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CACTUS FLOWER
A HARMONY BASED RECOVERY CENTER
APPENDIX (part 1)
BIO-MEDICAL MODEL OF MEDICINE
VIBRATIONAL MEDICINE
ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
THE BIO-MEDICAL MODEL
One might say that it was the emphasis on disease rather
on health that split apart allopathic and homeopathic practice. The physical body reveals the obvious materialization
of disease; the relationship to the more subtle aspects that relate to health is not so easily measured. Conventional
allopathic medicine deals directly with the chemical and structural components of the physical body. It
can be classed as a truly objective medicine because it deals with nature on a purely four-dimensional space/ time level,
and thus has developed much laboratory evidence to support its physiochemical hypotheses. This has occurred
because the reliable sensing ability of both humans and their instrumentation presently operates on that level.
(Source: Vibrational Medicine, by Richard Gerber, M.D. © 2001; Foreword, by William
A. Tiller, Ph.D.)
According to the bio-medical model there are four main causes of brain dysfunction:
1. Anatomical abnormalities or damage
2. Lack of
oxygen or glucose
3. Electrolyte imbalance
4. Neurotransmitter deregulation; the imbalance of brain chemistry.
Anatomical abnormalities
or damage result from brain injury due to trauma, brain tumors, or problem in brain development. The damage can disrupt functions
of any portion of the brain, or the tracts which carry information between parts of the brain. Injury to the frontal lobes,
for example, can result in lack of judgment or foresight, impulsiveness and euphoria.
Lack of oxygen
occurs when the blood flow to the brain is slowed down or if the person does not get enough oxygen into the blood. Alterations
in blood flow have been related to dementia (senility), schizophrenia, as well as various problems following head injury.
Lack of glucose occurs when there is insufficient food intake for a period of time.
Electrolytic induced psychosis,
due to below normal levels of sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium in the diet can be the cause of delusions and hallucinations
as well as stupor and mania. Illnesses that may be related to calcium deregulation include anxiety disorders and mania.
Neurotransmitter deregulation, not
all causes of which can be identified at this time, can be caused by a variety of sources including use of substances such
as alcohol, nicotine, street drugs, huffing, caffeine and carbon monoxide. Some over the counter drugs and prescription drugs
can also have major effects on neurotransmitters.
Diets high in sugar and fat do not provide the nutrients
needed for the body to manufacture the various neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitter deregulation results
in serious difficulty with information processing and coping with daily life stresses. An important part of recovery is learning
more about the daily stressors in life; and ways to more effectively cope with them.
The
five major neurotransmitters are:
Dopamine
Believed to be related to how clear,
without delusions or paranoia, we think. Too much dopamine in certain areas of the brain is viewed as one of the major problems
in schizophrenia.
Serotonin
A
mediator of impulsive and aggressive behavior. Too little serotonin leads to greater impulsivity and aggression.
Acetylcholine
Mood stability. People with a tendency towards depression have a heightened
depressive response to increases in acetylcholine or similar neurotransmitters.
Norepinephrine
(also called Noradrenaline)
How sensitive or reactive people are to events, people or other stimuli in their environment.
Too little Norepinephrine is believed to lead to depression and decreased interaction with others. Too much leads to irritability,
over reactivity or an extreme reaction to the environment.
G -Amino -n- Butyric Acid (GABA)
Involves restraint.
Fifteen different receptors have been found for serotonin (involved with depression),
five for dopamine (implicated in schizophrenia), and six for Norepinephrine (involved with both anxiety disorders and depression).
…our brains are a kind of archaeological
dig site, with a series of settlements stacked one on top of the other. The deeper you dig, the farther you go back
in time. At the deepest level lies the reptilian brain, also known as the brain stem, controlling the body’s basic
metabolic functions, like heart rate and breathing. The brain stem is all primitive instinct and repetition, incapable
of emotional complexity or anything resembling genuine thought.
The second layer...is known as the ... limbic system. This is the seat of emotion and memory, comprising
chiefly the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus. Our primary emotions – love and fear, sadness and
joy- emerge from this region, coloring incoming stimuli with the emotional valences we’ve associated with past events
…
Stacked on top of the brain stem and the limbic system is the neocortex, the two hemisphere
of which spread across the surface of the brain …This is the most distinctly human component of the brain’s architecture.
.. When we alter our immediate actions because of long-term interests, when we communicate in complex sentences, when
we engage in abstract thought-indeed, when we display most of the hallmarks of human intelligence, we’re most often
using our neocortex.
..from Mind Wide Open by Steven Johnson, published by Simon & Schuster
There are more than 100 billion cells in every human brain. The largest organ in the body, weighing about three pounds,
it constitutes just 2% of the body’s weigh, but consumes 20% of the body’s blood supply.
A BRAIN CELL
(illustrations by Jim Lamoreux)
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Information is passed between cells by means of chemical
messengers; the neurotransmitters. A cell receives a message from another cell at a dendritic branch which is attached to
a dendritic spine (A on the diagram) which causes a wave of excitement which
travels along the cell body (B). Should the wave of energy have enough power
to get over the Axon Hillock (C) it travels down the axon (D) and gets amplified by the myelin sheath (E). Cells
develop the glial cells which create the myelin sheath only by use. A cell which is rarely used will not amplify a signal.
It then sends a signal to other cells using the axon terminals (F) by sending
out more neurotransmitters. The neuro-transmitters which aren’t picked up by nearby brain cells eventually are picked
up by the blood stream, and become hormones, which compared to brain cells, are slow acting.
It
is believed that the shape of the neurotransmitters allows their message to be received at the cell’s dendritic branches.
Heroin seems to have a close enough shape on the cellular level to Serotonin, which is associated with pleasure, to
fit into the serotonin receptors and send out strong messages of pleasure and enjoyment to the rest of the brain. Cocaine
and methamphetamines fit into the receptor for Norepinephrine while marijuana fits into one of the lesser known neurotransmitters,
Anandamine, which is also the receptor for chocolate. Alcohol fits into the receptor for GABA. The brain believes
it has more than enough of these neuro-transmitters and shuts down production. This is believed to be the reason for the strong
withdrawal symptoms experienced by many who use these drugs, and an underlying cause of addiction.
Aside from many unknowns the disruption of the ordinary flow of information between brain cells can be caused by:
A. Insufficient production of neurotransmitters. This may be due to drug
use, inadequate diet, poor digestion, minimal or no waves of excitement being generated or other unknowns.
B. Too many neurotransmitters. While not a great deal is known about this, one of the
possibilities is that the myelin sheathing is causing unnecessary amplification of brain signals, resulting in the cell sending
out more than a sufficient quantity of neurotransmitters.
C. Misshapen
receptors. Analysis of brain tissue in persons who had schizophrenia has shown a modestly different shape of some receptors
for the neurotransmitter dopamine.
D. Misshapen transmitters. Neurotransmitters
formed, for some unknown reason, slightly differently.
E. Same
cell pick ups. For some reason, perhaps due to misshaped cells, or extra long Axon terminals, some cells pick up neurotransmitters
that they sent out. The class of drugs known as reuptake inhibitors act to decrease this phenomenon.
The brain has many components. The following are the functions, as well as the most common clinical effects when each
portion of the brain is not functioning as it should. Many different parts of the brain work together to produce complex behavior.
There is no one center for the emotions, just as there is no one center for driving, or anything complicated. Various
interactions across different brain areas are needed for complex behaviors.
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| Illustration by Jim Lamoreau |
CORTEX (fig. 1)
Interpreting, processing, and integrating sensory and motor functions.
Errors in
processing sight, taste, touch, smell, hearing and movement can result in inappropriate responses, the inability to distinguish
objects by touch, hallucinations, delusions and bizarre behavior. In-coordination and lack of control of motor aspects of
muscle movement; disturbance in balance; strange eye movements.
LIMBIC AREA (fig. 2)
(Consists of portions
of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes; sometimes referred to as the limbic system.) Collectively plays an important
role in learning, memory and emotions. Co-ordinates visceral (instinctual) responses with motivational states; interprets
smell; regulates emotional responses such as anger, fear, pleasure, sorrow, rage, and sexual arousal.
Excessive emotional responses to new stimuli. Increased eating and drinking of fluids. Changes in taste preferences.
Inability of emotions to reach consciousness. Decreased ability of cognition to affect emotion. Unable to integrate
the behavioral expression of emotion and motivation. Decreased ability of central rewards system to respond to basic drives
and instincts.
FRONTAL LOBES (fig. 2)
(Part of
Limbic area) Decision making, planning for future actions and control of movement.
Inappropriate
or uninhibited behavior. Impulsiveness, inability to evaluate and control emotions, judgment, and conduct. Emotional impoverishment.
Irritability, lack of motivation, ambition, and/or responsibility. Difficulty with all cognitive functions, especially attention,
concentration, memory and follow through. Difficulty with the motor aspects of speech (words are garbled). Difficulty
with written communication. Difficulty with abstract thinking.
The frontal lobes consist of the
frontal, pre-frontal lobes and the ventromedial cortex. Individuals who have a propensity for spontaneous anti-social behavior
(behavior without thinking before the act) have been found to have smaller, less active left pre-frontal lobes. Mental
exercises, the use of imagination and meditation, have been shown to increase the size and activity of the left pre- frontal
lobe, and have resulted in individuals being able to reduce anti-social behavior.
Activity in
the left pre-frontal lobe is also associated with the feelings of happiness, enthusiasm, joy, and alertness. Heightened
activity in the right frontal lobe is associated with an increase in what are viewed as the negative emotions.
When the ventromedial cortex is more active, activity in the amygdala is decreased. When the ventromedial cortex is
damaged, unregulated emotional behavior is the typical result.
TEMPORAL LOBES
(fig. 2)
(Part of limbic area) Hearing, learning, complex memory, and emotions.
Difficulty controlling sexual and aggressive drives. Memory impairment; inability to recall stored information
or to have newly learned information reach long term storage in hippocampus. Difficulty with production and analysis
of speech. Difficulty attaching meaning to spoken words. Difficulty recognizing own emotions. Confusion about masculinity/femininity
(Not to be confused with sexual orientation). Auditory hallucinations.
PARIETAL
LOBES (fig. 2)
(Part of limbic area) Receiving and identifying sensory information
from tactile receptors. Ability to picture something in the mind's eye.
Inability to recognize
sensations from the skin including pain, touch, and temperature changes. Body image disturbances. Inability to
recognize body parts. Impaired spatial abilities, loss of ability to visualize three dimensions. Denial of illness (Anosognosia).
Difficulty dressing. Impaired left /right orientation (Gets lost easily). Impaired association and sensory
aspects of speech. Inability to recognize written words. Inability to recognize relationship of body to environment. Loss
of ability to evaluate muscular activity; unable to sense pain from an uncomfortable body position. Loss of memory association;
unable to learn from the past; loss of ability to apply previous learning to the present and future.
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| Illustration by Jim Lamoreau |
OCCIPITAL LOBES (fig. 3)
All aspects of vision.
Disturbed
spatial orientation; difficulty with physical and environmental boundaries. Visual illusions; visual hallucinations. Simulated
hysteria. Loss of visual memory; loss of object constancy (unable to recognize objects, people, places by sight). Loss of
ability to understand the meaning of written words.
HIPPOCAMPUS (fig. 3)
Receives input from the para-limbic areas; hypothalamus, amygdala, and septial regions. Involved with the endocrine
system. (Thyroid, Adrenal gland, pancreas, ovaries, testis) Regulation of the immune system, and memory storage.
Essential for the appreciation of the context of events.
Difficulty with behavioral arousal. Many short and
long term memory problems. Inability to discriminate and inhibit behavioral responses. May generate epileptic discharges.
Inability to process complex sensory information. Difficulty acquiring new learning.
AMYGDALA
(fig.3)
Located in the anterior inferior temporal lobe. Interacts with the olfactory bulb, brainstem,
hypothalamus, and neocortex. Implicated in sampling physical aspects of the environment. Helps coordinate the actions of the
autonomic and endocrine systems and is involved in emotions, especially fear and anxiety.
Inability to attach motivational
and autonomic significance to sensory stimuli. Over and/or under response to anxiety and fear. Unable to compare incoming
and previously experienced stimuli. Unable to discriminate responses based on consequences of past experiences. A highly active
amygdala impairs ability to turn off negative thoughts and emotions.
HYPOTHALAMUS (fig.
3)
Has an extensive connection with the thalamus, midbrain, and some cortical areas. It also appears
to have a role in the control of biological rhythms and immune system regulation. Mediates emotions and fear, anger, pleasure,
and contentment.
Disorders of appetite. Disorders of water balance. Difficulty responding to visceral stimuli.
Disorders of sexual functioning and behavior. Disorders of pituitary hormonal secretions. Disorders of thermoregulation. Disorders
of emotional expression of anger, rage, placidity, pleasure, fear, and social attraction even when survival depends on these
emotions. Difficulty regulating vital functions of blood pressure due to inability to respond to water and salt content of
blood. Abnormal sleep/wake cycle.
BASAL GANGLIA
Located at
the base of each hemisphere, they receive input from all four lobes, but have output only to the frontal cortex via the thalamus.
Major activities include the planning of movement and all cognitive functions.
Thought process disorders. Disorders
of affect. Disorders of cognition. Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease. Extra-pyramidal movements (involuntary
movements, such as tremors, rocking, and movement of limbs) from psychotropic drugs.
THALAMUS
Monitors, processes, integrates, and distributes almost all sensory and motor information going to the cerebral cortex
by connecting cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, and brain stem.
Inability to regulate and integrate
levels of awareness. Difficulty integrating the emotional aspects of sensory experiences. Unable to have an impression of
the agreeableness (or disagreeableness) of a sensation. Hyper/hypo sensitivity to pain.
BRAIN
STEM
Includes Midbrain, Pons and Medulla Oblongata. The spinal cord mediates sensations and motor control
of the trunk and limbs, whereas the brain stem is concerned with sensation from skin and joints in the head, neck, face and
specialized senses, such as taste, hearing, and balance. The brain stem also controls the muscles of the head and neck.
Disorders of midbrain cause problems with the direct control of eye movements as well as in the motor control of skeletal
muscles and the relay of sight and hearing to the cortex. The regulations of breathing, vomiting, and hiccoughing involve
the medulla as does the relay of impulses between brain and spinal cord.
RETICULAR FORMATION
(RAS)
Coordinates the planning, timing, and patterning of skeletal muscles contractions during movement.
Maintains equilibrium by receiving input about balance from the inner ear. Maintains posture and helps coordinate head and
eye movements.
Difficulty learning motor skills. Problems regulating the force and range of movements. Disorders
of balance, coordination. Difficulty walking upright.
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VIBRATIONAL MEDICINE
Although
every practicing physician knows that healing is an essential aspect of all medicine, the phenomenon is considered outside
the scientific framework; the term healer is viewed with suspicion, and the concepts of health and healing are generally not
discussed in medical schools.
The reason for the exclusion of the phenomenon
of healing is evident. It is a phenomenon that cannot be understood in reductionist terms. This applies to the healing of
wounds, and even more to the healing of illnesses, which generally involve a complex interplay among the physical, psychological,
social, and environmental aspects of the human condition. To reincorporate the notion of healing into the theory and practice
of medicine, medical science will have to transcend its narrow view of health and illness. This does not mean it has to be
any less scientific. On the contrary, by broadening its conceptual basis it will become more consistent with recent developments
in modern science. [Source: THE TURNING POINT, by Fritjof Capra, © 1982 (pgs. 123 -
124)]
It has become increasingly clear that it is possible to therapeutically impact
upon physical and emotional illness by affecting the higher frequency structures which are in dynamic equilibrium with the
physical body. Our subtle-energy bodies play a major role in maintaining our health. Energy disturbances in the
etheric body precede the manifestation of abnormal patterns of cellular organization and growth. Disease becomes manifest
in the physical body only after disturbances of energy flow have already become crystallized in the subtle structural patterns
of the higher frequency bodies. One of the best ways to alter dysfunctional patterns in the subtle bodies is to administer
therapeutic doses of frequency-specific energy in the form of vibrational medicines.
(Source:
Vibrational Medicine by Richard Gerber, M.D. © 2001 (pg. 241)
In Vibrational Medicine,
Dr. Richard Gerber not only helps us walk through the door to an understanding and acceptance of Vibrational Medicine, but
he examines the door as well. This book is an encyclopedic and comprehensive coverage of vibrational medicine.
The author creates a clear model of the human organism from the physical to the etheric. He then goes on to include
the subtle energetic harmonics of the spiritual planes as well. In this book we begin to understand the human organism
as a series of interacting multidimensional energy fields. By developing this model in scientific terms and backing
it up with some of the recent exciting clinical and laboratory research, this book allows the reader to more fully appreciate
the body/ mind/ spirit language that is developing in holistic health today. The reader should remember, however, that
models are not necessarily real, but serve as conceptual tools to enhance a functional understanding. Even the idea
of energy is a concept. If those within the mass consciousness of medicine were able to remember that the Newtonian
mechanistic approach is also only a model based on two-hundred-y ear- old concepts, the transition to the Einsteinian quantum
model would be taking place with much less resistance. It is unfortunate that mainstream medicine still acts as if believes
the Newtonian concepts- that have been proven to be an inaccurate model for the last 50 years- are real.
(Source: Vibrational Medicine, by Richard Gerber, M.D. © 2001- Introduction by Gabriel Cousens,
M.D.)
This book is an exploration into the various mechanisms of healing. It is
an introduction to a new system of thinking about health and illness in general. This system of thought examines human
functioning from the perspective of multiple interactive energy systems. It is an attempt to go beyond the current medical
paradigm of illness in order to understand at a deeper level why our thoughts and emotions affect our physiology, and also
to comprehend how therapies as simple as herbs, flowers, and water can be such powerful healers.
My approach to understanding this growing field known as "vibrational
medicine" stems from eleven years of personal research in alternative methods of healing during my years of medical training
and practice as an internist. I have attempted to build upon the foundations of accepted medical knowledge in order
to bridge the gap between science and metaphysics.
From my earliest years in medical
school I sensed that there were simpler, less invasive methods of healing illness than prescribing potent drugs with toxic
side effects and performing surgery with its accompanying risks. Admittedly, drugs and surgery have brought help and
healing to many thousands in need, and have succeeded in wiping out numerous epidemic diseases. Unfortunately, there
are still many chronic illnesses for which current medical therapy only offers palliative treatment. My own practice
in internal medicine is still dependent upon these therapeutic modalities. I would very much like to do without surgical
and medical tools but, at this time, they are still very important. For many years I have sought to discover diagnostic
methods and therapeutic tools that would be less invasive, less costly, less toxic, and of greater healing benefit to patients.
That was the underlying reasons behind my search to understand the true nature of healing. It is my conclusion that
vibrational healing systems hold the key to extending our current medical knowledge toward an improved understanding, diagnosis,
and treatment of human ailments.
(Source: Vibrational Medicine, by Richard Gerber,
M.D. © 2001- pg. 21) ALTERNATIVE
& COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Strictly speaking Alternatives are treatments which are
not either a prescribed medication, or psychotherapy, and used in place of them. Complementary services are any which
are used in combination with prescribed medications. The United States Government (NCCAM, National
Institutes of Health 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA nccam.nih.gov) has divided alternative / complementary medicine into five categories
Mind-body medicine (meditation, yoga)
Biologically based practices (herbal therapies, special diets);
Manipulative and body-based practices (chiropractic, massage)
Energy medicine (e.g., Reiki, qi gong) Whole medical systems (traditional
Chinese medicine, Ayurveda)
Many do not neatly fit into any of these categories. They
can also be touch or non-touch.
To understand alternative / complementary treatments, it
is helpful to understand the basic philosophies behind Buddhist medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, the Ayurvedic
medical system of India, as well as Homeopathic & Shamanic theories of healing. The emerging field of Vibrational
Medicine, which is advancing the knowledge gained in physics made during the last century, seeks to integrate these advances
into the medical model, making the field of medicine more firmly based in science. Many of the treatments from these
sometime ancient philosophies are being found to be in harmony with the advances made in physics.
According to (Tibetan) Buddhist Beliefs on Mental Health anyone in the grip of strong emotions; anger, lust, greed, jealously,
etc., is showing signs of having mental health problems. Two types of people are prone to develop mental health problems;
those who take on too much responsibility, and those who take on too little responsibility.
Additionally they believe
there are five personality types, or energy styles, each of which can present itself in either a wisdom aspect or a neurotic
aspect. Many Buddhist treatments focus on transforming the neurotic aspect into the wisdom aspect.
(Sources: The Sanity We Are Born With, by Chogyam Trungpa © 2005; The Five Wisdom Energies © 2002, by Irini
Rockwell) In traditional Chinese Medicine Practice + Intention = Inner Harmony + Qi (Chi) Flow
= Health and Longevity. In Chinese medicine, Qi, believed to be the life force itself, is free and available
to anyone, everywhere contained within the air and within all things. It can be in three possible
states: harmony, deficiency and stagnation which determine the degree of health or disease. The goal of Chinese medicine
is to increase harmony. (Source: Between Heaven and Earth A Guide to Chinese Medicine © 1991
by Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac. & Efrem Korngold, L.Ac., O.M.D.)
Ayurveda is the main system
of healing in India. It is as much a way of life as a system of medicine and encompasses science, religion, and philosophy.
Its ultimate aim is to promote self-realization and a harmonious relationship with the world.
In Ayurveda all aspects
of existence is considered pure intellect or consciousness.
Energy and matter are one.
Energy is manifested in five elements: ether, air fire, water, and earth. The five elements combine to form three basic
forces, known as tridoshas and somewhat resemble the four humors which were the foundation of western medicine
until the Cartesian mind body split in the seventeenth century. When a dosha imbalance
is diagnosed, the first step is to eliminate toxins in the body. Subsequent treatments fall into three main categories;
medicines from natural sources, dietary regimens, and behavioral modifications. Ayurveda has attracted increasing attention
from medical scientists in the West, and in Japan. The World Health Organization promotes its practice in developing
countries.
Numerous Shamanic treatments are still in existence in places around the world. One
of the several similarities which exist, regardless of their origin, is the belief that each individual has four bodies,
only one of which, the physical, can be seen by most. The other bodies are the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual.
When the four bodies
Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual are out of harmony ...
illness results. (Sources: Ecstasy is a New Frequency © 1987, by Chris Griscom; Shaman, Healer,
Sage © 2000 by Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D.)
Most, if not all energy therapies, as well
as Mind Body therapies rely on some understanding of Chakras and Auras, which are also part of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine.
Chakras are the seven energy centers of the body, which are spinning vortexes of activity
created by the presence of consciousness within the physical body. These currents of energy run within the body and
exchange energy with the world outside the body. Each chakra has a particular emotional and spiritual issue which affects
its proper functioning.
The first chakra, associated with survival and self preservation,
is at the base of the spine. The second, emotions and sexuality, covers the abdomen and genitals.
The third at the solar plexus is associated with power or will. The fourth, love and balance, by the heart
The fifth chakra, communication, is at the throat. The sixth, the third eye, seeing externally and within,
is between the eyes. The seventh at the top of the head, is associated with enlightenment and awakening.
Individuals can learn to access each of these seven centers and facilitate wellness within. As
the chakras become more opened and balanced, an individual's aura will be affected as well.
By noting the color and intensity of the aura, suggestions can made on ways a person's life could be improved,
including at times, to visit a physician. The aura is considered by some to be the external portion of an individual's
Electro magnetic field.
(Main Source: Chakra Balancing by Anodea Judith)
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