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 19 Apr 2005 @ 14:50, by jerryvest. Medicine, Healthcare
In the October 1985 Issue of Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy, I published the article, "Health Promotion, Health Fitness and Stress Management for Prisons." I received letters from all over the world requesting a copy of this article so I assumed that our correctional systems were interested in examining and beginning to offer health practices to their incarcerated populations. However, the general attitude of citizens in this country is to lock the criminals up and throw away the key. And, institutions(schools, families, prisons,religions, etc.) by their very nature, are slow to change.
KOJO NNAMDI: From WAMU at American University in Washington, this is Public Interest. I'm Kojo Nnamdi.
Maybe you've heard the numbers before: 1,600 prisoners being released in the United States daily, about 600,000 prisoners to be released this year. The prison population in the United States now stands at about 2 million, which is about four times the number of people who were incarcerated back in 1973. What this all means is that most of those people will be getting out of jail or prison—prisons and jails that are located generally in rural areas. Ohio System
About Visions for Prisons
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Robina Courtin
Although the prison community emphasizes fitness with body building equipment, weight lifting, boxing, basketball, and other competitive sports, these activities do not necessarily foster attributes of total health; empathy, curiosity, caring, compassion, openness, responsibility, dignity and self respect. The holistic or integrative approach, on the other hand, encourages emotional, physical and spiritual fitness without creating winners and losers. (Does this sound familiar with our public schools as well?)
Realities of penal organization and purpose present real challenges to the establishment of a comprehensive health promotion/health fitness/stress management program in that setting. Security is, of course, a primary consideration of such institutions--and rightly so. Consequently, scheduling of any program has to be considered in terms of tight, often inflexible, time slots in order to allow for prisoner checks and other facility and organization requirements. Another primary consideration concerns residents themselves. Some screening should exist initially to insure the safety of those residents who are sincerly interested in participating in the program. Finally, and most important to the health promotion worker, is identifying the special needs of this special population in order to offer maximum health potential within the limits identified. And, treating drug problems alone is not the solution to this problem, rather using an integrative approach is more successful. [link]
It is a very important lesson to reduce the tensions that often lead to serious problems within a prison facility. This tension also may well build up so that the prisoner who is released into society continues to see himself/herself as the victim and society as the criminal. This, unfortunately, has been the vicious cycle that has confronted law enforcement officials and justice systems for decades. Thus, punishment, protection of society, and rehabilitation are all essential elements for prisons to incorporate into every prisoner's health care plan.
We can't solve any problem without first solving the problem of human nature. We won't be able to solve the problems of homeless, impoverished, illiterate people, of murderers who would never have become murderers had they been adequately loved. You show me a murderer, and I'll show you a person who's been failed in the supreme need for love, who never learned how to love, and will hate, as I heard one saying, "I hate the whole world's guts, and the whole world hates mine." These are the victims of society, just as the doctor is a victim of society, as most of us are victims of our society.
We don't love children adequately, we don't even know what love is. It's a great help to know exactly what the criteria of love are, because these murderers, these violent people, these terribly undisciplined characters are exhibiting the frustration of love. [Love, Montagu says earlier, is the ability to communicate to others your profound involvement in their welfare, is that you will never commit the supreme treason of letting them down whenever they most stand in need of you, and that you will minister to and encourage the growth and development of their potentialities. That's love.]
Ashley Montague
I have designed a balanced approach to health care in prisons that I believe can make a significant difference to the high recidivism and recurrent crimes of this population. Those who find themselves outside of society rules are punished by the very fact that they are isolated and separated from the main body. However, most felons, 98% of them, will return and will find their transition less fraught with difficulty if they develop and maintain a comprehensive health fitness and health awareness program. As Fritjof Capra, one of our great physicists in the health movement states: "Health care cannot just be 'provided' or 'delivered'--it has to be practiced." [link]
The following practices are incorporated into my plan for introducing to youth offenders in a state detention facility here in southern New Mexico.
SUBJECT: Introduction to Holistic Health/Integrative Practices for Juvenile & Adult Facilities – 6 week course.
I. Scope of Work & Activities – This six (6) week course offers two weekly, two-hour sessions, Tuesday & Thursday, for six to eight (6-8) participants, introducing student residents to an Introduction to Integrative Health Practices Program that enhances the whole person—physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually. Cross-cultural health practices will be introduced to acquaint the participants with methods or disciplines that include: Kum Nye, T’ai Chi, Yoga and Acupressure. Western practices will also be integrated into the course such as Arica Psychocalisthenics-Master Level Exercise, 15-Minute StressOut Program, progressive relaxation, gestalt strategies and mindfulness.
II. Goals & Outcomes -- Students will: 1. Have an overview and direct practice experience with traditional and modern health promotion and health fitness methods; 2. Become aware of cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary approaches to health and wellbeing; 3. Learn to assess and identify strengths and negative patterns of conditioning; 4. Be able to demonstrate at least twelve (12) "Master-Level Exercises" that promote revitalizing the body and awakening their organism; 5. Learn to coordinate their daily activities and incorporate a daily health routine to promote balance with their physical, mental, emotional and social relationships.
III. Details of Monthly report & performance measures: Students will be introduced to the development and maintenance of a Daily Health Journal. This journal will include: 1. A personal commitment to maintain a holistic health experience with identified health practices that support their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing; 2. A student report, each session, to the instructor, describing their personal experience with daily health activities (this includes their emotional state and behavior); 3. A Log that includes their class attendance and description of time spent in meditation, mindfulness and other health related activities.
IV. Other performance measures will include a closing evaluation instrument to review the changes and improvements of the participants during the six week course.
SELECTED RESOURCES & LINKS
Kum Nye Relaxation, Tarthang Tulku, (1978, Dharma Publishing)
Kum Nye Relaxation is a gentle healing system which relieves stress, transforms negative patterns, helps us to be more balanced and healthy, and increases our enjoyment and appreciation of life. ". . . The written tradition of "Kum Nye" is contained in Tibetan medical texts . . . ." [link]
T’ai Chi –
The movements of the T'ai Chi form, follow a precise system of balance and relaxation. The most important principle in T'ai Chi is relaxation. In doing the T'ai Chi form, we become aware of where we are relaxed and where we hold tension. The postures and movements help the body to release tension in the muscles and encourage flexibility in the joints. [link]
Yoga & Mindfulness
Specialized breathing exercises and relaxation techniques are introduced to improve concentration, balance and reduce hyperactivity. [link] [link]
Master Level Exercises – Psychocalisthenics, (1993, Oscar Ichazo, Arica Institute, Inc).
The series of 23 exercises is based on elemental callisthenic movements plus yoga asanas, it is strictly developed for awakening the organism in a serial fashion, with which we produce a flash of vital energy through all the organs, glands and tissue. The series produces strength, coordination, balance and flexibility of body, mind and spirit. [link]
15-Minute StressOut Program, (1980, Gerald Vest)
I designed this 'healthy touch' program, in collaboration with the Associated Students Organization - New Mexico State University (NMSU), Health Promotion Team, NMSU School of Social Work and the Family Preservation Institute, as one alternative for improving health and wellbeing in our university, society and beyond. The 'stressout program' includes "guidelines for the safe use of touch" with all populations. Touch techniques are self-administered or exchanged with a partner. We use our skillful touch program with individuals, groups, couples, families and communities. The program develops trust and empathy while learning to coordinate the power of touch with the vitality of the breath. [link]
Continued and advanced courses will be designed using the same methods for participants interested in improving the quality of their lives, health and relationships.
[link] More >
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 7 Apr 2005 @ 01:40, by jerryvest. Medicine, Healthcare
Peter Jennings announced that he was joining with 10 million other lung cancer victims and beat this thing. My wife had her left lung removed 3 years ago along with some nodes and went through the chemo and radiation therapy for several months. She was fortunate that a small tumor was discovered in her lung while undergoing gallbladder surgery, so catching these cells early is important.
Everything in her body looked so good, for about 3 years, with positive reports from all of the body scans, but my partner suggested to her oncologist that she should also receive a brain scan. Sure enough, the body scan showed a small tumor, just under her skull. So, she chose to have the tumor surgically removed. It was a successful operation and she came home, feeling pretty good, following a couple of days in intensive care.
On April 1, my partner received the Gammaknife radiation treatment. This is very high tech radiation treatment that focuses on the surgical spot and/or if other cancer cells are detected, they shoot gamma rays for several minutes into these areas. The team consists of a physicist who sets the parameters, the oncologist and surgeon. The nursing staff were well trained and stayed with us throughout the experience. The real downside for us was having my partner wear this head brace, screwed into her skull in 4 places. She wasn't given any real pain medication for this procedure. Perhaps the worst part of this treatment was arriving in the hospital at 5:00am. We left home at 4:00am to make the trip from Las Cruces, NM to El Paso, TX.
We had to wait 4 hours for the surgeon to arrive and push the button on the radiation machine.
I can tell you for certain that the "Laying-on-of-Hands" exercise worked perfectly during this time. Lou was most comfortable sitting in a chair so I rested my hands on her shoulders for much of the time while we observed and experienced the unity of our breath and of our being. The Power of Touch andLearning to breathe
After the treatment, Lou was unscrewed and freed of this contraption. There was some blood on the bandage that she held on her head, so the treatment obviously penetrated her skin. We were given a room and after about an hour, we headed for home.
I learned that my partner is determined to beat this cancer thing. She has been through more medical interventions than a human should ever have to endure in a life time. She just gets stronger following each challenge and intrusion. We are having a great life right now and every moment with Lou is very precious.
Pain Management and Pain Advocacy More >
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 26 Mar 2005 @ 07:19, by nemue. Medicine, Healthcare
Believe or not…
“Once upon a time there was a little Green monkey who lived in Africa. There was nothing unusual about this monkey except it had AIDS. One day a native was walking in the forest and the AIDS infected monkey bit him on the butt. As a result of the bite, the native also contracted AIDS. Now this native when he next went into town slept with a prostitute and as a result the prostitute was infected with AIDS. The prostitute slept with a Banker and in doing so passed the AIDS virus onto the Banker. The banker slept with his wife and three girlfriends and so on and so on.
As a result of this one little monkey biting a native on the butt 75 million people in Africa became infected with AIDS.” More >
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15 Feb 2005 @ 18:44, by seek2know. Medicine, Healthcare
Health care needs to be called Disease Care, Breed and Control.
Mycoplasma is getting attention lately as a diverse desease agent. Many doctors don't know about this mycoplasma disease agent because it was developed by the US military in biological warfare experimentation and it was not made public. This pathogen was patented by the United States military and DR Shyh-Ching Lo. I have a copy of the documented patent from the US Patent Office.1
All the countries at war were experimenting with biological weapons. In 1942, the governments of the United States, Canada and Britain entered into a secret agreement to create two types of biological weapons (one that would kill, and one that was disabling) for use in the war against Germany and Japan, who were also developing biological weapons. While they researched a number of disease pathogens, they primarily focused on the Brucella bacterium and began to weaponize it.
From its inception, the biowarfare program was characterized by continuing in-depth review and participation by the most eminent scientists, medical consultants, industrial experts and government officials, and it was classified Top Secret. The US Public Health Service also closely followed the progress of biological warfare research and development from the very start of the program, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States were working with the military in weaponizing these diseases.
These are diseases that have existed for thousands of years, but they have been weaponized -- which means they've been made more contagious and more effective. And they are spreading. The Special Virus Cancer Program, created by the CIA and NIH to develop a deadly pathogen for which humanity had no natural immunity (AIDS), was disguised as a war on cancer but was actually part of MKNAOMI.2 Many members of the Senate and House of Representatives do not know what has been going on.
For example, the US Senate Committee on Government Reform had searched the archives in Washington and other places for the document titled "The Special Virus Cancer Program: Progress Report No. 8", and couldn't find it. Somehow they heard I had it, called me and asked me to mail it to them. Imagine: a retired schoolteacher being called by the United States Senate and asked for one of their secret documents!
[link]
Also see books and articles by Public Heath expert Dr Leonard Horowitz's site..he has been crusading single-handedly about DNA manipulations and emerging bio-engineered plagues like Aids and Ebola some of which were spread through Red cross blood banks.
[link]
Human blood is systematicaly poisoned through vaccine ingredients mercury, aluminum, msg, human fetal cell, monkey kidney cell, phenol and such nice things.
[link]
The chances of a serious adverse reaction to the DPT vaccine were 1 in 1750, while his chances of dying from pertussis each year were 1 in several million.
[link]
http://consumerlawpage.com/article/vaccine.shtml
Mass Poisoning of foods through aspartame (nutrasweet, equal in all diet products and some medicine), splenda (sucralose contains chlorine which prevents absorption of sugar) which severely compromizes endocrine and enzyme system.When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol ASPARTAME coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Chlorine and flouride added in water also compromises human endocrine system and natural immunity. [link]
http://www.vaccineveritas.com/pages/1/index.htm
[link]
See article at Nexus magazine on Death by doctoring
A recent study published in The Journal of The American Medical Association (2000:284 4) by Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH, showed that in the U.S. there are:
· 12,000 deaths/year from unnecessary surgery
· 7,000 deaths/year from medication errors in hospitals
· 20,000 deaths/year from other errors in hospitals
· 80,000 deaths/year from nosocomial infections in hospitals
· 106,000 deaths/year from adverse effects of medications
This totals 225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes, placing iatrogeny as the third leading cause of death in the U.S., second only to heart disease and cancer. The scary part is that this does not include disabilities and disorders; just deaths in hospitalized patients. Doctors/doctoring is the third leading cause of death in US. Iatrogeny is not exclusive to the U.S. The British Medical Journal stated March 18, 2000 that, "In Australia, medical error results is as many as 18,000 unnecessary deaths, and more than 50,000 patients become disabled every year."
Studies released in the last 10 years show similar trends in the UK, Canada and New Zealand. New Zealand has a large percentage ratio of adverse drug reactions comparable to the U.S. It should be noted that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries that allow aggressive pharmaceutical drug advertisements.
One very interesting statistic show deaths attributed to addictive drugs in the UK between 1990 and 1995:
· Benzodiazepines - 1,810 · Methadone - 676 · Heroin - 291 [link]
There is hope and cure. Detoxify body of harmful substances. Eat fresh, mostly veggie meals. keep your body alkaline. Acidity brings many microbes, bacteria into the body.
See books on "cancer cure" at Amazon.com
END
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 29 Jan 2005 @ 22:01, by jazzolog. Medicine, Healthcare
A permanent state of transition is man's most noble condition.
---Juan Ramon Jimenez
Any fool can be fussy and rid himself of energy all over the place, but a man has to have something in him before he can settle down and do nothing.
---J.B. Priestley
Attentiveness is the natural prayer of the soul.
---Nicolas De Malebranche
Toward The Sunlight (1910)
Paul Dougherty
Thank you for reading this far, but let me warn you: despite the lovely title this piece is going to be about cancer. Like an increasing number of men my age, I was diagnosed with the prostate kind after a biopsy almost a year ago. Initially I started writing online about this in case I dropped off the Internet for a while to let people know what had happened. The response surprised me. People thanked me for being honest and asked to know more. Cancer is very scary and, like most people, I never wanted to think about it until I was forced to come to terms with it. Once one identifies himself, people start doing likewise with you...and soon you're sharing in a lot of personal stories. It's as if there's a Cancer Anonymous, only without any program or meetings. There probably are support groups somewhere---and certainly there are some interesting computer sites---but I suppose most of us settle for charting out a lonely course of treatment and life readjustment. Thank God for loved ones, and people who get closer now and really mean it. More >
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 10 May 2004 @ 10:16, by jazzolog. Medicine, Healthcare
Why am I aging so
this autumn?
A bird flying into the clouds.
---Basho
The quieter you become,
the more you can hear.
---Baba Ram Dass
Springtime light
fills the room
vacancy.
---Soen Nakagawa
First, I'd like to thank those who have encouraged me to get back to writing...and particularly an attempt to chronicle this past week. It's a daunting project for a number of reasons, but chiefly physical: I still tire easily, and my coordination is not always there when I look for it. But the longer I put this off the more difficult it becomes, so here goes~~~ More >
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28 Dec 2003 @ 04:20, by craiglang. Medicine, Healthcare
In the last couple of days, for many reasons, I have spent quite a bit of time re-studying the material in "The Power of Now" (PON, for short). Some events on NCN, including the recent dialog regarding "evil medical companies" (to quote a friend on this topic) has caused me a bit of spiritual grief. Grief often fosters growth, and these events have seemed to "invite" me to return to Tolle's lessons. What can we learn about human nature, human affairs, peace studies, etc...? How can we live in the Now, in the face of political, economic and moral strife?
I spent some time over Christmas and the days surrounding it, going back into PON. And in doing so, I recognized some interesting things about human nature. According to Tolle, we all want to feel better about the past. Too often we let the past and the future define us. We want to "expose the lies", "speak the truth", "fight for justice", "balance the scales", and numerous other initiatives in our relations with others. Usually, this involves "us and them", and we always want a future where "we" triumph over "them". For to fail would mean a scenario where we were in some way "defeated", "enslaved" or somehow have a negative change in our future status.
But, from PON, I discern that the "lies", "truth", "justice", etc. are all manifestations of our views of "our" relationships with "them". We create our own reality, so therefore, for those relationships to be real, they must be created by us. They are in fact, based upon our beliefs about events in the past and our anticipation of events in the future. Tolle reminds the reader that in reality, we live NOW, and unless we choose otherwise, these past/future threads need not bind us. In fact, for us, they need not even exist.
Tolle speaks of more - asking us to step back and observe our thoughts. He suggests that when we are told that we are wrong, or that we see things that annoy us, to witness the anger, to ask "what am I experiencing at this moment?" What he states is that we quickly discover that we are more than that anger, more than the need to correct this particular wrong, more than the ties to the past and future. Simply put, we ARE.
He suggests observing, then stepping back even further, to observe the observer. What is occurring? Tolle suggests that all thoughts and emotions are simply patterns - or as another author, Steven Wolinski puts it: simply "condensations in the zero-point mind-field".
Tolle suggests stepping back even further, observing the relationships between patterns, observers, and the space between them. For in that space between is the truth. In the void is where enlightenment can be found. In the gaps between thoughts is pure consciousness - the still, small voice of God.
Several PSI events I have been involved in - readings that I have recieved, and one or two perceptions that I have had myself, have involved percieving someone walking along an edge. On one side is smooth sailing, an uncomplicated table top, maybe a golden time of prosperity. On the other side is chaos and the abyss. And in between is a balancing act - as one travels along the edge, moving from past to future. That edge is the present moment, and it is a delicate balance: to be involved in the world, while not being fully identified with it. We are not the affairs of the world - they are of the past and future. In fact, as we move along the edge, we simply "ARE".
Another metaphhorical vision that kept coming to mind all of yesterday was of something detached or disconnected - like a branch separated from a tree, or a rock removed from a mountain. As part of the greater whole, the smaller thing is a functional part of that whole. It was part of the flow of energy, and the consciousness of that whole. Removed, it is simply an inert bit of "stuff".
I had earlier been considering backing off from some engagements, perhaps even including NCN. What I realized was that in a number of cases, while this might remove a little bit of pain, it also would remove a great source of joy and wisdom, because the flow of life contains both. In the flow of life - being in the now - we are like part of the river - experiencing the vitality of life. And it is something that each of us needs in order to fully experience life in the world.
With truth often comes pain - and then wisdom and light. And just for a moment we "get it" - as I realized, just a little bit, while spending time with Tolle's book. And then, as another sage (not sure who) said, we must return to chop wood and carry water. We once again look through the the glass darkly. Life goes on - one struggling breadcrumb at a time. More >
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21 Dec 2002 @ 15:32, by sharie. Medicine, Healthcare
I recently visited a nursing home. This was just your average *social security* funded nursing home in our neighborhood. It had quite an elaborate security system - more secure than any home in town I would say. It was very clean, cleaner than any home in the neighborhood I'd say. The floors and walls were spotless. The only distinctive odor was that of pharmaceuticals which permeated the air.
All the residents seemed rather demented. That may have been from the psycho-tropic pharmaceuticals paid for by the public, or the residents may have all had Alzheimer's, brain cancer, mad cow, and dementia.
Everyone seemed rather well-cared for.
I was surprised by how clean and orderly it was. I didn't expect that at all.
I'd been a Psychologist for the state of Illinois, surveying the *public housing* for poor children - the war zone for the innocent. No security system, the floors and walls were filthy, and the stench was unbearable.
Why do they keep the dying alive, on public-funded chemicals, while the innocent children are relegated to inhuman living conditions? Why do they scrub the walls and floors, change the sheets, and cook food for those unable to get themselves out of bed, but let relegate children to squalor? What is this madness?
Because pharmaceutical companies can make millions by selling their drugs to the elderly? It is lobbyists that have done this to our children?
When children are treated like trash, they often grow up believing life is worthless. They have no respect for anyone else's life, and the consequences can be seen in the late-night Emergency Rooms of every major city. They have difficulty functioning or contributing to the community.
To treat children like worthless trash is to sabotage your own future.
What do you believe?
How should public funds be allocated?
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10 Dec 2002 @ 07:24, by seek2know. Medicine, Healthcare
While reseaching links between emerging deseases and vaccination I came across many books on AIDs being a created desease and the harmful effects of vaccination in the name of public health!
Here are a few links
http://www.Thinktwice.com/secret.htm
http://www.Tetrahedron.org
htto://www.vaccines.net
It is simply amazing how tolerant human body is! Yet this issue needs greater awareness in the face of rising epidemics of allergy, asthma, autoimmune deseases, cancers of all kind and of couse HIV, Ebola and many others. More >
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 15 Nov 2002 @ 20:05, by unity1. Medicine, Healthcare
Our hear is crying out to us to listen to it...to stop ignoring those uncomfortable feelings. The biggest challenge facing us individually and as a race is not the threat of war, nor environmental degradation, but to come from our hearts..but first we must understand what our heart actually is/does.
Our heart is more than a pump. Researchers are discovering what mystics throughout the ages have known and in these trying times when there is so much fear, anger, and hatred around, its our challenge to realise there we also need to understand just how our heart works and the effects it can have in our lives... for futher info go to www.heartmath.org
______________________________________________________
For centuries, the heart has been considered the source of emotion, courage and wisdom. At the Institute of HeartMath (IHM) Research Center, we are exploring the physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain, thereby influencing information processing, perceptions, emotions and health. We are asking questions such as: Why do people experience the feeling or sensation of love and other positive emotional states in the area of the heart and what are the physiological ramifications of these emotions? How do stress and different emotional states affect the autonomic nervous system, the hormonal and immune systems, the heart and brain?
Over the years we have experimented with different psychological and physiological measures, but it was consistently heart rate variability, or heart rhythms, that stood out as the most dynamic and reflective of inner emotional states and stress. It became clear that negative emotions lead to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby adversely affecting the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions create increased harmonyand coherence in heart rhythms and improve balance in the nervous system. The health implications are easy to understand: Disharmony in the nervous system leads to inefficiency and increased stress on the heart and other organs while harmonious rhythms are more efficient and less stressful to the body's systems.
More intriguing are the dramatic positive changes that occur when techniques are applied that increase coherence in rhythmic patterns of heart rate variability. These include shifts in perception and the ability to reduce stress and deal more effectively with difficult situations. We observed that the heart was acting as though it had a mind of its own and was profoundly influencing the way we perceive and respond to the world. In essence, it appeared that the heart was affecting intelligence and awareness.
The answers to many of our original questions now provide a scientific basis to explain how and why the heart affects mental clarity, creativity, emotional balance and personal effectiveness. Our research and that of others indicate that the heart is far more than a simple pump. The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional “brain” that communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly affect brain function and most of the body’s major organs, and ultimately determine the quality of life......read a small history of heart research More >
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