February 2009

A lot of stories are being circulated on the internet in an attempt to discredit the theory of man-made climate change. Some websites even challenge the conventional greenhouse theories. In the light of this problem, the author has conducted a very simple experiment that hopefully will help to clarify the basic understanding of man-made climate change.

In this experiment, a solar cooker  was used to observe the effects of greenhouse gases on temperature. The purpose of this experiment was to better understand the role of greenhouse gases on climate change.

Procedures

Step 1: Prepare the following materials:

* two metal cans, both of which are painted in black.

* two plastic bags.

* a solar cooker (for example, this one ).

* an infrared thermometer or any other non-contact temperature measuring device.

Step 2: Each metal can is placed in a tightly closed plastic bag. One bag is filled with air and the other bag is filled with predominately carbon dioxide.

Step 3: Use the solar cooker to heat up both cans under sunny and cloudy skies. The experimental setup is shown in the following figure:

 

Figure 1. Experimental setup for proving the role of carbon dioxide on climate change

Step 4. Use the infrared thermometer provided to measure the temperature of the metal cans under sunny and cloudy weathers.

Experimental results under a cloudy sky

The follwing figure shows the temperatures of both metal cans (that is, one enclosed in carbon dioxide and the other enclosed in air) under a cloudy sky.

Before the measurement, both cans have been carefully treated to the same temperature.

As shown in the following figure, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxide were noticably higher.

Figure 2. Temperature of the cans in cloudy weather

Experimental results under a sunny sky

Under a sunny sky, the temperatures of both cans rose up so quickly to the point that I could not manually record the temperature of each can.

Before the experment, both cans were at 36 degree C.

After about 5 minutes, I broke both plastic bags and removed both metal cans from the solar cooker, allowing the metal cans to cool down naturally. At that time, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxde gas reached 95 degree C, while the can enclosed in air reached 85 degree C.

During the cooling phase, I measured the temperature of each can again. The follwing figure shows the temperatures of both cans after being removed from the solar cooker.

As shown in the following figure, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxide were noticably higher.

Figure 3. Temperature of the cans in sunny weather

Concluding remarks

In this experiment, the gases inside each bag act as a greenhouse enclosure. Each black metal can acts as a blackbody radiator that absorbs solar radiations and that radiates predominately infrared light at room temperature. The results of this experiment suggest that greenhouse effects due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide contribute to a noticable heat gain in the blackbody radiator (i.e. the metal can enclosed in carbon dioxide).

In the earth context, the reflective surface of the solar cooker is equivalent to the icy glacier regions of the earth. The black metal can is the non-reflective surface of the earth. The gases inside each bag is our atmosphere. The heat gain in the black metal can as a result of increased carbon dioxide represents global warming (or climate change).

While this experiment may be easy to understand, the implication of the results is stunning. In the Arctic region, the sea ice is supposed to reflect solar radiations. However, it has been reported that, as shown in following figure, the northen hemisphere has experienced significant ice loss over the past few years. According to NASA, the total Arctic sea ice has decreased by 38% since 1979. This suggests that the area of the reflective surface on the northern hemisphere is shrinking, increasing exposing the non-reflective surface that serves as blackbody radiators. Therein, the blackbody radiators include not only the non-reflective surface, but also those surface and undersea volcanoes. Our experimental results have already demonstrated that increase in carbon dioxide level will lead to noticable heat gain in a blackbody radiator. It is not difficult to understand why some parts of the earth experience an unprecedented hot climate.

Figure 4. Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Anomaly (credit due to Arctic Climate Research at the University of Illinois)

The ozone hole over Antarctic has not been patched, while some other regions of our ozone layer have experienced serve ozone loss during the past few years. In the absence of any sunshine, say during the evening time, some heat or other blackbody radiations on the planet lose to outerspace through the broken ozone layer, making some places unprecedentedly cold. However, when the sunshire reappears during the daytime, the solar radiations penetrate through the same thinned regions of the ozone layer, heating up the same places that are bitterly cold during the evening time.

It is important to understand that, at the time of this writing, we are still at a solar minimum. This means any rebound in solar radiations will potentially lead to further ice loss in the polar regions.

It is also important to understand that carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas that contributes to atmospheric greenhouse effects. There are many other more potent greenhouse gases whose concentrations are on the rise as of right now. Methane is one of those. If this trend is to continue, and if the sun refuses to be quiet during the upcoming solar cycle 24, then we will be in deep deep trouble!

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian-restaurant, vegan-restaurant, meat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, egg-free, no-smoking, no-drinking

In China, there was a herbalist called Li Ching-Yuen. He was believed to have lived 256 years. He was also a life-long vegetarian. Records from Professor Wu Chung-chien, dean of the department of Education in Minkuo University, show that Li Ching-Yuen was actually born in 1677 and that Imperial Chinese Government congratulated him on his 150th and 200th birthdays. He died in 1933. During his lifespan, he was reported to have buried 23 wives and had 180 descendents.

Li Ching-yuen was famous not only for his longevity, but also his unusual achievements in Chinese medicine. According to the generally accepted hearsays spread in his province. Li was able to read and write as a child, and by his tenth birthday had traveled in Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. For the first hundred years he continued at this occupation. Then he switched to selling herbs gathered by others. Towards the end of Qing dynasty, he became a scholar in Chinese medicine. He was specially awarded by Imperial Chinese Government for his achievements in Chinese medicine. When he was about 200 years old, he was constantly invited to interview with western scholars and to deliver lectures in universities.

Li Ching-yuen attributed to his longevity and health to the following secrets:

1) Be a life-long vegetarian;

2) Keep peace of mind and be always happy;

3) regularly drink Chinese wolfberry tea.

Domestic and Foreign magazine published his story in the 1950s. In his own account (from an interview in the 1920's) Li Ching-yuen says,

“When I was 139 years old, and before I met my Master, I could still walk and do the power walk, as if I practiced Chinese martial arts. As a result some people thought I might be a deity or an accomplished swordsman.

At the time I thought it was really amusing. I think the reason that I have lived this long and am still perpetually healthy is because nothing has irritated me since I was 40 years old. Because of that, my heart is very calm, peaceful and divinely tranquil. That is why I am free from any illness, and always healthy and happy.

At the age of fifty when I went to a mountain to collect some herbs, I met an elderly man who lived on the secluded mountain. He didn't appear to be a supernormal man, but he took big strides when he walked, as if he was flying in the air. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep up with him. Later, I met him again. I knelt before him and begged for his secret. He gave me some wild fruits and said, “My only secret is that I only eat these fruits.” I took the fruits, and found that they were Chinese Wolfberries. Since then I consumed three qian of Chinese Wolfberries daily (a qian is the weight used to measure Chinese medicine which is equal to five grams). From then on I became healthy and agile. I can walk a hundred li (a li equals half a kilometer) and not feel tired. I became better in strength and stamina than an average person.”

(My comments:

1) It is unclear what makes Chinese wolfberries so different from other plants, except for the fact that Chinese wolfberrries have a very high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). ORAC is the standard test to measure the potency of antioxidants in food. According to scientists at the USDA, eating high-ORAC foods may slow diseases associated with aging (source ). If the link between intake of antioxidant foods and anti-aging is not a myth, then there is no reason why we cannot stay youthful by increasing intake of other high antioxidant foods. High antioixdant foods include:

Item	ORAC Value
Spices, cloves, ground	314,446
Sumac, bran, raw	312,400
Spices, cinnamon, ground	267,536
Sorghum, bran, hi-tannin	240,000
Spices, oregano, dried	200,129
Acai berry, freeze-dried	161,400
Spices, turmeric, ground	159,277
Sorghum, bran, black	100,800
Sumac, grain, raw	86,800
Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened	80,933
Spices, cumin seed	76,800
Maqui berry, concentrated powder	75,000
Spices, parsley, dried	74,349
Sorghum, bran, red	71,000
spices, basil, dried	67,553

(source: http://oracvalues.com/sort/orac-value/ )

2) According to some online sources, however, the herbs which Li recommended to his student were actually ginseng and Hydrocotyle Asiatica. Hydrocotyle Asiatica is also called Gotu Kola. In fact, Indian yogi Nanddo Narian informed his followers that this very same herb contains a vital ingredient that is missing in the general human diet, an ingredient without which it is very difficult to control the rapid decay that leads to premature death. Unlike Chinese wolfberries, Gotu Kola is not easy to find! Chinese wolfberries and Gotu Kola are not the same things, are they?

3) ORAC Scores of Various Fruits/Vegetables:

Item	ORAC Value
Wolf berry	25,300
Prunes	5,770
Blueberries	2,400
Garlic	1,939
Cranberries	1,750
Strawberries	1,540
Spinach	1,260
Yellow Squash	1,150
Alfalfa sprouts	930
Beets	840
Oranges	750
Grapes, Red	739
Grapefruit, pink	495
Grapes, White	460
Beans, Kindey	460
Peas, Frozen	375
Potato	300
Leaf Lettuce	265
Cantaloupe	250
Banana	210
Apple	207
Tomato	195
Pear	110
Watermelon	100
Cucumber	60

)

中國的一位老中醫，李清雲先生，就活了256歲，而他是一位素食主義者！

李清雲出生於1677年，死於1933年，在世256年歲，是清末民國初年的中醫中藥學者，也是世界上著名的長壽老人。在他100歲時（1777 年）曾因在中醫中藥方面的杰出成就，而獲政府的特別獎勵。在他200歲的時候，仍常去大學講學。這期間他曾接受過許多西方學者的來訪。李清雲一生娶過24 個妻子，子孫滿堂。他認為自己健康長壽的原因有三：

1) 是長期素食；

2) 是內心保持平靜、開朗；

3) 是常年將枸杞子煮水當茶飲。

英國、法國及荷蘭的醫學科研工作者們聽到這一消息后，便對枸杞進行了深入研究。他們發現枸杞中含有一種沒見過的維生素，便取名為「維生素X」，也稱之為「駐顏維生素」。經動物實驗証實，維生素X，對人及動物的腦細胞和內分泌腺有激活和新生作用。法國政府為此開始大面積種植並加強研究。

枸杞子含有胡蘿卜素，硫胺素、核黃素、鹽酸、抗壞血酸等多種有益人體的維生素。研究証明，枸杞具有抑制脂肪在纖維內蓄積、促進肝細胞的新生、降低血糖、降低膽固醇等作用。枸杞的「返老還童」作用表現為：可刺激性腺及內分泌腺，增加荷爾蒙的分泌，強化腦細胞和神經細胞的生理功用，還可避免人隨年齡增長而出現血中積存毒素的現象，從而維持休內各組織的正常功能 。

《本草經疏》云：「枸杞子，潤而滋補，兼能退熱，而專於補腎、潤肺、生津、益氣，為肝腎真陰不足，勞乏內熱補益之要藥。老人陰虛者十之七八，故服食家為益精明目之上品。」

《本草匯言》云：「枸杞能使氣可充，血可補，陽可生，陰可長，火可降，風濕可去，有十全之妙用焉。」

《本草通玄》云：「枸杞子，補腎益精，水（腎）旺則骨強，而消渴、目昏、腰疼膝痛無不癒矣。」

《本草正》云：「枸杞，味重而純，故能補陰，陰中有陽，故能補氣。所以滋陰而不致陰衰，助陽而能使陽旺。其功則明耳目，添精因髓，健骨強筋善補勞傷；尤止消渴，真陰虛而臍腹疼痛不止者，多用神效。」

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian-restaurant, vegan-restaurant, meat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, egg-free, no-smoking, no-drinking

This entry is about cooking black rice with a panel solar cooker. Panel solar cooker is not an efficient cooker. But it doesn't cost a fortune either. Like it or not, this example does illustrate the point that we can survive without the supplier of electrcity:

Step 1: Get hold of the required materials. All you need are:

A steal or bamboo steamer

One part of black rice

Two part of water

A black metallic food pot

A high temperature plastic bag or a microwavable box.

A solar oven. 

Figure 1. The required materials other than the solar oven. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 10 Feb 2009)

Step 2. Mix one part of black rice with two parts of water in the black metallic pot.

 

Figure 2. Black rice mixed with water in the black pot. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 10 Feb 2009)

Step 3. Place the black into the high temperature plastic bag or microwavable box.

 

Figure 3. Black pot placed inside the high temperature plastic bag. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 10 Feb 2009)

Step 4. Start cooking at about 11:00.

Figure 4. Cooking started. (Photo taken at around 11:00, 10 Feb 2009)

Step 5. Wait until 2.5 hours later. Enjoy your meal.

Figure 5a. After 2.5 hours, the temperature of the lid was about 105 deg C.

Figure 5a. After 2.5 hours, the rice was ready.

Solar panel cooker is not a efficient cooker. There are better alternatives available. However, its cost is low enough by low income communities around the globe. In the following experiment, we will demonstrate that food stuff can be grilled in a solar panel cooker without a metallic pot.

Method

Step 1: Get hold of the required materials. All you need are:

A steal or bamboo steamer.

A sweet potato.

A sheet of aluminium foil with one side painted in black.

A microwavable box or a high temperature plastic bag.

A solar cooker .

 

Figure 1. The required materials other than solar oven (Photo taken at 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 2. Wrap the sweet potato in blackened aluminium foil. To minimize contamination, it is important not to let the black side of the aluminium foil to touch the sweet potato. The black side of the aluminium foil is designed to absorb infrared radiations and, as such, it should face outwards.

To play safe, the sweet potato can be wrapped in clean foil in the first place, and then wrapped in blackened aluminium foil.

 

Figure 2. Sweet potato to be wrapped in blackened aluminium foil, with the black side faces outwards. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 3. Place the wrapped sweet potato from step 2 into the microwave box (or high temperature plastic bag). Use the steam steamer to support the sweet potato. The microwave box (or high temperature plastic bag) acts as a greenhouse enclosure.

Figure 3. Sweet potato supported by the steamer and enclosed inside the microwave box. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 4. Start solar grilling at around 11:00.

 

Figure 4. Solar grilling at around 11:00. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009. At that time, the starting temperature was about 23 deg C. )

Step 5. Wait until afternoon. Enjoy your meal.

Figure 5a. In two hours, the greenhouse enclosure was filled water vapor, suggesting that sweet potatoes may reach a temperature above 100 deg C.

Figure 5b. Sweet potato fully grilled. (Photo taken at around 14:30, 11 Feb 2009. At that time, the temperature was about 79 deg C. )

Concluding remarks

While this experiment shows how we can enjoy solar cooking without a metal pot, the implication of this experiment is stunning. We have demonstrated the fact that localized heating has been easily achieved as a result of the combined effects of the greenhouse enclosure and the blackbody radiators.

The icy ground in the north pole of this planet is largely reflective. As a reflective layer that reflects the solar radiations to outerspace, the icy ground blocks the solar radiations from penetrating into the ocean bed, thus keeping the toxic gases frozen underneath the ocean. However, the ground and water underneath the ice layer are mostly non-reflective and they can become new blackbody radiators which absorb more sun heat if the ice layer covering them are not there. As of right now, however, the concentration of the greenhouse gases is on the rise to an unprecedented level, whilst the icy areas in the northern hemisphere are shrinking.

Have you ever imaged what will happen in the coming future if the ice cap in the north pole of this planet continues to melt, exposing the non-reflective ground? The ocean bed in the north pole is full of toxic gases. According to a report , the methane gas in Arctic is beginning to bubble to the surface from the ocean bed, thanks to the sun heat that penetrates into the ocean bed. Methane is not the only harmful gas underneath the ocean that is to be released into the atmosphere. If this cycle continues unchecked, a runaway greenhouse effect occurs and the excessive build-up of methane in our atmosphere will sooner or later cause mass extinction. This event is not unprecedented in historical record.

This entry is about cooking chestnuts with a panel solar cooker. Panel solar cooker is not an efficient cooker. But it doesn't cost a fortune either. This example does illustrate the point that we can survive without the supplier of electrcity:

Step 1. Get hold of the required materials. All you need are:

A solar oven 

A steamer

A high temperature plastic bag

A black pot

half pounds of chestnuts

Figure 1 (Photo taken at 10:30am, 5 May 2009)

Step 2. Put 300 cc water into the food pot. Add 1/2 lb raw chestnut. Start solar cooking around 11:30 on a sunny day:

Figure 2. (Photo taken at 11:30am, 5 May 2009)

Step 3. Wait until afternoon and enjoy your meal.

Figure 3a. During the cooking time. (Photo taken at around 12:00, 5 May 2009)

 

Figure 3b: Chestnuts were throughoutly cooked. That is, the total time span is 240 minutes. (Photo taken at 14:30, 5 May 2009)

Figure 3c. Cooked chestnuts. (Photo taken at 14:30, 5 May 2009)

Inspired by Solar International Cooking's Cookit , the following is the method that I have been using to construct my own solar panel cookers for months. The method to be described here is basically the same as the version supplied by Solar International Cooking, with exception that all the round corners of the original version are now replaced with sharp corners.

Like many other solar panel cookers, this one looks deceptively simple and does not cost a lot of money to build. However, its usefulness and efficiency surprise many. We have already used it to grill sweet potatoes with great success.

Many vegetarian meals involve prolonged cooking of grains and beans at a moderate temperature. Most panel cookers do not need a hugh investment to start with, as opposed to other more efficient but less cost-effective counterparts. I believe panel solar cooking is a way to go for those who want to be vegetarian without taxing the environment.

Solar cooking involves no carbon footprint. Panel cookers can be built inexpensively. You can run multiple panel cookers in parallel without incurring additional costs so that you can serve a large group of people. I believe portable panel cooker is a must-have item during the time of disasters. Even in the absence of any disasters, you can extend the idea of solar cooking using panel cookers to other go-green related applications, such as pasteurizing potting soil and solar distillation.

How to assemble and how to use your own solar oven

Step 1: First of all, get hold of the following materials:

Two rolls of adhesive aluminum tape.

One can of black spray paint. (Ideally, the paint should be non-toxic when dry.)

One high temperature plastic bag. (If you can't find one, just buy a glass container or microwavable box)

One piece of 4 feet x 3 feet cardboard paper. (Note: If you cannot find a sheet of cardboard that is bigger enough to cover 3 feet by 4 f feet, you can join several pieces of cardboard paper together in a way to make up the same area.)

One metal food pot (Note: If foot pot is too expensive for you, you substitute it with a sheet of aluminium foil. We will teach you how to cook without a metal pot in next post.)

One steel or bamboo steamer

Step 2: Cut the cardboard according to the solid line of the following plan. (Note that, instead of having round corners in the plan, as was done in the version from Solar International Cooking, I prefer to have sharp corners.):

Figure 1: Solar Oven Plan

Step 3: Cover one side of the sheet of cardboard with adhesive aluminium tape. Then, you are done. What you end up with shouldn't be overly different from the one shown in the following figure. Like it or not, this lousy thing is called a solar oven:

Figure 2: The thing so-called solar oven.

Step 4. Lay the solar oven flat with the shiny side up. Fold the solar oven from step 3 according to the fold lines shown in Figure 1. Close the front flap with clothes pins left and right. The final sharp should look like the following diagram:

  

Figure 3a. Schematic of the Solar oven.

Figure 3b. Photo of the solar oven that we made from scrap cardboard.

Step 5: Blacken the exterior of the food pot with black paint (See the following figure):

Figure 4: Paint the exterior of your food pot with black paint.

Step 6: Put food stuff into the blacken foot pot (see the following figure):

Figure 5: Put food stuff into the pot.

Step 7: Place a steamer into a high temperature plastic bag or glass container. Technically, the high temperature plastic bag or glass container is equivalent to a greenhouse enclosure. The steamer will be used to support the foot pot from step 6 (see the following figure):

Figure 6: Place the steamer into the bag

Step 8: Place the food pot from step 6 into the bag. The food pot should be well supported by the steamer (see the following diagram):

Figure 7: Place the the pot into the bag in a manner that the pot is supported by the steamer.

Step 9: Make sure the bag is filled with air. Now, close the bag with a string (see the following figure):

Figure 8: Close the bag with a string.

Step 10. Place the bag enclosing the foot pot onto the solar oven for cooking. Make sure the solar oven is in the sunny area:

Figure 9a: Final setup --- schematic

Figure 9b: Final setup --- photo

Recently added SMTV Youtube videos:

Since the launch of this blog, I have quoted a lot of literatures on the link between climate change and the ozone layer. This one is another example. The reason is because, I believe, the unprecedented coolness in many places is probably due to leakage of heat on earth through the broken ozone layer. (EDIT: Since the recent volcano eruption in Iceland, I discovered the ambient temperature is more stable than before. It is unclear whether or not this is due to the fact that the sulphur dioxide is shielding the earth surface from the solar UV radiations.

"BALTIMORE, Maryland, February 6, 2009 (ENS) - Increasing greenhouse gases could stall the recovery of stratospheric ozone in some regions of the Earth, according to new research by a team from Johns Hopkins University. The scientists warn that increased rates of skin cancer in those regions might result.

"Darryn Waugh, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, and his colleagues reported Thursday that climate change could provoke variations in the circulation of air in the lower stratosphere in tropical and southern mid-latitudes, including Australia and South America.

"The circulation changes would cause ozone levels in these areas never to return to levels that were present before decline began, even after ozone-depleting substances have been wiped out from the atmosphere.

"In tropical and southern mid-latitudes, Waugh says, "Global warming causes changes in the speed that the air is transported into and through the lower stratosphere. You're moving the air through it quicker, so less ozone gets formed."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE 

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEAD RESEARCHER'S WEBSITE 

Colloidal Silver is a well-known natural antibiotic that can be inexpensively homemade. It is formed by electrolytically pulling microscopic silver particles from a silver electrode into a liquid, such as distilled water. The sizes of these microscopic silver particles are normally less than 100 nanometers so that they remain suspended in the liquid without forming silver ions, or dissolved solution. Because of their ultra-small dimensions, these nano-particles of silver can easily penetrate and travel throughout a human body.

General Track Record of Colloidal Silver

It has been reported that colloidal silver is effective against more than 679 different disease-causing pathogens. Diseases which Colloidal Silver has been used successfully against include (but not limited to): acne, allergies, appendicitis, blood parasites, bubonic plague, burns (colloidal silver is one of the few treatments that can keep severe burn patients alive), cancer, candidasis, cholera, conjunctivitis, diabetes, gonorrhea, hay fever, herpes, leprosy, leukemia, lupus, lymphangitis, Lyme disease, malaria, meningitis, parasitic infections both viral and fungal, pneumonia, rheumatism, ringworm, scarlet fever, septic conditions of the eyes, ears, mouth and throat, shingles, skin cancer, staph infections, strep infections, syphilis, toxemia, trenchfoot, all forms of viruses, warts and stomach ulcer.

University of North Texas has carried out a study that tests a colloidal silver product against a wide range of illness-causing pathogens. Although the study is specific to one colloidal silver product only, its implication convincingly suggests that colloidal silver at 15 ppm or above is chemically effective as an anti-biotic against Staph, Candidas, Salmonella and Psuedomonas [7 ].

The benefits of silver in medicine, and as a purifier have been well acknowledged for centuries. In ancient times, silver containers had been used in Greece, Rome and Vietnam to keep liquids fresh. Around 400 B.C. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, listed as a singular treatment for ulcers “the flowers of silver alone, in the finest powder.” Herodotus describes how the King of Persia carried with him boiled water in silver flagons to prevent sickness. In 69 B.C., silver nitrate was described in the contemporary pharmacopoeia. In 1869, Ravelin reported that silver exerted its germicidal effect at very low concentrations. In 1881, Crede advocated silver to prevent eye infections in newborns, and silver drops were used to prevent gonorrhea of the eye in newborns. In 1920, the microbiological action of silver was determined to be due to the Ag+ ions formed by tarnishing, surface-oxidation, or ionization.

How It Works

Colloidal Silver may be ingested by drinking it in a diluted form. When ingested, it takes one to two days for colloidal silver particles to go to the body cells in an amount sufficient for benefits to begin.

After the silver particles entered the body cells, they reacts with thiol (sulphydryl, SH) groups in the bacterial cell, producing structural change in the cell membranes. Silver particles further penetrate into the bacterial cell, interacting with nucleic acids. These process, in essence, disable the oxygen metabolism enzyme that all one celled bacteria, fungi and viruses use for their oxygen metabolism. Within a few minutes, the pathogen suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems.

Colloidal silver will not remain in the body forever. After three months, it will be eliminated by the kidneys, lymph system and bowel. In general, increasing water intake tends to increase silver elimination through the urine.

Simplest Method of Making Your Own Colloidal Silver

First, prepare the following materials:

three 9-volt batteries,

a glass of distilled water,

two pieces of pure silver wire (.999 fine).

(Note: in the UK, you can buy distilled water from Boots, or Superdrugs, or some other chemists.)

Now, follow the following steps:

1/ Heat up the glass of distilled water to just below the boiling point. The purpose of this step is to improve the conductivity of the distilled water. (This step is optional.)

2/ Clean the silver wires (or silver electrodes) with alcohol.

3/ Insert the silver wires into the distilled water. Placement of wires is not critical, but they must not be touching each other.

4/ Connect a circuit in the following manner:

5/ Wait for about 30 minutes, or until the distilled water becomes slightly yellowish. The yellowish solution is called Colloidal Silver.

Caution: When the final solution turns milky white rather than yellow, the water you use may be mineral water rather than pure distilled water. This situation is very common in the UK, as bottled distilled water is not always available. Do not use mineral water to make colloidal silver. If one has to make colloidal silver out of mineral water, reduce the time duration in step 5, say from 30 minutes to 1 minute.

Caution: If you end up with brown stuff in your colloidal silver solution, this means that you have left the process for too long. The brown stuff is silver oxide.

Caution: Some people end up with a greyish solution at the end of the process. The greyish particles in the solution comes from the unwanted impurities in the silver electrodes. This means that the silver electrodes they use are not 0.999 pure. Do not use impure siliver electrodes because they may contains lead and other impurities which may harm your bodies. Use only the pure 99.99 fine silver electrodes provided.

Caution: Under normal circumstances, the smallest nanoparticles are a clear yellow color. Increases in size lead to amber, brown, and finally a cloudy brownish/green color, which are increasingly less effective as antimicrobial agents.

Storage

According to the author's experience, colloidal silver can be stored for more than a year. Since colloidal silver is photo reactive, the solution will become less clear after a prolonged exposure to light. Therefore, it should be placed in dark or brown glass containers or empty hydrogen peroxide bottles that exclude light and do not affect ion charge.

Colloidal Silver will NOT Reach the Large Intestine

However, although many studies have demonstrated the fact that colloidal silver can chemically inactivate almost all kinds of viruses or bacteria, the large intestine is the place where colloidal silver will not penetrate when taken in normal dosage. The majority of the colloidal silver that is taken orally is normally absorbed before reaching the large intestine, with very little ending up in the large intestine or colon. On the positive side, the friendly bacteria in the large intestine are mostly unaffected by the germicidal effects of colloidal silver. Unfortunately, a number of diseases such as cholera, canine parvovirus or other diseases where the problematic pathogen is active in the large intestine not only have negative impacts on our health, but are also life-threatening, mostly due to the dehydration caused by severe and prolonged diarrhoea and vomiting.

How to use Colloidal Silver

1/ As a liquid antibiotic for animals:

Colloidal silver can be used as an antibiotic for almost all kinds of infections caused by single-celled viruses or bacteria.

Colloidal silver can be mixed with colloidal gold.

For nonchronic conditions, the maximum daily dosage for humans is [10 ]:

12 x Your body weight (in Pounds) / concentration (in PPM) = Number of Drops per day.

According to a report published by WHO, United Nation, toxic intake of silver for humans is 60 mg/day, while lethal intake is 1.3 to 6.2 mg/day.

2/ As a water purification agent:

Water can be purified by adding 1/2 to one teaspoon of 30 ppm colloidal silver and a few drops of iodine to one gallon of water. Legionella pnuemophilia (Legionnaire's disease) is lethal in water with a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It has been reported that water with a colloidal silver concentration of only 20 ppb (parts per billion) kills Legionella pnuemophilia.

3/ As an antibiotic for plants:

A colloidal silver solution can also be sprayed directly onto plants and shrubs in the garden or the water-reservoir of a self-watering planter. The action of the colloidal silver positive ions work on the outside of the plants to destroy bacteria, virus, fungus, etc. Garden food plants that have been sprayed with colloidal silver leave no residue, as do poison sprays, and are safe for human consumption.

Tests in a hydroponics greenhouse have shown that Colloidal Silver is absorbed and used by the living plant as are any other minerals. Hydroponics is an ideal gardening method having only one problem: Viruses, funguses and bacteria tend to thrive in the plant nutrient fluid. The presence of silver in the hydropnic solution will not only kill the viruses, fungues and bacteria present in the solution, but also prevent mosquitoes from hatching.

4/ Keeping algae, mosquito larvae and parasites out of still water:

Tests have shown that algae, larva of mosquitoes and eggs of some parasites are effectively killed by colloidal silver. Colloidal silver may not kill mosquitoes and parasities. However, since the eggs of mosquitos or parasites are mostly single-celled, their reproduction process will end in the presence of colloidal silver. It should be remembered that to remove mosquitoes or parasites by killing their eggs or larvae means that one must continue the course of treatment until all of the adults die.

5/ As a wound healing spray for burns:

As a trained first aider, I have been taught to spray pure water or Coca Cola onto burned flesh immediately following an accident. But according to an example shown in Young's famous book, entitled "Sick and Tired: Reclaim Your Inner Terrain ", colloidal silver solution is apparently much better and more reliable than pure water or Coca Cola. Colloidal silver is not only an effective cooling agent which can be absorbed into skin and flesh instantly, but also assists in regrowth of new tissues. However, pure water and Coca Cola are devoid of the tissue regrowth benefit.

6/ As a nasally administered medicine for treatment of sinus infection, nasal conjection, runny nose, sore throat, cough, flu, or the like:

Since most disease-causing organisms enter your body through the mucous membranes of the nose, the mouth, and/or the pulmonary system, it is possible to treat the disease by killing the disease-causing organisms through the same channel ---- i.e. the mucous membranes of the nose, the mouth, and/or the pulmonary system. Inhalation of colloidal silver can be a better alternative to oral ingestion of the same by virtue of the fact that the colloidal silver itself can directly irrigate and disinfect the loose foreign bodies and particulate debris from the nasal cavity and posterior nasopharynx.

An ultrasonic fogger is a device that uses ultrasonic energy to simulate low clouds and fog in the terrarium. It is mainly used for increasing humidity levels to create a naturally misty and damp environment. The mist from any ultrasonic fogger can be made with a colloidal silver solution, instead of just pure tap water. According to a message posted in curezone [8 ] , the colloidal silver mist can form an extremely effective yet easy lung/bronchial/nasal treatment that clears up sinus infections, nasal conjection and many related allergies.

Even without an ultrasonic fogger, one can nasally take coloidal silver solution by pouring, pumping or spraying colloidal silver solution directly through the nose in a way to achieve the similar effects. According to the author's experience, it is not difficult to use this method to treat a cold or other similar infections in less than one afternoon.

How to test if a Silver Solution is Actually Ionic Silver?

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding whether a solution is ionic silver. According to [11 ], you can easily test the presence of silver ions in a solution by mixing it with table salt (i.e. sodium chloride). If silver ions are present, then the chloride ions will combine with the silver ions and create a white, cloudy appearance.

Possible Tricks to Minimize the Chance of Getting Argyria

Argyria is the only known side-effect associated with excessive exposure to silver products. Whether or not an individual exposed to silver products contracts argyria depends on many factors, including the dose of exposure, the duration of exposure, the form of exposure (ie: ingested, inhaled, skin contact) and the chemistry of the silver products.

Although argyria is believed to be an irreversible condition that cannot be cured, some online literatures have uncovered successful cases of argyria cured (CLICK HERE FOR THE SOURCE ).

According to a document  released by European Comission, antioxidant deficiencies (e.g. vitamin E and selenium) appear to enhance silver toxicity. Some researchers believe that silver can reduce the intracellular content of selenium, with eventual inhibition of glutathione peroxidase synthesis, which is selenium-dependent. On the other hand, supplemental vitamin E and selenium in diets of rats and chickens have been shown to increase the animals' tolerance of high dose of silver.

A document from Environmental Protection Agency in the USA echoes the same finding. According to Environmental Protection Agency (CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS ), individuals with low vitamin E and selenium levels are more susceptible to argyria.

A formula for curing argyria has been published on a website (CLICK HERE FOR THE SOURCE ), which surprisingly contains very high doses of vitamin E and selenium. The formula is as follows:

3 Vitamin E 1000 mg 100% Natural d-alpha Tocopheryl

1 Selenium 100mcg yeast free

2 vegetarian Vitamin C 1000 mg

1 teaspoon MSM organic

1 super potency Vitamin B 100,

1 teaspoon of Kelp powder.

(Taken every morning with 2 16oz glasses of water, with close to 3/4 of a gallon distilled water a day. This procedure may take from several weeks to several months to be totally effective, depending upon the severity of the Argyria.)

Although the cure for argyria has not been very much mentioned on the Internet, the role of selenium in detoxifying silver has been documented in medical and scientific literatures ( example ). According to an article from eMedicine (CLICK HERE FOR THE SOURCE ), for example, selenium has been shown to have favorable modifying effects on the metabolism and toxicity of silver by forming complexes with silver. Silver can react with selenium to form silver selenide in human bodies. Since silver selenide is inert and highly insoluble in vivo, monovalent silver becomes less available to interfere with normal enzymatic activities in tissues.

In human bodies, selenium is an essential constituent of a number of enzymes, most of which have antioxidant functions. For example, selenium protein complex (Biomin S-P-C) has been shown to neutralize free radicals on the skin, which is thought to minimize the aging effects of the sun. According to research as well as my experience, selenium can be taken in conjunction with Vitamin E to help prevent severe damage from sunburn.

Selenium also acts in conjunction with glutathione peroxidase by binding with toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium through a process called chelation and flushing them out of the body through urine (SOURCE ).

The link between argyria and deficiencies of selenium and/or Vitamin E is apparently stronger than many wish to believe. Perhaps, when taking colloidal silver, it is not a bad idea to consider a body cleansing protocol involving high doses of vitamin E and selenium. Wheat germ oil is the major source of Vitamin E (SOURCE ). Brazil nuts are probably the better choice, because brazil nuts are not only a very good source of Vitamin E, but also contain an unusually high amount of selenium (SOURCE ).

The Institute of Medicine in the US has set the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for selenium at 55 micrograms per day for adults. One single Brazil nut far exceeds the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of selenium (see below). Perhaps, one or two brazil nuts a day is more than enough.

Brazil Nut Nutrition Facts ( serving size, 1 oz, 6 nuts)

calories: 185

fat: 19 g

saturated fat: 4 g

fiber: 2 g

carbonhydrates: 3 g

protein: 4 g

Thiamin: 12% RDA

Iron: 4% RDA

Magnesium: 27% RDA

Phosphorus: 20% RDA

Potassium: 5% RDA

Zinc: 8% RDA

Copper: 25% RDA

Manganese: 17% RDA

Selenium: 774% RDA

Other Sources of Silver

Silver is present in food additive E174. E174 (Silver) is commonly used to decorate cakes, candies, and other sweets. In addition, silver can be found in a number of other foodstuffs. Refined wheat, for instance, contains approximately 0.3 microgram/gram, wheat bran 0.9 microgram/gram, and mushroom hundreds of microgram/gram (SOURCE ).

Current Uses of Colloidal Silver

1/ The American space agency NASA has chosen silver as the water-purification agent for its space shuttles; so do the Russians.

2/ Water-filters based on Colloidal Silver are approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency and also by the Swiss government for use in homes and offices.

3/ Silver-based water filters have been used by many airline companies, including Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Canadian Pacific, Japan Air Lines, KLM, Lufthansa, Olympic, Pan Am, SAS and Swissair, to curtail water borne diseases.

4/ Silver is often used in place of chlorine for disinfection in swimming pools, because, unlike silver, chlorine reacts with organic compounds and nitrogen compounds present in chlorinated swimming pools and forms objectionable by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and chloramines. These by-products are blamed for irritation of eyes, nasal passages, and skin, as well as with objectionable odors in the pool environment.

5/ A few Japanese companies have very good success in silver-based technologies for air purification. For instance, one Japanese firm managed to convert 50 ppm carbon monoxide into harmless carbon dioxide by passing the carbon monoxide gas through a stack of filters coated with silver compounds. Another company successfully uses a similar technology to eliminate 200 ppm nitric oxide. One firm uses silver compounds to remove vinyl cyanide, methyl cyanide and hydrocyanic acid from its discharges.

Other Less-mentioned Concerns of Colloidal Silver

Whilst colloidal silver can kill almost all kinds of single-celled viruses, there is no evidence suggesting that colloidal silver can eliminate free-radicals. In fact, since silver is a reactive metal in human bodies, there is a likelihood that the opposite is true if the silver particles become too small [5 , 6 ].

Our grassroot wisdom has evolved to a level where we can fight Swine flu without even consulting a doctor. However, colloidal silver is not designed to fight free-radicals which are either naturally produced in our bodies in response of a virial attack, or multiplied when colliding with metal particles in our bodies. The outbreak of swine flu is due to our hunger for meat. Due to the presence of nano-silver particles in our bodies, swine flu or other animal bonre viiruses may not be able kill us immediately, but the excessive build-up of free-radicals because of the silver crystalioids in human bodies will eventually manifest themselves as one or more age-related diseases, which may or may not be life-threathening. Perhaps, this is the price we need to pay if we choose to consume meat, alcohol, cigaratte smoke and/or other additive drugs.

The oxidative stress due to excessive build-up of free-radicals is believed to be the main cause of many degenerative diseases, including heart disease, boss loss, aging, DNA damages, cancers and arthritis. Free-radicals, in general, come from pollution, over-cooked oil, smoking, alcohol drinking, meat-eating, excessive exercises, panicking, or drug abuse. The only way to combat unwanted free-radicals is to follow the following steps:

1) minimize exposure to pollution and ionizing radiations,

2) cut down consumption of meat, seafoods, cigarette smoke, alcohol and problematic drugs,

3) increase the intake of anti-oxidants from plants or from minerals, and optionally.

Disclaimer

This article is provided as a research tool for the purpose of education only. Most of the information in this article is pieced together from a variety of Internet and non-internet sources (including my own experimental results). Not all the sources are unbiased, accurate, reliable, current and complete. It is also important to understand that the Internet environment is variable and dynamic. This means that websites which I considered relevant in the first place may change from day to day.

This article will be actively updated when correction is warranted and/or new information on colloidal silver becomes available. If there are any errors found in this article, please let me know and I will be happy to correct them. Meanwhile, I recommend that my readers exercise good judgement when reading this article.

Recommended Literatures

1/ Dog's cataract healed with colloidal silver  

2/ Colloidal silver beats the swine flu!  

3/ This War Against Germs Has a Silver Lining - Wall Street Journal 

4/ Biotoxicity of Nano-silver 

5/ Scientists Study Health Implications Of Products Using Nanosilver 

6/ Nanosilver disinfects — but at what price?  

7/ University of North Texas: Time-Kill Study on SilverKare Colloidal Silver 

9/ Colloidal silver using ultrasonic humidifier for sinu infection, etc. 

10/ THE SILVER SAFETY AUTO-CALCULATOR 

11/ New Guidelines for Safe Usage of Colloidal Silver  

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