Category: Healing Medicine

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How to Assess Thyroid Health (Part 1 of 3)

While over 20 million people are currently being treated for clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism, there may be as many as 13 million more Americans suffering the ill effects of an undiagnosed thyroid problem–making it one of the most under-diagnosed health conditions in the United States. At the same time, because the thyroid is intimately intertwined with the other glands of the endocrine system, supplementing with thyroid hormones may be counterproductive if the problem is rooted in adrenal fatigue, dietary and lifestyle factors, and stress. Many factors affect thyroid health, including common stressors such as inadequate sleep, exposure to environmental toxins, or minor illnesses. Even the normal physiological changes associated with aging are stressors that are detrimental to thyroid function.

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How To Nourish Vital Spirit: The ETMS Approach

In my blog post last week, I explored the connection between Vital Spirit and health. In my professional work as an herbalist and in my personal life, I believe that a strong and resilient Vital Spirit is the foundation for a healthy and happy life. But how do we strengthen the intangible quality of Vital Spirit? The answer lies in practices that encourage peace, expansiveness, and self-reflection—prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, time in nature, and even creative pursuits where the superficial falls away, and we find our deeper selves. Through these practices, we can be certain that we are living in accordance with our deepest truth.

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Spirituality And Healing: The ETMS Approach And The Importance Of Vital Spirit

In my work, I connect daily with people who have received a diagnosis of cancer or other significant illness. For many, the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness brings life into crystalline focus, making clear what is most important. I believe that a chronic illness, such as cancer, is an invitation to attend to our true nature and to bring our focus into the present moment. This is the essence of the great spiritual teachings of the world, which encourage us to live not in the past or the future, but in the now.

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Anointing With Essential Oils For Spiritual Healing

Anointing has been a sacred ritual for thousands of years in many different religions and ethnic groups, as a means of spiritual refreshment and physical invigoration. In the Orthodox tradition, the sacramental act of pouring aromatic oils onto the body, most often the head, is also called unction, and is primarily administered for physical and spiritual ills, although everyone is anointed during Holy Week. In this act of blessing, the aromatic oil used is believed to have both spiritual and physical healing qualities.

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Cancer: Why Quick Fix Solutions Fall Short—and Why ETMS Succeeds

As I observe the ways the ways of modern life, it’s obvious to me that we are living in a “quick-fix” world. Technology has lured us into a lifestyle of instant gratification—and we have come to expect swift solutions to every problem that arises. In daily life, the expectation of immediate gratification frequently leads to disappointment and frustration. For those facing cancer or other chronic disease, the quest for a quick fix is often devastating.

I regularly see in the press the promise of a simple solution for cancer or other chronic disease. The Internet is especially problematic because it spreads vast amounts of misinformation, which unfortunately, many people believe is factual. As a long-time practitioner who has worked with hundreds of people with life-threatening illnesses (I have dedicated my life to helping those with cancer) I can tell you that there is no quick fix. I wish there were. Illness makes people vulnerable, and regrettably, there are those who would lead you to believe that a simple solution exists for cancer or other serious illness. The truth is that the initiation and progression of cancer involves a variety of complex contributing factors. These factors involve not only the cancer, but also the individual who is the host for the cancer. It’s unrealistic to think that any one “magic bullet,” whether conventional or alternative in nature, can eradicate cancer or any other significant illness.

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Propolis: The Healing Secret of Bees

A glue-like substance used by bees for building and protecting their hives, propolis at first glance appears to be an unlikely medicinal remedy. But the wide range of healing properties attributed to this sticky substance make it effective for everything from canker sores to cancer, and it’s one of my favorite natural remedies. In fact, I attribute my quick and complete recovery last year from a serious staph infection (contracted from a public hot spring swimming pool) in great part to propolis.

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