Sexual Causes of Tension-At the present time there is a tendency to lay great emphasis on sex, and the tensions of both young and old are often ascribed to some disharmony in their sex life without due consideration of other factors. This line of approach is particularly common with the amateur psychologist. In evaluating the situation it is well for us to realize that sexual conflicts are in fact a very important cause of anxiety, but that conflicts in other areas are also important, and that anxiety often results from a summation of stresses arising from various problems.
There is another factor which makes it difficult to assess the significance of sexual troubles as a cause of anxiety. People have a tendency to give socially acceptable explanations for things. A man is working hard at his office; there are many difficult problems, and he has to work late at night. He will readily tell you this is the cause of his anxiety, and in a way it is true enough; but he does not readily discuss the tension he feels as a result of his being involved with his secretary. The patient often gives these false explanations quite knowingly for the simple reason that he is too ashamed to admit the real cause to the doctor. In other cases, the patient is too ashamed to admit the true cause even to himself. In these circumstances he believes that he is speaking the truth when he gives the socially acceptable reason as the cause of his trouble.
*27/57/2*
The third rule of vital nutrition is that all foods should be eaten as fresh as possible. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw, not cooked, canned, or frozen. If cooking is necessary they should be cooked as little as possible, preferably steamed or cooked with little or no water. All broth, of course, should be used also.
Raw foods contain enzymes which are essential for the proper digestion and assimilation of food. Cooking destroys all the enzymes, 100 per cent. In addition, cooking destroys many of the vitamins. Vitamins B and C are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat. Minerals are depleted by cooking and are usually thrown away with the cooking water.
Freezing, canning, drying, salting, preserving, and prolonged storage are all more or less destructive to the nutritive quality of the food.
Contrary to popular notion, foods in their raw state are more easily digestible than in the cooked state. This is particularly true with fruits and most vegetables.
Furthermore, raw foods act as a cleansing agent of the digestive and eliminative systems and are the best preventive measures against constipation.
Dr. Robert Bell hit the nail on the head when he said, “Man is the only creature upon this earth who spoils his food before he eats it.” Cooked food is dead food. Only living foods can build healthy bodies.
According to famous nutritionist Dr. Royal Lee, D.D.S., arthritis in animals could be experimentally caused by feeding them cooked foods exclusively.
*26/176/2*
Alcohol may undoubtedly precipitate seizures in those who already have had previous seizures.
There is also an association between chronic alcohol abuse and the occurrence of fits even when sober. Those who drink alcohol to excess are usually aware that they are running the risk of cirrhosis of the liver, but not many realize that chronic alcoholism can result in loss of cerebral nerve cells, seizures, and impairment of intellect.
Degenerative disorders-As advances in knowledge occur, fewer and fewer diseases will be assigned to this non-specific group. Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, the human equivalent of ‘mad cow’ disease for example, used to be regarded as degenerative , before it was shown to be caused by an infective agent. Pre-senile dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), in which the cerebral nerve cells gradually become fewer in number, is associated with seizures. Some cases are inherited, and almost certainly in most there is a biochemical abnormality responsible for this loss of nerve cells, and, hopefully, when this has been identified, some sort of pharmacological treatment will be possible. This sequence of events has already occurred in Parkinson’s disease. This was regarded as a degenerative disorder until 30 years ago. A defect in the metabolism of a transmitter called dopamine was identified, and a suitable drug (L-dopa) produced. A number of degenerative disorders which start in childhood (including one called Batten’s disease) present with frequent seizures.
*24/188/2*
After the cause of such a disturbance is addressed, some children slip back naturally into smooth sleep patterns. Others learn new habits or are thrown such disequilibrium that the wakefulness continues. This may be the beginning of sleep difficulties. Recognizing the changes as they occur can help you I watch to see if a desirable pattern is developing.
You can decide how long to allow a child to re-establish a desirable pattern on his own. Several factors should be taken into consideration:
? His history of being able to settle himself: after his last illness, did he return
quickly to his old patterns or did you need to “draw the line?”
? His temperament: is he a “natural night owl” who will take any opportunity
to stay awake?
? His needs: how well is he coping during the day with reduced sleep?
? Your needs: how are you coping? How long can you wait it out? When a reasonable amount of time has passed and you have decided that a new habit has formed or has the potential to develop, you can change your response or intervene with the method that works for you.
*20/67/8*
Although still considered by many as more of an ‘alternative’ therapy than physiotherapy, osteopathy has nevertheless gained great acceptance from the medical profession. Developed in the late 19th century by Andrew Taylor Still, osteopathy is based on the underlying principle that ’structure governs function’, and the therapy therefore relies primarily on manipulative techniques, these being mainly applied to the back and neck.
Central to the osteopathic concept is that much of the pain and disability affecting people stems from abnormalities in the function of the musculoskeletal system rather than in any identifiable or discernible pathology. According to osteopaths, impaired function in one part of the musculoskeletal system can exist without symptoms but may throw considerable strain on another part of the body.
Like physiotherapists, osteopaths build up a full picture of the patient’s particular dysfunction, which may have developed over a long period of time. Says the Osteopathic Information Service: “Osteopaths do not look on patients simply as back sufferers but as individuals with their own unique requirements. Treatment is designed to correct each individual’s mechanical and spinal problems in order to stimulate their own natural healing processes.”
A recent survey of osteopathic practices throughout the county revealed that more than half of the patients had sought help because of low back trouble.
*18/124/2*
Newborns. The first six to eight weeks are called “unsettled.” During this time, sleeping and eating patterns are not very predictable. A healthy newborn sleeps about sixteen or seventeen hours a day. This occurs during about seven periods throughout the day and night.
By the age of three or four months an infant sleeps about fifteen hours a day. Sleep occurs in about four or five periods. Approximately two-thirds î her sleep is at night. This is what sleep research defines as “settled”—that is she sleeps from a late night feeding to an early morning one.
Six Months. By six months, nighttime sleep has increased to about two hours at night with some possible, occasional, brief wakings. She will also t two naps a day (mid-morning and mid-afternoon), each nap about one to hours long.
Babies settle in various ways. Some children simply sleep through feeding. Others gradually push the feeding later and later. Others unpredictable. However, somewhere between three to six months a baby sleep a long stretch at night.
One Year. Fourteen hours of sleep is typical for most one year olds. If some of this amount is during a morning nap, you can expect her to give that up sometime during the second year.
Two To Six Years. Note that the afternoon nap disappears somewhere between three and four years.
*17/67/8*
While you should always first seek advice from your doctor if you’re troubled by back symptoms, there are also many instances in which other therapies can be very helpful. In fact, your doctor may well refer you to a physiotherapist or, at times, suggest that you consult a practitioner of an alternative therapy as many of these have a proven track record in dealing very successfully with back problems.
The so-called ‘other’ treatments are normally divided into two main groups:
The ‘complementary’ therapies that work alongside of and often as virtually part of conventional medicine; and
The ‘alternative’ therapies which, as the label implies, offer an alternative to conventional medicine.
Although the distinction between the two types of therapies is usually quite clear, it can become somewhat blurred when looking solely at how effective some of these ‘other’ therapies can be in dealing with back problems. For example, the relatively little known Alexander Technique is usually considered to be an alternative therapy. However, because it concentrates upon posture, something that is so directly and obviously relevant to back troubles, this method is perhaps more ‘complementary’ than ‘alternative’ when it comes to difficulties involving the spine.
Rather than try to classify therapies as either complementary or alternative, it seemed more logical in this book to separate them into two groups depending upon how commonly they are employed in treating back problems.
*16/124/2*
Anxiety may have an effect on stuttering. The right side of the body is controlled by the left side of the brain and vice versa. In the right-handed person the left side of the brain is dominant over the right, and as a result the right hand is given preference over the left. In those who are left-handed the right side of the brain is dominant over the left. It is believed that stuttering often develops when the dominance of the leading side of the brain is incomplete, or when a potentially left-handed child is trained to function as a right-hander. We see then that stuttering results when the messages from the brain to the organ of speech are indecisive. This indecision may be further increased by the presence of anxiety. This is shown very clearly by the fact that many quite normal people show a hesitancy in their speaking or even a mild stutter when confronted with the task of speaking in some formal situation which produces anxiety.
On the other hand, some people stutter without showing or feeling much tension or anxiety at all. As a general rule these people who stutter in the absence of anxiety do not gain much help in their speech difficulty by practising relaxing mental exercises. However, the majority of stutterers experience considerable tension when they are speaking, and with them the reduction of the general level of anxiety by relaxing mental exercises is a great help toward establishing a pattern of easy normal speech.
*16/57/2*
James, a 50-year-old professional, wrote to me as follows:
I have had one form or another of depression for over 10 years. My depression has greatly affected my life in many ways. Most notably, my relationship with my wife has suffered and my relationship and reactions to daily work circumstances have been greatly and negatively affected. Many of my attempts to deal with my depression failed.
James describes how he first underwent six months of psychotherapy, which was of no help, followed by a course of Lustral, which helped his depression slightly but caused him chronic diarrhoea, a liability far greater than its minimal benefit in relieving his depression. After he broke his foot, this side-effect became even more inconvenient as he had difficulty getting to the toilet in time. He decided to discontinue the medication and his depression returned with full force.
After doing some research on the herb, James decided to take St John’s Wort on his own; within six weeks of starting to take 300 mg three times a day, his feelings of depression began to subside. ‘My depression is now manageable and I would have to say almost non-existent,’ he concludes. T hope St John’s Wort remains available without a prescription and that the … medical professionals do not attempt to “prescriptionize” it… I hope my short personal history regarding my depression and travels towards St John’s Wort will help to keep it available to the general public’
*10/75/2*
Problem:
Developmental Issues:
Frequent Waking
An infant may need to be six months old before gaining the neurological maturity necessary to settle into an 8-10 hour nighttime stretch of sleep (although many do it sooner). Older children tend to wake periodically due to illness, dreams, or while learning a new developmental task. Very often the cause is undetermined.
Waking for Feeding
i
After three or four months, a healthy, full-term infant no longer needs night feedings for nutritional reasons. Early risers may wake up hungry.
Difficulty Sleeping Alone
Separation issues peak at times of developmental disequilibrium (leaps or regression). Typical times: four to six months, nine to twelve months, one and a half to two years, and subsequent half-year stages. Fears are strong for toddlers and preschoolers. Older preschoolers tend to fall asleep quickly once settled.
Unusual Cycles
An infant may have his “days and nights mixed up”—this can be adjusted. Up to and including nine months, an infant may take a third nap around dinner time, so a late bedtime is not inappropriate. Typical bedtime for a toddler/preschooler is between 7:30 and 9:00 pm.
Nightmares
Infants appear to “dream” (or to be affected by dreaming) at around 9 months. Children continue to gain the language to express dreams and fears beginning at age two. This may peak during preschool years.
Sleep Terrors
These are probably experienced by infants, occur most commonly around age four, and decrease by school age.
*10/67/8*
