Ways pomegranate protects against spike.

Includes chimeric spike gene sequences involved in fusion entry of cells, and Ehden Biber’s latest post with FOIA information from Pfizer including the Omicron BA.1 (“Riltozinameran”) genetic sequence.

Hard to understand info for non-geneticists from Ehden – thanks for sharing maybe some geneticists will translate for us: The Sequence; We now have Pfizer’s Omicron BA.1 (“Riltozinameran”) genetic sequence, alongside other important information, thanks to a FOI request to the UK’s regulatory body, the MHRA. – by Ehden Biber – Sense of Awareness (substack.com)

I had just added a gene sequence image to something I had written, and was searching posts and not finding it (and getting frustrated ;-) when I remembered where it was – Gp41 in SARS-CoV-2 spike, so here we are back with the delicious and royal fruit.

Pomegranate is so awesome it can take on a multi-fanged genetic chimera:

1) Blocks entry at the ACE2 receptors and preserves ACE2 function.

Pomegranate peel extract blocks entry at the ACE2 receptor which also helps protect the function of ACE2 receptors, and pomegranate extract also inhibited “the activity of the virus 3CL protease.” (Tito, et al, 2020) Lung edema and other symptoms of severe Covid19 are also symptoms of lack of ACE2 function. As the infection spreads to cells with ACE2, the spike blocked receptor is dysfunctional. The juice/fruit likely helps but the peel is more potent, more concentrated in phytonutrients and has additional hydrolyzable tannins.

2) Inhibits NET formation, and inflammasome creation.

Inhibits NET formation (Kirchner, et al, 2013) which would promote inflammasome production – which kills good cells when it is an over-reaction. The SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, the E protein section, causes activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome creation, and the resulting increase in inflammation can also signal further creation of them. (Wong and Saier, 2021) An allergy like sensitization seems to occur. Macrophages from people who had been sick with COVID-19 reacted to exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and inflammasome production occurred. Cells from people who had not been pre-exposed to SARS-CoV-2 did not react to cause inflammasome creation. (Theobald, et al, 2021)

3) Inhibits fusion of HIV-1 and entry into cells by membrane fusion. It may do the same for SARS-CoV-2.

*I am not sure if “HIV-1 entry inhibitor” is the same as fusion inhibitor for preventing the splitting of S1 from the S2 portion of spike. (Neurath, et al, 2004)

  • Punica granatum (Pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide.” (Neurath, et al, 2004)

If it is, pomegranate phytonutrients could inhibit the fusion cleavage site from opening and freeing the S1 subunit which then can block nAChR function and has prion like domains and a galectin-3 like sequence. So, preventing S1 release would protect cholinergic function, reduce misfolded protein risks, and reduce risk of galectin-3 over-stimulating excess angiogenesis (blood vessel formation or doubling/splitting).

It was noted by (Wu Zhang and Leng Yap, 2004) that HIV-1 gp41 and SARS-CoV(1) S2 proteins are similar in structure. The gp41 protein helps HIV-1 fuse directly with cells in order to infect them, (Chen, 2019), which SARS-CoV-2 can also do. The S2 portion of spike forms a wedge like shape and directly invades a cell’s bilipid membrane layer for the purpose of membrane-to-membrane fusion with the viral particle. The sequence “GB1” is discussed and a Spike SARS-CoV-2 Fusion peptide, see Fig. S1. (Koppisetti, Fulcher, Van Doren, 2021) If pomegranate can prevent HIV-1 membrane fusion than maybe it is preventing separation of the S1 from the S2 subunit – more research is needed.

Fig. S1. (Koppisetti, Fulcher, Van Doren, 2021)

Background info by (Wu Zhang and Leng Yap, 2004) on the roles of the two parts of a coronavirus species’ spike protein – S1 (“cellular reception recognition”) and S2 (fusion of the viral and host cell membranes for entry):

“Coronavirus spike protein plays a very important role in virus entry, virus–receptor interaction, variations in host range and tissue tropism. The S proteins of majority of coronaviruses are cleaved into two functional subunits, S1 and S2. Liu et al. [1] indicated that the S protein of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) also forms S1 and S2 domains. The peripheral S1 portion is responsible for cellular receptor recognition, while the membrane-spanning S2 portion mediates the fusion of viral and cellular membrane, hence S protein determines the specificity of host and virulence of coronavirus [2]. Similarly, there are two non-valently associated subunits in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein, gp120 and gp41, gp120 directs target-cell recognition and viral tropism through interaction with the cell-surface receptor CD4, while the membrane-spanning gp41 promotes fusion of the viral and cellular membranes so that viral contents are released into the host cell [3].” (Wu Zhang and Leng Yap, 2004)

The chimeric S1 subunit can be free and effect receptors elsewhere in the body or be released in exosomes in exhaled breath or sweat, and body fluids. It has the snake venom toxin-like nAChR cholinergic blocking effect and has a galectin-3 look alike sequence. Preventing S1 separation would reduce harm.

4) Acts as a modulator for inflammation & immune function,, promoting or inhibiting as needed for the situation.

Acts as a modulator and can increase Nitric oxide production if low or reduce Nitric oxide production if it excessive. Modulatory benefits for oxidative stress – pomegranate peel can help increase Nitric oxide by promoting eNOS (Delgado, et al, 2017), (de Nigris, et al, 2007a), (Wang D, et al, 2018), or reduce excess by promoting iNOS. (Kandeil, et al, 2019)

5) Protects against misfolded protein conditions.

Protects against misfolded protein conditions – the delphinidin (Noda, et al, 2002) and other anthocyanidins (Masci, et al, 2016), (Qu, et al, 2015) that give pomegranate its purple red hue, may help stabilize proteins as allosteric modulators and many phytonutrients or nutrients can act on receptors as agonists or reverse agonist (less often). (Silva, et al, 2019)

6) Promotes Nrf2 which helps promote DNA damage repair, glutathione production, and immune function.

Promotes Nrf2 which helps promote glutathione production, immune function, and DNA damage repair and inhibits inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 (Karwasra, et al, 2019) and NFkB. (Rasheed, et al, 2009). Nrf2 and pomegranate peel inhibit mast cell degranulation which would reduce inflammation, cytokines, and histamine. (Parisio, et al, 2020) Antihistamines tend to help in CoV treatment. Nrf2 inhibits mast cell degranulation by promoting SIRT4. (Hu B et al, 2020)

7) Contains potent antioxidants in addition to promoting Nrf2 and our own glutathione production.

Pomegranate peel contains potent antioxidants and diuretics (the tannins/EGCG/catechins) which help with detox – have several servings earlier in the day if ill and drink plenty of water, or once a day as a preventive.

The fruit juice and seeds provide some of the benefits for reducing inflammation and protecting the brain, but the peel contains more of the phytonutrients with potent antiviral and antioxidant function. Antioxidant power so strong, pomegranate peel extract can be used as an anti-corrosive for steel. (Rashid, et al, 2017) Too much is a pro-oxidant, use in moderate amounts. The diuretic effect is a clue when you may be getting too much, or just a good amount if puffiness is a problem.

8) Protects against liver, kidney, and brain damage risks from hyperinflammation.

Protects against liver, kidney, (Middha, et al, 2013) and brain damage risks from (spike) hyperinflammation. (Ahmed, et al, 2014) (Morzelle, et al, 2016) With a healthy microbiome, metabolites urolithin A and B can cross the blood brain barrier and reduce neuroinflammation. (Kujawska, et al, 2019) EGCG helps promote new growth of hippocampal cells. (Itika, et al, 2020) Urolithin A may be helpful against aging, metabolic dysfunction, IBD, and neurodegenerative disorders by promoting mitophagy and removal of defective mitochondria leading to improved health of mitochondria. (Singh, et al, 2022)

Species that help produce urolithin A and B may include Firmicutes, Clostridiales and Ruminococcaceae family and Akkermansia muciniphlia. Having more Bacteroides in ratio to Firmicutes was associated with non-production of urolithin A in response to 8 oz of pomegranate juice. A 500 mg supplement product, MitoPure, led to much greater increases in plasma levels of urolithin than the juice, in a crossover self-controlled clinical study. (Singh, et al, 2022)

Firmicutes are the main butyrate producing species, Ruminococcaceae also produce it, and Akkermansia muciniphlia produce other short-chain fatty acids. They are anaerobes fermenting undigested starches within the colon and the short chain fatty acids help feed the colon cells. (Parada Venegas, et al, 2019) *Probiotics provide species that populate the small intestines. We need to eat adequate resistant starches and zinc to support the anaerobe of the colon.

9) Improves gut health, membrane and cardiovascular health and promotes a beneficial microbiome balance of butyrate producing species.

Improves gut health, (Zhang, et al, 2017) membrane health, and cardiovascular health. (Wang et al, 2018)  (Sadeghipour, et al, 2014) (Salwe, et al, 2015) . (Yang, et al, 2018) (Asgary, et al, 2017). Improved endothelial function in the placenta for a diabetic pregnancy animal model, eNOS -/- knockout mice and wild-type were used. (El-Sayyad, et al, 2019)

  • Tip – think of skin health, gut health and blood vessel/cardiovascular health as all connected – similar tissue, slightly different issues.

Promotes balance between Firmicutes and Bacteroides species, butyrate producing microbial species in the gut. Excess Firmicutes is associated with obesity and excess Bacteroides with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Pomegranate led to a decrease in Firmicutes in an animal-based study about a gut pathogen. (George, et al, 2019)

  • “These results suggest that consumption of pomegranate polyphenols altered the microbiome, making it more resistant to displacement by infection with Cr, indicating that pomegranate polyphenols may mitigate the pathogenic effects of food‐borne bacterial pathogens.” (George, et al, 2019)

When we protect our gut, we are also protecting our brain, because they are connected via the large vagus nerve. It can act as a superhighway and allow chemicals to enter the brain from the gut or enter the gut from the brain. Parkinson’s Disease seems to involve this connection. Pomegranate peel extract helped a brain inflammation condition by modulation of the species in the gut. (Lu, et al, 2020)

  • “Pomegranate peel extract ameliorates the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis via modulation of gut microbiota.” (Lu XY, et al, 2020)

Promotes the microbiome. Sepsis – did not help in one animal model. Pretreatment for a month with pomegranate may have increased gut microbiome leaving the animals at increased risk of sepsis effects when surgery was performed.  (Tavasoli, et al, 2014)

Pomegranate in a market. Photo by Jonas Renner on Unsplash.

Summary: The juice/fruit provide many of these benefits but not all, the peel is more potent in the anti-viral & other benefits.

  1. Pomegranate peel extract blocks entry at the ACE2 receptors and preserves ACE2 function.
  2. Inhibits NET formation which leads to (killer) inflammasome creation.
  3. Inhibits fusion of HIV-1 and entry into cells by membrane fusion. It may do the same for SARS-CoV-2.
  4. Acts as a modulator for inflammation and immune function, promoting or inhibiting as needed for the situation – restoring balance.
  5. Protects against misfolded protein conditions (prions).
  6. Promotes Nrf2 which helps promote DNA damage repair, glutathione production, and immune function.
  7. Pomegranate contains potent antioxidants in addition to promoting Nrf2 and our own glutathione production.
  8. Protects against liver, kidney, and brain damage risks from hyperinflammation.
  9. Improves gut health, membrane and cardiovascular health; and promotes a beneficial microbiome balance of butyrate producing species.
  10. The juice/fruit provide many of these benefits but not all, the peel is more potent in the anti-viral benefits.

Ellagic acid/EGCG alternatives:

If pomegranate/peel is not available to you, then sumac/Zataar contains similar phytonutrients and so do Goji berries, and red raspberries a smaller amount and maybe black raspberries too: “The seeds of raspberries contained 87.8% of the ellagic acid,” (Daniel, et al, 1989), strawberries had more in the pulp than the seeds. Green tea also contains some of the catechin benefits ~ 3 cups per day provides about 200 mg of EGCG which is a typical amount found in supplements of EGCG. If gut issues are also an issue though, green tea may cause discomfort due to the oxalate content.

We should listen to Geert Vanden Bossche, PhD, DVM:

  • Geert says we need to treat everyone prophylactically to stop breakthrough infections & slow the mutation rate. (substack.com) a post on my SubCtack links to his audio/post.

Early treatment works – we need to prophylactically treat everyone with the basic Z-Stack or preferred equivalent. Preventively taking supplements means you are treating somewhat at the first exposure. Then if signs of a cold occur, increase the vitamin C and anti-viral/iron chelators like quercetin, pomegranate peel product/tea and/or black seed oil.

I also include intranasal rinse or spray, and negative ionizers for air quality control in addition. Stop the exposure in the nose where the body has IgA antibodies that react against any coronavirus. Once the RNA species reach the lung, they have mutated somewhat and are harder for the body to fight.

Negative ionizers are something that should be in public places.

Anyone in power over a facility – please see what you can do to add it. CoV spike is positively charged and will clump and fall from the air. Sweep and mop more often. Part of the risk is the air above big crowds – think of it as a circulating swamp of everyone’s mutation variants, which then all can rapidly mingle and the whole swarm can quantumly it seems, all mutate to a new (worse) variant and make the whole crowd sick. Karl Sirotkin, PhD’s work.

  • Golden Silkworms in Pandora’s Box – by Harvard2TheBigHouse (substack.com)

Pomegranate peel and fruit is an “antidote” for many diabolical features of the patented computer-generated sequence that is causing harm. It happens to be pomegranate season in the Northern Hemisphere. Are we collectively going to start using the fruit and peel for its full benefits? Or continue waiting for a rich person to suggest it? Or wait for Tedros and the WHO to use a little money to research pomegranate peel extract against SARS-CoV-2?

If you want medical doctor/researcher recommendations about the benefits of pomegranate, read this open access peer-reviewed book: Pomegranate, (IntechOpen), 2021. In a chapter on the antimicrobial benefits, Celiksoy and Heard did a phenomenal job creating extensive Tables of research trials showing antimicrobial potential of pomegranate peel extract or whole fruit extract. The Tables include which species were targeted using pomegranate extract of what dose, standardized to 13% ellagic acid, or other extraction method details are listed. (Celiksoy and Heard, 2021) It is just one Chapter in an open access peer-reviewed (long) book: Pomegranate, (IntechOpen), 2021.

Pomegranate and early treatment can work – if you use it.

It can’t work if you don’t use it.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Therapeutic goal overview

Problem:

The whole alternative point about there being “no virus” because of Koch’s Postulates – is simply wrong regarding RNA type viruses. RNA viruses – they  are a group of variants rather than all being genetically the same organism, like a malaria parasite is always a malaria parasite in some stage of growth. And there is definitely a chimeric spike protein which was patented in 2018, – in the US by Ralph Baric out of University of North Carolina.

The chimeric spike protein has the characteristics of a computer sequenced molecule with many hazardous sequences that are also patented. It is bioweapon-like in the changes, rather than natural mutations, which tend to be single nucleotide changes rather than a short string of nucleotide changes that happen to be specific patented sequences for known toxins. All of the CoV injections use the same modified version of that chimeric spike protein, which NIH gave a modified sequence of to all the vaccine companies – and they all used it.

The bat coronavirus used as a carrier for the chimeric spike protein, in itself, is not that big a problem to a person of reasonable health, compared to anything designed to include the chimeric spike, because that is toxic to us in many ways and the injection version seems to be a worse cholinergic blocker – the snake venom toxin part is a paralytic – Ralph Baric’s patent, modified by the U.S. NIH.

References – Spike Protein Risks & Aids – Summary Page, (47)

and David Martin’s work on the patent trail:

A key driver is the media… Investors will respond if they see profit…, Daszak stated.”

– via https://twitter.com/David32856757/status/1472365176775188489?s=20

Hope and selfcare are the solutions.

Therapeutic Strategies and Goals:

  1. Fibrinolytic – protects against blood clotting risks and can help reduce congestion. Bromelain, serratiopeptidase, nattokinase, others. 
  2. Iron-chelator / Antimicrobial-anticancer-anti-inflammatory – reduces damage from oxidative stress and free iron, or identifies iron rich cells for removal. – Artemisinin, Sweet Wormwood tea, many others.
  3. Antioxidant support – infection and inflammation increases need for antioxidants. Spike also can inhibit our own antioxidant production pathways – Nrf2. Phytonutrients in many common foods and beverages can help promote Nrf2. Vitamin C, liposomal glutathione, NAC/whey protein/Aged Garlic Extract, alpha lipoic acid,
  4. Methyl B12*, folate*, choline*, (*methyl donors), thiamine, (B1), niacin, (B3), and all the other B vitamins – inflammation and infection greatly increases need for B vitamins and spike may reduce methyl Bs and increase neuropathy risk – tingling fingers. Methyl donors help protect against DNA damage. Niacin can help reduce inflammation and increase endolysosomal removal of cellular debris, like spike or virus or dead cell particles which increase oxidative damage risk.
  5. Topical magnesium sulfate – the sulfate and magnesium help cardiovascular risks. Spike reduces absorption of magnesium in the GI tract. Low magnesium increases risk of stroke or heart attack, and muscle cramps, tinnitus, headaches, anxiety, depression or a short temper and anger.
  6. Vitamin D & sunshine & blackout curtain darkness at night (or cloth to cover the eyes). Our circadian cycle has many functional changes every wake/sleep cycle in addition to melatonin production at night. Dosing of vitamin D is best as a prevention, daily attention to a healthy baseline. Megadoses should not be needed – just in advance of an allergy or autoimmune risk is the key factor. 
    • Autoimmune problems are for life as soon as they develop. Remission can occur with less of a daily symptom problem but then can flare up if re-exposed to the antigen. Avoidance of the trigger food or toxin is needed – which means spike protein too. 
    • While making our own melatonin means we are also helping all the other circadian repair and growth functions, the high dose niacin/melatonin protocol can help to fight infection and reduce inflammation. Gradual increase in dosing over months is needed ideally but short term immediate use for an infection may be needed. The gradual use as prevention or LongCovid symptoms may help by allowing the body to have time to cope with the level of inflammation that is present. Only so much cellular crud can be removed in any one night/day cycle. 
  7. Protein – Biology seems like magic but is little machinery made out of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients and chemicals. We need adequate protein to make the little machines, and enzymes or cellular structure proteins. In severe inflammation with Covid, a ketone based diet may be helpful or at least low carbohydrate intake in comparison to the calories from fats and protein. If kidney damage is present then excessive protein is also to be avoided, but some is still important.
  8. Nucleotides to make RNA or DNA are plentiful in a diet with animal products but would be a need in a vegan diet. Nutritional Yeast Flakes or Deactivated Yeast (wheat product- gluten). We need to make RNA regularly in order to make any other protein from the DNA pattern. So for growth and repair or to make antibodies, we need to make RNA first.
  9. Mushrooms or the edible yeasts would help with spike risk to the Dectin-1 receptors. Th Beta-glucan in the edible fungus activates them, as they protect against fungus. In a normal fungal infection avoiding mushrooms would be recommended, but in spike situations it is protecting the receptors from spike lodging in them instead. It would keep them functioning to protect against other fungal infections. Medicinal mushrooms can also help immune function in other ways too. Avoiding glyphosate would be protective as it increases risk for fungal infections and a low carbohydrate diet would be protective as fungus grow on carbs. *Prevention is key, fungal infections are very difficult to get rid of once established.
  10. Sialic Acid is decreased by spike. Making more is the need, we can’t really get it through the digestive system. It is electrically active and needs to be made, or replaced with soluble sialic acid that is in the area. It helps prevent the rouleaux stacking of blood cells. Adequate nucleotides in the diet help and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) – available in supplements or insects. Grow your own with supplies from a pet store – after you learn more about it first maybe.
  11. Frequency/vibration therapy can help or harm. Certain frequencies can break the delicate membrane of a virus or bacteria while not harming the human cells, (Rife). Other frequencies can help our own quantum health and well feeling. Strong EMF can increase inflammation though and may increase risks from graphene oxide in the CoV injected people. In general it is good to turn off EMF sources during the healing sleep hours of your life. Faraday cages are available that help reduce EMF from WiFi routers.
    • Example Rife healing frequencies for autoimmune conditions – I did find this helpful on a flare-up day: Autoimmune Diseases Cure Healing – Rife Frequency | Pure Isochronic Binaural Beats – Sound Therapy (youtube)
  12. Omega 3 fatty acids – EPA & DHA. They help reduce inflammation, are needed for membrane and eye health and are part of our quantum health – our energy fields. Vegan or vegetarian sources are likely inadequate as the conversion rate to the DHA/EPA forms is low. Krill oil or algal oil are sources in addition to fatty fishes like salmon, tuna and sardines. 

There are more. Trace minerals are important, and microbiome health – which means zinc, fiber and resistant starch are important. SARS-CoV2 can infect bacteria and the GI tract and appendix are potentially a risk for ongoing relapses. The injected LNPs may be entering microbes too and adding chimeric spike to their surfaces too. There has been an increase in appendicitis cases since CoV injection rollout.

We don’t know what isn’t allowed to be researched. Thankfully some independent researchers persist anyway.

There are many things that can help health, and many modern foods and habits that are harming our health. Avoiding processed foods helps reduce pesticide and herbicide intake and reduces inflammation as ultra-processed foods promote Metabolic Syndrome and weight gain per recent research. (43)

  • Health Aids for Special Times – Protocol (document) has a link to a Spanish translation.
  • Histamine Food Lists – also categories for food senstivities that are frequently causes of increased inflammation. (document)
  • DHA – a quantum molecule. (document)
  • Blue Iodine – Recipe & References, shared from social media (document)
Webpages on jenniferdepew.com include Microbiome, Resistant Starch/Butyrate, How Much Butyrate?,
DHA & Forest Bathing, Membranes & Inflammation, and MCAS/Histamine.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a <functional or orthomolecular> health professional for individual health care purposes.

Reference List

43 Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al., Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metabolism. 2019 May 10. pii: S1550-4131(19)30248-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 31105044. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105044/

https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/23

There’s more to life than business.

Business is said to make the world go around* but family and physics are also important.

  • “Money makes the world go round.”
    – John Kander and Fred Ebb
    Line from the song Money, Money – from the musical Cabaret. (allgreatquotes.com)

I didn’t know the origin of that expression – I love the internet.

Trivia – the name of this website is based on a translation of the Tao Te Ching, Verse 41, which is slightly different than the typical English translation. The Great Integrity is the oneness of which everything is a part – transcending the physical realm is to accept that there is more to life than material things such as money or business. One section of the verse is quoted on a page on this site: Tao Te Ching, Verse 41, (transcendingsquare) a link to the book with the translation is included.

The initial theme I had envisioned for this site was a collection of images of things that are not quite square – or transcending the typical in some way.

Underneath the tip of the public view is archives of my notes and previous work. Having a notebook with a search engine attached is a modern way to transcend rectangular – a notebook with many layers.

A mini forest within a forest – life transcends square every day.

More leaf and forest images – nature can be healing, even if only in viewing images: https://www.peace-is-happy.org/blog/peace-is-a-rainbow 

Walking in the woods can be more healing but other types of regular exercise can also be beneficial for reducing stress. See “Forest Bathing” for more details and links and “Forest Bathing: for a healthy microbiome” for more images and information about the potential health benefits of a walk in the woods: (effectivecare/Glossary)

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.

So, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself,” psychiatrists and their prescription pads, an unhealthy microbiome, and the occasional suicide bomber

In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” during his first inaugural speech as a newly elected President of a United States. The country was suffering from the Great Depression and many people were unemployed and struggling to survive. You can hear his inspiring words from that day in a short excerpt from the speech, and read the full transcript at historymatters.gmu.edu: [http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5057]

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933, First Inaugural Address, [http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5057]

Fear can paralyze and divide us at times when we need to take action and work together to make changes that help stabilize the situation causing fear.

There are a lot more psychiatrists with prescription pads than there are suicide bombers and lots more individuals with unhealthy microbiomes than either psychiatrists or suicide bombers. The odds of encountering a psychiatrist may be lower than the likelihood of meeting someone with an unhealthy microbiome or having the bad luck of being in the vicinity of a suicide bomber.

The psychiatrist with a prescription pad writing olanzapine/Zyprexa prescriptions may be turning otherwise non-violent people into violent people (who may or may not also develop diabetes or other unpleasant side effects); and the individual with an unhealthy microbiome may have anxiety or other negative mood symptoms because of the neurotransmitters that are being produced by the types of bacteria colonizing the intestines. Some types make positive mood neurotransmitters and some types make anxiety producing neurotransmitters. Read more about the intestinal microbiome and mood: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166223613000088]

We have been trained by advertising to fear too many things, silly things like whether someone might notice our body odor, or whether our outfits are the currently popular style, or whether the little one will get accepted at the best preschool so that they will have a better chance of later being accepted at the best university. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself because it disables us from making decisions based on our values rather than basing them on advertising messages.

Note for anyone who may be trying to wean off of olanzapine/Zyprexa, based on patient forum comments and my own experiences with the medication: (with your psychiatrist’s approval and guidance) Cut the tablets into smaller and smaller fractions and gradually taper off the drug over several days/weeks/whatever it takes; and taking a tablet of ibuprofen every four-six hours when stopping the medication may also help with withdrawal symptoms from the olanzapine/Zyprexa, because ibuprofen’s anti-inflammatory and pain relief functions are also due to it preventing the breakdown of our natural cannabinoids, however ibuprofen doesn’t cause psychiatric affects or withdrawal symptoms,  so it must not be affecting the cannabinoids in quite the same way as olanzapine/Zyprexa.

/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./