CHARMING:
The bereft sister of a little boy run down on his tricycle and killed has told how she dreamed of him the night after he died. "I dreamt that my little brother was a fairy," Jasmine, 8, told the Herald Sun. "And he said, 'Hello Jasmine, I love you, and will you say hello to everyone for me, and give them kisses as well?' "And then he gave me a hug." (Melbourne Herald Sun, January 27, 2005)

AND ...
After the 13-tonne bus he was working on fell on top of him, Gary Culvert clinically died 4 times. The 54-year-old wept as he remembered seeing a vision of his recently dead mother. "I saw my mum while I was under the bus," he said. "I really knew something was wrong then. She was standing there looking 20 years younger, wearing a floral dress ... and she was shaking her finger at me saying "Not yet, not yet." (Melbourne Herald Sun, January 7, 2005)

THALIDOMIDE
The controversial drug banned in the 1960's for causing birth defects may help patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. UK researchers found thalidomide reduced weight loss and improved physical functioning. (Melbourne Herald Sun)

FRIENDLY BACTERIA
A daily dose of good bacteria early in life may halve the risk of developing life-long allergies and asthma. Swedish researchers found 16% of babies given a placebo developed an allergic reaction when exposed to egg, compared with 8% given a probiotic. (Melbourne Herald Sun)

REAL LEMON
A supposed liver-cleansing regimen of olive oil and lemon juice has been found to create soap-stones instead of helping people pass gallstones. Analysis by New Zealand biochemists found the stones passed in the bowel were formed by the flushing recipe promoted to rid people of gallstones. (Melbourne Herald Sun)

FROGS FIGHT AIDS
A frog that frequents Australian toilets and pot plants could help fight AIDS. A compound secreted from the skin of the green tree frog is being touted as preventing the transmission of the HIV. A report published in the Journal of Virology this month claims the secretion could help scientists develop a topical lotion that could be applied before and after sexual intercouse. (Melbourne Herald Sun, October 16, 2005)

PETS REDUCE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RISK
Diet and choice of pets could play independent but important roles in multiple sclerosis. University of Montreal scientists found vegetarian diets reduced MS risk by 60%, while keeping a cat halved the chance of disease. The unusual study was presented at the 2001 Congress of Epideiology in Toronto. (Melbourne Herald Sun, June 29, 2001)

DOLPHINS PROTECT SWIMMERS
A group of swimmers has told how a pod of dolphins protected them from a great white shark. Rod Howes and 3 other lifeguards were swimmingabout 100m off Whangerei, on New Zealand's northeast coast, when the dolphins herded them together. "They started to herd us up. They pushed all 4 of us together by doing tight circles around us." Mr. Howe said. He then saw why. A 3m great white shark was cruising towards the group just below the surface. (Melbourne Herald Sun, November 24, 2004)

ANIMAL WARNING
Sri Lankan officials are looking to use animals in an early warning system for earthquakes and tsunamis, hoping to take advantage of the insticts that allowed wildlife to escape last month's giant waves. Gamewardens at Sri Lanka's biggest national park believe animals fled before the tsunami hit because no animal carcases have been found there. Experts say beasts in Yala national park fled because keen senses such as hearing allowed them to detect the tsunami's approach long before humans could. (Melbourne Herald Sun, January 19, 2005

SEAL SAVES DOG
A seal saved an elderly dog after it was swept away by fierce currents in a fast-flowing river in northern England. Witnesses said the dog, which appeared to be injured before hitting the water, scampered into the River Tees and tried to swim to the opposite bank - but the current got the better of him. Suddenly, a seal appeared from the depths and gently pushed the german shepherd into mudflats on the bank. "I've never seen anything like it and I don't think I ever will," Chris Hinds said yesterday. "This seal just came out of nowhere. It was like the guardian angel came up." (Melbourne Herald Sun, June 21, 2002)

MYSTERY CHINESE PYRAMID
A team of Chinese scientists is to head out to the far west of the country to investigate a mystery pyramid that local legend says is a launch tower left by aliens from space. Nine scientists will probe origins of the 50-60 metre tall structure - dubbed "the ET relics" - in the western province of Qinghai this month. The pyramid has three caves with triangular openings and is filled with red-hued pipes leading into the mountain and a nearby salt water lake, a spokesman said.
(Melbourne Herald Sun, June 21, 2002)

SUNSHINE GUARDS AGAINST MANY CANCERS
A small amount of time in the sun could help guard against many types of cancer, a recent study suggests. Although damage caused by sunburn in turn causes skin cancers, too little sun was linked to breast, colon and ovarian cancers, according to research by William Grant, atmospheric scientist at NASA. (Herald Sun, Australia, July 4, 2002)

ALFALFA could help treat tinea or athlete's foot. British Scientists found chemicals in aflalfa protected against fungal attacks and could be made into a cream. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

CAVEMAN diets which involved eating unprocessed natural foods could help prevent modern chronic illnesses including obesity, diabetes abd heart disease. International collaborative research said modern human genes were still based on the dietary patterns of our hunter-gatherer ancestors millions of years ago. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

DUCT TAPE could be a more effective treatment for warts than the common freezing therapy. Harvard University scientists found 85% of patients got rid of their warts by applying patches of duct tape for 2 months, compared with 60% of those who had the freezing treatment. They suggested that skin didn't like duct tape and immune cells were called to get rid of it, attacking the wart. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT shone up the nose can help control hayfever. Researchers found three sessions a week of "rhino-phototherapy" using a combination of UVA, UVB and visible light improved sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and the emount of mucous within three weeks. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

HEALTH-RELATED
HEALTH NEWS
We scan the newspapers daily to get the latest alternative health news. Here you'll find reports on everything from acidophillus to zinc - if we find it, we put it here for you.

GUM DISEASE & ITS CONNECTION TO HEART DISEASE
Research is racing to help healthcare professionals further understand how periodontal diseases are linked to cardiovascular disease. A study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Periodontology explains another reason why people with periodontal diseases are at a significant risk for coronary artery disease.

COLORS, AURAS, and the PSYCHIC REALM
by Donna Eden
Earlier in my career, before having written Energy Medicine and teaching so broadly, I would show beginning students ways of engaging the client with greater focus on establishing a psychic connection than I do now.

INTERVIEW with RICHARD GERBER
Richard Gerber, MD, is the author of the 1988 book, Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves, a publication that has been reviewed as ‘landmark’ and ‘encyclopedic’, and in many ways bridges the gap between science and esoteric healing.

REIKI HEALING in the lineage of "JIN KEI DO"
by Jim Frew, Reiki Master
Simple meditations and breathing practices are taught in this ancient Tibetan form of Reiki to enhance development of compassion for the self and others, while also helping to create an awareness of energy.

HEALING BY THE STARS
by Sandy
"A physician cannot safely administer medicine if he is unacquainted with astrology." Are these the words of an over-enthusiastic New Age healer? No. They have been attributed to the father of medicine himself - Hippocrates.

ENERGY MEDICINE
by Donna Eden
Teaching classes in Energy Medicine throughout the U.S., England, and Australia these past few years, I have been watching the paradigm shift in the way individuals understand health and how they keep themselves healthy.

MENOPAUSE - is it a pain in the neck?
by Sandy
The implications of a cervical misalignment are numerous. While once it may have been considered that stiff neck, pain or tenderness were the worst one could expect from such a condition, considerable research in recent years has revealed some amazing facts.

THE BUSIEST VITAMIN - B6 and Allergies
by Sandy
When proteins remain undigested, the amino acid histidine can be changed by putrefactive intestinal bacteria into a toxic substance, histamine, which is found in abnormally large amounts in the blood of many allergic persons.

METAPHYSICAL
PSYCHIC RESCUE
by Eddie Burks and Gillian Cribbs (from "Ghosthunter" )
Eddie Burks' extraordinary psychic powers made international news when Coutts bank asked him to deal with a headless ghost at its prestigious Strand headquarters. We have reproduced an interview with Eddie Burks from the hard-to-find book - Ghosthunter - in the hope that it leads to a better understanding of ghosts and apparitions.

A MONSTER at the heart of our galaxy?
Or something FAR more interesting? YOU be the judge.
(Be prepared for a slow down load - it's a big picture but it needs to be seen in its entirety!)

LIFE IN THE HERE-AFTER
by Maurice Barbanell and Silver Birch
Maurice Barbanell (1902-1981) was an accomplished journalist and superb medium for the teachings of Silver Birch. We feel this description of "life after life" in his book "They Shall Be Comforted" is worth sharing, and may help to comfort those currently mourning the passing of a loved one.

WITCHES WIN CONVERTS
by Jason Frenkel
Victoria's witches will soon be able to take their broomsticks out of the closet with witchcraft likely to be decriminalised.

AN INTERESTING NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE
by Percy W. Cole
Are reports describing tunnels and lights accurate accounts of genuine NDE experiences, or could they spring from an over-active imagination coloured by previously recorded accounts? We recently came across an NDE description of particular interest - it describes an incident which occurred in 1935.

HEALING BY THE STARS
by Sandy
"A physician cannot safely administer medicine if he is unacquainted with astrology." Are these the words of an over-enthusiastic New Age healer? No. They have been attributed to the father of medicine himself - Hippocrates.

UFO's
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN MACK
Psychiatrist, Harvard University, and world-famous ufologist

INTRIGUING IMAGES LINK ALIENS TO ANCIENT EGYPT
Nefertiti on Mars, helicopters on ancient ceiling beams, and a familar face on a 4,500 year old Egyptian painting.

DID A REGIMENT VANISH AT GALLIPOLI?
by John Pinkney
Something exceedingly strange happened at Gallipoli ....

THE VALENTICH MYSTERY
At 1908 hrs on 21 February 1978, while flying between Melbourne and King Island in the Bass Strait, pilot Frederick Valentich reportedly radioed Melbourne Flight Service saying: "Four bright....seems to me like landing lights....just passed over me. At least a 1000 feet above." Valentich was never seen again.

WOW !!!
One of the most complex crop circles ever has appeared beside Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, England. Check it out ! (Be patient though, we didn't reduce the size of the photo so we could present it in its full glory, so it might take a few minutes to download.)

WHAT IS OUT THERE?
by Mark Dunn
Mystery lights in Victoria, Australia

SELF-HELP
RULES FOR BEING HUMAN
1. You will receive a body. You may like it, or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around ... read the 9 rules of being human, then forget them all on the 10th.

NOBODY'S CHILD
One of the mistakes many of us make is that we keep trying to have a better past. Life does not work that way. Your past is never going to improve, but your future can improve if you turn loose the past. Read this inspirational story of Marie Balter, who made up her mind not to continue to be a victim

THE AWAKENING
A time comes in your life when you finally get it…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside cries out- ENOUGH!

ANIMALS
MUM'S GOT ME LICKED
Is this really a baby baboon, or is it actually Gollum from Lord of the Rings? Only his mother knows the truth!

THE KISS THAT SAYS IT ALL
While photographing a house fire, a photographer noticed a Doberman watching one of the firemen ...

GIRL RISKS LIFE FOR HORSE
A selfless teenager tells how she risked her life to save an injured horse trapped in a burning truck.

DIPPED IN FOR BEST MATE
A gutsy 72-year-old man risked his life when he stripped naked and dived into freezing, filthy water to save his drowning, blind dog.

GOAT SAVES MAN'S LIFE
Australian dairy farmer Noel Osborne declared goat milk the elixir of life recently after surviving on it for five days as he lay in the open with a broken hip.

ANCIENT HISTORY
HOW OLD IS LIFE ON EARTH?
Practically every year new discovers are made which continue to push back the dates of the beginning of civilization. The discoveries keep showing us that ancient man was more sophisticated than previously believed.

THE MYSTERIOUS TOMB OF OSIRIS
by Sandy
More than 60 years ago, the famed Sleeping Prophet - Edgar Cayce - made a startling prophecy about a discovery that would occur around the turn of the 21st century. Has this recently occurred?

GENETIC FIND ROCKS THE TEEPEE
by Graeme O'Neill
Could this "ancient one" have been an Atleantean?

CREATIVE WRITING
WRITERS' ANECDOTES
by Barry Watts
Anecdotal and biographical glimpses of Australia's Favourite Book People

NON-FICTION BOOK PROPOSALS
by Barry Watts
When writing fiction, most publishers (or agents) want brief outlines or synopses ... but submitting a non-fiction manuscript is very different.

SIX WAYS TO AN EDITOR'S HEART
by Valerie Parv
(Yes, Valerie assures us, they DO have one)

OTHER ARTICLES
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HAROLD HOLT?
by John Pinkney
On Sunday, December 17, 1967, Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt donned his snorkel gear and walked into the water at Portsea's Cheviot Beach. He was never seen again. The official explanation - that Holt drowned accidentally in a wild sea - did not satisfy British author Anthony Grey.

EXERCISE BEST THERAPY Exercise is as effective as chemotherapy in bowel cancer patients. A study of more than 40,000 people, led by Alfred Hospital oncologist Dr. Andrew Hayden is the first to show that people who exercise and have low body fat are more likely to survive bowel cancer. Dr. Haydon and Cancer Council of Victoria researchers found the survival rate for people with a healthy waistline was significantly above that of those without it. Under WHO (World Health Organisation) standards, a wasit bigger than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women is unhealthy. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

HUNGRY GHOST
Liz Rich, her husband Bill and their three children have been harassed by paranormal disturbances for the five years that they have lived in their house in the Welsh village of St David's Without. Exorcist Eddie Burks was called in to investigate the strong smell of sulphur, strange footsteps and figures, and the family's huge electricity bills. Burks detected a large concentration of evil in the house, which he claimed siphoned electricity - estimated at around £3,000 - to feed itself. The electricity board have examined the meter twice and claim it is working normally!

HYPERACTIVITY
It has long been suspected that artificial colourings and preservatives send children into a frenzy - now there is PROOF. British researchers found substantial increases in hyperactivity levels among 227 3-year-olds when their diets were supplemented with an artificially coloured drink. Removing artificial colourings and preservatives from pre-schoolers' diets dramatically reduced hyperactivity levels. (Melbourne Herald Sun, December 16, 2004)

ROLLING STONES
In the region known as the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley, USA, stone is coming to life. Varying in size from small pebbles to large half-tonne rocks, mobile stones are traveling distances of up to 100 meters. While no one has actually witnessed the phenomenon, clearly defined trails are visible in the sand, indicating the route of their journey. A pair of Californian geologists claim that the stones are being 'blown' across the desert floor my wind alone. However, no one has yet been able to recreate this, and the stones remain in their place even under the most severe of conditions.

OUT OF THE BLUE
Imminent death seemed certain for Sharon McClelland in September 1994 when her parachute failed to open on her first solo free-fall jump. Accelerating towards Queensland, Canada, the 26-year-old panicked and, in the words of parachute-school owner Frank Watts, 'failed to follow proper procedure and open her back-up chute'. She fell 3,050 meters and landed on her back in a shallow marsh, whereby she promptly jumped to her feet and began to apologise hysterically to her instructor. She escaped with very minor bruising.

KIWI FRUIT could be as effective as taking blood-thinning aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes without side-effects such as gastro-intestinal bleeding. Studies show 2 pieces a day have more vitamin C than oranges and contain phytonutrients, chemicals that protect DNA in cells from damage that can lead to diseases. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS could damage young men's ability to father children. U.S. doctors found balancing laptops on things raised sperm temperature by almost 3 degrees celsius, enough to trigger fertility problems with frequent exposure. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

PLAGUE from the middle ages may explain why 10% of Europeans are able to resist HIV. British researchers found Europeans had a high frequency of a mutation that prevented HIV from entering immune cells, which might have also protected against haemorrhagic fever believed to be the true cause of Black Death. Descendants of survivors of plagues might have increased the mutation frequency from one in 20,000 to one in 10 today. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

PET DOG A HERO A Husky bitch has saved the life of a Taiwanese newborn by snatching him from the toilet after his mother gave birth alone at home and collapsed. The 24 years old mother told the United Daily News that her 10-month old dog, Baby, followed her to the bathroom when she went into labour on Sunday. The woman gave birth to a boy on the toilet and managed to cut the umbilical cord before collapsing on the floor, too weak to call for help. But her faithful dog snatched up the baby's leg with her mouth and rescued him from the toilet, she told the paper. Doctors said mother and baby were in a stable condition. (Melbourne Herald Sun, January 7, 2006)

DOLPHINS PROTECT LIFEGUARDS In November of 2005, during a training exercise, four lifeguards in New Zealand were herded together and surrounded by a group of dolphins. The dolphins kept the men together by doing tight circles around them. Then the lifeguards noticed that a great white shark had been coming toward them. The dolphins surrounded the group for forty minutes until it was safe for them to get to shore. Dr. Constantine, a marine mammal researcher at Auckland University, said that the altruistic response of the dolphins was normal. “They like to help the helpless,” she said.  (the British Psychological Society, The Research Digest, issue 27)

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NUT RANKING
Sunflower kernels and pistachios have the highest levels of cholesterol-LOWERING phytosterols of all conventionally eaten nuts and seeds. After analysing 27 nut and seed products, U.S. chemists found sesame seeds and wheat germ ranked highest but were rarely consumed individually, while brazil nuts and walnuts were lowest. (Melbourne Herald Sun, December 23, 2005)

JOGGING A SMART MOVE
Jogging is not just good for the body, it helps keep your brain in shape! Researchers found that 2 half-hour runs a week increased concentration and improved visual memory. And while German scientists stopped short of claiming jogging makes you smarter, they said it certainly provided intellectual stimulus. Experts at Ulm University had volunteers jog twice a week for 30 minutes. Tests revealed their ability to recall images was substantially improved. (Melbourne Herald Sun, December 23, 2005)

WAVE OF DISCOVERY
Aussie surfers with cystic fibrosis who said they felt better after riding the waves have inspired a treatment for the incurable disease. Respiratory physician Peter Bye used their experience and his expertise to develop a cheap, natural therapy based on inhaled salt water. A 12-month trial found sufferers on the concentrated saline solution delivered in a mist had better lung function and half the number of lung disease flare-ups. (Melbourne Herald Sun, November 29, 2006)

DOLPHIN SWIM CURE
Patients with mild or moderate depression can be successfully treated by swimming with the dolphins. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that swimming with the creatures led to falling levels of depressive symptoms in patients. The findings support the theory of biophilia - showing how human health and well-being are dependent on relationships with the natural environment. (Melbourne Herald Sun, November 26, 2006)

HONEY OF A CURE
Honey is mentioned in the Bible, the Koran and the Torah as being used for healing purposes. Now, Australian researchers have found it is just as effective as an antibiotic cream to prevent infections in catheter sites in kidney dialysis patients. Kidney specialist David Johnson said honey also had an advantage over a commonly used antibiotic ointment in that hospital 'superbugs' had not developed resistance to it. The scientists compared a specially formulated honey, sold as Medi-honey, with mupirocin cream in a 2-year trial. (Melbourne Herald Sun, August 27, 2005)

ZINC A LIFESAVER
Babies in developing countries who take a weekly dose of zinc can boost their chances of avoiding fatal pneumonia and diarrhoea, according to a study published by the British journal, The Lancet. Bangladeshi doctors tested 1621 children aged 2 months to a year, half of whom were given a weekly 700mg dose of zinc, while the other half were given a placebo. The death rate in the zinc group was 85% lower than in the placebo group. The zinc-taking infants were also slightly taller. (Melbourne Herald Sun, August 24, 2005)

SUNFLOWER OIL FOR SKIN INFECTIONS
Rubbing sunflower oil on premature babies helps protect them from infection, a study has found. Premature babies, particularly in developing countries, often die from infections caused by the immature skin, says a US study published in The Lancet. The article said evidence was emerging that the skin was much more important as a barrier to infection than previously recognised, particularly in pre-term infants whose skin was underdeveloped. The effect was greatest if the treatment was begun straight after birth. Bloodstream infections also were almost halved. (Melbourne Herald Sun, March 29 2005)

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE GAINING POPULARITY
Alternative health practitioners will carry out half of all medical consultations in Australia within a decade. Researchers found 35% of people in Australia had visited a naturopath or other complementary health professional in the past year, up 8%, while visits to GP's fell by 3%. They predicted alternative medicine would overtake Western medicine within 10 years. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 11 March, 2005)

VITAMIN D TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
Nursing home residents and people in residential care are being urged to take a daily vitamin D tablet to prevent hip fractures. Prof.Christopher Nordin, chairman of a working party on vitamin D, falls and hip fractures, yesterday said a high proportion of hip fracture cases came from nursing homes, where lack of exposure to sunlight and consequent vitamin D deficiency was common. "We therefore recommend that blood level of vitamin D be measured in everyone over the age of 65 and corrected with tablets if it is low." Vitamin D deficiency also causes a high rate of bone turnover, leading to the weakening of the bony tissue and increasing muscle weakness. (Melbourne Herald Sun, March 1, 2005)

RED ALERT
It has long been suspected that red cordial sends children into a frenzy - but now there's proof. British researchers found substantial increases in hyperactivity levels among 227 3-year-olds when their diets were supplemented with an artificially coloured drink. Removing artificial colouring and preservatives from pre-schoolers' diets dramatically reduced hyperactivity levels. (Melbourne Herald Sun, December 16, 2004)

STAY CALM
Cardiac arrhythmias brought on by anger and more deadly than those not caused by extreme emotion. US researchers found the electrical characteristics of arrhythmias triggered by stress and anger were more disorganised and unstable, perhaps caused by higher adrenalin levels. They said this could help explain why sudden death rates increased during natural disasters and war. (Melbourne Herald Sun)

QIGONG and other traditional Chinese exercises such as tai chi could help control diabetes. Queensland researchers found the 5,000 year old self-healing arts significantly improved several indicators of metabolic syndrome including high blood pressure, body weight and waist circumference. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

ROSEMARY flavoured meat dishes could help reduce the risk of cancer. U.S. researchers found antioxidants in rosmarinic acid and rosemary extract reduced the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), compounds formed when beef, chicken, pork and fish were cooked at high temperatures. HCAs caused genetic mutations that could increase the risk of colorectal, esophegeal, prostate and breast cancers. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)

YOGA is a more effective treatment for low back pain than exercise or painkillers. U.S. researchers found 12 weeks of 75-minute yoga classes later practised at home were more effective in reducing back pain than 12 weeks of 75-minute sessions of aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises. (Melbourne Herald Sun, 6 January 2006)