Easy to Make Meals Equates to Easy to Digest: A Paleo View
When we prepare foods at home for mealtime, it can take more time to make the meal based on complexity of the menu prepared Yes, usually when we take the time on the weekends to cook something exploratory in the kitchen, it'll be more complex
And the observation that I'm making today is that when the cooking becomes complex and involved there is a relationship between the complexity and ease of digestion There can as a result be more digestive challenges for us Perhaps along the lines of the Paleo diet view
Classic French Cuisine
Of the years in the kitchen and the evolution of my foray into different cuisines of the world, my observation seems to hold here
The natrue of the cleanups related to, say the complexities of classic French cooking, required much more time, effort and steps in order to craft the end product than other menus prepared Dishes, pots and pans, skillets to bring together the ingredients led to more complex dishes to digest because the ingredients themselves were often heavy, cold, smooth, oily, cloudy, and dense qualities all leading to a challenge for the digestive system based on the energy science nutritional system of Ayurveda A Kapha aggravating like meal
And my observation is not limited to the French but actually any haute cuisine In every culture there seems to be this relationship between the length of time of production to the digestive challenge that lies ahead for each of us
The Simpler the Nutrition the Easier to Digest
It almost makes intuitive sense, doesn't it? I mean it's pretty simple to eat an apple But digesting an apple is a lot easier than a fettucine alfredo
And then there's something simple and delicious like graham crackers and milk? Hmmm... milk the complete food along with some grain Perfect complete meal and great food combination and contrary to what you read easy to digest
Or kitchari? Aided by spices that are cooling digestants, it's simple to prepare and very easy to digest
Eating Healthy Implies a Return to Nutritional Simplicity
One of the common traits of human nutritional behavior is to develop complexity in almost all facets of life and that includes how we nourish ourselves
Advocates of the Paleo diet stress as the name of the diet implies that we return to the nutritional simplicity of our primordial ancestors
I would go a step further with this and say that when we simplify our nutrition we actually don't stress our digestive systems and make it easier for our systems to process our foods more effectively and efficiently
And this will bring more hamony and balance to our physiologies
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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10 Ways of Observing Ourselves as Biologic Energy
The popular Star Trek TV series introduced us to everyday star travel out in the cosmos and brought us the phrase "Beam me up Scottie" In Avatar unobtanium is a rich source of energy for the inhabitants of biosphere Pandora desired by the invading humans
The world of sci-fi often brings us to encounters with realities that we would never entertain in our current day to day living and this includes glimpses of our bodies as electromagnetic energy fields which the world of sci-fi at times delivers
Is the Biologic Energy Field So Far Fetched?
In talking with patients and friends over the years I have honestly never run across someone who does not believe in a biologic energy field
Belief is one thing but the challenge is how to do understand and experience ourselves as biologic energy fields Everyone has had a sudden shock that occurs when we hit the ulnar nerve transiting around the elbow joint known as hitting our "funny bone" This sensation is electromagnetic energy shooting down the nerve as it passes on the backside of the elbow joint
But we need a vocabulary or a way of talking about ourselves as energy You see, right now we are fixed in this model in which the body is a matter or particle field and traditions such as Ayurveda can give us this much needed vocabulary
The Value of Seeing the Body as an Energy Field
When we entertain that the body is an energy field we can adopt many different forms of healing that we currently don't with conventional matter science medicine today
For example, how could be make the connection between eating late and having bad dreams? Or that banana produces heartburn? Or that psoriasis can be cleared with energy science nutrition? Or that nutrition can reduce PSA and reduce the risk of prostate cancer? Or that the obesity problem can be helped with energy science nutrition?
10 Ways to See Ourselves as Electromagnetic Energy Field
Bodily sensations is the way we get in touch with the energy body When we get in touch with the body's feelings whether good or bad we are in touch with the biologic energy field
1 Observing what our senses tell us
Seems so simple but just reframing the sensation of cold hands is an expression from the biologic energy field
2 Observing symptoms of anxiety or "nervousness"
Since the nervous system of the energy body is represented by electromagnetic energy symptoms of nervousness or anxiety are expressions of the energy body
3 Observing symptoms of GI distress
Symptoms of disease or GI symptoms are expressions of energy disruption, that is heartburn is telling us that the body has too much of the hot quality
4 Seeing money as energy
When we relate to current-cy as an energy expression we can see why so much of it being printed produces excess energy in our physiologies and can lead to energetic imbalance
5 Join a yoga class
Done properly yoga as an exercise program can help us get in touch with sensations of the body that are expressions of the energy body
6 Observing how we feel during certain parts of the day
Do we feel sluggish in the morning? Energized in the afternoon? Sluggish in the evening? These are messages from the body due to its surrounding energy field of the environment
7 What kind of appetite do we have?
If the biologic energy has too much of the hot quality our body will have too strong an appetite that will cause us to overeat
8 Interpret symptoms of disease as messages from the energy body
Often we get in touch with the biologic energy field due to the interruption of the free flow of energy in the body If we don't use our arm because its broken the muscles wither away due to no use If we have too much hot or radiant energy in the GI tract we get diarrhea
9 Using biologic energy fundametals
When we use biologic energy principles and begin feeling better in our day to day living it indirectly shows us that altering our own biologic energy field by adjusting how we do things to our body
10 Explaining common observations
Knowing the energy patterns of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha help us understand why Vata people prefer bass or baritone sounds and Kapha would like soprano or tenors because their energy patterns resonate with different vibrational frequencies
Our biologic energy field is part of the greater energy field and all we have to do is pay attention to it In so doing we can literally get healthier
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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5 Ways to Improve Gut Health: Disease Prevention
Well pro- means for and -biotic means a substance that supports life Sounds llke that's something we would want to have Actually probiotics are materials that you can buy at your local grocery store that's a collection of bacteria that improve bowel or gut function
But actually probiotics are one of many ways to improve bowel function which is the sine qua non to health
Why Support Gut Function?
The energy science tradtions such as Ayurveda from the yoga tradition and the traditional Oriental medical tradtion from which we get accupuncture both speak of the importance of strong healthy gut function
In the matter science medical tradition of our currently practiced medical system the gut is a mechanical tube that is not more important than the rest of the body's systems, unless of course you happen to be a gastroenterogist and make your living evaluating and treating problems of the GI tract
But in the energy science the gut is more than a mechanical tube it is the source of all diseases in the body Wow! Now that's an important tube
The GI tract: The Source of All Bodily Disease
The GI tract is body's interface where we take in the outside world It is at this interface where that piece of broccoli from the outside world begins to become your inside world, that is the molecules that become you
So food selection becomes critical for health because if the foods lead to imbalances in the body(too much of the hot quality from too much salsa) then over time this hot quality if taken in too much will lead to unarguable disease such as inflammatory diseases such as cancer, heart disease, acid indigestion/GERD, obesity, and even dementia Now that's a mouthful
Burning Off Mistakes
OK, so how do we help our gut not produce disease? That''s a good question
There are basically two ways
1 Make good nutritional chioices that are best for us
2 Burn off the mistakes that are not good for us by enhancing digestion strength
It is this latter means of gut health that is important for us and that we're talking about today There are essentially 5 simple ways to improve bowel health and digestive strength
Reducing Our Risk for Disease
Let's face it, there will be times when our GI tract is going to receive foods that have the potential of producing minor problems And there are always times when we want to enhance the bowel health(often termed detox in the broad sense)
At times we know that something isn't right because our gut is misbehaving or our appetite is too hot or not strong enough So there is room for doing things that can help to enhance bowel health and hence prevent disease
5 ways to improve gut health
Nutrition based on body's makeup
Avoiding poor food combinations
Use of supporting agent such as algae(Chlorella)
Use of probiotic(kefir, yogurt, pr supplement form) periodically but not all the time
Here's to helping prevent disease Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Calming Influence of Nutritional Monotony
Sound too good to be true? Then read on
Personal Experience
Over the years I've experienced different forms of the same food day in and day Some people call it fasting, some would just label it a monodiet
It can be done with juices, fruit, or just a simple vegetable dish that we've written about in the past And it can be done over a few days or weeks or even longer
The point is that it's the same Maybe a different type of fruit or juice based on my mindbody makeup, but it's still fruit or juice maybe the same vegetable dish but a different types of vegetables
Now my personal observation that I've had with this type of fasting or monodiet is that it's not monotonous
Monotony is a Product of the Mind
From an energy science medical view the Vata energy pattern is that of movement Anything that has to do with movement in the physiology is Vata energy and primarily expressed in the nervous system So a turbulent mind is a Vata aggravated mind Too many thoughts to process, too many emotions to deal with, too little time to accomplish everything
To say that always having the same foods all the time is boring is simply an agitated mind
And one of the simplest ways to calm the Vata aggravated mind is monotony Samo samo
Think about it How hectic would life become if you had to look for your toothbrush, purse or wallet, and carkeys everyday? Life would become quickly frenetic and inefficient
Furthermore the mindbody loves habitual living It's comfortable, less stressful And in the end I believe we often eat this way anyway People have their favorite dishes and the routine of eating the same "comfort foods"
Research Supported Nutritional Monotony
Now in the August 2011 American Journal of Nutrition, matter science researchers report on a study where people subjected to the same diets over and over again were observed to consume less calories
And as a opposite to this was a study showing recently that with increased variety at buffets can lead to increased caloric intake!
A matter science observation (measurement of reduced caloric intake) has been made but from an energy science nutritional view the explanation is that this form of monodiet(loosely called fasting here) is Vata pacifying, that is, it creates more physiologic calming which in turns less food intake
Not because it's boring but because the monodiet is calming
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Protein Supplementation Is Out: But Milk Is In
Is this a Wannabe Mustache?
Two matter science nutritional articles have recently come out busting some nutritional myths that if taken seriously would change the athletic food supplementation industry
First, The Bad News ;(
Nutritional researchers at the University of Bath have debunked the notion that protein supplementation is helpful in recovery after workouts What?
How can that be? Protein is important in building muscle and of course and the workout is intended to do just that! Of course the placebo effect for weight lifters to triathletes will probably reign in such a study and call foul but, hey, we just work here
The truth of the matter is that protein supplementation is far overdone and from an energy science view corroborates this matter science nutritional finding I just love it when that happens because it means that this finding is totally meaningful
From an energy science nutritional standpoint using protein supplementation leads to provoking Pitta which is already provoked in this clinical setting
Are You Ready? The Good News 
Kinda
OK, this is going to be hard to hear from athletic circles perhaps but jocks and jockesses would do well to take in some chocolate milk after their workouts
But for me the question is, "What's with the chocolate in the milk?" You know, why spoil Nature's perfect food with chocolate?
Although it's not surprising that milk is a great drink after a physical workout, what doesn't make sense is the addition of the chocolate from an energy science nutritional view
Now here, there is a conflict between the matter and energy science nutritional information and the relevance here is "delete the chocolate" since chocolate isn't good for anyone(sorry chocoholics)
"Yea, but it tastes better that way Besides we get some refined sugar that way"
Besides Milk Isn't Good For YOU?
While we're on the topic, a few comments about milk are in order
One of the rampages we hear these days is that the food that supported us in the first six months of life isn't good for us anymore Mother's or otherwise
Hey, come on Let's quit blaming the foods for why we don't feel well(classic Pitta way of dealing with life) When all else fails blame something or someone
The problem is US and our digestive systems The way we consume milk and our poor digestive fire
Cold milk out of the fridge is not a good idea(ice cubes at Starbucks even worse)
Warming, better yet, steaming the milk to break down the large casein molecules is a good idea
Using spices to aid in the digestion is great idea(chai anyone?)
Drinking milk alone is better than drinking it with cookies(another myth even though tastes better)
Wanna Make A Bet?
Since there's a lot of money on this whole case of protein supplementation be prepared in the next year to see some studies refuting the above
Ah, the American science way!
Ciao, until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Money and Health: 5 Steps to Disease Prevention
If you sacrifice your health to make money today,
you will have to sacrifice your money to get health tomorrow
It's not hard but health just requires attention
In our current Vata provoked lifestyle it gets harder and harder to focus our attention on what really counts From a matter science view the quick Vata fix is perhaps buy some molecules at the health food store
Yes, that's it!
Maybe some vitamin C molecules, or I'll take some of those molecules of coffee because those make me feel tip top, or one of those "fad diets" to lose some weight
Health Insurance or Sickness Insurance?
Currently health insurance is a misnomer There is nothing paid out for health since the primary reason for paying ever increasing premiums is to subsidize those people who unfortunately have disease
And we hope(a form of denial and delaying the inevitable) that we won't get sick but we all know that most of us will have some form of health mishap, a serious brush or not so
But I would suggest that although it's great to have some backup catastrophe planning, the insurance industry really doesn't address the issue of disease prevention
Why not you ask? The answer is that society pays the current healers who don't have a disease prevention model They have a disease detection and treatment program And although they are presently struggling mightily to make that happen, it can't because seeing the body as a machine inhibits the ability to understand the roots of biological disease
Some Unfortunate News
So if we want to be healthy, the bad news is that your insurance is not going to help you and if they say they will, I would run because they don't have what you're looking for
Health is a skill It's something that we have to work at and most would agree with that The question is, "OK what do I need to do?"
The first thing to do is change your view of how you view yourself, that is, cut the net and swim out of this delusion that we are a machine that has somehow learned how to think
Then we have a chance to see disease prevention in a truly meaningful way Then we can do some simple things to be healthy and begin preventing disease For example:
5 Energy Science Life Promoting Ways to Save Money
Early to bed and early to rise
Eat according to your mindbody makeup; biggest meal at noon
Exercise an hour a day 6 days a week (regularity is the key)
Laugh a lot ie don't take life seriously
Yes, I know that this list seems comical and it has nothing to do with preventing disease but that's because you're still in the net
Ciao until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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A Car Sale and Nutrition: A Lesson of Letting Go
Mary came in today for her bladder symptoms that on workup were related to a nonbacterial inflammatory condition that is common in urology called interstitial cystitis
Getting Better With Energy Science Nutrition
When I had last seen her she had predictably getting better with the nutritional PItta Kapha format along with using aloe
But all of Mary's symptoms had come back in the last couple of days
At times symptoms can worsen due to release When one stops the aggravating foods carrying the hot quality, that same quality which is in abundance in the physiology is naturally released and may cause the exacerbation in symptoms that she was experiencing
And although this release from an energy science view made perfect sense there was something that was seemed unclear to Mary
Through The Eyes of Grandma
Her mom who had been accompanying Mary to her appointments then came out of her silence
"What would you suggest she do about her daughter's car purchase?" she interjected "Do you think she can take it back?"
Taken aback, I learned that the recently employed 23 year old daughter/granddaughter had been roped into a poor car deal and had taken possession of the car
"Do you think she can get out of it?" a now very upset Mary asked
"It doesn't seem likely She signed the papers and has driven the car off the lot"
Mary then went off on a Pitta rant about how her daughter had been duped and coerced into a poorly thought out car purchase
"Unfortunately you're not in control here" I said sympathetically "It's one of those life lessons that we all have to go through You can't be her protector even though you'd like to be there for her"
The Mindbody Connection
"I'm so frustrated with that man who took advantage of my young daughter How can he sleep at night? I've been so upset the last couple of days All of my acid indigestion and bladder symptoms are back "
"Oh, there's the answer It totally fits" I said to myself
"Mary, your mind is exhibiting the hot quality in terms of anger, frustration, and vindictive thoughts and the body is intimately involved with those thoughts because mind is in every cell of your body Each cell of the body is listening" A clear expression of the mindbody concept
"Every time you have those thoughts of frustration, just say 'Not now" and move on I know that can be hard but it's the way you'll calm the body and it's present dis-ease"
Letting Go
"Since every cell in your energy field has mind, that is, an intimate splicing of mind and body, the cells cannot help but have the experience that they are having"
"By letting go of needing to control the situation and letting go of your frustration, the cells of your body can let go of this build up of the hot quality that is bringing about the recurrence of your symptoms"
As a matter of fact anytime we decide on the part of healing to let go, the mindbody can release and get back slowly but surely to its state of balance and equilibrium
"It takes time Mary but by doing the nutritional work and aloe and becoming a witness to upsetting thought patterns you'll be really on the road to taking care of this problem"
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Bags Under The Eyes: An Energy Science Medical Perspective
Honest Abe and Low Renal Energy
At times I've woken up with a dry mouth and wondered what the cause was Then I stumbled on the fact that increased salt intake can induce such a symptom And last night that very thing happened and realized that I had some soup that didn't seem all that salty but probably was
The Interesting Observation
But the important observation was that I had increased fluid under my eyes which was new and then it struck me that it must have been the salt
Why? Because renal energy when it's low shows up as water under the lower eyelid and because of the load the night before I put a taxing event on excretion of the salt load An acute process but a process nonetheless
But this brings up the clinical observation for all of us when looking at ourselves in the mirror That low renal energy is observed by these "bags under the eyes"
Many Reasons From An Energy Science Medical View
Now low renal energy can occur for many reasons and interestingly even can be related to poor strength of the mid to low thoracic area When the posture sags in this topographical area the result can be less flow through the area resulting in this observation
But the bottom line from my experience is that nutritional excess of salt intake can provoke even chronically the bag phenomenon
What are such foods and who gets provoked? Well, Kapha Pitta(KP) people are the most prone because salt which produces congestion is most aggravating to this energy pattern and Pitta Vata(PV) less so
KP may not show this water loading early in life but as the congestion imbalance moves along it may happen unless there's puffiness all over
The Matter Science Medical Perspective
The current medical opinion from a matter science view would be that the person must not be getting enough rest
This is because the matter science medical model has no capability of tying body topography with organs Did you know energetically that the eyes and ears and internal abdominal and pelvic organs are represented on the soles of the feet and the hands This occurs from the basic energy science tenet that the whole is contained in all of the parts The scientific expression is that we live in a holographic universe
Bottom Line: Think Congestion Somewhere
The take home is that such a baggy observation implies congestion
And it also brings about the concept of monitoring the health of the body What? I'm supposed to go to my matter science medical doc to be told whether I'm healthy or not I would suggest that beginning to take responsibility for our health will begin with these observations(that is, if we so choose)
You see my friends, when we begin taking on a different perspective about this body that we carry around we begin seeing health and its monitoring in a different way
Ciao, until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Forks Over Knives: Challenging the Status Quo
So it's date night and I've had this documentary on my list for some time, so I surprise my wife taking her to a fringy movie theater in the next town to view a MIchael Moore rendition of what's gone wrong 
If you're interested in a well thought out presentation of some disturbing scientific facts and stats about the nutritional status of our current American diet , this documentary dishes it out in spades If you haven't seen it I'd highly recommend it only for the reason that it lays out the significant blindness that currently is manifested in the matter science nutritional information these days
A Matter Science Nutritional Blind Spot
Fast forward about half way into the movie and revealed is an interview with a matter(molecular or measurement) science RD(registered dietitcian) who chairs a nutritional sciences program at a prestigious Midwestern university
As is typical she gave the party line defending the current matter science nutritional position on food choices Unfortunately the film to the point of her interview had laid out nuttritional statistics and information that showed how the increased consumption of animal protein appears to be related to the rise in heart disease( coronary vessel disease or arteriosclerosis) and other diseases such as cancer due to the inflammatory nature of the meat laden diet
In a classic Michael Moore blindside her position and as a voice for the ADA(American Dietetic Association) made her look like not much of a educated and informed authority As a matter of fact it made her position statements look foolish
A Plea for Vegetarianism
T Colin Campbell(primary author of the controversial China Study) and Esselstyn team up through the film with great statistics and data to make a case for becoming vegetarian
The argument is a demographic one That is, if a poplulation of people increase their meat consumption and chronic diseases rise at the same time then there the correlation seems to be clear
With the staggering and escalating rise in coronary vessel disease, stroke, all forms of cancer, diabetes with its attendent metabolic syndrome, chronic disease has to be in some way related to excess meat consumption
Light Shed Using Energy Science Nutrition
But I have heard many people who relate that they just feel better using some amount of concentrated protein support ie meat
From an energy science take, PK(Pitta Kapha) should avoid beef, duck, lamb, pork, dark meat of turkey and chicken, and seafood This leaves white chicken and turkey, egg whites, lean meats such as buffalo, venison, moose, elk and rabbit, and egg whites all the time with egg yolks in moderation(1-2 times per week) Dairy in moderation
PV(Pitta Vata) on the other hand should avoid pork and lamb and use beef, duck, white and dark meat of turkey and chicken, eggs with yolk, and seafood in moderation Buffalo, egg whites, and freshwater fish and shrimp all the time
Who's Doing the Eating?
The problem with demographic or population studies, while they show glaring problems, is that they lump everyone into the same basket and then make conclusions for the entire population
So from the above we can see that PK will use animal foods differently than PV but the energy science nutritional informational formats would also espouse to not consuming large quantities as currently being done
Oh by the way my wife was entertained by date night so it was a double score! Saw the movie and she liked it Yea!!
Ciao til next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Calories: Is Quantity Really the Problem?
Matter science or measurement based nutrition that presently guides us regarding food choices tells us that calories is one way to assess how to decide whether our diet is satisfactory And even the government helps us with stats that show us consuming on average 570 calories per day more than what we did in the 1970's
Of course other meausurements such as number of grams of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats become relevant in matter science nutrition
What About Nutritional Habits?
In a study presented recently at the American Diabetes Association meeting New Zealander Dr Jeremy Krebs presented some insights about overweight diabetics and the ability to gain weight loss
There were two points that came from the study Reports Krebs, "The first is that no matter what diet we prescribe, people find it extremely difficult to sustain the changes from their habitual diet over a long time. But if they are able to follow either a high-protein diet or a high-carbohydrate diet, they can achieve modest weight loss."
So although we can discuss measurements of components in foods or overall calorie count, the bottom line is that much of the work for weight loss requires that changes in lifestyle choices If substantial change is to occur lifestyle choices around food, particularly comfort foods has to happen
The Good News
The second point "is that for people with diabetes, if they can adhere to either diet and achieve weight loss, then they do get benefits in terms of their diabetes control and cardiovascular risk,"
This of course is no surprise since it is clear that the overweight epidemic is the cause of the rising rate of diabetes and metabolic syndrome
But the question remains, "What kind of 'high protein or high carbohydrate diet' are we talking about here?"
How's Measurement Nutritional Science Working For You?
From an energy science nutritional approach the overweight condition is a Kapha imbalance
Simply putting someone on a Pitta Kapha nutritional format is a step forward in the management of the overweight condition Of course there are several other things that we can do to handle improve the health of the GI tract but the format is numero uno
The high protein diet stresses eating more meat, eggs, nuts and dairy is actually counterproductive from an energy science nutritional approach
The high carbohydrate diet stresses eating more fruits, vegetables, and grains but the issue is which fruits, vegetables, and grains Sour fruits and the almighty banana are actually provoking and cause weight gain Raw tomatoes produce weight gain while others if used all the time do the same Yeasted bread produces weight gain
So my friends, perhaps we should stop hitting our heads against the matter science wall and try something different
Ciao for now To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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