Health and Meditation Corner

Pulsing beings

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:55:00 +0000

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Right after early am circle walking around my faithful companion, a young silver birch tree, and with the grass still humid after last night's rain, I stood there in wuji stance for few minutes with the purpose of coolind down, and suddenly I saw myself as a pulsing being of light, with a large pearl in the same location as my third eye emanting a golden radiance.

I didn't have the feeling of having a body and a mind or anything else but pure energy; from that very moment I realised the powerful bondage of the mind acting as a blocking mechanism in our eternal journey to spiritual liberation.

We truly are prisoners of our own minds; ghosts of our real selves; we recreate the everyday conditioned reality since the very moment of our birth and this goes one forever with every single lifetime as a result of repetitive karmic actions determined by greed, hatred and delusion. However, subtle-energy and spiritual practices such as baguazhang, vipassana or Sufi whirling will help us raise our normal conscious state free from the conditioning of the ego-mind and those conditions. In that instant like a powerful flash, I experienced the core of my eternal existence: a vibrating spirit with no-self in the middle of nowhere even though I was located at a public park in suburban Brisbane.

Spiritual traditions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Sufism, Hinduism and Taoism call this ultimate state Nirvana, Heaven, Moksha or returning to the Tao, giving the illusion that is a place to go. But the reality is far from the written word as this sublime state resides within each of us and we all are given the opportunity to peel off layers of mind to reveal that inner pure and immutable core.

My advice is to start acting now because death is an unworkable matter that occurs at any time unlike life, which is a long slow process with numerous ups and downs with no guarantees of success, yet every bit of work you do in relation to spiritual cultivation does counts toward the final goal.

In the meantime, enjoy the ride!

Boost your spiritual progress

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:07:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Jonathan Stacey Images

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There are three factors that will enable us boost our spiritual practice and promote higher states of consciousness:

1. Earth dynamics.
2. Man-made structures built around sacred sites.
3. Influences caused by the collected power of focused human intention.

By Earth dynamics I am referring to the energetic system of the Earth itself as a giant organism (Gaia) with a vast meridian system that has nodes or active points where energy vibrates at a higher level. These points are called "power spots" and examples of such locations are Uluru rock in Australia, Mt Fuji in Japan, Machu Picchu in Peru and Mt Kailash in Tibet. There are also mini power spots and you can find them in your own location, just read the natural environment in order to find them as Earth's energy vibrates there at a higher level compared to the surroundings. Generally speaking mountains are rich in yang energy whereas water pools, streams and springs are powerful yin features.

On the other hand, humans have built sites for millennia in specific locations (churches, temples, mosques, pyramids, etc) and applied specific sacred geometric symbols that mimicked the mathematically repeating patterns of nature and encoded them in the architecture they created at the sacred sites in order to generate specific fields of energy and influence in human consciousness.

The concentrated power of human intention has a close relationship with the Earth, which itself has the ability to record the energy and intention of humans who have visited a sacred site or a power location and interacted at these points for the solely purpose of energy work or spiritual cultivation. Monks, nuns and pilgrims with their moving, dancing, chanting and praying for thousands of years in temples, monasteries and shrines have continuously charged the fields with love and compassion, healing and divinity. These sites have become strong magnetic points which not only have helped to raise the conscious level of our planet but also acted as archives of the spiritual goals and accomplishments of mankind.

I have attended retreats at Buddhist monasteries in Taiwan and Thailand and highly recommend to anyone involved in the spiritual path to attend retreats at these locations, or alternatively make pilgrimages to Earth's power spots and sacred sites in order to attain higher states of consciousness. These energetic sites have the mysterious ability to awaken and reafirm within us wisdom, peace of mind, respect for our planet and compassionate love to all sentient beings. In our current tumultuous times, a renewed interaction with the Earth at that level can help in the transformation of human consciousness and therefore healing of the Earth. As Gautama Buddha once taught:

"Everything is interconnected. Everything affects everything else. Everything that is, is because other things are."

Interactive acupunture chart

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:58:00 +0000

You can view the different meridian lines and points in the above interactive map.

The codes used are the following:

Code Meridian

LU Lung
UB Urinary Bladder
HT Heart
SP Spleen
LIV Liver
KI Kidney
ST Stomach
PC Pericardium
SJ San Jiao (Triple Burner)
LI Large Intestine
SI Small Intestine
GB Gall Bladder
CV Ren Mai (Conception Vessel)
GV Du Mai (Governing Vessel)

More on liver health

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:15:00 +0000

A research article published on March 14, 2008, in the World Journal of Gastroenterology states that the prevalence of gallstones in adults of industrialised countries is approximately 10% and is showing a tendency to rise. Data for pediatric patients is scarce. According to their results, idiopathic gallstone disease and complicated disease presentation were much more frequent than expected from previous studies, and it presented as complicated disease in 58% of patients, especially in adolescent girls.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105946.php

There are several methods used to flush liver and gallbladder of gallstones and other impurities. This method requires the use of:

1. Malic acid
2. Epsom salts
3. Extra virgin olive oil
4. Fresh citrus juice (lemon and grapefruit)

The cleanse is carried over a period of 7 days, in which the first 6 days we soften the gallstones and expand the bile ducts, and in the last day the liver and gallbladder's impurities are flushed out.

Here is a photo of what was released after the 4th and 5th flushes out of a 6 flush treatment (yes, it takes time to remove all the gallstones produced as a result of half a lifetime living in post-industrial society):

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Days 1 to 6: Take one tablet of malic acid three times a day. Morning, midday and evening are good times.

On the evening of day 6 and after taking your last malic acid tablet:

1. Take one tbsp of epsom salts dissolved in cold water.

Two hours later

2. Take one tbsp of epsom salts dissolved in cold water.

Two hours later

3. Mix 1/2 cup of extra virgin oil with 1/2 cup of citrus juice of your choice (lemon and red grapefruit are the best choices).

Go to bed straight away. Rest for 8 hours.

Day 7:

1. Take one tbsp of epsom salts dissolved in cold water.

You would have started going to the toilet for your first or second evacuation already. Expect to release a good amount of bile and gallstones; however, small gallstones are the one most commonly flushed in the first 2-3 cleanses, after that you'll be removin larger gallstones.

WARNING:

1. Make sure you are able to TOLERATE THE INTAKE OF EPSOM SALTS before you attempt to consume 3 tablespoons.

2. People unable to tolerate the intake of epsom salts may suffer negative reaction, even death.

3. DO NOT MODIFY ANY OF THE QUANTITIES DISCUSSED IN THIS POST WITH REGARD TO THE INTAKE OF EPSOM SALTS OR YOU CAN SUFFER FROM ILL-HEALTH OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO MAGNESIUM TOXICITY. One tablespoon of Epsom salt contains approximately 35 g of magnesium sulfate, which is 3.4 g (287 mEq) of elemental magnesium. This is a considerable amount, considering that the recommended daily allowance for an adult is only 300 to 400 mg per day.

I have never experienced any issues with the intake of "epsom salts" but remember that is you and not me who will perform a liver cleanse.

After each flush, I recommend taking the following concoction to heal and nourish the liver:

1. Finely grated linseed/flaxseed (2 tbsp)
2. Finely grated milk thistle (1 tbsp)
3. Finely grated dandelion root (1 tbsp)
4. Finely grated dandelion leaves (1 tbsp) to support kidney function as liver and kidneys are correlated with each other both in physiology and pathology.
5. Juice of one large lemon or two small ones
6. Three ice cubes
7. 250 mL of purified water

Blend them all up and drink slowly.

One final word: Do no expect to remove all gallstones in one single flush since the large ones will be either calcified and/or sitting at the posterior side of the liver. Some people have removed all gallstones in 10 flushes, others required up to 30 for total success. I recommend a minimum of 15 to be safe and from there see how the liver feels.

Good luck and happy liver!

Deviations from spiritual practice

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:41:00 +0000

Performing incorrectly internal energy work can result in what is known as "Kundalini and Qigong Deviation Syndrome." Besides energy work will bring up the symptoms of any preexisting psychological conditions; therefore it is essential to perform a screening test on any aspiring students for mental disorders. When I attended a retreat last year at a Theravada Buddhist centre in northern Thailand, I was required to fill out a health questionnaire which is reasonable since many aspiring practitioners who attend these kind of retreats arrive concealing serious emotional problems, which makes them unable to understand the technique or to apply it properly to achieve the desired results, and as a result they experience mental deviations.

We can approach this problem by examining Qi disturbances in its normal flow caused by the toxicity of the internal organs resulting from modern lifestyle habits. This problem is compounded by the fact that excessive mental activity will lead the flow of the vital energy to the head instead of being kept in the energetic centre of the abdomen (lower tantien in Taoist terminology); this will produce what is called "Kundalini syndrome" which can be identified with the development of mental disorders (yang-fire rising to the head).

Common symptoms are the following:

1. Anxiety
2. Nervousness
3. Depression
4. Seriously ill patients cannot control their own behavior.
5. Some patients are found to have hallucination or delusion, and some even have the impulse of committing suicide.

At the very first sign of Kundalini or Qigong disease, the practitioner should stop doing Qigong for a period of time and then their practice should be immediately monitored, assessed, and modified by a competent teacher. If symptoms persist, both acupuncture and herbal medicine can be used to treat these conditions.

Aside from these initial measures, there are also certain rules that must be followed in our daily routine:

1. Take it easy with your practice and enjoy all aspects of life, not only this one. Balance is the key to success.

2. Do no meditate for many hours a day if you are a lay practitioner living a normal life in society. There is no need to go overboard if you belong to this category.

3. Gow slow and never rush through it. Spiritual development requires years of steady practice without becoming obsessed about it. Following a normal and peaceful life is a must since purification of mind and body and suppression of erratic emotions are intrinsic factors of spiritual development.

4. Do not indulge in arousing of any particular chakra.

5. Do not engage in any obsessive dieting methods and supression of sleep.

6. Specific breathing exercises like pranayama, anuloma viloma, etc. should not be undertaken without expert guidance.

7. Make sure you combine static meditation methods with regular physical activity to avoid internal energy (Qi) stagnation or its pooling in the head.

I have come across authors who make the following claims:

"The arising of various mental disturbances or deviations are not a sign of madness, but rather a normal reaction during the qigong healing stage when potential diseases appear and old diseases re-emerge. A subsequent condition of intense pressure is experienced when the real Qi in our body tries to push through the three major gateways on the meridian. This accounts for the various somatic stresses one may feel: swelling at the cerebellum, loud echoes in the ear, swelling and pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms. At the onset of these feelings, one should increase one’s internal energy practice: use your eyes to see through the "Baihui"(1) point to help the Qi pass through these major gateways. In light of these recent instances of misunderstanding, one without the benefit of a knowledgeable and experienced teacher may be inclined to reach the false conclusion that any disturbance is a prelude to madness or deviation. The unfortunate end result then would be that the person who most requires qigong practice would discontinue it, and for no better reason than fear and worry."

Well I found this statement quite drastic for the reasons I just mentioned before. Personally, I would rather play safe and have a teacher who can closely gauge and fine-tune my practice when those difficulties arise than having to experience them alone and in an unsupervised environment.

(1)

Standing meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

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This meditation system has been practiced from time immemorial in human civilization but the Chinese system developed it into a very detailed and identifiable method. The practice itself is quite straight forward: one must stand in one spot without moving as long as possible. Well, as simple as it sounds there is much more to it. Firstly, it is vital following two of the most important points of the practice: central equilibrium and sung (relaxation). Secondly, the inner aspects of the practice which will unveil the secrets of the universe and the flow of the vital energy in our psychic channels. Third, the role of the mind in this particular meditation method.

There are many variations of performing standing meditation but regardless of the posture one has chosen to practice, relaxation (sung) is the common element to all of them and to the method itself. In addition, practicing in a natural environment and at higher altitudes will definitively boost the effects of the exercise. If you can practice next to an old tree as they are old souls and their Qi is of a very pure, filtered quality. Certain types of trees have an association with a particular colour according to the Five Elements (Wu Xing); therefore the colour of their Qi has a direct relationship with one of the five organs of the human body (kidney, spleen, heart, liver and lung)(1).

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Important aspects of the practice:

1. Preparation

Stand in the Wu Ji posture:

#Stand comfortably with your feet shoulder width apart.

#Make sure your toes are pointed straight ahead.

#There is a gentle, relaxed bend to the knees and they tend to push lightly outwards as opposed to collapsing inwards.

#The pelvis is tucked slightly forward so the lower spine is straight.

#The shoulders are loose and relaxed, not raised up, hands hang loosely at the sides.

#The head is held up as if suspended by a string and at the same time make sure the chin is slightly tucked in.

#Breathing is done through the nostrils and is slow, soft, and deep (breathe into your kidneys and exhale through mouth). Also imagine the breath as "white thin silk." Never force or rush through this step as it is the most important of all.

#Eyes closed or Yin & Yang eyes (partially open) but without focusing on anything.

2. Execution:

#Follow your breath with your mind, feeling where it goes inside of you.

#Slowly scan your body from head to feet looking for any tension or discomfort. If any is found, use the mind to gently guide the breath there and as you exhale, imagine the tension flowing down and releasing into the Earth, dispersing.

#From this point on onwards, it is best to focus on your breathing (Buddhist anapanasati meditation) rather than focusing on specific energy centers or doing any sort of visualization work because these methods sooner or later will lead to a tense state since we are expected to achieve something tangible or set ourselves to a specific goal. Here the mind has a strong play; so to avoid problems, it is better to focus in our breathing - and in the same way working on achieving a fully relaxed state-, as breath awareness allows one to be anchored in the present moment and prevent thoughts about the past and future from rising.

#Start standing for a minimum of 5 mins (or less if you feel discomfort) and build slowly the standing time for a period of several weeks until you can stand for a minimum of 30 mins. Some people will need to stand longer to get the full benefits of the exercise, others find that standing for 10 mins is enough. It is better standing for 10 minutes while one is completely relaxed and peaceful than two hours with excruciating pain and looking forward to finish the exercise. In this last case the only achievement will be the development of a condition called scattered Qi, which I don't recommend to anyone.

3. Closing off:

#Bring the focus of your mind back to the lower dantian (point that is located about three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel). Imagine a warm flow of energy filling this center.

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#Finish by sending down into the Earth and through the Kidney 1 point of your feet (yongquan in Chinese) which are located on the soles, at the indentation near the front part, between the 2nd and 3rd toes in line with the heel.

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Note:

1. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the organs are not exactly equivalent to the anatomical structures defined in western medicine; they refer to the energies associated with the organs.

Liver health

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:53:00 +0000

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The liver is our body's most important organ after the heart, performing many
important functions including metabolism, detoxification, and formation of
important compounds including blood clotting factors. It also filters, regulates, and stores blood. Stress, poor diet, and over-medication are common problems in our
"civilized" lifestyle. These may lead to stress and functional damage to the liver.

As a result, "sluggish" liver has become a common ailment. It may affect memory, sleep, thyroid, body weight, and other body functions (namely tendon and joint elasticity).

Both estrogen and androgen stimulate cell division. Elevated levels of these hormones may lead to abnormal cell growth such as womens' uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, breast cysts, and breast cancer or mens' prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Since the liver is the principal organ which removes these hormones, its failure to remove them efficiently often leads to their accumulation in the body and is a major cause of the above diseases.

It has been known for thousands of years in China that liver problems are the source of many ailments. However, hormonal imbalances are still little understood in Chinese medicine. As a result, most womens' problems are treated for blood and energy stagnation. "Blood moving" herbs such as Don Quei, licorice, and ginseng are frequently used for reducing stagnation and stimulating circulation without realizing their effect on estrogen levels. These herbs may initially help improve circulation, but the elevated estrogen levels can eventually make the problem worse.

Liver functions

The liver is the most important organ after the heart. It performs hundreds of functions including:

1. Circulation: transfer of blood from portal to systemic circulation, activity of the liver's reticulo-endothelial system (kupffer cells) in the immune system. The liver stores and regulates the blood and is responsible for nourishing every cell in our body. Every part of the body depends on blood from the liver for nourishment and sustenance.

2. Excretion: formation and secretion of bile for digestion and cleansing of blood; removal of ammonia from blood; excretion of substances filtered from the blood by the liver such as heavy metals or dyes.

3. Metabolism: carbohydrate, protein, lipid (fat), mineral and vitamin metabolism; manufacturing and storage of many nutrients such as glucose and vitamins; production of heat through metabolism.

4. Protection and detoxification: removal of foreign bodies from the blood (phagocytosis); detoxification by conjugation, methylation, oxidation and reduction.

5. Production; formation of urea, serum albumin, glycogen and blood coagulating proteins such as prothrombin, fibrinogen and heparin; erythrocyte (red blood cells) destruction.

6. Regulation of hormones: inactivation and elimination of hormones through the bile or urine. Since estrogen and androgen are both growth hormones which stimulate cell division, elevation of their levels in the blood due to the liver's failure to remove them efficiently can cause their accumulation in tissue. This in turn may lead to abnormal growths such as uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, breast cysts and breast cancer, prostate enlargement or prostate cancer. Excessive estrogen is also the most common cause of painful menstruations.

The liver also regulates body functions which affect emotional and mental activities. In a diseased condition, the liver's blood storage and regulatory functions are affected, and bleeding or clots can result. When liver blood is deficient, nourishment to tendons and blood vessels is curtailed, the joints become stiff, and muscles become spasmodic and numb. Blood deficiency in the liver may even lead to stroke, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, deafness, fainting or convulsion. When the liver blood is so deficient that it cannot nourish the eyes, night blindness or blurring may result. If the liver is affected by stress or unhappy feelings, its vitality may be repressed and the sides hurt, and hiccups or hernia may develop. The bowels may become constipated and sleep may be disturbed causing nightmare or insomnia.

The liver is the most emotion sensitive organ and its weakness is often connected to emotional sensitivity. Individuals who are emotionally sensitive are more prone to weak liver even if they do not have a poor diet or are not taking medication regularly.

Liver causes heart attacks

The structural position of the liver as a bridge between the returning blood from the digestive system and the lower part of the body to the heart makes the liver an important organ for the health of the heart. A weakened and swollen or congested liver can obstruct the venous blood flow to the heart causing heart palpitations or even heart attacks. In other words a healthy liver is essential for maintaining an adequate amount of blood flow to the heart and the heart can only pump the blood it receives.

Age-related vision and memory loss: the importance of the liver

According to the Chinese, the liver and kidneys are the organs that "age" us. That is why almost all longevity herbs used in Chinese medicine are liver and kidney tonics. Without a clean, efficient liver and healthy kidneys, blood is not filtered clean. "Dirty" blood, loaded with toxins or waste products, is heavier and more sluggish. This causes poor circulation and reduced capacity to carry oxygen and nutrients. As a result, tissue and organ cells are undernourished. If this condition persists the cells will deteriorate and inevitably age. The eye and brain cells are especially affected because the blood has to flow against gravity to reach them.
In an article on Alzheimer disease in the January 1988 issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, malfunction of the liver and kidneys was mentioned as one of the causes leading to Alzheimer disease. Brain tumour, which physically blocks blood flow to the brain, was also cited as one of the causes.

The brain is only 2% of our body weight, yet it needs 20% of our oxygen supply. If the toxin-loaded blood from a weak liver has limited capacity to carry oxygen, the brain cells are affected most.

*I was born with a photographic memory, but I lost it at the age of 17. Up to the age of 16, I could remember every single word in textbooks that I glanced through just once. I was surprised to learn that I could not do that any more before I finished my high school. Looking back, my very stressful childhood must have congested my liver and my inadequately filtered blood had difficulty flowing up to my brain to nourish my cells. The fact that I fainted in school at the age of 11 indicated that my blood flow to my brain was already sluggish even at an early age. As the years went by with stressful life, my memory kept going down hill and reached the bottom at age 47, the year that I was diagnosed with badly congested liver. When I cleansed out my liver and gallbladder, changed my diet and started doing daily morning exercise, my memory improved. I don't think I will get my photographic memory back, but I did gain back some of my memory power and stopped its deterioration.

Constant Fatigue

When blood is loaded with toxins due to a weak and inefficient liver, there is limited capacity for the blood to carry oxygen and nutrients which are necessary for energy production. The result is constant fatigue. A clean and efficient liver which produces cleaner blood would help energy production because clean blood can carry more oxygen and nutrients.

Liver problems: liver congestion and stagnation

Liver congestion and stagnation are common liver problems. Yet conventional medicine does not understand them and has no test to detect them. In hepatitis or liver inflammation, liver enzyme levels in the blood are elevated because of the ruptured liver cells which contain high contents of liver enzymes. However, in liver congestion or stagnation, liver cells are still intact and liver enzyme levels in blood are normal. Therefore normal clinical tests which rely on liver enzyme levels as a measure of liver condition cannot detect liver congestion or stagnation.

I had blood tests performed a few months before I was diagnosed with badly congested liver by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. These tests showed no abnormal liver condition because they simply could not detect liver congestion. I never knew I had liver problems until the Chinese doctor correctly diagnosed my congested liver condition. This was the turning point for my health problems. When my liver became healthy again through a lengthy jouney of self-healing (see Liver cleansing section below), most of my chronic health problems disappeared.

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, all internal organs work as a team in the body; the liver is considered the "General" or "Chief of Staff:". Unfortunately, many of our modern prescription drugs are damaging to the liver or kidneys. Over the counter drugs such as painkillers can also cause liver toxicity. Therefore it is not surprising that many people over the age of 50 develop liver weakness or toxicity. Even among healthy people who are not dependent on drugs, the liver has been filtering blood day and night throughout life without being "cleansed". Over the years, circulating blood has deteriorated in quality which goes unnoticed. The end result is often a feeling of sluggishness and heaviness due to poor circulation. Studies linking liver damage to excessive or long-term use of painkillers have been reported.

I come from a family with weak livers. My father died of a stroke at the age of 59. It was very likely related to liver problems as he had been diagnosed as having a weak liver. My uncle became quite sick at the age of 67. His extremities were dark in colour due to poor blood supply and he was very tired and weak. He went to see a western medical doctor and was told that he was beyond help and would not live much longer. He decided to seek a second opinion from a Traditional Chinese medical doctor who prescribed a liver cleansing herb (Chinese Gentian) which purges the liver. He is now over 80 and is still healthy.

Weakening of the liver and eventual toxicity are usually slow processes. In many cases the only sign of liver weakness is poor digestion and low energy level. Most people pass this off as something that happens with age. As a result they do little or nothing about it until it is too late. Fortunately, nature has endowed our liver with excellent regenerative powers. If we are able to understand the early signs of degeneration, we have an excellent chance of restoring it to optimal functioning with proper care.

Liver cleansing

The liver is the most important organ for hormone regulation. Because of my weak liver, I had severe hormone imbalance resulting in many "women's problems". Although the Chinese medicine practitioner correctly diagnosed my congested liver condition, his treatment actually made my problems worse! He prescribed several herbs including Dong Quei, licorice and ginseng which contain plant estrogens. Although these had beneficial effects initially because they improved my blood circulation, the plant estrogens eventually aggrevated my hormone imbalance problems. I realized Chinese medicine does not understand hormones and conventional medicine also offers no help for my chronic liver congestion problems. I therefore decided to treat myself, using my combined knowledge of clinical chemistry and Chinese herbs.

At first I tried several commonly used liver cleansing herbs such as dandelion, chrysanthemum and Swedish Bitters. Dandelion and chrysanthemum were too weak. Swedish Bitters helped for about 3 weeks but my condition became actually worse because there are 3 herbs in it which contain plant estrogens. I searched Chinese herbal medicine literature (including some ancient Chinese texts) on liver remedies. Several herbs are mentioned as beneficial to the liver including Coptis, Gentian, Self-Heal and Scutellaria. Chinese Gentian (Lung-tan Tsao) has been known for thousands of years to be useful in the treatment of fever, rheumatism and general debility. It is also said to benefit the liver, aid digestion, strengthen the memory and give lightness and elasticity to the body. It is primarily used in the treatment of acute hepatitis, acute conjunctivitis, acute tonsillitis, jaundice and most liver disorders (Ref. 2, 5 ). It is also helpful in alleviating "sluggish liver" which can be caused by hormone therapy, medications or other problems such as stress or poor diets.

I recalled my uncle's very positive experience with the herb Chinese Gentian and decided to try it. From my research, I knew that the Chinese herb Bupleurum increases "energy flow" in the liver. I decided to use a combination of Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum prepared in an alcoholic tincture. I reasoned that alcohol is a better carrier than water for the herbs through the liver because the liver detoxifies water-insoluble toxins for which alcohol is a better solvent. Within a few months of using this mixture in conjunction with daily morning exercise and diet control, I experienced significant improvement as judged by reduction in menstrual pain from endometriosis, arthritic pain, stiffness and improved quality of sleep. This improvement was gradual but steady.

I then came across information on apple juice (or malic acid tables) fasting and olive oil/grapefruit juice liver and gallbladder cleansing. I decided to give it a try. The result was dramatic. After just the first cleanse, my pains, alergies and arthritis all disappeared. Apparently, malic acid in apple juice is excellent in dissolving the stagnant bile accumulated in the liver. I was really amazed by the amount of stagnant bile driven out by the apple juice.

Details of the apple juice fasting and olive oil/grapefruit juice cleansing procedures are given in gallbladder flushing.

I find that more olive oil is needed to get results the first time. After 6 days of drinking one glass of apple cider per hour from 8 am to 8 pm (or alternatively 3 capsules of malic acid divided in three parts each day); then the late afternoon of the following day take one tbsp of epsom salts diluted in a glass of purified water, then another tbsp of epsom salts 2 h later and finally 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil mixed with 1/2 of grapefruit juice. The first thing in the morning take 1 tbsp of epsom salts and finish the whole cleanse with another tbsp of epsom salts 2 h later. Many of the gallstones will be released in the morning after taking the last 2 tbsp of epsom salts, and they will tend to float and will tend to be green, white and black.

However several cleanses are required to completely remove the gallstones and should be carried out once a month. Some people will require anything between 5 to 15 cleanses others up to 30. It will all depend on how your health history related to this organ: poor diet, excessive alcohol use or abuse, use of various chemical substances including medical prescriptions and stress.

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After my experience, a friend of mine who had gallstones for years decided to try this liver and gallbladder cleansing procedure. She did not get any result the first time. There was one difference between her procedure and mine. She did not use the Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture before the cleansing, like I did. I reasoned she probably had a congested liver (many people with gallstones are likely to have congested livers) which made it difficult for the apple juice to penetrate. She took my advice and used the Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture for about one month before her second cleansing. This time it was successful.

The Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture is found in commercial form and called "Chinese Bitters". For certain conditions such as gallstone problems or absence of gallbladder (removal by surgery), it is best used in conjunction with another herbal tincture called Coptis which stimulates bile flow.

Restoring liver health

Nutritional deficiency is a common problem for individuals with liver disorders. Most nutrients pass through the body without being assimilated if the liver is weak. I was taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements for years without any effect. My improvement came only after my liver was cleansed and strengthened. It was after my experience that I realized that supplements taken by individuals with weak livers may end up as waste products for the body to dispose because the supplements cannot be digested or assimilated.

As described above, I restored my liver to health in less than a year by cleansing it with Chinese Bitters, by liver and gallbladder flush and by eliminating all liver and kidney weakening foods such as white flour, white sugar, caffeine, chocolate, deep fried foods, all citrus fruits, tomato, banana, cold drinks and foods which chill the liver and kidneys. I took supplements or foods rich in Vitamin B's, C and minerals to nourish my organs and used the various Chinese herbs to increase "Chi" energy flow) in the liver. I also perform daily morning exercises which involve stretching and deep breathing, like Tai Chi.

Exercise stimulates blood circulation. When blood circulates better, all organs function better. Stretching and deep breathing kind of exercises early in the morning provide the most benefit for anyone with sluggish liver. According to Chinese medicine, the liver works hard to filter our blood between 1 to 3 am during our sleep. A fair amount of blood may be still retained in the liver when we wake up in the morning if the liver is congested. Early morning exercises help to bring the blood out of the liver into the circulating system. One of the symptoms for the excess blood retained in the liver is waking up in the morning with stiffness or numbness in the fingers or dizziness due to lack of blood circulation.

Because of my high estrogen levels, I also had to avoid foods or herbs that have estrogenic activities such as Don Quei, Licorice, Ginseng, Royal Jelly, fennel, anise, flaxseed oil, clover, red clover, evening primrose oil, etc. I avoided taking all pharmaceutical drugs because most of them are weakening or damaging to the liver or kidneys.

Stress congests the liver and constricts the blood vessels. It causes poor blood flow and the whole body becomes sluggish. Furthermore, it is believed in Chinese medicine that anger (especially suppressed anger) injures the liver, grief injures the lungs, fear or fright injures the kidneys and worry injures the spleen. As mentioned earlier, all these organs support each other and work together. Disharmonies in one of these organs tend to produce an imbalance in the corresponding emotions and vice versa.

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, cold and raw vegetables such as salads tend to weaken the spleen unless the individuals who consume them are robust and strong ("Yang" type person). This could be the reason why many vegetarians look pale because of their weak spleen although Vitamin B12 deficiency may also be responsible. Also, most vegetarians eat a lot of salad, even though cooked vegetables are better to eat. One of the common signs of weak spleen is dry lips or frequent thirst. Chronic diarrhea or loose bowel may be another sign of weak spleen. Since the spleen is an important organ for red cell production, weak spleen is a common cause of anemia, especially in cases that do not respond to iron supplements.
I suffered from heart palpitations since my early teenage years. I fainted for the first time in my life in school at the age of eleven. It was due to a hereditary weak heart according to the doctor who saw me. He warned me that I might faint easily throughout my life. He was right in that prediction until the health of my liver was restored in 1989. I never fainted again and my heart palpitations disappeared.

When my liver became healthier my vision also improved and is actually better than it was in 1989 when I was still suffering from liver congestion. I had never used eyeglasses at any time during my life and I still don't need them. The Chinese have a saying: "The liver opens into the eyes. When the liver is harmonized, the eyes can distinguish the five colors". Clean and nutrient-rich blood from a healthy, efficient liver can flow easily and nourish the eye tissues better. Stimulation of blood flow to the eyes by massaging also helps. I massage the pressure points for blood circulation to the eyes twice daily, morning and night when I lie flat in bed. In this position blood does not have to flow against gravity.

Five Dietary Habits to Avoid

1. Eating big or rich meals will make the energy more stuck. People with liver qi stagnation may suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Typical signs of Liver Qi Stagnation are mood swings and signs of Liver Invading
Spleen such as digestive pain and alternating constipation and diarrhea. A key
suggestion is to eat small meals since the worst pain will occur when the patient
would overeat. Filling the stomach only 1/2 full or 3/4 full would be a good idea.

2. Avoid hard to digest foods which may vary from individual to individual but in
general includes fried foods, excessive dairy and meat, rancid or hydrogenated
fats, and overly processed foods full of chemicals.

3. Complex meals can also increase stagnation. Make food-combining suggestions
that encourage easy digestion without being too rigid. The most basic idea is to
eat fruit separately. It is also less congesting to eat a protein-rich food with
vegetables rather than grains or potatoes. Separating dairy foods from meat also
leads to lighter meals.

4. Some people love the stimulation of hot, spicy foods. Since Liver Qi Stagnation
will often increase heat in the body and may even develop into Liver Fire Rising
those chilies and curries would only make the situation worse.

5. People with Liver Qi Stagnation gravitate to drink caffeine. On the short term the
Stagnation is relieved and their moods lighten; however, later in the day, the
caffeine wears off and the Stagnation returns with greater effect. Similarly a person
with this pattern may be drawn to sugar treats or smoking marijuana to find relief
but the returning symptoms are worse once the temporary lift has past.

References:

1. Harper, H.A., Review of Physiological Chemistry, 14th ed., Lange Medical Publications (1973).
2. A Barefoot Doctor's Manual, the American translation of the official Chinese Paramedical Manual, Running Press, Philadelphia (1990).
3. Neufeld, W.P., MD The Liver Causes Heart Attack, Morning Dawn Publishing Company, Surrey, B.C., Canada (1987).
4. Selkurt, E.E. (editor), Physiology, 2nd edition, Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1966).
5. Chinese Medicinal Herbs, compiled by Li Shih-Chen, translated by F. Porter Smith, M.D., and G.A. Stuart, M.D., Georgetown Press, San Francisco (1973).

Fast Track Liver Detox

Whether you're trying to drop unwanted pounds or flush out unwelcome toxins, you need a healthy liver to make it happen. Here's how to keep this overachieving organ in optimal shape.

After more than two decades working as a nutritionist specializing in weight loss and detoxification, I am still completely in awe of the liver. As far as I'm concerned, this amazing organ, nestled away in the right side of the abdomen, has more than earned its name, which derives from an Old English word for “life.”
Your liver is your largest internal organ, and it's responsible for an astonishing variety of life-sustaining and health-promoting tasks - including those that make healthy weight loss and weight management possible. Integral to countless metabolic processes, the liver supports the digestive system, controls blood sugar and regulates fat storage. It stores and mobilizes energy, and produces more proteins than any other organ in the body. It also regulates your blood flow and, if you're a woman, keeps your menstrual cycles running smoothly.

One of your liver's most important functions, though - and the one most crucial to your weight loss - is chemically breaking down everything that enters your body, from the healthiest bite of organic food to the poisonous pesticides that linger on your salad; from the purest filtered water to a glass of wine or a cup of coffee; from your daily vitamin and mineral supplements to your doctor-prescribed blood-pressure medication.

It's your liver's job to distinguish between the nutrients you need to absorb and the dangerous or unnecessary substances that must be filtered out of your bloodstream. But when the liver is clogged and overwhelmed with toxins, it can't do a very effective job of processing nutrients and fats. So if you're concerned with managing your weight, remember this important point: The more toxic your body becomes, the more difficulty you'll have losing weight and keeping it off.

Diet Difficulty

Ironically, many of the low-carb diets that people adopt to lose excess weight only make matters worse. By encouraging us to eat a lot of meat (much of which is laden with toxins), and discouraging us from eating enough fiber-rich, water-dense fruits and vegetables, such diets can slow elimination. By loading us up with so many proteins that our stomachs can't produce enough acid to digest them all, such diets can inhibit proper digestion, overloading our liver and intestines with a stream of nasty, internally produced poisons such as indican, ammonia, cadaverine and histide.

Fortunately, the liver, in its infinite wisdom, produces bile, a crucial substance for detoxifying our bodies. Bile lubricates our intestines and works with fiber to prevent constipation. Bile is also where the liver dumps all the drugs, heavy metals, xenoestrogens, excess sex hormones from the Pill and hormone replacement therapy, medications, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other toxins, so they can eventually be eliminated from the body.

One of bile's other main duties is to help our bodies break down the fats we need and to assimilate fat-soluble vitamins. Without bile, we couldn't convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, nor could we use calcium. But when our bile becomes overly congested with the toxins it's trying to filter out, it simply can't function properly. It becomes thick, viscous and highly inefficient in breaking down fats. The result: You are more likely to gain weight and to have greater difficulty losing it.

Cleansing the liver helps it produce better, more efficient bile. That helps your body flush toxins and break down fat more effectively. It also makes more energy-giving nutrients available to your body and reduces strain on your digestive and immune systems. Your elimination improves, and your colon is relieved of unnecessary burdens. The net effect: You look and feel better, and it becomes far easier for you to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

The Fast Track: A Three-Stage Process

Ready to give your liver a healthy boost - and give your entire system a thorough spring-cleaning? I developed a Fast Track Detox program for just that purpose. It is a proven, highly effective detox and weight-loss system that offers a simple, safe and effective way to drop excess pounds, to clear out toxic gunk and to improve your health and vitality.

Described in detail in the book, The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet (Morgan Road Books, 2005), this program is, in reality, less a diet than a multipart program for healthy living. It has been carefully tested in a clinical setting.

Although the fasting part of the detox plan is just a single day (making it very safe), the complete process calls for both a seven-day preparation and a three-day follow-up phase designed to properly prepare your system for the liver-cleansing juice fast and then help extend and compound your healthy results.

This three-part detox process can dramatically improve the state of your liver and colon and help clear tissue throughout your body - all while eliminating bloating, improving your energy and assisting you in dropping unwanted weight. It can also help you appreciate the advantages of improved nutrition and encourage you to adjust your normal diet for the better.

Best of all, unlike water fasting and long-term juice fasting, this program is safe and gentle enough for you to employ any time you are feeling loaded down, sluggish and needing more vitality. I personally do Fast Track Detox fasts three or four times a year, usually around the fall and spring equinoxes, and whenever I feel myself to be on overload - physically, mentally or spiritually.

The Fast Track Detox program is simple to work into your normal life. Here's how:

1. You spend a full week on the Seven-Day Prequel, eating the Liver-Loving Foods that your body's major detox organ so desperately needs.

2. You'll also load up on Colon-Caring Foods to help your colon purge the toxins and waste from your body.

3. Next, you'll spend one day following a special juice fast designed to flush impurities and stored wastes from your system.

4. Then, after the fast is over, you'll seal in the results with a Three-Day Sequel that includes additional liver and colon support along with special natural-food sources of probiotics - fermented foods that support the friendly bacteria your system needs to synthesize vitamins and promote immune function.

Many people experience significant and immediate weight loss on this program, but the net benefits for energy and long-term health are every bit as dramatic. So, whether you are looking to slim down or just lighten your toxic load, give the Fast Track Detox a try. You'll be amazed at what your liver can accomplish with just a little help.

Seven-Day Prequel

Before you begin the One-Day Detox, it's essential that you prepare your body by strengthening your liver and colon for the work ahead. If you don't do this, you might end up more bloated, constipated and “toxic” than you were before. You may also inadvertently put the brakes on desired weight loss.

Fasting releases toxins that were previously lodged in your fat cells and shuttles them into your bloodstream for filtration and transport through your body's elimination channels. But without prior liver and colon support to help these toxins clear your system, the poisons may simply get relocated within the body, settling into any number of sensitive organs and making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and more fatigued than when you started. So if you want to avoid feeling unnecessarily lousy, and if you want to maximize weight loss, follow this simple, six-step program for seven days before you embark on the one-day, liver-flushing juice fast:

1. Each day, for seven days, choose at least one serving from each group of the following Liver-Loving Foods:

· Crucifers, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts.

· Green leafy vegetables and herbs, like parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, escarole, dandelion greens and mustard greens.

· Citrus, like oranges, lemons and limes (avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which contain a compound called naringen that can interfere with the liver-cleansing process).

· Liver healers, such as artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion-root tea, whey and nutritional yeast flakes.

2. Each day, choose at least two of the following Colon-Caring foods: powdered psyllium husks, milled or ground flaxseeds, carrots, apple, pear or berries.

3. Each day, drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered or purified water.

4. Each day, make sure you have at least two servings (the size of the palm of your hand) of protein in the form of lean beef, skinless chicken, turkey or fish (except trout as it is heat forming), or, if you're a vegan or vegetarian, at least 2 tablespoons a day of a high-quality blue-green algae or a spirulina source (available in natural-foods and health stores).

5. Each day, make sure you have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the form of extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil or a "woman's oil" (a flaxseed oil & blackcurrant oil blend).

(For specific serving sizes and more detailed guidance on choosing Liver-Loving Foods, see The Fast Track Detox Diet.)

6. Avoid the following "detox detractors":

· Excess dietary fats, especially transfats.
· Any form of sugar, including honey and maple syrup.
· Artificial sweeteners.
· Refined carbohydrates, including white rice and products made from white flour
· Gluten, found in wheat, rye, barley and all their related products, such as packaged cereals, macaroni and cheese, pizza dough, pasta, tortillas, pancake/waffle mixes and cookies, as well as in many "low-carb" products, vegetable proteins, some soy sauces and distilled vinegars.
· Soy protein isolates, found in many protein energy bars and processed soy foods
· Alcohol, over-the-counter drugs and caffeine.

One-Day Detox Juice Fast

The One-Day Juice Fast portion of the Fast Track Detox is designed to flush impurities from your liver and other cellular tissues while supporting your general health and energy.

While I do not advocate water fasts, or even long-term juice fasts, decades of professional clinical experience and research have convinced me that healthy, short-term juice fasting - the kind supported by adequate nutritional preparation for the liver and sufficient fiber for the colon - is probably the best-kept secret around for good health, long-term weight loss and an overall feeling of well-being.

By reducing the amount of work your digestive system has to do, you free up a great deal of energy for healing and regeneration. And while you will be limiting your caloric intake for one day, it is not an extended enough period to suppress your metabolism or set off a starvation response. In fact, every ingredient of the One-Day Detox Diet has been specially chosen to stave off hunger; balance your blood sugar; rev up your metabolism; and keep you feeling fit, energized and trim throughout your fasting day.

Here's the basic protocol you should follow for your One-Day Juice Detox, and some idea of what you might experience during the detox process (keep in mind that the effects and results will vary from person to person).

Before you conduct your one-day fast, make sure you have completed the Seven-Day Prequel. Then, follow this four-step program:

Step I. Prepare the Miracle Juice (for complete recipe and preparation instructions, see The Fast Track Detox Diet):

· Cranberry Water - unsweetened cranberry juice or unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate diluted with filtered water (be sure to use 100 percent pure, unsweetened cranberry juice that has no sugar, corn syrup or other juices added).
· Cinnamon.
· Nutmeg.
· Freshly squeezed orange juice.
· Freshly squeezed lemon juice.
· Stevia (a sweet-tasting herb that is widely available at natural-food stores) to taste.

Directions:

1. Bring Cranberry Water to a light boil; reduce the heat to low.
2. Place cinnamon and nutmeg into a tea ball; add to the Cranberry Water. (For a tangier juice, add the spices directly to the liquid.)
3. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes; cool to room temperature.
4. Stir in the orange and lemon juices. Add stevia at this time, if desired.

Step II. Alternate drinking 1 cup (8 ounces) of filtered water and 1 cup (8 ounces) of Miracle Juice during the day. Drink at least 72 ounces of filtered water throughout the day, in addition to the Miracle Juice. Make sure you drink at least a cup of liquid - either the Miracle Juice or water - every hour. Begin the protocol when you wake up in the morning. You don't have to begin at a specific time, but be sure to have all eight glasses of Miracle Juice in addition to the 72 ounces of water by day's end.

Step III. Upon rising and at the end of the day, take one serving of a colon-caring supplement, chosen from among the following:
· Powdered psyllium husks (1 to 2 teaspoons mixed in 8 ounces of water or Miracle Juice).
· Ground or milled flaxseeds (2 to 3 tablespoons mixed in 10 to 12 ounces of water or 8 ounces Miracle Juice).

Step IV. Engage in only light exercise - either a 20-minute walk or 10 minutes on a rebounder or elliptical machine.

The Three-Day sequel

Following your One-Day Detox, it's essential that you follow this sequel program for three days straight. Otherwise, your reentry into normal eating may leave you feeling bloated, constipated and more toxic than before.

Fasting without follow-up support means that toxins released into your bloodstream during the fast may remain in your system, making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and fatigued. Skipping the Three-Day Sequel also sets you up to regain lost weight. So support your body's natural detox process and seal in the results of your One-Day Juice Fast by following these simple steps:

1. Each day, choose at least one of the following probiotic food sources to restore "friendly bacteria":

· Sauerkraut (1/2 cup). You can either make your own or buy an organic, raw variety. Most store-bought sauerkraut is processed with heat, which kills the naturally occurring enzymes and microflora, so check the label carefully.
· Yogurt. Nonfat, low-fat or whole-milk yogurt are all fine, but look for plain yogurt whose label reads "live, active cultures" and make sure it is goat and/or sheep yogurt as they are less dampening that the cow milk variety.

3. Follow steps 1 through 6 of the Seven-Day Prequel.

Where to Go From Here

Once you've completed the Fast Track Detox as outlined above, I suggest that you ease back into normal eating by choosing nutritious, low-fat cooked foods that are easy to digest.

In The Fast Track Detox Diet, I supply a variety of simple recipes for liver-loving, colon-caring and sequel-friendly foods. I also cover background and advice on detoxing, in-depth nutritional and health information, plus suggestions for taking the Fast Track Detox program to the next level.

Ultimately, you may decide to incorporate regular detoxes into your ongoing health and fitness regimen. But, particularly if you have never done a detox before, the important thing is to take stock of how you feel before, during and after this first detox experience.

Pay attention to the positive, dramatic impact that supporting your body's natural detoxification systems can have on your overall health and well-being. Follow these basic detox suggestions and I trust that you will feel lighter, happier and more excited about your body's healthy potential than you have in years.

Notes:

1. Do you Need to Detox?

Unfortunately, we live in a fairly toxic world, and even those of us who are committed to living clean and eating healthy are very likely to ingest, inhale, absorb or produce our own fair share of disruptive substances - substances that our body would be better off without and may need help in unloading. All of the following may be signs of a body in toxic distress (keep in mind that they may also be symptoms of other serious health and medical conditions, some of which could require professional care; when in doubt, or in the case of chronic conditions, consult your doctor or health professional).

- Acne, blemishes, hives.
- Discoloration in whites of eyes or red, swollen, teary eyes.
- Hormonal imbalances, PMS.
- Heat in the upper body, such as warm face or hot eyes.
- Difficulty perspiring.
- Bad breath or offensive body odor.
- Gas, bloating, belching and nausea.
- Constipation or loose stools.
- Colitis or diverticulitis.
- Hemorrhoids or varicose veins.
- Bruises or wounds that don't heal.
- Multiple food allergies, sensitivities to fragrances, odors and fumes.
- Weight gain, even when controlling food intake.
- Feelings of tiredness or sleeplessness after eating.
- Frequent coughs, stuffy or runny nose.

2. Fasting!

There are some times when you should not fast:

· If you are pregnant, nursing, recovering from an illness or injury, or are malnourished.
· If you have cardiac arrhythmia, type 1 diabetes, congestive heart failure, ulcers, or liver or kidney disease.
· If you are struggling with mental illness (including anxiety, clinical depression, bipolar disorder).
· If you are more than 10 pounds underweight or prone to eating disorders.

Also, consult your physician prior to fasting if you are diabetic, hypoglycemic, prone to migraines or are taking regular medications, including antidepressants, blood-pressure medications and birth control pills.

3. Fast Track Detox Shopping List:

3.1 Beverages:

#Filtered or purified water.
#Unsweetened cranberry juice.

3.2 Liver-loving foods: (your choices in each of the following categories):

#Crucifers: cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts.
#Green leafy vegetables: parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, collards, escarole, dandelion greens and mustard greens.
#Citrus fruits: oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

3.3 Liver healers:

#Artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion-root tea, whey and nutritional yeast flakes.

3.4 Herbs and spices:

#Dandelion root.
#Milk Thistle.
#Tea made of the following herb blend: Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Licorice Root, Fenugreek, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Oregon Grape Root, Turmeric (ground).
#Green tea.
#Ground cinnamon.
#Nutmeg.
#Stevia (powder or extract).

3.5. Supplements and nutritionals:

#Powdered psyllium husks and/or ground flaxseeds
#Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil or flaxseed oil

4. Detox Downsides

Detoxing is generally an extremely positive experience. But for some patients, particularly those who feel themselves to be dependent on caffeinated drinks, the initial experience can be somewhat uncomfortable. Although many participants in our trials reported increased energy, mental clarity and improved well-being, some did experience other symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, irritability, foggy thinking and mild depression.

The explanation is simple: As you burn stored body fat for fuel, the oil-soluble toxins you've stored in your fat are released, sometimes causing distress as they recirculate through the system. If you've been diligent about following the Seven-Day Prequel, you may not experience any symptoms. But if you do feel tired, grouchy or headachy, don't lose heart. Drink more water, give yourself some downtime and realize that these symptoms are an indication that both the fast and the detox process are working. As these toxins clear your system, you'll soon feel much better.

May health and the vital energy (chi) be with you!

Final Note:

This article was adapted from:

1. Gittleman, A. (2005) The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet, New York: Morgan Road Books.

2. Batliner, A. (2004) 'Liver Qi Stagnation and Diet', Nutrition Professionals Quarterly.

Shen (the spirit)

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:45:00 +0000

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Cultivating the spirit is not an easy task due to its close relationship with the mind. When the mind is not steady the spirit is scattered and therefore subdued to the impulsive nature of the emotional mind (Xin). Buddhists and Taoists train themselves to be free of emotions in order to build a strong "shen" which is completely under their control.

The way they do it is by activating the wisdom mind (Yi) which keeps the "shen" in its natural residence: the upper tantien (head in Western terminology). When the process of death has taken place the spirit abandons its vessel (physical body) and it is called Hun using Taoist terminology.

Buddhists and Taoists firmly believe that once the spirit reaches a higher and stronger state, resulting from your own karmic evolution as a being and the adoption of specific internal training exercises (already reviewed in this blog in previous entries), human beings are capable of sensing and feeling more sharply, and your mind is more clever and inspired. Besides, these highly evolved human beings are more in tune with the spiritual world, which is Yin in nature (as opposed to our Yang world). It is believed that when the spirit has has reached this higher, sensitive state it can trascend the mind's normal capacity, which is naturally and solely connected to the Yang side of reality. Ideas beyond the usual grasp can be understood and controlled, and these human beings can sense and communicate with the Yin world. Chinese call this level of spirit, Ling Shen or supernatural shen.

It is thought that when physical death has occurred this supernatural shen will not dissipate right away as it holds your energy together as a ghost (Gui). It is known as a Ling Gui. However, most sentient beings, unaware of their spiritual energy due to the barriers created by their minds and society as a large, do not live a spiritual life and their spirits grow weak, and a as a result they are in constant need of a physical vehicle during their wanderings in what Buddhists call Samsara or the eternal cycle of life and death. Although, if a sentient being has cultivated their spirit during their lives it will remain without a shell for a long time after the physical body is dead and have plenty of time to be reborn.

Few, on the other hand, are capable of breaking through the illusory state of the mind and achieve what is called spiritual enlightenment; in this case, the supernatural spirit is strong enough to live without the need of a vehicle and has overcome karma and the cycle of rebirth forever.

Unfortunately most humanity is unaware of these natural and subtle processes thinking that beyond life there is nothing that science cannot explain. It is quite popular to read online statementes like the following:

I am an atheist. I don't believe in God or an afterlife. I may not believe in life after death but I wholeheartedly believe in life before death.

This point of view is valid but they seem to forget that there is a reason for all of this. Let me ask you: What are the underlying processes that shape life itself? What is the creating mechanism that allows some humans to do evil and reap rich rewards in life? Why so many people live good lives, full of kindness and compassion, full of giving and love but they suffer, often worse than those who lead lives of cruelty and total self-gratification?

Buddhists and Taoists believe that when the human being is alive they have the power to use Jing and Qi to nourish Shen to make Ling strong. When this Ling Shen is built up to a high level, your will is able to lead it to separate it from the physical body even when you are alive. In the last meditation I attended in Asia, I came across with some Western spiritual meditators whose eyes where overflowing with life force, a clear sign that the spiritual alchemical processes were fully engaged, as well as witnessing spiritual experiences people would claim as supernatural but which really are a mere by-product of spiritual practice. Seeking them is not advisable either as they can easily deviate the practitioner from the ultimate goal reinforcing the social construction of the "I", ego.

The foundation of Buddhist and Taoist training is to strengthen the spirit, nourish it, and grow it until it is mature enough to separate it from the physical body. In order to accomplish this, one must know where the spirit resides and use the wisdom mind in order to keep the emotional mind under control to avoid the shen becoming restless.

In our modern times, often stressful and highly competitive, we must take action if we wish to cultivate our spirit, subject that seems to be a taboo according to the conventions set by mainstream society. A good method to break through all of this mental pollution is engaging ourselves in traditional eastern practices such as Qigong, meditation, Yoga and Internal Martial Arts. Practising in the local park is a bonus since the concentration of negative ions (the ones that are associated with the life force) is higher. Living in a quiet environment is also benefitial for the same reasons.

Let me finish with some wise words I found in the Tao Te Ching:

"Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations."

Triune brain

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:56:00 +0000

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The past twenty years have given modern culture substantial chance to understand that spiralling consumption jeopardizes our planet. But even in the difficult circumstances society is facing, mainstream opinion seeks only to return to the norm of self-satisfaction and eternal expansion. It is a prime case of what psychologists call congnitive dissonance, believing one thing but doing the opposite: like a 40-a-day smoker, we know our behaviour will kill us, but we can't stop. One may ask, why?

Medical-scanning science makes the asnwer increasingly clear. Western culture and its influential role on other cultures overstimulates the wrongs parts of the human brain -the primitive areas that are awe-stricken by modern life- into feeling beset by famine and poverty. This in turn creates great forage for consumerism, but it threatens to send us into ecological disaster.

This grey-matter crisis results from the way human neocortex, the intelligent brain we evolved in the Pleistocene era, runs alongside far older systems driven by primordial instinct. American neuroscientist Paul MacLean refers to this as the triune brain, a structure resembling an archeological site inhabited by successive civilisations. At the core of its structure is the reptilian brain, responsible for arousal, basic life functions and sex. The old-mammal brain, which learns, recalls and emotes, surrounds it. The new-mammal neocortex sits on top.

It is interesting that many esoteric spiritual traditions taught the same idea of three planes of consciousness and even three different brains. Gurdjieff for example referred to Man as a "three-brained being." There was one brain for the spirit, one for the soul, and one for the body. In similar fashion, we also enter upon the chakra paradigm - the idea that points along the body or the spine correspond to nodes of consciousness, related in an ascending manner, from gross to subtle depending upon the level of awakening experienced by the spiritual practitioner in its karmic journey to merge with the Absolute.

Eat seasonally!

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:53:00 +0000

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All fruits and vegetables have a particular time of year when they are at their peak. Eating according to the seasons is an important part of a healthy and sustainable diet: it has a host of benefits for your health, your hip pocket, the environment, and local business.

Until quite recently, seasonal eating was universal -without modern technology or transport-, we relied in our skills to take advantage of the best growing seasons for each food, and to last through the times of scarcity. Today, the globalized food market has given us the "convenience" of being able to buy any food at any time of the year. This has greatly reduced our awareness of the seasons and the environment, at a time when this awareness is most badly needed.

Foods that are not in season locally will have been shipped from another part of the world, unnecessarily using up energy and emitting greenhouse gases through transportation. Eating seasonally encourages you to buy local produce, which will not only reduce your carbon footprint, but also save you the labor costs of transport and storage, as well as supporting your local economy. You can heighten these benefits by boycotting the supermarket and buying from farmers’ markets and food co-ops instead! As well as paying less, you will be helping local farmers to build a very sustainable food industry.

Eating seasonally will raise your deeper appreciation for the uniqueness of
each season, and for the range of tastes, colors and textures it provides. The seasons give us a long-forgotten sense of the wonderful natural cycles that Western rationalism ignores.

Seasonal food also plays a role in holistic health; generally, fruits and vegetables appear during the season in which they are best for your body. Rich, full-bodied apples, pears and pumpkins are winter foods, whereas light, juicy, refreshing mangoes, watermelons and cucumbers are suited to summer.

Most importantly, though, fresh food in season is unbeatable in terms of taste, nutritional value and variety. Most out-of-season food has been grown in artificial conditions, picked prematurely and shipped halfway around the world, giving it ample time to deteriorate and lose nutrients; this food is also limited to those varieties that can survive long-distance travel. The vitality and freshness of seasonal food is a pleasure to which very little can compare.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), on the other hand, is based on the belief that all humanity is part of the natural environment and that health or balance can only be achieved when one follows the "natural law" by adapting to the changes of the seasons and the surrounding environment. The concept of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) was developed through ancient Chinese rituals of observing nature’s ever-changing cycles. These are related to the different seasons of the year, to organs in the human body, temperatures, colours and tastes, to name but a few associations, all of which have some relevance to our health and well-being. By knowing and understanding these elements, we can discover how specific foods can help to balance the extremes of each season and comprehend what unique opportunities for healing arise with each.

If we take for instance the summer season, according to TCM this season is linked to fire and the climate associated with it is heat. Excess heat (yang) is seen as being adverse to the heart, as this organ is ruled by the Fire element. When someone becomes over-heated they develop symptoms such as fevers, thirst, insomnia and hot flushes. One way to compensate this excess heat during summer is to ensure our diet includes cooler (Yin) foods in order to balance out the excess energy. Hence salads and fresh fruits should be eaten accordingly. There are also specific Chinese herbs that are known for having a cooling effect in the human body.

Remember eat healthy and according to the season!

Qi/Chi (the vital energy)

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:29:00 +0000

In traditional Chinese culture, chi (氣, pinyin qi, and pronounced as "chee") is the permeating force that gives life to the Universe. Its literal translation is "air" or "breath". Vedantic philosophy refers to this concept as prana (breath), which suffuses all living forms but is not itself the Atman or individual soul. Finally, the ancient Greek called it pneuma (breath, spirit or soul). Other mystical traditions have used different terms to identify the life force, i.e. mana in Polynesian (Hawaiian and Māori), Melanesian and Micronesian cultures which refer to it as the impersonal force existing in the Universe that is intrinsic to people, animals, and inanimate objects.

On the other hand, Western cultures are reticent about acknowledging chi simply because it is not tangible or measurable. Hence, pseudo-science. However, if you remove yourself from technology and advanced and complex thinking and then go outside to the natural environment and simply start to "feel" and breathe in and out then you will be a step closer to this elusive concept. Because this is how chi can be felt, by stripping ourselves off mental concepts, by letting ourselves go. It works!

Chi in the human body comes in two forms:

1. Yuan Chi or Congenital Chi. It is the chi that we are born with. It is essentially limited and the quality and amount of this Qi represents our basic constitution. This type of chi resides in the kidneys which is converted from the converted original jing (essence) received before birth.

2. Hou Tian Chi or Acquired Chi. It is derived from the foods we eat and the air that we breathe. The quality of acquired chi depends on our lifestyle habits such as food quality, balance of emotions, physical exercise and so forth. This type of chi resides in the [i]middle tantien[/i](solar plexus).

Both types of chi combine in the xia tantien (lower tantien), which is located in the lower abdomen, approximately three inches below the navel, and together they circulate down, passing into the Governing Vessel (Du Mai channel, back part of the upper body, yang) from where they are delivered to the entire body.

The original chi is also called "Water Chi" (Shui Chi) because it is able to cool down the acquired or post-birth chi, which is called "Fire Chi" (Huo Chi) as it is absorbed into the body externally (yang energy). "Fire Chi" brings the body to a positive-yang state, which stimulates the emotions and confuses the mind (notice for example how alcohol confuses our emotions since it is yang energy in its extreme form and as a result drunk people lose control of their minds). When the "Water Chi" cools your body off, the mind will become clear, neutral and balanced. We can say that "Fire Chi" sustains the emotional part of the body, whereas "Water Chi" supports the wisdom part.

Once the both types are mixed, the resultant Chi will not only circulate to the Governing and then down to the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai channel, front part of the upper body, yin), but will also replenish the "Thrusting Vessel" or Central Channel (Chong Mai, yin and yang) which will lead the combined Chi (yin and yang mix) directly up through the spinal cord to nourish the brain and energize the spirit (shen).

It is very important to cultivate "chi" since it will lead to the following benefits:

1. Purification of the lower centres of the energetic body and transmutation into spiritual energy.

2. The structure and functions of all the organs and viscera are improved, including the liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidney, gall bladder, small intestines, stomach, large intestines, bladder, pericardium.

3. Alteration of brainwave patterns.

4. Synchronization and coherence of the hemispheres of the brain.

5. Regeneration of neurons.

6. Natural regulation of the limbic system and areas related to generation and storage of emotions.

7. Control of the shift between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

8. Activation of brain areas with unknown functions.

9. Massage of the brain and cerebellum.

10. Stimulation of the thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal and pituitary glands to release unique secretion of hormones.

11. Opening of the sinuses and stimulation of the olfactory bulb.

12. Improvement of eye sight.

13. Reactivation of major nerve plexus.

14. Control of mental, emotional and consciousness states.

15. Development of special functions of the body, mind-psyche, spirit and soul.

16. Functions of the Nervous and Endocrine Systems are improved.

17. Activation of the natural micro movements of the cranial sutures.

18. Circulation of the cerebrum-spinal fluid in the medulla oblongata and the brain

19. Accession of each vertebra of the spine.

20. Re-establishment of the original independency of each vertebra.

21. Decompression of the inter-vertebral discs.

22. Lengthening and balancing of the vertebral muscles and spine muscles.

23. Self-treatment and rehabilitation of arthrosis, arthritis and rheumatism.

24. Regeneration of the marrow and bones.

25. Joint mobility, regeneration of cartilage, decalcification.

26. Loosening and opening of the joints of the limbs.

27. Regaining of full motion and flexibility.

28. Optimization of the exchange of mass-matter/energy/information on the cellular level.

29. Regeneration on the cellular level.

30. Lymphatic systems and nodes are cleansed, detoxified and brought to full working capacity.

31. Functions of the circulatory and lymphatic systems are improved.

32. Positive influence on a series of nerves that are directly connected to the heart regulation of arrhythmias and cardiac weakness with optimization and expansion of cardiac output and input.

33. The blood is enriched, revitalized, cleansed and purified.

34. Arteries and veins are cleansed, elasticized and strengthened.

35. Improvement of peripheral blood circulation.

36. Circulation increases and smoothens becoming fully optimized.

37. Changes in blood biochemistry.

38. Change in hormone levels.

39. Influences on DNA.

40. Auto-therapy for chronic and autoimmune disease.

41. Strengthening of the immune system.

42. Rehabilitation and maintenance of the immune system.

42. Oxygenation reaches the utmost fulfillment of its purpose.

43. Changes in the skin's electric resistance.

44. Creation of high coherence and negentropic fields.

45. Control of the metabolism of the body-mind system.

Note: I have experienced that Vipassana meditation also produces identical physiological, psychological and spiritual changes.

Additional Recommended Reading:

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, The Root of Chinese Qigong. Secrets for Health, Longevity & Enlightenment, YMAA Publication Centre, Washington, MA, USA, 1997.

Jing (the essence) and Kidney Qigong

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:14:00 +0000

The essence of life is one of the Taoist three treasures, the other two being chi (vital energy/life force) and shen (spirit). Note that Buddhism doesn't follow this system as it is mainly preoccupied with the mind (more Yang) as opposed to Taoism which centres its entire system around the concept of subtle energies (more Yin). Hence, we can say that Buddhism (developed in India, South) is a "fire" system as opposed to Taoism (developed in China, North) which is "water" in essence.

Jing manifests in humans and animals in three different forms:

1. Blood. It includes all the vital elements carried in the bloodstream, including white and red cells and nutrients absorbed during digestion.

2. Hormones. These can be further divided into the hormones themselves which are segregated by various glands throughout the endocrine system, and the human reproductive cells or gametes (sperm-masculine and ova or eggs-femenine).

3. Different fluids produced by the human body: lymphatic, synovial, tears, perspiration and urine.

Jing is what it makes you as a human being since it is produced by the combination of your parents' jing during the sexual act. After you are born you start to absorb the jing of food and air, converting them into the vital energy, chi, which supplies your body's energetic needs.

In Qigong (Chi Kung) training, knowing how to conserve the original jing (the one carried over from the parents) is very important since it will enable to live a longer and healthier life. Activities such as emotional ups and downs and sexual overindulgence will deplete your original jing faster than other people and as a result your body will degenerate faster as well. These explains why men on average have a shorter lifespan than women because of excessive seminal discharged (females ovulate on average once a month).

On the other hand, kidneys are considered in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) the residence of original jing. So nourishing the kidneys is an excellent way of keeping the original jing strong. There is an specific Qigong exercise which targets this area.

KIDNEY GIGONG

This gong can be divided in three different sections which must be all completed in one single session:

1. Elevating the kidneys

This technique will cure inflammation of the urinary bladder; kidney stones, urine containing blood, womb bleeding, frequent urination, and nocturnal emission.

1.1 Sit straight with your feet touching the floor about a shoulder width apart. Sit with only one-third of your hips on the chair. Don't lean back on the chair with your back. Place your hands naturally on top of your knees. Alternatively, you may stand with your feet shoulder width apart and with your hands overlapping on your xia tantien (point located just below your navel and above the pubic region).

1.2 Place your mind at your huiyin area (middle point located between your anus and your genitals). Exhale slowly, draw in and hold up your huiyin area slightly. Inhale slowly and release the huiying area as you push your stomach out.

Note: don't do more than 20 repetitions at a time.

2. Strengthening the kidneys

2.1 Sit straight with your feet touching the floor about a shoulder width apart. Sit with only 1/3 of your hips on the chair. Don't lean back on the chair. Place your hands naturally on top of your knees.

2.2 Breathe naturally until your tantien is full with chi. Exhale slowly, draw your abdomen and hold up the huiyin area slightly. At the same time, lead the chi from your tantien to your coccyx and up to the mingmen point (located right the opposite side the lower tantien in the lower area of your back, in the depression below the spine), then separate into two paths around your waist and meet at your navel.

Inhale slowly and release the huiyin area as you push your stomach out. At the same time, lead the chi from your navel to the xia tantien.

Note: don't do more than 20 repetitions at a time.

3. Chui sound to ensure kidney health

3.1 Use the following diagram as a reference:

(Diagram of the kidney channel)
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Stand or sit with your feet shoulder width apart, and arms to your sides. Inhale, begin rising your hands up towards your lower back with the back of your hands facing your body. As your hands reach kidney level, bring both hands forward towards your belly button with your finger pointing down. As you raise your hands, lead the chi up from your yongquan points (see the diagram that follows) on the bottom of your feet, up along the Kidney Channel on the inside of your legs, into the tailbone, up along the lower part of your spine, and into your kidneys.

Continue the arm movements and bring your arms up in front of your chest (along the Kidney Channel) until they are right below your collar bone and turn your palms to face each other.

3.2 Exhale, make the Chui sound (pronounced as "chway"; that is, as in "way" with a "ch" in front; lips slightly pursed on the initial "ch", then relaxed and open on the final "way") and make sure you open your mouth slightly with your tongue drawn in, and the corner of your mouth pulled slightly to the sides. At the same time, squeeze in with your hands as though you ere holding a ball, and squat down. Keep your upper body as straight as you can, hold up your huiyin area, and pull your abdomen in. As you exhale and make the chui sound, use your mind to lead all the impurities from your kidney channel and kidneys out of your mouth.

Note: After completing section 1, stand up slowly and repeat sections 1 and 2 for a total of 6 times. Purifying and strengthening the kidney is a very slow process as we are dealing with energy and possible emotional blockages which are tedious to dissolve.

Additional Recommended Reading:

1. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, The Root of Chinese Qigong. Secrets for Health, Longevity & Enlightenment, YMAA Publication Centre, Washington, MA, USA, 1997.

2. Master Shou-Yu Liang & Wen-Ching Wu, Qigong Empowerment. A Guide to Medical, Taoist, Buddhist, and Wushu Energy Cultivation, The Way of the Dragon Publishing, Rhode Island, USA, 1997.

The Three Treasures

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:53:00 +0000

Also called sanbao in Chinese; they are the practical side of Taoism, in other words, essence (jing 精), vital energy (chi 氣) and spirit (shen 神). Do not confuse these terms with the basic Taoist virtues of ci 慈 (compassion and kindness); jian 儉 (moderation and simplicity); and bugan wei tianxia xian 不敢為天下先 (humility).

In Qigong practice (working with chi or vital energy) we nourish these three elements because they are all linked and work as a whole. The basic idea is that the essence provides the raw fuel for the vital force to work and this one in turns nourishes and strengthens the spirit.

Modern society and western science denies the existence of these Taoist concepts saying they are pseudoscience as there is no scientific proof to them. Well, I have been dedicated my life to the practice of Qigong, Buddhist meditation and Internal Martial Arts for the past seven years and I can prove them wrong. These energetic levels are very subtle and cannot be perceived by using the mind since only a meditative state will allow the individual to understand, experience and cultivate them.

In fact, they are so intertwined that you must pay a great deal of attention to them during the course of your training. If you keep them strong and healthy, you will live a healthy and long life. If you do otherwise, you will become sick frequently and will age fast. Please bear in mind that no external training (running, swimming, cycling, fitness and weight training, etc.) will allow you to achieve what internal training is capable of. Not in a million years. Why is that? Simply because internal training will work on the subtle forces that are dormant in all human beings as well as in the external structure, whereas external training will work only on the latter (cardiovascular, musculoskeletal systems, flexibility, co-ordination, etc.).

I will write separate entry posts about each of these in the following days.

In the meantime, I will suggest you to go and check if in your local area there are any Tai Chi, Yoga or meditation classes available which will in turn boost your energy levels as well as improving your current health.

Tooth health

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:01:00 +0000

According to the wikipedia:

Tooth decay is caused by specific types of acid-producing bacteria which cause damage in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose. The mineral content of teeth is sensitive to increases in acidity from the production of lactic acid. Specifically, a tooth (which is primarily mineral in content) is in a constant state of back-and-forth demineralization and remineralization between the tooth and surrounding saliva. When the pH at the surface of the tooth drops below 5.5, demineralization proceeds faster than remineralization (i.e. there is a net loss of mineral structure on the tooth's surface). This results in the ensuing decay.

Tooth health starts with a correct diet and your energetic makeup. People born in the yang fire years; that is, years ending in 6, have to minimize the consumption of acidic foods or they run the risk of developing teeth problems, namely dental caries.

However, dental decay is so widespread in modern society that I am surprised Governments do not pay enough attention to this important health condition. Some resort to the use of water fluoridation programs which in turn not only do not reduce the incidence of cavities but also it is unethical to force medication onto people.

Anyway, I personally do not see how putting chemicals on our teeth, or in our bodies, is going to stop a problem caused by a poor diet and lifestyle.

What do we do then? Take a proactive approach to teeth health. Start by looking at your dietary patterns and see whether they are correct or not.

First. Make sure your diet consists mainly of whole foods.

Second. It incorporates both nutrient dense grains(1)(not bread and cereals as they are processed and lead to various health conditions including tooth health) and seafood.

Third. A list of foods to avoid. It is important not to cheat here:

1. Sugar – White sugar, brown sugar, organic ougar, evaporated cane Jjice, corn syrup, commercial jams.

2. Flour & grain products – White flour, wheat flour, organic flour, any unsoaked grain products. Examples: bread, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, breakfast cereals, muffins, pastries, tortillas, bagels, and sandwiches (most store bought flour products even from the health food store, or organically labelled need to be avoided).

3. Hydrogenated oils - like margarine and low quality vegetable oils such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, canola, and safflower.

4. Any type of junk, convenience food, or modern fast foods.

5. Coffee, soft drinks and anything with artificial flavors, artificial colours, or artificial ingredients.

6. Alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs (including most prescription drugs & vaccines).

Tooth cleaning techniques: oil pulling.

This is the method I personally use to keep not only my mouth clean but also my entire health system. It is an ayurvedic practice and highly effective.

This is the list of health conditions it will cure (and avoid if you use it in your daily regime of oral health):

Mouth & gum disease; stiff joints; allergies; asthma; high blood sugar; constipation; migraines; bronchitis; eczema; heart, kidney, lung diseases; leukemia; arthritis; meningitis; insomnia; menopause (hormonal issues); cancer; AIDS; chronic infections; varicose veins; high blood pressure; diabetes; polio and cracked heels.

Instructions:

First thing in the morning, before brushing your teeth, eating or drinking, take 1 tablespoon of either sesame or sunflower oil. Put the oil in your mouth, tilt your chin up and slowly swish, suck, chomp and pull through the teeth. Do this for at least 10 minutes. 15 - 20 minutes is better. You want the oil to become a thin, white foam when you finally spit it out. If it's still yellow, you haven't done it long enough.

You can do this 2 more times during the day if you want to detox faster. Make sure you do it on an empty stomach, however. Spit it out in the toilet when your mouth is full and rinse your mouth out well.

Follow by drinking 2 - 3 glasses of water.

Do not swallow the oil: It now contains parasites and bacteria!

Do not gargle in the throat: The oil is meant to be swished in the mouth only.

Do it slowly.

How it works:

The oil pulls all mucous, bacteria and toxins from your body through your saliva. According to Ayurvedic medicine, mucous is a poison that must be removed.

Notes:

1. Keeping the chin tilted up makes sure the oil gets to the back molars.

2. Ayurvedic practice in India says that only sesame and sunflower oils produce favorable results. However, other people report success using other oils as well.

3. If after meals, wait at least 4 hours before you Oil Pull. After drinking, wait 1 hour.

4. A worsening of symptoms is an excellent indication that the disease/ailment is being cured.

5. Do not stop oil pulling if you feel aggravated symptoms or heightened side effects after a day or two. Your body is healing.

6. Will your dental fillings fall out? It's possible but highly unlikely unless there is pre-existing damage or loose fillings.

The oil will start to thin out after a few minutes because saliva is constantly being mixed in and swished about.

*Oatmeal, barley, rice, corn, soy, etc.

Thanks to Earth Clinic for providing the information about Oil Pulling.

Acidic world

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:52:00 +0000

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Earth is becoming too acidic or, using Taoist terminology, excessively Yang. There is nothing we can do about this gradually increasing of the universal Yang energy that is affecting us; however, the effects can be mitigated. Tools such as meditation, Tai Chi Chuan or Yoga are ways of counteracting the effects of that energy in order to avoid stress, weakening of the immune system and illness, disease, reduced life expectancy, and so forth.

If you take a look of our current situation, you can observe that things aren't going that well, regardless of what some may say, especially those who are in control of the economic and politic power of our world. Others prey to their own ignorance give the cold shoulder to anything that involves thinking outside the box.

Let's take for instance the concept of "climate change." In February 2007, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) released a summary of the forthcoming Fourth Assessment Report. According to this summary, the Fourth Assessment Report finds that human actions are "very likely" the cause of global warming, meaning a 90% or greater probability. Global warming in this case is indicated by an increase of 0.75 degrees in average global temperatures over the last 100 years.

Global warming has a negative effect on our planet since it reflects abnormal variations to the Earth's climate and subsequent effects on other parts of it. There is a scientific consensus that human activity is the probable cause for the rapid changes in world climate in the past several decades.

If we have to discuss the underlying philosophical concept of climate change we can easily refer to what Buddhists call "paticcasamuppada"; that is, everything in the Universe is interconnected through a web of cause and effect such that the whole and the parts are mutually interdependent. The character and condition of entities at any given time are intimately connected with the character and condition of all other entities that superficially may appear to be unconnected or unrelated.

We can easily ascertain that climate change will revert back to us since we are parts of the whole itself. Let's take a look at the following world regions:

1. Europe
2. USA
3. Developing countries

Europe: Mainland Europe will suffer greatly from flooding, with many major ports and cities at risk of disappearing eventually. Rises in temperature could damage agriculture in southern climates and take a toll on human life.

USA: This country has already suffered the direct results of climate change. For instance, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans. The frequency and intensity of storms that are hitting the USA could increase if global temperatures rises.

Developing Countries: Developing countries in Central and South America, Asia and Africa will suffer the greatest consequences of climate change. Already prone to very high temperatures, drought and famine developing countries lack the resources to deal with widespread increases in temperature.

This is just a brief description of what climate change can bring to us in the near future.

So in order to adapt to this new world we must start to work in our inner potential, which is essentially Yin in nature, and that can effectively mitigate Yang energy.

Take action now as things in our world are becoming increasingly more difficult.

Mind, body and spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Fri, 15 May 2009 07:58:00 +0000

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There is another way not openly taught in Western society traditionally created and nurtured in philosophical and spiritual traditions of the East, namely Chinese Taoism which emphasizes on three different aspects: jing (essence), chi (life force) and shen (spirit). By manipulating these factors we will enjoy health and psychic levels never experienced before. Trust me, 5,000 years of Taoist knowledge and practice can't be wrong.

In Taoism they are also called the "The Three Treasures" (or San Bao) and they need be considered if one has to succeed in Chi Kung (or Qigong using pinyin nomenclature). Buddhists do not pay too much attention to this topic since they indirectly work on them through the mind, which is also an effective way of training the body-mind-spirit concept.

Taoists on the other hand, pay the utmost attention to these components since they are directly related. In here a practitioner learns how to firm his "Jing" and how to convert it into "Chi" (Qi in pinyin). Then the final process would be directing "Chi" to the head and convert it into "Shen" (spirit). Converting is more a process of nourishing or "feeding" the spirit in order for it to grow strong; that is, refining the spirit to end human (emotional) nature.

If you take a look around the world where you live you will realize that this world is emotional, ridden with passion and attachments (delusional) which lastly deviate our true nature from the ultimate reality (Nirvana, Moksha, returning to the source, etc.), which is indeed a state where the mind is stripped leading the spirit to that final state.

This process is tedious and lengthy but according to a famous Taoist saying "The journey is the reward". If you think to much of the outcome or any goal for that matter you will give up no matter how hard you try. Just sit down, relax and enjoy the hard (but of course discipline and effort is required if we are to succeed).

If you keep these three elements strong and healthy, you will live a long and healthy life. If you neglect or abuse them, you will be sick frequently and will age fast.

Jing in Taoist practice is considered the "essence" that is the primal substance from which things are made. When this concept is used in reference to animals or humans, it translates as the very original and essential source of life. When you are born the "original jing" is the root of your life and it is what allows you to grown stronger and bigger. After your birth you start to absorb "jing" through the food and air, converting it into "chi" which supplies your body's requirements.

Taoists believe that the quality of the "jing" you receive depends on your parents' health and living habits before you were born, and therefore it will vary from person to person according to that. If you take a look around you, you can easily detect differences between humans due to the quality of the "jing" received before birth. However, Taoists also believe that you cannot alter the quality of the "jing" you received but Chi Kung training will allow you to improve its quality.

I will discuss in the next post the concept of "chi" (Qi).

Weight loss

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:02:00 +0000

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There are tons of information online about this topic and most are misleading because they lead nowhere, only frustration and pain. The best way to lose weight is to train the mind, plain and simple. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle you will lose weight, I can guarantee you that. If you sit on your bum the whole day you won't lose an ounce of fat.

All those crash diets, pills, and guru-like programs are plain marketing. They just want to make money out of you. The information I provide in my page is 100% free and it will remain like that. The only thing that will ever change this ethos is if I either die or decide to put the page down (following anicca).

Anyway, start exercising and following a sensible diet eating as much fresh food as possible (and organic if you can afford it) and make it part of your lifestyle. Weight-loss is achievable if you are able to follow it consistently and the maintain your achievements over a long period of time.

Fasting is excellent way of losing weight but only when combined with a meditative practice, otherwise you will only crash and burn. I will discuss this method in a separate entry.

Activities that will help you to lose weight without undergoing too much stress are the following:

1. Swimming
2. Hiking
3. Walking for long distances
4. Cycling
5. Cross-country skiing is also great it you happen to live in a mountainous area.

I never advice running due to the excessive stress that it places on the spine and the lower body (knees and ankle joints and ligaments). Same goes with rowing due to lower back strain.

Yin and Yang diet

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:37:00 +0000

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In order to achieve good health and well-being, one must follow the universal principle of Yin and Yang. Hot and spicy foods are typical yang qualities, whereas cool and soft foods represent yin. There are also neutral foods like white rice, in which yin and yang are balanced. In addition, yin and yang will combine if five specific ways resulting in what Taoism calls the 5 Elements: wood (the resulting energy is expansive); water (the resulting energy is sinking); fire (energy will raise); metal (energy is compact); and finally, earth or balancing energy. Different foods will show some of those qualities:

Wood...wheat, chicken, yogurt.
Fire...lamb, melon, ginger.
Earth...rye, beef, milk, green tea.
Metal...rice, tofu, mandarin orange.
Water...fish, lemon, olive.

Therefore our diet needs to bear in mind correct food combinations according to our blood type as well as the season and the day/night factor.

Mantak Chia (a follower of the southern school of Complete Reality Taoism) has elaborated a very good menu outlining most of the foods found today in a Western supermarket and their application using the Five Elements Theory:

5 Elements Menu

One must keep in mind that a yin & yang diet should be tailored to each individual's constitution. An excess of either yin or yang will result in the individual becoming overweight; whereas, a deficiency of either yin or yang leads to becoming underweight. People with an excess of yin tend to have shortness of breath, move slower, are heavy sleepers and retain fluids. Those with an excess of yang tend to sweat excessively, feel hot, are hyperactive, and tend to overeat and drink excessively. These people should eat more yin foods and less yang foods.

A lifelong practice

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:26:00 +0000

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(Liang Zhenpu style Baguazhang)

I have based my training routine around the following two systems:

1. Taoism (Chinese Daojiao).

2. Theravada Buddhism.

In the first case, I have adopted Baguazhang as my main physical exercise due to its great benefits. It will enlarge one's physical, mental, and even psychic horizons. Physically, it will tone and invigorate your muscles and sharpen and soothe your nerves, teaching you to relax and improving your overall health. Mentally, the bodily relaxation will produce a calm mind, one capable of great concentration. Psychically, it will stimulate the various psychic channels of the energetic body, carriers of the life-force which nurtures and sustains the person.

Baguazhang (or Bagua), is one of the three main branches of the neijia (internal family or system) of Chinese boxing. The other two are Tai Chi Chuan and Hsing I Chuan. The name as well as the rationale derive from the system of philosophy growing out of the I Ching (Book of Changes), 3,000 years old, but timeless.

The text describes an ancient system of cosmology and philosophy that is intrinsic to ancient Chinese cultural beliefs. It is centred around the idea of the dynamic balance of opposites (yin and yang), the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change.

Eventually, the I Ching evolved to ethical enumerations becoming a book of wisdom, one of the Five Classics of Confucianism. It became a common source for both Confucian and Taoist philosophy. Baguazhang is based around the concept of continuous change and transformation giving expression to a system of exercise and defense.

I train every Sunday in a small and secluded park located in the city where I currently live. I follow the Liang style, which seems like a mix of both Yin and Cheng styles and it is only found in Beijing area. Liang style is descended from Liang Zhenpu, the youngest disciple of Baguazhang's founder, Dong Haichuan. My teacher is a student of the current lineage holder, Wang Tong, who studied under Li Ziming (one of Liang Zhenpu's students). In Chinese martial arts, the concept of "lineage" is very important since it symbolizes the strong bond between master and apprentice similar to that of father and son.

Aside from Sunday training I practice during the week, 4 times per week depending on how I feel that week since I find Bagua extremely demanding on my energetic system. In addition I find training in Australia very demanding due to yang being dominant which is not really compatible with my own energetic system: I am a fire horse. Horse represents fire (yang) and 1966 is a fire year. In other words, I have to manage this excess yang carefully or I will burn out easily. Check my post about Five Elements Theory.

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I also practice Vipassana daily, early morning and late evening sessions, in which the practice is split into two defined components: walking and sitting. Check my post about walking and sitting meditation. However, I am quite careful with the walking component because Bagua is already taxing the legs during practice, which will lead to overtraining. As a matter of fact, I got a cold this week that ended up in a mild bronchitis from which I am almost recovered because my chi is strong after so many years of practice.

Any form of physical exercise, aside from Vipassana itself, is highly discouraged during retreat because of that very reason.

Fruit juices

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:50:00 +0000

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The best fruit you can drink is found in the fruit shop, where you buy your own fruit and and prepare it at home using a blender/fruit juicer. Add some water or soy milk and you will be set. However, in the process of preparing the juice most of the pulpy part is filtered out; and, as a result, the fibre component of the fruit is lost. Therefore, if you want to obtain the full benefits of fruit consumption then eat it, don't drink it!

All those fruit juices they sell in the supermarket are not nutritionally optimal since they are loaded with sugars, fat, sodium, additives (sweeteners), preservatives and food colorings. In addition, they are addictive in order to increase the sales rate of the food companies that produce them.

These companies use images/messages and product claims that far-fetched. Nutritionally they provide nothing, which warrant adequate control in terms of food labelling and packaging.

Yin and Yang & Five Elements theory

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:50:00 +0000

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Let me give a brief explanation of the ancient concept elaborated by Taoism many thousands of years ago. Yin and Yang symbolize the perspective of balance and continual changeover. Everything in the Universe is subjected to the action of these forces -please, do not bring up the scientific perspective as my discussion goes well beyond that- as nothing escapes to it, and their flux being eternal.

Yin and Yang (we could have called Alpha and Omega but it is not a Greek concept so we must respect Chinese philosophy as their original discoverers of this philosophical idea) represent the dependent opposites that must always be in balance. The opposites flow in a natural cycle always replacing the other. Just as the seasons cycle and create a time of heat and cold, Yin and Yang cycles through active and passive, dark and light, etc. They are in constant struggle for dominance bringing life and equilibrium to the system; however, none of them (Yang as emerging and Yin as withdrawing) will completely cancel the effects of the opposite; that is, if we take for example the model of day-night, then the latter cannot perpetuate itself since the former will quickly appear in order to counteract its effect (darkness).

That principle has many other manifestations; if you take a look at all the phenomena you can observe in the Universe you will notice that everything is grouped in pairs following this model: light-dark, hot-cold, life-death, high-low, proton-neutron, fast-slow, fire-water, activity-inactivity, push-pull, masculine-femenine, etc.

Yin and Yang can also be subdivided in what Chinese Taoism refers to as the Five Element Theory, as both forces will interact and give rise to different energetic manifestations:

1. Wood as generative. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an expanding force. For instance, tree growth.

2. Metal as contracting. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as a solidifying force. For instance, a one-dollar coin.

3. Earth as balancing. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an centering force. For instance, soil.

4. Fire as expanding. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an rising force. For instance, sun.

5. Water as sinking. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an conserving force. For instance, water itself.

These energy phases are constantly changing activity, each one nourishing and controlling the other so that there is a constant circular movement without beginning or end. The interaction of these primordial forces creates harmony in the changing course of nature's cycles. The Five phases of Elemental Energy combine and recombine in countless forms and produce material life. Everything that exists contains the five elements in varying proportions.

The human body itself is the good starting point to understand the action of Yin and Yang and its five manifestations. I will look into this in a further post.

Some thoughts about the life force

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 04:12:00 +0000

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Life force is an intangible force that guides life in the Universe. It is known as chi/qi in China and Japan (ki) and prana in Vedanta; however, other ancient cultures, like Greece (pneuma), Polynesian (mana) and even in the Old Testament Hebrew Kabbalah (ruah), also discussed the existence of a life sustaining force of living beings and vital energy.

Western society still ignores its existence because its approach to this issue is conceptual, scientific, empirical. Maybe one day Science will prove the fact that chi is a real and tangible but so far all the studies done on this subject are inconclusive.

When I first started getting involved with energetic practices 7 years ago, I didn't have a clue about the idea of "chi", I just kept on practicing my Taoist exercises religiously, day after day. Then one day, persistence payed off: I actually felt strange sensations all over my body, structural and internal changes and deep release of emotional changes and an spiritual awakening that most human are totally unaware of. Soon I started reading various books on the matter and decided to join a local Tai Chi Chuan group I read about its enormous health benefits. Today I no longer practice Tai Chi Chuan, for various reasons, but it's cousin Baguazhang, which I found even more energetically profound than Tai Chi Chuan.

So, what is the best way to understand and prove the existence of this mysterious force? There are several methods:

1. Meditation
2. Chi Kung (Qigong)
3. Various internal martial art practices: Tai Chi Chuen, Baguazhang, Hsing I Chuan, etc.

These will enable you to detach from the influence of those factors that interfere with "feeling the chi." Please don't get me wrong, the life force is always there, otherwise there would be no life on this planet, as chi permeates all living organisms. It is actually being carried in the air by negative ions (tiny, and highy active molecular fragments that carry a negative electrical charge equivalent to that of one elctron). On the other hand, air pollution carries substances such as dust, smoke and various toxic chemicals in the form of large polymolecular ions that carry a positive charge, this will neutralize the effects of the vital negative ions and in turn reduce air quality. In other words, living in big cities is detrimental for your health and be a cause of lowered lifespan.

If you happen to live in a big city, go to your local park early morning and you will notice the invigorating effects of the air in that area due to the absorbing effect of positive ions by the trees. There are other methods of natural ionization such as places where the water flows freely and naturally (waterfalls), where there is a continuous flow of wind over wide open spaces and areas of high altitude (mountains).

The second most important for life-sustaining "chi" is food. You are what you eat, if your diet is deficient don't expect any miracles. You must breathe good air and eat quality food (well I forgot to mention that drinking purified water if you drink from the public water supply is also very important) if you want to live a healthy aging long life. Of course, there are other influencing factors that determine the individual's lifespan but there are beyond the scope of this article.

In future posts, I will discuss some basic energetic exercises (Chi Kung) which will develop and strengthen your life force as well as providing health benefits that external exercises can't simply match. Forget about the idea that running, swimming and going to the gym will help you keep the body of a young person in your 40s, 50, 60s and beyond. But careful, no one can cheat physical death; sooner or later we will all die for birth requires death to exist. I don't want to become too philosophical in my post as my Blog is focused on the practical aspects of Eastern wisdom, namely Taoist and Buddhist. Back to that point, Chi Kung practices won't help you to become a physical immortal but will rise the quality of your life in many aspects: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. External exercises are very limiting in the benefits they provide once the individual reaches a certain age.

Stay tuned for the next post as I will talk about the basic Chi Kung exercise, Zhan Zhuang, which is proven to be very simple and effective yet energetically demanding.

Mind matters

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:25:00 +0000

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Photo by: h.koppdelaney

Regardless of the meditation system you decide to pursue, success is largely dependent upon the ability of controlling your emotions and impulses constantly triggered by society's own dynamics. For instance, let's imagine for a second that you are walking down the street in the busy central business district and come across this beautiful woman walking along wearing high heels and a suggestive dress. I can guarantee you that your mind will be drawn toward her instead of focusing on the act of walking, or making sure you don't bump into anyone if it happens to be peak hour.

The following Zen Buddhist tale comes to my mind:

Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary
of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks
hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported
her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him
and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and
preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual
training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one
up on your shoulders and carried her!"

"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while
you are still carrying her."

Try to aim your mind at whatever you are doing in that particular moment rather than thinking of many different things at once. This skill will improve many aspects of your life. Let's name a few:

1. Increased concentration level
2. Improved sleep
3. Increased awareness
4. Clearing of emotional blockages
5. Strengthening of the immune system

Golden Light meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:03:00 +0000

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It is a wonderful method used by Wandering Taoists and is used to strengthen the aura and guard us from negative energies, bring good luck and prevent misfortune, increase your premonition ability (ESP) and prevent the distractions of society and that of the lower astral planes. This is a great method to realize your mystical potential.

The best time to practice this great visualization method is early morning before Yang energy takes over; that is, when the sun rises above the horizon.

We can break it down into three different sections:

1. Preparation

2. Mudra (hand gesture)

3. Closing

1. Before you start your practice rinse your mouth and wash your hands. Sit down either on the floor in any Yoga position you deem comfortable; alternatively sit on a chair making sure your back is not resting against any surface.

Place your hands in front of your lower tantien (which is approximately just a bit below the navel) and form a cup with them (men with their left hand on top, women with their right hand on top) and let the thumbs gently touch each other.

Relax your mind and your entire body by imagining it is changing its shape from ice to water and from water to gas. Think of your body dissolving slowly. If you find this exercise difficult, lie down on the floor and focus on your breath and then the rising and falling of your stomach. Then resume to the sitting position.

Before we start with section two you must ask for assistance from the higher astral planes. You can ask your God, Buddha or any other religious entity you normally pray to for help. It is also very important acknowledging the fact that you are following this path to strengthen your moral character, showing repentance for all the wrong you have done, and promise to have a compassionate heart to all sentient beings as well as help other people and forgive them for any of their wrong doings.

Make sure you breath naturally throughout the duration of the entire exercise.

2. The mudra adopted during this meditation is called "golden light hand seal."

Change your hand posture to the golden light hand seal. It is accomplished by coiling your middle and ring fingers and placing your thumbs on top of them. Then let the index and small fingers of both hands touch each other lightly.

Close your eyes and visualize a white full moon in front of you illuminating your whole body. You must then visualize the full moon as a stream of white pure light entering your body through your third eye (midpoint between your eyebrows) down to your solar plexus (centre of your chest) and finally into your heart.

Visualize and look internally at your heart, which is illuminating a golden radiance increasing its size gradually from small to large in an spherical pattern, and then visualize it becoming a rising reddish sun illuminating your heart and lungs. Maintain this visualization state for about 5 minutes (or less if you find it difficult. Start with one minute and then slowly build it up to 5 for several days until you become comfortable with your practice).

The next step is moving the reddish sun to the middle of your chest and stop there for 30 s to 1 minute. Then lower the reddish sun down to the middle of the lower tantien, and visualize that the radiance of the reddish sun is increasing in size and fills your entire body from the inside: internal organs, blood, bones, bone marrow, muscles, tendons, skin and hairs. Continue to expand the golden radiance of the reddish sun until it reaches the size of the room you are practicing in (if outdoors imagine it expanding to about a distance of 5 m.)

3. Raise your hands above your head with palms facing each other as if you are holding a ball. Inhale deeply at the same time you are doing that, then exhale slowly and lower your hands slowly as well down to the chest level bringing them back together. During the lowering of both hands, visualize the golden reddish sun quickly shrinks back down to your lower tantien becoming a reddish elixir pill illuminating a red radiance. Repeat this 1 to 3 times in order to condense all the illuminating chi energy into your lower tantien.

Finish by rubbing your palms together and massage your head, face, ears, the back and front of your neck, and your arms.

Stand up and perform walking meditation slowly for the same duration you performed this exercise (usually 20-30 minutes). There is no need to visualise anything in this case, just focus on your walking steps and your breathing.

Points to remember:

1. Make sure you practice in a quiet and well ventilated area. If you feel too hot during your session reduce your practice time.

2. If you feel any unusual sensations during practice just acknowledge them as they are all impermanent and won't last long.

Good fats and bad fats

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Banhidi) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:10:00 +0000

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If you run marathons or climb high mountains it shouldn't be an issue since your body is a burning machine that will use anything you put in as fuel. But not everyone is Reinhold Messner or Abebe Bikila, so we must pay careful attention to certain fats.

Fats can be divided into saturated, unsaturated and trans-fatty acids (also called hydrogenated because they are created when an oil that is largely unsaturated, such as corn oil, has hydrogen added to it, causing fat to become more solid at room temperature). Trans-fats are the worst offenders since they are a by-product of processing, and are commonly found in fast-food, deep-fried foods (donuts, french fries, etc.), margarine and vegetable shortenings. Trans-fats will lower good cholesterol and increase the bad cholesterol, boost the acidity of the human body leading to a wide range of health problems and lowered lifespan.

Saturated fats come second in terms of bad fats and are found in animals meats (except fish) and dairy products. Other sources are coconut, cottonseed and palm kernel oils, but contrary to what people may think coconut oil is very good for human health due to its ability to prevent weight-gain or cure obesity, by stimulating metabolism. It is quickly metabolized, and functions in some ways as an antioxidant.

Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, can be further divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Avocado and nuts are monounsaturated and provide health benefits; however, whole grain wheat, cereal, oatmeal are also monounsaturated but are processed and should be avoided if one wants to lose weight. Polyunsaturated fats that are beneficial for our health are found in fish and sea food (herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut), soybeans, and fish oil.

The vegetable oils that you can find in the supermarket shelf (soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola, sesame oil, sunflower seed oil, palm oil, and any others that are labeled as "unsaturated" or "polyunsaturated" ) are not healthy because they are unsaturated; that is, some hydrogen atoms have been removed, and this opens the structure of the molecule in a way that makes it susceptible to attack by free radicals. People think that industrial processing is what makes them bad, but that isn't the case: whether cold pressed or consumed as part of the living plant material, they are intrinsically toxic, and it is not any special industrial treatment that makes them toxic.

Nevertheless, olive oil is an exception of the above, and it is considered to be healthy and safe for human consumption; but we must look at the cold pressed extra virgin type as it is the one that delivers all the goodies found in this type of oil (phenolic compounds). It is less processed and is made from the first pressing of the olives as opposed to the other categories: virgin, pure and extra light.

I hope you find the mini-guide useful because there is a lot of misinformation about the topic, especially when it comes time to buy vegetable oil for our cooking.

Points to remember:

1. Do no re-use the oil after cooking.

2. Try to minimize the use of oil in food preparation.

3. Replace butter and margarine with avocado as spreads. If avocado is not available use butter instead of margarine.

4. Margarine contains a high-level of trans-fats which is valid reason to avoid consuming this product from life.

5. Avoid the consumption of fast-food.

6. Exercise regularly.