September/October 1998
Articles on the theme "Health Consciousness"
A Matter of Life and Death
by Sylvia Jackson
The writer, who is dying of brain cancer,
gives some advice concerning prevention and medical exams.
Magic Tea Plus
by Constance Felos
How an attorney and her client created an adventurous new paradism of health
consciousness. The recipe for a special herbal tea.
Health-Minded Living
by Bob Gonzalez
Some tips from the manager of a health
food store how to achieve and maintain optimum physical health.
Miracle Consciousness
by JoAnne Gregory
Miracles, fake or real? What is it
that makes miracles possible?
How's Your Subconscious?
by Patrick Plaskett
Habits and their effect on our health.
Changing bad habits. Creating a different future.
True Health Consciousness
by Carol L. Roberts, MD
A doctor talks about what you can do
to avoid visits to the doctor.
Becoming Health Conscious
by Dr. Audrey Craft Davis
The importance of our words and thoughts.
Becoming food conscious. Our attitude to things, especially money. Counting
our blessings. Awareness of others and the environment.
A Simple Clay Bath!
by Lauana Lei
How the writer, suffering from heavy
chemical/metal poisoning, recovered her health by taking a clay bath.
A Healing Education
by Barbara Bedingfield
An account by a Waldorf teacher of
the basic educational requirements for maintaining the health of a child.
Our Spiritual Source
by Rev. Pat Cross
On connecting with our spiritual source
to realize a true health consciousness. Using our spiritual powers to heal
ourselves.
Other Feature Articles
2000 and Beyond!
by David Findlay
Natural Health Q&A
by Dr. Scott Rubin
Parasites and allergies -- some natural
remedies.
What is . . . A Course In Miracles?
by Mary Barbara
How "A Course In Miracles"
came to be and some of its basic teachings.
Mineral Kingdom
by Judy Power
Featured stones for September and October:
Labrodorite and Opalized Quartz
True Health Consciousness
by Carol L. Roberts, MD
I guess I'm just gettin' old!" said the fifty-year-old man when he appeared in my office for the first time. Not the first time I'd heard this line, as you can imagine. For twenty-odd years in the clinical practice of medicine, I've been hearing similar explanations for the aches and pains that descend on us as the decades roll by. This opinion is widespread. We think that with aging we must develop physical problems. We are bombarded by media hype about the fragility of our bones, our hearts, our brains, our backs. We are trained to anticipate imminent collapse, sudden death, advancing dementia, progressive deterioration. This is the illness consciousness that is poisoning our lives in subtle ways, like the smell of a dead rat in the garage.
Likewise doctors are trained to identify disease, hopefully in its early stages, and deal with symptoms and signs. The average American physician sees himself as struggling with entropy - diagnosing and prescribing in a ferocious attempt to fend off the Grim Reaper. Illness is the enemy. Once a diagnosis has been made, the patient is considered labeled for life (as, for example, with hypertension) and requires drug treatment forever. In actual fact hypertension is usually due to underlying treatable problems such as arteriosclerosis, food allergy, or nutritional imbalances such as too much calcium, too little magnesium.
When confronted by a medical diagnosis, make sure you explore your options and do not take anyone's word -- even your doctor's -- at face value! Your doctor may have the best of intentions, but there are hundreds of treatments that are overlooked in medical school which may be of the greatest usefulness to you.
Remember, few doctors are knowledgeable about what it takes to be healthy -- just look at them! Witness the fact that little to no nutrition training is part of the curriculum in medical or in nursing school.
For supposedly chronic diseases, like hardening of the arteries, hypertension, heart disease and all types of circulatory problems, chelation therapy, with or without hydrogen peroxide treatments in between, is a very safe and effective way to reverse these problems.
Herbal medicine is often as effective as pharmaceutical drugs, and usually better tolerated. But treatment of established problems is not really the ideal way to stay healthy.
True health consciousness begins to develop in an individual when she takes charge of her own state of health. The first step is to learn to listen to the body. It is constantly telegraphing messages to the overburdened brain. Most of us learned long ago to ignore physical signals unless they turn into pain. Body awareness can be developed through body-mind exercises like yoga, t'ai chi or the martial arts. The gentle movements, coordinated breathing and meditative mental focus will automatically lead to greater appreciation of the sensitive instrument that is your body.
Similarly, the effect of diet on health cannot be overemphasized. Not only the proper food choices (whole, "live", vegetarian, organically grown foods are best), but the attitude of the chef has a lot to do with the effect of the food on the body! It has been shown that plants grow faster and stronger when the water they are given has been cradled lovingly for a minute before watering. Electromagnetic vibrations are given off by all of us all the time and are picked up by what we cook. Also consider the vibrations in the food itself. The mental state of a terrified calf is translated into hormones -- adrenalin, cortisol -- which then permeate the meat. Do you really want to be eating their fear? Very important, too, is eating in a peaceful place, tasting and appreciating your food. Taking time to enjoy this most necessary activity is the health conscious way to go.
Finally, and most importantly, health consciousness is enhanced powerfully by living in the consciousness that you are actually a soul in a body, not the other way around. The soul is eternal and unchanging, the part of us that observes the drama of life in a detached, though loving and peaceful way. The nature of the soul is peace, and so when we are soul conscious we relax the whole body, and have the best chance at healing. Soul consciousness is achieved by meditating on the "third eye", the area between the eyes in the center of the forehead, which is where Descartes and others have located the "seat of the soul". Concentrate on experiencing your energy as a tiny point of light, radiating power and light all around. This tiny star is able to connect directly with the point of light that is the Supreme Soul. Doing this meditation every day, sometimes twice a day, can cause tremendous positive changes in health and emotional stability.
Health consciousness is a shift in how you care for your body, how you approach each day, and how you think of your true identity.
Carol L. Roberts MD has been a practicing physician for 24 years. Her holistic practice, Wellness Works, is located in Brandon FL and includes acupuncture, rolfing, nutrition, natural hormone therapy, chelation and oxidative therapies. Fitness and yoga classes as well as free meditation classes are available. (813) 661-3662