The Powerful 4 Letter Word

This past week I experienced the power that words can have.

A loved one of mine was in the hospital for pneumonia, and was making great strides toward getting better. She was motivated to puff and blow in on her breathing paraphernalia so that she needed oxygen below 5%.

She was scrappy! She wanted to go home. She did everything they said to do. Walk, do arm weights, do her breathing exercises, etc…

Then her oncologist came in and she said, “I’m going home soon”. He replied, well, maybe not. We don’t like your lab numbers and we need to do a biopsy. You might have leukemia.

It took the wind right out of her sails.

I visited her the next day and she was a changed woman from a couple of days before. I don’t think I’m strong enough were her words.

The doctor’s words took her hope away. And she was ready to give up the ship.

It’s this thing called HOPE that I want to speak about.

I think it could apply to not only our health but anything in the world. Especially given the atmosphere of fear that we are in.

It seems like some of us come with a lot more hope than others. The world batters us down, we keep going and become something bigger than we were. How many biographies have you read of the one who in spite of all odds, not only survived, but changed the world?

Someone like the abolitionist, Harriet Tubman, who rescued some 70 slaves, through the Underground Railroad. Tiny in stature, but huge in her faith, gave her the strength and hope to make things happen.

 As they say, we can’t control everything that happens to us, but we can do something about the attitude towards the events in our lives.

How do you find hope in your world? How do you change your view of the world that gives you strength, courage, hope and wisdom?

Growing up, I loved the movie “The Wizard of Oz” and even though I cowered under the coffee table when the wicked witch threatens Dorothy, I will always remember one scene.

It’s when Dorothy lands in Oz, and her world goes from black and white, to full color. It is like a turning on the light.

How do you find that switch for yourself?

In nature, prayer or meditation? Being in the garden, being with others?

I believe as we deepen our understanding of our inner world, we can learn to cultivate the world of Oz, where love (the tin man), wisdom (the scarecrow) and courage (the lion) can give us the resources to be in the world fully present.

And full of HOPE

PS, my loved one has found her hope!

Three Tips to Avoid Being SAD This Winter

This was a guest post written for Inner Balance Healing. 

As winter approaches and our days are shorter and shorter, I've noticed a few things. As soon as it gets dark, I'm ready to head upstairs and go to bed. And, my motivation for getting that morning walk in the neighborhood has waned. I've missed more days than I've walked this week.

It has made me think of our connection to the light. Our great sun.

Most of our time on the planet, we have followed the sun in our activities. So when the sun went to bed, so did we!

Only in the last century or so have most of us had the luxury of night time lighting. Now, our exposure to light is quite different.  Instead of sunlight, with its full spectrum of wavelengths, we are indoors most of the day and under fluorescent lights, LED, and receiving light emissions from our phones and computers.

What if we considered the sun as another needed nutrient?  What happens when we don't have this nutrient in the right proportions or amounts?

Some of us in the northern latitudes are susceptible to the shortened days . We lack initiative, crave carbohydrates, gain weight  and feel depressed. This has been called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

The jury is out on what causes SAD, but most research points to circadian rhythms, serotonin and melatonin levels. The circadian rhythms  are physical, mental and behavioral changes, that follow a 24 hour cycle in accordance to light and darkness. They are inherent in most living beings.

The pineal gland could be a major player in SAD.  Here's why:

The pineal gland has been called the third eye, said to be our connection via our intuition to the universe. It even looks like an eye. It is a pine cone shaped organ about 1/4 inch long! It is tucked deep inside the central part of the brain. Its primary function is to produce melatonin, a serotonin-derived hormone.  It does this by its interaction with light.

We have photoreceptor cells in our eye's retina  that detect the light and transmit it as a nerve response to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The suprachiasmatic nucleus  (SCN) is our biological clockwhich synchronizes us to the circadian rhythms of light and darkness. From the SCN, nerve responses to the light are sent through the sympathetic nervous system pathway to the pineal gland.  

In the pineal gland, serotonin is made into melatonin. Its production is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light. So its peak levels are in the middle of the night and gradually decrease as dawn approaches.  So the pineal translates the light or sensory information into hormonal information -(melatonin).

So, what can we do to support our pineal gland, balance our circadian rhythms and avoid the winter blues?

1. GET OUTSIDE

This is my favorite! Take advantage of the sunny days we have and get outside for a walk.  Not only will the fresh air revive you, but you'll catch some light nutrients. If you can, plan a trip to a warm and sunny beach, or go camping!

2. REDUCE INDOOR EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL LIGHT SOURCES

Curtail your light exposures 2-3 hours before bedtime. Make your bedroom as dark as possible and leave electronics out of the bedroom.  This is part of good sleep hygiene anyways as we set a routine for restful and rejuvenating sleep. 

Here's a link to a website that has a download for your computer that adjusts the color of your computer throughout the day to minimize the blue violet light in the evening. https://justgetflux.com/

3. TREAT YOURSELF TO A "LIGHT VACATION" WITH HARMONIC LIGHT THERAPY

It is pretty well established that many individuals with SAD can be helped with bright light therapy. There are lights you can buy and use in the morning for 20-30 minutes.

But more recent research shows it's the blue light (wavelength of 470-490 nm )that helps those with SAD. This is the more turquoise part of the spectrum, not the blue violet light that we get from our electronic devices and lighting.

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights are an outgrowth of the laser industry and are a safe, non-invasive way of providing light nutrients to the body, especially through the eyes. It uses three types of light. The LED's are embedded in pads that can be placed strategically on the body.

blue light works on skin and mood

red light works on the skin and soft tissue of the body

near infra red light penetrates all the way into the bone of the body

The practitioner chooses specific "sweeps". The "sweeps" are a series of specific pulsed frequencies that have been shown to support healing of various conditions. "Light" as information is conveyed to the tissues of the body. Just like fiber optic cables can transfer data quickly! We speak of the speed of light.....

The practitioner or Harmonic Light Owner can choose specific programs that best meet the needs of the client or owner. It's relaxing and comfortable.

I use applied kinesiology or muscle testing to determine the best program for my clients along with an abbreviated health history.

To experience the cumulative effects of light therapy, I recommend at least 4 sessions. The session lasts from 20-40 minutes, depending on the your needs and sensitivity. Cozy and relaxing light vacationstailored just for you.

We are offering 10% off my package - $108 for 4 Sessions (Regularly priced $120) Must be Purchased by January 15, 2018.

Contact Marina Poling at marina@makanaintegrativewellness.com or 970-224-4145 and mention this post for your discount.

The lowly potato is back on top again!

Lately, I've been submerged in research about the gut and its co-habitants, the gut microbiome, or microbiota. These are the tiny beings that we humans have outsourced a tremendous part of our physiology and biochemistry. Why do I say that? Well, for one thing, they outnumber us by 10:1. And, if we look at them in terms of our genes versus their genes, we get a whopping 150:1 ratio. Who is running our show then?

What is so cool, is that these tiny guys are turning medicine on its head.  Research is pointing to interventions that recognize the mighty role of the microbiome.

By now, many of you have heard that gut health is crucial to a healthy immune system.  So, how do we improve this microbiome? With one of the easiest to find and least expensive foods available!

This food has even been lauded in the January 5 2017 issue of Time Magazine. The title: This Kind of Food is Both Filling and Insanely Good for You.

They are talking about resistant starch. What is that? It just means the kind of starch that your body can't digest. It goes through the small intestines until it gets to the large intestine or colon. There your microbiome is busy getting fed and doing its work to keep you healthy. Your good bacteria take this resistant starch and turn it into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). One in particular, called butyrate, is an energy source for the epithelial cells that line the gut.
 
These are the cells that are famously portrayed in the Leaky Gut Sagas of our time. You have probably heard that Leaky Gut is a major factor in just about every chronic disease out there from autoimmune diseases, gut issues, brain and mood disorders, cancer and even cardiovascular disease.

These cells are the guardians between the outside world (whatever we have ingested through our mouths) and the inside world. This is where most of our immune system is and where in the small intestine, we absorb our nutrients.

What are Resistant Starches?

• Those in raw foods like unripe banana, papaya, mango (these are often used in Asian cuisine). Raw papaya is contraindicated for pregnant women due to latex
• Beans and potatoes are the best sources according to Dr. Alan Christianson
• Cooked and cooled starches are even better! So take your cooked potatoes and beans and cool them. Reheat them for even more benefit. Every time you heat and cool them, you will increase the resistant starch. You can even add rice to this list.
• Cassava, plantains, potato starch can also be added to this list.

Benefits from Consuming Resistant Starch:

• Energy for your gut lining
• Improves insulin sensitivity even in those with insulin resistance
• Improves your blood sugar, keeps it steady so you won't have those dips and highs
• This means will help you lose weight including your belly!
• Improves integrity and function of the gut - reduced inflammation all over
• Reduces risk of colorectal cancers and probably all cancers
• May reduce risks associated with eating red meat
• Increases satiety or feeling full - again will help with weight loss
• May preferentially bind to bad bacteria (thus may be part of the treatment for those with SIBO - Small Intestine Bowel Overgrowth)
• Enhances magnesium absorption. Magnesium is used in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body

Did You Know?

When you put mice in water and they have to swim, they get really stressed. When mice raised without any microbiota, are fed the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus, they swim happily!

There is a whopping success rate (in the high 90's) to curing those with antibiotic resistant C-diff in a unique way. How is this done? By introducing fecal material from a healthy donor. Sounds gross, but "yellow soup" was described in the 16th century by a Chinese physician, Li Shizhen.

Researchers are using fecal transplants from thin mice and introducing them to obese mice and they get thin. They've done the reverse, taking fecal transplants from obese mice and inserting them into thin mice and seen them gain weight.

 Some Anecdotal Stories:

• Improves body composition, ie more muscle
• Improves thyroid function
• Improved sleep
• Less anxiety, feeling calm

Ok, with all these benefits its time to start incorporating these foods into your diet?  See my suggestions below for greater success or schedule an appointment to design your gut health plan.

Adding Resistant Starches into Your Diet: Start Slowly
My suggestion would be to start with regular food sources versus purchasing potato starch. If you experience gassiness or bloating, it's probably some of the bad bacteria fermenting them into gases. Back off and add slowly back in.

If you're doing ok with just using food sources, and want to experiment, you can always try a more concentrated version, ie the potato starch and see how you do.

Let me know how you do and if you need any guidance along the way, come in for a session and we can develop your unique gut program.
Here's to feeding our hidden helpers!

Two Easy Ways to Feel Healthier Fast

Well it's that time of year where many of us want to turn over a new leaf. We have just made it through the holiday season after maybe too much sugary food, alcohol and stress.  It's an ideal time to take stock. If you really would like to re-set your health, we have two packages tailor-made for you.

Restorative Gut Program

Why might you consider doing this program?

• You have any gut issues - diarrhea, bloating, constipation, heartburn, discomfort

• You have an autoimmune condition - Hashimoto's, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis

• You have skin issues

• You have arthritis and pain issues

• You have a hard time losing weight

• You are depressed and/or anxious

• You have brain fog

• You have high cholesterol or other inflammatory markers

• You have Type 2 Diabetes or blood sugar issues

• You are worried about dementia or Alzheimer's

• You don't have much energy to do the things you love

• You just want to feel better

What will you get?

• Personalized diet and food recommendations

• Recommendations for supplements and herbs to heal the gut

• 15% discount on all supplements and herbs

• Four Quantum Energetics Structured Therapy (QEST) sessions

• Support and Resources

Healing the gut is foundational to you overall physical and mental health and I would be thrilled to help you with this.

The package price is $320 (does not include herbs and supplements)

6 Tips to Be Merry During the Holiday Season with Food Restrictions

Don't let food restrictions stop you from celebrating the season!

As we all prepare for the holidays with family and friends, those of us with special dietary needs can find socializing to be a minefield.  Most of us don't want to be a pain in a neck at a party or gathering, and we don't want to have to defend our vigilance about knowing what goes into our mouths. Furthermore, there are still some people out there that believe the gluten free movement is a fad. That's the way it is, but we can be pro-active and take care of ourselves in a gracious way if we plan ahead.

1.  Be the host and you will know exactly what is in the food that you are serving. You can also provide a card with ingredients if you have anybody in your party with food concerns.  It also might be a nice touch to ask if your guests have any dietary restrictions.  This gesture educates your guests to keep the dietary challenged in mind when they are the hosts. If you think I'm crazy, remember that some schools have peanut free zones due to all the children with severe allergic reactions, not just food sensitivities!

2. If you are a guest and you feel comfortable, speak with your host ahead of time and mention your food limitations. You can offer to bring something to fill out the meal or party that you know you can eat.

3. Sometimes, we just need to show up and enjoy whatever is there. Yesterday, I enjoyed a birthday and graduation party for a friend's son. I wasn't sure what was going to be served, so I ate ahead of time. And that was just fine. It was a good thing, because everything but the fresh veggies had gluten in them, and probably some other goodies I wouldn't have wanted to eat. You don't have to make a big deal of it.
Sometimes, I will say I have a lot of food allergies instead of calling them intolerances or sensitivities. Then, I don't have to explain it.

I receive a jar of this delicious dairy free pumpkin panna cotta as a gift and it was delicious! Instead of purchasing coconut cream, simply turn a can of full-fat coconut milk upside down in the refrigerator overnight and then use only the think cream. Make sure to use a high quality, grass-fed gelatin to get all the health benefits. Get the recipe here

Visit Elana's Pantry for great food ideas. She has recipes for all the common food problems. Her site is www.elanaspantry.com

Purchase E3 Advanced Plus here

4. What if you really want to indulge or don't want to bother? One of my favorite products is called E3 Advanced Plus (previously Glutenza). It was developed by the gluten expert in the world, Dr. Tom O'Bryan. I like to have it with me when I go out to eat to cover accidental gluten ingestion and cross contamination.  You can purchase E3Advanced Plus here.

5. If you are planning to go to a restaurant, go online and see what their menu looks like. That will give you an idea of what the possibilities are. Ask your waiter or waitress if they have a special gluten free menu, and if you have other dietary needs, do ask. But, know that the wait staff isn't always trained in knowing what is gluten free. When I was visiting my Dad in Atlanta, I was pleasantly surprised that they had a menu that showed gluten free options, but the meal came with a fritter that had guess what? in it. I'm always courteous about it, but I did speak up to say that they need to do better. Sigh, I guess that's why I don't go out that often, because it's still a challenge to find clean food. Take that E3 Advanced Plus with you.

It's best to stick to broiled meats and vegetables, if they don't have a gluten free menu. I was once at a chain restaurant who did have an extensive list of what was in each dish. I was shocked that the side of broccoli had gluten in it! For quite some time, I thought there were a few dishes that I could eat at one of the neighborhood restaurants, and again, once they provided the menu ingredients, I was reduced to about 3 dishes that I could eat! So my point is, don't assume anything about the ingredients when you're going out to eat. I believe if we are courteous and do our questioning, eventually, they will figure out that there are a lot of us out there that need more care if we are going to patronize their restaurant.
Just a little side note from Dr. Tom O' Bryan. He said that an exposure to gluten can cause inflammation for 3-6 months afterwards. That means cheating just a little here and here, or getting an accidental exposure, will keep the fires of inflammation going constantly.
 
6. What if you're traveling via airplane? Plan ahead and look at the list of admissible foods to take with you:
Solid food items can be transported in either your carry-on or checked baggage, while liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 oz are not permitted in carry-on baggage and should be placed in checked baggage if possible.
You can have fruits and vegetables and if you bring other items, they need to wrapped, not loose in your baggage. Other foods that would be permissible are hard cheese and meats. Just remember that if item is sliced or cut, it needs to be contained in some packaging. Cakes and pies are allowed but may be scrutinized at screening. I'm thinking that your paleo cookie or bar probably will be ok.
If you are going by car, bring a cooler and stock it with chopped veggies, fruit, hummus, baba ganoush, sliced cheeses, some sliced meats, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, nuts and dried fruit (unless it's a food you're not supposed to have).

I want to wish that each and every one of you find peace in your heart. I am grateful for knowing all of you and so appreciate being part of your voyage towards health.

Stress and our Gut Health

The Importance of Lowering Stress to Improve Gut Health and Reduce Risks of Disease
 
This week is a time to give thanks and appreciate all we have. While this is most ideal aspect of the holiday season, it is unfortunately, not the only aspect for many of us.  Over 60% of us have heightened levels of stress over the next six weeks. When we get stressed, whether it's our reactions to a surprise visit from family, that unexpected repair bill, our child's health, the news, whatever it is, our body is trained to stop the nerve and energy flow to our gut and instead push it towards our muscles. Stress will direct your body's resources to your muscles so we can run away from that proverbial lion!

So what happens to our gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) when we get stressed? Well, for one thing, we may find our bowels quit moving, or for some, we experience diarrhea. That was me in my first year of teaching.....

Stress also prevents or interferes with the production of essential chemicals that are essential for digestion to occur. These include pancreatic enzymes, hydrocholoric acid and intrinsic factor, as well as an orchestra of biochemicals that allow our digestive system to successfully break down and metabolize our foods.

The GI tract is a tube where our food and drink is broken down into smaller compounds that are absorbed into our bloodstream. There is a single layer of cells that protects the inside of our body from what's coming down the pike from the outside world. When we are stressed, these cells , the gatekeepers who selectively keep some things out (like bacteria) and other things in (nutrients) start to lose their ability to keep the gates shut. Undigested food particles and even bacteria  start leaking out into the bloodstream. The cell lining becomes more permeable, what's known as "leaky gut".

Our microbes outnumber us by upwards to 3:1. Furthermore genetically, we are 1 per cent human genes and 99% microbial genes. Some health leaders have quipped that we might be considered more microbial than human! We could say that this microbial community, now known as the "microbiome" acts like an "organ". The largest part of it inhabits our GI tract, getting more numerous the lower down you go.

What happens next in this saga? You've probably heard that about 70% of our immune system is in the gut. It is composed of the mucus around this epithelial layer, and also specialized immune cells (the neighborhood police)  who live in the basement under the one cell layer. When it starts leaking, the police make quite a squawk and start producing inflammatory producing chemicals.

These chemicals or cytokines cause more inflammation and usually wind up in your susceptible or problem child areas; it could be your thyroid, your bones and joints, your gut itself, your brain or other areas of your body.  Chronic inflammation is behind every chronic condition humans experience in the modern world. Heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's', gastrointestinal diseases, Graves Hashimoto's, the list goes on.

Our saga is incomplete without the star players - our unique microbiome, which simply put is the unique community of microbes that live all throughout our body. They are most numerous in our lower gut. They sit at that one celled layer andmodulate what is happening there. They react to what is coming down the pike. They do these by increasing our decreasing the inflammatory response our immune system has to what we have eaten. They are the go-betweens between the police and the outside world. Some of them actually make short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that feed the guard or gatekeeper cells.  Some prevent the bad guys or "pathogenic" microbes from growing in numbers. Others like E. Coli have LPS (lipopolysaccharide) in their membrane. It is a nasty substance that actually makes the gut lining leakier. Others quiet down the inflammatory response. 

Stress affects both the quality and quantity of the microbial players. This is akin to what happens when we take a broad spectrum antibiotic that kills just about everything. Not only have we reduced the population of microbes, but we have changed the player roster. There are always opportunistic players (just like how some people make tons of money during economic downturns or depressions).  After stress, we have a new team. These new guys tend to be bullies. They've waited for their chance, and they are going to take advantage and cause lots of trouble. They are going to make you feel even more stressed, anxious, depressed, fat, sick and tired.

So what to do, what to do?
How do we help our body deal with more stress, and be more resilient?
Here's my list of helpful practices in more detail:

• Drink more water (filtered is best)
• Get enough magnesium; organic green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds. Foods with exceptionally high magnesium content include seaweed, coriander, pumpkin seeds, unsweetened cocoa powder, and almond butter
• Get enough sleep
  • Disconnect from tech, TV, etc at least a half hour before bed
  • Get your room as dark as possible
  • Take a hot bath with Epsom salts
  • Drink some relaxing teas such as valerian or chamomile with an added TBSP of powdered gelatin (high in glycine which is calming)
  • The more sleep you can get before midnight, the better
  • Have a little sleep ritual that can include meditation, prayer, etc.
  • "Earthing sheets or mats" - ask me about this
• Meditate, pray, do deep breathing, give thanks
• Yoga
• Don't skip meals, try to stay with your regular meal schedule so you don't mess up your blood sugar
• Regular movement, walking, running, interval training, whatever your usual routines are, try to keep them even if you do less
• Watch funny movies or laugh with friends
• Probiotics (unless you have SIBO)
• Use aromatherapy in your home (diffuser, your handkerchief, pillow or warm compresses).
  • lavender
    • frankincense
    • vetiver
    • ylang ylang
    • vanilla
    • rosemary
    • lemon balm
    • chamomile
    • bergamot
    • rose
• Get a massage
• Making love
• Hemp oil CBD's - ask me about Elixinol
• Keep  to your routines as much as possible. Our mantra as Waldorf teachers was "rhythm replaces strength". Think of how the whole solar system predictably moves in relationship to all.
• Emotional Freedom Technique EFT)

Turmeric - Small Root, Big Healing Power

Golden Milk is now available in a lot of natural food stores at $4 or more a bottle!  Make your own for a fraction of the cost.

In a blender combine the following ingredients (always use organic if available)
Full fat coconut milk in a can
Turmeric powder : 3-4 heaping teaspoons
Cinnamon powder : 1 heaping teaspoon (or more if you love cinnamon)
Ginger powder : 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg : 1/8 teaspoon
Cloves (ground) : small pinch
Salt : small pinch
Pepper - VERY important - helps make the curcumin bio-available : several grinds of a pepper mill or a pinch
Honey - 1 teaspoon (other sweeteners work well too.  Try not to make it too sweet)

Blend on low to combine.  Add water or light coconut milk to bring up to 32 oz.  Blend again.  Bottle (I found these great bottles on Amazon). 

Lasts 4-5 days in the fridge.  Shake Well.  Enjoy daily!

---

Once I started to explore turmeric online, I was astounded by the depth and broad uses of turmeric. If I were to choose one herb to take, this might be the one!
it has been used medicinally since around 2500 BCE - 4500 years. Not only has it been part of the Ayurvedic tradition, but also widely in the Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. The Assyrians described it in a book of herbal remedies and it was used by the Greeks from 600 BC.

Turmeric is considered auspicious and holy in India has been used for millennia in religious ceremonies. The robes of the Hindu monks were traditionally colored yellow using turmeric. It is also associated with the sun or the god Thirumal (Lord Vishnu) in the ancient Tamil religion.

In the 1920's Germany began research followed in the 1930's by researchers in Asian countries. In early 1990's many western herbalists started promoting the use of turmeric for several major health problems.  
Now, in 2016, Turmeric is experiencing a new boom in use;  just search for turmeric recipes on Pintrerst and you will find everything from smoothies, golden milk to snacks and dinner entrees.

I was intrigued by my neighbor's comment that she was using turmeric powder to whiten her teeth. A year and a half ago I had embarked on an online gut restoration program called Gut Thrive in 5 spearheaded by Christa with The Whole Journey. One of the recipes was a turmeric and ginger lemonade.  It was quite delicious. I have sent quite a few of my clients home with this recipe when finding a client tested high for turmeric or ginger. What a tasty way to get it in your diet!

In general, turmeric is considered "warming" and "strengthening" to the whole person. But let's take a look at both the recognized and potential benefits of this herb.

Take a look at the list of ways turmeric may help you:

• Fights colon and breast cancer

• May destroy multi-drug resistant cancers and goes after the root cause of cancers which are the cancer stem cells (mother of cancer cells and the other cells that inhabit tumors)

• Helpful in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinsons; can stimulate nerve cell regeneration, as well as both prevent and reduce amyloid- beta plaques

• Reduces inflammation - root cause of most chronic diseases

• Reduces arthritis

• Antimicrobial even against the protozoa,  Entamoeba histolytica

• Improve PMS

• Wound healing and skin conditions

• Improve lung and liver diseases

• Reduce cardiovascular diseases, including in those with diabetes by thinning the blood

• Improve blood sugar regulation

• Protective against both heavy metal toxicity and radiation-induced damage

• Whitens teeth!

Happily, there are no known side affects only side benefits and so far, no one has found any adverse interactions with drugs.

According to this article from Dr. Mercola (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/04/curcumin-turmeric-benefits.aspx) turmeric works by:

• modulating about 700 of your genes (that means it can turn genes off and on thus affecting biochemical pathways in your body)
• Positively modulate about 160 different physiological pathways in your body
• Make your cell membranes more orderly- cell membranes are the site of many important activities in your body
• Affect signaling molecules in your body - think of cops directing traffic

Here are some ways you can add Turmeric to your life and remember to get a high quality organic turmeric:

• Make a tea by adding the powder or fresh turmeric to boiling water and brew for 10 minutes
• Eat in curry dishes
• Blend into your smoothie - check out Sari's recipe:
• Season your veggies
• Brush your teeth with a paste mixed with coconut oil or dip your toothbrush and toothpaste into powder
• Make this turmeric ginger lemonade from The Whole Journey website:http://thewholejourney.com/turmeric-and-ginger-tea

 
Want to know how much turmeric you should be consuming, I would love to see you in my office for a session.  If you need more therapeutic dosages, there are companies such as Designs for Health, that provide a high quality, high standardized dosage. Contact me to schedule an appointment or to order this high quality product.
 

Get Grounded This Summer

Well, it's almost summer as we the progression of spring flowers has been amazing this year. I am waiting for my peonies to fill up now and just drinking in the greenery and bright colors throughout my yard.

This month, I am excited to share a simple technology that I have been using for the last several months. It's called a Grounding or Earthing mat. I had seen a movie about grounding last year and thought it was pretty interesting. Then my dear friend, Paula Curtis, shared how one of her PTSD clients told her how sleeping on the grounding mat was changing his life. He was sleeping and his stress level had gone way down!

Now I have a testimonial from one of my own clients:
"I have been using the Grounding or Earthing Sleeping Mat for a week. I have noticed a drastic change in my back pain, both during my sleep cycle and when I wake up. I typically wake up with so much back pain, it's hard to get out of bed.
With the mat, I am able to just get out of bed normally. The mat has also improved my quality of sleep, as I work shift work and am on night shift right now. The first two nights of my shift I slept an entire eight hours without waking up, which rarely happens. Excited for more great improvements as I use it longer." Amy Kuehl

In this article, I would like to give a little of the background of how earthing orgrounding works and then share some of the research and benefits that people are reporting.

I believe that earthing or grounding should be part of a healthy lifestyle.

We can think of the Earth as a huge reservoir of free electrons which come from the constant showering from lightning strikes (5000 lightning strikes per minute). All of our body's trillions of cells function electrically. If the cell has too little voltage, we get disease. When we make contact with the earth, the grass, the earth, concrete, the ocean, we receive these free electrons into our cells and the charge we carry is equalized or we become grounded. Our cells receive the charge it needs to keep healthy.

What prevents us from being grounded?

Well, for decades we have been wearing insulated shoes instead of leather soles. We live in homes without dirt floors. Our wooden floors, our elevated beds, our high rise buildings remove us from this wonderful reservoir of electrons that helps keep us healthy.  What's more, we are surrounded by charged appliances and wiring in our homes, which further increases the charge we carry. Think of free electrons as a needed nutrient and which we, in our modern world may have an extreme deficiency.

Clint Ober, the man who figured this out and then has worked endlessly to get research done, was in the cable TV business, where it was well known that you had to have grounded wires to get a good signal on the TV. His observations and initial experimentation and later push for research has paved the way for a groundbreaking way to support your health.

Here are some conditions that current research shows improvement and benefits related to earthing:
 

• Anxiety Disorders - research is showing decreased stress and improved mood
• High Cortisol - those using sleeping mats are finding that their cortisol cycles are normalizing, improving stress, reducing inflammation, increasing energy and improving sleep
• Hyperglycemia (Blood Sugar Issues)- improvement in blood sugar issues
• Insomnia- improvement in sleep
• Muscle Soreness - decreased time to heal due to decrease in inflammation
• Exercise Induced Muscle Soreness - athletes are finding decreased recovery time after physical activity
• Stress - improvement in ability to deal with stress. Heart rate variance increases.
• Inflammation - measurable decreases in immune system molecules, leading to decreased pain.
• Oxidative Stress - free electrons provide the water to squelch free radical damage or oxidative stress. Reduces inflammation
• Cardiovascular Disease - blood viscosity (thickness) is decreasing as the red blood cells repel each other. Increased blood velocity which means less clotting, decreased blood pressure, less likely to stroke or block arteries! It has even been documented that those on blood thinners need to have their blood monitored to prevent over bleeding!
• Thyroid Issues - some participants on thyroid hormone were having symptoms of hyperthyroidism (heart palpitations) thus showing that earthing may be changing their hormone availability. Those on thyroid hormones may need to reduce their thyroid hormone dosages!

Grounding and Inflammation Research:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/ (article NIH pub med)
Grounding and sleep: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/grounding-human-body-during-sleep-lowers-and-resynchronizes-cortisol-levels
Watch themovie Grounded the Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llazjpj0qM8
Watch or read these:
Earthing and heart disease with cardiologist, Dr. Stephen Sinatra- I highly recommend the video!:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/04/barefoot-grounding-effect.aspx
Mercola and Clint Ober - Earthing Research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OhYOsvJleA
Mercola and Clint Ober -Demonstrate Earthing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z0HXOUSYQ
So how can you get the benefits of Earthing now?
1. Go barefoot in damp grass or on the earth as much as you can (as little as 30-40 minutes per day can significantly reduce pain and stress)
2. Don't go to bed with a plugged in ipad or laptop (if it's ungrounded, ie, doesn't have a 3 pronged plug into a grounded socket, it carries a very high charge)
3.  If you can move your bed away from the wall, as we are surrounded by wiring
4. Use a grounded device(s) when you sleep or work - a sleeping mat and a mat to put under your feet or hands when you work.

Call me at 970-224-4145 or email me at makanawellness@gmail.com to place your order your grounding sleeping mat right now!

Headaches Be Gone

Excited to work with someone who has had migraine headaches for a long time. They seemed to get worst with her period. After her 1st session, she registered improvement and had only 1 headache and it wasn't a migraine.

What did I do with her? First off we did the foundational sequence of work on the head and cranial bones which both helps release cranial tension between the sutures and helps get good messages from the brain to the whole rest of the body. I also found some common injuries to the front of the atlas (or 1st vertebra at the base of the skull) and to the little muscle called the "rectus capitis posterior minor which goes between the base of the skull (the occiput) and the atlas.

The last thing I did with her was tug on her stomach so that it was no longer entrapped by the diaphragm. Why would this be important? Well, wrapped around the esophagus are nerve fibers of the fight or flight nervous system and that of the relaxation nervous system (the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system). Specifically, the vagus nerve, which when irritated can contribute to headaches (as well a page of other symptoms).

By the 3rd visit, she had been headache free, until the day before. By the time, I finished working with her that session, she was feeling better.

What will I do next? I will continue the sequential aspects of our work, especially working with the nervous system (the spine and the head bones and the connections throughout the body via the outer layer of the spinal cord).  She has had a whiplash incident in the past, so this is doubly important.

We have already found energetic disturbances to the head bones right next to the center of the hormonal system - the hypothalamus and the pituitary. This may explain why there is so much a relationship between her monthly cycle and her headaches in the past.

Can't wait for our next visit!

Head and Neck Injuries Can Cause Blurry Eyes and Headaches Which Can Affect Learning

One of the boys in my learning study has had constant headaches as well as blurry vision making it difficult for him to navigate tracking from the blackboard to his desk affecting the physical act of reading. After several sessions, he has reported very few headaches. He also said that when we first started, he would have blurry eyes after reading about 5 minutes. Last time I asked he was up to about 25 to 30 minutes. My goal is for him to not get blurry eyes when reading.

Two things stand out from our testing: we found plenty of injuries to the bones in the head and upper neck and there are plenty of spinal cord injuries in the upper neck especially related to the dura mater - the outside layer of the spinal cord.