Posts Tagged Diabete

The Science Of Complementary Medicine

Recent Trends

Four out of ten Americans were using alternative-medicine and not telling their doctors(1). Chinese herbal medicine helped people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(2). A ketogenic diet decreased intractable seizures in children(3) But according to other researches, Echinacea extracts did not prevent upper respiratory infections(4) and chiropractic manipulations did not improve episodic-tension-type headaches.(5)

These researches may have had their own flaws. But according to another article published in British Journal of Medicine, double standards exist in judging traditional and alternative medicine.6 In a conference in integrated medicine in London, Dr. Iain Chalmers said, “critics of complementary medicine seemed to operate a double standard”. It is thought that 60% of orthodox treatments have not been scientifically proved.(6)

In 1999, a series of articles was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) under the title-ABC of Complementary Medicine. Catherine Zollman and Andrew Vickers authored these articles. In an article in this series published in BMJ of 11 September 1999, the authors defined Complementary Medicine as “ …a group of therapeutic diagnostic disciplines that exist largely outside the institutions where conventional health care is taught and provided. Complementary medicine is an increasing feature of healthcare practice, but considerable confusion remains about what exactly it is and what position the disciplines included under this term should hold in relation to conventional medicine”.(7)

According to another article published in BMJ of 25 September 1999, an UK survey of use of Complementary medicine estimated that in1993, 33% of the population had used some form of Complementary medicine. 55-65% of those who consulted complementary practitioners were female, a similar proportion to users of conventional healthcare. The other highlights of this survey were:

  • The highest users were those aged 35-60 years.
  • Children made up a relatively small proportion of users of complementary medicine.
  • Users of complementary medicine tended to be in higher socio-economic groups and had higher levels of education than users of conventional care.

More people used complementary medicine in the south of England than in Wales, Scotland and the north of England.But evidence suggested that this reflected access to availability of complementary practitioners rather than any fundamental regional differences in public attitude or interest.(8)
On acupuncture, the authors wrote: – “There is good research evidence that acupuncture has effects greater than placebo. Randomised trials have found that true acupuncture is more effective in relieving pain than ‘sham’ technique such as inserting needles away from true points.” “Studies showing that acupuncture can affect anaesthetised animals provides further evidence that its effects probably cannot be explained purely in psychological terms.”(9)

“The best known evidence about a herbal product concerns St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) for treating mild to moderate depression. A systematic review of 23 randomised controlled trials found the herb to be significantly superior to placebo and therapeutically equivalent to, but with fewer side-effects than antidepressants such as amitryptyline.” “Eighty seven adults and children refractory to conventional first and second line treatment were randomised to a crossover study that compared a preparation of about 10 Chinese herbs with a placebo consisting of herbs thought to be ineffective for eczema. Highly significant reductions in eczema scores were associated with active treatment but not with placebo. At long term follow-up, over half of the adults (12/21) and over 75% of children (18/23) who continued had a greater than 90% reduction in eczema scores”.(10)

Studies on Homeopathy

An evidence of the efficacy of homeopathic medications was published in BMJ.

The paper was authored by Morag A Taylor and associates. It concluded that homeopathic dilutions differ from placebo. This study was done on fifty patients suffering with perennial allergic rhinitis. The results showed significant nasal airflow improvement compared with the placebo group(11). An earlier paper authored by Andrew Vickers and Catherine Zollman in BMJ quoted an article in Lancet in favour of homoeopathy. The authors of this article in Lancet were quoted as: – “ the results of our meta-analysis are not compatible with the hypothesis that the clinical effects of homoeopathy are due to placebo.” “Laboratory studies have reported biological effects of homeopathy medicines on animals, plants and cells, some at ultramolecular dilutions.”(12)

Mind-Body Connection in Modern Medicine

On another note, there are many researches published in journals of modern medicine that corroborate mind-body connection. Role of emotional distress and the origin of cardiac illnesses are an accepted fact in modern medicine. In a recent research conducted by Dr. Ketterer and colleagues from Henry Ford Health Sciences Center in Detroit, it was recommended that “chest pain should be considered a marker of emotional distress.” “Reducing emotional distress may benefit the (healthcare) system as well as the patient by spontaneously decreasing emergency room visits, diagnostic tests and hospital admissions.”(13)

A study done in the Cancer Institute of New Jersey by Dr. Pandya and associates concluded that conventional mind-body therapy has been poorer with valuable non-invasive way to manage coronary disease. Yoga practice is valuable in coronary disease by improving resistance to stress.(14)

People with diabetes are twice as likely as non-diabetics to suffer from depression, according to an analysis of 25 years of data authored by Dr. Patrick J. Lustman of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Two of every three cases of depression in diabetes go untreated by primary care physicians”.(15) He recommends that both conditions need to be treated together.

In a study published in Digestive Diseases and Science authored by Dr. Svein Blomhoff of National Hospital, Oslo, it was demonstrated that there is a clear connection between mind and body. Emotional responses have an impact on intestinal reactivity in-patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and in normal controls.

“The close interaction among mind, brain and gut” indicates that “gut motility may be a dynamic indication of level of stress or emotional state.”(16)

Non-Physical Treatments

Psychotherapy is helpful for patients with intractable dyspepsia. One study was done by Dr. Elspeth Gutherei of the Manchester Royal Infirmary and was published in Gastroenterology in the year 2000.(17) In the same issue, Dr. David H. Alpers of Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, advised gastroenterologists to pay attention to psychological diagnostic and therapeutic tools and to learn to apply them to patients in functional bowel disorders.

Results from some controlled trials of “distant healing” show that such forms are positively effective. A study by Dr. John A Astin and associates at Kernon Hospital Mansion, in Baltimore Maryland, concluded this finding. 23 trials including five trials of prayer, 11 studies of non-contact therapeutic touch and seven trials of mental healing and spiritual healing were studied.(18)

Conclusion

There is ample evidence in modern medical literature that suggests that there are links between physical illnesses and emotional and mental distress. Research evidence shows that there is learning involved in “observation.” Every “scientific” discovery starts with “observation.” The observation is then followed by “scientific research.”

Complementary therapies are following the same pattern of knowledge as modern medicine has followed. Practitioners can make themselves more aware of the scientific basis of medicine by reading and researching on modern medicine. Complementary medicine will need to become more scientific sooner rather than later.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Causes of Depression and the Bad Side of a Possible Good

Let there be no doubt that depression is a serious mental illness that sometimes requires months and years of treatment on the road to a cure. Hippocrates referred to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile, along with blood, phlegm, and yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that described the basic medical physiology theory of that time. Depression, also referred to as clinical depression, has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and a modern sufferer of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents as influencing his development of depression.

Each year, millions of people come to the realization that they suffer from depression. To make things worse it is estimated that only a third of those who suffer the disease will ever seek treatment. Because depression is considered a mental affliction, many sufferers shy away from seeking help from a doctor. Instead of being considered mentally ill, people try to manage the problem themselves. Depression is more common- place than you might think and it will not go away on its own.

Depression has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. You may have no idea why depression has struck you.

Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical that carries signals in your brain and nerves. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.

Some of the more common factors involved in depression are:

* Family history. Genetics play an important part in depression. It can run in families for generations.

* Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.

* Pessimistic personality. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).

* Physical conditions. Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV can contribute to depression, partly because of the physical weakness and stress they bring on. Depression can make medical conditions worse, since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.

* Other psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often appear along with depression.

Why do people get depression? The answer can get very complicated because you have to take many factors into consideration. The list is quite long. Let’s list a few of the contributing factors to depression. A chemical imbalance is widely considered to be the main cause for depression. Why does this chemical problem in the brain happen? Typically the causes stem from biological, genetic, physical, mental and environmental implications. In many cases the underlying cause is never identified. Depression often follows diagnosis of other medical conditions, particularly those that result in imminent death or are chronic.

Scientists do not know why the hippocampus is smaller in those with depression. Some researchers have found that the stress hormone cortisol is produced in excess in depressed people. These investigators believe that cortisol has a toxic or poisonous effect on the hippocampus. Some experts theorize that depressed people are simply born with a smaller hippocampus and are therefore inclined to suffer from depression.

Another cause of depression can be the emotional pain felt after losing a loved one. In many cases the loss can be very traumatic. Long periods of emotional, sexual or other physical abuses can result in depression. When people abuse drugs and/or alcohol the result is often depression. People’s mental states are fragile. If exposed to the wrong pressures, depression can result. There can also be a genetic element to depression. Those afflicted have a family history of the disease . Oddly, many drugs including those that regulate depression or anxiety can cause depression. High blood pressure medication can result in depression.

One of the major causes of depression is stress. Stress can derive from many different areas in our life. It’s not well known, but it’s true, that stress can result from the pressures associated with positive events such as a new, high paying job. The unknown is often the root cause of this stress, whether it be positive or negative. Arguments with family members, disputes with business clients can both cause stress.

The causes of clinical depression are likely to be different for different people. Sometimes a depressive episode can appear to come out of nowhere at a time when everything seems to be going fine. Other times, depression may be directly related to a significant event in our lives such as losing a loved one, experiencing trauma, or battling a chronic illness.

Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function abnormally. In addition, important neurotransmitters-chemicals that brain cells use to communicate-appear to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred.

Scientists believe genetic factors play a role in some depressions. Researchers are hopeful, for instance, that they are closing in on genetic markers for susceptibility to manic-depressive disorder.

Depression in adolescence comes at a time of great personal change-when boys and girls are forming an identity distinct from their parents, grappling with gender issues and emerging sexuality, and making decisions for the first time in their lives. Depression in adolescence frequently co-occurs with other disorders such as anxiety, disruptive behavior, eating disorders or substance abuse. It can also lead to increased risk for suicide.

Teen depression cannot always be prevented, but there are some things that can help reduce the chances of an episode of depression in a teen who is at risk.

Teen Depression is presented for troubled teens or parents of teens. We offer information on teenage depression, issues, and other teen problems. Our articles were written to educate parents and teens about adolescent depression, the warning signs, and various treatment options available.

Some of the causes of depression in teenagers seem to be genetic, and those cannot be changed, but other triggers of teen depression can be avoided. Some of the risk factors for teen depression include:

* A family or personal history of depression
* A long-term illness or disability, whether physical or mental
* Experiencing a trauma or loss, including abuse, divorce of parents, death of a loved one, or a break-up
* Difficulties at home, at school, or with friends

If you know a teen who suffers from or is at risk for depression, you can help the teen by:

  • Talking and listening to him or her
  • Encouraging him or her to be involved in positive activities and to take good care of him or herself
  • Being fair when dealing with or disciplining the teen
  • Setting a good example by taking good care of yourself and getting help if you feel depressed or overwhelmed.

The majority of older adults with depression improve when they receive treatment with an antidepressant, psychotherapy, or a combination of both.18 Research has shown that medication alone and combination treatment are both effective in reducing the rate of depressive recurrences in older adults. Psychotherapy alone also can be effective in prolonging periods free of depression, especially for older adults with minor depression, and it is particularly useful for those who are unable or unwilling to take antidepressant medication.

Additional research data indicate that people suffering from depression have imbalances of neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another. Two transmitters implicated in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine. Scientists think a deficiency in serotonin may cause the sleep problems, irritability, and anxiety associated with depression. Likewise, a decreased amount of norepinephrine, which regulates alertness and arousal, may contribute to the fatigue and depressed mood of the illness. Other body chemicals also may be altered in depressed people. Among them is cortisol, a hormone that the body produces in response to stress, anger, or fear. In normal people the level of cortisol in the bloodstream peaks in the morning, then decreases as the day progresses. In depressed people, however, cortisol peaks earlier in the morning and does not level off or decrease in the afternoon or evening.

There is mounting evidence that depression takes a serious toll on physical health. The most recent studies exploring health and depression have looked at patients with stroke or coronary artery disease. Results have shown that people with depression who are recovering from strokes or heart attacks have a more difficult time making health care choices, following their doctor’s instructions, and coping with the challenges that their illness presents. Another study found that patients with depression also have a higher risk of death in the first few months after a heart attack.

Some people have a low threshold for stress. They’re affected by events and activities that to others seem to not be stressful. The good news is that very effective treatments are available to help those who are depressed. However, only about one-third of those who are depressed actually receive treatment. This is unfortunate since upwards of 80-90% of those who do seek treatment can feel better within just a few weeks. Many people do not seek treatment for depression for a variety of reasons. Some believe that depression is the result of a personal weakness or character flaw. This is simply not true. Like diabetes, heart disease, or any other medical condition, clinical depression is an illness that should be treated by a mental health professional or physician. Another reason why many people do not seek help for depression is that they simply do not recognize the signs or symptoms that something may be wrong.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Key to Optimal Health

Optimal health means more than the absence of pain, sickness and disease. As important as it is to be physical healthy it is equally important to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy as well. Optimal health, therefore, in context of what is being written here, is a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. Let us take a look at each of these aspects, beginning with physical health.

Physical Health

So much has been written about the subject of physical health in the categories of health and wellness, diet and weight loss, fitness and bodybuilding etc. In this article I will primarily deal with physical health in its internal aspect which includes building a healthy immune system, detoxifying the body, healthy and quick elimination, and nourishing the cells with proper nutrition. Aging itself can be slowed down by keeping the internal aspect of our physical health up to par. Wouldn’t you love to have a healthy, youthful, energetic, strong, lean body which is free of disease, sickness and pain well into adulthood beyond the age of 40? It all narrows down to what type of food we put into our bodies – either food filled with toxins and poisons, or healthy, living, vital food.

Mark and Patti Virkler, in their inspiring book “Eden’s Health Plan – Go Natural” write:

“Food is intended to furnish the body with all the live elements needed for the regeneration of its cells and tissues. If the body fails to be healthy, the lack or deficiency of regenerative elements in the food is the cause of, and the responsibility for, whatever ailment, sickness or disease overtakes it. Our bodies seek homeostasis, equilibrium, balance. This equals health. When given the right building blocks to work with, the body maintains itself in health.”

These building blocks can be found in whole, unbleached, organic grains, rice (wild rice, brown rice etc.), beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, various seeds and herbs etc. Large portions of these building blocks can be found in the “super-food” family in such foods as Spirulina and Barley Grass. (A super-food is extremely rich in a large variety of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and amino acids, and can be assimilated by our bodies very easily. Spirulina is a complete protein and is known to be very healthy.) Look in your local health food store for super green foods in powdered form. I personally sometimes use Garden of Life Perfect Food Super Green Formula.

Super-foods are known to:

  • Deter Aging
  • Massively Boost Your Immune System
  • Aid Weight Loss
  • Lower Your Cholesterol
  • Radically Improve Your Energy
  • Enhance Your Mental & Emotional Well-being
  • Boost Your Libido
  • Alkalize Your System
  • Protect against Toxins and Pollutants
  • Beautify Your Skin
  • Cleanse and Fortify Your Blood
  • Nourish and Revitalize your Systems

Fight and Protect against numerous diseases including Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, Arthritis, Cataracts, Osteoporosis, Acne, Obesity, High cholesterol, Age-Related Blindness…And Much More!

Again I quote Mark and Patti Virkler:

“By taking just a bit of a super-food (in capsule or powered drink form) as a supplement to your diet, you will find many wonderful things happen to your body. Essentially, the nourishment will give your body the needed resources to rebuild any broken or damaged parts and improve your body’s chances of returning to homeostasis. Testimonies of its power range from improved eyesight, to relief from back pain, to better scores in sports by world champion competitive athletes. Generally, one will experience feelings of increased energy and vitality; reduction and alleviation of stress, anxiety and depression; relief from the discomforting symptoms of fatigue, hypoglycemia, some allergies, poor digestion and sluggishness; and improved memory and mental clarity. People also experience elimination of mood swings, toxin elimination, better sleep, reduced cravings for food and sweets, lower blood pressure and many other health benefits. Then there are many specialized health problems which have disappeared as people’s bodies receive adequate nutrition through super-foods. Prostate problems have been normalized, as well as triglycerides, arthritis and diabetes, and many other severe and degenerative diseases. Basically, any and every disease will be fought off by your body, if it has the right tools to fight with. Super-foods give it the right tools. You just need to try it for thirty days and see what it may do for you. I recommend taking a product that includes several kinds of super foods, as they work together in a synergy that can have a profound effect on your health and vitality. If your body needs detoxifying first, you may experience a bit of a “tissue cleansing” during the first few days or weeks of taking the super-food as your body cleanses itself.”

Basically if we put the wrong food (and drink) into our body it weakens the immune system and opens the door for us to be susceptible to health problems of whatever sort (whether it be frequents colds and sicknesses, flues, aches and pains, sores and ulcers, weakness, sluggishness, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, cancer or psychological disorders such as malaise, apathy or memory problems etc., etc., etc.) Looking on the bright side a healthy immune system that is not swamped with toxins can fight off diseases successfully!

It is preferable to never be unhealthy to begin with and to eat nothing but healthy food from day one. Unfortunately it is not this way. Many have been conditioned to eat unhealthy, fattening, artery clogging foods from childhood to the grave. Many of us think it is a normal part of the aging process to start getting weaker, fatter, having more pain etc. after age 30 and onward. In many cases (definitely not all) premature aging and bodily weakening is the result of years of poor eating habits from childhood to adulthood. Due to many years of wrong eating habits it may be best to detoxify.

In the process of nourishing our cells with foods high in fiber such as vegetables, fruits, super-foods, and whole grains our body naturally detoxifies itself in the process, which in turn strengthens our immune system and slows, or in some cases, reverses the aging process. The key to optimal health as far as the physical aspect of our health goes, is to:

Eat plenty of Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, super-foods, herbs, being sure to get plenty of exercise, pure water and clean air, excreting waste from the intestines quickly (which is a byproduct of eating plenty of fruits, fiber and vegetables). There are also natural supplements you can take such as Vitamin C, vitamins and minerals, and various antioxidants unless you are getting plenty of these from your regular diet.

I left out other important factors which contribute to overall optimal health. They included, but are not limited to, being healed of emotional traumas, maintaining a calm mental attitude, living in a spirit of prayer, faith, hope and love towards others in general, and towards God, Spirit, Higher Power in particular.

Next, I hope to share a little about the three remaining categories of health – mental, emotional and spiritual.

Mental and Emotional Health

Mental and emotional health are so closely related it is hard to separate the two. Having a healthy mind is not limited to having a keen intellect and an excellent memory. Someone can excel at this level of mental health but still be an emotional wreck, not to mention being spiritually ignorant at the same time.

Negative mental attitudes or emotions can have a direct effect on our physical health even if we are eating healthy food. Emotional traumas, anger, rage, hate, stress etc., when persisted in day in and day out, weaken the immune system and manifest in ill physical health. A negative mind, over time, often erases all the good that healthy food does for us.

Some forms of sickness, disease, and illness, as well as bad habits like smoking, drinking, drugs etc., are often external symptoms of something deeper. They are effects of a deeper cause. And until that cause is addressed and healed the symptoms will keep coming back like fruit on a tree whether in the form of ill health, disease, anxiety, bad habits of one sort or another, or in the worse case scenario cancer. Luckily there are warning signs when all is not well within.

The subconscious part of our mind is the storehouse of our emotions and memories and it is here where we need healing as far as our mental and emotional life are concerned. Sometimes negative or uneasy dreams (some of which originate from the sub conscious) are manifestations of our own fears and internal wounds. Some dreams are also messages, clothed with images we can comprehend, from our highest level of mind – the super conscious level – warning us when we are making wrong decisions, or heading in a wrong direction. In those rare cases where we are susceptible to the healing energies of the super conscious level of mind we can experience internal healing quicker than we ever imagined. More about this in a minute when I get to the spiritual aspect of health.

Along with a healthy diet it is important to think positive thoughts and maintain a positive attitude, avoiding anger and bitterness towards others. But, thinking positive thoughts and making an effort to be happy, loving, and optimistic, are only part of what is involved when it comes to the healing of our emotional life. We can only go so far by exercising will power alone, as important as it is to use our own efforts when attempting to make a change in our emotional life for the better. All our ethical standards, our rules and regulations for leading an acceptable moral life, all our positive thinking formula are a means to an end, the end being the opening and revelation of the spiritual aspect or our mind – the super conscious level of mind. This brings me to the last category of health, the spiritual category.

Spiritual Health

I have written about this subject elsewhere and will be repeating some of the information here. Keep in mind when reading this that being spiritual is not to be confused with being religious. Someone who is religious can be operating from a physical, emotional, and mental level only, but be void as far as being spiritual goes. A pseudo religious life (not to be confused with a genuine religious life) that is lived in pride, elitism, self righteousness and egoism is completely opposite of spiritual life. In context of this article being spiritual means living your life from the level of your super conscious mind, and living a harmonious life naturally from that level. This is easier said than done because our pride and ego often get in the way and cause us untold pain and suffering. But by living in harmony with the super-conscious level of our mind, and accessing the spiritual grace and energy which flow through (from God and Spirit) that same level of mind, our mental and emotional health, as well as our physical health, all fall into place and are balanced.

All our moral, ethical, religious or merely human efforts at trying to be a more loving, positive, optimistic person are a feeble way of (often unconsciously) aligning, or attempting to align, ourselves with that ever present flow of energy, light, grace, and Spirit permeating throughout all creation.

This ever present, but often unperceived and untapped, spiritual energy upholding all creation is the source of a truly happy life even when we find ourselves in the midst of negative external circumstances. It is the ultimate key to optimal health. Some call this ever present energy cosmic consciousness, super-consciousness, Christ consciousness, God, Spirit, a Higher Power etc. Some people personalize it and clothe it with a human form and then worship the person it manifests through. Ancient writings say the heavens and earth were made by the word of God and by the breath of his mouth. This is a human way of trying to accommodate a spiritual truth to the limited understanding of the human brain, using analogies, parables, particular genders, and concepts that can be understood by the rational brain. This often results in misunderstandings and even war and bloodshed in the name of religion.

The naked truth is intuitively perceived by the higher aspect of human consciousness called super consciousness. And it is this level of consciousness (Christ consciousness) that wells up from within to “save,” change, deliver, and heal us when the thick layer of ego, all the emotional blockages, wounded memories, and wrong thinking, are thinned out enough by our own efforts at self improvement. This is the truth of the “Messiah” or Savior figure often mentioned in ancient writings. Eventually we have to let go of our own strivings and let God take over.

Or, we can continue to resist the inner pull and instead live an unnatural life with the end result of disharmony on all levels physical, mental and emotional. (This is the truth about the so called wrath of God. It has nothing to do God or Spirit being angry at us. But it has everything to do with us bringing suffering upon ourselves by choosing to go our own way, not heeding the whispers and impressions of the super conscious mind either within ourselves, or speaking through dreams, visions, other people, or even through writing, art, and so on.)

Once we tap into the spiritual flow of grace then a truly changed person is the result, from the inside out. Children are closer to this level of being than adults who have been conditioned and brainwashed throughout life via peer pressure, upbringing, culture and so on. Humility is key, not pride and ego. Attaining to the spiritual level of healing consciousness is the end of all religions.

Conclusion

When we are physically, emotionally and mentally healthy in the true sense of the word we are spiritually in tune with the highest level of our consciousness – the super consciousness – so that there is a steady flow of life and energy from that level of consciousness flowing into us as we allow it to flow through us cleansing and vivifying us. This even reaches to ones decisions on what to eat, motivating one to exercise and to joyfully do what is best for the body, to forgive others. By choice we finally willfully chose to move in a joyous harmony with the impressions, counsel, advice and wisdom forever emanating from the inherent harmony within the spiritual energy upholding all creation. The ego fears this and sees it as death to its pride and rebellion. This is the truth behind the often repeated idea of dying on the cross, worshipping God, obeying God etc. There is no true God who has an ego so inflated that he demands worship on pain of sickness and death if he is not worshipped. Instead, for our own sakes, the ever present holy Spirit encourages us (without interfering with our freedom of choice) to choose to move in the flow and harmony of the ever present spiritual energy upholding all creation so we can experience the true key to optimal health, and lasting harmony even after our brief stay in this world is over, and our temporal physical shell is dissolved into nothingness. The end result is a truly healthy and whole person.

The Buddha tapped into this source. Lao Tsu, in words and language accommodated to the understanding of people in his day and age, wrote about this in the Tao Te Ching. In the Christian religion Jesus was the personification of this spiritual grace, energy, Spirit, the eternal Tao, which many call God, or the Power and Word of God. The esoteric or mystical side of all religions emphasize this same point in so many different words. Some have experienced glimpses of this level of consciousness and try to share what they perceive through writing, some paint, some sing, and some dance etc. Everyone has their own unique way to bring that light and love to the world which they sense in the silence and stillness when the emotions, reasoning and physical body are calm and collected. Yoga and meditation in particular teach someone how to get in touch with the highest aspect of their being.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts