Ted Cibik's Inner Strength

Skin Sensitivity

Ted Cibik — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:33:00 GMT

Are we putting more chemical into our systems transdermally than we realize? Consider the following statement from WebMD:…..”Doctors say a chemical added into furniture shipments from China to prevent the growth of mold has been linked to severe rashes.

The chemical, dimethylfumate (DMF), can penetrate the fabric and subsequently clothing when a person sits on the furniture, says Joseph F. Fowler Jr., MD, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Louisville, Kentucky.

DMF is also used in the shipping of some clothing and shoes, Fowler says. And some people are very allergic to the preservative, he tells WebMD. When they come into contact with DMF, susceptible individuals develop contact dermatitis, a rash that can occur anywhere on the body. Irritated skin becomes dry and chapped and eventually red, scaly, and inflamed.”

I have noticed this with starches in new clothing as well. Make sure that you wash all new clothing before wearing it and especially before you wear it in warm conditions. Sweat opens the pores and allows the chemicals to enter the body causing everything from dermatitis to migraines.

In fact, most people including MD’s do not recognize chemical sensitivity or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) because the symptoms are so vague. Anything from rash, hives, bloating and gas, breathing problems, sore throat, sneezing, stuffy head or congestion, fatigue, and migraines can be caused from chemical sensitivity.

By becoming a detective in this matter you will notice patterns that emerge as you wear a piece of clothing or wear shorts on a piece of furniture and notice a rash or eat a certain type of food and notice stuffiness in your head sometimes several hours later or perhaps even the next morning.

I truly enjoy helping people figure out what is afflicting them. To me it is like solving a mystery where the clues are sparse and unconnected. If you would like me to help you solve your mystery, please see my website at www.inner-strength.com for more details.

Antidepressants - Another Option?

Ted Cibik — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:17:00 GMT

I have always believed that that power of mind is the most important part of healing available in any medical technique – whether allopathic or naturopathic/complimentary.

A recent article published in Scientific American states exactly that same thing: “A controversial article just published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that antidepressants are no more effective than placebos for most depressed patients.

(Think about that statement for a moment!)

Jay Fournier and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania aggregated individual patient data from six high-quality clinical trials and found that the superiority of antidepressants over Placebo is clinically significant only for patients who are very severely depressed. For patients with mild, moderate, and even severe depression, placebos work nearly as well as antidepressants (Again, please think about that statement for a moment!)

There have been at least four other review articles published in the last eight years that have come to similar conclusions about the limited clinical efficacy of antidepressants

……..In clinical practice, of course, there is no placebo group, and therefore patients and their doctors are likely to attribute all symptom improvement to the medication.”

Wow! I am sure that this will be challenged almost immediately, as there is an enormous amount of money to be lost from pharmaceutical companies if this is again proved to be true – and more importantly – this becomes common public knowledge!

Regardless, of the study, I personally have proved to myself from surviving “incurable asthma and cancer” that the power of the mind is real….no proof is needed in my mind.

I have been working in this field of mind (sometimes a minefield or mindfield) all my life – mostly from a survival perspective, but now to help my clients in all aspects of healing – physically mentally and spiritually. The mental aspects of this perspective I call Formless Taoism – (a philosophical approach to life). Many of these perspectives and concepts are very old techniques borrowed from ancient Taoist masters.

I have found the root of all disease to be from two factors: stress and inflammation. So this is the chicken and the egg question, which comes first?

Here at Inner Strength, I have developed some very unique concepts of self-healing, based on my own survival, that I now share with my clients on how to alleviate these two culprits. I use a variety of methods - like having different tools in the toolbox -one tool may work better than another. Please contact us today and begin the journey to living life to its fullest again, rather than thinking of just getting through the day, imagine about how to enjoy the day !

ãCopyright Inner Strength, Inc. All rights reserved under state and federal laws.Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner Strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

Spiritual Direction For 2010

Ted Cibik — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:04:00 GMT

So, with New Years just a few days away, perhaps some of you are outlining your resolutions for the New Year. Most of us forecast what we need in our lives, put an action plan into place and try our best to stick with it throughout the year. Ah yeah. That resolution usually lasts until February!

So this year, why not try something new? How about instead of making resolutions, you contemplate the following 2 questions:

Are you on a spiritual path (not a dogmatic path)?

And, if you are on a spiritual path….Why are you?

Dogma does not engender spirituality, although they can be merged. Ritual does not define spirituality either. Any “religion” that is self-serving, or only serving a select group, is not spiritually based. Jesus, a Jew, loved all…not just those who followed Judaism or Christianity. He was patient, kind and compassionate to all men, women and children regardless of their affinity.

The second question is my main focus of this Blog article. Why did you begin a spiritual quest? My teacher Jeffrey Yuen, once spoke of how in ancient China; many people who entered monasteries and covenants did so because they had a really crappy life (my words not his). Their lives where outlined by sadness, rejection and abandonment. They entered the retreat so hoping that they would come out with some newfound healing and abatement of their suffering through divinity. Obviously with that perspective, in time, one can become “mad at God” if the cessation of suffering is not fulfilled.

Many people do the same in modern times. Are you seeking becoming spiritual because of your weakness and in turn bringing your weakness to a spiritual life? Or, are you a seeker because you want to bring your strengths to the spiritual world?

Most seekers doing so out of their weakness and think of a return vs. what they can contribute. In order to be a contributor to the spiritual path, one must come to terms with the humanness of their perceived fallacies and shortcomings or at least come to know them through cultivation.

Instead of choosing to come to know the holiness and divine within themselves, the novice perpetually looks external for their salvation and answers. They are not comfortable with themselves and/or their affliction (we all have some affliction - no-one is exempt).

One should seek a spiritual life because it has something to teach you. The Intern works to understand themselves through cultivation through non-biased eyes. As you come to understand and know yourself and your true nature, you thereby come to know God.

If you are interested in becoming an Intern, please see the website www.formlesstaoism.com

Inflammation, Blood and Disease

Ted Cibik — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:16:00 GMT

Inflammation is linked to every known disease and disorder of the body, although we know very little about how the whole inflammation process starts, which cells are involved, and what activates the inflammatory process and what keeps it in that state.

Theories of where does inflammation start have been postulated from dendritic cells, to Eosinophils, to B-Cell development to CD4 and CD8 Effector cells and then which systems mediate and keep the inflammation process going including immunoglobins, prostaglandins, Chemokines ( Interleukin-1, or IL-2, or IL-12, or Il-17, or IL-23 in Autoimmunity)….which just further points out to me that the medical/research community are really not sure of the process.

This article is not to give you a crash chemistry lesson, but to assure you that one of the most profound answers to 21rst century health care is much simpler than you think. Well, in that simplicity – it reveals ultra complexity!

In my research and in my own experience of surviving cancer, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, and multiple surgeries and infections from those surgeries, I am here to tell you that nothing ……Nothing ….will ever help you to heal and recuperate your health more than exercise!

In fact, I am going to make a bold statement….All the correct and perfect diet(s), supplements and the latest and greatest “berry” in the world will not work –without intense exercise!!!!! You will not heal from just diet alone….you may improve…...but you will not heal!!!!!

We all need to move our blood, or exercise and the more you move it the healthier your cells are going to be.

Blood Your Body’s Best Friend

Blood truly is the icon of life itself. We probably don’t think of our blood often except when we cut ourselves or we hear the Central Blood Bank plea for blood as their reserves run low. How often do we think of our own blood and its health for instance? We probably think of it quite often if we are a cancer patient and have concern about our “counts” like our T-cells, white blood cell count, or an Aids patient or a hemophiliac. However, most of us have little conscious thought about our blood’s condition – let alone worry about it.

I have often thought of the similarities of Western medicine and Chinese or Tibetan medicine, and their preoccupation with the health of ones blood.

In Chinese medicine, everything is about the blood or Xue. The Chinese say that “Qi (our life force) is the commander of blood and blood is the mother of Qi”. This speaks of the interrelationship between the Yin and Yang in Chinese medicine theory where Yin is of Earth and Yang is of Heaven, the tangible and the intangible. In Chinese medical diagnosis, we are concerned about blood stasis for instance in trauma (emotional or physical) or disease. We believe that the blood carries with us all the experiences of our entire life – good, bad or indifferent. We can injure our blood through our negative repetitive thoughts or our emotions. The mind can activate memories in the blood “bubble up”; causing the blood to “heat up” - giving rise to inflammation syndromes (allergies, cancer, MS, autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, coronary artery disease etc.)

Blood is an amazing substance that is more of its own little ecosystem than we once thought. The Ph of our body has an immense affect on our blood. If the Ph of our blood becomes imbalanced ever so slightly, microbes can become pathogenic, enzymes can become destructive, mineral assimilation can be thrown off leading to a state favoring yeast, viruses, bacteria and cancer. Moreover, if the Ph of the gut or the Ph of the tissues anywhere in the body swing chronically either to alkaline or to acidic – chaos and disease can occur! With this understanding, this is a foundation of how I heal everything from fibroids to multiple sclerosis, from Irritable bowel disease to cancer. Of course it is a little more complicated than that, but this provides a solid platform to springboard off of.

To most of us, blood flows without our thoughts and when healthy, is in constant motion, forever orbiting the body in an endless loop like the Earth around the Sun. Irregardless of how efficiently we can breath or how well we can digest our food once eaten, if it wasn’t for the blood itself, as the trucking company traveling down a thousand mile highway system of arteries, arterioles and capillaries, we would soon die. Therefore, in a healthy body, blood moves sometimes slowly, but moves nonetheless, assisted by the contraction of muscles in the body (i.e. movement of the body). Therefore, movement of the body is imperative for the health of the blood, not only for the assistance it provides in moving the blood, but from the increased fresh supply of oxygen from our deeper breathing which facilitates our healing energies.

Long before Western understanding that blood absorbed oxygen in the lungs via capillary beds, to its distribution pathways from the left chamber of the heart to further capillary delineation in the body, the ancient Chinese realized the connection between breathing in oxygen and the health of the blood. Breathing (fast or heavy and slow) combined with exercises were studied and experimented with on how they affected health, energy levels and recuperation from illness. Therefore blood and breathing became a very common treatment modality in ancient China.

Ironically, this vital substance called blood is under constant production - as its shelf life is minimal. In an average day, 100 billion neutrophiles (a type of white blood cell) are produced by an average adult, but what is more incredible is that this liquid is manufactured in a solid….the bone! Speaking of the Yang forming within the Yin! The Chinese even have special exercises called Marrow Washing Qigong that is used to build up the blood cell production. I use a form of this exercise with several of my cancer clients as well as people who are anemic.

Movement and deep breathing, regardless of its nature, is how the body was designed to function. The problem with modern exercise prescription is that it is too conservative. We are so in-active compared to our grandparents, that we have to integrate even more intensity and time in our “structured workout or gym time.” I have just recently developed a workout routine that is designed to change measurable blood chemistry in as little as 6 weeks. As an example of out-dated information that is still believed to be truth, the old adage of finding your maximum heart rate (you remember, 220- your age = Max heart rate) is outdated for those over age 40. This is the new formula: Multiply your age by 0.7 and subtract that figure from 208 to get max heart rate.

This is where you need guidance so that you do not injure yourself, but can reap the benefits of the oldest secret in the world – Hard work never killed anyone….. Inactivity has. So if you need the latest, most scientific exercise science information coupled with ancient wisdom – I am your man.

Passing Into The Light

Ted Cibik — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:54:00 GMT

In September, I will be speaking publicly for the first time in my life about what happened when I was pronounced dead in a hospital and stayed that way for over 14 minutes. Being “dead “ that long is not to common, from what I understand, and it allowed me “time” to see and understand things that very few humans ever could understand. This happened at a very young, impressionable age. I recounted these experiences to physicians and psychiatrists many times over the years as they followed my case in the hope that I could reveal to them something that science could use. This is why, perhaps that I remember the experience so vividly later in life….the constant recalling of sensations and feelings immediately after “my return” for many years.

What is interesting is that the second time that I flat lined /died (in another hospital by the way), I was 12, and the experience was different. I was only dead a few minutes this time. This has lead me to come to some very unique conclusions and in studying various religious traditions, I have come to realize what many of the masters have alluded to and many texts such as the Bible, Bhagavad-Gita, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead are trying to explain to people.

For the record, I have never read other peoples near death experiences or wanted to know what other people’s experiences were - so, my story is unique, not influenced by others stories or their books or lectures. I have heard that many people have talked about their near-death experience, as they are now labeled, but very few have Two experiences so close together to compare to!

I want to talk about how each death experience was different, what I experienced, what I came away with in knowledge, as well as what I know understand as I have gotten older and hopefully wiser. I will also be drawing parallels to an ancient oral tradition from the Yu Ching Huang Lao Pai tradition of Taoism as well as my tradition of Formless Taoism.

Hopefully, when people leave, they will leave with a complete new perception on what death means, what it meant for those we loved who have passed (including pets), and how we can be empowered to live deeper more meaningful lives.

This 2-day seminar is called Passing into the Light Saturday and Sunday September 26/27 2009 from 9-5pm.

Health Care Communication Skills

Ted Cibik — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:16:00 GMT

According to Pfizer research, 90 million people in the United States may be at risk because of the difficulty some patients experience in understanding and acting on health information. Errorsin intensive care units (ICUs), even with all the computer technology, account for errors as high as 1.7 per patient perday. In another study, slightly more than one-half of patients had an episode with pharmacists giving information that scared patients out of taking medication. Communication, especially in health care, is critical, but it is important for everyday communications too.

Communication is such a powerful and delicate thing. Most speakers/ communicators have a fairly good grasp of their native vocabulary, but how they manipulate those same words change them from being able to just talk to becoming a person you can learn from. To move into the category of a great speaker you must also have timing and a rhythm of your sentences so that the impact settles into the very pores of the person listening. A dynamic speaker uses his actually energy or Qi to project into the audience, not just the words with timing and rhythm, but with an energy that one can feel into your very heart and soul – a lecture/sermon/seminar that moves you to the core!

A great speaker lecturing to a group appears to be communicating to each person individually – as if the speaker knew them personally. Great books accomplish the same intimacy. That is why there are so many interpretations of the Bible or the Tao Te Ching. They are the top two most printed books in the world – but most readers interpret them slightly different.

As a professional speaker, I have had some fabulous opportunities. Some of my favorite memories were teaching communication skills to the U.S. Dept of Justice and the U.S. Attorneys office in Washington D.C. I used a variety of skills to present the seminar including voice projection, active listening to questions, learning to read the energy of the audience and give back exactly the kind of energy the participants needed and wanted to hear, as well as using the vibration of my voice to capture the minds of the audience. Yes, your voice has an energy to it that can be harnessed and used as a tool.

In teaching my 3-year class in Chinese Medicine, I also have included these skills for my students. Although many health care professionals are wonderful speakers and are very capable of communicating their ideas to their patients, the patients themselves may not be as great of a communicator and may not actually have their needs met in the office. Sometimes the patient feels rushed, intimidated, or just is not used to asking for things succinctly (often times, they just “do not like to bother someone”) – which can all lead to communication breakdown and unmet needs and mental dissatisfaction.

That’s is why I am teaching my students communication skills in addition to Chinese medicine skills. I have found that the human voice, when trained properly, can be a wonderful underestimated healing tool that can calm and sooth a suffering soul sitting across from you. Learning to harness Qi this way and utilize it is an art, like most effective healing modalities, is something that has to be cultivated. I like to think that my graduates will have an enormous array of tools available to them, including the ability to sooth and heal with their voice, with enhanced listening and speaking skills.

Dr. Cibik will be speaking on Effective Communication skills for patients and health care professionals on September 12^th, 2009, from 9am to 1pm. The cost is $99.00. Dr. Cibik will be demonstrating various voice projection techniques (Qi projection) for effective communication as well as word choice and timing skills.

Surviving the Crossroads of Transition

Ted Cibik — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:56:00 GMT

I have not Blogged in a while…..to be honest I have not felt like writing. My mother passed away on February 25^th, or transitioned into her true divine self, as I like to think of it. A place where there is no more pain and suffering of the flesh, but equally the loss of the ability to feel and hold the warmth of her form. This defines a crossroads of understanding of what it means to live – and what it means to survive another’s passing.

I looked on the internet for camaraderie for dealing with the death of your mother in mid-life….but most of the limited advice I found was for women only. That is not fitting the bill here. I discovered that there is nothing on the Internet for middle-aged guys who lose their mother - who just happen to be the only child, which is odd, I thought. I am here to tell you that it is hard….with no brothers or sisters for support to commiserate with – you really do feel alone in the world. I am not a weak person by any stretch of the imagination, but I suppose this is something that people just do not feel comfortable talking about. (So here I am talking about it) Like so many things, we just ignore it; stuff it down inside and move on with life. Although, I can move on with life, that does not mean that I do not feel the abyss that has been placed in my life. Perhaps for men, admitting so would appear to be less than macho - this means of course that you are concerned about how others perceive you and allow that to drive your persona.

So, I began to watch and listen to other people tell the story of what happens in their life when a parent dies. In thinking about their commentaries, society briefly sympathizes with the survivor(s) of a lost parent, but it is as if the mid-age survivor should snap back after a week or two and be completely normal. This expected mask of delusion placed by societies expectations, I surmise, is because you are older, busier and supposedly have more emotional tools available at your command.

I have found that the grieving process really does not hit until several months later and that may only be the beginning. So, it is a process to say the least. This process requires a completely different set of tools that you can never prepare for through either experience or reading. You learn as you go along. Every loss of someone you love is different, so how can you prepare?

Well, I have my mother to thank for many gifts. Personally, I am now aware of her Shen, or spirit, that flows through my veins even more than ever before. A blessing that allows me to truly feel her moment-by-moment in all that I am, and all that I do.

The Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, says this, “If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”

On reflecting of her transition, I remembered the many gifts she gave me. My mother always had the gift to sense and feel another’s pain or discomfort and always had a way – through word or action –that allowed her to comfort another – even if that was the animal that she had just rescued.

Another was her tolerance of allowing me to find my own path. In reading Thomas Merton, I discovered a quote that describes her perfectly, albeit she never read Merton that I know of: “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.”

I love you mom, and as your Shen flows through my veins, I will celebrate your gifts everyday though my words and my actions. Be at peace.

Kidney Stones

Ted Cibik — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:02:00 GMT

One of the most painful things I have ever encountered was a kidney stone. I sympathize with anyone who has chronic problems with them and have some possible insights to prevention and treatment for those of you who are suffering.

Almost 80% of kidney stones are comprised of calcium oxalate crystals. Uric Acid stones can form also when the pH is too low and high oxalate rich foods are consumed such as nuts, chocolate, soybeans and their products, rhubarb and spinach. One of the main causes I have found is the high consumption of cola drinks without equal amounts of water. If the uric acid concentration is high, sometimes the stones will form in combination with Gout.

In rats fed a low vitamin-E diet, who later developed kidney stones, the effect could be reversed by vitamin –E supplementation. Foods naturally rich in vitamin E are: Almonds (also good for your lungs) avocados, olives, asparagus and wheat germ.

Vitamin E is one of 13 vitamins essential to body metabolism, cell growth and function. There are 2 divisions of vitamins E: Tocopherols and Tocotreinols that each has four divisions. All we need to worry about is that in nature tocotreinols and tocopherols occur together. That is precociously how they should be taken, with almost all vitamin E sales going to only one half of the equation - tocopherols. Additionally, the Japanese has recently studied tocotreinols as a cancer preventative.

New research points to common sense as well – more is not necessarily better. Keep your intake of vitamin E to foods first and then to low dose supplements.

My philosohy has always been to teach people how to eat first, rather than place them ever so quickly on supplements. Like all supplements, learning to balance them with diet and movement is the key to better health.

Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

The Watering of Soul Seeds

Ted Cibik — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:05:00 GMT

In the last 20 years of coaching, training, healing and mentoring people I have come to realize that many of us do not feel our Soul Seeds. What are Soul Seeds? Soul Seeds are the very seeds given to you upon your conception that you first must discover. These seeds allow you to grow into a truly enlightened being of compassion and servitude that manifest into happiness and bliss so that we may truly enjoy our vacation here on earth. All of us have several soul seeds that correspond to our 7 missions in life. These seeds are as unique as we are.

How do you discover your soul seeds?

First, you must get quiet. The soul does not yell above the chatter of your mind. The soul is a quiet sacred place that whispers its secrets to those who breathe softly, forever listening rather than talking. Some call this meditation. Some call this heaven. Some call this a place of where love is born. It doesn’t matter what semantics are attached. In order to discover you soul seeds you must first learn to be quiet so that the truth (Gandhi said that God was truth) can whisper in your ear. Some might call this the Holy Spirit, the very energy that flows in man allowing him to do wondrous things for others – in other words to serve. Have you been practicing being quiet? Or do mayhem and the crises de jour run your life?

Souls seeds also need watering. What waters souls seeds? Actions water the seeds. Water is always flowing, sometimes falling high from mountaintops to sea level, sometimes rising up to kiss the sky in the form of evaporation, but always descending back to earth where it can do the most good and illicit the most change. In Chinese Medicine we look at water as Chaos. Chaos is not mayhem, but the opportunity for all things to manifest. All possibilities and all miracles can happen in an instant. That is what Chaos is.

What actions are you putting forth to water your seeds this year?

Seeds also need fertile soil. The soil is your mind. What do you recycle in your mind? Kindness? Optimism? Compassion? What do you read to cultivate new ideas, growth, and peace? How do you process the shit that lands at our feet daily? Do you welcome it or curse it? The daily shit can become wonderful fertilizer in the form of teachings and lessons. All of this gets recycled into the very thing that allows you to serve yourself and others better. Fertile soil also needs aerated to be effective. You must mix and stir the fertilizer into the other soil so that the nutrients become evenly spread and not too concentrated (which can burn the seeds) but integrated into something greater than the individual parts. This is where you analytical mind comes into play, taking life’s prior teachings and lessons and integrating them into this new fertilizer, thereby allowing new possibilities and growth to occur.

All good stewards of the land need help now and then. I have dedicated my life to helping people discover their Soul Seeds. Perhaps we can farm the seeds together this year?

Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

Did Jesus Ever Get Cancer

Ted Cibik — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:09:00 GMT

I have been thinking about all the great teachers through time: Jesus, Buddha, Rumi, Confucius, Mohammad, Meniscus, Merton…the list goes on. Some like Jesus almost seem superhuman – a superhero if you will from stories and writings. But yet Catholicism teaches that he was a man. In reading Morton Kelsey’s Healing and Christianity, the author makes several great references to Jesus working with Qi (not stated that way in the book – my inference), but nonetheless Jesus was, along with many Christian mystics, a great energy worker. Father Kelsey, an Episcopal priest, and professor emeritus of Notre Dame University, makes a strong connection to Jesus and his healings to shamanism – Which are the roots of QiGong.

Myth and legends surround all of our great teachers and we elevate them with great reverence, stories and characteristics - sometimes so much so that we cannot truly identify with them in our normal daily life.

Recently, I attended a talk by a well known martial artist and Taoist. He was speaking about how to find a good teacher, the characteristics to look for, the personality etc. Then, this gentleman said something that shocked me when speaking of QiGong. He stated that a true QiGong master never gets sick! On the same line of thinking, many believe that Jesus never got sick because he never sinned. I am not comparing QiGong masters to Jesus, but the notion that one gets sick because one is impure is a common one.

Moreover, in the new age community, if someone does get cancer or gets a terminal illness, then they are a false-prophet because they “attracted“ that into their life. Whose mortal body does not eventually die?

I am going to out on a limb here and just say that sometimes it is what you learn from being sick (lessons) that is the important thing - not whether you get sick or not (outcomes). I speak more of this in my latest book, Armageddon of the Mind www.armageddonofthemind.com

One can learn many things from being ill – from the spectrum of emotions that coincide with illness to the actual physical pain, to the many methods where illness can strengthen your spirit and your mind.

How does anyone know what suffering is if they themselves never suffered? How do you truly understand loss –if you never have had loss? How can you know what trials and tribulations really are if you have none? How can you relate to being human – if you are above being human? More importantly …how can you teach others?

Jesus aside, any person that claims that they never get ill due to their practice, belief or supplement that they take…is living a life of delusion. This life of delusion has developed into a pathology of its own – which further leads a person off their center or balance in life. This delusional practice engorges the ego and consumes the grace that one has attained in his/her practice.

Most of the honest healers and teachers that I know, admit their being human, getting ill and using their specialty of practice, to assist them in healing faster and with less suffering. The aspiring student often becomes so fixated on outcomes, rather than the process or journey itself. The veteran teachers stay in their center, and many times continue to work assisting others to heal while they process what they need to in order to come back to health. In this truth, is part of what allows them to stay in center…being mindful and present of what their physical body has encountered and needs, in order to balance itself out. Perhaps that is something as simple as sleep or more complicated such as working through their own loss of a loved one, either way the truly enlightened person understands that there is time and a season for everything – even illness and dying.

Perhaps the transition from illness to health or from health to illness is the true blessing. Thoreau writes, “All change is a miracle to contemplate.” It is through the gift of suffering that we can appreciate the lack thereof. Jesus and Buddha both speak of their suffering and through their generous example – we can transcend ours.

Copyright Inner Strenth, Inc. and Ted J. Cibik. All rights reserved under state and federal laws. Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

Meaninglessness Of Words

Ted Cibik — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:30:00 GMT

In my recent book, Armageddon of the Mind, I quickly realized that the intellectual exercise of writing about emotions (and especially spiritual things) is very difficult for one to accurately create a depiction of for readers. The things we hold most dear in the deepest reaches of hearts and minds are the most difficult to describe. Who really has written a true definition of pure altruism? Who has written a true representation for the pure love of God? Yet these two emotions have prevailed throughout history and are infused in many of our most sacred books. The most familiar way of describing these acts is by the telling of stories or myths.

The transference of ideas from one human being to another through the use of words in books, the Internet and in college writing all have their place and importance in life. Not being able to read a road sign and grasp its meaning could be fatal or not being able to read directions on consumer products could also cause enormous misery - That is not what I am speaking of here.

I am considering, as many philosophers before me such as Hume, Kierkegaard, Reinhold and Bacon, who through their incredible intellect, argued the validity of words. Unlike their minds however, I believe that words are only unfitting when used to describe emotions and spiritual experiences.

Words are meaningless if there is no cognitive conscious reference the mind can tangibly attach to. In other words (no pun), the uses of words to describe thought have no significant meaningÅ if they are not attached to an object of the senses. The senses, or portals in Chinese medicine, are the sentient component that limits us to this plane of existence in comprehension – corresponding to the left-brain. For example, most of our orientation in this world comes from our vision. Imagine what your perception of a sunset would be if you were blind from birth? Could you understand the color? Could you understand the way the light contrasts with the clouds? The way a blind person may write about sunset would be different than a person with sight. The use of the portals or senses is critical as that is how we portray tangible things and objects in our mind. Even how we depict a kiss or romance is often defined by what we see in life, movies and pictures and the sounds associated with them. This is the earthy plane of our defined reality.

By contrast, the heavenly plane: that of feelings or right brained is where we can grasp and bring to consciousness the feelings of Love and laughter for example. We all know what those experiences are like, and mankind has tried to capture them in writing for centuries from poems to plays to books. In reality, when someone can capture just a portion of those feelings correctly, and can emotionally move someone in their reading, they are considered a brilliant author.

A definition of earthy vs. heavenly in that all experiences are earthy when they can be described from references points of things created on earth - including paintings and objects under a microscope – even science. The heavenly realm, however, is untapped in possibilities. It is what we have not seen or incomprehensible due to lack of reference. It is the last frontier of discovery. Therefore, when you try to lock in a continually repoducable definition that fits all cases – you will fail. The uniqueness of the human experience such as Love, altruism and God, are ultimately things that are heavenly. John Locke, who amongst other things, influenced our founding fathers, the American revolutionaries and whose philosophy can be seen in the Declaration of Independence states, “Natural Philosophy [the study of nature] is not capable of being made into science.” This thinking is actually a very Taoist point of view.

In Armageddon of the Mind, I propose methods for tapping into that exact frontier of heaven - while embodied here on earth. It is a way to open your mind to a new paradigm of thinking, feeling and experiencing God. See www.armageddonofthemind.com for more details.

Å Significant meaning here refers to the ability to transfer a concept(s) or thought accurately from one person to another without misconception. Otherwise this thought is indigenous to the creator of that thought.

Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

AutoImmune Disorders Worse in Fall and Winter

Ted Cibik — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:54:00 GMT

Well it is that time of year again. I am sure that all of you are thinking the same thing….the time of the Kidneys in Classical Chinese medicine! Many people become acutely aware and worried this time of year because the immune system becomes severely challenged; especially for asthma, COPD, Emphysema, common colds, flus and even panic attacks ….. all do increase this time of year.

In a recent article in CHEST it states: “Health-care utilization for children with asthma changes with the seasons, peaking in the fall. Using data from the United Healthcare database, researchers from the University of North Carolina reviewed health-care utilization patterns and asthma medication usage in children aged 2 to 5 years and 6 to 12 years from 2002 to 2004. Results showed that health-care utilization was minimal in the summer; however, September consistently served as a point of increase for health-care utilization for both age groups. In October and November, peak emergency department visits for the two age groups were approximately 2.4 to 2.8 times higher than in July; outpatient visits were approximately 3.1 to 3.3 times higher; and hospitalizations were approximately 3.7 to 5.6 times higher. Asthma controller and reliever medication claims increased beginning in September and peaked in December. Rates for health-care use and claims for asthma medications also were elevated in February.”

So you can see we are right in the middle of one of the worse times of year for people with breathing disorders. Fortunately, I have a solution for many of you: Asthma QiGong.

See www.inner-strength.com/Products.htm for more information.

It takes only 6 weeks of training inQiGong/Taiji, according to a recent article in CHEST, to have immense positive physiological and emotional changes. Remember that Taiji is QiGong, especially the way it is taught in America. According to the report, “…..patients showed significant improvements in peak flow variability, asthma control test score, negative inspiratory pressure, 6-minute walk distance, and quality of life. Patients also increased their maximum work rate, maximum oxygen consumption, and exercise endurance time. Researchers conclude that QiGong training could be an effective, nonpharmacologic, adjunctive therapy for patients with persistent asthma to help them achieve better asthma control and quality of life.”

QiGongis one of the best-kept secrets for any person with an autoimmune disorder.Please start becoming pro-active in your health care and taking care of yourself with these easy to perform and effective exercises for body and mind.

Multiple Sclerosis From a Integrative Medicine Perspective

Ted Cibik — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:50:00 GMT

Multiple Sclerosis, also known as disseminated sclerosis is a chronic relapsing/remitting disease of the central nervous system that affects 2.5 million people worldwide, with women affected one-and a half times as often as men. Symptomatology includes weakness, numbness, balance problems, impaired vision, bladder dysfunction and psychological distress and changes.

Western diagnosis is usually made after several sclerosed or scarred, locations throughout the brain and spinal cord are located either by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging or MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy). The western prognosis is bleak as the body’s immune system begins to attack the protective insulating cover of the nerves and causes destruction to the axon (nerve body) itself. This autoimmune disease, where the white blood cells attack normal body tissue, is also categorized in lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases of inflammation.

Ever since I spoke at The National QiGong Conference about my protocols for Multiple Sclerosis, I have been flooded with calls from patients and practitioners alike. In every case where the patient is compliant, the Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.) has been placed into remission permanently - defined as either no further demyelination and no loss of muscle control or reverting to a state of normal movement prior to being diagnosed. In a recent case, three large lesions on the Sea of Marrow (spinal column) completely disappeared with confirmation from an MRI. I was hesitant to publish such findings until I had built up enough conclusive cases (over 100), but I believe more good can come of disseminating this information rather than keeping “a lid on it” until this happens.

As an educator, I believe that communication and understanding are critical to the success of any process. As a healer who has had to heal himself of cancer and a congenital autoimmune disorder, I understand what is required and what is asked of a person physically, emotionally and spiritually (the three Dan Tiens) to heal. In my clinic and in my classes, I try to communicate the process of healing – a method that is not always defined by a schematic drawing, college curriculum, or a flowcharted progression; but moves in cycles like the Tao. My intention, therefore, in this article is not to provide a step by step procedure to “cure” M.S.; but, to share insights and information that has lead to the reversal of classic symptoms of M.S. in vivo. The sharing of available insight and information overrides my concern that this will be looked upon as a panacea for M.S. treatment.

As my teacher Jeffrey Yuen stated, “There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people.”

One of the pleasures of being a Laoshi (teacher) is to follow students progress through life changing realizations that forever transform the nature of how they look at themselves. In Chinese you might refer to this as LingTao or the way of the soul. As a Medical QiGong instructor, I have the privileges of seeing many students gain insight into their true potential as human beings and become aligned with the Tao. As I can attest, frequently health related challenges and trials become the catalyst for such change.

Inflammation as the Root

Inflammation, in my professional opinion, is the root cause of many chronic diseases and ailments. Labels such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, COPD, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, rheumatoid arthritis, Reflex System dystrophy (RSD or RND) and some forms of cancer are but a few ailments attributed to the inflammatory processes, albeit though different mediators. Inflammation is not an infection per se, but is a part of a reflexive reaction of protection whereby the communication process intrinsic to the body/brain becomes systemically caught in an incessant cycle of aggravation.

In recent findings at Emory School of Medicine, the mast cells normally studied in the respiratory tract and in the skin (asthma and allergies sufferers) may be releasing agents (histamine) into the central nervous system damaging the myelin sheath. In my lifelong study of asthma, I have realized that histamine and other inflammation markers were one of the keys in determining how to re-balance the body, so I continued to look for the root cause of these imbalances.

From a western perspective, The spleen is an immunologic filter of the blood. It is made up of B cells, T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells and red blood cells. Aside from capturing foreign materials (allergens or antigens) from the blood that passes through the spleen, migratory macrophages and dendritic cells bring antigens to the spleen via the bloodstream.

In the Nan Jing, Difficulty 42, it states “The Spleen governs the blood.”

In Chapter, 8 of the Ling Shu it states. “If there is Spleen Qi deficiency, then there will be lack of agility in the four limbs.” Such is what typically manifests as M.S. progresses until a person cannot walk or move their arms often succumbing to a wheelchair.

Etiology of M.S.

Common predominating assessments that I have observed in M.S. patients is excessive Liver Yang and Kidney Yin Deficiency, mostly combined with Spleen Qi deficiency. Additionally, I see overwork/stress, excessive animal fat consumption and alcohol creating a Damp condition as well. Occasionally I have noticed excessive sadness and grieving, usually as yearning for something to be as it was in the past (real or imagined) consume and injure the Lungs.

This injury to the Lungs causes a further depletion of Wei Chi fields. The Wei Chi fields in Medical QiGong are 3 distinct regions each attached to a Dan Tien (Upper, Middle and Lower) that are further controlled by the Lungs. As the Lungs become injured, the Wei Chi or defensive Qi lessens, allowing external pathogenic factors to invade (especially to the sinews) causing additional difficulty.

During acute flare-ups, allopathic treatment include corticosteroids that are used in high to diminishing dosages to reduce exacerbation. Corticosteroids ultimately deplete the Wei Qi field further inhibiting the Lungs ability to disseminate Qi inside and out, above and below.

Excess Liver Yang

Intrinsic to Chinese medicine is the concept of heat in a Yang state. The expansiveness due to dilation of blood vessels and increased blood flow (hyperaemia), oedema and the stretching and distortion of tissues all can be categorized by the definition excessive Yang or sometimes Yin deficiency. Think of this heat as being a toxic burden to the fluids of the body, especially the blood and more specifically the white blood cells.

Lesions in the Sea of Marrow

An interesting observation has occurred in several cases that causes me to postulate the potential root cause of M.S. exacerbation - excessive anger/frustration turned inward. Excessive amounts or consistent states of heat producing emotions, such as anger/frustration or even jealousy, can cause the rising of Yang Qi toward the head or brain. The excessive heat generated by suppressed anger, or frustration appears to “bake” the Sea of Marrow (spinal cord/brain) and produce fissure like aberrations called lesions as well as degrade the myelin sheath. These lesions have a tendency to coagulate in the area of the head called the occipital pass.

This consistent underlying state of aggravation also taxes Kidney Yin, eventually causing the drying of JinYe or fluids, especially the Ye. Remember, the Ye functions as a lubricant that fortifies Jing-essence and Sui (marrow). This causes the Spleen to work overtime trying desperately to separate fluids and send this crippled post-natal- Qi to the Lungs.

The SanJiao now has become crippled by the extra heat in the body and the wounding from many personal negative experiences now affecting the Pericardium, the Hearts protector, which is paired with the San Jiao. These personal negative experiences can be the lack of answers and integration among departments of medicine when fighting a disease as crippling as M.S. or the consumption of life energy (Qi) that such a disease takes to just “get through the day.” This pathology is well documented in the Thirty-sixth Chapter of the Ling Shu.

The combination of drying of fluids, the heat in the blood and the depletion of Qi causes an enormous assault on the Shen. The effect on the Shen will be another article in a future issue.

To be clear, I do not believe that every case of M.S. is caused by a consistent state of anger, resentment, frustration or a longing for something to be. However, there is some trigger/catalyst/event (which can be emotional states) that begins a transformation that switches on a specific pathogenic process - whether that be a mutation of cells or an interruption in vital communication between systems. I believe this switch to be the cause of many cancers and autoimmune disorders and unique to each individual based on post-natal occurrences.

Hun and Dreams

Another pattern that I have observed is the lack of dreaming in many patients with M.S. Many people report not remembering their dreams, but most know that they in fact had them. What I am referencing to here is the total lack of dreaming with repeatedly waking and “being in a bad mood.” This could be partly by the heat generated by the Liver via the anger/frustrations that causes the Hun to flee. I have also observed that when the patient begins to dream again after Medical QiGong treatments, the process is beginning to reinstate a comfortable place for the Hun to reside and the patient is on their way to healing.

The Hun will also allow communication between the conscious and the subconscious which are sometimes referred to as “Heaven Within.” This is a natural way for the conscious to become aware of problems of a deeper nature and most importantly its solution. Remember the Taoist phrase, “As above, so below” when thinking of this relationship between heaven and earth. When the Hun (Yang/Heaven) remain, the intrinsic communication process of managing the disease process becomes less convoluted, tempered through instinct, “gut feelings’ and the important messages imprinted by the Hun to us via the Divine. These messages have to be interpreted by the Shen or Heart and the Yi or Spleen. If there is a blockage here, the Medical QiGong Doctor can help to reestablish connection and communication.

In the practice of Taoist medicine, the dreams and their meanings are quite different from a Freudian approach to dreams. In Taoism, we look at integration among the various systems (i.e. the physical, the emotional and the spiritual) of which the Hun can communicate regarding all three. Remember in Taoist medicine, the blood contains a holographic template of our entire existence of all our experiences and thoughts. This extensive library of information is recorded and kept by the Hun and at the time of death is returned back to heaven.

The understanding of the communication process does take education, awareness and experience, but it ultimately is a very powerful tool. The messages and internal signals from the subconscious and the Divine reveal a method of progression that then can be utilized by the healer to facilitate an appropriate healing response. Obviously, this varies from patient to patient depending on what pre and post—natal conditions and experience the patient brings to us.

The diet and pH

Food selection for M.S. patients including various supplements, could be an article unto itself, however, several guidelines should be met. Most importantly, begin to think of food as energy, rather than proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and begin to envision the matching and mixing of (Yin and Yang) of the energetics of food.

First, the pH of the body, or another way of saying post-natal Qi, is critical to the recovery process and re-myelination of the sheath. The pH needs to remain a constant 7.34 (the same pH as blood), otherwise, the body will prioritize the stabilizing pH levels prior to doing any additional healing. The body keeps a certain amount of energy reserves available for healing, but if the body has to stabilize its own internal milieu, then that is where the energy will be utilized.

Second, the elimination of prostaglandin 2 producing foods needs to be eliminated or reduced. Prostaglandin 2 is an inflammation marker that encourages lymphocytes to increase in activity as well as the inflammation process to increase dramatically hence activating an autoimmune response. The Swank diet, which speaks of the reduction of alcohol, high fat foods and meat are sound advice and have been used with success. The Swank diet is similar in nature to how we would treat a damp condition in Chinese medicine.

Damp conditions are best resolved with eliminating raw, cold and sweet food especially dairy, yeast (as in too many wheat bread products) beer, sugars and sweeteners and saturated fats - especially hydrogenated fats found in most preprocessed crackers, chips and cookies. Be sure to include more aduki beans, green tea, daikon, pears, apple peels, grapes, seaweed, sardines and clams. These foods allow damp and heat to be dispersed.

Third, increasing prostaglandins 1 and 3 becomes necessary to calm the immune system. The most common way to do this is to increase the number of cooling vegetables consumed and well as Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA) most commonly found in evening primrose oil, borage oil and black current seed oil. I have personally found that borage oil works best as it has a higher GLA content.

Lastly, the adding of a supplement called Resveratrol, derived from red-wine, balances Yin and Yang in the Sui . The supplement prevents the bone destroying cells called osteoclasts (Yin) from forming and then balance the bone-building cells (osteoblasts (yang) ) to proliferate and stabilize the Sui. Additionally, this supplement has shown promise in reducing plaque associated with Alzheimer disease – or a sea of marrow issue in Taoist Chinese Medicine.

Herbals as Food

The use of herbal medicine can also be considered food and follows very well with the philosophy of naturopathy and Taoist Chinese Medicine. The original formula that I used in called Pingfu Tang with slight modification based on assessment of Wei Chi fields.

The basic formula ingredients consists as follows:

Huang Qi, GouQi Zi

Fresh Bie Jia Zhi MuChai Hu

Dang Shen Huang Qin

Nu Zhen Zi Dang Gui

Bai Shao Bai Zhu

Mai Men Dong Ban Xia

Fu Ling Gan Cao

Sheng Di Huang Da Zao

The Doctor of Medical QiGong uses Wei Qi fields to assess patients much like the acupuncturist uses pulse and tongue. Once correct assessment is made, the Doctor can adjust the ratios of herbals in the formula as well as add to the formula depending on other conditions being displayed.

Assessment of Wei Chi fields becomes a critical part of interpreting what is the root condition of the patient. The Wei Chi fields of M.S. patients are usually deficient in their density and thickness. The texture is quite a different feel from other autoimmune diseases as it is porous around the outside edges of the trauma while the point of trauma, or the “eye” is usually congealed and hot. Often times when scanning these areas, the patient will begin to stir out from his comfortable state. Taking note of where these areas are in regards to channel divergences and Ashi points all paint a picture leading to solve this individual mystery.

Medical QiGong Prescriptions:

The importance of stabilizing post-natal Qi becomes critical to allowing a healing environment. Medical QiGong in its elaborate simplicity becomes a cornerstone of being pro-active in the disease process. The following Qi prescriptions are basic for a beginner to become accustomed to the intangible world of energy. As you read through these QiGong exercises, keep in mind that the Qi level is where all possibilities occur!

Ascend the Yin descend the Yang

This exercise is relatively simple to perform and should be performed three times per day. Foundationally speaking, the three Yin channels run up the inside medial side of the leg and the three Yang meridians run outside or laterally down the outside of the leg, The hands, specifically using PC8 as a vacuum cleaner of sorts begins to dredge the Qi blockages on the inside of the medial Yin channels and release them through the “hollow” organs of the Yang on the lateral aspect of the leg. This is done by breath expression: inhaling on the Yin and exhaling on the Yang. Using the intention or Yi of the mind is critically important as is the breath. The mind must “feel and see” the blockages being removed and then feel the smooth and easy flow of Qi flowing through the channels in an unobstructed stream of energy. The mind must command the Qi with an implicit set of instructions and depth of understanding of what is happening in order to be effective. Fear and doubt have no place in the mind for true healing to occur.

Tone therapy for breaking up stagnation in the three Dan Tiens

The three Dan Tiens become a critical focal point for therapy for M.S. patients. Keeping the three in balance in important for everyone, but the tendency for M.S. patients to have a congested Middle Dan Tien is more prevalent. The communication process between the three Dan Tiens becomes critical for remission and progress to be made. For a complete description of the three Dan Tiens and how they relate to western anatomy, pH function as well as each other, see the book Air Passages.

The Three Sounds and their locations:

Ohm Upper Dan Tien M-HN-3

Ha Middle Dan Tien CV15

Reeem Lower Dan Tien GV4

The hands become an important focus point to lead the Qi to specific points on the body (see figure 1.1 thru 1.3). The Large Intestine becomes the area where we want the stagnation lead to for eventual elimination, so we use the index finger as a pointer per se, to give the body instruction on where to drain the Damp Heat.

On the inhalation, pull up the Huiyin point to Shenque and place the tongue on the Heart position. As you inhale, gather Qi from the environment and allow a large ball of Qi to form in front of you, slowly absorbing the Qi ball into your tissues as you continue to inhale. During the pause between the breath, feel the Qi swirling in the tissues counterclockwise, much like swirling water inside a glass to rinse it. On the exhale, open the Huiyin point and drop the tongue to the Earth position to allow for purgation. Lead the Qi into the former points for each Dan Tien as you audibly emit the tone for each proper area. As you do this, the combined focused Qi and the vibrational tone will begin to purge stagnation/inflammation/Heat from the three Dan Tiens and lead it out through the Huiyin point to be disbursed into the Earth. Remember, imagination leads the Yi as the Yi leads the Qi.

Conclusion

Incorporating Medical QiGong and food therapy are the ultimate way of controlling inflammation-based diseases like Multiple Sclerosis. Through pro-active means and support, the M.S. patient can begin the journey of healing from within, the place where the true journey lies in all of us.

Dr. Ted J. Cibik, PhD, ND, DMQ (China), CHFS, Zhong Yi 中醫 is executive Director of Inner Strength, Inc. located near Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Cibik has studied healing methods and martial arts since childhood. His interest in the Chinese medical classics, the ancient Wu and Yi as well as modern physics allow for a unique synthesis and insight brought forth in his teaching at Inner Strength Campus.

For more information on upcoming seminars treating inflammatory disease, contact him at (724) 845-1041 or on the web at www.inner-strength.com.

Copyright control of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth, Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, or reproduced in any way.

Asthma, Allergies and Staph Infections

Ted Cibik — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:39:00 GMT

As a researcher at Inner Strength, one of the activities I like to do is to pull together information that has not been previously linked together or perhaps not linked together in a helpful organized manner to the consumer. This is true with a very common condition linking asthma and allergies, which I have been researching for many decades.

My observations have lead me to believe that people who are afflicted with asthma should be checked for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) on a constant basis to make sure that the ratio of this bacterium, that is normally on the skin and in the nose, does not begin to flourish exponentially – leading to periods of exacerbation of asthma and atopic flairs. Any decrease in immune function (such as a simple cold or exposure to concentrated allergens) or challenging of the system (stress) can lead to imbalance.

In the recent Journal of Immunology, it states,“Staphylococcus aureus (SA), a primarysource of bacterial superantigen (SAg), is known to colonize the human respiratory tract and has been implicated in airway inflammation. Studies have documented a role for SAgs in respiratory disorders, such as nasal polyps,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic rhinosinusitis, and asthma. However, cellular and molecular mediators involved in SAg-mediated pulmonary disease have not been clearly identified.”

In otherwords, how all of this is linked remains a mystery. Most of these staph infections remain local to their area, but breaks in the skin or surgery, evena paper cut can cause the pathogen to go deeper. People can also ingest foodthat has been infected with SA.

Several diseases can be caused by this spherical bacterium leading to osteomyelitus, urinary tract infections, toxic shock syndrome, diarrhea, sinusitis, pneumonia,boils and carbuncles, scalded skin syndrome as well as asthma and severe atopic dermatitis.

Major ingested culprits that contain SA are meat and meat products; poultry and egg products; salads such as egg, tuna, chicken, potato, and macaroni; bakeryproducts such as cream-filled pastries, cream pies, and chocolate éclairs;sandwich fillings; and milk and dairy products. The more the food is handled or kept at an elevated temperature, (heat lights) the greater the risk.

SA can also exist exist in our air, dust, ventilations systems, sewage, water, on food equipment, and any environmental surface. Humans and animals are the primary holding areas – especially the skin. SA is present in about half of the population considered to be 100% healthy (This statistic varies depending on who you listen to)! So you can see that SA is enormously available.

Treating this bacterium is very difficult at best. Many antibiotics have been used successfully, but super strains like MRSA have been creeping in neutralizing pharmaceuticals effectiveness.

For the asthmatic and the chronic skin sufferer, I have developed several formulas using essential oils and household products that not only alleviate the symptoms (when the bacterium in finally under control), but also can be used to keep the whole system in balance. These products are something that I use personally and I am beginning to share with my clients.

Please contact my office for further information at www.inner-strength.com

Copyrightcontrol of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strenth,Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, orreproduced in any way.

Alternative Medicine vs. Biomedicine

Ted Cibik — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:42:00 GMT

I have been meaning to write about this for a long time,perhaps this is a bigger project than just an entry on the Blog, but here are some thoughts on the “two camps.”

Like all literature, scientific or otherwise, it is dictated and written by ones experiences, education, political climate (consider writing during the time of the Inquisition or in China during the Cultural Revolution), as well as the period of history we are in (blood tests are normal now - 200 hundred years ago we could not see aspergillus niger (a fungus that can grow in the lung).

So before I continue, I wanted to give a very brief account of my experience & education to allow you to see through my eyes on this topic.

Growing up in the 60’s having been diagnosed, as “one of the 10 worst asthma cases in the world” with a “severely compromised immune system”was the impetus for my education. Being told that I may not live past the age of 5, 12, 16, 18… etc was common in my world from different physicians and hospitals around the country. Every spring and summer we would “tour” different hospitals and physicians in order to help me – always looking for “the answer”. If you can’t tell, my parents were incredible. My father worked three hard, physical jobs to pay for all of this out of pocket expense. My mother worked outside the home as well when needed. Ahh, in hindsight, a tenacious work ethic is demonstrated clearly to me.

The necessity of self-preservation can drive the youngest of minds to search and seek knowledge (conventional and unconventional) in order to survive.

At age eight, I was reading high school biology books to try and understand myself. I was training in Ch’an Buddhism and martial arts to regulate my mind and body. My after school play time was spent in meditation to calm my breathing (so I could breathe) and practicing QiGong and martial arts to exercise and move my blood (circulation). I read only textbooks at this tender age (except for the comic book on Saturday night after church (a big treat by the way!)).

I read about and incorporated vitamins, herbs, tinctures, movement therapy or exercise science (back then it was called physical culture or “ radical”),different isolation diets, sunlight therapy, pharmaceuticals (several of which I was the “test subject” for), mindfulness training, TM, all before the age of 12. Libraries were my friends. I kept myself alive and I kept optimistic. I was doing health research well before the eligibility for a Ph.D.

Most of my true education was outside of conventional school- this continues to this day.

So when I hear the word “alternative medicine” it makes my blood boil. Did one particular therapy or camp (alternative or biomedicine or allopathic serve all my needs?

Hell No! It was all needed. True Integrative healthcare.

If we use any word to describe medicine it should ALL be complimentary - which includes ALL camps.

But see, there is the difference between medicine and healing. Medicine is something we “do to someone” - healing happens from within. Medicine can augment the healing process, but is cannot do it alone. We still need the miracle of the human body/mind and spirit.

When we begin to stop segregation of medicine, embrace humanity and become pro-active and accountable in our own healthcare – we will begin to heal the true diseases of prejudice and separation.

If you like this kind of thinking, come to Inner Strength Health and Wellness Center for one of our seminars – I would love to meet you before or afterwards. See www.inner-strength.org for details.

Copyright InnerStrength, Inc. All rights reserved under state and federal laws. Copyrightcontrol of this article, the title and ALL content remains with Inner strength,Inc. at ALL times. Content may not be copied, altered, edited, disseminated, orreproduced in any way.