Rudolph Steiner, Anthroposophy, and Heilkunst.

Heilkunst, the type of Homeopathy I practice, is deeply influenced by Rudolph Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy.

You may be asking, "Who is he exactly? What are you even talking about?"

Well, here is an excellent video talking about his work and the philosophical and intellectual "seeds" he has planted in various fields around the world.

... [Rudolph Steiner] almost challenged doctors to think beyond the box. To be aware that human beings have a life forces, has a soul, has a spiritual identity, and that all of that is a part of being human. Really all of that is involved in the process of becoming ill, can be potentially mobilized in the healing process. - Dr Michael Evans

Understanding Depression

Depression is still a hard topic to breech, seeing depression is a difficult state to define. It can envelope a person in various degrees.

Chronic depression is insidious, it tends to sneak up on us, and it slowly envelopes us in a shroud of blackness or a dense fog. Low state depressions can manifest as being tired most of the time, or sleeping too much. Perhaps it's having trouble feeling pleasure and joy in every day to day event, and a need to seclude oneself from life. Or maybe it's feeling frustrated and overwhelmed constantly in daily life.  It can be a very scary place to be because one can feel completely alone and that others do not understands the depth of this depression.

Most people today are in some form of chronic depression, which is a state of low vitality and lack of joy or enthusiasm for life. Most people are stuck in the mire of today's overwhelming materialistic society. The Majority look outwards as a way to "acquire" happiness in their lives. This is not the way to live in true peace and happiness.

The only way to unfold from depression is to face the things that have caused the depression.

What creates this blanket of darkness? Depression is the ultimate armoring. By "armoring" I mean that it is a defense mechanism created to protect us from an overwhelming life. When life, with its many different trials and events, becomes too much for us to process effectively, we begin to shut down in order to survive.

Most people see depression as a state of deep grief or sadness about life. In actuality, that sadness is a result of intense oppression from life, meaning that too many events in life cause the feeling of being limited and overwhelmed. In society, we are not taught or allowed to understand our emotions and therefore freely express ourselves. Often this oppression creates a deep inner anger.

People with low grade depression can put on a false happy mask, and pretend that everything is okay. Swallowing anger and depression, then pretending it is not there is common in our modern world. This can cause depressed persons to shut down completely. Depression does not just happen over night, it usually has been building for many years, and in some cases whole lives.

Being freed from years of depression, like many things, starts off by admitting the problem. Recovery from these dark periods can start with understanding all the emotions and traumas that triggered this final oppression, and this process should be unfolded, slowly and gently. Issues should not be faced all at once. Honour and patience must be allowed in order to face one 'demon' at a time for healing to occur. This approach will ensure that each issue is worked through fully release the oppressive state. Taking one day at a time, and trying to find a bit more inner joy in each day are the best foundations to wellness. Viewing depression as a life lesson needed to be learned, and knowing depression can be overcome to see the beauty of tomorrow are two good perspectives.

If you know that you are suffering from low-grade depression, and want help finding a healthy, natural way out of this low period, please contact me. There are some effective, potent and safe homeopathic remedies to help you to release and let go of the overwhelming emotions, and mental traumas that have triggered this state in you. I provide counseling, nutritional therapy and a "toolbox" of ways to handle your depression in daily life, in a wholistic, loving manner. If you would like to learn more about these treatment options, please call my office and book an appointment. You do not need to pull yourself out of this alone!


Peace, love and gratitude.

Have a joyful day,

Andrea

Spring Cleansing & Weight Loss.

The human body loves cycles and rhythms, especially when it has to do with nutrients and rest. Every year when winter slowly gives way to spring, the natural cycles trigger an awakening in our bodies via the sun's forces. We wake up and expand, just like our surrounding world.

Think of your body as waking up and growing like a forest floor.

We begin to feel more energetic and active with the expansion of the days. If we have not been making great food choices over the winter months, our bodies will not be able to keep up with this expansion. If the physical body is not operating at it's optimum, it will begin to show this through many different symptoms. These can be: headaches, sleep disruption, gastric disturbances, and general aching in the joints and muscles.

If you have any one of these symptoms that has lasted for more than a few weeks, than your body is trying to tell you it needs some proper support. Whether you are an old hat at cleansing or are completely new to this concept, there are a few golden rules that every one can follow that will help your body to release old held toxins and give some new life to their over loaded organs.

Wholistic Healthcare Spring Cleaning Regiment

1. Eliminate all processed carbohydrates. In other words- if it comes pre-made in a box no matter whether it is regular pasta or organic brown rice pasta, eliminate it! Give yourself at least 4 - 6 weeks off of all processed foods and your body will be happier for the break from trying to process something this difficult and will begin to release held toxins.
2. Take a break from all sugar sources, even the natural sugars like cane sugar, maple syrup, honey etc. The body has to actually take energy away from itself in order to digest sugars.  If you are dealing with any kind of tumors, or hardening of the body type with chronic issues like cysts, be aware that sugar feeds these issues. Even fruit is a form of quick sugar so try to avoid all sweet, simple fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and bananas. Berries are a better source of fruit with less sugar and more nutrients, however also keep these to a minimum for the 4- 6 weeks of your cleanse.
3. Drink lots of fresh, clean water! By adding real lemon to your water you also increase the cleansing and ph balancing of your body.
4. Be sure to get a good night sleep. Try to get in to a habit of going to bed at the same time every night and do not eat or drink anything except water after 8 pm. Be sure that your bedroom is at a consistent temperature between 19 - 20 degrees Celsius (65-68 Fahrenheit) and it is as dark as you can make it.
5. Keep your diet clean of toxins by eating organic meats, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole form carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, lentils, and berries. 

It doesn't matter what blood type, metabolic rate or glandular type is. If you follow these simple rules and you will gently detox the build up of unwanted toxins from your body, and begin to feel lighter emotionally and physically.

Be prepared that even doing a simple cleanse like this will at first make you feel off, due to the body dumping toxins, even without adding any other forms of detoxification like herbs.

Symptoms will vary from person to person (being tired, cranky and having headaches are all signs of toxins leaving the body) and will last any where from 1-2 days up to a week. Generally, I recommend you simply stick with it and know that you will begin to feel better. A simple technique is to cheat ever so slightly during this first week but only if you cannot stand the symptoms. By "cheating" I mean to simply have a tiny bit of natural sugar, which is usually what the body is struggling with not having, so drink some organic fruit juice like grape or apple. This will usually diminish the nasty symptoms, and remember not to over do it or the body will stop detoxing all together.

Also, please remember that you can always ask me for help or a personalized program to help target a specific problem, or help you achieve a specific health goal this spring.

In love and light,
Andrea

How to Fix the Mid Winter Blues

Those of us experiencing winter right now in the northern hemisphere are finding it a rather unusual and grey season. We are getting snow one day, then rain a day or so later with very little sunshine in between to lighten our mood. When this happens even those of us who are not affected by SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder find it difficult to be happy!

Some tools to help us survive this dreary time of year is to find ways to bring light in to our lives.

You can download this beautiful image as a screensaver for your desktop.

1. Buy a full light spectrum light or bulb and be sure to use it for a half hour a day. You can buy full spectrum bulbs which look light blue at most home hardware stores. I generally prefer these bulbs and use them in my office and kitchen so I get this light all the time. 
2. Make sure we are getting enough vitamin D during this time, take a minimum of 1-2000mg daily and more if you are struggling with your health. Don't be afraid to talk to you local small health food store clerk to see and compare products on the self.
3. Be sure to get a complete mineral source either via a liquid supplement like Rejuvinate,  Cell Food or Fulvic Acid Minerals.  You could try using Pink Himalayan Salt daily in your diet, which is a source of trace minerals and a healthier salt choice over iodized table salt.
4. Essential fatty acids are a type of healthy oils and fats that help to make sure that we can generate energy. Good sources are high quality fish oils such as cod liver oil of krill oil, as well as flax oil for a plant source.
5. Homeopathic remedies such as Aurum Metallicum or Sol will help bring light in to our emotional body at an energetic level keeping depression at bay!
6. Finally be sure to get outside even in the dreariest day and take a nice brisk walk. Breath in the fresh air, feel the solid earth beneath your feet. Be aware of who you are and your place in the moment, and make the choice to enjoy that moment!
7. If you feel you may need guidance or deeper healing this winter, please don't hesitate to contact me for a consultation. www.wholistichealthcare.ca

In love and light,

Andrea

Physical or Soul/Spiritual

I know that as I write this that I am not really following just the path of regimen and nutrition as I first suggested I would. As my blog progresses I have come to realize that it is pretty hard to simply talk about one aspect of who we are without addressing the other so-called body members. If you have read my book then you understand what I am talking about. If not then here is a brief summary;
we are composed of four body members, according to Rudolf Steiner - the physical/chemical body that is similar to all things visible to the eye, that which we can touch and experience in a physical way. Then we have an Etheric or life body, which is the body of fluids and energetic movement, the Etheric is the cosmic orgonotic energy which infuses everything with life energy, the source if you will for life at a basic level. These two make up our "Lower-Man" or earthly inherent being.
Then there is our Astral body which is our emotional, spiritual enlivening body of desires and aversions which is unique to every one of us. Last but not least we have our Ego, that essence of who we are as a true individual the "I" being. The I, or true self is the creator and keeper of our thoughts and beliefs about who we are.  These two are what is called the "Upper-Man" or our Karmic/cosmic being.
Each of these body members follows their own unique laws and principles when falling in to or out of health. Keep these in mind since I will often refer to each body member when talking about health and healing and it would help if you understood them in some way!

Ok, so my inspiration for this blog was recent work with clients where I was helping them to understand the difference between their physical ailments that stem from a disruption merely at the physical level, such as say banging your leg on a solid object and having a large bruise (created in the physical by the etheric) and the pain (which is felt in the Astral body) that accompanies this. Or an ailment that stems from an emotional or mental belief that is blocked or repressed in some way that may be creating physical disturbances. These physical disturbances then must be recognized as simply being the messengers of this bigger message. For example, lets say that you are feeling unloved, and moody, like any thing could make you cry, have a pulsating headache with flushes of heat, feel thirsty a lot but don't really want to drink and are having some slight nausea and or dizziness.  All of these symptoms relate to the same issue; the feeling of being unloved or abandoned. This generally comes from something in your life today that is stirring up this old belief pattern from childhood. If the original event was large enough or long enough and meant for you since it occurred, then it will have created an internal pattern and blockage in your etheric life force, that you now carry with you through out your life. It will "flare" at times either when you are at a point that you need to or are able to deal with it or when ever you are presented with a similar outward event that reminds you of it.

The problem I see most often is that we are so busy living our life NOT in the MOMENT, such as dwelling on past issues that we can't change or fretting about the future and where we need to go, that we are not attentive enough to ourselves to be aware of this underlying state that is affecting us.

But in order to be healthy free flowing individuals we need to be attentive to how we are feeling at all moments, so that we can be prepared to work through an old issues that may be blocking us from living always fully in the moment. I realize this is not an easy task but it is one that we all must learn. Once we are able to be fully attentive to ourselves at any time then we can be free!

Those of you who are still carrying a lot of old emotional baggage and unhealthy belief structures will probably need outside objective help in recognizing these issues. Some one to explain that those crazy physical symptoms like the ones I described above are due to a disruption of our soul(emotional) and spiritual(thoughts/beliefs) bodies, and need to be worked through properly in order to release them fully and for good.
One really good way to find out if you are struggling with an old belief or emotional blockage is to be attentive to your thoughts and emotions and when you are constantly being triggered emotionally by some one or some event and you feel like you have no control over these feelings, know that this is YOUR stuff being stirred up in order for you to be aware of it. Know that these feelings and thoughts are YOURS, and that the only way to eliminate them for good is to take ownership of them and do something to release them appropriately. Do some self work, by sitting and ruminating on what has come up, ask the universe for clarification and try to discover exactly what is triggering this state and what exactly the state is. Is it anger, fear, deep grief, lack of self worth, feeling devalued etc.
Remember even though it seems to be coming from outside and "at" you, the actual things you feel is yours and your choice to deal with.

Once we are able to recognize what our body is trying to tell us then we can work through the state using a number of different therapies. The one I employ the most is called Homotonic or Homeopathic remedies, because they are fast, efficient and do not create any "side-effects'. In other words a dynamic medicine that is in an energetic form that can be used according to a natural law, that will help our life force to overcome fully the emotional or mental state we are carrying. In the case I described above the remedy that would aptly fit that state is known as Pulsatilla. The remedy can also be prescribed for many other types of ailments and pathology but when looking for a remedy that best fits your state of mind this is going to be the one that helps you the most in removing the state fully and allowing you to resolve, overcome and move upward and onward with your life quickly. Also remember that potency is significant. I will discuss this in another blog.

I hope this helps you to understand a little bit of how to tell the difference between true physical disturbances or disturbances that come about due to mental or emotional issues that need to be worked through.

A small side note - Rudolf Steiner mapped out how long each body member takes to fully recover or get over something; The physical body takes roughly a whole year before it has completely resolved a major disturbance. The Etheric body takes roughly 30 days, the Astral or emotional body takes 7 days and our Ego or "I" being can over come a belief in just 24 hours, given the right support!

Thank you for taking the time to read this,
gratitude and blessings to you today.
Andrea

Regimen and nutrition continued - typologies

During the early years of my journey in to finding true health for myself, I came across a body typology diet or lifestyle that was based on blood typing. What that means is that according to what blood type you are; A, B, AB or O plays a significant role in what foods work best with your blood type. Again, like the glandular typing I won't go in to huge detail since there is lots of information about this on the Internet or you can buy Peter D'Adamo book. However, the basic premise is that each blood type is a reflection of different inherent backgrounds and evolutions of humans from the time of the nomads [O blood type who are more protein/meat eaters], hunter gatherers [A blood type who are more vegetarian, low fat eaters], to today's more diverse combinations of ethnicities and most modern blood types B and AB which are more omnivorous and can handle a wide variety of food types.

For myself I am an O blood type which in it's basic form means that I am the oldest most common type, this type is designed to be more of a meat eater according to D'Adamo. What I have found though personally and professionally is that the blood type diet is a very small piece of the puzzle. Yes it does have significance in what types of food groups the individual should be eating for optimum health. However, it only applies for specific food groups. Such as for an O type being classified as a protein/meat eater tends to be very broad and not very specific. But if you add in metabolic typing to this you can individualize it much more and discover more specific foods within that group that are best suited to that individual. As an example say you are an O type but you have a very alkaline system and are a slow oxidative, in other words you may be a meat eater but your digestive system is not adequately set up with enough enzymes and acidity to break down the heavy protein in dark meat in to useable energy. Thus if you where to eat a large steak you would feel very slow and lethargic afterwards as your body tries diligently to figure out how to process this heavy protein. You would probably feel better on lighter meats or vegetable protein sources. Whereas the O blood type individuals with a higher metabolic rate, will be able to easily break down the heavier purines in dark meats and actually feel more energized after eating these food sources but less so after having only vegetable proteins.

I have also come across many A blood types that are supposed to be vegetarians, who are very fast high oxidative types, thus they process their foods rather quickly and need higher amounts of protein and minerals and fats in their diet. If these individuals choose to be vegetarians and do not get high protein sources daily or supplement with minerals and high B12, then they usually end up with significant degeneration especially in their bones, nails and hair.

So as you can see just choosing one type diet over another is not the way to true health. What we must do as individuals is look at all the different ways our own unique body works and eat according to how we know foods make us feel and function. In other words pay attention to your body it knows best!

Even our age plays a significant part of our nutritional makeup. As we age our metabolism naturally slows down. Unless you are running marathons at age 40 and up then your protein intake needs to decrease yearly. There simply is no growth going on and or body building, again unless you are an extreme athlete, thus you need to always be monitoring your food intake and energy levels to maintain your own health and equilibrium. No matter what blood type you are.

From here I would like you to go and do some personal research. Find out your blood type, do an online survey and discover your metabolic rate, find out how you react to certain foods, what works best for you and what does not. Remember it is YOUR body so take care of it, love it by taking ownership of it and treating as well as you would like to be treated. That is the only way to truly find out how to feed your body in order to have the optimal energy and weight for your physical structure. One of the best ways of course to do this is after finding out these two types that fit you best, stick to the diet suggestions, eliminate all the food sources that are not recommended for you and see how you feel after one month. If you haven't noticed any significant improvement it may be due to several factors.
A. Either you where already eating fairly close to your body type and didn't need to make significant changes. If this is so then you should normally have constant energy and mood most of the time.
B. You did not change your diet enough to get noticeable results. Quite often we have trouble truly letting go of certain food types that we have eaten all our life and we some how convince ourselves that its still ok to eat it. If your typology results have asked you to remove a certain food source give your self the opportunity to truly find out if you will feel better without it for at least a month.

Another way to find out if you are eating appropriately is to test your body Ph levels. Get yourself a Ph testing kit from a local drug store and every morning and evening test saliva and urine Ph. It should sit around 6.7. If it is not then you are not eating properly. continue to monitor this while you are making changes and once you get your diet properly adjusted for a continuous period of time your Ph should begin to normalize and stay consistent. When you body Ph is perfect then you will know that your body is functioning at its optimum. You will also not be susceptible to illnesses since bacteria and virus only resonate in a body which is deficient one way or another.

Remember it is ok to periodically eat things that are not good for you, provided you are consciously aware that is what you are doing and you only do it in small amounts and not all the time. Also be willing to pay the price if your health is not at its optimum when you eat these foods then you are going to feel the effects via sluggish digestion, possibly headaches, improper elimination, energy fluctuations and emotional imbalances.

Life is meant to be enjoyed but It will be much more enjoyable when you feel and look great for yourself as much as possible.

Live, love, laugh and eat according to your unique body mix of typologies!

Andrea

Who's Driving the Bus?

Even though a large part of my practice is working with the true laws and principles that surround how we get sick and what remedies or true natural medicines are needed along with Nutrition and regimental support to help heal. I probably spend a greater amount of time helping people understand who is "driving their bus!" In other words helping my clients become more aware of their thought processes and the simple fact that they, and by they I mean a very deep core inner sense of self our true "I"; thus they or their true self is and always will be in control of their thinking. But the key is to become aware of their thinking and thought patterns, to become aware of themselves as a true individual "I".

Who am I? I am what I think!

 To come to know and understand how we think and then learn to take control of what  we think so that we can truly be the "driver of our bus"is one of the most crucial aspects we must face today if we want true freedom. And by becoming our own driver we can begin to actually fully control our life in a more conscious fluid way. Because we are what we think and what we think is simply a belief structure that is in place to help us to have some form or functioning realm to be in that feels comfortable. Belief structures are not deep truths they are fluctuating patterns of thoughts that are either impinged upon us at birth and in early life when we are not consciously aware of our own ability to think or we develop them over time with our own experiences. Thus we take them on as true facts and make them our own and create our life out of that reflection given to us. But we can change these beliefs at any given moment if we CHOOSE to. The trick is to being aware of what that belief is that we want to change and then taking the time and effort to change it through constant repetitions of new ideas and thoughts that we feel would support us at this time in our life better.

For example, lets say you feel undeserving of success. The way this belief has come about is unimportant. What is important is recognizing that this is what you believe at this point in time and making a conscious choice in your mind to change this. To change this belief for good we need to A. Be aware of every time is presents itself in our thoughts, actions and emotions. B. Each time we recognize it make a conscious effort to replace it with a more positive thought or affirmation such as "I absolutely deserve this...by divine right. Or what ever affirmation you feel is appropriate for you. C. Along with this thought change we need to instill an emotional feeling to this thought. Imagine how you would feel if this NEW belief where so. Imagine how great and happy you would feel with this belief as a part of who you are, here and now. Hold this feeling and thought for as long as you can. Then move on with your day.
Remember each time you feel confronted by the old belief/thoughts and feelings, that you would like to change, you must take the time initially to work consciously on it each and every time. The more you work on it with effort the faster it will become a part of who you really are the faster the old belief will be washed away.

This is a project in creating your full true self; the you that you want to be in this life, not the results of old passed on beliefs and inheritances.

Sometimes we need help recognizing our deep core beliefs that are holding us back. If you are struggling with things in life but can not see clearly enough to recognize what old belief pattern is holding you back then asking the objective opinion of a close friend or seeking professional help might be well worth your time.

The most important thing is to be willing and ready to change. In order to become the best you, that you can be in this lifetime takes courage and determination. We must be able to see ourselves as objectively as possible and be willing to do what ever it takes to make the changes we desire.

Remember you and your life is what you believe it to be, whether you believe life is a struggle and you will never get a head or you believe that you are successful in what ever you do and the universe always provides the best for you at every given moment. These thoughts and emotional patterns are created and proliferated by you and for you. And only you can change them if you choose. 

The power is in you to decide if and when you want to change your self!

Life is too short not to be who you really want to be every single moment so face your fears and live your life fully for yourself. Decide now to be who ever you want to be and go for it.

Seize the moment and enjoy it fully.

in complete joy,
Andrea