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.

Pegan Diet, Is It Right For You?

When it comes to eating well I like paleo.  I like intermittent fasting.  I like keto green.  I like vegan. But what I actually love is muscle testing food to see specifically what your body’s biofeedback is and creating a diet specifically for you. When muscle testing it’s surprising to see the results.  Sometimes it’s vegan except yes to cheese but not milk.  It’s because the fermentation process of cheese allows the person to have it.  Sometimes when muscle testing it’s paleo without the fruit because even fruit sugar is too much sugar for that person.  It’s wonderful to get these specific results when muscle testing. So when Dr. Mark Hyman came out with a new book called The Pegan Diet Paleo + Vegan = Pegan I was definitely intrigued just like when I loved Dr. Anna Cabeca’s  book Keto Green came out I was super excited because I knew there had to be a healthier way to do keto. Yet again, keto green is not for everyone because maybe you don’t do well with cruciferous vegetables.  

Just like all the other ‘diets’ published there is not one specific diet for everyone but I did enjoy reading The Pegan Diet and how Dr. Hyman simplified great nutritional advice in 21 principles which I will summarize below.

1.Use food as your Farmacy

He goes into details of exactly how food is medicine and eating the right types of food can support your immune system, hormones, circulation, digestion, energy, and detoxification system.  He also explains how eating healthy fats helps support every single cell in your body.  

2. Eat the Rainbow

Pegan diet is double the fruit and vegetables compared to the US dietary guidelines which says 3 cups a day.  The optimal amount should be 6 to 8 cups of fruit and veggies a day.  A serving is usually 1/2 cup so this is 12 to 16 servings a day.  If you know me well enough you know that I think fruit servings should be limited to one or two servings a day depending on the muscle testing so the rest should be veggies.  Dr. Hyman’s goal in this chapter is to show you all the different benefits one can get when eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and even breaks it down in a chart listing all the different colored foods with their phytochemicals and benefits. There is a list of red foods, orange foods, yellow foods, etc. 

3. Follow the 75% Rule

Fill 75% of your plate with non-starchy veggies.  If you aren’t sure what a non-starchy vegetable is we have a chart in the office and can give it to you next time.  

4. Eat the Right Beans, Whole Grains, Nuts and Seeds

A handful or two or nuts and seeds is good but they have to be raw and soaked overnight and then lightly toasted for better digestion.  That is why we carry sprouted almonds and sprouted grainless granola and sprouted cashews in the office.  Nut flours should be eaten minimally for it is too highly processed.  Non-starchy beans are good and should be only 1/2 cup per day and include lentils, lupine beans, peas, snow peas, black eyed peas, mung beans and traditional organic soy products.  Soak the dried beans for a few hours or overnight and not from a can.  Can also be cooked in a pressure cooker instead with a sheet of seaweed for extra nutrition.  He suggests kombu.  Stick to 1/2 to 1 cup whole grains a day.  If you have gut dysbiosis, want to lose weight or auto-immune disease take a 3 week holiday from grains and notice how you feel.  

5. Eat Your Meat as Medicine

Eat only quality meat. If you aren’t sure what that means, read my blog on grass-fed meat. Life Without Bread is a book going into detail how a diet rich in animal protein can be beneficial.  The book is based on 40 years of research from the 1950s through 1990s, before the quality of meat went downhill so I recommend that if you eat meat that it has to be good quality.  Pegan Diet book explains how studies show that grass-fed, regeneratively raised meat cooked the right way can give good nutrition but meat is a side dish no the main entree.  Good quality meat can be hard to find.  Here is what I have used.

www.thrivemarket.com

www.butcherbox.com

www.grassrootscoop.com 

6.   Be Picky About Your Poultry, Eggs and Fish

Again it’s about quality.  Eat pasture raised chicken, turkey, duck and eggs when possible. Pasture-raised is even better than organic. Pasture-raised eggs can be found in grocery stores but to get pasture-raised chicken, turkey or duck I need to go to a farmer’s market.  Stick with low-mercury, wild fish, three times a week.  Be careful with shellfish.  It’s hard to get wild.  If you can’t get wild eat fish farmed with sustainable, restorative or regenerative practices.  Checkout www.cleanfish.com to learn more.  For online options my favorite resources for quality fish is thrivwemarket.comand butcherbox.com

7. Have Fats with Every Meal 

Fat is your friend.  When I started eating more healthy fats I became stronger and more energized.   The right fats can make you healthy and lean.  They are also good for the brain and heart.  The wrong fats can be deadly.  Unlike sugar, which is all bad, fats are complicated.  For a list of healthy vs. non-healthy fats just email me and I can email you back a chart or give a handout at the office.  It’s all about eating the right type of fats.  We need fats to survive.  Every cell is made of fat.  Every nerve is wrapped in a layer of fat.  Our brain is 60% fat.  Our hormones are made of fat.  To make it easy stick with organic avocado oil, organic extra virgin olive oil and coconut or MCT oil and do not eat fats with sugar or starch.  

8. Avoid Dairy (Mostly)

Dairy is not an essential food group.  A lot of people are dairy sensitive.  Consume only full fat dairy products.  Low-fat dairy is harder to digest.  If you do muscle test well for dairy goat and sheep dairy is healthier.  The best cow milk is A2 milk.  Grass-fed butter and ghee is different than cheese and milk and can be fine to use.

9. Eat Like a Regenetarian

Shop local and organic. Join a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program if you can. Go to localharvest.org to find one in your area.  Shop farmers’ markets too.  End food waste as much as you can.  Look for ROC (regenerative organic certified) label on your food. Limit your use of plastic.  We do so much plastic detox in the office.  Plastic is a huge source of infertility and other hormone concerns.   

10.Treat Sugar Like a Recreational Drug

White refined sugar is addicting and for better health really should not be ingested.  Brown sugar, cane sugar high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are also toxic.  Yes I eat sugar but it’s in limited amounts and includes stevia, coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup.  Other options are monk fruit and agave but my body tends not to like them so I stay away.  

11. Don’t Rely on Coffee and Alcohol

Even if you muscle test well for alcohol it should be limited.  We also muscle test coffee separate from caffeine to see if a patient can do either.  Green tea really has the most health benefits of any caffeinated beverage.  Your beverage of choice should always be water.  

12. Leverage Personalized Nutrition for Optimal Health

This is where Healing Arts and muscle testing shine.  We also work with functional medicine doctors when patients need blood work.  

13. Cleanse, Detox and Reset Wisely

Dr. Hyman gives a specific 10 day cleansing diet to help detox and reset your body.  To also help cleanse your body he suggests eating your last meal at least 2 hours before bed and at least 12-14 hours between diner and breakfast. Part of good health is good sleep.  He suggests committing to a bedtime daily and turning off electronics at least 45 minutes before bed including the TV.  I usually suggest 30 min.  

14.Assess the Risks and Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Whether you are vegan or not 75% of your plate should be non-starchy vegetables.  Eat green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, etc. if you test for it.  Make sure you are eating protein-rich vegan foods including lentils which are the highest source of protein for any plant.  Adding a protein shake is easy.  Try one made with pea protein or hemp protein. Over the last couple of years there have been some really good ones that have come out.  Take supplements as needed, especially vitamin B12 and iron.

15. Eat for Gut Health

Health is all about having good gut flora.  No matter what your health concerns are bad gut flora is playing some sort of role.  Bad gut flora drives inflammation which is at the root of all chronic disease and obesity.  In this chapter is a recipe for a gut healing shake with colostrum, prebiotic, probiotic and collagen.  His steps for healing the gut are similar to mine and are 1. Weed 2. Seed 3. Feed.  Weed out and kill bad gut flora using supplements and eating no sugar.  Sugar will feed the bad gut flora.  Seed is eating probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut and kimchi and taking a probiotic.  Feed is eating fiber-rich foods for prebiotic benefits so the good bacteria can grow.  

16. Eat for Longevity

To have a solid foundation for living as healthy as possible for as long as possible the Pegan Diet has 4 points.  1. Keep your fasting blood sugar to 70-85mg/dL.  If it’s higher than this remove all sugars, including healthy ones, and refined starches from your diet, including gluten-free breads, pasta, all rice and potatoes.  Stress can also cause blood sugar to go up so meditate, deep breathing, yoga or other relaxing techniques. 2. Eat protective, disease-fighting foods.  These include green, leafy vegetables, organic, wild blueberries, organic broccoli and green tea. 3. Build muscle.  The older you are the harder it is to build muscle so build muscle now and lift weights to keep the muscle you have.  4. Incorporate intermittent fasting.  I suggest intermittent fasting only if you muscle test for it because it’s not for everyone.  He suggests doing a 24 hour fast once a month as well.  Some of my patients muscle test well for and get good results with fasting 24 hours once a week.  

17. Eat to Boost Mood

The number one thing that will help boost your mood is to not let your blood sugar go up and down.  Keep your blood sugar balanced with eating frequent healthy meals with healthy fats.  Eat brain-boosting foods such as fish, nuts, seeds and green tea.  Lastly, work with someone to see what nutrition you may be lacking (this is where we come in) or at least start with a multi vitamin made from organic food.  

18. Make Healthy Eating Affordable

Plan ahead and go grocery shopping.  It costs more to pick up food on the go.  Taking your lunch to work with you will save so much money. If you don’t cook just make it easy with salads.  You could also learn to cook 4-5 meals and cook extra so you have leftovers for lunch the next day.  Track your spending habits.  Shop at discount stores.  I have a routine of shopping at 3 different grocery stores to meet all my family requirements as cheaply as possible plus then thrivwemarket.com and the CSA.  

19. Feed Your Kids What You Eat

Families who cook and eat together build healthy habits that will last a lifetime. It’s exciting when we splurge on the weekends eating out and Sunday night my 13 year old asks for a salad.  She knows what she is missing. Children, even more than adults, enjoy and require routine.  Pretend Soup is a cookbook that has kid-friendly recipes from whole foods if you want ideas.  If your children are already eating gluten, sugar and dairy you don’t need to do a big overhaul.  Make small changes with them and they may not even notice.  Don’t announce the pancakes are gluten-free.  Just make them and see if they even notice. Start babies with avocado at 6 months old.  Pediatricians are recently recommending 4 months old but I would wait.  Start with avocado because it is the closest thing nutritionally to breast milk.  Then stick with veggies for as long as you can.  Introduce fruit at 10 months just because it’s so sugary and you want them to not crave sugar.  

20. Make Healthy Habits Stick 

If your family is not on board tell them you need time to take care of your health and that you hope they will support your decision for you to do it for yourself.  Talk to your friends and see if there is anyone that can support you there.  At least you know you have us to support you through the changes and making them healthy habits for life. Study habit change can also be empowering.  The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg or Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg are recommended.  

21. Start the Pegan Diet Today 

Last but not least, start the Pegan Diet!  The end of the book is filled with recipes.  I made the Morning Quinoa Berry Bake and we loved it, kids included.  He suggests 1/3 cup healthy sweetener but I did without because of the shredded coconut and fruit I thought it was sweet enough.  

Stay Hydrated this Summer

Water is so essential to life.  I wish I could put it in supplement form for my patients because many of them do not drink enough and when they do drink it tends not to be of quality so I wanted to take the time to write this blog article.  If you don’t drink enough good quality water right now and you start I bet you that your overall health will increase by 10%, just by drinking water!  Trust me, staying hydrated is key to a healthy body. I check hydration frequently with my patients especially patients who are detoxing because the toxins that are purposely being pulled out also need to be flushed out.  If toxins are not being flushed out detox symptoms can occur and include headaches, skin rashes, constipation, diarrhea, irritability, fatigue, trouble sleeping, or feeling like you are getting a cold.  The reasons why detox symptoms can occur is because there are more toxins being pulled out of the cells and tissues, running around in your bloodstream than your liver can handle.  Once the toxins find their way to the liver they are broken down  and moved to the kidneys or bowels for elimination.  

The health benefits of drinking water including:

carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells

flushing bacteria from your bladder

aiding digestion

preventing constipation

normalizing blood pressure

stabilizing the heartbeat

less joint stiffness

better memory

It is said to drink 8 glasses of water a day but I think everyone's optimal water intake is a very personal amount based on their age, activity level and their current health status.  Over the years I have seen a trend of how much water people tend to need on a daily basis and if I was to put a number on it I would suggest for the average adult we need to drink 2 liters, which is about 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day.

For a lot of people this can be difficult to do for it does not include any caffeinated, fruit or sugary drinks.  So it would only include water or herbal tea. Caffeinated or sugary drinks actually deplete your body of more water than they put in, causing dehydration so if you have a cup of caffeinated tea you would want to do 9 glasses of water to make up for it that day.  There is an art to making sure you are drinking enough water and that's why an app to keep track can be a good idea.  A free app, such as Daily Water, is good at recording how much water you drink plus you can set reminders to make sure you drink your daily 2 liters.  You can actually set it to any daily amount and also email me the data too!

Interestingly our bodies are made up of 60% percent water and that’s why drinking enough is essential to our health and affects so many bodily functions including digestion, blood pressure and detoxing, as well as our energy level.  It’s not only vital to drink it but also to ensure that the quality of our water is of the highest regard. There are many factors that can contaminate our water supply which can then negatively affect the body’s health, so understanding how this can occur and how to prevent it will allow you to make the best choice of water for your health. 

It can be tricky as there is so much information out there about toxins in our water supply, the chemicals in the plastic water bottles, and the confusion about water filters. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found over 300 chemicals and metals in our water.  These toxins were found in our water supply throughout the United States and even in some water bottles and include industrial solvents, weed killers, refrigerants and  rocket fuel in water supplied to the public. 

Water stored in plastic containers are a problem because plastic is known to actually disrupt the natural function of the body by disrupting our body’s hormones, immune function, nervous system function and causing reproductive issues depleting our health and vitality. You can go on the environmental working group’s website ewg.org and put your zip code in to find how many toxins are in your water supply.  Here are some of the main toxins that the EWG finds.

·      Atrazine- herbicide used on food supply that runs into our water stream

·      Lead- old piping, affects nervous system and brain function

·      Chlorine- added to kill bacteria but it affects the body’s lungs and lymph system

·      Plastic- leaches chemicals into our water that affect hormonal balance

·    Fluoride - a neuro toxin affecting the brain, added to protect our teeth.  The EWG has a map dedicated just to fluoride contaminates.

Understanding that these toxins wreak havoc on the body we prevent this toxic overload in our body by filtering out these toxins. There are so many water filter options out there that it can be confusing so I have come up with my top three choices that remove most of these nasty toxins.

·      Zero water filter is a pitcher water filter like the Brita but does a better job. $35 and is the cheapest I can find that does a good job. but keep in mind it’s a hard plastic pitcher and we don’t love plastic.  but the harder the plastic the better.  

·      Berkey water filters are great, stainless steel but take up more counter space and start at $250.

I personally have a chlorine filter for the whole house and a reverse osmosis (RO) filter for drinking water from Culligan that I love.  When the cullighan guys came to my house to install the filters it felt like it was my birthday!  RO water is great, takes out all contaminates but it also takes out the natural minerals that is in water so you will need to supplement with minerals to make up for it.  

Whether you drink bottled or filtered water, for those of you who are patients at Healing Arts, If you want, at your next appointment bring in your drinking water in a glass container and we'll muscle test it for you to make sure it's good for your body.

When on the go you will want to drink your filtered water but don’t carry it in a plastic bottle.  Plastic is highly toxic and leeches into the water.  Heat makes plastic leach more and when you put your mouth to a plastic water bottle remember that it’s 98 degrees. Many of you are familiar with the need to buy BPA-free plastic. BPA, is toxic because it acts like estrogen in the body.  Research finds that BPA leached from the lining of tin cans, dental sealants and plastic bottles can increase body weight of lab animals' offspring. A more recent animal study suggests that even low-level exposure to BPA results in insulin resistance, which can lead to inflammation, diabetes  and heart disease. There are now BPA-free products, yet, in 2011 it was reported that "almost all plastic products" sampled released chemicals that acted like estrogen. this is why you want to try to avoid not only plastic water bottles but plastic forks, straws, saran wrap, ziplock bags etc.  Plastic is everywhere and it will help to cut down its usage.  

Use stainless steel water bottles or even better are glass water bottles.  My favorite water bottle that I absolutely love to use is my flaska water bottle.  It’s not only glass but the glass is made in such a way to restructure the water crystals. This type of water is called structured water and is extremely healthy for you.  The science behind structured water comes from Dr. Masaru Emoto who was a Japanese scientist that believed that water was a "blueprint for our reality" and that emotional "energies" and "vibrations" could 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. 

And if this is what words do to water then you can imagine what they do to us on a cellular level for we are made up of about 60% water. To find out more Dr. Emoto's best selling book is called The Hidden Messages in Water. The main idea is quantum physics. E=mc2, so anything with mass has energy and that energy travels in waves and can be picked up on and interfere with water. Even the mass of the letters on a piece of paper.

I have read blogs on making your own special water using words, which Dr. Emoto calls HADO water and the most effective and efficient way is through a FLASKA. FLASKA makes special glass water bottles that restructure the water in 5 minutes. It comes with a sleeve for protection so if you drop the bottle it doesn't break.  They are half a liter, $36 each, and can be bought online or at the office.

To get the most out of your FLASKA restructuring the water write positive words on a piece of paper and leave under the bottle for 5 minutes so that it's restructured to your specific words. Make sure all the words are touching the glass so you may have to write small. An all encompassing phrase would work like 'love and gratitude'. But if you have pain or a health concern write, 'this pain is already gone'. For those of you who use affirmations this would be a great way to use them! Get creative and drink your 2-3 liters of water a day!

Now I understand when on the go it’s not easy to always have filtered water so when I’m stuck I will buy water in plastic water bottles and pour them into my flaska which is definitely better than getting dehydrated and at least this way your lips aren’t touching the plastic. So when in a pinch try to find water in a glass bottle.  Mountain Valley is the best bottled water I know of.  The best bottled water in plastic is Volvic, second is Fiji (i’ve heard rumors of it being toxic but not from my research or experience). 

For many people it would be beneficial to drink 32 ounces of water first thing in the morning with 1/2 lemon squeezed in it.  If you suffer from headaches, constipation, high blood pressure, or detox symptoms drinking half of your daily water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and then waiting 30 minutes to drink or eat anything else can really help the body flush out toxins and reduce inflammation.  The lemon is helpful because it is a strong detoxer.  You see, every night from 11pm-1am your liver takes all the toxins it has broken down from the day and dumps it into the intestines to be eliminated so that if we drink tons of water first thing in the morning it helps move all those toxins to be eliminated and not just sit in the intestines and get reabsorbed through the intestinal wall.  You wait 30 minutes so the body can do this detoxing efficiently and not be distracted with also trying to digest your breakfast or tea.  

I also love adding lime to my water.  

Lime water and lemon water are very similar for their benefits. I do find most people test for lemon in their 32 ounces of water in the morning but then test for lime not lemon to be added to the rest of their water for the day.  Limes are higher in calcium and vitamin A than lemons.  and just like lemons, limes help

• boost the immune system

• they also help support the Liver and detox

• help improve digestion and bowel movements

• helps with heart burn

• and decrease inflammation to help with joint problems

If you want to stay healthy, sip on lime or lemon water throughout the day. The vitamin C and antioxidants in limes and lemons can strengthen your immune system and help your body fight off infections such as the cold and flu virus. It may also shorten the duration of an illness.

Liver and detox support – The vitamin C in limes helps the liver to produce glutathione, a regenerative antioxidant that helps the liver process and eliminate toxins. 

Improves digestion – Drinking lime water improves digestion. Limes are acidic and they help saliva break down food for better digestion. Additionally, flavonoids in limes stimulate secretion of digestive juices. If you suffer from constipation, the acidity of limes can clear the excretory system and stimulate bowel activity. 

Heartburn or acid reflux - drinking a glass of warm water with 2 teaspoons of lime juice about 30 minutes before meals may help prevent reflux symptoms.

Arthritis, gout, and other joint problems are caused by inflammation. Vitamin C can reduce the level of inflammation in your body, so adding lime juice to water can relieve symptoms of arthritis and similar conditions that cause joint pain and stiffness. Limes can also reduce uric acid levels. Uric acid is a waste product the body produces when breaking down foods that contain purines, like meat, liver, mushrooms, and dried beans. High levels of uric acid can cause gout.

Limes are not only a good source of vitamin c but also:

• potassium

• vitamins A, B, C, and D

• calcium

• magnesium

If it’s not easy for you to always have a fresh, organic lime on hand to squeeze into your water you can buy organic essential lime oil that is easy to carry anywhere with you and get the same great benefits. Start adding lime to your drinking water today and see what happens!

But be careful, I have seen patients detox too fast by drinking too much lemon or lime water. So if you get any detox symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, or skin rashes then cut the limes or lemons but keep drinking your water!

Lime water is also great for UTIs.  I see so many women in my office with UTIs and I think 20% could be prevented if they drank enough water.  Staying hydrated would cause bacteria to be constantly flushed out, preventing infections. 

Low blood pressure is another sign you are dehydrated and you would want to add Himalayan salt to your water to help regulate the blood pressure.  

Another thing you can put in your water to make it healthier for you is oxygen. Yes oxygen! It’s called ozonated water and you would need a special machine for it.  I have done a lot of research on ozone therapy and what machines are best and I finally decided on the Ozo pod. My main use for it is to make ozonated water to clean all my fruits and vegetables.  I felt like all the cleaning sprays for pesticides were not really doing a good job so when i first learned about ozonated water I was excited to try it on my produce and I love it!  It also purifies drinking water which is great for camping and I also started washing my face with the ozonated water and I do feel a difference, like my skin is tighter. more oxygen to the skin is only beneficial.  

In the ozone process, the machine makes ozone which is O3 in the water and the water molecules which are H2O are infused with bubbling O3. Because ozone is unstable, the newly formed bond is only temporary and must be used or preserved no more than 20 minutes after creation to be most effective. 

Ozonated water has a clean, fresh taste. This type of water has been shown in a number of scientific studies to kill bacteria and viruses. It has proven effective in killing E. coli, yeast, salmonella and listeria. that’s why it’s good for purifying water when camping assuming you have access to electricity and it’s great for washing your produce. 

The biological benefits of drinking ozonated water 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! I personally drink 64 ounces of ozonated water a day.  Ozone adds oxygen to the blood stream and eliminates impurities. Increased oxygen in the brain heightens its function. Single oxygen atoms introduced into the immune system makes it stronger and better able to fight infections. Drinking cold ozone water on an empty stomach regularly can detoxify your intestinal tract and is especially good for people going through a parasite cleanse or having constipation or diarrhea.  Drinking ozonated water increases energy levels too because of the extra oxygen in the body. But the effectiveness of ozonated water is not limited to drinking. Bathing in ozonated water is great therapy for skin disorders, eczema, psoriasis, hives. It can also be used to treat muscle soreness, spinal and back injuries and neck stiffness.

Due to its disinfecting properties, ozonated water is used during surgeries to keep opened areas sterile. It also is used as a supplemental treatment of cancer. Research has shown that the introduction of the third oxygen cell can aid the body’s immune system in containing the existing cancer cells, thus preventing the spread of cancer to uninfected areas of the body. Though this is not potent enough a therapy to be used alone, ozonated water has been shown to kill small numbers of cancer cells in patients.

Ozonated water has been found to to help the body detox by converting wastes and toxins to water and carbon dioxide after which they are easily expelled from the body. This is especially essential in neutralizing the effects of harmful toxins.

Water that has been ozonated for at least 10 minutes has been found to be effective in treating fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot, ringworms and nail fungus. Just apply topically!

Ozone water when used in bushing of teeth, eliminates bad breath and gum problems.

Ozonated water is a gentle yet effective cleanser for the skin, and is especially helpful in treating acne, blackheads and pimples.  It’s an extra step to use the Ozo pod and wait for ozonated water to be made and then wash your face but I promise you the skin feels so much better! 

If you are someone who drinks at least 64 ounces of water a day and yet feel dehydrated it’s because the body isn’t using the water you are drinking.  The reason is because minerals are lacking to have the cells absorb and use the water.  You may feel you drink water and it goes right through you and you are urinating all the time!

What I have found muscle tests the best for this type of dehydration is one of four things:  trace mineral drops, homeopathic rehydration drops, electrolyte powder or Himalayan salt 

Trace mineral drops are from a company called Trace minerals Research.  These drops have over 60 different minerals in them the majority being magnesium,  The minerals help the pH balance of the body so the cells then absorb the water and use it.  But beware, they don’t taste great.  

Rehydration is a homeopathic remedy from a company called Energetix that helps the cells absorb water and besides dehydration symptoms it is wonderful to use for dry skin; bloating; headaches; stiffness in muscles and joints; and mental sluggishness.

Electrolyte powder -first of all they’re easy to travel with. There’s lots of different companies out there but I like Dr. Price because in one packet they have over 72 different trace minerals in them and they don’t have all the sugar or even fruit sugar known as fructose in them like the other companies. It also doesn’t have food coloring.  It’s the best electrolyte powder I know of.  

Sometimes adding a pinch of Himalayan salt to every glass of water is the best way to go. It’s just a pinch so you shouldn’t taste it and easy to do when home but not as easy when you’re out and about.  That’s where the electrolyte packets come in handy. Himalayan salt contains 84 trace minerals.  

With dehydration patients test usually for one of these four remedies and it depends on what type of minerals the body is missing.  That’s why I love muscle testing. I don’t have to do any guessing work. The body tells me through the biofeedback of the muscle testing and that’s how patients get their health back.  

So that’s it for water! I hope this blog opened up your eyes to how important it is to not only drink enough but make sure of the water quality.

Ozone Sauna Therapy Benefits

Who doesn’t love to sweat out toxins for better health?  Dry saunas and steam rooms have been used for centuries to help people feel better not just by the relaxation but by the heat allowing one to sweat out toxins and boost the immune system.  When doing this type of therapy one always has to be careful to not detox too fast and cause a detox reaction or dehydration.  To help prevent dehydration that’s one reason why I love using steam versus the dry heat. But even after spending time in a steam room you want to drink at least 64 ounces of water that same day to help flush out toxins that were brought up and out of the cells during the steam room time.  Besides a steam room, hot showers always do the trick for me especially if I have tight muscles or feel like I need an immune boost. Now I can get the benefits of a steam room with ozone at Healing Arts (I just have to come to work early or leave later to have time for a treatment).  

I love ozone.  Having had asthma as a child putting ozone into the air saves me when I go to my mom’s dusty cabin in the Adirondacks.  I also make ozonated water to drink 16 ounces daily, wash my fruits and vegetables in it to get the dirt and bugs off of it and I use it to wash my face. The ozo-pod makes that all possible, creating ozonated water at home.  Washing my face with the ozonated water is amazing! I couldn’t believe it the first time I used it, my skin got tighter. More oxygen to the skin is only beneficial. So when I learned about ozone sauna therapy I couldn’t wait to try it!  If I had amazing results with just washing my face, imagine if I did my whole body! Not only is it amazing for the skin but ozone sauna is  therapeutic for the body as well.  As the ozone gets absorbed in through the skin to the lymphatic and blood streams the extra oxygen gives the body the extra boost it needs to fight free radicals, fight infection, detox heavy metals, absorb nutrients, reduce inflammation, have better digestion and more!  I knew I had to have one in the office so others could experience it and understand why I love ozone.

Ozone is a colorless gas made up of three atoms of oxygen (O3).  The oxygen in the air is O2 so when ozone gets absorbed into the body the extra oxygen atom easy breaks off and bonds to where it is needed in the body.  Your body can benefit in all sorts of ways if it has extra oxygen.  To help detox the extra oxygen molecule bonds with sulphur compounds the way glutathione does.  In this way ozone helps take the burden off the liver by binding to toxic substances making them neutral in the body and no longer a toxin.  

Ozone sauna therapy is the combination of steam sauna and ozone gas. During an ozone sauna session you sit in a sauna pod that covers you from the neck down and induces sweating using steam from distilled water.  This sweating opens up pores to allow the ozone gas to be absorbed by the skin. As you sit in the sauna pod, ozone gas is introduced at the same time. It’s important that the sauna allows for the head to stick out to prevent you from inhaling a lot of the ozone gas. Inhaling some ozone will only benefits the lungs as the extra oxygen is beneficial but too much can be irritating to the lungs and cause lightheadedness.  You google ozone and there is a lot of controversy despite the research that shows how therapeutic it is for the body. I’m not waiting for research to catch up to the results I see in my daily life.  

So when you combine the wet and warm skin with the ozone gas the extra oxygen that goes in has such great anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects.  Ozone sauna therapy is believed to be a powerful treatment which may be comparable to IV ozone administrations just without the needle.  Ozone therapy 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.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

You will sit in the Ozone pod with your head out of the top of the pod while steam and an ozone, oxygen mixture circulates inside the unit.  The steam and heat trigger the opening of your pores. Ozone then enters your body through your skin into your lymphatic fluid, blood and fat cells. Toxins in your lymph, fat & blood are oxidized, the oxidized toxins are expelled out through your skin, sparing your liver and kidneys.  Because ozone enters the body and pulls toxins out of fat cells it increases the body’s metabolism and can assist with weight loss

A treatment is usually between 20 or 30 minutes depending on your health. But we also offer 10 minute sessions to help prevent too much detox and if you just want to give it a try and don’t have enough time.  You will sit naked on a towel inside the pod. You could also have a towel wrapped around you but the idea is the more skin that is exposed to the steamy ozone air the better. No jewelry, water bottles or foreign objects should be taken into the pod with you due to the wet heat. 

You can expect to emerge from the treatment feeling relaxed, refreshed and energized. We provide towels to dry off.  Remember to drink plenty of water and breathe deeply for the rest of the day!

What is ozone sauna therapy used for?

Ozone saunas are used for a wide array of conditions because of its potent anti-inflammatory, detox and immune system boosting effects.  Ozone sauna therapy can be used for:

Joint pain

Multiple Sclerosis

Foggy Brain

As a complementary treatment to reduce side-effects of chemotherapy

Lyme disease

Rheumatoid arthritis

Auto-immune disorders

Lupus

Eczema

Injuries

Weight loss

Chronic viral diseases like EBV, hepatitis B and C

Bacterial infections

Fungal infections

Skin ulcers (diabetic, infectious, necrotic)

Allergies

Influenza, cold

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fibromyalgia

Poor Circulation

Diabetes

Scleroderma

Asthma

and more …

Are there possible side effects of ozone sauna therapy?

Ozone saunas are one of the safest treatments in the alternative health field: They’re non-invasive, and relaxing.  

The reported side effects are usually minor, transient, and can be easily remedied by using the sauna less.  This is why I like to muscle test for how long a patient’s ozone sauna session should be.  We have 10, 20 or 30 minute intervals.  The longer the session the more oxygen can get into the body but we don’t want to detox too fast.  Signs of detoxing too fast from the ozone would be a rash or fatigue.  The body goes into fatigue because all of the body’s energy goes to detoxing and not towards daily output.  If this happens just be kind to yourself for the day and it usually wears off with a good night sleep.  

A rash can occur because the ozone has brought up too many toxins and the body is trying to get rid of toxins through the skin as you sweat.  It can be itchy and it usually looks like small red pimples.  It can occur on the abdomen, chest or back, or on the limbs.  It is usually the itchiest the night of the ozone sauna therapy and dissipates completely in 3-4 days without any long standing damage to the skin.  It’s a good thing because you know you detoxed a lot but there is no reason to overwhelm the body so if you get a rash I do suggest the next time you do it either a reduction of the ozone concentration or frequency of administration.

If you get itchy you can alternate hot and cold showers when you get home. 10 minutes hot shower 2 minutes as cold as you can stand and the water really only has to hit the area of the rash.  You may also want to do a liver flush to help with the toxins.  A lotion with oat can be really soothing.  Bentonite paste on the rash can draw out the toxins helping the skin, and a high dose of vitamin B12 : up to 1500 micrograms at a time can help the rash too.  

For those who just want to do steam sauna and not ozone it is possible to turn the ozone off and get the health benefits of just the hot sauna.

You are not allowed to do the ozone sauna if you have high blood pressure, worried about a stroke, have an organ transplant or have hyperthyroidism.  If you are pregnant please do not partake in sauna ozone therapy, rather consider it for your post pregnancy protocol.

To know whether ozone sauna therapy is right for you talk to me or one of the other practitioners at Healing Arts and we can muscle test you for the best course of action.  If your body would benefit we can test for the best duration 10, 20, 30 minute sessions and for how often.  I do see for general detoxification and well being a schedule of four 30 minute sessions once every other week sessions is tested often.  For chronic medical disorders up to 12 sessions or more are required but everyone is different and we want to personalize your care.  So if you are thinking about it let us know at your next appointment so we can muscle test you for it.  

Resources

Ozone Water Blog -https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2016/04/benefits-of-ozone-water.html

Ozo-pod for ozonated water - https://healingartsnyc.com/shop/ozone-pod

Ozone therapy research -https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5674660/

Mercury Toxicity and Fish

Sam was detoxing from aluminum, mercury and lead at the same time.  That’s three heavy metals and especially detoxing mercury can be intense at times.  On the third week of detoxing his chest became bright red and hot.  Three days later, his skin started to peel.  It was like a sunburn coming from the inside because too much heavy metal was coming up and out at once and the liver couldn’t process it enough so it was coming out through the skin.  The skin itself is a detox organ.  We sweat out so many toxins a day, even when we do not workout.  Drinking tons of water and helping him through the detox did the trick.  His chest healed as if nothing ever happened and he was able to finish the detox without issues.  

When patients need to do a mercury detox at Healing Arts most of them are aware that mercury is contained in some of the fish we eat and from metallic dental fillings. Mercury is also contained in some of the products we use at home and in schools. And when exposed, mercury at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system. When affecting the brain, symptoms may include impairment of vision; disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings); lack of coordination; impairment of speech, hearing, walking; and muscle weakness. When it is breathed in as a vapor where it is absorbed through the lungs symptoms include tremors, emotional changes, insomnia, weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching, headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, and performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. All studies that look for mercury toxicity in humans seem to find measurable mercury in most of participants and that both blood and urine mercury levels tend to increase with age.  Scientists have decided that if a mercury blood level is less than 85 micrograms per liter (µg/L) then it is safe but I feel to be truly healthy that the body should have zero mercury in it.

When coal is burned, mercury is released into the environment. Coal-burning power plants are the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for over 40 percent of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions. Burning hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well as the improper treatment and disposal of products or wastes containing mercury, can also release it into the environment. Recycling of mercury-containing products is one of the best ways to help prevent mercury releases to the environment by keeping these products out of landfills and incinerators. We can also contribute by not buying mercury containing products. For a complete list of products that contain mercury you can go to this link https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-consumer-products#list of the EPA.

Mercury in the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others. The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on what they eat, how long they live and how high they are in the food chain.

Fish can be extremely toxic depending on the oceans that they come from and the way they are farmed. While it is a good idea to try and stay educated on which fish are okay to eat, as it tends to change somewhat frequently, this is a list of fish that you should almost always avoid.

Imported Catfish -  It almost always comes from Vietnam, where they use a large quantity of antibiotics that have been banned in the US. Instead, seek out domestic, farm-raised catfish.

Caviar – The high demand is causing a threat to the species that caviar comes from.

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

American Eel – It is highly contaminated with mercury and PCBs. Be careful of it in sushi dishes! Atlantic or Pacific caught squid have a similar taste and are a much better option.

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.

Atlantic Flatfish – This includes flounder, sole, and halibut from the Atlantic coast. They are all heavily contaminated and highly overfished, meaning that they are not sustainable. Instead, try domestically farmed tilapia or catfish.

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

Imported King Crab – It comes from Russia, where they do not strongly enforce limits on fish harvesting. It is often mislabeled Alaskan King Crab, which is actually a separate animal. If you can verify that what you are buying actually came from Alaska, it is okay to eat.

Shark – Shark is dangerous to humans because of its high mercury content, but it is very dangerous to ocean ecosystems as well. Without sharks, the species they are supposed to eat survive and go on to deplete other fish like scallops, placing on economic strain on communities that depend on them.

 Orange Roughey – It has high levels of mercury and is extremely overfished. Yellow snapper will provide a similar texture for recipes.

To learn more about mercury detox: https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2014/11/mercury-toxicity.html

To help detox all heavy metals from the body we highly suggest a series of ionic detox foot baths that help pull heavy metal out of your body.  For more information, click here

For our Heavy Metal Podcast Episode: https://healingarts.buzzsprout.com/894679/3022864-heavy-metal-detox

Should You Be a Vegetarian?

My patients often ask if I'm a vegetarian. I am not. My diet is free of gluten, sugar, dairy and fruit but not animal protein. I love fruit. It has a lot of good vitamins in it but my body doesn't love it. Except for limes and lemons I really do get all my vitamins from vegetables and healthy grains. I love buckwheat and the highest source of plant based protein is found in lentils so I eat lentils almost every day. If you want to incorporate lentils in your diet you have to cook them with a pressure cooker to get the lectins out. That is also how I cook the buckwheat and any rice I eat too. Lectins are a protein found in many plants that can cause leaky gut.

I also don’t eat eggs because my body doesn’t like them. Even pasture-raised eggs my body goes weak to. Pasture-raised eggs are the best quality eggs, even better than organic and if you can find pasture-raised organic eggs that would be even better.

In 2001 I did spend 3.5 years being a vegetarian but it wasn't for me. At first I felt like it was a relief to my body to go vegetarian but eventually my health started declining so I started eating meat again but just a little for I would say I still eat 85% vegetarian. That other 15% is just enough meat to make my body happy. I am very careful about the quality of meat I eat and make sure it is grass-fed or pasture raised and straight from the farmer who I know treats the animals well. I can respect eating vegetarian or even going all the way vegan but unfortunately what I have found in my office is that for most people being vegan for a long period of time is a disservice to the body. Being vegetarian can be sustainable given your body type and that's why muscle testing is so important. Everyone is different.

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. "Human body (without water) is largely made out of protein and fat (almost half and half), these are the 'bricks and mortar' from which your bones, muscles, brain, heart, lungs, liver and all other organs are made. Laboratory analysis of plants and animal foods show that the best protein and fat for human physiology comes from animal foods. The amino acid profile of animal protein is correct for the human body, while amino acid profile of plant-derived proteins is incomplete and unsuitable for human physiology. The same with fat: animal fat has the right fatty acid composition for human body to thrive on, while plant oils are unsuitable. So, when it comes to FEEDING your body and BUILDING your bodily tissues and structures animal foods are the best and the only suitable ones."

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian or are a vegetarian and you are thinking about incorporating more animal product you can always let me know so I can test the body and see what your body says. Just ask me; the answer is always to muscle test!

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).

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.

Ozone Sauna Therapy Benefits

Who doesn’t love to sweat out toxins for better health?  Dry saunas and steam rooms have been used for centuries to help people feel better not just by the relaxation but by the heat allowing one to sweat out toxins and boost the immune system.  When doing this type of therapy one always has to be careful to not detox too fast and cause a detox reaction or dehydration.  To help prevent dehydration that’s one reason why I love using steam versus the dry heat. But even after spending time in a steam room you want to drink at least 64 ounces of water that same day to help flush out toxins that were brought up and out of the cells during the steam room time.  Besides a steam room, hot showers always do the trick for me especially if I have tight muscles or feel like I need an immune boost. Now I can get the benefits of a steam room with ozone at Healing Arts (I just have to come to work early or leave later to have time for a treatment).  

I love ozone.  Having had asthma as a child putting ozone into the air saves me when I go to my mom’s dusty cabin in the Adirondacks.  I also make ozonated water to drink 16 ounces daily, wash my fruits and vegetables in it to get the dirt and bugs off of it and I use it to wash my face. The ozo-pod makes that all possible, creating ozonated water at home.  Washing my face with the ozonated water is amazing! I couldn’t believe it the first time I used it, my skin got tighter. More oxygen to the skin is only beneficial. So when I learned about ozone sauna therapy I couldn’t wait to try it!  If I had amazing results with just washing my face, imagine if I did my whole body! Not only is it amazing for the skin but ozone sauna is  therapeutic for the body as well.  As the ozone gets absorbed in through the skin to the lymphatic and blood streams the extra oxygen gives the body the extra boost it needs to fight free radicals, fight infection, detox heavy metals, absorb nutrients, reduce inflammation, have better digestion and more!  I knew I had to have one in the office so others could experience it and understand why I love ozone.

Ozone is a colorless gas made up of three atoms of oxygen (O3).  The oxygen in the air is O2 so when ozone gets absorbed into the body the extra oxygen atom easy breaks off and bonds to where it is needed in the body.  Your body can benefit in all sorts of ways if it has extra oxygen.  To help detox the extra oxygen molecule bonds with sulphur compounds the way glutathione does.  In this way ozone helps take the burden off the liver by binding to toxic substances making them neutral in the body and no longer a toxin.  

Ozone sauna therapy is the combination of steam sauna and ozone gas. During an ozone sauna session you sit in a sauna pod that covers you from the neck down and induces sweating using steam from distilled water.  This sweating opens up pores to allow the ozone gas to be absorbed by the skin. As you sit in the sauna pod, ozone gas is introduced at the same time. It’s important that the sauna allows for the head to stick out to prevent you from inhaling a lot of the ozone gas. Inhaling some ozone will only benefits the lungs as the extra oxygen is beneficial but too much can be irritating to the lungs and cause lightheadedness.  You google ozone and there is a lot of controversy despite the research https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5674660/ that shows how therapeutic it is for the body. I’m not waiting for research to catch up to the results I see in my daily life.  

So when you combine the wet and warm skin with the ozone gas the extra oxygen that goes in has such great anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects.  Ozone sauna therapy is believed to be a powerful treatment which may be comparable to IV ozone administrations just without the needle.  Ozone therapy 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.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

You will sit in the Ozone pod with your head out of the top of the pod while steam and an ozone, oxygen mixture circulates inside the unit.  The steam and heat trigger the opening of your pores. Ozone then enters your body through your skin into your lymphatic fluid, blood and fat cells. Toxins in your lymph, fat & blood are oxidized, the oxidized toxins are expelled out through your skin, sparing your liver and kidneys.  Because ozone enters the body and pulls toxins out of fat cells it increases the body’s metabolism and can assist with weight loss

A treatment is usually between 20 or 30 minutes depending on your health. But we also offer 10 minute sessions to help prevent too much detox and if you just want to give it a try and don’t have enough time.  You will sit naked on a towel inside the pod. You could also have a towel wrapped around you but the idea is the more skin that is exposed to the steamy ozone air the better. No jewelry, water bottles or foreign objects should be taken into the pod with you due to the wet heat. 

You can expect to emerge from the treatment feeling relaxed, refreshed and energized. We provide towels to dry off.  Remember to drink plenty of water and breathe deeply for the rest of the day!

What is ozone sauna therapy used for?

Ozone saunas are used for a wide array of conditions because of its potent anti-inflammatory, detox and immune system boosting effects.  Ozone sauna therapy can be used for:

Joint pain

Multiple Sclerosis

Foggy Brain

As a complementary treatment to reduce side-effects of chemotherapy

Lyme disease

Rheumatoid arthritis

Auto-immune disorders

Lupus

Eczema

Injuries

Weight loss

Chronic viral diseases like EBV, hepatitis B and C

Bacterial infections

Fungal infections

Skin ulcers (diabetic, infectious, necrotic)

Allergies

Influenza, cold

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fibromyalgia

Poor Circulation

Diabetes

Scleroderma

Asthma

and more …

Are there possible side effects of ozone sauna therapy?

Ozone saunas are one of the safest treatments in the alternative health field: They’re non-invasive, and relaxing.  

The reported side effects are usually minor, transient, and can be easily remedied by using the sauna less.  This is why I like to muscle test for how long a patient’s ozone sauna session should be.  We have 10, 20 or 30 minute intervals.  The longer the session the more oxygen can get into the body but we don’t want to detox too fast.  Signs of detoxing too fast from the ozone would be a rash or fatigue.  The body goes into fatigue because all of the body’s energy goes to detoxing and not towards daily output.  If this happens just be kind to yourself for the day and it usually wears off with a good night sleep.  

A rash can occur because the ozone has brought up too many toxins and the body is trying to get rid of toxins through the skin as you sweat.  It can be itchy and it usually looks like small red pimples.  It can occur on the abdomen, chest or back, or on the limbs.  It is usually the itchiest the night of the ozone sauna therapy and dissipates completely in 3-4 days without any long standing damage to the skin.  It’s a good thing because you know you detoxed a lot but there is no reason to overwhelm the body so if you get a rash I do suggest the next time you do it either a reduction of the ozone concentration or frequency of administration.

If you get itchy you can alternate hot and cold showers when you get home. 10 minutes hot shower 2 minutes as cold as you can stand and the water really only has to hit the area of the rash.  You may also want to do a liver flush to help with the toxins.  A lotion with oat can be really soothing.  Bentonite paste on the rash can draw out the toxins helping the skin, and a high dose of vitamin B12 : up to 1500 micrograms at a time can help the rash too.  

For those who just want to do steam sauna and not ozone it is possible to turn the ozone off and get the health benefits of just the hot sauna.

You are not allowed to do the ozone sauna if you have high blood pressure, worried about a stroke, have an organ transplant or have hyperthyroidism.  If you are pregnant please do not partake in sauna ozone therapy, rather consider it for your post pregnancy protocol.

To know whether ozone sauna therapy is right for you talk to me or one of the other practitioners at Healing Arts and we can muscle test you for the best course of action.  If your body would benefit we can test for the best duration 10, 20, 30 minute sessions and for how often.  I do see for general detoxification and well being a schedule of four 30 minute sessions once every other week sessions is tested often.  For chronic medical disorders up to 12 sessions or more are required but everyone is different and we want to personalize your care.  So if you are thinking about it let us know at your next appointment so we can muscle test you for it.  

Resources

Ozone Blog - https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2016/04/benefits-of-ozone-water.html

Ozo-pod for ozonated water - https://healingartsnyc.com/shop/ozone-pod

Ozone therapy research - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5674660/

21 Things to do for Your Health in 2021

Making changes to enhance your health and your life can be difficult and sometimes the difficulty is actually in where to start so I made a list of 21 things that I do in my life and often recommend to my patients to help you make healthy changes.  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.  That these health choices have become habits that you just do is the goal.  

It was not easy to narrow this list down to just 21 things.  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. Meditation and Prayer 

Keeping the mind and the body less stressed is key to your healing journey no matter what you are trying to heal from.  A key tool to stress management is meditation. Yet meditation isn’t about closing your eyes and trying to empty the mind.  I truly believe we can spend this time in a full cycle of communication with our higher self.  Call it God.  Call it Energy, Spirit, Universe we know there is a power greater than ourselves that we want to connect to during meditation.  After years of meditating I realized that this connecting in silence wasn’t enough and that connecting with words was also needed. 

I truly believe that words are powerful.  They truly are a vibration that we either say in our head or out loud to one another and that vibration goes out into space and creates a change.  Thoughts and what we say are that powerful and for that reason I start each of my meditations with an intention. Just a brief statement on what my expectations are.  Think of a meditation as a full cycle of communication with your higher self.  To do this we then need to still our conscious mind to feel the connection to higher self.  I think we have this connection at all times but are not always aware of it.  Once you enter stillness ask a question, voice a concern or share what’s on your mind.  This is a form of prayer.   Then go back into stillness and expect to receive an answer. Listen to that quiet voice within that has so much to say and yet we have a hard time listening to. This is the full cycle of communication that needs to happen if we are to get the most out of our meditation and really let go of the stress.  

2. Visualization 

If you aren’t great at meditation or are too overwhelmed to try it, start with listening to a visualization.  Listening to someone’s voice can get you out of your head and into a quieter head space which is important when managing stress.  Don’t wait until you are stressed to do this.  Listening to a visualization or meditation should be done on a daily basis, sometimes even twice a day, for 20 minutes each time.  There are tons of free ones on Youtube to listen to or apps like Headspace or Calm.  

There is a second part to visualization which is to watch your thoughts. Again, thoughts are energy and we want to be mindful to stop the criticism, especially the self-criticism.  We are worse with our judgements towards ourselves than others.  If we can learn to have more self loving thoughts we can lower stress that way too. 

3. Drink more water

On a daily basis I tell patients to drink more water so much that I wish I had a recording of it I could just play it instead of having to say it again and again.  I don’t think the average patient even drinks half of the water that they should be drinking and yet it’s always at our disposal and we just need to be more mindful.  The average person needs to drink at least 64 ounces of water.  If you drink caffeine or coffee, even if it’s decaf, then you will need to drink even more water than that.  It also depends on what type of water.  Really do your best not to drink tap water. The healthiest bottled water is Mountain Valley but is hard to find.  Second best is Evian and third, Smart Water.  If you can, pour the water in a glass or ceramic cup before drinking to reduce plastic toxicity. 

4. Use less plastic

Not only is using less plastic good for the Earth but also for your body. Plastic in the body acts like estrogen and is a true hormone disrupter, causing weight gain, PMS, infertility issues and more because the body thinks it has too much estrogen. To continue with the plastic water bottles try to buy water in glass but if you can’t don’t drink straight from the water bottle because more plastic will leach into the water with heat and your mouth is 98.7 degrees. Also don’t put plastic in the microwave.  Try to use less plastic forks, knives, spoons, straws, baggies and Tupperware.  Get the glass pyrex with the rubber tops for leftovers.  If you like straws they now have stainless steel straws which come with their own brush and are easy to carry when you are out. 

5. Daily Immune booster

Every morning you should do something to boost the immune system to handle what is to come for the day.  It could be juicing ginger to put in your green juice,  a ginger turmeric shot, garlic chopped up in honey, taking your vitamin C, vitamin D or zinc. I personally take an immune tonic every morning for the last year to stay strong and healthy. It takes a little more time to make but make a bunch of it and it will last about 2 weeks.

Ingredients:

2 small fresh lemons (~1/2 cup) – (with the skin or not, cut into large chunks)

1/2 cup fresh ginger – (peeled, cut into chunks)

1/2 cup fresh garlic cloves – (peeled)

1/2 cup raw organic Manuka honey (the higher the number the more medicinal it is)

Add all ingredients and roughly chopped in a blender, pulsing for a few seconds until everything turns into a paste.

This immune boosting tonic is best taken at one or two teaspoons on an empty stomach in the morning and/or half an hour before meals or before going to bed.

6. One thing a month to boost immune system 

Besides the daily boost I also recommend doing something at least once a month if not more to keep the health you have gotten. I am a big proponent of preventative healthcare and this is how you do it.  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 for 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 up 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 to take preventative 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 that 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 fluid to move.  Your lymphatic system carries white blood cells to infections, in this way boosting your immune system.  You could also go for cupping, get a massage or acupuncture.  There are lots of ways to keep your immune system boosted.  

7 . First thing in the morning to help detox

Your body works hard at night healing while you sleep. At 11pm-1am the liver dumps the toxins from the day into the large intestine so we excrete it out the next morning.  To help the body with this flush I recommend to many of my patients to drink 32 ounces of water first thing in the morning.  Depending on the health concern we add 1/2 lime or lemon to the water or a tablespoon apple cider vinegar.  Sometimes instead of all that water I recommend they do a specific apple cider vinegar drink which is not about flushing but more about helping change the pH of the body. For more info on the ACV Drink, click here. https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-healing-apple-cider-vinegar-drink.html. The catch is when you drink something medicinal like this in the morning you have to wait 20-30 at least to drink or eat anything other than water.  The drink needs a little time to work through the body.

8. One thing a month to help detox

Besides the daily detox, I also 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 straight 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 foot detox bath that pulls toxins out of your body through your feet using an ionic charge.  The strongest detox we have 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 that goes in has such great anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects.  Ozone sauna therapy is believed to be a powerful treatment which may be comparable to IV ozone administrations just without the needle.  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.  

9. Movement 

I feel like people have done one of two things last year, either upped their exercise routine or forgot about it all together.  If you are one who has lost his/her exercise routine get back to it.  If you are still waiting to feel safe at the gym that’s no longer an excuse.  You must find a different way to exercise.  There are lots of good apps out there and I personally use Down Dog for my yoga and they have a HIIT app as well I use for my cardio.  You can also try their meditation app.  Make this year about finding a routine that works for you.  For many of you working from home and don’t have clear work boundaries you may want to get up in the morning as if you were going to the office and even go outside and walk around the block to clear your head and be ready for the day.  I even suggest at the end of the day to walk around the block or longer to again have your ‘commute’ so that when you go back home you have transitioned out of work.  Finding healthy boundaries this way is super important to keep your mental and physical health. 

10. Buy local and organic 

I still remember being in college when organic started to become a thing and I soooo didn’t want it to make a difference in my health because I didn’t have the money but unfortunately it makes a difference and I see the money I spend on buying organic as an investment in my health. I see the biggest difference not eating organic when I travel and have to eat out.  I’m eating all the right things but it’s definitely not organic and on the third day I start to notice.  With me, I notice fatigue and trouble digesting with bloat and slower bowel movement.  I also think it’s important to buy local and in season.  This way you are guaranteed to have your food as nutrient dense as possible which is extremely important to your health.  Healthy food equals a healthy you.  It can be very overwhelming to make the change to organic, local food so I suggest making one change once a week so that over time you can eat all organic and local food.  Another key is to get excited about new foods.  

11. Eat pasture raised eggs only. 

Pasture raised eggs come from chickens that have been raised outside eating worms and grass.  It’s not only about being treated better but the actual natural diet is healthier creating healthier eggs that are loaded with more nutrients.  You put a pasture raised egg next to an organic egg you will see a difference in the yolk.  The pasture raised yolk is dark yellow because it’s richer in vitamins and minerals compared to the organic egg.  Worms and grass beat organic soy and corn feed any day.  

12. Relax time needs to be scheduled in daily. 

I feel like if relax time is not scheduled in then we might not do it.  Relax time can easily be eaten up by a phone call that goes 10 minutes over or taking 10 minutes more than you should trying to figure out what is for dinner.  Then by the end of the day you are rushing to get to bed at a decent hour or you are staying up way too late to get your relax time in but it then backfires because you are too tired the next day.  So part of what you might need to do is better time management overall or maybe pencil in a relax time.  Some people do best with relax time at the beginning of the day.  They feel like they start the day off on a better foot not rushing into the day.  Some need a breather in the middle of the day and will take their relax time with lunch or some feel more relaxed at the end of the day and do it then.  Whatever your preference, it doesn’t matter, just make sure it is 20 minutes of doing something, anything that is relaxing.  “Me time” is what I like to call it and I personally like to take it in the morning before my kids get up.  It fills me up and gets me ready for the day.  Trouble is if one of the kids gets up too early and interrupts my 20 minutes I’m cranky so I have to learn to not rely on it so much.  

13. Learn a breathing technique 

If my 20 minutes me time gets interrupted I realize to help my mood I need to do more deep breathing that day to help.  Luckily breathing deep can be done anywhere at anytime.  Just 3 deep breaths can shift my mood and nervous system to be more calm.  I do suggest going deeper than just 3 deep breaths this year and taking the time to learn a breathing technique. 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, chronic cough 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, Wim Hof is an extremist athlete who has some amazing Youtube videos, 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.  

14. Look at ingredients of everything you put in your mouth and on your skin. 

Reading food labels I think is a skill set they should be teaching in school.  Imaging if every kid read the ingredients of the cereal they were asking their parents for.  What they would come to realize is there is a lot of words on there that they may not be able to pronounce.  So one of my rules is if you can’t pronounce what’s in it, don’t eat it.  Also, it’s a good place to look for hidden sugars that you may want to stay away from and you will quickly learn just because it says organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy for you.  

Besides food, we should be reading labels of our skin care, hair care, toothpaste, lotions, makeup, etc.. Everything we put on our bodies makes a difference because it gets absorbed by the skin.  The main ingredient to stay away from is titanium dioxide. So choose wisely, choose healthy products, it does make a difference.  

15. Eat 5 servings of veggies a day. 

That is not a typo. Thinking about this one has made me create my own food pyramid that I am currently working on and will share soon and trust me, bread is not at the bottom with 6-11 servings like the original food pyramid that the USDA put out and used 1992-2005.  I do agree with the food pyramid’s vegetable serving of 3-5 servings a day and want you to push for at least 5 servings a day.  What is a serving size?  You might be surprised to realize 1 cup broccoli and 12 baby carrots is a serving size.  In general, 1 cup for raw vegetables and 1/2 cup for cooked vegetables. So what does that look like for me? 1 cup of spinach in the morning in my pea protein (I love Kachava, here is a code for $15 off) or collagen smoothie (I use Garden of Life). I need to alternate to keep my body happy.  2.5 cups arugula for lunch and 1.5 cups arugula for dinner.  I keep it simple and obviously love arugula with whatever protein I am going to eat.  You may want to get interested in different vegetables.  I think the key is to find a way to have a serving at breakfast.  There is no such thing as breakfast food so maybe start with a cup of leafy greens with eggs or hid it in a smoothie like I do.

16. Once a month do chiro and massage to keep in alignment. 

Why are we doing all these healthy things?  To support our body and give it the nutrition that it needs to heal.  Part of that support should be getting body work done to take stress off the joints and muscles so they can function better.  Even when you don’t have joint or muscle pain I do suggest getting body work done as a preventative.  On average I do suggest once a month getting adjusted and once a month getting a massage to keep the joints in alignment and muscles relaxed.  Some people might need more and some might need less depending on the stress you are putting on your body or the mental stress you are going through.  Thinking of mental or emotional stress the other thing you may want to keep in alignment is your chakras.  Chakras are energy centers in your body that need to stay open to have the energy flow.  Closed or blocked chakras will cause emotional upset, self sabotage and even physical issues like trouble sleeping, sore throats, poor digestion and more.  Chakra light therapy is the best known therapy I know of for aligning the chakras and energy of the body.  It’s relaxing to do for 20 minutes by lying on a massage table and letting special crystals emit certain frequencies of light into your chakras while you relax. You can get muscle tested at your next appointment to see if chakra therapy would benefit you.  Just like when I put pressure on the organs I can put my hand in your energy centers and see if they are balanced.  Benefits of having your chakras aligned are increased energy, feeling relaxed, better sleep, better mood and less stress. 

17. Drink Ozone water 

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 and 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 and you can buy online, https://healingartsnyc.com/shop/ozone-pod

18. Remember the Serenity prayer 

If you haven’t heard of it before or need a reminder, here is the Serenity prayer:

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

When I’m going through a hard time I have to remind myself of this prayer daily.  It helps me remember to concentrate on what I do have control over and just let the rest go. I think we cause ourselves a lot of stress when we worry about things that we don’t have control over.  Remembering this prayer is a way of trusting and giving you direction in your life during stressful times.  

19. No electronics 30 min. before bed

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 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, 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. 

20. Go to bed at 11pm at the latest

So now that we talked about what to do before bed let’s talk about a bedtime.  Yes, even adults should have a bedtime.  The reason I say to be asleep by 11pm is that your body works on a schedule.  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.  Good examples of this is the afternoon slump that a lot of people feel at 2-4pm is due to the adrenal glands being at their weakest so the body produces less adrenaline.  If the adrenal glands are healthy you won’t feel the slump but if they are already struggling you will feel a shortage of energy at this time.  The heart’s weakest at 3-5am.  That’s why if someone has a heart attack and they make it through the night their chances of surviving are greatly increased.  MDs know this as a statistic and now you know why.  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. 

21. Find a healthy indulgence with food

A big part of my job is to help people change the way they are eating.  The muscle testing I do is very specific with what foods to avoid to have better health but sometimes they are the foods we eat a lot of.  I know it’s not always easy to avoid the cheese you love or the sugar you crave.  So our goal is to help you find the healthier alternative so you don’t feel so deprived.  If cheese is your thing try nutritional yeast.  If it’s chocolate try Evolve chocolate made with coconut sugar.  I love Anita’s coconut yogurt if you need to find a milk alternative.  There are so many more products out there than even 5 years ago and trust me when I was first starting a program in 1997 gluten-free was not a thing.  I think there are so many great alternatives.  Your goal is to find which ones work for you and keep them stocked in the kitchen so you eat the healthy alternatives instead of reaching for what you know you shouldn’t.  

So there you have it 21 things that will make a difference in your health to make sure you do for 2021.  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 2022 list!  

The COVID Vaccines

The COVID vaccines are a hot topic that I am now ready to address because I know many of you have loads of questions that I have been answering with my limited knowledge but now am ready to answer.  I am glad the vaccines are out for I really think they’re our only way through this pandemic but with the new technology I was really hesitant to see what it would look like in the body.  Now after muscle testing about 75 patients with either one or two vaccines I can definitely tell you I am not as nervous about it for what I am seeing is the same as what I have seen in the past when helping patients detox the heavy metals and chemicals that come with other vaccines.  I have had a lot of experience when helping detox infants, children and adults from other vaccine fillers and was worried that the COVID vaccines would be different and too complicated to help my patients with.  I know it’s still early for we don’t know what the COVID vaccines will do to the body in a year, 5 years, 10 years etc. and this is why we have to respect everyone's vaccine choice but so far I’m happy with what I see. About 12% of my patients are having a reaction to either the first or second vaccines.  A reaction is anything more than a sore arm and tired the night of the vaccine. 

A reaction can include feeling sick with a sore throat, fever, joint pain, numbing toes, legs, or

fingers, back pain or dizziness which can last anywhere from 1-5 day. No one has had to go to

the hospital to seek help from the vaccine reaction.  

I have seen only 5 Johnson and Johnson vaccines in my patients of which 2 have had

a reaction.  The rest are an even mix of Pfizer and Moderna which despite all the research,

I have seen an equal amount of reactions and do not have a preference on which shot is

better.  12% is a small percentage of patients having a reaction so as I see more patients

with the vaccine in them the number may change a little and go anywhere from 9%-15%

but I do expect it to stay lower than average and that is because after the first shot

I muscle test to see what is needed to help the liver, lymphatic system or kidneys detox

the heavy chemicals or heavy metals.  

Helping patients detox from the vaccine doesn't mean taking supplements only.

Some people need other support as well including lymphatic drainage therapy,

castor oil packs, ozone sauna, foot detox bath or salt booth depending on their symptoms.

With my experience so far, it takes about 3 weeks per shot to detox which is great because

with the Pfizer or Moderna they recommend getting the second shot 4 weeks after the first

shot which gives the body enough time to detox the first shot.  It’s best to get muscle tested

within the first 4 days of getting the shot.  Even best is to get muscle tested the day of to

see exactly what supplements your body needs.  It’s absolutely fine to get tested a week or

two after as well.  As long as you get tested between the shots, this will help you detox

before the second shot so that it goes well. 

If you are a patient of mine and have already gotten the J&J or both of the other shots know

that I can still help you detox the fillers from the vaccine(s) which I feel is important just

because we don’t know the after affect of the vaccine.   

I know many of my patients’ family and friends don’t live in NYC and yet want help detoxing

the vaccine so I decided to put together a vaccine detox bundle.  The majority of my patients

are testing for homeopathic supplements from HVS, called Metals and another one called

Chemicals.  One bottle is taken per shot so the bundle comes with 2 Metals and

2 Chemicals.  One cap of each is taken per day and added to water.  They can be taken together at

any time of day.  Take the bottles until done.  To buy the vaccine detox bundle, click here.

Spa Day at Healing Arts NYC Wellness Center

We want you to enjoy all that the new Wellness Center has to offer at Healing Arts so we put together a "Spa Day" where you will spend about 2-3 hours at the wellness center doing different therapeutic services to help detox, rejuvenate and relax. It also comes with one personalized hot tea blend and a personalized homeopathic tincture.  The tincture you will take daily for 2 weeks in order to continue the rejuvenation process after your spa day. You can pick 4 different services for $150 and save $59. We also have a la carte options to make your spa day exactly what you want it to be.  You can also choose all 5 services for an extra $20 at $170 for the day!

Choose 4 for $150:

1) Foot Bath - helps to pull toxins out of the body through the feet by putting ions in the water of which your feet are soaking in. These ions have a negative charge. The negative charge attracts the positively charged toxins in your body. The ions in the foot bath water hold a charge that enables them to bind to any heavy metals and toxins in your body, similar to how a magnet works. This allows the toxins to be pulled out through the bottoms of your feet.

2) Ozone Sauna - you sit in a sauna pod that covers you from the neck down and induces sweating using steam from distilled water. This sweating opens up pores to allow the ozone gas to be absorbed by the skin. With the ozone gas the extra oxygen that goes in has such great anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects. Ozone sauna therapy is believed to be a powerful treatment which may be comparable to IV ozone administrations just without the needle. Ozone therapy 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 sauna is great for after surgery or an injury. Ozone therapy improves blood circulation, improves vitamin and mineral absorption, fights inflammation, and is wonderful at killing mold, parasites, candida, viruses and bacteria.

3) Salt Booth - Our unique S.A.L.T. Booth® is an enclosed dry salt therapy unit to give you privacy during your salt therapy experience. With the salt booth, unlike the salt room, the concentration of salt particles can be adjusted to offer a more individualized and targeted salt therapy session. Because the concentration of salt is higher in the booth than a salt room sessions only take 10 minutes.

4) PEMF - an acronym for Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field. PEMF therapy consists of a mat which emits pulses of energy waves. This energy courses through the body directly to inflamed or injured areas. The energy is also drawn to areas experiencing chronic pain. The energy waves of the PEMF mat passes through the organs and tissues and into the cells of your body, amplifying the cellular energy. The increase in energy promotes a natural reaction that regenerates and enhances the efficiency of the cell’s function. This natural process stimulates healing and helps to improve your overall well-being including cellular rejuvenation.

5) Chakra Light Therapy - Lay down and relax under seven Vogel-cut quartz crystals lit up by very specific light frequencies. Receive the frequencies produced by the UV laser and magnetic energy from the coil in the holder cancel each other out once they interact, this is how scalar energy is generated. It is then focused through the Vogel-cut crystals and into your chakras. Open and balanced chakras can allow you to heal faster and also give you higher levels of peace, focus, awareness and ability to relax and sleep better.

Do all 5 services for an extra $20. $170 for the day.

Included in each Spa Day:
Infoceuticals: Personalized Homeopathic Tincture to take for 4 weeks
Tea Bar: Personalized cup of tea made from 3 different herbs.


A La Carte
add an hour Massage for $120
add 30 min. Lymphatic drainage therapy $70
add Nutrition Response Testing $80add Initial Nutrition Response Testing $140
add Chiropractic $80

Healing Arts Special
If the "Spa Day" seems like too much time or too many services we also have the Healing Arts Special where if you get a massage OR lymphatic therapy AND Nutrition Response Testing on the same day we will mail you a coupon for one free service of your choice: PEMF, Salt Booth or Chakra Light Therapy.

It is important to Dr. Armitstead that you truly get the health benefits of all that the new Wellness Center has to offer.

The Most Powerful Anti-oxidant to Keep You Young.

Oxidation is where oxygen will easily snatch electrons from molecules. The molecules that give up their electrons to oxygen are called free radicals.  Everything exposed to oxygen oxidizes. To give you a good example of this process, just think about a hunk of iron left out in the back yard. Over a period of a few weeks, that iron will have a thin coating of rust on its surface. How did that happen? Essentially the electrons in the molecules of iron freely gave themselves up to the oxygen around them.

We breathe oxygen. And over time we oxidize - or you could say we rust. Though we don't necessarily turn brown with actual rust, we do get age spots, gray hair, wrinkles, aches and pains and are subject to various disease processes. This is evidence of oxidation - part of the aging process.

Electrons like to be in pairs. If something comes along (like oxygen) and strips an electron off this molecule, that molecule now has a free, unpaired electron. Now this makes for a very unhappy little electron because it is missing its partner. It now behaves very radical-hence the name free radical. When this happens in the body, that free radical will look to find an electron anywhere it can. Unfortunately when it snatches an electron from a cell it damages it in the process creating another free radical. This process is repeated continuously until the free radical meets up with a molecule that has an extra electron that it can donate to the equation to stop the reaction. In the body this donor electron might come from something like Vitamin C that has the extra electrons. This is why Vitamin C is called and "anti-oxidant". It is a substance that helps there be less oxidation or less rust in the body. For more on Anti-oxidant Foods.

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. The liver is filled with lymph and the liver produces enzymes which are very powerful free radical fighters.  Your lymphatic system is your body's second circulatory system. Wherever your blood stream goes, the lymphatic system is right next to it. In fact, the lymphatic stream parallels the blood stream.  In between the blood stream and the lymphatic stream are all the cells of your body. The blood stream brings oxygen and nutrients to your cells and the lymphatic stream carries out the waste and the garbage.

Lymphatic Drainage Therapy at the Healing Arts Wellness Center

The lymphatic stream moves in one direction. From the ends of your toes, and the ends of your fingertips, and the tiptop of your head, the lymphatics move along slowly going towards the thoracic duct. This is the pump for the lymphatic stream and it sits inside your body just in front of the spine and runs from about the level of your collarbone down to your diaphragm.

As you know, the heart pumps and circulates the blood the thoracic duct also pumps, but not by itself. The way it pumps is through breathing, particularly deep breathing. The entire lymphatic system moves by the movement of this pump and by your own physical movement - like exercise. Along the lymphatic stream are tiny nodes called lymph nodes. These are like tiny purification plants that help clean up the lymph as it passes through.

One of the most important goals for optimum health is to move the lymphatic system. The objective is to release the garbage stored in the cells, kick it into the lymphatic stream and get the stream moving. Sometimes, often due to lack of exercise, poor diets and toxic burdens, the lymphatics don't move very well, the cells clog up with garbage, and disease happens. This can take many shapes and forms from localized areas of disturbance to systemic health problems and even obesity and the inability to lose weight. So that’s why exercise is important but I also do recommend monthly lymphatic drainage therapy to make sure your lymph is moving optimally.  It could be more than once a month too depending on what toxins you are working on to move out of the body.  John does an amazing job at the office and he is able to tell  how backed up your lymph system is or not and if more treatments are needed. One way you can tell if your lymph is backed up is if you wake up with puffy eyes or face.  I know I do when I feel sick or haven’t had a good night sleep.  Also, if you have swollen ankles at the end of the day it is because your lymphatic system is too toxic and needs helps.  To keep your body healthy and slow down the aging process keep your lymphatic system free of toxins.