Bach Flower: Mustard

Mustard And Depression

The Bach flower remedy Mustard is a gentle essence that soothes and eases away depression that has no known cause. While many get depressed after the loss of a loved one or failure at school or work, the depression that calls for Mustard is one that descends like a black cloud suddenly, leaving the person incapable of doing anything except grit his teeth and bear it till it disappears as mysteriously as it came. It is like an impenetrable wall which
has no openings, cutting him off from the world, enveloping him in its all encompassing gloom.

Physical

When this depression hits someone, you’ll find that the person has beads of sweat on his face, especially his forehead and his face shows the strain. You’ll often find him sitting with his head in his hands as though he knows he has to bear this fearful thing that surrounds him with no hope of escape. He can’t hide the pain he feels. All he wants to do is to stay away from everyone till the foul fog lifts.

Mental

It’s as though mentally he has been forced to tune into another frequency or dimension because he goes into a place where no logic operates. Nothing others tell him and nothing he tells himself works. More often than not, people who suffer from this kind of depression are highly intelligent and capable of very coherent thought when they are not in the grip of the attack. They realize that what affects them has no logical explanation. With Mustard, these attacks grew less frequent and diminish in intensity. It also lessens the abject fear that holds many people who go through this depression in its grip.

Emotional

There is a certain passivity in this person. People might reach out to him but he can never love back wholeheartedly. It could be that he fears that the depression will hurt the ones he loves. The deep fear of that unknown gloom makes him rather numb to a lot of the softer, kinder feelings and he tends to push people away sometimes. On the whole, he is a kind, gentle soul but sometimes his heart can’t feel because he feels drained of all emotion. If he does feel that he is getting too close to someone, chances are he will panic at some point of time and cut and run. This essence of the Mustard flower gently but surely helps him learn to love and give of himself.

Spiritual

There is an emptiness inside that never seems to be filled because he doesn’t want it to and this leaves him incapable of experiencing true, abandoned joy. Most of his energy is turned inward to combat the
dark forces within and this leaves him with no energy left to ponder over his soul. Strangely, these people are connected with nature and her beauty and might seek solace from it with long lonely walks.  However, this is very often an escape from the confines of a house and while at some level he might feel the beauty around him, he never gives himself wholly to it. Mustard helps him relax and look outward. It opens out the windows of his soul and lets the sunshine in.


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

Pain on the Medial or Inner Side of the Knee

The medial or inner side of the knee is the insertion of the Sartorius muscle into the area known as the Pes Anserine. This area is one of the reflex areas for the adrenal glands. Tenderness in this area is an indication of adrenal insufficiency. Assessing the other reflex points and other adrenal tests will give a larger view of the adrenal system, and whethe or not it needs support. It is obviously important to make sure that there is no structural problems in this area.

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

Awaken a Few Hours After Falling Asleep, Hard to Get back to Sleep

This is a classic symptom of low blood sugar. At night the blood sugar begins to drop, especially at around 1:00 AM in the morning. If this is you, you need to have your blood sugar regulation assesses for hypoglycemia. A diet diary will also indicate the kind of meal they eat at night. Sometimes a little juice or snack right before going to bed can help with the low blood sugar. This is, or course, only a temporary solution. Blood sugar regulation needs to be assessed and you need to start on a protocol that will help address this issue.


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

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Belching or Gas One Hour After a Meal

Belching or gas one hour after a meal is a strong indication of digestive dysfunction with either hypochlorhydria or pancreatic insufficiency. The delayed nature of the belching or gas may point to a pancreatic insufficiency over hypochlorhydria. Lack of pancreatic secretions in the small intestine can lead to purification of proteins or fermentation of carbohydrates, giving off gas as by-product.  You may also complain of bloating in the mid to lower abdomen.

Clinical experience has shown that these two conditions ar often linked and share a common etiology:

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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