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Sunday 13 th May 2018

These tarts are made without any kind of flour. An apple is used for the tart base or crust, in which a filling that could be fruit puré or chocolate or whatever one wishes can be filled with;  and on top there is fruit like strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.

Sunday 22 nd April 2018
Having a dog is one of the best investments for your health and your whole family's.
According to studies, people who have a dog have a longer presumed life span of 10 years (1).
The exercise done thanks to the necessary daily walks, the unconditional love, the company, the fidelity and the protection that a dog offers you; and the love that a dog portrays in their owner, these are all factors that spectacularly improve someone’s health. Additionally, there exists dogs trained for people with disabilities and for kids with a development disorder.

 
We have recently adopted a dog. She is a Labrador, a breed that is very strong, energetic and intelligent; and very sweet and affectionate. They need a lot of exercise and offer a lot of love.
The positive effects in our family’s health have already begun to be noticeable.
My daughter is responsible for walking her when she comes back from school and in the week-ends; so now the time that she spends in front of her computer has decreased, and has increased the amount of time that she spends outside; evidently, walking the dog.
My husband and I also walk her daily, we have substantially increased the amount of daily physical exercise. In my case, this helps me with being able to better tolerate certain foods and to have better quality of sleep.
Like mentioned before in this previous article, increasing the energy of the body thanks to many different factors, such as physical exercise or the sun, affects the energy used in digestion, improving the capacity of tolerating different foods. The physical exercise also helps fall asleep faster and to enjoy a deeper sleep.
In addition, if the owner  suffers from some kind of psychological disorder, such as a depression, a bipolar disorder or a obsessive compulsive disorder, having a dog can be the best kind of therapy. In my case, my obsession with cleaning the house has greatly disappeared. The truth is that it is impossible to maintain a house with a garden impeccably when you have a dog, and the love for the dog will overpowered the need to have an immaculate house.
And for hyperactive, autistic and disabled kids, a dog can be a great help in their situation. In these cases it is preferable to have an assistance dog trained to accompany these kind of kids. In this article is mentioned that these dogs "They act as motivators and reinforcers of behaviours, as well as catalysts of emotions, their socialising effects are very effective, and encourage, among other things, the increase of social skills; the attention; concentration; the communication; and self-esteem. “
In the words of David R.Hawkins (1): “The more we love, the more we can love. Love is limitless. Love begets love. this is why psychiatrists recommend having a pet. A dog, for example, brings love and expands love in the heart of the owner. Love prolongs life. In fact, research documents that having a dog extends the owner’s life by ten years! Just think of all the bizarre exercises, diets, and other regimens that people go through to add relatively small amounts of time on to their life, when they can simply get a dog and add ten years! Love has a powerful anabolic effect. Love increases endorphins, which are life-enhancing hormones. You live ten years longer with a dog in your life because a dog catalyses the energy of love, and that energy of love heals and prolongs life.”
Having a dog is an experience that I recommend to all families and it suits people of all ages!

References:

“Letting go. The pathway of surrender”, David R. Hawkins (p.177):
 

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Tuesday 27 th February 2018
This explanation about the difference between hunger, real need of food, and appetite, just a desire for food, has been extracted from “The Life Science Health System” by T.C. Fry.





 


Continue reading Hunger and appetite

“Hunger is the great safeguard of all life. It impels the organism in need of food to search for and procure food. It may be safely inferred that if there is no hunger, there is no need for nourishment. Hunger is a normal expression of a physiological need and when it is absent, we may take it for granted that the physiological need that gives rise to it is also absent. When hunger is absent, therefore, no food should be taken.

We use to mistake the morbid sensations of a food-drunkard for the normal expressions of life. Real hunger, rather than producing lassitude and drowsiness, or faintness, produces alertness and activity in the search for food.

The feeling of emptiness, and the gnawing are not symptoms of hunger. Neither it is a feeling of weakness, headache, or nausea. These are morbid sensations representing gastric irritation, a neurosis, gastric ulcer, indigestion, gastric catarrh, reaction from withdrawal of stimulation, etc., rather than hunger. That faint sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach, with a morbid craving for something to eat, is due to catarrhal inflammation of the lining membrane of the stomach. Such symptoms of gnawing and faintness are seen in their height in cases of acute gastritis as well as in gastric ulcer. Indeed, a bowel movement may induce them in cases of colitis.

How often we see people who are always eating and who complain that they are always hungry. They eat several times a day and three or more times at night, but they never seem to get enough to eat. Of course, these people are never hungry; they are food drunkards who employ food as palliation. Eating temporarily “relieves” their gastric and nervous distress. They are merely extreme cases of what physiologists mistake for hunger. The sense of all goneness in these cases is not from a lack of nutrient material, but owing to the absence of the habitual stimulus.

If left alone these morbid sensations sooner or later pass away, but if palliated by eating or or by drink; they are but temporarily smothered. As soon as the stomach is again empty of food, they are back again, perhaps with renewed intensity. It is true that eating will allay these sensations, just as a shot of morphine will relieve the morphine addict, and there is just as much sense in taking food in the first instance as there is in taking the morphine in the last.

True hunger is felt in the mouth and throat and is related to the senses of taste and smell. it is indicated by a watering of the mouth for plain food, for any kind of food.  True hunger is a mouth and throat sensation rather than a stomach sensation. It’s similar to thirst. Thirst if felt in the mouth and throat and there is a distinct and conscious desire for water.

Most men and women have never experienced normal hunger in all their lives. Their appetite and taste are perverted by overfeeding in infancy, and have never had a chance to become normal during the whole course of their lives - owing to the overfeeding being continued ever since. It began with the first meal which the baby was forced to eat before they were ready for it. Thereafter, every outcry of nature was interpreted as a signal of hunger. The meals of the infant, all through the first year of life are regulated by the tunes of crying. Gastric impairment and gastric distress are built in infancy by wrong feeding. “

In this other article you will find more information about the cause of cravings, food addiction and overeating, as well as some tips to overcome these food-related disorders.


 

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Thursday 8 th February 2018
It is well known that anti-inflammatory medicines are associated with a long list of harmful side effects so, many people search for natural remedies to treat pain and inflammation.
In this post I call into question the need of fight inflammation, which is a thought shared by both conventional and alternative medicine.
I offer other solutions to alleviate inflammation while respecting the wise decisions of the body concerning the need of the inflammatory process.

 
First of all we need to clarify the concept of inflammation.
We identify inflammation mainly with redness, swelling and pain in the tissues or organs.
Inflammation has two origins: immune and restorative.  The immune response may be caused by different reasons, but the goal is always the same: cleaning our organism from harmful substances, whether they are foreign substances coming from outside - toxics and microbes - or from internal substances - toxins resulting from the metabolism.
The restorative inflammation happens when some part of the organism has been injured. In this case, the body dilates the blood capillaries in order to allow the passage of healing substances, such as platelets, and cleaning and defensive substances to the damaged area.
From this explanation, we may deduce a fact: the inflammation is a beneficial process for the body, because the purpose is the restoration, defence and cleaning of the organism.
Deepening a little bit more into the deduction, we may understand that when the inflammatory process is stopped then the restorative, defensive and hygienic action can not be taken place, so the organism can not heal. Further more, the anti-inflammatory medicine inhibit the inflammation - the healing process!
But, what about the natural medicine, such as phytotherapy and homeopathy? We have been told that natural remedies are not harmful and they have insignificant side effects. Yes, their side effects are lower, as well as lower anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, it’s also an anti-inflammatory - they disturb the healing process.
Regarding the anti-inflammatory food, such as turmeric, broccoli, omega 3 rich oils, garlic, coconut oil, etc., they perform the same function as a natural remedy, although less powerful. So they are not as counter-productive as conventional or natural medicine, because these last ones are a pure extract of anti-inflammatory agents, while food is an aggregate of substances with different effects. So this kind of food are not a problem, provided they are taken in normal amounts. Juicing therapies or turmeric supplements, for example, have the same effects as a natural remedy.
Now we understand that inflammation is necessary for healing. But, isn’t it possible that the body makes a mistake, and it produces an excessive inflammation when it is not needed? There are several conditions in which medicine considers that the organism is taking wrong decisions. This is the case of allergies and autoimmune diseases.
In this other post I expose the reasons that show that autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivites are not an immune malfunction. Therefore, neither in these cases is not convenient to stop the inflammatory process. The inflammation, although is an annoying process, is also needed in these diseases.
In the same way, flu, a cold, the inflammatory bowel disease, a faringitis, vaginitis, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, gastritis, otitis, cistitis, tendinitis, … are the result of the proportionate answer of the immune system to the current circumstances. They mustn’t be stopped. But we can search the way to alleviate them respecting the immune process; and of course, we can search the causes of that diseases in order to prevent happening again.
The immune system is never excessive. If inflammation exists it is because it is needed. The body is very intelligent, it doesn’t make mistakes, it always acts in the best direction for us, in a proportionate way depending of circumstances.
Medicines, both natural and conventional, help us to live better, relieving our physiological and psychological pains, so we can continue with our daily frenzy of stress, pollution, junk food and other live pleasures. But our health pays a very high price for that, with a chronic deterioration.
Pain and suffering shorten our health too, I don’t suggest dying of pain. What to do then?
The only therapies that help to soothe the pain in the emergency, without any side effect, are the body-mind and energetic therapies: meditation, visualisation, laughter therapy, hypnotherapy, reiki, massages, prayer, etc. Because they don’t block inflammation, but in first place, they deviate the attention of the mind to another point, and in second place, they stimulate the production of endorphins, the wellbeing substances. In order to understand it better I suggest an exercise. Any day you have a worry, a fear, a malaise; stop for a moment and distract your mind to another subject. Think about your vacations, a pleasurable event in the past, or simply watch a comedy on the TV. You will see how your problem substantially decreases. However, another day concentrate your attention to your problem, making your head spin. You will verify that it makes the problem worse.
The solution is to evade the mind with a method that is not harmful for the health, strengthening the mind. Then, in the long term, the pain will disappear when the cause has been identified and you have put an end to it.
Our organism is immensely wise, and it knows perfectly how to heal. In the same way that when a bone is fractured, or when we have a wound, it is the organism who restores the bone of the skin - the same happens with every disease.
We simply must stop the process that is hurting the body, whether the stress, unhealthy food, negative emotions, sleep deprivation, lack of sun, etc.
Following a healthy life style in all the areas we can heal and prevent inflammation. It’s not easy, but at least it’s worth to try it. And finally, if we don’t succeed in changing our life style, because of different reasons, the resource of anti-inflammatory medicine is always available - natural ones if you prefer.


Bibliography:

* “Head First: The Biology of Hope and the Healing Power of the Human Spirit”, by Norman Cousins

* “The Life Science Health System” by T.C. Fry.
Lesson 2 – The Nature And Purpose Of Disease
Lesson 72 - Rheumatic Diseases
Lesson 71 – Allergies, Hay Fever, And Other Chronic Diseases

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Thursday 8 th February 2018
Auto-immune diseases and allergies have in common that they are considered by conventional medicine as a malfunction of immune system.
But, are there any other hypothesis? Is it possible that in reality the organism is not wrong, but it is giving the most adequate response in the given circumstances?
If it’s not a failure of the immune system, have the anti-inflammatory remedies any sense?

 
In auto-immune diseases, medicine considers that cells of our body are attacked and destroyed by mistake. Depending on the damaged organ, it will result in different diseases. For example, in rheumathoid arthritis the attack is produced in the joints; in celiac disease the intestinal villi are destroyed; in diabetes type 1 it is the pancreas the affected organ; in multiple sclerosis it is about nerves; in psoriasis it is the skin; etc.
“The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown” is said in MedlinePlus, as well as in any site dedicated to conventional medicine that addresses this subject.
In conventional medicine several hypothesis are offered to explain the auto-immune process.
The first one, the most accepted one, is the cross reaction. It consists that when certain microorganisms are attacked or harmful substances are to be removed, then the self cells of the organism are also damaged, because of the similarity between both of them (the harmful agent and self cells).
The second hypothesis is that for some reason, such as a virus or a toxic compound, the cells have been modified, and therefore, they are not recognized as self.
The third one is that the white cells doesn’t work well, destroying healthy cells.
The fourth one is that a substance coming from another part of the body comes to another part, and because it is not found in the proper place, the immune system attacks it. For example, when there is a damage in the eye and the eye fluid gets to the blood.
We are going to analize with a little more detail each hypothesis in order to know if in any of them the immune system is not working well.
First hypothesis: it is absurd to think that it is possible in the nature to exist a confusion of this kind between harmful external substances and the self cells. If evolution and/or Nature would had allowed this phenomena to happen, neither the humanity nor most of species that exist nowadays in this world would not exist. Even more, if this hypothesis were true, many wild animals would also suffer this condition, and this is not true. (Only domestic animals also suffer the same kind of diseases like humans, because they are submitted to the same kind of inadequate life style).
Second hypothesis: if the cells of the body have been damaged for some reason, it is not an error that the immune system destroy them in order to be replaced by new healthy ones. So the immune system is not mistaken in his labour.
The third hypothesis is not a true hypothesis, it is not a reason. It is said that the immune system malfunction is due to the malfunction of white cells, but no reason is given to explain this. If white cells don’t work it is for some reason!
So we can imagine that the most logical reason is because the white cells have been damaged, for example.
The immune system is very complex, and there are multiple mechanisms to detect that if some process doesn’t work well could be controlled. It’s is like an army where the soldiers shoot against the citizens of his own country. If this happens, immediately the higher officials arrest the soldiers. In the same way, if the white cells doesn’t work well, there is a type of cells in our immune system that controls the white cells, called regulatory T cells, that prevent this kind of errors.
But, what if the high ranks, the regulatory T cells, have become crazy? Yes, it’s true that certain psychological troubles are self-destructive. Addiction, depression and desperation are states of mind that lead to a subconscious suicide. In these cases, the mind is sending signals of self-destruction to our body, and the immune system just obey them.
So even in this case the immune system has a correct functioning, it is just following the instructions that receives.
In the fourth hypothesis, if there is a substance coming from another place of the body that shouldn’t be there, it is the duty of the immune system to clean this substance. So again, the action of the immune system is right.
We can conclude that the auto-immune diseases are not a mistake of the human nature.
Regarding hypersensitivities or allergies, conventional medicine explains that it’s about an exaggerated response of the immune system against inoffensive external agents, such as pollen or certain food. They add that the factors that can influence the development of allergies are mainly genetic, but also stress may worsen the situation, and they mention the hygiene hypothesis. In this hypothesis is argued that the children that live in an aseptic environment have a weakened immune system. Other factors that can have an impact on allergies are suffering certain diseases in childhood and environmental pollution. Nevertheless, conventional medicine doesn’t offer any real explanation to the fact that the immune system have become hypersensitive to natural substances. Simply the consider that the immune system is disrupted.
Functional medicine states the hypothesis that when the intestine is damaged by different reasons, such as chemicals, stress or bacteria, then it becomes leaky and different harmful substances can cross through the small intestinal lining and get into the blood stream. This is called the leaky gut syndrome.  Then the immune system reacts against these substances that are not supposed to be found in the blood, such as partially digested food, toxic products and bacteria. This is an underlying inflammation that is the indirect cause of the environmental hypersensitivities, and the direct cause of food allergies and intolerances.
Upon this theory, the immune system is not malfunctioning, because it is necessary that it carries out his task of cleaning the undesirable substances that have crossed the leaky gut. So in this case, the immune system is wrong neither.
The immune system is our defence and our internal cleaning system. It is a perfect army, that always gives an adequate and proportionate response to the problem that it has to face.
The only case where the immune system may have a deficient answer is when the body does not have enough nutrients to work. In this case, we are talking about a completely opposite kind of diseases compared to allergies and auto-immune system; it’s about a lack of reaction, instead of an over-reaction.
There are some theories that show that cancer may be caused by an immune system insufficiency, where damaged cells are not cleaned. This will be the subject of another post.
For the moment, the conclusion is that diseases associated to an hyper-active immune system are not because of an impairment.
Then, if the immune system is just doing all his best, it does not make any sense to impede its functioning with anti-inflammatory remedies. In this other post you can read the continuation, where we address the mechanism of action of anti-inflammatory remedies.


Bibliography:

* “The Life Science Health System” by T.C. Fry.
Lesson 2 – The Nature And Purpose Of Disease
Lesson 72 - Rheumatic Diseases
Lesson 71 – Allergies, Hay Fever, And Other Chronic Diseases

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