Feel and Look young again!

How are you, my dear friend? Are you taking care of your health?. You “think” that you are healthy! (Refer to post: Why take vitamins? in our vitamins blog category and post: Detecting Dormant Diseases before they strike! in our Prevention blog category). You should take care of your health, my friend. It is very important!

Following Part 1, let me discuss, my dear reader on the causes of Disease in Chinese Medicine and the Therapeutic modalities used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Important!. Ancient Chinese Medicine did not recognize viruses or bacteria as triggers of disease or disorders. Of course, since Chinese Medicine is a very pragmatic medicine, if the chinese had know of viruses and bacteria it would have become part of the diagnostic system. Instead, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes  influences, which cause disharmony in yin/yang, the Essential Substances, the Organ Systems and the Channels (TCM belief about a path through which the Life-energy known as qi flows).

The Six Pernicious Influences: Heat, Cold, Wind, Dampness, Dryness and finally Summer Heat are external climatic forces that can invade the body and create disharmony in the mind, body, spirit. For instance, if you are exposed to excess Heat or Cold or Wind for a long time, or if you are exposed to such Influences when your body is already weak, you may develop an illness. This illness, triggered by External Influences, can migrate inward and become more serious as a slight cold may become pneumonia. This happens when the External Pernicious Influences overpower the body’s natural protection against disease.

Now, let us explore the Six Pernicious Influences, my dear friend.

1-Cold: When hypothermia hits a skier or let us say.. a mountain climber, musle control fades, motion becomes slow and awkward, fatigue sets in, the body shuts down. That is the same effect that the Cold Pernicious Influence has, It saps the body’s energy and makes movements cumbersome. The tongue becomes pale; the pulse is slow. A person may develop a fear of cold and feel like sleeping in a curled up position. Cold is Yin, my dear reader and when it invades the body, it chills all or part of it. If there’s pain, it’s eased by warmth. When External Cold attacks the body, acute illness may develop, along with chills, fever and body aches. When the External Cold moves inward and becomes an interior disharmony it is associated with a chronic condition that produces a pale face, lethargy and grogginess, a craving for heat and sleeping for longer than usual periods of time.

2-Heat: disorders feel like you have been playing tennis for two hours in the blazing sun. You are weary and at the same time, strangely cranked up. You can not stop talking about the game, but your words stick in your mouth. You do not feel like yourself again until you cool down and quench your thirst. Heat disorders cause overactive Yang functions or insufficient Yin functions. They are generally associated with bodily heat, a red face, hyperactivity and talkativeness, fever, and thirst for cold liquids and a rapid pulse. Symptoms include carbuncles and boils, dry mouth and thirst. Confused speech and delirium arise when Heat attacks the Shen.

3-Dampness: Think about what happens to your backyard, my dear reader, when it rains for two days, it becomes soggy and water collects in stagnant pools. That is how Dampness affects the body. Damp is heavy and expansive, Dampness blocks the flow of life energy and causes a stuffy chest and abdomen. When External Dampness invades, it enters the Channels and causes stiff joints and heavy limbs. When Dampness invades the Spleen, it can cause upset stomach, nausea, a lack of appetite, a swollen abdomen and diarrhea. Interior Dampness caused by either the penetration of External Dampness to the Interior or by a breakdown in the spleen’s transformation of fluids is associated with mucous, which in Chinese Medicine is more than simply bodily secretions. It is produced when the Splen or Kidney is beset with disharmony and can cause obstructions and produce tumors, coughing, and if it invades the Shen, can lead to erratic behavior and insanity. Once Dampness has taken root, it is hard to displace.

4-Dryness: is a frequent partner with Heat; just think, my dear friend, about the cracked bottom of a dried up riverbed. But where Heat creates redness and warmth, Dryness creates evaporation and dehydration. External Dryness invading the body may create respiratory problems such as asthmatic breathing and a dry cough, acute pain and fever.

5-Summer Heat feels like the humid, oppressive weather that creates the Dog Days of August.

As you know, Rev. Galas. We are getting the same Summer Heat (80 to 100 degrees) in “O” Town, Mickey mouse, sunny Florida. Life 2 life vitamins.

It (Summer Heat) attacks the body after exposure to extreme heat and causes a sudden high fever and total lethargy. It is always an External influence and often arises along with Dampness.

6-Wind: animates the body, stirring it from repose into motion just as wind moves the leaves of a tree. When Wind enters the body, it is usually joined to another influence such as Cold. If the body is infiltrated by Wind, the first symptoms usually appear on the skin, in the lungs, or on the face. Tics, twitches, fear of drafts, headaches and a stuffed-up nose are symptoms. When External Wind invades the body more deeply, it can cause seizures, ringing in the ears and dizziness.

Therapeutic Modalities used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

The various therapeutic modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) include dietary; massage therapy, heat therapies, exercise, meditation, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Heat therapies include the use of moxibustion, which is the burning of the common herb mugwort (artemesia vulgaris) over certain areas of the body to stimulate or warm these areas. Exercise therapy ranges from martial arts to more subtle forms of movement such as t’ai chi and qi gong. Acupuncture, perhaps the most well known form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the United States, is the art of inserting fine sterile metal filiform needles into certain points in order to control the flow of energy in the meridians (see Channels as above).

For more informations on Chinese Medicine, please, visit our Health Advisor. If you need a Chinese Medicine Practitioner, please, go to: AAAOM. A variety of Chinese Herbal Supplements are available at Life 2 life vitamins. Please, contact us, Now!  Buy our best-selling Chinese supplements on line, Now! and save a Bundle!.

My dear friend. Stay focused on mind, body and spirit for your Total Health and Wellness. Read, educate yourself on natural healing and remedies. Keep informed of medical discoveries. Communicate your findings with your Physician to maximize your health benefits. Do not be victimized by medical ignorance!. You are responsible of your own health, my dear reader.

For your Total Health and Wellness. Rev. jm Galas, B.Msc

Like Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese Medicine, natural healing concept is based on mind, body and spirit for your Total health and Wellness, my dear friend.

Chinese Medicine is the longest existing continious medical system practiced in the World with over 3000 years of history.

Chinese medicine is a complete system of medicine with its forms of diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and therapies. Chinese medicine views the body as an energetic system in dynamic balance. Qi (say…chee), which can be translated as energy or life force, flows in a regular pattern through a system of channels or meridians to all parts of the body.

When the flow of Qi is unimpeded there is harmony, balance, and good health. When there are Qi blockages, too much or too little qi, there is an imbalance which can lead to disharmony and disease.

Chinese medicine helps restore the body to balance and works on an energetic level to affect all aspects of a person: mind, body, spirit. The beauty of chinese medicine, my dear friend, is that it can be used to correct imbalances that have become illness and pain, or even correct, believe or not, imbalances prior to the appearance of symptoms, preventing disease.

Chinese medicine treatments address imbalances using food therapy/diet, acupuncture, herbal remedies, Chinese exercise, and meditation along with Western therapies.

The Philosophy of Chinese Medicine

My dear reader, the primary goal of traditional chinese medicine (TCM) is to create wholeness and harmony within a person, allowing the mind, body, spirit to heal itself. Chinese philosophy states that there are two polar principles of life, yin and yang, and that are dialectically opposed to each other. Imbalances of yin and yang within an individual may be reflected as illness, because the body is considered a microcosm of the world.

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) defines the physiological component of illness using the concept Qi (again, say…chee, my dear friend), Qi as vital energy, Xue (blood), Jing (Essence), and Shen (Spirit), as well as Organ Systems. What are Organ Systems?, you might say, my dear reader. Organ Systems are domains within the body that govern particular body tissues, emotional states and activities. For instance, as is the Western kidneys, the kidney system manages fluid metabolism. In Chinese medicine, the kidney system is also responsible for reproduction, growth and regeneration. The bones, inner ear, marrow, teeth, and lumbar area are all part of the kidney system. Frequent urination, low back pain, and the emotional state of fear may be associated with the kidney system. Please, note, my dear friend, that each Organ system has functions that are unique.

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theory postulates that it is the internal ability of the body to remain strong that is the key to health. In this theory, my dear friend, people are born with a certain amount of original Qi (say..chee, come on!, do not be shy!), which is easily depleted as energy is used by the body and not replaced. It is not easy to increase the original Chee, I mean Qi, and a person must work hard during life just to retain it. Chinese exercise programs along with proper nutrition and sleep habits are highly recommended for maintaining original Qi.

Acording to Chinese medical philososhy, if a person consistenly lacks sleep, proper nutrition, abuses drugs or alcohol, or has excessive or unsafe sex, they become deficient in Qi and other substances. When weakened, the person is more susceptible to infection by harmful external pathogens.

In part 2, my dear reader. I will discuss the causes of Disease in Chinese Medicine and the Therapeutic madalities used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

For your Total Health and Wellness. Rev. jm Galas, B.Msc

Following Part 1, let me discuss the Ayurveda controversy, their acceptance in the West. How does Ayurveda work, what should you expect from its treatment, what is it good for? Are they any risks?.

Growing awareness in the West of efficacy of Ayurveda herbs and formulations has led to controversy and battles with the western pharmaceutical companies trying to patent these herbs.

Only recently discovered in the West, Ayurvedic herbs such as Neem, Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Shatavari, Tumeric, Amalaki, and Brahmi as well as traditional preparations such as Triphala and Trikatu have long been known to have significant medicinal value without adverse side effects.

Note: The above herbs are available at Life 2 life vitamins, please, contact us, today!

Please, pay attention, my dear reader!. Several pharmaceutical and academic institutions in the West have come into conflict with Indian academic institutions and traditional Ayurvedic practitioners over the intellectual property rights of herbal products researched by the western agencies.

My dear reader, what the pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions in the West did not know is that the Ayurvedic practitioners have known the efficacy of such products  for centuries, yes, my dear friend, for centuries, wait!… and so contend that they carry precedence with regards to patent rights on such products.

Obtaining Potent Efficaciuos, (Heavy-Metal  Free) Ayurvedic herbs.

It has been mostly individual practitioners who procure, grow, dry and prepare these herbs and preparations in an effective, potent manner, whereas commercially available Ayurvedic products have been of substandard quality. it is only recently that a few companies have started producing high quality organic Ayurvedic herbal products. Our Ayurvedic supplements are organic (heavy-metal free). Buy on line now! and save Big or contact us.

Ayurveda (Ayurvedic medicine) is now a recognized medicine in the West. I truly, think, that is about time!.

How does Ayurveda work?

As you know, now, my dear reader. Ayurveda describes three basic  energies that governs our health and well-being, called doshas, present in every person.,

1-Vata: Energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and heartbeat. When vata energy is balanced, there is creativity and vitality. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety. 2-Pitta: Energy that controls the body’s metabolic, systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and temperature. In balance, pitta leads to contentment and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta can cause ulcers and arouse anger. 3-Kapha: Energy that controls growth in the body. Its supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintain the immune system. In balance, kapha is expressed as love. Out of balance, kapha leads to insecurity and envy.

Everybody has vita, pitta and kapha, but, there is a but! usually 1 or 2 are dominant in a particular person. Many things can disturb the energy balance such as stress, unhealthy diet, the weather and strained family relationship.  The disturbance shows up as disease. The Ayurvedic treatments will bring the doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) back into balance. From a western medical perspective, my friend, stress relief seems to be one of the ways Ayurveda works to help fight illness. For instance, studies have found that transcendental meditation (component of Maharishi Ayurveda), lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, slows the aging process, and speeds recovery from illness. Many herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine have antioxidant effects, which means that they may help protect against long term illnesses such as heart disease and arthritis. Buy on line now1 and save on our Best-selling Ayurvedic supplements or contact us. A vegetarian diet, which is believed to be better for your heart than diets containing red meat.

What should you expect from an Ayurvedic treatment?

Ayurvedic treatment focuses in rebalancing the doshas. There are different ways to restore your natural dosha balance, which almost always includes changes in lifestyle, specially diet. There are also more than 20 types of treatment, the most common ones are:

a) Pranayama: Breathing exercises. Practising pranayama helps you feel calm.

b) Abhyanga: rubbing the skin with herbal oil to increase blood circulation and draw toxins out of the body, yes, through the skin.

c) Rasayana: using mantras (repeated words or phrases)  during meditation combined with certain herbs to rejuvenate a person.

d) Yoga: combining pranayama  movement, and meditation. Yoga has been shown to improve circulation, digestion and to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels, anxiety, and chronic pain.

e) Pancha Karma: cleansing the body to purify it and reduce cholesterol.

f) Herbal medicines: taking Ayurvedic supplements (herbs) to restore dosha balance. A variety of Ayurvedic herbs are available at Life 2 life vitamins. Buy on line now! and save big or contact us.

What’s Ayurveda good for? 

The ultimate goal of Ayurvedic medicine is to prevent diseases. Studies have suggested that Ayurveda may be effective at reducing the risk of heart disease. For instance, one study found that Ayurveda helped reduce plaque and reverse the thickening of artery walls known as Atherosclesosis in both healthy adults, as well as adults at risk for heart disease. What is Atherosclerosis?. My friend, it is a slow, complex disease in which cholesterol, fats, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This build up, known as plaque, can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Important!. I would say, a number of Ayurvedic herbal remedies have been examined, though sometimes high quality studies are lacking. For instance, guggul (Commiphora mukul), a traditional Ayurvedic medication used to treat high cholesterol, is widely used in India. It appears to block production of cholesterol in the liver, lowering cholesterol levels. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds can lower LDL cholesterol, “the bad one” and triglycerides (fats in the blood), and raise LDL cholesterol, “the good one” levels and so on….

Please, note, combining Yoga with a certain Ayurvedic herbal remedy may reduce pain and disability in people with arthritis.

Please, note, my dear reader. Other Ayurvedic herbs are being sudies as treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, asthma, cancer, dementia, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation),herpes, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, premenstrual syndrome among many other conditions.

Be aware, my dear friend, that Ayurvedic herbs combined with conventional medications may also be helpful for acne, chronic constipation, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, and uterine fibroids.

Are there any risks?

Most Ayurvedic therapies, such as pranayama and rasayana are unlikely to have bad side effects. Ayurvedic herbs, however, may interact with medications, and like all herbs, they are not right for every person.  In addition, heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, have contaminated some Ayurvedic herb supplements. Consult your healthcare practitioner, specially if you take medications.

For your reference: Ayurveda historical evidence can be found in the current books of wisdom known as the Vidas. If you need an Ayurvedic practitioner, please, visit the National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine (NIAM). 

For your Total Health and Wellness. Rev. jm Galas, B.Msc.

Do you know what is Ayurveda, my friend? if you do not, you are certainly not the only one.

Originated from India. Ayurveda “The Science of Life” also called Ayurvedic medicine is an, I would say, 5,000 or 6,000 years old holistic system of medicine and natural healing. Ayurveda (Ayurvedic medicine) has recently become popular in the the Western World, particularly Europe and the United States. It is focus, on body balance through diet, exercise and body cleansing and also improving health of mind, body and spirit.

Ayurveda, the term, combines two sanskrit words: Ayur, meaning Life and Verda meaning Science, Knowledge and Wisdom.

There are two main types of Ayurveda: Traditional and Maharishi. Maharishi is a version of Traditional Ayurveda  based on translations from the classical texts  by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Both types of Ayurvedic practitioners prescribe herbs, believe that disease results from an imbalance in the doshas (see What’s Ayurveda ?, Part 2), and use many of the same remedies for treating illness. Maharishi Ayurveda, however, emphasizes the role of supreme consciousness good health, and promotes transcendental meditation (TM) as a way to experience the pure consciousness of the universe. It also  highlights the expression of positive emotions and the need to attune your life to the natural rhythms of the body

Good Stuff, indeed, isn’t, my friend? Do not worry, there is more. but first, please, heal any sickness that you might have by natural medicine before considering conventional methods. I do!. My dear Friend, you are responsible of your own health. Read, educate yourself! Do not be a victim of medical ignorance (Don’t be victimized by medical ignorance, post, august 20, 2013).

Now! let me elaborate on Ayurveda, my dear reader. Where was I? oh! yes!

Ayurveda is not just a medical system. It sees human being as an integral part of nature. It beleives that human beings should live in harmony with nature just as the animals and plants do and utilize the laws of nature to create health and balance within. It adheres to this focus in guiding human beings to maintain health by using the inherent principles of nature to bring an individual back into equilibrium with his or her true self.

The ancient texts reveal that Ayurveda was also originally used as a regime to remove obstacles on one’s path to self-realization. At some point the medical began to take priority over the spiritual forms of healing.

Today, the spiritual aspects of Ayurveda have taken a back seat to the medical focus. As Ayurveda becomes more commercially viable, the spiritual aspects may continue to lose ground. Yet there are a growing number of practioners who employ these spiritual therapies and find better results than limiting their approach only to the medical physical realm.

Understanding Ayurveda “The Science of Life”.

Ayurvedic wisdom offers life-enhancing practices as well as herbal medicinal preparations for the health and well-being of the whole human being: body, mind and soul. It is much more than just a system to treat symptoms  or physical illness.

Ayurveda describes three fundamentals energies that governs our health and well-being, and are seen both in our internal and external environments. Called ‘doshas’ these three energies are known as: Vata (Air/Wind) Pitta (Fire/Sun) Kapha (Earth and Water).

Ayurveda sees these primary forces in a unique combination in every individual, and as relating to the characteristics of our mind and body. Every individual has a unique proportion of these three forces that shape our nature.

These doshas also have the characteristic of being: movement (Vata), transformation (Pitta) and structure (Kapha). According to Indian beliefs, we are all made up, believe it or not, of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The ratios of the doshas vary in each individual. Because of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity. Ayurveda give us a model to look at each individual as a unique make up of the three doshas (and sub-doshas), and thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a person’s health challenges.

Herbs often recommended to supplement the nutritional requirements on a regular basis to build and maintain a healthy physiology. A variety of Ayurvedic supplements are available at Life 2 life vitamins. Buy on line now! and save a great deal on our Best-selling Ayurvedic supplements or contact us. As some of the Ayurvedic herbs are now recognized to be the most potent and, yes, powerful adaptogens on the planet and since stress is now known to be a significant factor in over 80% of all the illnesses. These herbs are essential in any health program designed to promote and maintain a healthy human body. When any of the doshas become aggravated, thereby upsetting the natural harmony for the individual, Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritinal guidelines ae well as specific medicinal herbs to assist the individual in reducing and rebalancing the dosha that has become excessive or out of balance.

Ayurveda  goes into great detail to describe the medicinal attributes of many herbs and their correct usage to compliment and hasten the healing process and to strengthen the body’s organs and systems.

In part 2, I will discuss the Ayurveda herbs controversy, their acceptance in the West. How does Ayurveda work? What should you expect from its treatment, what is it good for? Are there any risks?.

For your Total Health and Wellness. Rev. jm Galas, B.Msc