The Key to Hydration
As I sit here on the beach wondering what to blog about next I can't help but reach for my flaska and start typing about the health benefits of hydration. Water: drink 8 cups a day. Seems easy enough but I will tell you 80% of the patients we see at Healing Arts are dehydrated. Not just a little dehydrated, but so much so that it is affecting their health in one way or another. If I have typed, "Drink more water" on your supplement schedule then you know what I am referring to. Let me take the time now to explain in detail why that one step is so important to your health.
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. Most patients are doing one form or another of a detox when they start their personalized nutrition programs. It could be detoxing from aluminum, plastic, chlorine, mercury or a different heavy metal. It all depends on what shows up in the muscle testing. When detoxing, we need even more than our usual 64 ounces a day 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. Many of these symptoms are similar symptoms when you're dehydrated as well. The reasons why detox symptoms can occur is because there is more being pulled out of the cells and tissues, running around in your bloodstream faster than can actually be pulled into the liver, broken down and eliminated out through the kidneys or bowels. The health benefits of drinking more 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
regulating body temperature
maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance.
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 your 8 glasses of 8 ounces (1 cup) of water a day but drink at least 1/2 a liter more if you are detoxing or not feeling well to flush microbes or toxins out.
For a lot of people this can be difficult to do for it does not include any soups, caffeinated, fruit or sugary drinks. So it would only include water or herbal tea. Caffeinated or sugary drinks actually deplete more water than they put in, causing dehydration so if you have a cup of caffeinated tea you would want to do 9 cups of water to make up for it, not 8 cups a 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! There are also water bottles that blink now to remind you to drink. They are made from plastic so I don't love them but it could be used as a baby step towards drinking enough water.
When we are out and need to drink water and the only choice is buying water from a plastic bottle I rather you drink it than stay dehydrated. The water that muscle tests the best from plastic bottles is Mountain Valley, (hopefully you can find it in glass but if not it is the best water from a plastic bottle). Next is Volvic water and the third option is Evian. Hopefully one of those three are an option wherever you are buying water from.
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 more factors than plastic that can contaminate our water supply which can then negatively affect the body’s health. The environmental working group 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. To know how much fluoride is in your drinking water, check out the map.
Understanding that these toxins wreak havoc on the body we can use a water filter to drink better quality water. 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.
· Berkey water filters are great, stainless steel but take up 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 Culligan 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.
Bottled glass water is great and Mountain Valley also tests the best when it comes to water bottled in glass too. That's why it's the only water we offer at the Healing Arts Wellness Center. Whether you drink bottled or filtered water, for those of you who are patients at Healing Arts, 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. The reason I am against plastic is because it 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. For more on plastic toxicity and other heavy chemical toxicity and what to do about it, listen to this podcast, Heavy Chemical Toxicity.
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 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 letters on a piece of paper can restructure water crystals.
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 water bottle. 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 $36 each for 1/2L and $40 for 3/4L and can be bought online.
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 something like, '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 like this!
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.
Using this concept of restructuring water to hold a certain energy a company called Infopathy came up with infoceuticals. Using the concept E=mc2 and energy medicine we can electronically transfer medicinal waves into a water tincture made just for you. We can muscle test and create a personalized combination of waves to imprint the water with. These medicinal waves are called infocueticals (IC). When we transfer ICs of medicinal substances to the water we create homeopathic dosages - technically there is no active substance present in the IC water, but under the influence of an electromagnetic field with a specific spectrum, the technology makes water molecules organize in a certain way that mimics the energy signature of the original substance. The same thing happens when homeopathic remedies are created. The restructured water can interact with receptors in our body and cause a similar reaction as if it was the substance itself.
I love homeopathy and have used it in my office for 10 years. Now using ICs we can make a homeopathic tincture personalized to you which is the mission of the new Healing Arts Wellness Center. We want to muscle test and make everything as personalized as possible, from the lotion you purchase to the tea you drink, and now homeopathic blends. I also love how it's water based because a lot of homeopathy is alcohol based and patients don't always muscle test for it because of the alcohol content. If you are not able to be muscle tested for a tincture we can make one based on symptoms for you. Homeopathy is not well understood and if you want to know more about it watch this documentary, Magic Pills.
The strength of the effect of the personalized remedy depends on how well the body can actually use or resonate with the information the water is holding, and whether the body has energy to make a change that the water wants. Because it is energy medicine, the effect from ICs might be slower and much lighter, but that is probably why they don't have negative effects. I highly suggest using energy medicine in the form of ICs to help detox, reduce inflammation, support hormones, have better digestion and less pain.
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. The vitamin C in limes helps the liver to produce glutathione, which is a regenerative antioxidant that helps the liver process and eliminate toxins.
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 large intestine and stimulate bowel activity. If you have heartburn, believe it or not, 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!
You may want to get muscle tested for how much lime or lemon to use because I have seen patients detox too fast by drinking too much lemon or lime water. So if you get any detox symptoms such as rashes, severe fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, feel a cold coming on, then cut the limes or lemons but keep drinking your water!
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 fruits and vegetables 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 water for drinking 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. When the ozonated water hits the skin the extra oxygen really gives the skin a boost. I drink 16 ounces of ozonated water every morning on an empty stomach. Because it's good at killing germs for some people it kills some of their good gut flora too so a probiotic may need to be taken with it. Get muscle tested at the office to see how much would be good for you to drink and if you need a probiotic with it as well.
In the ozone process, the machine makes ozone 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. In fact, one patient wrote, "It is the freshest, cleanest - tasting water I've had in ages - and it doesn't taste flat like so many of the bottled waters." 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! 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 by soaking the infected area for at least 10 mniutes. I have also seen ozone water when used with brushing teeth help eliminate bad breath, mouth inflammation and gum problems.
Sometimes when patients drink their 64 ounces of water daily and yet have dehydration symptoms I ask them if they are urinating a lot. If the answer is yes and it seems like the water goes right through them then I try to figure out what type of minerals they need to add to their water to help their cells actually absorb and use the water instead of just going right through their system.
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 packs 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. If you test for them the only draw back is that 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 packs -first of all they are 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.
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 the salt and it's easy to do when home but not as easy when out and about, that’s where the packets come in handy. Himalayan salt contains 84 trace minerals and is a great source of electrolytes. I use Himalayan salt when making my own gatorade. Simply put in a saucepan juice of 2 lemons, 2 Tablespoons Manuka honey and 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt over medium heat until honey and salt dissolves. Then pour mixture into 6 cups of cold water in a big Mason jar. Shake to combine then chill drink in fridge until ready to drink.
If you feel like it's too much work to make your own gatorade then grab coconut water for the electrolytes. My favorite brand is Harmless Harvest but it does come in plastic!
With dehydration, patients usually test for one of the four remedies: trace mineral drops, homeopathic drops, electrolyte packs or Himalayan salt. The testing depends on what type of minerals the body is missing. That’s why I love muscle testing. I don’t have to guess, the body tells me through the biofeedback.
Movement is another thing that will help us stay hydrated. I just recently learned about it in a book called Quench from Dr. Dana Cohen. Movement can be in the form of exercise which you think dehydrates us but it 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 also includes such little movements 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 degree, full range of motion, so every tissue in your body has in and out flow to remain supple and healthy.
I just talked about water going into the tissues but outflow is also important and that's where the lymphatic system comes into play. Our body is made up of 80 trillion cells that sit in about 60% water. Besides the water that needs to move so do two other types of fluids: blood and lymph. Blood feeds the body while lymph cleans the body, cells eliminate their wastes into the interstitial fluid, which becomes part of the lymph. If lymph fluid is not moving out properly then cell, tissue and organ function will become sluggish, compromising the health of the body. Imagine a fish living in a dirty fish tank, likewise our cells living in a toxic environment will not resist too long and will degenerate. What if we put the drainage system in motion to get rid of cellular waste and create the ideal condition for lymph to flow again? That's why micro movements can be so helpful. Blood has a pump called the heart but lymph doesn't have a pump and relies on our muscles to contract to move. All lymph fluid has to move out of the tissues towards the heart. During this movement toxins and germs get filtered in lymph nodes before dumping into the blood stream near the heart. Besides exercise and micro movements, dry brushing can help and so can lymphatic drainage therapy.
By dropping the volume of retained lymph fluid that isn't moving this special type of therapy can also reduce the risk of impeded circulation. Lymphatic drainage therapy has the potential to improve your immunity and is really beneficial post-surgeries and postpartum. We use the Lymphstar Pro Fusion machine which is an electronic instrument that is amazing at moving the lymph at a deep level. It uses low grade electrons to move the lymph and also improve microcirculation and general circulation by the massage therapist running bulbs across the skin. When the glass bulbs sticks to the skin there is lymphatic congestion and when the glass bulb smoothly glides over the skin there is no congestion. If the bulb sticks then the massage therapist slowly goes over the area until it no longer sticks.
If this blog was not enough tips on how to stay hydrated or you want more step-by-steps the Quench book comes with a Quench Plan with even meal plans to get the most hydration out of your food too!
What Teas are Good for Digestion
I have loved switching to iced tea at the Healing Arts Tea Bar this summer. We have found a way to do personalized iced tea for your enjoyment and have loved the feedback from everyone, especially on our digestion tea blends. Whether it's indigestion, bloating, IBS, constipation etc. using tea as medicine can really help especially if taken on a daily basis. Food is medicine and I enjoy tea so much that I forget that it can actually help your body too.
Our tea menu is different than anything you have ever seen before. Yes, we have the teas listed and you can pick one and enjoy it to either stay at the tea bar or take it to go but what is different is on the back of the menu is a list of symptoms and you can choose the symptom you want to work on and then get muscle tested for which 3 herbs your body needs. So you don't choose your tea but your body does!
Besides getting a cup of iced or hot tea we can also make a container for you of your personalized blend that is 12 servings. Before opening the Tea Bar we experimented for months and came up with some great blends when muscle testing for helping digestion. Here is the list of teas we have that help your gut and other symptoms too!
Bergamot Digestion, lowers cholesterol, brain health, acid reflux, immunity booster, energy booster, weight loss, skin support, constipation, hydrates
Black Tea Digestion, blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, brain health, heart health, improves blood pressure
Cat's Claw Digestion, brain health, immune support, improves blood pressure
Earl Grey Digestion, brain health, immune booster, energy booster, weight loss, hydrates, skin support
Echinacea Immune booster, respiratory health, digestion, anti-inflammatory, brain health, skin, anti-aging
Fennel Digestion, weight loss, immunity booster, energy booster, women’s health, respiratory health, eye support, detox, improves blood pressure, diuretic
Ginger Digestion, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, pain relief, heart support
Holy Basil Digestion, blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss support, skin support, respiratory support, eye support, detox
Jasmine Liver support, relaxation, brain health, digestion
Marshmallow Root Digestion, blood sugar, acid reflux, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, skin support anti-aging, constipation, detox, liver support pain relief, heart support
Mugwort Diuretic, women’s health, energy booster, brain health, digestion
Peppermint Digestion, respiratory, anti-inflammatory, brain health, pain relief, sleep support, women’s health, weight loss, skin support, immune support, relaxation, brain health
Rose Hydrates, respiratory support, skin support, sleep support, women’s health, immunity booster, brain health, digestion
Turmeric Pain relief, eye support, immunity booster, brain health, lower cholesterol, anti-inflammatory (for more on turmeric, click here)
We also have blends to help inflammation, energy, women’s health, brain health, high blood pressure and more. So if you haven’t tried a personalized tea blend yet you must at your next visit!
Ozone for the Sinuses
Ozone introduced via the nose also known as nasal insufflation provides benefits to both the nasal passageways, sinuses, and the entire body. Breathe in microscopic organic olive oil (made in a glass jar to be Healing Arts approved because it can’t be in plastic or aluminum) treated with the extra oxygen from the ozone. Inhaling ozone this way helps to reduce allergy symptoms, sinus pain, headaches and inflammation throughout the body.
Studies have mixed reviews on directly breathing in ozone through the lungs and yet the extra oxygen that ozone gives can be so beneficial for the body. Dr. Armitstead loves putting ozone in the air having been asthmatic in her childhood. It cleans the air, kills germs and makes it easier for her to breathe. Knowing these benefits she loved brining the ozone sauna into the office. To be able to absorb the ozone in through the skin has done wonders for our patients. We have seen wonderful changes in the reduction of pain, eczema, and psoriasis, less toxins, and better sleep. Did you know that the ozone sauna can also help with fertility? It really is amazing! Knowing how amazing it is to absorb ozone through the skin made us want to also offer it through the nose and sinuses.
Using nasal insufflation is another safe and easy way to bring extra oxygen into the body. We first have the ozone react with olive oil and then have the client breathe it in. Ozone reacts with the oil to form ozonides and terpenes. It does not contain any active ozone gas so it will not cause irritation. This chemical reaction keeps the lungs safe while still having the health benefits. Health benefits include reduction in sinus pressure and irritation, decrease inflammation in the nasal passages, provides relief from both acute and chronic sinusitis, kills bacteria and viruses, helps with asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections, reduces brain fog, and promotes overall health and wellness. I will personally do a 20 min treatment once a week to stay healthy. Depending on what you need it for, recommendations vary. For an acute sinus infection you may need it 3 times a week until the infection is gone. Whereas for a chronic infection with no pressure you want once a week for at least four weeks.
$40 for 20 min.
$50 for 30 min.
Toxins are a Hidden Factor in Slow Metabolism
Researchers and medical experts recently uncovered a disturbing fact. Toxins from your food, water, and environment can make you gain weight. They call these toxins obesogens. From blood sugar imbalance to insulin resistance and more, toxins can change your metabolism and may just be the reason you can’t shed excess weight like you used to. If you’ve ever struggled with stubborn fat, where diet and exercise aren’t working like you think they should… it’s time to focus on detox. The body is smart and does not want environmental toxins in the organs so there's two places it goes: into the fat cells and into joints. If it goes into our fat we gain weight in an unexplainable way and if it goes into our joints we will have joint pain or stiffness that will eventually lead to arthritis. Helping you detox is how we can help!
We use muscle testing to identify what specifically needs detoxing. Using homeopathic vials we test for heavy metals, heavy chemicals, food sensitivities, parasites, candida, and bad gut flora like bacteria, and viruses. For more details on what we test for visit: www.muscletestingnyc.com. No matter what your health concern is we muscle test all these toxins on every visit. The whole point of health in our office is to help the body detox and with the right nutrition your body can heal.
Once we identify the toxin stressing out the body we then muscle test for the supplement that is going to help detox. The majority of supplements we use come from an organic farm in Wisconsin called Standard Process. We truly believe food is medicine and giving the body the right nutrition can help so many of your symptoms and also prevent disease. If you are observing the health of your parents and want to prevent going down the same road as them know that there is hope. For example, detoxing aluminum not only helps the brain function better, helping our dementia and Alzheimer’s patients but it also helps prevent Alzheimer’s. Another example is for both men and women, detoxing plastic at any age below 45 helps with fertility and hormones.
Besides using organic food supplements from Standard Process we also use BIND from Systemic Formulas. Detoxing does not have to cost $3,000+ in I.V. chelation. Besides the cost, I don’t prefer chelation because it forces the body to dump the toxins too fast which burdens the liver and kidneys and usually makes a patient feel worse before better. In our wellness center the key is to help the body detox by supporting the body’s own detox pathways with the right food and supplements, not to force the body to get rid of toxins.
BIND is a powerful supplement that combines super-activated carbon with humates and key botanicals to efficiently bind and eliminate toxins. And while most activated charcoals interfere with nutrient absorption, BIND is designed to eliminate up to 300x its weight in toxins while providing critical minerals, not blocking their absorption. If you think BIND can help you detox ask at your next visit. Less toxins = better health.
How to Gua Sha Using a Facial Roller
Gua Sha, also known as “coining”, “skin scraping”, or “pressure stroking” is an ancient instrument-assisted lymphatic technique utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The best way to learn how to do gua sha on the face is by watching a demonstration, so I’ve included an in-depth video tutorial at the end of this post.
When done on the face, gua sha can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, restore firmness and elasticity, promote a brighter complexion, relieve jaw tension, promote lymphatic drainage, and decrease puffiness. It can also help with sinus congestion and headaches. I find that when I do it in the morning it helps with mental clarity and reducing brain fog.
Gua sha on the body (back, shoulders, and neck are the most common areas) and gua sha on the face are performed quite differently. While the point of gua sha on the body is to draw out transient therapeutic bruising, you do not want to do that when practicing on your face.
I first got into gua sha when looking for something to help patients with eye strain which is a symptom that patients started complaining about more when the pandemic hit. A lot of people working from home had to increase their screen time. I have also seen gua sha help with other symptoms related to vision such as light sensitivity and eye dryness.
I also have chronically reactive lymph nodes behind my ears (I suffered from a lot of ear infections as a child) and many tender points on my face (especially in front of my ears and along my hairline) which correspond to specific acupuncture points that have benefited from stimulating daily with gua sha.
BODY VS FACIAL GUA SHA
In Chinese medicine, gua sha on the upper back, shoulders, and neck is a common treatment for colds, influenza, and fevers. It is also good to do if you have been exposed to someone who is sick or if you feel a virus coming on.
If you are interested to know more about the science of body gua sha, PUBMED includes studies that have found gua sha to effective in treating back and neck pain, migraines, liver inflammation, perimenopausal symptoms, and breast distention/mastitis.
Because body gua sha is painful and the point is to dig deep enough to create bruising for healing it can be uncomfortable and make people not want to do it. That’s why I fell in love with the lymphstar machine that we use for lymphatic drainage session in the office. With this type of technology you get the lymphatic healing benefits without the bruising or pain during a relaxing 30 minute or 60 minute session.
Having fallen in love with the health benefits of lymphatic drainage I was super excited to be able to show patients how to do it for the face at home. I would not try body gua sha at home. So what are the benefits of facial gua sha? Facial gua sha is great for lymphatic drainage of the face which helps with detox from the brain and mouth and also less puffiness which people tend to get around the eyes. It’s advertised as anti-aging for wrinkles but I want people to understand that less wrinkles is secondary to the movement of lymph and toxins which is very healing.
Facial gua sha also helps relieve muscle tension in the head and neck which not only helps with TMJ problems, headaches and neck pain but can also prevent them. I am so surprised when I do the facial gua sha how many tender spots I feel. Spending extra time on the tender spots brings circulation to the area helping to prevent pain.
Since this is a technique that originates in Chinese medicine,I find it fascinating to look at all of the acupuncture channels (meridians) that are on the face and neck that you can stimulate with facial gua sha.
Starting at the center of the face moving outward and down, these are the channels that run down the face:
• Governing Vessel, also called Du (GV);
• Urinary Bladder (UB);
• Gallbladder (GB);
• Stomach (ST);
• San Jiao, also called Triple Heater/Triple Burner (SJ);
• Small Intenstine (SI);
• Large Intestine (LI)There are different gua sha tools you can use made of different stones. There are flat stones that are made for scrapping and to get in deeper. There is also rollers that have a softer affect that I prefer because I realized patients were using the flat stones too intensely which helped but also caused too much inflammation in the process. So I do highly suggest the roller over the flat stones.
We carry in the office 3 different stones because I couldn’t decide on just one stone. We have jade, rose quartz and opal facial rollers. I prefer to muscle test each person for which one works best for their body.
Rose Quartz Roller: Increase Circulation, Promotes Production of Collagen, and Calms Sensitive Skin. Best Used at Night and for Soothing.
Green Jade Roller: Helps Reduce Puffiness, Help Tone and Firm Skin Cells, and Stimulate Collagen Production. Best Used in the Morning and for Balance.
Opal Roller: Good for all Skin Types, Can help to Cool and Refresh Fatigued Skin.
The flow of lymph only goes one way: towards the heart. So when you use the gua sha the strokes should be from the center of the face outward and moving down the face and neck (see video for demonstration).
One of the biggest positive cosmetic benefits I notice when I perform facial gua sha on myself is a reduction of facial puffiness, most notable in my cheeks. You could say that it sculpts my cheeks. Others may notice de-puffing of their eyelids, jawline, under their eyes, or in the forehead. The reason that facial gua sha reduces puffiness is due to the drainage of lymph out of the face and neck. The lymph’s job is to carry toxins so that’s why I say it’s good for detox.
I also notice a reduction in the appearance of fine lines, especially the number ones between my eyebrows. If I wake up from a night of frowning in my sleep, the evidence disappears quickly after my morning gua sha session. So here’s my advice, use my video as a starting place to explore gua sha. If you don’t do it hard enough or if it’s too hard you aren’t going to damage anything so it really is safe. Pull the tool across your face, don’t push it. Think of spreading butter on toast. Pulling comes more naturally when you use the same hand as the side of the face you are working on; if you try to use the opposite hand you’ll be more likely to try to push the tool.
For the gentlest and most relaxing type of gua sha facial, use long, slow, meditative strokes with a thicker tool laid as close to flat against your skin as possible. You can vary the pressure from light to more firm. You can even turn it into a type of moving meditation by coordinating your breathing with the strokes. When doing this style, it’s best to anchor the skin where you begin each stroke using your other hand. You’ll need to allot more time for this style, ideally at least 5-10 minutes, but you can drag it out even longer if you wish. For a more invigorating facial, use rapid, short strokes with light pressure. Use firm pressure when doing gua sha on your neck, medium pressure on your face, and feather light pressure around your eyes. And don’t forget to take before and after photos so you can see how these techniques affect your skin!
The stones are smooth so you don’t have to use lotions or oils. I prefer to do it on bare skin after I wash my face in the morning since it helps my mental clarity and reduces brain fog. But you can do it at night, too.
The first time I used a roller was for a breast massage. You can read about how to do that in this blog post. It definitely helps with PMS breast tenderness, and is incredibly relaxing to do in bed just before going to sleep.
Contraindications:
Do not do gua sha on fresh botox. Talk to the provider who injected it to find out how soon you can safely implement facial massage.
Do not do gua sha on top of injected fillers in the face.
It’s best to talk with us first if you are dealing with any kind of skin problems like acne or rosacea. It’s best not to do scraping on top of areas of active inflammation, but to instead do the strokes on the other areas of the face, and especially on the neck to promote lymphatic drainage in order to get the inflammation down.
You can place your gua sha stones and rollers in the fridge or in a bowl of ice water (just dry it off first) and press it gently into areas of inflammation. If you suffer from puffiness using a cold roller or flat stone could give more benefits.
If you are still uncertain whether gua sha is something you should add into your daily routine please let us know at your next visit and we can help you decide with our expertise and then muscle test you also for which stone would be best: jade, rose quartz or opal.
This video contains a demonstration to empower you to begin your own facial gua sha practice.
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.
Healing Arts Food Pyramid
I have helped people get healthy for the last 15 years by showing them ways to personally change to a healthy lifestyle including their relationship with food. I have taken those 15 years of experience and boiled it down to one diagram, a Healing Arts Food Pyramid. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and our food pyramid is worth that and more. It's a foundational step in creating the healthy life you want. There is 7 parts to it and if you read this blog and decide there's no way you can follow our food pyramid then start with one part at a time. Make the change for 3 weeks before starting a second part. I want 21 days of a change before you make another change and that way you can build on it vs. doing your best for a little while and then deciding it's too hard and not doing it ever again. True lifestyle changes are for a lifetime. Healthy habits equals a healthy life.
I will start at the bottom, 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water. So for the average person I suggest 64 ounces of water at least. More if you work out, drink caffeine, decaf coffee, or alcohol, or sweat more than the average person. Those five things cause dehydration. Dehydration is the number one reason for headaches and muscle cramps plus is capable of adding to so many other problems that can go wrong with the body. Water is so important that if I could put it in pill form I would to make it easier for some of my patients to get their 8 glasses in a day. Until then, we will just have to drink up.
Next is to eat is 5 servings of veggies a day. That is not a typo. Thinking about how many servings of veggies is what made me create my own food pyramid. I always hated bread at the bottom with 6-11 servings of carbohydrates on the original food pyramid that the USDA put out and used 1992-2005. However, 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? 1.5 cups 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. Click here for the full Green Smoothie recipe. 2.5 cups arugula for lunch and 1 cup 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 hide it in a smoothie like I do.
Also at every meal should be a protein and healthy fat. I do believe in eating 3 meals a day for most people. So breakfast should have a protein and healthy fat. Protein can be beans, lentils, eggs, animal protein, and hemp seeds. I think of other seeds and nuts to be in the healthy fat category along with avocados, coconuts, olive oil, butter, and tahini. It's not for everyone but dairy would go in the fat category too. I only buy A2 whole milk and full fat yogurts. With the fat comes the enzymes that naturally occur in the milk to help the body digest it. It's the 2% and fat free milk products that the body does not recognize as food. They truly are just a product and not real food and should not be consumed.
Complex carbs is only 2 servings a day which means one meal a day (assuming you are having 3) will not have a carb. Oats, quinoa, sweet potato, rice (wild rice is the best), Ezekiel bread can be included in the category. Less complex carbs would be white potato, corn, and white rice which turn to sugar easily in the body and spike insulin which you don't want so complex carbs are healthier. Best thing to do is get muscle tested to figure out what carbs are best for your body.
Fruit does have to be limited to 1 serving a day. There is a lot of vitamins and minerals in fruit but the fruit sugar can cause stress on the body. Too much sugar in the body causes stress on the pancreas but fruit sugar in particular (known as fructose) puts extra stress on the liver too. Also with genetic modifications and our soil being depleted of minerals an apple today contains more fructose and less minerals than 50 years ago. Our food unfortunately isn't as nutritious as it used to be.
At the top of the pyramid is minimal sugars. Minimal sugars include honey, stevia, real maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Other natural sweeteners can be agave but I wouldn't do that if you have blood sugar concerns or monk fruit but that would count as a fruit serving as well. Maximum allowed is a serving a day and better if you were to have it only once a week. Again, you can get muscle tested for your specific natural sugars that work for your body. Stay away from white refined sugar, brown sugar, or cane sugar to the best of your ability even though they are hidden in ketchup, salad dressings and sauces. Sugars like those are very inflammatory to your body and can wreak havoc on your health. Nancy Appleton has a list of over 140 reasons not to eat sugar.
Follow these food guidelines and I truly believe you can create a healthy life no matter what you suffer from. I have seen great results with asthma, arthritis, insomnia, depression, infertility, constipation, anxiety, PMS, thyroid concerns, menopause, bloat, acne, eczema and so much more using these food guidelines. It is amazing, food can really be medicine and we can help!
The Health Benefits of Celery Juice
I love how healing celery juice is and have recommended it to many patients to help with detox, thyroid health, to give more energy and so many more reasons that I can't believe it took me this long to add it to the office as another thing that the Healing Arts Wellness Center now offers! I first came across the "phenomenon" of drinking pure celery juice, every morning, on an empty stomach, while delving deep into the pages of Medical Medium by Anthony Williams. We are offering 8 ounces for $4 or 16 ounces for $7.
I’m sure most of us are familiar with typical green juice, which usually consists of fistfuls of dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, along with cucumber and celery, and oftentimes herbs, lemon, ginger. Usually apple is added for taste.It’s a powerhouse of a drink, with all those deep greens and their antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes transferred into a liquid form that can be easily sipped down, thus bypassing the energy-consuming process of digestion.
So when I read about the healing powers of celery juice, my interest was piqued, but drinking plain old celery juice seemed pretty boring compared to the green juice I’m used to. However,Williams, in Medical Medium, says celery juice, "is one of the most powerful and healing juices we can drink. Just 16 ounces of fresh celery juice every morning on an empty stomach can transform your health and digestion in as little as one week."
Celery contains compounds called coumarins, which are known to enhance the activity of white blood cells and support the vascular system. It also helps to purify the bloodstream, aid in digestion, relax the nerves, reduce blood pressure, and clear up skin problems. Celery is rich in vitamin A, magnesium, and iron, which all help to nourish the blood. Celery juice is also rich in organic sodium content, meaning it has the ability to dislodge calcium deposits from the joints and hold them in solution until they can be eliminated safely from the kidneys. Sounds pretty phenomenal right? You'll only know if you try it!
It can help with digestion
The discomforts of indigestion, bloating, and even acid reflux are often caused by low stomach acid. Studies have shown that people with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism often have low, or lack of, stomach acid, and low stomach acid sets off a wheel of undesirable health consequences. Many of us are all too familiar with the fact that when we’re stressed one of the first things to go out of whack can be our digestion. This is where the superhero of celery juice steps in, as its natural sodium content raises stomach acid, and when drunk first thing in the morning primes you for easy digestion for the rest of the day. Stomach acid is essential for breaking down food, particularly protein. If your stomach acid is lowered, the body then has to step in using more resources to try to digest that food, thus making you tired. This also leads to liver backlog, so there’s less chance your liver will be able to keep up with the onslaught of toxins it has to process from mere everyday life, as well as its job of balancing blood sugar and recycling and producing new hormones, among its many other tasks. If we don't give the body the nutrition it needs it never has a chance to reset, heal, and thrive.
It can reduce cravings.
Oftentimes, cravings are the body's way of calling out for nutrients that we are low or depleted in. For instance, if you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue, I've found you'll crave all salty foods. This is not a mistake of the body, as the adrenals need minerals to function at peak performance—like the minerals that are found in high-quality salt. Unfortunately we can often confuse this craving for wanting a bag of potato chips. Since celery juice helps with digestion the body can soak up all the goodness and nutrition now and cravings will subside.
More focus
Since stomach acid is essential for breaking down proteins, the amino acids from the protein can be broken down better after drinking celery juice. This allows the body to absorb the nutrition better. Amino acids are precursors for creating neurotransmitters, so in theory, the simple act of drinking celery juice can make you smarter. The surplus of energy one can get from food being digested better can also help feeling less overwhelmed. This helps to reduce stress, thus creating a happy, healthy, natural cycle. Celery is a major alkaline food. This means it helps to purge the body of acid and toxins and cleanses the liver and bloodstream.
Want to try it out for yourself? Here's a quick and easy recipe for celery juice (no fancy juicer required!).
Ingredients
1 head of organic celery. Should make 16 ounces of juice.
Splash of filtered water
Equipment
High-speed blender
Nut-milk bag
Large bowl
Method
Wash and roughly chop the head of celery into rough chunks.
Add to a blender along with a splash of water (to help the blades spin).
Blend for a few seconds until broken down.
Pour into a large bowl through a nut-milk bag.
Squeeze through the juice, and compost the remaining fiber in the nut-milk bag. Drink immediately for the most nutritional benefits.
To help detox heavy metals add a half cup of cilantro to the blender.
Healing Arts Lifestyle: NYC Restaurants
There is no question about it: ditching bad habits and adopting healthier ones can get challenging. Here at Healing Arts we are all about lifestyle changes that help you get your health back on track and allow your body to heal itself. Food changes like cutting out grains and sugar or switching to organic produce can allow the body to cleanse itself, but sometimes this leaves patients unsure about where to go if they want to eat out or grab a bite on the run. Well, stress no more! I have eaten my way through a small fraction of New York City to come up with a list that can help you navigate what can sometimes feel like a maze, so you can feel comfortable and healthy when stepping outside your kitchen.
For lunch and snacks:
Minigrow
Brought to you by honeygrow, they have wonderful zucchini noodles and organic greens with delicious homemade sauces
I love their hot bar and they make the best grain-free and sugar-free pancakes. Not to mention their chocolate (which we sell at the office)!
They have tasty treats and great salads to grab if you on the go. Their Greek salad with cashew feta is delicious!
Thoughtful meals prepared in glass jars. Their menu is constantly changing so you’ll never get bored at lunch.
Indian-inspired nourish bowls. They make yummy cauliflower rice.
Organic juices and soup—how can you go wrong? Tasty salads, too.
Vegan, plant-based meals with full flavor. Their air dried sweet potato fries are seriously good.
Organic bone broth with no additives. I love their broth with zucchini noodles as an option for lunch.
Homemade organic bone broth that packs a flavor punch. My favorite is their oishi oishi.
Cafes:
Local, organic and elegant. Their quinoa tagliatelle is delicious.
Californian vibes with yummy fruity and savory breakfast options.
Local, organic meals. Try their beef tartare—extremely tasty. Think meat, veggies, fish, broth.
They have great avocado toast and it’s a great place to sit and work with mint water on tap!
Organic and sugar free. They make tasty homemade chocolate and nourishing savory plates.
Restaurants:
Vegan/vegetarian share plates exploding with flavor—in my top 5! Try the avocado dosa, whole roasted cauliflower and the slow roasted beets. They are rocking the breakfast scene.
Local and organic. Their salmon and charred octopus is a must-try.
Clean eating with lots of salad and snacks. Try their Thai curry.
Local Mediterranean and Latin cuisine. Their scrambled eggs and potato rösti is a must-try for breakfast.
This is the beginning of what will soon be a long list of healthy options that will make you feel satisfied and comforted. These options offer meals and snacks that are healing and in line with your new lifestyle changes. Don’t be afraid to go out and adventure yourself—you may just find some on your own.
The Benefits of Oil Pulling
Oil pulling was first introduced in Ayurvedic medicine. I finally decided to blog about it as I ask many of my patients to do it. Whether it's for oral healthcare, digestive health, to clear out the sinuses or an immune system booster I've seen it help many patients in many ways!
Oil pulling as we know it today, was introduced in 1992 by Dr. F. Karach, MD. He claimed that oil pulling could cure a variety of illnesses ranging from heart disease and digestive troubles to hormonal disorders. Dr. Karach’s method of oil pulling emphasis swishing, not gargling, the oil in the mouth. The oil is “worked” in the mouth by swishing and chewing it around the mouth and ‘swizzling’ it (pushing it through the teeth) for a period of 15 to 20 minutes. The best time is in the morning before eating breakfast, but can be done before any meal on an empty stomach.
Oil pulling instructions:
Use 1-1.5 spoonfuls of unrefined, high quality, organic sesame seed oil (non-toasted) and 'swizzle" in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. Sesame seed oil is the best oil to swish with. I love using Banyan Daily Swish
Once completed, spit the oil out (we recommend spitting in the trash as it can clog your sink or toilet over time).
Follow it by a thorough mouth rinse with water. Warm water with sea salt is best.
Never swallow the used oil because it is loaded with bacteria, toxins, pus, and mucous. It is a good idea to brush your teeth afterwards to really clean out any leftover toxins and wash the sink afterwards as well if you don't spit it out into the trash.
Benefits:
Strengthens teeth
Can help reverse gingivitis
Prevents tooth decay/whitens teeth
Strengthen immune system
Improve digestion
Reduce skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis)
Reduce allergies
Lessen headaches
Help hormonal imbalance
Clear out sinuses
Tips:
Be sure you are using a high quality, organic, non-toasted sesame seed oil.
Set timer for 15-20 minutes because it's going to feel like a long time and I don't want you to guess that it's been 15 minutes when it's only been 5 minutes.
Precaution:
If you are allergic to a particular brand of oil, then change the brand of oil.
DO NOT SWALLOW.
One of the first cleansing symptoms you will experience is an increased flow of mucous from your throat and sinuses. Mucous drainage is one of the body’s methods of removing toxins. While you are oil pulling mucous may build in the back of your throat. You may even have to expel the oil and clear the mucous from your throat before reaching a full 20 minutes. If so, take another spoonful of oil and continue swishing for a full 15-20 minutes.
I usually do oil pulling when I am feeling sick to help clean my lymphatic system and boost the immune system. Your lymph takes about 7 minutes to circulate through the body. It is important to do oil pulling for a minimum of 15 minutes so you can clean out all of the lymph at least twice. But if during the 15 minutes your mouth begins to tire or stomach becomes sensitive start with 5 minutes and work your way up to 15-20 minutes.
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.
Anti-inflammatory Teas Now at Healing Arts Wellness Center
Everyone enjoys a good cup of tea or at least I do! The comfort and the taste is something I look forward to daily. I have enjoyed herbal teas for years and was just enjoying it for the comfort and taste when last year I started using herbal teas medicinally. When I say medicinally I mean I started to actually think about the tea I was drinking for the health benefits of the herbs. When I did this I saw my energy which was already good, skyrocket! My digestion improved and the slight swelling I would get time to time disappeared. I was definitely less inflamed overall. I learned so much and using this knowledge I was so excited to open up the Tea Bar at the Healing Arts Wellness Center three weeks ago!
The tea menu I created lists all the herbs that we use but I wanted to write this blog post about the anti-inflammatory teas we have and can blend together for you. Yes, that’s right. We use muscle testing to test what 3 herbs you need in your tea and make the personalized blend right there for you. Since I muscle test supplements for people all day long it was easy for me to think about muscle testing tea too. The creativity came in when I didn’t just want to give a person one type of tea but create a medicinal synergistic affect with a few teas together and create their own tea blend. We have 25 different teas to choose from. Imagine how many combinations of blends we can create with that! You can get one cup of tea or we can make a container for you that is 12 servings.
One reason why anti-inflammatory teas are so important to have at the tea bar is because I think the foundational problem of why dis-ease starts in the body is due to too much inflammation. My goal with every nutrition program is to help the patient reduce inflammation so the body can heal itself. Inflammation is a reaction the body has when trying to put itself into balance or what doctors like to say, homeostasis, against any pathogen or toxin. These toxins can be food, physical injury, heavy metals, emotional stress or heavy chemicals. These toxins create free radicals which cause cellular damage. With enough injured cells inflammation starts to build up. Acute Inflammation is mostly handled by the expansion and activation of blood vessels. Inflammation is commonly associated with the formation of new blood and lymphatic vessels from the pre-existing vessels that got damaged. Interestingly, while the activation of the blood vasculature has been reported to increase inflammation, lymphatic vessels generally appear to exert beneficial effects, by improving the clearance of excess fluid, thus reducing swelling and levels of pro-inflammatory cells as well as a number of immune cells. So keeping the lymphatic system healthy to keep inflammation down is key for a healthy body.
When acute inflammation occurs the chances of it turning into chronic inflammation is dependent on the lymphatic system and that’s why the Healing Arts Wellness Center offers lymphatic drainage therapy. Lymphatic drainage therapy is done by a massage therapist with a machine called Lympstar that uses electrons to attract the sluggish lymph and help it move through the body. All lymph fluid travels to the collar bones where it gets dumped back. Into the blood and lymphatic therapy can help with that movement.
We have been experimenting for months and came up with some great blends when muscle testing for helping with inflammation. Here is the list of teas we have that reduce inflammation and have other healing properties as well.
Cinnamon Blood sugar, anti inflammatory, lower cholesterol (for more on cinnamon, click here)
Echinacea Immune booster, respiratory health, digestion, anti-inflammatory, brain health, skin, anti-aging
Ginger Digestion, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, pain relief, heart support
Green Tea Heart support, anti-aging, weight loss support, immune support, brain health, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar
Holy Basil Digestion, blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss support, skin support, respiratory support, eye support, detox
Lemongrass Pain relief, sleep support, brain health, anti-inflammatory
Nettle Blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, pain relief
Peppermint Digestion, respiratory, anti-inflammatory, brain health, pain relief, sleep support,
women’s health, weight loss, skin support, immune support, relaxation, brain health
Sarsaparilla Anti-inflammatory, immunity booster, skin support, liver support
Turmeric Pain relief, eye support, immunity booster, brain health, lower cholesterol, anti-inflammatory (for more on turmeric, click here)
We also have blends for digestion, energy, women’s health, brain health, high blood pressure and more. So if you haven’t tried a personalized tea blend yet you must at your next visit!
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.
Patient Spotlight
It was generous to have one of my patients take the time to write out her healing journey with us. I found it so inspirational that I wanted to share it!
Before: 213 pounds - Age 55
After: 148 pounds - Age 58
My 3 Year Transformational Story with Healing Arts & Nutrition Response Testing
Dr. Armitstead and Nutrition Response Testing has completely transformed and restored my health and my body. After years of energetic, spiritual, emotional healing, I knew it was time to heal the body that had housed so much trauma, pain, fear and grief in its cellular memory manifesting as disease and an aged body. Healing Arts has been my passage back to physical renewal and the embodiment of health - where I am finally balanced in mind, spirit and now body.
I have been a dedicated client to this healing work for almost 3 years, abiding every appointment, every supplement, every nutritional dictate from my body’s own wisdom brought through the intuitive and skillful knowledge of Dr. Armitstead and Nova and Nutrition Response Testing. In these past three years I/we have healed (unspecified) Autoimmune Disease, Crohn's Disease, Chronic Inflammation, Chronic Migraines, Thyroid Nodules/Disease, Nervous System Disorders, Spinal Disease, Digestive Disorders, Chronic Constipation, Joint Pain, Obesity, Menopausal/Post-menopausal symptoms such as vagina dryness and thinning vaginal walls, thinning hair and sexual apathy, painful intercourse and pelvic floor dysfunction.
I have gained a body, organs, blood, heart, hormonal system, nervous system, joints, muscles, sexual organs, hair and skin that radiates the internal well being I have spent years manifesting. I have gained balance and wholeness and a belief in the wisdom of my own body’s genius. I have gained clarity, confidence, energy, wisdom, agelessness, renewed sexuality, and a love of and connection with my body that I had been dissociated with, ashamed of, and felt disdain for. I have gained a dedicated yoga practice and a love of exercising, strength training and recovery methods to care for my body because I love it, not because ‘I have to..’
When I began working with Healing Arts, It was my last hope, I had all but given up - almost buying into the belief that ‘this is just the way it is at age 50+ In post menopause...’. I had all of this light and beauty within me that I feared may be trapped forever beneath a body that had stored so much life: pain, grief, sorrow, limited beliefs, and society’s dictates of what it is to be a woman of a certain age, crying urgently to be healed. Despite having the skills to heal myself energetically/emotionally/spiritually, I didn’t know how to heal my body on my own, and the medical community only offered toxic medications and risky surgeries. I knew I needed help, and Healing Arts was the answer to my soul's calling.
Healing Arts and Nutrition Response Testing is a journey, not a quick fix - it takes dedication, faith, consistency and an unwavering ethic to what your body is asking of you. It demands an interactive approach with self and with the practitioner to take part in and responsibility for your healing. It is so worth the investment (which may at times seem ‘expensive’ but has saved me literally thousands of dollars in medical bills and medications). It is so worth the time, the supplements and the difficult releasing of some of the most addictive foods and substances we ingest in our bodies. It’s a way of life that is so worthy. It is the best gift I have ever given myself - I have lost 65 pounds, lost a dependence on medical doctors, lost a dependence on unhealthy foods and substances, lost low self-esteem and inhibitions and a fear of death and disease and gained so much joy, well-being, fearlessness, hope and possibility, healthy sexual functioning and a love of healthy and nutritious foods and cooking, and most importantly such gratitude and love for my body, it’s wisdom and my health.
I am so grateful for Healing Arts and Dr. Armitstead for helping lead me back to my body and it’s wholeness.
Thank you.
Energy Medicine in a Bottle
Using the concept E=mc2 and energy medicine we can electronically transfer medicinal waves into a tincture made just for you. We can muscle test and create a personalized combination of waves to imprint a tincture with. These medicinal waves are called infocueticals (IC). When we transfer ICs of medicinal substances to the water we create homeopathic dosages - technically there is no active substance present in the IC water, but under the influence of an electromagnetic field with a specific spectrum, the technology makes water molecules organize in a certain way that mimics the energy signature of the original substance. The same thing happens when homeopathic remedies are created. The restructured water can interact with receptors in our body and cause a similar reaction as if it was the substance itself.
I love homeopathy and have used it in my office for 10 years. Now using ICs we can make a homeopathic tincture personalized to you which is the mission of the new Healing Arts Wellness Center. We want to muscle test and make everything as personalized as possible, from the lotion you purchase to the tea you drink, and now homeopathic blends. I also love how it's water based because a lot of homeopathy is alcohol based and patients don't always muscle test for it because of the alcohol content. If you are not able to be muscle tested for a tincture we can make one based on symptoms for you.
The science behind structuring water comes from Dr. Masaru Emoto who was a scientist that discovered that water was a "blueprint for our reality" and not only could it hold a blueprint for medicinal substances but that emotional "energies" and "vibrations" could also change the physical structure of water. Emoto's water crystal experiments consisted of exposing water in glasses to different words, pictures or music, and then freezing and examining the aesthetic properties of the resulting crystals with microscopic photography. Emoto's studies show that water exposed to positive speech and thoughts would result in visually pleasing crystals being formed when that water was frozen, and that negative intention would yield "ugly" frozen crystal formations.
FLASKA makes special glass water bottles that restructure water in 5 minutes. We use Mountain Valley Spring water with this water bottle when making the tincture for you. We truly believe the quality of the water makes a huge difference. You can also purchase a Flaska water bottle at the office. It comes with a sleeve for protection so if you drop the bottle it doesn't break. They are $35 each.
The strength of the effect of the personalized remedy depends on how well the body can actually use or resonate with the information the water is holding, and whether the body has energy to make a change that the water wants. Because it is energy medicine, the effect from ICs might be slower and much lighter, but that is probably why they don't have negative effects. I highly suggest using energy medicine in the form of ICs to help detox, reduce inflammation, support hormones, have better digestion and less pain. The results I'm seeing in the office are amazing and I have loved Dr. Masaru Emoto's work for years and loved finding another application to help my patients get the health they deserve.
$20 for a 4 week supply.
Purchase yours now and let us know in the description what your health concerns are.
Anti-aging Secrets of Breath
I grew up on a farm in upstate NY on a dairy farm in a small town called Little Falls and when I was 12 years old my parents took me to NYC for the first time. I loved the sights but the air was toxic and so I came home to my first asthma attack. For four years I struggled with asthma. In and out of ER getting steroids and nebulizer treatments. On an inhaler daily, I never saw any improvement. The goal was just to maintain enough air to prevent another attack. At 16 years old, it was just getting worse and so my mom and I started looking for an alternative to Western medicine and that’s when I found Nutrition Response Testing and fell in love. After two years of being on a muscle testing program I stopped using my inhaler for good and no doctor would now say I have asthma. Having asthma was a blessing because it started me on this road and was the reason why I dedicate my life to giving people the joy of health the same way I was given it.
Only recently, really just the last year with the pandemic, have I been looking at and studying the health of the lungs on a deeper level and I will tell you everything I have learned tells me that if we breath slower and deeper we will live longer. It’s truly that simple. I have now realized with all my research that my asthma was not the problem. The body constricted the airways in order to help. Yes, you are correct. That was not a typo. The body constricted the airways to slow down breathing in order to help. The real problem occurred before the airway constriction which was the increase in my rate of breathing which dropped carbon dioxide levels so low that my body wanted to constrict my airways. With less carbon dioxide, not oxygen, the body tightens the airways to get less oxygen in but we panic when we feel the tightness which causes us to want more air and the panic causes the asthma attack to escalate. The answer to this is to breath slower and less and the body calms down, airways open and then the mind can relax too. This quick and easy fix works for anxiety too. When you start to feel the chest pressure even before then, start taking slower, deeper breaths. Count 6 seconds as you inhale, hold for 6 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds and then hold the exhale for 6 seconds before inhaling again. This 6 second rule is called Coherent Breathing. It’s good to do as a preventative too. Add it in to your daily routine for 5 minutes every morning and every night and start by looking at a clock that shows the seconds because when I first started this my 6 seconds counting was more like 4 seconds! There are free apps out there to specifically help with Coherent Breathing, Paced Breathing and My Cardiac Coherence.
Besides asthma and anxiety I have seen Coherent Breathing help patients with dizziness, vertigo, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. It’s not the deep breathing part that is healing because during an asthma attack, try as you might. a deep breath doesn’t really happen. It’s the holding part that is important to build carbon dioxide up in the body. We think it’s a lack of oxygen as the cause but I have put an oxygen reader on my finger during an asthma attack and it stays 94% oxygen saturation or more.
So why do I start my anti aging blog about asthma and Coherent Breathing? It’s because breathing is a force, medicine, and a mechanism through which you can gain an almost superhuman power. Just ask Wim Hof who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro wearing shorts. Even though he uses breath to do superhuman feats most people reading this want to learn how to breathe better for an increase in mental and physical health and that includes staying young.
There are as many ways to breathe as there are foods to eat and each way we breathe will affect our bodies in different ways. You need to know that how you breathe matters. Some methods of breathing will nourish your brain, while others will kill neurons; some will make you healthy while others will hasten your death.
If it’s only one thing you get from this post it is to breathe through your nose at all times and if you are a chronic mouth breather please go to an ENT and figure out why and how to change that. The nose hairs and mucus that the air hits is so important as a first line of defense when breathing. Mucus is constantly on the move, sweeping along at a rate of about half an inch every minute, more than 60 feet per day. Like a giant conveyor belt, it collects inhaled debris in the nose, then moves all the junk down the throat and into the stomach where it is sterilized by stomach acid, delivered to the intestines and sent out of your body. This conveyor belt doesn’t just move by itself. It’s pushed alone by millions of tiny, hair like structures called cilia. Cilia sway with every inhale and exhale at a fast sway of 16 beats per second. If you feel you have too much mucus when you first wake up in the morning or maybe a cough that produces mucus or a nose that runs constantly I promise that you are not constantly breathing through your nose and if you start to become aware and change that then you will find the mucus is a lot less.
Until the 1980s the common belief in Western medicine was the lungs would stay the same. That whatever lungs we were born with, we were stuck with. It is well known that the lungs will lose about 12% of capacity from the age of 30 to 50 and will continue declining even faster as we get older, with women faring worse than men. If you make it to 80 years old you will be able to take in 30% less air than we did in our 20s. We’re forced to breathe faster and harder as we get older. This breathing habit leads to chronic problems like high blood pressure, immune disorders, and anxiety. What western science is now discovering is that aging doesn’t have to be a one-way path of decline. The internal organs are malleable, and we can change them at nearly any age.
Free divers know this better than anyone. Free divers are people who go underwater as long as possible with their own lung capacity of air. Free diving is also known as breath-hold diving. They have trained their lungs and increased the lung capacity by 30% to 40%. To get the same increase in lung capacity the actual diving down hundreds of feet is not required. Any regular breathing practice that stretches the lungs and keeps them flexible can increase lung capacity. Moderate exercise like walking or cycling has been shown to increase air capacity by up to 15%.
When you start training the lungs make sure to use the diaphragm with every breath. The diaphragm is a muscle that sits beneath the lungs in the shape of an umbrella. The diaphragm moves down as the lungs expand during inhalation. During exhalation the diaphragm moves up as the lungs contract. This up and down movement occurs within us some 50,000 times a day. A typical adult engages as little as 10% of the diaphragm during breathing, which overburdens the heart, elevates blood pressure, and causes a range of circulatory problems. How are they connected? The heart pumps an average of 2000 gallons of blood a day. What influences much of the speed and strength of the circulation is the thoracic pump, the name for the pressure that builds up inside the chest when we breathe. As we inhale, negative pressure draws blood into the heart. As we exhale, blood shoots back out into the body. It’s similar to the way the ocean floods onto the shore, then ebbs out. And what powers the thoracic pump is the diaphragm. If we use the diaphragm 50 to 70% of its capacity it will ease cardiovascular stress and allow the body to work more efficiently including better circulation. For this reason, the diaphragm is sometimes referred to as the second heart because it not only beats to its own rhythm but it also affects the rate and strength of the heartbeat.
The better our breathing the more oxygen flow we have. Inside each of our 25 trillion red blood cells are 270 million hemoglobin, each of which has room for four oxygen molecules. That’s 1 billion molecules of oxygen that runs through your body at any given moment. When oxygen goes into a cell, carbon dioxide comes out. But why did this exchange take place? The more carbon dioxide in an area then the more acidic it is. It is this acidity, this low pH, that actually makes the oxygen leave the hemoglobin and go into the oxygen starved tissue. This explains why some muscles will get more oxygen than other muscles. It is because they are producing more carbon dioxide. It is supply and demand on a cellular level that makes oxygen move to where it needs to be.
When we breathe at a normal rate which on average is 18 breaths a minute, our lungs will absorb only about a quarter of the available oxygen in the air. The majority of that oxygen is exhaled back out. So why are we taking all these breaths that aren’t necessary? It really does make sense to take more oxygen in with less breaths per minute. Breathing less is better for us because with breathing too much we expel too much carbon dioxide and our blood pH rises to become more alkaline; when we breathe slower and hold in more carbon dioxide pH lowers and blood becomes more acidic. We need this acidity for the oxygen to leave the hemoglobin.
Almost all cellular functions in the body take place at a pH of the blood at 7.4, our sweet spot between alkaline and acidic. When we stray from that the body will do whatever it can to get us back there. The kidneys, for instance, will respond to over breathing by buffering. Buffering is a process in which an alkaline compound called bicarbonate is released into the urine. With less bicarbonate in the blood the pH lowers back to normal, even if we continue to huff and puff. It’s as if nothing ever happened. The problem with buffering is that it is meant as a temporary fix, not a permanent solution. Weeks, months or years of over breathing and this constant kidney buffering will deplete the body of minerals. Constant buffering will move minerals out of the bones. That’s how important the correct blood pH is. The body chooses stabilizing the pH over the strength of the bones.
Breathing is more than just a biochemical reaction or physical act; it’s more than just moving the diaphragm downward and sucking in air to give the red blood cells oxygen and remove waste. The tens of billions of air molecules we bring into our bodies with every breath also serve a more subtle, but equally important role. They influence nearly every internal organ, telling them when to turn on and off. The air we breathe affects heart rate, digestion, moods, attitudes; when we feel aroused and when we feel nauseated. Breathing is a power switch to a vast network called the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
There are two parts to the ANS, the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The lungs are covered with the nerves from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Many of the nerves connecting to the parasympathetic are located in the lower lobes which is one reason why deep and slow breaths are so relaxing. When you take a deep breath and air goes down deeper into the lungs the parasympathetic nerves are switched on which sends more messages for the organs to rest and digest and during exhalation the molecules stimulate an even more powerful parasympathetic response. The deeper and more softly we breathe in, and the longer we exhale, the more slowly the heart beats and the calmer we become.
The sympathetic nervous system fibers our at the top part of the lungs. They send signals to our organs, telling them to get ready for action. When we take short, faster breaths, the molecules of air switch on the sympathetic nerves. The more messages the system gets the bigger the emergency. The intense energy you feel when someone cut you off in traffic or wrongs you at work is the sympathetic system ramping up. Heart rate increases, adrenaline kicks in, blood vessels constrict, pupils dilate, the palms sweat, and the mind sharpens. Our bodies are built to stay in a state of heightened sympathetic alert only for short bursts and only on occasion. Even though it just takes a few seconds to activate, turning off the sympathetic nervous system and returning to a state of relaxation and restoration can take an hour or more.
The fastest easiest way to turn off the sympathetic nerves and not live a life in chronic low grade stress is to take deep breaths and turn on the parasympathetic nervous system. Just 3 deep breaths in the moment of being cut off in traffic or confronted with an argument can be enough to have the body stay calm and not spiral into fight or flight. You can also use deep breathing when not in a stressful moment such as during a meal for better digestion and at bedtime for deeper sleep. Deeper sleep and better digestion occur naturally if the parasympathetic nervous system is turned on and the sympathetic nervous system is turned off.
One reason we live in a chronic state of stress is because when the sympathetic nervous system is turned on we feel alive but it’s at the cost of the body breaking down. Without rest and relaxation, being stuck in fight or flight, will be the cause of poor digestion, not sleeping well, headaches, joint pain and so much more. Eight of the top ten most common cancers affect organs cut off from normal blood flow during extended states of stress. We need to learn to live in a balance between the two nervous systems, a homeostasis of the Autonomic Nervous System. That balance can be easily found with deeper breaths, holding your breath, and don’t forget to count to 6!
I had a 45 year old male patient come into the office about 1.5 years ago with severe eczema. Before coming to see me he had tried everything under the sun. In the 9 months he broke out all over his body he had seen 4 different medical doctors, tried tons of steroid creams, acupuncture, 2 naturopaths, and I was his last hope. We needed to detox some heavy metals and chemicals and within 2 weeks of detoxing his skin was 90% better. I had never seen the skin heal so fast from such a severe case and he said with starting the detox program I gave him and Wim Hof breathing he couldn’t believe the healing that was taking place after months of no relief.
Who was Wim Hof I wondered and so I didn’t have to dig deep to find him on Google. Wim Hof’s wife had taken her own life after years of depression when had sought refuge from his pain by deepening his practice of yoga, meditation, and breathing practices. He unearthed the ancient technique of Tummo, honed it, simplified it, repackaged it for mass consumption, and began promoting its powers in a string of daredevil stunts. He has been nicknamed “The Iceman” by breaking a number of records related to cold exposure. His feats include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, running a half marathon above the Arctic Circle on his bare feet, and standing in a container while covered with ice cubes for more than 112 minutes.
In 2011 researchers at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands brought Hof into a laboratory and started poking and prodding him, trying to figure out how he did what he did. At one point they injected his arm with an endotoxin, a component of E. coli. Exposure to the bacteria usually juices vomiting, headaches, fever and other flu like symptoms. Hof took the E. coli into his veins and then breathed a few dozen breaths, willing his body to fight it off. He showed no sign of fever, no nausea. A few minutes later he rose from the chair and got a cup of coffee. There's all the proof you need to know how deep breathing boosts your immune system!
To practice the Wim Hof‘s breathing method, start by finding a quiet place and lay flat on your back with a pillow under your head. Relax the shoulders, trunk, and legs. Take a very deep breath into the pit of your stomach and let it back out just as quickly. Keep breathing this way for 30 cycles. It should take about 3 minutes if you are breathing about 6 seconds in and 6 second outs. If possible, breathe through the nose; if the nose feels congested then breath through pursed lips. Each breath should look like a wave, starting with the stomach lifting, then the chest. You should exhale all the air out in the same order. At the end of the 30 breaths, exhale naturally, leaving about a quarter of the air left in the lungs, then hold that breath for as long as possible. Once you reached your breath hold limit, take one huge inhale and hold it another 15 seconds. Then exhale and start the 30 cycles of breathing again. Repeat the whole pattern three or four rounds and add in some cold exposure, cold shower, ice bath, a few times a week. The controlled breathing and then breathing all out, then not at all, getting really cold and then hot again is the key to the body’s magic. It forces the body into high stress one minute, a state of extremely relaxation the next. The body becomes more adaptable and flexible and learns these bodily responses can come under our control.
Wim Hof sees this controlled breathing as being able to create amazing physiological responses with the body. His feats speak for themselves. But I think it’s not just about biochemistry. There’s more going on than we can see under a microscope or find in a college textbook. In energy medicine (which I guess can be partly found in a quantum physics textbook) we see pumping the lungs with breath like this isn’t just about oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules moving in and out but it’s also about the movement of the chi, or call it prana, or kundalini energy, or chakras, or the meridian system. It’s all the same. This life force goes by many names. Chi has it’s origin in Chinese medicine and is used by acupuncturists. Japanese call it ki, Hebrews call it ruah, Greeks call is pneuma. The Iroquois even had a word for it, orenda. Prana has it’s origin in yoga and comes from the Hindu culture. Chakras are energy centers of this life force. Kundalini is the name of the life force energy that is stuck at the bottom of your spine. Guess what you do to get it unstuck? You use breath. I'm not waiting for science to catch up to tell me to use breath to be able to hold more life force in my body. I see the rejuvenating results with my patients and you can too.
If you ever do the Chakra Light Therapy at the office please remember to do Coherent Breathing during the session to get the most out of it. If not using Coherent Breathing during the session then going into meditation is another way to open yourself up and get the most out of the Tesla energy coming into the chakras and body to help balance this life force.
The power of breath is the reason why laughter is the best medicine. It pumps the lungs and moves stagnant life force. What makes us laugh is part of the equation. The laughter stimulus resonates with something in our energy or mind and then has the physical reaction of pumping the lungs. This energy shift is why laughter can be contagious.
The lungs pumping air, moving life force is why when we do Allergy Clearing in the office we have patients hold homeopathic vials of things they are allergic to while doing breath work as we tap certain acupuncture points to get the body to recognize the vials as something that is not harmful to the body. In this way the next time the real allergy is in contact with the body it doesn’t see it as a threat and does not overstimulate the immune system to have a reaction.
If how we breathe matters then the quality of air we breathe also matters. I do suggest an air purifier at least in the bedroom if you live in a city. Get one that has a HEPA filter.
I hope this helps you understand the importance of what so many take for granted and that is the power of breath bringing life force AND oxygen into the body in order to stay strong, healthy and rejuvenated. Part 2 of anti-aging secrets is about stem cell supplements, a technique called Mewing and more!
The Beauty of Stem Cell Rejuvenation
Cell replication occurs about 330 billion times a day! The equivalent to about 1% of all our cells. In 80 to 100 days we will have replenished 30 trillion cells and have close to a new you. This is why good nutrition is so important. You want to give cells the right replacement parts to replicate themselves in a healthy way. The only thing holding you back from a truly brand new you is your nervous system. Nerves are slowest to grow for they take 7 years but just think about that, a new body every 7 years and if you treat it right it could rejuvenate in 7 years or it could degenerate. The choice is yours and it is the thousand of choices we make a day that add up to create the type of new body we will have 7 years from now.
To help us grow these new cells, our body makes stem cells. Sutures of the skull is one place where the body creates stem cells. Stem cells are blank cells that shift form and become tissues and bone depending on what our body needs. Stem cells are found throughout the body but the other main place they are found is in bone marrow. Once stimulated they can go anywhere and become any new cell. They truly are our internal fountain of youth. 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. When cell biology and molecular engineering come together they create a new modality of healing for patients. Stem Cell supplements allow healing to be preventative for patients who are healthy and at the same time create a new healing for patients with degenerative issues in which there is cell loss and low ability for the body to heal itself. Give the body the right parts to repair at a cellular level and when they replicate with the new parts they create better cells that then go on to replicate healthier tissue.
Biocell supplements work together to promote energy production and cell growth. They are formulated with ingredients that are 100% natural with the highest quality standards.They contain very specific stem cells in combination with antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins to optimize the formulas and their therapeutic affects. No chemicals, GMO or unwanted substances are used. Modern technology ensures the recovery of assets in a natural way so these supplements are safe and extremely effective in regenerating the body, cell by cell. They have stem cell supplements to make healthier cells for the liver, thyroid, kidneys, hormones, skin and more! Healthier cells equals a healthier you.
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 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.