The number-one killer in America (for both men and women), heart disease is the result of the narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients. This process, called coronary artery disease, can generally be traced to a condition called atherosclerosis, the build-up of cholesterol-rich fatty deposits, or plaques, on the inside of arterial walls. As these deposits accumulate over time, the coronary arteries narrow to the point that the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart is impeded. (Arterial spasms — triggered by smoking, extreme emotional stress, or exposure to very cold temperature —may also cause coronary arteries to narrow suddenly and dangerously.)

The Risk Factors — and How You Can Reduce Yours
Major risk factors for cardiovascular disease include cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or triglycerides, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition. Prevention and treatment centers around these risk factors — and these approaches will help you lower risk for many other types of illness, as well as helping you feel great and have more energy overall.

1. Don’t smoke.
Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of cardiovascular disease in women, with more than 50 percent of heart attacks among middle-aged women attributable to tobacco. Risk of cardiovascular disease begins to decline within months of smoking cessation and reaches the level of persons who have never smoked within 3 to 5 years.

2. Lower your cholesterol.
High blood cholesterol is a condition that greatly increases your chances of developing coronary heart disease. Extra cholesterol in the blood settles on the inner walls of the arteries, narrowing them and allowing less blood to pass through them to the heart. Aim for total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dL and HDL above 35 mg/dL.

3. Maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity and sedentary lifestyles are epidemics in the United States that contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of obesity has increased among both men and women in the United States in the past decade; currently about one third of adult women (or 34 million) are classified as obese. Also, 60% of both men and women get no regular physical activity. Obesity, especially abdominal adiposity, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women.

4. Exercise regularly.
Recent evidence suggests that even moderate-intensity activity, including brisk walking, is associated with substantial reduction of cardiovascular disease risk. These findings support the 1995 federal exercise guidelines endorsing 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week, a program that should be feasible and safe for most of the population. Regular exercise and maintenance of healthy weight should also help reduce insulin resistance and the risk of non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, which appears to be an even stronger risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women than in men. Diabetes is associated with a threefold to sevenfold elevation in cardiovascular disease risk among women, compared with a twofold to threefold elevation among men. Approximately half of all deaths in patients with non–insulin dependent diabetes mellitus are due to heart disease.

5. Eat less saturated fat, more produce & more fiber.
Diets low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, a recent study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal confirmed that the consumption of fruits and vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, seems to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease. You may even think about moving toward more flexitarian or vegetarian eating habits: A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, and may even reverse existing coronary artery disease when combined with other lifestyle changes. A Mediterranean diet that uses olive oil can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

6. Avoid trans fats.
Trans fatty acids have been linked to adverse lipid profiles and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This includes most margarines. The role of other fatty acids, including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and marine omega-3 fatty acids, remains controversial.

7. Consume alcohol only in moderation.
Moderate intake of alcohol is related to reduction of cardiovascular disease — but may raise blood pressure and increase risk of breast cancer. Early surgical menopause is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which appears to be negated by the use of estrogen therapy.

8. Arm yourself with risk-reducing supplements.
Antioxidant vitamin supplements, particularly vitamin E and homocysteine-lowering agents such as folate and B6, have promising roles in prevention of cardiovascular disease, but conclusive evidence may hinge on the results of several ongoing randomized clinical trials. When it is found in unusually high levels, homocysteine brings the same degree of risk as having high cholesterol does. The B vitamins, especially folic acid and B12, will drive elevated homocysteine levels down to normal, often without the need of any prescription medication.

9. Give yourself some new stress-management tools.
Poorly controlled stress may have an adverse effect on blood lipids. An attitude of hostility has been powerfully linked with a higher incidence of cardiac events, and cynical distrust has been associated with accelerated progression of carotid artery disease. Relaxation methods (meditation, breathing exercises), yoga, and stress management techniques are essential for preventing cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease and for reducing the risk of recurrent cardiac problems. Meditation improves exercise tolerance and decreases electrical changes associated with poor circulation to the heart. Meditation has also been shown to lower cholesterol and reverse carotid artery thickening. Also consider acupuncture, which has been shown to help relax the myocardium and improve circulation.

10. Ask your health professional about herbs and nutritional supplements that may be useful in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, including:

- Bilberry
- Turmeric (curcumin)
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Guggul
- Ginkgo
- Garlic (one garlic clove is roughly equal to 4 mg to 1 gram of garlic; a daily dose of 600 to 800mg may be recommended)
- Onion
- Vitamin B12
- Folic acid (500 to 5000 micrograms daily may be recommended)
- B6
- L-Carnitine
- Coenzyme Q10 (100 to 300 mg daily may be recommended)
- Vitamin E (400 to 800 International Units daily may be recommended)
- Magnesium (200 to 400 mg daily may be recommended)
- Niacin (A typical oral dose of 100 mg, three times daily; may gradually increase to avg. dose of 1 gram three times daily, with a maximum dose of 6 grams. Extended release tablets: Dosing may begin with one 375-milligram tablet at bedtime and be increased by no more than 500 mg per four-week period, to a maximum of 2,000 mg, given as two 1,000-milligram tablets before bed)
- Fish oils (6 grams daily may be recommended))
- Soy (Isoflavones may be recommended))

As discussed previously, irritable bowel syndrome is believed to be due to the abnormal function (dysfunction) of the muscles of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the nerves controlling the organs. The nervous control of the gastrointestinal tract, however, is complex. A system of nerves runs the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the anus in the muscular walls of the organs. These nerves communicate with other nerves that travel to and from the spinal cord. Nerves within the spinal cord, in turn, travel to and from the brain. (The gastrointestinal tract is exceeded in the numbers of nerves it contains only by the spinal cord and brain.) Thus, the abnormal function of the nervous system in IBS may occur in a gastrointestinal muscular organ, the spinal cord, or the brain.

The nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs, as with most other organs, contains both sensory and motor nerves. The sensory nerves continuously sense what is happening within the organ and relay this information to nerves in the organ’s wall. From there, information can be relayed to the spinal cord and brain. The information is received and processed in the organ’s wall, the spinal cord, or the brain. Then, based on this sensory input and the way the input is processed, commands (responses) are sent to the organ over the motor nerves. Two of the most common motor responses in the intestine are contraction or relaxation of the muscle of the organ and secretion of fluid and/or mucus into the organ.

As already mentioned, abnormal function of the nerves of the gastrointestinal organs, at least theoretically, might occur in the organ, spinal cord, or brain. Moreover, the abnormalities might occur in the sensory nerves, the motor nerves, or at processing centers in the intestine, spinal cord, or brain. Some researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the sensory nerves. For example, normal activities, such as stretching of the small intestine by food, may give rise to abnormal sensory signals that are sent to the spinal cord and brain, where they are perceived as pain.

Other researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the motor nerves. For example, abnormal commands through the motor nerves might produce a painful spasm (contraction) of the muscles. Still others argue that abnormally functioning processing centers are responsible for functional diseases because they misinterpret normal sensations or send abnormal commands to the organ. In fact, some functional diseases may be due to sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction. Still others may be due to abnormalities within the processing centers One area that is receiving a great deal of scientific attention is the potential role of gas produced by intestinal bacteria in patients with IBS. Studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS produce larger amounts of gas than individuals without IBS, and the gas may be retained longer in the small intestine. Among patients with IBS, abdominal size increases over the day, reaching a maximum in the evening and returning to baseline by the following morning. In individuals without IBS, there is no increase in abdominal size during the day.

There has been a great deal of controversy over the role that poor digestion and/or absorption of dietary sugars may play in aggravating the symptoms of IBS. Poor digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk, is very common as is poor absorption of fructose, a sweetener found in many processed foods. Poor digestion or absorption of these sugars could aggravate the symptoms of IBS since unabsorbed sugars often cause increased formation of gas.

Although these abnormalities in production and transport of gas could give rise to some of the symptoms of IBS, much more work will need to be done before the role of intestinal gas in IBS is clear.

Dietary fat in healthy individuals causes food as well as gas to move more slowly through the stomach and small intestine. Some patients with IBS may even respond to dietary fat in an exaggerated fashion with greater slowing. Thus, dietary fat could–and probably does–aggravate the symptoms of IBS.

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The thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped structure found at the lower part of the neck just below the mythical “Adam’s apple” and is responsible for the balancing of body processes. The thyroid gland like every other part of the body is not immune to diseases and infections. Hypothyroidism which is one of the diseases that can affect the thyroid gland is a process where the thyroid gland becomes under-active. When it becomes like this, the metabolic processes in the body becomes affected. There are various symptoms accompanying the onset of hypothyroidism. Most of these symptoms look like the normal everyday stress symptom. It includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol level in the blood, and higher risk of cardiac arrest.

Recently, a scientific study was carried out in Rotterdam on people who were above fifty five years old. Most of the women subjects were either in their menopausal stages or above menopause at the time of the research. Some of the data collected during the course of the experiments were age, weight, height, medical history, and smoking status. Other tests such as blood cholesterol, blood sugar level, blood pressure, and thyroxine level in the body system were also carried out. All of the subjects went through an EKG exam. From all the experiments and study, it was evident that most of the subjects had some form of symptom that looked like it was hypothyroidism. Some of them however exhibited only mild symptoms while others exhibited severe signs of hypothyroidism.

Symptoms like dry skin, dry hair, fatigue and lethargy, and the tendency to feel very cold. Those who did not exhibit these symptoms were those who had sufficient thyroxine running in their bodies. Since thyroxine is important in the regulation of normal metabolic processes in people, the reduction of it will generally result in the dysfunction of the body system. The heart which is a vital organ in the body is also responsive to the effects o thyroxine on it. Therefore, when there isn’t enough of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, it affects the normal function of the heart rendering it susceptible to increased cholesterol build up in the arteries which can in turn result in increased heart pressure and ultimately, a cardiac arrest or heart attack.

For more information visit official Thyromine web page!

Everything begins with your consciousness. Everything that happens in your life, and everything that happens in your body, begins with something happening in your consciousness. Your consciousness is who you are, your experience of Being. You decide what ideas to accept and which to reject. You decide what to think, and you decide what to feel. When these decisions leave you with residual stress, you experience the stress as if in your physical body.

We know that stress creates symptoms. The interesting question is, “Which stress creates which symptoms?” When we are able to quantify this process, we are then able to see the body as a map of the person’s consciousness, relating particular symptoms to particular stresses and particular ways of being, in the same way that Type “A” Behavior has been able to be associated with heart disease.

To understand this map, we must first orient ourselves to the idea that the causes of symptoms are within. While it’s true that germs cause disease and accidents cause injuries, it is also true that this happens in accord with what is happening in the consciousness of the person involved.

Germs are everywhere. Why are some people affected and not others? Something different is happening in their consciousness. Why do some patients in hospitals respond better to treatment than others? They have different attitudes. Something different is happening in their consciousness When someone is injured in an “accident,” why is it that a very specific part of the body is affected, and that it is the same part that has had habitual problems? Is that an “accident,” or is there a pattern and an order to the way things happen in our bodies?

Your consciousness, your experience of Being, who you really are, is energy. We can call it “Life Energy” for now. This energy does not just live in your brain; it fills your entire body. Your consciousness is connected to every cell in your body. Through your consciousness, you can communicate with every organ and every tissue, and a number of therapies are based on this communication with the organs which have been affected by some kind of symptom or disorder.

This energy which is your consciousness, and which reflects your state of consciousness, can be measured through the process known as Kirlian photography. When you take a Kirlian photograph of your hand, it shows a certain pattern of energy. If you take a second photograph while imagining that you are sending love and energy to someone you know, there will be a different pattern of energy shown on the Kirlian photograph. Thus, we can see that a change in your consciousness creates a change in the energy field that is being photographed, which we call the aura.

This energy field shown in the Kirlian photographs has been quantified, so that when there are “holes” in particular parts of the energy field, these are said to correspond to particular weaknesses in specific parts of the physical body. The interesting thing about this is that the weakness shows up in the energy field before there is ever any evidence of it on the physical level.

Thus, we have an interesting direction of manifestation shown through what we have described.

1. A change of consciousness creates a change in the energy field.
2. A change in the energy field happens before a change in the physical body.

The direction of manifestation is from the consciousness, through the energy field, to the physical body.

Consciousness———1———>Energy Field——–2———>Physical Body

When we look at things in this way, we see that it is not the physical body creating the energy field, the aura, but rather the aura or energy field that is creating the physical body. What we see as the physical body is the end result of a process that begins with the consciousness.

When someone makes a decision that leaves them with stress, creating a blockage in the energy field with a sufficient degree of intensity, this creates a symptom on the physical level. The symptom speaks a certain language, which reflects the idea that we each create our own reality. When the symptom is described from that point of view, the metaphoric significance of the symptom becomes clear. Thus, instead of saying, “I can’t see,” the person would have to say, “I have been keeping myself from seeing something.” If they cannot walk, they would have to say, “I have been keeping myself from walking away from something.” And so on.

We must understand that there are no accidents and no coincidences. Things do happen according to a pattern and order. We can say that we have an inner guidance system, a connection to our Higher Self, or our Inner Being, or whatever name we choose to give this Higher Intelligence. This inner guidance system functions through what we call our intuition, or our instinct. It speaks a very simple language. Either it feels good, or it doesn’t. All the rest is just politics.

We are told we should move with what feels good, and do not do what doesn’t feel good to us. We are told to trust this inner voice. When we don’t follow this inner voice we feel tension. We feel not-good.

Then, the voice must get louder. The next level of communication is through the emotions. As we move more and more in the direction that feels not-good, we experience more and more emotions that feel not-good, and at some point we can say, “I should have listened to myself when I thought to move in the other direction.” That meant that we heard the inner voice. Otherwise, we could not have said, “I should have listened.” If we make the decision we know is the right one for us, and therefore change direction, there is a release of tension, we feel better, and we know we are again on the right track.

If we continue to move in the direction that feels not-good, the communication reaches the physical level. We create a symptom, and the symptom speaks a language which reflects the idea that we each create our own reality. When we describe the symptom from that point of view, we can understand the message. If we change our way of being, we have received the message, and the symptom has no further reason for being. It is able to be released, according to whatever we allow ourselves to believe is possible.

If we created the symptom with a decision, we are also able to release it with a decision.

As an hypothesis, we can imagine that someone makes a decision that it is not a good idea to express what they want. From that moment, whenever there is something they want, they keep themselves from expressing it, and therefore from having what they want. That feels not-good. The tension grows. They feel more and more not-good as they keep themselves from expressing what they want and not having it.

Eventually, something happens to create a symptom on the physical level, and their right arm is affected. It could have happened through falling from a ladder, or in an automobile accident, or by pinching a nerve in the neck, or by “sleeping in a draft.”

Something had to happen on the physical level to create the symptom, in order to give the person the message on the physical level about what they had been doing to themselves. We do to ourselves literally what we have been doing to ourselves figuratively.

The effect is that the person cannot move their arm. They are keeping themselves from reaching for something, and since it is the right arm, on the “will” side of the body, they are keeping themselves from reaching for or going for what they want. They have been giving themselves reasons to not believe that they could have what they want.

When they begin to do something different in their consciousness, they notice that something different begins to happen with their arm, and the symptom is able to be released.

To understand the map of the consciousness that the body represents, we can turn to some ancient Hindu traditions which have been studying consciousness for thousands of years, and which use the language of the chakras.

Chakra is a sanscrit word, and it means “wheel,” or “vortex,” because that’s what it looks like when we look at it. Each chakra is like a solid ball of energy interpenetrating the physical body, in the same way that a magnetic field can interpenetrate the physical body.

The chakras are not physical. They are aspects of consciousness in the same way that the auras are aspects of consciousness The chakras are more dense than the auras, but not as dense as the physical body, but they interact with the physical body through two major vehicles, the endocrine system and the nervous system. Each of the seven chakras is associated with one of the seven endocrine glands, and also with a particular group of nerves called a plexus. Thus, each chakra can be associated with particular parts of the body and particular functions within the body controlled by that plexus or that endocrine gland associated with that chakra.

Your consciousness, your experience of being, represents everything it is possible for you to experience. All of your senses, all of your perceptions, all of your possible states of awareness, can be divided into seven categories, and each of these categories can be associated with a particular chakra. Thus, the chakras represent not only particular parts of your physical body, but also particular parts of your consciousness. When you feel tension in your consciousness, you feel it in the chakra associated with the part of your consciousness experiencing the stress, and in the parts of the physical body associated with that chakra. Where you feel the stress depends therefore on why you feel the stress. When someone is hurt in a relationship, they feel it in their heart. When someone is nervous, their legs tremble and their bladder becomes weak.

When there is tension in a particular part of your consciousness, and therefore in the chakra associated with that part of your consciousness, the tension is detected by the nerves of the plexus associated with that chakra, and communicated to the parts of the body controlled by that plexus. When the tension continues over a period of time, or reaches a particular degree of intensity, the person creates a symptom on the physical level. Again, the symptom served to communicate to the person through their body what they had been doing to themselves in their consciousness. When the person changes something about their way of being, they are able to release the stress that had been creating the symptom, and they are then able to return to their natural state of balance and health.

When we are reading the body as a map of the consciousness within, we work with the idea that the tensions in the body represent tensions in the person’s consciousness concerning what was happening in the person’s life at the time that the symptom developed. The person was feeling stress about something that was happening in their life at that time.

We are going to examine the map of consciousness that the chakras provide, in order to understand the language of the symptoms that are associated with each chakra. In order to complete this map, however, we also need to look at ourselves as each a polarity of yin and yang, feminine and masculine characteristics.

For most people, their right side is their yang side, their will side, their acting or active side, and the left side is their yin side, their female side, their feeling or adaptive side. For people who were born left-handed, this polarity is reversed. Thus, for a right-handed person, their right leg can be described as their will leg, or their male leg, or the foundation of their will, but for a left-handed person, their left leg would be their male leg or will leg, and so on. Thus, we can talk about the will arm, or the will eye, or the will nostril, etc., and which side it is on will depend upon whether the person is right-handed or left-handed at birth.

Each of the chakras is energy vibrating at a certain frequency, in a logical and orderly sequence of seven vibrations. As we move up the scale, the elements become more and more subtle, moving through the five physical elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, to the spiritual elements of inner sound and inner light. The heaviest element is on the bottom, the lightest on the top. It is a logical and orderly sequence.

The colors of the spectrum also represent a series of seven vibrations in a logical and orderly sequence, as do the notes of the musical scale. Thus, we can put the heaviest vibrations or the longest wavelength on the bottom and the lightest on the top, and a particular color can be used to represent a chakra in its clear state, as can a particular musical note. Music played in a certain key vibrates a particular chakra, and we feel a particular way when we hear that music. Our relationship with a certain color says something about our relationship with the part of our consciousness that the color represents.

The Root Chakra is associated with the parts of our consciousness concerned with security, survival, or trust. For most people, this concerns the parts of their consciousness concerned with money, home, and job. When this chakra is in its clear state, the person is able to feel secure, be present in the here and now, and be grounded. When there is tension in this chakra, it is experienced as insecurity or fear. When there is more tension, it is experienced as a threat to survival.

Parts of the body controlled by the sacral plexus and this chakra include the skeleton system, the legs, and the elimination system. Symptoms in these parts of the body represent, therefore, tensions at the level of the Root Chakra, and we therefore know that the person is seeing the world through a perceptual filter of insecurity or fear. The adrenal glands are also associated with this chakra.

If one leg is affected, we can see whether it is the male leg or the female leg, and thus whether it has something to do with trust in a male or trust in a female. We can also see it as having something to do with trust in the will, or the aspects of trust in the foundations the emotional being, related to what was happening in the person’s life at the time the symptom developed.

The physical sense of smell, and therefore the organ of the sense of smell, the nose, is associated with the Root Chakra. Symptoms at the level of the nose or affecting the sense of smell reflect tensions at the level of the Root Chakra.

Each chakra is associated with an element. The Root Chakra is associated with the element of earth, and reflects something about the person’s association with the earth, or how they feel about being on the earth, which we call Mother Earth. This chakra is also associated with our relationship with our mother. When someone experiences a sense of separation from their mother, or not feeling loved by their mother, they cut off their roots and experience symptoms of tensions at the level of the Root Chakra until they can again open to accept their mother’s love.

When a child comes into the world in the traditional family structure, the mother provides the nourishment and the father provides the direction. Thus, in the child’s relationship with its mother, it makes certain decisions about the way things are. The relationship with the mother thus becomes a model for the person’s relationship with everything that represents security – money, home, and job.

The Root Chakra is associated with the color red.

The Abdominal Chakra is associated with the parts of our consciousness concerned with food and sex – the communication from the body to the person within it, about what the body wants or needs, and what it finds pleasurable. It also is related to what is happening in their consciousness about having children. When this chakra is in its clear state, the person is in touch with this communication, and listening to and responding appropriately to what the body wants and needs.

Parts of the body controlled by the lumbar plexus include the reproductive system and the abdomen, and the lumbar region of the back.

The sense of taste is associated with this chakra, as is the element of water. When someone does not have a clear relationship with water (swimming, for example, or being on a boat), this reflects their attitudes about the parts of their consciousness that this chakra represents.

Tensions on the will side or the emotional side of this chakra indicate tensions in the person’s consciousness as conflicts between either the will or the emotions with what the person’s body is asking for.

This chakra is associated with the sense of taste, and with appetite. It is also involved with the person’s willingness to feel their emotions.

The second chakra is associated with the color orange.

The Solar Plexus Chakra is associated with the parts of our consciousness having to do with perceptions of power, control, or freedom. In its clear state, it represents ease of being, and comfort with what is real for one’s self – being comfortable with who you are.

Parts of the body associated with this chakra include the organs closest to the solar plexus – stomach, gall bladder, spleen, liver, etc. – as well as the skin as a system, the muscular system as a system, and the face in general.

The physical sense associated with this chakra is the sense of sight. Anyone with impaired eyesight experiences tension at the level of their solar plexus chakra about the issues of power, control, or freedom. Nearsighted people also experience tensions at the level of the Root Chakra, and experience the world through a perceptual filter of fear or insecurity. Those who are farsighted experience tension also at the level of the throat chakra, and see the world through a perceptual filter of anger or guilt. Astigmatics see through the emotional perceptual filter of confusion.

The endocrine gland associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra is the pancreas. We can say that diabetics are keeping sweetness from themselves. When someone gets too close with sweetness, they feel threatened in their power to be who they are, and an emotion comes up to create a safe distance again. The emotion is anger. Diabetes is associated with suppressed anger.

The element associated with this chakra is fire, and the person’s relationship with the sun says something about their relationship with the parts of their consciousness associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra.

The color of the Solar Plexus Chakra is yellow.

The Heart Chakra is associated with the parts of the consciousness concerned with relationships and our perceptions of love. The relationships we speak of here are with those people closest to our heart – partners, parents, siblings, children.

The parts of the body associated with this chakra include the heart and lungs, and the blood circulatory system as a system. This chakra is also associated with the thymus gland, which controls the immune system. When this is affected, as with AIDS, the person’s lifestyle separates them from someone they love.

The physical sense associated with this chakra is the sense of touch, in its aspect of relating to the person inside the body. For example, a massage given to someone with no sensitivity to what the person is feeling inside would be an example of the sensation we associate with the Abdominal Chakra, but when the masseur seems to have a sense of what the person inside the body is experiencing, then it includes the aspect of relating we associate with the Heart Chakra. When someone experiences extreme sensitivity about being touched, we would ask what was happening at the level of the Heart Chakra.

This chakra is associated with the element of air. When someone has difficulty with air, with breathing (asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis, etc.), we say that their relationship with air reflects their relationship with love – difficulty letting it in, or letting it out, for example

The color associated with the Heart Chakra is emerald green.

The Throat Chakra is associated with the parts of the consciousness concerned with expressing and receiving. Expressing can be in the form of communicating what one wants and what one feels, or it can be artistic expression, as an artist painting, a dancer dancing, a musician playing music, using a form for expressing and bringing to the outside what was within. Expression is related to receiving, as, “Ask, and ye shall receive.”

The throat chakra is associated with abundance, and with the state of consciousness called, “grace,” where it seems that what you want for you is also what God wants for you. Accepting what the abundant universe offers you requires a sense of unconditionally receiving.

This chakra is also associated with listening to one’s intuition, and flowing in a particular way where it seems that the Universe supports you in all that you do. It is the first level of consciousness from which one perceives another level of intelligence functioning, and one’s interaction with this other level of intelligence.

Parts of the body associated with this chakra include the throat, shoulders, and arms and hands. and the thyroid gland.

The sense of hearing is associated with this chakra, and the element of ether, the most subtle physical element, corresponding to what we find in deep space. The ether is the crossover between the physical and the spiritual dimensions. Someone looking at the world through this chakra watches the manifestation of their goals. The Will Arm represents manifesting what you want, and the Feeling Arm represents manifesting what makes you happy. Hopefully, the two point to the same thing. Blue is the color associated with this chakra.

The Brow Chakra is associated with the parts of the consciousness concerned with the spiritual view, and the home of the Spirit, the Being within. This level of consciousness is associated with what western traditions call the unconscious or subconscious, the part of our consciousness that directs our actions and our life. From this level we are aware of the motivations behind our actions. We can watch our outer theater from an inner point of view.

This chakra is associated with the carotid plexus, and the nerves on each side of the face, and the pituitary gland. Headaches in the temples or center of the forehead are associated with tensions at this level. This chakra controls the entire endocrine system as a system, and the process of growth.

The Brow chakra, also known as the Third Eye, is associated with extra sensory perception (ESP), the set of all inner senses that correspond to the outer senses, which together comprise spirit-to-spirit communication. The element associated with this chakra is a vibration known as the Inner Sound, the sound that one hears in their ears that does not depend upon something in the physical world. Some consider it a pathological condition. In some of the eastern traditions the ability to hear this is considered a necessary prerequisite to further spiritual growth.

The color associated with this chakra is indigo, midnight blue, the color of lapis lazuli, or the color of the night sky during a full moon.

The Crown Chakra is associated with the parts of the consciousness concerned with unity or separation, and just as the Root Chakra showed our connection with Mother Earth, this chakra shows our connection with Our Father, Which Art in Heaven. At first, it is associated with our connection with our biological father. This becomes the model for our relationship with authority, and this becomes the model for our relationship with God. When there is a sense of separation from our biological father, the person closes this chakra, and the effect on the consciousness is a sense of isolation and aloneness, being in a shell, and difficult to make contact with those outside the shell.

The person feels as if they are hiding from God, or hiding from themselves, not seeing what is true for them in the deepest part of their consciousness, the part we call the soul.

This chakra is also associated with a sense of direction.

The parts of the body controlled by this chakra are the pineal gland, the brain, and the entire nervous system as a system.

The color associated with the Crown Chakra is violet, the color of amethyst.

Using The Map
When there is tension in a particular part of the body, this represents a tension in a particular part of the consciousness, about a particular part of the person’s life. Being aware of these associations helps one to see the importance of resolving the tense issues in their life.

If it were only a question of doing what is necessary for the person to be happy, that would be reason enough to motivate the person to want to change something that doesn’t work for them, but here, we see that it is also a matter of health. The issues that are unresolved in a person’s life are, in fact, hazardous to their health.

When we see the correspondences between the consciousness and the body, we see the degree to which we each create our reality. In fact, those words begin to take on a new meaning. We see how everything begins in our consciousness and we are able to look around us at other aspects of our lives in the same way.

When we see how the body carries our the messages and deepest wishes of the Being within the body, we can realize that the process can go in more than one direction. If our consciousness is directing how we develop symptoms, it can also direct how we release these same symptoms. If our consciousness can make our body ill, our consciousness can make our body well.

The logical conclusion of this process is that anything can be healed.

Toothbrushing

What’s the best toothbrush? The brand is not as important as the size and texture of the brush. You should always choose a soft or ultra soft toothbrush with rounded bristle ends. The brush head shouldn’t be too big for your mouth. It is difficult to reach all the places where plaque hides with a large brush. Look for compact sizes, they have smaller brush heads but the handles are for adults. Replace your toothbrush on a regular basis, every two to three months or when you notice the bristles fraying. Toothbrushes with fraying bristles won’t clean as well and they can irritate the gums. Children are likely to wear out toothbrushes more quickly because their brushing strokes are not yet perfected and they have a tendency to chew on the bristles. Parents should keep a close eye on their children’s brushes. Toothbrushes should be allowed to air-dry between uses. If you brush frequently, alternating between toothbrushes is recommend.

How often should you brush?

If you are healthy and free of periodontal disease, two to three times a day should be adequate. In the morning after breakfast and before bed are the most important times to brush. Try to schedule additional brushings around meals. If you have a form of periodontal disease, increased brushing is necessary. I usually recommend a minimum of three times and up to five times per day. Controlling plaque is a tough business. Many of my patients keep a toothbrush at work to make mid-day brushing convenient. The key is to make your routine as uncomplicated as possible. The optimum amount of time to brush is two minutes. Two of your daily tooth-brushings should be for two minutes and supplement with shorter brushing times if necessary. If you time yourself the next time you brush, you might be surprised how quickly you go.

What is the best brushing technique?

Since everyone’s mouth is different, individual instruction given by your dentist or dental hygienist is essential. Unless you use a proper technique, you can brush five times a day and still not get your teeth clean. There are some basic techniques to follow in proper tooth-brushing:
1. Focus your soft bristled toothbrush at the gumline. This is where plaque hides.
2. Begin by placing the bristles of your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle on the outside of your teeth (cheek side) where the gums and teeth meet.
3. Move the brush in a circular motion brushing two to three teeth at a time.
4. Use light pressure so the bristles glide gently between the teeth.
5. The same method is used on the inside (tongue side) surfaces of the back teeth.
6. To brush the inside of the front teeth, hold the brush vertically using a back-and-forth motion.
7. Then move to the biting surfaces using the same back-and-forth motion.
8. Finish by brushing your tongue.
9. Bacteria that forms on your tongue, especially on the base (back), can cause mouth odor. Start at the tip and work your way back down the middle, then each side. Special tongue cleaning devices are sold, but your brush is adequate.
Parents will need to assist their children until they are about five years old. Their small motor skills are still developing and it is impossible for them to be effective alone. I recommend that children be allowed to brush alone first, then parents should brush them gain.

Flossing

Is flossing really necessary? In a word—yes. Periodontal disease in adults starts primarily between the teeth. Plaque forms mainly at the gumline (where the teeth and gums meet) and in between the teeth. Brushing takes care of the gumline and flossing reaches between the teeth. Think of it this way: There are five sides to each tooth. When you brush, only three are cleaned (top, outside, and inside). That means the surfaces on the sides (between) of the teeth are untouched. The plaque has a protected environment, free to damage the teeth, gums and bone. There is no real substitute for flossing. Floss reaches below the gumline into the pocket area where plaque bacteria multiplies and toxins are produced. Daily flossing is required to hinder calculus formation, which leads to future breakdown. There are other dental tools that can be used to clean between teeth but floss is the only one that can remove plaque below the gumline. Children can be expected to start flossing for themselves, around age eight. Until then, parents need to floss for them. Guidance from your hygienist on how to floss your child’s teeth is advisable. The trick is to start early.

Which floss is the best?

There are dozens of flosses on the market, waxed, unwaxed, flat, round string, ribbon, textured, spongy, flavored, fluoridated, etc. According to a recent study from Ohio State University-Columbus, there aren’t significant differences between flosses. The primary issue is comfort and ease of use for the flosser. In my opinion, a flat, waxed floss is preferred because it is less likely that the gum tissue will be cut. For my patients who have wider spaces between their teeth, I recommend the textured or woven flosses. You can get a floss recommendation from your own hygienist, and once you’ve tried a few different types, I’m sure you’ll find a favorite. Flossing aids are very popular. They simplify hold the floss. They are especially useful for people who have trouble flossing with their fingers. I prefer the disposable floss holders that have the floss already attached. They are available in bright colors and smaller sizes for children.

What’s the best time to floss?

The ideal time to floss is before bed. As stated before, it is imperative that your mouth is clean before sleep because the levels of bacteria in the mouth rise during sleep. I encourage my patients with periodontal disease to floss at night to gain the greatest benefit. But if your teeth are relatively healthy, you can be flexible about when you floss. You don’t even have to floss at the same time as you brush. The important thing to remember is that you should floss once within a 24-hour period. Remember, plaque will start to calcify and form calculus within that time frame.

How do you floss?

Proper flossing is a skill that takes time and practice to master. You will need perseverance and patience if you are just beginning, but the end result is worth the effort. If you have never flossed before, it will probably take about two weeks of daily practice to get the hang of it. Make the commitment to yourself to try flossing at least once a day for two weeks. If you are having trouble with a particular area, don’t give up on the rest of your teeth. At your next dental appointment, tell your hygienist where you are having trouble. She may have a flossing tool to recommend. I encourage patients to call me during office hours if they have any questions or concerns regarding their oral hygiene. The dental staff at your office is there to assist you, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Flossing technique

While flossing, keep in mind that you are not cleaning the space between the teeth or the gum. You are cleaning the tooth itself. The floss should hug the tooth when being inserted. Use a back and forth motion to guide the floss down the tooth. When you feel a slight resistance, stop, and slide the floss in an up-and-down motion to clean the tooth. The floss should always be in contact with the tooth surface. Notice how the gum tissue fills in the space between the teeth. If you pop the floss straight down, you will hit the gum, causing injury and pain.

Choosing Oral Hygiene Products

We have already discussed how to select a manual toothbrush and dental floss, but there are numerous other products that might be useful. Walking down the dental supply aisle at your favorite store shouldn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed. A good starting point is to look for the ADA Seal of Approval. This is not a guarantee that the product will work, but at least you are assured it won’t harm you. I have listed the products most asked about by my patients.

Anti-plaque rinses

Most mouth rinses will change the bacterial level in your mouth. Even rinsing with water will have a benefit to some degree. The majority of rinses contain a percentage of alcohol. Sometimes, these rinses can cause a burning feeling, but for the most part the burning is harmless. There are times when rinses that contain alcohol should be limited. If you are pregnant, or if you suffer from limited saliva flow (dry mouth), then it would be beneficial to use a non-alcohol-based rinse. In my opinion, it is better to use rinses after flossing and brushing, not before. A good antimicrobial rinse (Listerine) used daily can help control early gum disease. Your dentist may recommend a prescription mouth rinse in cases of acute or advanced periodontal disease. They are only used as an adjunct to periodontal treatment and good brushing and flossing. Keep in mind, rinsing will not remove bacterial plaque.

Automatic toothbrushes

Using an automatic toothbrush can give you an advantage in your war on bacterial plaque. They are easy to use and are sold everywhere. Most of them have a two-minute timer (the optimum amount of time). The handles are easy to hold, especially for those affected by arthritis or diseases that limit motor skills. The cleansing action is greater overall and anyone can benefit, especially the lazy brusher. Sonic brushes are the latest to appear on the market. I have seen the greatest improvement in the oral hygiene of patients who use a sonic brush. They are generally more expensive, but the results are worth it.

Take care with medications

If you are medicated (taking antibiotics) before dental treatment, then these brushes might not be for you. It is imperative that you check with your physician, cardiologist or orthopedist before using any automatic toothbrush.

For kids with braces

Parents, if your children have braces, do them a favor and buy them an automatic toothbrush. You can’t imagine how difficult it is to adequately clean teeth with braces using a manual toothbrush.

Oral irrigation

Water piks have come into favor again after years of sitting under the sink. The new models are compact and easy to use. Some units come with attachments (Pik Pocket) that make flushing the periodontal pockets feasible. You can get rid of food debris in hard-to-reach areas (around and under bridges, orthodontic braces), but water piks will not remove plaque. They should only be used in conjunction with brushing and flossing. I have seen a decrease in bleeding gums in patients who use an oral irrigator regularly. Again, if you need to be premedicated before dental visits, consult with your physician before using these products.

Toothpastes

Like mouth rinses, there isn’t much difference between pastes in their effectiveness. Paste or gel is a personal preference. Gels are preferred when using an automatic toothbrush, to reduce splattering and foam. The main question should be: Does it contain fluoride?

Tartar-control pastes

Tartar-control toothpastes are very popular and are billed as pastes that will reduce calculus (tartar) formation. The fact is, they will reduce calculus, but only above the gumline. Calculus that forms above the gumline is strictly cosmetic. Tartar-control pastes do not affect calculus formation below the gumline where gum disease starts. Therefore, they have not been proven to reduce gingivitis.

Tooth-whitening pastes

Tooth-whitening pastes in general have little lasting effect on the teeth. I have never seen anyone’s teeth get whiter using an over-the-counter tooth-whitening product. Stain reduction is possible, but any paste can achieve this with good brushing. Due to the added chemicals in tartar-control and whitening pastes, some of my patients have experienced increased sensitivity in their teeth and/or gums. For this reason, I do not recommend these products to my patients.

Desensitizing toothpastes

Desensitizing toothpastes can be helpful in decreasing root sensitivity, but the relief is usually temporary. The active ingredient varies in the different pastes. So if one paste doesn’t work, it might be worth trying another brand. It could take up to several weeks before you will know if the paste is working. Read the label and follow the instructions to gain the maximum benefit.

Fluoride

Fluoride toothpastes and mouth rinses, used in conjunction with brushing and flossing, can reduce tooth decay as much as 40 percent. Regular fluoride use can also help desensitize and prevent decay on root surfaces in adults. In cases of excessive decay and extreme sensitivity, your dentist may write a prescription for a toothpaste that contains a higher dosage of fluoride. Children who receive fluoride from many sources (vitamins, water, foods, rinses, and toothpastes) should be monitored to avoid fluoride overdosing. Only a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste is necessary for any child.

Interproximal toothbrushes

Interproximal toothbrushes are tiny brushes that clean between your teeth. The brushes come in various shapes and sizes that can be attached to a handle. As the brushes wear out they can be replaced. Some disposable pocket versions come with the brushes attached. These are great tools, and valuable in removing plaque and food from wide spaces between the teeth. Still, they do not replace flossing. These brushes should only be used in areas where they easily fit between the teeth. Applying force could lead to trauma to the gum and tooth. Toothpicks should be avoided. Since they are made of wood, they can break and become lodged under the gum causing pain and trauma. Sometimes it takes a trip to the dentist to remove them.

Rubber tips

Rubber tips are used to massage and stimulate the gums. They can be useful in decreasing red swollen gums. Rubber tips can sometimes be found on the end of your toothbrush or they are sold separately. Place the tip gently against the gums between the teeth and massage. Only use a light pressure, just enough to see the gum tissue blanch.

See Your Dentist Regularly

Even with good daily brushing and flossing, it is difficult to remove all the bacterial plaque that leads to calculus. Hardened calculus must be removed by your dentist or hygienist on a regular basis to help prevent gum disease. How often you need to have your teeth professionally cleaned depends on how long you can stay healthy between visits. If you have a normal level of health, six months is the suggested length of time between visits. Your dentist/hygienist may vary the interval from time to time to suit your needs. People with periodontal disease will need shorter intervals, three to four months, indefinitely. Others may temporarily need closer visits (like
pregnant women, patients with braces, and lazy brushers/flossers). Controlling periodontal disease is not only important to your teeth, it is important for your overall health. New research indicates there is a link between gum disease and certain heart disease. Additionally, doctors are currently researching a potential link between gum disease in pregnant women and low-birth-weight babies.

Conclusion

It is necessary to take an active role in your dental health, and your dentist/hygienist can assist you in keeping a healthy mouth. Fighting bacterial plaque with good oral hygiene is an integral part in keeping your teeth for a lifetime. An appealing and healthy smile is a great asset. A smile can communicate ideas and feelings. It can build your confidence in business and social situations. Good digestion depends on strong healthy teeth to chew food effectively. If you have loose or missing teeth, your health could be compromised by a limited diet and insufficient digestion. A clean mouth will have fewer dental problems, and your dental work will last longer and look better. The need for new treatment and painful emergency situations will decrease. All this will save you time and money at the dentist’s office.

So stay healthy and keep smiling!