Posts classified under: From Founder

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Habit is the body’s routine reaction. It is part of the subconscious and completely bypasses the conscious mind. Habit comes from repetitive movements and repetitive emotional responses.

Learning to ride a bike is a familiar example. Initially you need to concentrate on riding and it may feel very unnatural. But after practising repeatedly, cycling becomes a habit. Without concentration, the body can operate automatically.

Similarly, repetitive emotional reactions form personality. If you do not pay special attention, you may think that it is innate and cannot be changed.

Among all the habits, eating habits are the most deeply rooted. It is also the most difficult to change. If you can change eating habits, it would be easy to change other habits. Chinese travelling abroad must find Chinese restaurants. A Chinese might not feel full after a meal without rice. A relative from Hunan travels with hot chili bean sauce. Another person from Hunan who has lived in the U.S. for years, still needs to eat specially prepared chili sauce at every meal. Without chilli, they cannot eat rice. Once on a plane, a passenger from India told me that her husband brought hot and sour sauce with him when he toured the United States.

When we are rigidly controlled by habit, it is very difficult to be objective in selecting a diet that is good for the body. Until the body is overburdened and becomes sick, then we will reconsider what is the right diet.

Last year, one of my neighbours hosted a Christmas Eve dinner. After the last guests departed at two o’ clock in the early morning, he had a heart attack. As it was Christmas Eve, he did not want to bother his friends and waited until early in the morning before going to the hospital. He was lucky not to die. He immediately collected information about the treatment of heart disease and found a newly listed documentary “Forks Over Knives” which gave a very detailed account of plantbased foods in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

This neighbour also found a book written by Dr Caldwell B. Esselstyn who advised the former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, in his diet after his heart attack. Mr Clinton completely changed his diet overnight. He became a vegan and eats a completely fat-free diet.

Due to his personal experience, my neighbour earnestly wanted to alert other people without health problems yet. He screened the documentary “Forks Over Knives” for the local residents to watch. Recently, his friend who was only 45 years old had a sudden heart attack and fell unconscious by the road. Fortunately, a doctor was passing by and saved him. An ambulance happened to be there and sent him to hospital. In the administering of emergency first aid, six of his ribs were broken. The hospital prepared for an operation which he refused. He went to Dr Esselstyn’s Cleveland Clinic that was introduced in the documentary to learn how to be a vegetarian.

The eating habit of Americans has changed dramatically in this century. Meat intake has nearly doubled. Sugar intake increased by nearly four times. And dairy intake increased more than two folds, prompting a significant increase in a variety of chronic diseases.

From 1996 to 2005, Americans who have three or more illnesses increased by 86%, diabetes increased by 90% and two-thirds of adults are obese. Obesity has doubled in children in these three decades. Diet can cause disease but it can also prevent and treat disease. The documentary tracked the lifelong research experience of a septuagenarian surgeon Dr Caldwell B. Esselstyn and scientist Dr T Colin Campbell.

Dr Esselstyn was a former surgeon who specialised in mastectomy. He found that surgery was not the answer and turned to study the cause of breast cancer. He noticed the critical role of diet and changed his job into using diet to save heart patients who were declared incurable. Some of them had undergone two or three surgeries and were waiting to die. Each and every one of his 24 patients were brought back to health.

When former US President Bill Clinton had a heart attack, Dr Esselstyn guided his change of diet. Prior to his sickness, Clinton would jog to a fast food restaurant near the White House to buy instant breakfast everyday. After his sickness, he became the most famous vegan and has publicly thanked veganism for saving his life.

Dr Campbell is a professor of Nutritional Biochemistry in Cornell University. He is best known for the study to explore the relationship between diet and health in joint cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and Oxford University. The conclusion from seven years of study based on statistics collected from 130 counties totalling 6500 people was that those villages that who ate more fruits and vegetables have the best health status. There is a correlation between animal protein, heart disease and cancer, especially casein from milk is carcinogenic.

Professor Campbell’s turning point was when he was in the Philippines counselling on child nutrition, particularly in the area of protein supplement. He observed that children from wealthy families had a higher than average incidence of liver cancer. Then he saw a research article from India where the author experimented on two groups of mice. Both groups of mice were exposed to aflatoxin (liver carcinogen). One group of mice was fed with a diet containing 5% casein, and the other group was fed with 20% casein. Twelve weeks later, the group that was on high-protein diet developed liver cancer, whereas the other group on a low protein diet did not have cancer. Professor Campbell returned to the U.S. and replicated the above experiment. The result was the same. He further experimented by switching the feed formula every three weeks. The group with the low protein diet (5%) was switched to a high protein diet (20%) and then switched back again to a low protein diet (5%). With a high protein diet, the mice began to develop liver cancer. When the diet was changed to low protein, the cancer stopped. Later in a study collaborated with China testing on humans, the result was consistent. Professor Campbell also switched to a vegan diet even though he grew up on a dairy farm and as a child his diet was mainly meat, eggs and milk.

Throughout these forty years, I also witnessed how a change of diet can cause cancer to disappear. During graduate school, I often visited H.H.I. which was founded by Dr Ann Wigmore and met people from all over the world who regained their health due to dietary changes.

In California’s Optimum Health Institute, there are many recovery cases, including one man who had many tumors growing along both sides of his spine and he regained his health in a short time. I also met a lady whose cancer in the neck disappeared after she changed to a vegetarian diet. But when she could not resist the family’s urgings, she began eating meat again especially fatty meat and the cancer came back on the other side of the neck.

The film also interviewed several other experts and a public health doctor Terry Mason. He himself is 98% vegan, and would occasionally eat one or two egg white. His dietary change was related to his profession – urology and erectile dysfunction. At a medical meeting, the cardiologist and urologist discovered that the cause of both diseases is the same. This is because the U.S. meat-based high-fat and highcalorie diet damaged the endothelial cells, which is the layer of cells that line the blood vessels, and thus injuring the heart and also harm the penis.

In the film “Forks Over Knives”, there are a few examples of recoveries. There were two heart disease patients who were declared terminal by doctors. Twenty-five years later, they are still alive and healthy. In the filming process, another two patients who have diabetes and hypertension regained their health when they changed their diet.

There was a patient who made a full recovery from breast cancer 30 years ago after going on a vegan diet. Before her illness, Dr. Ruth Heidrich, winner of many gold medals in long-distance running thought that she had a healthy diet, eating so-called “white meat”: chicken and fish and low-fat milk powder and milk. She ran for an hour every day. When she was 44 years old, she found a lump on the breast. After a check-up, the doctor told her it was benign. She went for another check-up three years later and the lump had grown very big. After surgery, the doctor found it to be invasive cancer that had already spread to the bones and lungs. She saw a newspaper item reporting that Dr John McDougall was looking for volunteers for research to study the use of food for treating cancer. During the interview, she thought that there was no problem with her diet and was surprised when Dr McDougall told her “that animal protein you have been consuming is the reason for your cancer.” She began a vegan diet and a few weeks later, her cancerous bone did not hurt anymore. She is now 77 years old, fully recovered and continues to compete in marathons around the world. She wrote several books on health, sharing her experience in health recovery.

Plant foods can make a person healthy and young and has been proven by DNA research. Dr. Dean Ornish, a cardiologist friend of former President Bill Clinton, found that after going on a vegetarian diet for three months, telomerase in telomeres which repair the chromosome increased by 30%. The longer the telomeres, the longer the life of cells. If there is not enough telomerase for cell repair, the cells will die.

Food and consciousness are closely related because the qi of food nourishes the consciousness which is how Dr Steiner, the anthroposophist viewed it. This is also the view of some enlightened practitioners. Organically grown and wild plants have lots of colours.

To achieve the best nourishment in a vegetarian diet, you need natural foods which are complete and not processed. The recipes in “Forks Over Knives” do not use any processed oil, white sugar, white rice and white flour, etc. Particularly, those suffering from heart disease and cancer should avoid processed oil.

Oil can be derived from seeds and nuts. Flaxseed and chia possess a wealth of Omega 3 fatty acid. Professor Campbell emphasised that only the Omega 3 derived from complete food is effective. The proportion of different fats is important, supplementing with a single fat does not have much effect. People living in different regions could use different foods that contain fat.

In Southeast Asia, it is best to use traditional coconut milk for cooking rice, vegetables and snacks. Other regions could use sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, cashews and pine nuts to make sauce, milk or powder.

The Chinese traditional diet is plant-based. In recent years, influences from the United States have resulted in huge consumption of meat, eggs and milk. As a result modern diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity have greatly increased.

“Forks Over Knives” very clearly showed the relationship between diet and disease. Dr Esselstyn’s eldest son, Rip Esselstyn is also a practising vegan. He wrote the bestseller “Engine 2 Diet” based on the stories of vegan recipes shared with his fellow fire-fighters. In 2003 he made a bet with a few fire-fighters to see who had the lowest level of cholesterol. The result was one of them had cholesterol so high that it was very dangerous. In order to help him, all of the fire-fighters went on a vegan diet. In a short time, the cholesterol level dropped from 344 to 196. Following that Rip started his own experiments. He found 58 volunteers from all walks of life to change to a vegan diet. After six weeks, everyone’s health had improved, cholesterol lowered and weight decreased.

If Chinese people return to a plant-based diet, there will be very big improvements in lowering the incidence of modern disease. Avoid deep-frying and pan frying with oil. Food must be cooked with less oil, less salt, less sugar and no MSG. For those with heart disease and cancer, it is best not to use any processed oil. Whenever I look at Chinese vegetarian recipes, I find it hard to bear. Each dish is either deep fried, stir fried or pan fried with added wine, MSG, sugar, salt and so on. This method of frying is not conducive to healing. Also avoid processed “vegetarian meat”, “vegetarian chicken” and “vegetarian fish”.

If you use tofu products, it must be made from organic soybeans which have been either sprouted or fermented. Traditional varieties such as black soybeans are better. If the gluten products have no preservatives and have undergone fermentation, a little amount can be eaten.

Many people are allergic to gluten in wheat, but after fermentation they are able to accept it. The Chinese traditional wheat gluten (kaofu) is made with fermented gluten. Nowadays, there are ancient varieties of wheat such as spelt, kamut and einkorn. Gluten-sensitive individuals can eat products made from these wheat. Einkorn, the oldest variety, with twelve thousand years of history, has only two chromosomes. Modern wheat has six. Currently in Italy, there is an organic farm growing this product. When people begin to demand the traditional wheat varieties, farmers will plant them. Simply put, for people and earth to survive, there are two key diet principles:

1. 1. Stop eating food that has eyes and food that has a mother.
      This includes all animal and seafood carcasses, eggs and milk. One woman who has been a vegetarian since the age of two shared the reason for being a vegetarian. One day, her four-year old sister was eating a piece of chicken meat with relish. She was curious and asked where the chicken meat came from. At that time, the chicken which they raised was just outside the window and her mother said that it came from chicken. She dropped the chicken in shock. From then on, she stopped eating meat completely. Later, she told her young sister: “You cannot eat this and that because they are from a life that has eyes.” This was the beginning of her vegetarianism at two years old.
   2. Eat food that comes from complete plants.
      Fruits, seeds, stems, leaves, roots and seaweed and other such category. Choose products grown from organic natural farming and eat a portion of it fresh. Avoid processed foods such as processed oil, white rice, flour, white sugar, MSG and genetically modified foods. Do not worry about insufficient protein. Do not worry about eating too much grain. As long as it is balanced and diversified, the body naturally has its own wisdom.

Reference:

• www.Forksoverknives.com
• www.FoodRevolution.org

The original Chinese article is published in the Aug 2012 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20120801.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

I’ve recently heard that many people’s eyesight have degenerated rapidly, with some having dry, red or tired eyes. Some have even discovered they have eye ailments such as glaucoma and cataract.

Eyesight degeneration is closely related to long-term computer exposure. Many people are increasingly dependent on the computer for work, information search, leisure, entertainment, socialization and commercial purposes. The older generation is unfamiliar with the use of computers but they need to rely on others for computer assistance. The computer has become an indispensable companion in life.

The most obvious impact of this lifestyle is the deterioration of one’s vision. The proportion of children who are myopic is about 48% in the U.S.A. and 84% in Taiwan.

The deterioration of our vision mirrors the deterioration of our body because our eyes are directly related to our blood circulation and the functions of our liver and kidney.

The computer itself has electromagnetic radiation and interferes with our body’s energy (qi). On top of this, Internet access is generally through a wireless mode and the electromagnetic waves and microwaves increase the stress on the eyes and body.

Our eyes are small and absorb relatively more radiowave and microwave. At the same time, reading and using the computer at close proximity results in excessive use of our central vision, causing our peripheral vision to deteriorate. We need our peripheral vision to adjust our focus. Another consequence of excessively using our central vision is that our eye pressure will increase, potentially leading to glaucoma.

To improve our vision and prevent its deterioration, one principle is to treat our selves with kindness. Taking care of our eyes requires time, and necessitates changing how we habitually “see”, our lifestyle and diet. Only the blind can deeply appreciate the preciousness of being able to see.

Dr. Meir Schneider (PhD), a teacher of self-healing (particularly of the eyes), was born blind. He felt the suffering of not being able to see. Furthermore, both his parents were deaf. When he went out with his father, he would get lost and although he would cry out loud, his father could not hear him and had to rely on kind passersby to lead him to his father’s side.

When Dr. Schneider was 16 years old, another boy taught him Dr. Bates’ eye exercises and training techniques. After a year and half of intensive training, he could see words placed at the tip of his nose. Slowly, he began to recognize his neighbour’s face. Many years later, he no longer needed to wear glasses and passed the California driver’s license test. The day before the test, he spent ten hours doing palming exercise where he placed his palms over his eyes to relax them.

Dr. Schneider’s perseverance is an important factor in his recovery. When he started doing his eye exercises, he would run to the rooftop ten times a day to “sunbathe” his closed eyes. He also practiced the palming exercise three hours daily. His mother thought he was wasting his time by not doing his homework. To improve our eyesight, we need to let our eye muscles relax and undertake some exercise. If we frequently need to read at close distance, we need to balance this by looking into the distance periodically. Remember to blink and breathe deeply. These are natural movements typically forgotten by people who use the computer.

Dr. Schneider‘s recommendations for people who face the computer daily include the following:

1. Let the eyes rest every 20 minutes. Allow the eye muscles that are used for near-distance reading to relax. Select four points at a distance (in the house or outside the window) and shift the eyes’ focus on each of these points. Also close the eyes and do the eye-palming for a minute. Allowing the eyes to appropriately look at a distance is important for maintaining the eyes’ health.

   There is the story of a person who did computer work at work. His office overlooked the mountains and the coastline. He did not need to wear glasses till he was 60 years old. When he got promoted, he moved to another office that did not have an expansive view. Within two months, his eyesight deteriorated and he had to wear glasses. The view outside his old office had attracted him to naturally look afar.

2. When we are focused intensively on the computer, we tend to stare at it and hold our breath. This will cause our eyes to be tired. One reason for dry eyes is that we forget to blink. Doing so can lubricate and massage our eyes. People with poor vision have lost their ability to blink their eyes in a relaxed fashion. One of the ways to remind ourselves is this: when we wake up in the morning, take a breath and then blink several times before breathing out. Do this three times. Then blink 10 times, rest a while and do this until you reach 100 times. Then repeat two times. This can help recover the habit of blinking.
3. Periodically massage the edges of the eye socket, forehead and cheeks. When the eyes are used to looking at near distances for a long time, the eye muscles will tighten. Hence, relaxing the facial and head muscles can enable the eye muscles to relax too. Close the eyes and gently massage the eyebrow. This will also relax the eyes. Blinking will also relax the eyes.
4. Another effect of looking at a screen for an extended period is that the pupil will lack the opportunity to dilate and contract because the light does not change. Over time, the pupil loses its ability to stretch and the muscles will also deteriorate. Night blindness arises because the pupil has lost its ability to naturally dilate and contract.

   Practice sunbathing the eyes (keep them closed) before 10 am and after 4 pm. Also, slowly rotate the body left to right 180 degrees. Because of the light changes, the pupil has the opportunity to dilate and contract. Remember that the eyes are closed when facing the sun. Be sure to remove all glasses and contact lens as this exercise should not be done through glass surfaces. After a few minutes, rest by having the back face the sun and cover the eyes. Then repeat a few times.

5. Practice palming the eyes. Rub your hands together to warm them and then place your palms over your closed eyes. Both the shoulders and arms are relaxed. Practice palming for a few minutes to relax the eyes after an hour of looking at near objects. It is best to practice palming the eyes 45 minutes in total, with each session lasting at least 20 minutes. Add on a few five-minute to 15-minute sessions. This is a critical resting exercise that improves our vision.

Dr. Schneider emphasized that the most thorough way of taking care of our eyes is through exercise, rest and changing our habitual way of “seeing”. Other methods that rely on glasses and surgery are only treating the symptoms and have side effects in the long run. A person with a back injury will not use a back support to continue working and not allow his back to rest. In contrast, when our eyes are overtired and our vision deteriorates, the general practice is to merely use stronger glasses and not alter the way we use our eyes.

People who are myopic should spend 30 minutes every day to look at far distances. It is also best to look at far distances for 7 minutes before looking at near distances. Perhaps many people are of the opinion that they do not have time to take care of their eyes. The price is that not only do their eyes deteriorate but their physical and mental health would worsen as well.

Nature is the best nourishment for our eyes as well as body and mind. Our eyes will relax in a natural environment – our focal point will naturally shift from near to far and our pupils dilate and contract. Our peripheral vision will also get to exercise as the adjustment of near and far focal points rely on peripheral vision.

Walking in the dark will also develop our peripheral vision and allow our pupils to totally relax. The act of walking involves movement that will also stimulate the cells associated with our peripheral vision. Dr. Schneider recommends that we practice walking in the night a few times a month, each trip lasting 45 minutes. There was a person who did a night walk once and achieved significant improvement in his vision.

The healing power of nature has been experienced by many people and it has also been proven by research. In Japan, compared to those who walk in the city, those who practice walking in the forest have lower blood pressure, heart rates and release of stress-induced hormones. Whether a patient can see nature from his window can also affect his health.

In a small town called Paoli in the eastern part of the United States, the hospital there has a row of rooms where the windows overlook trees. Another row of rooms have windows that face walls. Researchers who investigated the recovery rate of patients who underwent gall bladder surgery between 1972 to 1981 found that those who stayed in rooms that overlooked trees had recovery rates that were four times better than those who stayed in rooms that faced walls. The former were also discharged a day earlier and needed painkillers once (compared to two to three times for the others).

The eyes are no different. Look at natural scenery more frequently. It is better to look at the indoor potted plants than to look at walls and computer screens.

The operations of the eyes and brain are closely related. In general, people do not use their left and right eyes equally—one of them is dominant. Ninety percent of the brain’s activities are seen through the dominant eye, which may deteriorate when it is overworked. The weaker eye will also deteriorate because it is not used. Letting both left and right eyes be used evenly is also an important means to improve our vision.

Stimulating peripheral vision in both eyes is also an important balancing approach. There is no issue about a particular eye being dominant with regards to peripheral vision.

Moving both fingers on each side of the eyes can stimulate peripheral vision. Do so when reading or using the computer. One way to train the weaker eye is to cover the dominant eye and use the weaker eye to see near and far.

It is possible to do so by using a cheap pair of sunglasses. Remove the lenses from the side of the weaker eye, and use tape to cover the other side. How do we determine which is the dominant eye? Roll a piece of paper into the shape of a telescope. The eye that you naturally use is the dominant eye.

Both eyes are also related to the left and right brain. The right brain controls the left eye, while the left-brain controls the right eye. The right brain deals with creativity and intuition, while the left-brain deals with logic and thinking. When both sides of the brain are not used in a balanced way, and logic and thinking is dominant, part of the brain is viewed through the right eye.

When we cover our right eye and use the left eye to see, some deeply hidden emotions will surface along with some intuition not normally present. In particular, some emotions and memories related to our mother or her family can emerge. If we cover our left eye and use our right eye, memories or thought patterns associated with our father will surface. The right eye is associated with our interactions with the external world.

The way both eyes interact also reflects how our parents relate to each other. In short, our eyes reflect the health of our body and mind, as well as our living environment and habits. Taking care of our eyes has a very deep impact that far exceeds our imagination.

The original Chinese article is published in the May 2013 issue of Lapis magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20130501.html

◎ Lapis Lazuli Light is inviting Dr. Meir Schneider to hold a six-day workshop from March 27 to April 01, 2014 on “Enhancing Our Vision” Singapore. The talks will be translated into Chinese by Mr. Robin Pan. For details, please refer to page 36 of the Lapis Lazuli Light magazine.

◎ Lapis Lazuli Light will publish Dr. Schneider’s new book titled “Improving our vision, expanding our horizons” in Chinese by end of December 2013.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D., Compiled by Rachel Tsang

Chinese Pastries

Chinese pastries (bing) is a typical feature in breakfast. The Chinese eat baked wheat cake (shao bing), flaky green onion pancake (dachong bing) and twisted cruller (you-tiao). Indians eat idli and dosa, the French eat crepes, Americans eat pancakes and Mexicans eat tortillas. Modern bread, made mainly from white flour, has lost its traditional flavour and nutrition. The methods provided here emphasise nutrition and easy digestion, and also use ingredients which are slightly alkaline-forming.

 

Vegetable Pancakes

Potato Cauliflower Pancake for 2

1 large potato or 2 small potatoes

Equal amount of cauliflower

1. Julienne all ingredients or use a blender to chop into small pieces.
2. Add 1 teaspoon brine.
3. Add chopped onions according to personal preference.
4. Divide the ingredients into 2 – 4 portions and place on heated pan which has been greased with coconut oil. Flatten the mixture and fry one side (7-10 minutes) on low heat.
5. Turn the mixture over and fry for 2 minutes. It is ready for consumption.

Cauliflower can be replaced with sweet potatoes or turnip. Fresh corn kernels can be added too.

 

Dosa and Idli

The staple food of South India is dosa and idli which are made from rice and beans. Generally the kind of rice used is either long grain rice or fragrant rice and the bean used is uradal which has black skin and look like mung beans. Lentils, black beans, mung beans or navy beans can be used too. The proportion is two parts rice to one part beans.

For Making Dosa:

1. Soak rice and beans separately for 8 hours and then sprout for at least 1 day. If there is not enough time, just sprout slightly.
2. Blend rice and beans into paste separately with a little water (one cup of dry rice to one cup of water or a little less than a cup). A little fenugreek can be added.
3. Mix both rice and bean paste thoroughly and put into a large bowl. Cover with a plate for eight hours and leave the mixture to ferment.
4. Before frying, add a little oil and brine to the mixture. Pour three to four tablespoons of the batter into the hot pan.
5. Smooth the batter in the fry pan with the back of a spoon.
6. Turn it over after a few minutes and then continue frying till cooked.

The most common way of eating is wrapping with curry potatoes but it can be eaten with other vegetables or on its own.

If making idli, pour dosa batter into idli moulds and steam in pressure cooker for six to seven minutes. If using electric pot, steam for ten to fifteen minutes.

 

Pancake

In an elementary school in Michigan, USA, I ate pancake for the first time in the home of a classmate when I went there to play. The mother of the classmate prepared this snack, topped with maple syrup. Although this is a breakfast food, it is also a good after-school snack. The most commonly used ingredient of the pancake is flour and buckwheat flour. But other grains or beans can be used. The famous French crepe is also a kind of pancake. In the province of Brittany in Northern France, buckwheat pancake is the staple food for all three meals. The Netherlands also has similar, smaller, thick bread which generally has baking soda or egg in it. Natural fermentation is the traditional and the most nutritious way.

 

Sprouted Wheat and Buckwheat Pancakes

1 cup sprouted wheat

2 tablespoons rejuvelac

1 tablespoon flaxseed powder

1 cup buckwheat flour

2/3 cup water

1. Blend sprouted wheat and rejuvelac and water in a blender.
2. Add flaxseed powder and buckwheat flour. Mix well.
3. Pour into a big bowl and cover with a plate and leave overnight.
4. Next morning, heat a flat pan, smear with a little oil and fry one side till cooked.
5. Flip the pancake and fry for 2 minutes.

Buckwheat flour can be substituted with cornflour. Sprouted wheat can also be substituted with other grains or millet or amaranth.

 

The Mexican Tortilla

The main staple of traditional Mexican food in the villages is tortilla which is eaten three meals a day, accompanied with beans. The corn used is processed and turned into flour which can be used to make tortilla if it is available for sale (can be substituted with cornflour and buckwheat flour in ratio of 1:1).

2 cups cornflour (masa harina)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon rejuvelac

3/4 cup water

1. Combine water, rejuvelac, cornflour and grounded flaxseed.
2. Knead till dough no longer sticks to fingers. Add a little cornflour or water if necessary.
3. Cover in a bowl and leave for 8 hours. If need to shorten time, add 1 – 2 teaspoon of coconut oil just before frying.
4. To make traditional tortilla, divide dough into 8 balls. Flatten the ball and roll it between 2 waxed papers till 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thickness.
5. Fry in medium heat until slightly golden in colour.

The dough can also be used to wrap filling like a bun and steamed over high heat for 15 minutes. It can also be steamed without filling like a “mantou”. Serve with dhal or coconut sauce or ginger sauce.

 

Mung Bean Rice Cakes

1/4 cup mung beans

1 cup of rice (fragrant rice or long grain rice)

1 tablespoon flaxseed (grind into powder)

1 tablespoon fenugreek

1. Soak mung beans and rice separately and leave to sprout.
2. Blend with water, flaxseed powder and fenugreek.
3. Pour into a bowl and cover with plate and allow it to ferment naturally for 8 hours. It then can be used to make into pancakes or steamed cake.

Black beans, white beans and lentils can be used to substitute mung beans.

 

Concluding Remarks:

Two years ago, Dr Lai handed this article “The Acid-Alkaline Balance Diet” to me. Initially, I wanted to try them before sharing with the readers. However, because my experiments for the breakfast dishes were not good enough, I postponed publishing this article. However, I have ignored the fact that many mothers are better at cooking than me. I have also forgotten that this article could set new trends in the food and beverage industry benefitting many busy office workers. I hope the readers will forgive us for being too cautious. In fact, I have already seen cookbooks that emphasise the basic concepts of alkaline recipes but it is rare to have such comprehensive and thoroughness as Dr Lai’s. The external environmental pollution and our hectic pace of life are enough to cause our bodies to acidify. No wonder cancer is so common nowadays. For those who are already sick, on top of actively avoiding all forms of pollution, a natural lifestyle is much needed and it is best to also practise qigong to nurture our energy. Daily meals require highly alkaline foods for a balance. Hopefully, this reminder to have an acid-alkaline balanced diet is not only a concept but a practical way to incorporate into our daily life. If you have a breakfast recipe which is alkaline-forming, we hope that you can share it with us by emailing it to [email protected]. Thank you!

The original Chinese article is published in the May 2009 issue of Lapis magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20090503.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Thanks goodness we transited from 2012 to 2013 without experiencing days of darkness. However, it remains a fact that the earth’s magnetic field has weakened and changed – bringing about interference that cannot be seen. Some people experienced many ailments new to them.

The earth has grids or ley lines but the extensive use of electricity over the past century has caused them to be altered by magnetic fields from electromagnetic radiation. It has also strengthened the interference affecting humans, animals and plants. This phenomenon is now recognized in health care, disease prevention and rehabilitation.

Year 2013 is when we once again remember the wisdom of ancient sages and use their experience to solve today’s problems. An excellent example is using ancient Egypt’s geometry knowledge to harmonize Earth’s energy that is in disarray from interference. It is said that in Egypt, it is not possible to detect the earth’s grids or radiation inside the pyramids or sacred buildings.

Ancient sages spent a long time in nature and were very cautious about where they stayed and slept. Sleeping where the energy is disharmonious can cause ailments not only to humans but also to animals, plants and trees. A tradition in ancient Bavaria (Germany) is to place some ants in the bedroom location before building a house. If these ants stay back to build a nest, the location of the house must be changed. The reason is that ants are attracted to disharmonious energy and bees, hornets, worms, parasites, bacteria and cats are the same.

In contrast, other mammals such as dogs, horses, pigs and humans need harmonious energy. Dogs in particular will select the spot with the best energy to sleep (from the perspective of humans). Some nomadic tribes had used dogs to select sleeping places. When the dogs wanted to lie down to rest, the nomads would chase the dogs away and sleep there. The dogs would find a place to sleep only when every nomad had found their sleeping spots.

Cats do the opposite. If cats like to sleep on the bed, it is best to change the bed’s location. It is best to avoid places where cats like.

What is disharmonious energy and what influence does it have on our bodies and minds? In general, there are many kinds of disharmonious energies. The most common is disharmonious energy coming from underground water and the intersection of the earth’s gridlines. Underground water frequently leads to cancer. Europe has accumulated much experience in this area.

In particular, the German medical profession and dowsers consider houses that have underground water as “cancer houses” because almost 100% of all people who sleep in premises located above running water develop cancer. Other countries have similar discoveries. In 1976, a shepherd with expertise in dowsing lived in a small place called Dunnett in Scotland, and was trying to track a water source. He found that the water source passed through a village before flowing into the sea. It happened that the water source flowed by a road and beneath some houses along one side of the road. He enquired the locals about the people who lived in those houses. He found out that several generations of people normally lived in the same houses, and it turned out that almost every household had one person or several people die of cancer. On the other hand, people living in houses on the other side of the road literally had no one die of cancer. Coincidence? The odds are 1 in a million.

In recent times, there are two known earth grids – both named after medical doctors who discovered them. The first is called the Harmann grid, named after the German doctor who discovered it after World War II. The grid comprises lines running north-south and east-west. The north-south grid lines appear every two meters. These are cold in nature and alternative in positive and negative polarity. The east-west grid lines appear every 2.50 meters and are hot in nature. Where these lines intersect, the polarities can be + +, – -, or +-. In general, sleeping at these intersection points or standing for an extended time will lead to physical ailments.

The other Curry grid is named after Dr. Manfred Curry. The grid lines run from north-west to south-east and south-west to north-east, at intervals of three meters. However, these distances can change depending on time and location. For example, between midnight and 3 am, the intervals are widest apart and have the greatest influence. The places where these different grids intersect cause the greatest harm to us, especially if there is also underground water.

An Austrian teacher, Kathe Bachler, used her dowsing experience to find the best bed locations for patients. She used the dowsing technique on 3000 households and collected 11, 000 patient records to prove that disharmonious earth energy can cause different kinds of ailments, family disharmony and learning difficulties among children. Her book titled “Earth Radiation” documents her findings. The German version was a bestseller – valued by professionals in education and medicine.

When teachers observed that their students had learning difficulties, physical ailments or emotional instability, they would invite Ms Bachler to check if the students’ beds or classroom desks were located near zones with disharmonious earth energy. Shifting the location of the desk or bed brought about immediate improvements. Ms Bachler found that every cancer victim’s bed was located within zones of disturbance. She emphasized though that this did not mean that everyone whose bed was within a zone of disturbance would get cancer.

The following are some examples from Ms Bachler’s book. She was a teacher, so several examples relate to disturbances affecting students.

There was a 10-year-old student whose movements were the slowest in class and whose learning ability was the worst. Her teacher asked about her sleeping condition and she replied that she took a long time to fall asleep. Furthermore, she would frequently fall off the bed with her blanket and continued sleeping after that. Her parents said that their child had congenital anemia. It turned out that her bed was located at the intersection of negative earth grid lines. When her bed was shifted, her sleep improved, her actions in class became faster and her homework improved. Five months later, she was a rosy-cheeked child.

Another child refused to do homework in class, failed examinations, had insomnia and skipped classes. All these aspects improved after the bed’s location was changed.

Another child was originally a good student but complained of frequent headaches and nosebleeds after moving house. Her parents did not pay particular attention and realized its seriousness only when she suddenly failed her examinations and was retained for a year.

Ms Bachler went to perform a dowsing assessment and found that this was due to negative earth energy. She further suggested first investigating the latent illness caused by this negative energy and found that it led to sinus. After shifting the bed’s position, the child showed an improvement in all aspects.

Teachers and principals were also affected by negative earth energy. One teacher’s work desk was located at the intersection of the earth grid lines and he couldn’t focus, developed headaches, stomachaches as well as loss of appetite. He could only postpone taking his examination required for job promotion. After moving his desk, he could focus on taking his examination and passed.

Another teacher gave her lessons in a spot that was at the intersection of earth grid lines. She easily coughed, lost her voice, had stomachaches and backaches, etc. She frequently took sick leave.

Another principal’s desk was located in a zone of disturbance and he couldn’t focus. He got nervous easily, had many ailments and took frequent sick leave. He felt comfortable outside the school premises, and decided to retire early. His replacement also became easily tired but got better once his desk was shifted.

Three principals who subsequently assumed the position also sat at the same disturbance zone. One of them had heart attacks twice, the second had a mental disorder and the third frequently felt cold and had poor health. After shifting the desk, the third principal no longer felt cold and his health improved. One former principal’s desk happened to be sitting on top of a positive energy field and he was the healthiest of them all.

Among the many cases documented in Ms Bachler’s book, several relate to cancer that arose from the position of the patients’ beds. In a nunnery in Austria, three nuns sequentially slept in the same bed and contacted cancer. The first had surgery for breast cancer and recovered after she changed her room. Another slept in this bed for five years and very quickly became ill, developing headaches and spinal infection. The third slept in this bed for twelve years and had serious ailments. She had three surgeries for stomach cancer but improved immediately after she shifted the location of her bed.

The following examples provide even clearer evidence on the relationship between ailments and earth radiation.

A German lady became ill shortly after moving into her new apartment. She underwent surgery because of cancer and died after that. Her husband wrote a letter to Ms Bachler saying that a 14-year-old boy living in the apartment downstairs and beneath the location of her bed developed a tumor on his chest.

Another case involves a family where two generations of people slept on the same bed. The parents died of cancer. The younger generation slept on the same bed and frequently became ill: leg cramps, pain in the kidney area, tiredness, rheumatism and tension. When Ms Bachler pointed out the ideal bed position, they indicated that this was where their grandparents slept, and they had excellent health as well as long lives.

How do you determine whether your bed is located in a zone of disturbance? The following contains key insights from Ms Bachler’s research. Specifically, any of the following symptoms could indicate the bed is within disturbance zone:

1. Not liking the bed or not wanting to sleep on the bed.
2. Not able to fall asleep after several hours.
3. Non-peaceful sleep, disheveled bed sheets from tugging at night, nightmares, shouting.
4. Avoiding a part of the bed, falling off the bed and banging one’s head.
5. Leaving the bed, sleep walking.
6. Feeling cold in bed, shivering, teeth grinding, teeth chattering, night-sweat.
7. Waking up tired in the morning, emotionally cold all day.
8. Poor appetite and even vomiting in the morning.
9. Pessimistic, nervous, uncomfortable and wake up crying.
10. Muscle cramps, heart beating faster when going to bed.

If you do not know how to dowse, you can use your body’s sensation to feel the best position for your bed and workspace. Look at the entire room under a relaxed state and feel the body’s sensations. In the area where you feel comfortable, silently sense the ideal location for your bed. Those who rear dogs can observe where the dog likes to go. Someone’s original bed position was subjected to interference, and after he had moved his bed, he placed a carpet in the original spot. He instructed his dog to sleep in that spot, and after a while, he turned around and observed that he dog was lying at the new site of his bed.

If the bed or desk cannot be relocated, use an ancient geometric chart to improve the situation. Dowsers use a method employing eight Egyptian rods, which can be made of any material including wood, metal or plastic. The only material to avoid is aluminum. Thickness does not matter so long as the rods can stand. Each can be 2 to 3 cm thick. Four rods should be of 25 inches (63.5 cm) long. Another four longer sticks of 14⅝ inches (37.1 cm) length are placed in the four corners of the room, either inside or outside. The shorter rods are placed along the centre of the four walls. There is no need to measure accurately, and an approximation will do. The shape of room can be square or rectangular. If the room is neither square nor rectangular, simply place the rods in a square or rectangle within the room, or put only some of the rods within. Another method is to draw these eight rods on a flat surface. The dimensions can be half or 1/3 that mentioned earlier. Paste the drawing on the wall, and it is best to place it on a north-facing wall, particularly in the bedroom. If you paste more than one drawing in the room, it is best to paste an odd but not an even number of drawings. Another similar-looking drawing is to first draw a square and then join the four corners and the four midpoints (see picture). Likewise, paste the drawing on the wall.

I have also tried using the Flower of Life and Fengshui energy plates. These can also ameliorate zones of disturbance. Note that when using the Flower of Life, the flower in the middle has to be slightly bigger, approximately 6 to 8 inches in diameter. I had previously mentioned that electromagnetic waves could magnify the interference of earth radiation.

A person skilled in dowsing techniques once went to a small town in a mountainous district. There was a power outage in the entire town that day. He dowsed and detected that the ley lines was about 5 feet tall. Soon after, the power supply resumed and the ley lines quickly rose to almost tenstorey high. This shows why interference in zones of disturbance is more serious than a century ago. This is also what every parent, parent and health-conscious person needs to understand and realize.

 

References: Earth Radiation, The startling discoveries of a dowser by Kathe Bachler, Wordmasters Ltd., Manchester, Great Britain, 1989

The original Chinese article is published in the Feb 2013 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20130201.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

What is the source of life? Sunlight, water and air. As long as these are available, life can be maintained. All life forms on earth are dependent on these basic conditions, either directly or indirectly.

Sadly, due to human greed and ignorance, these priceless natural resources have been contaminated – making survival on this earth more and more difficult. Cancer is more common and severe because of interference with the laws of nature.

We often hear cases of people who, when they discover they have cancer, are already in the fourth stage of the disease. The real cause of some bodily pain that cannot be diagnosed is often due to terminal cancer. Only by connecting with the source of life, can we prevent ailments or recover from terminal cancer.

There are many causes of cancer such as environmental and food pollution, bad living habits, shock and trauma, electromagnetic and microwave interference.

Wearing a bra is also an important cause of cancer among women. Research in the U.S. shows that the incidence of cancer among women who do not wear bras is the same as those among men. In contrast, this incidence is 75% among women who wear bras 24 hours a day.

Although there are many causes of cancer, a distinctive feature is the lack of oxygen, acidity and the absorption of nutrients through the fermentation process. When the respiratory function of cancer cells is impaired, they cannot absorb oxygen and need to absorb a lot of sugar. To starve cancer cells to death, it is important to abstain from sugar.

As early as 1920, a scientist named Otto Meyerhof found that cancer cells need linoleic acid and protein in order to breathe. He won the Nobel Prize in 1922 for this finding. Another scientist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi won the Nobel Prize in 1937 because of his discovery of vitamin C. He also confirmed that linoleic acid and sulfur proteins are key links to cellular respiration and that fatty acid is needed to produce red blood cells.

The 1931 Nobel Prize Laureate, Otto Heinrich Warburg, confirmed that good quality fats can repair cellular oxidation functions and that abnormal cellular oxidation functions lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, etc.

In a 1929 report, another two scientists, G.O. Burr and M.M. Burr, highlighted that animals that consume highprotein foods die quickly if they lack fatty acids. If the disease was not too serious, they recovered after adding fatty acids to their diets.

The importance of both fatty acids and proteins was further investigated by six or seven-time Nobel Prize nominee, Dr. Johanna Budwig. She designed an easy diet that helped save lives of many patients suffering from cancer, heart problems and diabetes. She found that blood of severely ill patients contained a greenish-blue substance, as well as lacked linoleic acid, phosphatides (for normal cell division) and blood proteins (for blood formation).

Insufficient phosphatides cause out-of-control cellular growth. A lack of linoleic acid and sulfur-containing proteins means red blood cells cannot be produced. If there are no blood cells, oxygen cannot be transported within the body causing cells and tissues to suffocate. She provided patients with high-quality fatty acids, flaxseed oil and skim milk (100 grams of skim milk and 40 grams of fresh flaxseed oil). She later substituted skim milk with cottage cheese.

In the earlier years, she would draw patients’ blood samples. She found that after taking flaxseed oil and skim milk, these patients’ cancer symptoms slowly disappeared and the greenish-blue substance in their blood became healthy red blood cells. Phosphatides and fatty proteins miraculously appeared. Symptoms of anemia were gone. Vitality was restored. Fifty years later, people all over the world continue to use this life-saving diet.

Her basic recipe:

• Blend 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil (cold pressed oil must be taken within 3 months of preparation) with half a cup of cottage cheese.
• Add another 2 tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseed meal.

(Consume immediately after grinding as it oxidizes within 10 to 20 minutes).

The ratio of flaxseed oil to cottage cheese ratio is about 1 to 2. You can also use three tablespoons of cooked oatmeal with three tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed meal.

Bill Henderson, a natural cancer remedy educator, recommends that cancer patients use larger amounts of these ingredients daily:

• ½ to ⅔ cups of cottage cheese and six tablespoons of flaxseed oil blended with a hand-held mixer.
• Add ground-up flaxseed meal. (If taking the day’s amount in two portions, then make only half the portion at a-time).

Dr. Budwig conducted in-depth studies on health benefits of unsaturated fat. Flaxseed contains two unsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid and linoleneic acid. Each has two and three unsaturated bonds in every molecule and a large number of electrons that serve as a resonance system for the sun’s energy. This allows us to make use of solar energy. This is life force and also the means to heal. More importantly, it has an intimate relationship with elevating our spirituality.

Some of Dr. Budwig’s patients voluntarily mentioned that they felt lighter after eating the oil and protein formulation while they had felt heavy before this. This is the result of resonance between the electrons in the unsaturated fats and solar energy. Dr. Budwig frequently went to hospital to bring home patients who only had a few hours to live and fed them the flaxseed oil-cottage cheese diet. Many of these patients lived.

Those who could not pass motion in the hospital did so, and those who had dry coughs were able to cough out phlegm. Only unsaturated fatty acids can stimulate the mucus membrane. The oil will go to the surface of the cellular tissues such as the nose, intestines, lungs, etc., which is something no other organs can accomplish.

A patient, Mr. Cliff Beckwith, suffering from 4th stage prostate cancer started on this diet immediately after getting the formula and recovered shortly. He actively shared this diet with his friends and relatives. Some 62 of them who had terminal cancer recovered after using this diet. Of course, their diets must also change completely.

Below is a list of food that Dr. Budwig strongly advocates against eating: seafood, meat (minimize and best if zero intake), hydrogenated oil, vegetable oils processed with chemicals and high temperature. This kind of processed vegetable oil cannot combine with proteins to become water-soluble and cannot be used by the human body.

Coconut oil is an exception – it is not damaged after heat treatment.

Other foods to abstain from: fried food/snacks, pastries and cakes from bakeries, food made with white flour, soft drinks, dairy products (except for the flaxseed oil/cottage cheese recipe), cream (minimize), sugar, molasses, chocolate, soy products, soy milk, coffee, not more than 12 bitter apricot kernels a day and no vitamin B-17 injections.

Vitamin B-17 can kill cancer cells. Bitter apricot kernels and fruit seeds have high B-17 content. Millet, buckwheat, bamboo shoots, green beans, flaxseed, garbanzo beans and the kernels of peaches and plums also have vitamin B-17. In Dr. Budwig’s native culture, people generally eat dairy products such as quark and cottage cheese.

In the Asian culture, you can substitute this with food that contains protein, including different kinds of beans and oats. Mr. Beckwith knew of recovered patients who used tofu in place of cottage cheese. Generally, it is best to cut down on soy products and use other legumes such as kidney beans, green beans, lentils, red beans and garbanzo beans. When using these beans, first soak them in water, drain the water, cook them and then grind the cooked beans into a paste after adding flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Flaxseed must not be heated. It is fine to add other protein sources such as hazel nut, walnut or sesame. Oatmeal can also use as a substitute for cottage cheese.

The recipe:

• Soak 3 tablespoons of oatmeal and 6 tablespoons of flaxseed overnight.
• Add hot water the next day.
• Use a blender to grind the mixture before eating.

Dr. Budwig believes there are many causes of cancer, such as chemical pollution, genetically modified food, etc. The pollutants are stored in the body’s fat and prevent the fatty acids and proteins from combining and the cells from breathing. The focus of her research is on the protection and restoration of the respiratory functions of cells. Flaxseed oil and proteins have this function. In an experiment, she found that rats that contacted benzopyrene, a carcinogen from cigarettes, developed cancer but those that were given flaxseed did not.

To extend the shelf life of cooking oil, manufacturers make it so that it does not oxidize. When it is consumed, the oil also cannot oxidize in the human body. So, the oil and proteins in the body cannot combine and the ability to promote cellular respiration is lost.

In the article titled “The dilemma with consuming oil” (Lapis Lazuli Light November 2013, Founder’s Message), it was mentioned that Israel, the country that consumes the most vegetable oil, has the highest incidence of cancer. Other countries also experience a spike in cancer rates after they changed their traditional diets to vegetable oil. The problem does not lie with vegetable oil per se but with the high-temperature chemical processing of the oil. We need fatty acids but these need to be from natural cold-pressed oil. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be 1:1, or no more than 3:1.

Contaminants within the body prevent the oil and protein from combining so the cells cannot breath. Cells short of oxygen over a long period will turn cancerous. The worsening environmental pollution explains why more people are developing cancer. In the United States, one in two people will develop cancer during their lives. Everyday, the United States produces 80,000 varieties of 7.4 billion pounds of chemicals.

A newborn’s umbilical cord has an average of 287 chemical drugs of which 208 are carcinogenic. Moreover, infants receive a variety of vaccinations, some containing formaldehyde and mercury. Pesticides contain lead, arsenic and mercury. Plastic bottles leak Bisphenol that imitates the estrogen hormone. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, forms formaldehyde during digestion. Mercury used in dental fillings and root canals have toxic anaerobic bacteria. All these are the causes of disease.

Electromagnetic and radio waves also interfere with genetic repair. There are many causes of cancer but there are also many methods of prevention. Bill Henderson identified 400 kinds of non-toxic methods after his wife died of cancer. Any of these non-toxic methods can be tried depending on individual circumstances and conditions. I mention a few methods here.

The sun is important to life and to preventing/curing cancer. A doctor once used sunlight to heal many tuberculosis patients including those who had bone tuberculosis. He let the patients slowly adapt to the sunlight – on the first day, five minutes of sun exposure on top of the feet. On the second day, 10 minutes of sunbathing on the feet and 5 minutes on the calf. He then added exposure to the thighs followed by hands, chest and back. The entire body was exposed to the sun for 20 to 30 minutes. Spring and early summer are the best time to do sunbathing and you can store a year’s requirement of Vitamin D.

Dr. Budwig also encouraged her patients to sunbathe but only after they have taken adequate supplements of flaxseed oil and protein so their bodies can absorb the sunlight. Otherwise, cancer patients are unable to tolerate sun exposure. Unsaturated omega-6 and omega-3 fats enable the body to make use of the sun.

Another recipe involves baking soda and maple syrup. Mix one portion of baking soda with five portions of maple syrup. Simmer for five minutes. Store in a bottle when cool. Eat twice a day – each time taking one teaspoonful with warm water. Patients with serious illnesses can take three times a day over 7 to 8 days. When the cancer cells absorb sugar, they also absorb the baking soda that kills them. This method can also get rid of fungus in the body.

An Italian doctor believed that cancer and fungus are similar and successfully used baking soda to kill the cancer cells. Earlier, I mentioned that B-17 has cancerkilling properties. A doctor used himself as an example. He had a malignant tumor on his neck. Once, when he ate fried chicken meat the cancer grew quickly. When he next ate millet, the cancer shrank quickly. This was more effective than chemotherapy. Millet is slightly alkaline and also contains B-17. Both these aspects can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Lastly, whether it is to prevent or recover from cancer, it is important to avoid electromagnetic and microwave radio waves.

References:

• www.Budwigcenter.com (Free download of guide)
• www.healingcancernaturally.com
• Hobday, Richard, The Healing Sun, Findhorn Press, 1999
• Moritz, Andreas, Cancer is not a disease, it’s a survival mechanism. Ener-Chi Wellness Press, 2005-2009
• Simoncini, T., Cancer is a fungus, Edizioni Lampus, 2005

 

 

An Interview Conducted by Dr. Chiu-Nan Lai

Three to four years ago, I learnt from Lapis Lazuli Light that many people were having eye problems, especially those who work under fluorescent lights or stare at the computer screen for hours; their eyes may feel tired and painful and the vision blurred. Older people may face even more problems. This is why I was committed to research and develop products which can nourish the eyes. During that stage, I researched and developed a new non-toxic distillation technique. This technique uses only steam, food-grade alcohol and carbon dioxide for extraction and does not generate any toxic residues.

Why do we need to study new distillation method? This is because the common method of refining most products in the market today uses chemicals such as ethane and acetone, which are chemicals used for dry cleaning.

Eyes are very sensitive organs, so toxic agents must not be used in the production process of this health product. The eyes and brain are connected. Light, waves and magnetic waves are closely related to the health of the eyes. Eyes function like the canary in the mine. Once there are toxic gases in the air, the canary will react first. That way the miners have time to escape. The eyes have direct interface with the outside environment. The eyes react not only to external environment, but also to what is happening inside the body.

As human age, their eyes need special care. My parents are over 90 years old and live independently. Every day, my mother plays tennis, rides a bike, and does yoga handstand for twenty minutes. She has been practicing yoga for 60 years. My father is 94 years old. He operates a few computers daily, and has even founded a new career. They do not look like people in their 90’s. For years, they both have been taking the Synergy products.

A year ago, my father had problems with his vision due to macular degeneration in the eyes. We let him try the first batch of Eye Protector. Two weeks later, a checkup showed that his eyes’ condition did not worsen. In the medical world, there were no such cases of stopping this deterioration. One year later, his eyes fully recovered. This elderly couple does not need spectacles.

Eyes start to age when we are 20 to 30 years old. Zeaxanthin in the body are unable to convert to meso-zeaxanthin: this ability degrades as we get older. Thus we need to supplement this and other nutrition that our eyes need daily. This year (2014), something went wrong with the eyes of a supervisor in our company. Due to some genetic problems, he could not wear contact lenses to correct the problems. So his eyeballs became stiff and were wounded. After supplementing with our new product, the stiffness and wounds in the eyeballs disappeared. He can now wear speciallymade contact lenses.

My own eyes were injured once. The scars remained after my eyes recovered. Over the years, the part where the scars were, my vision was blurry, shadowy and had floaters. Two to three months after I started taking Eye Protector, these phenomena disappeared and the doctor could no longer find the scars.

A year ago, we let our employees try this new product. The employees found that their eyes are no longer tired and they can work longer. When the eyes relax, the neck is also relaxed. The eyes and skin are closely related; thus this product also nourishes the skin.

To repair and nourish the eyes, we need to detoxify as well as nourish and renew. This formula has enzymes that remove metabolic wastes daily.

Air pollution causes oxidative stress in the eyes. Under this pressure, the eyes produce some chemical ingredients which must be cleansed. It is like taking a shower every day. When our health deteriorates, this renewal and repair ability diminishes. Also excessive use of the eyes consumes the nutrition needed by the eyes.

Take one Eye Protector in the morning and one at night. The one in the morning is to help the eyes cope with work requirements and environmental pollution such as ultraviolet light and ozone in the air. The one consumed at dusk or at night is to repair the eyes during sleep.

Generally, vision is what people are most afraid of losing. Currently, there are 285 million people in the world with eye problems, sixty to seventy percent of which could be prevented and treated with proper nutrition. The nutrition we get from this supplement is equivalent to eating ten to twelve big bowls of salad and lots of fruit. Some of the ingredients used in our products are very special and are not available in food. For example, gardenia fruit (flowers are white and very fragrant), and saffron contain the special ingredient crocetin, which is very important in eye care. Out of 750 kilograms of gardenia fruit only 1 kilogram of crocetin can be extracted. The same applies to saffron. These ingredients contain colour pi gments: like pink in lycopene, red in anthocyanin, purple in proanthocyanins cyanine, yellow in zeaxanthin, and so on, these are plant antioxidants. When consumed, they can protect the eyes, the skin and vital organs. They can also prevent diseases.

Other ingredients that do not contain colours are also very important, for example, enzymes. Nutrients have to be broken down into very small components in order to reach the eyes and the eyes are nourished several hundred times every hour. We need oxygen, water, food and these nutrients from plants. These phytonutrients also prevent the mutation of cells. Cancer is the result of cell mutation.

Eye Protector also allows the body to recognise cell mutations and immediately stop the mutations.

Eyes are the most sensitive organs, and also have the greatest needs. Therefore, eyes must be specially nourished.

Generally, take 2 capsules of the Eye Protector every day, one in the morning and one in the night. For those who are older or have problems with their eyes, they can start by taking 4 capsules per day for a few months. Then they can revert to 2 capsules per day.

Eye Protector is not a substitute for glasses, but it is very important for the long-term maintenance of the eyes. It can prevent macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetes retinopathy. If the problem is not too severe, it is a great help for recovery. It is also very helpful for recovery after surgery.

Supplementing with these nutrients is like wearing an internal pair of sunglasses. It blocks off light and waves, such as those emitting from computers, televisions, and microscopes that are bad on the eyes. This internal pair of sunglasses protect the eyes, preventing inflammation which is the main reason for general diseases.

To ensure this health care product achieve its ultimate effect, the production cost is high. It takes many years for the company to recover its costs. I have also put in a lot of money.

There are products currently in the market. It is not that they are bad, it is just that most of the ingredients are extracted using chemicals, or the active ingredient is not strong enough. In our product, we use 10 milligrams of lutein. Other brands may have a label of 20 milligrams of lutein, but the ingredients we use can be fully utilised by the body. In most of other products, these ingredients are difficult be utilised by the body due to their different structures. Oxygen and water must have the right structure in order to be utilised. So the formula must take into account all of the ingredients that can be completely absorbed by the body, whether it is a child or a 90-year-old man.

The reason Eye Protector is available in the market within just a few years was mainly due to the request of Lapis Lazuli Light. Otherwise it would have taken a much longer time.

Taking this health product can result in the following improvements in our daily lives:

Visual Clarity: the ability to see details, including movements, contrast, colours and so on.
Darkness Adaptation: the eyes’ ability to adapt from light to dark places, and from sunlight to under the shade.
Retinal Transfer Speed: Accelerate the conveyance of information of the retina, quick responses and improved balance, and preventing falls.
Depth Perception: to be able to see 3 dimensions and moving objects accurately.
Adaptation After Photobleach: When exposed to strong sunlight or screen, the retinas temporarily photobleach in response. Dark adaptation speed refers to the speed in which vision is restored after photobleaching.
Reduced Refraction: Reflection, when shielded by the sun, causes the objects to reflect like a haze. Reflection reduces the eyes’ ability to adapt to the haze.
Energy of the Eyes: Long working hours and staring at the computer screen makes the eyes very tired. Eye Protector can reduce the tiredness and renew the eyes.
At The Synergy Company, I combine ancient wisdom with the latest scientific research. The production is based on an extended period of research and experiment. The product has to be safe, balanced and effective. Health care products should not be selected based on superstition, but by empirical research and trials.

An Interview conducted on 22 December 2014

Editor’s note:
Dr. Lai was very moved after the interview with Dr. May. She said that Dr. May has made a great commitment in his research effort. He has even personally invested a significant amount of his personal saving into this project. Using the most valuable ingredients, the product not only nourishes the eyes, but also prevents diseases. Apart from covering production costs, the company gets only a small profit margin. Dr May’s initial investment cost will take very many years to recover. I was very moved when I heard that. We are really lucky to be able to meet Dr. May and Dr. Lai.

The original Chinese article is published in the Feb 2015 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20150202.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

There is a relationship between tooth decay and health. Our teeth reflect the health of our bodies; likewise, our dental treatment also affects our health. Currently, it appears that almost everyone has tooth decay. There is a high cost associated with dental treatment. Is tooth decay unavoidable, or is this because of changes in our eating habits, environment and the way we produce our food?

At the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. Weston Price, a renowned dentist found that after starting his dental practice in America, his business was simply too good as there were many people with dental problems. He wanted to find out if people from other parts of the world had similar problems, and he and his wife visited many places to find out the answer. He visited many remote and distant places including Africa, the Swiss Alps, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the Amazon rain forests in Peru etc. He found that, in places where there were no contact with modern civilization and people ate traditional food, there were almost no cases of tooth decay. Further, once these people started to adopt modern diet and eat processed food and sugar, tooth decay appeared. Their gum also narrowed, leaving insufficient space for their teeth to grow, which resulted in a narrowing of the lower third of their faces.

The biggest difference between traditional and modern food is that the former contain four times more minerals, especially phosphorus. More importantly, the quantity of oil-soluble vitamins such as A, D and K2 are ten times that found in modern food. At that time, Dr. Price did not know Vitamin K2 and called the nutrient X. It was not until 2007 that scientists confirmed that nutrient X is Vitamin K2. For example, almost no one living in a remote valley in the Swiss Alps had tooth decay but 85%-100% of those taking modern Swiss diets had this problem. The change in their diet was that food high in vitamin such as milk and cheese produced from grazing cows/goats were replaced by sugar, chocolate and jam. However, when Dr. Price provided those children who had tooth decay with highly nutritious meals daily, there was no further deterioration in their tooth decay, and their oral lactic acid bacteria (which cause tooth decay) also decreased 95% or even disappear. Amazingly, the teeth that had decayed began to harden and heal. To prevent tooth decay and rehabilitate our teeth, we need to eradicate factors that cause this decay and also increase our intake of oil-soluble vitamins A, D and K2, preferably directly from the food we eat.

What are the factors to take note? Blood sugar imbalances can cause the loss of calcium and phosphorus in bones and teeth. Thus, it is important to significantly reduce the intake of food that raises blood sugar, such as sweet fruit, those that have high fructose, glucose, or refined sugar content, as well as processed food. If tooth decay is already present, then it is best to completely avoid sweet fruits and food with sugar.

In addition, it is necessary to appropriately eat grains, especially those that contain wheat germ and bran. Wheat germ and bran contain germination inhibitor known as phytic acid (plant acid) as well as other components that interfere with the absorption of nutrients (such as minerals) by the body. In some early animal experiments, when the animals were fed with untreated grains such as oats, guinea pigs developed scurvy and dogs developed rickets. These problems went away once these animals had a change in diet and consumed oats that were first germinated and then fermented by soaking in water for two days. Phytase is needed to break down phytic acid. But if the grain has been heated, its phytase composition disappears. In this case, it is necessary to use water (with which other grains had been fermented) to soak the grain that is about to be consumed. Drain the water after soaking. Phytase is an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid, and its content varies with different types of grains. Those that have high phytase content include rye, wheat, buckwheat, barley; those with a moderate content include amaranth and quinoa; those with low content include mung beans, lentils, millet, peas, rice, corn, sorghum and oats.

Nuts, beans and seeds contain phytic acid. Before cooking them, it is best to soak grains 16-24 hours, allowing them to first germinate for a few days before soaking them again in water. For nuts, soak in water and allow them to germinate a little before using low heat to dry them. Alternatively, use slow fire to roast them as this can remove much of the phytic acid.

For oats, soak them for 24-48 hours in water with which other high phytase grains had been fermented. Drain the water. Oats sold in the market generally have been heated. To largely remove the phytic acid in brown rise, soak them for 16-24 hours. Retain 10 percent of the water to be used next time, and pour the rest away. The next time brown rice needs to be soaked, add in this water. When this is repeated after four times, 90% of the phytic acid in the brown rice will be removed after soaking. It is even better if the rice that had been soaked is further allowed to germinate.

If we normally eat a large quantity of grains containing wheat germs and bran along with various nuts, it is best to supplement our diet with Vitamins D and C from our food intake. The Synergy Company’s Bone Renewal product is beneficial to our teeth and bones as it has Vitamin D as well as Vitamin K and other minerals. Synergy’s Bliss Delight contains camu camu, which has high Vitamin C content. Lemons are rich sources of Vitamin C and enhance absorption of iron. Oil-soluble Vitamins A, D and K2 are also essential. Vitamins A and D promote the genetic production of two proteins: Osteocalcin which promotes the absorption of calcium by bones and teeth, and MGP (Matrixglaprotein) which removes vascular calcification. These two proteins require Vitamin K2 to be activated; otherwise, they do not serve any function. People nowadays are deficient in Vitamin K2 and therefore cannot appropriately absorb calcium. Modern day ailments are related to this aspect. Osteoporosis and hardening of the arteries arise because the associated proteins are not activated. Even diabetes in adults is related to a deficiency in Vitamin K2. Simply put, the lack of vitamin K2 is related to aging and agerelated ailments.

The following summarizes our current understanding of Vitamin K2:

1. Aging: Vitamin K2 can prevent diseases caused by aging.
2. Heart Disease: Adequate intake of Vitamin K2 can reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and death.
   • Vitamin K2 can best prevent hardening of the arteries.
3. Osteoporosis: Vitamin K2 is needed to activate Osteocalcin, an important bone protein that is needed to absorb calcium.
   • A deficiency increases the chance of bone fracture.
   • It can reduce menopausal osteoporosis.
4. Dementia: Prevents radical (free radical) damage in the brain, and resistance to insulin.
5. Wrinkles: A lack of Vitamin K2 makes the skin lose its elasticity.
6. Varicose veins: Vitamin K2 activates MGP, which can remove vein calcification.
7. Diabetes: Vitamin K2 activates Osteocalcin, which influences the body’s manufacture and responsiveness to insulin.
   • Vitamin K2 supplements can increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
8. Arthritis: Vitamin K2 prevents joint injuries from rheumatoid arthritis.
9. Brain and nerve health: Vitamin K2 protects brain cells from hypoxic brain damage such as stroke and injury at birth, and helps spinal cord growth. It has been proven to reduce multiple sclerosis deterioration in animal studies.
10. Cancer: People with high Vitamin K2 lower their propensity to get lung and prostate cancer.
    • Prevents the formation of prostate cancer.
    • Causes cancer normalization.
11. Kidney disease: A deficiency in Vitamin K2 leads patients with kidney disease to develop hardening of the arteries.
12. Fertility: Osteocalcin, which relies on the presence of K2 to function, affects the production of testosterone ketone, as well as the production of sperms and their survival.
    • A deficiency in oil-soluble vitamins lengthens delivery time, and increases the risk of caesarean section.
13. Fetal and child health: Vitamin K2 is critical to facial and gum development, along with the formation of a normal tooth structure. Vitamin K2 is especially important for the bones to grow well during the period of rapid growth (e.g., puberty).
14. Teeth: Osteocalcin prevents tooth decay and aids in the restoration of decayed teeth, as well as reduces saliva bacteria that cause tooth decay.
15. Why did scientists discover Vitamin K2 so much later, while Weston Price had long known about this new vitamin? One reason is the confusion between Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2, even though the nature and food source of food between these two vitamins are different. Vitamin K1 has a role in enabling blood clotting, and its main source is green plants. A deficiency in Vitamin K1 leads to non-stop bleeding. Since its function is very important, the body tries to retain it so there are few cases of deficiency in this vitamin. The main source of Vitamin K2 is oil-soluble fat, especially cream obtained from grazing cows and goat. In particular, cream from cows/goats that eat rapidly growing grass in the spring time is especially good. Eggs from chicken and ducks that feed on grass also contain Vitamin K2. The variety of cheese that Europeans and Americans eat also contains Vitamin K2. But the best source is Japanese natto, which contains a higher Vitamin K2 than any other product. In Japan, the probability of fracture is lower in regions where people eat more natto versus those where they do not eat natto.

Herbivorous animals and ethnic groups where people traditionally eat a lot of greens can easily convert Vitamin K1 to Vitamin K2. The key point is that the amount must be sufficient. As soon as blenders became available in the 1930s, a naturopathic doctor began to advocate the addition of green juice (energy soup) to the diet of a family whom he had taken care of for three generations. The family ate raw food, and their diet before then comprised largely fruits and nuts, with little greens. Before that, they had a lot of teeth and bones problems, but once they supplemented their diet with green juices, their bones and teeth became healthy. Children who were born later no longer had these teeth and bone problems. Green plants are sources of carotene and Vitamin K1. It is clear from this case that carotene converted to vitamin A, and Vitamin K1 converted to Vitamin K2. There was also a vegetarian who shared her experience. People who had tooth decay originally rarely developed this problem once they added energy soup and green juices to their diets.

I remember that after I started taking Pure Synergy (green powder developed by Dr. Mitchell May similar to Bliss Delight), my nails clearly became harder after three months.

To prevent tooth decay, it is best to start from the womb. Both baby teeth and permanent teeth are formed in the womb. The mother should take special care to have an adequate intake of Vitamins A, D and K2. A balanced diet combined with green juice and sprouts etc. is important. Dr. Ann Wigmore’s energy soup has green plants and sprouts as the main ingredients, with the addition of some fruits to improve the taste. She has also added some sprouted seeds and seaweeds to the recipe. One can also drink horsetail tea, a rich source of silicon that helps the absorption of calcium. There was a 70-year-old woman who drank horsetail tea (cooked 10 minutes or more) daily. A few months later when she went back to the dentist, some of the original small cavities had been healed. It is possible to add some horsetail grass when one cooks porridge.

Sunlight is the most important source of Vitamin D, especially sunlight during spring and summer. Before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. are good times to sunbathe a little, but this needs to be gradually increased. Begin by tanning the back of the feet for five minutes, followed by the calf on the second day. Slowly extend to the whole body but no more than 30 minutes. People who live in sunny areas are less likely to be deficient in Vitamin D. Some daily sunbathing may still be necessary for many people who leave the house early and return late, working under fluorescent light and facing the computer all day.

The following contains some suggestions on how to clean our teeth:

• When our diet is balanced in acidity/alkalinity, our saliva is weakly alkaline, which helps in the healing and repair of our teeth. Hence, it is best to not take snacks outside our three regular meals.
• Other than brushing our teeth in the morning and evening, rinsing our mouth or flossing our teeth is sufficient after taking other meals. Excessive brushing can harm the teeth’s enamel, especially right after eating acidic foods when the enamel softens. It is best to wait 30 minutes to 60 minutes before brushing, and to use a very soft toothbrush.
• To prepare mouthwash, mix two parts baking soda with one part salt, using a ratio of one small teaspoon to one glass of water. You can add some essential oil for the mouthwash (see note) as this can help remove bacteria. Its constituents are two kinds of oil: peppermint essential oil and almond oil.

If you eat sweet dried fruits and raisins, it is necessary to rinse the mouth and brush your teeth as these easily stick to your teeth.

References:

1. Price, Weston, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, 8th ed., Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, 2008
2. Rheaume-Bleue, Kate, VitaminK2 and the calcium paradox, Harper Collins, 2012
3. Greensmoothie.com

Note: See item 8 on page 44 of the May 2015 volume of the Taiwanese Lapis Lazuli Light magazine.

The original Chinese article is published in the May 2015 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20150501.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

An Indian student of a Himalayan High Lama asked how he could change the sufferings and many misfortunes which have happened to his family for many generations.

His ancestor – the father of his paternal grandmother and some villagers had harmed a Tibetan monk on his pilgrimage to India. When the monk passed through their village on his way home, they robbed him of his money and possessions and forced him to jump into the river to his death. Subsequently a series of misfortune befell the student’s clan which continues to this (student) generation.

Ingrained in ancient Chinese culture is the understanding that the actions of ancestors affect their future generations. As recorded in I Ching: “families who perform good deeds will enjoy good fortune” [Lai, 1987]. Future generations will benefit from the virtue and merits accumulated by their ancestors.

In his book The Key to Creating One’s Destiny (The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan) [Translator’s Note I], Mr Yuan Liao-Fan of the Ming Dynasty, mentioned many historical facts of people and events. Many of the descendants of ancestors who had done a lot of good deeds tend to have great accomplishments. Mr Lin Zexu (Wenzonggong) from the Qing Dynasty could have made a fortune from opium, but his integrity and stand against the opium trade cost him his job. However, in each of his generation, there were outstanding descendants, among which, scholars who had attained the titles of Jinshi (metropolitan graduate) and Juren (provincial graduate) [Translator’s Note II]. Families that amassed their wealth through opium trade lost their fortunes after a few decades and none of their descendants were well-known.

Mr Nie Yun-Tai, who wrote Bǎofù fǎ “How to Preserve Your Wealth”, mentioned that many rich families in recent times were unable to preserve their wealth. Some families lost their fortune within five to ten years. Some squandered their wealth within two to three decades, others in forty or fifty years. Among the affluent families from 50 years ago, it is extremely rare to have one or two families out of a hundred that still preserve their fortune, have good descendants who are scholarly, hold proper jobs and have desire to better themselves.

Descendants should also help their ancestors clear their bad karma and accumulate merits. Who could guarantee that none of their ancestors have ever committed murder, robbed, stole, being corrupted, destroyed temples, and/or forced monks to disrobe? The method taught by this Nepalese High Lama can be applied by everyone, especially for families with many misfortunes and disasters or have unscrupulous descendants.

It is our duty to not only help eliminate our family disasters, but also to help our countries and planet to ward off calamities. Whether it is natural or man-made disasters, love is the most powerful healing force.

Many years ago, a teacher from the United States regularly brought over twenty of his more experienced students to places around the world that suffered from natural disasters. For twenty-four hours a day, they would take turn to send love to the locals and bless the place and people. Each time, there were very good outcomes. Once he went to a politically unstable South American country. Together with his students, they continually sent love. In his public talks, he advised the local people that if they wanted to change the government, they must genuinely love their people, land and the government. Within two years, amazingly, the political situation improved.

Not only can major situation changes, things in daily life in general can also be different. Perhaps it is because many people grow up with overly high expectations from their parents. Children might have received many criticisms, and thus they habitually criticize other people and things that they dislike. But criticisms only make things worse.

I had a colleague who had nose cancer, which was later removed. Since young, she felt that her nose was too flat and never appreciated her nose. It is unbelievable that prolonged criticism would lead to cancer.

To change reality, one can start by changing dreams. Stanford University had a Dream Research Lab. They trained volunteers to be aware when they were dreaming. Perhaps, before going to bed, one could repeatedly remind oneself, “I am dreaming”, and then go to sleep. During the day, from time to time, one could also pat and remind oneself that “I’m dreaming”. So, in the dream, one would also involuntarily remind oneself, “I’m dreaming”. Once the volunteers were aware that they were dreaming, they could use left and right movements of eyeballs to communicate with the researchers and start performing pre-arranged activities such as singing, counting, running, reciting poetry and so on. The brains and hearts of the dreamers were hooked to various monitoring devices. The impacts of the activities in the dreams were found to be similar on the brains and bodies as when they were performed awake. Singing and poetry reciting show right-brain activities, and counting or arithmetic indicate left-brain activities. When the dreamer ran in the dream, the heart rate would accelerate.

Some who had nightmares for years, once they realised that they were dreaming, they effectively improve the dream and their nightmares stopped.

One lady dreamt for years that something was chasing after her from behind. Once she learned how to be aware when she was dreaming, she turned her head around and found that there was nothing behind her. Another person saw a very gruesome face in his dream. He did not respond with his usual fear, but rather treated it with love. As a result, the hideous face kept altering and changed into a very gentle face.

Our dreams reflect our deeply stored consciousness. Hidden emotions and negative emotions that have not been alleviated would appear in our dreams. So dreams can more realistically reflect our inner world. This inner world also projects onto our feelings and experience while we are awake. Whether it is what we went through during the day or the experience in our dream, they all originate from us.

The external world is like a mirror. When we face the mirror and smile to the person in the mirror, the reflection from the mirror also smiles back. If we glare at the mirror, the person in the mirror similarly glowers at us. We would not be angry with the person in the mirror nor would we be stubbornly yearn for the person in the mirror.

However, in daily life, we crave for or get disgusted with the images projected by the external mirror. If we want the person in the mirror or in the dream to treat us with warmth, we must love the person in the mirror or the person in our dream.

Those who have experienced love since young, no matter if the love came from their parents or caregivers, it is easier for them to receive and give love. Such a person would be happier. On the contrary, if the parents did not experience love in their childhood, they would not be able to give love to their own children. These people are filled with loneliness and are not happy. In a culture with strict discipline, most people do not experience warmth and are not happy. People from such culture may also easily do violence onto others.

Everyone pursues happiness and joy. You can start from yourself. Smile at the mirror when you look into it. Appreciate and bless the person in the mirror. Love and care and help this person in the mirror. Be aware what the mirror can reflect onto you. Your transformation will also transform the person in the mirror. Gradually, the big mirror of society will also start to transform. When every person looks into the mirror and smile with care and warmth, that is a blissful and happy society.

I once read a parable: God led a man to visit Hell. He saw a dining table surrounded by people with sad faces. On the table were many plates filled with delicious foods. In front of everyone were spoons with very long handles.

The length of the handles was as long as the table. Then God said, “Let me show you Heaven”. The scenario was similar to the previous room. A table was surrounded by people, but everyone was smiling, happily enjoying the food on the table. The difference is that these people were feeding each other across the table with the long spoons. Although this is a metaphor, it portrays the difference between a painful and a happy society.

Translator’s Note I: The Key to Creating One’s Destiny (The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan) is translated from Chinese Version by Dr Chiu-Nan Lai.

Translator’s Note II: These are different levels of academic achievements in ancient China which ultimately qualify the scholars to attend Chinese Imperial Exam held by the emperor.

The original Chinese article is published in the Aug 2015 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20150801.html

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

You don’t have to destroy the forest to harvest trees

For many years, scientists have warned that ecological bankruptcy may cause global warming and rising sea levels, which in turn will bring disasters. These have now become a reality. The forest re in California this year is most serious of all. The range of fire is unbelievable; this has definitely fueled the climate disasters. The typhoons in China’s coastal areas are unprecedentedly strong, and some of the islands in the oceans are now below sea level. Seawalls must be built to protect these coastal cities. The reason that the ecological climate would deteriorate to this extent is because human being in recorded history has made distinction between “your” home versus “my” home. Specifically, conquerors treated “strangers” afar very differently from the way they treat “their own people”.

“Your” forest can be cut down, “your” mines can be fully exploited, and the wild animals, birds and fishes in “your” home can all be hunted and killed. However, there is only ONE earth and all of us share the same ONE home. We live on the same land; we share the same oceans, the same air and the same climate. Air pollution does not just stay in the sky of “your” home, and rainwater is also connected.

Even thousands of years ago, it could be seen that countries and conquerors that did not cherish natural resources had unhappy endings.

Two thousand years ago, the Roman Empire led expeditionary army to cut down trees in Lebanon, North Africa and the Mediterranean. They utilized the same logging method used today to cut down all the forests; and the consequences of deforestation is the same as those faced today as well. Most of the land became desert and the Roman Empire also disappeared. In the seventh century, in order to build military ships, Greeks cut down all their trees and hence lost their forests. Only in recent times, Libya started to re-grow their forest. Their climate and agriculture improved as a result. The Sahara Desert in North Africa is the largest desert on Earth. It is bigger than the Asian Gobi Desert (Gobi is Manchurian word for desert). In the Gobi Desert, there were traces of rivers and evidence of the ancient ginkgo trees, indicating previous existence of forests and good eco-system.

Apart for logging purpose, the recent land desertification is also due to agricultural and policy reasons. During the Japanese era, cypress trees in Taiwan were cut down and sent to Japan. In the seventies and eighties, Brazil offered free forestland to attract 500,000 people to the forest to cut down trees and converted the forest to farmland. A total of 1,100 miles of road was built. The forest topsoil was very thin and could not withstand the damage from fertilizer and the demand for crops. Within just a few years, the land could no longer be used for farming. As a result, trees in deeper part of the forest had to be cut down. The repeated process of destruction caused the disappearance of forests. This is also happening in India, Indonesia and Malaysia. In 1988, the satellite infrared camera operated by NASA showed that there were six thousand different res in the Amazon rainforest every day. The financial value of mono crop and its ability to absorb carbon dioxide cannot replace the original rainforest or any virgin forest. The abundance of the original forest species is also irreplaceable. The resources of Rainforests are mostly above the forest ground, not much is stored in the soil itself.

Desertification caused by deforestation can be repaired. California was originally a redwood forest. 150 years after the white people arrived in California, most of the forests were cut down and the climate became dry and the land impoverished.

Bob Cannard, who lives in North California, has continually restored the watershed and has greatly raised the groundwater level on the land where he farmed for 40 years. During the four or five years of drought in California, the streams owing through his farmland did not dry out.

When Bob first arrived at the land, the streams would dry out a week after the rain. The riverbed was six feet deep and ten feet wide. He restored the watershed by bundling branches and stones with wire to block the river and slow down the flow of water. He also blocked the silt from being washed off. The water that flowed out of the farm was clear. Throughout the years, the speed of water flow slowed down, and there was more water flowing in than out of the farm. The riverbed gradually became wider and shallower, and became one hundred feet wide and three inches deep. A variety of trees such as oak, poplar, etc., grew along the shores of the river. There are many wild plants such as ferns amaranth and so on. In his book New Century Farming, Bob mentioned that his view is contrary to the practice of the average person: “Others suggest digging holes to divert water, but I suggest filling up the holes.” The consequences are different. Because of the improvement of the groundwater level, his peach and lemon trees do not need watering. On the contrary, the groundwater level of farms that have diverted water has declining groundwater level annually. Especially in the dry years of California, many wells went dry and deeper wells had to be dug. This is the process of desertification.

Farms that consulted with Bob have made improvements using his methods. Generally, it is possible to see the result within ten years: an increase in the function of the land to retain water and raised groundwater level. Green String Farm, the farm he founded, has raised the riverbed by six inches and restored the original half-acre of swamp.

The common way of controlling desert only considers planting trees and then utilizes huge engineering projects to introduce water. If the natural process were followed, not much resources would be required. Moreover, by working on the fundamentals via increasing the groundwater level and protecting the watershed will increase the success rate. Bob’s principle in preserving soil is to go to the watershed at the edge of desert, use wire to tie the stones to block the area where water washes away the soil. Silt will be prevented from being washed away. Then, in this area, plant wild plants that grow well in the desert. The roots of these plants can stabilize the soil and improve the soil. The hills of the water source will become green first, and then the plains will also be green. Maybe in ten or twenty years, some strong crops such as daikon radish can be planted, and limited grazing may be allowed. Perhaps fifty years later it can become fertile land.

Restoring desert is a 100-year project. It takes more than just a few years to see results. Land desertification is caused by many years of destruction; thus it will also need many years to repair the land. Just like the Native Americans’ philosophy that says, “we must consider the welfare of the next seven generations” If the ancestors from all places had thought of the next seven generations, we would not have to encounter such a big climate disaster now. If we do not wake up now, we will leave no proper living condition for our future generations to survive on the earth. And if we decide to come back to earth, there will also be no place for us!

Since clear cutting of the forest causes desertification, what can be done to preserve the existing forests and yet meet the demand for wood to satisfy modern life? In fact, trees can be cut in a sustainable way, not only that the forest can be preserved but a continual supply of wood can also be realized. Wildwood, a tree farm located in Vancouver Island on the southwestern part of Canada, harvests timber in a “tree selection system” since 1945. The forest is still in existence and has a continuous supply of trees for logging. The original forest owner, Merv Wilkinson, cut the same amount of wood as the annual growth rate of the forest. For example, between 1985 and 1989, Wildwood grew 270, 000 board feet of timber, so the same quantity of trees was cut in the ninth harvest in January 1990.

As long as the tree trunk is over six inches in diameter, it is included in the supply, including firewood, fences, pillars and timber. Sustainable logging must be selective. Logging can be done continually or periodically as long you do not cut over the annual growth or else you drain the “savings” of trees. Merv left an extra five percent of trees as “interest” on the forest as future investment for the forest.

Wildwood is also a “farm”. Most farms harvest every year, but his tree farm harvests once every five years. To protect Wildwood or other forests, he suggested following several principles as listed below.

1. Be clear about the annual growth of trees.
2. Understand the varieties and values of trees in different areas.
3. Prune appropriately so that trees have enough light to grow.
4. Allow trees to propagate naturally.
5. Protect the soil, leave the land with enough woody debris.
6. Avoid soil erosion when building roads.
7. Time and energy invested brings the owner good income.

Protecting forest soils is very important in forest management. Keep the woody debris, leaves, pine needles and wood dropped from trees so that they can break down naturally. The common practice nowadays is to burn the remaining branches and wood chips after cutting down the trees; this practice is very harmful to the soil. In North America only one eighth of an inch is added to the surface of the soil every century. Man- made fires have destroyed several hundred years of topsoil. The growth of trees depends on surface soil. Subsoil (Bottom layer) can only provide support. If the topsoil is burned or crushed by heavy machine, soil erosion occurs, and the new forest would not be able to regenerate.

How can forests have the next generation? Merv always depended on natural regeneration rather than growing and planting tree seedlings. Firstly, in the forest, he would select the “mother tree” which looks very good, has no genetic defects, and has fruits (for example pine) with good shape. It takes a few seasons to observe to see if the tree is suitable to be a mother tree. Different varieties of mother trees are retained in different regions. Trees grow faster in the shade of the mother tree. Merv has conducted experiments, comparing the growth of a row of tree seedlings planted on the bare land, with a row of tree seedlings planted under the shade of trees. The result showed that the growth rate of tree seedlings growing under the shade was 15 percent faster.

Generally, industrial plantations would transplant tree saplings to a land that has been chopped bare of trees. Trees take eight to ten years to clear the trauma of being transplanted. And then, with overly strong light due to the lack of shade, and barren soil, the saplings are once again traumatized. Trees grown this way often die after a few years.

Another method is to let the roots of trees that had been chopped o to continue to grow into small trees. On the tree stem, preferably on the north part of the stem, keep one or two branches that are closest to the roots. These branches will grow into new trees. If the age of the mother tree is not very old, it can grow many new trees, sometimes up to eight or ten trees. An old tree root can continue to nourish saplings for many years. Fir trees can be grown this way. But once a pine tree is cut, it is wounded and can no longer grow small trees.

Notes: Wildwood: A Forest for the Future by Ruth Loomis with Merv Wilkinson.

This book is no longer in publication, as both the author and the publisher are about eighty years old. Merv had accidentally learned about sustainable forest management. At that time, he was taking short-term courses in college with the thought of going into animal husbandry. In college, he met a professor from Denmark and learned how Scandinavians took care of the forest. The professor had previously taught forest management in Denmark and Sweden, but Canada did not have a forest management department in 1938, so the professor taught Merv personally, guiding him in learning the implementation of forest management methods, and in completing the course in theory and practical management. After Merv passed the exam, the professor said to him: “Your study has just begun, continue to learn.” For years Merv learned about tree cutting, logging management and forest management. Now because of his age, he has sold the forest to a forest environmental group so that the group can continue his work.

Nowadays, most of the tree loggings are done by large commercial enterprises. Usually, the supporters of these enterprises are their shareholders, and you may be one of them. Please check on the companies that you invest in. If you have an impact, please influence them on the way of logging. A sustainable method is the best way of investment. “We will always have wood to burn as long as forests are preserved”. Let us remember that!

The original Chinese article was published in the November 2016 issue of Lapis magazine and is accessible online http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index. php?p=20161101.html

 

 

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

1. Acid-Alkaline Balance vs Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water and Distilled Water

Water that does not contain minerals such as reverse osmosis filted water or distilled water would dissolve carbon dioxide, resulting in acidic water. Drinking RO and distilled water can also dissolve minerals in our body. When drinking RO and distilled water, it is best to balance the acid-alkaline ratio by adding baking soda and sea minerals to the water. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of Pure Aussie Sea minerals to 4 litres or 1 gallon of water. Or one can add according to taste.

2. Protect Against Electromagnetic Waves (EMF) and Microwaves when Using Computer

Six months ago, we replaced a very old computer with a new one. At that time, we attached mantras to the computer and used other protective measures. After that we did not pay any special attention to it.

Recently, when I washed my hair, I noticed that I was losing more hair than usual. After examining carefully, I discovered that even after I had switched off the new computer, it was still emitting negative energy. Those “blessings” worked for only a period of time and did not last forever. Also dowsing my toes showed counter-clockwise energy on the fourth toe of my left foot. I had to work on balancing the energy for a while before the energy was balanced. I added more protections to the computer and also took precaution whether the computer was switched on or off . After a week, there was no hair loss when I washed my hair.

Four months ago, I bought a new mouse when the old one was broken. I forgot to take any protective measures. Recently, I noticed a lump between my right thumb joint and thumb nail. It grew noticeably larger within a month. The middle finger joint was swollen too. On measuring the mouse I found the energy rotated counter-clockwise near the thumb. I attached a few mantras on the mouse, and used the pendulum to balance the energy of my thumb and middle finger. The pendulum first turned counter-clockwise to drain the negative energy and then enhanced the energy by rotating clockwise.

Now I know the computer needs to be blessed frequently. Anti-EMF and microwave measures also cannot be neglected. Test the ten fingers and toes to determine if they are protected.

3. The Importance of Supplementing with Magnesium

According to reports, more than half the population in America lack magnesium due to farming and food processing methods. Magnesium deficiency is a worldwide problem. In addition, EMF and microwaves cause the body to turn acidic and consume more magnesium in the body. Since many body functions rely on magnesium to operate, magnesium deficiency can cause many ostensibly unrelated symptoms such as cramps, hair loss, unable to remember dreams, blood sugar problems, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, insomnia, skin problems, anxiety, cancer and so on. The symptoms of autistic children have also improved after soaking in bath water supplemented with magnesium chloride. When the body lacks water, magnesium is lost.

Sometimes it is not enough to just consume magnesium. Overconsumption of magnesium can cause diarrhoea. Also when the function of the stomach is deficient, it cannot absorb magnesium. Absorbing magnesium through the skin directly is more effective. The best natural magnesium chloride comes from the ocean, for example Pure Aussie Sea Minerals, Supa Boost Sea Minerals and Hawthorn Sea Minerals. Pure Aussie Sea Minerals can be used to apply on the skin. For those living in Europe, they can buy magnesium chloride salt from an ancient ocean under Holland. If the solution is too strong to apply directly on the skin, dilute with water (half and half). Soaking in magnesium salt foot bath or bath is also very good. Use two to four tablespoons of magnesium chloride in the bath. For those who seriously lack magnesium, they can add more magnesium salt and also apply on the body a few times a day, depending on individual needs.

There was a patient who suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than ten years. For the last two years, he was unable to take care of himself, and was
unable to speak clearly. His wife applied the liquid ancient sea salt
on his whole body several times. The next day, he was able to dress himself. A few days later, he was able to express himself clearly, and his temper has become a lot better.

After supplementing with magnesium, sleep quality often would improve. Blood sugar would also become more normal. For several years, I did not supplement magnesium regularly and I did not remember dreams for several years. A few days after I started to supplement with sea minerals plus magnesium salt foot soak every day,

I started remembering my dreams.

People are generally more familiar with soaking with epsom salt or magnesium sulfate. This kind of magnesium would assist in relaxing the muscles, but cannot be retained in the body. However, this is good for autistic children because they are more likely to lack sulfate. Magnesium supplements are also good for them.

4. The Best Inspirations Come After Sleep

Dr Steiner mentioned that many of the decisions that led to the First World War were made between 3 – 11 pm. When we sleep, our astral body and ego body go to the cosmos to renew themselves. So the inspirations when we first wake up in the morning comes from the cosmos. Whereas the ideas and decisions made between 3 – 11 pm are affected by our senses and come from our ordinary consciousness. So when we make a decision, it is better to listen to the inspirations in the morning after our sleep.

For many years, I have a habit of not making decisions in the afternoon or at night. The inspirations after sleep are often not thought of before, but are more ideal.

 

The original Chinese article is published in the May 2016 issue of Lapis Lazuli Light magazine and is accessible online at: http://www.lapislazuli.org/tw/index.php?p=20160503.html