Thank you so much for your interest in reading Black Pine Holistic Healing’s health and wellness blog on self-awareness, acceptance and ease. To better improve your learning experience, I invite you to vote on your favorite subjects and/or let me know what you’d like to hear more about!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Thank you!
Melissa
No one person can effectively live in isolation. We all affect the water around us and the way of the current. So, how much of our swimming with or against the current is learned and how much of that inclination is nature?
They did a study with men and women wherein they were looking to see the correlation between the participants’ exposure to testosterone in the womb and their later ability to empathize (i.e. connect with others). (I’ve just scoured the internet seeing if I could find the clip, but alas, I cannot!) It was fascinating! They started by gathering men and women with varying levels of exposure to testosterone in the womb. An easy at-home trick to see your own level of exposure is to compare the length of your ring finger to that of your index finger on the same hand (see: photo). Keeping your wrist straight, if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, as shown here, you were exposed to more testosterone in the womb. Conversely, if your index finger is longer than your ring finger, you were exposed to more estrogen.
Checking the ratio of testosterone (red line) to estrogen (yellow line) exposure
Researchers then gathered these men and women with all varying levels of testosterone, and put them each with a crying baby. The individuals with more estrogen (both men and women), instinctively reached out for the baby to calm and care for it. Those with more testosterone did not. Oddly, the man with the greatest testosterone level of the group, however, also picked up and held the baby. When the researchers asked the man why, he explained he never naturally connected with people; and in fact, his inability to connect was so strong, he had to learn to mimic other people’s behavior in similar situations to get on.
Learning of this man’s challenge in life, I became aware of a powerful truth: It may not be in our nature to do something, to feel something, to know something, and so on; but, we can learn to do almost anything if we put our mind to it–even without understanding why we’re doing it at the time.
As for me, I certainly started out not an empathizer (did you guess that’s my hand?). I was a New Yorker, and an introvert. I took pride in it, too. I took the Myers-Briggs when I was in my early 20s and I thought that was good justification for my inability to care for people’s feelings, “Oh, well, I’m a Thinker; and it’s obvious you’re a Feeler. So, unless you want to talk solutions, I don’t really want to hear your feelings.” Yikes! And this general disinterest verging on distaste for other people spilled over into all areas of life; I was happiest avoiding my neighbors and enjoying a singleton’s life.
Gradually things changed. I moved to San Francisco, and found a roommate that shared my values. I started practicing Buddhism and found a community not comprised of a ‘group,’ but of individuals. I started to see that each person matters and has a unique and marvelous gift for this life; that there is no ‘better’ and no ‘worse’ among us.
I believe learning Reiki was a huge part of this process for me – to learn that we are all unique faces of this greater whole. This was further fleshed out by my learning that having needs doesn’t make us “needy.” (Thank you, NVC.) Eventually, my energy work practice brought me to my current understanding and relief that we are not competitors; we are creators. Pretty awesome and intense stuff!
So, maybe it’s in part nature and in part nurture; but regardless of how we’re born, or what we choose to do with our lives, we can’t forget the ways in which others color and change our perspectives. Just as much as our actions affect others; we are constantly in the stream of the gentle push from others. We decide whether we want to be pushed to greatness, or pushed to shame. Remember: You get to choose whom you keep in your life.
Connecting at Umpqua Bank’s Holistic Health Fair
In the meantime, I’d like to thank some folks that have recently entered mine: Candace, Alex and Shalena over at Umpqua Bank in Ballard. I had met with the Store Manager, Candace, a while back and really enjoyed hearing the ways she had been expanding the Ballard bank’s community offerings (among other things, you have her to thank for their fantastic rotating art gallery in the back!). And while representing my practice at their holistic health fair last weekend, I got to witness firsthand their successful efforts to raise awareness about local resources available to folks! Thank you for all your hard work in making the health fair such a success!
Community is certainly the theme at Umpqua, what with their unique ‘word salad’ on their windows (yes, I had no idea what that was, either) describing the local community’s vibe, their paid 40-hours of volunteering for employees, a rotating spotlight on local merchants, to even their hosting group sessions for small businesses looking to learn tips from experts in different fields. (The list goes on….) If you happen to be in Ballard (or in any other of their many Seattle locations), I encourage you to stop on in and check out their interactive ‘Discover’ wall; perhaps you’ll be surprised what you find!
Thinking of your connection to those around you, what’s one way you might leave the world a better place for having lived in it?
In energy work, there’s a theory that every individual is a unique ‘face’ of the Whole. It’s a lot like being a piece of the hologram, or living the Blanket Truth (for those of you who love movies as much as I do). It’s not an uncommon theory; you can find parallels in fields ranging from physics to Buddhism. From this perspective, you’re considered already fundamentally healed, as you are considered fundamentally whole. But healing, in the moment, might look like the uncovering of this truth, the knowing of this truth. For a lot of people, this begs the question, “If we’re whole and already perfect, why wouldn’t we know we are whole and already perfect? Isn’t that an oxymoron?”
Yes, and no. How do we know anything in this life? If you took away your senses – if you couldn’t touch, see, hear, taste, or smell – what would you know about the world and its ways, its inhabitants? Not much at all! I might dare say all our thoughts are built from what we have experienced; they are the composite reaction/response to our conditioning. We think about what we like, dislike, want to do, want to avoid, choose to define and to communicate. But if we had no sense of an other, or of our receiving or of an other’s receiving, all these thoughts would be void. Pretty intense and awesome stuff!
We need a certain degree of objectivity – both for ourselves and as a gift for others to allow each to know the world and one’s self through our reactions and responses to this world experience. (I really like how Walsch describes this process.) The only way we can arrive at this very crucial step in the process is to (partially) split from the whole. Hence, we become as individuals a piece of the hologram, a finger under the blanket, a born seeming-separate self. So, yes – it does seem an oxymoron to be perfect and to not readily know it; but it makes sense if you had to step out of being to step into reflexive seeing, that it would take some mind-wrapping-around-the-weirdness to realize, “Oh, yes! I am unique, and I am the same as everything else I see, I know, I hear, I taste, I feel, I smell.” This is the healing – it’s the perhaps slow at times but methodical learning that we can be and are both.
I call this, “unpacking.” We have the opportunity in this life to unpack all the false beliefs we adopted over time about who we ‘really’ are, based on what we’ve experienced. And it’s not just (a) assumptions and interpretations that comprise ‘who we are’ based on how we’ve performed and been with ourselves and others (i.e. “No one praised my…; so, clearly, I am not good enough to deserve…), but (b) a slow fixing of who we are in what we believe we’re capable of, based on where we’ve been and what we’ve done (i.e. “Over and over again I am not praised for my…; I’ll never deserve…”). It’s a subtle difference – but I’m talking about (a) knowing you deserve the very best in life, and (b) being willing to accept something ever greater than you had ever imagined for yourself.
How to unpack, then? With help, with greater objectivity. With patience. With kindness. With diligent mindfulness. It’s for this reason, I often think about the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I think, “Yea, it also takes a village to unpack that grown child’s baggage.” (Ha!!!) Seriously, though, it does! That’s what I love about holistic health – there are so many different angles from which we can approach the body-mind-spirit. Even within bodywork alone, there are seriously countless varied modalities. The more we can learn about what help is available, and how best to support ourselves, the more we’re able to bring that greater objectivity to our life, and to invite even greater possibility into our vision of how we see our life able to unfold. This is the juice! This is the good stuff!
Not sure where to begin learning about holistic health care practices? Come join us tomorrow, 04/20/13, at Ballard’s Umqua Bank for a Holistic Health Fair from 11a-2p, featuring educational pieces, discounts and demos from local Ballard practitioners:
I look forward to exchanging ideas with you and to answering any of your questions you might have about how Reiki energy work might support you in your process of unpacking, and in knowing your true Self!
How do you teach the experience of Cosmic Consciousness through the human senses? This has been the question on my mind as I prepare to teach Reiki again this Winter. In teaching, I find it’s important to stay open to further developing and re-developing material– to keep asking the questions, “Why?”, “How?” And Reiki is such a big topic! There are so many whys and so many hows: Why does it work? How does it work? How do I know it works? Why do I need to know how it works?”, etc.
It’s been almost 10 years that I have been practicing Reiki; and it’s wonderful to see that my perspective on the work has evolved over time. This shows me I continue to learn, continue to question. Lately, I’ve been seeing the practice of Reiki more like a relationship, for example, that between a spider and its web:
Yes, there is this ‘thing,’ this amorphous entity, called Reiki. Through an insight experience, Mikao Usui in the early 20th C. became aware of this “Reiki” (i.e. “spiritual energy”), and found he could channel it through his body and out his hands; and that by channeling this energy, he was able to heal people. He also found he could pass on this knowing, this ability to access Reiki, through empowerments or what are now called attunements. Through raising the awareness and energetic vibration of those willing and intending to channel Reiki, Mikao Usui started a lineage of practitioners. This we can imagine is the spider: A lineage and the embodiment of Reiki practice. But what is a spider without its web?
A web stabilizes and supports a spider; a web is how the spider gets its nourishment. A web is also unique to the spider that builds it, and the time and place in which it is built. What’s more, I recently learned that a spider’s web actually grows stronger when its threads are broken. What does this say for us, Reiki practitioners, the spiders of this web?
To me, it says our life context is important–really important–for how we move in this world and how we find nourishment in this lifetime. It says to me that equally important to teaching the logistical practice of Reiki, is teaching perspective; we have to examine how the practice is supported (or not supported) by how we view the world and our place in it. With so much fear fueling people’s decisions, it is more important than ever to teach and uncover a love-based paradigm– a world in which everyone’s needs can be met, with skilful strategy. I feel super excited to share this perspective with folks and see just how far they can fly with it!
“How do we teach the experience of Cosmic Consciousness through the human senses?” I think we look at the spider, but we remember the web. Perhaps we mindfully break those threads we built out of fear, anger, and ignorance–knowing that, sometimes, breaking down builds us up. Perhaps most importantly, we sit back and enjoy feeling supported in our every movement, knowing that our mindful efforts are rewarded in profound nourishment!
Want to join us? Classes run January through March at the Seattle Buddhist Center and the Seattle Center for Structural Medicine. Registration deadline is 12/15/12. I look forward to seeing you there!
As early as age 14 I was diagnosed with a ligament tear in my knee, and soft cartilage in both knees. Fast forward a few decades and the musculoskeletal issues continued–with ankle sprains, cervical subluxation, kneecap subluxation, and so on. Over the years I saw everyone from orthopedists and physiatrists, to acupuncturists/herbalists, massage therapists, energy workers, chiropractors, a postural therapist, and a podiatrist. So you can imagine my *genuine* surprise when I recently learned about something called Morton’s Syndrome (also known as Morton’s Foot), and realized I had never heard of it.
Let’s take a look:
You’ll see I’ve drawn a line on these sample x-rays to point to the lengths of what are called the first and second metatarsals (the long bones shown here in the middle of the foot). Morton’s Foot is when the second metatarsal is longer than the first (yes, it’s slightly more complicated than that, but this is the gist.) So, if you take a peep at the image to the left, you’ll see that second bone noticeably pops up over the line; whereas on the right image here, it doesn’t so much. Commonly, but not necessarily, an individual with Morton’s Foot will have a longer second toe than their big toe (as seen in the top image of this post).
Luckily for us, you don’t need an x-ray to see the heads of these long bones! To check your own feet, simply curl your toes downward; for most people this will be enough to allow the heads of the metatarsals to be seen clearly. If you need an extra push, just push from the underside of your feet (just under the second toe) while your toes are curled downward. Which one is longer, your first or your second?
At first, this may not seem like such big news. After all, you can’t even find proper stats on this phenomenon– sources will vary in saying anywhere from 10% to 20% to 25% of the general population share this structural anomaly. But, remember the story of the Princess and the Pea? The body can’t rest until everything is juuuuuuust right. Ideally, and I suppose technically “normally,” our weight is evenly distributed between the heads of the first and fifth metatarsals (this is the end of the bone by the line), and the heel. This creates a ‘tripod’ effect in the foot. But for us Morton’s Foot folks, our second metatarsal bone comes down first, because of its length. (Pea!!) The body then does some circus tricks and comes up with a brand new idea – a twist here, a turn here and voila! The body can put the weight back where it’s supposed to be, on the first and fifth metatarsals. So, picture an ankle that folds down and in (i.e. pronates), and a foot that points out like a duck– a position that forces the big toe’s long bone to come down first. I picture the body like Jenga here, that as we futz with the base, twisting our supports, everything above starts to lose it… slowly, but surely!
From the toes up, you can see the repercussions of our body’s circus act in twisted ankles, knees, hips, back and neck. Morton’s Foot could be the culprit in even fibromyalgia and chronic headaches. The truth is, strong power can come in small packages– and Chinese medicine is totally awesome at treating pain with its tiny needles and many herbs; and in this case, tiny pads that go in your shoes are equally recommended! The cheapest option can be to place pads under the balls of your big toe, affixed to an flat insole in the shoe (and slippers); this rightly makes the first metatarsal the first place of impact. Right now, I’ve just got those round felt pads that go under furniture legs in my shoes to see how it goes. So far – I really notice a difference in my gait and resting posture. (I’m quite excited, actually!!) My next step is to try out these fancy insoles that even accomodate for low and high arches.
How about you? Did you know about this already? (What did you do about it? Did it work?)
Lately I’ve been finding myself more curious about the band posters posted in my neighborhood. Mostly they feature someone or a band of people somewhat sneering at the camera, Ke$ha style. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about it, except I just started seeing it everywhere– badasses on telephone polls, badasses in clothing store windows, wherever– just anywhere someone wanted something to look cool. And it just hit me, this is what we’re all trying to emulate? Is it actually uncool to be seen smiling?
I’m reminded of a patient I had once, who I encouraged during a Reiki treatment to smile at her gallbladder. (It’s really not an uncommon phenomenon in qi gong practice.) She scoffed. What was more amazing is when I consulted with a colleague, she misunderstood me and thought the patient suggested smiling to her own gallbladder– to which my colleague laughed. I hadn’t realized that taking the time to see what’s inside us with kindness was laughable to most people. And not even the kind of laugh that brings a genuine smile to one’s face!
Ekman and Friesen conducted research in the 1980’s that was able to show the marked differentiation between “enjoyment [or felt] smiles” and “false [or masking] smiles.” They found the muscles around the eyes, in particular the zygomatic and orbicularis oculi muscles, would only contract during smiles spontaneously occurring with positive emotion. Our eyes can’t fake it! (Think you’re good at spotting the truth? Check out some photos….) What’s more fascinating, is Kleinke, Peterson, and Rutledge found in the late 1990’s that for self-aware folks, mimicking another individual’s positive or negative facial expressions directly resulted in their feeling positive and negative emotions. In other words, just trying on an authentic smile (remember to engage those crow’s feet!) is enough to evoke positive emotion. They also found this sense of positive affect was further increased when participants saw themselves in a mirror. This underscores for me that not only is something happening physically that is affecting the emotional body, but that seeing truly is believing. When we see that something is possible, that, for example, we can be happy, we are that much more open to being happy. And what’s super cool? Our happiness has been shown to reach almost three degrees of separation— causing those around us to feel happier, too. (I love the author’s note, page 8, that likens the reach of happiness to that of obesity and smoking behavior.)
So, let’s just step back for a minute – and think, if our emotions can be affected by the faces we see every day (think: mirror neurons); and we’re constantly looking at pictures and billboards and posters of scowling people; and the mood we’re trying on can affect three degrees of separation… WHOA! This is more serious than I thought! You could almost say there’s a contagion out there that is plaguing people with hardness. That just to face the world, we have to process an array of emotion. And more than ever, it’s important to prioritize kindess; to prioritize a kind smile towards yourself and others. The deeper that smile, the more we encourage those around us to try on deeper and deeper depths of happiness. So, smile at your gallbladder. Smile at your pinky toe. Smile at your inner organs and top layers. Anything and everything that deserves feeling good, feeling appreciated, feeling loved. Your shared happiness may be the cheapest and most meaningful investment you make in yourself and in those around you!
Need more encouragement? Let martial artist Gene Dreyer show you how to be a real badass!
Adrenal fatigue. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had people come in over the last few months complaining of adrenal fatigue. And yet, according to Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit medical education and research organization, the condition isn’t even an “accepted” medical diagnosis. I am sure my Naturopath colleagues would have something radically different to say on the subject; but as for us Chinese medicine practitioners, we certainly understand what it means to feel bone-tired.
For everything that we do there is a give-and-take. There’s no exception here! You can’t cheat needing to give and you can’t cheat needing to get. It is just as healthy and universal a need to receive support as it is for us to contribute, and be recognized for our unique contribution. But how often do we find ourselves trying not to be ‘needy’? Trying to show we can do more with less? Trying to show we are more capable than the next guy because we can cut more corners? Our society demands almost nothing less.
We’ve started to notice a trend in our children – an inability to stay present and focused with a single task at a time. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found that in just 4 years parent-reported cases [of ever having] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children ages 3-17 increased by almost 22%. (Yowza!) Increased awareness of the issue has brought learning aid to millions of children. But what about adults?
On the job, adults are managing more information than ever. The landline rings, a colleague stops in to get an answer, the smartphone buzzes you have a new text, the computer pops up a reminder that you have a meeting; you need to get on Skype in 10 minutes to have a meeting with Japan. And forget business owners – who on top of doing their job have to then talk about doing their job on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. One thing leads to another, and Bam! About 75% of the US adult population find themselves working over 40 hours/week (2006). And guess what else? We also start to see Attention Deficit Trait in adults. More and more people are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
In Chinese medicine, we talk about two sources of energy in the body – one is like the gas we add to a vehicle, the other like the vehicle’s battery. Our fuel is our sleep, our food, our friendships, our alone time. Our battery is our deepest resource – our fuel to be alive. Feeling bone-tired is deeper than having too much to do. It’s about not knowing when to rest (i.e. not enough fuel); and when we don’t rest we can start to lose touch with our drive for life– a sign that we’ve fully depleted our fuel and are actually starting to drain our body’s most precious battery.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are great tools to help your body get back on track; and knowing when to ask for help is integral to the healing process. So is listening to your body’s queues: Does your stomach feel tight? Have you been experiencing more headaches? Has your heart been racing? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep? Remember, sometimes actually doing less will help you accomplish more.
Interested to read more? I love this article on how long you’ll truly be productive at work (note to self: that’s only 6 hours/day for thinkers). In fact, they’ve shown folks who consistently sleep less than 6 hours/night have shown cognitive impairment equivalent to not having slept at all for two nights.
Go team!!
Adrenal fatigue. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had people come in over the last few months complaining of adrenal fatigue. And yet, according to Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit medical education and research organization, the condition isn’t even an “accepted” medical diagnosis. I am sure my Naturopath colleagues would have something radically different to say on the subject; but as for us Chinese medicine practitioners, we certainly understand what it means to feel bone-tired.
For everything that we do there is a give-and-take. There’s no exception here! You can’t cheat needing to give and you can’t cheat needing to get. It is just as healthy and universal a need to receive support as it is for us to contribute, and be recognized for our unique contribution. But how often do we find ourselves trying not to be ‘needy’? Trying to show we can do more with less? Trying to show we are more capable than the next guy because we can cut more corners? Our society demands almost nothing less.
We’ve started to notice a trend in our children – an inability to stay present and focused with a single task at a time. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found that in just 4 years parent-reported cases [of ever having] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children ages 3-17 increased by almost 22%. (Yowza!) Increased awareness of the issue has brought learning aid to millions of children. But what about adults?
On the job, adults are managing more information than ever. The landline rings, a colleague stops in to get an answer, the smartphone buzzes you have a new text, the computer pops up a reminder that you have a meeting; you need to get on Skype in 10 minutes to have a meeting with Japan. And forget business owners – who on top of doing their job have to then talk about doing their job on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. One thing leads to another, and Bam! About 75% of the US adult population find themselves working over 40 hours/week (2006). And guess what else? We also start to see Attention Deficit Trait in adults. More and more people are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
In Chinese medicine, we talk about two sources of energy in the body – one is like the gas we add to a vehicle, the other like the vehicle’s battery. Our fuel is our sleep, our food, our friendships, our alone time. Our battery is our deepest resource – our fuel to be alive. Feeling bone-tired is deeper than having too much to do. It’s about not knowing when to rest (i.e. not enough fuel); and when we don’t rest we can start to lose touch with our drive for life– a sign that we’ve fully depleted our fuel and are actually starting to drain our body’s most precious battery.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are great tools to help your body get back on track; and knowing when to ask for help is integral to the healing process. So is listening to your body’s queues: Does your stomach feel tight? Have you been experiencing more headaches? Has your heart been racing? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep? Remember, sometimes actually doing less will help you accomplish more.
Interested to read more? I love this article on how long you’ll truly be productive at work (note to self: that’s only 6 hours/day for thinkers). In fact, they’ve shown folks who consistently sleep less than 6 hours/night have shown cognitive impairment equivalent to not having slept at all for two nights.
Go team!!
It’s Spring, and detox is on the air! In Chinese medicine we associate this season with the Liver; and now is a natural time for purging (who hasn’t heard the expression, “spring cleaning”?). I have had quite a few people come in recently asking, “What can I do to shed pounds?” Often it’s something prompted by Dr. Oz. One week it’s, “Do you have raspberry ketones?” Next week it’s, “Do you have green coffee bean extract?” But, I’m pretty sure in all the time my clients and customers have asked me about their weight concerns, I’ve never had someone come in and ask, “Why do I weigh more than I’d like to? Am I healthy? What can I eat that would be most healthy for my current situation and constitution?”
And weight fluctuates! Not just on our bodies– but in our perception of what is healthy. In the 1600s these lush, Rubenesque women clearly depicted the rich life both literally and figuratively. Now, society feasts on photos of rail-thin models. (Scroll through a visual history.) Math and science tell us health can be more or less calculated using the Body Adiposity Index (BAI), Body Mass Index (BMI), and/or waist-to-hip ratio. But people prove that numbers aren’t everything!
A friend of mine, Elaine Howley, is an incredible swimmer recognized by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Among her many amazing feats, she’s completed the “triple crown” by swimming around the island of Manhattan (28.5 miles); Catalina Island to the California mainland (21 miles); and the English Channel (21 miles). Now, that’s not 28.5 miles with a tea break, or a stop to watch your favorite show – that’s 28.5 miles treading water without stopping. (Do you remember ever having to tread water to pass a swim test? Yea, that’s usually only 10-15 minutes. Now, imagine struggling through that and having the lifeguard tell you have to do it 51 more times in a row, no stopping. That’s the kind of athlete we’re talking about here.) What else is notable about this incredible woman? To the average person, she’d be considered unhealthily overweight. She calls her round belly her “beer baby,” as preparing for these long swims in 45 degree water often means tanking up on beer and ice cream. Not that I’m suggesting beer and ice cream are healthy, but I am suggesting there’s more to life than the obvious. Read up on the differences between brown and white fat, the former can actually burn the latter.
So what do I tell patients? I often recommend to them a book, TCM: A Natural Guide to Weight Loss that Lasts by Dr. Nan Lu. (Side note: I recently saw Dr. Nan Lu in the movie, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Not sure what that means for his future in medicine, but I can say the book is still a great read for folks interested in learning about diet and exercise. I was super surprised by his cameo, nonetheless.) I recommend asking, “What am I holding on to?” “What am I afraid to let go?” “What am I afraid to let closer?”Look at the basics – are you burning more calories than you’re eating? If not, why? Do you need to exercise more or does your body’s function need improvement? What are you eating and how is it affecting your body-mind-spirit? Why do you eat–for nourishment, to satiate hunger or for reward? We need to shift from what we don’t want to what we do want; we have to reclaim diet from “dieting.” By working to see this bigger picture, we create longer-lasting change and can foster genuine interest in one’s own wellbeing. This is healthy!
Love what’s working; work to find love in your motivations. Can’t stand exercise? Start with a walk or the stairs. Can’t stand feeling alone? Join a group. Want guidance? Come on in!
In all our experience, there is what we see and what we don’t see; what we know, and what we don’t know. And how often do we let what we know be directly informed by what we see? Even in language what is actually said is worth less in communication than looks and tone. Most everyone has probably had opportunity to feel sarcasm and judgment in simple language. (I absolutely love a bit by Eddie Izzard talking about just this – the 70% is how you look, 20% how you sound and 10% what you say.)
So, with the body – there is what we see, which we call a human; but if you looked at what comprised that “human,” you would see we harbor 100 trillion microbes and that, in fact, 9 out of 10 “human” cells don’t even contain the human genome. In the gut alone there are 5600 known unique strains of bacteria just hanging out and loving life. Well, until you flush them down the drain, of course…
Antibiotics can do a serious number on our good bacteria – washing it out with the bad. We often see symptoms of diarrhea and electrolyte imbalance here. I get a lot of questions about how to replenish what gets lost and whether yogurt is a good idea. I am immediately reminded of when I had strep as a kid. It was so painful, and I felt like I could hardly eat anything. At the time, I don’t think anyone in my family had even heard of probiotics, but we definitely knew about yogurt. And I’ll say – sure, it felt great to have something easy to swallow and cool to the throat – but boy, not 2 minutes later came the awful feeling that I wasn’t sure I was able to breathe… oh, mucus! Truth is, yogurt is pretty low in probiotics, and while it may not actual increase mucus in the body, it may increase the viscosity of mucus. And anyone who’s felt the heavy hand of mucus on their breathing can tell you – increasing its thickness is not ideal!
Probiotics, on the other hand, offer the best of both worlds – ranging in number from 1 billion to over 100 billion cells per serving; and quite a few companies are now sourcing dairy-free options. While someone on antibiotics might take somewhere around 24 billion or more cells per day, folks with skin disorders, stress imbalance and low immune health may also benefit from taking these little critters.
In 2011 they did a study on Lactobacillus rhamnosus in mice and found that the strain was able to actually reduce stress-induced corticosterone and subsequently modulate behaviours associated with anxiety and depression. In fact, 95% of the body’s serotonin is in the gut. Want to feel groovy? Think bowels! Want your kids to stay in school? Think bowels!
In 2009 they showed kids who supplemented with probiotics for 6 months had fewer sick days and missed less days due to illness than their peers. And kids have the upper hand in disease prevention – if you want to prevent eczema or allergy, you know it… consider probiotics!
So if we are in part what we “aren’t,” consider where our lives might overlap with the lives of others. What do we share in common? How can we treat the lives of others–humans, animals, or other–with the same “humanity” each deserves? Be kind, and always consider that in any situation, there may be more there than meets the eye!
Black Pine Holistic Healing 