Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Cat in the Hat: Cleaning Up Our Messes and Taking Responsibility

The Cat in the Hat could teach us all (not just BP) about personal responsibility.  If only we had a cat cleaning service.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Tim Hawkins: A Little Southern Humor

Tim has finally explained to me the fascination with Chick-fil-A.  When we were in State Farm land outside of Chicago, everyone asked us if we'd been to the only Chick-fil-A in Illinois.  We didn't make the pilgrimage, but here's Tim singing a tribute.  Where are our songs about healthy food?  Besides cookie monster's rap, that is. 

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Insomnia: Sleep Thieves


How many of us are having symptoms from sleep deprivation?  Coren covers his own experiments, animal and human studies.  Anyone who wants to be truly terrified can read the chapters entitled:  "Asleep at the Operating Table,"  or "Asleep in the Sky."

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Organon: A Book Advanced For Its Time

Here's the most recent translation of the old master.  Pretty dense stuff, but with some very pertinent observations.  p.204 on Mental Health " The physician...must always appear as if they credit such patients with reason."   He then goes on to discuss the beatings and torture of mental health patients common in his time. 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Treating Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Starting Guide

I've found this book very helpful in breaking down different body constitutions for mental illness.  The treatment protocols tend to be lengthy and based in the functional medical model rather than Naturopathic.  But is is a good reference to help those starting out with alternative medical doctors to get a sense of the ideas, the testing, and the likely treatments.

Feldenkrais: A Method Worth Knowing.

The Feldenkrais Method allows greater movement by increasing understanding of the subtler senses. 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Looking for Naturopathic Doctors?

Many people assume if they don't live in a licensed state (we're working on it) they can't see a licensed N.D.  Not so.  The best place to check is the AANP website, which lists all members (you can be licensed and not be a member, so also check your state licensing board).

If you are local and want a mostly complete list of licensed N.D.s go to the MAND website.  If you want a complete listing, go to the Maine State license search.  It's complicated, so I would use the MAND site first. 

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Alchemist

I went to the camp where I first saw this book for a cookout yesterday.  When I discovered it I read it through in an afternoon.  Coelho is good in translation and makes me want to learn Portugese to read him in the original. 

The Alchemist is still my favorite work, although I also like Veronika and The Road.  Truly a gifted writer, although I didn't like his more recent work as much. 

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Monday, August 2, 2010

Blade Runner: Where We're Headed?

A future dystopia where Asian languages dominate and anyone who can has gotten off world?  A future where human life is replicated, but the replicants have no rights? 

Truthfully, I love this movie for a little speech by a dying man on a rooftop.  The line "attack ships catch fire off the arm of Orion" is spacially impossible, but a wonderful image, and one of the very few memories this man can call his own.  But lots of violence as well.  Make sure to get the director's cut, which changes the ending by adding a paper animal. 

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Krishnamurti: Still Fresh?

I have always found Krishnamurti's push toward complete rebellion a bit terrifying.  But his absolute philosophical line that we must examine everything in our lives remains just as true today as it was when he was alive. 

Many people seek to discount his message because of shortcomings in his own life.  If that were a just reason for ignoring a man's message, none of us would know of Nietzsche or Foucoult.  Or Socrates, for that matter.