Tapping Into Possibilities

Any One Who Had a Heart….

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America is a country of broken hearts. Since the beginning of the 20thcentury, heart disease has been the number one killer of men and women. A few years ago, it was the cause of one in four deaths, now its one in three and the cost has soared to over $400 billion per year. The American Heart Association reports that more women die from heart disease each year than from all cancers combined.

And only in America do we have a month or a day to celebrate everything from Hug a Ginger Day (a redhead) on February 22 to Valentine’s Day to American Heart Month.  Did you know there is actually a calendar available that lists the day, week or month that we celebrate, or should I say, try to make you aware of, more than 100 diseases/infections/problems, called The 2019 National Health Observances Calendar! Today is National Donor Day, last week it was Congenital Heart Defects and next week it’s National Heart Valve Diesease.

But back to the Heart….

Open Your Heart. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. Total Eclipse of the Heart.  Unbreak My Heart. My Heart Wasn’t In It. Broken Heart. Heart Attack. Heartless. Faint of Heart.  Anyone Who Had a Heart. The word HEART is used in so many songs, expressions, slogans that we’ve almost become immune to its importance.

We’ve become a country of not just physically broken hearts but of emotionally and spiritually broken hearts.

Since Hearts  are getting lots of attention this month and especially today, I thought it would be appropriate to work on opening my own heart and not just that pulsing, pumping muscle in my chest.

And just how will I do this? With deep listening and with mindful breathing.

The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.     Buddha

Thicht Nhat Hanh wrote in True Love, A Practice for Awakening the Heart (1997), Breathing in, I am aware of my heart. Breathing out, I am smiling at my heart. Breathing in, I know that you are there; Breathing out, thank you for being there.

A Little Gin and A Lot Less Pain

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For the past 6 weeks two family friends and I have been running our own “trial” on an alternative to OTC anti inflammatory pills which often do work on those aches and pains but come with their own risk of side effects.

Have you ever heard of gin soaked golden raisins for arthritis? This was a new one to me but I’m always open to trying the safe, no side effect route first.

This folk remedy was mentioned on the radio by Paul Harvey in the 1990’s and has been circulating the internet ever since. It was also highlighted on Dr. Oz in the fall of 2010 as a folk remedy that works.

Did they “cure” us? Of course not but they did help. Not for every ache but for a couple stiff shoulders, a painful hip, a head ache and stiff and aching hands, they made a difference. And they taste good.

It could be the gin. It could be the raisins. It could be the placebo effect (if you believe strongly in a treatment, endorphins, which are our natural pain mediators, kick in).

Why Gin? Gin is made from distilled rye and other grains (so if you’re celiac this remedy is not for you) and juniper berries which give gin its flavor and which are full of anti-inflammatory compounds (menthol, limonene and terpenes). Juniper berries are also high in Vitamin C. Juniper berries have been used since the Middle Ages for pain.

Why Raisins? Raisins are rich in anti-oxidants, B vitamins, minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium and are considered a natural pain killer. Perhaps it’s the sulphur used in producing the golden raisins. Sulphur has anti inflammatory as well as pain relieving chemicals including aspirin-like salicylic acids.

An elderly gentleman had such amazing results he started a company called www.drunkenraisins.com!

The recipe is listed above under Recipes.

The worst thing that can happen is they don’t help you but what if they do? Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

A Pain in My…….Neck

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I got a chuckle last week reading a Consumer Report article reprinted in The Washington Post entitled Pain: Relievers: Don’t overdo it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/consumer-reports-overuse-of-pain-relievers-can-be-hazardous/2011/05/18/gIQAiO2JMI_story.html

It went on and on about how non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs work and how they’re fine for occasional use (an acute problem like a sprain) but that there are risks with long term use (a chronic problem like arthritis) – as if you didn’t know this already. They described the risks i.e. side effects (bad effects) but then offered absolutely no suggestions of alternatives that work and which have no side effects. They did suggest that you contact your doctor who probably knows less than you do (about alternatives).

Through trial and error (error being they didn’t work but caused no harm) I’ve found a number of tools that have helped my aching/aging body including 3 herniated cervical discs.

Arthritis & Pain

Most pain comes from inflammation (tissues swell and amplify the signals from pain nerves). NSAID’s do block inflammation causing enzymes and do reduce pain but there are many side effects: risk of ulcers, bleeding in stomach, strokes, heart attacks and kidney damage because they interfere with hormone like compounds called prostaglandins.  Adverse effects can be seen even after only a few days or weeks so there is good reason to try some thing else. These are ones our family has found success with.

In addition to magnets, biofeedback, massage, acupuncture, cranial/sacral therapy, we’ve used a number of supplements and added a number of foods to our diet. Part II lists the supplements we’ve used and all can be purchased on line at www.iherb.net. If you’ve never used this site before enter coupon code BOT164 for $5 off your first order. Shipping is free for all orders over $40 and the prices are great and the inventory huge.

A Pain in My….Neck…..Part II

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Frankincense reduces inflammation, chronic and minor pain.

In a recent study patients with osteoarthritis of the knee had significantly less pain and better mobility after taking the Indian Frankincense-enriched supplement 5-Loxin. Patients who took the highest dose (250 milligrams) felt relief after only one week.  The supplement also slowed the activity of an enzyme that eats away at cartilage which could indicate the reduction of the progression of the damage. Hmmm…maybe the Wise Men knew something when this tree resin was one of their gifts.

Brands to try: Source Naturals Boweillia or Life Extension 5-Loxin

Arnica: Sesquiterpene lactones in the yellow arnica flower decrease inflammation and boost the immune system.  In a 2007 Swiss study of 200 patients, arnica gel eased pain and restored joint function just as well as ibuprofen. Great for acute injuries as well like sprains, bruises and post operative healing. Apply 3-4x day. Consider also taking homepathic arnica 3 pellets under tongue 3x day.

Boericke & Tafel Arniflora Arnica Gel

Omega 3 fatty acids – very important for long term pain reduction as they break down in the body in to anti-inflammatory compounds. For chronic pain, 2000-4000 mg day. We like Nordic Naturals or Carlson Labs Lemon Flavored Fish Oil in liquid form (1 tsp = 1000 mg) because in pill form you have to take quite a few to get 2000 mg of EFA.

Silica – Jarrow brand Jarrosil – great for bones and joints

Anti Inflammatory Foods

Pomegranates. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that can trigger inflammation.

Ginger & Tumeric rival aspirin and ibruprofen in clinical trials. Tumeric turns off the inflammatory protein NF-kkappaB in the joints.

Garlic – freshly crushed releases an enzyme called alicin which is anti bacterial and anti inflammatory. Tip: Let sit for 15 min before adding to your food so it reaches its full strength.

Green tea, cherries and rosemary are also anti inflammatory.

Beware of Bad Carbs. Research has shown high levels of insulin are linked to increased levels of inflammation. High glycemic white foods are the worst.

I’d love to know what works for you.

My Two Cents on Migraines Part II

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Magnesium is not just the anti stress mineral. It plays a vital role in the functioning of the nervous system and stabilizes blood vessel walls. Magnesium deficiency can be tested by the blood but since most of us are deficient, consider adding it to your regimen. A study using 600 mg of magnesium daily for 6 weeks showed a 41.6% reduction in headaches. See 2011 Articles above for more information on magnesium.

Food sensitivities are also a very common trigger. The most common are gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, corn and nuts. Sulphites from wine, food additives (msg and aspartame) and cheese (molds) are also common triggers. Eliminate the foods you suspect for two weeks then introduce one new food every three days to see which ones, if any, lead to a headache.

You can also get an IgG food sensitivity test and then depending on the results consider NAET to help eliminate the sensitivity (www.naet.com)

For hormonal imbalances,  lower your estrogen and increase your progesterone.  Eliminate soy products, take a B complex with at least 50 mg of B-6, calcium citrate (800-1000 mg), magnesium (400-600mg) and a good multi vitamin. A topical progesterone cream might help (it helped my adolescent son with his acne and interestingly enough he has only had 1 migraine in the year he used the progesterone cream).

Studies have shown that 400 mg daily of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) reduced the frequency and severity of migraines in 37-50% of those taking the vitamin over 3 months.

Feverfew is an herb which can interrupt inflammatory reactions in your head that irritate nerve endings which then cause blood vessels to expand. A 2005 study found that a combination of the herbs feverfew and ginger relieved migraines in 48% of the participants. Daily use can prevent migraines and reduce severity and duration. 250-300 mg of standardized feverfew in morning and evening on empty stomach for 4-6 weeks.

Other things in my tool box: accupuncture, biofeedback, 5-HTP which converts to serontonin (400-600 mg daily); GLA (an omega 6 fatty acid which is anti inflammatory). A Berlin study showed GLA reduced the severity, frequency and duration  of migraines in more than 80% of the participants. Try 1300-1600 mg of GLA from borage or evening primrose oil in divided doses 2x day (don’t take with anti seizure medication).

And yes, I confess, I do have a bottle of Excedrin just in case.

Your Personal Alarm Clock

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Most of us still use a clock to wake up whether it’s your cell phone, a clock radio or an old fashioned alarm clock. Sometimes we jump out of bed before it even goes off, sometimes we rise as soon as it goes off, sometimes we hit the snooze button once, twice, multiple times and sometimes we just ignore it, or at least try to for as long as possible.

Think of pain as your personal alarm clock. Pain is telling you to wake up, pay attention, smell the roses or, more likely, take the trash out. Pain can be physical, emotional, mental.  It can be that painful knee or that pain in the neck, whoever it might be. What’s causing your pain? Your husband? Your job? Your lower back?

Whether it’s a “nudge from God” or not, pain is that big neon sign warning you that something has to change.

What ever your pain, an incredible Rx for pain with no side effects is Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung).

Qi Gong is an ancient (dating back to at least 300 BC) Chinese practice of aligning breath, movement and mindfulness. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses Qi Gong both preventively and curatively for a wide range of ailments from stress, arthritis, back pain, balance. Qi Gong is also an important component in martial arts training.

Qi Gong activates the parasympathetic nervous system and tells tight muscles to relax. It’s the inflammatory response that causes pain and movement improves blood flow which calms the inflammatory response.

For a demo check out this you tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-EA86oKkPs

Qi Gong somehow seems to magically improve one’s immune response and ability to heal and recover.

Pain is the root of knowledge Simone Weil, French Philsopher, 1910-1943