Health News Blog. Lots of resources and information

The importance of correct breathing, diet and exercise having been discussed, relaxation and using the mind to heal (creative visualization) are next.
What is Deep Relaxation?
Many people think they are relaxing when they curl up with a book or slump in a chair and watch television. These are enjoyable and restful things to do but do not constitute relaxation deep enough to promote a healing response – this has to be worked at. In order to relax deeply it is essential to:
1 Be in a position where the spine is straight and supported.
2 Allow the joints and muscles to fall into natural positions.
3 Have the room at the right temperature.
4 Be free from distractions like telephones ringing or people talking.
5 Be able to let the mind wander.
6 Have an empty bladder.
7 Have neither an overfull nor an empty stomach.
If you are tense it is quite possible that you do not relax even during sleep; your mind will be churning away and your body will be restless. (People who wake up stiff and sore can confirm how much muscular activity goes on in the night.) A deep relaxation session lasting about half an hour can be worth four hours of sleep.
Busy people should realize that incorporating a relaxation session into your day gives you more time, not less. Tension deprives joints, muscles and organs of normal blood flow and eventually affected areas will show their disapproval by becoming stiff, sore or possibly even diseased. Exercise and relaxation are the only ways you can guarantee that you are releasing the kinks and bottlenecks in the circulatory system and allow each cell to have its full ration of nutrients. If your headaches or your bowel symptoms are caused by tension consider why you are causing yourself this misery; why are you rushing around all the time? Why are you worrying constantly? Try to make the decision to stop.
Tension Release in Seconds
You can do this anywhere. Sit down with your back straight but not stiff, put your hands palm upwards in your lap and place your feet together flat on the floor. Droop your head a little, take one deep breath, and as you let it out let your shoulders drop and allow your thighs and knees to fall outwards. Imagine a beautiful, blue sparkling light about a foot above your head; let it ripple down through your body and out of the soles of your feet into the floor; it will take your tension with it. If you practise this regularly you will be surprised how effective it is. You may also notice it makes your feet tingle.
*107\326\8*

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Functions:
Sources:
Causes of Deficiency:
Deficiency Signs and Symptoms:
Absorption of protein; proper growth; works with niacin and essential fatty acids (EFAs); immune system; skin; digestion and hormone production
Wholegrains, liver, fish, chicken, potatoes, bananas, avocados; made in small amounts in a healthy gut
Dirty colon, colon disorders, stress, dieting, alcoholism
Dizziness, hot, crawling or tingling sensations in the skin, deficiency of antibodies, tendency to allergies, tendency to phlebitis, cracks at the angle of the mouth, swollen taste buds, greasy redness at the sides of the nose, depression, sore breasts, retention of fluid, irritability, anaemia.
Caution: some people have taken B6 in doses over 500 mg daily over a prolonged period for PMT. Resulting damage to the nervous system can cause: unsteadiness, numbness and clumsy movements of the hands.
Vitamin Bl2 (Cyanocobalamin)
Functions:
Health of red blood cells and the functioning of all cells and bone marrow; growth; essential for health of nervous system; necessary for the absorption of folic acid
Sources:   Animal foods, eggs
Causes of Deficiency:
Deficiency Signs and Symptoms:
Lack of substance in the stomach called the intrinsic factor, bowel disorders, strict diet
Sore mouth and tongue, dry scaly skin, bumpy rash on upper arm, tingling of hands and feet, depression, poor memory. Severe deficiency: pernicious anaemia – exhaustion, brain and spinal cord affected.
Biotin (formerly called vitamin H)
Functions:
Sources:
Causes of Deficiency:
Works with enzymes; essential for the utilization of EFA’s and carbohydrates; helps clean up after proteins have been used; suppresses the growth of the invasive form of Candida in the bowel
Liver, nuts, beans, egg yolks, cauliflower; made in healthy gut by bacteria
Dirty colon, disorders of the colon, stress, prolonged consumption of raw eggs (protein called avidin in eggwhite prevents absorption), antibiotics, sulphonamide drugs, genetic defect causing malabsorption
Deficiency Signs   Tiredness, sore lips and tongue, digestive and Symptoms:   problems, difficulty swallowing, scaly dermatitis, depression, hair loss.
*140\326\8*

The colon is the largest perpetrator of disease of any organ of the body. It is said to be the initiator of 80 per cent of all critical illnesses. Many people go around permanently constipated, and because they know no different, take headaches, lethargy and general depletion for granted. They simply do not remember what it is like to have a healthy colon and a feeling of well-being.
Constipation occurs when any waste material is retained by the colon. Instead of their natural smooth state, the walls of the colon become encrusted with this accumulated faecal matter which is similar to hard black rubber; it builds up year after year. Since the encrusted faeces form a barrier, the colon is unable to absorb or eliminate properly. The muscles cannot move to make the wave-like actions to move waste along. Toxins from fermentation, putrefaction and wastes from the blood stream which should normally be drawn through the colon and eliminated are reabsorbed by the body along with incompletely digested food. Remember if you suffer regular diarrhoea you are as constipated as the person who does not eliminate regularly. A loose stool can rush through and still leave the old residue on the walls of the bowel. Good health is as much a function of how we eliminate from our bodies as to as what we take in. Yet $50 million in annual laxative sales in the United States indicates that elimination is a problem for many people. At least five million people in the United Kingdom suffer from constipation, colitis, diverticulitis, and ileitis and 200,000 each year have a colostomy. Cancer of the colon is second only to heart disease as the most common cause of death in the United Kingdom. This need not be so.
*165\326\8*

Contributed by Paul Lambeth
Shiatsu is a Japanese word literally translated as ‘finger pressure’. It developed from traditional oriental massage practised in the home by the ‘barefoot doctors’ over 3,000 years ago, and today its evolution continues to adapt to our constantly changing lifestyles.
Shiatsu is based upon an understanding of the human body as a system of energy. Just as when we place a magnet below a piece of paper with iron filings on top we see a pattern expressing the magnetic energy field, so too there is order to the electromagnetic field of the human body. This energy circulates through our body in channels called meridians, activating and charging our internal organs and their functions.
The activities of modern life distort our pattern of energy and these channels become blocked and imbalanced, affecting us both physically and emotionally. During shiatsu hands and thumbs are applied with varying degrees of pressure and the body may be stretched or kneaded so that areas of tension are relaxed, and points of weakness revitalized. This stimulates and harmonizes the flow of our energy, and the body’s natural healing force is awakened to restore well-being. Relief can be gained from such symptoms are back pain, stress, asthma, stiffness, headaches, insomnia and so on.
Pressure on specific points not only releases hormones including natural pain-killers, but also improves the circulation of blood lymph and affects the nervous system. Receiving shiatsu is a special experience which is both relaxing and rejuvenating. How often you have shiatsu will depend upon your own personal needs and goals. Whether for instance you wish to maintain or regain your health, and upon your body’s individual self healing capacity.
*172\326\8*

Pulsatilla
Someone needing Pulsatilla may complain that their mouth feels dry, but they are not thirsty. This sensation may follow eating an overly fatty meal. The tongue may be coated with a thick white or yellow deposit, while there may be a stone-like sensation in the stomach. Accompanying nausea may be aggravated by warm liquids and relieved by cold drinks. There may be a bad taste in the mouth on waking, and the taste of food previously eaten may come up with burping – this may remain in the mouth for a long time. Pain of flatulence is made worse by the jarring of a misstep while walking. Generally may feel worse resting and better for a gentle motion. Although chilly, may desire fresh air.
Nux Vomica
Digestive disturbance following overindulgence in rich food, alcohol, or smoking. Disturbance may also be related to toxicity from overuse of drugs such as painkillers or laxatives, or lack of sleep from burning the candle at both ends. Flatulence is likely to be related to constipation, which may be habitual as a result of bad eating habits. Food lies in the stomach feeling like a heavy knot and may give rise to hiccups. Burps taste sour and are difficult to bring up. The person needing Nux Vomica may feel hungry but also averse to food at the same time. Colicky pain in the abdomen is relieved once a bowel movement has been achieved.
*158\326\8*