Monday, October 30, 2006

King Bio Community Outreach Program Update

Hey everyone!

Exciting news here at King Bio. Mothering Magazine, an international publication dedicated to parenting and alternative health, has recently published an article I wrote about King Bio's Community Outreach Program. If you haven't heard of this innovative grant before, I'll fill you in.

The KBCOP is a grant I created for Dr. King at King Bio. Organizations that work with the public health can apply for the grant and, if accepted, receive a custom selected set of our contemporary homeopathic remedies along with support materials and education designed to help groups implement these remedies into the practice. It's a great opportunity to help spread Dr. King's message of healing and is also a way for us to give back to the community.

Well, the article in Mothering Magazine has really generated some interest. Just today I've received more than a few application requests for the grant. It's all very exciting. I've been trying to get the word out that we're here with a great product that truly recreates health, and we want to give it away to qualified groups. For several months, I had little success at generating applicants. But now, things are finally happening!

If you are interested, click on the title of this posting. It will direct you to some general information about the grant and about King Bio in general. From there, you can email me directly and I'll send you off an application.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Be well.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Changing of the seasons

A coworker of mine stopped by my room today, looking a bit down. A short conversation later he confessed to me that he almost hadn't made it through the previous day. For those of you who don't know, I teach seventh grade in a small town in the western part of North Carolina. My compadre was another teacher of those rambunctious creatures we call pre-teens.

I asked him, "Those kids giving you a hard time?" Many beginning tachers get so caught up in lesson development, they neglect the most important aspect of teaching- managing student behavior.

"No, the kids are fine. I don't know what it is. I think I might be feeling homesick for the first time since I moved up here from Fayetteville."

That's something different entirely. If your head's not in the teaching game, it's only a matter of time until those kids will eat you up, regardless of your management skills.

"You know," I told him, "the weather took a real change yesterday. The pressure's been dropping and it's colder outside than it's been yet this year. You think that's got anything to do with it?"

"Now that I think about it," he replied, "that's probably it. I guess it was just a reminder of the cold winter to come. Everything's going to be so grey and dead looking. And I've always hated the cold. I'm not even sure why I came to live in the mountains in the first place."

"I grew up in Colorado," I replied, leaning back in my chair, "and I learned to appreciate and even love the cold. I love seeing the trees without their leaves. They show off more of their character when you can see their trunks and branches reaching high over head. You can see more birds when the leaves are gone. I love that first deep cold breath in the morning that makes you cough and feel truly awake for the first time that day. Even the stars at night are clearer and more brilliant."

"Yeah, that's true. I do like that brisk alert feeling you get from being in the cold," he agreed.

"And being at school, this constant threat of getting snow days off brings a real sense of excitement- especially amongst the teachers! When those flakes start flying, you can feel the energy in the school change."

"That's true too. Maybe I just need to wrap my head around this new climate."

"Sure. It'll take a little getting used to. You can do it. It's all in how you look at things."

"That's true. Alright, I'll give it a try. I signed on for at least a year, anyways."

I've always loved the four distinct seasons we experience here in western North Carolina. But it can definitely be challenging. Maintaining that positive head space is crucial in enjoying the different beauty each season offers. This fall, we've had one of the most beautiful leaf changes I've seen since I've been in North Carolina. The beauty is truly wonderous. I'll never forget the golden leaves dropping like flakes of gold in the afternoon sun. I only hope my teacher friend can find a bit of beauty to hold on to before being overcome by his homesickness. It'll be his best hope.

Be well my friends. Enjoy this coming winter!

(ps. We've got some Seasonal Affected Disorder homeopathic remedies if you're interested. Just check out the links on the right side of the page.)

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Ways to kick that habit

I just finished watching the movie "Thank You for Smoking." It was a very smart look into the cigarette industry and the devious ways it maintains its clientelle. Spoiler warning- if you plan on seeing the movie, I'm getting ready to spill a little bit of the beans about the plot.

Ok, so at one point the main character, who is the tobacco industry's primary spokesperson, gets kidnapped and covered with over fifty nicotine patches in an attempt at killing him. He slides into a nicotine induced coma and nearly dies. Eventually he comes to and is greeted by the doctor saying, "That amount of nicotine would have killed a non-smoker. You're lucky you were a smoker." The irony of the moment is compounded moments later when the doctor informs him that he can longer smoke, that even a single cigarette might produce that same life-threatening coma again.

I am an ex-smoker. I don't like using the term "non-smoker" since I feel that having kicked the habit places me in a different category from all the other (more intelligent) people who never picked up smoking in the first place. I was lucky in that much of my success in quitting smoking lay in the fact that my wife and I were both quitting at the same time. If it had been just me, I'm not sure I would have made it through. Knowing that more than just my health was on the line somehow made it more workable. And going through those damned withdrawls together certainly made things easier.

My first week off of "the nic" I went cold-turkey. Soon enough, I realized that the combination of fighting the nicotine withdrawl coupled with the hand-mouth compulsion was just too much. My wife had been using one of the nicotine gums at the time. She swore by the relief it gave her. By isolating the different habits, she was able to gradually ween herself off the nicotine while working on the hand-mouth thing.

I jumped on the gum bandwagon and found quitting a little easier. I remember feeling a little guilty pleasure at chewing a piece of gum while I was working, feeling that gentle pull of the nicotine. But soon enough, my wife and I worked our way off the (very expensive!) gum and became ex-smokers.

Today, many alternatives exist to help people quit. I'd really enjoy hearing some of your quitting stories and what helped you kick the habit. I know different homeopathic remedies exist to help. King Bio has a couple great ones- Addiciton Control and Smoke Control. When taken together, I hear that they really reduce those cravings and help create a positive mental outlook conducive to staying smoke-free.

Whatever you do, remember, it is tough, but it will change your life. Don't be a slave to nicotine and the tobacco industry. Take back your life and live smoke free!

Be well. And thanks for coming 'round.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Hospitals for Health?

Nearly 100,000 Americans die every year due to errors that occur at hospitals.

I got that figure from last week's Newsweek, which I've linked in the title and again here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15175919/site/newsweek/.

One hundred thousand. Deaths from accidents. At hospitals!

Something is seriously wrong here. I've discussed in the past my feelings concerning America's disease-care system. We have a system that does very little to maintain or re-create health. Rather, our system of hospitals, doctors, and pharmaceutical medicines is designed simply to treat disease. This system does very little for individuals until they get sick. And, to make matters worse, rather than seeing a person's symptoms as the body's natural communication and healing system, our disease-care system works to suppress these symptoms in the hope that when an individual is symptom free, they are healed!

Loyal readers and those familiar with the health care system offered through many of the alternatives like homeopathy, chiropractic, and other forms of complimentary alternative medicine know that the absence of symptoms doesn't necessarily mean that the body is healthy. In fact, modern medicines' suppression of symptoms merely pushes the diseases deeper, creating more damaging and difficult to cure diseases.

And now we hear that our hospitals have a nasty habit of making deadly mistakes! Aside from killing almost 100,000 people a year, medication errors hurt over 1.5 million people! A year! If every single person in America went to the hopsital once a year, 1 out of every 300 people would be hurt by a mistake in a hospital. And we know that not everyone is going to the hospital. If a 1 in 300 chance of being hurt just by seeking help at a hospital doesn't scare you, what do you think about a 1 in 200 chance? Or 1 in 100? You know the actual rate is closer to 1 in 100 than 1 in 300. Scared yet? You should be.

It's no wonder complimentary alternative medicine like homeopathy (my favorite!) is steadily growing in users. More and more people realize the importance of taking a proactive role in creating, re-creating, and maintaining their health. Homeopathy works to empower the body's own natural healing systems. No need to go to a hospital. And with the creation of contemporary combination homeopathic remedies, utilizing this powerful healing system has become easier and easier.

If you are beginning to see the cracks in our disease-care system, cracks like the deadly side effects of pharmaceuticals and horrendous accidental deaths and injuries occuring at hospitals, start educating yourself on the alternatives out there. If you're not looking at your health care options, it's only a matter of time before our current system fails you.

Be well my friends.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Movin' and Shakin' at King Bio!

I just got back from a meeting with Dr. King back at King Bio HQ. Things are definitely heating up over there. Most of the work I do I accomplish at home, but occasionally I like to show up at the office and show off my face. Glad I did!

We've got lots of new updates going into our website. Primarily, our new product lines of homeopathic remedies, SafeCareOTC for over-the-counter sales, and SafeCareRx, our line of remedies designed for health care professionals, are hitting shelves in stores and offices around the country. We're busy getting the good word out about these powerful products, hoping that as more and more people are turned on to the world of homeopathy, they will try our contemporary remedies.

I truly feel these combination remedies are the future of homeopathy. As more and more people are failed by our "modern" medicine and disease-care system, they are turning to alternatives. Traditional homeopathy seems a little out-of-reach for many people just beginning to dabble in the world of alternative medicine. Our combination remedies help open the door to this message of healing and restorative health care.

We don't have to live with our faulty and doomed disease care system. If you've been looking for an alternative path to health and wellness, check out our website at www.kingbio.com. I'd love to read your comments on the website as we're always looking to make it more user friendly and helpful.

Be well, and stay informed!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Survey Says!

(If this post makes no sense to you, scroll down and read the last post.)

Good news, everyone! The neurotransmitters in my brain are beginning to moderate themselves. Those that were too high have reduced and those that were too low have, for the most part, elevated to more functional levels. Pam, my nurse from the Great Smokies Medical Center, the alternative health center in Asheville, NC, was able to pinpoint some of the deficiencies that are still showing up. In so doing, she changed my supplements slightly to meet those new needs. Hopefully I'll continue to experience even moods. In addition, she thinks the slight changes she made in my supplement regimen will bring me greater energy during that difficult 4:00-8:00 evening time frame.

I was so relieved to see that my brain was being cooperative. Some of the more stubborn neurotransmitter levels were moderating quickly, giving me hope that I won't be on these supplements forever. Even still, the cost is cheap at twice the price, seeing the improvement in my familial relationships it has brought.

So, my supplement regimen has been changed. I'll work with this for about three months. Then, after the winter holiday, I'll get retested to see if my levels have, um, levelled off any more. Maybe then I'll be able to start reducing some of these supplements.

Until then, I'll take all the help I can get!

Be well my friends. Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, October 09, 2006

My return to the Great Smokies

It's been just over two months since I started posting to this blog. In that time, what started as an opportunity to turn people on to the power of homeopathy, something I learned through my time spent with Dr. King at King Bio in Asheville, NC, has grown into something much more than that. I thought, since I just received my 200th visitor, that I'd spend this blog recapping my personal journey into health and wellness.

My life, as many of you know if you've been a regular reader, took several drastic turns this last summer. Without going into too much detail, my life entered a state of turmoil and transition. My habits of consumption coupled with my less-than-optimal brain chemistry and an innate stubbornness that prevented me from seeing reality put such stress on the important relationships in my life that I was forced to grow out of these destructive habits or risk losing those closest to me.

With the help of a loving wife and a supportive friend, I was introduced to the Great Smokies Medical Center. This clinic utilizes alternative and traditional health methods in order to find the root of the disease. So much of "modern medicine" simply masks the symptoms of disease. The GSMC, along with many other forms of alternative medicines, works to find the root causes behind those symptoms to recreate real health. My relationship with the GSMC began with a variety of tests prescribed by Pam, a nurse practitioner and a wonderful woman who exuded a confident sense of healing and growth. Several hundred dollars later and a couple containers of bodily fluids less, my journey down the road to alternative healing was begun.

Three weeks after sending off my specimens, the results came back. My wife and I had intense bouts of insecurity and fear that perhaps the tests would show that nothing was wrong with my brain, that the root of my problem was psychological and not physical. Even before the results came back, we both knew that something would have to change. And if the alternative realm of health couldn't provide that change, we would go with the traditional pharmaceutical approach of anti-depressants or whatever pill would...is "help" the right word?

Luckily, the results showed that the levels of neurotransmitters in my brain were way off. Pam started me on a regimen of amino acids and vitamins, over fifteen pills daily. I immediately began sleeping better, getting into that deep, restorative sleep required for better health. Within a month, my family was amazed at how much more even my moods had become. I no longer found myself slipping into a moody funk in the early evenings, fouling the air with my grumblings. I became a better, more patient father and a more responsive and enjoyable husband.

Now, several months later, I still experience the benefits of improved brain chemistry. Three weeks ago I sent off my latest specimen to the lab to see if my brain had started recreating that crucial balance of neurotransmitters by itself. Tomorrow is my appointment. I'm a little worried. A part of me really hopes that my brain has grown along with my rejeuvenated relationships. I don't want to "have to" keep taking these supplements for the rest of my life. Not only are they expensive, but there's a part of me that feels like my body should be able to work appropriately on its own. I know this isn't true, that it's hardly true for most of us, and that luckily there's all sorts of help like homeopathy, supplements, chirporactic, western medicine, and other kinds of complimentary alternative medicines that help the body when it can't help itself.

I guess if the results tomorrow state that my brain hasn't yet recreated that necessary balance on its own, I'll pony up the additional cost of another round of supplements. What's a couple hundred bucks a month when it means my wife and I continue to develop our relationship and I get to help raise my children in a loving household.

Like that mastercard commercial, cost of a month's supply of amino acids and vitamin supplements- $200. Value of a healthy, conscious relationship with my wife and children- priceless.

Be well.

I'll let you all know how things turn out.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

The Great Kess

I just got off the phone with my Uncle Kess. For those of you who have read this blog in the past, you might recognize the name. His wife is my Aunt Edna. She passed away about two months ago. I was able to visit with them during her last week as she fought like the tough ol' bird she was, tenaciously hanging onto life. The time I spent with them was very powerful and moving. I remember thinking how nice it would be to have a homeopathic remedy to help with that greatest of all transitions.

Kess is doing alright. He openly stated before Edna died that he wished he could follow closely behind. But, as many of us know, the spirit is more dogged than the body. And as the body fails, all too often the spirit refuses to go willingly. I asked if he'd been spending any time up at the lake, his favorite place to pass the time. He said he had, but that he really needed help, pretty much all the time. His voice still echoes in my mind as he asked, "Do you know anyone that might be able to help me out up there?" I winced inwardly as I changed the subject.

Kess and Edna hold a very special place in my heart. All of my grandparents passed away before I was ten. Kess and Edna became surrogate grandparents, and I was a supplemental grandchild for them. I wish I could transplant my family to Texas for a month, just to be with him. But my seven year old has school and now my three year old has started pre-school. My wife has her career keeping her busy. And I've just started a new school year. I feel like I can't do anything for him but send him good energy and hope for the best.

I guess back when families stayed close together, the different relationships that developed across generations and marriages served to provide support in a multitude of situations. Today, the distance between family can prevent much of this.

I'll never forget the conversation I had with him back when I was about my oldest daughter's age. I had asked my mom just how I was related to Kess. She told me he was my great uncle. When I saw Kess later that day, I asked him, "Since you're my great uncle, should I call you Great Uncle Kess?"

His reply is a classic that he's long since forgotten. "Nah, you can just call me Great Kess."

I love that old guy.