From early childhood, human beings are conditioned by our parents, our culture and our environment to do things a certain way. Our worldview is shaped by the things we are told we can and cannot do. As we reach adulthood, we are free to continue in the things we learned as children or to reevaluate life and make our own choices. All of these influences lead to the creation of the habits that make up who we are. It is precisely because habits are so automatic that we rarely stop to think about the enormous role they play in shaping our behavior, and in fact our lives (Shawn Achor).
We all have habits – some good, some bad. Or are they? Ask the alcoholic acting under the influence of alcohol if drinking alcohol is a “good” habit? Ask the emotional eater in the middle of a binge if this is a “good” habit? Ask the marijuana smoker while he is getting high if smoking marijuana is a “good” habit? No doubt the answers you receive will seek to justify each behavior. If it feels good, it must be good. Right?
At Nature Medicine, we have decided to change our vocabulary with respect to habits. We prefer to think of these patterns of behavior as successful or unsuccessful habits. Ask the alcoholic, marijuana smoker, emotional eater or sugar junkie if they have an unsuccessful habit. They will most likely agree. Maybe you are struggling with your own unsuccessful habit? Perhaps a specific habit is making you late for work or causing behavior changes that you do not like? Now the motivation for changing your unsuccessful habit becomes greater success: with work, in relationships, etc. We all want success in some form, do we not?
So how does one go about changing unsuccessful habits? First, it is important to remember that it takes 21 days to make a habit. The 21-day habit encourages an individual to focus on establishing one successful habit over the course of 21 days. One has only so much will power to exert, so it is important to conquer one item at a time. We have seen success when using this method to change habits, but we have noticed that other tools may be needed for it to be truly successful.
A study by Gail Matthews from Dominican University revealed some interesting conclusions about the benefits of setting goals. Matthews assigned volunteers from a broad range of ages and backgrounds to five different groups. Each group was asked to determine goals for a four-week time period; some were to just think about them; some were to write their goals down, and others were asked to write progress reports to a friend as they completed their goals. The group that was asked to write down their goals had 50% more success in completing them than those who were only asked to think about their goals. The group that was asked to be accountable to a friend for completing their goals saw the highest level of success by fulfilling 76% of their stated goals. These conclusions suggest that writing out goals and being accountable to keep them is a great way to achieve the things we want to do. Take Alcoholics Anonymous, for example; accountability is a huge part of their success, requiring each participant to have a sponsor. For goal-setting to be effective, summary feedback that reveals progress is a key component to your strategy.
One other helpful tool for creating successful habits is the 20-second rule. The 20-second rule is a psychological construct based upon happiness research popularized by Shawn Achor in his book The Happiness Advantage. The 20-second rule comes from the concept of activation energy. How long does it take the average person to initiate something? Research suggests that people are far more likely to do things if it takes 20 seconds or less to initiate the activity. If the activation time takes greater than 20 seconds, they most likely will not do it. In Achor’s book, a research study was cited in which ice cream consumption in a cafeteria was cut in half by simply closing the lid of the ice cream cooler.
This concept can be a powerful tool in eliminating unsuccessful habits. After reading about this concept, one of Nature Medicine’s practitioners put it to the test on David, a man of the cloth who had a smoking habit. We discovered that David only smoked in his car. He would get in the car to travel somewhere and automatically reach for a cigarette. After explaining the 20-second rule to David, we agreed that he should try keeping his cigarettes in the trunk and remove all lighters from the vehicle. This required David to pull over, retrieve his cigarettes, find a lighter, and get back on the road every time he wanted to smoke. No one can do that in less than 20 seconds! David has now almost completely removed his unsuccessful habit of smoking from his life.
This tool can be applied to all kinds of unsuccessful habits. If you are an email addict, bury your email folder in 20 other folders to increase the time it takes you to open it. For those who eat when stress levels rise, empty your cupboards of sweets and chips.
The 20-second rule can also be used to create successful habits. Another patient, Matt, was a long-term drinker who needed to make a change. While driving under the influence of alcohol, he was stopped by a NY state trooper just outside his residence and mercifully released without severe consequences. He needed to find help. We determined that he most often drank at a local pub on his way home from work. Matt also revealed that his drinking was getting in the way of his social time for golf. Taking into account the 20-second rule, we agreed that Matt should program his GPS to take him home from work a different way – right past his favourite golf course. He began keeping his golf clubs in the trunk so that he always had the equipment to golf at any time. These minor changes led to a reduction in Matt’s alcohol consumption by 80%! Not only that, but he was able to replace an unsuccessful habit with a life-giving successful habit.
It is important to remember that human willpower is actually very limited. In The Happiness Advantage, Achor points out that the more we are required to use our willpower, the more worn-out it gets. A willpower study documented in Achor’s book gave an example of this fact. Three groups of college students were asked to refrain from eating three hours before an experiment. When the groups arrived at the lab, they were each given different instructions regarding two plates of food. One plate contained chocolate cookies, the other radishes. The first group was told they could have as many radishes as they wanted, but no cookies. The second group was allowed to eat off of either plate. The third group was given no food at all. After being required to follow these instructions for a certain period of time, each group was given a set of geometric puzzles to solve. Which group gave up on solving the puzzles first? Group One. It appears that this group had used up all of their willpower in resisting the chocolate chip cookies and had little mental energy left over to persevere in solving the puzzles.
This limitation of willpower is what makes habits so powerful. Once an activity has become routine/normal (i.e. a habit), we no longer need mental energy to make it happen; we do it automatically much like riding a bike or driving. This frees us up to focus on the next thing. This is why the 21-day rule and the 20-second concept are such valuable tools in one’s health journey. As we develop healthier habits in place of our unsuccessful ones, we will eventually find ourselves living the lives we want, one habit at a time.
These principles of incremental change and habit development can easily be applied to every area of one’s life. In his book The Likeability Factor, Tim Sanders talks about four habits of character that will cause you to be more likeable: friendliness, relevance, empathy and realness. Sanders postulates that the more you are liked, the happier your life will be. While that philosophy gives others far too much control over one’s happiness for our liking, we do recognize the importance of intentionally developing character. If you find yourself lacking in courage, integrity, positivity, kindness, temperance or gratitude, evaluate your habits and begin making small steps in the direction you want to go.
Another area where these principles may be useful is with respect to gaining authority. We all want authority in some way. We want the right to choose how to live our lives, to choose where we live, what we do, who we spend time with. Authority can be achieved in two ways. We can pursue it or we can have it granted to us. To pursue authority means to take authority because of our title. This kind of authority comes with accountability and responsibility, both of which are usually unwanted. For example, teenagers want the authority to drive, a common rite of passage in North America. What they soon learn is that, in order to sustain this authority, they must be responsible to the rules of the road and give account to the law keepers should they fail to obey. Unfortunately, much of society pursues authority in this manner. Governments, politicians, lawyers and bureaucrats want authority, but rarely do they want the accountability and responsibility that come with it. Doctors want authority over your body, but they do not want to be held responsible for the consequences of poor decisions. At Nature Medicine, we feel authority should follow the demonstration of willingness for accountability and responsibility. This is another arena in which the development of healthy character habits (e.g. integrity) could be of benefit on numerous levels.
To summarize, incremental changes can bring about significant results when we are working toward a larger goal. So while the obstacles to health transformation may seem at times insurmountable, there is hope when we take it one day at a time. Start small. Get rid of unsuccessful habits. Pursue successful habits. Take responsibility for where you are in life now. Be accountable to yourself and those around you. Stick to a plan that works.
…Remember
Changing Habits: The Rule of 21™.
- Will power is finite
- Only change 1 habit every 21 days
- To establish a successful habit it must take less than 21 seconds (20 seconds) to initiate it
- To break oneself of an unsuccessful habit it must take over 21 seconds (20 seconds) to initiate it
- Write it down (50% success)
- Have a friend or your health care provider hold you accountable (76% success)
References:
- http://michaelhyatt.com/life-plan
- http://michaelhyatt.com/the-power-of-incremental-change-over-time.html
- Achor, Shawn; The Happiness Advantage, 2010. Pgs. 145-170.
- Sanders, Tim. The Likeability Factor.
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Air Filters
With all the potential adverse health effects from the quality of air in the home it is natural to want to protect yourself and your family from the chemicals being released into the air (off-gassing). Filtering the air we breathe is one of the best ways to remove harmful agents. There are so many types of filters on the market today; knowing which one to buy can be confusing. It is important to do your research and purchase a good quality filter.
Up to 95% of the particles found in the air are small and not visible. When selecting a filter, look for the percentage capture (e.g. 95% or more) of total number respirable particles. Respirable particles are 10 microns in size or less (smaller than the thickness of a human hair). A typical furnace has a one inch thick rough filter which can remove most of the large particles. Pleated filters and mesh electrostatic filters are available for the furnace to help improve efficiency but are not very effective at trapping small particles.
To remove small particles, a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air filter) or an electronic filter can be installed on your furnace. A HEPA filter can remove up to 98% of the small particles including ones that are 0.3 microns in size. Electronic filters can remove even smaller particles but are not very effective at removing large particles. These filters may require weekly cleaning to maintain good performance as both filters can become quickly clogged with larger particles. A rough filter can be installed in front to prescreen out the big particles. Please note that washing and vacuuming filters will expose you to concentrated contaminants. Cleaning the filter outdoors and with a mask can help protect your lungs. It is important to note that filtration tends to work best the closer it is to the person. Many people do not permanently live in their basements by the furnace so portable room filters might be considered as they are more effective.
The ability of filters to remove odours is often a concern. Carbon and some chemisorbent filters can remove gas molecules including formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds. Carbon filters are best compared by weight. The heavier the filter the more gas molecules (odours) it will remove.
Ultraviolet light (UV) generators are advertised as a method for purifying the air in your home. These are not filters, nor are they a substitute for a good filter. These units can kill bacteria and viruses but their low efficiency filters are mainly to keep dust off of the UV bulb. Ozone generators have been shown to be beneficial in combatting mold, but these are also not air filters.
Below is a more detailed description of the potential filter types available for the home constructed by PuraHome, Air and Water Purification Specialists. A chart for comparative analysis has also been included.
(http://www.purahome.com/ 40 Secord Drive, Toll Free: 1-866-670-PURA (7872) Telephone: 905-934-3168 )
Plasmawave
Plasma is a charged gas. An alternating electrical discharge creates positive hydrogen ions and negative oxygen ions. These Plasma Ions known as PlasmaWave shoot into the air. They naturally seek out and surround allergens such as dust mites, bacteria, viruses and spores. When the PlasmaWave combines with water in the air, hydroxyls are created. Hydroxyls have been studied extensively all over the world including NASA and the US Army. Hydroxyls will surround the allergens and rob them of hydrogens in order to reform water. This renders the allergen inactive as shown by protein structure testing. The plasma also has the ability to reduce many airborne organic pollutants in the air in to simpler nontoxic substances such as carbon dioxide and water. These systems are usually portable and can be moved from room to room.
Ozone Systems
Ozone is a strong oxidizer. Ozone is unstable and thereby easily gives an oxygen atom to alter the chemical composition of gases by oxidizing them. It has little or no effect on solid particles although it may halt the growth of mold and bacteria and purify areas of toxins by oxidating them much like oxidized steel (rust), when used in high concentrations. Ozone is often referred to as “energized oxygen” or “pure air” suggesting that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. The truth is that Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Ozone can be harmful to and irritate the respiratory system. It is also the primary component of smog. Both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada DO NOT APPROVE GENERATORS FOR USE IN OCCUPIED SPACE. (N/A for medical ozone applications)
UV Lights
Ultra Violet lights (germicidal lamps) or UV systems come in both a hot (8,000 hours life) and cold plasma (rate 36,000 hours life) lamp system. They produce a specific wavelength that has the ability to affect microbiological contaminants like mold and bacteria and to keep it from replicating. UV has no effect on solid particles and it does NOT remove anything from the air stream. UV lights are normally placed in the return air stream. It is important to understand that the speed of the air passing by the lights can minimize the effectiveness of the UV lights. Placing a UV light at or near the cooling coils may work better as the light can irradiate this moist area all the time and help in minimizing the growth of mold or bacteria in the coils. Some UV lights have an additional wavelength that can split oxygen to create short-term ozone that will help sanitize the coils more efficiently as well as reduce spores and odours. If designed properly, the ozone will have dissipated quickly in the cold air return. UV lights are an ancillary piece of equipment and should always be used in conjunction with an air filtration system
Ion Generators
These devices produce negative ions that charge the particles in the air. The charged particles then attach themselves to both a positive and neutral surface area. This could be a wall, floor, furniture, ceiling, etc. Once the particles lose their charge, they will become airborne again.
There are many options available and many items to consider when selecting an air filter. Make sure to be well informed prior to making a purchase in order to protect your home efficiently. In addition to getting an air filter, there are some steps you can do as well. Open the windows in new homes and new cars for a few days to allow the formaldehyde and VOCs to be off gassed into the air. Bring greenery into the home, especially plants that help purify the formaldehyde specifically (e.g. Rubber plants). Through the soil, greenery can be a source of mold. By covering the soil with tin foil this problem can be reduced. Purifying the air we breathe can help reduce respiratory problems, asthma, allergies and long-term adverse effects.
References:
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Changing Habits
From early childhood, human beings are conditioned by our parents, our culture and our environment to do things a certain way. Our worldview is shaped by the things we are told we can and cannot do. As we reach adulthood, we are free to continue in the things we learned as children or to reevaluate life and make our own choices. All of these influences lead to the creation of the habits that make up who we are. It is precisely because habits are so automatic that we rarely stop to think about the enormous role they play in shaping our behavior, and in fact our lives (Shawn Achor).
We all have habits – some good, some bad. Or are they? Ask the alcoholic acting under the influence of alcohol if drinking alcohol is a “good” habit? Ask the emotional eater in the middle of a binge if this is a “good” habit? Ask the marijuana smoker while he is getting high if smoking marijuana is a “good” habit? No doubt the answers you receive will seek to justify each behavior. If it feels good, it must be good. Right?
At Nature Medicine, we have decided to change our vocabulary with respect to habits. We prefer to think of these patterns of behavior as successful or unsuccessful habits. Ask the alcoholic, marijuana smoker, emotional eater or sugar junkie if they have an unsuccessful habit. They will most likely agree. Maybe you are struggling with your own unsuccessful habit? Perhaps a specific habit is making you late for work or causing behavior changes that you do not like? Now the motivation for changing your unsuccessful habit becomes greater success: with work, in relationships, etc. We all want success in some form, do we not?
So how does one go about changing unsuccessful habits? First, it is important to remember that it takes 21 days to make a habit. The 21-day habit encourages an individual to focus on establishing one successful habit over the course of 21 days. One has only so much will power to exert, so it is important to conquer one item at a time. We have seen success when using this method to change habits, but we have noticed that other tools may be needed for it to be truly successful.
A study by Gail Matthews from Dominican University revealed some interesting conclusions about the benefits of setting goals. Matthews assigned volunteers from a broad range of ages and backgrounds to five different groups. Each group was asked to determine goals for a four-week time period; some were to just think about them; some were to write their goals down, and others were asked to write progress reports to a friend as they completed their goals. The group that was asked to write down their goals had 50% more success in completing them than those who were only asked to think about their goals. The group that was asked to be accountable to a friend for completing their goals saw the highest level of success by fulfilling 76% of their stated goals. These conclusions suggest that writing out goals and being accountable to keep them is a great way to achieve the things we want to do. Take Alcoholics Anonymous, for example; accountability is a huge part of their success, requiring each participant to have a sponsor. For goal-setting to be effective, summary feedback that reveals progress is a key component to your strategy.
One other helpful tool for creating successful habits is the 20-second rule. The 20-second rule is a psychological construct based upon happiness research popularized by Shawn Achor in his book The Happiness Advantage. The 20-second rule comes from the concept of activation energy. How long does it take the average person to initiate something? Research suggests that people are far more likely to do things if it takes 20 seconds or less to initiate the activity. If the activation time takes greater than 20 seconds, they most likely will not do it. In Achor’s book, a research study was cited in which ice cream consumption in a cafeteria was cut in half by simply closing the lid of the ice cream cooler.
This concept can be a powerful tool in eliminating unsuccessful habits. After reading about this concept, one of Nature Medicine’s practitioners put it to the test on David, a man of the cloth who had a smoking habit. We discovered that David only smoked in his car. He would get in the car to travel somewhere and automatically reach for a cigarette. After explaining the 20-second rule to David, we agreed that he should try keeping his cigarettes in the trunk and remove all lighters from the vehicle. This required David to pull over, retrieve his cigarettes, find a lighter, and get back on the road every time he wanted to smoke. No one can do that in less than 20 seconds! David has now almost completely removed his unsuccessful habit of smoking from his life.
This tool can be applied to all kinds of unsuccessful habits. If you are an email addict, bury your email folder in 20 other folders to increase the time it takes you to open it. For those who eat when stress levels rise, empty your cupboards of sweets and chips.
The 20-second rule can also be used to create successful habits. Another patient, Matt, was a long-term drinker who needed to make a change. While driving under the influence of alcohol, he was stopped by a NY state trooper just outside his residence and mercifully released without severe consequences. He needed to find help. We determined that he most often drank at a local pub on his way home from work. Matt also revealed that his drinking was getting in the way of his social time for golf. Taking into account the 20-second rule, we agreed that Matt should program his GPS to take him home from work a different way – right past his favourite golf course. He began keeping his golf clubs in the trunk so that he always had the equipment to golf at any time. These minor changes led to a reduction in Matt’s alcohol consumption by 80%! Not only that, but he was able to replace an unsuccessful habit with a life-giving successful habit.
It is important to remember that human willpower is actually very limited. In The Happiness Advantage, Achor points out that the more we are required to use our willpower, the more worn-out it gets. A willpower study documented in Achor’s book gave an example of this fact. Three groups of college students were asked to refrain from eating three hours before an experiment. When the groups arrived at the lab, they were each given different instructions regarding two plates of food. One plate contained chocolate cookies, the other radishes. The first group was told they could have as many radishes as they wanted, but no cookies. The second group was allowed to eat off of either plate. The third group was given no food at all. After being required to follow these instructions for a certain period of time, each group was given a set of geometric puzzles to solve. Which group gave up on solving the puzzles first? Group One. It appears that this group had used up all of their willpower in resisting the chocolate chip cookies and had little mental energy left over to persevere in solving the puzzles.
This limitation of willpower is what makes habits so powerful. Once an activity has become routine/normal (i.e. a habit), we no longer need mental energy to make it happen; we do it automatically much like riding a bike or driving. This frees us up to focus on the next thing. This is why the 21-day rule and the 20-second concept are such valuable tools in one’s health journey. As we develop healthier habits in place of our unsuccessful ones, we will eventually find ourselves living the lives we want, one habit at a time.
These principles of incremental change and habit development can easily be applied to every area of one’s life. In his book The Likeability Factor, Tim Sanders talks about four habits of character that will cause you to be more likeable: friendliness, relevance, empathy and realness. Sanders postulates that the more you are liked, the happier your life will be. While that philosophy gives others far too much control over one’s happiness for our liking, we do recognize the importance of intentionally developing character. If you find yourself lacking in courage, integrity, positivity, kindness, temperance or gratitude, evaluate your habits and begin making small steps in the direction you want to go.
Another area where these principles may be useful is with respect to gaining authority. We all want authority in some way. We want the right to choose how to live our lives, to choose where we live, what we do, who we spend time with. Authority can be achieved in two ways. We can pursue it or we can have it granted to us. To pursue authority means to take authority because of our title. This kind of authority comes with accountability and responsibility, both of which are usually unwanted. For example, teenagers want the authority to drive, a common rite of passage in North America. What they soon learn is that, in order to sustain this authority, they must be responsible to the rules of the road and give account to the law keepers should they fail to obey. Unfortunately, much of society pursues authority in this manner. Governments, politicians, lawyers and bureaucrats want authority, but rarely do they want the accountability and responsibility that come with it. Doctors want authority over your body, but they do not want to be held responsible for the consequences of poor decisions. At Nature Medicine, we feel authority should follow the demonstration of willingness for accountability and responsibility. This is another arena in which the development of healthy character habits (e.g. integrity) could be of benefit on numerous levels.
To summarize, incremental changes can bring about significant results when we are working toward a larger goal. So while the obstacles to health transformation may seem at times insurmountable, there is hope when we take it one day at a time. Start small. Get rid of unsuccessful habits. Pursue successful habits. Take responsibility for where you are in life now. Be accountable to yourself and those around you. Stick to a plan that works.
…Remember
Changing Habits: The Rule of 21™.
References:
Spiritual Doors
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer Beware
Some may think it strange to find a section on spiritual doors in a book about health. We would tend to disagree. The growing fascination we observe in society and Hollywood with “other-worldly” creatures and fantasies leads us to believe this section is increasingly more relevant for our readers than it would have been twenty, or even ten, years ago. The number of books, movies and television shows produced in recent years about supernatural phenomena and the secret battle between good and evil, light and dark, give us reason to share some perspective on this spiritual factor of health. Belief systems encompassing a menagerie of spiritual and religious traditions including Gaia philosophy, astrology, Wicca, holistic health, Buddhism, Taoism, and the Native American cultures, to name a few, can open up spiritual doors. Casting spells, accessing animal spirits, placing curses, accessing spirit guides, or “channeling”, practicing blood bonds, watching horror films, using Ouija boards or repeatedly visiting haunted houses can make us vulnerable to unwanted consequences. In the same way that we understand various environmental and physical factors to be influencers of health, we at Nature Medicine, recognize that spiritual factors come into play as well.
Anyone receiving and acting on advice from a channeller or “enlightened being” is possibly giving up their free will to that entity and allowing it to get a foot in the door of their mind. The existence of demonic entities and oppression is real but there are very few who can and will address this issue when it does come up. Before going further and relying on that guidance, check their resume (is that possible?), references and ask questions. We at Nature Medicine desire to give a warning to those involved in various enlightenment streams: caveat emptor or “let the buyer beware.” Medical Doctor W. Brugh Joy, who became an eastern guru, stated: “Not one person knows what [psychic power] is or all of its aspects and no one has ever known, despite attempts over thousands of years to master this knowledge. Tapping these energies is fire and the consequences…can be psychosis, aggravation of neuroses, acceleration of disease processes and suicide.” Jacob Needleman, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley has said: “[In the psychic market], there’s no Better Business Bureau. Let the Buyer Beware. You should be open minded, but not so open minded that your brains fall out.”
“People who dabble in this area may start out as feeling in control of the spirits they are accessing, but will they continue to be in control or will they become a pawn in a much bigger chess game? A chess game in which they have no concept of the rules or the end results of the game.” At the Nature Medicine Clinic, we feel it is important to educate oneself about the implications of our choices and actions in every area of life.
References:
Love
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
What’s love got to do with it?
The English language uses one word to express the many facets of this concept. “I love dogs.” “I love to sail.” “I love you.” We use this word in so many contexts, but it has such varied meanings. Ancient Greek contained several distinct words to refer to different types of love. While there is some overlap in their use and meaning, here is a general overview of five different Greek words for love:
Love is a complicated topic, pondered by the ancient Greeks, idolized by songwriters and examined by modern science. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, the need to belong and be loved is one of the five basic motivations of human beings. He theorized that, next to the fulfillment of our human needs for food, water and safety/security, our need for love and belonging motivates us to create social networks of community in order to fulfill these needs. Maslow suggested that an individual’s level of happiness correlated directly with the level of fulfillment of each of these five basic needs. A study done to test Maslow’s conclusions in 2011 indicated that even in situations where fundamental physiological needs were not completely fulfilled (e.g. food, water, shelter, etc.), individuals could still report happiness due to feeling loved in their social relationships.
Research, on the topic of romantic love, shows that it takes between 90 seconds and 4 minutes to decide if you are attracted to someone. That attraction is based 7% on what is actually said, 55% on body language and 38% on the tone and speed of voice. Helen Fisher of Rutgers University has proposed three stages of love: lust, attraction and attachment. Fisher studied the hormones released in the early days of romantic relationships and discovered patterns in the neurotransmitters that were released in couples’ brains at different points in their relationships. In stage one, she noted that testosterone and estrogen were the dominating hormones affecting the brains of men and women respectively. In the attraction stage, Fisher noted the increased presence of adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in couples’ brains. These neurotransmitters are responsible for symptoms such as a racing heart, increased energy, a decreased need for sleep and constant thoughts of the object of one’s attraction. Finally, in stage three, Fisher noticed increased levels of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter released during orgasm. Research suggests that the more sex a couple has, the stronger their bond will become.
Helen Fisher proposed that these chemicals released over the course of romantic relationships were nature’s way of ensuring reproduction. Investigations conducted on the brain activity of individuals experiencing passionate love, as opposed to maternal or unconditional love, suggests that the physiological effects experienced by those “in love” can augment cognitive function.
Oxytocin is the same hormone released in women after childbirth. It cements the bond between a mother and baby. A mother’s love is a powerful force. A study recently conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine investigated the effect of a mother’s love on the physiology of her child. Brain images were taken of children from both nurturing and non-nurturing home environments. The children from nurturing home environments had hippocampal volumes 10% greater than children from less nurturing environments. The hippocampus is the region of the brain important for learning, memory and stress responses. Additional supporting research has confirmed the positive impact a nurturing home environment has on a child’s ability to learn in school.
We can see that love has a significant impact on our quality of life from a scientific perspective. So what does that look like? If we say we are loved, what does that mean in day-to-day life? Dr. Gary Chapman, pastor, marriage counselor and author, has written a book called The Five Love Languages. This book came as the result of years of marriage counseling and the observation of patterns Dr. Chapman noticed in his clients over time. He discovered that spouses often came to counseling with complaints that fit into five different categories. “You do not spend any time with me.” “You did not bring me anything from your business trip.” “You never do anything around the house.” “If I did not initiate, you would never touch me.” “All you ever do is criticize me.” Dr. Chapman concluded that humans receive love in five different ways: quality time, the giving of gifts, acts of service, physical touch and words of affirmation. His book explains each of these “love languages” and provides an inventory to help individuals discover their love languages. Do you know what yours is? (please refer to the following link for The Five Love Language Quiz http://www.iacac.org/wp-content/uploads/2012 /05/D31-I-Hate-Your-Job-The-5-Love-Languages.pdf)
Once you are aware of what your love language is, it is important to communicate that knowledge to those closest to you. Dr. Chapman uses the imagery of a “love tank” in his book to describe how loved we feel at any given time. When those around us are communicating love in a way that we understand, our love tank will be full. If our communication lines are crossed, we may feel unloved, even though others are trying to love us. At Nature Medicine, we recognize the importance of maintaining a full love tank for one’s overall health. Whether this love comes from the relationship of a husband and wife, a mother and daughter, or close friends, we encourage you to invest in what will last forever.
“Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love”
References:
Belief: Faith and Hope
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Seeing it through
As North Americans, we have become accustomed to relying on our individuality, education and internal resolve to get us through the tough times in life. If that fails, we have a number of government institutions and insurance companies to hopefully rise to the occasion in our time of need. In developing countries, individuality and education are not as preeminent as they are in North America, Europe and developed Asia. The strength of the family and the belief in a higher power take on more significant meaning. Most governments in developing countries have proven unreliable thereby reinforcing tighter family units and religious affiliations. In North America, Europe and developed Asia, we require less faith and hope, as we have a strong belief in ourselves and our ability, as shown by the general decline in religious belief and church attendance. In developing countries, the opposite is true: faith, belief and hope manifest more as conversations commonly center on the supernatural. Church attendance is much more common, as is reliance upon powers outside of oneself (e.g. the Catholic Church, Islam or spiritism). When people could not make rational (educated) sense of the events of 9/11 or more recently hurricanes Rita, Katrina and Sandy, church attendance soared. People were once again becoming dependent upon a higher power as faith in the government failed; education and individuality were not sufficient to explain these tragedies.
The power of belief, faith and hope can have on your health should not be underestimated. The connection goes beyond the institution of religion; “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. This of course can encompass personal spiritual views, but the capabilities of human intention have actually been studied in the area of quantum physics. There have been cases throughout the world of healers directing positive energy towards individuals suffering from disease and being able to remove the illness. Have you ever really hoped and strived for something that eventually happened? These are examples of intention. The ability of positive and negative thoughts, to affect outcomes is not something supernatural; it is a reality that has been demonstrated in science.
The quantum physicist Gary Schwartz demonstrated that direct intention can manifest as electrical and magnetic energy to produce both a visible and measureable stream of electrons. Being able to measure thought and intention has multiple applications especially when attempting to understand the strong influence it can have on actions. Early experiments connecting plants to polygraph equipment revealed that plants react when positive or negative actions towards them are intended. Cleve Backster in 1966 while working for the CIA, was the first to propose that plants are affected by human intention. His research showed plants were able to sense when a harmful thought occurred. Ongoing work on living organisms suggests that thoughts are comprised of a stream of photons and it is plausible that a plant could sense and be affected by intention signals; the plants reacted when someone just intended to do harm. Plants are not the only living organisms that can be affected by positive and negative thoughts. When you send an intention, every major physiological system in your body will be mirrored in the body of the receiver; in essence the two become one. This is evidence that our emotional responses are constantly being picked up and echoed in those close to us.
Research on the effects of thoughts has also been able to demonstrate that our bodies can anticipate and react to our future emotions before we are even consciously aware of it. In 1997, a lab at the University of Nevada monitored physiological changes in volunteers. Heart rate, blood pressure and skin conduction were measured while color photos designed to calm, arouse or upset the participant were randomly displayed. The lab discovered that physiological responses registered before the photo was shown. This was the first documented proof that our bodies unconsciously anticipate events to act out our own future emotional states. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute examining Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences revealed in 2008 that decisions are made before we are aware of them. Researchers found micro patterns of activity in the frontopolar cortex of the brain 7 seconds before the participant was conscious of the choice. From a health perspective we know that negative thoughts or experiences can lead to physiological changes, but the idea that our body can react before we are aware that something terrible has occurred demonstrates the strong connection between the mind and body. In fact, we can further build on this to learn how to understand these reactions. Imagine the effect of avoiding harmful threats, maintaining positive thoughts and emotions and promoting optimization of health for not only ourselves but also for our family and friends. The intention that our body is sensing and that others are benefiting from is actually a form of energy that we are producing.
The ability of our thoughts to affect our bodies and those around us is quite remarkable. The power of intention can have a direct impact on your health and those close to you. A psychiatrist from California Pacific Medical Center performed a double blind experiment in 1999 with a mix of eclectic healers from America. The healers were asked to send healing thoughts to a group of HIV/AIDS patients. Each healer received a sealed packet of information about the patient and then held an intention for health for one hour a day for six days. The patient was then assigned to another healer. Eventually every patient in the treatment group was sent healing thoughts/intentions by every healer. At the end of the study each participant in the treatment group had significantly fewer HIV/AIDS defining illnesses, improved T-cell levels, fewer hospitalizations, fewer doctors’ visits, fewer new illnesses, a decrease in severity of disease and a better psychological well-being than the control group. The experiment found that the intention of healing promoted the actual healing. Adversely, negative thoughts can potentially do the opposite. Studies of couples showed that the stress of reliving a previous argument delayed their healing from a wound by at least a day. Having positive intentions, beliefs and thoughts toward your health can logically contribute to improving disease symptoms.
The implications of negative thoughts can even be found in one of the world’s oldest texts. In the Bible, we find multiple examples of people’s disbelief impeding Jesus’ ability to heal: “And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them”. In another passage, it was not until Jesus sent everyone with negative thoughts out of the house that he was able to restore health: “When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. ‘Get out!’ he told them. ‘The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.’ But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!” While the above examples certainly address the importance of eliminating negativity and creating a positive environment, there is an additional step that has been suggested. Positivity on its own is not enough; faith must be placed in something or someone. The 1999 experiment with eclectic healers was successful not only because of the positive intentions but also because of the healer’s faith. Being positive and upbeat is merely an emotional state without any connection to a spiritual realm. The healers had a connection point to a spiritual reality. The positive atmosphere of belief must therefore be connected to that something or someone.
In the 1990s, the water experiments by Dr. Masaru Emoto, is another example of the power of thoughts. The series of trials observed the physical effect of prayer, music, words and environmental factors on the crystalline structure of frozen water. The focused intention altered the expression of the water ice crystals. Water from clear springs and water exposed to positive loving words appeared brilliant, complex and in a colorful snowflake pattern. Adversely, polluted water or water exposed to negative thoughts was asymmetrical, dull and incomplete. Dr. Emoto’s work is evidence of the effect of thoughts and feelings on physical reality. It is remarkable to consider the extent intention can have on the events of our lives. The implication of the water crystal research creates awareness of how positivity can impact the earth, interpersonal and personal health.
Intention is a true energetic relationship. This is not something that only well-trained energy masters (Qigong, Tai Chi, etc.) have the power to harness; this is the same electric and magnetic energy that Gary Schwartz was able to measure from thoughts. Electric and magnetic energy are very prominent and important aspect to the planet. The Earth is one giant magnet with two poles, a North Pole and a South Pole, surrounded by a magnetic field. This geomagnetic field is affected by the solar system and geological changes on the Earth. Storms on Earth and in space can cause fluctuations to the field. Homing pigeons and dolphins are two examples of creatures that sense this energy; they use the Earth’s geomagnetic field to navigate. In 1991, studies of water showed that basic signaling between molecules is not chemical but actually electromagnetic. There is evidence that natural geomagnetic fields have a pronounced effect on all cellular and chemical processes in living things. The heart is very susceptible to changes in geomagnetic fields. For example, during periods of increased activity, the viscosity of the blood increases, slowing down circulation. In fact, heart-attack rates rise and fall according to solar-cycle activity. Research has shown that a person’s emotional state can also be communicated to the external environment by the electromagnetic field of the heart. On September 11th, 2001, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration space weather satellites that monitor the earth’s geometric field (seismic activity) displayed a significant spike from a stress wave created by the global human emotion on that horrific day and for a few days after. The “global grief” of 911 caused a stress wave that was detected in space. The heart and the brain are particularly sensitive to geomagnetic fields. These fields affecting the physiology of the body are the same energy produced by thoughts.
Intention needs to be directed and is an energetic relationship involving the sun, atmosphere, earth and all living organisms. In the Old Testament God used intention to create the world: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. Your current state of mind carries an intention that has an effect on life around you. The ability of your thoughts, beliefs, faith and hope to positively affect your health is often underestimated. This is a power that you can access daily and is something that can help revolutionize your mind, body and spirit.
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