Holistic Therapy

I've been reading this book on acupuncture, and it really does an amazing job of describing what is meant by Holistic Therapy, its purpose, and how it works. The book is called "Is Acupuncture Right for You? What It Is, Why It Works, and How It Can Help You" and is written by Ruth Lever Kidson.
The underlying principle of much of alternative health care is Holism - "the treatment of the patient as a whole".
Examples of nonholistic treatments include surgery and the use of drugs. Surgery is "based on the principle that if a part of the patient is diseased, that part is removed." This flies in the face of Holistic Therapy. The same is true of prescription drugs. They are meant to target one or two specific ailments, without taking into account the rest of the patient. This is one reason why drugs so often have side effects - because they disrupt parts of the patient that were not taken into account by the doctor, and also because the drugs were not designed to be beneficial to the entire body. Antibiotics are not holistic in nature. While they may kill harmful bacteria, they also kill the friendly flora present in the digestive tract which is crucial to digestion.
Holism is really why homeopathic remedies are so different from over-the-counter drugs. Homeopathic medicines are meant to take into account all aspects of a patient - their temperament, their eating habits, etc., rather than just the symptoms they are experiencing. By looking at all these aspects, a homeopathic can be prescribed that will resolve the underlying cause of the symptoms.
Western Medicine makes a diagnosis which describes "the end result of the disease process" rather than looking at causes. It is very specific to the part of the body which is showing disease, but leaves out the rest. We can look at the names of certain diagnoses and see evidence of this approach - "heart attack, gallbladder disease, kidney stones, varicose veins, slipped disk" etc.
Acupuncture is a holistic therapy - it doesn't just focus on the manifestation of a disease. (example - "heart disease does not mean there is a problem heart in an otherwise healthy body") They look at the disease manifestation and, taking into account many other aspects of the patient, trace the cause from that.

Organic Connections Magazine

Here's a great site I found over twitter: http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/
Organic Connections is a magazine that focuses on food, health, agriculture, and business as they relate to organics. The publisher has a blog page at http://organicconnectmag.cin/wp/publishers-blog
When I visited, I was really interested in this article about Marc Koska, a man who invented something revolutionary to help fight against the HIV epidemic in third world countries.
http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/03/marc-koska-the-man-who-saved-9-million-lives/
Nell Newman, who created the line Newman's Own Organics talks about the definition of "natural" on food labels, about genetically modified foods, and the growing interest in organic foods here: http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/03/nell-newman-defining-natural-and-organic/
(also, if you want to visit her site, it's http://www.newmansownorganics.com/)
And when you visit, don't forget to give your input on this poll!
Poll: What is the biggest problem with America's school lunch program?

Tell me, if you have a favorite Newman's Own Organic product, what is it?
I personally LOVE their Newman-O's, a much healthier version of Oreo's (what's more - they taste much better!).
How about you?

Best Soup Ever

Anytime I have ever been sick, I have always enjoyed the chicken soup recipe that Jordan Rubin has in his book The Great Physician's Rx for Health and Wellness. Jordan Rubin is a proponent of alternative health, and he believes the best guide for our health can be found in the Bible.

To learn more about Jordan Rubin and his philosophy, you can check out this site:

http://www.transformyourhealth.com/webnewsletters/may06/nl0506md7keys.htm


And this is his AMAZING chicken soup recipe:

Chicken Soup

Yield: 6-10 servings

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (free range, pastured, or organic chicken)

3-4 quarts cold filtered water

1 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar

4 medium sized onions, coarsely chopped

8 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

2-4 zucchinis

4-6 tbsps of extra virgin coconut oil

1 bunch parsley

5 garlic cloves

4 inches grated ginger

2-4 tbsps Celtic sea salt

Directions:

If you are using a whole chicken, remove fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with the water, vinegar, and all vegetables except parsley. Bring to a boil and remove the fat that rises to the top. Cover and cook for 12-24 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About five minutes before finishing the stock, add the parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth. Remove from heat and take out the chicken. Allow to cool and remove the chicken meat from the carcass (mmm, appetizing. ^^).

Of course, the chicken is still yours to put back in the soup if you so prefer - I usually do.

This soup is excellent for if you have a cold, a fever, or if you just like soup. The flavors are very rich. I usually like to add spinach - and you can add other vegetables to this soup for your preferences as well.

Stress!!!

Stress greatly influences one's health. It can interfere with concentration, sleep, and depending on how well you deal with stress, it can negatively affect your relationships with friends, family, teachers and/or coworkers. The following is a questionairre meant to show you the amount of stress you experience and your vulnerability to the negative aspects thereof. It is "The Susceptibility Scale of the Stress Audit" created by Lyle H. Miller, Alma Dell Smith, & Larry Rothstein of Boston University Medical Center.

Do you:

1. Eat at least one hot, balanced meal a day?
2. Have seven hours of sleep at least four nights a week?
3. Give and receive affection frequently?
4. Have a relative within 50 miles(80 km) on whom you can rely?
5. Exercise to a perspiration at least twice a week?
6. Smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day? (Hopefully, you don't smoke any.)
7. Drink alchohol less than 5 times a week?
8. Keep within the appropriate weight for your height?
9. Have an adequate income for you needs?
10. Get strength from religious, philosophical, or some other deeply held beliefs?
11. Regularly attend social gatherings?
12. Have a network of friends and acquaintances?
13. Have a close friend to confide in?
14. Have good health?
15. Express feelings of anger or worry?
16. Have regular domestic discussions with those you live with?
17. Do something for fun at least once a week?
18. Organize your time effectively and have some quiet time to yourself every day?
19. Drink fewer than three cups of caffeine (tea, coffee, or soda) a day?
20. Have an optimistic outlook on life?

Scoring

Yes/Always - 1
Probably/Usually - 2
I suppose/It depends - 3
Rarely/Not a lot - 4
No/Never - 5

Add up your score. Less than 50 total means you are probably good at coping with stress. A higher score shows more vulnerability to stress. Please, answer according to how you really feel, not just to get a good score. Otherwise, it won't really help you.

Tinctures

The remedial properties of plants are better harnessed in different ways. Some forms are more convenient than others. Some are more effective. Tablets, though convenient to buy and swallow, may not transfer all the benefits of the remedy, due to dissolving time. Powders are easy to take, but can lose their effectiveness if not properly stored. I will be addressing tinctures.
You can prepare your own tinctures at home, or purchase them from your health practitioner, or at a health food store. Be certain you understand the purpose of whatever herbal tincture you choose.
This is how to prepare your own tincture:
1. Tinctures are standardly composed of 1 part dried herbal substance to 3 parts alchohol solution. This is because alchohol can best absorb possibly water-insoluble elements of the plant. Put the chopped herb material (can consist of flowers, buds, leaves, roots, seeds, etc. as these different plant components have different qualities present) in a clean glass jar (the lidded kind) and stir in the alchohol. Every four ounces of herbs requires 1 cup of alchohol (preferably organic vodka. The strength of the alchohol keeps the material from decaying.) Stir until all the plant matter is covered. Seal the jar.
2. For the next ten days, take a few minutes to shake or stir the liquid.
3. When the ten days are up, strain the liquid into a clean glass bottle (plastic will leach into the tincture) and seal. Label it accordingly.

Your tincture is shelf-stable for at least three years. It is highly concentrated, and thus effective in tiny amounts. The most effective way to take a tincture orally is by putting the drops under your tongue. It will quickly absorb into your blood stream. Unfortunately, tinctures are not prized for their flavor - but they are worth the few seconds of bitter taste.
For more information on herbal tinctures and remedies, Eyewitness Companions has a comprehensive book on the subject, creatively labeled "Herbal Remedies".