Men Die Earlier and Suffer More

In the dead of winter about 10 years ago I went through a number of emotionally trying situations all taking place within a relatively short period of time.  My wife tried unsuccessfully to console me.  It was a difficult time.  We just had a number of things happen in our church that were emotionally painful.  Even though logically I could analyze what had happened yet emotions tend to override all logic.  These incidents resulted in about two months of illness including high fever, swollen tonsils, sinusitis, and abdominal issues culminating into Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

The spirit, mind, body connection is so evident to me as I live my life but it was not so evident back in those days.  When we face emotional stress such as dealing with a difficult person, being fired, losing a job, or an environment of constant conflict this eventually results in different forms of illnesses.  Some of these illnesses are acute and some are chronic, possibly not showing up until months or years later.

Is there a solution?  Is there hope?  Absolutely yes!  I remember one time talking with my holistic health care provider and asking him if there was hope for me.  He smiled reassuringly and told me that I was going to be healthy and not to concern myself over it.  There is hope for you!

Immune System

The immune system is quite complex and to fully explain it here would be impossible.  However, I will attempt to give you some key components so that you can understand some of its basics.

The immune system works from the bone marrow all the way to the outer layer of the skin.  Even though the following organs and tissues have other purposes, yet the immune system is supported and operates from these:

Thymus

The Thymus is located under the breastbone and is at its peak during adolescence.

Bone Marrow

Produces lymphocytes—T-cells and B-cells and sends them through the lymphatic system to secondary organs.

Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system runs throughout the entire body and consists of nodes.  Many of these are in the chest, neck and head.  They are connected to our organs, in particular the spleen, tonsils and thymus.

Intestines

Here is where many white blood cells reside and are tagged for “specific service”.  When our intestines do not function well our immune system loses its potency. Intestines are particularly vulnerable to disturbing emotions.

Spleen

The spleen is found in the left upper quadrant of our abdomen. Its function primarily is to remove old red blood cells and to hold a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock. The spleen also synthesizes antibodies and removes certain kinds of bacteria through blood and lymph node circulation.

Tonsils

We have two tonsils, one located on each side of the back of the throat.  Tonsils are part of the Lymphatic system and are said to tag white blood cells for certain tasks.  Tonsils are the first line of defence.

Liver

The liver is located mostly on the right side of the body and primarily sits under the ribs though it does extrudes beyond that.  The liver a multi-functioned organ which directly and indirectly effects our immune system.  The liver is a mediator of systemic and local innate immune regulation.

Appendix

What was once considered a useless appendage in our body now is showing its value in helping to maintain a healthy immune system.  Some new research indicates that the appendix harbors and protects bacteria (probiotics) that are beneficial in the function of the colon.

Emotional Stress and Illness

Unfortunately mainline medicine (allopathy) treats primarily the symptoms that arise in our bodies.  But, there are many physicians who are now asserting that between 80-95% of all ailments reported by patients are the result of unresolved emotional issues, grudges, and emotional stressors.  Natural health care practitioners are trained to treat the cause rather than the symptom.

In an earlier blog I wrote about how the spirit affects the mind and body, the mind effects the spirit and the body.  In the end the body is affected and will eventually “kick back”!  According to biblical teaching all physical illness is the result of spiritual ailment(s).  When we are spiritually, mentally, emotionally ill we eventually become physically ill.  In acute cases we may suddenly get a virus, or some infection due to an emotional shock or overload of some kind.  In chronic disease cases this is due to long held unresolved emotional issues.

In the beginning of this article I wanted to point out that emotional stress could cause sickness in our body because our emotions either support healthy immune function or they shut it down.  If we are in a constant state of hyper vigilance (fight or flight) we will unconsciously be constantly suppressing our immune functions and after awhile this will develop into serious illness(es).

Wisdom Factors

I could give you a list of things to do, but there are hundreds of such lists on the Internet and in books.  Instead I have a few thoughts to share with you.

It is also important to consider other things such as environmental stressors on our immune system of which we need to be aware so that we can support our body’s health.  Such things as wearing suitable clothing when it’s too hot or too cold, drinking clean water, eating properly, exercising, taking proper supplements, etc.

A big mistake I used to make was that I could figure it all out myself, or I could do it all myself and save the money!  But, I have discovered that being your own mentor, coach, therapist, physician, or spiritual leader is a disaster in the making!  By relying on other qualified people’s help I have saved money, aggravation, time and as a result have gotten light years ahead in self-improvement and empowerment.  Investing in yourself should be top priority.  Besides, if you won’t nobody will do it for you!  Remember, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”  Loving and supporting yourself will put you in a healthier position to love others more appropriately.

For a quick questionnaire online to help determine your level of emotional stress go to:  http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/questionnaire.html

For consultation or therapeutic help you can contact me at (905) 633-7410.

Most of us at some point in our lives will feel stuck.  We can feel stuck in our careers, stuck in personal development, stuck spiritually, stuck mentally and emotionally, and even stuck in our physical health.

First, let me say that there are no magic pills, words or the like that can fix everything in our life once and for all.  Life is a journey, it is a walk and our involvement in our wellbeing is essential.  All too often people look to the one thing that will fix their life.  Rather, it’s about balance.  Just as we have daily habits through which we move through so it must be to modify or even create new ones.  If we are to feel healthy and live a fulfilling life we need to understand the habits that create and make our world.  Habits start in the mind.

What are you thinking?  I don’t mean just on the surface but what inner phrases, images, etc. do you repeat on a regular basis from awake to sleep?  It takes time to retrain your mind, but it must be done and there are many tools available to do so.  There are naturopathic means, meditations, prayers, spiritual worship, community, supportive friends and loved ones, therapists, devices, and so goes the list.

Let’s take a look at some healthy healing, rejuvenating habits that we should have in our lives.

1. Deep Breathing
2. Drink Water
3. Regular Routine
4. Regular Movement
5. Oxygen
6. Hydrotherapy
7. Positive Self-Talk
8. Healthy Social Support
9. Life Coaching

Deep Breathing

On a daily basis not only should we do deep breathing hundreds of times a day but we should establish a qualified breathing exercise.  I use and advocate heart coherence breathing by HeartMath.

Drink Water

There are many debates as to how much water a person should drink daily, some suggest 2-3 Litres of water.  But, there must be other considerations like:

• only drink water when you are thirsty
• must be clean water like spring water, Reverse Osmosis water that has been remineralized
• drinking herbal teas can be good but not to be your major source
• avoid soft drinks, bottled juices (unless organic), artificial drinks of any kind

Regular Routine

For mental and emotional wellbeing a regular routine is essential or imbalance will occur.

We need routine in:

• Eating 3 regularly scheduled meals and taking time for about 1 hour per meal.
• Going to bed before midnight, preferably around 10 pm range and to have approximately 8 hours of sleep per night
• Sleep in pitch black rooms and with no radiation

Regular Movement

• Daily movement/exercise will lower anxiety and depression
• 30 minutes daily for at least 5 days a week where you can talk but not sing
• Increase Endorphin levels in the brain and body

Oxygen

• For proper function of brain and mood
• To be outside in the open air, fresh air for 30 minutes daily

Hydrotherapy

For proper elimination and function we need to daily do some kind of hydrotherapy

• Shower
• Steam inhalation
• Bath
• Steam room

Positive Self-Talk

Being very negative will disrupt healthy brain function creating toxic hormones and other chemicals within the brain and body while lowering healthy hormones and chemicals.

• Think and speak positive self statements
• Willfully choose to be grateful and to express gratitude
• Forgive those that have offended you
• Choose healthy meditations on a regular basis

Healthy Social Support

We as humans are social beings, we were never created to be living in isolation.  For some there is great difficulty socializing and connecting with other people, while for others it comes with great ease.  The most important point to make is that we need good, healthy social support.  Support that looks like:

• having a spouse/partner to confide in
• having family to speak with
• having close friends or co-workers to confide in
• involvement in a worship community, community organizations, and support groups
• to be a person who makes friends easily

Life Coaching

The basic philosophy behind life coaching is that we have a vast array of energy, knowledge, ability and genius that is waiting to be set in motion. It has been said, “without personal mentoring it would have taken me 50 years to get to where I am today”.

Life coaching is about moving your life forward in a positive powerful and swift way, achieving your unrealized potential.

We need personalized support where a qualified person(s) is able to speak into our life, even if it involves correction.

Conclusion

Getting unstuck and moving forward in every area of life is what we need.  We only have one life to live so why waist it trying to figure everything out on our own.  Invest the time and the money – you’re worth it!

For your complimentary 15 minute consultation call (905) 633-7410.

In 1890 Pavlov, a Russian physician and , accidentally discovered, through investigating the dog’s gastric function, the response that he called Classical Conditioning.  Classical Conditioning can be defined as, “conditioning in which the conditioned stimulus (as the sound of a bell) is paired with and precedes the unconditioned stimulus (as the sight of food) until the conditioned stimulus alone is sufficient to illicit the response (as salivation in a dog)… “[1] In plain words classical conditioning is when something happens often enough the subject begins to elicit a response be it physiological, emotional and/or intellectual.  So if something happens to us or doesn’t happen to us often enough we develop an automatic response or should I say reaction.  We all too often react instead of respond and that is because we have been conditioned to do so.

So when someone shuts down and gets quiet as an individual or when someone starts flipping out (screaming, yelling, profanity, etc.) these are conditioned responses, they are reactions!  We are all conditioned whether or not we like the thought of it or not.  The good news is that we can alter the conditioning we have received.

To alter our conditioning is to alter body function as well.  As in my last article I discussed in some length how the spirit, mind, and body affect the body.  A simple test can be done with a conscious thought.  The next time you are lifting a weight think of a sad face and notice the strength that you have, then in turn think of a happy face and do the same thing and again notice the strength you have.  I think you will be surprised to see how thinking of a happy face can give you more physical strength.  I often use this kinesiological method to demonstrate this point more affectively.  The point being is that the conscious mind can and does affect the body’s strength, how about the unconscious mind’s ability to affect the body?  The unconscious mind’s ability is so powerful it can cause a person to faint at the sight of blood, to jump when startled, to determine the quality of sleep, the depth of breathing, raise and lower blood pressure, influence digestive processes, and much more.  If the unconscious mind is able to do this on a relatively short timeline what about days, weeks, months, years, or decades later?  Can chronic illnesses have a root cause of unresolved unconscious issues?  The answer is yes.  Both acute and chronic illnesses manifest in the body due to unresolved emotional issues often deeply buried in the unconscious mind.  I realize that pathogens can be the culprit but why do some contract the illness while others do not?  The answer lies in the deep-seated beliefs of the unconscious mind and body.

It is a sensitive matter to discuss the possibility that illness has a direct link to the way we have been conditioned to live our lives.  When discussing this connection between spirit, mind to the body either our society dismisses this as foolishness or becomes upset as though they are being blamed.  Dr. Gabor Mate, M.D.’s book, “When the Body Says No”, speaks of a fifty two year old university professor that vocalized her anger at him for writing about how the mind affects the body, she told him, “Why are you writing this book?… I got cancer because of my genes, not because of anything I did.”[2] I feel sad for those that are suffering physically and mentally, but what causes me even more sadness is when the message is misunderstood and the hope for positive change is lost.  It is unfortunate that people can misinterpret this message as being a form of blaming the victim as though their illness or death is a personal failure.  Blame and failure isn’t the issue rather the focus is on finding the cause and affect and working towards restoration of health and wellbeing.  All too often there is confusion between blame and responsibility.  Dr. Mate said, “While all of us dread being blamed, we all would wish to be more responsible – that is, to have the ability to respond with awareness to the circumstances of our lives rather than just reacting.”[3]

The first step is to become aware of the truth that the spirit, mind and body are all intricately connected and what happens in the spirit/mind affects our body. Plato quoting Socrates said, “This is the reason why the cure of so many dieseases [sic] is unknown to the physicians of Hellas; they are ignorant of the whole. For this is the great error of our day in the treatment of the human body, that physicians separate the mind from the body.”[4] Without awareness we cannot take on true responsibility facilitating the change we are truly needing.  This connection needs so desperately to be understood and embraced otherwise so many more will needlessly suffer and die.  Becoming responsible is becoming aware, having the courage to take steps towards professional help, owning your own emotional reactions, and having them processed through to the point of healing.  This process involves the healing of spirit, mind, and the body and leaving out any one of these is not wise.

If we understand that the universal order is always spirit first physical third then we can begin to embrace this ancient understanding of why our bodies are the way they are.  Here’s a biblical quote that is worth considering, “…the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible…”[5] Freedom comes when we gain understanding with hope of a better tomorrow!

[1] Classical Conditioning, http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/classical conditioning

[2] Gabor, Mate, M.D., When the Body Says No: the cost of hidden stress (Toronto: Vintage Canada, a division of Random House, 2003), 8.

[3] IBID, 8,9.

[4] Secrets Of Freedom From Headache, “Not tonight honey, I have a headache” http://www.singhneurology.com/headache-center.php

[5] Hebrews 11:3a, New King James Version, (Nashville, TN., Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982).

In western thinking we tend to separate and segregate things into compartments.  This can be detrimental to us.  Oriental or Eastern orientations, including the Bible, focus on the synergy of a person, taking into account the connectedness between the spirit, the mind and the body.  All too often in the West we dissociate our bodies from our spirits or minds from the rest of our being.  We treat different parts of us as though it does not affect the others.  We like parts.  We like separation.  It often gives the illusion of control and/or a false feeling that we aren’t responsible for what is happening in our lives.  When we take personal responsibility, we are able to respond and this gives us the power of choice and the power for positive change.  To affect change that brings health and wholeness, we need to look at ourselves as a unity in which each part affects the other parts.

In a study conducted involving individual heart cells in a Petri dish, it was discovered that when separated these cells each had a beating rhythm out of sync with the others.  When they were brought into close proximity of each other they began to all beat together, in sync.[1] That biological example reveals to us quite clearly how important it is to understand that though we may have separate parts to our being yet each are affected by the other; first with the spirit (unconscious mind), then with the mind (soul), then the body.

Here are 12 easy steps that we can take to support each area of our being:

1. Allow God (Creator) to be in your life; giving the Creator the control so that you can rest – it’s called trust.
2. Join a fellowship of believers and become involved.
3. Meditate, read scripture and pray daily.
4. Take note of your emotions on a daily basis consciously (with mindfulness) embracing them – accepting all of you.
5. Daily do some personal work emotionally through spiritual practice and meridian point tapping like EFT.
6. Make regular visits to a psychotherapist/counsellor or Life Coach.
7. Listen to your body; don’t ignore what it is trying to tell you about your health.
8. Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes with elevated breath rate – where you can talk but not sing.
9. Get holistic nutritional guidance and therapy that is best suited for you.
10. With a qualified practitioner detoxify on a regular basis.
11. Develop healthy relationships.
12. Obtain personal financial training and skills.

Health begins from the inside out.  Taking care of yourself is the wisest thing you can do in life.  Remember if you are healthy then life will be full of rich rewards!

[1] Source: Servan-Schreiber, David, M.D. Ph.D., The Instinct to Heal: Curing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Without Drugs and Without Talk Therapy. Rodale Books; First Edition, (February 21, 2004).

Last time I began with explaining the spirit and its connection to the spirit, mind, body continuum.  Today, I would like to look at the mind’s role in this threesome.

In my own spiritual journey I very quickly came up against the struggles of my mind. The great Apostle Paul once wrote, “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”[1] In essence we have two minds.  The mind that reacts and wants to do things that are unhealthy and irrational and the other mind that wants to do the just things, the compassionate things, the truthful things.  Think back to the time when you were a child and your mother told you not to touch the cookies before supper and when she wasn’t looking, or so you thought, you sneaked one.  This childhood behaviour is in every human being even if you are 100 years of age!

The more I sought to follow spiritual principles and sought to practice spiritual disciplines I found that there was a part of me that rejoiced and experienced the abundant life but there was another part that at times wanted to throw it away!  The rebel versus the saint!  Now some are just rebels and some are saints that have a rebel inside of them that is looking for some unhealthy action!

Though the words of Paul can be discussed in great depth, but suffice it for now to look at the mental/emotional struggles that is inherent in all human beings.  We want to do right, make the right choices – at least those that are self-aware do.

I found in my journey through life that I have repeatedly from time to time done what I hate, that I do!  In 1999 I decided, after a few years of soul searching, to go back to school to better myself.  While in my Master’s year I changed my course of studies to psychology.  I was not so conscious that I myself needed some help as I was conscious that my counselling abilities as a pastor was not very successful.  All I knew is that I wanted to be in a better position to help people.  Through the course of these studies I discovered that I needed some help myself – to better myself.  My wife once told me that studying psychology really helped me to be a more understanding person.

The two minds, unconscious (subconscious) and the conscious, involve spiritual and elements to them.  On a level the two minds, involve the two hemispheres of the brain.  The right hemisphere of the brain is the emotional side and the left hemisphere of the brain is the logical side.  Often when new clients come in they tell me about how they don’t understand why they are having their particular struggles and they believe they should be over it, or shouldn’t be thinking or feeling a particular way.  I tell them “It’s simple.  The right brain stores emotional information which is the part that feels, acts, and thinks in ways that our left brain says isn’t right.”

Our emotional brain functions so fast that it can and often does over-ride the logical, rational brain.  The emotional brain usually responds in about a ½ a millisecond, where the logical rational brain takes about 2 seconds to respond.  That is an eternity when you think about the differences in time response.  This is the natural process of brain function.  For example a war veteran, particularly the Vietnam War veterans have been known to be particularly resistant to traditional talk therapy approaches.  These war veterans may hear a car backfire and within a second they hit the deck!  This is dangerous especially if you are driving a car on a highway.  Now, you don’t need to be a war veteran to have unwanted reactions all it takes is some incidences in your life, some even that you may not be able to remember.  For example, if you were an infant in a crib with a messy diaper crying for 20 minutes before someone came to assist and comfort you this could create PTSD in the brain.  Through Dr. Ruth Lanius’ research, out of Western University in London, Ontario, Canada, she and her colleagues have been able to substantiate such findings through modern tools like neuroimaging, in particular fMRI brain scans.  As in the above mentioned example, brain scans have shown the child to develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

When in life we have consciously or unconsciously experienced trauma and/or neglect of which some can go back as far as prior to ovulation, according to cellular biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton[2], we end up developing a warped perception of the world around us in which we live.  This perception he refers to as the perception of belief. These beliefs are based on our perception of our environment – life’s experiences.  No human has gone untouched; we all have some kind of issues to work through.  Some people are successful to some degree in repressing the past while others notice their inner struggles more readily.

In my own journey I further discovered that mere talk therapies only have limited effect.  Even in my own life, I discovered that knowing something does not equate to solving the problem.  Much like when a person goes to their family physician and discovers that they have some disease, the discovery doesn’t equate to the answer it simply unmasks the problem so that an intervention can take place, so it is with our mental/emotional struggles.  As I have personally received therapy, I have learned that I can only do so much for myself; I need other qualified people to help me.  I believe that is true spiritually, mentally, and physically for everyone.

In my last article I spoke of the spirit as being the unconscious mind and the soul the conscious mind.  The connection is so intertwined that to be able to totally separate and distinguish the intricate differences between the two is much like trying to unravel the neural networks of the brain, or the encoding of our DNA, it is a much too complicated thing to do.  It is best to simply understand that we are a unity of parts that make up the whole – the “us”.

Don’t worry about being normal or crazy; just remember that normal is a setting on your wash machine.  Only God is normal the rest of us need to be working on it with divine aid and through qualified human agency.  We owe it to ourselves to transform, to heal, and to better ourselves.

[1] Romans 7:15, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982.

[2] Lipton, Bruce; DVD & Video : Nature, Nurture, & the Power of Love: The Biology of Conscious Parenting, Spirit 2000 Inc., 2002.

As a teenager at the age of 15 I felt alone, bewildered and lost.  Often teenagers feel this way and like most people they wouldn’t want to relive that time of their life again – especially with the raging hormones!  At 15 is when I began my spiritual journey that I am on now, but before I touch on that I want us to understand the significant role that our spirit plays in our life.

In many languages the word used for spirit is very different in its connotation than it is in the English language.  As an ordained minister I have studied, meditated, pondered, and prayed concerning much of this.  Both in the Hebrew and Greek languages the word for spirit has a underlying meaning of air, breeze or wind.  The Greek word is pneuma from where we get the word pneumatic, as in pneumatic tires.  So we could fairly easily understand that our spirit is the breath of our being, the essence of life, the core, our life force that goes beyond the soul and the body , but yet is so intrinsically connected and almost without seams.

As a minister, psychotherapist, and holistic nutritionist which may appear to be a bit much, but in more distant times or distant lands often the spiritual leader, though maybe quite archaic, was all of those things.  The spiritual leader was the priest, the rabbi, the witch doctor, etc., which people would go to get help for their spiritual needs, counselling needs, and physical pathologies.  This was because of the spiritual understanding of how we as people synergistically function.

Now, based on the premise that we are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body we can possibly understand a bit more clearly that the spirit is the primary, the life, the true us – the essence of our being.  Why is this important?  Well, when we look at problems in our life, be they emotional or physical that is when we need to be looking at the condition of our spirit.  Our spirit’s condition determines the well-being of the rest.  In terms, the unconscious or subconscious mind is actually our spirit.  This further gives us a clue about where to look and how to begin to resolve our problems or ailments.

In psychotherapy we often want to uncover the hidden self beliefs that we call negative cognitions that sabotage our well-being.  These negative beliefs are not simply surface or conscious beliefs but much deeper!  They are core beliefs that our spirit holds.  These beliefs can cripple even our very bodies.  For example, have you ever heard of a person who is put in a position where they don’t want to do something or be somewhere and they get sick or have an accident or circumstantially get bogged down to the point they can’t do or be?  Is it coincidental or does our spirit cause inner and outer sabotage?  I do realize this may not hold true 100% of the time but probably much of the time.

To be honest with ourselves, to truly speak truth in our hearts with our selves, takes courage!  But, we usually can’t do it alone.  We usually need a qualified individual who can help us make this inner journey of discovery and not leave us in the abyss of our own beings but rather we need that person to go with us and help us to discover, to transform, to heal in order that we might truly live the abundant life.

To be the best we can be, as you probably have already figured out, isn’t easily done, we need help, and most important of  all, it’s a journey.  We are all looking for hope, desiring to be loved and loveable, to be worthy and capable of healthy choices – the freedom to choose!

Our spirit (unconscious mind) is always reaching out to be satisfied but what it embraces is what filters into our minds, and our bodies.  In my personal journey I was physically ill and emotionally distressed with a deep sense of emptiness that I knew needed to be filled but did not know how.  Through a series of events that I believe were the result of divine guidance I had an opportunity to go to a church service that led to an encounter of Jesus Christ for me and in that encounter it became more than an encounter it became a covenant union that brought me healing for the body, peace to my distressed mind.  I may be daily confronted with opportunities of distress but because of my spirituality and healthy core beliefs they have unleashed for me a way out, hope, and peace.  My core beliefs have been transformed and as I continue on my journey through life I continue to work on my core beliefs using spiritual tools, sessions with my therapist, and with help from my holistic nutritional therapist  my life finds some healthy balance.

If we don’t work on our core beliefs that are obscurely hidden in our spirit (unconscious mind), then we can never achieve the highest and best for our lives!