Large Cash Positions

     Predict the economy's next move. 

     That is difficult.  The economy is unpredictable. Diversification is the safety net.

     Currently, March 2016, the economy is very volatile.  It is smart to keep a strong cash position.

     Cash position- 
     A cash position is the amount of cash that a company, investment fund, or bank has on its books at a specific point in time. The cash position is a sign of financial strength and liquidity. In addition to cash itself, it will often take into consideration highly liquid assets such as certificates of deposit, short-term government debt, and other cash equivalents. (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cash_position.asp)

     The beginning of 2016 has marked 21 times that the Dow gained or lost 200,or more, points through March 1 compared to only nine in 2015. That has prompted investors to maintain large cash positions. A large cash reserve, in our early 2016 economy is found to be a reassuring cushion. The stock market has remained volatile up to this point in the year.

     In 2015, "The total cash held by high net households, or those who have $1 million or more investable assets in North America is cited as $3.8 trillion (Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management)."

     "Out of that total, $3 trillion to 3.5 trillion of those assets are estimated to be in the U.S. (Gary Zimmerman, CEO of MaxMyInterest)."

     All portions of the economy aren't tracked. When we are nervous about the economy, we attempt to find a detour from the current financial route. Consumer  checkings, savings accounts, and CDs are not tracked.

     It is a smart investment move, for the low income and high income sectors, to acquire large sums of their assets in cash.

     The trend is aiming towards nesting against market volatility while others want to have cash available to invest. Investors feel more comfortable holding cash, particularly if they have a near-term need for funds to apply towards an upcoming purchase, capital calls on private equity funds, or tax bills.

     The Millenial generation eyewitnessed the Great Recession, and they're wary. The Great Recession lasted from December 2007 to June 2009.  The 8 trillion dollar housing bubble loss of wealth led to sharp cutbacks in consumer spending. Now, investors are investing large portions of their funds in fixed income investments and cash, rather than stocks.  Investors who entered the market during the trough in March 2009 would have tripled their return by the end of 2015.

     "If we recognized the opportunity that the recessionary price drop created, we could have exploited other people's folly. Instead of losing money by selling, we could have bought Johnson & Johnson and increased our long-term total return on our new purchase to just short of 14% per annum (SeekingAlpha, 6/10/15, Chuck Carnevale)"

     Some investors have sought a more conservative approach.  The cause of this approach is the result of potential interest rate hikes, weak economic growth, and an upcoming presidential vote.

     "One of the most important things you can do to help manage the risk of volatile markets is to diversify. While it won't guarantee you won't have losses, it can help limit them. It was put to the test during the extreme market volatility in 2008 (https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/investing-ideas/strategies-for-volatile-markets)."

     There isn't a perfect point in time to make the switch towards this prudent cash holding strategy. Investors often tend to mistakenly calculate cash deployment positions and negatively impact their long term goals.

     The alternatives to a large cash position are other assets such as fixed income or stocks. These alternatives may generate greater returns.

     In general, keep 2% to 4% of investment funds in cash, in order to take advantage of opportunities as they appear.  Be prepared for market rebounds. Moving away from short-term volatility means investors decrease their chances of selling stocks at the wrong time.  You could go into short/intermediate bond funds, or low-volatility growing dividend stock funds.  Volatility,  is minimized, but there is some room for growth.

     Investors are keeping large sums of money in cash positions.  This is a smart plan to deal with the economy.

Supply side effects - provide high quality/ low price

     Supply side effects and supply side economics are principles of macroeconomics. Interestingly, we are in sync with blocking inflation, and unemployment.  We can analyze these stabilization policies. We hold that these effects include political motivations and passive taxes.

     Let's define supply-side economics.  We're using two definitions.  Production, supply, inclinations directly reflect living standards. In the long run, income levels demonstrate our ability to produce goods and services that are of value.  Secondly,  higher income levels in coordination with living standards are unachievable without expansion in output, according to econlibrary.org.

     As with any supply of products, we as consumers are always shopping for a sale. Economic requirements on high quality products at a low prices proves to be a constant.

     We all love to take vacations.   Airlines are major in our country.

     Currently-

     American Airlines is challenging foreign rivals by creating a “premium economy” cabin on international routes that boasts some of the perks of business class but a lower ticket price.(Bloomberg - American Spiffs Up Coach Cabin (and Fares) to Win Fliers Abroad http://bloom.bg/1manemz)

     American Airlines is providing high quality at a low price.

     Their flights are giving the consumer extra leg room and added comfort.  Their seats will be wider.  Adjusting in your fight's seat, with a little room to spare, is ergonomically excellent.

     American Airlines will introduce the new section in its international fleet with its first delivery of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in late 2016.

     Cost-savings performance goals won't go away. Suppliers need to develop a strategy that cuts production costs and minimizes risks. Spending segmentation is the first step in the process. There are always categories where quality and risk are alike. From there you can utilize a variety of actions to make progress towards your goals.  Supply side effects cannot be separated from the political realms since it implies a reduced role for government and a less-progressive tax policy.

Buy a Yacht

     Are you keeping up with the savings account that you set aside for your boat?(http://www.monacoyachtshow.com/en/the-yachts.html)    

     Well,  let's buy a boat.  Let's buy a yacht!

     We have a superb idea.

     Let's draw a fancy line,  now.  Yachts are for the ultra-rich. Would you like a new one or a used one?

     Here are a couple of recommendations:

A new yacht:

YEAR-

2016, 2017 Italy

YACT ID#/ MODEL-
Wider 165, 12

CATEGORY-
Mega yacht

NEW-
(http://www.worthavenueyachts.com/individual-listing/?vessel_id=222853)

USED YACHT -

YEAR-
2009 Turkey

YACT ID#/ MODEL-
Pulim, 8

CATEGORY-
Motor yacht

USED-
(http://www.superyachts.com/luxury-yacht-for-sale/pulim-1547/specifications.htm)

    Shopping for a new yacht is an amazing experience.  There are some hidden fees,  as that accompanies any major purchase.

     These boats are huge.  You will need to to look after it.  Keep a sharp eye on it. Hire a manager.

     International safety regulations dictate that superyachts over a certain size must have onshore management, although most owners choose to use their services for protection from fines and criminal liability, when regulations have been breached.

     Maintain a professional relationship with the crew.  The crew will require formal contracts outlining hours of work, benefits and travelling expenses. These can either be handled by the owner or manager often depending on what the crew is accustomed to.  Standards of crew training, language and medical fitness must also be inline with the requirements of the superyacht’s flag state.

     Cleaning the yacht is a daily task.  Professional boat detailing goes much further, and is more important than simple aesthetic appeal.  As a boat owner it's a constant battle against the elements. Sun, sea and salt water constantly attacks your paint, gel coat, metal,  leather, vinyl and isinglass in a very harsh environment. Regularly washing off salt with fresh water goes a long way towards preventing unnecessary erosion.  Preventative protection will not only keep your yacht glistening, it will extend its life and reduce depreciation.

     Placing a yacht on sale is complex, too.  The marketing of the yacht is the most important aspect. Feature the  yacht on a website.  Conduct multiple listings on industry websites, extensive advertising in industry and lifestyle magazines, press releases, open house events and boat shows.

     The Monaco Yacht Show is the only place in the world where fans and owners can discover the best of superyachting in this glitzy South of France location (http://www.forbes.com/sites/billspringer/2015/08/31/5-largest-megayachts-at-the-monaco-yacht-show/)."

     Yachting takes a lot of work,  but you will love it.

Expand your Attention Span

     In our tech savvy world,  there are a variety of subjects to deter our attention twenty four hours a day.

     Has your attention span gotten smaller?

     

     Attention span- 

     is the amount of concentrated time one can spend on a task without becoming distracted. Most educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus attention on a task is crucial for the achievement of one's goals.

(http://i.word.com/idictionary/attention%20span)
    
     Our attention span is spawned in the central part of the brain, in the thalamus.  The Thalamus controls the attention span.  It also senses pain.  The thalamus monitors input that moves in and out of the brain and keeps track of the sensations that the body is feels.

     The attention span can be hacked into little pieces.  There is a such thing as too much multitasking.

     Multitasking is also called simultaneous processing.  This requires a lot of the brain when we multitask, switching attention back and forth between activities.

     "Such task-switching “comes at a cost in performance,” explains University of California, San Francisco neurologist Adam Gazzaley, who studies how attention and memory change as people age. While studies show multitasking compromises working memory (the ability to store information over short periods of time) in people of all ages (www.brainfacts.org/sensing-thinking-behaving/awareness-and-attention/articles/2013/the-multitasking-mind/)."

     Our attention span relies on directed attention.  Voluntary attention, requires a great deal of concentration and focus.  Problem solving is a great example. It uses inhibitory mechanisms of the brain, which help block incoming stimuli that are unrelated to the task at hand. 

     "Several parts of the brain are involved in maintaining directed attention, primarily those located in the frontal lobe and the parietal lobe of the brain. Specifically, the mechanism of directed attention employs the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex and the brain stem’s basal ganglia. Some fMRI studies have shown that directed attention involves changes in the anterior cingulate cortex and the lateral prefrontal cortex, perhaps as a consequence of increased connectivity between these two areas.  Evidence also suggests that the right inferior frontal cortex plays a specialized role in response inhibition. It seems that this region plays a key role in the integration of bottom-up response-related information and facilitates goal-directed behavior.While these areas of the brain are known to be involved in DAF, their specific molecular mechanisms in the perpetuation of DAF symptoms are not yet known."

     A strong mind can overcome anything.

     You really can boost your ability to stay focused.  Yes,  your attention is valuable.  Almost every useful feature of your brain begins with attention. Attention determines what you are conscious of at any given moment, and so controlling it is the most important thing that the brain can do.

     To make any sense of the world around us we need to filter unwanted things, and focus on the relevant things. Attention is essential for learning.

     The brain focuses with two attention systems, the bottom up, and top down systems.

     Stimulus-driven attention has been described as the dorsal attention network centered in the frontal eye fields/ intraparietal sulcus, and the ventral attention network anchored in the temporoparietal junction/ ventral frontal cortex.

     Now,  that we understand our attention span,  we can expand it. Here are some tips:

-Stay on your exercise schedule.

-Drink plent of fluids.

-Keep your goals on inventory, write them down on check lists.   Stress is cut down as a result.

-Get rid of obvious distractions.

-Minimize your multitasking.  Concentrate on one main objective at a time.

-Take numerous small steps toward achieving big goals.

-Renew your attention when it fades.

-Get away from stress.

-Work at your best hours; early bird,  or late riser.

-Schedule blocks of time for specific tasks.

-Close your eyes and count to ten,  breaks are important, too.

     It is easy to expand your attention span.  Obviously,  not all distractions are bad.   Use them to your advantage.  Eventually,  you can measure how much your attention span has grown.

The Strong U.S. Dollar

     When United States currency, the dollar, is strong via worldwide exchange, historically, negative economic changes occur.

     Economic blocks aren't usually invoked by one situation.  For instance, the strong U.S. dollar resulted in debt defaults in 1980s Latin America. High interest rates and low commodity prices added to their economic suffering.

     In the 1990s, the U.S. dollar appreciation forced Asian countries, Thailand and Malaysia, to abandon the peg.  They adopted the greenback, and a crisis set in.

     When the U.S. dollar is dominant, low commodity prices, and lower exports occur in countries such as Brazil, South Africa, and Russia.  Developing countries lose capital, then credit expansion and economic distress lie on the horizon.

     In China, sticking to the U.S. dollar risks a resulting credit crunch and slower credit growth, too.  Commodity producers predict more problems usually followed by falling demand and lower prices.  One has to then contemplate how far the U.S. dollar could potentially rise.

     "A Federal Reserve gauge of the inflation-adjusted dollar exchange rate against major U.S. trading partners shows the greenback, as of July 2015, has so far gained 17 percent from an all-time low in July 2011. In the previous two dollar-rising cycles, the currency gained 53 percent from 1978 to 1985, and then 34 percent in the seven years through 2002." ( http://www.bloomberg.com/)

     The two terms, weak dollar and strong dollar, are generalizations used in the foreign exchange market to describe the approximate value and strength of the U.S. dollar against other currencies.

     "A strong dollar occurs when the U.S. dollar has risen to a level, against another currency, that have high exchange rates for the other currency relative to the dollar.  The weak dollar is thus the opposite (http://www.investopedia.com)."

     "The value of the U.S. dollar is measured in three ways: exchange rates, Treasury notes and foreign exchange reserves (the amount of dollars held by foreign countries).  The most common is exchange rates, but you should be familiar with all three to understand where the dollar might be headed next (http://useconomy.about.com/)."

     The European Union is stumbling with the Greece debt crisis. This has weakened demand for the euro; the dollar is still getting stronger.

     Currently,  the U.S. dollar is strong.

     Here is the current rate of exchange as of 7/29/2015: (see images)

A glimpse of Cadillac

     Cars are a dominant portion of our human lives.  We seem to have a transportation deficiency without them. 

     One of the most popular cars is the Cadillac.

     Cadillac embodies the senses as what is expensive and not necessary;
luxury-complete.  

     Where does Cadillac come from? 

     Cadillac creation:

     -The Henry Ford Company was dissolved.

     -Ford's financial backers William Murphy and Lemuel Bowen called in engineer Henry M. Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company to appraise the plant and equipment.

     -Leland persuaded them to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven single-cylinder engine.

     -On 22 August 1902, the company reformed as the Cadillac Automobile Company.

    
     The Cadillac automobile was named after the 17th-century French explorer Antoine Laumet de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac, who founded Detroit in 1701( https://carrollcustomcadillac.sharepoint.com/Pages/HistoryofCadillac.aspx)."

     GM manufactures Cadillac.

     "At General Motors, we are passionate about earning customers... Whether it’s a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Opel, Vauxhall, or Holden, making the world’s best vehicles can only happen with the world’s greatest employees. We take great pride in our work, and take great care to deliver exceptional cars and a positive ownership experience to our customers in 140 countries around the world (www.gm.com)."

     The new caddies have changed since, let's look at, 30 years ago.  There is more sport in the well known brand sedan of today from when you remember being smaller than the man with the keys to a new lac' in his hand.

     Take the 2015 XT sedan. The 2015 XTS is a tribute to enticing comfort, spacious design, performance with a tenacious purpose and intuitive technology. It exudes the indulgent feeling of a limousine — so much so, you’d expect it to include a chauffeur. Then again — why let a chauffeur have all the fun?

     Mentally possess the 2016 ATS-V Coupe.
With roots in the performance racing circuit, the ATS-V Coupe is built to rule the left lane as easily as it rules the track. The minute you get onto the road, green lights start to feel more like starting lines. Add to that a range of refined interior features and sporty exterior lines, and you’ll find the edge of your seat never looked or felt so good.

     Put on your racing suit, and experience V RACING.  The V-Series vehicles are direct descendants of the racers found on the high-performance Cadillac Racing circuit. The latest iteration is the ATS-V.R, and if the many victories of its predecessors are any indication, there should be no doubt about its abilities.

     Cadillac is an exhilarating car.  Some of us don't quit remember the Cadillac like that,  though.

     Gaze at that photograph from 1985. In 1985 there was the introduction of the "Cadillac of Tomorrow".  It was the new, smaller front-wheel drive transverse mounted engines in Devilles, Coupe and Sedan, which now finally wore the laurel wreath and crest along with the Fleetwoods.  The Fleetwood came Coupe & Sedan. The Fleetwood Brougham was still rear wheel drive.

     Have you heard of an El Dog?  Gas prices were cheap, so everybody wanted to drive,  all the time.  Everywhere.   You could spark  envious conversations with women in the convertible full of leather and wood.

     Revive the flavor of the 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.  The Biarritz convertible returned for 1985 with practically no changes.  There weren't many tweaks to the coupe, either. Sadly, this truly was the last year for the Eldorado convertible. Happily, it was also the last year for that diesel V8.

     Grip the grain in a 1985 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.  The four door, boat, made you feel like a king.

     In 1985, GM had given all of the full-sized B and C-body lines sheet metal to tidy up the styling and improve aerodynamics. The basic dashboard design was retained. The 85 edition two-door Fleetwood Brougham was based upon the Coupe de Ville but featured an exclusive formal landau vinyl roof.  In 1985, Cadillac also introduced a brand-new front-wheel drive platform. Cadillac put the De Ville, and introduced the Cadillac Fleetwood, on this platform. This car featured two "firsts".   It had the first transverse mounted V8 ever, the HT4100, and it was the first car to have a high mounted stop-lamp.  It was federally mandated for the 1986 model year.  The rear wheel drive 1985 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham continued on nearly unchanged from the 1984 model. 1985 was the final model year for the Fleetwood Brougham coupe. In 1986 the HT-4100 V8 was replaced with an Oldsmobile sourced 307 cubic inch (5.0 L) V8.

     Get acquainted with the 1985 Cadillac Seville.  Players know how to choose. Get a Cadillac that isn't too outlandish.

     In 1985, only 39,755 Sevilles were made. The new model, one of the last vehicles designed by GM's Bill Mitchell, featured front-wheel drive and independent rear suspension. The Seville initiated features that would become more traditional in later years. "Memory seats", a feature not seen on a Cadillac since the Eldorado Broughams of the late 50s, became available, again. This option allowed two memorized positions to be recalled at the touch of a button. Luxury included a digital instrument cluster. Throw in the "Cadillac Trip Computer". For the '81-'85 Seville and Eldorado, it was considerably less expensive, at US $200 in '81, and did not contain the many features of Trip Computer, just a digital speedometer and fuel gauge. "Puncture-sealing" tires were also present for '85.  Seville offered heated outside rear-view mirrors with the rear defogger option. Inside, there was a "Symphony Sound" stereo cassette tape system available.  The new "Delco/Bose" stereo cassette system was offered at US $895. Initially, it resembled a standard Delco radio. The Sevilla edition featured a brushed gold-look front panel and bulbous lower interior door speaker assemblies. This was also the last year for the availability of an 8-track stereo system for Seville. On the outside, Seville was available with a "Full Cabriolet Roof" option, which gave Seville the look of a four-door convertible.

     Cadillac is a classic brand name. Since its founding in 1902, it has always personified luxury.  Caddy class, in the eyes of some, exudes lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, envy, and sloth.  Cadillac was the base of a playboy type of living.  It had labels of all kinds.   Drive one,  and pick a label.  Cadillac has inspired more impassioned songs about its charms than any other make or model. That’s a big deal, you have to love something to sing about it.

     Buy a new one.

(Picture 1: 1985 Cadillac Seville)

(Picture 2: 2016 ATS-V Coupe)

(Picture 3: 1985 Eldorado Cadillac)

(Picture 4:  1985 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham)

(Picture 5: 2016 ATSV.R)

(Picture 6: 2015 XT Sedan)

Nepal earthquake, 2015

     One of the latest headlines in the news covered the story of the ginormous earthquake in Nepal. 

     Nepal is popular for the the Himalaya Mountains, which offer long hiking trails.  Mountaineering travelers remember Nepal as home of highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.

          "Western travelers are advised by their governments to exercise a high degree of caution due to the volatile political and security situation. Strikes and violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces occur frequently." ( http://www.worldatlas.com/)

     The kingdom of Nepal's capital city is Kathmandu, with a population of 1,006,656.  Nepal's total population is 30,430,267.

     This small, vacation destination suffers from earthquakes.

     An earthquake, quake, or tremor is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust.  The energy creates seismic waves. Seismic activity is defined as the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time.

          "At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes displacement of the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, and occasionally volcanic activity." (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake)

     On a quiet saturday of April, 2015, a terrible earthquake took place as the latest result of an ongoing collision of giant pieces of our planet.  This slow-moving disaster started about 50 million years ago.

     We looked at the Tectonic summary.  The quake's magnitude was 7.8.  The location was 34 km ESE of Lamjung, Nepal. The M 7.8 Nepal earthquake occurred as the result of thrust faulting. The faulting took place around the the subducting India plate and the overriding Eurasia plate to the north. Simultaneously,  80 km to the northwest of the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, the India plate was converging with Eurasia at a rate of 45 mm/yr towards the NNE, driving the uplift of the Himalayan mountain range.

          "The preliminary location, size and focal mechanism of the April 25 earthquake are consistent with its occurrence on the main subduction thrust interface between the India and Eurasia plates (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20002926#general_summary)."

     In Kathmandu, more than 4,600 people were dead. Over 9,000 were injured. Eight million were affected across Nepal. Over one million children were urgently in need of help.

     The Nepalese, Himalayan nation was ruined on Saturday.

     The results were flabbergasting:
-rescuers were everywhere
-the earth was sore
-the trekking association found 200 more unaccounted for
-that moment at 4:15 pm was everlasting
-aid was on hold in some hard to reach areas
-last respects were paid
-piles of wood were set to burn dead bodies
-as part of Hindu cremation ceremonies, heads were shaven to morn parentless children
-sons said goodbye to their mothers for the last time
-the unthinkable had taken place
-new homeless people were looking for places to sleep
-the military was setting up camps
-rain was coming
-everyone stuck outside had to deal with thunder storms
-a few were found that had survived being buried under rubble
(www.cnn.com)

     It was gruesome. The once quiet backpacking destination, home of the biggest mountain in the world,  had to have a rude awaking by mother nature.

Sleeplessness

     Is sleep to you like the friend that you haven't talked to in a long time? I blogged about this subject once before. 

(http://swegigonbup.blogspot.com/2013_08_01_archive.html?m=0)

     We all look at sleep in a different light.

     After 100+ hours of work in 1 week,  you might have blurted to yourself,  "You can sleep when you're dead."   One day, you could find yourself simply unable to sleep; in bed at 8 p.m. and wide awake at 1 a.m.

     Sleeplessness causes disoriented, and cranky moods.

     Advoiding sleep by taking supplements could result in insomnia.

     Symptoms of early stage insomnia:

-waking up in the middle of the night
-anxious when you should be sleepy
-unnecessary adrenaline flow
 
     Don't wear your work hours like old shoes. 

     According to professional sleep studies,  an adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep ( http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need ).

    Sleep research findings, by Paul Kriegler, corporate dietitian for Lifetime Fitness:

1. Do not drink alcohol at home

Drinking shouldn't be a crutch to get to sleep. Drinks might knock you out, but you're not getting restful REM sleep.

2. Set a consistent bedtime.

3. No screens an hour before bedtime and no cell phone in the bedroom.

( http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/tag/paul-kriegler)

    bTry abiding by these rules for a couple of weeks.

     Sleeplessness female testimony:

     "I spend most of my days planted in front of a computer. If I'm not working, I'm surfing the Internet or watching a movie online.  My eyes and brain are constantly stimulated.  Unplugging an hour before bed allows me to have a conversation with my boyfriend without distractions. I read a few chapters in a good book or I knit a few more rows on my latest sock project.  It's been nice having this time for reflection and to quiet my mind right before bed.  Banishing the phone from the bedroom means if I roll over in the middle of the night, I simply wait for myself to fall back asleep instead of reaching for the phone and scrolling through Instagram.  I'm at the end of the third week and I have to tell you, I'm now sleeping through the night!  I feel energized and excited to start the day.  I've got energy for workouts and cooking.
I feel great. And I look forward to bedtime each night."

     Sleep is a wonderful thing. 7-9 hours of sleep will drastically improve your moods, and your overall health.

HOMEOPATHIC WELLNESS

     Here we are in the midst of another teeth clatteringly, cold winter.

     Have you ever tried holistic medicine for your over-the-counter medication uses?

      “Holistic medicine is a form of healing that considers the whole person -- body, mind, spirit, and emotions -- in the quest for optimal health and wellness (http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/what-is-holistic-medicine).”

     As with any form of healthcare, there is more than one way for a patient to improve his health.  In particular, in holistic medicine, let us look at homeopathic medicine.

     Personally, holistic medicine seemed fraudulent.  We have all heard of the “Old Western movie Elixirs” that could heal all with one bottle, at one low price, only offered at that particular point in time. Okay.  Occasionally,   the usual medications won't work.  Not that long ago, there was a bad cough that wouldn't give me space to think.  My favorite medicines had ceased to work. The cough was still there. A simple cold/bronchial cough, too.  At that point, the homeopathic version (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FRWXG1Q/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/179-2041899-6295516) seemed worth a try. It worked. It also worked better than its counter part.

     Some opinions of holistic meds point out that, “…most (holistic medications) pale in comparison to modern medicine (http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/183655).”;  Others like to add to the holistic meds debate that it deserves respect.  “Forty-two percent of hospitals offered some form of alternative therapies to their patients, according to a 2010 survey of 5,800 facilities (http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/18/health/alternative-medicine-offit/index.html).”

     Here is a short history of homeopathic medicine.

     It was brought into being in the early 19th century by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Christian Hahnemann (1775-1843).

     Homeopathic medicine has three principles: 

                    Law of similars- a disease can be cured by a medicine that creates symptoms similar to those the patient is experiencing.

                    Single remedy principle- a single medication will cover all the symptoms the patient is experiencing: mental, emotional and physical.

                    Minimum dose principle-  homeopathic physician prescribes small number of doses in order to see what effect the medicine has, and then the medicine is prescribed in an infinitesimal dose.

     Orthodox medicine is well established.  It is not complete,  though.  There are tremendous amounts of undefined diseases,  uncureable conditions,  and other researched subjects.  One could argue that homeopathic medicine has begun to take up some of that slack. Homeopathic medication isn't meant to be a replacement, it should be viewed as an added pathway to wellness.

     As we endure this antagonistic winter, stay warm,  and remain healthy.  If you haven't, yet,  try holistic/homeopathic medicine for your over-the-counter medication uses.