The Chameleon: Our Biologic Energy Field
We take on the energy of the environment Does that seem strange or unusual? Well, perhaps only because I'm putting the context of energy in the experience But think about it If it's hot out there, it's hot in here Right?
My Friend's Experience
My gentle Kapha friend related his experience in moving to the Pacific Northwest(PNW) from the desert climate of California He reflected on how nasal congestion was never an issue when living in Cali and makes sense doesn't it? In the hot and dry desert his predominant Kapha energy pattern which was cold was nourished by the hot and dry of the desert
But when he moved to the cold and wet(liquid) climate of the PNW, here he expereinced nasal congestion and stuffiness and just plain old lethargy(static) It was just hard to get started Perhaps we have had similar experiences during the winter months?
This is why people "go South for the winter"? Or why at the end of the winter season we get "the common cold"?
Our Biologic Energy Field: The Chameleon
Our biologic energy field reflects our environmental energy field If it's cold out there, you can bet it's cold in here Even if we don't feel that way It it's <fill in one of the 20 qualities> out there, it's <quality> in here
We come to a startling observation That the energy field and ourselves are intimately connected As a matter of fact, the environment is merely an extension of our own biologic energy field Said another way, our extended energy field outside us influences our "inside" energy field all the time
Skiing and Riots
If you ski you may find that after the day the skin is dry, rough due the aggravation of the imbalancing of the Vata energy pattern of movement Skiing has the qualities of cold, light, mobile, subtle, rough, dry, and clear, all Vata primordial vibrational frequencies
Have you ever heard of a racial riot in midwinter? The hot quality fuels the mindbody and promotes anger and agitation An imbalanced expression of Pitta, the energy pattern of transformation in the biologic energy field
Energy Science Nutrition
OK then, what's the difference between a piece of broccoli and climate, energy wise?? I would submit no difference
That the qualities of the broccoli are not different than a day of skiing experiencing cold, dry, rough, and mobile
Foods have a direct impact on our biologic energy fields just as the seasons and racial riots
Doesn't it make sense to respect nutritionally and energetically what we put into our mindbodies?
Until tomorrow To Health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Squeaky Teeth
From time to time this blog will comment on specific herbs that have important healing effects to the mindbody physiology After all herbs are foods that pack a physiologic whallop? Do we usually think of cinnamon as a herb? But when it comes down to the bottom line, everything on the planet has some medicinal properties, even poisons if used properly
Neem and pomegranite have long had benefical healing uses due to their bitter and astringent properties
Biologic Footprints of the Energy Field: Qualities
Let me digress here for a moment to help you understand that in the energy science medical model an imbalance of qualities leads to dis-ease and correcting the imbalances by using opposite qualities restores balance
For example, if there is too much hot in the physiology manifesting as "heartburn" then using something that is cold to cool the physiology is the answer Something like aloe vera would be great to use
Tastes: Aggregates of Qualties
Another aspect of the energy science is that these qualities are organized into 6 tastes, sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent These tastes have very specific physiologic effects on the mindbody
For example, the very popular and addicting sweet, sour, and salty tastes are responsible for the obesity epidemic in our society
Neem and Pomegranite
The initial taste of anything placed in the mouth has a message to the mindbody and specifically to the oral cavity Neem carries predominantly the bitter(alkaline) giving the dry, light, rough, soft, and clear qualities Pomegranite has an astringent taste(causing the puckering when we drink it) and this delivers the dry and rough qualties
The acidic biofilm formed from oral bacteria naturally occurs on the teeth everyday and will harden into plaque if not removed
The use of such herbs as neem and pomegranite in toothpaste can effectively remove this biofilm and maintain good oral hygeine
Literally as one finishes the brushing the teeth one can hear the bristles squeak over the surface of the enamel surface
Now that's squeaky clean
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Listening
The old phrase, "You are given two ears and one mouth for a reason," underscores our need to listen And I would submit that there are various levels of listening Developing listening skills is health promoting
Listening To Others
This is the most common form of listening but without interpretation of what is being said there is little communication That is, to listen between the words and to truly understand what your friend is saying is the more difficult
What interferes with this form of listening is reacting(anger, resentments, inertia, running away) to what is being said This interferes with listening and so as to not hear truly what the person is trying to communicate
Listening to Ourselves
Just as there is communication with others there is listening to what we ourselves have to say
The preponderance of what we say to ourselves on a day to day basis is the same Is this startling? Our daily dialogue with ourselves doesn't change Just write down your thoughts and see if that's true Yes, there are changing dramas on a daily basis but the undercurrent of how things are done with the dramas is the same Try that exercise out and see
This mind chatter gets practiced daily and so we really get good at reading our lines We have them memorized in detail and since the mind resists change this kind of listening becomes our Waterloo, our point of defeat
If we succumb to the same tired way of lifestyle behavior patterns that we always have done in the past there is no freshness, no chance for new ways of doing things
Listening to the Sensations of the Physical Body
A third way of listening is to bodily sensations themselves This takes the mind out of the picture We're no longer a victim of its dialogue but sensors of our physical sensations
The reason that this works is that the mind field is a tricky area to negotiate and will do anything to maintain the status quo But the physical body with its sensations is a reporter of the truth
The body says, "I'm having heartburn," and the mind says "Tough it out" or "I'll get you some medicine"
Learning How to Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to the breath often druing the day
When having symptoms of imbalance, ask what quality is bothering you For example, if you're experiencing heartburn, the hot quality is the problem If you're having trouble with weight, the heavy, liquid, oily and static qualities are the problem
Observe mental activity without judgment Commit to quieting this activity so you can appreciate the sensations of the body
Pay attention to your posture
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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The Mind and Injury
Some of the visitors to this blog may be aware that I broke my upper arm bone(humerus) about two and half months ago in a skiing accident
Like all experiences that we have there are always observations to share as one goes through a healing experience And I thought that it might be helpful for you for your own healing experiences because life demands that we all go through healing
The Unknown
One of my favorites that I see all the time in life now is that the future is a mystery and that we are not in control(darn it!)
This can be particularly relevant when we are confronted with healing a body part, recovering from surgery, or getting over an emotional trauma(suprise! they are all the same just seem different)
So the mind says, "How long is this going to take? Will I get back to my previous state of health? What to expect from the healing experience? What will I need to do in order to make it through this healing journey?"
The mind wants to be reassured It's like a little child that needs constant support And that's OK Support it
The importance of dealing with the interfering psychological energy field of the mindbody cannot be overstated when it comes to healing
Use It or Lose It
The mind gets scared due to pain But the more we can quiet the mind the more we're able to move through the pain
The danger in not moving through the pain is that we will lose function if we don't The salient issue here is that the mind will interfere with healing by convincing us that the pain should keep us from moving In reality it's just the reverse
How many of us have experienced the tightness of muscles when doing yoga poses and thought better of breathing through the pose because of the pain associated with the stretch?
It Takes Energy to Heal
There can be fatigue with healing but it's not just physical It can be psychological as well So healing is a psychophysiologic event, involving both body and mind A physical fracture will always have a psychological component
But it can occur in reverse Psychological trauma requires physical stamina as well Mental fatigue brings on physical fatigue We can be physically worn out from a emotional roller coaster of a day
Real Healing Takes Time
The rehabilitation of a body part is slow to recover muscles and tendons surrounding the injury And as we talked about earlier the unknown freaks the mind out "How long will this continue?"
I can say without a doubt that the acceleration of healing occurs when using energy science principles When I saw the orthopedist a week ago and assessed the range of motion of the shoulder related that given the severity of the fracture that I was 6 months ahead of schedule
The current matter science medical model may be intellectually embracing the mindbody concept but when it comes to discussing the details of our mindbody experience around healing the model cannot take into account that mind in every cell of the physical body
Until tomorrow To health(and healing) as a Skill Love DrBill
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Placebos and Lifestyle Behavioral Patterns
Seth Godin in a recent blog post talks about the effect of placebos that I thought is worth underscoring to show the mindbody connection Energetically, that is
A recent study found that placebos work even if the patient is told by the doctor that the drug they're taking has no 'real' medicine in it
Huh?
The Power of the Mindbody Connection
If we think we're going to get better, we're much more likely to actually get better
What Godin points out is very much energy science Since the mind and body are intimately spliced(you cannot separate them mind is body, body is mind since every cell has mind) when the mind says the body will be better, it gets better
But there is another aspect to this placebo effect that is very important nutritionally It's not only that the mind is saying, "I'll get better", but the body needs to act like it's getting better Now that's a very important point
Value of Ritual in Change
The body going through what Godin calls ritualistic activities reinforces that which the mind is saying, "I'll get better" So in fact the action of the body reinforces the mind and the mind reinforces the action of the body It's a to and fro activity Both mind and body in simultaniety, one talking and the other acting
So what does this have to do with nutrition? Well, everything particularly when we are trying to change lifestyle In the book The Secret the statement is made that if we want to change anything in our lives we have to act out as if whatever we want has already happened
If we think we're going to change a lifestyle behavioral pattern around nutrition then by saying and then acting as if it has already happened is many more times powerful than writing it down or creating a positive affirmation
Think AND Act
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