Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease of the substantia nigra, was first discovered and its symptoms documented in 1817. This discovery and docomentation was by British physician Dr. James Parkinson. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the associated biochemical changes in the brain of patients were able to be identified. Although many genes have recently been identified, there are still several others that remain unkown. Parkinson’s disease involves a progressive movement disorder of the extrapyramidal system. The extrapyramidal system controls and adjusts communication between neurons in the brain and muscles in the human body. As you can see this is a huge, and important task. PD will commonly coincide with depression and disturbances of sensory systems due to the damage that it has on the brain. Aprroximately one out of every 600 people have Parkinson’s disease in the United States of America. The rates increase with age, especially apparent in those over 55. Still unknown, is the cause of Parkinson’s disease. 9 different genetic defects have been found. Each of these nine cause the disease in 1 or a few more familes with extremely high incidences of the disease. This unfortunately hasn’t take geneticists further as these familes are so rare to find. Although strong inheritance patterns are extremely rare, an person who is infected with PD is 3 to 4 times more likely to have a close relative who also has PD. Today the strongest theory for the cause of Parkinson’s disease is from «the combination of a subtle genetically-determined vulnerability to environmental toxins along with even limited exposure to those toxins. The toxins most strongly suspected at present are certain pesticides and industrial metals.» I wish that I had an answer like many others do to the cause of Parkinson’s. One thing that we know though, is that as science and technology increases, so will man’s understanding of diseases such as Parkinson’s.

Can periodontal gum disease be reversed? The answer is yes, if you begin early enough and are diligent. More advanced periodontal gum disease may still be reversed, but it will take some special cleaning provided by your dentist to give you a fighting chance. Adopting a strenuous daily oral hygiene routine now can go a long way to reversing periodontal gum disease. 1. Brush thoroughly when you get up in the morning and before you go to bed each night. Brushing or at least rinsing with water after meals and snacks will also help remove food and bacteria trapped between teeth, helping in reversing periodontitis. 2. Rinse your mouth with a good antibacterial mouthwash for at least a full thirty seconds twice each day. This will help reach bacteria trapped in pockets below your gum line, aiding in reversing periodontal gum disease. 3. Floss every single day. Pay special attention to flossing just below the gum line for reversing periodontal gum disease. 4. Even better than flossing or rinsing is the use of one of the powerful oral irrigators on the market, which blast food particles out from between your teeth and clean the gumline. High-end irrigators can be purchased with special tips to reach deeply into any pre-existing pockets and clean them out. These special tips are necessary for effective cleaning if your periodontitis has already established itself. While a conscientious oral hygiene routine can go a long way in aiding the reversal of periodontal gum disease, sometimes the infection is too far advanced, and it is necessary to get professional help. If the problem is becoming severe, your dentist may see fit to perform a periodontal cleaning. If x-rays show deep pockets of bacteria surrounding any of your teeth below the gum line, your dentist can choose from special procedures known as debridement, scaling or root planing to go in and scrape the bacteria out and make the tooth less hospitable to germs. He may also order a prescription antibacterial mouth wash to be used daily that will also help in reversing periodontal gum disease. If more is required, he may perform actual periodontal surgery, which involves lifting the flaps of the gum to enable deep cleaning and suturing them back in place. After the procedure, you will have several appointments to check on the success of the cleaning. Still, there’s good news for patients that have to suffer through surgery — a 2001 study found that roughly 50% of patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease showed measurable improvement from surgery, while those trying non-surgical options enjoyed less success. The important thing is to seek help as soon as you notice any signs of trouble with your gums. The good news is, periodontal gum disease can be reversed if it’s caught early enough.

Alcoholism can be given a lot of definitions and all of them stress the fact that there is a terrible disease that involves addiction to spirits. Apart from the physical dependence on alcohol, there are other psychological, genetic and social factors that may play a role in the development of alcoholism. Many social, economic and public health problems are determined by this very serious disease. When alcoholism is concerned, symptoms include craving for alcohol, incapacity to have control over the use of alcohol, a greater tolerance to its effects, and withdrawal symptoms during the periods of abstinence. One should as well know that many alcoholics deny having a problem. In many cases intervention is necessary in order to persuade them to start treatment. Treatment in cases of alcoholism usually includes detoxification, counseling and psychotherapy, as well as treatment of associated medical problems, and different programmes for recovery and support. Alcoholism involves physical and psychological addiction to the alcohol, and it often gets to a chronic, progressive form. There are situations in which it can become fatal, when alcohol consumption begins to interfere with your health, your social life or your occupational functioning. Alcoholics often continue to consume alcohol in huge quantities despite the multiple negative consequences of the disease. Nowadays, alcoholism is the most serious form of alcohol abuse. Alcoholism can be also defined in terms like «having a problem with drinking». If one has a problem with drinking, that can result in health or social problems (drunk driving, for instance), but that doesn’t make one yet dependent on alcohol and it doesn’t mean one has fully lost control over using spirits – as in the case of alcoholism.

Those of us who have so-called “genital herpes” are caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand we are ostracized by the minority of the population (about 40%) who don’t currently have herpes simplex in their body, which is bad enough, but more cruelly we are often isolated by our fellow members of the herpes community who have so-called cold sores (heroes simplex 1 of the mouth and face). Frankly the lack of support form the majority of population who has cold sores bothers me far more than the stigma placed on me by unsympathetic members of the uninfected population. After-all they don’t know what it feels like to have herpes so I can cut them some slack. But for those of you who have cold sores and continue pretending that you don’t have herpes and who distance yourselves from those who have their outbreaks genitally rather than facially – shame on you. If it wasn’t for your unwillingness to come to terms with the reality of your herpes infection, the herpes community would be a more united majority of the population far more empowered to boldly go out into the community and reject the unjust and irrational stigma placed on people with herpes. Sixty percent of the population has herpes. We are living in a herpes nation. There is no reason for us to be a despised minority. If we were more united and more out of the closet we would be in a so much better position to inspire understanding and support from those who do not have herpes. We would be better able to educate young people on herpes prevention and herpes awareness. We would be better able to reach out to the people with herpes who have had their self-esteem devastated. So-called cold sores are herpes. I have had too many people in my clinic and through the Internet say to me, “I don’t have herpes, I’ve never had an STD, but I do get these cold sores on my lips”. Herpes is herpes whether you get your outbreaks above the waist or below the waist. It’s true that people with type 1 herpes of the mouth and face often have fewer outbreaks than people with herpes type 2 of the genitals, but it is also true that herpes of the mouth and face is just as contagious if not more so than genital herpes. It is also true that many people with type 1 herpes of the mouth and face shed virus without symptoms and are giving many people type 1 herpes on their genitals from oral sex. It is also true that herpes of the mouth and face can spread to parts of the body that genital herpes rarely ever spreads to including the nostrils and into the brain, the hands and fingers, down the esophagus and into the stomach, into the eyes, and elsewhere. For those who don’t have herpes and give people with herpes a rough time, I really have no words for you. If you believe that having genital herpes is an indication of promiscuity or moral deficiency then you are probably too far-gone for anything I say here to reach you. And for the record I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with promiscuity. I got my herpes in the context of a monogamous relationship but I wouldn’t feel bad about myself if I had been infected by herpes through promiscuity. How you got herpes is irrelevant. Herpes is a virus. Viruses have different strategies for gaining access to our bodies. A virus that chooses sex as it’s preferred method of infection is less scary to me than an airborne virus that indiscriminately devastates huge populations in a matter of days. Jesus said “let he is who is without sin cast the first stone”. I say let he or she who is without a virus cast the first stone. Between the Chicken-Pox virus (a member of the herpes family), the Epstein-Barr virus (another member of the herpes family), the HPV virus (genital warts and cervical dysplasia) and Herpes Simplex there is virtually no adult reading this article who doesn’t currently have a virus in their body and except for the HPV virus, these viruses are lifelong infections and that’s without even discussing bacteria, fungi, yeast, and protozoa. Herpes has been around since the time of the dinosaurs and affects akmost every animal with a backbone including cats and elephants and many animals without a backbone. In fact cats and elephants are dying of herpes. I know that cats can be randy but I have never heard of anyone accusing elephants of being promiscuous. If anyone has ever seen an elephant orgy let me know so that I can print a retraction. When someone has the integrity and courage to tell you that they have herpes they are making themselves vulnerable to you. How you react can often either crush them or help set them free from a prison of shame. I believe that most people are intelligent and compassionate. Please treat people with herpes with the compassion and understanding we deserve. We are the same people we were before we got herpes. We are no less moral, no less attractiv, just as good in bed, just as good of a friend or son or daughter or brother or sister as we were before we got herpes. When someone tells you they have herpes if you treat them unsympathetically it only discourages them for telling others about their herpes in the future, which isn’t a good situation for anyone. When someone tells you they have herpes it’s an opportunity and challenge to you to show that you are not prejudiced and mean-spirited. It is a chance for us all to create more love and understanding. For those of us who have genital herpes – don’t buy into the lies and myths that make you ashamed and marginalized. You can choose not to let herpes define you and dominate your life. No one can take away your power and dignity except for yourself. When someone gives you a bad time for having herpes instead of dwelling too long in anger or sadness, just “forgive them for they know not what they do”. Embrace all the beauty and love around you and if there isn’t enough beauty and love, create it. You are a human being equipped with infinite potential for loving and appreciating the wonders of this world. Christopher Scipio Homeopath/Herbalist Holistic Herpes Treatment Specialist