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Libraries and Laboratories
I am a fan boy of D.T. Sheffler.
I am a fan boy for three reasons . . .
First, because he is a fantastic writer.
Second, he is a superb philosopher in medieval, religious, ethical and political competencies.
And, third, he is a former Navy Seal.
The dude is smart, witty . . . and deadly.
I was reminded while reading one of his recent essays that society, to our detriment, has separated our libraries from our laboratories.
My education occurred in the modern STEM group of subjects. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. I appreciate my education, and I am very grateful for it.
However, in the process of homeschooling my children . . .
(The Beautiful One actually did all the schooling, I just watched, listened and cheered her on . . . )
I realized that I missed out greatly on a Classical education.
Classically educated students and educators (the Beautiful One is essential a Classical Educator) tend to be a bookish lot.
They love Cicero and Shakespeare and George MacDonald.
The get all giddy when they see a musty bookstore, gothic arches and castles . . .
And, they love imagining the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland.
In fact, a few of them have saved it as their desktop background.
They speak in code to one another frequently using metaphors from The Lord of the Rings and Narnia, and they may even use Elven script when writing.
This is very different and antithetical to the creatures like me that emerge from the math and science schools of the modern era.
We love aviation, science museums and biology.
We wear Star Wars and NASA t-shirts, and many of us may be caught wearing white knee-high tube socks with Birkenstocks.
We loved marine biology in the eighth-grade, dissecting frogs in 10th grade and won science fairs and physics contests in high school. I actually built a bridge out of balsa wood that held 1300 lbs., winning a cash prize from a nearby college.
Many of us will have telescopic images of constellations on all four of our computers monitors and get all giddy hearing the sound of the clicking of our Model-M keyboards.
And, yes, my lot actually enjoyed doing their calculus homework.
This dramatic difference between the STEM educated and the Classical educated would look very strange to any pre-modern world scholar.
Before the hyper-specialization of today’s modern research universities in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, mathematics and poetry, physics and philosophy, were all required together to be an educated person. They came together as a unified package.
A scholarly gentleman often housed his laboratory equipment and his fencing gear in the same room as his library.
In fact, Sheffler states that “Plato inscribed above the entrance to his Academy the words: ‘Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here.’ More certainly, in Plato’s Republic, Socrates insists that an extensive education in geometrical reasoning is necessary before a student can embark on the study of philosophy.’”
Aristotle combined his extensive writing and philosophy with works on meteorology, rhetoric and physics. He actually made a number of discoveries in marine biology through dissection and he knew a great deal about astronomy from close observation of the sky.
Most people are aware that Leonardo da Vinci was profoundly competent in multiple fields.
Yet, few know that Isaac Newton, the man who formulated the laws of motion, the theory of universal gravity, and built the first reflecting telescope, spent the last years of his career obsessed with the textual analysis of scripture.
Most are aware that Benjamin Franklin was a very wise statesman and diplomat, but few know his involvement in the discovery of electricity.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is known as one of the most influential German writers of all time. Yet, he was also a polymath and had profoundly insightful scientific contributions in botany and color theory.
Education throughout your entire life should consist of the education of a single mind, yours, both knowledgeable and flexible, capable of handling deductive thinking and interpretation of nuance.
I have come to learn that scientific education stocks your mind with facts about the concrete world. It teaches you how to reason carefully about probabilistic causal inferences.
Poetic education teaches the mind to see the analogy between things and create metaphor.
Mathematical education trains the mind to carefully work through a difficult chain of deductive, quantitative reasoning.
Philosophical education incites the mind to ask fundamental questions and then, to reason toward sound answers to those questions.
Literary education civilizes your mind with a very cultivated imagination. It teaches you to make both judgement about and emotional response to what you have imagined.
Educating comprehensively in this way educates the single mind, yours, not a bunch of separate little independent minds.
Extensive scientific knowledge of the physical world with its very complex system of natural causes makes you a better novelist or writer.
The ability to see the analogy within the subtlety of a good joke makes a person a better scientist. (I know a bunch of really boring scientists who have no sense of humor and it affects their research).
A deficiency in one area will lead to incompetence in others, this includes physical exercise and athleticism.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve hear people say, “I’m no good at math.” You’ve likely heard people say, “I’m more of a creative, artsy type,” or they excuse their horrible spelling by saying, “I’m a math and science guy.”
People and students will have different interests that lead to different specializations. That is understandable and expected. However, I’ve seen it in my education and I’ve had multiple professors tell me that a student who is unable to discipline his or her mind to work carefully through a math problem is likely to have difficulty in carefully reading a story.
The student who interprets everything literally and cannot craft a metaphor is also likely to have difficulty with designing an experiment.
The student or professor that is an arm-chair rationalist failing to go out and apply his skill in the real concrete world will never fully comprehend natural phenomena.
Just because you specialized in one area of learning, do not let other areas drop.
This is why I took up sword fighting and fencing at the age of 50 years old.
I now comprehend what it means when one says that “you must be alive to philosophize.”
Without an educational balance in science and humanity, you will never truly understand the need for opposites in the world. You cannot understand life until you experience opposites in all things, happiness and sadness, joy and misery, pleasure and pain, life and death.
This requires strength, courage, mastery and honor as the true virtues of men and women all around the world.
Without a comprehensive education in all areas, the virtues that make civilization possible will disappear.
To Your Health & Longevity,
Adam Nally, DO
The Most Effective Way to Destroy a Married Man
Life and relationships, it seems to be a topic on everyone’s mind . . .
Yes, I am a man, so this topic may appear may seem one sided.
But, open your mind and consider . . .
Men are strong and resilient, yet, they are NOT unbreakable.
Many a man shows up in my office . . . broken.
How are they broken?
You and I generally understand that love in relationships should be shown and expressed unconditionally, both in familial relationships and between spouses in marriage.
Yet, what I’ve come to realize is that there is something more important to a man than unconditional love.
Most women and many men fail to comprehend this.
What is more important to a man that true love, unconditionally given?
Respect.
In comparison to women when looking at fMRI scans of the brain, the left amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, left caudate nucleus and medial prefrontal cortex are notably more activated in men when the emotion of respect is experienced [1].
All men need, crave and respond to respect more than any other emotion, including love.
When men experience respect, they have a powerful physiological response affecting heart rate, attention and bravery [2].
In fact, we are told by Moses in scripture that God’s power actually comes from His honor, and His honor comes from respect [3]. And, without this honor or respect of those he oversees, “God would cease to be God” [4].
With this understanding in mind, we learn, sadly, that thousands of men are being cheated on by their spouses.
How you ask?
This cheating is not in the form of adultery . . .
Yet, it is just as damaging as an actual affair with another person.
Our culture tells women that “men are owed nothing.”
Men are raised up their entire lives under the guise that they are not actually men until they’ve earned the respect of others – especially their wives.
Women are not required to meet any qualifications to be women.
Men are required to “become men.” They must earn the status of man.
I know very few men that would say, “I am not going to love my wife until she earns it.”
However, I regularly hear thousands of women say, “I can’t respect my husband until he earns it.” Or, “he will not get my affection until he earns it.”
Men need and ache for respect just as profoundly as women need love and attention.
What would you say about a man who chooses to withhold love from his wife if she doesn’t have the dinner ready, or isn’t properly satisfying him in other ways, or isn’t doing all the things he demands on his timetable?
Even if that wife was actually slacking in her responsibility, we would consider that man an absolute monster for using her “slack” as an excuse to degrade, demean or withhold love from her as if she only earns it.
So, why do men accept this approach from women?
Why is it acceptable for a woman to order her husband around and withhold respect, but not in reverse?
I cannot tell you how many women have told me in the exam room over the years, “I love my husband, but I no longer respect him.”
Why is it normal for a woman to assign “Honey Do Lists,” either written or implied, and withhold respect if not completed on her timetable and yet think a man tyrannical, abusive and toxic if he gave his wife a list of mandatory assignments for the day?
I know many women who withhold respect because their husband does not meet her time timetable when taking out the trash, putting the toilet seat down, mowing the law or other lists Honey Do Lists.
Yet, does he withhold love when she does not give him respect on the timetable he needs?
Any woman who belittles her husband, cuts him down, nitpicks him, withholds her affection – physical or emotional – as a ransom . . .
Nags him, criticizes him constantly, humiliates him in public or to her friends, family or in front of her children, and will not allow him to take a leadership role in the home, cannot be terribly surprised when he begins to withdraw in to work or other activities.
If he were to cheat – which itself is a great and indefensible evil, no matter how cold or domineering his spouse may be – it cannot be said that he was actually the first.
She cheated him out of the respect he most dearly needed, craved and thrived upon.
She lied to him, breaking her marital vows, when promising to respect him and treat him like a man, only to turn around and treat him like a child.
If I have not emphasized it enough, men have a profoundly deep desire to feel respected.
It is a travesty that we are not raising our girls to understand and appreciate this one fact.
Instead, they learn, often at the feet their own mothers, from media, from television, from advertisements, and academia that men are worthless oafs who should be handled as such UNTIL THEY PROVE themselves worthy of that respect over-and-over every day of their lives.
If they slip up, they should be nagged, berated, belittled and criticized until they straighten up and act like the hairy muscle bound women they should be.
Men are not hairy women. Stop treating them that way.
Give that man some respect and you’ll be amazed at the change and response to his character.
If you withhold respect, he will never say it, because he may not be able to articulate it, but that man will feel as if you are withholding your love.
Men respond profoundly to respect.
They will always withdraw when respect is withheld or ransomed. And, prolonged withdrawal of respect will have a secondary suppression on serotonin, dopamine and testosterone leading to further withdrawal from engagement [5].
“My husband will be respected if he earns it,” I’ve heard numerous wives declare.
“Let him do the chores the way I assign them, let him accomplish everything I require, let him dance to my tune, and then maybe I’ll reward him like a circus monkey with little pellets of respect.”
This approach will destroy him . . . slowly . . . but, mark my words, it will destroy him.
Paul taught the people of Colossae that a husband should not need to earn his wife’s respect any more than a wife needs to earn her husband’s love [6].
A wife ought to respect her husband because he is her husband, just as he ought to love and honor her because she is his wife [6].
Your husband may very well “deserve” it when you mock him, berate him, belittle him, criticize him and nag him . . .
Yet, you do not marry someone in order to give them what they deserve.
In marriage, you give the person what you promised.
What did you promise your spouse?
Are you unconditionally providing and fulfilling the promises to which you covenanted?
If not, you’re cheating on them.
Now, this does not mean that a man has any license to be lazy, abusive, or uncaring.
It means precisely the opposite.
The man has been challenged and commanded by God to live up to the respect his wife provides for him.
Yet, if you parcel out respect on a reward system, your husband will feel demoralized and empty.
He will fill a tremendous thirst as if he were living in a dry barren desert. He will not feel at home in his home. He will not have the sense of masculine purpose and fulfillment that his family life ought to afford him.
After a while, he will dread coming home at night, preferring to remain at work where his contributions are appreciated and his talents are admired and respected.
It is at this point the marriage becomes a very dangerous place.
If a man feels more like a man when he’s away from his wife than when he’s with her, a gory train wreck is lurking right around the corner.
The marriage is already half-dead, and it won’t take much to finish it off.
I was blessed to marry “The Beautiful One.”
She operates differently. She strives to gives respect without condition, even during those many times I never deserved it nor earned it.
Her building me up with respect helps me to be more deserving of the respect she has already bestowed upon me.
GK Chesterton reminded me of the great lesson found within the story of “Beauty and the Beast.” The lesson is that “a thing must be loved BEFORE it is lovable.”
This applies to our wives and children.
In that same light, I firmly believe that a man must be respected before he is respectable.
The only reason I have grown as a man, a husband, and a father, is because my wife treated me with respect long before I had any idea what it meant to lead or how to be a man.
Sadly, the average man in America, and the average man I see in my medical practice, is not always given this advantage.
They enter a marriage and find themselves immediately in a dark hole.
They must prove their worth every morning as they wake, and prove their value before as they return home before they ever get treated like they have any themselves.
Thousands of wives’ paint lines across the floors in the kitchens and bedrooms . . . expecting the men to walk them perfectly.
If he stumbles or if he wanders, I think it essential to note that he is likely not the only traitor in the marriage.
She also betrayed him. She promised him a wife, and provided instead, an angry step mother.
This is how you destroy a married man. This is why many men show up in my office broken.
The two, then, have now betrayed each other . . . in their own way.
There are always two sides to a story.
As men, we will inevitably stumble, as all men do. We are not perfect.
And, many a wife will chastise you and use your mistake as blackmail against you.
Despite this, a man is called upon to endure, to fight for his family, and to never be unfaithful to his wife, and never to leave her.
It is my hope that he has courage and honor enough to never wander.
It is my hope that you give your man the respect he needs and deserves as a man.
To Your Health & Longevity,
Adam Nally, DO
References:
- Jäncke L. Sex/gender differences in cognition, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy. F1000Res. 2018 Jun 20;7:F1000 Faculty Rev-805. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.13917.1. PMID: 29983911; PMCID: PMC6013760.
- Deng Y, Chang L, Yang M, Huo M, Zhou R. Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 30;11(6):e0158666. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158666. PMID: 27362361; PMCID: PMC4928818.
- Moses 4:1, 3
- Alma 42:25
- Perfalk E, Cunha-Bang SD, Holst KK, Keller S, Svarer C, Knudsen GM, Frokjaer VG. Testosterone levels in healthy men correlate negatively with serotonin 4 receptor binding. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2017 Jul;81:22-28. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.018. Epub 2017 Mar 22. PMID: 28426945.
- Colossians 3:18-19
Magic Gypsy Oils
Are you familiar with essential oils?
I can see that some of you are already twitching for the vial in your pocket . . .
Now, before you get the urge to baptize me in peppermint oil,
Just hold on for a minute. . .
If you’re heavily into essential oils . . . I get it.
Seriously, I get it . . . It’s fun to believe in magic.
This may make some of you get chest pain and shortness of breath,
I just need to explain, essential oils can’t fix EVERYTHING.
I realize if you are vegetarian or vegan, you might believe these magic oils. That usually happens when you don’t eat meat and your vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and carnitine levels fall.
If you’ve never heard of essential oils, or you’re not familiar, let me educate you.
It’s this small cult . . .
Heavily saturated in Utah . . .
Convinced that whatever your life problem is . . .
It can be fixed by their magic gypsy oil.
Somehow these “believers” have forgotten or were never educated in the fact that the Egyptians used these oils to cover up the scent of body odor and sweat . . .
By burning cypress and pine to clean the air in their temples.
And, that the Greeks used these oils, specifically lavender, to embalm people after they died.
You know, the aroma of lavender seems to cover the scent of death quite well . . .
And, before you start throwing vials of juniper oil at me,
Remember that the Egyptians embalmed with juniper oil to keep the skin soft and keep rigor mortis from setting in too fast.
So, use that cypress, lavender and juniper oil at your own risk . . .
Apparently, you just rub some of this magic oil onto your body and it will heal your skin . . .
And your dog’s anxiety at the same time.
Oh, OK?!
Now, to be fair, the medical literature states that using these oils MIGHT boost your mood. . .
And, they MIGHT reduce your anxiety . . .
or at least your dog’s anxiety.
There is good evidence that frankincense helps with inflammation . . . we’ve known this for some time.
But, remember, there is also significant medical evidence showing that lavender oil and tea tree oil shuts down production of hormones in young boys . . .
It just causes that bothersome side effect of “man boobs” (gynecomastia).
That’d be the high estrogen effect and anti-testosterone activities that these oils have on boys, especially during puberty.
In fact, they found this same estrogenic effect in 65 other essential oils.
Man boobs from companies that fit perfectly into pyramid-schemes . . .
This magic gypsy oil just keeps getting better and better.
Oh. . . some of you just unsubscribed?
Probably too much eucalyptus oil.
It never hurts to be a little educated . . .
Adam (It’s been a day full of magic oil side effects and rashes) Nally, DO
PS – I realize this will probably upset a few of you. But before you send me a bunch of nasty emails. Go put some cedar wood in the fire place and sit for a while . . .
PSS – Yes, I was in a “mood” this afternoon.
If you want some oil that actually works on skin, hair, constipation and cholesterol, use my Omega 1250 Fish Oil supplement that I designed specifically for these benefits:
Pluck Yew
The Beautiful One drives a great big Ford dually long-bed pickup truck so that she can pull a horse trailer.
Yesterday, while she and my amazing daughter, the Sword Fighter, were driving down the road running errands, some obnoxious punk cut them off. And, to demonstrate his degree of obnoxiousness, knowing he was in the wrong, he flipped them off . . .
This angered my daughter, riding as passenger. So, in her moment of anger, she yelled out the window “Pluck Yew!!” Yes. That’s what she said. And, there is a reason. . .
My daughter, a great student of history, is also an archer.
A little back ground . . .
The English military archers during the Middle Ages used long bows. The longbow as we recognize it today, measuring around the height of a man, made its major appearance during the 13th century. It was the English prowess with the longbow that made the English army so formidable during this period of time. And the English soldiers could accurately shoot these weapons between 200 and 250 yards, the distance of 2 ½ football fields.
You need to understand that these longbows commonly had a draw weight of 80-100 lbs. That means that the archer had to be strong enough to pull up to 100 lbs. as he drew the arrow back in to firing position and held it there while aiming.
The archer would use his pointer, middle and ring fingers (2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers) to pull back on the string, while holding the arrow in place.
70% of the weight would rest on his middle finger, with 20% of the weight on the ring finger and 10% of the weight on his pointer finger. That means that the archer was holding up to 70 lbs. of weight on his middle finger.
This All Started Because of the French
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle fingers of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger, it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbows and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future.
The famous English long bow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as “plucking the yew” or “pluck yew.”
Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, “See!! We can still pluck yew!”
Since pluck yew is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodental fricative. And, thus, the words are now often used in conjunction with the one-finger salute that has become famous to this day.
There you have it . . . another essential bit of history you need to understand.
Shooting the long bow arrow fletched with pheasant feathers was often referred to by the English archers as “giving the bird.”
And, there yew have it. Yew thought yew knew every plucking thing . . . didn’t yew?!
Financial Crisis in Medicine
For the last three weeks, a supposed cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a unit of the United Healthcare & Optum organization, has dramatically disrupted the business of health care providers across the United States.
Medicare and all commercial insurances have stopped reimbursing medical offices, including ours, for nearly four weeks.
In asking these health plans for clarification, all we’ve heard is crickets.
When you or I call our insurance companies about this, we get told “there is nothing wrong” and “payments are being made.”
There is either a major breakdown in the communication in these health plans or they are lying.
Change Healthcare is a juggernaut in the health-care world, processing 15 billion claims totaling more than $1.5 trillion a year, the company says [1]. It operates the largest electronic “clearinghouse” in the business, acting as a pipeline that connects health-care providers with insurance companies who pay for their services and determine what patients owe. It supported tens of thousands of physicians, dentists, pharmacies and hospitals, handling 50 percent of all medical claims in the United States, the Justice Department wrote in a 2022 lawsuit that unsuccessfully tried to block UnitedHealth from acquiring the company [2].
Because of this financial fiasco, small and medium sized clinics are scrambling to stay open.
Today many have closed their doors, because of financial payment and reimbursement coming to a screeching halt.
This has dramatically exposed the fragility of the insurance and billing systems that underpin American health care.
Our office, for example in the last four weeks, has only been paid 10% of what we’ve billed out.
It is not possible to pay staff and keep the lights on in a medical office when you don’t actually get paid. Most small offices have about a 1-2 week cushion before they are forced to close the doors.
Who really knows if this actually was a cyber-attack?
Because EVERY insurance company including Medicare and hospital systems, have stopped paying in the last three weeks.
Sadly, insurance companies have said nothing directly to us as providers, until today. As of today, they are claiming payment will start up by the end of the month.
All the information I have gained about this has come directly through the media. They claim that this has prevented insurance payments from processing, leaving many care providers and pharmacies to float the bill up front and hoping to get reimbursed.
After 25 years of medical practice, and dealing with problems like this year after year (Medicare frequently just stops paying in January for no reason), this is the last straw. My office will no longer be accepting any insurance as of May 1, 2024.
We convert to a cash/fee for service/concierge practice.
Because insurance has still not reimbursed us, our office is requiring a $150 retainer which is for services rendered on the day of service between now and May 1, 2024, or until insurance companies compensate us for the services we’ve rendered and the billing we are due. This retainer is refundable upon receipt of your insurance payment or can be added as a credit on your account toward your deductible.
You can pay this retainer and we are happy to see you, or you can reschedule with us and call your insurance company and find out why they are not paying.
We are sorry for the inconvenience that this is causing.
As of today, you have other alternatives. They are:
Begin our yearly concierge service – $4500 per year – all medical services in the office including quarterly labs are covered (this does not include spa services).
For Visits with Dr. Nally, you can pay cash or card at the time of service at the rates below:
Establish Patients New Patients
10 minutes – $90.00 10 minutes – $140.00
20 minutes – $130.00 20 minutes – $180.00
30 minutes – $190.00 30 minutes – $240.00
40 minutes – $250.00 40 minutes – $290.00
60 minutes – $350.00 60 minutes – $450.00
Visits with our nurse practitioner are billed at 75% of the rates above.
Additional fee for service pricing can be seen in the office.
I realized this will dramatically change our practice. However, this is the only way our office will be able to continue to provide solid and effective medical care.
To your health & longevity,
Adam Nally, DO
References:
- https://community.changehealthcare.com/developers/eligibilityandclaims
- chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/1476901/download
You Have Two Choices
As we near the holidays, you have two choices:
- Set your scale back 15 lbs at midnight . . . Just before the holiday
- Come and talk to me about GLP-1 agonists
“Doc, for the first time in three years I’ve lost 10 lbs in a month . . .!”
“The constant food noise is gone from my brain . . . “
“My constant cravings are gone . . .”
I’ve heard these comments over and over in the last 3 months.
Patients following ketogenic or carnivorous diets with persistent insulin elevation will initially lose weight, but then struggle and plateaued with their weight loss. I’ve seen it for years.
When your fasting insulin stays high, the weight doesn’t want to move until you coax those fat cells to open up. This is a challenge because there are 42 different hormones that communicate between our gut, brain, pancreas and fat cells that are responsible for controlling our weight.
I hear the complaint of weight loss stalls from my severely insulin resistant and diabetic patients all the time.
The challenge is that weight doesn’t drop until the fat cells heal, then they will open up and weight loss can occur.
There are number of ways to do this. Helping the “sick fat cells” to heal occurs by maintaining a ketogenic state through carbohydrate restriction and heavy exercise, using Curcumin and decreasing the satiety signals at the gut and brain.
This is where caloric intake begins to play a role in weight management.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are the two incretin peptides that work to help this process along. Until recently these peptide medications cost over $1000 per month to use, and if covered by your insurance, your pharmacy charges you a $250-$450 per month copay.
I’ve been using these medications in my practice with diabetic patients since 2005, nearly 18 years at the time of this writing.
They are very effective and I am a proponent of their success . . .
With a caveat.
The once weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like semaglutide (Ozepic, Trulicity and Wegovy) have become very popular for good reason. Additionally the most recently approved combo GLP-1/GIP agonist tirzepatide (Monjaro or Zepbound) has skyrocketed in its use due to their weight loss and celebrity testimonials.
Prior to the availability of weekly forms of GLP-1 agonists, exanatide (Byetta and later Bydureon) and liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) and lixisenatide (Adlyxin) were available in a daily form.
These GLP-1 receptor agonists are non-insulin based medications approved for the treatment of diabetes type 2, and recently for weight loss, in those with elevated insulin and blood sugar who are overweight or obese.
They are usually found in the injectable form, however there is a daily oral pill form of semaglutide (Rybelsus) that was approved in 2019.
GLP-1 is an incretin hormone. This is the hormone produced by the gut when it stretches. When you eat a large meal, like Thanksgiving dinner, GLP-1 essentially tells the hypothalamus in the brain the gut is full and decreases hunger and thirst. Though they do have an insulin stimulating effect on the pancreas that also lowers blood sugar, because of the decrease in appetite and the slowing of transit time in the gut, overall insulin levels drop allowing for fat loss, especially visceral fat.
Byetta was first FDA approved in 2005 and Victoza was FDA approved in 2010.
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is a second incretin released from the gut when enabling optimal levels of insulin secretion via the GIP receptor (GIPR) on β cells.
Because of this, appetite decreases, blood glucose is lowered and weight loss occurs secondarily.
Because of their popularity, they are now in short supply and manufacturers don’t think they will be able to fill the need until mid 2024.
No Drug is without Side Effects:
The following can occur in those using these medications: Abdominal and back pain, rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, slowing of gut transit time (gastroparesis), ileus (partial bowel obstruction), dizziness, heart palpitations, hoarseness, dry mouth, extreme thirst, decreased urination, shortness of breath, swelling in the face, feet, ankles or lower legs.
If you’ve had pancreatitis, gastroparesis (slow transit of the GI system) or are on dialysis, you shouldn’t use these drugs.
In animal studies GLP-1 agonists were shown to promote thyroid cell tumors, specifically these drugs should NOT be used in those with a family history of thyroid medullary cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2.
Muscle Loss with Weight Loss
The problem is that not all weight loss is considered healthy. This class of medication, although effective in reducing total body mass can be problematic if the diet is not correct. Post market, many physicians see muscle loss if adequate protein is not taken in with meals. This not so great because of the reduction of lean body mass in addition to fat mass.
Two recently published studies demonstrate that these miracle drugs are not so miraculous when looked at more closely. It should be noted that these patients were not following ketogenic or carnivorous diets. In my clinical experience, there is no muscle loss with these drugs if adequate protein is being ingested daily.
First, the STEP 1 trail conducted in 2021 looked at 140 patients under a DEXA scan for body composition and when evaluated, almost 40% of the weight loss was muscle or lean body mass. From a weight loss perspective that sucks. [Wilding JPH, et al. STEP 1 Study Group of the Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med 2021; 384:989-1002. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity | NEJM]
In a second study, the SUSTAIN 8 trial, looking at semaglutide (Ozempic) as a diabetic treatment, the average proportion of lean body mass loss was nearly identical at around 40%, despite lower doses and less total weight loss than in the STEP 1 trial. [McCrimmon, R.J., Catarig, AM., Frias, J.P. et al. Effects of once-weekly semaglutide vs once-daily canagliflozin on body composition in type 2 diabetes: a substudy of the SUSTAIN 8 randomized controlled clinical trial. Diabetologia 63, 473–485 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-019-05065-8]
This can be an acceptable side effect in those with overweight and obesity challenges if you are trying to control blood sugar in a diabetic population, as these are significant risk factors for early death and vascular disease.
However, these drugs have gained huge popularity in those that are not obese.
Even those that are obese, not everyone can afford to lose significant muscle mass. Sarcopenia in older adult populations is a significant risk factor in lifespan and longevity.
Remember weight loss is not always fat loss.
I am a big fan of the GLP-1 agonists when paired with a ketogenic or carnivorous diet.
I hope this gives you a little insight into the risks and benefits of using these GLP-1 agonists and how I recommend them being used.
I’ve recently been able to locate a compounding pharmacy that can make these for my patients at 15% of that cost using the FDA approved base form of the medication, around $150 for the starting dose of semaglutide and $200 for the starting dose of tirzepatide (Note: prices subject to change based on manufacturing cost and shipping).
If you are interested in using these peptides, semaglutide or tirzepatide in conjunction with your ketogenic diet and exercise program, schedule an appointment with us today.
To Your Health & Longevity
Adam Nally, DO
References:
- Wilding JPH, et al. STEP 1 Study Group of the Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med 2021; 384:989-1002. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183.
- McCrimmon, R.J., Catarig, AM., Frias, J.P. et al. Effects of once-weekly semaglutide vs once-daily canagliflozin on body composition in type 2 diabetes: a substudy of the SUSTAIN 8 randomised controlled clinical trial. Diabetologia 63, 473–485 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-019-05065-8
April Try Before You Buy Event!!
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Try Before You Buy!!
How Do You Find All the Hidden Easter Eggs?
Gods of the Copybook Headings
by Rudyard Kipling
This poem was first published in the Sunday Pictorial of London on 26 October 1919; then later published in Harper’s Magazine January 1920.
As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.
We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.
We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.
With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.
When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “Stick to the Devil you know.”
On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbor and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “The Wages of Sin is Death.”
In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die.”
Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.
As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!
————–
It was true in 1920 and it is true today.
Which One Has Nuts? You Be The Judge
This isn’t a ketogenic post, but it’s about time to stand up to these stupid woke companies who can’t tell the difference between a man and a woman.
For years, I’ve owned stock in Hershey’s Chocolates. But, after this week’s woke leftist shenanigans and Hershey’s Chocolates making their new spokesman for International Woman’s day a confused transgender man, I’ve sold all my Hershey’s stock.
In fact, I’m going to buy stock in Jeremys Razors and The Daily Wire, and I’m going to buy a few bars of Jeremey’s chocolate just to spite them.
If you can’t tell the difference between a man and a woman, then you just go right on buying chocolate from the woke left. . .
This video sparked a powerful movement on social media to #BoycottHersheys, as users claim the candy company is erasing biological women during Women’s History Month.
“If you have any respect for women whatsoever you will share this post, tag Hershey’s and never buy their products again. Help us win the war on women,” one user wrote.
“Hershey’s is erasing women by putting biological men in their place for international women’s day,” another account wrote.
“Here’s the thing about real women, [Hershey’s],” Abigail Shrier, author of the book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, wrote. “We have long memories.”
Yes, yes they do . . . You won’t live this one down, Hersheys.
From now on, I will be drinking my Kettle & Fire bone broth out of my new mug that was forged in the fires of facts, reason and logic . . .
That’s all I’m going to say.
Erythritol, Will It Really Kill Me?
Don’t miss this podcast as Dr. Nally discusses the sugar alcohol, erythritol, and what the Cleveland Clinic’s study really means to those following a Ketogenic Lifestyle. Is there another reason behind attacking erythritol?
After hearing this podcast, you decide.
Skin Care Products – Why Even Consider Them?
Have you been confused about how to care for your skin? Everyone has advice to give on this topic. Yet, most of it is opinion and little is based in true scientific outcomes. There is lots of buzz about hundreds, even thousands, of skin care products and ingredients. A handful of women I meet are well versed in effective skin care, but most men have no clue where to start. So, this article will serve as your basic primer on where to begin, and give you some basic back ground on skin care.
When good skin care is paired with a ketogenic or carnivorous diet, you will literally begin to look years younger as you continue to care for your skin.
Two of the most popular and well decorated soldiers in the brigade of foundational skin care are Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. Both of these are very effective, and there is good science backing the skin care of those using both. Both of these products can offer benefit to all skin types which make them sound investments in any skin care routine. Additionally, these two make a synergistic team . . . Vitamin C evens out your skin tone and gives you a wonderful healthy glow, and Hyaluronic Acid is the powerful hydrator of the skin. They become a daily “dynamic duo” without having to raise the proverbial “Bat Signal.”
The key is to understand that they both do their best work when applied under specific conditions:
- Vitamin C should be applied to clean dry skin to penetrate the skin cells.
- Hyaluronic Acid should be applied to a damp face allowing it to pull water into the skin.
Hyaluronic Acid
This is a powerful humectant. It pulls water into the top layer of skin, giving it an immediate improvement in the way the skin looks. It takes out the ashy, dry, dull appearance. Humectants, like a sponge pull up to 1000 times their own weight in water into the top layer of skin (1). Most experts consider hyaluronic acid to be the gold standard in hydration of the skin.
A derivative of Hyaluronic Acid is sodium hyaluronate. This is also a powerful humectant but penetrates deeper into the skin because of its smaller molecular size and hydrates at those deeper skin levels. It can also be used as an injectable dermal filler. Where Hyaluronic Acid works better on the skin surface, sodium hyaluronate works in the deeper skin layers. Frequently companies don’t differentiate between these two products, so check your labels.
Because of its ability to penetrate, sodium hyaluronate is often paired with other products like peptides to help them penetrate the outermost layers of skin. This makes it more effective for hydration, tissue repair and eye moisture. In our office, we’ve paired sodium hyaluronate with biomimetic oligopeptides for greater collagen and elastin stimulus (see Oligopeptides below). The use of oral hyaluronan has been shown to also be very effective in stabilizing collagen and elastin (3).
Vitamin C
This is the beloved skin-brightener and it helps to combat those dark age-spots called “solar lentigos” or what your Grandma called “liver spots.” Vitamin C lightens them and reduces inflammation (2). It fights ultraviolet (UV) photo damage common from exposure to the Arizona sun and wind, and it dramatically improves the appearance of your skin. It is, also, an anti-oxidant, protecting the skin from free radicals, these are not terrorists you hear about on the news, these are the oxygen particulates that build up with bad diet, exposure to chemical toxins, UV exposure and aging that can damage cellular DNA.
Vitamin C is a vital part of collagen synthesis and collagen cross-linking that supports skin firmness (2). It doesn’t just stimulate the collagen, it also stabilizes collagen (2) leading to wrinkle reduction. Because it is a cofactor in elastin as well, it gives your skin a plump and youthful appearance.
When using Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C in your skin care regimen, apply your Vitamin C first at let it dry. Then pat on your hyaluronic acid. Because vitamin C is unstable, it loses potency when exposed to air, light and water, which is why it needs to be applied to clean, dry skin, right after washing. Let it dry completely. Then add on your Hyaluronic Acid. You don’t have to be as precise with the hyaluronic acid because it will also pull in moisture from the surrounding environment.
Then, top everything off with a great moisturizer to seal in the hydration. We offer all three of these products in pharmaceutical grade topicals in our office.
Both Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid can be used twice a day, however, many people just use the hyaluronic acid in the evening.
Stabilize your Skin from the Outside and the Inside
You can support the skin barriers additionally from the inside by 1) getting adequate animal protein in your diet and 2) using a quality bone broth daily. I personally like Kettle & Fire’s bone broth. Bone broth is high in hyaluronans. The use of oral hyaluronan has been shown to also be very effective in stabilizing collagen and elastin (3).
Ceramides
We cannot forget the Ceramides. Ceramides make up around 50% of the lipids found in the skin forming the natural skin barrier. Ceramides essentially act like the glue that hold our skin cells together keeping our skin barrier intact and healthy. A healthy skin barrier helps seal in moisture and seal out harmful elements. Lower ceramide levels are linked to skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea (4). Sun exposure, harsh climates, and age also impact ceramide levels and can compromise your skin barrier function contributing to dry skin (5).
Oligopeptides
You’ve probably heard about peptides in some of your skin care products in in skin care advertising. Yet, there are so many proteins, amino acids and polypeptides in various skin care products, you may feel the need to get a doctorate in biochemistry to understand what you are supposed to be using on your face. However, I’ve done the research for you, attended the biochemistry lectures and have personally used and prescribed these products in my practice.
Peptides are building blocks that make up protein molecules. These are chains of two or more amino acids held together by peptide (amide) bonds. They are smaller than proteins, but when you link them together they become the basis for proteins. In skin care and laser post-care treatments, peptides prompt your skin to make more collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the skin. It’s this collagen that limits and reduces wrinkles and fine lines.
Peptides are divided into two categories: Oligopeptides, which have few amino acids (between 2 to 20), and polypeptides, which have more than 20 amino acids. Most brands and manufacturers use the term “peptide” to refer to oligopeptides, or any short chain amino acid.
This is a case where size, or length matters. Smaller peptides, the oligopeptides, are able to move deeper into the cellular level of the skin when applied topically. That’s why you don’t dust your face with collagen powder, it’s a molecule that is just to large to get through the skin barrier. Products bound to oligopeptides are able to be carried deeper into the layers of the skin.
Studies have demonstrated that oligopeptides in skin care do indeed cause an increase in proteins development like collagen and reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Oligopeptides also have the following benefits:
- Stimulate growth and repair
- Increase hydration
- Fight inflammation
- Protect against free radicals
Around age 30, all of us stop producing collagen and elastin as effectively as we did when we were younger. This is the cause of wrinkling, lose skin, age spots and thinning of skin and hair. All ages and skin types benefit from using oligopeptides, but those age 30 will reap the most visible benefits. We also use them in the office after laser treatments to speed healing and repair.
As time goes on, our bodies decrease production of hormones that kept our skin healthy and youthful. Our diet and our daily exposure to chemicals like xenoestrogens, pesticides and petroleum derivatives play a very large role in this process.
At DocMuscles Med Spa, we want to keep you as healthy and youthful as possible. Weather you’re just getting a little Botox, MicroNeedling or you are planning your EMFace treatment followed by a Charcoal Laser Facial, we’ll identify the most effective health program for you, and offer a complete line of skin care products to finish off your daily skin care. The sooner you start taking care of your skin, the younger and healthier you will remain.
Call NOW for your appointment to get you the skin care treatment you need today (623) 584-7805.
References:
- Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):253-8. doi: 10.4161/derm.21923. PMID: 23467280; PMCID: PMC3583886.
- Telang PS. Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013 Apr;4(2):143-6. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593. PMID: 23741676; PMCID: PMC3673383.
- Oe M, Sakai S, Yoshida H, Okado N, Kaneda H, Masuda Y, Urushibata O. Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017 Jul 18;10:267-273. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S141845. PMID: 28761365; PMCID: PMC5522662.
- Sahle, F, Gebre-Mariam, T, Dobner, B, Wohlrab, J, Neubert, R. Skin Diseases Associated with the Depletion of Stratum Corneum Lipids and Stratum Corneum Lipid Substitution Therapy. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. (2015);28:42-55.
- Coderch L, López O, de la Maza A, Parra JL_. Ceramides and skin function. American journal of clinical dermatology_. 2003;4(2):107-29.
Myokines and Weight Loss
Since the very first muscle derived myostatin protein was identified as a myokine in 1997, over 600 myokines have been identified to date (Gorgens et al., 2015). However, the majority of these myokines are still not sufficiently characterized.
Why is this important? This frequently neglected topic plays a central roll in diet and exercise in those people trying to lose or maintain their weight. Myokines are the key actors in muscle development and size, and and they influence weight gain or loss in a pretty dramatic way.
The myokines are a subclass of interlukins. Interlukins are a group of naturally occurring proteins that mediate communication between cells. They are like the rapid text messages between teenagers in the same room communicating with each other. Interleukins regulate cell growth, differentiation, and motility. They are particularly important in stimulating immune responses, such as inflammation.
Muscles Make Their Own Interlukins
A few years ago, research demonstrated in the Journal of Experimental Biology that there is a notable increase in the plasma concentration of IL-6 during exercise (Pedersen and Febbraio, 2008). This is followed by the appearance of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Concentrations of the these cytokines, IL-8, macrophage inflammatory protein 1a (MIP-1a) and MIP-1b are elevated after strenuous exercise.
Thus, the cytokine response to exercise is not preceded by an increase in plasma TNF-a. Even though there may be a moderate increase in the systemic concentration of these cytokines, the underlying fact is that the appearance of IL-6 in the circulation is by far the most marked and precedes that of the other cytokines (Pedersen and Febbraio, 2008).
Muscle Interlukins Create Good Inflammation
When IL-6 is produced by macrophages, it leads to an inflammatory response, whereas muscle cells produce and release IL-6 without activating classical pro-inflammatory pathways. The fact that IL-6 can sometimes act as a pro-inflammatory and sometimes as an anti-inflammatory agent appears to be more dependent on the environment (muscle versus immune cell) than on whether IL-6 is activated in an acute or chronic fashion (Pedersen and Febbraio, 2008). This essentially means that strenuous exercise is a good form of stress, stabilizing the muscle, causing growth and not adversely affecting the immune system.
Interlukins From Muscles Talk to Fat Cells
At the same time, IL-15 is expressed in human skeletal muscle (Pedersen et al., 2007). C2C12 tubule contraction in the muscle stimulates the IL-15 release. It possesses anabolic effects on skeletal muscle in vitro and in vivo and may also take part in reducing adipose tissue mass (Pedersen et al., 2007). Therefore, IL-15 has been suggested to be involved in muscle–fat crosstalk. Recently, we demonstrated that IL-15 mRNA levels were upregulated in human skeletal muscle following a bout of strength training (Nielsen et al., 2007), suggesting that IL-15 may accumulate within the muscle as a consequence of regular training.
What is fascinating is that there is a negative relationship between IL-15 and truncal fat mass, but not limb fat mass. That means that the more resistance exercise you participate in regularly, the lower your truncal fat becomes.
BDNF Stays Active Even After Exercise
Another cytokine actor in this opera of human metabolism is Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF is a fascinating hormone produced in the brain. In humans, a BDNF release from the brain was observed at rest and increased 2- to 3-fold during exercise. Both at rest and during exercise, the brain contributed 70–80% of the circulating BDNF, while this contribution decreased following 1h of recovery. In mice, exercise induced a 3- to 5-fold increase in BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus and cortex, peaking 2h after the termination of exercise.
Matthews and colleagues studied whether skeletal muscle would produce BDNF in response to exercise (Matthews et al., 2009) and found that BDNF mRNA and protein expression were increased in human skeletal muscle after exercise. However. muscle-derived BDNF appeared not to be released into the circulation. BDNF mRNA and protein expression were increased in muscle cells that were electrically stimulated.
You can augment the presence of BDNF with curcumin. Curcumin is a natural isolate derived from turmeric an has been show to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-depressant properties through its ability to raise BDNF. Using curcumin daily with a regular exercise program helps to improve brain function and reduce mental and physical stress (4, 5)
How HIFEM Exercise Is Effective
Why is this important? Because, BDNF increased phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and enhanced fat oxidation both in vitro and ex vivo. In layman’s terms, that means that regular exercise stimulates the burning of fat for 1-2 hours after exercise. This can be exercise from resistance training or from HIFEM like EMSculpt or electromagnetic stimulus.
What is the take home message from all this geeky science stuff?
Resistance exercise improves muscle regeneration, fatty acid oxidation, fat metabolism, muscle repair, mitochondrial biogenesis (increasing numbers of mitochondria). So if you are not participating in at least 3 days of resistance exercise per week, I’d encourage you to do so.
If you are looking for a simple body weight exercise program that can be done at home. I’ll send you my program for free. Go to docmuscles.com/exercise and sign up.
References:
- Pedersen BK. Muscles and their myokines. J Exper Biol. 2011. 214:337-346. doi:10.1242/jeb.048074.
- Furuichi Y, Manabe Y, Takagi M, Aoki M, Fujii NL (2018) Evidence for acute contraction induced myokine secretion by C2C12 myotubes. PLoS ONE 13(10): e0206146. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0206146.
- Han LJ & Hee-Sook J. Role of Myokines in Regulating Skeletal Muscle Mass and Function. Frontiers in Physiology. Jan 2019. Vol 10:1-9. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00042
- Ga-Young Choi, Hyun-Bum Kim, Eun-Sang Hwang, Seok Lee, Min-Ji Kim, Ji-Young Choi, Sung-Ok Lee, Sang-Seong Kim, Ji-Ho Park, “Curcumin Alters Neural Plasticity and Viability of Intact Hippocampal Circuits and Attenuates Behavioral Despair and COX-2 Expression in Chronically Stressed Rats”, Mediators of Inflammation, vol. 2017, Article ID 6280925, 9 pages, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6280925
- Hurley LL, Akinfiresoye L, Nwulia E, Kamiya A, Kulkarni AA, Tizabi Y. Antidepressant-like effects of curcumin in WKY rat model of depression is associated with an increase in hippocampal BDNF, Behavioral Brain Research. 2013(239):27-30. ISSN 0166-4328, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2012.10.049.
That Gateway We Call Death
I’ve spent the majority of my professional life in the acquisition of knowledge, wisdom and skill to treat illness and help heal disease. I’ve spent almost 30 years in the practice and application of that wisdom. That’s nearly 100,000 hours of my life, dedicated to health and healing of my patients.
My greatest foes over the years are and have been ignorance, disease, distress, anxiety, depression, disability, apathy and ultimately, death. I come in contact daily with those who are seriously ill facing the very real prospect of death. Of necessity, I have come to look upon death as a formidable foe to be fought. For all conscientious doctors, death’s gateway from life threatens us as the prospect of individual defeat.
I attended the funeral of a friend today who was only a few years older than me. His life was cut short. His passing has been weighing upon my mind, as similar events occurred in the life of my brother-in-law last year, my sister a few years ago and my father before that. I find myself re-reading the words and passages I wrote a number of years ago at the time of my father’s death. I re-post them again, partially for myself, but also for any who may be pondering the gateway we call death.
The famed scientist Madame Marie Curie returned to her home the night of the funeral of her husband, Pierre Curie, who was killed in an accident in the streets of Paris. She made this entry in her diary:
“They filled the grave and put sheaves of flowers on it. Everything is over. Pierre is sleeping his last sleep beneath the earth. It is the end of everything, everything, everything.”
What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
Tis not the end, But Genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.
O God, touch though my aching heart,
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.
There is not death, but only change
With recompense for won;
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.
(G. B. Hinckley)
This blog is intended to help those struggling with their health, in particular, weight gain, diabetes and the diseases of civilization. One of those diseases frequently affecting weight is the depression and fear that accompanies the death of a loved one. Often, the answers science offers are only cold and empty, and we are required to rely upon our faith. I share some of that with you here.Every patient of every doctor, if followed long enough will pass away.
The first rule I learned in surgery is that “all bleeding stops eventually.” The inescapable rule of life is that no matter how good your treatments are, all patient’s will meet the undertaker, eventually. None of us get out of this alive.
When this happens, and it happens to all of us, a sense of sadness naturally prevails regardless of the age or nature of the deceased.
If death is to happen to all of us, then why do we feel sadness at the death of a friend or loved one?
This sadness is caused by the feeling of loss tied to three age-old unanswered questions:
- Did you and I exist before we were born, and if so, where were we?
- Why are we here together and what is the purpose of this life?
- Where do we go when we die?
Are there answers to these questions?
When science does not have the answers, I have found great hope and answers in hidden within the teachings of my faith. I share them with you, not to preach, but in hopes that you might find peace and solace in your life as I have in mine.
The spiritual leader Wilford Woodruff said “that if the people knew what was behind the veil, they would try by every means . . . that they might get there, but the Lord in his wisdom has implanted the fear of death in every person that they might cling to life and thus accomplish the designs of their creator.” (The Gateway We Call Death, Russell M. Nelson, p.96)
The Lord explained to Moses, “For this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39)
This work and glory is referred to by a number of names including The Plan of Salvation, The Plan of Redemption, The Plan of Eternal Progression, The Plan of Happiness and others.
I often speak with people that say to me, “I just want to be happy.” Or they question me asking, “Will I ever really be happy?”
Happiness is the object and design of our existence . . . and well be the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to it. Along this path lies virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness and keeping the commands of our Creator. So how does this help us find happiness in the face of the death of a friend or loved one?
The answers are found in contemplation of the the three age-old questions. First, where were we before we were born?
The Old Testament prophet Job, one of the more ancient writers of the Bible, gives us some insight. The Lord asked him the same question: “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where was thou when I laid the foundation of the earth . . . when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:2-7)
You and I must have been somewhere – the Lord asked us where we were. And, who were all the “sons of God shouting for joy?” Why were they shouting? Where were they?
The apostle, Luke, in the New Testament answers those questions years later as he lays out the genealogy of the human family. He starts at Christ and then names each subsequent father leading up to ” . . . Enos, which is the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38)
The apostle, John, must have had some idea of a pre-mortal existence because of the way they phrased the question to Jesus Christ about the man who was born blind, “Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2) The question was not “could he have sinned before he was born?” but instead, “who did sin?” Christ’s answer implied that both were possible, but neither was the case in this situation.
Paul writes to the Hebrews, “Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of our Spirits, and live?” (Hebrews 12:9) We are also given instruction to open our prayers with a phrase like, “Our Father in Heaven.” Hence, He is the Father of our Spirits, our Heavenly Father, our spiritual Father.
We then are brothers & sisters in the spiritual sense, and Jesus Christ is our elder brother, being the firstborn spirit child of God. If this is the case, then all of us, including you and I, were among the sons and daughters of God who shouted for joy along with Adam.
The Lord explained to Moses, “I have created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually before they were naturally upon the face of the earth . . . for in heaven created I them.” (Moses 3:5) In addition to this, we learn from Moses that a council was held in heaven in which you and I were present. At this grand council, the plan to create this earth, including the fall of Adam, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ was presented and accepted.
There was, however, someone who opposed this plan. Lucifer rebelled and was cast out of heaven with those who chose to follow him.
If all this is true, then it means you and I accepted this plan and here we are. Accepting this plan as described by the prophet Abraham is defined as accepting our First Estate.
So, the first question is where did we come from? We came from the presence of God, the pre-mortal spirit world, in the company of all our spirit brothers and sisters.
Second question, why are we here? Trying to wrap the whole of this question into a nutshell gives us the following answer.
First, on the eternal perspective, progression requires that we each have our own physical mortal body that has the capacity of becoming refined, immortalized or glorified through the process of death and subsequently resurrection.
Second, we had to be sent somewhere outside of the presence and powerful righteous influence of God our Father to prove ourselves, to exercise our own agency, and determine in this life the nature of our life to come – the life after death. One of the prophets, Jacob, tells us that Adam & Eve were expelled out of the Garden of Eden into a “lone and dreary world” and on a probation of sorts, where a person could chose from a myriad of different things that were either good or evil. It is necessary for man to taste the bitter to enable him to appreciate the good, is one way to explain it.
The ancient prophet Alma calls this a probationary state, a time to repent, to grow, to learn responsibility, and to prepare for the next life. (Alma 12:24, 42:4)
Said the Lord, “And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man in the days of his probation – that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe.” (Doctrine & Covenants 29:43)
Obtain a Body . . . Prove Ourselves . . . Get Experience . . . this is your first estate.
Some of us live 80 years, some of us live 50 years, some of us live 39 years, and some live only a brief few years on this earth. Will you and I be given as much time? There are laws to be learned and lived, ordinances to experience, and covenants to be made and kept, and faith and obedience to demonstrate in this life.
Third, where do we go from here? Where will I go when I die? Where have friends and family that have passed on gone to?
The penitent thief on the cross being crucified with the Savior, Jesus Christ, asked the Him the same question. The Savior responded with this answer, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Christ died in the literal sense that you and I will die. He underwent a physical dissolution by which His immortal spirit was separated from His body of flesh and bones, and that body was actually dead. While the corpse lay in Joseph’s rock-hewn tomb, the living Christ existed as a disembodied Spirit. Where was He? We naturally assume that he went where spirits of the dead ordinarily go. He was in the disembodied state a Spirit among spirits. He went to the Spirit world.
We know that the spirit world is not heaven, as the Savior, on the third day after his crucifixion, met the weeping Mary Magdalene and said: “I am not yet ascended to my Father.” He had gone to Paradise as he told the penitent thief, but not to the place where God dwells. Sprit Paradise, therefore, is not Heaven, or the place where God the Eternal Father and his celestialized children dwell and make their abode. Spirit Paradise is a place where dwell
righteous and repentant disembodied spirits between bodily death and resurrection. Another division of the spirit world is reserved for those disembodied beings who have lived lives of wickedness and who remain impenitent even after death.
The ancient prophet Alma explained to his son Corianton who was confused on this matter, “Now there is must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and the time of resurrection.” (Alma 40:6) “Now concerning this state of the soul between the death and the resurrection, behold it has been made know unto me by an angel that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happens, which is called Paradise, a state of rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow.”
“And the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil – for behold they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold they chose evil works rather than the good; therefore, the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house – this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and as a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.” (Alma 40:11-14)
The Spirit World is therefore quite a unique place.
Another apostle and scriptural historian, Bruce R. McConkie, explains from the Savior’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus, “The spirit world is divided into two parts: Paradise which is the abode of the righteous, and hell which is the abode of the wicked. Until the death of Christ, these two spirit abodes were separated by a great gulf, with the intermingling of their respective inhabitants strictly forbidden.” (Luke 16:19-31) We know that Christ visited this spirit world because the apostle Peter’s biblical account tells us the following: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (1 Peter 3:18-20)
When Christ visited the Spirit world, he also organized the affairs of this kingdom such that the righteous spirits began teaching the His gospel to those who had not heard it and those who were disobedient or wicked. Although, there are two spheres within the one spirit world, there is now some intermingling of the righteous and the wicked that inhabit those spheres; and when the wicked spirits repent, they leave their prison-hell and join the righteous in spirit paradise. Hence Joseph Smith said, “Hades, Sheol, paradise, spirit prison are all one: it is a world of spirits. The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits until the resurrection.” (Teachings, p. 310).
Life, work and activity all continue in the spirit world. Men and women have the same talents and intelligence there which they had in this life. They possess the same attitudes, inclinations, and feelings there which they had in this life. They believe the same things, as far as eternal truths are concerned: they continue in effect, to walk in the same path they were following in this life. (Mormon Doctrine, Spirit World, McConkie) The prophet Amulek said, “That same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in the eternal world.” (Alma 34:34) Thus, if a man has the spirit of charity and the love of truth in his heart in this life, that same spirit will possess him in the spirit world.
Family and friends who have passed away with the spirit of joviality and happiness will find it will carry them forward in the gospel and in the teaching of the gospel to many others on the other side.
When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then at length, when I’ve completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.
(Eliza R. Snow, “O My Father,” Hymns, #292)
This post mortal world is a place to await resurrection. All will be resurrected. The Atonement of Jesus Christ ensures a universal resurrection. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor 15:22) Judgment will then, after the resurrection, be passed on all according to individual works and obedience while in mortality. The great prophet Nephi says, “For by grace are they saved after all they can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23) Said the Savior to His disciples, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me because I live and ye shall live also.” (John 14:19)
Inheriting the glory that Christ has been resurrected into is conditional and is based upon the laws by which individuals choose to govern their mortal lives.
Said the prophet Alma, “The plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
“And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also as the last day, be restored unto that which is good.” (Alma 41:2-3)
The righteous who understand and live the truth will be resurrected to receive a glory in heaven referred to as Celestial and Paul refers to this as comparable to the glory of the Sun. In this celestial kingdom also known as the Kingdom of God, marriages and eternal family relationships are secured, eternal progress and progression is uninterrupted forever and ever.
The less valiant who choose the lesser law will be resurrected to receive a glory Terrestrial that Paul compares to the glory of the moon. They chose not to enjoy that which they could have enjoyed. These would not accept the words of the prophets in this life and died in their sins, but accepted afterwards.
And to the undisciplined, wicked, liars, sorcerers, adulterers, whoremongers, and the unrepentant who are shut out in spirit prison until the Savior finishes his work (D&C 76:85), they will be resurrected to a glory Telestial or that equivalent, as Paul puts it, to the “glory of the stars, for one star differeth from another star in glory.” (1 Corinthians 15:40-44) The remainder will become attached to Perdition, those who refuse any part of the Atonement of Christ – those that are cast off forever, as the scriptures say, into outer darkness.
What of those that have taken their lives prematurely when the Lord has said, “Thou shalt not kill”? Are they consigned to spirit prison and later a telestial glory?
Another of the Lord’s modern day apostles, M. Russell Ballard, recently stated that there are “some things we know, and some we do not . . . [the] judgment for sin is not always as cut and dried as some of use seem to think. . . the Lord recognizes differences in intent and circumstances: Was the person who took his life mentally ill? Was he or she so deeply depressed as to be unbalanced or otherwise emotionally disturbed? Was the suicide a tragic, pitiful call for help that went unheeded too long or progressed faster than the victim intended? Did he or she somehow not understand the seriousness of the act? Was he or she suffering from a chemical imbalance in their system that led to despair and a loss of self control? Obviously, we do not know the full circumstances surrounding every suicide. Only the Lord knows the details, and he it is who will judge our actions here on earth.” (Liahona, March 1988, Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not)
Said the prophet Joseph Smith: “While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard . . . He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow contracted notions of men, but ‘according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil,’ . . . We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah; He will award judgment or mercy to all nations according to their several deserts, their means of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining correct information, and His inscrutable designs in relations to the human family; and when the designs of God shall be made manifest, and the curtain of futurity be withdrawn, we shall all of us eventually have to confess that the Judge of all the earth has done right.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1938, p218)
When we are judged, the Lord will take all things into consideration: our genetic and chemical makeup, our mental state, our intellectual capacity, the teachings we have received the traditions of our fathers, our health, and so forth.
That is the plan. Those are the answers. Death, then, is a gateway.
Upon the cross he meekly died
For all mankind to see
That death unlocks the passageway
Into eternity.
(Hymns, #184 – “Upon the Cross of Calvary”)
“The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.” (2 Nephi 9:41)
To live, to love, and to be loved are the essence of what is important in this life. Those we have known and passed on have lived great lives, they were loved and are still loved.
Mourning and tears are normal – in fact, they are a healthy reaction. Mourning is one of the purest expressions of deep love. It is a natural response in accord with divine commandment: “Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die.” (D&C 42:45)
By mortal standard time, it’ll be much longer than we like till we see our loved ones again. By eternal standard time – “We’ll see you soon.”
Until then watch. There are another set of hands you should look for, pierced at the palms and at the wrists. You will recognize His hands when you see them. You will recognize Him when you see Him. His hands are always open. The brightness of His eyes and smile will warm the darkest recesses of your soul. When you meet Him, touch his hands, feel the mark in his side, and bow at His feet. He knows you by name. He knows each of us by name. He will offer you the peace, the rest and the love that you seek.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die . . . A time to weep, and a time to laugh, at time to mourn, and a time to dance . . . a time to get and a time to loose . . . a time to embrace . . . and a time to love.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
This death of which I speak eventually comes to all. It comes to some in childhood, to some in ripe old age, and to others in the prime of life. To some it comes by natural means, anticipated and expected, to others it comes without warning, unannounced. It may come quietly in the peace of the night, or it may come violently in the confusion of an instant, but assuredly, it comes to all.
To you my beloved friends and patients and family, remember His invitation. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
This yoke is a conviction, a way of life; it is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does not take away challenges, disappointments, frustrations, pain or sorrow. But, when lived, it lifts burdens, lightens loads, and makes life bearable. It empowers you with light and strength from on high to learn and grow from experiences in spite of whatever life brings.
This is my conviction. This I know to be true. It is what brings hope in the battle against that inevitable foe, death. May it bring you the warmth of heart and the solace of soul that it brings to me as I ponder its meaning in my life and the lives of my family. May the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation bring you comfort in knowing that those we care about have passed through the gateway we call death to look forward upon immortality and the Glory of the Savior Jesus Christ.
Jack of All Trades
There is a commonly misquoted phrase that says, “A jack of all trades is a master of none.” However, the full quote attributed to William Shakespeare actually reads, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one.”
Possessing skills in multiple areas is valuable. Today it is even more valuable than in the past. Learning even a little bit about business, philosophy, physics, coding, economics, gardening, ranching, construction, etc. may put you in a position of immediate value in almost any group.
Become a T-shaped person. This is a person who has specialized knowledge and skills in a particular area, as well as the desire and ability to make connections across different disciplines.
I have personally found that expanding my learning in other broad areas of interest have made my expertise in medicine, health and diet so much more rewarding. It is why I have my own ranch with horses, goats, chickens, ducks and dogs. It is why I’ve studied European Swordsmanship and Martial Arts. It was the driver for getting trained in hypnotherapy. And, it is why I love riding motorcycles. All of these interests have played a role in deepening my medical expertise.
“Like chess masters and firefighters, pre-modern villagers relied on things being the same tomorrow as they were yesterday. They were extremely well prepared for what they had experienced before, and extremely poorly equipped for everything else. Their very thinking was highly specialized in a manner that the modern world has been telling us is increasingly obsolete. They were perfectly capable of learning from experience, but failed at learning without experience.
“And, that is what a rapidly changing, wicked world demands, conceptual reasoning skills that can connect new ideas and work across contexts. Faced with any problem they had not directly experienced before, the remote villagers were completely lost.
“That is not an option for us. The more constrained and repetitive a challenge, the more likely it will be automated, while great rewards will accrue to those who can take conceptual knowledge from one problem or domain and apply it in an entirely new one” (David Epstein, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World).
It is possible that in an earlier world, where change occurs slowly, specialization represents and provides a significant competitive advantage. However, in today’s ever-changing world, integrating your specialist skills with a variety of other skills becomes a new and powerful competitive advantage.
In a world where you have the freedom to explore the things you’re curious about, don’t limit yourself to just one. Definitely be an expert in one particular field, but don’t be afraid to go out and learn about topics that aren’t directly related to your specialty.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
Mask Wearing Has No Scientific Evidence Based Justification
Nearly three years after the start of COVID-19 in early 2020, people are still showing up in my clinic wearing single and double masks, with tremendous fear of getting an infection with COVID-19 or Influenza. As of the end of 2022, some “so called” experts started telling people in the public to wear masks again, and patients in droves are showing up masked to their medical appointments in the last four weeks.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the existing available data about respiratory viruses including influenza and various types of coronavirus showed no evidence or justification for wearing masks to prevent the spread of infection of a respiratory virus. The legitimate reason for use of a mask is during surgery to lend protection from blood and body fluid splatter between patient and providers or with specific types of filtration masks designed to specifically protect from certain types of bacterial infections.
Review of the Medical Literature:
Here are key anchor points to the extensive scientific literature that establishes that wearing surgical masks and respirators (e.g., “N95”) does not reduce the risk of contracting a verified illness:
- Jacobs, J. L. et al. (2009) “Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial,” American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 37, Issue 5, 417 – 419. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19216002. N95-masked health-care workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Face mask use in HCW was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
- Cowling, B. et al. (2010) “Face masks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review,” Epidemiology and Infection, 138(4), 449-456. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/face-masks-to-prevent-transmission-of-influenza-virus-a-systematic- review/64D368496EBDE0AFCC6639CCC9D8BC05. None of the studies reviewed showed a benefit from wearing a mask, in either health care worker or community members in households (H). See summary Tables 1 and 2 therein.
- bin-Reza et al. (2012) “The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence,” Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(4), 257–267. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.00307.x “There were 17 eligible studies. … None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”
- Smith, J.D. et al. (2016) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” CMAJ Mar 2016 https://www.cmaj.ca/content/188/8/567 “We identified six clinical studies . . . In the meta-analysis of the clinical studies, we found no significant difference between N95 respirators and surgical masks in associated risk of (a) laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, (b) influenza-like illness, or (c) reported work-place absenteeism.”
- Offeddu, V. et al. (2017) “Effectiveness of Masks and Respirators Against Respiratory Infections in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 65, Issue 11, 1 December 2017, Pages 1934–1942, https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/65/11/1934/4068747 “Self-reported assessment of clinical outcomes was prone to bias. Evidence of a protective effect of masks or respirators against verified respiratory infection (VRI) was not statistically significant.”
- Radonovich, L.J. et al. (2019) “N95 Respirators vs Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” JAMA. 2019; 322(9): 824–833. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214 “Among 2862 randomized participants, 2371 completed the study and accounted for 5180 HCW-seasons. … Among outpatient health care personnel, N95 respirators vs medical masks as worn by participants in this trial resulted in no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
- Long, Y. et al. (2020) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks against influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” J Evid Based Med. 2020; 1- 9. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jebm.12381 “A total of six RCTs involving 9,171 participants were included. There were no statistically significant differences in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza, laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections, laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, and influenza-like illness using N95 respirators and surgical masks. Meta-analysis indicated a protective effect of N95 respirators against laboratory-confirmed bacterial colonization (RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.43-0.78). The use of N95 respirators compared with surgical masks is not associated with a lower risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
Conclusion: Masks Do Not Work
No randomized controlled (RCT) study with verified outcome shows a benefit for health care workers or community members in households to wearing a mask or respirator. There is no such study in existence.
Likewise, no study exists that shows a benefit from a broad policy to wear masks in public.
If there were any benefit to wearing a mask, because of the blocking power against droplets and aerosol particles, then there should be more benefit from wearing a respirator (N95) compared to a surgical mask, yet several large meta-analyses, and all the RCT, prove that there is no such relative benefit.
No Evidence or Justification for Mask Wearing
Despite the news media with all their hype, all of the scientific studies done in the world up until 2020 demonstrated that there was absolutely no justification for mask wearing to prevent spread of respiratory illness including influenza and corona-viruses. The guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also showed that there was no need for wearing masks in the general public. The practice of wearing masks did not, and to this day, have any professional justification.
In 2020, the recommendation around the world for wearing masks suddenly changed without any new professional support to confirm their effectiveness against respiratory infection. The vast majority of studies during the pandemic suffered from very low quality and many biases.
Only Two High Quality Mask Studies Exist
Since the start of the pandemic only two high-quality studies have been completed, one looking at a population of over 3000 people in Denmark, and the other with over 342,000 adults completed in Bangladesh. The study in Bangladesh found some marginal benefit for people over age 50 years old, but overall both studies show that there is no significant benefit for wearing masks to prevent infection with influenza or the corona-virus specifically.
In fact, the results of both of these studies demonstrate that the wearing of masks actually may do more harm than good. In addition to these studies, several observational studies demonstrated that wearing a mask can cause headaches, concentration difficulty, shortness of breath, decrease in blood oxygen levels, increase in the level of carbon dioxide, bacterial contamination from the mask itself and the existence of substances suspected being carcinogenic as result of lack of regulations and the production of masks.
Wearing a mask for a prolonged period of time can become problematic because of the accumulation of carbon dioxide levels that may exceed permitted standards, might cause tiredness, blurriness, sleepiness and deficiency in judgment, as well as thinking.
Masks Adversely Affect Social, Mental and Emotional Health
An additional issue I personally found to be a problem in my office, masks create communication difficulty with people who have impaired hearing and need to read lips is a major factor. Additional studies demonstrated the negative effect of wearing masks on communication and especially with children’s mental and emotional development.
There are a few particular situations in which wearing masks is justified. In the context of medical treatment when a patient with a respiratory disease is closely examined by medical staff who will be spending prolonged periods of time with that patient, and certainly in the cases of active infectious COVID-19 there is justification for wearing a mask by both the therapist and the patient. However, research still demonstrates the spread to be very low if the contact is less than three hours in length.
As a physician who has practiced medicine for over 20 years, when the patient comes to me with leg pain there is no reason for him or for me to wear a mask. If a patient comes in with anemia, there is also no reason to wear a mask. In the medical encounter, the relationship that exist between the doctor and the patient has great significance. Masks interfere with that relationship and the empathy that should exist between them. Mask wearing when none is justified creates a subconscious barrier and changes the social and emotional dynamics between the patient and doctor. Currently, there is a directive for mask-wearing in medical, health and welfare facilities around the world in a number of countries and in a number of hospitals which actually has no scientific justification.
Untrustworthy Medical Journals and Bias
The medical profession and providers within this profession rely heavily on articles published in high-quality journals to provide evidence based guidance and direction for our decisions and actions. However, in the last three years, bias in these publications has been very significant and misleading in these leading journals. It has essentially made them untrustworthy.
Because of this, doctors have passed through a kind of brainwashing by the medical establishment. They have been receiving inaccurate, misleading and contradictory information from previously trusted sources now swayed by bias, political, governmental and monetary influence, so doctors themselves struggle to know what is right and what is not.
Perhaps most worrisome is the continued refusal to have open professional discussion, and the disdain for different positions backed by poor quality research and data not consistent with the norms of medicine and science. This has had long-term negative consequences for the medical profession and consequences that every doctor in the world should be concerned about.
As I mentioned above, no study exists that shows a benefit from any broad policy to wear masks in public. There is good reason for this. It would be impossible to obtain unambiguous and bias-free results because:
- Any benefit from mask-wearing has only a very small effect, since undetected in controlled experiments, which would be swamped by the larger effects, notably the large effect from changing atmospheric humidity.
- Mask compliance and mask adjustment habits would be unknown and impossible to account for.
- Mask-wearing is associated (correlated) with several other health behaviors; see Wada (2012).
- The results would not be transferable, because of differing cultural habits.
- Compliance is achieved by fear, and individuals can habituate to fear-based propaganda, and can have fundamentally different basic responses.
- Monitoring and compliance measurement are near-impossible, and subject to large errors.
- Self-reporting (such as in surveys) is notoriously biased, because individuals have the self-interested belief that their efforts are useful.
- Progression of the epidemic is not verified with reliable tests on large population samples, and generally relies on non-representative hospital visits or admissions.
- Several different viruses and strains of viruses causing respiratory illness generally act together, in the same population and/or in individuals, and are not resolved, while having different epidemiological characteristics.
Unless you’re going in to perform surgery, please, for your health and mine, stop wearing a mask.
Tips for How to Handle The In-Laws for the Holidays . . .
Not all of us have access to effective sedatives . . . So, for the rest of us in the real world Here are 7 ways to deal with annoying in-laws and family during the Holidays:
- Manage your expectations. Setting realistic expectations is the key to not getting frustrated or angry with your partner’s family. It’s inevitable that there will be differences and disagreements, but don’t try to change them or assume that things will be different this year. Instead, strive to find some common ground. It is ok to disagree, but don’t focus on differences, focus on the common ground.
- Make it a team effort. Include your in-laws in the planning. Ultimately, everyone wants to feel important and included. A team effort makes every family member feel like an essential part of the meal or party. If someone doesn’t like to cook or bake, have him or her bring something to drink, flowers, a game or the plates and napkins. People get along when they feel listened to and included.
- Recognize it for what it is: a control issue. Seriously, it’s about control. Often we take comments from our in-laws personally, especially if it’s about something important to us, like our marriage, parenting style or work situation. Keep this in perspective: Your in-laws’ comments aren’t about you; they’re a reflection of them. Usually the most prickly issues are about who will have the most influence and control. Parents are fearful of losing total control over their child. They also don’t like to acknowledge that they are getting older themselves — and losing some of their power. When you recognize this, you can ask for input or advice, making them feel less out of control in the relationship.
- Respect differences. You can’t change anyone’s behavior or opinion, so be a role model and show respect for everyone’s point of view. If there’s a topic that creates too much conflict — like politics or religion or food — steer clear of it. You don’t have to accept your in-laws’ opinions, just respect them and listen politely.
- Set emotional boundaries. Don’t spill your guts about everything in your life, and establish limits around what you ask others — and how much you’re willing to shape-shift to accommodate them. Most of us want to be accepted and liked, especially by our in-laws, and sometimes we do and do and do for them at our own expense. Shape-shifting and attempting to conform is physically and mentally exhausting. Boundaries are what you will and will not do. You and your spouse should decide together what the boundaries are in your own family. For example, if you value your kids’ early bedtimes, you may not attend evening events, even if it’s your sister-in-law’s birthday.
- Enlist your partner’s help. If you’ve tried to communicate directly with your in-laws but there’s too much tension and conflict, it might be time to ask your spouse to step in. He might have to talk to them alone or come to your rescue when you’re in their company. This may not be easy for him, because parents tend to push our buttons. He might have to say, for instance, “Mom, this is how my wife feels about this issue. Please respect her. It’s important to me that you two get along.” Always focus on maintaining a healthy relationship with your spouse as the number one priority. You two are a team and should act as a united front when addressing issues with each other’s parents.
- Always Be Kind. Your kids are always watching and listening, so it’s important to value kindness in all your interactions with family members and extended family. Extend kind greetings to your in-laws and speak in a respectful tone at all times, even if you don’t feel like they do the same to you. No one wins if you try to treat others like they treat you.
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Long COVID, Post Vaccination Syndrome, Clots and the D-Dimer
The COVID-19 spike protein is responsible for serious clotting disorders being seen more and more often. This is happening so much that morticians are now commenting about the record number of “rubber-like” bands being pulled from people’s vascular systems upon starting the embalming process.
I’ve personally seen at least 50 cases over the last two years where patients present with profound fatigue, SOB, abdominal pain, diarrhea and extremity pain post vaccination with no really clear explanation in the medical literature until now. Patients exposed or vaccinated are having these symptoms linger for as long as 24 months.
A large scale cohort UK study based on 48 million adults in England and Wales found that in the first week after a COVID-19 diagnosis, the risk of an arterial blood clot was nearly 22 times higher than in someone without COVID-19, and 33 times higher for those with a venous clot condition.
A clot in the artery is the kind that could cause a heart attack or ischemic stroke by blocking blood flow to the heart or brain. That’s different from a clot in the vein leading to a clot in the lung. Though we are seeing both in escalating numbers.
An estimated 10,500 additional cases of clot-related problems, i.e. about 7,200 additional heart attacks or strokes, and 3,500 additional cases of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or other venous problems was identified in this British study alone. Even though that risk drops sharply to less than four times higher than someone without COVID in the second week, it remains high (2x) even up to 49 weeks after the initial diagnosis. This is especially so in regards to the risk of blood clot formation in the legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVTs).
It’s All Due to the Spike Protein
The spike protein that the virus is wrapped in and that the vaccine causes to be replicated in your RNA is the actual trigger for the clotting cascade. It’s the reason I called it the ‘clot shot” last year and now we know it increases clotting in three different mechanisms.
The nasty little virus, SARS-CoV-2, enters our cells via a fancy little protein receptor call the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). And, not so lucky for them, Endothelial cells (ECs), express an abundance of ACE2. ECs reside on the inner surface of every blood vessel across our entire body, making them a direct target of the virus infection.
Many other cells, including lung epithelial cells, enterocytes lining the small intestines, and cardiac pericytes, all express ACE2.
Spike proteins don’t only activate epithelial cells (EC) and promote localized inflammation. They also promote systemic inflammation as ACE2 is almost everywhere inside our major organs and tissues. And, this coding literally gets written into the DNA.
This leads to more pro-inflammatory genes getting expressed. More and more immune cells are attracted and sent to the injured or infected tissues (vessels in the lung, heart, gut, etc).
A number of downstream events occurs contributing further to the clotting cascade:
- Complement-mediated inflammation of epitheliums (endothelialitis): Spike proteins docking on ACE2 ECs activates the complement pathway and coagulation cascade, resulting in a systemic endothelialitis (lung injury) and procoagulant state (tendency to develop blood clots).
- As the complement destroys the endothelium, the procoagulant von Willebrand factor (vWF) and FVIII are released. A significant increase of vWF can form multimers that promote thrombus growth. vWF is secreted mainly from endothelial cells and from a-granules of platelets (megakaryocytes derived). This is comparable to the string in the “beads and string” of a necklace where the beads represent platelets.
- Platelet storm: Platelets are a small fragment of the megakaryocytes. The complement anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a activate platelets and increase the production of tissue factor further promoting a clotting forming state. ACE2 receptors are present on platelets, and this may contribute to the massive platelet aggregation, which is a characteristic of severe COVID-19 infection.
- Activation of neutrophils leads to formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), a process sometimes referred to as NETosis, which contributes to thrombosis.
- EC injury is compounded by toll-like receptor (TLR) activation by viral RNA recognition, with resulting increased reactive oxidative species (ROS) production. The increased ROS further upregulates the expression of vWF. The DNA expression of clotting sensitivity is literally turned up.
- Spike proteins can induce expression and secretion of a series of clotting proteins which cascades into the clotting process, including factor (F)-V, thrombin, and fibrinogen to promote clotting process.
Spike Protein Impairs Regulation of RAAS – Leading to More Clots
Now if all of the above wasn’t bad enough, because the spike protein directly interacts with ACE2 expression, COVID-19 patients showed an elevated level of serum angiotensin II indicating a dysregulation of the RAA system (renin angiotensin aldosterone system, or RAAS).
Traditionally, people think angiotensin II is a neurohormone that stimulates the constriction of vascular smooth muscle cells and is responsible for salt and water balance, controlling blood pressure. However, there have been abundant studies supporting the idea that angiotensin II is capable of initiating and upregulating inflammatory responses, worsening the clotting state.
In a normal immune response, these mechanisms help to calm down the local injury, with subsequent healing and returning to a resting EC state.
However, for predisposed COVID-19 patients or vaccinated patient, the factors strengthening clot formation can over power the normal healing mechanisms, all of which lead to an escalating thrombotic cascade.
The Birth of a COVID Clot (it’s like a TV Soap Opera story)
The spike induced endothelial disruption leads to massive amounts of vWF release. Then a subsequent platelet storm happens leading to hypoxia induced upregulation and activation of vWF. What follows is a fibrous network from neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), as well as increased angiotensin II levels, all adding up to initiate thrombogenesis. In a nutshell, the spike protein drives the formation of the clot through six different dysregulated mechanisms and is the beginning of the long rubbery clots in the arterial system of the body. Furthermore, the upcoming second scene takes another pivotal part in the whole story.
A COVID vaccine instructs the cells to produce large quantities of spike proteins. Normal biochemical and physiological processes are “hijacked” in order to make an abnormal amount of these spike proteins. Again, your DNA is hijacked to make more spike protein. Did you know that?
These abnormal amounts of spike protein have more surprising direct effects on clots.
Spike Proteins Directly Disrupt the Clot Dissolving Mechanism
In a normal healthy person, the body will, in the presence of a blood clot, break the clot down by a process of fibrinolysis. This is a natural healing and balancing mechanism to prevent an abundance of blood clots.
During this process, Tissue Plasminogen activator (TPA, coming from the endothelium) helps plasminogen change into plasmin and then this causes the generation of d-dimer (a small protein fragment left when a blood clot dissolves). This is the flag telling us that the clot dissolving mechanism is broken. This is what I commonly measure every 2-4 weeks in these patients. Interestingly, these patients symptoms resolve once the d-dimer is normal.
Every one of my 50 patients has had D-Dimers elevated for 6-24 months.
It has been discovered that fibrinogen in blood can clot into an abnormal “amyloid” form of fibrin that (like other β-rich amyloids and prions) is relatively resistant to proteolysis (fibrinolysis). This is essential amyloid that is hard to remove.
This has been and is strongly seen in the platelet-poor plasma (PPP) of individuals with long COVID and post vaccination long haul syndrome. What is scary is that the extensive fibrin amyloid microclots can persist.
In a recent study by Grobbelaar published in Bioscience Reports in August 2021, the biomarker S1 (or the intruding part of the spike protein) alone can induce fibrin resistance to fibrinolysis, leading to unopposed microclot formation.
When spike protein S1 was added to healthy PPP, it resulted in structural changes to β and γ fibrin(ogen), complement 3, and prothrombin. These proteins were substantially resistant to trypsinization in the presence of spike protein S1.
Hence, the results suggest that the presence of spike protein in circulation may contribute to the hyper-clotting status, and may cause substantial impairment of the clot dissolving process.
Such lytic impairment may result in the persistent large microclots that people have reported and which have been found in plasma samples of COVID-19 patients.
These microclots block up capillaries, and thus to limit the passage of red blood cells, and hence oxygen exchange, which can actually underpin the majority of these symptoms.
Spike Proteins Form Amyloid-Like Substance
Furthermore, to everyone’s surprise, the spike proteins are identified to present seven amyloidogenic sequences and are able to form amyloid-like substances.
In other words, these spike proteins are similar to those beta-amyloid or tau or alpha-synuclein like substances which may cause neuronal loss in Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Their structure makes it easy to form tighter string-like bonded structures with longitudinal twisting as well as cross binding, forming a fibrous-like structure visible under the microscope.
Researchers have found that plasma samples from long COVID patients still contain large anomalous (amyloid) deposits (microclots), which are resistant to fibrinolysis (compared to plasma from controls and diabetes), even after trypsinization (cell dissociation after an enzyme breaks down proteins).
After a second trypsinization, the persistent pellet deposits (microclots) were solubilized. Various inflammatory molecules substantially increased in both the supernatant and trapped in the solubilized pellet deposits of COVID-19, versus that of the control samples.
Of particular interest was a substantial increase in α(2)-antiplasmin (α2AP), various fibrinogen chains, as well as Serum Amyloid A (SAA) that were trapped in the solubilized fibrinolytic-resistant pellet deposits.
Significant abnormal amyloid microclot formation that are resistant to fibrinolysis, increased α2AP, and the surge of acute phase inflammatory molecules may therefore be central contributors in both COVID-19 infection and as well as COVID vaccine-related syndrome.
Spike Protein Inhibits Another Anti-Clot Mechanism
Spike protein just keeps presenting one surprise after another.
It’s been reported that the spike protein can competitively inhibit the bindings of antithrombin and heparin cofactor II to heparin, causing abnormal increase in thrombin (clotting) activity. SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins at a similar concentration (~10 μg/mL) as the viral load in critically ill patients can directly cause blood coagulation and thrombosis in the zebrafish model.
These unexpected negative effects of spike protein on the dissolving process of blood clots, including its amyloid nature, all may be the key contributory factors to the abnormal, lengthy fibrous clots observed in COVID-related conditions.
The Spike Protein Is the Smoking Gun
There is clinical evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been detected in clots retrieved from COVID-19 patients with acute ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction.
Recent research conducted by cardiologists from the University of Colorado sheds light on the crucial role of spike protein in the pathology of COVID and COVID vaccine-related injuries.
They analyzed seven COVID-19 patients and six mRNA vaccinated patients with myocardial injury and found nearly identical alterations in gene profiling patterns that would predispose them to clotting state, inflammation, and myocardial dysfunction.
In other words, regardless of whether the myocarditis was caused by the virus or vaccine, the expression of genes responsible for prothrombotic state was turned on in response to the spike protein, and inflammation and myocardial dysfunction exhibited similar changes.
Based on gene analysis, COVID-19 and post-mRNA vaccine injury have a common molecular mechanism. The altered genes pattern includes down-regulation in ACE2, ACE2/ACE ratio, AGTR1, and ITGA5, and up-regulation in ACE and F3 (tissue factor).
What is more alarming, and not previously reported, is that microvascular thrombosis has been found in post-vaccinated patients, indicating that spike protein itself is able to trigger blood clots in susceptible patients.
The Tip of the Iceberg?
Unfortunately, this may only be the beginning. The AstraZenica COVID adenovirus (ChAdOx1-S) vaccine pulled from the marked caused antibody (auto-immune) formation to platelet factor 4 (PF4). Auto-immunity can take years to form before it is recognized.
These unusual blood clots in combination with thrombocytopenia were reported predominantly in women aged under 60 years. Accordingly, several European countries restricted the use of adenovirus vaccines in younger age groups.
This risk has been recently systematically analyzed in an international network cohort study from five European countries and the United States, confirming pooled 30 percent increased risk of thrombocytopenia after a first dose of the ChAdOx1-S vaccine, as well as a trend towards an increased risk of venous thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome after Ad26.COV2.S (the Janssen COVID vaccine) compared with BNT162b2 (the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine).
What Works to Detoxify the Spike Protein?
I’ve listed my go-to medications below in the order of effectiveness in my clinical experience.
Ivermectin – Ivermectin is a compound that originated from nature. Satoshi Omura, a Japanese microbiologist and organic chemist, who grew up in a farmer’s family, discovered from soil samples the predecessor compound of ivermectin, Streptomyces Avermectinius, and modified it into ivermectin.
Ivermectin has been in use for more than 50 years. Ivermectin was first used in the treatment of parasitic diseases, such as onchocerciasis, river blindness, and elephantiasis.
In addition to treating parasites, in vitro cellular experiments have revealed that ivermectin has broad-spectrum antiviral effects. It can be used to fight against RNA viruses (including HIV, the dengue fever virus, influenza viruses) and DNA viruses.
In addition, ivermectin has a variety of antiviral mechanisms. It can also inhibit viral entry into cells and viral protease function, thus blocking viral replication.
A study published in the journal In Vivo found that ivermectin might interfere with the attachment of spike protein to the human cell membrane.
In an in vitro study on ivermectin published in Antiviral Research, the researchers added ivermectin to cells infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and then harvested the supernatant and cell pellets for further analysis. It was revealed that within 48 hours of adding 5 μM ivermectin, the viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA was reduced by 99.999 percent, leaving only 0.001 percent.
A prospective, observational study of the citywide COVID-19 prevention with ivermectin program was conducted between July 2020 and December 2020 in Itajaí, Brazil.
In the absence of contraindications, ivermectin was offered as an optional treatment to be taken for two consecutive days every 15 days at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg/day.
Of the 223,128 citizens of Itajaí considered for the study, a total of 159,561 subjects were included in the analysis: 113,845 (71.3 percent) regular ivermectin users and 45,716 (23.3 percent) non-users. The main findings are: The regular use of ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg/day for 2 days every 15 days led to a 68 percent reduction in COVID-19 mortality (0.8 percent versus 2.6 percent among ivermectin non-users; p < 0.0001). There was a 56 percent reduction in hospitalization rate (p < 0.0001).
Minocycline – Doxycycline or Minocycline may stop the cytokine storm produced by this segment of spike protein superantigen activity ( Francini E, Miano ST, Fiaschi AI, Francini G. Doxycycline or minocycline may be a viable treatment option against SARS-CoV-2. Med Hypotheses 2020;144:110054. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110054. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/bddyrfx2. Accessed May 19, 2022.)
Colchicine – (Colcrys) for pericarditis: colchicine is indicated for the treatment and prevention of gout, though it is also generally considered first-line treatment for acute pericarditis, as well as preventing recurrent episodes. Colchicine has been effective in lowering the d-dimer through it’s effect on improving inflammatory cascades. Although the exact mechanism of colchicine is not fully understood, its anti-inflammatory effect for pericarditis appears to be related to its ability to inhibit microtubule self-assembly, resulting in decreased leucocyte motility and phagocytosis Colchicine is a nonsteroidal antimitotic drug that blocks metaphase by binding to the ends of microtubules to prevent the elongation of the microtubule polymer. This agent has proven useful in gout and idiopathic recurrent pericarditis. The GRECCO-19 randomized open-label trial in 105 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 found that colchicine was associated with a reduction in D-dimer levels and improved clinical outcome.
NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) – This drug is a well-established expectorant, which is able to reduce the stickiness of sputum, as well as an antioxidant.
Although it’s unable to interfere with the binding of spike proteins to ACE2 receptors, it reduces the oxidation of spike proteins after they enter the cells. As a neutralizing agent, it can reduce the consequences of toxicity after poisoning.
A cell model study published in the journal Circulation Research found that the expression of some normal proteins, such as phospho angiotensin-converting enzyme (pACE2), ACE2 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), decreased in pulmonary artery endothelial cells infected with pseudo-spike proteins, while the expression of the bad protein MDM2 (which promotes tumor formation) increased.
NAC, on the other hand, has a restorative effect on cells. It’s able to restore cells damaged by spike proteins to almost the same state as normal cells.
As there is no direct clinical trial data to confirm the effects on reducing the spike protein toxicity, an instruction under a doctor’s advice must be followed.
Catechin and Curcumin- Catechin, a tea extract, is a natural antioxidant that accounts for about 75-80 percent of the polyphenol content of tea and is one of the sources of the bitterness of tea.
Curcumin, derived from turmeric, is an important component of curry. Curcumin has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
An article published in Scientific Reports – Nature studied these two components and found that curcumin binds to the receptor-binding domain of spike proteins; and catechin binds to amino acids near the receptor-binding domain, thus blocking spike proteins from binding to the ACE2 receptors and blocking spike proteins from entering cells.
These two ingredients can inhibit viral invasion of cells at the body’s first natural immune barrier, guard the cell’s gateways and offset the strength of the virus.
Carpenter’s Herb – Carpenter’s herb (Prunella vulgaris) has long been considered an effective medicine for liver health.
In 2021, a study by Canadian infectious disease researchers was published in the Public Library of Science: General (PLOS ONE). It proved that the water-soluble extract NhPV of the natural plant carpenter’s herb can inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 and block it from infecting cells. Some other herbs, such as pine needles, emodin, neem, and dandelion leaf extract, are also mentioned in the WCH guidelines as having similar effects in relieving the toxicity of spike proteins. Increasingly, scientific studies are finding that there are more herbal ingredients that have inhibitory effects on the SARS-CoV-2 and can repair the damage caused by vaccination. For instance, scientists have selected 25 candidate compounds from the giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis) and docked them into the binding site of Mpro, the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. They discovered that 11 of these compounds were effective in inhibiting the replication and transcription of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Suramin – Suramin is a century-old medicine that was also first used to treat the parasitic worm disease called onchocerciasis. In addition to treating parasitic diseases, it has been proven effective in inhibiting the replication of many viruses, including enterovirus, Zika virus, and Ebola virus.
Most of the data on Suramin are derived from the in vitro studies. In theory, it should work for reducing the spike in protein toxicity. As there is no clinical trial data to confirm the effects on reducing the spike protein toxicity, an instruction under a doctor’s advice must be followed.
Both ivermectin and suramin can interfere with the binding of spike proteins to ACE receptors and relieve the cellular damage caused by spike proteins.
My hopes in publishing this is that someone, somewhere will benefit and reduce their risk for clot, heart attack, stroke and/or death.
Veteran’s Day & The Poppies
I saw a man selling poppies stop a lady and ask if he could re-position her poppy. While doing so, he reminded her that World War I ended on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour in 1918. He told her that the poppy should be worn on the right side, the red representing the blood of all those who gave their lives, the black representing the mourning of those who did not have their loved ones return home, and the green leaf representing the grass and crops growing and the future prosperity after the war destroyed so much.
The leaf should be positioned at 11 o’clock to represent the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the time that World War I formally ended.
He expressed his worry that younger generations wouldn’t understand this meaning and that his generation would not be around long enough to teach them.
For those that do not know, the 11th day of the 11th month is Veteran’s Day.
I was told this story in the first years of my practice by a World War I Veteran patient of mine who has since passed away. It was shared again with me today by another noble Veteran of the Vietnam War. I realized that my children probably don’t understand the meaning of the poppy. So, I’ve recorded it here for you and for them.
Today, U.S. citizens honor all U.S. servicemembers on Veterans Day, November 11, but in many other parts of the world, the day is known as Remembrance Day, a day set aside to remember military personnel who have lost their lives in war. Established by King George V in 1919, Remembrance Day evolved out of Armistice Day, which marked the end of hostilities in World War I in 1918.
After WWII, the day was renamed “Remembrance Day,” although Armistice Day is still celebrated on the same day. In the United Kingdom, Canada, France, South Africa, the U.S., Bermuda, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, citizens pause at observe one or two moments of silence at 11 a.m. to remember the fallen. The United States rebranded its November 11th celebration after the Korean War to honor all U.S. veterans, living and dead.
In the spirit of Remembrance Day and Veteran’s Day worldwide, many wear a simple red poppy on the lapel, reminiscent of the red poppies (the annual herbaceous species of flowering plant papaver rhoeas) that were among the first plants to bloom in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
This poem was written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and fellow soldier Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres.
Inspired by McCrae’s poem, American professor Moina Michael penned her response to the poem in 1918.
We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
Today the red poppy remains a popular outward sign of remembrance in November.
In 2014, a major art installation called Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window was unveiled at the Tower of London, displaying 888,246 ceramic poppies, each honoring a member of the British and Colonial forces who died during the Great War. This is something to behold and is quite breathtaking.
In the United States, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day (also known as Poppy Days), millions of red crepe paper poppies – all handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation – are distributed across the country by the American Legion in exchange for donations that go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans.
The poppy becomes a powerful symbol of the individual who sacrificed for you and I. Only through this form of artful remembrance can we pass this meaning on to our children.
The red poppy is a simple way to show support those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defending freedom across the globe. When you see a poppy this week, remember those that have sacrificed for our freedoms. If you want to do more, consider donating to or becoming a part of the Wounded Warrior Project. Veterans Day is a day to honor and celebrate the heroes who risked their lives to protect us.
While we can never repay injured warriors for their extraordinary sacrifices, we can show our gratitude by giving them the crucial support they need.
What We Learn About Femininity from Lord of the Rings
For years, I’ve tried to understand what it is about J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings that is so very inspiring. Beyond the powerful basic story, Tolkien builds memorable masculine and feminine characters with tremendous strength. I recognized this when I saw the pattern used in that triumphant moment when Eowyn defeats the Ring Wraith leader, the Witch King of Angmar. What is it about Eowyn’s defeat of the Witch King and his Fell Beast that makes it so inspiring?
Similar scenes in movies, books and stories depict a strong female hero, yet most feel inauthentic, forced and are often cringeworthy. Yet, the scene created by Tolkien and reproduced on the screen by Peter Jackson is one of the most powerful I’ve seen. This moment in the book and on the screen felt earned and created meaningful impact in the legacy of the book and film. It is the pattern of an eternal truth that Tolkien uses in each of the books of the Lord of the Rings and can be seen in each of the films.
To recognize this pattern, a clear understanding of the Feminine versus the Masculine is essential. And, specifically, it is essential to understand how feminine strength can be manifest.
Feminine strength is actually fascinating to most men. It has been something I am personally fascinated by, and it is what attracted me to my wife.
Feminine strength appears in multiple forms. We will look at a few examples of this strength. However, because volumes could be written about the manifestation of feminine strength, we will primarily look at one manifestation of this strength and how it relates to Tolkien’s character Eowyn.
The Beauty and Truth Found in Feminine Strength
Three questions to be addressed here are:
- Why do we need feminine strength and not just a world of masculine women?
- What happens when we ignore the reality of the true feminine strength?
- Can the masculine and feminine strengths work together?
At the core of this post, I hope you see the true beauty and infinite nature of truth used by Tolkien in the character of Eowyn and in Peter Jackson’s Return of the King. There is a hidden power and grandeur within the capacities of each feminine being.
What is Masculine Strength?
First, to understand the feminine, one must understand the masculine. What does masculine strength look like? I’ve written about this before ( I’ve also written about it here). However I want to contrast the basics of the masculine strength to what the true eternal feminine strength looks like and provides.
Masculinity is the strength of the warrior fed and upheld by a basic instinctual need for honor. It is seen in the soldier, the explorer and the hunter. It is the man or boy who possesses the physical strength and courage to fight and conquer evil, not for himself, but for his kingdom his community or his family. He is the one who willingly sacrifices himself in battle. He does this instinctually because of his need to preserve, uphold and maintain his honor. Though it can be smothered, it is not a learned behavior. It is what drives “boys to be boys,” to test themselves against their peers and prove themselves to the opposite sex.
The masculine explores the dangers of the unknown to uncover secrets, wisdom and treasures, and to bring home vital resources and lay before the feet of the feminine. He is the one who fights and brings order to the world around him such as the benevolent king.
It is essential to understand that the masculine provides love and protection even at the peril of his life to safeguard and preserve the feminine. Of course, we could write volumes about the masculine nature and the honor related to providing and protecting, but this should paint a familiar picture of the stories contained in volumes of books and film.
You can easily find the majority of stories, films and television shows that portray these masculine qualities. The excitement of battle, the thrill of exploration and risk of life lends itself very easily to screen and story. This portrayal appears much more clearly than does the true portrayal of feminine strength. And, that is the challenge. What, then, is feminine strength?
What is Feminine Strength?
Feminine strength is not as easy to point out or illustrate. True feminine strength is seen less frequently in film and story, because it is more opaque and more difficult to describe in word or on the screen. It is made of some unseen, yet, powerfully unparalleled parts. It is difficult to portray, because the first of these parts is the embodiment of the capacity for Nurturing Transformation.
Nurturing Transformation
Part of feminine strength is the ability to surround or encompass that which she loves. She provides the environment for her loved ones to transform and fulfill their virtuous potentials. This is the role of the mother and her nesting instinct. One place it is seen is in the character of Martha Kent, the mother of Superman. She embodies traditional values and provides the home and environment in a rural Kansas town that Clark Kent could learn “truth, justice and the American way.” It is from this nurturing transformative power that Clark Kent can become Superman.
This is also seen in Beauty and the Beast. Bell’s nurturing power, the subtle strength she possesses with every interaction with the beast, is one that transforms him into a prince. Her strength surrounds him. Her vision of who he is and who he can become sands down his roughened angry edges. It is that invisible but instinctual power women hold that can encompass and nurture those they love into a virtuous transformation.
In the Lord of the Rings, this nurturing transformation is provided early in the journey as a protective and encompassing light given to the young male Frodo by the powerful feminine Galadriel. Galadriel provides the Phial of Galadriel to Frodo in Lothlórien. The movies don’t explicitly delve into the mechanics of this special light and why the spider, Shelob, is so averse to it. However, the transformative power provided by Galadriel is later understood.
To the casual observer, it might look like Shelob is simply light-sensitive due to having too many eyes or, at the very least, “Elven magic” is at play. Indeed, the power of the Phial of Galadriel is intentionally vague, described as a “light in the darkness” that hurts evil souls and aids the pure-hearted. However, the light inside is actually far more special than the movies let on. It is derived from two ancient trees, the Silmaril, found on an ancient star that later became the precursors to the sun and moon of Arda.
The implied meaning here is that Shelob, the powerful spider, dwells eternally in darkness, perhaps never seeing light until the two Hobbits, Sam and Frodo, waved a particularly powerful light in her face. The light of the Silmaril inside the star glass is known to repel evil, coming from a Heavenly star, the precursors to a sun and a moon.
Again, we see the symbolism that the powerful feminine holds a capacity to transform those they love. That capacity can encompass, nurture and transform through their eternal virtues. This power to nurture mankind and provide direction with eternal light is essentially the back story of Galadriel throughout all of Tolkien’s books. And, it leads us to our second feminine strength.
Path Correction or Guidance
The second piece of feminine strength is Guidance or Path Correction. This can also be referred to as intercession – the act of interceding or petitioning in favor of another. Traditionally, this is portrayed in stories as the Queen mother. It can be seen in the Disney fairy tale of Brave, where the Queen mother uses her feminine strength to intercedes with the King to help her daughter. In other examples, the queen will intercede on behalf of those needing help on their journey.
The feminine has a wisdom and perspective that frequently seen as a guide to others. Her communication has the capacity to transform the world around her. This is the role that Galadriel plays throughout all of Tolkien’s books. This is one of the great strengths to which I lean upon my wife. Her feminine power of guidance and perspective is frequently the essential piece necessary to make decisions in our home.
What is amazing is that the feminine also has the tact and humility to move in and out of the spotlight as needed. She helps redirect and focus the wisdom of the household. This is the profound, yet, often invisible feminine power that so few recognize or can portray in film. However, Tolkien does this wonderfully well in his books with the character Galadriel, and it is also seen in the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
The strong female doesn’t publicly rebuke or overrule and take over for personal glory. However, her whispers and guidance are more powerful than you may think. It is what made the line from Toula’s mother in My Big Fat Greek Wedding so iconic.
“Let me tell you something, Toula: The man is the head, but the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head any way she wants.”
What makes this so recognizable as an eternal truth is that this feminine power is also biblically implied in 1 Corinthians 11:3.
The Radical “YES”
The next piece of feminine power is the radical “YES.” This radical “YES” is defined as a confidence and a strength in the role within a mission or a duty.
Another way to describe it is this feminine strength embodies trust and confidence in the bigger picture. The feminine strength can be “faith” itself. Beyond simple belief, the feminine embodies the faith that becomes or leads to inherent action. This faith is often the moving cause of action. This faith moving to action sets the stage for more to come.
This can be seen in the story of Sarah, Abraham’s wife in the Old Testament. In Genesis 15, Abraham is told by the Lord that he would be the father of numerous seed, equal to the number of the stars he could count in the heavens (Gen 15:5).
His wife Sarah, having been baren of children, embodying and having confidence and faith in this promise from God, gives her handmaid, Hagar, to Abraham to wife as a moving cause to the fulfilment of this promise. Later, Sarah exerts faith in the promise of the three holy men that she would bare a son in her old age (Gen 19). She later bears a son name Isaac (Gen 21). From her actions driven of faith, Abraham becomes the literal father of many nations, fulfilling biblical prophecy.
The Yin-Yang of the Feminine and Masculine
The feminine power is the power to receive, to embody and to transform. It is the power and capacity to receive love itself. The masculine provides love, protection and resources through physical strength. The feminine receives love, protection and resources and then has the power to grow and transform them. The world itself grows and changes within the feminine. The feminine then returns that transformation to the masculine.
The masculine and the feminine are not the same. Yet, they have the capacity to complement each other. It is important to understand that these qualities are not independent or mutually exclusive of one another.
A complex feminine character may have a few or may have all of these characteristics. The feminine is trusted with the rough clay of potential. This is a courageous acceptance of vulnerability and is a distinct part of femininity. With faith in her purpose, she molds and creates something more beautiful and more powerful then previously thought possible.
This duality and need to compliment each other is found in the Chinese symbol of Yin-Yang.
The Yin component of Yin-Yang signifies Earth energy that is grounded, dark, and receptive. According to tradition, it’s linked to the light of the moon, seas, and shade. Yin is connected with feminine energy. Women are linked to Yin because the menstrual cycle, like the moon’s, lasts 28 days on average.
In Chinese, the substance that causes menses is known as the Tian Gui or heavenly water, which indicates a girl’s passage to womanhood with the capability of childbirth. However, when supported by Yang, it can bring forth life. The Yin and Yang seasons are associated with winter and summer, respectively. The autumn is more Yin than the summer, yet it’s more Yang than the winter.
The Yang component of Yin-Yang symbolizes the sun and it’s light: it is bright, limitless, and occasionally reckless. It is connected with masculine energy. Action, expansion, heat & movement are associated with yang.
How Are “Strong” Women Portrayed Today?
There is an emphasis in today’s feministic society to create and portray strong women in stories and movies, yet their template is distorted.
Considering the need to portray strong women warriors, much of today’s portrayal of strength is draw from or mimics that of the masculine. Examples of these masculine portrayals are Rae from Disney’s Star Wars, the new and ghastly distorted portrayal of Galadriel in the Rings of Power series, Captain Marvel in the current Marvel Comics, and Sarah Connor as portrayed in Terminator: Dark Fate just to name a few.
Generally, these are portrayals of “strong” women who can fight anyone, man or woman. They are portrayed with little struggle and they rarely need help, especially from men. These films, in their feministic attempt to portray “strong women,” miss the point of what truly makes the masculine and the feminine strong. Unfortunately, this portrayal of these characters seem empty, unrealistic and is generally unexciting. They didn’t create strong females; they just perversely made these women into men. And, if one is to be honest, they are flat representations of men. You can feel it in your gut when you watch these stories unfold.
Rejection of Feminine Truth
Not only is there an emphasis of masculine characteristics in these women, there is an active rejection of the qualities that make the feminine truly powerful. The true feminine is actually repudiated. Remember, the true feminine receives love and transforms it into something new. Within this feminine ability to transform and create anew, there exists an element of a special communion with the divine.
It is this ability to transform and create that makes the feminine such a powerful spiritual being. In Genesis, we are told that God saw that man was alone upon the earth and took a part of his rib, the strongest structure next to Adam’s heart, and perfected it into a “help meet.”
In Hebrew, biblical scholars tell us that the word “help meet” comes from the words “ezer” and “k’enegdo.” “Ezer” is found 21 times in the Hebrew bible and in eight of those it means “savior” and the other 13 times it means “strength.” This can also be interpreted as “deliverer.”
“K’enegdo” is a more difficult word to interpret, but most scholars interpret it as “exactly corresponding to,” like the image you see when looking into a mirror. It can be interpreted also as “opposite.”
Eve was not designed to be exactly like Adam, she was designed to be a mirror opposite, possessing the other half of the qualities, responsibilities and attributes that he did not possess. Much like men’s and women’s sexual organs are physically mirror opposites (one being external and one being internal), their relationship to the divine are also opposite, yet fitting together perfectly to create life. The feminine is the masculine’s complete spiritual equal and compliment, endowed with a saving power that is opposite from his.
The feminine is a “savior” to the masculine in that she has power to give them life and assist to nurture the masculine toward the light. The masculine is willing to honorably sacrifice his life in the protection and provision of needs of the feminine. And, in turn, the feminine is willing to sacrifice her life in conceiving, creating, bearing physical bodies for children to begin the journey of life, and nurturing them into growth and development as adults. This is an unconditional love and the true meaning of charity embodied in the feminine.
The modern day “strong women” portrayed on the screen are commonly loners who reject advice, guidance and even love. Rather, they are portrayed to find their strength only within themselves. This is an ego driven rejection of archetypal truth and a rejection of love itself.
The Irony of Rejecting the Feminine
This idea of trying to create the image of strong women using masculine attributes is actually harming women. Because, it leaves little room for the feminine truth. And, it harms the exponential growth potential of both men and women.
In 1988, Pope John Paul II in his “Mulieris Dignitatem” (The Dignity of Women) warned the world that, “In the name of liberation from male domination, women must not appropriate to themselves male characteristics contrary to their own feminine originality. There is a well-founded fear that if they take this path, women will not reach fulfilment, but instead will deform and lose what constitutes their essential richness. It is indeed and enormous richness.”
Additionally, in 1995, the Prophet Gordon B. Hinkley as part of his message to the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World that, “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”
He went on to declare that “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation.”
Enmity – The Feminine Power to Antagonize and Put Down Evil
There is a traditional idea that women will crush the head of evil. This is seen in the character of Galadriel and it is seen in the story of Eowyn discussed below. The origin of this idea comes from Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Basically, the idea is that the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the serpent, or crush the head of evil. This scripture describes the offspring of the woman bruising or crushing the head of evil, but the roll of the woman is not ambivalent in its importance. The feminine is the catalyst of the suppression of evil.
This imagery continues in the biblical texts. Adam, whose physical body was not created by a daughter of Eve, was saved and delivered by a woman. It was through a woman, Mary, that Jesus Christ came to conquer the bonds of death and sin and atoned for Adam’s transgressions. Mary continues the role and mission of Eve.
Without a woman to bear the body of Christ, mankind would have been lost and fallen forever and Adam’s work and purpose on the earth would have been meaningless. Mary was the gateway that made Christ’s work possible and her nurturing the catalyst for His success. Even though Eve did not give physical life to Adam, she literally saved him from spiritual death by opening the way for the Savior and Redeemer to come into the world. “Salvation,” in the form of Jesus Christ, literally came to the earth through a woman.
This brings us back to the story of Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings. The feminine DOES NOT play a passive role in the battle of good versus evil. Since most people will understand the references from the Lord of the Rings movies by Peter Jackson, I will use them as my reference points. Regardless of the source, Eowyn delivers an incredibly compelling demonstration of female strength that is true to life. This is not just a “girl power” moment. This is a powerful demonstration of what active feminine strength really means.
Active Feminine Strength
As a review, a battle takes place on the Pelennor Fields. Rohan has surprised the armies of Sauron to help Gondor. Yet, despite their efforts, the battle begins to turn back to the favor of Sauron and Mordor, as the Ringwraith leader, the Witch King of Angmar, wreaks havoc on the armies of Rohan and Gondor, the good guys. The battle seems lost as long as this evil Witch King reigns chaos from above. The Witch King then mortally wounds King Théoden of Rohan, the leader of the masculine charge.
Hope hangs upon a delicate thread, when Eowyn enters the screen. A hidden feminine strength sneaks into the story. Told to stay away from the battle field, she entered the onslaught veiled to her true identity, trusting that her role in the drama would unfold.
Her moment arrives when she sees her father, King Théoden fall. She begins to battle the Witch King, killing the dragon upon which he is mounted before it can devour her father.
Although she briefly holds her own, fighting the Witch King who was forced to dismount his now decapitated dragon, she is clearly out matched. She is weaker and unable to defeat the enemy possessed of masculine skill and strength. She wasn’t stronger or better with the sword. She wasn’t more masculine than her adversary or the brave men fighting next to her.
The masculine evil, the Witch King, takes a moment to gloat on his strength, proclaiming the prophecy that “No man can kill me.” Blinded by his arrogance, he is unable to see his vulnerability in what happens next.
Merry the Hobbit comes into view. Merry is another being lacking in traditional masculine strength. He stabs the Witch King in the leg, causing him to fall, and placing him off guard for the fatal blow that follows from our feminine hero. This turn of events is NOT insignificant. This turn of events is only possible because of the nurturing feminine action of Eowyn earlier in the story.
The Nurturing Feminine in Action
It is Eowyn’s nurturing and belief that makes this moment possible. Merry is a childlike being, a Hobbit who wants to participate in the battle, but is denied because of his childlike size and strength. Eowyn see’s his potential. She knows that he will have an important role to play, and throughout the story, her faith becomes his strength as she nurtures his courage, skill and desire. Without her nurturing, Merry would not have been in the battle. Merry’s courage, borne of Eowyn’s encouragement and support, creates the opportunity for the crucial moment and the turning of the battle.
To cap off the power of this demonstration of true feminine strength, Eowyn’s declarative statement resonates through eternity. Her declaration was not a “Girl Power” statement like “I am woman hear me roar” or “I am man” or “Smash the Patriarchy” or “I don’t need a man.” Instead, she simply and powerfully responds to the Witch King’s arrogant declaration of “No man can kill me!” with the simple truth, “I am NO man!” Then she thrusts her sword into the dark void of the Witch Kings helmet, killing him.
It is interesting that he doesn’t fall forward or back. Instead, his crown and skull are prophetically crushed inwardly upon itself, as he withers into dust.
Eowyn’s feminine strength turns the battle. This creates the environment for the virtuous masculine forces to win. Eowyn, thereby, fills her truly feminine role as the genesis for victory.
While the “Girl Power” movies have women screaming “I am man” or “I don’t need man,” the eternal feminine truth declares for all to hear, and Eowyn with it, “I am NO man.”
This is the pattern of truth. This is why Lord of the Rings is so inspiring. This is why it resonates with the masculine and the feminine alike.
Eowyn is asserting her “essential richness” and her “divine nature and responsibility.” Even within the masculine environment of a physical battle, it is the differentiation of her nature and the richness of her femininity that is essential to victory.
The Corrupt King is Humiliated by Feminine Strength
The corrupt king cannot see what is veiled before him in his arrogance. He cannot see Eowyn or Merry. He is prepared for the masculine strength and battle, but is unprepared for the feminine fight. As in life, this feminine strength is usually hidden from view and is often unveiled when it is least expected. It waits for the opportune moment to strike.
The blow may not defeat all of the evil, yet it is the turning of the tide. The feminine surrounds, supports and grows the masculine effort. This is necessary for the masculine courage to develop.
This is exactly the nurturing that was required for the success of the young untested warriors who fought outnumbered in battle in the Book of Mormon record about 65 B.C. In the words of their leader, the warrior-prophet Helaman, about his 2000 stripling warriors, “And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” (Alma 56:47)
The Woman is First
Like in marriage, the masculine and the feminine work in harmony. In a way, women are first, not in receiving chivalrous honorable action, but in the action of faith and courage. When the masculine just cannot break through, as stubbornness and pride are frequent, mercy and justice flow through the feminine, the faithful, the first to say “yes” to the divine plan.
Mary’s radical “yes” to bear the Child of God is the start of the great battle against sin itself. John Paull II, in the Mulieris Dignitatem, writes that “This event leads to the turning point of man’s history on earth, understood as salvation history . . . This event is realized in her and through her.”
Mary’s act of feminine courage is profound, she is playing her part in the bruising and crushing of the head of the serpent.
What Happens if we Remove the Feminine Strength?
If we remove the feminine strength, there is no nurturing wisdom, no strengthening growth, no transformation, and perhaps, we may lose our ability to turn the tide against evil.
In the great battle plans of the adversary, what better way to ensure victory, than to distort, pervert, change or alter feminine strength. No wonder the evil of the world welcomes the distorted feminism of our age.
Masculine and Feminine Must Cooperate
What is even more essential is the cooperation of the feminine and the masculine. Though they are obviously different, cooperation is essential for success.
One is NOT better than the other. In mutual service of each other, they each bring their own strength. When they cooperate, they bring something more robust, dynamic and powerful than individually by themselves.
The masculine and the feminine have a reciprocal exponential nature. The masculine gives love and strength to the feminine; and the feminine nurtures, grows and directs that strength to then be returned, which then is used by the masculine to give more love and strength and sacrifice. This is again received and radiated further by the feminine.
This is the two-way, sincere gift of self. The positive strength of the masculine and feminine create a positive feedback loop creating a non-linear growth of love, strength and goodness.
Tolkien’s use of this cooperative pattern can be seen in Elven ring bearer’s daughter, Arwen. Arwen’s love for and sacrifice for the future King Aragorn inspires him to sacrifice his life for the safety of the Elves and for his people, the humans of Middle-earth.
When the strong women of today only find their strength from within, it is a blatant rejection of this divine process. Love, strength and transformation MUST be given and received. There is only so much love and strength that you can find by yourself.
The solo route is finite. The cooperative route is infinite. If we remove the feminine, there is no possible return to the masculine. The chain will be broken and the exponential potential of goodness itself becomes limited.
In order to have the strong masculine present, you must have the strong feminine to give to the masculine, and vice versa. Women, you must love your men; and men you MUST return that love.
The strength we are given is meant to be given away. Because, the beauty and goodness that is created from the giving and the receiving will surpass our wildest dreams. Tolkien provides further example of this in the future vision of Eldarion, the son of Arwen and King Aragorn.
Our stories and movies should see the masculine in service of the feminine, and vice versa. We shouldn’t see either in a silo for their own glorification, but in unity and support of each other.
Eowyn’s moment of victory in battle, Galadriel’s directing path correction and guidance, and Arwen’s faith, just as ours must be, are each rooted in truth – truth of the act of feminine strength and truth of the reciprocal relationship of the masculine and feminine.
Our society needs strong feminine women. Strong feminine women will turn the tide of the evils of our generation. If we are all masculine, we’ve shorted ourselves of our potential strength.
Do not forget the unique strength of the feminine. Be not afraid to face the evil that cannot see you. Revive your true feminine strength, for “you are no man.”
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Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between COVID Vaccine and Human Proteins
I’ve been seeing this for two years, elevated d-dimers, blood clots, myocarditis, spontaneous colitis non-responsive to anti-biotics, sudden spontaneous bruising and bleeding after vaccination. Now, it all makes more sense.
In a recent study, researchers discovered molecular mimicry hotspots in the Spike protein and highlight two examples with very high autoimmune potential. This helps us understand the prolonged COVID-19 complications we’ve been seeing for the last two years. The spike protein shares similarities with 34 different human proteins in amino acid sequences in sets of sixes. These similarities stimulate high potential for autoimmune attack – causing the body’s immune system to attack its own organs with similar protein sequences.
These protein sequences are found in the thyroid, brain, nose, ear, skin, muscles, heart, blood, nerves, joints, intestines, and many more. In my office, I’ve seen over 50 patients with bleeding, bruising, rash, heart inflammation, intestinal inflammation, uterine and ovarian inflammation and abnormal menstrual changes spontaneously that I have never seen in 22 years of medical practice. All of these patients have had prolonged d-dimer levels elevated for 12-18 months post vaccination. These symptoms all started with in 4-8 weeks of vaccination as well.
The spike protein may also trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome, viral arthritis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (bleeding), antiphospholipid syndrome, Kawasaki disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and many others.
Two other recent studies here and here confirm that autoimmunity is the driver behind these post COVID vaccination symptoms. These two studies demonstrated that people who were vaccinated for COVID-19 had more antibodies against human tissues than people who were not infected and/or had natural infection.
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