Numbing out is the inability to focus on the sensory experience that is bothering us Sure we notice the pain and inconveniences that “crimp our plans” but that’s as far as it goes
Whether we know it or not numbing out is in our life experience The reason I can say this with such assurance is that we all do it to some degree or another Now one might claim that it’s impossible to numb out when pain is in your face day after day and that is indeed true so we should define numbing out
Reasons for numb out are several 1 Often we don’t have the tools to be more present with whatever is bothering us 2 At times it’s inconvenient to bother or it’s the same thing day after day so why bother 3 It’s quick and easy to numb out 4 We get rewarded because of the pleasure that comes from numbing out
When we become students of whatever is bothering us we bring our full attention and in so doing intention to the issue at hand This is the crux of not numbing out By stopping the numbing out process we bring intention into the equation and voila healing occurs
Common examples of numbing out
Addictions of any kind…food(aka “comfort foods”), alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs
Not managing stress and anxiety so we numb out unconsciously
Stress and anxiety produce flightiness which is a form or “run away” which is the heart of the numbing out process
Circles not together…essentially denial of the problems at hand
Social media….great way to avoid dealing with a problem
1 Journal
Be aware of insights that come about the issue and solutions that will help the problem
2 Meditate on the problem at hand
Be willing to sit, think, and talk about the issue that you want to correct
Spiritual practices sometimes help uncover the unconscious processes such as fear,stress, and anxiety
Grounded minds produce composure to sit
3 The above process allows us to observe something that comes up and not be overwhelmed by it
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
read moreThere is nothing like a good night’s rest and when that doesn’t happen it’s a source of deteriorating health 
Chronic disease such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystititis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) is often associated with sleep problems More than 25% of the US population have sleep disturbances and 10% have chronic insomnia Although not specifically studied with the IC syndrome, sleep disturbances occur in people with diabetes, depression, obesity, and those with cardiovascular disease
It’s not too difficult to understand why sleep disturbances would occur with the syndrome of IC Getting up at night in order to pacify a bladder that wants to urinate is understandable but other situations such as rectal spasm or vaginal symptoms may also play a role in altering the sleep pattern And of course the ramifications of chronic fatigue from sleep deprivation begin to show when continued problems of interrupted sleep occur
So what can be done to help with sleep disturbance that can support pharmaceuticals that are prescribed?
There are many effective sleep pharmaceuticals to use but they have the potential of sleep hangover so there are some natural sleep aids that can help As ususal with energy science work it’s not just one thing that is done to help with a problem so use many of the below suggestions to help solve the problem
Moderate exercise This helps tax the body so that it wants rest at night Nothing like making the body tired Pranayama can be a very effective way to exercise if you have difficulty with walking, running, or accessing equipment
Eating cherries or drinking cherry juice This fruit is a natural source of melatonin and tryptophan so drinking cherry juice around bedtime makes complete sense Researchers at LSU used tart cherry juice and found an increase of 90minutes of sleep a night
Prepare for sleep If a sleep disturbance occurs one of the first things is to look at what time you’re going to bed and what time you’re waking up In general bedtime should be around 10pm and wakeup around 7am So if your planned bedtime is 10p begin getting ready for bed around 930p taking a warm calming tub bath and massaging the head and feet with bhringaraj oil that relaxes the nervous system Listening to calming music, pleasant reading and NOT watching TV are good things to do for sleep preparation
Interrupted sleep Some recommend that if you’re having trouble waking up in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep that you stay up if you have given yourself an adequate chance to go back to sleep When you stay up and begin the day at 3am and do that for three days in a row, it will be impossible for you not to have a good night’s sleep This is especially if you avoid naps during the day The body requires sleep and deprivation for 17 days leads to death so forcing sleep deprivation can become a solution
Nutmeg and milk The herb nutmeg is an excellent sleep aid and coupled with a soothing cup of warm milk will help take the edge off and allow you to go into slumberlands Other herbal therapies There are a number of herbs that can act synergistically with one another in order to cumulatively give you better rest along with dealing with other physiologic problems Rasayans as well as tagar, valerian, brahmi, shankapushpi, jatamamsi, and vidari are excellent at calming the nervous system and promoting better sleep
Chamomile tea This herb also has a sedating effect to the nervous system and can be effective as a sleep aid
So Hum There may be times when you want to fall asleep but the mind is just too agitated for one reason or another to let the body relax Instead of counting sheep or listening to the mind’s endless chatter you can use So Hum breathing So Hum is a mantra that mimics the sound of the breath So on inhalation and Hum on exhalation When you use this mantra you can calm the nervous system and bring on sleep much more easily
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
read more
In energy science work it’s not just one thing that you do to heal the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) but a multiplicity of “things” And most of the time(80%) it’s lifestyle behavior patterns not herbs and supplements that are the “things” that will make a difference This particularly plays out in digestive issues where attention to details pays big dividends
This approach to disease brings clarity both emotionally and mentally so that better decision making is done as you move along in the process So let’s take a look at some important choices that the energy science recommends to improve digestion
1 Biggest meal of the day at noon The digestive system is most ready for the experience between 11a and 2p Conversely at the same time at night between 11p and 2a one should be in bed or there is a great chance that you’ll be “raiding the fridge” particularly if Pitta is high and the digestion is too hot
2 No snacking Snacking confuses the GI tract So eating the main meals at predetermined times every 4 hours is very important If you snack you will never know true hunger Due to its simple sugars that can be digested quickly fruit makes a perfect snack food
3 Only eat if real hunger exists The way to tell if there is true hunger is to drink some water and see if you’re still hungry If your hunger goes away then it’s false hunger However the best way to lock into true hunger is to eat at specific times of the day, eat the biggest meal of the day at noon, and don’t snack
4 Ice is not nice Ice cools the GI tract down and agni The enzyme systems work best at 98.6F and so when ice is used during meals it affects your digestion and creates ama which is undigested, unprocessed food Ama is root of all disease so you can see that simply avoiding is a major step to improving your digestion
5 Pay attention to what you’re doing and chew food thoroughly There is good experimental evidence to show that when you pay attention to the eating process you digest better There are estimates as to how many “chews” should be used for each mouthful of food and I think that a reasonable number is 20 This guideline is also useful for food prepartation paying attention to the food being prepared
6 Take your time eating Setting down your fork and chewing food, appreciating the taste, textures, and the completeness of chewing the food
7 Make a deal to sit while eating Sitting in your car while driving doesn’t count here! Even if it’s a grape make a deal with yourself that you’ll sit down to eat the grape to create a habit
8 Don’t eat when emotional upset Having mental and emotional turbulence prevents you from being able to focus on the process of eating at hand
9 Moderate exercise Make a point to do some form of exercise every day This improves agni and supports quality digestion and prevents ama formation The use of pranayama and in particular kapalabhati(KB) is an excellent way to improve agni and get exercise It may not seem like much but doing 5 minutes of KB is like running a half a mile
10 Use churans with meals At foodsheal.com under nutritional tools there is a listing of churans which are collections of spices that can be used during cooking or sprinkling on food before eating In the energy science each meal should have all 6 tastes Churans can be instrumental in providing these tastes in order to help improve digestion
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
read moreAll disease except for trauma begins in the GIT and
so this underscores why nutritional habits are so important
But what nutritional habits? This is where the energy science can make its biggest contribution because the matter science molecular approach has no adequate model of disease So it becomes hit and miss recommendations So to heal the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromylagia) the foundational work of nutrition according to the energy science guidelines is very very important
1 Eat Foods with High Prana
Prana is the vital energy present in fresh vegetables and fruits and pure air that we breathe From an energetic point of view one of the reasons for eating is to gain prana, so you want to choose foods that are high in prana
Incorporating more fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet will give you an immediate energy boost It’s also important to cut the vegetables and cook them fresh at every meal Buying pre-cut vegetables means that you have already lost some of the prana For that reason, buy vegetables and fruits whole for maximum vitality
2 Eat Organic or Locally Grown Foods Whenever Possible
Organic foods have more prana than foods that have been polluted with chemical fertilizers and pesticides If your body has to work hard to detoxity the chemicals every time you eat with the liver, you’ll feel fatigued and toxic
Locally grown foods are also higher in prana, because they don’t have to be shipped or stored and can be bought tree-ripened There is another reason to eat locally grown foods–they contain the same ratio of the five fundamental levels as the climate in which you live
One ayurvedic principle says that equal proportions of the elements is always enhancing Locally grown herbs, fruits, vegetables and dairy products will have a more powerful and energizing biological impact Herbs and plants grown in the desert are more helpful for the people who live in that kind of dry, hot climate
This principle doesn’t apply to grains or beans, which are grown in different regions And if you can’t get locally grown veggies or fruits, it’s better to eat imported produce The point here is that if you have a choice, buy or grow local produce for more vitality
3 Avoid Eating Dead or Unintelligent Food
Just as fresh produce has more prana, food that is old, dead, or heavily processed contains very little life force Frozen, canned, packaged, processed, bottled, fermented or leftover foods are either too old to be healthy, or even worse, have been altered with chemical preservatives and flavorings This kind of unintelligent, dead food is difficult to digest and creates ama, which clogs the body’s channels and creates fatigue Choose food that is fresh, whole and unaltered by chemicals or harmful processing methods
4 Eat Energizing Foods
Besides fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, an energizing diet includes whole grains such as quinoa, barley and amaranth For protein, organic milk, lassi (a yogurt drink), paneer(fresh cheese) are energy-producing Almonds, cashews, or walnuts are an excellent source of protein if they are soaked first or cooked with the grains to make them more digestible Split-mung dhal and other small or split beans are an excellent source of protein Some delightful foods that are also excellent sources of protein are Milk-date Shake and Rice Pudding
Rice Pudding
Ingredients:
Directions:
Soak rice in water for 2 hours Boil milk Add rice and all other ingredients Boil slowly for 30 minutes or more until the mixture reaches a slightly thick consistency, but you can stir it easily It will thicken a little more when you let it cool
Fresh, easy-to-digest oils are another important part of the energizing diet Ghee is an excellent cooking oil or baking oil because it doesn’t burn at high heat Extra virgin olive oil from the first press is healthy for baking or sautéing at low temperatures
5 Eat a Variety of Foods
Rather than getting in a rut and just making rice, dhal and the same vegetables every day, be sure to rotate your selection so you are always getting a wide variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins and flavors
Ayurveda recommends that you eat all six flavors–sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent–in every meal If you are getting bored with your food, or if you are having cravings for unhealthy foods, that’s a clue that you are not getting all six tastes You can take the guess work out of food selection by going to foodsheal.com to see what foods are best for you
One way to add more flavor and fun is to use Peach Chutney and Mango Chutney to complement the food. Each contains all six tastes, adding zest and energizing spice to the meal
6 Cook with Energizing Spices
Cooking with spices makes the food more digestible and creates energy The ayurvedic way to cook with spices is to sauté them at low heat in olive oil and ghee, then stir them into steamed vegetables, cooked grains, or soupy dals An alternative method is to sauté the spices in Ghee or olive oil and then sauté the raw vegetables, grains or dal Add water and cook until tender
Choose spices that are recommended for your body type Spice mixtures called churnas can be made from recipes at foodsheal.com
7 Avoid Energy-Draining Combinations
Avoid foods that don’t digest well when combined Combining the following foods create ama and low energy
8 Drink Energizing Water
Drinking lots of coffee, tea or caffeinated soft drinks may give you a false burst of energy, but caffeine taxes the liver, creating a toxic build-up and fatigue It’s better to drink beverages that clear toxins from the channels of the body
9 Minimize Restaurant Eating
If you must eat out, choose your restaurant carefully Keep an eye on the ingredients and cooking methods. Are the ingredients fresh or frozen? Are leftovers served? Are there healthy oils? These are the questions you can ask
10 Eat in a Settled Atmosphere
Ayurveda recommends that you eat in a settled atmosphere to gain maximum vitality from food If you talk on the phone, watch TV or conduct a business meeting over lunch, your food is not going to digest properly It will probably create ama, which is the cause of dullness and fatigue. Eating while standing, walking or driving also creates ama rather than energy
Turn off the electronic devices and eat with someone you care about Leave your responsibilities at the door–and instead revel in the beautiful colors, tastes, smells and textures of the food All of this amounts to respecting your food and your digestion, and will help create the kind of light, clear, vital feeling that good food is meant to do
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
read more
In the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) the qualites of hot and mobile amongst others become apparent It is the awareness of these qualities that tell us that something is “not right in river city” The sensation of hot leads to the burning sensation on urination or a feeling of burning in the vagina, prostate, or perineum This quality also leads to irritability, impatience, anger, resentments about the disease that’s being experienced
The mobile quality leads to frequency of urination, getting up at night, urgency to urinate, and anxiety of not knowing what’s going on or if the problem will ever go away
Have you had the experience of equanimity? That is, the sense that the body is peaceful and restful There are no abnormal sensations being reported to you Yes, I think we can all relate to that sense of peace in the mindbody
So when we have sensations in our body they are messengers from inner space from our energy field And rather than be stressed out about them we can welcome them for what they truly are…messages from the mindbody of dis-ease Nothing more and nothing less It’s the mindbody’s way of getting in touch with us and letting us know that something is not quite right
Hence sensations become our windows of observation of the inner workings of our energy field and so we should never ever discount sensations Rather than be fearful of the abnormal sensations we can simply observe and be grateful that the mindbody is letting us know that something has caused us to leave our state of equanimity
For example, if you go on a hike with your kids and you find that your back muscles are getting tired due to the steep grade of the hill your kids are running up, you take a rest because the mindbody is telling you that your muscles are not conditioned enough to keep on doing the task You give the muscles some rest and they’re ready to begin to do some more work This process is called conditioning and the messages from your mindbody are not to stop but to simply rest
What about emotions? Do they lack sensations? Of course not The sense of compassion, kindness, gratitude, and love all carry sensations of oily, liquid, soft, warm, light, subtle, and clear
So it’s important as much as we can to observe our energy field by noticing our sensations When we begin becoming a better observer we become a better healer How could this be?
The subtle noticing of how the sensation of hot or mobile is changing for the better gives us a clue that what we are doing is making a difference….that we’re on the right track toward dealing with our dis-ease whatever that might be
I’ve mentioned journaling in past blogs and this is where jotting down your observations can be very helpful because at times the changes in sensation can be so subtle that we may not be able to remember how that sensation was yesterday or last month or even last year Being able to go back over your notes can reassuringly help remind you of how much progress you have made
Healing is not made in a straightline It occurs in waves exactly how the energy field expresses itself So there are good days and bad days and by journaling we get to see this wave like effect in action
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
read more
Imagination is necessary for healing the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) because it’s part of the creative process The creative process is not just in the realm of the arts but is part of the fabric of all human endeavor including the one that is closest to home called healing Healing is in reality an art form and we are the artists Such a perspective requires the recognition that we are the creator
When we assume an artistic touch to our healing we have to become responsible since we are the architect of our project of healing It demands taking charge so that victimhood is not acceptable We no longer look to the white coat to heal us because we are on to something much more profound, our own creative project
These words may sound philosophical as if they have nothing to do with dealing with the daily trials and tribulations of the IC bladder pain syndrome but unless you hear them you will continue to suffer with your dis-ease So what are the characteristics of a creative or healing event? Although this verbal list can be longer it should be noted that the healing act transcends the verbal because it comes from the level of the soul
Imagination Simply believing that you can get through this turbulent time of your life and imagining your life as different is a significant first step Einstein said that more important than knowledge, imagination was at the heart of the creative or healing process
Innovation Doing new things and thinking outside the box, outside conventional knowledge, exercises creativity and healing
Faith that what you are doing will bring the outcome you’re looking for
Motivation Pain IS the great motivator that moves people to get off point zero and toward solution The internet and social communication is a great tool to utilize to help along the way, getting fresh ideas
Discovery is always part of the creative process because there are always new things uncovered going forward through the healing process
Never Give Up An attitude that fosters a “can do” mentality no matter how you’re feeling or doing in the process
Hard Work requires courage, fortitude, resilience, and daily affirmation
Of course there will be mental or psychological roadblocks I don’t have enough money, not enough time, or my job or family prevent me from doing the work necessary to bring about healing But that’s all a form of procrastination to get to work The mind will always support the status quo and prevent us from exercising our creativity
But for some of us there will come this Eureka moment when it all fits into place and you’re willing to tell the mind to shut up And you will get on with your creative act of healing
Miles Davis has been credited with this phrase “Don’t end nothin” It implies that creativity is never ending as is healing We can always be healthier than we were yesterday, that there are always things that we can work on to heal the imbalances that we have
When we discuss the energetic management of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia), a different world of healing is entered We leave behind our thinking about the body as a collection of molecules that can be manipulated by surgery and Pharma and begin seeing our mindbodies as energy fields This has great value since all disease begins in the energy field way before it becomes manifest in the world of molecules The energy science of Ayurveda not...
read moreWhat is matter is energy and what is energy is matter A molecule is both a particle(matter) and a wave(energy) And so biologically we simultaneously coexist as both a matter/molecular field and an energy field We know this from E=mc2 and the energy science of Ayurveda gives us a vocabulary by which we can talk about our mindbody as an energy field Quite simply whenever we become sick there is an improper flow of energy to parts of the body caused by qualities that interfere with the flow of energy through those tissues This is what...
read morePeople with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and fibromyalgia) are used to being probed and prodded “down there” since that’s where the pain and symptoms are Cystoscopies are done, cultures are done to rule out infection, medication installations are given with the use of a catheter, intermittent catheterization is used when patients cannot urinate, and at times under anesthesia when burning of bladder lesions is needed to be done All of...
read moreIt’s no secret that inflammation plays a major role in all disease and specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia) is a great example where inflammation is a central theme to the disease process This manifests itself as burning on urination or in the tissues since from an energy science point of view the hot quality causes the inflammatory process So it comes as no surprise that reducing acidity would be appropriate in management in all...
read moreAnything that we want to achieve in life….getting in better physical condition, losing weight, improving people’s lives by working in a business or profession, changing a lifestyle pattern of behavior like smoking etc….requires that some form of structure be put into place so that a pattern of behavior is done over a period of time Hopefully the change is the pattern of behavior causes the desired change So for example in the case of chronic disease, specifically the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis,...
read moreFrom an energy point of view all disease begins in the GI tract The energetics of the foods taken in can produce flares and the continuing chronic condition of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, and GERD) This is why nutrition is so important in the management of any chronic disease and as you know particularly with IC As we have talked about in recent blogs the importance of bowel health and specifically digestive power is a major step in improving not only your...
read moreAs discussed in recent previous blogs the energy science states that agni is fundamental to good health and that when disease such as the IC bladdder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, GERD and vulvodynia) part of the solution and management must include helping the debilitated agni But improving agni does NOT cause inflammation Increasing Pitta increases inflammation but improving agni balances and improves Pitta inflammation Seems counterintuitive but this is the value of the...
read moreIn the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a...
read moreFrom an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists? This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model...
read moreIn the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch...
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