Top 10 Bizarre But True Drugs And Their Effects

JAMIE FRATER APRIL 1, 2009

Seeking the ultimate high, people have ingested all kinds of bizarre chemicals and plants through history. Fortunately they have related (those who lived anyway) their experiences so we can now recount them to you. Prepare to be shocked by some of the contents on this list – you will almost certainly not know the drugging abilities of the majority of these. They may not be the most pleasant alternatives for when you run out of weed, but they certainly work. This list starts off with quite a bang, so get reading.

10

Anafranil (clomipramine)

Anafranil is an anti-depressant that causes people to have orgasms every time they yawn. Yeah. No joke. A 1983 article in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry found a case of a woman in her twenties who came every time she yawned! She even used it to her advantage: “She found she was able to experience orgasm by deliberate yawning.” This is one drug that had better not be outlawed. Now I just need to find a doctor willing to prescribe it!

9

DDT

Yes, this pesticide – which has now been made illegal in many countries, can produce feelings somewhat like Ecstasy (Hear that environmentalists?? You inadvertently banned a great hallucinogenic-drug!) A popular cocktail was made during the ’50s (called the Mickey Slim) was made by adding a small amount of DDT to gin! In the image above we see two women getting utterly stoned on DDT.

8

DIPT

DIPT is a tryptamine that affects auditory (sound-based) functions. Users experience things such as voices on the radio being lower in pitch than usual, music sounds distorted, and some people experience light hallucinations. The drug can cause the odd feeling of being bloated, but if you take an antacid immediately after consumption, it usually solved the problem. During the drugged experience, some users also claim to hear a constant ringing in their ears – this can (unfortunately) last for up to two weeks.

7

Saffron

Saffron is a flower used as a food additive. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Substances states that the orange-yellow flower “…is known to have…narcotic effects similar to those of opium.” Saffron actually has an ancient history of use as a drug – the Ancient Minoans used to drink a tea infusion of it to get high and the Persians and Greeks considered it an aphrodisiac. The Romans and Egyptians used it in various medicines.

6

Catnip

It’s not just for cats anymore! Many who have smoked it say that it gives a mellow, pot-like buzz. Though most warn that you should not get your hopes up too high. It leaves a minty aftertaste and is apparently much easier to smoke than pot (and doesn’t cause coughing).

5

Xenon (Xe)

Xenon is a heavy, odorless, inert gas that can be found in the Earth’s atmosphere, lasers, gas-discharge lamps, medical imaging, in the process of creating nuclear power, for protein crystallography, in the production of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), and for anesthesia. Naturally, most anesthetics – like nitrous oxide and Novocaine (which is made from cocaine), have hallucinogenic side-effects. It’s effects are said to be like that of nitrous oxide, except without the auditory-effects and the “headachiness”. One anonymous user on the web-site “Lyceaum” said that it gives the user an ability to, “…zero in on ‘singularity’ thoughts and memories and hold them for ‘sentimental orgasms’…”

4

Various Venoms and Poisons

Many poisons (such as arsenic and strychnine) and venoms have been known to have hallucinogenic (and sometimes beneficial) effects! Mountain-climbers in late-19th-Century Austria regularly consumed arsenic to, “…obtain healthy and sturdy looks…to appear strong and robust…”, and to “…facilitate breathing while climbing…” (Baron Ernst von Bibra.) In the 1902 book, “Morphinism and Narcomanias From Other Drugs”, it even says that a person can develop an addiction to arsenic. As for venom, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Substances states that “…Holy men in India smoke cobra venom for its psychoactive effects. [T]heir dried venom glands or crystallized venom is often mixed with cannabis.” The Encyclopedia also reveals that ten Native American tribes in California were known to swallow live ants as a way of inducing hallucinations! The ants bite the stomach-lining, injecting their venom, and can be vomited while the ants are still alive.

3

C-4 Explosives

As everybody knows, C-4 is a very effective explosive (1.34 times more explosive than TNT!). But is it a drug? According to the book titled Uppers, Downers, All-Arrounders, it is! The authors state: “Modern veterans have been known to ingest C4…for their psychedelic effects. Tremors and seizure activity can result, but usually not an explosion, as it takes a blasting-cap to set off the chemical.” No joke. In fact, the Marine Corps training document on explosives includes the following caution: “Do not ingest any explosive material!”

2

Urine

At one time, Eskimos and tribes in Siberia were known to consume the urine of another person who had consumed fly agaric mushrooms (amanita muscaria). They did so for several reasons: Firstly, since there wasn’t an infinite supply of mushrooms, this approach help to conserve and economize them. Not only would drinking the urine of someone who had consumed the mushroom get you high, but also drinking the pee of the person who had drunk the first “batch” of urine would get you high! And so forth and so on, going up to 5 different “generations” of people! An added benefit was that pre-digested mushrooms didn’t cause as much nausea and cramps as just eating them directly. They loved this high so much, that they would butcher and eat reindeer who had also eaten fly agaric for a contact-high!

1

Salamander Brandy

No, it is not an alcohol made from salamanders, but rather from what they produce. Salamander brandy obviously can’t be found in your local liquor store. It is non-commercially produced in Slovenia. There are at least two ways of making it – both of which involve animal cruelty: (1) The salamanders are hung from their back legs, and brandy is poured onto their bodies, and drips into a cup. (2) The salamander is placed on a sieve, and brandy is poured onto them until they drown. The point of this is to infuse the alcohol with the poison salamanders produce when they are defending themselves. Nonetheless, it is said to produce symptoms like LCD and Ecstasy combined, in addition to the effects of the alcohol (although, the alcohol content is particularly low)!

Bonus

Old Books

Alright, it’s not exactly old books – it is the fungi and molds that occasionally grow on them! Some of these molds and fungi are said to have hallucinogenic effects. Don’t go eating pages of old books right-off-the-bat, though. They usually also come with side-effects, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion!

Source: The Disinformation Book of Lists

JAMIE FRATER

Jamie is the founder of Listverse. He spends his time working on the site, doing research for new lists, and cooking. He is fascinated with all things morbid and bizarre.

How to Clear Your Mind and Soul of Negativity

Edited by Nicoletta Z.,

Many people have been through a lot in their life time. Negative seeds have been sown into their hearts and as they grow up these negative seeds begin to grow and get stronger and more difficult to get rid of. Its almost like planting an Oak tree seed, and leaving it to grow: it will grow and become big and strong, and the roots go so deep into the ground it is almost impossible to uproot. If you follow these simple steps you can easily clear your mind and soul from negativity but you have to do it with an open heart, open mind and a spirit filled with hope.

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   Find faith in yourself. It is a good idea to get to know yourself above all. Forget about outside forces, pay attention to your life and your situation.
   Ad
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   JUST LET IT GO! People have the right to happiness (of course, that also includes you!), and just letting negative experiences be bygones helps quite a lot.
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   Let your mind, body and soul influence you along the path you should walk along.
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   Start to think more positively, and feed your mind and soul with positive words, positive people and positive things. But don't bury the thoughts in your heart where they mature into hatred and contempt. Share how you feel, with someone you trust.
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   If you feel weak or angry, go for walks at sunrise/sunset and breathe in the fresh air.
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   Take 5 minutes out of everyday to just lie down and reflect.
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   Try more physical/spiritual methods to calm down, such as meditation or or yoga, pilates etc.
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   Before you start working on your goals, read positive affirmations or listen to your favorite music. Do something to get your brain into a good, happy, positive mind set. 

 http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Mind-and-Soul-of-Negativity

Healing Spices for the Body and Spirit

Spices are not just a great way to bring flavor and aroma to our foods. Spices— like all plants — have certain unique properties. They have physical properties that affect us medicinally—improving our physical health and curing ailments.



They also have a metaphysical property— a power that is a life force and imparts on us certain spiritual vibrations. Next time you’re cooking something up, raid the spice cabinet and add a little spice to your food, and your life.

Cinnamon



Something found on just about every spice shelf in America, cinnamon has a pleasant fiery flavor that works well with not only savory but sweet dishes. Diabetics may be happy to know that cinnamon is believed to help reduce blood sugar levels. In Asia the bark of the cinnamon tree has been used to regulate the menstrual cycle and cramping.



Cinnamon is associated with the element of fire and ruled by the planet Venus, also closely associated with the goddess of the same name. Its heady scent is known to relax and release inhibitions and raise lustful vibrations.   Chili Powder



Chili peppers are a source of vitamins A and C, they're high in fiber and potassium and a good source for iron. Adding chili powder in small quantities to your food has been known to boost the immune system and help your body fight off diseases. This is no surprise, as the planet Mars, named for the god of war, governs this plant.



Keep chili powder not only on the shelf to add in small increments to spice up your foods, but also scatter it around the house when you feel you need protection. Just be sure to handle it with extreme care— it can be very volatile and as a skin and eye irritant.

Cumin



Cumin seeds were prized in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and are still found largely in Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. It has a nutty, smokey flavor and is especially delicious on meats. Cumin is a "cool" spice— it’s spicy without adding heat.



Eating it helps rid your body and blood of toxins and impurities so that your bodily systems function more efficiently and your spiritual vibration can rise to a higher level. It's also been used as a stomach cramp remedy. If you want to promote love and fidelity between two people, spice their food or wine with cumin.

Mustard



Whether you’re smearing it on your sandwich or sprinkling the ground seeds into your stew, mustard was considered by ancient healers to be something of a miracle drug. Mustard is an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, aids fertility in women, is a mild laxative and stimulates your circulatory system.



It’s been used to treat everything from high blood pressure to insomnia. Mustard has even been found by modern science to help prevent and slow the growth of cancer cells— it contains anti-cancer agents and chemicals like curcumin and selenium. As a spiritual benefit, consuming mustard improves mental clarity and the ability to think.

Turmeric



Popular in southern Asia, turmeric is a gold-yellow spice with a warm, peppery bite to it. Turmeric is hailed for its healing properties by yogis and holistic healers. It is a strong anti-oxidant and can help lower cholesterol. It’s also a natural anti-inflammatory remedy. Some arthritis sufferers swear by adding turmeric to their plate. Turmeric has long been used spiritually for purification—just eating food with some turmeric in it is a spiritually purifying act.   http://www.psychicsuniverse.com/articles/psychic-insight/health-healing/healing-spices-body-and-spirit#

The Spirit of Food

by Nan Lu

It’s a deep question: Why is food medicine? Food is sunlight; it is water and earth in condensed form. The sun, the moon, all the planets and stars—the elements of the universe come together to create food. So in the very highest sense, food is pure Universal medicine. We’re just not taught to look at it this way, from a spiritual perspective.
Every food or herb that appears on this planet exists for a specific purpose. They grow from a tiny seed to the fullest peak of their energy. You can say that at this point they have fulfilled their destiny. They are ready and capable of transferring the message of Universal love to anyone who eats them.

Chinese Barley Salad. Photo Courtesy of Nan Lu. 

We can connect to the spirit or essence of food because we come from the same source: Nature. In our genetic code, we all have the memory—passed to us through many, many generations—of how to use the foods and herbs in Nature to nourish our bodies and keep them healthy. Our bodies are so intelligent. They have the wisdom to recognize and process the loving energy of foods and apply them for healing purposes. Quantum physics confirms what Chinese medicine has known for millennia—everything is connected. There is an underlying inherent unity in this reality and being separate is an illusion. At this invisible level, our bodies know the unique language of food. And the energy or consciousness of food can help stimulate the memory of our own healing ability that lies within everyone’s body.
Throughout time, this is the relationship humans have built up with natural foods and herbs. For thousands of years, Chinese medicine has used this special energy connection for healing by prescribing food as medicine. It has long understood that the spiritual aspect of food—the true healing “ingredient”—goes far beyond physical properties like nutrients, calories and vitamins. Each food has an energy essence that travels to and through specific meridians, or energy pathways in the body, to heal particular organs. Through their incredibly deep connection to Nature and high level of personal practice, ancient practitioners were able to perceive exactly how each food and herb moves in the body and “see” just how each one affects the body, mind and spirit.
To give one simple example, watermelon, a popular summertime fruit in the West, has been used for very specific healing purposes in Chinese medicine for millennia. It has a cold essence that enters the Liver*, Heart, Bladder, and Stomach meridians, relieving thirst and decreasing internal heat. Watermelon also releases toxins from the body and is very beneficial in the treatment of diabetes, kidney infections, liver disease, and heart conditions, including high blood pressure. So you can see that it has capabilities that extend way beyond being just a refreshing fruit!
Chinese medicine classifies two categories of healing foods: one includes foods that are typically part of our everyday diet: vegetables like broccoli, celery and carrots; fruits such as apples, pineapples and pears. The other category includes foods and herbs that are not eaten on a regular basis and are prescribed in certain amounts, often for specific periods of time: ginseng, goji berries and germinated or malted barley (sometimes called “Chinese barley”) are examples of these kinds of foods.

© Stanislaff | Stock Free Images &Dreamstime Stock Photos

One major principle of Chinese medicine is that we are part of the universe and always connected to Nature. The healing power within Nature is available to us as a great gift to use during our lives here on Earth. Its energy and changes impact us, as we impact it. If we are so deeply connected to this unlimited power source, why can’t we always make full use of this tremendous healing potential? Why do we get sick? How do we become overweight?
The truth is that to get support from the universe our bodies must be in balance and function well; all the organs must work together in harmony. When things function in harmony there is a continual, unconscious exchange between them. This automatic energy transfer happens naturally within our bodies and between our body-mind-spirit and Nature. So if we want to maximize the healing potential within food, and be truly healthy, we must first be in a state of balance and harmony. We need to be open and able to receive from our side of this miraculous connection.
From the Chinese medicine perspective, without a strong digestive system, no matter what you eat you will not be able to receive the maximum benefit. In other words, you will not be able to extract and then process even the physical nutrients needed for healing. And when Chinese medicine speaks about the digestive system, it means several organ systems that must work in harmony. The Stomach processes foods, and its partner organ, the Spleen, extracts the nutritive essence and sends it to the Lung, which in turn sends the essence to all the other organs. Many organs are involved in digestion and they themselves also depend on good digestion to gain the right amount of energy to function properly. If one organ is weak or out of balance, the entire process can become impaired. The organs are that interdependent in terms of function.
How do we fall out of balance and harmony to begin with? The answer lies within each person who asks themselves this question. And the answer is always accessible—if you believe you can find it. Faith and perseverance also help find it. Many people have heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” This statement about food is true, yet there is another level operating that many people are unaware of: “You are what you think.” Sometimes we feed ourselves a steady diet of negative thoughts and emotions which we then associate with our body, our mind or spirit. It’s important to know that our thoughts feed our spirit; our emotions impact our body and health. We can ask ourselves how we really want to feel. And we can create what we want in our lives.
Chinese medicine has many natural, safe and effective modalities that can address issues of the body, mind and spirit. Healing programs like Traditional Chinese Medicine’s long-running Dragon’s Way® Program teaches people how to apply in their daily lives ancient principles of Chinese medicine and natural law, to approach food from a spiritual perspective, and to use self-healing systems like Qigong to build energy, lose weight, manage stress and balance the body so that the body-mind-spirit connection can deepen.
If we look at food from the spiritual point of view there is no need to force anything, to feel guilty about what we eat, to deny or ignore the important messages our bodies are trying to send us through symptoms or dis-ease. This approach to food changes our relationship to food— and to ourselves. We can use this kind of thinking as a special technique to gain maximum support from the universe for our own healing journey. Eating this way—eating for healing—creates many benefits, especially on the body-mind-spirit level. Food is medicine because it is Light, and ultimately comes from the source of all and the source of all true healing.
* In Chinese medicine, when the names of organs are capitalized, they denote a broader definition of the organ, one that goes beyond solely physical characteristics to include spiritual, emotional and mental aspects.

Nan Lu

Nan Lu, OMD, LAc, is the founding director of TCM World Foundation and its sister organization, Tao of Healing, both based in New York City. He is clinical associate professor at the School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Lu holds a doctorate from Hubei College of TCM, China, and is a Lac. In New York State. Classically and university trained, he is a master herbalist as well as an internationally recognized Taiji expert and Qigong master, and is a best-selling author of three TCM books published by Harper Collins. Dr. Lu’s specialties include women’s health, cancer and immune system disorders and he frequently partners with doctors of Western medicine using a complementary approach. He advises and lectures extensively on TCM, preventive and integrative medicine and has been an invited speaker at major conferences, (www.tcmworld.org; www.tcmconference.org; www.breastcancer.com).  Contact: Kristen Park   973.378.8864. kristenpark@optonline.net

Qi Gong for Healthy Joints & Bones with Lee Holden

Qi Gong for Healthy Joints & Bones with Lee Holden

http://www.rtbot.net/play.php?id=ZSPAMRmh8AM

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Healing Powers

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Healing Powers What is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of healing from China. While TCM is regarded as an alternative medicine system in the West, in China and other Asian countries, it is practiced widely by the locals. Medical practitioners are trained in the diagnostic and healing techniques with centuries of tradition and philosophy. Like naturopathy, TCM is holistic. It considers all aspects of the person including physical, nutritional, emotional, mental and spiritual for diagnosis. TCM is based on the balance of opposing elements (the yin and yang) in the body, as well as their harmony with the environment around it. The two main forces of yin and yang combine to form the "qi" (pronounced as "chee") or universal life force. When qi is in harmony, health is not only enhanced but also the capacity for fufilment, happiness and well being. Disease and illness arise from imbalances of yin and yang that block the proper flow of qi. Therapies to treat disease are aimed at restoring the balance and unblocking the flow to restore health. TCM is primarily non-invasive. TCM treatments include the use of Chinese herbs, acupuncture, meditation, Chinese massage therapy, mental and physical disciplines such as Tai Chi and Qigong and nutritional therapy. Practitioners will attempt to realign the body's balance using a combination of treatments before suggesting surgery by a Western Doctor. Most research into the effectiveness of TCM has been conducted on acupuncture. Although it has been difficult to conclusively prove the benefits of acupuncture, the results of large-scale studies are sufficiently convincing enough for FDA to consider the tradition "promising" and worthy of further study. In addition, it has been proven that many herbs used in Chinese medicine have therapeutic benefits. For instance, ginseng and Echinacea are both powerful herbs with strong medicinal actions. More recently, there has been some acknowledgment that Chinese massage therapies do help to manipulate muscles, nerves and tendons. There are many criticisms of TCM as a form of healing. Most TCM methodologies have no research basis and remain largely unproven. Also, some of the TCM beliefs have been mixed with Eastern mythology. For instance, tiger penis is used as an energy supplement as tigers are considered energetic animals. Whether it really helps to boost energy levels remain unsubstantiated by proper research. Most of the Chinese herbs are also not regulated. This makes it more important to consult with a reputable and reliable TCM practitioner. However, aside from the criticisms, there is much merit in the philosophy of TCM. healing. If more research can be done into TCM, then the mythology can be separated from the facts and perhaps, more people will embrace TCM more readily as a form of healing. Chinese Herbal Medicine Of our earliest ancestors, the Chinese have made it a point to incorporate nature’s garden into the world of medicine more than any other culture, still adhering to the mindset of the importance of Chinese herbal remedies to this day. Although many cultures have traditionally used seeds and plant parts in their remedies, China has alleviated ailments using herbs since around 5,000 BC. Having amassed this knowledge for thousands of years, the Chinese have mastered the art of cultivating herbs for medicinal purposes and other cultures look to them for insight into how a diagnosis can be treated through the use of herbs. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is heavily relied on throughout the world by everyone from the common consumer to specialists in every field of medicine. The Chinese developed their system of medicine and herbal remedies to cater to the yin and yang principle, where the body should be in perfect balance and herbs deliver harmony to the person taking them. Instead of treating one symptom, as is commonly done in the Western world of modern medicine, Chinese herbal remedies seek to get the body back into a natural state of balance so that healing can occur and any imbalances are eliminated. In conjunction with herbs, the Chinese also incorporate acupuncture, massage, and a healthy diet into the concept of harmony for healing purposes. One Chinese Emperor is credited with the launch of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Emperor Shen Nong (2697 BC) began personally tasting and testing various plants and their parts to see how it would affect his body and could help others with ailments such as circulation improvements and urinary infections. Later on in history, Emperor Huang Ti developed what is now the world’s oldest medical textbook, called Nei Ching, which translates into Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine. Many doctors on a global scale still refer to this text today for insight on Chinese herbal medicine. Although Western medicine has had an influence over Chinese herbal medicine in the modern world, Traditional Chinese Medicine retains its strong influence as a powerful way to combine herbal treatment and technology. The Chinese strongly believe that your mind and body must be in sync to avoid illness, which is why they have mental health tied into herbal remedies. Western medicine separates the two into different categories, treating the mind separate from the body. However, Chinese herbal remedies are now being used to treat mental disorders, such as depression in the Western World. Citation: Disabled World News - Traditional chinese medicine or TCM is based on the balance of opposing elements the yin and yang in the body as well as their harmony with the environment around it: http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/alternative/chinese/#ixzz23gAPVQs1

Health Benefits of HONEY

Health Benefits of Honey

– Introduction Look, the thing I want to do now we’re talking about health benefits of honey is to give you some plain facts and get rid of all that hype you will see all over the internet, usually on web sites that are trying to sell you honey. If you buy some honey as a result of the information here – great! But actually the real reason for this web site is that I want to share with you my real fascination with bees and honey. One of the problems with honey is that it is a very complex substance.

According to the Nursing Times in 2008, a paper by Stefan Bogdanov of the Swiss Bee Research Center estimates that it contains some 600 components.
Even today, research hasn’t solved all of its mysteries. We have a whole history of stories going back literally thousands of years about how people have used honey to cure a wide range of ailments – but not all of these cures have so far been backed up by scientific research. At least not so far. New research is being carried out all the time.

 What this means is that some of the health claims made for honey, although not proven scientifically today, may be proven tomorrow. But of course there are many claims that will no doubt be discredited aswell. So what I’m going to do on this page is to take a look at some of the (as yet) unproven claims that people make for what honey can do, and then look at the health-giving properties of honey that for which we have some solid scientific evidence.

 First of all, though, let’s take a look at how we humans have used honey through the ages:

A Short History of Honey The first recorded use of honey that we know of is on a fragment of clay tablet found in Sumeria (now an area of southern Iraq), dating from about 2500BC. They had no paper in those days and used clay slabs instead to record just about everything, which is just as well because paper would have been long gone by now and we would never have known about this important civilization. Anyway, the text on this tablet describes an ointment for wounds where one of the ingredients was, you guessed it, honey.

By the time we reached 1500BC, the old clay tablets had gone the way of the steam engine and the Egyptians recorded everything on the world’s earliest paper, or papyrus. Miraculously, some of these records survived until modern times, don’t as me how, and one of them, known as the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus mentions the use of honey to heal wounds.

 Between 460 and 377BC the ancient Greek Hippocrates, known as the “father of medicine” described in his extensvie journals how he used honey combined with other natural ingredients for treating wounds, ulcers and even hemorrhoids. roman soldiers used to carry honey in their medical kits for dealing with wounds, and the use of honey in this way was common in India and China in ancient times. The Bible mentions honey many times, mainly as an essential food rather than a medicine, but the Koran, dating from about 650AD, mentions honey’s healing properties.

 Now we go to England – the year is 1403 and we are in a field just to the North of the medieval town of Shrewsbury where the infamous Battle of Shrewsbury battle is taking place.

The Royal surgeon John Bradmore, in his diaries known as the Philomena, tells us what happened to Prince Hal during this bloody battle. The prince received an arrow wound to the face and the arrowhead remained embedded in the wound (ouch). The surgeon had a special pair of iron tongs made which he planned to insert into the wound and screw into the socket at the back of the arrowhead, allowing it to be pulled out. To get the tongs in, he needed to enlarge the hole, which he did by carefully forcing in wooden rods of increasing diameter infused with rose honey (double ouch!). Anyway, the plan worked, and the arrowhead was removed! The surgeon then applied an ointment of flour, barley, honey and oil to what you can imagine would have been a nasty wound. Soon, Prince Hal made a full recovery, and later went on to become King Henry V. Honey’s use in this way fell out of fashion in the Western world when alternative antibiotics were developed after World War II, but its use for treating wounds and burns in Africa, India and the Middle East has continued to this today. More recently, there has been a revival of interest in the West, mainly because of the growing demand for natural remedies, but also because honey has been shown to kill bacteria that are resistant to other drugs – but more on that later.

First, let’s take a quick look at some of the wild and wacky claims about honey: Some Health-giving Powers of Honey – Yet to be Proven!

Well, as far as I can tell, although there is anecdotal evidence of the following claims, I can’t find any hard evidence. If you know of any scientific evidence for any of these claims, please let me know straight away so I can update the information and keep this page accurate.

 In 1995, the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News published what was (I hope) intended as a humorous article making many wild claims about honey and cinnamon. (This is the newspaper that reported in 1999 how a Japanese woman had been living in wedded bliss for six years with a gravity-defying alien.) Anyway, these are some of the claims, none of which was backed by any evidence: Honey: strengthens the heartbeat and prevents heart attacks cures arthritis within a week cures toothache increases life-span and allows a 100-year-old to perform the chores of a 20-year-old causes weight loss because it does not allow fat to accumulate even if a high-calorie diet is eaten makes the elderly more alert and flexible cures deafness cures bone and stomach cancer within one month If only… What’s really funny about the claims from this one satirical article is that you will find them quoted word-for-word as FACT on literally thousands of web sites – many of which are trying to sell you honey. Unfortunately, I can offer you no evidence to back up these claims, so without further delay I think we’d better return to planet earth and take a look at some of the benefits of honey that are supported by hard evidence from the scientific community:

 Honey as a Treatment – The Facts I have a whole separate article on the subject of if you are looking for information on honey as part of your diet, but here I want to look at its healing properties when it’s used as a treatment: Healer of cuts and wounds: a trial on 59 patients with wounds and ulcers was conducted by S. Efem in 1988 and reported in the British Journal of Surgery.

Honey straight from the hive was applied to the wounds daily, and 58 out of 59 cases showed “remarkable improvement”, with any infections cleared within a week. The one patient who did not respond had an ulcer infected with mycobacteria for which the honey was found to be ineffective.

Professor Peter Molan of the University of Waikato in New Zealand, the proclaimed researcher into honey and its effects, has published many papers on the subject. He has shown that honey has several properties that help wounds to heal. Wounds heal faster when they are kept moist. This often causes ideas conditions for bacteria to grow.

Honey attracts water and makes a moist pool over the wound, which is idea for healing, but this moisture does not cause bacteria to grow as it usually would, because the honey kills the bacteria. Also, when honey is used between a dressing and the wound, it stops the healing wound from sticking to the dressing, so when the dressing is changed, there is less risk of damaging the healing wound. Sore throat soother: honey has been used to soothe coughs and sore throats for a very long time, and may come back into favor for children following advice in 2007 from the US Food and Drug Agency that over-the-counter cough medicines should not be given to children under two because it is to easy to give an overdose in such tiny bodies.

 This was followed in 2008 by advice from the regulatory body for medicines in the UK, the MHRA, that honey and lemon should be used instead of these medicines for this age group. Having said all that, you should know that current FDA advice is that you don’t give honey to a child under 12 months old, so what you are supposed to do to soothe a cough in that agegroup?

 Now, ask 100 people what natural remedy you would use for a cough, and I bet you at least 75 will say “honey and lemon”. That’s why it pains me to have to tell you that despite all the research into honey, I can’t find hard evidence that honey is better than over-the-counter medicine on coughs and sore throats. There is a 2007 study by the U.S. National Honey Board, comparing honey, dextromethorphan (the active ingredient in many cough medicines) and no treatment at all. This study was picked up by the press and you will find it mis-reported all over the internet as evidence that honey is more effective than dextromethorphan in treating coughs. I am here to tell you that this study found no such thing.

The difference between the results for the honey and for the conventional medicine were statistically insignificant. The study DID find that honey produced better results than “no treatment” – BUT this study was seriously flawed because those receiving “no treatment” knew they were getting no treatment as they were not given any dummy medicine, and the rating of improvement in the cough was by parents completing a survey. Now I’m not against honey – as you know, I love it!

I would like nothing more than to tell you all how good honey is for coughs. But I’ve built a reputation for straight-talking when it comes to the health benefits of honey, so I’m taking great pains here not to mislead you. What we certainly do have is hard evidence that honey is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, but that’s not quite the same thing as proving it will sooth a cough or sore throat. Look – all I can say is this: people have been taking honey for coughs and sore throats all over the world for centuries, and many say it works for them.

FDA advice is not to give honey to babies under 12 months, and those with a honey allergy should avoid it – but if you’re not in these groups, it’s not going to harm you, so you can always give it a try and make your own mind up. Healer of burns: a study carried out over the six-year period from 1987 to 1993 on 450 patients, by M.Subrahmanyam at the Solapur Medical College, India, claimed that burns healed faster and with less scarring than with conventional treatments. Antibactierial agent: A 1998 report for the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (the equivalent of the US Food and Drug Administration) noted the four antibacterial attributes of honey: low water content, acidity, hydrogen peroxide content, and other “uncharacterised” antibacterial compounds.

 In 1999 the same Administration approved honey for medical use. Medical honey is now sold as a wound dressing in pharmacies there. Immune system booster: It was reported in the journal “Medical Oncology” in 2006 that a trial on 30 cancer patients had been carried out using a brand of honey called “Life Mel”.

Chemotherapy often causes a low white blood cell count, leading to higher possibility of catching infections, and this is usually combatted with conventional drugs.

All 30 patients had suffered with low white blood cell counts during previous batches of chemotherapy, but when honey was taken during the trial chemotherapy period, 12 of these patients did not develop abnormally low white blood cell counts and therefore did not need any drug-based treatment for this condition. This is of course a very small trial. Killer of drug-resistant bacteria: In 2008 the journal “Clinical Infectious Diseases” reported a study by the University of Amsterdam in which medical-grade honey was shown to be extremely effective in killing bacteria on the skin.

 This study concluded that honey would be effective in killing even drug-resistant bacteria. This was confirmed by a Northern Ireland study by Yasunori Maeda and others, reported in 2008 in the “Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice” journal. This new testtube-based study applied several types of honey to CA-MRSA organisms (a known drug-resistant bacteria).

 In all cases the MRSA was destroyed by the honey within 24 hours. Cancer preventative: In 2004 the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) reported a trial at the University of Zagreb in which mice were injected with cancerous cells and fed honey. Some of the mice were fed honey for 10 days before they were injected with the cancer, and some were fed after they were injected with the cancer. The cancer was shown to be less likely to spread in the mice that had been fed with honey before the cancer was introduced.

Unfortunately, when the honey was given after the cancer had been introduced, secondary cancer growth was more likely to occur. So we have a mixed message here and those involved in this trial recommended more thorough and widespread research into honey and cancer. So there you have it. There have been enough studies and trials to establish beyond all doubt that honey has some important health benefits. But remember, if you find yourself reading some wild claim or other about honey, take a look to see if it’s backed up by reputable scientific research. http://world-of-honey.com/benefits-of-honey/health-benefits-of-honey/

Make PEACE not war

Gem bracelets good for health

Turquoise symbolizes our source (spirit/sky) and spiritual love for healing and helping. It is known as the stone which connects heaven and earth. Balancing Yin and Yang, energizing the meridians and cleansing/clearing the Aura. Turquoise is used at the Third Eye Chakra for increasing our psychic connection to great spirit through intuition and allows for much deeper meditation. This bracelet is made from turquoise and fashioned into multiple diamond-shapes symbolizing perfect symmetry. The diamond-shape vibrates toward harmony. This makes it an excellent shape for meditation healing or finding a peaceful purpose. As this shape also vibrates toward the solidity of Earth, it's a good bet for magical intentions involving prosperity and abundance, and issues of the family, home, and hearth.

Obsidian is a strong grounding stone and is known as "the protector". It is said to "mirror one's soul. This stone brings about objectivity, dis-attachment and is grounding. It reduces fantasy and escapism. Absorbs and dissolves anger, criticism, fear, and therefore is protective. This unusual black stone absorbs darkness and converts it to white light energy. It is a warm and friendly stone, which is used at the Root Chakra, encouraging ones survival instincts and is grounding. Black obsidian brings higher Chakra light into lower ones; cleanses and uplifts. Changes fear into flexibility with the advent of change. The diamond-shape vibrates toward harmony. This makes it an excellent shape for meditation healing or finding a peaceful purpose. As this shape also vibrates toward the solidity of Earth, it's a good bet for magical intentions involving prosperity and abundance, and issues of the family, home, and hearth. Obsidian is used for transformation.

The Preseli bluestone is the stone that was used at the Stonehenge standing stones. This stone only occurs in one place in the entire world, Carn Meini in the Preseli Mountains. This site is now protected and stones can no longer be taken, but the stones that are being sold were mined many years ago, before this law took effect. That makes them a unique item because eventually they will run out. The properties of Preseli stone include help with dream Work, past life recall, will power, spiritual gift enhancer, powerful as a meditation stone and has been used for protection, energy enhancer, dowsing and for receiving messages. Keep a piece close to you in your working environment or under your pillow.

Lapis Lazuli symbolizes intellect and is a powerful thought-amplifier. It is helpful in aligning all the elements of the body and mind. Can increase psychic abilities and will open the third eye. Can guide you in the direction of mental and spiritual purity. It should be worn as close to the body as possible as the energy of the wearer is drawn upward. Lapis organizes and quiets mind. Opens Throat/Thyroid Chakra and helps on fronts of self-expression, writing, creativity, dream insight, allows total awareness. This bracelet is made from Lapis and fashioned into multiple square-shapes symbolizing the physical world. Like the quartered circle, it directs its user to the power of the four compass directions: north, east, south and west.

Garnet symbolizes faith, love, devotion and trust. Garnet is most famous for balancing our emotional states. Therefore, garnet is one of the best stones for soothing emotional stress and balance. Garnet is a stone of passion. It is given as a gift of love's attraction, a gift of estranged love or a gift of quick return. Red represent love and helps the aspirant to strive for improvement in moral conduct. Garnet has been used for protection against the perils of travel. It encourages a strength and therefore, personal power, which increases success, a victorious attitude and sparks the energies of creativity. Garnet will show you the way out. It is the perfect stone for clearing the Emotional Layer of the Aura.

Ammonite is a stone of protection. It provides for insight and it helps to assist one in seeing the "whole picture." Gives stability to it's user. Since it is associated with the Root Chakra, it encourages ones survival instincts and is grounding. Believed to ease birthing pains and bring relaxation. It helps to remind us to keep breathing, due to its circular design. Ammonite is believed by Feng Shui masters to be associated to the scales of the mythical creature "Chi Lin" Therefore, it is said to be a powerful wealth stone and brings prosperity, grandeur and illustrious sons, similar to the potency of the Chi Lin.

Lepodolite is the stone of rebirth. Useful for transitions in life. Helpful in times of stress and coping with stress therefore, creating calm and relaxation. Lepidolite is used to help ease the transition from addiction. Gently eases intensity of our emotional feelings, mood swings, depression, manic-depression, worry, and anxiety. Brings hope, relief, gentleness, self-love, patience, self-forgiveness, unworried sleep, mental/emotional balance, and well-being. This stone is particularly good for students as it is helpful for studying, learning, manifesting, change and awareness. This stone is used for self-criticism, when we become down on ourselves, lepidolite allows us to see for ourselves who we really are and the potential that lies within us. Lepidolite balances Brow Chakra with new spiritual love. It speeds up decision making, stimulating the intellect and encouraging independence and free and clear thinking. Scanning this stone around the Aura will allow you to locate discomfort and dis-ease anywhere in the energy field.

Pearl is in tune with emotions, water, and women, especially pregnant women. Pearls are a symbol of pure heart and mind; innocence and faith. Because it is from the sea, it has watery and lunar elements, therefore it is used for balancing emotions, especially for water signs. Absorbing by nature, this mineral draws in thoughts and emotions and therefore, very nuturing. White mother of pearl represent purity, spiritual balance and can be used to engage the Crown Chakra. Remember, Pearl is the result of layer upon layer of substance produced to combat irritation, therefore, pearl can cool and soothe, protecting its wearer from all that is irritates our auric energy field.

The martyr stone, aptly named, due to the legend of this stone being at the foot of the cross and stained by the drops of blood from Jesus. Metaphysically, bloodstone is used to either promote a calm, tranquil atmosphere that is grounding or revitalize insufficient energy. A great stone for mental exhaustion. This stone represents both courage and strength and is used for achieving these attributes. It is associated with honesty and integrity and is useful in removing obstacles in life. A classic stone for wealth, it attracts abundance and good luck. Most effective on the Heart (green) and Root (red) Chakra. Bloodstone, also called "Heliotrope" (named for it's sun "red" glow - helios - setting over a green sea). Both colors are depicted in the cross. This is a modern version of the Coptic cross which can be traced to the Coptic ankh symbol and was adopted by early Christians, most notably Valentinus of Alexandria, Egypt.

Freshwater Pearls honor the Goddess in all women. In tune with emotions, water, and women, especially pregnant women, pearls are a symbol of pure heart and mind; innocence and faith. Pearl is the result of layer upon layer of substance produced to combat irritation. Pearl can cool and soothe. It is very nurturing. If using pearls in conjunction with other gemstones, consider amethyst to amplify and purify, or rose quartz, to bring love and open heartedness and aqua aura to bring negative energy out and disperse it.

Multi-colored fluorite is an important body balancer and healer. Opens heart (especially green). It initiates the Crown Chakra for clarity, overview, and seeing additional truths/realities. It is a wonderful crystal for detoxing, anxiety, insomnia. Benefits people with arthritis and rheumatism. Fluorite helps to rekindle sexual appetite and heighten intuitive powers. Assists in gaining spiritual awakening. Helps one become more aware of the higher levels of reality and can anchor and free one from overstimulation on the psychic plane.

Clear and Purple fluorite help with objectivity; clears the way for new things, uplifting, aura cleanse, 3rd eye, eyesight, sinuses; repels colds. Enhances other gems. Green fluorite stills mind and heart, harmonizes and recharges all Chakra. Green Fluorite is a valuable helper in grounding excess energies. Blue fluorite benefits the throat, nose, ears and is soothing and assists in Karmic impasses, unresolved issues, and atonement.

Rose Quartz can be used to facilitate emotional healing, ease loss, calm stress, relieve hurt, dissolve fear, help strengthen low confidence, resolves resentment and quells anger. Slowly eases childhood traumas/neglect/lack of love and low self-esteem. Rose quartz aligns mental, emotional, and astral bodies. It is deeply in tune with emotional states. Advantageous for the heart and circulatory systems.

Bracelet of crystals for healing

The first 3 chakras deal with material world issues and the top 3 are spiritual. The heart chakra bridges the gap between the 2 worlds within us.

red - root chakra - survival and sustenance concerns (money, shelter, food and basic material needs)
orange - sacral or naval chakra - physical desires, appetites and addictions
yellow - solar plexus chakra - power and control
green - heart chakra - love - clairsentience
blue - throat chakra - communication - speaking your truth and getting your message across, relating messages from spirit
indigo - brow chakra - clairvoyance
purple - crown chakra - divine guidance
clear crystals balance and harmonize the other colors

mahogany obsidian - root chakra
carnelian - sacral or naval chakra
citrine - solar plexus chakra
aventurine - heart chakra
blue lace agate - throat chakra
sodalite - brow chakra
amethyst - crown chakra
quartz crystal - balances and harmonizes all the chakra and gemstone energies

rose quartz - emotional healing, self-love and love attracting
clear quartz - programmed to attract love
rhodonite - self-esteem, confidence, manifests love energy
amethyst - divine love, psychic connection, transforms negative energy into positive
moonstone - balances emotions, increases intuition