Why Did God Create? (part 3 of 3): Divine Love and Grace

Health Benefits Of Honey

An article written by Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie

"And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl, 68-69)

Honey is a sweet treat. In fact, it is man's oldest sweetener. It can be a good substitute for sugar in our drinks and food. But it is also good for many other things and treating many other conditions. Reliance on commercialized medicines which contains too much chemicals can become hazardous to our health. Alhamdullilah, Allah has given us the knowledge that Mother Nature can at least help to ease the pain we are suffering from.

Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities. Several kinds of hormones are also present in it.

Approximately one half of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from crops pollinated by bees. Today honeybees are an essential part of a healthy agriculture economy. If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial. If you eat honey that is local to your area, it may prevent your seasonal allergies. Bees use the pollen from local plants and eventually it ends up in your honey.

Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water. You can use honey instead of alpha hydroxy masks because of its high content of the acid. It is also safe for sensitive skin.

You can also use it as a moisturizing mask for your skin as well as your hair. To use it as a conditioner, mix the honey with olive oil. Be sure to wash your hair thoroughly before you go outside.

If you have a sore throat, take some honey.Due to its natural anti-inflammatory effect, it will help to heal the wounds more quickly.It also has different phytochemicals--chemicals found in plants and different foods--that kill viruses, bacteria, and fungus making it a good substitute for wound dressings. The taste may also take your mind off the pain.

There is evidence that honey diluted in water will help with your stomachaches and dehydration.

Germ-Fighting Properties

Do you have a cut? Honey is a natural antiseptic. Medical journals cite more than 600 cases in which honey was employed to treat wounds.By applying honey to your wounds, you prevent infections. Honey contains antimicrobial agents, which prevents infections by killing the bacteria in and around your wounds. When using honey it may help to heat it up before putting it on your wound (caution test the heat before you place it on the wound).Many types of bacteria can't survive in honey, so wounds heal, swelling eases, and tissue can grow back.

Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers.In Europe, honey has been used internally to help cure ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers.

Burns, too, heal better with honey, studies show. The advantage of honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing.. Since the sugar in honey absorbs water it helps to trap some of the moisture so that the bacteria and other microbes can't grow as easily as in other food.

How Does It Help In Healing Wounds?

When honey comes into contact with body moisture, the glucose oxidase enzyme introduced to the honey by the bee slowly releases the antiseptic hydrogen peroxide at a sufficient level to be effective against bacteria but not tissue damaging. Not only is honey anti-bacterial, it also draws body fluids and nutrients to the area and so assists cell growth and prevents a scar forming by drying out of the wound.

The osmotic action of the honey draws out and provides a film of liquid between the tissues and the dressing, allowing the dressing to be removed painlessly, without tearing of the re-growing cells. There are reports in medical journals of large bed sores, otherwise needing skin grafts, that have healed without scarring after honey treatment.

In treating diarrhea, honey promotes the rehydration of the body and more quickly clears up the diarrhea and any vomiting and stomach upsets. The anti-bacterial properties of honey, both the peroxide and non-peroxide, are effective in the laboratory against MRSA strains of bacteria which are notoriously resistant to antibiotics and are sometimes responsible for the closing of hospital wards.

Other Benefits of Honey

Easily digested: Because sugar molecules in honey can convert into other sugars (e.g. fructose to glucose), honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs, despite its high acid content. It helps kidneys and intestines to function better.

Good source of antioxidants: It plays a big role in the prevention of cancer as well as heart disease.

Has a low calorie level: Another quality of honey is that, when it is compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40% less calories to the body. Although it gives great energy to the body, it does not add weight.

Rapidly diffuses through the blood: When accompanied by mild water, honey diffuses into the bloodstream in 7 minutes. Its free sugar molecules make the brain function better since the brain is the largest consumer of sugar, thus, reduces fatigue.

Supports blood formation: Honey provides an important part of the energy needed by the body for blood formation. In addition, it helps in cleansing the blood. It has some positive effects in regulating and facilitating blood circulation. It also functions as a protection against capillary problems and arteriosclerosis.

Does not accommodate bacteria: This bactericide (bacteria-killing) property of honey is named "the inhibition effect". Experiments conducted on honey show that its bactericide properties increase twofold when diluted with water. It is very interesting to note that newly born bees in the colony are nourished with diluted honey by the bees responsible for their supervision - as if they know this feature of the honey.

Royal Jelly: Royal jelly is a substance produced by worker bees inside the beehive. Inside this nutritious substance are sugar, proteins, fats and many vitamins. It is used in problems caused by tissue deficiency or body frailty.

It is obvious that honey, which is produced in much higher amounts than the requirements of the bees, is made for the benefit of man. And it is also obvious that bees cannot perform such an unbelievable task "on their own."

#72

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2008 12:52 am
Subject: Caesarean Birth - an Islamic View

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Caesarean Birth - an Islamic View
By: Dr. Amgad Rabie

Until the 16th century C.E. the operation of Caesarean section was a mystery and highly controversial in Europe but in the Middle Ages, Muslims wrote about the operation and even illustrated it with pictures. Towards the end of the 12th Century C.E. the European nations were beginning to surpass their rivals in the Islamic East. The increasing strength of the West took full advantage of scientific and literary discoveries of the Muslims. Far from giving any credit to the Muslims or acknowledging their contributions to science, the Western scholars painted a very distorted picture and left highly biased opinions of their predecessors from the Islamic world. This fact can be very easily illustrated by many examples from the history of medicine.

It is unfortunate that the Western medical historians have not appreciated the value of the writings of early Muslim scholars. On the contrary, for many centuries they have made positive efforts to discredit the Muslims. As an example, it is a generally held view in the West that surgical advancement was discouraged by great Muslim physicians like Ibn Sina because, in his Al-Qanon he did not emphasise surgical procedures. In these futile efforts it is forgotten that Al-Qanon was primarily a treatise on internal medicine and not on surgery. Many European authors of later ages produced medical texts on similar patterns. Moreover these shortsighted historians completely ignored surgical geniuses and the contributions of people like Abu Qasim (known in the West as Al Bucasis). In this context, the history of Caesarean section presents a good example.

In 1863 a French medical historian by the name of C. Rique recorded that the operation of Caesarean section was strictly prohibited in Islam . He went on to say that according to Islamic jurists any child born by such an operation should be killed immediately as a child of the Devil. This author also quoted the name of an unknown Arab to justify his conclusion. But even after exhaustive searches this reference can not be found in the authentic Arabic literature. From the middle of the last century until modem times, Rique's statement has been quoted and referred to by many historians without establishing the truth or its validity. The literature on this subject is littered with references to the above quotation without even referring to the original source. On the contrary, no medical historian has ever mentioned that during the middle ages it was a well known belief in Europe that the devil or the Antichrist would be born by Caesarean section before the end of the world. This legend is mentioned and supported by a picture in a book published in 1898 by R. Procter and can be seen in the British Museum.

Unfortunately worthwhile literature of the early Islamic period is scanty and scattered or else is in the wrong hands. Many valuable manuscripts are either in private hands used only as profitable investments or in museums all over Europe and America. The Islamic states and the statesmen who can easily afford to collect and compile copies of these manuscripts for free circulation have never shown any interest in this wealth of inheritance. Lack of interest and research in these early manuscripts has created an atmosphere of doubt and misinformation.

If someone cared to devote time and effort searching through the available literature, a great a deal of truth could easily be found buried under the sands of time. As regards Caesarean section we know that in the pre-Islamic days the Romans used to perform this operation after the death of a pregnant woman. This practice was strictly governed by law. Jewish religious books have also mentioned various rules in relation to a child born by an operation. If we go further back into history, in India we find that the Buddha was possibly born by an operation. A famous Indian medical man by the name of Susruta wrote about such an operation in 6th or 7th century B.C. All these rich sources relating to Caesarean section were available to Muslim scholars of the Middle Ages, when a vast amount of scientific literature was translated into Arabic. In fact many of the Syriac, Creek and Sanskrit texts were only saved and are available to us because of their Arabic translations whilst the originals are lost forever. Many of the famous translators in the Islamic period were Christians or Jews. We known that an Indian by the name of Manka was appointed to translate Susruta's works into Arabic.

A unique and extremely rare manuscript exists in Edinburgh University Library. It is manuscript number 161 called "Al-Asrar-al-Baqiyah-an-al-Qurun-al-Khaliydh" or the Chronological History of Nations. It was written by the famous Muslim, Al-Beruni, who died at the age of 78 in 1048 C.E. Al-Beruni has also left us a large volume on the history of India and many other texts. He travelled extensively in pre-Muslim India and his writings were greatly influenced by these experiences. In particular he was impressed by medicinal plants form India. In the above manuscript Al-Beruni has mentioned that Caesar Augustus (63 B.C. - 14 C.E.) was born by post-mortem Caesarean section. He also wrote that a folk hero Ahmed-Ibn-Sahl was born by Caesarean section after the death of his mother. Apart from these two very relevant references he actually included a picture of the Caesarean section in his book. Without any question this picture is the first ever illustration of such an operation in a textbook and places its author at least 500 years ahead of others.

Another famous name and contemporary of Al-Beruni was Firdousi (935-1025 C.E.), author of the well known "Shahnama". In this 60 000 verses long poems he described the birth of Rustum by Caesarean section. This lively and fascinating description and use of anaesthesia during the operation is there for everyone to read and provides convincing proof that the concept of Caesarean section was mature and its use was an accepted fact.

When we seek help from the religious authorities we discover no less than the towering figure of Imam Abu Hanifah (699 -767 C.E.) who decreed that an operation on a living or dead woman to save the life of an unborn child is allowed in Islam. This is mentioned in a book called Radd-ul-Mukhtar published in 1844 in Egypt.

Further strong evidence is available in the Fatawa Alamgeeria-a collection of Islamic decrees compiled by Sheikh Nitzam -ud -Din of Burhanpur under the auspices of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, who himself was well versed in Islamic Sharia. In this document there is a decree that if a pregnant woman dies and a child is expected to be alive, then the child must be removed by operation. It goes on to say that the operation should also be performed in order to save the life of a mother when the child is known to be dead.

In conclusion it can be proved that Caesarean section has never been prohibited by any Muslim authority. On the contrary, the Muslims in the Middle ages were the first to write about it in text and poetry and to illustrate the operation in pictures. They also formulated rules governing religious matters to allow such a procedure when the need arose.

#71

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2008 12:36 am
Subject: Islamic Medicine

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Islamic Medicine
By: Hasan Ghaznawi, M. D.
Edited by: Shahid Athar , M. D.

lslam is the religion of all times and places. It is a perfect system of temporal values. By practicing its laws Muslims all over the world not only attain spirituality but the pinnacle of all other glories and gain the wealth of health.

There is a great inter-relationship between modern medicine and some of our Islamic teachings.

Every word of Qur'an is in fact an experience of great reality and science is just an effort made towards this reality. Knowledge is limitless and its horizons are constantly expanding with every strike of progress disclosing fresh informations and according to Qur'anic knowledge is a comprehensive text and it involves all branches of sciences, religion, technology, agriculture, engineering and medicine. It is definitely a miracle of our sacred religion that it expands on all branches of human knowledge. This is known from the following quotation from Qur'an:

"We have revealed to you the Scripture so that it might be a clear evidence for every thing."

In the following paper I have tried to elucidate that the guidelines given in the Quran and Sunnah concerned with the promotion of physical health of humans have been duly proved by years of modern medical scientific research all over the world. Some of them which I am going to deal with in this paper.

PRAYERS:

In Sura Moon "God deprecates those who are careless in their prayers offer them only for show." The blessed Prophet told us "Prayers are certainly health promoting." Although the real purpose of prayers is to worship Allah yet there is a large number of additional benefits also.

EXERCISE:

As we eat three times daily we need exercises to lessen the cholesterol in the body which increases in the blood after meals, thickens it and leads to the deposition of slit in the arteries.

In addition to saving us from the sins and elevating us to the heights of spirituality, prayers are great help in maintaining our physical health. They keep our body active, help digestion and save us from muscle and joint diseases through regular balanced exercise. They help the circulation of blood and also mitigate the bad effect of cholesterol. Prayers play a vital role in acting as a preventive measure against heart attack, paralyses, premature senility, dementia, loss of control on sphineters, diabetes mellitus etc.

Collateral circulation plays a major role in decreasing the danger of heart attack in patients. Patients above 55 years of age in which this type of circulation is developed have less severe attacks. It is possible to speed up the development of collateral circulation by regular and balanced exercises which is present in the prayers are not only potent, preventive measure against coronary heart diseases but also help in the development of collateral circulation in those people who have already suffered from a heart attack or are prone to it.

Heart patients should offer-the five obligatory prayers regularly as they get the permission from their doctor to leave bed.

The arrangement of prayers is such that those at the time of empty stomach are brief but those after meals are longer and give more exercise to the body.

During the month of Fast (Ramadan) the additional twenty Rakaat (Tarawih) are added to the late evening prayers because more than normal food is usually consumed after breaking fast.

The performance of prayers put almost all muscles of the body in action. Different groups of muscles are activated while performing prayers. During Sajda blood supply to the brain is improved. One of the useful methods to strengthen the muscles of the knee joints to mitigate the strain on knees in osteo arthritis is the regular exercise of these muscles during prayers.

HEART:

This vital organ of the body has to be always healthy and efficient as it is responsible for the circulation of blood. Diseased heart results in deterioration of the healthy body. This knowledge we obtained after centuries of scientific research yet it was simply told to us fourteen hundred years ago by our great Prophet (peace be upon him).

"Verily in the body there is such apiece of flesh that if it remains alright the whole body keeps well but if this piece of flesh develops some defect the whole body becomes unhealthy. Behold,- this piece of flesh - it is heart." (Bokhari, Muslim ...)

SIESTA:

It was the habit of our blessed Prophet to sleep for a while after lunch, his companions also followed this practice. This short nap gives relief to the vital organs of the body like heart and brain.

MODERATION IN FOOD:

Both Qur'an and Hadith have touched this topic, Qur'an tells us in Ayah 30 of Sura Al Airaf:

"O children of Adam, look to your adornment of every place of worship and eat and drink but not prodigal Lo! He loveth not the prodigals."

Strenthening this order, the Prophet has strictly forbidden over eating in the following Haith:

"It is enough to eat few morsels of food to keep one's back straight."
"If you must eat more, be sure that only one third of your stomach is filled with food, one third is left for water and the remaining one third for air."
"A Muslim eats in one intestine (stomach) whereas a non believer eats in seven intestine."

It has been proved beyond doubt that over eating is the root of many diseases and also responsible for premature senility. It produces obesity, predisposes to dangerous diseases like diabetes, menitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease and paralysis.

DIABETES MELLITUS:

This is due to insulin deficiency. Overeating gets the special cells of the pancreas (islets of Langerhans) over worked so it cannot meet the increased demand for insulin . Those cells may get tired, atrophy and causes difficiency of insulin .

PARALYSIS, CORONARY HEART DISEASE & PREMATURE SENILITY:

Their basic course is the narrowing of the coronary arteries. Paralysis is the natural result of blocking of an artery in the brain, should this happen in the heart Myocardial infection results. Premature senility is installed when majority of the arteries in the body get narrowed.

Slit in the form of cholesterol and triglycerides is deposited in the arteries. Over eating increases blood cholesterol levels. Pork and beef contain high cholesterol values while on the other hand birds have the least amount. Qur'an mentioned that birds meat is one of the specialties of Paradise.

Olive has been repeatedly mentioned in Qur'an, and statistics shows that heart attacks occur more in Northern Italy where they use butter and margarine for cooking than in Southern Italy where olive oil is generally used.

Patients suffering from narrowing of the coronary artery usually develop the heart attack after a heavy meal.

FORBIDDEN ARTICLES OF FOOD:

Blood:
Ingested blood on reaching the intestine is acted upon by various bacteria normally present there resulting in poisonous products like ammonia which is toxic to the liver.Therefore,God has forbidden us to eat or drink blood and has prescribed such a method for slaughtering animals that most of their blood is shed.
Pork:
There are two harmful worms harbored by pigs, one is "TAENIASOLIUM" which on ingestion passes to the brain and causes epilepsy. The other one is "TRICHINELLASPIRALIS" which passes to the muscles and brain causing muscular swelling and pain and also epilepsy. Pork has more fat and cholesterol than any other meat.
Alcohol:
Numerous diseases have been attributed to alcohol like dyspeptic trouble, peptic ulceration, cancer stomach, pancreatitus, cirrhosis liver, vitamin deficiency and coronary heart disease.

CIRCUMCISION:

One of the criteria of Islam is that every Muslim should be circumcised. This is medically suggested nowadays as a toxic substance called Smegma may collect under the redundant skin causing cancer of the genitalia in both man and his wife, inflammation of the penis, phthisis, sticking of the redundant skin over the urethral opening leading to difficulty in urination.

WASHING AFTER DEFECATION:

This beneficial habit saves us from Pilonidal sinus which is an abscess with hair inside occurring near anal opening.

Pylonephritis: This is more in women due to the proximity of the urethral opening to the anus so toilet paper while being used may bring germs like E. coli to the urethra.

ABLUTION:

A prerequisite of prayers yet one of the most hygienic procedure as it usually keeps the exposed parts of our body clean and also the parts of entry like mouth and nose thus avoiding infection.

PREVENTION OF INFECTION:

Infection may be transmitted through dirty hands or dirty food. Hands: It is essential to wash our hands before and after meals. Our blessed Prophet told us:

"It is a blessing to wash your hands before and after meals." (Abu Daud & Tirmizi)

He has also advised us not to clean our hands with a towel before meals as they may convey infection from one person to the other particularly viral diseases like infective hepatitis or bacterial infection like Typhoid dysentries and cholera.

Or Prophet said:

"Whosover gets up from slumber should not dip his hand in any utensil unless he washes them three times, who knows what things he has been touching during sleep." (Bokhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nisai)

ARTICLES OF BEVERAGES:

These articles should be handled with great care. If the food is in open utensil they should be covered to avoid contamination. Stressing this our Prophet said "Cover up the utensils and tie the mouth of the water skins." He said, "Why did you not cover the utensil carrying the milk even if - it was with a piece of wood." (Bokhari, Muslim)

DENTAL HYGIENE:

Particular stress has been laid by our Prophet on this as it is very important in the prevention of disease. He attached great importance to "Miswak" a twig of a tree used for brushing teeth. "If I had not thought this to be an unbearable hardship for my followers I would have prescribed the use of Miswak before every prayers." (Bokhari, Muslim)

According to modern dentistry the best method of using a Miswak or a tooth brush is up and down the length of the teeth and this exactly the way our Prophet used his Miswak.

KHILLALA:

The blessed Prophet said "Whosoever eats should pick bits and pieces from in between his teeth." It is beneficial act so that those do not rot and produce disease.

HEATSTROKE:

Covering the head and neck as our Prophet used to do, mitigate the danger of hyperpyrexia which is due to imbalance of the heat control centre situated in the hind brain, which may lead to death.

TREATMENT OF FEVER:

Death occurs if the temperature of the body exceeds 106 degrees irrespective of the cause. Medically speaking the first line of treatment is to lower the temperature by cold water, ice sponging or even immersing the patient in cold water. On this Prophet said:

"The fever is related to the Hell. Application of cold water keeps it away." (Ibne Maja)

CONSTIPATION:

The blessed Prophet advised that while defaecating keep pressure on the left foot (Tibrani). In squatting position this maneuvers will cause pressure on the descending colon. Medically this helps evacuation of feaces from the descending colon thus relieving constipation, particularly when muscles of the abdomen are weak.

DISEASES OF DIGESTION:

Several Hadiths pertaining to this were said:

"It is unbecoming to eat in the Bazar (Market)."
"Whosoever eats earth aid his death." (Tibrani)
"Use curry with food even if it is in the form of water." (Tibrani).
"Vinegear is a very good curry."
"The best curry is common salt."

Salt depletion through perspiration during summer is increased thus it is obligatory to use common salt during this period.

Our Prophet liked pumpkin (one of the vegetables) as it is easily digested and less likely to produce flatulence.

Our Prophet said.

"It is not right to eat your food quickly, besides this one should eat from what lies nearest to one." (Bokhari, Muslim)

EPIDEMIC PREVENTION:

Hygiene is very important. Cleanliness prevent infection entering the citadel of human body and this guards us against ill health and epidemics- God ordered our Prophet in Sura Al-Muddassir:

"O, Prophet keep your apparel clean and meticulously avoid filth and rubbish." Our Prophet said, "God Almighty is himself pure and likes purity, God himself is clean and likes cleanliness." (Tirmizi)
"God Almighty dislikes dust, dirt and disheveled hair." "Avoid three things which are cursed. To urinate at the source of water, in the shade, in the pathways." (Ibn Maja)
"No one should pass water in standing water." (Bokhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood)
"If any one of you yawns,,cover your mouth with hands." (Muslim, Abu Dawood)

One should avoid coughing, sneezing, yawning or laughing with fully open mouth near other persons as the breathed out bacteria may spread in the atmosphere and be conveyed to other persons.

STREET AND ROADS:

Town planning is based on broad and airy roads so that there is no obstruction to the flow of traffic and to avoid congestion which helps in spreading diseases. Our blessed Prophet fourteen hundred years ago said "keep the breadth of the streets seven arms length".

ACUPUNCTURE:

This method was mentioned in the authenticated Hadith as an effective treatment of several disease. Research work is being carried out in China and other parts of the world to use acupuncture as a method of treatment.

There are other aspects of medicine which have been dealt with in Islam for example:

Quacks should not treat patients.
Treatment and prevention of diseases have been recommended and practiced by the Prophet.
When you visit a patient do not stay long.

There are many priceless gems of knowledge in the Qur'an and Hadith from which man can benefit immensely. These are but brief facts of medicine which have been mentioned before in Qur'an and Hadith and there is a lot more to be discovered and studied.

#70

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2008 12:14 am
Subject: Good Nutrition Guidelines For Healthy Eating

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Good Nutrition Guidelines For Healthy Eating

"O you people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good..."(2:168)

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables have high amounts of water, fiber, vitamins and minerals making it easy on your digestive system. Eating more raw than cooked vegetables are better for you because the more they are cooked the less nutrients there are. Cook vegetables with as little water or fat as possible.

Meat and Seafood

Eat fresh meat and seafood with skin and fat removed. Also, eat less of red meat and eat more chicken and fish. This helps in controlling cholesterol.

Food Combinations

Do not eat fruit after any other food or on an empty stomach. Fruits take 20 minutes to digest whereas other food take 1-2 hours. When eaten one after another fruits ferment in the stomach while waiting for other food to digest. This can cause bloating, belching and other non-desirable side effects. It is therefore recommended to eat fruits 20 minutes before your meal or 1-2 hours after your meal. Also, eating protein (dairy food, fish) and carbohydrates (bread, pasta) with salads or raw or lightly steamed vegetables will help prevent or eliminate many common digestive problems.

Drinking Water

Drinking plain water and other forms of fluids such unsweetened fruit juices are the best way to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Flavored water(e.g. lemon juice added) requires digestion by the body causing extra work to be done by your system. To know how much water you need to stay healthy follow this simple formula: - divide your body weight by 3 - the answer is the number of ounces of plain water you need to drink daily to help your body stay properly hydrated. Thus, by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, cutting fat in your meat and fish and drinking plenty of water you can maintain a good health. Insha Allah. Also by eating food at the right time, at the right amount you can help to decrease or eliminate many digestive problems. Exercising regularly also helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

#69

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2008 12:03 am
Subject: Four Big Reasons To Choose Zabiha Over Non-Zabiha Meat

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Four Big Reasons To Choose Zabiha Over
Non-Zabiha Meat

Choose what you will, but Zabiha clearly has more advantages over non-Zabiha meat available in supermarkets. Here are some MAJOR reasons why:

You Can Be Sure There's No Pork In It

In the last few years, revelations of pork being mixed with meat have surfaced. According to Ahmad Sakr, Professor Emeritus of Food Science and author of "A Muslim Guide to Food Ingredients", a group of prisoners in San Francisco sued the food industry after discovering this happened to the meat which they were being served.

This type of an incident ensures NO Muslim can consume such beef or chicken, for example, which has been mixed with pork, as the consumption of pork is Haram.

A more recent and widespread example of this is found in an NBC Dateline consumer investigation report that aired last month.

Although in the United States it is illegal to sell "mixed meats" as pure ground beef, the report found it still takes place.

This mixing is called adulteration and it is considered a health hazard. Adulteration happens when lamb, poultry, and of special attention to Muslims, pork, are added to and sold as pure ground beef.

NBC Dateline went to small supermarkets, large chains and discount stores all over the U.S. that sell food. In each of the ten cities sampled NBC Dateline found supermarkets that failed the ground beef test.

Read the whole report at NBC Dateline

Support Muslim Business

Buying Zabiha meat is an almost sure way to support a Muslim business. This way, you're not only getting your next meal (or meals) by buying straight from a Halal grocery store, but you're also helping another Muslim gain a livelihood. You're giving back to the community more than you could if you bought your meat at the nearest supermarket.

Today, there are Halal grocery stores in virtually every major city in North America. These were, in most cases, the second type of "institution" established by Muslims on this continent after the mosque. After all, following our need to worship in the house of Allah and gather together in an Islamic atmosphere, what could be as important as eating in accordance with Islamic guidelines, not to mention buying the necessary spices to make Muslim meals from the Middle East and Indian subcontinent?

We should be giving them precedence, even if it means driving a little farther out of town, or paying an extra dollar or two for items.

Are You Sure It's From The People Of The Book?

And the clincher is this: in today's farms and slaughterhouses, what guarantee does anyone have that the meat they are eating has been slaughtered by a Jew or a Christian?

There is not, to my knowledge, anything in any existing labor code in Canada or the U.S. which allows only Jews and Christians to slaughter meat in "regular" farms and slaughterhouses. That means, it could be ANYONE-Hindu, Sikh, atheist, agnostic, etc. cutting the meat you decide to eat.

So the people whose meat we think we are eating (the Jews and Christians) may not even be directly involved in the slaughter of the meat.

Zabiha Is Agreed Upon

While there are a few scholars who reluctantly allow some type of supermarket meat, all Islamic scholors agree that Zabiha must be preferred and is clear of all doubts.

#68

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 11:52 pm
Subject: Why Islam Forbids Pork?

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Why Islam Forbids Pork?
By: Rashid Shamsi
(The Muslim World League Journal, Rajab 1420 - October 1999)

Food and drink have direct effect on our health. That is why Islam has prescribed regulations about our food and drink. It lays great emphasis on our physical as well as moral health, because both of these are equally important for a healthy society. The abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam to practise hygiene and to attain purity of soul.

Islam, for the cultivation of inner faculties, insists upon the cleanliness of body and the purification of soul through Salaat (prayers) Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and other devotional duties. Islam teaches us how to attain the virtues and how to give up bad habits because both good and bad grow in the man according to his upbringing, education and environment.

A human being has natural desires: food, sleep and sex being the three primary ones. He has also other natural emotions: sorrow, happiness, love, fear, disgust and avarice etc. Islam doesn't recommend the complete abrogation of these impulses but offers a method of controlling them through religious education and discipline.

The prohibition of eating pork in Islam is relevant in this context. There is a saying in English that "a man becomes what he eats." According to physicians and medical experts, pork is a harmful diet. Consumption of swine-flesh creates lowliness in character and destroys moral and spiritual faculties in a man.

Body and Soul

The life of a man is a compound of body and soul. Anything, which is harmful for the body, hurts the soul as well. Consumption of swine-flesh reduces the feeling of shame and as such the standard of modesty. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past in Europe today. The number of unwed mothers is on the increase despite of the use of pills and other contraceptives.

According to a report, 60 to 70% of girls in Sweden become mothers before marriage. The formula of "skin to skin is no sin" is taking its toll but there is hardly any feeling of shame or remorse over the end-result. Since the European nations have become addicted to wine and pork, sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got ingrained in their culture. Consequently, homosexuality has been legalized by the British Parliament.

The Holy Qur'an has prohibited the swine-flesh, hence the Muslims would not dare touch it. The Bible has also forbidden swine-flesh, but Christians disregarded this order and started consuming it. The Europeans now proclaim that pork is a very powerful diet, rich in protein. Some of them further argue that since there is a great scarcity of food-stuff in the world and swines are available in abundant quantity, they should be consumed in the diet to overcome the food shortage. If this argument is true, why don't they use dog's meat as dogs too are available in abundance? The Europeans perhaps hate the mere mention of dog's meat in the same way as the Muslims shun pork.

Another wrong notion about swine-flesh is that its consumption lengthens life-span, although this is a pure myth and absurdity. On the contrary, people, who abstain from pork and liquor, have a longer span of life. The Muslims in Central Asia bear a testimony to this truth.

However, in the consumption of flesh Muslims are required to be selective and to distinguish between Halaal (Lawful) and Haraam (Unlawful). This step leads automatically to the deeper understanding of the need for the cultivation of a pure human nature. As blood is virtually our life-stream and whatever we consume ultimately affects the blood system, it is, therefore, necessary to exercise choice in the selection of our food and drinks as part of the requirements of the Shariah.

There are certain food and drinks specified by Allah, and His Messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as forbidden. The prohibition of these food and drinks is not by any means an arbitrary action or an unwarranted decree of Allah. It is the first and foremost a divine intervention in the best interest of man and for his own benefit.

The reasons behind the Divine intervention are numerous. They are of a nature intellectual and spiritual, moral and mental, physical and economic. And the sole purpose is to show man how to develop himself according to an upright course of life in order to be a healthy unit in the structure of the family, then of society and eventually of humanity at large.

Reliable medical doctors and social scientists are able to realize how those food and drinks forbidden by Islam are harmful and destructive to the human spirit and morality as well as to the physique and moral fibre of man and to verify the benefits of Islamic legislations on the subjects.

The prohibition is based on the aim of the purification of one's nature, because food, when consumed, doesn't merely enter the stomach and intestines and become excreta. It is absorbed and metabolized into the system and circulated to all parts of the human body, including the brain, and this in no small way affects man's nature.

Take a look at the nature of the pig for example. The pig is naturally lazy and indulgent in sex, it is dirty, greedy and gluttonous. It dislikes sunlight and lacks the spirit and will to "fight." It eats almost anything, be it human excreta or anything foul and unwholesome. Amongst all animal flesh, pork is the favoured cradle of harmful germs. Pork also serves as a carrier of diseases to mankind. It is for this reason that its flesh is not suitable for consumption.

Some people have argued that the "modern pig" reared in farms is given only clean foods, therefore, its flesh should be consumable. The answer is that you may feed the pig on clean, wholesome food, but you can't change its nature. It is still a pig and will always stay so. A pig is not a plant and you cannot change it by bud-grafting.

Medical Reports

Dr. E. Kazim. M.D. in his article "Medical aspects of forbidden foods in Islam" (July 1981 issue of Muslim Journal has described diseases carried or caused by the flesh of the swine.

He writes:

The pig is a scavenger. It is an omnivorous animal. It eats everything. There are many diseases carried from swine to man, particularly parasite infestations. Lately extensive research has been focused on senility-old age is characterized by hardening of inner lining of the blood vessels of the heart, brain etc. a process called atheroselerosis. When a clot forms, it results in coronary thrombosis or a heart attack, cerebral thrombosis or stroke.

Different dietary factors are responsible for atheroselerosis. Gross atheroma may be produced in rabbit by feeding it with cholesterol, but when you add lard (derived from hog fat) to the cholesterol, the incidence of atheroma is increased and thus you would produce coronary thrombosis, and myocardial infraction.

Besides, lard contains 2800 units of vitamin D per 100 grams and no vitamin A at all. Lately vitamin D has been held responsible for atheroma, by causing increased absorption of calcium in the blood vessels. In human beings, serum cholesterol is not dependent on the intake of cholesterol in the diet, but depends upon the proportion of animal fats in the diet, which elevates the beta-lipo protein level in the blood. Animal fats contain saturated fatty acids and these saturated fatty acids have been found to be as one of the causes of atheroma in man. Medium fat bacon contains 25% proteins and 55% fat.

According to medical research, the fat content in pork is more than any other meat (beef, mutton etc.) and it takes longer to digest. Dr. M Jaffer in an article in the Islamic Review (London) of January 1997 issue has listed 16 kinds of harmful germs, which have been discovered in pork in modern researches and the diseases, which could be caused by them. The number of patients suffering from tapeworm disease is the highest in the world among pork eating nations. Other diseases attributed to pigs are caused by tri-chinelia spirates and intestinal worms occupy first place among such nations too.

Dr. Glen Shepherd wrote the following on the dangers of eating pork in Washington Post (31 May 1952).

"One in six people in USA and Canada have germs in their muscles - trichinosis 8 from eating pork infected with trichina worms. Many people who are infected shows no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some die; some are reduced to permanent invalids. All were careless pork caters".

He continued "No one is immune from the disease and there is no cure. Neither antibiotics nor drugs or vaccines affect these tiny deadly worms. Preventing infection is the real answer."

After reading the statement of Dr. Shepherd, one can realize that there is no real guarantee of safety when eating pork that one would not be affected by trichina worm. That is why modern doctors advise three prohibitions during illness: no liquor, no pork and no smoking.

Muslims follow the divine law which is much higher than the medical advice. The Glorious Qur'an says, "So eat of the lawful and good food which Allah has provided for you, and thank the bounty of your Lord if it is Him you serve. He has forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which has been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, Lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (16:114-115)

The above is the order from the Creator of the universe and the Supreme Law-Giver. All Muslims are under the obligation to obey it. This is a plain and straightforward answer to those, who usually ask why Muslims abstain from eating pork. Nevertheless, there is no sin, if a Muslims is forced by famine or starvation to eat pork in order to save his life.

#67

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 11:43 pm
Subject: Health in Islam

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H E A L T H
I n I S L A M

"Everything good that happens to you (O Man) is from God, everything bad that happens to you is from your own actions". (Quran 4:79).

The Quran is not a book of medicine or of health sciences,but in it there are hints which leads to guidelines in health and diseases. Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) has been sent as an example to mankind so his traditions in matters of health and personal hygiene are also a guide for his followers. Being healthy is vital in that it enables us to undergo our daily life with ease but also to carry out our responsibility as a khalifah of Allah. Surely a happy and healthy muslim can do a much better job compared to that done by a sickly one! Hence, being healthy is not only beneficial to our ownselves but also to others as well.

#66

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 11:27 pm
Subject: Black Seeds

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Black Seeds
By: Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie

Tiny and hairy, being no more than 3mm in length, black seed originates from the common fennel flower plant (Nigella sativa) of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Nigella sativa is sometimes mistakenly confused with the fennel herb plant (Foeniculum vulgare). The plant reproduces with itself and forms a fruit capsule which consists of many white trigonal seeds. Once the fruit capsule has matured, it opens up and the seeds contained within are exposed to the air, becoming black in color (black seeds).

Commonly known as the "seed of blessing," it has been used as a natural remedy in the Middle and Far East for more than 2000 years. Black seed provides nutritional support for the body's defense system. In 1959, the active ingredient in black seed, crystalline Nigellone, was first isolated and identified as providing many health benefits. Clinical trials have validated the efficacy of black seed in promoting health and wellness.

The most pertinent point to be made about black seed is that it should be regarded as part of an overall holistic approach to health and ideally should be incorporated into one's everyday lifestyle. In this way, the many nutritional and healing properties contained in the seed can help build the body's immune system over time, supplying it with the optimum resources it needs to help prevent and fight illness.

USING THE BLACK SEED

Black seed as a daily health supplement

Most medicines work best when given a chance to run their full course, and this too, is the case with black seed. In cognizance of its substantial nutritional components, as well as its specific medicinal properties, the body's ability to maintain health and promote healing of a lasting nature is best increased through regular use of black seed.

Black seed as an energy source

Ibn Sina (980-1037), in describing the black seed as that which "stimulates the body's energy and helps recovery from fatigue or disspiritedness," still holds true for Tibb (Islamic Medicine) health practitioners today. The rich nutritional value contained in black seed as outlined by scientific analysis of black seed, also points to it as a great source of energy.

From the Tibb health perspective, the black seed has an ability to maintain and restore body heat. Our Western diet, predominantly made up of cold foods -- ice in our drinks, yogurt, pizza, cheese -- all deplete the innate heat our body requires in order to optimally function. Tibb holds the view that a reduced metabolic rate (innate heat) is the cause of most illnesses. The body, in losing energy, also loses its ability to fight off toxins, resulting in a greater chance of contracting illness.

Black seed and other medication

Black seed may be used in conjunction with conventional or other forms of natural medicine. It is not recommended that black seed be used exclusively in the treatment of serious medical complaints which may require more immediate action. For example, conditions like bronchitis sometimes require conventional antibiotics to prevent the condition from becoming more severe. However, black seed may be used as a therapeutic aid together with this and other forms of treatment to help counteract any side effects experienced from the use of antibiotics or other potent, chemically based medicines.

Pregnancy and lactation

The black seed is not recommended during pregnancy, however during lactation. It is an excellent form of added nutrition for both mother and the growing child while its immune system boosting properties serve as a natural, safe way to build resistance against illness. In addition, as studies have shown, black seed helps increase milk production during breastfeeding.

Initial trials have shown that black seed may have an ability to increase the male sperm count.

Babies and toddlers

In addition to its many nutritional components, black seed contains carotene, which is essential for infant growth. During the toddler years, black seed provides children with all the energy they require for this active stage of life. Regular usage of black seed, which increases its immune system strengthening effect on the body, will decrease the length and severity of natural childhood illnesses, particularly during winter when children are most susceptible to contracting colds and flu.

Black seed for the elderly person

Which its rich nutritional, energy-giving value, in combination with immune system strengthening properties, black seed is an ideal health supplement for the elderly person.

HOW DOES BLACK SEED BENEFIT?

The majority of our health problems have the same causes- infection by micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. When using clinical (allopathic medicines) each symptom is treated individually and usually with synthetic chemically manufactured medicines that contain alcohol and other harmful ingredients.

Black seed is effective at treating the body as a whole and fights the actual cause of the symptoms.

Black seed regulates too weak or too strong reactions of the immune system, is excellent for treating chronic, allergic and hormonal diseases, black seed support metabolism, improve digestion, helps to lowers blood sugar levels. It is used to dispel worms and parasites from intestinal track. It is useful in soothing bronchitis and coughs, increase body tone, stimulates menstrual periods, increases the flow of breast milk, provides quick energy, increases sperm count, calms the nervous system, encourages hair growth and retards hair fall out, and prevents skin wrinkling.

#57

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:55 pm
Subject: Why Did God Create?...3

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Why Did God Create? (part 3 of 3): Divine Love and Grace

Description: The answer to the fundamental question about the reason why God created. Part 3: The manifestation of Divine Love and Grace in God's act of creating.

Divine Love

God's love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whether believer or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is also realized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness over evil. God states in the final revelation that He loves those who do good (Quran 5:13), those who are just (Quran 5:42), those who are pious (Quran 9:4), those who are patient (Quran 3:146), those who put their trust in Him (Quran 3:159), those who frequently turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves (Quran 2:222). However, it is He who has defined for human beings through the scriptures and the prophets what is good, just and pious. Consequently, those who follow the prophets are most beloved to God. In the Quran, God instructed Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, to say the following to the believers:

"If you really love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive your sins�" (Quran 3:31)

The prophets should be followed not only in the compulsory acts ordained by God, but also in their eagerness to do acts of voluntary worship.

The love of God is also manifest in His mercy and blessings which He grants to those who deserve them as well as those who do not. But, it is particularly manifest in His willingness to forgive the sins of whomsoever turns to Him in sincere repentance. From the creation of Adam and Eve, repentance was granted to them to erase their sins as an example to all human beings who would follow them into this world. No matter how great human sins may become, the door for sincere repentance remains open until the last day of this world. Anas quoted God's Messenger, may God praise him, as saying:

"God, the Almighty, has said: O son of Adam, as long as you call on Me and ask of Me, I will forgive what you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, even if your sins reached the clouds and you asked My forgiveness, I will forgive you. O son of Adam, if you came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and you met Me without giving Me partners, I will give you a similar amount of forgiveness."

Divine Grace

As for those in paradise, they will not enter it solely based on their good deeds. It is the grace of God which will ultimately carry them there. The final Prophet of God, may God praise him, said in this regard:

"Try your best to do right, and be happy. For none will enter paradise only because of his deeds." His companions said, "O Messenger of God! Not even you?" He replied, "Not even I, unless God envelops me in His mercy and grace. And bear in mind that the deed most loved by God is one done constantly, even though it is small."

However, God's grace is not arbitrary. It is based on both correct faith and righteous deeds. In the Quran, God says:

"Whoever brings a good deed, will have [the value of] ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed will only be punished with one like it, and they will not be wronged." (Quran 6:160)

Were God to hold humankind to account strictly, no one's good deeds would outweigh their evil deeds. However, God has manifested His grace by multiplying the value of good deeds, while keeping evil deeds at their face value. It is by the grace of God that the true believers enter Paradise. This does not mean that deeds have no role. Deeds have a major role, but they are not the deciding factor. God's grace outweighs them.

Consequently, the creation of human beings, the errors that they make and the good that they do are all circumstances for the manifestation of God's attributes of mercy and forgiveness, His attribute of justice and His attribute of grace.

Humankind should not question why God chose to manifest His attributes in this way. It can only be assumed that this was the best way, because God describes Himself as being the Most Wise and the Most Knowledgeable. Humans can only understand what God chooses to reveal to them.

"�They will only encompass of His knowledge what He wishes�" (Quran 2:255)

Thus, they should not try to equate themselves with God. If He has told humankind why He decided to do something, it is not for them to question why He decided to decide. Such questions are without end and thus beyond human scope. It is they who will be questioned on the Day of Judgment about their actions and intentions and not He. In the Quran, God addresses this point:

"He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned." (Quran 25:23)

In this regard Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, was reported by Ibn `Abbaas to have said:

"Reflect on the creation of God but do not reflect on God."

To reflect on the reality of God is to reflect on the infinite. And, as the mind boggles when it reflects on the limits of the finite universe and the galaxies and stars within it, it will be more confounded when it attempts to understand the uncreated. The Prophet, may God praise him, warned that the satanic forces would seek to introduce doubts in the hearts of the believers by raising unanswerable questions about God. Aboo Hurayrah related that God's Messenger, may God praise him, said:

"Satan will come to everyone of you and ask: Who created this and that? - until he questions: Who created your Lord? When he comes to that, one should seek refuge in God [say: I affirm my faith in God and His prophets] and avoid [such thoughts]."

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

#56

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:46 pm
Subject: Why Did God Create?...2

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Why Did God Create? (part 2 of 3): Divine Mercy and Justice

Description: The answer to the fundamental question about the reason why God created. Part 2: The manifestation of Divine Mercy and Justice in God's act of creating.

The Merciful, the Forgiving

In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness, mercy and kindness are also manifested. Human beings were created good and pure with a natural awareness of good and evil. The Almighty also created in humans desires, and gave them an ability to control those desires according to divine law or to turn them loose and follow them blindly. God created mankind knowing that they would disobey Him. Consequently, He taught human beings, beginning with Adam, how to repent and thereby purify themselves of their sins. Adam and Eve represent a pattern for all mankind to follow. They forgot the commandment of God, and Satan played on their desires. After they had disobeyed God, they turned back to Him in repentance, and He forgave them. In humankind's disobedience and turning back to God in repentance, the divine attributes of total forgiveness and infinite mercy become manifest. The final Prophet [may God praise him] informed his followers of this reality, saying:

"If you did not commit sins and turn to God, seeking His forgiveness, He would have replaced you with another people who would sin, ask God's forgiveness and He would forgive them." (Saheeh Muslim)

Every one of the 114 Chapters of the final revelation, except one, begins with the prayer, "In the name of God, the Beneficent the Most Merciful." God's attributes of mercy and forgiveness are stressed to encourage humans not to fall into despair. No matter how great the sins of human beings may be, God can forgive them if man turns back to Him in sincere repentance. The Messenger, may God praise him, was quoted as saying:

"When God created the universe, He made an obligation on Himself [recorded] in a document kept by Him: `My mercy supersedes my wrath.'" (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

He was also reported to have said:

"[God created] mercy with one hundred parts, one of which was sent down upon the jinn, human beings and other living beings. It is out of this one part that they love each other, show kindness to each other and even the animals treat their offspring with affection. God has reserved the remaining ninety-nine parts for His true worshippers on the Day of Resurrection." (Saheeh Muslim)

Had God wished, He could have created mankind like angels, incapable of committing sin. However, that was not His wish, as He had already created angels. Human beings were created capable of making mistakes and when they realize their errors and seek God's forgiveness, the divine attributes of mercy and forgiveness become manifest.

Supreme Justice

In the judgment of mankind at the end of this world, God's attributes of supreme justice and fairness also become manifest. Based on His infinite knowledge, God could have created all members of the human race who were to live on earth and immediately placed some of them in paradise and the remainder in hell. Before creating man, God already knew what choices they would make in this life, what provision and opportunities He would give them, and in what state of belief or disbelief they would die. Therefore, in one sense it could be said that some people were created for paradise and others for hell. Aisha, wife of the Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, quoted him as saying:

"Don't you know that God created paradise and hell, and He created inhabitants for each?" (Abu Dawood, An-Nasai)

If God had immediately placed those headed for paradise in paradise, they would not question God's decision. Those in paradise would happily accept an everlasting life of bliss and be thankful that they were not placed in hell. However, those immediately placed in hell would ask why. They would feel a sense of unfairness due to their ignorance of what they would have done had they lived on earth. Those in hell would relentlessly argue that had they been given a chance to live out their lives on earth, they would have believed and done righteous deeds. Consequently, God allows human beings to live out their lives on earth and make all the choices they would have made, so that everyone who enters hell will know that they chose hell by themselves. They will recognize God's mercy in their lives and acknowledge their sin in rejecting His signs and guidance. And they will accept His judgment as being just and beyond reproach. However, they will still beg for another chance to do good in this world, as God says in the Quran:

"If only you could see [the time] when the sinners will bow their heads before their Lord, [saying], `Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back and we will do righteous deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.'" (Quran 32:12)

However, if God were to send them back to this world having forgotten what they had seen of hell, they would again choose evil and end up in hell as before. God spoke about this in the Quran:

"But if they were returned [to this world], they would certainly go back to what was forbidden to them. Indeed they are liars." (Quran 6:28)

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

#55

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:35 pm
Subject: Why Did God Create?...1

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Why Did God Create? (part 1 of 3): God, the Creator

Description: The answer to the fundamental question about the reason why God created. Part 1: The manifestation of the divine attribute of being the Creator.

From the point of view of God, a� fundamental question needs to be asked, "Why did God create?" This question should be asked because humankind is not, in fact, the greatest creation. God says in the Quran:

"Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it." (Quran 40:57)

The composition of human beings is far less complex than the composition of the universe in which they exist. However, very few people reflect on this reality. Because of the apparent supremacy of human beings over the other creatures on this earth, man's journeys through space and the continued advancement of their technology and knowledge, humankind in every age becomes arrogant and considers itself the greatest thing in this world. It is worth noting that the majority of humankind's amazing discoveries are not concerning the human being, but his surroundings. Thus, human efforts tend to be focused on the material world rather than human beings. In this verse, God brings human beings back to their actual status in this world. Humankind is merely a small part of the existence which resulted from the miraculous act of divine creation. Thus, in order to understand why God created mankind, one first needs to answer the even more fundamental question of why God created.

The Creator

Creation is fundamentally the consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. A creator who does not create is something of a contradiction in terms. This is not to say that God needs His creation. God is free from all needs. It is creation which needs Him. But, as the greatness of a writer becomes apparent in his writings, the perfection of the divine creative attribute is manifest in creation. Creation in the true sense is unique to God alone. Although humans ascribe the act of creation to themselves, what they do is not true creation. Humankind merely manipulates what already exists - what was already created by God. A table is made from wood which came from trees and is held together with nails and screws made from metal that came from rocks. Human beings did not make the trees or the rocks. In fact, all human creations can be traced back to basic elements which humans cannot make. Even the artist `creates' designs based on what he has seen. It is not possible to imagine what has not been perceived by the senses. Thus, all of the artist's thoughts are reflections on what was already created. Only God alone creates from nothing. This basic fact was and still is incomprehensible to some. Some ancient as well as modern philosophers, who could not comprehend how God could create from nothing, claimed that the created world and its contents are all originally a part of God. That is, according to them, God took a part of Himself and made the universe. This conclusion is based on comparing God to man, who can only `create' by modifying what already exists. However, God denies any such comparisons which would give Him human limitations. In the Quran, He states:

"�There is nothing like Him and He is hearer and seer of all." (Quran 42:11)

Thus, the act of creation is a consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. God describes Himself as the Creator in a variety of verses throughout the final revelation to emphasize to humankind that everything belongs to Him alone.

"God created all things and He is the agent on which all things depend." (Quran 39:62)

"And God created you all and whatever you do." (Quran 37:96)

Man needs to realize that nothing takes place in this universe without the permission of God. To seek protection from evil or to seek to acquire good from any source other than God is a major mistake. Due to ignorance, many people attempt to avoid misfortune and to gain good fortune through a variety of charms and amulets, astrology, palmistry, etc. Consequently, in the Quran, God informs human beings to seek refuge in God from evil:

"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn, from the evil of what He has created." (Quran 113:1-2)

Allah, God Almighty, is not evil; He is good. He created a world in which evil or good can be done by beings to whom He gave this ability. However, no evil or good can take place in this world without the permission of God. This is why it is futile to turn to others besides God for help and protection.

"No calamity strikes except by God's permission�" (Quran 64:11)

The final prophet of God, Muhammad [may God praise him], further elaborated on this concept, saying:

"Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together to do something to help you, they would only be able to do something for you which God had already written for you. Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which God had already written to happen to you." (Al-Tirmidhi)

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

#49

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:00 pm
Subject: Re: I am trying to find some things out!

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--- In muslimpharmacistsassociation@yahoogroups.com, "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In muslimpharmacistsassociation@yahoogroups.com, "kelly"
> mary_ring42@ wrote:
> >
> > im trying to find out more on spina bifida and adotion and invetro im
> > trying to find out if spina bifida can be given to some ones kid from
> > them and what all dose it do to some one and adoption im trying to
> > find out how to do it and invetroo dose a women have to have her tubs
> > undone or not to have it done and if not how much dose it coast to
> > have it done
> >
>
>
>
>
> Reply & Answer by Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie:-
>
>
> Introduction to Spina Bifida
> Spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html> is a
> defined as any abnormal development of the bones of the spine that
> display a typical pattern, with or without the involvement of the brain,
> nerves or covering of the nerves (meninges). It is the most common
> congenital spine abnormality. The term spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html>
> covers a range of malformations that always include deformities of
> certain parts of the vertebrae, the spinous process and vertebral arch.
> Some have described this process as a failure of these bones to fuse
> during early fetal development.
>
> [spina bifida, anatomical black and white drawing indicating where
> deformity
> occurs]
>
> Most common locations are the lower thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine.
> The cause behind this congenital malformation is not well understood.
> Data suggests that genetic factors play a predominant role, but
> nutritional and environmental factors may also contribute to the
> development of spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html> .
>
> Classification
>
> Spina bifida is broken down into two categories: spina bifida occulta
> and open spina bifida. These subtypes are distinguished by the absence
> or presence of nerves, fluid that surrounds the nerves (CSF), and the
> meninges that are included within the deformity. See Table 1.
>
> Table 1. Types of Spina Bifida
>
> Type Description Incidence Examples Spina bifida occulta
> * Bony abnormality seen by x-ray
> * Nerves may be involved when associated with skin changes or hairy
> patch
> Relatively common (5-10% of general population) Figure 1 Open spina
> bifida
> * Usually seen at birth
> * Bony abnormality plus involvement of nerves, CSF, or meninges
> About 10% of all patients with spina bifida Figures 2 and 3
>
>
> Diagnosis
>
> [spina bifida, hairy patch]
> Since there is no opening to the skin, spina bifida occulta can only be
> seen on x-ray or MRI. Certain clinical findings such as dimpling of the
> skin or a hairy patch at the base of the spine may trigger further
> investigation by a physician.
>
> Underlying spinal nerve abnormalities can be seen in these situations.
> There is inconclusive evidence that this type of deformity is related to
> back pain, scoliosis
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article4140.html> , or
> nighttime bed-wetting. A large study showed that in patients not
> complaining of back pain, almost 20% had uncomplicated spina bifida
> occulta. If you have an abnormality on an x-ray, it does not always mean
> that this is causing your pain.
>
> The diagnosis of open spina bifida is usually made at birth or during
> prenatal ultrasound screening. It accounts for about 10% of all patients
> with spina bifida. There can be a mass outside the body at the base of
> the spine containing nerves (myelomeningocele) or the nerves may be
> absent in the mass (meningocele). Usually the deformity is covered with
> a thin membrane (spina bifida cystica), or it can be open to the
> environment (spina bifida aperta) and drainage of spinal fluid is seen.
> [mri, lipoma]
> [spina bifida, meninges] [spina bifida, meningocele]
>
> Treatment
>
> There is no specific treatment for occult spina bifida if the
> abnormality is limited to the bone. Usually these deformities are found
> at the last lumbar vertebrae (L5) or at the first sacral vertebrae (S1).
> However, deformities of the spine can lead to degenerative changes later
> in life that may require intervention.
>
> Open spina bifida and underlying spinal abnormalities associated with
> occult spina bifida are treated by a neurosurgeon. The goal of surgery
> is to preserve the nerves, restore the normal anatomy, and close the
> defect. This delicate surgery is carefully performed under magnification
> while using special monitors to help identify the nerves. Surgery will
> help to reduce the risk of infection (meningitis) and reduce the
> progression of long-term disability.
>
> [spina bifida, surgery on a meningocele]
> Considerations for patients and their families
>
> The diagnosis of spina bifida may be devastating for the parents of
> these children. The neurosurgeon's role not only includes operative
> management but also education. Children born with a myelomeningocele
> (Figure 2) have a 90% chance of survival. Furthermore, they have an 80%
> chance of normal intelligence and around an 85% chance of walking with
> or without assistance. Long-term problems include: short stature, lack
> of leg development, scoliosis
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article4140.html> , and
> bowel and bladder difficulties.
>
>
> There are many other conditions closely associated with open spina
> bifida. Approximately 80 to 90% of patients will develop hydrocephalus
> (increase in the size of the fluid filled spaces in the brain). This can
> be treated effectively, using a shunt (plastic tube under the skin from
> the brain to the abdomen) in the early stages of development. Children
> may have many other abnormalities, throughout their body, which must be
> recognized. Several medical and surgical specialties will contribute to
> the overall care of these children during their entire lives. It is
> essential to maintain a support network, not only for the patient, but
> also the family, in order to provide optimal outcomes for all patients
> with spina bifida.
>
>
>
> Children with Spina Bifida Live with Daily Challenges
>
> Linnea Winters is a very bright, outgoing third grader, with interests
> that might seem pretty typical for an average 8-year-old. She loves to
> read books, enjoys riding her bike and scooter, playing basketball, and
> most recently, has started violin lessons. An annual highlight is the
> Father/Daughter Ball, which Linnea has attended for the last five years,
> dancing the night away with her dad, Phil. Linnea has a lot of fun,
> despite the fact that she is living with a physical condition that
> challenges her every day. It is because of her good nature, tenacity,
> and support of her family and neurosurgeon, Monica Wehby, MD, that she
> has been able to live as normal a life as possible.
>
> Linnea was born on June 9, 1997, with spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html> ,
> hydrocephalus, and club feet. According to the American Association of
> Neurological Surgeons (AANS), there are currently an estimated 70,000
> Americans living with spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html> .
> Brenda and her husband Phil went for genetic counseling prior to her
> first pregnancy, because Brenda had a brother who died from a neural
> tube defect, just shortly after birth. They were told that there was
> just a 1 to 2 percent risk of having a baby with this birth defect.
> Their firstborn child Ethan was fine. Brenda took folic acid for three
> months prior to and throughout her pregnancy, a preventative measure
> that is recommended for women of childbearing age. The second time
> around, however, Brenda and Phil were told the shattering news about
> their unborn baby's condition, 18 � weeks into her pregnancy,
> detected by ultrasound.
>
> Spina bifida
> <http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article3088.html>
> occurs during the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy when a portion of
> the fetal spinal cord fails to properly close. As a result, the child is
> born with a part of the spinal cord exposed on the back. Although
> scientists believe that genetic and environmental factors may act
> together to cause spina bifida, 95 percent of babies with spina bifida
> are born to parents with no family history.
>
> Linnea underwent her first surgery as a newborn at Emanuel Children's
> Hospital in Portland, Ore. Dr. Wehby closed up Linnea's back when she
> was 3-hours old, followed by a shunt when she was 2-days-old, to treat
> her hydrocephalus. About 80 to 90 percent of children with spina bifida
> are born with or develop hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition in
> which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up within the ventricles
> (fluid-containing cavities) of the brain and may increase pressure
> within the head. "Most of these children require a ventricular shunt to
> control the build-up of spinal fluid. The shunt will remain in place
> throughout the individual's life, but usually needs to be replaced
> several times. Linnea has had two shunt revisions, at age 7 months and
> age 4," said Dr. Wehby.
>
> At age 5, Linnea underwent surgery for tethered spinal cord. At birth,
> the spinal cord is normally located opposite the disc between the first
> and second lumbar vertebrae in the upper part of the lower back. In a
> baby with spina bifida, the spinal cord is still attached to the
> surrounding skin, preventing it from ascending normally, so the spinal
> cord is low-lying or tethered. Although the skin is separated and closed
> at birth, the spinal cord stays in the same location after the closure.
> As the child continues to grow, the spinal cord can become stretched,
> causing damage and interfering with the blood supply to the spinal cord,
> which can lead to a variety of physical problems.
>
> Things are not always easy for Linnea, her parents, or her older brother
> Ethan, who is 13. "When she first realized that she was different, which
> was about age 4 1/2, she cried often because she was sad that she was
> born with a hole in her back. I told her that I was sad too, but that I
> loved her and was glad that she was my daughter. I told her that being
> sad did not change anything; she still had to take her medicine or have
> surgery because life goes on," recalled Brenda.
>
> "I will never forget what the physical therapist told us when Linnea was
> 6-weeks-old that she would never sit-up, roll-over, crawl or walk, let
> alone run. Linnea wears ankle-foot orthotics, as do many children with
> spina bifida, but she is remarkably coordinated. When Linnea expresses
> disappointment about not being as fast as the other kids in gym class or
> on the playground, I tell her that I am glad that she does these things
> anyway, and that this is a miracle that we should be thankful for," said
> Brenda.
>
> Linnea has faced her fears and shared details about her condition with
> her class. "There are more people at my school finding out that I have
> spina bifida. They are coming up to me once they find out who I am and
> telling me that they know and don't really care if I have spina bifida.
> They say they accept me for who I am and think I am just the same as
> they are," said Linnea. Fortunately, with proper medical care, many
> children with spina bifida can lead active and productive lives. With
> recent advancements in medical care for these children, the outlook
> continues to improve.
>
> Women of childbearing age can reduce their risk of having a child with
> spina bifida by taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day,
> whether they are planning a pregnancy or not. Research has shown that if
> all women of childbearing age took a multivitamin with the B-vitamin
> folic acid, the risk of neural tube defects could be reduced by up to 70
> percent.
>
>
> Prevention
> Doctors and scientists have found that folic acid can help to prevent
> spina bifida. It is recommended that all women of childbearing years as
> well as those women planning to become pregnant should take at least 0.4
> mg of folic acid from at least one month before conception, and at least
> 1 mg of folic acid during at least the first three months of pregnancy.
> Women who have already had a baby with spina bifida or other type of
> neural tube defect should take extra folic acid - 4mg/day. As yet it is
> unknown how or why folic acid helps to prevent spina bifida.
>
> Sources of folic acid include: Whole grains, fortified breakfast
> cereals, dried beans, leaf vegetables, fruits.
>
>
>
> Links / Resources:-
>
> For more information, please visit the Spina Bifida Association of
> America at www.sbaa.org <http://www.sbaa.org> or any of the following
> sites:-
>
> Domestic Links
>
> Able Project <http://www.ableproject.org/>
> Provides a network where people with disabilities and their loved ones
> can effortlessly research, compare, locate and obtain mobility and
> assistive products.
>
> Baby Center Information <http://www.babycenter.com/>
> A complete on line resource for new and expectant parents.
>
> Birth Defect Web Site <http://www.birthdefects.org/>
> Provides parents and expectant parents with information about birth
> defects and support services for their children.
>
> Centers for Disease Control Birth Defect Prevention
> <http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd>
> CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease
> prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and
> education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the
> United States.
>
> Children With Spina Bifida <http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/~rowley/sb-kids>
> A resource page for parents.
>
> Disability Network <http://www.disabilitynetwork.com/>
> An information highway for the disabled and their families. You will
> find support from others as well as helpful and entertaining links for
> Adults and Children.
>
> Disabled Women With Crutches
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/disabled_women_with_crutches>
> An online community for women.
>
> Easter Seals <http://www.seals.org/>
> Easter Seals' mission has always been to provide services for people
> with disabilities and their families in their local communities.
>
> Families and Advocates - Partnerships for Education
> <http://www.fape.org/>
> Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) aims to improve
> the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links
> families to information about IDEA.
>
> Family Friendly Fun and Special Needs
> <http://www.family-friendly-fun.com/>
> Family Friendly Fun offers family fun and family health resources to
> enhance the quality of family life for families with disabilities and
> special needs.
>
> Family Voices <http://www.familyvoices.org/>
> Family Voices is a national, grassroots clearinghouse for information
> and education concerning the health care of children with special health
> needs.
>
> Genetic Alliance <http://www.geneticalliance.org/>
> Genetic Alliance increases the capacity of genetic advocacy groups to
> achieve their missions and leverages the voices of millions of
> individuals and families living with genetic conditions.
>
> HIPAA / IHCRP <http://www.georgetown.edu/research/ihcrp/hipaa>
> The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute has written a consumer
> guide for getting and keeping health insurance for each state and the
> District of Columbia. These Consumer Guides are available at this web
> site and are updated periodically.
>
> The Hydrocephalus Association <http://www.hydroassoc.org/>
> Hydrocephalus Association provides support, education and advocacy for
> individuals, families and professionals. The association tries to help
> families and individuals dealing with the complex issues of
> hydrocephalus.
>
> Institute on Community Integration <http://ici.umn.edu/>
> Institute on Community Integration tries to improve the community
> services and social supports available to individuals with developmental
> disabilities and other disabilities throughout the United States.
>
> Kids' Camps <http://www.kidscamps.com/>
> KidsCamps.com is the Internet's most comprehensive summer camp resource
> guide and online camp directory of day camps, overnight camps, special
> needs camps, sport camps, special interest camps, art camps, music
> camps, family camps, camps for rent/lease, and more!
>
> Latex Allergy Association <http://www.latexallergyresources.org/>
> American Latex Allergy Association has designed this website to help
> connect you with educational materials, support groups, publications and
> product information to assist you with your understanding of natural
> rubber latex allergy.
>
> Latex Allergy Links <http://www.latexallergylinks.org/>
> Latex Allergy Links is a comprehensive, up-to-date listing of latex
> allergy-related sites on the Internet.
>
> March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation <http://www.modimes.org/>
> The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by
> preventing birth defects and infant mortality. We carry out this mission
> through research, community services, education and advocacy to save
> babies' lives.
>
> Maternal/Child Health Coalition <http://www.mchc.net/>
> The Coalition works to strengthen the capacity of individuals and
> organizations to enhance maternal and child health in the greater Kansas
> City area.
>
> Micronutrient Initiative (MI) <http://www.micronutrient.org/>
> The Micronutrient Initiative (MI) is a not-for-profit organization
> specializing in addressing micronutrient malnutrition.
>
> MO Developmental Disabilities Resource Center <http://www.moddrc.com/>
> MO Developmental Disabilities Resource center Serves all
> Missourian's free of charge as the main source for information on
> disability and related topics, and provides connections to community
> supports.
>
> National Birth Defects Prevention Network <http://www.nbdpn.org/>
> The National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) is a group of
> individuals involved in birth defects surveillance, research, and
> prevention.
>
> National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. <http://www.ncld.org/>
> NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and
> individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs
> to foster effective learning, and advocates for policies to protect and
> strengthen educational rights and opportunities.
>
> National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
> <http://www.ncpad.org/> Here's the descriptor text: The mission of the
> National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to
> promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from
> participating in regular physical activity.
>
> The National Council On Folic Acid <http://www.folicacidinfo.org/>
> The National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) is a partnership of over 80
> national organizations and associations, state folic acid councils and
> government agencies whose mission is to improve health by promoting the
> benefits and consumption of folic acid.
>
> National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
> <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/>
> The NINDS conducts and supports research on brain and nervous system
> disorders. NINDS is one of the more than two dozen research institutes
> and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
>
> National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
> <http://www.rarediseases.org/>
> NORD is dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and
> assisting the organizations that serve them. NORD is committed to the
> identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs
> of education, advocacy, research, and service.
>
> National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) <http://www.nvlsp.org/>
> The National Veterans Legal Services Program veterans service
> organization assist veterans and their advocates through education,
> advocacy, litigation, training advocates who represent veterans, and
> publications.
>
> Pain and Spina Bifida
> <http://groups.msn.com/PainIssuesForPersonsWithSpinaBifida/>
> Pain Issues for Persons with Spina Bifida is a place for anyone who is
> affected by spina bifida whether its a child or adult with spina bifida,
> a parent of a child with spina or family & friends of someone who has
> spina bifida and is experiencing pain problems.
>
> Partnership for Prescription Assistance <http://www.pparx.org/>
> Brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other
> health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community
> groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get
> the medicines they need through the public or private program that's
> right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free.
>
> Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights <http://www.pacer.org/>
> The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the
> quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their
> families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.
>
> Parents with Disabilities Online <http://www.disabledparents.net/>
> Provides information, support and resources to parents with disabilities
> since 1996. It's the Internet's One-Stop Resource for Parents with
> Disabilities.
>
> The SB Center Message Boards <http://pub101.ezboard.com/bthesbcenter>
> SB Center and message board.
>
> Spina Bifida Central <http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/spinabifidacentral>
> Spina Bifida Central is a place to find support and share experiences.
>
> Spina Bifida from the National Information Center for Children and Youth
> with Disabilities (NICHCY)
> <http://www.westworld.com/~barbara/index28spinabif>
> Definitions from the National Information Center for Children and Youth
> with Disabilities.
>
> The Spinal Cord Information Network <http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/>
> The UAB conducts research to improve upon and maintain a cost-effective
> comprehensive service delivery system from the moment of injury across
> the lifespan of persons who sustain spinal cord injury.
>
> World Congress and Exposition on Disabilities <http://www.wcdexpo.com/>
> The world's leading disability event, is committed to improving the
> lives of those with disabilities, their families and caregivers,
> physicians, allied healthcare professionals, educators and adapted
> physical education specialists and everyone working within the
> disability community.
>
>
>
>
> School & Camp Links
>
>
>
>
> German Links
>
> German Association for Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus
> <http://www.asbh.de/>
> German Spina Bifida Association.
>
>
>
>
> Italian Links
>
> Che cos' la spina bifida La spina bifida o mielomeningocele una
> malformazione del sistema nervoso dovuta alla mancata chiusura del
> tubon. <http://www.arpnet.it/~apisb/che_cosa.htm>
> Italian Association.
>
> CHI SIAMO APISB una associazione regionale nata per iniziativa di un
> gruppo di genitori di bambini affetti da spina bifida (mielomeningoce).
> <http://www.arpnet.it/~apisb/chisiamo.htm>
> Information in Italian about Spina bifida.
>
> Ecco alcuni indirizzi internet collegati alla spina bifida FAISBI
> (Federazione delle Associazioni Italiane Spina Bifida e Idrocefalo)
> Develo. <http://www.arpnet.it/~apisb/around.htm>
> Italian Spina Bifida Federation.
>
>
>
>
> International Links
>
> Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus ASBAH
> <http://www.asbah.org/>
> A national organisation providing information and advice about spina
> bifida and hydrocephalus to individuals, families and carers.
>
> Disability Net <http://www.disabilitynet.co.uk/>
> Information, products and services for people with disabilities.
>
> IFHSB - International Foundation of Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida
> <http://www.ifglobal.org/>
> The International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) is
> the world-wide umbrella organisation (NGO) for Spina Bifida and
> Hydrocephalus created in 1979 by national organisations of people with
> these impairments and their parents.
>
> Indian Spina Bifida Association
> <http://www.indiaspinabifidaassociation.org/>
> Indian Spina Bifida Association
>
> Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Northern Alberta
> <http://www.telusplanet.net/public/sbhana/>
> Northen Alberta Spina Bifida Association.
>
> Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario (SBHAO)
> <http://www.sbhao.on.ca/>
> Ontario Spina Bifida Association.
>
> Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Quebec
> <http://www.supernet.ca/~spinaqc>
> Quebec Spina Bifida Association.
>
> Spina Bifida: de "open rug" Spina Bifida of open rug is een ingewikkeld
> probleem, waarbij het niet alleen gaat om een sluitingsdef.
> <http://www.neurochirurgie-zwolle.nl/>
> Netherland Spina Bifida Information.
>
> Swiss Federation of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
> <http://www.sbh-ch.ch/>
> Swedish Spina Bifida Association.
>
>
> All the questions in this topic were answered by Prof. Dr. Amgad
> Rabie...
>

This repeated reply is just to correct the underlined word in the previous sentence to be "were" instead of "was".

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#23

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Mon Jan 7, 2008 2:11 pm
Subject: Objects & Targets of our new association

master_of_ph...

Offline

The main objects & Targets of the Muslim Pharmacists Association (M.P.A.):-

1- One of the Charter objects of the Society is to maintain and develop the science and practice of pharmacy in its contribution to the health and well-being of the public.

2- To improve & enhance the pharmaceutical & medical information of the Muslim pharmacists & to make their infromation, always, updated as possible.

3- To help Muslim scientists especially in Pharmacy to be more qualified and experienced.

4- To make & help Muslim pharmaceutical scientists to be the leaders & pioneers in all their fields of science.

5- To be the first & largest stone in building our new Islamic civilization & union that we hope to reach & achieve.

6- To help all the patients (of any religion, race & country)of any disease by providing them with all the information available about their diseases, the treatment & curing, how to prevent any condition, disease, or infection, how to take care of themselves, their kids, & geriatric patients, how to be always in the best healthy state,...etc.

7- To improve & increase researches & discoveries, in the pharmaceutical sciences, carried by our members.

8- To improve and enhance medical education & informatiom among all the people especially in the Islamic world.

9- To be within few monthes the best, the largest & the first pharmaceutical & medical association in the world, and our site the best, the largest & the first one among all the pharmaceutical & medical sites on the internet.

10- To be always an important support for Islam (especially pharmaceutical sciences in the Islamic world).

All these objects & targets of the association were written by the chairman of the Muslim Pharmacists Association (M.P.A.) "he also is the director & moderator of the associatoin magazine & site on the internet, ...he is Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda, from Mansoura, Egypt.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (2)

#20

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Jan 6, 2008 5:10 pm
Subject: Human Respiratory System

master_of_ph...

Offline

Human Respiratory System

The chart of the respiratory system shows the intricate structures needed for breathing. Breathing is the process by which oxygen in the air is brought into the lungs and into close contact with the blood, which absorbs it and carries it to all parts of the body. At the same time the blood gives up waste matter (carbon dioxide), which is carried out of the lungs when air is breathed out.

1. The SINUSES (frontal, maxillary, and sphenoidal) are hollow spaces in the bones of the head. Small openings connect them to the nose. The functions they serve include helping to regulate the temperature and humidity of air breathed in, as well as to lighten the bone structure of the head and to give resonance to the voice.

2. The NOSE (nasal cavity) is the preferred entrance for outside air into the respiratory system. The hairs that line the wall are part of the air-cleaning system.

3. Air also enter through the MOUTH (oral cavity), especially in people who have a mouth-breathing habit or whose nasal passages may be temporarily obstructed, as by a cold or during heavy exercise.

4. The ADENOIDS are lymph tissue at the top of the throat. When they enlarge and interfere with breathing, they may be removed. The lymph system, consisting of nodes (knots of cells) and connecting vessels, carries fluid throughout the body. This system helps to resist body infection by filtering out foreign matter, including germs, and producing cells (lymphocytes) to fight them.

5. The TONSILS are lymph nodes in the wall of the throat (pharynx) that often become infected. They are part of the germ-fighting system of the body.

6. The THROAT (pharynx) collects incoming air from the nose and mouth and passes it downward to the windpipe (trachea).

7. The EPIGLOTTIS is a flap of tissue that guards the entrance to the windpipe (trachea), closing when anything is swallowed that should go into the esophagus and stomach.

8. The VOICE BOX (larynx) contains the vocal chords. It is the place where moving air being breathed in and out creates voice sounds.

9. The ESOPHAGUS is the passage leading from the mouth and throat to the stomach.

10. The WINDPIPE (trachea) is the passage leading from the throat (pharynx) to the lungs.

11. The LYMPH NODES of the lungs are found against the walls of the bronchial tubes and windpipe.

12. The RIBS are bones supporting and protecting the chest cavity. They move to a limited degree, helping the lungs to expand and contract.

13. The windpipe divides into the two main BRONCHIAL TUBES, one for each lung, which subdivide into each lobe of the lungs. These, in turn, subdivide further.

14. The right lung is divided into three LOBES, or sections. Each lobe is like a balloon filled with sponge-like tissue. Air moves in and out through one opening -- a branch of the bronchial tube.

15. The left lung is divided into two LOBES.

16. The PLEURA are the two membranes, actually one continuous one folded on itself, that surround each lobe of the lungs and separate the lungs from the chest wall.

17. The bronchial tubes are lines with CILIA (like very small hairs) that have a wave-like motion. This motion carried MUCUS (sticky phlegm or liquid) upward and out into the throat, where it is either coughed up or swallowed. The mucus catches and holds much of the dust, germs, and other unwanted matte that has invaded the lungs. You get rid of this matter when you cough, sneeze, clear your throat or swallow.

18. The DIAPHRAGM is the strong wall of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. By moving downward, it creates suction in the chest to draw in air and expand the lungs.

19. The smallest subdivisions of the bronchial tubes are called BRONCHIOLES, at the end of which are the air sacs or alveoli (plural of alveolus).

20. The ALVEOLI are the very small air sacs that are the destination of air breathed in. The CAPILLARIES are blood vessels that are imbedded in the walls of the alveoli. Blood passes through the capillaries, brought to them by the PULMONARY ARTERY and taken away by the PULMONARY VEIN. While in the capillaries the blood gives off carbon dioxide through the capillary wall into the alveoli and takes up oxygen from the air in the alveoli.

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

#19

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Jan 6, 2008 4:43 pm
Subject: Smokeless Tobacco: Tips on How to Stop

master_of_ph...

Offline

Smokeless Tobacco: Tips on How to Stop

An article by:- Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie

Why is it hard to quit using smokeless tobacco?

Like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco (snuff or chewing tobacco) contains nicotine, a very addictive substance that causes changes in the way you think and act. If you are addicted to nicotine, you crave the "buzz" you get from using smokeless tobacco, and you have to use more and more to get the effect you want.

Smokeless tobacco puts more nicotine into your bloodstream than cigarettes do. This is one reason why people who chew or dip tobacco regularly may think that quitting smokeless tobacco is even harder than quitting cigarette smoking.

Using smokeless tobacco might also be a habit for you when you're in certain situations or with certain people. For example, you may always chew tobacco when you go to a sporting event or when you watch TV. It can be hard to break this pattern of behavior.

However, many smokeless tobacco users have quit successfully � and so can you. Your family doctor can help you quit.

Why is it important for me to quit using smokeless tobacco?

The use of any tobacco product has both immediate and long-term effects on your health and overall well-being. Smokeless tobacco stains and wears down your teeth, causes your gums to recede (peel back) and produces mouth sores. Bad breath is also a common problem. Over time, the use of smokeless tobacco can cause mouth cancer. Nicotine from smokeless tobacco also raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and can make it more likely that you will have a heart attack.

It is important for you to have your own reasons for wanting to quit using smokeless tobacco. In addition to health effects, you may be concerned about saving money or setting a good example for family members and friends. Write down your reasons for wanting to quit using smokeless tobacco. Then keep your list in places where you can see it often during your efforts to quit.

What can I do to get ready to quit using smokeless tobacco?

Set a date to quit and stick to it. Choose a date 2 to 4 weeks from today. Quitting can be hard, so develop a plan that works for you. Prepare yourself for quitting by identifying the times when you will want smokeless tobacco the most. Plan to avoid those situations or to have tobacco substitutes with you (such as sunflower seeds or chewing gum). Get rid of all your chewing tobacco or snuff before your quit date. Start cutting down now on the amount you chew or dip.

Get support from your family, friends and doctor. Even better, have a friend or family member who uses smokeless tobacco stop chewing or dipping at the same time that you do. Studies have shown that people who have the support of family and friends are more successful at quitting. Your doctor may also be able to recommend a support program that might help you quit.

What can I use to replace smokeless tobacco?

Talk to your doctor about whether nicotine gum or another nicotine replacement product is right for you. Generally, people who use 3 or more tins or pouches a week, people who use smokeless tobacco within 30 minutes after they wake up, and people who usually swallow tobacco juice when they chew or dip benefit most from nicotine replacement.

Find an oral substitute for smokeless tobacco that you enjoy. This may be sugarless gum, hard candy, beef jerky or sunflower seeds. Don't substitute cigarette smoking for smokeless tobacco. Stop using all tobacco products.

Find activities to do when you want to chew or dip. Many people chew or dip when they are bored. Instead, take a walk or a quick jog, lift weights, take a hot shower to relax, or do any activity you enjoy that will keep your mind off smokeless tobacco.

What if I slip up and start using smokeless tobacco again?

This is normal. Learn from your slip! Think about what you can do to avoid that situation next time. Plan ways to handle things without going back to using smokeless tobacco.

Once you quit, congratulate yourself. You've worked hard! Celebrate beating the habit by using the money you would have spent on smokeless tobacco to buy yourself a present or do something that you enjoy.

#18

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Jan 6, 2008 4:32 pm
Subject: Smoking: Steps to Help You Break the Habit

master_of_ph...

Offline

Smoking: Steps to Help You Break the Habit

An article by:- Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie

Why does it seem so hard to stop smoking?

Smoking causes changes in your body and in the way you act. The changes in your body are caused by an addiction to nicotine. The changes in the way you act developed over time as you bought cigarettes, lit them and smoked them. These changes have become your smoking habit.

When you have a smoking habit, many things seem to go along with having a cigarette. These might include having a cup of coffee or an alcoholic drink, being stressed or worried, talking on the phone, driving, socializing with friends or wanting something to do with your hands.

Immediate reasons to stop

Bad breath and stained teeth
Bad smell in clothes and hair and on skin
Lower athletic ability
Cough and sore throat
Faster heartbeat and raised blood pressure
Risk of second-hand smoke to people around you
Cost of smoking

Long-term reasons to stop

Toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke
Risk of lung cancer and many other types of cancer
Risk of heart disease
Serious breathing problems
Time lost working or having fun because you're sick
Wrinkles
Risk of stomach ulcers and acid reflux
Risk of gum disease
Risk of damage to babies of pregnant women who smoke
Setting a bad example for your children

How can I stop smoking?

You'll have the best chance of stopping if you do the following:

Get ready.
Get support and encouragement.
Learn how to handle stress and the urge to smoke.
Get medication and use it correctly.
Be prepared for relapse.
Keep trying.

How should I get ready to stop smoking?

Set a stop date 2 to 4 weeks from now so you'll have time to get ready. Write down your personal reasons for stopping. Be specific. Keep your list with you so you can look at it when you feel the urge to smoke.

To help you understand your smoking habit, keep a diary of when and why you smoke. Using information from this diary, you and your doctor can make a plan to deal with the things that make you want to smoke.

Just before your stop date, get rid of all of your cigarettes, matches, lighters and ashtrays.

How can I get support and encouragement?

Tell your family and friends what kind of help you need. Their support will make it easier for you to stop smoking. Also, ask your family doctor to help you develop a plan for stopping smoking. He or she can give you information on telephone hotlines, such as 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669), or self-help materials that can be very helpful. Your doctor can also recommend a stop-smoking program. These programs are often held at local hospitals or health centers.

Give yourself rewards for stopping smoking. For example, with the money you save by not smoking, buy yourself something special.

What about stress and my urges to smoke?

You may have a habit of using cigarettes to relax during stressful times. Luckily, there are good ways to manage stress without smoking. Relax by taking a hot bath, going for a walk, or breathing slowly and deeply. Think of changes in your daily routine that will help you resist the urge to smoke. For example, if you used to smoke when you drank coffee, drink hot tea instead.

What will happen when I stop smoking?

How you feel when you stop depends on how much you smoked, how addicted your body is to nicotine and how well you get ready to stop smoking. You may crave a cigarette or feel hungrier than usual. You may feel edgy and have trouble concentrating. You also may cough more at first, and you may have headaches.

These things happen because your body is used to nicotine. They are called nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms are strongest during the first few days after you stop smoking, but most go away within a few weeks.

What about nicotine replacement products or medicine to help me stop smoking?

Nicotine replacement products are ways to take in nicotine without smoking. These products come in several forms: gum, patch, nasal spray, inhaler and lozenge. You can buy the nicotine gum, patch and lozenge without a prescription from your doctor. Nicotine replacement works by lessening your body's craving for nicotine and reducing withdrawal symptoms. This lets you focus on the changes you need to make in your habits and environment. Once you feel more confident as a nonsmoker, dealing with your nicotine addiction is easier.

Prescription medicines such as bupropion SR (one brand name: Zyban) and varenicline (brand name: Chantix) helps some people stop smoking. These medicines do not contain nicotine, but help you resist your urges to smoke.

Talk to your doctor about which of these products is likely to give you the best chance of success. For any of these products to work, you must carefully follow the directions on the package. It's very important that you don't smoke while using nicotine replacement products.

Will I gain weight when I stop smoking?

Most people gain a few pounds after they stop smoking. Remember that any weight gain is a minor health risk compared to the risks of smoking. Dieting while you're trying to stop smoking will cause unnecessary stress. Instead, limit your weight gain by having healthy, low-fat snacks on hand and being physically active.

What if I smoke again?

Don't feel like a failure. Think about why you smoked and what you can do to keep from smoking again. Set a new stop date. Many ex-smokers did not succeed at first, but they kept trying.

The first few days after stopping will probably be the hardest. Just remember that even one puff on a cigarette can cause a relapse, so don't risk it.

#14

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Tue Jan 1, 2008 1:53 am
Subject: Re: I am trying to find some things out!

master_of_ph...

Offline

--- In muslimpharmacistsassociation@yahoogroups.com, "kelly" <mary_ring42@...> wrote:
>
> im trying to find out more on spina bifida and adotion and invetro im
> trying to find out if spina bifida can be given to some ones kid from
> them and what all dose it do to some one and adoption im trying to
> find out how to do it and invetroo dose a women have to have her tubs
> undone or not to have it done and if not how much dose it coast to
> have it done
>

Reply & Answer by Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie:-

Introduction to Spina Bifida

Spina bifida is a defined as any abnormal development of the bones of the spine that display a typical pattern, with or without the involvement of the brain, nerves or covering of the nerves (meninges). It is the most common congenital spine abnormality. The term spina bifida covers a range of malformations that always include deformities of certain parts of the vertebrae, the spinous process and vertebral arch. Some have described this process as a failure of these bones to fuse during early fetal development.

spina bifida, anatomical black and white drawing indicating where deformity
occurs

Most common locations are the lower thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine. The cause behind this congenital malformation is not well understood. Data suggests that genetic factors play a predominant role, but nutritional and environmental factors may also contribute to the development of spina bifida.

Classification

Spina bifida is broken down into two categories: spina bifida occulta and open spina bifida. These subtypes are distinguished by the absence or presence of nerves, fluid that surrounds the nerves (CSF), and the meninges that are included within the deformity. See Table 1.

Table 1. Types of Spina Bifida

Type	Description	Incidence	Examples
Spina bifida occulta	Bony abnormality seen by x-ray Nerves may be involved when associated with skin changes or hairy patch	Relatively common (5-10% of general population)	Figure 1
Open spina bifida	Usually seen at birth Bony abnormality plus involvement of nerves, CSF, or meninges	About 10% of all patients with spina bifida	Figures 2 and 3

Diagnosis

Since there is no opening to the skin, spina bifida occulta can only be seen on x-ray or MRI. Certain clinical findings such as dimpling of the skin or a hairy patch at the base of the spine may trigger further investigation by a physician.

Underlying spinal nerve abnormalities can be seen in these situations. There is inconclusive evidence that this type of deformity is related to back pain, scoliosis, or nighttime bed-wetting. A large study showed that in patients not complaining of back pain, almost 20% had uncomplicated spina bifida occulta. If you have an abnormality on an x-ray, it does not always mean that this is causing your pain.

The diagnosis of open spina bifida is usually made at birth or during prenatal ultrasound screening. It accounts for about 10% of all patients with spina bifida. There can be a mass outside the body at the base of the spine containing nerves (myelomeningocele) or the nerves may be absent in the mass (meningocele). Usually the deformity is covered with a thin membrane (spina bifida cystica), or it can be open to the environment (spina bifida aperta) and drainage of spinal fluid is seen.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for occult spina bifida if the abnormality is limited to the bone. Usually these deformities are found at the last lumbar vertebrae (L5) or at the first sacral vertebrae (S1). However, deformities of the spine can lead to degenerative changes later in life that may require intervention.

Open spina bifida and underlying spinal abnormalities associated with occult spina bifida are treated by a neurosurgeon. The goal of surgery is to preserve the nerves, restore the normal anatomy, and close the defect. This delicate surgery is carefully performed under magnification while using special monitors to help identify the nerves. Surgery will help to reduce the risk of infection (meningitis) and reduce the progression of long-term disability.

Considerations for patients and their families

The diagnosis of spina bifida may be devastating for the parents of these children. The neurosurgeon's role not only includes operative management but also education. Children born with a myelomeningocele (Figure 2) have a 90% chance of survival. Furthermore, they have an 80% chance of normal intelligence and around an 85% chance of walking with or without assistance. Long-term problems include: short stature, lack of leg development, scoliosis, and bowel and bladder difficulties.

There are many other conditions closely associated with open spina bifida. Approximately 80 to 90% of patients will develop hydrocephalus (increase in the size of the fluid filled spaces in the brain). This can be treated effectively, using a shunt (plastic tube under the skin from the brain to the abdomen) in the early stages of development. Children may have many other abnormalities, throughout their body, which must be recognized. Several medical and surgical specialties will contribute to the overall care of these children during their entire lives. It is essential to maintain a support network, not only for the patient, but also the family, in order to provide optimal outcomes for all patients with spina bifida.

Children with Spina Bifida Live with Daily Challenges

Linnea Winters is a very bright, outgoing third grader, with interests that might seem pretty typical for an average 8-year-old. She loves to read books, enjoys riding her bike and scooter, playing basketball, and most recently, has started violin lessons. An annual highlight is the Father/Daughter Ball, which Linnea has attended for the last five years, dancing the night away with her dad, Phil. Linnea has a lot of fun, despite the fact that she is living with a physical condition that challenges her every day. It is because of her good nature, tenacity, and support of her family and neurosurgeon, Monica Wehby, MD, that she has been able to live as normal a life as possible.

Linnea was born on June 9, 1997, with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and club feet. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), there are currently an estimated 70,000 Americans living with spina bifida. Brenda and her husband Phil went for genetic counseling prior to her first pregnancy, because Brenda had a brother who died from a neural tube defect, just shortly after birth. They were told that there was just a 1 to 2 percent risk of having a baby with this birth defect. Their firstborn child Ethan was fine. Brenda took folic acid for three months prior to and throughout her pregnancy, a preventative measure that is recommended for women of childbearing age. The second time around, however, Brenda and Phil were told the shattering news about their unborn baby's condition, 18 � weeks into her pregnancy, detected by ultrasound.

Spina bifida occurs during the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy when a portion of the fetal spinal cord fails to properly close. As a result, the child is born with a part of the spinal cord exposed on the back. Although scientists believe that genetic and environmental factors may act together to cause spina bifida, 95 percent of babies with spina bifida are born to parents with no family history.

Linnea underwent her first surgery as a newborn at Emanuel Children's Hospital in Portland, Ore. Dr. Wehby closed up Linnea's back when she was 3-hours old, followed by a shunt when she was 2-days-old, to treat her hydrocephalus. About 80 to 90 percent of children with spina bifida are born with or develop hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up within the ventricles (fluid-containing cavities) of the brain and may increase pressure within the head. "Most of these children require a ventricular shunt to control the build-up of spinal fluid. The shunt will remain in place throughout the individual's life, but usually needs to be replaced several times. Linnea has had two shunt revisions, at age 7 months and age 4," said Dr. Wehby.

At age 5, Linnea underwent surgery for tethered spinal cord. At birth, the spinal cord is normally located opposite the disc between the first and second lumbar vertebrae in the upper part of the lower back. In a baby with spina bifida, the spinal cord is still attached to the surrounding skin, preventing it from ascending normally, so the spinal cord is low-lying or tethered. Although the skin is separated and closed at birth, the spinal cord stays in the same location after the closure. As the child continues to grow, the spinal cord can become stretched, causing damage and interfering with the blood supply to the spinal cord, which can lead to a variety of physical problems.

Things are not always easy for Linnea, her parents, or her older brother Ethan, who is 13. "When she first realized that she was different, which was about age 4 1/2, she cried often because she was sad that she was born with a hole in her back. I told her that I was sad too, but that I loved her and was glad that she was my daughter. I told her that being sad did not change anything; she still had to take her medicine or have surgery because life goes on," recalled Brenda.

"I will never forget what the physical therapist told us when Linnea was 6-weeks-old that she would never sit-up, roll-over, crawl or walk, let alone run. Linnea wears ankle-foot orthotics, as do many children with spina bifida, but she is remarkably coordinated. When Linnea expresses disappointment about not being as fast as the other kids in gym class or on the playground, I tell her that I am glad that she does these things anyway, and that this is a miracle that we should be thankful for," said Brenda.

Linnea has faced her fears and shared details about her condition with her class. "There are more people at my school finding out that I have spina bifida. They are coming up to me once they find out who I am and telling me that they know and don't really care if I have spina bifida. They say they accept me for who I am and think I am just the same as they are," said Linnea. Fortunately, with proper medical care, many children with spina bifida can lead active and productive lives. With recent advancements in medical care for these children, the outlook continues to improve.

Women of childbearing age can reduce their risk of having a child with spina bifida by taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, whether they are planning a pregnancy or not. Research has shown that if all women of childbearing age took a multivitamin with the B-vitamin folic acid, the risk of neural tube defects could be reduced by up to 70 percent.

Prevention

Doctors and scientists have found that folic acid can help to prevent spina bifida. It is recommended that all women of childbearing years as well as those women planning to become pregnant should take at least 0.4 mg of folic acid from at least one month before conception, and at least 1 mg of folic acid during at least the first three months of pregnancy. Women who have already had a baby with spina bifida or other type of neural tube defect should take extra folic acid - 4mg/day. As yet it is unknown how or why folic acid helps to prevent spina bifida.

Sources of folic acid include: Whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, dried beans, leaf vegetables, fruits.

Links / Resources:-

For more information, please visit the Spina Bifida Association of America at www.sbaa.org or any of the following sites:-

Domestic Links

Able Project
Provides a network where people with disabilities and their loved ones can effortlessly research, compare, locate and obtain mobility and assistive products.

Baby Center Information
A complete on line resource for new and expectant parents.

Birth Defect Web Site
Provides parents and expectant parents with information about birth defects and support services for their children.

Centers for Disease Control Birth Defect Prevention
CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.

Children With Spina Bifida
A resource page for parents.

Disability Network
An information highway for the disabled and their families. You will find support from others as well as helpful and entertaining links for Adults and Children.

Disabled Women With Crutches
An online community for women.

Easter Seals
Easter Seals' mission has always been to provide services for people with disabilities and their families in their local communities.

Families and Advocates - Partnerships for Education
Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) aims to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links families to information about IDEA.

Family Friendly Fun and Special Needs
Family Friendly Fun offers family fun and family health resources to enhance the quality of family life for families with disabilities and special needs.

Family Voices
Family Voices is a national, grassroots clearinghouse for information and education concerning the health care of children with special health needs.

Genetic Alliance
Genetic Alliance increases the capacity of genetic advocacy groups to achieve their missions and leverages the voices of millions of individuals and families living with genetic conditions.

HIPAA / IHCRP
The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute has written a consumer guide for getting and keeping health insurance for each state and the District of Columbia. These Consumer Guides are available at this web site and are updated periodically.

The Hydrocephalus Association
Hydrocephalus Association provides support, education and advocacy for individuals, families and professionals. The association tries to help families and individuals dealing with the complex issues of hydrocephalus.

Institute on Community Integration
Institute on Community Integration tries to improve the community services and social supports available to individuals with developmental disabilities and other disabilities throughout the United States.

Kids' Camps
KidsCamps.com is the Internet's most comprehensive summer camp resource guide and online camp directory of day camps, overnight camps, special needs camps, sport camps, special interest camps, art camps, music camps, family camps, camps for rent/lease, and more!

Latex Allergy Association
American Latex Allergy Association has designed this website to help connect you with educational materials, support groups, publications and product information to assist you with your understanding of natural rubber latex allergy.

Latex Allergy Links
Latex Allergy Links is a comprehensive, up-to-date listing of latex allergy-related sites on the Internet.

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. We carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies' lives.

Maternal/Child Health Coalition
The Coalition works to strengthen the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance maternal and child health in the greater Kansas City area.

Micronutrient Initiative (MI)
The Micronutrient Initiative (MI) is a not-for-profit organization specializing in addressing micronutrient malnutrition.

MO Developmental Disabilities Resource Center
MO Developmental Disabilities Resource center Serves all Missourian's free of charge as the main source for information on disability and related topics, and provides connections to community supports.

National Birth Defects Prevention Network
The National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) is a group of individuals involved in birth defects surveillance, research, and prevention.

National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.
NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning, and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities.

National Center on Physical Activity and DisabilityHere's the descriptor text: The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from participating in regular physical activity.

The National Council On Folic Acid
The National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) is a partnership of over 80 national organizations and associations, state folic acid councils and government agencies whose mission is to improve health by promoting the benefits and consumption of folic acid.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
The NINDS conducts and supports research on brain and nervous system disorders. NINDS is one of the more than two dozen research institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
NORD is dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them. NORD is committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and service.

National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)
The National Veterans Legal Services Program veterans service organization assist veterans and their advocates through education, advocacy, litigation, training advocates who represent veterans, and publications.

Pain and Spina Bifida
Pain Issues for Persons with Spina Bifida is a place for anyone who is affected by spina bifida whether its a child or adult with spina bifida, a parent of a child with spina or family & friends of someone who has spina bifida and is experiencing pain problems.

Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free.

Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

Parents with Disabilities Online
Provides information, support and resources to parents with disabilities since 1996. It's the Internet's One-Stop Resource for Parents with Disabilities.

The SB Center Message Boards
SB Center and message board.

Spina Bifida Central
Spina Bifida Central is a place to find support and share experiences.

Spina Bifida from the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
Definitions from the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities.

The Spinal Cord Information Network
The UAB conducts research to improve upon and maintain a cost-effective comprehensive service delivery system from the moment of injury across the lifespan of persons who sustain spinal cord injury.

World Congress and Exposition on Disabilities
The world's leading disability event, is committed to improving the lives of those with disabilities, their families and caregivers, physicians, allied healthcare professionals, educators and adapted physical education specialists and everyone working within the disability community.

School & Camp Links

German Links

German Association for Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus
German Spina Bifida Association.

Italian Links

Che cos' la spina bifida La spina bifida o mielomeningocele una malformazione del sistema nervoso dovuta alla mancata chiusura del tubon.
Italian Association.

CHI SIAMO APISB una associazione regionale nata per iniziativa di un gruppo di genitori di bambini affetti da spina bifida (mielomeningoce).
Information in Italian about Spina bifida.

Ecco alcuni indirizzi internet collegati alla spina bifida FAISBI (Federazione delle Associazioni Italiane Spina Bifida e Idrocefalo) Develo.
Italian Spina Bifida Federation.

International Links

Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus ASBAH
A national organisation providing information and advice about spina bifida and hydrocephalus to individuals, families and carers.

Disability Net
Information, products and services for people with disabilities.

IFHSB - International Foundation of Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida
The International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) is the world-wide umbrella organisation (NGO) for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus created in 1979 by national organisations of people with these impairments and their parents.

Indian Spina Bifida Association
Indian Spina Bifida Association

Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Northern Alberta
Northen Alberta Spina Bifida Association.

Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario (SBHAO)
Ontario Spina Bifida Association.

Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Quebec
Quebec Spina Bifida Association.

Spina Bifida: de "open rug" Spina Bifida of open rug is een ingewikkeld probleem, waarbij het niet alleen gaat om een sluitingsdef.
Netherland Spina Bifida Information.

Swiss Federation of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Swedish Spina Bifida Association.

All the questions in this topic was answered by Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie...

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#13

From: "kelly" <mary_ring42@...>
Date: Tue Jan 1, 2008 1:10 am
Subject: trying to fpnd some things out

mary_ring42

Offline

im trying to find out more on spina bifida and adotion and invetro im
trying to find out if spina bifida can be given to some ones kid from
them and what all dose it do to some one and adoption im trying to
find out how to do it and invetroo dose a women have to have her tubs
undone or not to have it done and if not how much dose it coast to
have it done

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#12

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:20 pm
Subject: Tetanus

master_of_ph...

Offline

Tetanus

Clostridium tetani

Tetanus, a bacterium commonly found in soil, dust and manure, although it can survive anywhere. Unlike diphtheria, tetanus is not a contagious disease. Tetanus bacteria enter the body through cuts in the skin. Once infected, it can take anywhere from three to twenty-one days for symptoms to appear. Common tetanus symptoms include headache, crankiness, and spasms of the jaw muscles (often referred to as lockjaw).

The tetanus bacteria can create a toxin in the body, causing muscle spasms in the neck, arms, legs, and stomach as the toxin spreads throughout the body. Particularly in children, these muscle spasms can be so powerful that they can break bones. A person infected with tetanus may become so ill that they are placed in intensive care for several weeks. Although there are only about fifty cases of tetanus each year in the US, the fatality rate is thirty percent. Source: Parents Guide to Childhood Immunization, NIP Publications.

Tetanus Symptoms & Lockjaw

Tetanus enters the body through many kinds of wounds�from a pinprick to a deep wound. It can take as little as 2 days or as long as 3 months for a Tetanus infection to set in. Once Tetanus is inside the bloodstream, the oxygen-free environment allows the bacteria to grow, resulting in severe muscle spasms.

Tetanus symptoms include headache, sweating, fever, difficulty in swallowing, and stiffness of the jaw (lockjaw) and abdominal muscles. Lockjaw is the most dangerous symptom because it can lead to death by suffocation.

Tetanus Facts: How is it Spread?

Tetanus occurs when dust or dirt comes in contact with an open wound. This is the only way the disease can be spread; you cannot catch Tetanus from another person. Most people who are infected with Tetanus are injured while performing outdoor activities (eg, farming or gardening). Tetanus is more than rusty nails�it can be caused by many types of punctures, including cuts, scrapes, scratches, splinters, body piercings, animal bites, tattoos, injection drug use, lacerations, and postsurgical wounds. Tetanus typically occurs in people who are under-immunized or inadequately immunized.

#11

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:50 am
Subject: Re: One of The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran, The Miracle of Iron...

master_of_ph...

Offline

--- In muslimpharmacistsassociation@yahoogroups.com,
"master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...> wrote:
>
>
> Description: The Quran seems to imply that the iron was something
> "sent down" and not from this earth, an idea not foreign to 20th
> century science.
>
>
> Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Quran. In the chapter
> known Al-Hadeed, meaning Iron, we are informed:
>
> "And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and
> which has many uses for mankind�" (Quran 57:25)
>
> The word "anzalna," translated as "sent down" and used for iron
> in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to
> explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take
> into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being
> physically sent down from the sky, as this word usage had not been
> employed in the Quran except literally, like the descending of the
rain
> or revelation, we realize that this verse implies a very significant
> scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have
disclosed
> that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer
> space.[1] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5147>
>
> Not only the iron on earth, but also the iron in the entire Solar
> System, comes from outer space, since the temperature in the Sun is
> inadequate for the formation of iron. The sun has a surface
temperature
> of 6,000 degrees Celsius, and a core temperature of approximately 20
> million degrees. Iron can only be produced in much larger stars than
the
> Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When
> the amount of iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no
> longer accommodate it, and it eventually explodes in what is called a
> "nova" or a "supernova." These explosions make it possible for iron to
> be given off into space.[2]
> <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5148>
>
> One scientific source provides the following information on this
> subject:
>
> "There is also evidence for older supernova events: Enhanced levels
> of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications
> that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years of the sun
> about 5 million years ago. Iron-60 is a radioactive isotope of iron,
> formed in supernova explosions, which decays with a half life of 1.5
> million years. An enhanced presence of this isotope in a geologic
layer
> indicates the recent nucleosynthesis of elements nearby in space and
> their subsequent transport to the earth (perhaps as part of dust
> grains)."[3] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5149>
>
> All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried
from
> Supernovas, and was "sent down," as stated in the verse. It is clear
> that this fact could not have been known in the 7th century, when the
> Quran was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Quran,
the
> Word of God, Who encompasses all things in His infinite knowledge.
>
> The fact that the verse specifically mentions iron is quite
astounding,
> considering that these discoveries were made at the end of the 20th
> century. In his book Nature's Destiny, the well-known microbiologist
> Michael Denton emphasizes the importance of iron:
>
> "Of all the metals there is none more essential to life than iron.
> It is the accumulation of iron in the center of a star which triggers
a
> supernova explosion and the subsequent scattering of the vital atoms
of
> life throughout the cosmos. It was the drawing by gravity of iron
atoms
> to the center of the primeval earth that generated the heat which
caused
> the initial chemical differentiation of the earth, the outgassing of
the
> early atmosphere, and ultimately the formation of the hydrosphere. It
is
> molten iron in the center of the earth which, acting like a gigantic
> dynamo, generates the earth's magnetic field, which in turn creates
> the Van Allen radiation belts that shield the earth's surface from
> destructive high-energy-penetrating cosmic radiation and preserve the
> crucial ozone layer from cosmic ray destruction�
>
> "Without the iron atom, there would be no carbon-based life in the
> cosmos; no supernovae, no heating of the primitive earth, no
atmosphere
> or hydrosphere. There would be no protective magnetic field, no Van
> Allen radiation belts, no ozone layer, no metal to make hemoglobin [in
> human blood], no metal to tame the reactivity of oxygen, and no
> oxidative metabolism.
>
> "The intriguing and intimate relationship between life and iron,
> between the red color of blood and the dying of some distant star, not
> only indicates the relevance of metals to biology but also the
> biocentricity of the cosmos�"[4]
> <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5150>
>
> This account clearly indicates the importance of the iron atom. The
fact
> that particular attention is drawn to iron in the Quran also
emphasizes
> the importance of the element.
>
> Moreover, iron oxide particles were used in a cancer treatment in
recent
> months and positive developments were observed. A team led by Dr.
> Andreas Jordan, at the world famous Charit� Hospital in Germany,
> succeeded in destroying cancer cells with this new technique developed
> for the treatment of cancer�magnetic fluid hyperthermia (high
> temperature magnetic liquid). As a result of this technique, first
> performed on the 26-year-old Nikolaus H., no new cancer cells were
> observed in the patient in the following three months.
>
> This method of treatment can be summarized as follows:
>
> 1. A liquid containing iron oxide particles is injected into the
tumour
> by means of a special syringe. These particles spread throughout the
> tumour cells. This liquid consists of thousands of millions of
> particles, 1,000 times smaller than the red blood corpuscles, of iron
> oxide in 1 cm3 that can easily flow through all blood vessels. [5]
> <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5151>
>
> 2. The patient is then placed in a machine with a powerful magnetic
> field.
>
> 3. This magnetic field, applied externally, begins to set the iron
> particles in the tumour in motion. During this time the temperature in
> the tumour containing the iron oxide particles rises by up to 45
> degrees.
>
> 4. In a few minutes the cancer cells, unable to protect themselves
from
> the heat, are either weakened or destroyed. The tumour may then be
> completely eradicated with subsequent chemotherapy.[6]
> <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftn5152>
>
> In this treatment it is only the cancer cells that are affected by the
> magnetic field, since only they contain the iron oxide particles. The
> spread of this technique is a major development in the treatment of
this
> potentially lethal disease. Iron has also been found to be a cure for
> people suffering from anemia. In the treatment of such a widespread
> diseases, the use of the expression "iron in which there lies great
> force and which has many uses for mankind" (Quran, 57:25) in the
> Quran is particularly noteworthy. Indeed, in that verse, the Quran may
> be indicating the benefits of iron even for human health. (God knows
> best.)
>
> Footnotes:
> [1] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5147> Dr.
Mazhar
> U. Kazi, 130 Evident Miracles in the Qur'an (New York, USA: Crescent
> Publishing House: 1998), 110-111; and
> www.wamy.co.uk/announcements3.html, from Prof. Zighloul Raghib
> El-Naggar's speech.
>
> [2] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5148> Ibid.
>
> [3] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5149> Priscilla
> Frisch, "The Galactic Environment of the Sun," American
> Scientist, January-February 2000,
>
www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/21173?fulltext=tr\
\
> ue.
>
> [4] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5150> Michael
J.
> Denton, Nature's Destiny (The Free Press: 1998), 198.
>
> [5] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5151>
>
www.inm-gmbh.de/cgi-bin/frame/frameloader.pl?sprache=en&url=http://www.i\
\
> nm-gmbh.de/htdocs/technologien/highlights/highlights_en.htm.
>
> [6] <http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/562/#_ftnref5152>
> "Nanotechnology successfully helps cancer therapies," IIC Fast Track,
> Nanotech News from Eastern Germany, Industrial Investment Council,
> October 2003; www.iic.de/uploads/media/NANO_FT_Nov2003_01.pdf
>




       I AM SORRY FOR THE ERROR DUE TO THE LOST LETTER "n" IN THE WORD
"Iron" IN THE TITLE OF THE SUBJECT...It is just a typing error, please
forgive me all.

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#10

From: "Prof. Dr. Amgad Mohammed Rabie Hamed Mohammed Fouda" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:41 am
Subject: The Quran on Human Embryonic Development

master_of_ph...

Offline

One of The Scientific Miracles of the Holly Quran is:-

The Quran on Human Embryonic Development

Description: The miracle of embryonic development is mentioned in the Quran in such minute detail, much of which was unknown to scientists until only recently. It mentions the first stages of life after conception, the second stage of life after conception, and witnesses of scientists about these scientific facts of the Quran.

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about the stages of man's embryonic development:

"We created man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)�" (Quran 23:12-14)

Literally, the Arabic word alaqah has three meanings: (1) leech, (2) suspended thing, and (3) blood clot.

In comparing a leech to an embryo in the alaqah stage, we find similarity between the two[1] as we can see in figure 1. Also, the embryo at this stage obtains nourishment from the blood of the mother, similar to the leech, which feeds on the blood of others.[2]

Figure 1: Drawings illustrating the similarities in appearance between a leech and a human embryo at the alaqah stage. (Leech drawing from Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 37, modified from Integrated Principles of Zoology, Hickman and others. Embryo drawing from The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 73.)

The second meaning of the word alaqah is "suspended thing." This is what we can see in figures 2 and 3, the suspension of the embryo, during the alaqah stage, in the womb of the mother.

Figure 2: We can see in this diagram the suspension of an embryo during the alaqah stage in the womb (uterus) of the mother. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 66.)

Figure 3: In this photomicrograph, we can see the suspension of an embryo (marked B) during the alaqah stage (about 15 days old) in the womb of the mother. The actual size of the embryo is about 0.6 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore, 3rd ed., p. 66, from Histology, Leeson and Leeson.)

The third meaning of the word alaqah is "blood clot." We find that the external appearance of the embryo and its sacs during the alaqah stage is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage[3] (see figure 4). Also during this stage, the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week.[4] Thus, the embryo at this stage is like a clot of blood.

Figure 4: Diagram of the primitive cardiovascular system in an embryo during the alaqah stage. The external appearance of the embryo and its sacs is similar to that of a blood clot, due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo. (The Developing Human, Moore, 5th ed., p. 65.)

So the three meanings of the word alaqah correspond accurately to the descriptions of the embryo at the alaqah stage.

The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah stage. The Arabic word mudghah means "chewed substance." If one were to take a piece of gum and chew it in his or her mouth and then compare it with an embryo at the mudghah stage, we would conclude that the embryo at the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance. This is because of the somites at the back of the embryo that "somewhat resemble teethmarks in a chewed substance."[5] (see figures 5 and 6).

Figure 5: Photograph of an embryo at the mudghah stage (28 days old). The embryo at this stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance, because the somites at the back of the embryo somewhat resemble teeth marks in a chewed substance. The actual size of the embryo is 4 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 82, from Professor Hideo Nishimura, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.)

Figure 6: When comparing the appearance of an embryo at the mudghah stage with a piece of gum that has been chewed, we find similarity between the two.

A) Drawing of an embryo at the mudghah stage. We can see here the somites at the back of the embryo that look like teeth marks. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 79.)

B) Photograph of a piece of gum that has been chewed.

How could Muhammad, may God praise him, have possibly known all this 1400 years ago, when scientists have only recently discovered this using advanced equipment and powerful microscopes which did not exist at that time? Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using an improved microscope in 1677 (more than 1000 years after Muhammad). They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature preformed human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital tract.[6]

Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore[7] is one of the world's most prominent scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology and is the author of the book entitled The Developing Human, which has been translated into eight languages. This book is a scientific reference work and was chosen by a special committee in the United States as the best book authored by one person. Dr. Keith Moore is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. There, he was Associate Dean of Basic Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and for 8 years was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy. In 1984, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has directed many international associations, such as the Canadian and American Association of Anatomists and the Council of the Union of Biological Sciences.

In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Moore said: "It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God."[8] (To view the RealPlayer video of this comment click here).

Consequently, Professor Moore was asked the following question: "Does this mean that you believe that the Quran is the word of God?" He replied: "I find no difficulty in accepting this."[9]

During one conference, Professor Moore stated: "....Because the staging of human embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah (what Muhammad, may God praise him, said, did, or approved of). The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge. The intensive studies of the Quran and hadeeth (reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad's companions of what he said, did, or approved of) in the last four years have revealed a system for classifying human embryos that is amazing since it was recorded in the seventh century A.D. Although Aristotle, the founder of the science of embryology, realized that chick embryos developed in stages from his studies of hen's eggs in the fourth century B.C., he did not give any details about these stages. As far as it is known from the history of embryology, little was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason, the descriptions of the human embryo in the Quran cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only reasonable conclusion is: these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad from God. He could not have known such details because he was an illiterate man with absolutely no scientific training."[10] (View the RealPlayer video of this comment).

Footnotes:

[1] The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

[2] Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 36.

[3] Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, pp. 37-38.

[4] The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 65.

[5] The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

[6] The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 9.

[7] Note: The occupations of all the scientists mentioned in this web site were last updated in 1997.

[8] The reference for this saying is This is the Truth (videotape). For a copy of this videotape, please visit www.islam-guide.com/truth.htm

[9] This is the Truth (videotape).

[10] This is the Truth (videotape). For a copy, see footnote no. 9.

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:47 am
Subject: The Seven Earths

master_of_ph...

Offline

One of The Scientific Miracles of The Prophet Muhammad Sayings is The Miracle of The Seven Earths.

Description: The seven layers of the earth which scientists have recently discovered was eluded to by Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago.

A simple image of Earth and the interior layers. Windows to the Universe, at (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). �1995-1999, 2000 The Regents of the University of Michigan; �2000-05 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad is the second revealed source of Islam. Like the Quran, it contains scientific information unavailable 1400 years ago. From these miracles is the "seven" earths, mentioned by the Prophet in several of his sayings. From them are the following two:

Hadith 1

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Salamah that a dispute arose between him and some other people (about a piece of land). When he told Aisha (the Prophet's wife) about it, she said, `O Abu Salamah! Avoid taking the land unjustly, for the Prophet said:

"Whoever usurps even one span of land of somebody, its depth through the seven earths will be collared to his neck." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, `Book of Oppression.')

Hadith 2

Salim narrated on the authority of his father that the Prophet said:

"Whoever takes a piece of land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, `Book of Oppression.')

The aforementioned hadith prohibits oppression in general, especially the taking of a piece of land belonging to others unjustly. What are the seven earths they refer to?

Studies in geology have proven that the earth is composed of seven zones, identified from the inner to the outer layers as follows:

(1) The Solid Inner Core of Earth: 1.7% of the Earth's mass; depth of 5,150 - 6,370 kilometers (3,219 - 3,981 miles)

The inner core is solid and unattached to the mantle, suspended in the molten outer core. It is believed to have solidified as a result of pressure-freezing which occurs to most liquids when temperature decreases or pressure increases.

(2) The Liquid Outer core: 30.8% of Earth's mass; depth of 2,890 - 5,150 kilometers (1,806 - 3,219 miles)

The outer core is a hot, electrically conducting liquid within which convective motion occurs. This conductive layer combines with Earth's rotation to create a dynamo effect that maintains a system of electrical currents known as the Earth's magnetic field. It is also responsible for the subtle jerking of Earth's rotation. This layer is not as dense as pure molten iron, which indicates the presence of lighter elements. Scientists suspect that about 10% of the layer is composed of sulfur and/or oxygen because these elements are abundant in the cosmos and dissolve readily in molten iron.

(3) The "D" Layer: 3% of Earth's mass; depth of 2,700 - 2,890 kilometers (1,688 - 1,806 miles)

This layer is 200 to 300 kilometers (125 to 188 miles) thick and represents about 4% of the mantle-crust mass. Although it is often identified as part of the lower mantle, seismic discontinuities suggest the "D" layer might differ chemically from the lower mantle lying above it. Scientists theorize that the material either dissolved in the core, or was able to sink through the mantle but not into the core because of its density.

(4) Lower Mantle: 49.2% of Earth's mass; depth of 650 - 2,890 kilometers (406 -1,806 miles)

The lower mantle contains 72.9% of the mantle-crust mass and is probably composed mainly of silicon, magnesium, and oxygen. It probably also contains some iron, calcium, and aluminum. Scientists make these deductions by assuming the Earth has a similar abundance and proportion of cosmic elements as found in the Sun and primitive meteorites.

(5) Middle Mantle (Transition region): 7.5% of Earth's mass; depth of 400 - 650 kilometers (250-406 miles)

The transition region or mesosphere (for middle mantle), sometimes called the fertile layer, contains 11.1% of the mantle-crust mass and is the source of basaltic magmas. It also contains calcium, aluminum, and garnet, which is a complex aluminum-bearing silicate mineral. This layer is dense when cold because of the garnet. It is buoyant when hot because these minerals melt easily to form basalt which can then rise through the upper layers as magma.

(6) Upper Mantle: 10.3% of Earth's mass; depth of 10 - 400 kilometers (6 - 250 miles)

The upper mantle contains 15.3% of the mantle-crust mass. Fragments have been excavated for our observation by eroded mountain belts and volcanic eruptions. Olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3 have been the primary minerals found in this way. These and other minerals are refractory and crystalline at high temperatures; therefore, most settle out of rising magma, either forming new material or never leaving the mantle. Part of the upper mantle called the asthenosphere might be partially molten.

(7) Lithosphere

Oceanic crust: 0.099% of Earth's mass; depth of 0-10 kilometers (0 - 6 miles)

The rigid, outermost layer of the Earth comprising the crust and upper mantle is called the lithosphere. The oceanic crust contains 0.147% of the mantle-crust mass. The majority of the Earth's crust was made through volcanic activity. The oceanic ridge system, a 40,000-kilometer (25,000 mile) network of volcanoes, generates new oceanic crust at the rate of 17 km3 per year, covering the ocean floor with basalt. Hawaii and Iceland are two examples of the accumulation of basalt piles.

This image shows a cross section through the earth's crust and upper mantle showing lithosphere plates (made of the crust layer and the top part of the mantle) moving over the asthenosphere (upper mantle). Windows to the Universe, at (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). �1995-1999, 2000 The Regents of the University of Michigan; �2000-05 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Continental crust: 0.374% of Earth's mass; depth of 0-50 kilometers (0 - 31 miles)

The continental crust contains 0.554% of the mantle-crust mass. This is the outer part of the Earth composed essentially of crystalline rocks. These are low-density buoyant minerals dominated mostly by quartz (SiO2) and feldspars (metal-poor silicates). The crust (both oceanic and continental) is the surface of the Earth; as such, it is the coldest part of our planet. Because cold rocks deform slowly, we refer to this rigid outer shell as the lithosphere (the rocky or strong layer).

This image shows the divisions of the Earth's interior into 7 layers. (Adapted from Beatty, 1990).

Conclusion

The layers of the earth coincide with the above mentioned hadith of the Prophet. The miracle is in two matters:

(1) The expression of the hadith, `He will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection,' indicates the stratification of these "earths" around one center.

(2) The accuracy with which the Prophet of Islam referred to the seven inner layers of earth.

The only way for a desert dweller to have known these facts 1400 years ago is through revelation from God.

References

Beatty, J. K. and A. Chaikin, eds. The New Solar System. Massachusetts: Sky Publishing, 3rd Edition, 1990.

Press, Frank and Raymond Siever. Earth. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 1986.

Prof. Dr. Amgad Rabie. Horizons. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2005.

El-Najjar, Zaghloul. Treasures In The Sunnah: A Scientific Approach: Cairo, Al-Falah Foundation, 2004.

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:30 am
Subject: One of The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran, The Miracle of Iron...

master_of_ph...

Offline

Description: The Quran seems to imply that the iron was something "sent down" and not from this earth, an idea not foreign to 20th century science.

Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Quran. In the chapter known Al-Hadeed, meaning Iron, we are informed:

"And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind�" (Quran 57:25)

The word "anzalna," translated as "sent down" and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being physically sent down from the sky, as this word usage had not been employed in the Quran except literally, like the descending of the rain or revelation, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer space.[1]

Not only the iron on earth, but also the iron in the entire Solar System, comes from outer space, since the temperature in the Sun is inadequate for the formation of iron. The sun has a surface temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, and a core temperature of approximately 20 million degrees. Iron can only be produced in much larger stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and it eventually explodes in what is called a "nova" or a "supernova." These explosions make it possible for iron to be given off into space.[2]

One scientific source provides the following information on this subject:

"There is also evidence for older supernova events: Enhanced levels of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years of the sun about 5 million years ago. Iron-60 is a radioactive isotope of iron, formed in supernova explosions, which decays with a half life of 1.5 million years. An enhanced presence of this isotope in a geologic layer indicates the recent nucleosynthesis of elements nearby in space and their subsequent transport to the earth (perhaps as part of dust grains)."[3]

All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from Supernovas, and was "sent down," as stated in the verse. It is clear that this fact could not have been known in the 7^th century, when the Quran was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Quran, the Word of God, Who encompasses all things in His infinite knowledge.

The fact that the verse specifically mentions iron is quite astounding, considering that these discoveries were made at the end of the 20th century. In his book Nature's Destiny, the well-known microbiologist Michael Denton emphasizes the importance of iron:

"Of all the metals there is none more essential to life than iron. It is the accumulation of iron in the center of a star which triggers a supernova explosion and the subsequent scattering of the vital atoms of life throughout the cosmos. It was the drawing by gravity of iron atoms to the center of the primeval earth that generated the heat which caused the initial chemical differentiation of the earth, the outgassing of the early atmosphere, and ultimately the formation of the hydrosphere. It is molten iron in the center of the earth which, acting like a gigantic dynamo, generates the earth's magnetic field, which in turn creates the Van Allen radiation belts that shield the earth's surface from destructive high-energy-penetrating cosmic radiation and preserve the crucial ozone layer from cosmic ray destruction�

"Without the iron atom, there would be no carbon-based life in the cosmos; no supernovae, no heating of the primitive earth, no atmosphere or hydrosphere. There would be no protective magnetic field, no Van Allen radiation belts, no ozone layer, no metal to make hemoglobin [in human blood], no metal to tame the reactivity of oxygen, and no oxidative metabolism.

"The intriguing and intimate relationship between life and iron, between the red color of blood and the dying of some distant star, not only indicates the relevance of metals to biology but also the biocentricity of the cosmos�"[4]

This account clearly indicates the importance of the iron atom. The fact that particular attention is drawn to iron in the Quran also emphasizes the importance of the element.

Moreover, iron oxide particles were used in a cancer treatment in recent months and positive developments were observed. A team led by Dr. Andreas Jordan, at the world famous Charit� Hospital in Germany, succeeded in destroying cancer cells with this new technique developed for the treatment of cancer�magnetic fluid hyperthermia (high temperature magnetic liquid). As a result of this technique, first performed on the 26-year-old Nikolaus H., no new cancer cells were observed in the patient in the following three months.

This method of treatment can be summarized as follows:

1. A liquid containing iron oxide particles is injected into the tumour by means of a special syringe. These particles spread throughout the tumour cells. This liquid consists of thousands of millions of particles, 1,000 times smaller than the red blood corpuscles, of iron oxide in 1 cm3 that can easily flow through all blood vessels. [5]

2. The patient is then placed in a machine with a powerful magnetic field.

3. This magnetic field, applied externally, begins to set the iron particles in the tumour in motion. During this time the temperature in the tumour containing the iron oxide particles rises by up to 45 degrees.

4. In a few minutes the cancer cells, unable to protect themselves from the heat, are either weakened or destroyed. The tumour may then be completely eradicated with subsequent chemotherapy.[6]

In this treatment it is only the cancer cells that are affected by the magnetic field, since only they contain the iron oxide particles. The spread of this technique is a major development in the treatment of this potentially lethal disease. Iron has also been found to be a cure for people suffering from anemia. In the treatment of such a widespread diseases, the use of the expression "iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind" (Quran, 57:25) in the Quran is particularly noteworthy. Indeed, in that verse, the Quran may be indicating the benefits of iron even for human health. (God knows best.)

Footnotes:

[1] Dr. Mazhar U. Kazi, 130 Evident Miracles in the Qur'an (New York, USA: Crescent Publishing House: 1998), 110-111; and www.wamy.co.uk/announcements3.html, from Prof. Zighloul Raghib El-Naggar's speech.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Priscilla Frisch, "The Galactic Environment of the Sun," American Scientist, January-February 2000, www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/21173?fulltext=true.

[4] Michael J. Denton, Nature's Destiny (The Free Press: 1998), 198.

[5] www.inm-gmbh.de/cgi-bin/frame/frameloader.pl?sprache=en&url=http://www.inm-gmbh.de/htdocs/technologien/highlights/highlights_en.htm.

[6] "Nanotechnology successfully helps cancer therapies," IIC Fast Track, Nanotech News from Eastern Germany, Industrial Investment Council, October 2003; www.iic.de/uploads/media/NANO_FT_Nov2003_01.pdf

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From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:08 am
Subject: Egyptian Pharmacists

master_of_ph...

Offline

Some links of Egyptian Pharmacists Societies...

Pharmaceutical Society of Egypt

42 Kasr-El-Aini Street
Cairo
EGYPT
Telephone: +20-2-3659047


Fax: +20-2-3628426





Syndicate of Pharmacists in the Arab Republic of Egypt

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Cairo
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Telephone: +20-2-3558394


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From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:00 pm
Subject: Muslim medical students get picky ...

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Sunday, October 07, 2007

Muslim medical students get picky

7 October 2007
Times on Line
Daniel Foggo and Abul Taher

Some Muslim medical students are refusing to attend lectures or
answer exam questions on alcohol-related or sexually transmitted
diseases because they claim it offends their religious beliefs.
Some trainee doctors say learning to treat the diseases conflicts
with their faith, which states that Muslims should not drink alcohol
and rejects sexual promiscuity.
A small number of Muslim medical students have even refused to treat
patients of the opposite sex. One male student was prepared to fail
his final exams rather than carry out a basic examination of a female
patient.
The religious objections by students have been confirmed by the
British Medical Association (BMA) and General Medical Council (GMC),
which both stressed that they did not approve of such actions.
It will intensify the debate sparked last week by the disclosure that
Sainsbury's is permitting Muslim checkout operators to refuse to
handle customers' alcohol purchases on religious grounds. It means
other members of staff have to be called over to scan in wine and
beer for them at the till.

  Critics, including many Islamic scholars, see the concessions as a
step too far, and say Muslims are reneging on their professional
responsibilities.
This weekend, however, it emerged that Sainsbury's is also allowing
its Muslim pharmacists to refuse to sell the morning-after pill to
customers. At a Sainsbury's store in Nottingham, a pharmacist named
Ahmed declined to provide the pill to a female reporter posing as a
customer. A colleague explained to her that Ahmed did not sell the
pill for "ethical reasons". Boots also permits pharmacists to refuse
to sell the pill on ethical grounds.
The BMA said it had received reports of Muslim students who did not
want to learn anything about alcohol or the effects of
overconsumption. "They are so opposed to the consumption of it they
don't want to learn anything about it," said a spokesman.
The GMC said it had received requests for guidance over whether
students could "omit parts of the medical curriculum and yet still be
allowed to graduate". Professor Peter Rubin, chairman of the GMC's
education committee, said: "Examples have included a refusal to see
patients who are affected by diseases caused by alcohol or sexual
activity, or a refusal to examine patients of a particular gender."
He added that "prejudicing treatment on the grounds of patients'
gender or their responsibility for their condition would run counter
to the most basic principles of ethical medical practice". Shazia
Ovaisi, a GP in north London, said one of her male Muslim
contemporaries at medical school failed to complete his training
because he refused to examine a woman patient as part of his final
exams.
"He was academically gifted, one of the best students, but gradually
he got in with certain Islamic groups and started to become more
radical," said Ovaisi.
"You could see there was a change in his personality as time went by.
During the final exams he was supposed to treat a female patient in
hospital. He refused to do it, even though it would have been a very
basic examination, nothing intrusive.
"But he refused and as a result he failed his exams. I was quite
shocked and disappointed about it because I don't see there being
anything in our religion that prohibits us from examining male and
female patients."
Both the Muslim Council of Britain and Muslim Doctors and Dentist
Association said they were aware of students opting out but did not
support them.
Dr Abdul Majid Katme, of the Islamic Medical Association, said: "To
learn about alcohol, to learn about sexually transmitted disease, to
learn about abortion, it gives us more evidence to campaign against
it. There is a difference between learning and practising.
"It is obligatory for Muslim doctors and students to learn about
everything. The prophet said, `Learn about witchcraft, but don't
practise it'."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article2603966.ece

Posted by elnaar at 4:59 PM

Labels: Abdul Majod Katme, British Medical Association (BMA), General
Medical Council (GMC), Islamic Medical Association, Muslim Council of
Britain, Muslim Doctors and Dentist Association

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:32 pm
Subject: ADHD Myths and Facts

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With all the information about ADHD out there, it's hard to tell
what's factual and what's incorrect. But understanding what's true
and what's not is a helpful component of your child's total treatment
program. Below, you'll find some quick facts that may answer some of
your questions or change false impressions you have about ADHD.


In the United States, ADHD is diagnosed in approximately 8%-10% of
the school-age population.


Boys are more often diagnosed with ADHD than girls. Research
indicates that many girls with ADHD have predominantly inattentive
type symptoms, which are not as easily noticed. Therefore, girls with
ADHD are less likely to be diagnosed or treated.


Parenting and discipline styles do not cause ADHD. However, parental
involvement in treatment (behavioral management strategies and/or
medications) can help manage ADHD symptoms.


Children with ADHD have difficulty attending to most tasks for
extended periods of time. But they can concentrate on things that are
interesting and stimulating, such as computer games.


Most children with ADHD can succeed in regular classrooms with the
help of parents and teachers who use techniques such as positive
reinforcement, organizational and study skills, and instructional
aides.


Stimulant medications help about 70% of those with ADHD improve many
of the symptoms of ADHD by helping them increase focus and ability to
control their own behavior.


About 30%-80% of children with the disorder will continue to have
ADHD symptoms into adolescence.



NEXT STEPS:
In Support for Parents, we offer tools and information
A comprehensive approach

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:28 pm
Subject: Long-Term ADHD Treatment Considerations

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One of the concerns parents of a child with ADHD may have is the long-
term outcome of continued ADHD medication therapy. This is an
understandable and legitimate concern for any parent. Remember, your
doctor is your best resource for any questions or concerns you may
have.


Safety in the long term
Dr. Timothy Wilens of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard
Medical School in Boston, along with several of his colleagues,
published results of a study concerning the use of CONCERTA� in 407
children, ages 6-13, for up to two years. The results showed that
CONCERTA� was safe when used as a long-term ADHD therapy.

Children with ADHD who were enrolled in the study received CONCERTA�
(18-54 mg initially, with dosing adjustments based on any clinical
conditions) over a two-year period. In general, treatment with
CONCERTA� was well tolerated.

The doctor will monitor your child for potential side effects,
including changes in height and weight.



NEXT STEPS:
Get tips to help out in the ADHD household
Learn more about the safety profile of CONCERTA�

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:26 pm
Subject: Treatment Options and Medications for ADHD

master_of_ph...

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Parents have many questions regarding different treatment options
for ADHD. You will find information below in a question/answer
format. If you have additional questions about other ADHD treatment
options, you can also review the Doctor Discussion Guide in
the "Seeing Success" fulfillment kit, or write your other questions
down and bring them with you to your child's next doctor visit. A
doctor is best qualified to help you decide what is right for you and
your child.


How do ADHD medications work?
It is believed that ADHD is caused by either a lower level, or an
imbalance, of chemicals, called neurotransmitters. These
neurotransmitters communicate with one another all day long, and
regulate a child's attention, organization and decision-making. It is
thought that ADHD medications restore the balance, or level, of these
neurotransmitters, leading to many behavioral and academic
improvements.


Which ADHD symptoms do stimulant medications treat?
Although there is no cure for ADHD, stimulant medications, like
CONCERTA�, tend to increase a person's attention span, improve focus,
and decrease distractibility. They make it easier to stop and think
about the consequence of a behavior. Research has also shown that
stimulant medications improve parent-child interactions, classroom
attention and academic performance in children with ADHD. Stimulant
medications (or any medications for that matter) won't teach someone
a new behavior; however, they will allow a person with ADHD to focus
on a new skill or new learning.


What about alternative ADHD therapies? Do they work just as well as
medications?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) periodically issues a set of
treatment guidelines for the treatment of ADHD and reviews them on an
ongoing basis. The guidelines recommend a total treatment program
(that includes stimulant medication combined with behavior
modification therapy) as a first-line therapy. If you have heard
about other ADHD interventions, you should ask your child's doctor
about these ideas.


How often does my child have to take his or her medication?
There is a different dosing schedule for those children who take
short-acting stimulant medications and those who are prescribed long-
acting stimulant medications. It's important to know the difference
between the two kinds.
Short-acting stimulant medications
A dose of traditional stimulant medications, or immediate-release
medications, treats ADHD symptoms for a short period of time (three
or four hours). Therefore, treatment with short-acting stimulant
medications has typically involved dosing up to three times a day to
maintain the improvement. Taking medications several times a day can
result in "highs and lows" of the medication level in the
bloodstream. In addition, taking ADHD medication in the middle of the
day can lead to some embarrassment, (i.e., departing for the school
nurse office, other peers knowing) which can inhibit a child from
taking his or her medication during school.

Long-lasting stimulant medications
Once-daily ADHD medications have the social benefit of eliminating
any potential embarrassment of having to take medications during the
school day. These medications are designed to be taken once a day, in
the morning.



CONCERTA� was the first once-daily ADHD medication that eliminated
the need for multiple dosing. In order to offer consistent release
throughout the day, CONCERTA� was designed to minimize peaks and
valleys in blood levels often experienced with the short-acting
stimulants, or immediate-release medications.



CONCERTA�, last through 12 hours, covering the school day and evening
activities such as homework.



What about ADHD medication on weekends and holidays, even summer?
In most cases, ADHD not only affects a child's school life, but life
outside of school as well. ADHD can impair a child's ability to
focus, make decisions and interact with others every day, including
weekends and holidays. ADHD medication should be taken as prescribed
by your child's doctor.


How can I tell if my child's ADHD medication is working?
Stimulant medication, like CONCERTA�, should improve disruptive and
hyperactive behaviors, as well as your child's ability to focus and
attend to tasks. Pay attention to the effect of your child's
medication on these symptoms, and report your findings to your
child's doctor. This information can be documented in your symptom
tracking sheets. Also, talk to the doctor about any side effects you
notice as well as any other medications your child is taking. Your
child's doctor will use this information, along with a rating scale,
or reports from others, to adjust the medication for your child's
specific symptoms.



NEXT STEPS:
CONCERTA� Center of Attention� provides information, tools and
resources to get your ADHD comprehensive treatment program underway
A comprehensive approach

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:22 pm
Subject: Symptoms of ADHD

master_of_ph...

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It's hard to know whether your child's overactivity and inattention
are normal for his or her age, or if there is a problem that needs to
be addressed. That's why a medical evaluation is imperative,
especially because it can help rule out other possible explanations
for your child's symptoms, such as a hearing problem. Certain
questions will be asked during the medical evaluation, such as, "Are
these behaviors excessive, long-term, and do they occur more often
than in other children the same age? Are they a continuous problem,
not just a response to a temporary situation? Do the behaviors occur
in several settings, or only in one specific place, like the
playground or in the schoolroom?"

If you suspect ADHD, and notice the following patterns consistently,
consider getting a medical evaluation when:


Your child's inattention or hyperactivity causes significant problems
at home and at school, and is not due to a recent crisis or
significant routine change.
Your child has a persistently high activity level that interferes
with relationships or causes personal injury or injury to others.


Three Basic Subtypes of ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD fall into three basic subtypes. Read this list
to help explain your child's symptoms to your child's doctor.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive type
Your child may fidget, talk excessively, run around at inappropriate
times and frequently disrupt class. Perhaps school personnel or other
adults-even peers-notice that your child "blurts out answers in
class," "takes action before thinking" or makes rash decisions. These
symptoms characterize a child who has difficulty with
hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Predominantly Inattentive type
Your child is often observed as "not paying attention," "making
careless mistakes," "not listening," "not finishing tasks" and "not
following directions." Often, it appears as if your child is
unusually or easily distracted.

Combined type
This subtype applies when your child shows six (or more) symptoms of
hyperactivity-impulsivity and six (or more) symptoms of inattentive
type ADHD.


Remember, for an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms are persistent and present
in a number of settings-at home, in school or during extracurricular
activities.

If you are concerned your child may have ADHD, your next step is to
schedule an evaluation by a doctor. If your child is diagnosed with
ADHD, you and your doctor should work together to treat the
condition, so the whole family can look forward to ADHD management
success.

NEXT STEP:
Treatment options and medications for ADHD

From: "master_of_pharmacists2" <master_of_pharmacists2@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:07 pm
Subject: About ADHD

master_of_ph...

Offline

If you are looking for a better understanding of Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), this page may help.

ADHD is a real, and manageable, medical condition that affects
millions of children and adolescents. ADHD is not a discipline
problem and definitely not a myth.


What science has taught us about ADHD
Everyday, millions of brain cells (or neurons) communicate with one
another using chemicals (called neurotransmitters). However, messages
relating to emotion, behavior, thinking and attention are generated
by two specific neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and dopamine. The
belief is that these specific neurotransmitters may affect ADHD.
Whether there's an imbalance or an impairment of these
neurotransmitters is unclear, and continues to be the subject of
medical research.

ADHD medications are thought to influence the balance of
norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, which helps to improve the
chemical communication between all neurotransmitters. And while it's
still not known precisely how ADHD medications correct the balance,
it's not unusual for researchers to continually examine until it is
fully understood.


How you might identify ADHD
You should not assume that a child has ADHD because of a few low
grades or bursts of excitability every now and then. In fact, ADHD
symptoms are persistent and present in multiple settings-whether it's
home, school or during extracurricular activities.

Some signs, however, may indicate that ADHD could be the reason for
your child's behavior. Be aware of:


Concerns from multiple sources (a babysitter, parents of your child's
friends, a teacher or coach) that your child's inattention or
hyperactive behavior is causing significant disturbance
A persistently high activity level that affects others or causes
injury
Changes in your child's emotion and activity level that are not a
result of a recent family crisis or alteration in routine


How a medical professional determines ADHD
First and foremost: a proper ADHD diagnosis must come from a medical
professional. Your child's doctor or psychologist will make an ADHD
diagnosis based on established medical criteria.


How to confirm it is ADHD
If you are concerned your child may have ADHD, your next step is to
schedule an evaluation by a doctor. If your child is diagnosed with
ADHD, you and your doctor should work together to treat the
condition. Research indicates that a successful ADHD treatment
program combines medication with a behavioral modification program.
Talk to your doctor about treatment options and get the whole family
behind your plan.


To learn more
Learn how the CONCERTA� Center of Attention� Program may help your
child.


NOTE:
To meet an ADHD diagnosis, six or more of the diagnostic symptoms
established by professionals must have been present for at least 6
months to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for the
child's developmental level. Your child's doctor will review your
concerns and discuss the diagnostic criteria with you during the
appropriate office visit.



NEXT STEPS:
Learn more about the symptoms of ADHD
Find out more about the facts on ADHD
Get more information on the CONCERTA� Center of Attention� Program