 age shows how
well a person’s body is functioning compared to the norms
of the whole population. It gives a truer measure of how
the aging process is progressing than does chronological or
calendar age, because any two people who are both 55
years old by the calendar  will generally have very diﬀerent
bodies. Initially all that Wallace needed to test were three
rather simple variables: blood pressure, acuteness of
hearing, and near-point vision (the ability to see objects
close-up). All three steadily deteriorate as the body
biologically ages and therefore serve as convenient
markers. Wallace discovered that the meditators, as a group, were
signiﬁcantly younger biologically than their chronological
age. The diﬀerence between the two was not small, either—
the female subject who scored the best was fully twenty
years younger than her chronological age. Strikingly, how
much younger a person tested was closely correlated to
how long he had kept up his meditation practice. Wallace
found a dividing line between those who had meditated
fewer than ﬁve years and those who had meditated ﬁve
years or more. The ﬁrst group averaged ﬁve years younger
biologically, while the second averaged twelve years
younger. A backup study condu cted in England later
calculated that each year of regular meditation takes oﬀ
roughly one year of aging. Another ﬁnding that particularly
impressed Wallace’s team was that their older subjects
showed as good results as much younger people. A typical
60-year-old meditating ﬁve years or more would have the
physiology of a 48-year-old. Another important point raised by this remarkable study
is that the subjects were not trying  to age more slowly. They were simply removing an invisible barrier, and then
the desirable physical changes took place of their own
accord. This spontaneous ﬂowering seems to be quite
nonspeciﬁc; a 1986 Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance
study based on two thousand meditators in Iowa showed
that they were much healthier than the American
population as a whole in seventeen major areas of serious
disease, both mental and physical. This was a very
signiﬁcant improvement. For example, the meditation
group was hospitalized 87 percent less often than
nonmeditators for heart disease and 50 percent less often
for all kinds of tumors. There were equally impressive
reductions in disorders of the respiratory system, the
digestive tract, clinical depression, and so forth. Although
the study was limited to one group, this is very encouraging
news for anyone who wants to follow a holistic program of
prevention. —
The fourth state may play an important role in our future. At the source of human awareness lies a super-normal level
of consciousness—it can become normal, however, once we
have accustomed ourselves to experiencing it. If turiya is
the mind’s birthplace, then why can’t it be the mind’s
permanent home. This is the next area to explore,
investigating whether nature is uniﬁed not just in Einstein’s
hypothetical model but in ourselves. EXPANDING THE TOPIC
In hindsight, the practical side of this chapter, connecting
meditation with positive changes in the brain, has only
expanded. * Rese arch into medita tion continues apace,following the same lines I described thirty years ago. Vital
signs are seen to improve, and various eﬀects on brain
function can be observed with ever-increasing accuracy. Skeptics have been thoro ughly driven out of the debate on
these issues, but not on the notion of unbounded
awareness. Recognition of a fourth state of consciousness,
beyond waking, dreamin g, and sleeping, arous es ﬁerce
opposition because “unb ounded” would mean that mind
exists outside the brain. The path to proving the reality of unbounded awareness
isn’t by introducing cosmic mind, not if you want to
convince anyone who would suspect that God’s in the
wings. It’s more convincing, especially to doctors, if you
direct them to the intima te scale of the human body. When
someone asks, “Where is the mind located. ” they will
automatically point to their heads. Why. Is it because  we
automatically expect to experience our thoughts in our
heads. That seems to be the case. When dream ing at night,
it gets a bit more ambiguous, since we feel that we are
“inside” our dreams. But for most of us, most of the time,
“my head” is where “my mind” is located. This response may feel true simply because so many
sense organs are located there: eyes, ears, nose, tongue. But we can easily undermine the commonsense model of
sight and sound taking place in the head. When a car
backﬁres behind you, the sound can’t be felt entering the
ear canal, being processe d in the inner ear and then in the
brain’s auditory center. There is no noise in the brain. Quite
clearly the sound of the backﬁring car comes from outside
you. In some cultures, hearing is a faculty that goes from
inside to outside, the opposite of what we assume. Think
about driving down the highway and suddenly noticing the
driver in front of you hitting the brakes. Your attention goes
out in order to see his rear lights go on. The senses follow
attention, which makes it plausible to say your mind wentoutside your body when you spotted the brake lights. We
casually adopt this model for vision when we say that
someone “shoots a glance” at someone else. Babies, we are told, have  a much more diﬀuse experience
of the ﬁve senses, perhaps mixing them up in what are
called synesthesias (for example, experiencing sounds as
colors or tastes as shapes, an experience reported from
hallucinogenic drugs and in deep meditative states). Some
researchers contend that babies therefore have  a poor
sense of the boundary between themselves and the world. But infants turn into toddlers, and the separation between
self and the world starts to harden. Society and family
reinforce this habit as the toddler grows up, and eventually
the mind takes its seat in our heads, or so it seems. In
altered states, whether induced by drugs or in deep
meditation, there are countless reports, echoed by Charles
Lindbergh in his transatlantic ﬂight, of the mind extending
in all direct ions. There are even subjective reports of
sitting in a chair and reaching out to touch some velvet
drapes far across the room—the senses literally go where
they are directed. Neuroscientists would call such experiences anomalies,
declaring resolutely that mind and brain have taken up
residence together in a box called the skull. But it is
undeniably possible to literally “think outside the box,”
beginning with the message system discussed in this book
that connect s every cell in the body with whatever is
occurring in the brain. “Fine,” a neuroscientist would
argue, “but the brain is still the machine that makes mind. Take away the brain, and there is no mind. ” But this is the
same as saying that if you turn oﬀ the radio, there is no
music. You haven’t destroyed the music, only the receiver. One must be open to asking some culturally radical
questions, including the most radical of all: Is a brain evennecessary for “thinking”. There are diﬀerent ways to
explore this issue. First, let’s consider whether only human brains  create
minds. Few people who have pets or live on farms would
say that the animals they encounter don’t have minds. There is already abun dant evidence that the genes,
receptors, and neurotran smitters involved in human brain
function are present in animals. Saying that diﬀerent kinds
of animal brains create minds is not so troublesome if you
insist that the mind is rooted in these shared processes and
chemicals. We aren’t able to describe what animal minds
are like (some may lack anything like human self-
awareness), but we shouldn’t have a problem conceiving
that these creatures have one. Second, there are nervo us systems on the evolutionary
ladder than don’t require a central brain. Some creatures,
like jellyﬁsh, have neuron al nets distributed throug hout the
body. We, too, have such systems. Your gastrointestinal
tract sends and receives signals from the peripheral nerves
that branch out from the spinal cord. But digestion can
function quite well when severed from the peripheral
nervous system. As in the jellyﬁsh, your gut constitutes a
weblike intestinal nervous system. In the language of cell
biology, specialized ganglion cells are located between
muscle layer s in the intestinal wall that act like a local
brain. If one severs any peripheral nerves, these ganglion
cells continue to instruct the intestine to move and absorb
and secrete, working quite autonomously as a self-
contained functional unit. It turns out that the intestinal tract only takes advice
from the rest of the body. It harbors its own reactions. When bad news gives you a sinking feeling in the pit of
your stomach, you are experiencing an emotion as surely as
you experience it in your head. In fact, your gut reaction
pre


). If you are just beginning an exercise program, first chec k with your
health provider to make certain there are no contraindications to  starting anunsupervised exercise program, such as heart disease, severe obesity, or
limiting arthritis. At the beginnin g of your progr am, aim to reach a tar get exercise heart
rate between 50 and 60 percent of your MHR. Choose 60 percent if you are
in reasonably good shape and 50 percent if you are not or if it’ s been a long
time since you’ve performed any cardiovascular activity. At a ge fifty, this  is calculated to be 85 to 102 beats per minute (50% of
170 = 85; 60% of 170 = 102). T ake your pulse before you sta rt and then begin exercising u ntil your
heart rate hits the tar get num ber. There are many high-quality heart
monitors availab le for under $1 00 in the marketplace, with som e as low as
$50. If you do not have a monit oring device, you can still check your pulse
every five to ten  minutes while exercising, but it is easier to determine your
exercise level if you can just glance at a wrist monitor. Optimal benefit is gained when you exercise between twenty and thirty
minutes, but if y ou are out of shape, begin with just ten or fifteen minutes. A wide range of  activities can p rovide an ef fective cardiovascular workout,
including joggi ng, bicycling, dancing, cycling, kickboxing, spinning,
treadmill, stair -climbing, rowing, hiking, and swimming. Find  something
you like to do that is easily acc essible to you. There is also proven benefit
to cross- training. This means finding a few dif ferent strength-training and
aerobic a ctivities that you can ro tate through on dif ferent days. O ne day you
might us e a treadmill for twenty  minutes, the next day you may ride a bike,
and anot her you may go to an aerobics dance class. Each activit y will work
a dif fere nt set of muscles while improving your cardiovascular fitness. Establish a regular time for your daily routine to maintain consistency. Once you are comfortable at yo ur current level of activity, try gradually
increasing your tar get heart rate from 65 to 75 percent of your MHR. At agefifty, this would mean a tar get heart between 110 and 128 beats per minute
(65% of 170 = 110; 75% of 170 = 128). For the first coupl e of weeks,
remain at 60 p ercent and then gradually increase your tar ge t rate by 5
percent every few weeks until you are at 70 to 75 percent of your MHR. Do not increase your tar get rate  if you are straining at your current level. Y ou should be a ble to speak wh ile you are exercising, although if you can
easily carry on a conversation, you are probably ready to increase your
intensity. For the most part, you should be able to breathe through your
nose. T ry thinking the “So Hum” mantra while you are exercising to keep
your atte ntion fu lly in your bod y, using “So” on inhalations and  “Hum” on
exhalations. A th in l ayer of perspiration tell s you that your body is burning calories,
but you should not be sweating profusely. If at any time y ou become
acutely short of breath or develop chest discomfort, stop your activity and
immediately contact your health care provider. Although you will feel that
you have definitely expended e ner gy during a good workout, you should
not feel complet ely exhausted or depleted. Some mild soreness is common
at first or when you increase your intensity, but you should not have severe
discomfort. Use  common sense and aim for the long-term balan ced benefits
of a regular exercise program. It will not tak e long to see improvements in both strength and
cardiovascular fitness with a consistent fitness program. In addition to an
improvement in your general sense of well-being, you will not ice that you
are losing accumulated weight, sleeping better, and experiencing better
digestion and elimination. Mos t important, you will look an d feel your
healthy Biostat age. No one can take this step toward improved physical
capacity but you. Start today a nd you will quickly see yours elf growing
younger. Exer cise on the RoadIf your life invol ves a good deal  of travel it will take some extra attention to
stay on your exercise routine. Most hotels have a workout room with basic
equipment. Ask  about the exercise facilities when you are making a
reservation. Eve n if equipment is not available, you can perform the basic
seven ex ercises in your hotel room using two-liter water bott les for your
weights. The other strength-training drills simply use your body. If a  treadmill is unavailable,  you can get in your cardiovascular
conditioning by doing Sun Salutations rapidly for fifteen to twenty minutes. Use the stairs in stead of the hote l elevator to get to your room floor. If your
business meeting  is within walk ing distance, leave enough time to get there
with a brisk stroll rather than taking a taxi. It is always easier to continue
exercising regul arly than it is to stop for a week or two and then restart. Make your fitness program a h igh priority. (For more information on the
Grow Y ounger, Live Longer F itness Program, see the appendix on page
271.) Staying Active
Seek ou t opport unities during the day to be physically active. If you live
half a mile from your fitness club, put on your running shoes and jog there
instead of driving and spending ten minutes looking for a parking place. If
you work on the twentieth story of a high-rise of fice building, take the
elevator to the sixteenth floor and walk up the remaining flights of stairs. If
you need to pick up a few items at the grocery store, ride your bike and save
some fossil fuel. Park your car a  few blocks from work and walk the rest of
the way to and from your of fice. Consciously make the choices to stay physically active. Y our body and
mind will respond with greater ener gy and vitality. Staying active will help
you grow younger and live longer. Every day in every way,
I am incr easing my mental and physical capacity.My Biostat is set at a healthy ____ years of age. I look and feel a healthy ____ years old. I am r eversing my biological age:
By changing my per ception of my body, its aging and time;
Thr ough two kinds of deep r est—r estful awar eness and  r estful sleep;
By nurturing my body thr ough healthy foods;
By using nutritional complements wisely;
By enhancing mind/body integration; and
Thr ough exer cise. 8
Y ou Can Reverse Y our
Biological Age by Eliminating
T oxins from Y our Life

ACTION STEP # 7
I a m r eversing my biological age by eliminating toxins fr om my  physical
and emotional bodies. I put this into practice by:
Eliminating all toxicity fr om my diet and drinking two to  thr ee liters of
water every day. Learning to handle emotional turbulence. Healing or eliminating toxic r elationships. The accumulation of toxins
in the body/mind system
accelerates aging. The elimination of toxinsawakens the capacity for r enewal. T oxins must be identified and
eliminated fr om your
body, mind, and soul. Y ou can  reverse your biological age by eliminating toxins from your life. Every impulse of life can be considered in terms of whether it brings
nourishment or toxicity. A nourishing experience brings you happiness,
expands your awareness, and helps you grow younger. A toxic experience
brings m isery, makes you feel stuck, and accelerates aging. This is true
whether you are talking about toxic substances, toxic food, toxic
relationships, or toxic emotions. An essential step to reverse the aging
process is to identify and release toxins from every level of your life. Aging and illness result from  the accumulation of toxic reactions. Scientists now understand that toxic damage to cells and tissues is the
consequence of free radicals that are formed whenever oxygen is
metabolized. A free radical mol ecule is an oxygen molecule that is missing
an e lectron. Also known as re active oxygen species (ROS), they go by
names such as h ydroxy radical, singlet oxygen, superoxide, an d hydrogen
peroxide. These hungry chemicals are indiscriminate about how they
replace their missing electron, a nd will strip one from any nearby source,including proteins, fats, or DNA molecules. Under controlled situations,
free rad icals are useful in met abolizing food and mounting an immune
response against invading bacte ria. However, the collateral damage of free
radical formation is responsible  for illness and aging. Many of the most
common illnesses of our society linked to free radical damage are:
Cancer
Heart disease
Stroke
Diabetes
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Glaucoma
Retinal degeneration
Alzheimer ’ s disease
W rinkling skin, graying hair, and stif fening joints are also the  result of
free rad icals. There are things you


 brain to interpret the environment and to use the nervous
system to relay that information, telling the cells what to do. Depending on one’s
perceptions of the environment, the expression of genes can be greatly affected. For
example, the mortality rate goes up during the first year or two after retirement. Why. Does the brain perceive that “life” is over, causing the genes to express
accordingly. Deepak Chopra, M. D., author of many books and a pioneer and leader
in mind/body medicine, often says in his lectures, “Aging is a mistake. ” He means
that we observe others around us aging, so we believe that we too will age. We
literally instruct our genes to age us. Could this be one of the reasons that
traditionally healthy people like the Hunzas lived so long. By believing that they
would live long, healthy lives, did they actually instruct their genes accordingly. Much evidence indicates that what we believe does affect the function of our cellsand the expression of our genes. Intentional Damage to Your DNA
Modern diet and lifestyle can cause damage to genes— different from genetically
inherited predispositions. Rather than causing the expression of existing genetic
coding, genetic damage involves changes in the coding. A change in genetic coding
is known as a mutation, which can occur both through natural causes and man-
created damage. One theory of aging is that gene mutations over a lifetime cause
gradual loss of function and resilience. The ability of genes to mutate is not all
“bad,” but rather is an essential part of evolution and of adaptation to changing
conditions. The mutations to be concerned about are caused by chemicals and radiation,
which can lead to dramatic and unpredictable changes in genetic coding. Genes are
crucial plans for creating, repairing and reproducing an organism; randomly
changing these plans is a bad idea. What would happen if you started making
random changes to the blueprints of your house. Doors, windows, walls and even
whole rooms would appear in strange places. So it is with genetic damage. What causes genetic mutation. •
Ionizing radiation:
Almost half of the average person’s exposure to ionizing
radiation comes from medical X rays and medical radiation treatments. Avoid
this kind of radiation unless vitally necessary. It’s bizarre that physicians put
much stock in the genetic origins of disease yet also inflict massive amounts of
genetic damage with pharmaceutical chemicals and X rays. •
Non-ionizing radiation:
This is created by the flow of electricity and may also
have genetic repercussions— though the evidence is less clear. As a general
rule, avoid close proximity or prolonged exposure to all types of electric
devices. •
Toxins:
These include man-made industrial chemicals, prescription drugs,
tobacco, alcohol and chemical residues in meat and dairy products, such as
PCBs and dioxins. In particular, foods that are heated to high temperatures or
blackened (such as in barbecuing) contain chemicals capable of causing gene
mutations and cancer. When a cell is exposed to toxins or radiation, the cell may die or the genes may be
damaged. A mutated gene may permanently alter the way the cell works, often
contributing to deficiency, toxicity and disease. Furthermore, altered cells (with
mutated genes) can replicate, allowing the mutation to propagate throughout more
and more cells. The effects of this replication can range from minor to devastating;
replication is a classic way for cancer to develop. Worse, if genetic mutations take
place in a reproductive cell, a 50/50 chance exists of passing these on to an unbornchild. Destroyed or damaged cells and genes can lead to premature aging and a
variety of diseases, including cancer, fatigue, poor resistance to infections,
psychological stress and even social maladjustment. Genes are not causing aging and disease. We are. We expose our cells to the
toxins and radiation that make the genes mutate in the first place. Life in the twenty-
first century is now causing damage to our genes and creating mutations in
unprecedented ways and at an alarming rate. As scientist Richard Lewontin said in
his 1982 book,
Human Diversity:
“Because of technology’s ventures into ionizing
radiation and synthetic chemistry, the human beings of our age, as well as the food
chain on which we live, are thought to be undergoing a far higher mutation rate than
biology has been accustomed to. ”
Fortunately, under the right circumstances, genetic damage can be repaired. Not
only must we avoid damaging our genes in the first place, we also must provide our
genes with the materials (nutrients) they need in order to repair themselves. Genetically Modified Foods: Risky Business
No contemporary discussion on genetics is complete without discussing the
powerful genetic technologies in use today, particularly with our foods. With
modern genetic technology, what would have seemed miraculous just a generation
ago is now possible. However, whether or not these technologies pose a threat to our
health is a huge debate. Scientists on both sides constantly argue their points. These
technologies present the potential both for great achievement and for catastrophe. Not enough research is available to know what will happen, although the research
that is available presents cause for serious concern or even alarm. I recommend
against consuming genetically modified foods because I believe these foods may be
lower in nutrients, higher in toxins and present other potential risks as well. Never before in human evolution has humankind eaten a genetically modified
food. Only in recent years have we developed the technologies that allow us to create
these foods. Now genetic technologies are being developed and deployed rapidly,
with few controls and almost no consideration for long-term consequences. Most of
the food in your supermarket already contains genetically modified components. Yet
there is insufficient research, particularly long-term research, to establish the safety
of genetically modified foods and, indeed, ample reason to believe they may not be
safe. If we keep producing and consuming genetically modified foods, we will be
unable to prevent genetic contamination from becoming prevalent throughout our
entire food supply. If ever these foods are determined unsafe, the damage will be
irreversible. Unexpected results from these foods might not become obvious until
years after they are introduced, at which point taking it back is too late. Ourscientists do their best, but when experimenting with genetics, the potential for
unanticipated side effects is almost incalculable. Here is one scenario: Over time,
genetically modified organisms interact with their environment, mutate and evolve,
and pass on their mutant characteristics to other related and unrelated organisms,
including us. This sets off a chain of events throughout the entire ecosystem,
jeopardizing life on earth as we know it. I know this scenario sounds dramatic, but
messing with genes and the course of evolution is risky business. Is That a Jellyfish in Your Potato. Producing new foods with modern genetic engineering is no minor event. Genetic
engineers cut, splice and transfer genes between totally unrelated species to produce
combinations that could never occur in nature. Scientists are inserting jellyfish
genes into potatoes, scorpion genes into vegetables, human genes into pigs and fish
genes into tomatoes. Perfect accuracy using these gene-splicing techniques and
knowing exactly what will be produced is almost impossible. Researchers at the
prestigious Rowett Institute in Scotland studied different batches of genetically
modified potatoes and found substantial differences from the same gene insertion. Two lines of potatoes grown from the same gene insertion and the same growing
conditions had a 20 percent difference in protein content, demonstrating the
unpredictability inherent in genetic modification. Genetically modified foods may be of altered nutritional value, and they also may
contain allergens or toxins they would not naturally contain—including ones not
normally associated with that type of food. For example, genes from Brazil nuts
were used to engineer a new soybean; but people allergic to Brazil nuts were now
highly reactive to these soybeans. Fortunately the problem was discovered before
anyone was harmed. Other genetically modified foods may present similar risks. A
1999 study printed in the British medical journal
Lancet
showed that genetically
modified potatoes damaged the stomach and intestinal linings of rats. People are
also eating genetically modified potatoes, but similar tests are not being performed
on humans. Do you recall one of the health “scandals” of the late 1980s. Many people who
took an essential amino acid called tryptophan (which is used for treating depression
and other emotional problems) had devastating reactions. Thirty-seven people died,
fifteen hundred were permanently disabled, and five thousand became extremely ill. As it turned out, one particular manufacturer in Japan had produced tryptophan using
a genetically modified bacterium, which did produce commercial quantities of
tryptophan, but which also produced a powerful nerve poison. Of course this poison
did not exist until we created it with genetic engineering, so it could not be detected
by existing safety tests. We cannot test for toxins we don’t know about, which is the
problem with genetically engineered foods. They are capable of producing theunexpected. Supermarkets Full of Genetic Experiments
Food industry journals estimate that about 70 percent of the processed foods in
our supermarkets would test positive for genetically modified ingredients. Most
common are genetically engineered corn, soybeans, tomatoes, yellow crookneck
squash, canola, papaya and Russet Burbank potatoes. Other foods are being
developed, such as apples, rice, wheat, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, melons and
grapes; genetically modified versions of these foods are either in stores already or
they soon will be. A 1999 study by
Consumer Reports
found that only one-third of U.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: According


 tment is also given to those with neuro-muscular and
skeletal disorde rs as well as to help clients reach beyond theirpsychophysical limitations. Based on a precise knowledge of the
body’ s ener getic channels  (nadis)  and vital spots  (marmas), the
therapist suspends his weight from ropes overhead and applies
pressure with long strokes of the soles of his feet, after the client’ s
body ha s been prepared with specially medicated oil. There is
usually some manipulation of the joints and limbs also. What distinguishes  chavitti thirumal  from other massage
treatments is the application. The foot of the masseur is able to give
a deeper, more thorough pressure and is able to cover the whole
length o f the body from the tips of the fingers to the tips of the toes,
with long continuous graceful strokes. Therapists need to under go
many years of t raining: learning the  chavitti  art requires a certain
type of calling and certainly a deep dedication to the wellbeing of
clients and their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual upkeep. After placing a foot in some medicated oil, the  chavitti  therapist balances his or
her weight via ropes hanging from the ceiling, and presses deep into  marma
points along the client’ s back and legs.hot stone abhyangam
This de eply penetrating, all-over body blast is an example of
how A yurveda may be integrated with other hea ling
traditions from elsewhere in the world. Developed by
therapists at the world-famous Soukya International Holi stic
Health Center  near Bangalore, it employs the hea ling
medicated her bal oils and m assage movements of A yurveda
with the warmth and nurturing qualities of hot stones
developed by both Native American Indians and T ibet ans
(separately of course!). It is  one and a half hours of p ure
bliss. Small stones placed  between the toes are delightfully indulgent, while larger ones
are used for the massage itself. Feelings of warmth and security emanate from
them; all the while the medicated oil does its detoxifying work. There is both a therapeutic elem ent and a feel-good factor to this
treatment, so you can relax coco oned in the warmth emanating f rom
the hot stones knowing that what is taking place is good for you. The long, firm strokes of the masseuse encourage the eliminatio n of
toxins from the deeper tissues and also stimulate peripheral
circulation of both blood and lymph. This, along with the heat from
the stones, enables the medicated oils to be absorbed to do their
work. Naturally, as with all A yurvedic treatments, oils are chosen
according to the client’ s constitution and/or ailment. One the rapist is in char ge of heating and re-heating the stones,
while th e other alternates between oil massage, stone massage with
oil, and placing stones at key points on the body. As the treatment
progresses, a rhythm is established. One part of the body is being
massaged, while a strategically placed stone sends heat deep into
another part of the body; as the stone cools, it is replaced or ta ken
away an d another stone is plac ed elsewhere. After the back, legs
and arms have b een seen to, the client turns over, and is then invited
to li e do wn on eight stones that run up either side of the spine. The
heat is then twofold: coming up through the back, and down from
stones on the front. Stones are often basalt, a black volcanic rock with a high iron content,  that
absorbs and retains  heat well. Such stones are believed to improve energy flows
in the body. W ith soothing music, firm massage strokes and the wonderfully
nurturing warmt h from the smooth stones, this is an experienc e to
savor. T he mind wanders and re turns, the body sighs in acceptance,the spirit is soot hed. Unfortunat ely, it seems all too soon when the
treatment comes  to an end. Nonetheless, the benefits linger an d if
this therapy is prescribed as a daily treat during a long-term stay, the
ef fects are magnified considerably.marma massage  Pressure Point
Massage
Indian pressu re points are known as  marmas  and are
similar to Chinese acupressure points. T ranslating from  the
Sanskrit as “secret” or “hidden”, they are found at junctures
of the body where two or  more tissues, muscles, veins,
ligaments, bones or joints meet. In T raditional Chinese Medicine (TCM ), there are thousands of such
points, but only 107 exist in th e A yurvedic system. Consistin g of
major po ints tha t correspond to t he seven  chakras  and minor points
that rad iate out along the torso  and limbs, they are measured by
finger units  (anguli)  to detect their correct locations. There are 22
points on the low er extremities, 22 on the arms, 12 on the chest and
stomach, 14 on the back and 37 on the head and neck. The mind is
considered the 108th  marma  point. In the  Sushruta Samhita  each
point has a Sanskrit name. A yurveda states that every  marma  point is placed a t a junction
of d if ferent channels of  prana  movements in the body. Prana,
similar to  chi  in  TCM, is considered the subtle vital ener gy that
pervades every part of the bo dy, nurturing the cell systems. If
marma  points become blocked or ruptured,  prana  flow is
interrupted and or gans may be come diseased. If they are c lear,
prana  is fre e to  travel the meridians or  nidas  unchecked — and the
body is healthy. The idea of massaging the  marma  points began in Kerala at
around 1500  BC  when masters of  kalari payattu  first used themarma  points as points for injury. It w as only a matter of time
before A yurvedic physicians rea lized that these points could also be
used for  healing — and began  to experiment with massaging the
points to trigger a healing flow of ener gy. T oday,  marma  massage
is pr acticed at cl inics and spas f or a number of dif ferent reasons, be
it therapeutic, relaxing or revitalizing. Marma  massage generally combines soft, flowing movements
(abhyangam ) with pressure point therapy. For the latter, the
therapist uses one or more fingers depending on the size of  the
marma  point, an d either presses directly or in circular motions on
that particular point. It is believed that clockwise movements
stimulate and ener gize a  marma  point, while counterclockwise
motions break up blocked ener gy and toxins held within a point. The pra ctice is quite similar to Chinese acupressure or Japan ese
shiatsu, the  origins of which lie in A yurvedic practice. Benefits of
regular  marma  massage are a general balancing — emotional,
spiritual and physical — resulting in clarity, calmness and
confidence. Showing both  chakra  points and meridian s, this educational drawing (left below )
shows how  prana  or the vital force needs to flow around the body. Specific points
(left and below ) are pressed to release blocked  prana.champi  Indian Head Massage
In spite  of its name, Indian head massage involves work  not
only on the head but on the upper back, shoulders, neck,
scalp a nd face too. In much  the same way that T raditional
Chinese Medicine dictates that certain points on the feet are
directly aligned to internal or gans, A yurvedic texts re late
certain parts of the head  to other body parts and /or
symptoms or diseases. Therefore, a  champi  or head
massage does not only af fect the immediate areas massaged:
it can be a healing, rejuvenating and thoroughly stimulating
experience as well. The moment a b aby is born, th e fontanel on the top of its head is
covered immediately with cloth soaked in oil with a  bala  root
decoction to strengthen the head, sight and intelligence. Mothers
massage their babies’ heads to facilitate strong skull and brain
development, and later, give their daughters head massages to
stimulate the scalp and infuse c onditioning oils into the hair. Men
are used to rec eiving a sharp rubdown at the barber ’ s shop and
another place you are likely to r eceive an Indian head massage is in
a salon or spa. The massage normally takes 30 to 60 minutes and is given
seated in a chair. It may be dry or oils may be used to both condition
hair and calm t he nervous system, as hair roots are connected to
nerve fi bers. T echniques vary, but the therapist usually start by
gently kneading  upper back, shoulder and neck muscles, then worksup to  the  head. Here, the scalp is squeezed, rubbed and tapped  and
hair may be


...................................
Author’s  Note............................................................................
1.Taoist View of W omen’s Chi  Energy................................
A. How  Energy  is Used.......................................................
B. Principal  Energy -”Jing”...................................................
C. Emotional  Expense ........................................................ 1.“Dumping”  Negative  Emotions....................................
D. Life- Force  Energ y (Chi)..................................................
   1. Transforming  Negative  Energ y into Life- Force
   Energ y (Chi) ...................................................................
   2. Gaining  Additional  Chi throu gh Love making..............
   3. Chi-the  Key to Attaining  Good  Health ........................
E. Creative  Force- Sexual Energ y.......................................
   1. Position Energ y Will Increase  Sexual
   Creative  Energ y..............................................................
   2. Good  Virtue- the Heart  of the  Healing  Tao...................
   3. Losing- Energ y Pleasure  and Gaining- Energ y
   Pleasure .........................................................................
   4. “Beyond Orgasm”......................................................
F. W hat is Ovarian  Kung  Fu?............................................. G. W omen’s Sexual  Energy................................................
   1. Ovaries  Contain  Life- Force  Energ y...........................
   2. Ovaries  Energy  Develops  a Higher
   Consciousness ..............................................................
   3. Ovary  Energ y-the Best Cos metic.............................
   4. Duration  of a Woman’s Sexual  Life...........................
   5. Organs’  Ogas m-the  True  Orgas m............................
      a.  Outw ard Orgasm...................................................
      b.  Inward Orgasm......................................................
   6. Who is Responsible  for your Orgas m?......................
H. A Good  Sexual Relationshi p - Three Levels
   of Sexual Energ y............................................................1
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    1. Physical  Level............................................................
    2. Emotional  Level..........................................................
    3. Spiritual  Level ............................................................. I. Goal  of Taoist M editati on...................................................
    1. Discover y of Chi.........................................................
    2. Body  is Com posed  of Three Parts............................
    3. Developing  the Physical  Body.................................... 4. Giving Birth  to the  Self, the  Soul  Body........................14
15
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2. Wo men’s Sexual Anatomy................................................. 19
A. Moun t of Venus...............................................................
B. Inner  Lips .......................................................................
C. Glands  of the  Clitoris......................................................
D. Urethra  and Vagina.........................................................
E. G-Spot ............................................................................ F. Female Ej aculation.........................................................
G. First  Lubricative  Fluid  of the  Vagina ...............................
H. Perineum........................................................................ I. Perineal...........................................................................
J. Perineum........................................................................19
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3. Sexual Resp onse Cycle................................................... 30
A. Cl itoris  and Vaginal  Orgasm.......................................... 30
B. Depletion  of Sexual Energ y............................................ 32
C. Ovarian  Kung  Fu............................................................  33
4. Microcosmic  Orbit............................................................. 35
A. Learn  to Circulate  your Chi in the
   Microc osmic Orbit..........................................................
B. Discovery  of the  Microc osmic Orbit...............................
C. Tw o Major  Energy  Channels  of the Microcosmic Orbit-
   Function al and Governo r...............................................
D. Sexual Energ y................................................................
   1. Primordial Energ y......................................................
   2. A Powerful, Versatile  Energy .....................................
E. Sealing  the Energy  within the Body................................
F. Openin g the Microc osmic Energy  Channel....................35
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-7-Contents
5. Cultivating Ovarian  Power............................................... 43
I. Activation  and Control  of Ovarian  Energ y...........................
     A. Im portance  of Sexual  Organs’  Exercise ........................
        1. Celibates....................................................................
     B. Im portance  of Sexual  Organs’  Exercise ........................
        1. A W oman’s Menst rual Cycl e.....................................
        2. Yang Energy  and the Menst rual Cycl e....................... C. Diaphra gms....................................................................
        1. Pelvic Diaphragm.......................................................
        2. Urogenital  Diaphragm................................................
     D. Sacral  and Cranial  Pum ps Mov e Chi up  the Spine........
        1. Sacral  Pump..............................................................
        2. Cranial  Pum p..............................................................
     E. Chi Muscl e Assists in Controllin g the Flow of Chi..........
        1. Perineum Pow er.........................................................
        2. Anus is connect ed to Organ  Energy..........................
        3. Anus Region  is Div ided into Five  Sections ................
            a. Mid dle Part............................................................. b. Front  Part...............................................................
            c. Back Part...............................................................
            d. Left  Part .................................................................
            e. Right  Part...............................................................
     F.  Yang Ovaries’  Energy -Healing  and Creative  Pow er.......
II. Single  Cultivation:  Ovaries’  Energ y Breathin g, Ovarian
     and  Vaginal  Com pression....................................................
     A. Ovarian  Breathing...........................................................
        1. An Overvie w of the Exercise...................................... 2. Postures.....................................................................
     A. Sitting.............................................................................. B. Standing .........................................................................
     C. L ying...............................................................................
III. A. Step- By-Step Guide........................................................
        A. Bringing  Energy  into the Ovarian  Palace  and Dow n
        to  the First  Station:  the Perineum..................................
            (1) Bringing  Energ y into the Ovarian  Palace.............
            (2) First  Station:  the Perineu m..................................
            (3) Retention  of Sexual  Energy  at the
            Perineum Point..........................................................
            (4)Retur ning to the  Ovarian  Palace...........................43
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B. Moving  the Energy  up the Spine throu gh the
Secound  Station:  the Sacrum, the First  Sexual
Energy  Transform ing Point ............................................
   (1


 wron g way, and the heart will close. We all have differen t samskaras,
and we are taking on new ones all the time. That is why what turns one
person on, turns another perso n off. It is also why the heart behaves
differently for the same person at dif ferent times. It’ s hard to believe that our
moods, attractions, and repulsion s are so dependent on our past, but it’s true. In our normal state, we’re not paying any attention to what’ s going on—
we’re just being tossed around by it.Chapter 25. The Secrets of the Heart
We are now ready  to go deeper into the secrets of the heart. From our earlier
explorations, you recognize that the energy can flow out for a while and
create the sensation of love. You also understand that since the opening of
the heart is conditional upon the state of blockages, the energy flow itself is
conditional and generally will not last. Yet it is possible to expe rience great
love all the time. All it requir es is a willingness to work on yourself to
remove the reason your heart tends to close. For examp le, imagine
somebody dies who means a great deal to you. Your spouse can’t go to the
funeral with you because of some important work. You may deeply resent
that. In fact, if you’re not careful, you may resent that for the rest of your
life. You’re playing with fire when you play with these blockag es. You may
lay the groundw ork that will eventually diminish or even destroy your
relationship with your significant other. This is not a game—storing
samskaras is serious business, and it has serious consequences. If you want
love to last, learn to handle these situations better. This is a secret of the
heart that is best to remember. Another very important thing to understand about the outward flow of
energy through the heart is that it literally makes a connection with the other
person. This connection is real, and you become attached as the energy is
exchanged between you. This is not a physical attachment to one another;
this is a reliance  on the energy flowing between your hearts that is feeding
you both ener getically. Let’s look at this in detail. Your heart was closed because  stored
patterns from your past were blocking the energy flow. Someone shows up
whose qualities and characteris tics hit you just right so the energy finds a
path around one of your major blockages. The blockage is not gone, but a
pathway has opened up allowin g the energy to flow out through the heart.That energy goes out toward the other person, and the other person’ s energy
goes out toward you. With the help of another person, you have managed to
experience what  you would be experiencing if the original block age was not
there. Perhaps you used to think people didn’ t like you and that you were
not very attracti ve. Someone shows up who always admires you and looks
at you with tremendous love. It makes you feel so comfortable that you melt
in their gaze. It’s unbelievable. You don’t feel that weirdness you used to
feel all the time. Though this is really beautiful, unfortunately the samskara that was
blocking your energy flow is still there. The energy found a way around it,
but only as long as the energy exchange with this person is still working. It’s
like putting a jumper in an electr ical circuit. You bypassed the sam skara, but
now you are very attached to and dependent on that person. If they start to
leave you, or if you even think about losing them, you will feel that original
samskara again  in all its glory. You will feel the underlying fear and
weirdness you used to feel, and it may even be stronger than before. In other
words, you’ve tied your energy flow to somebody else, and the state of your
heart is now dependent upon their behavior. Surely you have noticed this
pattern numerous times in your life. This is called human love. It is very
beautiful, but fortunately, there is a much higher form of love that is
unconditional and can last forever. The greatest secret of the heart is revealed when you get rid of the
samskaras instead of finding a way around them. If you get rid of the
blockages that are restricting the energy from flowing into and through your
heart, you will feel love all the time. It will always be brimming through
you. Once you reach that state,  if you simply wave your hand in front of
your heart, you will feel waves of ecstatic love pour through you. That’ s
how easy it will be to experienc e love. Love will become the core of your
being. Now, go share it. By all means, share the beautiful love you are
feeling. You will be able to do this without attachment or need because your
love is not dependent upon anyone or anything else. You are whole and
complete within  yourself. We call that self-effulgence. To reach this great
state, you must do the necessary work on yourself to release your samskaras
instead of constantly trying to find a way around them. You now understand much more  about the inner workings of the heart. Thus far we’ve focused on how the energy can flow through the lower part
of the heart or be blocked from doing so. We can call this lower part of theheart the human heart because depending upon how open it is, the energy
flow can create the entire range of human emotions. Energy blocked in the
lower part of the heart can be experienced as feelings of jealousy, insecurity,
or pangs  of yearning. Even ange r is the result of a strong energy flow hitting
blockages in the heart and shooting out. On the other hand, if the heart is
open enough for the energy to make it to the middle of the heart chakra
where it can flow out horizontally, the energy will be experienced as human
love. It’s all the same energy doing this—the only difference  is how it’s
blocked. There is anothe r level of the heart that can be experienced when the
upward energy flow is strong enough to pass through the middle  of the heart
without going out horizontally. The samskaras have to be thinned out
enough, and the flow must be strong enough to pierce the middle section of
the heart  chakra. When this happ ens, the energy pours into the higher part of
the heart and generates a permanent experience of pure love, strength, and
overall well-being. Now we’ve moved out of the human heart and into what
is truly the spiritual heart. When the shakt i flows through that higher part of
the fourth chak ra, you will start to feel what has been described as the
presence of God. This is what the great saints experienced. At this point you
no longer experience yourself as human—you experience yourself as a
being of energy. You will start to feel love as a natural force in the universe.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        “I don’t like
that. It should not have happened. ”
Here’ s a technique for getting perspective. Put your mind in outer
space and realize that there’ s nothing out there but 99. 999 percent
emptiness. Ther e’s just empty space between all the stars. Your nearest star
after the Sun is 4. 2 light-years  away. To get an idea of how far that is,
imagine holding  a light beam above the Earth. Now, let it go for one second. In that one second the light circumnavigated the globe seven and a half
times. Travel at that speed every second for 4. 2 years, and you’ll reach the
next star. There’ s pretty much nothing but empty space in between. We call
it interstellar space. That’ s how it is between all the stars, all over the
universe. How would you like to be out there and see nothin g. Because
that’s what 99. 999 percent of the universe is. What you get every day is a
miracle. There are colors, shapes, and sounds along with all the amazing
experiences you’re given with each passing moment. Yet all you do is say,
“No, it’s not what I want. ” Of course it’s not what you want. That’ s not the
point. Instead of comparing the moment in front of you against the
preferences you’ve built up inside your mind, why don’t you compare it
against nothing. Since that’ s what makes up 99. 999 percent of the universe. If you do this, you’ll find yourself being thankful that you get to have
your daily experiences. They are certainly better than empty space. That’ s
how a wise person lives. The alternative is to suffer because things are not
the way you want. Previously, we discussed Buddha’ s first noble truth: All
of life is suffering. Now we get to the second noble truth: The cause of
suffering is desir e. In other words, the cause of suffering is preference,
deciding how you want things to be and getting upset when they’re not that
way. Not surprisingly, it turns out Buddha was right. Events don’t cause
mental or emotional suffering—you cause yourself mental and emotional
suffering about the events. If you are not doing that, things are the


 with my worldview, both from my psychiatrist and from Dr.Platt, who encourages me to approach life as an enjoyable jour-ney. I’m thinking in a way I’ve never thought before. I used tohave so much fear that I was never going to amount to anythingin life. Now I know that if I stay balanced I will have an impact126 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  on the lives of my loved ones and hopefully my community, and
that’s all I want. THE DANGERS OF PSYCHOTROPIC
MEDICATION
Greg’s case is a classic example of how medications can
contribute to a person’s problems instead of helping them. My approach with my patients is always to look for the
underlying causes of their problems. I can’t just look at theproblems without seeing the entire person. Greg came to mefor weight loss, but I did not want to treat him as a straight-forward weight management patient without addressing thosefour incredibly powerful drugs he was taking. I knew that evenif I were to get him down to his ideal weight, those drugswould eventually bring him right back to where he was. So itwould make sense to address the psychogenic drugs first. Although I’m not a psychiatrist, I found the diagnosis of
bi-polar disorder suspicious. That’s a very specific disorder—one that tends to be over-diagnosed, by the way. I didn’tbelieve that Greg was really suffering from that malady. SinceI know that hormones have a tremendous impact on theneurotransmitters in the brain, I decided to go on the workingtheory that Greg, like many people, was being diagnosed withsomething very serious when in fact he was probably justsuffering from unbalanced hormones. Whatever Greg’s psychological difficulties were, I knew that
with the right hormones he could get some relief from hissymptoms. I told him that my goal was to get him off his drugsand to get his hormones in balance. He was delighted with that,since he felt foggy and uncomfortable on the medications.127 PSYCHOGENIC MEDICATION AND GREG C.  Fortunately, Greg’s psychiatrist was open to the idea of
weaning him off of these powerful drugs. He felt that Greg’snervous breakdown was an extreme stress reaction, not asymptom of bi-polar disorder, and that if Greg could addresshis issues in talk therapy he could eventually go back to livinga normal, drug-free life. ADJUSTING GREG’S HORMONES
In my view, Greg’s weight problem was caused by a combination
of the medications he was on plus too much insulin. The factthat most of Greg’s weight had settled in around his abdomenwas a sign of over-producing insulin. So I started him onnatural progesterone right away. I did this for four reasons:
• Progesterone reduces insulin
• Progesterone regulates blood sugar levels• Progesterone is wonderful for brain tissue
(progesterone levels are 20 times higher in brain tissue than anywhere else)
• Progesterone is a natural anti-depressant
Between progesterone and the meal plan, Greg began
losing weight right away. With his psychiatrist’s help, heslowly reduced the amount of Paxil, Effexor, Depakote, andlithium he was taking. As he continuously lowered the dosagesof those lipogenic medications, his weight loss speeded up. He got into a positive feedback loop whereby he liked the
way he was looking, which led to feeling better about himselfand making faster progress in talk therapy, which led to furthersuccess with his weight management program, and so on. Asthe weeks went by, you could see the transformation.128 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  Eventually Greg returned to being the person he’d been
before he started the medications, minus the driven, worka-holic overlay. T oday he’s a very energetic, forward-looking manwith a lot to live for. Greg will eventually be reunited with his wife and child. With the help of hormones, he’ll be able to live a balanced lifethat he truly enjoys. In addition, he is now acutely aware of theimportance of balancing his son’s hormones and his wife’shormones. Greg’s problems were strictly hormonal: too much
adrenaline, too much insulin, too much cortisol, and too littleprogesterone. Putting them back into balance gave him the“miracle” he was looking for. THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM
Greg’s story illustrates why it is so important to understand the
background of one’s patients. When I first talked with Greg, it was immediately
apparent that he had a classic case of ADHD. Adults with thisproblem frequently become workaholics and type A personal-ities. These people are living on adrenaline. They start out withlow progesterone levels, which causes an over-production ofinsulin. This leads to hypoglycemia and to an outpouring ofadrenaline to bring sugar levels up. This was Greg’s underlying metabolic state. When he began
working in Las Vegas, the new element of stress was added. Now his adrenal glands were over-producing not only
adrenaline but also cortisol (this is addressed in chapter 20).The cortisol raised his sugar levels, leading to even moreinsulin production. This led to more hypoglycemia, which ledto more adrenaline. He lost his appetite because of the high129 PSYCHOGENIC MEDICATION AND GREG C.  levels of adrenaline, leading to a body starved for fuel, which
created even more stress. He did not have bi-polar disorder; he just had a major
hormonal imbalance. One can readily see why sometimespsychological conditions can be treated with hormones in amore effective manner than with drugs.130 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  ADD AND ADHD—
THE SILENT EPIDEMIC
chapter FIFTEEN
I could not write a book about the influence of hormones
without making special mention of attention deficit disorder(ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).In my view, these two conditions are primarily related to ahormonal imbalance involving high insulin and the resultanthypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. There are many kids with symptoms of ADD who are
struggling in school today because they have difficultiesfocusing. Often the reason they cannot pay attention in classor do homework is that they are hypoglycemic. Any time sugaris taken from the brain, the brain cannot focus. The reason forthe low sugars is that the kids are over-producing insulin. Because of the hypoglycemia these youngsters experience a
persistent craving for foods that provide sugar, such as fruitjuice, soda, and candy. And very often kids with ADD have aweight problem, since they are continuously eating highglycemic carbohydrates. ADHD starts out the same way—too much insulin
leading to low sugar levels. However, kids with ADHD have tocontend with another hormone: adrenaline. 131The brain cannot function without sugar, and the body
has an amazing capacity for finding ways to raise the bloodsugar level when it is low. Prominent among these regulatoryreactions is a process called gluconeogenesis, which, simplyput, creates sugar from protein. It is mediated through thesympathetic nervous system, which means the body pours outadrenaline to raise sugar levels. Adrenaline, which is naturalspeed, causes these kids to be hyperactive. At the same time that the body is creating adrenaline, the
low sugar levels are prompting cravings for food high in sugar.Ingestion of sugar then leads to the over-production of insulin,leading to a drop in sugar, leading to difficulty focusing,leading to the over-production of adrenaline, leading to hyper-active behavior, and on and on. Kids with ADHD are usually thin. The hyperactivity
burns up the sugar before it’s converted to fat for storage.Oftentimes the hyperactivity is masked by the child’s activeinvolvement in sports. Kids with ADHD are treated with drugs such as Ritalin,
Adderal, and Strattera. However, approaching this conditionfrom a hormonal standpoint in most cases eliminates ADHDwithout having to resort to medication. You can probably guess that the missing hormone that can
balance the high insulin and adrenaline levels and alleviateADD and ADHD would be progesterone. We inherit ourhormone levels from either parent. If a mother is estrogendominant, she is also low in progesterone. This can be passedon to her daughter or son. Anyone with a low progesteronelevel will over-produce insulin, thereby causing hypoglycemia,leading to ADD.132 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  AN AMAZING TRANSFORMATION
I should mention my experience with one nine-year-old child
who had a classic case of ADHD. He had been thrown out ofevery public school in the city of Indio, California, for fightingwith other children, shoving teachers, and similar behaviors.His mother was desperate because the boy sincerely wanted togo back to school. I do not treat young children with ADHDin my practice, but I made an exception in this case. I talked with the boy and helped him understand that the
sugar-based diet he had been eating and drinking was part ofthe problem. I told him he would be putting a cream on hislower forearm. He agreed to follow the protocol and was givena meal plan. T wenty-four hours later, his mother told me she could
not stop crying; she had never seen her son behave so well.He did ten pages of homework—quite an accomplishmentfor someone who had never done homework before. HisADHD was gone. In spite of his recovery,


 is easy to do, since
being 97 or 98 carries much less mystique than being 100. ) Even assuming that a certain number of respondents have inflated their
ages to cross the magical centur y mark, statisticians agree that at least 1 in
10,000 Americans is 100 or older. This is a historic number, and yet it is
only an average. Some regions of the country already boast incredibly high
ratios of longev ity. In Iowa, where life expectancy is the highest in the
nation, 1 person  out of 3,961 is over 100, followed by South Dakota, with 1
out of 4,168. By contrast, some  areas are far below the national average in
centenarians: The last two states  on the Census Bureau list are Utah, which
reports only 1 centenarian per 19,358 people, and Alaska, with 1 in 36,670. By historical standards, howev er, even these low figures are astonishing. What they imply is that we have won the struggle for longevi ty and now
face the challenge of becoming a land where the long-living are still young. Senility: The Darkest FearMost of us would find it easier  to bear the physical afflictions  of old age
than the mental  ones. In India, where I grew up, age is still equated with
wisdom. Rural villages are run by the panchayat,  a counc il of five elders
who have gained respect and authority because of their venerable age. In
the West, the longer one lives, the more one is suspected of mental
incompetence. Alzheimer ’s has probably surpassed cancer for the dubious
honor of being the most feared  disease in America. I know 60-year -olds
who obsessively pore over articles about Alzheimer ’s and panic whenever
they forget a friend’ s telephone number, so convinced are they that
contracting Alzheimer ’s is only a matter of time. “Put at its crudest,” Anthony Smith wrote in The Body, “the advances of
medicine are enabling more and more of us to achieve senility. ” That is too
dark a view. Only 10 percent of people over 65 exhibit any symptoms of
Alzheimer ’s, but there is no doubt that this figure escalates with increasing
age, and after 75, up to 50 percent of the elderly may show some evidence
of the disease. One dark legacy from the “old” old age was the belief that
senility is a normal, inevitable aspect of aging. Paradoxicall y, the most
important factor in bursting this myth was Alzheimer ’s itself. The disorder
was discovered  as early as 1906 by Alois Alzheimer, a prominent
investigator and physician in Munich. He dissected the body of a 55-year -
old wom an who had been ment ally deteriorating for three years before her
death. In her brain Dr. Alzheimer found visible damage that could not be
explained as normal aging: twist ed, tangled nerves and hardened deposits of
chemical plaque. No one had ever before linked senility with a specific disease, and by
discovering the one named after him, Dr. Alzheimer struck a decisive blow
to the theory of “normal” senili ty. However, social attitudes often last long
beyond their time, and it took seventy years for the importance of
Alzheimer ’s discovery to be fully grasped. In recent decades, recognition of
Alzheimer ’s disease has increas ed dramatically, as it has been realized that
the illness afflicts over 1 million Americans, or around 50 to 60 percent of
all people who exhibit senile dementia. Dementia is the medica l term for a
host of symptoms associated with the general term senility: forgetfulness,
confusion, disorientation, short attention span, irritability, and decreased
intelligence. Lewis Thomas dubbed Alzheimer ’s “the disease of the century” and
spoke eloquently of it as “the worst of all diseases, not just for what it does
to the victim, but for its deva stating effects on families and friends. It
begins with the loss of learned skills, arithmetic and typing, for instance; it
progresses inexorably to a total shutting down of the mind. It is,
unmercifully, not lethal. Patients go on and on living, essential ly brainless
but otherwise healthy, into advanced age, unless lucky enough to be saved
by pneumonia. ”
Alzheimer ’s patients go in and out of lucidity in the early stage s of their
ordeal. In his book The Myth of Senility, Dr. Siegfried Kra of Yale quotes a
colleague’ s wife, herself a successful physician and children’ s writer, who
was forced to retire due to Alzh eimer ’s in her midfifties. At the outset she
still had lucid periods, particular ly in the early hours between three and five
in the morning ; during that time she gave utterance to the dark
transformation that was taking place inside her. All she could manage were
halting phrases that are all the more poignant given how much she had
loved words and how well she had used them:
I have a neurological problem. Who needs it. No one. Nobody likes me. I don’ t like myself either. I used to be a physician, I used to drive a car. What do I want. I don’t
want to be here. I am afraid of everything. All I am is garbage. I belong in the garbage can. You need a new wife. This one is no good anymore. No one knows my name anymore—because I am nothing. I’ve lost everything—the health service, typing, and writing. I don’t
have any skills. All I do is eat. I have to go away. I can’t read my
own writing. I’ve lost a kingdom. I don’ t sing anymore. I probably won’ t sing again. What is the source of this terrible disease. Much speculation has been
offered: a rare “slow virus” that takes decades to mature; a defect in the
immune system that causes the victim’ s own antibodies to attac k the brain;
increased accumulation of alum inum in the neurons. None of these causeshas been  proved. Although high levels of aluminum have been found in the
brains of Alzhei mer’s patients, elevated levels of the metal are not found in
the patients’ bloodstreams. Some popular books have sounded the alert against using aluminum foil,
aluminum cookw are, and deodorants based on aluminum salts, but millions
of people use these products without acquiring Alzheimer ’s. Some
physiological abnormality is more likely to be at fault; perhap s the blood-
brain barrier that normally excludes aluminum from entering the brain has
broken down, allowing these deposits to develop. Another reason to suspect
that the brain itself has gone awry is that at least one critical
neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, is deficient in Alzheimer ’s patients,
impairing the ability of brain cells to communicate with one another. Alzheimer ’s is presently incurable. There is no viable prevention,
although investigators believe they have found indications of genetic
markers for the disease in some families. After the onset of the disease,
medical care is limited to tranquilizing or sedating the patient. These efforts
do not affect the outcome but help reduce the psychological distress that
patients and family so acutely  feel. The real hope lies with cases of
dementia that are not the result of Alzheimer ’s, for once the myth of
“normal” senility was overcom e, it became apparent that more than one
hundred differen t treatable disorders could mimic the symptoms of senile
dementia, including thyroid deficiency, strokes, and syphilis. How the Brain Resists Aging
Aging of the brain is not enough to cause Alzheimer ’s or any of these other
disorders. Over time the structure of the brain is known to change. It grows
lighter, for example, and shrinks slightly. One of the clichés of neurology is
that the human brain loses roughly a million neurons per year as it ages; this
created a convenient rationale for seeing the onset of senility as the result of
a decaying brain. However, the flaw in this expla nation is that people who don’t become
senile presumably have lost the same number of neurons (this has to be leftto conjecture, since reliable neuron counts can’t be made in living people). At present it isn’t known why one old brain stays lively and creative—one
thinks of Miche langelo designin g St. Peter ’s when he was nearly 90 or of
Picasso painting  at the same age and Arthur Rubinstein playing the piano in
Carnegie Hall—while another starts to deteriorate. One theor y, based on
animal research, is that our brains grow new connections as we age. As
more neurons die, these new connections may compensate for the loss in
some individuals. No two brain cells ever actually touch physically. They reach toward
each other acros s a gap, or synapse, using hundreds or thousand s of hairlike
filaments called dendrites. The effect is like that of two twiggy trees almost
intertwining in the wind (the word dendrite  is deriv ed from  the Greek word
for “tree ”). Just at the point where two filaments almost meet, a chemical
signal can be sent from one neuron to another. The basic  chemicals
involved are well known. One of


ofthenoseanddarkringsundertheeyes. Thesearechillytypes,withcoldhandsandfeet,
whoareextremelysensitivetothecoldinalmostany
shapeorform.Theysweateasilyandprofusely,when
experiencingstrongemotionsorwithanyexertionof
eitherthebodyorthemind.Coughingcanalsomake
themsweat.Thesweatwillsmellsourandwillmake
themfeelworseandaggravatetheirsymptoms. Theyfeelexhaustedandrundown.Theyhaveno
muscletoneandtheyfeelandlooksaggy;theyfeelas
thoughthereissomethingheavyinsidethatisdrag-
gingthemdown.Thisisamarvellousremedyfor
prolapseoftheuterus,whateverthecause(though
thisisusuallytoomanychildrentooclosetogether),
andmeansthatthetraumaofanoperationcanbe
avoided.However,thisconditiondoesalwaysrequire
carefulprescribingbyaprofessionalhomeopath.De-
spiteSepiatvpes'weakness,theyaregenerallyworse
forrest,andexercisingvigorouslywillenergisetheir
sluggishstate.Eatingwillhelptemporarily(theyare
muchworseformissingmeals).Theydonotwantto
betouchedormassaged. EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Angryfromcontradiction.Anxious:duringafever;
duringtheevening.Confused.Depressed.Desires
tobealone.Dislikescompany;consolation;
contradiction.Forgetful.Indifferent:toown
children;tofamily;tolovedones;towork.Irritable. Sensitive:tomusic;tonoise;topain.Sluggish. Tearful.Weepy. Sepiatypesarepronetodreadfulemotionalstates,
wheretheybecomesluggish,indifferent, irritable,
weepvanddepressed.Sepiahasbeenfoundtobe
moreusefulforwomenthanformenandisespecially
neededforthetypicalworn-out-mother-without-any-
supportsyndrome,forwomenwhoareworndownby
thecaresoflifeandtoomanychildrenwithnot
enoughtimebetweenthemfortheirbodiestorecover. ThisistheclassicalSepiapicture,thoughwomenmay
alsobesimplywornoutfromhavingtoomuchtodo
andnotenoughpersonalresourcestoseethem
through it. Wheninthisdepressedstate,Sepiassag,mentally
andphysicallyTheysitsilently,feelingemptyand
enjoyingnothingintheirlives,andfeelingindifferent
toallthosethingsthatformerlygavethemenjoyment
-suchastheirchildrenandfamily,andtheirwork. 148•Sepia(Sep.) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
Theydonotwantanyhelpandwillrespondbadlyto
sympathy,preferringtobealonetoavoidanyfurther
stress.Becausethinkingissodifficultandtheirbrains
seemtohavegroundtoahalttheonlythingtheywant
todoistobequietandalone. Theywillfeelverymuchbetteriftheydragthem-
selvesoutoftheirtorportodosomethingstrenuous,
suchasexercise,aerobics,dancingorspringcleaning. Itisasifthecirculationhasslowedrightdownandthe
exercisegetsitmovingagain.Thisistheonlyremedy
thathasthissymptomtothisdegree.Childrenwho
needSepiamaybenegativeandsulkyandindifferent
totheirwork,thatis,toplaying!Theymaybeafraidof
beingalone,ofthedark(becauseofghosts)butthey
willnotwanttobehandledeither.Theybecomelazy
anddonotwanttodoanything,butoncetheyhave
actuallygotgoing,orhave,forexample,arrivedatthe
party,theyarequitehappyandhaveagoodtime. PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Backache
SymptomsPains:inlowerback;aching;dragging
down. Betterforpressure. Worseduringtheafternoon;atnight;before/during
menstrualperiod;forbendingdown;forsitting. Thelowerbackfeelsweakandtiredandasifithas
beenhitwithahammer. Coldsores
SymptomsSoresonlips. Commoncold
SymptomsNasalcatarrh:green;dirtyyellow;
vellow-green;dripsdownbackofthroat.Senseof
smelllost. Constipation
SymptomsBellystomachfeelsfull.Stools:hard;
large.Strainingineffectual. Worseduringamenstrualperiod. Causespregnancy. Thisisforthetypeofacuteconstipationthatcan
accompanypregnancyorawoman'speriods.The
personwillstraintopassalarge,hardstoolbutwillbe
unableto. Cough
SymptomsBreathingfast.Couch:constantatnight;
dry;exhausting;hacking;irritating;loose;mustsitup
tocough;rattling;short;disturbssleep;tickling;vio-
lent;wakesfromthecoughatnight.Mucus:copious;
yellow;white;tastessalty.Betterforsittingup. Worseatnight;duringtheeveninginbed;forlying
down. Thepatientcoughsuplotsofsaltywhiteoryellow
mucus.Chestfeelsconstricted(tight)oroppressed
andtheribsmayhurtfromcoughing.Theairpassages
feelirritatedandthecoughseemstocomefromthe
stomachandisveryviolent,especiallyafterlying
downatnight.Patientsweatsaftercoughingandfeels
worseforit. Cystitis
SymptomsDesiretourinate:constantdragging
downinpelvis;urgent.Painspressing.Urination
frequent;slow(hastowaitalongtimeforittostart). Urine:cloudy;darkbrown;red;scanty;smelly;with
sediment. Thiscystitisiscommonafterchildbirth.Thepatient
willhaveaconstantdragging-down sensationinthe
pelvis,andshewillhavetorushtopassurineoritwill
escapeinvoluntarily,becauseofsaggymusclesinthe
pelvicarea.Shemaythenhavetowaitforittostart
oncesittingonthetoilet.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Opiumischaracterisedbyanabnormallackofpain,as
ifthesenseshavebeenblunted. Afterashock,people
needingOpiumappearglassyeyedandstupefied,and
sufferfromgreatinertia. Theyfeelfaint,numband/
ortrembly. Theirfacesgoredandbecomedrawn,
sunkenandoldlooking,possiblywithabluishtinge. Childrenwhohavejustexperiencedafrightorshock
willbeunabletourinate. Generally,thereisprofusesweatingwithscanty
urinationandinafeverOpiumtypeswillbecome
heatedinbedandfeelworsefortheheatandthe
sweatingandwillkickoffthecovers. Theshockthatfollowsalcoholpoisoningwiththese
symptomsmaywellcallforOpium-thisisonlyuseful
inanunusual,mistakenaccidentandnotforhabitual
drinkers. EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Apatheticduringfever. Complaintsfrom:anger;
reprimands;shock. Confused. Dreamy. Drowsy. Exhilarated. Expressionsleepy. Indifferentduringa
fever. Lively. Senses:dull;acute. Sensitivetonoise. Stupor. Inanacuteillnesslikeafever,Opiumpatientsaredull
andapathetic,dullerthananyotherremedy-tothe
pointofstupor. Theydon'tcomplainorevenaskfor
anythingandmaybeoverwhelmingly sleepy. Before
reachingthisstateofstupor,however,theymaybe-
comeexhilaratedanddeliriousandimaginetheysee
things,especiallyonclosingtheireyes. Peoplewhohavebecomestuckintoastateoffear
afterabadfrightorshockmaybenefitfromOpium. TheylooksimilartoAconite(thatis,enormously
shocked)buttheyarealsoinadream-likestatethat
theycannotsnapoutof. Thisiscommonafteran
operationandOpiumwillhelppeopleafterageneral
anaestheticwheretheyfeel'spacedout'anddrowsyto
128•Petroleum(Petr. ) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
getbacktotheirnormalstates. TheOpiumpersonwill
recreatetheimageorsituationthatcausedtheshock,
butduringwakinghours;hewillnothavebad
dreams. Arnicatypes,ontheotherhand,willbefine
duringthedaybutwillhavebaddreamsrelatingtothe
fright. Childrenwhohavebeenseverelytoldoffsome-
timesdevelopanOpium'acute'. PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Constipation
SymptomsDesiretop


 the name of growth
and profits in our larger social living areas is one way of bringing
back the energy that will manifest love, happiness and prosperity. The Sufi poet Rumi wrote a poem, almost a millennium ago,
called “The Seed Market” that reflects this consciousness. 51
WAYNE W. DYER
The Seed Market
Can you find another market like this. Where,
with your one rose
you can buy hundreds of rose gardens. Where,
for one seed
you get a whole wilderness. For one weak breath,
the divine wind. You’ve been fearful
Of being absorbed in the ground,
or drawn up by the air. Now, your waterbead lets go
and drops into the ocean,
where it came from. It no longer has the form it had,
but it’s still water. The essence is the same. This giving up is nota repenting. :
It’s a deep honoring of yourself. When the ocean comes to you as a lover,
marry, at once, quickly,
for God’s sake. Don’t postpone it. Existence has no better gift. No amount of searching
will find this. 52
Manifest Your Destiny
A perfect falcon, for no reason,
has landed on your shoulder,
and become yours. —FROM The Essential Rumi
TRANSLATIONS BY COLEMAN BARKS WITH JOAN MOYNE
Become aware of how your judgments prevent you from connect-
ing to whatever you are judging. A judgment is a definition of your-
self as separate from that which you are judging. Remember that it
is possible to look out on the world and not condemn it, to have
absolutely no judgment or interpretation of it but to just allow it
to be. The ego is the part that keeps you attached to an idea of separa-
tion which, of course, inhibits your awareness of this third princi-
ple. Your ego analyzes, condemns, defines, evaluates, interprets and
judges almost everything. Work hard each day at just letting go and
seeing yourself as a part of all of those people and things that you
are judging. When the judgment disappears, it does so because you
have realized that you are really a part of that which you are judging. Your judgment is only a definition of yourself. As an environorganism you will find judgment almost impossible
and this will free you to use that energy in a far more productive
and loving way. That is, to manifest what you desire rather than to
judge others. Have fun with the idea of yourself as a hologram. If you remember
that you are a tiny piece of humanity, reflected in your own little
image and personality, then you have a green light to reflect the
humanity that you would like in your world. You are one tiny bit of
a six-billion-or-so-piece hologram, and you reflect all of those six
billion pieces at every given moment of your life. This is a difficult concept for your rational brain to grasp but, on
53
WAYNE W. DYER
the other hand, take a look at a three-dimensional hologram some-
time and try to figure out with your rational mind how one little
sliver can reflect the whole. This is not a knowing for your left
brain. It is for your heart. View yourself in this way, from your
heart, and you will create a scintillating experience of how powerful
you really are in this big hologram of a world. This is the third principle of spiritual manifestation. We are all simul- °
taneously our own beings and all that is outside us as well. We cannot
ever separate ourselves from our environment while we are in a phys-
ical body. Knowing this puts us in touch with the energy of attraction
that is the subject matter of the fourth principle. 54
YOU CAN ATTRACT TO YOURSELF WHAT YOU DESIRE
The Fourth Principle
he central notion of manifesting is the understanding that
you have within yourself the ability to attract the objects of your
desire. This idea may still seem to you to be out of your power. But,
if you have understood the previous three principles, then you are
beginning to know that this power is within you. Being able to attract
your desires may seem more likely when you consider how things are
created from the spirit world of the formless seemingly moving into
the material world. In one of the most intriguing sentences in the New Testament, St. Paul addresses this process of creation. He said it this way: “Things
which are seen are not made of things which do appear. ” St. Paul is
55
WAYNE W. DYER
telling us that the creative energy is neither solid nor restricted. The
physical world of form originates in something other than form itself,
even though we know it is all one world, when viewed from a holo-
grammatic perspective. St. Paul’s words form the basis for my writing about this principle
and for several of those to come in this book. I believe they suggest
how energy informs our ability to attract what we desire.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the cornerstone of the author's praying?,
A: Trust
Q: What is the result of trusting in the God force?,
A: An enormous sense of peace becomes available to you
Q: What is the author's perspective on the concept of God?,
A: God is not a boss or a tyrant, but rather a loving and infinite power that is always with you
Q: What is the author's advice for dealing with people who disturb your peace?,
A: Acknowledge them as teachers and respond with love and respect
Q: What is the author's view on the nature of the universe?,
A: The universe is a holistic, interconnected system, and everything is connected and part of the same energy.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>By
knowing the nature of this force and seeing yourself as a divine
expression of it, and by going within to the power that permits you
to picture a desire, and then tapping that power with a private, lov-
ing, cheerful knowing, you are on your way to using this vital force in
ways that were unavailable to you with your conditioned view of
yourself. Here are a few suggestions for putting these ideas into practice in
64
Manifest Your Destiny
your life as you begin mastering this fourth spiritual principle of
manifestation. SOME IDEAS FOR PUTTING THIS PRINCIPLE TO WORK
When first arising in the morning, take a few moments to be alone
and ask yourself, “How did the conditions of my life that I would
like to change first come about?” “How can I facilitate making con-
scious contact with my unlimited, invisible source of energy?”
These two questions, when repeatedly considered, will begin to
create their own answers. Remind yourself that it is spirit that gives
life and movement to anything and everything, including you. It is
that which causes your very existence. Therefore, you are truly ask-
ing to join into the spirit of your life. You will soon realize that the conditions of your life have been
manifested by you, even though you were not conscious of bring-
ing them about. Your thoughts and mental pictures of lack,
scarcity, self-absorption, authoritarianism, illness, guilt, worry and
the like have been put into the universal spirit and have mani-
fested in your life. The second question will flow from your
answer to the first. You can hasten your conscious contact by radiating a totally new
kind of mental picture while applying this fourth principle. Explore the possibility that the reason you believe that life is limit-
ing is because you have assumed limitation to be in your life. In the world of nature, life, love and beauty are visibly repro-
duced. You, too, are a part of nature. Does your view of life include
the natural creative process reproducing within yourself? Or have
you assumed an engineering view of life with a mechanical cause-
and-effect conclusion? Perhaps you can shift this awareness to seeing cause and effect as
65
WAYNE W. DYER
a law, but not the law. The law of originating mind is beyond the
world of boundaries and measurement. You originated out of this
law, and your imagination is a perfect example of this. No rule, no
boundary, no form. Unlimited! The source of your imagination is the divine source. It is here
that you are now making contact with the eternally moving, always
alive source of light. Stay in this place within and you will know
conscious contact with the divine all-creating intelligence. Whatever picture you are able to create mentally will assist you in
knowing that the creative energy is flowing through you. Your pic-
ture also provides a direction for the flow of energy. And your pic-
ture gives substance to its eventual appearance in material form. You are not forcing anything with your picture. Strenuous effort
is counterproductive to manifesting because it sets up the idea of a
force that must be overcome. Get rid of the idea of forcing any-
thing or making demands. Instead, imagine the creative knowing
that allowed you to come into this world of form. It is a loving,
flowing, gentle, peaceful energy that is the source of creation. Any
effort to change that with demands or strenuous effort will inhibit
that flow. It is vital that you incorporate the concept of a beginning and end-
ing, or first and last with your mental picturing. When you apply
this alpha and omega thinking you substantiate that first is the
thought, the beginning, which creates the form


) twice a day.Tincture  (to make, p. 292). For rheumatism, take 1/2 tsp
with water 3 times a day. Tablets  often also contain
other herbs. T ake for arthritis.Bark is dark
gray and deeply
fissuredSalix alba  (Salicaceae)
White Willow
Justly famous as the original source of salicylic acid
(the forerunner of aspirin), white willow and closely
related species have been used for thousands of years
in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America to relieve
joint pain and manage fevers. Dioscorides, a Greek
physician in the 1st century ce, suggested taking “willow
leaves, mashed with a little pepper and drunk with wine”
to relieve lower back pain. Habitat & Cultivation
Native to much of Europe, white
willow is also found in North Africa
and Asia, thriving in damp areas, such
as on riverbanks. It is propagated
from semi-ripe cuttings in summer
or from hardwood cuttings in winter. The trees are frequently pollarded
and bark is stripped from branches
of 2- to 5-year-old trees in spring. Related Species
Many Salix species, for example
crack willow ( S. fragilis ), are used
interchangeably with white willow. S. acmophylla  is used on the Indian
subcontinent as a remedy for
fevers. In North American herbal
medicine, black willow ( S. nigra )
is given as an anaphrodisiac
(sexual depressant). Key Constituents
■ Phenolic glycosides
 (up to 11%)
■ Salicin
■ Flavonoids
■ PolyphenolsKey Actions
■ Anti-inflammatory
■ Analgesic
■ Reduces fever
■ Antirheumatic
■ Astringent
Research
■ Salicylic acid & aspirin  Salicylic
acid, a strongly anti-inflammatory
and analgesic compound, was first
isolated from salicin in willow bark
in 1838. It was the forerunner of
aspirin, a chemical drug developed in
Germany during 1899. Salicylic acid
(and salicin) has many of the
properties of aspirin but causes
notably fewer side effects. As such,
it is now being widely researched as
an alternative to aspirin-based anti-
inflammatory medicines such as
ibuprofen. Unlike aspirin, salicylic
acid does not thin the blood, and
any problems it might cause within
the digestive tract are likely to
be minor. ■ Clinical trials Over the last 15
years, clinical trials have shown that
high-strength willow bark extract
offers an effective alternative to
mainstream anti-inflammatory
medicines, particularly in treating
conditions such as osteoarthritis and
lower back pain. In a 2008 clinical
trial published in Phytomedicine,
among people with arthritis of the
hip or knee, aged between 50 and
75, those taking willow bark extract,
after 6 weeks, were rated by
doctors as doing significantly better
than those taking standard aspirin-
based medication. Those taking
willow bark reported far fewer
side effects.White willow
A deciduous tree
growing to 80 ft
(25 m), with green
tapering leaves, and
catkins in spring. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Joint remedy  White willow is
an excellent remedy for arthritic and
rheumatic pain affecting the back,
and joints such as the knees and hips,
though large doses may be required,
such as a standardized tablet. In
combination with other herbs and
dietary changes, it relieves inflammation
and swelling, and improves mobility in
painful or creaky joints. ■ Fevers & pain  White willow
is taken to manage high fevers. It  White willow  is used in Britain to make
cricket bats. The bark has anti-inflammatory
properties.Parts Used
Key Preparations
& Their UsesBark is stripped from
young branches and used
fresh or dried. Dried barkFresh bark
may also be used to ease headaches
and head pain. ■ Menopause  A cooling herb that
reduces sweating, willow bark can be
helpful in controlling symptoms such
as hot flashes and night sweats. Self-help Uses
■ Arthritis & inflamed
 joints, p. 313. ■ Back pain due to joint
 inflammation, p. 313. ■ Hot flashes & night
 sweats, p. 316. QCaution  Avoid if allergic to aspirin. Do not
take during pregnancy or if breastfeeding. Not suitable for young children. Rarely, may
cause gastrointestinal upset. St John’s wort
Cramp bark
Decoction  (to make, p. 291). For painful joints and aching rheumatic muscles,
take 1⁄3 cup (75 ml) 3 times a day. US_128-129_Rosmarinus_Salix.indd   129 26/02/16   4:00 pm
130Salvia miltiorrhizakey medicinal plantsSalvia miltiorrhiza (Lamiaceae)
Dan Shen, Chinese SageDan shen
A hardy perennial growing to 32 in  (80 cm), with toothed oval leaves and clusters of purple flowers. Dan shen is an important circulatory
stimulant. It is sold in herbal markets  across China for use in medicinal formulas. Habitat & Cultivation
Native to China, dan shen is now
cultivated in northeastern China
and Inner Mongolia. It requires
moist, sandy soil and is propagated  by root division in spring. The root is harvested from late autumn through early spring. Related Species
Sage (S. officinalis, p. 131) is closely related, but is used for an entirely different range of medical problems. In Mexico, the related species
S. divinorum is used as a hallucinogen. Key Constituents
■ Diterpenes (tanshinones)
■ Phenolic compounds
■ Volatile oil
■ Vitamin E
Key Actions
■ Tonic to heart and circulation
■ Anticoagulant
■ Dilates the blood vessels
■ Sedative
■ AntibacterialResearch
■ T anshinones There has been
extensive research into dan shen in China, and the tanshinones have been shown to have a profound effect on coronary circulation, reducing the symptoms of angina and improving heart function. ■ Heart attack The whole herb
(rather than isolated constituents) has been used in China to assist patients who are recovering from
a heart attack, and it appears to support heart function at this
critical time. Clinical trials in China, however, have shown that dan shen
is most effective when taken as
a preventative, rather than as a remedy after the heart attack
has taken place. ■ Other research Many recent
clinical trials involving dan shen have used Chinese herbal combinations, rather than dan shen alone, so it is hard to draw conclusions. However, they do provide further evidence  of dan shen’s usefulness in cardio-vascular problems such as high blood pressure, angina, and heart disease. Unusually, two clinical trials in China (2012) found that injected extracts of dan shen were helpful in pre-
eclampsia, a serious condition during pregnancy which involves fluid retention and high blood pressure. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Circulatory stimulant Dan
shen has been esteemed by the
Chinese for thousands of years as a circulatory stimulant. Like hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha, p. 87), it is  a safe, effective remedy for many circulatory problems. It particularly benefits coronary circulation, opening up the arteries and improving blood flow to the heart, and is therefore helpful in treating coronary heart disease. Though it does not lower blood pressure, dan shen
relaxes the blood vessels and improves circulation throughout
the body. ■ Circulatory congestion Dan
shen is used traditionally to treat conditions caused by blood Parts Used
Key Preparations & Their UsesRoot is an ancient
Chinese remedy for circulatory disorders. Dried
chopped rootDried root
Tincture is used by herbalists
to treat angina and other
circulatory problems. stagnation, primarily those affecting
the lower abdomen, such as absent or painful periods and fibroids. ■ Sedative The sedative action of
dan shen helps to calm the nerves, and it is therefore helpful in treating angina, a condition made worse by anxiety and worry. Palpitations, insomnia, and irritability also benefit from dan shen’s sedative properties. Self-help Use
■ Palpitations, p. 302. Decoction (to make, p. 291). For painful periods, take 1⁄3 cup
(75 ml) up to 3 times a day.Recent scientific research supports dan shen’s traditional
usage as a remedy for heart and circulatory problems such as angina and palpitations. The Divine Husbandman’s Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing), the earliest of all Chinese herbal
texts, listed dan shen as an herb that “invigorates the blood,” and it is still used as a circulatory remedy. In particular, it is taken for period pain and other conditions resulting from circulatory congestion. QCautions For serious circulatory or heart problems, take only under professional
supervision