Fasting is the quickest way of bringing about the elimination of toxic materials from the body.
Fasting is a simple, quick and effective way to cleanse the body and promote healing from illness and disease.
Fasting has been known for thousands of years as practise of maintaining good health; promoting healing is the sick and preventing illness in the healthy.
Accumulated waste (be it through poor diet, medication, pollution, stress…) throughout the system is the root-cause or foundation of all illness and dis-ease.
Lowered vitality, lack of energy or strength, seemingly minor ailments of all kinds; are signs that there is a problem somewhere in the body.
Many people are afraid of fasting; this is often due to a lack of understanding of the practise. Fasting can take many forms and varying durations, depending on the individual and the goal(s) set out to be achieved.
During a fast, no solid food is eaten – but liquids can be consumed in as large a quantity is desired or necessary. Liquids can include raw fruit and vegetable juices – ideally freshly squeezed since they lose many of their valuable vitamins, minerals, trace elements and enzymes within minutes of being prepared. Herbal teas(caffeine free) and plenty of room temperature water also available.
Providing you have a full and correct understanding of the process; a fast can last for many days. For others, fasting can simply mean skipping a meal or two.
Consider that if you were to miss dinner, go to bed early, have water, herbal tea or juice for breakfast, and then eat a sensible lunch - you will have fasted for almost 24hrs!
In doing so you are literally giving your digestive system a rest – taking the foot off the accelerator and cruising for a while. This will help to prevent ‘burning out the engine’. Just as a distance runner alters their pace to conserve energy in between bursts of speed; so too your digestive system requires periods of lower activity in order to maintain optimum performance.
The bowel has the poorest nerve structure of any organ in the body, and thus cannot easily signal any problems. If the heart is beating too fast we rest. If breathing becomes strained we rest. If limbs being to tire we rest. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind; the digestive system is treated with indifference and ignorance to the constant state of work, activation and stress in which it is forced to perform throughout our entire lives.
Remember that to nourish the vital functions of your body, you need proper nutrition - not masses of substance. High levels of easily assimilated nutrients are more than available in freshly squeezed juices. In cases where doubt or recommendation suggest that you should not fast; vitamin-rich vegetable broths or even soft fruits could still constitute an element of fasting. The point is to remove some bulk so that your body can work on the accumulated matter that is already in the system.
Benefits of fasting include:
During extended fasting, the body literally lives off itself. It burns up and digests its own tissues – STARTING WITH THOSE THAT ARE DIS-EASED, OLD, DAMAGED OR DEAD.
The process of building new, healthy cells – a constant state in life – is speeded up.
The body’s elimination channels (lungs, liver, kidneys and skin) process more waste – masses of toxins are removed.
Aches and pains, morning stiffness and lethargy are reduced.
Mental clarity is increased.
BREAKING/ENDING A FAST IS AN IMPORTANT STAGE OF THE PROCESS!
A sensible re-integration of eating is vital. Common sense should prevail – it is obviously not a good idea to drop beer and burgers into your freshly cleaned stomach and intestines.
The level of care required will vary depending on the specifics of each individuals fasting process. Those with little or no previous experience should always seek information and advice before beginning a fast. That said; skipping dinner once a week might be a sensible place to start your experience of this ancient, deliberate and perfect practise.
Life is good, enjoy x
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Pain (Life) Killers!
Over the past three year Mum has taken a wide variety of drugs including nerve suppressants, steroids, morphine, and laxatives. At one stage she swallowed over 20 tablets a day. She is currently taking a daily dosage of ‘Tramadol’ and ‘Pregabalin’. Some jargon and translation:
Tramadol - is a ‘monoamine uptake inhibitor’ used to treat moderate to severe pain and most types of neuralgia – conditions affecting the nervous system. It has been suggested that Tramadol could be effective for alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety because of its action on the ‘noradrenergic’ and ‘serotonergic’ systems, the involvement of which appear to play a part in its ability to alleviate the perception of pain. However, health professionals have not yet endorsed its use on a large scale for disorders such as this.
Pregabalin - is an anticonvulsant drug used for neuropathic pain. It has also been found effective for ‘generalized anxiety disorder’. It was designed as a more potent successor to ‘Gabapentin’, used in the treatment of Epilepsy. Recent studies have shown that Pregabalin is effective at treating chronic pain in disorders such as fibromyalgia and spinal cord injury. In June 2007, Pregabalin became the first medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Mum does not have fibromyalgia.
In January and February 2009, Mum underwent two procedures at London’s ‘National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery’, whereby she was intravenously fed ‘Lidocaine’ (Jan) and ‘Ketamine’ (Feb) for 2 hours at a time. These drugs are anaesthetics which work to inhibit receptors in the brain. Ketamine is used primarily in veterinary surgery and is commonly sought as a recreational hallucinogen said to induce a state referred to as "dissociative anaesthesia”, blocking signals to the conscious mind to bring about a ‘dreamlike’ state of sensory deprivation.
The first treatment (Lidocaine) caused pain more severe than any experienced in her life, leaving her almost entirely unable to walk for one month. The second (Ketamine) offered little if any change whatsoever. After this Mum declined a third treatment scheduled for March. She has a ‘review’ appointment with the same hospital booked for May. It is with this in mind that I came to visit her now (April).
Some reported side-effects of these drugs are:
Chronic constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle cramps/spasms, numbness, respiratory depression, immune system depression (low white blood cell counts) and fluid retention in the cells (resulting in damage/death of the cells – info on Lymphology and ‘dry cell states’ to follow). Mum has all of these.
Another common side effect is a urinary disorder that can actually thicken the bladder wall, lowering sensitivity and control of this area. It was immediately following an operation to tighten Mum’s bladder that any symptoms and pain first began; and yet nobody advised her that this already damaged organ could possibly take strain from the ‘treatment’ programme. And, despite her primary symptoms being numbing, cramping and pain in her in her legs and feet, AT NO STAGE WAS SHE OFFERED MASSAGE OR SHOWN STRETCHING TECHNIQUES THAT MAY ALLEVIATE THE PAIN.
The companies that produce and distribute pharmaceutical drugs are privately owned and are primarily concerned with their own profits. This is not a revelation but needs to be understood when deciding on the appropriate actions to take when loved ones become unwell.
Consider that a private pharmaceutical company absolutely depends on your not being well in order to exist! They literally sell their products to health authorities and in turn they sell them to you – be that direct or not, it is in everybody’s interest that you/me/my mum, receive these drugs and therefore they will always be recommended before any other form of treatment.
‘Pfizer Inc.’ (that produce Mum’s ‘Pregabalin’) is the single largest pharmaceutical company in the world with an annual ‘product marketing budget’ of $3 billion. That’s MARKETING as in ADVERTISING. Their tight links with the US Government date from 1910 when they produced penicillin in the First World War. In 1995 they contributed $250,000 (the maximum allowed) to the second inauguration of George W. Bush.
Is it any surprise then, that drugs become endorsed by government and other treatment be officially termed ‘alternative’? Yoga has been with mankind since time immortal. Medicinal properties of herbs, spices and whole-foods were deliberately placed on the earth by God/Mother Nature/Natural Order… The brain is the single greatest laboratory in existence, capable of producing ANY CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMBINATION KNOWN TO MAN. It simply needs to be given the opportunity to do its work without the hindrance of ‘intelligent intervention’.
Food, medication, and dis-ease have changed drastically in the 20th Century. It is these ‘norms’ that are alternative; it is modern civilization that has created states of illness and disease through separation of the self from the natural order of existence.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”
- Thomas A. Edison.
Mum is doing well, thank you for your love and support.
Tramadol - is a ‘monoamine uptake inhibitor’ used to treat moderate to severe pain and most types of neuralgia – conditions affecting the nervous system. It has been suggested that Tramadol could be effective for alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety because of its action on the ‘noradrenergic’ and ‘serotonergic’ systems, the involvement of which appear to play a part in its ability to alleviate the perception of pain. However, health professionals have not yet endorsed its use on a large scale for disorders such as this.
Pregabalin - is an anticonvulsant drug used for neuropathic pain. It has also been found effective for ‘generalized anxiety disorder’. It was designed as a more potent successor to ‘Gabapentin’, used in the treatment of Epilepsy. Recent studies have shown that Pregabalin is effective at treating chronic pain in disorders such as fibromyalgia and spinal cord injury. In June 2007, Pregabalin became the first medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Mum does not have fibromyalgia.
In January and February 2009, Mum underwent two procedures at London’s ‘National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery’, whereby she was intravenously fed ‘Lidocaine’ (Jan) and ‘Ketamine’ (Feb) for 2 hours at a time. These drugs are anaesthetics which work to inhibit receptors in the brain. Ketamine is used primarily in veterinary surgery and is commonly sought as a recreational hallucinogen said to induce a state referred to as "dissociative anaesthesia”, blocking signals to the conscious mind to bring about a ‘dreamlike’ state of sensory deprivation.
The first treatment (Lidocaine) caused pain more severe than any experienced in her life, leaving her almost entirely unable to walk for one month. The second (Ketamine) offered little if any change whatsoever. After this Mum declined a third treatment scheduled for March. She has a ‘review’ appointment with the same hospital booked for May. It is with this in mind that I came to visit her now (April).
Some reported side-effects of these drugs are:
Chronic constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle cramps/spasms, numbness, respiratory depression, immune system depression (low white blood cell counts) and fluid retention in the cells (resulting in damage/death of the cells – info on Lymphology and ‘dry cell states’ to follow). Mum has all of these.
Another common side effect is a urinary disorder that can actually thicken the bladder wall, lowering sensitivity and control of this area. It was immediately following an operation to tighten Mum’s bladder that any symptoms and pain first began; and yet nobody advised her that this already damaged organ could possibly take strain from the ‘treatment’ programme. And, despite her primary symptoms being numbing, cramping and pain in her in her legs and feet, AT NO STAGE WAS SHE OFFERED MASSAGE OR SHOWN STRETCHING TECHNIQUES THAT MAY ALLEVIATE THE PAIN.
The companies that produce and distribute pharmaceutical drugs are privately owned and are primarily concerned with their own profits. This is not a revelation but needs to be understood when deciding on the appropriate actions to take when loved ones become unwell.
Consider that a private pharmaceutical company absolutely depends on your not being well in order to exist! They literally sell their products to health authorities and in turn they sell them to you – be that direct or not, it is in everybody’s interest that you/me/my mum, receive these drugs and therefore they will always be recommended before any other form of treatment.
‘Pfizer Inc.’ (that produce Mum’s ‘Pregabalin’) is the single largest pharmaceutical company in the world with an annual ‘product marketing budget’ of $3 billion. That’s MARKETING as in ADVERTISING. Their tight links with the US Government date from 1910 when they produced penicillin in the First World War. In 1995 they contributed $250,000 (the maximum allowed) to the second inauguration of George W. Bush.
Is it any surprise then, that drugs become endorsed by government and other treatment be officially termed ‘alternative’? Yoga has been with mankind since time immortal. Medicinal properties of herbs, spices and whole-foods were deliberately placed on the earth by God/Mother Nature/Natural Order… The brain is the single greatest laboratory in existence, capable of producing ANY CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMBINATION KNOWN TO MAN. It simply needs to be given the opportunity to do its work without the hindrance of ‘intelligent intervention’.
Food, medication, and dis-ease have changed drastically in the 20th Century. It is these ‘norms’ that are alternative; it is modern civilization that has created states of illness and disease through separation of the self from the natural order of existence.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”
- Thomas A. Edison.
Mum is doing well, thank you for your love and support.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Nutrition
In the previous article, “The Cell…”, I offered that poor quality food choices fail to provide sufficient nutrition to enable their own digestion, and as such are costing us more energy than they provide – a non-sustainable situation that will eventually lead to ill-health and dis-ease.
Ultimately, what we need from any healthy diet is energy; which is obtained by consuming a mixture of foods that provide protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The wider the variety of foods we eat, the less likely we are to be deficient in any of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to perform their numerous functions.
Towards the end of the 20th Century; advent of supermarkets, freezers, microwaves and such began to deplete the quality of foods that are available, and today in the West we are seeing dramatic rise in poor health conditions that simply did not exist in previous times.
The food we eat has changed more in the past 100 years than in the previous 100,000. Diets high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as intensive farming, growth hormones and artificial preservatives have led to illnesses such as heart dis-ease, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, gall stones, liver failure and kidney problems to name but a few. Children today are born with conditions that only a few years ago were considered dis-eases of old age; more children under the age of 11 are dying of cancer and diabetes than any other dis-ease! (Susana L. Belen, ‘Detox and Revitalize’).
Even the manner in which we eat has been adversely affected my modern social ‘norms’. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner is a direct by-product of the 40-hour working week that only came about during the industrial growth of the 20th Century. This is not the natural order!
The body goes through a natural and deliberate cleansing cycle from around 4am-12noon. During this time our organs are expelling toxic acclimation for release from the body. Eating an early breakfast (as in, ‘break-fast’ or ‘stop-fasting’) diverts energy from this vital process to that of digestion and as such we are not ‘taking out the rubbish’ from the previous day. Further more, throughout the night our cells become dehydrated; and a breakfast of toast (wheat), jam (sugar), cereal (both) and coffee sends them into shock at a time when they are most needing a little helping hand.
Food Observation:
The first thing we should consume in the morning is a glass of room temperature water. Ideally this would be followed by a cup of hot water with fresh lemon and/or ginger. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices will provide easily accessible nutrients, and as we progress to solids, soft fruits such as banana or papaya will place little burden on our early morning sluggish system. Beginning your daily consumption in this manner will offer you the opportunity to assess your true needs verses your indulgent wants. Are you really hungry, or simply habitual?
There are many obvious toxins in the average daily diet. Cutting down on things that are not good for you will have immediate, positive health benefits.
Sugar – White refined sugar provides ABSOLUTELY NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. The major ingredient in many store bought jams, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks – this cheap bulking agent is even being linked to damaged states of mind such as depression, irritability, mood swings and hyper-activity. Artificial ‘sweeteners’ that are increasingly common in foods (sweet and savoury) and even medicines are frequently branded as healthier alternatives because they contain no calories and do not directly damage your teeth. They are however commonly linked to cancers as well as lesser ailments such as dizziness, headaches, epileptic seizures and menstrual problems.
Wheat – Wheat is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly organic, whole-grain varieties can be beneficial to your health. Wheat does however contain high levels of ‘gluten’ which is slow to digest. Imagine taking a slice of white bread, dropping a little water on it and then squashing it in your hand. The resulting sticky pulp is exactly the substance that will hit your stomach. A typical days consumption may include cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and pasta for dinner. That’s three helpings in one day! Add a biscuit in the afternoon and it is easy to see why people become ‘wheat intolerant’. This over- reliance combined with the poor quality refined wheat varieties that flood the market has led to numerous health conditions and frankly boring diets!
But rather than concentrating on the negatives, let us look at some foods that are delicious and healthful. By adding more of these into your daily diet you’ll have less want or need to eat anything nasty.
Fruit – The ultimate convenience food; packed with vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre – all essential for good health. The versatility of fruit makes it easy to incorporate into your diet.
Citrus fruits are exceptionally high in vitamin C which boosts the body’s natural resistance to bacteria and viruses. Lemons are particularly beneficial for the lining of the stomach so useful in reversing the effects of an acid forming diet. Berries offer many unique health benefits and can be easily stored in the freezer without losing their nutritional value. Tropical fruits, such as banana or papaya, contain high levels of potassium which is alkalizing and cooling in the system. Grapes are the original ‘super-food’, assisting the immune, digestive, nervous and excretory systems as well as promoting healthy skin, hair, eyes, bones and muscles! They are massively cleansing and provide huge cancer protection. Dried fruits offer concentrated sources of instant energy and so are great for those with a busy schedule or as a snack during excursion. High mineral and fibre content can relieve constipation and their intense sweetness satisfies the strongest of cravings. Be sure to choose organic varieties if possible as common preservatives such as Sulphur Dioxide can aggravate skin and sinus issues.
Vegetables – Too obvious and numerous to mention; vegetables (especially raw or lightly steamed) should serve as the foundation of any meal.
Seeds and Nuts – Providing low-fat protein which is essential for cellular construction, the natural fats in seeds and nuts help to steady the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing the ‘spikes’ associated with diabetes. Seeds and Nuts are rather clever!, containing ‘enzyme inhibitors’ that prevent them from being broken down in the system. This is a survival mechanism whereby when they are eaten by animals in the wild, they can later be excreted, still able to grow into a plant! For this reason they should be ground-up or soaked in water prior to consumption.
Quick Conclusion:
Food is best in (or close to) its original state. Seasonal, whole-foods are delicious in their own right and don’t require much alteration to create beautiful meals. Reading labels will quickly tell you what you should and shouldn’t be eating – if it doesn’t sound like a food it isn’t! Just as a car cannot run on anything other than petrol, the digestive system simply cannot process anything other than food. Toxic non-foods are rejected and stored in and around the gut and internal organs of the body. Taking the time and effort to prepare food yourself is massively rewarding and with a little practice extremely easy to do. The very concept of ‘convenience food’ is farcical when weighed against the inconvenience of ailments and illnesses that seem so prevalent in Western society.
Food is nutrition. Nutrition is energy. Do you feel vibrant and energized after you have eaten? Or do you feel tired and lethargic? Be honest with yourself and realize that only you have the power to control what you consume, and that what you consume will directly affect the state of your inner environment. Out of sight, out of mind, but not out of the laws of good health.
Life’s Good!
(Nutritional information sourced from Michael Van Straten)
Ultimately, what we need from any healthy diet is energy; which is obtained by consuming a mixture of foods that provide protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The wider the variety of foods we eat, the less likely we are to be deficient in any of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to perform their numerous functions.
Towards the end of the 20th Century; advent of supermarkets, freezers, microwaves and such began to deplete the quality of foods that are available, and today in the West we are seeing dramatic rise in poor health conditions that simply did not exist in previous times.
The food we eat has changed more in the past 100 years than in the previous 100,000. Diets high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as intensive farming, growth hormones and artificial preservatives have led to illnesses such as heart dis-ease, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, gall stones, liver failure and kidney problems to name but a few. Children today are born with conditions that only a few years ago were considered dis-eases of old age; more children under the age of 11 are dying of cancer and diabetes than any other dis-ease! (Susana L. Belen, ‘Detox and Revitalize’).
Even the manner in which we eat has been adversely affected my modern social ‘norms’. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner is a direct by-product of the 40-hour working week that only came about during the industrial growth of the 20th Century. This is not the natural order!
The body goes through a natural and deliberate cleansing cycle from around 4am-12noon. During this time our organs are expelling toxic acclimation for release from the body. Eating an early breakfast (as in, ‘break-fast’ or ‘stop-fasting’) diverts energy from this vital process to that of digestion and as such we are not ‘taking out the rubbish’ from the previous day. Further more, throughout the night our cells become dehydrated; and a breakfast of toast (wheat), jam (sugar), cereal (both) and coffee sends them into shock at a time when they are most needing a little helping hand.
Food Observation:
The first thing we should consume in the morning is a glass of room temperature water. Ideally this would be followed by a cup of hot water with fresh lemon and/or ginger. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices will provide easily accessible nutrients, and as we progress to solids, soft fruits such as banana or papaya will place little burden on our early morning sluggish system. Beginning your daily consumption in this manner will offer you the opportunity to assess your true needs verses your indulgent wants. Are you really hungry, or simply habitual?
There are many obvious toxins in the average daily diet. Cutting down on things that are not good for you will have immediate, positive health benefits.
Sugar – White refined sugar provides ABSOLUTELY NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. The major ingredient in many store bought jams, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks – this cheap bulking agent is even being linked to damaged states of mind such as depression, irritability, mood swings and hyper-activity. Artificial ‘sweeteners’ that are increasingly common in foods (sweet and savoury) and even medicines are frequently branded as healthier alternatives because they contain no calories and do not directly damage your teeth. They are however commonly linked to cancers as well as lesser ailments such as dizziness, headaches, epileptic seizures and menstrual problems.
Wheat – Wheat is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly organic, whole-grain varieties can be beneficial to your health. Wheat does however contain high levels of ‘gluten’ which is slow to digest. Imagine taking a slice of white bread, dropping a little water on it and then squashing it in your hand. The resulting sticky pulp is exactly the substance that will hit your stomach. A typical days consumption may include cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and pasta for dinner. That’s three helpings in one day! Add a biscuit in the afternoon and it is easy to see why people become ‘wheat intolerant’. This over- reliance combined with the poor quality refined wheat varieties that flood the market has led to numerous health conditions and frankly boring diets!
But rather than concentrating on the negatives, let us look at some foods that are delicious and healthful. By adding more of these into your daily diet you’ll have less want or need to eat anything nasty.
Fruit – The ultimate convenience food; packed with vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre – all essential for good health. The versatility of fruit makes it easy to incorporate into your diet.
Citrus fruits are exceptionally high in vitamin C which boosts the body’s natural resistance to bacteria and viruses. Lemons are particularly beneficial for the lining of the stomach so useful in reversing the effects of an acid forming diet. Berries offer many unique health benefits and can be easily stored in the freezer without losing their nutritional value. Tropical fruits, such as banana or papaya, contain high levels of potassium which is alkalizing and cooling in the system. Grapes are the original ‘super-food’, assisting the immune, digestive, nervous and excretory systems as well as promoting healthy skin, hair, eyes, bones and muscles! They are massively cleansing and provide huge cancer protection. Dried fruits offer concentrated sources of instant energy and so are great for those with a busy schedule or as a snack during excursion. High mineral and fibre content can relieve constipation and their intense sweetness satisfies the strongest of cravings. Be sure to choose organic varieties if possible as common preservatives such as Sulphur Dioxide can aggravate skin and sinus issues.
Vegetables – Too obvious and numerous to mention; vegetables (especially raw or lightly steamed) should serve as the foundation of any meal.
Seeds and Nuts – Providing low-fat protein which is essential for cellular construction, the natural fats in seeds and nuts help to steady the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing the ‘spikes’ associated with diabetes. Seeds and Nuts are rather clever!, containing ‘enzyme inhibitors’ that prevent them from being broken down in the system. This is a survival mechanism whereby when they are eaten by animals in the wild, they can later be excreted, still able to grow into a plant! For this reason they should be ground-up or soaked in water prior to consumption.
Quick Conclusion:
Food is best in (or close to) its original state. Seasonal, whole-foods are delicious in their own right and don’t require much alteration to create beautiful meals. Reading labels will quickly tell you what you should and shouldn’t be eating – if it doesn’t sound like a food it isn’t! Just as a car cannot run on anything other than petrol, the digestive system simply cannot process anything other than food. Toxic non-foods are rejected and stored in and around the gut and internal organs of the body. Taking the time and effort to prepare food yourself is massively rewarding and with a little practice extremely easy to do. The very concept of ‘convenience food’ is farcical when weighed against the inconvenience of ailments and illnesses that seem so prevalent in Western society.
Food is nutrition. Nutrition is energy. Do you feel vibrant and energized after you have eaten? Or do you feel tired and lethargic? Be honest with yourself and realize that only you have the power to control what you consume, and that what you consume will directly affect the state of your inner environment. Out of sight, out of mind, but not out of the laws of good health.
Life’s Good!
(Nutritional information sourced from Michael Van Straten)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Cell - Regeneration of...
“All cure starts from within out, from the head down, and in reverse order as the symptoms have appeared.” - Herings Law of Cure.
Modern science and medicine has achieved great advances in understanding the molecular structure of life. Technological advances have provided medications and surgical procedures that prolong life and relieve symptoms. Yet;
These discoveries can only support the body’s own inherent intelligence and ability to reconstruct itself.
Every minute millions of cells are dying and millions more being reborn. The body creates 2.5 billion red blood cells per second! With in 11 months not a single cell that is in the body today (except for brain cells) will still be there.
Yet this miraculous process requires the right conditions in which to operate or else it will begin to slow and stop – death. Dr. Alexis Carroll of the ‘Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research’ performed remarkable experiments to show that under stable conditions, cells could live for a very long time – if not indefinitely. He observed that;
“The cell is immortal, it is merely the fluid in which it floats that degenerates. Renew this fluid at intervals, give the cell something on which to feed and, so far as we know, the pulsation of life my go on forever”.
Our cells are alive. The human body; made up of some 100 trillion cells, begins as a single cell consisting of three parts – the membrane (outer wall), which houses the nucleus (brain) and cytoplasm (inner environment). Nutrients that pass through the membrane are metabolized and converted to energy to fuel the function of the cell. As with any energetic transfer, a waste product is produced that must be allowed to pass back out for removal from the body. Any impairment in the membranes ability to let nutrients in or waste out will result in the death of the cell, our most basic unit of life.
When we eat we are putting our organism to work. Every single aspect; from buying, preparing, chewing, digesting and eliminating costs us energy. Modern society has invented substances to preserve the shelf-life, colour and fragrance of food using laboratory chemicals that cannot be processed by our cells and thus accumulate as toxins and waste.
Poor bowel management lies at the root of most peoples illness, disability and dis-ease. Auto-intoxication (creating a toxic state) places a burden on the ability of every organ in the body to function.
Years ago we realized that many of man’s diseases came from lack of sanitation. We allowed urine and faeces to travel through the streets until underground sewers were invented to take away harmful waste – in London this led to Bubonic Plague. The Colon acts as our body’s elimination channel or sewer. Just as a power failure in a cities sewerage system would result in a back-up and blockage that would quickly lead to a sanitation problem, so too any problems in the colons ability to eliminate waste immediately causes health issues. A power failure can be likened to the lack of energy supplied to our digestive system when the foods we eat are nutritionally deficient and artificially preserved.
Industrialized nations in the West have by far the largest numbers of bowel related disorders in the world. The major contributing factor is their straying away from simple, natural lifestyles. In particular it is found that the food situation in these countries is far removed from traditional growing practise. Economic factors totally overrule other considerations in food production. Foods are hybridized to promote higher yields, meet process and harvest requirements and have cost effective shelf-lives. Processed, pre-cooked and preserved foods do not react well in the human body.
Just as a car cannot run on anything other than petrol, the digestive system simply cannot process non-foods.
As a result of poor food conditions, the body is not able to gain proper nutrition and so is not supplied with the fuel it needs to counter the effects of the energetic expenditure used when we eat. A downward spiral begins whereby…
The colon begins to get backed-up; waste material sits around longer, beginning to putrefy and decay. Extra energy is then required to eliminate the extra waste, but it is not supplied by the nutrient deficient foods we are taking in. Accumulation becomes the breading ground for unhealthy bacteria’s that begins to poison the system and become absorbed into the blood stream for damaging distribution to the rest of the body.
Constipation:
To attempt to take care of any symptom in the body without a good elimination channel is futile. Last year, laxative sales in the US were conservatively placed at $350 million! Constipation is the clogging-up of the large intestine (colon). A build-up of mucus around the bowel wall narrows the passage through which faeces can pass through. A dirty bowel harbours a wide variety of bacteria and parasites.
Intestinal constipation leads to cellular constipation, increasing the workload of the body’s other excretory (discharge) organs – the kidneys, skin, liver, lungs and lymph. As the functioning of these organs becomes depleted; cellular metabolism (energetic conversion) becomes depleted, repair and growth are delayed and the ability to eliminate waste is lowered. The cells, rather than being alive and active, become dead and inactive. This process results in the functional ability of tissues and organs being dangerously decreased.
Medication and anti-biotics have devastating effects on beneficial intestinal flora. Laxatives are irritant and tire out the bowel muscles by keeping it constantly working. Low water consumption leads to dehydration which causes tissues (groups of cells) and fluids to thicken and become sticky, hindering movement of faeces. Lack of movement or exercise fails to tone and massage the digestive system causing it to become sluggish and lazy. Over time we become lethargic and have less energy to fight off ailments.
Relating this to the current medical condition of my mother, I have begun to educate her on ways and means to improve her diet, and introduced her to some of the physical practices of yoga in order that she strengthen and tone her internal organs.
I believe that by encouraging her system to rid itself of years of accumulated toxicity caused by medication and poor food choices, she will begin to experience a marked improvement in the symptoms of her diagnosed dis-order. Observations will be reported at a later stage.
The contents of this report were adapted from the work of Susana L. Belen and Dr. Bernard Jensen.
In Love and Light x
Modern science and medicine has achieved great advances in understanding the molecular structure of life. Technological advances have provided medications and surgical procedures that prolong life and relieve symptoms. Yet;
These discoveries can only support the body’s own inherent intelligence and ability to reconstruct itself.
Every minute millions of cells are dying and millions more being reborn. The body creates 2.5 billion red blood cells per second! With in 11 months not a single cell that is in the body today (except for brain cells) will still be there.
Yet this miraculous process requires the right conditions in which to operate or else it will begin to slow and stop – death. Dr. Alexis Carroll of the ‘Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research’ performed remarkable experiments to show that under stable conditions, cells could live for a very long time – if not indefinitely. He observed that;
“The cell is immortal, it is merely the fluid in which it floats that degenerates. Renew this fluid at intervals, give the cell something on which to feed and, so far as we know, the pulsation of life my go on forever”.
Our cells are alive. The human body; made up of some 100 trillion cells, begins as a single cell consisting of three parts – the membrane (outer wall), which houses the nucleus (brain) and cytoplasm (inner environment). Nutrients that pass through the membrane are metabolized and converted to energy to fuel the function of the cell. As with any energetic transfer, a waste product is produced that must be allowed to pass back out for removal from the body. Any impairment in the membranes ability to let nutrients in or waste out will result in the death of the cell, our most basic unit of life.
When we eat we are putting our organism to work. Every single aspect; from buying, preparing, chewing, digesting and eliminating costs us energy. Modern society has invented substances to preserve the shelf-life, colour and fragrance of food using laboratory chemicals that cannot be processed by our cells and thus accumulate as toxins and waste.
Poor bowel management lies at the root of most peoples illness, disability and dis-ease. Auto-intoxication (creating a toxic state) places a burden on the ability of every organ in the body to function.
Years ago we realized that many of man’s diseases came from lack of sanitation. We allowed urine and faeces to travel through the streets until underground sewers were invented to take away harmful waste – in London this led to Bubonic Plague. The Colon acts as our body’s elimination channel or sewer. Just as a power failure in a cities sewerage system would result in a back-up and blockage that would quickly lead to a sanitation problem, so too any problems in the colons ability to eliminate waste immediately causes health issues. A power failure can be likened to the lack of energy supplied to our digestive system when the foods we eat are nutritionally deficient and artificially preserved.
Industrialized nations in the West have by far the largest numbers of bowel related disorders in the world. The major contributing factor is their straying away from simple, natural lifestyles. In particular it is found that the food situation in these countries is far removed from traditional growing practise. Economic factors totally overrule other considerations in food production. Foods are hybridized to promote higher yields, meet process and harvest requirements and have cost effective shelf-lives. Processed, pre-cooked and preserved foods do not react well in the human body.
Just as a car cannot run on anything other than petrol, the digestive system simply cannot process non-foods.
As a result of poor food conditions, the body is not able to gain proper nutrition and so is not supplied with the fuel it needs to counter the effects of the energetic expenditure used when we eat. A downward spiral begins whereby…
The colon begins to get backed-up; waste material sits around longer, beginning to putrefy and decay. Extra energy is then required to eliminate the extra waste, but it is not supplied by the nutrient deficient foods we are taking in. Accumulation becomes the breading ground for unhealthy bacteria’s that begins to poison the system and become absorbed into the blood stream for damaging distribution to the rest of the body.
Constipation:
To attempt to take care of any symptom in the body without a good elimination channel is futile. Last year, laxative sales in the US were conservatively placed at $350 million! Constipation is the clogging-up of the large intestine (colon). A build-up of mucus around the bowel wall narrows the passage through which faeces can pass through. A dirty bowel harbours a wide variety of bacteria and parasites.
Intestinal constipation leads to cellular constipation, increasing the workload of the body’s other excretory (discharge) organs – the kidneys, skin, liver, lungs and lymph. As the functioning of these organs becomes depleted; cellular metabolism (energetic conversion) becomes depleted, repair and growth are delayed and the ability to eliminate waste is lowered. The cells, rather than being alive and active, become dead and inactive. This process results in the functional ability of tissues and organs being dangerously decreased.
Medication and anti-biotics have devastating effects on beneficial intestinal flora. Laxatives are irritant and tire out the bowel muscles by keeping it constantly working. Low water consumption leads to dehydration which causes tissues (groups of cells) and fluids to thicken and become sticky, hindering movement of faeces. Lack of movement or exercise fails to tone and massage the digestive system causing it to become sluggish and lazy. Over time we become lethargic and have less energy to fight off ailments.
Relating this to the current medical condition of my mother, I have begun to educate her on ways and means to improve her diet, and introduced her to some of the physical practices of yoga in order that she strengthen and tone her internal organs.
I believe that by encouraging her system to rid itself of years of accumulated toxicity caused by medication and poor food choices, she will begin to experience a marked improvement in the symptoms of her diagnosed dis-order. Observations will be reported at a later stage.
The contents of this report were adapted from the work of Susana L. Belen and Dr. Bernard Jensen.
In Love and Light x
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Official diagnosis.
Neuropathy.
My mother has been diagnosed with ‘acute axial neuropathy’, a condition that affects the nervous system. The condition is also known as peripheral neuropathy because it affects the peripheral nervous system. This is the network of nerves that run out from the brain and spinal cord (which together form the central nervous system) and carry impulses to and from the rest of the body, such as the limbs and organs. Peripheral nerves are responsible for the body’s senses and movements. Because the peripheral nerves transmit signals to so many different parts of the body, the symptoms of neuropathy can vary depending on which nerves are damaged. This damaged can be the result of an injury/trauma or disease; in Mum’s case it is a little of both!
Mum has been chronically constipated since aged 2 when she underwent an emergency operation to remove her appendix. It is a common mis-conception that the appendix plays no particular role in the proper functioning of the body. This blind-ended tube leads from the ‘caecum’ at the start of the large intestine in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen. As well as containing numerous cells of the immune system, its major role is to remove excess water from undigested matter (faeces). This ‘drying’ assists the peristaltic action (muscular contractions) of the colon, providing it with a firmer substance on which to ‘grip’ for removal from the body – rather like squeezing toothpaste from the base of the tube! Her hindered digestive system was further burdened by a typical 1950’s diet consisting of high levels of cooked (enzyme deficient) foods, refined white wheat and large/regular amounts of sugar. Now into her fifties and averaging only 2-3 bowel movements a week, her system is in a position of extreme toxicity that is affecting her organs ability to function.
In March 2006 she underwent an operation to tighten the muscles of her bladder. This common procedure is performed under general anaesthetic, yet the patient is left some degree of consciousness in order that they may answer questions regarding the level of tension that is appropriate. She describes feeling intense pain and awareness of the tools as they cut into her body – yet being extremely disorientated by the anaesthetic was unable to bring this fact to the attention of the surgeon. Theories have ranged from physical damage of the nerve structure, to the partial shut-down of the system through severe shock. Regardless, the situation today is extreme.
Symptoms have ranged and varied over the years. Her condition now is one of extreme and constant physical pain. She rarely sleeps through the night and describes the sensations at the tips of her fingers and toes as similar to dipping them into boiling water. Literally ‘knocking her off her feet’, the resulting muscle wastage has left her physical body weak and sluggish causing stagnation that has hindered the ability of her Lymphatic System to clear trapped blood proteins from around her cells - compounding the build-up of toxins in the system!
NB – the Lymphatic System is an area of personal interest that will be explored at a later stage. Google the work of Keith MacFarlane for information on the art and science of Lymphology.
Mum has an appointment at ‘The National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery' in mid-May.
My mother has been diagnosed with ‘acute axial neuropathy’, a condition that affects the nervous system. The condition is also known as peripheral neuropathy because it affects the peripheral nervous system. This is the network of nerves that run out from the brain and spinal cord (which together form the central nervous system) and carry impulses to and from the rest of the body, such as the limbs and organs. Peripheral nerves are responsible for the body’s senses and movements. Because the peripheral nerves transmit signals to so many different parts of the body, the symptoms of neuropathy can vary depending on which nerves are damaged. This damaged can be the result of an injury/trauma or disease; in Mum’s case it is a little of both!
Mum has been chronically constipated since aged 2 when she underwent an emergency operation to remove her appendix. It is a common mis-conception that the appendix plays no particular role in the proper functioning of the body. This blind-ended tube leads from the ‘caecum’ at the start of the large intestine in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen. As well as containing numerous cells of the immune system, its major role is to remove excess water from undigested matter (faeces). This ‘drying’ assists the peristaltic action (muscular contractions) of the colon, providing it with a firmer substance on which to ‘grip’ for removal from the body – rather like squeezing toothpaste from the base of the tube! Her hindered digestive system was further burdened by a typical 1950’s diet consisting of high levels of cooked (enzyme deficient) foods, refined white wheat and large/regular amounts of sugar. Now into her fifties and averaging only 2-3 bowel movements a week, her system is in a position of extreme toxicity that is affecting her organs ability to function.
In March 2006 she underwent an operation to tighten the muscles of her bladder. This common procedure is performed under general anaesthetic, yet the patient is left some degree of consciousness in order that they may answer questions regarding the level of tension that is appropriate. She describes feeling intense pain and awareness of the tools as they cut into her body – yet being extremely disorientated by the anaesthetic was unable to bring this fact to the attention of the surgeon. Theories have ranged from physical damage of the nerve structure, to the partial shut-down of the system through severe shock. Regardless, the situation today is extreme.
Symptoms have ranged and varied over the years. Her condition now is one of extreme and constant physical pain. She rarely sleeps through the night and describes the sensations at the tips of her fingers and toes as similar to dipping them into boiling water. Literally ‘knocking her off her feet’, the resulting muscle wastage has left her physical body weak and sluggish causing stagnation that has hindered the ability of her Lymphatic System to clear trapped blood proteins from around her cells - compounding the build-up of toxins in the system!
NB – the Lymphatic System is an area of personal interest that will be explored at a later stage. Google the work of Keith MacFarlane for information on the art and science of Lymphology.
Mum has an appointment at ‘The National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery' in mid-May.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Intro - What Is Yoga?
(Adapted from "A.P.M.B." - Bihar, India.)
“Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion. It is the most valuable inheritance of the present. It is the essential need of today, and the culture of tomorrow.”
- Swami Satyananda Saraswati
The last 3 years of my life have seen transition and growth in ways I could never have imagined. Meeting Tamsin and moving to beautiful South Africa has afforded me the blessed and unique opportunity to rediscover myself; and it has truly been the case that each lesson ‘learned’ has felt rather more like a memory returned. There have been many factors involved; not least a specific intention to re-examine my own spirituality, and with that, the integration of yoga into my daily life.
Yoga has been described as the science of right living, systematically working on all aspects of a person; the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The word yoga literally means unity or oneness, derived from the Sanskrit word juj or join. In spiritual terms, this joining refers to the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. On a more practical level, yoga is a way of balancing the body, mind and emotions.
The science of yoga begins to work on our outermost aspect - the physical body. For most people this is a practical and familiar starting point. When imbalance is felt at this level; the organs, muscles and nerves no longer function in harmony. Yoga aims to bring the different bodily functions into perfect coordination so that they work together for the good of the whole.
From the physical body, yoga progresses to the mental and emotional levels. Many people suffer from phobias and neuroses brought about by the stresses of everyday living. Yoga offers a method of coping with our own existence. Through the practises of yoga, awareness develops of the interrelation between the emotional, mental and physical levels; and how a disturbance in any one of these directly affects the others. There are many branches of yoga to explore; and each individual must find those most suited to their particular want or need.
Regular yoga practise will have profound effects on your overall health.
The relevance of yoga today:
Whilst yoga’s central theme is the highest goal of the spiritual path, yoga practises give direct and tangible benefits to everyone, regardless of their spiritual aim.
Physical and mental therapy is one of yoga’s most important aspects. The effects of yoga have been documented in relation to many dis-eases ranging from asthma, diabetes, blood pressure, arthritis, digestive disorders and other ailments of a chronic (long-term) nature. Yoga therapy is successful because of the balance created in the Nervous (conveying messages from the brain and motor impulses to the organs and muscles) and Endocrine (secreting hormones directly into the blood and lymph) systems, which directly influence all other systems and organs of the body.
For most people however, yoga is simply a means of maintaining health and vitality in an increasingly stressful society. Asanas (postures/poses) remove the physical discomfort of sitting at a desk or in a car all day long. Relaxation counters the hectic nature of diminishing time-off, mobile phones and 24-hour shopping!
Yoga is far more than an exercise; rather it is an aid to establishing a new way of life that embraces both inner and outer realities. However this way of life cannot be explained intellectually and will only become living knowledge through practise and experience.
"Yoga. 99% practise, 1% theory."
- Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.
In Love and Light x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
