Drink Switchel!

When it comes to health food I'm always trying new things partly due to curiosity and partly for new suggestions for my patients. I just blogged about using warm water and lemon for constipation and adding apple cider vinegar if you know you have a candida health issue. Here's a twist on the apple cider vinegar drink. SWITCHEL!!! So, before you read any further, I'm warning you now that if you don't like ginger then no need to try this drink but if you like ginger like I do then definitely try this.

It is a mixture of grade A maple syrup, raw apple cider vinegar and fresh ginger root. It has that spicy hotness of the ginger and yet sweet with the maple syrup. The back label says it all: ginger is an awesome anti-inflammatory and bug killer. Whether you are fighting bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungus ginger will kill them all! Apple cider vinegar is rich in enzymes and helps balance blood pH. Maple syrup is not only sweet but has tons of minerals and antioxidants.

With only three ingredients mixed with water you may want to try to make it at home but first try the real Switchel. I found it at DF MAVENS, 37 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003
But you can also find it at www.drinkswitchel.com
Drink up!!!

Jennifer's Way Gluten-Free Bakery

At the suggestion of one of my patients who raved about it, I went to Jennifer's Way at 263 E 10th St, New York, NY 10009 at 1st Ave. this past weekend. Not only is it gluten-free but also refined sugar-free, soy-free, dairy-free, peanut-free and ORGANIC!!!

I went there 5pm on Saturday and the rolls were already sold out. But there were lots of other goodies, muffins. cupcakes, cookies, and bagels. I bought two sea salt bagels and this morning it was love at first bite!

Jennifer Esposito (yes, the actress) says on her website 'I’ve been a lover of food my whole life…the textures, tastes and smells! When I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009, my whole world fell apart. I had to re-learn how to EAT, COOK and LIVE!! I quickly learned that gluten was the enemy and not just for me, a celiac, but for so many. I also learned that not all gluten-free food is created equally. I was longing for delicious, homemade flavors of yesterday, but ones that are HEALTHY and NUTRITIOUS as well. I created Jennifer’s Way as an answer to all of this. To be the CELIAC STANDARD, requiring the purest, healthiest, organic, non-GMO ingredients I could find. All made in a GLUTEN-FREE FACILITY, ensuring quality, nutrition and TASTE. For the celiac, the gluten-challenged, and anyone who demands CLEAN SAFE FOOD."

I know many of us can relate to Jennifer's story of relearning how to cook, eat and live as we take our own health into our hands and make healthier lifestyle choices. I love when people like Jennifer make it easier for us.

For my non-New Yorker patients or for those who don't want to make the trip down to East 10th St and 1st Ave the great news is that you can order online and right now they have a bagel sale! Buy one package of bagels and get the second package of bagels for half price. Offer good on ALL bagel varieties.
And as always, FREE SHIPPING on all online orders over $150.

Healing Water

Dr. Masaru Emoto was a scientist that believed that water was a "blueprint for our reality" and that emotional "energies" and "vibrations" could change the physical structure of water. Emoto's water crystal experiments consisted of exposing water in glasses to different words, pictures or music, and then freezing and examining the aesthetic properties of the resulting crystals with microscopic photography. Emoto's studies show that water exposed to positive speech and thoughts would result in visually pleasing crystals being formed when that water was frozen, and that negative intention would yield "ugly" frozen crystal formations.

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

I have read blogs on making your own special water using words, which Dr. Emoto calls HADO water and the most effective and efficient way is through a FLASKA. FLASKA makes special glass water bottles that restructure the water in 5 minutes. Using alkaline or reverse osmosis water is best. It comes with a sleeve for protection so if you drop the bottle it doesn't break.  They are $35 each and can be bought at the office.

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

Home Remedies for Constipation: Foods that Help!

Over the years I have given a lot of tips on how to help the bowels move better by adding certain things into the diet. I finally have decided to sit down and write about it! If you have a remedy that helps you please let me know.

#1 Lemon water

Increasing the amount of water you drink has long been touted as a remedy for curing your clogged pipes and it’s true. If your insides are all dried up like the Sahara how do you expect anything to flow? Adding the juice of half a lemon into 32 ounces of warm water and drink first thing in the morning will help. For those fighting Candida add a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar.

#2 Baking soda does it all

Baking soda lies at the heart of home remedies. It’s is so incredibly versatile, and it pretty much does its job most of the time. It works incredibly well for constipation (and tummy aches in general) because it is a bicarbonate, which will encourage air to come out of you one way or another, and relieve pain from pressure. It also re-alkalizes the stomach, neutralizing the acid a little bit and helping things pass through your gut.

You will need…
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 cup warm water

Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with ¼ cup of warm water. Drink all of the mixture-the quicker you finish it, the better it seems to work.

#3 Dandy Dandelions

Dandelions are a terribly annoying weed, but you might view them differently after they help relieve your constipation. The constituents of dandelions make it a gentle laxative as well as an effective detoxifier, and a cup of dandelion tea will be enormously beneficial to those who are suffering from constipation due to inactiveness or the consumption of a lot of processed foods (although drinking it does not mean you don’t need to exercise or eat healthy!)

You will need…
-1-2 teaspoons of dried dandelion leaves
-1 cup of hot water

Directions
Put 1-2 teaspoons of dried dandelion leaves into a mug, and pour hot water over them. Cover and let steep for 6-10 minutes. Drink up to 3 times a day.

#4 Coffee is our friend (sometimes)

A lot of people love their morning coffee, but it does more than just give off heavenly aromas and help you perk up. Caffeine is a natural stimulant for the digestive system, so indulging in a cup of joe will help get you up and running in more ways than one. 1-2 cups is fine, but make sure you don’t overdo it-too much can actually have the opposite effect. Coffee is a diuretic and makes you urinate more frequently, and if you drink it an excess, it can cause constipation by dehydrating your body and drawing out water that would normally soften your stool.

#5 Get moving

If you want stuff to move through your body, you need to move too! Our lifestyle these days not only involves dietary changes that increase constipation, but we’re often sitting much more than we’re active. While there isn’t an exact scientific reason as to why lack of exercise is linked with getting clogged up, we can assume that moving the body helps get the smooth muscle in the colon moving as well. Keep in mind, however, that you should wait an hour after big meals before exercising. Here is a stretch that works well!

Ardha Matsyendrasana (photo below): From a seated position, cross your right foot to the outside of the left thigh (or to the inside which is less intense). Bend left knee and draw heel towards you, sitting down between both feet (or keep left leg extended out straight on the floor which is less intense). Hook your right arm around your right knee and hug it in close to stretch the right outer hip and glute. Release your left hand to your mat behind your back. Inhale and lengthen your spine, exhale and twist, looking over your back shoulder. Hold for 5-10 breaths and repeat on other side.

#6 Oil…it gets more than cars running

Pure olive oil is more than just a healthy and tasty fat, it can also help relieve constipation. It’s not surprising really when you consider what olive oil’s texture and consistency is like- it’s practically the poster child for constipation home remedies. It stimulates your digestive system, which helps get things moving through your colon, and taken regularly it can prevent constipation as well.

You will need…
-1 tablespoon of olive oil


Directions
In the morning consume one tablespoon of olive oil. Easiest to take it like a shot. It works best on an empty stomach, so have it before you eat anything else. If you forget, wait until later when you haven’t eaten for a while. You can mix it with a little bit of lemon juice if you like to lighten the flavor (lemon juice also acts as a natural aid for constipation. See above, #1).