Showing posts with label imbalance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label imbalance. Show all posts

Monday, February 24, 2014

" Circular … "

We are alive, to see the end of us 
Struggling to reach the finish line 
To designate our time to questionable lives 
So called meaningless, still there's no answer 
For this vulnerable reality comes 
Can't we break the cycle in which we reside? 

Objective achieved, the perfect machine 
We're drawing circles every day 
It takes only one step to be on your way 
Reflection, our time's up 
And over and over again 
Again, again 

~ Textures ~ Circular ~
***


Being human equates being emotional.  Experiences generate feelings & emotions that become excessive, or are repressed and turned inward.  This is when they can become pathological and cause dis-ease.  Once we understand this connection, we can begin to balance our bodies back to wellness … one modality,Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offers some insight.

We consider emotions of joy, sadness and anger to be normal, normal in every day experiences.  And, sometimes even an organ within our body can be out of balance and produce emotional imbalances.  TCM believes that balancing the organ associated with the emotion will balance the emotion.  The difference is important to the practitioner, as well as you, in preventing a recurrence of the problem.  The practitioner will ask many questions to evaluate all aspects, not just the physical, with the intention that once the imbalance is corrected, the environment that created that imbalance no longer exists.  Yet we do have free will, and if we choose to continue in the environment, the imbalance will likely return as we are creatures of habit.


... emotions that do not have avenues for expression and release can create dis-ease and dis-harmony in the body manifesting as physical symptoms ...


TCM relies on a circular rather than a liner approach ... cause and effect ... balance and flow.  Therefore stuck emotions can lead to a blockage of the flow or a stagnation resulting in dis-ease.  How the dis-ease manifests is completely individualized depending on many factors, and your practitioner will assist you in determining the how.  It is believed that releasing emotions can release dis-eases.



The following related organs show symptoms when imbalance occurs ...








HEART
SPLEEN
LUNGS
KIDNEY
LIVER
emotion
joy
worry
sadness
fear
anger
emotion out of balance
Lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair, confusion, anxiety, fidgeting, easily startled
Dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work
Excessive sadness, grief, or detachment, uncontrolled crying
Fearful, no willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated
Explosive anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, moodiness
function
Regulates the heart and blood vessels, responsible for even and regular pulse, influences vitality and spirit. Connected to the tongue, complexion and arteries
Food digestion and nutrient absorption, the first step in the formation of Blood and Qi, holds blood in the vessels, connected to the muscles, mouth and lips, involved in thinking, studying and memory
Respiration, controls sweat and body hair, creates energy (Qi) from air and redistributes it throughout the body, works with Kidney to regulate the water metabolism, important part of the immune system and helps protect the body from viruses and bacteria, provides moisture to skin
Responsible for reproduction, growth and development & maturation, connected with lungs in water metabolism and respiration, responsible for bones, teeth, hearing and head hair
Stores the blood, responsible for the smooth flow of Blood and Qi throughout the body, regulates the secretion of bile, connected with the tendons, nails and eyes
symptoms indicating imbalance
insomnia, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, excessive dreaming, poor memory and concentration, dizziness, spontaneous sweating

Tired, loss of appetite, mucous discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhea, weak muscles, pale lips, bruising easily, excessive menstrual blood flow, other bleeding disorders
Shortness of breath, fatigue, cough, catching colds easily, fever with chills, sore throat, runny nose, headache, asthma, chest oppression, pale complexion, dry skin
Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, vertigo, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short term memory, low back pain, sore or weak knees, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, hair that turns grey prematurely, hair loss and osteoporosis, lowered libido

chest distension, red face, bitter taste in the mouth dizziness, ringing in the ears, jaundice, menstrual problems (cramps, irregular or heavy periods), headaches, tendinitis, nausea, vomiting, sighing, breast tenderness, swelling and/or itching of the genitals, blurred vision, floaters, dry skin and hair


When we live in a fast paced world full of stresses on both our minds and our bodies.  Hence it is important to remember again that the cause of an imbalance may be occurring from events in your life and a practitioner cannot can’t remove the stress, only you can.  
Staying healthy isn’t easy but it is possible if you make it a priority.  Imbalance is everywhere.  Hence finding whatever brings you happiness and makes you feel good are the small things that are the keys to wellness.


“ Life is the journey we all share, and if we live it with mindfulness and wisdom, that journey will always lead to balance and happiness ... “

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

" Into The Void ... "


tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

talking to myself all the way to the station
pictures in my head of the final destination all lined up
(all the one's that aren't allowed to stay)
tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

tried to save a place from the cuts and the scratches
tried to overcome the complications and the catches
nothing ever grows and the sun doesn't shine all day
tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

~ Nine Inch Nails ~ Into The Void ~
***

One of my favorite shows is The Biggest Loser.  I think because I empathize with the participants.  I get it.  I was there for the majority of my life.  I was overweight from a very young age and used food as my vice, my fix to fill the void in my life.  Even after developing an eating disorder, I still believed I was in control of it that I could stop at any moment.  It was the farthest from the truth because that empty feeling just didn’t go away and neither did my addiction.

Most of us can identify with that emptiness.  Life can be great most of the time, but that underlying feeling remains.  We try to find a way to manage it but the truth is it never gets filled ... you can’t run from it, you just have to face it.


So do you recognize your void?  

Usually we attempt to “fill the void” with either positive or negative people or activities.  Some people grew up in homes where love was conditional based on performance, achievement and productivity.  Others, in abusive homes and never received approval or acceptance from their parents.  Therefore emotional voids evolve and as children we find a way to cope, survive.

Reflecting back, I had an AHA! moment ... I use to be a “giver”, a "people pleaser". Constantly doing things for friends and people, being there for them and draining myself in the process.  And even though I said I had no expectations, we all do.  And mine were never fulfilled.  I never received as much as I gave.  Maybe because I gave in unrealistic ways ... maybe because my expectations were too high ... maybe because my giving was conditional.  Maybe.  But really my epiphany came when I realized that it was because I didn’t feel I deserved it.  I didn’t feel that I was good enough.  I didn’t think I was equal to others.  So, I think I set myself up, self fulfilling prophecy if you will ... my expectations would never be met and I would always end up disappointed.  This I expected, this was familiar and therefore this I created.  I wasn’t open or ready to receive.  Yikes!


So how do you fill your void? 

As previously shared, I filled my void with food.  And there is a price that comes with filling a void with food.  Besides the obviously health issues, it comes on slowly.  It is likely that the rut you are stuck in has also developed with time.  And it stems from a feelings of inadequacy and imbalance.  I was unhappy, depressed and probably not a barrel of laughs to be around (I apologize to my loved ones and am so grateful for their presence still in my life!)  Thankfully, now I have a my renewed sense of excitement and purpose in life which makes me feel full.  I turned my negative into a positive.

So if you are unsure if you have a void in your life, listen to your heart.  Feelings of emptiness, hollow, nothingness, meaninglessness ... you know as you go through it, you experience an undesirable state of being.  You are existing and surviving, not living.
Voids are mainly caused by terrible loss and experience of inadequacy in life.  When joy, security and self-realization is lost, a vacuum is created within.  Life becomes empty without a point of reference or a common thread as Oprah shared.  The bigger the investment on the source of meaning, the more hollow the void is after its loss.  



The key is to live your life in its “fullness” ... 



I read that the universe hates voids and always finds ways to fill empty spaces.  So as part of this vast universe, you are also enabled to fill this void starting from your own.
Recognize that you are a person with depth and serious search for meaning in life ... 


Be grateful that if you feel the void, you are in touch with your inner self.  And once you have this awareness, you can change.  So go back to your most important values in life and recover what you consider most precious because as human beings we all need HOPE, essential for us to truly live our lives as they are meant to be lived ... 


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

"Potatoes ..."

"I don't have time
To feel the pain
Why should I feel?
I can't complain ...
Heeeeey ...
Potatos in the dark
Pickles in the light
Cabbage on wheels
Drive around"
~ Caffeine ~ Potatoe ~
***

Today as I was getting my tatters ready for baking I started to wonder exactly how many of these suckers I have eaten over the last 33 weeks.  On the Gerson therapy, we are required to have at least one baked potato for lunch and one for dinner.  So, loosely calculating ... close to 500 potatoes thus far on the therapy.  Holy tatters Batman!!! ~ that is a whole lotta carbs no?  And I say carbs for a reason ... you see for the longest time, I stayed away (as most of you do) from loading up on carbs.  The myth "carbs make you fat".  Well that sure as heck is not the case.  Carbs don't make you fat, the "toppings" make you fat ~ oils, butters, creams, dressings, dippings, and fixings.  And if you really think about it ... it makes sense.  Now this is referring to real carbs, not packaged, processed and canned.  We all know that well, that stuff is just not good for us at all.

One of the main principles in the Gerson therapy is to provide the body with a high potassium and low sodium diet.  Within Charlotte Gerson's book "Healing the Gerson Way", she writes about her father's discovery around these two minerals and how their imbalance in the body can lead to serious health issues.  Once sorted, our bodies can heal as they are made to do so.  Yet the average diet is far from this.  Most diets these days are rich in sodium which lead to various dis-eases including cancer.  So why is sodium so bad for us?  Well sodium itself is not "bad" but remember the saying ... everything in moderation?  To the point, excess sodium feeds tumours allowing them to grow.  

So back to why I ingest soooooo many potatoes.  Well, to get my diet back to the higher potassium and lower sodium ratio, the more potatoes the better ... because potatoes are enriched with potassium.  An average size potato has 110 calories and 750 mg of potassium compared to 10 mg of sodium.  Also as an added bonus, potatoes are the cheapest source of potassium.  As you know all of our produce is organic, but we can still purchase a 5 lb bag for ~ $8.  Not bad when you consider an average bevy at the Starbucks is ~ $5.

So as I eat my potatoes twice a day, I can't help but smile and think of a few potato funnies to share with you.  They may make you laugh, but at the very least, may peak your craving today for potatoes ...


  • What do you call a baby potato? A small fry!
  • What do you say to an angry 300-pound baked potato? Anything, just butter him up.
  • What does a British potato say when it thinks something is wonderful? It’s mashing!
  • Why did the potato cross the road? He saw a fork up ahead.