Dr. Tauraso's Blog

WHY ARE WE SO STUPID?

2009-07-25T10:13:00.001-05:00

HOW CAN WE BE SO STUPID?

I know I have not written any Blogs for quite some time. I am sorry. I have undergone a dry period. But I am returning in full force. Be careful and watch out!

Although we claim to have the best form of government in the world and we run it with some of the smartest people in the world, basically we are so stupid. We could solve many, if not most, of our financial problems, we are unable to solve anything because of our form of government which give so many minority interest groups leverage over the needs of many.

If we just think about what happened to the Soviet Union not too long ago when president Reagan toppled them. He was able to accomplish it because essentially the Soviet Union went bankrupt and they were unable to pull themselves out of their financial rut. This would not happen today If the Soviet Union was able to sell their oil, it would not have happened then. Oil changed the entire landscape. Russia will again become a world power because of their oil which gives them financial power.

Contrast that situation with the United States which has so much oil, we could become a financial world power, if we were able to get the oil out from the ground and sell it. But no. The people in California, along the East Coast, Florida, and the Gulf States do not want to drill there. The people in Colorado still resist the harvesting of oil contained in their shale. And so on down the list of a minority of individuals who would rather develop alternative sources of renewable energy. I believe this is a noble venture, but we do not have time. Meanwhile, let us harvest the oil as Russia is doing and compete in the marketplace.

In Russia, if Putin says: �drill there,� they drill there. In the US we cannot do similarly. There are too many minority interest groups who must be satisfied. We could satisfy our financial needs and prevent the almost 10 trillion deficit expected over the next 10 years. So why not? Because WE ARE SO STUPID!

In my opinion, there is and will be enough oil to last hundreds of years because deep within the core of planet Earth, oil is continuing to be produced. The problem is using so much oil does result in abnormal effluents which contribute to so-called Global Warming. Although I believe in Global Warming, the majority of it is caused by natural phenomenon. A single eruption of one moderate sized volcano results in so much CO2, CO, sulfur-containing gasses � all those gasses which result in Global Warming � that it overwhelms what humans might be able to do burning hydrocarbon fuels. Global Warming is also caused by the sun getting warmer. Evidence of this are the facts that Mars and Venus are also getting warmer. This is cyclical and must be analyzed over a period of thousands of years. This being said we should do what we can to control human factors contributing to Global Warming.

If other Countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia are drilling for and selling their oil, why not us? Why do we not see this?

We have the technology to use oil and eliminate the outpouring of so much noxious gasses. Why not develop further such technology so we can continue to burn oil with the least amount of a negative impact upon the planet�s environment?

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

STOMACH ACID, ANTACIDS, AND GAS

2009-05-21T09:08:00.001-05:00

STOMACH ACID, ANTACIDS, AND GAS

Those of you who have been diagnosed as having too much stomach acid and are on antacids but who still experience gas either in the epigastric area (the area at the top of the sternum) with or without belching or in the lower bowel area (that part of the so-called stomach area below the umbilicus) associated either with or without flatus) should reconsider their taking of antacids. Please read my Blog dated 10/7/2007 on Low Stomach Acid (Hypochlorhydria).

Most individuals who experience symptoms which are interpreted as hyper acidity (too much stomach acid) actually are experiencing the symptoms of insufficient acid. It may be hard to believe, but it is true. Taking antacids is the wrong thing to do.

It seems very strange to me that my profession accepts the concept that as we get older our bodily functions deteriorate. Tissues and organs age, important enzymes lessen, and we generally cannot do the same things at 60 as we did at 35. It is not my intent to explain why this happens, but we all know that it does.

But with respect to the production of stomach acid many take a completely irrational point-of-view. Most doctors believe that as we get older the ability of the stomach gets better. Why should it. One of the major functions of the stomach is to make acid needed to begin the process of protein and carbohydrate digestion. Why should this process get better as we age. The fact is that it does not. As we age the ability of the stomach to make acid deteriorates as do other bodily functions.

The pharmaceutical industry makes a ton of money perpetrating the myth that many have hyper acidity, therefore, requiring the taking of antacids.

I as many other holistic physicians treat the real condition of hypo acidity by giving individuals acid, usually in the form of Betaine Hydrochloride. As mentioned earlier, read my previous blog on the subject.

That is my thought for the day!

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

MEDICAL/INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX � WHY ARE MEDICAL CARE COSTS SO HIGH?

2009-05-20T08:34:00.003-05:00

MEDICAL-INDUSTRIAL-COMPLEX � WHY ARE MEDICAL CARE COSTS SO HIGH?

Individuals who regularly read my Blogs know that I write about three subjects. First, medical and health issues, and, because I have an MD degree and have been in the trenches for many years, I feel I know something about these subjects. Second, I write about economics, and because I have studied the financial markets and have made and lost millions in the financial markets and having written a book on having lost 3 million in the stock market, I feel I am also knowledgeable about this subject. Third, I write about politics, and I must admit I know very little about politics, but many of my friends, who are in the same boat as I, claim they do and I hang around with them and perhaps some of that knowledge might rub off on me. I write about politics because politicians are very funny people and this gives me an opportunity to inject humor into my writings.

Today, I am combining the three subjects about which I write into one area, the subject of the cost of medical care and how some of the poorest of the poor are discriminated against big time in this area.

Years ago in the 1950's when President Eisenhower coined the term the �Military-Industrial-Complex� (MIC) he suggested that, if we were not very careful this MIC would bankrupt our country. I was in college at the time and remember saying to my friends that it would not be the MIC which would bankrupt the country � it would be the cost of medical and health care --the Medical-Industrial-Complex (MIC2). I was not even in medical school at the time. I was still in college. But, I was beginning to see the handwriting on the wall even at age 20. And so it has come to pass, my prediction is coming true. Thank you, Nostradamus!

But I wish to direct my comments to an area of the costs of medical/health care and that is how the poor, especially those who cannot afford to buy health insurance or do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, are being asked to pay more than anyone else for their medical care. I will prove this by citing some figures which we have collected.

At my request my secretary, using her cell phone so the call could not be traced to me � for in this area of stealth, one needs to have a healthy degree of paranoia and be very careful � to call the local Emergency Room to ask what it would cost for a 5 year old child with an ear ache to be seen and treated. The first person with whom she spoke, probably a receptionist, admitted she did not know but would ask someone else. Five minutes later a second person came to the phone and asked what my secretary wanted. It always amazes me that new individuals coming to a phone never are told anything about the caller by the first person. My secretary posed the same question about the 5 year old boy with an ear ache. This second person soon admitted that she did not know but would ask another individual. Five minutes later a third person came to the telephone and asked what my secretary wanted for the first two never told her about what the call was. The third, hemmed and hawed and said she would have to look it up. For God�s sake lady the question is very simple, you are seeing hundreds of people in the ER every day and you do not know what they are being charged? My secretary also told her at this time that she did not have insurance. Finally, the answer was revealed. It would cost $200 to be see in the ER.

But this fee is almost never realized because what really happens in the Emergency Room. A person has a cough the nature of which can easily be determined by performing a good detailed physical examination. But in a hospital a chest x-ray is usually ordered and a complete blood examination. Why. It is very simple. The Emergency Room must support other hospital facilities � the radiology and laboratory departments. A person rarely leaves an Emergency Room without accumulating a bill of greater than 300 to 400 dollars � all because of unnecessary additional tests which are ordered.

Examining the fee schedule provided by insurance vendors, if this 5 year old qualified, the state Medicaid program would pay the ER about $66.80 and if this was another older person who was on Medicare also about $66.80 with an additional payment by the insurance company, if they had an insurance supplemental of $4.00 more. This is give or take a few dollars because different insurance companies have different payment rates, although most are within a similar narrow range.

But, a total of about $71 dollars the ER would receive, if this child were covered by insurance or some government welfare plan. This is far below what we, with no insurance, are being asked to pay � that is $200, 300, or more! � an additional $130 to 230.

We know what the hospital is doing. Although the hospital charges $200, they quite frequently never collect that money. Many people do not pay so the fees are adjusted to take this into account when establishing the fee schedule. But, the person who does pay has to pay almost $130 to 230 more than a counter part with insurance. Is this fair?

Yesterday, a waitress with no insurance came to my office with her five year old boy with bilateral middle ear infections. She was new to the area and she does not make too much money working as a waitress in a Waffle House. I charged her $30 for the visit. She was very grateful because she knew that the ER would have cost her considerably more � something like $170 more! Some day when my practice is larger, I might be able to do this completely pro bono. I now routinely charge $40.00 per visit to someone who does not have health insurance. Believe it or not this does not pay for the office overhead. I do believe if more physicians do similarly, more could afford to see a physician.

Can this problem be solved? I do not know. The usual ER is bloated with personnel. The last time I visited there with my son, even being a physician, I had to wait 2 hours to be seen. When I finally entered a cubicle I noticed more doctors and nurses chatting about insignificant social matters while there were empty cubicles to be filled. If I were running that office, I would have kicked all the loitering physicians and nurses in their respective butts telling them to get back to work. They had more personnel falling over each other while patients waited two hours in the waiting room. There is no supervisor in the ER controlling the work flow. When the final bill is calculated, they have little difficulty putting it together. My secretary had to wait 20 minutes to get her final answer on what were the charges.

The usual doctor�s office is similarly bloated with too many personnel. If an office is very busy, extra personnel are required just to fill out the complicated paper work required by government regulations and insurance companies. Forty five years ago to become an insurance company Provider, I completed a one to 3 page application. Just recently returning to the private practice of medicine, the application was 43 pages long. The answers to each question had to be verified by the insurance companies and it took 60 -90 days for the approval mechanism to be completed, after which you would receive a contract for signature. This would take an additional 45 days. We are talking here of about 6 months to obtain final approval. And this you do with each insurance provider and there are many of them. Before you begin this process you have to purchase malpractice insurance which is considerable.

What a scam. The malpractice liability insurance companies sell you insurance knowing full well that for 6 months you are not able to examine many patients because you are not a Provider. You are paying a rate for insurance based on how many patients you will eventually be seeing when your practice is going full steam ahead. Not bad, if you can get away with it! Sad to say they are getting away with it.

The government-required paper work has increased so much during the past 35 years that it takes extra personnel to complete it. You have to buy sophisticated computer software to run an office and the cost of these are high, not to speak of the monthly maintenance fees for these programs.

You are asked to abide by the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) to insure that the privacy of each patient is respected. Google �HIPAA� to learn more. The only ones who can get access to your medical records are the insurance companies, many of whom sell your informational data. The whole thing is a sham. I am a simple man. I do not share my patients records with anyone else except a referring physician who needs to know some information in order to handle the referral and the patient is completely aware of this when I do it. Other than that the patient owns the records. I do not. I share the record only with the patient. What they do with their records is their business, not mine. Simple isn�t it? I can make this rule a simple one page document not the 50 + page document of the HIPAA Regulations.

The government politicians who all claim to be environmentalists kill so many trees with their increased paper work. In Washington why would you want to say something in a 500 page document when you can do it in a 1,000 page one?

I believe that we are able to run more financially efficient medical practices when we consider becoming more lean in our office management. I learned how to manage a business during the years when I owned a Four-Star Italian restaurant. I learned about managing not only the type and competency but also the numbers of personnel working for you. The largest expenditure of expenses come from salaries. Having one too many $85,000/year nurse in a four doctor office can translate to an additional $20,000/year profit for each doctor. Not requiring a software program costing $500/month can boost the doctor�s salary an additional $1,500/year. The math is very simple. Deflating the bloat in an ER or physician�s office can translate to decreased costs, more profit, and financial breaks can be extended to paying patients which will improve one�s competitiveness in the market place.

But let us not sock it to the poor patient for our own poor business practices.

Soon I will Blog about �Doctors and their Machines� and how this practice contributes to the high cost of medical care and medical insurance.

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

CHAPTER I � WAITING AND WONDERING

2008-12-27T05:35:00.003-05:00

CONFESSIONS OF A QUESTIONING PHILOSOPHER
CHAPTER I � WAITING AND WONDERING

Several years ago I published a philosophy book: God, Man, and the Universe � An Holistic Perspective. This was an Ebooks published in the Order Online Bookstore of my Website: www.drtauraso.com. Although the book took 20 years to write before final publication, no one, as yet, has ever ordered a copy. Perhaps someday someone will take the book out from Ebooks heaven and read it.

In this book I tried to discuss the Laws of the Greater Universe as they relate to our relationship with God, Man, and the Lesser Universe. The Lesser Universe I define as that physical entity composed of the billions of suns, planets, and celestial bodies; the Greater Universe being that entity composed of the Lesser Physical Universe, God, Man, and everything else which interact with each other.

Tonight as I lay on my office couch trying to go to sleep, I began to contemplate � as I do almost every night � the meaning of life and whether there is real interaction among all the entities mentioned above. Tonight, as in many other nights, I am asking for a revelation � not an hallucination � perhaps in the form of a beam of light. Then, I would know that it would be a miracle for in the middle of the night one � at least one of sound mind � would not expect a real beam of light!

So here I am waiting and wondering � the title of the Chapter � whether the beam of light will appear, and, if it does, wondering whether it would be real or an hallucination. Many individuals throughout the world and the ages have described visions. And being the scientist that I profess to be, I ask the question: �Is this a real external vision or is it something conjured from within the recesses of one�s subconscious mind, which I would define as somewhat of an hallucination. I have always thought that, as we experience events, these are stored as mental pictures and images somewhere within our subconscious mind/brain complex as bite or bytes of information in perhaps some digital form. And so we have this cauldron of byte soup. Once in awhile, something happens and these bytes take form as an independent picture which surfaces to our conscious mind. As we experience this new picture or thought, we need to wonder from where it came. If we think it came from without we may interpret it as an external vision. If we think it came from within we may consider it a dream. The two entities are quite different.

So if a revelation comes one evening, I would like to know whether it is a dream or vision because the dream is of my own creation, the vision being something from outside of me. And so I wait and wonder.

Tonight I was wondering about God. And since I have been given an intellect, it is within my nature to wonder about these things. Is God the ALL omnipotent and omniscient being which the religious preachers want us to believe. Was HE � and let us not quibble about the HE or the SHE � there BEFORE the Lesser Universe was created? Then one day, HE said �Let there be light,� and with that BIG BANG the Universe began the marvelous process of creation which continues to this day. Is this God a personal one. Does he know who we are; does he know who I am? And does HE care? Or has some other Avatar been assigned to oversee Planet earth to make sure the Laws of the Universe are followed. Perhaps by some standards he may not be doing a very good job. But then again he might.

Are happiness and unhappiness necessarily incongruous entities? Before answering we must define happiness. To me happiness is a state of well being where our dreams become our reality � that we are experiencing all our dreams in the here and now. Might St. Paul have been happy as his fellow Romans were chopping off his head because he knew that he had fulfilled Christ�s order to spread the faith? As St. Peter was dying being crucified upside down, was he also happy knowing that he had also fulfilled similar orders given to him? Was Jesus Christ happy dying on the cross knowing that his death was redeeming the sin of man? Pardon me if I am taking examples from the Bible but it is with holy individuals experiencing both entities simultaneously can we begin to delve into the question of happiness fulfilled.

Are my questions necessarily blasphemous? I do not think so. If we have been given an intellect, then, as I said, it is within our nature to question. If fact, we have a right, if not a duty, to question, respectfully. Otherwise, the gift of the intellect is thwarted. According to the Scholastic Philosophy of the Jesuits, to have been given a Natural Gift or Appetite, if we waste it, that would be a real shame. But to set the Appetite in motion and simultaneously putting something in place to prevent the Appetite from achieving its Natural End would be the definition of Sin.

Unfortunately, when we are happy we question little or nothing. It is when we are down and somewhat depressed that we ask the important questions. Less of the material is there to divert us from thinking about the meaning of life. On a personal note, since I have become financially destitute due to a very failed sale of a restaurant which was to give me financial security for many years, I have been questioning more. With each evening and often during the day I wait for that glimmer of hope and light and I wonder if it will ever come.

With each day I try to work hard, at least, hoping to cause some change and for things to happen. If it is true that �faith without works is dead,� then we must work towards a goal in order to reach the goal.

Some of the thoughts roaming through my mind this evening are those of mother Teresa. In her memoirs � memoirs she asked not to have been published � but who listened to the wishes of the dead anymore? � Mother Teresa complained that she worked so hard doing what she thought to be the work of God caring for the poor and unfortunate in Calcutta, but God never seemed to acknowledge this fact to her and that God was so distant from her that she wondered whether she was doing the right things in caring for the poor. Now we, and I, consider Mother Teresa an holy individual. If God has not appeared to the likes of her, why should I expect that he talk to me, more a sinner than a saint?

So I return to my couch continuing to wait and wonder. If the light does not appear tonight, I shall wait again tomorrow.

�To be continued tomorrow�

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

STOMACH ACID, ANTACIDS, AND GAS

2008-11-21T10:25:00.000-05:00

MILK � FRIEND OR FOE

2008-11-19T10:51:00.002-05:00

MILK -- FRIEND OR FOE

This Blog is a partial excerpt from a PowerPoint Presentation I present in lectures. In this Blog I will discuss Milk Allergy, Sensitivity, and Intolerance and how these manifestations show up in the body depending upon what I term: The Shock Organ.

A number of years ago in 1979 I did a very foolish thing. I wrote a Letter-to-the-Editor of our local newspaper entitled: Drinking Milk May Be Hazardous to Your Health. Why was this such a stupid thing to do? Frederick, MD, was a dairy county � at that time probably the third largest milk-producing county in the entire United States, exceeded only by perhaps several counties in the state of Wisconsin.

The three members of the local Board of Appeals were either dairy farmers or directly involved in the dairy industry. This local Board of Appeals eventually voted down our request to establish a camp for children.

In these camps with the combination of diet and relaxation techniques we successfully treated children suffering from hyperactivity, attention deficit syndrome (ADD, ADHD), and other quasi-behavioral problems. We were able to take these children completely and immediately off their Ritalin and Dexedrine.

Important to our program was applying the principals of nutrition and diet, one of these being completely eliminating milk and milk products from their diets.

To say the least, we were not very popular in our county. At a meeting of the Board of Directors of our not-for-profit center, I was castigated by one of our Directors, a lawyer, for having done what I did. He said that this would eventually result in the downfall of our center. How true were his words. Eventually, what I had done resulted in such untoward dire and negative consequences which led to our losing one of our best programs � the children�s camps designed to treat naturally children suffering from ADHD, Autism, and other related disorders.

This brings up the question: Why are so many people allergic to milk and what makes milk so bad to those allergic to it? The answer, I believe, is quite simple.

It all begins at infancy. The newborn�s stomach is very immature. It lacks sufficient acid and proteolytic enzymes (protein-digesting enzymes) to digest cow�s milk completely. Some of the undigested milk protein gets into the circulation only partially digested. These partially digested proteins eventually are recognized by the infant as foreign. The baby develops antibodies to neutralize these foreign proteins. In due time these antigens (cow�s milk protein/antibody (the substances the baby produces to destroy these foreign proteins) reactions manifest clinically as allergic reactions.

If we were to postpone giving milk to an infant until he is older, perhaps after 9 months of age, things would be considerably different. With a more mature digestive system, there would be a more complete digestion of the milk protein. The baby would not be sensitized and, therefore, would not be milk-allergic.

WHAT HAPPENS LATER IN LIFE?

Once sensitized, the biological set up is in place for individuals to experience allergic reactions to milk and milk products. This does not happen in ALL individuals because nothing in biology is 100%. But for those who are allergic or sensitive, the clinical manifestations can be mild, moderate, or severe. Additionally, the allergic reaction can manifest itself in any organ and in many ways.

MANIFESTATIONS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION

Allergic reaction can be similar regardless of the source of the inciting antigen or the target organ, for the purposes we will be concerned as these relate to foods.

ALLERGY VS SENSITIVITYAllergy is when we can demonstrate that someone reacts to an antigen by skin testing or a sample of their serum reacts in a test tube because the serum contains certain antibodies which are known to mediate the allergic response.

Sensitivities may relate to other factors, not necessarily related to the well defined allergic-type antigen/antibody reaction, which cause someone to react to their environment.

Allergies and Sensitivities can result from exposure to foods (milk, eggs, wheat, etc.) inhalant allergens (animal dander and pollens), toxins (smoke, odors, fumes), and contact-type irritants (poison ivy and oak).

Stated in another way, Sensitivity is a more general term encompassing reactions which are classified as true immediate-type allergy (IgE antibody-mediated sensitivity), delayed-type allergy (cell-mediated) and the non-antibody, non-cell-mediated sensitivities which include the toxic, enzyme-lacking and metabolic sensitivities. If this is too technical, ignore the details and try to understand the general concepts which will soon be evident. I will defer a more detailed description of the Types of Sensitivities. And move on to discuss the concept of The Shock Organ.

THE SHOCK ORGANClinical manifestations of allergic/sensitivity reactions vary depending upon what I like to call the Shock Organ. If the skin is the Shock Organ then acute manifestations may be: itching, rash, hives, edema, and excessive perspiration. Chronic manifestations may be eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

If the cardiovascular system is the Shock Organ then acute manifestations may be: increase pulse rate, acute and immediate lowering of blood pressure with resulting syncope (fainting), and acute hypertension. Chronic manifestations may be: chronic hypertension.

If the Joints are the Shock Organ, acute symptoms might be general aches and pains and chronic symptoms might be arthritis. We could go down the line and discuss other organ systems which are part of the more expansive Power Point Presentation, bu for now I think I have made the point.

But before we do, lets discuss the Brain as the shock organ and the manifestations of Cerebral Allergy. If the Brain or Nervous System are the Shock Organs, most any function of the brain and mind can be affected. The determining symptoms depend upon what particular region of the brain or nervous system is affected. The symptomatology obviously reflects the complexity of the nervous system.

Tomorrow, I will discuss in depth the manifestations of Cerebral Allergy and how similar these are to vitamin deficiencies.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

ADDENDUM TO EARLIER BLOG

2008-11-18T21:04:00.003-05:00

Earlier today I posted a Blog on Childhood Immunizations. Since posting, I decided to add and ADDENDUM which readers should be encouraged to read. So if you are interested, reread the Blog. Thank you.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

Childhood Immunizations: UNDERSTANDING THE RELUCTANCE TO ADMINISTER VACCINES

2008-11-18T11:31:00.003-05:00

UNDERSTANDING THE RELUCTANCE
TO ADMINISTER VACCINES
by

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.

As I re-enter the private practice of medicine as a Pediatrician, I am beginning to realize that what started as a small group of parents not willing to have certain vaccines given to their children has grown into a much larger and organized group. These parents, especially in my home town, are being asked to leave some pediatric practices because of their insistence on not administering vaccines to their children. I do not yet know why these pediatric practice are taking this position, probably because of the potential liability issue.

Let us discuss for a moment the potential liability issue. If the general medical community takes the position that giving certain vaccines in the pediatric age group is the expected level of medical care, is the pediatrician who acquiesces to the wishes of the parent not to administer a vaccine practicing substandard medicine? The parents are more concerned about the potential side reactions of some vaccines than they are to preventing the disease the vaccine is supposed to accomplish.

A side reaction to a vaccine is always a potential threat, but when a reaction occurs in your child in real time, it is no more a potential threat. It is a real event. The usual parent is little concerned about preventing a disease outbreak than s/he is to preventing a reaction in his child.

The pediatrician is constantly concerned, legally and morally, about being judged by his peers (and, of course, his malpractice carrier) that he is practicing according to the level of care expected by the medical community. I am sure that legally, that, as long as the physician indicates his recommendation that the vaccines are recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics and the United States Center for Disease Control, his liability ceases.

I do know that in some states where some religious sects, such as Jehovah Witness, take the position that their child with appendicitis not have the necessary life-saving operation to save the child�s life, the state takes temporary custody of the child, orders the operation, and finally returns custody back to the parents. Additionally, I know these parents are not prosecuted for parental neglect after the fact. The physician, on the other hand, must take the position that the operation is necessary and must do whatever he can to insure that the operation is performed.

On the one hand, I sympathize with the parent who desires that her child be healthy and not experience a vaccine reaction, on the other hand, I am also concerned about each of us contributing to the establishment of the necessary herd immunity which vaccines are supposed to achieve.

When I went to Medical school in 1956, I saw hospital wards in Boston hospitals with 20- 30 iron lungs � a remnant of the devastating polio epidemics which occurred just a few years earlier. After the advent of the polio vaccine, polio ceased to be a significant public health problem, and we did not nor see iron lungs anymore. Perhaps a few are stored in hospital basements for people who are afflicted with the ascending paralysis called Guillian Barre Syndrome, which, by the way, can be a potential adverse reaction to influenza vaccine administration.

Polio vaccine, one of the more effective vaccines, has essentially eliminated Polio. For Polio to be effectively controlled it is necessary that as many individuals as possible be immunized in order to decrease the carriers of the virus. Individuals who refuse Polio vaccine are essentially benefitting from those who take the vaccine. So, if a few do not take the vaccine and so many others are, those who do not are being protected by those who do. As more decide not to take the vaccine, there will come a time when there are not enough immunized individuals to prevent an outbreak.

The same can be said of measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, hepatitis, etc. � all diseases which at one time contributed to significant morbidity and mortality in infants, children, and young adults. Years ago many children died before age 10 years solely because of the childhood diseases just mentioned. Now we do not see this.

For a moment, let�s discuss German Measles, Rubella. At one time not too long ago one of the greatest causes of defective congenitally deformed babies was the mother having rubella. This cause of newborn abnormalities is a rarity today because of Rubella vaccine.

Just a short time before that the greatest cause of infant blindness was the mother infected with the gonorrhea bacterium. This blindness is completely prevented and cured with the administration of either silver nitrate or penicillin drops in the eyes of newborn babies. This is now state law in almost every state and the drops are administered even before the baby leaves the birthing room. No permission is granted. It is just done as a matter of good public health.

The general public does not know the diseases which plagued us just a few years ago. This unawareness leads to ignorance about what is needed to establish a level of public health which benefits the general community.

Perhaps, in the Middle Ages when rats infected with the plague over ran Europe, if the population knew it was the flea-infested rats which spread the disease which killed more than 50% of the people of Europe, they might have been able to do something about the Black Plague.

Just slightly over 100 years ago the largest epidemic of Yellow Fever which killed thousands of people occurred in Philadelphia. When it was discovered that the disease was spread by infected mosquitos, the solution was at hand. Yellow Fever is not a disease we see anywhere in the United States today.

The global eradication of smallpox in 1977 is one of the marvels of modern public health achieved with a concerted effort of vaccination, isolation, and elimination of the carrier.

I am writing this Blog hopefully to inform parents of the importance of early childhood immunizations for prevention of diseases which can harm their children. Those who decide not to administer the recommended immunizations should be aware that they may be causing the potential of ill health not only to their own children but also to others.

NB: IMPORTANT ADDENDUM
I felt it necessary to add this addendum after I posted the Blog earlier today. There is developing a group of physicians who are offering an alternative approach to childhood immunizations. Some believe that the very small infant�s immune system may not be sufficiently mature to handle some vaccines sometimes. They are offering the following recommendations:

1. Wait until the child is at least 2 years old.
2. Do not give more than one vaccination at a time.
3. Never vaccinate when the child is sick.
4. Be sure that the vaccines are thimerosal-free.
5. Supplement the child with extra cod liver oil, vitamin C and B12 before each shot.
6. Obtain a medical exemption, if the child has had a bad reaction to a vaccination before or if there is a personal or family history of vaccine reactions, convulsions or neurological disorders, severe allergies and/or immune system disorders.

Please feel free to write me if you have concerns which I have not addressed.

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

CHILDHOOD AUTISM

2008-11-18T09:37:00.001-05:00

CHILDHOOD AUTISM

The classic definition of Autism is that it is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired interaction and communication and restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before 3 years of age. What complicates the issue is that there are other variants of the disease so that now we refer to this as a complex (or spectrum depending upon the groups discussing the situation).

So we now refer to this as the Autism Spectrum Disorders which includes the following conditions:
1. Classical Autism leads the group;
2. Asperger Syndrome � those affected have difficulties in social interaction and restricted, stereotypic patterns of social behavior and interests BUT no general delay in language or cognitive development (as contrasted to classical Autism);
3. Rett Syndrome � characterized by normal development followed by loss of purposeful use of hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, gait abnormalities, seizures, and mental retardation � and almost exclusively in females;
4. Childhood disintegrative disorder; and
5. Pervasive development disorder: PDD; sometimes referred to as �not otherwise specified� or PDD-NOS.

Some are now wishing to classify the entire group as PDD and all the other conditions as sub-variants of the group.

IS THIS ALL SO CONFUSING? I consider myself somewhat of an authority in this subject and it is very confusing to me!

I do not wish to get bogged down on terminology because I DO NOT BELIEVE THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS ARE A DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEM.

To be developmental connotes a physical abnormality. I believe these problems are FUNCTIONAL disorders, not physical.

As we pursue this discussion I hope to convince you of the reality of my position (theory.)

My theory is quite simple. Autism is a condition related to either development (physical) or functional (physiological/biochemical) as these processes relate to brain/mind functionality and as these relate to cerebral allergy. Now introduced we believe the entire Autism Spectrum Disorders are reflections of physiologic/biochemical expressions of cerebral allergy with the brain being the SHOCK organ.

I will leave for another time the facts as I see them which supports my theory, but will jump to treatment of this disorder complex. It is believed that there is no known treatment for the Autism Complex of diseases. In some cases medications are used to control some of the behavioral elements of the diseases.

My theory supposes that Autism CAN be treated successfully. If altered brain chemistry is causing Autism, and if the altered brain chemistry is caused by either:
1. Food allergy, sensitivity, or toxicity, and/or
2. Vitamin or supplement deficiency, THEN
Autism can be treated.

Our program begins with a
1. A severe ( and severe it is) elimination diet to determine the source of the food allergies or sensitivities;
2. Vitamin B-Complex therapy;
3. Other supplements known to affect brain and nerve chemistry; and
4. Relaxation (meditation), visual imagery, and positive attitude techniques, designed to sort of �reprogram� the Mind/Brain Complex to begin to function correctly.

We will discuss the background backing up our theory later.

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

WHY ARE DEMOCRATS SO HATEFUL II?

2008-10-02T09:59:00.001-05:00

WHY ARE DEMOCRATS SO HATEFUL II?

I refer my readers to the Blog I wrote on 11/20/07 on the same subject: �Why Democrats Are So Hateful.� Almost as soon as President Bush took office almost 8 tears ago the �Hate Bush� mantra began. It came obviously from Democrats and those of the Far Left. Ironically, it is the liberal who believes that we are free to believe whatever we desire and to do whatever we want including killing unborn and now born babies, but think conservatively and you are to be hated. It is getting increasingly difficult to have a civil conversation with many of my liberal friends. I find myself beginning to shun them. It is sad because many of my liberal friends are good people as long as Bush and now Sarah Palin are involved.

This morning a very good friend sent me a hateful email about Palin. Now one may and is free to disagree with her politics, but to hate her only emphasizes one�s ignorance of how to be happy on Planet Earth.

To my liberal friends I have some advice: Relax and enjoy the beautiful things around you. In my book: How to Benefit from Stress in a discussion of the negative emotions I clearly state that you can hate another all you want and it does not hurt the other person one bit. It hurts you, the hater. In my practice of medicine I have observed many individuals being consumed from within from a profound hatred of another, more often than not, another family member.

I am reminded of a man, a very successful business man who attended a meditation course I was giving over a weekend at our Center home. All of the individuals slept over Friday and Saturday night at the facility. On Saturday right after lunch we were about to return to the auditorium where the classes were being held, this gentleman stayed back. I asked whether he was coming along. He responded that he was leaving. I asked Why. He said the noone was going to force him to love that �Bitch.� I asked �what are you talking about?� He said he hated his mother-in-law and his father and we were teaching to forgive the people you hate in order to free them out of your consciousness. He continued to tell me that almost every night his father would be in his dreams and he would wake up in the middle of the night very angry and hateful and would not be able to go back to sleep. The reason why he hated his father was because his father was very abusive to him as a child � not sexually.

I proposed that perhaps after his father died that he was apologetic at how he treated his son and that he came to him to be forgiven. I begged him to stay the additional day and if he was unhappy the following day I would refund him the money he paid for the course. He agreed to stay and added that the money was not an issue. I asked him that when his father appears to him in his dream the next time to tell him he forgave him.

The following and last day of the course, we performed an imagery exercise, the details of which I will not described. He thought the exercise was foolish but decided that since he paid for the course he would participate. Well, unbeknown to me at the time he experienced something he had not expected. He had a vision which he kept to himself.

About one month later I visited this man in his office where he was with his formidable dog. He was sitting in his chair and he looked fantastic. I asked him: �What happened, you look great?!� He told me about his vision on the last day of the course and thought maybe there was something to what we were teaching. That same evening when his father appeared in his dream, he forgave him. That was the last night his father appeared to him in a dream and he has been sleeping soundly every night since then.

Do not tell me of the negative impact hating another has upon one�s inner subconscious mind. Let me tell you, and you better believe me for I speak the truth.

Getting back to the hateful Democrats, they will never change as much as I wish it would. And our country will continue to deteriorate as a result. It will not change if the Democrats control the Executive Branch of government. For then, it will be the Republicans time to hate! So keep popping the Zanex and Valium!!

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

THE FOOLISH PUBLIC

2008-10-02T08:57:00.000-05:00

THE FOOLISH PUBLIC

I am never ceased to be amazed at how stupid the general public is. When we see the presidential polls change almost daily and to see how many people are still undecided only emphasizes this fact.

Today I was at a school for challenged children and ther in the front hallway was a dispenser machine for Dasani bottled water. On the front of the machine in large bold letters was the phrase: purified water. Now does anyone really know what �purified� means? I will soon tell you.

Coca Cola produces Dasani which is the most popular bottled water on the market. Coca Cola has done a remarkable job promoting Dasani which they admit is nothing more than tap water. I am sure they probably filter it and consider it purified. The general public is duped into believing that Dasani is purified when it is not. The general public will believe anything as long as there are people willing to say it.

Additionally one is drinking water in plastic bottles, but Coca Cola is not telling you of the dose of chemicals you are consuming because the toxic organic chemicals used in the process of extracting the plastic leaches into the bottled water.

One of my specialties is Environmental Medicine and the amount of chemicals we are forced to consume daily is great:

1. Chemicals leaching from plastic bottles into the liquid we are consuming: water, soda, milk, you name it;

2. Air fresheners people use to �purify� the air in their homes and cars;

3. Deodorant soaps, lotions, and creams;

4. Other deodorants and antiperspirants;

5. Fumes from newly asphalt-paved roads;

6. Etc, etc, etc.

Look around and smell the air. It is a lot more than roses in the air!

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD), AUTISM, BIPOLAR DISEASE AND TOURETTE�S SYNDROME

2008-10-01T11:48:00.004-05:00

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD), AUTISM, BIPOLAR DISEASE AND TOURETTE�S SYNDROME by nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D>

About two years ago I attended a lecture given by a National Institutes of Health physician who spouted his research on Bipolar Disease in children. I asked the question whether he was aware of individuals performing studies on the role of nutrition as one of the potential influencing causes and as possible method of treatment of bipolar disease. After listening to his lecture for over one and a quarter hours, I was not surprised when he answered that, although he was aware that perhaps others were involved in these pursuits, his research involved another approach. Of course, his approach involved the use of prescription medications.

During his talk he described some differences between bipolar disease and other manifestations of childhood aberrant behavior, such as hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder (ADD) which is now being referred to as Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It seems that with the passage of time physicians keep changing the names of these diseases to accommodate both changes in reclassification and to be more politically correct. Evidence for the latter is when the term "minimal brain dysfunction" (MBD) was being used. When individuals decided that no one wanted to be labeled as "minimally brain dysfunctioned," we quickly changed the name to a less emotionally charge term.

Also during his talk, this NIH researcher stated that one of the symptoms which separates the bipolar child from the ADD child was that the bipolar child exhibited mood changes. To me this was a typical way of fitting the definition to a set of criteria. By definition, the bipolar child exhibits mood changes because the researcher says it does.

Over the years, I have observed children who were labeled Hyperactive, ADD (now ADHD), Autistic, and Bipolar. Years ago I believed that each one of these so-defined conditions were external manifestations of impaired brain chemistry (for-want-of-a-better-term). What, perhaps, distinguished the different outward clinical manifestations were: 1) what particular part or region of the brain was affected, 2) the exact chemical nature (either some brain chemical deficiency or some toxic element) of the process, and 3) the degree of involvement, either more than one part or region involved simultaneously or more than one chemical deficiency or toxic element).

One child might exhibit dyslexia because the particular region of the brain involved in spatially relating letters in a word or sentence is impaired. Another child may exhibit antisocial behavior in school because that particular region of the brain modulating such activity is impaired. What really complicates the entire interpretation is the situation of dyslexia may in itself cause the child to question his abilities, he may feel inadequate, and this entire situation may be a causative factor in his getting upset and lash out as antisocial behavior, regardless of any impaired brain chemistry which may or not exist.

Stated differently, any behavior results from a combination of activities from the brain (as a physical organ) and from the mind (as a functioning non-physical thinking entity). Impaired brain chemistry can cause the physical computer brain not to function normally. Additionally, the non-physical mind - the programmed and programming software - gets into the act. Do we call Dell who manufactured the computer box or call Microsoft who provided the software?

When viewed in this way, it becomes imperative to fix the brain problem early before more bad programming situations become increasingly difficult to correct. For unlike a Microsoft software problem, the human mind is self reprogramming, the software is constantly changing and updating.

HYPERACTIVITY (ADHD)

Hyperactivity or hyperkineses, as the name implies (hyper from the Greek, meaning over and above; active from the Latin to act; and kinesis from the Greek, meaning motion), is a condition of abnormal or excessive activity, such as that manifested in the manic, or up, phase of manic-depressive states. As a descriptive term, it may be a symptom of some disease states such as hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid gland); some medications and drugs, such as those commonly known as "uppers" (amphetamines); and other chemicals such as caffeine.

Earlier the term "hyperactivity" referred to a specific syndrome characterized by excessive motor (muscular and motion) activity, and the inability to sit still and/or keep the attention focused on one subject for very long. Recently, we have been using terms, such as "Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD).

Whatever the case may be, the terms hyperactivity and ADHD, whether used alone or with the word "syndrome" usually refer to a condition ascribed to children. However, it is our contention that the conditions also apply to individuals of all ages.

What distinguishes the hyperactive individual from the normally active? Unfortunately, there is no simple definition. In contrast to normally active children, hyperactive individuals exhibit purposeless activity. They usually cannot sit still. They cannot sit through a meal, watch an entire television program, listen to the end of a story, pay attention in school, complete a chore or assignment. They are always fidgeting, wiggling in their chairs, or moving about. They appear to be in perpetual motion.

Unlike an extremely active normal child, the activity of the hyperactive individual usually does not result in any meaningful accomplishments. Since they cannot sit still in school, they do not pay attention. Their attention span is poor. They fail in school or bring home poor grades. It is usually at this time that parents become really concerned when their child�s hyperactivity is translated to poor performance and grades in school.

The diagnosis can be either made most easily or be difficult to ascertain. Hyper kinetic children my exhibit the above-described performance. Additionally, they may be clumsy, cry, complain, seem depressed and unhappy, appear sullen at times or angry. They usually are disciplinary problems because they may act hostile and be into almost anything and everything. They never stop. They tend to drive their parents, teachers, and babysitters "up the wall." Mothers complain of constantly being exhausted and that they seem to get anything done because their Hyper kinetic children require constant attention.

Fathers, on the other hand, rarely see the problem, although the more perceptive may. Fathers usually get involved later when the child�s hyperactive behavior is translated into poor grades.

The, all of a sudden, things become different. The teachers are blamed and controversy arises from the lack of understanding of what is really happening.

Causative factors:A complex condition, such as hyperactivity, usually has many causative or aggravating factors, many of which may not be operative at the same time. Among the many related causes one should consider:

* Diet (sugar, food additives, flavors and dyes, caffeine-containing drinks and foods, milk, etc.);
* Food allergy and sensitivity;
* Environmental chemical sensitivities;
* Increased phosphate intake from usually from foods;
* Magnesium deficiency;
* Vitamin deficiencies, especially the B vitamins;
* Heavy metal toxicity (lead, cadmium): symptoms of impaired behavior and learning from even low level lead poisoning include: distract ability, daydreaming, impulsiveness, lack of persistence, constantly dependent and clinging, easily frustrated, failure to follow simple directions, failure to follow sequence of direction, less competent in areas of verbal performance and auditory processing, impaired ability to sustain attention, performance significantly poorer on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children;
* Lack of full spectrum light;
* Lack of appropriate discipline.

CONCLUSION
It is my contention that all the conditions stated thus far: ADHD, Hyperactivity, Autism, Bipolar Disease, Dyslexia, Tourette�s Syndrome are all manifestations of Impaired Brain Chemistry. Additionally, I also believe that the major causes relate to food and chemical allergy and sensitivity. This will be the subject of tomorrow�s Blog.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

GAS (BELCHING AND FLATUS), ABDOMINAL DISTENSION, ACID REFLUX

2008-09-29T01:50:00.001-05:00

GAS (BELCHING AND FLATUS), ABDOMINAL DISTENSION, ACID REFLUX

Previously I wrote two Blogs on related subjects: 10/7/07 on Low Stomach Acid (hypochlorhydria) and 2/14/08 on Medical Misinformation. I would like to share a letter I received today from frankieloo: �this was very helpful!! i'm in my mid-30's and have noticed that i've become quite "gaseous" in the past couple years (worse this year). almost everything i eat gives me gas. i have thought about going to a gastro doc, but figured the gas was part of getting older and the "wear & tear" over the years of spicy food, rich food, etc. i've started to carry around antacids with me, but after reading this i'll need to stop! perhaps i'll move forward with that gastro appt and get tested...�

I responded at the 10/7/07 Blog: �If frankieloo gets this comment, email me at: drtauraso@drtauraso.com and I will give you specific instructions on how to get rid of your gas.�

Our Blog is set up so we can post our responses at the original posting date for the Blog. In case frankieloo did not read my response, I am publishing it here.

I will reiterate that the most common cause of abdominal gas, whether it be belching or flatus is the lack of stomach acid, a condition called hypochlorhydria. I refer current readers to the Blog posted 10/07/07 for a more detailed discussion. The taking of any form of antacids is the worst thing one can do. I cannot emphasize this too much.
So my message to frankieloo is to contact me directly at: drtauraso@drtauraso.com for further personal instructions. I am afraid to say that most conventional gastro-enterologists are unaware of the proper treatment of this condition. I kid you not.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

INCREASING LIQUIDITY NOT AFFECTING THE DOLLAR

2008-09-28T20:10:00.000-05:00

INCREASING LIQUIDITY NOT AFFECTING THE DOLLAR

I am still in a learning phase. I have a question for my Blog readers. With the 700 billion being used for the so-called �bailout� which will be voted upon tomorrow in the House, we know that the Treasury will have to increase liquidity. They will do this in the only way they know how � that is, to print more money. My question is, if this is so, why is not the dollar going down and gold going up?

Could it be that my assumption is wrong? If you have the answer, please answer my Blog and I will publish your answer as I do all comments to my Blogs.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

BAILOUT OF 2008 � A NEW WORKABLE PROPOSAL

2008-09-27T19:05:00.001-05:00

BAILOUT OF 2008 � A NEW WORKABLE PROPOSAL
What is presently happening in Congress concerning the so-called 700 billion bailout is typical of what happens there every day. Perhaps by the end of the day they will pass a package which will help get us out of our financial mess. But I believe there is a way out which has not yet been proposed.

1. Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson proposed a 700 billion bailout package which met a lot of resistence in Congress. It was an initial proposal which brought Congress� attention to the problem. It apparently consisted of three pages which everyone knew would eventually mushroom to many times that as the proposal was refined.

2. The proposal consisted of a suggestion that the US treasury used 700 billion in funds to buy toxic mortgage entities which were bringing down many financial institutions. It was suggested that these toxic mortgage entities would be purchased at rock bottom prices and eventually sold at a later date for considerably more money bringing a profit into the Treasury. The banks would have these toxic entities off their books so that they could begin to do business as they did in the past. The buying of this bad debt would most likely be a grant to the institutions even though they would be selling the entities at rock bottom prices and incurring some loss.

3. The Treasury wold eventually make money when they sold these toxic mortgages later after the real estate market turns around, which it will eventually do.

4. This is where my proposal takes a turn. Why should these financial institutions bee off the hook. These are all good companies with the potential of making considerable profit almost from the get go. These companies have made billions of dollars in the past and have the potential to do so again.

5. After these companies begin to make profit again why can they not begin to repay the Treasury and either slowly re purchase the toxic mortgages or repay the money directly? When the Treasury purchase the toxic mortgages they should receive some kind of a promissory note from the institutions in the form of a promissory note or warrants. A formula could be devised whereby the Treasury could receive just recompense from the companies who were saved from the brink of extinction. The companies should not be allowed to wind up debt free.

6. Unfortunately, the Democrats are adding pork to the package which will induce the ire of the Republicans � like giving outright grants to the leftist organization called Acorn whose nefarious activities in the area of voter registration is becoming more evident by the day. It is amazing to me how and why Congress can take a simple situation and convert it into a complicated mess.

7. Let us not forget that repayment of a loan is not unprecedented. Some years ago the federal Government loaned money to Chrysler. After this auto company became profitable it repaid the Treasury the entire debt plus interest. So properly done these bail outs can be done and the public can profit from the deal.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

TROUBLE WITH CONGRESS

2008-09-26T11:20:00.000-05:00

TROUBLE WITH CONGRESS

It has been very discouraging watching our government operate � or not operate as it might be � over the past 8 years. Almost as soon as Bush became President, the hate Bush rhetoric began. I remember talking with my Democratic friends (whom I still have!!) And they would tell me how much they hated Bush. In all my years following politics I never encountered the hate rhetoric, even when Nixon was President.

With all this hate rhetoric, it is little wonder that polarization resulted. Bush was hated by the opposition almost from the first day of office. I believe I know why this happened. Bush had a reputation back in Texas to get along with many others on both sides of the aisle. He was an amiable man whom many in Texas liked. He was also a devoted Christian man who almost never would say negative things about others. The opposition was afraid that he would become too popular.

I was taught by the Jesuits years ago that when one does not have substantive issues with which to argue, then one has to attack the man (the so-called ad hominem argument). And so this is what, especially the Democrats did � long before the issue of the Irak war began. Finally with all the issues surrounding the Irak war, there was a perceived real issue to bring into the hate mix.

There is little doubt that the Republicans blew it. Here they were in power at the Executive, House, and Senate levels and they could have done wonders in transforming this country to understand the conservative principles. But with power came corruption. Another issue is that most Republicans are rather independent individuals and with such character traits would easily break ranks with the leadership. So they became ineffectual in legislating. As I have observed my fellow Republicans, they are masters in �shooting themselves in the foot!�

With all the corruption it is easily understood why they lost their majority in the previous election. The Democrats, on the other hand, promised great reforms and a more honest and responsive government. But as we have experienced their performance became worse than the crowd they replaced resulting in a congress with the LOWEST approval rating in history.

There is one major problem with our two party system. It is that the major motivation of the party not in power at the Executive Branch is to thwart the party which is in power so as to discredit them. After all that is said and done the MOST important thing to achieve is not meaningful legislation. It is to get in power again.

I blame the Congress in the conflict between the Executive and Legislative Branches of government. The two leaders we presently have, that is, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority Leader, Harry Reid, are by for the worst leaders we have ever had. In addition, Reid is the biggest liar there ever has been in that position.

I can see the good and bad qualities in people. As I watch my friends, both Democrats and Republicans, many appear only to extol the virtues of those in their own party, and cannot see the virtues of others not in their party. Vice versa is true when discussing the negative characteristics which are possessed only by those in the opposition party. I sometimes wish it were that simple.

By and large Congress is dysfunctional and has been for years � the reason why their approval ratings is so low. I do not have much hope that things will change in the near future. What will spur the change will be the election of a President with such popularity above 60-70 percent, a good man, who will be able to lead the Country into a moral revival. It is the President who can lead the Congress, not the reverse.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

POLITICIANS � DON�T YOU EVER BELIEVE THEM!

2008-09-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

POLITICIANS � DON�T YOU EVER BELIEVE THEM!

I written about this subject before but I wish to emphasize it again. Do you ever believe a politician to do what he promises? If you do, then you are a fool. I have been listening to politicians all my life and I have yet to find a truly honest one, except George W. Bush, of course. Usually during the primaries they promise one thing. After they get elected, they do another.

There is usually something that happens to me which prompts me to write a Blog. I recently bought a Maryland lottery ticket. On the front of the ticket there is printed: �Benefits MD Stadium Authority.� Now I remember well what was promised when the whole lottery was proposed in the state of Maryland. Maryland in the so-called �old days� was very much against gambling. But the powers to be sold the idea by promising that the lottery proceeds were to go to further and support education in the Free State. If you mention education of the children you can almost sell anything to anybody. And so, the people voted the lottery in. I do not know when the change to support the stadium authority came in, but it was sneaked in somewhere along the way. You see what I mean. Government, or better yet, the politicians who make up government can NEVER be trusted.

I remember when I was a child and both my mother and father were working in factories: my mother doing a man�s job in a leather factory in Peabody MA, and my father worked at Eastman Gelatin, a factory where gelatin for the Eastman Kodak company was extracted from animal bones. They both were hard working immigrants trying to provide for their family.

In these factories there were people who were selling tickets to what was called �the nickle pool.� My mother used to buy a ticket now and then. But the politicians and churches would castigate those who sold and those who bought the tickets. The churches especially would preach that this type of gambling was taking money away from the mouths of children. They and the politicians would say this was immoral and illegal. Illegal it was, but immoral?

Years later when the lottery became common practice in most states, it was now moral and legal. Legality has to do with law. If the state passes a law and permits you to play the lottery it is legal. But morality is yet another issue. Morality has to do with the laws governing our relationship with God and with out fellow human beings. Morality doesn�t change. If it were immoral to kill a man in the 1940's, it is similarly immoral today.

The state of MD goes one step further. They advertize: �You must play to win.� Now that it is legal, it becomes a good thing to gamble because you are supporting EDUCATION. This is nothing more than pure unadulterated BULL.

Over the years I have come to realize that most politicians during the time they are trying to get elected preach what they think the people want to hear. Just look at how they change their views depending on how they think the electorate is changing along the way. Now I recognize that sometimes their changing views reflect the changing needs in the community, such as when gas prices go too high, then some politicians begin to realize that drilling offshore would be a way to solve this problem. They change their views to accommodate the change in needs of the community.

Since I live most of the time in Panama, I like to quip that the best thing about Panamanian politics is: �that I know nothing about it!� Sometimes I wish it were so here in the United States.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

HITLER IS ALIVE AND WELL

2008-09-22T13:18:00.001-05:00

HITLER IS ALIVE AND WELL

A strange title to this Blog, but hear me out. We all know that Hitler died downstairs in his underground bunker on 30 April 1945 at the age of 56. Although his body was burned to crisp by his henchmen, his spirit is still alive and well causing many of the political problems we are currently experiencing.

My theory is very simple and will not take long to enunciate. Had Hitler not persecuted and killed so many Jews, there would never have been the movement to give the Jews their homeland, Israel. The world sympathy was so great that the United States and Great Britain who won WWII conspired to make the Nation of Israel happen. I am neither justifying , condoning, or even suggesting that this was a bad thing. It is not my position to condone or to criticize this. I only wish to propose a theory.

The taking away of Palestinian land to create Israel is the basis of our conflict in the Middle East. Had this not been done, Israel would not exist, and there would be no Middle East conflict.

But these things always happen after wars. Lands are lost. Lands are gained. This has been going on for as long as there have been humans fighting each other. In fact Mussolini was always upset at the redistribution of land after WWI. Italy had been on the side of the so-called West in WWI. Mussolini thought that for its effort Italy should have gotten Nice and Savoy which went to France. Mussolini blamed the inept Orlando for not having fought hard enough to make this happen. As a result of this Mussolini decided to side with Hitler during WWII. This turned out to be a great mistake for both himself and Italy. Interestingly, Mussolini hated Hitler and the Italians in general distrusted the Germans. But, his hatred for what happened after WWI clouded his better judgement as it does many people who allow their emotions to cloud logical thinking.

So, to get back to the problems facing us today, I am not saying that creating the state of Israel was not a good thing. It is not for me to comment one way or the other. But now that Israel exists, the world should accept it as a fait-de-complete and move on. No one in his right mind should think that the creation of the Israel state could be reversed at this time. The Arabs in the Middle East will never accept Israel, and, at least, one country, Iran, will attempt to reverse it given the chance. There is no doubt in my mind that when Iran gets The Bomb, they will use it. Ahmadinijad has said that he sees it as his destiny to destroy Israel. He is crazy not to believe that as soon as he drops The Bomb on Israel, he will not visit Allah very soon after.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

THOUGHTS ABOUT MY COUNTRY -- WITH CUBA IN MIND

2008-09-21T05:15:00.001-05:00

THOUGHTS ABOUT MY COUNTRY -- WITH CUBA IN MIND

Sometimes I love my Country; other times I am so disappointed. Here is no doubt that in the USA most individuals who have the desire to improve themselves and are willing to work hard, they can achieve great heights. In most foreign countries this is not the case. I have a cousin in Italy who has worked as an electrician for over 12 years. He cannot open his own business in Prato, a city just north of Florence. He is unable to get a permit because his boss, an older man entrenched in the town can block his ability to get that permit. He feels frustrated as he should. In the US anyone is free to open his own business and is free to succeed or fail.

Most of my readers know that now I am a resident of Panama. I love especially the weather and the people of Panama. But one is not free even here to open a new business without certain restrictions, one main one being that you cannot just hire anyone. You must hire mainly Panamanians. In some respects I can also understand why this is required. In Panama there is no welfare and the government want to have Panamanians work and not have non Panamanians compete in this workforce. Nevertheless, it is a restriction not experienced in the US where the only requirement is that a worker must be a legal US resident or have work permit.

What disturbs me about my native country is the politics. We tout ourselves as being generous Nation which we are. Every time there is a natural disaster we are at the forefront with money and supplies to help the particular ravaged country. What prompts this blog today is the damage the hurricanes have recently and are about to do to Cuba. When several years ago there was the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia, we were so quick to come to the aid of the peoples affected. We recently rushed aid to the peoples of Georgia suffering under the Russian invasion. We contribute big time to help African people affected with Aids. We aid almost every country around the world even Iran when they suffered from earthquakes.

But why do we not extend similar aid to Cuba? The poor unfortunate Cubans are people too. We do not extend aid to them because we have had a heart-on about Castro and we must placate the large Spanish (ex-Cuban patriots) living especially in Florida. It is all political and a tug-of-war between both Democrats and Republican vying for their votes. Meanwhile the Cuban people suffer. Some times we act like empty suits.

We trade with almost every other totalitarian country in the world � I am thinking here of China � but we must continue with our embargo of Little Cuba.

I contend to this day that we were the cause of alienating Fidel Castro. Soon after Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista, the previous dictator of Cuba, but a dictator friendly to us, Castro came to New York City to address the United Nations. I was a young man at the time and remember it well. Castro wanted so much to meet with our President who was Eisenhower at the time. But, Eisenhower refused to meet with him because Castro overthrew our friend, Batista. When I observed this, I predicted that there would be trouble with Cuba. Our Anglo-Saxon white State department knew nothing about the Latino temperament. I am Italian and in a way consider myself a Latino, perhaps not of Spanish South American but rather of Italian heritage. Did the State department not know what would happen if you insulted a Latino? If they had only asked me, I would have told them that the person insulted would soon make friends with our greatest enemy. I know that Castro had leanings towards Russia and he had as one of his friend the despicable cut throat Ernesto Guevara. But I truly believe that, if we invited Castro to our home, broke bread with him and perhaps drink a toast with some of that great Cuban Rum, we would have had a friend for life. Castro is no dummy. He is an educated man who was unable himself to understand and adjust to the American white Anglo-Saxon mentality.

Eisenhower was a great General but he was not bright in the ways of understanding Latinos. Within the past year, the National Archives released a hand-written letter which a young Castro sent to Roosevelt wherein he told Roosevelt that since he had more money would he not send to him 10 dollars which he could use. Castro was very polite and the letter indicated his admiration for the American President. We do not know whether Roosevelt ever sent the money but it is not really relevant to the issue. What is relevant was the implied admiration coming through in the letter. We have indications that the young Castro looked up to the United States.

I have shared my thought on this matter with many people over the years. My fellow Republicans � a loyal Republican I have been for many years, but recently, disenchanted with both Republicans and Democrats I became a Libertarian � would take issue with me and some Democrats would tell me I might have a point.

If we treated Castro better the entire Cuba/United States war could have been averted. Poor unfortunate Castro has himself gotten bitter over the years, but I truly believe he has acted like a jilted lover with such acrimony to the lover who rejected him. Even today, Raul Castro who has indicated a desire to improve relationship with the US is being rejected by the US. Our heart-on has not subsided!

Someday we will grow up. I hope it comes before we grow too old.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

OBAMA � DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE

2008-09-21T04:55:00.000-05:00

OBAMA � DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE

I took a break from my computer to watch a few minutes of TV and the DNC Convention. Obama was speaking on the causes of the so-called housing meltdown. This man does not have a clue as to why the housing financial markets are failing. Obama is one of the more eloquent talkers on the political scene today but I am afraid to say what comes out of his mouth is a lot of hot air. Although he knows almost nothing about why the housing financial markets are failing, he, nevertheless, pontificates as if he does, and many who blindly hang onto his every word are sopping it up as if what he says is the truth.

I am always leery about politicians when they speak sound like Southern Baptist church preachers. Now don�t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong about Southern Baptist preachers who are having a tough time firing up their congregation to believe and follow the dictates of God. The difference is that a politician is trying to fire you up to believe in him � a different type of god.

Getting back to Obama, he for several years has been feeding at the trough of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But he admits no culpability. For being in the senate for only three years � two of which he has spent running for office � he was able to receive the second largest donation from these two quasi governmental agencies. The largest donation went to Christopher Dodd who is Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. There is something wrong here, and, if you cannot see it, maybe you need to give up your voter registration card. Pigs who feed at the trough usually have to pay with their lives at the end. But, politicians keep on feeding killing only the people they are supposed to serve.

Years ago it was required to be able to read and write in order to vote. I guess this was because your vote was worth something if you were intelligent enough to know what you were doing. Now everybody can vote and I am afraid to say that many people do not have a clue about which and whom they are voting. Am I sounding too elitist here? I better sound more humble and admit I do not have all the answers.

I wrote a Blog once on why I became Republican when I was only 10 years old, long before I was able to vote. You see, I grew up in Salem, MA, a suburb about 20 miles north of Boston. In the Boston area the Democrats had the electorate sewed up. My parents came from Italy and were factory workers who swallowed the myth that Democrats were for the poor and minorities and the Republicans were for the rich.

I would listen to the Democratic politicians who would preach in the Italian communities that they would protect the Italians from the Irish. In the Irish communities they would preach they would protect them from the Italians. In the Polish areas they would preach they would protect them from both the Italians and Irish. To the Jews they would say they would protect them from the non Jews. It all of a sudden dawned on me. The Democrats were creating and keeping alive minority groups pitting one against the other and promising each to protect them from the other groups.

The poor Republicans who could not muster many votes would speak in generalities trying to persuade all groups to join a common cause and get along together. I liked that message and did not like the Democratic message of keeping minority groups alive. This was classical class warfare, and the Democrats continue this practice today. Both my parents never went to school but they believed that I was intelligent and encouraged me to attend Prep School, College, and finally Harvard Medical School. My parents depended upon me to help sift things out. Eventually, I was able to control three votes, those of my parents and I. Pity I have only one vote now and in the State of Maryland where I live the impact of a Republican vote in no more than urinating in the ocean!

When I was 10 years old the Democratic politicians sounded like preachers as they do today. Eventually, I shed my Republican credentials and became a Libertarian. Power does corrupt. And it corrupted the Republican Party as it did the Democratic Party when it was in power for many years before the Republican cycle. Please do not think that your party is totally good and the opposition party bad. Look what has happened to the Democrats since they won the House and Senate just two years ago. They have become more partisan with every passing day. Do you remember when Speaker Pelosi promised a clean non-corrupt government? Now they wont even reprimand Representative Rangle who has cheated big time on his tax returns and has been involved in other nefarious financial activities. Each party has its bad apples and these do come to the foreground as they get more power. A clean, non-corrupt government? Please spare me!

The Libertarian Party appears quite clean. This is because they have never been in power. Wait until they get in power � a day which will probably never come! When and if this ever were to happen, we will see corruption in that party also. Why? Because all parties are made up of just another sample of the human race.

nicola michael �. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

TV ADS --VERY MISLEADING

2008-09-20T19:19:00.003-05:00

TV ADS � VERY MISLEADING

So many ads on TV are misleading. The ad on TV where several people are eating Honey Nut Cheerios is touting the benefits of eating Cheerios to lower cholesterol. Although it is known that eating oats and oat bran lowers cholesterol, this is negated with the addition of honey. Sugar (honey being a very concentrated form of simple sugar) is known to lower HDL�s, the good form of cholesterol, thereby, relatively increasing the bad cholesterol. If the people in the ad were eating plain Cheerios, that would be one thing, but they are not. They are eating Honey Nut Cheerios.

Another food ad is Campbell�s Soup ad touting that the soup is made with low sodium natural sea salt. Regular salt is almost 100% Sodium Chloride. The composition of sea salt can be ascertained from what is contained in seawater. The amount of sodium and chloride are so high that they overwhelm all the other components. Essentially, the amount of sodium are not much different than in regular salt. Because of all the other components sea salt tastes different than regular salt.

If you are interested in the composition of sea water, google sea salt and view the posting Wikipedia has. I was unable to reproduce the chart in this Blog.

So the ad is very misleading when it refers to sea salt as low sodium. But it surely sounds that using sea salt would make the soup more healthy to consume. It may well be because of the other micronutrients contained in sea salt. But, it is not low sodium.

Another ad is where a man, an prominent actor on Law and Order, is touting the benefits of buying gold. He states that �gold will never be worth zero.� Although in one way this statement is true, in another way it is not. If you buy gold at $800/ounce and the price of gold goes down to $400, the gold you purchased is worth 50% less than your purchase price. It is true it is not worth zero, but your gold has lost half of its value. This is no great consolation. For you in this case your gold is worth less than zero.

One must remember that the ad makers use well known people who they think the public trusts. You want to believe these people even though they tell you a falsehood.

So be very careful what you see and believe on TV. Should I mention those individuals running for public office. Look back and tell me what and how many politicians do after they get elected what they promise while they were running for office? I will answer that. Very few.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

REASONS FOR BAD LOANS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SO-CALLED HOUSING DEBACLE

2008-09-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

REASONS FOR BAD LOANS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SO-CALLED HOUSING DEBACLE

I have been watching the pundits on TV and also the politicians recently discussing the reasons why the home loan market is collapsing. Many are blaming: 1. The people who sold sub-prime loans to unsuspecting individuals who could not afford them. 2. Thee banks who bought these loans and created fancy financial instruments and created schemes to buy and sell these instruments using high margin and arbitrage beyond the recovery capabilities of what might happen if the housing values decreased even by a small amount. 3. The unsuspecting people who did not do their due diligence and read the fine print. And 3. The politicians who wished to insure that even the poorest in the community would be able to own their own home. All of these things are true and contribute to the so-called housing debacle.

I do not quarrel with these assessments, but I would like to add another explanation. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 2.2 million and the unemployment rate has risen by 1.4 percentage points, with most of the increase occurring over the past four months. In August, 9.4 million Americans were unemployed.

There are many people who at one time could afford their homes but after losing their jobs cannot. So many families lost their major bread winner and could no longer afford the homes they bought and could afford when they were gainfully employed. These people are defaulting on their homes solely because they are not working. Losing one�s job is usually not the individual�s choice or fault.

I just would like to add a bit of sympathy into this equation. Sometimes bad things happen in the market place which are not anticipated, intended nor caused by those affected. Unfortunately, we live in a country where some want to find someone to blame when a bad event occurs. We get upset not realizing that sometimes things occur because it is the nature of the beast "mutatis mutandis."

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

ECONOMICS 101 AND THE HOUSING MARKET DEBACLE

2008-09-20T11:22:00.003-05:00

ECONOMICS 101 AND THE HOUSING MARKET DEBACLE

I have entitled this Blog: Economics 101 and the Housing Debacle. In order to get an understanding of what happened and how we got to where we are, let us start at the beginning.

First, you want to buy a home, you go to a realtor who finds you one. S/he finds a closing agent who represents numerous institutions who will lend you the money to purchase the house.

Second, the lending representative asks for your financial statement which is never checked for accuracy so you may fudge your assets upwards and perhaps your liabilities downwards a bit so that on paper, at least, you look like you can afford the house.

Third, simultaneously the realtor and/or closing agent will require an appraiser to state how much the house is worth. Usually, the appraiser who is working in tandem with all the others is told that it might be nice if the appraisal were to reach a level where it would be easy to secure a loan of a certain amount so it will be in line with what you can afford as evidenced by your financial statement. Through the manipulation of comparing so-called comparable homes in the area, this is easily accomplished.

Fourth, depending upon the lending institution and your finances it is determined that you may need to come up with a down payment of between 20-25 % because the lending institution will give a loan of only 75-80 % of the total evaluation of the house.

Fifth, so you have the documents to close the deal: the house and its quasi-accurate appraisal, the quasi-accurate financial statement, the realtor who is waiting for his commission, and the closing agent representing a lending institution. Perhaps there is a lawyer or two representing either you, the seller or both.

Sixth, The initial bank giving the loan collects a batch and sells them to another bank or financial institution but what they sell is more than just the mortgage. They sell the original loan plus the potential income from the loan which is anticipated over the term of the loan, perhaps 15, 20, 0r 30 years. The new financial institution now owns a mortgage and a piece of paper representing future earnings which they bought with real money. On their book the institution place a debit of what was paid and an asset represented by a piece of paper promising money sometime in the future.

Seventh, this institution now sells packages of these instruments to other institutions who wish to make money buying and selling this worthless paper � worthless because the paper does not really represent anything real and tangible but rather a promise of something which might occur in the future. This is all done using a creative device only a graduate from a fancy business school could devise. The creative device is called �ARBITRAGE� which is a fancy word meaning �MARGIN.� Sometimes this arbitrage may be at a ratio of 100:1 or even 1,000:1.

Eighth, one can easily see that when the value of the real property decreases by even a small amount which can occur when someone defaults on the original house and the value of other houses in the same area decreases, the domino effect upon the arbitraged investments will spiral downwards very rapidly when the reverse of the arbitrage is impacted � that is, the reverse of the 100:1 or 1,000:1. Remember what was posted on the balance sheet for the debits and the assets. The debits remained the same from the initial payout for the instrument, but the assets are now brought up to date with the new and current evaluations. Although it is a simple adjustment on paper, the value of a company is determined by the bottom line figure on the balance sheet. Because of the reverse effect of the arbitrage, it will be no time before the company is bankrupt.

It is said that only 5% of the housing market is defaulting, and that 95% is sound. Has anyone wondered how and why 5% of something can negatively affect the market when 95% is sound? It is because of arbitrage � remember the 1,000:1. If we were to give a mathematical weight of 1,000 to the 5% (1,000 X .05 =50) and 1 to the 95% (1 X .95 = .95), we can understand why the ratio between 50 an .95 (50/.95 = 52.63) is 52.63. Isn�t mathematics great? The 5% of the market is affecting the overall situation by 52.63 times.

The main problem is that the new age hot shots educated in the great business schools constantly devise ways and instruments which create value where there is no value. (Remember Enron and the valueless instruments they created?) And these hot shots go one step further. They buy and sell these worthless paper entities using arbitrage at 1,000:1 giving a false impression and raising 1,000 times more money on paper which is worthless. This is great, if you can get away with it. But they do as in the cases of Enron and the financial institutions now falling apart because of the sub-prime debacle until, of course, when the house of cards begin to fall. And the house of cards ALWAYS falls eventually with many innocent people suffering as a result.

I am currently writing a book on: The Trading of Worthless Paper Entities wherein I go into more detail on this subject. I welcome your comments on the subject.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

MODERN DAY PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR CANCER � A RETURN TO THE OLD � THE BASICS OF A WHOLE FOODS DIET with AN ADDENDUM

2008-09-13T20:29:00.003-05:00

MODERN DAY PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR CANCER � A RETURN TO THE OLD � THE BASICS OF A WHOLE FOODS DIET

I, as many others, have been interested in the cure for cancer for many years and have explored the conventional and unconventional, the holistic and un-holistic, the natural and the un-natural, even the value of faith healing and the supernatural, almost everything you can imagine. I tried to leave no rock unturned in my quest for the cure(s) of this devastating disease.

There is not a doctor alive who would not like someday to open his front door and exclaim: �I have found THE cure!� Fortunately, the cure has already been found, but only a few are listening. I will repeat: fortunately the cure has already been found, but only a few are listening.

What we are proposing is not new. There are other who came before me who have made the discoveries. I hope only to relight the flame and give new impetus for public awareness and to suggest a different tack to allow the already discovered cures to take hold.

As many others search for a potential cure of this devastating disease, the incidence of this disease called cancer continues to rise.

Could It Be Genetics?

We can reasonably conclude that genetics can be either a direct or indirect cause because our susceptibility and resistence to all our health conditions are based upon our genetics. Because we are made up of genes from both parents, we inherit their genes, and therefore the genetic propensity for both health and unhealthy conditions. Many cancers, such as breast cancer, run in families. Is this genetic predisposition or is the cancer a result of the foods we eat or do not eat or of environmental exposures to toxins and life styles?

Can the hope lie in the study of some populations of native peoples who do not suffer from cancer: namely the Karakorums of West Pakistan (The Hunzas), the aboriginal Eskimaux of North America, tribes of South Africa and South America, the North American Indian, the Australian aborigines, and there may be others. It should be noted and emphasized that these populations do not experience cancer while living in their native habitats. The Hunzas have been studied for over 60 years and the Eskimaux have been observed under great scrutiny for over 80 years. No cancers have been observed in either of these two populations during this time. With respect to the Eskimaux and others cancer was observed among those who left their aboriginal habitat to assume a Westernized way of life.

Could it be that their genetics protected them from this scourge in their native habitat? This is precluded by the facts of no cancers while in their native habitat and cancer while in a Western culture where cancer is endemic. Although they bring their genetics with them, it does not appear to protect them after they move away from their natural habitat. It would appear that moving to a Western culture exposed them to a number of potentially cancer-inducing causes:

1. The actual diet itself;
2. Exposure to chemicals consumed within processed foods and within the overall environment, such as smoking and breathing noxious carcinogenic fumes and gasses (airborne pollutants) which are everywhere;
3. Exposure to aberrant radio waves, such as microwaves, power cables, and cell phones;
4. Exposure to the toxic elements in clothes, detergents, and fabric softeners;
5. Viruses

Could It Be Environmental?
In my opinion, I believe diet contributes considerably to the development of cancer in a particular population. There is little doubt that the diet of aborigine, nomad, and native populations who do not experience cancer is considerably different than what is consumed by westernized peoples. The former eat more natural whole foods consumed close to where these foods grow and more importantly devoid of residual herbicides and pesticides. Although most of these cancer-free populations are vegetarians, the Eskimaux are mainly meat eaters.

Western peoples eat refined foods, such as white rice and flour, refined sugar, sugared drinks, and the ubiquitous chemicals required to preserve and prevent spoiling, etc. They also consume biogenetic fruits and vegetables bred to produce seedless varieties, as in the case of apples, watermelons, other melons, etc. The seeds of many plants, some beans, and other legumes contain the secret of preventing cancer. The eating of these plants has protected the Hunzas and indirectly the Eskimaux from developing cancer.

LAETRILE

Laetrile, Vitamin B 17, a substance extracted from the pit of the almond, was studied extensively as an anti-cancer drug. The original developers, Dr. Ernest T. Crebbs and his son, Dr. Ernest T. Crebbs, Jr., claimed that Laetrile cured many people with all kinds of cancer. But extensive studies by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) and others with NIH grants were unable to confirm their studies. The FDA now bans the use of LAETRILE as an anti-cancer drug. Several states allow its use but not as an anti-cancer drug but as a Vitamin without making any claims to its usefulness to treat cancer. One has to go to Mexico and some European countries where it is legal to receive such treatment.

Why does our Federal Government ban the use of a natural substance which has almost no side effects, while they allow the sale and use of many prescription drugs with many side effects, including death? My mother died from a rather rare cardiomyopathy. She was a diabetic taking DBI � a prescription drug to lower her blood sugar. It was a relatively new drug which was touted to be a wonder drug for the purposes of lowering blood sugar. Three years after my mother died, DBI was taken from the market because they discovered that in sensitive individuals DBI caused a deadly cardiomyopathy. This drug was allowed while the government bans natural safe plant derivatives.

OIL-SOLUBLE VITAMINSAlthough conventional medicine always preaches about the dangers of taking some vitamins � such as too much of the oil-soluble Vitamins A, D, and E � there are almost no deaths from consuming these products.

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMIN CThey, the conventional medical types, preach that taking too much Vitamin C causes kidney stones. A review of the medical literature reveals NO such cases. They try to scare people from taking Vitamin C,. Why Linus Pauling was taking 30- 40 Grams daily without side effects, and he died in his 90's! I carefully searched the medical literature and found no credible evidence showing that excessive intake of Vitamin C results in kidney stones.

There are, however, other side reactions to excessive Vitamin C intake � stomach pain and diarrhea. So we recommend to our patients that, if either of these two symptoms occur, cut back of the dose until symptoms disappear. We recommend ONLY powdered Vitamin C and not the pills. And, although most of the powdered Vitamin C ingested is excreted in the urine with an hour or two, there appears to be some benefit to the high spikes of C in the system. Additionally, we recommend taking adequate amounts of water when taking C.

BACK TO LAETRILE

The original developers claim that the Laetrile used in the NIH studies was not prepared properly, and this may be true. Drug companies are reluctant to develop drugs from natural sources because they cannot be patented. Drug companies must see a significant profit down the line before they pour millions of dollars into research and the subsequent cost of getting FDA approval for it use.

It must be remembered that the Hunzas and other peoples consume the natural product and not a laboratory-purified substance. It is our desire to purify everything that decreases the effectiveness of a particular substance to do what nature had originally intended.

THE LOGICAL CONCLUSIONSo what are we to do? It makes no philosophical sense to use a purified by-product of a naturally occurring substance which in its natural state is effective. So why not consume the original natural substance � the seed, vegetable, bean, or whatever?

The active substance which has anti-cancer properties is Amygdalin, a substance Dr. Crebbs called �Vitamin B 17.� Chemically, the active compound is Nitriloside. Within the cancer cell nitriloside is hydrolyzed by the enzyme, beta-glucosidase, into a molecule of a non-sugar or aglycone, a molecule of free hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and one or more molecules of a sugar or its acid. There are about 14 naturally occurring nitrilosides found in over 1200 species of plants. It is the HCN which is selectively released within cancer cells because only cancer cells have the beta-glucosidase. Normal cells do not contain the glucosidase to release HCN. Besides normal cells contain the enzyme, rhodanese (thiocyanate transfurase), which detoxifies HCN into thiocyanate. Cancer cells do not contain rhodanese.

Important to note again is that the beta-glucosidase which hydrolyzes the nitriloside to release the HCN is found in large quantities only in cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Without the beta-glucosidase to release HCN, the nitriloside would not be effective.

Philosophically, it might be one thing to consume a natural product over a lifetime to prevent a disease, yet quite another thing to want that substance to cure a disease once it gets established. If we were to compare the situation with cancer with the development of coronary heart disease, we know that heart disease is the culmination of a lifetime of bad diet and lack of proper exercise. Although heart disease can be cured after it is established, it is much better to have prevented it in the first place. To prevent heart disease requires a lifetime commitment to a lifestyle conducive to preventing the disease � a much more difficult situation.

Likewise cancer might better be prevented than cured. A regular ingestion of Amygdalin would more easily destroy early cancer as it might be developing rather than a hugh amount of cancer cells already developed. An amount of cancer-inhibiting Amygdalin might be less to prevent than what might be required to treat an already existing disease.

PLANTS CONTAINING NITRILOSIDE(NB: The following has been excerpted from: www.worldwithoutcancer.org.uk

Foods Containing B17 (Nitrilosides)

Vitamin B17 appears in abundance in untamed nature. Because B17 is bitter to the taste, in man's attempt to improve tastes and flavors for his own pleasure, he has eliminated bitter substances like B17 by selection and cross-breeding. It can be stated as a general rule that many of the foods that have been domesticated still contain the vitamin B17 in that part not eaten by modem man, such as the seeds in apricots. Listed below is an evaluation of some of the more common foods. Keep in mind that these are averages only and that specimens vary widely depending on variety, locale, soil, and climate. SOURCE: The Little Cyanide Cookbook by June de Spain - (former) FDA Toxicologist and Pharmacologist.

Fruits Range Seeds Range Beans Range

Blackberry, Domestic Low Apple Seeds High Black Low
Blackberry, Wild High Apricot Seeds High Black Eyed Peas Low
Boysenberry Med Buckwheat Med Fava High
Choke Cherry High Cherry Seed High Garbanzo Low - Med
Wild Crabapple High Flax Med Green Pea Low
Market Cranberry Low Millet Med Kidney Low - Med
Swedish (lignon)
Cranberry High Nectarine Seed High Lentils Med
Currant Med Peach Seed High Lima, U.S. Low
Elderberry Med - High Pear Seed High Lima, Burma Med
Gooseberry Med Plum Seed High Mung Med - High
Huckleberry Med Prune Seed High Shell Low
Loganberry Med Squash Seed Med
Mulberry Med
Quince Med
Strawberry Med
Raspberry Med

Sprouts Range Nuts (all raw) Range Leaves Range

Alfalfa Med Bitter Almond High Alfalfa High
Bamboo High Cashew Low Beet Tops Low
Fava Med Macadamia Med - High Eucalyptus High
Garbanzo Med Spinach Low
Mung Med Water Cress Low

Tubers Range

Cassava (bitter variety) High
Sweet Potato Low
Yams Low

Range

THIS CHART MAY NOT REPRODUCE WELL IN THE BLOG BUT YOU CAN GET A COPY OF THIS ARTICLE (ONLY IN WORDPERFECT BY WRITING TO: DRTAURASO@DRTAURASO.COM

High � above 500 mgs. nitriloside per 100 grams food

Medium � above 100 mgs. per 100 grams food

Low � below 100 mgs. per 100 grams food

Vitamin B-17 is one of the main sources of food in cultures such as the Eskimos, the Hunzas, the Abkasians and many more. Did you know that within these tribes there has never been a reported case of cancer? According to Dr. Krebs, we need a minimum of 100 mg of vitamin B-17 (the equivalent of about seven apricots seeds) too nearly guarantee a cancer free life. Foods that contain vitamin B-17 are as follows:

KERNELS OR SEEDS OF FRUIT: The highest concentration of vitamin B-17 to be found in nature, aside from bitter almonds. Apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, prune.

BEANS: broad (Vicia faba), Burma, chickpeas, lentils (sprouted), lima, mung (sprouted), Rangoon, scarlet runner.

NUTS: Bitter almond, macadamia, cashew.

BERRIES: Almost all wild berries. Blackberry, chokeberry, Christmas berry, cranberry, elderberry, raspberry, strawberry.

SEEDS: Chia, flax, sesame.

GRASSES: Acacia, alfalfa (sprouted), aquatic, Johnson, milkweed, Sudan, minus, wheat grass, white dover.

GRAINS: oat groats, barley, brown rice, buckwheat groats, chia, flax, millet, rye, vetch, wheat berries.

MISCELLANEOUS: bamboo shoots, fuschia plant, sorghum, wild hydrangea, yew tree (needles, fresh leaves).

Two rules of thumb: According to Dr. Krebs, the basic concept is that sufficient daily B-17 may be obtained by following either of two suggestions:

First, eating all the B-17-containing fruits whole (seeds included), but not eating more of the seeds by themselves than you would be eating if you ate them in the whole fruit. Example: if you eat three apples a day, the seeds in the three apples are sufficient B-17. You would not eat a pound of apple seeds.

Second, one peach or apricot kernel per 10 lbs of body weight is believed to be more than sufficient as a normal safeguard in cancer prevention, although precise numbers may vary from person to person in accordance with individual metabolism and dietary habits. A 170-lb man, for example, might consume 17 apricot or peach kernels per day and receive a biologically reasonable amount of Vitamin B-17.

And two important notes: Certainly, you can consume too much of anything. Too many kernels or seeds, for example, can be expected to produce unpleasant side effects. These natural foods should be consumed in biologically rational amounts (no more than 30 to 35 kernels per day).

High concentrations of B-17 are obtained by eating the natural foods in their raw or sprouting stage. This does not mean that moderate cooking and other tampering will destroy the B-17 content. Foods cooked at a temperature sufficient for a Chinese dinner, for example, will not lose their B-17 content.

ADDENDUM AS OF 9/14/08:

This article was first published on my Blog on 3/2/08. Since then we have included in our anti-cancer protocol the use of seeds and foods to provide the anti cancer amygdalin and employing the benefits of Cesium Chloride, Vitamin C, and several other all natural agents, known to either inhibit the growth of cancer cells or completely annihilate these cells from the body. Although we are willing to share our protocol with the public, we advise anyone interested to employ our protocol under the close supervision of a physician who knows what s/he is doing. We are willing to do this for you if you wish.

Today, we are starting a fund raiser to collect enough money to open our own clinic. Initially we are going to begin by reaching out to the general public through Craig�s List. We are asking the public to purchase an Ebook from our Online Bookstore (http://shop.drtauraso.com/main.sc) (Copy and paste on your browser). If we can entice 200,000 individuals to purchase an Ebook we will have sufficient funds to open our clinic. We are not asking for an empty donation where you will not receive something of benefit to you � that is an Ebook. The small amount of money for an Ebook � less than $8-9.00 � is so small considering the large sums sent to political candidates where we know the money is not well spent! Buy an Ebook which you can download and help us out.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

IN DEFENSE OF MICHAEL BROWN

2008-09-13T20:29:00.002-05:00

IN DEFENSE OF MICHAEL BROWN

Does anyone remember Michael Brown? He was the FEMA Director who initially oversaw the handling of the New Orleans/Katrina disaster. He was also the official scapegoat who paid the price by losing his job for what was considered inadequate management of the aftermath of Katrina. His being blamed was a the real tragedy, and, if anyone should have been the scapegoat, why were it not his boss � the silver tongue Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff. Let us review what happened.

First, Michael Brown had been an outstanding FEMA official who successfully supervised several other natural disasters.

Second, there was no way anyone could have predicted how serious the Katrina/New Orleans disaster would have been. Katrina was a Category 2 hurricane, and similar hurricanes had hit New Orleans before without the catastrophic results which resulted from Katrina.

Third, Katrina would not have cause the devastation that it did had not the many dykes broke down. It was not the hurricane, but the ruptured dyes which were the real problem. No one could have anticipated this. I take this back. There have been many who predicted that the dykes were in such a state of disrepair that one day they would rupture resulting in great disaster. It was neglect by the so-called �powers at be� who should have known the dykes were old and had not been brought up to standards and that one day they would not hold up. The dykes were a disaster waiting to happen. Katrina was the final straw, and finally what many had feared over the years happened.
I will repeat that even though many have thought the dykes would eventually give way, no one could have predicted that Katrina would have been the catalyst for what occurred. Michael Brown was not at fault for the enormity of what resulted.

Fourth, when Michael Brown realized that enormity of the Katrina event he telephoned his boss to come to New Orleans immediately. But Chertoff was attending a seminar in Florida and would not break away from the seminar even at the pleading of Brown. Brown was alone without adequate resources to correctly handle the disaster. The local officials were completely clueless.

We learn from our experiences. The problems faced with Katrina was eventually going to result in the improvement of response to the next time such an event were to occur. This is what we recently saw when New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Gustav. With the Katrina event there was a lot of blame to go around. The completely-out-of-his competency New Orleans� Mayor to the inept Governor were not able to mobilize the forces necessary to respond to what was needed to solve the problem. And so, many blamed President Bush especially those who hate him. Once people realized how to solve the problem, it was done and evidenced by the successful Gustav response.

Many people are arrogant. Many believe that people in charge should be able to solve ALL problems. Natural catastrophes such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. are truly humbling experiences which tell us we sometimes cannot predict what Mother Nature will and can do. We experience these events, we learn from them, and we respond better the next time we are faced with similar problems. But, let us not get too arrogant for one day Mother nature will present another problem the enormity of which we might not be able to handle adequately the first time.

To return to Michael Brown. He could not have anticipated what happened with Katrina and the dykes rupturing. The inadequacy of the response was not due to any inadequacy on his part. But, he was the ONLY one, a good man, who was blamed. Pity, because we lost a man who could have continued to serve the public. His being fired is another example of the scape goating which occurs in government. The President stuck by Chertoff, but Chertoff did not do likewise to his subordinate, Michael Brown. I lost considerable respect for Chertoff at the time. I believe that deep inside Chertoff realized his culpability, and blaming and firing Brown diverted attention away from him.

nicola michael (c. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com