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Not so sweet news ladies!

17 Nov
Posted by The Soulful Doctor

This article  says that women who drink 2 or more sugary drinks per day, even if they are at normal weight, are at increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. It is commenting on a recent abstract presented at the American Heart Association's conference by Christina Shay et al. 

Drinking sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and abnormal lipid or fat levels in the blood. The researchers undertook a study to quanitfy the associations between drinking SSBs and heart disease in a multi-ethnic study.

They studied over 4000 multi-ethnic adults between 45-84 years, who did not have heart disease at baseline, over 5 years and used food frequency questionaires and risk factors for heart disease like waist circumference, weight gain, impaired fasting glucose, type 2 Diabetes and levels of lipids in the blood.

They found that for women consuming 2+ SSBs per day this was significantly associated with increased waist circumference, high fat levels in the blood and impaired fasting glucose level. They comment that because women have lower energy requirements to men, they experience higher cardiovascular risk when a greater proportion of their calories is consumed as SSBs. 

From an esoteric perspective however, it is important to understand not just that certain foods are harming for the body but what it is that makes us consume these foods in the first place. It is not just a case of stopping drinking the sugary drinks but coming to an understanding of why we were seeking the excess sugar in the first place. Some might say they just like the taste of sweet food or drinks but there is much more to it than that. 

We are all energetic beings and how we live over the course of a day affects our energy levels depending on our choices. If we are rushing around not taking care of ourselves, not speaking our truth, giving our power away to others, doing things just to please others yet feeling resentful inside, living according to others expectations rather than what we truly feel, looking after others and ignoring our own requirements, becoming emotional - frustrated, angry, irritated  and much much more besides - all of these drain us and deplete us energetically - thus it is not surprising we end up seeking sugar!!

We seek sugar in some form or other to give us a boost, to keep us going a bit longer. For some this might be chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps, alcohol, sugary drinks or even apparently healthy food like very sweet fruits like mango. So to truly heal, it is important to not just stop drinking the surgary drinks or eating the sweet food but to develop a way of living and being that does not deplete us in the first place. Where we remain true to ourselves, speak our truth, honour what we are feeling in the body and develop a way of living that is self-caring, nourishing and nurturing. 

This might seem like too big a task to undertake but I was someone who consumed all sorts of sweet foods and drinks when I lived in total ignorance to the fact that we are energetic beings and the factors that influenced my choices. Over the last 4 years I have taken steps to address my reasons for needing excess sugar such that I no longer eat chocolate or consume cakes or sweetened drinks etc Also I can now recognise that if I am seeking sugar I know I have not been truly with myself that day and have perhaps taken on too much at work or allowed other things to impact me and can address the root cause of it. Thankfully as I develop a more consistent way of living and being those times are becoming less frequent. If I can do it - anybody can - just take it one step at a time.  What is inside you is already amazingly sweet and glorious - no need to add anymore!

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12 Feb

A Needle too Far....

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

I recently sustained a 'sharps' or needlestick injury whilst operating. This is not unusual in the field of surgery and is under-reported and under-estimated. One study reported that the rate of sharps injury per surgeon per operation was 23% and another found that 44% of those surveyed had sustained a sharps injury. In the latter study, only 9% followed the locally agreed policy, with 70% performing first aid measures and 21% ignoring the incident and continuing. 

In the recent case, I followed the locally agreed policy which requires form filling and blood sampling of the patient for viral screening with the patient's consent and also blood from myself.  However, I have not always folllowed this practice and have on different occasions behaved like the surgeons in the above study - either performing my own first aid measures or ignoring it all together.  The latter can be associated with a certain surgical bravado and dismissive attitude to any attendant risks. It was not unusual for me during my training to see other surgeons do likewise. 

The main concern for needlestick or sharps injuries is the risk of blood-borne viral (BBV) transmission for viruses like HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. The risk of BBV transmission is higher for hollow bore needles but in principle can occur with any needle or sharp injury that allows any exposure to blood. The risk of BBV transmission via sharps injury to a healthcare worker from an infected patient is quoted at 1 in 3 for those infected with Hepatitis B and e antigen positive, 1 in 30 when infected with Hepatitis C and 1 in 300 for those infected with HIV. There are reports of documented transmission between patients and healthcare workers, although the overall risks are low ( 0.3% HIV and 3% Hep C). The immunisation of Healthcare workers for Hepatitis B has effectively reduced the risk for this group to contract Hep B. 

It is not just sufficent to rely on the patient's own history and knowledge of whether they do or do not have one of these infections but blood testing must be performed. For example it is possible for people to be infected with Hepatitis C and not be aware that they have the infection and many are oblivious to the fact until it presents with end-stage liver disease. The incidence is rising and it has been called a viral time-bomb, thus potentially increasing the risk to healthcare workers or anyone where there is the risk of blood borne transmission.   

Thus whilst the overall risk is low, it is not zero and thus adherence to good practices, techniques and policies is required in order to reduce the risk for any one individual. One of the main sources of transmission of Hep C has been needle-sharing in the drug-using community. Even within these communities there is growing awareness around the risk of needle sharing and measures being taken to reduce this.  Of course within the medical profession and surgical community it would be unthinkable to re-use needles, sharps or scalpels that had already been used on another patient. However, there have been reports of Hep B transmission and possibly HIV due to repeated needle use in acupuncture where the needles were not properly sterilised between patients. In addition, there have been reports of bacterial infection in acupuncture patients due to the re-using of incompletely sterilised needles.  

Once any needle is removed from its sterile packaging and handled by a doctor or practitioner and inserted into an individual it is no longer sterile. The needle will be colonised by bacterial flora from the skin of the practitioner holding the needle and also the skin of the person on whom the needle is inserted. So if that needle is re-used without complete sterilisation procedures there is the risk of bacterial infection as well as BBV transmission. These bacterial infections are usually localised and minor but can be more serious.

From an esoteric perspective, the manifestation of illness and disease comes back to the individual and the development of individual responsibility. In addition, illness and disease are seen as the body's way of clearing that which is energetcially harming to it. This may mean not ingesting certain foods or substances that are toxic to the body and likewise means not taking undue risks with behaviour that is dismissive or disregarding of the known risks eg. permitting use of unsterile needles.  

As I have become more self-caring, it makes sense to adhere to the local policy for sharps injuries as well as adhering to good practices to prevent such injuries and to drop the disregard and self-dismissive attitude I had before. For me, it is consistent with energetic integrity and responsibility to adhere to such practices - even if at times it seems like over-kill.

Esoteric chakrapuncture is a healing modality that also uses fine needles with minimal skin penetration. Even though the risks of BBV transmission are most likely to be even lower with this technique than with surgery or standard acupuncture the same principles apply. Having recently undertaken a course in esoteric chakrapuncture it  was clearly presented that the disposable needles used are only for use on one person. To do otherwise would go against both true energetic integrity and responsiblity and standard medical practice. It could even be argued that it is part of one's own personal responsbility to ensure that all needles inserted are fresh sterile needles thus not permitting the disregarding practice of repeated needle use that has been reported in the above acupuncture studies.

Some have suggested that in order to reduce the risk of BBV transmission we should treat every needle as if it has come from a patient with a viral infection, with strict adherence to the 'one needle for one patient' rule. With the increasing incidence of patients with Hepatitis C. who may not even know they have the disease. this would be wise practice. 

 

05 Feb

Sugar, sugar - more toxic than alcohol?

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

This article reports on research published in Nature by Dr Robert Lustig and colleagues on the toxic effects of sugar. They are claiming that added sugar in the diet is more toxic to us than alcohol and that it has a bigger impact on public health than either tobacco or alcohol. They are calling for regulation and a ban on sugary foods in schools claiming that it leads to fatty liver, insulin resistance and is the underlying factor leading to obesity and diabetes and is a slow killer.

The article also points out that there are those who disagree with these views and claim that sugar is not the problem and is not as toxic as alcohol. There is no doubt however, that man's consumption of sugar has dramatically increased since the days it was limited to natural sources in fruit and honey. Over the same time period the rates of obesity have also dramatically increased along with the development of processed foods. Indeed according to WHO there are now more obese people than those undernourished!! 

There is also growing awareness around the harm of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)  or cane sugar in particular and it is found in many soft drinks, cereals and processed foods. This study in rats showed that they all became fat and developed fatty liver with HFCS, much moreso than those given sucrose or fat diet. One of the dangers with HFCS is that it is empty calories - so no matter how much of it we have, it doesn't make us feel full unlike protein/fat/carb diet. 

In addition this article discusses whether salt or sugar is worse for one's health and concludes that both are harming. They point out that prior to 200 years ago both salt and sugar were not readily available and we now consume far in excess quantities that have a significantly detrimental effect on our health. 

These reports support what is already known from an esoteric and energetic perspective and can be known by anyone who is willing to listen to their own body - that sugar, salt and alcohol are harming to our physical health. All have an instant effect on the body that can be felt. They stimulate the body making us racy or excited and take us further away from our true nature.

So why do we like to consume foods and drinks that in fact are harming us?? Not only that, we do not need a scientific report or research to know this - we can if we so choose, listen to the body and it will tell us itself that these substances are harming. 

However, we live unaware and in ignorance to what our true nature is - that it is love, joy, harmony and stillness. We live unaware that we are energetic beings that are affected by all that we consume and indeed by all our choices on a daily basis - every thought, word, deed, movement, action and interaction. In that unawareness and the daily process of living we often give our power away, don't honour what we feel, don't speak our truth, react emotionally to daily events. All of that depletes and drains us energetcially and thus we reach for the sugar or alcohol to give us a boost, a hit, to stimulate or exicte us and take us away from the misery we are living or existing in. 

The key then is not just to stop drinking alcohol or taking sugar but to address the underlying causes for being drained, depleted and unfulfilled that lead us to seek some outer stimulation. To begin to make more conscious self-caring choices, like going to bed early, eating healthy noursihing foods, honouring what we feel, being able to say no, not reacting emotionally, not giving our power away and a myriad of other ways that can help us live in a way that does not drain and deplete us. 

This is a journey and an unfolding and it has been that way for me. I use to eat and drink everything and anything with few exceptions. I would have easily dismissed any of the above points as 'rubbish' or 'nonsense' or 'new age psychobabble' whilst consuming another drink or eating junk food. I was quite dismissive of people who said they couldn't eat this or couldn't eat that - the so-called 'picky eater' and I never imagined I would one day find myself choosing to not eat certain foods and become in the eyes of some people a 'picky eater' myself! 

However, as I have eliminated certain foods/drinks from my diet I have become more aware of how different foods affect me and more able to FEEL how they affect my body. Instead of ignoring and dismissing the messages my body is giving me and overriding the body with my mind as I use to do all the time, I am more able to listen to it and honour it on a more regular basis.  If I now have a food containing sugar I can usually feel it in my head, making me racy, and sometimes even giving me a headache. That said, whilst I have eliminated alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, gluten and dairy - sugar is the one that sneeks a peek into my diet every now and then! So whilst it is not yet eliminated, it is far, far reduced compared to the days when I would easily consume several bars of chocolate a day. 

Hence the unfolding continues - the more self-caring I become, the more I honour what I feel, go to bed early, speak my truth, stop reacting emotionally or getting stressed at work then I will have less need for a sugar hit or boost at the end of the day to give me a lift or as a reward/treat. The other week I was like a kid in a sweetie shop when walking around St George's market in Belfast (enjoy the video on site) I came across a host of fresh fish, fruit, olives and vegetables but also a stall with dairy and gluten free cakes! So yes, there is more for me to do before sugar is eradicated but that is all part of the journey of becoming more self-loving and allowing the time and space to let it unfold without judgment, criticism, 'must-dos' or 'shoulds'. So now and again I am having my gf/df cake and eating it - fancy a slice? 

Feel free to share your experiences with sugar/diet etc and what you have noticed in your own journey. 

 

 

14 Jan

Assisted Suicide - is it really the end?

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

This BBC News article and this Q&A report on the findings of The Commission on Assisted Dying which says that there is a 'strong case' for allowing assisted suicide for people who are terminally ill in England and Wales. However, the Commision was set up and funded by campaigners who want to see a change in the law and the findings therefore are likely to be biased.  

The group are advocating that people who are over 18, terminally ill and judged to have less than a year to live and who are not mentally impaired should be allowed to undertake assisted suicide. It also suggested that the individual be assessed independently by two doctors prior to permission being granted. In addition, the individual or patient should administer the drug and not a relative, friend or doctor. 

The government has apparently indicated that there are no plans at present to change the law. 

Those who support assisted suicide claim that it is an act of compassion, in order to prevent potential suffering and loss of dignity through the effects of a terminal illness. They propose that an individual has the personal 'right to death' and should be allowed to choose when to die if confronted by a terminal condition. Those who support assisted suicide believe in one way or another that death brings a final ending to the suffering of the individual and presumably fail to see any opportunity for healing during the last months of a terminal illness. 

There are those who argue otherwise and put forward religious, moral and legal arguments to support their view that assisted suicide should not be legalised. Some argue that it is the start of a 'slippery slope' and could result in vulnerable or disabled people feeling co-erced towards choosing death in order to not be a burden on their families. Assisted suicide also relies on the medical experts getting it right every time - re the diagnoses and prognosis with no margin for error. However, there are reports of misdiagnoses and of people living for much longer than predicted by doctors and this also needs to be considered. 

Interestingly in a UK survey of medical practitioners re attitudes towards euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, opposition to both practices was highest amongst Palliative Care Physicians and Care of the Elderly Physicians, with more than 90% of Palliative Care Physicians against a change in the law. These are the doctors who work with the terminally ill on a daily basis - the ones most aware of the experiences of this group of patients at the end of life.  Some may have expected this group to be pro-assisted suicide as they are perhaps most aware of the suffering patients may experience with advanced disease. However, the other side is that they may also be most aware of the journey a patient with terminal cancer is on and that these patients can have valuable, rewarding, meaningful and even healing experiences right up until the time of death. 

But what if we do not just have one life, one incarnation? From an esoteric perspective there is a bigger picture to consider. What if this life is just one of many, many lifetimes or incarnations? What if how we live and die in this life, influences the quality of our life and experiences in the next incarnation? This is not as a form of punishment but just the consequence or fulfilment of energetic laws and is entirely consistent with a God who is Love. Esoterically, we are all on a return journey to God, to Love and we get to choose our path and how long it takes to get there as a consequence of our choices.

Esoterically, there are consequences to all our choices - every single one of them. Illness and disease arise because we live and make choices in separation to the Love that we are. Knowing that lovelessness and the emotions are the energetic root cause of illness and disease, then it is also possible for healing opportunities to occur right up until the patient's death and death itself is also healing - healing our separation from God, from Love. Even though the body dies from the cancer or terminal condition, the patient can have the opportunity to heal the underlying emotional disharmony that led to the condition in the first place such that this is not carried through to the next incarnation.  It is possible for someone to die with cancer in the body and to be healed of the emotional condition that led to it as understood energetically and esoterically. In addition. there can be healing experiences not just for the individual but also between the individual and other family members and the family as a whole. 

Furthermore, if someone has re-connected with the Love that they are and truly knows who they are, they can say 'my body has the cancer, but I do not have cancer,'  for I the soul is pure Love. There is then also a greater acceptance as one realises that this is but one of many incarnations on the return journey to God. 

Thus there will undoubtedly be consequences for those partaking in assisted suicide, should it be legalised. Whilst it may appear to end the suffering in this lifetime, the unhealed emotional conditions that led to the cancer or terminal condition, will be carried through to the next incarnation and re-lived again and again until true healing occurs. So instead of cutting short a life in the belief that it will end suffering, would it not be preferable to provide true healing opportunities for those with terminal disease, if they so choose?  True healing is where we come to know who we are in-truth as Sons of God, Sons of Love, and live from the innermost of our being that is pure Love and discard the emotional and mind-driven ways of living and being.  To finish, I include a modified version of the Expression - I am Love ©

I am

Love

No hurt, nor wound,

No word, nor deed,

No illness, nor disease,

Can alter that

Immutable fact,

I am 

Love. 

 

EJ Minford  ©

Feel free to share your thoughts/feelings/experiences re terminal illness and healing and/or your views on assisted suicide.

14 Jan

Red wine myth - part 2

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

One of the researchers involved in presenting the beneficial effects of a substance found in red wine, resveratrol, has been found guilty of 145 counts of fabrication and falsification of data. The relevant journals that published his research have been notified. This obviously throws into question the research that claims that red wine is beneficial for the heart. However, it has been suggested by other researchers that this will have little impact on resveratrol research. 

Another study has reported that 13% of scientists surveyed (clinicans and academics) have witnessed intentional alteration or fabrication of data in order to get results published. However, it is possible the actual figure for deliberate alteration and fabrication of results could be higher. 

indeed, it is not just the research based on deliberately altered and fabricated data that we need to be wary of or concerned about. Research that is 'bona fide' in terms of conduct and where no deliberate fabrication has occurred may also be false. John Ioannidis published this paper entitled "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False". In it he explains why this is the case and states that most claimed research findings are often just 'accurate measures of the prevailing bias.'

He goes on to state that there is "increasing concern that in modern research, false findings may be the majority or even the vast majority of published research claims." In addition, he says 'it can be proven that most claimed research findings are false,' and he elaborates further on this. He also suggests ways to improve the situation. 

Thus it is important that we do not give our power away to so-called research findings - bearing in mind that they are probably more likely to be false than true. When it comes to alcohol, as previously stated in another blog post, one does not need research to identify that it is harm-full to the body - a hangover does that job very well. However, we have not been taught to honour what we feel, what the body feels and so we ignore and over-ride its sometimes very loud messages - and go out and do it all again! 

Indeed it is considered by many people to be abnormal to not drink alcohol and normal to drink alcohol - I use to hold this view myself and could not understand why everyone didn't 'enjoy' drinking as much as I did. However, now I know that so called 'enjoy' was not truly joy-full but a false state of being. In addition, for me now, saying it is normal to drink alcohol, is the same as saying it is normal to drink poison. 

There is nothing more joy-full than being who you truly are, without any false stimulants or substances - yet so many remain unaware of the true glory and amazingness that rests within them. In the separation and disconnection from their essence many people use alcohol to numb out and not feel that which they don't want to feel, oblivious to the fact that beyond the stresses, hurts and wounds there is a place of Love within that can melt all of those away. 

01 Jan

Joy-full New Year!

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

All around the world people have been welcoming in the New Year. Multi-million dollar displays of fireworks were staged in major cities across the globe, people partied and celebrated and counted down to 12 midnight wherever they were, perhaps hoping for a kiss under the mistletoe, welcoming in 2012. 

It is a time of year when we may reflect on the year just gone, the good times and bad, the challenges, the struggles, the highs and the lows, and perhaps hope that this year will be different, will be better, will be the year that it all goes my way....the year when we lose weight, get promoted, meet Mr or Mrs Right, travel or any one of a myriad of hopes and dreams that people aspire to. New Year's resolutions are made with the conviction that this year will be different .....only to find a few weeks later that perhaps it won't be so different after all. And so the cycle repeats itself....year after year, often without us making any real change, repeating the same old habits and behaviours.

We can begin to feel that change isn't really possible, that we are just one of those people who will always be fat, who will always smoke or drink, who will always be passed over, who will always be single, who is the way they are because .....well we've been made that way and that's just the way it is and there's nothing we can do about it.  We give up and resign ourselves to living the type of life we have always lived.....stuck in a treadmill of existence that goes round and round and round......year after year..... instead of truly living and being free to make truly healthy choices on a consistent basis.

So why do we find it so difficult to change the behaviours we know are no longer serving us??  Part of the problem is that we are not as free as we like to think we are. We carry with us the consequences of all the choices we have made and all our experiences that lead to the behaviours we have today. We have the momentum of the past in the present and in order to make changes in the present we have to deal with the past. We have to deal with the hurts and wounds that are part and parcel of growing up and being human - for not dealing with them, just keeps us stuck on that treadmill. However, it is important to not get stuck in 'woe is me' for the deeper truth is that each person is Love in essence because we are made from and with Love. Knowing that we are Love can give us the space to look at the yucky parts of our lives and ourselves - to heal them and align with the deeper truth that we are Love. 

In this way we can be truly empowered to make choices based on what is loving, healing, caring and gentle rather than that which is harming, self-destructive, hard or disharmonioius. The latter choices are coming from the false beliefs and perceptions we hold about ourselves, from the yucky stuff, the self-hatred and self-loathing instead of our true nature. 

Esoterically and energetically we can either make choices from Love or that which is not Love (eg emotions, ideals and beliefs). The reason that New Year's resolutions fail comes down to 2 main areas - 1) we have not addressed the past, we have not healed the hurts and 2) we do not make choices from and with the energy of Love. The latter is very important for if we continue to make choices from that which is NOT love there will never be any true change or healing.  It is like using poison to treat poison - ie. using that which is not love to heal or fix that which is not love and surprise, surprise - it doesn't work. All too often we use food, relationships and jobs to fill an emptiness we hold inside but do not want to feel and so we keep the cycle of filling ourselves up with food, new projects, holidays, relationships etc to keep it at bay. 

 Instead, we can reconnect with our innermost, our inner heart and know that we are love and that by making self-loving, self-nurturing and caring choices we can build that Love in the body also.  This isn't some overnight transformation but a conscious choice to say NO to that which is not loving (eg alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, gluten, dairy, sugar, late nights, checking out with TV/computer,  abusive or toxic relationships, emotional ways of being - anger, frustration, jealousy etc etc) and to say YES to that which is loving, caring, gentle and nurturing.

It is by addressing the past and making conscious self-loving choices that I have been able to heal my own self-destructive ways and to lead a life now that is in complete contrast to where I was before. I was even in bed asleep well before midnight on New Year's Eve - something the old me would not have believed possible! It has been an unfolding that just keeps getting deeper the more self-loving I become. My diet is ever changing as I feel the effects of eating different foods in my body and having once been a choc-aholic I have now not eaten chocolate for over 3 years - and that still amazes me! I don't even have to resist it for the desire for it just isn't there. However, I am still unfolding, healing, building love and will continue to do so - such that some foods that I was eating yesterday, I may no longer be eating tomorrow or next week depending on how they feel in my body. Of course being self-loving doesn't just apply to food but to all areas of life.

So I know from my own experience that it is possible to make changes, to heal and to live a life that is more vital and joy-full on a consistent basis by first and foremost making choices that are self-loving, caring and being gentle with one's self in all ways. By listening to the wisdom within, by feeling what feels true, feels gentle, feels loving. To say NO to that which is not loving, which is coming from an emotion, an ideal or belief or driven from the mind. 

It is recognised that 2012 is a significant year with some predicting the end of the world, that armageddon will be upon us. But what if instead of the end of the world it just represented the end of an era and the start of a new era? What if it is the start of a new era when people will awaken to their true nature, to know that they are Love, that they are in fact Gloriously Amazing but have been living and choosing to be so much lesser? A new era where it is easier than ever before to re-connect with the Love that we are and make truly self-loving choices, rather than choices based on filling our emptiness. Of course if that is true then it is also possible that for those who resist being the Love that they are the consequences may not be so pleasant - as Love brings up all that is not love for healing as a consequence of energetic laws. 

So perhaps as well as a Joy-full New Year to you all, it is also a Joy-full, Love-full New Era - one where we can make true changes by truly choosing to Be Love, to be still, before thinking, moving, acting, speaking, eating, walking and of course making love. En-Joy Being You, Being the Love that you are in 2012. 

Feel free to share your experiences of making changes or New Year's resolutions or anything else you feel to share as we enter 2012. 

lovely words from a lovely

Submitted by Anne Malatt (not verified) on Mon, 02/01/2012 - 06:30.
lovely words from a lovely soul! with love, Anne
31 Dec

Dementia: a little fishy?

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

This article reports on the findings of a recent research publication regarding the role of diet in dementia. It suggests that those with diets high in essential nutrients were less likely to have the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease and to have better cognitive performance.

Specifically Dr Bowman's research suggests that those with diets high in omega 3 fatty acids and several vitamins (C, D, E and B) were less likely to have brain shrinkage and more likely to have better cognitive performance than those whose diets were low in these nutrients. 

Furthermore his research suggests that those whose diets are high in trans fats were more likely to have brain shrinkage and to perform less well on cognitive tests than those whose diets were low in trans fats. A quick search on the internet will inform you on the foods that contain trans fats but in summary, it's fast food, snack food, desserts, pizza, margarine, processed fried foods and baked goods eg cakes, pastries, doughnuts. They can appear in so called 'healthy' bars and even some breakfast cereals. Hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) vegetable oil is another name to look out for on the ingredients list.

The American Heart Association recommends less than 1% of your total daily calories should be trans fat (for 2000 cal diet that's less than 2 grams) but heading for zero feels like the right amount given the detrimental effects to health overall (increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes) not just the effects reported in this research. Be aware that if the food contains less than 0.5 Grams companies are not required to list it and can put zero trans fats on the labelling even if it contains some trans fat.

The foods that contain the omega 3 fatty acids are flaxseed (linseed), walnuts and oily fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines.

Of course it is necessary to have a healthy diet in order to maintain a healthy harmonious body. However, is that enough?? Will a diet rich in fish really be enough to prevent Alzheimer's?? This research article does state that more work or research is required to confirm their findings and is not at this point stating that a fishy diet is sufficient to prevent Alzheimer's.  

Esoterically and energetically there is more to preventing dementia than consuming a diet rich in fish or omega 3 fatty acids. Whilst acknowledging and reaffirming that a truly healthy diet (free from gluten, dairy, yeast, caffeine, alcohol and sugar) is necessary to maintain health, harmony and wellbeing, there are other factors to consider. 

In this article on the intial identification of Alzheimer's disease, the original patient being observed once told Doctor Alzheimer that 'I have lost myself'. This is actually a very accurate description of what is happening energetically to bring about Alzheimer's disease ....the individual is no longer fully present, is indeed lost to herself. How does this happen? 

Descartes' idea that the mind and body are separate independent entities is responsible for a lot of erroneous thinking regarding the make up of the human being, illness and disease. The mind and body are in fact intimately interwoven and interconnected and contrary to the modern day world view, it is the body that holds the true wisdom and which speaks truth, not the mind. Many of man's ills arise because we ignore or override this wisdom in the false belief that the mind as we know it is supreme.

To be in true harmony we need to be with our bodies, our mind and body fully connected and fully present in whatever we are doing. All too often we check -out and are not present, letting our minds run ahead to the next job or task whilst our body is doing something else. Most people will probably relate to driving a car and reaching the destination but not really having been aware of the details of the journey because of thinking about what to make for dinner, what is to be done at work, what to say to the boss, what happened yesterday, what might happen tomorrow and so on.....the list is endless of the ways that we take ourselves, our minds away from what we are physcially doing. This happens more often than we perhaps realise and it is a good exercise to begin noticing if we are with ourselves (mind and body connected)  or have left ourselves.  

Keeping the mind and body connected, being present in what we are doing is called conscious presence. We can build and develop conscious presence in small ways eg when brushing teeth or taking a shower - keep the mind focused on the physical aspects of the activity. This can be as simple as thinking internally 'I am brushing my teeth', 'I am taking a shower, I feel my hands on my head gently massaging in the shampoo..... I feel the sponge gliding smoothly on my arm'. This may sound very simplistic and it is - but try it and see if you manage to stay present for the duration of your shower or does your mind wander off to think about something else?? If it does, just notice it and bring it back to the task at hand without critcising or judging yourself. 

There are many other ways we give up or 'check-out' to not be present to what is happening with ourselves, our families and the world. It might be vegging in front of the TV or using the computer to numb out as well as more obviously harming ways of checking-out through drugs and alcohol. The bottom line is the more we check-out and are not fully present with mind and body connected, the more we are at risk of dementia as it is understood esoterically and energetically - fishy diet or no fishy diet!! 

Understanding why we choose to 'check-out' or give up is another part of the healing process that will have to wait for another blog.....:-) 

Feel free to share your experiences eg. of developing conscious presence or noticing when and how often you leave yourself and what helps to bring you back to you such that you stay mind and body fully connected, fully present. 

 

 

25 Dec

Christmas Day - Just Another Day?

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

All around the world people are gathering to celebrate Christmas day with friends and family. The so called 'true' meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, whom many consider their personal saviour. Of course in an increasing secular society like the UK, the religious meaning of Christmas has diminshed somewhat in importance and so for many it has become part of a cultural tradition that they still participate in.

It is associated with holidays, time off work, present giving and receiving, card sending and receiving and a time for re-connection with friends/family near and far. A time of parties, late nights, hangovers and of course over-eating and indulgence in excesses of one kind or another. Many find it a stressful time of year, especially in a recession with the extra costs that Christmas entails or when playing 'happy families' isn't  always that happy in reality. 

For me, the so-called 'true' meaning of Christmas is not relevant for whilst I consider Jesus to have been a soulful master, he is not my personal saviour. Yes he was a Son of God, but then so is everybody else - esoterically and energetically every human being is a Son of God and has the potential to be as loving and caring and wise as Jesus.

Indeed, by putting Jesus on some unreachable pedastol just keeps people from knowing who they are in-truth and that they too could embody the love of God as He did. In other words, the idea that one needs a personal saviour is disempowering, whereas knowing whom one is in-truth, a Son of God, is empowering. We come to realise that we each have the power to truly change ourselves and our lives if we so choose and indeed that we can only save ourselves. 

Of course many people resist these understandings as it calls each of us to live with responsibility for all the choices we make or have made and that can be a big ouch!! However, resisting it, will not change it and hence why it is often only through times of struggle and suffering that we come to these deeper realisations. 

There is a saying that the definition of insanity is to keep repeating the same behaviour and expecting different results. Yet, this is what we do, day after day, year after year and life after life. We live in the illusion that we are moving forward yet each day is in-truth just the same day or cycle repeating itself. We are in fact going round in circles much more than we realise!!  Thus we often stay stuck in the same engrained patterns of behaviour until some shock/struggle/suffering jolts us out of them and we perhaps come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and of life and perhaps change our way of being and behaviour.

In this way, I have come to know that the responsibility for the quality of my life and each day is down to me. Not with the Government, the politicians, the world leaders, the celebrities, my work colleagues, friends, family or any 'other people'. It is by re-connecting to the love, stillness and joy that is innately within and bringing that to each day, that I have come to realise there is no particular special day for each day can be a special day. Whilst I endeavour to live this there are times when I fall short, be it with family members or the busyness and stress of surgery and working in the NHS can all still affect me at times, albeit much less than previously - but I know it is down to me to change my engrained ways of being for it to be otherwise. I know the quality of each day I have is down to the quality of my way of being in each day. 

 "I wish it could be Christmas every day"  are the words of a well-known song and if it refers to the feelings of joy, love and connection then in-truth it is possible for every day to be Christmas day - for Christmas day is just another day. 

13 Dec

Human rights and Equality for LGBT

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

Hilary Clinton recently delivered a speech to the UN regarding the equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender people. The speech can be viewed on you tube or you can read the transcript in this article. The speech is being hailed as 'historic' and many are applauding her clear and direct message regarding the human rights of the LGBT community. 

She acknowledges that the US track record in this area is far from perfect with some areas still having laws against it up until 2003. However, she proceeds to declare that "gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights". She clearly states the violation of human rights that occurs when people are abused, killed, tortured, bullied or harmed in any way because of their sexual orientation.  This includes the practice of so-called 'corrective rape' where lesbians are gang raped in order to 'correct' their sexual orientation. 

Clinton also addresses certain myths re homosexuality, declaring them simply 'untrue' and tackles the question of religious and cultural intolerance. She uses the example of slavery as having once been said to be 'sanctioned by God' but is now unquestionably a violation of human rights such that those who use God to justify the violation of LGBT people may begin to question that justification. She welcomes conversation with those who hold contrasting views such that progress may be made in eliminating intolerance. 

Importantly she points out that "when we see denials and abuses of human rights and fail to act, that sends the message to those deniers and abusers that they won't suffer any consequences for their actions and so they carry on". She proceeds to call upon leaders of those countries where violations do occur "to stand up for the dignity of all their citizens" and tells them that it "should never be a crime to be gay".

She calls upon people to reflect on their deeply held beliefs as they work towards "tolerance and respect for the dignity of all persons."

It is indeed necessary for world leaders to demonstrate true leadership and take action against intolerance to LGBT people and to hold to account those people or countries that perpetuate homophobia and the many crimes against those of the LGBT community and as such Secretary Clinton is indeed to be applauded.  However, it is also a sad reflection on humanity, that it has taken until 2011 to state what is to many, a very obvious truth - that all people are equal and should be treated as such. 

There is absolutely no true justification for religious intolerance towards LGBT people and such intolerance is always borne out of ignorance, fear and lack of awareness. God is love and loves all people equally irrespective of their sexuality or indeed any other label that people apply to fellow human beings. The love of God is felt within the inner heart and by that source it is felt and known without doubt that all are equal. It is the separation and disconnection from this love that leads to the intolerance and the homophobia fueled by misbeliefs. It is possible to see then how beliefs per se can lead to much harm and separation amongst humanity as they do not come from God, from Love but that which is not love. There are no beliefs in the inner heart - just love that loves. 

Whilst many throughout the world, including Secretary Clinton, understandably encourage the development of 'tolerance' towards those fellow human beings where there are perceived differences, this is not sufficient and will not truly heal man's inhumanity to man. We need to work towards love, not tolerance, for all of humanity equally so. The first step on that journey is coming to know that each human being IS love irrespective of history, religion, sexuality, gender etc and as we build love for self, we equally build that love for all others. 

From an esoteric and energetic perspective there are consequences to all our actions and choices and as such no-one escapes from the consequences of their actions even if they appear to do so. However, that does mean that we are to stand back and allow abuse or violation to occur for we then become complicit in the perpetuation of the evil. We are each called upon to call out when we see or hear such loveless acts or words used against another. That is not always an easy place to stand but love is a true power that has the strength to take that stand and call out that which is not love. However, it can also be as simple as speaking up in a loving way when a slur or derogatory comment is made regarding someone who is gay.

Love is not just for 2 people, nor for cozy Saturday nights and weekends away - no, it is much, much more than that. God is Love and we too are that love; Love heals, love connects, love unifies - thus if we are to heal the separation and fragmentation of humanity the only true way to do so is through Love, not tolerance. By opening up to humanity and connecting with our fellow brothers we can each break down the barriers, the misbeliefs, the misperceptions that allow the perpetuation of evil such as homophobia. Thus it is not just the work of the UN or governments but for each of us to take responsbility for how we treat our fellow human beings and to bring the love that we are to each interaction. 

05 Dec

Caffeine Intoxication

 Posted by The Soulful Doctor

This article reports on the varying levels of caffeine served in espresso coffee in different coffee shops. They mention that the general assumption that a cup of strong coffee contains 50 mg caffeine is misleading. They found levels ranging from 51 mg to 321mg and many were over 200mg per cup. 

They note that this could be increasing the risk of miscarriage as previous research found that women who drank more than 200mg caffeine per day had increased risk of miscarriage compared to women who drank none. According to Dr Euan Paul of the British Coffee Association current advice is that 400-500mg caffeine per day is safe for adults and may confer some health benefits and that pregnant women should restrict to 200mg per day. 

However, from an esoteric and energetic perspective, caffeine is harming to the body at any level and as such there is no 'safe' level of consumption. It is a nervous system stimulant and thus disrupts the true harmony of the body and this can be easily felt. A quick search on the internet will also reveal the many known harming effects of caffeine consumption.

The real question is - how are we living each day that we need to use such stimulants in order to keep us going? What are we doing that has us so exhausted that we need artificial stimulants like caffeine to get us through the day?? By addressing the underlying issues and lifestyle that results in exhaustion and hence the need for stimulants we can develop a way of living that leads to true vitality, harmony and well-being without the need for such stimulants. 

I use to ignore the fact that if I drank 2 or more cups of strong filter coffee I would get a sore head - a message that what I was taking in wasn't really that good for me. I was also dismissive of 'caffeine withdrawal' until I experienced it - twice. The first time I was away for a few days with no apparent access to coffee. I began to feel unwell, flu-like symptoms, sore joints, really tried, very sore head and pretty awful all round. After 36 hours of this, I did find some coffee and the symptoms abated after re-loading my system. However, I wasn't totally convinced this was caffeine withdrawal so I did an experiment and deliberately stopped drinking it again a few weeks later to see what happened and sure enough the same symptoms returned. I thought if caffeine is altering me so much that when I stop it I am getting ill - then time to stop it. It was clearly not having a healthy effect on my body. 

So I gradually weaned myself off and converted to herbal teas - but even then I got caught out. I was initally unaware that green tea had caffeine - though funny enough I only drank it in the morning! Again, however I found myself away and after having peppermint tea one morning instead of green tea began to get the same symptoms of headache, tired, aching and thus came to realise there was caffeine in green tea as well and that too was set aside.  

The point is, the body is designed to be harmonious without the need for any stimulants. When we do artificially stimulate it, then we can also experience the symptoms of withdrawal from that artificial state when we stop consuming the toxin. By addressing the reasons for needing stimulation - eg exhaustion, over-working, going to bed late, burning the candle at both ends, being emotional, taking on too much, not saying no when we really feel to, not speaking or honouring one's true feelings and much more besides we can develop a way of living and being that is vital and harmomious without the need for such stimulants.

Not only that, but the effects of consuming such stimulants are then so clearly felt to be harming to the body that it becomes easy to just say no....without the need for any scientific research to affirm what can already be clearly felt in the body. 

Anything that artificially arises the body out of the pure stillness, joy and harmony that is naturally contained within is clearly felt to be harming. The body is the marker of truth and by listening to it, it can tell us very easily and simply what is good and healthy for it and what is not. Our job is to listen to it and honour its messages and not override it as I did with coffee and alcohol for example. Of course there is a bigger picture to that also - the underlying reasons why we override the true feelings and messages from the body and persist with that which in-truth we know is harming.....but that would take another blog!!

Feel free to share your experiences with coffee. Have you noticed how it affects you or have you had any consequences of withdrawal? Have you been able to discern the underlying reasons why you needed to drink coffee in the first place?   

 

Caffeine detox

Submitted by The Soulful Doctor on Thu, 05/01/2012 - 11:06.

Thanks Andrea for sharing your experience of caffeine detox - the symptoms are not pleasant! However, this shows how the body has been falsely elevated and stimulated by caffeine such that when it is withdrawn we initally can feel awful. On the other side, I tried a cup of coffee after I had been caffeine free for 6-12 months and it nearly blew my head off - headache and racy - just affirming the harming effects of caffeine on the body. Some people find it easier to give up something all at once and some find it easier to gradually withdraw - I'm usually in the former category, but for caffeine I must admit I did a gradual withdrawal and that way had less symptoms when I finally came off it. So well done for choosing to be self-loving and go caffeine free and all the best with your detox - sounds like you are through the worst re symptoms.

Caffine detox

Submitted by Andrea (not verified) on Thu, 05/01/2012 - 02:57.
I can relate wholeheartedly to your post on coffee, I am on Day 5 of removing coffee and its been hard - day 1 felt good, day 2 feeling not so good, day 3 streaming eyes and nose and sluggish with headache, day 4 THUMPING headache and so lethargic I had best rest, now on day 5 and thought I was doing ok but sure enough headache returned and feeling heat all over inside. Drinking lots of water and will just keep taking care of myself through this process. Thanks for your experience and info on caffeine Eunice.
22 Nov

Cancer Survival

Posted by The Soulful Doctor

 

This article applauds the improvements in median cancer survival over the last 40 years from one to six years. It also recognises that there are some cancers where very little improvement (calling it 'woeful') has been made eg cancer stomach, pancreas and lung. It reports a 17 fold improvement in colon cancer survival and 10 year improvement for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It notes however, that for 9 cancers the median survival is 3 years or less and that in forty years there has really been very little change in survival for those with lung, brain, pancreatic, stomach and oesophageal cancer. 

 

However, the article erroneously states that doctors will now be able to answer the question 'how long have I got?' Doctors have already been using 5 year survival figures to provide guidance in answering this question but the fact remains that these figures apply to a population and not an individual. Telling a patient the median survival is 3 years does not tell the patient if he is in the half that dies before 3 years or in the half that lives longer than 3 years. The figures only provide a guide but do not specifically tell one patient where on the timeline he will fall. 

 

Whilst it is good to acknowledge progress made in cancer survival figures, we must not become complacent especially given the significant numbers of cancers where there has been no significant improvement and the fact that cancer now affects 1 in 3 people. Not only do we need to look at ways to treat cancer but perhaps we should be taking a much deeper look at how cancer arises in the first place. The WHO recognises that the majority of cancers are 'largely preventable' by avoiding smoking, drinking, having a healthy diet and other lifestyle factors. 

 

From an esoteric perspective, we need to look at the whole life lived and all the choices made in that life in order to get to the root cause of cancer or indeed any illness or disease. 'The best form of medicine is our way of living' (SB). How we live every day, the choices we make regarding the foods we eat, the sleep we have, whether we remain centred or emotional, whether we react or respond to life's situations, whether we live in harmony with ourselves and others or in disharmony - all of these things and much more have an impact on the physical body that results in illness and disease including cancer. 

 

'The body is the marker of truth' (SB) and speaks more truth than the words that come out of our mouths. The body has lived all of our experiences and reveals all of our choices. By listening to the body and it's messages we can develop a way of being and living that is more harmonious, more loving, more joyful and thus less likely to develop cancer or another ailment. This way of being and living is based on the true nature or essence of the human person that is Love. Thus being self-caring, kind and gentle towards self in all ways is very important. This means paying attention to what we ingest and how it affects the body, endeavouring to live a more centred and less emotional way and listening to and honouring what we truly feel rather than overriding it with the mind. 

 

Perhaps one day we will able to take joy in the fact that cancer incidence has dropped not because of a new drug or so called medical breakthrough, but because people are learning how to live self caring lives aligned with their true nature and who they really are - Love.  That day however, seems a long way off given the current levels of self-abuse (eg through drinking alcohol, smoking, over-eating) and lovelessness that permeate humanity. That said, having emerged from such behaviours, I know it is possible for all to do likewise.  It is never too late to begin the journey of healing.

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