Research Shows Promise in Reversing Type 1 Diabetes

by Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times  ●  June 25, 2011

"Preliminary experiments in a handful of people suggest that it might be possible to reverse Type 1 diabetes using an inexpensive vaccine to stop the immune system from attacking cells in the pancreas.

 Research in mice had already shown that the tuberculosis vaccine called BCG, prevents T cells from destroying insulin secreting cells, allowing the pancreas to regenerate and begin producing insulin again, curing the disease. Now tests with very low doses of the vaccine in humans show transient increases in insulin production."

The key player in the diabetes study is a protein of the immune system called tumor necrosis factor, or TNF. Studies by others have shown that if you increase levels of TNF in the blood, it will block other parts of the immune system that attack the body, especially the pancreas.  To raise TNF levels, Dr. Denise Faustman of Massachusetts General Hospital and her colleagues have been working with the BCG vaccine, known formally as Bacille Calmette-Guerin.  BCG has been used for more than 80 years in in relatively low doses to stimulate immunity against tuberculosis.

"If this is reproducible and correct, it could be a phenomenal finding," said Dr. Robert R. Henry of UC San Diego . . . It suggests that once the destructive immune response is controlled, the body has the capability to produce more insulin.” 

Read full article: http://dld.bz/ahPq2    

   More news:  http://www.faustmanlab.org/news/news_mc.html

                   Dr. Faustman’s Phase II clinical trial: http://www.faustmanlab.org/index.html

A new book from NorLights Press, A Cure for Emma, chronicles one mother’s quest to heal her child from type 1 diabetes. This is a story shared by millions of parents of diabetic children around the world; a story that becomes harsh reality for a new family every seven minutes. Proceeds from the book will help support Dr. Faustman's research.  

“The Faustman Lab is proud to support Julie Colvin and her ongoing efforts to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes. Our hope is that this book will shed light on the issues surrounding this disease, and facilitate the advancement of a cure.”

~ Dr. Denise Faustman – Director Immunobiology Laboratory, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

A Cure for Emma

  NorLights Press Announces the Release of A Cure for Emma: 


A Cure for Emma chronicles one mother’s quest to heal her child from a life threatening disease. This is a story shared by millions of parents of diabetic children around the world; a story that becomes a harsh reality for a new family every seven minutes.

A Cure for Emma is also a spiritual look at one woman’s journey from despair to hope.

It took the diagnosis of an incurable disease for her seven-year-old daughter—the fourth catastrophe in one year—to grab Julie Colvin by the shoulders.  This turning point, this “cry uncle” moment made her see the vibrational boomerangs she’d been sending into the universe.

Writing with humor and honesty, this devoted mother offers a warm, revealing look at the spiritual questions disease forces into one’s life.  We follow Julie’s quest to cut a deal with her analytical, scientifically-trained mind and investigate a world that could not be proven in a lab.  While seeking a cure for Emma, she risks everything, including her marriage, to follow a path of discovery and wonder.   

Quantum physics tell us there are many possible outcomes of reality at any given moment. If we are all connected to the energy of the universe, then anything should be possible. This courageous book about personal transformation will touch the lives of anyone who struggles to find health, happiness, and balance in this fast-paced, evolving world.


Look inside the book and watch a video at: www.acureforemma.info


What people are saying: 


Jenny McCarthy – comedian, actress, model, author, activist:


“From one Mother Warrior to another, I have deep respect and compassion for Julie’s brave and loving journey in search of a cure for her daughter, Emma. There is nothing more powerful than mommy intuition and perseverance as one travels down this difficult, uncharted road. I commend Julie for her tenacity and dedication. You go girl! Much love and best wishes with your journey and your book.”    

Denise Jonas – Mother of Nick Jonas – singer, songwriter, musician and actor

“Thank you, Julie, for your contribution towards our shared goal to find a cure for our children. I wish you much success with your book A Cure for Emma, and look forward to the day all T1 families can celebrate the successful outcome of this goal.”

How to Build a Winning Brand: Image Is Everything--For Everyone

Craig Reiss of Entrepreneur Magazine interviews Maria Ross, branding expert and author of Branding Basics for Small Business.

Why does a plumber need a brand? Isn't that for companies like Coke? That actually stems from the misconception about what brand means. It's your impression, your reputation--it's the mindshare you occupy in a customer or client's mind. Do they file you under high-end, expensive luxury brands? Do they file you under cheap and convenient? It doesn't matter what size company you have. Branding is about the impression that will best help you reach your goals and serve your audience. I just sell stuff. How do I figure out what my brand should be? Determining your brand is a combination of things. What can you authentically deliver? You can't go out and say you're innovative and high-tech if that's not what you deliver. Who is your target audience? That's one where small businesses fall down. Pinpoint who your audience is and figure out what will appeal to that audience. You also need to look at your competitors and decide where you want to fit. Do you want to zag when they zig? Maybe there's an opportunity to stand out.

How do I communicate brand? Brand is every single customer touch point you have, from your voicemail message to how you pack a bag if you're a retail shop, to how your store is laid out, the colors that you use, the imagery you project, the quality of your staff and how they treat customers. It's a lot more than just posters and advertising.

That all sounds good in theory. Give us an example. One of my clients is Alinga Bodywork, a small massage and energy work practice. It was a typical story: She designed a website quickly herself and put up a logo. She wanted to charge a little bit of a premium for her services, but it didn't attract the right people. That template website-in-a-box doesn't communicate that. We worked through what made her unique and what benefits she offers--what she can claim that other people can't. She saw an uptick in her business, and she was able to move into a larger space and grow her practice.

What else can brand do? I know a soda company that used its brand strategy as a litmus test, and turned Wal-Mart down when they came calling because they thought it would tarnish their brand. They will be partnering with Target, which is closer to their brand strategy. Questions like who to partner with, where to distribute, who to hire--brand strategy can serve as a guide for all of those decisions.

Find this article at: http://dld.bz/U6x7

The Call of the Land and Pesticides

Yesterday on his blog, author Steven McFadden posted a shocking story about the pesticide glyphosate (found in RoundUp) and the discovery of a new pathogen moving up the food chain. McFadden's story comes from Don M. Huber PhD, emeritus soil scientist of Purdue University and a retired U. S. Army Colonel who served as an intelligence analyst for 41 years.

"Most dramatically, Huber reported on what he described as a newly discovered pathogen. While the pathogen is not new to the environment, Huber said, it is new to science. It can be observed only via an electron microscope operating at 38,000 power of magnification. It has yet to be phenotyped or named, though that work is almost complete and will be announced in a matter of weeks.

This pathogen apparently increases in soil treated with glyphosate, he said, and is then taken up by plants, later transmitted to animals via their feed, and onward to human beings by the plants and meat they consume.

More than 155 million acres of cropland were treated with glyphosate during the 2008 growing season, and even more by now. Subsequently, Huber said, this chemical is having a sweeping impact on the food chain.

It can be observed only via an electron microscope operating at 38,000 power of magnification. It has yet to be phenotyped or named, though that work is almost complete and will be announced in a matter of weeks.

Huber warned that ignoring these emerging realities may have dire consequences for agriculture, such as rendering soils infertile, crops non-productive, and plants less nutritious. It could also, and apparently already is, compromising the health and well-being of animals and humans.

Huber has become the focus of tremendous pushback. His message of urgent concern and the need for delay until more research was completed is unwelcome in many corporate and university citadels, and is deemed heresy by some vested in the multi-billion dollar industry of GMO crops.

The list of diseases Huber suspects may be affected by glyphosate and the new pathogen is increasing as growers and pathologists recognize the cause-effect relationship:

• Increase in cancers of the liver, thyroid, kidneys, tests, and skin melanomas.
• Increase in allergic reactions in general, and an increase of up to 50% in soybean allergies in the USA in the last three years.
• Increase on an epidemic-scale in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps as much as 9,000% over the last 30 years. Specialists say they expect the incidence of Alzhiemer’s to spike far higher over the next four years
• Increase in the incidence of Parkinson’s disease, which researchers say, is being provoked in part by the factor of chemical pesticides."

• I, for one, will be following this story! For more information: http://dld.bz/Utg4
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Kentucky Moon

eBook: Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Apple iPad, Diesel

Print:

In the hollows of eastern Kentucky, nurse Liz Campbell loses Porter, her songwriting boyfriend, to a red-haired floozie from Nashville. The last person she expects to fall in love with is Jake Larsen — an uptight executive from the opposite end of the country. Sparks fly as Liz, Jake, and Porter come together in the strangest love triangle Clay City, Kentucky has ever seen.

Set amid the splendor of the Appalachian mountains, Kentucky Moon is a tender story, well grounded in descriptive imagery that anchors the story in time and place, with real characters that tug at the heart. It’s a story about trust, the power of love, and small miracles that can change lives forever.