Eight Point Deep Ecology Platform

I think the platform is interesting in its focus on the unification of human and non-human life. As our current urban, industrial lifestyle continues to develop and expand, we are not only destroying natural habitats and ecosystems, but we ourselves are becoming further out of touch with nature, which in turn is creating an imbalance within us. This manifests through all of the social, emotional and health issues that we are facing. It is important to examine what is not working with our systems and our disconnection from the earth is really at the heart of the matter. The Eight Point Deep Ecology Platform is not just about what would be better for us, but what would work better for the earth and all of its elements, which we are part of. It's looking at the bigger picture. I wonder how much impact these outlined principles have had, but in any case I do think they are an important platform to encourage people to start thinking about their actions and their relationship to the environment in a different light.

"The deal that saved the whale"

Recently I have seen so much horrendous footage of whales being slaughtered, and the exposure of the corruption that goes on within the international whaling commission in the documentary "The Cove". It is all entirely heartbreaking, so it gives me hope to learn that this cooperative has effectively banded together and agreed to protect the habitat of these grey whales. Viva Las Ballenas!! And definitely check out The Cove if you haven't already.

Can TCM strengthen our immune systems?

TCM's approach is to restore balance to the whole body so that it may function at its optimum. TCM has a long history of treating immune disorders. Research has proven that acupuncture treatments can increase the body's T-cell count, as well as the number of cells that ingest and destroy bacteria, protozoa, and cell debris. There are also several herbs that are known to boost the immune system and qigong can also help in this way as it improves oxygen supply and distribution in the body, which increases efficiency of cell metabolism and tissue regeneration. It helps the the parasympathetic nervous system to neutralize the stress response and it can also aid in circulation of the lymph fluid which eliminates toxins. These are all key components in strengthening the immune system.

Western approaches to HIV/AIDS

HAART has created some positive change in the development of HIV/AIDS but it has not come without it's costs. It has contributed to a noticeably reduced rate in deaths, hospitalizations and new AIDS illnesses. In many cases, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer and are more able than before. However HAART is by no means a cure as it does not eliminate the virus it can only inhibit it and those who are on the drug regime must continually stay on it to keep the virus at bay. If they miss their doses a drug resistance can develop. The long term side effects can also be quite severe, including liver failure, myalgia, increasing risk for strokes and heart attacks, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Not to mention that HAART is also outrageously expensive which simply rules it out as a possibility for so many people, but can be a major stress for those who just manage to scrape it together. I can't hate on HAART because of how it has saved many people from a death sentence but I wonder how the quality of life is with so much risk and the potential for so much added long term damage to one's system cannot be a good thing. I guess in this case, its the lesser of two evils and until a cure is found it seems to be the best option so far (with the support of chinese medicine I'd say).

Are our genes still being shaped by natural selection?

I definitely think so. Why we would stay the same when our world is constantly changing? We have different lifestyles, diets and environments that have shaped so much of our development. Not only are our local environments shifting, but the impact of globalization means factors that have often affected natural selection in the past such as diet and disease are no longer as confined to specific regions. I would imagine the fact that there is such a massive increase in multiracial people would throw some genetic changes in the mix as well as the various developments in medicine and procedures for childbirth such as IVF, c-sections and use of pitocin, modifying the conditions of birth that are supposed to happen naturally. It seems to be that there are such a vast array of changing elements today that could be constantly shaping our genetic evolution.

TCM + Cancer

TCM approaches to cancer is different to western medicine as it treats the individual and their symptoms they are presenting rather than the textbook disease that has been diagnosed. It focuses on rebalancing the system, tonifying, clearing toxic heat and phlegm. TCM also uses natural herbs rather than chemical drugs which are less damaging to the patients body. I think depending on the individuals situation, a combination of western and eastern treatment could serve to be the most beneficial approach to work on the disease in a variety of aspects.

How sophisticated is our understanding of cancer?

There has been a huge amount of funding and effort invested into researching cancer in depth and it seems that there is an incredibly sophisticated understanding of how cancer cell function and process, but comparatively our knowledge of the causes and cures is still quite elementary. It seems that cancer diagnoses are increasing at such a rapid rate that there is a tough race at hand, trying to find improved treatments and potential cures while cancer continues to persistently develop in new patterns and forms. However, there has been some success in cancer treatment as death rates are now shown to be decreasing. The main issue with the current treatments is that although they have has some effective results, radiation and chemo drugs are incredibly toxic and are a huge blow to the already weak system of the patient, so while it can kill the cancer cells, it doesn't seem to give the body much encouragement to heal otherwise. This is where TCM could really help.