A New Kind of Biofeedback

Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference

Next weekend, October 2-4, is the annual Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference. Featured speaker is Susan Weed. Days of classes, educational walks, and intensives are planned. If you are interested in living closer to the earth and exploring the native plant resources for health and well being, you don’t want to miss this conference! Doubtless, there will be a great deal of information about using herbs to boost one’s immune system and stay healthy during this flu season. For more information go to www.sewisewomen.com/index.php

Healing Innovations will be at the conference. Because SCENAR is so complementary with any other modality used for health and well being, we will be there to provide free demonstration sessions to conference participants. If you have been interested in trying out the SCENAR, here is a free opportunity. You can also put your name in a drawing for three free sessions – a $195 value! Coupons will also be given to interested participants for two sessions at a reduced cost.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Natural Hand Sanitizer

Used to be you only saw hand sanitizer in the doctor’a office, but anymore, you see it sitting out everywhere. If you are concerned about using the harsh chemical sanitizers, there is a natural one made of essential oils. It is commonly called Thieves Oil and is made of  the anti-viral and anti- bacterial clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. It can be purchased from Young Living Oil for $41.78 for a 15ml bottle. Or you can make it yourself by mixing equal parts of the oils and adding the mixture to a carrier oil such as jojoba or olive oil. One tablespoon of the mixture to 1.5 ounces of carrier oil is recommended. These essential oils are potent, so test a small amount on sensitive skin areas. If the skin feels hot, add more carrier oil to the mixture.

The name comes from the Middle Ages when Europe was being ravaged by the Black Plague. The story goes that four perfumers (or spice traders) would douse themselves with a mixture of the above oils and then rob the dead of their valuables. They never got the Plague.

Thieves Oil has many applications. It can be diffused in your office or home. The aroma will remind you of Christmas. The amount of diffusion time recommended is twenty minutes. As a hand sanitizer, place one drop in your palm and rub your hands together. Or before you leave home, put one to three drops into one palm and rub your palms together. Cup your hands close to your face and inhale the aroma of the oil deeply. Rub some at the hair line on the back of the neck. Rub the rest on the bottom of each foot. This will boost the immune system as well as provide protection. You can find more information on Thieves Oil at www.thieves-oil.com

Swine Flu Prevention/Treatment with Essential Oils

In continuing to research alternative ways to prevent/treat swine flu we found numerous sites with information regarding the efficacy of herbs and essential oils. If you are interested in this alternative we would recommend you attend the Southeast Wise Women: Southeast Wise Women’s Herbal Conference to be held October 2-4 in Black Mountain. We will be there to provide demonstrations of the SCENAR, so if you would like a direct experience of SCENAR visit our booth. To learn more go to www.sewisewomen.com

Make sure you read our Healing Tips page which gives you ways to keep your neuropeptide levels high and stress low so that your body’s immune system can be at its most effective.

If you have symptoms of flu, it is essential you see your doctor for a diagnosis.

The most common essential oils recommended for antiseptic and antiviral effects are Eucalyptus (also good for decongesting), Rosemary, Clove (you can also hold clove buds in the mouth frequently during the day), Oregano (also found to be effective against the superbug MRSA), Garlic (chewing cloves), tea tree, peppermint, Thyme and Elderberry (which interrupts the virus’s ability to penetrate cell walls). You can also put antiseptic oils on a handkerchief or mask when in crowed areas. A caution: some of the antiseptic/antiviral oils can be too intense to put on sensitive skin. Be sure to research which ones can be applied directly to the skin.

Basil or Tulsi oil can relieve congestion in the lymphatic system which supports the ability of the body to eliminate the virus. Having regular lymphatic massage can also increase your body’s ability to fight off illness in general. The lymphatic massage therapist we use is Marilyn Mathews of Weaverville, NC. She has years of experience and is an excellent pratitioner.

Taking a mixture of 1/2 Tbs of honey and 1/2 Tbs of cinnamon 5-6 times a day is another home remedy that is useful. Putting 2-3 drops of Juniper Berry oil in a hot bath or diffuser boosts immunity.

You can also combine oils. For example, putting 2-4 drops of Eucalyptus/Basil/Rosemary/Juniper oils in boiling water or a steamer and taking hot facial or nasal steams 2-3 times a day for 5-10 minutes can decongest nasal and ear zones.

The most recent statistics on the incidence of swine flu can be found at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

We also found an interesting guide book on natural prevention of swine flu at http://scribd.com/doc/14847284/Swine-Flu-Prevention-Guide

If you also know of prevention and remedies for swine flu, please feel free to comment below. The more information on possible natural ways to protect and assist our bodies resisting this disease, the better.

Natural Treatment and Prevention of Swine Flu

There is a protocol for the SCENAR to prevent Swine Flu which will be included for those of you who own SCENARs at the end of this post.

In researching natural ways of treating Swine Flu, we encountered  an article about using homeopathics. Homeopathic remedies were used for treating the 1918 flu (of which today’s swine flu is thought to be derived). The article states that among people who used homeopathic remedies the mortality rate was 1%.  For those who used traditional allopathic remedies the mortality rate was 28%.

There are many who are concerned about the swine flu vaccine’s safety and efficacy. The threat of mandatory vaccination has the conspiracy theorists in a tizzy.

If you decide to treat with homeopathics, it is always best to consult a homeopathic practitioner first. However, the article suggests the following:

Gelsemium- for those who have the flu and are experienceing intense muscle aches and soreness

Aconite- for high fever

Arsenicum album- helps with early respiratory symptoms

Baptista- helps with diarrhea

Eupatorium perf- for severe coughing

Links to this article and one about the vaccines:

http://www.altmedicinezone.com/homeopathy/can-homeopathy-help-treat-swine-flu/

http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/blog/2009/08/17/swine-flu-jab-link-to-killer-nerve-disease-leaked-letter-reveals-concern-of-neurologists-over-25-deaths-in-america/

Special SCENAR Application for COLD and FLU prevention, including SWINE FLU prophylaxis

Just received this protocol to enhance immune functioning from Tomatex where we had our training with Revenko, so thought I would pass it along.

Since there are three types of machines being used out there, I will write the instructions for the DENAS and the 035M which are the same and put the instructions for the RITM in parenthesis. Comment if you have questions.

The protocol is to be done morning and evening every other day or so and every day if you think you have been exposed:

Morning

1. Hold the SCENAR over the Suprasternal Notch (location of the Thymus gland) in constant mode (Diag O or Swing 1), at a comfortable sensation level for 5 minutes.

2. Hold SCENAR over the Xiphoid process in constant mode (Diag O or Fm+) at a slightly higher than comfortable sensation level for 3 minutes.

3. Stroke the liver area in constant mode (Diag O or Fm+) at a comfortable sensation level for 5 minutes. Don’t treat asymmetries that may come up.

4. Hold SCENAR on C7 (the bump at the base of the neck on the spine) in constant mode (Diag O or Swing1) at a comfortable sensation for 2 minutes.

5. Repeat step 1

Evening

6. Hold SCENAR on Suprasternal Notch (location of Thymus Gland) in constant mode (Diag O or Swing1) at a comfortable sensation level for 3 minutes.

7. Stroke liver area in constant mode (Diag O or Fm+) at a comfortable senstaion level for 5 minutes. Don’t treat any asymmetries that may come up.

8. Hold SCENAR on C7 in constant mode (DiagO or Swing1) at a comfortable sensation level for 2 minutes.

9. LI4 Acupuncture Point-HeGu in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side between the hand and the thumb (also known as the “headache point”). Hold SCENAR on this point in constant mode (Diag O or Fm+) at a comfortable sensation level for 12 minutes.

If you are using the RITM, you can get more bang for your buck by using Fm+ and Swing1 in alternating ways to keep the body more alert to the influence thereby creating more of a response.

Stay well, all of you!

2oo7 National CAM Use Study

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and acupuncture that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine. The CAM component of this most recent National Health Interview Survey was developed by the NCCAM (the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine-  http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/costs ). The last survey of this type was done in 2002. This study data was released July 31. The study was conducted in 2007.

In analyzing the costs, it was found that CAM accounts for approximately 1.5% of total health care expenditures in this country and 11.2% of total out-of-pocket expenditures for health care. Americans spent 33.9 billion dollars on CAM over the past 12 months which accounts for slightly more than one-tenth of the out-of-pocket health care dollars spent. This represents an equivalent of one quarter of the total out-of-pocket spending on physician visits. The survey showed about 35 cents of each alternative therapy dollars was for visits to alternative healthcare practitioners. Purchases of  natural non-vitamin, non-mineral products is equivalent to approximately one-third of total out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs.  More than one-third of adults (38.3%) use alternative medicine.

In looking at the data between 2002 and 2007 some interesting stabilities and shifts in the data can be noted. CAM is still predominantly used for pain treatment, especially back and neck pain. However, in 2002, consumers used CAM for head and chest cold treatment (9.5%) at a much higher rate than in 2007 (2%). In 2002 the most popular non-vitamin/non-mineral products used were echinacea (40.3%), gingseng (24.1%), ginko (21.7%), and garlic (19.9%). In 2007, consumers were using fish oils/omega 3 (37.4%), glucosamine (19.9%), echinacea (19.8%) and flaxseed (15.9%). All but one (echinacea) of the top four products used in 2007 were not even on the list in 2002. Soy supplements, which in 2002 were at the bottom of the list (9.4%), did not appear on the 2007 list.

There was a 2.3% increase in adult use of CAM between 2002 and 2007. The greatest use being among those age 30-69, and the highest percentage of those being age 50-59 (44.1%).

The 2007 survey included data about use of CAM by children. The most common therapies used were natural products, chiropractic/osteopathic, deep breathing, and yoga. Disease conditions for which CAM is most frequently used for children are back/neck pain, head/chest colds, and anxiety/stress.

SCENAR is considered a part of the CAM practice of biofeedback. It is good for treating pain, anxiety and stress, as well as promoting overall well being.

Reflex Biofeedback

The premise of conventional biofeedback is that a device is used to help give information to the organism that it needs but has a hard time accessing through its own pathways. Whether the device involves the measurement of skin resistance, temperature, brain waves, muscle tone, or heart rate, the assumption is that “biofeedback” means the use of the “conscious mind” to control “unconscious processes.” This “learning” model of biofeedback up to the present time has remained the basic conceptual reference in the field.

In Soviet-era Russia, there was extensive research into extending the new technologies into an interaction with organisms, and scientists were very successful in developing and applying the “learning” model of biofeedback. However, being much closer to Eastern thought about energetics of the body and its natural capacity to adaptively respond to the environment to maintain homeostasis, the Russians were equally successful in the development of another form of biofeedback that did not require the mediation of the “conscious” mind. Theoretically more related to the “conditioning” principles of behaviorism, this form of biofeedback had no requirement for “volition” or “learning”. This “other” form of biofeedback can be labeled “reflex biofeedback” in contrast to “learning” biofeedback. It can be described as the “unconscious mind/body” acting on “unconscious processes”.

The premise of “reflex biofeedback” is that it is possible for the organism to derive meaningful and purposeful information for enhanced solution-oriented self-regulatory processes without the mediation of any sort of conscious, mental processes. Directing electro-energetic stimulations of the body by way of reflexive pathways in the skin evokes informational responses. These informational responses are simultaneously monitored by the device and used to modify the next stimulation in a manner that is directly related to the preceding response of the body. As a result, positive changes that reflect improved solution oriented behaviors in “unconscious” physiological functions and processes are demonstrated.

The continued progress in computer-based hardware technologies has created full capacity in devices to interact with the activities of a living organism at “real time” biological speeds. The rates of sensory perception and cognitive determination are slow compared with the blurring speeds of microprocessors and neuro-biological reactions. “Reflex biofeedback” can accomodate these super-speed reaction times, and acts to coordinate responses that could never be tracked and catalogued by the everyday conscious mind.

The SCENAR uses reflex biofeedback to support the body in its self regulation processes to ameliorate pain and enhance overall health.

A Deeper Dive Into How SCENAR Works

The purpose of SCENAR is an activation of adaptive reaction by the reserves of the body. It does so by influencing the body in a non-invasive way via the skin. The skin plays a very important role in the regulation of the body’s systems as it is the interface between the body and the environment. The skin and nervous system originated from the same layer of ectoderm during embryogenesis. The skin keeps all of the information on the function and condition of the nervous system.

The SCENAR affects the skin and is influenced by the reaction of the skin. The skin resistance changes according to internal changes that are the result of the body’s metabolism. The SCENAR reads and reacts to the internal metabolic changes as represented in the skin impedance, and forms a bi-polar signal similar to a nautral neuro impulse. Using this biofeedback process, the device modifies its next signal to either amplify or dampen the pathological signal as required. If the signal from the body is that of a chronic condition, the SCENAR amplifies the body’s signal to alert it to the dysfunction (stimulation). If the signal is one of an acute situation, the SCENAR dampens the body’s signal (sedation). It continues to “talk” with the body in this way until the signals it receives indicate that the body is moving toward normalization or homeostasis. The principal peculiarity of the SCENAR biofeedback is that each signal is different from the preceding one. That is why the signal does not diminish and there is no process of habituation and failure of the body to respond, as is the case with other electo-neurostimulation modalties, such as TENS.

The SCENAR signal causes the release of bio active substances by nerve cells called neuropeptides. Physiological functions are under the control of a whole range of neruopeptides including chemical compounds called regulatory peptides which trigger all of the complex functions the body carries out to maintain homeostasis. Thus the SCENAR creates a cascade of “conversation” in the body about a particular pathology, motivating the body to address the issue and heal itself. In this way, SCENAR treatment can address pain and support the body’s efforts to heal the issue causing the pain.

Healing Innovations Pioneered the Use of SCENAR in WNC

Healing Innovations pioneered the use of the SCENAR in Asheville. SCENAR is the holistic treatment that is changing the world of pain relief. This powerful biofeedback process provides effective relief for both acute and chronic pain without drugs or invasive procedures. Athletes find they rapidly recover from sprains, strains, and overuse issues, as well as seeing it improve their performance in their training programs. Those who have suffered with chronic pain for years find the treatments give them relief and return function they had lost long ago. There have never been any documented side effects in over 50,000 case studies.

SCENAR is a small, hand-held device that stimulates the body’s own healing mechanisms by activating the nerve receptors in the skin, and triggering the release of endorphins and other natural peptide chemicals (the body’s own internal pharmacy). Through biofeedback, an interaction is formed between the device and the body, thus establishing an “interactive dialogue” to correct body dysfunctions and relieve pain. The device itself does not heal the body, but rather alerts the body to mobilize its own healing forces. Acute injuries usually take 1-5 sessions, chronic conditions can take 5-15. During treatment, recipients feel gentle tingling sensations and often experience a sense of well being and relaxation.

Healing Innovations has helped hundreds of people with pain from acute injuries and chronic conditions since 2005. For more information see our website at www.biohealingweb.com or call us at 828-337-6854. If you mention finding out about us from our blog, we will give you a free 30 minute session.