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What are varicose veins? For those who imagine the only concern is aesthetic: They are veins that are not transporting adequate quantities of blood back to the heart. Because the valves in the two deep veins in each leg are not closing correctly. This in turn can be because the bore of these veins has become enlarged beyond the norm of about 5 mm. This can result in arterial hypotension (low blood pressure). If the heart receives inadequate blood, the consequences can be serious. [According to a medical researcher, Dr Micozzi, writing several years ago, more U.S. citizens die from hypotension than hypertension. The reason he gives is that patients on drugs for hypertension return to their doctor for a renewed prescription and some doctors issue the prescription without checking whether the patient's blood pressure has fallen to normal.] The venous system is designed to leak a certain proportion of its blood plasma to the lymphatic system, which bathes the body's cells, bringing them needed nutrients and carrying away their metabolic waste products. The blood plasma is leaked out through capillaries of a bore too small to accept cellular matter, such as red and white blood cells. When blood tends to stagnate in the veins it can exert excess pressure in the lower legs and feet, causing excess leakage of blood plasma and lymphoedema. Lymphoedema manifests itself as swollen feet and ankles, and if it persists for too long it can give rise to cripplingly painful venous ulcers, which are very difficult to heal and can persist for years. Despite their name, these ulcers weep principally lymph, sometimes mixed with blood. Treating the deep veins, using silicone stents, may be the more effective way to deal with varicose ulcers, if things have deteriorated to this stage. Killing off the superficial veins by sclerotherapy is cheaper than surgical stripping, but requires more visits over a longer period; since it deliberately causes blood clotting, and must therefore by done little by little. Not all the clotted blood can be removed, but as much as possible is sucked out later with a hypodermic syringe.

Also found: https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/2332-acupuncture-for-macular-degeneration-improves-vision

Have known of this site for some years, but just revisited it and found this: https://healingtheeye.com/PDF/reversing_armd.pdf

Amalgam fillings should be replaced. But only by a dentist experienced in the procedures and precautions. Otherwise can make things worse. Far worse. Have x-rays done AFTER the operation to ensure all traces of amalgam have been removed. Tiny amounts are said to also cause problems. Appearance of amalgam fillings is meaningless. Mercury gasses out and accumulates in the body. The body can to some degree detox itself of heavy metals but this is very slow and varies from person to person. Had mine done by the Grace Dental Clinic in Chiang Mai in 2006, on recommendation of the Pakua Clinic, Tao Garden. Replacement fillings are still with me. I believe non-amalgam fillings are of more than one kind. Check it out. According to recent hair analysis my current mercury level (as per what is being excreted in the hair) is extremely low.

This post caught my attention because of macular degeneration and the potential link to copper deficiency. Macular degeneration began in my case nearly twenty years ago after being poisoned. Of course this could be due to having then attained the age of 60. However aging and poisoning (general weakening of immune system and digestive capacities) are, to my mind, linked. Severe copper (and selenium) deficiencies were revealed by a recent spectroscopic analysis of my hair: which also showed excessive levels of aluminium and arsenic. Despite my, occasionally, taking a copper supplent (and sometimes eating Brazil nuts). A web-search for a link between copper deficiency and heavy metals has not produced much evidence. So far only this, from a research paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2024.1408159/full "Many of these functions … are crucially dependent on copper including mitochondrial respiration, antioxidant defense, iron metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis and vascular function" … "Copper imbalance can act twofold, firstly in excess as a cell stressor that can induce cuproptosis …, and in deficiency in the loss of function of critical cuproenzymes that affect respiration and normal neuronal functioning." … "In this regard the most notable risk factors seem to be related with contamination of food or water sources with plant and algal toxins, and also HEAVY METALS …, all of which either enhance protein aggregation or interact with copper or cuproproteins in a detrimental manner." … "A recent review that included over 258 studies has identified ß-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), formaldehyde, mercury, manganese and zinc as key contributors to ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis] risk in descending order of association …. Other studies indicate herbicides and pesticides that include paraquat, permethrin and glyphosate as being associated risk factors." Note that manganese and zinc are both essential for human health. It is when they are regularly in excess that they depress copper levels. Also perhaps pertinent to copper deficiency https://www.buoyhealth.com/learn/copper-deficiency#symptoms "Copper is integral to the body's processing of iron. Iron is necessary for red blood cell production. Thus, this can have widespread effects, such as: Anemia: Low red blood cell counts that do not improve with iron supplementation. Frequent infections: This is due to low white blood cell counts (neutropenia)." In the recent past blood analysis has shown me deficient in both red and white blood cells. But recently I was informed that my red blood cell count is normal. [Although I am sceptical of official "norms", which tend to be adjusted to reflect the most recent population averages, where overall health of western populations is declining]

He is unqualified only on the criteria of the pharmaceutical industry, which are determined by profitability, not effectiveness to heal (nor to prevent harm). In the interests of public health one must hope that the industry's deep pockets will not decide the issue.

Excellent suggestions in your post. But here are several things to avoid in so far as possible (shall not go into details which can be found by web-search): Fluoride: Causes calcification of the pineal gland. Sodium fluoride is added to some municipal water supplies, found in many toothpastes, etc. If you are a habitual tea-drinker you probably get more than enough of the natural calcium fluoride, which, in parts of India where it is in excess, can cause skeletal deformation. Aluminium: A slowly accumulative brain poison Generally harmless in its natural forms, tightly bound to silicon. Found widely in commercial flours and bakery products of all kinds as well as such things as non-dairy creamer. And leaches out of aluminium cooking utensils (I cannot forget the pock-marked surfaces of my mother's aluminium saucepans). An additive in vaccines. Mercury: Another brain poison. Evaporates out of amalgam dental fillings. Concentrates in the largest species of carnivorous fish (tuna, shark, etc.) as an end-result of centuries of coal-burning. Released from broken fluorescent lighting. Another additive in vaccines, although recently banned from children's vaccines.

Ask yourself why this room gets so hot. Yes, I understand there is a lack of ventilation, but that does not of itself cause heating, but rather an inability to dissipate heat that is provided most likely by the sun. If there are outside walls facing east or west they will receive sunshine morning and afternoon if there is nothing to provide shade. If there is an outside wall facing south it will receive sunshine throughout the middle of the day, but to a lesser extent mid-year, depending upon the amount of overhang of the roof. I reduced heating of a south facing wall by hanging reflective aluminium-foil insulation over the lower part (not shaded by roof overhang); and over that put some of the green shade-netting designed to protect plants. Not beautiful, but it works and has lasted quite a few years. Now in need of replacement.

Thank you for letting me know. I was treated by the other hospital I mentioned, and it seems they did a good job of correcting the inadequate flow of blood, up the two deep veins in each leg to the heart; as witnessed by an ultrasound scan done at the Bangkok Hospital. My two existing ulcers healed over immediately after the application of silicone stents to reduced their (in places) diameter from an excessive 10 mm to a normal 5 mm. However my lack of any great knowledge on the subject caused me to question the Hospital's desire to remove the many superficial veins in my legs. My understanding (such as it is) is that blood plasma is deliberately leaked from the veins to the lymphatic system through very fine capillaries, too narrow to admit the entry of particles such as red and white blood cells. When the blood in the veins is not flowing correctly back to the heart, its increased weight at the bottom of the legs can cause excessive leakage of blood-plasma into the lymphatic system thus giving rise to swelling [lymphoedema], leading potentially to extremely painful ulcers. These so-called venous ulcers weep not venous blood but lymph. I had lymphoedema for maybe ten years during the hot dry season in Thailand before the first appearance of ulcers (in mid-summer in the south of France). My thrice-repeated query "Will the continued removal of these veins [some had already been removed] impact upon the supply of blood-plasma to the lymphatic system?" met with these responses: 1. Avoidance, by speaking of an unrelated matter; 2. "We must remove many veins"; and 3. "We must remove all the veins." Since my question remained essentially unanswered, I was disconcerted, and sought advice at the Bangkok Hospital. The vein surgeon I saw there told me all the veins in my feet had already been removed, and that no further removal of veins in the legs was necessary. This enabled me to speak firmly to my doctor at the other hospital that I wished no further removal of veins. For information, the method adopted of removing the superficial veins [which I assume exist for a purpose, just as do the appendix, the tonsils, etc.] was to inject some chemical into them that causes them to gum up and die. This can only be done in stages over a prolonged period because of the formation of blood clots. Blood containing only some of the clots thus generated are subsequently sucked out using a hypodermic syringe. The lymphatic system is a vital part of the anatomy, until recently largely neglected by the medical profession. The lymph carries nutrients to the body's cells and carries away their metabolic waste products. On its way to the liver the lymph passes through a series of lymph nodes that do a partial detoxification, the better to protect the liver which effects the final detox. I suspect that many doctors, once they have acquired their professional qualifications, have neither the time nor the inclination to devote themselves to the findings of the latest medical research. I recall how back in the late '70s I took to task a doctor, a friend of the family, about his profession's lack of interest in therapies other than pharmaceuticals, surgery, and radiation. His reply was that when he studied medicine, pre-war, most of the remedies used were natural ones, but now their information came from the pharmaceutical companies.

As regards a request to the SCB to transfer 50K baht out of the country : It could be sent (1) to a personal named account in another country, or (2) to a company's account in another country if an invoice for the exact amount could be provided. Unfortunately, neither of these conditions could be met as the money was intended for a brokerage-type account for investment. And the intended-recipient company required that the money come from the Thai bank account that was designated to be linked to the investment account they provide. As this intended transfer was not for myself, the money could therefore not be routed through my UK bank account. The only possibility, the SCB said, was to apply to The Bank of Thailand for exemption from the rule.

Found this: https://www.easyayurveda.com/2017/02/03/red-chilli-capsicum-annuum-bell-pepper/

Cayenne pepper and paprika are said to derive from the same plant, capsicum annum, but have very different characteristics, at least as regards taste. The former being much spicier. Which may, or may not, reflect in medicinal properties. Ayurvedic medicine makes much use of spices and prescribes how, and when, in what combinations, and for whom different substances should (and should not) be used. Maybe worth investigating. Before attempting a cure or any chronic condition, attention needs to be given to detoxing the emunctory organs. Otherwise things may be made worse.

As mentioned in my earlier post, the assets were sold in 2024. Are you saying that it is the capital gain since the date of acquisition some years earlier that is regarded as assessable income? Or the capital gain since the 31st December 2023?

My impression was wrong. The Department of Work & Pensions pension is the state, not the civil service, pension. It is weird that they penalise the lesser of the two.

I think you are right about the paper trail, i.e. UK bank statements showing receipt from DWP. But should not need to be sent monthly. I have money sent to Thailand as needed. This year just past more has been needed than usual