Parkinson’s disease has always been primarily seen as a movement disorder resulting in symptoms of shaking, tremors, rigidity, and trouble walking. Interestingly, however, at least 90% of patients with Parkinson’s experience either loss or decreases in the sense of smell. Studies have shown that problems with olfaction actually generally precede the onset of other motor symptoms. Most people are not personally aware of changes in their olfactory acuity, but the increasing range and prevalence of smell tests offer a quick, easy, cheap, and non-invasive diagnostic test, as well as a measure of disease progression. In addition, the shift of focus for researchers from Parkinson’s as a motor disorder to a more global neurodegenerative disorder allows consideration of new paradigms about the causes and disease progression.
The cellular basis of olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson’s remains an enigma. Post-mortem studies have confirmed shrinkage of the olfactory bulb, but this fails to shed light onto the root causes as it only demonstrates the end effect. Experimental models of Parkinson’s have demonstrated various results such as protein aggregation in the olfactory bulb, changes in levels of neurotransmitters, microglial activation, and loss of cells in the olfactory bulb. However, as all of these effects are inter-related, none of these clarify the actual initial cause of damage.
Many of the hypotheses as to why olfactory dysfunction occurs and precedes other symptoms remain grounded in the long-held paradigm of Parkinson’s as a motor disease caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. For example, in some experimental models an increase in dopamine was found in the olfactory bulb. The researchers suggested this occurs as a compensatory mechanism in response to the loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra. As it has also been shown that sense of smell is particularly vulnerable to changes in dopamine, excess dopamine in the olfactory bulb would, thus, lead to olfactory dysfunction.
However, a number of other theories have been proposed suggesting that perhaps the olfactory bulb is the first brain structure to exhibit signs of damage because Parkinson’s could be caused by respiratory viruses or inhaled toxins that enter the brain through the nose. The cause of Parkinson’s has not been conclusively determined. And while a genetic component has been uncovered, the causes are clearly much more complex with various environmental factors involved. A number of studies have been performed demonstrating Parkinson’s-like symptoms following exposure to viruses, heavy metals, and pesticides in experimental models. Epidemiological studies have also linked pesticides exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson’s. It is certainly an interesting hypothesis that inhaled toxins could cross the blood brain barrier, and that the damage in Parkinson’s could begin first in the olfactory bulb and then spread from there to the substantia nigra. In addition, as the olfactory bulb is heavily involved in adult neurogenesis, any damage to this structure could severely limit the brain’s ability to repair itself by replenishing damaged neurons with new ones. Perhaps, then, Parkinson’s disease does not depend on a single source of damage, but rather multiple insults occurring. For example, genetically induced damage to the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra combined with inhaled toxins damaging the olfactory bulb could, together, cause Parkinson’s, while one or the other would be insufficient.

Judging from those hoaky commercials, some products will transform you from a jellyfish into a superhero in a jiffy. But what about the mantra we’re hearing that aggressive weight loss is hopeless, because it results in rebound weight gain? Our brain’s reward centers, our hormones, and our psyches simply can’t resist the evolutionary forces unleashed by artificial famine conditions, they say.
Some research is telling us that people can lose weight fast and that this speedy start bodes well for sustained improvement: More weight loss, and no more rebound than slower dieters that lose less weight. This has been a recurring outcome, even recently. Posts online make the claim more boldly than the researchers. A look past the headlines tells us a more nuanced story.
In a study by Nackers and colleagues, three groups were identified: fast, medium, and slow. The fast group lost more weigh up front, and kept it off just as successfully as the other groups. But this does not mean that an aggressive calory restriction diet is the answer. Here are some points to consider.
The fast group did not consume a drastically lower number of calories than the slow one (1,366.4 vs 1,486.8).
The fast group did not lose a drastic amount of weight, compared to the slow group (13.5 vs. 5.1 kg). Yes, it’s more than double, but it’s over six months.
We should ask what distinguished the slow group from the rest. The slow group attended less meetings, exercised less, and ate more calories. Were they more stressed? Was there a higher rate of depression? Where there other conditions that made them less active? Something was going on. Since the slow group was not as successful at maintaining weight loss, it’s a good guess that the conditions continued throughout the study period. The fast group was 5.1 times more likely to have maintained at least a 10% weight loss at 18 months than the slow group.
There are countless factors that might interfere. One is ADD. There is speculation that people with ADD have higher rates of obesity because their reward system is especially in need of a dopamine fix, and because of less consistent self-discipline. Medication appears to remedy this for many folks.
If there’s a take away, it seems that it would be for us to ask ourselves what might keep us from fully participating in a weight loss program. Those factors are probably the gateway to significant, sustained weight loss.

STRESS AND SPIRITUALISM: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Even if we are prone to get dragged by the beast within us, and make life miserable for ourselves and the others, we still have potentials to blossom together; and they can be manifested!

Even as we are individuals and hence fallible; and make mistakes; we still have freedom to make efforts to be objective and accurate.

Even as we have limitations to our capacities, and are unable to achieve miraculous feats, we have freedom to make choices in terms of actions; from the options in front of us.

Let us understand that India is not merely a geographic portion of the earth. She is not merely the rivers and mountains or castles and palaces! She is neither the riches nor the poverty of people.

India is the incessant ongoing search of truth and ambrosia of Truth that manifests from time to time throughout the millennia!

The seers; known and unknown to he documented history have manifested omniscient, eternal and omnipotent ambrosia of truth; the true spirit of India! let us imbibe and share it with the world happily and thankfully; for ever; through NAMASMARAN!

In view of this spirit; even if it is true that the most of the options available to us as solutions; are depressing, degenerating, deteriorative, disastrous and destructive, we still have freedom to blossom; through NAMASMARAN and make benevolent options available for ourselves, the people of the world and the subsequent generations.

This is exactly why I am writing this. I am convinced that; even as we are shackled in casual, petty, superficial, piecemeal and ad hoc approach on a variety of problems causing stress (and mismanage the stress); we still can develop holistic approach and work for individual and global blossoming and overcome stress! Some of the examples of how we can do this; in brief; (as the details are described in many books and articles; of mine and others); are as follows.

Thus;
For health problems; our solution is; more hospital buildings, more gadgets and more equipments.

Actually we need a thrust on study, practice and training of Holistic health and Holistic medicine. For example training in NAMASMARAN, byhearting hymns from different languages, learning about the medicinal uses of common foods and herbs, yoga, pranayama etc.

For the lack of education; our solution is licensing more institutions and greater use of learning aids and stationary.

Actually we must emphasize on Holistic Education (One which includes development and training in spiritual and productive domains in addition to cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains)

For unemployment and beggars on the road; our solution is payment to unemployed people and anti–begging law.

Actually we require to eradicate; with priority; the causes of unemployment such as policies, which destroy the self employment and small scale and home industries (e.g. excessive production of water coolers, air conditioners, auto rickshaws etc) and restrictions on traditional jobs (such as pot making, cane work, circus and others).

For traffic jam our solution is; building more flyover bridges.

Actually we need to reinforce the public transport system and curb the production and import of private cars and two wheelers, besides taking adequate measures to reduce the movement of people from villages to cities.

It is true that stern actions must be taken against rule and law breakers. Discipline must be enforced. Condition of roads must be improved. But these steps have their limitations and can not be heavily depended on. In fact corruption, cutting of trees, congestion, chaos and crimes can multiply, besides pollution.

For suicides of farmers; our solution is subsidy package.

Actually the solution is; to resort to empower the farmers and reorient them from market oriented harvests to what can be called soil friendly and health friendly harvests. The farmers have to be reoriented to the traditional wisdom of culture, agriculture and organic farming. They have to be reminded of; the use of neem, cow urine, cow dung etc. What is required; in addition; is making; water and electricity available with topmost priority. The ban on slaughter of animals would go a long way in improving the farmers’ conditions.

For price rise; our solution is import.

The actual solution is; to ban all deceptive, aggressive and imposing advertisements, which create artificial demands leading to wasteful and luxurious economic (apparently pleasurable but effectively poisonous) activity in a small section of the society; leading to price rise; at the cost of the rest. For example; cold drinks, ice creams, fast foods, bars, restaurants, five star hotels, wines, alcoholic drinks, cosmetics and other luxuries are thriving but the vast majority is deprived of basic needs. In fact; the policy of production of and “marketing” for few, has to be reversed to; production and “exchange”; for the vast majority.

For socioeconomic backwardness; our solution is reservation policy.

Actually we require “productive and earn and learn” kind of education for all; so that unproductive unemployed and needy population would become empowered, productive, self sufficient and dignified in every way.

For the growing injustice and crimes; our solution is increasing the number of laws and police.

Actually we require simple and honest laws drafted in peoples’ language and understandable to people so as to discipline the people for their growth; and simultaneously remove all the laws, which were created to suppress and exploit the people by the previous alien rulers. We require policies by which the traditional and ethnic art, sports, cuisine, remedies and skills are NOT ALLOWED to be suppressed by the tactics of the exploitative and individualistic marketing culture. In fact in the interest of everyone, the concept of individual and global blossoming; which we call SUPERLIVING or Total Stress Management has to be universalized; to overcome the globally disastrous individualistic, exploitative globalization!

For so called “lack of progress”; our solution is more foreign investment.

Actually; we must define progress in terms of holistic health and restructure our policies in every field such as health care, agriculture, industry etc rather than stooping and surrendering to the culture of pettiness, glamour and glitter.

For shortage of electricity; our solution is load shedding.

Actually we are required to shift our priorities from “appeasing the exploitative and luxurious few”; to the “welfare of all”, by stern energy saving measures; coupled with development of pollution free, low cost, low investment alternative energy sources.

For road accidents; our solution is compulsion of helmets.

Actually the number of private vehicles on the road has to be reduced, the number of public vehicles has to be increased, the weekly offs have to be different and the working hours also have to be different so that most people do not travel at the same time. Moreover, the on campus or nearby residence has to be insisted as and when feasible. Most importantly, holistic education and rejuvenation of traditional jobs must be ensured so that the helpless and forced movement of people to the cities and the inhuman crowding of cities can be reduced.

For shortage of fuel; our solution is; generalized sermons to common people (who in no way consume fuel) to reduce fuel consumption.

Actually the fuel needs can be reduced if public transport in improved and the bicycles are promoted. There has to be shift of policies from development of airports; to the improvement in public transport and the infrastructure in the villages, such as solar energy, wind mills, gobar gas and such many, food storage etc.

We can cite hundreds of examples to show how we; by NOT going to the roots of the problems; work brilliantly and artistically but in a superficial and petty manner, with individualistic, fragmented, sectarian and divisive perspective, in misguided direction of increasing stress! Hence our work is rendered ineffective and/or counterproductive! Further our talents are drained in extremely selfish and cheap entertainment options such as gambling, drinking, casinos, prostitution etc.

All the solutions provided can possibly be modified, or refined in terms of details, because, they are not the solutions provided by experts from those fields. But they surely indicate the most essential core or the crux of the solutions. There could be many more holistic solutions also. All these can be cooperatively and complementarily implemented universally; if the third eye of cosmic consciousness is opened through the ways of self development; such as NAMASMARAN.

"STEM CELL MYTH" ABOUT NEUROLOGICAL TREATMENTS: PLEASE STOP MISGUIDING PATIENTS

STEM CELL THERAPY IS NOT YET SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN SAFE OR BENEFITIAL, NOR RECOMMENDED FOR ANY NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. YET HUNDREDS OF PATIENTS ARE BEING TREATED WITH THIS FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, NEUROTRAUMA, PARKINSONS DISEASE ETC ETC.

ICMR SAYS:

9.3 Use of stem cells for therapeutic purposes 9.3.1 As of date, there is no approved indication for stem cell therapy as a part of routine medical practice, other than Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT). Accordingly all stem cell therapy other than BMT (for accepted indications) shall be treated as experimental. It should be conducted only as clinical trial after approval of the IC-SCR/IEC and DCGI (for marketable products). All experimental trials shall be registered with the NAC-SCR.

http://icmr.nic.in/stem_cell_guidelines.pdf




Top 10 Stem Cell Treatment Facts | Closer Look

www.closerlookatstemcells.org

Many clinics that are offering stem cell treatments make claims about what stem cells can and cannot do that are not supported by our understanding of science. The information on this page corrects some of the misinformation that is being widely circulated.

STRESS AND HOLIDAYS: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Any and every obstacle that obstructs the respiratory passage can cause strangling, breathlessness, suffocation, asphyxia and death; if not promptly and skillfully removed. This is very true for the holidays and casual leaves in India.

The “paid holidays” and “casual leaves” in India are like respiratory obstructions! We “enjoy” these holidays and leaves; by misuse of tax payers’ money and/or persuasively or coercively extracted donations and extortions.

Holidays and casual leaves in India implicitly imply; that we have right and privilege or obligation to shirk daily responsibility. This policy of “holidays and leaves” is an overtly populist; and subtly and covertly implies contempt towards the work or schools. Our enjoyment being diagonally opposed to our work, we are bound to favor and promote unaccountability, irresponsibility, excuses, escapism, frustration, disgruntlement in the work and studies.

Naturally the insincerity in work and studies is expressed; in absenteeism, indiscipline, copying, bogus students, teachers and so on.
Why don’t we learn to enjoy holidays at our own cost; i.e. by taking “without pay leaves”? Why should we not; irrespective of our caste, religion, region, culture and so on; “enjoy our duties” rather than getting addicted to “irresponsibly and shamelessly enjoying” holidays at the cost of others?

Most of us would agree to this in principle; but probably would argue that unsafe and hectic commuting, excessive traveling time, exertion, exhaustion, poor working conditions, disheartening and discouraging unfairness, unaccountability, and lack incentives; destroy all the initiative and enthusiasm to be fair and sincere; and hence enjoy the holidays and casual leaves in any way they become available!

However; we have to realize that; all these problems have to be solved, but by other means! The “holidays and casual leaves” are; NO solution!

It is hypothesized that; through NAMASMARAN we (decision and policy makers, administrators and workers in different grades) and can learn to “enjoy our duties and be fair”, and enjoy “holidays and casual leaves” more creatively and constructively at our own cost; i.e. “without pay”!

This hypothesis can’t probably be verified convincingly enough and tangibly enough; by just casual and passive practice of NAMASMARAN.

We need to appreciate and globalize the fact that practice of NAMASMARAN embodies not merely the enlightenment but its expression in every field of life; and thereby; bring about conquest of inner and outer evils; and individual and global blossoming.