La vie holistic

Women experience more pain

2008-08-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

Just because women experience childbirth, they do not necessarily have a higher pain threshold, according to new research:

Women generally experience more recurrent pain, more severe pain and longer lasting pain than men.

Not only this, but they feel pain in different ways to the opposite sex, offering different symptoms for the same conditions.

Different hormones, body composition and central nervous systems means women are more susceptible to a range of painful conditions, according to experts at a conference for the International Association for the Study of Pain.

Interconnection

2008-08-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

Do animals experience emotions? Of course they do, and solid science, combined with countless stories, show this to be so. It is bad science to rob animals of their feelings. When someone tells me they are not sure if dogs, for example, experience joy or grief, I say I'm glad I'm not your dog.

This week's picture of Gana, the 11-year-old gorilla shown grieving the loss of her infant, was one of the most poignant images I have ever seen of an animal in distress.

It's sad but true that humans have been so cruelly over-confident to think that animals don't have feelings. The Telegraph article continues:

Since we already know so much about the emotional lives of diverse species, arguments to the contrary are often excuses to retain the status quo – in other words, human superiority.

The real question is why emotions have evolved, not if they have evolved.

The Pill affects choice in partner

2008-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

Scientists believe taking the pill changes the way a woman reacts to a man's smell.

One consequence could be that they are more attracted to partners with whom it will be harder to conceive if they want children.

A man's aroma can give a clue to his type of genes and ability to fight disease, although it is complicated by factors such as soap and aftershave.

Women subconsciously react to a man's smell to pinpoint a partner with dissimilar genes to themselves. It is important to have a mixed immune system to combat different diseases.

Via The Telegraph.

Quite a drawback to something which has been such a boon to women's sexual life. Yet really makes you reconsider pumping your body with artificial hormones...

As an aside, the researcher commented:

As for evidence that a weakening of relationships had occurred as a result of the introduction of the contraceptive pill, he said: "Divorce rates were certainly lower before and up to the mid-60s when pill use became commonplace, but as you can imagine, there are plenty of alternative explanations for increasing divorce rates since then. A definitive study has yet to be done (I'm seeking funding for this)."

Increase your chi

2008-08-17T09:42:00.001-07:00

Surge of Chi Exercisers or Chi Machines, provide a form of passive exercise that allows all ages to enjoy a stimulating workout in the comfort of home. They originated in Japan 15 years ago - where they emerged from the understanding within shiatsu and elsewhere about the value of swinging the feet to create a harmonic response through the torso. Often referred to in the West as 'Chi Machines' - after the original Japanese model found its way to the West under this trade-marked product name - they have a long history, and many fans.

The rhythmic movement generated acts to both release tension in the back and shoulders, and to stimulate respiration and the nervous system, giving a distinct boost of chi energy -while the user lies down and focuses on letting go to the motion and completely relaxing..!

The Japanese realised that benefits occurred at many levels. The concept was recognised as a remedial medical device by the Ministry of Health & Welfare in 1990, and with their health-conscious and busy lifestyles, the Japanese quickly became enthusiasts. This newly found way of exercising became known in Japan as kingyo undo - or 'goldfish exercise' - and its popularity then spread to the Chinese, who realised the strong connection with 'chi' energy.

Available here. Very cool...

Fascinating 'elite suppressor' of HIV

2008-08-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to think that this woman has such powerful CD8 T-cells that the virus which has done so much damage to people cannot penetrate.

A woman who has never shown symptoms of infection with the AIDS virus may hold the secret to defeating the virus, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Tests showed that immune cells known as CD8 T-cells from the wife stalled HIV replication by as much as 90 percent, while the husband's T-cells stopped it by only 30 percent, Blankson's team reported in the Journal of Virology.

Her virus has also mutated in apparent response to this immune attack, becoming weaker, while her husband's virus has remained strong.

"Elite suppression offers clues to vaccine researchers on many fronts: how CD8 killer T-cells can attack HIV and how a stronger immune response can force HIV into a permanent defensive state," Blankson said.

Another clue: the woman may have unusual activity in her human leukocyte antigen system, or HLA, Blankson said. This important component of the immune system helps recognize antigens -- protein identifiers -- of enemies such as bacteria and viruses.

Put on a happy face

2008-08-12T00:21:00.000-07:00

How to be an Optimist:

1. Play interpersonal Ping-Pong.

If you serve up a smile to people, they usually bounce it back. Hit them with a snarl and watch them scowl instead.

* Research shows that facial expressions and the moods that accompany them are contagious, probably because they evolved as a means of nonverbal communication between people.
* You can use the infectious effects of a grin to jump-start an optimistic outlook in yourself by sending others what you want them to lob back at you. A kind word to the man behind the deli counter can get your day bouncing in the right direction.

2. Short-circuit pessimism.

There's another reason for putting on a happy face: it influences your brain in a positive way.

* In one study, subjects who were asked to hold a pen in their mouth (causing them to inadvertently make the facial muscle movements characteristic of a smile) rated cartoons to be funnier than did other subjects, even though they were unaware that it was the smile that was boosting their reaction.
* There's an interesting biological reason for this effect: When you feel down, your brain tells your face you're sad and your facial muscles respond by putting on a depressed expression—and convey back to the brain that, yes, you're feeling blue. Consciously changing the facial muscles so they don't correspond to what you're feeling is a way of sending a different message: "Hey, it's not so bad down here after all." The brain will respond by beginning to change your mood accordingly.

3. Explain success and failure like an optimist.

Research shows that it's not what happens that determines your mood but how you explain what happens that counts.

* If an optimist encounters a computer program she can't figure out, she's likely to say, "Either the manual is unclear, or this program is hard, or maybe I'm having an off day." The optimist keeps the failure outside herself ("the manual"), specific ("this program") and temporary ("an off day"), while the pessimist would make it internal, global and permanent.
* When success occurs optimists say, "Of course dinner turned out; I'm a good cook," while pessimists say, "Boy, was I lucky today," literally snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. If you start to speak to yourself in a more positive way when you succeed and fail, you'll gradually become more optimistic.

4. Stack the deck in your favor.

It's easy to be envious: Compare yourself to those with thinner thighs and fatter bank accounts and you'll always come up wanting—and pessimistic. But the corollary is also true: No matter how bad things get, there's always someone who's worse off.

* In one simple study, subjects were randomly divided into two subgroups. One group was to finish the sentence "I wish I were a ___." The other was asked to complete the sentence "I'm glad I'm not a ___." When individuals rated their sense of satisfaction with their lives before and after this task, those who completed the "I'm glad I'm not a ___" sentence were significantly more satisfied than before.

5. Learn to shift your focus.

Pessimists can't stop depressing facts or negative thoughts from poking into their consciousness, but they can choose not to dwell on them.

* If you look through a camera lens, you'll find that when one part of the picture is in focus, the other areas blur a bit. (This is a distortion, sure, but sometimes we need to sustain the idea of being in a protective bubble to feel optimistic.) This active self-direction of your own moment-to-moment perspective allows you to create a new life story, one in which you take charge of your emotions and actions.
* Since research shows that those who feel they have a better sense of control tend to be the most optimistic, why not take charge of where your psychological lens is focused?

How to become happier?

2008-08-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

Oprah.com offers 10 strategies for "Choosing Happiness":

A popular greeting card attributes this quote to Henry David Thoreau: "Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."

With all due respect to the author of Walden, that just isn't so, according to a growing number of psychologists. You can choose to be happy, they say. You can chase down that elusive butterfly and get it to sit on your shoulder. How? In part, by simply making the effort to monitor the workings of your mind.

Research has shown that your talent for happiness is, to a large degree, determined by your genes. Psychology professor David T. Lykken, author of Happiness: Its Nature and Nurture, says that "trying to be happier is like trying to be taller." We each have a "happiness set point," he argues, and move away from it only slightly.

And yet, psychologists who study happiness—including Lykken—believe we can pursue happiness. We can do this by thwarting negative emotions such as pessimism, resentment and anger. And we can foster positive emotions, such as empathy, serenity, and especially gratitude.

Strategy #2: Cultivate Gratitude
Jon Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis, teaches positive psychology. He actually assigns his students to make themselves happier during the semester.

"They have to say exactly what technique they will use," says Haidt, a professor at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville. "They may choose to be more forgiving or more grateful. They may learn to identify negative thoughts so they can challenge them. For example, when someone crosses you, in your mind you build a case against that person, but that's very damaging to relationships. So they may learn to shut up their inner lawyer and stop building these cases against people."

Once you've decided to be happier, you can choose strategies for achieving happiness. Psychologists who study happiness tend to agree on ones like these.

In his book, Authentic Happiness, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman encourages readers to perform a daily "gratitude exercise." It involves listing a few things that make them grateful. This shifts people away from bitterness and despair, he says, and promotes happiness.

Strategy #3: Foster Forgiveness
Holding a grudge and nursing grievances can affect physical as well as mental health, according to a rapidly growing body of research. One way to curtail these kinds of feelings is to foster forgiveness. This reduces the power of bad events to create bitterness and resentment, say Michael McCullough and Robert Emmons, happiness researchers who edited The Psychology of Happiness.

In his book, Five Steps to Forgiveness, clinical psychologist Everett Worthington Jr. offers a five-step process he calls REACH. First, recall the hurt. Then empathize and try to understand the act from the perpetrator's point of view. Be altruistic by recalling a time in your life when you were forgiven. Commit to putting your forgiveness into words. You can do this either in a letter to the person you're forgiving or in your journal. Finally, try to hold on to the forgiveness. Don't dwell on your anger, hurt, and desire for vengeance.

The alternative to forgiveness is mulling over a transgression. This is a form of chronic stress, says Worthington.

"Rumination is the mental health bad boy," Worthington tells WebMD. "It's associated with almost everything bad in the mental health field—obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety—probably hives, too."

Strategy #4: Counteract Negative Thoughts and Feelings
As Jon Haidt puts it, improve your mental hygiene. In The Happiness Hypothesis, Haidt compares the mind to a man riding an elephant. The elephant represents the powerful thoughts and feelings—mostly unconscious—that drive your behavior. The man, although much weaker, can exert control over the elephant, just as you can exert control over negative thoughts and feelings.

"The key is a commitment to doing the things necessary to retrain the elephant," Haidt says. "And the evidence suggests there's a lot you can do. It just takes work."

For example, you can practice meditation, rhythmic breathing, yoga or relaxation techniques to quell anxiety and promote serenity. You can learn to recognize and challenge thoughts you have about being inadequate and helpless.

"If you learn techniques for identifying negative thoughts, then it's easier to challenge them," Haidt said. "Sometimes just reading David Burns' book, Feeling Good, can have a positive effect."

Strategy #5: Remember, Money Can't Buy Happiness
Research shows that once income climbs above the poverty level, more money brings very little extra happiness. Yet, "we keep assuming that because things aren't bringing us happiness, they're the wrong things, rather than recognizing that the pursuit itself is futile," writes Daniel Gilbert in his book, Stumbling on Happiness. "Regardless of what we achieve in the pursuit of stuff, it's never going to bring about an enduring state of happiness."

Strategy #6: Foster Friendship
There are few better antidotes to unhappiness than close friendships with people who care about you, says David G. Myers, author of The Pursuit of Happiness. One Australian study found that people over 70 who had the strongest network of friends lived much longer.

"Sadly, our increasingly individualistic society suffers from impoverished social connections, which some psychologists believe is a cause of today's epidemic levels of depression," Myers writes. "The social ties that bind also provide support in difficult times."

Strategy #7: Engage in Meaningful Activities
People are seldom happier, says psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, than when they're in the "flow." This is a state in which your mind becomes thoroughly absorbed in a meaningful task that challenges your abilities. Yet, he has found that the most common leisure time activity—watching TV—produces some of the lowest levels of happiness.

To get more out of life, we need to put more into it, says Csikszentmihalyi. "Active leisure that helps a person grow does not come easily," he writes in Finding Flow. "Each of the flow-producing activities requires an initial investment of attention before it begins to be enjoyable."

So it turns out that happiness can be a matter of choice—not just luck. Some people are lucky enough to possess genes that foster happiness. However, certain thought patterns and interpersonal skills definitely help people become an "epicure of experience," says David Lykken, whose name, in Norwegian, means "the happiness."

Try these tips for allergy relief

2008-08-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

* Try freeze-dried stinging nettles and butterbur. Both herbs perform as well as antihistamines, without the drowsiness.
* Eliminate dairy (to avoid immune-system irritation).
* Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids (try wild Alaskan salmon, freshly ground flaxseeds, or fish oil supplements).
* Eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits such as berries and cherries to help modify the body's inflammatory response.
* You may also want to try nasal douching with a warm saline solution, and drink plenty of water to keep nasal passages hydrated and to flush out your system.

From Dr. Weil.

Nuts during pregnancy

2008-08-11T02:20:00.000-07:00

Recently there's been a lot of fuss over pregnant mothers who consume nuts and how this may be linked to asthma. Click here for Dr. Mercola's take:

Food allergies are fairly common, and are on the rise, perhaps in large part due to increased soy consumption. Soy is HIGHLY allergenic, yet few people understand its full hazards, still believing that soy is a health food.

The fact that your diet during pregnancy can have a major impact on the health of your child is nothing new either. Previous research has found that a mother’s diet while pregnant can even turn DNA on or off in their offspring.

Is it Safe to Eat Nuts During Pregnancy?

I think it’s important to realize that while DAILY consumption of nut products increased the odds that a child would develop asthma, the researchers did not find an association between rare or regular consumption of nuts.

So this warning is really aimed at those of you who indulge in nut products on a daily basis.

After reviewing many tens of thousands of articles on nutrition, I am convinced that the single most important dietary influence for prenatal nutrition is adequate omega-3 fats. Optimizing your omega-3 intake will virtually guarantee that your baby is full term.

Here's the segment from CBS.

Wonders of nettle tea

2008-08-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

I take it for allergies, but it seems it has a host of other benefits. I have tried eating the leaves after having infused them for the extra impact. Seems pretty good, though usually the taste and texture of the once-dried leaves is a bit unpalatable.

* Flavanoids (These are antioxidants that are also found in rooibos (redbush), black and green teas)
* Iron
* Vitamin C
* Malic Acid (helps the cells to work)
* Polysaccarides (a complex carbohydrate)

What's Nettle Tea Good For?

Nettle tea is a great overall healthy tonic, helping your blood cells build, function and circulates properly. Because of its iron content, it helps with anemia. Nettle tea is an old folk remedy for hayfever. It does seem to help clear up chest congestion. The herb nettle (usually in capsule form) is often prescribed for women with a yeast infection (candida) but I am not sure how to administer nettle tea to that situation.

Although nettles and nettle tea are reputed to increase a mother's milk flow, it is not recommended for pregnant or nursing human mothers. Nettles and nettle tea can often regulate or even stimulate menstruation in many women, so if you want a baby, steer clear or talk to your doctor.

Another reported healing benefit of nettle tea is helping the body heal itself of hemorrhoids (called "piles" in England). One cup of tea - as well as taking over the counter painkillers - is said to help heal them faster. However, I've never put it to the test myself.

And, most important, nettle tea provides a wonderful and interesting alternative to your usual cuppa.

Create your day

2008-08-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

From the movie, What the Bleep do We Know?!:

"I wake up in the morning and I consciously create my day the way I want it to happen. Now sometimes, because my mind is examining all the things that I need to get done, it takes me a little bit to settle down and get to the point of where I'm actually intentionally creating my day. But here's the thing: When I create my day and out of nowhere little things happen that are so unexplainable, I know that they are the process or the result of my creation. And the more I do that, the more I build a neural net in my brain that I accept that that's possible. (This) gives me the power and the incentive to do it the next day.
"So if we're consciously designing our destiny, and if we're consciously from a spiritual standpoint throwing in with the idea that our thoughts can affect our reality or affect our life -- because reality equals life -- then I have this little pact that I have when I create my day. I say, 'I'm taking this time to create my day and I'm infecting the quantum field. Now if (it) is in fact the observer's watching me the whole time that I'm doing this and there is a spiritual aspect to myself, then show me a sign today that you paid attention to any one of these things that I created, and bring them in a way that I won't expect, so I'm as surprised at my ability to be able to experience these things. And make it so that I have no doubt that it's come from you,' and so I live my life, in a sense, all day long thinking about being a genius or thinking about being the glory and the power of God or thinking about being unconditional love.
"I'll use living as a genius, for example. And as I do that during parts of the day, I'll have thoughts that are so amazing, that cause a chill in my physical body, that have come from nowhere. But then I remember that that thought has an associated energy that's produced an effect in my physical body. Now that's a subjective experience, but the truth is is that I don't think that unless I was creating my day to have unlimited thought, that that thought would come."

Another adaptogen: Maca from Peru

2008-08-05T03:49:00.001-07:00

Check out this article called The Shaman's Pharmacy on maca or 'Peruvian ginseng':

For over 2,000 years, maca, also called Peruvian ginseng, has been consumed as a food and a medicine. It was part of the diet of the Incas, and has long been used to boost overall energy, enhance fertility, and improve sexual function. In the lexicon of biochemistry, it is an adaptogen—a powerful natural substance that increases the body’s resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety, and fatigue. Thanks in part to Chris Kilham ’75, maca is now available as an herbal supplement. It has enjoyed a recent surge in use over the past decade in the United States and is starting to gain a foothold in European countries.

Kilham, aka the Medicine Hunter, has made it his life’s work to travel the world in search of traditional medicinal plants that are unique to particular cultures and regions and sustainably share their benefits with the rest of the world. Maca is just one that he has helped bring to Western markets; Maca Tru™ tablets are one of his biggest success stories.

Dr. Emoto's Love and Gratitude to Water Ceremony 2008

2008-08-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

This is a photo taken just after the ceremony.

Since we all love lists

2008-07-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's another list from Dr. Weil, on the top 10 fruits loaded with antioxidants:

1. Wild blueberries
2. Cranberries
3. Blackberries
4. Prunes
5. Raspberries
6. Strawberries
7. Red delicious apples
8. Granny Smith apples
9. Sweet cherries
10. Black plums

Fancy foods

2008-07-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

When it comes to food trends, losing weight is yesterday's news. Consumers now want food that will give them sharper minds and tighten those wrinkles as well as help them shed a pound or two, a global report found.

Americans are looking to the cuisines of Japan and Western Europe for the secrets to better skin and digestion, the report by the Center for Culinary Development said.

Whether it is pigs' feet packed with collagen to combat aging or probiotic yogurt to aid digestion, Kara Nielsen, a trend spotter at the CCD, said Americans were trying to catch up.

"In American society, we're kind of catching up to some of these ancient cultures and looking at food and some of its medicinal and wellness properties," Nielsen said.

Via Reuters.

Stress less

2008-07-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

From my favorite Times of India column, the Speaking Tree:

When I first came to the United States, wherever I went, I heard people talking about stress management.

We manage our families, our money, our property, our businesses — we manage whatever is valuable to us. Why would anybody manage stress? It took me a while to understand that people have made stress part of life.

Stress is not a part of life. It is not your lifestyle, it is not your work, it is not your family, it is not the situations in which you exist which cause stress to you; it is your inability to manage your system — your body, mind, emotions and your energy — your lack of understanding of how this system functions , your inability to use the system the way it should be used.

People are capable of being stressed for just about anything. What can you do about it? You don’t need to do anything about stress; stress is like friction in a machine. There is friction in the machine because there is no proper movement of the parts, or there is not enough lubrication. The less friction you have, the more efficient the machine becomes.

The key is not managing stress, but making it less of a part of our lives through a change in mindset.

For more info, click here.

Older=happier?

2008-07-14T01:23:00.000-07:00

From yesterday's Washington Post:

In recent months, however, several studies have produced a stream of evidence that mostly points in the same direction, and also happens to overturn one of the most stubborn American stereotypes: the belief that this is a land whose gifts, charms and joys flow mostly to young people.

The studies show that when you check on how happy people are at various ages, the elderly generally come out ahead.

Yang found, in research published in the American Sociological Review, those older than 65 had not always been happy. It was being older that conferred the contentment that many of them reported.

"It is counter to most people's expectations," said Smith, who spoke about Yang's paper because she was not available. "People would expect it to be in the opposite direction -- you start off by saying older people have illnesses, deaths of spouses -- they must be less happy."

The younger adults, Smith said, had less trouble with their health but had many more of the other kinds of predicaments, and those, in the long run, tended to trump their better health.

Yet another study, Smith said, looked at job satisfaction among people of different ages and again found that those who kept working past age 65 had the highest level of job satisfaction -- going against the stereotype that older people keep working mostly because they can't do without the money.

Fascinating stuff. So maybe the adage of older and wiser should include happier too!

"Young people -- the very people we think from the stereotype are best off -- in fact have high levels of anger and anxiety and also high levels of depression, compared to middle-aged adults."

Younger adults were far more likely to have financial worries, troubled emotional relationships and professional stressors, she said.

"The image of youth or young adulthood as the best time of life is probably not an accurate stereotype."

So we have a lot to look forward to...

Top 11 foods according to Tara

2008-06-30T01:21:00.000-07:00

The NYT's Tara Parker-Pope has compiled a list of the 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating (How does she know?!):

Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.

Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.

Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.

Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.

Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.

Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.

Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.

Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.

Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.

Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.

Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.

Traditional Diets

2008-06-19T01:15:00.000-07:00

Dr. Weil sums up the main points from a new book by Dr. Daphne Miller, The Jungle Effect: A Doctor Discovers the Healthiest Diets from Around the World - Why They Work and How to Bring Them Home:

The foods are local, fresh and unprocessed.

Animals that are consumed have also “eaten well,” from fresh, local ingredients.

Meat and dairy are eaten in small quantities within a larger meal.

Processed grains and sugars are eaten rarely.

Healing spices such as turmeric and ginger are used in many dishes.

Fermented foods are consumed often.

People rarely eat alone.

Feasting is confined to special holidays, unlike American culture, in which “we have what amounts to a feast every day,” said Dr. Miller.

Excerpts from an interview with her (part 1 & 2):

And you began to experience the "jungle effect"?
Yes, it was so interesting to see some of the American volunteers who were there, and even my own family feeling the same kind of effect. We were not necessarily exercising more – it was too hot to exercise! – and still we were slimming down, and feeling more energetic, while eating very satisfying meals. And I realized that so much of it had to do with the local foods and the way they were put together. These were recipes that had been prepared for hundreds and hundreds of years because they tasted great and kept people healthy.

I also noticed when I was there that I saw lots of snakebites, machete wounds, malaria and other infections and injuries – these were the kind of medical problems that were easy to treat or prevent with modern medicine and sanitation. But I did not encounter anyone other than tourists who had the diseases I saw every day in San Francisco: obesity, heart disease, diabetes and depression.

So I began to talk to people, and I began to write down recipes, because while some of what we ate was exotic and hard to find in the states, many of these foods were available in standard North American supermarkets. When I returned, I emailed a dozen of these recipes to Angela. A month later, she called me back and said she was really enjoying the food, had gotten some of her "jungle energy" back and was exercising regularly. Two months later, her weight was down 14 pounds, and she felt the diet was easy to maintain. When her friends asked for her secret, she had answered, "I put myself on the Jungle Diet."

The thing that's so striking to me is that you went to these different cultures and found diets that seemed quite different: people in Crete eat olive oil and fresh vegetables, while Icelanders eat omega-rich fish and very few vegetables. So in terms of the proportions of fat, protein and carbohydrates, they are not necessarily similar.

This is true. The Tarahumara [the indigenous people of Northern Mexico] are eating 80% of their calories from carbohydrates, albeit slowly digested, low glycemic ones such as squash and beans. Contrast that to Iceland, where fish and dairy are abundant and are a big part of the diet. If you were to actually break it down in terms of percentage of calories from protein versus fat versus carbohydrates, you'd find that many of these diets are radically different. So it appears that there is no hard-and-fast way that way you should arrange your macronutrients in order to eat well.

So what is the element that these diets have in common that makes them healthy?
There are several. The first one is that the foods are relatively local, fresh, and unprocessed. Also, the farm or wild animals themselves have been "eating well," from fresh, local ingredients, and a lot of those nutrients are being passed along when humans consume their meat or milk. Meat and dairy are also generally eaten in small quantities within the context of a larger meal. In most of these cultures, no one is sitting down for a slab of meat; even in Iceland, there are stews and beans and other things combined with the meat. All these cultures eat very little processed grains like white flour. Their starches (grains, beans, tubers) tend to look the same as they do when they come out of the earth. Salt and sugars are not in a highly synthesized, refined form, and by and large are eaten within that wholeness of that food, so salty flavors come naturally with seaweed and fish, and sweetness naturally occurs in honey and fruits. In addition, most of these cultures use healing spices and have fermented foods. Fermentation or pickling is a way of preparing food that has been shown to have a wide range of health benefits.

Her work is similar to that of the Weston A Price foundation, especially the book called Nourishing Traditions:

This well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods contains a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper funciton of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. Sally Fallon dispels the myths of the current low-fat fad in this practical, entertaining guide to a can-do diet that is both nutritious and delicious.

It's also linked to Dr. Mercola's take on raw milk and eggs.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoPiNASGeWo]

Listen to your body's messages

2008-06-05T01:11:00.000-07:00

The body is an intelligent organism and can teach us how to live, if we just become quiet enough!

Watch your feelings, don't react

2008-05-10T00:28:00.000-07:00

Balance Emotions

We all have moments of insecurity—moments where we really dread something to come. During these moments, examine your feelings, which can lead you to a sense of solace.

But that's easier said than done. How can you move smoothly from fear and anxiety to insight and freedom? One technique is paying attention to sensations and the feelings that accompany them. Each time you focus on your breath, each time you relax and listen to your feelings, you open yourself to the present.

When you simply witness your feelings instead of reacting to them, you allow your life to unfold organically and you open a doorway to greater sympathy and understanding. Most important, you develop your capacity to be free in an often challenging and turbulent world.

IN THIS ISSUE
Wave Rider

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1840
Breathing Lessons

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/219

From Yoga Journal.

Anti-stress the American way

2008-04-01T00:38:00.000-07:00

The need for antistress practices has become increasingly urgent. Americans now work nine full weeks more per year than our peers in Western Europe. And even if we get time off, we don't always use it: At least 30 percent of employed adults don't take all their vacation days, according to a recent poll. Each year, Americans hand back 421 million days to their employers. Constant emails and ever-increasing workloads have too many of us working through lunch and staying late, yet still feeling as though we can never catch up. The upshot, say experts, is that we're overscheduled, overworked, and just plain overwhelmed.

So how do you shift your perceptions so you no longer feel like a rubber band about to snap? That's where yoga comes in. The yamas and niyamas can help in mundane ways. Cleanliness (saucha) can help you get your desk in order and not double-book your calendar; surrender (Ishvara-pranidhana) can teach you that you can't control everything.

But the main reason for reflecting on these principles is to know yourself more deeply, so you can design your days in a way that suits you. If you know you get exhausted by long stretches toiling in artificial light and stale office air, for instance, you might approach your boss about working from home one day a week. At a minimum, make a point of going outside for a walk before tackling an afternoon of back-to-back deadlines.

IN THIS ISSUE
Banishing Burnout

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1916
Cultivate Your Connections

http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/455
The Practice of Surrender

http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/776

From Yoga Journal.

Banish PMS

2008-03-31T00:41:00.000-07:00

When it comes to soothing premenstrual symptoms, the best medicine may be found in your kitchen—and it's not the chocolate and fatty foods you might crave. Studies have shown that healthy foods can actually eliminate the mood swings, bloating, blemishes, breast tenderness, and fatigue that often precede menstruation. Consuming soy, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds may help balance hormones and prevent PMS symptoms.

From Yoga Journal.

Rhidolia for Depression

2008-03-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Rhodiola rosea is not a widely known botanical remedy, but perhaps it should be. Several recent studies have revealed that the herbal extract of this yellow-flowered, Arctic mountain plant may have multiple health benefits. A study published in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, reporting on people with mild-to-moderate depression, showed that patients who took a Rhodiola extract known as SHR-5 (sold under the trade name Arctic Root) reported fewer symptoms than those who took a placebo. And a study by researchers at the University of California at Irvine revealed that fruit flies that ate a diet rich with Rhodiola lived an average of 10 percent longer than those that ate three other herbs known for their life-extension properties.

As usual, these modern findings come long after indigenous people have already determined the plant’s value. Russians and Scandinavians have used it for centuries to combat stress and depression.

From Dr. Weil.

Turns out it is an adaptogen, like Ashwagandha in Ayurveda.

Acupuncture: a natural facelift

2008-03-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

Facial acupuncture is a safer approach than surgery and is free of the side effects of Botox injections, and includes psychological benefits like relaxation.

Also try acupressure to reduce the facial muscle tension which causes wrinkles.

Avoid using chemicals on your skin

2008-03-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

Your skin is your biggest organ, so why would you want to cover it with harmful chemicals found in most moisturizers and body care products? Here's how your skin helps you:

Your skin is much more than an outer surface for the world to see — it’s the largest organ of your body!

Plus, it has a number of amazing responsibilities that you probably don’t think about on a daily basis:

* Protects your internal organs from injury and infection.
* Helps detoxify wastes through perspiration.
* Provides an important line of immune defense against infections — your healthy skin creates a barrier to viruses and bacteria.
* Protects you against extreme changes in temperature, through its thermoregulatory effect of controlling heat flow between you and your environment.
* Produces and stores vitamin D, which is important to your immune system.
* Rich in receptors, it allows you to sense conditions around you — like hard/soft and hot/cold — and send information to your brain so you can react to it for self-preservation.
* Protects your body from sunburns.
* Protects you from dehydration.

The loss of any of these functions will compromise your best health — and can accelerate signs of normal aging.

Put simply, your skin plays a major role in your health.

It functions as an organ that can absorb and excrete both nutrients and toxins through its pores. The condition of your skin is a powerful reflection of just how healthy you are on the inside.

Because your skin has the ability to absorb whatever you put on it, careful choices are critical. You want to give your skin the same thoughtful care you give your internal organs.

Personally, I have become very wary of products with ingredients whose names I cannot pronounce. That includes hair care and makeup as well.

Time for yoga

2008-03-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

I find it interesting that in India, Yoga is still only practiced the way it has been traditionally, at the crack of dawn.

In the West, though, it's a bit more flexible, given people's hectic lives and time constraints. Plus, there's more accomodation for individual preferences. Dr. Weil and Yoga Journal have paired up to give the following advice on When to Practice Poses:

The choice of when to perform asanas (yoga postures) should be based on your personal preferences and your body’s natural rhythms. Many people prefer the morning, as practicing at the start of the day can help increase blood flow and energize the body and spirit. Others may do better with poses in the afternoon or evening, especially if their muscles are warmed up and their focus is better as the day winds down.

The type of pose can also dictate timing - energizing poses, such as backbends, may help you wake up, while a relaxing pose, such as forward bends, can help you to slow down and promote quality rest and sleep. Whenever you practice poses, the most important thing is to get to know yourself, and let your energy influence your best practices throughout the day and year.

Mantras for mental clarity

2008-03-14T00:34:00.000-07:00

Calming Mantra

Within yoga, mantras are based upon sounds that reflect the energy of our divine nature. The word mantra comes from the combination of two syllables: "man," meaning "to reflect," and "tra," meaning "agent of." Let your mind absorb in the sound of the hum—in your internal chanting and your actual breath.

Find a comfortable posture for meditation. Place your palms facing up in Jnana Mudra (forefinger and thumb touching). Bring your attention to the breath. Begin to employ the simple mantra So hum ("I am that"). On the inhale, say So, and on the exhale, say hum. Keep your focus on the sensation of your breath while silently repeating the sacred syllables So hum.

Let your mind come to stillness. There is no place to go, nothing to do, So hum, So hum. If a thought (vritti) arises, come back to the mantra So hum. Practice it for 10 to 20 minutes. When you're finished, bring your hands together in Anjali Mudra (prayer position) to soak up the peaceful energy that you cultivated through your meditation.

IN THIS ISSUE
A Higher Hum: Breath and Mantra Meditation
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/504

Calm Heart Meditation
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2442

For Beginners: Anjali Mudra
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/145

From Yoga Journal.

Prop me up

2008-03-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

Even the ancient art of yoga is evolving. While original yogis did not use props such as sticky mats (foam mats with non-skid backing), foam blocks (pillow-like aids to cushion joints), or D rings (straps with D-shaped metal adjustment rings, used to help achieve or hold difficult poses), some modern practitioners find that props help them to master poses or deepen their experience.

When considering props, ask yourself the following:

* Why are you using them?
* Can your body do without them?
* Are you willing to let them go at some point?

Once you determine your answers, branch out and try using traditional items that you may not have considered props, such as a wall or another person, to enrich your yoga experience.

From Dr. Weil.

To take or not to take?

2008-03-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

There's a bit of confusion over whether or not people should take a multi-vitamin.

An estimated 35 percent of U.S. adults take multivitamins regularly, but according to Harvard researchers, this could be causing more harm than good.

The researchers cited studies showing that antioxidant supplements do not protect against cancer or heart disease, and may actually cause harm in some cases. They also reported that recent clinical trials show that B-vitamin supplements (B6, B12 and folic acid) do not prevent heart disease.

Multi-vitamins should not be substitutes for a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you do take one, make sure it is of good quality.

While you are relying on the vitamin company to provide you with a high-quality product, vitamin manufacturers typically rely on a “certificate of analysis” to confirm that their raw ingredients are safe and effective.

And where do you think they get this certificate of analysis? Directly from the supplier of their raw materials. There is currently no requirement to do an independent, third-party verification to validate that the raw materials in the supplements are what they say they are, or that they are in the stated amounts.

On top of that, making supplements is a highly complex process with a large number of steps -- and errors can occur at each and every one of these steps. Outside of the ingredients themselves, small oversights, human error, or cutting corners can lead to a supplement that is entirely substandard, or worse yet even dangerous.

So when it comes to choosing a supplement, weeding through your options can be like pulling a needle from a haystack. Even though you are well educated and have good intentions, if you are choosing your supplements on price alone, which is typical at a chain drugstore or large discount mart, there is a good chance that the supplement has not been verified through a rigorous quality control process. It is also likely made from primarily synthetic ingredients.

Free Radical attacks

2008-03-05T02:24:00.000-08:00

The title of the post is not meant to scare you, but to alert you to be aware of how free radicals work. If you have heard of anti-oxidants, then you're ahead of the game: anti-oxidants combat free radicals, which are normally produced during metabolism but arise more often due to pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides.

From Dr. Weil's newsletter:

Researchers have demonstrated a correlation between exposure to air pollution and the risk of developing certain respiratory disorders, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. The exact mechanisms remain unknown, but scientists believe there is a strong link between environmental exposures and the production of free radicals. These highly reactive compounds can cause inflammation in the lungs and damage the tissue lining the lung walls.

To help prevent free-radical formation, and the damage they can cause, avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke and air pollution. Increase your intake of foods rich in antioxidants, especially organically grown vegetables and fruits. Antioxidants are also found in green tea and dark chocolate. Consider taking a daily antioxidant supplement as insurance against those times when you can't eat right.

80% of Immune System in GI tract

2008-03-04T01:50:00.000-08:00

Some more facts from Mercola:

500 species of bacteria live inside you.
About one hundred trillion bacteria live inside you — more than TEN TIMES the number of cells you have in your entire body.
The weight of these bacteria constitutes about two to three pounds.
Some of these bacteria are referred to as "good" and some as "bad". The ideal balance between them is 85% good and 15% bad.

Change your diet for clear skin

2008-03-02T02:30:00.000-08:00

If you are plagued by acne, try these easy tips from Dr. Weil:

*Increase your consumption of antioxidant-rich foods, including fruits and vegetables.
* Include omega-3 fatty acids from foods like wild Alaskan salmon or freshly ground flaxseeds to help reduce and prevent inflammation.
* Drink lots of water to keep the skin hydrated and healthy.
* Limit processed and refined foods.
* And, don't be afraid to eat a piece of dark chocolate now and then - there is no link between chocolate and acne, and dark chocolate actually has antioxidant benefits!

Turmeric for total turnaround!

2008-02-23T01:22:00.000-08:00

A lot of research has been done about the impressive qualities of turmeric for a variety of conditions. Did you know it's a relative of ginger? Here are 20 reasons to up your intake of turmeric:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.

In India, it's also known as being essential for beautiful skin, and is traditionally applied to the bride and groom in a ceremony a day before the wedding. It can even be used to prevent the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy.

For more information on the scientific research done, see here. See here for the write-up from Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs.

Birthing beautifully

2008-02-21T02:23:00.000-08:00

Liedloff mentioned something in the article from the previous post that deserves its own post. She describes the process of working with patients on 'abreaction -- "primal" techniques that allow people, by means of special breathing, to relive their earliest terrors':

Memories, images, and fragments of painful early experiences would
frequently arise. And as the agonies suffered by "normal" people in "normal" birth and infancy came to expression, so, too, did the origins of many of their fears and irrationalities, as well as their self-defeating and antisocial behaviors.

True, she refers not only to birth but to infancy. I want to dedicate this post to birth, though, and to recent research and experience that is discovering that birth practices have become over-medicalised and invasive, to the detriment of the mother and baby's well-being.

Dr. Sarah J Buckley has several articles on the delicate interplay of the hormones of birth: Pain in Labour: Your hormones are your helpers, Ecstatic Birth: Nature’s Hormonal Blueprint for Labour, Healing Birth, Healing the Earth.

Laura Shanley's Bornfree site provides a wealth of information on unassisted childbirth. She asserts that, without fear and medical interference, birth is designed to progress optimally, even pleasurefully, for both mother and baby.

Rixa at the True Face of Birth also has tons of insightful info on birth for her dissertation.

Hathor the Cow Goddess
provides humorously informative cartoons about the state of birth in the West.

Fennel seeds

2008-02-21T01:11:00.000-08:00

Fennel seeds are actually the fruit of the fennel plant, which originated in the Mediterranean but has widespread use in Ayurveda. The seeds can be chewed after eating to aid digestion and freshen the breath. They are also helpful to relieve bloating and gas, indigestion and other digestive difficulties. Some more info:

The composition of fennel seed is given below:
Moisture:6.30 %
Protein:9.5 %
Fat:10 %
Crude fiber:18.5 %
Carbohydrates:42.3 %
Total ash:13.4 %
Calcium:1.3 %
Phosphorus:0.48 %
Iron:0.01 %
Sodium:0.09 %
Potassium:1.7 %
Vitamin B1:9.41 mg/100 g.
Vitamin B2:0.36 mg/100 g.
Niacin:6.0 mg/100 g.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid):12.0 mg/100 g.
Vitamin A:1040 I.U./100 g.
Calorific value:370 calories/100 g.

Fennel is also believed to be beneficial for kidney stones, menopausal problems, nausea, obesity and increasing milk yield during breast feeding. A compression made from an infusion of Fennel tea and placed on the eyelids is reputed to soothe inflamed lids and improve sight.

Neurosis is normal

2008-02-20T02:18:00.000-08:00

Here's another excerpt from Liedloff, from an article Normal Neurotics Like Us:

When asked what sort of person consults me in my private practice, I sometimes say, "Normal neurotics like us" or "Adult children 'normal' parents." Most people smile sadly and know just what I mean.
I never intended to do what I am doing, nor did I study the subject in school. It grew out of years of concern about what I have come to view as a vast pathology, a tragedy affecting all of us in Western society in some measure.
It became clear that the immeasurable harm caused by even the most loving and devoted parents in Western culture, and abetted by the most well-intentioned "experts," was the consequence of a long-standing and profound incomprehension of the eminently respectable nature of our species, especially in our perception of children.
After an interval of not seeing clients, I reopened my practice and soon had a full schedule. It was then that I noticed something curious about normal, neurotic adults: what we were experiencing was not a variety of "problems" at all, but rather the very same difficulty. Although the details and degrees of damage differed, the malady was the same. It manifested as a deep sense of being wrong -- of being not good enough, not lovable, disappointing, incompetent, insignificant, undeserving, inadequate, evil, bad, or in some other way not "right." What's more, this feeling of wrongness had come about almost always through early interactions with parental authority figures. And it had evoked powerful unconscious beliefs that have informed our views of both self and self-in-relation-to-other.

Try it on Everything

2008-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is a trailer for the new movie on the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT):

More on the Continuum Concept

2008-02-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

From Liedloff's article, The Importance of the In-Arms Phase:

In the two and a half years during which I lived among Stone Age Indians in the South American jungle (not all at once, but on five separate expeditions with a lot of time between them for reflection), I came to see that our human nature is not what we have been brought up to believe it is. Babies of the Yequana tribe, far from needing peace and quiet to go to sleep, snoozed blissfully whenever they were tired, while the men, women, or children carrying them danced, ran,
walked, shouted, or paddled canoes. Toddlers played together without fighting or arguing, and they obeyed their elders instantly and willingly.
The notion of punishing a child had apparently never occurred to these people, nor did their behavior show anything that could truly be called permissiveness. No child would have dreamed of inconveniencing, interrupting, or being waited on by an adult. And by the age of four, children were contributing more to the work force in their family than they were costing others.
Babes in arms almost never cried and, fascinatingly, did not wave their arms, kick, arch their backs, or flex their hands and feet. They sat quietly in their slings or slept on someone's hip — exploding the myth that babies need to flex to "exercise." They also did not throw up unless extremely ill and did not suffer from colic. When startled during the first months of crawling and walking, they did not expect anyone to go to them but rather went on their own to their mother or other caretakers for the measure of reassurance needed before resuming their explorations. Without supervision, even the smallest tots rarely hurt themselves.
Is their "human nature" different from ours? Some people actually imagine that it is, but there is, of course, only one human species. What can we learn from the Yequana tribe?

It's amazing to think how drastically different 'modern' childrearing practices have become. While the economic development of our society has led to many advances in science and technology, our physical evolution has not necessarily kept up. A baby is born with certain innate needs, but highly socialised parents are nowadays ill-equipped to meet them. Although Liedloff describes these difficulties in detail, her book cannot be considered a manual for parents. Rather, the mere need for reliance on manuals illustrates her point that childrearing should be more intuitive and less shaped by social dictates.

The Continuum Concept

2008-02-16T01:17:00.000-08:00

Jean Liedloff lived with a tribal society called the Yequana in South America. She is not an anthropologist, but has written a highly influential book, called The Continuum Concept, on the way that community raised its children, contrasted to modern childrearing practices in the West.

It is described as following on the continuum-concept.org website, which has more articles by her and an online forum:

According to Jean Liedloff, the continuum concept is the idea that in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human beings — especially babies — require the kind of experience to which our species adapted during the long process of our evolution. For an infant, these include such experiences as...
-constant physical contact with his mother (or another familiar caregiver as needed) from birth;
-sleeping in his parents' bed, in constant physical contact, until he leaves of his own volition (often about two years);
-breastfeeding "on cue" — nursing in response to his own body's
signals;
-being constantly carried in arms or otherwise in contact with
someone, usually his mother, and allowed to observe (or nurse, or sleep) while the person carrying him goes about his or her business — until the infant begins creeping, then crawling on his own impulse, usually at six to eight months;
-having caregivers immediately respond to his signals (squirming, crying, etc.), without judgment, displeasure, or invalidation of his needs, yet showing no undue concern nor making him the constant center of attention;
-sensing (and fulfilling) his elders' expectations that he is innately social and cooperative and has strong self-preservation instincts, and that he is welcome and worthy.

We are water

2008-02-14T00:32:00.000-08:00

Just as the world is 75% covered in water, so too our bodies are mostly water. And Dr. Masaru Emoto has been doing fascinating research with water: photographing the crystals that form in response to certain words or intentions. The one pictured was exposed to the word 'Repose'. How do they take the photograph? Watch this video.

See this Hado site for more photos and videos.

Not unsurprisingly, Dr. Emoto is not hiding in his laboratory, but is trying to spread the word about the implications of his research. He has started the Emoto Peace Project:

With the picture book for children “The Message from Water”, we
would like to share a clue to realize world peace that we learned through the research on water in an enjoyable way. We are giving this book to the children around the world for free and hope that they find the importance of water and the true nature of us human beings. This effort is called “Emoto Peace Project”.

He has also written several books for the general public: The Hidden Messages in Water, Water Crystal Healing: Music and Images to Restore Your Well-Being, Love Thyself: The Message from Water III, The True Power of Water: Healing and Discovering Ourselves, The Secret Life of Water, The Miracle of Water, The Shape of Love: Discovering Who We Are, Where We Came From, and Where We're Going and the list goes on...

I first heard about this research in the film What the Bleep do We Know?

Ayurveda for complete health

2008-02-08T04:57:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda is the science of positive health and fulfillment in life. Ayu=life and Veda=knowledge/science. The ancient scripture that details much of the knowledge is the attar veda.

Most people interested in alternative medicine know something about Ayurveda, probably that it categorises people into different body types, or doshas (vata, pitta and kapha). But these categories are not just body types, but are considered as elements that constitute everything in nature and in the body, since the body is a microcosm of the larger universe. It has a completely different conception of the body structure than Western medicine, and can be difficult for those of us even with just a basic knowledge of human biology to comprehend. Nonetheless, each mode of understanding is valid in its own right, and just because we may not understand does not mean it is wrong. For example, nowadays there is significant research substantiating the effectiveness of acupuncture, which is based on Chinese medicine and has certain similarities to Ayurveda. So even if we can't completely describe why something may work, we shouldn't discount it (yet so many Western skeptics do).

According to Ayurveda, there are four dimensions of wellbeing: physical, mental, social and spiritual.

A proverb from Kerala says, "The person who spends a little on oil can save a lot on doctors." Abhayanga ("laying oil on the body," i.e. massage) is a crucial aspect of Ayurveda well-known to the tourists of India. It is used to promote wellness, and not just treat illness, so it is the ultimate in preventative medicine. It aids the body in detoxification by improving circulation and relaxation, well-known to increase immunity and life span. The power of touch is only just now beginning to be recognised in the medical establishment.

For more info:
AYUSH, the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

Ayurveda on Wikipedia.

I did a course in Ayurvedic massage here. See also Dr. Rajesh's new blog.

Dream on

2008-02-03T01:10:00.000-08:00

Motivation Peek has a great write-up on different theories of dreams. I especially like the Jungian one:

Jungian therapists recognize three levels of dreams. Level 1 dreams have no deep symbolic meaning, and are just remnants of the recent thoughts and feeling s of the conscious mind. Level 2 dreams use symbols to express material in the personal unconscious -- material that relates primarily to our physical and sexual preoccupations -- and in this sense they employ symbols in a similar way to that proposed by Freud. Level 3 dreams, or what Jung called "great dreams", are qualitatively different. They contain emotionally-charged and powerful symbols that express the innate qualities and behavioural predispositions that make us human -- what Jung called archetypes.

Happiness is health and vice versa

2008-01-31T01:09:00.000-08:00

From Dr. Weil:

Happiness is Healthy
That sounds like a no-brainer, but a new British study has found that the more upbeat your mood, the lower the levels of an unhealthy stress hormone. What’s more, it showed that the happy women participating in the study had lower internal markers of the persistent inflammation that can lead to heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. While happy people do tend to be healthier than those who are pessimistic and stressed out, the notion that they take better care of themselves isn’t necessarily true. Saliva tests showed that happy study participants had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which contributes to high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and less than optimal immune function. Nearly 2,900 healthy adults, age 50 to 74, participated by recording their moods at the time of the tests. On another day, the researchers measured two markers for inflammation, C-reactive protein and interleukin 6. Among women (but not men) positive emotions correlated with healthier, lower levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin 6. The study was published in the Jan. 1, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Mid-life crisis

2008-01-30T01:07:00.000-08:00

People are most likely to become depressed in middle age, according to a worldwide study of happiness. The team of economists leading the work found that we are happiest towards the beginning and end of our lives, leaving us most miserable in middle years between 40 and 50.

The results, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, showed that people's levels of happiness followed a U-shaped curve, a pattern that was remarkably consistent in the vast majority of countries the researchers looked at, from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe.

For both men and women in the UK, the probability of depression peaked at around the age of 44. In the US, men were most likely to be unhappiest at 50, while for women the age was 40.

Via The Guardian.

A beginning

2008-01-30T01:04:00.000-08:00

From Mata H at blogher.com:

We may never be able to unravel the complexity of inter-relatedness of the universe. But if we just acknowledge it and send what goodness we can into the world, we help heal the wounds.

Try this exercise -- I use it to remind myself of the connectedness that I can easily forget -- the next time you watch the news, imagine everyone they are discussing is related to you. A cousin, an aunt, a parent, a child. Think what you can do to help, then do what you can. Do not imagine that the answer can ever be "there is nothing I can do."

Send a helping organization a check. Love someone more than yesterday. Pray. Do not lose hope. Use less fossil fuels. Help a stranger. Recycle more. Give. Write to Congress or the White House. Organize. Vote. Volunteer. Speak the truth.

Take the power of love seriously. Let your love for the world out, and let it roll into action. You are not alone. What you do touches what we all do, grows, expands, heals. What you do gives me courage, gives everyone you know hope as it gives to the rest of the world. Mitakuye Oyasin.

This blog is my attempt at giving back to the world, a small gesture to help others find information on all aspects of wellness: body, mind, spirit. Namaste!