How Herbs Help Humans: Vol. 1, Section 1: Cranky Chamomile…the Herb for the Cranks in your life!

Yes, Chamomile is for cranks!  It is for those who tend to wine and complain about most anything, even when things are going well.  Chamomile is for “babies of any age”. 🙂  This is the emotional or mental type for this herb, but most of these people will also have cranky guts…so they will also find relief for their digestion when using this herb!

Chamomile, we have all enjoyed a cup of chamomile tea, though personally I like the one combined with vanilla bean which disguises its “weedy” taste.  I find that using it for relaxation is best as a tea, but when using it for digestion, use it as a tincture.  Also, the fresh herb tends to relieve tension & promote relaxation and the dried herb promotes stomach, gastro intestinal & liver, digestive secretions…so check each tincture before you buy it to see if it is a dried or fresh preparation.

The botanical name for this herb can be; Chamomilla recutita or Chamomilla matricaria.  It is in the Asteraceae  or Compositae family.  This family consists of flowers within flowers and the centre of the flower is made up of hundreds of “disk flowers”, the big petals are called “ray flowers” so each Chamomile flower, for instance, is made up of hundreds of small flowers!

Some of what we call “indications” or symptoms Chamomile addresses are; irritable sensory organs like ear pain, eye pain, teeth pain, pain in the reproductive organs etc.  It is a great herb for Cranky Babies with colic, teething pain, diarrhea etc.  It is safe to use and no one has ever died from taking too much of either the Chamomile tincture or the tea!  So use it liberally.  For the fresh preparations be aware that some people can be allergic to it.  Some of its other uses are for; ADHD, cramps, colds, stomach aches, fevers…particularly intermittent fevers, frazzeled nerves, insomnia, tension headaches, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), morning sickness, gastric ulcers etc.

Some of the emotions/mental states it will address are; angry, demanding, petulant, self-centred, intolerant of pain & not having their own way, inclined to pick quarrels, yet averse to being touched, soothed, or spoken to.  “I can’t bear it” is a common phrase or expression.

Chamomile is said to “sweeten the soul” and it can help to improve self-esteem.

Remember the fresh herb is good for relaxation and the dried herb is great for the digestion.  I do find that the dried herb preparations either in a tea or tincture can also help with relaxation when related to the digestion.  The easiest fresh preparation is the essential oil, but it can be quite expensive.  I would either grow it yourself or buy a tincture made from the fresh plant if you are trying to get it to act on your nerves.

The standard dose for this herb is 1 cup of tea up to 6x daily or 40 drops of the tincture made from a fresh plant taken 2 per day for calming the nerves and taken 1 hour before bed and also right at bed time. The tincture made from dried herb is taken 40 drops before each meal in a small amount of water to promote better digestion.

This herbal monograph was adapted from reading the following books; “The Earthwise Herbal”, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants by Matthew Wood, Herbal Therapeutics by David Winston & 300 herbs Their Indications & Contraindications by Matthew Alfs.

Note:  This information is strictly for educational purposes.  The reader must take full responsibility for taking this herb and does so at his/her own risk.  I would always advise to get the advice from your friendly neighborhood  Clinical Herbalist. 🙂

Pertinent Preparation Pointers For Getting the Most Out of Your Natural Health Appointments

I have put together some Pointers to help you get the most of your appointments whether “initial” or “follow-ups” with your Natural Health Practitioner or even your regular M.D., though some pointers are really only pertinent to a Natural Health Practitioner unless your M.D. prescribes natural remedies for your health problems.

1. Bring a food diary in showing what you ate for the last 10 days, include all meals & snacks and if you noticed if you felt any different eating certain foods or avoiding certain foods.

2. Bring your current supplements that you are taking along with any prescription medications especially to your first appointment.  You can then just bring anything new that you added in to your follow-up appointments.  

3. Bring in your most recent, even if it was 2 years prior, blood work & any other scans or medical diagnostic tests that you have had done to your initial appointment as well as any current results to your follow-up appointments as you get the tests done.  Sometimes it is easier to scan them to your practitioner before you get there so that they can have a look at them right before they see you.

4. Make sure you bring in a diary of your supplements or however you kept track of the supplements you took and if you noticed that you felt better or not after running out of them.  Ie. Sometimes it is easier to notice if something is helping if you run out of the supplement first and then evaluate how you feel.  If you feel worse after running out of a supplement there may be a correlation, but the Practitioner can determine this at the appointment.

5. If you are feeling quite well and most of your symptoms are gone, but are unsure of what to stay on as far as the supplements you were taking, then ask if you can have a shorter appointment time.

6. Once you have determined what is working I would then ask if you can simply pick up remedies that you need.  It is important to note here that buying store brand products that are cheap have very little health benefits & usually contain substances that are toxic. Keep in mind that Health Canada approves products on our shelves NOT because of good quality control…they do not even look at quality control…thus the same herb in different brands can be completely different and you will not get the same results. (Ie. It could be contaminated with animal dander, not the correct medicinal species etc.) If you go to a reputable practitioner they will often give you advice as to what to buy from your local health food store, if you don’t buy from them.

7.  If your symptoms have improved, but you still have the symptoms then make sure you make another appointment.  Keep in mind that the longer you have had a symptom, the longer it generally takes to go away…though not nearly as long as you had it.  Ie. A symptom that you have had for 20 years you may get rid of in less than 2 years, which isn’t too bad considering how long you have had it.  

    I like the car analogy.  If you drove your car for 5 years without maintenance you can expect to pay thousands on repair/maintenance costs.  Now think of driving your car for 25 years without maintenance…this is what a lot of people due to their own bodies.  It will cost you a lot more if you wait until you have symptoms for years, then go for help.  

    My general recommendation is to go for an appointment at least spring and fall even if you feel well, that way health patterns & changes can be noted and addressed before you become really unwell.  Another reason for going every spring and fall is to detoxify & cleanse using herbs to get at the deeper toxins in the body thus increasing the vitality of the liver, thus increasing your own vitality and wellness.

 Disclaimer:  This is for information purposes only and readers take full responsibility for applying these guidelines to their lives.

 

Steps to Healing (adapted from Dr. Mikael Adams N.D.)

 Steps to Healing (adapted from Dr. Mikael Adams N.D.)

These steps are for chronic conditions of the body, which we will all experience at some point in life, whether the beginning, middle or end.  These steps are not necessarily in the order that you will heal, in fact some of them can be done together.  Ie. Psychological/Spiritual help can be done at the same time as taking drainage or detoxification therapy.

These steps are based on the supposition that the person is on the correct diet for themselves & avoiding exposure, as much as humanly possible, to toxins in their environment. (Correct diet, with good, filtered water, preferably alkaline water so it will absorb properly & the avoidance of chemicals in food, air, water and on your skin.)

Step One:  Open the Excretory Organs & drain:  a)Bowels, b)Lymphatic system, c) Kidneys,    d) Skin, & the liver empties via the bowel.  Ultimately you want to get at the CELLULAR level which requires more than just a great diet.  This is where herbs & homeopathic remedies come in.  Herbs can scour the toxins around & inside your cells, the Unda #’s, which are homeopathic remedies, are used to get rid of cellular toxins, & will help you get rid of toxins affecting cellular function & enzyme systems, that rely on nutrients to run.  When your body’s cells are  “cleaned” this way,  then your supplements & even food  you use will be less in volume or calories, but nutrient rich, since your body will run more efficiently and need less calories to do it. So eating nutrient dense foods with less calories will help your body function correctly while you do the cleansing but it will NOT take the place of cleansing.  Eating a diet such as this will not detoxify you at the cellular level by itself…this is a mistake that a lot of people make.  It isn’t all about diet, in this case. (Ie. When you tune up your car, your gas mileage gets better because it will require less to run on.)

Step Two: Eliminate Environmental Toxins & the predisposition to “collecting” them in your body.  This can be done by treating your “constitution” and your “tendencies” that  you were born with.  This is usually through homeopathic remedies that release the negative tendency and “neutralize” its influence.  These are chronic conditions like; scoliosis, schizophrenia, alcoholism, diabetes, weak lungs, weak joints etc.

Step Three:  Stimulate the enzymes & substitute where necessary.  Using certain herbs to increase digestive power or using the Unda #’s to clean off the enzyme systems can help the person’s body to digest & assimilate their food much more effectively.  (I always say “you are what you assimilate.”)  In this way, all the organs and the systems made up from the organs will function more effectively creating a stable energy flow through out the day with no dips to the energy.  Remember, we are a human chemical factory and if there is a blockage in any of the enzyme systems the liver will try to push wastes through another enzyme system, if it does not work, you will store the toxins often in your bowel, lymphatic system and your between your cells causing you to become lethargic.  This is gradual of course and is often why people do not pick up on their problems quick enough since they believe it has to do with “old age” or working too much etc.  Cancer and other degenerative dis-ease starts here…at the cellular level.

Step Four:  Dysbiosis Therapy which is basically working on your gut and making sure that you are eating fermented foods daily like; water kefir, milk kefir, sauerkraut, fermented veges etc.  (Pickled food is not fermented.)  You may also need some herbs for the gut if you have a parasite or an overgrowth of bacteria in the gut which can lower your B12 levels and cause low energy.  Having a gut with the correct amount of healthy flora will help you produce B vitamins, enzymes etc.

Step Five:  Reduce Stress & Tonify the Qi.  Herbs & diet combined can help to tone the Qi & reduce stress in our body. If you compare this to your car engine, the gas will flow freely to the engine to combust with little waste left over and give your car the energy it needs to run smoothly. This is when you will have the best energy, no blocks to your energetic system.  The herbs & diet you need to maintain this energy or Qi will depend on your body type & individual idiosyncrasies, which is why it is important to get checked out by a professional.  Since just because a certain herb/regime helped someone else does not mean it is the best for you.  It will save you time and money to actually get checked out by a Holistic Professional of your choice since you will not have to guess what you need and waste money trying it out.

Step Six:  Nutritional Support, like Vitamin & Mineral supplements or nutritive herbs can also work well or green smoothies or juicing etc.  Anything to get your nutrient quotient up.  Think organic veges with some fruit in season.

Step Seven:  Constitutional therapy especially for the way you express and feel emotions & your body’s tendencies to certain dis-ease.  Healing your emotions or the way you express them can be challenging for some people.  Ultimately, the way you express yourself or do not express yourself is the way you were built and conditioned.  Certain homeopathic remedies can be helpful for those whose emotions are “stuck” and cause havoc in the body.  Ie. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or any chronic disease has an emotional element to it plus some so called “genetic” dis-eases can be helped by this type of therapy.

Step Eight:  Organ & Enzyme regeneration are sometimes required and organotherapy (a specific form of homeopath aimed at a specific organ to help it function normally) can be useful here.  Even some high strength antioxidants either in foods or herbs are very useful here to restore and protect the liver especially, but also the cardiovascular system, kidneys etc.  This will keep the body from degenerative diseases by protecting the body against the pollutants we have no control over as in the “air you breathe”.  Ie. We all need protection from air pollution.

Step Nine:  Spiritual/Psychological Healing:  Personally, I believe all that we do is spiritual, even if it is just the body, since the body houses the soul and we are one unit.  But sometimes people experience trauma in their life and it will create a vortex that uses up a lot of energy, since the person will be reacting to things that set them off without control.  So these traumas need to be healed and can be released through EMDR methods quite effectively or even talk therapy,  if you get the right professional for yourself.  Also, having a faith in someone bigger than your world can be essential to healing as it will give meaning to the suffering we all endure to one extent or another and hope, to get through it or be healed in the next life, in heaven.

Step Ten:  Removal of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMG) & Geopathic Stress from cell phones, cell phone towers and zones that cause geopathic stress in houses or buildings that people reside in.  Generally, EMG and Geopathic Stress cause Cancer over time but also very low energy and other inflammatory conditions of the body in the mean time.  There is a lot of evidence out there now where you can see the research on the cause and effect of these sources of radiant energy.  These types of energy will affect the body’s electrical system and cause the  bodys’ energy field  to be over-powered by the energy fields from phones & cell phone towers especially, but also geopathic stress will do this also.  One of the protectors I recommend are the Pulsor products which contain various strengths of Piezo Electric Crystals which will emit a field over your own energy field and strengthen it so that you are not affected by the fields that surround you.  (I have experienced this personally around large pieces of automated chemistry equipment while working in the hospital and the Pulsor Crystals saved me.  Very low energy was my symptom…so low that I could hardly function at the end of the day.)

 

Disclaimer:  Please note this article is strictly for information purposes only.  It is not meant to diagnose or prescribe or give advice.  Each person must take responsibility for their own health and get the advice specific for their own situation from a professional of their choice.

 

Winter Wisdom. Body Preparation for Low-Light Conditions.

Preparing for winter has a number of steps, though not everyone will have to do all steps. 

It just depends on how well your glands are functioning for you.

Basically there are 5 reasons why people have trouble with their glands and therefore have trouble with winter.  (Glands that I am referring to are mainly the pineal gland, thyroid and adrenals.)

1.   You are toxic.  Toxic glands do not function properly.

2.   Your glands are deficient in some nutrients.  Glands that are low in the nutrients that are required for its function, do not work very well.

3.   Stress.  Stressed out people do not produce hormones well.

4.   Inherited/Genetic weakness in one or more glands.

5.   Poor digestion/eating the wrong foods for your constitution.

Getting ready for winter, then, really depends on what state of health you are in.  If you try the basic steps to help yourself, which I will list first, and they do not help you, please seek help from a Holistically-minded professional that has had success in dealing with winter depression in their clients.

BASIC STEPS TO HAVING A GREAT WINTER!!

(I have tried to prioritize these steps for you, though you could do them in any order, BUT all steps must be considered since this problem can be quite complex.)

1.      Take at least 6,000 IU of Vitamin D a day (some people need 10,00 to 12,000 IU).  Have your blood checked to make sure it is in the higher range of normal.  (Check out the “functional ranges”.  There are books on this and I can write about it in another blog post.)    You cannot become toxic unless you take 25,000 IU per day.

2.      Take either Cod Liver Oil, another heavy metal free Fish Oil, and /or Borage Oil or Evening Primrose Oil.  Most people could use a blend of either the Cod Liver Oil/Fish Oil and either Borage Oil or Evening Primrose Oil.  If you use the 1000 mg capsules, then you will need two of each 2x per day on average.  Some people need more.  ( Ie. 2000 mg of Cod Liver Oil 2x per day and 2000 mg of Evening Primrose Oil 2x per day.)  Cod Liver Oil does not thin the blood like regular Fish Oil does.  But it is imperative for brain & nervous system function since the “myelin” sheath which surrounds the spinal cord and brain is made up of lipids and thus cannot function optimally without these lipids.

3.      Use a SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) full spectrum light.  Research the one that looks the best in quality.  Personally, I use the Lite Book and it works, but I have also found that the Philips blue light version works as well as, the larger one sold on Costco by Verilux called the “Happy Light Liberty Energy Lamp.”  Please Note:  Use your SAD light in the evening within 2 hours of going to bed to increase Melatonin Levels to help you sleep.  Use the SAD light in the mornings if you have a hard time waking up in the morning as it will increase your Serotonin Levels when used in the morning.  You will need to use it for minimum 20 minutes up to 60 minutes. It works on the Pineal Gland which gets its light through your eyes.  So you must let the light shine into the corners of your eyes to get the light into the Pineal Gland which is a pea-sized gland in the middle of your head.  Avoid staring at the light directly as it can affect the retina.

4.      If you have done the 1st 3 steps and you are still having trouble, then going to a Herbalist who can make you a Herbal formula for your pineal gland and/or give you a glandular or homeopathic can be very helpful.

5.      Thyroid/Adrenals: If you have done the 1st 3 steps and you are still having trouble, then go have a full thyroid panel done.  Ie. Free T3, Total T4, Reverse T3, TSH and make sure you know your “Functional Ranges” so you can be involved in identifying if you are indeed having a Thyroid problem.  My experience has been that those people who suffer a lot in January often have a Thyroid issue.  The “normal ranges” for thyroid are “disease ranges” and do not concur with a “optimally functioning thyroid”.  You can take your results to your favourite holistic practitioner and depending on your test results it could be corrected with some nourishing herbs for the thyroid.  Desiccated Thyroid can also be used when required and contrary to some information out there it does not act the same as Synthroid and is not hard to regulate.  Desiccated  Thyroid is what is termed “Glandular Therapy” and actually helps to nourish your thyroid.  It is true that some people seem to need it for life, but there are many things that affect the Thyroid and I believe if these are addressed properly, then a person may not need to take it all their life.  I will write another blog post just about Thyroid to address these issues.

Adrenals are affected when you are under a lot of stress.  So the best thing to do is to reduce your stress and support your adrenal glands with supplements or herbs.  This will help your Thyroid work better at converting your thyroid hormones to the active form.

6.       If you are still having problems, then you need to look at your diet.  Make sure you do not have any “white” flour, sugar, rice in your diet.  In fact, if you are severe enough I would do a Cleanse with some Colon Hydrotherapy and then follow the “Body Ecology Diet” to rebalance your gut, since your gut makes most of your serotonin.  Part of this diet is to eat fermented foods.  These foods will help nourish and replenish the good bacteria in your gut, as well as actually help you break down your food more fully.  They will also help you process some toxins and act like Pac-Men that gobble up garbage in your gut.

With Steps 1 to 6 considered, there are still some people that suffer from general depression due to needing more minerals for their brains and nerves.  Some people just require more nutrition for their nervous systems to function optimally.  So one of the best things to use is the Empowerplus Advanced Formula from True Hope.  You start slowly at 1 capsule 2x per day and go up to 4 capsules 2x per day.  It helps to re-build neuro-transmitters and I have seen it work quite well on most people.  If you decide to do this as well, you really need to see a Holistic Practitioner so that you can have help when adjusting the dosage of this supplement.  Sometimes if there is anxiety as well then this can be addressed separately with Inositol Powder also by True Hope.   Their Amino Acid complex may also be necessary for those having sleep issues despite having gone through steps 1 to 6.  I will write more about this in another blog post.

In the meantime, give steps 1 to 6 a try and see how they work for you.

I wish everyone a fantastic winter!

 

Disclaimer:  This information is not intended to diagnose or treat anyone, but simply information for those who would like to help themselves by being actively involved in their own health and healing.   Please always involve a doctor when experiencing severe depression.

 

 

 

1. Take 15 minutes every morning to relax before rushing out the door.  (Sit cross-legged on a hard floor and sip hot water if experiencing sever constipation.)  Deep breathing exercises are also helpful to do at this time.  Ie. Breathe from belly not chest.                                       

See the information here:   http://modernherbalmedicine.com/articles/breathe-your-way-to-better-physical-and-emotional-health.html

2. Avoid anything containing white flour, rice & white sugar, as much as possible.  (called the “white plague.”)

3. Remove as many of the external stresses from your life such as: being ‘too busy’ plus deal with internal stressors like; lies you tell yourself, ‘stuffing’ your feelings, feeling bad about yourself and any “co-dependent” or “co-addictive”, or addictive behaviour.

4. Drink at least 1 to 2 litres of water per day between meals.  (non-chlorinated)

5. Eat lots of fibre in your diet.  If you can eat grains, eat whole grains.  Regardless, everyone should take a fibre drink once per day.  See the information here:                                                                              http://www.hiraihealth.com/pdf/How%20to%20take%20a%20fiber%20drink.%202012.pdf 

6. Eat lots of “live food” like sprouts, fresh vegetables, juices, raw salads, fruit and avoid deep fried and heavy foods containing wheat, dairy, beef or pork.  (These are all hard on the liver.)

7. If your colon lacks tone, do the colon exercises listed on the ‘Colon Regime’ article here:  http://www.hiraihealth.com/pdf/Colon%20Therapy%20Regime%202012.pdf

8. Get checked for a nutrient deficiency if you are still constipated.  If you are low in any of the B vitamins, lecithin or acidophilus, – these help the colon stay lubricated and toned up.

9. Eat and drink fermented foods, and I don’t mean alcoholic fermented beverages.  I mean Water Kefir, Milk Kefir, Kombucha, Fermented Vegetables etc.  These help to maintain a healthy digestive tract.

10. When traveling, take your enema bag along.  (Refer to ‘How to Give Yourself a High Enema.’ http://www.ozonelab.com/monica/enema.htm )    You can also benefit from doing a colonic before and after you travel.  Book these appointments ahead of time.  Also, herbal laxatives such as Senna, Cascara sagrada are okay for occasional constipation.  Do not take herbal laxatives as a long-term solution.   Please consult with me during your next appointment so I can help you determine the cause of your constipation and a plan to address this properly.

11. If you are on drugs or medication, check to see if constipation is a side effect.  Ie. Pain killers cause constipation.  There are herbal alternatives to help with pain.

12.Iron supplements can also cause constipation.  Herbal iron supplements are superior as they do not cause constipation and absorb better to.  

13.Have an assessment to determine if your stomach or liver may be causing the constipation you are having.

 

Kombucha Recipe

Kombucha is a fermented drink made from a Mushroom that grows in black tea/organic whole cane sugar & water.  When it is strong enough it will taste like beer without the alcohol.  The taste of this can easily be disguised by adding an unsweetened juice to your cup along with the Kombucha Brew that you make.  It is very good for your gut and will also boost your immune power.  Try some today!  Let me know what changes you experience when you drink this brew on a daily basis!  Here is the basic recipe!

 

 Kombucha

• 1 cup organic sugar cane sugar.
• 4 bags black tea or 4 teaspoons loose black tea 
• mushroom(I do not rinse it, I keep on reusing it until it gets rather thick, then I separate the older layers and throw it away or could give to someone else to use as a starter)
• 1 cup starter kombucha liquid
• 4 liters purified/filtered water
• use a large jar…Ie. Gallon size so mushroom has room to spread out.

Steps

1. boil water
2. add tea bags or loose tea to brew
3. add sugar
4. cool down, strain tea leaves or take out tea bags.
5. fill glass jar, leave about 1 inch of so room at the top .  Need 1 gallon jar.
6. add mushroom and starter liquid
7. cover with cheese cloth or coffee filter and secure the cover with an elastic.
8. I set it in the cupboard to ferment/or cover it with a box.
9. leave minimally for 5 to 7 days, I usually need 3 weeks, our kitchen can get quite cold.
10. some people flavor their kombucha, just add different flavour of unsweetened juice to it.

 

 

Fruity Lemon Water Kefir

1/  1 package of Water Kefir Grains that have already been activated.  (If you do not know how to do this, then please refer to the instructions contained in the box that held the package of Water Kefir Grains.)

2/  125 mL of Cane Sugar  (Organic Cane Sugar is the best.)

3/  1 to 2 dried figs (Can also be raisins, sultanas, dried prunes etc. Organic is best.)

4/  Half a lemon.

5/ 1 to 1.5 Litres of Filtered Water, it can be water that contains minerals. Ie.  Does not have to be distilled or reverse osmosis water.

6/  2 Litre glass container or two different glass jars that will hold 1 litre each.

7/   Coffee filter or cheesecloth & 1 elastic.

8/  Plastic sieve or strainer.

9/  Plastic or wooden spoon.  (Do not use metal spoons or bowls or metal anything when you make any kind of culture.)

Steps:

1/  Dissolve sugar in the water.

In the container, pour in mineral water and add the sugar.  Dissolve sugar using the plastic or wooden spoon or even better just swirl the jar gently until all the sugar dissolves.

2/  Add the kefir grains, dried figs or dried fruit of your choice and the lemon as is, do not sqeeze it yet.

3/  Cover the container with the cheesecloth or coffee filter and secure with an elastic.  (It should not be air tight.)

4/  Place away from sunlight and leave at room temperature of 18 C to 25 C.

(65F to 77F)

5/  Allow to ferment for 24, 48 or 72 hours.  For a stronger kefir, ferment the grains longer.

6/  Once the fermentation is completed to your satisfaction, squeeze the lemon.  (Use plastic tongs to get the lemon out of the water.  Do not put hands into the water.)

7/  Strain & separate the kefir grains separately from the fruit.  Store the kefir grains in a BHP free plastic container either in the fridge or the freezer.  When you want to make your next batch, just warm it up on the counter in your kitchen to room temperature…and start the whole process over again.

Benefits of Kefir are:

1. Helps to restore normal flora inside your gut.
2. Helps your probiotic to “implant” inside your gut.
3. Crowds out unfriendly bacteria, yeast and parasites.
4. Can get rid of “tummy aches” and pains in both adults and children.
5. Good for breast feeding women to take in regularly to increase digestion & prevent colic in infants.
6. Good for restoring normal flora after antibiotics especially when taken with a good Human Microflora strain of probiotic.
7. Helps to manufacture certain Vitamins like some B vitamins, vitamin K, enzymes etc.
8. Can help with hormone balance by crowding out the yeast.
9. Can help get rid of food cravings due to low normal gut flora.

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What you will need:

Colon Cleansing

1. Make sure that you take Magnesium citrate capsules or powder for at least one week before you start the colonics.  Then make sure you continue to take them to keep your bowels regular and soft.  The dosage is: 4 capsules before bed and 2 in the morning.  It can be lowered if you get too loose or can be increased if you are not going at least 2 times per day.  With the powdered Magnesium, the best is to start with the highest dose suggested on the bottle then decrease it or increase it as you see necessary.
2. Make sure to take the fiber drink that works for you.  Ground Chia seeds, Ground Flax seeds, Psyllium Combination Powder, and follow the directions on my website (At the bottom of the Book An Appointment page, look for “How to take a   Fiber Drink”.)
3. Take your probiotic daily (HMF probiotic from Seroyal is the best as it stays in your body the longest.  Ask me about this if I haven’t told you already.) especially at the beginning of your suggested regime.  As you increase your fermented foods, you will need to take the probiotic less and less until you don’t need it anymore.  You can tell when you don’t need it anymore because you will not be bloated after you eat or later in the day any more.  (Provided you are eating the diet that is right for you.  Check my website: www.hiraihealth.com for recipes on fermented foods  under: healthinfo/articles&links.
4.  Report any problems that you may have after the colonic like; a) feeling sleepy, b)increase in gas, c) right-sided lower abdominal/back pain d) not being able to have a bowel movement for more than a day after having a colonic. (Missing the day after having a colonic is normal.)  You need to call me when you have these symptoms.  Usually if you have any of these symptoms it means you have a dysbiosis, which is low good gut flora and increased yeast & parasites.  It can be easily solved by taking a parasite remedy or yeast remedy or a combination of the two.
5. Remember it takes at least 3 colonic spaced out no more than 2 weeks apart, (1 week apart is recommended) to get decent results and most people need at least 6 colonics or more depending on the nature of your digestive issues.
6. Once your colon is cleaned out you will need to have a “Maintenance Program” in place to help you maintain proper elimination & digestion.  This will vary from person to person and you will need a follow-up appointment after your series of colonics.  With this program you will be able to have colonics as a part of a cleansing program or before & after travel or as needed for general health maintenance.  Cleansing clinics around the world recommend a minimum of 3 colonics spring and fall for cleansing to help keep the body free of dis-ease.
7. Eat fermented foods daily and especially on the days that you have colonics.  If you don’t know which fermented foods would be best for you, ask.  Fermented foods help the Probiotic Supplement stay in your system better.  The suggested minimum for fermented foods are 1/4 cup minimum for the kefir drinks and 1/8 to 1/4 cup fermented veges or yogurt. (This may vary from person to person and you may have to start at 1 tsp of kefir and work your way up to 1/4 cup.)
8. Books on cleansing & colonics:  1) Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management by Dr. Bernard Jensen. 2) Colon Health by Norman Walker. 3)The Colon Health Handbook by Robert Gray.

If you have any questions or concerns or have any symptoms as listed under #4 of this list, please       email me or call me right away.

HAPPY CLEANSING!  🙂

 

God Is Holistic. Our Medical System is not. Which will you choose?

God is Holistic.  When He created us we were created as one unit; body, mind, free will, spirit & emotions.  As this world became less than what it was intended to be, we have lost connection between all our parts.  But God gave us ways to ease our suffering until we see His face.  God created all the healing plants and the people who developed remedies from all parts of the earth like Samuel Hahnemann who created Homeopathy.

Unfortunately, our medical system is tainted with greed.  It started with the dissolution of the Eclectic Schools of Medicine, when a very rich family started putting their money into Medical Schools that promoted pharmaceuticals only.  This was because there was and still is very big money in drugs because they can be patented.  Greed has hit the Holistic side as well and you will find some remedies promoted for the sake of cash only.  It is too bad, but it is the way this world is right now and to get through it to make good health choices for yourself you must be discerning and find a professional to help you with the problem you have.   In fact, it is good practise to have more than one person on your health team.

The important nugget of information I want to get across is that drugs can be useful at times, with the exception of Type 1 Diabetes, most drugs should be used temporarily because they tend to suppress functions of the body and this suppresses the symptom or symptoms deeper int he body which will give you a new set of symptoms.  This is NOT a holistic approach at all.  This is SUPPRESSION.  In fact, did you know that the word ALLOPATHY, actually means to INCREASE SUFFERING.

Now having said all that, I will say I am not against drugs.  What I am against is the way our health system makes us believe it is “free health care”, when in fact, since we are one of the most taxed countries in the world…….where do you think some of that money goes to?  Especially when you consider that some drugs are marked up 3,000 per cent and it is covered by the government when this is given out in hospitals.

I believe we need health reform.  Not sure if that will happen.  But it can happen with you.  Take the time to find the cause of the problems you are having and if you pray about it see where God leads you.  Sometimes it might be pharmaceuticals, but many times “no”.  There is  a whole world out there in Natural Medicine that might have been discovered had the Eclectic Medical Schools had the money to stay open.  There is people like me that hold to their philosophy around healing you just have to seek us out.

Check out this article:http://www.planetherbs.com/history/what-is-eclecticism.html

It describes in detail Eclectic Medicine.

My heart goes out to a suffering world with huge medical expenses due to the greed of a few visionary people.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  We are the change.  We are holistic, because we were made as one unit…think about it.

How Iridology Changed My Life

Iridology changed my life.  But you have to get a well-trained person to look into your eyes.  I had at least 2 or 3 people look into my eyes over the last 20 years and it was the last person who took the time needed to actually discover what my genetic strengths and weaknesses are.  I really didn’t value Iridology until I had this reading done very recently.

You should get two major points from this blog post.  One, find a qualified practitioner who has good testimonials so you know at least 2nd hand that they are good.  Second, read up on your Iridology signs yourself so that you can understand yourself better.  Iridology is a good way to get to know yourself. Most of what you see in the iris is genetic. You will have to work with what you have since that is all you have! If you do,  you will have a more fullfilled life and a healthier one at that.

Think “quality” life.

I have suffered from some genetic defects since childhood and suffered from severe glandular disorders which caused terrible hormonal imbalances my entire life.  One of the off-shoots of this was anxiety and depression.  I did the counselling route including “cognitive” therapy and yes, it helped me somewhat, but I can tell you that I always had to work 2x as hard as everyone else because these imbalances caused negative thinking and it was not all psychological.  In fact, now that I have been feeling better than I have for 20 years, I can tell you that had I’d seen a good Iridologist back as a kid, I would’ve at least been put on some products to support the genetic predispositions showing up in my eye.

Knowing that I have a genetic predisposition…really was a relief.  My hormonal balances are genetic and I will always have to be on something to keep them balanced.  I suffered such emotional upheaval that I  was emotionally dependent and though I wanted independence I could not do it because I was not supported properly through diet and supplements.  Though my external life as a child was far from perfect, the inside life I lived was also far from perfect.

While going for counselling as a teen, the focus was on the external situation that I was in, which was completely out of my hands.  What I would’ve benefitted from more was going to an Iridologist and a Homeopath…both which deal with genetics, but in a different way.  (Homeopathy I will discuss at a later date.)  That way I could’ve been supported both internally and externally through counseling and/or group therapy.

Everyone has an Iris type and subtype along with various Iris signs such as; lacuna of different significance, lymphatic rosaries, contraction furrows etc., What it boils down to is where they are located and how the significance of the sign.  Also, the resiliency of the person is also apparent as well as the metabolic type.  It really makes addressing chronic health issues a whole lot easier.

What Iridology did is confirm what I had supposed all along, that I had a genetic disorder that made it impossible for me to reach my full potential until I had those areas of weakness addressed through supplementation, diet and lifestyle.  I have been using this knowledge  on all my clients more recently, since I was fortunate enough to actually take classes from the Herbalist who taught Iridology and read my eyes accurately.  I am very grateful to have received this gift.  I am happy to pass the gift of Iridology to all my clients.  Call today for your appointment!  403-276-5756