Emotional Health

THE EFFECTS OF STRESS

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
Imagine yourself hiking on a beautiful day under a deep blue sky.
You feel in tune with the universe as you head down the trail. Before too long you feel a tiny stone in your shoe. It’s a minor stress, barely noticeable. The first few steps you take after noticing the stone are awkward as you carefully try not to put pressure directly on the stone, but you’re set on moving down the trail, and, who can be bothered to slow down for such a minor inconvenience? You adjust for pressure, movement and speed to accommodate the stone, focus on the path and the green trees, and enjoy the hike.
Soon the stone becomes annoying and uncomfortable but there’s not a good place to stop and take off your shoe. You continue as best you can, now also adjusting your pack and how you lift your leg to take a step. Now you feel a painful blister developing on your foot. And, stepping off balance has become a strain on your calf muscle. Finally, you stop and take off your shoe. As you bend to pull off your shoe, sharp pain shoots down your leg and you feel the strain on your back — which was twisted as you were off-setting weight to avoid the stone. You pad the blister, put your shoe back on and continue on your way. Even though the stone is gone you now limp to compensate for the pain in your calf, your back, and the blister on your foot. This creates a strain on the knee of your other leg. By the end of your hike, your entire body is sore. That night, even though you are exhausted, you have trouble sleeping.
That little stone is the way most stresses weave their way into our lives, little by little, until their presence begins to have serious effects on our health and well being. And as all of us know, life doesn’t just throw one or two stones in our shoes and then let well enough alone. Wouldn’t it be best to find and remove that little stone before ever taking the first step of that journey before ever getting out of balance.

STRESS & HEALING
Chi Gong and Tai Chi master Ken Cohen defines stress as a maladaptive response to change in the environment. Psychophysiology techniques employed through various biofeedback systems are being used with great success in determining the current stress status of the individual and in selecting the best modes of therapy for the elimination of the stressors.

Emotional stress is an all too common and too often ignored state that causes perceptible and measurable changes in physiology. This can be harmful enough, but a potentially greater threat can come from the imperceptible changes that occur. These changes often remain unresolved, and unresolved stress is a major cause of illness and disease. Norman Cousins, in his book Head First, reports the findings of Aaron Frederick Rassmussen, Jr., immunologist at the UCLA School of Medicine, who “explored the relationship between stress and susceptibility to viral infection... [and] found that stress diminished the size of the immune organs and the number of immune cells and increased the severity of illness reactions to viral exposure.”

Ideally the effects of stress on the human body are best addressed before physiological or psychological symptoms occur. It is estimated that as many as 80% of all doctors visits are a consequence of a somatic response caused by some underlying emotional or psychological distress. Learning how to identify and manage stress, supporting the immune system and developing successful lifestyle and coping strategies are the most critical areas to address as we seek to return to a state of balance in our lives.

Click Here to complete your own Stress Self Assessment Test

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STRESS - WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?

In general, a given healing modality might or might not be effective in repairing the damage that stress has done to your system, though almost every modality is effective in some aspect of the healing process. But how do you know where to start? Which modality will be most affective at this point in your healing process? What kind of stressors can be eliminated? And what healing modality should you apply first? Flower essences? Vitamins? Homeopathy? Acupuncture? Herbs?
Over the years, many different methods have been developed to determine which stressors are causing the most problems for your system. Solutions to reducing the stressors are available through bionetic biofeedback equipment. Stress profiling processes allow the body to identify its own sources of stress and the profiling aids both the practitioner and patient in addressing the stresses before they become unmanageable - in many cases even before they have come to your physical awareness. In essence, bionetics embraces a multi-disciplinary approach to balance the internet or stress blueprint of the human body.
Some of the most successful systems are based on acupuncture points and how they respond to electric stimulus, sometimes referred to as GSR, or Galvanic Skin Response. The original idea, developed in Germany by Dr. Reinhold Voll, was incredibly successful but had one major drawback; it was very time consuming. For example, through EAV (Electra-Acupuncture According to Voll or Electra Dermal Screening) food allergens could be tested with the same accuracy as blood testing of food allergens, but each food had to be tested manually, and could take as long as thirty seconds per food. Despite the inconvenience, Voll went on to develop methods for testing other stressors in the body, such as vitamin/mineral imbalances and incompatibilities, chemical sensitivities, and many others that have been added by subsequent researchers.
Until recently, time was the biggest problem. The more stressors identified by researchers, the more time was necessary to test each agent, and then prioritize and single out the greatest stressors for elimination or neutralization.
However, since Voll’s work in the 50’ and 60s, sophisticated and comprehensive computer systems have evolved. Though all EAV devices are effective when properly used, they are single channel devices similar to Voll’s original technology, and require more visits and more time to be effective.
One exception is the BodyScan; an FDA registered Class LI Medical Device. It uses a multi-channel scanning process, testing for more than 3,000 substances in less than eight minutes or as many as 10,000 in 30 minutes. The greatest stressors can then be evaluated and a protocol to neutralize or eliminate them can be started. As Dr. Richard Gerber, author of Vibrational Medicine For The 21st Century, says, “...this is one of the few EDI devices on the market that I can highly recommend.”
The stresses of life can’t always be avoided, be they financial, work, or family oriented. But, if you can identify other stressors, such as allergies or other toxic agents, and eliminate or neutralize them, you will, find that the stresses of everyday life aren’t so stressful any more.

MORE ON BIOFEEDBACK - HOW TO MEASURE STRESS
Biofeedback is a modality that uses non-invasive methods to measure various bioelectric aspects of the body the most common being galvanic skin response. Information from real-time responses is fed back through a device that records the reactions. The information can be presented a number of different ways, either as a real-time signal for relaxation entrainment, or in the form of interpretive data that can be used to identify and isolate specific stress signals to the organism.
Biofeedback is a significant, underused modality that is perfectly suited to influencing or modifying the body’s response to stress conditions in a way that will increase vitality and balance within the organism.
According to biofeedback pioneers Elmer and Alyce Green in Beyond Biofeedback, biofeedback has had impacts on conditions involving involuntary behaviors, such as heart rate, epilepsy, blood pressure, cerebral palsy migraine and tension headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma and neuromuscular disorders.
Much remains to be learned about biofeedback applications. Coupled with sophisticated computer technology, and stress management capacity to heal, its future as a window into the body’s energy system is unlimited. Researcher George D. Fuller, Ph.D. says, “The underlying philosophy of biofeedback is basically a return of responsibility for one’s health to the individual.”

MORE ON BIONETIC FEEDBACK: RECLAIMING OUR HEALTH
The basis for bionetics feedback can be found in the origin of the word itself. Webster Dictionary defines the prefix bio simply as coming from the Greek for life. Net is derived from the Old English words for weaving together. Bionetics, based on biofeedback, is a complex bioelectric body communication system combining many of the life sciences. Using the concepts of bioenergy, it was developed for measuring stress through non-cognitive biofeedback, and integrates advanced computer technology with holism. Because bionetics consists of computerized non-cognitive biofeedback stress profiling, practitioners may employ many supportive modalities, such as herbology, homeopathy music, diet and nutrition, relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes, restructuring of belief and thought patterns, and identification of stressors.
The study of bionetics basically incorporates all aspects and functions of the human body/mind system. It measures stress signals, creates a stress map, and incorporates a stress evaluation based on all levels of human experience: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Bionetics goes beyond the boundaries of Newton’s mechanical laws to look at the unlimited potential and innate ability of the human body to communicate its needs to aid in self-healing. Dr. Barbara Brown, an early pioneer in biofeedback, calls this unique phenomenon skin talk. This potential, present throughout the body on a cellular level, is revealed through electrodermal screening (EDS) biofeedback systems. Sophisticated computers now enable signals to be read or scanned.

The BodyScan 2010 has been the answer I was searching for. It encompasses the techniques I use, including chiropractic, homeopathy, nutrition and neuroemotional techniques. The BodyScan has enabled me to take better care of my patients - to find and address the cause of the patients’ problem and be very specific with my remedies. I see a multitude of different patients, the hard cases, where the patients have gone everywhere and done everything and turn to me as a last resort. We currently have a waiting list of 1-1/2 to 2 months for initial visit and daily referrals. Dr WaIter Jaakhola, BodyScan Practitioner.

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FLOWER ESSENCE THERAPY

WHAT ARE FLOWER ESSENCES?
Flower essence tinctures are infusions of the blossoms from a wide variety of wild flowers, trees, shrubs and other cultivated plants. These infusions are vibrational remedies most often used to address imbalances found in one’s emotional stress profile; their effects can be both subtle and profound.
As remedies, they are prepared as water-based infusions, utilizing spring water obtained as close as possible to the source of the flowers. The infusions are activated by natural sunlight in the same manner as sun tea; they are then stabilized, usually with brandy, creating a tincture of
the specific flower.

ARE FLOWER ESSENCES HOMEOPATHIC?
In essence, no, although they are often referred to as homeopathics due to their many similarities. The differences are mostly technical. Flower essences can be distinguished from homeopathics, herbal remedies and essential oils by the parts of the plants used, the methods of selection and preparation, and by the method of action. Flower essences deserve their own place as very special vibrational remedies.

HOW DO FLOWER ESSENCES WORK?
Like homeopathic remedies, flower essences are vibrational in nature and work through the various human energy fields, which in turn influence mental, emotional and physical well-being. Their most significant impact comes from rebalancing emotional states, which are believed to be thee causative factors behind most, if not all, illness.

It is important to note that flower essences are not drugs. They do not alter moods by altering brain chemistry. As vibrational remedies, they are incapable of invasive manipulation. Rather, flower essences encourage a realignment of the emotional self with the spiritual self, stimulating so to speak, conversations with the soul. Instead of being masked, negative emotional states are invited to change. It has been said that flower essences do not provide answers, but help clarify the questions. Their power truly lies within their empowerment.

Authors Patricia Kaminsky and Richard Katz (Flower Essence Repertory) state, “Flower essences are catalysts which simulate and energize the inner transformative process, while leaving us free to develop our own innate capacities. They are used best within a context of inner development, through self- observation, dialogue, and counseling. For this reason, they are not used to treat particular diseases. Rather, flower essences help us to learn the lessons of ailment, to meet the challenges presented to our souls by emotional and physical pain and suffering, and thus to transforming our lives.”

How do health practitioners use the BodyScanTM to work with flower essences?
During the Stress Profile Evaluation, your body will pinpoint the flower essence signals that would benefit it the most. The BodyScanTM practitioner will ask for a specially prepared remedy that may combine essences of up to three different flowers. It is uniquely created specific lie to your individual profile.

HISTORY OF FLOWER ESSENCES
The use of flower remedies emerged about 70 years ago, when Dr. Edward Bach of England discovered a link between stress, emotions, and illness. Bach was already well known in his own time for his work in pathology immunology and bacteriology. His compassion, insight and dissatisfaction with the palliative approach of modern medicine led Bach to believe that a very important piece of the puzzle—the emotional relationships to health and illness—was missing. He found his own philosophy echoed in those of the great healers Paracelsus and Samuel Hahnemann, whose homeopathic methods he embraced. Bach discovered that certain flowers growing about the English countryside had the ability to influence, in positive, gentle ways, a variety of emotional states, and, that by realigning these emotional patterns, vitality and health could be restored.
Bach identified the original 38 flower remedies and years later in 1979, Richard Katz established the Flower Essence Society (FES). FES introduced several hundred new remedies from flowers indigenous to the western United States. Since then, many other flower essences have been developed across the country and in other parts of the world.

REGAINING EMOTIONAL HARMONY
Dr Richard Gerber in his book Vibrational Medicine states “Our illnesses are often a symbolic reflection of our own internal states of emotional unrest and spiritual blockages.”
We now know flower essences help stabilize the emotions. Practitioners and patients alike are observing the impact of emotional issues that affect wellness and vitality, and now are empowered to make the requisite subtle changes that can holistically contribute to the healing of spirit, mind and body.

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BREATHING, RELAXATION & STRETCHING

BREATHING
It’s no secret that one of the keys to longevity is to keep breathing as long as you can. But simple breathing—the involuntary act so many of us take for granted—is much more than the mere physiological act of taking in oxygen. Ancient practitioners of Chi Kung, Tai Chi and other forms of martial arts have long known that disciplined, intentional breathing affected physical as well as emotional vitality Virtually every major spiritual discipline uses a form of breath awareness as part of its practice. In most languages, the word for breath is the same as the word for spirit. In Japan the word is ki, in Hindu writings, prana, and in China, Qi or chi. Breath is the life force and the significant carrier of energy in the human system. Through mindful breathing techniques, individuals have learned to control their heartbeats, blood flow, blood pressure, immune system, mental conditions and even pain. Qi Gong masters direct the breath to heal specific body tissues and organs.
Carola Speads, a German movement therapist, in her book Breathing: The ABCS, says that disciplined breathing “gives us physiological and psychological balance and the balance of yin and yang,” a symbolic expression of masculine and feminine energy
Recently, there has been an upsurge of interest in the various techniques of breathing and the many ancient practices that utilize breath to develop the exploration and empowerment of the inner self. Breathing from the chest is too shallow and limits the amount of oxygen that enters the blood stream. Breath must be drawn in from the belly, expanding the abdomen in smooth and rhythmic movements.

RELAXATION
The word relaxation should bring to mind the definitive work of Herbert Benson M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at The Harvard Medical School. In his book
The Relaxation Response, Benson elaborates on the necessity to learn relaxation techniques in today’s stress-filled existence. He outlines a simple meditative technique that can be used alongside any other discipline or spiritual practice:
•Find a quiet environment - a place free from distraction.
•Find a comfortable position. Avoid undue muscle tension - sitting position works well. You call use a chair that supports the head if the idea of sit up and relax doesn’t come naturally to you. Only a few are comfortable with the lotus position of the yogis. Do not attempt to lie down, as you may get drowsy or fall asleep. (Sleep itself isn’t a bad way to relax, but it’s not a form of active, conscious stress reduction - and consciously falling asleep doesn’t count!)
•Choose a mental device - a sound, word or phrase - repeat it silently or aloud. Follow your breathing, become aware of your breath, Relax. Do this as you fix your gaze at a stationary object - preferably not the TV
•Assume a passive attitude. Don’t worry about how you’re performing, what you’re getting out of the exercise, or what you should be doing instead of the exercise. Just let it happen. Let the words sink deep within you. Do this twice a day for at least fifteen minutes - it has been proven to help heal the body.
This is meditive, intentional relaxation. Finding the still point in your life and letting all the to-do stuff and heavy baggage go for a while can be truly challenging, but well worth the time. Pursuing other means of relaxation such as swimming, canoeing, playing chess, or any participating in any activity that relieves anxiety will also contribute to your physical and emotional well-being and balance. Be sure a do those things that you enjoy doing! Life is too short to be doing things that you don’t enjoy. Enjoyable activities give you a zest for Iife!

STRESSED?? STRETCH!!
Stretching is a “simple, painless way of getting ready for movement,” says physical fitness expert Bob Anderson, author of the book titled Stretching. Anderson has taught stretching techniques to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, U.S. Olympic teams and many other athletes. According to Anderson, taking time to stretch before and after physical exertion keeps muscles supple, heightens performance, and prevents injury; simple stretching is a great way to melt off the stress that leads to sore backs, stiff necks and uptight attitudes. The practice of stretching is worthwhile even if it’s not associated with physical exertion, and especially for those less able or inclined to be physically active.
Stress in the muscles has as much to do with resistance to acceptance of change as it does with pure tension or over-exertion. Both of these attitudes can affect you no matter active or inactive you are. Before getting out of bed in the morning even a minute or two of stretching prepares the muscles for the days events. What is more, it feels great!

PROVEN EFFECTIVE AND HEALTHY
While there are many approaches to stress relief, these methods have proven to be most effective: mindful breathing techniques, learning to relax using a simple meditative practice, and simple stretching before and after physical exercise. These healthy lifestyle habits may seem simple but they are proven to help reduce stress and prevent potential illness caused by the constant exposure to and impact of the stresses of life.

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More to come later on NEURO-EMOTIONAL Techniques

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