Monday, April 30, 2018

Crave Salty Foods

Craving salty foods and salting foods before tasting them are classic signs of adrenal insufficiency and a possible need for electrolytes. The adrenal glands are not only important for a healthy stress response, but also help with mineral balancing in the body via the mineral corticoids. Aldosterone is one such hormone. Aldosterone cause the re-absorption of sodium and chloride. In the adrenal insufficiency the levels of aldosterone in the body may be compromised. This causes a larger excretion of sodium and chloride than it necessary, hence, the salt craving.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Crave Chocolate Around Periods

Craving chocolate around the time of your period is a sign of magnesium deficiency. It may also be a sign of blood sugar abnormalites and a need for adrenal support.  The period is a time of hormonal upheaval and the body may be having a more difficult time controlling blood sugar.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Friday, April 27, 2018

Bach Flower: Pine

Pine and Self-Reproach

The Bach flower remedy Pine is what people who keep reproaching themselves as a matter of course need. They have such a terrible guilt complex that they blame themselves for everything and very soon, it becomes a habit. What these people need is to be able to forgive
themselves and to get rid of the constant regrets they keep having when it comes to their own performance.

Physical

He keeps on and on at whatever work he is entrusted with. He hardly ever stops to rest and is extremely  conscientious. The sad part is, even if he does the job well, it’s never good enough for him. He will always find fault with it. This makes him a scapegoat very often. It’s so easy to make someone the butt of classroom jokes or the scapegoat in the office when he feels that he deserves it. He is the kind of person who could fall ill and then apologize profusely for having missed work. Pine blows away his guilt complex and makes him more appreciative of his work and himself.

Mental


Somewhere deep inside, he feels he does not deserve to be alive which is why he is constantly saying sorry for existing. He keeps harping on what isn’t good enough about him in his mind so much so that he believes that he can never achieve anything great. Even though he might be well above
average, he will hold himself back and never push himself forward except to apologize for how bad he is. Pine helps him think better of himself.

Emotional

How can a person who does not love himself love others? While they can love with their whole heart – they are very giving – they cannot accept love without feeling they do not deserve it. This makes it a one-sided relationship. Love needs giving and taking and knowing how to take is as important. Pine brings in the freshness of acceptance and self worth and it won’t be long before these people learn how wonderful a balance in love can be.

Spiritual


Sometimes it seems like the guilt a person in the negative Pine state goes through has no logic. It is almost as though it is a part of their genetic code – as old as the hills, maybe. Going back to the Garden of Eden perhaps and the guilt of that first sin? What Pine does is to heal the spirit and to wash it clean of any memories of past sin. It teaches a person to accept himself as a special spiritual being with a unique soul that does not need to apologize for living, but revel in the fact.

Reference:
Bach Flower Remedies by Shalini Kagal (2012)
Website: http://ohmtalk.com
e-mail: shalini.kagal@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Arthritic Tendencies

Arthritic tendencies are often a sign of adrenal insufficiency. It is, of course, important to check out osteoarthritis and other kinds of inflammatory arthritis before jumping to the conclusion that the adrenals are under functioning. Many types of arthritis are associated with dysbiosis and an increased intestinal hyper-permeabilty, therefore, assessment of the digestive system is important.

Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Tension Headaches at Base of Skull - In Hot Sun

Tension headaches at the base of the skull and headaches when out in the hot sun are symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency. Obviously, it is important to assess the most likely causes first.  For instance, chronic tension headaches need to be assesses for correc structural alignment, and the workplace needs to be looked into to make sure the ergnomics and work position are not putting too much stress on you.

Essential fatty acid deficiency is often dues to a biliary dysfunction, leading to incomplete emulsification of fatty acids, and is often accompanied by a mineral deficiency, especially calcium.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Feet Have A Strong Odor

Feet having a strong odor is a common sign of magnesium deficiency. Other symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
  1. Being ticklish
  2. Being agoraphobic, they often dislike being in crowds
  3. having insomnia and / or restless leg syndrome
The strong odor of the feet may also indicate blood sugar dysregulation problem and a need to support the adrenals


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Become Dizzy When Standing Up Suddenly

Becoming dizzy when standing up is a classic sign of low adrenal function. The adrenal glands are responsible for keeping the blood pressure in the normal range for the few seconds of compression after moving from a recumbent to a standing position. Weakness in the adrenal gland can cause dizziness when standing, known as orthostatic hypotension. A drop of 10 or more points in the systolic blood pressure reading when taken recumbent and standing is a sign of adrenal insufficiency.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Bach Flower: Mimulus

Mimulus And Nervousness

The Bach flower remedy Mimulus stands for  courage inside of you. Someone who needs Mimulus is nervous of so many things – things
they have to do, things they have to face. These are not nameless fears of something that is outside of the real world. This fear is very real and it is fear of everyday very real happenings. Very often, you won’t ever suspect that someone who is otherwise perfectly normal can be so nervous and scared about anything, but certain events and activities can reduce these people to a trembling nervous mass.

Physical


More often than not, they are like any regular person you see around. When faced with something they fear however, you can see what they feel so clearly. They might fidget, stammer or stutter, blush sometimes and even shake with fear. It can be a bit disconcerting to see an otherwise normal man degenerate into a bundle of nerves but remember, he can’t help it. He could be scared of flying, riding in an elevator or scared to speak in public. In a child, it could be the fear of going to school or answering a teacher’s questions. There are so many
fears these people have – fear of mice, of pain, of the dark, of getting reprimanded or caught by the law, of being pulled up by teachers or by seniors in the workplace….the list goes on. Mimulus helps him face his fears and overcome them.

Mentally

His fear makes him paranoid and he just cannot get over it no matter how much he tells himself he is being stupid, This makes him tense and this mental stress takes its toll with headaches and irritability, Mimulus helps him to relax his mind and confidence slowly makes its way in.

Emotionally


He could be nervous about emotional commitments too. So when it comes to relationships, he could get tongue-tied which could leave his love life in a rather sorry state. The nervousness could also come on because of a fear of outbursts, of angry scenes around him or people who lose control. Mimulus makes him emotionally stronger and helps him to be detached from things that do not concern him and should not affect him.

Spiritual

There could be a fear of death as well – not a nameless dread of what comes after but just the thought of death. Or, if the person is very religious, there’s a nervousness of not doing what they feel their religion teaches them to do. Mimulus makes them think for themselves and be practical. It puts commonsense into a person along with courage.

Reference:
Bach Flower Remedies by Shalini Kagal (2012)
Website: http://ohmtalk.com
e-mail: shalini.kagal@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Dry Flaky Skin and / or Dandruff

Dry, flaky skin is one of the first indications of an essential fatty acid deficiency. It is important to ask whether or not you are using hydrating lotions. Many people take it for granted that they need to use moisturizing lotions in order to have moist skin.

Essential fatty acids is often due to a biliary dysfunction, leading to incomplete emulsification of fatty acids, and is often accompanied by a mineral deficiency, especially calcium.

Lifestyle Changes
Avoid all sources of hydrogenated fats and deep fried foods.

Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Asthma, Wheezing, or Difficulty Breathing


There at many causes of asthma including low adrenal function, dysbiosis, digestive dysfunction, allergies, and increased intestinal hyper-permeability.   

Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Perspire Easily

A person who perspire easily either has hypo-functioning adrenal glands or has a mineral / electrolyte deficiency. Easy perspiration should not be confused with excessive perspiration, which is an indication of live and renal dysfunction.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Friday, April 13, 2018

Painful Intercourse (Dyspareunia)

Dyspareunia is associated with menopausal changes in the vaginal tissue. As the hormones begin to change in menopause, the tissue of the vagina begins to atrophy and thin causing painful intercourse. In women prior to menopause, painful intercourse can be associated with candidiasis.

Other Indications
Need for Vitamin A, E, and Zinc

Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Bach Flower: White Chestnut

White Chestnut and Mental Torture

The Bach flower remedy White Chestnut in its positive state stands for tranquility and peace of mind. In its negative state, however, it means just the opposite and the person suffers mental torture every single day. This gets so bad that it affects every area of his life and he just cannot go beyond what the repercussions of every action will be.

Physical

They suffer from headaches, usually frontal ones and their eyes tend to hurt. They find it difficult to sleep and even when they manage to, it is usually unrefreshing. Or they might wake up early and not be able to go back to sleep. Their face will reflect the tension they are going through and they grind their teeth very often. They just cannot relax and this is what White Chestnut helps them do.

Mental

Their mind is like an every-moving roundabout, never stopping, always going round and round. He is mentally exhausted because thoughts tend to take a hold of his mind and gnaw at it without a let-up. White Chestnut allows his mind to calm down and not be in an eternal loop of what he should have said or done.

Emotional

He is so into what is going on in his mind that he really does not have the will or energy to nurture any relationships. He does not know how to be a giver as his whole energy is directed towards what he is going through in his mind. White Chestnut opens his heart to the prospect of love and caring and he slowly begins to reciprocate.

Spiritual


With a hyperactive mind, it is tough to turn one’s thoughts to a higher plane. He is obsessed with what goes on in his mind and this makes him oblivious to his spiritual side. White Chestnut helps him take his mind away from the mental chatter and listen to the song his soul can sing, given a chance.

Reference:
Bach Flower Remedies by Shalini Kagal (2012)
Website: http://ohmtalk.com
e-mail: shalini.kagal@gmail.com

Monday, April 9, 2018

Sleepy After Meals

Being sleepy after meals is a sign of blood sugar dysregulation, or inadequate digestion, which leaves a heavy amount of food in the digestive system that needs to be digested. An increased carbohydrate load in a meal, without adequate protein and fat to provide a balance, will lead to an increase in insulin. Increased insulin will lower the blood sugar very rapidly, leading to a concomitant lowering of the blood glucose. This causes post-prandial sleepiness. This is a common complaint after lunch, which tends to be a meal heavily weighted towards carbohydrates. Having the correct protein carbohydrate ratio in each meal will increase energy after the meal and ensure that the energy is long lasting.

People with digestion dysfunction also complain of being sleepy after meals. This is due to a large amount of energy being used up by the body to digest food in an environment that is lacking the necessary gastric juices and enzymes. It is important to remember that the symtom of being sleepy after meals is not just a problem with blood sugar dysregulation. Consider that people with this symptom may also be suffering from hypochlorhydria, which is a very common problem and leads to a number of digestive complaints including H. Pylori infection, bowel toxemia, dysbiosis, pancreatic insufficiency and leaky gut syndrome.

Hypochlorhydria has number of possible causes that include:


  • Sympathetic dominance
  • Antacid drug use
  • Excess sugar and refined foods
  • Chronic overeating
  • Constant snacking between meals
  • Excess carbohydrate and alcohol consumtion
  • Nutrient deficiencies, especially zinc and thiamin
  • H-Pylori infection

Zinc defieciency has also been associated with hypochlorhydria and should therefore be assessed.


Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Bach Flower: Hornbeam



Hornbeam and Procrastination

The Bach flower remedy Hornbeam is for the person who is not mentally strong. These are the world’s procrastinators who leave a job undone because they do not have the mental strength or resolve to see most things through. They just tend to give up halfway – or worse, never begin on the
job at hand because they are convinced inside that they just cannot get it done.

Physical

They wake up most mornings with the Monday morning blues. They just feel that whatever they have to do through the day is too much for them. So they try to stay in bed as long as possible and when they do get out and force themselves to go to work or to school or college, they view everything they have to do as a chore. They usually need strong caffeine to kick start their day. Instead of  getting down to it and finishing the work set for  the day, they postpone it and very often either don’t start it or start and leave things unfinished. Hornbeam is like a tonic that stiffens the spine and makes these people get up and face life.

Mental

Mentally, these people feel weak and exhausted as though they just do not have the strength or the inclination to take on any task. Everything seems to loom before them like a huge mountain waiting to be climbed and they cannot for the life of them summon up the necessary will to do it. Very
often, they tend to get into this rut of procrastination and it then becomes a way of life. Hornbeam jolts them out of this negative state of complacency and makes them go after and meet any challenge that comes up.

Emotional

A person in the negative Hornbeam state tends to focus on his mental state and the emotional state then follows a pattern and his relationships become duty more than a pro-active feeling. When everything that comes up – even the slightest disagreement is made out to be a huge thing, there’s no attempt at wanting to set things right. It just seems to call for too much effort. With Hornbeam, affairs of the heart take on a new life and meaning for these people and they become much more eager to make things work.

Spiritual

Hornbeam puts the pleasure of life back and the spirit then automatically becomes joyful again. There’s hope that everything is possible in every facet of life. Hornbeam removed the limits that are self imposed and lets the spirit soar.





Reference: Bach Flower Remedies by Shalini Kagal (2012)
Website: http://ohmtalk.com
e-mail: shalini.kagal@gmail.com

Monday, April 2, 2018

Polyps or Warts

The presence of polyps or warts is a sign of folic acid need and other B vitamins. Warts as also an indication of an increased viral load in the body, which constantly has to deal with the virus. The virus is walled off in a growth and will stay around as long as the environment of the body supports it.

Reference: Weatherby, D. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Jacksonville, OR: Bear Mountain Publishing