Create a Detoxification Bath Using Common Ingredients

Hello! This post was transferred to my website and may be read in its entirety at:


Create a Detoxification Bath Using Common Ingredients


Please read it there. Thanks much! Be well!


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This post is about pampering yourself and improving your health at the same time. One of my favorite ways to detoxify is by taking a long, very warm detoxification bath two to three times per week. Why is it important to detoxify? Because toxins are "pollution" in your body and polluted cells don't  ...


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Hello! This post was transferred to my website and may be read in its entirety at:


Create a Detoxification Bath Using Common Ingredients


Please read it there. Thanks much! Be well!

A Legacy of Joy with a Killer Punch Line

My dad died yesterday. I could euphemize it, but it wouldn't change the reality that my dad is gone.

Although he had been in the hospital for four weeks, not even his doctors expected him to die or considered death a possibility. My father fought a tough battle against MRSA and sepsis. In the end, his heart simply wore out. After being moved to ICU for extremely low blood pressure, his heart very gradually slowed and then stopped, very peacefully. His amazing caregivers performed CPR for 24 minutes before conceding that his heart could not be coaxed back to life. Those 24 minutes were agonizing, but I'm blessed we could be close to him during that time. There are no words to describe the shock that comes with realizing the man who raised you - who had joked with his doctor just an hour ago - was gone forever.

Yesterday's shock is beginning to be replaced by acceptance. That acceptance includes the realization that the man who taught me what unconditional love is by providing it every day is gone. Forever. I'll never share another Thanksgiving turkey with him, will never again shudder as I watch him share his dinner and his fork with his dogs, and will never again be engulfed in his huge hug and know that everything is going to be ok. He spoke love fluently and everyone in his presence felt his glow.

The common thing to do would be to write a glowing tribute to my dad. The problem with that is that there was nothing "common" about my father. He was a huge man with a larger heart and a personality that filled the room as soon as he entered. People instantly liked him and felt drawn to him. There was no wall flower so shy that he could not coax them out of their shell and convince them they were the center of the universe. He never met a stranger and had a knack for putting anyone of any age instantly at ease. He was one of those rare people who genuinely cared about people and wasn't afraid to show it. 

His love for life was contagious. On a card from his co-workers, almost every wish included a comment that the person missed his smiling face and missed his ability to make them laugh. He blessed others simply by being himself. He inspired them, encouraged them and brought them joy, yet never expected anything in return. He shared love and joy freely, and everyone around him was made a better person as a result.

Growing up, my dad was fun. He was the type of dad who always gave me two pieces of sugar free gum instead of just one. As a kid diagnosed with diabetes at age two, two pieces of gum was a huge treat. He played with us, taught us to laugh, and encouraged us to have fun. My brother and sister and I can thank him for instilling in us the importance of being able to laugh at ourselves. He was the kind of father who held us accountable and doled out consequences, but who never seemed to remember past errors. He was the type of dad who wouldn't hesitate to drive all the way from Indiana to Mexico to rescue me and my kids when a situation became ugly. It was the right thing to do and he did it. Period.

Above all, he was 100% honest. Often bluntly so. You always knew exactly where you stood with him. He taught me to treasure honesty and to value it in my relationships. He spoke his mind because he believed love was always honest, that honesty was a sign of respect, and that honesty made people better. In his final days, frustrated at being confined to a bed, he was as likely to refer to one of the many doctors caring for him as an "arrogant asshole" as he was to stop a nurse in mid-sentence to let her know how pretty she was. (He was right on both counts.)

Few who knew him knew that he lost many years of his life to alcoholism but reclaimed it and recreated it in sobriety. There are also few who know that he gained and maintained 25 years of sobriety 100% on his own, relying on the support of his wife, Diane, instead of a group. He battled his demons in private, and his victory over them was also private. After giving up his addiction, he devoted himself to rebuilding relationships he had destroyed. Everyone in his life forgave him, but he occasionally made comments that hinted he was unable to forgive himself. My prayer is that he found peace and forgave himself before he passed. He had absolutely nothing to regret. He set the example that mistakes can and should be redeemed, and that actions speak louder than excuses.

When I think of my father, the tears often mingle with smiles. He leaves a legacy of unconditional love ... with a killer punch line.

How I Lost Weight By Eating MORE

This is going to be a "quickie" post sharing a very simple truth: If you eat too little and/or have absorption problems, you may find it impossible to lose weight. In the simplest terms, eating too few calories and nutrients (or being unable to absorb what you eat) causes the body to think it's starving. As a result, the body will drastically slow down metabolism and will refuse to let go of any fat stores being held. Additionally, when too few calories are eaten, it causes muscle mass to be lost in the body. In very basic terms, muscle mass determines metabolism. A person's Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is defined as being the number of calories the body burns without doing any exercise. Sixty percent of your daily calories are burned to fuel basic body functions. That's good news! BMR basically represents how many daily calories your body burns if you do nothing but lay in bed all day. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is largely dependent upon muscle mass. People that have more muscle mass as a percentage of body weight have a higher BMR and burn more calories on a daily basis without even trying.

In my practice, I use a Bio-Impedance Analysis (BIA) body scanner to measure over thirty different physiological and metabolic values such as Basal Metabolic Rate, Intracellular Water (hydration), Extracellular Water (edema), Body Mass Index (BMI), etc. I use BIA with patients and clients who are trying to lose weight and who have experienced difficulty. As we address their metabolic issues and repeat the BIA scans, it is amazing to see their numbers improve in the BIA results.

In my office, I see women almost daily who report they are maintaining a calorie intake of 500-1000 calories. They are, quite literally, starving themselves in an attempt to lose weight. The problem with this is that it does not address underlying issues such as metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance, hormone imbalance, thyroid issues, etc. My goal with every patient is to find and address the cause of illness or physical problems and address the cause instead of merely addressing the symptoms. Excess weight is often an indicator of metabolic disorders and/or absorption problems. When I address the metabolic problem, the weight falls off almost magically. (If you have absorption problems, please read my post: Top 6 Ways to Maximize Digestion.)

Consuming so few calories causes metabolism to screech to a halt. When I run a BIA on women on starvation or HCG diets, their Basal Metabolic Rate is typically far below 1000, which is very unusual. (Most people's BMR is somewhere between 1300-2000, depending on gender, activity level, muscle mass, etc.) Their body has essentially almost stopped burning calories in order to protect itself from the insufficient caloric intake. This is a very dangerous physiological state. Most of these women also have extremely low muscle mass because their body has started consuming muscle in order to provide itself with energy. This state, referred to as Ketoacidosis, typically occurs when insufficient carbohydrates are consumed, but may also result from extremely low caloric intake. Ketoacidosis is a very dangerous chemical imbalance that can cause permanent physical damage.

In my personal case, I have battled weight issues for most of my life. I no longer weigh more than 200 pounds, but I am not comfortable with my current weight of 150 pounds. I need to state that I am currently reversing autoimmune issues affecting my adrenal glands, thyroid gland and digestion, and have Type 1 diabetes, so I have multiple metabolic issues that make losing weight difficult. I also have zero appetite, so it was a shock to me to realize a few weeks ago that I had sunk into a habit of only eating once per day. This realization sunk in while on a recent vacation. During vacation, my husband and I ate very hearty (but healthy) meals three times daily and often snacked between meals. After being on vacation and eating "so much" for four days, I stepped on the scale and realized I had actually lost four pounds. How is that possible? My body had responded to my increased caloric intake by increasing my Basal Metabolic Rate. The frequent meals had also "tricked" my body into thinking it needed to keep my metabolism "revved up" all day long. Since realizing I wasn't practicing what I preached, I have gotten back into a stable eating pattern and have lost another six pounds.

I know it seems impossible to lose weight by eating more, but that is often the only way to lose weight for people who have subjected themselves to starvation diets or to eating habits that offer few nutrients. (The HCG diet fits this category. Please use caution with the diet plans used with HCG.) This is also very true for people who have severe absorption issues. If the digestive tract cannot adequately absorb nutrients, the body will slow down metabolism to protect itself. In this case, the digestive distress must be addressed first. 

If you have been eating an extremely restricted diet, I encourage you to start eating more. Work up gradually so that your body can adjust, and add moderate exercise to help build muscle. As always, please ask your doctor to run a full panel of blood work to rule out any metabolic disorder or hormonal imbalances that may be negatively impacting your ability to lose weight.

Top Ways to Reduce & Avoid Inflammation

As I stated in my last post, Myths About Inflammation, we live in a world where systemic inflammation (internal and external inflammation affecting all body systems) has become "normal." The past 20 years have also seen an incredible rise in auto-immune conditions causing systemic inflammation. 

People with systemic inflammation may experience any of the following symptoms: digestive disturbances, pain, joint achiness and stiffness, increased blood pressure, fatigue, "brain fog," depression, elevated triglycerides and cholesterol, and many more. The problem with many of these symptoms is that they are very non-specific and often are not recognized as being induced by wide spread inflammation. There are blood tests that can test for systemic inflammation: The C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test can be used to check for systemic inflammation; and the Highly Sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) can be used to check for inflammation in the cardiac system. Many MDs consider the hs-CRP test to be a better predictor of heart disease than cholesterol tests. (See my post, Blood Tests Almost Everyone Should Request, for more info on these tests and others.)

Anyone with inflammation can reduce its effects and potentially avoid letting it become systemic using the following methods:

• Avoid inflammatory foods: The simplest way to reduce and avoid inflammation is to follow an eating plan that is high in whole, unprocessed foods, high in vegetables and low in processed grains and sugars. Foods causing the most inflammation in the body include: sugar; vegetable oils (other than extra virgin olive and extra virgin coconut) that are high in Omega 6 fatty acids; hydrogenated oils and margarines; alcohol; and refined grains. Some studies indicate that CAFO meats and dairy are also inflammatory. My favorite book on eating to reduce inflammation is The Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Recipe Book. I highly recommend it!
  
• Eat non-inflammatory foods: Foods containing anti-inflammatory nutrients include salmon and wild-caught fish high in Omega 3 fatty acids; vegetables (raw or lightly steamed); cherries; blueberries; papaya (high in the anti-inflammatory enzyme papain); pineapple (high in the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain); turmeric; green tea; extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin coconut oil. There is some evidence that night shade vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, egg plant, etc.) increase inflammation and pain, although some people are far more sensitive than others. Many people find that avoiding the inflammatory foods listed above and incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods into their eating plan makes a huge difference in their inflammatory levels and in how they feel in general.
  
• Get enough sleep: Researchers at UCLA measured the inflammatory response and blood levels of inflammatory proteins during a 2006 research study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers found that cytokine (inflammatory protein) levels and monocyte (disease-fighting white blood cell) levels dramatically increased after a single night of deficient sleep. The researchers also found that decreased sleep triggered an increase in inflammatory enzymes that trigger the body's protective inflammatory response. They concluded that a lack of sleep causes an auto-immune reaction caused by the stress created by the lack of sleep. The researchers suggested that increased sleep could be a beneficial therapy for systemic inflammation. I conclude that an extra hour of sleep could be especially helpful for anyone suffering from systemic inflammation caused by an auto-immune condition. A summary of this study can be read at: Sleepless Night Triggers Immune System’s Inflammatory Response;Findings Reveal New Avenue for Fighting Autoimmune Disorders.
  
• Maintain a normal body weight: Excess weight puts stress on joints, muscles and blood vessels, thereby causing a protective inflammatory response. Maintaining weight at a healthy level is known to helpful for decreasing coronary disease, diabetes rates, etc., but is also now knonw to decrease inflammation.
  
• Drink enough water: Dehydration causes an inflammatory response that may be partially responsible for the negative symptoms caused by dehydration. I strongly recommend drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. So, if you weight 150 pounds, you should be drinking a minimum of 75 ounces of purified water daily. Staying hydrating improves cell function and helps the body eliminate toxins that could contribute to inflammation.
  
• Avoid allergenic foods: Although it may be tempting to occasionally indulge in a food you know you have a mild allergy to, doing so creates a cascade of systemic inflammation. Please don't.
  
• Get moderate exercise: The key word here is MODERATE. People who exercise regularly are known to have lower levels of C-Reactive protein, a blood protein that increases in response to inflammation. People who do intense forms of exercise actually have higher levels of C-Reactive protein due to the damage caused to muscles and blood vessels. In my practice, I consistently see higher levels of cholesterol in long-distance runners, probably because the body produces extra cholesterol to repair the damage done to blood vessels during excessive training and racing.
  
• Maintain normal pH: Acidity in the body increases inflammation. When foods are digested, by products are left behind which are either acidic or alkaline. These byproducts are often referred to as "ash." The most alkaline foods include fruits and vegetables, millet and buckwheat, almonds and brazil nuts. The most acidic foods include meats, grains (other than millet and buckwheat), and nuts (other than almonds and brazil nuts.) The ideal balance to aim for is to eat 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods. This coincides with a healthy balance of high amounts of fruits and vegetables.

Making tiny changes on a daily basis can quickly add up to reduce inflammation and improve health. What will you do first? I wish you the very best!

Myths About Inflammation

Going to write a quick post about inflammation because so many myths exist about it. To do the topic of inflammation justice will require multiple posts, so I will focus on what inflammation is and bust several myths in this post. Please read Easy Ways to Avoid & Reverse Inflammation for tips on addressing inflammation. The following myths exist about inflammation:

1. Inflammation is Always Bad: The truth is that inflammation is vitally important to survival. Inflammation is a protective response to cellular damage and we could not live without it. Inflammation serves to set off a cascade of healing processes that result in faster healing and which actually protect tissues ... at first. If left unchecked, inflammation ultimately leads to cell death, but is essential for healing in its early stages. Inflammation is typically a response to invading bacteria, viruses or allergens; infection; irritants; toxins;  trauma or injury to tissues or cells; etc. Inflammation sets off a cascade of reactions and serves to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to cells, increase fluid levels in  cells in order to dilute toxins affecting the cells, increase the permeability of vascular tissues (blood vessels) so that the body's protective antibiotic chemicals can more easily reach the affected cells, creates a network of fibers to trap invading pathogens; and sometimes creates pain to alert the affected person their body has a problem. Each of these processes is vital for healing, and each sends a signal that needs to be responded to immediately.
   
   
2. Inflammation is Always Visible and Always Causes Pain: If you slam your finger in a car door, you can obviously see the inflammation in the swelling and redness the injury produces. This is called "Acute Inflammation" and is typically a temporary reaction to an injury or irritant. However, inflammation is sometimes invisible because it is internal and widespread. Internal inflammation often does not cause pain and therefore goes unnoticed until the inflammation has progressed to the point that it begins to affect cell function. This type of inflammation is often referred to as "Systemic Inflammation" and refers to inflammation that is internal (sometimes external) and which exists in many different body systems.
   
   
3. Inflammation is Always Limited to One Body Part: As stated above, inflammation can be either acute (such as when you slam your finger in a car door) or systemic, meaning it affects the entire body, inside and outside, head to toe. Systemic inflammation is present in conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and has been implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Heart Disease and even insulin resistance leading to Type 2 Diabetes. (For information on blood tests that can identify these types of systemic inflammation, please read my post, Blood Tests Almost Everyone Should Request.
   
   
4. Diet Has Nothing to Do with Inflammation: You know me well enough by now to know my response to this myth. The fact is that many foods commonly eaten in the SAD (Standard American Diet) are highly inflammatory and some people are able to control and reverse inflammation using diet alone. I promise to share more about using diet to control inflammation in a future post. For now, please note that the top three inflammatory foods (in my opinion) are white sugar, vegetable oils (corn, soy, safflower, etc.) due to their extremely high levels of inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids, and refined grains. The top three anti-inflammatory foods are those high in anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, etc.), dark leafy greens, and cherries. (More on the foods to include in an anti-inflammatory diet in a future post.) People who are sensitive to night shade vegetables (peppers, potatoes, egg plant, etc.) often find that consuming these foods dramatically increases pain and inflammation levels.)
   

Do you suffer from inflammation? How do you control it? What foods and lifestyle habits do you find either increase or decrease your inflammation and pain levels? Please share!