This image presents an example of how one can smooth muscular tensions and physical and mental stesses with the help of a soft material and of Gravity.
Aerial yoga helps the body with compressions and decompressions on all body parts, from legs to arms to the trunk, ameliorating in this way the lymphatic and blood circulation. Furthermore it brings to the relaxation of tensed body parts thanks to the work of gravity on the suspended body. Aerial yoga is very effective on backaches and scaitica issues since it allows the back to freely adn gently stretch under the effct of gravity. Aerail yoga helps also increase flexibilty and strength: it strengthens the core of the body, working on abs and dorsal muscles, strenghtens the arms that lift the body with the help of the 'silk', as well as the legs which are in constant contration to control the balance.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
coconut oil miracles?
I would never have thought that my coconut cookies had such beneficial effects for so many ailments and were preventative for disastrous diseases! I recently dove into research on the properties of coconut oil and discovered some very interesting results.
Coconut oil ameliorates the cholesterol1 profile: it reduces total cholesterol1, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL, and VLDL and increases HDL cholesterol.
Coconut oil is strongly antioxidant2 due to the presence of lauric acid and phenolic compounds, as was measured in the liver, heart and kidneys. It has antimicrobial effects, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-mycotic (treats infections from Candida): some of the viruses that have been destroyed by a derivative of lauric acid contained in coconut oil include HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus-1, vesicular stomatitis virus, influenza and cytomegalovirus. For its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects it is used in treating acne.
There is also evidence that the coconut oil prevents osteoporosis, stimulates the thyroid functions, is thermogenic, helps reduce body weight and abdominal fat, is hepatoprotective, protects the heart by protecting heart mitochondria (producers of energy on all cells), alleviates arthritis, and has shown to improve Alzheimer’s disease condition and cognitive functions and to attenuate progression of weakness and spinal cord motor neuron loss in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
Most of the properties of coconut oil derive from it being a saturated fat3 (yes a SATURATED fat, you read well!). Moreover, it contains medium chain fatty acids (and not long chain as in most vegetable oils). Beside their beneficial chemical properties, MCfas are burned for energy and do not accumulate as body fat!
So…my cookies. I am never a good deliverer of recipes because I never measure ingredients but mix them by eye and feel. So let’s say I will approximate a recipe which changes at every time, but which always gives good results!
Hearty Coconut Cookies
3/4 cup of wholewheat flour (you can replace with spelt or any other liked flour)
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1/2 cup of coconut flour
3 spoonfuls of coconut oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup of raw sugar
¼ cup of raisins
1/4 cup of dark (80%) chocolate chips
1 teaspoonful of cardamom
2 teaspoonfuls of cinnamon
(if the dough is too brittle, you can add 1/2 cup of oatmeal milk or soya milk)
Work the dough with your hands until smooth, flatten with roller, cut cookies at a 3 mm height, place in over at 180 degree Celsius and cook for 15-20 minutes. Taste after cooling!
1 Soon to appear on this blog, a summary of latest research on cholesterol and why, according to many doctors and researchers, it is not always a good idea to lower it.
2 In a future post I will be talking about oxidation and the deeds caused by such a devastating chemical event
3 In an imminent post I will discuss about saturated fats, the not so bad (the best?) fats to better include in the healthy diet.
Coconut oil ameliorates the cholesterol1 profile: it reduces total cholesterol1, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL, and VLDL and increases HDL cholesterol.
Coconut oil is strongly antioxidant2 due to the presence of lauric acid and phenolic compounds, as was measured in the liver, heart and kidneys. It has antimicrobial effects, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-mycotic (treats infections from Candida): some of the viruses that have been destroyed by a derivative of lauric acid contained in coconut oil include HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus-1, vesicular stomatitis virus, influenza and cytomegalovirus. For its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects it is used in treating acne.
There is also evidence that the coconut oil prevents osteoporosis, stimulates the thyroid functions, is thermogenic, helps reduce body weight and abdominal fat, is hepatoprotective, protects the heart by protecting heart mitochondria (producers of energy on all cells), alleviates arthritis, and has shown to improve Alzheimer’s disease condition and cognitive functions and to attenuate progression of weakness and spinal cord motor neuron loss in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
Most of the properties of coconut oil derive from it being a saturated fat3 (yes a SATURATED fat, you read well!). Moreover, it contains medium chain fatty acids (and not long chain as in most vegetable oils). Beside their beneficial chemical properties, MCfas are burned for energy and do not accumulate as body fat!
So…my cookies. I am never a good deliverer of recipes because I never measure ingredients but mix them by eye and feel. So let’s say I will approximate a recipe which changes at every time, but which always gives good results!
Hearty Coconut Cookies
3/4 cup of wholewheat flour (you can replace with spelt or any other liked flour)
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1/2 cup of coconut flour
3 spoonfuls of coconut oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup of raw sugar
¼ cup of raisins
1/4 cup of dark (80%) chocolate chips
1 teaspoonful of cardamom
2 teaspoonfuls of cinnamon
(if the dough is too brittle, you can add 1/2 cup of oatmeal milk or soya milk)
Work the dough with your hands until smooth, flatten with roller, cut cookies at a 3 mm height, place in over at 180 degree Celsius and cook for 15-20 minutes. Taste after cooling!
1 Soon to appear on this blog, a summary of latest research on cholesterol and why, according to many doctors and researchers, it is not always a good idea to lower it.
2 In a future post I will be talking about oxidation and the deeds caused by such a devastating chemical event
3 In an imminent post I will discuss about saturated fats, the not so bad (the best?) fats to better include in the healthy diet.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Fats and health, Part I: cholesterol and other fats
CHOLESTEROL is not all bad, and not even the splitting between LDL (bad?) and HDL (good!) tells the whole metabolic tale of cardiovascular disesases risks. So, should we lower it or not? Check this research done in Australia project that disclosed that at higher serum LDL and TOTAL cholesterol corresponded better memory in women bewteen 52 and 63 years old.
There is also information that in people over 60, the rates of death and dementia go UP if cholesterol is lowered beyond 250. (btw. why did it used to be 350?). Simple to understand, the brain NEEDS fats and it is high in cholesterol, which acts as precursor of neurotransmitters. Take away those fats and the brain does not function that well.
But here come the so ever popular statins, which DO reduce cholesterol, but also cause neuropathies and myopathies, by lowering the level of CoQ10, highly demanded by the heart (!). Statins lower CoQ10 by up to 40%. So, we lower the fats that are needed for good functioning of the brain and the same time lower a substance that is essential for optimum health and longevity of all cells, and especially those of the heart (Wait a minute, don't we take statins to prevent CARDIO vascular problems??).
Anyway, coming back to the fats and how their reputaion has incredibly improved so that they are considered our passport to a good health.... Let's consider the fact that in the past 40 years we have been told to stop eating butter and move to margarine, to stop eating lard and cook with vegetable oils, and yet, the rates of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, cardiac disease, hypertension and cancer have been skyrocketing. Now the culprit is understood to be grains, or charbohydrates or complex sugars, which have been replacing the free slot left by low fat diets.
So, the 'new' diet recommendation tells us to move to high proteins, low or no carbs, and high fat (including SATURATED animal fats!) diets: the Paleolothic diet. This regime, with its compelling logic, is taking the place of the low fat diets of the 80s and 90s.
PALEOLITHIC: in the past 10,000 years, our DNA hasn't YET had the time to adapt to the grain and milk farming of the pastoral civilizations, therefore we should still be eating grass-fed meat, nuts, roots and berries. Right. Without going to extremes and excesses and depriving ourselves of self indulging and short-term rewarding carbs-rich foods, we should keep in mind that QUALITY is more important than QUANTITY. We do not have to sacrifice our cooking pleasures to measure and weight grams of proteins and avoid all grains as the devil. However, we should be aware of choosing the good foods. The GOOD FATS, to undo the mistakes of the low-fats preaching, should be NATURAL, not man-made, not saturated and industrially-manipulated- such transformations are mostly introduced by the food companies for getting longer-lasting packages that can sit on shelves for months and NOT to provide the healthiest foods.
Still in terms of quality, the rate between OMEGA 3 (craved by the brain) to omega 6 fatty acids has been decreasing in western diets from 4:1 during the processed food revolution, to 8:1 in WWII times, to 20:1 as today, while this same ratio should be 1:1!!! Now, the problem with omega 6, is that they are favoring inflammatory states, which are implicated in issues like atherosclerosis, asthma, arthritis, thrombosis, cancer, autoimmune diseases and dementia! Where do we get such omega 6? Seeds oils! Soybean, sunflower, cottonseeds, peanut, grapeseed, corn oils etc. The under-represented omega 3 are found in linseeds (flax), canola, cold water fish and nuts such as walnuts and few others.
So, coming down to few simple recommendations: avoid processed food (which always contain processed omega 6 rich oils), cook with coconut butter (or, if you are not lactose intolerant, a little butter, organic and from grass-fed cows) and use extravirgin olive oil for crude condiment. Eat tons of antioxidants in the shape of vegetables. Eat few grains and focus on others than wheat (which has been loosing its protein content with farming processes and gives gluten intolerance or low tolerance to many) such as buckwheat (not a grain), whole oats and barley, quinoa, amaranth.
This article is not to be taken as a suggestion to stop using statins. Please keep to your doctor's recommendations, while you are always free to ask clarifications.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Listening
“Every person has a fundamental need of confiding his innermost thoughts and emotions to a person who can understand, give support and keep the confidence to him/herself. This need arises out of the constant adjustment one is forced to make to changing social conditions right from infancy to adulthood, so that one may be considered as an acceptable member of the community. These demands of adjustment evoke covert resentments leading to growing tensions within. These tensions, in their turn, are experienced primarily as anxiety which the person leans to reduce by various means at her/his disposal. Confiding is not of the most important means of reducing this tremendous load of anxiety and a good physician fills this role admirable well”.
Dhawale, 2010
The role of the listener and supporter used to be held by the tribe, the enlarged family, the group or the healer in aboriginal society. Having lost the support of elders and peers in the clan and with this the chance of telling stories of our life to people who care, we should rely on- and be relied upon as - friends and counselors to receive and give the essential support for a healthy growing and living.
I believe this could also support the idea that listening to your children after their day at school is fundamental to help them develop their confidence and sense of belonging to the group and to the society they are growing in and to help them grow free of internal tensions and anxieties.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
What is REALLY Homeopathy?
With the words of the founders of this discipline, I will try to explain what homeopathy is and how it was created, its principles of actions and its philosophy, things that your doctor probably does not take time to explain to you when he/she prescribes a remedy for your illness.
Based on these explanations, one is more informed and can choose to adopt such a discipline for his/her own health and well-being or take another avenue.
In my opinion, in order to clearly decide if to follow such philosophy, the major fact to keep in mind is that the organism has an INNATE capacity to heal itself and to keep a (physiological) balance, therefore to strive to go back to this balance when illness appears and find health on its own. When you see ameliorations or solutions of your original condition, think about this potent survival tendency or your own body.
· Homeopathy is a method to cure a sick person and not a disease. It uses minute doses of remedies, i.e. such small quantities that produce the least possible interference with the individual vital force and yet sufficient to trigger a necessary change.
· The individual vital force is the patient’s dynamic plane or the essence of life, which governs the body and keeps it in balance; according to homeopathy, it is at this level that disease originates and that defense mechanisms act. The remedies produce a gentle but efficient effect of healing by acting on the dynamic field and thus by strengthening the defense mechanisms without causing unwanted aggravations.
· The medicines have been chosen by a technical procedure of proving, which is a systematic study of the pathogenic (disease-producing) power of substances on healthy human beings. The substances are derived from animals (such as duck liver), plants, minerals (such as metals) and disease products, such as syphilis chancre, gonorrheal discharge etc. During such provings, the healthy subjects record in minimal details all the symptoms caused on them by the action of such substances (inlcuding poisons). The idea behind such testing is that the same substances that cause symptoms in healthy individuals produce healing in the diseased ones, when the symptoms of both correspond perfectly.
!!! This is the very important part explaining what a remedy is: once the substances have been found and their symptoms described, a process of potentization or dynamization is applied to them in order to increase the intensity of their electrodynamic field: by repeatedly and serially diluting and shaking (succusion) against an elastic object the original substance many many times, its energy is liberated and made more available to interact with the dynamic plane of the patient. Further, by this process the strongest poisons are not only rendered harmless, but are transformed into beneficial healing remedies. The process is thus done as follow: after preparing a tincture or a solution of the original substance (I cannot find the original concentration of such solution) one drop is diluted into 99 drops of solvent. This dilution is successes “with great force” 100 times. One drop of this is then added to fresh solvent, and again succussed…”this process can be carried out literally forever”(Vithoulkas, 2005). For example, 200 C requires 20,000 serial dilutions and succussions. “High potency remedies often takes as many as 3 months to make”- even with machines! Machines should be monitored for the force of succession 9that can be equal of greater that the foce of a man’s arm) so that no mechanical errors can enter into the standardization of preparations.
The preparations then are preserved in alcohol and at the last moment after prescription these are used to wet the sugar pellets that make the final product.
* General dilutions used:
[The laws of chemistry say that there is a limit to dilution without loosing the original substance. This limit is related to the Avogadro's number and is approximately equal to the homeopatic potencies of 12C or 24X].
24x = 12 C = the dilution process + ‘succussion‘ is repeated 12 times and at each step u=one drop of prodcut is diluted in 100 drops of solvent. The final concentration is 100-12 or 10-24 = one drop of original substance in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 drops of solvent water or alcool + water) [This dilution has a probability of 60% to contain one molcule of a substance]
60x = 30 C = 10-60 = 1 drop of original substance 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
drops of solvent
1 M = 1000 C = 1 drop of original substance 102000 drops of solvent
1 CM = 100.000 C = 1 drop of origianal substance 10200000 drops of solvent
!! Once the dilutions are carried out to such infinitesimal values, one could doubt of the presence of any substance in the final remedy. In fact, homeopathy believes that the energy is released and transmitted to the molecules of the solvent: the more the substance is diluted, the finer its energy is and the more potent the remedy becomes: its action is deeper, longer and more widespread.
· The remedy is necessarily individualized to each patient and cannot be bought over the counter or predicted in advance of the analysis of the case, which is carried on as an extremely detailed interview between the patient and the physician and a physical examination in order to describe all symptoms at all levels (physical, emotional and mental) that are specific to each case. The totality of the symptoms is the only information that the physician needs in order to find the perfect remedy for the patient.
· Classical homeopathic treatment is usually the prescription of one remedy at a time, in order to address the proper cause of illness. During the treatment, the process of healing takes place in a certain order and it is often shown by worsening or change of symptoms: past symptoms or sensations can reappear before disappearing for good; in cases of deep pathology, symptoms relating to vital organs will improve first while superficial tissues (such as the skin) will show new symptoms or improve later. The head and upper body will tend to improve before the lower body and legs. It is important to not interfere with this natural hierarchy of healing.
· In many cases, results are different than expected, depending on the history of the patient, and on his/miasms (genetic influences).
References
Dhawale, M.L. 2010. Principles and Practice of Homeopathy, Part 1: Homeopathic Philosophy and Repertorization, 5th ed., Dhawale Memorial Trust, Mumbai
Ian Sample (2008). "Pharmacists urged to 'tell the truth' about homeopathic remedies". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2008-07-21.
Kent, J.T., Nigam, H. 2007. Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy with Classroom notes and Word Index, 7th ed., Jain Publishers, Ltd. USA
Vithoulkas G. 2005. The Science of Homeopathy, Jain Publishers, Ltd. New Delhi
Based on these explanations, one is more informed and can choose to adopt such a discipline for his/her own health and well-being or take another avenue.
In my opinion, in order to clearly decide if to follow such philosophy, the major fact to keep in mind is that the organism has an INNATE capacity to heal itself and to keep a (physiological) balance, therefore to strive to go back to this balance when illness appears and find health on its own. When you see ameliorations or solutions of your original condition, think about this potent survival tendency or your own body.
· Homeopathy is a method to cure a sick person and not a disease. It uses minute doses of remedies, i.e. such small quantities that produce the least possible interference with the individual vital force and yet sufficient to trigger a necessary change.
· The individual vital force is the patient’s dynamic plane or the essence of life, which governs the body and keeps it in balance; according to homeopathy, it is at this level that disease originates and that defense mechanisms act. The remedies produce a gentle but efficient effect of healing by acting on the dynamic field and thus by strengthening the defense mechanisms without causing unwanted aggravations.
· The medicines have been chosen by a technical procedure of proving, which is a systematic study of the pathogenic (disease-producing) power of substances on healthy human beings. The substances are derived from animals (such as duck liver), plants, minerals (such as metals) and disease products, such as syphilis chancre, gonorrheal discharge etc. During such provings, the healthy subjects record in minimal details all the symptoms caused on them by the action of such substances (inlcuding poisons). The idea behind such testing is that the same substances that cause symptoms in healthy individuals produce healing in the diseased ones, when the symptoms of both correspond perfectly.
!!! This is the very important part explaining what a remedy is: once the substances have been found and their symptoms described, a process of potentization or dynamization is applied to them in order to increase the intensity of their electrodynamic field: by repeatedly and serially diluting and shaking (succusion) against an elastic object the original substance many many times, its energy is liberated and made more available to interact with the dynamic plane of the patient. Further, by this process the strongest poisons are not only rendered harmless, but are transformed into beneficial healing remedies. The process is thus done as follow: after preparing a tincture or a solution of the original substance (I cannot find the original concentration of such solution) one drop is diluted into 99 drops of solvent. This dilution is successes “with great force” 100 times. One drop of this is then added to fresh solvent, and again succussed…”this process can be carried out literally forever”(Vithoulkas, 2005). For example, 200 C requires 20,000 serial dilutions and succussions. “High potency remedies often takes as many as 3 months to make”- even with machines! Machines should be monitored for the force of succession 9that can be equal of greater that the foce of a man’s arm) so that no mechanical errors can enter into the standardization of preparations.
The preparations then are preserved in alcohol and at the last moment after prescription these are used to wet the sugar pellets that make the final product.
* General dilutions used:
[The laws of chemistry say that there is a limit to dilution without loosing the original substance. This limit is related to the Avogadro's number and is approximately equal to the homeopatic potencies of 12C or 24X].
24x = 12 C = the dilution process + ‘succussion‘ is repeated 12 times and at each step u=one drop of prodcut is diluted in 100 drops of solvent. The final concentration is 100-12 or 10-24 = one drop of original substance in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 drops of solvent water or alcool + water) [This dilution has a probability of 60% to contain one molcule of a substance]
60x = 30 C = 10-60 = 1 drop of original substance 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
drops of solvent
1 M = 1000 C = 1 drop of original substance 102000 drops of solvent
1 CM = 100.000 C = 1 drop of origianal substance 10200000 drops of solvent
!! Once the dilutions are carried out to such infinitesimal values, one could doubt of the presence of any substance in the final remedy. In fact, homeopathy believes that the energy is released and transmitted to the molecules of the solvent: the more the substance is diluted, the finer its energy is and the more potent the remedy becomes: its action is deeper, longer and more widespread.
· The remedy is necessarily individualized to each patient and cannot be bought over the counter or predicted in advance of the analysis of the case, which is carried on as an extremely detailed interview between the patient and the physician and a physical examination in order to describe all symptoms at all levels (physical, emotional and mental) that are specific to each case. The totality of the symptoms is the only information that the physician needs in order to find the perfect remedy for the patient.
· Classical homeopathic treatment is usually the prescription of one remedy at a time, in order to address the proper cause of illness. During the treatment, the process of healing takes place in a certain order and it is often shown by worsening or change of symptoms: past symptoms or sensations can reappear before disappearing for good; in cases of deep pathology, symptoms relating to vital organs will improve first while superficial tissues (such as the skin) will show new symptoms or improve later. The head and upper body will tend to improve before the lower body and legs. It is important to not interfere with this natural hierarchy of healing.
· In many cases, results are different than expected, depending on the history of the patient, and on his/miasms (genetic influences).
References
Dhawale, M.L. 2010. Principles and Practice of Homeopathy, Part 1: Homeopathic Philosophy and Repertorization, 5th ed., Dhawale Memorial Trust, Mumbai
Ian Sample (2008). "Pharmacists urged to 'tell the truth' about homeopathic remedies". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2008-07-21.
Kent, J.T., Nigam, H. 2007. Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy with Classroom notes and Word Index, 7th ed., Jain Publishers, Ltd. USA
Vithoulkas G. 2005. The Science of Homeopathy, Jain Publishers, Ltd. New Delhi
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
where to find iron when vegetarian
Here is a list of food items containing iron in good amounts , especially important for vegetarian people:
molasses, kelp, brewer's yeast,
wheat germ,
almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pumpkin s., squash seeds, sunflower s.,
millet, lentils,
parsley, green leafy veggies,
quinoa, oats, amaranth,
natto, miso, soybeans
wheat germ,
almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pumpkin s., squash seeds, sunflower s.,
millet, lentils,
parsley, green leafy veggies,
quinoa, oats, amaranth,
natto, miso, soybeans
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Why Naturopathy?
Naturopathy philosophy is centered in helping the body heal itself in
the least invasive, most fundamentally curative manner possible. It is a RATIONAL blend of vitalistic and mechanistic
principles working with the whole person and educating the patient in the ways
of health.
Present Naturopathy is based on solid criteria and supported by
appropriate evidence, keeping pace with modern research and development.
The patient does the curing and the naturopathic physician works to :
- Arrest destruction and degeneration of cells
and tissues
- Restore and maintain normal functions
- Diagnose and treat the cause not the symptoms
- Cause little or no side effects to the patient
or the the environment
- Assist the body in its natural healing process
- Assist the patient in establishing a healthy life-style
- Assist the patient in establishing a healthy life-style
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