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.

For a Stronger Immune System Take Wellness Blend

There has been a lot of talk in the office about the coronavirus.  Let me rephrase that.  The coronavirus is all we talk about.  I understand the upset and fear.  We ask patients to do their due diligence and wash their hands, sanitize surfaces, don't touch their face etc. AND let the fear go.  Stress will lower the immune system and we don't want that.  Stress management and boosting the immune system with the right supplements is important and at Healing Arts we are doing just that.  Testing each one of our patients for the right immune support is crucial right now.  Every program looks different but to give you an idea of the main supplements that we are seeing people test for are Standard Process's Antronex, Immuplex, and Healing Arts own Wellness Blend.

I created this supplement in 2018 because I wanted one supplement that boosted the immune system and killed everything.  I wanted an antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and antibiotic all in one.  Patients were coming to the office not feeling well and I would have to give them 4 or 5 new supplements to help their immune system and it was just too much.  Wellness Blend kills everything because it has kyolic garlic, liposomal vitamin C, mugwort, echinacea, oregano, lysine, eucalyptus, beta glucan and goldenseal.

In China they are using IV vitamin C to treat coronavirus patients and NYC hospitals started including vitamin C last week.  

Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist in NYC, has been giving his intensive-care patients who have been infected with the coronavirus 1500mg of intravenous Vitamin C several times a day - anywhere from 4500 to 6000mg in total - as part of an anti-viral protocol. Compared to the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C - 90mg for men and 75mg for women - 6000mg is a massive dose.

Nearly all of the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplements you see at the supermarket or a drugstore are chemically synthesized, meaning that they are not food-derived. Synthetic Vitamin C is created in a process involving cornstarch and volatile acids. Natural Vitamin C is more complex and contains plant compounds like rutin, bioflavonoids, Factor K, Factor J, Factor P, tyrosinase, and ascorbinogen.  While both forms of Vitamin C provide health benefits, depending on the dosage, less than 50% of the synthetic Vitamin C is actually absorbed by the body. The rest is eliminated when you urinate, creating the bright yellow urine which you see in the toilet. Natural, food-derived Vitamin C, on the other hand, is absorbed in its entirety, assisted by the micro- and macronutrients which are co-factors for the absorption of Vitamin C. Vitamin C occurs in a wide variety of foods, but most notably in: citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons) kiwi fruit strawberries black currants red and green bell peppers tomatoes cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) The reason I made Wellness Blend with liposomal vitamin C is that liposomal technology enhances absorption and has higher bioavailability when compared to standard oral vitamin C.  Liposomal technology uses phospholipids from sunflower lecithin to help carry, protect and deliver vitamin C. Garlic kills everything! It is an anti-parasitic, antiviral, anti-fungal, and antibacterial.  The reason I use kyolic garlic is because it's aged and loses it's odor and harshness that sometimes you find with other garlic supplements.  If you want to use garlic cloves medicinally and if you can handle it, chew a raw garlic clove a day with food already in your stomach. You can also take garlic in a tonic (here's my immune boosting tonic recipe you can make at home).  Cooked garlic loses it's medicinal value. One study found that as little as 60 seconds of microwaving or 45 minutes in the oven can deactivate the medicinal properties of garlic.  However, it was noted that crushing garlic and allowing it to stand for 10 minutes before cooking can help prevent the loss of its medicinal properties.  The loss of health benefits due to cooking could be compensated for by increasing the amount of garlic used.

So to maximize the health benefits of garlic: 

• Crush or slice all your garlic before you eat it.
• Before you cook with your crushed garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes.
• Use a lot of garlic — more than one clove per meal, if you can.

 

Mugwort is added into the Wellness Blend not as an immune booster but as a liver tonic.  If the liver is healthy then toxins won't build up.  Keep the body detoxed is important to keep the body healthy. Echinacea not only supports the immune system, it also has been proven to reduce the severity and duration of viral infections. Oregano is a very good antibacterial and is supports the lungs so it's good for any illness with a cough, bronchitis and asthma. Lysine is an amino acid that is anti-viral.  L-lysine works by helping to increase the number of antibodies called IgG. IgG antibodies fight infection, the more we have, the stronger our immune system is.  Studies have found that when lysine and vitamin C are used together, the levels of these antibodies in the blood rises even more.   Eucalyptus leaves and oil have been used for generations as a cure-all for respiratory issues, particularly in removing excess phlegm and mucus from the sinuses and respiratory tracts.  Eucalyptus is specifically good at killing bacteria and candida.   Beta glucan is a soluble fiber that not only boosts the immune system but also is good at lowering cholesterol and improving blood sugar management which is needed for diabetes and pre-diabitc situations.   Goldenseal is also used for the common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stuffy nose and hay fever. Goldenseal is also really good at killing parasites and for helping digestive disorders including stomach pain and swelling (gastritis), peptic ulcers, colitis, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, and intestinal gas. So as you can tell Wellness Blend has a great variety of different herbs to help with all germs when sick, average dose is 3 a day and as a preventative, take 1 a day.  To order, click here. Stay well!  Stay healthy! Stay safe!

Two of My Favorite Healthy Powders

Prebiotic Powder

A prebiotic powder is great to add to your diet.  Prebiotic fiber is in foods like bananas, onions and garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, the skin of apples, chicory root and beans. Prebiotic fiber goes through the small intestine undigested and is fermented when it reaches the large colon. This fermentation process feeds beneficial bacteria colonies (including probiotic bacteria) and helps to increase the number of desirable bacteria in our digestive systems that are associated with better health and reduced disease risk. Chicory root fibers (inulin and oligofructose) have proven health benefits such as weight management, improved calcium absorption besides supporting digestive health.  Chicory root fiber can be found in a variety of foods, including nutrition bars (ThinkThin), yogurt (Oikos Triple Zero), smoothies and oatmeal. You can get tested for a prebiotic powder at the office to see if you need it to help your good gut flora grow or have your probiotic work better for you. Standard Process also has a probiotic with the inulin in their supplement called Prosynbiotic. 

Blueberry Powder

Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that daily consumption of the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries, given as 24 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder, showed positive changes in cognitive function in older adults over a placebo. Eating for brain health is so important. Alzheimer's disease is now being referred to as "Type 3 diabetes" and "brain diabetes," as both conditions involve insulin resistance and deficiency.  

A randomized control trial of the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay) diet is looking into the benefits of a nutrient-rich diet emphasizing foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts and berries in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Frozen blueberries are being given to participants because they are rich in antioxidants that may be beneficial for the brain, particularly when it comes to memory loss in aging.

Are Fermented Foods the Same as Probiotics?

Consider the fundamental change from milk to brie cheese or grapes to wine. Such is the power of fermentation. Fermented foods result from the growth and metabolism of live cultures, transforming a precursor food (such as milk) into a fermented food (cheese). The fermentation process may result in changes in taste, texture, aroma, nutritional value, microbial content and perhaps health benefits that extend beyond the basic nutritional value of the food. Because of this last property, some call fermented foods ‘probiotics’, but in fact they are not (necessarily) the same.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Unlike fermented foods, probiotics must have been tested in human studies and shown to have a beneficial health effect. Fermented foods don’t require such testing, although some have been. Further, some fermented foods are treated after they are made (for example, sourdough bread is baked), and do not contain live microbes at the point of consumption. To the extent a fermented food has been tested in human studies and shown to be beneficial and delivers a sufficient ‘dose’ of beneficial live microbes, it meets the bar of a probiotic. (See figure below). This is the case with several probiotic yogurts and fermented milks on the market today.

You likely have seen publicity and testimonials about how good for you fermented foods such as kombucha or sauerkraut are. Many of these foods may be good for your gut or immune system, but not as good as probiotics. If you enjoy them and they make you feel better, they are great additions to your diet. Scientists are now speculating that any source of live microbes may turn out to be beneficial.  To learn more about the benefits of probiotics read this review.
The body of evidence substantiating benefits of probiotics is quite extensive. Over 1800 human trials have been conducted using probiotics. See table below for a list of some benefits of probiotics shown in human trials. Keep in mind that benefits are tied to specific strains. It’s easy to grasp this concept if you look to the animal world. Different breeds of horses, for example, have quite different strengths and functions. You wouldn’t ride a pony in the Kentucky Derby.  Similarly, different strains of even the same species of a probiotic may have different benefits. In some cases, more than one independently tested probiotic product confers the same benefit. In other cases, only a single probiotic product has been shown to be effective. The best evidence for probiotic use is for prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and C. difficile infection, management of certain gut symptoms, and prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preemie infants. People often wonder if probiotics have any benefit for healthy people. Benefits such as improved tolerance of dietary lactose for lactose intolerant people, management of blood lipids, improved oral health, reduced incidence of common infectious diseases such as the common cold, and management of gut symptoms all are demonstrated in reasonably healthy people.
The probiotic marketplace can be confusing for consumers. If you aren't being muscle tested for what probiotic your body needs here are some basic principles to guide your search:

• There is no one strain or one dose that is best. Sometimes lower dose products or products with fewer strains have the best evidence.
• One of the biggest challenges in the probiotic market is keeping the probiotic strain alive. Responsible manufactures go to great lengths to be sure their probiotics retain viability and deliver an efficacious dose through the end of the product’s shelf life. Unfortunately, not all products on the market are responsibly formulated. Consumers should buy products from companies they trust like I trust Standard Process. 

Benefit	Population
Treat colic in breastfed infants	Infants
Prevent atopic dermatitis/food hypersensitivity	Infants
Prevent necrotizing enterocolitis	Premature infants
Treat acute diarrhea	Infants, children
Manage symptoms of occasional constipation	Adults
Manage symptoms of lactose intolerance	Children, adults
Reduce incidence and duration of common infectious diseases (upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal)	Children, adults
Prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea	Children, adults
Extend remission of ulcerative colitis	Adults
Improve therapeutic efficacy of antibiotic treatment of bacterial vaginosis	Adult women
Reduce low density lipid cholesterol	Adults
Prevent Clostridium difficile diarrhea	Children, adults
Reduced prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis	Infants, children

8 Steps to Better Brain Health

Brain Health

Brain fog, lack of concentration, feeling tired, poor memory and headaches are all signs that your brain isn't getting the right nutritional support it needs.  Supporting the brain is not easy because of the blood-brain barrier that is a sheet of capillaries that carry blood to the brain and spinal cord that blocks the passage of certain substances.  This filtering system is important to keep toxins from reaching the brain and spinal cord but also doesn't allow many nutrients into the brain as well.

So what can we do to help the brain knowing that not all things can pass the blood-brain barrier?  Here is a list of my favorite things.  Everyone is different and may need different things for support so getting muscle tested is the key to figuring out exactly what you need.

1. Protein - A lack of protein in the diet can cause the brain to slow down.  If you are a vegetarian make sure you are eating enough protein and supplementing with vitamin B12.  The brain loves vitamin Bs and B12 can only be found in meat.  Another good supplement is a vegan supplement from Standard Process called RNA.  RNA is the building blocks of protein and this supplement can really help rebuild the brain at the cellular level.

2, Vetiver Essential Oil - The moment you smell something it goes into the brain because the olfactory nerve responsible for smell goes straight into the brain.  So any smell is fast acting and when you put vetiver oil in a diffuser or on your wrists it helps with boost energy levels when you’re exhausted. In addition, it’s used to cool the body during very high temperatures and soothe feelings of anxiety and nervousness.  Recent research credits vetiver oil for treating symptoms of ADHD and ADD maybe due to the relaxing component that it gives. It’s also known to increase libido and treat insomnia.

3. Bee pollen - It is a great brain booster, lifting brain fatigue, improving alertness and helping concentration levels over an extended period of time. Rich in the B vitamins; B1, B2 and B3 – these are essential for a healthy nervous system and powerful detoxifiers, especially to the brain. They are often referred to as “anti-stress” or “morale” vitamins - when the nervous system is working optimally anxiety and stress can be greatly lessened.  Bee pollen can be eaten raw or can be added to your favorite cereals, smoothies, yogurt or hot drink. I see most people test for 1-2 teaspoons a day as a daily dose.

4. Tuna omega-3 oil - The brain, being about 60% fat, is one reason why the body loves having the right fats in the diet.  Fish oil also has an incredible impact on the brain and I have seen it work wonders especially for mild memory loss and depression.  You do have to be careful to get a good brand, for tuna is known for mercury toxicity.  Standard Process and Nordic Naturals are both brands I trust for their fish oil.

5. Min Tran - It is a vegetarian product from Standard Process that contains iodine and other minerals to support emotional balance when you are stressed and the nervous system is too much in 'fight or flight' mode.  In this way it supports a healthy nervous system, eases stress, and calms us down.

6. Exercise it!  If you don't use it you lose it.  So play crossword puzzles, sudoko, trivia pursuit, read for fun, etc.  20 minutes a day or more.

7. Blueberries - When we follow a diet rich in plant-based foods, like blueberries it can help with dementia. In a recent study, researchers found healthy older adults (ages 65 to 77) who drank 30 milliliters of concentrated blueberry juice (the equivalent of 230 grams of berries), had a significant increase in brain activity, blood flow and even memory compared to the placebo group. Flavonoids, abundant in blueberries, are likely to be an important factor in what's causing these effects, which can lower dementia risk.

8. Drink water - One of the main reasons for a headache is dehydration.  So the moment you start feeling head pressure grab a tall glass of water and see that many times the pressure will dissipate.  On average you should be drinking 3 liters of water a day.  This can include herbal teas.

So start incorporating these 8 things in your daily life for better brain health.  

Free Cronometer App

Track Your Nutrition for Better Health this Year!

There are a lot of different apps out there to track your lifestyle habits in order to help you reach your fitness goals. Downloading an app to put in data about what you are eating, how much exercise you are doing, recording sleep patterns and counting steps is easy but the question is what app is best.  I have not yet invested in a fitbit or other bracelets for the cost turns me off (but if you have and you have feedback please let me know) but I have tried a few free apps and find Cronometer to be the best.  
 

I find it very user friendly but it's also the third app I was trying so maybe part of it being user friendly was because I was already used to it with the other apps.  When logging in food it has over 50,000 foods already in a library that makes it easy to input what you are eating.  But instead of just keeping track of calories, protein, fats, and carbohydrates it also tracks over 60 nutrients so you also know how much potassium, iodine, vitamins A-Z you are getting.  If the app registers you are low on iodine it then will suggest foods such as seaweed, cranberries and yogurt and recipes to help you reach your ideal iodine level.  

It is important to track calories to know if you are eating enough or maybe too much.  It is also important to know where those calories are coming from because the average American tends to eat too many carbs and too little protein and/or fat.  But with this app recording the nutrients you are eating as well it can give insight to what you can eat more of from a medicinal point of view.  "Let food be thy medicine," Hippocrates said, and that is why we implement Standard Process whole food supplements when we develop clinically designed nutrition programs.  Standard Process is an organic farm and all the supplements are food based but with this new app nutrients can be pinpointed so you can balance out your nutrients on your own and not necessarily need more supplements to help an underlying health issue.  Knowledge is power and this app can definitely help! 

Chakras, Auras and More!

The body has vortexes of energy constantly spinning in a circular motion which are called chakras. Chakra is a Sanskrit word which means “Energy Wheel”. The seven main chakras are located in a straight line in the center of the physical body and each governs specific body parts and organs as well as aspects connected to all levels of our being. To read more about each chakra's attributes read here. 

Each chakra vibrates at a certain frequency. That certain frequency has a specific wavelength and that's why the chakras have different colors. When life’s challenges, trials, and tribulations are not resolved, it might result in stagnation of energy referred to as blockages, in one or more chakras. Over time, this stagnation will manifest as disharmony on a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual level. Therefore, if a chakra can be stimulated or unblocked before the manifestation of physical ailments occur, health can be achieved and maintained. 

In helping unblock chakras, these energy centers can be stimulated by colors vibrating at similar frequencies. So to help open up the throat chakra that is blue in color, one may want to wear a blue necklace or scarf or light a blue candle. Blue sunglasses can help too! The blue light goes into the eye and stimulates the brain to open up the chakra. Movement can also help open up these energy centers, and that is why I developed Chakra Class. It combines movement from dance, Pilates, yoga and basic exercises in a specific sequence to open up the chakras. The one movement to open up all the chakras at once is laughter. That's why they say it is the best medicine! Before every chakra class you can get your chakras muscle tested to see which chakra you need to focus on. After the class you can get muscle tested to make sure they are all open.  If you want your chakras tested it is something we can muscle test in the office too! 

Everyone has a field of energy known as an aura where the chakra energy vibrates out of the body and into this field. Much can be discovered when looking at the aura and knowing the meaning behind each color. 

The aura consists of the vital, emotional, mental, and spiritual body of a human being. It displays thoughts and emotions on conscious and subconscious levels. This connection of the mind and body is displayed by the colors in the aura. The photo above was taken using Kirlian photography which has the ability to capture auras. If you are interested in getting your own aura captured on film there is a place in Chinatown called Magic Jewelry that does it. 

Your aura is your energy field and even though we don't often think about it as a part of us that needs attention it really does need it.  It can be cleansed from picking up other people's energy or stimulated for an energy boost.  I fell in love with these Bali Auric Sprays  the first moment I used them.  

When to use it

• During meditation or yoga.
• To clear homes or public spaces.
• On your pillow before sleeping..
• When waking up and before bed.
• Possibilities are endless!

Purchase at the office for $25

Each spray contains a specific crystal formula that carries a certain healing vibration to tune into. They are handmade with organic oils. There is Palo Santo (sacred wood) from Peru, flowers, incense and candles always involved during production and all the production is handled in glass containers. The production process is finished with a special Balinese Ceremony performed by a Balinese Priest to strengthen and to elevate the healing vibration of the sprays.  This ceremony is celebrated under the full moon.

              

Here is Kirlian photography of an organic mushroom on the left and a non-organic one on the right.

You don't have to look twice to know which one has more life force and is healthier to eat! Life is energy and energy is life. That's why the more organic whole food you eat the better. Organic processed food is still processed. A rule to live by is if your great grandmother didn't eat it, neither should you. That's another reason why the main supplements we suggest to patients at the office are organic whole food supplements called Standard Process, which are made from a farm in Wisconsin. The body knows what food is and how to heal with it. 

A Visit to the Standard Process Farm Part 1

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a seminar, "Advanced Fundamentals" at the Standard Process farm in Wisconsin. I saw first hand how the crops grow on the 420 acres of farmed land to make 335,000 gallons of juice a day. The workers start at 630am to harvest and juice or dehydrate the crops before moving them to the production building 10 miles down the road.



Standard Process has been in business since Dr. Royal Lee made catalyn (Standard Process's multivitamin) for his dying mother in 1930. Dr. Lee grew up on a farm and knew how to take the nutrition in the food and make it into something the body could use to heal. As Hippocrates says, "let food be thy medicine."

The soil is the darkest soil I have ever seen for it is the soil that makes such nutrient rich supplements. The plants get their nutrients from this dark, nutrient-dense soil and it is those nutrients, juiced or dehydrated, that are made into supplements that help us heal when we take our Standard Process vitamins. For food is the genuine replacement parts for the body that is constantly turning over new cells.

To create this rich soil when Standard Process buys new land it needs to be cultivated for 3 years before crops can be harvested. So it's only in the 4th year that farming can begin. 90 acres are being cultivated right now.

Besides constantly testing the soil to make sure of it's nutrient content, Standard Process uses cover crops to prevent wind erosion and rain erosion of the soil. After a harvest cover plants are planted just to grow and then once mature are tilled back into the soil to never be harvested but to cover the soil so that it is never left bare and could be damaged from wind or rain plus the nutrients that the cover crops soak up are put back into the soil for the next planting of actual crops.

By nature the Standard Process land is marsh land and so their problem is how to keep water out of the land. Besides, the 6.5 inches of rain that came down the night before I visited the farm was not helpful. And so you see in this picture an impromptu pond among the crops.



Another way to keep the soil as amazing as it is is by not planting the same crop in the same area for at least 5 years. Because different crops absorb different nutrients from the ground such rotation of plants won't strip the soil of nutrients.

One of the arguements for non-organic food is that organic food cannot feed the world. Well, after seeing farming done correctly, I beg to differ. Organic farming, done right, can feed the world. We aren't going to win the battle in the courts. Every time a court case against Monsanto goes to the Supreme Court they win. The only way to win is by our grocery carts and choosing what goes in them. Please choose carefully and buy non-gmo, organic when possible!

Muscle Testing 101

My patients love the results they get in my office but sometimes it's hard to explain to others the 'arm pushing thing' that I do, also known as muscle testing or Applied Kinesiology. So I thought it would be good to blog about muscle testing.



Applied Kinesiology began with Dr. George Goodheart in the 1960s when he made the first correlation between finding a weak muscle using muscle testing and then employing chiropractic therapy to make it stronger. He then looked beyond the chiropractic profession to the fields of biomedicine, osteopathy, acupuncture, dentistry, and nutrition putting it all together in a method called Applied Kinesiology. I am certified in Applied Kinesiology and use it in my chiropractic work.

Dr. Freddie Ulan took the muscle testing from Applied Kinesiology and applied it more extensively to the nutrition of the body and developed a technique called Nutrition Response Testing.. Dr. Ulan introduced me to Nutrition Response Testing when I was 16 years old and stopped my suffering from childhood asthma. I haven't used my inhaler since. Being inspired by how it changed my life I knew this is what I wanted to do for a living.

In explaining muscle testing to my patients I say that I can use any muscle in the body, it's just easier to use an arm. As I push on the arm with light pressure, the patient is to resist by matching my pressure.

With my other hand I then apply pressure to all the other organs. What happens when I put pressure, let's say, on the stomach, and if there is a problem there, the stomach won't like the pressure. It sends a signal to the brain to protect the area that if I push on the arm AND on the stomach at the same time the arm goes weak (meaning the patient can no longer resist the pressure I am applying) because the body doesn't care about the arm, it wants to protect the stomach. That let's me know what organs go weak and what organs go strong in the body and I can suggest nutritional support accordingly.

When organs go weak it doesn't mean they are diseased but rather they aren't functioning 100%. This is functional medicine, helping the body before it get's to the diseased state. If I am concerned that an organ is diseased I would refer them to the appropriate healthcare provider. The nutrition provided by Nutrition Response Testing is beneficial to work in conjunction with other healthcare providers because the majority of what I use for nutrition supplements comes from an organic farm in Wisconsin called Standard Process. These supplements are whole food supplements. The body knows how to heal with food.

The body is amazing at knowing what it needs. Muscle testing is a tool to communicate with the body and determine what it needs to rebuild and restore health. In this way Nutrition Response Testing is a way to design a personal nutrition program specifically for you and your health.

Is Your LIver Toxic?

When working with people in getting rid of toxins I help the body pull the toxins out of the cells and into the bloodstream to then be detoxed by the liver and kidneys and then out through the bowels or urine. Sometimes the liver is already burdened and cannot do this job well so to help jump start the liver and allow the person to detox without problems I suggest a liver flush. I also suggest one when the patient has a history of or I suspect, gallstones.

There are quite a few varieties of liver flushes out there. The one I like the most is from Standard Process with my own slight variations. Here are the steps:

1. From Monday morning to noon on Saturday, in addition to your normal diet, add 4 malic acid a day, 2 at breakfast and 2 at dinner. Dosage may vary person to person so it is best to get the malic acid muscle tested for correct, personal dosage.

2. At noon on Saturday, eat a normal lunch, including salad.

3. Three hours after lunch, take 8 capsules of Disodium Phosphate by Standard Process.

4. Two hours later, take 8 more capsules of Disodium Phosphate. This should be done at least one hour before dinner.

5. Saturday dinner should be only organic citrus or organic citrus juice.

6. At bedtime, drink 4 ounces (1/2 a cup) of unrefined, extra virgin, first-pressed olive oil with the juice of half a lemon. Follow this with a small glass of grapefruit juice.

7. Go to bed. Lie on your right side with your right knee up for 30 minutes.

8. Go to sleep.

9. Upon rising and at least one hour before breakfast, take 8 capsules of Disodium Phosphate again.

10. Sunday will be your cleansing. Continue your regular diet, and you will usually have a loose bowel movement within an hour of step 9. In some individuals this may happen the night before.

11. After this bowel movement do not flush toilet. Instead check for any stones of gelatinous balls. Evaluate their approximate size and number. Report this to your practitioner. Here is an example of what they may look like. Variations of green and greenish brown colors are common.



12. This procedure will leave some people weak. Be prepared to rest after this procedure.

13. If stones or balls are present, this procedure can be repeated in 2 weeks. Talk with your practitioner to make a plan.

14. The number and size of balls will generally diminish when subsequent procedures are done as suggested by practitioner.

15. Some people experience nausea after taking the olive oil. This usually diminishes by the time you go to bed. If olive oil induces vomiting, do not repeat the procedure at this time and discuss with your practitioner.

When a patient vomits or I feel that the liver flush may be too extreme for some patients who I suspect have gallstones or that a sluggish liver is holding back their progress in my office, I then suggest taking malic acid or Chanca Piedra on a regular basis (whichever one the patient muscle tests better for) to help break down gallstones and move sluggish toxins through liver. Slowly but surely this can also get the job done over time!

Use Food Instead of Antibiotics to Fight a Cold

We need to be careful when we are sick to not automatically start taking an antibiotic but instead do everything we can to fight a cold naturally first and then use antibiotics as a last resort. This is our only way of combating the threat of antibiotic resistance, which can happen when antibiotics are used too often and lose their power to treat bacterial infections.

Antibiotic resistance is “a worldwide problem,” Tom Frieden, MD, director of the CDC, said. “This is an urgent health threat and a threat to our economic stability as well.”  Some 2 million become sick each year because of antibiotic-resistant infections, Frieden said, noting those estimates are conservative. Such infections can also complicate treatments for conditions like cancer, he said. The infections are estimated to cost $20 billion in direct health care costs, with far more costs in lost productivity.

Use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to resistance, Frieden said. Although antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs, half of those prescriptions either aren’t needed or aren't optimally effective as prescribed and the only solution the government has is to make more drugs.

But instead of producing more drugs to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria what if we used food instead? Standard Process, a whole foods supplements company makes these:

~Immuplex – This is my first line of defense when it comes to the immune system and has zinc and vitamin C in it.
~Congaplex – This supplement is very good to handle bacterial infections and has vitamin A and C in it from carrots and alfalfa.
~Thymex – I like using this for a generally weak immune system and inflammation due to sickness by using calcium and magnesium.
~Spanish Black Radish – This supplement is just that, pure radish. I use this a lot in the office to help the body get rid of mucus that builds up due to being sick.  It is also a great colon cleanser.  

Great supplements to keep in your cabinet, for anytime you start feeling sick!  For more information about the supplements or to order, click here. 

Dr. Armitstead also created her own herbal product to help boost the immune system called Wellness Blend.  She created this supplement in 2018 because she wanted one supplement that boosted the immune system and killed everything.  She wanted a natural antibiotic, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungal all in one.  Patients were coming to the office not feeling well and she would have to give them anywhere from 1 to 5 new supplements to help their immune system and it was just too much.  Wellness Blend kills everything because it has kyolic garlic, liposomal vitamin C, mugwort, echinacea, oregano, lysine, eucalyptus, beta glucan and goldenseal in it. For more information on Wellness Blend, click here. 

Lastly, here's Dr. Armitstead's immune boosting tonic recipe you can make at home to keep your immune system nice and strong

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

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

The mixture contains not only the juice but also the fibers from the whole fruit/vegetable which makes it even more beneficial for your gut microbiome.
This immune boosting tonic is best taken on an empty stomach in the morning and/or half an hour before meals or before going to bed.

As a preventive measure you can take one or two teaspoons per day based on personal requirement.

If you are in the middle of fighting a cold or an acute infection take 1 teaspoon every 3-4 hours.

The benefits of this tonic are best experienced if used regularly. 

Storage:

Store the immune boosting tonic in a seal-able glass container in the fridge. The longer its sits in the fridge the more potent it gets.