The Homeopathic Coach Blog

Homeopathy Helping Cancer Symptoms

Sam Adkins — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:24:45 +0000

This is a guest post from Jensen Whitmer who has been writing for the Mesothelioma Centre for more than three years. Here Jensen examines the use of Homeopathic medicines to treat cancer symptoms.

Treating Cancer Symptoms

Treating cancer is never an easy process. Each case is different and there are several factors that influence treatment options, including the type of cancer, stage of cancer and the overall health of the patient.

Some of the most common cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, but these treatments tend to be aggressive and come with side effects. No matter how small, there is always some risk when performing surgery. With chemotherapy and radiation, side effects can include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and a number of other complications.

When patients wish to avoid these side effects, they may elect to take a more homeopathic approach to treatment that uses natural medicine to treat cancer symptoms.

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a treatment approach that focuses on helping the body heal itself through natural remedies. The principle thinking behind homeopathy is that symptoms of a particular condition can be cured by treating them with small amounts of natural substances that cause similar symptoms. In many cases, homeopathy is about boosting your immune system by making it stronger and more tolerable to health issues, like a vaccine.

Regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the US where all homeopathic remedies that are designed to treat cancer symptoms have to be obtained through a prescription. Unlike traditional treatments, homeopathic treatments aren’t typically covered by insurance. In Australia where Homeopathy can be used to help with cancer symptoms there is often a small rebate with private medical insurance.

Homeopathy and Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs and symptoms typically include chest pain and shortness of breath. Most cases are diagnosed at a late stage of development when treatment is limited to symptom relief.

A reason why a mesothelioma patient might elect a homeopathic treatment approach is because they want to avoid aggressive surgery and some of the side effects from treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. These standard treatments often make patients feel worse before they get better.

If a patient has already undergone chemotherapy or radiation, the following homeopathic remedies may help with nausea, hair loss, fatigue and weight loss however it is important to visit your local Homeopath so they can use their expertise to determine which Homeopathic medicine will work best for you.

· Cadmium sulphuricum

· Arsenic album

· Ipecacuanha

· Nux vomica

· Phosphorus

· Tabacum

Homeopathic treatments are considered alternative and aren’t guaranteed to be effective, just like traditional and conventional medicine treatments aren’t guaranteed to help a mesothelioma patient. If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma and wish to avoid traditional treatments, homeopathic remedies may be a good choice for you. A qualified homeopath can recommend a proper treatment plan for your case.

Bio: Jensen Whitmer has been writing for the Mesothelioma Center for more than three years and he has an interest in spreading awareness about the hazardous effects of asbestos exposure.

Treating Anxiety, Stress and Depression with Homeopathy

Sam Adkins — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:15:46 +0000

Sometimes even the most calm person can experience stress and anxiety. Unfortunately in today's world it's very common to feel underlying anxiety for too much of the time, and depression too is all to prevalent.

Homeopathy is effective in treating Anxiety and Depression

So what can be done and how can Homeopathy help? Well I think it's very important to know that there have been scientific research studies carried out on the efficacy of Homeopathic medicines on outcomes of patients with these conditions.

Studies and Trials

A randomized controlled (but not blinded) trial with 60 subjects was conducted in France with patients suffering from anxiety in which half were given a homeopathic formula marketed as .L.72.2 in France and .Anti-anxiety. in the USA, while the control group was given a diazepam (Valium) (Heulluy, 1985). "The results indicated that L72 was as effective as diazepam on all measures."

Jonathan Davidson, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University, conducted a small study of adults with major depression, social phobia, or panic disorder. He found that 60% of the patients responded favorably to homeopathic treatment (Davidson, 1995; Davidson, 1997). Dana Ullman states: "When one recognizes the considerable safety in using homeopathic medicines, it is remarkable that the majority of psychiatrists and psychologists are not referring appropriate patients to homeopaths prior to having powerful conventional drugs prescribed for them. "

Unfortunately the same safety record does not exist for psychotropic medications.

So how does The Homeopathic Coach Treat Anxiety, Stress and Depression?

To find out more and finish the article watch this video version of this article here.

Happy Homeopathic healing to you all!

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This article was brought to you by Sam Adkins The Homeopathic Coach who teaches families about healthy living and natural remedies using homeopathic medicine. An internationally renowned expert, her helpful articles are regularly syndicated online. She publishes the ezine Homeopathy @ Home to provide free Homeopathic tips, tools and resources to educate and inspire you to use Homeopathy at home. Get Sam's BLOG.

What do YOU Hold Onto?

Sam Adkins — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:02:48 +0000

Sometimes it's appropriate to hold on!

Last week in my clinic I treated a diverse range of patients with very different health or emotional complaints. There are two cases that I particularly want to share with you today because they have something in common.......they are both to do with holding on to something. The first is Charlotte who was pregnant and the second was a chronically constipated little boy who we will call Jem.

Charlotte: The Power of Homeopathy and Placebo

Charlotte's baby was overdue and her obstetrician was pushing for an induction. This is a familiar story except in Charlotte's case her first birth had been extremely traumatic and she had experienced a spinal leak from an epidural which put her flat on her back in those first precious days after birth which started a whole host of breastfeeding issues. She called in a panic and came to see me to start labour with Homeopathic medicines.

It is my strong belief that a baby who is not ready to be born will not be coaxed out with homeopathy or acupuncture. However, if the mother has emotional reasons either consciously or subconsciously for fearing the birth (and therefore 'holding on") , then this can be shifted easily with Homeopathy if the medicines are well selected.

What is incredibly important for an overdue mother is the way in which a Homeopath speaks to the her. I never promise the medicines will definitely work; but usually after talking with an overdue mother and discussing various past experiences and fears and anxieties, it is pretty clear IF she will respond by letting go. The power of placebo in any clinical situation is not to be denied and in a case like this I use it to full effect. If a mother expects to respond to the prescribed homeopathic medicines with labour then she is likely to respond in that way. My role is to prescribe accurately to provide her with the best impetus for allowing birth to happen, and to give her the most positive expectations of an easy birth.

Charlotte gave birth within the next 36 hours from taking the second remedy dose and had a wonderfully easy birth. She was 8 centimetres dilated when she got to hospital and had a natural vaginal birth supported by acupuncture.

Jem: A Tale of Holding on

Jem came to me at 2 and a half years old with chronic constipation which had been an issue since 4 months old. He would get 'frantic' when passing a stool and was generally whingy and clingy and extremely demanding. He also threw major tantrums with screaming.

After spending an hour taking Jem's case and discussing him with his mother, as well as playing with him, I prescribed Homeopathic medicines for his condition.

When he returned two weeks later his mother was delighted. He started doing regular stools immediately after taking the medicine. He was calmer, less demanding and is experiencing many less tantrums. He is also saying goodbye to his mother happily at daycare.

His gastroenterologist examined his abdomen and said he was 'empty' which is a great sign.

Jem's mother and I are extremely happy with this outcome so far. The next steps are for him to come slowly off his laxatives with the support of his GP and to maintain the regularity of the bowel movements. In addition we will work on developing his delayed speech.

Two Different Expression of "Holding on"

Two cases in the same day but both essentially around the same issue of retention. The body energetically cannot allow things to pass through if there is fear associated with letting go. Sometimes there are very good reasons why we "hold on" but often when this causes a corresponding pathological response, we need to be able to" Let Go." Homeopathy is subtle and dynamic and make an amazing difference in these cases. This type of prescribing is called Constitutional prescribing and requires a qualified and experienced Homeopath.

Happy Homeopathic healing to you all!

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The 7 'Commandments' of Homeopathic Healing

Sam Adkins — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 21:57:57 +0000

Do you ever go to a single appointment for a health issue with your doctor and then not go back to find out his/her opinion? Do you consider that you know better how your treatment might be progressing than the specialist you have just paid to see? It seems with Homeopathy this can happen and it is easy to understand why. I want to share a patient story from my clinic last week and explain why this happens, so you do not make the same mistake.

The Patient Experience Spectrum

There are two main types of patients in the Homeopathic practice spectrum of experience. At one end of the spectrum we have patients who are using Homeopathy for the very first time. They know someone who has had a good result using Homeopathy so they are prepared to come and give it a go so they have some faith that it might work for them but they do not understand it's philosophy. Then at the other extreme end of this patient spectrum are the regular Homeopathic users. They have had experience with homeopathy and they always come back when they need it because they know it works and have a good understanding of how it works.

The Importance of the Second Consultation

When Homeopaths prescribe for a patient who is new to Homeopathy there are some key things they need to convey. The Homeopath tries to convey some information about the process of healing that he/she hopes will occur if the medicine is correct. This is important because a new patient of Homeopathy has been conditioned by conventional medicine to expect the following:

Immediate but sometimes temporary relief from symptoms
Diagnosis or 'labelling' so they know where they 'FIT"

Although Homeopaths can be very good diagnosticians, we are not really interested in putting patients into boxes. The reason for this is because we are interested in the patient's individualistic symptomology. We prescribe for the individual, not a disease. Homeopathic medicines do not create side effects, so when we prescribe it is the healing process of the individual that comes into play and when seeing a patient for the first time this can be hard to accurately predict.

A case example from my clinic

Last week for example I had an email from a patient for whom I had recently prescribed. The email suggested that because the patient had since our appointment determined through some testing that she was deficient in certain nutrients that she should "get this sorted" first. The subtext was that in the few days since the prescription, the most debilitating symptom (that she had had for over 3 years and tried countless health modalities - all unsuccessfully) and therefore the symptom of which the patient was most aware, had not changed. Luckily for me this patient was open to discussion and duly returned 10 more days later. The vital importance of this delay will become apparent so read on.....

The 7 'Commandments' of Homeopathic Healing

It seems that as Homeopathy is little understood in the general population it might help to use this case example to explain how Homeopathy heals and what it might look like for you as a patient. The following are 7 pointers that will help you to understand how Homeopathic healing can work and what you can expect.

1. Homeopathy can effect deep and permanent healing

It does not palliate unless poorly prescribed and to effect this deep healing takes time. Sometimes the process of healing might take a path that does not fit with your preconceptions about what it means to get better before you reach your desired outcome.

2. Homeopathic Medicines Do Not Heal You

They act as catalysts or stimuli to enable your body to re-balance and heal itself. This takes time and initial shifts from a deep acting Homeopathic medicine can be subtle at first.

3. Emotional and Mental Symptoms are Just as Important as Physical

When there is a long standing physical complaint or chronic condition the emotional/mental symptoms are always part of the symptomology that needs to be treated. So although you may be desperate for a response to your main physical complaint you may experience subtle emotional/mental shifts first. This is a very god sign that if you hang on in there your physical complaint is highly likely to ameliorate.

4. Homeopaths are Highly Skilled Case Takers.

Homeopaths spend 60-90 minutes at your first consultation because they are trying to really understand you as an individual and how your ill-health impacts on your life and from whence it may have come.

5.The Second Homeopathic Appointment is Crucial

This is the opportunity for the Homeopath who has spent due diligence on your first consultation and prescribing for you to re-evaluate any objective assumptions that may have been made about your case and more importantly to see and evaluate how your healing has progressed. It sometimes happens that a patient returns with a misconception conception that no healing has occurred as their main symptom has not improved. Once in the consultation however and under the detailed questioning of the Homeopath, it becomes clear that there has been amelioration in many other areas and symptoms and that overall there is a significant improvement in their over all well being. Thus they go away smiling and encouraged.

6.Time Needs to Pass Between Appointments

It would be much better for the pockets of Homeopaths to have patients return after a week for follow up appointments. Although this is sometimes appropriate more often than not usually 2-4 weeks are left between appointments. This time is crucial as the body needs time to respond to generate significant healing in chronic cases and if the Homeopath repeats a medicine too soon it can stop the healing process in its tracks.

7. Homeopaths Treat you Gently

If a Homeopathic medicine is prescribed in a potency that is too high for the patient, there is the potential for a strong aggravation of symptoms. This is unpleasant for the patient and is not good news for business either! Homeopaths therefore start gently when they have a new patient and it is after the response to the medicine has been gauged at the second appointment, that the Homeopath can then tell exactly what potency will be exactly right for maximum speed of healing without further distress.

In summary, Homeopaths work gently and deeply to catalyze your body to heal. It does not do this 'to you' and as such the healing is led by your system. This takes time so patience is very important. If you are confused, or unsure of your progress, talk to your Homeopath and make sure you attend your second appointment.

Case Update

My patient did attend their important second appointment 10 days after she was wondering if she should return. In that intervening time she experienced some significant and encouraging shifts in her case and symptoms and was highly encouraged. From my perspective she has made a great start and I am very confident that her case will continue to progress and she will be totally symptom free in due course.

Happy Homeopathic healing to you all!

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Depression and Your Thyroid

Sam Adkins — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:09:28 +0000

There is a very strong chemical relationship between the levels of certain 'happy hormones' (neurotransmitters) in your brain, and your thyroid hormones. In carrying out some research recently this intrigued me and I wanted to share it with you.

The Seratonin Connection

You have probably heard of Seratonin? It's one of the key neurotransmitters in the brain that help us to feel happy and content. Interestingly however it has been discovered that when the levels of Seratonin fall, the pituitary gland (the master gland in the body) reacts by ensuring more TSH Thyroid Stimulating hormone is produced to ensure the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormones. This is important because thyroid hormones enhance the action of Seratonin in your brain cells. Although it's not conclusive, it seems that without adequate thyroid hormones particularly T3, the brain cannot use the available Seratonin adequately and this can cause depression.

Scientific Study Links Underactive thyroid with Depression

In a study where severely depressed patients were screened for thyroid disease 15% had an under active thyroid but even more important than that was that in most cases the thyroid was only slightly under functioning. It seems that in susceptible people, just a slight under functioning of the thyroid can tip them into depression.

(M.S Gold, A L C Pottach and I. Extein "Symptomless autoimmune thyroiditis in Depression". Psychiatry Research 6 142 1982 :262-269).

"It is now understood that thyroid hormones are one of the key aspects of brain chemistry disorders." (p82 The Thyroid Solution: Ridha Arem M.D.Ballantine Books 2007)

What does T3 do in the Brain?

As more research is gathered it appears that the thyroid hormone known as T3 is an absolutely essential brain chemical. This means that if your levels are inadequate, your brain will not function correctly. T3 is found in the synapses (junctions) between nerve cells in the brain where nerves communicate with one another and as I have said, T3 regulates the action of Seratonin as well as noradrenlaine and GABA. All of these chemicals are significant players in depressive states.

Anxiety and Your Thyroid

In the USA 27% of adults suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetime; and 15 million Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder at any given moment. That's a lot of anxiety!

It is postulated that noradrenaline imbalances in the brain may be responsible for anxiety disorders or panic attacks.

If your thyroid hormones are not available in sufficient quantities then imbalances in noradrenaline can occur.

It seems that a well balanced amount of available T3 in the brain is essential for maintaining mood stability.

If you are prone to anxiety and/or depression for no apparent reason then you should:

Get your thyroid function checked. Ask for TSH, T4, T3 and reverse T3 as well as thyroid antibodies.

Check your Iodine levels as inadequate iodine can cause the thyroid to under function.

The importance of Selenium

Selenium should be available in foods we eat from our soil but although some areas of the world have adequate Selenium levels , many do not. Selenium is a component of the enzyme that converts thyroid hormone T4 to active T3. Deficiencies of Selenium can definitely impair thyroid function and induce hypothyroidism. Low levels of Selenium can promote autoimmune attacks on the Thyroid. However research as shown that too much can also affect thyroid function adversely so it is advisable to take it under the guidance of a natural or nutritional practitioner.

If you are living in the UK and Europe then your dietary levels of Selenium have dropped by 50% in the last decade. Readers from the USA are more likely to have adequate Selenium levels as the soil has a better Selenium content.

The Importance of Iodine

Too much Iodine can cause autoimmune attacks on the Thyroid gland. Too little can cause under function. So it is vital to have your Iodine levels checked by your primary care physician.

The Vitamin A connection

Vitamin A is essential for the conversion of T4 to T3. Too much animal based vitamin A can be toxic so get your Vitamin A from plant based sources such as the potent antioxidants carotinoid beta-carotene.

Antioxidants and The Thyroid

Thyroid imbalance can cause you to become deficient in antioxidants, thereby promoting excessive free radical production. Overactive thyroid cause greater consumption of oxygen in the body which is toxic to cells. Supplementing with vitamins C and E helps clear damaging oxidants.

If you suffer from depression and have not had your thyroid function adequately checked then make an appointment to do so today.

Happy Health and Homeopathic Prescribing!

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How Hormones Can Make You Fat?

Sam Adkins — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 05:53:40 +0000

Do you carry excess weight and never seem to lose it no matter what you do? Would you like to know why this might be and how you can do things differently?

There are highly complex interactions chemically and hormonally that can affect our weight. Although it is very complex overall, there are five key players that I will concentrate on in this post, because when you have an understanding about these players, it will really help you to be as healthy as you can and lose weight.

We are talking about:

Leptin
Insulin
Ghrelin
Thyroid Hormones (T3 and T4)
Cortisol

Leptin

Coming from the Greek 'leptos' meaning thin, Leptin reduces appetite and increases your metabolic rate. Leptin is produced by fat cells so it stands to reason that people who are overweight have high Leptin levels. However, After a few days on a restricted calorie diet Leptin levels naturally fall in response to the fall in total calorie intake. Our metabolic rate also falls subsequently and this means it's not only harder to lose the weight but also easier to put it back on. You see only after a week of dieting, your Leptin levels can fall by 50%!!

The trouble is that not only does Leptin fall but this drop affects other important hormones that I will talk about later in the post....Thyroid hormones (hormones extremely important to metabolism) respond by falling, and the abdominal fat-storing stress hormone cortisol shoots up!

Insulin

Produced by the pancreas in response to abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood (such as when we eat a chocolate bar or anything containing simple sugars), Insulin gives the body a very powerful message:

"Get these sugar levels down as fast as you can by storing them as fat"!

So ANYTIME you have eaten simple sugars and your blood sugar levels are raised above the acceptably healthy range, you are asking your body to deposit fat.

What is Ghrelin?

Ghrelin is a hormone released by your digestive tract that regulates your levels of satiety. When you miss meals Ghrelin levels increase and make you want to eat more. This is why eating small and frequent meals is a very effective adjunct to a weight loss and healthy eating plan because this helps keep your Ghrelin levels steady and therefore keep you feeling satisfied. Excess Ghrelin has the effect of slowing your metabolism so the saying that excess weight causes excess hunger is absolutely true in this case!

Thyroid Hormones

If your thyroid gland is under functioning this means you have lower levels of the thyroid hormones T4/T3. These hormones regulate your metabolic rate and as such a lack of them means a slow down in metabolic rate. This is turn means fewer calories are required and weight gain is almost inevitable. Thyroid hormones interact with Ghrelin and other chemicals that tell us when we are full, so if your thyroid hormones are inadequate your Ghrelin levels will be out of balance and you will want to eat more. In addition, thyroid hormones are important for Leptin levels, because when T4/T3 is present in insufficient levels the effectiveness of Leptin is reduced.

In addition, it is understood that Thyroid hormones help chemical transmitters in the brain function effectively. Some of these chemicals are involved in regulation of satiety, taste and food choice. If your thyroid hormones are out of wack, the levels of these brain chemicals change and so does your food behaviour. As Ridha Arem says in his informative book "The Thyroid Solution" to which I am indebted for information, " thyroid hormones also have direct effects on the appetite centres in the brain" (p123).

If you have unexplained weight gain as well as fatigue, it may be wise to see your doctor to get your thyroid levels checked. In this case ask for your TSH, T4, T3, reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies.

Cortisol

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands. See more info on these important glands here. Stress can cause high levels of Cortisol to be present and when this happens more visceral abdominal fat is stored. Some people have a greater Cortisol response than others to the same stressors and may be more sensitive to the effects of their own Cortisol. So relaxation is key for weight loss!

So what are the Key steps for a healthy eating plan for weight loss? The mainstay of any effective weight loss is that it is slow and part of a permanent healthy eating plan.

Here are my top 10 healthy weight loss tips:

Relax: Make sure you have a regular activity that promotes relaxation in your day/week. This may be exercise, meditation, yoga or Tai Chi.
Exercise 4-5 days a week
Eat frequent and small meals with a protein source in each one.
Choose complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbs to keep insulin levels low
Never ever eat hydrogenated fats
Avoid saturated fats from animal sources and get your good fats from sources such as avocado and flax seeds.
Add an Omega 3 supplement into your diet
Drink 8 glasses of water a day and eliminate all other calorie laden drinks
Get sufficient sleep to help maintain your Leptin levels
One day a week have a cheat day and eat some foods containing high carbs and fat to trick your body into raising your Leptin levels again.

Happy Health and Homeopathic Prescribing!

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OUCH! Sunburn, Burns and Homeopathy

Sam Adkins — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:57:36 +0000

We all love to have fun in the sun without the pain of sunburn. It's incredibly important to do things that make you feel good, not to mention the amazing health benefits of the immune boosting vitamin D that we can get from being in the sun. But what do we do when we have a little to much?

This article looks at all types of burns including sunburn and explains what you can do homeopathically to ease the pain and inflammation and assist with healing.

There are three types of burn

1st degree resulting in redness of skin and pain
2nd degree where there is redness, pain and blistering
3rd degree where all the layers of the skin have been burnt

You might assume if it has never hapened to you that you can't get more than first degree burns from the sun. My sister fell asleep on the beach when she was a teenager and had a strip of very white skin at the top of her bikini inadvertently exposed that had never been in the sun. When she awoke she has 2nd degree burns right along this strip! BIG OUCH! It was weeks before she could lie on her back.

Seek Medical Help

With 3rd degree burns it is absolutely vital that medical attention is sought immediately.

Whatever the degree of severity of the burn, seek medical help if it covers an area that is larger than the palm of your hand; or if there is infection or pus present.

Things you can do

Bathe/immerse the burn in cold water for 10-20 minutes or until heat subsides
Be safe in the sun and avoid prolonged exposure
Cover the burn area with a sterile dressing
Do not puncture blisters if present

The Best Homeopathic Medicines for Burns

Homeopathy can really make a significant difference with burns and sunburn. Choose your medicine from the selection below

Arnica

Give Arnica first for the shock of the burn or scald in 30th (2 doses 15 minutes apart)

or 200th potency (1 dose immediately). First choice remedy for sunburn too.

Urticaria Urens

Follow the Arnica with Urticaria Urens if it is a minor 1st degree burn. Give 30th potency each 15 minutes until pain subsides, or as needed.

Cantharis

This is a very good medicine for the pain of burns/sunburn and use this if the pain does not respond to Urticaria urens within 30-45 minutes. Give it in the 30th or 200th potency every 15 minutes until pain is reduced, then as needed.

Causticum

Use Causticum for 3rd degree burns after Arnica 200 has been given for up to 3

doses 10 mins apart. Follow with the Causticum 200 every 15-30 minutes depending on how the

patient is coping.

Phosphorus

If the burn is due to electric shock give Phosphorus 30 or 200 every 15 minutes until pain

improves.

Homeopathic Burns ointment

This is a very useful adjunct to oral remedies. Use for first degree burns only and you will be amazed at the rapidity with which the pain lessens and healing takes place.

So take care in the sun this summer and look after yourself!

Happy Homeopathic Prescribing!

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Shift Your Mood With Food

Sam Adkins — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:00:01 +0000

You and I know that we can't always control what happens in our lives, but we can control how we respond to them. What happens however when you are having a bad week? Is there something else going on that we need to know?Well science might have an answer.

Let me introduce you to the world of brain chemistry and a powerful group of natural chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. The communication network in your brain is a multi-trillion maze of connections capable of performing 20 million-billion calculations per second. Yes, I did say 20 billion!

How does this intricate network operate?

Well there are three major players

 Neurons, which power the message,

 Neurotransmitters, which create the message and

 Receptors, which receive the message.

In simple words, a neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger released from one nerve cell which finds its way to another nerve cell where it influences a particular chemical reaction to occur. Neurotransmitters control major body functions including movement, emotional response, and our physical ability to experience pleasure and pain.

Neurotransmitters also set in motion specific functions within our body and our nervous system. These transmitters can create and control a range of feelings, moods and even thoughts - everything from depression, anxiety and addiction, to feelings of self-confidence, to high or low self-esteem, the competitive spirit and can even affect our deep sleep.

Why Does it Matter?

A neurotransmitter imbalance can cause Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritable bowel, hormone dysfunction, eating disorders, Fibromyalgia, obsessions, compulsions, adrenal dysfunction, chronic pain, migraine headaches, and even early death. Scientific and medical research indicates that our brains use more than 35 different neurotransmitters, some of these we can control and some we can't.

It appears, however, that we can control five of the major neurotransmitters with exercise and nutrition, and with our thoughts and behaviours.

Most neurotransmitters are made from amino acids obtained from the protein in food you consume. Two of the most important neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, sometimes called the 'happy' drugs. They seem to play a leading role in determining our moods and thoughts.

Dopamine, fuel for enthusiasm and motivation

The brain uses dopamine to stimulate arousal, alertness, awareness and our competitive spirit (a form of mild aggression).
Dopamine is also essential for coordinated muscle movement.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter needed for healthy assertiveness and sexual arousal, proper immune and autonomic nervous system function.
Dopamine is important for motivation and a sense of readiness to meet life's challenges.
One of the most vulnerable key neurotransmitters, dopamine levels are depleted by stress or poor sleep. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar also seem to diminish dopamine activity in the brain.
It's easily oxidized, therefore we need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables whose antioxidants help protect dopamine-using neurons from free radical damage.

Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine. Once produced, dopamine can, in turn, convert into the brain chemicals norepinephrine and epinephrine.

Low levels of dopamine can cause depression, a lack of energy, an excessive need for sleep, and can even make you withdraw from everyday events, such as going to work or wanting to be with people.

Dopamine is a building block for the production of adrenaline, which stimulates us into action if we are frightened or anxious. These natural drugs are also necessary for us to be competitive, especially in highly- competitive sports, business and corporate life.

Boost your alertness with protein

Without going into the detailed chemistry of the brain, small amounts (100-to-150 grams) of protein-rich food will elevate dopamine levels and have significant effects on your moods and brain functions. The effects can be felt within 10-to-30 minutes. Protein foods are broken down into their amino acid building blocks during digestion. One amino acid, called tyrosine, will increase the production of dopamine, nor epinephrine and epinephrine. These neurotransmitters are known for their ability to increase levels of alertness and energy. No one eats pure tyrosine, but eating foods high in protein will give you a slight mental boost.

High protein foods include fish, poultry, meat, and eggs. If you can't eat those, try high protein foods that also contain significant amount of carbohydrates, such as legumes, cheese, milk, or tofu.

Many of us eat a high carbohydrate breakfast as cereals have become the common form of morning meal. One of my friends is a highly respected bio-pharmacist and it is his opinion that breakfast is the time of day for eating a high protein meal.

Serotonin, reclaiming your calm

Serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter important to the maintenance of good mood, feelings of contentment and is responsible for normal sleep. In addition to the central nervous system, serotonin is also found in the walls of the intestine (the enteric nervous system) and in platelet cells that promote blood clotting.

Serotonin plays an important role in regulating memory, learning, and blood pressure, as well as appetite and body temperature.
Low serotonin levels produce insomnia and depression, aggressive behavior, increased sensitivity to pain, and is associated with obsessive-compulsive eating disorders.
This neurotransmitter also helps the brain focus, heightening your concentration levels.
Low levels of serotonin can create anxiety, a feeling of insecurity, anger, fear, depression, and can even induce suicidal thoughts.

S.A.D Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now have you ever wondered why you eat more in winter? It has a lot to do with your level of serotonin, or your lack of it and a condition called appropriately enough S.A.D. or Seasonal Affected Disorder.

With the lack of sunlight in winter, the body produces higher levels of a hormone called melatonin, which consumes your serotonin. Research has shown that when this happens, the body craves carbohydrates, which produce serotonin and makes us feel good. This is when we crave those comfort foods such as biscuits, pizza or chocolate!

The Carbohydrate Connection

Eating carbohydrates will trigger the release of insulin into the blood stream. Insulin goes about clearing all the amino acids out of the blood, with the exception of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that normally gets crowded out by other amino acids in its attempt to cross the blood brain barrier, but when its competitors are out of the way, it enters the brain. Once in the brain, the tryptophan is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has the effect of reducing pain, decreasing appetite, and producing a sense of calm, and in too large a quantity, inducing sleep. Research has shown that dieters tend to become depressed about two weeks into a diet, about the time their serotonin levels have dropped due to decreased carbohydrate intake.

In summer sunlight reduces your production of melatonin, the serotonin eater and therefore it is easier to diet in summer. Summer makes us feel great and this theory could explain why people head for the sun during winter.

What does it Matter?

Eating carbohydrates will trigger the release of insulin into the blood stream. Insulin goes about clearing all the amino acids out of the blood, (amino acids are the building blocks to make proteins - Ed) with the exception of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that normally gets crowded out by other amino acids in its attempt to cross the blood brain barrier, but when its competitors are out of the way, it enters the brain. Once in the brain, the tryptophan is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has the effect of reducing pain, decreasing appetite, and producing a sense of calm, and in too large a quantity, inducing sleep. Research has shown that dieters tend to become depressed about two weeks into a diet, about the time their serotonin levels have dropped due to decreased carbohydrate intake.

In summer sunlight reduces your production of melatonin, the serotonin eater and therefore it is easier to diet in summer.(melatonin is also needed for sleep see my article on Insomnia - Ed). Summer makes us feel great and this theory could explain why people head for the sun during winter.

This gave me a clue as to why I became a carbohydrate addict - the more carbohydrates I ate the more serotonin I produced and like any drug addict I craved more and more carbs to get a higher and higher kick of the 'feel goods'. The result was that I became fat, even though I went to the gym four or five times a week! My energy levels dropped, I was constantly tired and became extremely difficult to live with. I didn't want to go to the gym. I was overdosing on carbohydrates which leads to a another hormonal disorder called insulin resistance.

More Seratonin Anyone?

Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan in the presence of adequate vitamins B1, B3, B6, and folic acid. The best food sources of tryptophan include brown rice, cottage cheese, meat, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Choline is another B complex vitamin that that is concentrated in high cholesterol foods like eggs and liver. A lack of choline can cause impairment of memory and concentration. Choline is a precursor to the brain neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is linked to memory. People given drugs that block acetylcholine flunk memory tests. Low levels of acetylcholine have been linked to Alzheimer's disease and poor memory. What a good excuse to put eggs back on your diet plan!

How You Can Control the Natural 'happy drugs'

Being balanced is the answer, not too much or too little of anything. Excessive protein or carbohydrates over time will eventually have side effects that will affect how you feel and behave at work and at home.

Eating certain food and exercising at the right level, at the right time for your lifestyle is a keystone to controlling your moods and generating feelings of happiness and relaxation.

If you are a professional athlete, you require a different approach to control your neurotransmitters to a teacher, a taxi driver or a CEO. Also, every person's body chemistry is different and needs to be taken into account. I recommend you consult a nutritionist who understands how food and neurotransmitters work to meet your health needs and lifestyle.

There's a lot more to brain chemistry, mood control and peak performance, but that's food for another article.

QUICK TIP

Small amounts (100-to-150g) of protein-rich food will elevate dopamine levels and have significant effects on your moods and brain functions. That's why many nutritionists recommend a little protein with your breakfast. It boosts your energy and gives you that rush to seize the day.

Some proteins that positively affect dopamine levels are:

• Fish such as salmon, unprocessed tuna, and flounder.

• Chicken without the skin, eggs

and turkey.

• Small amounts of red meat.

• Beans, such chickpeas and lentils.

This was a guest post from Annie Infinite who spent 18 years as a health practitioner and energetic healer and believes that every dis-ease is 'curable'. Annie loves to talk about health, healing and wholeness as well as her love of metaphysics and the magic of quantum physics and the laws of the universe and how to create magic in your life through understanding these principles.

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Are you Acid or Alkaline?

Sam Adkins — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 21:47:04 +0000

Do you know the difference between acidic foods and alkaline foods? Do you understand what role PH plays in our health? As a big eater of alkaline foods I wanted to share with you an excellent guest post from author and naturopath Lisa Guy.

What is Your Acid/Alkaline balance?

The body has an acid-alkaline ratio called the pH. Maintaining a healthy pH is extremely important for good health, well being and prevention of disease. When we talk about the body's pH it's not stomach acids or the stomach's pH but the pH of the body's fluids and tissues. The body continually works on balancing its pH and when this balance is compromised we become more vulnerable to illness and disease.

Our diets play a big role in keeping our body's pH in check. Acidosis or over acidity is very common in today's society due to our poor diet reliance on acid-forming foods such as processed sugary foods, animal products and soft drinks; and not enough alkaline-forming foods such as enough fresh wholesome foods like fruits and vegetables.

Acidic and Acid-Producing Foods are Different!

There is a difference however between acidic foods such as lemons and acid-forming foods. Lemons are acidic because they contain citric acid, however when they are digested they become an alkaline-forming food.

During the process of digestion, foods change their chemistry. Whether a food is alkaline or acidic

My Happy Baby Clinic Colleague - Lisa Guy depends on its mineral content and the residue that remains after the food is digested. Energy is derived from foods by oxidation, which produces a residue or ash. Some foods leave an 'acid ash' (from acid forming foods) and some leave an 'alkaline ash' (from alkaline forming foods). Foods that commonly contain alkaline minerals, and leave an alkaline ash are fresh fruits and vegetables. Whereas foods that contain minerals that leave an acid ash are commonly foods high in sugars, saturated fats and meats.

Your Optimum Diet Balance

For optimum health and prevention of disease your diet should be more alkaline than acidic, 80:20 ratio of alkaline to acid forming foods is recommended.

A healthy body should be slightly alkaline and have an adequate alkaline reserve to call upon to meet the demands of eating too many acid-producing foods. If this reserve is depleted however your health can be compromised. Calcium and other alkaline minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium will be drawn from the bones, teeth or other vital organs to help neutralize the acid and remove it safely from the body.

Mild acidosis can contribute to a range of conditions including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, immune deficiencies, acceleration free radical damage, premature aging, and osteoporosis. Acidic environments also encourage the growth of fungus, bacteria and viruses.

The best Alkalizing Foods to Eat

Include plenty of alkali-forming foods in the diet including fresh vegetables, legumes and fruit (including lemons, grapefruit, apple), nuts and seeds (almonds, brazil), millet, buckwheat, spelt, unsweetened soy and almond milks and cold pressed oils such as flax, avocado, olive and coconut. Chlorella and spirulina are also alkaline foods.

The Acid-Producing Foods to Avoid

Limit acid forming foods to 20% of your diet such as meat, poultry, wheat, peanuts, milk, sweets, processed foods rich in sugars and fats, take away foods, soft drink, alcohol, margarine, vegetable and hydrogenated oils.

Top Tip

Drinking alkaline water is a great way to help neutralize an acidic body. Alkaline water contains more oxygen than regular water.

Happy Health and Homeopathic Prescribing!

If you want regular homeopathic inspiration from The Homeopathic Coach, visit her new blog and join as a member to be the first in line for new tips and offers as they are released!

Would you like to include this article in your newsletter or website?

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This article was brought to you by Sam Adkins The Homeopathic Coach who teaches families about healthy living and natural remedies using homeopathic medicine. An internationally renowned expert, her helpful articles are regularly syndicated online. She publishes the ezine Homeopathy@Home to provide free Homeopathic tips, tools and resources to educate and inspire you to use Homeopathy at home. www.thehomeopathiccoach.com

Treating Whooping Cough with Homeopathy

Sam Adkins — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:09:34 +0000

Any chronic cough can be scary but the words "Whooping Cough" strikes fear into most people. Whooping Cough is currently prevalent around Sydney and I have been treating a family who have it. This article with share with you my top tips for treating this potentially nasty cough.

In my role as a homeopath I often treat chronic coughs, but recently a mother came to me with her 3 year old daughter, having tested positive for whooping cough. Although the cough at this stage was relatively minor as they had been tested very early due to exposure to an infected person, the mother was understandably concerned as she also had an 18 month old as well as a tiny new born baby.

From a homeopathic treatment perspective this was perfect timing because the whooping cough was in its early infection stages. This definitely enhances the positive outcome. In this case I prescribed homeopathically for both the sufferers as individuals, taking all their symptoms into acount. The mother had the early infective stage with feverishness and a cough at night as well as copious mucus and the toddler had an established cough but no classic 'Whoop' as yet. After just a few days they both started to feel better and after one week the toddler is back at daycare and did not develop the 'whoop' sound at all.

For more information on treating coughs read here and here.

So what can you do to help yourself?

Boost Your Immune System

Firstly you need to boost the immune system. Only a strong adaptable immune system will be able to tackel this cough head on. I advise my whooping cough patients to take the following supplements:

Vitamin C up to 5000 mg per day (3000mg if a child under 5)
Probiotic: This supports the gut in its immune fuctioning activities and is doubly important if the patient is also on an antibiotic.
Immunocare: This is an immune system support combination supplement but if you cannot access this one I suggest you ensure you take a good zinc supplement.
Vitamin D3: This is very important for your immunity and if you are suffering any infection or have been exposed to one it is adviseable to supplement.

Boost Your Nutrition Intake

If the body is alkaline rather than acidic this will help substantially to fight infection. This means taking out foods that increase acidity and increasing alkaline forming foods. To achieve this easily immediately remove ALL refined sugar from the diet. Move to whole carbohydrates such as whole grain bread and whole grain rice and pastas. When we eat sugar the body needs to call on many vitamins and substances to metabolise it and while these items are being used to metabolise sugar they are not available for infection fighting activities. This means that removing sugar from the diet frees up resources to fight the infection and boost the immune system.

Increase intake of green fresh vegetables, colourful vegtables and fruit. The easiest way to acheive this in a sick person is to make fresh juices in your home kitchen and ensure that they are drunk straight after making them before they oxidise. As an addition to this take some Spirulina capsules to add both protein and greens to your diet. My favoirite immune system boosting juice recipe is here.

Homeopathic medicines for Whooping Cough

Whilst Homeopathy treats the individual and their specific sympotoms rather then the disease, there are some common Homeopathic medicines that are often indicated in Whooping Cough if the symptoms match.

Antimmonium Tartaricum

Give this medicine if the patient has a scanty, productive cough but expectorates with great difficulty and feels full of mucus. The cough will be worse 10pm til midnight and after eating and lying down. The cough will be in paroxysms and the patient will be breathless and exhausted afterwards. The effort to expel the mucus may result in vomiting. The key indictaor for this medicine is that the chest is rattly with mucus, but hardly any comes up.

Drosera

The paroxyms of coughing are extreme causing cyanosis (blue face/lips) and a feeling of suffocation. The cough is violent and the patient may vomit in the recovery stage. The patient will be better for cold drinks but may get cramps in the hands and feet during coughing. The cough will be worse at night.

Belladonna

I like this medicine in the early feverish stages of Whooping Cough. If used apropriately it can really change the course of the illness. Once at the coughing stage the cough will be violent with red face, bulging eyes and marked abdominal pain. Between the paroxyms is marked tickling in the larynx until the next bout of coughing. There is likley to be a severe headache with the coughing.

There are many Whooping Cough medicines and if you suffer from it you will need a professional consultation with a qualified and experienced Homeopath. But if you follow the guidelines above you will find that you give your body the most support as it works with the infection.

Happy Homeopathic Prescribing!

You can as long as you include the following blurb with it:

This article was brought to you by Sam Adkins The Homeopathic Coach who teaches families about healthy living and natural remedies using homeopathic medicine. An internationally renowned expert, her helpful articles are regularly syndicated online. She publishes the ezine Homeopathy@Home to provide free Homeopathic tips, tools and resources to educate and inspire you to use Homeopathy at home. www.thehomeopathiccoach.com