Pain is something which remains quite mysterious in science as it is quite common for people to experience pain with no known cause. It is a signal to us that something is wrong and without it we are in grave danger. Most of the time it is clear what the cause is; such as injury but often it is not. Fear is often experienced as an emotional response to pain; either fear of the unknown but also fear of the known.
Fear of the unknown is a basic feeling we remember from our history as man. This impacts on our adrenals and so pain can lead to lethargy when we experience the low following an adrenaline boost or (if long-term) we deplete our adrenaline supplies. Sometimes pain can become less severe when a diagnosis can be given as it is no longer associated with the emotion of fear. However, there can also be fear of the known in patients such as those with arthritis where the pain is chronic. In this case knowing that something will cause you pain causes fear and also avoidance. This can mean that people that might improve by activity do not do so because of the pain.
In our modern society pain is seen as inconvenient and unpleasant. Aches are shunned as signs of an underlying pathology in favour of popping a few paracetomols. This encourages disconnection between the mind and body and is in contradiction with wholism. Similarly in hospitals pain killers are often prescribed without consulting the patient what so ever as it is assumed that they are wanted by each individual. Pressure may be put upon you to take what has been prescribed as though it is a binding contract. As pain is an important signal to us that we need to give our body attention and investigate the cause it can be dangerous to simply take things which stop that signal as improvements are more difficult to monitor.
A common cause of abdominal pain which is medicated regularly with pain killers is period pain. Presently, period pain is common and often thought of as a normal part of the period. For this reason, and others, periods are often viewed as an inconvenience and unpleasant. Although cramping pain is usual as the uterus contracts 50% of women experience dysmenorrhoea (severe period pain) and 10% experience pain which leave them bed bound for 1-3 days every month. If the pain is not caused by an organic pathology one has to wonder what the pain is signalling.
It is possible that the pain is a signal that we should pay attention to wherever the pain is coming from; in this case, the womb. This could indicate psychological issues with the womb, but considering the high incidence rates it is quite logical to assume the problem is one found in society rather than individuals. It would be interesting to see what the incidence of dysmenorrhoea was when periods were still respected and revered and seen as a powerful time for a woman. Perhaps, the pain we experience now is due to our patriarchal society which does not have time for female bodily functions and as we ignore the power of our wombs our bodies respond by causing pain and bring our attention back to them.
Here's an idea for the theory: Respect your womb. Take some time out when you have your period and see whether it eradicates your period pain. Remember it's not what you do but how you do it; with respect and reverence. xx
Friday, 26 March 2010
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Spring Equinox
Happy Spring everyone!
Today is the first day where night and day are of equal length this year. This means of course that summer is coming. It is officially spring; daffodils are showing their heads as are the snow drops. Spring seems to have been late coming this year but thankfully it is here now, in force! The sudden change in temperature has been a bit of a shock but one very welcome.
Spring is a time of renewal and new beginnings. Sometimes it is referred to as the quickening and it often feels as though the pace of life has suddenly kicked up a notch during this time. As the days get longer we find ourselves waking earlier with the sun and feeling more enthusiastic about getting out of it.
The Spring equinox is a time to cleanse (the spring clean is traditional) our old ways in order to make room for the new patterns. You may wish to take a cleansing bath or burn paper with old problems on them. Either way this is a celebration of cleansing. Personally I tidied my room today then smudged it with a sage stick. I also made a huge pile of Easter (Ostara) cup cakes with lemon (another cleansing agent) and infused them with creativity. I also kept the eggs with which i made the cakes (i blew the yolk out a hole) in order to decorate. If you do nothing else, go for a walk and try to notice spring everywhere you look, all you have to do is notice it and you will feel the creative energy rising!
Today is the first day where night and day are of equal length this year. This means of course that summer is coming. It is officially spring; daffodils are showing their heads as are the snow drops. Spring seems to have been late coming this year but thankfully it is here now, in force! The sudden change in temperature has been a bit of a shock but one very welcome.
Spring is a time of renewal and new beginnings. Sometimes it is referred to as the quickening and it often feels as though the pace of life has suddenly kicked up a notch during this time. As the days get longer we find ourselves waking earlier with the sun and feeling more enthusiastic about getting out of it.
The Spring equinox is a time to cleanse (the spring clean is traditional) our old ways in order to make room for the new patterns. You may wish to take a cleansing bath or burn paper with old problems on them. Either way this is a celebration of cleansing. Personally I tidied my room today then smudged it with a sage stick. I also made a huge pile of Easter (Ostara) cup cakes with lemon (another cleansing agent) and infused them with creativity. I also kept the eggs with which i made the cakes (i blew the yolk out a hole) in order to decorate. If you do nothing else, go for a walk and try to notice spring everywhere you look, all you have to do is notice it and you will feel the creative energy rising!
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Herbs vs. Drugs
This is an account of personal opinion it should not be taken as gospel
Drugs evolved as our scientific knowledge has grown over the years. With our knowledge of science (more specifically chemistry) we have become capable of separating a substance into its active constituents. The main benefit of this is we are able to test the substance reliably using randomised controlled trials. It is no secret that drugs have side effects. This is something which is a recognised and (for some reason) accepted bad point to using drugs. The BNF.org lists each drug, what it does and its side effects and contraindications should you be interested in finding out more. Why these side effects occur is yet to be discovered but there is a theory which says that we cannot process these pure substances very well because our bodies have not evolved to handle such things.
For this reason, sweeping statements that natural remedies are safer alternatives are made. Personally, I do not believe all natural remedies are safer, some are quite toxic. However, I do believe our bodies are better at dealing with these toxins as we have dealt with them in our past (in evolutionary terms).
Drugs are not all bad, some are life saving and this should not be taken for granted. Although herbs work instantly I would not want to use them in an emergency situation because of the variation of response between individuals. They can be highly effective in first aid but I would not take the chance when it comes to life or death situations. Drugs are useful because of their reliability and the quickness with which they work. However, it is my experience that drugs given in hospital situations such as pain killers are not always necessary and are often handed out with little transparency and little choice to the individual.
This is simply one example of how our current health care system takes the control from the patient and puts it into the doctor giving patients an ever increasing feeling of helplessness. My aim as a herbalist and person is to return the empowerment to the patient, to educate them on their health so they can make informed decisions.
I believe that herbs are better because of their complexity. The mystery about synergy and how chemicals work together to create a substance the body is more familiar with makes herbs all the more interesting to me. These are the same reasons a scientist would discredit herbal medicine. However, I believe the complexity and synergy are the most important parts therefore; when scientific evidence warns against the use of a herb because of one constituent it contains I take it with a very large pinch of salt. These research papers may be reliable but they are not particularly valid to a practicing herbalist as we take into account individual variations between people and also the synergy of a natural plant.
Let us never forget that our drugs were made from plants and to plants we will return!
Drugs evolved as our scientific knowledge has grown over the years. With our knowledge of science (more specifically chemistry) we have become capable of separating a substance into its active constituents. The main benefit of this is we are able to test the substance reliably using randomised controlled trials. It is no secret that drugs have side effects. This is something which is a recognised and (for some reason) accepted bad point to using drugs. The BNF.org lists each drug, what it does and its side effects and contraindications should you be interested in finding out more. Why these side effects occur is yet to be discovered but there is a theory which says that we cannot process these pure substances very well because our bodies have not evolved to handle such things.
For this reason, sweeping statements that natural remedies are safer alternatives are made. Personally, I do not believe all natural remedies are safer, some are quite toxic. However, I do believe our bodies are better at dealing with these toxins as we have dealt with them in our past (in evolutionary terms).
Drugs are not all bad, some are life saving and this should not be taken for granted. Although herbs work instantly I would not want to use them in an emergency situation because of the variation of response between individuals. They can be highly effective in first aid but I would not take the chance when it comes to life or death situations. Drugs are useful because of their reliability and the quickness with which they work. However, it is my experience that drugs given in hospital situations such as pain killers are not always necessary and are often handed out with little transparency and little choice to the individual.
This is simply one example of how our current health care system takes the control from the patient and puts it into the doctor giving patients an ever increasing feeling of helplessness. My aim as a herbalist and person is to return the empowerment to the patient, to educate them on their health so they can make informed decisions.
I believe that herbs are better because of their complexity. The mystery about synergy and how chemicals work together to create a substance the body is more familiar with makes herbs all the more interesting to me. These are the same reasons a scientist would discredit herbal medicine. However, I believe the complexity and synergy are the most important parts therefore; when scientific evidence warns against the use of a herb because of one constituent it contains I take it with a very large pinch of salt. These research papers may be reliable but they are not particularly valid to a practicing herbalist as we take into account individual variations between people and also the synergy of a natural plant.
Let us never forget that our drugs were made from plants and to plants we will return!
My First Blog
It's a beautiful spring morning and I've been working on my dissertation. It is so beautiful outside and every day I see a clear sky and the sun out I'm filled with hope about the coming summer. Spring seems slow to start this year. It is still bitterly cold outside and I have yet to notice much budding although the spring bulbs are out. The garden could use a bit of a tidy but these things are so low on the agenda of a final year degree student I doubt it will get done this year. Not to mention our lack of gardening tools! Lincoln is so beautiful and I will miss it; but, onwards and upwards.
I met with Rachel Burr yesterday to discuss my future as a herbalist in her clinic at HeathcoatStreet. It is a beautiful place just off Lace Market in Nottingham and has so much potential! It's only just starting out though and there is much to do. Lots of ideas, not enough time to do them.
I'd better get back to the dissertation or else Alison will have my guts for garters.
I met with Rachel Burr yesterday to discuss my future as a herbalist in her clinic at HeathcoatStreet. It is a beautiful place just off Lace Market in Nottingham and has so much potential! It's only just starting out though and there is much to do. Lots of ideas, not enough time to do them.
I'd better get back to the dissertation or else Alison will have my guts for garters.
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