Holistic Circulation

We had another Elder come and speak to my class this week.  This Elder is the Director of the Institute of Aboriginal Health.  He was fascinating to listen to, and I learned a lot from him.  The one thing that stood out for me was when he spoke about circulation in a holistic context. Naturally, for good health you need physical activity (physical circulation) but he expanded upon that and spoke about spiritual/emotional circulation, mental circulation, and social circulation.  He mostly emphasized spiritual circulation though, and it was at that moment that I realized that my life has become unbalanced.  I've realized this truth for a long time, but was procrastinating getting myself back into circulation.  I also realize that what he said was true that the more balance we have in our lives, the more healthy we become. 

There's much more to the Medicine Wheel then what I'm about to say so if you'd like to know more I would suggest going to the nearest Aboriginal Friendship Centre and speaking to an  Elder.  I will use my life as an example.  Right now I have mental circulation, that is to say that I am actively engaged in learning at university and elsewhere.  I have physical circulation because I aim to get to the gym between 3 - 4 times a week, and I'm active outside my gym time as well.  I have social circulation because I have many friends, and I actively meet up with them and socialize.  That leaves my neglected spiritual life.  I stopped smudging, and attending the sweatlodge because for about a year I was unable to do them.  Now, I've gotten out of practice of smudging, praying and taking time to sweat.  So, this morning I decided that enough was enough and I smudged for the first time in a long time.  I feel great right now.

The Medicine Wheel shows us where our life is not in balance.  I have set up my calendar with the medicine wheel in mind.  The activities are colour-coded so I can track the balance in my life.  I use the colour green for my spiritual/emotional activities and there's not enough green on my calendar right now.  Starting today, I'm going to change that and make more time for spiritual life.

Interconnectedness

Elder Larry Grant told the class that Indigenous food sources are becoming scarce. He said that First Nations’ diets were replaced with European food items.  Elder Grant specifically spoke about Camas Lilies and how important they were to Northwest Indigenous Nations.  He also mentioned that scientists have discovered that Camas Lily is a complex carbohydrate, and it takes a lot of energy for the body to convert the lily into sugar.  Complex carbohydrates are essential in the prevention of diabetes. Ingesting Camas Lily was replaced with the European potato.  The potato is not considered high in nutrients or a complex carbohydrate food.  The Camas Lily and other indigenous plant and animal species are being invaded by foreign flora and fauna. As a society, we need more concerted conservation efforts to keep a balance in our ecosystem.

I know from my volunteer work with Vancouver Parks that invasive species do put indigenous species at risk, both the flora and the fauna.  In fact, every year hundreds of volunteers assist park staff in identifying and removing invasive plant species such as Scotch Broom and Policeman’s Helmet. I also volunteer with The Western Painted Turtle Recovery Project, also a program through Vancouver Parks. I volunteer for two reasons: 1.) I believe in ecological restoration, and 2.) I am a member of the Turtle Clan and it’s very important to me that turtles be conserved.  The biologists and park staff are always educating the public about the threat to our ecosystem.  The threat is very real, and many indigenous plants and animals are on an endangered species list.  The Western Painted Turtle is considered a Red-Listed species, which means that it is endangered, and if we do not put conservation efforts in place then that species of turtle will become extinct.  The location I work at is Burnaby Lake Regional Park.  Burnaby Lake has about twenty-seven Western Painted Turtles living there.  It is one of the largest populations of Western Painted Turtles in British Columbia.  The Ministry of the Environment is considering breeding some of the turtles, hatching and nurturing the hatchlings so that they can help replenish some of the turtle populations around the province.   

Once indigenous flora and fauna become extinct we cannot get them back.  Once one species goes extinct then other species will follow because the ecosystem is interconnected, and one species relies on other species for survival.  When I lived in Ontario, I met an Ojibwa Healer knicknamed Sugar Bear, he told me that, “Bears and Turtles walk together.  If ever one ceases to exist then the other will cease to exist soon after.” Science has gained the understanding of the interconnectedness of our environment and species; First Nations communities have always understood interconnectedness to be true.

Time for Everything

I am starting to settle into a schedule for myself.  It's always a bit of struggle to find time for things once I start school.  This year I'm taking on a little more.  I am learning how to knit, I've joined a writer's group, next week I meet with a professor to discuss how I can assist her with her research, I'm a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and I still find time for myself, my school work, and my exercise classes.  I am busy but I'm also happy. I seem to be able to find time for everything that I want in my life.  I used to limit my activities because I thought that I couldn't fit it all in but I'm learning how to balance my life more.

Last night I went to an exercise class called Below the Belt, which is the same idea as the Buns of Steel videotapes were in the 80s.  It's all about the abdominals, back, legs, thighs, hips (you get the idea). I was sore this morning but I decided to go to kickboxing class anyway.  I told the Bootcamp Queen (instructor) that I was still sore from last night's class.  She told me that the best way to combat soreness is by doing  exercise because it helps get rid of the lactic acid build up in the muscles.  I hardly feel any soreness now, so I'm glad that I went.

To bring us back to why I started this blog in the first place, it's because I registered as a participant in a Breast Cancer Fundraiser for Spring 2013. I need to complete 6 exercise sessions (6 hours of exercise) in one day.  I am starting to feel prepared for this goal.  I can keep up with the classes now, do more intense exercise and my recovery time is not as long as it used to be.  Now I just need to remember to get on the fundraising portion of it.  I have some friends who say that they would like to sponsor me so I will be sending them a link telling them how they can donate to the cause. 

Stark Contrast

I am taking a fourth year course in First Nations Health.  The instructor recently asked us to journal our reflections about one of the readings.  I have decided to share that journal with you here.  Enjoy!

Stark Contrast

In this journal, I will be comparing my experience as a social service worker helping one of my clients experiencing appendicitis with the reading about Renee Smith dying as a result of a ruptured appendix.  I was shocked when I read that Renee died of complications from appendicitis.  Not too long ago, I helped save the life of a woman with appendicitis, whom I will refer to as Kathy. There are similarities between Renee and Kathy because both belonged to marginalized groups of people.  Renee was a First Nations girl, and Kathy was a homeless woman.  However, there is a stark contrast between how Renee was treated by medical personnel at the hospital and what happened to Kathy. 

In Renee’s case there had been neglect right from the time she entered the hospital the first time and the nurse gave her pain killers, and she was allowed to leave the hospital.  The next day when Renee came back to the hospital in worse condition, she was admitted with acute abdominal pains.  Renee was not started on IV medication even though she had not been able to retain any fluids due to vomiting and diarrhea. Renee died due to peritonitis from a ruptured appendix.  By contrast, Kathy came and spoke to me about not feeling well.  Kathy told me that she had been vomiting and felt nauseas.  Kathy was bent over in pain and I asked her about the pain.  She told me that it was going through to her back.  My biggest concern for Kathy was that she was dehydrating because she was vomiting.  I also knew from having experienced gall stone pain previously that the type of pain she was experiencing was indicative of something more serious than stomach flu.  After some talking, she finally gave me permission to call Emergency Services on her behalf.  The ambulance was there within fifteen minutes and they took her to St. Paul’s Hospital to be admitted.  The doctor ran some initial diagnostic tests on her and they discovered that she had appendicitis.  Kathy had her appendix removed within 10 hours of being admitted to the hospital. Kathy recovered quickly from her operation, and was back at the shelter within a few days.

My training is in social service work.  I am not trained in medicine, but even I understand the importance of replenishing lost body fluids.  I do not understand how doctors and nurses could overlook the fact that Renee was losing more body fluids than she was able to replenish.  The least that the medical staff could have done was to put her on IV medication while the diagnostics were being done.  In Kathy’s case, being put on IV was one of the first things the medical personnel did to help her.  In Renee’s case, the diagnostic testing such as an X-Ray was either delayed, or not even done as in the rectal exam to confirm the diagnosis of appendicitis (131).  Kathy was fortunate to have medical personnel who were attentive to her needs.  I think that Dr. Mills sums up well when she uses the following description at the Inquest, “She [Dr. Mills] criticized the treatment Renee had received and said that on a scale of one to ten, with “one” as the lowest, Renee’s care deserved a “two” and “reached the level of malpractice” (Speck, 131) [emphasis mine]. 

Equiarchy

I was having a really frustrating day when I saw this post on facebook.  I can't even begin to express my outrage at what he's said here.  I have heard a few uneducated boobs express the same notion.  I intend to demonstrate why such notions are not true. I contend the problem is not with feminism, but with absolute patriarchy. 

We don't need to go too far back in the law books to find a time when women were not even considered persons under the law. We also don't need to go too far back in history to find a time when women could not vote, could be beaten to death by their husbands (his property, his right), he could also kill his children. The husband was not accountable for this because his wife and children were considered his property to do with as he pleased. Recap: 1.)Women not considered persons under the law, 2.) Husband could kill wife and the children without justification.  Remember these laws came into effect under absolute patriarchy and it sounds pretty anti-family to me if you can kill family members and not have to answer for it. Abortion has been around since the dawn of time.  Abortion is not a new invention.  I won't even subject you to some of the horror stories (Victorian Era) of what some families would do to babies they could not afford to feed. Once you start seeing some historical facts, it is hardly fitting to label feminists as child killers when all along men have been killing their wives and families. And, of course, some feminists are Pro-Choice.  Let's not forget the fact that many men nowadays also see themselves as feminist because feminism is for gender equality (both men and women).

I am not thrilled by the ad hominem argument that feminism is equated with witchcraft. Both men and women are Wiccans. So, why is he just attacking women? When looking at history we can find examples of rich and powerful men belonging to their own secretive religious sects, such as the Freemasons, and similar organizations.  This does not even include the Gentleman Clubs.  At one time in history, respectable women did not go to pubs or taverns.   Every establishment was by men for men. Womens' lives revolved around the Church and the family. At certain points in history, when there were witchhunts, even being active in a church could not save you if you were accused.

Apparently, Feminism is about socialism and destroying capitalism.  The last time I read the Bible it didn't say anything in there about being against socialism and pro-capitalism.  It says nothing about either of them. Capitalism is not the be-all and end-all.  It's the economic system currently used but that could very well change at some point in the future.  The Barter System, The Trading System, & Feudal Systems changed into Capitalism.  Whose to say that Capitalism won't morph into something else in due time?

And, of course, the good old standby of labelling women as Lesbians when all other arguments fail.  It's really none of his concern how anybody else, man or woman, identifies as their sexual orientation.  But, once again, he's choosing to an ad hominem argument to attack women in general.  In particular, Lesbian women are the aim of his attack.  A person's sexual orientation is of no concern to me.  What I like to know about people is if they make sense when they talk (?) Are they kind, and compassionate? If you're going to judge somebody based upon their sexual orientation then I feel very sorry that you live such a narrow-minded and self-centered existence.

Long story, short - if you need to use fear-mongering tactics to try to persuade people to your way of thinking then your arguments are not that good to begin with.  The poster above uses fear-mongering, attacks women especially feminists (for no good reason), lacks historical accuracy and viewpoint which essential when one is talking about marginalized groups such as women.  I see a man who longs for absolute power through patriarchy.  A man who will attack one of the most marginalized groups of people in history and in the present, stomp on their rights, piss on Wiccans and on Socialists just to satisfy his greed for money.  The very core of his message is to save capitalism. The rest is labelling and fear-mongering. Save capitalism? Shit Dude, look around, capitalism doesn't need saving. Laws created under Absolute Patriarchy are the crux of most of the social problems our society has today.  We should not be trying to preserve Absolute Patriarchy, but combine it with Matriarchy.  The result of Patriarchy + Matriarchy=Equiarchy.  An equitable and fair system for all citizens.

Endorse Endorphins

Well, it's been a week since I last was at aerobics class. Today I'll be attending the Maxed Out class which combines strength drills and cardio.  I've been so busy getting ready for school the past few weeks that I barely noticed that I hadn't been going to the gym. Now that I'm back in school, and know what to expect as far as my schedule, I can now look again at getting a fitness routine together. It's back to releasing those Endorphins.  Endorphins are the body's natural opiate painkillers.  That's why when we're physically active the body releases these painkillers and we feel really good afterwards.  

Did you know that without Endorphins our bodies would be in constant pain? Endorphins are the body's natural opiate pain killer. During my training as an Addictions Counsellor, I learned (and witnessed) addicts withdrawing from opiates (morphine, heroin, to name 2). People who become addicted to opiates stop producing their own Endorphins (Opiates). Their bodies become dependent upon the opiate substance of choice. During their withdrawal period and sometimes, up to as much as a year afterward, an addict's body and mind will be in constant pain.  Sometimes it takes as long as a year after withdrawal and recovery to get our body's system to work properly again. Our bodies (those not in recovery from opiate addiction) would be in constant pain too if we didn't produce Endorphins. This is one good reason to stay away from any type of street drug.  I realize that opiates come in prescription form too, but the bulk of addictions are developed from the street drugs.

So, it's time now for me to get ready and go pump some iron and some Endorphins. Working out also brings me closer to my fitness goals. Endorse your own Endorphins today through physical activity (moderate level).  You will feel great afterwards.

The Fart and Cry Principle

The video above is called Breaking the Barrier by Bernie Hatefield. It's a short, funny video about being comfortable enough around another person to fart.  The guy in the video calls this Breaking the Barrier because he farts first. Of course, the guy in the video gets a rude awakening because his girlfriend won't stop farting. This video exaggerates for effect, but it fits in perfectly with my topic today.  My topic today is what I like to call The Fart & Cry Principle.

The Fart & Cry Principle does not mean that every time that I fart it's followed by me blubbering. David might say that when I fart it's followed by his endless blubbering (because of the smell), but I digress. The Fart & Cry Principle has to do with having a comfortable rapport with another person. I need to know a person well enough to know that I can fart and cry in front of them without them passing judgment on me. They also need to feel comfortable enough to be able to fart & cry in front of me.

 It's the level of comfort and the rapport that distinguishes how close we become to another person.  As you know, there are different levels of friendship.  We may only ever be acquaintances with some people.  Then there are other people that we feel in sync with almost immediately. And then there are other people who we are acquaintances with for a long time and then suddenly it seems a rapport begins to develop between you.


There are clues to how a person may treat you.  For instance, consider what they say about other people especially those who are closest to them.  How often do they talk about others in a negative light? Now, that doesn't mean they can't be annoyed with one or two people - afterall, we're all human. I'm referring to people who say things like, "Did you see what whatsherface did? She's really stupid!" If the person says a lot of negative things about those who are closest to them, please approach them with caution.  Just remember that one day that person will describe you in a negative light to somebody else because that is their pattern of behaviour.  Besides, how would such a negative person react if you farted or cried in front of them? Chances are they would describe the situation in a negative light to somebody else.

I personally feel on edge around people who cast everything in a negative light.  I don't feel comfortable around them and a rapport does not develop with them because I feel stifled. Comfort level and rapport are the most important things to me in a relationship. I like to feel comfortable enough around you to fart and cry in front of you.