Monthly Archives: February 2019

Are Toxic Chemicals Hiding In Your Bathroom?

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Cleaning products can be as unhealthy for human lungs as smoking twenty tobacco-based cigarettes a day, according to a study from the University of Bergen. And with 28% of Americans spending more than seven hours a week cleaning their homes, there are potentially big risks involved in being around harmful chemicals. Whether it’s an increased risk of cancer or minor ailments like throat problems, these chemicals can cause significant health issues.

 Formaldehyde

This is one of the most common bathroom product dangers. It’s found in everything from laundry detergent to soap. Unlike green household product alternatives such as organic or self-made cleaning materials, it can cause severe health problems for people who are repeatedly exposed to it. These can include leukemia and other forms of cancer, given that formaldehyde is a carcinogen. Exposure methods are varied. It may be that you breathe it in, for example. You can also take it in through your digestive system if you eat food that has been contaminated by a formaldehyde-heavy environment.

Ammonia

Ammonia is also found in a number of major cleaning products, such as window cleaning fluids and bottles of multi-purpose spray. And it too can cause a number of issues. It’s possible that a person who is exposed to ammonia will experience a burning sensation in their throat, and in the worst case scenario, long-lasting lung problems. Cell damage is also a distinctive possibility for those who breathe in ammonia. When it combines with the naturally-present water inside the human body, it creates the dangerous and abrasive  ammonium hydroxide compound.

 Phthalates

Terms like “ammonia” are relatively well known, even if the exact effects that they can have on people aren’t as familiar. But the truth of the matter is that there are lots of other less recognized chemicals in many bathroom products which are just as problematic for your family – and potentially even more so. One of these is phthalates. These are found in all sorts of bathroom products, including air fresheners. They can even be found in toilet paper.

The effects of phthalates can be diverse, and usually negative. An experiment carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Harvard University found that men with pronounced phthalates levels in their bloodstreams saw lower sperm counts. They’re particularly associated with products which are artificially fragranced. So, it’s wise to go for more organic options if you’re considering buying a bathroom cleaning product designed to keep the smells at bay.

A tub of sanitizer or a bottle of bleach may seem like a must-have when it comes to health and hygiene around the bathroom. But the reality is that these products could be putting you and your family at risk. From the formaldehyde in detergents to the ammonia in those ever-handy surface sprays, there’s a lot to look out for – and it may be worth carrying out a bathroom product audit and weeding out the dangerous items.

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Reproductive Glands From A Whole Health Perspective

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Referred to as the “root chakra” in yoga circles, the reproductive glands are in the most primal sense, the survival component of Maslow’s Hierarchy and in fact, they are essential to the survival of the species – which is their primary purpose. They are, of course, part of the organs and system of reproduction which includes various accessory parts that are necessary to support the reproductive function.

That the Reproductive Glands belong to the physical aspect of Whole Health is very straight forward and evident. When we look at them in terms of Selye’s Stress Model we can see that they are connected to the “survival stressors” of:

  • Reproduction (Yes, sadly sex is another stressor for our bodies.)
  • Trauma
  • Exertion (too much exercise or over work)
  • Weather (excessive heat, sun, cold)
  • Surgery (very stressful to the entire body and nervous system but sometimes necessary to save out life)

These stressors have a strong effect on the reproductive system. Stress decreases drive and impulse to reproduce as the body wisely knows to conserve its energy until there is a well balanced system ready for reproduction.

So far, we have gone over five of the Seven Aspects. The last two are fun because they really clarify the emotional and behavioral aspects of these important and influential glands.

The virtue of the reproductive glands is spirituality – seeing the profound divine and unfathomable nature of reproducing and bringing forth, from the co-joining of two human beings, new human life. (If you’ve had children you know that they really do smell like they just came from “heaven” – what we imagine heaven to be anyway)

The deadly sin of the reproductive glands is – we all know this one – its all around us. Yes, indeed, good ‘ol lust, which of course is about self-gratification and not the co-joining of a partnership resulting in a new life.

Understanding this information is important when we look at a person’s physical presentation or dis-ease from a Whole Person perspective. What are the cause and effect factors at play that create disease? What is out of balance in the person’s seven aspects that is creating problems in this part of the body? Hope you’re enjoying this series because I’m having a great time with my favorite subject-the endocrine system!

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

A Healthy Pituitary Gland And Interconnectedness

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Called the “Master Gland” by many, the next endocrine gland to discuss is the Pituitary Gland. The Pituitary, in yoga and energy circles is often referred to as “the third eye”. This is because the Pituitary Gland is associated with “higher awareness and higher consciousness”.

As the Pituitary gland is located in the frontal portion of the brain, right behind the space between our eyes, it is called the “third eye” as it also “sees” the world from a different perspective beyond just the physical appearance. The Pituitary sits on its own little throne, called the “Turk’s Saddle”, and holds court as a high ranking endocrine gland. It has been called the Master Gland because the Pituitary acts as a “dispatcher” of sorts, directing the various endocrine gland secretions to function on cue.

These cues come from the nervous system, the emotional center of the brain and the body’s chemical communications. The Pituitary is the interconnectedness component of Maslow’s Hierarchy. Just as the Pituitary interconnects all of the endocrine glands to each other, so does it relate to our awareness and consciousness regarding our connectedness to one another.

Whole Health Spotlight: The Pituitary Gland And InterconnectednessFrom your learning with the National Institute of Whole Health, you may recall that that the endocrine system is a completely inter-dependent system and if there is an abnormal function in one gland it has a direct effect on all of the other glands, each of which adapts to the hormonal change and “pitches in” to try and restore balance to the body chemistry.

This is actually what happens in healthy societies when each member works to serve the common good of all. Physically the Pituitary is connected to our Balance in the world and to the balance of the entire endocrine system.

Regarding Selye’s Stress Model, the Pituitary, holds a place for our “higher self” and responds to and expresses Trust, Acceptance and Integration. The Pituitary is the Spirituality component of the Whole Health Five Aspects.Spirituality being defined literally as “breath or life” or how we live within our self and with others.

So far we have gone over FIVE (5) of the SEVEN (7) aspects.The last two aspects, as we have seen with all the other endocrines clarify the emotional and behavioral aspects of each specific endocrine gland.

The VIRTUE of the Pituitary is Charity which expresses a generosity towards others and a giving of self. The Pituitary works on behalf of all the other glands, doing multiple jobs for the benefit of all. When we are accepting and gracious to all, we express the highest consciousness of the human experience and we are said to be living from our “third Eye Chakra”.

The DEADLY SIN of the Pituitary is the opposite of its virtue. The opposite of this charitable, hard working gland is SLOTH or laziness and self-serving behavior. While the higher expression of the Pituitary is Charity and generosity towards the good of all, the lower expression of the Pituitary is a laziness and uncaring self absorption. When we are too self-centered or narcissistic, we work against the common good and can become destructive.

It is very simple to see the value and importance of understanding how the body works in a whole integrated way during health coach certification. Many meditation and spiritual practices understand the power and potential of awakening the Pituitary or “Third Eye” consciousness. This awakening is not only for the benefit of others, but for our own emotional and physical health, as well as for our own happiness.

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.