Have you been tired forever but have no depression?

Are you a morning person or a night person? Is your digestive system working normal? Or do you have Constipation or maybe diarrhea?Did you know your body has a rhythm and so  are all the organs in the body? I tend to ask my patients whether they wake up in the middle of their sleep at nigh and if so, at what time, because that tells me which organ is calling for help!

It does matter if you are a morning person or a night person. In Persian culture we have a say “ Aashegaan” stay awake at night and “Aarefaan” are awake in the morning. As poetic as we Persians are and love to ponder upon the feeling a word gives us, as well as how beautifully rimed, we use them often in poetry and in our daily conversations. However we may sometimes miss the physical meaning  and its practicality in our daily life.

“Aashegh” means “lover” the singular for Aasheghaan and 

“Aaref” mean the “mystic” the singular for “Aarefaan”.

Since a lot of people either love or had loved someone very passionately in their life and have had sleepless nights, it is easier to think of oneself or associate oneself with a “lover” and that makes it ok for them to stay awake until late even if there has not been a passionate love in their life since 173 years ago. The answer to the question of why do you sleep late is that I answer my e-mails, I watch a movie, I do things I had not time to do during the day. 

Now we need to consider that our body has a rhythm. Our adrenal glands produce cortisol which is called stress hormone. It is usually high in the morning and it decreases in the evening.

The balance of cortisol level is important for our overall health. The effects of having too much cortisol in the body can include weight gain, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, and severe mood swings that manifest in anxiety and/or depression. On the other hand, people who have an extremely low amount of cortisol are susceptible to experiencing problems such as dizziness, fatigue, weight loss and a peculiar darkening in certain parts of skin.

 To be sure about this you can have some tests run by your doctor. Do not suffice to the blood test in the morning since in about half an hour after you have been awake it can be very high, sometimes abnormally high but you need to add the amount of stress one has to actually go to a blood test for an additional cortisol production. Therefore it is clever to check the cortisol level in the urine sample as well as spit if you are chronically tired or over stressed. There are way too many other reasons for tiredness as well.

Now going back to whether you are a “lover“ or a “mystic”, observing the human body, its rhythm and function it seems to be that we are supposed to sleep early, as early as before 10:00 p.m. and wake up early, as early as between 4:30-6:30. Looking at the philosophy and religions, so to say at the intellectual and / or spiritual aspect of the matter we are supposed  to sleep early and wake up at dawn and meditate, pray, reflect and be the receivers of inspirations. The practical wisdom we read today and sometimes share on Facebook have been written by those “mystics”, “Lovers” mostly wrote poetry that touches our heart beautifully and resonates with what we may have felt or are feeling towards a loved one. “Mystics” enrich the mind. Don`t we need both? Yes we do. 

 Are you a morning person or a night person?  Are you a Lover or a Mystic? If you are not in love at the moment, I suggest try the Mystic and next time you will fall in love it will be in a mystic way .)  Which one has a healthier body? Probably the “Aaref” conditioning  he/she eats a healthy breakfast when wakes up that early.

Sleeping is one of the main aspects of a healthy lifestyle. The right diet, movement as of physical activities, regular meditation, and of course learning how to deal with emotions are all important in having a healthy lifestyle.There is no one key to health, no magic remedy, at the end of the day everything that is out there with the doctors, healers and, therapist, are just tools for an individual to help oneself. They are all outisders whereas the real health begins from within when “ I “ decide I want to help, support and nurture myself.

Do I want to stay awake until late or do I want to sleep early and wake up early? Do I want to start meditating? Do I want to socialize with people in a healthy way? Do I want to help others? Do I want to eat healthy regardless of how people around me are eating? Do I want to learn how to mange stress in this modern life? Or do I think and really believe I have no stress? 

The bottomline is I really really can not make great decisions and help the world if I am not even helping myself. Where do I start? Hmmmm start sleeping early and wake up early. Have a sound diet, you can consult with nutritionist but before that make sure your body is functioning well, have it checked with skillful doctor. You can always cut refined sugar, carbonated drinks such as cola and sparkling water. Eat more fresh vegetables and some fruits. 

Observe your cravings and see how beautiful they can change for healthy cravings after your doctor has fixed your minerals and vitamins.

Approach people with love and enthusiasm!

Do not feel despair if they do have your enthusiasm, we are all at different places in life.

Wear a “Simle" after you have put on your clean clothes! A smile goes a long way in the depth of the heart of every observer.

Health is way wider and deeper concept than the level of blood cells and cholesterol in a test paper. Health starts with a connection between “yourself” and  “ your (higher) self”. The connection is free no charge : )

+Rumi +Health Magazine 

Heartbreak or heart cracks?

Have you been in a relationship where you thought your heart was broken and pieces of it you are still collecting? Has that given you Insomnia? Probably there are other ways for ending a relationship to avoid the heartbreak, maybe just a little crack, when two people talk in a mature grown up way, and have taken every step to work on the relationship and it has not worked. 

Talk in a mature grown up way is not what we know in this world, we should learn it. Yes do you know a school or university that teaches that? If you do please send the leaders of the world so as instead of war they sit and talk in a mature and grown up way, make it compulsory for the members of parliaments to take that degree before occupying their seats in some parliaments. Have you seen sessions of UK parliament? They boo at each other!!!!!

Probably there is a way which many of us do not know that is why  we keep being heartbroken in relationships. However I believe understanding and sympathy  for a loving yet frank talk should be the first step, maybe honesty? Detachment from one`s own idea and wanting the best for the relationship? Oooooh this last one is tough.

The truth is some people do not have a sound mind, some have been diagnosed some have not, but how can you talk grown up to someone who is not well? 

That is an exception of course, my feeling, between you and I, is that the leaders of the world who make war are in this category! I mean can you imagine two little boy fighting for something? Yes. Two grown up man though, hey, how complicated this game or toy is that two sound minded (?) man can not resolve? 

I wonder where is the skilled doctor to diagnose them?

The reality of this world is that our doctors and psychologist are treating people who are ill as the side effect of the war, and this is what we have got used to. And somehow do not want to see it. 

We are often treating the side effect and not the reason.

You have an aquarium with a very good filter, it is beautiful, clear water, colorful fishes, you look at it and calmness sits on your heart. A dear friend`s child throws a small pot of plant filled with soil in it. Do you expect the filter to remove that? It will take forever and many of your beautiful fishes die until then. You aught to remove the pot and the soil and the plant that the kid just wanted to see if the fish would take a bite like a dog or a bird : ) The intension of the child does not count in what you will have to do. You will have to take step to safe the situation because you love the calmness that comes to your heart. You aught to safe the fishes.

In relationships we need to protect our hearts and minds. Sometimes you are dealing with sick people, sometimes with wounded people, sometimes you have to deal with your own traumas and wounds, it is never as black and white, there is always many shades of gray in between.

Hearts never break I heard in an old black & white movie, they only get wounded and the wound heals. We are all in healing process aren`t we? The healing process that is filled with hope, joy and enthusiasm for service,will have a good ending. 

If meanwhile you have Sleepless night, be it break or crack of heart, check the sleepless night or Insomnia hyperlinked in this text, you may need to fix few things.

The Flow between Doctor-Patient

Have you ever thought why was it that the scientists of the past for example Avicenna had so many different educations and interest and they were actually doctors of their own times? They knew philosophy, literature, geometry,maths and astronomy (different from astrology), knew about herbs and minerals yet they knew the effect of emotions on human body.

Avicenna whose name many of us have heard specially if we have been in medical school, as one of the founders of medicine. His books and scripts are still in practice by those doctors who do further education in that field and call themselves “Hakeem” (Hakim) a Persian/Arabic word for “The wise man” different from “Tabeeb”(tabib) that was referred to doctor. Hakim was more than just a doctor.

Avicenna knew astronomy, in his thoughts he knew the stars and their positions, their mathematical order in the universe, in his mind he soared in the universe but was logical and his  feet were on the ground. Once when he was attending to a young man as a patient who was suffering from palpitation (strong and fast heartbeat), as usual he asked many questions not only in regards to the health of the body but emotions too, he took the pulse of the young man and mentioned the name of the neighbor`s girl, the pulse raised and his conclusion was that the problem, at least, partially was emotional. He was a sensitive man this Avicenna the multilateral man I want to call him. He treated people with mainly diet, used herbs, minerals,  blood tapping and so many other methods he knew.

How would he feel in our world today? I do not want to go there because my feeling is that he would feel lonely in his profession like many of us unless, you are lucky as I am to work in a Clinic with colleagues who are professional and like-minded.

This brings me to the thought of how multilateral am I in my approach to healing and treating an ill person? I am striving and I know many other doctors are.

The truth is there is such a great similarity between the structure of an atom and the solar system. There is a sun and/or nucleus and everything else is circumambulating in adoration around that centre. What power or force keeps them to do that? what is that attraction? I want to believe it is the power of “Love”. 

That power is everywhere and in everything.That, we can direct, allow the flow of it or, block it, because we have been given the “Will” power a power that distinguishes us from animals and the rest of the creatures.The will power make us unique, because that means we can make a choice! To use it to control a situation or ease it and infuse it with love and build a future.

This brings me yet to a thought how powerful we are and how sweet and gentle that power is if the “will” is always for the flow of “love”.

My hope is to be able to listen to what my patients have to say, do the examinations and tests, yet, raise beyond what is and, consider the whole human being.

And that continues in our personal and daily interactions, to realize we are here for a reason, and to make it poetic, for a season, we need to realize the nobility of our soul, elevate our conversation, make them purposeful, fill them with joy and dance it all the way.

"Lift up your hearts above the present and look with eyes of faith into the future! Today the seed is sown, the grain falls upon the earth, but behold the day will come when it shall rise a glorious tree and the branches thereof shall be laden with fruit. Rejoice and be glad that this day had dawned, try to realize its power, for it is indeed wonderful!"

Abdu`l-Baha