Article from : http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/anxietydepression/a/EmotionsTCM.htm

Learn how emotions are related to body systems and symptoms

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide

Updated: January 15, 2008

In traditional Chinese medicine, emotions and physical health are intimately connected. Sadness, nervous tension and anger, worry, fear, and overwork are each associated with a particular organ in the body. For example, irritability and inappropriate anger can affect the liver and result in menstrual pain, headache, redness of the face and eyes, dizziness and dry mouth.

A diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is highly individualized. Once an organ system is identified, the unique symptoms of the patient determine the practitioner’s treatment approach.

Using the liver again as an example, breast distension, menstrual pain, and irritability during menses are treated with certain herbs and acupuncture points, and migraines headaches, dizziness, and inappropriate anger with redness of the face point to a different type of liver pattern and is treated in a different way.

What does the liver have to do with migraines? Organ systems in the traditional Asian sense may include the Western medical-physiological function, but are also part of a holistic body system. The liver, for example, ensures that energy and blood flow smoothly throughout the body. It also regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.

By understanding these connections, we can see how an eye disorder such as conjunctivitis might be due to an imbalance in the liver, or excess menstrual flow may be due to dysfunction in the liver’s blood-storing ability. Besides emotions, other factors such as dietary, environmental, lifestyle, and hereditary factors also contribute to the development of imbalances.

Spleen

·Emotions - worry, dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work

·Spleen Function - Food digestion and nutrient absorption. Helps in the formation of blood and energy. Keeps blood in the blood vessels. Connected with muscles, mouth, and lips. Involved in thinking, studying, and memory.

·Symptoms of Spleen Imbalance - Tired, loss of appetite, mucus discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhea. Weak muscles, pale lips. Bruising, excess menstrual blood flow, and other bleeding disorders.

Lung

·Emotions - grief, sadness, detached.

·Lung Function - Respiration. Forms energy from air, and helps to distribute it throughout the body. Works with the kidney to regulate water metabolism. Important in the immune system and resistance to viruses and bacteria. Regulates sweat glands and body hair, and provides moisture to the skin.

·Symptoms of Lung Imbalance - Shortness of breath and shallow breathing, sweating, fatigue, cough, frequent cold and flu, allergies, asthma, and other lung conditions. Dry skin. Depression and crying.

Liver

·Emotions - anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, “flying off the handle”.

·Liver Function - Involved in the smooth flow of energy and blood throughout the body. Regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.

·Symptoms of Liver Imbalance - breast distension, menstrual pain, headache, irritability, inappropriate anger, dizziness, dry, red eyes and other eye conditions, tendonitis.

Heart

·Emotions - lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair.

·Heart Function - Regulates the heart and blood vessels. Responsible for even and regular pulse. Influences vitality and spirit. Connected with the tongue, complexion, and arteries.

·Symptoms of Heart Imbalance - Insomnia, heart palpitations and irregular heart beat, excessive dreaming, poor long-term memory, psychological disorders.

Kidney

·Emotions - fearful, weak willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated.

·Kidney Function - Key organ for sustaining life. Responsible for reproduction, growth and development, and maturation. Involved with lungs in water metabolism and respiration. Connected with bones, teeth, ears, and head hair.

·Symptoms of Kidney Imbalance - Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and other ear conditions. Premature grey hair, hair loss, and osteoporosis.

_Sources

_{Kaptchuk TJ. The Web That Has No Weaver. Chicago: Congdon and Weed, Inc., 1983.}

_{Tierra M, Tierra L. Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine Volume 1: Diagnosis and Treatment. Twin Lakes: Lotus Press, 1998.}

Posted by Dr. Mercola | December 07 2002

www.drmercola.com

A growing number of people who have learned the EFT technique find it is incredibly useful in helping them to sleep. There are a number of ways EFT can be used to induce pleasant sleep, and I will get to some of these. But, for those who already know how to use the technique — consult Dr. Mercola’s free online EFT manual if you want to learn the basics — the most obvious way to counteract your inability to fall asleep is to “tap” while stating the following affirmation:

“Even though I can’t get to sleep (don’t let myself get to sleep, etc.) I deeply and completely accept myself.”

That’s a good start, but there are some even more effective EFT maneuvers you can use for this purpose. The first and most important thing is to examine the underlying issues in your life that may be causing your consistent pattern of wakefulness. This is crucial if you want to obtain lasting relief from your sleep difficulty — there is always a CAUSE for a sleep disturbance, either physical, emotional or both. You will need to work on this cause by using EFT if you want to remove the sleep problem permanently.

To identify the cause of your insomnia, first analyze the thoughts that circle in your mind during the time you lie awake. What are these thoughts concerned with? Do they relate to a specific theme or themes in your life? Is there a particular concern or worry that refuses to leave you alone at night? Do you have a problem that insists on seeking an answer right away … “or else”?

The following list of suggestions is not exhaustive and may be more of a starting point than a definite direction, but you can use them to spark your thinking. I will give you a few possibilities for some “EFT Choices” that might be useful for dealing with whatever issues come up.

I suggest that you read the following with an open mind, and if any of the phrases fit try that one on for size by tapping with the setup phrase suggested or some variation of it that applies more closely to your own situation

My first suggestion is the EFT Choice:

“Even though I feel a great responsibility for (fill in here with a few words describing any responsibilities that weigh on your mind when you are lying awake at night) … I choose to know that any thoughts I have about this will be even more useful after I sleep.”

Tapping on this statement does NOT make you irresponsible or “avoiding the issues,” by the way. What it will do is allow you to cancel out your concern about the situation so you can get good sleep, and in this way become more clear-headed about this issue the next day. Being weighed down with responsibilities is a common blocker of sleep; you will handle your responsibilities much better if you are well rested.

Another sleep-depriver is anxiety. Suppose you are thinking obsessively because you are anxious about the outcome of something and afraid of what will happen if you don’t come up with a good answer — RIGHT NOW. You may be afraid that your job will be in jeopardy if you don’t do this or that, or that your health will be in jeopardy if you don’t find an answer now, etc.

In all these cases, the best thing to do is to keep a pad and pencil by your bed so you can turn on the light when these thoughts start to circle in your head. Jot down one or two sentences to remind yourself in the morning of what it was you were worried about last night — and then start tapping on the anxiety itself, using EFT.

For example, you might use the Choices phrase:

“Even though I’m anxious about (worried that, etc., fill in whatever it is that worries you), I choose to be calm and confident.” or “I choose to be calm and relaxed, etc.”

Another emotion that often keeps us awake at night is anger — sleep and anger are often incompatible. If this is the case, try tapping directly on YOUR ANGER! If you do this, be totally honest with yourself. Bring out all your resentment toward any uncomfortable position you find yourself in, or toward anyone who is irritating or infuriating to you, etc. Then tap openly and vigorously using such phrases as:

“Even though I’m furious (enraged at, etc., fill in name of person or situation), I choose to be calm and confident.”

This can work wonders because the likelihood is that if your anger was stirred up that much, you were NOT feeling calm and confident about the situation at all but were instead threatened by it in some way. Remove the sense of threat so that you can have peace.

Whatever the issue is that you identify and work on, keep doing rounds of EFT until your distress rating (on a zero to 10 point scale of distress) comes down to a one or a zero (or at least as low as you can get it to go). After doing this, you may naturally fall asleep with no difficulty.

However, old habits do sometimes die hard. If so, you may have to employ other EFT strategies as well to break the problem-solving habit when you are lying in bed. Here are some suggestions for doing that:

If you find yourself wakeful as you lie in bed, you may want to try MENTALLY tapping on each of the EFT acupoints, instead of physical tapping. For many people (myself included) this works quite well because it doesn’t stir us up through physical activity, which can make us more wakeful; mentally tapping through the EFT sequence can do the job just as well.

A very helpful setup phrase for this purpose can be:

“Even though I can’t get to sleep, I choose to be pleasantly drowsy … .”

Notice that I don’t suggest that you directly suggest sleep, simply because that idea might be resisted by habit! Instead, you will be slipping sleep in by the back door, so to speak — if you become pleasantly drowsy, the likelihood is very high that you will automatically drift off to sleep.

As you tap mentally (if you can do so, or if not do EFT by gently touching each acupoint instead of tapping), if the process is working for you, you will at some point find yourself confused about just where you are in the EFT sequence, or begin to forget your reminder phrase. This vague, drifting state of consciousness is exactly what you want so don’t resist it! It means you are entering the so-called hypnogogic (pre-sleep) state. If you just go with it, you will be asleep in the twinkling of an eye, although you probably won’t know it until you awake in the morning.

Another possible phrase for inducing sleep with EFT is:

“Even though my thoughts seem so important, I choose to know that they’ll all be there tomorrow when I wake up.”

This can release you to allow sleep to come naturally.

Finally, if none of these tactics have worked for you, you might then profit greatly by delving into your memory banks to discover just when in your life it was that your sleep difficulties began. When you locate that spot in time, try to remember what happened to you at that time in your life — the likelihood is that there was something traumatic that triggered this wakeful habit, and tapping on that trauma can be the key to resolving your entire sleep problem. I have seen this happen a number of times with clients. The effect of clearing the original cause can be a complete cessation of a sleep disturbance.

I wish you good luck in using EFT as a benefactor of your sleep and your life!

Patricia Carrington

DR. MERCOLA’S COMMENTS

Patricia Carrington’s overview of how to use EFT to conquer insomnia is right on target. I have similarly employed the technique with patients of mine who had trouble sleeping.

For those who haven’t heard of Ms. Carrington, her “Choices Method” is a very useful innovation for EFT. You can read more about the Choices Method on the last page of my free EFT manual.

If you are new to EFT, I suggest you start with the free online EFT manual for the basics, and then consider my more comprehensive Try It On Everything book and DVD.

Article from Mercola.com

If you are having sleep problems, whether you are not able to fall asleep, wake up too often, don’t feel well-rested when you wake up in the morning, or simply want to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep, try as many of the following techniques below as possible:

• My current favorite for insomnia is Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) / Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Most people can learn this gentle tapping technique in several minutes.

  MTT / EFT can help balance your body’s bioenergy system and resolve some of the emotional stresses that are contributing to the insomnia at a very deep level. The results are typically long lasting and the improvement is remarkably rapid.

• Listen to white noise or relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep. An excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to before bed is the Insight audio CD.
• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
• Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. Please whatever you do, keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.
• No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house, completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
  • Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that this reduces night wakings (Click Here).
  • Read something spiritual or religious. This will help to relax. Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.
  • Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on the body to be awoken suddenly. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, they should be unnecessary. I gave up my alarm clock years ago and now use a sun alarm clock. The Sun Alarm™ SA-2002 provides an ideal way to wake up each morning if you can’t wake up with the REAL sun. Combining the features of a traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button, etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, this amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time - ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.
  • Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed. Personally, I have been doing this for 15 years, but prefer to do it in the morning when my brain is functioning at its peak and my coritsol levels are high (CLICK HERE)
  • Melatonin and its precursors. If behavioral changes do not work, it may be possible to improve sleep by supplementing with the hormone melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. One should get blackout drapes so no light is coming in from the outside. One can also use one of melatonin’s precursors, L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). L-tryptophan is obtainable by prescription only. However, don’t be afraid or intimidated by its prescription status. It is just a simple amino acid.
  • Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
  • Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin, and may have other negative effects as well. To purchase a gauss meter to measure EMFs try Cutcat at 800-497-9516. They have a model for around $40. One doctor even recommends that people pull their circuit breaker before bed to kill all power in the house (Dr. Herbert Ross, author of “Sleep Disorders”).
  • Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too hot.
    • Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
    • Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier.
    • Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter may have effects on sleep. In most cases, the condition, which caused the drugs to be taken in the first place, can be addressed by following the guidelines elsewhere on this web site.
    • Avoid caffeine. A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and therefore they can feel the effects long after consuming it. So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling asleep. Also, some medications, particularly diet pills contain caffeine.
    • Alarm clocks and other electrical devices. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from the bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet.
    • Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.
    • Lose weight. Being overweight can increase the risk of sleep apnea, which will prevent a restful nights sleep. CLICK HERE for my diet recommendations.
    • Avoid foods that you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for dairy and wheat products, as they may have effect on sleep, such as causing apnea, excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, and gas, among others.
    • Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.
    • Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating sleep,
    • Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 a.m. …3 a.m. … 4:30 a.m. …
    • Keep your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep.
    • Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician. Scientists have found thatinsomnia may be caused by adrenal stress (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August 2001; 86:3787-3794).
    • If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, get checked out by a good natural medicine physician. The hormonal changes at this time may cause problems if not properly addressed.
    • Don’t change your bedtime. You should go to bed, and wake up, at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
    • Make certain you are exercising regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.
    • Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils or indulging in a massage from your partner. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the day’s tensions.

    • Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that you’ll wake up to go in the middle of the night.

    • Wear an eye mask to block out light. As said above, it is very important to sleep in as close to complete darkness as possible. That said, it’s not always easy to block out every stream of light using curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area (or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). In these cases, an eye mask can help to block out the remaining light.

    • Put your work away at least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed. This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow’s deadlines.

http://www.naturalnews.com/028359_chronic_stress_health.html

Article from Natural News / www.naturalnews.com

(NaturalNews) A deficiency in vitamin B12 often goes unrecognized until it has progressed to the point of anemia. A mild or moderate B12 deficiency may not cause outright anemia, but it’s still linked to symptoms such as:

- fatigue
- lightheadedness
- insomnia
- memory loss
- difficulty concentrating
- pins-and-needles feeling in fingers and toes
- depression
- obsessive-compulsive behavior
- irrational anger
- alcoholism
- dementia
- constipation
- impotence

A B12 deficiency can occur gradually over a period of years. The number and severity of side effects builds as time passes and the deficiency worsens. Preventing and treating a vitamin B12 deficiency naturally as soon as possible is crucial for well-being and general health.

A deficiency in B12 is increasingly common because many people are either not getting enough bioavailable B12 in their diet, or their bodies have trouble absorbing and utilizing B12. Let’s explore the former issue first:

Not all vitamin B12 in food is bioavailable. For instance, the B12 in plant foods (like green vegetables and soy) is an analog form of the vitamin which cannot be used in the human body. This analog B12 can actually interfere with the absorption of other types of vitamin B12, making the reliance on plant foods for B12 very ineffective for many individuals. Soy foods, in particular, appear to cause problems in B12 absorption.

The best natural sources of bioavailable vitamin B12 are from wild-caught fish, shellfish, humanely-raised meats, pastured eggs, and milk that is raw and unpasteurized, since pasteurization produces proteins that block B12 absorption. Of course, high quality foods raised with natural practices will provide the widest spectrum of bioavailable nutrients, including B12.

If you can’t include these natural sources of vitamin B12 in your diet, then supplementation can be highly beneficial and even necessary.

Of course, there are many people who do consume plenty of natural vitamin B12, but have trouble absorbing it properly. This can be caused by several factors:

- Candida overgrowth, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and internal parasites can disrupt the bacteria in the gut which promote B12 absorption.

- If you’ve had part of your stomach or small intestine removed during surgery, this can interfere with B12 absorption.

- Antacids and other heartburn medications reduce stomach acid (which is required for the body to utilize B12).

Vitamin B12 Supplementation

There are two common methods of vitamin B12 supplementation: with shots (administered weekly or monthly at a doctor’s office or at home), or with pills. Both methods appear to be effective for treating a B12 deficiency.

Methylcobalamin is the form of choice when it comes to B12. Though cyanocobalamin is the most common form (it’s the most common type seem in multivitamins and B-complex formulas), it is far less effective. Sublingual tablets are preferred because they enhance absorption.

The dosage of B12 supplementation varies depending on how deficient you are, but a typical daily sublingual dose is 100 - 250 mcg. Those who have trouble absorbing B12 will need much higher doses, such as 1,000 - 2,000 mcg daily.

For More Information:

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnu…

http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstr…

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/…