We generally consider the cell to be the main building block of our body, and cells combine into tissue and further into systems (cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory) where all cells involved must operate and communicate in synchronicity.
Our master biological clock is a grouping of neuron cells within the hypothalamus at the end of the optic nerve. This clock is set to the rhythm of a light/dark (day/night) cycle which is synchronized to about a day or circadian rhythm. The word circadian actually means “about a day” and is more accurately represented with a variance of a few hours longer or shorter than a full day. When the circadian clock is unable to operate within its set parameters, we experience conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), changes to eating and sleeping patterns, increase in mental or physical “episodes”, and immune system vulnerability.
Since our circadian clock rhythm controls so many major systems, we consider it a “master” clock where minor clocks entrain or synchronize to the same oscillation. Most clinical responses to the conditions list above use the visual sensory system to adjust the circadian clock because the optical processing system is directly related physically to the area of the brain where the grouping of circadian clock neurons is located.
The study of biological timing is known as Chronobiology with a clinical subset of chrono-therapy where clinicians focus on forcing a change to the circadian rhythm through manipulating social patterns (sleep, eating, and time deprivation) or through our sensory systems (light and sound therapy). Chrono-pharmaco-therapy focuses on administering conventional drugs at very specific times of the day to increase its therapeutic effects or reduce associated side effects. Specialized drug-delivery systems were also developed to synchronize the concentration of the drug, and specific DNA genes are also targeted to control the overall circadian rhythm.
Calibrating our Clocks
One important aspect of Chronobiology is the concept of using a Zeitgeber (time-giver) or external component through our sensory system to permanently adjust a clock’s rhythm. The introduction of light through the visual sensory system is an example of a zeitgeber entraining a light/dark cycle within a day to the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the brain. In fact, the term circadian means “about a day” which is technically just slightly more than a 24-hour day even when the light/dark cycles vary with location.
The study of Chronobiology recognizes the need for our external sensor systems to update our brain and associated rhythm generators (clocks) through entrainment. When our body requires a specific rhythm to operate (heartbeat, breathing, moving, memory, digestion), each individual clock can entrain internally to each other (endogenous). This internal entrainment happens automatically and without our thoughts, knowledge, or concern. We think of these biological actions as “autonomous”. Some of our clocks need an external (exogenous) stimulus to adjust the rhythmicity and permanently change a clock’s set point. We know this concept as tuning or calibrating something to a specific frequency or set point.
When individual clocks can no longer entrain or permanently synchronize to each other, the minor clock is considered to operate in a “free-running” condition as an emergency back-up mode until it can be re-calibrated. Unfortunately, our clocks can remain in a free-running condition indefinitely and end up creating many illnesses and conditions because the rhythm required for efficient operation is no longer possible. We can experience conditions like heart arrhythmias, mental disorders, seizures, physical movement problems (Parkinson’s, MS, Cerebral Palsy), sleep disorders, and emotion-based disorders just to name a few. Once we know where to look, we have found many confirmed connections between conditions and rhythm synchronization.
Some of the conditions mentioned above have both a physical component and a rhythm component to consider when deciding on a clinical or healing approach. For example, clients with Parkinson’s, MS, or Cerebral Palsy can experience challenges with the physical symptoms associated with the condition like tremors, gait or range of motion restrictions, and chronic pain from long-term immobility. In these situations, we should consider focusing on the physical symptoms and associated barriers before attempting to re-calibrate the underlying clocks associated with those conditions.
NEHC Academy is a training part of New Earth Healing Center, so we make some of our income from training the methods, techniques, and protocols we use in our own business. We generally do not provide step-by-step actions on how we do something we report in our posts. We have given away a lot of free training and videos, but keep in mind that some information requires in-depth training in anatomy and physiology rather than a paint-by-numbers protocol. Also, not all of the results we experience are just from VFRT and VCT therapies. We have an entire suite of therapeutic unique techniques that we use for specific purposes that will end up being part of a full suite of techniques in the near future.
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