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NEWSLETTER
Volume 4, Issue 1
January 2009
Nakato Lewis
Blackherbals at the Source of the Nile, UG Ltd.
The African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic located
in Bukoto, Uganda is a modern clinic facility created to
establish a model space whereby indigenous herbal
practitioners and healers can upgrade and update their
skills through training and certification and respond to
common diseases using African healing methods and
traditions in a modern clinical environment.
Traditional healers are the major health labor resource
in Africa as a whole. In Uganda, indigenous traditional
healers are the only source of health services for the
majority of the population. An estimated 80% of the
population receives its health education and health care
from practitioners of traditional medicine. They are
knowledgeable of the culture, the local languages and
local traditions. Our purpose is to raise public
awareness and understanding on the value of African
traditional herbal medicine and other healing practices
in todays world.
The Clinic is open and operational. Some of the
services we offer are African herbal medicine,
reflexology, acupressure, hot and cold hydrotherapy,
body massage, herbal tonics, patient counseling, blood
pressure checks, urine testing (sugar), and nutritional
profiles. We believe in spirit, mind, and body. Spiritual
counseling upon request.
Visit us also at www.Blackherbals.com
Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday thru Friday
10 am to 4:00 pm Saturday - Sundays Closed
Continued on page 7
AFRIKAN SPIRITUALITY
ANCESTOR VENERATION
IN AFRICA
BY CHARLES NYAMITI
1. Introduction
In many African societies ancestral veneration is one of the
central and basic traditional and even contemporary forms of
cult. As is indicated by the title, this essay intends to expose
briefly the main features of that type of veneration in black
Africa, South of the Sahara.
2. Ancestral cult in Black Africa
African ancestral cult is deeply rooted in the African
traditional worldview so much so that a proper and adequate
understanding of that cult cannot be achieved without
examining it in its intimate link with such worldview. Hence,
before exposing the main features of ancestral veneration, it
is useful to give first a brief survey of the African traditional
worldview, in the light of which the former will and should
be envisaged.
2.1 Brief Survey of African Traditional Worldview
As can be gathered from anthropological and ethnological
data most of the elements found in the African worldview can
be reduced to four main headings:
2.1.1 Dynamism and vitalism, comprising an existential,
concrete and affective way of approach. Reality is seen and
judged especially from its dynamic aspects closely related to
life. The farther a being is from these elements, the more
unreal and valueless it is conceived to be, hence the emphasis
on fecundity and life, and the identification between being
and power or vital force. Indeed, the ideal of the African
culture is coexistence with and the strengthening of vital
force or vital relationship in the world and universe. Above
all forces is God, who gives existence and increase of power
to all others. Next comes the dead of the tribe who, thanks to
their transition into the other world, are endowed with special
powers. The living forms a hierarchy according to their
power. The different manners of being are distinguished by
their mode and degree of participation in the Supreme Force
(God) and in superior forces of other "spiritual" beings.
The craving for power, safety, protection and life is the
driving force in the African religion. This craving originates
not so much from logical reflection, but from a feeling of
incapacity and an obstinate desire to overcome it. Many
individual needs are believed to be satisfied by dynamism and
spiritism. Amulets and talisman are vehicles of vital energy.
_____________________
Managing Editor: Nakato Lewis
PUBLISHER: KIWANUKA LEWIS
Published monthly and freely by BHSN for the African Traditional
Herbal Research Clinic
This ethic is based on the belief that every act and custom
which strikes at the vital force or at the growth and
hierarchy of man is bad. What is ontologically and
morally and juridically just is that which maintains and
increases the vital energy received from the life-Giver, the
Creator of force and the Force from which all forces flow
and are under His control.
Force, soul, life and word are closely connected with one
another. The word is the principle of life, vital force par
excellence (hence the force of the name, ritual, word and
myth). In a certain sense all is participation, because it is
the same force which animates the whole universe; and it
is normal that everything acts upon everything. Hence
pan-vitalism or cosmo-biology characterises the African
traditional worldview.
The classification of being is based on forces according to
(a) the principle of proximity of origin (the begetter is
always "stronger" than the begotten), or of existential
affinity (correspondence between the visible and the
invisible, the profane and the sacred, the jungle and the
village); (b) distinction of sexes.
2.1.2
Solidarity
(relationally),
totality
and
participation. The universe is conceived as a sort of
organic whole composed of suprasensible or mystical
correlations or participations. The African does not only
represent in his mind the object of his knowledge, but he
participates in it only in a representative fashion, but
simultaneously in the physical and mystical sense of the
world, as can be observed especially in rituals. The
connection between cause (supernatural) and effect is
immediate; secondary causes are either not admitted or
considered negligible. God is, in the final analysis, behind
all the vents in the world. He is the Fountain of life and
power in which all participate and, as such, He is the
Foundation of human and cosmic solidarity, totality, and
participation. This totalising vision manifests itself by the
assimilation of the individual in the group, and by the
absence of clear-cut differentiation between the various
social functions (economic, juridical, political, religious).
The social order is conceived as a replica of the order of
Continued on page 32
NEWSLETTER
January 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
Skin Healing
By Tariq Sawardi
"What you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your body"
Over the last ten years, I have frequently consulted
African Americans on a number of skin related
problems such as sensitive skin, excessive oiliness,
acne, spotting and tonal unevenness, ashiness, eczema,
psoriasis, dermatitis, boils and athlete's foot. Some
people just wanted a "quick fix". Others, still having to
see themselves in the mirror each morning, were not
happy about what they saw.
Skin eruptions of any kind are nature's way of getting
our attention when we're off wandering in the
wilderness. According to African holistic principles,
most skin eruptions are caused by eating poor food
combinations, animal meat, denatured foods, bleached
flours, dairy, white sugar and from chemicals
contained in commercial cosmetics, to name a few. All
of these things create congestion and toxins in the
body.
The skin is not just a covering to hold bones and
muscles together. The skin is actually the largest
elimination system that the body has and it
communicates to us. Almost everything that we see
happening to us, on the surface level, is reflective of a
condition going on inside.
Diagram 1.
NEWSLETTER
January 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
Melanin Anyone?
Unblind Africanus
It is a sad and unfortunate fact that many people of
Afrikan descent need to be reminded of black history
month, once a year, in order for them to grasp at a few
straws of self-awareness. The minds of these victims
are too busy trying to emulate European behavior and
civilization to initiate a serious exploration and
inploration into their true essence. This goes to many
extremes and is something that affects our situation
negatively as well as niggatively". I am often
dismayed but no longer surprised at the amount of my
brothers and sisters who lack knowledge of self to the
extent that, they are not aware of what melanin is. This
fundamental determinant which makes us who we are
as a people has not been taught to them and they have
not taken the initiative to find out about it.
To start at the beginning: Melanin is a Greek name
(from melanos) which denotes the color black. It is true
however that before the Greeks appropriated Afrikan
civilization and science, in KMT or Egypt (which is a
Greek misguided name) the ancient black Egyptian
(Metu Nefer) word that had the blackest connotation
was KMT and they named themselves by it (kamau).
On a psychological level, the study of melanin is a key
to unlock mental slavery of black people. Melanin is
the fundamental unit of the universe and can exist in
four forms including Cosmic Melanin, Planetary
Melanin, Plant Kingdom Melanin (chlorophyll) and
Animal Kingdom melanin (black pigmentation). The
latter is the appropriate field of study for Afrikans.
In humans, tyrosine, an amino acid, is the main
nutrient. Tyrosine is a precursor of melanin and lays the
foundation for melanin to be produced. The body must
contain an enzyme known as tyrosinase and copper to
be able to use tyrosine to create melanin. In humans
there are three types of melanin. The first being
Eumelanin which has a high electric charge, high
molecular weight and density and gives rise to colors
from dark brown to blue black. A less dense form of
melanin with lower molecular weight is known as
pheo-melanin or pseudo-melanin. It has been
established that those with no melanin have quite a few
Continued on page 7
Continued on page 18
NEWSLETTER
January 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
Cancer
A 40-year review of research found that a daily dose of
vitamin D could halve the risk of breast and bowel
cancer, two of the biggest cancer killers. Scientists
from the University of San Diego reviewed 63
scientific papers published since the 1960s and
concluded that there was a need for "public health
action" to boost vitamin D levels. They said that a
daily dose of 1,000 international units (25 micrograms)
was needed; the recommended level in the US is
currently only 400 units. Vitamin D deficiency "may
account for several thousand premature deaths from
colon, breast, ovarian and other cancers annually,"
they wrote in the American Journal of Public Health.
The research showed that African Americans with
darker skins and people living in the north-eastern US,
where it is less sunny, were more likely to be deficient
in vitamin D, and had higher cancer rates. This could
explain why black Americans die sooner that whites
from cancer, even after allowing for differences in
income and access to health care.
In June, the Canadian Cancer Society recommended
that adults start taking vitamin D supplements to
reduce their risk of cancer.
Rickets
This is the disease traditionally linked with vitamin D
deficiency. A century ago, the typical bow-legged gait
of children whose bones had softened and deformed in
the absence of the vitamin was a common sight. Cod
liver oil, which contains vitamin D, was introduced as
a welfare food in 1942 and virtually eliminated the
condition. Now, rickets is reappearing. Last June,
doctors in Dundee reported five cases in ethnically
Asian children; dark skin produces vitamin D more
slowly than lighter skin.
Vitamin D is crucial for the absorption of calcium,
which is the building material for new bones. As well
as leading to rickets, deficiencies can contribute to
poor tooth formation, stunted growth and general ill
health.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is
consulting on a proposal to recommend supplements
for certain pregnant women at risk: vegans and women
who cover their skin for religious reasons.
Supplements are already recommended for infants at
risk, and are available free to families on income
support and jobseeker's allowance.
Diabetes
Vitamin D supplements given to babies born in
Finland reduced their risk of Type 1 diabetes by 80 per
Continued on page 11
COLOR CHART
ORANGE: lungs,
pancreas
PURPLE: nerves,
circulation
BLUE: glands,
kidneys
GREEN: liver,
heart
RED: blood
cleansers
INDIGO: bones,
skin
YELLOW:
digestion,
purification
BLACK: melanin
www.blackherbals.com/skin_healing.htm
Dy(e)ing To Be Noticed
By Qaraandin
Shaquille ONeill wore them because his mother said its
okay, as long as they dont show when hes wearing
business attire. Allen Iverson wears them for inspiration.
Whatever the reasons are that folk are wearing them,
tattoos are helping to destroy the health of many
members of our community.
There are four eliminating organs in the body: the colon,
the kidneys, the lungs, and the skin. The skin is the
bodys largest eliminating organ. The four eliminating
organs work together to keep the body clean and healthy.
When any one of the four is not able to do its job, the
other three must work harder.
Violet: manganese
Green: chromium
Tattoos kill the skin. The skin cells, that are under the
tattoos no longer function. The more tattoos covering the
body, the fewer skin cells left alive to work as the bodys
eliminators. The colon, kidneys, and lungs must work
harder to remove the waste that would ordinarily have
been removed through that part of the skin.
Tattoos are made by injecting colored pigment into small
deep holes made in the skin. As with most trauma, pain
and bleeding are part of the process. Immediately after
the tattooing process and during the healing process there
Black: carbon
Purple: manganese
Continued on page 12
By Qaraandin
www.blackherbals.com/dy(e)ing_to_be_noticed.htm
wild craving for coal. Now pregnant woman have been told
they have to make do without beauty products.
Growing concerns over the exposure of pregnant women to
chemicals that may lead to birth defects have prompted
calls for a new EU-wide cosmetics labelling system which
would mark out some products as off-limits to mothers-tobe.
The move follows the publication of a study which found
that women exposed to high levels of hairspray during
pregnancy were twice as likely to have babies born with
hypospadias, a condition in which the urinary tract grows
on the underside of the penis. The Imperial College London
study suggested that the birth defects were linked to
chemicals in hairspray shown to disrupt the hormonal
systems in the body and affect reproductive development.
Fears over the effects of chemicals such as parabens,
commonly used in cosmetics as a preservative, and
phthalates, used in hairspray, have led to calls for closer
monitoring of cosmetics. High levels of phthalates, also
used to soften plastics such as PVC, have been found to
affect hormone levels, while parabens have been the subject
of concern since 2004, when a study claimed to have
detected parabens from deodorants in cancerous breast
tissue.
The French health minister Roselyne Bachelot sparked
debate last week by announcing that the French health
authorities were considering a labeling system for
cosmetics that would indicate whether or not products were
safe for pregnant women. But the UK government said that
the EU should address the issue as a whole, adding it to a
range of changes currently being made to the European
Cosmetics Directive.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Enterprise
& Regulatory Reform (BERR) said: "BERR does not think
this is something which is suitable for individual countries
to take forward unilaterally and hope that the French raise
this during the current negotiations on the revision of the
cosmetics directive, where a discussion can take place
among experts on cosmetic products".
A 2007 study claimed British women absorb an average of
5lb of cosmetics a year through their skin and mouths.
30 November 2008
By Rachel Shields
Continued on page 13
-12- Traditional AfricannClinic January 2009
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-andwellbeing/health-news/pregnant-women-warned-offmakeup-1041649.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27214249/
Continued on page 14
Some beauty firms are also using nano silver, which has antibacterial properties, in products such as toothpaste. But
Which? says there are fears it may be toxic.
Continued on page 18
NEWSLETTER
January 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
Continued on page 17
Continued on page 18
in colour. Under the microscope melanin is brown, nonrefractile and finely granular with individual granules,
having a diameter of less than 800 nanometers.
Melanins are polymers produced by polymerization of
reactive intermediates. The reactive intermediates are
produced chemically or enzymatically from precursors
consisting of smaller chemical species in varying
amounts, such as tyrosine, tryptophan, glutamate,
phenylalanine, serotonin, melantonin, dopamine,
norepinephrine
(noradrenaline),
and
epinephrine
(adrenaline). The term melanin includes naturallyoccurring melanins, which are usually high molecular
weight polymers (generally, molecular weights in the
millions).
Naturally-occurring melanin is formed through natural
biochemical pathways. One is diet, involving the amino
acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. Phenylalanine is a
dietary chemical that comes from red meat and soya. It is
a melanin precursor, which can raise blood pressure.
Another pathway for natural melanin production involves
the use of the neurotransmitters, epinephrine and
norepinephrine. Melanin production is intimately
involved with the neural system (neuromelanin) because
tyrosine and phenylalanine are also precursors for the
neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinphrine and
dopamine.
The metabolic pathway, for the production of melanin
from amino acid building blocks, finds maximal presence
in those cells that have a high demand for those products,
the brain. Brain cells have high levels of tyrosinase
because there is a high demand for dopamine. The
enzyme, tyrosinase plays a key role in the syntheses of
melanins and its derivatives. The substantia nigra, the
region of the brain where the concentration of melanin is
very high, is noted for cells with high levels of tyrosinase.
Insufficient amounts of this enzyme causes melanin
deficiencies in some humans. The gene for human
tyrosinase has been isolated, genetically sequenced and
cloned.
Currently, melanin is being produced synthetically or
isolated from natural sources. Natural sources include
beef eyes, squid, hair, bacteria such as Streptococcus
antibioticus and E. coli, and the human brain, among
others.
Benefits and Risks
With the use of genetic engineering and nano-technology,
melanins, its precursors and its derivatives are being
synthetically produced and patented with predictable
molecular weights, particle sizes, and compositions.
Consequently, melanins can now be attached to anti-
Continued on page 19
Continued on page 23
NEWSLETTER
January 2009
FEATURED ARTICLES
pills and creams, these products contain melanininhibiting ingredients along with sunscreen. These
treatments also contain amounts of hydroquinone, or
mercury.
However, other cosmetics companies use natural
ingredients to make melanin-inhibiting products.
Extracted from plant leaves, like the berry family,
shrubs and pears, their naturally occurring arbutin leads
to bleaching.
A young woman who has been bleaching, gets her hair plaited
- her face and chest are a different color than her arms, hands
and legs. Photograph courtesy of Halimah Abdallah Kisule.
Continued on page 21
September 26 2005
Would you use a cream or soap that may have the
following
long
term
side
effects
skin cancer, liver damage, kidney damage or poisoning?
In the modern appearance conscious society in which we
live there is a myth that lighter paler complexions portray
beauty, riches and success.
This misguided belief has resulted in a huge market in the
UK of skin lightening products. Some people use them
secretly knowing what the side effects are, others using
poorly labelled under the counter products not knowing
what dangers they are letting themselves in for.
Manufacturers may not be fully versed with the side
effects or labelling may be misleading or economical
with the truth.
Why do we have colour in our skin?
There are three reasons for the colour of our skin:
1. The cells contained within the dermis and epidermis
provide a natural yellow, white colour
2. Superficial blood vessels provide a blue or red tint
determined by oxygen content
3. Melanin produced by melanocytes scattered within the
basal layer of the skin.
It is this third point which determines how dark a
persons skin is; more melanin production results in
darker skin. Melanin has another key function - it plays a
major protective role. It is the skins own natural
protection from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun.
Without it the skin is extremely vulnerable and we would
have to cover exposed skins with sun screen or risk a
greater chance of developing skin cancer.
How skin lightening products work
There are two chemicals found in skin lightening
products, Hydroquinone or Mercury.
1. Hydroquinone (C6H6O2) is a severely toxic and very
powerful chemical used in photo processing, the
manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes.
2. Mercury in the form of Mercury Chloride &
Ammoniated Mercury is carcinogenic. They appear on
the list of toxic substances that can only be purchased via
pharmacies with prescribed labels of toxicity.
. Continued on page 24
Continued on page 24
you get sick and you vomit -- are these signs that maybe
this stuff doesn't belong in your body? I don't know about
you, but I think that's a very strange way to heal
someone.
If I were a medical professional and I were healing
someone, and I had them do something which made their
hair fall out and they started vomiting and it looked like
they were going to melt away right before my very eyes, I
would think that, hey, maybe this isn't good for them.
But that's not what conventional oncologists think. They
think, oh, this is great stuff. Look, we're going to destroy
the cancer tumor and, if we're lucky, there may even be a
patient left by the time we're done. And if not -- that's
alright, as long as they pay the bill.
Official, Government-Approved Drug Dealers
We as a species actually have a class of professionals,
highly-paid professionals, who we give the right to
poison us with toxic chemicals. These people are called
doctors. I call them drug dealers. Just like illegal drugs,
their drugs kill people. The main difference is that these
"legal" drugs enrich politically influential corporations,
whereas illegal drugs enrich drug lords. Our national
"War on Drugs" is quite selective in its targets, don't you
think? Industrial hemp is outlawed, but doping up
millions of children on powerful narcotics is perfectly
legal: it's called Ritalin.
So, remember, we're the only species stupid enough to
actually poison ourselves. And if we don't do it in just
one or two ways, we do it in half a dozen different ways!
Then we regulate that poisoning, we make it federal law!
And we have lobbyists and groups out there defending
this use of poison in the food supply, and defending the
use of it in cosmetic products and personal care products.
We have defenders of the drug industry, people who say,
"Yeah, well there was a study five years ago that showed
a 1200 percent heart attack increase, but we thought that
really wasn't relevant to this drug and we decided to go
ahead and market that drug anyway." That's what we
have today. And the real details of this gruesome story
have only begun to be uncovered. Wait until the rest of
the story comes out...
We're #1!
Is it any wonder, with all of the poisoning going on at all
the different levels in our bodies, that we are now the
most chronically diseased population that has ever been
recorded in the history of civilization? It's true -- there is
no population that has suffered from diseases like we do
in America today. You would have to be clinically insane
to not think that there's a correlation between the poison
we are putting into our bodies and the diseases we are
getting as a result.
Continued on page 25
But no, wait a minute -- the doctors are right, all diseases
are just genetic. None of these poisons matter, it's just your
genes. They say the gene pool of the human race was
perfectly fine 100 years ago when people didn't have all
these diseases, but it has somehow mutated to a gene pool
that gives you heart disease and cancer and osteoporosis
and diabetes, and, by the way, there's nothing you can do
about it. That's what they want you to believe, because then
they take away your power. Then you have no ability to
make changes.
Actually, We're Pretty Darned Clever, Aren't We?
Not only are we the most stupid species on the planet,
because we're poisoning ourselves, we are simultaneously
the cleverest species, because we find ways to justify all
that poisoning. We find scientific gobbledygook to claim
that, yes, NutraSweet is good for you! Or that these
chlorine atoms attached to sugar are great for you, or that
mercury in your mouth somehow doesn't have a toxic effect
on your body. Or that hydrogenated oils are perfectly fine
for your heart health.
We stupidly say if you take those and you drink this weight
loss shake made with sugar, you'll be healthy. And if you
have this barbaric surgical procedure called gastric bypass
surgery, you'll no longer be obese. And if you're not
healthy, don't worry; we have magic bullet prescription
drugs that will make you even healthier. So we're a clever
population at the same time that we're incredibly stupid. Do
you know what that's called? That's called being a
population of great technicians and lousy healers. And
that's exactly what we are today.
Having used the word "stupid" throughout this editorial, I
use it deliberately. I don't mean it in the way that a teenager
might say, "My stupid little brother flipped me off." I mean
it in a more precise way, in the way defined by
Dictionary.com:
Stupid:
1. Slow to learn or understand; obtuse. 2. Tending to make
poor decisions or careless mistakes. 3. Marked by a lack of
intelligence or care; foolish or careless: a stupid mistake. 4.
Continued on page 26
She said she'd noticed that all the women that were
favoured in Nigeria were mostly light skinned women,
and as soon as she'd realised that, she knew she had a
private war on her hands. She got some money together
and bought bleaching creams so she could get a job and
at least get a man that would marry her, and true to her
words, after she began to bleach, she went for about
five job interviews and finally got a job. However, she
could still not get the man of her dreams. Once her
salary was paid to her, most of it was spent on
bleaching her skin, to enable her to attract the man of
her dreams. I asked her what sort of man she thought
bleaching her skin would attract and with a glow on her
face, she gave a wide smile and said, "Of course, rich
men." I had never laughed so much in my life. At
twelve, I didn't know much, but I knew that my
knowledge surpassed my Aunty A's, as she had no clue.
She actually thought by bleaching her skin, she would
attract a rich guy. My reply to her was that she should
stop bleaching, as I doubted that any sensible man
would want to marry a 31-year old with bleached skin.
She gave me a knock on the head! True to testimony,
she did stop bleaching her skin and got a man. She is
now happily married.
By Mike Celizic
January 8, 2009
Theres a new player joining the war on wrinkles, and its
looking to take on Botox in a run for your money.
Within the next few months, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is expected to approve Reloxin as
an injectable treatment for wrinkles. Made from the same
neurotoxin as Botox, Reloxin is said to act more quickly
and may last longer than Botox, according to a report
filed on Thursday for TODAY by Michelle Kosinski of
NBC News.
The bottom line for consumers, according to Dr. Nancy
Snyderman, NBCs chief medical editor, is that Reloxin
will probably be priced lower than Botox.
Battle with Botox
I think youre going to see a marketing battle,
Snyderman told TODAYs Ann Curry in New York. I
think this is going to come in cheaper. Right now, Botox
costs $350 to $500. Watch for a price war. Its going to
be a price war for women who want this stuff.
Botox has been used in medical applications to treat
muscle spasms and other conditions for nearly three
decades, Snyderman said. In 2002, it was approved by the
FDA for cosmetic use. It is made from botulinum toxin,
the same bacteria that cause botulism food poisoning.
Reloxin, which has been marketed for several years in
Europe and South America under the brand name
Dysport, is made from the same neurotoxin as Botox. It
was originally developed to treat muscular disorders. The
difference, according to Kosinskis report, is that Reloxin
will act in one to two days instead of the three to five
days Botox needs to kick in. Clinical trials suggest
injections may be effective for up to five or six months,
as opposed to about three months for Botox.
They work the same way. They paralyze the muscle,
Snyderman said. In cosmetic use, the substance is used to
immobilize the muscles that cause facial wrinkles.
Reloxin, she said, is a new take on it. It is the first kid on
the block to give Botox some real competition.
She said the main difference between Botox and Reloxin
is that Reloxin will start earlier. I think theres still some
controversy as to how long it will last. Some people say it
lasts about three months, and then you have to go back to
the doctor. Other people say that once you start using it
regularly, you may get up to six months.
So, if Reloxin really lasts longer than Botox that I
have to wait to see. But, no doubt, it starts acting sooner.
Recession-proof?
The new competitor to Botox arrives at a time when
cosmetic surgeons are seeing a downturn in big-ticket
surgeries like breast enhancement, nose jobs and facelifts, but little reduction in the demand for rejuvenating
procedures like Botox injections, dermal fillers and
chemical skin peels.
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that
with the economy in recession, people see maintaining a
youthful appearance as being vital in keeping existing
jobs or looking for new ones. In 2007, Allergan reported
Botox sales of $1.2 billion, but said that demand for the
drug was subdued late last year.
Allergan has responded to the coming hype for Reloxin
by emphasizing its established track record. Physicians
should not assume that they can use another product such
as Reloxin and get the same precise and predictable
results, with the same safety profile, as they do with
Botox, Allergan said in a statement released to NBC
News.
The consumers biggest fear about any wrinkle-erasing
injections is that their face will be permanently paralyzed
into a mask, or suffer other disfigurement. But
Snyderman said such fears are unfounded.
The most important thing to remember is its
temporary, Snyderman told Curry. It will wear off; it
doesnt paralyze anything forever, and, boy, is this stuff
safe. It really has been run through the wringer. Its been
around for 25 years.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28558128/
Continued on page 27
Lewis Smith
Times Online
November 12, 2008
Continued on page 28
Daily Telegraph
November 16, 2008
"I don't know how many skin cancers are caused by it,''
he said. ``On pessimistic days I say one per cent, but on
other days I think maybe all of them are.''
WHY THE US
GOVERNMENT REQUIRES
WARNING LABELS ON
TOOTHPASTE
WARNING
Keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of
age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for
bushing, seek professional assistance or contact a
Poison Control Center immediately. As with other
toothpaste, if irritation occurs discontinue use.
DIRECTIONS: Adults and children 2 years and
older. Apply toothpaste onto a soft bristle
toothbrush. Brush thoroughly after meals or at least
twice a day or as directed by a dentist or physician.
Children under 6 years: To minimize swallowing,
use a pea sized amount supervise brushing until
good habits are established. Children under 2
years: Ask a dentist or physician.
The above guidelines are the typical warning labels and
directions for toothpaste. Lets examine the ingredients
found in most toothpastes to find out why the FDA
requires warning labels. The following are common
ingredients found in toothpaste: hydrated silica,
sorbitol, sodium saccharin, titanium dioxide, glycerin,
sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, and sodium fluoride.
Hydrated silica is made from a crystallized compound
found in quartz, sand, and flint and is primarily used as
an abrasive in toothpaste.
Continued on page 32
Continued on page 33
mystical contemplative
traditional societies.
communities
in
African
Continued on page 34
What is Vitiligo
Vitiligo affects the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes
by destroying cells that produce the body's pigment.
The most obvious results of this condition are white
splotches in the areas where the skin isn't producing
enough pigment. This is not a serious condition, but
research physicians are still investigating methods for
correct diagnosis, treatments, co-existent diseases, and
psychological side effects.
Our hair, eyes, and skin are given color by a pigment
called melanin. This material is constantly being
broken down and replaced, so it must be replenished by
cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes manufacture and
distribute the correct amount of melanin, but for people
with vitiligo, this process gets disrupted.
As scientists have found, vitiligo destroys melanocytes
for unknown reasons. They have categorized it as an
auto-immune disorder because no external cause seems
to be responsible for it. In auto-immune disorders, your
body mistakes itself for an enemy intruder and declares
war on those "enemy" cells. Your malfunctioning
immune system continues attacking your own cells; in
this case, melanocytes.
The most common symptom of vitiligo is light or white
patches of skin anywhere on your body. These are
commonly found on areas that receive a lot of sunlight,
like your face, back of the neck, forearms, hands, and
feet. They can also affect other areas, such as
underneath your arms and genitals. For the most part,
the symptoms are the most serious aspect of this
condition, and doctors direct their treatment toward this
aspect.
If you suspect you have vitiligo, make sure to go to
your physician for an official diagnosis and
consultation. You can expect a physical exam of your
skin from a dermatologist. At this stage in research,
there are a number of different courses of treatment,
ranging from light therapy to oral medication to strong
sunscreen.
Since vitiligo seems to affect young people more than
older people, physicians cite the psychological effects
of the disease as a major issue. A person with a visible
difference in skin coloring, called depigmentation, may
be influenced to see their body as unhealthy, disabled,
or unattractive. Doctors encourage young people to see
a psychologist to help with this reaction.
Vitiligo may point your physician to another coexisting
condition often seen with depigmentation. Anemia,
lupus, and hyperthyroidism are often found in people
with vitiligo. Genetics are also probably responsible,
Continued on page 36
Melanin
Imagine absolute darkness
Through which your eyes could only see
Obscurity
The full light spectrum
Evaporated into a section
As the pineal gland pushes manifestations
And absorbs all light, hence we dark
Shinning obscurity
Enlightened divinity
From progenator to progeny
Kemetically embedded
Genetically perpetuated philosophy
So my nats contracted
And no lye can substitute for my heritage connected
Heat conducted
Sun rays absorbed
So we aint hyphenated
But hyper-melanated
Multi-faceted metabolisms
Djembes determine the hearts rhythm
All deficiencies are mel-anomalies
The sounds of thoughts dissipate earthly tonalities
Enriching monotonous trivialities
Caught in the prism of our divining melanin
Solutions lie in sinking beyond the skin
Digging
Into multiple levels of interior lining
Reflected in the minds chemical combining
So we vegetarian carnivores
Unnatural reservoirs
For those lacking divining melanin
In the frailness of un-thick skin
Little do they know that our thickness of completion
Lies without and within
Carbon bond to our melanin
Carbon bonded to our melanin.
Mission Statement
Our aim at The African Traditional Herbal
Research Clinic is to propagate and promote the
awareness in Afrikan peoples at home and abroad of
their health, biodiversity, history and cultural
richness. We gather pertinent information on these
issues and disseminate these freely to our people in
Uganda, the rest of the continent, and anywhere in
the Diaspora where Afrikans are located. One of
the main ingredients for increasing poverty, sickness,
exploitation and domination is ignorance of one's
self, and the environment in which we live.
Knowledge is power and the forces that control our
lives don't want to lose control, so they won't stop at
anything to keep certain knowledge from the people.
Therefore, we are expecting a fight and opposition to
our mission. However, we will endeavor to carry
forward this work in grace and perfect ways.
Where there is no god, there is no culture.
Where there is no culture, there is no
indigenous knowledge. Where there is no
indigenous knowledge, there is no history.
Where there is no history, there is no science
or technology. The existing nature is made
by our past. Let us protect and conserve our
indigenous knowledge.
CALENDAR
OF
EVENTS
Mailing Address
Street Number and Name
City, Country, etc.