Dr. Fielder's Blog

Farm Update Oct. 09

2009-10-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Having, at last, completed the clearing of the old nursery where it is now ready to build the new shade houses for the growing of our vegetables in the cooler months, and for our new trees for the orchard, I have commenced on their erection. This is achieved in a similar way to our trelliss' on which we grow our passion fruit, only they are much lower. In this instance the star pickets are much shorter, with the width spanned by the poly-piping being almost half as wide again. After the main structure is erected and covered with wire mesh, this is then covered by shade cloth. For whereas in the cooler climates structures of this nature are used to maximise the benefits of sunlight, and often referred to as hot-houses, in the tropics the opposite effects is required, that is, to lessen the effects of the sunlight by the use of shade-cloth, and could well be called cool-houses, as this is the effect that is desired.

Speaking of trellis' here is to be seen some of the passion fruit vines that have survived the depredations of the roaming cattle, and lo and behold they have set passion fruit. I must admit that I had given up all hope of this occurring, for the damage to the vines was massive with at least 60% being eaten completely out. And those that had survived were a sore sight to see.

The new papaya patch has now been completed and fully planted. Between each papaya tree I am growing tomatoes and beans. All being well the new papayas will be ready as the older planting is commencing to produce less fruit. And the new tomatoes will also be ripening as the old bushes come to the end of their lives. I have never tried to grow beans before at this time of the year. The nurserymen say it is possible to do so. I will keep you posted.

And speaking of tomatoes, Here is today's harvest. Well most of it to be precise, for I also picked a bowl full separately. As can be seen we have an abundant supply at the moment.

The persimmon tree was so badly effected that I was very surprised when it commenced to shoot from the old roots. And now we are being blessed with the first crop, with the new fruit just setting.

Last, but not least, the Brazillian Cherries have just about completed their season. They are a small fruit born on a shrubby bush which grows to an average height of five to six feet. The fruit is quite tart, being almost sweet when fully ripe. They are very thirst quenching.

This is a brief addendum on the building of the shade houses for the vegetables. The previous garden edgings/borders, to the beds had in some instances been burnt out and required replacing before erecting the superstructure. Fortunately off-cuts from a nearby saw-mill were available just for the collecting so it was only a matter of driving over in the van and rummaging through the heap to find suitable lengths.

The longest, and the hardest part of the whole operation is/was the placement of them in the required position. This necessitated digging out the required trench into which they were then fitted and the soil then back-filled.

Jim's Story. My Process of Healing.

2009-10-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Nature's way is always towards healing, but sometimes it takes a crisis for us to realize that fully.
After a serious head injury at work( I work on a farm in rural Victoria) I found myself battling all the traumas and many of the side effects of amnesia. The heartbreak of not knowing on's partner, not recognising or knowing the bond with one's kids, or even one's own world, floundering with poor co-ordination, slow reactions, interrupted sleep, very poor concentration and a general lack of mental speed - all these things and many others, just tore me to pieces. I can't tell you how many x-rays, MRI's and tests I endured - I'm just glad I don't really remember them all. My problem seemed to be that there was nothing definitely wrong - I just didn't work like I used to - however that was? Yep, this Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together. Regardless, I knew there was something haywire, even if the scans all showed that I was OK.

Any-way I managed to get some of my life back together, fall in love(again) with the partner whom I didn't remember, and together(maintained by her strength and love), we tried to pretend we were healthy. But then again, most people pretend about health these days. You know, sometimes "acting as if", is not the best way of finding true health.

Well when I started having weird stuff happen with my vision and my balance I became really worried, I did not want to pursue that medical treadmill again, so I started to do some seeking of my own.

I discovered that the body will always heal itself if left to itself and if supplied with suitable nutrition and care. So I figured diet had to be my first change. I wanted to get maximum nutruition - isn't that the real purpose of eating? So Iwent 100% raw food. Thress months later I decided that I wanted to help my healing by going on a fast. I wanted some guidance here. I had read that stuff can bubble up during a fast, so I searched for help. I found John Fielder and the Clohesy River Health Farm. I found out that John was no phoney - he had lived this healthy life style for fourty years or more. So I decided to do a ten day fast at the Clohesy River Heaqlth Farm. Now that is a big step for some-one who had very little money, and who had not been away from his partner for even a moment in two and a half years.

Yes the fast was costly in lots of ways, but it has been well worth it. Others I spoke with who had undertaken fasts in other places, or even at home, said they were nothing like a fast under John Fielder. Fasting is about resting and allowing your body to do its own thing, and that's what Clohesy's all about. It is intense and wholly beneficial. I felt that John was truly showing me the essentials of healthy livinh. His words were full of meaning, coming from some-one who had lived this simple, caring way for over 40 years.

Other places may have the facilities, all turned on with all the "mod cons".( If you want them, then go to a motel), but then the essence, and the power of healing may very well get lost. There is a reason that John insists on no radios, no TV's, and no cosmetics. There is a reason that Clohesy is out in the bush and not huddled inside a city. There's a reasonthat we are taught to embracethe real needs in this time of healing. That reason is to ensure that we rest totally and that the fast is as effective as possible.

Now that I have travelled the Fielder way, I can see the sense of it. I can see the power and the message and the healing that John is directing me to. John's daily consultations allowed me to ask a thousand questions, and always his answers and direction sent me away with more to think about, and with another piece to the puzzle. Healing is not about taking a pill, or throwing a switch. It is not and instant, just add water and swallow this. Healing is about working to assist your body, your healing centre to do its thing. Healing is a wonderful, powerful patient process. When one leaves John's care one knows that healing is what life's entire experience is about.

As for results..... well on day 5 of my fast my arthriric pains in my knees and elbows began to disappear. I haven't had a single wobbly weird vision thing since - and I was having up to 40 per week. My eyes are clearing( I apparently always had blood-shot eyes) . On day 9 of the fast I slept for 5 hours without waking - that was the first since my accident. Constant interrupted sleep has been my norm for three years.

Now my mind is full of the desire to do things. I can feel it working again. No I have not regained my memory again yet, but as John has taught me, healing is a slow process, and I'm on that healing road now. I know I am! I'm trying to apply all the stuff John has taught me, and I still have a great deal of tweaking to do.

One thing I do know - this entire experience has been a great stride toward health, and it has taught me that my body can heal itself, and that it doesn't make mistakes. In fact it even fixes up all the mistakes I make. So armed with what John has taught me, I'm journeying on and I am just so excited about every single day now.

Artificial-Sweeteners-More-Dangerous-than-You-Ever-Imagined.

2009-10-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/13/Artificial-Sweeteners-More-Dangerous-than-You-Ever-Imagined.aspx

Banning Bottled Water

2009-09-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2009 05:07pm

THE very last bottle of still water has been run out of Bundanoon in the New South Wales Southern Highlands, as the sleepy hamlet officially became the world's first town to boycott bottled H2O.

The residents of Bundanoon in July voted 355 to one to ban commercially bottled water, in an effort to reduce the town's carbon footprint.

Bundanoon launched the Bundy-on-Tap initiative at a parade and an official switchover today, attended by 400 locals and visitors. Free water stations on the main street and school were turned on for the first time, while Bundy-on-Tap reusable bottles went on sale across the town.

The four water stations will be open 24 hours a day.

Free chilled water will also be available in the town's stores.

Bundy-on-Tap organiser and local businessman Huw Kingston said it was a proud day for Bundanoon, a couple of hours south-west of Sydney.

"From something to go from an idea to reality, I think there is a lot of pride in the town today," he told AAP.

Mr Kingston said the ban had put Bundanoon "on the map", and he was confident it would inspire other towns to adopt similar boycotts.

"It is catching on - there are a lot of towns worldwide that have been in touch about this, and obviously we're happy to help as a small community," he said.

Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancers

2009-09-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancers

by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a malignant disease of the bone marrow, is the most common cancer diagnosed in children. In fact, nearly one third of all pediatric cancers are cases of ALL. Although this form of cancer can be cured in many cases, in the worst case scenarios the cancer crowds out normal cells in the bone marrow, metastasizes to other organs and takes the lives of about 15 percent of the youngsters it attacks. What triggers so many kids, usually between the ages of three and seven, to develop this cancer in the first place? A new study just published in the August issue of the journal Therapeutic Drug Monitoring raises the suspicion that commonly used household pesticides are the cause.

Previous studies in agricultural areas of the US have shown strong associations between pesticides and childhood cancers but this is the first research conducted in a large, urban area to look at the connection. The study, conducted between January of 2005 and January of 2008, involved 41 pairs of children with ALL and their mothers and a control group of 41 matched pairs of healthy children and their mothers. The volunteer research subjects were all from Lombardi and Children's National Medical Center and lived in the Washington metropolitan area.

Urine samples collected from the children and their mothers were analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to look for metabolites that provide evidence of household pesticide exposure. Specifically, the scientists were looking for metabolites associated with the pesticides known by their chemical name as organophosphates (OP). The researchers found evidence of the pesticides in the urine of more than half of all the participants, but levels of two common OP metabolites, diethylthiophosphate (DETP) and diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP), were significantly higher in the children who suffered from cancer. What's more, the mothers who participated in the study filled out questionnaires that revealed more moms whose kids had cancer used pesticides (33 percent) than did the mothers in the control group (14 percent) whose youngsters were cancer-free.

"We know pesticides -- sprays, strips, or 'bombs,' are found in at least 85 percent of households, but obviously not all the children in these homes develop cancer. What this study suggests is an association between pesticide exposure and the development of childhood ALL, but this isn't a cause-and-effect finding," the study's lead investigator, Offie Soldin, PhD, an epidemiologist at Lombardi, said in a statement to the media. "Future research would help us understand the exact role of pesticides in the development of cancer. We hypothesize that pre-natal exposure coupled with genetic susceptibility or an additional environmental insult after birth could be to blame."

While the scientists aren't ready to flat out say pesticides cause cancer, when you look at the big picture and see what is already known about the havoc pesticides appear to cause in the human body, it makes sense for parents and parents-to-be to ditch pesticides -- for their own health and for the health of their children. For example, NaturalNews has previously reported on the link between residential pesticides and childhood brain cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/026155_p...), and the strong association between a serious pre-cancerous blood condition and exposure to pesticides (http://www.naturalnews.com/026626_p...).

For more information:
http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/...

Living Off the Land(in Suburbia)

2009-09-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

This video, should, so I believe, be viewed by us all, for it shows how it is possible to be virtually self-sufficient in suburbia. That it is not necessary to sell our soul to achieve a level of independance which most of us only dream of.

http://paulnison.blogspot.com/2009/09/living-off-land.html

Mars Story

2009-09-19T13:52:00.002-07:00

Twenty-eight years ago I found this Health Farm via word of mouth.

At twenty-one I had no idea what to expect let alone no food for 16 days - "water only", is that possible?

Now, many years later, burnt out with work, life, being a single parent - with a large number of holidays owing, I womdered, hoped, then discovered that John Fielder still existed, along with the farm.
To me the Perfect Holiday.

Time out of life
Fasting
Rejuvenation for an exhausted, neglected, and abused body.
Not to forget John's years of experience.

Today I am able to comprehend the essence of Raw Food - Natural Hygiene. Disease as being the process of cure - and that I am responsible for the outcome or future of each day I live in, all areas of my life.

My challenge, and I think this is important to say, is getting back out there " into life", maintain strength, determination, confidence to be an individual - facing ridicule, negative opinions, and being treated as a "Freak".

Simply, I guess we have but one life, and personally I don't wish to look into anybody's back garden, for should I do that, the weeds will be strangling my neck in my own.

I have had an amazing journey here. I've observed the process, let go and gone with it.

Time to rest. time to learn, time to lie around, meditate, time for healing, time to listen to everything, to watch, to be serene.

I feel gratitude to John's wisdom, guidance, grace, and patience with this human race.

I feel blessed to be the only person here at this time. I feel totally taken care of. I have been able to trust. Thank you Dr John.

Farm Up-Date

2009-09-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

The refurbishment of the units has now been completed, and all being well will not be required again for another twenty years. Our on-going battle with the termites, I feel sure will never cease though.

Our Bullock's Heart custard apples are ripening at least two months early. Their flesh is more of a pink colour alongside that of the other varieties which is white.They are one of my favourite varieties of custard apple. They usually do not ripen until just prior to Xmas. The other varieties of custard apples have just completed their season.

The Jaboticaba's which grow into a small tree, and bear cherry sized fleshy fruits, are just commencing to flower, and will, hopefully, set a good crop for us this year.

This is both the flower and the fruit of the Jak fruit. When asked to describe what it is like, I have said it looks like crayfish, and tastes like bubble-gum. The fruit has been known to grow to 70 pounds in weight. The fruit grows on the main limbs of the tree, and on occasion can grow on the roots.

In this view you can discern the new mangos which have just set. Some of our trees appear to be setting fruit quite heavily, which augers well for the coming season. Of course, if it is too dry, they will drop quite a large percentage of their fruit.
Setting of the fruit can be effected by rain, which then washes the pollen out of the flowers and stops fertilisation. It can also be effected by wind which blows the pollen out of the flowers.

This is another variety of custard apple whose native habitat is central and south America, known as Rollinea Deliciosa. And delicious it is. This is a very young fruit and grows to the size of an apple, and even larger. Its flavour is remniscent of lemon meringue pie.

The citrus are just commencing to flower and set their fruit. The flowering and fruiting usually goes hand in hand with the ripening of the previous season's crop.

The Yellow Sapote, or lekuma, is another fruit native to central and south America. A very dense and rich fruit, one which nursing mothers require to be careful with, as if they eat too much, it can make their milk too rich and thus upset the baby. The name Sapote, in the local dialect, means fruit. So we have, Yellow, Black, White, and Green Sapote, all of which are unrelated botanically.

Our Papaya's are just setting their first crop. These will be our first crop since the fire. Papayas require well drained soil, and as we did not have an area suitable for them earlier than the beginning of this year, were unable to plant them previously. The normal time from planting to crop bearing is fifteen to eighteen months where we live. In a warmer climate it can be as early as twelve months.

The Sapodilla fruit, is about the size of a large egg, although there are a number of varieties which can be as large as a table tennis ball. In our area they are very slow growing, as can be seen though they are setting fruit. the whole of the fruit is eaten, skin and all. The flavour is remniscent of cinnamon. They are commonly known as chico chico.

Surprising as it may well seem, we are able to grow a variety of Mulberry here. And ours are fruiting at this very moment. Although they are a nice fruit to have, the variety we have available do not have the flavour, nor sweetness of those grown in the southern areas, nor those I have tasted in California.

This is another of our jak fruit trees which, as can be seen is loaded with fruit, some of which are in the stage of ripening. In the Asian countries they are cooked when green, primarily with vegetables, and used this way as they take on the flavours of other foods.

The Soursop, is the same botanical family as the custard apple, with one variety of custard apple being known as the sweetsop.
When opened the flesh and seeds appear to be vey similar to those of the custard apple, except the flesh is quite stringy, and is sour to the taste. And although it is quite a job to de-seed the flesh, many do so, and then blend the flesh in a blender, claiming it is much easier to eat that way, and enhances the flavour somewhat.

Many will ask the question as to how it is that I have a non-fruiting tree in the orchard? This tree is the Bottle Brush tree. And yes, it does not bear fruit. It is a native plant to OZ and adds a little colour to the orchard.

This is to show that the flower really does look like a bottle brush.

And to show that we do appreciate colour in our environment this is a Pink Bauhinia tree.

The Bauhinia's come in Pink, Blue and White. the one on the left being white. I have as yet to acquire a blue one.

Jan's Story

2009-09-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sent: Wednesday, 16 September 2009 8:24 AM
To: John Fielder
Subject: Re: a Hello

Jan . delighted to have you run my email, as I consider you were the turning point of my outlook to maintaining my health, one has to realise they are responsible for their own lifestyle and currently I do not let others in mainstream alter my basic needs, my other goal has been to remove all negativity from my aura, have had to by pass a long term gal pal who basically made me feel like crap when in her company.

I always desire to return to your Farm ...one day eh!

many thanks for the encouragement to take a new road, has been successful for me.....cheers Jan

----- Original Message -----

From: John Fielder

To: .

Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 7:24 AM

Subject: RE: a Hello

Hi Jan,

So lovely to hear from you, and particularly with regards to your health maintenance. I commend you, and look forward to hearing from you again in 10 years with the same story.

May I request a favour? I would like to run your e-mail on my blog to encourage others. I would only use your Christian name. Please let me know what you think?

Kind regards,

John

John L Fielder,DO,DC,ND(Adel)

Osteopath & Lifestyle Consultant

Academy of Natural Living

www.johnfielder.com.au

From: .Sent: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:35 PM
To: anl1@activ8.net.au
Subject: a Hello

Jan . touching base John, I came and spent 4 days at the Farm in 1990 after a breast operation.

Have noted changes to the Farm, well done.

I am keeping good health actually for the past 10yrs or so this has been my mantra " maintain health.

Wishing you all the very best, cheers Jan

Mobile Phones and Brain Damage

2009-09-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

As all those who know me will verify, I do not own, nor do I wish to own a mobile phone, convenient though they may well appear. I have always felt that the risk of harm from them is far too great to expose myself to such a risk. And any-way, we have lived and survived quite well prior to their appearance, for aeons of time, and their intrusion into our everyday life has, in my opinion, only further increased the stress under which we live. An intrusion, I believe we can well do without, along with the possibility of harm from the EMF's.

This new research further illustrates my point.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/

Farm Up-Date August

2009-08-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

The termites are an on-going problem, and from time to time it requires that, in spite of taking every possible precaution, I need to replace the timber that they have been feasting on.

In this instance we are having to replace the roofing timbers, with galvanised steel bearers and have taken the opportunity to also replace the roof itself, as some of the iron was commencing to rust. In this way I am hoping that our friends the termites, will cease to be such a problem.
Our friends had also had an enjoyable time chewing away at the internal walls separating the units, and they are being replaced with a sheeting which is said to be termite proof. All being well, it should be completed by next week-end.

Alison, an Osteopath, and long standing friend and I had a picnic lunch on the Esplanade the day she left the farm to spend a week seeing the sights in Cairns, prior to flying back to the UK. And yes it was a tropical fruit lunch and that is papaya that you can see, as well as Rollinea Deliciosa, a central and South American custard apple.

Another long standing friend from the UK,Annette, also assisted us with our painting, as the chamfer board on the Dining room was badly in need of some TLC. She did a wonderful job, especially as heights are not her forte. Yes., as can be seen here, she braved the topmost rungs of our extension ladder to not only rub it all down, but to also apply two coats of paint!!!!

Alonside the refurbishment of our units I am at present occupied with the rehabilitation of the nursery which was destroyed in the fire. This is something which I have been delaying, as it was badly overgrown, and quite a mess really, and not high on the priority list. The time has come, as with all things, to rectify the damage.

Our Papayas are at the stage where they are setting fruit, and it is possible that we will be eating our own papayas soon after Xmas all being well.

The Brazillian Cherries are commencing to flower, and we trust will set fruit in the very near future.

Some of our young mango's have flowered and not set any fruit

Whereas our older trees are flowering and setting fruit profusely

And here are to be seen the first of our tomatoes setting. I am hopeful that we will soon be self-sufficient in this regards.

The Pill

2009-08-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Endometriosis Part IV -How Oral Contraceptive Pills Effects Vitamins, and Circulatory System In A Woman's Body

By Kyle J. Norton

By Aug 16 2009 - 8:57am

During the last stage of the menstrual cycle normally a layer of endometriosis lining in the inside of the uterus is expelled, known as menstruation blood but instead some of the endometriosis tissues growing somewhere in the body causing endometriosis. Endometriosis also reacts to hormonal signals of the monthly menstrual cycle by building up tissue, breaking it, and eliminating it through the menstrual period. Normally, women taking the oral contraceptive pill are required to take of some vitamins. In this article, we will discuss how oral contraceptive pills effect vitamins, minerals and circulatory system in a woman's body

A. Vitamins
Since women taking the pills have the pregnancy-like state, it influences a number of nutrients
1. Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is an essential nutrient and plays a key role in energy production. It is is easily destroyed by light and heat. The good source of vitamin B2 is dark green leafy vegetables and lean meat. Vitamin B2 is necessary because it increases the digestive absorption of other vitamins and minerals.

2. Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is one of water-soluble B vitamins. It helps to release energy and increase the function of metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins as well as strengthening the nervous system. Vitamin B3 deficiency may cause depression, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, low blood sugar, muscular weakness. Intake of oral contraceptive pills have been shown to decrease the levels of vitamin B3 in the body.

3. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in three major chemical forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine. It helps to increase the amount of oxygen level in the blood that is vital for women taking the pill ( Low level of oxygen causes the heart to work harder). Vitamin B6 deficiency causes depression, confusion, skin inflammation weaken immune system. Major sources of vitamin B6 include cereal grains, legumes and vegetables,etc. Woman who is on oral contraceptive pill may decease the ability of her body's absorption of vitamin B6 that is essential to manufacture its own vitamin B3.

4. Folic acid
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and also known vitamin M or B9. It is essential for women taking the oral contraceptive pill, because folic acid deficiency interfere with vitamin B synthesis and utilization of the body.

5. Vitamin E
Intake of vitamin E is essential for women taking the pill because vitamin E helps to prevent blood clots that may happen to some women.

6. Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. Since our body can not make vitamin C itself, we must obtain vitamin C through our diet. Study shows that taking vitamin C with oral contraceptive pill will increase estrogen absorption and stop spotting. You should stop taking the high dose of Vitamin C when the spotting stops.

B. Minerals
Normally, women taking the oral contraceptive pill are required to take additional mineral supplements because of mineral deficiency
I. Increase intake of below minerals
1. Zinc
Oral contraceptive pills decrease lower blood levels of zinc and calcium in the women body causing weaken immune system, interfering with the function of reproductive muscles tone and a loss of appetite.

2. Magnesium
Oral contraceptive pills depletes magnesium in the body causing osteoporosis, muscle cramps, weakness, insomnia, anxiety and depression.

3. Calcium
Study shows that women who take oral contraceptive pills when peak bone mass is developing may increase the risk of osteoporosis later in their life. It also shows that women using oral contraceptives and adding calcium in their diet gain significantly more bone mineral density in their hips and spines.

II. Reducing intake of below minerals
1. Iron
Since women are on the pill, their menstrual cycle have distorted. The reducing of period blood or no period contributes to less iron loss than other women who have menstruation.

2. Copper
Level of copper increase when women are on the pill causing mood swing, behavior disorder, depression and deficiency of zinc. This type of imbalance may damage to the liver if high levels of copper are allowed to accumulate for a prolong period of time.

3. Potassium
Certain types of oral contraceptive pill may increase level of potassium that contribute to serious heart and health problems, specially for women having pre- existing condition such as kidney, liver or adrenal disease.

C. Circulatory system
1. High Blood Pressure
More than 5% of women in US alone suffered from high blood pressure caused by intake of oral contraceptive combination pills. It often happens to women older than 35 years old and the risk is increasing with age. Study shows that estrogen in the oral contraceptive combination pill may cause the elevating of high blood pressure, and the progesterone only pill may cause the rise of diastolic pressure. Women who smoke while taking the birth control pill have greater risk of hypertension than non smokers.

2. Blood Clots
Estrogen in the oral contraceptive combination pill causes the increasing of certain chemicals that increase the risk of stickiness of platelets and blood clots in the veins in the body.

3. High level of cholesterol
Woman who has high level of cholesterol in the body should take extra cautious while taking the oral contraceptive pill. Study shows that the pill may cause the rise of cholesterol levels in some women as resulting of high levels of estrogen caused by abnormal liver function.

4. Strokes
If blood clots are allowed to accumulate for a prolong period of time in the veins of women taking the birth control bill, they may cause blockage of blood circulation that carries nutrients and oxygen for cells need resulting in increasing the risk of stroke.

5. Heart diseases
Blood clots in the veins cause the heart to work much harder to carry the nutrients and oxygen to the body's cells and waste from the cells. If this situation exists for a prolong period of time, it may increase high blood pressure and damage some parts in the heart resulting in heart diseases.

6. Hardening blood arteries
Study shows that oral contraceptive pill causes the atherosclerosis plaque build up in the arterial blood vessels. According to this study, the risk of stroke and heart diseases caused by high level of cholesterol and plaque formation increasing substantially to women taking the pill.

Since endometriosis is treatable and manageable by natural remedies and self help, if you have endometroisis, please look at the bright side.
I hope this information will help. If you need more information or insurance advice, please follow my article series of the above subject at my home page at: http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com
To read the series of endometriosis visit:
http://endometriosisa.blogspot.com

Author's Bio
All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have the author name and all the links intact.
"Let You Be With Your Health, Let Your Health Be With You" Kyle J. Norton
I have been studying natural remedies for disease prevention for over 20 years and working as a financial consultant since 1990. Master degree in Mathematics, teaching and tutoring math at colleges and universities before joining insurance industries. Part time Health, Insurance and Entertainment Article Writer.

Source URL: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/endometriosis_part_iv_how_oral_contraceptive_pills_effects_vitamins_and_circulatory_system_

Veronique

2009-07-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Three days ago, a friend of nearly 30 years died. This friend was a 100% raw foodist, grew much of her own food , and was very active. Amongst her peers she was considered as exemplary in her lifestyle. She was 60 years of age.

This is the story of her passing as I know it. About ten days prior to he death she developed, strong pain throughout her whole body. She then decided to drink only vegetable juices for a few days. As after four or so days no change had occurred, she then decided to drink water only. There was still no change till eventually she was so incapacitated that she was unable to care for herself in any way, and no-one was available to assist her she was hospitalized.

The hospital could find no cause. They were consulting with others worldwide to try to find a solution. One hour prior to her death, she was diagnosed with Lymphoma of the Bone. They claim that it only developed in the last few weeks – that is that it only manifested itself in that time.

For a few weeks prior to her death she had been eating raw cacao beans, which to my knowledge, she had not been doing previously. At the time she commented to a friend that she was not feeling so well and must have over-done it on the cacao beans, and would require to eat lightly for a while.

It is my considered opinion that the eating of the cacao beans, whilst not being the only factor involved, was sufficiently harmful to push her over the edge.

For a further insight into the factors that may well have contributed towards her death at this early age, it might be of interest to note that she was heavily into social drugs for many years of her early adult life, and at one stage had cancer of the lungs, which she successfully survived. She was a single mother, and estranged from her only son, as well as being estranged from her parents . they still being alive. The path she had chosen in life was not an easy one, yet through it all I never knew her to be depressed, or essentially unhappy. I am sorry that I was unable to be with her at this time, as we lived over three thousand miles apart. Her passing was/is a sad loss of a dear friend who was always there to assist whenever needed.

Knowing her, I feel sure she would wish that we should be happy for her, that her suffering was short and brief, and to hold a wake being joyful and happy for having known her, and had the pleasure of those, only too short years.

Exercise and Heart Disease

2009-07-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

New Evidence: Exercise Helps Heart Disease, Increases Survival Better than Angioplasty

by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) At the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation meeting recently held in Barcelona, Spain, new heart research was presented that shows one treatment in particular can provide remarkable help for patients with certain forms of serious heart disease. It's not a new drug or surgical procedure. Instead, it's a natural therapy -- plain old-fashioned regular exercise.

In fact, in several studies just presented at the meeting, exercise reduced the markers of heart disease in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). What's more, it improved indications of disease in people with heart failure, a condition usually thought to be incurable and often just treated with symptom-relieving drugs. But the news that's perhaps most likely to make some interventional cardiologists' hearts skip a beat or two was the evidence presented that showed that exercise improved cardiac event-free survival in coronary patients better than angioplasty with stents.

Also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), angioplasty is commonly used to help people with coronary artery disease whose arteries are narrowed and even blocked by a build-up of sticky plaque. By threading a thin tube through a blood vessel in the arm or groin, interventional cardiologists perform angioplasty to restore blood flood through a clogged artery. A tiny balloon at the end of the tube is inflated when it reaches the exact spot of blockage. That pushes the plaque outward against the walls of the artery, restoring blood flow. A small metal device called a stent is also carried by the tube and deployed at the site of the blockage in order to prop open the artery.

This approach to treating heart disease is a huge business. A report in Bloomberg News last fall noted that about 800,000 angioplasties are performed each year in the U.S. at a cost of about $10 billion annually. And, although many cardiologists consider angioplasty to be the "gold standard" of care in most types of acute coronary events such as heart attack, the procedure's long term benefits have been questioned by many doctors. In addition, the role of angioplasty in treating other kinds of coronary disease, like angina, isn't clear.

To help shed light on this issue, researchers at the University of Leipzig in Germany conducted a study to compare the event-free survival rate in 101 stable angina patients. Research subjects with the condition were divided randomly into two groups. Each group was treated with either a regular exercise program or with angioplasty.

The results, just presented at the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation meeting, showed that after five years of follow-up, the study participants who went through exercise training had a better event-free survival rate than those treated with stent angioplasty. In the exercise group, 63 percent of patients had survived, free of cardiac events. However, only 40 percent in the angioplasty group had survived without cardiac problems (which included heart attack, stroke and death).

Two other studies released at the Barcelona conference also back up the idea that exercise can often help even patients with very serious heart problems. Research by Dr. Tomasz Mikulski and colleagues from the Medical Research Centre in Warsaw, Poland, showed that aerobic training using an exercise bike not only improved the physical fitness of cardiac patients following bypass surgery, but also reduced their cholesterol levels and markers of inflammation (which are associated with heart disease).

Dr. Marcus Sandri from the University of Leipzig presented data showing that a moderate exercise program daily for four weeks improved the function of endothelial cells in patients with heart failure. This is important because endothelial cells, which line the circulatory system, are associated with the progression of heart disease and heart failure when they don't function properly.

No improvement was noted in the control group of heart failure patients who did not exercise. Dr Sandri noted in a statement to the media that the beneficial effect of exercise was seen as much in older subjects as in younger. "The effects of exercise were not diminished in our older heart failure patients which suggests that exercise as a treatment might be just as effective in older patients as younger," he explained.

San Diego

2009-06-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

My last port of call in the USA, prior to flying out to OZ, and home near Cairns, via Sydney, where I made a quick stop-over to visit my daughter, was San Diego. Here I had the privilege and joy of spending a few days with James and Jera, whom I had met on my previous visit. They lived in a semi-rural area, about an hours drive from the city on the family estate.

Before we travelled to their home we spent an hour or so on the beach- front, having a picnic lunch in a very natural way sitting on the rocks. It was a most pleasant experience, to say the least, and one which could not have been better chosen.

I must, once again, have had a slack attack with my photography, as their organic vegetable garden missed out on being photographed for me to be able to share it with you.

Nevertheless I did photograph the large pond, or dam, which is on the property, and from which the water is drawnto water their garden and trees. Preferring to not walk along the roads which did not have foot-paths, each day I made it my business to enjoy the dam and its environs by briskly walking around it several times. I am not sure of the distance covered, but found that I could circumnavigate it at least 16 times in an hour.

We visited several pot-lucks as we toured the local district informing those who attended of my up and coming lecture.

All of them were held in delightful garden settings, and although the sun was shining, the weather was still quite cool.

On my last day, James, Jera, and I hiked up a nearby hill to their home which provided an extensive panoramic view of the surrounding country-side. From memory, I believe it took us just over an hour to reach the top-most point.

As can be seen, the country, without water, is quite dry with low lying bushy cover. When water is supplied it blooms, growing a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including some sub-tropical ones.

I for one, am eternally grateful to James and Jera for inviting into their home and giving me the opportunity of sharing their thoughts, feelings and dreams, with me.

Houston, Texas

2009-06-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

After attending the church service, followed by the pot-luck luncheon in Hot Springs, Janis, Her sister Sheila, and I set off to travel to Houston, to eventually arrive at our host Anna's and her husband Eric's. Their home is in what I would term as an exquisite setting for an urban home, called most appropriately Woodlands.

The generosity of Anna and Eric in hosting our annual gatherings, with the amount of time and energy involved, is indeed most generous. And all who are involved are truly thankful for their kindness in enabling it to ocur. Thank you Anna and Eric.

As with most of my lectures, those in Houston were no exception, with most commencing with a pot-luck meal.

A wide range of fruits and vegetables were available to us through farmers markets with much of the produce coming from Mexico. The range, and quality available, in my opinion, was far greater, and better than in the local super markets.

This is the venue for one of the lectures at a public library in the city of Houston. It was very well set up with overhead projector, and other facilities, etc.

Not all was work. One of the days we took the opportunity of enjoying the sunshine and having a walk and a picnic lunch on the river bank. The river is an artificial one running through the city centre, and has been very tastefully landscaped with the surounding area being a most pleasant and attractive environment.

Even though it was an artificial environment, the tortoises had made their homes there, and fish were also evident.

Mamiko is an old friend of many years standing who is an author and translator living in Houston, and travelling frequently to Japan to give lectures on Natural Hygiene, and promote her books. She is also host to the local Natural Hygiene Society, which it is my privilege to address each year.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

2009-06-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

On our way back to Wilmington to catch the Amtrak train back to New York, and stay overnight, prior to flying out to Hot Springs, the next piece of drama occurred. We had left Chestertown with adequate time, as we had thought, given the usual traffic conditions during the late morning, to arrival in a comfortable time. When, lo and behold, we experienced a major traffic hold up on the freeway, with bumper to bumper traffic crawling along, at a stop-start pace. Needless to say the time for the departure of the train began to creep up very quickly, and it almost seemed at one stage that we just might not make it. As with all cliff hanging adventures in the films, we just made it, with minutes to spare.

The hotel which I was booked into in Manhattan, New York, was so new that even the taxi driver commented on the fact that it was the first time that he had been there and had not known of it previously. I found it on the internet. It would appear that many others had too, as it seemed to be extremely busy with guests coming and going. The staff also appeared to be still learning how it all functioned.

Previously I have stayed at a small boutique hotel near Chinatown, which was well situated for my purposes, except that there was no lift. And dragging one's luggage up and down steep flights of stairs was a bit of a problem, given that mine always tends to be in the overweight category. So this new venue with its lift, was more than acceptable.

The flight to Arkansas was un-eventful, with my host Janis' husband awaiting me to transport me to their delightful home in a most beautiful semi-rural setting, where I was most graciously received for the one night I was to spend there, deliver a lecture, and then drive eight hours or so to Houston in Texas.

Here are some of the enthusiastic group that attended my lecture in Hot Springs.

The building on the left is the new church and the one on the right the 100+ year, old one. And it was in the old one that we attended a service on the Sunday morning prior to to driving to Houston. This was a most delightful experience with all singing being acapella. It was followed by a pot-luck luncheon which was a wonderful way, so I felt, to round out a most pleasant and happy experience. I sincerely thank Janis, her husband, and family for giving me the opportunity of sharing this experience and time with them.

Chestertown, Maryland

2009-06-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

By taking an early morning flight to NY, it enabled me to then catch the Amtrak train to Wilmington where my friend and host Wayne was awaiting my arrival to transport me the hour and a half or so's drive to Chestertown.

This photo shows Wayne(tallest) with his partner(no not the dog), and some of the others whom I met and attended my lecture during my last visit, and who kindly came again this time.

Wayne stayed on the farm some 30 odd years ago, and we have remained friends ever since. He is the Inn keeper of the White Swan Tavern, an historical landmark in Chestertown.

I lifted the following description from their website:

History of the Inn

The White Swan Tavern has been a familiar landmark in Chestertown since pre-Revolutionary War days. Not far from the great Eastern cities, it is an unexpectedly quiet, elegant place nestled in the history of Maryland's Eastern Shore. The White Swan is for those who treasure serene streets, birdsong mornings, impeccable service, and the grace of New World Tradition.

The restoration of the White Swan Tavern began in 1978 with an archeological dig. Evidence uncovered indicated that the site was used prior to 1733 as a tannery, operated by the shoemaker of Chestertown, John Lovegrove. His one-room dwelling, now converted into one of our six period guest rooms as the Lovegrove Kitchen, was the first building constructed on the lot.

Joseph Nicholson purchased the property from Lovegrove in 1733, and built his home on the location which comprises the front portion of the present structure. As a member of the Committee of Correspondence, Nicholson had a very real role in the revolution and emergence of the young Republic. He was influential in the founding of Chestertown's Washington College in 1782, the tenth oldest liberal arts college in the nation.

In 1793, the property passed to John Bordley, who enlarged the residence to accommodate the demands of tavern use. The charm of the present structure is due largely to Bordley's efforts.

Between 1803 and 1853, the property was operated as a tavern by various owners and innkeepers, the most notable of whom was the Reverend William H. Wilmer, then pastor of St. Paul's church, Alexandria, Virginia. The Reverend Wilmer was also the rector of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia and president of the College of William & Mary.

"...[T]he best tavern in town" was up for sale in 1853, and purchased by Thomas W. Eliason, a merchant in everything from clothing to lumber.

In 1978, the property was impeccably restored to its 1793 appearance in Bordley's time, with one room devoted to the display of many artifacts found on the site. During the entire process of restoration, the owners acquired pieces of furniture, both antique and reproduction, which they thought appropriate to the building. The two front rooms were furnished using the two known historic inventories as guides. The remainder of the building was furnished with the ideals of simplicity and comfort in mind.

Through painstaking analysis, the original paint color was reproduced for the wall paneling and trim. Even the contemporary stoneware dishes were modeled on a set of early chargers recovered from the tavern site. The rooms are named after the various owners of this historic building.

In March of 1981, after three years and five months preparation, The White Swan Tavern opened its doors to the public again. Today the tavern operates as a bed and breakfast, offering accommodations and afternoon tea, as well as amenities for small conferences, weddings, and receptions. Just as it was described in the 18th century, the White Swan remains "a comfortable... Public House... with every attention given to render comfort and pleasure to such as favor it with their patronage."

Contact the White Swan for more information.

Chestertown was founded in 1706 as a trading town and is situated on the banks of the Chester River. It has remained little changed for the last two hundred years.

Most of the traffic passing through Chestertown these days is by road, and even this is quite limited, it not being situated on any of the main highways. And the river traffic as almost non-existent, with most being of a holiday or private nature.

Around the older part of the town, there are to be seen many older and elegant homes of a time long past

These are a couple of old claboard houses which have been boarded up awaiting restoration.

This large old building which was originally a corn milll is being restored as a modern office complex. Quite a challenge and very innovatively done

This old barn has been fully restored, and with the old carriages as a part of it, is now the museum.

Washington College, established in 1782 on a very beautiful campus is on the outskirts of the old town, and walking past it is just like taking a gigantic step in time, from the 18th century, into the 21st century. Quite a contrast, as I am sure you are well aware, and, if not, almost a shock to the psyche. The first is quiet and gentle, full of fragrance, and what I would describe as old world friendliness.

The latter is brash and harsh, filled with noise and disruption and lack of harmony

Cleveland

2009-06-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

From Toledo I continued on my westward journey to Cleveland and the friendly presence and home of Helen and John who were my most gracious hosts. They lived in a very beautiful rural setting of small acreage holdings in the midst of large corn growing farms. I could not have chosen amore harmonious environment if I had tried.

Their lovingly tended organic garden was a delight to see, and one which I would have been truly proud to have in my back-yard.

Whenever possible advantage was taken of the sunny days to eat outside sitting on the ground to do so. Thus at the same time gaining the benefit of the terrestial radiations, and the solar radiations to enhance those of the (mostly), home, and organically grown food being consumed.

Still in use are some of the old barns and silos for the storing of the corn harvested on the surrounding farms.

During my time with Helen and John we were fortunate to be able to find the time in between my lectures to attend a concert by the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra and Choir.

Upon our arrival we thought there would only be a few attending, not realising that we in fact were quite early and were observing a pre-presentation rehearsal. By the time that the actual concert commenced, there was not a spare seat in the auditorium.

Thank you Helen and John.

Toledo

2009-06-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

And thence to Toledo. As I much prefer to travel overland than by air, and finding that I could do so by train without it taking up too much time, as well as being at an acceptable time, travelled from Chicago to Toledo by Amtrak. I left Chicago in the early evening around 7pm and arrived in Toledo at 11.30pm local time. In fact I had not allowed for the time change and it was actually 10.30pm Chicago time, which resulted in my thinking we had another hour to travel, when in actuality we had arrived. And my friend Bob, was there to meet me as promised.

Although Bob lived within the local urban area, it almost was semi-rural, being surounded by large treed and grassed areas, adjacent to the local University. It enabled him also to have an area for the growing of his own vegetables which, with the winter having just passed, was still in its very early stages, and not yet fully producing.

On each of the days that I was with Bob, he had most graciously arranged a lecture for me in the surrounding towns. And of course there always are a few glitches that occur with such an undertaking, especially when the lectures include PowerPoint presentations, which mine did. On one occasion we found that the only method available was through a DVD player and TV. With the assitance of Bob's expertise in these matters were able to do this after he had spent a number of hours transferring my lecture to a compatable DVD.

Most if not all, the lectures commenced with a pot-luck, which, for those not in the know, consists of each person bringing a plate of their favourite raw food dish which every-one then savours. A really great idea for spreading different methods, and thoughts on food preparation, as well as not costing an arm and a leg for any-one.

The usual request was that I pose with the proferred food to prove that at least I had been there.

And so it continued through the in the seven or so presentations that I made in the surrounding townships of Toledo.

By now you must be heartily tired of viewing pot-lucks.

Eventually the time came when I must again move on, and for those who can recall the delightful technicolour travelogues of Fitzpatrick which always ended with the ship sailing into the sunset and the spoken words" Once again we say farewell to the fine city of (name of city)." Which in this instance would be Toledo. And to wish me a fond farewell and safe journey, was Bob and his parents.

I heartily enjoyed the very brief time I was able to spend with Bob's parents, and feel greatly blessed for having the opportunity of meeting with them. And I do sincerely thank you Bob for all the great effort you put into making such a success of my visit to Toledo.

Chicago

2009-06-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Actually I have varied my presentation with regards to sequence in which they occurred, author's licence, so I have been told. In fact it occurred inadvertantly, so feel sure you will bear with me in-so-far as I visited the IOM prior to the Conference, and not afterwards, as I have portrayed it.

After the Conference one of those glitches we appear to occur from time to time when travelling happened. I had intended to spend time with my friend David, prior to flying out to Chicago. And although we carefully compared notes and dates, somehow the days became mixed up, and the very day I was to spend with David turned out to be the day I was flying out. We were both greatly disappointed by this turn of events. So on to Chicago and another comedy of errors.

No this is not the hotel in which I was staying. This photo is of the statues to be seen along one of the main boulevards, portraying the arrival of the early settlers. It is of interest to note that in 1900, 90% of the population was agrarian, living on farms and small holdings. Today 90% of the population is urbanised with the remaining ten percent living on farms.

On my arrival at the hotel which I felt sure I had made a booking on-line for, you can imagine my surprise to be told that this was not so. Suffice it to say, they were able to supply me with the necessary accomodation - fortunately.
The next disconcerting episode concerned the telephone as each time I phoned the lady with whom I was to stay, just as we commenced our conversation it would drop out. After many tries on both our parts we eventually were able to have a continual line, only to find that her answering service kept on cycling so that we were unable to have a continual conversation.
Eventually I received the message that her husband would pick me up at 6.30am the next morning. At 6.30 am he arrived to pick me up - yet reception failed to inform me, so that eventually he went on his way thinking I must have slept in, or some such thing.
In due course I contacted reception to try and ascertain what had occurred, and received the information of his arrival and subsequent departure. Then commenced another series of phone calls with the ongoing problem of the answering machine still un-resolved.
The instructions on how to catch a train eventually filtered through, so off I set to do so. Upon arrival at the station I was rather surprised at the rather old-world set up, more in line with the early 1900's, or even late 1800's, than the 21st century.
The waiting area was in a cavern like area in semi-darkness where one waited till about twenty minutes prior to the departure time when the gate was then opened, enabling the passengers to enter the platform, and be designated the carriage in which you were to travel by the conductor.
So far so good. Except at the head of the platform there was a list of the stations at which it was to stop, and the station listed before the one to which I was travelling was listed as after as I read it. I feel sure you can image what happened next. Yes I travelled past my station.
One of the other travellers took pity upon me and allowed me to use his mobile phone to inform my friend that I would be up to an hour and a half later than expected, due to this error of mine.

The next couple of days were spent in the very pleasant company of my friends and their two sons, sharing my knowledge and assisting in the establishment of their organic vegetable garden.

IOM

2009-06-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Once again I took the opportunity whilst in the UK of dropping over to the Isle of Man to visit with my good friend Jane and her partner Rob, and share in their efforts, as they dig up their lawn and establish an organic vegetable garden.

As can well be observed, they are endeavouring to include aesthetically pleasing design into their gardens,by way of a circular plot, as well as the practical aspect of providing the necessary produce to feed themselves. In fact feeding the soul, and at the same time as the body.

A recent e-mail has confirmed that their efforts have been eminently successful, and they are now able to enjoy the benefits of their efforts.

UK

2009-06-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

After spending time in London and Darlington, demonstrating and sharing my skills as an organic gardener, having inadvertantly forgotten to take any photos to share with you this will appear to have been a rather abbreviated visit. The time spent in London and Darlington was indeed most enjoyable in spite of the cold weather and often raining periods. As I may well have mentioned on previous occasions, these episodes make me appreciate, more and more, the climatic conditions under which I live. And in spite of the fact that I live in the tropics, it is well to bear in mind that during our winter months, or the dry season as it is referred to locally, and living in the mountains, our overnight temperatures, on occasion, drop below zero.

And so, on to York and the ISRN Conference for 09. This was held, by kind permission, in the Natural Health clinic of Annette and Alison. And as this must have caused them quite a deal of inconvenience and disruption to their daily activities, was supplied most graciously and with good-will.

Here we have some of the partcipants at the Conference. I was unable to stand far enough back to encompass all who attended.

As well as supplying the physical needs of the Conference, Annette and Alison had taken on the huge task of providing all the food that was to be consumed by the partcipants.

And what a gastronomic delight it was. They are to be commended for their efforts, the out-come being as good as, if not better than would be supplied by any better class restaurant.

This pictorial presentation is of some of the dishes that were so lovingly presented and supplied for our consumtion.

As can be well seen, not all the dishes supplied are raw - this group being vegetarian, and whilst believing in the necessity of a high percentage of raw food in the diet, do not feel it necessary for it to be 100%

It can readily be observed the amount of work that was involved in the preparation, and presentation of these most attractive, physically satisfying dishes, and I would again wish to thank Annette and Alison for all the effort this entailed and commend them for a job well done. And how important and necessary it was, and is, for the success of the Conference.

As a closing ambit to my visit, and to improve my knowledge of the local history, my good friend Lesley very kindly conducted me on a tour of one of the abandoned local monasteries. The architecture, and skill of workmanship in the buildings is superb, especially so considering the era in which it was constructed.

There have been many times when I have been visiting these ruins that I have thought how it would have been to see them in their hey-day. Considering the local climatic conditions, the lack of heating, the stone floors, etc., I could not imagine them as being easy to live in. Yet prosper they did in their day, being self-supporting with their gardens, orchards, and flocks of sheep. That is until such time as King Henry VIII dis-established them in 1538.

Copenhagen - Denmark Part 3

2009-06-14T14:35:00.001-07:00

And now to Part 3. Remniscent of the guards at Buckingham Palace in the UK, is this man with his Busby guarding the Royal Palace in Copenhagen.

With such a proliferation of bicycles, I suppose it was only to be expected that there would also be pedi-cabs. And whereas, in other countries and in warmer climes this mode of transportation would always have a hood to protect the passenger(s) from the elements, those to be seen here were open to catch whatever sunlight might happen to grace the day.

The horsedrawn carriage is also to be found in most of the larger cities being ever poular for a most relaxed way of touring the city and seeing the sights. As can be seen, this one was driven by a lady.

Street theatre with its human statues is another form which is to be observed far and wide today.

Another of the impressions that Copenhagen made upon me was the proliferation of churches many of them being quite elaborate structures, such as the one portrayed here.

The interior of some of the churches was quite plain alongside many that I have seen. Yet as can be seen here, they are far from being plain. And whereas in many instances some ineriors have been dark and mausoleum like, this particular one had a lightness and warmth immediately felt upon entering.

This was the first time that I had seen an organ which had stainless steel pipes.Perhaps others have also been so and had been painted to appear otherwise.

This view shows the spires of at least six churches, and was taken from the top of the Round Tower.

And this view taken from the same vantage point and a little further around can be seen at least another seven church spires.

The Round Tower was built on the initiative of King Christian IV (1588-16480). The architect was Hans Steenwinckel the Younger, and was completed in 1642. The Tower was the first stage of the Trinitatis complex with the other two stages being, a student's church, and a University library.

The spiral walk is unique in European architecture. The 209m long spiral ramp turns round the hollow core of the towerforming the only connection between the individual parts of the building.

The last few metres to the platform at the top of the tower is by way of a short staircase. The beautiful wrought iron lattice which runs around the edge of the platform was made in 1643 by Kasper Fincke, Court Artist in metalwork. In the lattice-work Christian IV's monogram and the letters RFP, the Kings motto: Regina,Firmat,Pieta - Piety strengthens the Realms.

The Round Tower is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. It was used by the University of Copenhagen until 1861. Today any-one can observe the night sky through the astronomical telescope of the tower in the winter period.

The library hall was used as a university library from 1657 to 1861. In 1987 the hall was re-opened after restoration and th 900m square room now serves for exhibition of art, culture, history, and science.

There are many canals for shipping in the city dating back to the very early days when ships were much smaller than todays behemoths. Today they are primarily used by small yachts and fishing vessels, as well as for tourist activity. In most instances they are to be found as part of the social scene, being often lined with cafes offering out-door eating on sunny days in pleasant surroundings.

Sight-seeing ferries were available to take you round the harbour with most being covered in. Yet, as can be seen here, not all were. And it would take a hardy tourist to brave such conditions on the day this photo was taken being bitterly cold with a fresh breeze blowing, as can be verified by the flags flying on the wharf.

One of the last things I observed prior to leaving, was this protest in one of the cities squares. I approached one of the lady's involved for a translation and explanation. The response I received made no sense to me whatso-ever, so I must leave it to your imagination to decide what it was all about.

My last impression, and involvement in, was the offer of, and participation in, Free Hugs. A most delightful departing gift which I would like to share with the readers of this blog

Copenhagen - Denmark Part 2

2009-06-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

It was my original intention to continue with this presentation of my visit to Copenhagen on the earlier posting. Having viewed what I have already written, and seen that it may take more time to read than most have available at one time, decided to divide it into two - or perhaps even more for easier reading and viewing. Herewith the second part.

And what better way to commence with than the photo of the swan nesting at the edge of the lake. And thence to the flowering trees.

The first signs of spring, new life, and all the promise that goes with it. A new beginning, and the possibility of bigger and better things to come. Hope springs eternal(pun intended).

In this next section I wish to share with you some of the many and varied fountains, statues, and sculptures that seemed to abound in thi beautiful city of Copenhagen. This will constitute primarily a pictorial journey with few, if any comments by myself.