Heat For Healing

I was just having a conversation with a client of ours here at Prana, and she was describing how when she uses effective, healing visuals in meditation, she can feel heat in her body. Likewise, when I share reiki healing with clients, I always feel heat. A couple of days ago, I was sharing reiki with a client who was having a lot of pain in her legs. While my hands were over her legs, I became SO HOT that I almost had to take my hands away. It's made me reflect on how brilliant the field of energetic healing is and also how brilliant the human body is.

Our body often responds to sickness by elevating it's internal temperature, what we know to be a fever. The elevated temperature hinders the activity of pathogens while creating an environment conducive to the proliferation and activity of white blood cells within the immune system. When internal temperature is elevated enough to cause sweating, our body releases toxins via sweat. Inducing sweating by way of an infrared sauna for example, or a very hot bath, is a great way of detoxifying the body with heat.

In cases of energy healing, energy shared by the practitioner creates heat, which is healing and cleansing in nature. Energy released by the client is experienced as heat by the practitioner, which indicates that healing is occurring.

Further, we can use herbs and foods that create heat such as cayenne, jalapenos, black pepper and other peppers as stimulants to create heat in the body. Those with poor peripheral circulation and/or who are chronically cold would likely benefit from eating stimulating foods.

Of course, it's always important to consider balance. For example, it's likely not a good idea to apply heat therapeutically to the person that already experiences an excess of heat in the body. In the practice of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), too much heat in the body can be indicative of liver imbalances, inflammation, anger and irritation. Those with an over-abundance of internal heat may sweat profusely, have spells of dizziness, be uncomfortable, experience rapid pulse and continual thirst. Having said that and in consideration of the fact that every single person's body functions every so slightly differently, perhaps those with lots of internal heat are that way to maintain balance within their unique systems. Still, they may not exactly appreciate using additional heat as a method of healing. Acupuncture is a great application that can help to bring more comfort for those with excessive internal heat. Further, applying plants such as peppermint or aloe vera would be helpful to overly-hot individuals.

If you are not a person with excessive internal heat, try using a sauna, noticing the heat imparted by energy healing, eating stimulating foods or even just appreciating the healing qualities of spending a moderate amount of time in the sun. Try this Summer Heat Meditation For Healing and Relaxing in the Sun and experience the healing qualities of heat.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

"Boo Hoo, I'm Sick!" : The Difference Between An Infant & An Adult Experiencing the Same Sickness

I had a very interesting and introspective experience recently when myself and my son were sick at the same time, presumably with the same illness. Caleb (my little guy) got sick first as he's teething, which compromises little people's immune systems. He got a cold accompanied by a persistent cough that got worse at night. Soon after, I found myself similarly sick with a very sore throat, swollen glands, fatigue, muscle aches and periodic headaches. I'm not entirely sure whether or not Caleb shared my symptoms as he's currently unable to tell me, but I suspect he had an easier time with our sickness than I did. How do I know? Well, despite the fact that Caleb's nose was constantly leaking and he spent more than one night coughing frequently (this was before I invested in some awesome homeopathic cough medicine), he always woke up fresh, energized and on-the-go the moment his feet touched the ground. I, on the contraty, found myself slow-moving, groggy, somewhat debilitated and in need of much herbal, infrared sauna, manual lymphatic drainage, massage and hot baths support. I was moaning to myself and forever mentally confirming that I didn't feel good. The fact that this was the case really made me reflect on the difference between a child and an adult being under the weather. Two things seemed glaringly obvious to me:

1. As adults, we typically have more accumulated toxins in our bodies from years of lifestyle choices and years of having been exposed to chemicals. I grew up amidst a very conventional mind-set where taking pain medications and pursuing prescriptions, including lots of antibiotics, for ails was common. Not to mention the fact that as the years progressed, I participated in surely too much alcohol consumption. More stored toxins equals a more adverse experience of health, especially when one falls ill. This is a perfect supportive truth for the value of periodic cleansing. And trust me, I am CHOMPING AT THE BIT to do a cleanse, as soon as Caleb's done with breastfeeding.

2. Our perception of illness surely exacerbates our experience of illness. Notice that above, I mentioned the fact that during our sickness, I was "forever mentally confirming that I didn't feel good". Well, as we know, what we believe to be true more often than not manifests itself into our reality. I'm positive that Caleb didn't spend his days thinking to himself: "Waaa, waaa...I don't feel good!" I'm sure he wasn't thinking much at all, but rather just going with the flow of life, moving from one toy to the next, one experience to the next, always fully present in each passing moment, never painfully aware of the fact that he had a runny nose and whatever other symptoms he may have been experiencing.

This is reflective of Kristi's recent blog "Happy Like a Dog", where she makes the point that animals and children are perfect teachers to us about being present in each passing moment. This recent experience of mine is another beautiful reminder not only of present-moment living, but of the importance of cleansing our bodily temples. Here's a simple analogy: think of a fish tank. If you never clean your fish tank, how can you expect the ecosystem within to thrive? Chances are the water will become mucky and the fish may even die. Likewise, we need to clean our bodies out every now and then so that we can have a more optimal experience of life and not be so run down when common colds hit.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Can you Boil Water on my Body?

Did you know your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil?

Tell that to my feet!

If you have circulation issues, here are some suggestions:


1. Take cayenne pepper capsules, or eat actual hot peppers. It helps with your circulation.


2. Exercise. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism (your internal furnace) and better your circulation.


3. Eat some fat! Believe it or not, you NEED healthy fat in your diet. Eat some so your hormones are nice and balanced and metabolism is revving.


4. Take deep breaths. Oxygenated blood circulates better and will help eliminate cold spots.


5. Infrared Sauna - the best heat on a cold, dreary day, like today! Get unlimited sauna sessions for a month for only $69 at Prana Holistic (call 780.454.5299 if your interested!)

6. Get your thyroid checked - cold hands and feet are a common indicator of a problem. Ask your doctor to check your levels of thyroid hormone regularly, and even if they are "within the normal range" but low, take a supplement to boost them. I love Lorna VandeHaeghe's Thyrosense.


No more cold feet!