Heidi DuPree's Blog, page 13

Are Anti-inflammatory Medications Safe?

          My recovery from total knee replacement surgery several years ago seemed frustratingly slow. But was it really? Actually....only when I compared myself to others.  When I would compare my progress to people I would meet in physical therapy, it seemed they were light years ahead of me in terms of how far they could bend their knee and in their ability to exercise. I had a hunch about why they were ahead of me.  "Are you taking anti-inflammatory medication?" I asked them.  "Oh yes.  My doctor prescribed them."
         My doctor prescribed them for me too. But I didn't take them. Sound crazy? I mean really, anti-inflammatory medication is practically the American way! Sure, I would have liked to be further along in my recovery if I took them, but just because they rapidly suppress inflammation doesn't mean they are safe.
          Inflammation is a natural and necessary part of the process of healing that occurs while the body processes waste matter. Anti-inflammatory medications, which would be more aptly named inflammation suppressant medications, do not heal inflammation. These medications suppress and drive the inflammation toward the core of the body.  For example, after a course of inflammation suppressant medication, inflammation in the lower leg can reappear in the hip or lower back. Or more dangerously, inflammation can reappear in core organs or systems such as the vascular system. Indeed, studies do indicate anti-inflammatory medications come with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
          In my opinion, the only safe way to work with inflammation is through energy medicine.  Ultrasound therapy, low level laser therapy, hydrotherapy, an anti-inflammatory diet, herbal therapy, energy healing therapy, etc. -- all work naturally to reduce inflammation. These energy medicine therapies are not a quick fix like medications are. But a quick fix for inflammation is simply not natural, just as its not natural to use performance-enhancing drugs or steroids to rapidly gain muscle mass.  These medications all have risks.
          So are anti-inflammatory medications safe?  That's up to you to decide what's best for you.  For me, I chose to respect my body's natural timetable for healing, and stop comparing myself to others!  

Headaches Demystified

           Everyone has experienced a headache at one time or another. But for some they can be debilitating. and scary... because sometimes headaches can have serious causes -- hypothyroidism, stroke, AV malformation, arteritis, brain tumors, high blood pressure, meningitis and aneurysm. More commonly, Western medicine attributes headaches to "stress" -- an umbrella term used to define our response to anything perceived as a threat to well-being. But the question is -why do we respond to everyday situations as threats to our well-being?  And how does stress cause a headache? 




          I've worked with many clients with headaches and have suffered from them myself.  There are lots of theories on what causes headaches - disturbance in blood flow, stress, muscle tension; and categories to put headaches in -- cluster, tension, migraine, tension. But the question is -- what causes the disturbance in blood flow, the stress, and the muscle tension?
          Sometimes headaches are caused by a restriction in the membranes and the flow of cerebral spinal fluid in the craniosacral system from some known or unknown trauma, which can be alleviated with light touch craniosacral therapy. And sometimes headaches are caused by the congestion of being "all in your head."  In that case, bringing your awareness down into your body, especially the legs, with breathing and mindfulness can relief the pain. But in my work as an energy healing therapist, I have observed that the more common cause of a headache is negative belief systems. The energy of our thoughts-beliefs disrupt the flow of energy in the body-mind, which initiates the physiological response that produces a headache.             Many of my clients are shocked to experience sudden pain in their head at the exact moment we are discussing an issue. It’s a signal that we've just hit on a core issue.  And once the thought-energy block is released, the headaches are gone.
          The next time you get a headache, pay attention to what you were thinking about at the time it started or just before. That will give you a clue as to the cause. Then shine a light on what you were thinking about by talking about it, writing it down in a journal, or using EFT to tap on the issue. The most important thing is not to judge yourself for whatever this thought-belief is. Judging it keeps it hidden where it creates a headache. Bringing it out into the open and accepting yourself with this thought-belief unconditionally releases the tension.
       

Letting the Big Dog of Fear Out!

        With so many changes taking place in the world, many people are frightened. My clients are doing their best to stay out of fear by thinking positive, but underneath - the fear is still there.  "How do I get rid of it?" they ask me.  My answer - let the big dog out!
          The harder you try to keep the big dog of fear quiet and in the closet, the more he tries to bark and claw his way out. What you end up with is a positive thought on top of a pile of barking, snarling fear- which is not very positive at all.
          How do you let the big dog out?  Let yourself feel the fear.  For the moment, let it get even bigger.  Move with it.  Breathe with it. Open your mouth and make noise with it. Let that big dog of fear run as far and as fast as he wants for as long as he wants.Trust me, he can't do it forever. Eventually he'll tire out and flop on his side on the ground in peaceful surrender. No more barking, snarling, or clawing. Just peace and quiet. Now that feels more positive.

Learning from Animals: The Story of Red the Dog

           When I was a teenager, a stray dog showed up at our property and appointed himself our watchdog.  He patrolled the wrought iron fence and barked at anyone who walked by.  He had decided he was our dog, and we agreed, naming him Red after his golden-red coat of fur.  His breed?  We could only guess – Golden Retriever?  A bit of Collie?   
                Red was friendly and sociable, but he would yelp in panic and dive under furniture at the sound of a car backfiring or a gun firing on TV.  He had arrived at our house with a streak of singed fur along his temple and we made up a backstory that he had been grazed by a bullet that passed near his head.  Since he already knew how to sit, stay, roll over and shake paws, we concluded his previous owners had taught him tricks.  But when we tried to brush him, he cowered and winced at the sight of the brush, as if he had been abused.
                In my active imagination, I imagined that Red had escaped from his abusers in a dramatic scene that included gunfire. I pictured him wandering in a daze for many miles, until he came upon our house and decided we needed him. Whatever the real story, I was grateful for the angel dog that had come out of nowhere at a time when I desperately needed protection and unconditional love.
                Red died over 30 years ago, not long after I left home and got married. The way he died is too awful to recount here, but let it suffice to say that it was fear that killed him. It was his fear of loud noises that caused him to panic and try to escape his enclosure – inadvertently killing himself in the process.
                Fear may not kill us as swiftly as it did Red. But fear can kill us slowly. It robs us of happiness and joy. It destroys our courage and blocks our growth. It eats away at our health. But fear is not something we can escape. Rather, fear can be transformed through compassion, unconditional love, and self-acceptance.  RIP my dear friend Red.  

The Astonishing Effects of Gratitude

          The positive effects of feeling gratitude on one's health and well-being have been well documented.  Gratitude practices have been found to decrease stress, enhance immune function, improve alertness during the day and sleep at night, and many other health benefits.   But how does it work? 
          To illustrate, I would like to share information about a series of experiments conducted by the late Japanese researcher Dr. Masaru Emoto. In these experiments,words typed on paper were taped to containers of water. The water was subsequently frozen and the resulting crystals examined under a microscope and photographed. Below is a photo of water from a container with the words "you make me sick"
          As you can see, the frozen water is opaque and chaotic.

          Below is a photo of water from a container with the words "thank you."

          This crystal is the image of perfection with it's translucence and symmetry.
          How is this possible? Simply put, everything is energy including thoughts and words. And water holds the vibration of that energy. As the human body and our planet Earth are largely water, the implications of this study are astonishing. The energy of ugly words produces chaos and ugliness in our inner and outer world.  The energy of beautiful words produces synchrony and molecular beauty that are associated with health.
          Gratitude Practices

          To experience the power of gratitude in your life:

          1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Write in a journal every day something you are grateful for.

          2. Find a Gratitude Partner
Ask a friend or your partner if you can share what you are grateful for each day, and ask that they share with you.

          I would love to hear the results of your gratitude practices, so please share!

Spiritual Signs

     "Why is it so important to pay attention to signs? Because signs give us the feeling of being supported, encouraged, nurtured, cherished and loved. And those feelings awaken greater health."
~ Heidi DuPree 

     I haven't ridden a horse since my honeymoon 35 years ago and I loved it then. The horses at Shenandoah National Park were super calm and plodded slowly and steadily along the trail.  It was a wonderful, relaxing experience that I wanted to re-create on our vacation to southwest Virginia in the year of the horse 2014.  Unfortunately, the experiences could not have been more different!


     For one thing, the horses for our re-creation were spirited.  Don't let the smile on my face in the picture below fool you. Within minutes of getting on my horse, I was terrified!  My horse wanted to trot past the others and get first in line while I hung on for dear life. For another, our trail guide took us down steep ravines. It took every ounce of my strength to push back in the saddle to keep from tumbling forward and off the horse going down hill. I didn't want to spook my horse, but when my arms turned to jelly and started shaking I couldn't help but hyperventilate in panic.

     What got me through this experience was silently praying and invoking help, and then seeing the signs that my prayers were being answered. As the line of horses made their way through a patch of woods, I noticed a huge white feather on the ground. Feathers are a spiritual symbol of angels and it is thought that when you see a feather, angels are near.  My husband knows this as well, and as he passed by the feather behind me, knowing how distressed I was he called out, "Did you see that feather?"  Yes I had, and was grateful for the reassurance.


     When our horse riding experience had concluded, with much relief I dismounted. Our trail guide texted me the picture she had snapped of us on our horses. As I flipped my phone open to see the picture, the time was 3:33. I gasped, knowing this is another amazing sign. The numbers 333 indicate the presence of ascended masters. No matter how frightened I had been, I knew that I had been watched over and protected throughout the horse riding experience. 


     Check out my award-winning book, Awaken Your Greater Health, for more stories like this. Do you have a story of seeing a spiritual sign at a moment when you most needed it?

Your Answers Are Within

Here is a post from 2012 from an old blog that I'm republishing today.  An oldie but a goodie! 
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I have a special event coming up next weekend and nothing to wear.  I've been shopping for weeks -- 2 different malls, department stores....nothing.  The outfit has to be conservative but still flattering, appropriate for warmer weather, plus fit right!  Lots of parameters that nothing measured up to.
In desperation I bought some fabric and a pattern and decided to make something myself.  I have sewn many times before and had it turn out beautifully...but this time it was a disaster.  There was a piece missing in the pattern that I had to create a substitute for and the directions were confusing.  After sewing all day the completed outfit didn't fit or lay right.  So it was going to have to be back to the mall, again, to search.
I was getting dressed for the mall when I spotted an outfit in my closet that I hadn't worn in 10 years.  OMG -- it was exactly what I'd been searching for!  I tried it on and it fit perfectly and met all my parameters.
I've been searching for other answers in my life lately, and this experience with the outfit reminded me that my answers are indeed within.  I can ask for the opinion of experts, but ultimately I have to make my own decisions based on what feels right to me.
Is there an area of your life where you are searching for answers?  Have you been allowing the opinions of others to sway you from what you know deep inside?  Listen to your heart.  Breathe. Sink into that inner stillness that lies beyond the mental chatter.  Your answer will come. Maybe from inside your own closet!

Cracking Open From The Inside

 Here's a post I originally wrote in 2013 about the process of healing from the inside out.
As I was walking through the woods this weekend, the exposed trunks of trees that had been cut down caught my eye.  They had a distinctive pattern of cracking from the inside that has some strong symbolism.
Twenty years ago, my life cracked open from the inside.  Everything that I thought I was, everything that I believed about myself was false, built on the illusion that I was a victim unworthy of love and acceptance.  That cracking apart led to an amazing journey on the outside, where my career evolved from clinical nurse to energy healing therapist -- which led to becoming an award-winning author.
Recently, I feel like my life is cracking apart from the inside once again.  This time the illusion that is cracking apart is the belief that I am a shy, reclusive person, incapable of a public life, incompatible with sharing the message of my books on a wider scale.  Its a painful, emotional process.  Writing about the insights I am gaining on this internal journey to greater health helps me stay in my higher self.
How about you?  Are you experiencing a cracking from the inside in your life?  This can be in the form of a health crisis, relationship crisis, career crisis, losses, heartbreak, etc.  Although it may seem like the cracking apart is happening on the outside, the real journey is internal.  It can be easy to lose the greater perspective when you are in the middle of it, but don't fight the process. Allow the losses and crisis in your life to crack all the way through from inside and outside, and your inner light will be revealed.  Breathe through the pain, for this is the labor to birth a new self.

 

The Stone Child

      This is a poem I wrote in 2012, the year that life as we know it ended. Three years later, the waves of endings, beginnings and transitions continue as more and more people are awakening, especially in this eclipse season. Part of this process is letting go of the garbage that we carry that no longer serves us. Sometimes the stuff we carry inside is so old, it's as if it has turned to stone.  This poem is about releasing this old stuff.
The Stone Child  
The heaving sobs that wrack my body, labor for the child of stone;
the child within made of bitter gall and hardened resentments of the past.
I give birth to her now, my own little child of pain, my stone child,
my beautiful stone child.
The labor past, I hold her up, my child of stone, formed within me,
layer upon hardened layer.
Her surface smooth as silk, ground against my inner roughness,
the pressure of fear grinding against the fire of purpose,
 the inner alchemy that produced my stone child,
my beautiful stone child.
And now I lay her to rest upon the softness of the Earth,
putting to bed the whispers of old losses and pain.
Weary from the labor, I gather myself up and leave behind my stone child,
my beautiful stone child.

Surrender Doesn't Mean Giving Up

I saw this box turtle on my bike ride today. He didn't move at all as I approached and then passed him. It reminded me of how I have felt like a turtle lately -- stationary and stuck on this path of life.  My small self voice has been nagging me with "you should be doing this." Or "you should be doing that." But my higher self voice reminds me that uninspired action takes me no where.  I choose to listen to my higher self...and surrender.

Surrender is not the same as giving up. The turtle does not give up. The turtle knows it will get to where it needs to go in the exact right time.  There is no need to give in to a false sense of urgency. Its good to pause, reflect, and integrate. Life is so much easier when we let the energy of the universe carry us forward rather than trying to force an uninspired path on our own. And once we surrender and let go, the universe can indeed carry us forward in ways we couldn't have imagined.