Halo round People A Reality

Dr. Gamini KARUNANAYAKE

Many people believe that all great saints and religious leaders have a large aura or halo around their bodies.

Pictures and drawings of Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohamed and Sai Baba clearly highlight this halo or aura. Most people believed that this so called aura as depicted in drawings was a myth and that the haloes were highlighted in order to enlighten people about the greatness of these saints.

Is this halo or aura a reality or a myth?

It is known that certain people especially those who are developed spiritually are able to see these auras. In recent times it has been scientifically established that the halo around people is a reality. An ultrasensitive camera the ‘Kirilian camera’ originally produced in 1939 in Russia and subsequently re-invented in 1969 by an American called “Kendell Johnson” is able to photograph the haloes around people.

Professor Franck Baranowshi, an American scientist attached to the University of Arizona has specialized in bio-magnetic field radiation photography. He has photographed and interpreted the auras of many people with the ultra sensitive Kirilian camera.

He possesses Kirilian photographs showing the energy rays and colours emanating from different people. It has been found that everyone of us has an aura surrounding our bodies which extends to about six inches from our bodies.

In people like saints and yogis who are highly developed spiritually, this aura extends to about two feet from their bodies. The colour of the aura varies from white to pink and blue.

The white in the aura indicates energy and the pink and blue indicate that the person is extending love and compassion towards others.

Professor Baranowski explains that there are five different shades of auras denoting aesthetic, spiritual, intellectual, physical and moral aspects. These can all be scientifically explained. Professor Baranowski who has studied the auras of the great saints and yogis of India had heard about Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

He went to Whitefield in India and studied the aura around Sai Baba with the help of the Kirilian camera. He was left breathless by the aura and colours emanating from the body of Sai Baba.

Large thick bands of white, pink and blue flowed out from Baba’s body. The most amazing thing was that there were thick bands of gold and silver in the aura which he had never seen in any other human being.

These rays of love and energy emanating from Baba were enveloping the massive crowd who had come to see him at Darshan. These people were absorbing the rays of energy and love given out by Baba.

His aura extended to envelope the area in one mass or cloud of pink. It was all energy in the form of love that flowed from him. It is said that people who go to see Sai Baba come back with renewed energy. It is like charging one’s battery.

What about the size of the aura? It was earlier stated that saints and spiritually developed people have an aura extending up to two feet from their bodies.

It is also said that Lord Buddha had an aura which enveloped an entire city. The aura extending from Baghavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was so huge that its margin could not be defined. The aura extended beyond the horizon.

Professor Baranowski has concluded that Baba is not a human being and that he is a divine personality.

Sai Baba in his own words says that we are all God. He knows that he is God, whereas we do not know that we are God although we have the potential to be God.

Courtesy IMPA 75th Anniversary Souvenir

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An Eye Catching Notice Rs. 500 million for a dog bite?

Dr. Nihal Munasinghe writing in the IMPA (Independent Medical Practitioners Association) news bulletin (issue No 8) on a dog bite he had suffered in 2006 says that at the Anti-Rabies clinic where he went for injections he saw in eye catching notice, where it said - “Rs. 500 million for a dog bite.

Here is the full article:

A Dog Bite - 500 Million Rupees

On a sunny evening at the beginning of the month of June, I went for my usual jog to Campbell park. (One prefers to do a jog in a public place in a healthy environment whilst listening to the chirping of birds and seeing the birds on trees.... on roads too, rather than on a commercialized boring exercise machine).

On my way back home walking slowly near Karlshrue avenue, I saw a man with two huge dogs, one with a leash and the other without even a collar.

Both were monstrous Doberman Pinschers and the frail looking man taking them for a walk had not control whatsoever.

(In World War II, Doberman gained its reputation as a fierce canine with a savage disposition ref. Doberman by Lou-Ann Cloidt). The dog without the collar, without any provocation suddenly jumped at me and took a good bite off my chest. I was in immense pain and anger.

Suppressing my anger, I went under the shower (scientific act to follow) washing the wound well with soap and water.

Thereafter, I got a Tetanus injection, followed by heavy Antibiotics and went to the Anti-Rabies Clinic in the General Hospital where I was treated with four injections of Anti-Rabies Vaccine and put me on a schedule for future vaccines which I took. At the clinic, I saw an eye catching notice - Rupees 500 million for a dog bite - mind you from the poor tax payers’ purse.

The Medical Officer attended on me at the clinic-hats off for his exceptional courteous professional attitude, meticulously wrote down all the details of mine also took an assurance from me that I would monitor the condition of the dog for 14 days and report back.

To my utter surprise, nothing was asked about the dog which may go on a biting rampage in future as well, for which the Government is prepared to pay eagerly.

After my danger period of 14 days is over and my wounds healed leaving few scars only, with a sigh of relief, I was passing the same place again (of course this time by car) I saw the two dogs again, even without leashes, taken for the walk.

This prompted me to write this article to enlighten the general public and to open the eyes of the Authorities to take appropriate measures to avoid recurrence of similar incidents and to save the Rs. 500 million of public money.

I suggest - ‘on dogs in public places’ - specified length of a compulsory leash and the size of the Master in relation to the dog must be factors to be considered.

(one must not rear a dog if he cannot physically control the dog - ref. Dobermann by Lou-Ann Cloidt)

Serious public health issue

I firmly believe it is a serious public health issue as it involves lives, and place an enormous financial burden - Rupees 500 million per annum, on the resource starved State healthcare system, not to mention millions spent in the private healthcare sector.

It is common knowledge that most of the public places are teeming with stray days. They are quite used to the public and do not attack passers - by although, they might end up in Dog Pound.

But a fair number of monstrous, overfed, uncontrollable dogs within parapet walls of their respective masters, pose a prominent threat to the society when taken for exercise walks without safety precautions, as they are not used to the Public.

It is a common sight in public places, these dogs are taken for walks by their rich Masters who even stand and watch them urinating (wonder who the Master is?).

Most of these dogs’ tails are customarily cut off completely, a sorry plight where they cannot express themselves (A dog cannot smile).

I wish to suggest that when taking down the details of the patient, the same of the dog too should be recorded; Name of the dog, colour and description, whether vaccinated or not, owner’s name and the address.

After the 14th day, details recorded of the dog should be handed over to the Public Health Inspector (PHI) of the area to inquire in to the incident to prevent recurrence of the same.

If the owner of the dog is not cooperative, the PHI should hand over the matter to the police. On the one hand, the exercise of reporting the incident to the Police by the affected party after 14 days will be futile as he will be invariably asked by the police why he waited for such a long time and the matter dropped.

On the other hand, the affected party is not in a position to lodge a complaint with the Police as soon as the incident occurs fearing that the owner of the dog would not cooperate to observe the condition of the dog for 14 days as required by the Medical standards.

I am strongly of the view that the one I proposed or a proper system should be in place, and quickly too, to address this problem to safeguard the precious lives of the General Public.

There is also a controversy whether the Anti-Rabies-Vaccine (ARV) should be given if the dog is vaccinated.

According to the consultant Virologists in the field, if the dog is vaccinated (Bandiqootes and the like complicate the issue) and is available for inspection for the entire period of 14 days, ARV is not indicated.

If the dog dies within 14 days Equine or Human Rabies Immunoglobulin Serum should be administered in a place where Intensive Care of High dependency Unit is available and kept under observation as the injection itself can be very dangerous. The cost of this injection is in the range of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000.

The doctors at the Rabies Clinics always insist that the ARV should be given forgetting the ever changing protocols recommended.

If advised otherwise and the patient is found to have been infected later, the doctor may have to face an inquiry thereby risking his career.

It is high time the authorities took prompt action to make the society aware of regulations applicable if any, in relation to dog bites.

If regulations are not prevalent at present, immediate action should be taken to install them as I stated before. Should it not be the concern, if not a fundamental obligation of the Government, to intervene and safeguard the interests of the General public?

Over to you, the Authorities Concerned.

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Vegetarian diets for children

D. P. ATUKORALE

Eating habits are set in early childhood. Vegetarian diets give your child chance to learn to enjoy a variety of wonderful nutritious foods. They provide excellent nutrition for all stages of childhood from birth through adolescence.

Infants

The best food for newborns is breast milk and the longer your baby is breast-fed the better. If your baby is not being breast-fed, soya formulas are a good alternative and are widely available in most of the countries. Soya milk has more vitamins, calcium, minerals and less fat than milk. Do not use commercial soya milk available in our supermarkets for infants.

If due to any reason your baby is not breast-fed you should consult your paediatrician for advice. Babies have special needs and require soya formula that is developed especially for those needs. I understand these soya formulas for babies are available in Sri Lanka.

Infants do not need any nourishment other than breast milk or soya formula or infant formula for the fist half year of life and they should continue to receive breast milk (or formula) at least throughout their first 12 months. Breast-fed infants also need about two hours a week of sun exposure to make vitamins D, a great motivation for mother to get back into walking routine.

Some infants especially those who are dark-skinned or live in cloudily climates (as in the west) may not make adequate amounts of vitamin D. In these cases, vit D supplements may be necessary. Vegetarian women who are breast-feeding should include good sources of vitamin B12 in their diets.

Foods fortified with cyanocobalamin (the active form of B12) which can provide adequate amounts of B12 are available in the more developed countries.A multivitamin containing B12 may also be taken as directed by your doctor. In Sri Lanka some of the popular brands of multivitamins are deficient in B12. Breast milk or infant formula should be used for at least the first year of baby’s life.

At about five to six months of age, or when baby’s weight has doubled, other foods can be added to the diet.

Paediatrician often recommend starting with an iron-fortified cereal, because at about four-six months, infant’s iron stores which are naturally high at birth, begin to decrease. Add one simple new food at a time, at one to two week intervals.

Five to six months

Introduce iron fortified infant cereal. Try rice cereal first mixed with soya formula, since it is the least likely to cause allergies. Then offer oat or barley cereals. as far as I am aware most paediatrician recommend holding off on introducing wheat until the child is at least eight months old, as it tends to be more allergenic. Rice is less allergenic than bread and is the most suitable for Sri Lankan children and most of the parents start with rice congee (rice gruel).

Six to eight months

Introduce vegetables. They should be thoroughly cooked and mashed. Potatoes, green beans, lima beans, carrots, pumpkin such as wattakka and peas can be given.

Introduce boiled rice, string hoppers and breads, thosai and other breads by eight months. By this time babies can eat crackers and dry cereals.

Introduce protein rich foods when the child is six to eight months. Infants can begin to eat higher protein foods like soya products and beans that have been cooked well and mashed. Rice can be given with dhal curry and other curries during this period.

Children and teens

Children have a high caloric and nutrient need, but their stomachs are small. Offer your child frequent snacks, like cashew-nuts and gram.

Keeping delicious healthy snack choices on hand and guiding teens to make lower-fat selections when eating out will help to steer them away from dining pitfalls that often cause weight gain and health problems such as childhood obesity. Caloric needs vary from child to child and following food groups can be used as guidelines.

(a) Whole grains

These include rice, breads, cereals, pasta, cooked grains such as green gram, cowpea, gram, soya and other foods such as innala, jak, kiriala, etc can be gradually introduced in keeping with Sri Lankan dietary habits. Ready-to-eat cereals, half bun or one slice of bread with a small banana can be given.

(b) Vegetables

Dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, dambala should be introduced into the child’s diet. Beans, lima beans and other legumes should be started gradually. There are very attractive soya preparations in Sri Lanka and these are full of essential amino-acids. Dhal (lentils) is a legume with very high quality proteins. Soya hot dogs, veggie burgers, sandwich slices and tofu can be given. Nut-butters can be used in preparing sandwiches.

(c) Fruits

Fruits include all fruits we get in Sri Lanka. Fresh fruits are preferred to frozen fruits. Fruit juices such as orange juice or lime juice can be given to children. Guava, veralu, nelli, and papaya are rich in vitamins C, and other nutrients. There are several types of plantains which are rich in nutrients, many varieties of mangoes, mangosteen, waraka, pineapples, rambutan various types of fruits such as naaran, jambola, melons, jambu and various other types of fruits belonging to atrics family are available in Sri Lanka.

For those who can afford, there are some imported fruits such as grapes, apples, strawberries, kiwi, prunes, pears, mandarin, peaches, imported oranges, lychees.

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Many kids may not outgrow cow’s milk allergy

Cow’s milk allergy persists longer than previously reported, and the majority of children may retain the sensitivity into school age, study findings suggest.

“The old data saying that most milk allergy will be easily outgrown, usually by the age of 3 years, is most likely wrong,” Dr. Robert A. Wood, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told Reuters Health.

He and colleagues found that just 19 percent of children allergic to cow’s milk outgrew their allergy by age 4.

Moreover, Wood added, “some children will outgrow their allergy into their teenage years, which was previously thought to be unlikely.” His team found that by the ages of 8, 12, and 16 years, 42 percent, 64 percent, and 79 percent, respectively, had outgrown their milk allergy.

Wood and colleagues reviewed the clinical history of 807 children who were treated at a pediatric allergy clinic for milk allergy. Children were considered to have acquired tolerance if they passed a skin prick test, reported drinking milk without a reaction for the last years and had cow’s milk associated immunoglobulin E antibody levels less than 3 kU/L.

“The higher the level of immunoglobulin-E antibody, the stronger the allergy,” Wood said. “Therefore, higher levels not only confirm the allergy but make it less likely that the allergy will be outgrown, or at least that it will take longer to outgrow,” he added. They also found that children with asthma and allergic rhinitis had a decreased likelihood of developing tolerance to milk products.

In this population of highly allergic children, 91 percent had at least one other food allergy, most commonly to eggs and peanut.

The most common symptom of milk allergy was skin-related reactions, affecting 85 percent, followed by vomiting, diarrhea or another gastrointestinal reaction in 46 percent; wheezing, cough or difficulty breathing occurred in14 percent; and nasal congestion or other upper respiratory symptoms were seen in 6 percent, the investigators note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Wood and colleagues suggest their findings be corroborated through similar studies in a more general population of children with milk allergies.

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, November 2007..REUTERS