Monday, 20 January 2014
Analysis of Martin L.'s Speech
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/08/28/nancy-duarte-mlk-speech/
Saturday, 18 January 2014
Friday, 17 January 2014
Bread
Sarah Britton is a Toronto-born, Copenhagen-based holistic nutritionist. Her blog, My New Roots, has earned her the title of Quinoa Queen, but as we learned when talking to her for our new year’s health series, Britton’s knowledge goes way beyond ancient grains. And no, we’re not going to talk about kale, either.
Photo credit: Sarah Britton
Oh, the Danes. Such good bread makers, they are. How could any of us ever compete?
With this recipe. It produces a loaf that’s just as dense and rich as that Danish stuff, but it’s stupid simple. You can mix the ingredients right in the loaf pan (no extra bowls!), there’s no kneading (just some sitting), no yeast is involved (leavening is kinda scary), and the ingredients aren’t overly precise. Says nutritionist Sarah Britton, who gave us the recipe: “What if I told you that if you don’t have hazelnuts, you could use almonds? If you don’t like oats, you could use rolled spelt? Out of maple syrup? Use honey! See where I am going with this?” Yes, Sarah. Yes, we do.
Plus—and here’s the real kicker—this bread is good for you. Studded with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and almonds, it’s high in protein and fiber. It’s gluten-free and vegan. And its ingredients get soaked for optimal nutrition and digestion (we’ve already learned that lesson).
Take that, Redzepi!
Photo credit: Sarah Britton
The Life-Changing Loaf of BreadMakes 1 loaf
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup flax seeds
½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee, melted
1 ½ cups water
½ cup flax seeds
½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee, melted
1 ½ cups water
In a loaf pan, combine all dry ingredients. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a separate bowl. Add mixture to the dry ingredients and combine until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick, adding 1-2 teaspoons water if dough is too thick to stir. Smooth top and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake bread for 20 minutes, then remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down, directly on a rack, and bake for another 30-40 minutes (it should sound hollow when tapped). Let cool completely before slicing.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
3 hidden dangers in tea
3 Hidden Dangers Lurking in Your Tea
- Jordyn Cormier
- January 3, 2014
Tea is a miraculous thing. Bursting with antioxidants and health benefits galore, civilizations have been imbibing it for centuries. Drink it iced in the throes of summer or steaming hot to stave off that winter flu. Any season, any time of day, tea is there to boost your health while bringing you serenity and comfort. But, wait… could there be a dark side to this naturally healing beverage? Thanks to modern food practices and processing shortcuts, harmful chemicals could be lurking in your teacup. Follow these 3 guidelines to make sure you are getting pure, delicious tea, and not a tainted impostor.
Always choose an organic, non-GMO tea.
It is widely known that Celestial Seasonings is loaded with pesticides. But, did you know that even loose-leaf, high-end brands like Teavana have tested positive for dangerous pesticides in 100% of samples? Just because a product has a natural design aesthetic does not mean that the product itself is of any true quality. Although they may appear upscale and natural, pesticide-ridden packaged tea offenders include Tazo, Bigelow, Republic of Tea, Twinnings, Yogi, Mighty Leaf, and Tea Forte, among others. Surprised? Luckily, Numi and Traditional Medicinals are widely available brands that are against tea deception and offer honest, organic, non-GMO verified, high quality teas. Do your research and buy non-GMO verified and organic.
Don‘t buy tea that lists “natural flavors“ as an ingredient.
“Natural flavors” is a sneaky way to hide ingredients from the consumer, making the product appear more natural and pure. “Natural ingredients” can be any naturally derived ingredient that enhances the flavor profile the company wishes to offer. Sounds harmless enough, but it usually stands for soy and corn based ingredients, which mean hidden GMOs. That also becomes a cryptic concern for those with soy or corn allergies. Enough with the deception. Run far away from any package that contains the vague term “natural flavors.”
Make sure your favorite brand uses safe packing material, or stick to loose-leaf.
You know those luxury silk sachets — the ones that display your tea so beautifully? Well, those are not made out of silk — they are made out of plastic. It is the same type of food-grade plastic used in ubiquitous water bottles — you know, the ones that you shouldn’t drink from if left in your hot car? So, yes, the plastic leeches into boiling water. Yum, who doesn’t want a hearty cup of earl grey BPA?
Think paper baggies are better? Unfortunately, not always. Many paper bags are treated with epichlorohydrin, a compound known to suppress immune function, lead to infertility, and even cause cancer. Your best bet is to buy organic, loose tea, and brew it in a metal or glass container. It will be fresher, won’t leech chemicals, and generally taste better.
Friday, 10 January 2014
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Ignoring the dark side of human nature
“Given the prevalence of chronic complex trauma in psychiatric patients, it is astounding how little research has been done on this population. Most of the existing knowledge comes from reframing the diagnosis of BPD, as a disorder related to childhood abuse and neglect. Much of the current understanding of the disorder has its origins in the writings of Freud (1895/1962; Breuer and Freud 1893/1955) and Janet (1889/1973, 1919/1925). Both of these clinicians ran into considerable opposition and acedemic difficulities while studying treatments for trauma/incest victims. Janet persisted and went into oblivion, Freud disavowed the study of trauma [saying the victims lied, as their fathers that were abusing them disapproved of his conclusions] and became a defining figure of twentieth century psychiatry. While the study of war, hurricanes and non-interpersonal traumas has become aceptable, investigating the darkest side of human nature - our capacity to horribly abuse and neglect our own offspring and intimates- continues to be rife with controversy” (p.150)
Therapists reactions to PTSD
Very interestingly I was reading about treating PTSD patients and it is so interesting and I have the right temperament for it. Often they are numb to the large indiscretions in their lives, but they can get angry at the therapist for things they project. Those things never rub me the wrong way. I guess the thing is that I can correct it in the office and help them grow. I was reading that most therapists loath treating PTSD patients because of them finding them the most ungratifying patients to treat, finding them vexing, difficult and ungrateful. I never feel this way, so I am in the right place.
"Because [complex PTSD patients] tend to have physiological reactions to to triggers of traumatic reminders, these patients are prone to experience slight irritations as emergencies and blame people in their surroundings for the way they feel. Hence these patients while numbing and dissociating in the face of real violations, often experience minor frustrations within the therapeutic relationship as violations. As a consequence this patients are most at risk for being abused by their therapists and by those in the medical profession and reciprocally to be experienced by those in the medical profession as abusive, ungrateful and manipulative" (Van der Kolk, 2008). Bessel Van der Kolk is my mentor in this field. So I guess the thing is that I am the right person to see if you have trauma, I love these people, I care for them, and I DO NOT see them in this way, "abusive, ungrateful and manipulative". I find it disgusting that when people who have been victimized reach out for help, the very help they reach for abuses them and loathes them. The whole picture is wrong Ann. People get victimized, society shuns them and they have to climb the mountain themselves, unless they get lucky, and the people they turn to have a strong proclivity to abuse them.
I don't think people really get the strong spine I have and how strong it has to be.
I love working with people that have been traumatized, and you know, every conference I go to, including the EFCT one, I hear, don't take on too may trauma patients, they exhaust you overwhelm you etc.
Honestly we need more therapists with the type of temperament that I have, with the knowledge I have. Does that make sense. Or maybe we just need me? haha
Shine on baby
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
The cow
I think I just really feel that there is a lot of injustice around abuse, and there is and most people don't realize that they contribute to it, and honestly most people are kept in the dark and distracted. There is a great video, I will have to find it that highlights it...but in essence, we are still living in the time of the master in the castle throwing food scraps out to the peasants, except no-one kind of realizes it. The atrocities that happened in the time of Bush, there were no weapons of mass destruction, and the mass killing of the innocent. And e are all kept distracted, and things like FB, are ways to keep the peasants distracted...you don't have to agree, but it is the way I see and understand how masses of thinking people can allow the financial crises that happened - it was really an illegal ponzi scheme, and people just keep getting away with things...
The majority of the world is kept in the dark about the atrocities and victims blamed as a way to avoid dealing with the crimes. If you think about the things that you have learned since visiting me, you will see that learnings and truths have helped set you free, in a world which is ready to blame you for the abuse, for not getting over it, for milking the PTSD cow.
I think there is a bit of an activist is me, never thought of myself as one...but when I hear things like a doctor telling me that incest is a normal part of our society and we need to accept it as part of our culture or reading that the text book of psychiatry as recent as 1972 saying that incest is of benefit to the victim, it helps them become so much better (this reminds me of the fact that being gay was only taken out of the DSM as a pathology in the 70's). When I am researching this stuff daily - it shocks me, how devastating the research shows CP is to people's lives and yet we have people in the world saying that it is fine, it's all good. So no it is not a notoriety things, but correcting a wrong. The problem is, my patients come in wounded often more by societies contempt to why they don't just get over it, or that they are malingering. You see , Darryl, and the doctor, are the majority unfortunately. These victims are shunned by even their families (remember the secondary injury) for not getting over what has happened to them. So I guess I just want to let this 17% of the North American population to know, that they are ok. That what happened to them is not a normal part of society, that their symptoms are real, that they can get better, and that they are not alone. I would prefer to do that in a quiet way, as I do not have the temperament for criticism of certain things. My writing skills, fine, but other things are too painful when they get criticized, so no Ghandi I am not. Actually I would like to be a genini, have ever since I watched I dream of Genie and blink my eyes and correct the whole world...
I am not feeling down trodden, or questioning my path, I think you misinterpreted that, problem with words, is that we slide meaning into them. Only trying to figure out the best avenue to help the 17% of these people.
Why I do what I do
I guess it is hard to explain how I hard I work to try and change things for victims. Somehow Lois (my assistant) understands and I am not sure why she can see it, I think Claudio might too. She knew that I worked over Christmas, that I work until I drop every day trying to make things better for people. I think that is why I get so hurt when people criticize things , because I pretty much give my life for my patients and family, but even my family looses out much of the time. My life is split between those two things. I have lost friends because I focus on helping people heal with trauma, and I am not enough fun etc. Lois is a blessing in that she reminds me every day of how much I give to trying to help all those that suffer...probably a gift for something really good I have done, or maybe she can just see it. She knows I work through lunches, until I go to sleep, first thing on rising, through weekends. London is the only time I take a break all year!
And occasionally I have a moment, because in many ways trying to improve things for victims is quite thankless and in fact met with downright hostility. At times like this - I look towards those like Ghandi for the courage to continue, because he continued despite hardship, same with Mother Theresa, the courage to make things better, despite it being hard. They are images I can hold in my head to keep me going. I think it can be hard to imagine how much energy I give, and so sometimes I have to question is this the right thing to be doing. And then I hear some thing that victimizes the victims, and I can not stand by. Most people just stand by. I never do. Does that make more sense.
Th surest way for 'evil' to triumph, is for 'good' to do nothing
This is a quote that originally was Burke’s, and has undergone many transformations. The original just for the sake of it is: ‘When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.’
As I am lying in bed recovering from H1N1 - I can walk today - yahoo!, contemplating whether or not I can actually make a difference for people that have been traumatized. I contacted Bessel Van der Kolk today, (a pioneer in CPTSD (complex PTSD), the kind that comes from prolonged trauma as a child, as he has often spoken to our need as humans to ignore the atrocities we commit on our fellow man), asking him what his opinion was about being able to help with this problem is.
Further contemplated the "no one really gives a shit" philosophy (belonging to a friend), and find that in many ways it is disturbingly true. Most people probably don't give a shit about anything other than their lives. There are a but handful of people and we can name most of them, who gave a shit and changed the world because of it. And I suspect that the 33% of girls that are sexually abused, and 17% who undergo incest may just give a shit that there is a way to heal. That if I am looking at that in numbers 2,958,000 Canadian women who suffered incest, 29,580.000 US women have suffered incest (double that for sexual abuse), that is a lot of people who probably give a shit. Then add in any friends, and people that love the victim, they probably give a shit too. So if I can make a difference only for this population, then it is significant.
I decided to read Nelson Mandela's autobiography today. A couple of years ago I read on Helen Keller. All of her noble aspirations came from the books she read. The bible and some Victorian books, I can't remember the name, but she created a make believe personality based on heroines, of books where good always triumphed over evil. She was a made up character, and she lived life according to these stories. At first I was highly disappointed Helen, but as Claudio says about a friend of ours who always sends me text messages telling me how much she loves me when she is drinking,- at least she is a nice when she is drunk, so many people get mean. So between good and evil, Helen chose to fashion herself after good, which is pretty impressive given her lot in life...
I was listening to a business meeting (from Tristan's company today), and heard the Lions from Lion's Lair (Canada version of Dragon's Den) say "unless you have that absolute passion, know what is it that you want to solve, at some point you'll say there's easier things to do." Helping people, solving problems is not easy. In fact as recently as 1972, Freedman et al’s, (1972) Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry stated that incest was beneficial, was seen to decrease the chance of psychosis in the victim, allowing the daughter to adjust to the external world more effectively and was believed to have little deleterious effect (cited in Van der Kolk, 2008). Today many people believe differently. Today studies show the effects of incest are: depression, depersonalization, self-hatred, dissociation, problems with intimacy, aggressive behaviour to self and others, inability to enjoy life ( Van der Kolk, 2008).
So my options are to take up the gauntlet or not. What I understand is that there are consequences either way. My life is happy. Do I just stop there. Will it make a difference? Did Ghandi know that it would make a difference? Would Nelson have continued had he not known that he would make a difference?
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Friday, 3 January 2014
Body mapping
http://news.msn.com/science-technology/mapping-how-emotions-manifest-in-the-body#tscptme
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