INTERNAL ANATOMY HUMAN

That's what we will cover today.

Circulatory Systems

As we discussed previously, you have several distinct circulatory systems.

The pulmonary system that carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs, and then returns the refreshed oxygenated blood back to the heart.

The systemic system that carries the oxygenated blood away from the heart out to every single cell in your body, and then returns the spent deoxygenated blood back to the heart so that it can be sent out through the pulmonary system.

There is actually a third system, the portal system, which loops within certain organs or areas of the body that we will discuss in future newsletters.

The important thing to understand about these circulatory systems is that they are "closed looped." Unless there is injury, no blood leaves them. As you will see, even the nourishment that every single cell in your body receives from your blood happens without that blood ever leaving the closed system. This becomes key when we talk about blood pressure.

The circulatory systems are comprised of:

- Arteries.

- Arterioles.

- Capillaries.

- Veins.

All told, these four components make up some 50,000 miles of passageways in the body. Let's take a look at them in more detail.

Arterial system

Arteries, arterioles, and capillaries make up the arterial system. Arteries and arterioles have only one function--to move blood throughout the body. That's all they do. They are channels, tubes, pipes if you will. As long as they are unclogged, flexible, and undamaged, they do their job. The primary difference between arteries and arterioles is one of size. Arterioles are just the smallest arteries you can see with the naked eye. Again, arteries and arterioles have only one function, to move blood. They do not feed any cells of the body--not even their own. That's actually a fun little bit of trivia. The arteries of your body are not fed by the blood that flows through them. They require their own network of blood vessels called the vasa vasorum (literally, vessels of a vessel) that feed them -- from the outside!

As I mentioned, I'm not going to get into naming all of the arteries in the body; but for the most part, arteries take their names from either the organs they supply (e.g.., the hepatic artery, which feeds the liver) or the areas through which they travel (e.g., the subclavian artery, which travels under the clavicle--AKA, the collar bone).

Capillaries

Capillaries are quite different in function. They are not designed to shuttle blood. In fact, blood hardly flows through them at all as they are so small they allow only one blood cell at a time to pass through. Instead, the capillaries are the end point of the arterial system. It is in the capillaries that food and oxygen are exchanged with every cell in your body (except your cornea and the lens of your eye). Amazingly, of the 50,000 miles of circulation in the body, capillaries comprise over 49,000 miles.

Unlike the arteries, capillaries are invisible to the naked eye. They are smaller than a human hair--microscopic. And it is because they are so small and their walls are so thin, that capillaries serve as the exchange system for food and oxygen in the body. Keep in mind that every single cell in the body (except the cornea and lens) is near a capillary. That means that as blood passes through the ultra thin capillaries, it is easy for oxygen and tiny sugar and protein molecules (the end products of digestion) to "exchange" through the walls of the vessel and feed every single cell in the body.

Capillaries also serve as the connecting point between the arterial system and venous system that returns deoxygenated blood to the heart. The same exchange system that works to feed the cells of the body works in reverse. Cells pass their waste such as carbon dioxide back through the walls of the capillaries, where the blood cells recently relieved of their oxygen payload, can now pick up the CO2 waste from the cell and carry it back to the lungs for exchange with fresh oxygen.

Surprisingly, there's more "space" inside the tiny capillaries than can be filled by your entire blood supply. If all your capillaries were "open" simultaneously, your blood pressure would drop precipitously, and you would die. What happens, though, is that your body intelligently shunts blood into different capillaries as needed. When functioning properly, this is a pressure regulating mechanism. The body can open more capillaries to lower pressure, and close off sections if needed to raise pressure.

Note: our bodies retain the ability to sprout new capillaries throughout our entire lives.

Venous System

The venous system returns deoxygenated blood to the heart, and for the most part, it pretty much parallels the arterial system in all aspects--just in reverse. Whereas the arteries start out large (the aorta) and end small (the capillaries), the venous system starts small (the capillaries) and ends large (the vena cava). Veins tend to run right next to their corresponding arteries, and in fact have similar names. The subclavian vein, for example, runs in tandem with the subclavian artery under your collar bone. The primary exception is the vena cava, which is the aorta's counterpart.

How arteries and veins are constructed

In this section, we start learning how problems occur. For it is their different construction (dictated by their different functions) that defines the nature of the things that can go wrong such as hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, and blood clots.

Arteries

Arterial walls are composed of elastic tissue and smooth muscle. It is their elastic nature and the presence of substantial muscle tissue that allows them to expand and contract as the heart beats. This allows them to even out the increase in pressure caused by each beat. This is one of the primary reasons why hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) increases blood pressure. If you pump more fluid through the same sized tube, pressure must increase. On the other hand, if the tube is flexible and can widen, the increase is less. (We will talk more about this later.)

Veins

Veins are thinner walled than arteries and have less elastic tissue, and much, much less smooth muscle tissue. Instead, veins make use of valves and the muscle contraction of your body's major skeletal muscles to squeeze blood along. This is the reason you're asked to get up and walk around on a long plane flight--to prevent blood from pooling in your legs. As a side note, the lack of muscle in the walls of veins makes them more susceptible to bleeding when injured since there's no muscle to clamp down.

Problems that can occur in arteries

There isn't much mystery as to what the problem is--the build up of arterial plaque on the walls of the arteries and arterioles. There is, however, a great deal of mystery as to what causes it.

The basic problem is that arterial plaque (a combination of protein, calcium and cholesterol) starts building up on the walls of the arteries. This causes the arteries to both harden and narrow. So far so good! But what causes that buildup?

The cholesterol theory

The primary theory lays the blame on cholesterol--that as cholesterol levels climb in the blood, this causes plaque to form on the walls of the arteries. But this theory begins to collapse under even the most elementary scrutiny. As I mentioned in my newsletter, the Cholesterol Myth, one of my favorite questions to ask doctors is, "If cholesterol is the main culprit in heart disease, why don't veins ever get narrowed and blocked?" And if you wanted to, you could throw capillaries into the equation too. Capillaries do not evidence the build up of arterial plaque. (They do, however, clog with amyloid plaque in the brain. But that's a different problem that we'll cover in a later newsletter.)

Think about this for a moment. If you have cholesterol circulating equally through the entire circulatory system, but it only causes plaque to build up in the arteries and arterioles, not the capillaries or veins, then how can cholesterol be the primary cause of the problem? If cholesterol caused plaque to form, wouldn't it form everywhere? Since it only forms in the arteries, doesn't the problem have to be something unique to those arteries?

The arterial wall theory

A more sophisticated version of the theory says that the build up of plaque is triggered by damage to the arterial wall--the endothelial lining. The lining consists of a thin layer of endothelial cells that performs two critical functions:

- It protects the "innards" of the artery from toxic substances in the blood.

- It helps regulate the expansion and contraction of the arteries by releasing a bio-chemical (cyclic GMP) into the cells of the smooth muscle in the arterial wall that change the tone or firmness of the artery.

- In an attempt to repair damage to the endothelium, your body will "patch" the damage with plaque.

- This produces one of two conditions--two sides of the same coin really.

Artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

Damage to the endothelial lining is "managed" by the smooth muscle cells surrounding the lining. Smooth muscle cells respond to endothelial injury by rapidly multiplying and producing a fibrin/calcium/cholesterol patch. These patches, called plaques occur just inside the lining and thicken the artery's inner wall. Over time, given multiple injuries, the wall of the artery begins to harden and become dysfunctional, no longer expanding and contracting to regulate blood pressure --and steadily narrowing the passageway through which blood flows.

Arteriosclerosis (plaque build up)

Another way of describing this process is that your body creates plaque to "paste over" any damaged areas--like a scab over a cut. Over time, given repeated injury, these plaques intrude more and more on the inner passage of the artery steadily compromising the ability of the artery to expand and contract and for blood to flow freely.

But it gets worse

The damage to the arterial wall also triggers an immune response with white blood cells flooding the area. This leads to a chronic inflammatory response in the blood vessel. Continued inflammation causes even more damage, which accelerates the process.

All of this, of course, brings up the ,000 question: "Since the entire theory hinges on damage to the endothelial lining, what actually causes the damage to the lining, and why doesn't it happen to the lining of the veins?"

Once again, oxidized fats and LDL cholesterol are named as the key culprits. Other suspected culprits include:

- Free radicals.

- High blood pressure (yes, high blood pressure begets more high blood pressure).

- Diabetes.

- High homocysteine levels.

- High C-Reactive Protein levels.

- Low levels of vitamin C (similar to scurvy).

- Low levels of nitric oxide.

- Heavy metals.

- Aging.

- Muscle matters

But once again, the question arises: "Are not all of these things present in the capillaries and veins too?" The answer, of course, is yes they are--which means there's still a missing piece in the equation. The answer, according to the pH theory, lies not in what flows through the arteries and veins (which is identical), but in their construction (which is different). The key difference between arteries and veins is in the amount of muscle tissue surrounding the endothelial lining. In arteries and arterioles, the smooth muscle is extensive. In veins, it is minimal. And in capillaries, it is totally absent. Why does this matter?

It matters because when muscle tissue is used it produces lactic acid. If your body is healthy (in an alkaline state) and has ready access to an abundant source of oxygen rich blood, that lactic acid can clear quickly. But for those people who eat a high acid forming diet and are in an acidic state, the lactic acid cannot clear quickly. (Remember, blood vessels do not have direct access to the oxygen in the blood that flows through them. They are dependent on the vasa vasorum.) It is the lactic acid that provides the final trigger that causes damage to occur in arterial linings, but not so in veins. It is the presence of accumulated lactic acid in the smooth muscles surrounding arteries that ultimately causes plaques to form.

But even beyond lactic acid, there's another area where muscle tissue matters: nitric oxide. The contraction of the muscles in the arterial walls is regulated by a signaling molecule that we referred to earlier called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP) in the muscle cells. Cyclic GMP causes the arterial muscle to relax, in preparation for its next contraction. Cyclic GMP is triggered by nitric oxide, which is produced in the endothelial lining. The ability of the lining to manufacture enough nitric oxide to maintain artery dilation is one of its most crucial functions. As damage continues to build in the lining, it blocks nitric oxide-induced dilation, thus stiffening the arteries.

High Blood Pressure

If the arterial blockages happen in your coronary arteries, the result, as we've discussed previously, is coronary heart disease and a heart attack. If it happens in the carotid arteries leading to the brain, it can cause a stroke.

In most cases, however, the damage happens systemically, throughout your arterial system, and the result is high blood pressure. As a quick review, blood pressure is a measurement of the two pressures in your circulatory system as your heart beats. The increased pressure produced in your circulatory system by the contraction of the left ventricle is referred to as systolic pressure. The reduced pressure during relaxation is called diastolic pressure. These are the two numbers your doctor gives you when reading your blood pressure (e.g., 120 over 70). Both low and high blood pressure are dangerous, but low blood pressure is usually easier to manage. High blood pressure, on the other hand, tends to be more intractable and harder to manage--and therefore more dangerous.

Your body has many mechanisms for controlling blood pressure.

- It can change the amount of blood the heart pumps.

- It can change the diameter of arteries, and the volume of blood in the bloodstream.

- To increase blood pressure, it can pump more blood by pumping more forcefully or more rapidly.

- It can also increase pressure by narrowing arteries (particularly the arterioles), forcing the blood from each heartbeat through a narrower space than normal.

- It can seal off capillaries forcing the blood into a smaller space, thereby increasing pressure.

- The body can add fluid to the bloodstream (regulated by the kidneys) to increase blood volume and thus increase blood pressure.

- And it can remove fluid from the blood (also regulated by the kidneys), thereby decreasing pressure.

All of these things happen automatically, regulated by a healthy body, without your even thinking about it. In addition, blood-pressure measurements can vary throughout the day, affected by everything from:

- Food.

- Alcohol.

- Caffeine.

- Smoking.

- Stress.

- Climate.

- And the time of day.

Blood pressure changes that occur naturally during the day are the result of the body's internal (circadian) rhythms. In most people, blood pressure rises rapidly in the early morning hours, in anticipation of rising and beginning the day. This is not the result of the physical act of rising but is a preset system that automatically increases a person's blood pressure at that time. Likewise, pressure normally starts dropping early in the evening in anticipation of going to sleep.

All of these things mentioned so far, have nothing to do with clinical hypertension unless they result in secondary damage such as can be caused by smoking and alcohol or sustained stress. Clinical hypertension is a chronic and dangerous condition caused by:

- Constricted arteries.

- Hardened arteries.

- Malfunctioning kidneys (which we'll talk about in a subsequent newsletter).

If left untreated, chronic hypertension can cause:

- Damage to the heart muscle because of the extra load it puts on the heart.

- Strokes.

- Kidney damage--which leads to more hypertension, which leads to more kidney damage, etc.

And ultimately, it kills you.

Problems that can occur in veins

As we've already discussed, veins do not have a substantial amount of muscle tissue to contract and squeeze blood along. That means that without physical activity to cause the skeletal muscles to squeeze the veins:

- Blood has a tendency to pool and stop flowing in veins--particularly in the legs where gravity works against you.

- Blood that isn't flowing tends to clot.

- Clots tend to propagate more clotting around the original clot.

- Cumulatively, this can form very large clots.

- Large clots that stay in place and block the flow of blood cause phlebitis.

If the clot breaks free and starts traveling through the circulatory system, it's called a thrombus. At whatever point it lodges in a blood vessel and blocks it, it's called an embolism. If you think back to our discussion of the venous system, you'll remember that veins get steadily bigger as blood moves back to the heart. That means that clots that break free in the legs are unlikely to be stopped anywhere on their way back to the heart. The first place they are likely to lodge is when the right ventricle of the heart pumps them out into the pulmonary circulatory system on the way to the lungs. If the clot is fairly small, it will lodge in the lung itself and block the flow of blood to a section of the lung, killing it. This is called a pulmonary embolism. Larger clots can actually lodge in the pulmonary artery feeding an entire lung...killing the lung just like that. Or the clot can lodge at the juncture where the pulmonary artery divides between the two lungs, which will kill both lungs simultaneously...in an instant.

DVT, or deep vein thrombosis, is the term now commonly associated with clots that form as the result of prolonged sitting on an airplane. They tend to break free the next time you start moving again with any vigor. This can be several days or weeks after the plane flight itself, which means many people never connect the two events.

There is one other notable place that clots tend to form. As a result of low blood flow or damaged valves, clots can form in the left atrium of the heart. If the clot forms there, it's already past the pulmonary circulatory system so it can't affect the lungs. Unfortunately, the next stop for the clot is out into the systemic circulatory system, where it has a good chance of being pushed up into the brain causing a stroke.

What doctors do about these problems

Medical treatments for vascular problems never address the actual causes, but seek instead to force test results back into line. What is your doctor likely to offer?

Clogged arteries

Modern medicine really only has two approaches.

1. Surgically repair the damaged area (bypasses and angioplasties).

2. Use drugs to improve the flow of blood through the damaged area and minimize the production of cholesterol, which serves as one of the triggers.

Neither of these approaches, of course, actually deals with the real problem.

High blood pressure

When it comes to high blood pressure, doctors rely almost exclusively on pharmaceutical drugs. The four major classes of drugs are:

1. Diuretics, which reduce pressure by making you pee out water from your body. Reduce the volume of fluid in your blood, and you reduce the pressure. Unfortunately, side effects can include dizziness, weakness, an increased risk of strokes, and impotence. (Not to worry, there are medications to alleviate the side effects.)

2. Calcium channel blockers, which work to relax and widen the arteries--thus reducing blood pressure. Then again, a major side effect of channel blockers is a 60% increased risk of heart attack.

3. Beta blockers, which work by weakening the heart so it won't pump as strongly, thereby reducing blood pressure. One of the major problems with beta blockers, though, is the increased risk of congestive heart failure.

4. ACE inhibitors (the new drugs of choice), which like the calcium channel blockers, also work to relax and widen the arteries. Unfortunately, ACE inhibitors can produce severe allergic reactions, can be deadly to fetuses and children who are breastfeeding, and can cause severe kidney damage.
Again, none of these drugs deals with the actual cause of the high blood pressure. They are merely an attempt to force test numbers into line and prevent people from immediately dying.

Blood clots and DVT

If doctors are worried about clots (such as after bypass surgery), they put patients on blood thinners. The standard is Coumadin (warfarin). Aside from the usual jokes that Coumadin is essentially rat poison (which it is), it has serious side effects. It can cause severe internal bleeding that can be life-threatening and even cause death. You can always tell a person on warfarin by the extensive bruising all over their body since even the slightest bump or touch is enough to cause internal bleeding. It's a bit like using dynamite to open a locked door. It can do the job, but you need to be oh so careful or you'll blow up the building at the same time. There are better choices.

Note: some people might think aspirin is a good alternative. It's not. While aspirin may be beneficial at keeping blood flowing through arteries, studies indicate it has no effect on preventing clots from forming in veins.

What are the options?

As it turns out, for most major heart problems, you have a world of alternatives--certainly safer and often far more effective than their medical counterparts.

Clogged arteries

- Studies have shown that dietary changes alone can unplug arteries.

- Proteolytic enzymes, particularly formulas that contain either nattokinase or lumbrokinase, can break down the proteins that hold plaque together stuck to arterial walls--effectively dissolving it.
Proteolytic enzymes can also help dissolve scarring of the endothelial lining.
And proteolytic formulas that contain seaprose-s, serrapeptase, and/or endonase can help reduce arterial inflammation that both constricts arteries in real time and contributes to future long term damage.

- Sufficient Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet also help reduce arterial inflammation and dramatically reduce the circulating levels of damaging NEFAs.

- Antioxidants such as SOD, pomegranate, grape seed extract (AKA OPCs), and pycnogenol help heal the endothelial lining, thereby preventing future plaque and helping to heal current plaque.

- Methylating supplements such as B6, folic acid, B12, TMG, and SAMe help reduce homocysteine levels, thereby reducing damage to the endothelial lining.

- L-arginine and noni extract assist the smooth muscle in arterial walls in obtaining sufficient nitric oxide to function properly.

- Regular heavy metal detoxing can reduce a major cause of irritation to the endothelial lining and a primary instigator of plaque formation.

- And raising body pH through proper diet and the use of supplements such as coral calcium reduces lactic acid levels in the arterial smooth muscle, thereby minimizing damage to arterial linings.

As you can see, there is a world of choices you can make that can dramatically change your vascular outcomes. Virtually all of them are covered if you're following the Baseline of Health Program.

High blood pressure

Pretty much everything you do to reduce clogging of the arteries will, by definition, help to reduce blood pressure. In addition, though, you can also consider:

Lose weight. Simple laws of physics apply here. As we've already discussed, your blood vessels have to service every single cell in your body. The more body mass you have, the more pressure you need to force blood through the system. Lose weight; less pressure required.

If you smoke, stop. Smoking constricts blood vessels and raises pressure.

If you're stressed, try meditation or biofeedback. As part of your body's "flight and fight" mechanisms, stress increases heart rate and blood pressure to help respond to the short term stress of an attack from a saber toothed tiger. Twenty-four/seven stress was not designed into the system. Prolonged stress definitely impacts blood pressure levels. Even if you have clogged arteries, reducing stress levels can still help drop your blood pressure levels significantly.

Herbs such as passionflower, apocynum venetum, hawthorne, and stevia (yes stevia) have all been shown in clinical studies to help lower blood pressure.

Blood clots and DVT

Proteolytic enzymes, particularly formulas that contain either nattokinase or lumbrokinase are just as effective at preventing clots, with wide ranging dosage tolerances. In other words, good proteolytic formulas work with minimal chance of side effects. In fact, a good systemic proteolytic enzyme formula that also contains enzymes such as endonase, seaprose-s, or serrapeptase can have multiple beneficial effects for the circulatory system in addition to reducing clotting. Such formulas can play a major role in reducing inflammation and scarring in the cardiovascular system and enhance cardio perfomance in athletes.

Conclusion

When it comes to most forms of heart disease associated with the arteries and veins, you have a world of alternatives--certainly safer and often far more effective than their medical counterparts. It's also worth noting again that if you are following the Baseline of Health Program, then you're already doing most of them.

Which brings us to the final part of our series on the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the cardiovascular system--your blood. In the next issue will take on this most complex of subjects.

If you want to fulfill the ultrasound technician requirements and enter this field, you must obtain at a minimum, a 2 year associate degree in college, and perform a clinical internship.

If you are still in high school at the present time, you should strongly consider taking courses that include science, biology, mathematics and even English. The accredited associate degree that leads to registration as a diagnostic medical sonographer (the official name for an ultrasound technician), will also lean heavily on science.

You can expect courses in medical ethics, biology, anatomy, patient care, medical terminology and extensive study of the operation of the machine itself.

Ultrasound sonography uses high frequency sound waves to penetrate the human body. The echoes back from the organs, vessels and other structures within the body are then received and interpreted by a special computer to project a moving picture of the inside of the body on to a computer screen.

These images are then recorded and interpreted by the technician to look for any abnormalities in the internal organs, and of course these are ultimately interpreted by the doctor.

You can see from this that the ultrasound technician requirements must necessarily include not only study in the art and technology underlying sonography, but also clinical experience.

Sonographers need care and skill in dealing with patients. They must also be in fairly good physical condition to handle standing on their feet for a substantial portion of the work day, and moving and manipulating the patients for optimal results.

Once you have completed your ultrasound technician training and clinical experience you then quality to be tested by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) to become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).

The field of ultrasound technology is perhaps most popularly associated with obstetrics and gynocological sonography - the examination of developing fetuses in women - but there are also many other specialties. There is ophthalmic-sonography to study the eye and surrounding vessels, neurosonography to study the brain and nervous system, cardiac-sonography to study images of the heart, and many others.

If you decide to further your education and meet the ultrasound technician requirements for specialty work, you will need additional certification and credentials. For any of the specialties, you will need a full four year bachelors degree.

She began her career as a medical intuitive with the aid and encouragement of Harvard-educated neurosurgeon, Dr. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD. After working with Norm's patients and improving their overall health, she wanted to share her talents with a wider range of the suffering. Her work in this important field led to her co-developing the Institute for the Science of Medical Intuition which funds research in the field. More than 10,000 practitioners are now active in the field of medical intuition because of Caroline's tireless efforts to promote this important and holistic facet of healing.

Speaking of the personal challenge of healing, Caroline says, "You're the one trying to heal; you're not trying to heal anyone else. Healing has nothing to do with someone else being incongruent. Genuine healing rarely takes a safe path. Genuine healing takes a path that incorporates the whole of your life. And people left to their own devices will only take a safe path, they'll only do what's comfortable for them."

In 2003, Caroline Myss founded her own educational institute, CMED (Caroline Myss Education). CMED offers an array of courses in personal development and draws students from around the world. Caroline also developed the field of Energy Anatomy, a science that correlates specific emotional/psychological/physical/spiritual stress patterns with diseases. She works as a medical intuition consultant for physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals.

Caroline Myss spends her time educating others in healing. She is an internationally renowned speaker and maintains a rigorous lecture schedule, in addition to her weekly radio show on Hay House Network. Her immensely popular books include The Creation of Health, Anatomy of the Spirit, Why People Don't Heal and How They Can, Sacred Contracts, Invisible Acts of Power, Entering the Castle andDefy Gravity. It's difficult to find a person as devoted to learning and teaching about healing as Caroline Myss. Her hard-earned insight and experience expand my mind.

I feel like I receive an education in healing whenever I have the opportunity and privilege to talk with her.

Adoley Odunton

www.wellnessrevolutionsummit.com

We are all familiar with physical therapy as a part of modern medical practice; it involves physical exercises. Meditation becomes effective as a therapy much the same way but it brings in the mind to act on the body in order to resolve the physiological problems; meditation exercises the mind and then the mind exercises the body. Different forms of meditation use different techniques but the basic premise of meditation therapy is the same - using the power of the mind to heal the body.

The meditation technique and the exercises described here are those that I have practiced for years. This is by no means an attempt to teach meditation or yoga exercises; it is simply a description of my own experiences in normal daily life in which bodily afflictions are inevitable occurrences and the daily practices have to be modified to meet new requirements. The techniques are described in as simple terms as possible although some key terms are introduced to cover the basic concepts. It is neither possible nor desirable here to go into the details of either the meditation technique or the exercises, since the purpose of the book is to give an account of my experience in dealing with physical disorders. But I do believe that they have played a significant part in the cure and an overview of the techniques may provide a better understanding of their therapeutic role.

Meditation. Meditation means different things to different people both in terms of the process and the goal. However, in general meditation involves the interaction of the mind with the subtle body, and through it, with the gross body. There are several meditation techniques, the one discussed here is based on the Kundalini yoga system. According to this system there are seven major energy centers called chakras in the body, they are located along the spinal column and provide the life sustaining energy to the body. The main energy channel is a nerve (called sushumna) lying within the spinal column. Although the locations of the chakras have a rough correspondence with the major plexuses they are not physiological entities and exist only as parts of the subtle body just like the mind. The word chakra means wheel which in its dynamic state is in circular motion radiating energy outwards. There are seven of these providing energy to and controlling different parts of the gross body.

The first and the lowest is called muladhar chakra, it is located at the base of the spine just above the anus and coincides with the sacral plexus. Mooladhar means the main base and it is here that the latent divine energy called kundalini resides slumbering like a coiled snake. When awakened it rises through the sushumna to the other chakras providing them the energy. This energy center feeds energy to and controls the genitals and the lower parts of the body. The second energy center is svadhisthan chakra, it is located just above the genitals and corresponds to plexus hypogastricus. The word swadhisthan means one's own abode. From the point of view of gaining immortality through progeny this is the center where a person really exists. It controls the organs of excretion and procreation. The third is called manipur chakra, it is located in the navel region, and corresponds to the solar plexus. Manipur literally means jewel city and this center has a special significance; it is through the navel that the life is sustained before birth and it is here that the vital energy is stored on its downward path from the highest center. This center controls the parts of the body around the navel - lever, stomach, pancreas etc. The fourth center is anahat chakra located in the heart region; the word anahat means that which is not killed and in this sense it is associated with the soul. The physical correspondence of this center is with plexus cardiacus and it controls the heart, the lungs, shoulders and arms. The fifth is vishudha chakra, it is located at the base of the neck and corresponds to plexus larengeus; it controls the neck and the throat. Vishudha means purest of the pure. The sixth energy center is called aagyaa chakra; aagyaa means command and the name simply denotes that this is the command center for the body both gross and subtle. It is located at the top of the spinal column in line with the midpoint between the eyebrows known as trikuti which is often talked of as the chakra itself. The physical correspondence of this center is plexus covernus and it controls the head and the organs therein. The seventh and the highest chakra is sahashrar chakra located at the crown of the head; it corresponds to plexus choroidus. Sahashrar mean thousand petals and is symbolic of the lotus flower that is regarded as the seat of the divine. It is important to remember that all these energy centers lie within the spinal column and the kundalini rises through them elevating the person to the highest state of consciousness.

In the literature of this particular yoga system one often comes across terms such as arising or awakening of the kundalini; these terms refer to its transformation from the dormant to the vibrant state. Many practitioners assert that they have felt distinct sensations during this transformation. However, some people may feel a throbbing sensation just below the skull. It may feel as if some thing is gyrating; sometimes the sensation may be very strong. The only thing I can relate this sensation to is the fact that babies in their first few months have palpitations in this region where the skull is not yet fully formed. But there may be a physiological explanation of this sensation that I am not aware of.

Although the ultimate goal of the practice of kundalini yoga is to attain reality (sat), consciousness (chit) and bliss (aanand), it is also used to condition the physical body to the state of perfect health since the spiritual objectives cannot be attained without a healthy body. By extension the practice is also used as a therapy to correct any disorders in the physical system. Since the mind plays an essential role in the process, for this purpose meditation becomes a process of influencing the physiology of the gross body by a conscious mind working through the energy centers in the subtle body.

A disease occurs when some parts of the body, gross or subtle, malfunction. The seed invariably lies within the body; even when the cause is apparently external the malfunction occurs because the immune system of the body succumbs to the external influence. The proper flow of the vital energy to these parts is somehow disrupted, which must be restored in order to correct the problem. The medical science does it using chemicals or by direct intervention using the knowledge of the anatomy. The meditation technique attempts to restore the flow using the internal resources of the body. The healing process through meditation will be inherently slow and if the disease has gone beyond a certain point it may not have enough time to be effective at all. But that is true for modern medicine as well; it is not an exact science and the outcome is always governed by probabilities.

Healing through meditation is an old concept although the medical profession has only recently given any thought to it. Meditation is not something that was discovered by anyone; it is a product of human experience through the ages, which transcends all religious and cultural divides taking different forms in different regions and times. It is a universal experimental discipline used by man to attain perfection of body and mind. Contrary to the misconception held by many, meditation is not seclusion or withdrawal; it is total awareness of everything happening within and without. It allows one to see the reality and view things as they are, untainted by the projections of one's own conditioning. In meditation the paths are many but the goal is one; in fact as one goes along, the path itself becomes the goal because the journey is endless. One can never reach a point and say, " I have arrived". In this context therefore meditation becomes a part of life, the process continues beyond the particular sessions.

When we consider meditation in these general terms, the healing or therapeutic aspect may seem to be a minor side issue. But in a larger sense it is not. A healthy mind requires a healthy body and any physiological malfunction can be hindrance in the path. Even enlightened people can get sick and require the healing power of the mind to assist in removing the obstacle. The healing process involves harnessing this power or awakening of the mind in order to open up hither to hidden channels of one's own energy. In that sense healing is an integral part of meditation. For beginners in particular these ideas may be confusing, even overwhelming. However, learning meditation is like learning anything else. The important thing is to get started and keep the practice simple. Once set on the course the possibilities begin to unfold showing the benefits. In meditation therapy the short-term goals are well defined. With the problem recognized and accepted one should strive to make the positive aspects grow and eventually subdue the negative aspects of the problem.

A successful silat guru needs three elements that can be considered as successful guru in silat. The title that been given for this achievement is the 'special one'. Without these three elements you cannot be called as the special one. There are;

1. You need to be a good silat student - you need to be a silat student and train for many hours to master all the techniques in silat training system under a supervision of silat guru. You need to follow all the rules and regulation of silat laws and successfully achieved black belt under the same or different silat guru in one association.

Normally it takes 5-10 years to achieve the highest level in silat training system. You are also need to compete in several silat competitions. It doesn't matter either you win or lose as the main agenda is for you to feel the aura of fighting. In addition, to be a good silat exponent you need to have a good social attitude by involves in any silat occasions such as festival, performance or silat courses (at least seven silat courses).

The silat guru will monitor your performance and will suggests your name to the grandmaster of silat once he or she feel you are ready to accept the responsibility to be a silat coach. Once you are accepted as a silat guru, you will be awarded a certificate that proved you are qualified to teach others. You will be monitored by the grandmaster from time to time to guide you to become a good guru.

2. You need to be a good silat guru and contributor - normally you will be called as junior coach when you start coaching. You will starts coaching kids between 6-12 years old for 2-3 years depending on your performance. The grandmaster will advice you to undergo several silat courses such as silat coaching system, sport sciences courses, anatomy of fighter and many more in order to upgrade your knowledge of coaching.

Then, you will be given chances to coach youth; adults or even special need care peoples / disable people about silat education. You will also follow grandmaster to different places to teach peoples silat. Sometimes, you need fight with other silat guru or martial art to show them the silat system in practical combat and self defense. The best part is even at young age you will have your own followers, champions and also your own black belt students. Your contribution will be highlighted by the grandmaster to other silat gurus or silat communities. Your responsibility will be bigger and it will grow your managerial skills.

If you are ready, the grandmaster will give the harder task to you depending on your level of interest in developing silat either part-time or full-time. The harder the task, the more attention will be given to you by him. Sometime, the grandmaster will ask you to develop silat in foreign country without any help from others. This task is not for everybody as it involves other commitment such as family, career or even personal life. Thus, the bigger contribution and sacrifices you made the higher level you will achieve in silat.

This process normally takes around 10-20 years to be a good silat guru. The grandmaster will act as your mentor and will guide you to the next level that sometimes cannot be reached by many good silat gurus. The reason why we need a grandmaster in any silat or martial arts association is to guide people to be a good human and warrior in order to be better than him. Without a grandmaster, any silat or martial arts without a grandmaster will be like a country without a leader. Keep in mind that 'a body without a head cannot survive'.

3. You need to be a good silat researcher - Many great leaders contribute to the world by leaving a good research or book of knowledge before they die. The same applied to silat. Once you are determined as a good guru, the grandmaster will guide you to start writing of your knowledge either in magazines, newspaper, and blogs or in any publication that can help you to contribute to world of silat. Sometimes, you need to sacrifice your time with family in order to learn how to be a researcher in university during weekend.

The university is the best place to throw your idea as silat researcher as there are many resources that you can use to help you to achieve this objective. You will start to develop a critical thinking and debating with the grandmaster about silat techniques, system and management in order to grow your skills. It will be his attention to develop a well successful silat guru that is better than him.

Your research can be in any field such as sports, education, business, computer, technology, management, or even in silat training system. Once you achieve this level by producing a solid research about silat that can be used by others including other martial arts too, it is time for you to be rewarded as the next deputy grandmaster, grandmaster or even the minster of silat.

These three elements take years of hard works of full dedication to make you as a good silat guru. Some guru will accomplished this in 30-50 years, while some can accomplished this in 20-30 years depending on level of interest to develop silat all around the world.

One of which is the fact that lipids are important component of the limiting boundary of every cell, the cell membrane. Without these substances, the cell will not be able to regulate the entry as well as exit of substances. If such function fails, the possibility that internal and normal functioning of every cell will be greatly affected and in turn will also has its toll on the tissues as well as organs-system the run the whole human anatomy.

Apart from is mentioned above, there are also a number of great things associated with lipids that you body can not manufacture. Listed below are just of those already known:

- it allows absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E,K into and around the whole body
- it helps maintain and give your skin a healthy and youthful glow
- it is the best aid in the development of your baby's brain so intake of these lipids are advised among pregnant and lactating mothers
- if you want to maintain and/or have good eyesight then you have to take a dose and make it regular, of these healthy lipid types
- these kind of healthy lipids is the major component of the gray matter of the human brain which is about 70%
- it does possess anti-inflammatory properties which do not just maintain and prevent swelling of the vessels of the circulatory system but also considered helpful in increasing immunity
- it combats cancer and help lower the risk getting one such as breast cancer by blocking the action of activator protein that is responsible for the rapid division of the mutated cells
- perfect cure for alcoholism as fat metabolism which is highly disrupted with chronic alcoholism is restored with constant intake of these lipids
- aid for individuals suffering from diabetes by enhancing the activity of delta6-desaturase enzyme of insulin; it also augments the function of white blood cells that help combat infection thereby creating shield against possible infection among diabetics
- it lowers concentration of unhealthy cholesterol therefore preventing possible onset of heart attacks and increased blood pressure
- breathing difficulties such as asthma will become manageable with regular intake of these lipids
- it will engage your system in a regular and without sweat bowel movements; instances of constipation will never be encountered again among those individuals who regularly consume this lipid type

Although it may surface that lipids are not at all good for you, must be aware of the categories of this macromolecule. Essential fatty acids are the most that play important part in your system and is also the ones that you must consume in increased amount.

Most people can have this virus and not show any symptoms. It is only when the immune system is compromised or the body is severely stressed. When this imbalance occurs, the body will usually produce warts at the site of the original contact. Most likely this will be around the genital or anal region, or mouth. This virus is also passed from skin to skin contact. Other symptoms are precancerous lesions in mucous membranes, which may develop into cancer. Have your medical doctor examination for these symptoms.

Remedies in the medical realm include many that work to remove the external signs of infection such as warts, by disrupting cell development of the Papilloma infection. Immune modulators for genital warts use two types of topical creams. Office treatments currently use a type of acid for small warts or a gel both can be used for external or internal vaginal warts. Surgical applications include freezing, laser, and cutting away larger warts. Side effects and repeat applications are common. A vaccine is available but must be given before any exposure to the virus occurs.

A natural and holistic approach to treating HPV, combines using several alternative approaches. Combining Homeopathic, Chinese, Ayurvedic, and, possibly other methods, symptoms of illness are treated. By balancing the body's functions, energy, and mind the immune system is believed to become stronger. With the increased strength, illness can be held off, or relieved.

The basis of homeopathic therapy is that a substance that will produce symptoms can be used to treat those same symptoms. Therefore, homeopathy uses substances found to give healthy humans symptoms of common ills, dilutes them, and uses this remedy to alleviate the symptoms in an ailing person.

Aspects of Chinese medicine are being incorporated into Western medicine. Acupuncture and massage being two most commonly accepted. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on how well the body's functions are operating and flowing. Western medicine primarily focuses on the body's anatomy. TCM incorporates food, herbs, massage, and acupuncture to bring healthful functioning to the body.

Ayurvedic medicine is a traditional medicine in India and South Asia. Ayurveda in the Western world is seen as an alternative or complementary treatment and is used in conjunction with Western medical ways. The emphasis in this practice is on balance. The thought that suppressing natural desires, such as eating and sleeping, needs to be heeded within reason otherwise it is unhealthy. Hygiene is also part of the practice. Treatments and the medicines used usually are plant-based, but others do include minerals, animal products, and fats or oils.

Search online for alternative or homeopathic treatment for HPV. There are many practices that approach health and treatments of illness as a whole body experience. Many do note on their sites that they do not suggest these treatments are to done instead of common Western medicine. It is suggested that treatments be used in conjunction with your doctor's recommendations.

To try and understand when the chainsaw first came into existence you have to decide exactly what it is. It is recognised by the use of a moving chain on a metal guide used as a cutting implement. The chain has sharp teeth and is propelled around the guide by a separate energy source.

Well, this may sound really gruesome but this is exactly how surgical tools were described in the early 19th century. This was a time when the good doctors knowledge of the human anatomy was greatly restricted. Practice was rarely based on real knowledge and potions were sold in place of real medicines. But perhaps most disturbing of all was the fact that there were still no anaesthetics - except for a great deal of whiskey, or a brick on the back of your head when you weren't looking. There were no proper hygiene regulations. So you can imagine the fear both the doctor and these implements produced.

In the 1830's when used in surgical operations this device was actually called the "osteotome" and was invented by a German, Bernard Heine. The name comes from Heine's specialism which was orthopaediatrics and was used for cutting bone. Of course this early version was not motorised in any way - the chain was moved around a guiding blade by turning the handle of a sprocket wheel. He did not realise it then but he had just invented the chainsaw as well and a lot more besides.

There have been various claims about who invented the chainsaw we know and love so well today. In California an inventor by the name of Muir claimed to be first person to put a chain on a blade to use for logging purposes, technically inventing the first logging chainsaw. Maybe, but the problem with this new homespun gadget was it weighed hundreds of pounds and so made it commercially unusable. It disappeared from view very quickly.

Other examples of early automatic logging saws were the 1861 Hamilton saw that was hand-cranked by one or two men, and looked like a spinning wheel; and the American riding saw of the 1880s that resembled a rowing machine that cutters could sit on. It was not until Andreas Stihl came along in the early 20th century that we finally began to see a device that resembled the modern-day chainsaw.

Stihl has become a very well-known brand in the world of chainsaws and it is Andreas Stihl more often than not who is seen as the creator of the modern chainsaw. Like Heine before him he was German born. He was already successful as a mechanical engineer and was managing his own company manufacturing steam boiler prefiring systems. It was here that he went one step further and created the "cut-off chainsaw for Electric power". This was such a success it was soon followed by the petrol driven version which he called the "tree-felling machine". Quick to patent his new ideas in 1929, the first handheld chainsaws designed for woodcutting had been invented.

McCulloch has also become a big and respected chainsaw brand and he also began to mass produce chainsaws in the 1920's and 1930's. The first models were heavy and very large. They therefore needed to be worked by two operators. It was not until after World War 2 that they were made lighter with the advent of aluminum. They now were more mobile and could be carried by one workman. Up until very recently they had no safety devices such as hand guards, kickback protectors and brake locks at all. This made the early machines quite dangerous.

In the 1950's there came a change in how chainsaws were actually being used. For the first time wood cutting using a chainsaw became an art form.

Ken Kaiser was one of the first innovators of this popular culture and he is perhaps best known for the "Trees of Mystery". This is a set of 50 wooden sculptures that can be still seen today, and has become a traditional roadside attraction for tourists in Klamath, California. Its most well-known chainsaw sculpture is the huge 49 foot tall stature of Paul Bunyan (a giant lumberjack in US mythology). Kens artwork prompted others in the sixties so that by the 1980's it even had its own World championships (held in Wisconsin USA). The craze really took off with the advent of the interne, and many books have been written on sculpting skills. Perhaps more than that, chainsaw wood carving has become a "performance art". Its many fans are thrilled by watching the exciting and highly skilled process of turning a small piece of wood into a detailed reflection of its surroundings.

Now in the 21st century, there are chainsaws available for all kinds of jobs and tasks. Some are light, quiet and easy to use (good for simple domestic garden tasks) while others are meant for commercial use (heavy-duty powerful petrol machines). The blades come in different lengths dependent upon the kind of work you are doing. You can even get a special carving blade with a very small nose (or tip). Also all chainsaws have safety at the heart of their design with such features as hand guards, kickback locks and brake locks. And there are no excuses for not keeping safe as there are numerous books, videos, and DVDs exalting the proper use of the device. The chainsaw continues to progress to become an even more streamlined and safer machine to use - hopefully soon it will have only the one persona!

I beg to differ. I know of a young man who graduated from law school in the mid-nineties with a high GPA, fluency in Mandarin Chinese, and experience as a Summer Associate in the Beijing office of a major international law firm. He had caught the "Asia bug" and returned so fast that his diploma had to be mailed to him across the Pacific. Around the turn of the millennium he returned to the US to test out the theory that "you can't go home again". With only a few months of effort, he landed a premium position as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut, making a full dollar an hour above minimum wage (plus tips!).

Look in the Mirror: Let's get serious. Before you take a leap across the Pacific, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself this question: "Am I an 'international Lawyer', or am I an 'International lawyer'?" (note the differences in capitalization). What's Plan B in case practicing law in China falls through? Will you be practicing law in the United States, or will you be teaching English in China? What excites you about China law - China, or law? Because when all is said and done, an office is an office, whether it's in Beijing, New York, or London. And like it or not, the inside of an office is where the average lawyer spends most of his/her waking hours. Likewise, legal work is legal work; there's not any exciting difference whether you're consulting with clients and drafting documents in Chinese, English, or Serbo-Croatian.

The Prestige Factor: It's very stylish these days for medium and large sized law firms to prattle on and on about "our China Office" - and it allows for the issuance of impressive-looking bilingual business cards. It's become such a potent status symbol that a many firms (I strongly suspect) are holding on to money-losing offices in China just so they can keep Beijing on the list of cities where their firm has offices. Medium sized law firms in particular like to set up China offices to prove to their clients their status as Big Time International Players - sort of like the teenager who won't shave off his peach fuzz because it "proves I'm a man".

Better to forget about the prestige factor involved in practicing international law overseas. Holding a prestigious job is like marrying a fashion model - it's cool at first, but hey, law is a jealous mistress - after a couple of months the magic wears off and you're going to have to live with her day after day, for better or for worse.

"Our China Office" Strikes Again: "Our China Rep Office" is more like it. Keep in mind that in China, Representative Offices may not allowed to engage in profit-generating activities. So how do US law firms get away with it? To be sure, a few of them are mostly engaged in the Western legal side of sophisticated cross-border transactions (and thus not generally in the market for new graduates), but the rest are practicing Chinese law illegally. They get away with this in Beijing (not so often in Shanghai) because the Chinese authorities turn their heads, ignoring the wounded howls of jilted (and well-qualified) Chinese lawyers. The reality is that many foreign investors still feel more comfortable retaining US lawyers even though top Chinese lawyers are far better able to understand legal and linguistic nuances that American lawyers are likely to overlook. In other words, US lawyers are tolerated by the Chinese authorities because they help attract foreign investment. When the English language ability of Chinese lawyers improves enough to inspire greater confidence among foreign investors, the Chinese government may start rolling up the welcome mat for foreign lawyers. And it won't even take a new law to throw them out - only enforcement of existing law. Imagine the spectacle of former China investment lawyers returning to the US wearing sandwich boards reading "Will Litigate for Food". Don't get caught in mid-career all dressed up with no place to go.

Lawyers without Borders: Don't be silly, there is no such thing (is there?). "Doctors without Borders" makes sense because human anatomy is basically the same everywhere. Not so with legal systems - even in the wake of increasing standardization of cross-border business transactions, there will always be pesky little barriers (like local bar associations) that will stand in the way of the international free flow of legal services. The law is not the best career choice if you want to live overseas. Let's face it - you should have gone to business school instead.

A Loophole: China allows legal advisors who are not admitted to the local bar association to work in certain jobs that would require bar membership in the US. Included among such positions is corporate counsel - at their best, 9 to 5 jobs that come with six-figure incomes. In case six figures isn't enough for you, these positions often provide opportunities for greater wealth as the company grows - stock options, for example.

Forget the international law firms doing big sexy deals. Grind out 2-4 years of business law experience in the US and look for a job in the legal department of the China office of a Western multinational.

Question number one: What is God's purpose for our pain and suffering? Hannah was the mother of Samuel the anointed prophet and judge during Israel's most glorious era. It was through Samuel that David was anointed King of the nation and Samuel's spiritual leadership catapulted Israel to her renown place in history. But wait, we have jumped to the end of Hannah's story and must go to the beginning in order to understand the anatomy of her revelatory process. In the beginning Hannah was no different from the majority of us beset with societal demands which she internalized to determine her self worth. You see Hannah was barren and had no children in a culture, time and place where barren women were considered to be cursed. Too make matters worse her husband Elkanah had a second wife Peninnah who had given him children and she taunted Hannah in her own home because of her barrenness. Her tormenter was unrelenting. As the story goes Hannah allowed the pain and torment to become her reality and she became depressed. She was so emotionally distraught that it effected her ability to function she would not eat..." And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore", I Samuel 1:10. She would not even be comforted by the kind words of her husband in spite of his love.

The key to this mystery question is found is I Samuel 1: 5 "...but the Lord had shut up her wound". This was God's doing and it was all for a divine purpose. God has purposely made Hannah barren as it was a divine order in an effort to push her to her destiny. God will use those aspects of our frail human condition which the world uses to reject and marginalize us to move us to our,divine destiny. That which Hannah thought was a curse was actually her blessing in disguise. Her sorrow, her pain, her suffering, drove her to God because she needed God. He was the only one who could answer her prayer since he was the originator of the problem. Hannah came to a profound understanding that God was the only source from which she could draw to fill the longing in her soul. Her husband through all of his loving efforts could not touch the parts of her soul that needed to be healed. Keep in mind her answer in her humanness to fill the void was still a child. Hannah did not yet thoroughly understand the mind of God to ask the critical question what is my soul truly crying for. This stage of the process was to simply turn her heart, soul and attention to God. Hannah understood that she needed God to take control of her problem. However God had a deeper level of understanding and intent for Hannah's pain and suffering, to draw her closer into relationship with the Divine.

God uses our suffering and pain to move us to where he wants us to be. The human conditions of pain and suffering creates a human response to ameliorate these conditions. Whenever there is a need there develops an outreach to meet the need. God is the one who will use the pain if we are willing as Hannah to reach out to him for our benefit and His glory. Hannah could not understand at the beginning of her spiritual journey what was the plan of God. She did however have enough faith in God to endure the process believing He could solve her problem. So what did she do, she turned to God. Through her pain and suffering she understood that she was dependent upon God. She had positioned herself for a divine one on one encounter with God. Hannah later came to understand her pain was used by God to draw her closer to Him. She was willing to reach out to God and answer mystery question one that the purpose of this pain drives me closer to God because I am dependent upon Him. She acknowledged that He alone was sovereign. Her husband could not touch her in those places were she was hurting. God was the only one that could relieve the suffering and she was driven to him to solve her problem.

What is God using in your life to create a void to draw you closer to his Divine love and care? Are you rejected? Do you have an emptiness in your life? In there a continual frustration in your soul that causes you discontentment? Have you ever considered that God created the void to draw you closer to Him. Whatever the void may be, reach out to God as Hannah did and let God use whatever is causing the pain to deepen your relationship with Him. We do not totally understand what God is doing but wherever you are at in your process, trust God by faith and He will guide you to the next step. Hannah understood the answer to the first mystery question was that she needed God. She later understood that He used her pain to draw her closer to him for a divine one on one encounter.

Question number two: Do you trust God enough to persevere? This entails that one comes to the realization that God is bigger than your problem. " And it came to pass as she continued praying before the Lord" I Samuel 1:12. So often we believe that God is a problem solver but we don't quite have enough faith to believe, He will solve our particular problem. Hannah came to a point in her divine encounter with God that in the depths of her despair she would not give up and continued to believe that God was omnipotent and would answer her prayer. Her faith went from believing to knowing that He will provide deliverance for her. Hannah came to an understanding that she was dealing with the Almighty God who was bigger than any problem that she might have. Let's go a little deeper, what Hannah was actually saying was, I am not going to let what society is saying about me become my problem. I will not let this problem become who I am. I'm in a temporary situation only because I have a God in which I am in relationship with who loves me and therefore has my best interest at heart. He loves me and there is no fear in love. Love will always provide the very best to the object of its' affection. It is therefore love which is the search engine for my faith in finding God that allows me to persevere.

The scriptures states that she continued in prayer, she would not give up. Hannah was not giving up on herself or her God. God wants to know do you really believe that I am God and I hold the keys to your destiny and future? If you do, you will not give up and prevail against all odds. Hannah was diligent she arose early in the morning to seek Him. She dedicated herself to God and she made a vow and offered a sacrifice. The son that God would give her, she would give him back to God. Proving there exist nothing in her life that was so precious that she would place before God. She would not be denied. She sought God with all of her heart and worshiped Him with her vow.

In this process Hannah was developing a deeper understanding of who God is, what He requires and the depth of His love that resulted in her trust. Now mind you it wasn't that she changed her desire on having a child but she believed it was the will of God for her prayer to be granted and she continued to trust and believe. She came to an understanding she was made in the image of God and was having a one on one divine encounter with God. Only Hannah and God could understand the intricate experience of this encounter. Even before she conceived she made a vow that she would give the child back to God. She made the vow in faith because she trusted that God would answer her prayer. She was not going to give-up on God or herself. What a great women of faith! Even before the evidence of answered prayers, Hannah was planning to give the child back to God because she trusted in the goodness of God.

Because of her trust and faith in God Hannah received more than she could ever dream. Not only did she receive the child that she prayed for, but she received the supreme ultimate experience a one on one encounter with the Divine. She received these words from the Lord as spoken by Eli the priest, " Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him", I Samuel 1: 17. Her faith and trust in God and what He was going to do for her was becoming a reality. Simply because she persevered and did not allow her problem to consume her and be bigger than her God she was rewarded. Hannah persisted in prayer, make the ultimate sacrifice in worship and did not give up.

The name Samuel means because I have asked Him of the Lord. What do you have as a memorial that you would not be requited because you have asked it of the Lord. What sacrifice are you willing to make in worship to give as an offering to God. Hannah would not be denied. This is crucial to understand it is at this pivotal juncture that she understood the question to render the correct answer which led to the right response. God is looking for someone that will trust him despite all odds. Hannah was barren for a long time and the odds of her being able to conceive were against her. She however went to the only One who could turn the odds in her favor and trusted Him to do so. She was not to be denied and decided to put her unequivocal trust in God.

It takes faith and love to trust God. These two spiritual keys work hand in hand together. You cannot have one without the other. Hannah's trust in God was built on a healthy understanding of who God is the result of her, "one on one " encounter with God. This encounter had it requirements that was built on an understanding of God forged through pain and suffering. Hannah understood as the Apostle Paul " That I may know Him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death", Philippians 3:10. She realized it is in through those painful areas of our lives that he can meet us where we feel the most vulnerable to give us hope and comfort to demonstrate His divine healing and deliverance. Only through our trust and faith in these hard places can we come to an understanding of who God really is.

Question number three: Will you totally surrender to God and allow Him to effect His divine plan through you? In this process Hannah truly discovered the essence of who God is. Initially she was seeking self-fulfillment through a child but the Divine was seeking to have a one on one personal encounter with her. " So the woman went her way and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad", I Samuel 1: 18. She and her husband worshipped God. This is critical to understand that Hannah believed God by believing in what God had said. Worship means to honor God simply for being God through the spiritual comprehension of His Word. Her request had not been manifested, but she worshiped Him by honoring His Word. This takes great faith.

Hannah learned that if she did her part, God will do the rest. Her part was to believe God at His Word and live a life which honors Him. A life of honor meant she would not be depressed but a transformed woman of faith, empowered by the love of God. She would demonstrate her belief by living out her faith. The scripture stated she was "no more sad" but worshiped God. It is very difficult to be sad while you are worshiping God. In worship you began to enter into the presence of God and His power transforms you to believe and do the impossible. Because she was able to surrender to God Hannah was able to enter into a deeper understanding through worship of who God is.

Hannah discovered through surrender and worship:

• She learned that He knew all about her and loved her for who she was. Barren or with child she was of value to Him. She was made in His image. Hannah called him "Holy" which means set apart, transcendence, there is no one is like this God.
• Hannah found that what she really needed was to have a one on one divine encounter with God. To come to an understanding in her heart and soul of who He was and what He was to her. He was truly the only one that could fill the emptiness in her life. Just as Job experienced God through His pain and suffering, so did Hannah.
• He was her rock when she wanted to give up he sustained her. He had a plan for her life though it appeared painful the plan was to allow the bow to drive the arrow to Him. He is sovereign, all powerful and just. He alone would deal with her enemies. "He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in the darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail" I Samuel 2: 9

I was reading a very well known scripture "For God so loved the world", John 3:16. This scripture evokes a corporate understanding that God sent Christ into the world to save the world. Recently I happened to be reading a revised version which read He sent "His one Son". That statement to me was very personal. He sent His one Son to have a one on one encounter with me, to become intimate with me. It is comforting to know that God cares about me the individual. I can enter into an intimate relationship with him to know and be known by only Him. It is from His love that I can have true peace and contentment just as Hannah. An intimate relationship that is fueled by my pain and sorrow, He will enter to demonstrate His love and care. Not only did Hannah conceive Samuel " And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord" I Samuel 2:21.

We too can be like Hannah if we understand what God is asking of us and give the right response through lives which honor him. In the end Hannah changed from a woman who was letting her circumstances get the best of her to becoming a woman with a testimony of what God can do. Simply because she endured the process and had a one on one encounter with God. Hannah persevered and not only did she get what she wanted from God but she obtained a deep personal relationship with God. Hannah became intimate with God simply because she unlocked the answers to the mystery questions to be able to reach her destiny. Hannah's life was never the same again she was a changed woman. Not only was she changed, her family was changed, her nation was changed and the world for generations to come because of her life testimony was changed.

We too can reach our divine destiny as Hannah. We need only provide the right answers to these life transforming questions. Even in the face of obstacles and adversity those that believe in God by faith will comes to an understanding of who God is. The only way that faith which works by love is tested is through time hammered by pain and suffering. The choice clearly becomes ours. Do we choose to be victimized by our circumstances or do we seek God r to reveal our purpose and destiny? Do we allow our pain and suffering to abort us from reaching our destiny? Or do we choose to follow in the footsteps of Hannah and move into a deeper intimate relationship with God which can ultimately impact ourselves, our families, our community and even the world? God who is always in control removed Hannah's reproach, pain and sorrow. He can do the same for us if we decide to have a "Divine one on one encounter" and heal us in places no one else can ever reach.

The following is a summary of FDA's recommendations regarding the use of surgical mesh implants

Recommendations for the surgeons: TheFDA gives a separate set of recommendations each for the surgeon and the patient. Following things are to be taken care of by the surgical end of the matter.

1.The surgeon should realize that most forms of pelvic organ prolapse can be treated conservatively or by simple repair without the need of a mesh. Therefore unnecessary usage of the transvaginal mesh should be minimized.

2. The mesh placement is a permanent approach, and once it has been placed it might be difficult to operate on the same patient in the future for any other problem. This is owing to the altered anatomy of the patient's internal structures as a result of mesh implantation. It will predispose the women to greater risks in the future surgeries.

3.The risk of complications is higher with transvaginal placement of the mesh than the abdominal approach. Therefore an abdominal surgery should be opted in most cases, when there is no contraindication to it.

4.It is the surgeon's responsibility that all the pros and cons should be told to the patient before the surgery. A complete informed consent should be sought before proceeding to the surgery.

Recommendations for the patients: The following is a set of guidelines is to be followed religiously by the patients in order to decrease the chances of complications.

1.It is mandatory for the patient to ask the surgeon everything about the mesh surgery. The patient needs to understand as to why the surgeon is opting for a mesh and what could go wrong if a non-mesh procedure is employed.

2.The women have to continue with the regular post operative routine check-ups. It is also mandatory to notify to the surgeon any kind of complications developing; e.g. continuous vaginal bleeding, heavy vaginal discharge, pain in the legs and lower abdomen, persistent fever and painful intercourse. This will allow for the prompt start of treatment of these issues.

3. Those patients who have had a pelvic organ prolapse surgery, but do not know if a mesh has been placed or not, should try to find this out on their next scheduled visit. This is important as it will help the patient recognize the possible side effects that can develop after the surgery and will aid in the early detection of these complications.

Ultrasound technicians use specialized equipment that emits and interprets reflected sound waves into an image useful in examining internal structures for review and making diagnoses by a physician. They use these scans to examine various organs to check for diseases or abnormalities, as well as monitoring conditions such as pregnancy.

Ultrasound Technician Requirements

Education and Training
It is necessary that students complete certain ultrasound technician requirements before looking to start their career in this field. It is not too difficult to realise the goal of becoming an ultrasound technician, and individuals can choose from a few different paths to become a technician. More often than not, individuals will seek to fulfil their educational requirements through a technical college, community college, or other similar community-based institutions, such as vocational schools.

Many hospitals offer training programs, with the focus being on ensuring students will obtain future employment with ease. These hospitals may offer a two-year associate's degree specifically in sonography and ultrasound technologies. However, a few hospitals may offer a one-year certification course as opposed to an actual degree, which is often enough to gain employment, but will limit earning potential. It is also possible to find four-year degree programs, which will greatly increase earning potential as well as open doors for ultrasound technicians wishing to advance their careers.

Some schools, though not many, may require a person to have a previous medical background before admission into their programs. It is therefore necessary for an individual who is new to the medical field to research any program they wish to attend before applying.

Prerequisites
Ultrasound technician requirements necessitate that individuals study and become familiar with a few subjects that are directly linked to their chosen career path. Most programs will include studies in human anatomy and physiology, ultrasound equipment, patient care, ethics, physics, ultrasound physics, obstetrics, and pathophysiology. Some programs may require prerequisites such as English, physics, or biology to be completed before admission.

There are also some intangible skills which, although not required, will greatly enhance an individual's ability to successfully complete a training program and practice their profession in the most effective manner possible. It is highly recommended, for example, that aspiring ultrasound technicians have excellent interpersonal skills, as they will be dealing with patients on a daily basis. Many of their patients will be nervous about their conditions and need a reassuring presence during the procedure, and this is especially true of expectant mothers.

Certification
The last of the ultrasound technician requirements is not compulsory but is certainly recommended - certification.

Once schooling has been completed, it is possible to become certified by passing the exam set by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, or ARDMS. While it is not usually required, many employers will look favorably upon this certification, as it demonstrates a proficiency in the skills required to perform the job effectively. It is also important to note that the ARDMS can certify individuals in various specializations such as mammography, abdominal, echocardiography, neurosonology and vascular sonography. These certifications can lead to more job opportunities and a higher level of pay.

*Echocardiography

Students can choose to obtain an education in echocardiography (ECG) by completing two years of study for an associate's degree. Coursework may consist of medical terminology, psychology, cardiovascular pharmacology, biology, ultrasound physics, and much more. Students can earn an education in this area of the field allowing them to work in hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, and clinics. Professionals are trained to take pictures of the heart to help with diagnosis.

*Radiation Therapy

Students pursuing an education in this field can do so with a two or four year degree training program. Specific courses can include physiology, human anatomy, computer science, research methodology, and more. Studies will prepare students for employment in outpatient care centers, physicians' offices, and much more. Professionals in radiation therapy provide patients with treatment for cancer and other illnesses.

*Ultrasound

Gaining an education in ultrasound can require students to complete a certificate, diploma, or degree program. Coursework will vary by level of education but may include abdominal, obstetric, and vascular ultrasound, as, well as medical terminology, and more. Students will prepare for careers working in hospitals and other medical facilities. Students will train to operate equipment and select images for a variety of reasons.

*Nuclear Medicine

There are a number of accredited vocational training programs that allow students to gain an education in nuclear medicine by completing a bachelor's degree program. Students can obtain a number of skills by completing coursework in physical sciences, imaging techniques, computer applications, radiation protection, and more. Students will have the knowledge to work in medical laboratories, physicians' offices, and much more. These professionals are trained to capture images to help with diagnosis and treatment.

*Sonography

With an accredited program students can gain an education in Sonography by completing two or four years of study at the associate or bachelor level. Specific areas of study may consist of medical technologies, physiology, medical terminology, scanning techniques, and more. With an accredited education in this area of the field students can start careers in a number of medical settings. Professionals are trained to take images of tissue, organs, and blood flow for a variety of reasons.

*X-Ray

Accredited training in x-ray can consist of completing at most two years of study. Students will have the chance to learn patient care, pathology, radiology equipment, medical terminology, and much more. With the education needed to become an x-ray technician students can work in medical clinics, hospitals, dental offices, and more. Professionals in this area of the field take internal skeletal pictures to be used in a medical setting.

Accrediting agencies like the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (http://www.jrcert.org) and others are approved to fully accredit qualifying programs. Full accreditation is proof that students can gain the quality education they desire. Students can enroll in a vocational training program for radiologic technology today to start the path to an exciting new career.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.

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