Herbs and Dis-ease
The use of herbal preparations in the treatment of any disease can be effective if we understand the world of herbology
Herbs have their medicinal effects on multiple systems and go where they are most needed in the physiology unlike their pharma counterparts who are made to have specific molecular physiologic effects However herbs are similar to the effects antibiotics have in that they support the system in correcting the disruption Antibiotics don't eradicate the infection as much as they support the immune response to the invading organisms For example, if someone develops pneumococcal pneumonia, the immune system is not up to the challenge to clear the organism In that case the antibiotics help the immune system in clearing the pneumococcus from the lungs and in actuality do not eradicate the organisms completely
Similarly herbs due to their specific energetics help support the physiology to clear energetic imbalances that are created by unconscious choices Even though herbs are thought of as molecules by nutraceutical companies and are marketed as such, the proper use of herbs will not be done effectively until we use them as healing energetics
Understanding the Origin of the Imbalance Being Treated
Probably the most important aspect in the energetic use of herbs is understanding the imbalance that has been created Any healer whether allopathic or Ayurvedic would admit that you have to know what you're treating before you decide on the direction of therapy In the allopathic discipline the physician through the course of testing comes up a disease label such as cancer, hypertension, autoimmune disease At times not much testing is required and at other times a lot of testing is needed
Similarly in the energy science of Ayurveda a precise understanding of the energetic imbalance is required in order so that a successful herbal protocol is prescribed It requires more than taking a pill conjured up by some nutraceutical company but rather an in depth analysis of what is going on energetically based on what is being reported by the patient
It may be surprising to you to hear this but no two cases of the IC bladder pain syndrome are alike So as we are each uniquely different from one another so we are uniquely different in the way we create our diseases
Absorption of Herbs
An important aspect of the use of herbs is their digestion, absorption, and assimilation Healthy agni is required for this to occur or they are excreted through stool or urine The unfortunate problem for most is that the agni is not healthy What's more is that if the herbs are attempted to be digested they will be turned into ama which is undigested unprocessed food
This is a serious problem even though as a unsophisticated audience we don't understand what deleterious effects we are physiologically creating We merrily go along our way popping nutraceuticals hoping we'll get better when in actuality we are making ourselves sick by our actions
This specific problem can be averted by taking advantage of the agni in our skin through the use of transdermal herbal creams Also through the use of submucosal delivery of herbs we can avoid the digestive system altogether Using both types of delivery systems we can physiologically herbs into the system where they are needed for healing
Real Healing Takes Time
Healing is subtle not gross That is to say, healing using an energetic approach requires observing for subtle changes in the body's reporting of symptoms and noticing how improvement is occurring Otherwise we miss the signs of healing and sooner rather than later we say "this isn't working"So any healing whether allopathic or energy science requires patience and discipline when using a herbal approach otherwise we lose in the end
Another aspect to real healing is to understand that as we get better we reverse our disease process What this means is that we have apparent aggravation of symptoms as the imbalance is corrected We hate to hear this but it's a fact As we gently release the excess energy that we have created by unconscious choices in the past the net result is gentle symptoms of release
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OTC Drugs and Dementia
Many commonly used OTC(over the counter drugs) have been linked with dementia(goo.gl/ihYhgc) according to a recent study from the University of Washington
The most commonly used drug linked to dementia was diphenhydramine, which is used in many popular products such as Benadryl, Nytol Sominex, Theraflu, Triaminic Allergy, plus many others. Also implicated where drugs containing chlorpheniramine (Aller-Chlor); oxybutynin (Ditropan) and tolterodine (Detrol) for overactive bladder; and the tricyclic antidepressants, such as doxepin or amitriptyline These drugs share a common feature with other OTC drugs in that they affect levels of acetylcholine(ACh), a common neurotransmitter in the body The short term changes such as confusion and loss of mental clarity are well known to prescribing physicians but the long term consequences and implications of this class of drugs are not recognized
Alzheimer's disease is a one of early senility or poor brain function and is associated with very low levels of acetylcholine(ACh) There is also evidence now that these changes may be irreversible because they produce permanent neurological changes
The relationship to poor brain function and dementia and drugs that control symptoms through lowering levels of ACh should be disturbing to those who rely on this class of drug to control their symptoms whatever they may be
The Study
To evaluate whether cumulative anticholinergic use is associated with a higher risk for incident dementia, researchers examined medical records from 3,434 participants 65 years or older with no dementia at study entry Initial recruitment occurred from 1994 through 1996 and from 2000 through 2003 and data through September 30, 2012 were also included in these analyses
Exposure to anticholinergic was determined from computerized pharmacy records Cumulative exposure was updated as participants were followed up over a 10-year period. About 20% of the population was found to be using anticholinergic drugs
During the evaluation period, 797 participants (23.2%) developed dementia with 637 of these (80%) developing Alzheimer disease A 10-year cumulative dose-response relationship was observed for dementia and Alzheimer disease. In other words, the higher the cumulative anticholinergic use, the greater the increased risk for dementia The highest risk threshold was taking the minimum daily effective dose of one the anticholinergic agents every day for 3 years
Based upon these results, the authors of the study propose efforts to increase awareness among health care professionals and older adults about the risk of the use of these drugs over time Even at low dosage or recommended levels chronic use of these drugs should be avoided
The Message
It seems self evident that anticholinergic use that is so prevalent in the general population should be kept to a minimum when attempting to reduce symptoms, looking for more alternative ways of managing their symptoms
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The Salty Taste and Seafood
A patient of mine told me about freshwater prawns that are farmed here locally. "What a great idea!", I said. All of us could benefit from this novel animal food since freshwater fish can be used by everyone regardless of their energy pattern. Freshwater fish will pacify everyone's physiology and promote energetic balance.
Then I began thinking of possible problems. They'll probably have a weird taste. "No", my patient explained, "they taste even better than the saltwater prawns." They're probably hard to find, I thought. "And they are locally available just off Lake street." My mindbody began searching for other possible reasons but having no more objections, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to try them.
The next day I found myself ambitiously getting ready for my sojourn to the store to try this new found possible taste thrill. "Maybe I won't have enough time," I thought to myself. Nonsense, just go get them and if I don't like them, my daughter will eat them.
So I get the prawns and they're delicious! And now I noticed the same process that my mindbody goes through when confronted with something new. There is hesitancy about what might happen if I do something out of the ordinary. Something that's not in my realm of comfort. I'll have the saltwater prawns, thanks very much.
What gives? Why do I get so resistant to trying something new? I think the simple answer is the fear of the unknown. The uncertainty of predicting what lies ahead prevents us from moving off center and doing something different. For some the acceptance of change may be easy, for others it may be more difficult. And for all of us, there will be guaranteed issues that we balk at and say to ourselves, not today.
Freshwater prawns may be easy but perhaps changing our whole nutritional pattern may be something else. But the key to any change is realizing the fear and stepping through it. Everyone has their pet ways of resisting change. Predominant Vata people run away from fear, Pitta criticizes and becomes judgmental, justifying their resistance by talking themselves out of whatever they're fearing to change. And Kapha simply resists by inertia-just not going to do it. A sense of complacency becomes overwhelming.
Knowing this resistance to the uncertainty and realizing that we will always express our resistance is unique ways allows us to watch ourselves in the midst of our resistance and perhaps walk through it. But if not, it's OK. There will always be another day.
BTW since salt is hot and potentially inflammatory using Soma salt which is cooling is a good idea.
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