Free drugs - available now

Cannabis, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines… Maybe you do not want them, but you could have them all for free.

Really?

What about free antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants? Yep, them too! Anticancer drugs? Immuno-stimulants? Anti-cholesterol drugs? Antipsychotics? No problem. All free.

Really! Where from?

This week we find out, and it may come as a surprise. And then access to a great conference made possible with a good discount, but first





               Thought for the day

       I know what the great cure is.

       It is to give up, to relinquish, to surrender,
       So that our little hearts may beat in unison
       With the great heart of the world. 


                                   Henry Miller





Well here it is. Drugs HQ

Commonly known as your own brain – the central pharmacy that controls the production and administration of more useful chemicals than any individual pharmaceutical company.

We manufacture multitudes of medications: antibiotics, antimitotics, painkillers, antipyretics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, immunostimulants, anticholesterols, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, cancer drugs, and more.


We can also activate other parallel circuits involving natural counterparts to more culturally and medically scandalous substances: anandamide (cannabis), alcohol, amphetamines, nicotine, cocaine, LSD, endorphins, and more.


The initiator of this whole pantheon of drugs is you. Me. Every one of us. It starts within our brains and finds fruition in our many organs, glands, even individual cells.

Some drugs are produced on demand. Cut a finger for example and antihistamines, anticoagulants, immunostimulants, natural antibiotics, pain killers – and plenty more – all go into production spontaneously. No conscious effort required. Body knows what to do. Amazing.

Some drugs we access “incidentally”. Have a good laugh and a cascade of endorphins is transported around the body. Immerse yourself in gratitude and dopamine flows out. Be inspired and feel the serotonin surging. A very natural high.


Then some drugs can be induced by what we do deliberately. Meditate and a long list of beneficial drugs is created. Consider just a couple - the master hormone melatonin, regulator of sleep, major controller of immune function and many other hormones are produced en masse when we meditate.

Interferon is known to be produced in significant amounts when meditating and has a powerful affect on immune function – and being naturally produced it comes free of the unwantedside-effects so often associated with taking the isolated drug interferon as a medication.

So the point is – get excited!

Be respectful. Your body is amazing. Truly amazing. Resist the temptation to think that all health issues need some external, high-tech solution. There is nothing as high-tech as your own body. Give your body the right conditions, learn how it works and how you can best support it to function at its amazing best, and enjoy this precious life. Along with its free drugs…..

Meditate, not medicate.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT AVAILABLE TO READERS

Happiness and its causes is one of Australia's very best conferences   -  2nd and 3rd  April 2016

Delve into the mind and its role in our happiness, health and of course, wellbeing. This conference is highly recommended and through my association with the organisers and having spoken there a few times in the past, there is a great discount on offer if you use the code MBM, plus they have an early bird rate:

SPECIAL DISCOUNT! SAVE 20%

Happiness is important. It is important for your own life satisfaction and enjoyment.
It is equally important for your family, the people in your care and the people you work with.

ENHANCE HAPPINESS
Discover how rituals and habits help us achieve lasting change with world-leading positive psychology lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar (Israel). Learn how to boost happiness with ground-breaking happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky (USA). Explore the power of music to enhance our wellbeing with music maestro Richard Gill OAM.


IMPROVE HEALTH & WELLBEING
Hear how cutting-edge technology can help us take control of our health with former executive editor of Wired Magazine Thomas Goetz (USA). Rethink the heart of health with pioneering paediatrician Dr Alan Greene (USA). Ditch the guilt and learn to eat joyfully with leading nutritionist Joanna McMillan.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR EMOTIONS
Become aware of your emotional triggers with emotions researcher Eve Ekman (USA). Use laughter as an antidote to stress with coach and comedian Anthony Ackroyd. Explore the power of identity and connection with acclaimed Indigenous author Anita Heiss.

PERSONAL STORIES TO INSPIRE
Be moved by the courage of pioneering surgeon Munjed Al Muderis who fled war-torn Iraq and came to Australia as a refugee by boat. And be touched by top-rating drive time host Richard Glover’s revealing exploration of his family life.

VISIT THE WELLNESS SHOW
A showcase of 100 innovative companies, free interactive seminars, fitness zone, wellness kitchen, wellness bookshop, meet-the-author sessions and more! Spend your breaks browsing the latest in health and wellbeing. Automatic entry for conference delegates!

SAVE 20% OFF FEES - BOOK BY 18 DECEMBER AND SAVE UP TO $680

Book online using VIP code MBM or call (02) 8719 5118 to register

                             35+ speakers, 5 international experts, 6 workshops, 1 masterclass

                          
www.happinessanditscauses.com.au

Integrating work, family and life, plus a Christmas sale

Here we are approaching the end of 2015 and another opportunity to reflect, be grateful, and to celebrate. With Christmas not so far away, we are offering 30% off all our resources (until 30th November) to say thank you to all those whom we have been involved with during this past year and to encourage meaningful giving.

Then some reflection on integrating work, family and life, but first



                  Thought for the day

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. 

Nature’s peace will flow into you 
As sunshine flows into trees. 

The winds will blow their freshness into you, 
And storms their energy, 
While cares will drop away like autumn leaves.

                                        John Muir



Ruth and I are very grateful to all of who support our work; those who came to the workshops, seminars and retreats we presented in 2015, and especially to thank you personally those of you who remain on our database and keep in touch via the blog, Facebook and other communications.

Ruth and I are truly blessed in that our work consistently reminds us of what it is to live well - in body, emotions, mind and spirit. For us, our work really is our life.

Yet so many we speak to struggle with integrating work, family and life. For some it even seems as if the type of work they are engaged in almost demands a compromise. As if they need to leave some of their values, some of their ideals, at the door as they enter to start the working day, and to pick up what ever remains on the way out.

For some too, there is the sense that amidst the busyness, the demands, the very real struggles of daily life, even the family can have a sense of being a burden.

So here is the challenge. How do we hold true to that which we value in life, how ideally we would like to live our life, and integrate that with our work and our family?

My sense is that this has so much to do with the clarity of our intention and our habitual ways of thinking. Check out how you speak to yourself about work, about relationships. Notice what this reveals. When you find yourself saying “ that always happens here” or “that is just what I expected”; then those words reveal habitual ways of thinking. How do these habits work for you?

Be reminded that if you choose to, these habits can be changed with strong intention, backed by imagery and affirmations. They can be transformed by the natural kindness and optimism that slowly and steadily emerges out of the regular practice of meditation. Consciously developing an attitude of gratitude can produce amazing benefits.


In an ideal world
everything we do
will somehow enhance our lives.


This is not to say
everything we do will be easy;
on the contrary,
often it is the difficult things in life
that teach us so much
and bring the greatest rewards.

But here is the problem.

In our modern busy world,
there are so many forces working against a happy, healthy life.

Sad but true.


So much busyness, so many commercial forces, so many expectations, so much to do. And internally our own habits and beliefs to contend with, along with that subtle and innate laziness that is a feature of all our lives. I cannot be the only one with these issues!!

So that is why Ruth and I make time to attend at least 2 retreats as participants each year. Sure, we are fortunate in that we get to lead retreats; but we too feel the need to take time out, to stand back more fully and to reflect, re-evaluate, re-think, re-set priorities and refresh.

For me it is really clear. Amidst the pressures of daily life, and with the intention of being kind to ourselves and functioning well with work, families and friends, attending at least one retreat per year is almost mandatory. Almost in my view like meeting a basic need of survival. Certainly a major step towards continuing a productive, happy and healthy life.

If you would like to join us in 2016, our retreat and program schedule is on our website.

But for now, in gratitude we are offering a Pre-Christmas webstore sale with 30% of all our resources - until 30th November – books, CDs DVD, bundles and the Pearls (really beautiful and meaningful presents).       LINK HERE

RESOURCES 

Meditation Retreats and specific cancer residential programs with Ian and Ruth Gawler CLICK HERE 

Responding to terror - a meditator's view

Paris attacks: The headlines trumpeted “France vows 'merciless' response to unprecedented atrocity”. The French president, looking somewhat dazed, reflected what many felt: "France will stand firm. We are going to fight and our fight will be merciless."

Merciless. What then constitutes a measured response? What can we do with our emotions and our actions? How would a compassionate meditator respond to terrorism?

US President Barack Obama led a chorus of world leaders condemning the attacks. “France is an extraordinary terrorism partner and an attack on the French people is an attack on all humanity. We will do whatever it takes to bring these terrorists to justice".

Is justice compassion? Challenging questions this week, but first






                          Thought for the day

                                  Where vision vanishes 
                                   The people perish

                                      The Book of Proverbs








Seems people respond to terrorism in quite a few different ways.

Base instinct
Lashing out. “Let’s nuke the buggers!” Some sort of retribution. Revenge. The notion that reciprocal violence is more than justified. More than warranted. Heavy-duty retribution.

Maybe if we kill enough of them, it will stop. If not, at least we will feel avenged.

Really? Yes really. Throughout history this has been the common approach. The base instinct unleashed.

Problem is that centuries of history would indicate this approach has limited long-term benefits. You could make the case for the odd war halting mass aggression, but the general trend? Violence begets more violence. Pity really when violence seems to appeal to so many.

Fear
Terrorists thrive on fear. It is the stated purpose. Disrupt with fear. Use fear as a weapon.

Successful? Often. One can easily imagine life will change rapidly in France. And many other places as well, as the fear of terrorist acts is fuelled by terrorist acts. Some become paralysed, some despair. Some drift into apathy while others descend into depression.

Others use fear to drive the aggression. The base instincts thrive on fear. A culture changes. Terrorists have their day.

Intellectual override
“It is genuinely sad so many were killed in Paris. But think about it. Each week in Australia, around 1,000 people die of cancer. In the last month across Australia, around 100 people died in car accidents. In Africa, cannot even begin to think how many people are dying right now of starvation or violence.

“Chance of being caught up in a terrorist attack? Very slim. Relative risk? Very small. No need to worry. Put it out of mind”.

Could be true.

Could work.

Satisfying???

Transform our way of thinking
Let us hope. It is highly probable that our own chance of becoming caught up in a terrorist attack is very small. So what to do? What happens in our own mind and how can we transform those common and fairly natural base instincts and destructive emotions into something more constructive.

Start with understanding
All human beings are basically the same.

Most human beings are concerned for their survival, the survival of their family and friends; and they all want happiness, whatever that means for each one of us. This we all share in common.

With terrorists, it is easy to think of them as something very different. Something very different from us. So it can be a real challenge to make the effort to recognise that they too are human beings. Just like us.

It can be a start.

Put yourself in the others shoes (or shoe as the case may be)
How does a fellow human being come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do with their precious human life is to strap explosives to their precious human body, walk into a crowd of fellow precious human beings and blow self and other into pieces?

Crazy?

Maybe. Could well be. But people seem to do it regularly. In a calm, premeditated way. How so?

If we make the effort to put ourselves in the others shoes, to contemplate the sort of life, the sort of life experiences that leads to the conclusion that becoming a human bomb or that shooting others at random makes sense; if we take time to really contemplate how that happens, maybe we move closer towards some deeper understanding…. Then we may have the beginnings of a real solution.

Practise compassion 
“Passive” compassion
We can pray. Many do. Many feel its benefits.

Many make the effort to resist the base instinct responses of fear and aggression. They think of peace. Talk of peace. Dream of peace. Maybe pray. Maybe just hope.

Calling all this “passive” compassion is not to denigrate these aspirations, just to speak of these being personal internal responses. Maybe a little passive. But maybe quite potent as well.

“Active” compassion
Become involved in efforts to build understanding, community, peace.

What does this mean in your own community. What about in your own family? What about in our own hearts?


 We can never impose peace on the world. A peaceful world will only ever exist when each individual human being has found peace in their own heart. When we have a world full of peaceful people, we will have a peaceful world.

So world peace starts within the hearts of each and every one of us. We can all make a difference.


So what can we do to become more peaceful within ourselves?

Contemplate the violence in our own lives and do what we can to be free of it. Is there any way we can live our own life more peacefully? Something we can do that is a concerted, peaceful act?

Not speaking hatefully would be helpful. Not breeding more fear. Do what we can to be understanding. Be vigilant not to generalise or stereotype particular sectors of our community. Really feel compassion for the bulk of Muslims who are just like us, very decent human beings, and go out of our way to help them deal with the implications and ramifications of terrorist issues and what must be an extremely difficult situation for them, just as it is for many human beings at present. Smile at others. Smile at others.

Consider what community activities we can become involved in that foster peace and build good relationships locally.

Consider supporting groups that make a business of peace. Donate. Give time. Offer support.

Speak with politicians. If ever there was a time for a measured response to an issue that affects most of us, this is now. Please, lets move past attempting to solve violence with more violence. This is a time for peace.

What then of justice?
Is compassion and an aspiration for peace incompatible with justice. Not at all. But true justice does not carry hate or revenge or retribution. Justice is warranted and needed as part of what deals with terrorism; but measured justice, not fury disguised as something else.

Finally, in response to terrorism, maybe we can acknowledge how fortunate most of us reading this really are. We live in free countries. We have personal freedoms. We have a choice of responses. Makes how we respond even more important. And significant.

How cancer forms and 7 things your own body can do about it

It comes as no surprise to know many people are deeply scared by cancer. For many, just about everything about it is one big scary mystery.

Yet science can tell us a good deal about why and how cancer develops, and better still, tell us about the multiple defenses our own bodies have against it. Great information on which to base a personal prevention or treatment program.

So this week, how we can work with the body to prevent or recover from cancer. Great information – please share and in doing so, reduce the fears and help raise confidence in our own bodies, our own capacities to prevent and recover from cancer.

This blog comes amidst the series of posts related to my personal retreat these past 3 months; next week, the next exciting episode! But first

            Thought for the day

Basketball is an intricate, high-speed game 
filled with split-second, spontaneous decisions. 
But that spontaneity is possible 
only when everyone first engages in hours 
of highly repetitive and structured practice
- perfecting their shooting, dribbling, 
and passing and running plays 
over and over again
- and agrees to play a carefully defined role on the court.

            Spontaneity is not random. 

                                  Malcolm Gladwell


Cancer genesis
Cancer cells form in the body after normal cells undergo damage to specific genes called oncogenes. When a cell in the body reproduces itself, it is the oncogenes that determine whether the new cell will become a healthy one or a cancer cell.

All cell lines – such as skin cells, breast cells, prostate cells and so on, have their own specific oncogenes. There are usually 2 to 4 of them and it takes a series of damages to convert a healthy oncogene into one that will cause cancer.

The causes of cancer
Research tells us that most of what causes this genetic damage is related to our lifestyle – what we eat, whether we smoke or not and so on. More details are in You Can Conquer Cancer. Obviously, avoiding the causes is the key to cancer prevention.

Our body’s defenses
However, even when oncogenes are damaged and activated, clinical cancer is not always the result. Many scientists are of the view that this genetic damage is occurring on a daily basis in everyone's body and the most conservative view is that potential cancer cells form at least 40 times during our lifetime.

Clearly, not everyone develops cancer and this is because the body has its own series of defenses that are designed to recognize potential cancer cells and destroy them before they become a problem.

Genes that repair genes
One of the first ways the body does this is that it has genes that actually have the job of repairing damaged genes.

Front line defense
Next, the immune system is the body’s front line defense system. It has many responsibilities including recognizing unhealthy tissue within the body, destroying or removing unhealthy tissue and restoring health.

Camouflage
With cancer, this is much easier when potential cancer masses are quite small, as one thing cancer does as it grows is to coat itself with what is effectively a camouflage layer that makes it difficult or impossible for the immune system to recognize it as a problem. Anything that disrupts this “camouflage”, opens the cancer to direct attack from the immune system.

Angiogenesis
Another critical issue for cancer to grow and become larger is that it needs to develop its own blood supply. This process is called angiogenesis and anything that disrupts it weakens the cancer. If angiogenesis is halted, the cancer is starved of nutrients and dies.

Metabolic disruption
Once cancer has developed into a significant mass, it has its own metabolic needs. Anything that disrupts this metabolism can weaken the cancer and if the disruption is severe enough, it will kill it.

A useful metaphor here comes from the garden where plants have their own preferences. For example, camellias thrive in acid soil and are severely weakened or die when planted in alkaline soils.

In much the same way, changing the milieu in the body, manipulating the metabolic environment in the body through things like therapeutic nutrition can have a direct influence on cancer cells.

Many of the ways in which therapeutic lifestyle approaches influence cancer can be explained by how they influence the above factors.

New biologically elegant treatments target the above factors, for example:

1. A great deal of research is going into how to reverse oncogene damage and switch the oncogenes back to normal.

2. Treatments aimed at enhancing immune function have been around for many years and continue to be actively researched.

3. Promising research has found a major protein that builds the cancer’s camouflage and targeted immunology offers the possibility of removing it, laying the cancer open to be recognized and attacked by our immune system.

4. Anti-angiogenesis agents are called angiostatins and some of these are already being used clinically while further research continues.

5. Many new targeted therapies aim to disrupt cancer’s metabolism.

Application through 
guided imagery

An understanding of how cancer develops is also very helpful for people aiming to use guided imagery and this is a large and exciting topic in its own right.

But as just one example, we know that in hypnotherapy the mind can be trained to stop bleeding.

If that same principle were to be used to stop blood flow to a tumour (ie to have an angiostatic effect and reverse what is shown in the above diagram), that tumour would be destroyed very quickly.

Exciting possibilities…. That are at the heart of what we call "Accelerated Healing" - see the related blogs below.

RESOURCES
BOOKS
You Can Conquer Cancer , Ian Gawler - chapters on causes of cancer, therapeutic nutrition and lifestyle, and guided imagery.

The Mind that Changes Everything , Ian Gawler – details on guided imagery

CD or Download
The Gawler Cancer Program – has all the above information plus more that you can share or listen to over and over to help with understanding and confidence.

RELATED BLOGS
Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 1

Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 2

NOTICEBOARD

The last meditation retreat and more specific cancer residential program Ruth and I will present in 2015 are both rapidly approaching. Both are in fabulous New Zealand :) 

Details of all coming programs  are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are these next two:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

Alcohol and cancer risk

Is the odd glass of beer likely to give you cancer? What about a couple of glasses of wine regularly over a meal? The research has very clear and possibly disturbing answers on this, so this week we investigate what alcohol is, what it does in our bodies and important questions like does red wine prevent cancer?

Then there is some breaking news on the subject, and my old friend and valued colleague Dr Nimrod Sheinman returns to present around Australia (see the Events Section below) but first,



                           Thought for the day

                  The world is too much with us.
                   Getting and spending,
                     We lay waste our powers.

                                       William Wordsworth




In an earlier blog we examined the alcoholic content of various drinks and their impact on health generally. That blog came with general recommendations for the consumption of alcohol generally and may well be worth revisiting (see the link below), but this time we investigate the specific connections between alcohol, cancer and stress; connections that make for fascinating reading.


What is alcohol ?
Alcohol is actually the common term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol, a chemical produced by the fermentation of sugars and starches by yeast.

We drink it in beer, wine, and liquor, and it is commonly found in medicines, mouthwashes, household products, and essential oils.

What is the evidence that drinking alcohol is a cause of cancer?
The evidence is very strong.

Research shows that heavy or even regular alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity (excluding the lips), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), oesophagus, liver, breast, colon, and rectum, while the risk of developing cancer increases the more alcohol a person drinks.


The National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen – cause of cancer. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of all cancer deaths in the United States are alcohol related.

The Million Women Study in the United Kingdom provided a more recent, and slightly higher, estimate of breast cancer risk at low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption: every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day was associated with a 12% increase in the risk of breast cancer.

However, for two cancers – renal cell (kidney) cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) - multiple studies have shown that increased alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. A meta-analysis of the NHL studies found a 15 % lower risk of NHL among alcohol drinkers. The mechanisms by which alcohol consumption would decrease the risks of either renal cell cancer or NHL are not understood.

How does alcohol increase the risk of cancer?
Here are some of the many ways that have been identified

1. The ethanol in alcoholic drinks is metabolised into acetaldehyde, which is a probable human carcinogen that can damage both DNA and proteins.

2. Alcohol generates reactive oxygen molecules that can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids (fats) through oxidation.

3. Alcohol impairs the body’s ability to break down and absorb a variety of nutrients that are cancer protective including Vit A, the Vit B complex, Vits C, D and E, folate and carotenoids.

4. Alcohol increases blood levels of oestrogen, the female sex hormone linked to the risk of breast cancer.

5. Alcoholic drinks may also contain a variety of carcinogenic contaminants that are introduced during fermentation and production, such as nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, phenols and asbestos fibres.

How does the combination of alcohol and tobacco affect cancer risk?


Again the research is clear. Those who use both alcohol and tobacco have a much greater risk of developing cancers than people who use either alcohol or tobacco alone.

In fact, for oral and pharyngeal cancers the risks associated with using both alcohol and tobacco are multiplicative; that is, they are greater than would be expected from adding the individual risks associated with alcohol and tobacco together.


How do a person’s genes affect their risk of alcohol-related cancers?
A person’s risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer is influenced by the genes that encode (and regulate) enzymes involved in metabolizing alcohol.

For example, one way the body metabolizes alcohol is through the activity of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH. Many individuals of Chinese, Korean, and especially Japanese descent carry a version of the gene for ADH that codes for a "superactive" form of the enzyme that speeds the conversion of alcohol to toxic acetaldehyde. As a result, when people who have the superactive enzyme drink alcohol, acetaldehyde builds up and this results in a higher risk of pancreatic cancer.

Another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), metabolizes toxic acetaldehyde to non-toxic substances. Some people, particularly those of East Asian descent, carry a variant of the gene for ALDH2 that codes for a defective form of the enzyme. In people who have the defective enzyme, acetaldehyde builds up when they drink alcohol.

The accumulation of acetaldehyde has such unpleasant effects (including facial flushing and heart palpitations) that most people who have the ALDH2 variant are unable to drink large amounts of alcohol. Therefore, most people with the defective form of ALDH2 have a low risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.

However, some individuals with the defective form of ALDH2 can become tolerant to the unpleasant effects of acetaldehyde and consume large amounts of alcohol. Epidemiologic studies have shown that such people have a higher risk of alcohol-related cancers.

Can drinking red wine help prevent cancer?
Laboratory research has found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol have anticancer properties. Grapes, raspberries, peanuts, and some other plants also contain resveratrol. However, clinical trials in humans have not provided evidence that resveratrol is effective in preventing or treating cancer.

Breaking news - the latest research findings

Even Modest Drinking Increases Breast Cancer Risk Having just one drink per day increases breast cancer risk, according to a study just published in the British Medical Journal.  For women, having just one alcoholic drink per day increased the risk for alcohol-related cancers (mainly breast cancer) by 13 percent, compared with those who consumed no alcohol. Many previous studies have found moderate alcohol intake increases breast cancer risk. Among men, colorectal cancer was the principal alcohol-related cancer.   References: Cao Y, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Giovannuci EL. Light to moderate intake of alcohol, drinking patterns, and risk of cancer: results from two prospective US cohort studies. BMJ. 2015;351:h4238. Scoccianti C, Lauby-Secretan B, Bello PY, Chajes V, Romieu I. Female breast cancer and alcohol consumption: a review of the literature. Am J Prev Med. 2014;46:S16-S25.

What I do
I gave up alcohol when diagnosed with cancer and continued to be an alcohol free zone for around 20 years. Then it seemed I was avoiding alcohol more out of habit than good reason, given that in my view modest amounts occasionally are not problematic and it is often easier in social situations to have a little; and I do like a cold beer on a hot day and an occasional glass of good wine.

The beer I drink at home is the Coopers brand, Birrell’s. It is very low alcohol, tastes great and is bought off the shelf in the Supermarket (due to its 0.5% alcohol content).

When out I usually drink Cooper’s Light as it is low alcohol and naturally brewed and Birrells is not usually sold at restaurants and the like. Artificially brewed beers have a strong association with increased risks of bowel cancer.

So I am not wanting to sound like a wowser, but Ruth and I often share one glass of wine between ourselves when we eat out, and often do not actually finish it all.

Recommendations
Everyone knows moderation makes sense. Alcohol free days are really helpful if you are drinking regularly.

And do remember to drink responsibly :)

Enjoy!

RELATED BLOGS
Alcohol, health and wellbeing

A volatile mix – stress, epigenetics and cancer

NOTICEBOARD

Details of all coming programs Ruth and I will be presenting are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are the next few:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND     October  2015     Monday 12th to Friday 16th 

Finding peace in the Healing Process

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Cancer Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers themselves.

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, experience and wisdom of Ian and Ruth, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here 

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

DR NIMROD SHEINMAN RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA 
for a highly recommended series of presentations

Please help spread the word and help distribute the events

- October 8th, Mindfulness in Education, Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, Melbourne.

 http://www.bastow.vic.edu.au/Documents/Flyers/TWILEducationAwarenessNSheinmanOct15FINAL2.pdf

- October 8th, Mindfulness-based Therapy in Paediatric Care, National Institute for Integrative Medicine, Melbourne.

http://www.niim.com.au/events/mindfulness-based-therapy-paediatric-care

- October 12th, University of Canberra, School of Education

- October 14-15th, Nan Tien Institure (near Sydney)

- October 17th, Mindfulness With Children – Empowering Resilience, Emotional Intelligence

and Wellness, The Relaxation Centre, Brisbane. 

http://www.relaxationcentreqld.com.au/presenters/dr-nimrod-sheinman/

The top 5 Advances in Modern Oncology

What would you consider to be the top recent advances in the world of cancer?

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the society prepared a list of the most significant clinical cancer advances in modern oncology.

It then invited physicians, patients, and the public to vote for what they considered to be the top 5 advances in the last 50 years. The votes are now in. Take a moment and reflect, what would you have chosen???

Well, this week we go Out on a Limb once more and reveal what ASCO decided they are, but first





        Thought for the day


                The future begins today


                       Wayne Gerard Trotman
                       British filmmaker, writer





So here they are. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has revealed what it describes as the "Top 5 Advances in Modern Oncology.”

1. Chemotherapy cures advanced Hodgkin lymphoma
In 1965 came the first chemotherapy breakthrough for advanced cancer in adults, when a 4-drug combination chemotherapy regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, mechlorethamine, and prednisone, known as MOPP) induced long-term remissions in more than half of patients with aggressive Hodgkin lymphoma.

This regimen quickly became standard treatment, but in the 1970s, a different 4-drug combination (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine, known as ABVD) proved even more effective, curing about 70% of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. The ABVD combination remains a mainstay of treatment today, ASCO comments.

It adds that the 1965 discovery of MOPP "sparked the first hope that advanced cancers could be cured with drug treatment, and paved the way for 90% cure rates for patients with this disease (Hodgkin lymphoma) today."

2. HPV vaccine approved to prevent cervical cancer
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, Gardasil, which protects against the two strains of HPV (16 and 18) known to cause 70% of cervical cancers, as well as two other HPV strains (6 and 11) associated with genital warts.

Another HPV vaccine, Ceravix, which protects against the 2 strains linked to cervical cancer (16 and 18), was approved in 2009. Gardasil was first approved for the prevention of HPV-related cervical cancer, but this later expanded to include prevention of additional HPV-related diseases, including vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancers in women, and anal cancer and genital warts in men.

ASCO adds that studies have also linked HPV infection to head and neck cancers, suggesting that the vaccine may help prevent these cancers as well. "Widespread vaccination, if fully implemented, stands to drive dramatic reductions in cervical and other HPV-related cancers in the US and worldwide," it adds.

3. Targeted drug transforms treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia
In 2001, the rapid FDA review and approval of imatinib (Gleevec) dramatically changed the treatment of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

This easy-to-take daily pill ― which targets a molecular defect (the Philadephia chromosome) present in nearly all patients with CML ― turned a disease with almost no long-term survivors into one with 5-year survival rates of 90%, ASCO comments. It also ushered in a new era of successful research on molecularly targeted treatments for many more cancers.

4. Chemotherapy cures men with testicular cancer
In 1977 came the pivotal trial showing that the 3-drug chemotherapy regimen known as PVB
(cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin) produced complete remissions and some cures for more than 70% of men with advanced testicular cancer. Earlier chemotherapy treatments worked in just 5% of men, ASCO notes.

This combination regimen, coupled with later surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy advances, has made testicular cancer "one of the most curable cancers and one of oncology's biggest success stories."

5. Powerful antinausea drugs dramatically improve many patients' quality of life
In 1991, the FDA approval of the antinausea drug ondansetron (Zofran), as well as other supportive-care drugs in the following years, have together dramatically changed the experience of cancer treatment, bringing unprecedented improvements to patients' quality of life, ASCO comments.

Ondansetron, a 5HT3 receptor antagonist, works by deactivating the nervous system's natural trigger for vomiting, and other similar drugs were also soon approved, including granisetron (Kytril), dolasetron (Anzemet) and palonosetron (Aloxi).

These and other antinausea drugs, like aprepitant (Emend), which is a substance P/neurokinin 1 antagonist, allow most cancer patients to receive chemotherapy in an outpatient setting, with minimal disruption to their daily routines, ASCO commented.

"These drugs not only bring relief from intense, treatment-induced nausea, but make it possible for patients to avoid once-routine hospital stays, complete their full course of treatment, and live longer and better lives," it added.

Editor’s comment
Nothing here directly related to any of the most common cancers – breast, prostate, lung, bowel etc; and nothing from recent years. No studies on long-term survivors. No recognition of any Lifestyle Medicine benefits (nutrition, power of the mind, meditation, exercise etc).

Ever wonder how well all those research dollars are really being spent ? Or is this a sample that reflects a bias? What do you think?  What would be in your top 5? Add a comment below....

Reference: Click here

NOTICEBOARD

Details of all coming programs Ruth and I will be presenting are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are the next few:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND     October  2015     Monday 12th to Friday 16th 

Finding peace in the Healing Process

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

FULL DETAILS Click here 



MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

FULL DETAILS Click here

A volatile mix - stress, epigenetics and alcohol

Know anyone prone to drinking more alcohol when under stress? Talks about how the alcohol relieves the pressure? Just feels better after a glass or two?

May seem innocent enough, but this week we examine new research that demonstrates how the combination of stress and alcohol can lead to genetic changes that in turn explain how some people tip over into alcoholism, but first


               Thought for the day

         If we could read the secret history of our enemies,

        We should find in each man's life 
        Sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

                      Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 





We all know that stress, whether acute or chronic does not feel good.

We also know that if the stress we are under exceeds our capacity to cope; then that type of stress can lead to alterations in mood and increased anxiety that may eventually result in the development of stress-related mental and physical disorders.

Dysphoria is a medical term that describes “a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life”. Dysphoria is what many people feel when over-run with stress or anxiety.

Now, here is the thing. Alcohol is known to temporarily relieve feelings of dysphoria for many people. Some call this “self medication” and alcohol certainly works to that effect. But while on the surface, this self medication might seem harmless enough - having a quiet drink to settle the mind – there is a deeper and more sinister issue.

It turns out that the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption is meditated in part by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that regulates both the structure and function of nerve synapses - the point where two nerve cells interact and exchange nerve signals, and numerous other physiological processes. BDNF itself is regulated by genes that in turn can be affected by alcohol consumption.



Apparently, when alcohol is drunk with the intention of alleviating the unpleasant feelings of dysphoria, it causes epigenetic changes that in turn affect the complex control of BDNF.

The more alcohol that is drunk, the less functional BDNF becomes and so the need develops to drink more alcohol to achieve the same level of relief from dysphoria.

This can tip the unwary into a vicious cycle that can lead to alcoholism.

When talking of epigenetics here, we are describing the regulation of genetic information without modification of the core DNA sequence. Epigenetics in this situation can affect the complex control of BDNF signalling and synaptic plasticity - for example, by modifying the structure of the DNA–protein complexes such as chromatin, that make up the chromosomes and thereby modulate the expression of certain genes.

While these studies that are clarifying the mechanisms behind the epigenetic control of BDNF signalling and synaptic plasticity are offering some real insight into the mechanisms mediating the interaction between stress and alcoholism, they clearly come with a warning.



The body is so extra-ordinary, and so packed with its own wisdom.

While alcohol may relieve those early feelings of discomfort that come from stress and anxiety, clearly it comes with a very real risk; as shown here, a slippery slope type of risk.

Happily, given the chance, the body – and the mind - can learn to manage stress and anxiety much more effectively.

Another great reason to meditate regularly!

And more evidence of epigenetics - how your genes are not static, but are directly affected by the environment they are placed in - with positive or negative effects depending upon that interaction between the genes you were given and the environment created for them.

Primary Reference 
Moonat,S., and Pandey, SC. Stress, Epigenetics, and Alcoholism; Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, Volume 34, Issue Number 4

NOTICEBOARD
COMING RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
Currently, Ruth and I are concentrating much of our working time on preparing and presenting residential programs.

MEDITATION RETREATS
We lead meditation retreats for anyone interested in a more immersive experience of meditation. Whether as a beginner or an experienced meditator, there is nothing like taking time out from the busyness of daily life, receiving some instruction, being guided into meditation and then having a solid period of time to develop and deepen your own practice.

These programs can be well suited to people who teach meditation and want to learn more, or for those aspiring to become meditation teachers. Attending our meditation retreats may count towards the requirements to become qualified as a member of the Meditation Association of Australia (the re-named ATMA), please check for the specific program you are interested in.

CANCER PROGRAMS
We also lead more specific programs for people dealing with cancer. Again, whether you are dealing with cancer personally, or are supporting someone going through cancer, it can be invaluable to take the uninterrupted opportunity that a residential program offers to learn and experience what can be done through your own combined efforts.

All the important Lifestyle Medicine factors are addressed in depth – accelerated healing, therapeutic nutrition, suitable types of exercise, healthy, healing emotions, the power of the mind and of course, meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery.

Two types of cancer programs are presented. The first are open to everyone affected by cancer and are held in New Zealand. These programs are comprehensive in that they cover the full program and are suitable for people new to this approach or the more experienced. There is an 8 day and a 5 day version of this program to choose from.

Then there are more specific follow-up programs that we present for the Gawler Cancer Foundation in the Yarra Valley. These are tailor-made to meet the needs of people who have attended a previous “Gawler” program, either at the Foundation itself, with Ruth or myself, or one of the groups linked with the Foundation that is presenting its style of program.

THE VENUES
We have gone to some lengths to ensure that all these residential programs can be presented in beautiful environments, where the amenities are suitable and where the food is consistent with our principles and prepared lovingly with great taste. As we know, healthy food is not only good for you, but can taste terrific!

Details of the programs coming up in the not-to-distant future are below, while more comprehensive details are on the website: www.iangawler.com/events

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND     October  2015     Monday 12th to Friday 16th 

Finding peace in the Healing Process

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Cancer Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers themselves.

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, experience and wisdom of Ian and Ruth, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here 

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

Important information you really need to know – and share

Most who read this blog will be aware I am in the midst of an extended meditation retreat. However, after a fairly intense 3 weeks, during a free day two new pieces of research came to my attention that I feel must be addressed. They highlight a situation that has caused me increasing distress over recent years.

Fact is this is information you may will benefit from knowing and reflecting upon well in advance as the evidence shows people who are unfortunate enough to get into this situation, in the heat of the moment often make the wrong choice with serious, adverse consequences. Please do share this information with those you care for,

But first

     Thought for the day

            There is no way to not do this practice                              perfectly

            It is just this…
            Sitting; 
            Open;
            Spacious; 
            Aware;
            In the present moment.
            Just this

                         From the retreat


It is hard to say how often I have heard this, but it is very common. “We could try some chemotherapy…. “

Patients with end-stage cancer often receive chemotherapy, under the assumption that it will improve their quality of life or may even extend survival. However, 2 new major pieces of research have found quite the opposite – quality of life was worse with no benefit to overall survival.

For years it has been disturbing to watch as people in reasonable health but with advanced cancer were doing OK, only to be offered chemo. Often the statement was “You are doing so well now, why don’t we try some chemo”.

Understandably, it is extremely difficult for many people to resist this offer. Commonly it comes with big pressure from family and friends who, according to experience that is backed up by research, are like many patients and mistakenly believe the chemo will extend life as well as improve quality of life.

However, the American Society for Clinical Oncology recently identified end of life chemotherapy as one of the “top five” practices that could improve patients’ care and reduce costs, if stopped. This is confirmed by these two important research findings which themselves confirm earlier research.

The first, in the British Medical Journal concluded chemotherapy given to terminally ill cancer patients months before death was associated with no improvement in survival times, higher levels of intensive medical care (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or both) in the last week of life, higher probability of dying in an intensive care unit and less chance of dying in preferred place of death, like at home.


This is something we need to know of well in advance, because in the heat of the moment - at the end of life, people often opt for chemo and suffer unnecessarily.

Not to say chemo is not useful at other times, but there is a need to be very selective late in life.

In fact, the statistics show most chemo is given palliatively.


The lead researcher Dr. Prigerson believes that the use of chemotherapy at the end of life, and conversation about it, needs reforming. "The term palliative chemotherapy is disingenuous," she told Medscape Medical News in an interview. "There is a negative side to chemotherapy; it makes you sicker."

The second piece of research just published in JAMA Oncology adds more vital information. Lead author Prof. Holly G. Prigerson from Cornell said "If this so-called palliative chemotherapy is given to improve their symptoms, then these data should give them pause that it's not going to help."

Of particular significance, these findings indicate that patients with good performance status (this is medical speak for being reasonably well) were the ones most likely to receive chemotherapy near the end of life, she said in an interview.

"In our study, 100% of the patients who were feeling well and asymptomatic were being given chemotherapy," Dr Prigerson explained. "So the question is, why? Why would a person who was functioning well be given chemotherapy?"

Charles D. Blanke, MD, and Erik. K. Fromme, MD, suggest "If an oncologist suspects the death of a patient in the next 6 months, the default should be no active treatment. Let us help patients with metastatic cancer make good decisions. Let us not contribute to the suffering that cancer, and often associated therapy, brings, particularly at the end.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT
For years I have seen people adversely affected by this and now it seems a much needed correction may be coming...


I first wrote of this in 2006 when research began to emerge that reflected what was being observed amongst people in our groups (one short article and one longer, highly referenced one that was used as a basis for presenting at 2 major medical conferences that same year. They are on my website in the Information section and are still relevant - links below).

People who were managing their situation well with lifestyle therapies – good nutrition, positive thinking, meditation, working on their emotional health, relationships and state of mind, were being told they were doing much better than expected, so “Why don’t we try some chemo now? Do you want it?” Hard to resist in the climate we live in.

But then people would often be overrun by the side-effects. Eating well became problematic, meditation harder, state of mind affected, harder to be positive. And one medical intervention commonly led to another, often leading to tough last days.

So please share this information. While it may not be what some would like to hear, and maybe it is not a popular topic for conversation, it distresses me deeply to observe how often people who are managing advanced cancer well go into chemotherapy, only to be wiped out by it and die in difficult circumstances.

By contrast, there have been many people who have managed symptoms really well and died well, having carried through with the lifestyle approach and finding the stability and comfort that comes with consistent meditation.

Of course it would be wonderful if everyone survived cancer. But is highly possible to die well from it, in good circumstances, feeling that life has been completed. When this happens it makes it so much easier and better for family and friends as well.

Please share  ….

REFERENCES
Wright A A et al, Associations between palliative chemotherapy and adult cancer patients’ end of life care and place of death: prospective cohort study, BMJ 2014;348:g1219

Prigerson HD et al, Chemotherapy Use, Performance Status, and Quality of Life at the End of Life, JAMA Oncol. Published online July 23, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.2378

Chemotherapy: how much does it contribute to 5 year survival?  

Cancer, lifestyle and chemotherapy: A documented examination of the benefits and side effects of lifestyle factors and chemotherapy.


NEWS
The retreat goes well and I will write something of that at a future time. Many useful things to share coming from it…

NOTICEBOARD

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 28 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

         Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
      Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation.

The special focus of this meditation retreat will be the theory and practise of contemplation

Full details, CLICK HERE



SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND     October  2015     Monday 12th to Friday 16th 

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Cancer Foundation in the Yarra Valley

FULL DETAILS  Click here 



MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

         Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
            - an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

FULL DETAILS Click here