Listening to the Whispers

By Nick Nurse

People who become ill often don’t understand what made them ill in the first place. I think it is important to do the detective work that will unearth this information, however being aware of your body and mind should be at the forefront of prevention. So, when someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes the trigger of the disease could be characterized as an overconsumption of sugar. The treatment would be the opposite of that behaviour along with a few other minor interventions such as herbals, pharmaceuticals and exercise. Going further, one needs to ask what pronounced or subtle changes in the body led to the disease and also, what caused the diabetic person to seek comfort in sugar-rich foods in the first place. There are signs before there is full blown illness.

We need to heed those subtle whispers that trigger our intuition to rise up. Too often do we push these signposts of disease aside, not wanting to admit that something is out of balance either physically or mentally.  As symptoms appear our intuitive selves gage whether it is something to pay attention to or not worth our time. We ourselves already know what feels right and what may be a red flag. Our only block is our mind that perhaps says, ‘this is not worth investigating’. We are our own wall against disease prevention (and full recoveries).  Our abilities to remain sensitive to our body signals, however, depend heavily on our awareness, and further, our willingness to be aware.  The solution? Let go.

When we are in a state of surrender, we stop holding onto our fixed beliefs about life and simply let the wisdom of our intuitions take over. We essentially let deeper, timeless truths flourish in our favour. These truths are the whispers that manifest in all areas of life including our health.  When we totally trust in the truth of our inner voice (not the ego/mind voice; go deeper!) and not push it aside, we begin to make sense of what is happening within our own bodies. 

I met a 60 year old woman named Anne who began to feel physically tired around age 35. Her hair started to thin to the point of worry and her skin began to feel dry. These were signs (whispers) that she observed, yet chose to ignore.  In time she began to feel a sense of emptiness and anxiety that grew more profound with every passing month – a subtle, insidious plunge into the depths of despair. By the age of 45 she had to leave her job and go on disability. She was now in the darkest depths of a depressive disorder. Upon examining her life, it was revealed that Anne experienced the death of her mother at a very young age and had to become mother to her more than 9 siblings. Her father died shortly thereafter and she continued to experience a series of losses in her life. Above all, she never got to use her voice to speak her personal truths, keeping it in until the whispers started to come, all pointing towards a thyroid dysfunction that was ultimately diagnosed. Anne is still in recovery but has become aware of her body – a far cry from 20 years ago. 

If I could identify one daily practice to bring us into awareness of our bodies it would be meditation. Simply be still and pay attention to what is happening in your body. Scan yourself from toe to head and back, just bringing your attention to sensations, feelings or pain. Become intimate with your body so you can identify balance and imbalance; become a master of your own self. Do it anywhere, on the train, in your car, in bed or on the couch. Move into any position that feels right for you. Eventually move this practice into a non-physical realm by examining your breath and familiarizing yourself with a more spiritual aspect of yourself. Meditation can be your tool into general self-awareness and ultimately good health. 

Learning to identify the whispers of imbalance is an intuitive process and a profound act of courage.

Be patient with yourself and know that healing is indeed possible. 

Nutrition and How It Affects ADD and ADHD

By Charlene Doak-Gebauer

I believe that the terms "ADD" and "ADHD" are difficult for parents to understand.  These terms are very negative.  I taught at the high school level for 20 years in special education environments.  The students in these classrooms are always challenging and extremely interesting to teach.

Many parents are told that their children are ADD or ADHD.  Because the word “disorder” is involved, it is devastating for parents to hear.  Along with the identification of their child being ADD or ADHD, it is often recommended that parents resort to medications in order to “calm” down their child. 

I have had many clients with children who are ADD or ADHD.   They have to overcome the fear of their child having learning difficulties because of the condition; and also their guilt because the education system has made them believe that their child is a “burden” in the classroom.

I prefer to refer to the conditions as ADD - "Awesome Day Dreamer" and ADHD - "Awesome Day Dreamer/Hyperactive Day Dreamer".  They are much more positive.  Through a consultation with me, the parents become educated regarding the foods that their child is eating that can cause them to be “awesome”.  Or, the child could have food allergies that have gone undetected.  Food is the most benign method of dealing with “awesome” children.  Medication should be the last choice.

Emotional challenges can be caused by foods that children and adults consume that they are allergic or sensitive to. Many people think that sensitivity or allergic reactions are rash, vomiting, headache and the like.  For many adults and children, these sensitivities can come out in emotional challenges.  For example, children who are my clients can be hitting their siblings, banging their heads, rocking repeatedly, not concentrating in school, delayed in school because of concentration difficulties and the like.  After identifying food related issues, parents who ensure that their children consume the suggested foods in a comprehensive, individualized nutritional plan, see amazing results.  Emotional challenges can be the greatest sign of food issues.  One family in particular, saw all negative behaviours disappear.  As soon as their son had one cheat meal full of allergens, his negative behaviours appeared again.  It is true, what you eat will affect your life. 

Pharmaceutical medications should be avoided as much as possible.  If many of these children started taking medications, the real issue would not surface and the “band aid” would only mask the real problem.  I have seen this theory validated many times.

It is always an “awesome” experience to help families and children.  When parents call to tell me that their child is finally at their age level in learning or that their child has finally passed a math test and their teacher is happy with the change, it makes my work so worthwhile.

A New Paradigm on the Road Less Travelled Part 2 – Concepts Needed Along the Road

By Kim M. Watson, RN, MScN

As we travel this road less travelled, and bring in an integrative healthcare approach for the delivery of care we will draw on the best that the scientific approach can bring, which includes the conventional, or allopathic type of medical care. Integrative medicine combines conventional and complementary approaches in a coordinated way. As we move forward we will need to refocus and expand on these concepts:

1.      Caring for the whole person (holism) – focusing on mind-body-spirit of persons. This includes looking at additional aspects such as the social, emotional, spiritual, environmental and more. It is time there is recognition of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection, and incorporate these aspects in the planning and execution of care. Emphasizing lifestyle changes and patient responsibility and ownership will also be important.

2.      The practitioner-patient relationship will be key with an importance placed on caring, compassion, health and wellness. The dynamics of the practitioner-patient relationship will evolve, and entail a variety of partnerships, similar to the Family Health Teams that have developed over the last few years in Ontario, yet they will take it even a step beyond. The importance of caring and compassion will point us in the direction of a therapeutic relationship between the caregiver and the client. The NCCIH, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://nccih.nih.gov, says this relationship is the heart and soul of integrative medicine. We need to structure a focus on optimal health and wellness, to think beyond the disease-oriented approach and shift away from a curing view, to one of healing.  

3.      The patient in the driver seat of care, at least the one to determine the route! We will need to evolve to a model with the patient being the driver; a model of self-regulation within the therapeutic partnerships. Accountability for decisions will ultimately lie with the client.

4.      A truly multi-disciplinary approach to care. Unlike the present conventional medical system, the new one will not be purely physician driven in all aspects of care, though they will play a major lead with conventional medical care. Each member in the partnership will be equally important, realizing what each brings to the table, though the client will be doing the steering. Lucia Thornton (2013) states “the patient is the focus of all care, and members of the team are unified in a common mission and purpose to promote health and healing and to deliver the highest quality of care possible” p. 184. The leading Canadian research group, IN-CAM (Canadian Network for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research community generating knowledge through research on complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine/health care to enhance the health of Canadians, has a wide variety of disciplines involved in driving the research. They are affiliated with the NCCIH, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Healthcare, who are the leaders in the USA. Both advocate a multidisciplinary approach to research, education and care, as depicted in Thornton’s (2013) concept of therapeutic partnerships. 

5.      Willingness to use various complementary therapies, which are viewed as unconventional modalities of care. When you think of an integrative approach, you must have a willingness to include complementary therapies, those seen by many as unconventional modalities. Many Canadians have experienced or integrated these therapies already. Many other healthcare professionals (not just physicians) have resisted the move to an integrative approach because of these modalities. It is time we do not exclude things because we are skeptical or do not quite know how they work. Dr Andrew Weil, MD, a leader in North America for the work he has done in the field of Integrative Healthcare, says being skeptical is okay, though it is time we give these modalities a chance, especially when they are shown to not be harmful and if we are fully informed. Ultimately we may be surprised when the evidence is in.

6.      Scientific evaluation or research – a new look on how to study this approach. Dr. Ralph Synderman, in a lecture for the NCCIC stated: “we need to understand ultimately what the alternative and complementary therapies are actually doing so that we will mainstream them. And... as long as our skepticism isn’t so great that, by reductionist design, we eliminate any possibility for truth to be seen” https://nccih.nih.gov/training/videolectures/integrative.htm. It is time to perhaps look a little closer at some of those ‘soft’ methods of research and their validity from a patient perspective and outcome measurement; after all, perhaps all the Canadians who have been using complementary therapies, and are paying for them out of pocket, know something the healthcare field has yet to learn.

These are but the first baby steps on the road to better healthcare, for practitioners and patients alike. Stay tuned, we are just in the beginning of adventure. Enjoy the ride!

Blessings, in love and in light, Namasté, Kim

References:
Thornton, L. (2013). Whole person caring. An interprofessional model for healing and wellness. Sigma Theta Tau International: Indianapolis, IN.

To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate … The Measles Epidemic

By Brenda Pearce, RN
 

The Disneyland Measles Epidemic may lead to banning unvaccinated people from public places? Here we go again. Is this message a new way of getting people to comply with Public Health/WHO policy? Hmmm.

There is a lot of speculation regarding next steps to get vaccination compliance, when more and more educated people are choosing to not vaccinate. There is a growing trend to question the effectiveness and efficacy of various vaccines that have been used over the past several decades. From the time of the Salk vaccine in the 1950’s, we have seen an explosion of vaccines being scheduled since then. I think that living in a FREE society, and yet feeling forced to comply with vaccine schedules through our regulated health systems is causing many, many people to question what this is all about.

There have been advocates and papers and outspoken movie stars who have become advocates of anti-vaccine stances. Before the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine, there are actually documented and posted studies indicating that there were declines naturally occurring for these now vaccinated illnesses.  And…there are also, vaccinated people who are also catching these illnesses as well. One has to question why babies are being vaccinated with Hep B vaccines in their early and tender life moments for a liver disorder that comes through blood transmission for unprotected sex, and/or blood transfusions. And… what about the HPV vaccine to our young teenage or preteen girls, that only protects against 3 of the 101+ strains of the virus?

There is something called herd immunity, which relies on the fact that to ensure the maximum amount of public protection relies on 94% of the population receiving vaccinations, and receiving immunity. That allows for only 6% of the population to decide to take advantage of choice to not immunize. However, more than 6% of the population are opting out. There is also an argument that the vaccines are losing their efficacy.  Case in point, in my research, a mom whose son died at 17 days of a disease that she had been vaccinated for opens up many questions. What are we building up antibodies and immunity for? Are vaccines losing efficacy over time? Or is the herd immunity ideation losing its validity? Where is the long term research? What studies were being created for all of this in the first place? Who is running the studies? Hmmm….

How many parents remember immunizing their children to have a localized red area of inflammation at the injection site of their babies? Yes, we are told that is normal, yet go back to continue the immunization schedules because we are encouraged to by our Doctor’s, and health professionals. We are told that our children cannot go to public school unless they have their immunizations up to date. Inflammation at the injection site is a reaction! There has been a move to remove Thimerosol, which contains ethyl mercury, as a preservative, which to some sources is safer than the methyl mercury which is occurring in our world and is toxic. We consume this when we eat fish! Yes, a government video promoting the flu shot says this thimerosol is no more dangerous than the amount of mercury consumed in a can of tuna! Excuse me, mercury is not safe in whatever form it is in. However, the trend to remove the thimerosol to get increased compliance and to get people to understand that the vaccine is safe, has actually increased the rejection of vaccinations as a whole. There is risk to not vaccinating, but also with vaccinations as well. To think otherwise is unwise. It is not just the mercury issue, it is also about the other items that are not openly talked about either… Polysorbate 80, latex, aluminum toxicity (which can remain in the body up to 8 years post injection), and so much more.

I merely suggest, linking Disneyland with measles epidemic, and shutting down the parks is a slippery slope to greater ways and means of vaccination compliance. We need to be aware, we have a choice. PRIM is a Canada wide Grassroots Mobilization Movement aimed to alert Canadians to their rights under the Charter of Freedoms http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1356631760121/1356631904950.

 

I would kindly suggest watching the following:

Vaccine Nation - https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/vaccine-nation/

 

 

 

A New Paradigm on the Road Less Travelled - Part 1 – An Introduction to the Road

By Kim M. Watson, RN, MScN

New year, new beginnings in many ways. We are right now travelling the road less travelled. For those of you who have been on the road for a bit, you already know that. For those new, you will learn to love the ride! And yes, you are in the driver seat, now you have to decide where you will go!

Like any great journey, it usually goes a bit smoother if you have a map, or plan. For this one, it is a bit like Columbus, some of us set sail without a clear idea of exactly what we will find, though knowing we have to do this, that perhaps the world is not flat! Some of us were born to do this. That is the story for me as I move forward, this is my destiny. Do not get me wrong, I have ended up in places had I had a map I would not have gone to, though I may have missed part of the adventure, the knowing and would have lost something valuable on the path. In the last few years I started to get discouraged, question if what I knew to be true was not yet to be revealed, only to now see it was needed to help me reaffirm what I know is my destiny. My belief and knowledge of whom I am and where we need to go has not waived, even when my will did. You may ask why I am telling you this. Because I am sure before you are done with things, you too will question if you are up to the task, and I can tell you – YOU ARE! Stay on this path, be open to the ideas, and in the end our healthcare system in Canada will prosper and health will not be focused on disease (or dis-ease), though on healing and wellness (even in the face of death).

Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Elements of our healthcare system are the problem, so we need to shift in the way we approach the future of healthcare. Now how will we achieve this you ask – through a paradigm shift. A paradigm shift is a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. In order to transform our healthcare system we will need to embrace a change, or at least turn 60 to 90 degrees away from the general principles that rule our conventional, allopathic healthcare system of today.

An integrative healthcare approach to the delivery of care will draw on the best that the scientific approach can bring, though we will need to refocus on:

 

·         Caring for the whole person (holism) – focusing on mind-body-spirit of persons.

·         The practitioner-patient relationship will be key with an importance placed on caring, compassion, health and wellness. 

·         The patient in the driver seat of care, at least the one to determine the route!

·         A truly multi-disciplinary approach to care.

·         Willingness to use various complementary therapies, which are viewed as unconventional modalities of care.

·         Scientific evaluation or research – a new look on how to study this approach. 

Implementing an integrative approach will involve these key concepts, and likely more. In Part 2, I will start the discussion about these concepts. For now this is a brief introduction to some of the basic components this author has seen used today with various groups, persons, or organizations moving to an integrative model of care. These are also foundational elements of a holistic nursing practice and philosophy, for which I am familiar. I hope to peak your interest in this discussion, to challenge some of your core concepts perhaps, and invite you to embrace a new path, one that will eventually move us in the right direction towards health – for patients and our healthcare system as a whole!

Thanks for tuning in, and I look forward to discussing this more in Part 2.

 

Blessings, in love and in light, Namasté, Kim

 

To Or Not To...Flu Shot

By Brenda Pearce

 

Well here we are!  Not just the New Year, but 'Flu Season'.      

In many parts of the world, we mark the peak of Flu Season with vaccinations in early fall.  For many people, it is a time of rolling up our sleeves and taking the hit again, because we are told to.  Many feel that it is the right thing to do, and many others feel it is not.  But what is the truth? I think it is something that needs to be discussed. 

As a healthcare worker, it is expected that we take the flu shot.  We are bribed with pizza parties, and chocolate bars to ensure that the numbers of vaccinated is high with the aim of 100%. Working in Long Term Care, I am part of the team that inoculate the residents of our home.  We are inundated on media with cute jingles, and commercials featuring the medical officials advising us to get the flu shot....  It is the right thing to do, but is it? 

I want to share some information with you to make you think and to advise you to question everything.  Don't do something because EVERYONE is doing it.  In this day and age when now, more than ever, there are more and more vaccinations being promoted through public health on Canadians of ALL ages, I think it is time to think this through.  I will include some items for you to check out as part of YOUR due diligence.  You have to think for yourself, and not line up blindly at your PHU, Dr. Office, or Pharmacy. Question everything, and think for yourself. 

In a flu shot, there are such things as the dead virus of choice as determined by the WHO, also an ethyl mercury derivative whose safe dose is unknown.  This ethyl mercury is used as a preservative as vaccines are in multi dose vials and with each withdrawal of vaccine there is a risk of contamination.  Due to the concerns regarding the presence of Thimerosol, it has been removed from several childhood vaccinations.  However, what are the long term effects of injecting this into your body every year, year in and year out?  There are some who say that this is the same amount of mercury as is in a can of tuna.  Hmmm… worth considering, because as of yet, there is little discussion about this.  What about the egg protein?   The flu vaccine is grown in eggs.  The manufacturers contend that the risk of contamination by eggs in the vaccine is small, but there is a risk. However, some sources say the vaccine contains chick embryonic fluid.  There is a move to produce the vaccine without the use of eggs. It is in the U.S., but the drawback is that anyone with a latex allergy cannot take it.  In the U.S., their flu shots contain the seasonal flu virus of choice for the year, along with the pandemic flu vaccine for H1N1.  Or you can get an aerosol version of the flu shot.  Here in Canada, if you have an egg allergy, please be careful and aware of which vaccine you are to receive.  

What are some of the side effects of the flu shot?  At the site of injection, there may be redness, pain and swelling.   Those are localized symptoms.  Some people say that once they get the shot they get the flu.  Experts say that you cannot get the flu from the flu shot as the vaccine contains only dead flu virus, and only one of many strains of flu, and that if you get the flu shot, and catch the flu, it is likely not the virus in the flu shot. Hmmm… this really makes you think.  So the vaccine is grown in eggs, withdrawn from the embryonic fluid, and the virus in the flu shot is dead. The flu shot is injected into the recipient and the idea is that the antibodies in the body go to rally up against the intruder so that when a live virus enters the body, there are enough antibodies to ward it off.  How do we know if we have enough antibodies?  We don’t.  There are reports that the flu shot actually increases the prevalence of contracting the flu.  There are reports of vaccine induced encephalopathy.  Look into the prevalence of vaccine related injuries, and weigh the risk of contracting injury vs. the potential benefits of not getting the flu shot.  The flu can go on to develop into pneumonia and can cause death.  I have seen this in the elder frail.  I have seen this first hand.  How about in healthcare workers who get the flu.  They are injected with the dead virus and their bodies are weakened as their body rallies to fight the intruders, then they are bombarded with the live virus, and their body is stressed again and as the antibodies rally to fight off the onslaught, they are very exposed, and very tired, and get sick too.    

 

So when the flu shot is based on what is thought to be the virus of choice for the year, and yet the flu that spreads like wildfire is a different strain, then why would you want to inject this into your body if you still run the risk of the flu? So when this is going on, like this year, when the strain running rampant is the Hong Kong flu and the mass injected vaccine contains a different strain,  like I said question everything and make a choice that is right for you. Public health say that the best protection is the flu shot, and, oh yeah, it is not too late to get it now! 

 

There is a lot of cross information on flu shots.  It comes down to your own research. Make a choice and do not let yourself be coerced into getting it or bribed, but do so of your own accord.  Do you have allergies to eggs, or latex?  Do you feel that the risk of vaccine side effects is worth taking the shot?  Be careful where you are getting the vaccine, some people may unknowingly go into anaphylactic shock due to unknown allergies to vaccine components.  Ask if there are safety precautions and training by whomever gives you the shot, especially if the shot is given in a pharmacy or non-medical facility. Do research if you have children and look at which countries have banned it for children, and consider their reasoning as part of your decision making.  The flu shot is considered essential for frail elderly...  Consider if their body can sustain the synthesis of the vaccine?  What are the long term effects of injecting small amounts annually of ethyl mercury into your body? Viruses do not respond to antibiotics well. 

Symptoms can be treated immediately with remedies such as salt water rinses for sore throats, honey and tea drinks, and by keeping well hydrated.  Nasal lavages, taking increased vitamin c, and taking antipyretics like Tylenol hourly to reduce aches, pains and fever can help, but make sure not to exceed daily limits.  Ensure that you get enough sleep during flu season so you do not become run down and more susceptible.  Then there are the emotional things of reducing stress.  Maintain levels of exercise so you do not become sluggish.  Get enough sunlight exposure to boost natural vitamin A and D levels. Keep busy, engaged, and active.  Keeping a positive mindset and envisioning yourself as healthy and resilient can help. Limit your exposure to direct coughs from sick people. Wash your hands frequently, sneeze into your arm.  Also, there is always good old fashioned chicken noodle soup! 

 

What are alternatives? 

Naturopaths have flu shots that do not contain allergens, and usually have drops or dissolving tabs that go under the tongue, which are highly effective.  However, they are not recognized by healthcare employers.  If you choose to not get the flu shot then you need to create a back-up plan or look at alternatives.  Think things through and do not go through the period without doing something. PRIM is a grass roots movement with an aim of informing Canadians and helping them make better informed choices about their own self-care.  Do your due diligence, and may this article be the start of a great conversation regarding the seasonal flu shot that helps create a movement to make better information available.