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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Vitamins, Health, and Nutrition: An Energy Science View
Even though the health supplement industry has become amazingly successful I think it not unreasonable to look at the other side of the coin and consider the potential adverse effects of supplements particularly employing the energy science view
The Matter Science Debate on Molecules
In the article that appeared in USA Today two sides of the coin are debated by one financed by the nutraceutical camp and the other representing the skeptical matter or molecular science view about the agents, both with solid credentials
The article revolves around a recent Archives of Internal Medicine research that showed an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women taking regular multivitamins
And no doubt there will other future articles showing other potential adverse effects because it is impossible to control for all the variables leading to these matter science articles in peer reviewed journals
So What's The Point?
As a society we have translated the current matter science medicine pharmaceutical approach to intuitively believing that if pills bail us out of medical problems that pills can be taken to make us healthy
This transition seems to make logical sense on the surface but when we think more deeply about the problem it doesn't make sense
I had a patient who was suffering from severe gastric hyperacidity(heartburn) requiring emergency room visits and in questioning was taking large doses of vitamin C(2000mg per day) She had other symptoms of excess acidity as well and began feeling better after stopping the C
This story is not uncommon in a population that believes that health begins with taking a pill It also points to the fact that blind pill popping can make us sick Since these pills are concentrated food they can have adverse consequences because as we know even food can make us sick
Supplement According to Your Energy Pattern
The energy science can give us guidance here because when one takes supplements according to one's energy pattern makeup then we can't get into trouble The patient mentioned above shouldn't have been taking C at all due to her makeup
So what should we do?
Find out what energy makeup you are
Find the appropriate nutritional format
Look at the supplements section under your format
Remember the rule: A lot more is not better
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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Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Disease: An Energy Science View
Both the matter and energy science disciplines agree on the conclusions so this informational evidence has strong, sound grounding And I'm a urologist having studied nonbacterial inflammatory changes in the urinary tract and the use of an energy science approach in these conditions
Nutritional Myths
As we have discussed earlier myths die a slow death Myths are beliefs or sets of beliefs often unproven or false that accrue around a system. The reason that they captivate us is they potentially hold the secret of health. And we all want to be healthy.
This is no more true than for myths around nutrition It's all nutritional guess work from a matter science view that is attempting to make sense of nutrition and its relationship to disease The study of food molecules is not going to tell us how the food interacts with YOUR physiology All we know is a lot about the molecules of the food The nutritional answers lie at the biologic energy level
The same holds true for Grandma's time honored cure for urinary tract infections, cranberry juice(CJ)
Urinary Tract Infections
Many times observations by us can be true true unrelated That is, we make an observation, the CJ helped me and yes I got better but there may be no causal relationship In addition more than 50% of UTI's are nonbacterial, ie, not associated with bacteria Matter(molecular) science nutritional arguments abound but the bottom line is there is no good evidence that CJ helps(as above)
What gives then? From an energy science view the symptoms are related to a nonbacterial inflammatory change in the bladder(interstital cystitis), that is a Pitta aggravated condition CJ will aggravate an already inflammatory condition from an energy science nutritional view In general PV(Pitta Vata) should not use cranberry at all and PK(Pitta Kapha) 1-2x per week The latter observation is probably why some can get better
You see, again, it's who's taking the CJ!
Urinary Tract Stones
What about renal stone formation? This again is a Pitta aggravated condition and there have been two studies, the one cited above and a second which showed actually an increase in stone formation in those taking concentrated cranberry tablets
Of course again the consumers weigh in with their observations and myths start flying about how the stones were dissolved by CJ
And this makes total sense to those who are selling or manufacturing CJ so the more the merrier! Buyer beware!
There is not much good advice from the matter science physicians about prevention but the energy science has a lot to say about prevention advocating a nutritional format that is good for one's body makeup
No Scientific Support
So for those not yet mesmerized by the myth and personal experience of CJ the fruit has some redeeming qualities in the use of Kapha imbalance but in general both from a matter and energy science views it's not the panacea that it;s cracked up to be
But nutritional myths do die hard And we so much want to believe them
Until next time Ciao To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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