DECEMBER 16, 2011 A RADKO HOBBY

"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body." - Proverbs 16:24

Who doesn't want to hear pleasant words? We all do. I know I do. Two other beekeepers, S and J sent us this quote which I love. Beekeeping as a Hobby has been a pleasure. It is now more than a hobby. I consider it part of our lives. Rick and I read on all aspects of bee life. I have 1st edition books on Bees.

Every year we have a special chore. The chore is magical. It is in the spirit of the Holidays. It is putting up the tree with all its splendor. The splendor comes from another hobby. The hobby of Christmas Ornament collecting.

As the legend goes, the Christopher Radko Company started with the falling of Christopher’s family tree. After more than 1,000 vintage mouth-blown glass ornaments were broken to bits, Christopher tried to replace them by looking far and wide in the United States and by scouring Polish glassware markets. His quest did not produce even one replacement ornament that met his requirements, and he soon came to realize that his only option was to start completely from scratch. Armed only with his memories of his family’s ornaments, Christopher enlisted a Polish glass blower and together they went to work, trying to recreate his family’s lost heirlooms. It went so well that by 1985, Christopher was in business. Sixty unique designs debuted that year and the rest, as they say, is history.

I have been a Christopher Radko Christmas ornament collector since 1988, when my daughter Alyssa was born. Every year I add more and more Christmas Ornaments. I have a favorite- the Penguins.

Today, the Christopher Radko Company has produced more than fifteen million fine European glass ornaments and grown to encompass several additional lines of holiday décor, including Home for the Holidays—a beautiful collection of decorative holiday tabletop items and trim, including snow globes, ceramic cookie jars, tree skirts and stockings.

Despite this fantastic growth, the company’s original passion for and pride in carrying on the noble tradition of producing only the finest holiday treasures remains 100% intact: Christopher Radko Fine European Glass Ornaments are produced in Europe by a seasoned team of artists and craftsmen, many of whom have been with the company since its very inception. Each piece is meticulously crafted by hand, using Renaissance-era carving, molding, glass blowing, silver lining, hand painting and finishing processes that require both unparalleled skill and several weeks to complete. This Christmas 2011, Rick and I counted about 40 Radko's which now adorn our Martha Stewart Christmas Tree. We did add four new Radko's to the tree last night.

It has been a Holiday Hobby.

Some of our collection are now retired bulbs. I know Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Elizabeth Taylor and Love are all retired. These magical heirlooms produced by the Christopher Radko Company have brought joy and happiness to everyone who sees our tree. We will pass the collection on to younger members of the family as the years go by.

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 15, 2011 FOLK REMEDIES FOR THE KITCHEN

"What is difficult alone is always eased in a partnership."

I cannot describe how I would feel doing what I do everyday without the loving, compassionate and truthful support of a life partner. My days vary every single moment. The days can be filled with laughter, tears, sorrow, anger and sadness. It depends on what I have to discuss with a patient. The years in practice never prepare one for telling another individual that he/she may have a life-threatening disease. I get to vent out my frustrations at home with someone who listens attentively. He might comment now and then. I have to learn to listen more attentively when he tells me something. It sometimes takes me an hour before my head can clear. The knitting or needlepoint usually calms my thoughts on the day. I wish a loving partner for all!

Some of us want to have antibiotics in the medicine cabinet--just in case. I feel everyone should have a home healing medicine cabinet. There can be an Ayurvedic medicine cabinet, a Chinese herbal medicine cabinet, an aromatherapy medicine cabinet and finally, my expertise, a western herbal medicine cabinet. There are two shelves in my hall closet filled with tinctures and dried herbs. My herbal closet has the following herbs (and a lot more):

1. Elder - for cough/sore throats

2. Meadowsweet - for indigestion

3. Stinging nettles - for sinus congestion

4. Valerian - for stress

5. Skullcap - for tension

6. Echinacea - for cold/flu and congestion

7. Chamomile - for nervous stomach and sleep

There is another type of medicine cabinet that has passed on from generation to generation even within your family. This is the traditional home or Folklore Remedy Medicine cabinet or "Kitchen cabinet"

1. Garlic - fresh garlic should be in every household. This is great for intestinal infections

2. Wild flower honey - As a beekeeper I find this essential. It is great for the flu. Great for sore throats, and can be applied to cuts and scrapes.

3. Celery - For those individuals with always feeling he/she has to go to urinate. This is called cystitis. You can use fresh celery or celery seeds. A colleague uses celery for headaches.

4. Cabbage leaves - great to apply to infected hair follicles, boils or carbuncles. The cabbage draws out the infection. Place a gauze pad over the fresh cabbage leaves over the wound. Cabbage can be crushed and applied as poultice to a hot swollen joint. Useful for the gouty joints too.

5. Cinnamon sticks - It is very useful for the patient with an unstable blood sugar . It is also used for colds and indigestion.

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 14, 2011 YOU ARE A CORN IN MY SIDE

"Living without HOPE is like burying oneself." - Buddhist quote

Hope is essential. We all need to have hope. Hope that the world will get clean. Hope that this financial crisis and economy will change. Hope that you will get better. What is the world without hope? I do not think having hope is bad. I think that it is healthy. Your hope must be realistic!

Have hope!

Have you ever had a callus or corn on your big toe? Most calluses occur on the hands and feet. Construction workers have an increased incidence of callused hands. Dancers have calluses on their feet especially by the big toe (hallux). A callus or hardened and thickened area of skin occurs as a result of constant friction. The skin cells respond to friction by reproducing-- which results in the hardened skin. A callus on the toe joint of a dancer or on you from a new pair of shoes is very painful. The pain is caused by the pressure on the nerve endings. I have seen soft corns appear between the toes but these are not as painful. Women who wear high heels often get calluses.

Of course, there are more women who get pedicures than men, but men should have pedicures just as often if they are prone to calluses. A traditional home remedy for the corn or callus is painting it with fresh lemon juice. Lemon is a blood purifier, helps the body to expel toxins and is very useful for skin calluses. I find fresh lemon and juice especially useful for infections, insect bites, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, mouth ulcers, gallstones and restless leg syndrome. I find fresh lemon juice excellent for halting skin infections. I forgot to mention for bladder and kidney infections. I have also tried vinegar on calluses with some success.

To ease nerve pain I find the essential oil of tea tree to be beneficial. You can also increase your intake of Vitamins A and E. My colleagues find it comforting to bathe in 4 tablespoons of mustard seeds. In ayurvedic practices mustard reduces pitta and kapha, with a neural effect on vatha. Many use mustard seeds (Brasscia nigra) rectified with alcohol as a lotion for arthritic joints. The mustard foot bath will also clear blood congestion in the head (great for headaches and migraines) . It also lowers fevers in the start of any infection.

Get a pedicure today...I had mine last night

Know your pedicurist...

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 13, 2011 EJACUALTION

The success of love is in the loving--it is not in the result of loving -

Mother Theresa

We all should know more about the 4 letter word - love. We all have said it too many times in life. Maybe when we shouldn't have always said it when we did and maybe we have not said it enough at other times. It is how you love that counts! Is your love compassionate? Does it involve discussion? Does it involve touch? Think about when you use the word ' LOVE'... Think it over.

For men, an orgasm is usually accompanied by ejaculation. As men get older the ejaculate becomes less if at all. It is not as thick as it used to be. It almost can be like water. How many sperm do you think is in a single ejaculate ? The answer is 300 million. Of course the amount of sperm gets less as you get older.

Ejaculation is a two step process. I 'love' saying that! In the emission phase, the seminal fluid accumulates in the bulb of the prostate. Depending on the type of sex men are having this can be felt as a swelling of the prostate. The the expulsion phase the neck of the urinary bladder closes to ensure that no urine will mix with the semen. At the same time the muscles of the penis and penile urethra contract to force the semen out. This phase can be quite 'verbal' for the man depending on the force of the ejaculation (and the age of the man).

As you get older you might experience a dry ejaculation where you feel as though you are having an organism, but no semen is forced out. This can be due to medications, stress and illness. This is commonly observed in my practice in patients on anti-depressants especially celexa, zoloft and paxil.

Most of the cases of ejaculatory problems are psycho-social in origin. Usually there is no physical problem. The psycho social problem is that the man could feel sexual failure with his partner, male or female, but has no problem with another sexual partner. This is commonly the case with gay men. Sometimes after years of being together, the sex is too stagnant. I sometimes deal with men that have premature ejaculation. This often happens when there is initial penetration or very soon after.

The question is would you prefer a dry ejaculation or a premature ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation is usually the sign of performance anxiety. I commonly see this in younger men. There are rare occurrences of no ejaculation. This can occur in men who overindulge (constant or daily masturbation), inadequate stimulation of the penis or age.

Remedies can be varied. I believe that a psychologist should be involved. The male should try to avoid caffeine or stimulants in any form. There should be an increase in the intake of B vitamins. I usually suggest a B50 or B100 multivitamin. Eat oatmeal (always steel cut) as all oatmeal contains thiamine, an essential B vitamin. For the male who loves aromatherapy - mix bergamot in sweet almond oil and refresh the air with a vaporizer. There are three herbs which I recommend to drink two to there times a day. There should be a blend of Valerian, lime blossom, and skullcap. These are the herbs which will calm the nerves. For the men with premature ejaculation, there is a flower essence called Gentian which I find useful for those with a sense of failure.

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 12, 2011 INSECURITY

"One day at a time, WE walk out of the darkness into the LIGHT."

No this is not a quote from Poltergeist. We all have problems in our own way. Some are more difficult than others. Some of us have been in the darkness for so long that we do not see the light at the end of the tunnel. It will happen one day. The light or 'life' will happen but not on your terms. Nothing is on our terms. We have to let go of that. It is when it is right for us to accept what is right for us. Some of us have lived in a fantasy world. Are you in the dark because you are insecure or have a low self esteem? There are solutions!

Insecurity is a feeling that affects each one of us at one time or another. It can be triggered by physical, social, or emotional factors. In today's time, financial insecurity is most prevalent. This insecurity induces anxiety. There was a time years ago when I felt insecure. My entire perception of my own competence and self worth were thrown off and I questioned everything. Today I do not question my ability in medicine, nor the intuitive sense I have for healing. This is my G.O.D. chosen profession. Every day is not perfect, but it is a process of progress through the years. This insecurity lasted for a while and I turned to a variety of things to alleviate the low self esteem. Those 'other things' got me in trouble. I knew I needed to change. I did not want the chronic low self esteem to cause depression or lack of confidence. There are many remedies excluding synthetic drugs. There are twelve step programs, psychotherapy, exercise, meditation and yoga. There are uplifting herbs for the body. These include rosemary, lavender, damiana, and valerian. If you are not taking conventional medications I urge you to drink this infusion three times a day.

I feel a vaporizer in the room at night with jasmine and marjoram will lift the mood. I have seen it improve mental outlook and clarity and even boost self image. But this alone will not suffice. You need to completely change your dietary and exercise lifestyle.

I have seen one of my homeopathic colleagues use Ignatia for insecurity which is stemming from a cause. An example would be a loss- from either death, ending a relationship or even a job. Pulsatilla is great for those who are tearful.

Suggestion: Vaporize marjoram to cheer you up. I also like a little peppermint to lift my spirits.

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 10-11, 2011 THE THOMSONIANISM HERBS

" "Happiness depends upon ourselves." - Aristotle

How true! I cannot look for happiness in someone else or something. I have to look at myself for happiness. I and only I can determine my own destiny. Many years ago I used to look for happiness in other people. I used to try to buy happiness through other people. I thought the more I give materialistically, the more love and happiness I would get from that individual in my life. How wrong I was! I began to search deep inside my core to find happiness. It didn't take a day or a month, it took years to find my own happiness.

Samuel Thomson (1769 - 1843) was a forerunner in the herbal movement during the 1880's. His belief was the use of two specific herbs for the following uses:

1. purgative herb- detoxifier

2. a warming herb

Both the purgative herb, Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) and the warming herb, Cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) were used extensively for any malady. I find this very interesting. These two herbs gave rise the Eclectic Movement which gave rise to herbalism as we know it today. I love to listen to herbalists talk of the Eclectic Movement. This is when herbalism was conventional in this country. Of course this is before the American Medical Association and sub specialities in medicine. This was before insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. Herbs are medicines.

What is my role today? My role is to spread the word. Many organizations and foundations are doing this. One of those organizations is the non profit corporation called UNITED PLANT SAVERS. Check out http://www.unitedplantsavers.org/ I would look at their web site and join. You membership contribution can save a plant.

Yes I truly mean save a plant. When I looked at the "AT RISK" plants I was not only surprised but couldn't understand why. Some of these plants are American ginseng, Black Cohosh, Goldenseal, Echinacea, Peyote, Slippery Elm and Wild Yam. Some of you may know some of these names. Many people have used goldenseal and/or echinacea for a cold.

There are even lists for the plant "TO WATCH" for.

The United Plant Savers initiates programs designed to preserve these important and vital wild medicinal plants.

Join ... Save a plant today

Photo credit: Rick Byrd, Echinacea in Nampa, Idaho

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 9, 2011 GENEOLOGY

"It is surmounting difficulties that make heroes." Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur was always a hero of mine when I studied biology. There are many more such as Einstein, Freud, Halstead et al. My father will always be a hero of mine. I might not have said this enough when he was alive. He worked hard, and always provided for his family as best as he could. I can say I never wanted for anything.

We all have had difficulties in life. Some of us more than others. I have met many heroes in my twelve step years. Many people have inspired me just by being who they are. These individuals are not famous, nor have they won any accolades. Many have touched my life in ways that cannot be described. I am a very grateful man.

Something different! When you were growing up did you get to find out about all your ancestors? Did your grandparents talk to you about their parents and their aunts and uncles?

I used to love to sit and listen to the old family stories from my Nanny. Today I can still remember many of those stories. There was one about Aunt Fanny's dog eating all the creme puffs that were brought for desert one holiday. There are so many stories I can recall from time spent with my Nanny. I wish I had tape recorded some of our talks.

In the same vain I wish I had talked to my father about his Navy days during WW II. Yesterday was 70 years since Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. As I looked at my father's flag in my office which I received at his funeral started to miss my dad. I also have his USS Monterey cap he received during one his WWII reunions.

On AOL yesterday something intrigued me http://www.ancestry.com/ For the last two weeks there has been a free trial to access records. Last night Rick accessed the free trial to get my dad's USS Monterey records. Ancestry is a great hobby for anyone who wants to find out about their families. It was thrilling for me to view the USS Monterey Muster Rolls and see my dad's name, Patsy Fratellone! According to the muster rolls he entered the Navy in 1938 and was discharged in November 1945 at Lido Beach. The USS Monterey docked at Pier 92 NYC in November 1945

My father made friends for life in WWII. One was Joseph Maimoni from Rhode Island. Joseph Maimoni became my uncle when he married my father's sister, Mary after the war ended. Joe was the one to write to Mary and my grandparents during the war as my dad never did. Joseph and Mary married after the war. It is one of the great love stories.

Try to find out more about your parents and your ancestors. You might even make a family tree one day.

Until tomorrow...