All posts by Dr Bill Dean

About Dr Bill Dean

Dr Bill Dean began practicing urology in 1979 and retired from practice in 2011 to begin a complementary medicine fellowship at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico He has chosen the use of social media to reach out to the many who are interested in exploring an effective systematic approach to IC that is different to what is presently offered by traditional urology practices This can lead to helping people implement the practical applications of this knowledge either with one on one interaction or with support groups New information that can be used to improve health requires changes in habits which are not supportive to change “When the current allopathic healing approach doesn’t have an answer Ayurveda can certainly shed light and help with difficult clinical problems This is because of how the 2 models do their healing” Early in his budding urology career as a resident he researched a condition called chronic urethritis in women Now in retrospect this was his beginning study of IC since it is labeled so many different ways Dr Bill became interested in the complementary medical discipline of Ayurveda with the Chopra organization in 1995 This introduction showed him the science behind the discipline that was grounded in modern physics In 2000 having his own medical problems he sought help at the Ayurvedic Institute and over the years has watched his health dramatically improve Chronic edema from varicose veins cleared, longstanding bowel issues gradually resolved with resultant improved decreased bone density, clearance of longstanding skin lesions, and an improved healthy understanding of relationships He realized tools and techniques that could be used to reverse the disease process But what was startling was that he began seeing healing in a more complete way This improvement in his health brought enthusiasm to use some simple therapies in his urology practice for IC since there were no consistently good results with standard therapies in urology In 2005 he wrote a paper on the results of a study showing the improvement of men women and children using an Ayurvedic nutrition and aloe The results are reported at icdiet.com [http://icdiet.com/] In 6 weeks 91% of the patients had a 50% reduction in symptoms This was indeed exciting and energized Dr Bill to continue expanding on this approach to healing In the ensuing years of practice he continued to help his patient’s pain with what he now calls an energy science of healing This led to the 2010 publication of Foods Heal: Why Certain Foods Help You Feel Your Best [http://bit.ly/cIk3nZ] which uses the nutritional model to show the differences between the current matter science medical discipline and the Ayurvedic or what he terms the energy science medical discipline Says Dr Bill “Many debilitating diseases in the West are not adequately managed since in the matter science medical model the origins of disease are not well understood The energy science medical model has room for how diseases in the body begin This is the key to helping with these debilitating conditions that we have today” So Dr Bill wants to show people who come to him how this energy science of Ayurveda can heal IC “That’s a tall order” he says, “but with my past experience and what I have learned during my fellowship it is definitely possible if IC sufferers want to take on the challenge” Dr Bill is married and has 3 children and 5 grandchildren

IC and $ Saving Eating Healthy: Dispelling Myths and 11 Strategies To Save

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia

VegetablesIt’s one thing to watch what you eat when you have the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia) but what you use as foods and how to buy them economically is another aspect of food preparation

With our busy lives, these temptations seem so much easier and affordable than cooking. Between our never-ending to-do lists, demanding jobs, children’s busy schedules, and perhaps less-than-stellar skills in the kitchen, cooking seems to slide down to the bottom of our list of priorities  Unfortunately, we’ve now raised several generations of Americans who don’t know how to cook. And it’s killing us.

The food industry wants us to believe that cooking is difficult, time-consuming, inconvenient, and expensive. They’ve brainwashed us to believe that we “deserve a break today.”

You Don’t Need to Spend Half Your Paycheck to Eat Healthy

Even if time and money aren’t on your side, you can still eat healthy  This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear  I understand the challenges of trying to eat well with limited financial resources, limited time, or both  But you don’t have to be rich or retired to eat well and take care of yourself

These days, I’m even busier, but I haven’t forgotten how to incorporate simple but effective strategies for eating good-quality, healthy food that’s prepared with little money and time

Likewise, I’ve met numerous folks with limited finances and time who nonetheless have access to good quality food  Trust me, they don’t search out arcane ingredients or shop at trendy food boutiques  Instead, they realize the immediate and long-term value of eating healthy and employ some savvy strategies to make their food budget work harder

Dispelling 3 “Healthy Eating on a Budget” Myths

I mentioned earlier that the food industry spends billions of dollars each year and has become incredibly crafty at convincing us that sugary, processed foods are a real value Let’s look at three of their myths and consider the truth about eating healthy

  1. Healthy food costs more. Research shows eating healthy, whole, real food isn’t necessarily more expensive than eating junk food, fast food, processed foods, or convenience foods  In fact, the top four things purchased in supermarkets are ALL drugs: sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol! If you give up those “drugs,” your grocery bill will go down dramatically
  2. Healthy food is hard to find. You don’t have to shop in a gourmet food store, a health-food store, a farmer’s market, or eat only organic to eat well  There are plenty of healthy foods right in your local supermarket. Just shop around the outside aisles of the store  Another convenient way to access healthy food is online
  3. Healthy food takes lots of time to prepare   You don’t have to spend hours cooking complex meals to eat well. Good quality, fresh food is easy to prepare and enjoy once you learn how

Ten Ideas to Begin Organizing Your Shopping and Money Saving

n so, there are ways of making choices that work within our resources. Here are 10 ideas based on how I save time and money AND create better health for myself. 

  1. Keep a journal  This might be the most eye-opening experience you will encounter to better budget your time, resources, and money For just one week, keep a journal of every cent you spend and how you spend every hour of the day Think of money as your life energy  It represents your time in physical form. How do you want to spend this life energy?
  2. Choose three things that give you more money. For example, don’t buy that $2.00 coffee every day — that’s $730.00 a year! Likewise, you might find yourself gravitating to the vending machine daily  You can put that money towards much better use
  3. Buy in season  You will almost always get fresher produce, probably locally grown, for less money, when it is in season
  4. Learn the Dirty Dozen  Not everyone has the budget to buy 100 percent organic, but the more you can, the more you will avoid GMOs and have better health To learn the most and least pesticide-ridden foods try this link   goo.gl/t9TZdh
  5. Frequent discount grocery stores  Search out cheaper sources of fresh, whole foods in your neighborhood  My top choices are stores like Trader Joe’s and shopping clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club, where you can buy vegetables, olive oil, fruits, nuts, canned beans, sardines, and salmon at much lower prices than regular supermarkets or other retail chains  A problem is the degree of bulk purchasing that has to be done but if most of these items are nonperishable and can be easily stored it can be a definite savings
  6. Think about joining your local food co-op  Co-ops are community-based organizations that support local farmers and businesses and allow you to order foods and products in bulk at just slightly over the wholesale price. This takes a bit of advance planning but will save you money.
  7. Join a community-supported agriculture program  Buy direct and cut out the middleman. We get organic, mostly seasonal, local vegetables delivered to our house for $55 a week, or a little more than $10 a person for a family of four per week. We don’t always get to choose what we get, but it makes us more creative cooks  This volume may not work for some folks but in the right situation it can pay off
  8. Keep some basics on hand  Develop a repertoire of cheap, easy-to-prepare meals. Have the ingredients available at home at all times so you don’t get stuck eating food that doesn’t make you feel well or help you create the health you want. This takes planning but is well worth it.
  9. Create a “potluck club”  Have coworkers share the responsibility of making lunch for the group once a week or every two weeks. No more buying lunch out, and you get to eat real, whole fresh food and only have to cook a few times a month. Or create a “supper club” with a group of friends; rather than go out to dinner, once a week or once a month rotate dinner parties at one another’s homes. You will build community and health at the same time.
  10. Order staples online  Why pay retail for healthy kitchen staples like turmeric, coconut oil, and almond butter? My new favorite online store is Amazon.com  It has great deals for supplements and even grocery items that would be common in the market even when shipping is include
  11. Cooking for 48hours  Preparing meals like kitchari so that you have fresh vegetables for 48hours with rice, barley, or quinoa to go with the split mung dal can be helpful  Recently I have been adding kale to the split mung dal mixture to give it some chewiness and variety

In part courtesy of Mark Hyman MD blog

IC and Constipation: 8 Energy Science Solutions

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia

ConstipationIrritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a common condition in those with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, GERD, fibromyalgia) and falls into 3 categories: symptoms with constipation, diarrhea, and those with both  This is not surprising since all disease except trauma begins in the GIT according to the energy science model of Ayurveda  So how does constipation occur from the view of the energy science?

In general Vata due to the elements of Space and Air presents when imbalanced as gas  Gas or air when present has the capability of drying  This dry quality tends to be most prominent in the colon and so colonic contents and the lubricating element of the colon get dried out  The contents don’t slide along leading to further drying  The result is a slow down of the normal transit time through the colon leading to constipation

Constipation and Its Treatment

The energy science of Ayurveda states that a healthy functioning state of the colon is a bowel movement first thing in the morning and then a stool 2h after eating  From this definition most of us are constipated to some degree or another

The nutritional format(nf) at foodsheal.com is never ever the problem….it’s the shifts, releases, and the imbalances that lead to changes in bowel patterns Following are some suggestions if you have constipation
1 Begin using soaked overnight prunes or raisins(can use them as snacks not with meals) or apples bananas peaches pineapple juice based on the nf
2 Eat more fiber….oatmeal wheat bran oat bran
3 Use triphala(T3) on a every night basis…you can make a decoction(5min boil of the herb in cup of water) at night or straight up powder(churna) and wash it down with warm water….link http://goo.gl/RMD8ny….I think the churna is superior to tablets(vati)
4 If you get loose with the T3 switch to bhumyamalaki at the same link 3 There is a T3 tincture if your agni is poor at the same link
5 2t of ghee with warm milk at bedtime is a gentle way to help with constipation
6 Castor oil can be used if the constipation is obstinate but not for long period of time as it can cause dependency One way to prevent this dependency is using castor with warm milk at night
7 Boil 1T of flaxseed in 1c of water for 3minutes then drink including the seeds
8 If there is absolute constipation for 3 days, don’t use purgatives The better approach is to use basti(medicated herbal enema) to initiate steps of regulating the system You can use T3 tea as described above just more volume with more T3

IC and Blockage of Prana: 7 Ways to Get Prana Moving

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia,

Buffalo Slow DownThe energy science of Ayurveda uses the VPK(Vata Pitta Kapha) paradigm as a way of talking about the mindbody as a biologic energy field  In the energy field model of the energy science health is enjoyed when there is free flow of this biologic energy throughout the physiology and dis-ease is recognized when there is abnormal flow of this biologic energy  In this model energy is called prana  Prana is a general term for the biologic energy but VPK are types of biologic energy  In other energy models prana is called chi, qi, ru, or ruha  Regardless we notice things are not right when this energy flow is in some way compromised or obstructed

In the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia) prana gets stuck in the pelvic plexus of nerves  This pranic blockage of Vata is due to the buildup of the Vata qualities of cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, clear; pranic blockage can occur with the buildup of Pitta qualities of hot, light, spreading, sharp, liquid, oily; and prana is significantly blocked with the Kapha qualities of heavy, slow/dull, cool, slimy/smooth, liquid, dense, hard, soft, static, cloudy/sticky

Ama and the Flow of Prana

When these above qualities accumulate they slow down the flow of prana through the GIT(GI tract) and affect agni  When agni becomes disturbed food is no longer digested well and the result is undigested unprocessed food called ama  When these qualities of VPK leave the GIT and go into the pelvic nerves(IC bladder pain syndrome) they carry this ama with them  You can see this ama on your tongue when you scrape it in the morning during your morning ritual  This is a great way as to check your progress when you are regaining your health

This ama blocks the energy channels as well as the qualities of VPK mentioned above So as you can see one of the major ways to clear the channels and hence improve the flow of prana is to augment or improve your own digestive fire or agni

Enhancing Pranic Flow by Improving Agni

The beauty of the energy model is that it not only helps us understand how disease originates but it gives us multiple ways to fix it  One of the major problems in the matter science medical model is that it does not have any understanding of this concept of agni  Even though it speaks about metabolism in a molecular way due to the model it has no way of treating the metabolism about which it speaks

The energy science offers several ways to clear obstructed channels in the mindbody some of which you are familiar with

1 Teas CCF tea….cumin, coriander, and fennel

Fresh ginger, cardamom, cinnamon tea

Agni tea….fresh ginger, pinch of cayenne pepper, and sucanat

2 Use of ginger pickle will stoke agni

3 Following a nutritional format for your mindbody energy constitutional makeup…seems strange that a nutrition not appropriate for your energy makeup would obstruct prana but think about it….if the qualities that you bring into your body are already in excess that will disturb digestive fire which will build ama which further obstructs the channels of flow

4 Pranayama  This is a powerful way to augment agni if done on a regular basis and get prana moving

5 Asana.…certain yoga postures can enhance agni…for example naukasana(boat pose) and flow sequence such as sun salutation

6 Herbs...specific herbs used in the kitchen can improve agni such as  CCF, fresh ginger, turmeric, black pepper, garlic  The last 2 can be too heating especially if Pitta is provoked or during the hot summer season

7 Herbal forumla.…all formulae should be written to address agni with common herbs such as chitrak, haridra, pippali, aloe, manjistha, neem, bhumy amalaki, and kutki

IC and Honey: Energy Science Recommendations

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia

honey-bees-working The qualities that bring about the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) vary according to which of the VPK energy patterns are involved  Each of the energy patterns has qualities  Vata has cold light mobile dry rough subtle clear; Pitta hot light spreading sharp/penetrating liquid oily; and for Kapha heavy slow/dull cool slimy/smooth liquid dense soft hard static cloudy/sticky  In the energy science these qualities are universal, that is, they make up all of our observable world, including ourselves

So when the environment is hot our mindbody becomes hot as well and you seek cold for comfort  Similarly when you eat food that is hot such as salsa then your mindbody becomes hot  The windows to your mindbody’s energy field is through its senses of the above qualities  Honey is a unique food from an energy science point of view and is far from a simple sweet treat

The Qualities of Honey as Medicine

The energy science of Ayurveda says that everything can be medicine when used appropriately so we need to know about the qualities of honey to use it as food  Honey has qualities that can aggravate each of the energy patterns but is most most appropriate for the slow/dull cool slimy/smooth and static Kapha because of its heating qualities

In the IC bladder pain syndrome the earliest qualities to be expressed either in the gut or bladder are the hot mobile and spreading qualiites

The hot characteristic of Pitta will be aggravated by honey so PK people should not use honey all the time  It also follows that during the summer months honey should not be used due to the heat

Guidelines for Honey as Medicine

Since honey has a heating quality it can help with clearing Kapha imbalance Mucous is the signature symptom of either Kapha imbalance or release and the mucous of the common cold is an experience that we can all relate to But when Kapha’s qualities show up in the IC syndrome you can experience the heavy slow/dull and static qualities in the pelvis

Honey guidelines

The best time to use honey is during the cold winter months

Honey and ghee should be used in equal volumes NOT equal weights(toxic if you do)

NEVER cook honey(toxic if you do)

Honey will NOT be heating if used in basti since you’re not digesting it

Use honey in moderation (1 to at most 2x per week during summer)

Don’t use honey with fruit

Honey can be used with herbs to carry it to the lungs or kidneys

Honey is best used in cool mucous Kapha conditions

Honey is best used with warm to hot water

 

IC and the Bloats: 10 Energy Science Solutions

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , ,

Woman Stomachache In BedThe IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) originates in the bowel according to the energy science of Ayurveda so it’s not surprising that bowel disorders are common in the syndrome  Bloating is one of the bowel symptoms that occur with the syndrome

The Matter Science Approach

Bloating or abdominal distention is a common digestive problem which typically occurs after eating and varies in degree like any symptom At times it may be very transient, lasting for short period of time(hour or less) while in others it may last longer(several hours or an entire day)

It is described by the matter science as a functional bowel disorder, that is, a motility disorder of the gut  It’s not known why this motility problem occurs although matter science researchers suggest that it’s related to alterations in the gut flora or the microbiome  This has been termed dysbiosis and SIBO has been used of recent to define this alteration in gut flora  There is an older cousin to SIBO that has been recognized for some time initially in children called “leaky gut syndrome”  Once felt by the research establishment as a ridiculous concept is now being taken seriously

As is usually the case the matter science is rich in testing and trying to come up with names of these human biological disease phenomena but not so effective in determining treatment  Drugs or pharma have not been very effective in dealing with bloating but because they pay the bills for the current medical establishment reports don’t surface as to their ineffectiveness

The Energy Science Approach to the Bloats

In the energy science world of Ayurveda there is one primary reason for bloating and that’s poor digestive strength or agni  As I have written a number of times in this blog agni is essential for health from an Ayurvedic perspective and without it the individual is bound to incur disease of some form  It’s not a matter of “if” it’s really only “when”  The fundamental reason that the matter(molecular) science model of healing has trouble with dealing with digestive disorders in general is the Western allopathic model(these are all synonyms) has no understanding of the concept of agni

Poor agni can lead to a couple of different scenarios The primary result is the production of undigested, unprocessed food called ama and this leads to the interference of movement of food through the small bowel…..this interference leads to bloating  Since the microbiome(gut flora) is an integral part of agni or the digestive fire, the matter science is getting close to understanding what Ayurveda has been articulating as a model of healing for 5,000 years but still not there yet  So for now, take some pills

As ama progresses over time(years) more and more congestion in the gut occurs leading to progressive worsening of the bloating  This leads to a second and fortunately less common reason…….a change in the direction of the normal downward movement of energy in the rectum and this interferes with normal rectal function and bowel movement function  This becomes the “end of the road” for many who initially are treated as IBS due to the symptoms of their bloating  But this progression leads to a severe complex of symptoms that are difficult to treat

Bloating:  10 Energy Science Solutions

These are meant to be added to each other over time  Don’t try to do all at once or your mind WILL rebel

Eat according to your energy constitutional makeup 

Avoid incompatible food combinations

Avoid overeating.….2handfuls for any one meal  Place a bowl that sits comfortably in your 2 cupped hands….now that’s how much you should eat at your biggest meal of the day

Biggest meal at noon

Use spices ALL THE TIME in your cooking….fresh ginger turmeric cumin coriander fennel vanilla fresh basil

Use GHEE instead of butter or cooking oil….ghee has the qualities of digestive fire

Exercise regularly but don’t overdo it….pranayama is the best way to stoke agni

Avoid fatty fried foods

Make a deal with yourself to always sit to eat  The more focus and attention you bring to eating the better your agni digestion  When you calm the mind you improve agni which from a mental standpoint is better focused attention  Calm the mind with meditation….at an energy level the mind and body are intimately spliced…you cannot separate them(you can’t say this using the matter science model)

Fasting  This does not have to be a water fast….simply using juice or fruit for 24hours….or eat dinner at 6-7p and don’t eat until 8a the next morning and you have a 12h fast

IC and Emotions: An Energy Science Perspective

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , , ,

VPK as a circleIn any chronic disease process an emotional roller coaster is potentially possible  This is particularly true for the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD. and fibromyalgia) due to the ups and downs of the painful flares

We are all unique not only physically but psychologically and because we are mindbodies what happens in the body, happens in the mind and vice versa…the mind and body are intimately spliced…you cannot separate them….so what happens in the body happens in the mind

In the energy science the individual reigns  What this means is that using the VPK(Vata Pitta Kapha) paradigm the type of emotions that crop up for someone will be different for a Vata individual than for a Kapha individual’s energy pattern

Tools of Observation and the Vata Energy Pattern

All the tools in the energy science such as the VPK energy patterns are basically to help us become better observers of ourselves  When we become observers of ourselves as energy patterns of mixtures of VPK we then can have choices as to how to treat ourselves

The Vata energy pattern is that of movement so the qualities of cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear are observed when there is physiologic imbalance  And each of these qualities are associated with emotions  For example, the cold, light, rough, and subtle qualities bring about fear and anxiety

In general the emotions of Vata are fear, anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity and the best way to treat these unnerving emotions is to provide grouding in the form of a “heavy” nutrition(dairy, nuts, root vegetables), internal oleation with ghee and externally with oil massage, practices such as calming pranayama and asana yoga practice, and meditation

Emotions and the Pitta Energy Pattern

Pitta, the energy of physiologic transformation, is characterized by the qualities of hot, light, spreading, sharp/penetrating, liquid, and oily  As you can see these qualities deliver the transformative like emotions of getting things done  But when out of balance this need to accomplish can result in anger, irritability, impatience, rigidity, intrusiveness, and meddlesomeness

The rigidity arises from the emotion of “my way or the highway” type of attitude  When Pitta is out of balance there often is a need to control to the point of not listening to another’s point of view  This kind of controlling behavior can lead to intrusiveness and even meddlesomeness

The way to deal with these negative emotions is to cool the Pitta energy pattern off with foods, yogic practices, and ghee

Kapha and Emotional Inertia

Kapha, the energy of stability, is the most manifested of the energy patterns and thus has the most qualities of heavy, slow/dull, cool, oily, slimy/smooth, liquid, dense, soft, hard, static, gross, and sticky  These qualities when in balance are associated with positive human emotions of love, compassion, and empathy  But when out of balance they can lead to inability to leave relationships that are serving us…. inability to move at all so complacency, inappropriate acceptance, lack of initiative….being cloying or clinging in relationships

Too often for Kapha individuals they overlook the negative emotions and see themselves as loving and compassionate  This can be self destructive in the end  The way out of these tricky emotional situations is to MOVE and to eat a light nourishing diet

IC and Homeopathy: Making Sense Out of the Alternative Medical World

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , ,

puzzle piece coming down into it's placeFor the general health consumer trying to figure out where to turn when the standard treatments are not helping, a deep troubling confusion begins to occur because they enter a world of the unknown  Not only is their disease and its management unknown in the traditional sense but the world of healing is unknown to not only them but their MD’s who have become their trusted medical advisors   So there is a very difficult environment of confusion created

However it may surprise many to find that in the treatments used by the energy science of Ayurveda that both the homeopathic and allopathic principles are held dependent on the situation being treated and what is being used

All Healing Under One Roof

The homeopathic principle of treatment of using like to cure like is one of the foundational treatments in disease management also called an agonist approach  Diarrhea is treated by homeopathic natural formulations in small dosing of plant based material that in higher doses would cause diarrhea  Ayurveda at times will use materials that in small doses will stop diarrhea but in larger dosings produce diarrhea  And at times will suggest no treatment of the diarrhea and allow the toxins to leave the body

The allopathic discipline which is used by most doctors in the West treats like with the opposite or an antagonistic approach  A classical example is the use of antibiotics(anti or against + bios or ‘life or organisms) to treat infections(bios or organisms)  This principle is also used in Ayurvedic treatment management of disease

So the energy science uses all principles of healing in coming up with a solution for a particular disease based on the patient and her condition  The way this occurs is through the magic of herbs  In some situations the complexity of the herb will be agonist to some qualities of the disease whereas the same herb may be antagonistic to other certain qualities in the same disease

Herbs as Homeopathic and Allopathic

Let’s see how that plays out with our IC herbal friend aloe vera  Aloe vera is clearly cooling and so it would be antagonistic for the hot quality but agonist or similar to the cool quality of the Kapha energy pattern that may play a role in the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)  The same applies to our commonly used CCF tea for  ICPBS, heating and cooling at the same time

Just by this knowledge one can have some solace that the principles of treatment are the same….different tools but same principles  This is the beauty of the energy science tradition

IC and 2 Seed Butters Safe to Use ALL the Time

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, ,
almondsThe energy science of Ayurveda sees nutrition from an energy and not a molecular viewpoint  From this energy science perspective foods “look different” because they are seen from the vantage point of how they affect the individual energy mindbody not the molecules that compose them  The complexity of foods and molecular micromanagement  vanish using an energy science approach
Energy wise nuts are Pitta provoking so this is bad news for those with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) since the syndrome is Vata and Pitta provoked  So does that mean that your hankering for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich go by the wayside?  Fear not and read on

Seed Butter Alternatives to Peanut Butter

Nuts are rich in fatty acids and hence are inflammatory or Pitta provoking  Almonds although categorized as a nut are actually seeds as are sunflower seeds  These two seed butters make excellent replacements for the commonly used nut butters that many of us grew up with
There are two seed alternatives to commonly produced nut butters….Barney Butter that is made with skinless almonds and sunflower butter that you can find in markets or on Amazon with the supplied links  Importantly the almond seed butter must be made from skinless almonds in the preparation of the butter because the skin contains physic acid and that’s what makes Barney Butter so special  If the skin is left on in the preparation of the almond butter then it just becomes another nut butter  Even though the molecular and energy science approaches to food are different there should always be correlation as there is in this case

In the Ayurvedic sense heating foods are Pitta provoking…..that is they produce excess heat in the body leading to any inflammatory conditions in the mindbody such as acid indigestion, GERD, the hot form of IBS, forms of inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid and gouty, even atherosclerosis which has a Pitta component to it  Psychologically Pitta provocation leads to anger, hostility, rage, all kinds of heated emotions

Another uncommon seed that is used in Indian sweets and cooking is charole, a small almond like seed that comes from a bush but it is not widely available  It’s seen in the image on blog entry page

By electing to blanch the almonds there is a creation of a Pitta pacifying almond butter that makes it a superb choice and substitute for any nut butter on the market today  Almonds also happen to be one of the 4 pure sattvic foods in Nature(sattvic means harmonious to the mindbody and therefore balancing…milk dates and ghee are the other 3)  As you can see by not having the skins almonds become a gift from Nature herself

IC and Day in Balance

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia,

mental energyOne of the foundational therapies for anyone embarking on energy science work to deal with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) is to cultivate a daily routine that brings about physiologic balance  Balance from the energy science of Ayurveda perspective means that when you are suffering from a disease by bringing balance to your lifestyle keeps you from getting worse  But more importantly it helps promote healing

I ran across a website that talks about a young lady’s experience with IBS/IC that is worth looking at  The key that strikes me through her post is the need for consistency in taking action and the use of herbs to clear her physiologic imbalance  So just as consistency for nutrition and herbs is important so is it true for our daily routines or lifestyle choices

Some people are blessed in beginning their lives in families that had some form of structure or routine  The main difference in these kinds of routine and the Ayurvedic routine is based on living in harmony with Nature herself and the morning things to do as you will see

Getting Healthy Rest

The energy science suggests that the next day’s tone is set by what you’ve done the previous night  So getting to bed by 10 to 1030 for Pitta and Vata and 11p for Kapha ensures that you can begin the following day rested and fresh….and early between 6 and 7a  Kapha’s should need less sleep so they can afford going to bed later and then waking early  Vata and Pitta should be in bed earlier for different reasons  Vata hypermetabolic state needs more rest and Pitta if they stay up tend to “raid the fridge” for night time snacking

So now we’re up and ready to go for the morning routine  It isn’t as arduous as you may think but all of the steps have important physiologic functions that help the energy mindbody wake up and get ready for the day  A full list of things to do is at the ic-solutions.tv website under Services and Resources  Here’s a link to the page

Ayurvedic Daily Routine

A strong consistent morning routine with attention to particular detail is very beneficial to your health in general and specifically when going through physical challenges  Volume of fluids for the day should be around 50-60oz for PV and 40-50oz for PK and by consuming 20oz in the early am gets you started with bowel activity but also gets you started for the day with healthy volume consumption  Increased fluids consumed around mealtimes is not a good habit because it dilutes agni and if you already have a compromised agni(most people do) then digestion, absorption, assimilation will be affected

Lunchtime should be the biggest meal of the day because the physiology is ready for the experience of food between 11a and 2p  Fruits make a great snack for in between meals and every once in a while just do a day of nothing but fruit or fruit fast

Dinner should usually be less than the noon meal which would be what you could hold in your two hands  It should normally not be later than 8 to 830p

There are other details on the routine  If you have questions you can leave them with this post

Remember

Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile world record that had stood for decades  Shortly after he did it many men became sub 4 runners as well  Roger broke through the idea that it was possible  So can you when it comes to IC  It is possible to deal with IC and change your life

 

Update on Acid Indigestion and IC : 5 Sustainable Ways to Go Beyond Prelief

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , , ,

businessman in anger screaming puff going out from earsAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) acid indigestion as manifested in hyperacidity syndrome(HAS) or gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) would not be surprising  This is because from an energy science point of view the hot quality(Pitta energy pattern) is a major contributor to the imbalance that creates interstitial cystitis(IC)…the burning on urination, vaginal burning are related to this quality  The other IC imbalancing quality is the mobile quality of the Vata energy pattern

The Spectrum of Disease

All physiologic disease shows up as an array of symptoms from not so bad to terrible  Patients with occasional heartburn can then begin to have it all the time  This makes it eligible for the disease label of HAS  If it progresses to a sour taste in the mouth or a burning in the chest then it advances to GERD  And if GERD progresses then it can become the disease label of Barrett’s esophagitis

But notice that in all these advancing disease labels one thing remains constant  The hot quality  So in the end these disease labels are related to the increasing intensity of this quality  But wait there’s more from an energy science perspective  The Pitta energy pattern displays the hot quality when out of balance in its functional seat, the liver

So again from an energy science point of view the liver imbalances due to Pitta must be addressed if a patient is having problems with GERD

Reducing the heat

There are a number of ways to go beyond Prelief which like all its molecular relatives( such as over the counter Prevacid and various expensive pharmaceuticals) represent pharma bandaids  From an energy science treatment perspective the alternatives not only provide relief but done properly with other allied therapies become permanent solutions, not bandaids

Wouldn’t you rather have something that is sustainable long term instead of relying on a pharmacological bandaid?  Here are some basic energy science treatments that can bring about control of this Pitta energy pattern of transformation

Avipattikar  This herb combination is an excellent way to get control of raging hot Pitta in the stomach reducing the hot quality

Aloe vera gel  This herb is not only cooling to the small bowel therefore reduces the Pitta energy pattern but because it is effective for Pitta disorders in general it is a good liver protectant  This makes it a valuable herb overall in treating Pitta disorders  From an energy point of view aloe is special because it falls into a special group of herbs called rasayana  This means it is a tissue rejuvenative and restorative of bodily tissues  There are no Western pharma that can make that claim

However there has been consumer concern regarding food additive carrageenan to the aloe gel products on the market  I have gone on record two years ago as saying “not to be concerned” but the below should be of concern

In their report, they explained why even food-grade carrageenan is dangerous, yet how many food companies have continued to unscrupulously add it to their products  According to Cornucopia, animal studies show that “food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors”. It can also cause cancer, because food grade “undegraded” carrageenan is contaminated with “degraded” carrageenan (the kind that’s not considered “food grade”)  The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Research Council of the United States have both determined that degraded carrageenan is a carcinogen. So, it clearly should not be in our food

So I’m can no longer support aloe products with carrageenan and suggest that you look at products particularly tablets but buyer beware  Any readers that have suggestions, please leave a comment!!

Psyllium husk  Using this herb may sound strange as it is used as a laxative but 1t at bedtime mixed with fresh yogurt or with warm water will absorb Pitta in the small intestine and stop the colonic wall irritation

Nutritional format and incompatible food combinations We can take all the herbs in the world but if we continue to take into our bodies the same imbalancing qualities then no gains will be made  It’s like 2steps forward and 3 steps back  If there is HAS or GERD then no doubt the person is a strong Pitta and these conditions would be the ways that they might go out of balance  One should follow a Pitta pacifying diet At the very least one should follow the PK or PV formats at foodsheal.com 

Kefir milk  When Pitta is out of control and the hot quality is raging, the microbiome or the gut flora becomes affected  Since the gut flora is an important aspect of agni it’s important to replenish and support this vital aspect to our health  Kefir does this by providing new healthy bacteria to our gut microbiome population  You can get it in the stores or make it yourself by finding some Kefir granules from someone willing to share

Like all energy work it is subtle and the healing shifts occur slowly over months but the good thing is that they are sustainable long lasting effects