Essentially Quinny

Also known as Chloasma, Melasma is a condition where there is hyperpigmentation of the skin (dark discolouration). It usually shows on the face, especially around the cheek area but can show over the whole face at times. It is also a condition which affects mainly females with South Eastern Asian genetics, but it can affect anyone including males.  What is the difference between Melasma and Chloasma? Chloasma is when the discolouration is caused by pregnancy. What triggers Melasma? The primary trigger of Melasma is hormones. In particular, an imbalance between Progesterone and Estrogen.  Stress (a primary and secondary trigger) can aggravate the condition as well as other conditions which cause hormonal imbalance (for example, pregnancy).  How do we treat Melasma? The first step is to see what your hormone levels are through a saliva test. We can then work on balancing your hormones.  For topical support (on the affected area) we use a natural exfoliator made with fruit peel along with other natural products.  Nutritional support is important if you are under long term stress (have something to ‘push' through) or are pregnant. Can it be cured? In some cases we can reverse Melasma, but this depends on individual circumstances like age and general health. In most cases we can stop it from progressing or reduce the presentation. Support If you would like natural support for Melasma, visit https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/  to book your appointment.

Rosacea is often thought of as an appearance problem, where the person is red in the face. While this is not untrue, most people do not realise that, when aggravated, it causes eye-sight problems, pain and irritation and face deformity. It also does not just ‘appear' out of nowhere and the primary cause needs to be addressed if the person wishes to recover.   Four types of Rosacea There are four different kinds of Rosacea. This doesn't mean there are four separate types of Rosacea, more that one Rosacea episode can lead into a more aggravated form.  The first stage is where everything is quite red and the face has capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that are quite noticeable. Many people feel embarrassed about this and with this the face flushes very easily. This is called Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea (a mouthful to pronounce!). The next stage is Papilla Pustular Rosacea, where the skin presents with elevations, called papules. This can be quite agitating as the skin is already irritated and burning from the first stage. This often gets confused with Acne. The difference is the papules which form in acne contain pus whereas the Rosacea papules are generally just raised bumps. Phymatous Rosacea is when the nose starts to enlarge and the person starts to get an out-of-shape, contorted nose. This can become quite evident, further adding to embarrassment. The last stage is where the ocular comes into play and is usually the most aggravating phase. Ocular refers to the eye and with Ocular Rosacea the eyelid becomes droopy, the eyes become very red and eyesight is affected.    What causes Rosacea? As I mentioned, Rosacea doesn't just happen for no reason. There are primary and secondary triggers (as I have explained in previous episodes).  Primary Trigger (causal factor) Hormones - Estrogen dominance, high levels of cortisol and the balance of your hormones generally is the best place to start your investigation. Secondary Triggers (Aggravating factors) These are often things that people become aware of through experience, for example: Hot, spicy food Heat - For example, when washing your face use cool water and pat your face (don't rub) to dry it (rubbing creates friction which means heat generation).  Make-up and creams containing irritating chemicals Quick changes of temperature - Creates changes in the capillaries (dilation and constriction) Medication - Especially those that increase blood flow as they flush more blood to the area, forcing the capillaries to overstretch and then they have difficulty returning to normal.  Histamine producing foods and drinks - For example, wine, tomatoes, fermented food and drinks, dairy, strawberries Stress - Directly affects your hormonal balance    Treatment Getting the right diagnosis is important as skin rashes, hives, eczema etc can all look similar to the untrained eye but treatment may be different depending on the primary and secondary triggers.  Supplementation - Be careful to not take anything that is going to expand the blood vessels. Instead we want something with a cooling effect.  Reduce and avoid secondary triggers Ocular and nose changes/damage - Once at this point it can be very difficult and perhaps impossible to completely revert the condition and the damage it has caused.  Ointments - We have an ointment in the clinic which has a wonderful cooling effect and also works very well for the Papilla Pustular presentation. To book an appointment (over Zoom or in person) with Maria, contact Perth Psoriasis and Good Skin Clinic through the website https://www.perthpsoriasis.com.au/  Next week we will be talking about Lichen Planters.

This week we are talking about Granuloma Annulare and like most skin conditions, it is an autoimmune condition. Granuloma Annulare is often mistaken for the fungal condition, Tinea Corporis (Ringworm) because it looks similar. It is not contagious, does not hurt or burn and can be addressed quite quickly through stress levels and diet.  The difference between Tinea Corporis and Granuloma Annulare Tinea Corporis presents as a little raised, reddish, round lesion on the skin, with a well defined edge. It can also be flakey and/or itchy in the middle. Granuloma Annulare also has a well defined raised edge and circular appearance but it has a completely different centre. The centre of the Granuloma Annulare is flat, does not (usually) itch or flake and has a wave of different tones of pinks and purples. It is worth remembering here that if you have any skin condition which is itchy, it is likely a result of your liver not functioning well (e.g. too much sugar and heavy foods) or you are dehydrated from the sun and/or from not drinking enough water.  Where does it present? Granuloma Annulare is most common in females and young adults but can occur in anyone. It presents most commonly on the hands, feet and heels but I have seen it on faces and the trunk of the body as well. Diagnosis can be done through a biopsy. Treatment To treat this condition we look at primary and secondary triggers (as we have discussed previously). We know the primary trigger (what caused the condition) is active if there are new lesions appearing on the skin. A calm nervous system is essential for healing so we look at how much stress the body is under and how we can reduce it to help stop the primary trigger.  We can see if the secondary triggers (what aggravates the condition) are active by looking at whether or not the existing lesions are getting bigger or worse.  As I said, in most cases, Granuloma Annulare can be addressed quite quickly through stress levels and diet. This is because the Granuloma Annulare affects the fibrin net of the skin which is usually the elastin and collagen. This fibrin net requires nutrients to keep producing elastin and collagen (which is why we look at diet) but it also requires certain hormones (which is case specific). Vitamin D, Vitamin E, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar can all be helpful when you have Granuloma Annulare as they are very supportive of the skin. However, they will not treat the condition. Treating the condition will require both internal and topical support in the majority of cases for a fast recovery. The longer the condition has been present (before seeking assistance) the longer it will (likely) take to recover. Next week we are talking about Rosacea.  To book an appointment (over Zoom or in person) with Maria, contact Perth Psoriasis and Good Skin Clinic through the website https://www.perthpsoriasis.com.au/ 

This is episode four in our holistic care for skin series. Fungal conditions of the skin not only affect how your skin appears but can also be extremely painful, itchy and debilitating. Today we are talking about what the most common fungal conditions are and how we can treat them naturally. Fungal conditions are something we call mycosis, which is an external fungus which is bigger than a bacteria and takes over your body. We normally know the fungal condition called Candida (or yeast) which makes many females panic because it can be a really tough issue to get on top of, especially because it tends to show up in the vaginal area which is very moist making it the perfect area for Candida to grow. In today's episode however, we are not talking about internal presentations of Candida like this, but we will address it as a skin presentation.  Forms of fungal conditions on the skin: Pityriasis Versicolor - Trunk, neck and/or arms Tinea Corporis - Most common type, known as ringworm. Corporis Means in your body or comes from your core.  Tinea Pedis - Presents mostly between the toes but can also be seen between fingers.  Tinea Cruris - Presents in the groin area, between thighs and genitals.  Candida - Presents in the genital region (jocks itch) and also under the breasts There are other forms as well but as these are the most common this is where we will focus our attention today. For a fungal condition to take hold of the body it must have the right body conditions. The biggest factor is a low body pH (acidic). We have spoken about being too acid a lot in previous episodes. If you missed it I highly recommend going back and learning how to alkalise your body. Moisture and darkness are two other conditions which encourage fungal growth on the body. Tinea Corporis (Ringworm) lives in soils, pets and water with the perfect conditions described above. If/when we come in contact with it and we have a low pH it will be able to grow and spread, using our body as a host. You can see the effects of ringworm on the skin where you get patches of light red circles with defined edges. They are almost flat and slightly flaky. These spots will not necessarily itch.  Tinea Pedis shows up more like a cut in between the toes. It can be very painful, especially when you sweat, due to the rawness and blistering it can create. Candida varies from Tinea in that it is a lot more red and itchy. Pityriasis Versicolor is a different family or variety of fungus from Tinea. It prevents the sunlight from hitting the melanocytes (sun receptors on the skin which create pigment) and thus creates patchy, white areas over the body. Pityriasis Versicolor does not create flakiness or have a well defined edge. What should you be aware of if a fungal condition has taken hold? Look at what you are eating and drinking that could be contributing to a low pH. Reduce stress levels - High cortisol can definitely make you acid.  Supplement to help neutralise the pH If it is on the toes, keep them dry.  Avoid synthetics and polyester in which you will tend to sweat and trap the sweat in. Cotton is both breathable and cooling so it is the best option. Some people tend to use talcum powder to help with Tinea, but it is very toxic so it is not recommended. However, arrowroot powder is a good substitute and if you have essential oils you can blend a few drops of Lavender (not Lavandin as that will burn) with the arrowroot before applying.  For the other types where they are covering large areas (that aren't necessarily moist) we need to use an ointment. Sometimes we also need to exfoliate, especially with tinea corporis, as we need to remove the scale as the fungus dies so the new skin can come through. Exfoliation is best done twice a day as the skin regenerates about 3 times per day.   Support the immune system as a low immune system leaves the door open for any number of parasites, bacteria, viruses etc and fungus is no exception. A good starting point is to supplement with some Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C. Be mindful, that is some skin conditions, Vitamin C is not recommended as it can aggravate your skin.  For support and to book an appointment with Maria, head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/

This is the third episode in a series about natural treatment for skin conditions. I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Remember that the information I give is for guidance and for your understanding and not for treatment or diagnosis purposes.  What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition which can present in many different ways, according to the type of psoriasis. It can range in intensity and effect on quality of life from very mild to severe and even death. Most people are not aware there are nine forms of psoriasis or that most forms of psoriasis are not scaling conditions (where the skin flakes off). Psoriasis also often gets mistaken for candida (yeast) infections or fungal nail conditions, which makes patients believe there is no help for their symptoms (because the treatment given is not effective). However, with the right holistic treatment, great relief and healing occurs. Where psoriasis presents on the body... Plaque Psoriasis -  Plaque psoriasis can either be thick plaques or hyperkeratotic plaques which often look like fish scales. Plaque psoriasis is often seen around the elbows and knees but it can also go to other parts of the body. Erythrodermic psoriasis - This is when 90% of the body becomes red, hot, inflamed and oozing fluid. Erythrodermic psoriasis can literally kill patients and people with this condition are often hospitalised. It is a very exhausting and aggravating condition. I recall having a young teen patient with erythrodermic psoriasis who, after a year in hospital, did not have much relief. With tissue salts and some other natural treatments this patient experienced great relief within two weeks and within a month she was almost fully restored.  Scalp psoriasis - On the head. Palm or plantar psoriasis - On the base of the feet and palms of the hand. Pustular psoriasis - Presents as little vesicles (small white or yellow pus-filled pustules). This condition can become quite nasty. Flexural psoriasis - Is generally thin and red and is seen on the groin, armpit, where the mammary glands are (breasts) and/or umbilical area. Joints - Psoriasis on the joints can be very painful and is often mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis. One of the keys to identifying it as psoriasis is noticing that it is on the small joints like the toe joints. It is common for psoriasis on the toe joint to become swollen, hot and very painful to the touch.  Aggravating substances to joint pain associated with psoriasis are grains (specifically wheat products) and aromatic synthetic substances. The key to keeping the joints happy is to alkalise the body. Joints and a low pH (acid) do not work well together.  Nail psoriasis - Nail psoriasis can make the nails very thick and sometimes there can be thick ridges and even drops of blood. What else do we need to consider when supporting the body to heal psoriasis? Reducing stress Supporting major organs, especially the liver Mineral support Topical support Psoriasis is different to eczema and dermatitis as it needs to be supported locally on the part of the skin that is inflamed/hardened. The skin normally regenerates three times a day so having an application of ointment is essential to support the improvement otherwise the area can get quite dry. If the skin is dry then it will be itchy. The itchiness makes the person scratch and when the person scratches it brings a breakdown on the surface of the skin. As a consequence the person tends to rebuild their scale because there is normally a faulty system with psoriasis where the skin regenerates more than one layer. Hydration is also important for the same reason in that if you are dehydrated you will scratch more.  Diet wise, people with psoriasis should avoid histamine inducing foods and any food which is heavy on the liver. If the liver is not functioning properly then itchy skin is one of the effects of excess toxins in the body. Things we need to avoid include coffee, alcohol, excessive salt, anything high in sugar (drinks and food) and making sure you eat lots of greens (magnesium, calcium and Vit B which are all essential for skin health) When psoriasis patches are healing you are not going to see extremely quick changes. What you will notice is the center of the lesion will become flatter and paler and then the edges will improve. For nail psoriasis, the nails regenerate at a much slower pace than the skin so you can expect it to take longer. We do, however, have treatments at the clinic, which are very effective for nail psoriasis. For professional support with your skin conditions Book an appointment with Maria Arora at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ 

This is the second of a series of episodes about skin conditions.  I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Remember that the information I give is for guidance and for your understanding and not for treatment or diagnosis purposes.  Eczema is a distressing condition which affects many children and adults. It is often treated with steroid creams and treatments which do not help in the long term healing and rebalancing of the body. When you understand what is happening when the body presents with eczema you can find great relief and healing with the right steps of body support. The difference between eczema and dermatitis Eczema is usually more localised than dermatitis and you usually find it in the cubital fossa (inner elbow) or the popliteal fossa (behind the knee). Other common areas include around the neck, mouth and eyes. Eczema can be considered as an atopic presentation, meaning it is a long standing condition which tends to flare periodically. There are different ways that eczema can present, including: Nummular eczema - coin-like and responds a little different from normal type of eczema Generalized - Everything gets red itchy and extremely swollen (looks like a dermatitis presentation) Lichen-like presentation - when it looks leather-like, usually a chronic condition What triggers eczema to flare? When eczema flares, it is the immune system saying, “I am not happy. There is something annoying me. Please can we get rid of this trigger!” We then need to look at what these triggers may be and we address both external and internal factors. External factors include pollens, grasses, animal fur, food, dust mites and chemical agents. We also have internal factors like stress hormones which can create an aggravation. If the eczema is red, hot, itchy and/or burning then we know we are having a histamine response (see last week's episode # 30).  Factors to consider with eczema Are proteins from dietary intake breaking down properly? Is the blood and gut pH balanced? Is the gut flora balanced Do we need to support any mineral deficiencies? What is the trigger and how can we remove it? We need to consider each of these factors and perhaps change more than one but not every case will need to have each area addressed. Quite often, the difficulty is trying to work out what is causing the problem. Is it internal or external, environmental or nutrition or a combination?! As a rule of thumb, when we are treating eczema we: Deworm - When parasites have been in the body for a while, we tend to get leaky gut, have poor digestion and uptake of nutrients and have an acid pH. As a consequence the immune response becomes higher (which can result in eczema flares). Introduce high quality probiotics Take digestive enzymes Cut histamines, grains, dairy, nuts and acid forming foods - Once the condition settles we can reintroduce slowly and notice how the body responds so we can work out if any are triggering an immune response.  Acid forming foods include fizzy drinks, coffee, alcohol (especially spirits),wheat and dairy Also look out for meals that can be triggering as a whole. For example Spaghetti bolognaise where the wheat is acid forming, the tomato is high in histamine and the cheese is both acid and histamine forming. A big misunderstanding is when we say, cut out grains and then people reach for gluten free carbohydrates. Gluten-free is not necessarily the solution as there are other proteins which can be triggering to the immune system which are found in other grains, aside from wheat.   Avoid topical creams which will aggravate (including essential oils) Avoid hot water exposure - Hot water will increase the histamine response If the skin is weeping - No exposure to water on the skin at all (better to be a little smelly than worsen the condition!). When I see conditions that are weeping I also find that we need to support the liver and apply tissue salts topically to the affected areas. Topical application of tissue salts - With eczema, we find the topical application of tissue salts to be extremely beneficial. To apply the tissue salts, we crush them with the back of a spoon, sprinkle over the area and then tap to remove the excess. The tissue salts which can help may be 2, 11, 10 and 12. I highly recommend seeking professional help however as the tissue salts you will need and the quantity and frequency you should take them will depend on the individual circumstances (age, external factors etc).  If there is an acute flare-up of a chronic condition, for example a person with red, how, swollen and itchy patches but who also has lichen-like patches of skin (usually around wrists and ankles), we look at treating the problem area first (the acute flare up) and then we address the bigger picture.  When we look at the bigger picture we quite often find more than one condition (not just eczema). For example, impetigo (school sores) and eczema or acne and eczema. In these cases we have to prioritise what we are treating (we can't address everything at once). We prioritise by treating what is the most aggravating first.  For professional support with your skin conditions Book an appointment with Maria Arora at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.co

I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Contrary to popular belief skin conditions often involve many different body systems and can be complex to treat. I.e. A topical cream may be required but it likely won't be enough for full healing. This is the first of our holistic skin healing series.  Before we get stuck in, it is important to note that different conditions mean a different state of your immune system. Or, in simple terms, skin conditions can be caused by processes occurring (or not occurring) deep in the body. This can get quite complicated, so while I am speaking about how you can help yourself, keep in mind that you may require professional assistance to get to the root cause of the problem.  When looking at health and disease there are certain steps the body has to go through. For example, if you are diagnosed with cancer this comes from a progression of stages which has occurred within the body, involving many body systems. There is also a hierarchy within the organ systems and skin would be near the top of that hierarchy, where it is generally the first symptom you will notice and is often the last symptom to disappear. This is not true for every case but it is quite common. There are also conditions which are more inflammatory in nature and which can come from either external or internal sources. For example, if you are stung by a bee (external inflammatory source)  there will be redness, swelling and pain on the area of skin where you were stung. An internal inflammatory source would be something coming from inside of the body, like hormonal imbalance.  When we speak about chronic conditions we are speaking about conditions which develop over a period of time. As I indicated, these cases develop with many other organ systems involved and thus take longer to address because there are more of the body systems which need balancing. The reason why I am taking the time to stress the hierarchy of body systems involved in many skin conditions is because many people believe that when there is a chronic skin condition that the gut is to blame. This is not true. The gut may well be part of the problem but there are many more systems which will need to be balanced to bring the skin back into harmony and it's probable that these other systems will need to be prioritised over the gut.  Another way to look at skin conditions (instead of acute or chronic) is to think of it in terms of external triggers (e.g a bee sting or chemical exposure) vs internal triggers (body system malfunction). Treating skin conditions is something that practitioners have been trying to master for a very long time and it takes a lot of study to begin understanding it.  As a general rule of thumb. If something is red, burning, swollen and itching then you need to reduce the amount of histamines you are ingesting, are exposing your body to or which are being produced by your body.  As an example, if you have a really hot shower and your skin gets red, the redness is a result of histamines being produced. This same effect can happen while exercising when you overheat.  Some foods like strawberries create a histamine response in the body. These are things that are imperative to remove (especially in acute cases) if we are going to address conditions coming from histamine responses (red, itchy, burning, swelling). Our body also detoxifies through the skin when the liver, lymphatics and kidneys are not able to detox effectively. So you can see how important it is to have good nutrition not only to reduce the amount of histamine foods but also to supply the organs of detoxification (liver, lymphatic, kidneys) with the nutrition they need to work effectively.  A good example of this is when we have a diet with too much acid-forming foods and drinks (e.g. caffeine, fizzy drinks, sugar) and heavy foods containing too much cholesterol (e.g. fried foods, coconut oil etc). We have spoken in previous episodes about how the extracellular space becomes very dense/thick when the body pH is too acid making it difficult to detox. (Listen to episode 20 for more information on body acidity and what causes it) We need to consider the state of the liver, the PH of the body and consequently the minerals. If the minerals are not in balance you are going to be slow to regenerate your skin and have a good immune response. (I have recorded a whole series on mineral therapy. If you haven't listened already it is well worth your time in order to understand how minerals affect and regulate your body at the deepest level). When we address skin conditions in this series we are going to look at primary triggers and secondary triggers. A primary trigger is something which initiates a condition, whereas a secondary trigger is something that continues to aggravate the original flare or symptoms.  Each condition has different primary and secondary triggers. For example, in the case of scabies there are little midgets that burrow under the skin, creating a tunneling system. In this case we can see that the midgets/scabies are the primary trigger. The body's immune response should be to rid itself of the scabies. If the immune response is not adequate we need to look at pH (acidity) and minerals to see what is out of balance/why the immune response is not working. Therefore the secondary trigger is likely to be pH and/or mineral imbalance. In this case, while we would support the immune response, we would look at attacking the initial agent (the scabies) itself as our primary focus. In another example let's say we have a burn. The primary trigger is heat but as part of the healing process we look at nutrition and protection because we need to regenerate our skin (which requires protein, minerals and adequate fluids) and avoid infection from external sources. In this case, we are focusing on avoiding the potential secondary triggers (lack of nutrition and exposure to pathogens) as our main focus of treatment. What happens when you have a long term inflammatory condition? These types of conditions cause a lot of suffering and we often see people coming into the clinic desperate for help. Examples are eczema, dermatitis, granuloma annularis, rosacea, acne, fungal conditions and nine different forms of psoriasis. As these conditions involve many body systems, we are going to be addressing these in the coming episodes. If you require support for your skin problem (or any other health problem) head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ to book an appointment with Maria Arora. 

Below is a brief synopsis of my journey into natural medicine. Have a listen to the podcast chat between myself and Michelle Marsh where I share some of my personal stories and anecdotes. This is my journey and how I went from practicing Western Medicine into Natural Therapies despite the obstacles life threw at me which included constant moving, children, cancer, stroke and divorce. I knew from the age of 9 years old that I was going to be helping people and as a child I would go to the library and get books out that taught about the human body purely because it was interesting to me.  In high school I moved from Chile to Brazil and when they assessed me they put me a grade up. This proved to be one of the first ‘challenges' that life was to set for me as I had to learn both a new language as well as performing at a higher level.  After school, I almost didn't go into medicine. The caring part of my personality wanted to be a nurse, however my father had different ideas and was horrified at the thought of my abilities not being put into medicine.  I of course enjoyed all of the subjects in medicine but I took a keen interest in Microbiology. During my studies I had experience working in emergency and theatre and had a range of experiences from being  punched in the face by drunk patients through to caring for people who are in the end stage of life.  My Hindu late husband exposed me to Homeopathy and a holistic approach. With my late husband I lived in India, Germany and many other countries. In India I was exposed to the ‘freshness' of food in its natural state. I learned to cook from scratch and I noticed how unprocessed foods were accepted by the body more readily.  When we moved to Australia, in order to continue practicing medicine I would need to do further study. At this stage we had children however and I was already wanting to move into natural therapies so I enrolled to do Naturopathy majoring in Nutrition and Homeopathy.  It's safe to say I have functioned at a high level for a long period of time but it wasn't always smooth sailing. Living in India with my late husband's family wasn't easy. There was a big difference in culture and while my Western clothes were conservative they were still Western. I had to learn to grind spice and mill flour to make bread daily and I had chores which consisted of things like getting water from the street pump.  My late husband also made life difficult for me. He was not happy with my desire to study naturopathy and so said that if I choose to do it I must make sure I keep doing all the household responsibilities. I.e. cooking him 3 meals from scratch per day, staying home with the children and keeping the house impeccable. I also had to find a way to pay for my studies as he would not support them.  A year into my studies I developed cervical cancer, which became another bump in the road. Thankfully, I knew how to treat myself naturally. Soon after I had healed, I was pregnant with my fourth baby. I didn't return to study after my baby as my husband encouraged me to study nursing because it would produce a faster income (because of my medical training) than studying naturopathy.  It wasn't long before things got worse in my marriage and there was abuse on many levels. When divorcing I represented myself in court, with the help of a very good friend and gained full custody of the children. I found myself in a position again where I could not continue my studies and so I left nursing and applied myself fully to my jobs as a nursing assistant, interpreter and mother to my beautiful children.  At this stage I was working the night shift and caring for my 2, 5, 7 and 9 year old children during the day. Sometimes I wouldn't sleep for two days in a row.  In hindsight it wasn't surprising that one day I woke up paralysed down one side of my body. I was in hospital for 10 days after the stroke. When I went home I began to heal myself once again with natural medicine. While still recovering from my stroke, my old teacher from Homeopathy called and told me I needed to return to my studies. My teacher was adamant and so I returned to finish my diploma despite working two jobs, being a single mother and not being well. All of these difficulties enabled me to gain courage so I could become the resilient person I am today. Along the way I also had many people and moments which gave me the motivation to be the joyful, positive person I am. I have channeled all of these learnings into continuing my education and since graduating from Naturopathy I have studied something new every year, including Mineral Therapy (which became a cornerstone of my practice) Bowen Therapy, Bio regulatory medicine, Blood Analysis, Biological Medicine for Cancer, Essential Oils, Raindrop Technique, Relationship and Post-abortion Grief Counselling, Alfa Thermography, Genetics, Sound Healing, Mentoring and Mindset, Dermatology, Qi Gong and more. https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ 

If you had to choose just four essential oils what would you choose? In today's episode we discuss why we choose the essential oils we use on a daily basis and how they could possibly help you too. When I first found essential oils I was on the lookout for something that could help my patient's to process emotions. I was introduced to a technique called Raindrop and I was astounded by the results, not only for my patients but also for myself as I was coming in contact with them for 4 hours every day as I was giving the treatments. The essential oils in the Raindrop treatment are oregano, thyme, basil, wintergreen, cypress, Aroma Seize (blend), peppermint, marjoram and Valor (blend). These essential oils are stimulating and cleansing oils. My top four essential oils: 1 - Sacred Frankincense Sacred Frankincense is high frequency and works beautifully for the law of attraction. At the same time it is also a grounding, bringing us back into our bodies. This dual action of raising the vibration while also grounding makes it pretty special. In biblical times, Jesus was given Frankincense. Why? It's assumed that it was sought after due to the quantity of infant mortality and disease. Sacred Frankincense is higher boswellic acid (the active ingredient) than other types of frankincense.  2 - Progessence Phyto Plus Progessence Phyto Plus (blend) balances female hormones and energies (including mindset). I apply this essential oil on my thighs every morning.  3 - Clary Sage Clary sage works well with the effect of Progessence Phyto Plus in keeping hormones in ratio with each other. I apply this essential oil over my stomach in the mornings and will add it to my home made face moisturiser if my skin is a bit flushed, which can be a sign of estrogen not being in equilibrium with the body. 4 - Gratitude Gratitude is a beautiful blend which helps to balance the emotions and get our mindset in the right frame where we can attract high vibration experiences and manifestations.  My oily routine As soon as I wake up I reach to my bedside table and choose something for a quick pick-me-up (the oil I choose changes). After my shower I put Sacred Frankincense on my face, Gratitude (blend) on my wrists, wintergreen on my neck, deodorant (made up with lavender tea tree and natural ingredients), progessence on my thighs and clary sage on my abdomen. I also make a moisturiser for my face. The essential oils in my moisturiser depends on what I feel I intuitively know as well as looking at my skin and choosing oils which will help. I look for redness, swelling, dry, too moist etc. For example, if it is: Too dry - I will not use frankincense because frankincense dries out the skin (which is why it is good for pimples) Flushed/hot - I know this is an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen so I put a bit of clary sage in the cream A bit puffy - I use geranium because geranium aids detoxification More wrinkly than normal then I reach for helichrysum During the day, I often add lemon essential oil to my water. Lemon essential oil has an active component called D-limonene which has a lot of benefits. If I have eaten some sugar (usually dark chocolate), then I will put a drop of ocotea under my tongue and some Juvaflex (blend) over my liver.  My favourite scent from an essential oil (currently) is lemon myrtle and frankincense. Orange is also a big favourite as it puts you in a happy place almost instantly.  In the evening I use cedarwood on my forehead to help with sleep. Michelle's favourite oils: Progessence and clary sage in the morning Digize in Ningxia to aid digestion Endoflex over adrenals and thyroid Shoulders - Aroma Seiz (blend), marjoram, wintergreen and Panaway (blend) are all used in different combination Orange in the diffuser (with almost every blend) Frankincense on my forehead for clarity Vetiver to help calm myself down (especially if my adrenals are working overtime and I am having trouble grounding). Idaho Balsam Fir is also very good for this. For an energy boost I reach for spruce or Shutran (blend) Should we rotate our essential oil routines? While too much of anything can pose a risk to the human body, in the case of essential oils if we are applying them topically or inhaling them, this is unlikely to happen. This is because essential oils attach to receptor sites on cells and if the body does not require the essential oil there will be no receptor site for it to attach to and thus will be excreted out of the body. Essential oils have an action lifespan of about 20 minutes in the human body. In saying this, if you are not using an essential oil that is pure then it will contain toxins that will absolutely accumulate and cause damage to the body. This is also true for rancid oils. As far as changing your essential oil routine, your body usually naturally draws away from using it. You may find that you just forget to apply it or perhaps you are no longer drawn to it. Don't be afraid to trust yourself and your inner guidance on what is good for you and when.  Mentoring For mentoring and support around essential oils (or any other health related topic) head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com  You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/  Podcast episode This week's episode was a conversation between host Maria Arora (Naturopath) and Michelle Marsh (Aromanosis Coach). 

Have you heard the saying ‘green with envy?' and wondered where it came from? It comes from the emotional association of envy (jealousy) with the liver and gallbladder. And funnily enough, the gallbladder produces bile, which is green!  Today we are talking about which emotions affect what body organs and systems. In a similar fashion to the green with envy example, we can look at different emotions and see the effects they have on certain parts of the body. The Chinese medicine system helps us gain better understanding as it corresponds to the different body organs and systems with emotions. Drawing on this system, I have described some of the body systems and their corresponding emotions, as well as the recommended essential oils for these areas. But please keep in mind that this is a surface level look into a very deep and complex topic. So if you enjoy what you learn today, know that there is much much more to discover! Kidneys  Our kidneys (and adrenals) are associated with fear. When the adrenals are overworked (due to too much nervous system stimulation) we get exhausted. So we know that where there is fear, there is also exhaustion.  When we are thinking about how to treat fear we can think of the law of opposites. The opposite of fear is knowledge. This is because fear is related to the unknown. When we are afraid we are scared of what might occur (be it in 10 seconds or 10 years). Ie. We are projecting into the future. The way we balance this is by focusing on the present. There is a beautiful essential oil blend called Present Time which works wonders for bringing the mind back to the here and now and thus is also extremely beneficial for states of fear. Another essential oil blend I highly recommend is called Valor because it helps us to have courage in the face of fear (Valor also contains oils which help to calm us, which work to also calm the adrenals). Lungs & heart  When looking at the Chinese medicine system we look at the lungs & heart connection and grief is the emotion which affects these areas. If you think about what grief is, it is the loss of something. We also want to take note here that sadness does not necessarily mean grief. Sadness is an emotion which we can experience in reaction to a range of stimulus but grief is another level where we are feeling the pain of loss. The opposite of grief (loss) is abundance. And so when looking at treating grief, we support the lungs and cardiovascular system as well as bringing in lots of support and nurturing emotionally so the person can experience emotional abundance again.  Because of the association with the lungs, people experiencing severe grief often experience respiratory illnesses - e.g. emphysema, chronic coughs, colds etc. As we know by now, we can't separate mind and body. If you know what oil works for the body then it will correspond with the emotion of that area and vice versa. Ylang Ylang is known to work well on the circulatory system and it is also a ‘happy' oil which brings us connection and thus fills a void often experienced in grief.  Aromalife supports and strengthens the pumping action of the heart and is also a worthwhile blend to reach for.  Musculoskeletal When looking at the emotional association with musculoskeletal injuries or problems as yourself, where is the injury and what is it preventing you from doing? How is this serving your current thought process? Are you avoiding something or feeling like you can't get anywhere in life (legs/feet) or perhaps you are feeling unsupported (back pain)? You may notice that your comments relate not only to your problem but also to your thought processes and thus life generally. Thyroid/throat Your thyroid and throat area relate to speaking your truth. It also relates to listening to others and feeling like you are being heard. Someone who isn't speaking their truth may make sounds like they are clearing their throat all the time. If this is you, or if you have any constriction or pain in the throat or thyroid area, ask yourself, what aren't you saying? Or what are you saying that you don't really believe? We often see this manifest in couples where one person is more dominant than the other. The submissive person often does not speak up and thus manifests problems with the throat or thyroid.  The essential oil myrtle really helps with self expression. It is also useful for anyone who has lost their voice.  Digestive problems  When the digestive system is not functioning properly it is losing nourishment and therefore is also related to not nourishing the self properly. The pancreas is closely related to digestive problems as it creates the enzymes needed to break down particles (and thus receive the nourishment). The pancreas is emotionally related to not having ‘sweetness' in life. Do you see the connection? Physically the pancreas also regulates our blood sugar levels and people who have illnesses related to pancreas (eg diabetics) can often be bitter and dissatisfied with life. When people lose the sweetness from life they try to get it through sweet foods instead. This is how it affects the pancreas and leads to diabetes. The essential oils ocotea, cinnamon and cassia are wonderful essential oils for balancing this area.  When it comes to the bowels constipation often means you are not letting go of something whereas diarrhoea can mean you have finally let go! Liver The liver is a processor of strong negative emotions (eg anger, jealousy etc) and the essential oils which are beneficial for supporting the gallbladder and liver are german chamomile, geranium, ledum and a blend called JuvaCleanse.  A tip - If you are supporting yourself with essential oils to help with emotions associated with the liver, be mindful not to eat a heavy diet (fatty foods etc) that will burden the liver, as this will be counterproductive. We must support the body (eg eating low GI carbs, fresh vegetables, minerals, lots of water etc) when cleansing emotions just as we need to support the emotions (coaching/counselling, journaling, self development practices) when we are detoxifying the body.  If detoxifying emotions, use an oil blend called Release and apply over the liver.  Skin  We can't really pinpoint just one emotion for the skin because when our skin is showing signs of chronically being upset, it is a symptom of a deeper problem, most likely related to hormones. These longer term skin issues are quite often related to feeling unseen. An acute skin problem which is itchy and red is most likely related to detoxification, so there may be an emotion which you have repressed which is wanting to come out.   Emotions have STRONG effects! Our emotions have very strong and REAL effects on the body. Many years ago I saw a girl who was experiencing hemorrhaging with no apparent cause. After speaking with her I found out she was engaged and that she was not wanting to go through with the wedding. After speaking with me she decided to be honest and cancel the wedding. Her hemorrhaging symptoms disappeared.  Be mindful of your words. “MY back pain” means you are owning it. Instead say “This back pain I am experiencing”... and then apply Panaway! Essential Oils:  We have mentioned many essential oils in today's blog. It's worth noting that essential oils bind to receptor sites of cells to create an action. If the body doesn't need it, the oils won't bind and thus will be excreted by the body. This is why different people get different results. Because we are all unique in our needs.  When choosing essential oils, trust your intuition. We have the same ability as animals to smell and sense what we need versus what we should avoid, we just don't trust ourselves and have been taught to seek the answers for our problems outside of ourselves.  In saying this, it is handy to have a base level of education and if your problems are complicated, guidance may be helpful.  If you would like to learn more about essential oils and how to use them, please get in contact with the clinic to arrange an appointment with Maria, who will help you to choose the right ones for your specific circumstances as well as teach you how to use them. Mentoring For mentoring and support (physical and mental) head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com  You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/  Podcast episode This week's episode was a conversation between host Maria Arora (Naturopath) and Michelle Marsh (Aromanosis Coach). 

This is the third episode of our series on mindset and goal setting.   Today we are talking about mindset and how it affects you.  Mindset is the way you think and will affect your results. We have a thinking part of the brain which can accept and reject ideas. But we also have a subconscious part of the brain which automatically accepts what comes through to it. It is what is in our subconscious minds which determines our belief systems and paradigms. Our belief systems and paradigms lead us into actions and results.  When we have an undesirable result that keeps repeating, we know we need to look at our subconscious beliefs and patterns because this is what is driving us to make the decisions/actions which lead to the undesirable result. How do we change subconscious beliefs and patterns? By tapping into the emotions which are generated by these subconscious systems we begin to unlock and reshape them. It sounds like a simple process, and it is, but it also requires steps that require a lot of discipline. Before we are disciplined however, we need to make some choices.    Here are some tips: 1 - It may sound obvious but once you know what you want you need to dispose of the things which are not in alignment with your goal and keep (or add in) the things that are in alignment. If you stick to this formula it will help you to make faster choices.  2 - Connect to your feelings. Sometimes we spend a lot of time thinking about what we should do and we forget to check in with our feelings about the possible choices.  Once we have made a choice, we need to look at creating new habits and actions which will take us in the direction of that choice. Most people can begin taking new steps or actions towards their goals, but this is another spot where many people revert back to their old ways. This is because, when we begin something new, we are ultimately faced with challenges that feel extremely difficult because we have not faced them before. This feels very uncomfortable but it is important to know that this feeling of discomfort is where your growth is. Most people however, retreat back to old habits and behaviours at this point because what is ‘known' is much easier and feels comfortable.  As we said, creating new habits and sticking to them takes energy and diligence. We all have the capability, it is just whether or not you choose to use it.    Mentoring For mentoring and support around your mindset and goal setting head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com  You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/   

This is the second episode of our series on mindset and goal setting.   Today we are talking about goals that have a high chance of succeeding.  There are three different types of goals: A goals, B goals and C goals.  A type Goals are things that you already know how to do. This type of goal does not generally fill you with as much passion as the other types of goals. B type goals are things that if you practice and take certain action with diligence you will be able to achieve.  C type goals are more difficult to achieve and might even feel like a fantasy. C goals require a lot of steps and action to be taken to achieve.  The key to achieving any of these goals is the ‘taking action' part. Without taking action your goals will remain a dream.  The trap people fall into when looking at C type goals, is being overwhelmed by all the steps needed to achieve the goal. Usually, with this type of goal, it is not possible to know ALL the steps and so it is not uncommon to be stuck in the phase of trying to plan everything out, instead of just getting started.  When you continue to dream about your vision you will stay in the energy of that dream and by the universal laws of action and reaction you will attract the same frequency. This means you will naturally create steps (or mini A and/or B goals) towards your big C goal.  Can you achieve big, amazing C goals? Absolutely! There are very few goals (we want) that are not attainable. Will you put in the required energy to achieve it and believe in yourself enough to take action? This is the big question and the reason many people fail. Either they simply do not want to do the work required or they do not believe it is possible.  What is the difference between the person who succeeds at their chosen goal versus a person who does not? It comes down to persistence and diligence to keep moving forward, doing the things that most people think are too difficult or unpleasant. The person who succeeds, keeps working at their dream.   Mentoring For mentoring and support around your mindset and goal setting head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com  You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/ 

This is the first episode of our series on mindset and goal setting.  Do you know what motivates you? Do you know what you really want? Today we are talking about creating visions and goals. We begin with choosing goals that inspire you. How do you do this? The best way is to sit down for 15 minutes with some nice music playing in the background and just let your mind wander. Allowing your mind to wander is the important step. When we allow our minds to wander we are opening the door to creativity and it is through the creative mind that we will discover who we want to be, or what we want to do or have.  As different goals begin to evolve in your mind, a vision will begin to evolve. When we have a vision in life, the vision shapes the actions and decisions we make (our goals). And as we work towards our vision it ultimately evolves further, taking us closer to our purpose.  Working on our vision requires: Planning Understanding Awareness Diligence  And of course what your vision or destination is! Surprisingly a lot of people do not know what vision they are working towards. If you want to go on holiday but you haven't chosen where, how do you know what plane to catch? Or even if you need a plane at all to get there? Without knowing your destination, you could end up traveling to the airport and buying a ticket that you don't need. This is how we waste time, energy and resources and so I cannot stress how important this first step or choosing a destination/vision is. Also, keep in mind that you can always change your vision as you learn more about yourself and what fulfills you. The important thing is to choose something to work towards.  Once you know what your vision is, write it down and review it often. Speak it out loud and imagine what it will feel like once you have achieved it. There is a power in writing, speaking and repeating your goals which will allow you to start taking action, to believe more strongly in your direction and to begin creating. Mentoring For mentoring and support around your mindset and goal setting head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com  You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/

This is the third episode in our three part series on stress. Episode 21 - Glands, hormones and stress Episode 22 - How sex hormones are affected by stress   Stress causes an excess production of cortisol. This can raise cortisol level very quickly. Cortisol also cycles through the day. It tends to increase in the morning, drop a little bit and then increase again in the afternoon, before dropping again towards the evening, when the body is preparing for sleep. We also have a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is not produced by the adrenal glands (like cortisol), it is produced in the pineal gland that sits roughly in the middle of the brain.  Melatonin levels change in response to the shadows/darkness that our eye receptors pick up on. Melatonin levels should be low in the morning and increase towards the evening as it gets dark.  People that are stressed, tend to have difficulty falling asleep, toss and turn all night and are unable to get into a deep sleep. When this occurs we first need to consider sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene means thinking about your habits and altering them so they do not affect your ability to go to sleep (or the sleep quality). Factors to consider include: Caffeinated drinks. Particularly in the afternoon and evening. For example, coffee and black or green tea. High intensity exercise in the evening. To push through a workout, our body releases cortisol, which will keep us awake. Blue light exposure. Blue light is the light that emanates from computer, phone and TV screens. This light has the ability to interfere with the pineal gland response to release melatonin as it gets darker at night.  Sleep hygiene also includes adding in good habits that will encourage you body to sleep. These include: Magnesium salt and essential oil baths Diffusing of applying essential oils (Lavender and the young Living blends of Stress Away and Peace and Calming are particularly good). Applying essential oils like Peace and Calming and Lemon after exercise (if you cannot avoid evening exercise) A note on essential oils if you are using them, make sure you use the highest quality. Many essential oils contain nasty chemicals and once they are on your skin it will be in your bloodstream within 20 minutes.  How Stress affects Sleep When we are stressed we release cortisol throughout the day, including the evening. The cortisol levels counteract the sleepy effect of the melatonin in the evening, making it difficult to switch off.  When this occurs, people often get a prescription for melatonin as this will increase the melatonin levels in relation to the cortisol levels. While melatonin can be sourced naturally and is not going to damage your body in the same way medication does, it is still a concern if this is the only action you are taking in response to this problem. We need to address the problem, which is the high cortisol levels due to stress. If high levels of cortisol remain untreated there will be other consequences in the body like increased inflammation.  As we spoke about in episode 21 (What it means to be acid), it is while we are sleeping that the body corrects the pH levels of our blood to make it alkaline.  A low pH (acidic) can occur for many reasons, one of them being high cortisol. Refer back to episode 21 to understand just how detrimental low PH is to your health but let's consider the picture being built here. You are stressed, so your cortisol rises. This makes your blood pH drop (acid). Your high cortisol means you are not sleeping properly so your body doesn't have the opportunity to try and rebalance it. You are tired from not sleeping, so you eat sweets and drink coffee and other stimulants to stay awake. These stimulants further make your blood acid and also increase the insomnia at night. In short, you are in a downwards spiral where health issues very quickly arise.  Stress and your body clock If we look at the Chinese Meridian System you will see that every 2 hours there is a different organ that the body focuses on. This repeats every 12 hours, so what occurs at 11am to 1pm during the day, also occurs at 11pm to 1am at night. Utilising this system, we can look at what time of the night we are waking up and are unable to go back to sleep to work out what body organs/systems are struggling. 11 to 1 - gallbladder 1 to 3 - liver 3 to 5 - Emotions 5 to 7 - Colon For example, if you are eating too many fatty or acid forming foods you may have trouble sleeping between 11pm and 3am. Or if you have unresolved emotions, you may wake at around 4am unable to go back to sleep.  Other considerations A malfunctioning thyroid, low progesterone or high estrogen will also influence your ability to sleep.  Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We are continuing our series on Stress. To listen from the beginning head back to episode 21. Today we are talking about how prolonged stress can affect your estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels, which bring emotional changes and physical conditions.    Estrogen Estrogen is important for healthy skin, to prevent depression, to prevent dryness in general and to feel more ‘sexy.' We learned last week that prolonged stress makes your adrenal and thyroid glands secrete certain hormones. The metabolisation of these hormones eventually leads to increases in estrogens.  There are three forms of estrogen - E1, E2 and E3 which we will be focusing on today. E2 (estradiol) is the common estrogen tested in blood tests by doctors. Both males and females have estrogen AND testosterone. I.e. These hormones are not just for one gender. In females, their naturally higher levels of estrogen bring their beautiful, curvy body shape and also increases tissue development.  Understanding that estrogen increases tissue development is important because tissue development also means multiplication of cells generally and it is this function which enables females to develop and grow a baby. It is also the function of cell multiplicity which can encourage tumour formation if levels are too high.  We are focusing on stress today, but it is worth noting that certain chemicals (eg synthetic fragrances) have an estrogenic effect (raise estrogen levels). This can lead to fetus malformation, infertility and even cancers. This can happen in any gender.  As we have already explained, stress can also lead to increased estrogen production and this leads to the same consequences described.  Estrogen tends to increase fat cells as well. And fat cells tend to produce more estrogen which creates more fat cells. Fat cells attach water molecules and so as fat cells increase we end up with fluid retention. This is how an excess of estrogen results in fluid retention.  In perimenopause and post menopausal women, we often see an increase in weight and even further development of breasts tissue. This is because of the estrogen increase.  Women who seek help for menopausal symptoms or to avoid pregnancy, often end up taking medication that release estrogen. The estrogen being absorbed by the body compounds the effects of high estrogen levels like cell multiplication (eg tumour formation) and fat cell production. If you are using any of these products it is recommended that you get your levels checked frequently to try and avoid any undesirable effects.  When estrogen is high in men, they have a tendency towards baldness, enlargement of breasts and abdomen and a tendency for prostate issues. Excessive passing of urine at night time is often a sign of high estrogen. A broken flow of urine during the day is caused by an enlarged prostate. This symptom can happen as early as 30 years of age if the stress has been at a high level for a period of time.    Progesterone Progesterone is often one of the first hormones to become depleted with high levels of stress. Without progesterone females tend to have high levels of anxiety, the mind will deteriorate, the hair will begin to grey, sleep will become shallow, aging comes prematurely, cholesterol tends to increase (independently of a good diet) and the body and mind starts to decline into a state of chaos.   It is important to understand that intrauterine devices that have some amounts of progesterone may not have adequate quantities to support the losses.  We also need to be aware that estrogen and progesterone need to be in a particular ratio. And the 3 estrogens also need to have a particular ratio among them. If this ratio is not kept, the person will have dysfunction in the body (eg weight gain).   Testosterone Low progesterone brings more facial acne. It is not uncommon for clients to present with facial acne who tell me that they have been prescribed the contraceptive pill in an attempt to reduce testosterone in order to help the acne. Unfortunately, in these cases it is not usually testosterone causing the problem. When testosterone causes acne, it is more of a cystic presentation and can be seen on the upper chest, back and sometimes the arms. With this cystic presentation, high testosterone can also result in the very well known condition of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which can lead to infertility.   Testosterone can increase dramatically with stress, bringing these undesirable effects.  Testosterone is responsible for the sex drive and is also involved in the uptake of calcium. An excess of testosterone will make the person more rigid in mind and behaviour. On the flip side, low testosterone can bring a drop in motivation, a lack of muscle strength and in men, a tendency towards depression.     Emotional and mindset effects As we said low levels of: Progesterone causes anxiety Estrogen causes depression Testosterone causes lack of motivation   Our emotions are closely linked with our hormone levels. This means that no matter how good you are with changing your mindset, your feelings can still deteriorate due to hormonal levels. Please reach out to us if this is occurring for you. There are ways we can naturally support your body and mind to regain its balance.     Keeping the balance Hormonal balance is essential but it is also an aspect of health that can be quite complex so seek help if you are unsure.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

“Sometimes what we know, is not what we do.” Maria Arora For the next 3 episodes we are talking about stress. Stress affects EVERYONE. Not just adults working hard. It affects children, the elderly, the sick and the healthy. No-one is immune.  What is stress? Stress is when there is something that your body has to use energy and effort to cope with. This can include temperature changes, exercise, overthinking, overworking and any emotional stimulant. It can also be seemingly trivial things which you think will not affect you. We measure cortisol levels to gauge the physical stress your body is under and it isn't unusual to see levels double what they should be. These patients often remark they do not understand because they do not feel stressed. This is important to note, because we all have different perceptions of what stress is and thus depending on your mindset and what you experience on a daily basis, what you consider high stress will vary from another person. By measuring hormones, we can see how stress affects the body and the effect of stress on the body still manifests even when the mind is ignoring the feeling of stress. In this 3 week series we are going to be talking about: How pH is affected by stress The hormonal responses of stress Stress and sleep The stress response The hormonal responses of stress We have a glandular system and glands are like little factories that produce hormones. Hormones act like messengers in that they carry a message to instigate an action elsewhere in the body. For example we have hormones which tell our heart to pump faster or slower and hormones that create happy or sleepy feelings. Our hormones are the catalyst for every change in our body and so without hormones, the body will not function. Understanding hormones is important when looking at stress, because your body will produce hormones in response to stress in an attempt to mediate its effects. Some of the hormones produced in response to stress are adrenaline, DHEA and cortisol.  To have enough hormones for all the actions we want to take place in the body, we require a few things to occur. First we have dietary requirements with a major component being the need for adequate protein (2 serves of 20g per day for the average person) as amino acids (from protein) are the building blocks for hormones. But we also need certain minerals (eg iodine for Thyroid), vitamins (eg Vit B) and cholesterol for the production of hormones to occur. Cholesterol often gets given a bad rap because we all know that if we have too much of it then it can clog the blood vessels and cause fatty liver. However, we do need a certain amount of it and one of its functions is to help in the production of hormones (known as a precursor).  The trick with getting the right amount of cholesterol without ingesting too many fats (and thus affecting your liver and other organs) is to choose good sources. Eggs are a wonderful choice as they are a good source of protein, Vitamin B and cholesterol without containing too much fat. On the flip side, we want to avoid cholesterol containing foods that also have a high fat content like dairy (cheese, chocolate, milk, cream etc), animal fat and deep fried foods.  Glands and Stress The adrenal and thyroid glands are the two glands that produce hormones due to the stress response.  When stress occurs the adrenals produce adrenaline which helps the body to move and act. To balance the adrenalin, the adrenal glands then produce cortisol.  If the stress stimulus does not go away, we continually produce adrenaline and thus cortisol to manage the adrenaline and a process of what is known as upregulation occurs where there is more and more cortisol produced to the point of where the receptor in your brain saying to produce cortisol, will not turn off.  We then start to bioaccumulate cortisol and the body needs to find a way to metabolise (break down) the cortisol in order to keep the body in balance. This is where problems begin to occur as when the cortisol is metabolised it creates an increase in estrogen (E1 and E3 - the bad type). The high estrogen levels create an increase in inflammatory responses and we then trigger genetic conditions we are predisposed to (e.g. high cholesterol, breast cancer, crohn's disease, psoriasis etc).  DHEA is the precursor (the required trigger) to cortisol. DHEA levels are associated with aging and begin to drop when cortisol is being continually produced. This speeds up the process of aging. As an example, have you ever noticed how when a politician is sworn in as prime minister or president that after a couple of years they look like they have aged dramatically in that short time span? This is the effect of stress on the body and our skin is just a reflection of what is occurring internally. The thyroid tends to go at the same speed as the adrenal glands. So if you are pushing hard and utilising cortisol to get through your day, day after day, then your thyroid will also be overworked. Eventually your thyroid will struggle to produce the required amount of hormones and this is why Hypothyroidism is such a common problem.  Vitamin B, magnesium and iodine are critical for supporting your adrenal glands and thyroid.  In conjunction with nutrition, we need to look at nervous system input. That is, anything that pushes the nervous system into overdrive. For example, long hours at work, too much noise, lack of sleep, extreme emotions (positive or negative). When the nervous system is activated in this way, adrenaline is produced and as discussed already, this puts an increased load on the adrenal and thyroid glands.  Calming down the nervous system is the best place to start. By calming the nervous system, the body can balance itself. If however, you are the exhaustion stage, you will need to support your adrenals and thyroid. But you need to note that depending on your hormone levels, you will need different types of support. So if you are feeling exhausted, this is when you need to reach out for support from a qualified therapist.  Good therapist will also take your unique genetic factors into consideration when prescribing your treatment.  Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

You will often hear me talking about pH and if you have been wondering why, then keep reading/listening! If your body's pH is out then your body cannot take the steps it needs to keep it in balance. Too acid means you have a low pH and too alkaline means you have a high pH.  Our cells are braided into an extracellular space called the matrix. This matrix has a semifluid consistency. And this semi-fluid consistency is only kept at the right consistency if your blood pH is in balance between 6.8 to 7.2.  The extracellular space has a very important function in keeping you alive. The nutrients we put into our body and the oxygen we breath, travels through the matrix on the way to the cells that need them to function. If the fluid in the matrix is too acid it will thicken and the nutrients and oxygen will not be able to get to their destination, causing them to malfunction. The thickening of the extracellular fluid also means the toxins being released from cells (or toxins we have put into our body) get stuck in the fluid and also in the intracellular space (inside of the cell), instead of passing through and being processed for elimination out of the body. In short, if you do not have nutrients then your body cannot function. And if you cannot detox toxins out of your system then they will make you sick.  The matrix not only has the ability to bring nutrients to the cell and also wash away the toxins/debris but it also holds most of our bodies fluid. We are made up of about 85% fluid, so this is extremely important. And guess what? When the body is too acid, it cannot hold the fluid and this is when problems start happening.    What else happens when your pH is low (too acid)? Immune Your immune system produces ‘killer' cells that it sends out when there is a virus or bacteria that needs controlling or when you have sick cells that need destroying. If the body is too acid then the affected cells get a halo around them which prevents the killer cells from reaching their target.  Body structure becomes rigid Muscles and joints begin to ache and your body becomes generally stiff and rigid. Sleep It is during the first stage of sleep that the body alkalises itself before going into the deeper second and third stages of sleep where regeneration and clearing of emotions occurs.  If you are waking up around 3am in the morning needing to pass urine then this is a sign your body pH needs balancing because it has been working during the night to correct it (and thus preventing you from going into the 2nd and 3rd stages of sleep).  Skin A low pH will lead to dry and flaky skin. Aging The lower your pH, the faster you will age because the body is dumping all the minerals you need to function properly. Difficulty losing weight When the toxins can not move through the matrix to be detoxified from the body, they are instead stored in fat cells, which is much safer than having them in the bloodstream where they will cause a lot of damage very quickly. In order to lose weight, we must first alkalise so the body can eliminate the toxins. Weight loss becomes further hampered by a low pH when the matrix is clogged and hormonal and immune receptors are not functioning/receiving messages.   How does the body correct low pH? If your blood pH is too acid the body will try to correct this by dumping minerals (beginning with calcium) from the tissues and bones into the bloodstream to buffer the pH. This works to a certain extent but it quickly deprives the tissues and organs of minerals they need to function.  On top of the mineral deprivation, when there are too many minerals in the bloodstream they can become sedimented and create deposits. For example, calcium spurs can form which can become quite painful.    What affects our pH? The biggest culprit when it comes to pH is what we drink but foods also affect our acid levels. Below are some common low pH foods and drinks to look out for: Spirits  Carbonated water Fizzy drinks Coffee Alcohol Fruit juices (even freshly squeezed) Sugar High GI Carbohydrates (white bread, pasta etc) High protein foods like meat   What else causes our pH to drop? Stress Parasites Infections (bacteria produces lactic acid) Medications Excess of salt Dairy products Extreme exercise (We produce lactic acid when we exercise) As you can see by this list it is very important to keep a balance. Our body is built to keep this balance but if you do or consume too many acid promoting things then your body will not be able to keep it in balance long term, leading to very serious problems.    What should you do if you are worried about your body pH? It is very common for people to reach for bicarb soda and to drink this with water. I do NOT recommend this as your body requires a balance of minerals. There are a few products I recommend that have a good balance for your body but I recommend reaching out to me to know what to use and when as there are other things we need to take into consideration like pregnancy and blood pressure medications.  Apple cider vinegar is another ‘go-to' for many people. This is helpful for releasing digestive enzymes but will not be enough on it's own to correct your pH.  Lemon juice is also not recommended as it is acidic initially and only becomes alkalising to the body once it has been metabolised. This means that it can create a problem with your teeth enamel due to the high acidity.  It is worth noting that many common ‘fixes' are not enough on their own to correct the pH when it has been acid for a long time. This includes lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and green juicing. Green juicing will only be effective if the person goes on a complete green juicing diet for a period of time. It is not recommended you go on an extreme diet like this without professional guidance and support as there are many factors that need to be considered and there is likely a better way for you to reach your goal of alkalising the blood.   When we look at low pH we are not just considering how to alkalise/correct the pH but we are also looking at replacing the minerals already lost (due to dumping) as a high priority. For this reason, any supplement you take which helps to alkalise needs to have enough minerals to both buffer the pH and replace the ones which have been dumped/lost due to acid.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This is the last episode of our Mineral Therapy Series. Hopefully you have learned many possible ways to use tissue salts in your everyday life. It is also important to note that we need to reach out for professional support if our problems are a bit deeper. To learn about the first 10 issue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.    The keyword for this tissue salt is permeability. If something is permeable, it means that a gas or liquid is able to move through it. For example, a piece of cloth is permeable, whereas plastic is not. Our skin is made up of a network of cells and our body can send signals to either increase or decrease the distance between the cells in order to increase or decrease the permeability.  Calc Sulph is an important tissue salt for clearing chronic infections. It does this by increasing the permeability of parts of your body that allow for the drainage of pus, infections and generally anything that shouldn't be there. This action means it directly aids your lymphatic system.  Infections are generally dealt with by our bodies by moving the infectious particles through our lymphatic system to be processed and drained through our lymph nodes. Capillaries (tiny tubes) are found throughout our body and these vessels drain the fluid (which contains the infection) from the problematic area and carry it to the lymphatic organs so it can be cleared from the body. The lymphatic organs are located in the torso (ie, not the extremities or head) and include bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, tonsils and mucous membranes.  This drainage happens mainly due to gravity so if we are standing for a long time it becomes stagnant in the feet. If the lymphatic system is clogged for any reason (I.e. acid matrix), the body will have difficulty draining and getting rid of infection. In these cases the skin becomes the site where the infection is pushed out of the body.   Symptoms of Calc Sulph deficiency: Chronic infections: If you have difficulty clearing infections then it is likely you are suffering deficiencies of all the calcium tissue salts as well as having a low pH (acid).  Infected toe nails: If you think about the time we spend standing (or even sitting) with our feet being at the lowest point of our body, the lymphatic system needs to work against gravity to clear the infection. Tissue salt 11 is very helpful along with tissue salt #12 for infected toenails. These tissue salts can be crushed and sprinkled over the infection. Boils: This is an infection of accumulated fluid on the mucous membranes, due to toxicity. Boils can also occur due to external burns, viruses or bacteria.   Tongue: Inflamed with infected sores, flabby and yellow coating at the back.  Face: The face gets a certain look about it where it is chalk-like or porcelain beyond a normal ‘pale' complexion. If the face is presenting like this we also want to replace tissue salts #1 and #2.  Convex wrinkles on the face: Scroll to the end of this blog post for more information on what our wrinkles tell us.  Detox headaches and sluggishness: If your body is trying to detox and you are suffering from headaches and or sluggishness Calc Sulph can help your lymphatic system to drain the toxins and thus release the pressure you are experiencing.  Acidity: Calc Sulph helps to break down acid. Gout: Due to its ability to break down acid, Calc Suph is especially helpful for gout  Emotional: Lazy, fatigued or inactive. Worrying about things that will not likely happen. When the lymphatic system is not draining properly, the body ends up being full of toxins and body processes become sluggish. This sluggish feeling is translated not just to our physical energy but also to our emotional state.  Further looking at this emotional state, we can see that tissue salt #12 helps with any ‘stagnation,' and thus it is helpful in cases of shock where the nervous system has gone into shut down.   An example of using it for mild  shock is to use it for babies after their first bath. Often the first bath for newborns is a difficult experience and it's a good mineral to consider adding to the bath water (4 or 5 tablets) to help counter any effects of shock.    Dossage In an adult this tissue salt is a little different in that we can take quite a lot in one dose (up to 10 tablets, three times a day). This higher than norm dose is because when we take it we are wanting to jump start the body into its processes of draining and moving. To take, pop 10 tablets into a bottle of warm water and sip it over half an hour.  For most cases when we are looking at improving draining and excretion of toxins we combine Calc Sulph (#12)  with tissue salt # 9 and # 10. This is because # 9 helps to balance our pH (reduce acid) and #10 supports our liver.  It is also good to remind ourselves (again) that if we are supporting our body in flushing toxins/infection then diet is very important. If we are taking tissue salt #9 to help balance pH but we are drinking fizzy drinks and eating food that makes us acid, then we are counteracting the effect of the tissue salt.    It's our last episode of this series so here are some reminders: Wrinkles that appear when tissue salts are low: #1 - Crows feet, parallel lines, lower eyelid #2 - Diamond wrinkles #9 - Parallel, perpendicular lines on top lip (often known as smoker lip) #11 - Lines parallel to ear #12 - Convex wrinkles on the cheek area If you get to the point of having convex wrinkles on the cheek area and are needing Calc Sulph (#12), your calcium and silica have been chronically low and you have also been acid for a long time. Again, it is vitally important to look at your diet and ensure you are not eating foods and drinking liquids that are making you acid (dairy, fizzy drinks, sugar, refined carbohydrates etc).    Combining tissue salts In the first two episodes we spoke about combining tissue salts effectively. Some work well together and other don't so if you haven't listened to those episode yet head back there, or read the associated blog posts at https://aurorahealingcodes.libsyn.com/    Dosages How much to take will depend on the problem you are trying to solve. Each tissue salt works differently and age and health also need to be considered.  As a rough guide: Acute: Use more (For example, 10 tablets dissolved in water and drank over 30 minutes) Chronic Use less (For example, 1 tablet 3 times per day) You will notice that each bottle says 1 tablet, 3 times a day. This is a direction for safety. In this series you will notice we have given different quantities for different indications. As always, it is up to you to do your research and if you are not sure, reach out to a professional.    Quality matters Some brands are quite hard and do not dissolve very well. The ability to dissolve quickly in your mouth is important for the uptake of the mineral into your blood stream. For this reason, make sure you are purchasing quality mineral salts.    Where to purchase We have high quality tissue salts available at the clinic at a very reasonable price.  Head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/contact to contact the clinic.   Coming soon A quick reference guide for mineral therapy at home. This is a book Maria has been working on and will be available soon to help you!   Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

Today we are talking about silica, which is tissue salt # 11. To learn about the first 10 issue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.    What is silica used for in the body? Known as the beauty mineral, silica is most used by our body for skin health for strengthening the body's organs. As we know from previous episodes, our skin and bones have a similar composition of minerals and so silica is also good for our bones.  The emotional aspects of Silica Silica also has an emotional component where if it is depleted the person will be a little bit shy, hypersensitive to light noise and cold and will be lacking in ‘grit.'  The reason for hypersensitivity is because silica is required for messages to be passed through our nerves and without it, the nervous system gets a little bit ‘glitchy.' In a person suffering emotionally due to low silica, they will generally live in a dreamy world, procrastinate, show signs of insecurity and lack in life direction.  I am aware this sounds strange but there is a large proportion of the population suffering from silica deficiency because of the lack of minerals in the soil our vegetables grow in!  To give you an example, if you purchase some green vegetables and put them in your fridge and within two days they become limp, you will know that the silica content of those greens is very low.  We can look at this wilting vegetable example and apply the same principle to ourselves. If we do not have enough silica then we will ‘wilt' both emotionally and physically (in our structure). (i.e. We need silica to be ‘strong.')   How often should we take silica? Quite often with tissue salts, when we take them we can see an immediate effect. But with silica, we need to take it for quite a long time before we see changes in our levels and symptoms begin to improve. For this reason we take 1 tablet, 3 times a day. Taking silica is going to help with our calcium absorption as well, further improving the structure of our bones, teeth and hair.  Tissue salt #9 (which helps to balance our pH) is a good tissue salt to take alongside silica as if our pH is acid we are going to lose a lot of calcium and silica.    What else can we use silica for? Silica can also help with the prevention of stretch marks and is great for females going through puberty where their body is changing rapidly. It can also be used safely during pregnancy for the same reason.  Silica is also known as a ‘flusher,' as it flushes out deposits of waste including blood clots, calcium and fat deposits.    Signs you are low in silica: Fragile skin Scarring Hernias Hip pain Hypersensitivity to light and noise Sweaty hands and feet Nails - cracks, deep fissures Tongue - one side swelling (rare), hardening and ulcerated (if there is also infection), long tip, brownish colouring and ‘hair stuck on the tongue' sensation Face - Glass like sheen on the skin with the tip of the nose being shiny, parallel lines to ears (also due to low calcium), sunken eyes Baldness - Can be due to silica but can also be other deficiencies and/or dysfunction ‘Shy stools' - This is when the stool comes out a little and then pops backwards into the bowel. This is due to the muscles not contracting properly from calcium and silica deficiency.  Skin - Abscess, ulceration, fissures and anything to do with elasticity Cleansing (removal of waste) - Due to silica's flushing ability of fats, bowel, lymphatic, pus, blood (to name just a few). For example In-grown toenails can be treated very effectively with tissue salts 11 and 12.  Silica doesn't work by itself for this flushing ability but it is an essential building block for the function.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Sodium Sulphate (Nat Sulph), which is tissue salt # 10. To learn about the first 9 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.  Nat Sulph is the 3rd Natrium (Sodium) Tissue Salt that we are talking about and is responsible for excretion. The other two tissue salts we have spoken about are: Nat Mur which helps us if we are too dry or too moistNat Phos which helps us if we are too greasy and with pain   How Nat Sulph can help us: Excreting extra fluid Sodium Sulphate helps us to get rid of (excrete) extra fluid.  Detoxification It also helps with decreasing toxicity in the body by shifting things around the body. Sodium Sulphate is connected to the liver and if you think about how detoxification is the major function of the liver you can connect the dots that Nat Sulph is going to help you with detoxification.  Nat Sulph is an extremely important tissue salt because of its detoxification properties. As we keep on saying, our skin is like a big mouth that continually gobbles up the toxins in our environment and we are constantly breathing in pollutants. We are of course, also consuming many toxins in the food, drinks and medication as well.  There are a range of supplements to support the detoxification process (as it is complicated) including Glutathione and liver enzymes but Nat Sulph is an important one.  Overindulgence Nat Sulph can be used both in acute (short term) and chronic (long term) situations. For example, if you overindulge in chocolate or cheesecake and you are feeling a deep pain or heaviness under your ribs on the right hand side (where your liver is located). In this situation you can take two tablets every 5 minutes, for 15 minutes, until the feeling subsides. Or you can take two tablets every 15 minutes for one hour.  If you are finding that you are getting a lot of indigestion and heaviness but you are not getting vomiting or diarrhoea as we discussed when we talked about tissue salt #8, you will find tissue salt #10 helpful.  Coffee, Alcohol and Medication consumption If you drink coffee regularly or take medication, your liver is working hard for you on a continuous basis to detox these things out. Nat Sulph will support your liver to perform better.   Recommendation I often prescribe a tonic called Ningxia to patients along with Nat Sulph as they work together beautifully to detoxify the system.    Who can use Nat Sulph? Tissue salt #10 can be used for babies through to the elderly and sick people and it has a very gentle action.    How do you know you need Nat Sulph? Taste and tongue You will know because you will have a bitter taste in your mouth and a result of the excess toxins being excreted via your breath. A greenish brown/yellow swelling or coating of the tongue indicates toxicity and liver problems.    Face A yellow-greenish tinge on your face, especially around the eyes is a common side effect of liver dysfunction. You may also notice ‘bags' under the eye from fluid retention, an inflamed nose look (like someone has pinched the end of the nose!) and greyish chin. Fluid retention can also lead to a ‘double chin' look.   Digestion and bowel movements You will also find that when you eat you will not only get a little bit of niggly pain but you will also notice that your bowel movements change and you can experience foul smelling gas (caused by the putrification of the contents of your bowel).    Skin Changes The skin is an organ of elimination and if you have too many toxins in your body and/or your liver is not functioning properly the toxins will be pushed out through the skin for elimination. As they pass through your membranes, they agitate the skin causing many problems like blisters or eczema (with a papilia presentation) as well as fluid oozing through the skin. When treating skin conditions we crush the tablets and combine them with other appropriate tissue salts depending on how the skin looks and feels (see previous episodes for detailed descriptions) and sprinkle onto the affected area.    Bladder Your urine can get a bit stingy when you have too many toxins in the body.   Hand and feet swelling Nat Sulph is all about the excretion of fluid and as such if there is swelling it works to excrete excess.    Head Injuries If there is excess swelling and it is not reducing, Nat Sulph can be helpful.   Diverticulitis A great support, particularly when alternating with tissue salt #3 and in conjunction with the appropriate supportive diet.    Emotional There is a tendency towards depression (or feeling low generally) when Nat Sulph is needed in particular when the weather is cold or wet or if you have had a head injury.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Sodium Phosphate (Nat Phos), which is tissue salt # 9. To learn about the first 8 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.  Nat Phos is one of three Sodium (Natrium) tissue salts and last week we spoke about Nat Mur which is like our watergate (episode #15). Nat Phos is known as the ‘pH Balancer.' When we look at our blood there are many many components we look at in order to gauge how ‘healthy' it is. One of these components is our blood acidity (pH level).  pH stands for potential hydrogen. The more hydrogen your body has, the lower your pH (I.e. the more acidic). And the opposite is true as well. The higher your pH value, the less acidic (or more alkaline) your body is.  We want our bodies to be alkaline and not acidic because an alkaline body is a healthy body. When your body is in an ACIDIC state: Abnormal (E.g. cancerous) cells will thrive Your body's detoxification systems will malfunction Your tissues will be depleted of minerals  Your body's natural balance will be disrupted Note here that we don't ever want to be extreme because if you are too alkaline, this too can cause you to be sick. Your perfect blood pH, for what you need to be healthy, is about 7.24. It is also important to note that above we are talking about blood pH and that we have different ‘ideal' pH levels for different areas of our bodies. One notable difference is our stomach where we want the pH to be acidic so that our food can digest effectively.  Tissue salt #9 allows us to target different areas of the body where pH balance is needed. Stomach Pain Have you noticed (or perhaps experienced yourself) excruciating pain before eating? This happens when we have not eaten for a period of time and the hydrochloric Acid has built up in the stomach and begins to cause pain (Hydrochloric Acid is produced to aid digestion).  To help with this type of pain put 3-5 tissue salt #9 tablets under your tongue and repeat every 15 minutes until the pain has dissipated. Or you can dissolve 10 tablets in a bottle of water and sip it over 20 minutes.  This happened to me a few days ago where I was very busy in the clinic and found myself arriving home at 7pm very hungry. As I was preparing my evening meal I began to feel a severe sharp pain developing in my stomach. I took about 15 tablets within the space of 30 minutes and it calmed the pain straight away.  Acid Reflux in infants and children You may have made the connection here that Nat Phos is also wonderful for supporting infants who are suffering from acid reflux. It is very common to have babies with this problem coming to see us in the clinic. When I see these babies it concerns me when I hear about the quantity of medication the baby has been put on as often these medications can cause problems with the immune system for a very long time after taking them.   With babies or young children suffering from acid reflux, we just need to support the body in balancing the Hydrochloric Acid which is done with Nat Phos.  Tissue salt #9 (Nat Phos) can be administered in many different ways for babies and children including: Crushing the tablet and sprinkling over the nipple area (if the baby is breastfed) Dissolving the tablet in boiled water (allowing it to cool to room temperature before giving to the baby) or your milk in a bottle The quantity depends on the age of the child but generally you can start with 1 tablet given over the course of a day and increasing to 3 or 4 tablets over a day for a toddler. If you are wondering why acid reflux in babies is such a common problem the main reason is the sphincter at the top of the stomach is not yet developed properly and thus the acid and food comes back up into the eosophagus and causes pain. In most cases this resolves itself around the age of 18 to 24 months but in some cases the sphincter is not working properly because the breastfeeding mother is calcium deficient and thus not enough calcium is coming through to the baby. If you go back to the episode where we talk about tissue salt #2 (calcium Phosphate), you will begin to connect dots and see that in some cases it is also a good idea to give this tissue salt as well to help the muscles contract properly.  Other Uses: Depressive feelings with exhaustion: When a person feels depressed or down from being exhausted Nat Phos is going to be a very good support.  Sleep: If you struggle to sleep well, Nat Phos can be very helpful. Self Esteem: There is an association between sodium and low self esteem. (In last week's episode we spoke about Nat Mur which is helpful for grief.) Lactic Acid: Pop 10 to 20 tablets of Nat Phos in your bath after exercise to help neutralize lactic acid build up.  Post Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are very acid Signs you may be needing Nat Phos: Sweet food and dairy cravings If you notice sweat/grease build up on the armpit area of your T-shirts or on your pillow. You will most likely be able to smell this ‘sweat acid.' Acne Greasy and brittle hair Acidic conditions like Gout Creamy on the back of the tongue Blisters or stinging sensation on tip of tongue A feeling of having a hair or something in your mouth (but nothing is there). Fat cheeks The skin of the face is a bit greasy But this can be easily wiped off.  Acid wash face - Redness (almost like a butterfly) over the face Small vertical lines  that are parallel to each other around the mouth (this is often referred to as smokers lines.) As you can see there are many ways the body can tell us we need Nat Phos. A good way to remember is that when we are either too dry or too moist we need tissue salt #8 (that we spoke about last week) but when we are too oily/greasy and have pain, we need tissue salt #9. Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Sodium Chloride (Nat Mur), which is tissue salt # 8. To learn about the first 7 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.    I particularly enjoy talking about the Naturium (latin for ‘sodium') series of tissue salts because most people are not aware that we have three forms of sodium. Sodium regulates the fluid in the body. We are around 80% fluid and this fluid needs to be in perfect balance in both the intracellular and extracellular spaces. Too much outside of the cell and you will get a lot of fluid retention/swelling and too little, you will start to dry up. So tissue salt # 8 is like the water gate to the body. When this mineral is deficient you will find that you want to fall asleep very easily. Are you one of those people who come home from work, sit down on the couch and then instantly fall asleep? This is a typical #8 deficiency.  Another helpful use for tissue salt # 8 is when you have an illness that is causing lots of vomiting and/or diarrhea leading to dehydration. A simple administration of tissue salt #8 can work wonders. With sodium chloride (tissue salt #8) if you have too much you will be too moist and if you don't have enough you will be too dry.   What does it mean to be too moist? When we say ‘too moist' what we really mean is that there is extra fluid in the extracellular space (the space outside of our cells). This causes swelling and fluid retention but also causes loose bowels and general dripping (e.g. tears, nose etc).  As a consequence, when you have the first stages of a cold and your nose is dripping like a tap this is a great tissue salt to have on hand! Take 1 tablet every 15 minutes (under the tongue) for one hour and you will find amazing results.  The same rule applies if you have extra lacrimation (tears) where taking tissue salt # 8 will help it settle.    What does it mean to be too dry? On the other end of the scale, if you are too dry inside of your cells you are going to experience constipation, dry skin, tight joints, cracking lips, dry mouth and dry eyes. As with being too moist, being too dry also requires Nat Mur (tissue salt #8) as both of these outcomes are caused by a deficiency (not enough) of Nat Mur (Sodium Chloride).  The difference comes in when looking at the dosage. If you are more dry then it is likely the deficiency is chronic and thus you will need a smaller dose over a longer period of time than if you are too moist where you will require a larger dose over a short period of time.    Chronic: 1 tablet, 2-3 times per day over a period of time. If you are experiencing  symptoms, the question to ask yourself is why do you have a deficiency in this mineral?  Nat Mur is the typical table salt and so it is not common that this deficiency is due to not enough being consumed through diet. In fact, the opposite is usually true where the person is consuming too much salt in their diet. (This includes hymilayan salt which is often perceived as a healthier option.) When we consume salt it is absorbed into our extracellular space and if there is too much then the cell cannot absorb it and thus it is starved of this mineral. The tissue salts work because they have a good uptake into the cells, correcting this problem.  People forget that salt is added to almost every food we consume (especially high fat, processed foods). This is not just because it enhances flavour but also because when we consume salt it helps our bodies to produce more hydrochloric acid, which improves digestion and thus means we can eat more of the fatty, processed food in question.  Many babies are born with this imbalance (or gain it soon after birth due to their mother's diet) and thus suffer terrible reflux. Quite often, when treated with tissue salt # 8 in conjunction with # 9, it brings the sodium levels back into balance. Another observation due to low levels of sodium chloride are wounds or lesions that weep. In this case tissue salt #8 along with #10 will be helpful as a powder sprinkled onto the area.     Acute Swelling If you suffer from large swelling after mosquito bites, this is another instance where you can take tissue salt # 8 to help reduce (or avoid) the swelling.  Many years ago I was on a flight to South Africa and after take off there was an announcement asking if there was a doctor on board. I didn't put up my hand as when people find out I am a Naturopath I am often met with skepticism. I did however, pop up my head and take a look around to see if any had put up their hand. The air hostess saw me looking and immediately came over to ask if I could help. I told her that yes I could help and so followed her to see a Mum holding a baby (5 or 6 months old), who was clearly in anaphylactic shock and at real risk of her airways becoming fully obstructed.  I thought to myself, what can I do here? And I recalled that anaphylaxis was a problem with excess swelling and that tissue salt #8 helps to reduce the swelling. With the mother's permission, I mixed some into water and we gave the baby 1 teaspoon every 5 minutes. Within 30 minutes she had returned to normal. I do not tell you this story so you can treat serious conditions yourself without seeking medical help. This was an extreme situation and we did not have any other choices. I tell this story, so you can see just how effective these tissue salts can be.   I also assisted the mother once we knew the baby was safe with some minerals and essential oils to help her relax and as a thank you from the airline I was upgraded to business class, so that was a lovely outcome too!   How else can Tissue Salt #8 help? As you can see, tissue salt #8 is a wonderful mineral to have in your first aid kit as a support for many different scenarios but it is also helpful for health and body support in other ways: Growth and elimination Fluctuation of blood pressure Mental rigidity - i.e. anyone who believes they are always right! Or those types of people who believe everything is miserable. Salt is the mineral of grief. When we grieve we lose a lot of sodium and this is one reason why many people crave to go to the ocean when grieving.  Fluid balance Mucous membrane integrity Emotionally: Grief support, forgiveness issues Head colds and congestion Cold sores Bloating after eating Increasing or decreasing saliva Loss of smell and taste Tightness around the belly   Common signs of Sodium Chloride (Nat Mur) deficiency Puffy swollen face with large pores. It looks almost as if the skin is trying to grab the moisture from outside of the body to bring it in.  A little fold on the nose between the eyes Greasy hair Moist eyelids Double chin Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Magnesium Phosphate (Mag Phos), which is tissue salt # 7. To learn about the first 6 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.    Every time we talk about magnesium, we tend to focus on it's relaxation properties. This property is beneficial, especially when it comes to our muscles and the ability to sleep but let's go a little more in-depth than this today because magnesium is a vital mineral that is required in almost every function of the body. In fact it is used to regulate more than 600 enzymes in the body.   What are enzymes? When we talk about enzymes we are talking about catalysts that allow our cells to function better and allow life to continue.  Usually when we speak about enzymes, we think about digestive enzymes which help to break down and metabolise food. However there are many other types of enzymes throughout the body. For example, liver enzymes that help break down toxins and enzymes that help with the production of energy in the mitochondria.    The magnesium calcium balance Micro and macro dosages are often a point of confusion for people. Most people take macro dosages which means they take in a great amount and forget that magnesium needs to be in a balance with calcium. Too much magnesium depletes calcium and too much calcium depletes magnesium. The balance between these two is essential. Normally there is a 2:1 ratio with 2 parts of magnesium required for every 1 part of calcium.     Are you magnesium deficient? Magnesium is a very common mineral for people to be deficient in. This is for a variety of factors but one of the big reasons is due to the consistent stress most adults experience in daily life. When we are stressed we use a lot of magnesium and thus it is easy to become depleted.  It is also true that if you are a very busy person in day to day life that this constant action and movement of the body will deplete magnesium.  Chocolate cravings: Not many people know this, but most chocolate cravings can be due to a deficiency in magnesium! So next time you are craving chocolate, instead of reaching for a block or two of your favourite chocolate, try taking tissue salt #7 to see if it helps to curb your craving. Blushing: If you easily show patches of red on the cheeks (blushing) this too can be a sign of magnesium deficiency. This is not to be confused with the red and hot face described in a  previous episode for iron deficiency (tissue salt #3). Blushing is red but not hot.  Quivering and swollen tongue: The tongue is a muscle and if you are magnesium deficient and then poke it out, you will notice a slight quiver or shake. This quiver may or may not be accompanied by some swelling of the tongue.  Cramping pain: Again we are looking at the need for magnesium for good muscle functioning. Without enough magnesium your muscles will cramp. Emotional Sensitivity: Magnesium has a strong emotional influence and if you are low in magnesium you will tend to be more sensitive and quite impulsive in your actions.  Other signs: Dizziness, fatigue, sleep issues, sensory sensitivity, eyelid flickering   Organs and body system affected by magnesium Involuntary Muscles: For example, the gut, heart and diaphragm.  Nervous System: Calms the nervous system and thus is helpful for sleep, relaxing, hypersensitivity, attention problems, fatigue and so much more, including brain and memory function. Enzymes: Magnesium is responsible for assisting in the production of over 600 enzymes in the body. One of which is the production of ATP which assists in energy production in the mitochondria. Musculoskeletal System: Required for the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. This means it is both essential for muscles to stretch effectively (and without injury) as well as for bone rigidity and strength. Lack of magnesium can lead to temporary muscle paralysis.  Cardiovascular System: It is often forgotten that the heart is a muscle and without adequate magnesium, it will not function properly and thus oxygen will not be pumped around the body effectively, for distribution to the tissues. In fact, magnesium is seen to be so important for the heart that it is said that if a person suffers a heart attack and is also deficient in magnesium that they will not survive.  Teeth: Technically teeth are part of the musculoskeletal system, but this is often forgotten and so worth mentioning separately. (Bones and teeth require the same minerals for the composition of their structure) Endocrine System: Endocrine glands rely on magnesium for functioning and thus all systems and organs of the body are affected. One to take note of is thyroid regulation considering approximately 14% of Australians suffer from thyroid dysfunction. Another is sugar regulation for those suffering from diabetes or who have concerns relating to the pancreas.     How to take magnesium Magnesium is one  of the tissue salts that, as discussed in earlier episodes, you can take a fair few of the tissue salts and often. For example, 10 tissue salts dissolved in a cup of warm water and drank over 20 to 30 minutes. You can repeat this as often as required.  The time of day you take magnesium will depend on what you are using it for: Exercise: If you are exercising you can put Ferrum Phos (tissue salt #3)  with 10 x Mag Phos in your water bottle and sip it throughout your workout. However you can also use it post workout by putting about 10 tablets in the bathtub if you don't have epsom salts.  If you roll an ankle (or pull a muscle) you can mix Mag Phos with Ferrum Phos (tissue salt # 3) to aid the healing process.  Prolonged Stress: For example when on night duty. Combine 10 tablets of mag phos with 10 tablets of kali phos (tissue salt # 5) and drink throughout the night.  Delivery/Birth: Tissue salt # 7 (Mag Phos) can be taken (1 tablet every 15 minutes) to aid in the contractions of the uterus, expansion of the cervix and to also aid in pain relief.  Note: Don't forget that if you are putting the tablets into water that you will need to stir (or shake) the glass/bottle prior to sipping to ensure the mineral is evenly dispersed. You also want to swish the water around your mouth before swallowing. This helps it to absorb into your bloodstream from the mouth (vs going through your digestive system which is not as efficient).    What type of magnesium should you take? There are many different forms of magnesium. For example, phosphate, sulphate, orotate, citrate, aspartate (to name just a few).  Be aware that magnesium oxide is not a form of magnesium you want to take in large quantities as you will find yourself sitting on the toilet quite a lot (it increases bowel movements).  Magnesium phosphate is the type of magnesium that the body uses the most and this is why tissue salt #7 is so helpful.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Potassium Sulphate (Kali Sulph), which is tissue salt # 6. To learn about the first 5 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.  Potassium Sulphate is responsible for the third stage of inflammation. If the body has lost its capacity to bounce back from stages 1 or 2 of inflammation it progresses into the 3rd stage. For example in the case of a cough, the cough quickly becomes purulent (i.e. yellow and thick with a putrid smell), expectoration (coughing it up) becomes a little difficult and the airways become infected. This is when we need potassium sulphate.  Dissolve 6 to 10 tablets of the tissue salt into a bottle or glass of water and consume over 30 minutes (swishing around the mouth before swallowing). Repeat this 2 or 3 times a day. This is a wonderful way to create a quick shift.  Potassium Sulphate is also a great tissue salt to have in the case of chronic sinus conditions. When we look at chronic sinus issues we are looking at a condition which has gone beyond creating an infection. In these cases we quite often see the secretions from the nose getting infected as well. They become green, thick and smelly. You may also see at this stage, stripes of bright red in the secretions which shows that there is some irritation of the membranes and they are slightly bleeding on the mucosa. If this is the case, ferrum phosphate (tissue salt #3) will be helpful as discussed in a previous episode.  Is potassium sulphate enough at this stage of inflammation? No. Hopefully you are already using tissue salts 3 and 4 (helpful for stages 1 and 2 of inflammation) and then you can add # 6.  If you put these in place quickly when symptoms first appear you will find that you can take great control of your body. The key is that as you are getting better you reduce the quantity and frequency of what you are doing.  Sometimes we leave these simple support measures too long to implement and in these cases you may need further support and intervention from a professional if symptoms are persisting or serious. In the clinic we will prescribe isopathy, homeopathic or essential oils for additional support. Do we require antibiotics for these conditions? No. Antibiotics are what we require when we have a serious bacterial condition and we do not know what else to do. Of course, having medical advice in these cases is very important as some bacterial infections can move very quickly from almost nothing into a situation where your life is at risk (although these are rare).  You will find that you do not require antibiotics for everyday flus and colds if you have a healthy diet, exercise regularly and support your immune system throughout the year.  Recognising a deficiency of Potassium Sulphate When you are deficient in potassium sulphate you will get a slight yellowish tinge over your face. This appears in a triangular shape going from the corners of the eyes to the mouth.  Potassium sulphate plays a huge role in cleansing skin conditions as well as supporting the liver and pancreas. For this reason, tissue salt #6 is phenomenal for supporting conditions where the liver and/or pancreas is not in good shape (e.g. blood sugar problems). In fact there is a cleanse we sometimes prescribe using all the sulphates, Nat Sulph ( # 10), Kali Sulph (#6) and Calc Sulph (#12), alternating 2 off each throughout the day for 6 weeks. This is a cleansing ritual that can begin supporting your skin in general.  In simple terms, anything with an infective type of character (including things like inflamed gums and abscess), you will find potassium sulphate to be helpful.  Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Potassium Phosphate (Kali Phos), which is tissue salt # 5. To learn about the first 3 tissue salts and why tissue salts are an incredible support to our bodies, head back to episode number 8 where we began this fascinating series.  Potassium Phosphate is responsible for everything to do with the Central Nervous System. When we are talking about the Central Nervous System, we are referring to the brain and spinal cord, including, thinking, focus, concentration, memory, cognition and nerve function.   Some ways Potassium Phosphate works in our bodies: Brain function How many people do you know complaining of brain fog? How many children are there that are having difficulty focusing in the classroom? And how many times do you have a thought or idea that slips from your mind, escaping your grasp? Potassium Phosphate is a mineral you will need if your mind is fatigued from overuse (teacher, student, writer, long hours on the computer etc).    Skin and appearance When Potassium Phosphate is low, you will have a grey tinge to your skin and your eyelids will be lowered.  We typically see this in people who have not slept well and we see dark rings under the eye. This change in skin colour is due to the body losing potassium because the body is not sleeping properly.    Stress When the body is under a lot of stress there are two minerals that the body overuses (leading to low levels). These are Potassium Phosphate and Magnesium Phosphate.    Heart Health & Chest Pain Our heart also requires Potassium Phosphate to send out electrical impulses, without it (and Magnesium Phosphate) your heart rhythm will not be regular or the correct tempo.  We have had a few cases in our clinic where patients have been suffering from chest pain that when reviewed medically showed no cause. When we gave them Potassium Phosphate the problem was resolved.  Note: If you are experiencing chest pain, please see a medical professional ASAP in case you need emergency care.   Nightmares & Fear If you have a child who experiences nightmares or generally has a lot of fear, Potassium Phosphate can be very effective. (Also effective for adults)   Depression & Anxiety Potassium Phosphate helps you to relax and can be your best friend if you suffer from any mental health conditions, in conjunction with other interventions (EG Treatment for hormone imbalance).    Shock If something happens that puts you under high acute stress, take Potassium Phosphate before you are showing any signs of lack. This is a good way to support your body as it goes through the processes that shock induces.    Tongue Sometimes, patients with low Potassium Phosphate have a tongue that is slightly tilted to the left or right. This happens because the nerves (and thus muscles) are not functioning correctly.    Pain A throbbing nerve pain can be helped with Iron Phosphate (tissue salt #3) but if the pain is a shooting/stabbing pain then it may be helped and resolved with tissue salt #5 (Potassium Phosphate). In the case of severe nerve pain you will need to take the tissue salts every 10 minutes until the pain subsides. Also keep in mind that you may need other minerals, depending on what is occurring within your body.    How much should you take? 3 tablets once or twice a day is usually effective. These can be taken dissolved in a glass of warm water. Remember, when you put minerals in water, you must shake it and drink it slowly, swishing it around the mouth a little before swallowing. Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/  Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This week we are talking about tissue salt #4, Kali Mur, also known as Potassium Chloride. If you haven't listened to our other episodes in this series then we highly recommend going back to the episode called ‘Mineral Therapy' and beginning there. Potassium Chloride is responsible for the second stage of inflammation. This stage occurs if the body cannot calm down the original presentation of inflammation. As we discussed last week this shows up in our bodies as redness, swelling and heat. In the second stage of inflammation the body also begins to produce mucous. For example, we see this in the case of a virus where a sore throat first devops (stage 1), which is followed by a runny nose and cough from the excess of mucous that the body is struggling to get rid of (stage 2). As the immune system kicks in you will also notice the lymph nodes around the neck getting larger.  Potassium Chloride is known as a mucolytic and it enhances expectoration of mucous. (Expectoration is the ability to cough up and remove mucous from the lungs and bronchi).  Kali Mur and tissue salt #3, Ferrum Phos are beneficial to take together in Winter (listen to last week's episode for details on how to take there). Have you got Leaky Gut? When you have leaky gut, or gut permeability, the mucosa of the intestinal tract has been slightly damaged which leads to proteins moving through the epithelial junctions causing an immune response. Kali Mur can help to heal and then keep intact this vital mucosal lining which runs from our nose all the way down to our rectum.  It is worth noting here, that many people take probiotic supplements (good bacteria) as they are essential for a healthy gut, however if your mucous tract is not in good condition then the probiotic bacteria will not be able adhere to it and will just pass through and be ineffective.  Potassium Chloride also has a wonderful quality in that it allows the regulation of the thickening and thinning of your blood. For this reason it is a very good mineral to take when on long flights (to help prevent clots). When Potassium Chloride is deficient we are going to notice a little pinkish, purplish tinge under the lower lid of the eyes. This presentation is very noticeable in small children. You will also be able to see fine veins over the face and back of the neck.  Another sign of Potassium Chloride deficiency are persistent colds and coughs that feel like they ‘hang around.' Next week we will be talking about Potassium Sulphate, which is responsible for the 3rd stage of inflammation.  Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/  Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

Today we are continuing to develop the topic of Mineral Therapy and we are talking about Scheussler's Tissue Salt #3 - Iron Phosphate.  Before we delve into Iron Phosphate (Ferrum Phos) however, it is good to have an understanding of the first stage of inflammation. If something in the body is inflamed it is generally red, hot and swollen. Sensations like burning, pain and throbbing are also common. These sensations and observations are usually the first stage of inflammation.  We most often think of inflammation on the external surfaces of the body but your internal body also gets inflamed. We cannot see this, but we can feel it. For example, an inflamed intestine (gut) will give you aches, pains and a loose bowel. Other common internal inflammation experiences include a sore throat and headache.  Iron Phosphate is an important mineral that will assist you with a quick ‘cooling down,' and will support the process of coming back into an homeostatic balance.      How to take Ferrum Phos When taking Iron Phosphate as Ferrum Phos Tissue Salt, it is not the same as taking an Iron tablet, liquid or capsule. By using Iron Phosphate in the tissue salt form, you are ensuring that this vital mineral is reaching the cell faster. This gives the body a tool to compensate for any deficiency (head back to the “Mineral Therapy” episode to learn more about this). Ferrum Phos is a typical mineral that you use in small amounts and often. It is dosed this way because if something is inflamed we need to shift it quickly to prevent further damage.  For example, if you are bitten by an insect and do not want to experience the usual inflammation symptoms then you can take 2 tablets under the tongue every 10 minutes for one hour and then decrease as the symptoms improve.  Or if you are experiencing inflammation of a different nature you could drink 10 tablets dissolved in a water bottle twice per day. Post exercise is a good example of when to use this method as muscle recovery depends on Ferrum Phos as well as the clearance of lactic acid. For this reason, combining tissue salt #9, Nat Phos, together with #3 Ferrum Phos will effectively aid muscle recovery. Another important usage of tissue salt #3 is when we have skin conditions resulting in a lot of redness and swelling. For this, we can crush the tablet with the back of a wooden spoon and sprinkle it onto the area.  For a calming and cooling effect of the inflamed area, combine tissue salt #2 (Calcium Phosphate) with #3 (Ferrum Phos) for skin symptoms.  For small cuts, you can crush a tablet and sprinkle a good quantity onto the cut to stop the bleeding. Of course, if it is a large cut, use common sense and seek medical attention.  For boosting the immune system we can combine tissue salt #4, Kali Mur (which we will talk about next week) with Ferrum Phos. For this combination, you take two of each every morning, to help prevent getting sick during Winter. Or if you are ever feeling a little unwell and think you might be ‘coming down with something,' then you can take these two or three times a day for a short period of time and then decrease back down to two tablets of each per day. There is no danger in taking these for a prolonged period of time. As we have said before, the quantity for children and babies will depend on the age, condition and improvement seen.  If your ferritin storage is very low then you may need to take tissue salt #3 along with the macro dose (Iron Supplement).    How do we know we need Ferrum Phosphate, Tissue #3? When we look at someone and see a red face, cheeks and ears it is a good sign that Iron Phosphate is out of balance in the body.  If you poke out your tongue and see a little red triangle tip, this is another sign of inflammatory processes occurring in the body.    Support If you require more support in your health journey or have any questions, head to our website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/  Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

Today we are covering Scheussler's tissue salt #2, which is calcium phosphate. We talk about why calcium phosphate is vital to your body's structure and functioning as well as how to tell if you are deficient. What is Calcium Phosphate? Calcium Phosphate is one of 3 forms of calcium and is the most abundant found in the body.  Calcium phosphate gives your teeth and bones structure and also helps in forming tissues. Without Calcium Phosphate your body would lack structure and you would be ‘jelly-like.' You have most likely heard of the condition Osteoporosis. This condition is caused by a deficiency of Calcium Phosphate, together with other critical minerals for forming bone. As we have spoken about previously, if your body is acid, then minerals will be leached from your bones to counteract the acidity. Calcium Phosphate is the most abundant mineral, and as such, it is the one that our body leaches the most when acidic and thus is also the mineral that is most likely to be depleted.    How do we replace Calcium Phosphate? We need to be careful when choosing a replacement because some forms are not absorbed correctly or at the right quantities. The second consideration is that if your body's pH is not rectified then you will be continually losing calcium phosphate as it attempts to bring the pH back into balance.   What causes acidity? One of the biggest causes is bubbles! By ‘bubbles' we mean, soft drink, sparkling or soda water, cider/beer, sparkling wine or any other carbonated drink.  CO2 plus H2O creates carbonated acid, which is a weak acid but if you drink these ‘fizzy' drinks regularly (even in moderation), eventually their effect adds up and causes body acidity.  Other highly acidic foods and drinks are coffee, fruit juice and anything with sugar.  If you are consuming any of these fizzy drinks on a regular basis you may want to consider an alkalising powder to help neutralise the effects.    How do we know if we are low in Calcium Phosphate? When we look through the microscope at the clinic, we can identify those people who are too acidic and are losing calcium, because we can see crystals that have formed as well as calcium deposits in both live and coagulated blood.    When we look at our skin, if we are low in Calcium Phosphate we will notice it is wrinkly. This is not just the chicken skin wrinkles we see from Calcium Fluoratum deficiency that we spoke about last week. Wrinkles caused by Calcium Phosphate deficiency look more like a diamond shape or a criss crossing of lines across the skin. We usually notice this first around the eyes. Why do we care about wrinkles? Because if you are finding more and more wrinkles, it is most likely a sign that your body is leaching Calcium, putting your bones at risk.  Another sign of Calcium Phosphate deficiency is a white stain on the teeth or finger nails. This is often seen in children but adults can also present with it. When babies and toddlers teeth they end up with jagged teeth. If there is not enough Calcium Phosphate, the teeth will not go back to their smooth state but instead will remain jagged.  The skin also tends to become very thin and you can see the veins underneath (especially around the temple). People with low Calcium Phosphate also tend to have a lot of digestive issues. This is because Calcium Phosphate helps with the production of digestive enzymes. If the body doesn't have enough Calcium Phosphate then the digestive enzymes will not be produced and the body will have difficulty breaking down food. When our food is not broken down properly, then it tends to ferment in the bowel from the bacteria present there, producing further acidity. This acidity, inflames the gut lining.  Other signs include: Growing pains, which for some children are excruciating.  Chronic skin conditions.  Muscles spasms, cramps etc. Calcium and magnesium work together to contract and expand. Don't forget that the heart is also a muscle! This is why supplementing with calcium and magnesium is a good idea when exercising.  These are just some of the ways in which the body utilises Calcium. Other vital functions include, energy production and cell formation.   How much do you need? Your dose needs to be proportionate to what is occurring in your body. Small patches of eczema will require less than large areas of psoriasis.    Where to get help with what to take and how much? Book an appointment at the clinic by visiting https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/    Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today we are talking about Calcium Fluoratum, which is tissue salt #1. Calcium fluoratum is one that many people are not aware that it even exists within the body, unlike it's famous cousin, Calcium Phosphate.  If you haven't listened to episode 7 yet, we highly recommend listening to it first to gain an understanding of what mineral therapy is and how it works, before listening to today's episode. Calcium Fluoratum is responsible for the elasticity of the tissues within our bodies. This is important for many functions, including ligaments, tendons and our skin.  When Calcium Fluoratum decreases there is a hardening of structures and skin that occurs. For example, have you suffered from corns on your toes? This is due to decreased Calcium Fluoratum. You can also experience little ‘hardenings on the eyes' as well as tendons and ligaments that snap easily.  On the flip side of things hardening, you will also find that things can get ‘saggy' or ‘overstretched.' When we think about ‘saggy,' most of us think about sagging skin as we age which, while we may want to look youthful, isn't a major issue. However, stretched skin and tissue is an issue when it affects other areas of our bodies. For example, with a prolapse of the bowel, where the bowel protrudes from the anus because the supporting network of tissue is no longer ‘tight' enough. Prolapses can also occur with other organs like the uterus or the bladder. As you can imagine this can be very painful and requires immediate medical attention.   How do we correct a Calcium Fluoratum deficiency? As with everything in life, if you have a slight deficiency of Calcium Fluoratum, you will be able to correct it quickly. However if the problem has been chronic (long term) it will take a while for it to correct.  Also, keep in mind that with certain conditions, once the problem is there, it is not as simple as just correcting the initial problem/deficiency. This is because once something is out of balance in the body, it has a cascading effect on the rest of the body. Unfortunately, in some cases a full correction is not possible. Hernias are another presentation of low Calcium Fluoratum levels due to weakening of the muscles and thus the internal organs protrude from the resulting opening.  This mineral has a peculiarity in that it does not like to be mixed with any other mineral, including other forms of calcium.  Calcium Fluoratum also takes the longest of all the 12 minerals to be absorbed and to get to an optimal level and you also only take a maximum of a couple tablets a day (1 to 2). This is important to note, because people often think that such a small amount won't work.    How do you know if you have a Calcium Fluoratum deficiency? As a tip, if you find that you poke out your tongue and there is a thick straight ridge running through the middle of the tongue, this is a sign of Calcium Fluoratum deficiency.  And as mentioned earlier, you will have a tendency for prolapses, hernias, hardening of skin, sagging skin and injuries (sprains etc).   Why would I be deficient in Calcium Fluoratum? Most people end up with a deficiency due to body acidity. This occurs when the body pH has dropped too much. Because it is dangerous for your pH to drop, when this occurs (usually due to poor diet choices) and your body becomes acidic, your body will use minerals to neutralise the acidity.  Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body and so it is the most leached from your body (teeth, bones, tissues, organs, cells, teeth). The calcium is drawn from these structures into the bloodstream to correct the pH, leaving the structures deficient and thus unable to perform their functions properly (E.g. bones get weak and break easily, teeth crack and decay, muscles do not contract and relax properly etc). If this isn't bad enough, what usually tends to happen is that after the pH has been corrected there is an excess of calcium left in the blood and this can cause bone spurs and arterial plaque (if there is also cholesterol present). Arterial plaque obviously brings its own set of problems to the body.  To learn more about low pH, go back to episode 1, where we covered it as part of our “Let's talk Diets” episode.   One last tip! If your skin is getting wrinkly too quickly, you know it is calcium fluoratum if it is very fine lines like that of chicken legs or feet!  If this is occurring, you really need to think about the state of your bones. Our skin and bones are closely tied and have a very similar content of minerals. We will be talking more about this next week when we delve into tissue salt #2, Calcium Phosphate.     Where can you learn more? If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com

Mineral therapy is looking at the equilibrium of minerals in the body to obtain bioregulation. We look at what is missing in the body so we can supplement it and bring the body back into balance. In many ways, minerals can be seen as the missing link when healing from chronic conditions.   What does mineral therapy mean?  Let's start with what Mineral Therapy is not. It is not going to the chemist to get a multi-mineral in a capsule. It is more complex than this and is based on the twelve basic salts of Schuessler.  Dr Scheussler was a German medical Doctor in the late 1800's who studied the biochemistry of cells. Dr Scheussler had the idea to incinerate corpses and analyse the ashes that remain. When he did this he identified 12 minerals (11 immediately, and 1 later on in life), which formed the new form of treatment called mineral therapy which is based on micro-mineral dosages.  The dosages obtained from the minerals are via a homeopathic titration method, which means they are very fine particles that still exist as a substance, but are absorbed in the oral cavity (mouth). Because they are absorbed in the mouth, and thus bypassing the digestive system, we get faster and better uptake of the minerals (leading to a quicker response by the body).  This therapy enables us to create profound changes in the body, bringing this fine balance of minerals at the cellular level. For the next 12 weeks, we are going to look at 12 different minerals that are vitally important to your body and its ability to function well. Many of the minerals we will be talking about are not well known and you may be surprised at some of the functions of the body that rely on these minerals to be performed. For example, some of our emotional reactions are affected by particular minerals. Sodium (salt) has the effect that if there is excess ingested (and thus a deficiency in the cell) it can cause not only rigidity and dryness of the body but also of the mind.  Today, we are covering how to administer and combine tissue salts as well as the different ways they can be prescribed.    What are the 12 minerals? Calc Flour  Calc Phos  Ferrum Phos  Kali Mur  Kali Phos  Kali Sulph  Mag Phos  Nat Mur  Nat Phos  Nat Sulph  Silicea  Calc Sulph   Topical Application Mineral tissue salts are most often taken under the tongue but they are also highly effective applied topically. If your minerals are not in balance within your body (for example, from too much holiday celebrating), your skin (to name just one body part) will suffer. In the clinic we often see patients with painful, inflamed, broken skin and when we apply certain minerals to their skin a soothing effect is felt almost immediately. In many cases these skin symptoms fully resolve within weeks.  To apply topically, crush the required mineral with the back of a spoon and sprinkle onto a weeping lesion, applying as often as needed until the lesion is no longer weeping. If you have a cut that is bleeding. You can apply tissue salt #3 (Iron Phosphate) every few minutes until it stops bleeding.  Other topical application methods include compresses, washing with warm water (with the mineral dissolved in it) and adding minerals to your bath. Post exercise, you may find a bath with tissue salts # 9 and # 3 (10 tablets of each) will help with lactic acid formation and inflammation respectively. Magnesium is another good option for adding to bath water for relaxing your muscles.   Can you mix these minerals? No, not really.  For certain conditions you are going to need more of one mineral and less than another and thus they should be prescribed based on your personal situation or else you may not be bringing the body back into its delicate state of balance.  Unfortunately, many companies sell over the counter tissue salts that are in certain combinations, ignoring the basic principle of each of our unique needs.    Let's look at some examples...  Calcium and Magnesium are often prescribed together because they work together naturally in the body. However, if you are going to put Potassium and Calcium together, there is going to be a problem with absorption, so these two should never be mixed together.  Potassium can, however be mixed with Iron with no problem, but ideally you will not take calcium and iron together.  If you read these rules and feel confused or even scared just know that while these are rules to be followed they can be easily followed if your doses are prescribed for you and if you remember to take each tissue salt individually (one at a time).    Drinking Tissue Salts Adding your prescribed number of tissue salts into a bottle of water to dissolve and drink over the day is a wonderful way for small children to get their dosage.  In order to absorb the minerals in the mouth (versus the GI tract), just swish the water in your mouth before swallowing.    Quality Matters As with everything, the quality of the tissue salt will impact your ability to absorb it and reap the benefits. It is also worth noting that some companies add a little bit of gluten to their tablets, which is disruptive to many people.  Other companies add too much lactose, creating other problems within the body.  And this may be surprising, but some companies do not even add enough of the required mineral!   How long do I take these minerals for? Some people may require mineral therapy for a long period of time. For example, when a child is born with calcium deficiency and is suffering from acid reflux. On the other hand, if your child is teething, he or she may only require them for a short space of time.  The quantity, frequency and duration will all depend on how acute (short term) or chronic (long term) and the severity of the situation.    Can I take tissue salts if I am lactose intolerant? Most people who react to dairy, react because of the protein. Lactose is different from this. Lactose is the sugar present in milk. It is also worth noting the miniscule amount of lactose present in tissue salts and thus the likelihood of reacting is reduced even further.  On the very rare occasion we have a patient who reacts to the small amounts of lactose present, we can then look at sugar cane pills from some homeopathic clinics.  The type of lactose in tissue salts also works as a prebiotic, meaning it helps with our gut flora and thus is beneficial.    I have a balanced diet and avoid vegetable oils, dairy, grains etc - Why would I need tissue salts? We have many patients who come into the clinic with various symptoms, saying they do not understand why their body is not functioning properly, despite their healthy lifestyle.  Unfortunately our fruit and vegetables do not contain the same minerals they did 20 years ago. In fact the nutrient content is severely depleted and it is nearly impossible to ‘eat' the required amount of minerals. Add on top of the mineral depletion, the toxic pesticides sprayed onto our crops and it is no wonder that even the healthiest eaters are struggling.    Why we often choose tissue salts over multimineral supplements Multiminerals are a combination of a lot of things in macro dosages. Meaning larger molecules and larger dosages, that will need to to be digested through your digestive system to be broken down and absorbed through your gut. If you have any gut problems (like the majority of the Western population), this absorption of the minerals is severely hampered.  Alternatively, if you are taking these minerals orally, they will be absorbed easily in your mouth, directly into your bloodstream.    Over the next 12 weeks, we will be looking at each mineral and giving you tips on where each mineral is found in the body and the signs and symptoms that may indicate if you are deficient in each mineral.     Support If you would like to learn more about mineral therapy, we run workshops at our clinic. Head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com for more information or to book an appointment.  

We all know we need water to survive, but have you ever considered why it is so special? Now that Summer is here in the southern hemisphere, it is getting a lot warmer and temperatures like 40℃ are not unusual. With warm weather, we head outside for festivities and fun and thus this is the time of year we start seeing dehydration as a common problem.  There is a misconception that drinking fluids is equal to drinking water.  In the clinic, we can see in blood analysis whether someone is dehydrated or not because we can see the red cells bunched up together. When this happens this depletes the amount of oxygen going to other body cells. This is detrimental not just for the cell itself, but for the body as a whole because without oxygen the cell loses its ability to produce aerobic energy (energy that requires oxygen). The cell can still produce anaerobic energy (energy not requiring oxygen).   This leads to other complications. For example the apoptotic properties of the cell disappears. Apoptosis is the process a cell goes through when it chooses to die because it is damaged or malfunctioning is some way. This process is important because it happens in a way that the body can process and remove the cell components without damage to the body. Without apoptosis, damaged cells continue living and abnormal cells tend to take over.    Going back to basics, without real hydration you will get more tired, lethargic and will even have trouble thinking and concentrating.  One major benefit of water is that it has an effect for flushing toxins. When you wake up in the morning it is a beneficial habit to drink 1Lt of water within 30 to 60 minutes of waking to flush the toxins from your system. Adding lemon juice to your morning water will help this detoxing process.  There is another type of ‘morning flush' that is also beneficial in moderation, called the salt water flush. To do this, put 2 teaspoon of celtic or himilayan salt in 1 Lt of warm water and drink it within 20 to 30 minutes for a purging effect on your bowels. Of course, if you are doing this on a constant basis you may end up irritating the gut lining and having an inflamed bowel, because you are flushing the bowel too often. So be mindful and pay attention to how your body feels. As a guideline however, 1 Lt of filtered, room temperature water (not cold), consumed within half an hour of waking, on a daily basis is a phenomenal way of cleansing your whole body, not just your gut.    What counts as fluids for hydration purposes? When we talk about fluids and hydration, I often get asked why caffeine containing tea and coffee do not count as fluids for hydration. To survive we need to have a certain volume of fluid circulating in our vessels. It is true that any drink will add to this volume, however the action of each fluid is completely different. For example, if we are talking about caffeinated tea, this is going to flush more water out of your system because of its diuretic effect.  So for every cup of tea you drink, you need to replenish the water in your body with 1 extra glass. Coffee is also very dehydrating and requires the same consideration.   Not every fluid has the same hydrating ability of water and this is why we need to concentrate on having a minimum amount of water every day to ensure the body can complete certain functions.  One of these functions is filling the extracellular space (space outside of the cells) so it is a fluid consistency and allows nutrients to go into cells as well as toxins to be removed from cells.     It is also important to know that it is the fluid balance that will allow you to have the ability to control processes like being ‘rigid minded' or not.  Let me explain how this works... There is a connection here with a mineral in your body called salt.  When salt is used in minuscule molecules in the form of homeopathics (tissue salts), this will have a water gate ability in the body and will help control the water in and out of the cell. This is important because if you have enough hydration but you have an inability to flush the extra fluid, you are going to start swelling as the fluid accumulates in the cells. On the other hand if the fluid cannot get into the cells then this is going to cause dryness throughout your body, leading to rigidity in every aspect of our body, including our mindset and joints as well as dry eyes, skin, gut (constipation) and mucous membranes. There is a whole connection with hydration and water and how water is utilised by cells and body and thus the outcomes.    An example of how hydration can affect us mentally... A few years ago I visited a patient in hospital, who was about 90 years old. He was assumed to be pre-dementia because of his foggy brain and his kidneys were not functioning properly. It became apparent that his kidneys were not functioning due to the lack of water he was consuming. He was having 3 cups of tea per day and nothing else. It was amazing to watch this patient who could not remember who he was, where he was or what day it was, that within 24 hours  of having IV hydration, he could start talking normally and remembering things. This shows you just how important it is to drink enough water.    How much water is enough? This depends on your size, your activity level and where you live but generally, 1.5Lt to 2Lt per day is adequate. In a 40℃ and working outdoors you will need about 4 to 5 Lt per day because you are going to be perspiring more. In circumstances like this you also need to remember to replace minerals at the same time.    Can you drink too much water? Yes! We often think that water is a completely safe substance, but it is true that if you have too much water that in extreme cases this can lead to death! Everything has to be in balance as to what you are doing and what your body requires.  Dehydration is so common that sometimes in the clinic it can take multiple attempts to get one drop of blood from a finger prick due to dehydration.  The quality and frequency of water consumption make a difference in your body's ability to absorb and utilise the water you consume. As you know, activity flushes fluid from your body but did you know that air conditioning can also dehydrate you without you being aware of the thirst your body is feeling? The moral of the story is, don't wait until you are thirsty before drinking! By the time you are thirsty your body is already suffering the effects (and potential damage) of dehydration. It is also better to consume small amounts of water, regularly for maximum absorption.  If you have questions or need support reach out to me at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/   

Firstly, let's begin with the difference between detoxing and fasting because contrary to popular belief they are different.  Fasting means we are abstaining from eating and drinking all together for a set period of time. A water fast is the most common type of fast, where only filtered water is consumed. While fasting will lead to a detoxification of body systems it is not necessary to fast in order to detox  To detox means to cleanse something. To do this we need to stop bringing in rubbish (ie toxins) into the body.  Imagine your body is a pool and you have been neglecting it for a while. The pool is dirty and the filtration system is clogged. You need to clean the pool but if you continue filling the pool with dirty water the pool will never be cleansed. This is the same for detoxing. In order to detox properly we need to support the body to cleanse itself of the toxic load AND reduce the toxins coming into the body from food and drinks. It is also important to consider what toxins we may apply to our skin (in the form of creams, perfumes, antiperspirants etc) and what we breathe in (environmental pollution, smoking etc). What we put into our bodies during a cleanse plays a BIG role in the effectiveness.    How are our detoxification systems impacted by increased toxic load? There are many types of detoxing including gut, liver, lymphatic, kidney, matrix and then finally intracellular. All of the detoxes mentioned (except intracellular) relate to different parts of the body which act as filters for toxins within our bodies.  The liver is our major detoxification organ and so this is often (but not always) where we begin the detoxification process. You can imagine the liver like a sponge mopping up the body's mess (the toxins). You can also imagine that the sponge can out ring out (release the toxins) a certain amount of times per hour. It does a good job but if there is more mess to clean up than what it can ring out each hour, then it is going to become full and the toxins will leak out into the bloodstream.  From here the toxins are pushed out of the blood (where it is dangerous for the body to hold toxins), into the extracellular space called the matrix. The lymphatic system then pulls the toxins from the matrix and attempts to drain them from the body.  What we need to understand is that if the liver is full of toxins, the matrix will eventually get really full. This then puts added burden on the lymphatic system which eventually will not be able to drain any further. At this point the skin and lungs become an organ of detoxing (rashes, itching, bad breath can all indicate the need to detox).  While this is happening you can imagine how the matrix (the space outside the cells) is becoming increasingly full of toxins. and this pressure is going to push toxins into the cell and so we are also going to have to detox the cell (intracellular space).   How do we know where to start? Most of the time we are deciding what body system to focus on first with a detox we divide it into outside the cell detox and inside the cell detox.  The majority of detoxing in the body happens through three phases through your liver & gut and liver & kidneys. Phase 1 (of detoxification) begins when there are toxins present in the body. The liver breaks these toxins down (through oxidisation) and sends for further processing (stage 2) and excretion either via the kidneys (urine) or gut (stools). Nutritionally, we need to consume anti-oxidants and other Vitamins (A, C & E) and minerals (zinc, manganese, selenium) to support the oxidisation process in phase 1.  The most common problem of detoxing is in phase 2 when the gut is sluggish, usually due to lack of the required nutrients for this part of the process to occur ( Eg Sulfur, amino acids, Vit B12, Glutathione). If the gut cannot complete phase2 of the detox, the toxins are reabsorbed into the blood and the liver will have to process them again. Phase 3 is the transportation of the processed toxins out of the body (elimination) via the urine or stool. How much water do we need for detoxing? This depends on where you live (temperature/humidity), exercise, diet, size etc but on average around 1.2 to 1.5 lt per day is good. Some people however, need 4 to 4.5 litres per day so you really need to look at your individual circumstances. We need to note here that while water is an important partof effective detoxing, there are other factors that are just as important. For example, for effective flushing we also require good bowel movements. And if we are looking at improving the bowels then we need to look at the liver and which plays an important role in getting the bowels to move. The liver also helps with digestive processes (eg breaking down fats) and thus supporting the liver means you are supporting the gut.    How often should we move bowels? Again everyone is different depending on metabolism. Someone with a fast metabolism will move their bowels about 30 to 40 minutes after every meal. Vegetarians also tend to move their bowels more because of the fibre in plants.  On the other end of the spectrum are people who, genetically speaking, do not have the ability to produce mucous and thus cannot hold good bacteria in gut. As a consequence they have difficulty moving their bowels. These people need probiotics, magnesium, extra fibre and a very healthy diet to maintain their gut health. With all that being said, one movement per day is the minimum expected and it is normal for some people to have 2 or 3 movements per day.   Liver Detoxing Detoxing the liver is very important and we can assume that if the liver is not working well then the matrix will also be congested. The matrix has a semi-fluid consistency which, when it thickens (usually from body acidity), makes it difficult for the body to detox. This is why alkalising the body is important during a detox. With this process occuring the kidneys then also require support.   Signs we need detoxing If your body is producing an excess of anything it is often a good sign you need detoxing. For example, diarrhoea, rashes, acne, weepy eyes, ear wax or inflammation.   If we don't have these signs should I still detox? There are other signs of a need to detox, including fatigue, hay fever, allergies and parasites.    Where do I start? In our clinic we ask you questions about your diet, lifestyle, symptoms etc and then we look through the microscope at your blood. Here we can see if the lymphatic system is congested or not.  We can also see if the liver requires detoxing, depending on how the red blood cells appear.  From here we know that if the liver and lymphatic system require support, then the kidneys will definitely need support too, especially if pH is very low (acidic).  By detoxing the liver, lymphatic system and kidneys we are automatically supporting the bowel as well.    When detoxing can we still eat a normal diet? Not unless your normal diet is in alignment with the guidelines we provide for you.  As we said earlier, we need to make sure we aren't pouring in toxins into the body while detoxing. For example, if you drink two glasses of wine per day while detoxing it is going to defeat the purpose because alcohol is full of toxins (preservatives, nitrates etc) and makes the body acidic.  What we want to do is to focus the diet onto alkaline or neutral pH foods and avoid food and drinks which cause body acidity and/or contain toxins. We give diet recommendations to our patients based on their individual needs.  How long should a detox take? Each person will have a limit as to how quickly they can detox. You cannot detox too much at once because you will end up with headaches, nausea, gut issues etc because too many toxins are trying to get out of the body at once.  Again, we look at each person individually. Sometimes we might do 2 weeks on liver and kidneys and then add the lymphatics after and then intracellular. The process can take up to 2 months.   Intermittent fasting Intermittent fasting is not just about weight loss. It is about allowing the body resting periods in which it can detox and heal so when you bring things back in, it is ready to deal with the load.  This works for many people but if you have a high stress life, do a lot of sports or have a lot of energetic output generally, then intermittent fasting may not be for you. This is because your adrenals need the support of small frequent meals.    Is keto a detox? No. Keto tends to be high fat. This helps to lose weight but too much animal fat creates stagnation in the liver leading to fatty liver. This eventually means the liver cannot detox and weight gain follows.    Tools we use in the clinic We observe you (skin condition, tongue, nails etc) We ask questions We look at your blood under the microscope We monitor how you respond to certain treatments and lifestyle habits and make changes as required We use a range of supportive treatments including essential oils, homeopathics, herbs and supplements. We reassess after 6 weeks.    How often should we detox? Once to twice per year is usually enough. Note that lymphatic detox can be done other ways too and not just through diets and nutritional support. For example jumping on a trampoline, skin brushing, walking and temperature changes all stimulate a lymphatic flush.    How do I book an appointment? Appointments are available both online and in person (Applecross Western Australia).  To book an appointment head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ for more information.   Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Last week we spoke about how a balanced, healthy hormonal system is required for setting and achieving goals. If you missed it head to https://aurorahealingcodes.libsyn.com/ to check it out. A saliva test is a sampling of saliva that will give a breakdown of 7 different hormones that we can look at as a benchmark for where you are at.   In females we test Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), morning cortisol, progesterone, testosteron, estrogen1 (E1), estrogen 2 (E2) and estrogen 3 (E3), ratios between E1, E2 and E3 and ratios between estrogen and progesterone. Because female hormones cycle, we measure the progesterone when it is at its peak. For this reason, in an optimal cycle of 28 days, we measure on days 19, 20 or 21 between 6am and 8am. This is because the morning cortisol level is the most helpful (cortisol fluctuates during the day).  What we want to see when we measure cortisol, is high cortisol in the morning (to give you energy) and low in the evening (so you can sleep).   In males we don't need to go into as much detail. We measure all of the levels listed for females except E3 and progesterone and as such we do not require the ratio measurements. Males can also be tested at any time of the month.   What does stress do to hormones? If we are talking about stress we are talking about our adrenal glands.  Our adrenal glands are like a little almond that sits on top of each of your kidneys. The adrenal gland produces different hormones, with some of them helping the body to deal with stress. The higher the stress, the more the adrenal glands will produce adrenaline and cortisol.  Adrenaline gives you power and cortisol is produced after the adrenalin to ‘dampen' the adrenaline. In chronic stress there is so much cortisol produced that levels get very high causing problems elsewhere in the body.    Why is DHEA important? Once we know what the cortisol levels are we can look at DHEA. DHEA is the precursor for hormone production meaning it helps initiate the production of all hormones. If DHEA levels are dropping while cortisol is increasing, we know that after a period of time the body will not be able to produce more cortisol.  Low DHEA and low cortisol levels result in chronic fatigue.  At this point of dysfunction in the body, the person will also have problems with producing other hormones and as such will eventually show low testosterone, low estrogen and low progesterone. This is what I call the ‘empty tank syndrome' because the body just doesn't have any fuel to keep going.   Should we detox if we have chronic fatigue or 'empty tank'? When we talk about detoxing we are talking about flushing the liver, kidneys and lymphatic system.  When under stress estrogen levels rise, so in the early stages of chronic stress we will see the estrogen/progesterone ratio out due to the high estrogen levels. To balance this ratio we need a healthy liver and gut for excretion. Therefore toxins do play an important role with hormone regulation, however detoxing is not the first thing we look at.  To begin with, we see what hormones are high and what is low as this will give us a good picture of your hormones at this time (eg how empty the tank is).  For example, let's look at someone with high testosterone because of the disruption with the production pathways (DHEA). This can happen in both males and females. In females we can see the symptoms of this as a deepening of the voice, increased facial hair and even a change in behaviour (more aggressive/argumentive/rigid). Polycystic ovaries and cystic acne often go hand in hand with high testosterone.    What about acne in teenage boys? Is this caused by high testosterone as well?  A common cause of extreme acne in teenage boys is due to high estrogen. This is often caused by poor diet leading to gut and liver dysfunction and high stress levels. This means the hormones can not be cleared effectively from the body which leads to increased acne (amongst other things).    So every case is unique? In a way, yes. That's why we need to know the hormone levels in order to get an accurate picture of what is happening in the body. Once we know what is happening there are a range of herbals, nutritionals, essential oils, homeopathics and other remedies we can use to bring the body back into balance.  If progesterone is low we often use essential oils for helping the body back into balance. There are also homeopathic remedies but unfortunately we can't get these into Australia at this time. Oftentimes, when women realise they have low progesterone, they are directed to synthetic progesterone in the form of patches, creams, HRT etc.  A lot of these treatments tend to raise progesterone levels by 2 or 3 times and this can then cause other problems.  We really need to monitor the levels as treatment continues in order to balance and correct the levels (not just raise them). It is really difficult to judge how long this process will take as diet, lifestyle and stress can all affect hormonal balance significantly and in a short span of time.  As an example, I have some patients who come in with low progesterone around the 60 mark (it should be a minimum of 320). These patients tend to be anxious, have poor memory, low libido, joint aches and pain and poor sleeping to mention just a few of the symptoms. So we set a prescription.  Let's say I give the same prescription for two different women, both presenting with progesterone of 60 but with different stress levels. After two months, the patient with a lot of stress will not see much change in her levels while the women with little stress may see her levels go to the top of the range.  Not everyone responds to the same doses in the same way and this is why we take lifestyle factors into great consideration.   What is an example of changes I will need to make? The frequency of the tests and reviews depends very much on your levels and your life. Quite often in the beginning I will request to see you again in 6 weeks and we will retest in 2 months.    What about blood tests? Are they worthwhile getting? It is interesting to compare blood tests (from a GP) and saliva testing. I do coagulated blood tests as well as live blood analysis (which are different from the blood test you commonly get at from the GP). When we compare blood tests (from the GP) with saliva tests, coagulated and live blood analysis, observations (like looking at your skin, hair, eyes and tongue) and questioning we can see a clear picture of what is happening in the body. We do not usually request the blood tests from the GP but when patients come with them they confirm the results from our own testing. It is important to remember that we have ranges for normal levels of hormones, enzymes etc in the body as an indication of what is healthy and that if someone is borderline high or low that this is the body telling us that something isn't right and that things are not going in a very good direction. Live blood analysis often gives us a good indication in the early stages of body imbalance and this is the time you want to take action instead of waiting until your body is showing major dysfunction. Prevention through bioregulation is always the best cure.    How do I get a saliva test? Your first step is to book an appointment. Head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com for more information.

If the body and mindset are not aligned with your goals then you are going to have trouble reaching your goals. How does this work? To start with, let's look at the hormonal system. Our hormones can control our mood. They are proteins and they connect different parts of our body, acting like a messenger. For example, some hormones control sugars, some help us to grow and some are the commonly known sex hormones which regulate our libido amongst other things. There are lots of different types of hormones and each of our hormones have a different duty.  When talking about goal setting, we need to have the right state of mind to understand what goals we want to achieve and then to be able to persevere in order to integrate and reach our goal.  For this to occur we need specific hormones to help us have resilience. One of these hormones is testosterone.    How do we know if our hormones are in balance before we begin goal setting? We start by asking ourselves, do we feel happy, depressed, anxious and/or demotivated? If so your sex hormones may not be in balance. For example, if you are anxious it could likely be your progesterone out of balance. Similarly, if you are demotivated, testosterone could be out of balance.  If you have these emotions coming up regularly then you may want to get your hormone levels tested.   What role does stress play in creating hormone imbalance? It is worth noting that the more stress we have in our lives, the more your hormones are out of balance.  A lot more people are experiencing hormonal disruptions since the pandemic. This is because of the high stress levels everyone is experiencing for many different reasons.  What is scary, is that many people do not even recognise they are stressed. This is why meditation and mindfulness are so important. When you are stressed, your adrenal gland produces excess cortisol. When this happens long term it gets metabolised into other inflammatory hormones that cause disruption throughout the body.  One of these hormones is estrogen. Estrogen is both a male and female hormone and rises when the body is under stress.  There are different types of estrogen and synthetic fragrances and toxins can act as a fake estrogen (known as a xenoestrogen), further increasing our estrogen levels.  What happens with fake estrogens is they look like natural estrogen to our body and so lock onto the receptor sites meant for our real estrogen. The problem with this is that fake estrogens cannot do what real estrogen does and thus the body's balance is disrupted.  Synthetic estrogen is different from a xenoestrogen (fake estrogen), in that it is a laboratory, man-made estrogen. It is worth noting that synthetic estrogen does NOT have the same action within the body as natural estrogen.    The effect of fragrances, toxins and medications on our hormones Under the word fragrance is a cocktail of chemicals that don't have to be listed on a product's label. These are highly toxic and we can now see in the umbilical cords of newborns, a huge amount of these chemicals present, which have been passed from the mother to the baby. Nature uses many active molecules to get an action. Medications try to mimic nature by creating just one or two of what scientists consider to be the active molecule in a medicinal plant. The problem though, is all of the other tiny molecules which are ignored help to create balance and avoid nasty side effects. This is one theory as to why synthetic medications have so many side effects in comparison to their natural counterparts.  When the estrogen levels are high, it imbalances the levels of testosterone in men and progesterone in women. To give you an example, if you have high levels of estrogen you are going to become more rigid in your mindset and you are going to become moody and foggy. This is similar for testosterone but you can also become a bit of a “bully”. Why is this important? If you have high levels of estrogen or testosterone, this kind of behaviour is going to affect others around you and what you are able to achieve, without noticing what the cause is.  Low progesterone on the other hand, causes anxiety, poor libido, slow mental cognition, small joint aches and pains and poor sleep.    How do I know if my hormones are affecting my ability to set and reach my goals? When setting goals you are going to have difficulty if your hormones are out of balance. If you want to know your hormone levels, saliva testing is recommended.  A saliva test shows testosterone, the different types of estrogen and progesterone For women, there is a particular time of month that the test needs to be done for an accurate reading.    What else can I do to support my hormonal balance? We need to clean up our environment and body to ensure we are physically well to have the mindset needed for goal setting.  The liver does a lot of the cleansing in our body. It detoxes heavy metals, toxic pesticides, hormones and anything else the body needs to be rid of. If you are overloading your liver with things like coffee (which is a toxin), poor diet choices, toxic products etc, your body will store the toxins instead of cleansing them out. Further to this, depending on your genetic makeup, you may not be able to process certain toxins, which means it is holding and storing it somewhere in the body every time you consume, inhale or apply it. Genetic profiling and blood analysis can help you to understand what you can and cannot process within your body.  If you would like support with your hormones, genetic profiling, salvia testing or health in general, book an appointment with Maria Arora at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/

Today I have Marilyn Garbin with me to talk about goals. Marilyn's background is in education and career development and she enjoys helping people set and achieve their goals.  With the end of the year creeping up we thought it was a good time to speak about setting goals because most people set them, but very few achieve them.  For goals to become a reality, decisions need to be made but a lot of the time people don't even know what they want.    There are 3 different types of goals. The A type, B type and C type goals.  A Type: Goals you know you can achieve. For example, walking in the mornings, 5 times a week. I know that all I need to do to achieve this goal is to set my alarm so I get up early enough in the morning.  B Type: I need to work a little harder to achieve this type of goal but I still know I can do it. For example, I may want to complete a course in fitness. I know I can do this but there are more factors that I need to consider. For example, money, travel and time. C Type: These are big goals in our minds that we don't know how they can become a reality. Some people call them fantasies or day dreams. These are important for keeping us inspired and we can use A type and B type goals to work towards our big C type dreams.   The Wheel of Life Another way to look at goals is to look at the wheel of life which is a circle divided up into ten different areas we can focus on. We do this because it allows us to decipher which areas are the most important to focus on at any given time.  For example, our relationships, career or financial. You can rate on a scale from 1 to 10 how you are tracking in each area. The areas with lower numbers are the ones you want to focus on first. When working with the wheel of life you want to begin with small goals (A type) so you don't get overwhelmed.     SMARTER Goals Specific - “I want to lose weight” is not specific enough. Instead you need to say what action you will take. For example “ I want to lose weight by running every morning.” Measurable - Include targets you can measure. How much weight do you want to lose and by when? Achievable - Baby steps are best. We want to avoid overwhelm and this means setting a target you know you can achieve (A or B type goals). Realistic - Sometimes life doesn't go to plan. Be prepared to review your goals if required.  Time Frame - Make sure you write down when you would like to achieve your goal by. You can also include  milestones on the way to your goal. Evaluate - Evaluate your goals regularly.  Re-evaluate - Evaluating also gives you the opportunity to re-evaluate your goals and tweak if necessary.   If my life is a mess and I am starting from scratch, where should I start? Affirmations and meditation are a wonderful place to begin as these will help you to get you mindset to a place where you can decipher what goals you would like to set.  Remember to start small. Beginning with your A goals lead nicely into your B goals and then your B goals lead to your C goals.  It doesn't matter so much what area of your life you start making progress in. It just matters that you DO start. And if you stay consistent you will get results.  To have a look at the Wheel of Life head to Marilyn Garbin's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.garbin   Maria and Marilyn have a monthly Mastermind you can join where you will be working on both development in every area of your life including, health and goal setting. For more information on the Mastermind, contact Maria via her website at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/   Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome

If you are wondering about how you can improve certain health conditions through diet then this episode is for you. Covering high cholesterol, blood acidity, high blood sugar, skin conditions and more. Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Let's talk diets: By Maria Arora Let's talk about diets. This is one of my favourite topics as I see so many people in the clinic with all different types of conditions. And because every condition is unique in its causal factors, there isn't a particular diet you can implement for everyone. Thus each person requires unique attention. I have given some examples of how we treat patients through diet below:   High Cholesterol To regulate cholesterol, you need to have a good working liver. So the first thing we do is to support the liver, by cutting dairy products (for example, cheese, yoghurt, butter, icecream and chocolate). You may be surprised to know that cashews and peanuts can also play a role in high cholesterol, as well as coconut oil, cream and milk.  People are often surprised to hear that coconut can be detrimental to some people. This is because there are a particular group of the population who can not genetically metabolise coconut products. And if the liver cannot process the saturated fat correctly then there is going to be an increase in cholesterol readings and plaque formation (particularly if you are acidic) and a tendency towards fatty liver. Contrary to popular belief, fatty liver doesn't just come from an excess in carbohydrates.  If you have high cholesterol we also need to review your thyroid and look at your magnesium levels.    Low pH If you have low pH we first need to make sure you are drinking the correct fluid. Most people who have low pH, have it because they are consuming carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee and fruit juices. These drinks are more detrimental than eating animal protein. In fact, it is said that a person who drinks one can of soda water (or fizzy drink) will need 2 to 4 glasses of water (pH 10) to neutralise the acidic effects of the soda water.  Some of the symptoms of low pH include passing urine during the night and body aches and pains (particularly in the joints). In fact, we often blame sports injuries when we should be looking at what we are consuming and how acidic we are because of it.   Sugar Regulation Even if the person is taking insulin, we can create a correction. How do we do this? What we do is replace many of the carbohydrates in a person's diet with protein. This low carb diet means less sugar and more fibre, meaning the breakdown of sugar is more constant and slow.  Protein also helps hunger to be satisfied for longer and thus you won't be reaching for food as much.  Carbonated drinks, alcohol and juices also need to be avoided if you have sugar regulation problems. And the good fats in nuts, avocado and eggs play an important role in sugar regulation. It is a good idea to avoid dairy as dairy products often work against the liver and this can lead to the pancreas coming under stress. The pancreas secretes insulin.   Skin Conditions Eczema and dermatitis are usually an overreaction of histamines. Histamines are a particular type of amino acids (a protein) and they need particular enzymes to be broken down and metabolised by the body. This enzyme is called Diamine Oxidase (DAO), and is present in the bowel and liver. When there are disturbances within the digestive system, this enzyme will not be present and thus results in a histamine reaction. Histamines tend to make the skin itchy, red, burning and swollen.  When the body is having trouble processing histamines, you need to support it by avoiding high histamine foods like tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, foods high in salt, preservatives (including those found in red and white wine), chocolate, strawberry, kiwi fruit, processed foods like deli meats and cheese. There is also a crossover with salicylic reaction and many people often think they need to completely cut out salicylates but this is not the case. If you would like more information or to book an appointment to discuss your condition and how you can improve it through diet, you can contact Maria via her web page at www.aurorahealingcodes.com