As a student of LIFE my interest in health and well being grows everyday. This influences the choices I make about what I put into my body and how I choose to care for myself. The last several months has showed me how important it is to be your own advocate especially when it relates to your health. Unfortunately, many people do not want to make those decisions for themselves. They give their real power over to mega industry and corrupt governmental agencies under the guise that will be the best option or in some cases the only option they have. Please do not mistake what I am saying. I do strongly believe we need to make responsible choices about our health, whatever that may entail. Ultimately the choice is ours, or is it?
It's amazing how we are living in the ultimate paradox. The world is absolutely out of control. Do I need to give you examples? The gloom and doom of the planet is inescapable, especially when those are the dominating images that fill our newspapers, televisions, and magazines. Right now as an American citizen reading this you have a choice, you have lots of choices in fact, especially when it comes to your health. You are consciously and unconsciously making choices about your health everyday. Creating a wealth of health is a choice. One that you get to freely make everyday. It is your real freedom. But what if one day that was taken away from you? What if someone decided that you could not make free decisions about how you care for yourself. What If "they" put a ban on vitamins, minerals, supplements, massage, acupuncture, chiropractics etc. You would say, "You're crazy Jahvocado, what are you talking about!" What if all herbs, vitamins and minerals were restricted to such ridiculously low levels of absorption that they would have little to no effect positive or negative to the body. You might laugh. I did. In fact, as I am writing this I am still in awe by the potential of this lunacy. Vitamins are poisons, are you kidding me?
I will preface the remainder of this entry by stating that this is only my interpretation of the information I have learned about one of the most tyrannical schemes ever. According to a large powerful group of investors vitamins are toxic and all your food, including and especially organic should be irradiated with toxic chemicals, and all your meat should contain Monsanto's bovine growth hormone. But you can't take vitamins, herbs, or minerals because they may harm you! It's being called Nutricide but is more formally known as the CODEX Alimentarius. Under this rule the above and way more puts your, mine and the health of our children and loved ones at dire risk. I did not make any of this up! Why would I? Needless to say I was tremendously disturbed when I learned about what I am going to continue share with you.
To help illustrate the absurdity of this global disaster I have taken excepts from Dr. Rima Laibow's website, HealthFreedomUSA.org. There is quite a bit of information on the subject and it can feel a bit overwhelming for sure. I am asking that you at least ask yourself what your freedom of health is really worth to you and your family. You probably don't think about it because at this point you may not need to so exclusively. But what if someone did want to jeopardize and control the choices you make about your health. I'll conclude by saying there are very few world, cultural, or governmental issues that would inspire me to take the time to express my utter vehemence. Please make your voice heard. Sign the petition to eradicate CODEX Alimentarius. It's simple and takes 30 seconds. http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=184
Some things you should know about CODEX Alimentarius*
1. Consumer Protection? Unfortunately Not The first step to understanding Codex Alimentarius is to realize that it has absolutely nothing to do with “consumer protection”. That’s propaganda for the sake of getting people and Congress to yield to its implementation.
2.Meaning of Name and History of Organization “Codex Alimentarius” means “food rules” in Latin. The organization was born in 1962 when the UN established the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) as a “Trade Commission”. It was created to regulate, and thus control, every aspect of how food and nutritional supplements are produced and sold to the consumer. It is solely about trade and the profits of multi-national corporations.
3.Bolstering Profits of Pharmaceutical Industry The more natural health products people use, the fewer drugs they use. Millions are turning to natural health. Big Pharma fears this as it would diminish profits. Codex is designed to protect Big Pharma profits by eliminating natural health products and treatments. Health food stores and wellness companies would be hit hard.
4.Codex Alimentarius is Unscientific Codex is unscientific because it classifies nutrients as toxins and uses “Risk Assessment” to set ultra low so-called “safe upper limits” for them. Risk Assessment is a branch of Toxicology, the science for assessing toxins. The proper science for assessing nutrients is Biochemistry. Codex does not use Biochemistry.
5.VMG: Banning Our Supplements Codex is made up of many standards for every aspect of food. One of these standards was ratified (approved) in July 2005: the destructive Codex Alimentarius Vitamin and Mineral Guideline (VMG). The VMG can ban all high potency and clinically effective vitamins & minerals. For example, Vitamin C would be restricted to only a few milligrams per dose. Other nutrients, such as amino acids, are also under threat.
6.DSHEA, Our Best Legal Defense The U.S. has a powerful legal tool for health freedom: the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), passed in 1994 after massive grass-roots action. DSHEA scientifically classifies nutritional supplements as food and prevents dosage restrictions; Codex unscientifically classifies them as toxins and sets ultra-low doses. The VMG violates U.S. law because it violates DSHEA. We must unite to protect DSHEA, our best legal defense against Codex.
7. Call to Action Thanks to the Internet, millions of health conscious Americans can unite to protect health freedom from Codex Alimentarius. We have the power to turn Codex into a blessing if all of us in the natural health community use it to get active, get organized, and stand up for health freedom. Together, we will let Big Pharma know that we see through their deception and will protect our access to natural health care. *The above notes were drawn from HealthFreedomUSA.org. To read more about CODEX and the work of Dr. Rima Laibow, the leading voice in dismantling this potentially destructive human genocide please check out HealthFreedomUSA.org.
Please sign the petition and make your voice known. http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=184
Please watch this video about CODEX.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrF9KjlGsc
November 24, 2009
November 15, 2009
The Art of Adaptation
On Friday October 23rd I was admitted to the hospital to receive a course of IV Acyclovir, a powerful antiviral medication used in this case, to treat a rare condition of the eye called ARN - Acute Retinal Necrosis. The standard method of pharmacological treatment is IV Acyclovir for 14-21 days. The most common method of administering IV medications is through temporary lines known as peripheral lines. These are temporary sites that are often placed in the hands or arms. After two doses of this medication my arm became red and irritated. These medications are so caustic that they literally burn your veins out. By the end of my 5 day stay I had a total of 4 sites that had been used. I was averaging about two and half doses of meds per a line. The site locations had become a variety of bruised colors including black, blue, and yellow.
From the date of admission the goal was to have a peripherally inserted central catheter or PICC line placed into my arm so I could receive this medication on an at home basis. A PICC is inserted in a peripheral vein, such as the cephalic vein, basilic vein, or brachial vein and then advanced through increasingly larger veins, until the tip rests in the distal superior vena cava or cavoatrial junction. That's a fancy way of saying it runs up my arm and hangs above my heart. For obvious reasons you may imagine why I was less than psyched to have this inserted into my arm. While it was presented to me as very common practice with little risk or complication something in me felt a bit weary.
On the day the PICC was placed I had black and blues all over my arms from the temporary lines. I knew from having the PICC placed that this would eliminate any further damage to my arms. Additionally you do not feel the burning sensation from the meds as they enter the bloodstream as you do with the peripheral lines. A special PICC line nurse arrived to my room to do the procedure. This is all she does, PICC lines. Reassured that she has done this once or twice was helpful in alleviating some of my anticipation. The room was cleared and was made sterile with only my arm exposed. The rest of the procedure was a bit of a haze as I had my eyes closed. As for how she technically got that thing in there, unknown. However the sensations it created were very clear.
There was a bit of a snafu with the original entry site, which meant she had to try again. I lay as a child sitting in a car on a very long ride to grandma's house wondering if we were there yet. I could feel her literally threading something into my arm. It's an odd sensation. The whole process took about an hour. I was relieved that it was in and also that she was happy with her work. When we were done the nurse asked me, "How was it?". I replied, "Honestly, it was a bit traumatizing." I think she was a bit taken by my honesty. She had never had a PICC inserted into her.
Twenty four hours from the insertion of the line I am discharged and ready to self administer IV Acyclovir on an at home basis. Initially I am concerned with how I am going to be able to handle this. While I would much prefer to be at home, there was something comforting in knowing the nurses had a handle on all of this stuff. I find my mind running into all kinds of imagined places. When I get home I am greeted by a visiting nurse to help coach me with the home process. I jumped right into it and was relieved to see how simple it was. I was further relieved to have gained some perspective on my own situation. Perspective is a great tool that I continue to harness on this Journey for LIFE. Learning about what many people have to endure while these lines are part of them helped me see that my situation is quite manageable.
On this day I am writing day 16 I appear from a medical vantage to be responding well. This experience has forced me to adapt to a new regimen. The most prominent piece is staying consistent with taking my meds. I am required to take them every 8 hours, 3 x a day. Also having my arm taped up forces me to use my body in new ways. Simple tasks like taking a shower become a more involved process but leave me with a sense of appreciation for this situations impermanence. I see it as 4 weeks out of a long LIFE ahead of me. If I live to about 80 years that would be about 29,200 days on this worldly plane. To comply with change for 21 days is no sweat!
Often we deny change to struggle with it. This denial creates more discomfort in a situation that may already come with inherit discomforts. If I had chosen to invest all my mental energy in irrational behavior about my current circumstance I would have left myself open to another layer of suffering. When suffering, pain, and distress arise I try to remember what I have learned thus far on my journey. I call this the Art of Adaptation. Its an art because it requires a special skill set, one that is finely honed with the awareness of life experience.
Your life is forever in a state of flux, so how do you choose to respond to life's difficulties? It is when we get hit with big change in one of the major aspects of our life that we can truly step back, observe and listen to the pain. When you reach beyond its hard external shell you can find the healing. Conflict arises when we attempt to create some sort of homogenized existence. Our culture is great at teaching us this. Most of us have learned this way of being all of our lives. It is acceptance of the moment rather than resistance of the moment. It is an innate understanding that you and I are completely cared for outside of the places the social mind might dwell.
From the date of admission the goal was to have a peripherally inserted central catheter or PICC line placed into my arm so I could receive this medication on an at home basis. A PICC is inserted in a peripheral vein, such as the cephalic vein, basilic vein, or brachial vein and then advanced through increasingly larger veins, until the tip rests in the distal superior vena cava or cavoatrial junction. That's a fancy way of saying it runs up my arm and hangs above my heart. For obvious reasons you may imagine why I was less than psyched to have this inserted into my arm. While it was presented to me as very common practice with little risk or complication something in me felt a bit weary.
On the day the PICC was placed I had black and blues all over my arms from the temporary lines. I knew from having the PICC placed that this would eliminate any further damage to my arms. Additionally you do not feel the burning sensation from the meds as they enter the bloodstream as you do with the peripheral lines. A special PICC line nurse arrived to my room to do the procedure. This is all she does, PICC lines. Reassured that she has done this once or twice was helpful in alleviating some of my anticipation. The room was cleared and was made sterile with only my arm exposed. The rest of the procedure was a bit of a haze as I had my eyes closed. As for how she technically got that thing in there, unknown. However the sensations it created were very clear.
There was a bit of a snafu with the original entry site, which meant she had to try again. I lay as a child sitting in a car on a very long ride to grandma's house wondering if we were there yet. I could feel her literally threading something into my arm. It's an odd sensation. The whole process took about an hour. I was relieved that it was in and also that she was happy with her work. When we were done the nurse asked me, "How was it?". I replied, "Honestly, it was a bit traumatizing." I think she was a bit taken by my honesty. She had never had a PICC inserted into her.
Twenty four hours from the insertion of the line I am discharged and ready to self administer IV Acyclovir on an at home basis. Initially I am concerned with how I am going to be able to handle this. While I would much prefer to be at home, there was something comforting in knowing the nurses had a handle on all of this stuff. I find my mind running into all kinds of imagined places. When I get home I am greeted by a visiting nurse to help coach me with the home process. I jumped right into it and was relieved to see how simple it was. I was further relieved to have gained some perspective on my own situation. Perspective is a great tool that I continue to harness on this Journey for LIFE. Learning about what many people have to endure while these lines are part of them helped me see that my situation is quite manageable.
On this day I am writing day 16 I appear from a medical vantage to be responding well. This experience has forced me to adapt to a new regimen. The most prominent piece is staying consistent with taking my meds. I am required to take them every 8 hours, 3 x a day. Also having my arm taped up forces me to use my body in new ways. Simple tasks like taking a shower become a more involved process but leave me with a sense of appreciation for this situations impermanence. I see it as 4 weeks out of a long LIFE ahead of me. If I live to about 80 years that would be about 29,200 days on this worldly plane. To comply with change for 21 days is no sweat!
Often we deny change to struggle with it. This denial creates more discomfort in a situation that may already come with inherit discomforts. If I had chosen to invest all my mental energy in irrational behavior about my current circumstance I would have left myself open to another layer of suffering. When suffering, pain, and distress arise I try to remember what I have learned thus far on my journey. I call this the Art of Adaptation. Its an art because it requires a special skill set, one that is finely honed with the awareness of life experience.
Your life is forever in a state of flux, so how do you choose to respond to life's difficulties? It is when we get hit with big change in one of the major aspects of our life that we can truly step back, observe and listen to the pain. When you reach beyond its hard external shell you can find the healing. Conflict arises when we attempt to create some sort of homogenized existence. Our culture is great at teaching us this. Most of us have learned this way of being all of our lives. It is acceptance of the moment rather than resistance of the moment. It is an innate understanding that you and I are completely cared for outside of the places the social mind might dwell.
November 1, 2009
Tragedy to Transcendance
It is fair to say that I have learned much from having Yoga as an integral part of my life. Yoga teaches us many things about living in the world. It is a practice that is used to shape our way of being in the world. Yoga is often misunderstood simply for its physical benefits, which are none the less still part of our being. However, beyond the scope of our external space lies a world of mystery deep with insight, wisdom, and knowledge.
We may often show up to a Yoga class and hear the teacher spout of impressive tricky foreign words. The associated language to modern day yoga is called Sanskrit. Sanskrit is one of the 22 official languages in India and is widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals. The pre-classical form of Sanskrit is known as Vedic Sanskrit with the language of the Rigveda (classical Hindu texts) being the oldest and most archaic stage preserved. Being that the practice of Hatha Yoga has strong roots in the ancient traditions of India's culture naturally many of it's concepts spill into today's modern way of understanding Yoga.
One such concept is called Pratyahara, which technically is Devangarian and not Sanskrit. Regardless, many of these concepts are subjective. It is my opinion that Pratyahara is the bridge between the external and internal states of being. Here the consciousness of the individual is internalized in order that the sensations from the senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell don't reach their respective centers in the brain. This is why it is often simply referred to as a withdrawal of the senses. While this could open up a huge discussion I do not believe, like many Yoga concepts that Pratyahara is something you "do" so to speak, but rather is something you experience. It is simply a by product of being present in your experience.
This example begins on a beautiful Fall Sunday in October. I wake in the morning and pursue my morning rituals. As I leave the house I notice that my vision feels kind of not quite right. I do not feel any pain but rather a tension around my left eye. I also notice that the peripheral sight from the left eye is a bit clouded. I continue with my day and go about my business. These sensations continue throughout the day but I do not think much of it. I will wake in the morning and see how I feel.
Monday comes and I wake with this heavy eye and cloudy peripheral vision. I wonder about it but do not panic. As it would be, I have an appointment to see my Colitis doctor that afternoon. I arrive to his office and we have a positive productive meeting. I tell him about my eye and he expresses a great interest in having it looked at immediately. His vantage is mostly from the pharmaceutical aspect of having to be on corticosteroids and the havoc they can reek on the eyes. "OK" I think fair enough.
I am able to get myself into an appointment with someone on Tuesday. Please keep in mind I do not know this person, I have not had a chance to Google her, I do not know anything about her. Unfortunately that is how our health care system often works especially in emergency situations. So I roll with it. I arrive to her office and she takes a look at my eyes with her elaborate equipment. She tells me I have something called Uveitis. This is a general term that is used in medicine to describe inflammation of the eye. It can mean many things. There was a certain intensity about her that made me a bit uncomfortable. She expressed her interest in having me start a regimen of eye drops and to see her tomorrow wherein she could use a different high tech camera to have a more detailed look. I get back to my car after the 2 hour appointment and my head is totally spinning. I have a lot to process here and do not know what to make of it all. "Uveitis what the hell is that"? A million questions flood my stream of thought. I am overwhelmed and confused.
I reluctantly arrive to her office on Wednesday morning to have a fluorescein angiogram. Basically that is a fancy way of saying lets shoot some dye into you so you glow. The doctor gets her images and I interpret a tone of distress in her voice. She has explained to me that what she saw yesterday has spread by about 20% and is now in my retina. Now it is called Retinitis. She further went onto explain that the pattern of how this is progressing could be a rare condition of the eye know as ARN, Acute Retinal Necrosis. She informs me that these types of conditions spread rapidly and cause permanent vision loss and blindness in a matter of days! They also have the potential to lead to a host of other devastating complications, as if blindness is not enough, and can spread bilaterally (to the other eye). I leave another 2 plus hour doctors appointment and begin taking the drops. She wants to see me tomorrow.
Thursday comes and I rise to a new day. I still feel a similar sensation around my left eye. My wife and I go to the appointment and we meet the doctor's fellow. They are both on my case and very concerned. They inform me that they may see 1-3 cases of this a year and this type of condition may effect 1 in 4,000 people. The literature on it is sparse at best and the treatments compliment that. We take another photo to discover tiny lesions that are creeping toward my central vision. This is the vision that we use for reading, driving, computer work etc. This progression can cause retinal detachment and or complete blindness. As you imagined, so not fun. They explain my treatment options, as you imagine, so not fun. Injection to the eye with a powerful anti-viral medication has shown to alleviate spreading of lesions and may be useful. Yes, you heard me correctly, a needle in your eye. Now imagine it's you or a loved one sitting in that chair. They also suggest that intravenous anti-viral medication would work systemically to potentially alleviate spreading of the condition to the right eye. Oral meds were an option but are fairly new and there is not enough "data" that suggest that this would be as effective a therapy. What would you do? I will say honestly, even in the scope of the severity, it has not been so black and white for me. In the end I realized this is more about being a responsible person and acute situations require acute types of therapy.
My journey continues and I am sitting in this chair again on Friday. This time I have an overnight bag. I am preparing for all scenarios. They take another photo and find no improvement. After having some time for myself to process all of this I agree to intravitreal injection, a needle in the eye. I must tell you in hind sight that the most daunting part of the first one was the anticipation. They numb you up all good and it is rather quick. It is more uncomfortable than painful. By the third one however that has all changed.
Several days pass and I have been admitted to the hospital to receive IV Acyclovir, a powerful caustic medication that is used to destroy virus and probably many other things in the body. I am siting in this chair that I know all too well. My wife, my beautiful wife could share her own experience of this whole calamity, sits by my side. I anticipate the whole injection process in my mind. They drop iodine in my eye to keep the area sterile. If you have ever had iodine dropped in your eye you know it burns like hell. I am exhausted, lifeless, sitting in this chair. My eyes close, my wife clenches my hand tightly. I go off somewhere, I don't know where, but away from here. It's like the whole world drops away and I plunge into this beautiful innate stillness. This profound palpable silence. I listen and hear. Angels. Light beings. They do not say anything particular, but there presence is known. They remind me, nurture me and guide me. In that moment I deeply surrendered my life, my vision, this outcome to the greatness that is inside me.
I did not attempt to access this experience. It happened as a grace from the universe. It happened as a by product of my letting go and letting in, a complete surrender. It was a natural withdrawal of the external that linked to the depth of the internal. It was a taste of what the ancients may refer to as Pratyahara, retraction of the senses. In that moment I was one in the world but not of it. It was an experience that I feel deeply touched by and has helped coach me through this challenging time with my health. While I do not attempt to consciously return to that state I often use that experience as a cue. When my mind gets hectic and overwhelmed I remember that I am taken care of always though tragedy and transcendence.
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