Historical references to a universal energy field date back as far as 5000 B.C. to India where prana was considered to be the basic source of life. In China it was referred to as chi and was believed to be in all matter. Two polar forces were recognized, yin and yang. When these two forces were in balance one was considered to be healthy. More recently Western medicine has begun to recognize energy within the body with the advent of devices capable of detecting its effects in the body. Energy fields associated with the human body have been detected by electroencephalograms EEG, electrocardiograms ECG, and very highly sensitive devices such as superconducting quantum interference devices SQUID. Practitioners of alternative forms of health care often believe much of the illness we see in the human body is the result either a blockage of the flow of the energy of the body, or an imbalance in the energy from one side of the body to the other. When the energy balance is restored, the body begins the healing process. Often, symptoms seem to almost miraculously lessen or even disappear. Energy imbalance is the result of too much nerve energy being sent to a part of the body in response to pain or dysfunction. The body gets caught in an endless loop of trying to make corrections. The result is an imbalance in which the deficient side develops painful trigger points. These trigger points are formed in the areas where acupuncture meridians are located. Therapies have been developed using these points to release blockages of energy and allow the proper amount of energy to flow. One does not need to use needles. These are the same acupressure points used by massage therapist to release tension, increase blood flow, and strengthen the body’s natural life force to assist in healing.

When energy is flowing to one side of the body more than the other, it can be easily felt in the form of muscle tension. Nerve impulses are sent along the nerves to muscles and other locations in the body. In the muscles this naturally causes them to be more contracted. A muscle that is contracted is shorter than a muscle that is relaxed. As a result of the increased muscle contraction, one entire side of the body will often feel tighter. How can we balance this energy and cause both sides of the body to be equally relaxed? The method is simple.

Trigger points are located by their tenderness, and once located, gentle pressure is applied. The initial stimulation of the trigger point sends a signal to the central nervous system to send more energy to the deficient side. The side that was getting the excessive energy suddenly has energy diverted from it, and the deficient side begins to receive an increase in energy. After a short time, a balance is achieved. The body is then able to use its resources for healing instead of continually attempting to bring the flow of its energy back into balance.

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If you are one of the many turning your nose at poultry due to the threat of bird flu, you may be interested to know there are measures you can take in order to continue to eat your favorite foods. There have been contradictory reports on whether the virus has been spread from the consumption of undercooked poultry, but you should err on the side of safety in this regard to avoid becoming infected.

Interestingly enough, many of the bird flu precautions are the same precautions you should already be taking to avoid bacteria such as salmonella. A little common sense and good hygiene will go a long way in preventing infection.

The first and most obvious tip is DO NOT EAT RAW POULTRY! Aside from being disgusting, it is also dangerous. You should fully cook all meat you ingest. How do you tell if the meat is fully cooked? It should not retain any pink color, the juice should run clear, and the meat should reach a temperature of at least 70 to 75 degrees Celsius or roughly 165 degrees Fahrenheit. While freezing will not kill the disease, heat will – but only at sufficient temperatures. Therefore, you should be sure to thoroughly cook all poultry.

Other tips from the World Health Organization WHO include a few more of the basics. You should not handle raw meat without washing your hands thoroughly before and after with antibacterial soap, preferably; you should take special care not to cross contaminate cooked food and raw meat by allowing the two to come in contact, using the same knife or other utensils, or handling food without properly washing your hands; and do not place cooked food back on the same plate or dish it was on when it was raw. Each of these is basic information that applies to, not only poultry, but all meat.

Also, thoroughly wash all surfaces and dishes that come in contact with raw meat with antibacterial cleanser or soap. You should also avoid using raw or undercooked eggs in food preparation and cook eggs thoroughly they suggest cooking until yolks are no longer runny.

In handling meat, you should also remember that the bird flu virus is not killed by freezing; therefore, all precautions should also be taken in handling frozen poultry as though it had just come from the market. With these simple steps, you can feel comfortable ingesting poultry, free from worry about bird flu.

While medication has long been used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder, Behavioral Therapy has proven to be incredibly effective as well and is now being used in combination with its long utilized counterpart. There are many aspects of Behavior Therapy, but the overall purpose is to train the individual to improve their behavior and be more effective.

There are basically three principles to a behavior therapy approach set goals that are specific, provide consequences and rewards, and consistently utilize consequences and rewards. Basically, you should lay specific groundwork for acceptable and unacceptable behavior; when either is realized, the consequences, be them positive or negative, should be utilized consistently and continually.

Examples of consequences are time-out, which removes the child from their surroundings for a specific period of time; positive reinforcement, which rewards positive behavior; or a token reward system; which can be added to or taken away from depending on behavior.

There are more in-depth behavior modification techniques that should be utilized to help you child control their behavior. Remember, ADD children suffer from forgetfulness, inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and distractibility. Utilizing a system to reinforce the childs ability to complete daily activities in spite of these shortcomings will be the most effective. For example, keeping your child on a schedule is a very effective way to keep their activities organized. If they wake up at a certain time, get dressed, take baths, do homework and go to bed at specific times, they will begin to function out of habit, at which point forgetfulness and distractibility become less of an issue.

Likewise, organization helps a child with ADD stay focused and reduces key items being misplaced. Have a set place for books, backpacks, clothes, and toys so your child will react out of habit in returning these items. Typically, routines prove to be an effective treatment course for children with ADD.

You should also be aware of the difficulties your child has, such as distractibility. Limit external stimuli during times when concentration is necessary, such as homework time, or during times when attention is necessary, such as mealtimes.

Help your child stay on task with the use of checklists, charts, or organizers to track responsibilities and monitor progress; as your child ages, this will teach them to function on a daily basis regardless of their disorder. They will learn to write down important tasks and to keep track of things they must accomplish.

There has been a groundbreaking discovery in the field of health and nutrition. Though it has been featured in the media and become an underground buzz, it is still generally unknown. It is the anti-aging and health re-vitalizing power of a little Brazilian fruit, now declared the new 1 superfood the acai berry.

Before this recent finding the blueberry was acclaimed as the most nutrient rich food. It had been recognized for its extremely powerful antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants are essential for full body health. In the natural process of the bodys workings, cells are constantly metabolizing. This creates byproducts called free radicals. Free radicals are molecules missing an electron. A free radical will seek to stabilize itself and by stealing an electron from a healthy cell. This creates yet another free radical, causing more cell damage. The process snowballs as we age and eventually we begin to feel its effects at around age 35 or 40 – the domino effect of untreated massive cell damage. Things begin to go wrong.

As the unchecked flow of free radicals damages cells we begin to see degeneration, aging and disease. Free radicals can invade a cell wall, damage the DNA, and begin the process that can start cancer. They can invade the cell and cause the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, to slow down or stop working altogether. Depending on where this happens, it can disrupt many of the bodys natural systems – from neuronal firing to hormonal balance.

Antioxidants are molecules loaded with extra free electrons. By providing the body with a powerful source of external antioxidants, the free radicals are now able to stabilize themselves by getting their electron from the antioxidants instead of from your cells. This prevents further cell damage.

The blueberry is packed with anthocyanins, an antioxidant phytonutrient which is a far more powerful source of antioxidants than Vitamins A and E. Anthocyanins have been shown to neutralize free radical damage which can result in so many health conditions, such as cataracts, varicose veins, peptic ulcers, heart disease, cancer – the list goes on and on.

Blueberries have been recognized as being far more powerful in supplying antioxidants than wine. Now they have been replaced as the 1 nutrient rich, antioxidant packed anti-aging superfood by the acai berry pronounced ah-sigh-ee.

The acai berry contains the same antioxidant phytonutrients as blueberries, anthocyanins, except in FAR greater amounts. Blueberries have been shown to deliver 38 more anthocyanins than red wine. The acai berry has been shown to be an antioxidant 33 times more powerful than red wine and 5 times more powerful than ginko biloba.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone in his new book the Perricone Promise calls the acai berry the most perfect food on the planet. It rates 1 on his list of recommendations of the top ten ingredients to look and feel younger, enjoy revitalized health and decelerate the aging process.

The acai berry is also very unique, being packed with so many nutrients. It has amino acids, which is unheard of in fruits and vegetables in North America. It has the protein content of an egg, the essential fatty acids of olive oil and is rich in the A and B vitamins. It is a multivitamin food!

Ingesting it has incredible health benefits. Even if you are healthy you will probably notice positive effects as you introduce a more balanced nutrition to your body, including increased energy and mental clarity.

Antioxidants have been recognized as an essential part of our diet in order to restore our health and prevent future disease. Now we have access to the most powerful antioxidant ever discovered. This can take our health to whole new levels.

What is the best way of adding the exotic acai berry to your diet? The best delivery of an antioxidant is ideally in liquid form, so look for a juice product. Look for a company that responsibly helps to conserve the Brazilian rainforest. Ideally the company is one that is closest to the source, harvesting and processing in Brazil. Make sure the company has the highest quality pharmacological processing in order to ensure that you are getting the best product, and the best results.

Crohns Disease, unlike ulcerative colitis, may affect any region of the digestive system. From the mouth to the anus, depending on which area of the body is affected, there are different types of Crohns Disease. Each encompasses slightly different symptoms and varies in intensity. You should be familiar with the various forms as your doctor may refer to your condition as one of the following five types of Crohns Disease.

The most common type of Crohns is Ileocolitis, which affects the ileum, or lower part of the small intestine, and colon. Common symptoms experienced with this type is pain or cramping in the lower right part or middle of the abdomen, as well as diarrhea and weight loss. As with the other forms, as a result of inflammation, damage to the intestinal wall is common and may cause additional complications.

Another form is Ileitis, which only affects the lower part of the small intestine, or ileum. There are similar symptoms as Ileocolitis, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and may include the formation of ulcerations or abscesses in the lower right area of the abdomen. Weight loss may also occur as a result of excessive diarrhea.

Gastroduodenal Crohns Disease, on the other hand, involves the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum, and the stomach. Loss of appetite usually occurs, as well as weight loss as a result, and nausea. Vomiting may also occur and be a sign of bowel obstruction. This form is particularly difficult to deal with as it affects nutritional intake and may lead to malnutrition.

Jejunoileitis is another type and causes inflammation in the upper half of the small intestine in patches. Abdominal pain is common, as with most forms of Crohns disease, but may vary from mild to intense. Pain usually occurs after meals and may include diarrhea. Fistulas may also form. If fistulas or abscesses form, they may lead to other complications as well.

Crohns granulomatous colitis affects the colon only and not any other part of the intestines. Because of the effect on the lower digestive system, rectal bleeding is common, in addition to anal disease, such as ulcers, abscess, and fistulas. Other symptoms include diarrhea as well as joint pain and skin lesions, which may occur in other forms on Crohns but is more common in this type. This form, in particular, is easily misdiagnosed as ulcerative colitis, because both disorders affect the colon.

With Bird Flu in the news, people are wondering where it may be safe to avoid this deadly virus. While the answer to this question may be very simple now, in a few weeks or months, it may be a different story.

The first outbreak of the deadly strain of bird flu in humans was in Hong Kong in 1997. A major outbreak then occurred in January of 2004 in Vietnam and Thailand that resulted in the virus popping up in most of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Recently, a low pathogenic form of H5N1, the dangerous form of bird flu, surfaced in Canada. From this, it may be assumed that southern parts of North America, South America, and other countries distanced from Asia are safe. However, with the track record of this virus, that may not be the case.

Without a doubt, the area of greatest risk for Bird Flu currently is Vietnam, where the largest number of infections and death has occurred. Any area in Asia with a large poultry population, from farming or agriculture, is at risk, as consuming infected meat has been a primary cause of becoming infected. On the same note, many countries in Asia, Europe, and recently the Middle East, should be concerned with the possibility of ingested infected poultry. As migratory birds may also carry the disease, it may be extend over widespread areas as well as from agricultural sources.

Likewise, considering the rapid spread of bird flu, the case in Canada should be of concern for residents of North America as well; in less than two years, Asia and Europe were consumed with the disease. Although the case in Canada was a low pathogenic form of H5N1, meaning it is less dangerous, the fact that it made its way to the continent should not be taken lightly and the possibility of the virus spreading south is a very serious threat.

As long as bird flu is being transmitted from poultry to humans, and not from human to human contact, the areas of concern will surround large poultry populations, from wild or agricultural birds. However, if the strain mutates and is passed from human to human, the risk area will grow rapidly and be concentrated in places with high or dense populations. Likewise, areas of particular concern will be those with limited medical care. Areas with advanced medicine that may be able to produce a vaccine may not be as devastated by the mutated strain of the virus.