Health Sidebar II: BMI vs BFP

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I've been wanting to talk about this for a while but didn't have the time (or had too much time procrastinating...just being honest). I'm watching Dr. Oz right now and he gave this lady her BMI. He said it was "32," which is supposed to be high.

To tell you the truth, I was never a fan of BMI. However, before I go into my rant, let me explain what BMI is...(click on the Read More link at bottom for more)


BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is calculated by a person's weight and height. It does not measure body fat directly but it's good if you want an inexpensive way for you to get a good idea of your health.

Does that make sense to you?

OK, great. BMI is a cheap way to figure out your health (or not). But how does it help? Why would I want a number to figure out when I'm obese when I can just look in the mirror? Why would I want this number when I can just get my Body Fat Percentage (BFP). Basically, BMI is inaccurate. Just because a person has a high BMI doesn't mean that they're NOT healthy. If you calculate your BMI and it's on the high side, your doctor or health practitioner will have to take other tests to determine whether your high BMI is a cause for concern.

A great example of this is an athlete. They may have a high BMI but they may have that BMI because they have a lot of muscle (BMI takes into account muscle and fat...and does not separate the two). For more information on BMI, click here.

WHAT IS BODY FAT?

Before I answer this question specifically, it's first important for me to talk about weight. Your total weight consists of the ratio of muscle, fat, water, bone, blood (up to 7% of your total body weight is blood...check out this site for more details), and other minor factors. Technically speaking, this is called your Body Composition.

Body Fat Percentage is one of the most important factors in your weight. Too much fat (in ratio to muscle and water) can be very detrimental to your health...on so many levels (I'm sure we have all heard of the term 'obese' before...this comes from your body fat percentage).

Importantly, for women, body fat percentage is critical if you have fibroids or another reproductive issue because excess body fat creates excess estrogen.

The good news is that you no longer have to go through extraneous means to get your body fat percentage. Tanita is a company that makes great scales. They have affordable scales that can take your body fat percentage. For more information on this company, click here.

I'm going to leave it here...for now, of course. I'll talk more about body fat and how it relates to women in my next post. I think it's so important for men and women (obese, overweight, underweight, it doesn't matter) to know your body fat percentage. It will be key in helping you to gain, maintain, or lose weight in a healthy manner.

Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Essential 4 Series: Breathing Methods - Tai Chi I

When people ask me how I started on this path to health, I reply by saying, "Yoga saved my life" and then I talk about how I finally connected with Yoga. While Yoga did save my life, it's not the first thing that got me on the path to wellness. I learned how to properly breathe way before I met up with Yoga.

The year was 1995...it was early in the year. It wasn't quite Spring yet but Winter was definitely over. To put it plainly, I was a serious pothead then. I also loved Kung Fu Movies. Watching the "Drive In Movies" on Channel 5 in Brooklyn was my Kung Fu fix...but I never even took a karate class.

Cover of Tai Chi Master

So back to 1995, I was hanging out with my friends one day, smoking (which was the usual back then), when one of my friends started talking about Kung Fu. I mentioned that I loooved Kung Fu movies and how much I always wanted to learn Tai Chi (by this time, I was a huge Jet Li fan...my favorite movie then was called the "Tai Chi Master"...so I was really open to what my friend had to say). My friend then said to me, "want to learn some Kung Fu right now?"

All of us...all 12 of us, immediately perked up. Our excitement seemed to come to a near boil in almost seconds as we all said a resounding "yes", like we were in the Pothead Church Choir. He told us to sit down and listen well.

Now that I look back, I realize that as soon as he said that, I calmed my body. My back became straighter. My shoulders relaxed. My chest, slightly elevated and I could feel my breath. I couldn't control what I didn't know about but I can safely say that I did notice something had changed. The air, maybe?

When everyone else sat down, I also noticed that he looked at me the most when speaking. I didn't think much of it back then, I just chalked it up to me starting the convo leading to this so I seemed the most eager to learn. I didn't know what I was going to feel. Tell you the truth, I didn't expect to feel anything. I thought it was all going to be BS.

He told us to fix our legs. "Do not cross them. Let them spread hip distance apart. Don't let your knees fall too far in or too far out. Let your hips control your legs. Sit up straight." The others already started to feel bored. The looks on their faces was a dead giveaway to what was to come. I gave them a look that calmed them down...at least long enough for me to see what was really good.

"Bring your palms together." We all did it at the same time (maybe you should try this too ). "Now rub your palms until they become really hot. When they feel hot, rub them some more. When they are super hot, just separate your hands and watch what happens."

I rubbed my hands really hard. They started to burn when I separated them. I took a huge breath in and when I exhaled, my hands moved! I felt...a charge...it was a little electric almost. I took a huge breath in and my hands came closer. When I exhaled again, my hands separated further! I had no control over my hands what so ever but they still moved. I realized that with every breath, my hands moved further and further apart. What felt like a straight stream of energy now felt like an arch. As my hands opened up and towards the sky, it was as if I felt a rainbow in my hands.

And then it left. (don't forget to click the "Read More" link at the bottom of this post to continue)


I looked up at the sky as if I could actually see this feeling float away. I didn't see anything. I looked around at my friends. They were amazed at what they were feeling. Some of them were dismayed because they didn't feel it for too long. A few (only 2) didn't feel anything at all. I wasn't the only one who had my experience. There were 3 of us who did and we were straight buggin out!!

I asked my friend what kind of Kung Fu that was. He smiled and then laughed. All he needed was long hair and a flowing beard and he would have been able to call me "grasshopper" and I would call him "Sifu" (Chinese for "Master"). He told me to sit down again. What he told me after this would be the catalyst to changing my life forever:

What you felt was not Kung Fu, persay. What you felt was Chi. The essence of Kung Fu. The essence of Life. You have heard of Chi from the Kung Fu movies but have you ever felt it? (I nodded my head yes...I never felt it in my hands like that but I have felt it before). If you cannot feel your chi, then there is no reason for you to learn Kung Fu. None whatsoever.

I want you to start reading books on Chi. Chi is the life essence, your spirit, your soul. It is a part of the universal soul. There are many names for it. Chi is air but Air is not Chi. Get a book and read it. Then come back to me when you are done and tell me what you have learned.

The first book I purchased is called "The Essence of Tai Chi." With this book, I learned many things. The most important was how to breathe.

Before understanding the concept of breath, I wanted to know exactly what Tai Chi is. The name Tai Chi means "the ultimate" (pg. 6). But the ultimate what? Reading the book further, I came to understand that Tai Chi was regarded as the ultimate "art" - whether it was martial art, a healing art, or a spiritual art.

According to Tai Chi principles, which come from the book the T'ai Chi Bible, there are three forms of chi - all which come from the breath and can be manifested, grown, and maintained with the breath - chi, jung, and shen.

Chi is similar to prana (the term for "breath" and "lifeforce" in Sanskrit) in that it is considered that Chi is everywhere. According to The Essence of Tai Chi (pg. 33), "ch'i is...commonly known as the nature of things." "According to Tai Chi theory, the correct meaning of chi is..."internal energy." (pg. 34)


Jing is the power that is generated by chi.(pg. 35) Li is the physical strength resulting from body movement. (pg. 36) I understand how the terms work but want to explain it to you in the best way possible. So let me explain it this way:

If you strike a punch, the force that is released is a result of Li. However, if someone were to attack you and you were able to throw them on the ground with little physical force (or with your hand, like in the kung fu flicks), then that is Jing because you have the same power but without the physical strength.

Recently, I worked out at Embora Wellness and Movement Studio (which is no longer). I did a class with Emory Moore and he wanted us to do certain exercises that included martial arts and yoga techniques. As I was doing these exercises, I wasn't getting the full effect he was looking for. He explained to me that with Yoga, you keep the prana (or chi) inside. Everything stays inside. Martial Arts and Tai Chi is different because sooner than later, that chi needs to come out. You create the internal energy and let it out externally.


It was at that point, I realized that Emory was working with Chi, Li and Jing. However, I wanted something different.


I began to understand that I wanted to achieve shen, which means spirit. According to The Essence of Tai Chi, "when chi is purified, it elevates to shen." (pg. 35) Yoga Asana maybe similar to li and but at the end of the day, Yoga wants you to have shen - connection to your spirit, your true nature.


According to Tai Chi theory, meditation helps you to become aware of your chi (pg. 37) and condensed breathing helps to convert chi to jing (and yes, it's very similar to certain pranayama techniques - pg. 42).


Of course, I have more to talk about in regards to Tai Chi but I'll leave it here for now. Next time, I'll talk more about Tai Chi and its relation to Yoga. I'll also talk about certain Tai Chi practices you have to watch out for (especially in regards to breathing), how to increase your awareness of chi, and my experience with different Tai Chi forms.


Yeah, I know...it took me long enough to write this but better late than never!

So until next time....stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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• Lower Dan Tien (clearstaichi.com)

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Random Thoughts XXIII: The Biggest Loser Season 8

I love Reality TV. I really do...to a fault. I have my cable Reality TV shows that I like (VH1 is a vice y'all) but I really dig a couple of Reality TV shows on the major channels. My favorite "Reality TV" show: The Biggest Loser.

I knew it was going to be a great show. I had no idea how great it would be. As I was watching the show from the beginning, I wanted to blog about it. Something in me held back. Even as I saw Shay weigh in at 476 lbs. I wanted to blog, but something held me back. When Shay seemingly quit, I thanked the heavens I didn't blog but then the urges came back as I saw the contestants in a battle with themselves.

And still, I held back from blogging. You KNOW I wanted to blog when the contestants went to the doctors and performed all of those tests! Wowwwweee! Yet still, I paused.

When the contestants had to weigh in and I saw great numbers, I wanted to post but something held me back still. I could imagine myself clicking on a new tab, loading this up and playing commentator to the sport of weight loss but I didn't do it. I couldn't. I didn't care why.

Once I saw the end, I knew it was time for me to blog. Alexandra, not even on the ranch for 1 week, ended up losing 60 lbs so far! Amazing!!

The Biggest Loser is not only my favorite Reality TV show (even ANTM comes in a distant second), it's my favorite TV show hands down (yes, it beat out Law & Order - all of them! )! Why? Because this show inspires me in so many different ways. The emotions that I feel for these contestants are not pity nor compassion. The emotions I feel - down to the tears I shed - is admiration, respect, and love. Because finally, they are on a path to admire, respect and love themselves.

You see, we are all victims of self-neglect, whether we are obese or not. There are a lot of people like the Youth Pastor who did not realize he has Type 2 Diabetes. How many people live their lives, not realizing what aliments ravage their bodies and they live their lives for everyone else....but themselves.

I, too, am a victim of self-neglect. It may not last as long as someone that is not aware of the state of their health but it does happen. Stress is the ultimate sign of self-neglect because stress can lead to an array of dis-eases - big and small.

When I watch this show, I want to make my life better. I want to get up and take all the anger and frustration and the stress and just clean my house or go for a run or do an hour of Yoga in my home.

All it takes is one small step.

The number 8 is a very powerful number. It is my favorite number and it represents infinity - to build and destroy...which are infinite and needed for balance and growth. So Season 8 of The Biggest Loser should be a season of power. The motivation to destroy what you were so that you can build anew.

The most ironic thing about this show (and life in general) is that in order to lose weight or be able to heal, you have to make a choice. The only tool that is needed and is most important is your mind.

I can't wait to see what Episode 2 has to offer. I can't wait to finally update this blog like I'm supposed to. Maybe that will be my accomplishment for this Season 8 of The Biggest Loser. I'll finally catchup to all the things that I need to in regards to this blog and my other one, Healthy Junk.

You ready? I am.
Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts XVIII: Wordle for my blog

I created a wordle for my blog...I hope you like it.

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Movements XVI: Things are looking uP!

It's been a while since I really posted something up of substance. Now that the filler has been placed, it's time for me to get off of my self-imposed vacation and get back to giving you the latest and greatest information that will enable you to see and be better health!

First, I hope you like the pic. Kyla Jolene is a great photographer and I have been watching her work from afar. I wanted to put her photos on my blog for sometime and I'm glad I finally am able to do so. If I don't put up more of Kyla's pics, it's only because she asked me not to. I don't know her personally but good work is good work and it can't be denied.


I have updated one of my blogs. Please click here for the latest information on herbs that will help you in dealing with Uterine Fibroids. Please note that hops is a good herb to use for Breast Cancer as well.

My Yoga schedule is back in full swing! First up...I'm going to teach a 4 week course called the Fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. If you're in NYC and would like to learn the basics of Hatha Yoga and an Integral Yoga Hatha I Beginner's class, then this course is for you. For more information and to register, please click here.

I'm also going to teach a Hatha I Beginners Class every other Sunday at 6:15pm, starting March 15. If you click on the link above, you'll also find more information on Integral Yoga.


That's it for now. Please provide feedback by posting a comment or by emailing me at drea@dorightforyourself.org

One more thing, I have been doing this blog for a long time. What started out as a homework assignment for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition has become something much more. I need to stop acting like I'm not an accomplished Holistic Health and Nutritional Consultant and Yoga Instructor. Sooner than later, I'm going to put up links and give more information for my consultations and packages. Spring time is coming. I can provide you with the best in nutrition, fitness, and over all wellness. Now it's really time to get it together. All of us.



Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease! (and thank you so much for keeping up with me and your health and wellness)

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Random Thoughts XIV: Homeopathy. Baloney or Testimony?

Working as a Vitamin Associate at an Apothecary, I get asked a lot of questions on what works and what doesn't. I get a lot of questions on Homeopathy. The thing is that the questions mostly come from within.

People that request homeopathy in our store know what they're getting into. They have already tried it and it works for them. They may even have their own homeopathy person that guides them and tells them what they should take and why.

Sometimes, I get a newbie. They want to know what is the best thing for them but they're on certain medications that would restrict the usual pathways to get over their ailment. Based on the recommendations of others, I would offer them a homeopathic remedy. You have bruises or muscle pain? Let's give you some arnica. Got a cold or flu. Alpha CF or some oscillo....(it's a really long word). Most of the newbies, take my word for it and go forth. They usually come back and give me feedback (mostly positive). Every once in a while, a newbie would ask me how does this stuff work? It's funny...because I've been asking myself the same thing for the past 5 months.

I started my quest to find out about homeopathy. What exactly is it? Does it really help? What do these numbers mean and where in the heezy do they come up with these names? When I first started on my quest, I got some answers but since I wasn't present and in the moment (more on that throughout my blog), I didn't pay much attention. I just knew that 30cc is probably stronger than 200cc but we still give a person 200cc when they have acute pain (this is in regards to arnica. When I explain more, come back to this sentence and see if you can understand it better).

Unfortunately, the more I tried to make sense of it all, the more questions I had. The more frustrated I became, the more I strayed away from homeopathy. I got the "itching for this scratch" again because I realized that I'm offering people these products and I STILL don't know why! I don't even know what half of the ingredients in these things are.

I love Inspector Gadget. He was bungling and sometimes an idiot but he certainly had a gadget for everything. Today, I am not bungling and certainly not an idiot, but I have this gadget that helped me immensly with finding a solution: Twitter.

So I got on twitter and asked about homeopathy. Out of all the responses, I got two that really caught my attention. One response was in support of Homeopathy and the other was totally against it.

Here's some things that I learned from the supporter, Debby Bruck:

• Homeopathy is not "like treating like" (as I previously thought and was told). It's "similar treating like." So that means that if you have muscle spasms, homeopathy will look for a substance that will give a similar reaction in an otherwise normal person and give it to you. The theory is that the similar thing will help your body to increase its immune support to heal you. "Like treating Like" is actually called Isopathy.
  
• Homeopathy is a truly holistic approach. The homeopath will look at your physical, mental, and spiritual "fitness" (or lack thereof) before "prescribing" any holistic remedy.
  
• Unlike herbs and other supplements derived from herbs, homeopathic remedies are regulated by the FDA.

Right before I was going to ask her a barrage of questions (she motivated me to have an interest again), I got a reply from another Twitterer that homeopathy was garbage. I read his article and found it to be very informative. This twitterer is a Pharmacist from Canada named Scott Gavora. Being a former Pre-Pharmacy major in college and working in a hospital pharmacy in my teens, I was very interested in what he had to say. He basically made the correlation between homeopathic remedies and allopathic pharmaceutical drugs.

Before I provide you with links galore, let me give you my synopsis on both views:

• I was never a fan of pills. Once I started working at the Apothecary, I began to understand the nature of pills and began to appreciate them. Even more than my disdain for pills was my hatred for pharmaceutical drugs. Not the drugs themselves (since they actually do help people) but the side effects and the marketing for these drugs are too much for people to bear. The US is a country filled with "followers." You tell them this is "brand new" and will "cure you in 2 days" and Americans are all over it - even if they don't need the drugs. The worst part about it is that during these commercials, they will run down the side effects so quick, all you may hear is "fatal." However, most Americans don't care about the side effects because its "new" and "fast." With that said, I appreciate the pharmacist's honest and accuracy in talking about pharmaceutical drugs but I'm not buying it. I'd rather get placebo and pray to God that my faith will carry me through.
• I'm still a little fearful of homeopathy. So if I had the runs, I would take something that would give a similar reaction to the runs in an otherwise healthy human? Why can't I just drink water and eat apples? Get some more fiber in me or drink some herbal tea that will work that out? I'm a huge fan of the simple stuff.
  
• Even though I'm fearful to try homeopathy, I am still very intrigued with it and will continue to look into it. It's best for me to keep an open mind and still be mindful that allopathic medicine DOES have its place and is needed by thousands (or even millions) of people.
  
• Both views have allowed me to appreciate this quote from Sri Gurudev, Sri Swami Satchidananda - Truth is One, Paths are Many as well as the concept of "bio-individuality" from Joshua Rosenthal. What works for one person, may not work for another. One man's pleasure is another man's poison. You just have to be aware of which is which (for you).

For all of those people who are interested in homeopathy, I have one piece of advice:
If you are going to take the pills, do not drink coffee, peppermint tea, or eat chocolate 20 - 30 minutes before taking the remedy. These things constrict the blood vessels, making it more difficult for the pills (which are actually sublinguals, meaning they melt under the tongue - no need to chew or swallow anything) to be assimilated into the body.

Now it's time for you to Do Right For Yourself! and make your own decisions. Here are some articles and blogs for you to look at. Comment on what you think on this blog or send me an email or a tweet. I like the phrase "help me to help you."


Homeopathy FAQ
Homeopathy as a "pseudoscience"
More Homeopathy Q&A (I'm providing this link because they do talk about the "like treating like" concept)

I have a lot of things in my head that I want to talk about. I hope you like my Random Thought. Trust, more posts will come out very soon.

Until next time, stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts XIII: Check this out

Good Morning everyone!

I love to read articles on various topics. Some of them are not health related but most of them are. So today, I figure that I would share some of the sites that I go on with you and some of the articles I read that I think you would be interested in. Let me know what you think in a comment or in an email:

• 5 ways to reduce germs, viruses and bacteria without pesticides
• Basic Eye Health Care tips
• An interesting article on the "25 Random Things" phenomenon in Facebook
• Want Strong Bones? Eat More Greens!
• CLIF Bar Recall
• Deepak Chopra's Daily Devotion
  

While you check those out, I'm going to continue drafting new posts and researching different topics. Thanks for reading and allowing me to help you holistically.

Stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts XII: What is Holistic Health?

Recently, someone asked me "what is holistic health?" and "is it right for everyone?" Of course, I gave her a general answer but I feel it's important for me to give an official and specific answer.

Let's look up the word "holistic" in the dictionary:

holistic

Main Entry:

ho·lis·tic

Pronunciation:

\hō-ˈlis-tik\

Function:

adjective

Date:

1926

1 : of or relating to holism
2 : relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts <holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body> <holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system>

— ho·lis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

So "holistic health" would look at the complete system of the body rather than the analysis of the dissection of its parts. To holistically heal someone (or yourself), you will have to look at you ailment from the mental, physical and spiritual "systems" instead of just from one aspect (usually the physical).

Yoga is an example of a holistic way of healing. Yoga incorporates mental, physical, and spiritual health so that you can become a better human being by Self-Realization. Asana deals with the physical, meditation deals with the mental, and pranayama deals with the breath. When the breath is extended or controlled, the mind and the body are one. The mind is calm and the body is nourished with oxygen. This opens the door for spiritual healing.

You don't have to do Yoga to have holistic health. Holistic health only maintains that you treat the complete systems - the mind, body, and soul - to achieve and maintain health. It doesn't make sense that your dietary habits are on point but you're stressed out and feel like you have no true purpose in the world. Stress is the underlying reason for 85% of all dis-eases we are faced with today.

There are numerous ways to heal the physical body and various ways to treat and eliminate mental dis-stress. People choose a number of faiths to connect with their soul and the Divine spirit within. The unfortunate thing is that most people don't do these things at the same time. They may start to workout but because of that, it takes away time to go to church or spend time with family. They may eat right but neglect their mind by continuing to deal with negative energies and decisions that bring them down, mentally and spiritually.

Holistic health is a good choice for everyone. Wellness is being well. Completely and fully.

My job, as a health counselor and owner of this blog,  is to help you figure out which processes of healing is right for you. The end result is that you are bathing in the fountain of wellness.

It's time to enjoy being Whole.

Before I go, I'm going to mix up Matt Stokes' Health Tips a little bit. I'm going to add #5 to the Health Sidebar and #4 to this one. When you read it, I think you'll understand why :

#4

Primary Food

Food comes in two different forms.

-  Secondary Food is what we traditionally think of as food.

-  Primary Food is a combination of all of the other things that keep us going (healthy relationships, physical activity, desired career, spirituality, etc, etc,).

It is important to pay attention to both of these food groups. They are irrevocably linked.

If we are not balanced in one of them, we won’t be balanced in the other one. 

Next time you attempt to incorporate better eating habits, make sure you don’t forget to pay attention to the primary foods you are lacking as well.

 Courtesy of

Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Health Sidebar I: Uterine Fibroids and Ovarian Cysts

Greetings everyone!

I am writing this piece at the request of a friend of mine. A couple of women I know were diagnosed with fibroids and they were worried about surgery. I gave some of my advice and it was then requested that I put my information onto my blog. So I'll call this my little health sidebar. I'll probably post more of these as time goes on (yes, I'm still sticking to my schedule...I'll make it, I'm telling ya! LOL). Please remember that the information is given from a holistic point of view. Much of it will be based on proven facts but there is a lot that will come from my own experience in dealing with several friends and family members that went through these dis-eases.

• fibroids and cysts will affect fertility if any of the reproductive organs are damaged while they are growing or when they are coming out.However, this is rare. I was amazed when I read that "Once a woman with fibroids does manage to become pregnant, her fibroids will typically increase in size."
• there is technology out there that enables a woman to get rid of a fibroid without surgery. Please look into it.UFE is one such procedure, however, it mentions that this procedure should be done only if you do not wish to get pregnant or have a hysterectomy as your only other option.
  
• I have a natural way to get rid of cysts and fibroids (it has worked for a co-worker of mine who has a cystic body - meaning she is prone to getting cysts everywhere) but it takes a while. (I'll talk about this more a little later)
• fibroids are NOT cancerous. They only cause problems when they are large and press against any of the reproductive organs.

Diet

Estrogens Dominance (i.e. an excess of Estrogens relative to Progesterone) may be a common cause of Uterine Fibroids. references

In-Tele-Health © 2008 (from Hyperhealth Pro CD-ROM)

There are many foods that are high in estrogen or may increase the high levels of estrogen in your own body. I say this to women who already have fibroids as well as women who may not have fibroids in the uterus or something similar to uterine fibroids (like fibro-cystic-breasts). Dairy is high in estrogen. Soy contains phytoestrogens, plant estrogens that will bind to estrogen receptors and may cause a decrease or level of estrogen that is beneficial to the body. However, in some women (such as myself), too much soy can increase estrogen levels which can possibly lead to fibro-cystic breasts or uterus.

Maitake Mushrooms may alleviate Uterine Fibroids. However, you would need around 6000mg of powered Maitake Mushroom and take it for a long period of time.

Herbs

Various herbs can help uterine fibroids in many different ways. Black Cohosh is said to be helpful in alleviating the symptoms of fibroids temporarily (painful menstruation, etc.). Vitex maybe helpful since this herb deals with the endocrine system and hormones, effectively decreasing estrogen levels and aiding in the healing process.

UPDATE - A customer came into my job asking for Shepherd's Purse. She explained that it helps to stop
excessive bleeding. I looked it up and found this:


Cardiovascular System

Shepherd’s Purse may inhibit excessive Bleeding: [more info]

In-Tele-Health © 2008 (from Hyperhealth Pro CD-ROM)



Sexual System


Shepherd’s Purse may alleviate the heavy bleeding associated with Menorrhagia. [more info]

In-Tele-Health © 2008 (from Hyperhealth Pro CD-ROM)



Another female customer I know told me that Burdock is great for decreasing estrogen and has worked well for her. I mentioned this to the customer that spoke about the Shepherd's Purse. Later on that
night, I decided to look on the internet and I found this:


Burdock is useful in cases of hormone imbalance that are not attributable to uterine fibroids, cancer, or other diseases. Many conditions, such as premenstrual syndrome, fibroids, and endometriosis, are associated with
excess estrogen levels. Because of its alterative action, and because of the small amount of plant steroids it contains, burdock can help improve the liver's ability to metabolize hormones such as estrogen and thereby improve symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance.

Worried that I gave this customer the incorrect information, I decided to ask my boss, Manu Dawson, for advice. He told me that Burdock does decrease estrogen levels but in the cases of fibro-cystic breasts, uterus, and similar ailments, it is not as effective as other herbs, such as Maca (not roasted. Maca is also good for hormonal balance, especially with the reproductive/sexual organs and functions) Hops (by inhibiting the activity of aromatase, an enzyme located in Estrogen-producing cells including the ovaries, placenta and the brain. Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. Excessive conversion leads to a negative effect), and Vitex, as I have mentioned
above.

Other Methods

Progesterone, a hormone created in the body, can be topically applied to the womb to alleviate symptoms of fibroids. This is because higher amounts of progesterone can balance the levels of estrogen in the body.

Other than the option given above, the only other option is surgery. I hear that it's not that great. I'll leave it there.

With fibroids and cysts, please check what you are eating, wearing and
putting on your skin. In the case of fibroids, you maybe wearing
something too tight and that can increase pain and discomfort.
Especially with cysts, what you put on your skin can affect it. Even if
you put lotion on every body part except for where the cyst is, it can
affect you. Certain foods may help to increase the growth of a cyst or
fibroid.

I know this because I was talking to my cystic co-worker this morning. She is the first person I guided in doing the MC and she was able to get rid of two, grapefruit sized cysts in her womb by doing the MC and using Poke Root Oil. After this first time, she understood that she has a cystic body (she was told this by doctors but didn't understand it). Everytime she did the MC, her cysts, etc. would go away and then it would come back after she would eat solid foods.

She became allergic to processed foods and was eating whole foods so I told her that it had to be related to something she is putting onto her body. At first, she didn't believe me. She now has a cyst inside her kidney and came to me today explaining to me that this cyst first formed when she got some skin cleaner and "skin lightener" (cost about $300). She realized that the cleaner worked so well, that it opened up her pores and allowed the bleach to go deeper than her epidermis. I asked her where she was putting the lotion. She told me that she would put it on her arms, chest, and back and could not understand why she still has cysts in her lungs and kidneys. I told her that the kidneys are actually closer to the back than the front and the light bulb came up on her head.

This doesn't mean that you're in the same situation. It's just something to think about and keep in mind as you do research. Body awareness is key here.

Cysts are pus filled sacs, which are usually beign but can become cancerous (if they grow into tumors). Some cysts in the ovaries can be filled with blood, as the case when dealing with endometriosis.

So far, the general consensus is that you shouldn't be too worried if you are diagnosed with fibroids or ovarian cysts. There is a high percentage of African-American women that get fibroids and trust me, the ones I know, worry.

It's normal to worry. My suggestion would be to stay calm throughout this process and get second (and third and forth, if necessary) opinions. I'm reading a lot about the correlations between ovarian cysts and endometrosis so please make sure that you're not taking in too much estrogen into the body (via food), you work out, and make time to relax.

This is the first time I'm doing this "Health Sidebar." Let me know if it works for you. The next time I do this sidebar, I will talk about too much estrogen and how it affects the female body. I will also include foods that are highly estrogenic and herbs that help decrease estrogen levels in the body. I will also discuss phyto-estrogens and their effects on the body (like soy).

I'm going to reintroduce Matt Stokes' Health Tips...it's been too long and I need to catch up! You do too.

#5

Diet Books and Theories

Diet books and their theories need to be approached with caution.

Most of them are full of invaluable information, but we need to be
aware of diet books that suggest blanket dietary theories and take no
account of the individual. They are formulated outside the idea of
bio-individuality.

Bio-individuality is the idea that we are all different. If I eat
an a piece of pizza and and you eat a piece of pizza, our bodies are
going to deal with that nutrition differently. In theory, Nutrition is
not a science for this reason.

Diet books can be good places to start, but the only healthy way
to incorporate a dietary theory is to educate yourself, be informed and
slowly change your diet to include those healthy ideas that work the
best for you.

Courtesy of

Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy and fight dis-ease!

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Movements X: Happy Birthday to me!

Hello Friends, Family, and Countrymen!!

Today is my 34th Birthday! I feel so great and healthy and amazed with the universe. I became a Certified Yoga Teacher on Saturday.  
So what else is new?

I still have my lecture on Yoga going on at the Gay Men's Health Crisis (weather permitting). I'm on vacation from my jobs this week to celebrate my birthday. OOH! I also got invited to teach at the Integral Yoga Institute! I'm so happy about that. Why? Even though I will be subbing for a while, it will be a great way for me to get more experience so that I can move out into the world.

Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely going to have my own classes. But now, knowing that I will have a place to teach, I can properly get my schedule together so that I can better serve those who need Yoga and Health - YOU!  

The blog will definitely continue as planned. I'm going to take a break for my birthday but there will be more new and exciting posts from me before the week is out.


I'm so happy that you're able to share my birthday with me. I'm thankful that you have another day to appreciate life, love and the liberties that you have right now.

Freedom is a state of mind. Let's get free this year. Starting today.


Until next time....
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts IX: The New Motto for 2009

SAVE YOUR ENERGY! CONSERVE IT AND UTILIZE IT WHEN NECESSARY!

I'm talking in regards to all forms of energy. Conserve your sexual energy. That doesn't mean to not have sex. That means to save your sex for someone that deserves it. Be responsible and use condoms everytime, unless you want to have children (and make sure you get those checkups too...I'm talking to the youngings here - and some adults as well!)

Conserve your financial energy! Save your money. Start investing it in things that will benefit you in the long run - paying the bills, getting the food, saving for later.

Most importantly, conserve your mental and emotional energy. Take less things personal. Don't get caught up in the drama. Be responsible for your actions. Apologize if you really mean it. After apologizing, learn from the mistake. Keep it in mind so that you can move forward. Clean house! That includes your physical home as well as your mental one. Do spring cleaning of relationships early! Don't wait for the heat to come upon you. The sun still shines in the winter time (and the weather is sometimes spring like).

Keep your mind focused on things that matter which are NOT trivial. Keep the emotions focused on love, compassion, hope, and caring. Keep the body focused by exercising and eating the right foods for you. Keep the body healthy by taking herbs and supplements that are best suited for you.

But no matter what. Save some of that love and energy...for yourself. You deserve it.

Bless!

Stay strong, stay healthy and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts VIII: Chakras 1 and 2

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This random thought is not one of full explanation. There are going to be many terms and concepts you may not understand. The purpose of this random thought is to share what I experienced in Yoga Teacher Training the other day. For more information about chakras, please click here.

On Monday, we learned more about chakras and Kundalini in Yoga Teacher Training. I will let you in on something...I used to be very afraid of Kundalini Yoga and playing with my chakras.The reason was simple: my head would hurt anytime I would try to read books on Kundalini. I have passed Kundalini classes at Yoga conferences and my body would twitch and start to burn in certain areas. I know it's weird. I couldn't explain why and didn't try to...to me, that was a sign to leave it alone.

Since Yoga Teacher Training, I have become more comfortable with the concept of Kundalini and the chakras. I even finished that book that used to make my head hurt everytime I read it. I became so comfortable, that I started to play with clearing my chakras so that the Kundalini energy can start to flow freely within me.

This is the symbol for the root chakra, called Muladhara. Once I found my muladhara bandha, I would activate it with the breath. Tadasana would keep me grounded but I would actually feel grounded once I would activate this bandha.

Chakra 1 deals with guilt and anger. It also deals with feelings of being rejected/abandoned in childhood.

As we went through class, my instructor asked us to do Sun Salutations to have a better understanding of our chakras through asana. He came over and corrected me on my downward facing dog.

Now downward facing dog is one of my favorite poses. However, I cannot hold it for too long. I either get embarassed or I get angry. I never told anyone this and kept it to myself because I didn't understand the feeling and why it was there.

During our break, I asked my teacher what was wrong with my down dog. He explained that I hyperextend my back (meaning that my chest goes too low and it bends downwards too far) and because of the massive opening of my chest, I either feel too vulnerable or I would get angry.

How in the hell did he know?!

He walked me through the proper positioning of my chest and further explained what is going on....with me! I never told him any of this stuff but here he is, telling me my life story from one pose! Tears started to stream down my eyes. Before I went to him to inquire about my pose, I was very angry. I was angry that I felt like a loner in my class. Like my peers ignore me while connecting with each other. It's not only YTT that makes me feel that way. I usually feel that way in any situation, with most people from time to time. I didn't know why, and for the most part, I would ignore the feeling or just chalk it up to being an asshole in a past life.

Do not repress your feelings.

My instructor said this to me as I was fighting back the tears. In the past, I would repress and repress. Because of this, when I would get angry, I would blow up like there is no tomorrow. Now, I found myself frustrrated at this "delayed emotional response" that I've been having when faced with issues that calls for certain emotions to be evoked - anger, guilt, fear, passion.

As I went back to my seat and finished class, the tears continued to flow. I didn't fight them nor did I try to analyze them. I was just happy to finally understand something about myself. Like why I always feel this way when I do downward facing dog.

This is the symbol for the 2nd Chakra, the Swadhisthana Chakra. I have a feeling that this chakra is located in the same spot as the Tan T'ien, an area of the abdomen where you breathe from in Tai Chi. When my teacher would correct me on downward facing dog, he would also tell me to engage my abdomen. Not the upper part, but the lower part - in my tan t'ien area.

Chakra 2 deals with sexuality/sensuality (how do we use it?). It also deals with relationships/feelings (mostly one-on-one relationships) and affects the need for position in society, the need to control other people and acceptance.

The first three chakras apparently deals with human emotions. When you talk about "going with your gut" or anything with intuition, you're usually within the realm of the 2nd Chakra.

I no longer have a problem with my sexuality or my sensuality. When I talk about these things, I do not mean my sexual orientation. That has never been questioned. I always had a problem with accepting my femininity. I had a bad childhood and all of these factors played a critical role in my tomboy years. I always knew I was a girl. I just didn't like it. I didn't want to be a girl. I felt like my reproductive organs were a curse and not a blessing. Menstruation was the worst for me...and back then, if I could throw away my feminine energy, I would in a heartbeat.

Flower Essences have helped with that. I am a much softer and gentle feminine creature. I love being a woman and no longer have physical issues with sexual intercourse (I know, TMI...but it needs to be said). I still have problems with my menstrual cycle but compared to 5 years ago, the symptoms I have seem really minor and totally treatable.

So what is my issue then?

Before class was over, I moved from the muladhara bandha to my tan t'ien. I would engage my abdomen and breathe into this area. I haven't done this in a long time. After class was over, visions came into my mind and opened up a door of sorts. I was in the locker room crying. A classmate of mine came over to console me and I told her that I just had a breakthrough:

When I was very young, I had some "girl friends." Everyday, they would play with me for about an hour and then the next thing you know, they would tell me that they're not my friend anymore. They would berate me and make fun of me and right before I start to fight them, they would say, "we're only playing" and play with me again. This would happen at least 4 times a day for many months.

One day, I came home crying. My mom asked me what was wrong and I told her. She told me that the next time they do that to me, tell them "I don't care" and leave. Go and play by yourself and that would never happen again. She was right too. After I did that, the girls kept playing with me and never did that to me again.

However, it left a samskara in my mind (samskara is an impression left in the mind. The 'total of these impressions becomes the tremendous force which is called “character.”' I realized that because of this experience, I would never feel accepted by anyone. Any little thing - people connecting with each other more than they do with me, a glance, something you said or the tone with which you said it - would make me feel like you don't like me and this scenario would come into my subconscious. My conscious would put the face of whoever is present onto the bodies of those little girls and I would feel like a 6 year old child again. Scared of the pain of rejection and not being accepted when I did nothing wrong. (Folks, my ego loves playing the victim...bear with me). 

What does this have to do with the Chakras, See?

Well, I came to the realization that my breakthrough is a purge. As I understood certain aspects of my root chakra in regards to asana, it opened up the door for me to free up my Swadhisthana Chakra. I finally was able to see a fear, face it and let it go...at least for a moment.

Now does this mean that I will never feel this way again? Nope. I may feel this way a number of times before it is truly purged from me. But this awareness is key for me to properly heal. Now all I need to do is be mindful of it. If I start to feel like I am abandoned or not accepted by my peers for whatever reason, I can always say, "this is based on my samskara and now I must release it."

Release is not an immediate thing. Sometimes it can take a long time to release. Here are some tips to release whatever you are holding onto (emotionally and mentally):

• Recognize your fears and emotions
• acknowlege them
• be compassionate - with yourself and with others
• Forgive. Forgive yourself first and then you can forgive others.
  

If you try these things and you find that you are still having trouble letting go and moving forward with life, then do not be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist or a counselor or a psychiatrist can aid you in letting go of memories and emotions so that you can be more productive with life.

I don't need a psychiatrist to help me with my issues. I've been crazy for too long and am doing very well with figuring out things and healing myself. Continuing my Yoga practice and strengthening it by doing more Grounding Poses (such as Tadasana and the Warrior Series) as well as seated poses and forward bends (such as Janusirshasana and Pachimotanasana) will benefit me. Look at what it's doing for me already!!

If you feel like a Hatha Yoga practice will also be good for you to calm the mind and heal you, then do not forget to include meditation, chanting and pranayama in your practice (a Yogic diet also helps). A well balanced practice leads to a well balanced mind.

Thanks for letting me open my heart and share. Until next time...

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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