PowerPoint Series
22. Mastery of Emotion
Regulation for Health & Longevity
23. Simonton Cancer Center’s Renowned New Patient Program
24. Pioneering Work of O. Carl Simonton, M.D., Radiation Oncologist:
“Stress, Psychological Factors, and Cancer”
25. ABC's of Emotion: A Cognitive Behavioral Approach & Your Decision to Get Well
For 22-25
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Traditional medicine views health as the absence of disease.
Energy medicine - or electrical medicine - sees health at one end of the spectrum and disease at the other, with most patients poised somewhere between the two.
For example, fatigue and insomnia are not diseases, yet are certainly not associated with good health.
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Energy Medicine
Energy medicine seeks to evaluate the energy of the cells, organs, and glands within the body. Are the cells producing enough energy? Are the cells able to store the energy that
is created through oxidative phosphorylation?
The human body is an orchestra, and the organs and glands are the instruments. While some instruments are in tune, others are not. For the symphony to delight, all instruments must be properly tuned and synchronized.
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Most symptoms are the body’s way of trying to rid itself of toxins, and they are an effort to regain
homeostasis and balance.
Therefore, most disease should be treated not by suppressing the body’s defense mechanisms, but by cooperating with
these symptoms.
Your mind has the power and ability to cure any
disease in the body.
Most people are unaware of this fact, and
unknowingly use the mind to create illness.
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Modern physics has determined that matter and energy are integrated, and that matter can be seen as a denser form of energy.
Vital to the understanding of futuristic medical therapies is the view of the physical body as an energy system; a system that is composed of wave forms, or oscillations, at various frequencies.
Consequently, imbalance and disease of the physical
body are a result of the disturbances in the energy field
of a particular organ system.
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Illness develops in a definite sequence.
Initially, there is dysfunction at an energetic or cellular level, which is an event detectable by BioEnergetic technology. This is followed by abnormalities on a biochemical level, which is detectable by blood testing. Ultimately, alternations in the tissues and organs will appear as abnormalities (apparent on x-rays ) or through cytological testing (biopsies).
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BioEnergetics address the cellular, or energetic level, long before deeper damage takes place.
This is truly preventive healthcare.
However, the exact mechanism of how and when these BioEnergetic changes result in physical disease is not yet clearly or accurately predictable. Factors may depend on one’s toxic load, constitutional/genetic factors, nutritional balance, and most importantly - mental/emotional state.
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New holistic perspectives encourage us to examine our habits, life-style, belief systems, and attitudes. Most people fail to create a truly healthy life-style; instead, they may follow patterns which are not harmonious with true health.
BioEnergetics endeavors to create a new awareness of health, life-styles, and natural, spiritual laws.
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Treating symptoms has nothing to do with healing.
Healing is the process of making the human body
whole again at ALL levels –
Physical Mental Emotional Spiritual
The mind plays a dominant role in health and disease.
Fear, worry, tension, frustration, hate, aggression, and
other negative emotions can render us more susceptible
to illness. At least sixty percent of illness involves a
psychosomatic contributing factor.
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Functional Medicine and Cancer
LET’S START WITH A BASIC PREMISE:
Cancer is a disease of the whole body, while a tumor is just a symptom of the disease. Essentially, you have to treat the whole body, not just treat
the cancerous tumor in an attempt to eradicate it with chemo.
We all have cancer cells in our bodies and that’s important for people to
understand, but it takes roughly a billion cancer cells to progress to the
lump or bump stage. This is why a tumor takes years to develop. When
traditional medicine diagnoses a tumor, whether it be by mammogram,
MRI or a CT scan, whatever the diagnosis:
It is important to understand that you have time. It is not necessary to start therapy the next day.
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Spontaneous Remission
We’ve known for years there have been spontaneous remissions in people with cancer… it only makes sense that these are the people who should be studied, yet no one
has looked at these cases at all.
Think about it, if there are spontaneous remissions in
cancer patients, obviously the body has some way of producing something that rids itself of cancer. So the big question is, what can we do to heal cancer naturally?
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We need to teach everyone how to reduce toxicity, which is not taught in traditional medical schools. This is a very crucial step in reducing toxicity in the concept of “Drainage.”
We want to neutralize and eliminate the toxins in the body, and the key organs to do this are the liver, kidneys, and the lymphatic system. For the liver we want everybody to take a fresh lemon every morning, cut it in half, squeeze the juice out of both halves, pour it into 6-8 ounces of water and enjoy. Vegetables must be consumed 2,3,4 times a day. For liver health, eat carrots, beets, zucchini, squash, and artichoke.
We want people to have healthy water. What makes water
healthy? A pH that’s slightly alkaline, and water that is abundant in electrons. Electrons are energy! The water must not be distilled, as distilled water is dead water; it doesn't have any minerals. On the other hand, be cautious of too many added minerals.
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The lymphatic system needs to be stimulated with a trampoline or rebounder; if you are going to a gym, use the elliptical, or jump rope. Bouncing causes the lymphatic system to be stimulated. Deep breathing also helps the lymphatic system.
Colonics can be very helpful. Cancer patients are toxic. You’ve got to have bowel movements every day, so if you’re not - get a colonic.
Skin brushing can be very helpful.
This is all about getting your drainage systems working efficiently. If the drainage systems of the liver, kidney, and lymphatics are not open, then the process of pulling toxins out of the tissues (detoxification) will further stress the patient.
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Detoxification methods include saunas, homeopathy, herbs, juice fasts, and chelation, (pulling heavy metals out of the body). You’re pulling these metals out of the tissues, into the blood and out through the liver, kidney, and lymph system. To do this, I use a lot of intravenous Vitamin C.
Intravenous Vitamin C is used in a couple of different ways. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has proven that intravenous Vitamin C will produce high enough blood levels to actually kill cancer cells.
We frequently use 50,000 milligrams of Vitamin C intravenously over the course of 1 ½ hours. Some people go up to 75,000 or 100,000. If you’re receiving chemotherapy, which also kills cancer cells, then we'll reduce the vitamin C to 25,000 milligrams intravenously. Here, we’re not trying to kill the cancer cell; we’re trying to keep the body as toxin free as possible. You have to remember that when you’re doing chemotherapy, all these dead cancer cells have to go somewhere. They go into the bloodstream and ultimately through the liver, kidney, and lymph filter.
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Keeping the liver as healthy as possible, and as clean as possible, is probably the number one thing you can do for a cancer
patient receiving chemotherapy.
When a patient is undergoing chemotherapy, we do intravenous Vitamin C on the off weeks. We measure Vitamin D level with a blood test. We like to maximize Vitamin D levels with cancer patients in the 70 to 80 range. That usually involves taking at least 6,000 to 10,000 units of Vitamin D every day. We want to stimulate the immune system.
Mistletoe, otherwise known as Iscador, is a powerful anti-cancer treatment which builds up your immune system. A cancer patient’s doctor can fax a request to either Germany or Switzerland, and on that request indicate the type and stage of cancer, and what kind of therapy they’re presently participating in. The manufacturers will then send a Mistletoe protocol to the
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There are other ways to build up the immune system; mushrooms such as MGN3 and AHCC activate the natural killer cells which are one of the keys in stimulating the immune system in its efforts to destroy the cancer cells.
When you receive your lab numbers on natural killer cells, where should they be?
Normally they should be at the high end of the normal range; different labs have different numerical ranges. As for Vitamin D levels in cancer patients, we would ideally like to see them at 70, but they are usually in the 10 to 20 range.
On another note, the Germans have found that zinc supplements interfere with the treatment of cancer. For healthy people zinc is very beneficial, but cancer patients should not supplement with zinc.
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Cancer cells have a protective coating. By giving the patient enzymes, such as WOBENZYME, it allows these enzymes to attack the cancer cells and take off that protective coating. This enables the white blood cells to then zoom in and attack the cancer cells.
We want the enzyme to eat up the cancer debris. They’re kind of like little Pac Men; they get into the blood stream and then eat up the debris, not only from a healthy person’s normal day, but also from a cancer patient who is undergoing chemo or radiation. These therapies will kill many cancer cells. All these dead cells eventually make their way into the blood stream, so eating up that debris makes it easier on the liver/lymph detoxification system.
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This is important to understand as your consciousness represents the upstream informational template that drives all of the other downstream regulatory biochemical and genetic mechanisms that suppress tumor growth and keep the body in a healthy balanced state.
Your beliefs and attitudes are the most protective factor that you have against cancer.
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Physicians in traditional medicine view cancer as a local disease, in which a generalized illness follows.
Professionals involved in functional or biological medicine and alternative medicine view cancer as a generalized disease of the body.
First comes the illness, and only afterwards the tumor.
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WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT:
The belief of the patient?
The belief of the doctor?
or
I think it’s the belief of the patient, and as a doctor you must respect that. If the patient believes chemo is going to help them, then most likely it will. The placebo effect works 1/3
of the time; the placebo is basically a belief overriding
biology. I always say to people,
“If you can believe it, if you can see it, you can be it.”
I truly believe the first key is to respect the belief of the
patient.
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Anaerobic metabolism is occurring. So what do you do at this point? You want to limit sugar intake. This is vitally important!
any cancer patient. You must also increase the oxygen supply to the cell.
No sugar for
We know that the more toxic you are, the thicker your blood. All cancer patients have thick blood, so thinning the blood is key. This can be done with garlic, gingko, proteolytic enzymes, and a natural blood thinner called Nattokinase. The thinner the blood (blood should flow like wine
as opposed to ketchup), more nutrients and oxygen can enter the cells.
Exercise is crucial in order to increase tissue oxygenation. In the 1950s,
German biochemist Joanna Budwig discovered that if you combined
cottage cheese with flaxseed oil, (a very specific combination), you could
increase oxygen supply to the cells.
The Budwig diet is a mainstay in a lot of therapies that we will not cover
here, but I encourage you to explore this on the internet and learn more
about this diet.
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Cancer cells are damaged cells that do not contribute
to the wholeness of the body. They feed off the healthy cells, and ultimately drain the body of its resources and energy. As previously mentioned, the standard modern medicine approach to treating cancer is to “kill the bad guys.” Integrative medicine believes in trying to rehabilitate these unhealthy cells first; once again making them a productive part of the body.
Cancer is not the enemy. The enemy is a toxic, weakened body that is energy depleted, allowing the cancer cells to multiply. The next question that we should ask is how do we strengthen the body?
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Consciousness is the agency of change for emotions, which carry charge — the agency of change within matter. The more charge that a unit of matter possesses, the more it can change.
The significance of healthy emotional change is profound
in the vitality of our healing properties. Everything becomes more sluggish and toxins aren’t excreted as efficiently. Waste products are not eliminated as well in the body and weaken cellular health.
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We begin to give up unconsciously about ever getting what we really want. Eventually, we may completely lose awareness of our deep-rooted sense of hopelessness.
Shifting from hopelessness to hope is an attitudinal, behavioral, and emotional process. Internalizing the attitude that “I’m entitled to pleasure,” and “I can get what I want in life,” reinforces this attitude so that my experience of beginning to get my needs met becomes real.
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Expressing more emotional pleasure produces a healthy physiological response. Excitement and hopelessness both affect our physiology. Consistent hopelessness, despair, or chronic distress impacts the central nervous system, which is connected to the other systems of the body. These systems, in turn, influence cell division. Normal cell division is occurring constantly.
But when you have long-term depression of hopelessness, it affects the hormonal, immune, lymph, and drainage systems of the body and creates imbalances in the system.
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The Role of Emotions and Stress in the Development of Cancer and in Altering the Course of Disease
The Use of Visual Imagery to Maximize Recovery
Cognitive Behavioral Applications for Evaluating the Relative Health Value of Beliefs that Correlate with Survival: Emotional Mastery
The 2 Year Health Plan: Incorporating Vital Activities in Your Life and Addressing Issues of Balance and Change as Key Factors to Promote Healing
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Ten Central Tenets of The Simonton Program
1.) Our emotions significantly influence our health and
recovery (which certainly includes cancer).
2.) Our beliefs and attitudes influence our emotions - thereby
influencing our health.
3.) We can significantly influence our beliefs, attitudes and
emotions - which can influence our health.
4.) Ways of influencing our beliefs, attitudes and emotions
can
be readily taught and learned, using a variety of
accessible
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Ten Central Tenets of The Simonton Program
5.) Our emotions are a strong, driving force in our immune system
and other healing systems within our bodies.
6.) We function as physical/mental/emotional/ spiritual beings. All
aspects need to be addressed in the broad context of healing,
with a different focus based on the particular needs and
predispositions of each person, family, community or culture.
7.) Harmony is important to health in the individual, in relationships,
families, cultures, the planet, and the universe.
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Ten Central Tenets of The Simonton Program
8.) We have instinctual (genetic/inherent) tendencies and abilities which
aid us in moving in the direction of health and harmony
(physical/mental/emotional/spiritual).
9.) These instinctual abilities can be developed and amplified in
meaningful
and significant ways through various techniques and methods.
10.) As these instinctual abilities are developed, proficiency improves, as
it
does in any learning skill. The result is greater harmony, improved
quality of life, significant impact on disease and recovery, better
understanding of death, and less pain and fear – which will free your
energy to focus on getting well and living life more fully today.
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Integrating EpiGenetics in Psycho-Oncology Treatment
•Our perceptions, experience, and behaviors actually
communicate in reverse through the RNA channel to the DNA, and can change gene expression and actually alter
DNA.
•The implications for this knowledge are exciting when we can appreciate how, by turning on and off certain genes,
we are allowed access to the library of knowledge on how
to optimize health and longevity.
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Integrating EpiGenetics in Psycho-Oncology Treatment
•When we begin to realize that consciousness is not a thing,
but rather the process and potential of constructing
reality, we can appreciate in our animate universe - which includes the very matrix of all our cells - that everything is
consciousness.
•Consciousness is the organizing principle for all things. It
determines the arrangement of universal energy into
matter and non-matter, and the arrangement of DNA
information into its various forms
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Dr. Simonton and Dr. Hranicky developed a refined system of teaching a few of the core concepts involved in accessing the power of the mind and emotions, all to
ALTER THE COURSE OF CANCER.
These concepts can be applied to any illness or to anyone wanting to optimize their health or quality of life in general.
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Quantum Medicine
•
• • •
Consciousness is the agency of change for emotions.
Emotions carry charge, and charge is the agency
of change within matter.
The more charge that a unit of matter
possesses, the more it can change.
The significance of healthy emotional change is
profound in the vitality of our healing
properties
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The
Coping Model
Focuses On:
•Reducing disease and treatment-related side effects
•(e.g., pain, nausea, muscle tension, anxiety, and depression) •Improving recovery time and reducing pain following
surgical procedures; providing a sense of control and
empowerment; reducing stress, improving mood and
enhancing coping skills, and quality of life.
•There are a variety of techniques and supportive therapies
that a person can use to help direct their energies toward
healing and health.
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The pioneering work that Dr. Hranicky, along with Dr. Simonton, have been leading the last 30 years is based on an “Intervention Model” of Mind/Body Medicine in Cancer Care.
In this model, the mind and emotions are critical factors both in
the development of cancer and in altering the course of disease.
We have learned from Dr. Candace Pert’s research at Johns Hopkins Medical School that there is a mechanism by which the class of chemicals that we address as peptides alter the mind and body. This has led to being able to understanding the way that emotions function as the regulatory system in the body. Neuropeptides are electrochemical emotionally driven signals that affect the chemistry and electricity of every cell in the body. The body’s electrical state is modulated by emotion, changing the world within the body.
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It is regularly observed that people who are diagnosed with cancer have experienced emotional distress in the 16-18 months preceding the diagnosis.
We have concluded that the patterns of depression and hopelessness - typically associated with the stress preceding diagnosis - actually suppresses the body’s immune response and biochemical defense that controls cancer.
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Our natural killer cells (NK cells) will normally target, surround and engulf cancer cells that over-multiply, but, they will never attack white blood cells.
Our “natural surveillance system” is suppressed and our neuroendocrine system is imbalanced when we are depressed or under chronic stress.
In contrast, they are boosted when we are in a state of excitement and well-being.
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Bruce Lipton
: The Biology of Belief
•
•
Former medical school professor and research scientist
Dr. Lipton examined processes by which cells receive information, and his findings have radically changed our understanding of life.
•He showed in his research, that genes and DNA do not
control our biology, but instead that DNA is controlled by
signals from the outside the cell, including the energetic
messages emanating from our positive and negative
thoughts.
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Cancer results from increased activity of oncogenes and decreased expression of tumors suppressor genes. We now know that the mind and emotions can be very powerful in “turning on” tumor suppressor genes and “turning off” oncogenes to restore healthy and balanced gene expression.
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Emotional Well-Being and Health
•In Mind/Body Medicine, the emotional status of an individual is
viewed as important, if not more important, than their physical status.
We know that "how" someone is feeling has everything to do with
their physical prognosis, their energy for healing, their pain level, and
long term survival. In Mind/Body Medicine, emotions are viewed as
revealing the state of consciousness of a person.
•Disturbances in the Bio-energy field reflect disturbances in one's
consciousness. These disturbances precede the development of illness.
Changes in consciousness shift the Bio-energy field, which alters the course of disease. Spontaneous remission is related to the changes in
the vibrational frequency of the Bio-Energy Field that occur when
healthy shifts occur in the strength, coherency, and flow of our
emotions.
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Emotional Well-Being and Health
•The growing field of quantum Medicine enables us to look at
the human body as an electrical/electromagnetic system which
is charged and which charges the larger Quantum Field.
Consciousness is the organized carrier of information, and as
each person has their own “personality templates”, each
person has their own unique “Bio-Energy Field Frequency
Pattern.”
•Consciousness is the agency of change for emotions. Emotions
carry charge and charge is the agency of change within matter.
The more charge that a unit of matter possesses, the more it
can change. The significance of healthy emotional change is
profound in the vitality of our healing properties.
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Emotional Pain:
The Greatest Obstacle a
Patient Has in Getting Well 2001
O. Carl Simonton, M.D.
Medical Director of Simonton Cancer Center
Since our instinctual nature is to avoid pain when
the body develops cancer, the psychological
meaning represents not the fact that a person wants to die, but the fact that on an unconscious level they need to get out of the real or imagined (perceived) long-standing pain or danger that they have experienced.
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The Role of Emotions and Stress
Denied hopelessness is the emotional states that most often precedes the development of cancer. We experience hopelessness when we do not get our emotional and psychological needs met over a long period of time. Because deprivation is a painful experience, we learn to protect ourselves by
repressing and denying the pain, anger, and fear that are the real emotions associated with deprivation. We begin to give up unconsciously about ever getting
what we really want. Eventually, we may completely lose awareness of our deep-rooted sense of hopelessness.
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The Role of Emotions and Stress
Shifting from hopelessness to hope is an attitudinal, behavioral, and emotional process. Internalizing the attitude that “I’m entitled to pleasure,” and “I can get what I want in life,” reinforces this attitude so that my experience of beginning to get my needs met becomes real.
Expressing more emotional pleasure produces a healthy physiological response.
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Excitement and Hopelessness
Excitement and hopelessness both affect our physiology. Consistent hopelessness, despair, or chronic distress impacts the central nervous system, which is connected to the other systems of the body. These systems, in turn, influence cell division. Normal cell division is occurring constantly, but when you have long-term depression or hopelessness,
it affects the hormonal, immune, lymph, and drainage systems of the body and creates imbalances in the system. Everything becomes more sluggish and toxins aren’t excreted as efficiently. Waste products are not eliminated as well in the body and weaken cellular health.
The opposite effect is also true. Whatever helps you become more excited about life gets translated at the cellular level. When you’re motivated, it’s as if your whole body has been turned on, and the cells become more alive.
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When a Feeling Connects with a Thought,
an Emotion is Created
The power to change your mind about how you view things gives you the ability to change your emotional state and health. Again, as outlined above, to make changes we must first attach or perceive a different and better meaning to life events. In simple
language: Pick a better thought that gives you more emotional relief and that feels better.
Did you know that about 98-99 percent of
your stress responses are not activated by real
danger but are because you’re in “perceived” danger?
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Perceptions of Danger
Most of our emotional pain, anger, and fear are activated by perceptions that are created through unhealthy learned beliefs and attitudes.
When you’re in a state of emotional pain, anger, or fear that arises from unhealthy beliefs, you’ll stay stuck in one of these danger emotions until you shift your focus or change your belief.
Changing your focus is short-term emotional management. Changing your unhealthy beliefs is long-term emotional management and leads to long-lasting stress management, increased states of emotional well-being, and optimal health!
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The Role of Emotions and Stress
We move away from pleasure and love when we experience and believe that pain in connected to them, and then we get stuck in prolonged pain, anger or fear as a result:
• Danger emotions signal need to change.
•We naturally move towards what we feel.
Pain Anger Fear
Pleasure Love
Pain/Pleasure Connected
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The Role of Emotions and Stress
When we perceive that we
are in emotional or
physical danger, or we
are in emotional
deprivation.
We feel and feel more of
the same when we
experience and expect our need to be satisfied.
Prolonged expectation of danger or deprivation.
Expectation of pleasure and love or needs satisfied leads to hope, optimism.
Leads to emotional hopelessness.
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The Causal Chain to Psychological Stress
Chronic deprivation - unmet psychological needs - which manifests in mild to severe distress. Tendency to repress or bottle up these emotions (detach from feeling them altogether).
Consistent thought patterns that keep regenerating these danger emotions. People with cancer tend to have photographic emotional memories - the ability to recall details of past memories in “living color” and recreated past pain of that pain is experienced in the present – and as a result experience self in present danger.
Body responds as if in real danger - and our basic nature is to avoid pain.
Sympathetic nervous system is activated to respond to danger.
Danger doesn’t go away, since long-standing beliefs maintain one’s perception that danger exists.
Hopelessness on an emotional level results from the prolonged experience of being in emotional pain - without
a way to escape.
Prolonged activation of the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight response” triggers other biochemical responses that affect or suppress the normal activity of the immune and neuro-endocrine systems. For example, recall the mechanisms involved in the exhaustion stage of Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome.
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The Causal Chain to Psychological Ease
NEED FULFILLMENT & EMOTIONAL PLEASURE
NEED FOR PLEASURE NEED MET
(FULFILLMENT)=JOY/LOV
E
PITUITARY GLAND STIMULATED
EXPECTATION OF PLEASURE AND NEED FULFILLMENT; DESIRE TO “MOVE FORWARD” EMOTIONAL PLEASURE
EMOTIONS DISCHARGED (EASE)
PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM CATHECTED; HEALTH, ANABOLIC STATE (CELLULAR REGENERATION OCCURS)
SELF-ACTUALIZATION (UNFOLDING GROWTH POTENTIAL)
OPTIMISM, HOPE, DESIRE
EASE, HEALTH
PLAYFULNESS
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Psychological Stress
Unmet psychological needs perception: threat to survival (Unconscious “danger” beliefs)
Pain Anger Fear
Danger Response
Pleasure Love
Learned Hopelessness (Unconscious)
Limbic System
Hypothalamic Activity
Neuro-Endocrine System (Hormonal Imbalance)
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
Gland Pineal
Pituitary
Thyroid
Thymus
Adrenal
Emotion
Unconditional Love
Pleasure
Anger
Protective/Survival
Fear
Suppression of Immune Function (Including anti-cancer mechanisms)
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Psychological Ease
All emotions felt and expressed, utilized as signals to change.
Learned Optimism
Limbic System
Hypothalamic Activity
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
Excitement of Immune System
Activation of Anti-Cancer Mechanisms
Neuro-Endocrine System
(Hormonal Imbalance)
GlandEmotional
PinealUnconditional Love
PituitaryPleasure
ThyroidAnger
ThymusProtection/Survival
AdrenalFear
Master Gland of Immune
System Stimulated
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The Guiding Principle Of Mind/Body Medicine (Specifically Psycho Oncology) Is That
The individual, not the disease, is at the heart of the treatment. Your beliefs and attitudes are the most protective factor that you have against cancer.
Healthcare delivery has often devalued the importance of keeping the person, at the center of the diagnostic and treatment process.
This is important to understand as your consciousness represents the upstream informational template that drives all of the other downstream regulatory biochemical and genetic mechanisms that suppress tumor growth and keep the body in a healthy balanced state.
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The Speed Of Healing, Including Spontaneous Remission, Correlates Strongest With A Person’s Beliefs And Attitudes -
more than their specific diagnosis and treatment (whether it be traditional or alternatively based) separate solutions to treating it emerge.
This is what is not understood by the majority of people in
the country, and scientifically impacts the cure rate nationally
and globally.
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First Comes The Illness, And Only Afterwards The Tumor.
Professionals involved in functional or biological medicine and alternative medicine view cancer as a generalized disease of the body.
Physicians in traditional medicine view cancer as a local disease, in which a generalized illness follows.
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Stress, Secondary Gains, and the Meaning of Illness
There is considerable research that points to stress as being an influencing factor in the susceptibility of resistance to cancer, as well as to the course of disease itself. There are a number of suggestions in the literature on just how stress may be a causative factor in cancer.
We know that both the endocrine and immune
functions are so sensitive to its influence, that
measurable effects can be noted and characterized in
both animal and human studies.
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It has been noted in literature that there are often clusters of situational stressors that typically precede the diagnosis of cancer.
External events that we experience as ‘stress’ are
events that often are labeled as undesirable, and ones
that we have an emotional reaction to.
These external stressors seem to possibly overload our systems, particularly if our bodies are already exhausted from internal stress - the stress of not having our needs met over a long period of time.
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As humans, we not only have needs for love and pleasure, but also needs for recognition, purpose, playfulness, excitement, etc.
It then becomes important to begin to
identify our needs. This is difficult to do
if we do not have a core belief that it is
ok for us to have needs in general.
Work from the assumption that your illness is helping you meet some very important needs, and begin to explore what these needs might be. By being ill, your body will unconsciously help you meet these unfulfilled needs.
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Since illness is an unconscious problem solver, you may not be aware of what the message of your cancer is right now. Illness can be viewed as a negative feedback system that helps us move in the direction of who we really are; our true nature.
Ask yourself the question:
“Can I get some of these secondary gains
that I have gotten from my illness and be able
to keep them if I get well?”
Generally, most of us treat ourselves much better when we are sick - it is ok for us to be loving and gentle with ourselves - to say “NO” and set limits - to slow down - to take time for ourselves - to take in love, etc.
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What Are Some of The Healthier Core Beliefs?
Nature of the Universe - Individually better than we know ourselves the ‘All There Is,’ creative forces in the universe, God – Good – Loving -Orderly, knows us - Cares for us and loves us more than we love ourselves.
Life - A loving teacher -We are here to learn who we are.
Health, Happiness, Joy and Love - Positive feedback that we are moving in the direction of who we are - connected to our purpose.
Death - the end of this existence just as birth is
the beginning. Our
essence, consciousness, soul, continues, after death and that existence is desirable.
Nature of humans (me) - Good by nature.
Illness and Pain
-Negative feedback -bringing us back
to our nature.
Purpose - Our own unique/individual unfolding is built into each one of us. We are guided along our unfolding by desire, passion, joy, love, happiness and fulfillment. We are helped to shift from erroneous paths by illness and pain (physical, mental or emotional pain).
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Foundational beliefs are beliefs about the nature of ourselves, our universe, God, all there is, and the nature of our relationship to ourselves in our universe. This includes the meaning of life, the meaning of illness, health, death and purpose. There is no agreed upon method for determining the amount of truth or accuracy in our foundational beliefs.
There are, however, ways of determining the relative health value of beliefs
.
For example: to believe that human beings are evil by nature is quite unhealthy. It is much healthier to believe that human beings are good by nature.
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Accessing Your Brain Power
•Imagery is a way of accessing the power of the brain to
command the body to respond in a desired direction.
•When you make a conscious decision to get well by
verbalizing the statement: “I decide to get well…” You
empower your body to mobilize its defenses to beat cancer.
•For many years we have observed that a motivated person
can actively influence the functioning of this vast
self-regulated and healing system of the body.
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Belief That Recovery is Possible
•Current research supports the view that your emotions and attitudes “talk” with the billion of defense cells in your immune system. You
can now learn how to utilize the natural processes of mind-body
communication to facilitate your emotional and physical well-being.
•We know that the limbic-hypothalamic system in your brain is the
major mind-body connector, and that it modulates the activity of the
autonomic, endocrine, and immune systems in response to mental
suggestions and beliefs.
•A belief that recovery is possible can mobilize a healing response by activating these major systems of mind-body communication and
healing.
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Decision to Get Well
•We have observed that an important enhancement in
self-healing seems to occur right when the patient makes
the decision to get well.
•Visual imagery involves using your imagination to create
pictures in your brain that communicate emotional safety,
comfort, and pleasure so that your body can shift into a
relaxed state where healing can occur.
Step 1:
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Creating a meaning about your cancer that supports you and empowers you is the first step in getting well.
Step 2:
The second step in getting well is to master your ability to direct and control the state of your physiology and emotions. This will be a natural outgrowth of Step 1. You will feel better as a result of evaluating your current situation more effectively.
When you feel better physically and emotionally, it is much
easier to visualize yourself getting well. Therefore, practice
daily getting yourself into an empowered state, to whatever
degree you can begin with and then go to Step 3.
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Step 3:
This involves making the conscious decision to get well. This will cause your brain to change what you focus on. The quality of our life at any given moment is determined by what we are focusing on. The quality of our health at any given moment is dramatically influenced by the quality of our life (or by what our brain is focusing on).
The quality of your life has nothing to do with what is going on
around you; it has everything to do with how you evaluate
things.
The people who are most successful in beating cancer have the
ability to evaluate things more effectively.
Step 4:
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Practice daily asking yourself better questions. Your brain is like a computer; it will give you information on whatever you ask of it. Notice the questions that you have asked yourself in the past that have caused you to be in a lousy state. What would be some questions that you could ask yourself about your current challenge of getting well that would make you feel great no matter what else was going on - including results you may have gotten on medical tests, or a poor prognosis that was given to you by a physician, or side effects from treatment, etc.
What you focus on determines the quality of your life and
health. Asking better questions daily forces your brain to make
better evaluations. How you evaluate things will determine
how you feel and what you do.
Step 5:
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This requires you to hold specific images daily of what you want - not of what you don’t want. Reality follows image. Many people spend much more time during the day thinking about the things they are afraid of that might
happen, rather than focusing specifically on what they want.
The body does not know the difference between real or imagined danger. When our minds hold pictures or images of perceived danger, the body gears up for a survival response. When we continually hold images in our minds that create pain, anger, or fear, our bodies remain in an overly activated defense response which eventually drains us of our energy and can actually get in the way of our survival.
Many people with cancer have highly developed photographic memories;
that is, they have the ability to recall in detail past memories and realize that
in living color. Our research has shown that there is a tendency for our
patients to hold more pain-related memories and to relive them over and
over. Since the body does not know the difference between real or imagined
danger, it will gear up for a survival response when there is a perception of
ensuing danger.
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Strategy for Getting Well
My psychological work in getting well is:
•To open up to pleasure without emotional pain.
•Express any old emotional pain, anger, fear that is getting in the way of my feeling
love and pleasure.
Believe:
•I’m entitled to pleasure without pain. I’m lovable.
•I’m good enough, without having to be perfect.
•I need. My needs are real, and theory important.
•I feel. And all of my emotions are okay.
Practice:
•Taking in love and pleasure. Expressing emotions.
Strengthen Beliefs:
•I have all the time I need to make the change I want to make.
•I have everything I need to get well.
•As I enrich my life, my cancer or illness will go away, my body’s defense system will
be enhanced, and my recovery potential maximized.
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Imagery is All The Uses of The Imagination
•It is one of the oldest forms of healing on the planet, and one we are all capable of using. There is nothing new or strange about
this process. You use your imagination every day, whether you
are aware of it or not.
•Remembering what you had for breakfast or thinking about what
you’d like to have for dinner are natural ways we use our
imagination. Worry is an example of a common unhealthy use of
imagery - it is basically imagining and undesirable outcome.
•Imagery is one of the most powerful ways our mind
communicates with our body.
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Our goal is to show you how to harness this creative process and use it for improving your health.
Imagine your body as capable of healing itself:
It is important to understand that our bodies have known
how to recognize, transform and eliminate cancer cells since before we were born - it is part of our nature.
Imagine your treatments as effective:
It is important to embrace ALL your treatments, and imagine
them as your allies.
Imagine the disease as curable:
Cancer is a weak, confused, deformed cell that is naturally
recognized and eliminated by your body’s healing systems.
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•
• •
You will then be asked to develop three, six and nine month goals in these various areas.
This will require some work and contemplation. The primary force directing the goals will be
desire.
Developing a plan gives us a guide to let us know the direction we are going and the pace that we are
setting. It is of value to know that we are always free to alter the plan and that these goals are simply a framework on which to build.
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•REMEMBER to use enthusiasm, joy and vitality in this
experience of visualization.
•LOOK at the relationship between your thoughts and your
emotions and the energy - or lack of it - that is created by these
thoughts and emotions. Use the principles you have learned to
harness your imagination and influence your illness in a healthy
way.
•THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION - Drawing can be an easy,
an accessible way to explore unconscious attitudes.
•Make sure the focus of your VISUALIZATION is on what you
desire and NOT in the absence of your desire.
Example: The thought “I can get well” vs. “I wish I wasn’t sick.”
Illness can serve as a powerful message or reminder that we are out of balance with our true nature, and that there are issues in our lives that need to be recognized and resolved.
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Health Plan
Development of a health plan is the framework on which the entire process of getting well is based. We have artificially divided all of life’s activities into six categories:
1. Purpose in Life
2. Creative Thinking
3. Exercise
4. Social Support
5. Play
6. Nutrition
We then ask you to identify which one of these categories is the most
important in your life, then the second and third, etc. This prioritizing can be
done in one of the two following ways. First, based on how much time you
have spent on these areas in the past, or secondly based on how it excites
you.
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Remember that no one category is more important than any other.
These categories are:
1)Purpose in Life:
These are activities that include work, spiritual life, civic activities or
any behavior that gives one a sense of “why am I here?”
2) Creative Thinking: (Meditation/Visualization)
A more specific form of intentional relaxation and mental direction. A
technique for imagining desired outcomes in life as well as learning methods of
relaxation.
3) Exercise:
We are speaking of de-stressing exercise: Any activity in which you feel
better at the end of the exercise than when you began. To ensure this, when you
begin to exercise and if you feel worse, take this as a signal to slow down or stop.
Even though work or play might accomplish this process, it is important to
remember to keep exercise as a separate activity.
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Remember that no one category is more important than any other.
4)Social Support:
This part of our lives includes family and friends, psychotherapists,
ministers, church groups and/or any person or group that you may turn to for nurturing and support.
5)Play:
Any activity that produces the feeling of joy, or what may be “having
fun.”
6)Nutrition:
This activity is focused on why we eat what we do, as well as our
beliefs about food, drink, diets, vitamins, etc. and the development of healthier nutritional patterns of behavior.
It is important to remember to eat what agrees with you and to
avoid that which does not.
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Kahler Communications International
was founded by Taibi Kahler, Ph.D., an award-winning clinical psychologist who has served as a consultant and advisor to Global 2000 companies, NASA, and other governmental agencies- as well as to several presidential and senatorial campaigns.
Dr. Kahler is the originator and author of PCM and PTM, the progenitor of the Process Education Model, and the Process
Spiritual Model. His work has also been fully integrated into the curriculum of The MUSE School in Malibu, California, co-founded by Suzy Amis Cameron, to prepare young people to live consciously with themselves, one another, and the planet. The school is committed to developing the emotional intelligence of their students.
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The Kahler “Key to Stress” Profile™ internationally represents State of the Art Technology in “personalized” stress management, resiliency, and high-powered communication.
The Kah ler Profile accurately correlates an individual’s Strengths, Perceptual Styles, and Psychological Needs with their Personality Type to predict strategies for optimal and high powered communication, which ultimately drives results for success and optimal performance.
Dr. Kahler’s “Process Communication Model” was utilized by NASA in the selection of Astronauts. For 20 years, NASA used this model to select resilient teams that would predictably perform successfully under pressure.
This Profile has also been utilized by a number of Fortune 500 Companies to help executives refine their leadership and decision-making skills.
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This is the ONLY stress management model in the world that can predict distinct distress pattern for an
individual given their personality structure, and can predict strategies for how one can instantly turn those distress patterns around.
Having this information provides individuals, leaders, and teams the ability to have the ultimate edge for achievement. Understanding second by second one’s own process of “Distress Patterns” & “Success Patterns” allows immediate adaptation for interacting with others.
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Resiliency
The flexibility of responding is considered a desirable “resilient trait”, as it provides an individual or a team with the ability to view situations from different perspectives.
Resiliency has also been described in the literature as the ability of an individual to recover & rebound despite adversity.
There are tremendous health & wellness benefits for being resilient, as well as high performance benefits.
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Having access to a personal roadmap of how you, as well as others, operate at your best gives both individuals and teams an advantage for taking the concept of
“HIGH POWERED COMMUNICATION”
to a whole new realm in understanding the dynamics of how to develop outstanding, interactive behavior that leads to “Resiliency Mastery”.
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To Have an Amazing Life …with amazing success requires effective & outstanding “communication patterns.
How we feel, think, or judge our moment by moment transactions determines our responses.
A response is a set of unfolding behaviors that can predictably set us up for being in the zone, or conversely for being at risk for serious miscommunication or personal injury.
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Different personalities have different perceptual styles, frames of references, and
ways of connecting with others that impact
the way they approach any behavior.
The process of how a person thinks feels, or
believes can be predicted when they move
into their individual distress patterns. We will
all predictably move into symptoms of distress
when our primary psychological needs that
correlate with our unique personality
structure is not being consistently met.
When we understand who we are and what psychological needs we must satisfy to be effective and productive, we have a “powerful edge” both in maintaining optimal health, wellness, energy and resiliency
– and also in consistently and predictably
enjoying high powered successful
performance!
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Step 1
•Knowing who you are and what motivates you.
Step 2
•Recognizing your personal warning signs of stress:
1st, 2nd, and 3rd distress symptoms
Step 3
Step 4
•Understanding the roadmap of your stress process
and how to reverse the pathways.
•Designing your lifestyle success formula to match
who you are with what motivates you.
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You’re probably going to find
that you’ll want to be with
different people for different needs.
• When you need to have fun or playful contact, there will be certain
people you’ll want to call to help you fulfill that psychological need.
• When you want to have your achievement needs met, there are
others who will be more aligned with your work or career goals.
• To have your nurturing needs met, you’ll want to surround yourself
with those who are warm and comforting.
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When you change phases in your personality structure, you keep your old personality type, even while moving into a new phase that has different motivating factors, needs, and preferences.
What used to jazz, juice, and motivate you is very different from what excites you in your new phase.
If you’ve noticed things that used to charge you up and motivate you are different and you’re starting to experience new wants, desires, and preferences –
this is a sign that you’ve shifted personality phases.
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To Shift
Out
of Distress
It becomes necessary to:
Identify our particular psychological needs, and to find ways to meet them in healthy ways on a consistent basis.
If you have not found positive and healthy ways to meet your particular psychological needs in the past, your body may force you to meet these needs when you are sick or injured.
When you look back on the time period of a year or two before either a recent illness, injury, or serious miscommunication in your life, you may notice one of several things:
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4.
You might not have experienced enough positive thrill and
excitement in your life on a regular basis.
5. You might not have had enough of a sense of inner peace and solitude.
6. You might have believed you were betrayed or involved with people or companies that did not share your beliefs and values.
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Each person’s variety of behaviors becomes their own individualized personality style.
Your individual
profile identifies you as one of six personality types: Harmonizer, Thinker, Persister, Imaginer, Rebel or Promoter.
These types are not good or bad,
smarter or less smart, better or
worse. They merely indicate different
kinds of people.
The components of
your personality type and their relevance to you and others will be described in your individualized Kahler Stress Profile™.
In the profile, you will learn about the various personality types and their relative strengths and behaviors
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We experience hopelessness when ur psychological needs are not met over a long period of time. We begin to give up about ever getting what we really want.
We often take on a general life position. “I’m not okay… you’re not okay.” When we are in despair, we often sabotage ourselves by thinking, “It’s hopeless,” “I’m trapped,” “I am not getting what I want and need now,” and “I’ll never be able to get what I want and need.”
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Understanding Yourself is Crucial in Learning to Turn the Tables on Stress
There are certain environments and situations which provide you the maximum opportunity to demonstrate your full ability to successfully manage stress.
The more successful you are at
finding or creating situations that suit your personal success dynamics, the easier it will be for you to generate positive energy, manage stress effectively, and maximize your high performance potential & greatest resiliency!
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Knowing What Our Predictable Patterns of Distress Are
How to Alter Them Quickly
Adopting Healthier Beliefs & Perceptions so that we are not Programming our Bodies to be in Perpetual Danger.
Meeting our Unique Psychological Needs & Helping Others Charge Their Batteries for Individual, Group & Team Resiliency
Designing our Lifestyle so we Maximize Our Environmental Preferences and Personality Strengths
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Knowing What Our Predictable Patterns of Distress Are
How to Alter Them Quickly
Recognizing Early Warning Signs of Distress & Practice Interrupting the
Patterns by Focusing on the “Process” Rather than “Content” of the Communication Transaction
Expressing Empowered & Desirable Emotional and Physical States Daily, and Anchoring Them Consistently
Experiencing Regular States Of Deep
Relaxation for Improving Restorative Sleep,
Cellular Regeneration,
and for Strengthening the Overall Health of the Autonomic Nervous System
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Step 1
Knowing who you are and what motivates you.
Recognizing your personal warning signs of stress; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree distress symptoms.
Step 2
Understanding the roadmap of your stress process and how to reverse the pathways.
Step 3
Designing your lifestyle success formula to match
who you are with what motivates you.
Step 4
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Emerging evidence questions the genetic origin of cancer and suggests that cancer is primarily a metabolic disease involving disturbances in
energy production through respiration and fermentation.
The disturbances in tumor cell energy metabolism can be linked to abnormalities in
the structure and function of the mitochondria.
This theory expands upon Otto Warburg’s well-known theory that all cancer is a disease
of energy metabolism.
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Currently, most researchers consider cancer as a type of genetic disease where damage to a cell’s DNA underlies the transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell.
The finding of hundreds and thousands of gene changes in different cancers has led to the idea that cancer is not a single disease, but is a collection of many different diseases.
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While the psychological and behavioral responses to stress may differ among individuals, the systemic physiological respons e is essentially the same.
The physiological response is initiated along two axes of the neuroendocrine system:
•The
Sympathetic-Adrenal-
Medullary (SAM)
•Hypothalamic-Pituitar
y-Adrenal (HPA).
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Each axis is activated on a different time scale and for a different purpose.
Initiated first is the fast response along the SAM axis, which assists an organism’s ability to detect threats and is traditionally associated with the fight or flight response.
This axis culminates with the release of Epinephrine and Norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla and is associated with increased blood pressure and heart rate, alertness, and muscle stimulation.
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In humans this glucocorticoid is cortisol, whose systemic effects include increasing cellular metabolism to provide the energy needed to respond to a threat.
Cortisol also suppresses the activity of
the immune system and terminates the stress response via a negative feedback loop.
The response along the HPA axis occurs more slowly and concludes with the release of glucocorticoids
from the adrenal cortex.
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Put simply, the metabolic theory states
that cancer originates from damage to the cell's capacity to generate energy with oxygen (oxidative energy production with a concurrent increase in energy generation without oxygen.
In other words, cancer is not
a genetic disease,
but rather a disease of metabolism.
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•Although cancer has historically been viewed as a disorder of
proliferation, recent evidence has suggested that it should also be
considered a metabolic disease.
•Growing tumors rewire their metabolic programs to meet and even
exceed the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of continuous cell
growth.
•The metabolic profile observed in cancer cells often includes increased
consumption of glucose and glutamine, increased glycolysis, changes in
the use of metabolic enzyme isoforms, and increased secretion of
lactate.
•Oncogenes and tumor suppressors have been discovered to have roles in
cancer-associated changes in metabolism as well.
•The metabolic profile of tumor cells has been suggested to reflect the
rapid proliferative rate. Cancer-associated metabolic changes may also
reveal the importance of protection against reactive oxygen species or a
role for secreted lactate in the tumor microenvironment.
WHY DO CANCER CELLS SHIFT THEIR METABOLISM IN THIS WAY?
Are the changes in metabolism in cancer cells a consequence of the changes in proliferation or a driver of cancer progression? Can cancer metabolism be targeted to benefit patients?
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Cancer as a Metabolic Disease reevaluates the origins of cancer based on the latest research findings as well as several decades
of studies exploring the defects in tumor cell energy metabolism.
Amino Acid Fermentation can maintain Cellular Energy Homeostasis during anoxia. Evidence suggesting that metastatic mouse cells derive energy from glutamine fermentation. Fermentation energy pathways can
drive cancer cell viability under hypoxia.
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Cancer is a metabolic disease, there is little doubt to that statement.
Cancer is rarely a genetic disease, though often discussed as such.
When genetic changes that do exist in cancer are likely the result of
the metabolic dysfunction and poor adaptation for survival that
results from a hypoxic environment.
It expands upon Otto Warburg's well-known theory that all cancer is a disease of energy metabolism. However, Warburg did not link his theory to the "hallmarks of cancer" and thus his theory was discredited.
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The hallmarks of cancer were originally
six biological capabilities acquired during the multistep development of human tumors and have since been increased to eight capabilities and two enabling capabilities.
The idea was coined by Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg in their paper The Hallmarks of Cancer published January 2000 in Cell.
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These hallmarks constitute an organizing principle for rationalizing the complexities of neoplastic disease.
They include:
•Sustaining Proliferative Signaling
•Evading Growth Suppressors
•Resisting Cell Death
•Enabling Replicative Immortality
•Inducing Angiogenesis
•Activating Invasion and Metastasis
Underlying these hallmarks are genome instability, which generates the genetic diversity that expedites their acquisition, and inflammation, which fosters multiple hallmark functions.
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In addition to cancer cells, tumors exhibit another dimension o f complexity:
They incorporate a
community of recruited, ostensibly normal cells that contribute to the acquisition of hallmark traits by creating
the "tumor microenvironment".
Recognition of the widespread applicability of these concepts will increasingly affect the development of new means to treat human cancer.
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Capability
Simple Analogy
Self-sufficiency in Growth Signals Insensitivity to Anti-Growth Signals
Evading Apoptosis
Limitless Replicative Potential
Sustained Angiogenesis
Tissue Invasion and Metastasis
"Accelerator pedal stuck on" "Brakes don't work"
Won't die when the body
normally would kill the
defective cell
Infinite generations of
descendants
Telling the body to give it a
blood supply
Migrating and spreading to
other organs and tissues
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Self-Sufficiency in Growth Signals
Cancer cells, however, have the ability to grow without these external signals. There are multiple ways in which cancer cells can do this:
Cancer cells do not need stimulation from external signals (in the form
of growth factors) to multiply.
• • •
by producing these signals themselves, known as autocrine signaling;
by permanently activating the signaling
pathways that respond to these signals;
by destroying 'off switches' that prevents
excessive growth from these signals (negative
feedback).
Typically, cells of the body require hormones and other molecules that act as signals for them
to grow and divide.
In addition, cell division in normal, non-cancerous cells is tightly controlled. In cancer cells, these processes are deregulated because the proteins that control them are altered, leading to increased growth and cell division within the tumor.
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Deregulated Metabolism
•Most cancer cells use alternative metabolic pathways to
generate energy, a fact appreciated since the early
twentieth century with the postulation of the Warburg
hypothesis, but only now gaining renewed research
interest.
•
Cancer cells exhibiting the Warburg
effect upregulate glycolysis and lactic acid fermentation in the cytosol and prevent mitochondria from completing normal aerobic respiration (oxidation of pyruvate, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain).
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Inflammation
Recent discoveries have highlighted the role of local chronic inflammation in inducing many types of cancer. Inflammation leads to angiogenesis and more of an immune response. The degradation of extracellular
matrix necessary to form new blood vessels increases the odds of metastasis.
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Sleep and its disorders are increasingly
becoming important in our sleep deprived society.
Sleep is intricately connected to various hormonal and metabolic processes in the body and is important in maintaining metabolic homeostasis.
Research shows that sleep deprivation and sleep disorders may have profound metabolic and cardiovascular implications.
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Sleep deprivation, sleep disordered
breathing, and circadian misalignment are believed to cause metabolic dysregulation through myriad pathways involving sympathetic overstimulation,
hormonal imbalance, and
subclinical inflammation.
Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders may be altering human metabolism.
Stages of Sleep
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What is the Sleep Cycle
It is normal for sleep cycles to change as you progress through your nightly sleep. The first sleep cycle is often the shortest, ranging from 70-100 minutes, while later cycles tend to fall between 90 and 120 minutes. In addition, the composition of each cycle — how much time is spent in each sleep stage — changes as the night goes along.
Sleep cycles can vary from person to person and from night to
night based on a wide range of factors such as age, recent sleep
patterns, and alcohol consumption.
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Stage 1 / N1
Stage 1 is essentially the “dozing off” stage, and it normally lasts just one to five minutes.
During N1 sleep, the
body hasn’t fully relaxed, though the body and brain activities start to slow with periods of brief movements (twitches). There are light changes in brain activity associated with falling asleep in this stage.
It’s easy to wake someone up during this sleep stage, but if a person isn’t disturbed, they can move quickly into stage 2.
As the night unfolds,
an uninterrupted sleeper may not spend much more time in stage 1 as they move through further sleep cycles.
During stage 2, the body enters a more subdued state including a drop in temperature,
relaxed muscles, and slowed breathing and heart rate. At the same time, brain waves show a new pattern and eye movement stops. On the whole, brain activity slows, but there are short bursts of activity that actually help resist being woken up by external stimuli.
Stage 2 sleep can last
for 10-25 minutes
during the first
sleep cycle, and each N2 stage can
become longer during the night.
Collectively, a person typically spends about half their sleep time in N2 sleep.
Stage 3 / N3
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Stage 3 sleep is also known as deep sleep, and it
is harder to wake someone up if they are in this phase. Muscle tone, pulse, and breathing rate decrease in N3 sleep as the body relaxes even further.
The brain activity during this period has an identifiable pattern of what are known as
delta waves. For this reason, stage 3 may also be
called delta sleep or short-wave sleep (SWS).
Stage 3 / N3
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Experts believe that this stage is critical to restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth. It may also bolster the immune system and other key bodily processes. Even though brain activity is
reduced, there is evidence
that deep sleep contributes to insightful thinking, creativity, and memory.
We spend the most time in deep sleep during the first half of the
night. During the early sleep cycles, N3 stages commonly last for 20-40 minutes. As you continue sleeping, these stages get shorter, and more time gets spent in REM sleep instead.
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REM Sleep Patterns
During REM sleep, brain activity picks up, nearing levels seen when you’re awake. At the same time, the body experiences atonia, which is a
temporary
paralysis of the muscles, with two exceptions: the eyes and the muscles
that
control breathing. Even though the eyes are closed, they can be seen
moving quickly, which is how this stage gets its name.
REM sleep is believed to be essential to cognitive functions like memory, learning, and creativity.
REM sleep is known for the most vivid dreams, which is explained by the significant uptick in brain activity. Dreams can occur in any sleep stage, but
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REM Sleep Patterns
Under normal circumstances, you don’t enter a REM sleep stage until you’ve been asleep for about 90 minutes. As the night goes on, REM stages get longer, especially in the second half of the night. While the first REM stage may last only a few minutes, later stages can last for around an hour.
In total, REM stages make up around 25% of sleep in adults.
Why Do the Sleep Stages Matter?
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•Sleep stages are important because they
allow the brain and body to recuperate and
develop.
•A key step is to focus on improving your
sleep hygiene, which refers to your sleep
environment (mattress, pillow, sheets etc.)
and sleep-related habits.
•Achieving a more consistent sleep schedule, getting natural daylight exposure, avoiding
alcohol before bedtime, and eliminating
noise and light disruptions can help you get uninterrupted sleep and promote proper
alignment of your circadian rhythm.
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The brain is considered the most complex organ within the human body. This ultimate command center controls all that we feel, think, and physically do.
While the brain has been designed to appear and operate as an entity, neuroscientists have identified three embryologically separate brains - each with distinct stem cells – and all with differing functions. These individual brains work synergistically to smoothly execute all voluntary and involuntary actions.
The three-layered (triune) brain is organized hierarchically
from an evolutionary perspective. As the human brain has evolved, it has expanded- not replaced- itself.
Each new layer learns how to intimately interact with the previous version of itself, resulting in a more fluid transition between thought, emotion, and action.
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The Triune Brain
The idea of a Triune Brain was first proposed in 1970 by American neuroscientist, Paul MacLean.
In terms of evolution, Dr. MacLean categorized these brains from oldest to newest:
The Reptilian Brain The Limbic System The Neocortex
While each division of the human brain has a specific set of functions, they cannot operate independently of each other.
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The Reptilian Brain
Basic Instincts
The Reptilian Brain is found at the core of the human brain, and is comprised of the brain stem and cerebellum. The Reptilian Brain first appeared in fish nearly 500 million years ago. It continued to develop in amphibians, reaching its most advanced stages in reptiles roughly 250 million years ago. This primitive section is now found in both reptiles and mammals, and is responsible for controlling autonomic functions such as:
•Heart Rate The Reptilian Brain’s main priorities
•Respirations are the maintenance and survival of
•Metabolism species and self. This brain by itself is
•Body Temperature not capable of logical thinking, and
•Fight or Flight Reflexrequires emotion to rationally act on
these primordial instincts.
Its animalistic impulses produce basic instinctual responses such as anger,
fear, revenge, and instinctual behaviors that include territoriality,
competitiveness, social dominance, reproduction, and repetitious
tendencies.
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Emotion
The Limbic System
Nearly 150 million years ago, small mammals evolved passed the point of the basic stimulus response of the Reptilian Brain. The Limbic System (Old
Mammalian Brain), grew surrounding and interconnected to the Reptilian Brain, adding a layer of control to the
autonomic responses of the Reptilian Brain. This mid-brain is home to the Hippocampus, Amygdala, and Hypothalamus.
The Limbic system is responsible for adding enhanced emotion to basic thoughts.
Through the Limbic System, mammals are capable of memory, feelings, and complex emotions that include
empathy, sadness, and bonding.
It is able to do this by regulating the flow of chemicals and chemical interactions that help to produce our emotions.
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The Neocortex
Action
Through this brain, humans are able to put instincts and emotions into actions. The neocortex is considered to be the executive control center of the human brain.
Higher cognitive functions such as spoken language, rationalization, and imagination set humans apart from other mammals. The ever-adapting Neocortex provides humans with infinite learning capabilities.
The Neocortex (New Mammalian Brain) is the most recently developed brain, making its evolutionary debut roughly 2-3 million years ago – coinciding with the emergence of the genus, “homo”. Dr. MacLean has described the Neocortex as, “…the mother of invention and the father of abstractive thought,” being responsible for “foresight, hindsight, and insight.” This brain that encompasses both the Limbic and Reptilian brains underwent its greatest development during its transition from primates to humans.
The Neo(new)cortex is responsible
for higher functions that include:
•spatial reasoning
•sensory perception
•finer motor skills
Chronic Stress
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When a person is in chronic
stress, whether perceived or
real, the body responds as if it is
in actual danger by sending a
cascade of chemical messengers
throughout the brain and
body. This is considered the
body’s fight or flight, or even
freeze reflex; autonomic
responses generated by the
Reptilian Brain.
Fight, flight, or freeze reactions were created to be short term
responses to temporary situations, and when these reflexes are
prolonged - as in the case of chronic stress – it can
be counterproductive, and even a hindrance to the survival of a human
being.
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It has been considered that cancer represents a problem in the signaling communication system between our three brains.
One might hypothesize that since the evolutionary brain has developed in three
distinct layers, that perhaps the normal signaling
for Apoptosis (programmed cell death which does not occur in cancer cells) might reflect a communication problem from the old Reptilian Brain.
Cancer might indicate that there is a perception of chronic danger which might impact the normal
apoptosis signaling
from properly being executed.
One notion to consider is that a living, raw vegan diet can positively impact the healthy signaling of the old reptilian brain. We know this because millions of years ago when this area of the brain developed, a living, raw vegan diet was the only diet available!
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If there is prolonged emotional distress and a lack of the biological need for bonding and
connection, then we would expect to see signaling communication problems within the second layer of the brain- the Limbic System.
When we have
unconscious beliefs or thoughts that produce
high amounts of
emotional pain, anger, or fear, we would expect this to cause an incoherence within the signaling
system of the Neocortex.
Restoring neuronal coherence becomes essential to understand as we think about the ramifications within the future comprehensive model of cancer treatment, which includes new therapies in molecular genetics and immunology.
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A comprehensive program
for restoring optimal
health will most likely include
the incorporation of high
energy nutrition, based on a living raw food nutritional protocol.
The Hippocrates Health Institute is renowned for this, as well as for the inclusion of:
advanced applications in Neuroscience to restore the coherence in the signaling
of the three layered brain that we all share as part of our evolutionary development.
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Acute Stress
•Acute (sudden or
short-term) stress is the
reaction to an immediate
threat. Fight or flight
response.
•The threat can be any
the situation that is perceived
- even subconsciously or
the heart and blood
vessels, immune system, lungs, sensory organs, and
brain) immediately gear up to meet this threat.
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Acute Stress
•
•
•
•
•
All non-essential body functions like digestion, fertility, and immunity cease operations.
Energy is diverted to the muscles and brain.
Heart beats faster and blood pressure and respiration increase.
The liver releases more sugar into the blood.
Once the acute threat has passed, homeostasis returns.
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Chronic Stress
When experiencing
chronic (continual or long
term) stress the body
never returns to a state
of homeostasis.
Chronic stress maintains
a constant state of fight
or flight.
Chronic stress can have real health consequences
and should be addressed like any other health
concern.
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How Does ACUTE Stress Affect The Senses?
•Senses become more alert and
aware of external environment.
•Sense of smell is heightened. Stress sweat is released
from different glands than the sweat released from
exercise or being overheated.
•Pupils dilate to let more light in and improve sight.
•A dry mouth occurs when less gastric juices and saliva
are produced as blood flow to the digestive system is
decreased.
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How Does CHRONIC Stress Affect The Senses?
•
•
The body begins to grow weary of being in a heightened state and the senses start to dull.
Previously neutral smells become unpleasant.
The greater the stress, the larger the change
in smell.
•Chronic stress alters our taste buds, requiring
us to consume more sweets and
carbohydrates (for glucose) to feel satisfied.
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General Adaptation Syndrome
•General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
is a term used to describe the body's short-term
and long-term reactions to stress.
•Discovered by physician Hans Selye (1907–1982).
•The general adaptation syndrome represents a
three-stage reaction to stress.
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Stress:
A Useful Reaction?
Dr. Selye pointed out that stress can result from intense joy or pleasure as well as from fear or anxiety.
Researchers later coined the term
eustress, or pleasant stress, to reflect the
the fact that positive experiences such as a job
promotion, completing a degree, or
getting married are also stressful.
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Every brain wave serves a purpose to help us cope with various situations, whether it’s to amp you up before a game or match, or calm yourself down after a long day at the
office.
In order of lowest frequency to higher, the five brain waves are:
Delta
Theta
Alpha
Beta
Gamma (Highest Frequency)
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Delta Waves
Frequency Range
0 Hz to 4 Hz
High Levels
• • • •
Brain Injuries Learning Problems Inability to Think Severe ADHD
Low Levels
• • •
Inability to Rejuvenate Body
Inability
to Revitalize the Brain
Poor Sleep
Optimal Range
• •
Healthy Immune System
Restorative REM Sleep
Theta Waves
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Frequency Range
High Levels
4Hz to 8 Hz
ADHD or Hyperactivity Depressive States Impulsive Activity Inattentiveness
Low Levels
Anxiety Symptoms
Poor Emotional Awareness Higher Stress Levels
Optimal Range
Maximum Creativity
Deep Emotional Connection with Oneself and Others Greater Intuition
Relaxation
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Beta Waves
Beta waves are the high frequency waves most commonly found in awake humans. They are channeled during conscious states such
as cognitive reasoning, calculation, reading, speaking or thinking.
Higher levels of Beta waves are found to channel a stimulating, arousing effect, which explains how the brain will limit the amount of Alpha waves if heightened Beta activity occurs.
However, if you experience too much Beta activity, this may lead to stress and anxiety. This leads you feeling overwhelmed and stressed during strenuous periods of work or school.
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Gamma Waves
Gamma waves are a
more recent discovery
in the field of neuroscience, thus the understanding of how they function
is constantly evolving.
To date, it’s known that Gamma waves are involved in processing more complex tasks in addition to
healthy cognitive function.
Gamma waves are found to
be important for learning, memory an d processing and they are used as a binding tool for our
senses to process new information.
More recently, people have found a strong link between meditation and Gamma waves, a link attributed to the heightened state
of being or ‘completeness’ experienced when in a meditative state.
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What are Neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the body. Their job is to transmit signals from nerve cells to target cells. These target cells may be in muscles, glands, or other nerves.
The brain needs neurotransmitters to regulate
many necessary functions, including:
•heart rate •breathing
•sleep cycles •digestion
•mood •concentration •appetite
•muscle movement
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The Nervous System
•The nervous system controls the body’s
organs, psychological functions, and
physical functions. Nerve cells, also known
as neurons, and their neurotransmitters
play important roles in this system.
•Nerve cells fire nerve impulses. They do this
by releasing neurotransmitters, which are
chemicals that carry signals to other cells.
•Neurotransmitters relay their messages by
traveling between cells and attaching to
specific receptors on target cells.
•Each neurotransmitter attaches to a
different receptor — for example,
dopamine molecules attach to dopamine
receptors. When they attach, this triggers
action in the target cells.
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Neurotransmitters
Experts have identified more than 100 neurotransmitters to date. Neurotransmitters have different types of action:
Excitatory neurotransmitters encourage a target cell to take action.
Inhibitory neurotransmitters decrease the
chances of the target cell taking action. In some
cases, these neurotransmitters have a
relaxation-like effect.
Modulatory neurotransmitters can send
messages to many neurons at the same time.
They also communicate with other
neurotransmitters.
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Neurotransmitters
Communication is key to your health. Neurotransmitters do that work, sending instructions from one brain cell to the next and transferring information throughout the brain and body.
The process starts where these chemical messengers are stored in tiny compartments at the end of neurons. These are called synaptic vesicles. Neurotransmitters live here until your brain needs to relay a message.
Neurotransmitters are then collected from the synapse by neighboring
neurons after an action potential sparks. A chain reaction follows. Each brain cell releases neurotransmitters to spread the message. When the command is completed, the neurotransmitters break down, float away, or are taken back up by the synaptic vesicles they came from.
When a neuron makes a command (known as firing an action potential) neurotransmitters spring into action. These action potentials temporarily
boost neurons into a higher energy
state. More energy means brain cells can dump chemical neurotransmitters into the space between them and the next neuron. This gap between neurons is called the synapse.
Glutamate
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This amino acid is common in your diet. And it acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter, stimulating neurons to fire commands. Glutamate isn’t just in your diet. It’s present in 90 percent of synapses, acting as the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
It only takes a small amount of glutamate to excite neighbor brain cells. When neurons are working properly, all the glutamate released by the cell is picked back up by glutamate transporter molecules. This ensures levels of glutamate remain low in the synapse.
Too much glutamate can be tricky for your brain. Excesses can over-excite cells. So much so that neurons can’t bring their energy back down again. This toxic excited state causes brain cells to lock up and stop working. Good thing those transporter proteins are there to clear away the extra glutamate and protect your brain by cleaning up the synapse after each action potential.
Neuroplasticity also relies on glutamate. That’s because your brain uses glutamate to build pathways between neurons that reinforce your memory and help you learn.
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GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)
If glutamate is the most excitatory chemical messenger, then GABA is its polar opposite. GABA is a main inhibitory neurotransmitter.
It reduces the activity in the central nervous system and blocks certain signals from your brain.
Without GABA, your
brain would be “on” all the time. You need GABA to produce a calming effect that slows
you down.
It lowers your heart
rate and blood pressure. GABA helps you relax and fall asleep. The normal stresses of your
life respond well to
GABA.
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•
•
•
•
Dopamine
The most thrilling neurotransmitter has to be dopamine. That’s because it plays a major role in your brain’s reward system.
Dopamine floods the synapse between neurons when something rewarding happens. It’s responsible for that rush of joy when you accomplish a goal or succeed at a task. Dopamine perks your brain up and brings feelings of pleasure.
Some drugs prey on your brain’s reward system. They stimulate the brain to release an
overabundance of dopamine. This creates a temporary sensation of pleasure, or a high. But
coming down from a dopamine high is a hard fall. Afterward, you might feel depressed,
tired, and less interested in your favorite activities.
Drugs aren’t the only way to mess with the normal dopamine levels in your brain. Addictive
activities like video gaming, gambling, and shopping create similar highs. The surge of
dopamine in your brain can make these habits hard to shake. That’s why it’s so important
to understand how dopamine works so you can keep these behaviors in check.
Dopamine has plenty of positives, though. It encourages wakefulness. It helps your
pancreas release the appropriate amount of insulin after you eat. Dopamine also
coordinates your brain and your body to create voluntary movement. Writing your name,
typing, and driving a car are all possible because of dopamine.
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Adrenaline (Epinephrine)
•Adrenaline is your body’s defense
mechanism against stress. If you’re
running late and are afraid to miss your
plane, epinephrine speeds up your
breathing and heart rate so you can run
through the security line.
•Adrenaline sharpens your decision
making, too. You can feel it kick in
when you’re taking a test in school.
Neurotransmitters like adrenaline can
help your body to know how your brain
wants to respond to stressful
situations.
•If you have ever been spooked
before, you know the feeling that
comes from adrenaline—also
called epinephrine.
This neurotransmitter is
responsible for your body’s fight or
flight response.
•Adrenaline is produced by adrenal
glands located above your kidneys.
But the chemical messenger works
throughout the central nervous
system to ramp up your heart
rate and bring oxygen to your
muscles quickly.
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Serotonin
Take a break from your brain and shift your focus to your gut. Serotonin is an important brain chemical that does a lot of its work in your small intestine, too.
Serotonin in your digestive tract promotes feelings of satisfaction after eating and keeps your appetite in check. When a food you eat doesn’t sit well with your stomach, serotonin helps
your body get rid of it.
Rotten or spoiled foods can make you feel nauseous. That’s because serotonin kicks in when
you eat a potentially toxic food. It triggers your brain to make you feel queasy and helps your
bowel dispose of the food quickly.
In your brain serotonin works a bit differently. It has a lot of influence over your mood,
promoting feelings of wellbeing and happiness. Serotonin also helps you achieve more restful
sleep and sets your body’s internal clock.
A serotonin imbalance can happen. When the brain doesn’t produce enough serotonin, you
might experience a lower mood and sleeplessness. Confusion and brain fog may even set in.
On the other hand, too much serotonin coursing through your brain can be more dangerous.
Some illegal drugs cause your brain to dump all of its serotonin stores into the synapse at once.
This sudden spike in serotonin and later crash is called serotonin syndrome. It can create
paranoia, impair your judgement, and negatively impact your memory. So, safeguard your
brain’s supply of serotonin to maintain the delicate balance.
Oxytocin
•
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Let’s debunk some myths about oxytocin. This neurotransmitter is
much more than the “love hormone.” It’s more than the cuddly
chemical messenger it’s been made out to be.
•Oxytocin is a powerful neurotransmitter that affects many bodily
functions. Your brain makes oxytocin in the hypothalamus and
releases it via the pituitary gland to trigger responses all over the
body.
•Oxytocin urges the walls of the uterus to contract when a woman
delivers her baby. This same chemical messenger fosters the bond
between mother and child immediately following birth. Oxytocin also
makes breastfeeding possible and stimulates the release of milk
from mammary glands.
•Men, don’t feel left out—oxytocin plays a significant role in your
body, too. It helps your brain form strong connections of loyalty and
trust. This helps you create important relationships with friends and
family.
•Be grateful for the chemical messenger the next time you interact
with the people you care about. Your body needs oxytocin for its
physical and social health— to live and love.
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Acetylcholine
It may be last on this list, but this neurotransmitter was the first discovered in the human body. Acetylcholine is unique because it directly affects your muscles.
Acetylcholine works at the neuro-muscular junction. That’s the point where your nervous system and muscles meet. When acetylcholine
is released from neurons, receptor proteins on muscle fibers take hold of it. Then the presence of acetylcholine triggers an action potential or command in the muscle fiber. But instead of sending signals to a brain cell, acetylcholine makes your muscle contract.
Every time you move your muscles, acetylcholine is in play. This can be voluntary
movements or unconscious ones like your heartbeat or the contractions of peristalsis that moves food through your digestive tract.
Muscle movements aren’t all acetylcholine does for you. Your brain’s learning and memory functions are also impacted by this important neurotransmitter.
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Emotions
•Throughout the day, we experience a variety of emotions. For
the most part, these emotions are transient in nature.
•However, when these emotions become intense or are
unremitting they can have very dramatic effects on our
behavior.
•The depressive syndrome is an example of a state that is
characterized by unrelenting sadness accompanied by a
deficit in one’s ability to derive pleasure from positive
situations.
•William James proposed one of the first theories of emotion
that attempted to relate experience of emotion to
physiological functions.
•He tried to describe the human experience of emotion:
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The primary emotions are anger, fear, pleasure, sadness, and disgust. Emotions can be conceptualized in terms of their functional or adaptive (help us survive)
significance. Negative emotions such as anger and fear may promote avoidance or defensive behavior whereas the positive emotion of pleasure may facilitate ingestion, exploratory, sexual, or novel-seeking behavior. Thus, emotions and feelings may serve to achieve homeostasis or to facilitate adaptive behavior and equilibrium.
Emotions can be elicited by external stimuli. However, the stimuli must have relevance or motivational significance in order to guide appropriate, adaptive behavior. Is the stimulus good, bad, or neutral? Does it evoke anger, fear, or pleasure? What are its previous associations, what does it predict, what is an
appropriate reaction? This general concept of stimulus relevance is important in guiding behavior in many spheres: consummatory, sexual, reproductive, defensive, approach/avoidance and fight/flight.
Emotions
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We typically view emotions as primitive and
instinctive responses that are not associated with complex intellectual or cognitive functions. Certainly, key stimulus elements in the environment can trigger instinctive
emotional responses (imagine confronting a large, threatening animal).
However, cognitive-emotional interactions are extremely important in the elicitation of everyday emotions.
Emotions
•In primates and humans, the brain has a striking
capacity to learn and remember the emotional
significance of diverse stimuli and events.
Furthermore, our cognitive capacity allows us to
assign emotional valence to stimuli, and to
change the value that was previously assigned to
a stimulus. For example, a child may be initially fearful of dogs, but through positive experiences
the child may eventually enjoy and approach
them.
•As another example, imagine the emotions
associated with a new relationship. Initially,
seeing the person may evoke positive emotions of
desire and happiness. However, after a nasty
breakup, the same person could easily elicit
emotions of anxiety, tension, and anger.
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Limbic System
The limbic system was proposed to modulate the emotional quality of stimuli and support autonomic effector mechanisms associated with emotional states.
A key limbic structure that has a critical role in emotional expression is the amygdala. The amygdala has an important role in evaluating the emotional valence of stimuli.
Limbic System
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It is important to note that an interaction exists between cortical brain regions and the limbic system. There are massive connections between cortical regions, particularly from the frontal and temporal lobes, to subcortical limbic structures. The implication of these connections is that complex sensory information processing occurring in the cortex can directly influence the limbic system.
Conversely, limbic processing can strongly influence higher-level cognitive integration occurring in the cortex. Disconnection in the transmission of information between the cortical and subcortical limbic structures can have dire consequences.
For example, patients with frontal lobe lesions show inappropriate emotional and social behavior in the absence of intellectual deficits. These patients might cry or laugh inappropriately, urinate in public, or use profanity.
The Neural Substrates of
Fear and Anxiety
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This class of emotion is elicited by threatening situations and it functions as an internal signal to alert the organism to potential danger. In response to
fear, individuals engage in defensive or protective acts that serve to
promote survival. These behaviors
include fleeing or withdra wing from a situation, freezing to
remain inconspicuous, or fighting.
Nature vs. Nurture
Fear behavior is essential for
survival and much of its
development appears to
be innate. In humans,
behavioral responses
associated with fear are
evident within the first
months of life. However, it
is not until sometime later
that infants display
fear reactions that are
selectively elicited by
unfamiliar situations. For
example, most infants go
through a period known as
stranger anxiety around one
year of age. At this time,
infants that once smiled
indiscriminately now begin
to act extremely wary in the
presence of strangers.
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The Amygdala: A key Structure Mediating Fear
Given the complexity of the mammalian brain, is it possible to localize emotional states of fear and anxiety to specific regions of the brain?
It turns out that a complex of related cells exists in the limbic system and appears to be involved in fear reactions and the learning of fear.
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Role of Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide inhalation is capable of inducing panic symptoms in patients with panic disorder but not in normal subjects.
In the clinical laboratory, inhalation of 5% carbon dioxide was found to potentiate a rapid increase in ventilation before the panic (ventilation is mediated by receptors that sense carbon dioxide in the lungs, heart, and brain stem medulla).
These results have suggested that patients with panic disorder may have very sensitive brain stem carbon dioxide receptors, i.e., “suffocation alarm mechanisms.”
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Sadness and Negative Affect
Negative emotions and sadness are commonly elicited by situations associated with the loss of an important social relationship (death of a spouse) or object (loss of a home due to fire). Sadness is an internal state that signals the need for affiliation and functions to motivate individuals to seek supportive social relationships. As with fear and anxiety, this emotion is present from birth and when expressed early in life alerts the caregiver to meet the infant's needs.
Prolonged disruption of the maternal-infant bond can also have a profound impact on subsequent behavior. Newborn monkeys socially isolated from an early age would not interact with other monkeys. They would not play, fight, or show any sexual interest. Older monkeys subjected to comparable periods of social isolation failed to develop these behavioral alterations.
It appears that developmental, environmental, and biological interactions are important factors in determining the individual's emotional patterns of behavior.
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Clinical Correlates:
Alterations in Brain Monoamines are Associated with Depression
Although sadness is a transient emotional state, depression is a mood or syndrome characterized by thoughts of self-worthlessness, excessive guilt, death and/or suicide.
Physiological systems are also dramatically
altered during depression.
Patients with depression may have difficulty
concentrating on tasks and may suffer from
insomnia, altered appetite, decreased interest
in pleasurable activities, and fatigue.
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Lowered Brain Serotonin is Associated with Suicide
To summarize, disruption of brain serotonin (5-HT) and NE concentrations appear to contribute to the depressive syndrome. The hypothesis that depression is caused entirely by a reduction in monoamines is somewhat simplistic but provides a reasonable account of the pharmacological
efficacy of antidepressants.
Postmortem studies done a number of years ago revealed that brain stem levels (raphe nuclei; remember nucleus raphe magnus for SPA) of serotonin and its metabolite 5-HIAA are consistently reduced in suicide victims.
More recent studies confirm a link between depression and low serotonin activity.
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It is presently unclear why reduced brain serotonin function predisposes individuals to commit suicide. One hypothesis is that low brain 5-HT values produce an increase in
impulsive behavior.
Impulsivity refers to a
propensity to act without considering alternative options in a decision-making process.
Although impulsivity is not
synonymous with acting rapidly, impulsive individuals tend to act without time for reflection.
Lowered Brain Serotonin is Associated wi th Suicide