Its my birthday

I'm turning 33 today. In about an hour. And just like (knock on wood) every year on my day the weather is incredible. The mist is cool and smoky from the river, and the crows are in full flocking force as they move from station to station with their frenzied chatter. The hawks are screaming incessantly on the hill, and the woodpeckers have already made their breakfast rounds to my trees.
The smell of the air is like no other time of year. It is thick with nectar, pollen, fresh water vaporised by sunshine, and deeply breathing plants. I woke up to greet the day and took in large gulps of this air, as it is my healing ambrosia. I must take in enough to strengthen my spirit.

I'm going to sit here this morning in the summer air, and write and read for a while. That's my favorite way of all to start the day.
Then I might take a plant walk or hike to the Cedar Grove. I can't go in the river today because there is e-coli .... upsetting news.... but indeed happens at some point each year.

On my birthday I like to think about where I've been and where I'm going. Who I am and who I am becoming.
I've accomplished another year in homeschooling my children (which often means self) and for that I pat myself on the back. I love having the freedom to allow them a self directed and self aware life. My son turned 9 yesterday (a little birthday gift for me :) and he still has the most magical, funny, and brilliant sense about him.

I've graduated from my Green Witch Correspondence Course with Susun Weed. It took me just over two years, although many of the lessons I had already been passionately pursuing already, so I had a good head start. I have learned a LOT through this course and it has effected who I am profoundly. It has also given me good solid footsteps toward my more authentic self, leading me in a truer outward expression of that. I realised when I sent in my completion letter ... that the whole point of completion really is when you realize that it's never done ... that really it's the beginning as well, another rung of the great spiral. I feel like my medicine bag is getting fuller and more potent. Some of my tools are getting sharp, and some of my visions clearer. Many of the lessons in the course are ones I will be using over and over for my whole life.

I've changed my entire career. Some of you know that before this last year, I was in the throws of a career as a professional dancer; performing throughout the state, teaching, choreographing, and in general staying very busy both creatively and physically. As of June 21 - it was a year behind me. This was a pivotal choice for me, with many deep layers as reasons and motivations for changing ... which I need not bore you with here. The undercurrent of this change is that it granted me the time to watch, listen, and act. The watching pertains mostly to my children and to nature. I've been able to really watch the plants this year, through many more slow changing moments, leading me to some exquisite plant love experiences and wisdom. I've started a weather journal, and so I watch the sky and smell the air and listen to the birds, and record each day my notes.

I listen more carefully, hopefully to other people as well as my deeper self.


I have taken action on some of my more important visions; raising a Red Tent Temple (finishing it's 5th month yesterday!) honoring the wheel of the year with simple or community ritual and ceremony, journaling more, and putting good strong focused energy into the classes I teach for the Wilderness School. One of my most important actions to take was to do less. And so the list stops there.



Where am I headed? I ask my self this question a lot. Sometimes I get a little answer, but more often I get silence. I'm not exactly sure. Sometimes I wonder what I am in such a hurry to get to. I worry that someone might beat me to my own goals, or to my own destiny if that's possible.

I'm not even sure what I'm doing all this for or what to do with what I learn or even how to begin to organize it into something cohesive if I wanted to teach it.

One of my biggest struggles that I would like to gain peace around this year is my sense of home. My sense of belonging and of place. There are glimpses of my world that bring me this feeling of depth and connection that I crave, often they show up here as I write about the land around me and the plants. But I think the blog cleverly trims out the parts that don't belong for me .... many neighbors close by, oppressive cost of living, the land that turns from ecstatic in summer to desolate and dead for many more months out of the year; land that puts my whole being into torpor during that time.

I've never lived in a climate that was without a sure winter. I grew up in Iowa. Yet I struggle to deal with it year after year, as I watch my allies hide away underground, the comfort of the sun leave, the green of the landscape fall away, and the brute of the grey sky and whipping cold set in like the slap of the Narnia Queen. The sting of half my life away is something I cannot come to terms with .... leaving me with an unending sense of UN belonging. Of un place and un home.

I would like to find peace and resolution around this.



Another thing that might change for me this year is work. I may have to return to work, as the financial climate for a family of four is, to say the very least, hostile where I live. It's corporate America, folks, and unless your hubby makes a fortune in Manhattan, you'd better find some tampons and get your ass to work. For us normal folk, good isn't good enough. It's barely enough. So, we shall see where this fact leads me. I can't work full time because we have chosen a life as homeschoolers - and I am committed to maintaining that for my children.



What new things for me would I like to see in this next year? I'd like something to help me bring my learnings full circle - whatever that means. I often think about doing another training, perhaps the Priestess path with ALisa Starkweather, or the Medicine Woman's Path with Kiva Rose, or another path that would be both deeply spiritual as it was wisdom filled. I think I will just have to wait for the right moment to inform me.



I am especially looking forward to my birthday gift. I have requested a day later this month. ... and during this day for some of my close women friends to arrive at my home and teach me something. This makes my heart flutter every time I think about it. A whole summer day to myself, where the women of my 'tribe' stop in at their own chosen moment, to share a wisdom of theirs with me as I grow. This feels like a memory that I have uncovered. I can't wait to discover what they will decide to share .... songs? gardening tips? meditations? a hunting story? It just makes my spirit feel alive. This will be a very special day indeed, and I feel relieved and joyous about celebrating my birthday the way I feel it is meant to be. Modern day birthday structures just make me cringe.



The birds are simply glorious this morning, so full of melody as I watch the sun come out from behind the Hemlock boughs. Still laced in fluffy clouds, the sky is hazy and mild. The vacationers at the riverbank are quiet on Monday mornings for all their weekend parties. The St. Johnswort in it's yellow mini-suns beckons a second round of harvest. The Queen Anne's lace opens right up as if to wish me a personal happy birthday. The black raspberries are heavy on the vines and the wine berries and blackberries are gaining a sweet momentum of their own, readying for their moment in the sun. My children tinker inside the house as they rise from slumber, with their messy cute hair and mismatched jammies. My older one rises late .... for staying up with dad watching sports... or because I think after lights go out, hers goes back on in silent, late night pursuit of a good book.



Happy new year, to me.

SCHIZOPHRENIA AND ITS HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

`                                                                  SCHIZOPHRENIA

DEFINITION:-

                Schizophrenia literally means “SPLIT” personality. It would be more appropriate to call it a split from reality. Actually the patient withdraws himself from reality and lives in a world of his own, full of false beliefs (delusions which cannot be corrected by reasoning or logic) and has false perceptions (hallucinations, sensory experiences mostly auditory which are non-existent) without any obvious stimulus.

AETIOLOGY OR CAUSES:-

                In western countries, schizophrenia is a common mental condition, atleast half of the beds in any mental hospital are occupied by schizophrenia. The aetiology remains unknown. There are a number of speculations as regards its causation.

-          GENETIC FACTORS:-

It is generally accepted that heredity does play a decisive role in its causation. The cold, introvert dreamy eccentric who is oversensitive or suspicious and is unable to deal with the odds of life is the man who is likely to be affected.

-          PSCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND ENVIRONMENT:-

As stated above, any psychological stress is likely to precipitate schizophrenia in a person, strained family or social relationship may similarly act as a precipitating factor.

-          BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS:-

There is possibly an over activity of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter substance in the mesolimbic and mesocortical areas. Drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors in the CNS (e.g. L-dopa and amphetamine) are likely to precipitate schizophrenia. Existence of an abnormal transmitter substance, possibly hallucinogenic in nature, has also been suspected.

-          CEREBRAL DAMAGE:-

Schizophrenia evidences of nonspecific type of atrophic changes in the brain (as deduced from enlargement of the ventricles) have been detected by CT scan. Schizophrenia like syndrome may be associated with such CNS disorders as cerebral tumor, demyelinating diseases, temporal lobe epilepsy and Huntington’s chorea. Role of an unknown virus has been suspected.

SYMPTOMS:-

                The following features are commonly present.

1.       A decreasing interest in the outside world.

2.       An increasing interest in himself – own thoughts, bodily symptoms and the past.

3.       Thinking in “own terms” (autistic thinking) – the thoughts are however, aimless, illogical and inconsistent. His thoughts are bizarre, irrational and jumbled up.

4.       Talking in “own terms”- he may talk and talk and talk on any topic whatsoever although his talk has no meaning or correlation with facts. He may write (and write enthusiastically with a sense of command on the subject) long letters or long essays on a wide variety of topics ranging from philosophy to sexology, often with no meaning.

5.       Showing flatness of emotions – he may quickly listen about the death of a near relative or a close friend and respond with a smile or shrugging of shoulders and does not seem to bother about it. On the contrary, he may start sobbing or crying or even turn violent on a trifle thing like loss of a pen or a match box.

6.       Exhibiting impulsive and inconsistent behavior and mannerisms.

7.       Living a life of fantasy full of hallucinations, delusions (usually of bizarre types) and false perceptions.

8.       Prominent feature of schizophrenia is recurrent remissions and relapses. During a period of remission, the patient behaves and lives like a normal man. A relapse is, however, bound to occur sooner or later.

TYPES:-

a.       SIMPLE TYPE:-

The patient lacks feeling for any emotion such as sadness or grief, joy or compassion, love or hate. he is dull, withdrawn, inactive and wishes to live alone.

b.      PARANOID TYPE:-

The patient has delusions (or false beliefs). He is egoistic, argumentative and aggressive due to delusion of grandeur – the feeling of being important.

c.       HEBEPHRENIC TYPE:-

Disorder of thought is the predominant symptoms. Thoughts are confused and the behavior is purposeless or silly. The speech is irrational and mannerisms are present. This type of schizophrenia is more common in males in the early thirties age. The patient gradually becomes depressed, dull and apathetic, losing all interest in the surroundings.

d.      CATATONIC TYPE:-

It is characterized by gross disorders of motor behavior (such as bizarre postures and activities of a madman) or terrific excitement alternating with periods of complete inactivity withdrawal or ever stupor. A peculiar type of muscular rigidity is often present. This is the commonest type of schizophrenia seen in India.

TREATMENT:-

1.       Antipsychotic drugs:-

-          Phenothiazine group of drugs are of great value and provide the first line of treatment.

-          Chlorpromazine (100-1500 mg daily) or thioridazine (50-500 mg daily) is used initially (either IM or orally).

-          Trifluperazine (5-30mg daily) may be tried in cases associated with hallucinations.

-          ECT may be helpful only in cases associated with depression.

2.       Psychotherapy and occupational therapy.

3.       Surgical treatment.

HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

1.       ANACARDIUM:-

Hallucinations; thinks he is possessed of two persons or wills. Syphilitic patients often suffer with these conditions. Anxiety when walking, as if pursued. Profound melancholy and hypochondriasis, with tendency to use violent language. Impaired memory. Absent mindedness. Malicious; seems bent on wickedness. Lack of confidence in himself or others. Suspicious [Hyos.]. Clairaudient, hears voices far away or of the dead.

2.       AURUM METALICUM:-

Feeling of self-condemnation and utter worthlessness. Profound despondency, with increased blood pressure, with thorough disgust of life, and thoughts of suicide. Great fear of death. Peevish and vehement at least contradiction. Anthropophobia. Mental derangements. Constant rapid questioning without waiting for reply. Cannot do things fast enough. Over sensitiveness; [Staph.] to noise, excitement, confusion.

3.       KALI BROMATUM:-

Profound, melancholic delusion; feeling of moral deficiency; religious depression; delusions of conspiracies against him. Imagines he is singled out as an object of divine wrath. Loss of memory. Must do something-move about; gets fidgety. [Tarant.]. Amnesic aphasia; can pronounce any word told, but cannot speak otherwise. Active delirium. Horrid illusions. Night terrors. General failure of mental power, loss of memory, melancholia, anaesthesia of the mucus membranes, especially of eyes, throat, and skin; acne; loss of sexual desire, paralysis.

4.       LACHESIS:-

Sad in the morning; no desire to mix with the world. Mental labor best performed at night. Great loquacity. Suspicious; nightly delusion of fire. Religious insanity. [Verat.; Stram.]. Derangement of the time sense. Restless and uneasy; does not wish to attend to business; wants to be off somewhere all the time. Jealous. [Hyos.].

5.       STRAMONIUM:-

Devout, earnest, beseeching and ceaseless talking. Loquacious, garrulous, laughing, singing, swearing, praying, rhyming. Sees ghosts, hears voices, talks with spirits. Rapid changes from joy to sadness. Delusions about his identity; thinks himself tall, double, a part missing. Cannot bear solitude or darkness; must have light and company. Sight of water or anything glittering brings on spasms. Delirium, with desire to escape. [Bell. Bry; Rhus.]. Religious mania.

6.       HYOSCYAMUS:-

It is as if some diabolical force took possession of the brain and prevented its functions. Very suspicious. Talkative, obscene, lascivious mania, uncovers body; jealous, foolish. Great hilarity; inclined to laugh at everything. Delirium, with attempt to run away. Low, muttering speech; constant carphologia, deep stupor.

7.       BELLADONNA:-

Patient lives in a world of his own, engrossed by specters and visions and oblivious to surrounding realities. While the retina is insensible to actual objects, a host of visual

Hallucinations throng about him and come to him from within. He is acutely alive and crazed by a flood of subjective visual impressions and fantastic illusions. Hallucinations; sees monsters, hideous faces. Delirium; frightful images; furious; rages, bites, strikes; desire to escape. Loss of consciousness. Perversity, with tears. Changeableness. Disinclined to talk.

8.       CHINA OFFICINALIS:-

Discontent; the patient deems himself unfortunate, and ill-used by the whole world. Great abundance of ideas, and of projects, with slow progress of thought (especially in the evening and at night). Fear of dogs and of other animals, especially at night. Excessive irascibility, with pusillanimity, and inability to bear the least noise. Disobedience. Hypochondriacal dejection. Apathy and moral insensibility.

9.       COCAINA:-

Talkative. Constant desire to do something great, to undertake vast feats of strength. Frightful persecutory hallucinations; sees and feels bugs and worms. Personal appearance neglected. Thinks he hears unpleasant remarks about himself. Hallucinations of hearing. Insomnia. Cerebral activity. Moral sense blunted.

Some of other drugs for schizophrenia are ignitia, nux vomica, rhus toxi, sulphur, zincum met, veratrum album, silicea, opium, lycopodium and helliborus.

Its Sensible To Be Wary Of Supplements

Today's post from health.com (see link below) is an important article for most people taking any form of supplements but especially for neuropathy patients, who resort to supplements largely because they've heard they may help when regular medicine fails (all too often the case with nerve pain!). The article is a warning to be careful about which supplements you choose and certainly which supplements you combine. As far as I can see, there are no supplements here that are commonly used to relieve nerve pain symptoms however, to ignore it for that reason, is missing the point. We tend to rely on the internet and hopefully do our research about anything we take but it's so easy to get caught up in the supplement spiral and let them mount up in our medicine cupboards, so that we end up taking massive amounts of things without really knowing if they're doing any good or not. Far more important is the fact that we aren't aware of the dangers of supplements maybe doing us harm! It's vitally important that you read as much as possible about any individual supplement and certainly don't rely on advertising blurb, or recommendations via e-mail of a 'doctor' who can perform wonder cures. It's a given that if we're taking supplements, our normal prescriptions aren't working, or we've been tested to show a deficiency somewhere but I can't over stress the dangers of randomly taking supplements based on the slightest of evidence, or worse, hearsay. Remember, just because a product is 'herbal' or 'natural' doesn't mean that it doesn't contain powerful ingredients!
 

These 15 Supplement Ingredients Carry Serious Health Risks, According to a New Report: Think cancer, cardiac arrest, liver damage, and more.
By Amanda MacMillan   Last updated: Jul 27, 2016

Despite their popularity in pharmacies, health food stores, and even hospitals, over-the-counter dietary supplements are not regulated in a way that ensures their safety and efficacy, says a new article published today by Consumer Reports. These products have the potential to be contaminated with dangerous bacteria or to differ widely from what their labels claim them to be. And in some cases, they deliberately contain ingredients that can cause cancer, organ damage, cardiac arrest, and other serious health problems.

The report warns consumers to stay away from 15 such ingredients, found in supplements sold in major retail stores across the United States. These products may be especially harmful for people with pre-existing medical conditions, the authors say, or who take other supplements or drugs (prescription or over-the-counter) that could trigger dangerous interactions.

The ingredients, and their claimed benefits, include:
Aconite, used for inflammation, joint pain, or gout
Caffeine powder, used for weight loss, increased energy, and athletic performance
Chaparral, used for weight loss, inflammation, colds, rashes, and infections
Coltsfoot, used for cough, sore throat, laryngitis, and asthma
Comfrey, used for cough, heavy periods, stomach problems, and chest pain
Germander, used for weight loss, fever, arthritis, gout, and stomach problems
Greater Celadine, used for stomach aches
Green tea extract powder, used for weight loss
Kava, used for anxiety and insomnia
Lobelia, used for respiratory problems and for quitting smoking
Methylsynephrine, used for weight loss, increased energy, and athletic performance
Pennyroyal oil, used for breathing problems and digestive disorders
Red yeast rice, used for high cholesterol and heart disease
Yohimbe, used for low libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, and weight loss

RELATED: 9 Things to Know Before Buying Another Supplement

These ingredients can also be listed by other names. Their aliases, and the specific risks associated with each ingredient, are published on ConsumerReports.org and available free of charge.

Some of the ingredients have been shown to cause side effects such as vomiting, nausea, dizziness, impaired driving, and breathing problems. Others have been associated with liver damage, cancer, and serious heart problems. And several of them can interact with other medications, says Ellen Kunes, Consumer Reports Health Content Team Leader. The quality of the ingredients and the length of time they’re taken for can also affect the severity of these risks.

“Say I want to lower my cholesterol, and I’ve read that red yeast rice can help do that,” Kunes told Health.com. “But I may already take a prescription statin for that. If I take both of them together, the effects can be magnified—and the results can be dangerous. That’s the bottom line we want to get across to consumers.”

The report also found that shoppers can’t trust pharmacists or retail staff to alert them to the potential harms of these products: When the Consumer Reports staff sent secret shoppers into 60 stores around the country to ask about these ingredients, many store employees gave information that was “either misleading or flat-out wrong.”

RELATED: Warning: Do Not Mix These Supplements

And even if you avoid these 15 most alarming ingredients, there’s no guarantee that any over-the-counter supplement is safe, or that it contains what it’s supposed to. Many consumers don’t realize that supplements are regulated by the government as a food and not as a drug, says Kunes—which means that companies don’t have to go through stringent tests before putting their products on shelves.

“These products don’t always contain what they claim to,” she says. “That could mean you’re just wasting your money on something harmless—but the reality is, a lot of it is not harmless.” The industry is much larger than government inspections can keep up with, she adds. “Many times, the FDA only gets involved after they get a report that there’s a problem.”

In the article, Consumer Reports’ chief medical adviser notes that there are certain situations in which a person might truly benefit from a supplement—including those who are pregnant, have dietary restrictions, take certain drugs, or have chronic health conditions. But these people should only take the type and dosage recommended by their doctor. They may even be able to take a prescription-strength supplement, which must meet the same safety and efficacy standards as other prescription drugs.

RELATED: Best Foods for Every Vitamin and Mineral

In most other cases, says Kunes, supplements aren’t necessary. “Eating a balanced diet, getting lots of fruit and vegetables, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, lowering stress—these are the things that are going to truly help you feel healthier,” she says. “We recommend getting your health from food and from healthy habits, rather than popping a pill.”

http://www.health.com/nutrition/supplement-ingredients-to-avoid

Its Not What You Say Oh Wait A Minute It Is! A Guide For Pain Patient Supporters

Today's post from paindoctor.com is a very sensible list of better ways to support a pain patient via the things you say. It's not easy being a friend or relative of someone in chronic pain and most pain patients are well aware of that. Nevertheless, if people just took a second to think about how they phrase something, it can act as a positive and supporting moment for the patient. Unfortunately, thinking twice doesn't come naturally to most people. They think they're saying the right thing but are inadvertently hurting the patient's feelings by being a little insensitive. This article may just be able to act as a guide for friends and family; or at least make them think about how they approach certain issues.

Say This, Not That: Supporting The Chronic Pain Patient  
By Pain Doctor| September 30th, 2015

 People who have a chronic pain patient in their life often walk a fine line in terms of saying the wrong thing. Even the most caring person may inadvertently say things that can be hurtful. They may make assumptions or judgments in their language, not realizing they are doing so. In Say This, Not That, we identify some of these statements and offer alternatives.

Instead of: Does it really hurt that bad? Man up!

Suggesting that a chronic pain patient is less of a “man” or somehow less tough because they are in pain can be not only hurtful to the patient but also permanently damaging to your relationship with them.

Say: Time to call it a day? No problem. I’m ready, too.

Pain is the body’s way of protecting itself against further injury. In some cases, certain types of pain, such as the pain an athlete may feel in training, may be okay. When it comes to chronic pain, “manning up” can cause days or even weeks of backlash with intense pain and difficulty moving. Going at a chronic pain patient’s pace is telling them that it’s okay to feel what they are feeling and allows them the freedom to stop when they are done.

Instead of: There’s a lot you can’t do, isn’t there?

Talk about hurtful! Chronic pain patients are well aware that their condition has made life more challenging. There are activities that are no longer available to them, and they may never recover those abilities. To point this out is not only unsupportive but also downright cruel. There is no sense in highlighting what a chronic pain patient is missing out on.

Say: What do you enjoy doing?

Highlight the things that a chronic pain patient enjoys doing, and work towards those. If a patient says they loved to ride horses before their spinal injury, find a local horse rescue to visit. Do they love playing sports? Many types of adaptive sporting equipment are available for that. While they may never be able to compete in a hunter-pace or golf in a major tournament again, there are ways for chronic pain patients to enjoy the things they love. Accentuate what they can do instead of dwelling on what they can’t.

Instead of: Let me do that for you.

Chronic pain is often interpreted as helplessness. Even though awareness is growing, many still believe that chronic pain patients are unable to care for themselves in any capacity. Others may believe that physical exertion and activity are to be strenuously avoided and will rush in to take over every task, from little things like chopping onions to more physical actions like rearranging furniture.

Say: How can I help?

Before you take those groceries away from a chronic pain patient, ask first if you can help. Although chronic pain patients have days when even blinking is a painful activity, not every day is quite as challenging.

Treating a chronic pain patient as an invalid promotes a cycle of learned helplessness wherein the patient does little and then develops the ability to do even less. Physical activity and movement are actually recommended as much as possible for chronic pain patients, especially for those with conditions that worsen with inactivity (like rheumatoid arthritis). If you see a chronic pain patient struggling or about to fall from a burden they are carrying, don’t hesitate to assist. Otherwise, ask if they need help before swooping in.

Instead of: You are in pain? Here’s some aspirin/ibuprofen.

There are many different things that are wrong and potentially harmful in this statement.
Offering a chronic pain patient an aspirin for their pain is like bailing the ocean out with a teaspoon. Many chronic pain patients suffer from pain that an over-the-counter medication won’t even touch.
Assuming that chronic pain can be fixed by popping a pill – prescription or otherwise – is uninformed and plays into the stereotype of the addicted chronic pain patient.
Chronic pain patients who do take medication under the supervision of their doctors may have already taken their dose for the day, and to offer them more of anything can be dangerous.

Say: You are in pain? Is there any way I can help?

Chances are good that the answer to that question will be “no,” but asking to help instead of offering what you feel is the best solution is the fastest way to earn a chronic pain patient’s respect and trust. In doing so, you are not assuming anything about the chronic pain patient’s experience. You are making yourself available to help in any way that the patient needs, and that is an invaluable gift.
Instead of: Wow, you take a lot of pills!

Chronic pain patients who are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications for pain are already completely aware that they take “a lot” of pills. This statement may be embarrassing for them and may make them less likely to be open about their treatments with you.

If you are a caregiver, the last thing you want is a patient who feels like they have to hide their pills. This can make patients feel ashamed of their treatment and potentially less likely to follow it closely. There is also a strong emotional aspect of chronic pain, and treating a chronic pain patient like an overeager pill-popper is the fastest way to make them feel isolated and alone.

Say: I want to understand your treatment regimen. Are you willing to share?

Again, the answer to this might also be “no,” but asking the question instead of making assumptions is respectful and opens the door for better communication. In some cases, chronic pain patients may, indeed, be taking higher doses of over-the-counter medications than healthy people would take for muscle soreness or a headache. Encouraging the patient to communicate about their treatments, including medication and therapies, can build trust and let the patient know that you truly care about them getting better. If there is any question about medication amounts or you have concerns later on about prescription abuse, this foundation of nonjudgmental trust can make it easier to talk about your concerns.

Instead of: Have you tried______ (examples include: juicing, yoga, meditation, etc.)?

While some chronic pain patients have found relief from some of their symptoms through diet, low-impact exercise, and mindfulness meditation, others have tried everything they can find, to no avail. It can be very frustrating to have a pain-free person suggest treatments that may be scientifically unfounded and/or considered sham treatments or “snake oil.”

Say: What treatments have worked for you?

Chronic pain patients often have a long list of treatments they have tried, some of which may have worked better than others. Rather than assuming you can fix your friend’s pain with a well-intentioned but potentially uniformed suggestion, ask them what has worked or what they might try next. There is a fine line between wanting to be helpful by providing suggestions and being condescending and ignorant in assuming the patient hasn’t tried what they can. If you are a caregiver of a chronic pain patient, you will know where that line is. Others need to be more sensitive when offering suggestions and seek first to understand what has already been tried.

It is important to assume nothing and communicate with kindness and compassion. What are some other potentially hurtful questions or statements, and how can they be turned around?

https://paindoctor.com/say-this-not-that-supporting-the-chronic-pain-patient/

Brain and its disorders

Brain and its disorders

NERVOUS SYSTEM – Brain and its disorders

Man is the most intelligent of all animals. The human brain seems to have more IQ (intelligent quotient) than any other living creature. All animals use their brain only for continued existence, i.e., to get food, to escape from danger, to get protected, etc. But human beings think rationally and invent new things for leading life more comfortably. Human brain seems to be a mystery and seems to be extraordinarily complex.

Brain is very much essential for our living, survival and communication comfort with environments. It is the main switch of the wired network of our body. With electrical impulses, they communicate, interact, interpret, coordinate and function efficiently, in a very fast manner in a fraction of a second through the cranial nerves (12 pairs) and spinal nerves (31 pairs). Billions and billions of nerve cells are engaged in the maintenance work of our body under the supervision of the brain. This super computer (brain) has uniqueness of mind and memory also. They can conduct messages at the rate more than 20 km per minute. This speed makes its functions invaluable.

All our body’s virtual functions are carried out, controlled, correlated and regulated by the brain. Due to its importance, nature has placed it in a high position and in a safe vault (skull). Really, one needs to bow one’s head before Nature’s mystery.

Human brain – weighing less than 1.5 kg, is the boss of the body. It weighs approximately 2 per cent of the total body weight. This is the highest proportion among all living creatures comparing

brain and body weight. The richness of connection accounts for human intellect and talent. IQ and ability of brain varies from person to person and also from male to female. Here experiences and interest of the person also count. At a young age, it is highly adaptable and good in learning things easily. For moulding it perfectly to lead a good future, education in early life is thus very important.

Brain consists of an inner white and outer grey matter. Human brain has many folds with bulges and grooves for having more extended surface for recording. But, of course, all the theories say that human beings do not use more than 50 per cent of their brain’s capacity. The bulges are called gyri and grooves are called sulci. Brain has rich blood supply from carotid and vertebral arteries. In addition, it has been nourished through cerebrospinal fluid which circulates from ventricles of the brain to the entire spinal column.

Brain can be divided into three divisions:

• Fore brain – consists of cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus and glands (pineal and pituitary)
• Mid brain – Reticular formation, i.e., connecting area of forebrain and brain stem
• Hind brain – consists of cerebellum and brain stem (medulla oblongata and pons)

Fore brain and its functions Cerebrum – covers 80 per cent of the brain’s weight and volume. Cerebrum has two symmetrical hemispheres separated by a deep fissure. Even though they can mimic attributes, their functions seem to be entirely different. Each area has specific responsibility and function. Two hemispheres are interrelated with connecting fibres called corpus callosum.

Crossing over of nervefibres occurs in brain stem, so that the right side of the body is controlled by the left cerebral hemisphere and the left side of the body is controlled by the right side brain (cerebral hemisphere). The reason for crossing over is less understood. For human beings, commonly (for right handed persons – most common), the left hemisphere of the brain seems to be dominant and has the speech area (Broca’s area). Due to the left hemisphere’s dominance, every day- to-day activities will be taken care of with the right hand and leg in a more powerful manner than the left.

Cerebrum is an authority for development of personality, behaviour, intelligence, memory, emotions, etc. It also controls the voluntary muscles engaged in speech, breathing and swallowing. Cerebrum is covered by cerebral cortex and meninges (insulation layer). Cerebral cortex is the registry for memories, plans, ambition, etc. Unless otherwise this area is kept perfect, one cannot remember anything even about himself. In gist,

• Left cerebral hemisphere is responsible for thoughts, speech, words, etc.
• Right cerebral hemisphere is responsible for cognitive processing, rational thinking, fine skills, creativity, etc.

Further, cerebrum can be divided into four lobes and named after their covering bones

• Frontal lobe – responsible for planning, rational thinking and memories
• Parietal lobe – responsible for vision and understanding
• Temporal lobe – responsible for auditory
• Occipital lobe – responsible for vision

Thalamus – it is the base of the fore brain and the roof of the mid brain. It works more with sensory organs, i.e., eyes, ears, nose, tongue, fingers, etc.

Hypothalamus – controls emotions, body temperature, thirst, sleep, appetite, pulse, etc.

Pituitary and pineal glands with thalamus and hypothalamus work for growth and controlling body hormones for maintaining good body functions.

Mid brain and its functions – It is a very small connecting area of fore brain and brain stem. It is called as reticular formation. It controls and coordinates all the actions of brain. It filters impulses and gives importance and value according to urgency and interest, for example – one who sleeps in

the midst of TV sound wakes up for a calling bell. Here all the TV sounds have been filtered by this reticular formation and calling bell has been given importance and allowed to wake up the brain.

Hind brain and its functions
Cerebellum is a Latin word which means little brain (cerebellum itself resembles brain). It is placed in the back end of the head (occipital region) and it is also divided into two hemispheres like the cerebrum. It is the authority for coordination and balancing during movement and while changing body posture, for example during drawing, playing, running, etc.

Brain stem consists of medulla oblongata and pons. It is the collection of nerve fibres that ascend from the body and descends from the brain. It coordinates all the body impulses and brain’s messages. It also controls automatic functions, like breathing, heart beat / rate, blood pressure, swallowing, digestion, blinking, etc.

Brain problems – There are innumerous complaints that can arise from brain – starting from simple tiredness to coma, i.e., dizziness, drowsiness, sleeplessness, sleepiness, lack of concentration, loss of memory, headache, migraine, fits / seizure / epilepsy, paresis, paralysis, cerebrovascular disorders ( stroke ), brain tumours, meningitis, encephalitis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain atrophy, etc.

Prevention of brain problems – brain cannot be replaced, so prevention is most important. Also prevention is simple, i.e. need to care for head against any injury or disease. If any disease is not treated properly, it can end life ultimately by spreading to / attacking brain. For example – coma arises due to uncontrolled diabetes , hypertension, liver disorders, kidney disorders, heart disorders, etc.

Do’s

• Physical as well as mental exercises (reading, thinking, solving puzzles / problems)
• Wear helmet while riding bike or working in mines or industry to avoid head injury
• Keep diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol level under control
• Proceed to treatment as early as possible in all complaints

Avoid

• Narcotics, sedatives, smoking, alcohol and unnecessary drugs
• Unnecessary anxiety, fear, tension and worries

Diagnostic techniques – Brain functions and diseases are usually analysed with weakness, coordination of movement(s), reflexes, spasticity, alteration in sensations and functions, etc., to plan for treatment. The common tests required to detect brain disorders are

• Routine blood tests and urine tests
• X-ray skull (in AP view and lateral view)
• CT / MRI scan
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Analysing cerebrospinal fluid with spinal puncture

for new hope

Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)

Laxmi Homeo Clinic

24 E. New Mahalipatti Road

Madurai, TN 625 001

India

Tel:  +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)

Fax: +91-452-233-0196

E-mail:  drcheena@yahoo.com

www.drcheena.com  / www.drcheena.in

(Disclaimer - The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)

HIV And Its Medications Possible Side Effects

Today's useful post from aidsinfonet.org (see link below) is aimed at people living with the side effects of HIV and its medications, including neuropathy (which is a significant and underestimated consequence of HIV for roughly a third of all positive people).
The post lists the main side effects people living with HIV may have to deal with and provides links to more information on each one. Those who imagine that being HIV+ these days is just a matter of taking one pill a day and living a normal lifespan, may want to think again in light of these potential problems. Those with both HIV and neuropathy already understand that very well.

Side Effects and Their Treatment

July 27, 2013

To see a list of fact sheets in each category, click on the category name.

NOTE: You can see a full list of fact sheet topics on Fact Sheet 1000.

Treatments for Side Effects

550. Side Effects

A discussion of the most common side effects of antiretroviral treatment, with links to other fact sheets for more information. Includes fatigue, anemia, digestive problems, lipodystrophy, peripheral neuropathy, mitochondrial toxicity, and osteoporosis.

[Reviewed August 12, 2012]

551. Fatigue

A description of fatigue among people with HIV, its causes and treatment.

[Reviewed April 10, 2013]

552. Anemia

A description of anemia among people with HIV, its causes and treatment.

[Reviewed June 18, 2013]

553. Body Shape Changes (Lipodystrophy)

A description of lipodystrophy (changes in metabolism and body shape) in people with HIV, its risks, suspected causes and treatment.

[Reviewed November 14, 2012]

554. Diarrhea

A description of diarrhea in people with HIV, its causes and treatment.

[Revised December 31, 2012]

555. Peripheral Neuropathy

A description of peripheral neuropathy in people with HIV, its causes and treatment.

[Revised December 19, 2012]

556. Mitochondrial Toxicity

A description of mitochondrial toxicity in people with HIV, its causes and treatment.

[Reviewed August 13, 2012]

557. Osteoporosis

A discussion of loss of bone mineral density associated with HIV and its treatment, including osteoporosis

[Revised June 2, 2013]

558. Depression and HIV

Depression is common in HIV

[Revised July 29, 2012]

559. Osteonecrosis

Definition and description of osteonecrosis (bone death) in HIV

[Reviewed August 13, 2012]

http://www.aidsinfonet.org/categories/view/17