(NewsTarget) The world remains at great risk of infectious disease epidemics and pandemics, and new diseases are emerging at an “historically unprecedented” rate, according to an annual report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The report, titled “A Safer Future,” says that never before have new diseases developed at such a high rate, averaging more than one per year. Since the 1970s, the WHO has identified 39 new diseases, including Ebola, SARS, bird flu, Nipahvirus and Marburg hemorrhagic fever.
With the ever-increasing pace of global transportation, diseases are also spreading faster than ever. The WHO says that with 2.1 billion airline passengers per year, the risk of a new major epidemic is high. Diseases such as cholera, epidemic meningococcal disease and yellow fever have made comebacks, while new diseases such as bird flu have the potential to infect as much as 25 percent of global population. Poor medical practices, such as misuse of antibiotics, also make the emergence of drug-resistant strains ever more likely.
“It would be extremely naive and complacent to assume that there will not be another disease like AIDS, another Ebola or another SARS, sooner or later,” the report says.
The WHO has recorded more than 1,100 epidemics worldwide in just the last five years, including bird flu, cholera and polio.
The report urged both rich and poor governments to share information, skills and technology with each other.
“Given today’s universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. “International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility.”
Many countries have been reluctant to share information with the WHO or other countries, for fear that the information will be used to their detriment. Indonesia, for example, has refused to hand over samples of the H5N1 avian flu, claiming that pharmaceutical companies will just use the information to develop and patent costly vaccines that the poor of Indonesia cannot afford.
by: David Gutierrez
January 29th, 2008
(NewsTarget) World Hypnotism Day is on Friday, January 4, 2008. World Hypnotism Day is a day when professionals in the field of hypnotism from many different organizations around the world will be sharing their expertise and promoting the truths and benefits of hypnosis.
There has been as enormous amount of research in the field of hypnosis in the past several years. People have experienced great benefits from hypnosis in various aspects of their lives. Everything from weight loss, quitting smoking, to improving concentration and confidence. There’s no doubt that hypnosis is becoming more and more acceptable by doctors in the medical field and by the average person. I believe that people no longer wish to depend on prescription medication. They feel that if there is a more natural way to approach their problems, why not try it?
Hypnosis is a state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. In reality, it is more like daydreaming, or the feeling of “losing yourself” in a good book or movie. You are fully conscious, but you tune out most of the stimuli around you. You focus intently on the subject at hand, to the near exclusion of any other thought.
The deep relaxation and focusing exercises of hypnotism work to calm and subdue the conscious mind so that it takes a less active role in your thinking process. In this state, you’re still aware of what’s going on, but your conscious mind takes a backseat to your subconscious mind. Effectively, this allows you and the hypnotist to work directly with the subconscious. It’s as if the hypnotism process pops open a control panel inside your brain.
In alpha, your mind is slowed down just a little, your focus is narrow, your breathing is slow, and you are relaxed. Most people have either driven a car, played a video game, worked on a computer, or read a really good article; therefore, to say that you cannot be hypnotized is to misunderstand the true nature of a hypnotic state. Since you are up to 200 times more suggestible even while you are in the light state of alpha, anything beyond this is unnecessary for most purposes (i.e. programming someone to lose weight, stop smoking, overcome fear of flying, etc.). You can have an extremely effective hypnosis session while being aware of and able to recall every word spoken by the Hypnotherapist.
I believe that it is important for people to become informed on the topic of hypnosis. It’s a great tool to better your self and your life. Many of my clients have achieved great success with hypnotherapy as a tool. No matter what you wish to work on in a hypnotherapy session, the session will relax you and make you feel at peace. I suggest that on World Hypnotism Day, you take some time and learn a little more about hypnosis and perhaps you will try to apply it to your life!
About the author
Steve G. Jones is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.
January 27th, 2008
