The World of Supplements and the Matter Science
Many with people with chronic diseases are looking for some kind of advantage to help with symptoms from their dis-ease So it often comes to people looking for help with supplements offered from the molecular promised land of the matter science world The question that's left unanswered by the supplement salesman is that if you don't know the origin of the disease in the first place how can you offer a molecular solutionin the name of healing
Addiction and Supplements: Is It Real?
Presently the molecule rules so people believe that the promises by the supplement world must have some merit But there have been few if any studies that show major breakthrough results with supplements particularly with the IC bladder pain syndrome The interesting phenomenon that occurs when supplements become popular is that everyone gets on the bandwagon without questioning efficacy The result is that the supplement salesman makes profits
Beware of Matter Science Doctors Selling Supplements
A recent diet book published by a popular matter science doctor received rave reviews by the matter science healing community and of course book sales sky rocketed the book to the NY Times best seller list And of course there was good but repetitive molecular evidence as to why the obesity epidemic was on the rise Using what would appear to be good molecular logic to explain away the obesity problem is akin to biochemical micromanagement Eventually the solution became not nutritional but supplements What?
When you read the one star reviews on Amazon the concern about the book is quite concerning What was promised was nirvana in 10 days to get you off your sugar addiction which is dubious but what was the complaint about the book by readers They were concerned that they had to pay an excessive amount of money for recommended supplements yet didn't experience any improvement in wellbeing
This is just one example of what is becoming a common place theme in the matter science world Physicians using their credentials to soft sell molecular solutions that they hope will in some way solve the problem at hand
There Is No Free Lunch
Even as convincing is the molecular and metabolic information the point still stands that there is not good data to support the long term use of taking molecular supplements particularly with respect to specific disease conditions
The nutritional approach based on 1000's of years of experience shows that the energy science approach if maintained on a consistent basis will pay dividends of progressive improvement in symptoms And the cost? What you normally pay for groceries Probably 80% of the solution in the IC bladder pain syndrome is nutrition and lifestyle behavior patterns
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4 Principles in Energy Science Cooking
As we have discussed in the managment of any dis-ease nutrition is foundational to having success to acheiving health longterm But in the energy science of Ayurveda nutrition is more than just what foods are selected for your unique mindbody energy constitutional makeup Even though foods are integral to success because they bring about balance to the physiology and prevent imbalances from occurring there is more to nutrition than foods Where to eat, when to eat, how to eat, why we eat all add to the "what to eat"
As we discussed we have talked about always making a deal with ourselves to sit whenever we eat This simply allows us to improve the chances of agni doing a good job in digesting whatever we're eating Eating our biggest meal of the day at noon is foundational to successful nutrition Why we eat uncovers that aspect of nutrition about emotional eating as well as overeating
But what about "how to eat"? This covers the aspects of bringing attention to eating of food but also how we prepare foods
The Uniqueness of Energy Science Cooking
One of the objections that I have heard about the energy science approach to nutrition is that you have to be Indian in order to do an Ayurvedic nutritional format While this is complete and utter nonsense people buy into such false writing because they don't know any better And they believe the people that are protecting the matter science approach to nutrition by misrepresenting the energy science
1 Truth be told the nutritional formats that are at foodsheal.com can be integrated into anybody's way of eating because the change in foods chosen means that you simply find substitutes for foods that are aggravating for folks with the IC bladder pain syndrome If there are problem foods such as nightshades for Pitta Vata then find vegetable substitutes Another example of this substitution is using sunflower instead of peanut butter
2 One of the basic tenets of energy science nutrition is to cook food in order to predigest There is a lot of rhetoric about this from the raw food or macrobiotic community but it makes intuitive sense to break down the cellulose of vegetables in order to aid the agni of the mindbody particularly if it's struggling Another time that raw food comes up is in blenderized veggie drinks In this situation the mechanical breakdown of the veggies may predigest but again the lack of heat applied may make this food preparation technique substandard
3 The use of ghee in cooking cannot be overemphasized in the management of the IC bladder pain syndrome because often the Pitta energy pattern is involved and the best way to pacify Pitta is by the liberal use of ghee due to its liquid and oily qualities But there is good matter science data as to why one would want to use ghee which enhances agni It is completely made up of small chain hydrogenated fatty acids(most common butyric acid) which does not have to be digested and moves through all the tissues within twenty four hours This has important ramifications in the detoxification process of panchakarma(PK)
4 Spices have volatile organic compounds(VOC) which when activated facilitates digestion, absorption, and assimilation of foods Spices are integral to healthy cooking because they augment agni They are best activated during food preparation by placing them in ghee and heating to activate the VOC Once activated they can then be added to other ingredients of the recipe If you have a heavy aroma in the kitchen when activating VOC it means that you have overheated and overcooked the spices
So there you have it A way to prepare foods so that your mindbody can get the most out of it because you have enhanced your agni in the process of preparation
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Eating Challenges and the Holidays
Food selection may become a big deal during the holidays with those with eating challenges So what are some techniques that can help during the holidays? Spreading out holiday-related events, and making get-togethers, and more activity are just a few ways to stay healthy this season
Spread Out Your Events
Try to spread out the parties and get-togethers, instead of visiting several households on the same day If there is an event where the cooking is shared, start a Facebook group page to better organize the dinner and ensure there are plenty of healthy options Each member can discuss what they are bringing to allow a wide variety of colors and choices rather than an overload of starches. You can also use this page to share recipes
Move at the Party
Holiday gatherings often consist of sitting, eating, talking, drinking, and more eating We often find ourselves sitting for longer periods of time because we enjoy the conversation Your legs want to move, the food is on the counter, and off you go for food you’re are not even hungry for This year, try some of these actions with the family to reduce the march to the kitchen Take a walk or try some other physical activity
Don't Go Overboard
Sticking to a healthy plan is important However depriving yourself of certain foods can have negative results Restrictive eating can lead to binge eating as well as disliking healthy foods by associating them with something you ‘have’ to do When it’s time to pile food on your plate, eat what visually appeals to you, or you know you love without guilt clouding the mind Try these final tips for holiday eating If smaller plates are an option, use them. You’ll fill larger plates just because room is available. Second trips are better than overeating on the first round If you’re trying something new, only take a bite-size portion
As you begin to incorporate more healthy practices into your life—whether during the holidays or during everyday life—your mindset will start to shift, and you’ll begin to not only choose more nutritious foods, but actually enjoy them, too
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Healing: 2 Techniques to Enhance Release
We all know the amazing capability of the human mindbody to heal One only needs to recall the experience of a skin cut and the changes that take place over days that leads to the sealing of the wound and typically without a scar And we didn't really do anything We just watched and day by day it occurred The mindbody did its magic
What we had to do is "get out of the way" There are many things that we do to interfere with the healing process We can give our mindbodies foods that produce imbalance or incompatible food combinations, not live in tune with Nature(going to bed when Nature is going to sleep, getting up with Nature, eating our biggest meals when Nature is taking her biggest meal) These simple things support "getting out of the way" and is foundational to healing with diseases
Release and Getting Out of the Way
The mindbody knows how to heal we just need to give it the opportunity A Kapha release can look like the common cold, with lots of mucous and cough with respiratory congestion(release of the heavy, slow/dull, slimy/smooth, liquid qualities) An attack of acid indigestion or diarrhea would be an example of a Pitta release due to excess of that energy pattern in the GI tract In both of these examples the mindbody is shedding qualities(hot, sharp, spreading, liquid, oily) that it doesn't want This shedding of qualities that happens is a very natural thing It's not like we have to think about this release It just naturally happens Typically once an acute release has occurred there is often a sense of lightness that overcomes the physiology due to the loss of qualitative burden
The reason for release is quite simple actually The mindbody has innate intelligence to release these unwanted qualities Like Nature it always moves in the direction of righting itself if imbalance occurs Unfortunately we have grown impatient with this process due to our distrust of the mindbody, believing that this is not possible
Understanding the Process of Release
It's important to understand this process of release Release which is in reality a healing event but it can be marked by highs and lows, ups and downs, good days/weeks and bad days/weeks This roller coaster ride leads to doubt in the mindbody that one is on the right path, that this indeed will be the right course to take When doubt sets in, confusion can reverberate through the physiology and then impatience and loss of faith Pretty soon the inevitable "what the use" begins to chime in
Journaling pays big dividends because it focuses our attention on where we have been and where we are now with respect to symptoms By and by symptoms get better but because the process is subtle it's sometimes difficult to remember Journaling helps support the memory of the past
If we are paying attention to guidelines that foster balance, there will come a time guaranteed, where energy patterns that have been "hanging around" in the mindbody physiology will want to naturally release With that release comes symptoms and we misinterpret these symptoms as getting worse or at least not making progress Rest assured that if you're doing the foundational work as discussed release of qualities will be the result
Enhancing the Process of Release
So it's either an acute release as in the common cold or a release of pentup energy as in the IC bladder pain syndrome The latter is a release that has been chronically stored sometimes for years or decades The more chronic the longer the release that can take up to years based on the chronicity
Supporting and enhancing the release can be done with
1 Herbs which can help foster, smooth out or build up the mindbody during releases
2 Detoxification procedures such as panchakarma(PK) These require physician directed guidance due to the complexity of decision making that goes beyond the health consumer's capability There are other energy science techniques that also facilitate these chronic releases that go beyond the scope of this short blog but suffice it to say there are many other tools in the bag
The message is that illnesses that seem to come out of "nowhere" can be explained on the basis of these releases Of course if not simple one should check in with your friendly matter science doc and be sure that there isn't something more serious particularly if symptoms continue and don't resolve
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Energetically Protecting the Mindbody
Biologically the mindbody simultaneously coexists as both an energy field or a matter(molecular) field If I put on my energy field glasses I see the mindbody as an energy field and I speak about it in terms of Vata, Pitta, or Kapha In so thinking about the mindbody as both energy and matter there obviously should be a transparency about what we are discussing If I speak about the molecular aspects of the mindbody I should be able to find its equivalency in the energy field model This is true for the GAG(GlycosoAminoGlycan) layer molecular concept and the Kapha energy pattern
Kapha is energy of stability in the physiology It keeps our mindbodies strong and well put together physically It's psychologically grounding for us and is also responsible for our immune system working properly since it is the immune system You can think of Kapha as a protective energy that keeps the mindbody strong Any large structural molecule such as chondroitin(joints), cholesterol, or immunoglobulins are molecular expressions of the Kapha energy pattern
In inflammatory diseaes such as Alzheimer's, GERD, or coranary artery disease one of the hypotheses in its molecular cause is the protective GAG layer is in some way becomes damaged and loses its integrity This layer which is produced by the underlying epithelial cells is thought to be a protective mucous layer and so by what we have just said this would be a Kapha like protection from invasive bacteria but also from the acidic characteristics of the urine itself
Every tubular lining(aka mucosa) that has a connection to the outside world has a GAG layer For example the lining of the respiratory system has its associated protective GAG layer which traps foreign materials so they don't interfere with respiratory function The GI tract and reproductive tracts has GAG layers as well
GAG Layer Repair
There are many reasons why GAG layers get damaged but one of them is inflammation In energy science terminology that means that Pitta is being increased due to blocking by Kapha and in the matter science it means that acidity breaks down tissue Knowing this there are energy science ways to help prevent the GAG layer from being broken down or getting repaired if broken down
Aloe vera There's a reason why aloe as a herb works wonders in inflammatory conditions It molecularly provides mannose which is an often biologically unavailable essential glucosaccharide This provides the building blocks for the mindbody to rebuild the protective Kapha GAG layer Energetically aloe reduces Pitta heat and pacifies overactive mobile quality of Vata
Reducing Vata and Pitta in nutritional formats It follows from our conversation that if having increased inflammatory Pitta molecules around then preventing them from entry into the mindbody would be good therapy The same holds true for Vata molecules that produce movement in the physiology
Reducing Vata and Pitta in incompatible food combinations(IFC) In general IFC's are inflammatory and increase Pitta so avoiding these is Pitta pacifying
Herbs that reduce Pitta Both acacia and psyllium absorb Pitta from the small intestine so in small volumes these herbs are valuable in the management of the IC bladder pain syndrome
Herbs that reduce Vata Vata is composed of space and air When you pass gas from the rectum you're passing Vata energy Since Vata is air if it's increased in the mindbody physiology it can increase Pitta Think about fanning a fire with pushing air across the fire that you're trying to get going Vata herbs like ashwagandha, bala, and vidari are good at reducing Vata
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The Salty Taste: 5 Ways to Avoid Inflammation
The energy science categorizes food according to taste(rasa which has an effect on the energy patterns of VPK), virya(effect that food has on our small intestine and tissues), vipak(effect that food has on our colon and cells), and prabhav(effect that it has on the DNA of our cells) This makes the interpretation of how foods affect us quite complex and explains why the nutritional formats at foodsheal.com are useful because they simplify our understanding of foods and allow us to make healthy balancing food choices that help treat disease states
To recall the qualities of Vata(cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, clear) and Pitta(hot, light, spreading, sharp/penetrating, liquid, oily) and Kapha(heavy, slow/dull, cool, slimy/smooth, liquid, dense, soft, hard, static, sticky) give rise to disease in the mindbody These qualities combine in various combinations to produce the diseases due to their physiologic excess
The key to understanding the energy science disease model is to begin to appreciate the imbalance in qualities that occur in the mindbody physiology and how you bring about the imbalance As we have discussed in the past the primary way we go out of balance is through foods
The Unique Salty Taste
The energy science of Ayurveda recognizes that there are 6 tastes called rasas(sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent) that allow us to scientifically study foods and their intimate impact on the mindbody energy field These tastes are typically in combination with one another in foods For example, seafood(meat that has lived its life in saltwater) has a salty rasa or taste energtically even though it doesn't taste salty Due to protein of the meat it has a heating vipak, and the dense and heavy qualities of seafood produce the sweet taste as the vipak energetic influence
Aside from seafood, mineral salts such as sea salt or table salt and surprisingly cottage cheese are the only ways we encounter the salty taste in foods so the salty taste becomes our first encounter with the concept of a "culinary spice"salty cottage cheese
The qualities of the salty taste are hot, light, liquid, soft, smooth/slimy, and subtle From the above qualities of Vata we can appreciate that the mobile quality will be reduced by the slimy/smooth quality of salt but Pitta will be increased due to the hot quality Because the salty taste carries the hot quality it will be aggravating to people with high Pitta
Due to the hot quality salt produces inflammation and due to the liquid quality it produces its well known congestive effect with fluid retention
Since rasa(taste) has an influence on our mindbody through the qualities of the foods that we take in, if we get an excess of the salty taste it can produce with the hot and liquid qualities, impatience, irritability, and easy frustration
As advertised in potato chip commercials, "Bet you can't each just one", implies that the salty taste can be addictive This addictive like characteristic of salt is why ALL fast food chains use a lot of the salty taste in their food preparation
Due to salt's penetrating and hot qualities it can be very effective in massaging and warming muscles and so soaking in epsom salt baths becomes valuable Another use of salt is with neti sinus wash that reduces Kapha mucous in the sinuses where it accumulates This is the experience everyone has with the common cold Neti uses a salt solution since tap water will burn the delicate mucous membranes But salt also is important in mobilizing with its hot quality the cool, slimy/smooth, liquid, heavy, dense, slow/dull, and static qualities of Kapha which are those of mucous
5 Takeaways About the Salty Taste
When it comes to high Pitta disorders(anything with inflammation) there are some basic things to remember when it comes to the salty taste
Avoid salt at the dinner table
Avoid all seafood Eat fresh water fish
Avoid all fast food
Avoid salt in food preparation at home
Avoid cottage cheese
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Sleep and 10 Solutions for Help
From an energy science perspective nutrition, rest, and exercise are the foundational pillars to a healthy life In chronic disease all pilllars get typically involved to produce disease progression But rest can be an energy drain to the mindbody and since healing is already an energy drain there is a significant stress on the physiology that requires remedy
Proper Rest
The pineal gland located in the third ventricle is a significant endocrine gland involved in the daily rest cycle and secretes two important neurotransmitters, serotonin and melatonin The former is the energetic equivalent of groundedness and the latter is intimately involved in the diurnal variations of daylight and nighttime, signaling our mindbody when it is ready for rest
As usual in the energy science the amount of rest varies according to the constitutional energy makeup Vata due to its delicacy requires the most rest, typically 7-8h per night and Kapha requires the least, 5-6h and Pitta somewhere in between Most of us have 2 dominant patterns so PV would be around 6-7h and PK 6h But commonly Kapha loves to sleep in and so even though Kapha "desires" more rest, in fact Kapha needs to "move it" and take advantage of its good stamina and endurance
When there are health challenges we can see that there are more energetic demands on the mindbody so that naps are naturally an acceptable way to "catch up" So keeping the same rest schedule at night with PV in bed by no later than 103o and PK 1130 are reasonable guidelines Appropriate rising times no later than 7 for PV and 6 for PK are reasonable But if fatigue sets in during the afternoon a nap could be valuable
We are a culture guided by the alarm clock but the energy science of Ayurveda would suggest that such a tool is Vata provoking and physiologically disruptive So if we set a good sleeping schedule there becomes less of a need to use an alarm because the mindbody gets set into a rhythm of rest, allowing the mindbody to go "au naturale"
Sleep disruption comes in all forms of shapes and sizes Some have trouble getting to sleep, other wake up during Vata time(2-6a) and can't get back to sleep, and others wake up to urinate several times a night due to many different causes
Dreams of falling, being attacked, being pushed, or of always doing something in the dream as well as being frozen with fright, seeing the death of a loved one, or being locked up or flying are Vata dreams Certain animals such as snakes, camels, and flying birds are related to Vata Dreams about the autumn season are about vata In vata dreams, the person is trying to fulfill a desire These dreams are about a person falling or being attacked In some cases, Kapha or Pitta may attack Vata
Helpful Solutions for Rest
There are tools that can help with setting the tone for getting into a "normal rest cycle Of course this is not an all inclusive list but some of these have stood the test of time Using one or a combination of these solutions may be helpful
Having a set time for bed every night is a good lifestyle habit to cultivate The mindbody is subject to habit which sets the tone for rest
The bedroom should be just that....a place for the bed and for rest Some turn their bedroom into a media suite or library and this creates confusion
Cherry juice is a source of melatonin and seratonin as mentioned above are important in rest Amazingly cherry juice is a rich natural source of both and using glass of warm cherry juice with perhaps cinnamon before 30min before bed would be helpful for rest
Warm milk with ground almonds(without skins) and pinch of cardamom and pinch of nutmeg Nutmeg is a culinary sleep aid and can be quite effective
Chamomile tea has been a longstanding herbal remedy for inducing rest, relaxation, and sleep
Cup tomato juice with 2t sugar and 2 pinches nutmeg
Herbal therapies such as tagar can be helpful in inducing sleep
Bhringaraj oil to feet and head after a warm tub bath for relaxation can also help for sleep inducement
Practicing So Hum mantra meditation can be a way to soothe the Vata aggravated mindbody and put it in relaxation mode It's a way of counting sheep but much more peaceful
The addition of a pharmacological such as Ambien or other sleep aids can be used as prescription and supported by the above
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Pitta and Transformation
Pitta is the energy of transformation and its qualities are hot, sharp/penetrating, light, mobile, liquid, and oily
Of the three energy patterns discussed, Pitta is the only pattern with the hot quality Heat transforms The emotion of anger often gets a bad rap Anger can be transformational It can stimulate us to get moving and get things done
Sharp/penetrating helps with discrimination and seeing through problems and having healthy digestion
The light of Pitta is different than light of Vata(feather) because light here means illumination, shedding light on a subject; intensity here is a good word for Pitta Vata's light vibrational frequency is associated with playfulness and levity
The intensity of Pitta is not too intensive There is a great deal of warmth by hot vibrational frequency but not burning; it's not like a pit bull that won't let go There is an ease of the intensity Otherwise the intensity becomes rigidity
A fire is mobile as the flames of a fire dance Pitta in balance is flexible in the mindbody; able to entertain different alternatives But the mobility of Pitta is different than that of Vata as well
The mobility or movement of energy causes us to notice things in our environment So the stock market moves up and it attracts our attention It is this aspect of Pitta's vibrational frequency of mobility that promotes survival and evolutionary behavior when in balance
So hook up with Pitta if you want to see through problems, guidance, nourish the best choices, have great wisdom, incredible intensity, highly focused, determined, and thorough
Pitta is a great change artist for himself and others(if they so choose) It is able to give good intellectual guidance well thought out. keen, and brilliant(light)
Do you know anyone in your life or celebrities who expresses the characteristics of the balanced Pitta? How do they make you feel when you're around them? Can you think of any celebrities or leaders that carry this balanced energy?
To Health as a Skill DB
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6 Ways To Counter the Vata Buzz
Vata, the energy pattern of movement in the energy mindbody physiology, has the qualities or vibrational frequencies of mobile, light, subtle, clear, dry, rough, and cold. These qualities are important because they help identify the energy of Vata when it is prominent in our physiology.
For example, we have all had the experience of the racing mindbody. The whole body seems to be heightened and energized, that is buzzing or what I am referring to as the Vata Buzz.
When needing to get things done, this type of energy is great to have.
But a couple of observations. Vata Buzz is a sympathetic outflow, that is, it is part of the fight or flight response and when activated for prolonged periods of time can promote fatigue and wasting.
Another characteristic for people who are Vata predominant(more Vata than Pitta and Kapha energy patterns) is that their mindbodies cannot sustain long periods of the Buzz even though they would love to because they love mobility. Those of us like this cannot endure like Kapha and Pitta.
As we might expect certain foods bring on the Buzz. Coffee is the common drink that most associate with the Buzz but any food or drink that produces the mobile, light, subtle, and clear qualities will bring on the symptoms of the Buzz.
How to bring down the Buzz?
Create more parasympathetic or peaceful things in life to calm the Buzz.
1 Eat grounding foods such as root vegetables
2 Avoid transiently the pungent(chiles, salsa), bitter(most veggies), and astringent(beans) tastes and emphasize the sweet, sour, and salty tastes
3 Take a hot tub bath before bed
4 Get more rest
5 Consider meditation
6 Recognize that the Buzz is addictive
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