or

      (Return to the "library index")
 
 

 (on the subject of chronic illness and disease): Very often, poor health finds a place because of an underlying condition. If a concerted effort is made to restore the body to a vigorous state, a cessation, or a lessening, of symptoms may be possible.

"Because of a lack of information or a misunderstanding, some individuals, who might otherwise hold their own, or improve, do not! If the situation is made clear, and if enough information is available, it may be possible, in some cases, to return to a relatively vital state of health." (A few simple exercises and knowing what needs done may help improve vitality!)
 

 Introduction and Background
 While writing an essay on agoraphobia, I came onto what appeared to be a rule of homeostasis and behavior--there was something in the nature of living things that could be made the focal point of a recovery program. Armed with this information, the victim of a chronic disorder would be better equipped to take charge of his or her recovery--a personalized regimen could be undertaken, and there would be no risk of interfering with medical treatments!
 

(an overview)
 "A chronic illness needs a covers-all-bases approach! But the existing system of medicine offers the physician little incentive to study the history of each patient, with the intention of providing insight and a long-term plan for rehabilitation. The patient is left to lead his or her own recovery, but has too little information to grasp the depth of the situation. And because he or she has learned to rely on the doctor, the patient may not fully understand that it is up to them to get well!"

(a concept)
 The forces of sensitivity come together as a synergism, dependent not on what systems do but on how they work together. "The preciseness of each response insures the assimilation of what is needed to continue the chain of events leading to that response." The effective permeability of cell membranes and the hierarchy of precursor chemistry determine the efficiency of homeostatic mechanisms.

 The right question to ask in understanding the way of the body is, how do things work together. A gradual approach to overcoming and understanding life's challenges will create the strongest foundation for dealing with whatever happens. Compassion, aggression, curiosity and goal striving are a part of each of us, and they play a role in our success at work as well as in our resistance to disease.

 What should we be thinking about, and how do we go about getting well? Sensory and life-force mechanisms feed the psyche information about the environment. Analyzing each mechanism and putting things right will lead to a wholeness of spirit and a feeling of ease that can help overcome the obstacles in the path. These are not new ideas, but viewing life in terms of how our bodies interact with the forces of nature should lead to the best possible result.
 
 
 

..

                                               (the scale of the front and back cover images is .85:1)
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 (description)
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 For more information email: gmb1329nospam@bellsouth.net
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CAUTION--DISCLAIMER
 

 The author is not a physician, nor does he have any medical training, and much of the text is based on personal opinions and experiences. Consult a physician before taking any supplement, nutrient or medication mentioned in this book or elsewhere! No book, or other published material can take the place of qualified medical advice!
 
 
 
 
 

   (from Part I)

Wellness and Illness
 Wellness is a "state of being" which is unfriendly to any illness, especially a chronic or recurring illness. What is a chronic or recurring illness? It is one which persists or periodically returns in spite of all efforts to defeat it. What do such illnesses have in common? Some degree of exhaustion of vital systems is almost always a factor.

 There are two characteristics of exhaustion, which can work to support the stubbornness of a chronic disease or condition: (1) Oxygen debt (a.k.a. hypoxia: not taking in enough oxygen to maintain normal levels of organ and glandular function); (2) a tendency for rapid loss of electrolytes and related dehydration. These two factors can keep an illness in place for the long term. Why? Because they result in, and are compounded by, a low level of energy! Normal everyday situations and environments can produce more stress than the body's current level of energy can stand up to. Stress can come from something as simple as going for too long without rest, or from carrying a burdensome physical or mental load. It can also be part of a counterproductive attitude, brought about by a negative learning experience, or, it could come from the environment, from the effects of things like heat, dust and pollen. If the stress continues, a decline in health, often referred to as an underlying condition may result!

 With a long-term or recurring illness, there may be an unnoticed underlying condition. That is, the current state of decline may be providing the diagnosed illness with an opportunity to appear. Such conditions often go unrecognized, because they are part of what is usually thought of as wear-and-tear. If the body takes on too much wear-and-tear it could become a host to disease.

 The downturn could come on very gradually, or onset might be quite sudden! Somewhere along the way, something could cause an abrupt change in health, giving dysfunction and disorder an opportunity to take hold. An injury, an emotional trauma or a severe virus could usher in something more debilitating and long-lasting. Whether or not something serious makes an entrance in the wake of a lesser disorder, the effect of such events is to wear down vital systems. And when the symptoms of a potentially disabling disease appear, the "wearing down" is not likely to be considered a factor. By that time, all the attention is on the new and more threatening condition.

 The combined effects of the newly diagnosed illness and the unrecognized underlying condition may be highly resistant to efforts at recovery. The infiltration and corruption of many systems may be involved, and the present state of decline may have been coming on for many years. To improve the situation, a broad-based approach will probably be required. (A chronic condition will not usually give up its territory unless it is attacked on all fronts.)

 Simply accepting the diagnosis may limit the possibilities, when, in fact, the slow rate of progression, common to many chronic diseases, may allow enough time to turn the situation around. Whatever the diagnosis, it will be better to work with the doctor, and try to fill any gap left by the system.

 If the patient's efforts are to be productive, and not conflict with the physician's, some basic ground rules may be needed. During my illness, I came up with a set of guidelines for this purpose. Some were formed as questions, others as statements:

The Rules of Wellness
(1) What can I do right now to promote recovery, and am I doing anything to hinder it? (Every thought and every action should contribute to getting well!)
(2) A tendency for some exotic disease may be normal, but for someone who was well before, there may be something that can be done to get well again!
(3) "Slow down, to catch up!" Rest and stay within your limits until you are able to do more. The body will use the spared energy to make the needed repairs. (Anxiety tends to prevail when health declines! It pushes us, and keeps us going, when what we need is rest. Getting well requires resisting the urge to push-on!)
(4) Improvement will come more quickly if dehydration is avoided! (A vicious circle: Anxiety is worsened by oxygen debt and dehydration, and dehydration and oxygen debt are worsened by anxiety.)
(5) Be a poor host to disease! Be too busy and too decisive to be sick! Indecision and uncertainty contribute to a sense of helplessness and apprehension.
(6) Keep a diary! If you think or hear of something potentially helpful to your recovery, write it down, and investigate when time allows. You may discover an allergy or a deficiency that is holding you back. A diary can also be a "place" to plan the next day's schedule, or it can be a "place" to leave your "worries."
(7) Take everything modern medicine has to offer, but do not be afraid to ask questions or put your foot down. The patient should not feel he or she is left out or in the dark as to what is going on! The doctor and the patient should work together!
(8) Just wanting to get well may not be enough. Exactly where do you want to go? Find something to get well for: a hope, a cause, a purpose, or an irresistible and overriding goal. Consider taking up a creative project, something intricate and fascinating, something requiring a total commitment of resources.
(9) In Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins illustrates the potential healing power of laughter. Laughter floods the brain with oxygen, and shrinks apprehension. (High spirits and positive emotions will work with an irresistible goal (Rule #8) to mobilize the earliest possible recovery.)
(10) Eat moderately, and do not provoke allergies.

 (Applying rule #1 on a regular basis constitutes a positive change in behavior. Periodically repeating the question, "what can I do right now..." focuses the psyche on the solution and contributes to keeping the body as well as it can be.)

A chronic illness has a way of persuading its victim to do what it needs to stay in place. The effects can be so numbing to the senses we cannot see and do what is needed to get well. In such instances, having rules to fall back on may slow or prevent further decline!
 

Identifying Marks
 "Wellness" is what happens when the body maintains an efficient interface with the environment. One of its characteristics is the ability to, with the least possible effort, take in enough oxygen to promote good health. "Illness" occurs when the body is no longer able to cope with its surroundings. One of the characteristics of "illness" is a failure to instinctively take in enough oxygen to promote good health. (Everything that goes wrong in the body stems from or is made more severe by a lack of oxygen!)

 One of the signs of improving health is an increase in respiratory efficiency. With more oxygen coming in, and with less energy being expended to bring it in, the body will be as efficient as it can be. (Shallow breathing is typical of a low level of energy, and it can develop over such a long period of time the change would probably not be noticed.)

The Effect of Stress on Energy Producing Systems
 Stress is a circumstance, real or imagined, which can prevent the body from efficiently interfacing with the environment. Stress, from whatever source, places a load on the glands of the endocrine system,* especially the thymus and adrenal glands. A continuing burden on these glands can result in hormonal insufficiency and electrolyte losses. This could bring on a reduction in respiratory and circulatory efficiency. Any such reduction will deprive vital systems of oxygen, thus further intensifying the pattern of stress. Symptoms of depression and anxiety may begin to appear. Such developments can only worsen the plight of the endocrine system.

 *(The endocrine glands feel the burden partly through the actions of toxic agents accumulating in the blood, such as peroxidized fats, pollen and household chemicals. If the liver is unable to keep the blood clean, the endocrine glands will suffer the consequences. The balance of the stress comes from overwork, emotions, noise, etc.)

 The hypothalamus, a neuroendocrine gland (one having both endocrine and neurologic functions), and a control center in the brain, is responsible for conditioning the body to deal with whatever happens. In response to stressful circumstances, the hypothalamus stimulates the cells of the adrenal medullae (i.e., the interior part, or inner lobe, of the adrenal glands), and like-cells located elsewhere in the body. (The necessary signals are transmitted via neural pathways in the brainstem and spinal cord.) This increases the rate at which epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin) are released (secreted) into the bloodstream. Blood pressure and heart action will be stepped up with the intent of transporting more oxygen and nutrients to all points in the body. The adrenal medullae are only intended to keep up this increased activity on an intermittent, or short-term, basis. If the stress continues, the adrenal medullae, thymus, hypothalamus and other affected systems will eventually begin to suffer and underperform. (Exhaustion and oxygen debt begin!)

 The vitality of each of these glands and systems depends on the continuing performance of each of the others. The hypothalamus will not, or cannot, do its job efficiently again until normal levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine are restored, and the adrenal glands cannot take action to restore normal hormonal levels until the stress declines, and they are allowed time to rest.

 The thymus may be the gland most affected by this crisis. The thymus is sensitive to stress, and will atrophy if relief is not prompt. (The level of corticosteroids being produced by the cortex (outer mantle) of the adrenal glands increases in response to an increase in stress. Corticosteroids help the body cope with stress, but a sustained increase in their production, especially that of cortisol, will cause the thymus to wither and weaken. There will be a loss of emotional strength (i.e., depression) and a reduction in the body's resistance to disease.)

 Eventually, dysfunction of the adrenal glands, hypothalamus, pituitary and thymus will form a vicious circle (one gland cannot recover until the others do). This condition may resist ordinary efforts at recovery, even after the stress declines. Efficient respiration and circulation may not be possible, because of the overall reduction in performance. Unless something extraordinary is done to improve the situation, the resulting low level of oxygen and loss of vigor could lead to a more vulnerable and a more fragile state of health.

Systems of Command and Control
 Whatever the task, digestion, sleeping, waking or coping with stress, the body's responses are coordinated by the hypothalamus, with the aid of the pituitary gland and nerve centers in the brainstem. (The brainstem connects the spinal cord to the base of the brain.) The hypothalamus is on the top, and near the front of the brainstem, and the pituitary is attached to, and suspended from, the hypothalamus by an interconnecting stalk (see Figure 1).

 Hanging from this stalk, two and one-half inches behind the bridge of the nose, the pituitary rests in, and is sheltered by, a tiny basin in the bony structure underneath the brain. While it is only the size of a pea, and weighs just one-fiftieth of an ounce, the pituitary releases at least a dozen hormones into the bloodstream.

 Through the timing of its secretions the pituitary controls the actions of the endocrine system. With its guidance, the other endocrine glands release the specialized hormones needed to regulate the rate and timing of metabolic and other life functions.

 The pituitary controls the rate and the extent of growth from just after conception until we reach adulthood. Then it regulates the pattern of behavior throughout the rest of our lives. This tiny "hormone factory" continues to do its work for 100 years or more, and it has the course planned (genetically coded), from start to finish. By its actions, the pituitary is the body's "master clock."

 The interconnecting mechanism between the brain and the spinal cord, the brainstem, is remarkably complex. It is the primary point of interface for all neural communications between the brain and body.

 From its vantage point, near the top of the brainstem, the hypothalamus "taps" into nearly everything that happens. With the information it receives, taken into account, it sends "commands" (releasing hormones) to the pituitary regarding the overall metabolic activity of the body. These releasing hormones reach and stimulate the anterior part of the pituitary via the interconnecting stalk. A second group of hypothalamic hormones (oxytocin and vasopressin) is sent to the posterior part of the pituitary, and released from there into the bloodstream, as needed.

 To oversee the remainder of its domain, and to make the adjustments needed to deal with changes in the environment, the hypothalamus is connected to, and requires the help of, nerve centers in the brainstem. These nerve centers (pons and medulla oblongata)* control basic functions (blood pressure and breathing). Neural signals from the hypothalamus and brainstem reach their intended destinations via the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the particular collection of spinal nerves and interconnecting peripheral nerves, known as the autonomic nervous system.

 * (The pons and medulla oblongata can, by themselves, provide the neural stimuli needed to maintain minimal life support, but it is the signals from the hypothalamus, which provide the sophisticated pattern of stimuli necessary to achieve consciousness, arousal and sleep.)

.

 When all is calm, the hypothalamus, through pathways in the brainstem and parasympathetic nervous system, stimulates certain organs of the body (heart, intestines, bladder, etc.) in a relaxing, wave-like, action that promotes ideal and restful metabolic function. When stress increases, the hypothalamus, prompted by signals from the association centers, in the prefrontal cortex, conditions the body to deal with the situation. An excitatory stimulus makes its way down the particular nerve fibers in the brainstem, connected to the sympathetic nervous system, and then on to the adrenal medullae and certain other organs and glands of the body (heart, lungs, intestines, pancreas). Subsequent increases in the blood levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine quicken the body's reactions. If the stress and these reactions continue, the feedback of increased levels of oxygen and hormones, as felt by the hypothalamus, will prompt it to instruct the pituitary to stimulate the adrenal cortex and the thyroid gland. This will step up the metabolic rate, making an increased level of energy available on a more long-term basis.

 When the stress lessens, the parasympathetic activity of the hypothalamus takes over, restoring the affected systems to a calm and harmonious state. (By applying interacting neural stimuli, sympathetic and parasympathetic, to the organs and glands of the body, and aided by the secretions of the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus works to maintain equilibrium.)

 Except for the thalamus (an important center for sensory integration, located above the hypothalamus on the brainstem) and the cerebellum (on the back side of the brainstem), the various centers of the brain are strictly limited as to their connections, and to the effects they can have. To the contrary, the hypothalamus is involved in and regulates just about everything that happens.

Getting the Message
 The nerve fibers in the brain and body work by the actions of chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are electrically active ("charged") molecules released by nerve cells (neurons) as a means of passing on an impulse. The nerve impulse (action potential) propagates across, or down, the neuron in response to an incoming impulse released by an adjacent neuron. "Charged molecules" released from the output side, or axon, of the adjacent (sending) neuron stimulate the dendrites (receptors) on the input side of the receiving neuron. This causes the receiving neuron to release its own "charged molecules." In their turn, the dendrites at the input of the next neuron are stimulated, repeating the chain of events. In this way, the nerve impulse is passed from neuron to neuron until it reaches its destination or is dispersed. (The microscopic gap between neurons, where the impulse is passed on, is the synapse. Some nerve cells are 3 to 4 feet in length.)

 In the case of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, once the "charged molecules" stimulate the dendrite, they are broken down, into their less active constituent components, thus losing their "charge." These components, acetate and choline, are then drawn back into the sending neuron, and recombined to become neurotransmitter molecules once more. The recombined molecules are then stored in synaptic vesicles (tiny reservoirs) in the axon, thus "recharging" the neuron. Once "recharged," the neuron waits for the next nerve impulse to come along, and set its neurotransmitters free, repeating the process.

 This cycle of "charging" and "discharging" (molecules moving in and out of nerve cells) is going on continuously, thousands of times every second, throughout the nervous system. (The chemical sequences of the neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin differ from acetylcholine, in that, the "charged molecules" are recovered, or "taken up," intact, without first being broken down.)

 The nerve fibers connecting the brain with the muscles of the body, all parasympathetic and most sympathetic fibers, use acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter. However, a few key sympathetic fibers are noradrenergic. That is, they use norepinephrine as their neuro-effector substance (i.e., neurotransmitter). Within the brain, itself, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin are important neurotransmitters, but acetylcholine has a role there too.

 The effect each neurotransmitter has depends on the part of the nervous system it serves. (Different parts of the brain use different neurotransmitters.) Any dysfunction in the production and release of one of these "charged molecules" would cause a change in behavior or performance. For instance, a norepinephrine insufficiency might exhibit symptoms of depression, while a dysfunction involving the chemistry of acetylcholine might cause a memory lapse or symptoms of muscle weakness (i.e., symptoms typical of aging).

 The cells producing neurotransmitters, and those producing hormones are similar. If such  cells are organized as nerve fibers, and transmit "chemical messages" from cell to cell, their  secretions are called neurotransmitters. If they are organized in concentrated masses as  glands and release their "messages" directly into the bloodstream, their secretions are  called hormones. What they are called depends on where they are and what they do!  Unlike most "chemical messengers," norepinephrine and epinephrine occur as both  hormones and neurotransmitters. The type of cells which produce norepinephrine and  epinephrine in the adrenal medullae are also found in the fibers of the nervous system.

 Along with the bloodstream and nervous system, there is another means of communication in the body. It is more an effect than a means of transmitting specific commands. The thymus is at the center of a field of energy, with both chemical and electromagnetic properties. This tiny gland maintains vitality and emotional well-being by reinforcing the actions of other glands and organs.

 When overcome by stress or illness, something must happen to get us going again. In The Relaxation Response, Dr. Herbert Benson explains, in eloquent detail, the parasympathetic action of the hypothalamus. By encouraging a rested and vital state, this stimulus, wave-like in nature, promotes digestion and absorption of nutrients needed to create energy. It is not possible to maintain a vigorous state of health without this part of hypothalamic function responding to the slightest change in the demand for energy. The debilitating effects of stress, injury or a serious illness can be severe enough to impair or diminish the actions of this vital mechanism. That is, given the present state of health and stressful circumstance, it may not be possible for this stimulus to optimally continue or resume its work.

 When we bounce back, it is the resumption, or resurgence, of the normal parasympathetic action of the hypothalamus, driven by the hormones of the adrenal glands (i.e., the most important feedback loop in the body), and reinforced by the remarkable effects of the thymus, which leads the way, allowing the body to rest effectively enough to restore equilibrium.

 For someone in less than robust health, a brief sampling of this "resurgence" may be noted after a day of significant physical exertion or exhaustive emotional stress. The exact moment, the needs of the hypothalamus are "accommodated," and it is able to resume or strengthen this rhythmic stimulus, are sometimes seen or felt in the skeletal muscles of the body. A muscle spasm, followed by a sigh of relief and deep breathing, may be experienced. This sequence of "spasm and relief" (catching-up) usually occurs, or is most noticeable, at the end of the day, especially an exhaustive day, when the body is at rest and in a, face-up, horizontal position.

 The opposing but complimentary forces of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems condition the body to adapt to changes in the environment. These forces  determine  the  strength  (zest)  of the  body's  responses  in  every situation. If they weaken, lethargy and malaise may be the first signs of decline!

The Next Step
 The stubborn nature of long-term and recurring diseases and conditions is, in a sense, a symptom of exhaustion and insufficiency of some or all of the systems of the body. Normal sleep periods do not seem to be enough to restore equilibrium and get everything back on course. Creating an environment conducive to the degree of rest needed is essential to the solution!
 

(from chapter 5)
Part 1: Restoring Sensitivity

 The human nervous system is sensitive to environmental stimuli, and it will attempt to adjust, or compensate, when anything in its surroundings changes. This is an adaptation response. The force of the response is a measure of adaptability and vitality, while speed and preciseness are measures of sensitivity.

 "Vitality and sensitivity go together--each is a part of the other!" A loss of the ability to bounce back from an illness is related to a weakened adaptation response. Any treatment or experience which revives this force is restoring the body's sensitivity to the environment. The ability to adapt and the ability to recover are part of the same thing. Both are functions of cellular resilience. When we look for ways to stimulate recovery, we are also looking to restore the ability of the body to adapt to changing conditions.

 "Sensitivity" is the ability to detect minute changes in all areas of awareness and perception. This includes the five senses and the responsiveness of all of the biochemical processes in the body. "Sensitivity" warns us when we are in danger of being overloaded, by such things as noise, allergies and overwork. (One outward symptom of a loss of sensitivity is the malaise, or half-awake condition, identified in earlier sections as "locked-in-low syndrome" and "forgetting how to get well.")

  I first became aware of a loss of sensitivity in the fifth year of my illness, and Dr. Levinson has reported on what I believe is a related condition. In Phobia Free, Dr. Levinson explains that many of his patients see moving objects as a blur at a lesser rate of motion than the average individual. The symptoms I experienced, and those reported by Dr. Levinson suggest the presence of cerebral exhaustion, and a related loss of sensitivity.

 Because it affected me, I decided to investigate this phenomenon and its involvement in chronic illness. To better understand the loss of sensitivity I developed a few theories. To explain, I will start with a definition. For purposes of this discussion, "blurring" is the inability of the senses to detect minute changes in detail and texture.

 Dr. Levinson's work points out that the cerebellum is involved in this symptom of exhaustion. The cerebellum modulates (regulates and adjusts) the neural impulses going to all of the muscles of the body. By coordinating and analyzing the information it receives from other centers in the brain, it provides the necessary adjustments to precisely control the slightest movement. Exhaustion can become widespread in the systems of the body, but this effect, involving the cerebellum, provides a readily observable symptom to study...
 

The Null-State Exercise
 The auditory centers of the brain are always busy, processing sound, waking or sleeping. With the reduced energy levels, common to a chronic illness, the effort required to maintain this task, even in the quietest surroundings, can be enough of a burden to prevent recovery. By holding the palms of the hands tightly over the ears almost all sound can be shut out, thus producing a "null state" (deprivation allows rest). If the hands are then moved away from the ears the sound will return and stimulate (stimulation makes work) the part of the brain dedicated to interpreting auditory information. The ears and the auditory centers of the brain are always working (i.e., environmental surveillance), but they will have less work to do while in the state of relative silence provided by the "deprivation part" of this exercise...

The Cupping Technique
 There are two other auditory exercises employing the principles of deprivation and stimulation, although in a more complex manner than with the "null-state" exercise. Actually, there is only one exercise, but there are two ways of doing it. The first is to "cup" the hands over the ears, as though listening for a sound too distant or too quiet to be easily heard. In addition to deprivation and stimulation, and in both forms of the exercise, another principle comes into play--resonance...

Resilience
 Some of what comes under the general heading, "I guess I'm just getting old," is due to an abnormal decline of the senses and the energy systems. Acceptance of changes (i.e., wear-and-tear) related to overwork, illness and stressful environments has the effect of making them permanent!

 In many cases, it may be possible to freshen the senses, thus becoming more energetic and vigorous. Vitality will follow sensitivity up as the senses are freshened (i.e., restored)! For those who are older, it will probably take longer, but improvement should still be possible.

The Five-Step Cupping Exercise
 This exercise sharpens the senses and encourages a return of energy. (For someone with an unrelated condition or who is at or near their best, there may seem to be little or no change...

Getting the Most Out of the Five-Step Exercise
 If an illness has a sensory component, this exercise should begin to relieve the effects of cerebral exhaustion and adrenal insufficiency the first time it is done. Colors may seem more brilliant, and sounds may seem sharper. The gains may accumulate for weeks or months; however, as it is for the other exercises, if lost sensitivity is not a factor, there may not seem to be much change...

 Because the gains may, at first, be small, it may take a few days to tell if the principles involved are helping. At the other extreme, the change could be significant enough to bring on a light-headed, restless or nauseated feeling. (With some conditions, mild nausea can be one of the signs of improvement....

The Sound Baffle Exercise

A Sympathetic Frequency  (ADD, autism, dyslexia and how the exercises work)
  Recovery is brought about, in these exercises, by three factors: critical frequency, selective control and enhancement (CSE: critical--selective- enhancement). Manipulating this CSE principle with a compression/decompression technique makes stopping and starting the exercise important factors (MCSE: manipulated--critical--selective- enhancement)...
 

(from chapter 6)

How Many Pills Do I Have To Take, and When Can I Quit?
 Most supplements do more good when used therapeutically and for short periods. Long-term or continuous use goes against the basic premise of coaxing, or teasing, the body into becoming more efficient. The best approach seeks a maximum benefit from a minimum dose! (Whatever supplement is taken, thought should be given to the co-activity requirements of each vitamin and mineral--every nutrient needs something to make it work, and an excess in one thing could cause a deficiency in something else! To moderate side effects and provide a more passive regimen, with fewer highs and lows, most supplements should be taken with meals.)

 The goal is to achieve a state of health requiring few or no supplements. Ideally, a well-managed diet should be all that is needed. For many, the best gains come from eating small portions of the right food, at the right time, and then resting.

 If the morning after is good, look at what was eaten, taken or done the night before. Continue to do the things that make you feel better, and you will be on the right track. Foods like fruit, fish, pasta, brown rice, green vegetables and whole grains will help get the repair work done!
 

(from chapter 7)

Part 3: Food to Recover by

1.  tuna, salmon, sardines, oysters (Brain food: high in protein, essential fatty acids and minerals, but low in fat)
2.  apple, banana, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, orange and red grapes (Apples provide roughage for elimination, acetic acid for regeneration, enzymes for digestion and acetyl salicylic acid for vasodilation.)
3.  sprouts, carrots, soy beans, broccoli, asparagus, sauerkraut and onions
4.  whole grain cereals, 100% stone ground whole wheat bread and wheat germ
5.  pasta, oatmeal and brown rice
6.  legumes (peas and lima beans) and green vegetables
7.  millet, barley, couscous (semolina) and bulgarwheat
8.  buckwheat (Also known as kasha, buckwheat is a fruit, not a grain.)
9.  kelp with cayenne, dulse with garlic, nori with ginger, powdered flax seed and cinnamon
10. unsweetened, fruit juice (6-8 oz. every other day)
11. parmesan cheese

 (1) Milk provides important nutrient complexes, and it goes well with the amino acids and minerals in whole grains. If milk cannot be tolerated, fruit juice is a good substitute. However, milk (preferably, not skim milk), like eggs, is important and should be a part of the diet, if possible!

 (2) When, during recovery, I was having a particularly good day, I often experienced reduced body temperature, restlessness and a lack of interest in food. Eating 3 or 4 whole wheat saltine crackers, no more, at these times warmed me up and restored my appetite. Salt and/or iodine seemed to be what was needed. With adrenal insufficiency, the body may lose too much salt and there may, on occasion, be a need to increase its intake. (Sodium helps the body retain fluid and minerals needed for metabolic function. Iodine helps the thyroid gland regulate body temperature and stimulate appetite.)

(3) The body may not always be able get everything it needs from a low-fat or vegetarian diet. As a result, symptoms of irritability, depression, phobia, insomnia, short-term memory loss, lightheadedness and weakness may appear. Meat, fish, eggs and cheese will provide the extra energy (protein and fat) the mind and body need to rest efficiently enough to heal.

Creativity: Messengers in the Night
 Revelation comes from the overflowing of energy (hormones, glucose and oxygen), built-up during the work period, into the rest period. (At such time, the hypothalamic hormone, vasopressin, important to learning and memory, is released.) When stress and the need to do work decline, the creative force provided by the "spared energy" brings revelation. The series of biochemical events which enhance creativity is another example of the work-and-rest principle and its potential for success. Solar stress, as a gravitational stimulus, acts on the body (as it does on tectonic plates) in a way that I call sliding decompression, a state of constant change. During the four or five days before each of the midpoints (November 7, February 4/5, May 6, and August 7/8) "accommodation" and "transition" are reached (the demand for energy declines as adaptive mechanisms catch up). Creativity is heightened and focus is intensified as an effect of the spared energy. This is an example of adaptation yielding revelation!

 The reaching of "accommodation" has a potential for gain during all four stress peaks, but the February node is the most productive! Regardless of other changes in the environment, gravitational decompression "inspires" all living things and makes Earth unique! (Stress periods are periods of increased stimulation, and as such can be characterized as decompression events.)

 The process that brings revelation is like a "background program" in a computer working on a puzzle while more mundane tasks are being done in the "foreground." (The unconscious mind searches for answers while the conscious mind and the body are doing other things.) Creativity is the fabric of the mind, and the thymus is the guardian of the life force. The "self" is an essence cloaked in a bio-magnetic shell, and revelation is the offspring of resilience.

  The mind is a suspended, anamorphic (i.e field confined and evolving) operating system with "seamless coding" and "boundless storage." "Seamless coding" is the synergism of chemicals forming the barrier, "gated" bi-directional chemical membrane, stretched between the conscious and the unconscious. "Boundless storage" is an interleaved, multi-dimensional "trap," driven by "character change"--a zero-resolution computer, yielding gigabytes within gigabytes. Interleaving is the protocol of learning and retrieval. It is, in part, a function of the field, and the field changes as the brain and each of its cells "learns"--this is "character change." (Memory is indelible (arguably so, and with typically human faults): The nature of the imprinting on the cells of the brain, while receptive to new ideas and information, is so remarkable that neither time nor any environmental effect can significantly alter the pattern of the images we recall. However, as a whole, the nervous system evolves into something new and different with each experience.)

 The conscious mind emanates from the prefrontal cortex, with "experience gained" as its foundation and the corpus callosum as its "mediator." (The corpus callosum provides the "pause," the "time," to think.) The brain and body work together as a single system to form this essence. The mind moves energy from place to place in the body and heals as it goes, and the thymus is the conduit of the "self," and the voice that speaks the breath of life. The relationship between norepinephrine and the corpus callosum provides the fulcrum on which the "self" is balanced! (The capacity for contemplation and focus is a function of the time it takes impulses to travel from one side of the brain to the other. While the pattern of neurites is the record of experience, the "self" exists in space and time, and not as matter!)
 

The Trip to Recovery
 Nurture recovery with energy from lightly cooked complex carbohydrates. Bathe depleted cells in amino acids, essential fatty acids and minerals from fruit, whole grains, fish and lean meats.

 Maximize healing in the rest period. Repair work is done at an optimal rate when the body is at rest. Proper nutrition around these times may improve the result. (Think of food as though it had medicinal properties. Getting just enough of the right thing at the right time will help make the body well!)

 It can take many years to recover as much as is possible; however, a noteworthy improvement may be had within the first year. Some will do better, especially if the illness has only recently appeared.

Conflicting Information
 Those who stay on a low-fat diet have less artery related disease than the rest of us, but they have a higher death rate from other diseases. And those who live the longest consume more saturated fat than the average. These statements seem to contradict what we have been told, but there are reasonable explanations. Many of those who go on a low-fat diet do so to offset a diagnosed condition. Therefore, it seems predictable a low-fat diet group or any other diet group would exceed the statistical mean for symptoms of disease, and very probably have a lesser life expectancy.

 For the second statement, the explanation has to do with genetic makeup. Ordinarily, those who have the best genes will live the longest, suffer less from stress and tolerate more dietary fat. (Very often, individuals in this category are mixed oxidizers--up to 1/3 of their diet is in fats.) Because they have always been thin and healthy, it probably would not occur to members of the group to go on a low-fat or other weight-loss diet, and, as part of their sounder makeup, they seem to have better instincts about what they need and what is good for them.

 Those who thrive, regardless of the circumstances, seem more composed and content than the rest of us. Is this because they are naturally healthier, or are they healthier because they have a positive outlook? The answer is obscured by a loop of cause and effect, but one thing is certain--you will do better if you have good genes! The rest of us will have to learn what we must do to get the best result!

 These explanations may suffice for the examples given, but what about the other "bits and pieces" we are exposed to every day? There seems to be a continuous flow of contradictory information. Something previously said to be good is now said to increase the risk of strokes or cancer. What are we to believe, and how do we protect ourselves from misinformation and half truths?

 When a new "wonder drug" is introduced or the results of a clinical survey are announced you need to know the whole story (purpose, methods, motivation, criteria and conflicts of interest). If misinformation becomes part of what you believe, you may think and act in a way not entirely in your best interest! (Trust your instincts! If something sounds incomplete or contradictory, it may be best to put it on hold until more data becomes available.)
 

(from part III)

Essence and Essential Depletion

  Consistent with the body's need for nutrients, and during or after an extended illness or trauma, systems responsible for use and acquisition (as a function of self preservation) may have a need to be "primed." If the body's trace amount of any nutrient falls below a minimum workable level, the ability to assimilate that nutrient will be compromised. (An example would be the allergic-like deficiency described in "Essential Fatty Acids," Part 2 of Chapter 7, pages 128-130.)

  The chemical hierarchy of the body exists as a need to replenish and maintain appropriate levels of the precursor of the molecular byproduct (e.g., neurotransmitters, hormones, enzymes and acids) of each system. This relationship, a   component of the will to live, where something in DNA prescribes the formation of supporting factors, represented by IPK, is best exemplified in the sympathetic nervous system. The noradrenergic (norepinephrine producing) nature of certain parts of the sympathetic nervous system is a clue to the nature of existence: Like a self-fulfilling prophesy, norepinephrine, as a neurotransmitter in one system, the neurologic system, stimulates its own release as a hormone in another, the endocrine system. (Essence is formed where sensitivity meets the will to live.)

  There must be something finer about the interactions formative to life than is thought! Homeostasis requires an "underlying commonality," a crossing of boundaries where tissue acknowledges tissue, and chemical interactions become the life force. (Commonality: The shreds of DNA determining the structure and function of each part of the body have a complexity, which is only minimally portrayed in illustrations and descriptions of the double helix.)

  Human DNA consists of 100,000 pieces of genetic material, but there has to be more to it than that. It is as if the thousands of pieces are tied together by an invisible thread, drawn from end to end. Something within the helix correlates to excitement and despair, fostering reason and conscious awareness, just as norepinephrine, in one system, correlates to the rise to answer and the pause to rest in another. (The 100,000 pieces of genetic material in Human DNA are formed in 23 sets of information, with 3.2 billion possible combinations.)

 Essential depletion could affect brain or spinal trauma. "Forgetting" could reinforce paralysis, and "first contact" could be attempted by a physiotherapist or a helper. Begin by manually stimulating any working pathway between the affected extremity and the brainstem, and advance as sensitivity returns (i.e., "track leading"). (A "helper" may discover a point at which to begin.) This approach assumes the body will attempt to repair or replace nerves that are severed or cannot pass a signal. This is a remarkably arduous and long term process, but it adds another facet to the recovery program.

  Results will vary, depending on age, which nerves are affected, and the post op. condition of surrounding tissues. Here again, a defined and deliberate pattern of work and rest encourages regrowth in the rest period. This makes recovery a more constant process, and again, the abruptness of the change from rest to work and back to rest again, every other day, with the 4th week off, elicits and optimizes the all important compression and decompression events. A strict timetable brings a more exacting sense of anticipation to the process, and it focuses the body's healing efforts more precisely. All of this works to accentuate the effectiveness of any exercise!

  The patient, by visualizing the most distant point of function becomes consciously involved in the healing process. Regrowth may be helped by imagining the sensation returning in proximity to that point, but only visualizing the image and only stimulating nearest to the point of last sensation, and advancing only as more feeling returns. Do not go beyond that point prematurely, and never lose a sense of urgency and spontaneity.

  With both physical therapy and "visualization," look for and stimulate any working point of sensation or movement, no matter how minute, and advance only in small increments. With each improvement, take time to consider and experience ("explore"), any change in mobility.

  Activity dependent myelination--ADM: Any therapy that puts the body through its paces (e.g., FES: functional electrical stimulation), when the normal neural signals needed to promote motion are missing, has the effect of encouraging repair and replacement of related nerves. This says that simulating patterns of normal movement, as a therapy, works to motivate the brain and nervous system to attempt to restore, or "fill in," whatever is missing, and for some, may eventually restore some level of mobility. (FES and other neuro-simulation therapys are "track leading" techniques, and when applied in the manner of decompression therapy will yield an enhanced result!)

  In theory (see page 139), when a stimulus is removed, one that evokes a pattern of movement, possibly including involuntary sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, the brain and nervous system will attempt to "fill in" (i.e., regrow or replace) whatever is missing, in an effort to regain "unity" and independence. The more abrupt (but reasonably so), and the more repeated, the "starting" and "stopping" of the stimulus, the more motivated the result!

  With regard to "forgetting how to get well," the nervous system and its "memory" have become "the wrong state of being" and where you want to be is "the right state," so let go of "this state" and get to "that state!" (We tend to forget what is on the other side of a "closed door.") For the best result, every system in the body should be stimulated with every possible technique. ("The body will always try to get well!" If you do not stop trying, it will not stop trying!)

  A new way of doing and thinking: Applying the decompression principle to every thought, every effort and every exercise spurs the nervous system to "make the connection:" Work-rest, work-rest, work-rest in rapid succession, over and over, is the best plan!

  Keep an open mind: Sometimes, we need to do what we do not want to do. There are reasons for everything, and we may not realize why we avoid some exercises, such as locomotor therapy. (If it feels uncomfortable, or if depression or anxiety occur when doing an exercise, find out why--keep looking for answers! Coming up with a way to overcome the problem may be the next step in recovery.)

  Those who avoid locomotor therapy may do so with good reason. Normally, pulse and blood pressure increase when we stand up or increase the level of activity; however, because of a damaged pathway there may be little or no sympathetic stimulus to condition the cardiovascular system, and make enough blood and oxygen available for the brain to be restful and at ease, while vertical.

  (If, on trying to stand, there is no "conditioning stimulus," blood pressure and pulse will not increase, causing dizziness and nausea.) However, and by whatever means, working in an upright position is made comfortable and doable, if a locomotor exerciser (FES) is used to put the muscles of the body through their paces, the body will, of its own accord, try to "reach out," in an extraordinary effort to "fill in" the lost externally simulated neural signals, the instant the exerciser is turned off! And it will do so at each instance, thereafter, whenever the exercise is repeated.

  If the connection is broken, the body will try to repair or replace the pathway between the hypothalamus and medullary cells, to stimulate the production of enough adrenalin, to get enough blood to the brain, to comfortably sustain an upright position, and walk (by FES), and still have enough mental energy and oxygen left to feel good.

  To "learn" to walk again, vertical stance and locomotor therapy must be doable! Increasing blood pressure and heart rate is part of what is needed, but how do we stimulate the production of enough adrenalin to function comfortably, while vertical, where there is a disconnection?

  It might one day be possible to devise an electronic implant, positioned near the adrenal glands and other medullary cells in the aorta, or with its field intersecting with the remnant/attaching sympathetic fibers, in the manner of field closure). However, an IV pump, with both manual  and  computerized release of hormones, is  a more likely  development. With the stimulus provided, the FES locomotor exercise should then be more doable, and the body would have a tool to "fill in" (i.e., replace) the missing stimulus. (Any device meant to stimulate or replace adrenal output would have to be engineered and applied with the intent of not doing anything to prevent or limit any possible eventual return of normal neural stimulation of the adrenal glands!)

Any Exercise...: Track Leading Theory
 Encouraging the nervous system to repair damaged nerves, and to articulate the pathway of nerves being regrown, should be a continuing process! ("Pathway articulation:" The decompression principle, "conscious effort and visualization will assist other tools (e.g. FES), in that they will optimize regrowth, help the brain articulate pathways for new myelination and accelerate the work of any effective therapy.) Many activities can be made into an exercise that will call on the body to "fill the void," such as by "conscious effort:" 1) While sitting in a chair, or in bed, 5, 6, 7 times a day, abruptly stop whatever is being done, and try to move limbs and torso, focusing on specific movement of each finger and toe. 2) Attempt to grip the arm of the chair and release, grip...release, grip...release, several times, in rapid succession, every other day with the fourth week off. 3) "Reach out," as if to stand up, relax...reach, relax...reach, relax...reach, over and over. 4) Throw both shoulders back, press...release, press...release, 10 or 15 times, and repeat the process several times each day.) At the end of each session, stop abruptly, and go back to what you were doing earlier, without any hesitation.

  This type of exercise should be beneficial in a disciplined pattern, repeated 6 or 8 times a day, at the same time, each hour, and  then, for the next week, switch patterns  and  do it more often, or less often, but in no particular pattern. (The body thrives on variety, and at the same time it responds to the need for discipline! Any change in pattern, will rest one part of the brain and bring another "on line," start...stop...start...stop--i.e., lobe/pattern switching!)

  There are countless simple and effective exercises (like these examples), and they need not be done (or overdone) more than three days a week, and three weeks out of the month. The balance of the time is better spent on interacting with family, and what is going on at home. The need for balance says, "let that 'interaction' involve ordinary activity...whatever can be done, mental or otherwise!" Occasionally, resting and getting completely away from the exercises, and any thought thereof (i.e., satisfying the need for aversion and diversion), is necessary in order to raise and keep resilience at a high level.

 (There are things we do every day (behaviors), and never think of as therapeutic: laughter, restless movements, hand gestures, "kicking back," wiggling fingers and toes, and other body language. Think and act to do these things consciously (physically possible, or not), and they may become more doable with each effort and each day.)

 "Pathway articulation" (just another miracle): When it losses touch (i.e., becomes disconnected) with an extremity or organ, the nervous system works like the roots of a tree searching for water. The brain must "articulate" each (any) new nerve, from and through, its particular motor center, in order to arrive at (reconnect to) the disconnected extremity or organ. (Any missing capability or pathway providing for, or enabling, movement or nourishment is "sought" in this way.) This is another type of feedback loop, and it is how the brain stays connected to, or attempts to reconnect to, each system and appendage, in its own self interest.

 "The way of the body:" The cells of the body undergo the same repair, on a day to day basis, as the "articulation" working to overcome paralysis. In other words, we just have to realize the body is made up of, and depends on, all these underlying processes. "Pathway articulation," like the will to live, finds its driving force in the hypothalamus, the source of curiosity and the will to live. "The body is an island of immunity," and "pathway articulation" is a part of that "immunity," an immunity more remarkable than anything we could imagine.

A plan of action:
1) A moderate, high protein meal, 2-3 hours after each exercise period (every other day) with the FES system, and turn in by 9 p.m. (Apply "articulation" and "decompression techniques" whenever possible, but take a week off each month!)
2) 1 teaspoon of flax oil each morning.
3) Stem cell research offers hope for the future.

Expectations:
2 years: Try every possible helper: "conscious effort," visualization, "decompression," etc.)
5 years: a period of reinnervation
8 years: 80% of whatever is possible

 Instinct and experience tells me this program will help restore whatever function is possible, and that within a control group, there is a 38% chance of achieving noteworthy improvement, with a quadriplegic injury. The differences in each individual and the outcome of each injury says, some will do better, and some will not do as well. (A paraplegic condition will usually do better, in less time than a quadraplegic condition!)
 
 

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