Category Archives: bladder

IC and SIBO: Role of Probiotic and 4 Other Manipulations

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

Morph featuresThe energy science model of dis-ease states that except for trauma every dis-ease or imbalance begins in the GIT(gastrointestinal tract)  Since this is the case we can appreciate how important foods become in the evolution of dis-ease and conversely how important foods become in the management and healing of dis-ease  Correct food selection appropriate for own energy constitutional makeup  along with incompatible food combinations become foundational in any dis-ease healing

“I can’t believe that foods caused these symptoms”, was a common refrain that I heard from patients in my urologic practice when managing patients with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)  Obviously the longer the imbalance the more likely that other energy science techniques will be necessary to deal with advanced IC dis-ease conditions  This dis-ease emphasizes that the energy patterns are not at ease or that an imbalance of qualities is physiologically present

The matter science(allopathy, naturopathy) often look at infection as a cause of many diseases  Every once in a while you’ll see matter science research studies attempt to unsuccessfully or questionably successfully incriminate bacteria in the cause of specific disease  Because bacteria are treatable by antibiotics which is a big tool in the matter science toolbox an attempt to incriminate bacteria can be a scientific “home run”  It has happened with GERD(gastroesophageal reflux), rheumatoid arthritis, and obviously interstitial cystitis

Symptoms of Poor Digestion

Many experience poor digestion but discount it as just the way they are…..but in reality these symptoms should not be ignored  Any unphysiologic food craving is unhealthy and shoud be best avoided  Overeating is abnormal(eating more than 2 handfuls at any one meal) as well as cravings for ice  Post meal digestive problems such as heaviness, bloating, loss of energy after eating, need for naps after eating, diarrhea, and constipation are major warning signs that things are not healthy in the GIT

Matter Science and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth(SIBO)

Now the matter science is getting closer to what the energy science has been saying for 1000’s of years….the GIT is responsible for all dis-ease  But since the matter science model of disease can only hold space for offending insults internal(autoimmune) and external(bacteria, parasites, fungus, and viruses) it becomes limited as to seeing the origins of dis-ease  Presently the matter science has a new approach to disease seeking an understanding through the alteration in bowel flora

This alteration or better yet described as disruption of normal small bowel flora has become known as SIBO where “bad” bacteria overgrow the “good” bacteria in probably not only the small bowel but large bowel as well  There are past models that lead to grounding in this kind of disease origin such as leaky gut syndrome and the candidal(fungus) overgrowth theories that have their proof in patient improvement by flora manipulations

Now the current rage for bowel disorder from IBS to systemic disease is to manipulate the small bowel flora with antibiotics(killing off the “bad” bacteria) or better yet “fecal bowel flora” transplants which have seen benefits

Energy Science Understanding of SIBO in Agni Terms

As we have discussed at length in past blogs the bacterial flora of the GIT which is 10x the cellular mass of our own individual bodies is part of a greater concept called agni   Called metabolism in matter science terms, agni is not only more user friendly, but as we have talked about in the past, a highly functional and malleable term that is freely manipulative by energy science techniques  As a matter of fact one of the main tenets of the energy science that separates it from the matter science is this concept of agni

As we have alluded to earlier, qualities(vibrational frequencies) become disrupted in the GIT and this subsequently leads to an alteration in agni  This disruption leads to SIBO but at times gut mucosal changes as well making this look like IBS in some respects

Then if the matter and enegy science models are talking about the same thing then what’s the big fuss?  Just use the matter science techniques that we have discussed above

Energy Science Solutions for SIBO

There is a general tenet in healing disciplines that the closer your treatment touches the origin of the disease the greater success the healer will have  So what’s better, to treat SIBO or the cause of the SIBO?  If the energy science model tells us that the cause of SIBO is an energy imbalance leading to the SIBO, the best solution is to deal with the imbalance  This is not rocket science folks!

1  So what is foundational in healing the bowel?  Well from what we said already choosing foods appropriate for you energy makeup and observing incompatible food combinations are support any further manipulation

2  Probiotic  It makes complete sense to support the “good bacteria” in the gut so as to improve agni  But it’s often too much of a good thing at times with probiotic use  Find a good probiotic(not necessarily the most expensive)but supplement for 2-3 weeks and then do a break and perhaps another couple of rounds  Then done

3 Yogurt as a probiotic  As we’ve discussed in the past homemade yogurt is a great food to use to support the bowel flora  Kefir has the potential of carrying yeast along with the probiotic so it’s not recommended from an energy science point of view

4  Avoid antibiotics if possible  All that antibiotics do is further disrupt the already compromised bowel flora  If you have to use antibiotics then you should definitely supplement with probiotic or yogurt for a period of time

5  Reduce ama  As we have talked about in the past when agni suffers ama forms in the gut and begins to leave the GIT  This unprocessed undigested debris which is the result of poor digestion is the basis of all chronic dis-ease

 

 

 

 

Elmiron and Aloe Vera Update

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , , ,
aloe vera leavesElmiron has become a very commonly used pharmaceutical in the management of interstitial cystitis which is part of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)  For any herbal or pharmaceutical intervention there is always a question overall effectiveness because of other interventions associated with use  Nonetheless it has been shown to be effective in the management of interstitial cystitis
Aloe vera has had a growing popularity in the IC community because of its effectiveness(90% of patients have a 50% reduction of symptoms in 6 weeks) and lack of side effects(Elmiron has an incidence of hair loss that seems higher than its reported 4%)  Certainly aloe is cheaper than Elmiron even with insurance

GAG Layer Disruption and Mannose

 The most well accepted matter science theory as to the cause of interstitial cystitis is that the bladder’s protective glycoprotein layer(aka GAG layer) becomes affected such that the underlying mucosal surface and submucosa are exposed to the urine’s acidity  This acidic submucosal exposure  then produces the bladder wall irritability causing urinary frequency and urgency
From a matter science point of view the reason the GAG layer is damaged is unknown while the energy science understands the process as the hot and mobile qualities affecting the functioning of the bladder  There is as we would expect molecular and energetic transparency since energy and molecules are interchangeable  That is, molecular acidity is represented by the energetic hot quality that leads to IC
Like proteins there are some simple sugars that are not easily made by the body so if these sugars are not readily available in the diet then tissue repair becomes impaired  This is the case with the disrupted GAG layer in which mannose is not available for repair of the damage
The stage is set for repair and that’s where elmiron and aloe which are both able to supply mannose that is deficient in the diet  Aloe molecularly is composed of long chains of mannose molecules   Aloe also does not have the pharmaceutical side effects, improve GI tract function which is usually affected adversely in all diseases of the IC bladder pain syndrome, and has what’s called rasaynana effects  A rasayana has rejuvenative physiologic effects when taken over time which means that reduces the impact of aging, improves decision making, and strengthens and revitalizes the physiology

Forms of Aloe

Elmiron molecule
Elmiron molecule

Perhaps many IC patients will have some flare reaction using aloe vera gel or juice with citric acid as a preservative

The advantage of the freeze dried aloe is that it doesn’t have the need for preservatives such as citric acid which is appealing to those with IC  Some time ago Desert Harvest perhaps to avoid the citric acid preservative began using a freeze dried product in capsule form for IC patients….and maybe the primary reason when they thought of it was to make it more user friendly for patients(everybody is used to taking a pill)Since that time other companies have followed even having powders available  Aloe Farms has such a pill form freeze dried product  In general I have some misgivings about these products because the freeze drying process which may affect the the bioavailablity of the aloe vera herbal nutrient….the rasayana energetic effect of aloe may also be lost since it’s not just about the molecules but also the subtle energetics of the plant which has significant medicinal value
The value of aloe vera gel is that when used as an anupan(serves as a taxicab to take the herbs to targeted tissues) with herbal formulas it can theoretically produce a slow release to the GIT mucosa  Agni is invariably adversely affected so this technique assures that there will be good absorption and assimilation of the herbal mixture  The amount of aloe when used as a anupan is small so citric acid is not a problem  For IC patients using large volumes(6T three times per day) the citric acid could be more of an issue But the remedy is simple….cut back on the dosing
The two brands that don’t have citric acid are George’s and Aloe Farms  Aloe Farms uses Vit C(ascorbic acid)  and potassium sorbate as preservatives  These two gels available don’t have caraggeneen which has concerned the IC community due to studies suggesting the seaweed is carcinogenic in animal studies using large doses(I tend to discount such “unbiologic studies”)  Both available through Amazon or the ic-solutions.tv Amazon store under Health and Personal Care   George’s goes for 7.42 for 32oz and cheaper in the gallon size per oz

George’s gel by their labeling has no preservatives making it a favorable product in the market

Remember that just like pharmaceuticals aloe can become a bandaid so we can go on eating foods that aggravate and produce IC  However when used appropriately to help with symptoms as we make dietary changes makes the most sense

Aloe should not be thought of as THE tool in the tool chest to heal IC but rather as one of the many  Remember that energetically it’s not just one thing that causes IC but a multiplicity of things(foods, incompatible foods, season, lifestyle choices producing too much of the hot quality etc) and so it’s just not one thing that deals with healing IC but a multimodality approach with herbs like aloe vera being one small part

IC and Yeast: 6 Energy Science Suggestions

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

bigstockphoto_Rising_Dough_In_Bowl_3888661While naturally occurring yeast in our nutrition is healthy, in the West we have become excessive users of yeasted products primarily in the form of bread products and pastry  This adversely affects the bowel flora or the microbiome of the gut because yeast overgrowth is a definite complication  This is why yeasted bread products are listed in the No column in the energy science nutritional formats

Energetically the sweet taste soothes the nervous system  Even though we grow up with the sweet smell of oven baked bread and yearn for the sweet taste in its many different forms unfortunately the yeast in bread products can do a number on our gut flora  This is why if we look at the planetary nutritional habits we’ll see that 80% of the population uses flatbreads as a way of taking their grains which have naturally occurring yeast, not yeast that has been artificially added to produce the puffiness of the dough

IC and Yeast

What does yeast have to do with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)?

Think about what yeast does to dough as it rises  The excess yeast in the dough produces the hot quality during the rising process  We can feel that hot quality on the sides of the bowl as the process is occurring  This hot quality is delivered to the GIT and produces an additive effect to the already present hot quality in the gut  As you may remember it’s the hot quality that produces many of the symptoms of the IC bladder pain syndrome

But what else are we observing?  The dough begins to “rise”  This rising is an effect of the CO2 gas being produced by the yeasties as a byproduct of their metabolizing of sugars in the flour  The result energetically is the qualities of cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear are being added to the GIT when we consume yeasted products  These qualities of gas lead to a build up of the Vata energy pattern in the GIT

Vata is a primary player in the creation of the IC syndrome so we can see how problematic yeasted products can be in supporting the disease process

What To Do About Dietary Yeast?

So there are a number of different lifestyle behaviors that you can take on that will make your gut a happier place

Use flatbreads such as sprouted wheat tortillas, pancakes, or corn tortillas(corn should not be used for PV energy makeups)

Consume naturally occurring yeast found in all grain flours  We don’t have to go looking for this because it’s naturally there for us

Avoid the bakery section in grocery stores  As Vata pacifying as it may be this section of the store should be off limits

Don’t supplement with yeast  This seems obvious but in many matter science health communities we find recommendations for yeast supplementation  While this may be a good idea from a molecular point of view it makes little sense from an energy science perspective

Toast the bread if you have to have it so that the residual yeast and the Vata qualities are not consumed

IC and Love: Sacredness of Healing

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia
Divine LoveEvery healing tradition should have a philosophy and this is unfortunately missing in the matter science model  This is one of the major reasons why our current medical system has run a wayward course  It also explains why the energy science medical healing discipline has been around for 5,000 years

Self Love and Healing

The body has a purpose and that’s to be healthy  When we become imbalanced with a dis-ease such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia), in order for us to heal requires that we regain balance and harmony in the physiology  In that very act of regaining balance we attain not only health but it is an act of self love

But how does a healing discipline incorporate love in its tradition?

Philosophy means a Love of Truth

 When you see the Truth you experience Love…not the emotional petty type of love written about in romance novels but something far greater  Healing then is seeking Truth and finding Love because Truth and Love are one and the same
The philosophy of the energy science of Ayurveda is that our human existence is intimately spliced with Nature herself….with the universe or totality….with Love itself and therefore the Truth  When we seek the Truth we find Lovfe and healing becomes a love affair
Healing then implies a seeker of truth  Someone who seeks healing is one who is seeking Truth, one who wants to get to the bottom of the problem  Not a bandaid or another blind alley but rather wants to solve the problem, whatever it may be  When one seeks healing in such a system one becomes a lover, wanting to unite back to wholeness, a return to what one once was before one was sick

Love and IC

But what does this have to do with the IC bladder pain syndrome?
Actually quite a bit  Because a healing tradition based on philosophy understands how the healing occurs in the greater context…healing assumes not a myopic mechanical view of the problem at hand but   That is, how your problems are part of a larger picture  And how the larger picture when employed really accelerates the healing process
Literally when you use a philosophy based healing tradition your healing efforts take on a Divine perspective  You employ God to direct the healing process as you participate  When you become Love you heal because being Love is healing which becomes the supreme creative act

The Sacredness of Healing

 If you can’t find God in yourself you can’t find Her anywhere else
In all spiritual traditions that have been articulated on this planet over the millennia there are basic themes that are present  First there is a universal force or God  Secondly this God exhibits unconditional love which means that there is complete and total acceptance of what is at any one moment  Thirdly we are all aspects of this universal force or God  In other words we are first and foremost divine beings in human form
There are many expressions physiologically of the Divine but most commonly is seen as light typically in the 3rd eye or what is called our inner vision  Behaviorally we begin to accept life events as they are without wishing they were different  There is a distinct feeling that you’re surrounded by complete acceptance by all around you
This connection to our own divinity occurs when we experience silence which is often talked about as the gap…the space between thoughts or breath  The movement of the mind is the movement of breath so when the breath is suspended we experience our own divinity  By and by when one consistently practices this you begin taking on the characteristics of the Divine….you recognize yourself as the Divine or your very soul  This is a very real experience not some metaphorical journey and it occurs because philosophically we are the Divine
 When you connect with your own Divinity you become Love and healing is the reward  Not without work but definitely with direction that supports your healing because you have infinite faith and trust that everything is as it should be and that healing will take place in time  Notice healing from an energy science point of view is not “lay down and God will take care of you”  No, divine healing requires your participation  In so doing you surrender to Divine direction
“You are precious and infinitely loved more than you can possibly imagine  You are always safe  You are never alone  The unconditional and perfect Love of God neglects not one soul
Love is, without a doubt, the basis of everything  Not some abstract, hard-to-fathom kind of love but the day-to-day kind that everyone knows-the kind of love we feel when we look at our spouse and our children, or even our animals  In its purest and most powerful form, this love is not jealous or selfish, but unconditional”                                    Dr. Eben Alexander     Harvard neurosurgeon

 

IC and Healing Expectations: Redefining What It Takes to Heal

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

AncientHealing for Modern Times

Would we think it unusual that someone involved in a severe car accident would walk out of the ICU in a couple of days looking well? In the same way would we think it ususual that someone with chronic disease would clear their symptoms in a couple of months?

In the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) illustrates various energetic imbalances in the energy mindbody while the matter science views the components of the syndrome as disease labels such as vulvodynia etc  When various energetic science therapies are used healing is elicited because therapies help correct the imbalance of qualities  For example, the qualities of hot and mobile over time get cleared from the body with therapies

It literally takes years to cultivate these imbalances due to unconscious lifestyle choices  Energy science work is not like taking an antibiotic for a few days and everything is better Wish it were that simple in the world of imbalances  But the question often arises as to how long do I have to do this work tp see benefits?

Foundational Therapies

Since all disease begins in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) except for trauma nutrition that supports the energy constitutional makeup becomes foundational therapy for helping support a return to qualitative balance and eliminates imbalancing qualities in the GIT  For example if a VP has a diet rich in nightshades(tomato, eggplant, peppers) simply removing those from the diet can be an important step toward bringing balance

Observing the removal of incompatible food combinations is another foundational therapeutic step to aid the GIT to correct the imbalances of the hot and mobile qualities of the syndrome

Therapies that support improving agni(digestive power) also do this rebalancing because removing ama improves the rebalancing effort

But how long does it take for rebalancing?  Foods are instantaneous in terms of their effects in the GIT they have the most immediate impact on symptoms and within 7-10 days one can experience shifts in symptoms  But the time for these foundational therapies to do their magic is dependent upon how long the GIT has been imbalanced  The estimate is 2mo for every year of symptoms

 Advanced Therapies

There are clinical situations where the imbalance that was created is beyond simple nutritional work  In this setting there are more advanced therapies that are required in order to achieve the clearing of the qualitative imbalances developed  Typically the symptoms have gone beyond IC and have other aspects of the syndrome such as vulvodynia or fibromyalgia

Again these advanced therapies such as herbal formulas, basti management, and detoxification procedures are part of getting better but again require time  Oddly when the energy mindbody reaches this advanced stage of dis-ease the length of time remains the same…2mo for every year of symptoms, that is, if you’ve been having problems for 10 years then it will take one year and 4 months to progress to a symptom free state

Appropriate Expectations

So we can see that when we do energy science work to heal the IC syndrome it requires dedicated work on our part to maintain lifestyle changes that support the clearance  of the imbalances created  Unfortunately in life there is no quick fix  I think we all intuitively know that but we hope against hope that it’s not true

Another interference to doing this work is lack of clarity as to the decision making about whether this is an approach worth trying  Only you can decide whether the journey is worthwhile

IC and the Summer Time: 8 Suggestions to Avoid Increased Flares

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

IcebergThe energy science of Ayurveda states that all that we observe including our own mindbodies are made of vibrational frequencies and from unified field theory this is how contemporary physics sees our reality  There are 10 pairs of these frequencies called qualities and when they become increased in the physiology

For example the hot and mobile qualities become increased in the GIT(gastrointestinal tract) and may lead to the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) if the conditions are right  The quality of hot produce the burning sensations in the bladder on voiding, in the vagina and perineum, and prostate  The mobile quality helps disseminate the hot quality and pain but also is responsible for urinary frequency

As we discussed everything is made up of these qualities  They exist in us as well as outside us  So the hot quality in our environment can increase the hot quality in us

Summer time is a season when people lower their body temperature by sweating and drinking more  This causes agni to go down and the chances for ama to increase  We should be appropriate about fluid intake(40ozK, 60ozP, 70ozV)

So Stay Cool in Hot Times

If you have the IC bladder syndrome the summer time can be a risky time  And from this perspective it’s not the overheating type of feeling that can be problematic but just the exposure to the heat that can lead to problems particularly if the IC syndrome is present  But the good news is that the energy science gives you good antidotes to keep cool

Stay cool and don’t overheat  Avoid staying out in the hot sun

The energy of the sun is hot but the energy of the moon is cooling so moon bathing is something that can be done when it’s been a particularly hot day in order to bleed off some of the hot quality

Use of cooling foods such as cucumber or cucumber milk

Use coconut  Think tropical because Nature provides us foods that are valuable in hot climates

Avoid deep fried fatty foods due to the hot quality

Milk with cardamom and fresh ginger(milk is cooling like the moon’s energy)

Herbs to use with no ama: amalaki, brahmi, jatamamsi, shankapushpi, shatavari, chitrak, black pepper

Herbs to use if ama is present: mahasudharsan, neem, kutki, guduchi, kama dudha, pravel panchamrit

Each of these herb groups can be used with aloe vera gel which is also cooling and will direct the herbs to specific locations in the body

IC and What It Means As Chronic Disease: 5 Ways to Get Rid of Unhealthy Lifestyle Behavior Patterns(LBP)

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

Buffalo Slow DownIt’s estimated that 60-70% of people with the interstitial cystitis will resolve the problem spontaneously  The percentage probably goes higher for those who do simple nutritional work as explained at icdiet.com and foodsheal.com

So we are left with about 20% of the IC population who will go on to chronic disease who will display more than one of the disease labels of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)  This 20% represents the true chronic disease population who will need more change than just simple nutritional advice

Chronic Disease Means Chronic Management

Acute disease is short lived and the solutions are straight forward  But chronic disease management requires continuous ongoing treatment therapies which become a problem for us living in a Vata vitiated society who want our solutions yesterday

From an energy science point of view treatment guidelines revolve around those which center on lifestyle behavior patterns(LBP) which are the most difficult for us as humans to deal with  From an epigenetic view the reason for this is actually based on methylation groups that prevent us from changing easily  This methylation obstructs us from changing our LBP  Essentially unhealthy LBP are obstacles to health

Holocaust survivors have high levels of methylation and leave them mentally “scarred”  Unfortunately this methylated scarring becomes heritable whatever the traumatic event may be  But it brings up questions for us such as “Is agni or eating patterns heritable?”

The good news for us who are challenged by LBP’s that are not supportive for healing IC is remember that is takes just 8 weeks to reverse patterns not supportive of moving in the right direction  That’s right, 8 weeks to reverse those pesky methylation patterns that prevent us from changing to healthy LBP’s

What Makes a Healthy LBP?

Ayurveda, the energy science of healing, gives us guidelines for healthy living  Say we get up at 9am and go to bed at midnight  Ayurveda would say that it would be better to go to bed early and get up earlier  How much volume to drink during the day?  How much to eat at the biggest meal of the day? What are the best foods to bring about physiologic balance?

The LBP help us live our lives in balance because that promotes health and heals chronic disease  The above questions seem like they would have nothing to do with the IC bladder pain syndrome but from an energy science point of view they are all suggestions to bring about physiologic balance that will produce a foundation by which other therapies will build on the foundation of LBP

5 Ways to Deal with Pesky Unhealthy LBP

Yes, it’s possible to change those methylation groups leading to unsuccessful unhealty patterns or LBP  The reason that they work is that these activities produce mental clarity  Any technique as a matter of fact that induces more mental clarity will decrease “bad” methylation which can induce unfavorable LBP

1  Meditation is becoming a well known technique to quiet the mind  An active mind clouds our soul’s intelligence leading to poor decision making that leads to repetitive destructive LBP

2 Mantra work is the repetition of sounds that evoke DNA demethylation  Essentially the sounds said mentally to yourself bump off these unwanted methylated groups to bring about change in any LBP

3 Breath retention is a form of meditation but has the added advantage of improving agni and promoting love, compassion, and peace

4 Herbs can change over time behavior patterns because herbs work at the level of mind or DNA

5 Marma therapy directly works at the level of mind so unwanted patterns slip away and one is consciously directed in different directions

 

 

IC and Panchakarma

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

ShirodharaWhen we enter a new way of doing healing it’s good for us to educate ourselves about how the new discipline does its healing  I have emphasized in this blog that we can’t bring our matter science preconceived notions along with us when we begin looking at the energy science way of healing  It just doesn’t work  So we need to be prepared to leave behind out old baggage and be prepared to enter a new way of healing

The Ayurvedic detoxification procedure is called panchakarma(PK) which means the 5 actions  The five actions are nasya, rakta moksha(blood donation), vamana, virechana, and basti  These actions can be done outside the context of a panchakarma event especially if there are complicating clinical circumstances but they are most effective when done in the context of PK

Detoxification has a very specific meaning in the energy science  It means that during the process the Vata Pitta and Kapha energy patterns are brought back to the GIT for elimination AS WELL AS ama which has been peripherally spread from the GIT to the tissues and energy channels of the mindbody along with VPK

The PK Event

The event of PK is just that  It is an event that occurs that brings about healing  Like all the healing modalities used in the energy science it’s not just one thing but a multiplicity of things done to the energy body’s field that brings about healing changes  So it is with the PK  It’s not just one thing in the PK event that brings about healing but it’s how all of the modalities during the event come together to bring about a successful outcome

There are 3 components to the PK event  The first is the preparatory phase in which the primary purpose is to prepare the energy field for detoxification  There are several components to this phase but by far and away the most important is internal oleation which is done by taking increasing amounts of ghee orally in order to saturate the tissues so that the energy mindbody will release VPK and ama from the peripheral tissues

The second phase is the application of the five actions during a period of time  During this time three other things should be done to encourage the movement of VPK and ama back to the GIT for elimination  Oil massage, sweating, and oil to the forehead in a continuous stream helps support the process  Other therapies can also be applied as per individual patient

The followup or third phase is to do things to support the elimination of the VPK and ama from the GIT  An important aspect here is to rekindle agni that has been slowed down by the first two phases  This is a very important aspect of this third and last phase of PK  This phase can last as long as three months in which there is gradual release of VPK/ama

Some Clarifications about PK

One PK event in a person’s incarnation is not enough for detoxification  Rather it should be seen as a repetitive process that is like dipping a shirt into soapy water  One dip doesn’t clean the shirt  It takes multiple dips to clear the accumulated toxic load  As with any process the more you do the better you get at it

The PK event is special in how things get done  If you take pieces out of context and use it regularly they don’t have the same effect For example, the use of basti which is the best way to eliminate Vata and ama from the energy mindbody doesn’t have the same effectiveness when done alone out of the context of the PK event as when it’s done in it

The more one oleates in the first phase the better the end result  There are several tricks that can be used to make this important stage successful

It is possible to do the PK event over one week and by yourself with or without guidance  But this week time frame doesn’t include the first and third phases outlined above

Lastly even though it may seem foreign to you it is a way to ensure that real healing can take place if you deposited peripheral VPK/ama

 

Low Back Pain and IC: 5 Energy Science Ways to Manage

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

Bad-and-good-postureThe incidence of low back pain(LBP) in the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) is estimated to be higher than over the general population  Presently there are new anatomical observations about the mechanical carriage of the spine that suggests that there has become an too much thoracic curvature due to our sedentary culture and furniture that doesn’t support the back

While these anatomical observations and reasons are probably true they don’t explain why there is a higher than expected LBP incidence in the ICPBS poplulation  Let’s discuss how the energy science anatomy looks at LBP

The Anatomical Home of the Vata Energy Pattern

Vata, the energy pattern of movement, has the qualities of cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear  Particularly the qualities of light, mobile, and rough play prominent roles in ICBPS  It is these vibrational frequencies that lead to the urinary frequency and urgency of both the overactive bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and chronic prostatitis

But as we have discussed before the role that Vata plays in these disease labels begins in the GIT and then spreads from the lower rectum to the pelvic nerves to produce the varied presentation of the syndrome such as vulvodynia, intersitital cystitis, and IBS

The anatomical home for Vata is the colon, pelvic girdle, thighs and lumbosacral(LSS) spine  It is this latter involvement which leads to Vata when increased to produce symptoms of pain in the lower back

How does Vata increase its qualities?  First, lifestyle choices such as lack of proper rest, lack of regimen, and foods that produce Vata aggravation  This is particularly important for those with a PV type of energy constitutional makeup  Secondly, when agni or digestive power is affected it can lead to a progressive buildup of Vata in the rectum that then leads to symptoms in the LSS

There is no pain without Vata  This is because Vata’s primary functional area of the mindbody is the nervous system  So when Vata accumulates and then aggravates the tissues Vata is the first to produce complaints of pain

5 Management Strategies for LBP

The qualitative reasons for LBP are cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear due to the localization of the Vata energy pattern in the LLS area  Another important observation already discussed is the close relationship between the pelvic and pectoral(shoulder) girdles

Pranayama(PY)  Since the breath ties the pelvis(apana vayu) and the shoulders(udana vayu) together it is no surprise that breath exercises can facilitate over time back rehabilitation  This stategy improves the flexibility of the musculofascial planes surrounding the LSS and the strength of the supporting muscles of the entire back  PY is the best way over time to make this happen  Loss of flexibility is related to the cold, dry, and rough qualities  The loss of strength is related to the light, dry, rough and subtle changes

Mahanaryan oil  This is an excellent penetrating oil that quiets the Vata qualities of dry, rough, and subtle  There are energy science methods of oil application that are ingenious and highly effective in improving ability to loosen the tissue rigidity occurring due to cold quality

Heat  The cold quality is always present in any pain complex so the liberal use of heat, preferably moist heat, is important

Become a floor dweller  This may seem rather radical but even laying on the floor for brief periods of time can be very therapeutic for LBP  This is because when the back’s foundation(LSS) becomes impaired all aspects of the back become involved  Using the floor helps provide support to the upper thoracic back which becomes problematic due to the LSS Vata effect

Become conscious of your posture  As we started in this discussion being aware of our posture becomes an important part of rehabilitation of the lower back by targeting how we carry the upper back particularly the thoracic curve  This is done by paying attention to the shoulders, keeping them drawn back and down  This action improves the lordotic J hook of the LSS and reduces the prominence of the thoracic spine  PY helps improve the overall strength of the back so that this action on the thoracic spine can be held for long periods of time

IC and the Perfect Snack: 4 Ways to Use Fresh Fruit

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

cherriesA perfect snack should be nutritious and digest easily even in those with poor digestive strength(agni)  This can be really important for those with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) because poor agni is always the case

Fresh fruit fits this category and is the primo snack food, hands down  It beats anything in the middle of the grocery store

The Universal Fruits

Energetically we are not created equally  Some are PV others PK while others VK(unusual) so we don’t resonate the same to foods and fruits are no exception  Perhaps some of you already know that a granny Smith apple due to its sourness can provoke your IC

But there are some fruits that can be used all the time….the universal fruits  Notice that they are all sweet because the sour taste will provoke Pitta

Fruit that can be used all the time:  Sweet apples(apple a day keeps…), applesauce, sweet berries, sweet apricots, sweet cherries, soaked prunes, soaked raisins

Particularly during the summer when central agni is low, fruits make an excellent way to protect an already compromised agni  Try to use locally grown fruits when you can and support the organic growers

Remember the general rule to not mix other foods with fruit  If you eat fruit before or after a meal allow 30minutes as a separating time interval  Fruits and yogurt is a particularly nauseating combination

Fruits and Improving Digestive Fire(Agni)

Consider using fresh fruit for the below to charge up your agni                                                                                                                              berries

Fruit fast (PittaVata every 2w…PittaKapha every week)

Fruit juice fast…using juices as a way to fast and improve agni is a great way to improve your chances of recovering from IC

Fruit as meal subsititutes…especially during the summer months when appetite is always low, fruit becomes a great meal substitute

Fruit as snacks…possibly 20% of the supermarket is snack foods, typically salty and fat(sour taste)laden….fruits are wholesome, fresh, and simple to digest