Lemon Juice and AIDS

This is a great article Paul! If it really works, lemon juice could impact a lot of problem areas: pill hormones in the environment, spread of AIDS, overpopulation; I would think it would have appeal to religious people too-at least it satisfies the "be fruitful" part!

Skol,
Sally

P.S., but notice the irony of Pfizer pharmaceutical ad next to the article!

Thanks Sally,

I agree with its potential benefits so the next trick is to get it known and ideally get a pharmaceutical company on board to support it in their marketing of their Social Corporate Responsibility program. Know anyone in a position to do that. To me, this would be a prime example of fostering sustainable behaviour yes? I like your sense of humour too as that pertains to being sustainable in my book. Without it we shrivel. Let's see if this little seed can grow.

Cheers,
Paul

I used to have connections with pharmaceuticals. Let me check my Rolladex (Boy, does that date me!)

Get a pharmaceutical company to support destruction of one of their favorite markets? Seriously? When do we realize that corporate involvement NEVER happens for the benefit of the planet and creatures on it (including us). Any apparent such benefits are incidental to profits and political control in service thereof, and amount to little more than gaming whatever system necessary.

Adam

Hear what you are saying Adam, Pretty 'out there' I agree. I guess we need a bit if CBSM to spread the word and see if demand could be generated to create an alternative to their profit based products and then in a while, maybe, they might even turn their hands and money to putting in lemon orchards. More and more companies are being judged by their social responsibility and there are those who could get to break new ground, figuratively and literally, perhaps. I know, I know... far fetched?! Well, that is envisioning comes in and we start to visualise what we want to happen actually happening. As they say: if you can not conceive of it, it can be created. Sustainable behaviour for me is at times just thinking about things being different and I really get a kick out of it.

Paul

A truly remarkable fruit George, I agree, I drink the juice of half a lemon in a large glass of warm water with a teaspoon of honey each morning and it has a wonderfully reviving effect, diuretic and cleansing as it is. I gather a similar process you describe. Also, a few drops on warts seems to dry them up effectively. Let's trust more will get the good news so we need to talk about its benefits a lot, I guess. I had not heard of your particular explanation so one I will share with others for sure.

Kind regards,
Paul

Hear what you are saying Adam,

Pretty 'out there' I agree. I guess we need a bit if CBSM to spread the word and see if demand could be generated to create an alternative to their profit based products and then in a while, maybe, they might even turn their hands and money to putting in lemon orchards. More and more companies are being judged by their social responsibility and there are those who could get to break new ground, figuratively and literally, perhaps. I know, I know... far fetched?! Well, that is envisioning comes in and we start to visualise what we want to happen actually happening. As they say: if you can not conceive of it, it can be created. Sustainable behaviour for me is at times just thinking about things being different and I really get a kick out of it.

Paul

This note about spreading the word has prompted me to jump in. I sent the item about lemon juice and AIDs to a colleague who is tuned into the gay community, and has worked professionally getting messages out about AIDs prevention. He noted the research was 5 years old. He had not heard about it before. He thought it odd given the activist streak among the AIDs community that this research has not circulated there.

I agree that it is unlikely that a pharmaceutical company would promote an alternative to their own products. I also think that it is too pessimistic to say that corporate involvement never happens for the benefit of the planet. There are, after all, companies out there whose products are aimed specifically at being greener and sustainable. The key is that a company, corporate or not, has to make money at it, either directly or, in fostering goodwill, indirectly. One might thus ask, who could profit from promoting the use of lemon juice as a contraceptive and viricide? Perhaps the producers of lemons or lemon juice. Governments and NGOs buying and distributing anti-AID medications and contraceptives who could reduce their costs. These would have an economic interest in producing and distributing a cheaper alternative to expensive drugs.

Joel

I can't believe that any good scientist would jump to the conclusion that putting a weak acid inside a woman's vagina would be without risk. Just because it is lemon juice (and natural) doesn't make it safe. As the article points out, this type of application could affect the delicate balance of bacteria inside the vagina and in the cervix area. Also, what if a woman were to use full strength lemon juice? I am by no means a supporter of big business, pharmaceutical companies or any other group that pushes a product without revealing all the known risks. I see too many people in this world that have been snookered into thinking that anything that is "natural" is safe. Arsenic, botulism and aflatoxin are all natural too. Let's all be careful about wanting easy solutions too much. Everything is chemical, even oil is natural. It all came from plants and animals.

Gary Fish

Maine Board of Pesticides Control
Maine YardScaping Partnership
28 State House Station
Augusta ME 04333-0028
207-287-7545
Phone 207-624-5020
Fax http://www.thinkfirstspraylast.org
http://www.YardScaping.org

Hi All -

As we know, there are other reasons for human behavior other than market dynamics. In fact, most of our existence has been based on non-market relationships (market in the sense of aggregating control and capital - whether you call it capitalism, socialism, communism or whatever is irrelevant). Too pessimistic about corporations? Let's not confuse analysis, which is of current necessity quite grim, with pessimism. Please take a clear look at what's going on, and who's driving it. Who brought us global warming? Who decided that for us? The big problem with corporations is that they govern world affairs (those of us in the major "democracies" who vote delude ourselves if we think we're participating in significant decision-making). Certainly some corporation can create a planet-friendly product, but only if it feeds into the bottom line. Ultimately the product is irrelevant to the ledger. These decisions are, of course, somewhat complex, but if we don't have a firm anchor in our thinking about how decisions are made we are perennially blown away by the winds of propaganda. Speaking of which, here's a quote from Edward Bernays, "Father" of Public Relations (apologies if I've sent it out before, but I think it bears repetition), who states quite forthrightly the meaning of democracy to the ruling class (hint: not us), from his 1928 book, _Propaganda_ (p. 1):

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.

"We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men [sic] we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society."

If we're going to confront our daunting planet-saving task with any hope of success whatsoever we'd better know who our friends of earth are, and who are the imposters (like Toyota, for example). One good clue ends in "Inc."

Cheers,
Adam from mild-mannered Lexington, Massachusetts, USA where our climate-indifferent police department has just moved the on-street winter parking ban from November 1 to December 1 - how's that for a sudden shift of seasons! ---

I posted this yesterday to the sender only so here it is for the list...

Not sure how that is Mel, Just have a look on Google and there are numerous entries over the last years so just maybe it is time for it to be noticed. I mean who would have thought a humble lemon would/could be so interesting and maybe effective?! I very much like you thinking on this too Joel so maybe a bit like penicillin - naturally available yet in a crude form - lemons could get a name for themselves in a different form. I still like the idea of no processing however and yet acceptable for consumption in their original state. There is a business case for their extensive use I agree so some marketing and cooperation might contribute I dare say. And Gary, natural is not always safe I concur, yet in this world of hi tech and science, have we not some what lost the ability to see natural as good and useful? Life demands we take care each day with what we do and still the eating disorders persist in educated societies consuming huge amounts of artificial material touted as natural and therefore good. I feel a reframing of our choices and remember that nature is the basis of our life not business, science, education or government and take our lives back from these entities that feed on us. Oh and the tests run on monkey's vaginas have come up quite well for the positive and low level effects in any. Surely monkeys have pretty testing environments for their vaginas in general so maybe lemon is good for them as a cleanser. Remember also that many 'unusual and natural' substances in moderation/control may be efficacious and that awareness comes into play I would surmise, along with considering other natural substances and actions. The concept of homeopathy comes to mind, using even petroleum in minute quantities to resolve car sickness developed from exposure to petrol fumes. All of this for me is a starting point and a values and thinking clarification process so thanks for your responses and I will be talking about it more in case it grows legs, as they say.

Paul