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Tag: Alternative

  • Can Hypnotherapy Cure Emetophobia?

    Can Hypnotherapy Cure Emetophobia?

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    Emetophobia is a learnt behavioral response and for many people it can be a very debilitating condition. Unfortunately it’s a condition that is often misunderstood by a large number of people, including many medical professionals.

    Emetophobia has elements of being both a phobia and an anxiety disorder. For many sufferers it’s something that they developed at a young again often in early childhood. It can develop from being sick themselves or from seeing someone else being sick, which understandably for a young child can be a very frightening experience.

    The fear can also develop from the reaction of other people around them. I have had a large number of clients that developed the fear not because how they reacted to being sick but because of how a close family member panicked in response to someone being sick.

    When we talk about curing Emetophobia what we are really talking about is overcoming the fear by changing how people perceive the situation. Many people would say that when the fear has gone they feel cured. In many cases hypnosis can be a very effective tool that enables people to overcome the fear of vomit.

    While it is true that some people can overcome the fear of being sick just from hypnotherapy treatment alone in some cases however the hypnotherapy is not enough by itself. For those people they will need to deliberately get used to doings things differently based on what the therapist tells them they need to do to achieve freedom from the fear.

    In the same way that if you go to a osteopath with a problem they may be able to correct the problem purely with what they do while you are on their treatment couch however in some cases that may not be enough by itself and in addition they will give you some form of therapeutic stretching or exercises to do.

    If you are an Emetophobic or a relative / friend of an Emetophobic the first important thing you need to know is that in the majority of cases with the appropriate treatment / therapy the fear can be either significantly reduced or in many cases completely overcome.

    The second thing you need to know is that while some people can overcome the fear relatively quickly for others it can take longer so you may need to be patient. No one therapy works for everyone in every situation. If the therapy / treatment you’re currently using isn’t working for you (you should be experiencing at least some improvement within a couple of appointments) then you may need to consider an alternative therapy route.

    Being cured doesn’t mean you have to like being sick or the find the sound / smell pleasant. Being sick can be very unpleasant but it is normal to find the smell, sound and idea of it disgusting. No one likes being sick but that doesn’t mean you have to be afraid of it. Being cured means getting the response back to a normal and appropriate perspective, just like anyone else that has a normal response to being sick or vomiting. So you can be free from the fear.

    Hypnotherapy has already helped many people to overcome fear of vomiting. You can overcome Emetophobia.

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    Source by Paul A Wright

    Views: 0

  • My Separated Husband Says I’m Smothering Him And I’m Not Sure How To Stop

    My Separated Husband Says I’m Smothering Him And I’m Not Sure How To Stop

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    As a wife who has been very reluctantly separated, I would argue that there is a natural and undeniable inclination to cling tightly to what you are afraid of losing. And when you are a wife who does not want to lose your marriage or your husband, then it’s very natural to cling a little more tightly. In some instances and with some husbands, this doesn’t matter. Some husbands do not mind the clinging.

    But when you are dealing with a husband who was demanding space and who seems to be distancing himself from his wife, it can matter – quite a bit, in fact. Many husbands push back against this type of clinging and distance themselves even more. They may use phrases like: “smothering,” “holding on too tight,” or “coming on too strong.”

    The wives hear what the husband is saying, but they also point out that their husband is expecting something that just isn’t natural. She might say: “last night, my husband told me something that I never ever expected him to say. He told me that I was smothering him. We have been separated for about three weeks – at his insistence. If I had my way, he would still be living at home. But as it is, he is staying with a male friend. He has been restless and unhappy for months. He finally told me that he needed some time away from our marriage. I immediately panicked and assumed that he wanted a divorce. He swore that he didn’t. But I am still not sure that I believe him. I just don’t understand why a middle aged man should need space from his marriage unless he is planning to end the marriage or break his vows. And that is why I feel that I need to be in touch with him every day and know what he is doing. But when I try to do this, he tells me that I am “smothering” him. I believe his exact words were something like: ‘I felt like I was being smothered at home and now I feel like I can’t escape even now that I am here. You have got to stop smothering me. I have got to be my own person.’ It’s almost like he is accusing me of acting like his parent – and I absolutely am not. I just care about him and I think that I have the right to know what is going on with him and with my marriage. I don’t think that our talking a couple of times per day is too much to ask. I don’t call that ‘smothering.’ Do you?”

    I am going to be honest because I honestly want to help you. And I want to help you because I have been in your shoes and, because I made so many similar mistakes that almost costs me my marriage, I learned a hard truth. And it is this: It really doesn’t matter if you or I wouldn’t call checking in “smothering.” Because if he perceives it as such, then he is going to react to that perception. And his reaction may be detrimental to what you really want. And isn’t that all that matters?

    Understand That Ideal End Game: I suspect that you what you really want is both for him to come back and for him to come back willingly – and not with his tail between his legs because you have worn him down. Believe me, I understand the strategy. I never consciously thought about it. But looking back now, I think I figured that if I could bug my husband enough or remind him of our marriage enough, he’d eventually get sick of the back and forth and come back home.

    Instead, he distanced himself from me even more. We’ve reconciled now. But he’s confided in me that there were times when he considered divorce because he felt that might be necessary to “escape” my constant contact.

    I’m not here to debate whether or not my husband legitimately needed space from me. He and I will probably never agree on that. But what does matter is that he thought that he did. And frankly, that is all that matters. Because these thoughts formed his actions. Whether his thinking was faulty or not, he was going to act on it. And this thought process made a huge difference in what happened in our marriage.

    I know that we wives like to think that if we just do or say the right thing, he will change his mind and not want space from us anymore. But frankly, this isn’t as likely as him just getting frustrated that you are not listening.

    If What You’ve Done Isn’t Working, Consider Trying Something New: For me, the better call was backing away. I tried initially just telling my husband that I was going to let him call me next time. This did work – some, at least. But there were times when he would not call and I would panic and then come on too strong. So I took some time off by putting literal miles between us by returning to my hometown for a while. This forced me to back away – because I didn’t have much of a choice.

    This didn’t feel ideal at the time. Honestly, it felt like giving up at that particular moment in time. But it did eventually make a positive difference. Eventually, my husband started reaching out to me. And as this started to work, I didn’t have to force myself quite as much anymore. I literally saw that it was working, so the struggle became much less because finally I was starting to see the tide turn. For this reason, I was more than willing to go along because I knew it was the better alternative.

    I am not suggesting that you need to do the same thing. That may not work for you. But I am suggesting that you ask yourself if backing away – even for just a little while – might be worth a try. You can always reverse course if it doesn’t work for you. But once you know for sure that what you’re doing isn’t working – and once your husband has literally told you in harsh words that he’s getting frustrated – then these are both good indications that you may want to change course, even if only for a little while. At the very least, maybe try a form of communication that he doesn’t find “smothering.” You may not technically be smothering, but if he thinks you are, then that is what matters.

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    Source by Leslie Cane

    Views: 0

  • HOLISTIC Approach To Medicine

    HOLISTIC Approach To Medicine

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    Most people seek better health, but, often, their fear of going to the doctor, or needles, or taking certain medicines, and / or, their desire to avoid what they might consider the risks / side effects, associated with some convention treatments, become a risk to their personal health, and well – being. In the United States, our system of medical treatment is often referred to, as allopathic , which focuses on treating diseases, as opposed to preventive medicine. In many / most of the rest of the world, the emphasis is on reducing illnesses, by enhancing / improving our resistance, and / or immunity, and avoiding taking chemical medicines, initially, but only, when other approaches, aren't indicated. With that in mind, this article will attempt to briefly, consider, review, examine, and discuss, the HOLISTIC alternative / approach, using the mnemonic method.

    1. Healing; homeopathy; heart / head: Holistic practitioners, often focus on healing the entire / whole person, including balancing the emotional and logical considerations, in a head / heart balance, without resorting, first, to merely treating symptoms. Most nations use homeopathic medicine, in a thorough, wellness program, as well as many other modalities.

    2. Options: The focus is on taking advantage of all, viable options and alternatives, used together, towards creating better health!

    3. Listen; learn: Wellness medicine treatment takes the time, to ask lots of questions, and listen carefully, in order to learn more, and be best positioned, to better health!

    4. Importance; ideology; ideas; investigate: Utmost importance, in an alternative regimen, is possessing an ideology, of considering the bigger – picture, and take advantage of the finest relevant ideas / alternatives. When one investigates the options, and alternatives, he places himself, in the best position, for a potentially, healthier life, etc.

    5. Systems; stronger; sustain: When one focuses on the best way to sustain our existence, and proceed, in a stronger way, he accepts alternative systems, focused on a healthier lifestyle!

    6. Timely; trends: Pay attention to the discoveries, trends, and new alternative techniques, with the focus, on the best. most relevant alternatives, might create a healthier – you! In every medically – related, instance, it's essential to pursue, well – considered, timely actions and treatments, while ruling out major illnesses, such as cancer, etc.

    7. Imagination; insist; improve: If you hope to improve your health, you will have to work, on it, while maintaining the imagination, to consider options and alternatives, and insist, on doing everything, possible, to enhance your well – being.

    8. Care; caring; coordinate: Coordinate your care, and know, when allopathic approaches are needed, and necessary, and when, holistic approaches and techniques, might be best, for you! Happy people are generally, best – positioned, to be healthier, and are often, the most caring individuals.

    Wise people don't ignore the possibilities, and are ready, willing and able, to consider, when HOLISTIC medicine and techniques, are best – suited, for you. Will you maintain the open – mind, to be the healthiest, you might possibly, become.

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    Source by Richard Brody

    Views: 0

  • Future and Scope Of Multi-Level Marketing As An Alternative Employment Source

    Future and Scope Of Multi-Level Marketing As An Alternative Employment Source

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    The industry of multi-level marketing is becoming quite popular among budding entrepreneurs and people from different walks of life. The sole reason for this increasing popularity is that it offers every people to set their own home business with attractive financial opportunities. In addition to that, people do enjoy freedoms like fixing their own job hours along with developing their own marketing and product selling strategies without any kind of interference. Here they have the right to claim their legitimate financial shares not only from their personal sales but also that from their down-line members.

    In the multi-level marketing sector there is always an increased demand of hard working employees and this demand never extinguishes even during tight situation like that of global recession. For college students this sector provides the appropriate platform to receive training on product selling and to hone marketing skills under the supervision of experienced distributors without spending any money from the pocket.

    The Multi-level marketing industry will soon become the most suitable form of alternative employment opportunities even for the highly qualified professionals. It is because in the coming days this industry will be the sole guiding force to dominate the world economy. This strategic commercial model will also present the opportunity of earning part time incomes for retired people and those working in other service sectors. In order to join in this lucrative sector there is no need of acquiring special educational qualification except simple application of common sense while selling and marketing products before the target customers.

    Firms following this business model have been able to maximize the sale and marketing of their products and services to the fullest extent. It has also helped them in earning highest possible revenues in every year. Using this strategic business model companies like Qivana, Sunrider, Fuxion and many more have been able to be in constant touch with the changing tastes and preferences of the customers when it comes to buy and choose new products and services. These firms are also helping distributors with the options of leading luxurious life with greater financial autonomy through their unique and effective compensation plans.

    These compensation plans play a vital role in the sector of multi-level marketing in determining the hardworking initiative of the distributors to reward them adequately with robust bonuses and incentives along with the opportunity to spend vacation in exotic places. So without wasting any more time people must enroll in this sector early for leading a happy and joyous life with family and friends forever.

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    Source by Manojit Chatterjee

    Views: 0

  • Habits – The Big Secret to Marketing Success

    Habits – The Big Secret to Marketing Success

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    What do you think you need more than anything else to attract more of your ideal clients?

    Many people will say, "better information to show me how to do what works."

    Others will say, "more motivation and drive to implement what I already know."

    Another common answer is , "more time to fit marketing activities into my schedule."

    And lots of people will say, "I need better goals and more clarity about what I want to achieve."

    In writing this ezine / blog for the past 20 years I've talked about the importance of all of those.

    But I'm finally understanding a factor that is much more important: good habits.

    Over the past year, I've been a big advocate of the writings of James Clear. He writes a blog about success and habits. And he just came out with his first book, Atomic Habits, which is fantastic.

    Even though James isn't a marketing expert, I'm convinced he's right when he says that the ultimate determinant of success is building positive habits.

    This idea is simple but true: Self-employed professionals who establish regular marketing habits have a much better chance of succeeding than those who don't.

    And the crazy thing is that the four items – information, motivation, time, and goals – I mentioned above don't actually make a huge difference.

    Information. These days, we have access to more information about marketing than ever before in history. And much of it is free and instantly available through a Google or YouTube search.

    The problem is that most of us have not established a regular habit of studying what we need to know to become better marketers. The information is useless unless we become proficient at implementing it.

    And even if we pay good money for courses and programs, much of it goes to waste. I just learned recently online that 97% of people who buy a course online never complete it.

    Motivation. If we measured motivation by intention, we are all motivated. Don't we all want and need to grow our businesses? But we keep getting distracted and don't follow through on our intentions. Again, the issue is poor habits.

    Time. If only we had more of it. But unsuccessful marketers have just as much of it as the most successful ones. The key is that they dedicate more time to implementing regular marketing habits.

    Goals. Nothing wrong with goals except that they are only a starting point for success. And they can get us stuck in the future, instead of doing what needs to be done today – the routine marketing habits that we perform every day or week.

    "A habit or system beats a goal every time." – James Clear

    The research is in and the conclusion is clear.

    Establishing positive and consistent marketing habits have a bigger impact on marketing success than anything else.

    We may have great information, high motivation, lots of time, and clear goals, but unless marketing activities are performed regularly and habitually, the chances of success are slim to none.

    The question you should be asking is, "How do I start establishing better marketing habits?"

    James's Atomic Habits goes to great lengths to share a multitude of ways to become an expert habit practitioner. So I highly suggest you get his book. It could be the most valuable 'marketing' book you'll ever read.

    But let me also give you my perspective on what it takes to establish new marketing habits.

    The C – SPAT Model

    This is a model I came up with for one of my marketing programs.

    Coaching or Context. A coach declares the game, how it is played and how to win at it. And this creates the context in which you play the game. It helps if you have an outside source that can hold you accountable to play by the rules necessary to succeed.

    This principle is why when you're working with a coach or in a program that you suddenly find it's easier to take action and form positive habits. The context of the game helps shape your behaviors.

    Notice that all professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and accountants go through rigorous training in the form of a professional school and internship. And in this context, professional habits and protocols are established.

    As independent professionals, we'd all prefer to do things on our own, charting our own direction. That's nice, except that it doesn't always work very well, does it?

    Study. A big part of the game is study and learning the body of knowledge necessary to perform effectively. Again, the information required to be an effective marketer is readily available, but you need some assistance in sorting the wheat from the chaff and studying what is most useful.

    Planning. All successful marketing needs a plan. The alternative is implementing random marketing activities with little structure and direction. So it's not how much you know, but how you put what you know into action.

    Action. Success doesn't come from being busy or doing a lot of things, but in doing the right things at the right time. This is where establishing regular marketing habits comes in.

    To some, it might be writing an article once or twice a week. For others, it may mean setting up more meetings with networking contacts. Or it could be booking regular speaking engagements.

    The secret to making this work is to leverage the first three steps of the model – Coaching, Study, and Planning, into marketing Actions that you perform as consistently as possible.

    Tracking. What gets measured gets done. And when we fail to measure, habits don't tend to stick. When we measure and track habits, the chances increase dramatically that they are performed consistently.

    It can take some time to establish positive habits. You know that's happened when you don't even have to think about it anymore; you just sit down and write that article every Monday or make five calls to prospects every week.

    And when you're in action like this, you create a feedback loop, learning what works the best and what doesn't. This enables you to fine-tune and adjust over time until your marketing habits become more established.

    So, stop putting so much attention on searching for the "perfect" marketing strategy, getting motivated, finding more time, and setting goals.

    Instead, use the C – SPAT approach to establishing positive marketing habits.

    Cheers, Robert

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    Source by Robert Middleton

    Views: 0

  • How To Leverage An E-Retailer’s Online Success To Launch Your Business At Warp Speed

    How To Leverage An E-Retailer’s Online Success To Launch Your Business At Warp Speed

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    If you follow a system that leverages the trust, reach and the extensive user base of one of the world’s most successful online business entities, you can’t help but succeed. In fact, you can expect to do ten times better than if you tried to start your own business from scratch.

    This is what attracts many online entrepreneurs to join Amazon’s e-commerce initiative, which is designed to help independent sellers to dip into their proprietary infrastructure, custom software, integrated payment processing and other resources to sell products to a global marketplace. The company profits from the small share in profits generated from all the resulting commercial activity on its digital platform, making it a win-win deal for both parties.

    Entrepreneurs find it particularly exciting that there’s rich potential and unlimited upside profit potential from exploring synergies that exist within Amazon’s commerce platform. This makes it simpler to adopt the right approach to establishing a Web store.

    It takes most of the risk, trial and uncertainty out of online selling and does away with the need to include technical experts on the launch team to tackle any software glitches or website problems that can crop up at the most uncomfortable and inopportune moments.

    By following a system to sell products on the e-commerce retailer behemoth, taking advantage of their evolved and tested platform, software and payment processing facilities, a beginner to online retailing can save countless hours and huge expenses in building or renting out such capacity. It also offers an inexpensive way to test out offers and see if a model or product resonates with the customer market.

    The difficulty lies in understanding Amazon’s complex mechanisms and learning how to leverage it to one’s advantage. Naturally, this led to the establishment of some experts as ‘coaches’. These business coaches conduct the necessary research, testing out each tactic and strategy to come up with a comprehensive plan to speed up the learning curve.

    Some coaches promise to reveal how to build an entire business selling physical products of your own on Amazon’s digital platform. Trainees can learn how to start sourcing, branding and selling things online to a vast and growing audience. Such training gives any serious entrepreneur the opportunity to build a full-fledged business by tapping into the ready-to-buy audience that throngs Amazon.

    And for those who can’t schedule coaching sessions or attend an event for training, a practical alternative is do-it-yourself courses that teach these fundamentals. The bottom line is that it has become relatively easier to launch an online business on the back of an established online retailer’s success.

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    Source by Cumba Gowri

    Views: 0

  • Shamanism – An Alternative to Modern Medicine?

    Shamanism – An Alternative to Modern Medicine?

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    The internet, television, and other news sources are sounding the alarm announcing new protocols for the treatment of diseases. These diseases range from Alzheimer, cancer, diabetes, MS, to Parkinson’s. Within this shout-out is near condemnation of pharmaceuticals and praise for other approaches. The intent here is not to list these approaches or to specifically discuss all of them. One among the many does require attention.

    There is a proliferation of shamanic healers and practitioners within the United States. Dozens of organizations offering advice, membership, seminars, and certification abound. A bulging gold mine lights up the horizon of possible candidates for healing.

    At this point, it is helpful to define shamanism. There is no need to trace the etymological history of the word. Shamanism is not a cult nor is it a religion even though there is an abundance of evidence that suggests a belief in a divine power circumnavigating the universe. Shamanism is an ancient form of healing. A shaman, despite some attempt to label them as a priest, is simply a healer, that is, one who knows remedies for certain physical issues.

    One of several significant markers that distinguish a shaman from a doctor is the recognition that illness may not be just physical, but emotion based. Treating the whole patient is a 40,000 year old approach that is catching on in the 21st Century. Another difference between a shaman and a modern physician is the division of reality into three realms: upper, middle, and lower. And that leads to a third difference: A shaman uses spirit guides as he or she treats a client.

    The shaman has a wide knowledge of herbs; whereas, the modern doctor has a depth in what drugs to use. The shaman is nature based and the physician is most likely man-made chemically based. There is a sound movement to make more “drugs” natural based which from some quarters is praise worthy.

    A fundamental issue arises from a cleverly clothed advertisement or testimonials praising the marvelous wonder of shamanic healing. Whenever a practitioner proposes a “cure” be very cautious. If you have a pain in your side a shaman may not know that it is appendicitis, indigestion, blocked bowel, or cancer. Accepting shamanic healing as an alternative to modern medicine is a grave mistake. And no pun is intended.

    Alternative leaves a bad taste. It implies that there is a better way and that may not be the case. Supportive and interrogative medicine suggests treatment along with current medical practices.

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    Source by Norman W. Wilson, Ph.D

    Views: 0

  • Motion of No Confidence against the PM

    Motion of No Confidence against the PM

    Motion of No Confidence against the PM 1

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) has accepted a motion by Tun Dr Mahathir, Member of Parliament for Langkawi, that the present PM does not command the confidence of the majority of the Dewan.

    The Speaker said he made this decision to be fair and just and to uphold the integrity of the Dewan and Parliament. He is perfectly within his right to so decide.

    What next?

    The motion must be put (tabled) at the sitting of the Dewan. There will be a debate on the motion. At the end of which there will be a vote by Members of Parliament present in the Dewan.

    If the motion is carried, by a simple majority of those present and voting, then the PM must tender his resignation together with that of his Cabinet.

    The PM may also, instead of tendering his resignation, request the King to dissolve Parliament. The King is not obliged to agree to the request. Recall that the then sitting MB of Perak made this request to the then Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak in the Perak State Assembly crisis. The request was not acceded to.

    If the King agrees to the request to dissolve, and the Dewan is accordingly dissolved, a general election must be held within 60 days of the dissolution.

    The King may, as an alternative to dissolution, invite a Member of Parliament to form the next government. This person must be one who in the King’s judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of the Dewan Rakyat. This is in his subjective discretion. It is his judgment and based on whom he thinks is likely to have the majority confidence.

    How the King decides who has this majority confidence depends on His Majesty. He can invite members and interview them as to whom they support, as was done by the King recently when deciding on the appointment of the present PM. But he need not do so by this method. His Majesty can choose any method he thinks most appropriate to decide who in his judgment is likely to have the confidence of the majority.

    There is also the possibility that this issue of who has the confidence of the majority be decided by the Dewan on a fresh motion, if accepted to be tabled by the Speaker.

    Gurdial a former law professor, currently practises law.

    Motion of No Confidence against the PM
    Read More
    https://www.thesundaily.my/opinion/motion-of-no-confidence-against-the-pm-IL2386749

    Views: 0

  • Indonesia firmly committed to eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem

    Indonesia firmly committed to eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem

    Indonesia recently completed the last of its annual large-scale treatment for lymphatic filariasis (also known as elephantiasis or Penyakit Kaki Gajah) in Malaka District located in its southernmost province, East Nusa Tenggara. Unprecedented
    progress by the National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme has strongly placed the country on the path to achieving the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

    “We reached an estimated number of 40.7 million people living in the 118 high-risk districts during this month-long treatment campaign in October 2019” said Dr Anung Sugihantono, who recently retired as Director General of Diseases
    Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health Indonesia. “    Single doses of diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole facilitated by WHO were delivered to all eligible populations.”

    In 2010, an estimated 125 million Indonesians were still at risk of the disease and required treatment.

    But things changed considerably in 2015 when Indonesia mounted an annual national campaign to resolutely address transmission of the disease and to tackle the morbidity and disability associated with it. The results were apparent as early as 2017, with
    remarkable progress.

    In Indonesia, LF is considered a significant public health concern. In 2009, risk mapping identified a population of 124.5 million people needing treatment for LF. The country initiated a national level LF elimination campaign in 2015, addressing both
    disease prevention and management. 

    “In 2017 and in just two years we managed to achieve 100% geographical coverage of all people requiring treatment” said Dr Sugihantono. “It meant achieving more than 78% epidemiological coverage – much higher than the generally recommended 65% to stop transmission.”

    Transmission of lymphatic filariasis can be stopped through large-scale treatment (or mass drug administration – MDA) of entire at- risk communities with recommended medicines once a year. These medicines kill the microfilariae in an infected patient’s
    blood preventing mosquitoes to transmit1 the disease to others. Through mass treatment, the aim is to reduce the reservoir of microfilariae in the blood to a level insufficient to maintain transmission by the mosquito vector.

    This strategy to interrupt transmission is the corner-stone of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). Indonesia has been using the GPELF’s strategy since 2002 using a district or city
    as its implementation unit.

    In 2005, it listed the elimination of LF as a national priority for controlling infectious diseases and the medicines it has been using in large-scale treatment programmes are diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and albendazole2 which are
    largely distributed by volunteer community health workers3.

    “Community health volunteers are themselves members of the community and know how to reach people effectively to improve compliance” said Dr. Stefanus Bria Seran, the Regent of Malaka District, one of LF endemic district in Indonesia. “Besides ensuring every single person ingests the medicine given to them, these community workers help in disseminating information well before a large-scale treatment campaign and also assist in reporting activities related to each treatment campaign”. 

    Indonesia’s efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis began in the 1970s but faced numerous challenges including programme coordination in the many inhabited islands, conducting information, education and awareness programmes, lack of capacity and
    insufficient medicines.

    Furthermore, the situation in Indonesia is unusual than in many other countries endemic for lymphatic filariasis as the country is endemic for all three species of thread-like filarial worms – Brugia malayi, Brugia timori, and Wuchereria bancrofti –
    that cause the disease. Most of the infections in Indonesia, however, are caused by B. malayi.

    In the past, some of the factors that prevented access to the medicines (DEC and albendazole) were social stigmatization linked to the disease, the vast geography of the territory and challenges in reaching remote populations.

    With an estimated population of 242 million, Indonesia is the world’s largest island nation and consists of approximately 17,000 islands, of which 5,000–6,000 are inhabited. It is the fourth most populated nation behind China, India, and the United
    States.

    Indonesia is endemic for many other neglected tropical diseases and an estimated 110 million Indonesians are believed to suffer from at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD), including lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections.
    Leptospirosis (not classified as NTD) is also widespread.

    Indonesia is the only country of WHO’s South East Asia Region with endemic schistosomiasis. Like many other countries of the Region, it also faces recurrent threats of dengue outbreaks.

    Global progress

    The world has made significant progress towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

    Sixteen countries4 and one territory are now acknowledged by WHO to have achieved elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.  

    Seven additional countries have successfully implemented recommended strategies, stopped large-scale treatment and are under surveillance to demonstrate that elimination has been achieved.

    The disease

    Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasitic worms living in the lymphatic system. The larval stages of the parasite (microfilaria) circulate in the blood and are transmitted from person to person by mosquitoes.

    Infection involves asymptomatic, acute, and chronic conditions. Most infections are asymptomatic, showing no external signs while contributing to transmission of the parasite. Although asymptomatic, these infections still cause damage to the lymphatic
    system and the kidneys and alter the body’s immune system.

    When lymphatic filariasis develops into chronic conditions it leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling). Involvement of breasts and genital organs are common.

    Manifestation of the disease after infection takes time and can result in an altered lymphatic system, causing abnormal enlargement of body parts, and leading to severe disability and social stigmatization of those affected.

     

    1Lymphatic filariasis is transmitted by different types of mosquitoes – e.g the Culex mosquito which widespread across urban and semi-urban areas; Anopheles, mainly found in rural areas; and, Aedes, mainly
    in endemic islands in the Pacific.

    2In 2017, WHO recommended an alternative three drug treatment to accelerate the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis. The treatment, known as IDA, involves a combination of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole.
    It is recommended annually in settings where its use is expected to have the greatest impact.

    3Community health workers, also called ‘cadres’, are volunteers who form part of the communities they serve and work with local
    communities to educate families. Their contribution in promoting health has been significant in the country.

    4Cambodia, The Cook Islands, Egypt, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna, and Yemen

    Indonesia firmly committed to eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem
    Read More
    https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/29-04-2020-indonesia-firmly-committed-to-eliminating-lymphatic-filariasis-as-a-public-health-problem

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  • We may have spotted a parallel universe going backwards in time

    We may have spotted a parallel universe going backwards in time

    Strange particles observed by an experiment in Antarctica could be evidence of an alternative reality where everything is upside down
    We may have spotted a parallel universe going backwards in time
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    https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24532770-400-we-may-have-spotted-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home

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