May 19,2010
"Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them" Joshua Liebman
Joshua Loth Liebman (1907-1948) [1] was an American rabbi and best-selling author, best known for the book Peace of Mind, which spent more than a year at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. In Peace of Mind, Liebman "addressed himself to the individual whose personal grief and anxiety, unassuageable by social betterment alone, required an inner peace that psychology and religion, working together, could provide". Unfortunately, this brilliant mind died of age 41. The cause of death was attributed to heart disease, which is the #1 killer in the United States. It was a great loss.
We all need to practice tolerance. I attempt to never judge. In today's world, that is a hard order. I believe if we practice tolerance, then it gets easier and easier. This has been a hard concept for me to address yet being an integrative healer/physician, one needs to understand a patient's beliefs. We are not speaking of religious, political, and sexual beliefs, although many individuals think that when we speak of tolerance. For example, I am talking about a cancer patient who believes that chemotherapy/radiation will kill them as it might have done to a loved one. I have to listen to the patient--that is the key. I can offer other therapies. I am obligated to tell the patient the pros and cons of any therapy. If the patient is of sound and mind, then he/she can make this decision. I also encourage family members to come to the first meeting, whether it is a consult or first visit to the doctor. We could go on and on, but this is a good example of tolerance for the physician/healer to the patient who is suffering from cancer.
You must practice tolerance of the elderly. As they get older, I find that they are mere children. Be patient with them. Remember, one day you will get old and someone will have to care for you.
My mind was wandering on what to discuss. Since we are concentrating on lifestyle changes, it is important you understand types of vitamins. There are soluble and non-soluble vitamins. Unlike fat soluble vitamins (D, E, A, K), water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. Every day I want to discuss a vitamin(s). This means that water soluble vitamins must be replenished on a daily basis. The body cannot hold onto to them.
The first vitamin to be discussed is B1, thiamine is a cofactor vitamin. Historically, you might remember that a deficiency of thiamine results in a disease called beriberi. The symptoms of beriberi are devastating. These symptoms include muscular wasting, swelling of tissues, mental confusion and ultimately death. It also relates to the polishing of rice. When polishing rice, you remove the husk, which contains thiamine. Rice without husks resulted in berberi.
I do see thiamine deficiency in very strict vegetarians. Studies with cyclists and athletes have claimed that mega doses of Vitamin B1 did not improve their performance, as was previously thought. We probably could say the same with the new fad of Vitamin D. I would like to see more studies on all vitamins.
Every day, I will try to discuss a new vitamin starting with the soluble ones. Tomorrow will be riboflavin.
The top photograph above is a plant that was pointed out to me on our weekend nature walk in Ithaca. It is of a ghost pipe. Ghost pipe (also known as Indianpipe) is a member of the Monotropaceae family. I think my professor mentioned that the family changed names but I must research it more. The genus name Monotropa is Greek for "one turn", referring to a sharp recurving of top of the stem, and the specific epithet is Latin for “one flowered”. This native plant species is found throughout the majority of the United States in humus in deep, shady woods at low to moderate elevations. That's where our professor found it. The lower photograph is from a flowering ghost pipe. I will research the plant for the future.
Here is poem I thought was beautiful
There is a language , little known
Lovers claim it as their own
Its symbols smile upon the land
Wrought by Natures wondrous hand;
And in their silent beauty speak,
Of life and joy, to those when seek
For love divine, and sunny hours
In the language of flowers.
By F.L.W. from The Healing Powers of Flowers - by Rhonda Downey
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