Wellness News December 2011 by Cancer Support WA

summer 2011/2012 print edition

Vol. 26 No.11

Cancer Support Association of WA www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Join the CSA online community We have created a new facebook page for our members and friends which we update daily with cancer news, inspirations and the latest CSA events and programs.

Facebook / Cancer Support Association

wellness news is the magazine of the Cancer Support Association of Western Australia Inc. Wellness News e-magazine is published online twelve time a year and distributed free to members of the Cancer Support Association. A quarterly print edition of Wellness News is produced four times each year and posted to all CSA members. Wellness News magazine is dedicated entirely to publishing informative, inspiring and helpful articles related to wellness and healing. The magazine is for people with cancer or serious health issues; for people who are well and want to maintain their good health naturally; and for complementary, alternative and integrative health professionals.

editorial & production... Editor & Designer Mandy BeckerKnox editor.wellness@yahoo.com.au Fundraising Geraldine Rust

printed by Artproof Printers 9430 4034 Thankyou to our team of volunteers for assisting with distribution

Dear members and friends,

Did you know that Cancer Support Association was a pioneer of the wellness approach to cancer in Western Australia? Back in 1984 when CSA began, it was uncommon to integrate meditation, diet or complementary therapies into a cancer care plan. In fact, there was active opposition from mainstream medicine! It is through the efforts of wellness advocates such as Dr. Ian Gawler (and in WA CSA) that complementary therapies, meditation, nutrition and lifestyle medicine have slowly become recognised as key factors in cancer healing and are more widely accepted. We have seen meditation, complementary therapies and lifestyle medicine filtering in to the mainstream, with many hospitals and oncology departments now advocating and implementing complementary therapies. The CSA Wellness team have many, many years experience in cancer wellness (we counted 75 years of active involvement in the wellness and healing fields between three staff members alone!) and continue to provide wellness services and support for the West Australian community. This year, the team continues to pioneer new cancer wellness programs, taking our services to rural and remote areas of WA where we have hosted the Meeting the Challenge 1 Day Cancer Wellness Seminar. We have also been busy producing a Meeting the Challenge Cancer Wellness Handbook for people newly diagnosed with cancer which introduces the key aspects of the wellness approach to cancer. The handbook will be launched later this year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to ensure that the wellness message reaches more people at the time they need it most. Also, we are currently devising a 5 Week Cancer Wellness Course to be launched early 2012.

Wellness News magazine is published by There are many people with cancer who are alive today because they stepped the Cancer Support Association of WA outside the mainstream cancer treatment paradigm and wholeheartedly Inc (CSA). The contents of this magazine embraced the wellness approach, integrating deep and long-lasting lifestyle, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of psychological and spiritual changes which directly contributed to their the CSA and should be not be construed recovery. as medical advice. CSA encourages We are proud of the role we have played in popularising the wellness readers to be discerning with information approach to cancer and we are proud of our many members and friends who presented and make treatment, dietary have had the courage to look deep within to connect with their inner healing and lifestyle choices in consultation resources and to live according to their personal truths. with a team of health-care professionals. ÂŠ Copyright of all articles and images Peace, remains with individual contributors. Mandy Cancer Support Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

INTRODUCTION

about Wellness News mind-body healing integrative medicine lifestyle & environment inspiring personal stories current news & information nutrition & recipes inspirations Welcome to the Summer 2011/2012 Print Edition of Wellness News. We have compiled an informative, inspiring publication for you which includes the best articles from our recently published Wellness News online magazines. Wellness News is unique in that it is an extremely positive, uplifting, intelligent and beautiful publication focusing on wellness, healing and the environment. Wellness News is designed to offer hope and life-enhancing wellness strategies for people who may be seriously ill, and a broad spectrum of information for people interested in maintaining good health and wellbeing. Wellness News articles are commissioned or sourced from highly regarded international journals, publications and websites and are divided into seven key areas for complete cancer wellness and healing: mind-body healing; integrative therapies; nutrition and recipes; inspiring personal stories; lifestyle and environment; current news & information; inspirations.

when you look for beauty in the world around you, then even the weeds in your garden are wondrous and amazing!

Topics covered are spirituality, healing modalities, complementary therapies, integrative medicine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; balanced with inspirational stories, recipes, the latest nutrition and wellness trends, and also information on how the environment can impact on health and wellbeing. We place great value on personal cancer stories for their insight into how people manage in challenging circumstances. Also important to our balance of content is poetry and art for the healing potential of words and images. Visually, our magazine is designed to inspire the healing spirit.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

This is the 2011 weekly program. Please check our website or call CSA for the 2012 program starting in February.

mind-body healing

Monday Meditation Made Easy....................................................................................10.00 – 11.30am Ongoing Lessons with Bavali Hill. FREE FOR MEMBERS (non-members $5) No bookings necessary. Massage with Nat Hazelwood ($55/$65 non-members)...................... by appointment

Tuesday Cancer Wellness Counselling with Mike Sowerby................................... by appointment Book with reception. $75 (CSA members), $100 (non-members)

Treating the myth of illness. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 16 Cancer and the role of the mind . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..20 The biology of perception. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 26 The psychology of change. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 29 Something to bear in mind . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..40 How to do mindfulness meditation. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .50

Wellness and Healing Open Support Group................................... 10.00 – 12.00noon with Dr. Angela Ebert Carer’s Wellness and Healing Support Group ........................... 10.00 – 12.00noon with Mike Sowerby (when required) Reiki Clinic.......................................................................................................12.15pm – 1.30pm

Wednesday Reflexology with Udo Kannapin ..................................................................10.00am – 2pm ($40. Appointments between 10-2) Laughter Yoga with Kimmie O’Meara ($3.00).....................................11.00am – 12.00pm Chinese Medical Healthcare Qigong ($10/$5 members).............. 1.00pm – 2.30pm with Alan Donelly

THURSDAY

personal stories From cancer to mindfulness. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .42 Sprouting seeds of compassion . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 46 Healing and transformation. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..54 The serenity of miracles. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 60 Dear Orlando. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .97

Cancer Wellness Counselling with Mike Sowerby................................... by appointment Book with reception. $75 (CSA members), $100 (non-members) Yoga for Healing...........................................................................................10.00am – 11.15am with Madeline Clare (members $5 / others $10) Grief and Loss Open Support Group...................................................... 1.00pm – 3.00pm with Mike Sowerby (last Thursday of each month) Writing Your Story with the Harmony Harp...............................10.30am – 12.00noon with Kate Faraday ($10 per session) No bookings necessary.

Friday Meeting the Challenge 1 Day Seminar...................................................9.30am – 4.30pm 1st Friday of the month “Arts for Healing” Art Therapy Group.................................................9.30am – 12.00pm with Glenys Gibbs (members $20 / others $25 includes art materials)

lifestyle & environment Cancer: the lifestyle connection . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 18 Environmental stress, pollution and miasmatic illness. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 34 How long will you live?. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .38 A no-nonsense look at toxins and how your body deals with them. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 74

New CSA courses & programs . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 4 What’s on at CSA in 2012 . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 6 Meeting the Challenge Handbook. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 8 Key to fighting cancer is to stay active. . .. . .. . .. . .. 9 Harmless bacteria in soil kills cancer. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 10 Ovarian cancer screening doesn’t save lives. . .. . 11 Fish oils may block chemotherapy drug . . .. . .. . ..12 Increase longevity by volunteering. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..12 Children absorb radiation from mobile phones. 13 Meditation nourishes the brain. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 53 Older people who eat healthy diets officially lead longer lives. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..85 Meeting the Challenge in Manjimup . . .. . .. . .. . .. 94 Attend the Gawler Foundation . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 96

CONTENTS

current news & information

Contents

Summer 2011/2012 nutrition & food Chinese nutrition: the energetics of food. . .. . .. . 78 Natural benefits and curative properties of rice. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .80 Rice: humanity’s healing food. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 82 The macrobiotic brown rice fast. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 84 Cancer healing benefits of parsley . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 89 Dietary recommendations to prevent and overcome cancer . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 91 The Moringa tree. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 93

integrative medicine Cancer and genes . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .32 Rediscovering the art and science of sound. . .. . 62 Sound healing with Tibetan singing bowls . . .. . .68 Vitamin D: the wonder vitamin that may help prevent 16 types of cancer. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 70 Cancer cures: the alternatives that are showing promise . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..77

inspirations True happiness . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..45 The flower. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..47 Mindfulness exercise . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 52 Grace. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..59 The most beautiful sound . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 69 Gandhi’s top 10 fundamentals for changing the world . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..93 Postcard from Bali . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .98 The greatest gift. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..100 A Christmas message. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..100

recipes Healing rice recipes. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 86 Tabouleh: chopped parsley salad. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .88 Pretty summer salads infused with flowers . . .. . .90 Shiitake and seaweed superfood salad. . .. . .. . .. . 91

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

New CSA Courses and Programs The following programs and courses commence at CSA in February 2012. Starting dates and times will be publicised in January when the program is launched.

evenings at CSA extended opening hours 2 nights a week CSA will be open two evenings a week until 8pm. Our evening program will include yoga, meditation, guest speakers, a men’s support group and other classes.

What’s new at CSA... Key client services staff (Cathy, Mandy and Mike) have many years professional and personal experience in cancer wellness and are working together to expand CSA’s current programs, literature and develop new initiatives for 2012 based on research, trends and client demand. We are confident that through our combined knowledge, skills and unwavering commitment, CSA will lead the way in the cancer wellness sector in WA. Along with the revision and expansion of our Meeting the Challenge 1 Day Seminar, we are currently devising a new 5 Week Cancer Wellness Course to commence in 2012. We have developed and will soon publish our new Meeting the Challenge Handbook for People Diagnosed with Cancer which introduces the key aspects of the wellness approach to cancer, and The Cancer Wellness Workbook which supplements the new Cancer Wellness Course – to ensure that the wellness message reaches more people at the time they need it most.

special guest program with inspirational speakers, healers and performers Once a month, CSA will host special guests to entertain, educate and inspire members and friends. The 2012 Special Guest Program will be launched in February.

cancer wellness walking group North Cottesloe Beach Starting in January 2012, CSA is hosting a weekly morning walking group along North Cottesloe beach beginning and ending at the Barchetta Cafe, North Cottesloe. Members of the CSA Wellness Team including volunteer counsellors will be present for the walk giving participants the opportunity to gain some informal support, make new connections with other individuals with cancer and enjoy the fresh air and exercise.

mens’ cancer support group with Mike Sowerby Mike Sowerby is starting a Mens’ Cancer Support Group on Thursday evenings (6pm-8pm) from February 2012. The dedicated men’s group is open to all men with cancer and also to men who are caring for loved ones with cancer. The group provides a caring environment for men to safely and confidentially share with others and gain support. For more information contact Mike at CSA on 9384 3544.

sound healing sessions with Julian and Silke Recently 50 members and guests came along to CSA for lunch and a Sound Healing Journey with the talented musicians and sound healers Julian Silburn and Silke, who will continue to provide fortnightly sound healing sessions at CSA from February.

NEWS & INFORMATION

CSA Volunteer Program We are currently expanding and vitalising our volunteer program and creating new opportunities for volunteers. With the introduction of an evening program in 2012 and extra services, volunteers will have many more opportunities to serve the CSA community. Cathy Brown is CSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Client Services Manager and is now taking applications for people wishing to volunteer in 2012. Please contact Cathy at CSA on 9384 3544 for more information. As part of the new Volunteer Program we will be offering regular Volunteer Information Sessions which provide current and future volunteers with mentoring and coaching. These sessions are also an opportunity for volunteers to meet and connect with others. When ready, our volunteers will be streamed into their area of interest. CSA volunteers can provide complementary therapies, assist with the new cancer wellness course and with administrative tasks. Once trained they can provide mentoring to participants of the cancer wellness walking group, and general encouragement and assistance to members and anyone with cancer who walks through our doors. Our first volunteer Information Session will be on Tuesday 13th December 2pm-4pm. We will provide a delicious homemade afternoon tea. Please rsvp by Friday 9th December so we can cater for you. If you are unable to attend please contact us about volunteering anyway. We look forward to creating a positive, vibrant future for CSA through our volunteer program.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

what’s on at CSA be part of the CSA community by joining the groups, courses and wellness activities at our premises in Cottesloe

Meeting the Challenge 1 Day Cancer Wellness Seminar Life Changing Information for people with cancer and their carers. Led by Cathy Brown, this seminar provides wellness information, wellness strategies, new resources (such as nutrition, treatment options, lifestyle suggestions, meditation) and sharing with others on a healing journey. Held monthly at CSA on the first Friday of every month from 9.30am-4.30pm. Free for new CSA members, bookings are required.

cancer wellness support group with Angela Ebert & Mike Sowerby CSA offers an open cancer support group for people with cancer and their carers. This weekly group is facilitated by experienced and fully qualified counsellors Dr. Angela Ebert and Mike Sowerby. Mike is a long-term cancer survivor and is a source of inspiration for participants. Support groups enable people to discover new ways of coping; share the experience with others going through something similar; exchange information and resources; develop a holistic approach to healing; be inspired by others on the journey to regaining wellness.

grief and loss support group with Mike Sowerby CSA hosts a monthly Grief and Loss Support Group on the last Thursday of each month. The Grief and Loss Group is open to anyone who has lost a loved one to cancer or terminal disease, and provides a safe, compassionate environment for participants to gain support through the expression and sharing of thoughts and feelings.

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

“If you travel alone, you can probably go faster. But the journey will never be as rewarding, and you probably won’t be able to go as far.” ~ John Maxwell

cancer carers’ support group with Mike Sowerby CSA offers a Carers’ Support Group on the same day and time as the Cancer Wellness Support Group whenever required. Carers have their own unique needs and issues, and need support too.

qi gong with Alan Donelly Qigong is a traditional Chinese mind-body practice that uses meditation, breathing control, and movement to balance the flow of energy (qi) through the body to help healing to occur. CSA offers qigong to complement cancer therapies and help with the symptoms of cancer. In this setting, qigong is not used as a treatment for cancer, but as a method of easing cancer symptoms such as fatigue.

reiki clinic

every Tuesday CSA offers a weekly reiki clinic staffed by qualified volunteers. Reiki is a Japanese energy-based therapy that promotes healing and overall wellness. A trained reiki practitioner uses his or her hands to transmit energy to the recipient. Reiki has been proven to help with pain management, relaxation, and side effects of cancer treatment. Payment is by gold coin donation.

NEWS & INFORMATION

meditation made easy with Bavali Hill Meditation is a safe and simple way to balance a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. The use of Meditation for healing is not new. Meditative techniques are the product of diverse cultures and peoples around the world. The value of Meditation to alleviate suffering and promote healing has been known and practiced for thousands of years. In these weekly lessons at CSA, Bavali guides participants through various healing meditation techniques and gives notes and handouts to support home practice.

Cancer Support Association (CSA) was

cancer counselling

established in 1984 and

Individual, Family & Group Ongoing counselling sessions with a caring, compassionate professional could help you deal more effectively with the many issues, fears and emotions which arise on the cancer journey; gain clarity to make treatment decisions; give you the insight to grow from your experiences; and the peace of mind and heart needed to heal. Sessions can be booked Tuesday and Thursday with Mike Sowerby, CSA’s qualified counsellor, who is also a long-term cancer survivor. Mike is available for home visits and phone counselling sessions for those unable to make it in to our Cottesloe premises.

has since offered an integrated wellness and evidence-based holistic approach for individuals with cancer, their families and the wider community.

laughter yoga with Kimmie O’Meara Laughter Yoga is a revolutionary idea developed by Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India. It is a complete wellbeing workout combining Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can Laugh for No Reason, without relying on humour, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits of laughter regardless of the source.

art therapy: arts for healing with Glenys Gibbs Arts for Healing is held on Fridays at CSA with Glenys Gibbs. Arts for Healing is a gently empowering form of self-expression which actively and creatively engages you in exploring and developing your unique inner resources to make personal meaning of your life experiences, symbolically and spontaneously.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

writing your story with the harmony harp as part of your healing journey with Kate Faraday

2012 evening program at CSA Commencing February 2012 CSA will be open on Tuesday and Thursday nights until 8pm. Our new evening program will include a monthly Guest Speaker Program with interesting and informative talks and workshops with inspiring wellness professionals, healers and entertainers. There will also be evening yoga and meditation sessions, a reiki clinic and a new Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cancer Support Group. One night a month we will host a workshop for new members where the wellness team (our dedicated staff, therapists, facilitators and educators) provide information and demonstrations of the great services on offer at CSA. Includes a light supper of healing foods! We will post our 2012 program to CSA members in January. 8

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Unfold your healing journey in a supportive environment through guided imagery, reflection, colour and sound, relaxation and discovery, with the soothing harmonic vibrations of the hand-carved Harmony Harp. Kate Faraday, holistic wellbeing facilitator, with over 25 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; natural health facilitation experience, leads an open group over 6 weeks of relaxed journal writing sessions in a nurturing environment to assist healing and wellbeing. Cost: $10 per session. Bookings not required. Bring: a new journal (lined or blank pages) and different coloured pens to explore your Journey with the Harmony Harp.

yoga for healing with Madeline Clare Yoga for Healing classes bring the joy of yoga to people with cancer and those who may need a nurturing space to practice. CSA yoga teacher, Madeline Clare, takes inspiration from both Iyengar and Vinyasa approaches to yoga with an emphasis on relaxation, breath awareness, gentle movement and meditation. A balanced yoga practice has the capacity to heal, shift energy blockages and bring the body into physical, emotional, mental

healing relaxation massage with Nat Hazelwood

For people with a serious illness like cancer, massage can be a powerful tool to help cope with treatment. Holistic Massage sessions are now available at CSA on Mondays and Thursdays. Sessions are for 60 minutes and cost $70. The first session includes a free consultation. Home visits are also available. To make a booking please contact CSA.

reflexology with Udo Kannapin Reflexology is the application of pressure, stretching and movement to the feet and hands to trigger corresponding parts of the body. It complements standard medical care by relaxing the body and reducing stress. Reflexology sessions last for one hour and cost $40 each.

Regional Cancer Wellness Seminars Upcoming Seminars: Kalgoorlie & Broome

CSA’s Meeting the Challenge Seminar

NEWS & INFORMATION

Meeting the Challenge

The first 2012 regional Meeting the Challenge seminars planned will take place in Kalgoorlie (late February) and Broome (April). CSA’s Meeting the Challenge Seminar is a valuable resource for people newly diagnosed with cancer. Over the years, hundreds of people have visited our Cottesloe centre and benefited from the seminar which provides a grounding and reassuring foundation for people facing the many challenges of dealing with cancer. The Meeting the Challenge Seminar introduces participants to the “wellness approach” to cancer. Participants are given vital information and support to help them process their cancer diagnosis, and consider all their options including natural and complementary medicine and lifestyle therapies. Cancer patients in regional areas often miss out on the cancer support services offered in the city because of their location. To help regional West Australians deal with the diagnosis of cancer and the impact of cancer on their lives, CSA is taking the Meeting the Challenge seminar to regional centres. In 2011 we facilitated two pilot rural Meeting the Challenge Seminars in Bunbury and Manjimup as part of the extension of our support services to rural and remote areas. The Manjimup seminar was organised by the local community who fundraised and promoted the event and was highly successful with 30 enthusiastic participants. Cathy Brown hosted the seminar and CSA’s counsellor and support group facilitator Mike Sowerby held a support group for carers and offered individual counselling as needed. Based on the feedback and outcomes of the two pilot seminars we are currently planning further rural programs for 2012 and researching grants and funding sources. The first seminars for 2012 will take place in Broome and Kalgoorlie. If you would like to attend a Meeting the Challenge Seminar you can book online on the Events page of our website www.cancersupportwa.org.au. We will post details of seminars in regional areas online or you can call CSA for information.

one day cancer wellness workshop

1st Friday of each month at CSA 9.30-4.30pm Kalgoorlie - February Broome - April Life Changing Information for people with cancer: • The Wellness approach to cancer • Nutrition for optimal health • Power of the Mind • Introduction to Meditation • Natural & Complementary Therapies To book ph CSA 8384 3544 online: www.cancersupportwa.org.au Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Meeting the Challenge Handbook for People Diagnosed with Cancer

Dealing with Diagnosis • The Wellness Approach to Cancer • Complementary Therapies • Diet & Nutrition • Lifestyle Medicine • Power of the Mind • How to Relax & Meditate • Support for Families • Role of the Carer • Cancer Support & Resources in WA

Cancer Support Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Foreword by Dr Ian Gawler We all know when we come across something that will be really useful. I have worked closely with people affected by cancer for over 30 years. Anyone newly diagnosed with cancer, anyone close to someone recently diagnosed with cancer, anyone working with people who are diagnosed with cancer, will find “Meeting the Challenge” Handbook incredibly useful. That is a fact! Meeting the Challenge brings together a wide-ranging smorgasboard of ideas and techniques in a way that is gentle, compassionate, relevant and immensely practical. It clearly comes with the authority of a great deal of close experience in this field as it sets out to methodically and rationally discuss the available options. “Meeting the Challenge” Handbook will help allay the natural fears people so often feel when first diagnosed with a life threatening cancer; but more than this, the information and techniques available here will help many people to transform their initial confusion and suffering into clarity and confidence. I congratulate all those associated with this excellent production and strongly wish it receives a wide readership. Anyone involved with a recent cancer diagnosis will find “Meeting the Challenge” extraordinarily useful. Dr. Ian Gawler OAM Author of You Can Conquer Cancer Founder of the Gawler Foundation

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Meeting the Challenge Handbook for People Diagnosed with Cancer

After many months of research, writing, collaboration, review and hard work, we have now published the Meeting the Challenge Handbook for people diagnosed with cancer. For many years the Cancer Support Association has hosted the 1 Day Meeting the Challenge Seminar originally devised by CSA staff member Cathy Brown. Hundreds of people have benefitted from attending the seminar. We have now produced The Meeting the Challenge Handbook to supplement the seminar. The Handbook can be used by anyone with cancer looking for a balanced perspective on their illness and strategies to recover from cancer. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer you will benefit from the immediate strategies in this handbook which may help you positively deal with cancer and improve your life. Meeting the Challenge is based on the principles of lifestyle medicine and mind-body healing. The seminar and handbook contain information to help you process your diagnosis, to learn about the options available to you, and introduce you to the key areas of lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine is about what you can do within your everyday life to improve your health. Adjustments to lifestyle, nutrition and adding meditation, natural and complementary therapies into your daily routine can all improve your wellbeing. Once you’ve read through this handbook you may have a clearer idea about the kinds of changes you could make to aid your recovery from cancer. At the back of the handbook we have included a template for you to start thinking about your own personalised cancer wellness plan. With total commitment, it has been found that even after being given a ‘terminal’ cancer diagnosis, there are many people who defy the odds and recover from cancer. Ian Gawler, CSA staff members Cathy Brown and Mike Sowerby, some CSA members, and many other long-term cancer survivors are vibrant examples of the potential success of the wellness approach to cancer. F

A copy of the Meeting the Challenge Handbook will be posted to all CSA members in January. Free copies will be available for anyone diagnosed with cancer.

NEWS & INFORMATION

in the news...

Key To Fighting Cancer Is To Stay Active Decades of research have produced a simple, clear message: Being active is healthy, and physical inactivity is not. Exercise is necessary to stay fit and to stave off some of our biggest killers – heart disease, diabetes and cancer. So if people get their 45 minutes of exercise in at the gym each day, they’ll stay healthy for life, right? Wrong. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that modern, sedentary lifestyles, even for those with definite exercise routines, may put people at an increased risk of cancer. A new analysis of existing research suggests that nearly 49,000 cases of breast cancer and almost 43,000 cases of colon cancer might be avoided if people simply spend less time being sedentary. That research was presented today at the American Institute for Cancer Research meeting in Washington, D.C. And scientists say it’s not just about spending more time at the gym, but spending less time just sitting. In fact, many people, even the ones who exercise daily, are leading what researchers would call a sedentary lifestyle. Most people spend a majority of the day being inactive – sitting at a computer, commuting to work, eating meals, watching television. Dr. Neville Owen, who studies the effects of sedentary behaviour at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, estimates that these activities add up to an average of a whopping 15.5 hours of each day spent just sitting. He said the connection between sitting and cancer lies in physiological changes that occur when the body is inactive for long periods of time. “When you’re sitting, the big muscles, especially in lower part of body, are completely unloaded. They’re not doing their job,” Owen said. That inactivity prompts changes in the body’s metabolism, Owen said, and produces a number of biological signals, what scientists call biomarkers, which are linked to cancer. “It’s been surprisingly consistent with what strong relationships there are between physical inactivity and these biomarkers of cancer risk,” Owen said. The science of being sedentary is still new, but previous research has also shown the relationship between physical inactivity and cancer. A 2002 study found that physical activity appears to lower levels of biologically available sex hormones, which could lead to decreased risk of hormone-related cancers, including cancers of the breast, endometrium, ovaries, prostate and testes. The National Cancer Institute suggested that physical activity may lower levels of insulin, improving the body’s immune response and preventing tumour development. So far, cancer researchers have emphasized the importance of getting a certain amount of dedicated exercise to lower one’s risk of disease, and experts say it’s still a good idea to follow those guidelines. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that adults should get 150 minutes of moderateintensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, along with weekly muscle-strengthening activities.

Tips for getting active at work: • Take a short walk, even down the hall, every hour– set the timer on your computer to remind you. • Take a walk with coworkers to discuss issues, don’t just use email. • Use light weights while you’re on the phone or reading emails. • Stand up while you talk on the phone and walk around. • Always take a lunch break, and take the time for a walk outdoors. • Use an office wall for stretching, doing vertical pushups or leg lifts. • Put up a punching bag or chinup bar in the lunch room.

But now it appears that the health benefits of being active require more than a daily trip to the gym. F

From: abcnews.go.com. By Carrie Gann, ABC News Medical Unit, Nov. 3, 2011 Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

in the news...

Lower risk of bowel cancer linked to ‘good’ cholesterol People with high levels of “good”cholesterol may be less likely to develop bowel cancer, according to scientists. High levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) have been shown to be good for health because they “collect” excess cholesterol in the blood and transport it to the liver, where it is broken down. In a study in the journal Gut, experts compared data from more than 1,200 people with bowel cancer with data from a similar number of volunteers without the disease. They found that people with most HDL, and another blood fat called apolipoprotein A had the lowest risk of developing bowel cancer. F

From: The Guardian, March 2011

Blood cholesterol is of two main categories: High density Lipoproteins (HDL) and Low density lipoproteins (LDL). People with a high HDLcholesterol levels have low incidence of heart disease. HDL is a sort of cleaner that cleans the deposit of fats in the blood arteries. HDL is improved with regular exercise and eating low fat foods. 12

Cancer Support Association

Scientists discover harmless bacteria in soil kills cancer

Cancer remains one of the most feared diseases on the planet – and cancer patients being treated by mainstream medicine are usually bombarded with radiation and subjected to toxic chemotherapy that destroys healthy cells and weakens the body while trying to kill tumours.

Thankfully, a growing body of research is revealing that many natural substances have cancer prevention and treatment potential, including Mediterranean type foods that fight prostate cancer and walnuts which contain breast cancer preventive phytochemicals. Now there’s evidence a cure for cancer may be all around us and is as common as dirt. In fact, it’s something in dirt. Researcher Aleksandra Kubiak just presented the startling discovery at the Society for General Microbiology’s Autumn Conference currently underway at the University of York in the UK. She and other members of a research team from the University of Nottingham and the University of Maastricht have found that a strain of harmless bacteria that is widespread in soil is actually deadly – not to people but to cancerous tumours. The researchers have developed a therapy using Clostridium sporogenes, a bacterium common in dirt. They found that when spores of the bacteria are injected into cancer patients, they only grow in solid tumours. Inside the cancerous growth, the bacteria produce a specific enzyme that activates a cancer drug. The results? Unlike current chemotherapy, the natural bacteria treatment causes only the cancer cells to be destroyed while healthy cells are left unharmed. “Clostridia are an ancient group of bacteria that evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere and so they thrive in low oxygen conditions. When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they will only grow in oxygen-depleted environments, i.e. the centre of solid tumours. This is a totally natural phenomenon, which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific,” head researcher Professor Nigel Minton said in a statement to the media. “We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed.” He added that the new discovery could lead to a simple and safe procedure for curing a wide range of solid tumours. “This therapy will kill all types of tumour cell. The treatment is superior to a surgical procedure, especially for patients at high risk or with difficult tumour locations,” Professor Minton said. “We anticipate that the strain we have developed will be used in a clinical trial in 2013 led by Jan Theys and Philippe Lambin at the University of Maastricht in The Netherlands. A successful outcome could lead to its adoption as a frontline therapy for treating solid tumours.” F

From: www.naturalnews.com, September 2011

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

NEWS & INFORMATION

Startling findings: ovarian cancer screening doesn’t save lives and not all ovarian cancers need treatment There’s no denying ovarian cancer is usually a terrible disease. A stealthy malignancy,

it’s often misdiagnosed as indigestion and by the time ovarian cancer is actually discovered by a doctor, the disease may have spread extensively. According to the National Institutes of Health, ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women and causes more deaths than any other type of female reproductive cancer. So it might seem like a potentially life-saving move to have all women 55 and older – the age group that suffers most often from this form of cancer – screened regularly for the disease with transvaginal ultrasound and the blood test that measures serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125). These are expensive tests but, if they could save the lives of women by pinpointing ovarian malignancies early, they are certainly worth it. After all, the screening tests should save countless lives, right? Unfortunately, according to new research headed by Saundra S. Buys, M.D., of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, that assumption is wrong. What’s more, the tests can lead to unneeded surgeries and serious complications in women who actually have no cancer at all. But the study came to another surprising – and positive – conclusion, too. It turns out that not all ovarian cancers may be deadly or even need treatment. For the study, which was just published in the June 8 issue of JAMA, Dr. Buys and her team investigated studies of almost 80,000 women to compare outcomes between women who received standard health care with no specific testing for ovarian cancer, unless they had overt symptoms, and those who received regular, ovarian cancer screening. The results showed no reduced risk of death from ovarian cancer for those aggressively screened for the disease when compared to women who received usual care. However, the study did reveal a big difference between the health outcomes of the women in the two groups. Those receiving the cancer screenings had an alarming increase in invasive medical procedures and associated harms as a result of being screened. In all, there were 3,285 women who turned out to have false-positive results. And of these, over 1,000 were subjected to surgery (32.9 had their ovaries removed as part of the diagnostic workup). Among these 1,080 women, 163 (15 percent) experienced a total of 222 distinct major complications.

“Apparently, not all ovarian cancers detected may be deadly at all or even need treatment: “In contrast, more ovarian cancers were diagnosed in the screened group than in the usual care group (212 vs. 176), suggesting that some of the additional cancers detected by screenings were not clinically important and, if left undetected, may never have caused any symptoms or affected the women during their life-times (i.e., overdiagnosis).”

Bottom line: the research team concluded there is no evidence from clinical trials to support regular screening for ovarian cancer at this time. The authors of the study also stated that even an optimized program of annual screening may be insufficient to detect cancers early enough to prevent deaths. “Evidence from modeling suggests that aggressive cancers progress rapidly through the early stages, limiting the ability to detect these cancers with yearly screening,” they stated in the paper. “We conclude that annual screening for ovarian cancer... with simultaneous CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasound does not reduce diseasespecific mortality in women at average risk for ovarian cancer but does increase invasive medical procedures and associated harms.” F

From: www.naturalnews.com, September 2011 Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Fish oils may block chemotherapy drug Fats found in fish oil supplements can stop chemotherapy drugs working, according to researchers. Writing in the journal Cancer Cell, they advise cancer patients not to take the supplements while undergoing chemotherapy. The two fatty acids involved, which are also produced by stem cells in the blood, lead to tumours becoming immune to treatment. Cancer Research UK advised patients to ask their doctor whether they would be affected. Scientists in the Netherlands were investigating how tumours develop resistance to treatments. Experiments on mice showed that stem cells in the blood responded to the widely-used cancer drug cisplatin. The cells started producing two fatty acids, known as KHT and 16:4(n-3). These fatty acids begin a series of chemical reactions, which mean cancerous cells become resistant to chemotherapy. Using drugs to block the production of the fatty acids prevented this form of resistance which “significantly enhances the chemotherapy,” the study says. However, researchers warned that these fatty acids were “abundantly present in commercially available fish oil products”. They showed that off-the-shelf fish oil supplements, given to mice, could stop chemotherapy working against some tumours. Prof Emile Voest, lead researcher at University Medical Centre Utrecht, said: “We show that the body itself secretes protective substances into the blood that are powerful enough to block the effect of chemotherapy. “These substances can be found in some types of fish oil. Whilst waiting for the results of further research, we currently recommend that these products should not be used whilst people are undergoing chemotherapy.” Jessica Harris, health information manager for Cancer Research UK, said: “This interesting study suggests one possible option for stopping cancers becoming resistant to treatment, but it is at an early stage and much more research would be needed to develop ways to halt resistance. “Cancer patients who are taking or thinking of taking these supplements should talk to their doctors to find out whether they could affect their treatments.” F

From: www.bbc.co.uk, September 2011

Cancer Support Association

Increase longevity Start volunteering for the right reasons If living a longer and healthier life interests you then you may want to consider

lending a helping hand a bit more. People who regularly volunteer for the pure satisfaction of helping others, were shown to improve their longevity compared both to their non-volunteering counterparts and, better yet, even to those who volunteered only for a personal benefit. Researchers from the University of Michigan concluded this after studying a group of Wisconsin high school graduates from 1957. The researchers caught up with over 3,000 of these individuals, who were now aged 65 years or older. They found that a little over half of them had volunteered in the previous 10 years, and when contacted four years later, just 2.3 % of the volunteers had died, compared to 4.3% of non-volunteers. The frequency of volunteer time mattered as well, showing that less than 2% of the regular volunteers had died opposed to 2.5% of occasional volunteers. The most interesting findings of the study, though, revealed how motives for volunteering can have dramatic effects on our mortality. The participants who volunteered for compassionate reasons were more likely to gain the most health benefits. However, the ones who volunteered but only did it for personal gain or self growth, such as social interaction, getting out of the house, escaping their own problems, etc., were as likely to die as those who didn’t volunteer at all. Volunteer work, when the motive is genuine, can have amazing physical benefits such as: • Stress reduction: when helping others your body releases an important hormone called oxytocin, which assists in buffering out stressful thoughts. • Even thoughts of giving have positive effects on certain chemicals of the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin ( both have been linked with depression and other mood disorders). • Self confidence: when you are passionate about something and actively help others in need, your self esteem will build and confidence levels grow. • Helping others has been shown to help with chronic pain and cardiovascular health. Aside from the health benefits, volunteering can connect you to others and create meaningful and sincere relationships. Volunteering also brings great fulfillment to your life. F

By Dr. Anthony Baratta. From www.naturalnews.com, October 2011. Dr. Baratta has been a practicing chiropractic physician for the past 15 years and speaks regularly on the importance of holistic nutrition, detoxification, fitness and various other topics.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

NEWS & INFORMATION

Chemo targets cancer cells that were dying anyway Chemotherapy may be taking too much of the credit when it ‘beats’

cancer – most of the cancer cells it is targeting were on the verge of self-destruction anyway, researchers have discovered.

At best, the therapy seems to speed the process of self-destruction, known as apoptosis, that every healthy cell is programmed to do. However, cancer cells have forgotten to self-destruct. Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered that chemotherapy is ineffective when faced with a cancer cell that is not close to apoptosis. They have developed a way of profiling that tells oncologists those patients whose cancer cells are likely to respond to chemotherapy. But their research leaves open several questions: would those cancer cells that respond to chemotherapy have died naturally anyway, and if chemotherapy merely hastens a natural process, is it worth going through the debilitating effects this deadliest of drugs produce? F

Source: Science, November 2011

Children absorb 10 times more radiation from mobile phones than adults Children who use mobile phones are absorbing dangerous levels

of microwave radiation that are 10 times more than the amount adult users are exposed to – and they are at least twice over safety limits, scientists have revealed this week. They absorb twice as much radiation to their heads, three times the level in the hippocampus and hypothalamus regions of the brain and eyes, and 10 times more radiation to the bone marrow compared to an adult. Scientists from the US Environmental Health Trust, who made the discovery, are calling on new parameters for safe levels of radiation that are based on body size, and that take into account the fact that children are using the phones. Children in the US are absorbing levels of radiation that are double the safe upper limit set by the country’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC), say the researchers. F

Cancer Wellness Walking Group CSA is located in Cottesloe, close to one of Australia’s most beautiful and well-known beaches. Starting in January, CSA will host a weekly Cancer Wellness Walking Group at North Cottesloe Beach which will be open to all people with cancer and their carers. It is now an established fact that regular exercise is a major contributing factor in cancer recovery. Connecting with others and belonging to a community are also important factors in wellbeing and healing. Our wellness walking group will be an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of exercise and a friendly chat with members of the CSA Wellness Team and other people on the cancer wellness journey. We will notify members of the day and time of our new walking group in January.

Source: Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, October 2011 Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

In ancient Chinese Medical Science, there are five levels of healing skills...

treating the of

The first level is tuena. The healer uses his hands to massage. This is also called acupressure. This is the lowest level. In the second level, the medical healer uses herbs, sometimes animal products, and minerals to heal the patient. In the third level, the healer uses acupuncture and moxibustion. In the fourth level, the healer practises acupuncture with the projection of chi energy into the needles, meridians, and internal organs. This is a higher level of healing skill which require additional years of training and practise in ancient China. The fifth level requires the highest healing skill, which is the projection of chi energy without the use of needles or physical contact. The chi energy is projected at close range or at great distance, like from one continent to another continent. In ancient China and India, this technique has been a closely guarded secret. The projection of chi energy without physical contact is called Medical Chi Kung, and it is divided into two schools, the Internal School and the External School. The Internal Medical Chi Kung School is the more popular one. It takes many years of practise in order to develop substantial chi energy. The use of one’s Internal chi energy to heal patients is exhausting and tiring, and this is why the Chinese medical doctors are allowed to heal only two to three patients per day using this method. The External Medical Chi Kung School is the least known school. This school uses chi energy from the air and from the earth, and directs it to the patient for healing. The use of external medical chi kung is not exhausting nor tiring to the practitioner. An External Medical Chi Kung Master can heal as many as 20-30 patients per day. According to Master Choa Kok Sui, the Internal and External Schools of Medical Chi Kung are actually two sides of the same coin. In order to become a good healer using external chi, one must have a certain amount of internal power, which fortunately most people possess. The greater one’s internal chi power, the greater the capacity to absorb and to project chi energy to the patient. Internal chi power can be developed through meditation. The activation of the crown chakra or bai hui (meeting point for 100 paths) is very important. Hence it is highly recommended to practise meditation on the crown chakra and the heart chakra, to activate these centres. Bai hui is the entry point of spiritual energy or tian chi (heaven energy). Without tian chi or spiritual energy it is not possible to develop strong internal chi. Therefore, it is highly recommended to practice breathing exercises as they will increase one’s healing power.

This article is from: www.qigonghealer.com. For more information on Chi Kung (also known as Qigong) come along to the Qigong at CSA with Alan Donnelly.

Cancer Support Association

myth

illness

Humanity’s attitude to healing is startlingly ambivalent. We’re fond of a quick fix, but suspicious of people who describe themselves as “Healers”. We cling to our prescription drugs of choice, even when tests suggest they’re better avoided. Few of us – especially those who have spent any time in hospitals recently – believe in miracles. Fewer still, despite the accumulated evidence of years of research from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, imagine that we can do anything much to heal ourselves.

Jeffrey Yuen, however, has no doubts about the latter. Why, I (the interviewer) ask him, is the focus on spirit (the subject of his recent seminar) when he’s primarily concerned with healing the body? “The Chinese medical classics say that all diseases involve the spirit, so to heal them, you must go all the way down, or up to the spirit level. The problem then is that everyone tries to define ’spirit’. Which is an elusive concept. There is a lot of talk about ‘spiritual growth’ and ‘spiritual development’. But the question is: what exactly are you trying to develop?” One of the most basic ideas which needs to be teased out, Yuen explains, is the relationship between illness and its polar opposite, wellness. “First of all,” he says, “we need to confront the myth of illness. We tend to construct a belief system around what a disease basically consists of; and then we buy into this belief. We expect that if we have this disease, then certain things should emerge from the disease process. So, in a way, what we’re really doing is validating the disease. In the healing process, on the other hand, what we need to do is validate how we feel when healing occurs.” Among his many other qualifications, Yuen is an ordained Daoist priest who defines “spirit” as, quite simply freedom. “It’s about a sense of liberating ourselves. If I focus on the disease, I’m not doing that. I’m really trying to find out who I am with this disease, rather than who I can become when the disease begins to heal.” This applies, he insists, even – perhaps especially – to life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, which often come with a large label marked “scary”. “Think of the physiological process which someone undergoes when they’re afraid”, he says. “At a very acute level that’s called anaphylactic shock – and you can die from that. So just imagine someone having this on a vew slow scale. That means you could die from the fear of cancer rather than the cancer itself. If a person is not afraid, it will help them. Some people say this is a placebo effect – but even if it is placebo, it shows the power of the mind.” Which is of course, precisely what conventional medicine, with its emphasis on physical healing processes tends to shy away from. “It should be something we seek to nurture,” Yuen insists. “How do we change the mindset of someone who is ill? If you change the consciousness, you can change the condition.” Yuen takes a relaxed approach to the conventional/alternative debate, treating his clients with traditional Chinese medicine alongside their own medications if that’s what they feel most comfortable with. “It’s not up to me to put down something they believe in,” he says. “Healing is about having faith in what you’re doing regardless of what someone else may or may not believe.” “The famous Daoist statement is that flowing water never decays”, Yuen says. “This is the dynamic of life. So when you work with an individual, you try to see what aspect of their life has stopped - where they’ve become stuck. The pathways that help us to understand these movements are the acupuncture pathways”. If Yuen had one piece of wisdom to offer the public at large, what would it be? “There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people!” F

This article is based on excerpts from an interview of Jeffrey Yuen, 88th generation Daoist priest and practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine, by Arminta Wallace for The Irish Times.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

MIND-BODY HEALING

The Gawler Foundation 12 Week Cancer SelfHelp Program – Cancer, Healing and Wellbeing will be facilitated by Cathy Brown who is a CSA staff member and endorsed leader of the program. Consistent with the principles of integrated medicine, the program applies a self-help approach designed to improve both quantity and quality of life for people with cancer. This enables participants to make informed, effective choices and better manage their own healing journeys. Each 2.5 hour session is interactive, supported by handouts and focuses on a specific theme from Ian Gawler’s book’ You Can Conquer Cancer’. There is plenty of time to practice techniques as well as opportunity for discussion and questions. The program will be held at the Cancer Support Association building in Cottesloe. There are limited places on the program so be sure to book your place early.

On the program you will learn to: • Activate your potential for healing • Relax effortlessly and meditate deeply • Develop and sustain a positive state of mind • Understand the role of nutrition and healthy diet for healing • Develop strategies to manage pain and fear • Find meaning and purpose in life Weekly Topics include: Week 1: Introduction and Meditation 1 Week 2: Meditation 2 Week 3: Mind Training 1 Week 4: Food 1 Week 5: Food 2 Week 6: Pain Management Week 7: Healing Week 8: Causes and solutions for cancer Week 9: Mind Training 2 Week 10: Living and Dying Week 11: Healthy Emotions Week 12: Health and Wellbeing

Three times a year. Next program starts: February 2012 Venue: Cancer Support Association, 80 Railway Street, Cottesloe Register and pay online: www.cancersupportwa.org.au or phone CSA 9384 3544. $350 per person. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

connection It becoming clear that lifestyle is the major contributing factor in the initiation and development of cancer. Hence, lifestyle should be your primary consideration in both cancer prevention and recovery. By Andrew Weil, M.D.

What is cancer?

Cancer is defined as a disease that causes cells in the body to change and multiply out of control, disrupting the normal

function of a particular organ or organs. Cancer begins when the DNA molecules – the materials in our cells that dictate our genetic makeup and control the way our cells divide – are altered. These cells then begin to grow and multiply, forming tumours. Some tumours are malignant, meaning they destroy their surrounding tissue and have the potential to spread to other sites in the body. Benign tumours do not grow and spread like cancer, and they usually don’t become a serious health threat. Diet plays a multitude of roles in the development of cancer. The first is exposure to ingested substances that initiate cancer (carcinogens). The second is exposure to substances in the diet that can either enhance or inhibit the growth of the cancerous cells. These include compounds that influence our immune system as well as those that have a direct effect on cancer cells. If you are challenged by cancer, consider adopting the following suggestions:

Use mind/body techniques such as guided imagery and meditation, and energy medicine modalities like Therapeutic Touch and Reiki to enhance your treatments of choice. Stay active. Regular exercise is an essential part of staying healthy. Engage in gentle physical activity as often as you can. Get support. Join a support program for people with cancer. The inspiration and hope you’ll find there is priceless. Have faith. Don’t underestimate the role of your spiritual life in the healing process.

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

LIFESTYLE & ENVIRONMENT

Nutrition and Supplements Population studies – those that carefully examine the risk of health conditions in different groups of people – have clearly identified environment and lifestyle as major factors influencing the development of cancer. Diet ranks second only to smoking as a controllable aspect of lifestyle linked to cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Prevention has published these compelling statements: • Eating right, plus staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, can cut cancer risk by 30 to 40 percent. • Recommended dietary choices coupled with not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke have the potential to reduce cancer risk by 60 to 70 percent. • As many as 375,000 cases of cancer, at current cancer rates, could be prevented each year in this nation through healthy dietary choices. • Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day could by itself reduce cancer rates more than 20 percent. • Treatments for cancer, either conventional, alternative or a combination of both, can be enhanced by some simple lifestyle, diet and nutritional supplement strategies.

Get plenty of antioxidants through foods or supplements. Always discuss any changes in diet with your health care practitioner. Have one to two servings of soy foods each day. The simplest soy food to include may be soy milk as a beverage or ingredient in a smoothie. Also try edamame (whole green soybeans), canned soybeans, tofu, roasted soy nuts and soynut butter. Eat generous amounts of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit. Choose organic whenever possible to minimise exposure to pesticide residues that may put an extra detoxification load on the liver. Consider juicing to easily ingest several servings without feeling too full. Drink green tea several times a day. Remember that decaffeinated versions are available and quite delicious.

Concentrate on omega-3 fatty acids either through foods or supplements. The foods that are rich in this healthy type of fat are walnuts and flax seed, and cold-water fish like salmon and sardines.

Limit alcohol consumption. In virtually all studies that have looked at alcohol consumption and risk of cancer, regular consumption is linked with increased cancer risk, especially breast cancer. Avoid harmful radiation, UV light, and carcinogenic chemicals.

Recommended Supplements: Asian mushrooms These contain strongly cancer-protective substances. CoQ10 A natural antioxidant which has been shown to increase survival in some forms

of cancer.

Folic acid Can help reduce the risk of breast cancer. A vitamin B-complex Folic acid (with B12) can help prevent cancer of the colon. A balanced calcium-magnesium formula Can be an effective weapon against

colon cancer.

“people are happier when they invest their time and energy in eating a healthy diet low in sugar; doing at least one hour of exercise every day; spending quality time on meaningful relationships; focusing on loving connections; and learning to pay attention with all five senses”

Lycopene A powerful antioxidant that is particularly good at protecting against prostate

cancer.

Selenium Fosters healthy cell growth and division, and discourages tumour formation. Vitamin D Reduces risk of prostate, colorectal and other forms of cancer. F

Professor Paula Barrett, Founder of Health and Research Centre, Brisbane

From: drweil.com. Andrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing oriented approach to health care which encompasses body, mind, and spirit. He is the author of Integrative Oncology and many other books. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Don Benjamin

Alternative therapists claim that the causation and control of cancer has not only physical but psychological and spiritual factors as well. Orthodox medicine on the other hand accepts only the physical factors. What is the evidence that theories relating to psychological factors are valid and that therapy based on these theories actually works? 20

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

MIND-BODY HEALING

There are many factors which are claimed to be involved with the causation and control of cancer. These include: (a) physical factors such as: • diet and nutrition, including salt, artificial colouring, • flavouring, food processing and preservatives • the environment, including water and airborne contaminants • occupational exposure such as asbestos and radiation (b) psychological factors such as: • the mind, operating at both the conscious and unconscious level • personality • inherited predisposition (c) spiritual factors such as • the psyche, soul or spiritual identity. Orthodox medicine accepts only physical factors such as diet and occupational exposure, and then only as causative factors. They have several theories about the process of cancer causation and reject any claims that diet can have any effect on survival once malignancy is established. They refuse to look at any theories other than the currently accepted one that the tumour is the disease. Surgery and radiotherapy are designed to kill or otherwise remove the tumour. When this fails and the “disease” has “spread” chemotherapy is then used. Not surprisingly there is no evidence that surgery or radiotherapy has any effect on survival or mortality with any form of cancer except where the tumour is obstructing a vital organ or pressing on the brain1. The only evidence that orthodox methods can improve survival significantly is in a few areas where cancer is known to be systemic in its nature such as with some types of leukemia, and chemotherapy, a systemic therapy is used. In view of the extremely toxic nature of chemotherapy and it effect on the immune system it is not surprising that it is ineffective against solid tumours2. The more honest medical scientists are at last starting to use the term “incurable” in relation to cancer3. This means incurable using orthodox methods.

What about other theories and paradigms?

Most alternative therapies are based on the theory that cancer is a systemic disease and tumours are only local expressions, symptoms or elements in this disease. Such therapies are then designed to restore the body’s metabolic functions, respiratory, digestive and endocrine systems so that the immune defences can work normally again. Some therapies assume the immune defences have simply broken down because of psychological factors. For example the Simonton Therapy4, which involves visualisation and imagery techniques, assumes that stresses with which the individual cannot cope lead to emotional disturbances in the limbic region of the brain. Here the hypothalamus transfers these disturbances to the pituitary gland which in turn controls the body’s endocrine system and thereby the body’s immune defences. Other therapies assume a breakdown of metabolic or endocrine systems which in turn lead to the “cancer milieu”5. What is the evidence that theories relating to psychological factors are valid and that therapy based on these theories actually works? We can look at both the cancer causation mechanism and the cancer control mechanism. Just as diet is claimed to contribute to cancer causation, nutritional therapies have been claimed to reverse cancer. So it is with psychological factors.

continued on next page... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Cancer causation Let us first look at cancer causation. And this also provides some ideas for those who wish to prevent cancer. Several workers such as Hans Selye6 and Lawrence Le Shan7 have identified personality factors that are claimed to be present in most cancer patients. In recent times these have been refined somewhat and some recent trials have described eight such characteristic factors for cancer patients:

1. Involvement

Vacillate between extreme intimacy and extreme aloofness

2. Feelings

Avoid the expression of feelings

3. Rationality

Claim to be controlled by reason rather than emotions

4. Anxiety

Deny fears or anxiety related to present or coming problems

If the personality type predisposes certain people to get cancer and certain other personal attitudes appear to affect survival, can one’s personality type and attitude be changed to enable a building up of this host resistance?

5. Harmonising

Avoid arguments and confrontation and are rarely aggressive

6. Hopelessness

Feel pessimistic about life and expect the worst

7. Helplessness

Feel out of control and need a lot of support but have never accepted help from others

8. Self-sacrificing

Work for others’ benefits and ignore their own needs

Sometimes they can be grouped into inability to become involved or express feelings, hiding behind rationality (1-5), hopelessness/helplessness (6-7) and self-sacrifice (8). These are sometimes described as starving themselves of their own spiritual and human needs which humans have for giving and receiving love. In 1980 Michael Wirshing et al8 from the Psychosomatic Clinic at Heidelberg University in Germany interviewed 56 women just prior to biopsy for breast cancer. Interviews lasted 30-50 minutes and were taped. Most subjects were from the lower social class. Using these 8 factors the interviewers correctly predicted 83% of the women who were later diagnosed with cancer and 71% of those who had benign lumps. Others not involved in the interviews listened to the tapes and made separate assessments. These ‘blind’ raters predicted 94% of the cancer diagnoses and 68% of the benign diagnoses. So there is clearly a cancer personality or profile. It is not black and white: for example between a quarter and a third of patients diagnosed with benign lumps exhibited the psychological profile of the cancer patient. The next question to ask is:

Once people have cancer what personality types have the best survival? Two trials provide some answers: Sandra Levy et al9 from the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute looked at survival figures for 36 women who had their first recurrence of breast cancer. They found that those with a positive mental attitude best described as “joy” had the longest survival. This included descriptions of glad, cheerful and joyous attitudes. On the other hand negative attitudes, where patients felt sad, hopeless, worthless, miserable or unhappy tended to have the shortest survival, typically surviving less than 2 years after recurrence. The same applied to those exhibiting hostility. Their report was in 1988.

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Keith Pettingale et al10 from King’s College on London reported in 1979 that psychological responses to cancer diagnosis taken from 57 women with early breast cancer 3 months after their operation predicted survival 5 years later. Best survivals were found among those with a “fighting spirit” and those who practised “denial”; whereas worst survival was observed among those with “stoic acceptance” and a feeling of “helplessness” or a situation of “hopelessness”. They reported again 5 years later, 10 years after original diagnosis. 70% of those with a “fighting spirit” were still alive including one with metastases as were 50% of those exhibiting “denial”, 25% of “stoic accepters”, including one with metastases, and 20% of those who felt “hopeless/helpless”. There were no initial biological differences observed, all four patient groups having similar clinical stage, approximate tumour mass, histological grade, mammographic appearance and hormonal an immunological profiles. The difference in host resistance was apparently related to psychological factors. The next question to ask is, if the personality type predisposes certain people to get cancer and certain other personal attitudes appear to affect survival, can one’s personality type and attitude be changed to enable a building up of this host resistance? For example can a person learn how to express feelings? Can he or she learn how to put their interests ahead of those of other people? Can a person change from feeling helpless to one with a strong fighting spirit? My answer to these questions is Yes!

What evidence is there that psychotherapy can improve survival or reduce mortality? There are three trials offering some evidence that psychotherapeutic intervention can affect survival: In the first trial Fawzy et al11 from the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the UCLA School of Medicine analysed immunological responses in 61 cancer patients with malignant melanoma over six months. There were 28 men and 33 women randomised into two groups, a study group of 35 and a control group of 26. The study group was given a structured psychiatric group intervention which lasted about 1-1/2 hours per week for 6 weeks. Although not many changes were observable after six weeks there were significant differences observed between the two groups after six months. The study group which had received psychotherapy showed: •

a reduction in the level of psychological distress

•

a greater use of active coping skills

•

a significant increase in the percentage of larger granular lymphocytes (LGLs)

•

a significant increase in the percentage of natural killer cells (NKs)

•

an increase in NK cytotoxic activity.

So the psychotherapy not only made the patients feel they were coping better with the disease; their immunological responses confirmed that they were. These results were reported in 1990.

of psychosocial intervention on survival with a group of 86 patients with metastatic breast cancer. These patients were randomised into two groups, a study group of 50 and a control group of 36. Both groups had routine oncological care, but the study group was offered weekly supportive group therapy and self-hypnosis for pain for 1 year. The survival figures showed a divergence beginning 8 months after the psychosocial intervention ended, ie after 20 months. Average survival for the study group was 36.6 months compared with 18.9 months for the control group. The effect of the intervention was also to reduce anxiety, depression and pain. The researchers were initially sceptical of claims that visualisation and imagery could improve survival so they did not use this technique. Rather they emphasised living as fully as possible, improving communications with family members and doctors, facing and mastering fears about death and dying, and controlling pain and other symptoms. An important factor observed was that the study group formed a bonding that countered the social alienation that often divides cancer patients from their well-meaning but anxious family and friends. An unusual phenomenon observed was that the increased survival did not become apparent until nearly a year after therapy had finished. The authors attributed this to a mild cumulative effect. The authors were not able to explain the results but speculated that neuro-endocrine and immune systems may be a major link between emotional processes and the course of cancer. Two possible shortcomings of this trial were not knowing how representative the patients were of the wider community; and the limitation of matching in small groups by relying only on randomisation. Neither of these would have affected the validity of the result because the effect was so large. A third study demonstrating the efficacy of group or behavioural therapy in the treatment of cancer is one by Hans J Eysenck and R Grossarth-Maticek from the University of London13. In the Eysenck and Grossarth-Maticek paper, published two years after Spiegel’s, there was improved randomisation. Patients suffering stress were first matched into pairs based on sex, age, smoking, cholesterol level, blood pressure and personality type. Only after both members of a matched pair had agreed to participate in the trial were they randomised into therapy and control groups. This guaranteed that the therapy and control groups were accurately matched despite their small sizes. Cancer prone (Type 1 or “Type C”) and coronary heart disease (CHD) prone (Type 2 or “Type A”) patients were treated separately in some of the studies. They carried out six studies to test various hypotheses: the effect on the prevention of cancer and coronary heart disease of: 1. individual therapy 2. group therapy 3. bibliotherapy (learning the therapy from a text); 4. effect of behaviour therapy on preventing absence through illness requiring hospitalisation;

In the second study David Spiegel et al12 from Stanford and Berkeley Universities in California reported on the effect

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...from previous page

Study 4 – Illness, Absence, hospitalisation

5. the effect of behaviour therapy on survival of terminal cancer patients; and 6. a comparison of the effects of behaviour therapy and chemotherapy on the survival of cancer patients. Results were as follows:

Study 1 – Extended Individual Therapy Patients were aged 30-69, mean age 50yrs; half were men and half were women; matching of pairs prior to randomisation was on the basis of age, sex, degree of stress, intensity of cigarette smoking, blood pressure, blood sugar level and cholesterol. Six to twelve months after completing therapy their personality types were reassessed using the same questionnaire as before to measure any short-term changes to the personality that might explain the effects of treatment.

Results: After 13 years of follow-up, none of the 50 treated in the cancer prone group had died compared with 16 of the 50 in the control group. 13 had cancer compared with 21 in the control group, 5 had died of other causes (cf 15) and 90% were still alive compare with 38% in the control group. Personality retyping showed the therapy group’s cancer proneness scores had fallen from 9.8 to 5.7. As expected there was no change in score (9.8) for the untreated control group.

Study 2 – Group Therapy This was similar to Study 1 except that 245 patients received therapy in groups of 20-25 people; the untreated control group also contained 245 people; sessions lasted several hours depending on the wishes and progress of the participants; there were 6-15 sessions altogether.

Results: After 7 years follow-up there were 18 cancer deaths in the 239 treated group compared with 111 of the 234 in the control group (A few could not be contacted). 75 were alive with cancer compared with 129 in the control group.; 10 had died of CHD compared with 36 in the control group, CHD incidence was 29 (cf 45); 20 had died of other causes (cf 33) and 80% were still alive compare with 24% in the control group. Study 3 – Bibliotherapy (therapy described in an article and explained in 3-5 hours of discussion) There were 600 in the study group and 600 in the control group. (The latter were given an article that did not include any treatment techniques for them to use.)

Results:

After 13 years follow-up there were 27 cancer deaths in the 600 treated group compared with 106 deaths in the 600 in the control group; 99 were alive with cancer compared with 162 in the control group; 47 had died of CHD compared with 145 in the control group, CHD incidence was 132 (cf 203); 115 had died of other causes (cf 164) and 68.4% of those treated were still alive compare with 16.3% in the control group.

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362 pairs of males suffering stress were randomised in the usual way after matching and one group was treated. During the following 13 years the number of days spent in hospital was measured for the two groups. A total of 6194 days were spent in hospital by the treated group averaging 19 days each. This compares with 10,136 days in hospital by the control group, averaging 28 days each.

Study 5 – Therapy on Terminal Cancer Patients This study involved 24 pairs of cancer patients with six different types of inoperable cancer, including scrotal (1), stomach (2), bronchiolar (7), corpus uteri (4), cervical (5) and colorectal (5). Survival times of the treated group averaged 5.07 years (ranging from 1.7 yrs for bronchiolar to 9.5 yrs for colorectal). For the control group survival averaged 3.09 years (ranging from 1.0 yrs for bronchiolar to 4.9 yrs for colorectal)

Study 6 – Behaviour therapy vs Chemotherapy 129 women with metastasised breast cancer for whom chemotherapy had been proposed were asked to participate. 17 refused psychotherapy and 56 refused chemotherapy. 50 of those who accepted chemotherapy were divided into pairs matched for age, social background, extent of cancer and medical treatment. One of each pair was then randomised to receive psychotherapy. Similarly 50 of those who refused chemotherapy were matched then one of each pair was randomised to receive psychotherapy. This study therefore involved 100 women with metastasised breast cancer, in four similar groups of 25 who received chemotherapy + psychotherapy, chemotherapy alone, psychotherapy alone and no therapy. Of the 50 who received psychotherapy 24 received creative novation behaviour therapy (as in studies 1 and 2), 12 received depth psychotherapy and 14 received orthodox behaviour therapy (relaxation training and desensitisation). 30 hrs of psychotherapy was given.

Results: Mean survival times for the 100 patients was 15.7 months, ranging from 11.28 for those who received no therapy (having refused chemotherapy), to 14.08 for chemotherapy alone, to 14.9 for psychotherapy alone to 22.4 months for chemotherapy + psychotherapy. The authors state that chemotherapy alone increased mean survival by 2.80 (14.08-11.28) and psychotherapy alone increased it by 3.64 (14.9-11.28). Theoretically by adding these two effects chemotherapy + psychotherapy should have increased survival by only 6.44 months to 17.72 months. In fact it increased it to 22.4 months exceeding the additive value by 4.68 months, suggesting a synergistic interaction between these two therapies. It was also observed that the lymphocyte count of those receiving psychotherapy continued to rise over time whereas

those not receiving psychotherapy fell, suggesting that the psychotherapeutic intervention may have had its effect through the involvement of the immune system. The authors recognise that the trial was not one to test the effect of chemotherapy versus no chemotherapy, so there was no need to randomise patients into “chemotherapy” and “no chemotherapy” groups. This was done by selfselection: those refusing chemotherapy became the source for selecting and matching 50 women who would receive no chemotherapy but would be randomised to receive or not receive psychotherapy. This is in contrast to psychotherapy where in each case there was proper randomisation into the treatment and no treatment groups.

Comment: The process of self-selection introduces an unknown factor into the trial. Earlier trials of mammogram screening have shown that those who refuse various therapies have such different personality profiles from those who accept them that that their mortality rates are quite different. This means that while comparison of survivals between psychotherapy and no psychotherapy groups remain valid, similar comparison between chemotherapy and no chemotherapy are less reliable statistically. In all of the above evidence the number of participants in the trials has been small. However, providing: •

the results are based on comparing two groups that have been randomised;

•

the groups after randomisation are found to be very similar in their makeup in relation to the age and socioeconomic level of patients and the stage of disease;

•

the difference in survival or mortality between the study and control groups is quite large; and

•

the only factor varied was the addition of the particular therapy;

The results of such comparative trials are quite valid.

Summary It is therefore clear from the available evidence that: •

psychological factors play an important part in determining a person’s susceptibility to getting cancer;

•

survival once cancer has been diagnosed with cancer.

•

therapies based on changing these psychological factors can have a significant impact on the course of the disease.

It is therefore important that all cancer control programs incorporate some form of psychotherapy as an integral part. F

Don Benjamin is the Convenor of the Cancer Information & Support Society NSW (CISS). He is editor of ‘New Beginnings’ the CISS newsletter, and is also a valued contributor to ‘Wellness’ magazine. For more information about CISS see: www.ciss.org.au.

REFERENCES Benjamin, D. Efficacy of surgical treatment of cancer. Medical Hypotheses 1993; 40:129-138,. Langlands, A. Battling breast cancer with dollars and sense, MJA 18 July 1994:161. Ulrich Abel Abel, U. Chemotherapy of advanced epithelial cancer: a critical review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 1992; 46: 439-452. Simonton, S. & C. Getting Well Again, Bantam, New York 1978. Issels, J. Cancer A Second Opinion, Hodder & Stoughton, London 1975. Selye, H. The Stress of Life, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1956. Le Shan, L. Psychological states as factors in the development of malignant disease: a critical review, J. Nat. Cancer Inst 1959; 22: 1-18. Wirshing, M. et al. Psychological identification of breast cancer patients before biopsy. J. of Psychosomatic Research 1982; 26: 1-10. Levy, S. et al. Survival hazards analysis in first recurrent breast cancer patients: Seven-year follow-up, Psychosomatic Medicine 1988; 50: 520-528. Pettingale, K. et al. Mental attitudes to cancer: an additional prognostic factor. The Lancet, March 30, 1985. Fawzy, Fawzy I. et al. A structured psychiatric intervention for cancer patients. Arch Gen Psychiatry August 1990; 47: 729-735. Spiegel, D. et al. Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer, The Lancet, October 14, 1989. Eysenck, H and Gross-Maticek, R. Behaviour Research and Therapy 1991; 29(1): 17-31. Summer 2011/2012

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the Biology of perception The following is a summary of a DVD presentation by Bruce Lipton, followed by that of Rob Williams.

organism adapting to the surrounding environment, with genetic factors playing only a minor role in this development.

here are two schools of thought about the controlling factors in life forms: • The genetic theory – this holds that most human growth and development is essentially driven by inherited factors through genes. As a result the predisposition to get certain diseases such as cancer is inherited, eg cancer and coronary heart disease run in families. There is little an individual can do to change this because the predisposition is inherent in the genes. This is referred to as genetic determinacy.

The current consensus of medical scientists is that the first theory is correct. The DNA and its genes are the driving force in life. Genes control or regulate most of the bodily functions, the growth and replication of cells, personal characteristics such as eye and hair colour, and that these functions are essentially hereditary.

• The environment theory – this holds that most human growth and development is essentially a result of the human

Most of these assumptions are completely wrong. What is the evidence?

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The recently completed Human Genome project has identified a maximum of 34,000 genes in human DNA, to control the more than 50 trillion cells in the human body. This number of genes is little more than some of the most primitive life forms such as the fruit fly (13,000 genes) or primitive roundworm (18,000 genes). The eye of the fruit fly has more cells than the entire roundworm, yet it has 5,000 fewer genes. This is hardly evidence for the theory that the genes are a dominant factor in life processes. Recent news items have suggested the figure for the human genome might be closer to 28,000. Clearly the role of genes has been greatly overstated. What is their role? If we look at a typical cell that makes up the human it consists of many small organelles, duplicating many of the body’s organs, together with a nucleus containing the DNA with its genetic blueprint, with the whole enclosed in a membrane through which the cell communicates with the outside environment. According to current consensus the nucleus containing the DNA is the cell’s brain that controls the cell. If the nucleus were removed the cell would die immediately. This does not happen. The cell continues to carry out all of its normal functions and only later does it start to degenerate. So clearly the role of the nucleus and its DNA has been grossly exaggerated. In fact it turns out that the cell operates quite effectively in carrying out nearly all of its functions without the nucleus. It receives signals from outside, responds to these signals using receptors on the surface of its membrane, and accepts or rejects the signals. If it accepts the signal as relevant it allows it to initiate a process necessary for the cell such as accept and digest a nutrient, respond to a stress signal, eliminate waste products, etc. When one of the cell’s components breaks down there a need for a replacement part in the form of a protein. This is where the nucleus comes in. A signal within the cell enters the nucleus with information about the needed protein component. This activates the set of blueprints in the cell’s DNA and produces an RNA (copy) of the required component protein. This is then used by the nucleus to produce a full version of the required component protein, which is then made available to the cell to enable it to resume its efficient functioning. So the nucleus is the cell’s gonad, used only for reproductive purposes. The nucleus then closes down until needed again to reproduce another needed component. Thus the cell membrane is the cell’s brain. Cells have the capability to rewrite their own DNA based on conditions prompted by the environment. This means that ALL of the cell’s functions, including growth and development, are controlled by the outside signals, not by the DNA in its nucleus. The same applies to the whole human organism. Thus the second, environment theory is the correct one. It is the environment, or more accurately, the cell’s perception of the environment, that determines the cell’s growth, development or function. The human organism, like its cells, do not adapt according to the Darwinian evolutionary theory, which states that adaptation is a random function. Rather they adapt directly according to their needs as determined by the environment. Cooperation rather than competition is the norm.

MIND-BODY HEALING

Based on the genetic theory medical scientists have calculated that the human would need one gene to code for each of the 70,000 to 90,000 proteins that make up our bodies and a further 30,000 regulatory genes to control the activities of other genes, a total of about 100,000 – 120,000 genes.

asdfafas It is the environment, or more accurately, the cell’s perception of the environment, that determines the cell’s growth, development or function. The human organism, like its cells, do not adapt according to the Darwinian evolutionary theory, which states that adaptation is a random function. Rather they adapt directly according to their needs as determined by the environment. Cooperation rather than competition is the norm.

He described the two options available to cells when confronted with an outside signal. The cell must choose either growth or protection. If it senses that the signal is positive, such as with a nutrient, it is accepted as part of growth. If it senses that the signal is negative or implies a threat, such as a poison, it tries to reject it – the so-called fight or flight response at the cellular level. At the human organism level when confronted with a stressor, the visceral central organs respond in one of two ways: they either accept the challenge

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...from previous page as a growth opportunity and concentrate the blood and information signals in the central organs; or they perceive the stressor as a threat and constrict the blood supply to the periphery of the body to increase the blood supply to the muscles of the arms and legs as part of the fight or flight response. In this latter response the blood supply is also reduced to those bodily functions that are not essential to immediate survival. These include digestion, immune defences and rational thought. In the brain the blood supply is reduced to the part of the brain that processes logical thought patterns and increased to the part that reacts instinctively (based on past survival experiences).

“All disease is a function of environmental factors, not genetic ones. Cancer’s formation and therefore how it should be treated or reversed, are functions of environmental signals, or a lack of required environmental signals. Cells receive information by “perception” of the environment outside the cell. Similarly the whole organism creates a reality for itself based on its perception of its environment.”

This means that chronic stress holds the human in a constant state where the blood supply is continually reduced to organs that are necessary for identifying foreign bacteria and viruses and developing an immune response to protect the human organism. As the immune defences also identify faulty cells, such as potentially malignant cells, this allows these cells to develop unchecked into cancer. A child’s personality is essentially developed through a process beginning at conception where the embryo picks up signals from the mother, such as stress hormones, via the placenta. These early perceptions continue after birth until by about 2 years of age the child’s personality and perception of the environment has been strongly conditioned by the sensations perceived as love, rejection, fear, stress, etc. He then described the fallacy of the action of the oncogene, or the cancer-causing gene. Genes don’t self activate; so oncogenes can’t self activate. If genes can’t control themselves, it is hardly likely that they can control anything else. When a gene product is needed, as in the cell, a signal from the environment activates the property of the gene. So oncogenes, cells and the human organism itself are all controlled by external signals from outside the oncogene, outside the cell or outside the human. The implications of this are world-shattering. One of its implications is that all disease is a function of environmental factors, not genetic ones. For example cancer formation is sometimes described as resulting from an oncogene, ie a cancer-causing gene. We now know that this theory is invalid. Cancer’s formation and therefore how it should be treated or reversed, are functions of environmental signals, or a lack of required environmental signals. Cells receive information by “perception” of the environment outside the cell. Similarly the whole organism creates a reality for itself based on its perception of its environment. F

Bruce Lipton, PhD is a cellular biologist, former associate professor of Anatomy at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and more recently a research scientist (Pathology Fellow) at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is author of the book The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles .

Weekly Art Therapy at CSA Arts for Healing is a gently empowering form of self-expression which actively and creatively engages you in exploring and developing your unique inner resources to make personal meaning of your life experiences, symbolically and spontaneously.

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9.30am-12noon Fridays at CSA with Glenys Gibbs. $20 members/$25 others. For bookings/more info phone CSA 9384 3544 www.cancersupportwa.org.au

MIND-BODY HEALING

Art: Sandro Botticelli

By Rob Williams

ollowing on from Bruce Liptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conclusion that most disease is caused by signals entering the cell from the outside environment, it follows that we can treat disease or conditions by identifying the wrong signals that influenced the organism and replacing them with the preferred ones. In other words by changing the perception of reality. Rob Williams first listed some myths including one that says that because beliefs, and a disease like cancer that results, take a long time to develop, it must take a long time for the belief system to change, or the disease to reverse. This is not true, as he would demonstrate in a short while. He said that in his experience many people who get cancer have for a long time repressed emotions such as anger or resentment. He referred to the so-called fight or flight response described by Bruce Lipton and its effect on the immune system. Experience

with Psych-neuro-immunoloy (PNI) has shown that chronic stress form the body being held in the protective weakens the immune response cells. This allows these cells to develop unchecked into cancer. He then described the difference between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The latter gains its perception through the senses of sight, taste, smell and touch (which through the skin sensors also perceives heat and pain). In contrast the conscious mind develops its perception of reality through thoughts. These functions take place and are processed in different parts of the brain. He described the importance of the two parts of the brain: the left hemisphere, that uses and processes words, logic and abstract thought; and the right brain that uses and deals with

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Summer 2011/2012

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...from previous page emotions, pictures and instinct. Most people operate by using one part of the brain more than the other. The trick is to enable the subconscious to integrate the two hemispheres so that the best of both parts is being used all the time. This is an essential part of therapy. He referred to Bruce Lipton’s comment that a child’s personality is essentially developed through a process beginning at conception where the embryo picks up signals from the mother, such as stress hormones, via the placenta. These early perceptions continue after birth until by about 2 years of age the child’s personality and perception of the environment has been strongly conditioned by the sensations perceived as love, rejection, fear, stress, etc.

The steps are carried out as follows with the person sitting in a chair, facing ahead with eyes down:

A person’s view of itself as loved/unloved, worthy/unworthy, competent/incompetent is well developed by this age as a result of environmental perceptions. For example one description of the cause of cancer is the individual’s suppression of emotions such as anger. This learnt behaviour is stored in the subconscious mind. As a result psychotherapy that uses only cognitive and conscious thoughts will have no impact on the perceived reality in the subconscious mind. What is necessary is a therapy that communicates with the subconscious mind.

1. To establish communication with the subconscious:

The most common negative belief statements that make up a person’s reality include the following I can’t messages: • You will never amount to anything • You are worthless • You are not smart enough • No matter how hard you try, it’s never good enough • Money is hard to come by and hard to keep • You don’t deserve to succeed • No one will ever love you • You’re going to get [cancer] because it’s genetic

2. To pre-test the selected belief statement:

They need to be changed into positive belief statements or I can messages such as: • I can accomplish anything I choose • I am a worthy and valuable person • I am intelligent and capable • I do my best and my best is good enough • I easily attract money into my life and use it wisely • I deserve happiness and success in my life • I love myself and am loved by others • My beliefs control my genes and I control my beliefs Contrary to myth as already mentioned, these can be changed within a few minutes. This involves the 6 steps of Psyche-K balance: 1. Establish communication with the subconscious 2. Pre-test the selected belief statement to be programmed in place of the I can’t message 3. Get permission and commitment to change the belief using a Psyche-K balance 4. Do the balance 5. Post-test the belief system 6. Celebrate the change

The standard muscle test is used for these steps. The person holds an arm out horizontally to the side with the palm downwards and holds the arm up. The therapist holds the person’s arm above the wrist and pushes down lightly. The person is asked to face straight ahead (with chin horizontal) but with eyes focussed down to the floor in front. The therapist asks the person to make a statement and then says “Be strong” to tell the person to push upwards just before testing their strength. There are several ways of using muscle testing: Like/dislike – stress detection, eg used for testing if a food is beneficial or harmful Yes/No – communication system, eg is the statement factual True/false – conflict detection, eg is a statement consistent with my belief

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The person uses a simple yes/no statement such as “My name is “………….” using their own name. This should produce a strong muscle with locked shoulder. Then the person says “My name is ……….” using instead a false name, perhaps using a name of the opposite gender. This will show the effect of a weakened arm muscle unlocked at the shoulder. If communication with the subconscious is established there is a distinct difference between the true statement (strong) and the false statement (weak).

The person states the desired belief statement. Response should be weak showing that it is in conflict with the person’s present belief system.

3. To get permission and commitment to change the belief: The therapist makes a statement to the subconscious on behalf of the person such as “Are you safe and appropriate to carry out the balance to this now?” This should result in a strong response. Otherwise don’t proceed with the next steps. This is followed by a check on the body’s orientation: “All parts of the system are ready and willing to balance for the goal using my new direction”. Response should again be strong.

4. To do the balance: The therapist asks the person to cross their ankles and tests for strength; then asks them to cross their ankles the opposite way with the other foot on top. The orientation producing the stronger response is the correct one for the balance. This crossing of limbs interrupts the normal energy flow in the body. The therapist then asks the person to hold their arms out in front with the wrists crossed and tests for muscle strength by pushing down lightly over the crossed wrists. (The therapist always says “be strong” before testing.) The person is then asked to cross their wrists the opposite way with the other arm on top and tests again. The orientation producing the stronger response is again the correct one for the balance. This has identified what the subconscious knows is the correct body crossing orientations for the balance to proceed. The therapist asks the person to keep the wrists

crossed, bring the palms together, interleave the fingers of their hands and lower them into their lap for the balance. The therapist then asks the person to keep looking ahead with eyes lowered but close the eyes. The person is asked to think the new belief statement to themselves over an over such as: “I deserve happiness and success in my life” (or “I am a worthy and valuable person”.). They are told that conflicting thoughts from the old programming will start occurring that disagree with the statement. The person is asked not to ignore them but to in fact invite these thoughts into a dialogue and react to them as felt necessary. After each dialogue the person restates the new belief. After between 2 and 5 minutes the conflicting thoughts stop occurring. The person then often experiences a feeling of relief, signifying completion of the balance. They then open their eyes to signify completion. This signals that the old belief system has been replace it with the new preferred one. (With the chosen posture the person cannot think of the down-side of the belief system the way they used to. It interrupts the previous over-identifying with the left or right brain and starts the process of integrating the left and right hemispheres of the brain.)

To save this new belief statement: The therapist asks the person to uncross their hands and bring them together, with palms facing inwards, fingers spread out, fingertip to fingertip. This position is kept for about half a minute completing the balance. The person is asked to put their arm out to the side and the therapist asks the subconscious “Is this process complete?” and does a muscle test. A strong response confirms completion and the person is asked to stand up.

5. To post-test the new belief system: The therapist confirms that the balance has been successful by asking the person to state the new belief statement again and muscle tests. A strong response confirms that the new belief has replaced the old permanently as the new reality at the subconscious level.

6. To celebrate the change: The therapist congratulates the person and the person acknowledges their own value and strength. Other value statements can then be changed using the same technique. The actual wording used by a trained therapist during the balance is not critical as there is an information exchange taking place the whole time between the therapist and the person at the subconscious level. This means that when the therapist and person are thinking on the same wavelength the person’s subconscious is sensing the therapist’s thoughts. The subconscious does not sense words but their equivalent in the form of energy. Rob Williams explained that the reason belief systems can be changed so easily using this technique is that the mind is similar to a computer. The belief system is no more than a computer file saved on the hard disk (the brain). At any time the file can be opened, modified and saved. The information on a hard disk is not embedded deep down many layers but is on the disk surface, with all stored data immediately retrievable as long a we know where it is – as long as we know the pathway. In the brain we are dealing with energy photons moving in a magnetic field. Recall or retrieval can be instantaneous. Once communication is established with subconscious, we don’t even have to know the pathway. The subconscious does it all for us, as long as we ask the right questions or make the right statements. F

Rob Williams, originator of Psyche – K, has been a professional psychotherapist for almost 20 years. He received his MA in Counseling & Personnel Services from the University of Colorado. He is author of the book PSYCH-K: The Missing Piece Peace in your Life.

Artwork on pages 12-23 is by the Russian artist Victor Bregeda who paints in the styles of surrealism and metarealism. Viewing his work is like walking into a beautiful dreamscape and is a profound expression of the subconscious mind. His works can be viewed in an online gallery at: www.bregeda.com

These two presentations appear on the DVD “The Biology of Perception, The Psychology of Change – Putting it all together” available from Spirit 2000 Inc., PO Box 41126, Memphis TN 38174, USA.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Countless people have had regular expensive testings and even organs removed because, based on Scientists find genetic testing, they’ve been told they are sure to get cancer. Think about women having breasts amputated to avoid breast cancer in the future, for example. Others live a life of worry and a feeling risk research is of impending doom if they believe test results of “biomarkers” for specific diseases show sooner or later they will probably get heart disease, dementia or some other potential killer. inaccurate...maybe But it turns out, according to a new study, the research about the associations between genes and other biomarkers and various maladies is vastly overstated. Bottom line: were told you are more or you aren’t doomed less doomed to eventually get a certain disease so you need constant vigilance and testing? Turns out, none of that may be true. to cancer or other Research from John Ioannidis, MD, DSc, an expert in scientific study design at the Stanford School of Medicine, shows clinicians may be making decisions for their patients based diseases because of University on inaccurate conclusions not supported by other, larger studies. instance, one widely cited study links the BRCA1 gene mutation with colon cancer; another your genes afterall! For links levels of C-reactive protein in the blood with cardiovascular disease. Still another claims an association between homocysteine levels with vascular disease. The trouble is, these conclusions turned out to apparently be gross exaggerations. In a statement to the press, Dr. Ioannidis claims these mistakes are “...the result of statistical vagaries coupled with human nature and the competitive nature of scientific publication.” His research paper was published in the June 1, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). “No research finding has no uncertainty; there are always fluctuations,” Dr. Ioannidis stated. “This is not fraud or poor study design, it’s just statistical expectation. Some results will be stronger, some will be weaker. But scientific journals and researchers like to publish big associations.” However, by publishing these popular “big associations”, the medical journals give the papers lots of publicity; the research papers are cited over and over in the mainstream medical community (with little if any critiques of the findings). And soon they are seen as proof linking a biomarker to a disease. The result can be unneeded testing, treatment, and more. It can also cause patients undue anxiety, stress and fear for their future. In all, Ioannidis and colleague Orestis Panagiotou, MD, from the University of Ioannina School of Medicine in Greece, investigated 35 widely cited studies which analysed the relationships between biomarkers such as the presence of specific genes or infections, levels of blood proteins and other markers and the likelihood of developing conditions such as cancer and heart disease.

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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

They found that less than half of the biomarkers in these studies had statistically significant associations with disease risk in larger follow-up studies. What’s more, only one of every five of the original selected studies increased a patient’s relative risk for a condition by more than 1.37, practically no risk at all (A relative risk of 1 means there is no difference between two groups). In addition to statistical findings that don’t show up in additional, bigger studies, Dr. Ioannidis said another problem is that researchers can also superimpose their own bias. “Researchers tend to play with their data sets, and to analyse them in creative ways. We’re certainly not pointing out any one investigator with this study; it’s just the societal norm of science to operate in that fashion. But we need to follow the scientific method through to the end and demand replication and verification of results before accepting them as fact,” he stated. Dr. Ioannidis, the C.F. Rehnborg Professor in Disease Prevention at Stanford, outlined some of these same troubling research worries years ago in a 2005 essay published in the journal PLoS-Medicine entitled, “Why most published research findings are false.” F

From: www.naturalnews.com, June 2011.

in the news “The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the

Half of women told they have breast cancer when they don’t More than a half of women who don’t have breast cancer are told

they do have the disease because of a false reading from a routine mammogram screening, new research has found.

power of true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really

Around 8 per cent of the women will also have an unnecessary biopsy – which can cause permanent scarring - before discovering that they never had breast cancer.

exists, manifesting itself as the highest

Researchers have discovered that around 61 per cent of women who have an annual mammogram test for detecting breast cancer will get a false-positive result – ‘detecting’ a cancer that isn’t there – at least once during 10 years of screening.

which dull our faculties can comprehend

The research team are suggesting that routine mammogram screening should be reduced to once every two years and start when a woman reaches the age of 50. In the US, screening still begins at 40 years. By following their guidelines, false-positives could be reduced to 42 per cent, say the researchers of the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle. Mammogram screening among the under-50s currently picks up two cancers for every 10,000 women screened – but also produces 170 false-positives, say the researchers. F

wisdom and the most radiant beauty, only in their most primitive forms – this knowledge, this feeling, is at the centre of true religiousness” Albert Einstein, His Life and Times

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, 2011; 155: 481-92 Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Richard Gerber, M.D.

In homeopathy, the theory of miasms originates in Hahnemann’s book ‘The Chronic Disease’ which was published in 1828. The three miasms given in that work are held to be responsible for all disease of a chronic nature and to form the foundation or basis for all disease in general.

There are an increasing number of substances which have recently been added to the list of

potentially harmful environmental pollutants. More often than not, the definition of a harmful substance is based upon giving massive quantities of a particular suspect chemical to rats and then slicing them open at autopsy to look for cancers or other physical abnormalities. The Ames test for detecting potential carcinogens looks at the ability of a chemical to cause genetic mutations in bacteria to determine its carcinogenicity. Even the tobacco companies and their lobbyists still Proclaim that there is no definite link between cigarette smoking and such illnesses as heart disease and lung cancer, However, the current medical establishment does acknowledge a strong association of various types of cancer with cigarette smoking. It is only recently that doctors have begun to study the more subtle effects of cigarette smoke on Passive smokers, and the potential danger to developing unborn children. Yet, most people in our culture tend to focus only on the more overt, negative side‑effects of the chemicals in cigarette smoke, such as the production of cancer. One of the problems with this limited definition of toxic side effects is that it is extremely hard to determine whether environmental chemicals are causing any adverse effects upon human health. Conventional medicine’s ability to measure the effects of various pollutants is limited by the sensitivity of current medical testing. This is the same argument we find ourselves up against when trying to prove the negative effects of various food allergies.Doctors’ willingness to recognise a substance as harmful is dependent upon them seeing evidence that the agent produces ill effects. The quality of evidence that scientists use to substantiate the negative effects of a substance is largely a function of the sensitivity of their tools for measuring abnormal physiologic reactions. Conventional laboratory tests are too gross to measure subtle abnormalities like those produced by food allergies and sensitivities to other common environmental agents. This is one of the reasons why the development of vibrational medicine and subtle‑energy diagnostic systems is so important. If we are to be able to really assess the health consequences of a whole system of new food additives, new drugs, new chemicals in the workplace, we must support more sensitive testing. There are so many unseen negative influences on human health that are missed by conventional medical practitioners that many sources of human suffering remain undetected. It is recognised that sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide are airborne pollutants which are harmful to human health. These chemicals place abnormal stresses on the body’s physiology and lead to the

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LIFESTYLE & ENVIRONMENT

manifestation of illness in certain susceptible individuals. Disease susceptibility as a consequence of exposure to environmental pollutants is partly a function of the strength of the body’s immunologic, physiologic, and energetic defense mechanisms. The production of environmental illness is not strictly related to exposure to levels of harmful substances that are higher than FDA safety limits. Conventional safety limits of exposure do not take into account the subtle vibrational effects of toxic substances. Because of their inability to comprehend vibrational levels of toxicity, the orthodox scientific community is more lenient in defining safe levels of exposure to many harmful substances. The inadequacy of conventional scientific testing to measure subtle negative disturbances to human physiology also limits the FDA’s ability to define exactly which substances are really harmful to human beings, let alone the concentration necessary for toxic effects. It is now widely accepted that homeopathic remedies are produced by creating infinitesimally small dilutions of physical substances in order to extract the energy essence of that substance for therapeutic application. By the same token, infinitesimally small amounts of environmental materials can have subtle effects that are not easily measured by gross laboratory tests. An interesting case in point is the metal aluminum, and the potential threat of aluminum toxicity. Because of its easy workability and low cost, aluminum cookware has found its way into many of our homes and kitchens. When these pots are scrubbed and cleaned, or stirred while cooking, infinitesimally small amounts of aluminum metal are liberated, dissolved, and later ingested. Recent evidence suggests that even larger amounts of aluminum are released during cooking and stirring food in aluminum pots if fluoridated water is used. Some recent research into Alzheimer’s disease, an increasing cause of dementia in the population, has shown that a significant number of patients with this disorder have high aluminum levels in brain tissue. Although it may not necessarily be true that aluminum cookware is directly causing Alzheimer’s disease, the metal may somehow be participating in the expression of the disease process. The possible linkage of aluminum toxicity with Alzheimer’s dementia raises the question of how safe it is to cook with aluminum. This type of subtle aluminum toxicity may be a function of people’s ability to absorb or excrete aluminum taken in through the gastrointestinal tract. For example, researchers studying Parkinson’s disease at the Bob Hope Parkinson Research Centre utilized Motoyama’s AMI electroacupuncture diagnostic system and discovered energetic imbalances in the intestinal meridians of many Parkinsonian patients. It is possible that the common imbalances in the nervous system and digestive system of Parkinson patients are due to an abnormal link between the bowel and brain. The link may be indirect, in that the disease may be dependent upon exposure to a third factor which operates upon the preexisting physiological weaknesses, Abnormalities in the normal functions of absorption and excretion by the intestines may result in a buildup of certain toxic elements in the nervous system. Excessive accumulation of toxic agents in the brain could lead to neurological dysfunction in the form of Parkinson’s disease. If this speculation is correct, then some types of aluminum and heavy‑metal toxicity may be more pronounced in certain susceptible individuals (i.e., Alzheimer’s patients) with intestinal meridian imbalances.

it is extremely hard to determine whether environmental chemicals are causing any adverse effects upon human health. Conventional medicine’s ability to measure the effects of various pollutants is limited by the sensitivity of current medical testing.

It is likely that conventional medical research techniques are too insensitive to give adequate information to either support or reject this theory. What is needed is more research into various illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and many others that are poorly understood at this time. Subtle‑energy measuring devices, such as the Voll Machine and AMI system, must be utilized to expand on our database of information. With a new pool of information, it is possible that we might also discover viable therapeutic modalities which would make a difference in similar “incurable” illnesses. There are many substances in our environment including asbestos, PCB’s, dioxin, and formaldehyde, which orthodox scientists have only begun to acknowledge as harmful or stressful to human beings. There are probably many more unknown than known harmful substances in our man‑made environment which have yet to be defined as being detrimental to human health. Again, the ability to define chemical stress to our human systems depends upon the sensitivity of one’s measuring devices. By utilizing, the Volt Machine and other new sensitive measuring systems, scientists will begin to find that many substances formerly thought to be safe at current environmental levels may actually be causing untold silent illness and distress. Aluminum is only one such potential toxin in our everyday environment.

continued on next page... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

...from previous page Another potentially harmful metal is mercury, as used in the mercury amalgams of dental fillings. There is a growing body of information to suggest that mercury in dental fillings may be responsible for a significant amount of undiagnosed chronic illness.1 Radionic practitioners, who work at a much more subtle level of energy diagnosis, have also found a link between aluminum, mercury, and physical disorders. It is also relevant to note that physical and etheric imbalances do not only arise from conventional infections, but can be produced by unsuspected influences from the environment which are inimicable to the human organism. The most important of these is the prevalent use of aluminum utensils both for cooking and in the preparation of processed foods. This has a detrimental influence which does not arise from any chemical reaction within the body, but from the absorption by the food of certain energies in the aluminum which are incompatible with bodily harmony. This form of aluminum poisoning or toxicity is not recognised by the orthodoxy, but its influence is widespread and often found as a major toxin when completing a radionic analysis.

Miasmatic conditions place the organism in an energy state of potential system breakdown or illness susceptibility. Miasms tend to impede the flow of the life‑force into the human bioenergetic system, and also create a greater potential for the manifestation of many different types of illnesses. These miasms can be treated with various vibrational modalities that restore an energy equilibrium with the life‑force.

Prolonged absorption of aluminum and other noxious toxins, such as mercury and silver from amalgam fillings in the teeth, have far reaching effects on the physical and etheric form. These many noxious influences in fact are the unsuspecting cause of many ills, some specific in symptoms, others merely resulting in a general lowering of vitality.2 In addition to subtle toxic effects of common heavy metals, there are additional harmful environmental influences which have been neglected by orthodox medicine. There are certain illness‑producing energy states known as miasms (see panel below). Unlike the conventional physician, homeopathic doctors have long suspected that miasms are caused by subtle‑energy disturbances in the human biofield. Kevin Ryerson, the psychic source of technical information in Gurudas’ book Flower Essences and Vibrational Healing3, has suggested that we are beginning to see new types of these illness‑producing states. Most significant of these new miasms are the heavy metal, petrochemical, and radiation miasms. Although the medical community expresses some concern for radiation hazards due to diagnostic x‑rays, background environmental radiation has largely been downplayed. The subtle effects of radiation, aside from the production of leukemia and certain cancers by very high exposure levels, is not well understood; nor is it considered to be a common source of illness. Similarly, petrochemicals and their many derivatives are an increasing source of undiagnosed toxicities that have been finding their way into our environment. Miasmatic conditions place the organism in an energy state of potential system breakdown or illness susceptibility. Miasms tend to impede the flow of the life‑force into the human bioenergetic system, and also create a greater potential for the manifestation of many different types of illnesses. These miasms can be treated with various vibrational modalities that restore an energy equilibrium with the life‑force. Particular flower essences, gem elixirs, and homeopathic remedies are good examples of vibrational rebalancers. However, miasms cannot be treated unless they are recognised as a cause of illness. The traditional medical community has failed to acknowledge either the existence of miasms or their significance as a source of human suffering. Miasms represent energy patterns which have been incorporated into the human bioenergetic system from the level of the subtle bodies, through the auric field, and down to the molecular and genetic levels. Some miasms are primarily stored in the cellular memory of the physical body. Albeit unknowlingly, orthodox medical researchers have started probing the cellular mechanisms of certain miasmatic illnesses through their studies of the phenomena of “slow virus” infections. Scientists have begun to recognise that it is possible to have an infection with a particular virus, have the symptoms of the illness subside, and yet have a portion of the virus’s DNA incorporated into the genetic makeup of the cells of the infected individual. This viral genetic material is incor porated into the existing human chromosomal DNA of the cells. If this viral genome is carried in the reproductive cells of the body, it may even be transmitted to future generations. Some type of unidentified physiologic stress is suggested to cause an activation of the dormant viral DNA. In examining existing illnesses which might serve as a model for “acquired” miasms (due to an infection acquired earlier in life), it is known that certain childhood viral infections (eg. measles) may become activated decades later, and sometimes result in a rare but devastating neurological disease such as SSPE (subacute sclerosing panencephalitis). Whether it is a form of dormant intact virus or merely a hidden virus DNA that is carried in the host’s cells is unclear at this time, but the toxicity of the original viral infection persists at some molecular level to cause a different type of disease at a later time.

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Multiple sclerosis may be another illness related to delayed toxic effects from a previous latent viral infection. One model suggests that an earlier viral infection causes some type of alteration in the myelin sheath of nerves, which later leads to a production of antibodies against both the altered and normal myelin surrounding the nerves. The result is a type of autoimmune destruction of myelin throughout the nervous system, which eventually interferes with nerve transmission. Scientists have referred to these types of latent virus‑activated illnesses as “slow virus” infections. Most of the recognised slow viral diseases are related to dementia and disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system. This principle of delayed toxicity from viruses demonstrates one route by which miasms are acquired through exposure to an infectious agent. However, miasmatic tendencies are caused by bodily changes not only at the cellular level but also at the higher vibrational levels of human structure. Stresses that release miasmatic potentials into the physical body to create illness may be psychological, environmental, or occasionally karmic. The state of energetic and physiological dysfunction induced by stress allows the molecular and subtle patterns of the miasms to become activated at the genetic and cellular levels. Miasmatic illness then occurs when this subtle‑energy time bomb is exploded through the expression of the tainted genetic material. Miasmatic diseases only become manifest in the physical body when our normal subtle energetic and physiologic watchdog mechanisms fail to suppress their expression. In the case of slow viruses, some breakdown in the body’s immune defenses may trigger the viral DNA’s deadly latent potential. These miasmatic traits may lie dormant in the subtle bodies for many years, only to become manifest at a later time when stressful or karmic patterns have created a bioenergetic environment more conducive to their expression at the physical level. As the miasmatic energy tendencies move from the subtle bodies to the level of the physical cell and its nuclear DNA, illness results. In addition to acquired miasms due to infectious agents, today’s homeopaths understand that chronic exposure to environmental pollutants (petroleum derivatives, heavy metals, and radiation) can also result in the production of miasmatic/ energetic tendencies toward illness. Of the heavy metals that can result in miasms, aluminum and mercury figure prominently along with lead, arsenic, radium, and fluoride. There is an increasing amount of lead in our environment due to the prevalence of the leaded gasolines which power our cars. Overt mercury poisoning has also become more widespread due to the concentration of mercury in certain types of fishes in our aquatic food chain. This is in addition to the widespread use of mercury amalgams in dental fillings, which may be causing subtle illness. Although minute quantities of many of these minerals existed in our environment for thousands of years, we have been able to build up a tolerance to their presence. It is only within the last century that toxic levels began to build up in the atmosphere and water supply. This has led to the production of acute illnesses from overt poisonings as well as to delayed side effects from the acquired miasms.

The heavy‑metal and petrochemical miasms can result in allergies, hair loss, fluid retention, problems with calcium absorption, as well as greater susceptibility to viral infections. Miasmatic tendencies due to radiation contribute to premature aging, endocrine deterioration, weakening of bone structure, anemia, arthritis, lupus, as well as various types of cancer such as leukemia and skin

cancer. The problem with the recognition of these miasms is that their effects are subtle, and difficult to measure with conventional laboratory tests. Yet their effects on the production of illness are beginning to be seen in increasing numbers. Miasms contribute to the many subtle causes of illness that go unrecognised by the traditional medical community. Vibrational remedies are one form of therapy which can often be effective in releasing the negative energy patterns of miasms. In view of the increasing pollution in the world today, vibrational medicine and its ability to provide answers to the problems caused by subtle toxicities will be of greater importance in the years to come. In a way, these diseases may also be considered as spiritual maladies. Miasms and their “dis‑ease” producing tendencies may be related to the struggle of the human spirit to recognise its own divinity through the expression of particular illnesses at the physical level. The radiation, petrochemical, and heavy‑metal miasms may indicate a spiritual need for ecological evolution. Diseases often arise when there are chronic emotional and psychospiritual blockages that create difficulties in allowing the Higher Self to manifest through the ego or conscious personality. Miasms tie into this schema of emotional and spiritual blockage in an integral way. The miasms collectively reflect peoples’ wish to return to spirit in that diseases arise from blockages in accepting and acknowledging being Divine. This, of course, may lead to various levels of stress that may activate the miasms and create disease. Miasms crystallize mankind’s struggle toward spiritual evolution. First there is the need to rise above base sexuality which includes overcoming syphilis and gonorrhea. Next, there is the use of the breath to draw upward and overcome tuberculosis. Finally, there is the need or attempt to overcome and master the environment. Thus, there is now the radiation, petrochemical, and soon the heavy metal miasms. Miasms reflect blockages in conscious growth that mankind has not yet overcome.3 (italics added) Although it is not always recognised, the divine essence of our Higher Self pushes us onward through the many obstacles and learning experiences that life has to offer. Negative or self‑deprecating feelings that inhibit the flow of spiritual energies into physical reality create problems within not only the ego but also the physical body. Dysfunctional patterns of thinking and feeling inhibit energy movement through the chakras and ultimately disturb the physiological balance of the physical body. As we fall victim to our faulty belief systems, we create perceptual blockages that impede the flow of divine higher consciousness into our lives. These faulty perceptions of ourselves and the world around us create disharmony and stress at unconscious levels. As we become disconnected from our spiritual roots, we fall prey to the untold forms of “dis‑ease” that civilization has created. Many of these illnesses are reflections of the struggle taking place within the human race as we seek to rediscover our divine nature. Each disease represents a different hurdle that must be conquered to ascend the ladder of spiritual evolution. Infectious and toxic environmental factors are important negative influences that must be dealt with, but the susceptibility to these agents is often a reflection of an individual’s level of conscious evolution and spiritual balance. Our ability to resist subtle and overt attack by microorganisms and noxious substances, and to tolerate living in a potentially threatening environment, is a reflection of how connected we feel to our divine Higher Selves. It is critical that we begin to understand the importance of our connectivity to our spiritual roots. The spiritual element is an

continued on page 39... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Is your lifestyle increasing longevity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or decreasing it?

Life expectancy: 90-110 years Complete natural food diet & natural environment.

Life expectancy: 80-90 years Mainly natural food diet & natural environment.

Life expectancy: 70-80 years Occasional processed foods & drinks & mainly city environment.

Life expectancy: 60-70 years Mainly processed foods & drinks, city environment.

Life expectancy: 50-60 years

Life expectancy: 40-50 years

Limited natural food diet, complete city environment.

Depleted, processed diet, complete city environment.

Which category do you fall into? At any time of life, it is always possible to make changes to your lifestyle to enhance your life and health. The question is, do you really want to live well for a long time? This Table gives some insight into what to do to achieve that goal. Complete natural food diet, including seasonal fruits and a wide variety of fresh vegetables throughout the year, including freshly made fruit juices and vegetable juices in regular small amounts: 7 cups per day of one fruit and one vegetable juice and one wheatgrass juice per day diluted with pure water. Sprouted legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, ground and eaten raw. Regular short fasting, at least six hours between large meals, one hour between different fruits and six hours between nut and seed meals with either whole grains or legumes. Daily sunshine, at least two hours moderate sunlight. Daily work in the fields, gardening and long walking, deep breathing outdoor exercise. Yoga, relaxation and various types of meditation. Swimming and regular natural river or sea baths, hobbies related to natural creativity: painting, music, sculpture, carving, weaving, carpet-making, plant cultivation, food preparation, making clothes and home building. Climate ranging between 10-30C over the four seasons, natural scenery and regular adventures to other beautiful areas, by long walking and a few days away from the main home, surviving on fresh water, fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, fresh vegetables and sprouted foods, prepared for the journey. Seasonal love making and sharing regularly all types of human desires and emotions with a positive approach and direction. Survival based on a wide variety of foods grown organically and obtained as mentioned above. Proper chewing of food and food combination. No types of environmental pollutants, car exhaust fumes or other toxic elements, just clean fresh mountain or country air, forest air for a real treat. Comfortable living and sleeping areas, no television or other mind-distracting appliances, no alcohol, cigarettes, processed foods and drinks. No animal-origin food, except, a weekly serve of natural yoghurt. Regular use of blended fruits, nuts and seed drinks, one per day. Lifestyle based on self-sufficiency with barter trading for other local produce. Mainly natural food diet, including a variety of seasonal fruits and fresh garden vegetables, occasional market produce. At least one freshly extracted fruit or vegetable juice daily. Occasional juice or sprouted foods, once a week. Occasional nut protein meals, blended nut, seed or fruit drinks. Daily sunshine, at least one hour moderate light. Occasional gardening, long walking, deep breathing, yoga, relaxation and meditation. Occasional swimming, use of warm showers and baths. Climate ranging between 10-30C throughout the seasons. Mixture of country and city lifestyle and activities. Occasional television viewing and computer time.

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Basic application of food preparation and combination, mainly fresh produce, some whole grain bread obtained from the natural food store, regular use of whole grains and legumes with vegetables, a limited intake of animal protein foods: yoghurt and natural cheese. No processed or refined foods: tinned food, packaged breakfast foods or sugar drinks, no added sugar with meals, no alcohol except on occasions, no cigarettes, the occasional coffee or tea, mainly herbal teas and freshly extracted juices. Limited amount of toxic inhalation: car exhaust, air pollution, factory smoke or other sprays. Regular exercise, good sleeping and living conditions, regular naturalseasonal love making and a desire to share positive experiences. Lifestyle based on both self-sufficiency and other essential goods obtained from other stores. Use of car occasionally, for long distance travelling. Occasional fasting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; once per week, for eight daylight hours, including juices only. Occupation based on self-sufficiency with occasional city work for reasons of improved country living. Natural food diet with occasional processed foods and drinks. Occasional use of freshly extracted juices, once per week. Occasional use of nut and seed protein meals and blended drinks, once per week, basic food combination and natural food preparation practiced regularly, occasional sprouted food, once per month. Occasional gardening, relaxation and meditation, once a week. Regular use of warm showers and the occasional swimming, once a month. Daily television viewing, an hour per day, regular computer use. Occasional natural whole grain bread, occasional meat eating, regular use of natural yoghurt and cheese and occasional poultry, once a month, eggs once a week. Occasional tinned foods, once a week, small amounts of added sugar, no more than 100 grams per week. Occasional alcohol, once a week, four glasses, occasional cigarette, two a day, one coffee or tea per day, mainly herbal teas. Occasional exercise, good sleeping conditions and regular love making, using contraceptives and natural methods. Mainly city lifestyles with regular visits to the countryside, seaside or mountains. Occasional fasting, once per week, six daylight hours, including fresh juices only. Occupation based on city work, housing in city environment, pollution and car exhaust fumes prevalent. Regular use of fresh vegetables, cooked and raw, daily. Climate between 10-30 Celsius, throughout the seasons. Occasional fresh fish meal.

Limited food combination and preparation, mainly with cooked meals. Meat eating, once per week, regular use of cheese, poultry, eggs and fresh fish, occasional use of natural yoghurt, occasional fasting for weight control. Regular alcohol, 2 glasses per day, coffee, 2 cups per day, over 100 grams of sugar per week. Limited amount of proper exercise. Regular love making, using contraceptives. Regular use of car for travel. Mainly city air environment, car exhaust and factory fumes prevalent. Occasional use of fresh fruit meals or vegetables with whole grains or legumes. Daily television, three hours per day, computer usage, four hours per day. Occasional herbal teas. Comfortable sleeping and living conditions, occasional adventures to the country for the weekend. Limited natural food diet, mainly processed and refined supermarket foods and drinks, less than Six pieces of fresh whole fruits per week, occasional fresh garden salad, once per week, no freshly extracted juices, mainly hot drinks, coffee, four cups per day or tea. Irregular sunshine, two days per week, one hour per day. Regular alcohol, four glasses per day, more on the weekend. Over 200 grams of sugar added to foods, per week. No effort with regular exercise, occasional quick run around the city block. Daily use of car for travel, city pace. Regular excess intake of polluted city air, car exhaust and factory smoke. Regular cigarettes, over 10 cigarettes per day. Daily television, over three hours per day including news and advertisements, computer time over three hours per day. Regular use of soft sugar drinks and sugar foods, chocolate, candy or lollies. Comfortable sleeping conditions and living area. Daily eating of meat, cheese and eggs, regular eating of poultry and take-away hot foods, batter-fish, pies, pasties, hamburgers and other fat-coated foods. No proper food combination or preparation methods. Regular annual holidays and lifestyle reliant on city living. Depleted natural food diet, over 90% of foods obtained from packets, tins or bottles, processed and refined diet. Irregular outdoor living and sunshine, one day per week, two hours sunlight. No fasting, daily use of meat, twice per day, regular use of processed cheese, factory eggs and poultry, no fresh fish, only the occasional batter prefrozen fish and canned fish meals. Over six eggs per week, fried in poor quality oil. Regular use of salt, over 200 grams of sugar added to coffee or tea drinks, per week, over 100 grams of sugar added to meals. Regular eating of white bread, refined breakfast cereals, eggs and meat for breakfast, canned meat products, sausages and frozen meat products. Regular meals obtained from take-away shops, over four glasses of soft drink per day, over six glasses of alcohol and excessive amounts on the weekend. Over 20 cigarettes per day, every day. Reasonable sleeping and living conditions. Lack of regular exercise, excess intake of polluted air, car exhaust fumes and factory smoke, the occasional drink of polluted water. Occasional restaurant meals, mainly meat. No intake of natural yoghurt. Use of poor quality cooking oils and fats. Daily television watching, over 5 hours per day and night. Regular radio listening, advertisements and news, excessive computer usage. Rare fresh fruits, minimal cooked vegetables and the occasional whole grain meal, once in two weeks, rarely prepared food for good health. Hectic city living, rushing to work with a stomach full of meat. Regular doses of city stress, occasional love making, regular annual holiday revival attempts. Lifestyle completely related to city living with only occasional walks. F

The miasms collectively reflect peoples’ wish to return to spirit in that diseases arise from blockages in accepting and acknowledging being Divine. This, of course, may lead to various levels of stress that may activate the miasms and create disease. Miasms crystallise mankind’s struggle toward spiritual evolution.

LIFESTYLE & ENVIRONMENT

Mainly processed, refined and supermarket foods and drinks, regular purchase of a limited amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, occasional freshly extracted juice, once a month, no sprouted foods. Occasional whole grain and legume meals, every two weeks, mainly packaged and tinned foods used as the basic foods with some fresh vegetables obtained twice per week. Irregular sunshine, three days per week, limited amount of gardening and deep breathing exercises. Regular warm-hot showers, swimming only at holiday time.

...from page 37 important aspect of health and wellness that is left out of the human equation by most traditional physicians. As the quote above states, there are important symbolic patterns to the kinds of illnesses and miasms to which people have become susceptible. The miasms represent key issues or learning experiences which impede humanity’s progress in its struggle toward spiritual evolution and enlightenment. We are moving through a period in history when the tendency toward immediate self‑gratification and sex without love has begun to have significant emotional and physical impacts upon our culture. From a spiritual perspective, it is interesting to see how sexually‑associated diseases such as herpes and AIDS have become more prevalent at a time when human beings needed to take a closer look at relationships of the heart. Sexually-related diseases will begin to focus new attention on the emotional and spiritual issues which relate to the energy blockages predisposing people to these illnesses. Along with these spiritual imbalances, the negative influences of environmentally produced miasms have created difficulties in the immune systems of many people. These miasms have made individuals more susceptible to illnesses from a variety of infectious agents including the AIDS virus. The use of vibrational healing modalities to correct disturbances within the human energy system involves a process of not only rebalancing the physical body, but also of lifting the consciousness of the individual to new levels of spiritual attunement and awareness. This is a fundamental difference between vibrational and traditional medicine. Unlike drugs, which act solely on the physical body, vibrational treatments, especially flower essences and gem elixirs, work through their effects upon higher levels of consciousness, the subtle bodies, the chakras and the meridians, as well as the physical biomolecular form. While the chemical agents of modern medicine may treat the symptoms of disease, vibrational remedies create energy changes at multiple levels in order to produce a more lasting healing. Of course, the permanence of any healing will depend upon changing the subtle inner and outer factors which contributed to the creation of the illness. Vibrational healers attempt to assist patients in correcting their inner dysfunction by introducing lifestyle and mindstyle changes which may help to change negative habits and old perceptual patterns. Ad ditionally, toxic environmental influences must be removed or vibrationally neutralised. F

From the 3rd edition of book: ‘Vibrational Medicine’ by Richard Gerber, M.D. Vermont, USA: Bear & Company, 2001. P450-459.

From Laugh with Health by Manfred Urs Koch. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Australian

Psychological Society acceptance and commitment therapies interest group convenor Matthew Smout said mindfulness was about learning how to pay attention to parts of your experience happening right now in a particular way, purposefully with interest and curiosity.

Paying attention to the here and now and not letting yout thoughts be hijacked by worry about things that might happen in the future is the basic premise behind mindfulness, a thought therapy that’s gained wide acceptance in psychology practice in recent years.

“(It is) learning to be open and accepting of whatever experience comes up, whether that is a physical sensation we don’t particularly care for, a thought that might frighten us normally or an image we don’t particularly like,” Dr Smout said. “Rather than getting upset about the fact that these things have come to the mind or come to the body (it is) just allowing those throughts as thoughts which are reasonably harmless – letting them ocur and not creating a bigger problem by panicking or getting upset with ourselves for having some thoughts or others come to mind.” Dr Smout said it was common for people to worry and spend a lot of time imagining worst-case scenarios of how things could go wrong, even though these thoughts were completely hypothetial and products of our own imagination. “We tend to experience our worry fairly vividly as if it was as real as reality itself and sometimes we lose that distinction between our own thoughts and the world outside our thoughts,” he said. “Mindfulness practice is learning to see our worries and our thoughts less vividly, in a more detached sense – more like events that are in the background rather than in the foreground.” Practitioners of mindfulness find a focal point, often their breath, and focus on the act of breathing in and out. Once people can maintain their focus they then move on to noticing sensations in the body, Dr Smout says. “This appliess particularly to sensations they may not like and then they learn to direct the breath

A weekly group held every Tuesday at CSA 10am – 12noon. Anyone who’s life has been affected by cancer or other life threatening illnesses is welcome to attend. A Carer’s Support Group is held at the same time when required. 40

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MIND-BODY HEALING

and imagine it moving into those parts of the body and giving those sensations attention but pratising not trying to fight them or get rid of them. “We don’t want to evaluate it or reason with it, we just want to notice the thought that has popped up but just reat it like a sound in the background.” “Rather than trying to change what is going on it’s essentially calmly observing what’s going on, which is the opposite to what we often do,” he said. “What we usually do when we identify a problem is we become more anxious about it and we try to do things...to get rid of whatever we think is the problem and if we don’t have direct control over those things, that’s when we can get into a panicky cycle (and) make futile attempts to control something that we can’t control.” The origins of mindfulness can be traced back to eastern philosophy, including Buddhism, American Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn is credited with introducing it to Western medicine through his scientific work in the late 1970s, proving its benefits in treating people with pain, anxiety and stress.

Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t) ~ James Baraz

Dr Smout said by 1990s many mainstream psychology and psychiatry approaches had begun to incorporate elements of mindfulness into their therapies. “Nowadays it’s become extremely mainstream,” he said. “Professor Kabat-Zinn’s work shows that for many problems – anxiety, depression, stress, pain – it works as a stand-alone solution but it is also a useful adjunct to more traditional ways of working.” F

From: The West Australian, August 2011

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

An interview with spiritual teacher Esther Kennedy by Mike Bundrant

Having cancer became a way of connecting with the heart, appreciating the qualities of gentleness, kindness and deeply acknowledging the gift of life.

Cancer Support Association

or 45 years Esther Kennedy of Spirit Mountain Retreat in Idyllwild, US showed up for her annual mammogram. There is a history of cancer in her family and she wasn’t about to take any chances. For 44 of those years, she was quickly informed that everything looked fine. On the 45th time, in August 2008, the story changed. They found something, which turned out to be the early stages of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) – a form of breast cancer. I took opportunity to speak with Esther about the experience and the change in perspective that came through it. HT: After 44 years of positive results, I’ll bet you were shocked to hear that something was wrong. Esther: There was a shock to it. I knew that something was up when the doctor said, “I need to see you.” He sent me over to a surgeon that very morning. In a sense, when all this was happening, I was in a bit of a fog. The surgeon did a biopsy and the lumpectomy, which took place in September, 2008. HT: That was fast. Esther: I guess if you are going to have a diagnosis of cancer, mine’s the kind to have, as it was in sight and contained. It was a very early detection. Years ago, they may not have even picked this up, but due to the new digital mammograms, they pick up the very early stages of cancer. So, in that sense I felt very fortunate and was so glad that I had been faithful in getting regular mammograms.

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PERSONAL STORY

When they do the lumpectomy, they want to make sure there are clear margins around where the cancer was found. So, I did have to go back and have a second lumpectomy. Then it was suggested I get some radiation. Initially it was thought that I wouldn’t need anything. Then my doctor said, “I think it would be good to do some radiation.” I had the choice of doing a new type of radiation called mammosite. That means they deliver radiation seeds just to the site of the cancer, not to the whole breast. My choice was either that or doing thirty days radiation to the whole breast. The doctor said he felt the mammo-site would be sufficient and so that is what I did. HT: How did it make you feel? Did it make you sick? Esther: Actually, I had no serious side effects, just a bit of fatigue. What they do is insert a balloon into the site where they did the lumpectomy. The radiation only goes into that place where they know they discovered the cancer. HT: So, if they insert a balloon, it’s invasive? Esther: It’s invasive in the sense…well the whole thing is pretty invasive (laughter). The incision was already there from the lumpectomy, however they insert it in a very tiny little hole. It’s really quite an amazing procedure. After the radiation they just pulled the balloon out. There is some discomfort, of course, but overall it’s really no big deal. For the mammo-site treatment, you get it twice a day for five days, ten treatments. HT: So, that whole episode was over and you had a clean bill of health – when? Esther: October 27th, 2008. HT: Since then, life has returned to normal? Esther: It has. Well, I actually had people here on retreat in the midst of all this! They were already here, so you can tell there was a suddenness to it. The presence of good friends and good family is so important. My whole community of sisters were here for a meeting the day I went to see the surgeon. We hadn’t planned it that way. They were all here and three or four of them went down with me. That sense of having a support system, having people who really care and are just present was very, very significant for me. Anyway, I’ve been back to the doctor and had a six month mammogram and I will have another one in six months. Right now, I’m okay. Nothing seems to be showing up that raises any concern and that feels good. HT: Has there been any sort of heightening or deepening on the spiritual side of your life? Esther: Well, I was sitting out here in our new garden before you called, thinking that, in a sense, any serious diagnosis or a death in a family alters ‘what is.’ Anything that shifts the ongoing routine in a fundamental way allows us to see out of new eyes. It becomes like a new lens that you look through. One thing that happened to me was that I became far more sensitive to people’s kindness. I was in awe at the radiation centre at the kindness of people. They weren’t going out of their way like, “oh that poor thing.” It was just normal kindness, genuine kindness. It was probably always there, but I noticed it. I noticed how it made me feel connected and that people really did care. Nobody was saying,

Your grief for what you’ve lost lifts a mirror up to where you are bravely working. Expecting the worst, you look, and instead, here’s the joyful face you’ve been wanting to see. Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralysed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birdwings. Rumi

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...from previous page “Oh I am so sorry this happened to you.” It was more like, “Esther, we are ready for you. How are you doing today?” I think my eyes opened to kindness, gentleness, and personal connection. I knew what it meant to have them call me by name. HT: As if the profundity of the ordinary opened up. Esther: Yes, absolutely. When I was getting the actual radiation, it took about a half-hour before they got me settled on the table; and, of course, then they all leave and they had Celine Dion playing and that was great. That was nice. I began doing some mindful breathing because for the past twenty years I have been touched by the teachings of mindfulness. I did mindful breathing during the whole session of radiation. I would breathe in and calm my body and breathe out and smile. Breathe in slow, breathe out deep, breathe in present moment, and breathe out only moment. That was a spiritual practice I would do from the time they were getting me ready and after I was left there by myself. I was so struck by how it made me feel present and not be anxious, wondering if everything would turn out okay and so on. HT: Not getting caught up in your mind chatter. Esther: That’s right. That was a significant piece for me and that has continued. I have always done that, but it has been much more focused. I also noticed that it moved me and carried me through the day in a kind of acceptance. I said to somebody that I felt so blessed. Then I said, “No, we are all blessed, I am just fortunate.” That was a nice little shift. I am just fortunate. This is just my story. My story right now is to have cancer but not a very severe kind. The lens with which I now view my daily life is to be more attentive to the moment. I realised the preciousness of each moment. As I talk to you now, there is a squirrel balanced on the fountain we have here in our garden. Something has opened in me that has made me more...sensitive is the word that comes to me...more appreciative to all the different ways of life. There is something so sweet about this squirrel. I have seen it before, but it has a different quality to it right now. Whether I am more vulnerable to the fragility of life and the preciousness of life may be part of this. Something opened me more to the mystery of life. HT: I have had a long-term question about this. I have a friend that I have known for many years, whose brother recently passed away from a brain tumour. He was 56. He went from feeling fine, jogging five miles a day – and six weeks later he was gone! It so happened that Jake’s father and his sister-in-law also died within the same three-year period. Jake has been doing his work for decades and he’s an emotionally healthy man. Working through the grief and anger and shock of it all, he ended up in a place that seems very similar to what you describe, realising how precious life is. He has this question about why it takes such an extreme event in order to get into that sacred space where we simply appreciate life more and take it for granted less. Why do you think this is the case? Esther: One of the first things that comes to me is David White, a poet. He made the comment that homosapiens were supposed to be wise humans. But, in a sense we are really “homo-forgettings,” in that there has been a slow dulling of our sensibility. This has happened as we have moved away from a really profound relationship with the natural world. This has been a slow process, probably over the last hundred years, as the industrial revolution took over the mechanisation of our lives. I believe our sensibility to the mystery of life got dulled and we forgot it. Many in the spiritual traditions are always calling to us to pay attention, wake up! That wonderful poem of Rumi: Don’t go back to sleep. Don’t go back to sleep. Stay awake! I don’t know, sometimes I think that we’ve learned to control so many things that we have a particular attitude in the western world that we can fix anything. We certainly have learned since the fifties to live a much more comfortable life. For us it takes kind of a dramatic thing for us to wake up. Why has it taken us so long to see that the planet is in peril? Within my own soul I want to take nothing for granted. I want to repeat the generosity of the sun that just keeps pouring out. I want to delight in the radiance of the moon. Even if it’s just for a moment to say thank you. I also want to recognise all beings, to begin looking at human beings as being quite precious, even though we do awful things to one another; I

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INSPIRATIONS

want to generate more kindness. I think I’ve awakened a kind of sensibility in me. I recognise impermanence. Change is the way. Don’t take anything for granted. Live in the present moment. HT: That’s as good an answer as I’ve ever heard to that question. I appreciate that, Esther. Esther: I feel touched that you are asking me. These are precious things to talk about. Having the opportunity to speak to these things awakens a kind of sensibility of life and how precious it is for all beings. This is going to sound silly, but I was eating breakfast the other day and a little ant landed in my cereal. I scooped it out and put it on the ground. There was a time when I would have said, “Oh, yuck! Get out of my cereal!” When I dropped that ant on the ground I thought, “Oh, I can’t even begin to imagine all the little organs in you.” I watched to see if it could move, but I think it had drowned. It was okay, but there was mindfulness to all of life and a connection to it. This ant is not separate from me. He, or she, and I share a life impulse. HT: What a great way to be. Esther: Ever since my surgery I think, “Let me awaken with gratitude.” Let me just be able to say, “Thank you. I have a day.” When I find myself getting pissy about stuff, I say, “Esther, put it in perspective. Tomorrow, who the hell cares? Even in this moment, who cares? F

From: www.healthytimesonline.com. Esther Kennedy is the Director of Spirit Mountain Retreat in the US. In the mid90’s, eager to re-claim a sense of the sacred and experience the spiritual traditions of the East, she travelled to India and lived for a year in Central Java and Bali, Indonesia. This rich experience opened her to the sacred scriptures and the teachings of the East and drew her more deeply into the contemplative core of her Christian tradition – Love. Esther’s work is to facilitate and guide others on their own path of awakening and of living from their deepest selves. She has offered numerous women’s retreats and workshops, which unfold through presentations, meditation, creative process and sacred dance. She trusts that when a group gathers there is an abundance of love and light available to transform personal stories and embrace the new story unfolding in our culture and world. She is grateful to all of her teachers for their wisdom and consistent invitation to awaken to the times in which we live.

Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and imagine a scene from your early childhood when you were truly happy. It may have been your first trip to the sea, and the sensation of being tossed about in the waves, or you may remember giggling under warm blankets with siblings late at night, or maybe you were absorbed in a game, or enjoying a forbidden lollipop... whatever your memory, you were probably completely immersed in whatever it was you were doing. Now think of the last time you felt this same level of joy. Chances are it was a while ago! Why is it that when we become adults we lose the ability to be truly happy and just enjoy whatever it is we are doing? As a child you may have been poor, or ill, or experienced grief, or suffered hardship of some kind, but still you were fundamentally happy. Perhaps this was because young children are not concerned with an imagined future or regrets from the past – children are happy in each moment. They take the moment for what it is, they graciously accept the gifts they are offered, and freely express their emotions in whatever way they feel to at the moment they are feeling them. Unfortunately by the time we become adults we have well and truly succumbed to the inner critic – and have forgotten how to act or feel spontaneously. Most of us are not even aware of this critical voice which sensors everything we do, think, feel or say. But when you have learnt to follow your heart, and are truly happy in what you are doing, there is no commentary, there is no critical inner voice, there is no judgement. There is only the bliss of freedom within the here and now. Maybe you are very ill, and find it difficult to muster up much enthusiasm for what is happening in this particular moment, but consider this: maybe this moment is as good as life will ever get. Each moment is a precious gift, a gift given unconditionally. What we do with the gifts bestowed on us during our lives is completely up to us. You can never really know what tomorrow will bring so why not embrace the moment, no matter what that entails? If you don’t know how to let go and be less critical, then now is the time to learn. Meditate, do yoga, play with children and enjoy your precious life. ~ Mandy

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Can one person really make a difference? Marc Ian Barasch plants a seed of good intention...

After losing his mother to cancer, and inspired by the small acts of kindness she displayed during her lifetime, Marc Ian Barasch finds a new purpose in life – “green compassion” – helping others, helping the planet and finding contentment.

Cancer Support Association

I’d begun writing my book The Compassionate Life to blow the dust off my bodhisattva vows, little suspecting how much the ideas on the page would get under my skin. Hanging out with the folks who do the heart’s heavy lifting – homeless shelter workers, kidney donors, people who forgave their mortal enemies – made me want to get out from behind the desk and do something for the world (wherever that was).

When I heard Mum was suddenly fading, I cabbed from a Seattle bookstore to a New Yorkbound redeye, arriving just in time to say goodbye. Afterward, people kept coming up to tell me things that Mum had done for them: little things, big things, always specific, usually unasked for. A giver to the end, she’d done a final boon for me, too, leaving me enough money to pay my debts and live for a year without working. I needed the time – to mourn, to reassess, to molt. One day, loitering in a used bookstore, I met a beautiful Russian who was visiting on a Fulbright, and I took the poet Rumi’s advice: Gamble everything for love. We soon moved in together, though she found my career trajectory baffling: what exactly did I do? I tried to explain wu wei, the Taoist art of “not-doing,” insisting this was not the same as doing nothing. She looked dubious. I realised I’d embarked on an ad hoc metaphysical experiment: what would happen if I planted a seed of intention to do some tangible good, and waited to see what came up? I’d long been inspired by my activist friends who saved rainforests, protected human rights, made peace in war zones. Some of them were wealthy enough to never worry about money, but why wait until I got rich to be the change I wanted to see? “Why,” I half-jokingly asked a friend, “can’t I be a penniless philanthropist?” Cue the voice-over: Be careful what you wish for. One day, visiting a friend’s house in Malibu, I met an old man who had spent his life planting trees. As we talked through the afternoon, with the blue Pacific murmuring rumours of the world’s vastness, and nearness, he explained how trees were the ecological equivalent of one-stop shopping: they could restore degraded soil, increase crops, feed livestock, provide building materials and firewood, restore biodiversity, sustain villages, and bring dormant springs back to life – all the while sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. www.cancersupportwa.org.au

PERSONAL STORY

I had a minor epiphany: green compassion! It’s said that in meditation, you should practice as if your hair is on fire. Now, with the forests burning, land desertifying, and the climate creeping ominously up the Celsius scale, what was I – or any of us – waiting for? My friend in Malibu gave me the umbrella of his nonprofit foundation and a small loan to start what I dubbed the Green World Campaign. I decided to work for free, testing the germinating power of pure intent, the fecundity of the void. My kitchen table became campaign headquarters. Soon enough, willing hands appeared: a former World Bank country director; a geospatial expert from UC Berkeley; a former corporate technology officer from New York; a climate change lawyer in London; an adman whose footwear campaign was a case study in The Tipping Point. We cadged a Hollywood crew to make a video touting agroforestry, funded a pilot project in Ethiopia. When my savings were depleted and I began to doubt my sanity, a movie director astonished me by writing a cheque to support me for six months. “I like the idea of planting trees,” he told me, “but right now I want to water the tree-planter.” Someone gave me a ticket to Ethiopia so I could see for myself the programs we were supporting. One night I found myself the only foreign face among ten thousand Muslim pilgrims at a backcountry religious festival in the Gurage Zone. Families set up campsites bounded by sheets and chanted and clapped through the night, their silhouettes backlit by smoky orange fires. I felt enfolded, no longer a stranger in a strange land but a global citizen, permanent home address Earth. Later, I visited a remote village where the main water pump had been broken for more than a year. The stagnant well was infested with parasites. The young people had to trek for miles each morning to get fresh water, reserving a few gallons to keep a few scraggly tree seedlings alive. For under a thousand dollars, I was told, they could get their pump fixed. Done, I said. Kadam! they yelled. Wonderful! I reveled in the joy on the kids’ faces, amazed that scratching a few symbols on a piece of paper could renew a village. A Mexican organisation working to restore the forestlands of an indigenous Tlahuica community soon asked to be Green World Mexico. I was emailed by a forestry professor in Zambia, by a tribal prince in Kenya, by a community doing ecological restoration of India’s sacred Arunachala mountain. It dawned on me that there were groups all over the world creating organic models of rural development to turn barren land green again, and we could help weave them together. The campaign was becoming an interface for direct planetary action, an emergent network of global citizens. It was exhilarating, and also heartbreaking. There were the inevitable screw-ups. I was reminded how our grasping, aversion, and ignorance ever shadow our generosity and openheartedness. Philanthropy can be a competitive scrum where the most ringing declarations of we’re-all-in-this-together devolve into what’s-in-it-for-me. I learned the truth of the Arabic adage: “Love all men, but tie up your camel.” I saw how the ensorcelling web of symbols called money obscures the imperative to preserve the green Earth. In Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, a mosquito donated a malarial parasite that nearly killed me, proving how small things of no seeming consequence can thwart our loftiest purposes. But as long as you’re willing to keep having your heart broken, all things are possible. The ground, no matter how many times you land on it, hard, is the working basis: the earth beneath your feet, the dirt under your fingernails. I’ve spent four stubborn years at my unexpected posting in the forest legion, and it’s resurrected my hope and blown my life wide open. Though I’m hesitant to recommend my approach (Don’t try this at home!), I offer, for what they’re worth, these few apercus:

Expect Synchronicity The Bible lauds the mustard seed of faith. It’s said in Hinduism that “the means gather around sattva.” New Agers reference “the power of intention.” Businesspeople talk about what happens when you put “skin in the game,” while Buddhists refer to tendrel (a Tibetan term that means both serendipity and the interdependence of all things). Whatever’s at work, I’ve had a growing sense of invisible orchestration and behindthe-scenes cosmic string-pulling since I started groping for ways to do my part for Gaia. I’ve also learned that when doors magically fly open, you’d better walk in with your

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Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

...from previous page pragmatic hat jammed firmly on your head, your practical feet encased in sturdy shoes, and your sleeves rolled up for the grind of making (and keeping) it real.

You Don’t Need Money (Then Again, You Really Do) Time, energy, vision, and love will go an astonishingly long way, but funding counts. “Your balance sheet is feedback,” a business adviser bluntly told me. “It shows whether you have a viable model.” True, the only meaningful metric is the thriving of people and planet. And the financial system is fictive (the numbers only work when people at the “bottom of the pyramid” are omitted from the bottom line, and the value of nature is discounted to near zero). Put on a real green eyeshade and nearly every business on Earth is revealed to be running in the red. Still, one must respect – no, embrace – the dance-partner of illusion: money may not be “real,” but you suffer when it tromps on your instep, feel the joy of efficacy when it empowers your mission. Beyond that, as Whitman said, “Resist what insults your own soul.” If we all were to start doing what we authentically believed to be the needful thing, we could yet pull the fat out of the fire.

Don’t Get Grandiose (and Don’t Play Small) Self-anointedness is an occupational hazard for would-be world-savers. It’s easy to succumb to the Atlas syndrome (don’t shrug!). On the other hand, what’s at stake these days is the fate of the Earth and of generations to come. If you believe there really is enough to feed, clothe, house, heal, and educate everyone, that our environment can be green again, then follow Goethe’s inimitable words: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.” Our problem is less a shortage of resources than a shortchanging of our imagination. Compassion is just the ability to see the connection between everyone and everything, everywhere – and to act on it.

Go With What You’ve Got (and Ask for What You Don’t) Trust that solutions are self-emergent, that the right people will self-aggregate, and that to ask what the universe wants is not a crazy question. Sketch a few back-of-the-napkin diagrams of your networks of networks (and notice how the degrees of separation dwindle to nil). You’re a neuron in the global brain, a muscle cell in the heart of new planetary body. Suss out your function in this evolving physiology, stay authentic, keep signaling your fellow organelles, and you might find the resources you need close at hand, among your friends and neighbours.

Start With a Seed I think a lot about seeds. How does a tiny dot of seemingly inert matter buried in dirt produce such beauty and utility? A seed is less a physical object than it is the germ of an idea. It’s the information it contains that mobilizes elements in the soil to join the dance that creates magnificent living structures. There’s something within each of us, within each situation, that already knows how to grow, that just needs light and nourishment to potentiate truly magical creative forces. If you start small, dream big, plant a seed of intention, and care for it, it’s not unrealistic to expect something marvelous to come up. I’ve come to admire the metaphoric elegance of a tree: donating free oxygen, running on solar energy, sheltering all creatures, putting on a display of life’s ceaseless generativity. Since forever, people have gathered beneath trees to parley and palaver, to picnic and to play. Every faith has a Great Tree somewhere in its narrative. Each sapling we help to plant feels like a resurrection of hope, an emissary to future generations. We’re now setting out to scale up our efforts, convinced that the Green World Campaign can help plant billions of trees, restoring the economy and ecology of some of the world’s poorest places. I made up a slogan, a mantra I apply to both daily increments and grand gestures: It’s amazing what one seed can grow. Sown in the ground, planted in the heart, each day it grows a little more true. F

Article from: http://mindful.org. Marc Ian Barasch is the author of four books, including Field Notes on the Compassionate Life, now in paperback as The Compassionate Life. He is founder and CEO of the Green World Campaign.

Cancer Support Association

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INSPIRATIONS A flower can only blossom so quickly. It can grow a bit faster and better with the right amount of fertiliser, a, sunlight and care – but too much – and it could die. Perhaps it would be helpful to think of ourselves, our skills and projects as flowers. This may give us more perspective and help us to be a little more patient with the growing process so that we don’t kill ourselves or stunt our own growth through unrealistic expectations. On the flip side, not enough fertiliser, water, sunlight and care can also stunt or kill the flower’s growth. This may be counterintuitive in a culture and society that is obsessed with bottom line thinking: winning, net profit, ROI, quarterly earnings, results, quick fix/band-aid solutions with minimal effort. The flower blossoming is not only about the blooming itself. The blossoming process takes weeks or months of work with little or no visible progress before it is punctuated by it blossoming (similar to an egg hatching). However, a lot is happening below the surface. The truth is that long term sustained growth takes time, and at times it may not be comfortable. Most growth occurs below the surface and is not initially visible. It may sometimes feel like we are being stretched beyond our capabilities – which is sometimes true due to unrealistic expectations from ourselves or others.

Summer 2011/2012

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By Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

n mindfulness, or shamatha, meditation, we are trying to achieve a mind that is stable and calm. What we begin to discover is that this calmness or harmony is a natural aspect of the mind. Through mindfulness practice we are just developing and strengthening it, and eventually we are able to remain peacefully in our mind without struggling. Our mind naturally feels content. An important point is that when we are in a mindful state, there is still intelligence. It’s not as if we blank out. Sometimes people think that a person who is in deep meditation doesn’t know what’s going on – that it’s like being asleep. In fact, there are meditative states where you deny sense perceptions their function, but this is not the accomplishment of shamatha practice.

Creating a Favourable Environment There are certain conditions that are helpful for the practice of mindfulness. When we create the right environment it’s easier to practice. It is good if the place where you meditate, even if it’s only a small space in your apartment, has a feeling of upliftedness and sacredness. You should meditate in a place that is not too noisy or disturbing, and you should not be in a situation where your mind is going to be easily provoked into anger or jealousy or other emotions. If you are disturbed or irritated, then your practice is going to be affected.

Beginning the Practice I encourage people to meditate frequently but for short periods of time – ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes. If you force it too much the practice can take on too much of a personality, and training the mind should be very, very simple. So you could meditate for ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening, and during that time you are really working with the mind. Then you just stop, get up, and go.

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Posture The Buddhist approach is that the mind and body are connected. The energy flows better when the body is erect, and when it’s bent, the flow is changed and that directly affects your thought process. This is how posture affects the mind. People who need to use a chair for meditation should sit upright with their feet touching the ground. Those using a meditation cushion such as a zafu or gomden should find a comfortable position with legs crossed and hands resting palm-down on your thighs. The hips are neither rotated forward too much, which creates tension, nor tilted back so you start slouching. You should have a feeling of stability and strength.

Meditation and mindfulness practice are increasingly being recognised as valuable skills for achieving a balanced life. Meditation is the practice of quieting the mind. The word meditate stems from the Latin root meditatum, meaning ‘to ponder’. Depending on the style practiced, broadly speaking meditation is holding ones attention on a subject, object or process. Through the practice of meditation you can train your mind to achieve a greater state of peace and calm.

When we sit down the first thing we need to do is to really inhabit our body – really have a sense of our body. Often we sort of prop ourselves up and pretend we’re practicing, but we can’t even feel our body; we can’t even feel where it is. Instead, we need to be right here. So when you begin a meditation session, you can spend some initial time settling into your posture. You can feel that your spine is being pulled up from the top of your head so your posture is elongated, and then settle.

Through the inner understanding and stillness that meditation offers you can find emotional balance, gratitude and happiness in your daily life. It enhances personal insights and taps into the innate potential for self-healing and wisdom that we all have. Through meditation you can begin to understand what we call the ‘ true self’.

The basic principle is to keep an upright, erect posture. You are in a solid situation: your shoulders are level, your hips are level, your spine is stacked up. You can visualise putting your bones in the right order and letting your flesh hang off that structure. We use this posture in order to remain relaxed and awake. The practice we’re doing is very precise: you should be very much awake even though you are calm. If you find yourself getting dull or hazy or falling asleep, you should check your posture.

This allows us to live more consciously in this ever changing world.

Gaze

Mindfulness Practice is moment by moment awareness with qualities like compassion, curiosity and acceptance. It allows you to be awake and fully present to your life bringing greater insight into the way you manage yourselves. In essence mindfulness practice can bring you more in tune with how to be a human ‘being’ as opposed to a human ‘doing’.

For strict mindfulness practice, the gaze should be downward focusing a couple of inches in front of your nose. The eyes are open but not staring; your gaze is soft. We are trying to reduce sensory input as much as we can. People say, “Shouldn’t we have a sense of the environment?” but that’s not our concern in this practice. We’re just trying to work with the mind and the more we raise our gaze, the more distracted we’re going to be. It’s as if you had an overhead light shining over the whole room, and all of a sudden you focus it down right in front of you. You are purposefully ignoring what is going on around you. You are putting the horse of mind in a smaller corral.

Although meditation and mindfulness practice are not complicated to learn the benefits will only be obtained with regular practice and persistence.

Breath

• •

When we do shamatha practice, we become more and more familiar with our mind, and in particular we learn to recognise the movement of the mind, which we experience as thoughts. We do this by using an object of meditation to provide a contrast or counterpoint to what’s happening in our mind. As soon as we go off and start thinking about something, awareness of the object of meditation will bring us back. We could put a rock in front of us and use it to focus our mind, but using the breath as the object of meditation is particularly helpful because it relaxes us.

Some of the benefits that can be experienced are: • • • •

• • • •

Reduced stress, anxiety, anger and tension Less emotional turmoil More joy, love and spontaneity Greater sense of self awareness, self understanding and self acceptance Deeper sense of meaning and purpose Improvement in concentration, clarity of thought and memory Increased ability to solve problems creatively Increased sense of humour, the ability to see the light side of things The ability to address addictions and other self-defeating behaviour Improved sleep and the ability to know when to rest

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MIND-BODY HEALING

Often we just plop ourselves down to meditate and just let the mind take us wherever it may. We have to create a personal sense of discipline. When we sit down, we can remind ourselves: “I’m here to work on my mind. I’m here to train my mind.” It’s okay to say that to yourself when you sit down, literally. We need that kind of inspiration as we begin to practice.

...from previous page As you start the practice, you have a sense of your body and a sense of where you are, and then you begin to notice the breathing. The whole feeling of the breath is very important. The breath should not be forced, obviously; you are breathing naturally. The breath is going in and out, in and out. With each breath you become relaxed.

Thoughts No matter what kind of thought comes up, you should say to yourself, “That may be a really important issue in my life, but right now is not the time to think about it. Now I’m practicing meditation.” It gets down to how honest we are, how true we can be to ourselves, during each session. Everyone gets lost in thought sometimes. You might think, “I can’t believe I got so absorbed in something like that,” but try not to make it too personal. Just try to be as unbiased as possible. Mind will be wild and we have to recognise that. We can’t push ourselves. If we’re trying to be completely concept-free, with no discursiveness at all, it’s just not going to happen. So through the labeling process, we simply see our discursiveness. We notice that we have been lost in thought, we mentally label it “thinking” – gently and without judgment – and we come back to the breath. When we have a thought – no matter how wild or bizarre it may be – we just let it go and come back to the breath, come back to the situation here. Each meditation session is a journey of discovery to understand the basic truth of who we are. In the beginning the most important lesson of meditation is seeing the speed of the mind. But the meditation tradition says that mind doesn’t have to be this way: it just hasn’t been worked with. What we are talking about is very practical. Mindfulness practice is simple and completely feasible. And because we are working with the mind that experiences life directly, just by sitting and doing nothing, we are doing a tremendous amount. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is holder of the Buddhist and Shambhala lineages of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He has received teachings from many of the great Buddhist masters of this century, including Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche and his father Trungpa Rinpoche. In 1995 he was recognised as the incarnation of the great nineteenth-century Buddhist teacher Mipham Rinpoche. F

From: www.shambhalasun.com. This article was originally published in the January 2000 issue of the Shambahala Sun, and was then excerpted in the 30th-anniversary edition, January 2010.

This is a simple exercise. You smile warmly at everyone you meet, whether on introduction from a trusted friend, whether at a business meeting or as you pass them casually in the street. The easy mindfulness bit is to give them your full attention for the few moments the smile takes; the tricky part is to notice your mind as you offer the smile. You aim to notice what response you have to smiling at everyone, regardless of their size, shape, age, gender, colour race, creed etc When you can genuinely say the feeling that goes with smiling at everyone is the same, you have achieved something quite difficult, but something incredibly worthwhile. The advanced practice is to remain unaffected by whatever judgements and impressions you percieve the other person is making of you! Like all exercises such as this one, it takes effort and practice; and any progress you make is valuable.

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NEWS & INFORMATION

in the news...

Meditation nourishes the brain

What is it about meditation that invokes so much mystery? When asked, people conjure images of difficult lotus positions, strange beliefs and exotic settings. Of course, none of that is necessary and the realities of a person sitting comfortably on their living room floor for a few minutes isn’t quite as interesting. Confounding public perceptions even more are the religious connotations that are sometimes connected to meditation. This only serves to further alienate people who could potentially benefit. This is unfortunate since it can easily be argued that prayer in any religion is a form of meditation. The practice of meditation has a long history in almost every major historical civilization and religion, yet there is so much that is not known.

When we look at the past philosophies and beliefs associated with meditation, we can understand the perspectives of the ancients according to contemporary science. Science has not replaced the old views; so far it has mostly served to strengthen many of the ancient beliefs. However, modern science has been able to fill in essential details of underlining processes. It has been shown that meditation can increase pain tolerance. One study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience (2011), showed that meditation caused a 40% lowering of pain intensity and a 57% lowering of pain unpleasantness. That is impressive when you consider that morphine and other pain relieving drugs only lower these symptoms by about 25%. This relief came from subjects with no previous meditation experience who were taught basic meditation in a total of four 20 minute classes. A number of studies that have utilized modern imaging technology, such as fMRI, have clearly shown that meditation increases blood flow to the brain and, with extended practice, actually makes significant changes to the brain’s physical structure. These changes can lead to increased efficiency and function in certain parts of the brain, such as heightened visuospatial processing and increased focus. A Harvard Medical School study (2011) put subjects on a two-month course of meditation and then used fMRI to compare the brains of the mediators with the average brain. The results showed that the subjects had increased gray matter density “in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and perspective taking.” In 2010, a University of Pennsylvania Medical Centre study used SPECT (single-photon emission computerized tomography) to map out the differences in blood flow in the brain between people who meditate regularly and people who do not meditate at all. Specific regions of the brain were found to have more blood flow than those of the average person. “The observed changes associated with long-term meditation appear in structures that underlie the attention network and also those that relate to emotion and autonomic function.” Meditation can also foster positive emotions and give practitioners an increased ability to deal with emotions in general such as those associated with stress and anxiety. A 2009 study published in Neuroimage from UCLA used MRI to compare long-time meditators with novices. In the veteran meditators, they found significantly larger gray matter volumes in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the right hippocampus. “Both orbito-frontal and hippocampal regions have been implicated in emotional regulation and response control. Thus, larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators’ singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behaviour.” The most researched and clearly established benefit to mediation is the increased ability of attention and self-awareness. Although meditation is not yet fully understood, one thing is certainly clear: meditation nourishes the brain. F

By Dave Gabriele. From www.naturalnews.com, October 2011. Dave Gabriele, D.Ac, BA, is a registered acupuncturist, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and a health researcher Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Martin Brofman Ph.D.

One or Two Months to Live When I had terminal cancer in 1975, I had been told that I had one or two months to live, and that the end might come very suddenly, any moment, if I coughed or sneezed. I was faced with a reality in which each day was possibly my last day, each hour my last hour, and I recognised that for whatever limited time I had remaining, I wanted to be happy. Living a compromise made no sense to me. Since each meal was possibly the last one I would ever have, I wanted to eat whatever I had an appetite for, whatever my body was asking for. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make sense to me to eat food I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoy just because someone else thought it would be healthy for me. Their loving intentions were recognised, but I knew it was not my way. My path to health had to include a sense of enjoyment in all that I did, and I had to be true to myself, to be real. I had to believe in the recovery process.

Reprieve! Then, it was suggested to me that the cancer was the result of a process that had been going on in my consciousness, and that I could use my consciousness to get rid of it. My consciousness had been the effect of programming, in the same way that the results that a computer produces are the effects of the way had been programmed. I could reprogram my consciousness.

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PERSONAL STORY

I was presented with the idea that our perceptions create our reality, and I realised that I had to reprogram my consciousness to create the perception that I was well. I was not prepared for such an abrupt shift from the perception of being terminally ill, but I realised that I could much more easily create the perception that I was getting better and better, until I was indeed well. I had the perception that I was in a state of deterioration, getting closer and closer to dying, and I knew that if I were to have as the end result the perception that I was well, I would have to change from getting worse and worse to getting better and better. I also knew that the turn-around could happen in any moment. It was a matter of turning a switch in my mind, and insisting on knowing that it had been turned. I decided that if the moment of change could be any moment, then let it be now.

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The Change

I felt a shift in my consciousness, and I knew then that I was in a state of improvement. I also knew the importance of maintaining the integrity of that decision, and of that moment. I knew that all of my perceptions had to reinforce the idea that I was now getting better and better. For example, I could remind myself as I ate whatever food I wanted, that it was exactly what my body needed to accelerate the healing process. Physical sensations that felt like electric shocks in my body, which before had reinforced the idea that the tumour was growing, now had to be perceived as evidence that the tumour was shrinking. My mind looked for more and more ways of knowing that the improvement was happening.

I knew I had to stay away from those people who insisted on seeing me as still terminal, not from any lack of love, but just to maintain my own positive attitude toward my healing process. I had to be with people who were willing to encourage me on this seemingly impossible task I had set for myself. When I was asked how I was doing, I insisted on answering, “Better and better,” and seeing how that was, in fact, true. I knew that it was vital to maintain the positive programming, and that putting myself in a relaxed state of mind and talking positively to myself for fifteen minutes, three times each day, was a part of the programming process I should in no way interfere with. There were temptations to not do the relaxations, and then I would remind myself that my life was at stake. Any temptation, then, was something that stood between me and my life, and had to be removed, so that I could live.

Holding the Perception At first, it was very difficult. I found that the integrity of the moment of change was easily compromised, by my thoughts or words acknowledging anything other than the idea that I was improving, and I had to be honest with myself, and see that, and then know that I had “blown it.” Then, I could tell myself that what had happened was just a practice run, and that the real moment of change was now. It got easier and easier. I was able to maintain integrity for just hours at first, then a day, then two days, and then I was solid. I knew the program was working. I was able to recognise the doubting voice inside, and know that it did not represent truth. I was able to identify with the encouraging voice. It became my guide, leading me back to stable health. I was more and more able to maintain the single-pointedness of knowing that positive changes were happening. When I was not feeling a symptom, I told myself that perhaps now I would never feel that symptom again. If I experienced the symptom after that, I told myself that the process was just not yet complete, and that indeed I was feeling the symptom less than I had before.

continued on next page... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

...from previous page I had to know that positive changes were happening now, possibly just at the threshold of notice-ability, so I could eagerly anticipate evidence to justify my perceptions. Naturally, I was always able to find something, and so assure myself that it was not something I was just imagining, but real, and more strength was added to the process.

The Program During my relaxation periods, I imagined seeing the tumour which had been located in my spinal cord in the neck, and imagined that I was watching one layer of cancer cells dying, and being released, to be discarded by my body’s natural elimination system. I knew that the change, perhaps not yet noticeable, was still definite. I knew that each time I released waste products from my body, the dead cancer cells were being eliminated, and I reminded myself of that each time. I insisted on knowing that it was true. I knew that cancer represented something held in and not expressed, and since the tumour was located by my throat chakra (energy center), I had been holding back the expression of my Being. Since I wasn’t quite sure what that meant, though, I decided that it was imperative that I express everything. Every thought, every feeling, whatever was in my consciousness that wanted to come out, I expressed, knowing that it was vital for my health. Before, I had the perception that expressing led to discord, but now I saw that what I was expressing was appreciated by those around me, that expressing and communicating led to harmony. Before, I had the belief that if I expressed what I really wanted to, something bad would happen. I had to reprogram that to the belief that if I expressed what I really wanted to, something wonderful would happen. I made that decision, and it was so. I found myself having less and less in common with my old friends. It was as though we had shared a common vibrational frequency before, say 547 cycles, whatever that means, and suddenly I found myself at 872 cycles, having few things to communicate with the 547-cycle people. I had to find new friends who were also at 872, to have someone to talk with. I found myself attracted to the 872 crowd, and them to me, as though I had become selectively magnetic, and certain elements of my reality were being released which were no longer in accord with the new Being I was becoming. I knew the process was inevitable, and should not be interfered with. I developed a sense of compassion and understanding at that time. I knew that my life depended on releasing all elements of my life not in accord with my new vibration. The process was simple, though not always easy. I began each day as a process of self-discovery, with no preconceived notion of who I was, yet with a willingness to discover the emerging Being, and a sense of delight with each new discovery. I imagined the scene that would happen in the doctor’s office after my work on myself was done. I could see him examining me, and finding no tumour, being puzzled. He might say, “Perhaps we made a mistake.” I played the scene in my mind each day, in my relaxation periods. I had heard that within the technology of mental programming, if I talked to myself for fifteen minutes three times each day, within 66 days, I could get myself to believe anything, and that whatever I believed to be true, would be true. About two months after I started working on myself, I went to be examined by the doctor who had pronounced me terminally ill. On the way to the doctor, I knew that I had to maintain the perception that everything was all right. I replayed the scene in my mind, knowing it would happen like that. Finally, the moment of truth arrived. The doctor examined me, and found nothing. He said, “Perhaps we made a mistake.” I laughed all the way home.

Transformation I have transformed my way of Being. My lifestyle has changed dramatically. It no longer makes any sense to work in any nine-to-five job, or to call any other Being my

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“superior,” since we are all equal Beings, and all with infinite potential. I ”retired” from Wall Street at the age of 38 with nothing but the dedication to the idea of doing what I really want to do and not doing what I really do not want to do, and trusting my journey, listening to my inner voice. It’s a decision I have never regretted. With what I learned of the body/mind relationship from my experience and the research I did during my own healing process, I developed a model of healing as a way to organise in my own mind what had happened for me, and what had worked. I gradually became involved in healing others when conditions seemed to demand that, and in doing that I saw more and more examples of the body/mind interface covering many other symptoms. The model of healing I was using became more and more coherent and multi-dimensional. I discovered the joy of sharing my experiences and ideas with others, and watching them benefit as they put the ideas to work in their own lives. The work I do now as a healer and teacher is meaningful to me, important to others as well, and is of service to humanity, and I feel a “high” when I do it. I have a strong sense of doing my life’s work. I know that I am doing what I came to this planet to do. I know it’s right. It’s not a feeling that I had before. The process of transformation is an integral part of the healing process, whether the Being is healing his/her vision or releasing some serious illness, and indeed also even when the out-of-balance condition has not reached the physical level, yet still exists on the mental or emotional level. It is for those of us who recognise the process to encourage it, and assist it where we can, so that the planetary transformation now taking place within the individuals inhabiting it may be hastened, and made as gentle as possible. Illness or injury shows on the physical level, metaphorically, what has been happening in the consciousness of the Being experiencing the symptoms. It is related to that person’s way of Being. Once the elements of a person’s Being that relate to their physical out-of-balance condition are identified, they can be changed, and health and balance on all levels can be restored. When we see the physical body as a map of the consciousness that wears it, and always balanced to it, we can also see that a change in one implies a change in the other. When a healing happens, a change in personality may be expected to reflect the change in the physical Being, and vice versa. The “new” individual will have the same Essence of Being, yet with a different way of interacting with the environment, without what had been excessive tension for that individual. In fact, they will be more themselves, whom they really are. It may seem as though the individual had awakened from a very real-seeming dream, and things will make sense in a different way. A perceptual filter will have been removed, a filter through which values had been determined, and without that filter, truer values will become evident. The “new” Being may even have different tastes in food and/or clothing, and different personal habits. It will be a welcome transformation.

Approaches to healing which consider the aspect of personality change, transformation, are keyed to the idea of an inner cause to any outer symptom. Without the inner changes, the symptoms may be relieved in the physical reality, but not yet the causes in the inner world, and the symptoms may get re-created again. The Being then considers that part of their energy system an inherent weakness, to be continually dealt with, until they can bring about the inner changes, after which the symptoms no longer manifest. After all, the symptoms were only necessary to give a message to the “old” Being. The “new” one, not having the built-in weakness, has no need of the symptom. As a matter of fact, the formerly weak part may even become the “new” Being’s strongest part. Stories of formerly paralyzed or injured patients who became Olympic stars are evidence of this. When transformation is focused on in addition to other parts of the healing process, another dimension is added, to accelerate the healing.

The Human Energy System In the energy system that we each are, the energy is in a constant state of flow. This flow of energy is regulated by seven energy “pumps,” called chakras. Each chakra represents specific emotions and levels of perception, elements of the Being’s consciousness, and is also associated with specific parts of the body, specific functions within the body, specific endocrine glands, and specific nerve groups. Responses to a Being’s perceived universe are reflected in the chakras as well. The chakras have an optimal state of balance and flow. A healing of the individual balances the chakras. When this happens, in addition to restoring inner balance and a different state of consciousness, as well as physical balance, the rebalancing will also define different responses to the Being’s perceived universe. In other words, with a given state of balance of the chakras, a certain type of experience will be attracted to the individual, and certain types of people will be attracted, as well. When the energy changes in the chakras, as in a healing, the magnetic effect drawing a particular kind of person or experience is then released, along with the old way of responding. For example, one Being, having different interactions with his/her mother may respond by blocking the chakra associated with security or trust. The effect would be insecurity as a perceptual filter. The individual would then attract precarious situations to justify the insecurity, as well as females who would remind that Being of his/her mother. When the chakra is cleared, the type of female formerly attracted would be attracted instead to other Beings with the same kind of blocked chakra as that formerly experienced by the Being who was healed, leaving room for interactions for that Being with females of a different energy. In addition, interactions with the mother-archetype will have a different resolution, more satisfying. Situations presented to the Being will also have more of a sense of solidity, or the Being will have a new perspective of confidence with which to resolve the situation..

continued on next page... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

...from previous page We can see, then, that not only do the chakras reflect the outer environment, but in a way they also create it. With minor adjustments in a Being’s energy system, only slight shifts in consciousness would be apparent. In the case of catastrophic illnesses, however, the Being was in desperate need of a major adjustment in consciousness, and then the aspects of transformation would be more profound.

the physical symptoms, there would have to be a willingness to change all aspects of the lifestyle that did not result in happiness, because it would be clear that it was those aspects which were directly related to the illness It would be clear as well that to not bring about the necessary changes would be to recreate the symptoms of the illness. When it becomes a matter of life and death, the choice becomes a clear one, and simple, although not always easy.

Interactions

Rebirth While instantaneous change is always possible and available, most people do not seem to be prepared for so abrupt a shift in their way of Being. Gradual change seems generally more comfortable for the Being involved, as well as for others in the Being’s environment. With instantaneous change, there is the experience of sudden clarification of what had been obscure, and a sense something like what might be experienced by a Being suddenly finding itself in a body, and watching a movie unfolding around itself, a movie that had just begun. The Being would find itself as one of the characters, with a sense of seeming to be different than what the others seemed to see the Being as, and in fact, would be very different. Others would be holding the perception of the Being who no longer exists. It would then be important for the Being to maintain his/her new way of Being, the new sense of clarity or enlightenment (yet possibly combined with the confusing sense of sudden newness), and establish quickly the way in which things make sense in the new reality, the new paradigm, with new perceptions. The new Being would have to see its relationship to the old Being’s job, surroundings, home, partner, etc., and evaluate which aspects worked harmoniously, and which parts would have to change in some way. In the case of a Being who had experienced a serious illness, and who recognised the relationship between lifestyle and

To those people close to the Being, it could be a very confusing time, as well. It could seem as though the person they had known the Being to be, had suddenly changed in a way, gone crazy. Habitual patterns of behaviour and responding would suddenly no longer be there, and it could be very confusing. For the Being’s health and well-being, however, they would have to be totally supportive of the new Being, since attempts to re-create the old Being would be perceived by the Being involved (correctly) as a threat to its health, and perhaps even to its life. There must be a willingness to adapt to the Being’s new way of Being. Gradual change is easier for most people, but it must be emphasized that the magnitude of the gradual change is no less than that of immediate change. It is just spread out over a longer period of time. The same issues must be examined. The same changes must be made. In addition, the Being must maintain a single-mindedness of purpose, and stay on purpose, with a total willingness to release all aspects of their life which are stress-related, and all patterns of interacting which are not success-oriented, until life is again harmonious, and the body’s state of health and well-being indicate that the Being has returned to balance, and may now identify with the way they are. The transformation and healing will then be complete.

a tool of self-discovery and healing As I walk through this recovery process of healing my soul and mind, I remembered that, years ago, I used to journal. I would write every morning. Many times, it was written as a prayer, or perhaps reflection on scripture. The majority of my writings, however, were just unloading how I felt about things. Women, especially, are so bad to bottle up our feelings. We continue to do the things we think we are supposed to, and stuff it all inside. What happens to those stuffers? Well, lots of different things. For one, you can end up like I did, almost completely paralyzed by depression and anxiety. Or it may come out in other physical ways such as frequent colds, headaches, stomach issues. Or, you may one day not be able to hold it in anymore and literally explode at whoever is nearby at the time. None of these are healthy ways to deal with the situations that stress you and cause you pain. Writing it down doesn’t necessarily solve the problem, but it may help relieve some of the pressure you feel, it may help you get perspective on the situation, and sometimes you may find that it really wasn’t a big deal at all. Or it may help you find the courage and the strength to speak up and confront the situation. And in situations you can do nothing about, journaling is a way of releasing it to God. True journaling seems best when done by hand. There is just something about the words coming from your heart, out through your hand and flowing from the pen onto the paper. I always like the end of a year and the start of a new year when all the notebooks and journals are available, so… I think I will go buy a really cool new journal to use on this healing journey. F

From the blog of Bernice Wood: bernicewood.wordpress.com Cancer Support Association

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INSPIRATIONS

Anything Can Be Healed! When an individual who has been out of balance has made the decision to return to balance, they must make it a high priority project. Nothing else must be more important. Particularly in the case of a catastrophic illness, the return to health necessarily becomes more important than family, friends, or job. When there has been the recognition of a path to health, nothing must interfere with that path. The development and maintenance of a positive mental attitude is imperative. Each of us is a self-organising autonomous system of consciousness. Each of us is an energy system. Energy flows through our Being, and is directed by our consciousness. This energy is in a state of movement, flow, and in a healthy organism the energy is harmonious, and flows smoothly. When the flow of this energy is blocked or interrupted, it is experienced by the organism as an imbalance, and the organism’s tendency is to return to balance and harmony, to return to health. This tendency toward harmony is an aspect of love. All illness, all injury, is energy blocked or interrupted, or a call for love. Each of us, including you, the reader, has the ability to sense energy, detect it, and direct it. Compare EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which aims to reestablish energetic flow and often results in physical healings. Ultimately, any energy block can be released by your consciousness. It is not a question of whether it can be done, but rather how it can be done. Within your Being, within your consciousness, is the ability to love, to perceive without judgment or expectation, to care. You have a potential for infinite love, whether or not you choose to recognise it, and whether or not you choose to manifest it. In fact, this love is the very nature of your Being. You have the ability to love wherever there was a perception of a lack of love, or a call for love. Love heals. You have in your consciousness the potential and ability to heal anything, on any level, in yourself as well as in any other Being, since it’s all just love and energy. What remains is for you to realise this fully and actualise that potential. Anything can be healed. F

Article from: healingcancernaturally.com. For information about The Brofman Foundation for the Advancement of Healing founded by Martin Brofman go to www.healer.ch. The Brofman Foundation promotes the cause of healing in the world, as well as the particular methods of healing that Martin Brofman has developed.

My patient, a physician who has cancer, comes to his session enormously pleased with himself. Knowing my love of stories, he says that he has found a perfect story and tells me the following parable: “Shiva and Shakti, the Divine Couple in Hinduism, are in their heavenly abode watching over the earth. They are touched by the challenges of human life, the complexity of human reactions, and the ever-present place of suffering in the human experience. As they watch, Shakti spies a miserably poor man walking down a road. His clothes are shabby and his sandals are tied together with rope. Her heart is wrung with compassion. Touched by the man’s goodness and his struggle, Shakti turns to her divine Husband and begs him to give this man some gold. Shiva looks at the man for a long moment. “My Dearest Wife,” he says, “I cannot do that.” Shakti is astounded. “Why, what do you mean, Husband? You are the Lord of the Universe. Why can’t you do this simple thing?” “I cannot give this to him because he is not yet ready to receive it” Shiva replies. Shakti becomes angry. “Do you mean to say that you cannot drop a bag of gold in his path?” “Surely I can” Shiva replies, “but that is quite another thing.” “Please, Husband,” says Shakti. And so Shiva drops a bag of gold in the man’s path. The man meanwhile walks along thinking to himself. “I wonder if I will find Dinner tonight – or shall I go hungry again?” Turning a bend in the road, he sees something on the path in his way. “Aha”, he says. “Look there, a large Rock. How fortunate that I have seen it. I might have torn these poor sandals of mine even further.” And carefully stepping over the bag of gold, he goes on his way. It seems that Life drops many bags of gold in our path. Rarely do they look like what they are. I ask my patient if Life has ever dropped him a bag of gold that he has recognised and used to enrich his life. He smiles at me. “Cancer, “ he says simply. “I thought you’d guess” F

From ‘Kitchen Table Wisdom’ by Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Astrid Kastenberg

“To be alive, to be able to see, to walk…it’s all a miracle. I have adapted the technique of living life from miracle to miracle.” Margie Piercy Would you like to experience a miracle in 10 seconds or less? Take a moment to inhale, taking the breath in for at least 5 seconds and releasing for 5 seconds.

There is a tendency to believe that miracles are something of the extraordinary. Miracles are extraordinary, but they are also a part of our daily existence. Each and every day and in some way, a miracle happens. To drill it down to the most basic sense, when your eyes open each day, you have experienced a miracle. According to A Course in Miracles, a miracle is simply a shift in your perspective from fear to love. The capability for miracles lies in your perception. Serenity creates peace of mind. Your logical mind can be incapable of understanding that peace, serenity and ease, are truly only one breath away. You can feel serene in the midst of turmoil, by turning inward, taking a breath and connecting with the faith that you are always provided for, that everything that happens to us has a divine purpose and timing. As you open your eyes each morning, having gratitude for only that would be enough. It is a miracle when we walk outside of our homes and return safely each day. We bear witness to a miracle, each and every time we practice yoga on the mat. To feel our bodies and experience the breath flowing through it is truly a cause for awe. Yoga asana is created because of our breath. Flowing with the breath insures we create the yoking that is the heart of the practice. To be able to take a deep rich breath, is truly a gift, as anyone with asthma or respiratory issues, can attest to. The breath is life, and the most important and vital function that gives other functions the capability to exist. The story below bears witness to this. A few weeks ago, I was asking the universe for a miracle. My dear friend Lisa became very ill and was fighting and struggling against cancer. Her main concern was her inability to breathe, which compromised her ability to speak. I spoke to her on the phone, prior to her return to the hospital. Her voice was barely a whisper and she wanted me to visit when she was hoping to feel better the following week. Things turned for the worse and she was hospitalised in ICU with Pneumonia in one of her lungs. Combined with ovarian cancer and a host of other complications, my thoughts and faith faltered as my heart turned to fear. In my prayers, I asked God for a miracle, to give her the strength to fight and survive. Upon returning from a business trip, I inquired about visiting hours and was told that she might not make it through the night, and that I should get to the hospital immediately. When I saw her, my heart broke, watching her struggling to breathe, even with a tube and oxygen. The breath was very, very shallow and barely leaving her throat area. It was rapid and fast. She was heavily sedated and in and out of consciousness. Yoga teaches us to take in the longest deepest breaths possible as this transports the energy needed to heal, strengthen and cleanse the body. The pain medication that they had given Lisa had begun to wear

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PERSONAL STORY

off, and she was coming to better consciousness. She was asking for pain relief. As I held her hand, I asked her to hold on and relax, I said her nickname “Bernie”, she looked at me and replied: “Bergie” her nickname for me. My intention on what I wanted to say or do when I arrived was to ask her to let go and allow. It was horrible to see her struggle so badly. As the tears came, I said to God that she did not deserve to suffer the way she was suffering. As I held her hand, I asked her to please surrender and allow the help she was to receive, to take place. She looked at me and said “I am ready, I am ready”. Lisa was given the pain medication, and from what I understand, for the first time, since she became ill, her breath was deeper and she was resting more peacefully than before. I left feeling very hopeful and excited about the possibility that whatever the outcome, she would be okay. I did feel that she could survive and had a chance to last longer than through the night. I rested well that night and prayed to God for his divine intervention to help my friend. She passed away the next day, a few hours before I made it back to see her. Initially, I was overwhelmed by grief and shock that she had passed on, so quickly. She had fallen ill only 3 weeks prior and was now gone! As I mourned and cried and sobbed and reached out to friends for comfort, I ultimately realised, that a miracle HAD happened. Her expedient death at only 3 weeks plus, WAS the miracle. She didn’t have to suffer any longer. Whilst I and many of her friends and family have grappled with her loss, at the end of the day, we can find serenity in the miracle of her peace away from the pain and decay of life on this plane. A miracle is a shift in one’s perspective from fear to love. I love the fact that she is no longer suffering, I love the fact that her death has reconnected some long lost friends, I love the fact that a week before she passed on, another dear friend who crossed over years ago, came to her in a dream and said she was trying to find her and take her with her. I love that she is surrounded by an outpouring of love and compassion from the letters, calls and dedications to a woman who touched so many. She certainly gave more than she ever took. Lisa was an amazing friend to me and I am grateful for her being a part of my path and the sacred contract that brought us together.

You must believe that serenity is a natural state of mind. To feel otherwise, is to be disconnected from your divine spirit. It is not easy to feel serene all of the time, but it comes with daily practice and surrendering to the simplest of miracles each day. F

“To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing in the world except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations, rather than your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbours except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies, and often of your friends, and every day of Christ; and spend as much time as you can, with body, and with spirit, in God’s out-of-doorsthese are little guideposts on the footpath to peace.”

Article from: practicewithastrid.com. Astrid Kastenberg is a Corporate Executive and a Yoga Instructor.

Henry Van Dyke

Ironically, or rather divinely ordered, when I was asked to return to teach yoga classes this week, I asked the universe what my message should be. My eyes fell upon my book, A Course in Miracles and the theme came to me, “The Serenity of Miracles”. It was a week later that I read an e-mail that told me Lisa was not feeling well, and had gone to the hospital.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

John Stuart Reid and Shandra Kohinoor (Reid) illustrate how sound is fast regaining its place as the pre-eminent healing modality. Having been first used by the ancients, sound therapy has undergone a period of re-discovery and is now poised to reveal the intricacies of healing both the cellular and psychological levels.

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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Most ancient cultures used the seemingly magical power of sound to heal. Sound healing had almost disappeared in the West until the 1930s when acoustic researchers discovered ultrasound and its medical properties. With this discovery, research burgeoned and today the ancient art of sound healing is rapidly developing into a new science.

There is now a mass of research into the healing benefits of ultrasound, including its use in breaking up kidney stones and even shrinking tumours. 1-3 In addition, infrasound and audible sound are now recognised as having immense healing properties.

Sound: Primordial Organiser of the Universe

In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. St. John’s Gospel, Ch1, v 1. Many spiritual traditions speak of sound as being the formative force of creation. Before focusing on current research into sound healing, let us consider the vital role sound may have played in structuring our universe. Recent studies point to sound as having reigned supreme as the prime organising force of all matter, especially during the first million years of creation.4 Of course, sound cannot travel in the vacuum of space but sound can travel wherever matter is dense enough to allow atoms or molecules to collide with each other. In fact, it is this process of collision that provides a clear definition of sound: The passing on of vibrational data at the moment of collision between any two atoms or molecules. Sound not only structured our universe, it may also have been at work in Earth’s primordial oceans. The structuring and organising force that triggered life has always eluded theorists. Yet, science has no yet thoroughly explored the most obvious and potent force of all: sound. (For an expanded treatise on sound as a life-creating force, see the article Sound, the Trigger for Life at: www.soundhealingresource.com) Although invisible, sound is actually highly structured. In water it acts to form ‘micro-sonic scaffolding’, a structuring process that causes matter to coalesce in an orderly manner. We believe it was this dynamic, sonic mechanism that sparked life. Sound and life, it seems, are inextricably linked. One of the greatest mysteries in understanding how life evolved concerns the helical nature of DNA and how this complex structure originated. Recent research has demonstrated that vortices in both the macro and micro realms can be created in water. The dynamics necessary to create micro-vortices in the ancient seas may have derived from the bubbling sounds of hydrothermal vents or massive surface storms. Water acts as an acoustic filter, so the sound of the waves would become increasingly pure as the depth increased. This pure form of sound would, theoretically, power the vortex-forming mechanism. In the 1940s and 50s, Viktor Schauberger, the brilliant Austrian scientist, was probably the first to study micro-vortices in water.5 These spiral-like forms may be the missing key to the origins of life since the fundamental shape of a micro-vortex is similar to the spiral helix of DNA. Perhaps the DNA’s doublehelix pattern was a consequence of sound, something we expect further research to clarify. The German photographer, Alexander Lauterwasser, has produced stunning images of the effects of sound on water.6 He has shown that sound creates vortices in the macro realm under certain controlled conditions. If the dynamic force that created life is ultimately proven to be sound, then it is interesting to note that a group of Hong Kong scientists have demonstrated that

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Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

The Vortex of Life

DNA molecules can be manipulated through a micro-vortex.7 The group may have inadvertently tapped into the very secret of life itself. Their work may inspire others to develop a better model of how life evolved and lead to a fuller understanding of sound healing.

The Structure of Sound

The CymaScope® is the world’s first commercial instrument that allows us to enjoy and study the visual geometry of sound (‘cyma’, derived from the Greek, ‘kyma’, means wave). The device creates images called ‘CymaGlyphs®’ that are the imprint of sound’s inherent structures. Harmonic sounds have been found to be the richest source of the mathematical constants of the universe. Given that many of these constants are imbedded within the human voice, it is inspiring to think that simply the function of speaking is an act of creation. (For further information on the CymaScope see: www.soundhealingresource.com ) Phi, often referred to as the Golden Mean, is the ratio of 1 to approximately 1.618. It is perhaps the most important constant seen in CymaGlyphs as it is prevalent in all living things. Gyorgy Doczi’s wonderful book, The Power of Limits, illustrates this point with great flair. He analyses sea creatures, shells, butterflies, flowers and many other life forms to validate the phi ratio as one of the defining characteristics of life. One group of researchers has proposed that the earliest life forms were viruses, which are typically angular in structure, unlike the globular nature of bacterial life.8 Angular sound structures are commonly observed on the CymaScope, providing us with a hypothetical model for the way in which the earliest life forms were shaped in the ancient seas. The surfaces of microscopic bubbles, created near hydrothermal vents, could have been host to angular patterns of sonic vibration. Simple creatures that exhibit angular geometry, such as radiolaria and starfish, provide additional evidence that sound may have been responsible for triggering and/or structuring life.

Sound Healing Overview

If sound was responsible for triggering life and ordering organisms, we should not be surprised that sound is such a powerful healing modality. Put simply, sound has the almost magical power of restoring order to organisms that are malfunctioning – magical in the sense that we don’t yet fully understand how this is accomplished. One way to illustrate how sound may heal is to imagine an orchestra that represents a living organism, such as the human body. If one or more of the musicians are playing off key and

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the situation is not corrected, it will negatively impact the entire orchestra so that it becomes discordant. It then becomes necessary for a conductor (healing frequencies) to restore order and harmony. The healing frequencies may originate from a modern sound healing instrument or from a traditional method such as the human voice, a gong, a didgeridoo or tuning forks, to name a few. In a sense, the body’s absorption of harmonic sounds is similar to the life-giving energy absorbed from foods. Harmonic sounds act as nourishment for the body. Sound healing practitioners find that by applying specific sound frequencies to the effected region, normal function returns in most cases. The cells of the organ or system are effectively re-harmonised and re-energised so that cellular re-programming takes place. Modern audible sound therapy instruments are noninvasive and are essentially like playing music to the body. However, the frequencies they employ are carefully targeted, unlike the broad range of frequencies playing music to the body. However, the frequencies they employ are carefully targeted, unlike the broad range of frequencies heard in music and traditional sound healing instruments. Cymatherapy International, for example, is pioneering a new era in therapeutic sound technologies.9 Audible sound therapy has no known side-effects and has been proven to be powerfully efficacious. Thus, we can envisage a future where sound technology is as commonplace in the home as in clinical settings.

Resonance – The Essential Principle of Sound Healing

Resonance is the fundamental principle of sound healing and has various definitions. In the context of sound healing it can be described as the frequency of vibration that is most natural to a specific organ or system, such as the heart, liver or lungs. This innate frequency is known as the prime resonance. The resonance principle does not necessarily require the living system to emit a sound. However, another aspect of resonance refers to cells that are emitting a range of sounds. Here, the resonance principle relates to the cellular absorption of those same sounds and/or their harmonics. In this situation resonance principles are applied to reharmonised cells that have been imprinted with disruptive frequencies. Such troublesome imprints may have been a result of toxic substances, emotional traumas, pathogens, or long-term exposure to noise pollution.

The Scientific View of Sound Healing

Scientists are faced with the challenge of gaining insight into the biochemistry of cells immersed in sound. One of the many difficulties they face is that the light microscope is somewhat limited in magnification to observe the subtle and complex processes that occur within living cells. Electron microscopes are far more powerful; however, samples must first be desiccated and typically, sliced, making the dynamics of living processes impossible to study with this instrument. Another possible explanation of how sound is able to trigger the healing response relates to

cellular ion channels.10 Situated within a cell’s membrane, ion channels are the means by which the cell receives nourishment and communicates with neighbouring cells. In dysfunctional cells it is proposed that some of these vital channels are shut down. In this hypothesis, sound opens the closed channels, supporting the cell to resume normal functioning and replication. Dr. James Gimzewski, of UCLA, California, has taken a revolutionary approach to studying cellular function.11 He uses an atomic force microscope, a kind of super-sensitive microphone, to listen to the sounds emitted by cells. The focus of this new science, called ‘sonocytology,’ is mapping the pulsations of the cell’s outer membrane, thus identifying the ‘song’ of the cell. Gimzewski’s work has revealed that every cell in our bodies has a unique sonic signature and ‘sings’ to its neighbours. Sonocytology is a potentially powerful, diagnostic tool for identifying the sounds of healthy cells versus those of injurious ones. But it introduces an even more exciting prospect: the ability to play the destructive sounds of rogue cells back to them greatly amplified, so that they implode and are destroyed. In this scenario there would be no collateral damage to surrounding cells since healthy cells would not resonate with these frequencies. Dr. Gimzewski, himself a Nobel Prize winner, is one of a large number of innovative minds at work in our world that share the vision of creating modalities to assist the body to heal. Audible sound therapy may offer the greatest potential in noninvasive healing. In the years to come we may well see diagnostic and therapeutic beds that resemble a scene from the futuristic, Star Trek sick bay. We will certainly see proliferation in modalities in which sound is the governing principle. Sound heals life naturally.

The Role of Intention in Sound Healing

Sound is a highly effective tool for healing and, fortunately, an individual does not need to believe in it for it to work. However, there is another factor that can greatly amplify the effectiveness of healing: creative intention. It may be a long time before mainstream medicine recognises the importance of intention. In contrast, most vibrational energy practitioners, including sound healing therapists, use a holistic approach that addresses both mind and body. When the power of intention is held, the chances of a successful outcome are intensified. Intention consists of using your focused thoughts, feelings and visualisations to attract whatever is desired, such as enhancing one’s health. It seems possible that the energy of intention is carried on the wavelengths of sound. American sound healer, Dr. Steven Halpern, believes that, ‘Sound is a carrier wave of consciousness.’ One’s intention is the spiritual counterpart of the sound and the combination of sound and intention create the outcome of healing. Another American sound healer, Jonathan Goldman, created this simple formula:

Sound + Intention = Healing

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wellness NEWS

The power of intention involves consciously drawing on the universal field of energy. Utilising this potent, universal force along with healing sounds has been found to dramatically accelerate the healing process.

Ancient Aboriginal Sound Healing Most ancient cultures used the seemingly magical power of sound to heal. Sound healing had almost disappeared in the west until the 1930s when acoustic researchers discovered ultrasound and its medical properties. With this discovery, research burgeoned and today the ancient art of sound healing is rapidly developing into a new science. The Aboriginal people of Australia are the first known culture to heal with sound. Their ‘yidaki’ (modern name, didgeridoo) has been used as a healing tool for at least 40,000 years. The Aborigines healed broken bones, muscle tears and illnesses of every kind using their enigmatic musical instrument. Interestingly, the sounds emitted by the yidaki are in alignment with modern sound healing technology. It is becoming apparent that the wisdom of the ancients was based on ‘sound’ principles.

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Many people fall into the trap of fear, or negative intention, particularly in regard to health issues. It is all too easy to fixate upon the possible consequences of a health challenge rather than on the positive expectation of enjoying a healthy, vital life. The universe, it seems, is neutral and will return in kind whatever we focus upon. Whether we are aware of it or not, we use the force of intention either positively or negatively every moment of every day. Our thoughts, feelings and imaginings are the templates for the results and experiences of our lives. In this context, like attracts like. When using creative intention, there is a sense of being deeply inspired. (The word inspiration means in-spirit.) We are motivated to respond to a deeper calling with a firm belief, an absolute knowing that our desire has already been fulfilled. When we merge the mind’s energising force with the universal field of energy for the purpose of healing and creation our health and the quality of our lives can be transformed. One may ask how it is possible to have absolute certainty about a desired outcome before there is any apparent proof. People tend to believe things only when they see them. However, the art of creative intention calls for a new way of thinking: when you believe it, you will see it! It is highly beneficial to the creative process when you act as if you already have what you want. See, feel, and think as if your body is currently vital and whole. When you act as if your desired outcome has already happened, the subconscious mind cannot differentiate between what is factual and what is imagined and believes your intention is actual reality. The mind holds immense healing and creative powers and will continue to work on your behalf as long as you maintain your conscious focus of intention. Perhaps the most important element in ‘acting as if’ is to feel the experience of having already manifested your desire. Some people have used these and similar tools of intention but have not experienced the successful outcome for which they had hoped. Generally, it is not because they have applied it incorrectly or missed an important element in the process. Their lack of success usually stems from unresolved issues and detrimental beliefs that are harbored as internal fears in the subconscious mind; issues so old and ingrained that the person may not even be aware of them. Buried fear-based issues and limiting beliefs tend to set up an internal conflict. The conscious mind may want to create a desired outcome, but the overpowering, conflicting influence of unresolved issues and beliefs block success. Nothing can become a part of your reality unless your feelings and your conscious mind are in alignment with the more powerful subconscious mind. Many effective vibrational healing modalities are available to resolve these blocks to wellbeing and success.12 The magnificent power of intention fully engages when all systems are in alliance, when the thinkingfeeling self aligns with the underlying belief system.

Intention powered by the healing energy of sound is the key to improved health and other improvements in one’s life.

Development of Sound Healing in Modern Times

Technological sound healing devices first appeared in 1928 when German scientist Erwin Schliephake discovered that sound accelerated healing. He created an acoustic device known as the Novasonic that is still available today. In 1938 another German scientist, Raimar Pholman, demonstrated ultrasound’s therapeutic properties in a Berlin physiotherapy clinic. By the 1950s ultrasound had become a widely used sound healing modality. To this day it remains a mystery as to precisely how it helps the body heal. British osteopath, Peter Guy Manners, developed an audible sound healing modality during the 1950s that today is called Cymatherarpy® Cymatherapy International bought the rights for the technology from Manners (said to be 103, a good advertisement for his device!) and now manufactures the Cymatherapy machine in the USA. Their version uses advanced computers to create ultrapure tones, mostly in sets of five. It has 700 ‘codes’ that address a huge range of injuries and ailments. There are many other sound healing modalities currently entering he market place, including personal therapeutic ultrasound units manufactured in the Far East, many of which find their way into people’s homes. F

Article courtesy of John Stuart and Analiese Shandra Reid. Website: www.cymascope.com

John Stuart Reid is an English acoustics engineer, scientist and

inventor. He has studied the world of sound for over 30 years and speaks extensively on his research findings to audiences throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Co-inventor of the CymaScope, John’s work is inspired by acoustic pioneers, Ernst Chladni, Mary D. Waller and Hans Jenny and has taken their findings to a new level. His primary interests lie in investigating sound as a formative force and discovering why sound heals.

Annaliese Reid has been a teacher of energetic healing and sound healing techniques for over 20 years and has taught at seminars in the United States and Great Britain. Annaliese is committed to supporting others in their personal growth and is co-author of the book, “Journey Into Wholeness.” She met John in 2005 at a workshop he gave in Atlanta and they married soon after. Annaliese is particularly interested in the effects of sound on cellular matter. She is currently writing a series of children’s books with a sound theme and is coauthoring a mainstream book on cymatics.

Rediscovering the Art and Science of Sound References 1. Using ultrasound to break up kidney stones. http:// www.healthline.com/adamcontent/lighotripsy 2. Paliwal S et al. Induction of cancer-specific cytotoxicity towards human prostate ads kin cells using quercetin and ultrasound. Br J Can 2005; 92:499-502. 3. A safe, simple, novel medical device technology for the treatment of solid cancer tumours in the absence of any drug. Gendel Ltd. CEFUS Therapy (Combined Electric Field and Ultrasound), http://www. gendel.co.uk . 4. Ellis R. Big bang sound waves explain galaxy clustering. New Scientist, Jan. 12, 2005. http://www.newscientist. com/article.ns?id=dn6871 5. Alexandersson, O. Living water: Victor schauberger and the Secrets of Natural Energy, Gateway Books, 1996. 6. Micro vortex generation in micro channel liquid flow, YK Lee et al. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. American Physical Society. Session JE.004 – Micro-Fluid Dynamics, Nov, 2002. http://flux.aps.org/ meetings/YR02/DFD02/bapslabs/S1240.html 7. Lauterwasser A. Water Sound Images, Macromedia Publishing, Newmarket, NH, USA, 2006. 8. Young, M. Viruses have plagued the Earth for 3 billion years. New Scientist, no 2446, 8 May, 2004. 9. Cymatherapy International. www.cymatherapy.com . 10. Corey, D. Mechanically Activated Ion Channels. Howear Hughes Medical Institute; www.hhmi.org/ research/investigators/coreydp.html 11. Pelling A, Sehati S, Gralla E, valentine J, and Gimzewski J. Local nanomechanical motion of the cell Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Science, 20 Aug 2004; 305; 5687:1147 – 50., http://www.chem.ucla.edu/ dept/faculty/gimezewski/index2.htm 12. The DNA of Healing, www.possibilitiesdna.com; Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), www.emofree. com; Gould C. Hypnotherapy within the UK. 13. info@christinegould.com.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Silke

Sound healing with the Tibetan Singing bowls is a very effective and proven healing

modality. The Bowls are either placed on the body or around it. Your body is made to 70% of water and sound travels faster and better in water than in air. It is like when you throw a pebble in the water which creates ripples. That is exactly what happens in your body, the sound and vibrations create these ripples which help to unlock blockages, relief pain, harmonise the cells and organs, shift brainwaves balancing and harmonising the body on all levels. It leads the person into a deep Alpha and Theta state which is the state where healing can happen. In Europe and USA some Oncologists and other Medical staff are using the Tibetans Singing Bowls in combination with other cancer treatments. It aids in the relief of the side effects of Chemo and Radiation therapy. People have been reported to be in remission and even healed. Sound healing is very effective in combination with chanting and guided imagery. Crystal Singing Bowls harmonise so well with our body because our body composure is made of many crystalline structures and crystal-colloidal substances like our DNA, blood, bones etc. Our cells contain the mineral silica which balances the electromagnetic energies in the body. This silica is the same that is used in natural Quartz Crystal Singing bowls which is why we respond so profoundly on emotional, mental and physical levels. The benefit of the Singing Bowls and Gong is achieved on a cellular level, and ‘nasty’ cells like cancer cells can’t handle the sound and vibrations and therefore start to disintegrate. Sound and vibrations work in different parts of the brain. Neurochemicals and hormones are released and work as natural opiates and endorphines. This aids with pain relief, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, migraines/headaches, insomnia, boosts the immune system, cleansing of the auric field, stress and tension related problems, chronic fatigue and many more. The Bowls and Gongs help also to shift/heal old traumas that are stored in our bodies. Old traumas that are not released often crystalise in our body causing pain and tension. The Bowls and Gong unlock these blockages and therefore energy can flow again easing the pain and tensions. Sound healing sessions at CSA will be done with the individual or group clothed comfortably, sitting or lying down. Before and after a session it is important to drink plenty of water as it is very detoxifying for your body and the sound and vibrations work better in a well hydrated body. The effect of sessions can usually be felt a couple of days later still and you might feel some release of tension in your body in the form of aches, pins and needles, twitching etc. This is very normal and ultimately you will feel fantastic! F

Silke is a nurse and sound healer. Sike and Julian Silburn will be offering Sound healing sessions at CSA from February. Our 2012 will be launched and publicised in January.

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INSPIRATIONS

By Ajahn Brahm An uneducated old man was visiting a city for the first time in his life. He had grown up in a remote mountain village, worked hard raising his children, and was now enjoying his first visit to his children’s modern homes. One day while being shown around the city, the old man heard a sound that stung his ears. He had never heard such an awful noise in his quiet mountain village and he insisted on finding its cause. Following the grating sound back to its source, he came to a room in the back of a house where a small boy was practising on a violin. “SCREECH! SCRAPE” came the discordant notes from the groaning violin. When he was told by his son that it was called a ‘violin’ he decided he never wanted to hear such a horrible thing again. The next day, in a different part of the city, the old man heard a sound which seemed to caress his aged ears. He had never heard such an enchanting melody in his mountain valley, so he demanded to find its cause. Following the delightful sound back to its source, he came to a room in the front of a house where an old lady, a maestro, was performing a sonata on a violin. At once the old man realised his mistake. The terrible sound that he had heard the precious day was not the fault of the violin, nor even of the boy. It was just that the young man had yet to learn his instrument well. With a wisdom reserved for the simple folk, the old man thought it was the same with religion. When we come across a religious enthusiast causing such strife with his beliefs, it is incorrect to blame the religion. It is just that the novice has yet to learn his religion well. When we come across a saint, a maestro of her religion, it is such a sweet encounter that it inspires us for many years, whatever their beliefs. But that was not the end of the story. The third day, in a different part of the city, the old man heard another sound that surpassed in its beauty and purity even that of the maestro on her violin. What do you think that sound was? It was a sound more beautiful than the cascade of the mountain stream in spring, than the autumn wind through the forest groves, or than the mountain birds singing after a heavy rain. It was even more beautiful than the silence in the mountain hollows on a still winter’s night. What was that sound that moved the old man’s heart more powerfully than anything before? It was a large orchestra playing a symphony. The reason that it was, for the old man, the most beautiful sound in the world was, firstly, that every member of that orchestra was a maestro of their own instrument: and second that they had further learned how to play together in harmony. “May it be the same with religion”, the old man thought. “Let each one of us learn through the lessons of life the soft heart of our beliefs. Let us each be a maestro of the love within our religion. Then, having learned our religion well, let us go further and learn how to play, like members of an orchestra, with other religions in harmony together! That would be the most beautiful sound. F From: ‘Opening the Door of Your Heart And other Buddhist tales of HAPPINESS’ by Ajahn Brahm, published by Thomas C. Lothian, Melbourne 2004. Whichever stage you are at in mastering your own instrument of chosen beliefs, please join our CSA “orchestra” (community) on the 20th of May as we visit and enjoy the sounds and the silence of the Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery community. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Dr. Joseph Mercola

Carole Baggerly is the director and founder of an organisation called GrassrootsHealth, which is Theories linking primarily focused on creating awareness about the profound importance of vitamin D for optimal health. vitamin D to They’re also developing and substantiating research to support the use of vitamin D as a prevention strategy against diseases like cancer. certain cancers have Carole’s interest in this field began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 2005. She underwent the conventional cancer treatment which included a mastectomy, radiation and chemo. been tested and conclusion at that time was that it was barbaric,” she says. “All of a sudden I realised the violence confirmed. It is now “My that was being done to my body. …[A]t one point during the chemo I was taking a particular drug that so painful. It was Paclitaxel and it caused extreme peripheral neuropathy; pain in the hands and recommended that was the feet. I couldn’t walk… you get ALL your I talked to the doctor about it and he says, “You only have two more treatments of that left.” I did one and said, “I’m not going to do the next one,” and he walked out of the room! That was my first indication required Vitamin D about the mental investment of a doctor in the treatment, as opposed to the patient. I was appalled.” from sun exposure if Vitamin D and Cancer Two years later, Carole was diagnosed with osteoporosis, likely caused by a vitamin D deficiency. This possible. diagnosis quickly led her to also research vitamin D deficiency in relation to cancer, and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

“Dr. Cedric Garland of UC San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Centre had just published a paper saying that the risk of breast cancer could be cut by 50 percent if people had vitamin D serum levels – this is a blood level of how much vitamin D you’ve got – somewhere about 40 to 50 nanograms per milliliter. I just sat there and looked at that, and I started crying, [thinking] this can’t be true… I’m a very skeptical scientist,” she says. She made some calls to verify the veracity of the study, and discovered that the author, Dr. Garland, was not only well-respected, but had researched vitamin D and cancer for 30 years. In May of that year, she attended a conference focused specifically on vitamin D and cancer, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

“For two solid days, I listened to reports by scientists from all over the world talking about vitamin D and cancer,” she says. “Not all of them were things to jump up and down about, but there was so much there that was so positive… [but] the only action item they had was – “We need to do more research.” Carole and her husband Leo (a physicist and a researcher who currently works with the kinetics of vitamin D) set off to meet with scientists across the country and Canada to devise a plan of action. She was determined to get the message out about vitamin D’s connection to cancer and other diseases, and Grassroots Health was subsequently created for that purpose.

Can Vitamin D Reduce Breast Cancer by 77 Percent? While more research is always welcome, Carole is convinced that vitamin D can have a very real impact on cancer rates. “[A] randomised trial… published in 2007 by Joan Lappe out of Creighton University… had a group of about 1,100 post-menopausal women who started out with no cancer (plus control group)… One group got [oral] vitamin D [and calcium] and the other got a placebo. At the end of four years, there was a 77 percent difference in cancer incidence between those that had the vitamin D and calcium versus the placebo. So something is working,” she says.

Theories linking vitamin D deficiency to cancer have been tested and confirmed in more than 200 epidemiological studies, and understanding of its physiological basis stems from more than 2,500 laboratory studies.

Her conviction is not surprising when you consider that theories linking vitamin D to certain cancers have been tested and confirmed in more than 200 epidemiological studies, and understanding of its physiological basis stems from more than 2,500 laboratory studies, according to epidemiologist Cedric Garland, DrPH, professor of family and preventive medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Here are just a few highlights into some of the most noteworthy findings:

Optimising your vitamin D levels could help you to prevent at least 16 different types of cancer including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate, and skin cancers. Overall, optimal vitamin D levels can cut cancer risk by as much as 60 percent, according to one large-scale, randomised, placebo-controlled study.

• Some 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented each year if vitamin D levels among populations worldwide were increased, according to previous research by Dr. Garland and colleagues. And that’s just counting the death toll for two types of cancer. • Optimising your vitamin D levels could help you to prevent at least 16 different types of cancer including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate, and skin cancers. • A large-scale, randomised, placebo-controlled study on vitamin D and cancer showed that vitamin D can cut overall cancer risk by as much as 60 percent. This was such ground-breaking news that the Canadian Cancer Society has actually begun endorsing the vitamin as a cancer-prevention therapy. • Light-skinned women who had high amounts of long-term sun exposure had half the risk of developing advanced breast cancer (cancer that spreads beyond your breast) as women with lower amounts of regular sun exposure, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. • A study by Dr. William Grant, Ph.D., internationally recognised research scientist and vitamin D expert, found that about 30 percent of cancer deaths – which amounts to 2 million worldwide and 200,000 in the United States – could be prevented each year with higher levels of vitamin D.

The most important factor is your vitamin D serum level. In order to help prevent a wide variety of diseases and health ailments, your vitamin D level needs to be between 50 and 70 ng/ml year-round. The ideal way to optimise your vitamin D level is through sun exposure or a safe tanning bed. As a very general guide, you need to expose about 40 percent of your entire body for approximately 20 minutes to the sun, between the hours of 10 am and 2pm, when the sun is at its zenith. According to recent findings from the D* Action study, adults need about 8,000 IU’s of oral vitamin D3 per day in order to get serum levels above 40 ng/ml.

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wellness NEWS

VITAMIN D LEVELS

25 HYDROXY D Deficient

Optimal

Treat Cancer and Heart Disease

Excess

< 50 ng/ml

50-70 ng/ml

70-100 ng/ml

> 100 ng/ml

It’s Not the Dosage that Matters – It’s the Serum Level There are currently 40 leading vitamin D experts from around the world on the GrassrootsHealth panel, and everyone agrees that the most important factor is the vitamin D serum level. There’s no specific dosage level at which “magic” happens. So while I will convey the recommended dosages in a moment, the most important message is that you need to take whatever dosage required to obtain a therapeutic level of vitamin D in your blood. At the time (in 2007) the recommended level was between 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). Since then, the optimal vitamin D level has been raised to 50-70 ng/ml, and when treating cancer or heart disease, as high as 70-100 ng/ml.

Sun Exposure is the BEST Way to Optimise Your Vitamin D Levels In a recent interview, Dr. Stephanie Seneff brought the importance of getting your vitamin D from sun exposure to a whole new level. I’ve consistently recommended getting your vitamin D from regular sun exposure whenever possible, and Dr. Seneff’s review of how vitamin D – specifically from sun exposure – is intricately tied to healthy cholesterol and sulfur levels, makes this recommendation all the more important. To review the details, please refer to that interview. However, as a quick summary, when you expose your skin to sunshine, your skin synthesises vitamin D3 sulfate. This form of vitamin D is water soluble, unlike oral vitamin D3 supplements, which is unsulfated. The water soluble form can travel freely in your blood stream, whereas the unsulfated form needs LDL (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) as a vehicle of transport. Her suspicion is that the oral non-sulfated form of vitamin D may not provide all of the same benefits as the vitamin D created in your skin from sun exposure, because it cannot be converted to vitamin D sulfate. I believe this is a very compelling reason to really make a concerted effort to get ALL your vitamin D requirements from exposure to sunshine, or by using a safe tanning bed (one with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ballasts, to avoid unnecessary exposure to EMF fields). Safe tanning beds also have less of the dangerous UVA than sunlight, while

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unsafe ones have more UVA than sunlight. If neither of these are feasible options, then you should take an oral vitamin D3 supplement. Carole agrees that sun exposure is ideal as it may also provide other health benefits that we simply don’t fully understand yet. Lack of sun exposure is also the very root of the problem. Vitamin D deficiency is, after all, a fairly recent health concern, historically speaking. “I think it is obvious that the reason we have this deficiency is because we have become an industrialised nation,” she says. “… What we’ve done is we’ve come inside. We cover up. Even in San Diego where I live, when they measured my level it was 18 ng/ml. When we did a scientific test of what it’s going to take to get enough sun in San Diego… at my age – age is a factor in how much you absorb – we came to a test conclusion that it was going take 15 to 20 minutes a day in the prime time of UV, between 10 am and 2 pm, each and every day… with 40 percent of my body exposed. … I encourage people to take advantage of the sun. The only message I have about the sun is: don’t burn. That’s it.”

If You’re Taking an Oral Vitamin D Supplement, How Much Do You Need? GrassrootsHealth has greatly contributed to the current knowledge on vitamin D through what’s called the D* Action Study. “We just published our very first paper,” Carole says. “We have about 10 people in this study now that are taking 50,000 IU a day and they’re not reaching a potential toxicity level of 200 ng/ml. It should be noted, however, that this is not a recommended intake level. The study reported data on about over 3,500 people. … One very significant thing shown by this research was that even with taking the supplement, the curve for the increase in the vitamin D level is not linear. It is curvilinear and it flattens, which is why it’s even hard to get toxic with a supplement.” Based on this research, it now appears as though most adults need about 8,000 IU’s of vitamin D a day in order to get their serum levels above 40 ng/ml. Not only is this significantly

higher than previously recommended, but this also means that even if you do not regularly monitor your vitamin D levels, your risk of overdosing is going to be fairly slim, even if you take as much as 8,000 IU’s a day. This is the type of vital information that is so sorely needed, and GrassrootsHealth is really serving an unprecedented service to all of mankind for facilitating this much needed research.

Study Participants Needed You too can be of great help to further this cause. D*Action is a worldwide public health campaign, aiming to solve the vitamin D deficiency epidemic through focus on testing, education, and grassroots word of mouth. And while one paper has already been published, this GrassrootsHealth study is still ongoing, and accepting participants. When you join D*action, you agree to test your vitamin D levels twice a year during a five year program, and share your health status to demonstrate the public health impact of this nutrient. There is a $60 fee each 6 months ($120/year) for your sponsorship of the project, which includes a complete new test kit to be used at home, and electronic reports on your ongoing progress. You will get a follow up email every six months reminding you “it’s time for your next test and health survey.” To join the survey online go to the Survey Form at www.grassrootshealth.net.

World’s First Breast Cancer Prevention Study Underway! In addition to the ongoing D* Action study, Carole is now in the process of initiating the world’s first breast cancer prevention project and study. I have tried to work with almost every breast cancer group around the country,” she says. But interestingly enough, only ONE group called www.KnowBreastCancer.net, is paying any attention to prevention. Most health practitioners mistakenly think of mammography as prevention, but getting a yearly mammogram will do absolutely nothing to help you prevent breast cancer. If anything, research shows it may actually be a compounding risk factor in and of itself, as repeated radiation contributes to the development of cancer. So Carole is currently developing a project to really investigate and evaluate vitamin D as a preventive strategy for breast cancer. The project is already underway and Carole herself is funding the first 1,000 women that sign up in October, ‘Breast Cancer Prevention Month’. Women 60 and over with no current cancer or current treatment are eligible for the study. “We are looking now for some really serious funding to support that as a major research project,” she says. “… I still care about all of the other vitamin D issues. But I really felt like the breast cancer patients had been deserted, and I just couldn’t desert them. I’m one of them… There is a way! So I’ve got to look for help to get the message out to people dealing with breast cancer. That’s what we’re doing.” The trial is essentially identical to the D* Action study, but focused on breast cancer, opposed to overall health status. Needless to say, I will keep you updated on the progress and ultimate findings of that project! F

I have always been interested in health and went to medical school to further my knowledge base and started professional life as a family doctor in 1985. After refining my understanding of health truths, I created the website www.mercola.com which is now the most visited natural health site on the Internet. I remain convinced that through coordinated efforts it will be possible to help educate and inform people so they can choose healthier options and radically reduce the amount of unnecessary premature deaths and needless pain and suffering. My passion, and one of the primary reasons I started www.mercola.com, is to take leading edge research from scientists who have limited means with which to share their message, and provide an audience for them to get these vital messages out to the public. Oftentimes the remedy we so desperately seek is staggeringly simple, such as raising your vitamin D levels! It’s very inexpensive (or free if you just use sun exposure) and can provide tremendous health benefits.

From Dr. Mercola’s website: www.mercola.com. To find out more about Vitamin D research and participate in the Vitamin D study: www.grassrootshealth.net Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Dr. Ben Kim

The

internet is overflowing with information on toxins and countless programs and products that are touted to cleanse your body of them. I hope that this article provides you with a clear understanding of what toxins are, how they can affect your health, and a sensible approach to preventing accumulation of toxins in your body. First, let’s differentiate between the two main types of toxins that you’re exposed to on a day-to-day basis.

1. Exogenous Toxins

On their own or with

Exogenous toxins are chemicals that are made outside of your body and can harm your cells if they are ingested, inhaled, or absorbed into your bloodstream through some other channel.

other disease-causing factors, toxins can create

While it’s unrealistic to live and work in an environment that’s free of exogenous toxins, you should strive to minimise your exposure to the following most common exogenous toxins:

life-ending diseases over time.

• MSG and aspartame – both are especially toxic to your nerve cells • Recreational drugs

But your body is well designed

• Any over-the-counter or prescription drug that comes with a warning that use of the drug in question may lead to liver damage

to recognise and eliminate

• Most personal care products, especially cosmetics that are applied around the mouth, which are easily swallowed in trace but potentially significant amounts.

toxins. Your job is to minimise your exposure to exogenous and endogenous toxins, and to provide your body with the support that it needs to clear out toxins that make their way into your system.

The exogenous toxins mentioned above may not be as harmful in one shot as other obvious toxins like carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds, but the four groups mentioned above tend to be used regularly by large segments of the population, so they’re definitely worth highlighting. For a closer look at other exogenous toxins that tend to be in modern living and working environments, please view my article on the most common household toxins.

2. Endogenous Toxins Endogenous toxins are toxins that are produced inside of your body. Some of these toxins are waste products from normal metabolic activities – carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid are examples of endogenous toxins that your body churns out by the second. Unless your health is severely compromised, your body is well equipped to eliminate these endogenous toxins from your system. An often overlooked source of endogenous toxins is an unhealthy gut. Over time, a diet that’s rich in highly refined foods, poor eating habits (lack of

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Intestinal dysbiosis is accompanied by steady production of endogenous toxins by undesirable yeasts, fungi, bacteria, and in rare cases, even parasites. These toxins include various aldehydes, alcohols, indols, phenols, and skatols, just to name a few. While some of these endogenous toxins are eliminated as gas, some make their way into your bloodstream by traveling through your intestinal walls, and once they make it into your bloodstream, they can get into your cells. Now that we’ve reviewed the two main types of toxins that your body is exposed to, let’s assume that you haven’t yet taken steps to reduce your exposure to toxins, and that these toxins are steadily making their way into your blood.

How does your body deal with this constant influx of toxins? Your body always works within the framework of trying to preserve health, so its first defense against toxins is to eliminate them through one of your main eliminative channels – these are your urinary tract, colon, lungs, skin, and mucosal linings in your nose and ears. So your body may create symptoms like diarrhea, a persistent cough, a skin rash, nasal discharge/congestion, and even chronic recurrent ear discharge/infections, all with the intent of protecting your cells against toxins. By recognising these processes as being helpful and allowing them to take their course, and working to identify and eliminate their root cause(s), you can support your body’s self-preserving mechanisms to keep you well over the long term. Let’s continue to assume that you’re not aware of toxins that you’re steadily being exposed to, and that toxins continue to roll in. Eventually, the pace of incoming toxins may overtake the pace at which you can eliminate them. If you reach this point, your body will have no choice but to store some of these toxins. Keeping in line with its desire to preserve its health, your body will first store “excess” toxins in your fat tissues. This is because your fat tissues are less vital to your immediate survival than other tissues like your ligaments, muscles, and nerves. This is not to say that fat tissue that’s found throughout your body isn’t important. It’s to say that your body instinctively seeks to preserve more important tissues whenever possible. Accumulation of toxins in your fat tissues is what can lead to so-called harmless conditions like cysts, lipomas, and other benign tumours. These are conditions that conventional medicine typically cite as having no known cause, but they most certainly have a number of causes, with a major one being steady exposure to endogenous and exogenous toxins. Myelin – the fatty sheath of insulation that lines all of your nerves – is also a target site for toxin accumulation. And whenever your body has the energy to cleanse such accumulations of toxins, the

antioxidants protect your cells from cancer Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection. Antioxidants are found abundant in beans, grain products, fruits and vegetables. Look for fruits with bright colour – lutein in some of the yellow pigments found in corn; orange in cantaloupe, butternut pumpkin and mango; red from lycopene in tomatoes and watermelon, and purple and blue in berries. So enjoy eating a variety of these products. It is best to obtain these antioxidants from foods instead of supplements. F

continued on next page... Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

LIFESTYLE & ENVIRONMENT

chewing is a big one), and emotional stress can lead to an unhealthy balance of microorganisms in your gastrointestinal tract, a state that’s called intestinal dysbiosis.

...from previous page nerve(s) in the area being cleansed may get irritated, which is one potential cause of chronic, intermittent headaches. This is why some people experience headaches when they get more sleep than usual. Getting more sleep allows the body to use its resources to stir up stored toxins – good for long term health, but uncomfortable in the short term. Getting back on course, let’s assume that your body continues to be exposed to a steady diet of exogenous and endogenous toxins. At some point, your body may need to start storing these toxins outside of your fat tissues. Alternative storage sites are connective tissue (ligaments, bones, blood, etc.), muscle tissue, and nerve tissue. Of these choices, connective tissue arguably has the greatest capacity to store toxins without causing debilitating problems in the short term. As toxins begin to accumulate in connective tissue, you may start to experience generalised joint pain and even aches and pains in various bones. You may even develop a blood-related health challenge, as blood itself is considered connective tissue, and actually originates from bone, which is another connective tissue. Hopefully, the big picture is coming into focus. Accumulation of toxins in specific tissues can lead to health challenges in those tissues. And if your exposure to toxins goes on long enough, the individual building-blocks of your tissues (your cells) can begin to accumulate toxins within their membranes and inner lumen areas.

Infrared Sauna is an effective alternative cancer therapy which removes toxins through the skin. The infrared sauna heats the body up internally destroying the development of mutated cancer cells. Sweating allows the toxins, and chemicals to escape from the body. Sweating is one of the most natural means of detoxification of the body. Infrared saunas can bought online and you can easily assemble them yourself.

If enough cells in one organ or gland become dysfunctional due to a build-up of toxins, you may experience organ or glandular dysfunction – examples of such dysfunction include thyroid disease, impaired vision, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney failure, and any stage of liver degeneration (fatty liver, cirrhosis, etc.). If the innermost part (nucleoli) of enough cells in one area accumulate enough toxins, the DNA that controls those cells can become affected, and this is where you may increase your risk of experiencing a lack of control over cellular reproduction, the hallmark of malignant growths. Clearly, exposure to toxins is only one potential cause of disease and dysfunction. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to review my article on the ten main causes of disease and dysfunction (go to drbenkim.com). Any one of the factors listed in that article can contribute to disease and dysfunction. It’s also important to note that as your body accumulates toxins and develops dysfunction and disease, it’s constantly doing the best it can with the resources that it has to cleanse and repair itself. So the bottom line on toxins and their ability to affect your health: Toxins can most definitely hurt you. On their own or in concert with other disease-causing factors, toxins can create life-ending diseases over time. But your body is well designed to recognise and eliminate toxins. Your job is to minimise your exposure to exogenous and endogenous toxins, and to provide your body with the support that it needs to clear out toxins that make their way into your system. Put another way, if you’re looking to overcome any health challenge or just to maintain optimal health, it’s essential that you understand that your body is on your side. Your body is always working to get and keep you healthy. Your job is to consistently make healthy food and lifestyle choices, observe how your body reacts to your choices, and to make adjustments when necessary. F

From Dr. Ben Kim’s Healthy Living blog 5th July 2011: drbenkim.com

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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

This is a nutritional supplemented that’s made from fermented wheat germ. It helps regulate cellular metabolism and supports the immune system, and it’s proven to be a good way of complementing chemotherapy. In one Hungarian study, recurrence of cancer was just 3 per cent among those taking Avemar compared with 17 per cent in the nonAvemar group, and the death rate was 12 per cent compared with 31 per cent.

This is an over-the-counter ulcer and indigestion remedy that has some surprising cancerfighting qualities. Its role as an anticancer agent was discovered in 1979 when it was given to two patients with lung cancer, and they both went into remission. A similar reaction was seen a few years later among end-stage cancer patients who were given 1,000 mg a day of cimetidine to help with their gastric problems. Again, the group went into remission. Since then, study after study has confirmed its effectiveness on a range of different cancers. On the downside, cimetidine can increase bone marrow toxicity if it’s taken with the powerful brain cancer agent BCNU, and it can also interact badly with warfarin and theophylline, an ingredient in tea and coffee.

This is a medicinal mushroom that has been reviewed in 25 medical studies. While it appears to be very effective in reducing tumours, all the studies so far have been only on mice and other animals.

This is the main hormone responsible for regulating sleep, and there have been more than 1,000 papers published about its cancer-fighting qualities. One of its main advocates is Dr Paolo Lissoni, of Monza, Italy, who says that anything that interferes with the healthy functioning of the pineal gland increases the risk of cancer. These include electromagnetic field emissions, chronic emotional stress and mental depression. Melatonin supplements seem to work best when augmented with chemotherapy.

This is an ancient folk remedy from South America, and it’s made up of 12 aromatic compounds, including lapachol, which seems to have strong anticancer qualities. A study on lapachol alone involving 19 patients with advanced cancers had mixed results. It cured a woman’s hip tumour, but it didn’t have any beneficial impact on the rest, although Dr Moss wonders if they were given lapachol for too short a time.

The same levels of myth that sustain the very best conspiracy theories surround cures for cancer. So we’re lucky to have Dr. Ralph Moss, a longtime commentator on the fight against cancer, as our guide through the more credible alternatives that are showing promise. He has highlighted six treatments that are supported by medical studies, and which seem to be effective.

This dietary supplement is made up mainly of shiitake mushroom, but also contains other mushrooms, soy and Asian herbs. It’s named after biochemist Dr Alexander Sun, who died from a heart attack last year. He devised the formula in order to help his mother, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer in 1984. After studying various herbal remedies, he formulated his soup, and his mother’s cancer went into complete remission eight months after she started drinking it. In one study of people with advanced lung cancer, it improved the survival rate to 15 months in those who had the soup, compared with just four months’ survival in the non-soup group. F

Source: Townsend Letter, February/March edition Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Neil Kingham

Chinese medicine is a medicine of energetics. That is, it is concerned with our energetic body, our Qi. All the branches of Chinese medicine work primarily with Qi, and Chinese Nutrition, also known as ‘Dietary Therapy’ is no exception. In just the same way as with acupuncture, herbalism, tui na massage or qi gong, the treatment follows an individual Chinese diagnosis based on one or more energetic ‘patterns of disharmony’.

It’s pretty obvious that a chili pepper is a ‘Hot’ food, but would you have thought that lamb and trout are too? Or that seaweed and mango are very Cold? According to the principles of Chinese medicine, all foods can be categorized according to their energetic temperature, whether they are Cold, Cool, Neutral, Warm or Hot. What this describes is the effect of the food on the body; quite simply, what it does to you when you eat it. This is in keeping with the holistic view of Chinese Medicine, but somewhat at odds with standard Western nutrition. For instance, the fact that a banana is high in potassium, with abundant fibre and vitamins C and B6 is largely irrelevant to a traditional Chinese medical practitioner, as these concepts do not form a part of the medical framework in which he or she is working. However, the knowledge that bananas are Cold and Sweet and nourish Yin has immediate relevance – for a person who is on the Warm and Dry side, who maybe suffers from constipation, bananas would be an ideal food. On the other hand, for the Cold, Damp individual, bananas might aggravate an existing condition. Chinese medicine is a medicine of energetics. That is, it is concerned with our energetic body, our Qi. All the branches of Chinese medicine work primarily with Qi, and Chinese Nutrition, also known as ‘Dietary Therapy’ is no exception. In just the same way as with acupuncture, herbalism, tui na massage or qi gong, the treatment follows an individual Chinese diagnosis based on one or more energetic ‘patterns of disharmony’. This is not to say that knowing the chemical makeup of a food has no value, and indeed the modern practitioner will often make use of this information, but using the traditional energetic descriptions of food aligns the understanding of diet with the Chinese diagnosis and treatment plan – it makes diet an important and fundamental part of any treatment. Foods are described not only by their temperature but also by their flavours, routes and actions. The five flavours of foods relate to the five elements of Chinese Medicine and also to different organs: • Salty relates to Water and the Kidneys. It regulates fluid in the body and encourages movement inwards and downwards. It softens and detoxifies; • Sour relates to Wood and the Liver and has an astringent effect, encouraging contraction and absorption. The sour flavour helps to overcome stagnation; • Bitter relates to Fire and the Heart, and has a draining and drying effect. It is of most use in excessive patterns and is reduced for those who are Cold and/or deficient; • Sweet relates to Earth and the Spleen. It is the most building and nourishing flavour. Note that this refers to the natural sweet flavour as found in root vegetables and grains – refined sweeteners such as sugar, although clearly very sweet, do not have the same nourishing effect; • Pungent relates to Metal and the Lung. It promotes the circulation of Qi and Blood, dispersing stagnation. Finally, the route of a food is which meridian (channel) is effected, and the action describes any other therapeutic effect of that food, for instance if it tonifies Qi, clears pathogenic Heat, or aids Blood circulation. The combination of temperature, flavour route and actions gives us a complete overview of the energetic properties of a food. By way of illustration, consider the Walnut. It is Warm, Sweet, and enters the Kidney channel. It tonifies Yang, Qi and Yin, counteracts Cold and clears Phlegm. This tells us that it is the ideal food for a dual deficiency of both Yin and Yang of the Kidneys (it is one of the few foods that can strengthen Yin and Yang at the same time) and as it has a Warm nature, especially for Kidney Yang Deficiency.

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When Hippocrates said “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” a few hundred years BC, he wouldn’t have known it but he was saying the same thing as Chinese doctors of the time – who proposed that food and medicine share the same source. In ancient China, dietary therapy was considered the first treatment of choice for most conditions, and only if this failed to have any results were other methods such as acupuncture, herbs or tuina massage administered. In modern China today the regular use of medicinal foods survives among the population in a far more sophisticated way than our ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’! In fact, medicinal ingredients are regularly cooked into soups and other dishes to maintain health and wellbeing. The Neijing talks of the four types of food, saying “the five grains are used to nourish, the five fruits to assist, the five animals to fortify, the five vegetables to fulfil”.[1] This indicates that grains and vegetables should form the basis of our diet, with fruits and meat providing a supporting role. In the West we have got used to cheap meat, and tend to eat far too much of it – sitting down to a big juicy steak puts a massive strain on the digestion! Whilst meat is very strengthening, too much meat overloads the digestive system and can contribute to a variety of health problems. Instead, the ‘light, clear’ diet recommended by Chinese medicine consists of whole grains and vegetables, lightly cooked (e.g. steamed or stir-fried) with a little meat, fruit and nuts and seeds. Heavy, rich and processed foods should be kept to a bare minimum, as they introduce pathogenic Heat and Dampness into the system. The preparation and cooking of food is also important to its energetic qualities. One of the distinct contrasts to Western ideas is regarding the relative merits of cold, raw food. In Chinese thought, cold and raw foods such as salads, smoothies and raw fruit are considered Cold in energetic nature, and quite detoxifying. They are suitable for strong, robust, Hot natured people but not recommended in large amounts for frail, Cold or weak people, or those with digestive difficulties. Because it takes so much more energy to digest cold and raw food, anyone with digestive problems such as food intolerance, bloating, IBS, indigestion etc would be wise to move to more cooked and warm foods. Slow cooked soups, stews and casseroles are all excellent choices for most of us, as they are the easiest foods to digest, and reach the stomach in a state where their Qi can be utilized. The way one eats is also important – we should eat in a calm and relaxed environment, enjoying and focusing on our food. If we are distracted; for instance if we eat in front of television or whilst reading, then our digestion suffers. Sadly, fewer and fewer of us really take pleasure in food, and modern life dictates that we must eat ‘on the run’. However, if you can, taking time to enjoy your food allows your Qi to do its work undistracted and your digestion will benefit. In line with a slower pace of eating is the recommendation to chew your food ‘100 times’ or ‘until it is water’. Of course, it is the chewing of food and mixing it with saliva that is the first stage in the digestive process. Next time you have something to eat, count how many times you chew. While 100 chews may be a little extreme, the idea of chewing your food more is worth consideration.

Finally, the time we eat is important. The American nutritionist Adelle Davis came out with some controversial and possibly dangerous ideas in her time, but is best known for her sound advice to ‘eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper’ which fits exactly with the Chinese view. The digestive system is at its strongest from 7-11am and at its weakest from 7-11pm, so it is wise to have a large breakfast and a small evening meal (ideally no later than 7pm). For those looking to lose weight, this is doubly important – if any further proof were needed, bear in mind that Japanese sumo wrestlers do the opposite and eat massive meals late in the evening in order to maintain their weight!

Putting It To Use

The newcomer to Chinese nutrition is often daunted by the amount of information about different foods, particularly if they have little background in Chinese medicine. However, it is quite easy to apply some of the basic principles. The basic guidelines for a healthful diet are probably the most important – eat plenty of whole grains and vegetables, opt for cooked and warm foods more than cold and raw, reduce refined and artificial foods, relax, chew well, eat breakfast, and enjoy! Beyond that, making some adjustments to the specific foods you eat is fine-tuning, so don’t get too caught up in the detail. The first step is to understand your energetic condition – your pattern(s) of disharmony. Self-diagnosis is very difficult, so seek out your local Chinese Medicine practitioner. Practitioners will be trained in dietary therapy to different degrees, with some having a lot of knowledge and offering it as a therapy of its own, and others only knowing the basics to complement their main therapy – be it acupuncture, qi gong or whatever. Once you have your diagnosis, use one of the books on the subject (see references below) to draw up a list of foods that will help your condition, and those that will make it worse. Changes you make should be gentle, and always within a broad and varied diet that contains all of the flavours and temperatures of food. Chinese Nutrition writer Daverick Leggett refers to this gentle adjustment as the ‘dietary tilt’ [2] – a small but significant change in the desired direction for healing. In this way you can enjoy eating a wide range of foods that will benefit your particular energetic state, improving your overall health and wellbeing. As well as the improvement in a specific condition, as your digestive system improves and you are able to obtain more Qi from your food, you may notice better energy levels, improved sleep, greater immunity and many other benefits, allowing you to discover for yourself that food and medicine truly ‘share the same source’. F

References 1. Ni Maoshing (trans). The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Of Medicine. Shambhala. Boston. P94. 1995. 2. Leggett Daverick. Helping Ourselves. Meridian Press. Totnes. 1994.

This article was originally published in Positive Health PH Online. You can subscribe to Positive Health Online at www.positvehealth. com for authoritative features, research up-dates, case studies, book reviews, fully-searchable database of articles and much more! Neil Kingham LicAc LicTuiNa MBRCP MBTNC practises Chinese Nutrition, Acupuncture and Tui Na massage in the UK.

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

NUTRITION & FOOD

Energetics vs Chemical Constituents

t has been mentioned in early Oriental writings that natural whole grain brown rice is a perfect healing food. In the ancient literature of Thailand, Burma, Malaya and Indo-China rice is mentioned as a source of health. It was also revered as a food of divine health and used in religious offerings.

health-building amino acids. These amino acids build resilient muscles which comes back to its original form after stretching and bending, healthy skin and hair and clearer eyesight and nourish the heart and lungs, tendons and ligaments, brain, nervous system and glandular network.

Modern researches have confirmed the beliefs of ancient oriental folk physicians that the eating of brown rice is a source of serenity and tranquility. It has been shown to contain all the elements needed for the maintenance of good health.

The B-complex vitamins, especially thiamin, riboflavin and niacin offered by natural brown rice promote youthful energy and nourishment to skin and blood vessels. An abundance of minerals in natural brown rice help to nourish the hormonal system, heal wounds and regulate blood pressure. Rice also offers iron to enrich the bloodstream and phosphorus and potassium to maintain internal water balance along with other nutrients. Rice thus helps restore internal harmony.

Rice is about 98 per cent digestible. It is one of the most easily and quickly digested of all foods â&#x20AC;&#x201C; being fully digested in an hour. Rice starch is different from other grain starches as it contains 100 per cent amylopectin which is most completely and rapidly digested grain starch. This makes rice in ideal health food for those who seek speedy and healthy assimilation.

Internal Rejuvenation Rice protein, which comprises up to eight per cent of the grain, has a special benefit as it has eight of the essential amino acids in a delicately balanced proportions. A complete internal rejuvenation takes place when rice protein is metabolised into

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High Blood Pressure Rice has a low-fat, low-cholesterol ,md low-salt contents. It makes a perfect diet for those hypertension persons who have been advised salt-restricted diets. It has been noted by modern researchers that wherever-rice is used as the main food, there is a corresponding benefit of youthful vitality and a very low rate of hypertension. Calcium in brown rice, in particular, soothes and relaxes the nervous system and helps relieve the symptoms of high blood pressure.

NUTRITION & FOOD

Body Balance The rice diet, in combination with milk, creates a marvellous body balance. In this regimen, natural brown rice is used as the only solid food throughout the day. Fresh milk is taken with each of the rice meals. The rice may be cooked in any manner but no salt should be used. The milk â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;should he comfortably cool. The nutrients in the rice, form a unique balance with those in the milk. The two notable amino acids, isoleucine and lysine in the milk are greatly strengthened by rice protein, thereby enabling them to form stronger body-building blocks: The naturally lactic acid in milk works with rice protein to aid in the absorption of iron.

Digestive System Disorders Rice has a very low fibre content, and is therefore extremely soothing to the digestive system This makes rice an ideal food for digestive system disorders. Thick gruel of rice mixed with glassful of butter milk and a well-ripe banana given twice a day is a very nutritious diet in typhoid, gastric ulcer, stomach and intestinal cancer, colitis, diarrhea, dysentery, piles, rectal fissure, indigestion, in acute febrile diseases related to fever, hepatitis or inflammation of liver, jaundice, morning sickness, acute dilatation of the stomach, burning and indigestion due to hiatus hernia, excessive accumulation of the gas in the intestines, and all the diseases where the mild and light diet is indicated.

Diarrhoea in Children Rice is useful in treating diarrhoea in children. A teaspoonful of powder of charred par-boiled rice mixed with a glassful of butter-milk should be given every half an hour in this condition. This will bring excellent results.

Skin Inflammation Rice may also be used externally in the form of powder or poultice. The rice flour, dusted thickly over the surface, has a very cooling and soothing effect in small-pox, measles, prickly heat and other inflammatory affections of the skin including burns and scalds. It allays heat and irritation. Rice powder should be used soon after the occurrence of injury in case of burns and scalds and it should be dusted thickly over the whole of the affected surface. F

From: www.best-home-remedies.com

FOOD is the primary thing that affects us. If what we put inside our bodies does not affect us, what could? Once we know this, then it becomes easier to select foods that add to our strength, spirituality, and beauty, because each meal becomes part of who we are at the deepest level. Food is exacting. The face is truly a canvas upon which our food choices paint an accurate picture. The body is truly a sculpture, chiselled and polished by our food choices.â&#x20AC;? David Wolfe, Eating For Beauty Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Do you think rice is nothing more than a side dish? As the staple food for more than half of the world’s population, rice has earned its reputation as an indispensable grain. For many societies, rice is not only an integral part of life, but also a way of life.

Rice has been cultivated since at least 5,000 B.C. Impressed? We are. This descendent of a wild grass first cultivated in the foothills of the Himalayas can now be grown in practically any climate and condition, not just in the wet paddies of water-flooded farm fields, as is widely presumed.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF RICE Hungry for paella? Want to settle into a bowl of pilaf? Dive into some sushi? Well, then, you’d better know your stuff. “Long grain” is just a generic classification for rice whose milled grains are at least three times as long as they are wide. (Don’t worry; you don’t have to be good at math to love rice.) Common varieties are usually simply labeled “long grain,” but you might know them as basmati, Carolina, jasmine or Texmati. With “medium grain” rice, the grains are less than three times as long as they are wide. Look for bomba, carnaroli, arborio, vialone, Valencia or Thai sticky rice, to name a few. This is the last one that involves math, we promise. “Short grain” rice indicates grains that are less than twice as long as they are wide. To confuse things a bit, though, medium grain and short grain rice are often combined into this one category, which includes sushi and CalRose rice.

RICE: LEARN TO TALK THE TALK We think it’s helpful to understand a few simple terms when you’re shopping for rice to make a great meal. To answer consumer needs, and aid in making quicker meals, rice manufacturers have done a little of the work themselves. Sound good? Read on, rice lover. “Polished” rice refers to white rice that’s been polished to remove its bran and germ. Look for “parboiled” rice if you prefer your rice fluffy. It cooks a bit slower than regular white rice because it’s been processed so that the starch in each grain is gelatinised. But this also infuses each kernel with some of the bran’s nutrients, so eat up! “Converted rice” has in fact not changed religions. It’s simply parboiled rice that’s been further precooked. Look for this option if you’re in a hurry to get supper on the table. In the spirit of being honest, we think you should know that “instant” or “quick” rice, which is processed to cook faster than regular rice, is often lacking in flavour and texture. We won’t fault you if you’re in a hurry, just promise us you’ll make the regular stuff on occasion, too. If you’re looking for a healthful rice choice, look no further than “brown” rice. Just like whole wheat bread, it’s much more nutritious than its white counterpart, in this case because it retains the bran.

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NUTRITION & FOOD

Drumroll, please! “Wild” rice isn’t actually rice at all. In fact, it’s the nutty-tasting seed of a long-grain marsh grass. But it’s great in pilafs, so we’ll give it a well-earned honourable mention.

RICE PREPARATION Rinsing Though modern processing techniques are effective at removing impurities and producing clean, consistent rice, many people still prefer rinsing it before cooking. Proponents say another benefit of rinsing is removing any loose starch, making it less sticky for more consistent cooking.

Soaking Some rice (Basmati, for example), cook better after soaking in water to soften the grains for better texture or to prevent breaking of brittle varieties. Most sticky rice won’t cook properly without soaking, so if your recipe requires it, listen up.

3 METHODS FOR COOKING RICE Most people assume there is just one way to cook rice, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Forbidden black rice

This is the most popular method for cooking rice, using a set amount of rice and a set amount of water for a set amount of time. By the time the water is absorbed, the rice should be done.

Legend says this purple-black rice was originally grown only for the emperors of China. It’s prized for its fragrant aroma, nutty taste and nutritional value.

Steaming Method

Bhutanese red rice

Absorption Method

To avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot, this is usually the preferred method for cooking sticky rice. Soaked and drained rice is put in a special steaming basket or pan over a pot or wok of boiling water and cooked with steam alone.

Boiling Method In this method, the rice is cooked much like pasta. The rice is sprinkled into a large pot of boiling salted water then stirred often to prevent sticking or burning. After cooking, be sure to drain it immediately and thoroughly, then rinse quickly in cold water to halt the cooking. (Note: don’t try this method with sticky rice.)

Grown at an elevation of 8,000 feet in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, this premium heirloom variety contains trace minerals that make for a beautiful russet colour and complex, nutty flavour.

Black Japonica rice

If the uncooked rice in the pot is more than 4cm deep, then choose a larger pot.

This is actually a blend 25% black short-grain japonica and 75% mediumgrain mahogany-red rice. It’s chewy but tender and full of flavour, making it great for stuffing or rice salads.

Use a tight-fitting lid so the steam will stay in the pot while the rice cooks.

Wehani™ rice

A Few General Cooking Tips:

When preparing large quantities of rice, consider cooking it in two or three smaller batches. Oddly enough, microwaving rice takes no less time than cooking on the stovetop. F

From Dr. Ben Kim’s Healthy Living blog 5th July 2011: drbenkim.com

This one’s quite unique, with a red bran layer and an aroma not unlike hot, buttered popcorn. It’s also chewy, sweet and reminiscent of brown basmati rice. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

By Craig Nicholson The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, the oldest-known book of Chinese medicine and the foundation of the macrobiotic diet is based on the yinyang principle. It describes a ten-day rice gruel fast as the first remedy for disease.

more after the rice fast before eating fish, if this is part of your regular diet. Because of the past diets people have been on, reactions may vary from severe to mild to none at all. Go easy, be well informed, proceed with caution, and know when to stop.

Food as the primary treatment for disease

Recipe for pressure-cooked brown rice

Ronald E. Kotzsch writes in Macrobiotics: Yesterday and Today that The Yellow Emperor’s Classic “asserts that food is an important means for treating disease. It says that in `medieval days’ the sages treated illness first by diet, usually prescribing a regime of rice gruel (short grain brown rice) for ten days. If this treatment was not successful, then the roots and leaves of medicinal plants were used to harmonise the energies. Acupuncture and moxibustion were employed only as a last resort. If the emotions and the will of the patient are stable, says the Classic, then cereals alone can effect a cure. Grains have a special importance and power as human food. Water and grains are the root of life and ‘death comes only when they are exhausted.’ In particular, rice is mentioned as a vital and harmonious food.”

1/2 teaspoon good sea salt to 4 cups of short grain brown rice (organic if possible) and 8 cups of pure water. Wash rice and put in pressure cooker. Add water and bring to a boil. Add salt and place cover on pressure cooker. Bring cooker up to pressure then reduce flame to medium-low. Put flame deflector under cooker and cook for 40 min. Remove pressure cooker from flame and let sit for 5 min. without opening, then remove rice from the pot so it doesn’t keep cooking. For regular daily use of brown rice when not fasting, use 1-2 teaspoons of salt per pot according to personal taste and need.

Fasting

Bancha twig tea (also called kukicha) can usually be bought in tea bags at a health food store. If you can only get the loose twigs, here is the recipe for it: If the twigs you have are not already roasted, you should roast them in a dry skillet for 3-4 min. Place 1-2 tablespoons bancha twigs in a pot with 4 cups of pure water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 min., or 1015 min. for stronger tea. When tea is finished steeping, remove twigs from the tea and let them dry. Twigs can be reused a few times, adding some new twigs each time. F

A ten-day brown rice fast may be too severe for those who have not already practiced the macrobiotic diet for some time. Such a fast is not recommended unless you get good macrobiotic counselling, know the body’s signs of yin and yang, and know how to break the fast. Instead, you can try a rice fast for one or two days. Eat as much pressure-cooked brown rice as you want. You can follow this with a couple of days of rice and vegetables with a light miso soup as the body gently comes off the rice fast and adapts to a greater variety of vegetarian foods. The longer the rice fast, the easier you should make the transition. It is wise to wait a week or

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Bancha Twig Tea While fasting this tea is beneficial in aiding the detoxification process.

From: http://wholesomebalance.com

in the news NUTRITION & FOOD

Older people who eat ‘healthy diets‘ officially lead longer lives Research in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found those who ate a low-fat diet that contained lots of fruit and vegetables lowered their risk of dying over 10 years. The study compared the diets of 2,500 US adults aged 70 to 79. Those who ate a high fat diet rich in ice cream, cheese, and whole milk, had the highest risk of death. The study showed that 12 extra people in every hundred survived over the ten years, if they ate healthily. Participants were split into six different groups, according to how often they ate certain foods. The groups were: healthy foods; high-fat diary products; meat, fried foods and alcohol; breakfast cereal; refined grains and sweets and desserts. Those who had a “healthy foods” diet ate more low-fat dairy products, fruit, whole grains, poultry, fish, and vegetables. People in this group had healthier lifestyles too; smoking less and being more active than other participants. They also ate lower amounts of meat, fried foods, sweets, high-calorie drinks, and added fat. The “high fat dairy products” cluster ate more ice cream, cheese and whole milk and yogurt. They ate less poultry, low fat dairy products, rice, and pasta. Researchers found that those who followed a predominantly high fat, dairy products diet, had a higher death risk than

those in the healthy food group. No significant differences in death risk were seen between the “healthy foods” eaters and the “breakfast cereal” or “refined grains” eaters. Lead researcher, Dr Amy Anderson, from the University of Maryland, said the results suggest “older adults who ...consume relatively high amounts of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lowfat dairy products, poultry and fish, may have a lower risk of mortality”.

Saturated fat British dietitian Lucy Jones, who is a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said that saturated fat and trans fatty acids (a type of fat found in processed foods) were a common factor for those in the higher risk groups. “The most harmful food groups appear to be the ‘sweets and desserts’ group and the ‘high fat dairy group’ in terms of risk of death,” she said. “These groups are both high in saturated fat and trans fatty acids in addition to calories, contributing to obesity and high cholesterol.” However, she noted that participants were not controlled for their weight and body mass index, which, she said, could mean that the increased risk of death was linked to being overweight. F

From BBC Health News: www.bbc.co.uk Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

basmati rice, black eyed peas & sunflower seeds brown & wild rice with herbs and garlic Fold chopped steamed vegetables or cubes of baked tofu into this easy side dish, if you like, and drizzle with fresh lemon juice.

Mushrooms and red capsicum combine with black-eyed peas in this flavourful vegetarian dish. Sunflower seeds add a crunchy finish, but pumpkin seeds taste great with this dish, too. Ingredients: 2 cups raw basmati rice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 (225g) package button mushrooms, sliced 1 red capsicum, cored, seeded and chopped Gluten-free tamari to taste 6 cups cooked black-eyed peas* (or 4 (425g) cans, rinsed and drained) Salt to taste 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds Directions: Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, red capsicum and tamari. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms release their liquid, about 7 minutes. Add black-eyed peas and salt and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Spoon black eyed-pea mixture over cooked rice, garnish with sunflower seeds and serve. *If preparing beans from scratch, soak overnight and cook on stove top or in pressure cooker until tender.

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Ingredients: 1 (170g) package long grain brown basmati and wild rice 1 tablespoon organic butter 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh herbs such as chives, basil, and parsley Directions: Prepare rice according to package instruction adding salt but leaving out added oil or butter. While rice is cooking, melt butter with oil in a sauté pan. Over very low heat, stir fry garlic for 1 minute being careful not to brown or burn. Add minced herbs and stir for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat. When rice is done, stir in herbs and garlic, making sure to get all of oil and butter in as well. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

brown jasmine rice pilaf Celery and shallots add crunch and delicate flavour to this fragrant pilaf. Perfect with stir fry dishes. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced shallot 1 cup brown jasmine or basmati rice, washed and well drained 2 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if desired) Sea salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and shallot and sauté for one minute. Add rice and sauté another 2 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until broth is absorbed.as well. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

RECIPES

baked rice and tempeh casserole While technically requiring two pots, we think you’ll still enjoy this simple baked casserole. The tempeh is tossed with garlic, shallot and tamari and briefly sautéed in olive oil for optimum flavour before combining with jasmine rice. Serve with sautéed spinach or broccoli for added colour and flavour. Ingredients: 2 (225g) packages tempeh, any flavour 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large shallot, minced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste or 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup jasmine rice 1 3/4 cups boiling water Directions: Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut tempeh into bite-size pieces, about 2cm cubes. Mix in a bowl with garlic, shallot, salt or tamari and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat. Stir-fry the tempeh mixture, stirring constantly, turning the tempeh to brown all sides, about 5 minutes. Place tempeh, rice, and boiling water in a deep baking dish or a 22x33cm pan. Cover tightly with foil or a tight fitting lid and bake for 30 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked completely.

almond & brown rice pudding A rich dessert that’s not too sweet but just enough to be enjoyed as a warm after-dinner treat. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pitted dates 1 cup uncooked brown rice 4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1/2 cup raisins 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup toasted, chopped slivered almonds Directions: Place dates in a bowl and pour 1/2 cup boiling water over them. Let soak 15 minutes, then transfer dates and water to a blender and puree until smooth to make a date syrup. Meanwhile, bring rice and almond milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the almond milk, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

1. There are more than 7,000 varieties of rice. 2. Asian countries produce about 90% of the world’s rice. 3. About one-third of the rice used in the U.S. is found in beer. 4. In Japan, the word for rice is the same as the word for “meal.”

Stir date syrup, raisins, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon and almonds into rice and serve warm.

Rice Recipes from Whole Foods Market website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Tabouleh is parsley salad worth its weight in gold. Each individual ingredient needs personal, painstaking preparation. Cutting the vegetables is an art form. This is a dish I learned during my time in Haifa, from my roommate Naifeh. We would have tabouleh days, and the girls would sit around together, methodologically chopping ingredient after ingredient. You can’t cheat by using a blender – it simply won’t work. I had an ex-boyfriend who didn’t believe me, and he wound up with parsley pesto. Working alone in my kitchen, it took me about an hour to prepare a one-litre bowl’s worth. Needless to say, this is not an everyday dish, but it’s nice for a treat. A good tabouleh is also quite an impressive dish to bring to a party or a picnic. Obviously, you can save time by not being quite as pedantic about finely chopping the vegetables. A note about the parsley – when I say one big bunch, I don’t mean a little plastic case from the herb section, but one of the loose bunches whose stems you barely can fit your hand around. Also, the two cucumbers are Israeli cucumbers meaning they’re approximately the length of your hand and a little thicker than your thumb.

Ingredients (for 1 litre of tabouleh): 1 big bunch parsley 2 green onions 6-8 stalks of mint 2 cucumbers 2 tomatoes 4 tablespoons olive oil 6 tablespoons wheat bulgur

1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cardamom 1/8 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large lemon salt

Directions: First, set aside the bulgur to soak, covered in warm water. Chop the ingredients one by one: Start with the parsley (see photos). Holding by the stems, rinse well, and remove any yellowing leaves. Now, grip the stems tightly against a cutting board, as close to the base as possible. Remove and discard the dried out tips (but preserving as much of the stems as you can – this is the base of the dish). I usually hold the bunch of parsley between my thumb and forefinger, knuckles against the cutting board and fingertips bent back toward the leafy tops. The idea is that you want to hold the parsley as firmly as possible, and as close to the cut end as you can. With a very sharp knife, start shaving off minuscule layers from the parsley stems (as in photo). The closer your hand is to the end of the bunch, and the tighter you’re holding the parsley, the more control you’ll have, and the smaller your parsley bits will be. Continue all the way up to the leaves, until the entire bunch has been turned into a mound of green sprinkles. Press the knife into the bunch, especially the leaves, to make the parsley bits even smaller. When everything is as finely chopped as you have patience for, toss into the bowl. The green onions and mint are relatively easy to chop. Chop the green onion into thin rings, and go over it a few times with the knife. Likewise, chop the mint into thin slivers and go over it a few times until well minced. Toss into the bowl. Now for the cucumbers and tomatoes, which are a bit more involved (see bottom photos). Remove the tip of the first cucumber and slice into the top, making parallel cuts, but no deeper than the knife blade goes without losing control (you don’t want to detach the cucumber slivers from the cucumber quite yet). Now, make cuts in the other direction, to make a fine grid. The cucumber should resemble a bristled paintbrush.

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RECIPES

cancer healing benefits of

Put the julienned cucumber top against the cutting board, and as with the parsley, shave off thin layers of cucumber. You should be getting very fine cubes. When you make it through the cucumber strings, repeat the “gridding” step. Chop all the cucumber this way, and toss into the bowl. You want to try the same thing with the tomato, but it never works quite as well – I always find that my tomatoes wind up too mushy to chop this finely. The sharper your knife, the less mushy your tomatoes will become. This is what I generally wind up doing: Slice the tomatoes in half, then slice each tomato half into thin strips. Gather the strips, and chop them into small pieces. Toss into the bowl. Now that all the vegetables are chopped and in one place, it’s time for the seasoning. Drain out the extra water from the bulgur, and then mix the bulgur with the dry spices. Add the bulgur to the vegetables, and toss with the olive oil. At the last minute before serving, add the lemon juice and salt to taste (or let every person add his or her own salt). To squeeze the lemon without a juicer: Squeeze it into the palm of your hand, catching the seeds while letting the juice drip between your fingers.

Parsley, which is often regarded as only a decorative garnish, is packed with anti-cancer flavones, including: quercetin, genistein, luteolin, and apigenin. Apigenin has been shown to have several anti-cancer effects, by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) and by inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels that feed a tumour in cancer cells of the colon, cervical, and prostate, skin, thyroid, gastric, and liver, and to inhibit migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Apigenin can have estrogen like activity and should be avoided for those with estrogen dependent cancer, however. However, apigenin does strongly inhibit growth of HER2/ neu overexpressing breast cancer cells. The flavone luteolin increases the effects of the chemo drug Taxol, and quercetin has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of estrogen-independent (ER) breast cancer cells. There are several types of Parsley, including Italian, flat leaf, and Cilantro (Chinese parsley). Antioxidant content reduces if grilled or fried, but increases if boiled. Parsely seed oil has oleic acid and has been shown to inhibit breast cancer, but is very concentrated. It needs to be avoided by pregnant women as it can lead to miscarriage, and also by those with kidney, heart, and liver disorders or if on certain medications. Parsley, which is also often called “rock-celery” is also a good source of vitamin A, C, folic acid, and vitamin K. It is native to the Mediterranean area (Italy, Algeria, and Tunisia), and is eaten as an herb, spice, and vegetable, and has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. The ancient Greeks considered parsley to be sacred, decorating tombs and also athletic stars. Cilantro (Chinese parsley, or Coriander) is popular in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking. When purchased, it should be rinsed and left moist and can be stored for up to a week. F

Tabouleh Recipe from: food.lizsteinberg.com Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

pretty summer Summer is the ideal time for leafy salads infused with the flavours of fresh flowers

Chickweed, violet & dandelion salad

Spring salad with jasmine flower vinaigrette Ingredients 1 tsp lemon juice 5 jasmine flowers 1 tsp Dijon mustard 3 tbs apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 8 cups home-grown mixed salad leaves (such as baby endive, baby spinach, baby rocket, coral green and baby beetroot leaves) 1 cup edible flower blossoms (such as lemon, nasturtium, pansies, violets, violas and borage) Method Place lemon juice, jasmine flowers, mustard, vinegar and oil into a small bowl. Gently mix to form a creamy dressing (the flavour from the jasmine flowers will add a touch of sweetness to the vinaigrette). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Wash and dry salad leaves then tear into bite-sized pieces. Remove stems and then wash flowers gently. Just before serving, whisk dressing then drizzle over salad leaves. Toss to combine then sprinkle with flowers and serve.

From: Notebook magazine Email your healing recipes and food news to the Wellness News editor: editor.wellness@yahoo.com.au

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Ingredients 3 cups Chickweed 3 cups grated carrots (4 or 5 medium carrots) Add any of the following: *Watercress *Violet leaves and flowers *small Dandelion leaves and flower petals *chopped Wild Leeks Method Toss everything together. You can serve it marinated or with dressing on the side. Sprinkle with Violet flowers and Dandelion petals.

From: www.prodigalgardens.info

Chickweed is excellent as a base for a wild salad, meaning it provides the bulk of the green in place of lettuce. It has a sweet gentle flavour without a hint of bitterness and is also a powerful healer. As a healing food, chickweed is useful in weightloss and lowering cholesterol. It also makes an excellent salve, useful for all manner of skin ailments. It is used as a poultice for dissolving skin tumours because of its high saponin content, a safe eyewash for conjunctivitis and other eye problems. It can even be used on newborn babies, as it is a very safe, gentle, mild herb. It grows anywhere but will thrive in gardens, landscaped areas and backyards.

Shiitake Mushrooms have been used medicinally in Asian cultures for years to enhance health. In our salad, they offer a vital source of rich minerals and protein. Enoki mushrooms are another key ingredient that stimulates the immune system and is antiviral. Salad Ingredients 6 cups herb-salad mixed greens 1 cup enoki mushrooms, de-stemmed and rinsed 6 large shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and rinsed 1/8 cup fresh stemmed cilantro (or coriander) 1 hothouse cucumber, julienned 1/4 cup chopped green onions 2 large Hass avocados, diced. 1 cup seaweed of your choice (pre soaked for 20 minutes) Salad Dressing Ingredients 1/4 cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp. miso paste 1 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard 1 clove garlic 1 tsp. agave nectar 1 dash cayenne pepper 1 green onion Dressing Preparation Blend well and chill until ready for use. This dressing will keep 10 days in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups. Salad Preparation Slice shiitake mushrooms lengthwise into 1/2 cm thick pieces. Add 2 Tbsp salad dressing, and toss well so that all mushrooms are well coated. Add mixed greens, seaweed, avocado, capsicum, green onions, and cucumber. Toss well. For serving, split into equal portions and top with enoki mushrooms; garnish with additional cilantro (coriander) and green onions for an extra-spicy bite. Makes 4 serves.

Dietary Recommendations

RECIPES

Shiitake & Seaweed Superfood Salad

• Do Not Eat foods that cancer cells consume with ease and convert into energy – such as refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, refined flour, refined grains, and simple carbohydrates like white rice, macaroni, spaghetti, and pasta. The body quickly converts these foods into glucose, the main source of energy for cancer cells. • Do Not Eat foods that compromise the immune system, thus encouraging the growth of cancer cells. They include corn oil, soy oil, as well as other polyunsaturated and hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, including margarine; also, aspartame, chemical preservatives, and food additives. • Do Not Eat animal protein, especially meat, most dairy (including cheese and pasteurized milk, as they make body chemistry more acidic, and they weaken the all important immune system). Moreover, animal protein has no fibre and this contributes to sluggish bowel regularity. As a result, this makes for a more cancer-friendly environment. • We should eat Super Foods which bolster the immune system, provide much needed fibre and antioxidants. They create an alkaline environment rich in protein-digesting enzymes and in oxygen. Super Foods are: Garlic, Apricot Kernels, Asparagus, Deep Green Leafy Vegetables (e.g., collard greens, turnip greens, kale, and their freshly squeezed juices). Note that leafy green vegetables are rich sources of magnesium and alkalizing and oxygen producing nutrients; Papaya and Papaya Seeds (rich in cancer fighting protein digesting enzymes); Pineapple; Turmeric spice, Green tea and Aloe Vera (strong anti-inflammatory and alkalizing foods); Seaweed (excellent source of much needed iodine and selenium); Essiac tea (body detoxifier); Legumes, which are complex carbohydrates such as lima beans, lentils, and black-eyed peas; Soy Sprouts (a complete source of easily digestible protein that also promotes alkaline body chemistry); Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables (including red capsicum, yellow capsicum, pomegranates, blackberries, figs, raspberries); Whole grains (mainly millet and oatmeal). F

wellness NEWS

hydrating, beautifying By Kimberley Snyder

During summer, we need to take care to stay hydrated to be healthy, maintain energy and keep our skin and hair looking its absolute best. The question is: what are the best beverages to help with this process? Here are 5 great beautifying, hydrating drinks. 1. Hot water with lemon: Start the day off right, with a mug of fresh water heated up and some lemon to add a punch of Vitamin C and to help flush out your system.

Glowing Green Smoothie Ingredients: 1 ½ cups water 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped ½ head of large bunch or ¾ of small bunch spinach 3-4 stalks celery 1 apple, cored and chopped 1 pear, cored and chopped 1 banana Juice of ½ lemon

2. Glowing Green Juice: Thirsty? If you have a juicer you can follow the same basic recipe as the GGS (see panel at left) for lots of liquid packed with the bonus of antioxidants, enzymes and minerals. 3. Coconut water: Contains lots of potassium and minerals, and very hydrating. Comes in convenient recloseable cartons which are now widely available. 4. Iced herbal teas: Right now my favourite is peach rooibos. Herbal iced teas add great flavour, antioxidants, and doesn’t have the caffeine of iced green or black tea. I drink mine unsweetened, but you could sweeten yours with stevia if you like.

Optional: 1/3 bunch coriander 1/3 bunch parsley Directions: Add the water and chopped head of romaine and spinach to the blender. Starting the blender on a low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple and pear. Add the coriander and parsley if you choose. Add the banana and lemon juice last.

5. Watermelon: At around 92% water, watermelon is so refreshing! Remember you can hydrate with fruit. The way to make this is a drink is to simply blend it with a bit of cold water, then you have a great watermelon smoothie to sip on at your desk!

Note: use organic ingredients where possible.

From: www.kimberlysnyder.net

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

NUTRITION & FOOD

Getting outdoors for fresh air and exercise is a great way to fight cancer

because it helps to reduce blood sugar levels, which reduces insulin levels. Exercise also causes one to sweat, which gets rid of xenobiotic toxins. Why not combine the exercise with the quest for a healthy diet by planting and maintaining a vegetable garden? Or, consider planting a moringa tree for its nutritional value and potential to fight cancer, especially if you live in a dry, arid area. Dubbed the “miracle tree” by many, it is said that its cooked leaves have an estimated 17 times the calcium of milk, 10 times the vitamin A of carrots, 15 times the potassium of bananas, 25 times the iron of spinach and 4 times the protein of eggs. In addition to the leaves, the seed pods (drumstick) and other parts of the tree can be eaten as part of a tasty, nutritious dish. The moringa tree has long been recognised by traditional healers as valuable in the treatment of tumours. Although the scientific research into the effects of the moringa tree on cancer has been limited, there appears to be some evidence in support of the traditional healers’ faith in the moringa tree. For example, the journal Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention reported that a dramatic reduction in skin papillomas was demonstrated in a mouse after ingesting a moringa seedpod. The journal, Planta Medica, which is considered to be one of the leading international journals in the field of medicinal plants and natural products, documented results that shows that niazimicin, a phytochemical found in the Moringa tree, inhibited tumour promotion in a mouse two-stage DMBA-TPA tumour model. Can the moringa tree prevent cancer in humans? According to researcher Jed W. Fahey, “Neither the prevention of cancer nor the modification of relevant biomarkers of the protected state has been adequately demonstrated in human subjects”. However, when commenting on whether the Moringa tree could prevent cancer, he had this to say: “Does this mean that it doesn’t work? No. It may well work, but more rigorous study is required in order to achieve a level of proof required for full biomedical endorsement of Moringa as, in this case, a cancer preventative plant”. Will the big drug companies invest money researching a tree that can grow like a weed in your back garden? Hardly! If the claims about the Moringa tree’s ability to treat or prevent cancer are true, it could put them out of business. F

The Moringa Tree is used widely in Ayurvedic Medicine. Daily consumption of the Moringa Leaf Powder yields the following benefits: • Antioxidants • Nourishes Body’s Immune System • Promotes Healthy Circulatory System • Anti-Inflammatory • Provides a Sense of Well-Being • Supports Normal Blood Glucose Levels • Promotes Healthy Digestion • Increases Energy • Enhances Skin Health • Promotes Normal Liver Function • Reduces the Appearance of Wrinkles • Promotes Normal Serum Cholesterol • Promotes Healthy Cell Structure • Nourishes the Eyes and Brain • Triggers Metabolism • Promotes Body’s Natural Defenses

From: www.naturalnews.com. In Australia the Moringa Tree is also known as the DRUMSTICK tree.You may find it in your nursery or from the online nursery at www. daleysfruit.com.au Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Meeting the Challenge Manjimup CSA’s Meeting the Challlenge facilitator Cathy Brown and Counsellor Mike Sowerby were recently invited to Manjimup to host the Seminar for local people with cancer and their carers. Mike Sowerby shares his experiences... W

hat a wonderful opportunity and dare I say brilliant success Meeting the Challenge in Manjimup has been this past weekend. Our hearty thanks to Cathie Hordienko…and her team for making possible the time and space to bring the work of the CSA to regional WA. Cathie’s father Mike has cancer, her love and concerns for his and others wellbeing the driving force for her outstanding commitment to ‘Meeting the Challenge’ in Manjie.

Organiser Cathie Hordienko (left) with Mike and Cathy from CSA.

We arrived to find a beautifully prepared space complete with facility for local therapists to interact with participants, huge room for our group work and much tasty and lovingly prepared food for lunch and breaks. To top things off, wonderful ‘door’ prizes provided by local community businesses. It was immediately evident that those who attended were eager to engage, to learn, share what it is they could do to help themselves and each other. The carers had an opportunity to share their experiences with each other making links for future support, so vital in the total approach to wellbeing.

. Healthy, nutritious lunch prepared by Maxine and Meg

At lunch we counted thirty participants, carers, practitioners, those with cancer, engaged in conversation about meditation, nutrition, and the value of coming together in a way that helps to lighten the load. Folks sharing and encourage, swapping ideas for a richer more informed experience of meeting the cancer challenge. For us as CSA facilitators a wonderful opportunity to meet and hear the voice of those experiencing cancer in regional WA. To know that the work we do in promoting a holistic approach to wellbeing, to meeting the challenge of cancer is much appreciated and that there is a great desire to further and strengthen those links It is very satisfying to see 100% of participants rated the Meeting the Challenge experience as ‘highly beneficial’ in their feedback forms and all wished to make it an annual event.

Cathy Brown presenting the Seminar at the Manjmup Equestrian Centre.

Our personal thanks and appreciation to Lesley and Alex Polley at ‘Kettle B&B’ for their generous hospitality and to the many hands ‘behind the scenes’ working to bring this great event to fruition. F

The CSA Wellness Team is ready to bring Meeting the Challenge Seminar to your community. If you feel there is a need in your town for a weekend cancer wellness program and you are willing to help organise the event contact Cathy Brown at CSA on (08) 9384 3544. 94

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

INSPIRATIONS

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” “An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”

“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.” “It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

“I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.” “I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” “Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”

“Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.” Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

This printed edition of Wellness News was funded by generous donations from the following businesses... Thorn Roofing Kwikfit S Algie Learner Focussed Training Speed Plumbing Pty Ltd Elizabeth Calder Margaret Heenan Dencona Pty Ltd Dependable Laundry Solutions West Coast HI FI Filters Plus PF Ritchie Alfa Mortgage CA & MJ Lommers

Bathroom International Ezy Fit Doors DCE Electricial Trevor Milners Tree Lopping Industrial Scrubbing & Sweeping Fremantle Stone MPS Architects Chantec Pty Ltd CGA Mining Ltd Australian Pressure Testing Services Egan National Valuers

CSA would also like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their recent major donations to CSA Christmas Island Airport Stall Cottesloe Golf Club Rose Herbert Medical & Health Services Social Club Sisters of St John of God Wembley IGA

And a special thanks to Geraldine Rust from the CSA Fundraising Team who has worked tirelessly raising funds to print Wellness News. 96

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Attend the Gawler Foundation

Bursary Program for West Australians to attend the Life and Living Cancer Self Help Program in Victoria

The Gawler Foundation, through the generosity of the the Foster and Dorothy Brady Trust, are able to offer substantial bursaries to people from Western Australia who would like to attend the Foundation’s world renowned Life and Living Cancer Self Help Program in Victoria. If you or a family member have a diagnosis of cancer and you would like to attend the program please contact The Gawler Foundation by phone on (03) 5967 1730 or email info@gawler.org. The bursary can be used to assist you with fees, flights or having a carer come along with you to attend the program.

A question was posed to Dalai Lama: “What is the thing about humanity that surprises you the most?” His answer: “Man – because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn’t enjoy the present, And as a result he doesn’t live in the present or the future. And he lives as if he’s never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”

PERSONAL STORY

When you are a man will you remember Suki? He was my best friend and almost constant companion for nearly six years. When Suki first came into my life I was on a summer camp volunteering with disabled people at Point Peron. A friend bought him to me and I loved him immediately. He was a gorgeous, big, fat six week old puppy who I hid in my room for a week. He was soon discovered by the guests who spent the week having Suki jump all over them eating burgers from their hands and licking their ankles! Suki is still a puppy at heart, but may be feeling a bit left out now that you are here demanding our love and attention! He has cancer, lymphoma, but seems quite well at the moment. He’s technically in remission. It was all quite a shock. It had never really occurred to me that dogs get cancer too. We’ve all accompanied Suki on his healing journey. We initially took him to an oncologist and he was soon having chemo at the Murdoch Uni vet hospital . The treatment was quite mild but he wasn’t too keen on being apart from us so we aborted that path of treatment and opted for natural healing. We went along to various practitioners, and little Suki experienced reiki, kinesiology, craniosacral balancing, bush flower essences and an organic mineral enriched diet! His tumours have gone for now, but I’m still scared for him. Anyway you and Suki are becoming great friends - you try to lick inside each other ’s mouths! A bit unhygienic so I don’t encourage it. Since you started crawling six weeks ago you follow him around trying to climb him and pull his tail. Long life and good luck to Suki!

This is a very sad time for our little family. Our beloved Suki died on Monday just before 5pm. We knew beforehand, as this was the appointed time for euthanasia. In the last two weeks he suffered a lot from the cancer. He had many tumours and internal bleeding and bruising from low platelets. Making the decision to have him put down was the most “gracious” thing we could do (according to the vet) but it was such a terrible, painful decision. Since then we’ve cried a lot and let Suki do all his favourite things – swimming at the beach, chasing ducks at Roley Pool, eating toast, licking our plates and sleeping in our bed! I think he knew, on a spiritual level, that his life in his little dog’s body was almost at an end. A kinesiologist friend said Suki knew he would soon be free even though he had no concept of death or physical suffering. On Monday we tried to act like it was a normal day. We went to a lake but he didn’t have the energy to run around much so we sat under a tree and he waded through the water with ducks and rubbed his back on the grass with his legs in the air. Then we took him to say goodbye to his friend Shanti. They were quiet and just sat together. Dogs are funny. They seem to have a telepathic communication we can only guess at. Suki was happy when we arrived at the vet because he loved Zafia, the spiritual healer. After 10 minutes with her he calmly lay on the floor with his eyes closed. He seemed ready, so we called

It has been 10 years since Suki died of cancer. It didn’t occur to me at the time that pets get cancer too. I remember Suki in these excerpts from letters I wrote at the time to my baby son Orlando... in Carolyn, the vet. I gave Suki a Freddo frog and Carolyn put the needle in his paw, he yelped and jumped under a chair. He’s always hated needles and it took ages for us to calm him down. Carolyn came back with a sedative for him. I had to ask Jon to take you out because you were tired, grumpy and crying! Suki couldn’t let go and relax while you were crying. I spent a few minutes alone with Suki and told him how much I loved him and always will, and that you and Jon love him too. I told him his duty to me was over, he was free to go. Then I chanted Suki Om, Om Suki until he sighed and closed his eyes. That seemed like his moment of surrender. Zafia and Carolyn came back in and injected him with the fluorescent yellow fluid. Within 30 seconds he died. I continued to cuddle him and about a minute later felt a shudder in his throat. Zafia had been holding him too, to help with the passage of his soul, and at that moment she said his spirit is gone. And it really felt like it was. All that was left in the room was me, Zafia, and his body wet with our tears. Zafia was very moved by Suki, she saw him as a dignified, loyal and gracious being and was honoured to share his last moments. I’m not sure what happens to a soul after it leaves the body. I like to imagine it dissipates and becomes limitless and free (like in meditation) but just in case Suki’s individual soul remains intact I just want to say, Suki you can be with me at any time. And since then he has visited me in dreams, I’ve felt him brush against me in the night, and am comforted by his all-embracing presence on the wind. ~ Mandy

Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

I recently visited Ubud in the hills of Bali where my husband and I took a break to relax and enjoy each other’s company away from the busyness of home and work. Ubud is the cultural centre of Bali with many artists, writers and healers residing there amongst the villagers. It was deeply nurturing, replenishing and creatively inspiring to be in that spiritual environment amongst the gentle Balinese souls. On our meandering walks through rice fields and villages, we reflected on our 10 years together and the life we have co-created and marvelled at how much we have grown spiritually and emotionally and how far our deep commitment to family, healing and uplifting others has taken us. After all this time we still celebrate love! One thing I’ve learnt through relationships with others is that before any lifelong commitment can truly be made it is necessary to heal and resolve past hurts which may be unconsciously driving our behaviour or influencing our choices. The past is inextricably linked to the present, even if we don’t consciously realise it. This can be undertaken in one of two ways: we undergo some kind of therapy or healing work; or we trust that life will present us with issues, situations and even dreams which will help us to clear a pathway into the future. We also need to be clear about the future implications of our life choices. When we are free of the past and have unburdened any hurts, we can think clearly about the future and honestly make a whole-hearted lifelong commitment, knowing the choice we are making will lead to happiness and harmony. Healing from illness is much like this. In order to be well it is necessary to love and accept ourselves in the way we already love and accept our husband, our wife. We make a wholehearted commitment: to be well, and do everything we can towards being well. And then we do what we can to address any issues or situations which may be holding us back. In a union like marriage love grows and fills the space between two people. When we embark on a healing journey love grows within our own hearts, transforming and healing our lives from the inside. When our hearts are filled with love, we can’t help but be happy, be accepting of ourselves and our circumstances, make healthy choices and attract good experiences into our lives. ~ Mandy

Cancer Support Association

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

BECOME A CSA MEMBER

Receive Wellness News every month by becoming a CSA member Wellness News is published online monthly for members of the Cancer Support Association. Membership is $50 per year and you can join easily online or use the form below... Membership of the Cancer Support Association entitles you to many benefits including: • Subscription to Wellness News (12 online issues, 1 special printed edition every year) • A place on the life-changing ‘Meeting the Challenge’ Cancer Wellness Seminar • Members’ prices on all CSA activities including yoga, qigong, reflexology & seminars • 15% discount on all items from the Wellness Shop • access to our world-class wellness library

I would like to become a CSA member for $50 per annum, and have enclosed AUD$50 I would like to make a donation to CSA. Enclosed is $25

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Enclosed is my cheque/money order OR please debit my credit card detailed below: BankCard Master Card Visa Card AMEX Diners Card No Expiry Date

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Please post to: Cancer Support Association of WA PO Box 325, Cottesloe W.A. 6911 OR email: csa@cancersupport wa.org.au

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www.cancersupportwa.org.au The Cancer Support Association of WA Inc is a registered charity and non-profit organisation, formed to help people affected by cancer. The Association relies on donations, bequests and member subscriptions to continue its services. Summer 2011/2012

wellness NEWS

Each year at Christmas time there is a hole made in the veil, and for a little while the truth of Love is alight within the hearts of humankind. Each year, for a little while, the flow of life returns to giving, and somewhere in many human hearts, Love is paramount again. Even the grieving that seems to be a result of the holiday season is actually from remembering a greater Love and missing it. It is not those old relationships or even loneliness that makes people sad. It is the message whispered through the heart of the glorious Love that is meant to be yours. It is the agony of missing it, of lives unwound, of hearts reversed. It is the call of the Christ child in every person, asking each if they will come to worship. Each year the story of Christmas speaks to the soul, stirring within it that which remembers that it is your story, each of you, as well as that of Jesus...

In the frenzy of buying, consuming and trying to please those around us we can sometimes forget the sacredness of Christmas. The joy is in the tradition of remembering and respecting our Christian heritage, in the giving, sharing, and in the just ‘being’ with those we love. It is a time to be grateful for the many gifts we have already received in our life, the gifts of family, friendship, of life itself. The most sacred and special presents I have ever received are those small things given from the heart. For example when my little son was three years old he felt overwhelmed with the desire to give something. But not having any tangible present to give, and knowing how much I love yoga, he gave an impromptu demonstration of some of my favourite poses. It was the funniest and most touching present I have received, and I’ll never forget it! Whatever our circumstances, the mere fact that we are here, that we have a body, a mind, a heart, and are able to have such experiences is a blessing in itself. The most important words we can say this Christmas are ‘thank you! ~ Mandy

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Cancer Support Association

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Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees. Danish: Glædelig Jul. Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon Finnish: Hyvää Joulua French: Joyeux Noël German: Froehliche Weihnachten Greek: Kala Christouyenna Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit Italian: Buon Natale or Buone Feste Natalizie Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha Latin: Natale hilare Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu Norwegian: God Jul Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia Portuguese: Feliz Natal Russian: Srozhdestovm Kristovim Spanish: Feliz Navidad Swahili: Kuwa na Krismasi njema Thai: Suksun Wan Christmas Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

All of life is interconnected. All of us breathe the same air, and it is this air that connects us to all other living beings. The air we breathe contains energy – a life-force energy – which sustains us and gives us life. Without this life-force energy there would be no vitality in the air and no life. It is our duty as custodians of this earth to care for our planet, its atmosphere, and for each and every one of its inhabitants. The earth is rapidly changing, degenerating, and urgently requires healing. The very air is becoming toxic, forests and whole ecosystems are disappearing, our food is devitalised, our atmosphere is thinning, the earth is warming, glaciers melting...and the earth’s inhabitants are becoming sicker and sicker – physically and psychologically. It is unlikely that the earth can indefinitely sustain humanity in its current form. Already many of us are suffering from the adverse effects of a ‘sick’ environment and struggle to be truly ‘well’. Because of the sheer scale of environmental damage already done, many of us feel helpless to instigate real changes, and have become quite complacent. We know that our cars and worldly goods and consumable items pollute the planet, and that in turn a polluted planet contributes to our illnesses, but what can we really do, individually, to enhance life on earth? There are no easy answers, but we can start to live more ‘consciously’. When we make choices as consumers we should consider the future environmental implications of those choices. If we ignore the advertising campaigns, collectively stop buying certain products to reduce demand, companies will eventually stop producing them! Sure, some of these products may seem essential to our lifestyle...so maybe the key is to change our lifestyles. It may sound simplistic and unscientific, but another strategy is to pray. Prayer helps to evoke compassion and humility within our own hearts, and it is in this spirit that healing and transformation takes place. We share here an American Indian Prayer which evokes the healing spirit...

Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world – hear me. I come before you, one of your children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength but not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to conquer MYSELF. Make me ever ready to come to you, with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades like a fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame. ~ Yellow Hawk, Sioux Chief

~ Mandy Summer 2011/2012

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Website www.cancersupportwa.org.au Email csa@cancersupportwa.org.au. Phone (08) 9384 3544, Fax 9384 6196 80 Railway St Cottesloe WA, PO Box 325 Cottesloe WA 6911

Cancer Support Association