different types of microorganisms. The presence of various microorganisms in money counting rooms and counting machines may pose a potential risk to consumer health. The risk is not limited to bacteria; printing ink is also a source of respiratory problems for those engaged in money counting. For this reason, it is advisable to process money in a safe way so that it is not contaminated by dirt and pathogens.

Organizations that count a lot of money – exchange houses, banks, casinos for example, must manage currency with extreme care by ensuring removal of dirty money from circulation (Vriesekoop, et al., 2010). It is advisable to regularly disinfect money received in banks with ultraviolet light and formalin vapour. Counting coins and notes has been linked to incidences of cancer and Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) (Kiefer & Delaney, 2001; Kupeli, Karnak, Sak, & Kayacan, 2010). This validates the importance of having respiratory masks certified to a minimum of N95.

Based on the results of various studies, it is fair to say that money handling causes transmission of various microorganisms that cause diseases to people and some of these diseases can cause death. Thus, money counting today can be the reason for people to die tomorrow.

REFERENCES

1.Abid, H. S. (2012). Bacterial Contamination of Iraqi Paper Currency Notes in Circulation & Resistance of Pathogenic Bacteria to Antibiotics. Iraqi Journal of Science Iraqi Journal of Science , 53 (1), 245-8.

2.Alemu, A. (2014). Microbial contamination of currency notes and coins in circulation: a potential public health hazard. Biomedicine and Biotechnology , 2 (3), 46-53.

3.CCOHS. (2018, July 20). Respiratory Protection Against Airborne Infectious Agents for Health Care Workers. Retrieved July 21, 2018 from Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety: https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/respiratory_protection.html

4.Green, L., Selman, C., & Radke, V. (2006). Food Worker Hand Washing Practices: An Observational Study. Journal of Food Protection , 69 (10), 2417-2426.

5.Kiefer, M., & Delaney, L. (2001, Jan 09). Evaluation of exposure to contaminants during coin and paper counting activities. Retrieved July 21, 2018 from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2001-0109-2835.pdf

6.Kupeli, E., Karnak, D., Sak, S. D., & Kayacan, O. (2010). Hazards of the ‘hard cash’: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Can Respir Journal , 17 (5), 102-105.

7.Nasser, L. A., & Alwakeel, S. (2012). Bacterial and fungal contamination of Saudi Arabian paper currency and cell phones. Environmental Engineering and Management Journal , 11 (3), 72.

8.Neel, R. (2012). Multidrug Resistance of Isolates of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in Paper Currency Notes From Meat Sellers in Tanga, Tanzania. Int J LifeSc Bt & Pharm Res. , 1 (4), 9-13.

9.OSHA. (2012). Respiratory Protection. Retrieved July 21, 2018 from Occupational Safety and Health Administration: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/respiratoryprotection/training_videos.html#video

10.OSHA. (2009, Dec 16). The Difference Between Respirators and Surgical Masks. Retrieved July 21, 2018 from Occupational Safety and Health Administration: The Difference Between Respirators and Surgical Masks

11.Vriesekoop, F., Russell, C., Alvarez-Mayorga, B., Aidoo, K., Yuan, Q., Scannell, A., et al. (2010). Dirty money: an investigation into the hygiene status of some of the world’s currencies as obtained from food outlets. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease , 7 (12), 1497-502.

12.Yue, K., Ye, M., Zhou, Z., Sun, W., & Lin, X. (2013). The genus Cordyceps: a chemical and pharmacological review. J Pharm Pharmacol , 65 (4), 474-93.

COULD HUMANS BE MORE INTELLIGENT?

COULD HUMANS BE MORE INTELLIGENT?

FADI ABU ZUHRI

INTRODUCTION

Modern educational institutions have imposed an extraordinary importance on scientific learning to improve intelligence. In the search for higher intelligence this paper focuses on alternative methods such as Nutrition, Intermittent Fasting (IF), Meditation and Cold Showers. These have been found to influence human intelligence as well as overall well-being.

NUTRITION

What you eat is 85% of being well, while exercising accounts for only 15% of your health (Berg, 2017). Our aim should not be only to lose weight; rather it should be to stay healthy in order to lose weight. It is a popular saying that what you are is what you eat. In this section, the focus is on certain kind of foods and their impact on the human body.

One key area of health is digestion, in which nutrients are taken in and processed, and excretion, where waste is taken out of the body. People should eat food that is easy to digest, in order to promote better assimilation. If the digestion process is not healthy, the results are poor health and disease (iHealthTube.com, 2018).

Ketogenic Diet (KD) regimen is a diet containing low-carbohydrates, medium-protein and high-fat content. It is argued that maintenance of KD induces, as well as sustains, the body’s ketonic state. It reduces the levels of glucose in the body without leading to malnutrition or caloric restrictions (Zupec-Kania & Spellman, 2009).

A Ketosis Diet constitutes 170-200 gm (3-6 Oz) of fat, medium protein, and 7-10 cups (almost 7-10 Oz) of vegetables with no sugar and no processed carbohydrates (bread, pasta, biscuits, cereals, crackers, etc.), and is advocated to help fight cancer and other chronic diseases. Carbohydrates should be minimized to about 50 grams. Not to mention that Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is strictly out of the diet, just as plastic is not to be eaten by Humans. Berg (2017) emphasises that carbohydrates should be minimized and replaced with healthy fats and moderate protein. Berg (2018) points out that the body recycles its own tissues and so the body does not lose them, but conserves them. The body does not store protein as it stores other nutrients,thus the requirement for protein in the body is less (Berg, 2018).

It has been suggested that ketosis (key-tow-sis) may influence human intelligence. It mimics starvation by putting the body in the ketosis metabolic state. Normally, the human body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar or glucose. This glucose is then transported by the liver, used as energy by the body, or stored in the muscle tissue and liver as glycogen. When the body is deprived of carbohydrates, the only source of glucose supply for body organs comes from the liver. The brain is a greedy organ accounting for about 20 percent of the energy produced by the body. It cannot directly utilize fat for energy, rather it requires it to be converted into ketone to provide energy for normal brain cell metabolism. Ketone supplies increase the number of energy factories or mitochondria in the brain cells. Accordingly, a Ketogenic Diet works to directly inhibit the key source of neuronal stress. Reactive oxygen species are a cellular metabolism by-product. These oxidants are highly reactive because they contain a single electron. They wreck by denaturing proteins. Increased oxidants are the causes of neurodegeneration, stroke and aging. Ketones (that regulate normal cell function) play an important role of enhancing the breakdown of these molecules and inhibiting their production by increasing glutathione peroxidase activity. The low carbohydrate intake also works against the oxidation of glucose. The high fat nature of KD increases the Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) such as Eicosa Pentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosa Hexaenoic Acid (DHA), which are both over-the-counter medications promoted as healthy supplements for the brain. The increase in PUFAs works to minimize inflammation and the production of the oxidant.

Several clinical and animal experimental studies have shown that KDs may enhance cognitive functioning of an individual (Xu et al., 2010; Appelberg et al., 2009). For example, Appelberg et al. (2009) demonstrated that KDs could improve the cognitive recovery and motor coordination in rats with traumatic brain injury. In another study, Xu et al. (2010) demonstrated that KDs enhance memory and pro-cognitive functioning of young rats and normal, health and aged rats.

In a similar study involving mice with Alzheimer’ Disease (AD), KDs were shown to attenuate the accumulation and production of cytotoxic Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) products that were associated with the AD (Van, Wera, Van Leuven, & Henderson, 2005). KDs have also been shown to reduce the loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord and delay the onset of the loss of motor coordination (Zhao et al., 2006). Tai et al. (2008) also demonstrated that KDs could minimize the generation of seizure activity and neuronal cell death in experiment models of cerebral ischemia and stroke.

Anecdotal evidence have also shown that children with behavioural or development problems, treated using KD, show better cognitive functioning, improve behaviour and show increased alertness (Pulsifer et al., 2001; Nordli et al., 2001). Farasat et al. (2006) also demonstrated a therapeutic synergism between KD and social behavioural support, suggesting that emotional neurological pathways may play a crucial role in the efficacy of KD.

The Warburg Effect cited by Van Derschelden (2016) demonstrated that health cells can use ketone bodies as sources of energy from proteins. Van Derschelden (2016) also explained how patients with severe metastatic skeletal cancer who were given a maximum of three months to live, used KD to reverse the progression of cancer (Van Derschelden, 2016). Dr. Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1931 for his work on respiratory enzyme, in particular how cancer cells live on sugar (Nobelprize.org, 2014). In other words, restricting sugar in the diet might kill cancer cells.

Breast cancer cells have six times more insulin receptors than normal breast tissues. Cancer lives on glucose and thus, people who have breast cancer would benefit from a Keto Diet to cut off cancer. They could try to avoid sugary foods to keep the insulin low (Berg E., 2018).

Berg (2018) points out that the Keto Diet consists of three meals a day and intermittent fasting includes two meals and for some people, it is just one meal per day. The calories reduction does not go down at a certain rate, but they have their own rate of change, because when people reduce the frequency of eating, they start retaining more nutrients. When doing keto and intermittent fasting, people could try to keep carbohydrates at 20 grams per day (Berg E. 2018). Carbohydrates from vegetables are not counted. Berg (2017) also recommended certain supplements for those on KD and Intermittent Fasting, namely Minerals (Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium, & Calcium), and Vitamins (A, B1, B3, B5, D and K2).

The marine-based omega 3 (not vegetarian source) reduces the size of tumors by 60 to 70 percent and the numbers of tumors by 30 percent. Removing sugar from the diet only slows down the rate of cancer progression. Some little physical exercises every day could reduce the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease by 4% (iHealthTube.com, 2018).

Cortisol (the stress hormone) is a glucocorticoid hormone that is vital for the life of human beings. High cortisol increases the risk of disease and premature death. For one to lower the cortisol levels, he or she can meditate, correct electrolyte deficiencies, and supplement their brain with phosphatidylserine (Walker, 2018).

A high cholesterol diet has been linked to cancer. High cholesterol levels make the intestinal cells divide more quickly enabling tumors to form in the colon a hundred times faster than normal.

Fatty liver is a serious disease and linked to both alcohol consumption and non-alcohol reasons, such as a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Better nutrition is seen as a good preventive measure followed by limiting alcohol, managing cholesterol and reducing sugar intake (Natural Cures, 2018).

Are carbohydrates really a bad thing to be avoided? Most Asian diets are high on carbohydrates. A recent research claimed that women who intake low carbohydrates are 30% more likely to give birth to babies with defects of spine and brain (iHealthTube.com, 2018; Desrosiers, Siega-Riz, Mosley, & Meyer, 2018). The study was flawed on several counts (Harcombe, 2018). One cannot stress enough the importance of various lifestyle factors, ethnicity, gender and even health condition when deciding to go off carbohydrates. Perhaps balanced diet is what we really need. The diet that works for you today may not be good enough later in life. One always needs to adjust dietary needs based on where you are in your life’s journey. It is equally important to be aware of your personal health by regular check ups that could include blood, hormone and organ health.

INTERMITTENT FASTING

Intermittent Fasting starves the brain of glucose, demanding the conversion of fat into ketones by the body. It challenges the brain by imposing caloric restrictions. This forces the human body to switch to the optional fat stores and convert them into ketones.

Previously, Intermittent Fasting was largely associated with weight loss. However, recent studies have shown that this type of regime can potentially improve learning capability and memory, as well as reduce the risk for cancer and cardiovascular diseases (Varady, & Hellerstein, 2007). It is observed that fasting, which translates to caloric restrictions, helps kick-start body protective measures. These measures counteract the uncontrolled excitation signals and facilitate the healthy functioning of the brain. It was further revealed that fasting induces beneficial neurochemical changes in the brain and brings several benefits.

First, fasting challenges the brain by restricting calories. The brain induces the production of stress response pathways in response to this challenge. These pathways enable the brain to cope with disease risk and stress. The changes occurring in one’s brain during fasting often mimics those changes that occur during regular exercising, as both increase the production of neurotrophic factors, notably utilizing protein in the brain. In return, these neurotrophic factors facilitate the connection between neurones, their growth, and enhance the strength of brain synapses. Varady and Hellerstein (2007) explained what happens in the brain during Intermitted Fasting noting that the cognitive challenge induced by intermitted fasting activates neuron-circuits and increase the levels of neurotrophic factors that promote the strengthening and formation of synapses and growth of neurons.

Secondly, Intermitted Fasting is thought to stimulate stem cells to produce new nerve cells in the hippocampus (Wu, 2014). Long periods of fasting, by patients undergoing chemotherapy, lower white blood cell count. It flips the regenerative switch inducing changes in the signal pathways in hematopoietic stem cells. It also promotes the regeneration of stem cells on the hematopoietic system (Wu, 2014). According to Wu (2014), fasting stimulates ketones production, which is a source of energy for neurons. It also causes increased number of mitochondria in nerve cells and neurons, which adapt the stress introduced by intermitted fasting. The increase in the number of mitochondria within the neurons helps increase their ability to create and maintain connections with each other (Varady & Hellerstein, 2007).

Fasting has been associated with the chemical in the brain called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is known to play a role in improving the overall cognitive functioning of the brain and in promoting the development and growth of nerve cells. It is indicated that during fasting the human body obtained energy from fat cells rather than from glucose, in order to stimulate its activities and the growth of brain cells. It converts fat stores into ketones and uses the ketones to stimulate BDNF production and to optimize memory building, learning and cognition (Varady & Hellerstein, 2007). This explains why individuals who fast tend to be alert and have an active part of the brain that is responsible for memory and fasting. Prolonged fasting is also known to regenerate the immune system and to protect against the damaging of the immune system (Varady, & Hellerstein, 2007). Intermittent Fasting diets have also been shown to improve memory and learning abilities (Young, 2017).

In summary, it has been suggested that combining intermittent fasting and limiting carbohydrates intake is a proven strategy to reduce risk of all chronic diseases, including cancer.

MEDITATION

Meditation is the approach to mind training in the same way physical fitness is the approach to body training. Meditation can involve daily mindful meditation, concentration meditation and moving meditation techniques. Concentration meditation entails focusing the mind on a single point or refocusing one’s awareness on a selected object of attention. Mindful meditation involves an individual observing thoughts as they wonder and drift through the mind. It is aimed at helping an individual to see how one’s feelings and thoughts move in certain patterns. Additionally, daily meditation practice involves a person cultivating compassion. Meditation has been linked to a number of benefits including less stress, deeper relaxation, feeling of well-being, less anxiety, lower heart rate, slower respiratory rate, less perspiration, lower blood pressure and improved blood circulation (Nidich et al. 2009; Rainforth et al., 2007; Anderson et al., 2008).

Meditation has often been associated with Spiritual Intelligence (SI). There are a number of things that happen when one meditates: meditation increases neurogenesis which increases the number of brain cells; it allows people to form more intimacy with their food; meditation slows down the body; it helps humans to let go circumstances and people that no longer serve them; it makes people stop judging themselves and accept themselves; it improves humans’ memory; it enables mankind to give up stress; it improves the cardiovascular health and boosts the immune system; it makes people stop blaming themselves; and finally helps people to stop living in the past and focus on the future (Smart, 2016).

Meditation has been linked to human intelligence in several ways: enhancing Emotional Intelligence (EQ), increasing brain size, boosting memory, facilitating the working together of both brain hemispheres. Evidence further suggests that meditation improves human intelligence by creating a perfect condition for intellectual learning and growth in six different ways.

Firstly, meditation balances the right and left-brain by synchronizing the two hemispheres of the brain. In this way, it allows greater processing capability and faster neural communication. By making the creative right brain and the logical left-brain work in harmony, meditation makes it easy for an individual to solve problems, think deeply, magnify the focus and concentration and think more creatively. Brain synchronization has consistently been associated with successful individuals (Nidich et al. 2009; Rainforth et al., 2007).

Secondly, meditation increases the size of the brain by increasing the thickness of an individual’s neural “gray matter” in sections of the brain. This means that meditation makes an individual’s brain to think faster and smarter in the way exercising helps the muscles to become more enduring, denser and stronger. Accordingly, meditation has been pegged as the leading enhancer of the brain and that it can potentially increase levels of intelligence (Gard, et al., 2014).

Thirdly, meditation is reported to facilitate the development of very beneficial brainwave patterns. It is argued that meditation guides one’s brainwaves into beneficial frequencies, notably theta, delta and alpha. It is also associated with other benefits, including powerful idea generation, super creativity, overall intellectual capacity, and enhanced cognitive functioning. It is suggested that meditation is the easiest and best way for accessing these super beneficial states of the mind and that these states can transform an individual’s life in many different ways, including increasing intellectual quotient (Paul-Labrador et al., 2006).

Meditation is known to be an intuition and insight booster, and is believed to be critical to improve human abilities. It is also argued that this inner intelligence can be derived from listening and developing one’s inner voice. Alstott et al. (2009) argued that though this form of intelligence cannot be gauged with tests and quizzes, it is highly useful on all levels, as it stimulates creativity, insight, natural understanding and helps one to see beyond the identified five senses of experience.

Meditation is believed to improve Intelligence Quotient (IQ) by improving short-term and long-term memory. It is noteworthy that these two types of memory constitute the key component of IQ and intelligence. According to Anicha et al. (2012), meditation significantly increases the activity of the frontal brain lobe and the hippocampus, which are part of the brain responsible for memory. By stimulating these vital parts of the brain, meditation helps increase the capacity of short-term and long-term memory making it to be easier for one to undertake daily life, job and schoolwork.

Meditation is known to advance one’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ). According to Brewer et al. (2012) many people do not subject their emotions to reasoning and reasonably address them. Instead, outside circumstances hold people as prisoners. Colzato et al., (2006) emphasized that regular meditation gives an individual EQ enabling him or her to listen and tune into one’s feelings and work through them in a sober and calm manner. EQ also enables an individual to read the emotional clues of others and respond appropriately (Nidich et al. 2009; Rainforth et al., 2007). It has also been shown that meditation techniques combined with cold water therapy might be helpful to build and rebuild the nervous system.

Conte (2018) argues that the best way to meditate is to sit up by keeping the spine straight. While in this position, one has to close his or her eyes. The next thing to do is to focus on breathing by inhaling through the nose, holding it briefly and exhaling through the mouth.

According to Conte (2018), the brain can be strengthened by meditation, thus fighting fright response (anxiety) be minimized. People should allow thoughts while they are meditating. Just a few minutes of meditation allow the brain to focus on the present rather than the past (Conte, 2018). Conte (2018) also described how important it is to deal with anger. Anger itself is not the issue, rather it is an indication of deep seated pains, which if not treated, could lead to a continual cycle of losing temper.

COLD SHOWERS

Would it surprise you to know that a simple thing such as bathing in cold water could not only boost your immune system, but also make you more intelligent? Cold showers have been found to improve blood circulation, reduce depression, burn fat, improve sleep, improve fertility in men and lead to better emotional resilience.

A cold shower stimulates the brain’s blue spot that can help lower the chances of being depressed according to the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (Shevchuk, 2008). A cold shower helps to burn fat in the body. It also helps to improve the sleep of an individual. People across cultures switched to bathing in cold water, as it has been found to improve blood circulation and even fertility. A study by the University of California found that cold showers improve emotional resilience and immunity while aiding in recovery (Freeman, Johnson, Staudenmaier, & Zisser, 2015).

CONCLUSION

It is often said knowledge is power. Well, not really. Not unless you use knowledge effectively. This paper brings together a wealth of alternative therapies that show how easily anyone can not only boost their intelligence, but also improve overall health.

There are other approaches to healing worth mentioning here for those who want to delve deeper. The major ones worth mentioning are: Reiki (Usui, 2000), Paidalajin (Xiao, 2013) and Chiropractic (Palmer, 1910). Additionally, Martel (2014) has listed five steps to healing, namely: knowledge, openness, letting go, acceptance and action. He also goes on to explain why two people following the same therapy do not show similar results. Martel (2014) explains that the difference is due to behaviours and attitudes, and the understanding that we ourselves are the key to our healing. Not being aware of inner conflicts and fears is a major impediment to holistic health. Martel (2011) has a comprehensive dictionary of ailments and diseases and their psychological significance. Notably, he associated cancer with suppressed emotion, deep resentment, a difficult divorce, loss of job, loss of a loved one, desperation and deep resentment.

As a final note, not all human body types are the same (Berg, 2017). We even have different brain types (Andrian, 2015). What is actually working for you, might not work for someone else. We need to search our inner selves to know who we really are. This is the secret to happiness and a better quality of life.

Happiness would not be less, whenever cancer test is negative.

REFERENCES

  1. Alstott, J., Breakspear, M., Hagmann, P., Cammoun, L., & Sporns, O. (2009). Modeling the impact of lesions in the human brain. PLoS Comput. Biol. , 5.
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