Dr. Mercola January 17 2008 71,604 views
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is an ongoing research project which is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind. Its purpose it to analyze the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma and health and behavioral outcomes later in life.
ACE is examining the effects of:
To learn more about the study, and to calculate your own ACE score, take a look at the link below.
I have long maintained that your emotional state plays a role in nearly every physical disease -- from heart disease, to depression, to arthritis and cancer.Even the conservative Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 85 percent of all diseases have an emotional element, but the actual percentage is probably much higher. Other scientists and medical doctors who have left their conventional medical and scientific dogmas behind -- once they saw the proof for themselves -- claim that 100 percent of your current health status is due to your mental and emotional reactions to events that take place during your lifetime.
Notice that this ACE study was published nearly 10 years ago? So how come you haven’t heard all about it already?
For the same reason that Dr. Geerd Hamer’s breakthrough “German New Medicine” hasn’t hit mainstream, even though he’s been at it for nearly 30 years. Or the reason why Bruce Lipton’s “New Biology” isn’t taught at schools everywhere even though his research spans across the past 20 years.
Removing an ingrained dogma is difficult, takes time, and requires people who are strong enough to teach an unpopular truth. People died for saying the earth was round not flat, and Dr. Hamer has been imprisoned for his medical treachery, which has an astounding overall 92 percent success rate.
However, I believe we’re nearing the point of breaking through. Soon, there will be no denying the fact that your physical health is deeply connected to your mental projections and beliefs. I think this is exciting news – it puts the power back in your hands! But it may scare many who are not ready to take responsibility for how they feel, what they think, and their beliefs about their world.
How Traumas Affect Your Health, According to the ACE Study
The ACE study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that both the prevalence and risk increased for severe obesity, physical inactivity, depressed mood, and suicide attempts as the number of childhood exposures to trauma increased.
They also found a strong relationship between the number of childhood traumas and the number of health risk factors for leading causes of death in adults. In particular, they found a significant relationship between the number of childhood trauma exposures and the following disease conditions:
How Does This Correlate With German New Medicine?
GNM, developed by Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer, M.D., operates under the premise that every disease, including cancer, originates from an unexpected shock experience. The ACE study questionnaire indicates what some of those experiences might be, such as physical abuse.
However, Dr. Hamer’s research indicates that the experience that affected you does not necessarily have to appear traumatic to others, and it doesn’t have to be a repeated event. It’s more about how you react to an unexpected, and to you shocking, experience. Someone else may not react or deal with it in the same way.Drawing some conclusions from these various discoveries, I’d have to say Dr. Hamer’s research can account for why you increase your risk of deadly heart disease or cancer if you were repeatedly traumatized as a child, and here’s why.
According to GNM, the resolution (healing) phase is as long as the trauma phase. And GNM claims that all “diseases” are in fact your body going through the resolution phase, meaning it is healing itself.
However, serious trouble can arise if your trauma phase was quite extended, as your body will need the equal amount of time to heal as it took for the damage to take place.
In addition to ACE’s conclusions of how trauma leads to heightened risk of certain diseases and premature death (see figure 1), Hamer’s findings also explains these correlations, but on a biological/physical level, more so than the sociological level (such as adopting risky behaviors).
Figure 1 The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Heal Thyself – From Within
If your emotions play such a significant role in your health, and I’m convinced they do, treating your emotions becomes an essential part of optimal health.
Learning how to use energy psychology tools, such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can help you get a better handle on your emotions and buried pain, including the stress from unexpected tragedies. One of Dr. Hamer’s main pieces of advice for optimal health is this:
Deal with, and resolve your emotional traumas as quickly as possible! Don’t let them linger and fester.
In severe cases you might not be able to perform EFT satisfactorily on yourself, in which case I would highly recommend you seek out a trained professional. Dr. Patricia Carrington provides a list of certified EFT practitioners across the world, plus helpful advise on how to chose a practitioner that is right for you.
I scored on all the factors, and I reckon I turned out pretty fine, thank you very much!
I was able to disappear into books, which leads to education, ande embrace a physical lifestyle.
Education and exercise are the answers.
Islander, you are a "savvy user" on this forum, so I wanted to ask you: 1) I did not find a solid evidence or serious testimonials on GNM web - the "more than 40K cases", "more thank 92 cure/success", that Dr. Mercola mentioned - where I can see it, do you know? May be I just did not spend enought time there... 2) How come some comments predate the date we got the article? And what is the purpose of the point system here? Thank you in advance for taking the time. SN
Where did you find this screening test?
Michael J. - - There are many different modalities available in the world today to fascilitate the clearing of repressed "traumas" or what I like to refer to as "aberrations" from the body-mind or in other words, the psyche. Most of these modalities are actually simply modified versions of tools which have been available for in some cases thousands of years. For one, hyperventilative breath-work has been used in the states and around the world now for some decades. I would give you names and sources of such modalities here, but the blog master here has threatened to give me the boot if I share such info. Here. They apparently consider it “Spam”. In the hopes of avoiding such retribution and censoring here I will abstain from sharing the names of the modalities I am referring to. One form of such breath work was developed by a psychiatrist here in the states a few decades ago. There are other forms of it out there, .. but they are all based upon the principals of 'Pranayama', which is the science of working with the breath that is a major aspect of the ancient science of Yoga. ... The breath, .. when utiized properly, can fascilitate the release of deeply repressed trauma's from the unconscious. The entire science of Yoga in fact is designed to facilitate the clearing of all ‘aberrations’ from the unconscious. In fact, the way that an advanced yogi achieves the well known extreme flexibility that is characteristic of advanced yoga, is through the systematic clearing of repressed fears and trauma's from the body-mind. I would share with you that from what I have experienced, the body and the mind are one and the same. The physical body is merely a physical expression of the psyche. It is actually more an expression of the unconscious aspects of the psyche. A doctor of traditional Chinese medicine is very aware of this truth.
Continued from 1 st post ….
Doctors of Chinese medicine use diagnostic techniques that are all based upon an understanding of the fact that the body is an expression of the psyche and it’s relationship with the environment. And the Life Force.
Other modalities that are available today for clearing aberrations from the psyche are a number of different forms of body-work. (again, apparently I cannot provide the names here), A lot of the development of some of the 1 st forms of this type of bodywork here in the states began at a well known institute located on the Big Sur coast in California and many famous names in the ‘human potential movement’ were a part of those beginnings there.
I can tell you that certain forms of extensive and properly practiced meditation can also be very effective and powerful tools for clearing aberrations from the unconscious. There are centers located both in the states and in other locations around the world where individuals can both learn such practices and participate in different length meditation retreats of this sort. Such practices are typically only undertaken by individuals who are very serious about the quest for “inner healing”, as these types of retreats can be rather demanding and challenging to both experience and complete. Continued in 3rd post ...
There are many individual “healers” in the world today who are capable through the laying on of hands and by working with the bodies energy field off of the body as well, .. in helping to facilitate the release of repressed trauma’s from the unconscious. Some of these healers were originally trained in a specific modality and have since intuitively developed their own techniques. Others have come into their abilities as a result of their own healing process and their own unfolding of awareness. Each of them have different levels of development and ability. The more rare ones have absolutely profound, and for many, simply unbelievable ability. They are in fact only displaying the beginnings of a potential which does in fact exist within every one of us.
I should also state that from what I have seen there have been perhaps a few scientists who over past decades have developed both an understanding of the bioelectromagnetic field and it’s role in the psyche of the body-mind. Certain scientific devices have been developed which are supposed to help facilitate the clearing of aberrations from the unconscious. .. Personally I have never experienced any of these devices, so I cannot attest as to whether or not any of them work, but I suspect there may be some effective tool or tools to be found there. Perhaps someone here may find this information helpful.
Michael
I have noted in the past when this subject comes up that no-one refers to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) for the treatment of trauma. It is an extremely effective intervention and, in the UK, is the only one recommended by NICE for the treament of post traumatic stress in children. Has anyone else on this site had experience of EMDR...?
Jane66... EMDR was recommended to me several years ago, but the closest practitioner was 2.5 hours away, and out of my price range. I have been seaking alternatives to traditional "talk" therapy for years.
Tracing traumas back only to childhood years is so old school. Many researchers have found that traumas originate much earlier in our lives.
Here's a website that collects some of that information and some of the modalities which can be used to release those traumas:
www.real-personal-growth.com
Masonmama
That is a real shame. Due the way in which traumatic events are laid down in memory, traditional 'talk'therapies can actually be very damaging as it reinforces and embeds the trauma further. The trauma needs to be reprocessed at a sensory level (because the memories are stored in a sensory format)so that the client is not continually re-traumatised by reliving the event through talk or through stimuli in the environment that trigger the memory for them - usually something sensory such as a sound or smell that is reminiscent of the original event. It might be worth continuing to check on-line for therapists or people who have recently completed training. Certainly in the UK there are people being trained up all the time, its just a question of linking into local networks. Best wishes.
Jane66 - I have done EMDR and EFT. I thought it was really quick and helpful. I used to REALLY worry about what other people thought and tried to make sure I never offended or bothered others. I did EMDR with a PhD counselor one time and didn't think it was doing anything - but now, months later, I care about people but I don't give a rip if someone gets offended by the way I live or what I eat or wear. It gave me a great amount of discernment regarding what is someone else's business. On EFT, I can't say enough good things about how it helps a person calm down and approach life from a logical (without rash emotion) point of view. I deal with a lot of worn out, tired Moms who sometimes act very moody and mean. EFT helps me keep my eye on the goal and not react emotionally or with hurt feelings.
Hi to all,
I've been followng Dr. Mercola and VV for quite some time but this is my first post.
What is constantly causing some big question marks to me when reading this is that on one hand as VV participants we support the healthy food beacuse by that we avoid disease, we support good exercise because it promotes health, we support fresh air and natural environment because it helps us stay healthy and then at the end many here claim that solely by addresing childhood and other traumatic experiences (regardless by which method) we will regain perfect health ?!?!
I would like to hear the opinion of others on this, but to me it seems rather clear that while we are on this world, we are both body and mind i.e. the body and mind affect each other since they are one whole. One cannot have perfect health by EFT and meditation if one eats hormons and drinks chemicals just the same as one cannot be healthy if he eats the perfect foods but has deeply implanted traumas.
And to Dr. Mercola who I highly respect,support in almost all areas and almost admire:
Don't forget that VV participants are what they are because they are open minded and question every bit of information that is presented to them, no matter if it is from mass media or from the site here. I say this, because it cannot be stated aand supported at the same site and place that for example ...GNM says that all cancers originate from psychological shocks... and then in numerous other articles on the site to claim that ...cancer should be fought against by Vitamin D, eating right for the blood type,antioxidants...
It simply doesn't go "hand in hand", right? Both are in balance, only one part cannot be 100% answer.
Well said, Nele!
The body mind spirit life that we live is complicated as you have said , also because we all come with individual attitudes. Like the Native medicine wheel we all start out at a certain place, it is our destiny to travel and experience the rest of the wheel. Rudolf Steiner also identified these starting places by the names choleric, sanguine, mehancholic and phlegmatice. These founding attitues color how we see the world and how easy it is to pass things off, or hold on to them. As a person who has studied Macrobiotics for 33 years I have to say that food is a major item in how flexable we stay on all levels. And as a Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner, I also say that body work is essential to keeping harmonized. Just a note to the person who mentioned the prohibitative cost of body work. The strength of Jin Shin Jyutsu is in the self help, and in the understanding of the mind body connection. Have a great day everybody!
I believe that if you address buried emotion -in any way- you can send it on its way. EFT, conventional talking therapy, meditation, whatever modality. Emotion needs to be acknowledged. If not, it becomes baggage.
Emotion has weight. Anyone who has lost a lot of weight knows that with the plateaus--where your weight loss progress stalls out for a while--come accompanied by emotional stress that seems to have no "reason," i.e. no stimulus in your current life. That's because that emotional stress has been buried in your body for years, waiting to be recognized. Recognize it, and you pass the plateau.
Ever read fairy tales about the "bad fairy at the christening" who, because she wasn't invited, came anyway and put a curse on the child?