5 Benefits of Collagen Powder

Have you heard about collagen powder?  It seems like the next big hype but this time I actually feel the hype is warranted.  Collagen can now be found in just about everything — from creams and cosmetics, to powders and pills. As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen is found in your muscles, skin, blood, bones, cartilage, and ligaments. You may want to consider squeezing in an extra serving of this vital protein for several reasons, as collagen is a building block that:

• promotes skin elasticity

• holds together your bones and muscles

• protects your organs

• heals the gut

The good news is that your body produces collagen on a regular basis. But, it does slow down with age. It also slows down with smoking, sun exposure, and an unhealthy diet. If you don't have enough collagen in the body you may start to see wrinkles and sagging skin, or even experience joint pain.
Keep reading to discover five specific benefits you may experience if you take the time to up your collagen consumption.

1. Eases joint pain

As your cartilage weakens and deteriorates with age, you may start to feel stiff, achy joints. It’s possible that upping your collagen intake may help reduce joint pain and alleviate symptoms of arthritis.
In a 2009 study, participants took a collagen supplement for 90 days. Results showed that osteoarthritis symptoms decreased by 40% while the severity of symptoms dropped by an impressive 33%.
In an older study from 1993 with the same collagen supplement, participants with severe rheumatoid arthritis saw a reduced number of swollen and tender joints — 4 out of 60 participants also experienced complete remission. 

2. Reverses skin aging

One of the most well-known benefits of collagen is its ability to promote glowing, vibrant skin. This essential protein provides elasticity to the skin, helping it to appear more youthful and healthy. But as you get older and collagen production declines, fine lines, loose skin, and dryness can occur. 
A study published in 2014 randomly chose 46 of 69 women, ages 35-55 years old, to take a collagen hydrolysate supplement. The rest of the group took a placebo. The women who took the collagen showed an improvement in skin elasticity within four weeks.
The same manufacturer also conducted another study in 2014 with the same supplement, which significantly reduced wrinkles after just eight weeks.

3. Helps build muscle and burn fat

Collagen is a major component of muscle tissue, so it should come as no surprise that it can have a big impact when it comes to building muscle mass. Plus, collagen also contains a concentrated amount of glycine, an amino acid involved in the synthesis of creatine which provides muscles with the fuel needed to power through your workout. So what happens when you add collagen to your workout routine?
There’s not much research on collagen and exercise, but a study in 2015 looked at collagen supplements in 53 older males with sarcopenia, a condition where you lose muscle mass due to aging. After 12 weeks, those who took supplements along with resistance training saw an increase in fat loss and muscle strength more than the placebo group.

4. May reduce cellulite

Besides keeping your skin healthy and glowing, collagen may also help improve the appearance of stubborn cellulite. Cellulite is when the layer of fat under the skin pushes up against the connective tissue, creating a dimpled or lumpy appearance on the skin.
Another study was sponsored in 2015 by manufacturers to see what collagen would do for cellulite. They randomly assigned 105 women, ages 24-50, to take collagen for six months. Those who did demonstrated a clear improvement in skin texture.  Yet cellulite is incredibly common — an estimated 80 to 90% of women have it. It’s a natural part of aging and skin formation and not a cause for concern.

5. Improves digestive health

Collagen is in the gut’s connective tissue and can help support and strengthen the protective lining of your digestive tract. This is critically important because alterations in the barrier function of your intestine, also known as leaky gut syndrome, can allow particles to pass into the bloodstream. This may result in inflammation.
In fact, an older study from 2003 looked at 170 individuals with inflammatory bowel disease and found that they were more likely to have lower levels of serum collagen. So the current theory is that by increasing your intake of collagen, you could help build up the tissues that line your gastrointestinal tract and promote better gut health. 

Here are a few easy ways to kick up your collagen intake:

1. Experiment with bone broth

Bone broth is made by simmering bones to help extract the flavor and beneficial nutrients. Not only is it an excellent source of collagen, but it’s also tasty and easy to add to your diet by using it to make soups and stews, whole grains like rice and quinoa, and even to moisten leftovers. You can easily make bone broth at home, or save time by purchasing it in powder form. 

2. Try out powdered gelatin

Gelatin is essentially the cooked form of collagen, and powdered gelatin can be a quick and convenient way to bump up your collagen consumption. It can be mixed into any liquid, including soups, stews, and broths. You can also enjoy it to satisfy your sweet tooth by making homemade Jell-O or natural fruit snacks.

3. Supplement with collagen peptides

Collagen peptides are another easy option to get your fix of this important amino acid. Most brands sell hydrolyzed collagen peptides, which means that the amino acids in collagen have been broken down so that they’re more easily digested and absorbed. Collagen powder can also be added to smoothies, hot beverages, or baked goods to pump some extra protein into your day.

There is also ways to get collagen in through your daily diet. If you want to consume collagen naturally, eat a well-balanced, high-protein diet that includes animal products. Collagen is in beef, chicken, fish, and egg whites.

But you don’t want to eat too much protein, either. Your body doesn’t tell the collagen where to go. Instead, it distributes the collagen like it would any other nutrient. So taking collagen supplements works much like exercise — it’s difficult to target a specific need, but increasing your intake could still have benefits.

The Art of Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is the process of brushing your skin, preferably before a shower or bath with a dry brush.  When dry brushing you would stroke each area 5 times towards the heart starting at the feet. The question is, why would we want to do that?

Right below your skin is a network of blood vessels, capillaries, fat, and lymph nodes. They are working hard to circulate through the body, but sometimes our lifestyles and the toxins we have stored in our body will hinder our bodies from doing a really good job of circulating those fluids.

Dry brushing will . . .
1) Help drain your lymphatic system
2) Re-circulate old or stagnant blood 
3) Move toxins out of fat cells to be eliminated by the body
4) Exfoliate dead skin

Starting at the feet and legs, use small brisk strokes always moving TOWARDS the heart. Concentrate on areas on the back of the legs and butt as well as areas where your lymphatic system is concentrated such as the groin area, armpits and the glands on the neck.  For video demonstration: https://youtu.be/PlgJVAtgJTI

This only takes a few minutes and feels refreshing and rejuvenating, especially in the morning.

You can purchase a dry brush at the office, at any drug store for about $20 dollars or you can purchase one online. Make sure you get one with medium bristles. Too soft won’t do anything and to hard of a bristle may be too harsh on your skin. Dry brushing is best done right before showering or bath, once a day but can be done any time of day. Make sure you wash your brush once a week with soap and let it dry thoroughly.

The Benefits of Oil Pulling

Oil pulling was first introduced in Ayurvedic medicine. Whether it's for oral healthcare, digestive health, to clear out the sinuses or an immune system booster I've seen it help many patients in many ways!

Oil pulling as we know it today, was introduced in 1992 by Dr. F. Karach, MD. He claimed that oil pulling could cure a variety of illnesses ranging from heart disease and digestive troubles to hormonal disorders. Dr. Karach’s method of oil pulling emphasizes swishing, not gargling, the oil in the mouth. The oil is “worked” in the mouth by swishing and chewing it around the mouth and ‘swizzling’ it (pushing it through the teeth) for a period of 15 to 20 minutes. The best time is in the morning before eating breakfast, but can be done before any meal on an empty stomach.

Oil pulling instructions:

Use 1-1.5 spoonfuls of unrefined, high quality, organic sesame seed oil (non-toasted) and 'swizzle" in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. Sesame seed oil is the best oil to swish with.  I love using Banyan Daily Swish 

Once completed, spit the oil out (we recommend spitting in the trash as it can clog your sink or toilet over time).

Follow it by a thorough mouth rinse with water.  Warm water with sea salt is best.

Never swallow the used oil because it is loaded with bacteria, toxins, pus, and mucous. It is a good idea to brush your teeth afterwards to really clean out any leftover toxins and wash the sink afterwards as well if you don't spit it out into the trash.

Benefits:

Strengthens teeth
Can help reverse gingivitis
Prevents tooth decay/whitens teeth
Strengthen immune system
Improve digestion
Reduce skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis)
Reduce allergies
Lessen headaches
Help hormonal imbalance
Clear out sinuses

Tips:

Be sure you are using a high quality, organic, non-toasted sesame seed oil.
Set timer for 15-20 minutes because it's going to feel like a long time and I don't want you to guess that it's been 15 minutes when it's only been 5 minutes.

Precaution:

If you are allergic to a particular brand of oil, then change the brand of oil.

DO NOT SWALLOW.

One of the first cleansing symptoms you will experience is an increased flow of mucus from your throat and sinuses. Mucous drainage is one of the body’s methods of removing toxins. While you are oil pulling, mucus may build in the back of your throat. You may even have to expel the oil and clear the mucus from your throat before reaching a full 20 minutes. If so, take another spoonful of oil and continue swishing for a full 15-20 minutes.

I usually do oil pulling when I am feeling sick to help clean my lymphatic system and boost the immune system. Your lymph takes about 7 minutes to circulate through the body. It is important to do oil pulling for a minimum of 15 minutes so you can clean out all of the lymph at least twice. But if during the 15 minutes your mouth begins to tire or your stomach becomes sensitive, start with 5 minutes and work your way up to 15-20 minutes.

Best Coffee Alternative

At Healing Arts we customize nutrition programs by using the biofeedback of your body through muscle testing. Sometimes this includes giving up coffee and/or caffeine and since we don’t want you to feel deprived we went on a hunt for the best coffee alternative because we know as much as we love tea, herbal tea just doesn’t cut it when trying to find a substitute for coffee. 

Why would the body go weak on coffee?  Sometimes it is the caffeine and that’s why we test for caffeine in a separate vial.  Other times it is due to the acidity of the coffee or the mold that coffee contains.  Yes, mold is naturally occurring in coffee.  There is mold-free coffee that I highly suggest brewing yourself if coffee is allowed in your nutrition program.  If I drink coffee it is Life Boost Coffee, mold and toxin free. 

For coffee alternative I do like teccino which is a dark roast of chicory and barley.  It comes in many different flavors and is darker than any tea so that’s why it feels close to coffee.  Golden milk is a very healthy hot turmeric drink that could be another alternative.  I also like Mud/wtr that is turmeric based with black tea and healthy mushrooms.  You can only buy online.  It’s all organic ingredients with 1/7th the caffeine as a cup of coffee. With the caffeine you get energy.  With the mushrooms you get focus.  

I have recently tried another coffee alternative I am in love with called Joey it comes in powder form and all you have to do is mix with hot water.  The only caffeine in it comes from cacao.  It’s dark like coffee because of the cacao beans.  Not only does it have mushrooms in it to boost your immune system but it also has adaptogenic herbs that help with cognition and stress management.  There is no jitters or crash as there can be with coffee. 

Besides the cacao Joey has roasted chicory root which is good for gut health.  It contains dandelion root that is liver support.  It has cinnamon and cordyceps mushrooms for cognition.  Lion’s mane mushrooms for focus. Reishi mushrooms for memory and L-theanine and ashwagandha for stress reduction.  All of this healthy goodness in one hot cup of Joey.  Roasted, full-bodied, with a blend of sweetness and spiciness... it’s not coffee, and not quite tea, but it’s something else entirely.  Try it yourself at the office for $4 a cup or buy a package of 18 servings for $25. 

For better digestion

What we eat effects what we think and feel!  The digestive system is a 24/7 operation that impacts all parts of the body.  Whether you’re eating for pleasure, fuel, healing, or nutrition – our digestive system is on a constant cycle of breakdown food, absorbing nutrients, and releasing waste. This cycle repeats every time new food enters the digestive tract. The job of the digestive system may seem simply and straightforward, but along the 22-25ft digestive tract several complex processes are in action that effect each and every organ in the body.  One particular organ is the brain. The relationship between the digestive system and brain is called the Gut-Brain Axis. 

You may we wondering, how the heck does my stomach have anything to do with my brain?!   A simple way to think of the Gut-Brain Axis is a two lane highway between the gut and the brain where hormones, neurotransmitters, and our immune system travel to and fro.  An example of this is when we eat foods high in the amino acid tryptophan.  Yes, the sleepy and restful feeling you get after your eat turkey is because of tryptophan.  Other foods high in tryptophan are fish, meat, pineapples, bananas, nuts, spinach, chocolate, and eggs.  When are digestives system comes across tryptophan in food, the gut converts the amino acid into 5-HTP (5-hydroxytrotophan) and releases it into our circulation. When 5-HTP reaches the brain, it converts into serotonin – the feel-good and happy neurotransmitter.  Roughly 95% all serotonin is produced in the gut.  Serotonin also protects the digestive system from toxins, helps lets us know when we’re full, regulates fluid levels, and monitors normal bowel functions.  When some of the serotonin in our gut gets released in our circulation and can reach the brain.  Serotonin plays such a role in regulating our digestive system, and at times doctors prescribe antidepressants to patients suffering form IBS. 

Studies have shown that when we improve our diets, the better we feel and think.  An international prison study followed five prisons over a twenty-five-year span where inmates were given supplements and vitamins and found prison violence decrease by thirty percent (Bernard Gesch, 2002).  Research has also shown that improving the nutritional value of food in schools improve students learning aptitude and behavior (www.cdc.gov/healthyschools).  These studies and research show the Gut-Brain Axis connection how nutritional improvements positively impact mental health.

If you’re experiencing digestion distress, most likely you’re also experiencing some level of mental and emotional distress as well.   The good news is that our bodies love being healthy and balance is always working to achieve this internally.  Simple changes in diet and lifestyle easily aid the body in healing itself.  Come join me on Wednesday, February 15 at 6:30pm at Healing Arts NYC for a free How to Improve Digestion Workshop.  We’ll learn about the digestive system, easy tips on how to improve digestion, and foods that improve gut microbiome.  If you’re interested RSVP to info@healingartsnyce.com or email ingrid@healingartsnyc.com

A Toast to Avocados

In the 1800s avocado was known as ‘alligator pear’ due to it’s shape and pebble textured skin.  The love of avocados may be a trend but it is a healthy trend.  This low-sugar fruit  contains about 10 grams of fiber, has more potassium than a banana, and provides the body with lutein. 

Cholesterol-Lowering and Heart Healthy

The avocado is loaded with heart-healthy fats known as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).  Multiple studies have shown that these fats, if incorporated into a healthy diet, have the potential to lower LDL or the ‘bad cholesterol’  Phytosterols, also found in avocados, are known to decrease the absorption of cholesterol in the gut as well.  The high potassium and low sodium content in avocados may help keep blood pressure within the normal range.

Anti-Aging and Avocados

Lutein found in avocados may provide beneficial effects in the prevention of skin aging.  If you don’t like the taste you can still get some of their benefits by applying avocados to your skin.  The omega-9 and oleic content in avocados is highly moisturizing and well leave your skin looking and feeling smooth.  The combination of MUFAs and carotenoids found in avocados has the potential to boost cognitive function.  Studies indicate that diets rich in MUFAs may improve overall cognitive performance and prevent cognitive decline.  Avocados may help you stay smart for longer.

Vision

A single ounce of avocado contains 30 grams of lutein.  Lutein, along with vitamin A and E and zinc are essential for eye health.  All these nutrients are found in avocados.  A Tufts University study found that avocados can increase macular pigment density and may protect against visual decline in older adults.

Immune System

Half an avocado provides 19 milligrams of glutathione.  In fact, avocados are the fruit with e the most glutathione.  Spinach and asparagus are the only produce with higher levels of naturally occurring glutathione.  Glutathione is thought of as a giant among antioxidants.  It plays a central role in helping our liver detox and keeping our immune system strong.  

The fiber in avocados also promotes healthy digestion and can stabilize blood sugar.  Fiber offers probiotics, which are helpful to gut bacteria and digestion.  At the same time, fiber may reduce blood sugar spikes, helping to balance blood sugar.

With all these nutrients and the light nutty taste what’s not to love about avocados?  Simply smashing avocado on gluten-free toast is good for you and pretty tasty.  If you find the texture of avocado too mushy and you don’t like guacamole add it to your favorite smoothie instead of banana.  It will give your smoothie creaminess without the added sugar that is in bananas.  Try this smoothie.  It’s one of my favorites.

1 and 1/2 cups green leafy veggies (I usually do spinach)

1/4 cup organic wild blueberries (frozen from Trader Joe's)

half an avocado

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Tablespoon flax seed

1 1/2 cups water or nut milk

1 scoop protein powder (I love Kachava)

New Service at Healing Arts: Medisend

At Healing Arts as we research and our understanding of the human body continues to grow we are discovering new ways to help support and heal the body with energy. We are already getting great results with the Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency Therapy (PEMF).  It helps with reducing inflammation, improving circulation, pain relief and increasing energy especially in patients with chronic fatigue. I loved the results with PEMF therapy that we have also applied energy medicine to create personalized homeopathic tinctures that we now make at the Tea Bar.  

Having personally struggled with on and off again parasite infections for years knowing that herbal medicine and Nutrition Response Testing could kill it  but every 6 months or so they would come up again I felt like I wasn’t getting rid of the parasite infection completely but managing it well.  Having grown up on a farm I’m sure parasites were part of my daily life being around so many animals so wanting to get rid of the parasites that have been in my body for decades I turned to energy medicine and fell in love with the Medisend machine.

To understand how the Medisend machine works you have to understand that the human body has an electrical current running through it and this electricity creates a magnetic field around the body.  A strong magnetic field equals a healthy body. A weak magnetic field equals an unhealthy body.  A great example of how the human body has electricity running through it is that electricity is applied to a stopped heart to get it to contract again.  The common defibrillator uses high voltage of 200-1,000 volts to shock the heart and force it to resume its normal electrical activity.  

The Medisend uses electricity and magnetic voltage to give the cells healthy battery juice and not shock the system back to life like a defibrillator.  The magnetic field therapy device developed by Dr. W. Ludwig generates alternating electromagnetic fields which create biological resonance effects with the body. It resets the nervous system to regulate the body and activate the self-healing capacities. The device works with weak, rapidly changing electromagnetic fields in the low and high frequency range. As the energy goes into the body patients usually don’t feel anything.  The energy is that subtle to not disturb the body’s natural process as it goes into the cells. This type of energy medicine works because it directly interacts with the cells in your body. By offering treatment at the cellular level, your body can begin repairing itself at a deep level, a level that sometimes nutrition or chiropractic can’t get to by itself.  That’s how the use of the Medisend can really excel improvements.  

The Medisend technology was developed by Dr. W. Ludwig's (1927 – 2004). His ambition was to generate a device that created electromagnetic waves that the body would understand and use to heal. They have to be natural as in undisturbed nature to be able to cause a reaction in the body. Therefore he did research about the environmental signals that surround us naturally. (Schumann frequency, Geomagnetic and Solar frequencies). His doctoral research study was about the influence of electromagnetic fields to the nervous system. In the 1970s he designed his first magnetic field device in a plastic soap dish.

Because this type of energy medicine is relatively new, many people find themselves hoping to learn more. One of the most common questions people ask is, how can Medisend help the body?  I also hope this article helps you decide if the Medisend can help you.  We can also decide together at your next appointment.

Cells that have experienced an illness or injury will often not be able to hold their ideal magnetic charge. Consequently, these cells may become (and cause surrounding cells to become) inflamed. Inflammation is the result of cells “sticking” together and preventing blood flow from progressing as it needs to. With Medisend sessions the cells will can regain their proper charge and inflammation will decrease. There was a great study on Medisend and knee pain from osteoarthritis. 

As you might expect, healing is something that often begins at the cellular level. Whether you are experiencing hypertension, fibromyalgia, or various diseases, if you do not address the core problem—damaged cells—recovery will take much longer. Medisend helps assure that cells have their proper charges (both positive and negative). Healthy cells are able to accept the nutrients they need to perform at their very best. With Medisend sessions this enables tissues to heal faster.

Is Medisend Sessions Right for You?

As you can see, there are many different possible uses and benefits of Medisend therapy.  I recommend 15 min. once a week for 8 weeks helps with conditions like fibromyalgia, muscle pain, arthritis, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, PTSD, chronic fatigue and musculoskeletal pain.  I had one patient with constant muscle twitching for over 6 years that got amazing results just after 6 sessions.  Medisend sessions are a great option for natural, chemical free pain relief and overall wellness because magnetic field therapy helps the body to regulate. Stimulation at a cellular level helps boost the body’s natural ability to fight back against inflammation. The electromagnetic field helps fight back against cellular damage and inflammation, and create healthier cells.  As the cells heal, the blood vessels, nerves, and capillaries dilate.  The dilated capillaries enable better oxygenation and blood flow.  Lastly, the increase in oxygen and blood flow encourage a healing environment.

The development of energy medicine and the Medisend device has helped change the way many people address and recover from certain health conditions. The benefits of Medisend therapy are numerous and positive results can begin to occur quite quickly.  Know that you can use Medisend with other treatments. This means that you can continue using prescribed medications while undergoing Medisend sessions.  You can do Medisend sessions with joint replacements and any metal support in the body.  Do not do Medisend sessions with a pacemaker or if pregnant.  It is $55 a session.  

How to Soothe PMS

You may think that PMS symptoms subside with age. Unfortunately, cramps, headaches, and other premenstrual pain can get worse into your mid-30s and 40s.  While many of us have accepted these symptoms as “normal,” they’re anything but normal. Your symptoms could also be the result of something more serious.  It’s not healthy to be in pain every month or to experience mood swings, fatigue, irritability, or even acne regularly.

There are reasons you might experience hormone imbalance in your 30s and beyond, and it has nothing to do with PMS.  What a lot of people do not know is that chronic stress, nutrient deficiencies, and environmental toxins all contribute to hormone imbalance. That's where we can really help.  With the muscle testing that we do we can identify those toxins, figure out what nutrients your body is missing and design a nutrition program just for you. One of the main toxins we find in women suffering from hormonal issues is plastic.

It’s great that the government recognizes BPA as a toxin that not only interferes with women’s hormones and fertility but also causes cancer among other health issues.  But BPA is not the only toxin in plastic and I don’t know how long it will take for the government to recognize it.  So we want to stay away from plastic whenever possible.  No plastic forks, spoons, straws.  If you love straws then you can buy stainless steel straws off Amazon.  No plastic water bottles.  I use a glass one called a flaska that I absolutely love.  You can use stainless steel water bottles too.  Do your best to avoid ziplock bags, saran wrap, tupperware.  To store leftovers, I use pyrex, glass containers with rubber tops and I just don’t let the food touch the rubber.  But if you buy a bag of frozen peas it is what it is, nothing you can do about it.  I always suggest to my patients to just do the best they can.  They will not be able to get rid of plastic 100%.  

The hormone disruptors in plastics even influence the way genes express themselves in people with reproductive disease and obesity to make it more likely that people pass the disorders onto their children. The study of how the cellular environment changes gene expression is called epigenetics.  I think it’s fascinating and for this reason we want the cellular environment to be as healthy as possible from all heavy chemicals, heavy metals and junk food so that the cell can create optimal gene expression for your health.  For more info on gene expression and epigenetics watch my video. 

Besides plastic other toxins that have been studied that cause hormone imbalance and can lead to PCOS and other issues are:

1. Pesticides - so eat as organic as possible

2. Phthalates (THAL-ates) are chemicals in plastic that make it soft and flexible. You can also find them in: Cosmetics and personal care products, from perfume, nail polish, and hair spray to soap, shampoo, and skin moisturizers.  To learn more about phthalates and how healthy your personal care products are go to ewg.org for more information.  The website is from the Environmental Working Group and it rates all personal care products and cleaning products on a scale 0-10, 0 being healthiest for you and 10 being the worst for you, meaning it’s researched to cause cancer.  It’s a great website with thousands of products rated so you can choose the healthiest ones and I love the research they use to determine the score they give each product.  

3. Phytoestrogens: a compound in plants that acts like estrogen in the body and if we eat too many then the hormones get imbalanced because the body thinks it has too much estrogen.  Foods that contain phytoestrogens include: soy and soy products, flax seeds, grapes, carrots, lentils, licorice, bourbon, olive oil, and oats.

4. Another big hormone disruptor we eat all the time is meat that contains hormones.  When animals are poorly farmed they are given hormones to grow and mature faster so they can reach the butcher faster and the farmer can have a higher turn around rate.  I think over the years farmers use more and more hormones with their animals is the reason why girls are hitting puberty faster.  It’s also a main cause of moodiness.  I think all women know what it feels like to be extra hormonal.  The last thing we want are extra hormones from the meat we eat so if you eat meat then do your best to eat quality meat without added hormones.

One particularly significant natural method of treating hormones is inositol, a type of sugar found in fruits, beans, grains and nuts.  The foods with the highest levels of inositol are cantaloupe and oranges.  Inositol influences the insulin response and several hormones, not just sex hormones but also several hormones associated with mood and cognition.  Multiple studies have shown that supplementation with inositol may not only improve insulin resistance but also decrease male hormones in the bloodstream, lower blood pressure and lower triglycerides which makes it really helpful for patients with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome). At your next visit you may want to get muscle tested for inositol.

Also inositol seems to promote ovulation, which, in turn, may support fertility. There was a study done where women who weren’t getting their period and then started supplementing with inositol, 86% got their period back whereas the control group who was taking a placebo only 6% got their period back. 

Another supplement that helps is vitamin D.  Between 67%–85% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome are thought to be deficient in vitamin D.  Adding vitamin D to a daily routine I have observed it to improve insulin sensitivity, increase weight loss success, slow the formation of ovarian cysts, regulate periods, minimize inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, lower cholesterol, lower high triglycerides and reduce male hormones in the bloodstream. 

Another thing people don't realize is that women of all ages are starting to experience the symptoms of estrogen dominance or estrogen deficiency—way before perimenopause or menopause begin.  Luckily, supplementing with the right nutrients can help.  That means fewer symptoms from PMS like headaches, cramping, and mood swings.  I love using red raspberry leaf to not only help with PMS but it's also great for perimenopause, menoapuse, infertility and ammenorhea too!  You can drink it as a tea or take it as a tincture.   The leaves of raspberry plant are believed to cure infertility in both men and women.  I also use red raspberry leaf tea to help regulate menstrual cycles when the cycle is too long or too short and it’s great while pregnant too because it helps tone the uterus, decrease nausea, and ease labor pains.  I also use it afterwards for breast feeding mothers because it helps increase milk production.

No matter what age you are I see time and again how hormone balance also means better health long-term.  It truly is that important.  For more info listen to our podcasts on Fertility Help and PCOS.

23 healthy things to do for 2023

New Year, New You!  Making changes to enhance your health and your life can be difficult but what better time than in the new year.  I made a list of 23 things that I do in my life and often recommend to my patients to help them make healthy changes.  I loved putting together a list for 2022 so much that here’s the list for 2023!  Even though it’s a list and the goal of any list is to accomplish each item as soon as possible know that you have all year to make these changes and stick to it.  So maybe the hard part is not making the changes but sticking with it.  Some days it may be easy.  Other days may be harder but every day is a new day so hold yourself accountable to always doing your best.  With enough momentum, over time, it will get easier and easier to stick to it until one day you realize you are making these healthier choices with very little effort. 

 I could think of so many different things that you may or may not be doing that could make a difference in your health.  Many of these things are not new but reminders of things you know are good for you that you may not be doing.  As you go through the list I recommend starting with an easy one and working towards the hard ones.  I also recommend making only one change a week.  This way you can make changes that last.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Do too many changes all at once and it won’t stick for the long haul.  The goal is to make changes that will last and over time it will be good to review this list to remind you of items that may have slipped through the cracks.  Healing is a journey and so are the changes that get you healthy and keep you healthy.  We are here on that journey to help you

1. Get muscle tested

If you haven’t tried it yet or it’s been more than 2 months your first New Year’s resolution should be to go get muscle tested This is definitely the right way to start a New Year.  Holidays are done with and everyone wants to be healthier. That’s why, all of a sudden, the gyms are full every January.  Instead of guessing on what to eat to be healthier, why not get muscle tested to see exactly what would be healthy for your body?  

Using muscle testing we can address your health concerns, help you detox heavy metals or chemicals from your body and put you on a personalized cleanse and tell you exactly what to eat or not eat for better health.  Make the new year about you and your health.  

2. Add bee pollen to your diet.

When muscle testing what foods to add into your diet bee pollen is one that can be very beneficial to a lot of people but no one seems to be eating it.  Bee pollen is a great brain booster, lifting brain fatigue, improving alertness and helping concentration levels over an extended period of time. Rich in the B vitamins; B1, B2 and B3 – these are essential for a healthy nervous system and powerful detoxifiers, especially to the brain. They are often referred to as “anti-stress” vitamins - when the nervous system is working optimally anxiety and stress can be greatly lessened.  Bee pollen can be eaten raw or can be added to your favorite cereals, smoothies, yogurt or hot drink. I see most people test for 1-2 teaspoons a day as a daily dose.

3. Drink herbal tea daily-I believe drinking tea is medicine. This is the reason why I built a tea bar in the office. Caffeine or no caffeine, all tea has medicinal value and can help with brain fog, fighting cancer, lower blood pressure, female hormone imbalance and so much more! We have over 25 different organic teas from around the world that we can muscle test you for to find out what herbs would be good for you to drink for better health. To learn more on what kind of teas we have what they can help with read our Tea Menu

4. Grow an herb

There is no way to beat the nutrition from a plant you just pulled out of the dirt yourself.  All the enzymes and nutrients are available.  Whether you have acres of land or no backyard at all, there is always a way to grow something for you to eat.  Start with a simple window bench herb garden.  Pick 3 of your favorite herbs and simply grow them on your windowsill. It’s the easiest way to go and requires very minimal maintenance or skill.  If you have more space consider taking a local gardening course to know which plants are most suited for your climate and some basic skills to ensure your garden is successful.  There’s also many community gardens to join if you don’t have a backyard.

5. Take deep breathes 

This should be the easiest habit of all to create this year!  Deep breaths can be done anywhere, at anytime.  Just 3 deep breaths can shift your mood and nervous system to be more calm when you are feeling out of sorts.  Besides helping your stress level and mood, if it’s one thing this pandemic has taught me it is the importance of strengthen your lungs.  Yes the lungs are an organ that you can exercise.  The stronger they are the healthier you can be even if you don’t have asthma, or other breathing issues.  There are tons of different breathing techniques out there so pick one and use it on a daily basis.  I personally love and use heart centered breathing from Heart Math, and coherent breathing which I probably use the most of. Coherent breathing is simply breathing in for 6 counts and breathing out for 6 counts.  I think there is something calming about the counting as well.  It gets you out of the emotional, upset right side of the brain and more into the logical, mathematical left side of the brain.  

6. Use an essential oil

Also for stress one can use an essential oil.  My favorite stress relieving oil is Lavender, .  One big inhale of lavender and I feel my whole body relax.  You can wear it on your wrists, put it in a diffuser or spray a dilution of it on your pillow case to inhale it as you go to bed for a deeper sleep.  Doterra makes a great relaxing blend with lavender called Peace.  They mix lavender in with other calming herbs: ylang ylang, frankincense and clary sage for the ultimate calming affect.

7. Dry Brush and Gua Sha daily

Gua Sha, also known as “coining”, “skin scraping”, or “pressure stroking” is an ancient lymphatic technique utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine using a stone to apply pressure to the body.  When done on the face, gua sha can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, restore firmness and elasticity, promote a brighter complexion, relieve jaw tension, promote lymphatic drainage, and decrease puffiness. It can also help with sinus congestion and headaches. I find that when I do it in the morning it helps with mental clarity and reducing brain fog too.

The flow of lymph only goes one way: towards the heart. So when you use the gua sha stone the strokes should be from the center of the face outward and moving down the face and neck.  The best way to learn how to do gua sha on the face is by watching a demonstration, so I posted this video on Youtube to show you: https://youtu.be/vaJiBU83tWo

One of the biggest positive cosmetic benefits I notice when I perform facial gua sha on myself is a reduction of facial puffiness, most notable in my cheeks. You could say that it sculpts my cheeks. Others may notice de-puffing of their eyelids, jawline, under their eyes, or in the forehead. The reason that facial gua sha reduces puffiness is due to the drainage of lymph out of the face and neck. The lymph’s job is to carry toxins so gua sha is a great way to detox.

To move the lymph and toxins from other parts of the body you need to dry brush.  Instead of a stone roller it is a specific bristled brush that you will use on the rest of the body.  Use the brush and start at your feet and brush each area 5 times towards the heart. For a video demonstration: https://youtu.be/PlgJVAtgJTI

8. Add collagen to your diet.

Collagen is a protein that’s naturally found in the body.  It makes up  25 to 30 percent of the proteins in your body and gives structure to connective tissue like your skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones and blood vessels.  I test for collagen supplements to help people improve skin elasticity, reduce appearance of skin wrinkles, increase skin hydration, reduce bone loss, improve brittle nails, boost hair health, support heart health, heal leaky gut, and improve weight loss.  Because collagen helps gives so much structure to the body it can be used for lots different reasons in the body.  When I test for collagen ! test for it in capsules or powder.  There are lots of different kinds out on the market and they are not all made the same so before you add it into your daily life I highly suggest getting muscle tested for it.  

Bone broth is the number one food that has collagen in it and the question is do you test better for chicken bone broth or beef? It is best taken on an empty stomach and just a little every day is better than a lot once or twice a week.  Sip on one cup daily for best results.  This way the body can absorb more nutrients from it.  If you are doing the capsule or powder that can be taken with food.  

9. Add micro movements

Exercise is always great for health and if you are not on a weekly routine that should be part of your New Year’s resolution.  But what I have learned this year from a great book called Quench by Dr. Dana Cohen is micro movements help too by keeping us hydrated.  Any type of movement including fidgeting actually helps push water into the fascia of the body instead of staying superficial.  From the fascia, the water then goes into the organs and muscles of the body so that the cells can absorb it.  What I found fascinating reading the book was that even  micro movements counted as helping move water into the body.  Micro movements can include turning of the head and shoulder circles but even little movements such as fidgeting can make a difference.  Studies show that fidgeting actually improves the longevity of a woman's life up to 43% by pushing water into the body.  The book specifies for better health you really want 360 degrees of movement, full range of motion, so every tissue in your body has in and out flow to remain supple and healthy. 

10. Drink Healing Arts Apple Cider Vinegar Tea every morning

Years ago I started suggesting to patients to drink apple cider vinegar to help with candida problems but when I found out that Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine) knew about apple cider vinegar’s antibiotic properties and recommended it to his patients for its healing properties centuries ago I started doing more research.

Apple cider vinegar has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Not only does it help kill all those microbes and boost up your immune system but it also helps with allergies, acne, high cholesterol, joint pain, weight loss, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, dandruff, chronic fatigue, candida, sore throat, gum infection, and acid reflux. It’s also used to help dissolve kidney stones, lower high blood pressure, and it’s also been shown to help with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity.

Even though vinegar is acidic, when we drink apple cider vinegar it has an alkaline effect in our bodies. The fact that apple cider vinegar causes our pH levels to become more alkaline could play a large part in its healing abilities. It also reacts to some toxins in our bodies, converting them into less toxic substances. Our bodies need a slightly alkaline pH balance to be healthy. The typical Western diet creates an acidic pH in our bodies, and many health problems are attributed to this. Taking a tonic containing apple cider vinegar can help restore alkalinity, and therefore assist the body in getting rid of some of the health problems listed above.

The recipe I am about to give you has been perfected over the years for I have experimented with a variety of apple cider vinegar concoctions. 

1 Tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar

1/2 organic lime squeezed

1/4 tsp. baking soda

the baking soda will fizz, so wait for it to fizz out then add 1/2 cup warm water or more

a pinch of cayenne

a pinch of turmeric

a pinch of black pepper

Drink 20 minutes or more before breakfast every day.

Make sure the water is warm, not hot, for hot water will change the properties of the vinegar and lime juice.

The spices are added to the tea tincture because cayenne will increase circulation which is beneficial in healing and turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties.  The black pepper is added to enhance the turmeric.  Studies show that with black pepper, the ability for the body to absorb and use turmeric increases by 2000x. 

11. Boost Immune System 

Drinking the apple cider vinegar tea can keep your immune system boosted but so can lots of other things as well.  Once a month or more, even up to once a week, do something to take care of your immune system.  I built the Healing Arts Wellness Center based on this philosophy and that’s why I wanted one place that had all these healing services at your convenience.  To keep the immune system boosted we have the Himalayan salt booth and lymphatic therapy to help. Before COVID I was thinking the salt booth was great for 4 things: sinus and lung issues, skin issues, to boost the immune system, and to detox from crappy NYC air.  Now with COVID I think doing salt booth sessions is a must to stay healthy.  We can no longer just assume we are healthy but we need to take preventative health measures to ensure we really do stay as healthy as possible.  Just 10 minutes in the salt booth can boost your immune system. As you inhale deeply the salt goes into the body and breaks up inflammation and kills viruses, bacteria, parasites, candida and mold.  The lymphatic drainage therapy works differently, using electric bulbs across your skin to get your lymphatic system to move.  Your lymphatic system carries white blood cells to infections, in this way boosting your immune system.   

12. Stay Detoxed

Besides keeping your immune system strong it is important to keep your body detoxed.  I want you to do at least one thing a month that can help you detox on a deeper level.  It could be a liver flush where you take certain supplements for a week to break down what is stuck in the liver and then one night before bed you drink 1/4 cup of olive oil to get the toxins to move out of the liver.  At the office we have lots of different services that could help detox.  You could do a PEMF session, using energy to move out toxins or a detox foot bath that pulls toxins out of your body through your feet using an ionic charge.  The strongest detox we have is the Ozone Sauna where you sit in a personalized sauna pod from your neck down and heat builds as the pod is pumped with ozone.  Ozone is oxygen with an extra oxygen molecule. When you combine the wet and warm skin with the ozone gas the extra oxygen goes into the body and has such great detoxing and anti-inflammatory effects. Ozone therapy is a great detoxer because it breaks up lactic acid, increases cellular respiration in muscles, speeds up recovery of damaged tissue and accelerates growth of muscle for those who have tight, sore muscles. Ozone therapy improves blood circulation, improves vitamin and mineral absorption, fights inflammation, and is wonderful at killing mold, parasites, candida, viruses and bacteria. Because it’s such a strong way to detox we offer 10 minute, 20 minute and 30 minute sessions depending on how much detox you can handle.  

13. Drink Ozonated Water

Since ozone is so powerful another way to harness it’s healing abilities is to drink it.  I muscle test for how much ozonated water someone should drink but on average I get 16 ounces a day. Ozonated water has a clean, fresh taste. The health benefits are a result of the ozone breaking apart creating a single oxygen atom that the body can use.  The more oxygen in the body the better! Ozone adds oxygen to the blood stream and eliminates impurities. Increased oxygen in the brain heightens its function. Ozonated water also boosts the immune system making it stronger and better able to fight infections. This type of water has been shown in a number of scientific studies to kill bacteria and viruses.  That’s why I also use ozonated water to wash my fruits and vegetables.  Drinking cold ozone water on an empty stomach regularly can also detoxify your intestinal tract and give you energy. So there are a lot of health benefits to drinking ozonated water.  You will have to buy a machine that puts the extra oxygen in the water.  I use the Ozo-pod that you can buy online.

14. Add MCT oil to your diet

MCT oil which is a type of oil from coconut, is known for fueling your brain for more energy and focus throughout the day.  So, a few teaspoons in the morning or before a workout can fuel your brain and body for hours —better than any other food or coffee drink. And because the body metabolizes MCTs at a higher priority than carbs or other fats (and optimizes your metabolism for fat-burning), they’ll help you burn calories instead of packing them away as fat.

So what is this magical oil?  MCT oil or medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s) are unique fatty acids that are found naturally in coconut and palm oils.  They have a remarkable ability to stabilize blood sugar and enhance ketone body production.  This process makes MCT’s a powerful tool to reduce inflammation, improve metabolism and enhance cognitive function.

Most people tolerate MCT oil very well, however, too large of a dose too quickly can cause gastrointestinal problems such as nausea or diarrhea. If you have this problem, don’t panic and give up on MCT oil right away. You can easily reduce or eliminate these symptoms by starting with very small doses at a time. This would mean ½ tsp several times daily and slowly increasing the dosage as tolerated. Adding MCT oil can substitute for some of the oil in your diet but should not be used to replace all the fat in your diet. Begin using MCT 1 tablespoon per day and slowly increase over several days. 1-3 tablespoons per day is recommended. 

15. Have an anti-aging regimen

People don’t think the fountain of youth exists but I do.  Our fountain of youth is stem cells that our body makes in our bone marrow.  Stem cells are blank cells that once stimulated go anywhere and become any new cell.  The question is how do we stimulate our stem cells?  There is something called stem cell therapy that we do at Healing Arts.  We use Biocell Stem Cell supplements which are formulated to optimize cell function because if we have healthy cells we will be healthier every day.  Biocell supplements work together to promote energy production and cell growth.  

Another thing you can do to help stem cell growth is Intermittent Fasting which is a certain way of eating that can stimulate stem cells.  I do see most patients get the best results eating from 1pm-7pm.  

I think stem cell stimulation has something to do with pressure.  We have to use it to not lose it.  That’s why the number one treatment for osteoporosis (bone loss) is weight bearing exercises.  We need to apply pressure to the bones to stimulate the stem cells and get calcium into the bones. I believe bones can remodel and grow more dense into our 70s and likely longer.  Of course it’s easier if you are 25 years old or younger but it still can be done.  

To help the aging of the skin we use a stem cell supplement from Biocell called Dermal and then topically a frankincense roll on for dark aging spots which I see mostly on patients’ faces but I have seen them at times on back of hands and shoulders too.  65% of the time they will go away just with the frankincense roll-on but the combination is excellent for most aging dark spots.   

The most powerful free radical fighter you have is your lymphatic system. The body's lymphatic system holds 80% of your body's anti-oxidant capacity. To help keep the lymph system happy and your anti-aging ability up I highly recommend lymphatic drainage therapy.  

16. Do something for yourself every day 

Health is mind, body, spirit and if not addressed on a daily basis the stresses of life can get to us and our health.  When you are stressed it’s hard to take time for yourself but it’s when you need it the most.  It’s important to do this before you feel depleted in order to prevent the burnt out feeling.  When you feel burnt out know that your immune system is low too and so it’s easier to get sick which can further stress you out.  So the time it takes to take care of yourself is worth it to prevent getting sick.  To help with the stress of life all you need is 5 minutes any time during the day to reset.  It could be longer than 5 minutes but at least 5 minutes every day invest in yourself.  It could be a quiet moment of deep breathing.  It could be meditation, exercise, writing, foot rub, talking to a good friend, anything that fills you up and makes you feel good mentally or physically. 

17. Talk to yourself

Besides doing something for yourself every day to help your stress and your health, I want you to learn to talk to yourself.  This is a good way to manage stress and address underlying issues that you wouldn’t necessarily address unless they blew up in your face. This is a way of checking in with yourself. Think of it as free talk therapy.  You may not have the best advice for yourself but you can watch the negative self talk and choose to do less of it. You can also be your own sounding board. Check in with yourself and see how your body feels.  What does your body want to tell you that you need to listen to?  Is it the stomach ache, the stress headache or the trouble sleeping?  Listen to yourself and to your body before something becomes more of an issue.  The nice thing is this can be done anytime of day and no one needs to know.  

18. A relaxing bedtime routine

The body needs structure to signal that it’s time to unwind, relax and go to sleep so for the last 30 minutes of the day have the same routine.  A good night’s sleep is so important.  It’s only when you are sleeping the body is healing.  Even if you think you sleep well it’s a good habit to not have any electronics on at least 30 minutes before bed.  This includes phones, computers, tablets and TV. The blue light from the screens actually signal our body to stay awake.  I promise you if you do this you will feel like you get a deeper sleep. So what do you do with those 30 minutes before bed?  It’s like an unknown.  If I don’t have my electronics I don’t know what to do.  Find a healthy bedtime routine.  If you do about the same thing every night it helps signal the body to start winding down. Some ideas: take a hot shower or bath, read a good book, but not too exciting, do your deep breathing technique, meditate or listen to a visualization.  This is also a good time to practice gratitude.  As you are lying down in bed review the day and make a list either in a journal or just mentally of all the good things that happened that day that you are grateful for.  In this way, no matter how intense of a day it was, you go to bed only thinking of the positive things which is helpful to get a deeper night’s sleep and for your mental health. It is also helpful to start the 30 minutes bedtime routine at 1030pm at the latest and be asleep by 11pm.  Every organ has a circadian rhythm that it follows which means in a 24 hour cycle it has a 2 hour window where it is at it’s peak and performing strong and 12 hours later where it is at it’s weakest, most vulnerable stage.  So the reason for the 11pm bedtime is because that’s when the liver is at it’s peak dumping all the toxins from the day into the gallbladder duct where it travels to the large intestine to be excreted the next morning.  It is best to be asleep during this 11pm-1am time so the liver can easily do it’s job and move more toxins.  Again, the body only heals while it’s sleeping.  If you need help sleeping try our PEMF therapy or our Chakra Light therapy at the office to help.

19. Spend 14 days this year being vegetarian

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is an MD who wrote a great article on this topic called Feeding vs. Cleansing. This article explains the importance of a plant based diet for a temporary time in order to cleanse the body.

So pick any 14 days and go vegetarian as a way to cleanse the body. You can go longer too if you want but at least 14 days to get benefits.  Being vegetarian can be sustainable given your body type and that's why muscle testing is so important. Everyone’s biochemistry is different and the amount of animal protein needed is different as well. 

20. Do a 10 day sugar cleanse

Besides getting rid of meat for 2 weeks, do another cleanse this year to detox sugar or anything else that turns into sugar in the body. In my 10 day sugar cleanse the only carbs allowed are beans, brown rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes in limited amounts. This cleanse works by removing sugar from your diet which is the fastest way to lose fat and increase your energy. When your blood sugar is out of balance it causes depression, causes you to store sugar as fat instead of using it for energy, causing you to have highs and lows in your energy, and leads to diabetes.  In so many ways doing this sugar cleanse is healthy for you. I wrote the sugar cleanse to be a specific list of foods you eat for 10 days and if you mess up and eat something on the "Foods to Avoid list" then you have to start the 10 days over.  The sugar cleanse is also sustainable for months if you feel good on it and want to continue it for longer than 10 days.   

21. Use less plastic

Plastic products contain a variety of additives, some of which can be toxic. For example, plasticizers are often added to brittle plastics to make them pliable enough for use in food packaging, toys, and many other items. Traces of these compounds can leach out of the product more than just the known BPA. Due to concerns over the effects of such leachates, the European Union has restricted their use in some applications, and the United States has limited the use of them in children's toys. Some compounds leaching from food containers have been proposed to interfere with hormone functions and might cause cancer. Try to do your best to drink water from glass or stainless steel water bottles.  Don't use saran wrap or ziplock bags.  Instead of tupperware use Pyrex, glass containers, to store your leftovers in.  

22. Take corn out of your diet

Before you take corn out of your diet the best thing to do is get muscle tested for foods to see which foods your body reacts to and which ones are fine to eat.  But if you can’t get muscle tested then I do suggest eliminating corn from your diet for 3 weeks and then adding back in and seeing how you feel.  If you notice any negative changes when adding it back in your body is telling you it doesn’t like it and I would continue to stay away from it.  The reason why you would want to stay away from corn is that the body confuses its proteins with gluten. This wreaks havoc on your immune system. Also, corn can affect your gut walls and damage your digestive system. Corn also has a high glycemic content which converts to sugar easily. This, in turn, disrupts the insulin response in the body and weakens your immune system. Have you ever wondered why the corn’s yellow chunks appear in your stool? This is because corn contains the indigestible compound cellulose. Even though it mostly consists of starch, fiber, and prolamins (proteins found in all grains), it’s surrounded by a cellulose husk which is completely indigestible to our digestive system. Over time, this can result in constipation or a leaky gut

23. Eat only healthy fish

Fish can be extremely toxic depending on the oceans that they come from and the way they are farmed. Here is the top 3 fish to not eat. For a complete list, click here

Atlantic Salmon, Wild AND Farmed – Currently, all fish called “Atlantic salmon” comes from fish farms, which are highly polluted. Additionally, the US Food and Drug Administration has approving GMO salmon to be sold without labeling it. Instead, choose wild Alaskan salmon.  To learn more about farm raised vs. wild caught salmon: https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2021/01/farmed-vs-wild-caught-salmon-what-is.html

Atlantic Cod – It is nearly endangered due to chronic mismanagement by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Choose Pacific cod instead.

Imported Shrimp – 90% of the shrimp sold in the US is imported, and it is full of contaminants including e.coli, antibiotics, mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects. EW! If you can find domestic shrimp or pink shrimp for Oregon, they are much safer choices. 

So there you have it, 23 things that will make a difference in your health to make sure you do for 2023. Start with the easier changes and work to the harder ones.  Keep this list on hand to refer back to because in a few months certain things may slip but your goal is to always get back on.  I know you are already looking forward to my 2024 list!  

How Salvestrols Save Lives From Cancer

I have been doing a lot of research lately on Salvestrols which are special compounds in plants (phytochemicals) that can help fight abnormal cell growth. In this way they are good for cancer patients and also cancer prevention. I am all about prevention! I am about healthcare not disease-care. May the next generation know cancer as we know the common cold.  

The most well known Salvestrol is resveratrol. Resveratrol is known to be found in the skin of grapes, blueberries and raspberries. Resveratrol hit the supplement world pretty big and patients will still come in with their antioxidant supplement that contains resveratrol but since 2014 there has been evidence that it has limited health effects in humans. This led me to do my own research and figure out if salvestrols really do help.

The human cell has enzymes that help it detox on a daily basis. These enzymes are called Cytrochrome P450 enzymes, otherwise known as CYP (pronounced as 'sip'). To date, there are 57 CYP enzymes. Of these 57 CYP enzymes the one you need to know about is CYP1B1 (pronounced 'sip one be one'). This one is special. This one is only found in cancer cells and not in healthy cells.  

Why is this important? Because all cancer treatment, chemotherapy and radiation, kill all cells and the doctors hope it kills all cancer cells and not all healthy cells and the patient lives. But if we find something that targets the CYP1B1 enzyme then it will only target cancer cells and the patient has a higher survival rate!

There is a compound, called Stilserene (developed by Gerry Potter PhD.), that is currently being worked on that targets the CYP1B1 enzyme. In laboratory testing Stilserene (think of it as synthetic Salvestrol) was effective in killing 95% of the cancer cells tested. This test included cancers that were resistant to other treatments including stomach, colon, lung, breast and brain cancer cells while having no damage to healthy cells!

When I first started reading about the CYP1B1 enzyme I thought it was only in cancer cells because it was something 'bad' the defective cell was making but Gerry Potter is a genius and figured out that the cancer cells were making the enzyme to try to protect itself and if you add resveratrol to CY1B1 you get piceatannol which is an anticancer agent! Yet studies were conducted that showed if you increased the amount of resveratrol given then the mechanism of producing piceatannol was shut off. This makes resveratrol of minimal use as cancer therapy because it would be difficult to determine how much is too much that would lead to shutting off the mechanism.  

But what Professor Potter did find was certain compounds in plants called phytoalexins. Phytoalexins are part of a plant's natural immune system. Phytoalexins that create anticancer compounds through their metabolism by CYP1B1 he coined 'Salvestrols'. 

Unfortunately there is not a good Salvestrol supplement out on the market yet.  I have muscle tested them all and I feel like this research has not been translated to the supplement world. But it does explain why the Gerson Therapy Diet works so well for cancer patients and why a diet high in fruits and vegetables is so healthy. So again, your mother was right, eat your vegetables! Powerful, salvestrols have been found in broccoli, cabbage, avocado, red and yellow peppers, and herbs such as basil, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Strawberries, tangerines and fresh cranberries also contain salvestrols.

Tea for Better Blood Sugar

I love getting muscle tested for a personalized tea blend at the Healing Arts Tea Bar. It is the holiday season and with that comes more treats so having a tea specifically to lower blood sugar can be helpful.  There are 8 specific teas we test for that can lower blood sugar.  When we make a personalized blend people usually test for 3 different teas that we then blend together before putting in the tea bag and serving.

If you don’t test for teas to help with blood sugar you may test for other ones.  We have over 25 different organic teas from around the world! Our tea menu is different than anything you have ever seen before.  We have the teas listed and you can pick one and enjoy it either stay at the tea bar or take it to go but what is different is on the back of the menu is a list of symptoms and you can choose the symptom you want to work on and then get muscle tested for which 3 herbs your body needs.  So you don't choose your tea but your body does!

Besides getting a cup of hot tea we can also make a container for you of your personalized blend that is 12 servings. Here is the list of teas we have that can help balance your blood sugar:

Black tea-Digestion, blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, brain health, heart health, improves blood pressure

Cinnamon- Blood sugar, anti inflammatory, lower cholesterol Robots

Nettle-Blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, pain relief 

Holy Basil/Tulsi - Digestion, blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss support, skin support, respiratory support, eye support, detox 

Marshmallow Root- Digestion, blood sugar, acid reflux, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, skin support, anti-aging, constipation, detox, liver support pain relief, heart support

Ginger  - Digestion, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, pain relief, heart support, blood sugar

Green tea  - Heart support, anti-aging, weight loss support, immune support, brain health, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar

INFOCEUTICALS

Energy Medicine in a Bottle

 Using the concept E=mc2 and energy medicine we can electronically transfer medicinal waves into a tincture made just for you. We can muscle test and create a personalized combination of waves to imprint a tincture with. These medicinal waves are called infocueticals (IC). When we transfer ICs of medicinal substances to the water we create homeopathic dosages - technically there is no active substance present in the IC water, but under the influence of an electromagnetic field with a specific spectrum, the technology makes water molecules organize in a certain way that mimics the energy signature of the original substance. The same thing happens when homeopathic remedies are created. The restructured water can interact with receptors in our body and cause a similar reaction as if it was the substance itself.

I love homeopathy and have used it in my office for 10 years. Now using ICs we can make a homeopathic tincture personalized to you which is the mission of the new Healing Arts Wellness Center.  We want to muscle test and make everything as personalized as possible, from the lotion you purchase to the tea you drink, and now homeopathic blends.  I also love how it's water based because a lot of homeopathy is alcohol based and patients don't always muscle test for it because of the alcohol content.  If you are not able to be muscle tested for a tincture we can make one based on symptoms for you.

The science behind structuring water comes from Dr. Masaru Emoto who was a scientist that discovered that water was a "blueprint for our reality" and not only could it hold a blueprint for medicinal substances but that emotional "energies" and "vibrations" could also change the physical structure of water. Emoto's water crystal experiments consisted of exposing water in glasses to different words, pictures or music, and then freezing and examining the aesthetic properties of the resulting crystals with microscopic photography. Emoto's studies show that water exposed to positive speech and thoughts would result in visually pleasing crystals being formed when that water was frozen, and that negative intention would yield "ugly" frozen crystal formations. 

FLASKA makes special glass water bottles that restructure water in 5 minutes.  We use Mountain Valley Spring water with this water bottle when making the tincture for you.  We truly believe the quality of the water makes a huge difference.  You can also purchase a Flaska water bottle at the office. It comes with a sleeve for protection so if you drop the bottle it doesn't break.  They are $35 each. 

The strength of the effect of the personalized remedy depends on how well the body can actually use or resonate with the information the water is holding, and whether the body has energy to make a change that the water wants.  Because it is energy medicine, the effect from ICs might be slower and much lighter, but that is probably why they don't have negative effects. I highly suggest using energy medicine in the form of ICs to help detox, reduce inflammation, support hormones, have better digestion and less pain.  The results I'm seeing in the office are amazing and I have loved Dr. Masaru Emoto's work for years and loved finding another application to help my patients get the health they deserve.

$20 for a 4 week supply.

Purchase yours now and let us know in the description what your health concerns are.  

How to Gua Sha

 Gua Sha, also known as “coining”, “skin scraping”, or “pressure stroking” is an ancient instrument-assisted lymphatic technique utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The best way to learn how to do gua sha on the face is by watching a demonstration, so I’ve included an in-depth video tutorial at the end of this post. 

When done on the face, gua sha can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, restore firmness and elasticity, promote a brighter complexion, relieve jaw tension, promote lymphatic drainage, and decrease puffiness. It can also help with sinus congestion and headaches. I find that when I do it in the morning it helps with mental clarity and reducing brain fog.  

Gua sha on the body (back, shoulders, and neck are the most common areas) and gua sha on the face are performed quite differently. While the point of gua sha on the body is to draw out transient therapeutic bruising, you do not want to do that when practicing on your face. 

I first got into gua sha when looking for something to help patients with eye strain which is a symptom that patients started complaining about more when the pandemic hit.  A lot of people working from home had to increase their screen time.  I have also seen gua sha help with other symptoms related to vision such as light sensitivity and eye dryness. 

I also have chronically reactive lymph nodes behind my ears (I suffered from a lot of ear infections as a child) and many tender points on my face (especially in front of my ears and along my hairline) which correspond to specific acupuncture points that have benefited from stimulating daily with gua sha.

BODY VS FACIAL GUA SHA

In Chinese medicine, gua sha on the upper back, shoulders, and neck is a common treatment for colds, influenza, and fevers. It is also good to do if you have been exposed to someone who is sick or if you feel a virus coming on. 

If you are interested to know more about the science of body gua sha, PUBMED includes studies that have found gua sha to effective in treating back and neck pain, migraines, liver inflammation, perimenopausal symptoms, and breast distention/mastitis.  

Because body gua sha is painful and the point is to dig deep enough to create bruising for healing it can be uncomfortable and make people not want to do it.  That’s why I fell in love with the lymphstar machine that we use for lymphatic drainage sessions in the office.  With this type of technology you get the lymphatic healing benefits without the bruising or pain during a relaxing 30 minute or 60 minute session.  

Having fallen in love with the health benefits of lymphatic drainage I was super excited to be able to show patients how to do it for the face at home.  I would not try body gua sha at home.  So what are the benefits of facial gua sha? Facial gua sha is great for lymphatic drainage of the face which helps with detox from the brain and mouth and also less puffiness which people tend to get around the eyes.  It’s advertised as anti-aging for wrinkles but I want people to understand that less wrinkles is secondary to the movement of lymph and toxins which is very healing.

Facial gua sha also helps relieve muscle tension in the head and neck which not only helps with TMJ problems, headaches and neck pain but can also prevent them.  I am so surprised when I do the facial gua sha how many tender spots I feel.  Spending extra time on the tender spots brings circulation to the area helping to prevent pain.  

Since this is a technique that originates in Chinese medicine,I find it fascinating to look at all of the acupuncture channels (meridians) that are on the face and  neck that you can stimulate with facial gua sha.  

Starting at the center of the face moving outward and down, these are the channels that run down the face:  

• Governing Vessel, also called Du (GV); 

• Urinary Bladder (UB); 

• Gallbladder (GB); 

• Stomach (ST); 

• San Jiao, also called Triple Heater/Triple Burner (SJ); 

• Small Intenstine (SI); 

• Large Intestine (LI)There are different gua sha tools you can use made of different stones. There are flat stones that are made for scrapping and to get in deeper.  There is also rollers that have a softer affect that I prefer because I realized patients were using the flat stones too intensely which helped but also caused too much inflammation in the process.  So I do highly suggest the roller over the flat stones.  

We carry in the office 3 different stones because I couldn’t decide on just one stone.  We have jade, rose quartz and opal facial rollers .  I prefer to muscle test each person for which one works best for their body.

Rose Quartz Roller: Increase Circulation, Promotes Production of Collagen, and Calms Sensitive Skin. Best Used at Night and for Soothing.

Green Jade Roller: Helps Reduce Puffiness, Help Tone and Firm Skin Cells, and Stimulate Collagen Production. Best Used in the Morning and for Balance.

Opal Roller: Good for all Skin Types, Can help to Cool and Refresh Fatigued Skin.

The flow of lymph only goes one way: towards the heart. So when you use the gua sha the strokes should be from the center of the face outward and moving down the face and neck (see video for demonstration). 

One of the biggest positive cosmetic benefits I notice when I perform facial gua sha on myself is a reduction of facial puffiness, most notable in my cheeks. You could say that it sculpts my cheeks. Others may notice de-puffing of their eyelids, jawline, under their eyes, or in the forehead. The reason that facial gua sha reduces puffiness is due to the drainage of lymph out of the face and neck. The lymph’s job is to carry toxins so that’s why I say it’s good for detox. 

I also notice a reduction in the appearance of fine lines, especially the number ones between my eyebrows. If I wake up from a night of frowning in my sleep, the evidence disappears quickly after my morning gua sha session. So here’s my advice, use my video as a starting place to explore gua sha.  If you don’t do it hard enough or if it’s too hard you aren’t going to damage anything so it really is safe. Pull the tool across your face, don’t push it. Think of spreading butter on toast. Pulling comes more naturally when you use the same hand as the side of the face you are working on; if you try to use the opposite hand you’ll be more likely to try to push the tool. 

For the gentlest and most relaxing type of gua sha facial, use long, slow, meditative strokes with a thicker tool laid as close to flat against your skin as possible. You can vary the pressure from light to more firm. You can even turn it into a type of moving meditation by coordinating your breathing with the strokes. When doing this style, it’s best to anchor the skin where you begin each stroke using your other hand. You’ll need to allot more time for this style, ideally at least 5-10 minutes, but you can drag it out even longer if you wish. For a more invigorating facial, use rapid, short strokes with light pressure.  Use firm pressure when doing gua sha on your neck, medium pressure on your face, and feather light pressure around your eyes. And don’t forget to take before and after photos so you can see how these techniques affect your skin!

The stones are smooth so you don’t have to use lotions or oils.  I prefer to do it on bare skin after I wash my face in the morning since it helps my mental clarity and reduces brain fog. But you can do it at night, too. 

The first time I used a roller was for a breast massage.  You can read about how to do that in this blog post. It definitely helps with PMS breast tenderness, and is incredibly relaxing to do in bed just before going to sleep. 

Contraindications:

Do not do gua sha on fresh botox. Talk to the provider who injected it to find out how soon you can safely implement facial massage.

Do not do gua sha on top of injected fillers in the face.

It’s best to talk with us first if you are dealing with any kind of skin problems like acne or rosacea. It’s best not to do scraping on top of areas of active inflammation, but to instead do the strokes on the other areas of the face, and especially on the neck to promote lymphatic drainage in order to get the inflammation down. 

You can place your gua sha stones and rollers in the fridge or in a bowl of ice water (just dry it off first) and press it gently into areas of inflammation. If you suffer from puffiness using a cold roller or flat stone could give more benefits.  

If you are still uncertain whether gua sha is something you should add into your daily routine please let us know at your next visit and we can help you decide with our expertise and then muscle test you also for which stone would be best: jade, rose quartz or opal.  

HISTORY OF CRYSTAL HEALING

From thousands of years and across many cultures and civilizations, crystals have been consistently used for physical, mental and spiritual healing.  Some were believed to have a protective effect, while others were believed to enhance mental and psychic abilities.  The earliest stories of crystal use come from the legends of Atlantis, indicating that all disease could be cured with specific crystals and crystal combinations.  In fact, it is interesting to note that many stones were used for the same purposes and healing attributes across cultures without any interaction, transcending geological boundaries.  For example, Jade was considered by the ancient Chinese, Aztec and Mayan civilizations to be a kidney-healing stone prior to any known communication between these cultures.  The following describes how different stones were used by different cultures:

Ancient Egypt:  Amulets were collected and worn at every life-stage and even in death as the gemstones were thought to be good luck charms to ward against illness, evil and danger.  Red Jasper and Clear Quartz were thought to provide protection in the afterlife for a safe journey to the next realm.  Red Jasper was also thought to symbolize the Blood of the Goddess Isis, and used to treat infertility and enhance reproductive vitality.  Lapis Lazuli was a popular, powerful stone that symbolized Truth, Creation and Rebirth, and considered by some early cultures to be more valuable than gold.  It was worn by Cleopatra and other royals and placed upon the eyes to promote enlightenment and awareness.  Carnelian was one of the oldest gemstones mined in ancient Egypt, and was thought to purify the blood of the wearer and alleviate back pain.  Other gemstones widely used by the ancient Egyptians include Malachite, Emerald, Garnet, Hematite, Turquoise, Quartz, Topaz, Amazonite and Amethyst. 

Ancient Greece:  In ancient Greece, crystals were used extensively in every day life.  The word Crystal originates from the Greek word “krustallos,” meaning “ice.”  The word “amethyst” also has Greek origins, as it is the Greek word for “not drunken.”  “Amethyst” plays a role in Greek mythology and it was widely believed that drinking wine from an amethyst cup would guard against drunkenness.  Crushed Hematite was often rubbed over a soldier’s body prior to entering battle, as it was believed to make them invincible. 

Ancient China:  In ancient China, Chinese medicinal practices often incorporated the use of healing gemstones.  Jade especially was highly revered for its healing and vibrational qualities and viewed as a symbol of luck and protection, used in the production of everything from jewelry, vessels, burial items, statues and musical instruments.  It was also considered to be a kidney-healing stone, along with the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.  

Ancient India:  Healing crystals were also widely used in ancient India, and their use and properties were recorded within the Hindu Vedas.  They are also considered valuable and widely used in Ayurvedic medicine.

MODERN SCIENCE

Today, modern science has proved through Quantum theory, the concept of electromagnetism and the law of resonance what the ancients have always somehow intuitively known.  We now understand and accept that all things within the Universe are forms of energy that have their own vibrational frequency.  Nicolas Tesla believed this to be a key concept to understanding the Universe and went on to prove how certain forms of energy can affect and alter the vibrational resonance of other forms of energy.  Modern day technology utilizes the concept of piezoelectricity, or the use of crystals to convert mechanical energy into electricity and vice versa, as the basis for incorporating the energy of Crystal Quartz in everything from wristwatches to computers.  In medicine, it is recognized that diseased tissue has a different vibrational frequency from healthy tissue.  Vibrational-based therapies such as ultrasound and infrared are used to stimulate healthy tissue.

It is for this reason that healing crystals, each with their own characteristic vibrational energies and electromagnetic charges, are still used to this day to align, heal and alter the vibration of body cells, chakras and energetic meridian systems.  The interaction of our own vibrational energy fields with that of the crystals’ effectively transmits to our brains and nervous systems to stimulate a biochemical shift in our physical body.  As a result, harmonious vibrational patterns of well-being are produced with the removal of blockages and the restoration of the healthy flow of Qi, or life-energy, through the body and mind.  

TREATMENT PRINCIPLE

Crystal therapy is a holistic treatment principle that addresses spiritual, emotional and physical health issues.  It is an alternative and complimentary medical technique in which stones are used to treat ailments and protect against disease.  Modern crystal healing is based on traditional concepts borrowed from Asian cultures, most notably the concept of Qi, or life-energy, and the Hindu or Buddhist concept of chakras, which are vortices of life-energy.  Crystal healing is widely used in all energy healing modalities including Massage Therapy, Sound Therapy, Reiki Healing, Ayurvedic medicine and some forms of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. 

Crystals are chosen diagnostically for each individual patient to create a unique stone prescription for their specific blocked energy patterns, which in turn lead to the manifestation of physical illness. 

Herbal Support for Brain Health and Beyond

The use of plants to support cognitive performance and protect against cognitive decline has been a part of traditional herbal practice for centuries. Clinical studies across various ages and life stages demonstrating support for such beneficial effects as:

• Supporting working memory, storage, recall, learning, and knowledge retention.

• Enhancing attention, focus and concentration.

• Slowing or preventing the onset of age or Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline

Herbs that help the brain and nervous system this way are often referred to as nootropics, which can be any substance considered to enhance memory and learning, improve cognition, and impart neuroprotective effects. Many herbs with nootropic properties will also often have complementary effects upon the body’s stress response, helping to reduce anxiety, inflammation, and ultimately help result in improved mental and emotional well-being which is extremely important at Healing Arts. After 16 years in practice we have never seen so much stress, anxiety and depression in our office. We want you to know that supporting the brain and nervous system along with mindful techniques LINK we have helped so many people feel better during this trying time. 

While simultaneously benefiting brain health, the overlapping actions of many herbs useful to enhancing cognition include adaptogens, nervine tonics, and nerve relaxants. 

Scientific studies plus the evidence at Healing Arts is that herbs have the potential to support cognitive performance while also mitigating the damaging effects of stress (mental, emotional, and oxidative). Considered beneficial at any age, these plants can provide a well-tolerated, preventative treatment for declines in cognitive function associated with disease or aging, and for anyone looking to sharpen the mind while operating under stress.

If you feel like your nervous system could use some support or you want to do preventative medicine and support the brain as much as you can then ask us at your next appointment to test you for these herbs.

Rose

Roses are one of the oldest flowers in the world, and have been referenced in literature, music, and art for centuries. 

There are hundreds of rose varieties that are considered safe for human use. Roses are added to a range of products for both their fragrance and potential health benefits. Roses are also often used in the kitchen, especially in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. The aromatic flower is added to cakes and jams.

Drinking rose petals in tea may have originated in China. Rose tea is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it is used to regulate qi, or life energy. 

Rose comes in tea form and can be tested at our Tea Bar 

benefits include:

• mental benefits, such as to treat dementia and seizures

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28832226/ 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586833/

relaxation, stress reduction, and antidepressant effects https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737971/

Bacopa

Bacopa is a treasured Ayurvedic herb native to India where it has been regularly consumed for thousands of years as a rejuvenating tonic to promote longevity and strengthen cognitive function. Consistently found in many Ayurvedic preparations prescribed for cognitive dysfunction, Bacopa was initially described around the 6th century A.D. as an herb taken to sharpen intellect and improve memory and concentration. 

Bacopa’s mechanism of action has been studied extensively and demonstrate significant antioxidant and neuroprotective effects including increased cerebral blood flow.

Clinical studies with Bacopa have focused on its potential to support memory, focus, and cognition across various life stages and particularly with taking for more than 3 months.  From significantly improving memory in seniors, to improved cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Studies also show additional benefits such as attenuation of task-induced ratings of stress and fatigue, and in one case a simultaneous significant reduction in anxiety. 

Rosemary

Rosemary leaf has a long history as an herb associated with remembrance both literally and symbolically. In ancient Egypt it was used in the process of mummification, and later by the Greeks and Romans as a memory enhancer. 

Rosemary oil is regarded as a tonic towards the central nervous system and is often used to strengthen mental clarity and improve memory. When using the rosemary essential oil you inhale and the olfactory nerve from the nose goes straight into the brain allowing the Rosemary to provide increased alertness and lowered anxiety, producing a more relaxed yet alert state  

Eleuthero

Eleuthero, sometimes referred to as “Siberian Ginseng” is a root with a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine to reinforce Qi and calm the nerves in cases of stress and insomnia.  More modern uses have focused on its role as an adaptogen which can increase mental alertness and physical performance particularly when under stress. As cognitive support, Eleuthero therefore becomes particularly helpful in cases of brain fog due to overwhelm and/or high-pressure working conditions, aiding the body’s ability to perform and withstand such mental stressors.

Eleuthero extract has been shown to improve short-term memory, improve mental and physical performance and stamina of workers, as well as endurance and concentration in athletes.

Schisandra

Schisandra berry is a tart fruit commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulations to calm the nervous system in cases of anxiety and insomnia, and also to aid in memory loss.  It also has a reputation as an adaptogen and nervine tonic.

Schisandra demonstrated many beneficial health effects particularly upon the brain and nervous system, showing significant improvements in cognitive and behavioural functions including:

• Increasing memory and cognition in the presences of excessive beta-amyloid pigmentation, suggesting potential use in symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease.

• Reducing activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, attenuating rises in cortisol and catecholamines associated with stress and physical activity, and reducing behaviours associated with anxiety.

• Neuroprotective effects against stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative damage within the brain.

We wanted to share with you details of how herbs can heal the brain and nervous system. If you are wondering if any of these can help you just let us know at your next visit and we will test you on all of them to see which your body prefers.

Healthy Holiday Recipes

When trying to eat healthy we tend to feel deprived at times. It's easy to feel that way around the holidays. The best thing to do is to find healthy versions of the same recipes so you don't feel like you are going without. Enjoy these healthy versions!

GARLIC MASHED NO-TATOES

White potatoes -- while nutritious and natural -- can have potentially significant impact on blood sugar levels. Try adding mashed cauliflower to your holiday table instead. To prepare it, break a head of cauliflower into florets and then boiling or steaming until tender. Drain the cooked cauliflower, then mash it up. Toss in tasty additions, such as organic butter from grass-fed cows or olive oil, roasted garlic (optional), ground pepper and sea salt. 

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE

15oz canned pumpkin puree, or ½ cup roasted pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

½ cup full fat coconut milk (the hard, cream part)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Paleo Pie Crust, unbaked

1⁄2 cup honey

In a food processor combine pumpkin puree, and eggs. Pulse in coconut milk, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour filling into Paleo Pie Crust. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Allow to cool then refrigerate for 2 hours to set up

PALEO PIE CRUST

2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)

1⁄4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature

1 large egg

Place flour and salt into a food processor and pulse briefly. Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball. Press dough into a 9 1/2-inch glass pie dis

CRANBERRY SAUCE

Cranberries provide ample antioxidants -- natural substances that help keep your cells healthy. But while cranberries that appear in one solid, canned piece or in sugar-laden sauces aren’t health supporting, homemade cranberry sauce is Paleo-friendly. Try making cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries, pure orange juice, raw honey and a touch of fresh ginger, orange zest, cinnamon and grade D maple syrup.

LOW CARB BREAD - Serves 8

2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal) 1⁄4 cup golden flaxmeal

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

5 large eggs or flax eggs

Optional 1⁄8 teaspoon of stevia or tablespoon or two of honey

In a food processor combine almond flour, flaxmeal, baking soda, and salt. Pulse in apple cider vinegar and eggs. Transfer batter to a greased 8" cast iron skillet. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Serve

PUMPKIN CRUMB MUFFINS - Serves 8

Muffin tins

5 large eggs

1⁄3 cup canned pumpkin puree 1⁄3 cup coconut sugar

1⁄4 cup coconut flour

1⁄8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Topping

1⁄3 cup palm shortening

1⁄3 cup coconut sugar

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

In a food processor, combine eggs, pumpkin, and coconut sugar. Pulse in coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Divide batter between 8 paper lined muffin cups. Rinse out food processor. In a food processor, combine shortening and coconut sugar. Pulse in coconut flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle topping over cupcake batter. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Serve

MICRONEEDLING

What Is Microneedling?

Microneedling, also known as Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), involves the insertion of very short fine needles into the skin for the purpose of rejuvenation using a microneedling pen. Unlike at-home “microneedling” using a derma roller, professional microneedling procedures actually puncture the skin superficially to create micro-channels in the skin, stimulating the skin’s own repair response by producing collagen and elastin to heal the controlled injury that was just created, making the skin smoother and tighter.

Microneedling is a NATURAL WAY to treat and improve the following conditions:

• Acne scarring

• Fine lines & wrinkles

• Skin texture

• Loose skin

• Pore size

• Brown spots & Hyperpigmentation

• Promotes hair growth on scalp & eyebrows

• Increases product absorption by over 2,000% in the week following microneedling due to the microchannels created

• Turn back the clock on the face, neck, decolletage or hands

 What To Expect

• Recent research shows a shallow treatment of only 0.5mm obtains optimal results. Treatments are typically gentle, and can be adjusted according to patient comfort.

• Results are typically seen and felt immediately after the first treatment. Skin should glow and feel tighter. Maximum results are shown when patients do between 4-6 treatments.

• It takes 2 weeks to fully see the results from the treatment due to cellular turnover rates.

• You must wait 1 month before doing another microneedling session. However cosmetic facial acupuncture may be performed weekly in-between microneedling sessions to increase and speed up the results.

• Results in research studies are shown to last between 4-6 years

• We use pure ingredients and holistic herbal topical serums suited specifically for your skin type and concerns to achieve optimal results. Our apple stem cells are shown in research to promote facial stem cell rejuvenation by over 80%!

Holistic Healing From Within

At Work In Progress Acupuncture Studio, each microneedling session includes body acupuncture points. Eastern medicine views the lines, wrinkles and condition of the skin as a reflection of the internal organs of the body and the expression of habitual emotional responses. We take a holistic approach to treat not only what appears on the face, but factors within your body that may be contributing to drooping, sagging skin such as diet, hormonal imbalance, digestive and circulatory issues. We’ll also address factors such as stress or underlying emotional scars that may lead to physical lines and wrinkles.

General health benefits may include:  increased energy, focus and clarity, improved sleep and digestion, reduction of stress, jaw pain, headaches and sinus issues.

For the month of November, receive 25% off your first Microneedling session and 25% off of the Detox Foot Bath from Healing Arts NYC.

Visit our website to learn more about Microneedling sessions and to view pricing and packages. Schedule your phone consultation today!

Call/Text:  (212) 547-9477

Email:  hello@workinprogressacu.com

Website:  workinprogressacu.com

What to do For Your Health After Having COVID

Unfortunately I have now seen enough post-COVID patients from various strains to write this blog.  Good news is if you have gotten COVID and still feel off in any way I have some health tips to help you feel like your old self again.  This blog is for those who got COVID and please share with your friends and family so we can help each other post-COVID.

Post COVID or long haul COVID are the terms used when symptoms or signs persist for more than two weeks after COVID-19 onset.  I have seen symptoms continue for months after and include fatigue, headaches, poor focus or attention, shortness of breath, and so much more.  Symptoms after having COVID-19 continue after the initial infection because the SARS-CoV-2 virus goes into the body causing more inflammation than the average virus.  The number one place that inflammation hits is the airways and lungs because that’s how it gets into the body. The second place this virus hits is the liver.  We are aware that it affects the lungs but no one is talking about the liver.  So our goal at Healing Arts is to help boost up your immune system to reduce the inflammation while supporting the lungs and liver.  

Due to the effect the virus has on the liver DO NOT go for any medical procedures that include anesthesia for 6 months after having COVID even if you don’t have long haul COVID.  The liver will not be able to handle the anesthesia and you will have a hard time detoxing it from your system afterwards.  So unless it’s life or death, no anesthesia during this time.  

The attack that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does on the liver is actually similar to what the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) does to the liver.  EBV causes mono and is prevalent in high schoolers and college kids.  Besides causing mono and attacking the liver, EBV has a third stage of attacking the thyroid and causing the autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto’s. I am now seeing in patients post-COVID, whether they have long haul symptoms or not, the SARS-CoV-2 virus also in the thyroid.  It is supposed to take months to years for the EBV to hit the thyroid and that’s only after having a chronically weak liver.  I’m seeing the SARS-CoV-2 virus hit the thyroid in weeks.  What takes EBV years, is taking the SARS-CoV-2 virus weeks.  

Using muscle testing I pick up on thyroid weaknesses due to an Epstein Barr virus energy a lot in my office even without the patient knowing there is a thyroid issue.  It is because we are picking up on it before it becomes an issue.  Western medicine has done a lot of studies saying that the majority of Hashimoto’s patients have Epstein Barr antibodies so there might be a correlation and I will tell you that there definitely is from what I see in the office.  

Inflammation can happen in any organ due to any pathogen or heavy metal or heavy chemical.  Toxins cause inflammation period.  That’s why our goal at Healing Arts is to help the body detox and with the right nutrition it can heal. When we start supporting the body to kill pathogens we have to be careful that the body does not have a die off reaction or a herxheimer reaction.  It occurs when any immune challenge: virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite, is being killed too fast. When these things die, toxins are released, literally pus and mucus build up and the body releases proinflammatory proteins (known as cytokines) in response. While some cytokine activity bolsters the immune system to fight infections, too many of these chemicals can have adverse effects. An overabundance of cytokines in the body leads to muscle and joint pain, fatigue, a suppressed immune system, skin rash and brain fog.  It is with some post COVID patients that 8 weeks later I am still seeing a high level of cytokines in their body and this is even after putting them on a program to reduce the inflammation.  Even if your COVID symptoms were mild, less than 24 hours of a slight cold, when I muscle test I am seeing cytokines stuck in the liver or thyroid causing inflammation.  

I think SARS-CoV-2 weakens the body to feed off of glutathione and that’s why it loves the liver.   SARS-CoV-2 goes into the body through the airways and starts attacking the lungs because that’s where it settles first but as it gets stronger and finds it way to the liver it feeds off glutathione and becomes even stronger.  This stage 2 in the liver doesn’t happen for everyone if the immune system is strong enough to fight it off before SARS-CoV-2 makes a home in the liver.  Stage 3 is when it burrows itself in the thyroid the same way EBV does. So the stages of EBV and COVID-19 are very similar except SARS-CoV-2 goes through the stages so quickly the body does not have time to recuperate and a lot more inflammation occurs with SARS-CoV-2. 

Depending on the body this inflammation can look like a lot of different things.  A study was done to show 50 different symptoms post COVID.  The majority of symptoms were fatigue and headaches followed by attention disorder and hair loss.  Besides supporting the immune system to fight COVID-19, then supporting the lungs, liver, and thyroid depending on what stages the body is going through we also support the headaches or attention disorder or hair loss by doing everything we can to reduce inflammation.  What I am seeing in the office that is testing the most often with great results besides the usual vitamin D with vitamin K, zinc and vitamin C are these four supplements: Inflammation Relief , Wellness Blend , Hydroxygen and Glutathione. Change this so it’s all the same color.

Inflammation Relief is a supplement I made to reduce inflammation in the body including the cytokine response.  The supplement contains: Curcumin, Gotu Kola, Quercitin, Boswelia, Bromelain, Magnesium, Black Pepper,  and Fenugreek which are all amazing herbs to reduce inflammation.  This supplement is good for the post COVID patient who is still having headaches or muscle aches.

Wellness Blend is the first supplement I ever formulated to really help boost up the immune system when sick or to take to prevent getting sick.  Ingredients include garlic, liposomal vitamin C, mugwort, echinacea, oregano, lysine, eucalyptus and goldenseal.  This supplement tests well for patients who just need that extra immune system support.  

Hydroxygen are drops of oxygen that the body needs to heal faster.  These drops are especially good for the post COVID patient that is still coughing or having trouble breathing.  

Besides giving the body the right supplemental support we also want to replenish the glutathione that SARS-CoV-2 used.  We muscle test to see if the glutathione supplement will help and here are some ways to increase your glutathione naturally.  Glutathione is one of the body’s most important and potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that reduce oxidative stress by combating free radicals in the body. While most antioxidants are found in the foods you eat, glutathione is produced by your body. It is primarily made up of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. There are a number of reasons why your body’s glutathione level may become depleted, including poor diet, chronic disease, infection and constant stress. Glutathione is also known to decrease with age. Maintaining adequate levels of this antioxidant is incredibly important for your health in general, not just post COVID. Here is what you can do to ensure healthy glutathione levels. 

1. Consume Sulfur-Rich Foods

Sulfur is an important mineral that occurs naturally in some plant and protein foods.  Sulfur is required for the liver to make glutathione.  Sulfur is found in beef, fish and poultry as well as cruciferous vegetables.  Cruciferous vegetables are a family of vegetables known for their sulfur content and include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, boy choy, arugula, radishes, watercress, collards and mustard greens. Eat too much at once and it can bloat you due to the sulfur.  Allium vegetables, including garlic, shallots and onions, also boost glutathione levels also due to their sulfur-containing compounds.  

2. Increase Your Vitamin C Intake

Vitamin C is found in strawberries, citrus fruits, papayas, kiwis and bell peppers.  This vitamin has many functions, including working as an antioxidant to protect cells from oxidative damage. It also maintains the body’s supply of other antioxidants, including glutathione.  Researchers have discovered that vitamin C may help increase glutathione levels by attacking free radicals first, thereby sparing glutathione. They also found that vitamin C helps reprocess glutathione by converting oxidized glutathione back to its active form (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12499341/). 

The same study also showed that taking 500-1,000 mg vitamin C supplements increased glutathione levels in white blood cells in healthy adults by 18%.

Another study showed that taking 500 mg of vitamin C supplements per day increased glutathione in red blood cells by 47% (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8317379/).

Vitamin C’s relationship with glutathione is why intravenous Vitamin C drips are helpful when treating COVID.  Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist in NYC, has been giving his intensive-care patients who have been infected with the coronavirus 1500mg of intravenous Vitamin C several times a day - as part of an anti-viral protocol.

3. Add Selenium-Rich Foods to Your Diet

Selenium is an essential mineral and a glutathione cofactor, meaning it’s a substance needed for glutathione to work. Some of the best sources of selenium are beef, chicken, fish, organ meats, cottage cheese, brown rice and Brazil nuts. By increasing your intake of selenium, you may help maintain or increase your body’s supply of glutathione.

4. Eat Foods Naturally Rich in Glutathione

The human body produces glutathione, but there are also dietary sources. Spinach, avocados, asparagus and okra are some of the richest dietary sources.  However, dietary glutathione is poorly absorbed by the human body.

5. Add Turmeric to Your Diet Which Helps absorb Glutathione

Turmeric is a vibrant yellow-orange herb and a popular spice in Indian cuisine.  The medicinal properties of turmeric are likely linked to its main component, curcumin.  The curcumin content is much more concentrated in a turmeric supplement, compared to the powder we use to cook with. Just make sure the supplement has black pepper added to it because black pepper contains the bioactive compound piperine, known to increase the absorption of curcumin into the body by 2000%

Numerous studies have shown that turmeric and curcumin extract have the ability to increase glutathione levels . Researchers conclude that the curcumin found in turmeric may assist in restoring adequate levels of glutathione and improve the activity of glutathione enzymes.

6. Consider Milk Thistle

Milk thistle supplements are another way to boost glutathione levels naturally.  Milk thistle is a herb composed of three active compounds, collectively known as silymarin. Silymarin is well known for its antioxidant properties and shown to increase glutathione levels.  Researchers believe that silymarin is able to maintain glutathione levels by preventing cell damage. 

8. Get Enough Sleep

A good night’s rest is essential for overall health. Interestingly, long-term lack of sleep can cause oxidative stress and even hormone imbalances. As if that wasn’t bad enough, other research has shown that chronic lack of sleep may decrease glutathione levels. Therefore, making sure you get good, restorative sleep each night may help maintain or boost your levels of glutathione.  If you don’t sleep well here are my sleep tips: https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2020/05/sleep-well.html

9. Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity of course is good for both your physical and mental health.  Recent research shows that exercise is also helpful in maintaining or increasing antioxidant levels, especially glutathione. Studies show it is a combination of both cardio and circuit weight training that increases glutathione the most, compared to completing cardio or weight training alone . However, overtraining without a balanced diet and proper rest can deplete your levels because too much exercise can be stressful to the body.

The good news is viruses can only affect us if we have a weak immune system.  For the most part, a strong healthy body, virus comes in and virus goes out, creating very little damage, even SARS-CoV-2.  The body’s own innate immune system is the strongest thing against any virus or other germ for that matter.  Having a strong  immune system is dependent on a healthy nutrient dense diet and a healthy lifestyle of exercise and good sleep.  The less stress the better for mind and body health, and a body void of as many toxins as possible.  We live and breathe this concept at Healing Arts. We live this lifestyle, eat healthy and take our supplements for optimal health.

got milk? The Health Benefits of Golden Milk

Having recently written about turmeric helping with weight loss I wanted to talk more about the health benefits of turmeric because there is so much more! It was in that blog I talked about taking turmeric pills in order to have high doses of curcumin, which is the main anti-inflammatory ingredient in turmeric. Turmeric can be used in cooking, especially Indian dishes. It can easily be added to a healthy shake as well. I wrote how it can be used in a health drink with apple cider vinegar here and now I am going to talk about its health benefits and making another delicious healthy drink called golden milk. For all my nondairy drinkers out there, don't worry, you can use seed or nut milk as well. My favorite way to make golden milk is with coconut milk. But first, here are 8 reasons to start adding it in to your diet:

1. Turmeric milk helps build immunity

2. Helps sleep

3. It is a good remedy for digestive problems.

4. It supports the liver.

5. Helps fight cancer

6. Clarifies the skin.

7. Gives relief from autoimmune diseases

8. Good for fighting Alzheimer's disease

When adding it to your diet you need to know that adding black pepper to it helps turmeric become more bioavailable. Which is another way of saying your body can absorb more turmeric if you add black pepper with it. Drinking golden milk before bed can help sleep because turmeric reduces inflammation, lowers your blood sugar levels, helps your liver to detoxify, boosts your immune system and eases your digestive system – all of which help you to get to sleep faster, to sleep better, and to wake up feeling refreshed.

How do you make golden milk?
Serves 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm water

• 1 cup coconut milk (or any milk you prefer)

• 2 tsp turmeric powder

• 2 tsp virgin coconut oil

• ½ inch ginger knob, peeled and grated

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper or 2 black peppercorns, crushed

• ½ tsp cinnamon powder

• ½ tsp nutmeg powder

• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

• *Optional 2 tsp raw organic honey or pure maple syrup for the vegan version

Preparation

1. Whisk coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, coconut oil, black pepper, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.

2. Do Ahead. Golden milk can be made 5 days ahead and reheated.

Golden milk powder with the exact ratios of spice can be bought at the office or online. Just add a teaspoon to simmering coconut milk or almond milk and you're done!

A great place to buy a golden milk latte with almost any type of milk you want is at Dr. Smood with the closest one to the office being on Lexington Ave at 47th St.

The Science of a Gut Feeling

That gut feeling that creeps up at times is more accurate than most people realize. The gut-brain axis is a system of communication between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the brain that goes both ways and is responsible for monitoring physiological homeostasis. It connects both the emotional and cognitive areas of the brain with functions associated with the intestines including immune activation, intestinal permeability, and endocrine signaling.

Bi-directional communication between the gut and brain is largely carried out by the vagus nerve, which carries a wide range of signals between the gut and brain and is involved in many bodily processes ranging from swallowing to heart rate regulation to digestion. Other systems also contribute to the gut-brain axis, including the sympathetic nervous system, enteric nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, endocrine and immune systems. The gut-brain axis is being increasingly studied for its role in the development, but also the therapeutic treatment, of inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.  Yes, depression and PTSD can be helped if you heal the gut.  

The role of of healthy gut microbiome in the gut-brain axis

The gut microbiome is an extremely important part of the GI tract, and as such, a critical player in the gut-brain axis. Bacteria in the gut microbiome synthesize and produce important metabolites that affect the brain, including the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine, and histamine.

These metabolites can signal at the local level or travel to the brain where they affect signaling and function in brain cells.  Other components of the gut microbiome, including healthy fungi, also contribute to the communication along the gut-brain axis.

Bacteria in the GI tract also synthesize compounds that may act as neuro-mediators in the brain, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), aromatic amino acids, and bile acids. SCFAs indirectly affect the gut-brain axis through inducing the release of several gut hormones, including leptin, which interact with the vagus nerve and receptors in the brain. SCFAs also contribute to the maintenance of physical barriers including the intestinal barrier, via tight junctions, as well as the blood brain barrier. Tight junctions are critical to the maintenance of intestinal permeability, preventing pathogens from entering the bloodstream and causing immune and inflammatory responses, including neuroinflammation.  In our office we do a lot to help heal the intestinal wall.  When it leaks we call it leaky gut and a lot can be done with food to heal it.  We also do a lot to help heal a leaky brain too. 

Imbalance in the composition of the gut microbiome, called dysbiosis, can affect the gut-brain axis and peripheral organs. Unhealthy diet, stress, infections, and antibiotics contribute to dysbiosis, leading to altered SCFA production and gut permeability, which induces systemic inflammation, increases blood brain barrier permeability, and ultimately results in neuroinflammation, an important step in the development of neurological conditions such as depression and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Gut hormones

The gut-brain axis is heavily involved in the digestion process, including regulating the rate of nutrient absorption and release of gut hormones. Gut hormones are regulatory peptides that influence the control of food intake by regulating satiety, gastric emptying, and energy balance. Signaling molecules released after ingestion of food are communicated to the brain via the gut-brain axis and the brain can then signal for the release of hunger-regulating hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, to help with the digestion process via the gut-brain axis.

The Gut-Brain Axis and the HPA Axis

The gut-brain axis and the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which coordinates the response to stress, both involve signaling in the brain and the ability to respond to stimuli. Signaling molecules that are generated by the HPA axis in response to stress travel throughout the body and affect the gut microbiome and gut microbiome conversely influence HPA axis response to stress. The vagus nerve is critical in coordinating the connection between these axes as it is able to detect different metabolites produced by the gut flora responding to stress and generate a response in the central nervous system.

Because the HPA axis and gut-brain axis are closely connected, improper activation of the HPA axis affects the gut-brain axis. Dysregulation of the HPA axis can alter the composition of the gut microbiome, negatively affecting intestinal barrier integrity, and negatively influence the metabolism of tryptophan metabolites, important modulators of the gut-brain axis. Improper activation of the HPA axis can also lead to increased intestinal, systemic, and neurological inflammation.  

Disorders Related to the Gut-Brain Axis

Because the gut affects so much we specialize in creating a healthy gut microbiome by first helping patients detox and then kill bad gut flora.  After that is accomplished we then put good gut flora in.  Even when it comes to depression and anxiety, we help patients heal the gut and they feels so much better! To understand more about the 4 steps to heal the gut watch this video: https://youtu.be/83xHeFqR62w.

The composition of the gut microbiome and diet, among other lifestyle factors, can lead to emotional balance and mood disorders. However, mood disorders and emotional balance are also linked to changes in gut microbiome and to a poor diet, which can further exacerbate the issue. When patients first come to Healing Arts they are stuck in a cycle where they don’t feel good so they eat poorly and end up feeding the bad gut flora that grows and continues to make them feel bad.  Stopping this cycle is the first thing we have to do.  

Probiotics

Treatment with probiotics has been shown to decrease stress-induced inflammatory responses, reducing symptoms of stress including anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Probiotics may be able to restore neuroplasticity in certain areas of the brain as well as restore intestinal barrier integrity and help regulate the HPA axis. So not only does it work in the gut but also the brain. Probiotics with anti-inflammatory effects that may be useful in treating patients with psychiatric disorders have been given a new grouping, called psychobiotics. There are lots of different types of probiotics and getting muscle tested for the specific one for your body is important.  

Dietary components

Diets high in saturated fats, including the Standard American Diet, can lead to gut microbiome dysbiosis and obesity, characterized by high levels of inflammation. This can lead to changes in neurotransmitter metabolism, further impacting the gut-brain axis.  A high fat diet may also result in impaired neuroplasticity in key brain regions and impair the intestinal barrier and mucus layer of the gut.

Conversely, the Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, whole grains and lean protein foods, provides many dietary compounds that support both brain and gut health. If you aren’t going to get muscle tested for your specific diet then you may want to consider the Mediterranean diet.  A Mediterranean-style diet can reduce intestinal inflammation, cognitive impairment, and risk of certain neurological diseases. The diet is also full of dietary fiber which helps promote SCFA production, increases the diversity of the gut microbiome, and inhibits neuroinflammation induced by a high fat diet. Healthier diets also tend to contain more fruits and vegetables which are naturally higher in prebiotics and polyphenols. Polyphenols exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can also modulate the gut microbiome.

Exercise

Engaging in regular exercise, including aerobic exercises and yoga, supports the health of the gut-brain axis. Exercise improves cognition and can improve symptoms of both mood and psychological disorders.  It can also boost the diversity of the gut microbiome, leading to an increase in SCFA production, which promotes healthy functioning of both the gut and brain, decreasing depression and anxiety and increasing HPA axis balance.

The gut-brain axis connects emotional and cognitive areas of the brain with gut functions. What was once thought to be two distinct systems of the body are intricately connected and regulated, with important consequences for the rest of the body. A healthy gut = a healthy brain and emotional life.

Watch video on Leaky Gut Causes, Symptoms, Prevention