Memories of Things Past: PART 7 of 7

The Seventh, and final, Emotional Centre is related to that fundamental question: "What is our purpose for being?" We want to know not only the collective purpose of the human race on earth, but also the meaning and reason for each individual life, the purpose for which you and I and everyone exists. Everyone needs a sense of their own life's purpose. Living without purpose affects us profoundly in the Seventh Emotional Centre; it is where we express our oneness with the divine. Not only do you have to have a sense of purpose in life, but you have to feel as if you can control your life and that it is in your hands. This centre also deals with attachment and detachment, and with the question of our facades, the outer skin that separates us from the world and sometimes protects us from exposure to the blasts of life.
This centre is also concerned with locus of control and creation. This has to do with who you think creates and controls you life. The vulnerability is the sense that there's an external locus of control that directs your life and that you yourself have little or no influence over events in it.
The illnesses affecting this emotional centre are multisystem disorders and disorders of the muscles, connective tissues, and genes. Any life-threatening illness and the end stage of any terminal illness can get you in touch very quickly with this centre and the need to connect with a sense of purpose and reason for having lived.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Seventh Emotional Centre - Power: A clear sense of purpose in life, a conviction that I create my life, a belief that I can influence events in my life, the capacity for attachment in my life

Seventh Emotional Centre - Vulnerability; An undefined purpose in life, a conviction that the heavens direct my life, a belief that things happen the way they should, the capacity for detachment in my life

Ask yourself if any of these statements ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "I feel in touch with my purpose in life" (Power)
2) "The only purpose I can think of for my life is to exist through my significant other(s)" (Vulnerability)

In good health,

Dr. Stacey Welton, ND

Memories of Things Past: PART 6 of 7

The Sixth Emotional Centre is responsible for perception and thought. It is located mostly in the brain. Through the sensory organs of the eyes, ears, and nose, the brain first perceives the outer world and then attaches thought to these perceptions. We then take our thoughts and compare them to our experience in order to form patterns of thinking and behaviour that constitute our ethics or morality, which is also seated in this centre. It is how we see the world, interpret, and finally judge and act upon it that helps determine the degree of health or disease we experience in the organs of this emotional centre.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Sixth Emotional Centre: Power - Perception: Clarity, focus, acuity, lack of receptivity
Sixth Emotional Centre: Power - Thought: Wisdom, knowledge, rationality, linearity, rigidity and obsessiveness
Sixth Emotional Centre: Power - Morality: Conservative, law-abiding, judgmental, critical, conscientious, repressive

Sixth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Perception: Ambiguity, lack of focus, blindness, receptivity
Sixth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Thought: Ignorance, irrationality, nonlinearity, flexibility
Sixth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Morality: Liberal, risk-taking, guilty, available for feedback, uninhibited

Ask yourself if any of these statements ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "I see the world as it is and tolerate a world full of ambiguity" (Perception)
2) "I have very strict rules that I live my life by" (Morality)
3) "I try to think of others points of view when confronting a situation" (Thought)

Memories of Things Past: PART 5 of 7

The Fifth Emotional Centre is associated with issues in our lives having to do with communication, expressing who we are, timing, knowing when and how to go after our heart's desire, and will - the way we assert our own will or bend to that of others. This centre calls for balance between expressing ourselves and listening to others; between pushing ourselves forward to fulfill our needs or waiting for things to come to us; and between imposing our will on others or allowing others to impose their will upon us. The organs affected by our ability or inability to do so are the throat, the mouth, the thyroid and the neck.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Fifth Emotional Centre: Power - Communication: Expression, speaking
Fifth Emotional Centre: Power - Timing: Pushing forward
Fifth Emotional Centre: Power - Will: Willful

Fifth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Communication: Comprehension, listening
Fifth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Timing: Waiting
Fifth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Will: Compliant

Ask yourself if any of these statements ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "I have difficulty asserting myself at work and in relationships" (Will)
2) "I am comfortable expressing my point of view and feel heard" (Communication)
3) "I don't know when to wait and when to push forward when expressing myself" (Timing)

Memories of Things Past: PART 4 of 7

The Fourth Emotional Centre deals with emotional expression, intimacy and nurturance. How we deal with and communicate what we feel. Linked with it is the emotional life of our partnerships, the intimate relationships we form with other individuals. If we are unable to do this, we set the stage for illness in the organs of the fourth emotional centre - the heart, the lungs, breasts and esophagus. They will recognize, respond to, and express our emotions for us in the form of physical symptoms when we fail to recognize and express them ourselves.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Fourth Emotional Centre: Power - Emotional Expression: Passion, anger and rage, hate and hostility, joy and exuberance, stoicism, courage, bereavement, loss
Fourth Emotional Centre: Power - Partnership: Isolation, giving help, giving, fathering, martyrdom

Fourth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Emotional Expression: Love, resentment and bitterness, serenity and peace, emotional effusiveness, anxiety, depression, abandonment
Fourth Emotional Centre: Vulnerability - Partnership: Intimacy, accepting help, accepting, mothering, nurturance, forgiveness

Ask yourself if any of these statements ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance. If you have been following along this series - isn't it interesting how we assume that one side is 'better' than the other. Have you noticed which side you give more personal 'power' to?

1) "I am able to cycle freely in and out of love and anger, grief and abandonment" (Emotional Expression)
2) "I nuture others more than I nurture myself" (Partnership)
3) "I am in a relationship where one person is always the giver, the other always the taker" (Partnership)

Memories of Things Past: PART 3 of 7

The Third Emotional Centre relates to the desire to make our mark on the world, with our sense of identity and self-esteem, with how well we do our job, and how others perceive, assess and acknowledge our performance. This is at the heart of the third emotional centre. It has to do with the "me against the world" element of our lives. Memories related to these emotions are stored in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, including the mouth, the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestines and upper colon, the liver and the gall-bladder.

The organs of the third emotional centre are more closely aligned with our emotions than the organs of almost any other area of the body. Perhaps due to the fact that the first way we interact with the world is through our digestion. It makes sense to feel things at 'a gut level'. One of the largest issues associated with ulcers and other ailments of this emotional centre is the issue of responsibility and commitment. How well we fulfill these responsibilities can set the stage of illness or health in this area.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Third Emotional Centre - Power: Adequacy - Skills, competence, making it work
Third Emotional Centre - Power: Responsibility - Being caught in the middle
Third Emotional Centre - Power: Aggessiveness - Threat, intimidating, territoriality
Third Emotional Centre - Power: Boundaries
Third Emotional Centre - Power: Competitiveness - Winning, gain

Third Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Inadequacy - Inferiority, incompetence, giving up
Third Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Irresponsibility - Addiction
Third Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Defensiveness - Restraint, entrapment, avoidance and escape
Third Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Limitations
Thrid Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Noncompetitiveness - Losing and conceding, loss

Ask yourself if any of these statements ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "I am the best at my job. No one is better than me." (Adequacy)
2) "I'll just do it tomorrow, who cares?" (Irresponsibility)
3) "I often feel intimidated by people" (Defensiveness)
4) "I always have to win" (Competitiveness)

Memories of Things Past: PART 2 of 7

The second emotional centre contains emotions relating to our purpose. To pursue and acquire whatever we believe will bring us happiness - a career, money, position, sex, partnership and children. At the same time, we worry about individuating from family - about holding on and letting go. About gaining control of the outer world.
Located in the pelvis and lower back, the second emotional centre encompasses the male and female reproductive organs; the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract; the lower gastrointestinal tract; and the muscles of the lower back.
Memories and emotions stored in these organs have a dual aspect; they deal with our drives and how we go after what we want in the world and with the relationships we form as we leave the family and establish ourselves as autonomous individuals.

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Second Emotional Centre - Power: Drives - Active, uninhibited, direct, go-getter, shameless
Second Emotional Centre - Power: Relationships - Independent, needed by others, takes more, has well-defined boundaries, assertive, protects, opposes

Second Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Drives - Passive, Inhibited/phobic, indirect, waits for things to come, shameful
Second Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Relationships - Dependent, needs others, gives more, has poor boundaries, submissive, needs protection, cooperates

Ask yourself if any of these cliches ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "I'll do anything for you" (Excessive giving)
2) "I can have it all" (Excessive independence)
3) "No one will ever love me. Everyone always leaves me" (Excessive dependence)

Memories of Things Past: PART 1 of 7

Our bodies have physical memories, systematically organized in our tissues and our organs; a record of something that has happened and affected us in ways we may never have completely grasped or grappled with. They linger in the deep recesses of our brain but are also sequestered in our bodies.

How do we know that memories exist in the body? We might have a hard time believing that every part of the body is associated with its own specific emotions. But there is support to demonstrate that the body is the repository of actual physicalized memories of events and emotions that have happened to us and continue to affect us in the present.

Do you get a headache whenever a certain person approaches you? A stomach-ache when you have to visit your family? Anxious at the thought of having to go to the dentist?
There is no doubt that emotions have physical manifestations. You FEEL fear, anxiety, pain, joy...

Let's say one day you go for a lovely walk down a country road. Your feet crunching on the gravel. The smell of lilacs in the air and the breeze against your arms and face. You're feeling strong, carefree, when suddenly a dog rushes out of the bushes snarling and baring his fangs. You panic and run. That evening when asked how your day was you don't mention the incident. In a sense, you've already begun to forget it because it was unpleasant and frightening and something you don't want to confront again - so it is not laid down in your verbal memory but rather it stays in your body memory. What you have done is to dissociate it from your consciousness and isolate it as painful and unacceptable. This is what we do with trauma.
By doing this we will experience consequences in our emotional state, our physical state or the state of our organs and tissues.

The body is divided into 7 emotional centres and each of these encompasses a particular group of organs and is associated with a given set of emotions.

The first emotional centre contains memories that are located in the blood and bones, the immune system, the spine and the hips. Emotions stored in this centre have to do with issues related to your family; your physical safety, security and support in the world; and to helplessness and hopelessness.
Have you experienced any physical issues in this area?

Our emotional centres contain contrasting sets of emotions, the powers and vulnerabilities which we must balance for best health. When an imbalance occurs, our intuition knows it and it speaks to us through our bodies in illness.

Which side do you fall on? Balance between both is key.

First Emotional Centre - Power: Sense of self, independence, self-sufficiency, fearlessness, trust

First Emotional Centre - Vulnerability: Sense of belonging, dependence, helplessness, fearfulness, mistrust

Ask yourself if any of these cliches ring true and see what side you tend to fall on - again, remember one isn't better than the other, but rather that we are seeking balance.

1) "That's okay, I'll do it myself" (independence)
2) "No one's ever there for me" (poor sense of belonging)
3) "If you want something done right, do it yourself" (self-sufficiency)
4) "The world is a dangerous place" (fearfulness)
5) "You can't trust anyone but yourself" (mistrust)

Estrogen and Progesterone: The good the bad and the ugly

There's been so much talk over the last few years about "bad" estrogen and "good" estrogen and everything in between!
What's the difference between estrogen and progesterone? Why do they say that estrogen can cause breast cancer? How do I know if I have too much estrogen in my body?
Here's a quick run down for those of us who don't know, and for those of us who need a bit of a reminder!

Estrogen is produced in the body for the most part by the ovaries and has 3 forms. It is paramount in a woman's fertility and sharply decreases at menopause. Excess estrogen is broken down by the Liver which coverts it into one of two forms: one of these forms is protective against cancer, the other cancer causing.
Many foods and substances can affect the metabolic pathways of this breakdown, but a well functioning liver is important in optimizing its clearance!

First let's look at the differences between the two hormones and go from there....

A proper amount of estrogen affects:

1) Reproductive Organs: changes of puberty

2) Skeleton: by increasing bone formation (which is why osteoporosis is common in post-menopausal women when estrogen levels are so low)

3) Urinary Calcium and Phosphate retention: increasing bone density

4) Protein: increasing overall protein

5) Metabolism and Fat: increasing BMI and fat distribution

6) Electrolytes: causing salt and water retention

7) Cardiovascular System: increasing good cholesterol and lowering bad, increasing blood clots


A proper amount of progesterone affects:

1) Uterus: promoting changes in the lining of the uterus and decreasing cramps

2) Fallopian Tubes: nourishing the fertilized egg as it travels towards the uterus

3) Breasts: increasing swelling

4) Electrolytes: excreting salt and water

5) Protein: mobilizing protein to the fetus during pregnancy


Metabolism of Estrogen and Progesterone:

1) Synthesis: progesterone and testosterone are made first, then converted into estrogen

2) Breakdown of Estrogen: by the liver

3) Detoxification pathways: the liver needs - Copper, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin C, NAC, Methionine and B vitamins to detoxify

4) Ratio of Estrogen Metabolites: predicting breast cancer risk


How can body get rid of excess Estrogen?

1) Liver detoxifcation pathways – there are 2 pathways, one which leads to the healthy metabolite, and the other which leads to the unhealthy cancer causing metabolite.

2) Increase consumption of plant foods and vegetarian protein - enhancing Liver clearance and promote the healthy Estrogen metabolite

3) Decrease consumption of meat and dairy – especially those containing antibiotics and hormones

4) Increase fiber intake - it can bind excess Estrogen in the bowel and increase its excretion. It also helps nourish friendly bacteria - try ground flax seeds and legumes.

Compounds affecting Estrogen Metabolism:

Indole-3-carbinol (I-3-C) shunts the detoxification of estrogen to the non-cancer causing form.

It is found in cruciferous veggies such as:

Bittercress
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards
Horseradish
Kale
Mustard Greens
Radishes
Rutabaga
Savoy Cabage
Turnip
Watercress

You must get a minimum of 300mg daily to achieve a beneficial effect.
But be careful, I-3-C is inactivated by heat, so lightly steaming or quick stir frying is recommended to help preserve the compound!


In good health,

Dr. Stacey Welton, ND