Zinc supplementation

 

I am a 41 yr old female, 5'7" and 117 lbs. I am currently dosing 4 grains of Erfa thyroid after being on T3 only for 8 weeks. That's all I could stand. Had tons of weight gain(weighed 108 before starting T3 only and went up to 119!) and tons of digestive problems on T3. Here are my zinc etc labs:

Zinc 69 (60-130)
Copper 99 (70-175)
Ceruloplasmin 30 (18-53)

I had supplemented with a multivitamin up to the morning before the blood was drawn so not sure how that affects things. My cortisol saliva test revealed that I have high morning and bedtime cortisol so I hoping zinc will help with this also.

Please let me know how much zinc to take and when. I currently take Metagenics Multigenic multi, 5,000 B12, 750 Vit E, 4000 Vit C, life extension D/K/Sea Iodine one a day, milk thistle/yellow dock/dandelion twice a day, acidophilus twice a day, and just started Betaine HCL for digestion. I also take Ferrets iron once a night.

Thank you!
Jennifer

_ 

__,_._,___

Chinese Medicine: Spring and the Emotion of Anger

 

Good Morning!

Chinese Medicine: Spring and the Emotion of Anger

Anger is the feeling we experience when events in our world are not going according to our plans. Anger is one of the most common and destructive delusions affecting our minds. Because it is based on an exaggeration, anger is an expression of our belief system and how we defend it. It's as if we have an inner idea of how things, events and people should be for us. When we get angry and either feel frustrated or try to change them, we tend to give away our power! Many of us remain a victim to our tempers all of our lives. In essence, anger is the feeling we get when we want to control the world around us.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, anger is most prevalent in the Spring. It is considered the emotion of Spring. Although we can and do experience anger at any time or season, it is Spring when we are most easily angered. This is believed to be due to the changes of light and dark and the balance between them.

It is very important to identify the actual cause of whatever unhappiness we feel. If we are forever blaming our difficulties on others, this is a sure sign that there are still many problems and faults within our own mind. If we were truly peaceful inside and had our mind under control, difficult people or circumstances would not be able to disturb this peace, and so we would feel no compulsion to blame anyone or regard them as our enemy. To someone who has subdued his or her mind and eradicated the last trace of anger, all beings are friends.

Techniques for Managing Anger

1. The first step towards managing anger, is to identify which attitudes and convictions that many predispose us to being excessively angry in the first place! Once these beliefs have been identified, it is important to take steps to understand and correct them, if need be.

2. The second step is to realize that anger is a natural human emotion and it is not the emotion of anger that tends to be a problem. The problem is the mismanagement of our anger. Mismanaged anger and rage are the major cause of conflicts in our lives. This mismanagement often has roots from our childhood that prevents us from expressing our anger as appropriately as we should. These factors include fear, denial, ignorance and impatience. These factors can derail the appropriate management of our anger towards others. Learning to understand and change these factors in ourselves, will allow us to express our suppressed anger in a more appropriate way.

3. The third step is learning the appropriate ways of expressing our " honest and legitimate" anger at others so that we can begin to cope more effectively with anger provoking situations as they come up in our lives. When we are anxious or depressed, we are often experiencing the consequences of our suppressed anger. The problem is that we have suppressed our anger so deeply that we succeeded in concealing it from our own selves! All we are left with is the residual evidence of it, our anxiety or our depression. When we are depressed, very often we are also angry at ourselves without realizing it. Learning to appropriately manage our anger at ourselves is the antidote to much of alcoholism, drugs and sexual abuse.

4. The fourth step in the Anger Management process is to approach anger by taking responsibility for our own reactions and behavior. We can do this by addressing our anger with the following coping techniques:

1. Listen to other people, first: listen carefully to what is being said. Do not have a preconceived opinion before you hear what is being said. Remember, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

2. Think carefully about what you want to say: before you say it. slow down. What is the underlying factor in your anger? Fear, denial, impatience?

3. Be clear about what you are going to express.: Your objective is not to belittle, berate, be sarcastic or attack someone, because their opinion is different than yours.

4. If their statement is pushing your anger button: know why! Try to understand the root of your own anger. Look at why they have formed such an opinion.

5. Express yourself by saying: "I feel angry with (you, them, this situation) because..." Stay calm in the face of your own and the other person's anger. The worse thing to do if someone is angry toward you is to shout back at them! Be patient and ask questions to get to the heart of problem. Try being carefully assertive, rather than aggressive.

6. Make lifestyle changes. Making small changes in your life can allow you to reap great rewards.

7. Get regular exercise: This can help to prevent the accumulation of tension and will give you regular time away from everyday stress.

8. Learn relaxation exercises such as yoga and meditation. These forms of exercise will help to release tension in a controlled, healthy way.

9. Change your environment. Find alternatives for situations which add stress to your life. Schedule time to relax and unwind.

10. Learn to express your feelings: either by talking to a friend or by venting feelings in other ways, perhaps creatively through painting, journaling or taking on a new hobby.

  

_ 

__,_._,___

Homeopathy Awareness Week April 10-16

 

Good Morning!

Homeopathy Awareness Week April 10-16

To culminate the awareness week about homeopathy, I would like to offer some great tips and remedies.

The father of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, who discovered the law of cure known as "Similia Similibus Curentur", is honored each year at the start of his birthday in order to bring awareness to this amazing form of medicine. Homeopaths, patients and supporters around the world celebrate this invaluable healing science that has transformed millions of lives.

Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world. Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's defense mechanisms and processes so as to prevent or treat illness. It stimulates a person's immune system and body's natural defenses. Homeopathy not only offers relief from temporary disorders but, can provide long term healing.

Homeopathics are created by taking the remedy: a plant, mineral, chemical, or animal substance, diluting it in water and shaking it vigorously. The more it is sequentially diluted and shaken, the more potent the medicine. This is why minuscule doses are used.

"Like cures Like". Here are some perfect examples:

* A full strength dose of Ipeca will cause vomiting.
In a very diluted dose, it becomes a remedy to control nausea and vomiting.

* Coffee before bed will generally cause a sleepless night.
In an infinitesimal dose, it is used to treat insomnia.

*A large dose of sodium sulfate will characteristically provoke diarrhea.
An infinitesimal or homeopathic dose can cure that same type of diarrhea.

In general, the first session with a homeopath is for him/her to get to know your genetic heritage, lifelong health history, body type, psychological type, and present symptoms. The homeopath will ask many questions which seem out of the norm from a conventional doctor, but you must remember, his job is to consider your "whole" person.

He will ask questions like:
1. What time of day is your energy highest and lowest?
2. What type of weather or temperature do you love, hate?
3. How are you affected by being in the mountains, seashore?
4. What foods do you crave, are averse to, irritated by?
5. What position do you sleep in?
6. What dreams do you remember?
7. How does motion or lying down affect you?

There are hundreds of remedies with homeopathy as well as other modalities that employ the same theory called the Doctrine of Signatures. Start by looking at Avoiding the Antidotes. These are the contraindications when taking homeopathic remedies. Check Determining Dosage to understand how to take homeopathic remedies. Match Signs and Symptoms in order to choose the Best Homeopathic Remedy. Homeopathy is a profound and great integrative therapy that can be used in conjunction with many other forms of health care.

Homeopathic remedies can complement conventional drugs. There are no contraindications and no known side effects.

Avoiding the Antidotes

Homeopathic remedies are powerful remedies but they work in such small doses that they can easily be compromised! According to Classic Homeopathy, the following antidotes should be avoided:

Avoid heat, light, moisture.
Keep homeopathic remedies tightly sealed in a cool, dark place. The steam in your bathroom may not be a safe place for them. Consider an area outside of the medicine chest.

Refrain from mint.
Mint or peppermint toothpaste, mint in your ice tea or mint chocolate chip ice cream should all be avoided during the time you are using homeopathic remedies.

Avoid Aromatics.
Menthol, camphor, tiger balm and perfume can neutralize homeopathic remedies.

Don't touch.
Pour the remedy pills from the bottle into the cap. Then pour them under your tongue. The oil from your hands can affect them.

Not with meals.
Take one half hour before eating or one to two hours after.

Don't chew or swallow.
Dissolve homeopathic pellets under the tongue. They absorb quickly into the bloodstream this way. Homeopathic drops can be taken the same way or in a glass of water.

Avoid stimulants.
Avoid smoking, coffee and caffeine especially within 30 minutes of taking homeopathic remedies.

Determining Dosage and Dilution

Whenever possible, take a remedy at bedtime, as the body is at rest. During the day try to take the remedy away from meals, at least 1/2 hour before eating, and at least one hour after eating because while the body is busy digesting food there can be a digestive upset with certain remedies. In an acute case, such as an injury, take the remedy immediately no matter when you have eaten. The mouth should also be free of any strong tastes. You may drink liquids shortly before and after taking a remedy. If you are taking a remedy several times a day, try to schedule some of the doses before bed, upon waking and during the day.

Select the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms. In conditions where self-treatment is appropriate, unless otherwise directed by a physician, a lower potency (6X, 6C, 12X, 12C, 30X, or 30C) should be used. In addition, instructions for use are usually printed on the label.

Many homeopathic physicians suggest that remedies be used as follows: Take one dose and wait for a response. If improvement is seen, continue to wait and let the remedy work. If improvement lags significantly or has clearly stopped, another dose may be taken. The frequency of dosage varies with the condition and the individual. Sometimes a dose may be required several times an hour; other times a dose may be indicated several times a day; and in some situations, one dose per day (or less) can be sufficient.

If no response is seen within a reasonable amount of time, select a different remedy.

Read the recommended dosage for each remedy, which usually is to be taken before meals unless indicated otherwise. Homeopathic remedies are comprised of natural ingredients and will cause no harm if you take too much.

Purposely taking more than the prescribed dosage will not result in an enhanced effect. If you take too little, or miss a dose, just continue on as normal with your next scheduled dose. Missing dosages will only result in the remedy being less effective.

Homeopathic drops should be placed onto the tongue so that they are directly absorbed by the mucous membranes. Should the taste be too strong, a few drops of water may be added.

What is a dilution?

A homeopathic medicine is obtained by using the process of successive dilutions of a mother tincture in order to achieve the maximum benefit for a particular symptom. The mother tincture is created by breaking a substance down and then dissolving it in alcohol or water, depending on the substance.

Homeopathic dilutions are made by dissolving 1 part of an active ingredient, for example Apis, with 9 parts of an inactive ingredient such as water or alcohol. This 1:9 ratio is referred to as a "D" dilution. Each time the mixture is diluted, called a succession, it has to be shaken by hand in a certain way to achieve the desired effect.

By combining one part mother tincture with 9 parts alcohol/water, we reach D1 dilution (expressed as 1x in the product description). Each dilution factor has different properties and affects different symptoms. Homeopathic medicines may have different dilutions of the same mother tincture depending on the desired effects. If you read 'Apis 4x' on our label, it means one part Apis was mixed with 9 parts of alcohol/water, resulting in Apis 1x. One part Apis 1x was then added to 9 parts alcohol/water in order to get Apis 2x (D2) which combined with 9 parts alcohol/water gives us Apis 3x (D3). One more succession brings us to Apis 4x (D4).

Signs and Symptoms

Modalities are the modifying influences and circumstances which either ameliorate (influences, which make the symptoms feel better), or aggravate (influences, which make the symptoms worse). Modalities include many factors and stimuli as perceived by the patient. Modalities may have to do with temperature, weather, climate, movement, activity, time, right and left side, sensations, physical contact, foods, drinks, etc. They are the sensory manner and mode of how the symptoms are felt by the individual, and they are a most important criterion in choosing the right remedy.

Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac
http://www.peacefulmind.com/homeopathy.htm
Therapies for healing
mind, body, spirit