WHY DO I FEEL THIS WAY?

Imagine yourself on a grassy hillside in the country side in the late morning sun; you’re all chilled out; you conjure up a biggg yawn and stretch your arms wide up above your head; you’re ripe and ready for a snooze.  Are you there?  Okay… don’t get too comfy, we’ll be changing your menu pretty quick.  Suddenly, you catch a glimpse of this tall black furry creature creeping into your serene picnic sight.  Instantly; you’re now feeling this uncontrollable urge to relieve yourself and break out into a hundred yard dash… all at the same time.  What happened; what changed your nap menu?  Hold on to that thought; we’ll be going into that scenario a little deeper in a bit; meanwhile;

Welcome to the Endocrine System.  The endocrine system is nothing short of rocket science to say the least; nonetheless, even rockets are governed by laws of nature; therefore, we should be able to at least figure out the principals of how it all works.  The endocrine system is a glandular maze, composed of mega sensors, glands and organs, which are in a state of perpetual interaction with one another… a pretty sociable bunch.  It can be likened to an intricate test station, equipped with very sensitive antennas and sophisticated, communication technology… all natural… and on automatic pilot, for the most part, anyway.  Conditions occurring, not only on the inside of our body, but also on the outside of your body are perpetually being monitored, and our body will automatically adjust accordingly.  The Endocrine System operates on both; electrical impulses and chemical substances.  This is important to know; it’s no secret that today’s environment is seriously challenged by both; electrical activity and chemicals, like never before.  One need not wonder why anxiety, sleep and/or depression is surfacing in epidemic proportions today.

HOW IT’S ALL… SUPPOSED… TO WORK:

To my shock and dismay, so called; medical science really doesn’t have a handle on this function of the body; consequently, the Pharmaceutical health care fix has always been… and still is; chemical (synthetic) intervention.  However; this is not to suggest that the Pharmaceutical approach is a total failure; it saves mega lives daily; my own family members included.  Insulin for diabetes would probably be the most prominent example of that.  My son fell prey to what has been called; Type 1 Diabetes at age 9; he required immediate insulin injections or he would have died.  The problem is; he still requires daily insulin injections 30 some years after the fact.  In other words; a pharmaceutical chemical intrusion merely filled in for a bodily malfunction somewhere down the line and we’re no closer to solving/fixing the problem than when it happened.  However; we will continue our quest for a remedy, regardless of science’s absence.

***Refer to section entitled; ‘Journey for Life,’ for the rest of that story.

Meanwhile; the following information is the result of my own personal research… only; i cannot authenticate any of it… and so bear with me as i share my version of how it has been said to all work.  In other words; imagine the prefix; ‘apparently,’ in bold on just about everything you read as i’m merely parroting what other researchers claim to be factual.  Hmm… how’s that for a grandstand apology before i even start?

However; let’s investigate; i’ll begin with the Endocrine team; the Hypothalamus Gland appears to be the captain of the ship with the Pituitary Gland, its immediate side kick.  These guys hang out in the back and base of your head and so if you’ve ever seriously injured the back of your head… like 95% of us, then you very well might be sailing without a captain, so to speak.  Howbeit; these two guys in particular are apparently responsible for much of how we think and feel every day.  Also located in the skull is the Pineal Gland.  This little guy, often referred to as the ‘third eye,’ is located between the eyes just above the nose.  It is apparently our connection to the spirit realm.  It has something to do with your sleepless nights… hmm… bad boy, sometimes.  Moving on downward from the head, located just above that little notch, immediately above your rib cage in the neck area, is the Thyroid Gland.  This gland is the object of much scrutiny these days; it has been associated with metabolism and blamed for weight gain and lack of energy, in particular… another baaad boy.  Attached to the thyroid gland is the Parathyroid Gland.  This gland apparently has a lot to do with maintaining calcium levels in the blood.  Just a few inches below the Thyroid and Parathyroid glands, we have the Thymus Gland, an important player in our immune function, better described as our; regulatory function.  Heading further downward; located just above the kidneys, are a pair of glands known as the Adrenal Glands, which i perceive to be the rabble rouser of the entire bunch.  We’ll be exposing the antics of this particular function in just a bit.  Sandwiched between the kidneys, is an organ with glandular functions called, the Pancreas, apparently responsible primarily for maintaining sugar and insulin levels in the blood and PH balance (acidity and alkalinity) to mention but a few of its roles.  Descending lower down the body, we have the Testes in the male and the Ovaries in the female.  Apparently, these are the glands responsible for the procreation of you and me… the  duplication of even more clowns in this circus of life as we know it… the reproduction department of affairs.  And there you have it; however, there’ll probably be more players recognized as research evolves.

I once worked with the Brain Injured Society; it was a challenging experience indeed… so much so that i’ve since reset my spiritual GPS, so to speak; instead of a judgment of; ‘normal/abnormal‘ it’s become that of; ‘functional or dysfunctional.’  I experienced first hand, the roller coaster of emotions often associated with brain injury… better called; cognitive/behaviour dysfunction.  In other words; it matters little to me how you might think or act as long as you act respectfully and responsibly.  The only two rules in life have become just that; respect and responsibility; if you fall short in either of those, you’re going to be negatively affecting another.

Cognitive/behaviour dysfunction can be mild to the degree of one not even being aware of it… to a more severe prognosis, where one’s life is rendered bloody hell on earth.  I’m sad to say that society’s remedy for severe cases of behaviour issues is incarceration and/or a serious menu of Pharmaceutical medications, most of which create a host of horrendous side effects… ugh.   My particular role while working with the brain injured society revolved around assisting people who were socially dysfunctional.  Many of my clients were unable to make quality decisions, which presented a danger to themselves or others.  I was like an external cop; a chaperone of sorts because their internal cop was out… hmm… for coffee?  On a serious note; bear in mind that brain malfunction and/or cognitive/behaviour dysfunction is not necessarily the result of physical trauma, there are many other causes; we’ll be discussing some of these causes and potential remedies as we go on.

ADRENAL FUNCTION:

A picture truly says a thousand words; my friend Mike drew this picture of he and his brother paddling down the; normally benign Slocan River.  They experienced the woes of adrenaline biggg time… probably a bit of brain injury as well according to Mike’s story.  Let’s take a look at the adrenal function when it comes to ‘life threatening episodes.’

Back to our hike in the woods; it’s early morn; the sun is shining bright and you decide to have a grass nap on a warm sunny hillside.  Ah; yawn… stretch… i’m soooo tired.  Then out of the corner of your one half opened eye, you spot the bear.  Your agenda dramatically switches from; nap time to… ‘i gotta get out of here… like… now!’ right?

I’d like to draw your attention to what i call the adrenal; 3F program/syndrome; ‘freeze, fight or flight.’  Today’s wide opened news world is creating a living hell for us; subjecting us to; what i call an adrenal/cortisone opened loop.  We’ll be discussing that in more detail a bit later on; meanwhile; the following is a layman’s perspective of what actually happens inside the body when we’re seriously threatened.  Don’t let the big names scare you; there won’t be a test at the end.

As mentioned; you can probably inject the blanket word; ‘apparently‘ afore each one of the following statements and so i won’t bother writing it in.  The moment your eyes detect a potential danger, your Hypothalamus Gland… the big guy located at the backside base of your head receives the message and immediately sends another message to his side kick, the Pituitary Gland, who would instantly sound the alarm and proceed to get the word out to specific/strategic players (glands) on the team to rise to the occasion.  Your adrenal glands are specific and strategic to the cause and so they would be alerted to inject a specific chemical; a dose of adrenalin into the bloodstream.  Your thyroid will detect the adrenaline and will respond.  This gland oversees/governs heart rhythm, body temperature and mega metabolic functions, to mention but a few of its functions.  Howbeit; at this alarming signal, it will prioritize/focus on directing the necessary resources to specific departments of the body; however, only to specific departments; those that are essential for survival; no other department need apply.  The overall priority/goal is to get you out of harm’s way.

It’ll begin with your heart ; i mean; you’re gonna need this powerful muscle… first and foremost.  It’ll be beating like crazy, pumping mega blood through your… now… wide opened arteries.  Again; the overall priority/goal is to get you out of harm’s way… and so oxygen and glucose enriched blood will be required… and on its way… to the muscles… all of the muscles… in your body.  I’m sure we’ve all felt that incredible surge of raw power; the effects of this rocket fuel at one time or another.  Many incredible feats have been witnessed at such times.

Bear in mind that this all happens automatically, totally out of our cognitive control.  In essence, the endocrine function can be defined as messages being dispatched back and forth throughout our entire body both; electrically and chemically.  The mystery lies in whether various organs/glands produce… or just harbor/dispatch specific chemicals, known as; hormones/neurotransmitters.  Regardless; each of these hormones/neurotransmitters is designed to initiate/solicit a specific physical response.  Upon receiving the signal/message, certain organs and departments of the body respond accordingly… that is… if all of the associated equipment is up and running at optimum.

However; what type of a response would manifest when this alarm does sound is going to vary, depending somewhat on one’s character trait.  I mean; somebody like Tarzan; King of the Jungle, would react to the ‘3F‘ adrenal syndrome by fighting; he’d beat on his sometimes, hairy chest, yodel out a Neanderthal melody and then jump right on top of the dang bear… or whatever beast was threatening him at the time… and beat the living crap out of it… or at least that’s how it went down in the Tarzan movies i used to frequent as a kid.

Allow me to expound on that; i6t’ll generate a smile if nothing else.  I grew up with Tarzan; he was my hero of heroes; me and my friends never missed one Tarzan movie.  I can still recall those moments at Billsburough’s theatre; a schwack of us would awkwardly descend down the sloped floor to the front row seats… i mean, we just had to get immersed right into the jungle with Tarzan, right?  Howbeit; in one hand, was a fist full of red licorice and in the other; a precariously balanced drink… hmm… no more hands, no problem… we’d gingerly tuck a big bag of popcorn under one armpit.  Bear in mind that the popcorn was non GMO back then; however, the licorice i’m sure was loaded with #3 toxic red dye.  Nevertheless; a return trip to the confectionary… or to a bathroom run was a ‘no-no’… out of the question; such a move would force all of your buds into the ‘knees tight up to the chest shuffle,’ risking spilling their goodies.

The food and company was all good; however, the part that bugged me was that they kept swapping out Tarzan.  I mean; some things you really shouldn’t mess with; heroes was one of them.  Ah… but; it wasn’t so; one movie would depict Tarzan bald chested with these humungus muscles and the next movie, he’d be hairy chested, but thin as a rake, with hardly enough biceps to swing from a vine, let alone take out a lion or an alligator.  Furthermore; none of the Tarzans had beards… or even a shadow of one for that matter.  I mean; we’re talking about a ‘jungle dweller’ here; surely, there were no razors.  Nonetheless; our imaginations were plenty wild enough to overlook those minor discrepancies.

Anyway; where was i… oh yeah… Tarzan; well… he’d opt to fight rather than freeze; i suppose he could have resorted to flight… i mean… surrounded by a maze of the swinging vines and all.  On the other hand; a character such as the Road Runner would probably spontaneously react to; ‘flight;‘ however, because roadrunners don’t fly, he’d compromise by fleeing instead.  You do recall the roadrunner don’t you?  He was that stupid looking, over sized bird with the extra long skinny legs… and atttttitude… in the Bugs Bunny cartoons that we used to frequent as kids.  He always ran so bloody fast, managing to keep like… within innnnches… barely out of reach… of that poor ol perpetually pursuing coyote.  I used to feel so bad for coyote… he just never could catch that damn fleeing brat… and finally wring its scrawny little neck… and he took such a beating in due process.

Howbeit; on a serious note; the adrenal/thyroid circus is where i’d like to focus our attention on for the most part of this section, as i perceive these two clowns to be responsible for quite a bit of our emotional/behavior challenges today.  And so let’s go back and examine these adrenalin/thyroid clowns more closely.  As mentioned; the ‘apparently‘ prefix still applies with the following; i’m merely sharing my research from so called; ‘experts’ in the field.   However; i have heard some pretty crazy fixes, prescribed by; so called, specialists over the past several years… and so i really don’t feel so dumb commenting on the subject.

Back to ‘when bear met Snoozy on the hillside;’ adrenalin was obviously flowing in big time; my commonsense guess would be that the cardio-vascular system would get the lion’s share of goods at that point in time.  After all, this department is responsible for generating and transporting fuel and all.  It’d begin with the heart; it’d instantly fire up on all cylinders, followed by the arteries; they’d most likely fully dilate and spasm, providing a wide opened freeway for the transport of much needed; mega glucose, oxygen and other vital nutrients to specific departments of the body…. however; only to specific departments.  And so regardless of whether you’re ‘Tarzan; king of the jungle;’ a fighter/flyer… or Road runner… a runner, because he never did learn how to fly; muscle power is going to be a priority on the menu; therefore, the muscles are going to get the lion’s share of the fuel; that’s where the rubber meets the road.  Hmm… somehow coyote was an exception; he was exempt from that extra fuel to his muscles; otherwise, he would have caught up to that skinny runt of a roadrunner and torn it to feathery shreds from all the years of futile wear and tear.  Ah… but that was just a cartoon, right?

Albeit; it appears as if Hollywood makes up all of its own rules, anyway.  I mean; according to the movies, it was the reproductive system that received the lion’s share of fuel; not the muscles.  They always managed to inject a surreal romantic scene right smack in the middle of a high energy blood/gore death and carnage scenario.  Take the King Kong movie for example; you’d see a pretty faced, young couple about to be totally annihilated by an over sized, outa-control gorilla; howbeit, instead of kissing their asses goodbye; they’d engage in an intense mouth to mouth, romantic encounter.  In real life they’d have crapped their drawers and ran for their half naked lives.

The digestive and elimination systems would also be off limits for immediate attention when seriously threatened.  I mean; judging by my experience and that of others, most people just dump their baggage right then and there on the spot when super scared.  It’s as the saying goes; ‘scared %#@&-less.’  Even the brain department becomes a low priority zone for fuel when it comes to the ‘freeze, fight or flight adrenal mode,’ for some strange reason; i mean, it’s like ya can’t think or reason when you’re super scared, right?  Hmm… judging by the way some people (don’t) think and act out there, they appear to be stuck in a perpetual ‘3F’ adrenal syndrome loop.

CORTISONE: 

However; once King Kong moves on; the aforementioned glands in the brain detect safety again, signals are exchanged, at which time your adrenal glands inject a different chemical into your bloodstream; this time it’s a hormone/neurotransmitter known as; Cortisone.  Most of us have experienced the Pharmaceutical protocol of cortisone for treating painful inflammatory issues; the result of an over active immune (regulatory) response.   One of the functions of cortisone is to turn off the Adrenalin tap incidentally, signaling the body to go to work and repair the collateral damage often resulting from the extreme measures involved in an adrenal response.  In Tarzan’s case; it’d be to heal some open flesh wounds; i mean… you don’t wrestle an alligator without some bloody collateral damage.  Meanwhile; Road Runner, i reckon would have some pretty sore leg muscles and in dire need of some serious rest.  As for coyote… he’d be needing a little bit of fix everywhere… poor cayote.  Hmm… i’m not sure what a cortisol restoration process would look like for our Hollywood, King Kong lovers… the ones, who opted for the last kiss before being ripped to shreds; i suppose they’d just sigh, light up a smoke… and gaze off into the starry skies; after all; they are… stars, right?

Nonetheless; sleeping and/or eating would soon be back up on the menu… and yes… as would the sexual/reproduction department; that too should eventually return to normal as well; unless of course, there are other reasons for malfunction waiting in line… ah but that’s another subject; we’ll be addressing that later on… stay tuned!

Much of the aforementioned health issues and then some can be rendered down to one symptom; stress.  It’s not like other generations haven’t been challenged with the likes of this silent killer… with the many wars, natural disasters and all; however, other generations were not challenged quite like we are today when you consider the; EMF (electrical/magnetic/frequency) and chemical toxicity going on around us today.  The trillion dollar question is; how do we deal with these poisons?  Let’s investigate.

We are made up of; mind, body and spirit.  Let’s put the body on ice for a spell… hmm… literally speaking, of course… and look at the mind/spirit department of affairs.  Believe it or not, the fix would begin with an attitude adjustment first and foremost.  Bear in mind that news/information; both good and bad, used to be quarantined to that of a much smaller scale; to that of local tribes/communities; however, now it’s worldwide.  We’re being bombarded with the social, economical, environmental and political woes of the entire planet.  Face it; it’s downright overwhelming.  The collateral damage of this level of exposure is; FEAR, ANXIETY and DEPRESSION; all definitions of… DIS–EASE.  The word speaks for itself.

I’d suggest you begin by tucking in your ‘wings of curiosity’ and turn off the dang news.  Hmm… you might need your wings clipped on that one; it’s truly an addiction for some.  Overall, our peace/emotions have been hijacked.  Wars were once fought with guns and soldiers; now they’re being fought in the mind; psychological warfare.  We can blame much of that, although not all… on the mainline news media; the ‘talking heads’… presstitutes, or so i call them.  These people are prepped and loaded to deliver deceptive hype and drama; they report one tragic event after another… regardless of whether it’s true or not.  Consequently, we’re stuck in a perpetual adrenalin syndrome loop because of the fact… trapped in a fearful maze of unresolved suspicions that some sort of life threatening danger is looming… and the threat never does disappear to enable any resolve; peace and healing.

As mentioned; we need an attitude adjustment; it begins with your Spirit; we need to recognize the fact that we have absolutely no control over any of it.  It’s just like the Bible mentioned would be experienced in the last days; there’d be wars and… rumours of wars. Hmm… i find it interesting the way that was worded; it alludes to rumors presenting a potential threat equal to that of the; actual war.  Somehow; i can read the twisted media presentations into that prophecy.  Overall; there’s really no difference between the two; in your mind, the result is; strife/stress.

My advice would be to; plug into your Spirit… and ensure that it remains plugged in; this will be your most reliable life line.  Allow me to expound on that.  Somewhere down the line from the cradle to the grave, ya hafta make a choice as to what you honestly believe about your existence; whether you just materialized on the planet by accident from a big bang or whatever… or you were created by a higher power for a purpose.  If you cannot… or will not grasp the reality of your existence/creation, then i can’t help you; the truth is; nobody… or nothing can help you; you’ll be on your own… good luck with that.  However; if you can accept the reality that you were indeed created… and created for a purpose; born for this time, then covet your precious existence.  Take it a step further; yield to your Maker, trusting that you are not alone on your incredible journey.  There are divine gifts/abilities available to you to assist you on your walk through life; others will be benefiting from these also.  Ask for… and receive them; share them freely with others; be grateful and graciously choose to forgive… love lots… and laugh hard.

There now; you are now on the right path to sound health; mind body and Spirit. 

What do you have for menopause…hot flashes in particular?

Hormones… or shall I call them… Horrible Moans… either way, this is truly a nagging challenge in today’s crazy world… no pun intended.

First of all; no two people are alike; this is especially true when it comes to hormonal issues; what may work wonders for one may do nothing… and/or may even be harmful to another; it’s like i said, the Endocrine system is extremely complex.  Secondly; as aforementioned, each and every function of the endocrine system, is interactive/reactive with every cell in the entire body.  If you hope to solve a hormonal query then you’d best address the issue holistically, meaning; treat the body as an integral unit; otherwise, you’ll just be quelling symptoms here and there, only to have them raise their ugly heads over and over again.  Hmm… i’m not talking about your husband here, ladies… by the way!

First… the baaaaddd news;

One of the major bad acting clowns in the hormonal circus for mid aged women in particular appears to be; Estrogen; either an overdose of it or a deficiency.  Believe it or not men; it’s not only women who have an estrogen balancing act going on; men too can experience the woes of this mystery agent; estrogen.  Both; female and male mid life crisis, namely; ‘menopause‘ and ‘andropause,’ respectfully are the result of an ‘estrogen and testosterone’ imbalance… according to my research, anyway… let’s investigate.

As mentioned; our endocrine function, in particular is electrical and chemical in nature; therefore, one should consider the potential of today’s excessive chemical and electrical activity to be a suspect in the problem.  I mean; our water and food chain in particular is saturated with the chemical equivalent of estrogen.  For example; the beef and chicken that we’re eating most everyday is inundated with synthetic hormones.  To make things worst; there are now many; what are known as; hormone disrupting chemicals challenging our daily food sources… more on that later.  Meanwhile; our water shed is now saturated with all of the aforementioned, as well; after all, there’s no new water on earth… it’s all being recycled through somebody’s toilet bowl… hmm… am i popular yet?

I perceive this to have a lot to do with the obesity epidemic that we have today; why young boys appear to be sporting breasts and why females are entering into puberty at such an early age.  I also perceive it to be a player in; the unmentionable; why there’s such a high incidence of ‘sexual identity’ issues prevalent today… more on that controversial subject later, as well.

As if that wasn’t enough to rock one’s dinghy, there’s yet another wild card thrown on the table, something known as, Xeno-estrogens.  Don’t ask me why they chose to spell the word that way; nevertheless, Xeno-estrogens  should certainly be factored in.  Xeno-estrogens are essentially; estrogen-mimickers, meaning; they induce an estrogen effect in our bodies.  Where do they come from?  The origins of these Xeno-estrogens can be traced to, Petroleum products, many of which are contained in… and are leached out of plastics.   I think we’d all have to agree that, plastic containers, unlike the glass containers of yester-year are now the norm for packaging most every item.  Consequently; many foods and cosmetics contained in these plastic containers will leach some of the components (x-estrogens) found in these plastics and deliver them into our bodies.  Some products are more vulnerable than others to this leaching concept.  For example; dairy products.. milk, butter, cheese, yogurts etc., have a high absorption potential.   Some other examples are; mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, honey and peanut butter etc. to name but a few.

I mean, let’s face it; these substances truly suck and consequently; they can not only leach xeno-estrogens from out of the plastics, but also pesticides and herbicides, better known as xeno-biotics from these plastic containers.  Xeno-biotics are similar to the estrogen-like hormones in that they present as; estrogen.  This all boils down to our body’s fine balancing act being challenged in a very bigggg way; it senses too much estrogen and so conveniently; will trigger an increase of testosterone; that’s just how our wonderful body works.

Here’s one that might surprise you; another estrogen mimicker culprit is the paper used in most cash registers and interact machines today.  Add a dab of anti-bacterial lotion to one’s hands immediately after a business transaction and the alcohol in the lotion will have successfully chauffeured the aforementioned; ‘X’ clown through the skin’s natural barrier, directly into the body… baaad news.  Hmm… the ‘X’ preceding those (X)estrogen imposters might score some serious points in a scrabble competition but they can seriously interfere with the endocrine system’s hormonal balance.

EMF (ELECTRICAL,MAGNETIC FREQUENCY):

Speaking about interference, there is another bully out there challenging our Mister and Misses more and more every day in our new and highly technical world… something known as; EMF (electrical, magnetic frequencies).  You may not see or feel it but our bodies function on electrical impulses… bigggg time.  This can now be measured.  You may not care for a schwack of stats and that’s ok; there won’t be a test in the end; however; a healthy cell membrane will resonate from 70 to 90 MV (millivolts) and a body ridden with disease, especially cancer, will reveal a much lower reading depending on how close to death one is.  Bear in mind that not all EMF is created equal; there is a harmful signature EMF and a benevolent one.  Pulsed electrical magnetic field, ‘PEMF‘ for short is not only a benevolent agent; it is essential; essential to our survival.  Hmm… you might be wondering where you can access some extra PEMF, perhaps.

To answer that allow me to share with you a cute little allegory.  A small fish noticed a frog crawling out of the water onto the shore one day.  Of course, the fish wanted to do the same but the frog interrupted; informing the fish that he couldn’t do that because… well… he was a fish, and fish need water in order to survive.  Ugh… and so the lil fish immediately fled the scene and began frantically swimming to and fro in search of that; much needed ingredient… water; otherwise, he was going to die… or so he assumed, anyway.  Of course, you and i both know that the fish was already completely surrounded by this much needed element of which it required for survival… but he just plain… missed it.  I dunno; perhaps he was too young to attend school.   Seriously though, the moral of the story is twofold; first of all; the little fish received accurate information alright, however he lacked the wisdom to assess that information.

The relevant question is; ‘where would i access some of this valuable PEMF stuff.   And so; similar to our little fishy, already surrounded by its so needed environment, we too are already surrounded by PEMF, our much needed magnetic field like… 24/7.  It is  being continuously generated beneath the very ground that we’re standing on.  The facts are that if this energy was to ever cease from being produced, we’d be dead, much like the fish would if the water ever disappeared.

However; all said and done; there are things you can do to access more PEMF.  When was the last time you walked barefoot on the grass or beach… or better said; how often do you do this?  You’d have to admit that most of us… well, here in North America anyway, don’t do it very often at all… and some of us… never do.  The problem is that we spend big $$$ and efforts to insulate our bodies from this so vital element.  We wear rubber soles on our feet, roll along in automobiles with rubber tires and dwell in shelters separated from the bare ground with all sorts of synthetic materials… ugh… and we call ourselves; educated/evolved?

However; the more that we are exposed to harmful man induced EMF (Electrical, Magnetic Frequencies), the more PEMF (low and pulsating frequency) we might require to balance the equation and remain on the right side of the grass, so to speak.  Contrary to what science advertises, EMF interferes with the neurological communication within our body.  We’ve already discussed the workings of the Endocrine system (glands); how our cells are constantly communicating with one another, dispatching messages, both; neurologically and chemically for the purpose of manipulating various functions/responses vital to remaining healthy… what-do-ya-think, any chance of interference from outside electrical, magnetic and/or frequencies?  I’d think so.

Take a moment and look at your typical kitchen; it’s all lit up and littered with mega electrical appliances.  Feeding those appliances, hidden behind the walls are webs of electrical wires… channels through which mega voltage/electricity runs through.  You might think that it’s all safe and ok because it’s tucked away; contained in a plastic sheath and all, but not so; there’s mega leakage going on.  The question remains; is it harmful?  Stepping outside doesn’t offer any reprieve; it’s out there as well; it’s everywhere… the airwaves are literally buzzing with Electricity.  Frequency joins that circus; radio, television, WIFI, cell towers/phones… and now we have so called; smart meters, bolted to the side walls of our homes… all of it generating EMF… ugh!  Now we have a new kid on the block; 5G, an advanced frequency generator; dang; we’re living inside a microwave oven; how’d that happen?

And so if you wonder why so many people are depressed, anxious or dozy and/or cannot settle in for a good night sleep anymore… or… perhaps why your kids are emotionally… out of control; consider EMF toxicity.  It might not the only suspect in this query but it’s certainly a player.

TURF THAT MICROWAVE OVEN:

As mentioned; ‘it’s like we’re living in a microwave oven;’ and so what about that metal contraption, sitting on your kitchen shelf?  “Well, i hardly ever use it… to thaw meat or boil water, perhaps,” i hear it said.  This invention is one of the most obvious EMF violators and health hazards in your home.  These appliances literally shake the *&%*#** out of whatever you will have put in it.  The frequency that it resonates alters the molecular structure of what is in there.  In other words… your supper no longer displays the original signature (frequency), specific to each substance; consequently, you have to wonder how your body is going to deal with such a substance.  It’s no wonder we’re displaying signs of vitamin and mineral deficiency, despite being exposed to an incredible manifold diets as is the case in this nation, anyway.

Don’t believe me?  I’d like to propose you do a few experiments.  water 2 similar plants; one with water before being nuked and the other with the water afterwards.  You’ll notice the nuked watered plant wilting and soon dead.  Experiment #2 is; find a friend… hopefully you have one of them.  Don’t worry i’m not going to suggest that you stuff them inside a micro-wave oven or anything of the kind, but rather… ask him/her to stand directly in front of the microwave… say about 5 feet away or so away.  Now ask him to raise one of his arms… not straight out to his side (90 degrees from torso of body) as in photo but more so 45 degrees; it offers more of an accurate reading… or so you’ll hopefully find out.  Have your friend lift his/her arm firm whilst you gently apply downward pressure on it… gently… you don’t wanna push down too hard… you’re not trying to break the dang thing, rather you are merely gauging the resistance presented.  Don’t you ever wonder why they stuck a ‘u‘ in the word, gauge?  You don’t get to pronounce the dang letter… ugh!  Anyway… now, try that same experiment all over again… only this time, do it with the microwave turned on.  You’ll notice there to be significantly less resistance… much easier to push  is/her arm down.  Why would this be?

The reason for this sudden change is that the EMF generated and projected from the microwave would have negatively affected their body in such a way so that all of their muscles would have temporarily weakened… temporarily.  It’s kinda like an electrical short circuit within your body… ugh!  Hmm… perhaps an arm wrestler could apply some of this technology to his opponent to win a match.  Nonetheless, don’t expect the metal encased, glass door or even you distance from it to protect you from the negative effects of this cell damaging force, the same results will be revealed regardless.

You might be skeptical thinking that surely the Government Health watch dogs would have flagged it as a health hazard and not allowed it into the market place if it was as detrimental to one’s health.  Well… wakie… wakie… that is not the real world; we’re talking about corporations here… profit driven enterprises… that have one goal… $$$.  I won’t rabbit trail our subject here by going into the politics of this invention; suffice it to say this; classified documented research revolving around the safety of micro-wave ovens has since been declassified… and it’s nothing short of disgusting to think that this information was withheld from the public for so long… and worst… very few people now even care to review that information… a trait common to humanity; ‘out of sight… out of mind’… add a dash of denial and/or naivety to that recipe and you become… a victim.

Moral of the story; Rule #1 don’t ever trust any government to be acting on your behalf.

The fix… turf the dang thing… your microwave oven that is… good friends are too hard to come by!

THE DAM DAM:

I had a serious negative… er… I mean… ‘positive ion’ experience, many years back, long before i was even aware of the unseen enemy of, ‘EMF toxicity.’  I’ll explain ‘positive ions’ a little later on; howbeit, my experience went like this.  I was a family man with 2 young kids and one in the oven and was employed by West Kootenay Power, a hydro electrical company.  We lived right on a dam site; our house was located within approximately several hundred yards of a hydro electric generating plant.  I was 28 years of age… in the prime of my life… or so they say.  Nonetheless; for some unknown reason, i was exhausted by mid day.  It wasn’t because of hard work; the energy output required at that job was embarrassingly minimal; it was a union job… need i say anymore?  However; i required a power nap immediately following a typical, low energy 7 hour shift at the dam.  When i changed jobs and location several  months later; it all changed; i no longer needed an afternoon nap.  The question is; why… what changed?

My common sense suspicion was that it had everything to do with the intense EMF environment.  Let’s go a little bit deeper down that rabbit hole… to the characteristics of the air that we’re breathing.  Allow me to introduce you to some new terminology; ‘positive and/or negative ions.’   Air… much like water, exhibits  agents/elements that are undetectable via our physical senses.  The air can be predominantly charged positively or negatively; this will vary with location, times of the day, atmospheric conditions and/or seasonal changes.  Although you cannot physically see the difference, you will feel the difference.

Here’s how it works.  When we breathe in predominantly charged positive ions, the body does not react positively as one would expect, the opposite occurs; the body responds negatively… skeptical?  I’m sure we’ve all experienced bouts of motion sickness to varying degrees, specifically that occurring when in a vehicle.  Similarly; have you ever wondered why you felt so tired after a long, automobile, road trip… why would that be?  I mean… you just sat there, doing absolutely nothing the entire journey other than looking at the scenery or maybe… playing with the music.

The reason for both of the aforementioned scenarios has to do with positive ion toxicity.  You’re enclosed in a shell made of predominantly metal… accented with mega plastic, now a days of course.  Nonetheless; ignore the plastic part it has nothing to do with our feeling tired… unless of course, you’re sick and tried of being inundated with so much cheap plastic… ugh… enough about plastic already, Gare!  My point is this; your predominantly metal clad earth buggy is passing through the air at a very high speed; this causes the air particles inside your vehicle to be positively charged.  Positive ion charged air is toxic to the body; it can create nausea and/or fatigue.  It’s not a common sight so much anymore but have you ever noticed a flat strap hanging down from under the back end of some cars, barely dragging on the road?  Well, that’s not a broken piece of automobile… well… not normally, anyway… rather it’s there to draw the excess positive charge from out of the vehicle back into the ground where it really already wants to go… hence where the electrical term, ‘grounded’ comes from.

Howbeit, that’s only one method to counteract this issue, there are other ways to prevent this toxicity.  Ionizers (negative ion generators) are appliances designed to induce a negative charge on the air in your car or home.  Hey… you can just hop into the shower if you’re feeling cheap; the air in such an environment is negatively charged as well.  The facts are that any environment inundated by a  fine spray of water will be predominantly charged by negative ions… a happy place to hang out.  That’s why you want to sing in the shower… you’re happy; negatively charged air inspires serotonin, a neuro-transmitter responsible for calm and content.   Niagara Falls is deemed the ultimate of romantic spots; the question is, why?  It’s not only to do with the beauty/majesty of the falls and all; rather, it’s because negatively charged air stimulates a schwack of neurotransmitters such as; serotonin and dopamine.  Hell, oxytocin may even be on that menu; the same hormone that’s big time present when you’re delivering a baby… i dunno for sure.  Howbeit; cortisone or adrenalin, the more aggressive neuro-transmitters wouldn’t be so common… in the majority of people, anyway.  Those particular neuro transmitters would revolve around the nutcases crawling into an oak barrel and rolling down the falls just for a rush… we already covered those types when we analyzed Tarzan and the Roadrunner, remember?  We’ll be touching on them yet again in the section entitled, ‘Depression.’

***Refer to section on ‘sexual help’ for more info and a list of actual environmental culprits reported to reduce/create an estrogen/testosterone imbalance.

HELP 911:

Okay… so enough baaad news already… HELP!  I’ll repeat, “An endocrine system imbalance is not one super dooper magic pill fix; it must be dealt with holistically simply because of the interaction that occurs among all of the glands involved.”

First of all; ensuring a healthy digestive tract from top to bottom is really the best place to start as this will enable our bodies… specifically, our liver to best effectively accomplish the re-balancing act.  It will eliminate… or at least, minimize the internal stressors often involved in hormonal imbalance.  We’ll be getting a little more involved in this department as well further along.

Secondly; your mindset, the psychological department, equally requires attention/maintenance for we are made up of mind, body and spirit, each of which interacts with one another.  When you hear and/or read about an unstable economy, political corruption, wars and rumors of wars, religious fanatics acting inhumanely, marriages breaking up in epidemic numbers, the earth quaking, volcanoes spewing, intense weather conditions such as; tornados, flash floods and droughts everywhere and anywhere without warning… whew… like how’s that for a schwack of potential stressors… you need to… turn it all off.  I’d strongly suggest that you do just that… turn it off… most of it, anyway.  Seriously… consider diverting your attention from international news… those talking heads you watch on the TV screen… along with the mega internet media, much of which lures you into events, many of which you do not have any control of, anyway.  This exercise will at least help you to scrutinize, prioritize and react to authentic threats and dangers to your survival and well being, rather than shadow boxing a façade of possibilities, which are most often than not… a mole hill rather than a big mountain… how they are so often presented.  Chronic anxiety, depression, sleepless nights and/or high blood pressure are just a few of examples of the results of exposure to the fore mentioned… it all boils down to one thing; ‘stress‘.

Thirdly, comes the Spirit part of your being.  We all have one of these… although, many will deny it… or avoid giving it due attention.  Nonetheless, your Spirit is vital to your survival.  I always ask people this question; “Do you believe there to be a supreme entity outside of yourself… more specifically; a creator?”  If their answer is no… well… that opens up quite a vast avenue of potential questions; we won’t bother going into that right now… however; if their answer is yes; my next question to them is; do you communicate with your Maker… whatever/whoever you might construe such to be?  Lastly; i ask them this; is your Creator benevolent, one who loves and who cares for you?

“Is all of this relevant/necessary?” you might ask.  I believe it is vital for our survival; otherwise you will be vulnerable to despair; a state of hopelessness… ultimately… a state of dis-ease; “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.’ Proverbs 13:12 (Bible verse).  Psychologically speaking, no… or little spiritual connection with one’s Maker will render you merely existing, living in a void with no purpose, no direction.  If that is you then you are wasting your time and money trying to get well.  I know that sounds a bit hard/heartless and all but the truth will indeed set you free; however, it may piss you off at first.

***Refer to section entitled, ‘Remedy for a Wounded Spirit,’ if you should want to go deeper into the realm of spiritual freedom.  I share this revelation to offer hope; i’m sad to report that too often religion steals that from us.

NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS:

I will repeat; if you’re ever going to win any battle revolving around hormonal health then you’re going to have to do so holistically, meaning; by treating your entire being; mind, body and Spirit; otherwise, it’ll only result in a temporary adjustment rather than a fix.  However; let’s focus on the body a bit more for now.  This may include a diet and lifestyle change for some.  Some natural agents to consider are; a regime consisting of, Probiotics, Enzymes, Fiber/Drawing Agents and concentrated food sources such as; greens, berries etc. This protocol will ensure the body receives adequate/essential tools to get the job done.  Your liver will thank you for this; all roads lead there; it’s responsible for  manufacturing, monitoring, dismantling and eliminating. hormones, among other chores.

Regarding the aforementioned ‘adrenal exhaustion’ syndrome, an adrenal gland adaptogen will be applicable here.  There are very, many of these agents available.  They’re better know as stress and/or adrenal complexes.  However; while anyone of these formulas are good choices; i’d suggest that you try one agent at a time rather than indulge in a combination.  This is not to downplay combination formulas; there are many gems to be had there; it just offers a simpler approach when addressing an already complicated syndrome.  You’ll be much more able to detect/monitor the effects of one agent than you will with several agents.  Once you know what works… or is not working, then you can experiment with another reputable agent… or perhaps a combination formulas at least you will be in a better position to compare the differences.  I hope that makes some sense and doesn’t piss off any formulators out there.

The following agents commonly found in many adrenal formulas are; Rhodiola, Ginseng, Ashwagandha, Schizandra, Adrenal Substance, Licorice Root and/or Astragalus.  This list is by no means exhaustive; there are many more, i’m sure… and so do research for yourself.  According to my experience; Rhodiola, Shizandra and/or Ashwagandha offer the most immediate and noticeable results.  What results could one expect?  I recommended Rhodiola to my daughter to help her with some serious stress one time.  She had forgotten what it was for; this happens often; i can understand why when you consider all the natural agents out there; so much to learn and/or remember and so little time to remain on top of it all.  However; she inquired as to what that specific agent; the one with the light brown capsules was supposed to help with.  She was living in England at the time and was involved in a biggg move from the city to a small country house; subsequently she noticed a significant benefit when she began taking a couple of capsules a day.  She commented that she felt ‘in control,’ rather than overwhelmed with the stressful experience as anticipated with such a challenge.  What-d-ya think… was the Rhodiola helpful?  i’d/she’d say so.

Another gem that i can personally recommend is a supplement known as, EMP (True Hope).  EMP consists of a proprietary blend of specific vitamins, minerals and amino acids with a proven track record of stabilizing quite a variety of Endocrine malfunction scenarios.  A common comment that i hear from customers is this; “EMP gave me my life back.”  How’s that for a happy customer?  It has adequately addressed Endocrine imbalances ranging from mild to dysfunctional anxiety and depression, PMS, Menopause, ADD, ADHD and memory issues… all of the way to out of control schizophrenia and bi-polar disorders… it’s that effective!

Other helpful supplements to consider for endocrine system balance… especially revolving around the estrogen related woes are; Iodine (thyroid help) topically and/or internally ingested and Progesterone Cream, which is topically applied… applied to various softer skin areas of the body such as; the sides of the breast, inner thighs etc.   Other agents to consider are; Evening Primrose Oil, Black Current Oil, Hemp Oil, Black Cohosh, Damiana, Dong Quai… i reckon Mr. Quai must have had a Misses… Sage is effective for hot flashes… Vitex (Chasteberry) is good for PMS and acne, often occurring during male and female puberty, as well as with ovarian cysts.  Herbs such as; Nettle, Maca, Muira Puama, Tribulus, Yohimbe, Chrysin, Tongkat and Horny Goat Weed are several mainstays that have demonstrated a unique ability to free up testosterone and balance hormones in both male and female, especially effective regarding energy and sexual libido.  Indole-3-Carbinol, an extract from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, has been shown to remarkably martial excess estrogen out of the body.  There are other propitiatory blends of a similar formula; another such formula is; Brocco-Gen.  Nonetheless, these types of agents are apparently valuable aids when dealing with breast and prostate cancers in particular, as well as with ovarian cysts and Endometriosis.

THYROID GLAND AND IODINE:

What about Thyroid malfunction, especially when there’s low energy and/or out of control weight gain happening?  In this case, Iodine deficiency is a suspect, however; there’s more to it than that.  Remember the golden rule when it comes to glandular malfunction; each one of our glands interact with one another and much of that is a reaction to what’s going on… or… not going on… within the entire body as well as within your immediate surrounding environment at any given time.

Nonetheless; let’s at least ensure that our Thyroid is getting its share of iodine, a much needed element, shall we?  The truth is that the entire body requires this trace mineral and a deficiency can definitely negatively affect our over all health.  When the nuclear power plant in Japan went down with the big earth quake a few years back, you’d have been hard pressed to find any iodine in North America; it was sold out everywhere.  It appears as if people did their homework and came to the conclusion that radiation tends to deposit in the thyroid gland in particular; therefore, if the iodine receptors are full of the real-deal, iodine, then you’re relatively safe… relatively.  Ugh… i so wish they’d abandon nuclear reactors altogether; then we’d all be safer.  It makes sense to me to ‘not start something that you cannot stop.’  Nonetheless, that’s another story… back to the thyroid gland and lack of energy.

Many years ago, there was a malfunctioning thyroid epidemic occurring, especially inland of a continent.  People residing near the ocean never had a problem in this area, but my grandmother, who lived in mid eastern Canada developed a goiter.  What’s a goiter?  A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland.  My grandmother’s goiter was quite large, about the size of a bowling ball large… ugh.  She used to cover it with a kerchief/scarf whenever she socialized… not exactly what you’d call a social motivator, i’d say… poor Gramma.

Nonetheless; the fix, was to add iodine to the salt, hence the label; iodized salt.  Today, i hear of so many who require thyroid medication, namely, Synthroid.  The question is; why?  I’d suspect a good part of the reason to revolve around the toxic environment that we’re living in.  Some of the better known antagonists in this department are; chlorine, fluoride and bromine, to name but a very few.  Of course, you should be aware of the fact that many, if not all municipal water supplies, contain chlorine and fluoride.  We not only drink these poisons, but we also breathe loads of chlorine gas whenever we run the water.  The simple fix is to buy a cheap charcoal filter, either in house to remove all of the chlorine, or a filter affixed to specific outlets in the house, especially the shower, where we inhale the most of it.  Howbeit, the problem is that these aforementioned chemicals tend to hijack the iodine receptor sites and so we may have a problem getting back control of the ship.  That’s where detoxification comes into the picture, and again, you’ll have to read elsewhere in this blog to access that information.

But for now, let’s get some iodine into our body.  All types of seaweed contains iodine (Kelp, Dulse) as does sea salt, Celtic or Himalayan crystal salt.  Iodine can also be found as a liquid formatted supplement as well.  You’ll come across mega formats, ranging from Iodides to various extracts and percentages of Iodine.  Which is the best?  Iodides are just formats of iodine that have been bonded to another element, such as; potassium, sodium or magnesium.  And then there is iodine in an alcohol or iodine in glycerin format.  I’d lean to the vegetable glycerin extracted iodine due to the nature of glycerin (hydrating) as opposed to that of alcohol (dehydrating).  Of course, they will all claim there’s to be the ‘best in the west,’ right.  Regardless of which one you should choose the biggest query is how much is effective and/or safe to use?  The Health authorities do suggest a safe daily dosage (RDA) and you can stick to that if you choose; however, according to my research, it appears extremely low… and the question remains; are you getting enough to do the job?  I’ve heard of daily dosages of 30 to 40 MG (that’s MG, not MCG per day as the RDA suggests) ingested internally without any side effects, but you’ll have to be the judge of that.  Iodine does detoxify and so some of the effects you may experience may be just that; toxins lifted and hopefully discarded from your body.  I’d suggest applying a good quality Iodine to your skin; that way your body will decide how much to absorb. The same can be said about Progesterone Cream; how much to use and how often to use will vary.

Again; try using each of the aforementioned agents one at a time for a specified period of time in order to ascertain as to whether your protocol is actually contributing to hormonal balance… or just adding fuel to the fire.  Make a plan, stick to it and give it time… chances are better that you’ll be making an improvement than messing things up.  Either way, you’ll certainly be much safer approaching it naturally than if you were messing with Pharmaceutical agents.

Here’s an interesting question that comes up regularly in our store…. Sexual Libido.

A customer, most often a man, will come into the store acting rather uncomfortable and will eventually ask the challenging question; “What do you have for… you know… for… well… c’mon you know…???… the man thing?”  I’d eventually/mercifully put an end to the poor customer’s misery by adding a fragrance of dignity to sweeten what they considered to be a most humiliating moment; i’d respond with a professional sounding statement to the tune of, “You mean… sexual libido.”  “Yeah, yeah!” the fella would nod.  Meanwhile his eyes darted nervously back and forth, scanning the store for any curious bystanders, especially any of the female staff, who may have wandered within hearing range.  You’d think that he was a 12-year old boy in a drugstore asking for contraceptives.

Speaking of 12 year old’s… the pretty gal in the photo used to be my girlfriend.  Her name is Raquel Welch.  For those of you who aren’t up on Hollywood, she was once a hot and famous movie star.  Okay… so i suppose i couldn’t really call her my girlfriend in the sense of boy and girl going out on a date sort of relationship… but rather she hung out in my bedroom for several years in the form of a full size posture tacked to my bedroom wall.  I eventually was forced to break off our relationship, no thanks to my Mom… talk about prearranged marriages… er… in this case… prearranged divorces.   Mom got herself a fur ball over the whole affair and that was the end of our relationship.  She figured that it was inappropriate for a me as a 12 year old to have this large poster of a scantily clad woman taking up about 80% of my tiny bedroom wall.  And so she wrapped Raquel up and shipped her off to my Uncle Mike.  Uncle Mike was a devout bachelor, living all by his lonesome in a small Northern Ontario cabin.  Mom felt that he was a more ideal candidate for Raquel.  Ugh… it’s my guess that Raquel would have seriously objected to that deal… that prearranged marriage.  Anyway, it sure was fun going out with her while it lasted.  Interesting to say, i noticed the same poster hangin up on Uncle Mike’s cottage wall when visiting, some 15 years later; Raquel never aged a bit.  Oh if real life was like that.  Anyway, i managed to re-assemble my testosterone-scrambled brain and eventually moved on and found me another gal… only a real one, this time.

You men may not like to hear this guys, but you have some estrogen in you, although not as much as your wife.  A person is normally defined as male or female depending on which of the two… estrogen or testosterone happens to be the dominant hormone arrangement at birth.  Whichever was dominant determines the perspective genitals as well as the psychological mindset responsive to that specific hormone… or at least it used to be so.  I’m aware of the controversy surrounding the word, ‘normal’ involving today’s gender identification crisis, but like it or not, there is such a plumb line, especially when it comes to male and female.  The bottom line is this; you can identify as whatever you want; male or female; however, it takes a male and female to reproduce; that’s normal; otherwise, we’d be extinct.    The heart of the controversy seems to boil down to the fact that there is a negative connotation associated with ‘homo sexuality’ and so the defenses go up.  And so a new label called ‘Homo-phobic’ hits the grid and then the stones start to fly.  The potential prefixes that can be attached to that word; ‘phobia’ are endless, such as; ‘Normal… or Abnormal Phobia,’ etc.  But really now… perhaps we should all just put down our stones, stop calling one another stupid names and attempt to wrap our tiny insecure brains around what’s really going on regarding gender here.

The problem is; that the ‘black and white’ of testosterone or estrogen dominance of yesterday physically speaking anyway, is now more of a ‘shade of grey.’  As a result of this, a male may display male genitals but will sport the mind set of a female and visa versa… females may display female genitalia but will have the mindset more like that of a male.  Why would this be?  Again, i don’t have my own lab to prove any of what i’m about to suggest and so i can only offer my personal research and common sense suspicions regarding why i perceive this to be so.  It boils down to this; much of today’s noticeable sexual identity crisis could be the result of hormone disrupting chemicals inundating our environment.  We’ve already touched on the estrogens/Xeno-estrogen infiltration into our environment (water supply and infiltrating our food chain); the following is a more detailed menu of that process.

Okay… so pucker up while i attempt to impress you with a schwack of big words; it’ll make me sound smart, if nothing else; chemicals such as; Parabens-found in cosmetics, Vinclozolin, Prochloraz, Procymidone-fungicides found on fruits and veggies, Phthlates-found in vinyl flooring, shower curtains, solvents and plastics, Bisphenol A (BPA)-found in many plastic containers are only some of the chemicals shown to disrupt hormones.  These type contaminants have been linked to the ‘disappearance of the male’ syndrome. Hold on ladies…. now don’t go and read into that a phenomena linked to your man being swallowed up deep into the innards of his lazy boy chair and lost forever while watching mega games on the sports channel.  I’m talking about the fact that what used to be known as testosterone dominant men is not so true anymore.  Men may have male genitals but they may also be inclined to think and act more like a woman.

The other factor to consider is equally as disturbing; today’s artificial immunization program (vaccines).  The ingredients of these vaccines has been altered significantly from those of yesteryear.  Live DNA from aborted fetuses is now being added to these shots; that’s right; live, as in extracted from a beating heart fetus.  Without getting into the rabbit trails of deep science here, i perceive this to have a lot to do with the gender confusion we’re seeing today.  When you inject DNA from a female aborted fetus, carrying 2 X chromosomes into a male who’s carrying 1 X chromosome and a weaker Y chromosome you produce a male who behaves like a female.  I’m sure the opposite is equally possible; that of injecting the DNA from aborted males into a female host.

Now perhaps there are many of you ladies out there who couldn’t care less about men disappearing, especially the way many men treat women and all… but wait a minute… men aren’t allll that bad.  First of all; how would anything ever get fixed if there were no men around?  Hopefully there’s more to your man than just a slob slouched in a lazy boy chair staring at mega TV sports channels, clutching a can of beer in one hand and a TV remote in the other… and of course wanting sex all of the time… hopefully.  Okay so perhaps the TV/24 hr sports channel, lazy boy chair and can of beer scenario should be negotiable character traits, but wanting sex all of the time is really a valid testosterone dominant characteristic.  Believe it or not… men really can’t help themselves.  If you have ever watched a national Geographic nature program, you’ll notice the males pairing off and dueling, sometimes fighting till the death for breeding dominance.  This process results in the strongest males breeding strength into the new born which ensures survival of the species.  Mind you; the human species doesn’t appear to display such blatant aggressive activity anymore; aside from the odd bar room fight or hockey night in Canada, free-for-all brawl, men aren’t near as aggressive/protective when it comes to their mates.  Nonetheless, my point is this; testosterone is responsible for sexual stimulation first and foremost, among other characteristics.  I believe God designed it that way; He did so to ensure procreation.  You have to admit; if we were to solely rely on the female estrogenic libido to initiate sexual activity, it’d be a pretty lonely planet.  I’m guessing that thought raised a few frowns and furrowed brows on the ladies’… and perhaps a smirk on the men’s faces.

A RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE PHONE CALL;    

Meanwhile; back to the Natural Health Store; one day while serving customers in the store, i was asked by one of the female staff if i would please take an incoming phone call that was on hold to answer a male customer’s questions regarding sexual aid supplements.  Being one of the only male staff among several female staff, i just happened to be the most popular garage in town to accommodate these types of broken down cars…the male ones.  Most men find it sooo much easier to talk to another man about stuff like that and of course the ladies would just rather not.  Anyway, the phone call went something like this… “Hi, how can i help you?” i so professionally asked.  “Yeah, hi there… what do you have down there that’s natural to help with my sex drive?” asked a man on the phone.  “Well, we have a lot of different aids that are supposedly pretty good but you really should come down to the store so i can explain them to you,” i said.  I had learned to be careful not to volunteer a schwack of information over the telephone regardless of the customer’s inquiries, especially without more information about the customer’s needs and situation… and it’s a good thing too ‘cause the phone call quickly became more involved, with direct questions that began forcing me up against the ropes, so to speak.  The customer then asked, “What about that Horny Goat Weed stuff that I heard so much about… does that stuff really work?”  To my unawares, the whole telephone conversation was being broadcast live over a main radio station in Prince George… or so i was informed by a friend of mine like two days later.  She was listening to the radio while driving in her car and had recognized my voice yackin with the DJ about Horny Goat Weed and all.  Needless to say, that was a prank that could have gone bad… reallll bad.

First of all, we need to understand… that our sexual organs… unlike church organs… do have a shelf life; of course; love is forever… hmm… that almost sounded romantic Gare… well… except for the church organ part anyway.  Nonetheless; contrary to what you may think; active sexuality/procreation is much like wrinkles, flab and balding… it’s relative to aging.  Now, that’s not to say that active sexuality has to completely disappear when you get old, whenever that is, but one needs to accept the fact that we just don’t procreate and/or live forever… well… certainly not in this body anyway.   Nevertheless; we can provide our body with some raw materials… tools to repair, rebuild and replace worn out parts and functions… reasonably so, anyway… for a longer period of time than if we did nothing at all.  Having said that; let’s go shopping…

Regarding the man’s sexual challenge, it’s usually one of two scenarios… or possibly both scenarios; the man’s ability to attain or maintain a penile erection… or losing the actual desire (libido) to indulge in a sexual encounter.  The penile erection issue often revolves around the mechanics involving blood circulation and penile blood retention, whereas the low libido (sexual desire) issue revolves more so around that dang intricate Endocrine system again… ugh!

As we’ve already discovered, both men and women are supposed to have a balance of testosterone and estrogens working within the body… emphasis on, ‘supposed to have.’  Of course that balance is again going to vary throughout the many age cycles during our lives.  The availability of testosterone is probably the most magical ingredient responsible for sexual stimulation for not only men but also for women… it’s better known as, free testosterone.  I’m guessing that right about now, you’re wanting some of that free testosterone.  The problem is that it’s not really free at all; ya have to do something to access it.  Many men, in particular will turn to online sources in hopes of buying some weird sounding formula guaranteeing instant hardware… or your money back.  And when the hardware doesn’t arrive they’re too proud and/or busy to follow through on a refund protocol.  As previously mentioned, others may dare to chance their local natural health store for sexual enhancement agents.  There’s some pretty crazy names for some of these aids; Black Stallion, Red Devil, Horny Goat Weed etc.  The question is; do they work?

Well, I’d give the Black Stallion an award of the three mentioned; it’s a tad more of an elegant analogy than the other two.  I care not to be associated with the likes of the devil and i’ve raised goats before and so would take offense to being associated with the likes of an old Billy Goat.  Nonetheless, these are legitimate sexual enhancement agent formulas, reputable for unlocking, or better said; freeing up testosterone in the body.  Some more tame agents for want of a better word are;  Stinging Nettle, Muira Puama, Yohimba, Gota Kola, Ashwagandha, Cnidium Fruit seeds, Pine Pollen, Maca, Oatstraw, Ashwaghanda, Rhodiola, Puncture Vine, Ginsengs… especially, Korean Red Ginseng.  ***Note… i don’t recommend women using Korean Red Ginseng unless you want to grow hair on your chest… it’s pretty potent.  Panax or Siberian ginseng, on the other hand, are milder and therefore a better call for freeing up testosterone for both the man and the woman.  Regardless of the negative connotation associated with Horny Goat Weed, it does have a history of success… some merit.  It has been touted to discourage the relaxation switch within the penis from turning off prematurely, causing the erection to disappear too quickly… hey… a million Billy goats can’t be wrong.  Hmm… have you ever wondered why they’re called, Billy goats and not say… Johnny goats… Freddy goats… or some other name?  Neither have i.

WOMAN AND SEX:

But hey guys… how about your Miss’s sexuality?  Women might be wired differently, but testosterone still plays an active role in her libido as well.  Women are estrogen dominant some more than others, and therefore; there are other factors involved in their interest and/or involvement in a sexual encounter.  I’d like to bring your attention to something called foreplay, which has absolutely nothing to do with the sport’s channel playoffs.  Telling your wife of 30 ish years that you told her you loved her when you married her back 30 years ago and that you’d let her know if you should change your mind, somehow does not qualify as foreplay… and you may as well continue watching the hockey game cause that’s the only goal you’re gonna score with that attitude.

Here’s how a woman works… from a man’s perspective, anyway; a woman’s sexual libido/performance also depends on free testosterone; however, there are a few extras going on with women that… well… many men never do get.  A woman’s mindset is a serious player when it comes to sexuality; it’s called romance.  You don’t have to understand it but you do have to know that it is a real game changer.  Generally speaking, a woman needs to feel loved, appreciated, protected and cared for.  That’s characteristic of estrogen.   So get off the couch guys, turn off the hockey game… er well… unless of course it happens to be the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  In that case, at least turn down the sound… and then, make yer move.  Not that move, dummy… get off the couch, get into the kitchen and chat with your sweet heart while you help her with supper or dish duty.  Okay… so we’ll let ya peak at the hockey game now and again… as long as your brain is attentive to your sweet heart… mostly anyway… ugh… it’s sooo hard dealing with you men.  After supper, when the kids are all tucked in… and the hockey game is all over, you can then offer your wife a sincere foot or back massage, followed by some genuine appreciative cuddling, better known as intimacy.  At this time, be sure not to offer any advice or solutions on how to fix a problem cause apparently that’s not what a woman really wants at all… well… according to most of those marriage counseling books out there… and my wife, anyway.  This sort of interaction constitutes romance and has a tendency to steer… er… i mean… enable your woman to be interested in a possible intimate moment.  At that point we’ll be hoping for some of that free testosterone to be available.

Whoosh… how’s that for a man’s explanation of how sexuality/romance works… other than a gadget, motor or something else with metal or wooden parts.

Now here’s the conundrum… and why the phrase has been coined that men come from Mars and women from Venus.  It should really be called; men are like rabbits and women like… well… choose any of nature’s female species and you’ll be closer to understanding it all.  While testosterone dominance seeks challenge (the need to protect) and sexual contact… estrogen dominance seeks security (protection) and commitment to constitute fulfillment… a rather confusing conundrum, if i may say so.  It all boils down to the fact that men can’t help the fact that they want sex all of the time anymore than a women can help demanding a man to ‘be there for her’ and ‘to do that for her’ all of the time.  Okay… so i may be exaggerating a bit on both scenarios… but just to make a point.  So, rather than blaming each other for acting/responding according to our dominant hormone, perhaps we should attempt to understand how each other functions hormonally.  A healthy and balanced marriage as it was intended depends on a man teaching his woman how/why he thinks and feels the way that he does and a woman teaching her man how she thinks, feels and responds the way that she does.  The pornography industry feeding from men’s sexual drive would then fade into last place and marriages would be so much stronger and able to endure the cycles/storms of life than we see today.  Okay, i’d better stop there before i really get into trouble… after all… i’m just a man… i can change if i have to… i guess.

More supplements for enhanced sexuality:

L-Theanine helps big time in the relaxation/mood department… especially good for the lady.  L-Arginine (caution on Arginine if one had a previous heart attack) has a track record for genitalia blood flow and sustained blood in penis and clitoris. Beet juice or an extract such as a lozenge called, Neo-40 is a major building block of Arginine, which produces something known as Nitric Oxide.  This is the magic ingredient that the body uses to tone the arteries, both main arteries as well as the peripheral arteries.  Erectile dysfunction revolves around the amount of nitric oxide available, which determines adequate blood circulation to all areas of the body.  Needless to say, both the male and female can benefit from this agent.  Beta-Sitosterol… as does Saw Palmetto and Pumpkin seeds (high in zinc), does wonders for the male prostate gland and then some.  The prostate gland is in the same tool room as the penis just in case you didn’t know.  Gingko Biloba (that famous hobbit) has a long track record for blood circulation in this neck of the woods and can help the male attain as well as maintain an erection.  In other words, it can ‘put the gingko back into your biloba.’ Gingko can also enhance brain function as well for the same reason in that it enhances blood flow to the periphery circulatory system… not that you’ll be needing your brain for sex, anyway… but, Gingko Biloba is also effective for the female Hobbit… or perhaps I should be calling her a hobbette, in that it can enhance blood flow throughout her pelvic region, enabling genital stimulation and quality orgasms.  Herbs such as; Gota Kola, Damiana, Maca, Oatstraw, Muira Puama, Yohimbe and Nettle… not to imply using them all at once, of course… also have a good track record as libido enhancers.

***Refer to the section on ‘Hormones‘ for more sexual tips, especially regarding the adrenal gland aids.  Oh… and as for that church organ that I had mentioned earlier… just unplug it and turf it along with your micro-wave if you still have one… it wouldn’t hurt my feelings any.  As for the guy slouched in the lazy boy chair… hmm… well… that’ll be your call… mind you, you may wanna consider keeping him around… just in case you need something fixed.

Moral of the story: Make Love… not War! Don’t expect one another to meet your needs.  I believe only God can do that.  But patiently teach one another how you like to be treated and you’ll probably get along just fine.

What do you have for sleep?

This question seems to come up fairly regularly in the Natural Health Store these days.  It appears as if we’ve ventured far away from the saying, ‘to sleep soundly like a babe’ as insomnia seems to be an epidemic in today’s world.   I believe a big part of the cause of sleeplessness/restlessness is anxiety.  One can understand why, when you consider the world that we’re living in today.  Our world has changed in a very biiiig way and in a very short period of time; we’ve gone from the simple life of isolated communities, to that of fast and furious international relationship.  Awareness and instant communication is overwhelming as the entire world has now become our back yard.  Needless to say, what’s going on around us is not, ‘love, peace and groovy’ but rather; scary stuff… and seemingly out of our control.  Perhaps a baby may still be able to still sleep soundly in light of all of this… but not so easy as we grow older.

THE FIX;

As fore mentioned; we are made up of, mind, body and spirit and each part will be playing an integral role in our health; therefore; regarding this particular query, I’d suspect the spirit department to offer the most input into solving the problem.  An honest review of one’s Spiritual infrastructure, would be the best place to go for help here, even more so than physical health aids.  First and foremost, I’d suggest that turn off the dam mainline news media…talking heads.  We should know by now that mainline media sources cannot be trusted; it is… and has always been a tool of those with the most gold… a propaganda puppet.  It will broadcast the agenda that suits the needs of those bent on world control.  If you really wanna see what is going on around the world, seek out not just one, but several independent journalists; that way you can join the dots to a common denominator and access facts.  The difference is that these types of journalists are not corporately sponsored and therefore; more apt to relay the truth.  Better still; learn to recognize what you actually do have control over, and then of course, change/adjust those things that may be working against your peace of mind and/or balance of body so that such no longer has power to take you out.  Secondly; surrender the things that you know that you do not have control over to your Creator.  You may want to pray for wisdom to know the difference.  Perhaps then you will sleep like a baby again.  “He promises sleep to His beloved.” Psalm 127:2. 

Physically speaking; first of all, we need to establish whether we’re having trouble… getting to sleep (mind racing)… or… remaining asleep?  They can be two different problems involving different solutions.  Either way; Id be suspecting your liver to be involved… for all roads lead there.

Supplements for ‘getting to sleep’:

That’s the easiest query.  If your mind is busy when ya lay your head on that pillow then you really should be looking for help to slow the merry-go-round down.  A few effective remedies to wind your brain, nerves and muscles down… like… way dowwwwn are: Valerian, Passion Flower, Lemon Balm, Hops, Calms Forte, Rescue Remedy, L-Theanine (amino acid).  A product called EMP by True Hope is a wonderful agent for not just anxiety and sleep but also for memory, anger all of the way to dysfunctional state of bi-polar and/or severe schizophrenia.  I’ve  heard countless testimonies regarding its effectiveness.  Prayer, meditative, deep breathing and stretching exercises can be a major help as well. Contrary to what you may have thought, alcohol is not the answer.  It might get you to sleep, but unless you are absolutely hammered and pass out, you’ll be stirring all night long as your blood sugar and insulin department will surely be at major play.

Supplements for ‘remaining asleep’:

When you find yourself wide-awake again after only a bit of sleep then… congratulations, at least you found yourself.  I know, you’re probably tired and not in the mood for joking but; nevertheless, a hormone imbalance is so often the cause of sleep interruption/deprivation.  If you were to scroll back to the hormone question of this manual and review the information already covered in detail there, it should assist you in securing an appropriate hormone-balancing agent/protocol.

Remember… all roads lead to the liver; therefore, I strongly encourage the basic holistic health approach already mentioned at least five hundred times… who… me… I don’t EXAGGERATE!  The program consists of; Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, Fiber/Bulking agents, EFA Oils and Greens/Berries… hey… try rehearsing that particular protocol instead of counting sheep to get to sleep… it may do the job.

BUDGETARIAN REMEDY:

Add 1/4 tspn of Himalayan salt, 1/2 tspn of honey and a squeeze of lemon to 1/2 cup of hot water and consume it about 1/2 hour before sleepy time.  The salt provides the body with essential minerals to assist in its routine, night shift maintenance program, the lemon energizes the water and the honey serves to balance the blood sugars, which can disturb you from a normally deep sleep.

Some other natural supplements that have lulled many an insomniac’s horizontally disturbed carcasses off into la la land for the entire night are Magnesium or a Calcium/Magnesium combo.  NGH, or it’s cousin, HGH has come in fairly high on the ‘good-night’s sleep’ list as well… and again… EMP scores high on that scale as well. CBD, one of the components of Cannabis, is also a definite try.

We’ve been reviewing the detriments of today’s environment, and how it is seriously threatening our very existence all throughout this manual.  Well, this is just one more metabolic process under fire.  Their is a function known as; an Endocannabinoid system (Endo-system) in our body.  It’s receptors are located all over; in the brain, organs, connective tissue and immune system to name but a few.  One of the functions of this system is to maintain homeostasis (balance) to our body.  It appears as if this system is compromised as is the case with far too many of our metabolic processes.  The idea of natural health supplements is to do just that; to supplement a department that is either malfunctioning or seriously compromised.

The Endo system has receptors located all throughout the body; I’d like to draw your attention to the, CB1 and the CB2 receptors in particular.  THC, the part of Cannabis, the star of Woodstock music festival of the 60’s is the agent that gives you the psychoactive bang for your buck.  On the other hand, CBD, another prominent component of Cannabis, performs a much different magic in the body.  It can stimulate the CB2 receptors and positively affect the nervous system, which is one of the clowns involved in the pain circus (inflammation) and anxiety.  Needless to say, such an agent can be a Godsend for insomnia among other queries.  I have a friend who is plagued with tremors.  Her head continuously shakes back and fourth… a challenging health condition, I’m sure you would agree.  Two drops of CBD oil instantly halted the condition.  This may have been an exception; I mean, to have so little of something work so fast; however it illustrates the potential of this stuff, wouldn’t you agree?  Medical research reveals its effectiveness in many neurological disorders, including; Epilepsy.

Moral of the story: “For so He gives his beloved sleep.” (Bible Quote)… Bon Nuit!

-What do you have for energy?

This photo reminds me of your typical town gym… or how about man in the 21st Century, working from 9 to 5 and then it’s home sweet home… or rather, the lazy boy chair and a few glasses of wine to wind down for the evening.  Similar to high blood pressure issues, the potential causes of low energy are manifold.  It could be the result of lack of sleep, a viral infection, poor nutrition, candida overgrowth, hormonal imbalance or an over taxed immune system just to name a few… whew… I feel tired just listing them.  Again, I can’t over-emphasize a holistic approach to this sort of health challenge to assist the body in running back up to its normal speed again?  I quite often find customers opting for the quick fix approach, falling prey to an ephedrine-loaded supplement.  You may get your shot of energy alright but then you’ll crash in order to recover from exhausted adrenal glands.  Keep in mind that your body is in a perpetual cycle of maintaining balance; therefore you’d best work with it rather than to tamper with the program.

THYROID GLAND AND IODINE:

Thyroid malfunction is often suspected when energy reserves are compromised and there is a good reason why it should, for this gland plays a big role in governing energy.  In this case, Iodine deficiency is a suspect, but there’s more to it than that.  Remember the golden rule when it comes to glandular malfunction; each one of our glands interact with one another and much of that is a reaction to what’s going on… or… not going on… throughout the body.  I think it to be a fair suspect thyroid malfunction in our query as well as Adrenal and Immune malfunction, for these three in particular do work together as a team.

Nonetheless; let’s at least ensure that our Thyroid is getting its share of this much needed element, shall we?  The truth is that the entire body requires this trace mineral and a deficiency can definitely negatively affect our over all health.  Today, I hear of so many who require thyroid medication, namely, Synthroid.  The question is; why?  I’d suspect a good part of the reason to revolve around the toxic environment that we’re living in.  Some of the better known antagonists in this department are; chlorine, fluoride and bromine, to name but a very few.  Of course, you should be aware of the fact that many, if not all municipal water supplies, are loaded with chlorine.  We not only drink the poison, but we also breathe loads of this gas in whenever we run the water.  The problem is that these fore mentioned chemicals tend to hijack the iodine receptor sites and so we may have a problem getting back control of the ship.  That’s where detoxification comes into the picture, and again, you’ll have to read on to access that information.

But for now, let’s get some iodine into our body.  All types of seaweed contains iodine (Kelp, Dulse) as does sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt.  Iodine can also be found as a supplement as well.  You’ll come across mega formats, ranging from Iodides to various extracts and percentages of Iodine.  Which is the best?  Iodides are just formats of iodine that have been bonded to another element, such as; potassium, sodium or magnesium.  And then there is iodine in an alcohol or iodine in glycerin format.  I’d lean to the vegetable glycerin extracted iodine due to the nature of glycerin (hydrating) as opposed to that of alcohol (dehydrating).  Of course, they will all claim there’s to be the ‘best in the west,’ right.  Regardless of which one you should choose the biggest query is what dosage; how much is required and how much is safe?  The Health authorities do suggest a safe daily dosage (RDA) and you can stick to that if you should choose; however, it is extremely low… and the question remains; are you getting enough to do the job?  I’ve heard of daily dosages of 30 to 40 MG (that’s MG, not MCG per day as the RDA suggests) ingested internally without any side effects, but you’ll have to be the judge of that.  Iodine does detoxify and so some of the effects will be just that; toxins lifted and hopefully discarded.  I always suggest a person just apply a good quality Iodine to their skin; that way your body will decide how much to absorb.

ADRENAL AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS:

Adrenal exhaustion is occurring in epidemic proportions today for obvious reasons already addressed.  While we cannot change channels on what’s happening around us, we can turn down the volume and/or take measures to maintain these vital glandular functions.  A regime consisting of; Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, Fibre/bulking agent, EFA Oils, Greens/Berries can do wonders when energy is waning.  Furthermore; some natural energy boosters to consider are; Ginseng, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Shizandra, Holy Basil, Maca, Wheatgrass or Barley green, Hemp Seed, Biostrath, Mushrooms such as; Cordyceps, Reishi, Maitake, Chaga etc. (test for compatibility with mushrooms first), Bee Pollen (test for compatibility first).

If Candida over growth and/or perhaps some nasty micro-organism infestation is suspected, then a regime of house-cleaning/detox agents should be employed.  An effective immune enhancer would definitely be an asset here to assist our body’s own defense mechanism.  I personally use and endorse a supplement called Transfer Factor.  Transfer Factor is an isolated factor present in colostrum, which contains and relays vital immune information to your immune system.  My personal experience with this agent has been nothing short of favorable.  I have been using it daily for over 10 years now and totally feel its benefits are authentic and very much appreciated, especially noticeable in the energy department.  ***Refer to section entitled, ‘Gares Hall of Fame‘ for more info on Transfer Factor.

***Here’s a simple and low budget energizer: Soak about a cup of grain flakes of your choice overnight (barley flakes are good).  Strain the water and use the stock as your drinking water for the next day.  One can even add a tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses, Barley Malt, Maple Syrup, as well.  Barley water was the major source of energy for the workers years ago when the rail line construction was in progress.  It was good enough for a vegetarian logger.  That would be me.  Hmm… perhaps I should clarify that… I wasn’t logging vegetables at the time but rather; I was a vegetarian who who happened to be logging… you know… one of those guys who tromp through the bush all day long and cut down trees.  Needless to say, the job demanded plenty of calories, which I manged to supply with the fore mentioned recipe.

The quality of the water that you drink can make a world of difference when it comes to energy as well.  After all, our bodies are approx 80% water.

***Refer to the section entitled, ‘The Mystery of Water’ for more info on this.

DEPRESSION:

I’m on anti-depressants and I would like to get off of them and do it naturally… what do you have to help that?

First of all… don’t jump… there are plenty of reasons for you to stick around; the problem is that you cannot see the sun due to the heavy clouds of despair that are hiding its light and warmth from your presently cold and dark mindset.  ‘Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning’ (quote from the Bible).

I’ve lost far too many good friends who decided to take the wheel and run their own Chevy into the levy, so to speak just because they felt that there was no hope.  I also have several friends, who are alive and well… and very happy to be so, that didn’t carry on through their initial decision to crash-n-burn.  Furthermore; these same people are such a blessing to the rest of us.  Now had of they beckoned to the grim reaper, then that would have been the sad end of such gooood thing.  Nonetheless; it might be true that you are feeling the brunt of one or more heavy duty blows delivered by just plain ol life, but the truth is; that it always changes.  You just need to hold onto that truth, and it will eventually pull you to safety, where times of hope and joy will again surface… I know because I’ve been there.

At no time should any Natural Health Store personnel suggest that a customer abandon a prescribed medication or medical protocol for obvious reasons.  If you personally decide to go natural then I’d strongly suggest that you do your homework before abandoning a protocol that might very well be keeping you sane and unctional.  It helps to ally with a good and reliable friend of whom you can trust to act as a plumb line for reality, for that too can become distorted.  I say this because bad choices are the result of perceived thoughts and resulting emotions, which are often the result of a malfunctioning Endocrine system.  In other words; hormones do play a huge role in the mind department of affairs.

We’ve already covered many of the issues revolving around this and I would encourage you to snoop out the relative topics.  As fore mentioned in the section on hormones, we need to isolate some potential causes of a hormonal imbalance and adjust our life style in order to break out of the cycle.  We’ve talked about the plastic packaging invasion affecting hormone levels… the excess estrogen inundating our environment, the EMF (electrical/magnetic) bombardment aspect and some of the food related antagonists as well.  All of these issues have the potential to create some sort of imbalance within the body, but we also must be addressing the mind and spiritual department as well, for these may require adjustments as well.

YOUR MINDSET:

Depression… exhilaration, they’re just moods, although opposite of each other.  Nonetheless; these are a manifestation of your Endocrine system (glandular system) in action… or inaction.  As fore mentioned, due to the fact that each one of those glands is interactive and responsive to one another, attempting to isolate and repair a specific short circuit that might be occurring within the endocrine system by addressing one singular gland, is futile.  The body must be treated as an entire unit in order to get the job done right. There are both, electrical as well as chemical exchange processes called neurotransmitters.  The two neurotransmitters that we’ll be looking at are; Serotonin and dopamine, in particular, for these are two of the major clowns involved in the circus of depression… a circus minus the clowns, of course.

They’re really just names for complicated processes, many of which you probably really can’t be bothered to sort out, right now.  Well… that’s okay for now, but hopefully we can jump start that mindset and get you to work on sorting this mess out.  Nonetheless; neurotransmitters are the agents directly responsible for triggering/maneuvering the body into appropriate responses such as; exhilaration or sadness… passive or aggressive behaviour, etc.  To best understand how neurotransmitters work, perhaps we should look at the adrenal gland.  As fore mentioned, I’m sure you’ve experienced what is known as ‘the fight or flight syndrome’ at sometime during your life.  That is when fear grips you and you unconsciously react.  What caused you to react the way that you did is the result of a specific chemical know as Adrenalin being injected into your blood stream when your physical senses detected a potential threat to the body.  When Adrenalin is deposited into various glands and organs throughout the body then the games truly begin.  Adrenalin is the trigger for survival and so all hands will be on deck to offer support for you to either… get the heck out of danger or to fight your way outa there.  As soon as you adrenal gland sounds the alarm then the applicable vital body functions such lungs, heart/arteries and muscles in particular will be getting the goods… the fuel (major blood supply and oxygen) in particular.  This means that all other functions not associated to an ‘enguard’ status such as; sleep, hunger, sexual libido etc. will simply be out of the picture.  However, once you are safe and out of harms way, then other chemical neurotransmitters will be released into the bloodstream, which will dock at specific points throughout the body to initiate a counter balance for the intensity of your last encounter.  You’ll need rest and/or eat in order to recover from and to replenish your reserves again from that last needed burst of energy.

Ok, so hopefully you have a better understanding of the workings of neurotransmitters; now, let’s look at Serotonin and Dopamine.  My suggestion for depression or any mood/behaviour challenge is to pay attention to your liver.  I say this because your liver is responsible for the production, regulation and dismantling/elimination of hormones… and so it is one important player, I’d say.  I know… you’re drawing a blank as to how you’re supposed to pay attention to your liver, right?  Well, really it’s not as complicated as you might think; it really boils down to, ‘pay attention to your diet,’ in particular, for much of what happens in the liver is relative to what you’re allowing into your mouth… got it?

YOUR BODY: 

A regime of Probiotics, Enzymes, Fiber and Essential Fatty Acid Oils, will offer a real boost to a troubled vessel’ very often able to successfully turn the ship around.  EFA oils in particular, have a reputable track record in positively affecting mood disorders.  What you’re looking for are fats that are high in a component known as, DHA.  There is a lonnnng name for DHA but I can’t even pronounce it and you’re probably too depressed to even care right now and so suffice to say; look for, DHA.  The goal is to usher as much of this DHA into the brain as possible… and then you’ll be a happier camper.   Fish oils contain plenty of DHA and so you may wanna pack up the gear and get out on the lake and find you some fish… bonus… you’ll be out in the magnificent outdoors, where something much greater than who you might perceive to be… temporarily, of course… for when the truth is finally recognized, you’ll come to understand that you are much greater than any of what you may see out there in the great outdoors.  I’ll give you a hint; all of the wonders of nature were actually created for you to enjoy.  God loves you that much!

***Refer to section entitled, ‘Essential Fats/Oils’ for more detailed info on EFA fats.

As fore mentioned, serotonin and dopamine are the two most prevalent neurotransmitters responsible for pushing buttons in the mood department.   Serotonin is responsible for the ‘I feel good about myself’ mindset and Dopamine is responsible for ‘reward motivated behaviour.’  I used to work with several brain injured people and I got to witness what happens when brain filters aren’t in place to scrutinize Dopamine in particular.  Heavy duty Pharmaceutical agents were applied to keep Dopamine down; otherwise, many of them became victims of the wildest of imaginations of granseur, dangerously so.  The downside was when the Dopamine dropped too low, then many of them lost their zest for living altogether… and… well… they made a poor judgment and terminated their own life because of the fact… ugh!  If nothing else, the fore mentioned experience should reveal to you the real players in this arena and perhaps encourage you to work at beating their game.  A supplement called, L-Tryptophan, is directly responsible for the production of Serotonin.  Supplements such as; 5-HTP and L-Theanine (amino acid) are a few of the more common agents responsible for the production of Serotonin… and… hey… apparently, a couple of handfuls of cashews can also do the job… yum, yum!

I would definitely recommend a supplement called, EMP.  This formula has got to be one of the most impressive mood altering gems ever available on the market.  It was originally formulated by a Canadian farmer who managed to dramatically calm down an aggressive herd of hogs on his farm.  Instead of the hogs aggressively chewing each other’s ears and tails off, they were doing… well… whatever else a herd of calm and laid-back hogs would be doing, makin bacon, I suppose.  Regardless, his formula eventually went mainline into the human barnyard where it continues to effectively meet the challenges of diverse psychological conditions ranging from; memory, mild anxiety and sleep issues all of the way to bi-polar and schizophrenia disorders, as I’ve heard very many customers report.

A deficiency of B vitamins in particular, is often responsible… or at least partly responsible, for hormone imbalance.  You may not be aware of this fact, but the production/synthesis of B vitamins occurs in a healthy GI Tract, and so really, Probiotic supplementation is a good place to start.  Supplements such as; Nutritional yeast, Spiralina, Chlorella and Blue-Green Algae are great mood enhancers as they are chock full of B vitamins.  A product called Bio-Strath is one of my faves.  It is a product of Switzerland containing over 29 different herbs that have been rendered down to a format which your cells can understand.  A supplement called, SAME is also reputable in this department.  There’s a technical name for the stuff but I’m not a technical sort of guy and so just ask the store clerk for Same and they’ll point you in the right direction, I’m sure.  Niacin, a member of the B vitamin family, is reputable for restoring balance to some serious mindset problems.  Many studies were done using niacin to treat schizophrenia, in particular with much success. Bear in mind that these studies were done with regular niacin and not non-flush niacin as many customers are asking for.  The difference is that the regular niacin will temporarily make you tingle from head to toe whereas the non flush will not.  The flush is indicative of your liver responding.  The flush incidentally, is merely a minor and temporary discomfort, not a harmful experience.  One should start with a low dosage of approximately 50 or 100 MG per day and then slowly increase the dosage as the flush noticeably diminishes.  High dosages have been well tolerated and proven extremely effective in treating depression/anxiety syndromes.

Some other favorites for Endocrine balance are; Rhodiola, GABA, DMG, N-Acetyl Cystein, Gingko Biloba… sounds like a good name for a hobbit… Holy Basil… it’s called ‘holy’… therefore; it’s gotta be good… and St. John’s Wort… I don’t think St. John had anything to do with this herb… nor that he may have had warts… but nevertheless, this agent does have a fairly solid track record in assisting people with SAD syndrome (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

I’d encourage you to research the fore mentioned supplements and then perhaps try one or so at a time.  Seek medical supervision if you’re on prescription medication.  I do hope you feel better soon.

Speaking of water, just a quick note on moods and electricity… have you ever wondered why Niagara Falls is such a hot spot tourist attraction, especially for honeymooners?  Sure, it’s beautiful and all… but there’s a whole lot more to it than that.  Opposite to the ‘positive ion toxicity’ factor in the air as mentioned earlier, there is an opposite, more favorable charged air molecule known as a negatively charged ion… sounds like an alien, doesn’t it?  Contrary to what you may be thinking, this particular type of charged air is not found on the moon but rather in areas where fine water is being sprayed into the air.  Niagara Falls is such a spot.  I visited Niagara Falls several years back and I couldn’t help but notice the elated mood of the crowd in general.  It wasn’t like the chaotic sort of excitement that one would experience in a similar sized crowd around a midway or such, but rather a calm fulfilling ‘wanna hang out here’ type of mood.  It almost made me feel like I should otta be gettin married again… but my wife would never go for it.  A similar emotion can be experienced in a shower… to a much lesser degree, of course.  The negative ions produced by the fine water spray as in a shower may not induce such a strong feeling as to want to get married or anything but it does make people overwhelming desire to just wanna sing… out loud, is an indication of negative ion influence.

YOUR SPIRIT:

Several years back, I was in dire straits after falling prey to an immune system attack.  I had just undergone surgery and afterwards, my life went from tolerable to absolute hell.  I was in so much physical pain that I couldn’t even grasp a bar of soap in my hand without hurting.  The long and short of it was that I felt that life was no longer worth living anymore.  I was wrong… very wrong… and was about to find that out.  It got so bad that I conspired with a close friend to fetch my body from a remote area after what I suggested would be a one way walk into the bush with a broken compass… get the picture?  Nonetheless, He complied but my plans changed.  Instead I fell on my painful knees and surrendered my entire being to Almighty God… regardless of how I felt.  It’s like I said; feelings will lie to you.

I offered myself… someone whom I considered to be a useless… and certainly helpless… to God, my Creator, with the hope that He would remake me… remold the clay and make me a useful vessel again.  What I failed to understand at the time, was that God doesn’t work like that.  For starters; He didn’t make a mistake when He originally formed me in my Mother’s womb, rather He designed me with potential, the same potential that He designed each and every living thing with… the potential to survive, more so to, thrive.  I just had to want it… and do it.

Howbeit; after uttering that prayer, it’s hard to put in words, but I felt that a mega weight had been lifted from off of my shoulders… and although mega pain still plagued me, it was no longer hovering over me like a giant, taunting me to cower and surrender to its demands anymore.  I had simply made my mind up to live… to carry on regardless of how I felt.  My one-step-at-a-time program was really quite simple; it began by waking up, crawling out of bed, slowly and painfully dressing myself… but instead of sprawling out onto a couch and watching television all day long, I chose to venture outside, even though every last joint in my body screamed, ‘NO.’

In other words; I chose to ignore my emotions and negative mindset, but rather; pushed on, anticipating something better to present itself.  Some might call that optimism, but I call it surrender… surrender to the One Who created the world, and therefore, Who could lead me through a minuscule valley, of the shadow of death.  Over ten years have passed since that darkness engulfed me, and I can honestly say that life is more exciting now than ever before… but  more importantly, I now have a vision and authentic purpose for living; to enhance the lives of others.

Okay, so just in case you missed all of that, the antidote for depression is to… pull a counter attack.  I say that because depression is like a whirlwind.  A force will cause air to swirl around and around to the point that it will become one tiny little concentrated force… all pointing to you.  In other words, depression sucks, meaning that it is selfish… and therefore it’ll make a way of making ‘poor ol you’ the center of its universe.  Consequently, it will succeed in winding you tighter and tighter into your very own self until you want to just… self destruct.  And, why not… I mean… nobody really cares about ME anyway… nothing but Me matters out there, and so what’s the purpose for living, right?  Well… no… wrong… and sad to say… dead wrong… especially if you should choose to believe that lie.

The truth is that you failed to tune into… or perhaps have lost sight of the greatest love affair in all of history… the love of God for His precious creation… that would be you.  Oh… He may not intervene every time somebody chooses to self destruct but that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t care nor that His love is not real.  The truth is that; if God intervened every moment that a danger challenged one of us then we’d no longer experience the other side of the coin… exhilaration and reward… when overcoming a challenge or winning at a sport, perhaps.  You do recall our chat about the neurotransmitter, dopamine, don’t you?  If you want to see dopamine at play then just go to a hockey game or football match; you’ll soon be inundated with a schwack of… ooh’s… aah’s and yeahs… the result of an exuberant crowd, deeply involved in the player’s fight for supremacy… that’s dopamine.

You must first decide to live… and then begin your trek outward, one-step-at-a-time… it is soooo worth it!  Furthermore; you have to understand that people… friends and loved ones, in particular, should not… and cannot be relied upon for your success nor blamed for your failure.  You and you only are the one in charge of your vessel… and the sooner you understand that then the sooner you can dig yourself outa the hole you’re stuck in.  This is not to suggest that relationships are of no value but more so that they are the effect rather than the cause of your situation.  It must begin with you and your personal convictions and choices… so get to work.

Begin your day by standing in front of a mirror; look directly into your eyes and say to yourself something along these lines; Good morning beautiful or handsome… I am not alone in this big world… I am loved dearly by God and therefore; I choose to love me the way that I am.  I have purpose, gifts, abilities and power… and with God’s help, I can… and will experience peace of mind and joy in my heart today.

Now, get on outside in the fresh air and sun or rain and consciously smell, hear and feel the life going on around you.  The next thing you wanna do is; give something away or help somebody else. It doesn’t have to be a big thing at all but rather just the act of giving will set a new spiritual law in motion… that being, disposing attention away from YOU.   Perhaps you could buy a sandwich for some hungry soul, help someone with a heavy grocery bag… or give somebody a ride home or something to that effect.  The important thing is that it’ll be energy leaving you… rather than… accumulating onto you… got it?

Moral of the story: ‘A merry heart is like a medicine’ quote from the Bible.

HELP… MY KID’S DRIVING ME CRAZY!

CAUTION…YOU ARE NOW ENTERING A CONTROVERSIAL ZONE!  We’ll be touching on ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) as well as a few other related behavioral syndromes, including Autism and out of control Schizophrenia.

Due to the manifold causes of brain and behaviour issues, this subject could really fit under just about any department of the body, especially that of; Digestion or Immune Malfunction. However, I would like to address one factor regarding brain/behaviour challenges, that being; one’s goal not should not be to make little Johnny normal… meaning… to be just like every other kid on the block… but rather to help Johnny to be happy, confident and functional… for he will require these attributes in order to survive and excel throughout his hopefully long and healthy life.  ‘

Out of control kids,’ shall we call them, never used to be a common thing when I went to school some 50 ish years ago; however, it is occurring in epidemic proportions today.  Back in 1987 statistics revealed that 1 out of 500 children displayed some form of autism for example.  Today, that number has dramatically increased to 1 in 120 children.  Why would that be?  Let’s investigate and hopefully it’ll serve to encourage and empower you to beat this giant rather than discourage you from even trying.  Are we good to go, then?

BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR:

ADD/ADHD (Attention deficit disorder) and Autism all share one common denominator; imbalance and inflammation.  The following information will hopefully shed some light on that connection so that you can resolve this issue.  Furthermore, one must be aware of two basic principals which are common to our body; one is that there is mega electrical and chemical activity going on within the body, like 24/7… and two; our body is engaged in a perpetual balancing act.

Malfunction of the brain and/or behavioural issues is not always the result of physical injury or emotional trauma.  A healthy functioning brain requires specific elements in order to maintain that balance; therefore the presence, absence and/or balance of any of the following can easily affect the prognosis of the fore mentioned queries; water, oxygen, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fats and protein, to name but a few.  Furthermore; food and/or environmental agents can equally, negatively or positively affect the balance of such due to the simple fact that, allergy spells inflammation.  Specific foods and/or chemicals can easily push immune buttons that can cause inflammation within the brain, and so attention to this factor is a must, as well.

Subsequently, there is a new type of Psychiatry surfacing known as; Orthomolecular-ecologic, Psychiatry.  This type of Psychiatry is not so quick to toss Pharmaceutical agents at behavioural issues, but more so takes the time to investigate other potential causes and treatment for such.  It’s apparently making some headway for in many cases, even dysfunctional schizophrenic behaviour can be positively altered in just four days, by simply recognizing and removing a potential trigger.

Let’s look at some of the potential causes for brain and emotional malfunction, aside from physical trauma, shall we?  The following information is bound to attract some controversy, but nevertheless we must be willing to flip over some boulders if we’re going to solve this query, regardless of what squirmy critters we might find hiding under them.  I’d like to direct your attention to something called, neuro-toxicity.  Neuro toxins are simply elements/substances that negatively affect the nervous system.  Some of the more internally prominent suspects are; Fluoride, mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, MSG, artificial food colouring and sweeteners such as; Aspartame and Sorbitol.  

If your city has already discontinued putting fluoride in your municipal drinking water then you are one of the lucky ones, but it’s not so in all cities… in Canada anyway.  But don’t take my word on fluoride being a poison, just read the label on most tooth paste containers, which I’m sure that 99% of the parents don’t do.  You’ll read the warning, ‘keep out of reach of children’ and ‘poison if swallowed.’  It doesn’t stop there… you will even read the warning, ‘if amount larger than the size of a pea is swallowed, you’re to call a poison control center!’   But wait a minute… didn’t you just send Johnny into the washroom to… brush his teeth?  Oh… but he’ll be okay… I’m pretty sure that he’s just going to squeeze the prescribed amount onto his toothbrush… and besides it’s not like he’s going to swallow any of the stuff anyway… and it’s just going to be in contact with his mouth.  I have two questions for you… how well do you know kids… and… just where does the mouth stop and the rest of the digestive system begin?  Hopefully you got my point.

This next element is one that is sooo played around with… in more ways than one; mercury.  Another name for mercury is quick-silver.  We used to splatter one big glob of the liquid, silver coloured stuff into a gazillion little particles only to make them all flow together again… amazing stuff to any curious kid for sure… but amazingly toxic as well… and that is where the health watch dogs tend to play with… or should I say… downplay with its negative potential.   Most, if not all, vaccines contain mercury in them, but our health authorities confidently advertise that it is not enough to cause any trouble.  Aside from the fact that Mercury, like many toxins, is accumulative, how would they know… know for sure… that this particular toxin, regardless of the amount ingested, will be safe from one individual to the next.  This is the rock where the serpent lies under, for we’re all different and there is really no way to predict who is going to react… and in which way… to a known toxin.  Furthermore; it’s not as though vaccines are the only source of this poison, there are many more such as; sea fish and amalgam dental fillings.

VACCINES:

The term, ‘Mad hatter,’ goes back many years.  It adequately describes what happened to many of the workers that were subject to this… apparently, so safe element.  Mercury used to be an ingredient used in the processing of felt hats… and it seems that the poor uninformed workman went a tad crazy upon inhaling the toxic fumes from such.  Well… it just couldn’t possibly be the mercury, now could it?  Regardless; the mad hatter displayed symptoms such as; distorted vision and confused speech, among other sorts of abnormal behaviour.  Hmm… and Johnny is acting how?   Furthermore; how many vaccinations and amalgam dental fillings has Johnny been exposed to?  Now, don’t go all crazy and be lead to believe mercury to be the sole cause of the problem with Johnny, although it is a pretty outstanding suspect, for there are other suspects waiting in line such as; formaldehyde and aluminum, also found in most, if not all vaccines… and both of which are also considered to be toxic to the human body.

Artificial immunization (vaccinations) has been covered extensively in the section entitled, ‘Immune System,‘ and so I’m not going to reopen Pandora’s box again here… other than touch on some relevant information.  The problem is that the potential danger of many of questionable substances and/or practices such as artificial immunization is that they can seldom be isolated as the culprit whenever something does go wrong.  There are a few reasons for this, the main one being that we are each so different; therefore, one person’s symptoms or reactions may differ from that of another upon exposure to the same agent or toxin.  This has been the case with vaccinations in particular.  A reaction always occurs when vaccinated… but the level of that reaction as well as the time frame involved is bound to vary from individual to individual.

Consequently, there has been documented cases of manifold immune reactions and/or malfunctions ranging from mild irritations to instant death and over a period of time ranging from 24 hours to two or even ten years after a vaccine agent was injected and yet vaccines are rarely isolated as being the cause.   My own son fell prey to the auto-immune disease of Type-1 Juvenile Diabetes at a very young age.  Although there were several potential suspects involved in the cause, he had been artificially immunized with the DPT and MMR vaccine a few years prior, both of which have since been linked to Juvenile Diabetes.  The sad, but true results of this is that the producers and marketeers of, say a pharmaceutical agent and/or protocol are very quick and confident to deny any association to their product/protocol… and there is little to no substantial evidence that can prove else wise.

Okay… so let’s keep snooping around to see what else there is out there that might be pushing Johnny’s bratworst button.  Whatever is causing our kids to go nachos may very well be one antagonist common to all kids… school.  I’m not saying that school is making your kid crazy but rather that the school building may very well have something to do with it.  Have you ever noticed that all public buildings share a common scent… that of cleaning agents?  Most, if not all, schools apply the same cleaning agents; therefore we need to know whether or not any of these could be a factor in our query.  Again, one kid may react sooner and in a much different manner than that of another kid might upon exposure to a chemical.  Breathing a toxic substance is no different then eating a toxic substance.  Either way, your body is ingesting it.  Furthermore, you can be sure that your body will evaluate its presence as either friendly or a potential danger and will react accordingly.  If you don’t believe, me than open up a container of ammonia and take a biiig whiff of it.  Hey… wake up… wake up… are you okay?  I wasn’t serious… I was just trying to make a point.  My point is that our kids are breathing in many toxic cleaning agents like for several hours a day and for five days a week.  Perhaps you’ve been told that Johnny is acting a tad out of sorts at school… but how is Johnny at home… especially during summer break?  If Johnny is a fairly normal little tyke during the summer holidays and then is transformed into a little brat when back into his school routine again then I’d suggest some further investigation into this factor.

SINUS CONGESTION CONNECTION:

While we’re on the subject of inhalants and allergens, allow me to introduce you to a very effective sinus spray, called X-Lear.  Our nasal passage is the entrance to the outside world, so to speak.  I believe that our wonderful Maker equipped us with the right tools to effectively deal with the outside coming in.  Our immune system has been programmed to sniff out, attack and remove any threat to the body…  we can help or hinder this process.  For example; regarding the breathing department, the use of decongestants and anti-histamines may offer temporary relief… especially when one’s breathing is seriously compromised and all, but  long term application of such, will prove to be counter productive.  You will only be fighting your own body’s defenses by going this route; rather, you might want to consider an alternative and much safer approach… keeping your nose clean.  It’s almost impossible in today’s environment to escape major mucous congestion in the nasal cavity; however, it’s what’s harboured within that mucous that we should be concerned about.  Mucous is our immune system’s way/tool of protecting the body from potential threat, and so it’s really, a good thing; however, if we want to further empower the immune system, then we should consider employing agents that assist it in cleaning house… in this case, the sinus cavity.  I believe that some children may be ‘acting out,’ so to speak, due to issues revolving around, sinus congestion… especially if your child is experiencing frequent inner ear infections.  Speech and pronunciation, in particular can very well be the result of inner ear congestion and/or an accompanied, immune response.

Xylitol is what is known as an incomplete sugar.  It is available in the form of a chewing gum and candies as well as a nasal spray, called, X-Lear.  Its claim to fame is that; Pathogens, namely Viruses, Bacteria and Parasites, love sugar, and so they’ll gladly indulge in whatever you have to offer them.  How about we offer them Xylitol.  Unfortunately, these nasty micro-organisms lack the enzymes to digest this particular type of sugar and so, when they ingest the stuff… voila… their program is seriously handicapped/disrupted.  Eventually the bio-film created by these ill intending invaders begins to recede, resulting in a clean nasal passage… like… how easy was that?  Finland successfully used Xylitol chewing gum to fight tooth decay for decades… go figure!  So, hand out the Xylitol chewing gum ma and watch the oral health improve, as well.  Keeping one’s nose clean also paves the way for fewer colds, ear infections and allergies as well.

I hate to load down your camel with yet more potential suspects, but inhaling toxic substances is not limited to just cleaning agents, rather it can include just about anything.  Mold and mildew are well know to push serious immune buttons with some people more than others.  Furthermore; there are mega chemicals in both, our homes as well as in commercial buildings that can easily push our ever watching Immune system into action.  I’m talking about chemicals such as; formaldehyde and bromine, to name but a few.  These, and many other biggg, unpronounceable words are common to many of the building materials, furniture and flooring, in particular that are common to North American homes.  These agents are constantly leached into the air that we breathe all day long, and again, may seriously cause a reaction in one person and may not to the next.   I do have a suggestion for this as well as for the following culprit known as, EMF (Electrical, Magnetic, Frequency) toxicity; Ionizers.

EMF TOXICITY AND IONIZERS:

Ionizers are small appliances that generate negative ions. What are negative ions?  Wow… you sure do ask a lot of questions; nonetheless, Ions are unseen bugs… electrical bugs, you might call them, that are constantly floating around in the air that we’re breathing.  I know what you’re probably thinking; “Ok so now I know the guy’s off his rocker for sure… I mean… bugs in the air and all?”  Nonetheless; these bugs… er… rather air molecules… there… does buy me back some confidence?  Anyway… these air molecules contain an electrical charge, one that will be; either, negative or positive.  Contrary to common sense, the positive charged air causes a negative reaction throughout the brain/body when breathed in, whereas the negative charged air creates a positive one, namely that of peace and calm as far as moods go.  Of course, as it is with all things, there’s always going to be a small percentage of people who will react in an opposite fashion.

It’s old school info that full moon cycles, radical weather changes… and now, a new, but really, a reallll old kid on the block, namely, solar flares, can push buttons, causing neurotic and even, psychotic activity in some people.  I have personally witnessed this over and over again, being in the retail business.   Positive Ion dominance is a common factor responsible for these conditions.  ‘Positive ion toxicity,’ is a term describing what happens with full moon cycles and severe weather change… along with other natural laws that we’ll leave out for simplicity sake.  This is a condition whereby the air is predominantly charged positively as opposed to being negatively charged.  You may not physically see this charge on the air molecule but this activity can certainly be experienced.  Furthermore; it can be detected by using specialized equipment.  Consequently, when we breathe in these positive ions, most people react negatively… most people; like I said, some people respond in an opposite manner.  Skeptical?  Let’s look at something common to most all of us such as; travel sickness. I’m sure we’ve all experienced… or have been around people who have fallen prey to travel sickness.  What about that feeling of exhaustion after a long road trip when really… you just sat there, doing absolutely nothing for an extended period of time in an automobile or something similar?  Why would that be?

Well, first of all; the vehicle that you are sitting in is most likely predominantly, a solid chunk of metal, unless of course it happens to be one of our more modern productions, in which case, it’d be mostly plastic.  Nevertheless; that metal contraption is passing through the air at a very high speed, which attracts mega positive ions.  Consequently; the air inside the vehicle soon becomes saturated with these predominantly positive ions, which are quite toxic to the body when breathed in.  Have you ever noticed a strap hanging down from under the back end of some cars.  That’s not a broken piece of automobile… well… not normally, anyway… but rather it’s a device designed to draw the excess positive charge from out of the vehicle back into the ground where it really already wants to go… hence where the electrical term, ‘grounded’ comes from.

THE FIX:

Ionizers (negative ion generators) are designed to inject and disburse negative ions in your car or home.  I suppose you can just stand in the shower to get the same goods, although, you’d have to hang out there like all day long.  The immediate air surrounding your shower, as is the case with any fine water spray, will induce negative ions into the air… hence why people so often feel an overwhelming urge to, sing in the shower.   Niagara Falls is not deemed the ultimate romantic spot just because of its beauty and majesty, but also because of the ‘so relaxing’ mood that all of that fine spraying water is creating.  You may not consciously know the reason why, but your Endocrine system sure does, for an entire schwack of neurotransmitters are stimulated and/or released into the blood stream, releasing chemical, neural transmitters such as; Serotonin, Dopamine and Oxytosin… but probably not Cortisone or Adrenalin, unless of course you were contemplating rolling down the falls in an oak barrel.  If you were contemplating that maneuver, then perhaps you should have read the section entitled, ‘Depression.’

While we’re on the hot trail of hidden, button pushers, allow me to introduce you to yet more suspects.  Hey… just close the book tight… realllll tight if/when you get overwhelmed with too much information coming in… and very little going out, ok?  It’s okay to do that, cause life is a journey… and a journey involves time; regardless of what the regulated world dictates, the right time really means, ‘when you’re ready to do something about it!’  Another area of research performed by our new kid on the block, namely, Orthomolecular-ecologic, Psychiatry is magnet therapy.  Remember; there is mega chemical and electrical activity going on in the body at all times; therefore, magnets may very well have something to offer in this field of affairs.  Apparently, by strategically placing magnets, either negative or positive polarity on the head, behaviour has been significantly altered for the better.  This is not to suggest that you duct tape a schwack of magnets to Johnny’s head and hope that he’s better behaved at school, but rather that there is a connection.  I’m sure you would agree; that such a move will usher in a schwack of other potential emotional roadblocks for Johnny.  I mean… when Johnny’s in Math class, he’d say; “Hey…My Mom said that these large magnets taped to both sides of my head will keep my mind bright and clear so that I will be able to figure out Y somebody’s X disappeared.”  What-d-ya think… are we helping Johnny to grow up and be a so called, normal person?  Ugh… there we go with that, ‘normal, abnormal’ plumb line again.

Of course, we have no control over moon cycles or weather, although the ‘Powers to be,’ continue messing with such; howbeit let’s look at some of the things that we do have control over, such as what we’re directing/enabling Johnny to eat.  I’d have to rank excessive sugar intake as being one of the most obvious behaviour button pushers of the entire bunch. Statistics reveal sugar consumption to have dramatically risen from about 5 pounds per person each year to about 125 pounds per person each year… go figure!  Fructose is among the worst in this department.  That’s because the source of this cost effective sweetener is not from fruits at all as it used to be, but from corn syrup… another, ‘save a buck processing’ ploy.  This type of fructose is much different than that of sugar and although your taste buds might appreciate it, your digestive process feels the woes of such.  The reasons for this are far too complicated for many of us to be bothered to decipher and so suffice to say this; steer away from products containing fructose as much as possible.

Although there is mega Fructose and other sugar additives tucked away in very many foods and condiments in particular, soda drinks have got to be one of the most obvious perpetrators.  Many of these are not only saturated with sugar, but in many cases, caffeine as well… another well known behaviour button pusher.  I know this cause I raised a schwack of kids.  “Nah… Johnny only drinks diet pop,” I hear you say.   Hmm… and what’s it sweetened with?  Aspartame and Sorbitol, to name just a few, are worst than sugar when it comes to behaviour.  That is because many of these artificial sweeteners share the same formula, namely, ingredients found in insecticides, which are designed to attack the nervous system of insects..  Hmm… that’s something to think about the next time yer kid is buggin ya… poor lil bugs, right?  Never mind the bugs… poor lil Johnny, cause he may very well be headed for a nervous system nightmare as the years go on.

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES:

First of all; look for healthier sweeteners.  There are many to choose from, and even though they’re all sweet per-se, there’s always going to be the ‘lesser of evils,’ to choose from, so to speak.  In other words, honey is sweet alright, but its far better than fructose… got it?  There are even natural sweeteners that will not, or that will hardly create a radical insulin response, such as; Stevia and Xylitol (ensure that the Xylitol is the one derived from Birch and not from… corn).  Secondly; don’t even have soda pop on the premises.  I know… I’ve raised enough kids to known that they like to open the fridge, reach for, and pour a tall glass of juice of something cold and tasty and so… be creative!  We used to make up our own jugs of herbal ice tea and let it steep overnight.  Add a container of pure lemon aid in the morning… and, voila… you have a healthier alternative to soda pop.

I will mention a rather crazy thing that happened with our concoctions though, just so that you won’t do the same dumb thing; we managed to shuttle our kids through the bed wetting stage rather successfully.  I’m not sure how or why that was such an easy and smooth transition, seeing that both my wife and myself were late bed wetters and all; nevertheless, not one of my kids were chronic bed wetters.  However; it all changed one day as we were suddenly challenged with mega bed wetting accidents… no… not us… but our kids, dang it!  First it was one kid and then another who would wet her bed for a few nights… and we just couldn’t figure it out.  After about 2 weeks had passed, my inquisitive wife researched the ingredients of the different herbal tea blends that were using in the formula… and guess what… apparently a few of the herbs in our formula were serious Diuretics, meaning that they had a history of drawing mega fluids from the kidneys.  I suppose you can say that that was the beginning of my herbal course.  We took it even a step further and made up jugs of Kombucha cultured green tea every other evening.  There are plenty of recipes available for this online.  This cultured drink served as a great antioxidant beverage as well as a practical source of Probiotics… and the kid’s loved it too.

Another controllable factor, although not an easy one is; food additives, artificial flavours and colours.  Take MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) for example; there has been mega research exposing the hazards of  MSG as an exitotoxin and yet it continues to be added to so many foods.  What harm does it pose to the body?  According to my research, it literally explodes brain cells… ugh… what-d-ya think… pass the the K fried chicken and M French fries, for MSG is especially popular in Fast Food outlets.  The problem is; how to identify and avoid putting this toxin in your grocery cart, especially when MSG as an ingredient has since morphed into so many different names… I wonder why?  You’ll have to do your own homework regarding this culprit as there’s plenty of online resources available that expose it at the touch of a button on your computer keyboard.

Suffice to say that this particular neuro toxin has been around for quite some time… its roots in the food market go a way back to the 1950’s… and for a very good reason; it is a renowned, flavour enhancer, as well as an addictive component.  MSG is one of many ingredients utilized to fatten lab rats.  Hmm… you might wanna think about that the next time you go on a weight loss program.  The sad thing is that this magic ingredient happened to be on the list of Gerber Baby foods back in my day… go figure!  Big on the label of a jar of baby mush was this picture of a cute, rosy cheaked, smiling baby, meanwhile; the junk inside was loaded with… MSG… talk about the power of advertising!  But wait… it gets even worse… a vigilante scientist, who happened to have a lab in his back room, exposed the woes of MSG and its safety for baby consumption and confronted the large food manufacturers regarding such.  No problem; the food manufacturer simply changed the name of MSG to another name… and continued on with their antics.  Where was Health Canada when that was going on, I wonder.

david and GOLIATH:

Ok… so enough baaad news already… let’s get to work and take this giant out.  First of all; you may or may not have been attentive to Johnny’s diet and his behavior… but that is all going to change, right?  And that’s what really matters, cause the body is quite amazing in that given a little room, it’ll get right back on track and in balance, before you know it.  The problem is that many parents may suspect… and will attempt to isolate, a suspected food or ingredient that might be responsible for questionable behavior in their child… but then what?  I mean… adults you can at least reason with, but with kids… addicted kids, at that… you’ll have to work smarter… and not harder, if you’re going to change the long term prognosis regarding their over all health.

Nonetheless; I’d say that the most common suspects with the potential to send a kids behaviour south, other than the fore mentioned, excessive sugar, fructose and soda pop are; sugar, wheat and dairy.  It wasn’t always so, but something has certainly changed with these two foods in particular since the days of old.  I can still recall the cling clang of milk bottles singin as the milk truck made its daily door to door deliveries back in the 1950’s.  That was when milk was sold in glass bottles and came straight from a grass fed cow minus a schwack of &$%&^ that has since been added for whatever $%^#$ reason that the health authorities claim to be necessary… and safe to consume.

Nonetheless; aside from the fact that milk is altered and adulterated with mega hormones and antibiotics, most people are familiar with lactose intolerance.  Lactose is a sugar in milk.  Are you aware of the fact that the enzyme required to break down lactose is prominent when we’re babes but then disappears as we age… like approximately, by the age of five?  I didn’t think so.  I’ve heard many people complain of gas, bloating and/or possible diarrhea when indulging in dairy.  These symptoms are common to that of ‘food intolerance.’  It’s not the same as one might experience with an immune response to the protein (casein) contained in milk, which is yet another factor to contend with in our query, but nonetheless, it is a potential antagonist.  The good news is that; the ill effects of lactose intolerance can be cleared up in but a few days upon abstinence, although it can take several months to calm down an immune response after abstinence from such.  Another option is to supplement with Digestive Enzymes, particularly one called, Lactase when indulging in milk products.  This will offer the body a means of dismantling the substance and unlocking the potential nutrients of such.

FRANKENWHEAT:

As for wheat; the wheat grain of today is so much different from the wheat grain of yesterday as well, thanks to those guys in the white lab coats again.  I can also recall sitting on the front steps of Dapps Bakery back in my home town back in the 1950’s, awaiting generous hand outs… remnants of hot crusts of freshly baked bread… bread that was made from simple wheat along with a mere handful of ingredients.   Today, wheat, in particular has been genetically modified (GMO), meaning that the seed has been modified… changed.  Consequently, its blueprint has been so changed that it is no longer recognized and utilized by our body, but rather creates an immune response, resulting in rather strange behavior with many people… see the connection?  It’s not so much the gluten contained in the wheat that is posing a problem, although that too can be a factor, but more so, specific ‘foreign’ proteins that may be pushing serious buttons in the brain, particularly in the neuro-transmitter department.

Studies have revealed that some of these foreign proteins are acting on the same circuits in the brain a… say… heroin addiction would… go figure!  In other words, the sandwich, toast and cereal that Johnny eats every day could very well be making him behave the way that he does; therefore, a period of abstinence from wheat in particular may very well expose the real Boogie Man that’s pushing Johnny’s buttons.  If you do decide to take up this challenge, don’t be surprised if your lil guy acts out on you… it’s more than likely just withdrawal symptoms that will diminish sooner than later, rendering your beloved child a relatively trouble free kid.

DIGESTION:

Rather than getting too carried away witch hunting for what’s wrong… why don’t we get to work on making things right, meaning; to build us a solid brick house, one of which the big bad wolf of Neuro toxins, EMF and/or Environmental carcinogens, cannot so easily huff and puff and blow down, namely that of our body, mind and Spirit.  Although our ‘Sherlock Holmes’ protocol of identifying and eliminating potential substances that may be pushing immune buttons and causing questionable behavior, is a valuable step to recovery, more so is that of building up the integrity of our body to carry us through this and the many more challenging storms that plain ol life is going to throw at us.

Let’s begin with our body’s so vital, ‘first line of defense,’ the digestive system.  ***Much of the following has been covered in detail in the section entitled, ‘Digestion,‘ but we’ll mention some of the relevant information here as well. There is undeniably a proven connection between the brain and gut.  Both Pharmaceutical Medicine and Natural Medicine agrees on this.  I’d go so far to say that over 80% of behaviour problems can be solved by addressing this department.  In other words; symptoms of brain, behavioral and/or neurological malfunction are very often related to immune response due to something going on… or perhaps that is… not going on within the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GI).

I want you to picture the following, so close your eyes and unleash your imagination… you do have one of these, I hope.  Envision a long and windy tube that begins at your mouth and ends at that part of the body that many people avoid talking about… your rectum.  I know… it’s a rather gruesome picture, but work with me on this one, will ya?  You’ll notice that if you were to stretch that long tube out, you’d notice that it is hollow and that you could see straight through it.  What you just read there has the potential of empowering you to… get back your health!  If that tube is hollow, that means that the only thing separating your innards from the world you live in is a thin membrane, known as the ‘gut lining.’  In other words; the entire outside world enters our body via that long and winding hollow tube; this includes food, water, chemicals and both benign and harmful micro-organisms, as well.

Much of this stuff will pass right on through us and out the other end without causing so much as a hiccup, whereas other stuff can cause quite a ruckus before exiting.  Furthermore; bear in mind that your ever alert and all caring, immune system is on continuous lookout for any ill intending intruders that are coming in… and it’ll be quick to deal with such.  Now, that’s how it’s supposed to work; however, in this earthly dimension, &^$&^# happens… and… well… we sometimes have to apply plan ‘B’ and sometimes, Plan ‘C’ and ‘D’ etc. in order to survive.  The good news is that there are 26 letters in the alphabet and therefore, you’re bound to eventually resolve the issue.

I’d like to bring your attention to a syndrome known as; ‘leaky gut syndrome.‘  If the lining (membrane) that separates the outside world from the world within your body is up to par, pink and healthy, then all will be just fine; however, it it is not, then that outside world has an invitation to bust right into your world (your innards) and begin pilfering and vandalizing your body.  You see, our body has rules, and one of them is that substances that enter our mouth must go through the proper channels.  It’s a screening process, complete with checkpoints, armed with monitors and defense strategies, much like an international border crossing.  And as it is with border crossings, there are always those that evade and/or avoid following those rules, which will cause the lights to flash and the sirens to wail.

To put it simply; if substances and/or Pathogens should attempt to seep through a breach in our gut lining, then our immune system can literally go nauchos.  Of course when that happens, then an entire sequence, a domino effect of all sorts of electrical activity and chemicals, namely neurotransmitters, can be activated, rendering you, the host feeling, pretty the brunt of it all.  This compromised gut lining doesn’t occur over night, it happens over a period of time, most often simply due to lack of nutrients… consuming real food.

No thanks to our modern day food suppliers, accessing that real food is becoming quite a challenge.  The goood news, is that this gut lining is under constant renovation, designed to repair itself in a short period of time… again, if the materials and workmen are available to do the job.  There is mega information available in the section entitled, ‘Digestion,’ revealing how to identify and access this nutrient rich food.

HELP 911:   

Allow me to introduce you to some pretty impressive agents that I am confident will take up the slack and speed up the process of healing the gut.  I call these the ‘Fab 5,’ because I have yet to hear a customer claim that they didn’t feel a significant improvement when using them.  One can understand when you come to the realization these agents are no longer available in our food chain.  It’s no wonder that there are so many sick cookies out there, regardless of the name of the disease.

***Refer to the section entitled, ‘THE FAB 5… PROBIOTICS, ENZYMES, FIBER, EFA’S AND GREENS/BERRIES‘ for detailed information on the following agents.

Number one would be; Probiotics.   Probiotics are required to establish and maintain a strong and healthy micro-flora within the digestive system.  Without these beneficial micro organisms, we are vulnerable to those bad and ugly micro organisms (Pathogens) that inevitably find there way through that fore mentioned, long and winding tube, namely the GI Tract (Gastro-intestinal tract).

Number two would be Digestive Enzymes.  Enzymes perform very many services to the body.  First of all; they dismantle and unlock the nutrients found in food.  Secondly; they act as door men, ushering those nutrient into the cells for energy.  Thirdly; they dismantle/digest garbage, including Pathogens, Cancer cells and environmental carcinogens, harboured throughout the body and fourthly; they are the tools to repair and rebuild cellular damage caused by such.  How’s that for a multi tasker.  Enzymes are normally present in raw food but are destroyed in refined, cook or micro waved substances and so you can hopefully see why I feel that we can serious benefit from supplementation of these guys.

Number three would be, Fiber/Drawing agents.  This too has multiple advantages.  First of all; we need this stuff to draw and carry unwanted debris clean out of the body.  It also effectively draws excess sugar, cholesterol and hormones hanging around looking for a ‘Bad boy party.’  Secondly; it serves to feed the Probiotics that are hopefully hanging around trying to set up house.

Number four would be, EFA Fats.  These are the beneficial fats, unlike the junk that has been inundating the market over the last 60 years.  You’ll be ingesting plenty of that junk if you indulge in Fast Foods.  You’ll be looking for unrefined fats extracted from a variety of sources, such as; plants, seeds and fish to name but a few.

Last but least, you may want to up the ante on the nutrition end of food by accessing Super Greens and/or Berries.  What are super greens, and why are they necessary?  The long and short of it all is; that the nutrition value once available in raw fruits and vegetables, has seriously been eroded.  An apple today for example is offering you approximately 40% of the nutrients that an apple back a half a century ago, did.  Without going into detail as to why, suffice to say; that we need to dig deeper in order to subsidize this shortage.  Super Greens are simply specific plants that have been rendered down to concentrated portions, utilizing a variety of processes.  You’ll find them in simple powder form or better, as extracts from sprouted plants and/or fermented.  You’ll get what you pay for and so read the labels.  As for the Berries… well… 1,00,000 bears can’t be wrong, for they instinctively stock up on berries big time in the fall in order to access the necessary vitamins and minerals to sustain them through months of hibernation.

Examples of each of the fore mentioned are available in the section entitled, ‘Lets Go Shopping.’

TO RECAP;

You’ll have to do your own research regarding vaccinations but don’t expect an unbiased viewpoint from the medical establishment on that one.  Don’t go and rail on your doctor as I’m sure that he/she is only doing what they believe to be the best choice… diseases better known as… ‘uninformed,’ or ‘misinformed,’ take your pick.  The problem is that they’ve been taught to trust the research and statistics generated by the pharmaceutical guys all of the way from day one in Med school, and so they come by that mindset honestly.  I know because I have a doctor in the family, and I know his heart and do appreciate and respect his intentions as a healer.  There’s plenty of alternative, unbiased research and info available on the subject of vaccinations and therefore I would encourage you to do your own homework.  As for mercury, aluminum and other toxic metal exposure, their are tests available to reveal such although you may be challenged to access such.  Contrary to what you may have thought, hair analysis is not always accurate in determining heavy metal toxicity.  That’s because some people just don’t easily excrete heavy metals as readily as others, and therefore; a residue of such may not be detectable in the hair follicle at all.  Your local Naturopath doctor may be of immense help here to perform urine and/or blood/tissue samples to reveal any excess heavy metals.

Agents such as; Chlorella or Zeolite are among the most effective removal tools for toxic metals and other environmental agents. ***Refer to section entitled, ‘Gares Hall of Fame,‘ for info on Zeolite.  ‘Chelation Therapy’ is an intravenous treatment incorporating the use of EDTA.  It is effective in the removal of lead and many other toxic metals along with the ability to clean out occluded arteries.  Please note that there is a specific protocol regarding the Chelation technique with the removal of mercury due to the potential of mercury residue being carried through the blood brain barrier in the process and therefore; you’ll have to do your own homework on that one.  You should also be aware of the fact that the North American Medical Association frowns on ‘Chelation therapy’ and will not fund it under most circumstances unless metal toxicity is medically diagnosed.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR BRAIN MALFUNCTION:

Solutions of yester-year for behavior challenge, consisted of shock treatments and/or lobotomies… gasp… so we’ve certainly come a long way.  Today, we see Pharmaceutical agents such as Ritalin, being employed to treat behavior challenged kids.  The question is; is it working?  Regardless; in my opinion, we’re reaching way too fast for these supposedly, ‘quick fix’ guns… especially when there are other options available… let’s investigate.

THE MARVELS OF CANNABIS:

Their is a function known as; an Endocannabinoid system (Endo-system) in our body.  It’s receptors are located all over; in the brain, organs, connective tissue and immune system to name but a few.  One of the functions of this system is to maintain homeostasis (balance) to our body.  It appears as if this system is compromised as is the case with far too many of our metabolic processes.  The idea of natural health supplements is to do just that; to supplement a department that is either malfunctioning or seriously compromised.

The Endo system has receptors located all throughout the body; I’d like to draw your attention to the, CB1 and the CB2 receptors in particular.  THC, the part of Cannabis, the star of Woodstock music festival of the 60’s is the agent that gives you the psychoactive bang for your buck.  On the other hand, CBD, another prominent component of Cannabis, performs a much different magic in the body.  It can stimulate the CB2 receptors and positively affect the nervous system, which is one of the clowns involved in the pain circus (inflammation) and anxiety.  Needless to say, such an agent can be a Godsend for insomnia among other queries.  I have a friend who is plagued with tremors.  Her head continuously shakes back and fourth… a challenging health condition, I’m sure you would agree.  Two drops of CBD oil instantly halted the condition.  This may have been an exception; I mean, to have so little of something work so fast; however it illustrates the potential of this stuff, wouldn’t you agree?  Medical research reveals its effectiveness in many neurological disorders,including; Epilepsy.

MISCELLANEOUS NATURAL HEALTH GEMS:

In lieu of the fact that allergies are so very often at the helm of the wheel when brain/emotion malfunction are in the picture, an Immune system balancing agent would definitely be worth incorporating into our regime.  Some effective immune modulators to consider are; Transfer Factor, Bio-Strath, Plant Sterols and Sterinols, Spiralina, Blue Green Algae, Quercetin, Astragalus, Ashwagandha, Shizandra, Rhodiola, Mushrooms and related family, such as; Reishi, Chaga to name but a few.  ***Caution on mushrooms; not everybody is compatible with these; therefore, we may just be adding fuel to our already raging fire.  Fish Oils in particular, have proven to be quite remarkable in balancing focus and behaviour issues as well and so are worth the try, for sure.  The property of something called, DHA is apparently the magic ingredient found in Fish and other oils.  What is DHA?  DHA is the short form for a word that most people like me can’t even pronounce, and so suffice to call it just that… DHA.  ***Refer to section entitled, ‘EFA Fats,’ for detailed information of this.  The bottom line is that your brain is made up of approximately 60% fat, and DHA in particular, seems to push the right buttons.  Hmm… if somebody should call you a fat head, I suppose you can consider it a compliment.

EMP, a supplement mentioned in the chapter on ‘Depression,’ is definitely a ‘reach for’ when it comes to behaviour and/or any emotional instability, for I have witnessed incredible testimonies on its effectiveness in remedying a multitude of queries, ranging from; memory and sleep issues, depression, anxiety all of the way to out of control, Schizophrenia.  How’s that for a winner?  GABA, N-Acetyl Cystein, Phosphatydyl Serine and DMG are a few isolated supplements on the market that are also potential aids in this department, although I wouldn’t prioritize them over that of our Fab 5 program of cleaning up the GI tract.  Furthermore; the fore mentioned are isolated agents, meaning that they are just one ingredient extracted from a complete substance; therefore, the use of such without being effectively monitored, could easily create an imbalance, especially if used for long periods of time.

Remember; your body is designed to maintain balance; therefore, if only one isolated component of anything is presented, your body is naturally going to be looking for its cousins in order to utilize it… eventually.  Consequently it’ll often borrow related components to such an isolated ingredient from some where else in the body if available… or else a reaction to such an entity could ensue.  An example would be; the use of individual ‘B’ vitamins.  Nature provides vitamins is specific balanced packages for a very good reason.  The rule of thumb is to stick to nature’s design; if you are going to utilize an isolated agent, then at least present the rest of the components this factor.

BRAIN GYM:

I personally recommend a program known as Brain Gym, for its regime offers a noticeable improvement with those challenged with brain function issues. It involves specific exercises to help and train the brain to focus.  Similar brain response coordination type exercises have been traditionally incorporated into many training regimes for some pretty sophisticated defense groups throughout the years.  For instance those fellas in the bright red suits and furry hats hangin around the Queen Elizabeth’s palace may look inactive and ineffective but in reality they have been trained in such a manner as to equip them to maintain alertness, ready and able to jump into appropriate action at the drop of a hat… possibly their own fur hat.  Hey… try flippin one of their hats off and see what happens.  Do let me know what the result of your prank is, would you?  Speaking of flipping, a short five-minute routine on a mini trampoline, incorporating a specific alternating arm and leg motion is not only equivalent to a five-mile jog but can also do wonders in focus training.  It goes like this… when you jump, land on your right leg only… at the same time, raise your left arm high into the air… then alternate, landing on the left leg whilst the right arm is raised high into the air.  Before you try this, remember to draw the curtains first though as your neighbours will probably be bolting their doors at night if they should observe your antics.  You may lose all your friends but you’ll sure be in tip-top shape.

GARE’S LAST RANT:

One last thing… I so wish that our schools had evolved from out of the dark ages long ago but they haven’t yet.  Two things come to mind; first of all, we all learn differently… some learn by watching, others by listening and yet others only by doing… it’s a process better known as; Visual, Auditory or Kinesthetic.  If schools would screen for and then apply the appropriate learning technique to accommodate these characteristics in the classrooms, then you’d have far less school drop outs for sure.  I know this because I was one of them.  I wasn’t stupid but rather, incapacitated… I just couldn’t wrap my head around much of the information presented, especially, math formulas.  They appeared to me as just a schwack of irrelevant numbers and letters… but as soon as they were presented to me in a more tangible format… then I’d connect, and it all changed.  I was to find this out too many years later while renovating a house.  In this application, I actually manged to apply geometry and resolve the measurement of weird angles etc, simply because it was relevant.

Speaking about relevance and revelation; I so wish that those same educators would prioritize teaching our children more practical and relevant information rather than the many useless subjects presently lingered on.  I mean… what’s more important; knowing/recalling dates of historical events, deciphering/memorizing specific books and poetry etc. or understanding how your body works and how to manage your finances, relationships and resources?  This is not to suggest that the fore mentioned curriculum is useless and dysfunctional but rather that such information should not be prioritized over that of the latter.  The result of such education would be; we’d be far less reliant on today’s over loaded medical system…  and because such knowledge would be accumulative, we’d be leaps and bounds ahead of where we are now today regarding personal health.  Furthermore, we’d be far more better equipped to deal with commerce and relationships if taught the likes of such from an early age, wouldn’t you think… you’re allowed to do that, you know!