POWER OVER PANIC/IN SEARCH OF SELF: THE PATH TO FREEDOM

Being afraid is all right. Being hesitant is all right. Feeling vulnerable and defenceless is all right. They are all part of the ongoing development of our self. When we begin to work with it, we won’t know where we are, where we are going and what will happen to us along the way. This is all right too.

There is no exact blueprint on how to get to know our self, no external guide or map we can look at. The blueprint is our self. How to read the map means reading our self. The guide is our self and it will show us how to work through the various stages. From the first step to the last, it will be an individual journey. But what a journey!

As we let the process continue we begin to trust our self and we begin to trust the process. We begin to see familiar landmarks and we begin to see the bridges we need to cross. We get to know the rest stops on the way and we know with growing certainty that we are headed in the right direction.

It does mean changes, but all the resources necessary will be found in our self and we will find them waiting for us at each step. Not only will we find them waiting, we will find they have been there all along. There will be times of uncertainty when we turn back or stop along the way. When we are ready to begin again, we will find the resources are still there.

What does fear hold us back from? Being free. Self-expression. What do we want for ourselves in five years time? Who do we want to be? That person is not going to magically appear one morning. We must work towards being that person. It is a journey in ourselves to ourselves.

All the energy which has been used to suppress our self, can be freed for us to use in whatever way we wish. It is a gift of life which is waiting for all of us. The time will come again for change, far less dramatically, but come again it will and there will be new challenges to meet. This call for growth is part of the evolutionary development in all of us. It is a question of how honest we are being with ourselves, but this honesty is the way of self determination. Of individuation.

It is our choice.

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ALLERGIES AND COPING WITH CHEMICAL EXPOSURE: LOOK UNDER THE SINK!

Synthetic chemicals are found throughout the environment, but especially in home janitorial supplies. To rid the house of unnecessary air pollutants, start by looking under the sink. One can usually find there an accumulation of chemical products of all kinds: paints, solvents, laundry and dishwashing detergents, waxes and polishes, insect sprays, turpentine, shoe polish, and so forth. Whatever is not absolutely necessary should be dispensed with. Essential items, such as detergents, should be transferred to glass bottles with tight-fitting caps. One should save bottles for such a purpose. All questionable items should be stored outside, in places such as a garage or storeroom.

The same rule applies, naturally, to any other area in which toxic products accumulate. Conduct a careful house search, cleaning out drawers, broom closets, hobby areas, and medicine chests. It is amazing how much dangerous junk piles up in a house over the years, silently polluting the environment. One should be careful, however, not to allow any of these items to spill as they are being disposed of, or this may precipitate an acute attack of symptoms in susceptible people.

The human nose is an extraordinary instrument. Ecology patients tend to be either acutely sensitive to smells, or, conversely, lacking in the sense of smell altogether (in advanced cases). If you have a good-to-excellent sense of smell, you can identify noxious smells in the house by going out for a brisk walk in an area with fairly clean air and then returning to your house to perform a quick “sniff” test. If something has an offensive odor, get rid of it. Do not wait a day, or even a minute, since the nose will quickly adapt to the ill-smelling item. After being exposed for a short while, one can no longer fully smell the offending odor. Many patients report a cleaner feeling in the air after they have rid their homes of these hidden pollutants.

Several engineers and otherwise qualified experts now make “house calls” to inspect the homes of patients for chemical contaminants. They bring not only their expertise, but exceptional ability in “sniffing out” danger spots for patients, based on their own chemical-susceptibility problems. (The organizations listed in Appendix C can provide names of such experts.)

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EPILEPSY: THE FACTS-CAUSES OF FEBRILE CONVULSIONS

The cause of a febrile convulsion, is, as the name implies, a fever or high temperature. Any of the common childhood infections such as chickenpox, tonsillitis, upper respiratory, ear, bowel or urinary infections may cause a high temperature and therefore cause a febrile convulsion. It is unclear whether it is how quickly the temperature rises, or how high it eventually gets which determines whether a convulsion will occur. Lots of children between 6 months and 5 years of age have febrile illnesses but obviously the majority will not have a convulsion. One of the reasons why some children do, and others do not have convulsions with fever, is because of inherited factors which are important in determining whether febrile convulsions will occur. Almost one third of children will be found to have a family history of febrile convulsions in their parents or siblings (brothers and sisters). When one parent has a history of febrile convulsions, the risk to a child of developing a febrile convulsion is almost 20 per cent; if both parents have a history, then the risk is increased to 50 per cent. The brothers and sisters of a child who has had a febrile convulsion have a three times increased risk of having a febrile convulsion themselves; this risk is even higher in identical twins.

Most children who have febrile convulsions do not need any tests. Usually the cause of the infection and of the fever is obvious from the examination carried out by the doctor—for example, a sore throat (tonsillitis), red ear (otitis media), rash (for example, chickenpox), or cold and cough. Rarely, however, and particularly in children under 18 months of age, a convulsion may be the first sign of meningitis or encephalitis (group (c) above). If there is any doubt as to whether a child has meningitis (particularly in children aged 6-18 months), then a lumbar puncture must be done, and other tests may well be required. Children with simple febrile convulsions do not need to have an EEG or brain scan. However, children with complex febrile convulsions (group (b)) may well need them in order to explore what is the underlying cause of their asymmetrical or prolonged convulsion, or earlier slow development.

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POWER OVER PANIC/TAKING BACK THE POWER: WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK?

I have often been told people can’t let an attack or the anxiety happen because other people may see it happening. So what if they do. Why are we giving our mental health away to everyone else? We can spend all day trying to hide our symptoms from employers, work colleagues, family and friends. The extraordinary energy and control we use to hide our symptoms only makes us more anxious and exhausted. The more anxious we become the more we have to hide it.

Taking the power back means we cannot let the fear of what other people think get in our way of full recovery. If our hands and legs shake, let them shake. If our face turns bright red, then our face turns bright red. If we feel faint, then sit down on a chair, on the floor, on the footpath, if need be. If we vomit or have an attack of diarrhoea, then we vomit or have an attack of diarrhoea. Let it happen. When we let it happen, we turn off the adrenalin and it will be over as quick as it starts. We will not have to waste all of our energy trying to keep it under control and thereby turning on more adrenalin. Our mental health needs to be more important than other peoples’ opinions. The feelings of embarrassment are created by our thoughts. We have to move from ‘what if to the all powerful attitude of ’so what’. ‘So what’ if we have an attack, ’so what’ if we are feeling anxious, ’so what’ if people see. So what.

Depending on how high our anxiety level is, the anxiety may not disappear as quickly. Learning to manage the anxiety by being aware of our thoughts, letting them go and by letting the anxiety be there, is part of the recovery process. As we work through the process of recovery our anxiety level diminishes, until we are anxiety-free.

We will reach the point where we will have a choice in how we respond, either with fear or by letting it happen. This choice will always be there. After recovery in times of extreme stress we may experience further attacks. We can choose how we respond: either with fear, ‘what if, or by letting go and letting it happen. So what.

The working through process can at times be very frustrating, but the final result is worth every step. Everything which has been taken away from us by the disorder will be given back to us through the clarity of thought and freedom wbich recovery brings.

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CASE STUDY: BRAIN-FAG WITH HEADACHE AND RHINITIS

Joseph Robinson was a businessman in his forties, whose position in his company was threatened by increasing ill health. He traced the onset of his sickness to a tonsillectomy. Soon after this operation, persistent nasal stuffiness and a postnasal drip developed, which did not respond to any medication.

A busy person, Robinson paid little attention to these symptoms. A few years later, he began to get headaches in the front of his forehead. These usually came on an hour or two after the evening meal and persisted for the evening. They were often accompanied by bouts of fatigue, “laziness,” and mental exhaustion, which kept him pinned to the living-room couch, unable to move.

At first these problems were restricted to the evening hours and were easily attributed to the difficulty and tension of Robinson’s job. Soon, however, the fatigue and mental exhaustion began to creep into his daytime hours as well. He would start to go home early, or rest his head on the desk when he was supposed to be working. His job was in jeopardy when he was first examined for ecologic illness.

A variety of the foods which he ate most commonly, including wheat, milk, eggs, coffee, citrus fruit, legumes, chocolates, various meats, and nuts were eliminated for a week or so. To his amazement, he felt much better, experiencing far less fatigue and no headaches. One by one, these foods were returned to his diet. All of them were tolerated with no return of symptoms except for beef and milk (which are closely related). On the third day of eating beef products, he developed a severe headache which lasted ten hours. He developed a headache half an hour after eating his fourth milk-containing meal. Chocolate also made him feel tired.

With the complete avoidance of beef, milk, and chocolate, all of his symptoms of fatigue, headache, and brain-fag disappeared. As a final test, one month later, he treated himself to a glass of milk. A sharp headache rapidly developed. After about six months, however, he regained tolerance for milk, beef, and their by-products. He was then able to reintroduce them into his diet, provided that he did not have any of them more often than once every four days. He had successfully solved the problem that was ruining his career. In fact, his position in the company improved, and he gained a promotion.

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VOMITING

Vomiting is the physical outcome of nausea. In cases of food poisoning or gastroenteritis caused by bacteria which inflame the lining of the stomach and intestines, vomiting is the body’s response to the condition by ridding itself of harmful substances. A similar response may follow heavy drinking or ingestion of other toxic substances. Other gastrointestinal disorders such as peptic ulcers and appendicitis can cause vomiting.

Vomiting may also indicate serious disorders which are not associated with digestion. Following a blow to the head, vomiting may indicate swelling of the brain or bleeding within the skull. Heart attacks may present with chest pains and vomiting.

In children vomiting is also a symptom of fevers, middle ear infections, tonsillitis and meningitis. It is quite normal for young babies to vomit small quantities of milk after feeding and is of no concern unless the child appears ill or does not gain weight.

During early pregnancy vomiting is a common symptom of morning sickness. Both ginger and raspberry leaf are recommended by herbalists to relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.

Bulimia is an eating disorder in which the sufferer overeats, then induces vomiting to rid the body of the food which has been consumed. When bulimia is chronic this practice can result in ulceration of the oesophagus, damage to the teeth caused by stomach acids and dietary deficiencies.

Inducing vomiting is sometimes a first aid teatment for poisoning. Vomiting should not be induced in the case of corrosive, petroleum based or unknown substances which have been swallowed. When a medicinal or general substance such as detergent, mushrooms or medicine have been swallowed vomiting should be induced by giving Syrup of Ipecac to drink, following the instructions on the bottle. Salty or soapy water should not be given to induce vomiting.

Vomiting of blood requires immediate medical advice. Tiny flecks of blood in the vomitus following extensive vomiting may come from small tears in the lining of the digestive system and are not in themselves cause for alarm.

Prolonged vomiting may result in dehydration. This requires treatment by a practitioner.

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CASE HISTORY: JUVENILE ARTHRITIS

Kelly Johnson was a nine-year-old schoolgirl when she developed arthritis of the right ankle in the spring of 1970. This was followed by migration of the arthritis to both knees and ankles. Aspirin was the only treatment given until an operation (called a synovectomy) was performed on the right knee, in order to allow it to move more freely.

Four months later, the partially crippled child was hospitalized for food and chemical testing. Examination revealed swelling and limitation of motion in both knees, as well as a scar from the previous operation. Upon beginning the period of fasting, Kelly experienced nausea and headache as withdrawal effects. Progressive improvement occurred, however, so that after four days of fasting her joints were more mobile and less painful than they had been in many months.

Severe recurrences of arthritic pain, swelling, and other symptoms was associated with the ingestion of the following chemically less contaminated (organic) foods:

Rice: 2 hours, stomachache; 9 hours, itching

Chicken: 21/2 hours, pains in elbows and hands

Pork: 3 hours, stomachache; 14 hours, joint stiffness

Beef: 3 hours, chest pain and residual stiffness

Potato: 3 hours, right-shoulder pain

Wheat: 31/2 hours, itching

Corn: 5 hours, itching; 10 hours, swollen extremities

Milk: 91/2 hours, mild itching of skin only

Beet: 14 hours, swollen, stiff hands and feet

In contrast to some of the earlier cases, Kelly’s symptoms generally came on hours after the food ingestion test. Since another meal may have intervened between the ingestion of corn, milk, or beet and the development of symptoms, it was often necessary to repeat tests in order to make sure that a given food resulted in a given symptom. This is the kind of test which is extremely difficult to do outside a specialized hospital setting.

Other commonly eaten foods were all test-negative. Kelly went home in good condition and remained well on the diet we devised for her until the gas-fired furnace was turned on that fall. This was followed by a flare-up in her arthritis. She was therefore moved to an all-electric house. Since then, Kelly has remained symptom-free, adhering well to her dietary program. Other than some physiotherapy for pain in the operated knee, she needs no therapy— not even aspirin—at the present time.

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MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS: HOW TO COPE-IN VARIOUS SITUATIONSC-AT SCHOOL:

CAUGHT OUT BY THE CRAMPS

Probably the worst thing to have to cope with at school is the sudden onset of the cramps. Most girls try to stay at home on really off days, providing they can predict when those will be. The trouble is, periods aren’t always predictable, especially when they first start. So there may be times when you are at school and the pain catches you out. If you have been practising relaxation and breathing, you’ll need somewhere quiet to lie down and cope. That’s easier said than done because so many school buildings, even new ones, aren’t equipped with rest rooms, beds and hot water bottles. I know one brand new school where girls who faint are laid out in the general office, with the office staff stepping over their bodies until they come round.

So what to do about it? I should start by finding yourself an ally on the staff — a housemistress perhaps, or a year head, or your form tutor or a subject teacher — somebody you like and know you can trust, who is sympathetic and knows how tricky period pain can be. Explain what you have been doing and see if she (or he) can help you. Don’t forget, lots of the women who teach suffer from period pain themselves. So most of them will be sympathetic and if they can help you, they will.

If you start your period with a fainting fit, it’s good sense to check whether you’re eating enough. If you haven’t had any breakfast, you are far more likely to faint during assembly or the first lesson. A lot of girls go without breakfast; in some schools it’s almost a crime to admit to swallowing anything more substantial than a cup of black coffee. The secret is to listen to your body. If you really need food, it will tell you. If you faint because you’re hungry, just the smell of that bacon sizzling will make your mouth water. You should go ahead and enjoy it. On the other hand, if you are one of those unlucky girls who start their periods by feeling sick and then fainting, you have a different problem. You certainly wouldn’t want to eat anything and it would be very silly to force yourself. You are probably better staying at home until the sickness and the feeling of faintness have passed and you can return to normal and go back to school again.

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MAKING ST JOHN’S WORT PART OF AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT LIFESTYLE

Live in rooms full of light

Avoid heavy foods

Be moderate in the drinking of wine

Take massage, baths, exercise and gymnastics

Fight insomnia with gentle rocking or

the sound of running water

Change surroundings and take long journeys

Strictly avoid frightening ideas

Indulge in cheerful conversation and amusements

Listen to music

advice to melancholics -A. Cornelius Celsus, 1ST century ad

It is typical for us humans to expect everything to fly into our mouths without work, art, effort, grief and suffering. But all of this is not God’s way; rather, it is His will that we should work hard for our food and that we should want to support both ourselves and those around us.

Paracelsus, I493-I54I

There is an old joke about a bookseller who is trying to sell a book to a student. ‘It will do half your work for you,’ he claims. ‘Great,’ says the student. ‘I’ll buy two copies.’ It is only human for us to want to have all our work done for us or all our problems solved by a simple remedy such as a pill. The bad news – and, of course, it is not really news at all – is that wondrous though a pill may be, St John’s Wort included, it will not cure all that ails you. The good news is that there are so many ways to help yourself, many of them quite painless and even pleasurable, as the advice of A. Cornelius Celsus above would suggest. Celsus was the doctor to the Emperor Tiberius, a cruel, powerful and frightening man, and the gentleness of Celsus’ advice was perhaps as much politic as it was wise. Paracelsus, an outspoken man, fearless and impolitic in the conduct of his own life, had no qualms about expressing himself frankly. If you want your life to be better, you need to exert some effort to make it so. In my own dealings with depressed people I have found many ways in which modifying elements of one’s life can contribute enormously to an anti-depressant lifestyle that works beautifully in conjunction with anti-depressant medications, including St John’s Wort. In this chapter we will consider some of the many ways that you can help take control of your life and conquer your own depression.

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ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES FOR SCIATICA

The therapies above, although part of ‘alternative medicine’, are nevertheless so well-established that they are often seen as an adjunct to conventional treatment rather than an alternative to it. There are, however, also several other therapies which while less generally accepted have helped at least some people suffering from chronic conditions, although there is very little or no creditable scientific evidence available either to prove their effectiveness or exactly how they work. Here are brief details of some of these methods – do, however, please remember that the mention of a therapy here is not meant to be interpreted as an endorsement of it.

AROMATHERAPY

This form of treatment is based on the use of essential oils – these derived from wild or cultivated plants, herbs, fruits, and tress – to restore the body’s natural functions and rhythms. The essences are prepared in many different ways: as compresses, bath additives, inhalants, and massaging lubricants.

Aromatherapists say they can help people with back problems in two main ways: either by using the essences to treat the problem directly by using them in massage sessions, or to control and reduce tension, anxiety and stress.

As with herbalism, a word of caution is in order: some of the aromatic oils are in fact poisonous in other than the very smallest quantities, and it is therefore absolutely essential that this therapy be administered by a qualified practitioner.

AUTOGENIC TRAINING AND THERAPY

This consists of a series of exercises aimed at generating a state of both mental and physical relaxation. It also includes some aspects of self-hypnosis in which the subjects use their own mind power to send themselves positive, healing messages about their condition. It is a ‘mind-over-matter’ approach that straddles that ill-defined border between hypnosis and meditation, both of which are altered mind states.

Many people with chronic pain and/or back problems have said that autogenic training had helped, both in dealing with immediate symptoms as well as reducing the stress that often had contributed to bringing these about. For more information contact your doctor or local health centre.

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