Understanding Nutritional Disease: Energy Science Nutrition
When the term "nutritional disease" is used it often conjures up the notion of deficiency for us or already existing disease that is advanced
Somehow there is a lack of nutrients in inner space leading to physiologic dysfunction of the tissues and hence even at the intracellular level For example, folic acid deficiency can lead to neural tube defects in the developing fetus if the mother does not have adequate stores of this vitamin Or the lack of iron in the diet of a vegan could lead to anemia Or diabetes, stroke, and heart disease is present
Beyond Molecular Deficiency
But the idea of nutritional disease from an energy science nutritional view goes beyond the molecular measurements of the matter science nutrition
This concept implies that the GI tract is not functioning properly due to choices made by the mind(choices that the mind makes about how it conceives of nutrition) This is a different concept than what we are used to thinking about since we only think of disease in the very late stages of manifestation
For example, vague abdominal bloating, intermittent acid indigestion, occasional constipation, excess gas, excessive belching are all early warning signs that nutritional disease is evident
Our problem is that this concept is so utterly foreign to us that it doesn't make much sense and if it does worst yet we don't have enough direction to know what simple things we can do about it
Disease Prevention
In order to prevent imbalances we have to begin with the concept of "nipping the imbalance in the bud" so to speak
This requires that we monitor the choices we make around nutrition This is because all diseases that occur begin in the mind due to the choices we make In order to prevent disease we need to begin shifting our attention to what choices are we making And even if we have already manifested disease the choices we make about nutrition will begin the healing journey back to health Many of these choices can be aided by looking at the foodsheal.com website This is a good start
Many of the prodromal symptoms of disease listed above can be obviated by doing energy science nutritional work BEFORE more significant problems occur
For example before diarrhea, a person often has constipation, bloating, and abdominal gases and then diarrhea strikes Before a heart attack the person manifests palpitations, breathlessness on exertion, transient chest pain that may radiate to the shoulder and so on Instead of getting checked most people go on living unhealthy lifestyles and then one day find themselves in the ER with a severe heart attack
An Ounce of Prevention is ............
In this day of progressive worsening of the global economy and potential economic collapse and escalating health care costs we can ill afford getting serious disease
This means that taking care of ourselves is even more important than ever before But you and I know that we do not have a health system that provides a system of prevention It's emergency room medicine Ask any allopathic doctor and she will concur
Health begins and ends with our choices Are you making the right ones?
Next time we'll discuss how emotions,thoughts,and feelings lead to disease
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Winter Time and Biological Kapha Energy
Our search for a solution to the obesity problem worldwide requires that we change our view of the way we see the human body since our current molecular or matter science medical model is incomplete
From an energy science view the Winter time is when we should pay particualar attention to the biological Kapha energy pattern because as we have talked about before, we pile on the vibrational frequencies of cold, heavy, slow/dull, static/stable, dense and liquid when the environmental conditions also have those qualities as well
Biological Expression of Winter
One of the first things to do during winter is not add anymore of these vibrational frequencies than we already have The phrase "First do the mindbody no more harm" comes to mind Since we are part of Nature(nobody has shown me how to escape and be separate from Nature!)and these vibrational frequencies lead to weight gain, what can we do?
From the above list of frequencies staying warm and ACTIVE would be important
Maintain a consistent daily exercise routine and try to stick with it Workouts outside in frigid weather is probably not a good choice
Don't use cold food, leftovers, raw food, cold drinks(ice with water at the restaurant not a good idea)
Try to stay away from drinking large amounts of fluid(>60oz per day)
Winter Foods
Have you ever thought about the kinds of spices used around the holiday season when we're all hunkering down inside due to the cold weather outside?
Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves come to mind and most any warming spices are used Why? Spices are medicines and heat up not only the mindbody but also our digestive fire that deals with the foods that we consume So using spices to help our physiologies to digest foods is helpful A collection of spices called a churan according to our energy mindbody makeups can be beneficial to us during the sometimes heavy holiday fare
But eating foods that are consistent with our energy makeups can be healthy guidelines during the wintertime So looking at foodsheal.com can give you such information
In general avoid heavy foods such as dairy and lots of meat preferring drier meats such as white meats and not oily meats
Drier grains such as barley is better than rice, oats, or wheat all the time
Avoiding poor food combining(for a complete list)
Trying to avoid overeating by using the 2 handful rule(2/3 of stomach capacity) is a useful rule of thumb
Also consider a day long fast which will help improve digestion
It's All About Balance
I have yet to talk to someone who doesn't believe that balance is a good thing to have in life The problem is how to achieve that balance
But what does this word "balance" from a health standpoint mean to us? As we spoke about earlier we don't want to add cold, heavy, slow/dull, static/stable, dense and liquid if our physiologies already have too much of these qualities If we are presently overweight it is a guarantee that we have these qualities in abundance
So adding onto these predominant qualities during the winter time is adding to the problem and will unfortunately add to the "growing problem"(no pun intended)
Also let's not forget that these mindbody vibrational frequencies affect the mind as well So during the winter the stable/static quality leads to inertia and a desire to not be ACTIVE and put off the daily exercise Hence we can mindfully overcome our resistance once we know our problem
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Nightshades and the Energy Pattern of Vata
Nightshades: The Alkaloids and The Matter Science
Nightshades get their name from the fact that the flower during fertilization is bent down like the Victorian lampshades used at night for lighting
The group includes tomatoes, eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, potato both white and sweet, and paprika as a spice So we can see that this food group has a wide range of usage in our nutritiion
From a molecular standpoint they have a high concentration of a class of compounds called alkaloids that have two significant biological effects The first is that they interfere with a nervous system neurotransmitter that is ubiquitous in the nervous system So there is a potential but subtle change in nervous function
The second feature is that this class of compounds can affect the joint spaces and again even though subtle consistent intake of these compounds in all the varieties of nightshades currently available to us leads to potential imbalances that can affect our health long term
Nightshades: An Energy Science Perspective
The energy science of Ayurveda views foods from how they affect the energy physiology and ultimately their impact on the balance they bring or do not bring to the physiology For example, if a Pitta Vata(PV) eats tomato they increase the qualities of hot, light, sharp/penetrating, rough, dry, liquid, and subtle Vata is the energy of movement in the energy physiology so this has biologic repercussions for those of us who are Vata dominant
Many of these qualities can have imbalancing effects long term and lead over a period of time dis-ease consequences such as anxiety, anger, irritability, fear, and loneliness due to their effects on the nervous system through the above neurotransmitter effects on cholinesterase With this example we can see how foods effect the mind not just the physical body, that is they affect the mindbody as a whole
And these same alkaloid effects can produce difficulty in managing joint dis-eases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and gouty arthritis This is because these same qualities affect energy patterns that affect the joints, causing dryness due to the qualities of hot,rough, light, and dry
The below table helps us understand the nutritional use of the various nightshades from an energy science view
Yes Moderation No
Tomato, raw PV/PK
Tomato, cooked PK PV
Eggplant PK PV
Sweet peppers PK PV
Peppers, hot PK PV
Potato, white PK PV
Potato, sweet PV PK
Paprika PK/PV
How To Interpret the Table
The link provided above comes from foodsheal.com and by taking a questionnaire we can find out what our basic biological energy pattern is With that information we can determine if we are PK(Pitta Kapha) or PV Then using that we can see where we fit on the above table As we can see PV should stay away from nightshades as a class of foods Who would have thunk it? And it is based on the above information garnered from the alkaloid effects on the nervous system and joints
We can also see how PK can use this class of foods in moderation which means 1-2 x/week but as we show not all the time And then PV can use sweet potato all the time and PK white potato all the time
Both PK and PV should stay away from raw tomato all the time!! What happened to our salads!!
The Value of Energy Science Nutrition
It is obvious that most of us do not or would not follow the above scheme But the information is there for any of us who want to be healthier It's a different biologic paradigm but one that will help improve our quality of life if we so chose
As in any aspect of nutrition, the choice is ours
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Do We Need a Nutritional Philosophy?
What comes around, goes around, says our cartoon And there are common responses to this "Yea, yea I know my nutritional decisions make me what I am, "As you sow, so shall you reap"
But if we subsitituted our friend in the cartoon with today's matter science nutritionist we might get an idea that what is being done today in nutrition circles is not working
Perhaps it argues for a different nutritional philosophy?
Intellectualizing With Speculation
We don't currently have a philosophy behind our current nutritional discussions these days We have a matter science or molecular nutritional way of assessing our foods and supplements This information often debases our choices on "too much sugar, too much fat, not enough protein, not enough calcium, not enough too little protein, this lycopene will make you better" approach And confusion reigns!!
And the molecular approach does have a place But perhaps there's a way to add to the present nutritional way of doing things
But philosophy or the study of how we obtain knowledge, in this case nutrition, currently reactively intellectualizes about nutritional choices For example, if refined sugar is bad, then there can be lots of choices that give you natural sugar If being vegetarian seems like a good idea, then we can give you a lot of non meat choices
The application to our daily lives doesn't match with a body of knowledge with one pointed focus A hodge podge of information The application of the knowledge is not married to a grounding philosophy of nutritional thought Mere speculation about foods that may or may not be good for us I would submit a lot of conjecture and less trust by the consumer as to what the real truth is since it changes year by year
But nutritional philosophy should be utilitarian, that is, it should not be divorced from practical life circumstances
And I sense currently that people want more and better advice as to what to eat grounded on, you guessed it, a philosophy
Nutritional Philosophy Based on Nature
What separates the current matter science nutritional utilitarian approach from the energy science nutritional model is that the latter is grounded in a deep philosophical tradition whereas our matter or molecular approach is not
Furthermore the energy science nutritional model is based on a philosophy that is both theoretical and practical What good is a philosophy if it is not practical to our every day lives?
This energy science philosophy is based on the understanding of the workings of Nature herself Again not on intellectual musings about what's currently in vogue but on why to act based on the fundamental laws of Nature
For example,if one suffers from heartburn(acid indigestion) then what foods should I use and what foods should I avoid? You might be surprised! If I have a strong family history of cancer what foods should I avoid and what foods should I favor? You might be surprised!
More generally speaking, what foods are antiinflammatory, anticongestive, and antidegenerative?
Philosophy and Improvement of Quality of Life
No one gets out of this life alive And for some the quantity of life(longevity) is not as important as the quality of the life lived
We might be surprised by the fact that a sound philosophy brings about improved quality of life and possibly quantity as well
But the key is that nutrition based on a life promoting philosophy will give its users a quieter mind, weight loss, more energy, ability to wake up in the morning with energy refreshed, better clarity with decision making, a better immune system response to cancer cells, emotional stability, and more balance in life and health overall
It sounds too good to be true But what do you have to lose? No money, just a promise and a gift
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Talking To Our Genes and Inflammatory Diets
As we have more understanding of genetic plasticity we begin to realize that there is an active communication between the nutritional choices that we make and our genetic responses That dietary choices change your genetic structure and expression for disease
The Pitta Energy Pattern and Inflammation
What Berit Johansen professor of biology and her colleagues at Norwegian University of Science and Technology found was that either excessive carbohydrate(CHO) in the diet produced an upregulation of genes responsible for inflammation
When Pitta provoking foods are taken in that produce inflammation we may experience heartburn, acid indigestion, or diarrhea These are local GI responses to the inflammation delivered in the form of imbalancing foods
But as the researchers point out if inflammatory foods are ingested over a long period of time(chronically) then "we stimulate our genes to initiate the activity that creates inflammation in the body This is not the kind of inflammation that you would experience as pain or an illness, but instead it is as if you are battling a chronic light flu-like condition. Your skin is slightly redder, your body stores more water, you feel warmer, and you're not on top mentally"
Scientists call this metabolic inflammation
This is precisely what the energy science disciplines state regarding the chronic manifestation of disease from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis to diabetes
“Genes that are involved in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and some forms of cancer respond to diet, and are up-regulated, or activated, by a carbohydrate-rich diet,” says Johansen
Encouraging Message From Research
Johansen and her team did make an interesting observation
For those of us who have been eating a high carbohydrate diet, she related that “It took just six days to change the gene expression of each of the volunteers,” so it's easy to get started But if you want to reduce your likelihood of lifestyle disease, this new diet will have to be a permanent change
We Eat Our Way to Disease
Our thoughts produce food choices
Food choices if poorly made effect gene expression
Gene expression can produce inflammation
Chronic inflammation can produce chronic disease
It's our choice whether to be sick Our current matter science medical model blames foods, pesticides, food manufacturers, the government, etc
But where do we fit in this formula I would submit no where in the current nutritional model
A Simple Message
.Physiologic inflammation induces disease from an energy science medical view This has been taught and known about for thousands of years It's only now that our contemporary matter science medical model is understanding it's importance
The energy science medical model and it's nutritional approach can be of great benefit to us in directing our choices of foods
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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7 Nutritional Guidelines to Actually Reduce Stress
Although there are internet discussions about stress and nutrition few take an approach of how nutrition can actually help us reduce stress And it may be very surprising to us what the energy science says about what we should do when under stress
The idea here is to use nutrition to calm the mindbody and more effectively deal with our stressor
A Nutritional Molecular View of Dealing With Stress
From a matter science view stress brings us anxiety which is a fear based response to change, whatever that may be Deadlines, moving, marital difficulties, loss of job All these are stressors that the mobilize hormones that help us cope
So it would be very reasonable that we take molecular supplements to fortify the body But this doesn't reduce the stress nutritionally It's adjunctive or supportive
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine(PCRM), a matter science medical organization whose purpose is to rethink our nutritional style of health has talked most specifically about what foods should be emphasized when we are under stress
What is being stated here is that when under stress we should be aware of the fact that certain "comfort foods" will be used in lieu of healthy foods
Energy Science Biological View of Stress
The Ayurvedic energy science biological paradigm of Vata(V) Pitta(P) Kapha(K) can help us understand how different people respond differently under stress PK for example can do somewhat well with stressful situations but if they are stressed they look for comfort foods Stress equals things going in the mouth
PV people are those that can be significantly and adversely effected by stressors due to the mobile quality that produces a disrupting influence on the mindbody And the more Vata aggravated they are the more help they need
Nutrition To Calm the Mindbody Physiology: 7 Suggestions
So the Vata aggravation needs to be dealt with in order to calm the mindbody physiology One of the first and most profound things to do is:
1 Don't eat if you're not hungry This will be easy for PV and not so easy for PK since as we said earlier these people will look for comfort foods that as the PCRM reports are not usually healthy choices Particularly don't eat if the tongue has a coating on it after scraping int the morning
2 If eating, don't overeat Again not such a problem for PV but one for PK
3 Follow energy science nutritional formats according to one's mindbody energy physiology
4 Consider nutritional monotony, that is, the same type of foods during the stressful times
5 Eat slowly and not on the run Practice nutritional awareness when eating If you can't do this then don't eat
6 Eat easily digestible foods such as kitchari since the digestive fire is also under stress and reduced
7 Consider the liberal use of spices to aid the digestive fire
Energy science nutrition is offers so much more to our lifestyle behavior patterns that occur with stress than the molecular approach Try a few of the suggestions the next time you're under stress or better yet practice these guidelines so that when the next big stressor occurs(and most assuredly it will be coming your way), you'll be prepared!!
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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