In Australia we have a show on the ABC entitled 'Bodysnatchers' - it's about the human body and immune system, nervous system etc.

Last week there was a really interesting segment (unfortunately I missed it) wherein a chap who'd had bad sinus for many many years was given an orangey coloured drink that contained worm eggs that when swallowed and hatched would heal his internal organs. He stated that he felt 100% better than he had done in his entire life and that these worms (the name I think is kessen satsu)did not harm the body in any way.

Has anybody heard of this at all? I've written to the television station requesting a fact sheet but haven't heard anything back from them as yet.

No, but I will love it if you can tell us all about it! My mom has many medical problems like Rheumatiod Arthrites, low immune system and many others. I'll do some research when I'm done doing school work. Thanks for posting that post!

My pleasure Cluck, as soon as I get anything on it I'll post it up. If it's as good as what I've heard I can't wait to find out more.

I've heard of larva reparing scars and wounds.

But never anything like this. I'll ask my mom's friend he's a Sientist Doctor

Thanks Stephanie, I'd appreciate that. If I don't hear from the television station by tomorrow I'll be phoning them.

Yes, the recent news I heard to cure the weaken immune system is to use Cloning. They clone something from a cow and pass it to a human. I'm still waiting for new results but I try to research your information

I don't know, everything I find on the web describes how worms (eating worm eggs) causes serious health problems. I don't find anywhere that talks about doing it on purpose. I really really doubt worms could "heal" internal organs for you. They need nutrients and take them from the host system, i.e. you. Please post if you find anything on this!

I'll post anything I get from them on this subject. It amazed me as I always thought that worms would do more damage than good.

Yes, you heard they use leeches and fly maggots for medicals issues? Kinda gross but cool!

Well, for leeches you don't eat them Leeches have a substance in their saliva that keeps the blood from coagulating - i.e. when the leech bites a creature, it makes sure the blood keeps flowing and doesn't stop up. So they use that substance in cases where they need the blood to keep flowing smoothly.

For maggots, they are traditionally critters that eat dead flesh. So in a situation where a person has damaged tissue, they sometimes put maggots on that area to eat away at the damaged tissue so the rest of the area can grow properly.

I don't know that I think either is gross really, is a lion gross? He eats dead animals. All creatures eat something It's only us humans that say some things are OK to eat and others are not OK ...

They sound gross because it's something that's so different to what civilised humans are used to as far as modern medical treatments go I'd guess.

When you think about it, maggots only eat the damaged tissue, could you imagine a surgeon trying to scrape away ONLY the damaged tissue?

I have a documentary that's very old entitled 'Sexual Encounters of the Floral Kind' all about how nature uses insects for reproduction of plants, particularly flowers. e.g. There's a tiny uninhabited island of the coast of Sardinia that grows very large flowers that give off the smell of rotting meat. The only way they can reproduce is through the maggot. The smell attracts the flies and the cycle goes on.

There's many other fascinating plant/insect pairings too and that would also bring me to think, 'who' designed these incredible couplings? Which could well bring things back to only one answer - God?

Right exactly Sonia - a surgeon wouldn't know how far down to scrape or if it's not a 'straight line' he wouldn't know which nooks and crannies to remove. The maggots are very smart about those things and can "surgically" remove only the bad flesh. Quite neat!

Yes I love studying evolution and actually if you do your research, you can read a lot of research on how this works. Biologists LOVE to explore these situations. So for example, hummingbirds, I love hummingbirds. They have noses that are very specifically shaped to match the flowers they frequent. This is how it happens. Say a flock of hummingbirds is blown by a storm onto an island which has a long-throated flower. The hummingbirds with short beaks die off of starvation. The hummingbirds with longer beaks manage to survive. They have kids - and the kids of course have long beaks just like the parents. Some randomly have even longer beaks and some randomly have shorter beaks. The shorter beak ones die. The super-long beaked ones do the very best, get the healthiest and reproduce the most. So in only a few generations, there are only long-beaked birds left, the ones that match the flowers best.

It's like with giraffes. It's not like all giraffes had long necks back in the beginning. But as animals reproduced, the short ones only could eat short plants. The tall ones could eat all sorts of plants - short AND tall. So they had a better chance of health. Over time, the short ones died off because they couldn't get enough food - and the long necked ones got lots of food and did well.

So did God design a system in which there were ways in which animals could survive? Yes. But it's not like he said POOF I make this flower and POOF I make this animal to exactly match it. We can see how the 'bad matches' died and how the 'good matches' thrived.

Survival of the strongest perhap?

One of the flowers in this documentary I mentioned is an orchid and they only grow in a particular area where a certain type of bee lives. The bee enters the orchid and on the way out through a little door in the orchid, is 'trapped' by a part of this orchid as it glues on a little pollen sack. Only once that glue is dried is the bee permitted to leave. The bee then flies onto another orchid and as it enters the flower, the little sack is removed.

If anything happened to either the bees or the orchid, they'd both cease to exist.

Right exactly. The strongest are the ones who have the longevity to have lots of kids and reproduce themselves.

Right again, part of the problem with evolution is that it often ends up making situations where there is TOO perfect a match. That combination of creatures works so well together that other version that are less perfect die out, there isn't enough food for them. So before there were a variety of different bees and some were better and some were worse at this task. The ones that were worse died out. So now there's only one remaining type of bee. If that bee population gets hit by a virus, game over. The flowers die. So it would have been in the flower's best interest to be more general - to appeal to more types of insects. But unfortunately flowers don't think like that They just think "this is really good! I like this combination!" and focus on that survive-to-the-next-generation issue.

I suppose it's like tigers. Tigers evolved over a ton of time to have stripes that matched the grasslands they lived in, so that the patterns of stripes gave them perfect hiding potential. Those tigers that didn't have stripes or that had different kinds of stripes were spotted more easily, and didn't get their mouths on much food. So over the years tigers have managed to match perfectly with this style of jungle and grassland. But what if a gigantic fire struck and wiped out all of that jungle and grassland? Now the plainer tigers would be the ones that survived - the really stripey ones would stand out and never sneak up on any food. So we'd see an evolution of plain colored tigers, maybe tan tigers. The stripey ones would die. That's just the way things go ...

And speaking of evolution, it makes me wonder just where and how humans will evolve. With all the pollution only getting worse each day plus global warming, one can only imagine how or what as humans will evolve.

Maby with Cat eyes.

I've asked him he says he's never heard of it.

I still haven't heard back from the television station so phoned them. They were going to organise some fact sheets for me. Didn't get to watch the last show theo ther night because we had quite a bad storm and lost all power.

Good Luck getting those sheets!

Good luck!

Well still not luck with the sheets but am I surprised? I'll give them another call in the morning.

On another note, I've been to the naturopath and he's given me an little computer electric diode check for want of a better term showing that my system is deficient in several areas, one in particular being zinc. Wants me to go on a detox diet for two weeks and thinks that will make all the difference in the world. He 'challenged' me to eat one of the foods on my banned list which I did and there was absolutely no change. He said that if I did in fact have an allergy to it, the sinus would have flared up very quickly which it didn't.

It's now down to who do I follow through with, the naturopath or the Immunologist. I think for now I'll finish what the Immunologist started and then try the naturopath's ideas. What's a few weeks after all.

Although I didn't realise how much this salicylate free diet has affected me until my daughter accused me of almost drooling over her pizza and not looking at her when I was talking to her the other day. Sad but true.

I think a detox diet is always a good idea, no matter what else. A single-eat test isn't necessarily valid if you're still not detoxed though. A lot of the things you're allergic to stay with you for a while. So for example I bloat when I have milk products. I only found that after going off of them for 2 weeks and THEN trying something. So don't diss the food issues so quickly. It won't necessarily flare up immediately.

I would go for a few weeks on a detox diet. And then start introducing things in slowly, and try each thing for a few days to really make sure it is safe for you.

By the time I finish the Immunologist's diet that he set me it'll be 9 weeks. Already it's been five. After that if there's no change he was going to put me on a wheat free diet for just how many weeks I'm not sure of as yet.

From the paperwork the naturopath has given me, I'm all for this detox diet. I believe it's a good way of ridding the body of all the toxins we store up at any rate. It's only for a fortnight (two weeks) so I can live with that, plus he's given me lots of recipes which is a huge help.

I think that where it concerns my health a few months out of a lifetime really isn't a lot - maybe I'm just complaining too much lol. I really do miss certain foods.

i'm sure you're not complaining too much - i'm finding it hard enough just to give up coffee! (and yes, that is the electric kettle stlye coffee...)

Thanks Joe. I don't know what brands of coffee you have over there but (in Australia most people use electric kettles) I use Nescafe Decaff which actually tastes good if not better than the normal instant coffee. I was surprised! Admittedly the first few days I went through the headache bit because of the coffee not containing caffeine but that was because I was drinking around 3 to 4 cups a day. Now I can still drink that many and it's safe.

Surprisingly though decaff tea still isn't ok to drink. From what I was told by the specialist the decaff process for coffee is the only one that actually removes all the caffeine. If I want a cup of tea the only one I'm permitted is camomile. Because there's so much caffeine in soft drink, the only ones there I can have are tonic water, soda water and lemonade.

i snuck a peak at your response at work this morning, sonia, ...i had a steaming hot cup of coffee in my hand...
i only really drink caffein at work - but you've inspired me! i'll let you know how i feel in a weeks time

Good for you Jo. Remember that if you have more than two cups of 'caffeine' a day, there's a chance you may get headaches when you stop but it'll clear up in a few days. And don't forget all those Cola drinks too, they're loaded with caffeine.

I have to admit to one thing though, when I was living in Canada, I just loved their brewed coffee.

that's the problem - you really can't beat a good coffee! we're coffee maniacs in our house - we have three different machines set up in the kitchen...

out of interest, any idea why you're supposed to give up coffee when your dieting? i assume it slows down the metabolism as it can't be particularly fattening

Jo I was told by the dietician at the Immunologist clinic that it's because of the caffeine and yes, you're right about the metabolism theory.

I still love a good coffee though and whenever I'm in the city just can't resist going to Starbucks.

I think if I was still living in Canada, I'd be a coffee maniac also. Just the aroma was enough to get me in.

I used to wake to the smell of the coffee and the bread baking, now how sinful is that?

the aroma is even better than the coffee itself, a lot of the time (dare i say it!)

just to update you - day 5 and i've cut down drastically, but still not entirely. i'm getting the headaches though...

'you've got mail' has some great essays about the wonders of 'legal addictive stimulants' in the script, i found it all quite amusing...

Hang in there Jo, you'll get through it I'm sure. Depending on how many cups a day even just cutting back one a day would help. My brother had 6 cups a day and went cold turkey and had horrific headaches for about a week but he's doing fine now. He's also on decaff. Feels so much better for it too.

I remember when I worked in Sydney and had to catch a train, an hour trip and on the way I'd pass a bread factory and a coffee factory. By the time I got to my destination I was starving lol and really hanging out for a coffee. I used to grab a coffee and a sausage and bacon sandwich before starting work.

Now if they could only make the smell of baking bread or roasting coffee into a perfume ..

oh sonia, combine the two and you'd smell fabulous!
luckily our bread machine tends to tick away in the afternoons here, so i don't associate the two too strongly. but they are the best smells!

I've only just got my sense of smell back after suffering from bad sinus for a few years and the smell to me is like winning the lottery. I have to admit if people saw me sniffing the spices and herbs in the pantry they'd probably have me committed. It's amazing just how different things are when you lose your sense of smell.

smells are great things - i love how they can effect your mood. i'm not sure about wanted to smell like bread and coffee though; people would then be unsure whether they wanted to eat you, drink you or smell you!

i didn't realise sinus problems could affect your sense of smell so badly - how did you manage to get it back again?

People love vanilla perfume though

I agree that breaking yourself of a caffeine addiction is probably a wise idea!

The only way I get my sense of smell back is if I go on a course of prednisone which is a rather heavy duty drug. Just in the process now of weaning off it now - have to drop at 1 mg a week otherwise bad side effects.

It was rather strange because when I got it back I was able to smell the perfume I wear for the first time - just as well I liked it

i would vanilla scent my car or WC, but i don't know anyone who would wear it...

i'm more of a jean-paul gaultier or gucci perfume fan myself.

Has anyone had experience with Reiki? Either as practitioner or patient?

I've kicked the coffee habit a couple of times. (I drink it now though, but only 2 cups a day.) Withdrawal wasn't terrible, but it did seem to last a long time---maybe 2 weeks of mild headaches and general drowsiness.

Yes, but only briefly.
I went on a short 'alternative therapies' course and we covered a different therapy each week. I was the 'guinea pig' for reiki. It did seem to have an effect - mainly a feeling of heat, yet when I felt the practising student's hands, they were very cold!

What worried me was when the teacher said that, as a practitioner, you have to welcome this ability into you, but guard against inviting in anything negative. That sounds a bit worrying, doesn't it? I prefer to think that we all have inherant abilities that we may not yet understand.

When my Dad was dying in hospital I tried it on him - with my Mum helping. My brother thought it was silly, until I tried it on him. He thought I was actually touching him - which I wasn't. His wife had to convince him and then he was quite impressed. A friend of mine is a practioner. I haven't seen her for many years, but she took it up when it really helped her with MS.

I thought I might start a thread on alternative therapies, so, as you have brought this up, I probably will.

I love the smell of vanilla - and have bought vanilla perfume from The Body Shop. I understand that wearing it can alter the way you eat and help you lose weight. I'll have to get some more!

Helps you lose weight you say..... can I drink the stuff? it'll save me cutting off a leg to lose some.

(gave up smoking and some xtra kg's have snuck on)

When I gave up smoking I got stuck into oranges, now I can't stand them. I was told that lecithin is good for cravings and helps stop the weight gain. I took those as well so maybe it worked as I didn't put any extra weight on. It's also good for the memory function plus a few others.

Congratulations on giving up smoking, it's not easy to do.

Oh yes it is, I've done it dozens of times!

I don't know if it's true, but I heard that the aroma may satisfy the appetite. It's like people were saying about chocolate and coffee - it's often the smell that people like, rather than the taste.

It'd be worth a try PDM. When my brother gave up smoking he had incredible cravings but the doctor put him onto lecithin capsules plus tablets in lieu of patches as he believed they worked better. He's now been 'clean' for a year.

Actually, I read a book by a bloke called Alan Carr... called "Stop Smoking". Picked it up on a sunday morning, put it down 11pm that night, smoked all day during reading it, and havent touched one since, no cravings, no grumpyness... utterly no desire to smoke at all.

That's great shinrai. Now tell me, just how scary was that book that you've done so well?

That is good, Shinrai.

See, you cannot trust the products made by man. Trust in products that God made for you.

Not necessarily CK. Marijuana and Opium Poppies aren't exactly man made

Tobacco is natural too.
And hemlock!

Can you eat raw Tabbacco leaves and Raw poppies without the usage of techology?

They chew tobacco don't they?

And doesn't it look disgusting too PDM.

I know of many flowers and plants that can be eaten without the use of technology becoming involved.

Yup just look at mushrooms

i've heard similar - but it's been linked to sweet smells, rather than vanilla. if you surround yourself with sweet smells then i suppose sweet smelling food wouldn't effect you so much.

i've also just found out that cucumber is supposed to be amazingly uplifting - yet another thing i never knew. i'll be trying that out over the next few days...

Cucumber?
Well, it's certainly good for the eyes.
I have a few books on the healing qualities of various foods, teas, oils, spices, etc.

I just can't eat raw mushrooms.
I love them baked, grilled, fried, but not raw.

don't you mean :p

i have to admit i tried them once - and once is definitely enough! :rolleyes:

I love mushrooms, raw or cooked. I remember gathering them on my grandparents farm after the rains and have eaten them since I was a child.