The Biological Energy Pattern of Vata and Its Imbalances
The Energy Science and Aggravated Vata
In the biological energy science of Ayurveda the energy of movement in the physiology is Vata which translated means that which acts like a vehicle If this biological energy pattern is a vehicle, what does it carry? The answer it circulates the other physiologic energy patterns of Pitta and Kapha but for our purposes today we'll focus on what produces an increase in the Vata energy pattern and what are the consequences
Aggravation of this energy pattern is brought about by;
Not eating according to your energy mindbody makeup
Eating old leftover food Dry uncooked food Rapid eating
Eating before last meal digested Too many activities(so called multitaskiing) Overstimulation
Staying up late at night Prolonged loud talk Overexertion Excessive exercise Prolonged grief worries anxiety fear loneliness Excessive sex
So What Are the Physical Obervations of This Aggravated Vata State?
Once Vata is aggravated it shows up in many psychological signs and symptoms
Fear Indecision Anxiety Tremors
Loneliness Lack of direction Fatigue Muscle tension/joint pains
And physically as:
Dry rough skin Early skin wrinkling Chronic constipation or diarrhea
Poor sleep Interference with sexual performance Addictions(alcoholism etc)
Cracking of the joints
Many of these signs and symptoms are common reasons why we seek help at our matter science medical doctor's offices, estimated to be about 70-80% of all doctor visits Yet by our list of symptoms we can see that often the tools that the doctor might use will be insufficient at best in dealing with the presenting problems
Long Range Consequences of Fast Paced Lifestyle Behaviors
But the serious consequences of this imbalance year after year decade after decade is not pretty Left to continued aggravation by the "fast paced Western lifestyle" Vata takes us out to the woodshed and creates even more damage Merely extensions of the above listed dis-eases and this list is not complete
Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic diarrhea Chronic depression
Malabsorption(irritable bowel syndrome) Chronic constipation Eating disorders(anorexia/bullemia)
Chronic headache Stroke(CVA) Osteoporosis
Chronic insomnia Asthma Interstitial cystitis
So What To Do?
The first step is to stop the aggravation by observing what we are doing on a daily basis with the above aggravating factors in mind Going to foodsheal.com will help give some nutritional guidelines
Other steps are important
Get good rest on a regular basis (in bed by 1030pm)
Don't overexercise(light sweat is enough)
Do daily oil massage
If you yet don't have the long range consequences then it's a great time to start If you have long range consequences then it's never too late!!!
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Vitamins, Health, and Nutrition: An Energy Science View
Even though the health supplement industry has become amazingly successful I think it not unreasonable to look at the other side of the coin and consider the potential adverse effects of supplements particularly employing the energy science view
The Matter Science Debate on Molecules
In the article that appeared in USA Today two sides of the coin are debated by one financed by the nutraceutical camp and the other representing the skeptical matter or molecular science view about the agents, both with solid credentials
The article revolves around a recent Archives of Internal Medicine research that showed an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women taking regular multivitamins
And no doubt there will other future articles showing other potential adverse effects because it is impossible to control for all the variables leading to these matter science articles in peer reviewed journals
So What's The Point?
As a society we have translated the current matter science medicine pharmaceutical approach to intuitively believing that if pills bail us out of medical problems that pills can be taken to make us healthy
This transition seems to make logical sense on the surface but when we think more deeply about the problem it doesn't make sense
I had a patient who was suffering from severe gastric hyperacidity(heartburn) requiring emergency room visits and in questioning was taking large doses of vitamin C(2000mg per day) She had other symptoms of excess acidity as well and began feeling better after stopping the C
This story is not uncommon in a population that believes that health begins with taking a pill It also points to the fact that blind pill popping can make us sick Since these pills are concentrated food they can have adverse consequences because as we know even food can make us sick
Supplement According to Your Energy Pattern
The energy science can give us guidance here because when one takes supplements according to one's energy pattern makeup then we can't get into trouble The patient mentioned above shouldn't have been taking C at all due to her makeup
So what should we do?
Find out what energy makeup you are
Find the appropriate nutritional format
Look at the supplements section under your format
Remember the rule: A lot more is not better
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Do We Need a Nutritional Philosophy?
What comes around, goes around, says our cartoon And there are common responses to this "Yea, yea I know my nutritional decisions make me what I am, "As you sow, so shall you reap"
But if we subsitituted our friend in the cartoon with today's matter science nutritionist we might get an idea that what is being done today in nutrition circles is not working
Perhaps it argues for a different nutritional philosophy?
Intellectualizing With Speculation
We don't currently have a philosophy behind our current nutritional discussions these days We have a matter science or molecular nutritional way of assessing our foods and supplements This information often debases our choices on "too much sugar, too much fat, not enough protein, not enough calcium, not enough too little protein, this lycopene will make you better" approach And confusion reigns!!
And the molecular approach does have a place But perhaps there's a way to add to the present nutritional way of doing things
But philosophy or the study of how we obtain knowledge, in this case nutrition, currently reactively intellectualizes about nutritional choices For example, if refined sugar is bad, then there can be lots of choices that give you natural sugar If being vegetarian seems like a good idea, then we can give you a lot of non meat choices
The application to our daily lives doesn't match with a body of knowledge with one pointed focus A hodge podge of information The application of the knowledge is not married to a grounding philosophy of nutritional thought Mere speculation about foods that may or may not be good for us I would submit a lot of conjecture and less trust by the consumer as to what the real truth is since it changes year by year
But nutritional philosophy should be utilitarian, that is, it should not be divorced from practical life circumstances
And I sense currently that people want more and better advice as to what to eat grounded on, you guessed it, a philosophy
Nutritional Philosophy Based on Nature
What separates the current matter science nutritional utilitarian approach from the energy science nutritional model is that the latter is grounded in a deep philosophical tradition whereas our matter or molecular approach is not
Furthermore the energy science nutritional model is based on a philosophy that is both theoretical and practical What good is a philosophy if it is not practical to our every day lives?
This energy science philosophy is based on the understanding of the workings of Nature herself Again not on intellectual musings about what's currently in vogue but on why to act based on the fundamental laws of Nature
For example,if one suffers from heartburn(acid indigestion) then what foods should I use and what foods should I avoid? You might be surprised! If I have a strong family history of cancer what foods should I avoid and what foods should I favor? You might be surprised!
More generally speaking, what foods are antiinflammatory, anticongestive, and antidegenerative?
Philosophy and Improvement of Quality of Life
No one gets out of this life alive And for some the quantity of life(longevity) is not as important as the quality of the life lived
We might be surprised by the fact that a sound philosophy brings about improved quality of life and possibly quantity as well
But the key is that nutrition based on a life promoting philosophy will give its users a quieter mind, weight loss, more energy, ability to wake up in the morning with energy refreshed, better clarity with decision making, a better immune system response to cancer cells, emotional stability, and more balance in life and health overall
It sounds too good to be true But what do you have to lose? No money, just a promise and a gift
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Talking To Our Genes and Inflammatory Diets
As we have more understanding of genetic plasticity we begin to realize that there is an active communication between the nutritional choices that we make and our genetic responses That dietary choices change your genetic structure and expression for disease
The Pitta Energy Pattern and Inflammation
What Berit Johansen professor of biology and her colleagues at Norwegian University of Science and Technology found was that either excessive carbohydrate(CHO) in the diet produced an upregulation of genes responsible for inflammation
When Pitta provoking foods are taken in that produce inflammation we may experience heartburn, acid indigestion, or diarrhea These are local GI responses to the inflammation delivered in the form of imbalancing foods
But as the researchers point out if inflammatory foods are ingested over a long period of time(chronically) then "we stimulate our genes to initiate the activity that creates inflammation in the body This is not the kind of inflammation that you would experience as pain or an illness, but instead it is as if you are battling a chronic light flu-like condition. Your skin is slightly redder, your body stores more water, you feel warmer, and you're not on top mentally"
Scientists call this metabolic inflammation
This is precisely what the energy science disciplines state regarding the chronic manifestation of disease from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis to diabetes
“Genes that are involved in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and some forms of cancer respond to diet, and are up-regulated, or activated, by a carbohydrate-rich diet,” says Johansen
Encouraging Message From Research
Johansen and her team did make an interesting observation
For those of us who have been eating a high carbohydrate diet, she related that “It took just six days to change the gene expression of each of the volunteers,” so it's easy to get started But if you want to reduce your likelihood of lifestyle disease, this new diet will have to be a permanent change
We Eat Our Way to Disease
Our thoughts produce food choices
Food choices if poorly made effect gene expression
Gene expression can produce inflammation
Chronic inflammation can produce chronic disease
It's our choice whether to be sick Our current matter science medical model blames foods, pesticides, food manufacturers, the government, etc
But where do we fit in this formula I would submit no where in the current nutritional model
A Simple Message
.Physiologic inflammation induces disease from an energy science medical view This has been taught and known about for thousands of years It's only now that our contemporary matter science medical model is understanding it's importance
The energy science medical model and it's nutritional approach can be of great benefit to us in directing our choices of foods
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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VPK and Investment Strategies in Turbulent Economic Times
One of the gifts the energy science of Ayurveda is the fact that these are psychophysiologic expressions, that is, they not only describe how we are physically but also what we are like emotionally, mentally, how we deal with stress(fear), and even spiritually(not religion)
When these expressions are in balance we are healthy When not, we are unhealthy Straight forward
Mindbody Characteristics of VPK and Investing
A little review of the VPK paradigm is in order
Vata the energy expression of mindbody movement has the qualities of mobile, light, cold, dry, rough, subtle, and clear This means people with energetic expressive predominance of Vata not only love but HAVE to have movement in themselves and their environment like Air They don't tolerate lack of movement making them thrill seekers, risk takers, gamblers, and impatient when not in balance These no doubt will play a role in how we observe when invest or develop our strategies
Pitta predominant love to see change in themselves and their environment due to the qualities of hot, light, mobile, sharp, liquid. and oily like Fire People with this predominant energy expression love to see personal and monetary growth They like to acquire things so they require $ to do it When things don't go their way they become frustrated and impatient
So you can see that PV or VP type people would like fast moving investments such as equities and like the movement in the stock market There's a certain stimulating thrill to be had there in that kind of investing
Kapha predominant investors have the qualities of heavy, slow, static, cold, liquid, dense, soft, hard, gross, and cloudy These investors relate to the Earth and Water physiologic elements of themselves and their environment Due to these qualities Kapha people can be slow to react
You can take a test to find out what physiologic energy makeup you are to find out what kind of investing temperament you have
If you get a group of VP and KP investors together one may find there is some balancing in the group One part of the group desires action and the KP wants some stability
My Kapha Friend and Real Estate
I was talking with my friend the other day and he was relating to me that in these economically uncertain times he had diverted a reasonable amount of his income stream into real estate investing This made perfect sense to me as being a Kapha Pitta by energy makeup he would have gravitated his investing interest into the Earth elements His investing strategy found him wanting security with Earth investments
The same could be said for those who want security or the Earth element in their investing In turbulent economic times they might seek out Tbills, cash accounts, money under the mattress(all not good) or the use of gold or silver bullion(really good) as suggested by Turk and Dines The precious metals investing would be a Kapha like investment vehicle offering stabilty They also might be attracted to the gold and sliver mining stocks due to the Earth element expressed
Turbulent Economic Times Ahead
Presently the Vata characteristics of our society, economy, and financial leadership have led us to serious financial problems that will not be overcome easily The transparency of the currency crisis is now exposing the past greed that is inherent in the central banking system and what imbalance is present in their so called "balance" sheets
What is necessary at this time of economic instability is to search out Kapha like assets such as my friend has done or to put yourself on a gold standard since it is not possible for the western economic establishment to do so For one's own economic survival it's important for the next four years to use Kapha like assets to breach this difficult time in which we live
Knowing Who You Are As An Investor
It should be said that there are all kinds of vehicles to make money when investing There are "many ways to skin a cat" so to speak The key what is comfortable for your mindbody makeup and what are the VPK energetics of the surrounding environment in which we live We live presently in a highly provoked Vata environment that is spinning out of control
This type of energy science approach can help you see the dangers of moving too fast in investing or having too much inertia(not investing at all or being to slow in moving out of unfavorable stock positions) in developing strategies Or not exercising safety measures and thereby taking on too much risk
When you know who you are as an investor as combinations of VP, PV, PK, or KP then you can begin to see how you might be swayed in terms of investing in particular strategies and how you deal with those vehicles once invested
The Energy Science Paradigm
Health is balance And too much investing to make money can lead to imbalance So we have to be aware of how much time we spend doing this investing thing Or we will be unhealthy
Herein also lies the power of the energy science as it helps us to know ourselves much better but more than this it gives us tools to observe ourselves in the action of investing in this particular venue Even though this blog is about energy science nutrition, as we have written about in the past nutrition from an energy science view is more than putting something in your mouth and getting some calories
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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