Monthly Archives: April 2022

Most of us are fond of at least one product that has the effect of a stimulant and that eventually becomes an addiction. These products include exercise stimulant drinks (they come in cans and look like cola), fizzy aerated drinks, tobacco, betel nut, betel leaf, strong coffee, strong tea, ma huang (an ephedrine-like compound consumed in china), and alcohol. But what is the cause of food addiction or eating addictive foods that are harmful to the body?

Before I tell you why we shouldn’t consume these products, I’d like to deal with the question of why we do consume them in the first place.

There’s no one who doesn’t know that products like these, consumed in excess, can severely harm our bodies. Yet, we still find them hard to resist. The need to eat stimulant food is a simple human weakness that has existed for ages: humans (and many animals) have always indulged in foods that give a sort of emotional high. An emotional connection is a cause of food addiction. In clinical terms, this means rapid heartbeat, a little sweating, dilation or constriction of the pupils of the eye, a warm flush on the face, and a sense of greater sensitivity, concentration, and perception are some of the consequences of eating addictive foods that are harmful. 

These sensations of an emotional high die down within a few hours, and we are left feeling listless and low. This leads to a craving for that food again, to experience the high one more time. And there we are going round and round in a vicious circle. This is another cause of food addiction or any addiction, continually trying to chase the same sensation or feeling that you have had time and time again.

The physiology of addictions is as follows:

When you eat addictive foods that are harmful, it stimulates the hormone-like substances found at the end of your nerves, which triggers an avalanche of similar stimulatory substances and you experience a high. As the substances near the nerves are depleted, you get into the low phase, which leads you to crave that food again. This yo-yo phase of nerve stimulation and depletion leads to a cause of food addiction. 

Consuming addictive foods that are harmful is one of the oldest unhealthy food practices and, despite a revolution in health consciousness; it shows no signs of dying out.

Below are some side effects of certain addictive foods.

Alcohol Addiction: Erosion of stomach and intestinal lining, liver damage, nutritional deficiency specifically related to co-factors for the liver. 

Tobacco: Erosion of gum and tongue can lead to cancer of the buccal mucosa.

Betel nut: Leads to the discoloration of teeth, erosion of the lining of the mouth, and cancer of the mouth and upper tract. It also leads to heart problems among people who already have a weak heart.

Ma huang: It contains ephedrine and leads to heart problems.

Aerated drinks: High doses of caffeine can create adrenal fatigue, exhaustion, and nervous system overload. 

Caffeine and xanthine: Found in tea, and coffee. These become harmful only in very high doses; don’t consume more than five cups a day.

Mixed drug reactions: People who consume medications for the heart, hypertension, and asthma have to be very careful about the interactions of the drugs with stimulant foods, as mixing the two can be fatal. 

After years of experience, all doctors know how difficult it is to break the food addictions of their patients. So, like them, I can only advise a good compromise. If you can’t break the addiction, then at least you should practice moderation. Consuming addictive foods that are harmful will eventually have implications on your health that a pill cannot cover-up. Oftentimes, many illnesses do not occur spontaneously but often occur after years of misuse and abuse of the body. 

In one study conducted, processed food that was higher in fat was most associated with addictive foods that are harmful. In other studies, it was evident that foods with refined carbohydrates, and salt were also foods that were addictive and harmful. Much evidence suggests behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic implications as some of the many root causes of food addiction. Many of these implications can be overcome with a structured care plan. It was also shown that brain reward dysfunction, preoccupation, risky use, impaired control, tolerance/withdrawal, social impairment, chronicity, and relapse were also associated with the cause of food addiction. While this is unique to the individual patient involved it is clear that there is much overlap when addressing the root causes of food addiction. If you or someone you know struggles with food addiction and needs help, please reach out for a consultation. 

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We are spending more time outdoors, now spring is here, and our gardens are bursting into bloom, summer is on the way. But, that means for many of us, antihistamines allergy responses.

In this article, we’re going to discuss probably the most common type of antihistamines treatment for allergy sufferers; the use of antihistamines allergy, what they are, and how they work in the body to rid people of their allergy symptoms.  

The first question most people ask about types of antihistamines is what they are.  The reason is that when they see these little wonder pills advertised, they are seeing the brand name and not what the pill actually is.  The most popular brand names of antihistamines are Clarityn, Zyrtec, Allegra, and Benadryl.  There are plenty more though.  The antihistamines allergy industry is a multibillion-dollar a year industry because of all the allergy sufferers but this still doesn’t tell us what an antihistamine is.  

The best way to explain what antihistamines allergy are and what it does is to actually break the word down.  

Antihistamine is composed of two words, anti and histamine.  Anti means to be against something or act against something.  This leaves us with what histamine is.  Histamine is something that your body produces in defense against an attack of allergens.  It is these histamines that bring on the terrible symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, etc. that we suffer from when we are attacked by these allergens.  Thus, an antihistamine is something that works against the histamines that our body produces.  

Your common antihistamine supplement or medication comes in a little pill.  How it actually works is quite amazing.  What these pills do is release a chemical in our body that is very similar to and looks like an antihistamines allergy to our body.  These look-alike histamines make our body think that we basically have enough of these and keep the receptors in our body from working against them.  In other words, they stop the histamines in our body from working, thus relieving the symptoms.  

What most people don’t know is that this is not the only function of histamines.  They also play a very important role in the brain, keeping us attentive, alert, and awake.  So, if we stopped all of the histamines in the body from working we would basically fall asleep. 

 This can be especially dangerous when driving a car or operating heavy machinery and in fact, this is exactly what happens when we take old antihistamines.  So if you have any of these laying around in your home, please get rid of them and do not take them.  Those expiration dates on antihistamines are there for a reason.  

The good news is, that newer forms of antihistamines have a much better effect on your allergies with less effect on your brain.  How this is accomplished is actually very simple.  Some medicines or supplements barely make it into the brain from the blood.  This is actually not a good thing with antibiotics for brain infections.  But, when research workers figured this out they started to make types of antihistamines allergy support that also had the same properties as antibiotics, thus making it so that very little of the drug makes its way to the brain.  If you read most antihistamine labels today it will say right on it, “nondrowsy”.

Modern Healthcare requires the person to be more proactive instead of reactive. We also need to work to create individualized healthcare treatment using state-of-the-art laboratory testing. There are many biomarkers that we look at to determine the root causes of allergies. Allergies can stem from genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, and the overall health of the person. When a person becomes overly toxic and overwhelmed with their health they are more susceptible to allergic reactions. While histamine antagonists do help support the body during antihistamine allergy reactions it does not get to the root causes of imbalances within the microbiome that can be driving these responses. The root cause is multifaceted and requires further testing to determine since everyone is so different and unique. If you are looking for further root cause evaluation please schedule a consultation to discuss further options. 

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7756301/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1929821/

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Life in modern society is pretty exciting – we get to see, feel and taste the culture of the world wherever we are, and America is most certainly a melting pot for so many cultures and experiences. 

This can be said for the medicinal side of life, as well. 

Ancient Acupuncture Treatment, for one, is one of those practices that made it’s way fast into the modern man’s lifestyle. This Eastern medical practice can now be enjoyed, for the most part, everywhere around the world with many western cultures adopting the benefits of ancient acupuncture treatment. 

But are we sure it actually works, and how much do we know about acupuncture?

What Is Acupuncture, Exactly?

Ancient Acupuncture Treatment involves the insertion of tiny and sharp needles into your skin at strategic points in your body. As a part of traditional Chinese medicine, its purpose is to treat pain, stress, and overall wellness of the body and mind. 

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Benefits of ancient acupuncture treatment include balancing the flow of energy or life force, known as chi. It is believed that energy flows like pathways or meridians through our bodies. 

For Western medicine, these pathways are actually nerve endings that, when pressed right, stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. The western medical culture has yet to embrace bioenergetic medicine fully. 

Often practitioners use a combination between Eastern and Western medicine to determine, detect and take care of the problem. Ancient Acupuncture Treatments usually take about 60 minutes and, if the problem zone requires it, you may need two or three sessions a week.

Energy Medicine is a branch of Integrative Medicine that studies the scientific implications of subtle energies and our bioenergetic system. Western Medicine focuses on the internal systems such as the organs, tissues, cells, etc. Physiology is how the body interacts with its environment such as the energy received from these energy fields. The bioenergetic system is more of a functional system or a system that relates to the external and internal environment of the person. 

Energy Medicine was a term coined by three researchers in the late 1980s. They defined Energy Medicine as the energy that interacted with the biological system to bring about homeostasis. In the 1990s, The National Institutes of Health defined Complementary and Alternative Medicine through five subdivisions; Mind-Body Medicine, Biologically based practices, Energy Medicine, Manipulative and Body-Based Practices, and Whole Medical Systems. At the core of all of these modalities is subtle energy, also known as vital force life energy or chi, that sustains life.  

When Should You Have Ancient Acupuncture Treatment?

One of the benefits of ancient acupuncture treatment is to heal your body faster after a surgery, accident, or any other medicinal intervention. It could ease the pain after being to the dentist, headaches, lower back pain, osteoarthritis, and even menstrual cramps. It is most commonly used for pain relief. 

Does Acupuncture Have Side-Effects?

Risk-wise, professionals claim the possibilities of something backfiring or going wrong are pretty low.  

 Common side effects are bleeding or having a sore or bruise where the needles have been.  

Even if the risk possibility is low, there may be complications if you have a bleeding disorder, have a pacemaker (or any other electronic device inserted in your body), or are pregnant. Pregnant women are at risk because some of the pressure points or pathways that are set to relieve them of stress may cause premature birth. 

Are Needles Called That Because We Need Them?

The thing that everyone agrees on is that ancient acupuncture treatment works and works best if the person’s mindset is open to it.

Western and Eastern medicine recommend a certain level of commitment to the idea that it will help to feel the actual effect of the treatment.  

Another key factor is to have expectations of receiving what you expect to receive. It sounds odd, but many people agree that it works best when this is a part of the process. 

Ka-Kit-Hui is the founder and director of the UCLA Centre for East-West medicine, and his take on the health benefits of ancient acupuncture is that it works by activating the body’s self-healing mechanism. 

Hui continues by saying that it should be a part of a comprehensive approach to solving problems rather than looking at it as a cure on its own. 

It is fascinating how professionals are looking to present ancient acupuncture treatment to the medical world as a substitute for opioids, especially the ones that are given after medical manipulations to the body. 

For some institutions globally, there is no better way to treat patients that undergo chemotherapy than acupuncture. 

To Wrap It Up 

The bottom line is that western doctors learn more and more about the techniques and possible outcomes of acupuncture each year. More facilities are open to these services, and while we do not currently offer them we are very open to referring them. I personally appreciate ancient acupuncture treatments and the benefits that they provide. 

Even if we can’t understand and explain the technique to its molecular level, it doesn’t mean it’s not effective. So go ahead and try it for yourself, it might as well be the next best thing you have done for your health, body, and mind! Acupuncture is a widely recognized system of healthcare that has the capacity to treat numerous symptoms and disease processes. 

References 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27641603/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6396053/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952118/

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Do you really want to be happy? Everyone says yes, but the gateway to happiness makes some of us frown. Do you know how to make yourself happy? Without an external source? And more importantly, what are the health effects of kindness? 

The gateway to happiness can be seen as giving to others, which is why we are so drawn to giving to others. Think about this: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – The Dalai Lam

Some of us may feel that, if we give too much, our generosity will be taken advantage of by others. And in many instances this has been true, we have difficulty trusting others as a result. This is true, and a few very selfish individuals can possibly perceive your good intentions as weakness. Without boundaries, one can easily find themselves a doormat to abuses, mistreatment, and manipulation. 

However, people who seek to take advantage are in the minority. To quote Gandhi, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Think about it, change has to start somewhere, so why not start with you and me, right now? This directly relates to taking full responsibility in how you show up in the world, unrelenting and willing to take a stand somewhere in life authentically.

Acts of kindness that can produce health effects from kindness can include donating anything randomly, without seeking reward, and anonymously, without telling anyone. This is good for you, the universe, and those who receive your acts of kindness. Every time you give, you will receive, even, if you are not looking for a reward. Even still, giving without expectation of receipt is even better as it has health effects of kindness that include feelings of accomplishment, support, sincere gratitude, and more. These feelings inspire and motivate us to treat ourselves better. 

Try it, and you will see, what some call, karma, the law of cause and effect. It works like this: For every action there is a reaction. Let’s make sure the reactions to our actions are good ones. More so, what we are putting out into the universe we will receive and in addition the things that are being mirrored back to us are areas in which we can work on to heal within ourselves.

It is easy to become bitter when things do not go as planned, however if we think about the health effects of kindness then we can agree that it is worth it in the end. That does not mean we give without balance. In fact, we give to ourselves first before we give to others so we maintain our balance. If the acts of kindness are done out of guilt, obligation, shame, or imbalance we will not gain the benefit and in fact it will have the opposite effect on us and our health. 

Danny Thomas said, “All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don’t discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.”

Share everything and you will achieve a legacy of kindness. Share nothing and people will, do their best, to forget you. When my life is over I will only leave memories, in the minds of others, and I want them all to be good ones. This means to share yourself, your authentic self, your truth, who you are and who the creator made you to be in life. He placed your desires on your heart for a reason, and the expressions in your heart for a reason. 

So, how much should you give? It can start with, heart felt, kind words, a note, a card, or a flower. You will find that your gifts or donations won’t make you poor. As a result of this, you will see most people, naturally, return kindness to you. These acts of kindness must be genuine and from the heart within balance.

It can be something as simple as supporting a small business or attending your friend’s band performance. These acts of kindness do not need to cost you anything to have the health effects of kindness. When you participate in life with others it creates this sense of belonging and acceptance which builds self-esteem, and self-worth. 

You should also take the time to be polite to all of the people who perform services for you, every day. Many people do not bother to say hello to the maid, janitor, parking attendant, or service clerk. I always ask for people’s names as a practice, even though I am terrible at remembering them. It is important for me to offer effort especially to those with whom are supporting me and helping me in life. 

Once you do little acts of kindness like learning their name, you would be surprised how many of them will go out of their way to give you good service, just by addressing them by their first name. 

If you establish sincerity and trust wherever you go, you will be loved by your fellow man. It is really that simple. As Mohammed said, “A person’s true wealth is the good he or she does in the world.”

So go out and spread kindness, it will touch many and you will feel it too. Our world is filled with so much pain and suffering, where it is not necessary. If we infuse some support, love, and acts of kindness into our world then we are able to make our world a more living place. 

Blessings and namaste

References

Hofmann SG, Grossman P, Hinton DE. Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011 Nov;31(7):1126-32. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.07.003. Epub 2011 Jul 26. PMID: 21840289; PMCID: PMC3176989.

Wang Y, Fu C, Liu Y, Li D, Wang C, Sun R, Song Y. A study on the effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and loving-kindness mediation on depression, rumination, mindfulness level and quality of life in depressed patients. Am J Transl Res. 2021 May 15;13(5):4666-4675. PMID: 34150046; PMCID: PMC8205847.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34721218/

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In a dynamic world like ours, life can get so stressful and no matter how positive we try to be, unexpected turns sometimes happen, leaving us overwhelmed seeking emotional healing.

In working to strive for emotional healing and emotional balance, homeopathy can be a great choice as homeopathy focuses on the bioenergetic plane in which emotions often reside. In homeopathy, we address the psychological symptoms of the person first, then general symptoms, and then peculiar symptoms. The role of potencies is significant in addressing emotional healing and emotional balance. 

Emotions are an essential part of our being, and how we deal with both negative and positive emotions plays a major role in shaping our life. This is why emotional balance is important.

It is the ability to stabilize our feeling and reaction in the face of unpleasant circumstances, rather than reacting automatically.

Seeking and practicing emotional balance does not mean you don’t have unpleasant feelings; it means you can control your reaction towards them. 

If you have been feeling elevated levels of anxiety and confusion about how to handle them, there are simple, actionable steps you can apply to better control your emotions and create emotional healing.

So let’s have a look at what you can actually do towards improving your emotional balance.

Steps to Achieving Emotional Balance

Being overly swayed by negative emotions will leave you anxious, and stressed and cause unhealthy reactions. Furthermore, it can also develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, which is something you don’t really want. No matter how much you struggle with this, you can achieve emotional balance by applying the following strategies.

• Be Self-aware

Being self-aware helps you identify your weak spots, cultivate healthy habits, and let go of the not-so-good ones. This helps you recognize the emotions you are feeling and the reactions they trigger which is essential for emotional balance as well as emotional healing. Once you recognize these emotions, acknowledging the negative feelings rather than suppressing them is a way to deal with them. This way, you start to brew a healthy relationship with your emotions and are able to catch any automatic reaction of yours. It is helpful to verbalize how you feel at that instant, e.g. “I am angry at this situation”, “I feel scared”. Naming your emotions nullifies their power and makes you react more consciously. If you find this difficult, try journaling, this is another way to let out your feelings.  

• Develop a Healthy Sleeping Habit

Inadequate sleep can put you in a foul mood, which means that the body requires sufficient sleep for emotional healing and emotional balance. Though some circumstances can cause you to promote insomnia, it is crucial to find ways to increase your chances of a good night’s rest. If you have difficulty sleeping, there are some routines you can start to improve your quality of sleep. Try to develop a sleeping pattern and stick to it, reduce caffeine intake, and avoid taking your devices with you to bed. Also invest in the setup of your bedroom, great lighting, and comfortable beddings, as well as pre-bed meditation and breathwork.

• Practice Gratitude

Finding things to be thankful for will improve your outlook on life. It could be difficult to see the good in inconvenient situations but focusing on the positive, no matter how little, improves your emotional state and allows for emotional healing and emotional balance. Pause at intervals throughout the day to identify things you are grateful for. Make sure you are genuine with your feelings, and if you don’t have something to be thankful for currently, think about any moment in the past you loved. This is a good way to achieve emotional balance.

• Learn to Manage Stress

Identifying the signs of stress and devising effective management techniques help with emotional balance and emotional healing. When distressing situations occur, try to spot your reaction, and learn to pause before responding. Your breathing can serve as pointers to your stress level if you find yourself breathing irregularly or erratically, and take deep breaths to regain control. Meditation and yoga are also perfect stress management strategies, as it is a great tools for emotional balance through self-reflection and self-discovery. 

Conclusion

Remember that the difficult times are only temporary, and are a normal part of life. The onus then lies on you to acknowledge these feelings and find the right emotional balance to work through them. If you are having a hard time controlling your emotions, practicing the tips in this post will help you become more emotionally balanced, so do consider those! Homeopathy, although not well researched using the conventional western double-blind methods, has been shown to be very helpful in my practice for helping to shift emotional stressors. This has been extremely helpful in supporting a person through emotional healing and I am certain that it can be helpful to you as well. 

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