Archive for December 9th, 2009
PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGICAL MEDICINE
Posted on December 9, 2009, under Arthritis.
“When the biologically oriented physician is confronted with a case of infectious disease his approach and his actions are entirely different. For him, bacteria and viruses which are present in certain infections, are phenomena of secondary interest He considers them only as symptomatic factors in relation to the host organism (the patient) and his body as a biological environment All his attention is directed towards the patient. His primary aim is to employ every measure available to increase the power of resistance within the host organism and avoid causing it any damage. The first principle of the art of healing, enunciated already by the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, Trimum est nil nocere —the most important thing of all is that treatment must do no harm—is violated in present-day medical practice more than in any other period of medical history.
“The biologically oriented doctor is aware that with chemical and antibiotic drugs he will always cause damage to the host organism’s biological milieu, even though with such treatments he can achieve a temporary effect. Therefore, he avoids to the utmost the use of such drugs in the management of simple and harmless infections. To treat a common cold or a sore throat with, for example, penicillin, for him is a crime against the fundamental rules of health. Instead, his attention is directed to increasing the body’s own resistance with all the natural, harmless, biological methods of treatment which are available.”
“In your experience, Dr. Essen, are the results of such biological treatments gratifying?” I asked.
“I have had the joy of observing how the body, as a rule, if the general resistance is not too much lowered and if given a chance and proper aid in the form of rest, fasting, wholesome diet, and other biological measures, will by the strength of its own healing power win the battle. And this is not only true in cases of milder infections, but also in cases of very serious diseases. Furthermore—and this is a very essential point—instead of coming out of the disease weakened and debilitated, as is always the case after treatments with chemical drugs, the patient, after biological treatments, comes out strengthened and renewed. It is my observation that biological treatments raise the general resistance of patients and they will, as a rule, become more immune to infections in the future.”
*35/176/2*
OSTEOPOROSIS
Posted on December 9, 2009, under General health.
Osteoporosis or ‘brittle bone disease’ is caused by calcium leaching from our bones, leaving them weak and prone to fractures. It can occur in both men and women but women are much more vulnerable to it, partly because they tend to have less bone mass in the first place but mostly because the female hormone oestrogen plays in an important role in the body’s ability to use and retain calcium. Loss of calcium from the bones begins around 30 years of age and increases dramatically when the body stops producing oestrogen after menopause.
You are most at risk if you are white, slim and small-boned; if your menopause is early; or if your mother or grandmother suffered from the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid problems and certain asthma drugs are other risk factors, and caffeine, nicotine and alcohol all accelerate loss of bone mass.
Because it replaces the oestrogen in the body after menopause, hormone replacement therapy can protect you against osteoporosis.
But prevention is better than cure. It is important to make sure you include plenty of calcium in your diet throughout life, not just at menopause, along with vitamin D to aid absorption. 700-1000mg of calcium daily is recommended before menopause and 1000-1500mg after.
Recently, it is been proposed that Vitamin K may play a role in preventing osteoporosis, and it may be a good idea to include foods rich in this vitamin in your diet — turnips, greens, broccoli, cabbage, liver and cereals. The trace element boron may also help the body avoid loss of bone mass; it is found in apples, pears, grapes, leafy vegetables, pulses and nuts.
A high intake of protein, particularly animal protein, may make the problem worse, so cutting down on meat after menopause at the same time as eating more vegetables and cereals is probably wise.
Gentle weight-bearing exercise will help strengthen and thicken your bones; you don’t have to run or jog — just walking will do, and T’ai chi is another possibility. Exercising throughout your life is the most effective strategy, but it’s never too late to start. One study of women aged 65 to 69 found that those who exercised for half an hour a day three times a week over three years increased the bone mass of their arms by 4.3%, compared with a 2.5% loss in a control group. Before you start a new exercise regimen, it’s a good idea to consult a health practitioner, especially if you already suffer from osteoporosis or heart problems.
*27/69/2*
THE CAUSES OF EPILEPSY: PRECIPITANTS OF SEIZURES-SLEEP AND LACK OF SLEEP
Whatever the ’cause’, most people with epilepsy analyse their day to day lives in an attempt to detect factors which precipitate seizures.
Virtually every conceivable life event may be blamed by some people with epilepsy, who may become overly obsessional about avoiding factors they consider important. For example, a man had each of his two seizures on railway trains. He firmly believes that in some way trains make him have seizures. It is likely that this occurrence is just coincidental, but we cannot be entirely sure that he is wrong!
There are, however, a number of factors which do seem to precipitate seizures in at least some people with epilepsy.
Sleep and lack of sleep-The electroencephalogram (EEG). At this stage, it is only necessary to know that it records the changes in voltage resulting from activity of cerebral nerve cells. The EEGs of people without epilepsy change during the passage from normal wakefulness, through drowsiness, to sleep. Sleep is not constant, as judged by body movements and EEG patterns, throughout the night. At various intervals one pattern of brain waves occur in association with rapid movements of the eyes. Through waking patients at this time we know that it is during this stage of sleep that dreams occur.
The changing electrical activity of the brain during drowsiness and sleep may allow seizure discharges to ‘escape’. Indeed, those analysing EEGs hope that their patients drop off to sleep during the procedure as the possibility of recording an abnormality is considerably enhanced.
Some subjects have all or virtually all the seizures whilst asleep—but they can never be entirely sure that a daytime attack will not occur. A follow-up study of one group of people with ‘nocturnal’ epilepsy showed that about a third had a daytime seizure in the next five years. The effects of depriving people of sleep have also been studied by keeping volunteers continuously awake, or by waking them up every time the EEG showed the pattern of rapid eye movement sleep. In each case EEGs on subsequent undisturbed nights showed that the subjects were catching up on the rapid eye movement sleep they had missed. Deprivation of sleep, therefore, has been shown to alter cerebral electrical activity, and it is not surprising that this is another factor in precipitating seizures. In practical terms, repeatedly staying up late may precipitate seizures in young adults.
*26/188/2*
ANXIETY IN THE BODY: NERVOUS HEADACHES AND MIGRAINE AND PAINFUL MONTHLY PERIODS
Posted on December 9, 2009, under Anti Depressants-Sleeping Aid.
These two different conditions are both associated with anxiety—nervous headache directly so, and migraine less directly.
The pain of nervous headache is felt on both sides of the head, and mainly in the front part of the head and behind the eyes or at the back of the head. There is often an accompanying feeling of something pressing on top of the head or of a tight band around the head. Nervous headache is the direct result of nervous tension, and if the tension is relieved by appropriate measures the tendency to headache soon vanishes.
Migraine is a different kind of headache. It is usually preceded by some strange feeling which acts as a warning that an attack of migraine is about to develop. There are often disturbances of vision, so that sight is impaired and further disturbed by flashes of light or bright wavy lines. Then the headache itself comes on. Unlike nervous headache, migraine is usually felt only on one side of the head, quite often behind the eye. As the headache develops there is a feeling of nausea and frequently actual vomiting. The attack may last for some hours or even days before passing off.
The migraine attack is due to a temporary constriction of some of the arteries of the brain which is soon followed by a dilatation of the same vessels. It seems that a number of factors combine to produce this effect, and that emotional stress is one of the most important of these factors. Of the patients with migraine treated by myself with relaxing methods to relieve tension approximately one third have practically ceased to have any attacks at all, one third have been markedly helped but still have some attacks, and one third were not helped at all. So it would seem well worthwhile for anyone who suffers with migraine to give the relaxing mental exercises a fair trial in order to reduce nervous tension as a means of relieving the attacks.
Painful Monthly Periods-A great number of women and girls suffer from this distressing condition, which is technically known as dysmenorrhoea. There are different physical conditions which predispose toward this complaint, but in almost all cases there is an important emotional factor. If this can be remedied by reducing the patient’s general level of anxiety so that she ceases to overreact to stress, the condition is usually cured or at least greatly relieved.
*26/57/2*
SCIATICA: WHAT IS PAIN?
Posted on December 9, 2009, under Pain Relief-Muscle Relaxers.
Something that all of us experience at times, pain is essentially a warning that your body sends to you to let you know that something is amiss. While we tend to think of the pain we feel as being the problem, it is more often merely a signal intended to draw our attention.
Demonstrating this through a fairly obvious example, you’ll feel pain when you touch something that is too hot – the pain in that case causing you to withdraw your hand before further damage is done. In instances like this one, pain serves a very useful function.
Back pain and sciatica, unpleasant though they can be, also fulfil a similar purpose, in effect sending one or more of the following messages:
You’ve overdone things and subjected your back to greater demands than it can cope with comfortably.
Stop whatever it is that you’re doing, it’s causing harm.
You’re being reminded that you’re susceptible to back problems and you’d be well-advised to treat your spine more considerately in the future.
While pain that alerts you to a situation that needs your attention is indeed useful, there are also many instances where pain appears to be of no purpose, or at least not obviously so. Typical of this are many chronic – that is long-lasting or ongoing – pains for which there is no obvious explanation, other than perhaps that they’re due to part of the nervous system failing to operate properly and as such may/could be considered as ‘false alarms’.
It’s also worth noting that valuable though pain is as a warning sign, its severity is by no means always directly related to the seriousness of the underlying cause. For example, migraines are notorious for causing excruciating pain, yet apart from that may present little risk to overall health. On the other hand, some extremely serious diseases are marked by little or even no pain, especially in their early stages.
Although the severity of sciatica and other pain symptoms related to back problems are usually a fairly good indication of how bad the problem is at that moment, it isn’t always so. Many factors influence how strongly a given individual perceives and reacts to pain, so it’s perfectly possible that two patients with back problems of equal severity may experience widely varying degrees of pain.
*25/124/2*
ST JOHN’S WORT IN EVERYDAY LIFE: ST JOHN’S WORT AND SOCIAL PHOBIA
Posted on December 9, 2009, under Anti Depressants-Sleeping Aid.
Social phobia, one of the most common hidden causes of distress and anxiety in everyday life, is estimated to affect approximately one in eight adults. People with this problem have a persistent and powerful fear of being scrutinized, evaluated or being judged by others. As you can imagine, this condition results in considerable impairment of functioning as it prevents people from asserting themselves in work or social situations. Although people with this difficulty may simply appear shy to outsiders, actually they spend a great deal of time worrying about being embarrassed, and engaging in painful fantasies of being ridiculed or humiliated.
According to Dr Michael Liebowitz of Columbia University in New York, a pioneering researcher in the field of social phobia, there are several lines of evidence suggesting that brain pathways involving the neurotransmitter dopamine are disturbed in social phobia. To a somewhat lesser extent, pathways involving serotonin also seem to be involved in this condition. Studies indicate that anti-depressants may be of some value in the treatment of social phobia. As St John’s Wort has been shown to influence both dopamine and serotonin pathways, there is reason to consider that the herbal remedy might be of some benefit in social phobia. As several of the stories in this book have indicated, after starting the herbal remedy a number of people report becoming more outgoing and less shy, and more willing to take the initiative in a social or work situation.
Currently social phobia is a greatly undertreated problem, in part because it is not recognized by clinicians but perhaps also because the very symptoms of the condition – fear of being judged and humiliated – may prevent people from bringing their problem to the attention of a professional. For these people, an herbal remedy that can be purchased over the counter may be enormously appealing. Although formal studies of this use of the herb are needed, early evidence suggests that if you are painfully shy or afraid of making a social overture or asserting yourself, St John’s Wort may really be worth a try.
As we can see, there are many possible roles for St John’s Wort in everyday life – for stress, low energy, down feelings, insomnia, premenstrual symptoms and painful shyness. Small wonder that the ancients thought this herb capable of miracles, and attributed magical powers to it.
*24/75/2*
THE PROGRAM OF TREATMENTS OF ARTHRITIS: THE VITAL ROLE OF NUTRITION
As you have learned from previous chapters, faulty nutrition is singularly the most important causative factor in the development of arthritis. An unbalanced diet of devitalized, over-processed, overcooked, and overrefined denatured foods combined with toxic and foodless items such as tobacco, alcohol, coffee, sugar, salt, irritating spices, chocolate, soft drinks, sweets, pastries, pies, etc., together with other negative environmental factors, brings about a general deterioration of health, biochemical imbalance, and systemic disturbances. These deleterious factors eventually lead to a total metabolic disorder and consequent pathological changes in the joints and tissues of the body.
Therefore, the first step in an effective program of treatment for arthritis must be a complete change of nutritional patterns. Arthritis can be conquered only by rebuilding and restoring the general health of the patient. The functions of his vital organs must be strengthened; the glandular activity stimulated; the eliminative processes activated; and the digestion and assimilation improved. All this can be done only from within with vital nutritive elements needed for the repair and rebuilding processes within the body.
It should not be too difficult to see that proper nutrition is the most important factor in restoring health. The question is: What is proper nutrition?
You may say, “I have been health conscious for a long time, I eat plenty of meat and eggs and drink lots of milk for my protein. I eat cereal for breakfast and one or two vegetables with my meat each day. And I take a one-a-day vitamin tablet each day, too.” This description of a “health” diet would about sum up the average American concept of proper nutrition: lots of animal protein; devitalized, foodless cereals; canned vegetables and instant mashed potatoes; white bread; sugared desserts out of the can… It is a miracle that not more than 8 to 10 per cent of the American people develop arthritis on such a monstrous diet! And yet, most Americans actually believe that they are the best fed nation in the world. Perhaps they are the best fed quantitatively speaking, but certainly not the best nourished!
There is much disagreement and confusion, even among the prominent nutritionists, as to what constitutes a wholesome diet. Many theories exist and too many popular or pseudo-scientific books are written to further confuse the issues. No wonder the average man is puzzled and confused.
*23/176/2*
THE PROGRAM OF BIOLOGICAL TREATMENTS OF ARTHRITIS: DIET
Fresh Juices
Although the classic form of fasting is the so-called pure water fast (abstinence from all foods and drinks with the exception of pure water), all the practitioners I interviewed in European clinics, including the champion of therapeutic fasting in modern times, Dr. Otto Buchinger, Jr., use fresh juices, vegetable broths, and herb teas during fasting.
Biologically oriented doctors feel that freshly pressed vegetable and fruit juices, given to the patient during fast, will speed his recovery. This is attributed to the fact that raw vegetable and fruit juices, as well as freshly made vegetable broth, are rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and trace elements, which help to normalize the bodily processes and speed up recovery. At the same time, they are very easily assimilated directly into the bloodstream without putting a strain on the digestive organs.
Juices most frequently used in Sweden are: carrot juice, apple juice, black currant juice, and tomato juice.
Vegetable Broth
Vegetable broth is made by boiling all kinds of available vegetables, but predominantly potatoes, carrots, and celery, chopped to about half-inch pieces, for 30 minutes in a pot of water. (Use only stainless steel, glass, or earthenware utensils.)
Then it is strained and the vegetables are thrown away. The remaining liquid is a highly alkaline, mineral-packed broth, which is considered to be of extraordinary importance in biological arthritis therapy. It combats acidosis or a tendency toward a high acidity in the bloodstream and tissues. It helps to normalize the mineral balance in the tissues, which, according to Dr. Lars-Erik Essen, is of utmost importance for the effectiveness of the fast.
Both vegetable broth and fresh vegetable and fruit juices are concentrated nutrition. Perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call such therapy a liquid diet, rather than a fast.
Herb Teas
AH biological clinics use various herb teas, both during fasting and while on a diet.
The medicinal value of herbs is well known. Herb medicines are the oldest remedy known to man.
The herb teas used in Swedish clinics are usually made from native herbs: rose hips (very rich in vitamin C), peppermint, milfoil, etc. Swedish health food stores are well stocked with dozens of herb teas, many of them combinations of different herbs mixed for specific diseases.
*21/176/2*
THE JOY OF PERFECT HEALTH: THE PURITY OF THE PHYSICAL BODY FREES ENORMOUS RESOURCES OF THE MIND
Posted on December 9, 2009, under General health.
The purity of the physical body frees enormous resources of the mind. If properly directed, such resources could be used to acquire many natural skills considered miraculous or supernatural by normal people.
Creating matter by a pure thought, flying around the galaxy and the Universe in your various astral bodies, being consciously present at several locations at any one time, learning anything at all instantly in complete silence, understanding all languages by direct telepathy, are just a few primitive examples of what is possible. There are no limits to our spiritual development. It is only a question of time and our own free will.
However, when our physical bodies are poisoned, your “house” is on fire. Most of the resources of the mind are simply not available. We are forced to crawl spiritually.
Fortunately, from time to time, our higher mind gives us a chance or a hint, on how to improve your situation. Just in case we are ready to learn. The fact that you are reading this book is just one example. (It is a sad fact, that most people just do not listen and do not want to learn. They criticise and doubt everything and everyone, except their own ignorance. They do not see, that they have a lot to learn).
Note, that it is actually your mind, which makes a decision to initiate purification of your body as well as itself. It does it actually for itself. You make it for yourself. During the process of purification of the body, you will feel great. You will find, that your mind is sharp and your intelligence increased. Any creative work or study will be much easier. By maintaining the purity of the body, you will be able to attain new levels of understanding, gain new skills and knowledge with very little effort. You will see your life and its purpose in a wonderful new perspective.
You can greatly assist the purification of the body, by trying to encourage certain states of the mind and avoid others. Purification of your mind (thoughts) can be as important as physical detoxification, since it is your mind at all levels which ultimately controls every function of your body. Again, the subject is quite extensive, so I will give you only the basic information and advice here.
*18/96/8*
DISEASES OF THE LIVER AND GALL-BLADDER: LIVER-DISTURBANCES
Posted on December 9, 2009, under General health.
The liver, the largest detoxicating organ in the body, has its place at 37′-40′ in the sixth minor zone of the right iris. The gall-bladder, which is both anatomically and physiologically connected to the liver, has its place at approximately 39′ in the fourth minor zone, and in any case in the right iris only.
1. Liver-disturbances-Inflammatory states of the liver register as white or yellowish clouds or wisps in the specified area. In the inflamed state, the liver is swollen as the result of congestion, which is indicated by the displacement of the iris-wreath towards the pupil, and also by the inwardly depressed nerve rings if these exist. At the same location may be seen the small arteries of the sclera, which when apparent, always indicate the existence of an inflammatory disturbance of the organ in the area to which they run.
Where there are inflammation signs in the liver area, one must very carefully consider whether the white signs (clouds or wisps) are present only in the liver area, or whether they are merely part of the total sign commencing at the iris-wreath and extending over the gall ducts to the liver area. In the first case the disorder concerns the liver only, and is due to a disturbance of the detoxicating function of the liver which becomes charged with blood from the organism. In the second case the disturbance arises from a disorder of the duodenum (usually ulcerated), and because of the extending inflammation, leads to gall stasis and inflammation of the gall ducts and liver. Here, therapeutics must first be directed to the duodenal disorder.
Where there are inflammatory processes affecting the liver, and hence a lighter colour in the liver area, there will also be seen signs in the area for spleen—left iris 20′. With such liver disturbances the patient complains of severe flatulence, and signs for this will be seen in the intestinal zone.
Much more often, the sign of inflammation is seen as a darkening of the liver area, and this indicates diminished liver function, leading to more or less severe metabolic disturbances. With this sign, there is usually found a very dark neurasthenic ring, as an indication of portal congestion.
Small dark spots in the liver area are signs of sclerosis, and enable one to diagnose a commencing hepatic cirrhosis. The greater is the darkening of the liver area, the greater is the disturbance of liver function.
*17/78/2*