A young financial analyst, the Head of Finance at Sandoz, a major Swiss pharmaceutical company, told me that in future most drugs will be influencing the brain and then through the brain that body part which is creating health problems. And how right he was!
Dr. Albert Hoffman, a chemist at Sandoz, had synthetized LSD on November 16, 1938 for the first time, tried it himself on the spot and did not recall how he got home that night, and by bycicle!
Some two month or so ago, the American FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) authorized pilots to use tranquilizers while on service. I thought how terrible, especially after those two guys had overshot some airport by over 200 miles, if I recall correctly. And presumably they were not on tranquilizers!
The other day, internationally known Dr. Christiane Northrup, specialized in women's health and wellness, published some very interesting comments in Huffington Post about the ongoing excesses of usage of tranquilizers (Prozac & Co.) Furthermore she stated that most tranquilizers have no better effect than a placebo. And also that their use is mostly questionable, quote:
In summer 1989 (see map), on July 13 exactly, I suffered a heart attack. A bit early to be comfortable when it happens before age 50, I was told. 20 years later I am still alive.
An American Professor treated me on the spot as he was visiting Geneva to promote some new cardio-devices. That was luck. The Swiss MD who then took over, however was less of a genius. He prescribed a solid dose of Beta-Blockers, then in fashion, to protect me from "strong emotions" (I was a portfolio-manager at that time).
The attached horoscope shows that on July 13, 1989 Neptune was at 10 degr. 43 Capricorn and retrograding. So was Saturn, at 9 degr. 51 Capricorn, conjunct Neptune. When I was back at work, 3 months later, mid October 1989, Neptune had gone direct and was transiting the spot where Saturn was when I had the heart attack.
I could feel that these Beta Blockers were interfering with my thinking and talked to my doctor about it. His reply was that I should not worry about that, even Formula 1 car racers were taking these pills!
As I could not detect an astrological reason for my heart attack, I was even more highly suspicious of the little pills I was taking. And without telling my doctor, I stopped taking them. And immediately I felt much better again, like being myself.
The horoscope of when Albert Hoffman discovered LSD (right) gave me a clue of a link between my heart attack, the Beta Blockers which I had discontinued taking and what is being now described here in this blog of my friend Twilight:
My heart attack happened when Venus was exactly
1) conjunct Mars in Leo, and
2) square Uranus in the horoscope
when LSD was discovered by Hoffman. 15 degr. Leo for the former and 15 Taurus for Uranus in the LSD map. Moon on July 13, 1989 was conjunct the Sun of the LSD
horoscope, in Scorpio.
After all, how else could LSD have become what it did, had it not Sun in Scorpio and Venus (R) conjunct it? Not to forget Moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo, the sign of matters of health!
Not unlike Dr. Northrop, I may sound skeptical about psycho-medicaments. What strikes me is that most doctors prescribe them and then do not know when to stop their use. I can believe that the Beta-Blockers I was taking had a positive effect immediately after the heart attack, but when would my MD have stopped me using them? Probably never as he knew what my profession then was!
If Sandoz (Novartis today) - and their competitors - derived many wonder - drugs (mostly, "profit-wise") from LSD and similar compounds, they may be responsible for many thousands or millions of people living in "sort of a haze", when in reality they could stop taking tranquilizers or similar, in my view stupid, drugs. Not only creating psychological dependence but costing often too much for what is their
return.
PS. In the years since my heart attack and having given considerable thought to the use of tranquilizers, I was able to help at least 3 people to stop using such. Simply looking at their horoscopes and finding a favorable moment for them to give it at try to liberate themselves from that dependence.
It's not complicated: In most people's lives occur periods of stress or feeling very down-beaten. But these phases also come to an end. A correct interpretation of transits on a birth-horoscope can help identifying a useful moment. And obviously also some convincing argumentation at that moment will help. To know these phases helps to sound convincing.
Dr. Albert Hoffman, a chemist at Sandoz, had synthetized LSD on November 16, 1938 for the first time, tried it himself on the spot and did not recall how he got home that night, and by bycicle!
Some two month or so ago, the American FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) authorized pilots to use tranquilizers while on service. I thought how terrible, especially after those two guys had overshot some airport by over 200 miles, if I recall correctly. And presumably they were not on tranquilizers!
The other day, internationally known Dr. Christiane Northrup, specialized in women's health and wellness, published some very interesting comments in Huffington Post about the ongoing excesses of usage of tranquilizers (Prozac & Co.) Furthermore she stated that most tranquilizers have no better effect than a placebo. And also that their use is mostly questionable, quote:
"To get over depression one must be willing to make some changes that will support healthy brain bio-chemistry. Otherwise, the depression is likely to recur".
In summer 1989 (see map), on July 13 exactly, I suffered a heart attack. A bit early to be comfortable when it happens before age 50, I was told. 20 years later I am still alive.An American Professor treated me on the spot as he was visiting Geneva to promote some new cardio-devices. That was luck. The Swiss MD who then took over, however was less of a genius. He prescribed a solid dose of Beta-Blockers, then in fashion, to protect me from "strong emotions" (I was a portfolio-manager at that time).
The attached horoscope shows that on July 13, 1989 Neptune was at 10 degr. 43 Capricorn and retrograding. So was Saturn, at 9 degr. 51 Capricorn, conjunct Neptune. When I was back at work, 3 months later, mid October 1989, Neptune had gone direct and was transiting the spot where Saturn was when I had the heart attack.
I could feel that these Beta Blockers were interfering with my thinking and talked to my doctor about it. His reply was that I should not worry about that, even Formula 1 car racers were taking these pills!
As I could not detect an astrological reason for my heart attack, I was even more highly suspicious of the little pills I was taking. And without telling my doctor, I stopped taking them. And immediately I felt much better again, like being myself.
The horoscope of when Albert Hoffman discovered LSD (right) gave me a clue of a link between my heart attack, the Beta Blockers which I had discontinued taking and what is being now described here in this blog of my friend Twilight:My heart attack happened when Venus was exactly
1) conjunct Mars in Leo, and
2) square Uranus in the horoscope
when LSD was discovered by Hoffman. 15 degr. Leo for the former and 15 Taurus for Uranus in the LSD map. Moon on July 13, 1989 was conjunct the Sun of the LSD
horoscope, in Scorpio.
After all, how else could LSD have become what it did, had it not Sun in Scorpio and Venus (R) conjunct it? Not to forget Moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo, the sign of matters of health!
Not unlike Dr. Northrop, I may sound skeptical about psycho-medicaments. What strikes me is that most doctors prescribe them and then do not know when to stop their use. I can believe that the Beta-Blockers I was taking had a positive effect immediately after the heart attack, but when would my MD have stopped me using them? Probably never as he knew what my profession then was!
If Sandoz (Novartis today) - and their competitors - derived many wonder - drugs (mostly, "profit-wise") from LSD and similar compounds, they may be responsible for many thousands or millions of people living in "sort of a haze", when in reality they could stop taking tranquilizers or similar, in my view stupid, drugs. Not only creating psychological dependence but costing often too much for what is their
return.
PS. In the years since my heart attack and having given considerable thought to the use of tranquilizers, I was able to help at least 3 people to stop using such. Simply looking at their horoscopes and finding a favorable moment for them to give it at try to liberate themselves from that dependence.
It's not complicated: In most people's lives occur periods of stress or feeling very down-beaten. But these phases also come to an end. A correct interpretation of transits on a birth-horoscope can help identifying a useful moment. And obviously also some convincing argumentation at that moment will help. To know these phases helps to sound convincing.
Hi GP:
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question if LSD and other compounds are good or bad for you, I would say it depends more on the person than the medication itself.
I have used anti-depression medication with no effect and also used other compounds that totally helped. The difference was that in the latter case, I was ready to face the root of the problem and get healthy physically and emotionally by doing what I needed to do.
A lot of people today want a quick fix without putting too much effort into their recovery; meaning reconsidering their lifestyle. One of the reasons for this attitude is the abundance of medication available. Sometimes, it seems there is a medication waiting for a disease instead of the other way around.
I have no personal experience of tranquilizers or antidepressants, but would agree with you, and Fabienne, that they ought to be used for the shortest possible time.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the pharmaceutical companies are not going to push this view beause they are in it for profit, and could care less about any other aspect. Some doctors are hand-in-hand with the companies; some others may be over-worked and unable to keep a close eye on the patients' needs to the required extent.
It's wise for each individual to be watchful and make enquiries, and not just accept that the doctor "must think it's okay for me to keep taking these pills".
In this, as in politics, so many people will just not think things through.
recently there are more experiments on terminally ill people who are being prescribed hallucinogens like psilocybin, the active ingredient in 'magic mushrooms'
ReplyDeleteapparently some of the patients are having religious or spiritual breakthroughs with these treatments that manage to elevate their moods for weeks at a time, as opposed to most antidepressants which have to be taken daily.
of course, certain indian tribes have used similar substances for these purposes for a long time now
Fabienne, your views about "quick fixes" and lack of personal contribution by many sick people (and lesser sick one's too, or foremost), is totally shared!
ReplyDeleteSo much today, like, as you interestingly say "medication waiting for a disease" is creating time and again opportunity to be wakeful, to open one's own eyes and use the brain. Or stick to some discipline, and why not astrology, to understand more about the wonders (and traps) of this world.
To Twilight I can only say:thank you for the opportunity to let me share my views and have an exchange about them with other well-thinking people.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you chose "Twilight" as what happens every day, early in the morning (and at night - but you appear more of the bringer, not the ender-of-light-variety).
Brazilians say "Aurora - a melhor hora" (Dawn is the best hour).
Re.The pharma industry, they also, as so poignantly said the CEO of Goldman Sachs, are simply "doing God's work". Only did he not mention that there are many places in God's wide garden. Besides having chosen the wrong moment to say what he said.
Shawn,
ReplyDeleteI had fallen into the trap (before studying astrology) of believing the writings of Carlos Castaneda to be real. Well, his first two books, to be precise.
But no doubt did he relate something fascinating there - then in the air - which certainly is worth investigating, as are LSD, opium and similar compounds.
Many yoga exercises appear to produce substances in the brain which are of the family of hallucinogenics or opiates. Jogging and other exhausting activities can lead to some similar effects. Good or bad?
One workaholic I knew, from London, told me that he needed permanent tension within himself (and around him) to be able to function. So, not only working 16 hours a day during the week, on Friday evenings he used to fly to Monte Carlo, spending two nights at the Casino there. He did not need the money. He went there for the thrill. Or some women? That he did not say.
I would be somewhat cautious with the treatment given to people with cancer. But hope that what you relate is true in most cases. Unfortunately cancer patients are "easy victims" for all sorts of experimentation. What can they lose? Being at the end of life, they may accept much risk. Hopefully for the good of at least someone else, one day, who knows?
If in the process they have religious experiences, it must be that "someone is having mercy of them"...
To Gian Paul - thank you for your too kind comments. And for your guest posts, which offer a new voice and different perspective on Learning Curve. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour post GP is very interesting as I read an article recently about the inability to treat brain tumours with drugs which is why at the moment they can only operate to remove as much of the tumour as they can.
ReplyDeleteThe article said that the reason drugs wouldn't work is that there is a blood barrier that stops drugs from reaching the brain. Now that opens all sorts of questions about all the drugs from painkillers to drugs like LSD etc that reportedly affect the brain receptors.
How is it that hallucinogenic or other drugs can get past this blood barrier? Maybe they don't.
They have managed to find a way to bypass the barrier with drugs to get rid of a brain tumour by using metal nanoparticles coated in the drug. They can inject the particles into the bloodstream and use a magnetic field produced by a MRI machine to guide the nano particles through the barrier to the site of the tumour. They use a low powered laser to "open" the barrier to allow the drug coated particles through.
So I wonder if drugs do get through the barrier or do they affect other cells in the body so that the signals from the brain are unable to get through giving us certain sensations associated with these drugs.
I can't account for the hallucinations which we appear to experienc in the mind, though would say that there is an idea that consciousness is in all cells (a bit like what is called muscle memory i.e. each cell has its own memory) so who is to say we experience a hallucination in the brain?
Now that is an interesting thought....from a cell in my right leg...lol!
Discuss.
Rossa, there are two things I would like to discuss with you. Had to read your comment a few times, you are terribly scientific!
ReplyDelete1) Nano-cells and chemistry. Fascinating, not just in health matters but also in cooking (which I adore doing). You can also experiment: Buy some of those little nitrogen bombs used to make Crème Chantilly, freeze instantly some fruit or berry and put it into hot butter (before it gets brown). Some powdered sugar and voilà!
There is a trick to get the nitrogen out of the bomb without freezing your fingers: use a long needle, bend it and put some glove or towel on your hands.
2) Muscle memory: Not only that but tissues on our tongue, noze, elswhere, everywhere. Sounds, Vibrations and many more impressions. If our body and other mechanisms did not constantly filter out all that impregnates us, we would litterally go nuts.
I even suspect that autistic children "shut themselves up" because not being able to filter properly what is too much to be bearable. Would deserve some investigation, I guess.
GP, have you heard of the chef called Heston Blumenthal?
ReplyDeleteHe uses science and physics in his cooking. His restaurant, called The Fat Duck in England, is not only the top restaurant in the UK it has also been named the top restaurant in the world in previous years.
He does all sorts of weird and wonderful things in his kitchens and uses liquid nitrogen in some of his recipes.
His TV shows are amazing though I doubt anyone really does try it out at home. This is his biography page:-
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/Heston-Blumenthal/Biography/
and this is a sample of one of his tasting menus.
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/The-Menus/
I wouldn't say I am scientific, however I do think laterally and "outside the box". Put it down to a vivid imagination....or too many sci-fi books as a child!
Oh and I like nuts too, preferably macadamias, cashews or pecans. Even better is caramelised and salted...Mmmmm! So anything that drives me to nuts is fine by me.
PS I used to be a baker and pastry chef and have cooked now for 40 years. Happy to talk about food with anyone. One of my BIG loves the other one being fast cars as I am a speed freak....what a contrast.
Hi Rossa, thanks for Heston Blumenthal's link, had heard of him.
ReplyDeleteIf you participate in this blog, it's because you like nuts - or slightly nuts like me. But the "normal" are soooo booooring....