Male Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED), or impotence, is an inability to achieve or maintain an erection. In the majority of ED cases, emotional or psychological stress is at cause. Other possible causes can be related to physical disorders, such as drug and alcohol abuse, diabetes, clogged arteries, and neurological disorders.

During sexual arousal, impulses are sent from the parasympathetic nervous system causing erectile tissue to dilate, and blood flow to increase substantially. We have two main branches of our autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic. Only one can function at a time. The sympathetic nervous system is linked to our fight-or-flight response. Adrenalin (epinephrine) is a hormone which activates the sympathetic nervous system and gets us ready for action. The sympathetic nervous system generates the emergency response by increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels, perspiring, getting goosebumps, dilating pupils, dilating bronchial passages, and increasing breathing and blood pressure. When the sympathetic nervous system is functioning, the non-emergency functions, such as digestion and sexual arousal are lessened or suspended. Conversely, the parasympathetic nervous system activates a state of rest that certain involuntary bodily functions require, and re-balances the body. When our bodies are at rest we are able to be sexually aroused, salivate, digest food and perform other necessary bodily functions. In order to achieve or maintain an erection, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, either consciously or unconsciously. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are activated by our feelings, noise, light, and other stimulants or relaxants. However, the sympathetic nervous system is always functioning unless one is in a completely peaceful non-threatening state of mind.  This shows the importance of coming to a tranquil state in order to promote sexual arousal.

Natural Treatments

Temporary conditions of impotence are often related to stress or fatigue. Deep breathing, clearing the mind of distractions by meditation, and not pushing one's self to perform when tired are helpful. Engaging in sexual interaction with any expectation of your performance, or satisfaction, only distracts your mind, builds tension, and blocks a connection with your sexual partner.

Bach Flower Remedies* can aid in emotional or psychological stress elimination and reduction. (Search the list on the link  above for remedies associated with your stressors)

In chronic cases, erectile dysfunction usually stems from trauma, depression, and feelings of guilt, shame, and blame. A Kalos emotional process, or therapy can help address these long standing causes.  Taking responsibility for one's life, and not blaming yourself or others is a good place to start.

If impotence is caused by blocked arteries, or from drug or alcohol abuse, cleanse the body with lemon water, or an oral chelation. Detoxification from allergy foods and other harmful substances allows the body to focus on healing itself.

If circulation or blood flow to extremities is the cause, as common in old age or low blood pressure cases, certain Chinese herbs can promote blood flow throughout the body, including sex glands.

Spiritually being connected to one's partner creates a fulfilling relationship, and brings satisfaction and ease during sexual interaction. Do you feel comfortable with your partner? Is there honesty and openness with your partner? Is there a desire to give to, or please your partner?

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a sustained state of abnormally high blood flow. Blood flow is regulated by the output of the heart muscle, various regulatory centers in the brain, and chemicals found throughout the body. Conscious and unconscious stimuli, such as anxiety, meditation, and trained automatic responses to pleasure or pain also affects blood flow. When blood pressure is too high it can damage tissues of the heart, brain, kidneys and other organs. Naturally, blood pressure raises when you are under stress or during physical activity, and it returns to normal when you are at rest. The good news is, high blood pressure is one of the easiest imbalances to heal naturally.

Symptoms, Causes and Natural Cures

The symptoms for high blood pressure can often go unnoticed in mild cases. In more severe cases, pressure in the head is felt, with or without headache or dizziness. The major causes for high blood pressure is emotional stress and bodily stress, due to consumption of allergy foods, obesity, and too much salt in the diet.

Emotions exist within our electrical field, and are based upon our thoughts. Thoughts move from intangible to tangible existence through our emotions. By gaining control of our thoughts our feelings change. Judging our feelings turns them into emotions. Stressful emotions such as anxiety, anger, and worry are directly related to high blood pressure.

Blood pressure goes up when blood accumulates at the base of the skull. What is building up the pressure in your life? Look at your emotional life and try to determine what is causing you tension. Are you making unimportant things important to you? Taking time to put your priorities in order by deciding what is truly important in life can relieve tension. Changing all plans to tentative plans helps to prevent setting yourself up for disappointments. Relieve tension also by going with the flow of life, by living in contentment of what is, knowing you can change it later.

Observing life, as opposed to evaluating it, can change your conditioned responses. By observing life we can live in the moment and act in the moment. The mind uses past information to set us up to 'react.' When living in the moment, or in spirit, no pre-determined reaction is necessary, only appropriate action. Although reactionary behavior is very important for survival in many situations, it is vital that we be calm and evaluate what is or what is not a necessary reaction. For example, pulling away from fire so as not to burn ourselves is life saving. But, consistently becoming angry or aggressive in response to irritation or annoyance is only hurting yourself, and has life threatening consequences.

Natural Remedies:

-Manage stress, fear, worry, anxiety, and anger. (i.e. deep breathing, observing the situation as it is in the   moment, prayer/meditation, and accepting yourself as you are.)

-Get adequate exercise and rest to balance a healthy flow

-Creative healing massage can bring blood pressure down 10-30 points each massage. (CHM brings blood down the neck, doing this once a week for 6 weeks can bring blood pressure to normal)

-Eliminate allergy foods (can be one of the fastest ways to reduce blood pressure)

-Balance all vitamin and mineral deficiencies

-4-6 servings a day of raw and cooked non-starchy veggies can bring blood pressure down

-Cleansing relaxes the body and slows down the mind and can drop blood pressure very quickly by assisting with emotional pressure, stress, and eliminating physically undigested toxic waste

-No salt

-Certain Chinese herbs direct and affect blood flow. Visit a Chinese Herbalist to find out which herbs can work for you.
-Enjoy life, relax, and live in the moment!

(See also my article on Heart Health for more information on heart related illness)

Caffeine

I believe, whenever you make a decision to put something into your body that there is a subconscious motivation of either fully loving yourself or not. With this in mind, the subtle energy influencing our physical body is either for us or against us. So, as with anything else, whatever your reasons are for consuming caffeine, this is the energy you will be activating through its consumption that will eventually have it's positive or negative influence on the physical body.

For years, the health risks and benefits of caffeine have been debated. As caffeine is likely the most consumed stimulant, this debate is far from over. What we do know about caffeine can help us make personal choices that benefit our health individually, as we each are in unique states of health with separate agendas. So, in considering caffeine as neither good nor bad, and simply identifying its properties and effects on the body, with the discernment of self-preservation (at whatever level you might be addressing your health), you can decide if it is something you will consume.

Some of Caffeine's Health Risks and Benefits:

Caffeine boosts memory* by showing increased activity in brain regions associated with attention and short-term memory.

Caffeine exacerbates kidney failure, aka renal failure*, and can cause liver damage when taken orally. Although, very positive effects have been recorded of coffee enemas* for liver detoxification and colon cleansing.

Caffeine has been attributed to weight control and weight loss since it increases metabolism for hours after it is consumed. Although, especially in obese persons (who are already at risk for diabetes), caffeine prevents sugar (glucose) metabolism* by inhibiting insulin function, and can contribute to the development and poor management of type 2 diabetes.

Caffeine can ward off depression* and social anxiety by increasing dopamine in the brain. However, it also increases cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline), among other stress inducing hormones that increase the 'fight or flight' response, and puts stress on the body.

Caffeine leeches calcium* from bones, and inhibits the absorption of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and trace minerals through it's diuretic* nature (causing short-term increases in urination). Calcium is the mineral needed for strong bones, and caffeine consumption can contribute to the onset of osteoporosis, a brittle bone disease.

Caffeine is acidic* and can adversely affect digestion and create heartburn and lead to ulcers.

Caffeine can improve physical performance through enhancing endurance and speed. Also, when caffeine is ingested with carbohydrates, it increases muscle glycogen* quicker than exercise. Although, it also negatively affects the adrenals with habitual use (since it forces them to do what they could not do on their own), and can lead to adrenal exhaustion, inflammation, autoimmunity, fatigue, and premature aging. It elevates heart rate, blood pressure, and the risk for heart disease and heart failure.

Caffeine can assist in reducing the beta amyloid plaques* in people with Alzheimer's.

Caffeine is linked to miscarriages, infertility, PMS, and low birth rates in babies. It also can promote fibroid growth* (fibrocystic breast disease) in women, especially if on birth control or hormones, which may or may not become cancerous.

Caffeine can increase hair growth* in balding men and women, but you must drink at least 60 cups a day ;)

Thymus & Subtle Energy

The thymus gland, along with every other organ and atom of our physical makeup, is being considered in a new framework known as the Einsteinian paradigm, which considers human beings to be 'networks of complex energy fields that interface with physical/cellular systems' (Vibrational Medicine, Richard Gerber, Ch.1, pg 39). This view is new to the West, but has dominated Eastern medicine and religion since ancient times. According to Eastern practice, and now the Einsteinian  paradigm, the thymus gland is a connection between mind and body. It is the first organ to be affected by stress, shrinking to half it's size in 24 hours from the onset of physical or mental upset. The thymus is responsible for producing T cells (T for thymus), the cells that 'interrogate' all other cells in order to fight off any unwanted, or abnormal cells, such as cancer. These T cells ensure our health and vitality as they only allow 'normal' cells to be reproduced in the body. If an abnormal cell, such as cancer, infiltrates the body and the T cells are not able to detect it, the abnormal cell can reproduce itself and multiply in the system, creating disease. Dr. Valerie Seeman Gersch identifies the thymus directly with one's will to live, as the thymus functions to maintain optimum health. In order to ensure the proper function of T cells, we need to maintain the health of the thymus gland. Maintaining the health of the thymus gland is simpler than you might think.

When both hemispheres of the brain are functioning together, we call this cerebral balance, or being centered. To remain centered at all times is our ideal state of being. When we are 'thrown off' center, or negatively stimulated, our brain literally disconnects and begins to operate independently from it's other half, causing a dyslexic state. When we are positively stimulated, the opposite happens. The thymus gland has been found to be directly related to cerebral balance, both being affected by cerebral balance and also affecting right and left brain integration.  Research in the connection between thymus function and cerebral balance signifies the importance of maintaining, or producing, positive stimuli to greatly benefit us in the prevention and recovery from disease. Tapping the thymus (breastbone), has also been studied and proven, by Dr. John Diamond, to increase thymus function and the will to live.

Here are some examples of positive stimuli that have been proven to promote thymus function:

-Relaxing music

-Pure clothing materials, such as hemp, cotton, and silk

-Smiling/Laughing/Hugs

-Meditation

-Good posture

-Positive attitude/contentment/joy/trust/optimism

-Healthy diet/organic fruits, veggies, and grains

-Ph balanced water/ionized water

-Positive physical and social environments

Here are some examples of negative stimuli that have been proven to retard thymus function:

-Rock music, because it contains the anapestic beat (da-da-DA) which brings psychological and physiological stress, and by promoting the body's production of adrenalin, and cortisol

-Synthetic fibers in clothing

-Sunglasses (produces weakness of thymus gland)

-High heel shoes

-Ice water
-Chemically based toiletries (perfume, shampoo, deodorant)
-Poor posture
-Negative attitude/stress/worry/guilt/anger
-Processed foods/junk food/sugar/salt
-Distilled water
-Negative physical and social environments

Heart Health

The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body in order to bring nutrients to organs and cells. Two necessities of the heart are oxygen and nutrients found in the blood, with these the heart is able to beat continuously with rhythmic contractions. It is astonishing that the organ supplying vital nourishment to the rest of our bodies is often the most neglected, and thus heart related problems are by far the most common cause of death in developed countries. By keeping our hearts healthy we can greatly increase the quality and length of our lives. Heart problems restrict activity by inflicting pain and contribute to breathlessness, fatigue, fainting spells, and anxiety.

Major Cause: Many heart attacks are blamed for a lack of oxygen to a part of the heart causing insufficient supply for heart function. This is true, but why is there insufficient oxygen? What is the fundamental cause behind the symptomatic cause? How might the heart receive sufficient oxygen? There are several diagnosis for heart complications, such as genetic, congenital defects, infection, tumors, muscular disorders, injury, nutritional disorders, poisoning, impaired blood supply, adverse drug reactions etc. However, the heart is the same as any other organ in that it is susceptible to inflammation, infection and weakness as a result of poor diet, lack of exercise and rest, stress, and destructive emotions such as fear, discontentment, worry, and a negative attitude. The major cause of all heart related illness is in the ability of the individual to live by natural laws in order to prevent heart trouble.

Natural Treatment: Heart health begins at home. Clearing fear of all types and replacing it with a peaceful, loving, and trusting mindset can contribute greatly to the prevention of heart related illness.

-Exercise and rest are both crucial for maintaining a healthy heart

-Starch and vitamin E found in grains is a heart healthy foods

-The heart is a muscle and requires minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese and vitamin A and protein for nourishment

-Hawthorne berry helps strengthen the heart, reduce plaque in arterial walls, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol

-Eliminate food allergies in the diet which lower the immune system function

-Balance the diet with healthy HDL (cholesterol) which assists in producing hormones and is vital for heart health. (The process of heating natural saturated and unsaturated fats, such as roasting nuts/seeds and pasteurization of dairy, are what causes them to break down too quickly and build up in the arterial walls and thus deem them unhealthy cholesterol.

-In the case of infection or inflammation, a cleanse is a common priority (beginning with liquid only and then incorporating steamed and raw non-starchy veggies, muscle test for how long of a cleanse and when to add fruit and starch)

-With an irregular heartbeat an electrical priority is usually at cause, connecting the electrical circuits can calm and regulate the heart beat. You can do this by acupressure (pinching and rolling the ears backwards from top to bottom is one method), with acupuncture, and other electrical balancing techniques such as drawing figure eights in the air over the mid-line of your body with the hands.

-Learn to live in gratitude, LOVE and accept yourself as you are. You can choose to live a happy healthy productive life!

Allergies

    An allergen is any substance that evokes a hypersensitive response of the immune system. Often, allergens are seemingly harmless substances. Common allergens include food, pharmaceuticals, pollen, pet dander, mold, dust, and insect bites. Allergies can affect the skin, respiratory system, stomach, intestines, muscle strength and heart beat. Many common illnesses are allergic reactions, as in asthma, hay fever, and environmental illness (sensitivity to common substances and environmental factors, such as soap or sunlight). Most allergies are subtle enough that the symptoms go unnoticed. However, the body is dealing with the effects of unaddressed allergies at a cellular level, and there can be physical, mental and spiritual imbalance as a result. Allergies put stress on the body, and any form of stress brings imbalance.

   Allergies to mold and fungus are common and signify an improper blood sugar balance, as mold and fungus feed on sugar. Balancing blood sugar can alleviate this type of allergy and prevent further imbalance in the body. An allergy to mold and fungus can be a precursor to diabetes, or a result of diabetes.

   Mothers with allergies are encouraged to nurse longer, or for at least 8 months or more to help prevent the child from acquiring allergies. Allergies are formed in children when they are fed solid foods before their bodies are able to digest them. Specifically, grains should not be given to babies until they are at least 1 year old for this reason.

   Common food allergies include wheat, soy, diary, refined sugar, eggs, citrus, chocolate, caffeine, shell fish, peanuts, and tomatoes. A simple way to find out if you are allergic to any food is to take your pulse before eating, if it raises after you eat, this is an indication of an allergy food. You can also muscle test yourself to determine allergens.

Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, lack of mental focus, skin rash, nasal congestion, excess mucus (sinus, lungs, colon), rapid heartbeat, dizziness, difficulty breathing.

  

Major Cause: Food Allergy: Lack of digestive enzymes causes undigested food to become toxic, the toxins build up and create an allergic reaction. Also, candida is a prevalent fungal infection (with slight symptoms) that often goes unnoticed, and accentuates food allergies.

Environmental Allergy: Emotional, self pity and over sensitivity. Living life as a victim or in resentment.

Treatment:

-Elimination of allergy foods

-Candida cleanse

-Nutritional:

    -Adrenal substance

    -RNA (to strengthen immune system)
    -Vitamin A
    -B-complex
    -Bee pollen
    -Vitamin C
    -Chelated Iron and natural iron as found in leafy greens, prune juice, and molasses
-Live in gratitude, to overcome emotional allergies say thank you to yourself several times a day and be happy!
-Clear personal and family patterns relating to playing the role of a martyr
-Be content and stress free by practicing self love and relaxation