OAKOAK relates to the soul potential of strength & endurance. In the positive OAK state the person is endowed with the qualities of Endurance, steadfastness, strength and common sense. Such people are brave and go on fighting against odds without loss of hope or effort. But they use their common sense to find out before hand, whether the job they are going to take in hand is possible of execution by human effort.In the struggle of life they possess all the attributes of a winner—innate power of resistance, indomitable will power, super human endurance, courage, devotion to duty, unbroken hope and high ideals. They are fine people, an asset to their families and an asset to the society—who take pleasure in helping others out of difficult situation and feel sorry if due to health reasons they cannot do what is expected of them.In the negative OAK state, the patient believes in the maxim “nothing is impossible”. They become overconfident and start dabbling in pursuits of which they do not have even the elementary knowledge. Thus for example, an OAK patient would open up an expensive watch or an electronic device to repair it without proper instrument, without the requisite knowledge and spoil the unit.He not only believes that nothing is impossible, he is confident that he can handle any job. If the doctor says that according to all clinical tests, his condition will not respond to any treatment, the ‘OAK’ patient will shun the doctor and may even change the treatment, but will continue some other treatment with fuil faith.Even if he has lost everything in races, he would still like to have “one last go” even on borrowed money. Yudhishter of the Mahabharat even staked his wife after losing all his assets to Duryodhan in gambling—a historical Oak character.*149\308\8*
Archive for the Category ◊ Herbal ◊
Dr. Edward Bach was a qualified Allopathic doctor. Later he got his Degree in Homoeopathy and practised homoeopathy for a few years. Then he got fed up with homoeopathic way of treatment. He found it too complicated a system. To remember the drug-picture of hundreds of homoeopathic medicines, and to match them with the disease-symptoms of the patient, then find the correct potency suitable in a particular case is not an easy job, and then to co-relate the medicine with the previous case history of the patient,—his heredity, the previous incidents and accidents of his life, the possible effect of the various drugs used by him and the miasmatic effect implanted on his system—makes the choice of a suitable remedy still more difficult and time consuming.
Dr. Bach was a saintly person, having devout faith in God and His Creation—the Nature. He believed that the Nature which had produced innumerable living creatures and plants, and was always working towards the perfection of each individual life must have some simple means of maintaining the health of these living bodies.
What Dr. Bach understood from perfection of individual’s life was the living of healthy and happy life from childbirth till death—the ultimate union with the Creator.
Dr. Bach spent six long years roaming about in jungles and ravines, collecting information about how the various plants and then flowers situated in isolated places saved themselves from the vagaries of nature—rains, storms, tempest, sunshine, clouds, lightening etc. and continued to grow despite changes in the surroundings. He collected several plants & flowers and produced 38 medicines which correspond to 38 possible changes of man’s mood. These are called Bach Flower Remedies.
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The bright yellow, star-shaped flowers of St. John’s wort (SJW) have had a rich and varied history of use in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The name for this herb is believed to date back to early Christian times and relates to the red oil that is secreted by special glands in the flowers of SJW when they are pinched or cut. Christians believed that the flowers secreted this blood-red oil on August 29, the anniversary of the beheading of St. John the Baptist and that they bloomed on June 24, St. John’s birthday. The term wort is Old English for “plant.” In addition, John the Baptist represents light, and the flowers themselves seemed to represent the bright yellow light of the sun. Colonists to the United States brought SJW with them, only to find that Native Americans were already using it for everything from snake bite to a general health enhancer. In the United States, SJW grows in abundance in northern California and southern Oregon and is also referred to as klammath weed.
Today, SJW enjoys a global popularity that finds it the favored therapy for depression in a number of countries around the world, including Germany, actually surpassing most standard antidepressants as the first mode of treatment for clinical depression. German researchers report that it is decidedly better than placebos in medical trials and at least as good as some prescription antidepressants for treatment of the milder forms of depression. It is also cheaper and appears to cause fewer side effects than drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. SJW is also believed to have the following effects:
- Acts as a positive mood enhancer by helping maintain serotonin levels, and as natural neurotransmitters that help brain function and calm the body
- Helps as a sleep enhancer for those having difficulty sleeping
- Supports immune functioning by suppressing the release of interleukin-6, a protein that controls certain aspects of the immune response
A review of 23 well-designed clinical trials published in The British Medical Journal concluded that extracts of SJW “are more effective than placebo for the treatment of mild to moderately severe depressive disorders.” This review also found evidence from eight other studies that SJW may work as well as some other drugs in countering mild depression. However, noting that most of the studies done to date did not control rigidly for levels of depression, that they varied the dosage and method of delivery, and that the trials were all less than 8 weeks in length, the research team called for more rigorously controlled, larger sample-sized studies comparing this herb with prescription doses of Prozac. Like most antidepressants, SJW’s benefits are not even felt for about 4 weeks. With the trials so short in nature, and the variability of other factors, few conclusions may be made about short- or long-term effectiveness. While some improvements in participants’ depression were noted, the efficacy of subjecting people to higher doses, longer time periods, and other variables pose important questions about long-term risks for use that have been largely unanswered.
Like other plants, SJW contains a number of different chemicals, many of which are not clearly understood. Why it seems to lift depression and to have antiviral properties remains largely unknown. Taking any drug that has not been thoroughly tested and for which safe and effective doses are not clear will have risks. What we do know is that there is more to SJW than myth and the simplistic explanations that many health food stores tend to give to consumers.
Unfortunately, rigorous testing has not been done in the United States because the herb is sold as a dietary supplement, which does not fall under the watchful eye of the FDA. What side effects have been noted? Most have been more bothersome than severe and range from slight gastrointestinal upset to fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, skin rashes, and itching. Some people have noted some sensitivity to sunlight. Most of these side effects are minor, however, when compared with those of major antidepressant medicines.
In spite of the apparent positive news about SJW, consumers should proceed with caution when considering its use. First, little is known about the herb and its compounds. Second, for more severe forms of depression, SJW may not be enough to prevent potentially negative outcomes. Anyone suffering from clinical depression should be under a psychologist’s care and should be monitored for progress or difficulties. In fact, the combination of therapy and medications is typically the most effective way to achieve any improvement.
In addition, SJW should never be taken in combination with prescription antidepressants. When combined with other serotonin-enhancing drugs, such as Prozac, SJW may result in serotonin overload, leading to tremors, agitation, or convulsions. SJW also should not be used by pregnant women or women who are nursing, by young children, or by the frail elderly, because the safety margins have not been established.
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One thing we know for sure from experience: we must not let the body go short of sleep since there is simply no substitute for it. Experience and observation also tell us that bedtime has something to do with the coming and going of daylight. We are aware of the fact that sleep before midnight is more refreshing and relaxing than sleep afterwards. If we postpone our bedtime to the hours after midnight we will not derive the strengthening benefits from sleep that we would by going to bed earlier, because the hours before midnight provide double the benefits. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. Individual requirements generally lie between six and ten hours.
If we want to derive the most from sleep as a source of energy we must definitely make sure that we allow ourselves the time we individually need. Anyone who cuts sleep short so that he can work more will soon notice that he has calculated wrongly. During the day his energy will decline and his efficiency will diminish. If we need a great deal of sleep in order to feel fresh during the day we should not compare ourselves with those who get by with less. We must by all means obtain the amount we personally need. May we therefore never forget the mysterious renewing power of sleep. It is essential for good health.
*1221/28/1*
We possess a heating element in our nose which warms the air as we breathe it in; thus air below freezing point will be warmed up to natural body temperature as it passes through the nostrils. Our lungs would suffer if we breathed in cold air all the time and it could not be warmed before entering. That is why it is important in cold climates to breathe through the nose and when it is really cold to wrap a woollen scarf over the mouth and nose to protect the membranes. In extremely cold weather no one likes to breathe through the mouth anyway, but if you did, you could become so ill that you would have to stay in bed and not be able to enjoy yourself in the mountain snow. If you persist in this lack of care, you might eventually suffer to such an extent that you stop breathing altogether and then, of course, will never again benefit from your vacations in the mountains!
This air-conditioning system in our nose is a marvellous thing. It maintains the air temperature at a level that is appropriate for our needs.
*1152/28/1*
Since most coffee drinkers should give up drinking coffee completely for the sake of their health, the question arises as to how they can achieve this. Efforts to find a satisfactory substitute for coffee have been continuing for a long time, with the result that there are several good cereal and fruit mixtures on the market today, including our own Bambu Coffee Substitute.
These substitute coffees are healthy and have none of the undesirable effects of the coffee bean. Even the milk in fruit coffee suffers none of the drawbacks it encounters in ordinary coffee. Milk taken in ‘bean’ coffee coagulates or curdles in the stomach, with each mouthful becoming a little ball of curd in the acid medium of the stomach. However, if ingested in cereal and fruit coffee, milk curdles in fine flakes, making it much more digestible.
Bambu coffee also mixes well with raw milk for a cold drink in summer. Its bitter constituents, which come from acorns, and other minerals, are all of importance to the body in general and the liver in particular, which may well apply to bitter elements in other foods too. However, the principal benefit of this coffee is its coagulating effect on milk, as described above. Of course, if you are fit and healthy, none of these considerations will mean much to you, but if your health is not so good, or you are nervous, sensitive and highly-strung because of a life-style that is contrary to nature, it is a different question. In that case, you should definitely choose only mild food and drink.
*1083/28/1*
I shall never forget the Indian children we met in Central America. They would approach us slowly, smiling timidly, while chewing on a piece of sugar cane. This seemed to satisfy their sweet tooth and helped them to overcome their shyness. Practically all children like sugar, the peculiar carbohydrate that gives our taste buds the pleasant sensation of sweetness. The young Indians enjoy raw sugar cane and also the raw fresh juice that is then condensed over a fire, making what they call pilosillo. Most astonishing to me was the fact that although they ate a great deal of the sweet brown syrup their teeth were strong and beautiful. In fact, if they had no knife handy, I often saw them using their teeth like one.
*1013/28/1*
A health diet should be planned in such a way that it does not cause unnecessary disturbances in the system. Special attention should be given to the requirements of the individual organs that are weak. The liver and the pancreas cannot tolerate unhealthy fats or excessively sweet things; the kidneys react to too much salt and spices. As regards salt, the latest research has shown that sea salt is vastly superior to mined stone salt because in its unrefined state it contains many of the substances and trace elements that are found in healthy blood. Moreover, if the sea salt is enriched with herbs you have an excellent seasoning. We have such a tasty and wholesome preparation in Herbamare. For those who are prone to catarrh and similar infections or inflammations, there is also Trocomare. This herbal seasoning salt is also indicated as a prophylactic for infectious diseases. It is a dietary salt made up of natural sea salt and enriched with eight different fresh plants whose antibacterial effects are similar to those of penicillin, but without the danger of the body becoming resistant to them or the intestinal flora being damaged. As with herbal seasonings, Trocomare should never be boiled, but should be added after the food has been cooked so as not to destroy any of the active ingredients. Remember, Trocomare provides valuable remedial properties as well as flavouring.
*942/28/1*
Modern life with its restlessness and worries, as well as all other detrimental influences, puts a great strain on the liver, this important organ in our body. To allay our concern, it is always good to be reminded of some simple remedies, one of which is sesame seed. There is nothing easier than eating sesame seeds every day for the sake of your health. You will never tire of this delicacy if you
sprinkle it on your bread. I recommend this practice to all who suffer from liver problems and depend on high-quality oil and vegetable protein, but also to anyone else who wishes to protect and care for his liver and keep it sound.
In addition to eating the seeds you can also use sesame oil, a good source of highly unsaturated fatty acids, as well as vitamin E, which is good for the glands. It definitely benefits our health if we eat sesame seeds regularly. They contain a protein with eight essential amino acids and vitamins of the  complex which are important for cell oxygenation and thus have a favourable influence on the liver cells.
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Some people complain about having spent a small fortune on laxatives, but all in vain. This should not be surprising when we consider the many chemical medicines sold over the counter, which, at best, offer only temporary help. It takes more to remedy the condition than just making it disappear for a few days. Just as a tree needs the right kind of fertiliser and pruning in order to grow strong, the natural functions of the human body need to be supported instead of suppressed. Instead of heeding the direction of nature, man has become too dependent on modern scientific research and reasoning.
The tribespeople in various parts of the earth would not know what to do with the best herbal laxatives, even when offered to them free. Neither the Berber tribes in the Atlas mountains, the Incas in the Cordilleras, the Vedda in the north east of Sri Lanka, nor many other aboriginal people would have any use for them. And why not? The answer is quite simple: their diet is not as opulent as ours in the developed world. Those people usually eat just enough to satisfy their hunger, whereas most of us tend to overeat.
Then there is another reason. The more primitive peoples usually have more fibre in their diet, and this provides the necessary roughage to stimulate the intestinal muscles. We gorge ourselves on white bread, rolls, pastries, puddings and all kinds of sweets and dishes made from bleached flour and refined sugar, which all contribute to a slowing down of the bowel movement, causing constipation.
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