Nature's First Aid Kit (Part II)

Photograph credit:  W.A. Rogers

This post, Nature's First Aid Kit (Part II), will deal with bug bites, poison ivy, minor cuts, scrapes and bruises.  I will write a part "III" at another time on general natural wellness care for dealing with maladies such as hemorrhoids, (herpes) mouth blisters, sore throat, tendonitis, stomaches, arthritis/rheumatic pain and inflammation and migraine headaches.

Minor cuts, scrapes, lacerations:  One's major objective in dealing with cuts and scrapes is to keep them clean.  Period.  Keeping broken skin clean leaves nature to dispatch her healing business without a hitch.  Broken skin exposed to all sorts of invading bacteria and viral organisms poses bigger challenges to the body's immune capabilities.  Keep it simple, keep it clean.  There are all sorts of antiseptics on the market in all sorts of containers; some claim to be painless (no hydrogen peroxide or alcohol).   Fore go the-over-the-counter cortisone and antibiotic creams; they don't assist but deter the body's innate healing tendencies.

Lavage the minor cut or scrape with soap and water. Have on hand your own home-made astringent antiseptics of aromatherapy essential oils (eo)*: combinations of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), Juniper (Juniperus communis) or Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) in a solution of carrier oil and distilled water.^  Lavage judiciously.  Apply clean gauze until bleeding has stopped. Leave open to air if possible.  Many people believe applying a bandaid indefinitely keeps the cut/scrape clean and protected.  It actually is a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if you have the notion you can go about your business as usual doing dishes or exposing the broken skin to a contaminated, unclean environment. It's better to keep it open to air, watch it and have a sense of what you are exposing it to. Clean the area frequently if necessary with the eo antiseptic/astringent water. When it has scabbed over, apply tamanu a few times a day to aid in the healing and scarring process.

Consider taking adaptogens (see post: Adaptogens: Love in a bottle) to boost your immune system, fending off infection.


Bruises and contusions are handled effectively with homeopathics** (see post: Nature's First Aid Kit (Part I). Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) mixed with Tamanu is effective in aiding the healing of bruises. With your own healing hands rub this remedy in periodically through the day and watch the dark blue/purple bruise move to various shades of green and yellow over a week to 10 days.


Bug Repellent:  Obviously, once again prevention is gold. There is  a wonderful product available through the internet only called Fly-Guard.  The ingredients are as follows:  Cederwood--Cedar oil has an overwhelming effect on insects. Cedar oil is not considered a pesticide because of the manner that it attacks the insect. The aroma (molecules) of cedar oil is essentially breathed in by an insect causing the insect to suffocate. Unlike pesticides that have to be digested or touched by the insect to be effective, cedar oil only needs to permeate the surrounding air in order to eliminate an insect. This works very well with pheromone-driven insects that need to follow a "chemical trail" in order to complete tasks. It would be unusual that insects like bees, wasps, butterflies and other non-pheromone-driven insects would be impacted.
Citronelle Oil--Citronella oil is also a renowned plant-based insect repellent, and has been registered for this use in the United States since 1948.^[2] The United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ considers oil of citronella as a biopesticide with a non-toxic mode of action.  Lemongrass oil--  Lemon Grass Oil, used as a pesticide and preservative, is put on the ancient palm-leaf manuscripts found in India as a preservative.  Clove Oil-- (Syzygium aromaticum) are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae.  Neem Oil--Neem oil has a rather strong odor that is said to combine the odors of peanut and garlic. It is comprised mainly of triglycerides and contains triterpenoid compounds.  One can order through vconnect@aol.com; $29.95 plus shipping.
An aromatherapy eo bug repellent spritzer can be made with lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrates), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).^


These products can be sprayed on the body safely and/or in the general vicinity. It keeps insects at bay for about a foot radius. 


Treating bug bites: Of course, the worst part of bug bites is the itching (histamine response) and subsequent open skin and scabbing.  If possible, soon after the bite, apply a baking soda paste to draw out insect toxins.  If the itching is very bad, bath effected area in an oatmeal bath for 15-20 minutes. Than apply a salve made from  Juniper (Juniperus communis), Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and Tamanu oil.^ If scabbing or scarring occurs from the itching, use refrigerated Tamanu frequently for fast healing.  Home Remedies For Insect Bites 
Natural Relief for Bug Bites and Poison Ivy | The Dr. Oz Show

Jewel Weed

Poison Ivy/Oak:  The stem part of the Jewel Weed (aka Touch-Me-Not) plant is purportedly the antidote to poison ivy (and can sometimes be found growing near poison ivy).  Break the stem, releasing the plants juice or open it up allowing the abundant moisture to be rubbed over the effected area.  Do this repeatedly until itching and redness abates.  (see "home remedies" link above.) 
     

As always, it is best to consult with your health care practitioner when taking herbal medicines or when considering any before-mentioned health practices.



*When using any essential oil, avoid contact with eyes and broken skin.  Flush with milk (not water) if inadvertently gets in eye.
^ these essential oil based products can be purchased through Integrated Medicine of Philadelphia directly.  Contact:  mkGermaineFraser@gmail.com for further product inquiries


Resources:

For essential oils, tamanu, primrose oil:

HERBARIUM Herbal and Nutritional Supplements including Bulk ...  (great! info & service)

Appalachian Valley Natural Products

for discounted homeopathic creams and products:

**Vitacost.com
Fly-Guard Insect Repellent:  vconnect@aol.com

Good Life, Good Death: Advanced Directives

The Terry Schiavo case Terri Schiavo — A Tragedy Compounded — NEJM in FL that agonizingly took place from 1990 to 2005, put the fear of God in people with chronic illness, lawmakers and healthcare practitioners alike. After this grueling tragedy, the public push from lawyers and healthcare institutions for every adult to have an Advanced Directive/Living Will (to minimize further tragedies) began in earnest.  

As a nurse that frequently admitted patients into the hospital for over a dozen years, the first question I would ask is, "Do you have an Advanced Directive?".  The next question would be, "Do you have it with you?" or if the answer was no Directive, "Are you interested in having one?".  All those years of interviewing people, I would roughly estimate less than 25% of people had an Advanced  Directive.  I always found it really interesting when people did not want to consider having one.  Denial lives deep.

What is an Advanced Directive or Living Will? Advance Directives  A Living Will simply lays out what your wishes are for sustaining or not sustaining your body if you become unable to make the decision in the moment.  Advanced Directives are not referred to unless it is a life/death situation. As important as this document is, whom you choose to execute it (your medical representative, medical POA or proxy) is equally vital.  This should be a person who is calm and discerning in nature and under pressure can be relied on to make the important calls.  As wrong as it is, I've seen Advanced Directives not adhered to because of the call of an immediate family member' whose own value (or guilt), was not the values of the patient.

After your loved one has considered the sometimes difficult questions on an Advanced Directive, and what their wishes are in that critical circumstance, it's imperative they have a long conversation with you, their medical representative.  Their wishes need to be implicitly clear to you.  Because when the moment arrives and you the medical representative have to make decisions, you might not get much help from the healthcare professionals around you.  The Advanced Directive is your explicit guide.

You as POA, might be asked by a doctor or surgeon, to perform some extreme measure on your loved one in order to sustain their bodily functions (or it might be put to you "save their life").  The calm and discerning person (in the middle of this crisis), knows the Advanced Directive of their loved one specifically says "no extreme measures".  You would want to ask the doctor or surgeon whether this extreme measure they are asking to perform on your loved one will impact the vegetative state they are in.  It will save their body's life probably, but will the quality of their life be significantly different? 


Often, these circumstances for a teaching hospital present good learning opportunities for training surgeons or physicians.  But they don't provide the best outcome for the patient.  As a POA, you are the advocate for the patient's medical wishes.  Be absolutely clear when these papers are drawn up what your loved one wishes.  Again, use the document as your support.  Keep your head and keep asking medical personnel "quality of life" questions.  We are conditioned to comply with healthcare professionals opinions and directives, especially in an emergency. The Living Will document spells out your loved one's wishes and should be adhered to by law.

Advanced Directives can be changed at any time; hence even a young person (like Terry Schiavo was) should have one.  All medical POAs should have a copy of their loved one's Living Will, after discussing at length the various aspects of the Directive.  Everyone should provide a copy of their Living Will to their doctor, to the ER on admission and to the hospital unit where they are admitted.

Advanced Directives should be very straight forward, with little medical-ese language. If the task of filling one out is difficult, you can ask help from any medical professional, lawyer or social worker.  The paperwork should not require this, but do what feels comfortable.  It's not easy to consider the questions on a Living Will, but do it anyway.  Get it done.  You take responsibility for your health. Take responsibility for the quality of your life and the quality of your death.  

Following are Living Will resources:

Download Your State's Advance Directives - CARING ...

Advocating for a Loved One in the Hospital

You are in a tumult.  A loved one is in the hospital and besides the overwhelming layered concern and worry you are experiencing, there is a modicum of powerlessness.  You might not be familiar with the hospital system, you don't know what would be helpful.

It would be impossible to address all individual and specific needs in this post.  Every population, sub-culture and age range gets hospitalized with a myriad of illnesses and complicating factors, be it social, psychological, emotional or geographical.  So, I will speak in broad terms.  Take what is useful and leave the rest.

In broad terms, a hospitalization is a medical crisis, a traumatic situation. Most hospitals are (usually) well oiled machines with practice and procedure protocols and usually have well trained staff.  They are looking after your loved one's acute medical needs.  In my experience, it is the family's job to advocate for the patient's "soft medicine" needs.

What is soft medicine?  Technically, soft medicine is anything that supports the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), decreases stress, or allows the relaxation response to kick in.  Hospitalization correlates with one's stress and Sympathetic Nervous System being on overdrive; hospitals can be a very threatening, vulnerable place for an ill person. Medical staff aren't primarily concerned with this aspect of healing; loved ones should be.

Why? We need a state of relaxation to heal. When our bodies are stressed with illness or injury and we are in a sterile, foreign environment we have no control over, it is very difficult to relax.  The Parasympathetic Nervous system impacts the body's endocrine response.  Under stress, we are putting out more cortisol, adrenalin, stress hormones and insulin, further taxing the body, blocking the body's natural healing response (its in an "emergency" survival mode). Our breathing is not full bodied, but shallow further inhibiting our respiratory response.  The added tensions and anxieties to be expected in this situation just compound the already existing problems of pain, anxiety, nausea and insomnia.  Our advocating loved ones are our lifeline to wellness in this way.  As good as most nurses are at advocating for their patients, it's really the families that are left with that responsibility.

So, what to do.  Start by assessing your loved one's stressors and try to eliminate the easy ones. (ie: if the food is terrible, bring some of his favorites in to be labeled, refrigerated and reheated at meals. Nutrition is obviously key to healing.  Sick  people don't eat much, so make it nutritionally count).  If she hasn't been sleeping well, make sure stimulation is minimal, door is shut and note on door if necessary to not disturb unless bell is rung. Stressors that can't be eliminated (like morning blood draws or bed baths) can be addressed by interfacing a ritual that is positive and that could counter the negative scenario; like listening to a meditation tape upon waking, before the blood draws or before an afternoon procedure.

Showing up is literally a huge support; it is everything in a nutshell.  Loved ones' faces bolster patient spirits. An enhanced spirit increases one's sense of wellness which will:   kick in her endorphins, PNS or relaxation response, improve her healing attitude and promote the healing process.

Plan some strategies (with her if she is able) to have several times a day a "wellness routine" such as:

-- A Guided Imagery scenario or two, using all five senses, concentrating on her proprioceptive strengths (ie: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory). this might be a landscape she loves, an environment that makes her feel peaceful, as simple as imaging water over stones in a brook; the simpler the better.  Doing this before a rest/sleep period will deepen the rest and promote a faster recovery.  This is something you can begin doing with her, but eventually a skill she can do herself by herself when she needs to (before a test or a challenging hospital moment). A pointer for you is be in your own low breath, speak melodically, leave lots of empty, unspoken spaces, go through the scene yourself, enter it with her. Peggy Huddleston (Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster) has GREAT Guided Imagery cds out on the market, as do others. Some are focused on surgery, recovering from surgery, etc.  This would be a wonderful thing to have on hand.

-- An active prayer practice.  Does he pray? Does he have a favorite prayer?  Does he use objects, like a rosary or beads in his practice? Does he have holy pictures that are meaningful you can include?  Set the stage so to speak; it's a special time when one's breath deepens, hypervigilance is put at rest and one is just with God and/or the holy moment.  Setting the stage pronounces this as a special time, creates ritual and reinforces the act.  The hospital's pastoral care department will be sensitive to this and a help.

--Light, loving touch on non hurting parts of the body like hands, feet, face.  Do a repetitive light pattern "sweeping massage" on fingers, arms, etc.  The repetitive patterning gets 'read' by the rest of the body, and is anticipated with relief and pleasure. This again, kicks in the PNS.  Talking in low tones, being with one's own breath and body will help her to mirror that in herself.  Hospital patients are in a hypersensitive mode.  They pick up EVERYTHING energetically.  So, what you want for her, create in yourself first.  Peace, quiet, stillness, deep breathing patterns.

--Humor!  Engage his and your own. The power of humor is underrated in healing.  Lightness and laughing kicks in the PNS.

--"C.A.R.E. Channel"; some hospitals have a calming, nature slideshow on their hospital TV program available in all patient rooms, which is often accompanied by meditation like music. Also, at night there is a "starry night, constellation" visual channel that moves slowly and is very relaxing.  Pastoral care or a case manager would know about this.  Probably at least, there is a music channel.  Or maybe you have an old portable cd player around with some good cds; sometimes a hospital provides cd players as well. All stimulation should be peaceful and low key.  Regular TV programming just isn't conducive for healing.  It's a distraction, not healing.

-- Moving-- laying around in one position all day everyday is deleterious. Promote better circulation (preventing stasis blood clots) by doing hand, ankle rotations, moving arms and legs up and down, becoming aware of what movement does feel good. Passive range of motion is something all nurses learn in nursing school but rarely have time to do with their patients.  Of course, movement will be minimal.  The main thing is not to let her wane there day after day.  She should have bed PT to keep musculature from atrophying (ask the doctor about the appropriateness of PT in your loved one's situation).  PT works for 15-30 minutes a day, just a bit to improve breathing patterns and mobility.  This will help her from not developing pneumonia too, a big problem for non ambulatory older people. Once you see what PT does with her, a loved one can do that at another part of the day or on weekends.

--Resources:  ask the case manager about pastoral care, integrated medicine practitioners (nurses, lay volunteers who do healing touch? therapeutic touch? hand massages?), music therapists, art therapists.  Most hospitals have these resources, but you often have to ask for them. You might be lucky enough to get nurses who practice CAM.  Make it known you want your loved one to have these nurses when they are on shift. If you have the financial resources, consider bringing in your own practitioners.  I've known acupuncturists to make visits to the hospital with MD approval.

--Getting the most out of staff.  Being an interested, congenial and non judgmental regular presence at the bedside is key.  Whereas the squeaky wheel gets the grease, a demanding, pushy family member provokes fear and an inner hostility in staff.  It's a slippery slope, a double sided coin.  A well-informed, quietly insistent, appreciative family member who is responsive (not reactive) is powerful and usually inspires great care from staff.

We want to promote rest and relaxation for our healing loved ones; the conventional medical setting won't ensure this, you will have to. Advocate for your loved ones.

Nature's First Aid Kit (Part I)

Sun with a coronal mass ejection. Photo credit: NASA

Now that warm weather is here, many of us are undoubtedly out and about more.  This is the first of two posts which will deal with practical, natural ways of dealing with (sun)burns and sprains.  My "II" post on this subject will address scrapes and minor cuts, bug bites and poison ivy.  Many of these "remedies" are common sense and/or things your grandmother did.  All of  them are non-toxic and work with the body's own healing awareness.

Of course, prevention as always, is fully encouraged. Wear hats and sunscreen 30 (Sandalwood-Santalum album-- essential oil added to sunblock enhances Vitamin D) applied frequently when  you know you'll be outdoors, light natural fabrics with long sleeves to limit sun exposure, for example.  Carry a "brew" of home-made bug spray like you carry a bottle of water through the warm months.  Although it is easy and convenient, don't succumb to buying (or using) products you wouldn't ingest; like Deet for insect control.  There are as effective natural products one can buy or make that won't accost your central nervous system.  Your body's healing sensibilities will thank you.

Besides prevention, the single biggest thing that will optimally improve the outcome of your first aid efforts is a quick response.  The sooner you address the burn, sprain or bug bite, the sooner the healing starts.  Don't wait around to see if your malady manifests.  You know you've been bitten by mosquitoes, the post itching will be much less if you address the truth of the matter immediately.

(Sun)Burns:  Everybody should have a miracle Aloe plant growing on their kitchen window sill. Applying aloe to a stove burn or sun burn, takes the pain and redness away immediately. Forget the over the counter sunburn cream, fresh Aloe is the first go-to in all minor burns and sunburns.  Determine the area size of the damaged surface, go to your aloe plant, find the Aloe "arm" that is saying "take me", thank it for all its miraculous blessings and snip off the size required.  Peel one edge of the spiny side off, split open the piece and rub continually on the burn surface. You will be amazed at how the body absorbs the somewhat slimy-gooey flesh that is Aloe. Keep repeating until pain and redness is gone.  I sometimes take a band aid and apply it over the Aloe piece on the body surface so it will stay put, freeing me up to go about my business.  Purchased Aloe in a jar or bottle is just not the same as fresh Aloe and you won't see anywhere near the positive impact on the burn from such products.  Get an Aloe plant.  It's difficult to kill an Aloe; it requires just a little light, poor soil and infrequent watering. (Mine has sometimes gone months without a watering.  Ach! forgive me dear Aloe).

If Aloe is not available, keep by the stove a 4oz roller top bottle of a burn-specific aromatherapy concoction^ which includes German Chamomile (Matricaria recutitia), Evening Primrose oil, Vitamin E and Tamanu (see resource list below).  This is also very good for post-chemo radiation burns. Roll on judiciously and frequently until pain and redness diminish.

Thinking outside the box until you get a box to think inside of:  If you are up the creek with no Aloe, no "burn" aromatherapy roller bottle handy, put the burn under cool/cold water until the pain subsides and apply moistened Chamomile tea bags to the area (while you gather yourself and call a neighbor for some Aloe).

Regenerating damaged skin:  Burns often produce external scarring.  Combining Helichrysum (Helicrysum italicum) and True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) with Tamanu.^  Applying frequently will help the skin regenerate.*

Common Sense:  Increase fluid intake (hydration) and Vitamin C (cell regeneration) with increased exposure to sun and when experiencing a burn.

Sprains:  Once you've twisted an ankle, wrist or other joint, immediately fill a large plastic bag with ice, sink the injury in it and elevate it.  Many people are afraid the bag of ice is going to be too cold for the body to handle.  The injury is going to be putting off so much heat, the ice will be a lukewarm puddle within 40 minutes.  You want to limit the swelling and inflammation from the get go; ice and elevation are key. Take Arnica homeopathic pellets (Hyland's Arnica Montana 30x -- 250 Tablets), 2-3 every 10-15 minutes for several hours. After the first hour of icing, apply Arnica gel/cream (Boiron Arnicare® Arnica Gel) or preferably Traumeel (Heel Traumeel® Homeopathic Gel -- 1.76 oz) to the injury and apply bags of frozen peas (less dripping wet, holds cold much longer than ice or those silly frozen gel packs that go warm after 5 minutes) to the injury (use ace wrap or bandannas to secure), keeping it elevated.  You are going to be icing the sprain every 20 minutes while awake for at least 24 hours.  It will probably feel good to keep doing it for another 48-72 hours. Do what feels good. Take some Rescue Remedy flower essence (Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Remedy Stress Relief Tincure -- 10 mL) if possible the first 48 hours, a dropper full in a glass of water 3 times a day.  This is for shock and trauma (and grief); helps the energy layers to settle down, and move back to homeostasis.

Sprains require babying.  If you push too fast and too soon,  you will set yourself back.  Keep off the injury as much as possible the first week, keep it elevated every chance you get. When you elevate it, apply the above-mentioned homeopathic cream/gel (for pain and inflammation). Touch it often.  Let the healing in your own hands inform the area that has been hurt, as it will inform you.  If the injury is to your lower body, use a cane, walker or crutches to stay off of it at least for a few days.  Use a light weight air brace to help with mobility. Your body will very naturally let you know when you don't need these accessories any longer.

Getting Acupuncture frequently for the first two weeks will help balance your energy systemically and improve circulation.  If there is any doubt it is more than a sprain, or you aren't seeing at least gradual improvement daily, seek help from a conventional healthcare practitioner. Approaching a sprain with a judicious attitude (following the above with patience and forbearance) will often most likely shave off a week to three weeks in the healing process.

As always, it is always best to consult with your health care practitioner when taking herbal medicines or when considering any before-mentioned health practices.




*When using any essential oil, avoid contact with eyes and broken skin.  Flush with milk (not water) if inadvertently gets in eye.
^ these essential oil based products can be purchased through Integrated Medicine of Philadelphia directly.  Contact:  mkGermaineFraser@gmail.com for further product inquiries

Resources:
For essential oils, tamanu, primrose oil:
HERBARIUM Herbal and Nutritional Supplements including Bulk ...  (great! info & service)
Appalachian Valley Natural Products


for discounted homeopathic creams and products:
Vitacost.com

A Redeemable Injury

Two weeks of limited movement and a lot of stillness. Two weeks of forced sitting, mandatory repose, elevating an injured foot.  Two weeks of watching the garden grow, the weather moving through it. Examining where and when the light and shadows hit the raised beds at what time of day and subsequent thoughts on what plant would want to go where.  Listening to rain fall on new leaves, gutters pouring their contents upon porous brick, cats claiming territory on dark nights. Two weeks watching the foot, touching the foot, wondering about the surprising green areas and the purple stria surfacing in the most unlikely places.  How the swelling increases than subtly improves, how small indications of articulation return.  Two weeks of quiet fascination of the body's adaptation and mending process, of nature's burgeoning insistence.  Seeing, hearing and sensing things I never would have known if I wasn't glued to a chair, leg propped for hours a day, looking at the same things in a near empty room over and over,  obligingly renewing themselves for me.  Upon arrival to the acupuncturist, I uncharacteristically zero in on the same therapy chair several days a week.  I depend upon that chair.  The chair with a view of the under canopy of a tall tree seen through a skylight.  I depend upon that chair with a view.


And then there was the gross motor movement experience.  The strange sensations of the rest of the body making the compensations necessary to walk, accommodating the injury. Two weeks of not experiencing grace or flow or a right relationship with the other functioning parts.  Two weeks of a host of new and unfamiliar tensions. Missing flow in myself.  Watching much older people move in their own semblance of grace and having a longing for what I remember to be myself in movement.


And some unexpected things happened.  The forced stillness and the watching had me falling in love, or at least appreciation, with the house, specifically the light in the house coming through the tall windows in various beguiling ways through the day.  I fell in love with the dear foot and all its surprising revelations and its natural knowing.  The miraculous tendency to go toward healing and return as it does, in its quietly triumphant way, to Function. I realized a benefit of a 35 year meditation practice, the experience of moving in and out of a busy mind back to the body over and over and over.  Somehow, a tendency for an active inquiry and an interest in the Now had become planted in willing soil along the way.  And that somehow, transferred onto a life off the sitting cushion.  These days show me I am interested in what Is, frequently.  There is a curiosity inextricably linked to a type of joy that actively lives in me. Even in somewhat bleak circumstances for a kinesthetic-based person to be made to grossly limit her movement for days on end, I somehow fell in-interest if not in love with intriguing aspects of the ordinary.  Incredible.


Depending upon that chair with a view.  The (healing) touchstone, the place that helps a resonance with Other, nature. The place that softens the accumulated tensions, allows breath to surface into its rightful rhythm. The place of Return.

"Seeing what is small is called insight.

Abiding in softness is called strength."- Lao Tzu

Grief as Medicine

Keri Cheran, "It hurts to talk About Our dead and gone".  Purepecha of Michoacan 

Municipality Cheran

I'm compelled to write about grief again as it is such an apparent and present state in the culture at large.  As I've said in previous posts, not only is it misunderstood, there is little support for it.

Grief is assumed when there is a death.  The cultural understanding is one will be very sad for a few days to a few weeks, a little less sad for a few months and "back to one's self" within a year at the latest.  These cultural guidelines are at best random and at worst, ridiculous.
Grief transpires not only at the experience of death, but in the process of dying (ones own dying process or witnessing it in another), in large changes such as separation/divorce, big moves and major transitions such as teen to adult, leaving college, transitioning to middle age or old age, living with made choices or non-choices.  Grief happens after injury or surgery or major illness, at the loss of a job (even a bad one) or a career.  And grief is re-awakened at every loss' anniversary or holiday.  As they say, every loss is a reminder of all the previous losses before it.  Grief is everywhere.  But in this culture, even though grief is seemingly at one door or another, many people are literally at a loss as to how to recognize it, how to work with it, how to know it and how to move through it.  It is foreign, because the expectation of what it is and what it looks like is not recognized.

Grief is unrecognized mostly because it is so varied and unpredictable.  It looks/feels like deep lethargy, paralyzation or numbness. It can also be an excruciating aliveness to the subtle; the way light falls on a tree, the memory of an odor, the nuanced subtlety of sand in one's toes.  Energetically, grief can cause the body tremendous fatigue and exhaustion.  Once this is seen and noted, one expects this for a few days.  But often, it presents in an incredibly labile way.  One might have a strong sense of themselves, their usual energy pattern in the morning and total exhaustion covers them by mid day.  And the next day the energy patterns might be reversed-- or not; it's often unknowable.  It requires a type of acceptance, a willingness to roll with it and an abdication of control; very difficult skills for most people, especially if one is responsible for a deceased's property.  Sometimes in the grief process, "the black hole" days are endless and too frequent to be tolerated (probably why most people will do almost anything not to go there.).  Other times, grief sweeps over you lightly for a moment and keeps moving on. There is no recipe for grieving.  There is no guarantee that if you do the work, it won't surface again.

Serge Prengel describes it well in relation to Kubler-Ross' seven stages of grief in the death and dying experience, The 5 - or 7 - stages of grief & loss: The grief cycle & the grieving ..., as a roller coaster of chaotic feelings.  This characteristic differentiates grief from depression.  Grief is extremely energetic, whereas depression's characteristic energy pattern is -- well, depressed. Unexpressed or unprocessed grief will turn to depression like unprocessed anger and fear will turn to depression.  Faith and an honoring of the Self is often the only motivator in opening the grief door.


So then, how do we process grief? As mentioned above, it is rolling with it; being with what is, as it is, even in the sometimes unusual expression of it or the inconvenient timing. This is inevitably, at least part of the time, an excruciating and uncomfortable business; like being in an undertow for a prolonged period of time. Having empathic others for backboards to verbalize your experience is helpful.  Following the body and voice's cues, no matter how strange, bizarre and incomprehensible may be another way of rolling with it, if you can give yourself the time and space.  

healing in the grief nest

There are several essential oils (eo) very useful in grief.  The classic eo for grief is Helicrysum. Angelica and Petigrain are also deeply restorative.  Used in bath salts, lotions/oils or in diffusers at night, could be very helpful in taking the edge off, supporting the organism in its process.  Having bodywork done by a trusted other during this time would be nourishing.  Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, Acupuncture, massage, reflexology are all ways to return, to experience a semblance of yourself again, releasing static tensions.  Maintaining a breath-centered practice like Qigong or Yoga, swimming or walking is a way of clearing staid energy and getting one's flow back.  Movement is a big stress reducer, and if possible, would be good to have in play regularly.  And of course there is always blessed sleep. 

Bach Flower remedies are a subtle way to support the taxed organism. Rescue Remedy, the crisis and emergency remedy, is a combination of flower essences equivalent to an emotional first-aid kit, containing five single remedies: Rock Rose, Clematis, Impatient, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum. Star of Bethlehem is the quintessential Flower essence for shock, loss and grief;

Grief is a constantly shifting storm front to weather. It's a soul-growing process.  Somehow, we are better for knowing it, but often don't know this until a long while after.

Grief is itself a medicine.  ~William Cowper

suggested reading:

Unattended Sorrow: Recovering from Loss and Reviving the Heart

(anything by Steven Levine is good on this subject)

On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler\

Paying for Health

A History Liberated

The health insurance industry purports that over 90% of insurance monies paid out every year go toward serving the 5% chronically ill in this country. For the 80% of us that rarely use insurance, who are well and healthy, we have poured money for decades into a system which we have benefited minimally from. We have done this basically because we fear getting caught in a catastrophic scenario.

We are conditioned to think others are responsible for our health.  Many people pay into an insurance policy, which then is supposed to (mostly) pay for visits to doctors and facilities. When this is the scenario, most people are resistant to seek care that won't be paid for by their insurance. Even holistic folks, people who believe in prevention, understand the roots of stress and its impact on health and that their insurance doesn't pay for prevention-- they often only want to go to practitioners that insurance will pay for.

This is a mindset we buy into.We have abdicated control and responsibility of our health to those who don't really care about us, don't have our best interest in mind and who take the stand that we are beholden to them.  It's a very dysfunctional relationship that dis-serves us.  In this position we aren't allowed to determine what is best for our health; the type of healing and direction we think is the most sound.  Our options are extremely limited under this umbrella'd corporate mentality.  What are other possibilities we could invest in?

It takes a lot to change a mindset.  One's healthcare values need to have a determined awakening.  Having excellent, consistent outcomes with the experience of Complimentary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) is probably essential. With hundreds of thousands of people turning to CAM for care rather than conventional medicine and at least that many people uninsured, as well as thousands of physicians disillusioned with the insurance industry relationship, mainstream healthcare folks are beginning to think outside the box and get creative.

Some physicians and psychiatrists have begun not accepting insurance, sidestepping the mire entirely. Others have created a "care" program where a patient pays a hefty ($2-2.5K) a year and are promised to be served unconditionally in the office and hospital during that time.  Progressive states like Oregon and Minnesota have healthcare providers creating their own "health co-ops" including a wide range of practitioners from massage therapists, acupuncturists to physicians Health Cooperatives Gain Backing as Alternative to Public Option.  One joins the co-op for a fee and is expected to take advantage of all of the practitioners during the year.  It is a health co-op; the understanding is one does prevention and doesn't wait for disease to show up to see a practitioner.  The attempt is to change the mindset of how we look at taking care of health and disease.

Making CAM affordable for all socio-economic backgrounds is imperative.  There are "community acupuncturists" that operate on reasonable sliding scales.Community Acupuncture Movement Goes Co-Op | AcuTake  They practice as they do in China, in community.  Meaning, several people at a time are treated in one room at the same time.  This is a pretty foreign concept in America's hyper-HIPPA age.  But the idea is, that a shared healing in the same space actually potentiates all the healing in that space. The sliding scale is $15-35 and you are encouraged to stay in the space (needles in) for as long as you feel is needed for the treatment. I've experienced acupuncturists in a private setting for $125 and have also have experienced this community acupuncture.  They are both effective and healing environments.

Many people who primarily utilize CAM for health decide to disengage themselves from the insurance system (at least partially).  They acquire a high deductible, low monthly fee catastrophic (hospital) insurance and then self insure themselves for maintenance visits  (gym fee, yoga classes, massages and CAM practitioners) by creating an interest earning savings account dedicated to health, which of course, they control and which they feed with a percentage of their income. They often can negotiate conventional care fees (doctors, dentists) because they pay cash for their visits and are not related to insurance reimbursements, which for the most part, is a big headache and time-consuming paperwork for the practitioner.

Our bodies are designed to self heal.  Obviously, awareness and providing  excellent nutrition is part of this.  Those hesitant to pay for organic or take the trouble to buy from local agricultural vendors because of the cost or inconvenience would be wise to reconsider.  Although organic has now become a trend and can be "brand"-manipulated by corporations taking advantage of the trendy buzz-word, it is food that is more nutritionally sound and less taxing on the body.  One has to have some knowledge and consciousness about it and realize Monsanto-owned (pesticide/GMO central) Whole Foods may not be the only place to get it.  Sometimes choosing local produce (not certified organic) is a better choice over big agricultural organic farms operated far afield or in another country.  Small, local farms often don't have the legal and fiscal stamina to jump through the certification process so don't, even though they don't use pesticides on their crops. A previously mentioned book (see Food Glorious Food), Omnivore's Dilemma, is a must read to understand the workings of American agriculture and the food industry.

Many people, even with the understanding of the benefit of decreased pesticide use and minimal mineral depletion in organic can't make the jump to paying more for it.  Same with hearty (not easily squeezed) breads which can cost up to three times more, but which are nutritionally superior to store brands.  Shocked at seeing your pre-pubescent daughter's nine year old friends sprout breasts and start to menstruate? (related to hormones in meat and dairy) Making choices, such as starting with organic dairy and working oneself (and one's family) to other food sources such as minimal amounts of organic meat and produce is a prudent approach. Looking at food (natural medicine per Socrates) as an investment in one's health is one approach for those with tight budgets.  Also, looking at quality grocery buying from the radical (for most) perspective that quality always trumps quantity; buy better food and eat less.  This surprisingly, is a shocking notion to many people I counsel, probably because we are so indoctrinated in this (obese-prone) culture to be consumers and food associations are hard-wired in us since birth.

Paying for health.  It is our being duty to sustain and maintain this vessel we travel through in this life.  It is our being duty to bring awareness, mindfulness to what we put in our mouths and how we choose to treat the organism when it is unwell.  It is our being duty to maintain a relationship with it; a right relationship so it thrives and is optimally sustained.  Relationship. Responsibility. Respect.  Making the necessary inner and outer payments to keep ourselves well is our first duty to ourselves.

Community Acupuncture Documentary Trailer - YouTube

Community Acupuncture Network