Fertility Diet

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:22:16 -0400

For fertility diet info please click the link below for PDF file.
Fertility Diet.pdf

Jet Lag

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:02:45 -0400

For jet lag info please click on the PDF link below:
Horary Jet Lag.pdf

The Nose by Bridgette Kinder

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:48:39 -0400

Healthy breathing involves deep, inaudible, relaxed breaths that enter and exit only through the nose. The nose is the first place we actually feel the breath enter the body, and it performs many functions. There’s more to the nose than meets the eye! It warms and moistens the air coming into the body, and its shape has much to do with this.
There is a reason why certain races from different environments share common nose structures. Those descended from cooler and/or dry climates tend to have a longer nose, that allows more time and space for the air to be warmed and moistened. People in warm, moist areas have wider nostrils, as their air needs less processing. The shape of a
nose also regulates the force and direction of airflow inside the head, which are important factors in how we experience the world.

Imagine the head as a three-story building. The bottom floor is the mouth, its roof is the floor of the nasal cavity, and its roof is the floor of the brain. The first cranial nerve, the olfactory nerve responsible for the sense of smell, exits the brain and enters the top of the nasal cavity. Air must be inspired forcefully into the uppermost region of this second floor in order to send smell signals to the olfactory nerve. Even air that isn’t carrying scent signals stimulates the olfactory nerve. The olfactory, or second cranial nerve, is associated with the limbic system, the emotional center of the brain. Because of this, how we breathe may greatly affect our emotional state, and vice versa: Emotional states are known to effect the quality of our breathing.

Candice Pert, author of Molecules of Emotion, “…pointed out that the center that controls breathing is located at the fourth ventricle at the floor of the brain- the same location that also secretes many neuropeptides. And she suggested that by consciously altering our breath we may be able to influence which neuropeptides are released.“ (Lewis 134) These neuropeptides are tiny proteins that bind to cells and alter our mental and emotional experiences. Pert writes that there is proof that by altering the rate and depth of breath that we alter the quantity and types of peptides released from the brainstem. By consciously increasing the rate or by holding the breath we cause these peptides to move rapidly into the cerebral spinal fluid. (Pert 186) From the cerebrospinal fluid they move to the cells of the body and cause us to experience life in a given way.

The inside of the nasal cavity is covered in wavy, sand dune shaped structures called turbinates. These turbinates increase the surface area the air we inhale flows across. “This prepares it so that it will not be a shock to the delicate tissues of the lung.” (Rama et. al 64) Warm, moist exhaled air reheats and re-humidifies the turbinates that were previously re-cooled and dried by inhaled air. This is why it’s important to regularly breathe in and out through the nose.

“…The shape of the flow of passageways and the shape of the flow of air that results is an important factor in molding both mental states and personality. According to the Eastern way of thinking, this movement of the air flow affects the way in which prana is supplied to the body and brain, and in this way it influences the emotions and the mind.” In addition to affecting the physical body, thoughts and emotions through the secretion of particular neurotransmitters as a result of the force of air hitting the olfactory nerve, the way the air flows across the turbinates triggers neuronal responses that affect the entire body as well. (Rama et. al. 84,86) Turbinates provide a first line of protection
for the lungs by warming incoming air, they influence the way in which the air circulates, and their shape can change and improve airflow as a result of yogic practices.

Assisting the turbinates with air purification is a constantly moving self-cleansing mechanism in the nose, the nasal mucus. It filters bacteria and viruses from the air and flushes them into the digestive system for elimination. Nasal mucus is a protective secretion, but can become an excretion if the lungs, bowels, skin, urinary system, or menstrual cycle fail to eliminate properly. If mucus is allowed to accumulate for any reason, it may become too much for the stomach acids to handle, and nausea may result. If nasal mucus is too dry it cannot perform its filtering function, allowing debris to enter the lungs. If it is too thin it also cannot function properly and may lead to inflammation. (Rama et. al 68)

In addition, researchers have found correlations between hormonal fluctuations and changes to the mucosal lining of the nose. (Muktibodhananda 19) Beneath the mucus membrane is a thick layer of blood-filled erectile tissue that becomes engorged when sexually stimulated, as it is also affected by hormonal fluctuations. This can be
evidenced by some women who actually bleed through their nose on a cyclical basis in conjunction with or as a substitute for bleeding vaginally during menses.

Under normal conditions, these tissues take turns filling, allowing the opposite nostril more unimpeded flow. This rhythm, known as “infradian rhythm,” also called “ultradian rhythm,” operates in one and a half hour to two-hour cycles. (Rama et. al. 77) It has been observed that when the right nostril is more active that more yang or stimulating body activities dominate, and when the left nostril is open that more yin or relaxing bodily functions dominate. Swara yogis believe that if the breath flows primarily through one nostril for six hours or more that one is about to become ill, and if it lasts for a day or more that the illness may become serious. For those who pay attention to this, if the appropriate practices are employed, this situation can be rectified and illness avoided. One can use a neti pot, practice Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, or forcibly exhale through the effected nostril several times throughout the day in order to shift the rhythm.

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:02:31 -0400

1. Apply castor oil to wool flannel.
2. Place wool flannel on affected area.
3. Cover with plastic (plastic bag or saran wrap)
4. Place heating pad or warm water bottle on top.
5. Place towel over all of it and keep on 40-60 minutes.
6. Repeat nightly for 3 nights.
7. Take a break for a few days, than repeat if necessary.

Blog

Fertility Diet

Jet Lag

The Nose by Bridgette Kinder

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack