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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The Amazing Gut
The gut is the foundation of health and it deserves our consideration and gratitude
Have you ever wondered at how a piece of broccoli becomes heart, brain, liver cells? When I think about it, it puts me in awe of our amazing gut and what it does for us
Yet from an energy science view the interface between our outside world(food) and the inside world of our mindbody is much richer than the present matter science view that we have been led to believe
It's at this junction between the external world(foods consumed) and our inside world that dis-ease begins from an energy science medical model perspective
That's a mouthful isn't it(no pun intended)? Let's consider this statement in its entirety
This statement implies the following:
Origins of Dis-ease
The origins of dis-ease is at the gut level, believe the unbelievable or not If you ask a contemporary physician today, "Why did I get this …..(fill in the blank)?", you won't get an answer There's a gentle shrug of the shoulders and "We just don't know right now but there is plenty of research being done" But the matter science medical model will never answer the question because the answer lies at the energy field level We're putting the question to a model that will not be able to come up with the answer
Food Choices Create Imbalance and Dis-ease
The choices of the foods that we make cause imbalance and hence dis-ease This is not such a shock even to the matter science medical practitioner
But imbalance of what? The answer is qualities that we share in common with the foods that we consume If the mindbody has too much hot quality and we eat foods(predominant sour and salty tastes) then imbalance is created by too much of the hot quality
Put another way your health is in your hands This is quite gratifying on the one hand and terrifying on the other since we have never shouldered this kind of responsibility before At least not in this way
Sicker the Gut The Sicker We Become
As imbalances are created and we pile on over the years more and more imbalance the rest of the mindbody begins to become imbalanced in specific areas
We have discussed in the past how to avoid this patterned conditioning that gets us to our illnesses but in the end it is the lack of understanding how we get sick in the first place that leads to our poor health as we age
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Fingernails and Bone Health
Have you ever noticed how often you trim your fingernails? OK, if you have paste on nails, just play along with me today
Anatomically the nails are extensions of the last bone of the finger and from an energy science view can be indicators of the health of the bones
Makes sense, doesn't it? We don't usually think of the nails as an indicator the bone activity but indeed it is this observation that can allow us to begin to have an insight as to the health of our internal bone structure and its strength
Certainly simpler than getting Dexa scans for osteoporosis or osteopenia or can be at least adjunctive when we are following bone health
Let's take a simple example Say that you're a postmenopausal thin Vata lady(and you don't have the paste on nails) andjust had a scan that shows osteopenia(out of normal range bone density) that bears watching
Look at your nails How often do you trim them? Once a week, every two days, never How about the linear grooves or ridges that run the course of the nail? What about increased redness near the end of the nailbed? What about spots on the nails?
All of your observations are helpful to understand the progressive improvement of your bone health as you do things to improve your osteopenic state
Well, the next question is what to do about unhealthy nails associated with osteoporosis(really abnormal bone density) or osteopenia? The first thing to keep in mind is that the bony structure of the mindbody is slow to change and so the key is patience
Next, the colon must be healthy I'm not an advocate for colonics but there is value is talking to specialists who can help with this kind of work Why? Because the colon is the absorption site for minerals, including calcium, magnesium, manganese etc.
Then supplements are important with a balance of calcium and magnesium in a 2 to 1 ratio
Improving digestion, absorption, assimilation, and elimination is important and nutrition is the cornerstone to doing this
Nutritional formats at foodsheal.com can give you guidelines
Poor food combining is problematic
Use of triphala in powdered form(pills are not so good) and making a night time tea is helpful for bowel health
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Bad Breath
Halitosis or bad breath is a sign of illness or at least imbalance in the physiology for it defines an unhealthy GI(gastrointestinal) tract
From an energy science view indicates stagnant energy in the GI tract or elsewhere in the body
At times we might become aware of bad breath because of an unusual taste in the mouth Otherwise we are lucky to have someone close to us point it out to us And of course they risk hurting our feelings but in reality it's very helpful since we can't know at times ourselves
The GI tract begins in the oral cavity and poor oral dentition with periodontitis is the possible cause This problem can be related to cardiovascular disease and should be taken seriously
But overcolonization of the GI tract with "bad" bacteria can lead to bad breath and means a sick gut that is struggling to function well
When such a problem occurs some simple things can be done
Trip to the dentist to be sure that periodontitis is not a problem
Periodic juice fasting can help reset the GI tract over time
Use of kitchari can be a good start to help the bowel regain its health
Use of nutrtional format according to one's mindbody makeup is foundational
Avoiding poor food combinations is helpful
Improving digestive fire with churans is beneficial
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Energy Drinks
In the current issue of JAMA(Journal of the American Medical Assn) a commentary gives the overall contemporary view of "energy drinks"
The FDA in November 2010 issued a warning that caffeine is an unsafe additive to alcoholic drinks since there have been deaths occurring with exploring youths looking for the ultimate high
But the article goes on to cite that "high"energy drinks are suspect for deteriorating health regardless of the association with alcohol or not That the potent caffeine drinks are deleterious to health And as typical the matter science evaluated these drinks in numerical fashion as to the amount of caffeine per ounce, citing health problems associated with caffeine
From an energy science view caffeine aggravates all three energy patterns of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha by increasing the mobile, light, and oily qualities Taken excessively this provocation can lead to many chronic health issues
But what about the proverbial "cup of Joe"? Same caffeine but not as much Well, what about all the caffeine in the carbonated cans these days Same deal The addiction to caffeine is a real one And the reason is that the drinks help us go even faster, if we weren't already going too fast as a society already
In a previous blog we treated energy drinks in a similar way JAMA is now doing but from an energy science approach
So what's the bottom line? Green tea is just fine, thank you!
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Cutting a Tree Down
Here's a question for ya Which is easier, cutting a tree down at the trunk or one branch at a time?
Pretty obvious isn't it? One branch at a time, right? At least that's what we do in the matter science arena of healing these days
I was reminded of this the other day when I saw a man in his 80's debilitated by an organic anxiety symptom complex that had been going on for some time with obvious somatic symptoms
But the underlying complex of symptoms was related to his free floating anxiety which was causing all kinds of emotional and mental havoc He was placed on several antianxiety meds but it wasn't taking care of the problems of sleeplessness, frequency, headache, and gut symptoms
So what was added which seems appropriate is a sleeping pill for the sleeplessness
What would the energy science do? It would begin dealing with the anxiety or the trunk of the tree not the branches eg sleeplessness, frequency, headache, and gut symptoms
This can be done in several different ways since the causes of the anxiety are multifactorial so the treatments are multifaceted
So it's important to know the origins of dis-ease whatever they may be Once we know the origins of dis-ease in the physiology then we can go to work to cut the tree down, not one limb at a time
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Childhood Health and Nutrition
Ever wondered whether Junior's common cold is nutritionally induced? Or that rash that Missy is having trouble getting rid of is related to all the tomatoes that she is fed?
As custodians of our children's health to me the biggest responsibility for us as parents is to be sure that we are nourishing properly and establishing nutritional lifestyle behaviors that will carry them well throughout their lives
Let's talk about the common cold This occurs primarily during the winter and from an energy science nutritional view a Kapha imbalance
Since childhood is a Kapha time in a person's life due to growth which is part of the energy pattern of Kapha, feeding children Kapha provoking foods during this period of a child's life will produce physiologic Kapha imbalancing dis-ease
What are those symptoms of Kapha imbalance? Congestion, runny nose, and productive cough are all symptoms of Kapha imbalance Sounds like the common cold
What are common foods that increase the Kapha energy pattern?
Dairy, including cheese, milk(skim 2% or whole), yogurt, and butter
Nuts including peanut butter
Meats such as beef, lamb, and pork but not white chicken or turkey
Seafood(better freshwater fish)
Carbonated drinks
Condiments such as ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce
Sour and salty in general to include fruits and drinks AND the BANANA
So what about Missy and her skin rash? This occurs usually during the spring and summer when Pitta is prominent in Nature's physiology and so it is in our children's physiology(and adults as well)
What provoking inflammatory foods are involved?
Tomatoes, corn chips = salsa and pizza Oh no, not the mainstay of the American family diet!
Nuts including peanut butter Oh, oh
Meats such as beef, lamb, and pork
Seafood
Carbonated drinks
Chocolate
Sour and salty in general
So what's a concerned parent to do? I think the first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the nutritional information at foodsheal.com
Use it yourself because chances are that the energy nutritional format that mom and pop use will the be the same for Junior and Missy Then when imbalances show up pay exta attention to the nutrition
Watch for poor food combining that can cause provocation eg fruit with any other food
Pay attention to strengthening your child's digestive fire
And then say goodbye to the sneezing and congestion and skin rashes for good
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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