Holistic Approaches to Asthma Treatment BY - Lawrence B. Palevsky, MD, FAAP, DABHM

Holistic Approaches to Asthma Treatment
Lawrence B. Palevsky, MD, FAAP, DABHM
Asthma is a common word in many households. A growing number of children live on
beta-2 agonists, steroids and anti-leukotriene medications that treat the acute and chronic
symptoms of asthma. These medications have helped save many lives. However, these
medicines, unfortunately, do not cure the asthmatic condition. They merely serve to quiet
the visible expression of symptoms.
Medicines do not influence the factors that generate the imbalances in the body causing the
onset of wheezing. The imbalances that trigger the symptoms of asthma persist despite the
use of medication and the relief of symptoms. These imbalances arise mostly from
problems within the child’s immune system. The key to treatment lies in the evaluation of
the underlying factors that contribute to the development and expression of asthma
symptoms. The goal is to assess the imbalances and address their causes.
Asthma is defined as a reversible, chronic, obstructive, airway disease. On clinical exam, a
child with asthma is found to be wheezing and coughing. Often there is difficulty
breathing, labored breathing, poor air movement, shortness of breath and irritability.
Occasionally, a child may be pale or have blue lips. In the worst case scenario there is
somnolence or coma. However, the lungs are rarely involved. Rather, the smooth muscles
of the affected airways are in spasm and there is swelling and inflammation of the lining of
the airways.
An important segment of our immune system is found in the lining of the airways. And
significant portions of the immune system are found in the linings of the digestive tract, the
skin and the nervous system, including the brain. The body obtains its major protection
against the outside world from the proper functioning of these four areas of the immune
system. All parts of the immune system are in constant communication with each other.
An acute asthma episode is triggered by a challenge to the immune system at one, several or
all four of these areas of the body.
In a healthy child, when the immune system is stressed, chemicals are released that produce
inflammation. These chemicals are made by immune cells that migrate to the site(s) where
the body is challenged. Redness, heat or fever, swelling, tenderness and loss of function
are the five signs and symptoms of inflammation that are clinically present, either singularly
or in combination. By the end of the inflammatory process another group of immune cells
begins to produce chemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties. These antiinflammatory
chemicals aid in quieting the area of inflammation. As a result, the symptoms
of inflammation begin to resolve. The body, in the ideal situation, is genetically
programmed to heal itself.
The resolution of symptoms during an inflammatory response is dependent on the delicate
balance between the production and activation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory
immune chemicals. An acute episode of asthma occurs when this delicate balance is tested.
Thus, asthma is a condition of acute and chronic inflammation. The goal of treatment is to
evaluate any one of a number of contributing factors in a child’s environment that can
produce a state of inflammation. Perfumes, smoke, pollen, volatile chemicals, exhaust
fumes, pollution, animal dander, metals, dust and mold are some of the inhalants that can
adversely affect the immune response in the linings of the airways and trigger an episode of
wheezing. Dairy, soy, nuts, sugars, dehydration, processed flours and grains, processed
fats, fried oils, nutritional deficiencies, food dyes, chemicals, preservatives and additives,
metals, soda, junk food, fast foods and certain prescription drugs and over the counter
medicines can instigate an inflammatory response in many parts of the body especially in
the airways of children who are prone to wheezing.
Emotional stressors such as fear, anger, anxiety, worry and grief can both acutely or
chronically stimulate an inflammatory response in the nervous system leading to an immune
response in the airways of children with asthma. Even extreme emotional outbursts,
positive or negative, along with exercise, can bring about a state of inflammation. Birth and
head trauma along with other traumas to a child’s body can cause an impairment of blood
flow, lymph flow and nerve supply to and from the muscles of the chest wall and the
smooth muscles of the lining of the airways. This dynamic can compromise a child’s
ability to breathe efficiently and maximize air exchange in as many airways as possible.
The parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system regulate
the state of contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscles of the lining of the airways,
respectively. When both branches of the autonomic nervous system are in balance, the
smooth muscles are not in spasm. Some children with asthma can develop bronchospasm
when there is over stimulation of the parasympathetic branch and/or a weakness in the
sympathetic stimulation of these airway smooth muscles. Any one of the above
contributing environmental factors—respiratory irritants, ingested materials, physical and
emotional nervous system traumas and stressors—can influence the over or under
stimulation of the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous
system, respectively, leading to the onset of bronchospasm in children with asthma.
Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and cytokines are the major immune chemicals that function in
the body to produce pro and anti-inflammatory responses. The ingredients that make up the
building blocks for these chemicals come directly from the diet. Most of these chemicals
are made up of proteins (cytokines), polyunsaturated fats in the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty
acid family (prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes) and from complex sugars
(oligosaccharides) that are fundamental to the proper function of every one of our cells,
especially the immune cells. Many of these fats, sugars and proteins are essential in our
diet and cannot be manufactured in the body. Many vitamins and minerals are needed to
help stabilize the structure of fats, sugars and proteins in cell membranes and aid in their
production, release and function.
When a child with asthma consumes an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids and simple
sugars, which favor the production of pro-inflammatory immune chemicals, and/or
consumes an insufficient amount of omega-3 fatty acids and complex sugars, which favor
the production of anti-inflammatory immune chemicals, the stage is set for the development
of wheezing with swelling and inflammation of the airways. The trigger(s) that cause the
body’s immune cells to release these pro-inflammatory chemicals during an acute asthmatic
episode may come from any one of the contributing factors mentioned above—respiratory
irritants, ingested materials and physical or emotional traumas and stresses to the nervous
system.
There was great enthusiasm when the anti-leukotriene medications (e.g., Singulair) came
out on the market. It was seen as a major breakthrough for children with chronic
inflammatory conditions like asthma and inflammatory bowel disease since we knew that
these children had high circulating levels of pro-inflammatory leukotrienes. Leukotrienes
are some of the most potent inflammatory agents in the body. Prescribers of these
medications hoped for a reduction in the symptoms of inflammation in these children. In
reality, the medicine does nothing to stop the body from producing the leukotrienes. So
what happens to these pro-inflammatory leukotrienes? They continue to circulate in the
body. The inflammatory response persists in spite of an alleviation of symptoms. Many
children with asthma do not need these medicines to block the action of the proinflammatory
leukotrienes. A simple change in their diet will reduce leukotriene production
altogether.
A diet of mostly nutrient empty processed foods with a deficiency of important vitamins
and minerals, an abundance of simple sugars and an excess of unhealthy fats favors the
production and release of pro-inflammatory chemicals and weakens the anti-inflammatory
response. A diet high in simple sugars causes insulin levels to remain high or fluctuate in
very high and low ranges. These types of insulin responses stimulate the release of proinflammatory
prostaglandins, leukotrienes and cytokines which weakens the production of
their anti-inflammatory counterparts as well.
The goal of treatment is to introduce the idea to the family that the child’s illness, in this
case asthma, is presenting them with an opportunity to make changes in their lifestyle.
They do not need to follow along the path of medication and frequent medical visits.
Wheezing, coughing and swelling and inflammation of the airways are signs and symptoms
that tell the family there is dis-ease in the environment. The child is calling out that
something is out of balance in his/her life. The family can educate themselves about how
some or all of the contributing factors mentioned above are creating the dis-ease for the
child. In reality, the child’s asthma, seen as an illness, serves as the cure for the true disease
in his/her life—the underlying stressors. Ultimately, the child with asthma can provide
the family with the opportunity and incentive to live a healthier life.
For some children with asthma, improving the air quality alone can reduce further wheezing
episodes. For others, addressing and lightening the physical and emotional stressors can
help the child breathe easier. For the most part, changing the diet of a child with asthma has
the greatest impact on improving his/her health. If a child with asthma ingests and
incorporates into the cells of the body a balance of the essential dietary ingredients that
make up the building blocks of the pro- and anti-inflammatory chemicals, an exposure to an
occasional trigger may have no untoward effect on the immune system. In other words,
children with asthma need to eat properly for their bodies to function the way it is intended.
Some children continue to have asthma despite removal of the confounding triggers. These
children require more intensive therapy that may respond to evaluation and treatment of
metal toxicity, liver and intestinal detoxification, vitamin and mineral supplementation,
herbal treatment, treatment of severe food allergies,
homeopathy, Chinese or Ayurvedic medical treatment and/or continuation of conventional
medicines. It is possible for a child with asthma to live symptom and medication free for
the rest of his/her life.
Treatment Approaches
Recognize, understand, reduce and eliminate contributing factors:
Clean up the environment reducing exposure to known respiratory irritants. Continue to
look for other possible airborne irritants that are not very obvious.
Teach older children to take full, proper breaths. Have them sit or stand in an upright
position in a calm environment. Ask them to inhale through the nose and feel their
diaphragm pushing down towards their feet while the abdomen relaxes, pushes out from
their bodies and fills like a balloon. Make sure the shoulders and chest wall are still and not
part of the respiratory effort. Ask them to feel their chest wall filling with air after their
abdomen expands. On the exhale, have them reverse the process letting the air exit through
the mouth, allowing the abdomen to return to its normal position bringing the belly button
back towards the spine. Encourage them to practice this type of breathing at all times,
especially during more stressful encounters, until it becomes second nature. Yoga,
hypnosis and meditation are several tools to help children with asthma improve their
breathing.
Clean up the diet by removing unhealthy fats. These include partially hydrogenated oils,
margarine, vegetable shortening, cooking oils such as corn, vegetable, safflower and
sunflower oils and fried foods and oils. These oils are found in supermarket and bakery
packaged foods and used in restaurants for cooking and frying. Read labels. Use olive oil,
organic butter, ghee, grape seed oil, coconut oil and cold pressed oils for cooking and
flavoring. I do not recommend flax seed oil for children as a source of omega-3 fatty acids.
There is scientific evidence that the oil is not processed in the body to help promote antiinflammatory
responses due to weak enzyme systems in children. If children are unwilling
to eat fish and sea vegetables for their omega-3 intake, there are good tasting cod liver oil
preparations made by Carlson Labs and Nordic Naturals. (3,5,8)
Clean up the diet by removing simple sugars and regulate insulin levels. These sugars
include glucose, sucrose, fructose and lactose and processed white flours. These sugars are
ubiquitous in cereals, juices, cookies, cake, candy, pastries, soda, soft drinks, shakes, snack
bars, milk, cheese, ice cream, bread, pasta, crackers and, junk, snack and fast foods. (5, 7,8,
9)
Sugar, like salt, is dehydrating to the body. Dehydration increases histamine levels.
Histamine is another pro-inflammatory chemical that can worsen asthma. Water is an antihistamine
and helps reduce histamine levels. Sixty-seven to seventy percent of a child’s
body is made up of water. Give children with asthma water as their main beverage and
keep them well-hydrated. I have personally watched several wheezing children clinically
improve using hydration as a main part of their treatment. (1, 2)
Clean up the dyes, preservatives, food colorings, artificial sweeteners and additives found
in most foods listed in numbers 3 & 4 above and in many prescription drugs, antibiotics
and over the counter medicines. Several of these chemicals are known to interfere with
important enzymes needed for production of pro- and anti-inflammatory immune chemicals.
Encourage a diet of whole, fresh, simple foods including vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds,
meat, chicken, fish, eggs, whole grains, sprouted breads and some fruit. Flavor foods with
fresh culinary herbs and spices. Depending on factors specific to the individual child, some
children with asthma will improve on a diet of non-starchy vegetables, meat, chicken, fish
and eggs, nuts and seeds and fats with small amounts of grains, legumes, starchy
vegetables, sugars and fruit. Others will improve on starchy vegetables, legumes, whole
grains and fruit with small amounts of non-starchy vegetables, animal proteins and fatty
foods. (6, 8) Processed foods and beverages taste good yet they have little to no nutritional
value. As a mainstay in the diet, they can be harmful to a child’s health, especially for a
child with a chronic inflammatory condition like asthma.
Relieve tension on the autonomic nervous system. The best way to do this is through
evaluation and adjustment by a chiropractor, or cranial work by an osteopath or cranial
sacral therapist. Some children, whose asthma is more related to an imbalance in their
autonomic nervous system rather than a problem with their diets, will respond better to
these types of care. The diet changes will still be of benefit nonetheless.
Avoid Motrin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. In a subset of
children with asthma, these medications will increase the production of pro-inflammatory
leukotrienes.
Address stressors that may affect the emotional state of the child. Increased peer pressure,
academic pressure, over stimulation, over scheduling, problems in the home, inability to
express emotions such as fear, anger, anxiety, worry and grief with build up of these
emotions, exposure to violence, anger or fighting, and feelings of smothering and
suffocation are some of the concomitant stressors that serve as triggers for children with
asthma.
References:
Batmanghelidj, MD, F., ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus
Batmanghelidj, MD, F., Water: For Health, For Healing, For Life: You’re Not Sick,
You’re Thirsty
Enig, Ph.D., Mary, Know Your Fats
Ivker, DO, Robert, Nelson, ND, Todd, Asthma Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment
Program for Asthma
Weil, MD, Andrew, Spontaneous Healing
Wolcott, William and Fahey, Trish, The Metabolic Typing Diet
HYPERLINK "http://www.glycoscience.com" www.glycoscience.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.mercola.com" www.mercola.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.nancyappleton.com" www.nancyappleton.com
Copyright © 2003 Lawrence B. Palevsky, MD
All Rights Reserved PAGE 3

Asthmatic children with low blood vitamin D levels may have a greater risk of suffering severe asthma attacks

Asthmatic children with low blood vitamin D levels may have a greater risk of suffering severe asthma attacks.

A study followed more than 1,000 children with asthma for four years, and found those with vitamin-D insufficiency at the outset were more likely to have an asthma attack that required a trip to the hospital.

Reuters reports:

“When the researchers considered other factors -- including the severity of the children's asthma at the study's start, their weight and their family income -- vitamin D insufficiency itself was linked to a 50 percent increase in the risk of severe asthma attacks.”
Vitamin D never ceases to amaze, and research into its impact on non-bone related diseases continues to yield positive results.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health conditions, from depression to autoimmune disorders, to colds and flu, to cancer, and now asthma, and even cognitive function.

This is good news.

Asthma has increased by more than 300 percent over the last two decades, now affecting some 20 million Americans, and if vitamin D is even partially responsible for this meteoric rise in prevalence, then the answer is literally right outside your door.

Millions of people are needlessly exposing themselves to the dangers inherent with the standard drug treatments for asthma. Advair, for example, contains the long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) salmeterol, which can actually increase the severity of an asthma attack.

Researchers estimate that salmeterol may contribute to as many as 5,000 asthma-related deaths in the United States each year. Conventional asthma treatments can also increase your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, just to name a few.

This is why it’s so important to start focusing our attention on simple, effective, and infinitely safer methods, such as increasing vitamin D levels, to combat the underlying cause of this growing health problem.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Asthma at All Time Highs

Right now, only 5 to 37 percent of American infants meet the standard for vitamin D set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which will make them prime candidates for a slew of future health problems related to vitamin D deficiency – one of them being asthma.

At the end of 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommended dose of vitamin D for infants, children and adolescents, raising it from 200 to 400 units per day. But research published earlier that same year revealed children may need ten times that amount in order to receive the health benefits that optimal vitamin D levels have to offer.

Many mothers also are vitamin D-deficient, which is another contributor to asthma. A 2007 study showed that poor diet and lack of vitamin D during pregnancy were the determining factors in whether their children suffered from asthma by the age of five.

In addition, this latest study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirms previous findings, showing that asthmatic children with low blood vitamin D levels also have an increased risk of suffering severe asthma attacks.

According to this study, vitamin D insufficiency itself was linked to a 50 percent increase in the risk of severe asthma attacks.

This makes sense, as a number of other studies have confirmed that there’s an inverse association between respiratory infections and vitamin D levels in children. This is likely because vitamin D upregulates a specific gene that produces over 200 anti-microbial peptides, some of which work like a broad-spectrum antibiotic.

In addition, optimizing your overall immune function is an essential part of treating asthma, and vitamin D is proven to be an incredibly powerful immune modulator, which is why optimizing your vitamin D levels is so essential.

Beware: Conventional Vitamin D Recommendations are Still Too Low

Based on the latest research, many experts now agree you need about 35 IU’s of vitamin D per pound of body weight. This recommendation also includes children, the elderly and pregnant women.

This is a far cry from the 200-600 IU’s currently recommended by our health agencies.

Remember, however, that vitamin D requirements are highly individual.

Your vitamin D status is dependent on several factors, such as the color of your skin, your location, and how much sunshine you’re exposed to on a regular basis. So, although these recommendations may put you closer to the level of what most people likely need, it is virtually impossible to make a blanket recommendation that will cover everyone.

The only accurate way to determine your optimal dose is to get your blood tested. Ideally, you’ll want to maintain a vitamin D level of at least 50ng/ml and perhaps as high as 80-90 ng/ml year-round.

For in-depth information about safe sun exposure, dosing and other recommendations to safely and effectively optimize your vitamin D levels, please review this previous article.

Additional Safe and Effective Strategies to Treat Asthma

Although asthma is a serious disease, safely treating your asthma is not complicated.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the first step, but there are other simple strategies that can help treat the root of the problem as well.

In my experience, the following strategies are highly effective when treating asthma:

Increase your intake of animal-based omega 3 fats and reduce your intake of processed omega 6 fats
Consider the hygiene hypothesis – There’s a tendency in our modern culture to be obsessive about cleanliness, but this may not be as healthy as initially thought. It appears that being exposed to common bacterial and viral infections as a child can be instrumental in providing the stimulus to your immune system to prevent asthma naturally.
Get regular exercise – Exercise (especially out in fresh air if you’re an asthmatic) is actually crucial, as it helps to moderate insulin levels. It increases your insulin receptor sensitivity, and as a result your body produces less insulin, which tends to optimize it.
Purify your indoor air
Avoid all commercial milk products. They are notorious for making asthma worse. If you consume milk at all, use only raw milk products from grass-fed cows, but even then be careful and take note of whether or not the raw milk is making your asthma better or worse.
Eat foods rich in vitamin E. Much like vitamin D, higher vitamin E intake has also been associated with lower serum IgE concentrations and a lower frequency of allergen sensitization.
Hydrate well.  You will want to make sure you drink enough clean pure water to turn your urine a light color of yellow, as dehydration will clearly worsen asthma.
Try some Butterbur (Petasites hybridus). This perennial shrub has been used since ancient times to treat a variety of conditions. As far back as the 17th century, butterbur was used to treat coughs, asthma, and skin wounds. Researchers have since identified the compounds in butterbur that help reduce symptoms in asthma by inhibiting leukotrienes and histamines, which are responsible for symptom aggravation in asthma.  In one study, 40 percent of patients taking a butterbur root extract were able to reduce their intake of traditional asthma medications.
Build your immune system with allergy testing.  In my experience, conventional testing does not work very effectively and there is a fair amount of risk. A far better intradermal skin test is the provocation neutralization testing.  The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has a list of physicians who are trained in this highly effective technique.
The Link Between Asthma and Allergies

In addition to the 20 million Americans suffering from asthma, another 60 million are affected by allergic rhinitis, or ‘hay fever.’

The hidden link between asthma and allergies?

Again, vitamin D deficiency!

So whether you’re an asthmatic or suffer from allergies, optimizing your vitamin D levels should be at the top of your list.

For natural allergy relief, another recent study found that Pycnogenol®, an antioxidant plant extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine tree can offer significant relief.

Although it won’t treat the root cause of the problem, it may be worth a try to get relief from the symptoms, which can be quite debilitating for some, such as itchy rashes, swelling, hives, and excessive mucous.

.
Vitamin D is Important for Thinking Clearly Too

As I mentioned at the beginning, scientists have also found more evidence linking vitamin D and cognitive function, by studying seniors receiving home care. Cognitive function is the level at which your brain is able to manage and use available information for daily activities.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, vitamin D receptors have been identified throughout the human body, and scientists have shown that vitamin D influences at least 3,000 different genes. So it is no surprise that metabolic pathways for vitamin D also exist in your brain. In this case, researchers located pathways in the hippocampus and cerebellum of the brain.

These are the areas of your brain that are involved in planning, processing of information, and the formation of new memories.

Of the 1,000 participants, only 35 percent had sufficient vitamin D levels.

Keep in mind that “sufficient levels” in this case are based on the conventional recommendation, which states that 15 ng/ml is sufficient for bone- and overall health.

We now know this is woefully inadequate for most.

Experts now believe the optimal level for general health lies between 50-70 ng/ml.

Still, participants with higher vitamin D levels performed better on cognitive tests than those who were deficient.

Other studies have also provided evidence that vitamin D is involved in brain function by promoting detoxification of damaging heavy metals. One such study showed that vitamin D helps remove mercury by radically increasing intracellular glutathione.

As you can see, there’s plenty of reasons to check your vitamin D levels, if you haven’t done so already, to make sure you’re within the optimal range.

For more information about the numerous health benefits of vitamin D, please review the related articles listed below.



Related Links:
  Which Vitamin Will Improve Your Life Expectancy the Most?
  What is the Real Cause of Influenza Epidemics?
  Is This the New Silver Bullet for Cancer?

Discover the amazing power of maqui berry, the antioxidant superfruit

Discover the amazing power of maqui berry, the antioxidant superfruit

1969 Paris Led Zeppelin

Led zeppelin - live in paris 1969 by piRjtull

funny

Top 10 Pharma CEO salaries of 2009

July 7, 2010 — 7:09am ET | By Maureen Martino

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Welcome to to our annual look at the biggest CEO paychecks in the pharma industry. The major trend  in 2009 was the mega-merger, which helped propel former Schering-Plough CEO Fred Hassan to the top of this year's list. With the help of a $33 million golden handshake, Hassan bypassed perennial top dogs Bill Weldon (Johnson & Johnson) and Miles White (Abbott) as the highest-paid CEO in Pharma.

Novartis' Daniel Vasella moved up three places to the number four spot this year, but it will be his last appearance on our CEO pay list. Vasella stepped down as chief of Novartis in January, and was replaced by Joe Jimenez. To discover more details for yourself--or to find out what your boss is making--take a look at the list below.

1. Fred Hassan - Schering-Plough - $49.65M

2. Bill Weldon - Johnson & Johnson - $30M

3. Miles White - Abbott Laboratories - $26.2M

4. John Lechleiter - Eli Lilly - $20.9M

5. Daniel Vasella - Novartis - $20.24M

6. Jim Cornelius - Bristol-Myers Squibb - $18.2M

7. Richard Clark - Merck - $16.8M

8. Robert Coury - Mylan - $16M

9. Jeffrey Kindler - Pfizer - $14.8M

10. Frank Baldino - Cephalon - $11.1M

Top 15 Big Pharma Paychecks 2008

Top 15 Big Pharma Paychecks of 2008

May 11, 2009 — 8:28am ET 

www.fiercepharma.com

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by Maureen Martino and Calisha Myer

Welcome to to our second annual look at pharma CEO salaries. Every year, executive salaries cause a flap as industry watchers compare who makes what, who got a raise and who's spending the most on air travel, security, drivers and the like. Inevitably, the numbers cause controversy. Last year's massive rounds of layoffs--along with broad criticism of CEO salaries due to economic problems--have made this year's salaries even more subject to scrutiny.

There are several notable moves in this year's ranking. With a hefty $29.5 million haul in 2008, J&J's Bill Weldon jumped two spots to number one, knocking Abbot's Miles White to second place (White's pay dropped from $33 million in 2007 to $28.3 million in 2008). Schering-Plough's Fred Hassan fell all the way down to number eleven from the number two spot last year as his pay plummeted from $30.1 million to $12.9 million. Hassan--along with Wyeth's Bernard Poussot and Sanofi's Le Fur--will not be on our list next year; Schering Plough and Wyeth were absorbed by Merck and Pfizer respectively, and Le Fur has been replaced by former GSK exec Chris Viehbacher. No CEO made over $30 million in 2008, which Weldon and White both topped in 2007.

Biotech CEOs, suchs as Amgen's Kevin Sharer and Genentech's Arthur Levinson, are not included on the Big Pharma list but will be covered in a future report on biotech executive salaries. To discover more details for yourself--or to find out what your boss is making--take a look at the list below.

1. Bill Weldon - Johnson & Johnson - $29.4M

2. Miles White - Abbott Laboratories - $28.3M

3. Bernard Poussot - Wyeth - $25M

4. Jim Cornelius - Bristol-Myers Squibb - $25M

5. Richard Clark - Merck - $19.9M

6. Robert Parkinson - Baxter International - $16M

7. Daniel Vasella - Novartis - $15.1M 

8. Jeffrey Kindler - Pfizer - $14.8M

9. Frank Baldino - Cephalon - $14.5M

10. John Lechleiter - Eli Lilly - $13M

11. Fred Hassan - Schering-Plough $12.9M

12. Robert  Coury - Mylan $12.5M

13. Werner Wenning - Bayer - $4.8M

14. David Brennan - AstraZeneca - $4.7M

15. Severin Schwan - Roche - $4.5M

Honorable mentions: 

Gerard Le Fur - Sanofi-Aventis - $3.3M

Andrew Witty - GlaxoSmithKline - $2.7M

Read more: Top 15 Big Pharma Paychecks of 2008 - FiercePharma http://www.fiercepharma.com/special-reports/top-paychecks-big-pharma#ixzz1GJohYSc2
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Full Moon Names and Meanings

Many human cultures have given names to the full moon throughout the year. Different full moon names can be found among the Chinese, Celtic, Old English, and New Guinea cultures, to name a few. In addition, Native American tribes often used moon phases and cycles to keep track of the seasons and gave a unique name to each recurring full moon. The full moon names were used to identify the entire month during which each occurred.

Although many Native American Tribes gave distinct names to the full moon, the most well known names of the full moon come from the Algonquin tribes who lived in the area of New England and westward to Lake Superior. The Algonquin tribes had perhaps the greatest effect on the early European settlers in America, and the settlers adopted the Native American habit of naming the moons. They even invented some of their own names that have been passed down through time.

The names given below aren't the only ones that have been used. Every full moon, with one exception, had variations on its name among various Algonquin tribes, not to mention other tribes throughout North America. But the names below are the most common. Some of the variations are also mentioned.

January: The Wolf Moon
In January snow gathers deep in the woods and the howling of wolves can be heard echoing in the cold still air. Some tribes called this moon the Snow Moon, but most often it was used for the next month.

February: The Snow Moon
Snow piles even higher in February, giving this moon its most common name. Among tribes that used this name for the January moon, the February moon was called the Hunger Moon due to the challenging hunting conditions.

March: The Worm Moon
Snow slowly begins to melt, the ground softens, and earthworms show their heads again and their castings or fecal matter can be found. Other signs of spring gave rise to other variations: the cawing of crows (the Crow Moon); the formation of crusts on the snow from repeated thawing and freezing (the Crust Moon); and the time for tapping maple trees (the Sap Moon). Christian settlers also called this the Lenten Moon and considered it the last moon of winter.

April: The Pink Moon
Flowers begin to appear, including the widespread grass pink or wild ground phlox. Other variations indicate more signs of full spring, such as Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, and Fish Moon (common among coastal tribes).

May: The Flower Moon
Flowers come into full bloom and corn is ready to plant. Also called the Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.

June: The Strawberry Moon
Strawberry-picking season reaches its peak during this time. This is one of the few names that was universal to all Algonquin tribes.

July: The Buck Moon
Buck deer start growing velvety hair-covered antlers in July. Frequent thunderstorms in the New England area also resulted in the name Thunder Moon. Some tribes also used Hay Moon.

August: The Sturgeon Moon
The sturgeon, a large fish common to the Great Lakes and other nearby bodies of water, is most easily caught during this month. The reddish appearance of the moon through the frequent sultry hazes of August also prompted a few tribes to dub it the Red Moon. Other names included the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.

September: The Harvest Moon
Many of the Native American tribes' staple foods, such as corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and rice, are ready for gathering at this time. The strong light of the Harvest Moon allowed European farmers to work late into the night to harvest their crops. The Harvest Moon does not always occur in September. Traditionally, the name goes to the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which falls during October once or twice a decade. Sometimes the September full moon was called the Corn Moon.

October: The Hunter's Moon
After the fields have been reaped, the leaves begin to fall and the deer are fat and ready for eating. Hunters can ride easily over the fields' stubble, and the fox and other animals are more easily spotted. Some years the Harvest Moon falls in October instead of September.

November: The Beaver Moon
At this time of year the beavers are busy preparing for winter, and it's time to set beaver traps and secure a store of warm fur before the swamps freeze over. Some tribes called this the Frosty Moon.

December: The Cold Moon
Winter takes a firm hold and temperatures plummet at this time. Sometimes this moon is also called the Long Night Moon as the winter nights lengthen and the moon spends more time above the horizon opposite a low sun. The full moon name often used by Christian settlers is the "Moon before Yule".

Blue Moon
Note that due to the 29-day lunar cycle the exact dates of the full moon move every year. Most seasons have three full moons, but because of the variation some seasons have four full moons. The term "blue moon" was used to identify one of these extra full moons. A mistaken definition in the March 1946 edition of Sky and Telescope magazine claimed the blue moon fell on the second full moon of the calendar year. This mistake caused widespread misunderstanding until it was finally corrected in 1999.

Taken from moon connection:
http://www.moonconnection.com/full-moon-names.phtml

Lights Out Sugar Sleep and Survival with T.S. Wiley 2/17/2011 - Sean Croxton | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Lights Out Sugar Sleep and Survival with T.S. Wiley 2/17/2011 - Sean Croxton | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

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